John 19:26

John 19:26

Whatever the ruling passion has been, it becomes strengthened and intensified in the hour of death. Such was the death of Jesus our Lord. In Him there had been but one quenchless passion. The thirst to do good had marked every hour and every action of His life. Behold, as He draws near to the end, the same passion, the same earnest thoughtfulness for others, lives as strongly as before; and the passion is the noble passion of benevolence in life, and of quenchless benevolence in death. And that which shows itself in earnest benevolence shows itself also in the thoughtfulness of His last hour, for around Him, no matter what disturbing influences, no matter what disturbing scenes, no matter what difficulty assails His dying moments, still here through the anguish of flesh, still strong through the faintness of death, the spirit of His benevolence and thoughtfulness for others triumphs over all. "Behold," He says, "thy mother; behold thy son."

I. No incident in the life of Christ is a mere naked fact. Beautiful as the incident is, as a flower gathered on the grave of one we loved, yet still it is a flower likewise in this; it carries with it the germ of an everlasting principle. That principle is this that in the cross of Jesus Christ new relationships have been established. Links which had no existence before, have been forged in His death, and where links of sympathy existed before, His death has welded them more strongly together.

II. But Jesus Christ is not content to leave us thus, proclaiming that in His cross new relationships are established. He also proclaims by His words that there are new obligations also. There is a law in our nature by which in proportion to the awakening of sentiment, is the diminution of practical action. There is a thrill of enthusiasm which stirs the heart under the influence of some sentiment; and we, because we have felt nobly, cannot say that we have acted nobly also, and therefore Jesus Christ enforces the obligation by His very position at this moment. It is when He can no longer care for His mother, that He commits her to the care of the beloved disciple. It is when John can no longer lay his head upon the breast of his Master, that Christ appoints him to that which in a sort may be a substitute the love of a new-found mother at His cross. Thus He precludes Himself from the very sphere of benevolence, that He may force upon us the necessity of discharging that which His absence from earth renders it impossible that He should do. He leaves certain great principles in the world, initiated by His teaching, enforced by His example, and He commits their discharge to us.

Bishop Boyd-Carpenter, Penny Pulpit,No. 872.

References: John 19:26; John 19:27. J. N. Norton, Golden Truths,p. 194; J. Stalker, The New Song,p. 65; J. Vaughan, Sermons,11th series, p. 157; C. J. Vaughan, Words from the Cross,p. 30. John 19:28. Spurgeon, Sermons,vol. xxiv., No. 1409; J. N. Norton, Golden Truths,p. 206; Homiletic Quarterly,vol. ii., p. 270; J. Keble, Sermons for Holy Week,p. 271; C. J. Vaughan, Words from the Cross,p. 57; Ibid., Lessons of the Cross and Passion,p. 161. Joh 19:28, John 19:29. Contemporary Pulpit,vol. x., p. 123. Joh 19:28-30. Homiletic Quarterly,vol. i., p. 365.