"HE TAUGHT THEM AS ONE HAVING AUTHORITY."
By T.
AT the conclusion of that wonderful sermon that Christ gave on the mount, the record says of it: "When Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at His doctrine; for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes." Matt. 7:28, 29. The teaching of the scribes was speculative. It lacked point. It lacked definiteness. It lacked the power of a personal conviction on the part of the teachers; the importance of certain forms, and traditions, and meaningless ceremonies was that which occupied their attention. The vital and vitalizing power of the mighty truth of God had never been allowed to enter their bigoted and prejudiced minds to fill them with life and power. They dwelt upon the use of certain forms of dress, or clerical uniform if you please. They clung tenaciously to certain forms of expression that they claimed must be used in defining their faith in order to be orthodox. Certain traditions concerning the washing of pots and of their hands and such like things were the all-absorbing themes of their worship and daily rounds of temple service. Under such a régime, is it any wonder that the scribes and Pharisees of Christ's time made their religion to consist of ostentatious fastings, prayers on the street corners, and other like things, to be seen and heard of men? And is it any marvel that such religious teachers should have lost their spiritual power with the people, so that they were under the necessity of fastening the most slavish chains of superstitious requirements upon them in order to even nominally hold them to the services of the synagogues? But when the great Teacher sent of God began His work, "He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes." The officers of the law who were sent to arrest Christ returned, saying, "Never man spake like this man." John 7:46. There was something about the Master's teaching that was not only fascinating, but it was strangely convincing to the people of His time. They had not been used to such words of power. The lifeless discourses of the scribes and Pharisees were set in most marked contrast to the positive and confident expressions of truth that came like healing music from the lips of the Messiah. The secret of this great power that was wrapped up in the words of Christ lay in the fact that He was telling that which He had unbounded and unquestioned faith in Himself. He knew that the words He was speaking were true. He gave expression to His own deep convictions of eternal truth. He had been with the Father and knew the truth; and knowing the truth He did not give Himself to the discussions of speculative theory, but advanced at once to plainly tell what He knew. He had met Satan's keenest temptations, and had felt the force and cunning of his malignant power. But through it all He had stood secure in the mighty strength of His Father in heaven. He not only had the knowledge, but He had the experiences of the power of divine truth. And when He came before the people to teach, it was to affirm boldly and with authority what He so perfectly knew. The great trouble with so much of the religious teaching to-day is that it lacks point; it lacks the power of faith, and a personal knowledge and conviction of the truth of God. Preachers present themselves; they seek to charm us with their eloquence or please us by the literary excellence of their discourses. But what is needed is the eloquence of the mighty Gospel that saves sinners—the literary merit of the Word of God itself, melted into the very soul by the Spirit and power of God. Men often ask, Why has the Gospel, the pure, simple Gospel of Christ, lost its power? It has not. It is a mistake to think or say so. It is not that the Gospel has lost its power, but men have lost the Gospel. They have left the Gospel to one side, while they have given themselves to the discussion of dead theories like the scribes of old. What a fatal mistake this is! If you long for power in your life or in your preaching or teaching, take time to learn in the school of the great Teacher Himself. He holds the secret of presenting the power and authority of truth, and not the dead formalism of the scribes. He wants to give you the same power. Will you let Him? T.