Expositions of Holy Scripture: St. LukeMaclaren, Alexander
Religion
Expositions of Holy Scripture: St. Luke
Maclaren, Alexander
Bible. Luke -- Commentaries
Let professing Christians especially lay to heart the solemn lesson
that there does lie in their very religion the possibility of their
being culpably unconcerned about some of the world's wounds, and
that, if their love to God does not find a field for its
manifestation in active love to man, worship in the Temple will be
mockery. Philanthropy is, in our days, often substituted for
religion. The service of man has been put forward as the only real
service of God. But philanthropic unbelievers and unphilanthropic
believers are equally monstrosities. What God hath joined let not
man put asunder. That simple 'and,' which couples the two great
commandments, expresses their indissoluble connection. Well for us
if in our practice they are blended in one!
It is not spiritualising this narrative when we say that Jesus is
Himself the great pattern of the swift compassion and effectual
helpfulness which it sets forth. Many unwise attempts have been made
to tack on spiritual meanings to the story. These are as irreverent
as destructive of its beauty and significance. But to say that
Christ is the perfect example of that love to every man which the
narrative portrays, has nothing in common with these fancies. It is
only when we have found in Him the pity and the healing which we
need, that we shall go forth into the world with love as wide as
His.
HOW TO PRAY
'And it came to pass, that, as He was praying in a
certain place, when He ceased, one of His disciples
said unto Him, Lord, teach us to pray, as John also
taught His disciples. 2. And He said unto them, When
ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed
be Thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in
heaven, so in earth. 3. Give us day by day our daily
bread. 4. And forgive us our sins; for we also forgive
every one that is indebted to us. And lead us not into
temptation; but deliver us from evil. 5. And He said
unto them, Which of you shall have a friend, and shall
go unto him at midnight, and say unto him, Friend, lend
me three loaves; 6. For a friend of mine in his journey
is come to me, and I have nothing to set before him?
7. And he from within shall answer and say, Trouble me
not: the door is now shut, and my children are with me
in bed; I cannot rise and give thee. 8. I say unto you,
Though he will not rise and give him, because he is his
friend, yet because of his importunity he will rise and
give him as many as he needeth. 9. And I say unto you,
Ask, and it shall be given to you; seek, and ye shall
find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. 10. For
every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh
findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.
11. If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a
father, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish,
will he for a fish give him a serpent? 12. Or if he
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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