Philochristus: Memoirs of a Disciple of the LordAbbott, Edwin Abbott
Religion
Philochristus: Memoirs of a Disciple of the Lord
Abbott, Edwin Abbott
Christian fiction; Jesus Christ -- Fiction
When Jesus lay down on the sleeping‐cushion, I questioned Nathanael why
Jesus would work no sign in heaven. “For,” said I, “signs on earth and in
the bodies of men he daily worketh; as but now, when he raised up the
daughter of Jairus (all men supposing her to be dead): and again, at
another time, albeit he neither said nor did aught, a woman was healed,
though she did but touch him, and that too in a throng: so powerful was
the mere garment of our Master to work healing. And when Jesus perceived
the woman (discerning the pressure of her hand, albeit in the midst of the
throng), then, as thou rememberest, he was neither wroth nor chid the
woman for thus, as it were, stealing a miracle; but bade her go in peace,
and be healed of her disease. Wherefore then worketh he no sign in heaven?
Did not Moses and Elias work signs in heaven? Yet our Master is greater
than they.” To these words Nathanael made no answer for a while; but at
last he said, “Concerning Moses and Elias, and concerning what they did or
did not, I am not able to speak. But as touching Jesus of Nazareth, thus
much I know, that he lightly esteemeth all signs, both in heaven and in
earth, except they reveal the mercifulness of God. For he teacheth that
heaven and earth shall pass away, but his words shall remain for ever. And
assuredly he seemeth to me to be greater than Moses and Elias, yea, though
he should work no sign at all. For he moveth upon the face of the earth
like unto the Son of God, and looketh upon all things that are, as being
the servants of his Father. But seeing that they are the servants of his
Father, he loveth them; yea, he cherisheth even the flowers of the fields;
the sky also, and the winds, and the waters seem to him as the ministers
of his Father; and the more he loveth the Father, the more he loveth his
Father’s servants; neither will he check them nor chide them save
according to his Father’s will, but submitteth himself unto them even more
willingly than others submit themselves. For this cause he endureth to be
cold, and an‐hungered, and athirst, and homeless; neither doth he chide
the frost, nor stamp on the ground to make the wheat spring up for him;
nor strike waters from the rock; nor bid the stones come together at his
word for to build him an house.” “But is not this patience,” asked I, “the
condition of a slave?” “Yes, truly is it,” replied Nathanael, “but what
saith our Master? He that is to be greatest among men must be as he that
is least; he that is to rule must be as he that ministereth; he that is to
be king over all must be as the slave of all. Only it is needful that we
serve not unwillingly, but willingly. But whoso serveth the Lord in all
things willingly, he is no slave, but a son.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account