Psalms 2:11

Psalms 2:11

Why did Christ show Himself to so few witnesses after He rose from the dead? Because He was a King,a King exalted upon God's "holy hill of Zion." Kings do not court the multitude, or show themselves as a spectacle at the will of others. They act by means of their servants, and must be sought by those who would gain favours from them.

I. It must be borne in mind that even before He entered into His glory Christ spoke and acted as a King. Even in the lowest acts of His self-abasement, still He showed His greatness. When He taught, warned, pitied, prayed for, His ignorant hearers, He never allowed them to relax their reverence or to overlook His condescension.

II. Observe the difference between Christ's promises stated doctrinally and generally and His mode of addressing those who came actually before Him. While He announced God's willingness to forgive allrepentant sinners, in all the fulness of loving-kindness and tender mercy, yet He did not use supplication to these persons or those, whatever their number or their rank might be. He spoke as One who knew He had great favours to confer, and had nothing to gain from those who received them. Far from urging them to accept His bounty, He showed Himself even backward to confer it, inquired into their knowledge and motives, and cautioned them against entering His service without counting the cost of it.

III. In a Christian's course fear and love must go together.And this is the lesson to be deduced from our Saviour's withdrawing from the world after His resurrection. He showed His love for men by dying for them and rising again. He maintained His honour and great glory by retiring from them when His merciful purpose was attained, that they might seek Him if they would find Him.

J. H. Newman, Parochial and Plain Sermons,vol. i., p. 295.

References: Psalms 2:11. A. Mursell, Christian World Pulpit,vol. xix., p. 232.Psalms 2:12. Expositor,3rd series, vol. v., p. 305; G. Brooks, Outlines of Sermons,p. 133; Spurgeon, vol. v., No. 260; Sermons for Boys and Girls,p. 212.