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Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing
The whole earthly life of Jesus was a manifestation of this principle.
It was to bring the bread of life to His enemies that our Saviour left
His home in heaven. Though calumny and persecution were heaped
upon Him from the cradle to the grave, they called forth from Him
only the expression of forgiving love. Through the prophet Isaiah He
says, “I gave My back to the smiters, and My cheeks to them that
plucked off the hair: I hid not My face from shame and spitting.” “He
was oppressed, and He was afflicted, yet He opened not His mouth:
He is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her
shearers is dumb, so He openeth not His mouth.”
Isaiah 50:6
;
53:7
.
And from the cross of Calvary there come down through the ages His
prayer for His murderers and the message of hope to the dying thief.
The Father’s presence encircled Christ, and nothing befell Him but
that which infinite love permitted for the blessing of the world. Here
was His source of comfort, and it is for us. He who is imbued with the
Spirit of Christ abides in Christ. The blow that is aimed at him falls
upon the Saviour, who surrounds him with His presence. Whatever
comes to him comes from Christ. He has no need to resist evil, for
Christ is his defense. Nothing can touch him except by our Lord’s
permission, and “all things” that are permitted “work together for good
to them that love God.”
Romans 8:28
.
“If any man would go to law with thee, and take away thy coat
[72]
[tunic], let him have thy cloak [mantle] also. And whosoever shall
impress thee to go one mile, go with him twain.” R.V., margin.
Jesus bade His disciples, instead of resisting the demands of those
in authority, to do even more than was required of them. And, so far
as possible, they should discharge every obligation, even if it were
beyond what the law of the land required. The law, as given through
Moses, enjoined a very tender regard for the poor. When a poor man
gave his garment as a pledge, or as security for a debt, the creditor
was not permitted to enter the dwelling to obtain it; he must wait
in the street for the pledge to be brought to him. And whatever the
circumstances the pledge must be returned to its owner at nightfall.
Deuteronomy 24:10-13
. In the days of Christ these merciful provisions
were little regarded; but Jesus taught His disciples to submit to the
decision of the court, even though this should demand more than the
law of Moses authorized. Though it should demand a part of their
raiment, they were to yield. More than this, they were to give to the