Expositions of Holy Scripture : St. Matthew Chaps. IX to XXVIIIMaclaren, Alexander
Religion
Expositions of Holy Scripture : St. Matthew Chaps. IX to XXVIII
Maclaren, Alexander
Bible -- Commentaries; Bible. Matthew IX-XXVIII -- Commentaries
But a patch and a worn garment do not wholly describe the relations
of the old and the new. Freshly made wine, still fermenting, and
old, stiff wine-skins which have lost their elasticity suggest
further thoughts. Now we have to do with containing vessel _versus_
contents, with a fermenting force _versus_ stiffened forms. To put
that into these will destroy both. For example, if the struggle of
the Judaisers in the early Church had succeeded, and Christianity
had become a Jewish sect, it would have dwindled to nothing, as the
Jewish-minded Christians did. The wine must have bottles. Every
great spiritual renovating force must embody itself in institutions.
Spiritual emotions must express themselves in acts of worship,
spiritual convictions must speak in a creed. But the containing
vessel must be congruous with, and still more, it must be created by,
the contained force, as there are creatures who frame their shells
to fit the convolutions of their bodies, and build them up from their
own substance. Forms are good, as long as they can stretch if need be;
when they are too stiff to expand, they restrict rather than contain
the wine, and if short-sighted obstinacy insists on keeping _it_ in
_them_, there will be a great spill and loss of much that is
precious.
THE TOUCH OF FAITH AND THE TOUCH OF CHRIST
'While He spake these things unto them, behold, there
came a certain ruler, and worshipped Him, saying, My
daughter is even now dead: but come and lay Thy hand
upon her, and she shall live. 19. And Jesus arose,
and followed him, and so did His disciples. 20. And,
behold, a woman, which was diseased with an issue of
blood twelve years, came behind Him, and touched the
hem of His garment: 21. For she said within herself,
If I may but touch His garment, I shall be whole.
22. But Jesus turned Him about, and when He saw her,
He said, Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath
made thee whole. And the woman was made whole from
that hour. 23. And when Jesus came into the ruler's
house, and saw the minstrels and the people making a
noise. 24. He said unto them, Give place: for the maid
is not dead, but sleepeth. And they laughed Him to
scorn. 25. But when the people were put forth, He went
in, and took her by the hand, and the maid arose.
26. And the fame hereof went abroad into all that land.
27. And when Jesus departed thence, two blind men
followed Him, crying, and saying, Thou Son of David,
have mercy on us. 28. And when He was come into the
house, the blind men came to Him: and Jesus saith unto
them, Believe ye that I am able to do this? They said
unto Him, Yea, Lord. 29. Then touched He their eyes,
saying, According to your faith be it unto you. 30. And
their eyes were opened; and Jesus straitly charged them,
saying, See that no man know it. 31. But they, when they
were departed, spread abroad His fame in all that
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