At the Marriage Feast
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The
attention of the company was now
turned to the disciples. For the
first time they had the opportunity
of acknowledging their faith in
Jesus. They told what they had seen
and heard at the Jordan, and there
kindled in many hearts the hope that
God had raised up a deliverer for His
people. The news of the miracle
spread through that entire region,
and was carried to Jerusalem. With
new interest the priests and elders
searched the prophecies pointing to
Christ’s coming. There was eager
desire to learn the mission of this
new teacher, who appeared among the
people in so unassuming a manner.
The
ministry of Christ was in marked
contrast to that of the Jewish
elders. Their regard for tradition
and formalism had destroyed all real
freedom of thought or action. They
lived in continual dread of
defilement. To avoid contact with the
“unclean,” they kept aloof,
not only from the Gentiles, but also
from the majority of their own
people, seeking neither to benefit
them nor win their friendship. By
dwelling constantly on these matters,
they had dwarfed their minds and
narrowed the orbit of their lives.
Their example encouraged egotism and
intolerance among all classes of the
people.
Jesus
began the work of reformation by
coming into close sympathy with
humanity. While He showed the
greatest reverence for the law of
God, He rebuked the pretentious piety
of the Pharisees, and tried to free
the people from the senseless rules
that bound them. He was seeking to
break down the barriers that
separated the different classes of
society, that He might bring men
together as children of one family.
His attendance at the marriage feast
was designed to be a step toward
effecting this.
God had
directed John the Baptist to dwell in
the wilderness that he might be
shielded from the influence of the
priests and rabbis, and be prepared
for a special mission. But the
austerity and isolation of his life
were not an example for the people.
John himself had not directed his
hearers to forsake their former
duties. He bade them give evidence of
their repentance by faithfulness to
God in the place where He had called
them.
Jesus
reproved self-indulgence in all its
forms, yet He was social in His
nature. He accepted the hospitality
of all classes, visiting the homes of
the rich and the poor, the learned
and the ignorant, and seeking to
elevate their thoughts from questions
of commonplace life to those things
that are spiritual and eternal. He
gave no license to dissipation, and
no shadow of worldly levity marred
His conduct; yet He found pleasure in
scenes of innocent happiness, and by
His presence sanctioned the social
gathering. A Jewish marriage was an
impressive occasion, and its joy was
not displeasing to the Son of man. By
attending this feast, Jesus honored
marriage as a divine institution.
In both
the Old and New Testament, the
marriage relation is employed to
represent the tender and sacred union
that exists between Christ and His
people. To the mind of Jesus the
gladness of the wedding festivities
pointed forward to the rejoicing of
that day when He shall bring home His
bride to the Father’s house, and
the redeemed with the Redeemer shall
sit down to the marriage supper of
the Lamb. He says, “As the
bridegroom rejoiceth over the bride,
so shall thy God rejoice over
thee.” “Thou shalt no more
be termed Forsaken; … but thou
shalt be called My Delight; …
for the Lord delighteth in
thee.” “He will rejoice
over thee with joy; He will rest in
His love, He will joy over thee with
singing.” Isaiah 62: 5, margin;
Zephaniah 3:17. When the vision of
heavenly things was granted to John
the apostle, he wrote: “I heard
as it were the voice of mighty
thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for
the Lord God omnipotent reigneth. Let
us be glad and rejoice, and give
honor to Him; for the marriage of the
Lamb is come, and His wife hath made
herself ready.” “Blessed
are they which are called unto the
marriage supper of the Lamb.”
Revelation 19:6,7,9.
Jesus saw
in every soul one to whom must be
given the call to His kingdom. He
reached the hearts of the people by
going among them as one who desired
their good. He sought them in public
streets, in private houses, on the
boats, in the synagogue, by the
shores of the lake, and at the
marriage feast. He met them at their
daily vocations, and manifested an
interest in their secular affairs. He
carried His instruction into the
household, bringing families in their
own homes under the influence of His
divine presence. His strong personal
sympathy helped to win hearts. He
often repaired to the mountains for
solitary prayer, but this was a
preparation for His labor among men
in active life. From these seasons He
came forth to relieve the sick, to
instruct the ignorant, and to break
the chains from the captives of
Satan.
It was by
personal contact and association that
Jesus trained His disciples.
Sometimes He taught them, sitting
among them on the mountainside;
sometimes beside the sea, or walking
with them by the way, He revealed the
mysteries of the kingdom of God. He
did not sermonize as men do today.
Wherever hearts were open to receive
the divine message, He unfolded the
truths of the way of salvation. He
did not command His disciples to do
this or that, but said, “Follow
Me.” On His journeys through
country and cities He took them with
Him, that they might see how He
taught the people. He linked their
interest with His, and they united
with Him in the work.
The
example of Christ linking Himself
with the interests of humanity should
be followed by all who preach His
word, and by all who have received
the gospel of His grace. We are not
to renounce social communion. We
should not seclude ourselves from
others. In order to reach all
classes, we must meet them where they
are. They will seldom seek us of
their own accord. Not alone from the
pulpit are the hearts of men touched
by divine truth. There is another
field of labor, humbler, it may be,
but fully as promising. It is found
in the home of the lowly, and in the
mansion of the great; at the
hospitable board, and in gatherings
for innocent social enjoyment.
As
disciples of Christ we shall not
mingle with the world from a mere
love of pleasure, to unite with them
in folly. Such associations can
result in harm. We should never give
sanction to sin by our words or our
deeds, our silence of our presence.
Wherever we go,
We are to carry Jesus
with us, and to reveal to others the
preciousness of our Savior. But those
who try to preserve their religion by
hiding it within some walls lose
precious opportunities of doing good.
Through the social relations,
Christianity comes in contact with
the world. Everyone who has received
the divine illumination is to
brighten the pathway of those who
know not the Light of life.
We should
all become witnesses fro Jesus.
Social power, sanctified by the grace
of Christ, must be improved in
winning souls to the Savior. Let the
world see that we are not selfishly
absorbed in our own interests, but
that we desire others to share our
blessings and privileges. Let them
see that our religion does not make
us unsympathetic or exacting. Let all
who profess to have found Christ,
minister as He did for the benefit of
men.
We should
never give to the world false
impression that Christians are a
gloomy, unhappy people. If our eyes
are fixed on Jesus, we shall see a
compassionate Redeemer, and shall
catch light from His countenance.
Wherever His spirit reigns, there
peace abides. And there will be joy
also, for there is calm, holy trust
in God.
Christ
is pleased with His followers when
they show that, though human, they
are partakers of the divine nature.
They are not statues, but living men
and women. Their hearts,
refreshed by the dews of divine
grace, open and expand to the Sun of
Righteousness. The light that shines
upon them they reflect upon others in
works that are luminous with the love
of Christ.
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