THE last chapter showed Christ's testimony to the change that was coming. This chapter gives us the twelve entrusted with the same testimony. They were to go forth representatives of Christ everywhere, invested with the power of the kingdom. They had both power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases, as well as a mission to preach the kingdom of God. The Lord gave them their authority. They were to be manifestly dependent on the King, and in a remarkable way the King's power would open and none should shut, and shut and none could open. Nevertheless, this sovereign power of the King over the hearts of His people Israel was not without the maintenance of their responsibility. Whoever rejected Him must bear his burden. The word, however, is, “Take nothing for your journey, neither staves nor scrip, neither bread, neither money.” It must be manifestly the resources of God, however He might work by men. They were not to care for themselves, not even to have two coats apiece. “And whatsoever house ye enter into, there abide and thence depart. And whosoever will not receive you, when ye go out of that city, shake off the very dust from your feet for a testimony against them.” Thus then they departed, “and went through the towns, preaching the gospel and healing every w here.”
Then we find the working of conscience in Herod. “Now Herod the tetrarch heard of all that was done by him: and he was perplexed because of the thoughts of men, because that it was said of some, that John was risen from the dead; and of some, that Elias had appeared; and of others, that one of the old prophets was risen again.” Herod's conviction was that he had beheaded John: he knew this too well. “John,” he said, “have I beheaded: but who is this, of whom I hear such things? And he desired to see him.” But desire in divine things, unless it be accompanied by the action of conscience in the sense of sin on the one hand, and of grace on the other on God's part, never comes to any good. Many a man has heard God's testimony gladly, and given it all up. Many a man has had respect for the witnesses; but, as we see in Herod's case, first as to John, it did not hinder him from beheading John; and next, as to Jesus, it did not hinder him from taking his part in the last scene of the uttermost humiliation of the Lord. There was nothing of divine life in the action of his conscience. There was no working of grace, because there was no sense of his own sin and need in God's sight, which might drive him to God.
The apostles return, telling the Lord of all that they had done. But it is evident that they knew not how to avail themselves of the power that was entrusted to them. So Jesus takes them and goes aside “privately into a desert place belonging to the city, called Bethsaida.” And now we see how perfectly Jesus wielded the power of which He was the vessel as man. For although He had turned aside privately, the people follow Him there; and he received them and spake unto them of the kingdom of God, and healed them that had need of healing.” No one ever came amiss to Jesus. No need ever was presented without drawing out His grace. No retirement led Him to treat those who came as intruders. But the difference between the Master and the servant appears. For “when the day began to wear away, then came the twelve and said unto him, Send the multitude away, that they may go into the towns and country round about, and lodge, and get victuals: for we are here in a desert place.” But this would not suit Jesus. “He said unto them, Give ye them to eat.” Unbelief begins at once to reckon. They counted the loaves and the fishes: there were but five loaves and two fishes, except they should go and buy meat for all this people. Thus those, who ought to have been the witnesses of the power and grace of God, are ignorant of the Lord's present resources and only think of what might be procured by money from man. The Lord says to His disciples—so great was His grace that He would put honor upon them even in their weakness and want of faith: “Make them sit down by fifties in a company. And they did so, and made them all sit down. Then he took the five loaves and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, he blessed them, and brake, and gave to the disciples to set before the multitude.” Viewed as the Son of man, and the Son of God as man (and so Luke does view Him), God was with Him; not only when He went about doing good, but when men followed Him into the wilderness. There was no difference. Everywhere the grace of God was upon Him, the power of God with Him. So He blest them, and brake, and gave to the disciples to set before the multitude. He fed His poor with bread. It was not the true bread which came down from heaven, because He, and He alone, was this. But He who was the true bread loved to feed them even with the bread that perishes, though He would have loved still better to feed them with that bread which is unto life eternal. The Lord Jesus alone knows, therefore, how to use all the resources of the kingdom of God. He waited for no special time and for no special circumstances. He is able to bring in the blessing according to need now; for God was with Him, and He was with God touching all circumstances. “And they did eat, and were all filled; and there was taken up of fragments that remained to them twelve baskets.” There was more at the end than at the beginning, though five thousand men, besides women and children, had partaken. Such was Jesus; and such will Jesus be when the kingdom of God appears—the furnisher of all the nourishment, and joy, and blessing of the kingdom. Nor is He less, or other, but the same now, though the manner of exhibiting His gracious power is according to the present purpose of God in the Church. But He is the same yesterday, to-day, and forever.