John 7:46

THE WORDS OF JESUS

‘Never man spake like this Man.’

John 7:46

It often happens that people appreciate a work of art, and appreciate it rightly, but cannot altogether say why. Much the same, I think, is the case with the words of our Lord Jesus Christ. I am one of those who think that sufficient attention has not always been fixed upon the language of Jesus Christ. Theologians and other thinkers debate about His supernatural works, His miracles, but to my thinking the words of Jesus are more marvellous than His works. We know so little about the relation of spirit to body, of our own spirits to our own bodies, and the spirit of one man to the spirit and body of another, that I should be loth to lay down dogmatically that this or that fact was impossible; but it is to me absolutely inconceivable that any one, if he were a man, however lofty, however powerful, however holy, should assert the claims which Jesus Christ asserted for Himself, that he should claim, for example, to be the judge of all the living and the dead. It will be my object to examine, as well as one sermon will permit, the words of Jesus Christ, in order to show how true it is that ‘Never man spake like this Man.’

I. Words of authority.—It will be best to begin with the ordinary conversation of everyday life. We say ‘I hope,’ or ‘I think,’ or ‘I am afraid,’ or ‘I expect.’ But there is not one of these expressions which Jesus Christ, if He were living now, could possibly have used. The words which are so often current upon our lips, such as ‘perhaps,’ or ‘probably,’ or ‘I dare say,’ are never heard from His, whether about earthly things or about heavenly. He speaks with absolute assurance. He may or may not choose to impart His knowledge, but He never says ‘I do not know.’ To take an example. It is related that one of His disciples asked Him, ‘Lord, are there few that be saved?’ He does not say ‘I do not know,’ but He says it is not their business to know, and they must try to win their own salvation. I do not forget that to this universal amplitude of knowledge there seems to be one exception. In regard to the final Day of Judgment our Lord, at least as Mark reports Him, used the words, ‘Of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father.’ And if so, then I can only say that that one solitary exception to the law of His universal knowledge does but serve to throw into relief His paramount claim in other instances. I sometimes think the best way to realise how unique is the teaching of Jesus Christ is to set it beside the teaching of some one high, holy, and pure among men. Now this is the language which Socrates addressed to his judges in the prospect of his execution: ‘The hour of departure has arrived, and we go our way, I to die and you to live. Which is better, God only knows.’ Now listen to the words of Jesus Christ: ‘I go to My Father and ye see Me no more.’ ‘Father, into Thy hands I commend My spirit.’ ‘I ascend unto My Father and your Father; and to My God and your God.’

II. Words of infallibility.—There are no expressions which are, and ought to be, commoner upon our lips than such as suggest our own imperfections or limitations, such as ‘I will try,’ ‘I will do my best,’ ‘I have forgotten,’ ‘I made a mistake.’ There is not one of these expressions which Jesus Christ ever used or could have used in His human life. It is in His relation to His disciples that I seem especially to notice the uniqueness of His language. He lived with them, as you know, an intimate, daily companionship. Yet He never says, ‘What do you think? In the circumstances, what do you recommend me to do?’ And, strangest of all, He never said to His disciples, ‘Let us kneel down and pray together.’ This He did not say, but what He did say strikes me as even more wonderful. Let me remind you of such words as these: ‘Which of you convinceth Me of sin?’ Is there any one who could advance a claim like that? ‘Come unto Me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.’ ‘All,’ notice; not ‘some.’ He is the one absolute Comforter and Saviour of all men in all vicissitudes of their human lives. Or, again, ‘Before Him shall be gathered all nations.’ He claims to be the final Judge of all men, to discriminate with absolute precision between all men and all nations of men at the last judgment. He asserted from the first a world-wide, imperishable mission. His conception of His mission He never revoked, never qualified, never changed, and yet, in the prosecution of His mission, He seemed to be indifferent to the common signs and tokens of success. He did not count up His disciples, He did not advertise Himself, He shrank from publicity. The Son of Man had not where to lay His head; but for all that He did not entertain so much as a momentary doubt that His mission would be ultimately accomplished. Is there anything more tragic in history than the life of the traitor Judas, false friend, plotting in secret, as he thought, the death of his Master, and all the while that Master could read his heart, could see the plague spot of sin spreading over it? Jesus knew from the beginning who should betray Him.

III. Words that endure.—He Who spoke as never man spake predicted that His words should never pass away. The science, the philosophy, the religion of the Roman Empire in His day, they are gone, and they will never come again. His words alone have never been superseded. The world needs no new religion. It needs only to lay hold of His revelation of the Father Who loves His children with a love to which all earthly love is as shadow to sunshine.

—Bishop Welldon.

(SECOND OUTLINE)

CHRIST’S TEACHING

The speaker was quite right, although he knew not how deep and profound a truth he was uttering. Let us see the significance of these words as applied to Christ.

I. The matter of His teaching.—Originality was its distinctive feature. Christ Himself—His Person, His work, and His mission—was the theme of His teaching. It was characterised by sublimity and simplicity, profundity and perspicuity.

II. The manner of His teaching.—There was no reasoning, popularly so-called, but there was the highest wisdom in all He said. Nor was there the eloquence of human oratory. He spoke with authority. Mark the touching solemnity of His lamentation over Jerusalem, His severe denunciation of hypocrisy, and His passionate tenderness for the sorrowful.

III. The method of His teaching.—His words were brief, emphatic, suggestive, parabolic. Now turn to the present position of Christ and His teaching.

(a) He is the central figure of human history.

(b) His teaching confessedly the most potent factor in human progress.

Truly ‘never man spake like this Man.’

Archdeacon W. F. Taylor.

Illustration

‘The words of the Lord are as living now as on the very day they were uttered. They indicate their unequalled grandeur in this—that, uttered by a Galilæan carpenter eighteen centuries ago, they are universal in their application to all time and place. “Never man spake as this Man.” ’