SECTION VI.

THE THREEFOLD ATTESTATION WITH WHICH CHRIST OPENS HIS PUBLIC MINISTRY.

(Luke iii.)

The life of Christ was in an altogether peculiar sense a life for mankind. Viewed historically, it formed the innermost centre of the history of our race. The commencement, therefore, of the public ministry of Jesus must be determined in relation to the political history of the world. For the public ministry of Christ, however, preparation was made in the public ministry of John the Baptist. And therefore has Luke chronologically fixed the last, and through the last the other also.

John, the son of Zacharias, appeared in the wilderness at the call of the Lord — that is, as a prophet, after the manner of Old Testament prophets — in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius, when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, Herod ruled as tetrarch over Galilee, his brother Philip over Iturea, and Lysanias over Abilene — Annas and Caiaphas being the high priests.¹

John was appointed as His forerunner to introduce the Lord into His place in the history of the world. This constituted his entire mission. The anti-pharisaical, universal tendencies of his spirit were in harmony with it. It expressed itself in the human views he taught concerning life; and finally, it was sealed by a career of much personal suffering.

His mission is completely described in the words of the prophet Isaiah: 'The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make His side-paths into thoroughfares (in the following order): — Every valley shall be filled; every mountain, and even every hill, shall be made low — removed, all curves — or crooked parts — shall be made straight, and all rough places — or inequalities — shall become a smooth road — without obstruction.'

The universal character of the Baptist's position is shown in the earnest rebukes which he directed not only against the Pharisees and Sadducees, but also against the multitudes of the Jewish people who flocked to him; in his designating them a generation of vipers, and demanding of them to bring forth the right, true fruits of repentance; in his warning them against placing their trust on their descent from Abraham, in the words, 'God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham; 'and in his announcing to them that the axe was already laid unto the root of the trees, that every tree which brought not forth good fruit should be hewn down and cast into the fire.

Also, in his ethical teaching and views of life the same character distinctly appears. These are distinguished by two characteristic features. They are religious, and they are human. His doctrine is thus a precursor of the doctrine of Christ. To all classes who questioned him regarding the conduct of life, he gave instructions in this spirit. To the multitude in general he said, 'He that hath two coats, let him impart to him — or share with him — that hath none; and he that hath meat, let him do likewise.' To the publicans he gave the following directions: 'Exact no more than that which is appointed you '— than the legal contribution. Finally, to the soldiers his instructions were, 'Oppress no man, either with rude violence or by secret denunciations;² but be content with your wages.' In these, and many similar directions, we recognize the Christian character of his ethics. His doctrine was not less in its substance christological. Amongst the people great expectations were formed regarding his person. All hearts were occupied with the thought — Possibly he may announce himself as the Messiah. But John gave to all the frankest declaration: 'I indeed baptize you with water; but one mightier than I cometh, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose: He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire; whose fan is in His hand, and He will throughly purge His floor, and will gather the wheat into His garner; but the chaff He will burn with unquenchable fire.' This, and much besides, formed his announcements to the people, which he accompanied with suitable exhortations.

Therefore, in his sufferings also it was needful for him to be a forerunner of Christ. Herod the tetrarch had been rebuked by him in reference to Herodias, his brother's wife; and now, to all the evil which he had otherwise done, he added this also, that he cast John into prison.

Thus was Christ in His whole character accredited by His forerunner John. This general attestation was turned into a personal testimony at His baptism.

Besides the historical testimony of John, a second and higher testimony was vouchsafed. When all the people were being baptized, and Jesus also received baptism, whilst He prayed, the heaven was opened, and the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape, like a dove, upon Him; and a voice came from heaven, which said, 'Thou art My beloved Son; in Thee I am well pleased.' Thus He was accredited by His Father in heaven, not only by the voice from heaven, but also by the revelation of the Holy Grhost, of whose presence a visible sign gave witness, — accredited in His divine nature.

With this second testimony corresponded also the third, which lies in His human nature and descent; — in His age, as in His genealogy.

Jesus was then about thirty years of age, when He began — to appear publicly, — and was, as was supposed,³ the son of Joseph, the son of Eli, the son — as this noblest line of ancestry proceeds — of Matthat, of Levi, of Melchi, of Janna, of Joseph, of Mattathias, of Amos, of Naum, of Esli, of Nagge, of Maath, of Mattathias, of Semei, of Joseph, of Juda, of Joanna, of Rhesa, of Zorobabel, of Salathiel, of Neri, of Melchi, of Addi, of Cosam, of Elmodam, of Er, of Jose, of Eliezer, of Jorim, of Matthat, of Levi, of Simeon, of Juda, of Joseph, of Jonan, of Eliakim, of Melea, of Menan, of Mattatha, of Nathan, of David, of Jesse, of Obed, of Booz, of Salmon, of Naasson, of Aminadab, of Aram, of Esrom, of Pliares, of Juda, of Jacob, of Isaac, of Abraham, of Thara, of Nachor, of Saruch, of Ragau, of Phalec, of Heber, of Sala, of Cainan, of Arphaxad, of Sem, of Noe, of Lamech, of Mathusala, of Enoch, of Jared, of Maleleel, of Cainan, of Enos, of Seth, of Adam, who had his descent from God.

This most ancient and noble extraction, the true humanity of of Christ, as it is seen, in its descent from Adam, running in a sacred line of ancestry through the whole human family, is the third attestation with which Christ makes His appearance as the Redeemer of mankind. The third attestation, however, does not lie beyond the limits of the second, but is parallel to it. It was necessary that Christ should be truly the Son of man, as well as truly the Son of God, in order to His being the Saviour of men. It was necessary that the unity of Godhead and manhood should appear in a personal form. As, however, He was in a real sense the Son of man, before all others, in virtue of His anointing by the Holy Ghost, or as the Son of God; He was, on the other hand, also the Son of God, not only in the sense of His immediate descent from the Father, but likewise because of His historical descent from Adam — as the heir of the divine relationship, and of the divine and human mission, with which the latter was invested — as the inheritor of his blessing.

The second and third attestation given to Christ may therefore be comprehended in one, as each requires and implies the other. They form together the essential or natural, as distinguished from the historical attestation, which was imparted to Him by John the Baptist.

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