By REV. J. COLQUHOUN, Glendale, Skye.
The Reproach of Christ.—
In Paul’s Epistle to the Hebrews we read, “Wherefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people with His own blood, suffered without the gate. Let us go forth therefore unto Him without the camp, bearing His reproach.” In much of what passes for Christianity in our day there is no understanding of what is meant by “bearing His reproach,” but in every age of time the Lord’s people were brought, by bitter experiences, to learn their duty of bearing the reproach of Christ. This was in a special sense the case with the early Christian converts, and nothing short of grace would enable them to publicly profess One concerning whom the leaders of the Jewish Church had given the verdict that He was worthy of death by crucifixion. If the Saviour of sinners had appeared in this world surrounded by worldly pomp and power He would have a great following of those who rejected Him because of the lack of that pomp. It was looked upon as a mark of reproach that He was poor in His lot in the world, and that He had no worldly influence to advance His claims to be the promised Messiah.
His attitude to the traditions of the elders was looked upon as a cause of reproach. He was accused of going, and also permitting His disciples to go, contrary to these traditions, and thus contract ceremonial uncleanness, and therefore not fit to be associated with. His teaching, because of the authority which accompanied it, making it different from that of the Scribes, aroused the jealousy of His enemies, and though it was accompanied by miracles, which proved conclusively that He was the Son of God, yet because that teaching condemned their dogmas, and because He could not be silenced in any other way, they determined upon His death. In order to stifle any qualms of conscience which they might have in connection with that determination they reproached Him as being a Samaritan, having a devil and being mad, and in their accusations of Him before Pilate they stubbornly, and contrary to the light which they possessed, asserted, “If He were not a malefactor, we would not have delivered Him up unto thee.”
Again we see that the humble condition of His followers was made an occasion for reproaching Him. It is true that “not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: but God hath chosen the foolish things of the world, to confound the wise . . . that no flesh should glory in His presence (I Cor., i, 26-29), but in the estimation of men who were wise after the flesh this was made an opportunity for casting a reproach on the Lord Jesus. This is very evident from the way in which they taunted their own officers who failed to apprehend Him. “Are ye also deceived? Have any of the rulers or of the Pharisees believed on him? but this people, who knoweth not the law, are accursed.” This remark, which was made in order to cast a reproach upon Christ and His followers, could hardly be made in reference to the Law as contained in the five Books of Moses which were read publicly from Sabbath to Sabbath, causing the people to have a tolerable acquaintance with it, but it is more than probable that the reference is to the oral traditions and the written glosses and comments of the Rabbies, the knowledge of which was the monopoly of the learned. Similarly, in our day, efforts are being made to reproach Christ in His members because many of them may be unacquainted with much of the rubbish that passes for learning, and which came as a flood upon this country from Germany.
As His life, teaching and followers, were deemed reasons for reproaching Him, so was His death. It was not only a violent death but a death which would never be meted out to any who claimed the high privileges of the Roman Empire, and was reserved only for malefactors. At the death of Christ there were no relatives found to minister tenderly to His bodily needs, no professor of religion to offer comfort to the soul. Even the Eternal Father hid His face, and the angels, who on other occasions were commissioned to minister to Him, waited in vain for a command to do so on this occasion. Truly it was an awful death where He was separated from all comfort and consolation, bearing the guilt of His people, the curse of a broken law and the unrestrained wrath of a holy God. Under these circumstances He was made the scorn of the wicked, who were so brutalised by sin that their language was, “He saved others, Himself He cannot save. If He be the King of Israel, let Him now come down from the cross, and we will believe Him. He trusted in God; let Him deliver Him now, if He will have Him: for He said, I am the Son of God.”
The very gospel which shows forth Christ as a wonderful Saviour is, by the wicked, made an instrument for reproaching Christ. The Apostle could say, in his own day, “But we preach Christ crucified unto the Jews, a stumbling-block, and unto the Greeks foolishness.” The Jews were still seeking a sign though Christ had already told them that no sign would be given them but the sign of the prophet Jonas. The Greeks were so intent on seeking wisdom, and so sure that they could not find it except in their own deep philosophies, that they failed to see it in the simplicity of the gospel. It is the same in every age. The gospel, in its simplicity, is considered suitable for people of weak intellects, with the result that people substitute for it the vain philosophies that are connected with human learning, and put the gospel out of sight as something for which one should be ashamed. In doing this they are aiming their shafts at Christ Himself, but at the same time betraying their own true state, for the gospel is incomprehensible to the natural man. As it is written, “The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness to him; neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.”
Things to be met with in bearing Christ’s Reproach.—
Having noticed a little concerning the reproach of Christ, we have now to consider what they have to meet with who bear that reproach. They must count on being in the minority in their day and generation. This has been the invariable state of matters in every age of time and in the Scriptures we often find them referred to as a small number. Not only are they few in the world but, being scattered over a large part of the earth, they are very much in the minority in every community in which they have their lot. Thus they are too weak and insignificant, in the eyes of the world, to be counted a force to be reckoned with in the place of their abode. Being few in number they have not much power with those in authority to advance the cause of true religion, and so, part of what they have to meet with in bearing the reproach of Christ is to see the world getting prior consideration, and that expended on its amusements which should be used for the Cause of Christ.
They are made the off-scouring of all things, and are treated by the world as nonentities who have no right or claim to preferment, and that has often been the case though a true child of God could bring forward excellent testimonials as to qualifications and experience. In effect it is said concerning such what was said of Daniel, “We shall not find any occasion against this Daniel, except we find it against him concerning the law of his God.” When a community has a voice in electing one to a public office those at the head of affairs very often consider whether the one to be elected would, or would not, be likely to associate with them in their frivolities, and, in far too many instances, a man or a woman who has the fear of God is turned down, and a worldling, whose qualifications are of an inferior order, is preferred, simply because they are of the world, and, of course, the world loves its own.
Those who love the Lord Jesus Christ have to bear His reproach when they find their Master dishonoured before their eyes. All the circumstances of Christ’s death show the dishonour which the world was ready to heap upon Him, while in a moment of weakness and slavish fear His avowed disciples deserted Him, thus fulfilling what He warned them of, “Behold, the hour cometh, yea, is now come, that ye shall be scattered, every man to his own, and shall leave Me alone.” It was now time for His hidden disciples to go forth without the camp bearing His reproach, and in doing so they had to meet with much which required grace. Joseph of Arimathea was one such. He was an honourable counsellor and a member of the Jewish Sanhedrim, and had much to lose by showing favour to one whom the Jews hated. He might have many misgivings as to the reception he would get from Pilate if he would ask for the body of Jesus, and by showing himself as a disciple he might incur suspicion of disloyalty to the Roman Empire, for it was the fear of incurring this suspicion that weighed so mightily with Pilate himself when it was said to him, “If thou let this man go, thou art not Cæsar’s friend.” In the face of all this we find that he “went in boldly unto Pilate, and craved the body of Jesus.” It was likewise with Nicodemus. In seeking his first interview with Jesus he was so timid that it was under cover of night. His honour as a ruler in Israel was at stake, and probably many other things as well, but when God’s time came for him to profess Jesus publicly, we find him going without the camp and witnessing as a disciple before Jew and Gentile, and honouring Him whom they alike dishonoured.
(To be continued.)