We are very glad but not surprised to find that this subject has proved full of blessing to those who have searched it out, for surely in the whole range of Biblical study it would be hard to find a theme so practical and so full of interest for the Christian heart as the study of those blessed footprints that Christ has left to guide us through this weary world.
But we trust the blessing connected with this subject will not end with the class, but that many of our readers will derive much profit from a further study of the guiding principles of the life of our Lord that are enumerated in last month’s subject.
Glancing down the list as a whole, we would say at once that a subject like this is evidently capable of being classified in a large variety of ways. No doubt the one adopted is as good as any that could be chosen, and derives additional value from the exhortations to Christians (added from the Epistles) after each subject. Thirty-nine examples are selected in all, which we may classify as follows.
Fourteen examples illustrate Christ’s life as man with reference to God.
Fourteen show us how He acted with reference to sinners and the world generally.
Four examples only show His relation to His disciples. The remaining seven examples display the personal character of our Lord.
It may be remarked in passing, that after all, the Gospels only give us mainly the outward view of the Lord’s life: we see how He spoke and how He acted. But for the hidden motives which were the springs of all the actions, for the thoughts and feelings which passed through His heart, we must study the Psalms. There we find in the most wonderful way, often put into the lips of the psalmist or as descriptive of the character of the truly righteous man, the Lord’s own thoughts and feelings. These however are not our theme at present, although we would suggest as a useful and profitable exercise for some diligent “Bible Student” to see for how many of these 39 instances of the way the Lord acted, they can find corresponding thoughts and feelings from the Psalms.
Within the limits of this short paper we can only consider very briefly the four main divisions indicated above. The fourteen that refer to Christ’s life in reference to God may be further subdivided into seven that refer more to the inner life of the heart and soul, and seven connected more with the outward ways and acts, thus: Seven graces characterizing Christ’s inner life with God.
1. Obedience (2)—hearty, ungrudging, unvarying, perfect.
3. Dependence (6)—shown in prayer, the perfect expression of the relationship of man to God.
4. Thanksgiving (7)—gratitude and acknowledgment of God in the smallest things.
5. Rejoicing (8)—the pure joy in the fact that God’s will was being accomplished.
6. Confidence (9)—the repose of one who lived in the very presence of God.
7. Zeal (10)—the earnestness of one whose soul burned for God’s glory.
Seven graces characterizing Christ’s outer life of service in relation to God.
1. Faithfulness (3)—The perfect servant here closes his service without fault and blameless.
2. Guidance (5)—as to when, and how to act-a most important matter.
3. Devotedness (11)—God’s glory the servant’s first object.
4. Surrender (13)—all things (even a home and a pillow) given up in doing God’s will.
5. Service (15)—indefatigable zeal in God’s service.
6. God first (20)—no movement save in obedience to God’s will.
7. God’s wisdom (38)—no self-exaltation, but all glory given to God.
The fourteen examples of the Lord’s actions towards others are hardly susceptible of subdivision. They are as follows.
Fourteen graces shown by the Lord with regard to others.
1. The blessing of others (16) was a great object of the Lord’s life.
2. Faithfulness to others (17) was unsparing whenever the occasion demanded.
3. Wisdom in answering (18) is seen in the passage given as well as the grace and meekness that accompanied it.
4. Unworldliness (19)—honor and popularity alike refused.
5. Graciousness (22)—in condescending to be indebted to a creature.
6. Subjection (24)—to the powers that be, as ordained of God.
7. Compassion (25)—and sympathy shown perfectly by the Man of sorrows.
8. Patience (27)—unwearying and untiring.
9. Kindness (28)—of way and manner.
10. Meekness (29)—shown to be perfect when most severely tried.
11. Appreciation of others—(30)-even when they could not appreciate Him.
12. Thoughtfulness (32)—for the temporal and social wants of others.
13. Prayer for others (33)—who hated and crucified Him.
14. Slowness to condemn others (34)—even when He alone had the power to do so.
The four examples given of Christ’s ways with His disciples are; Love (26)—when there was nothing to love save what His own grace had implanted.
2. Encouragement (31)—to the feeble faith of His disciples.
3. Service (35)—in washing His disciples feet. The type of restoration.
4. Unselfishness (36)—In upholding others whose heart was right, though their knowledge was defective.
The seven examples given of what the personal life of Christ was like in itself complete the picture, and are as follows: 1. Obedient to parents (1)—though God over all, blessed forever.
2. Guided by God’s word (12)—though Himself the living word.
3. Moved by God’s will (14)—though the Eternal Son, one with the Father.
4.Subject to weariness (21)—being in His grace found in fashion as a man.
5. Obedient to the law (23)—as the only perfect Israelite.
6. Careful (37)—in the smallest matters.
7. Holy (39)—in everything, harmless and undefiled. Such then is the briefest possible summary of last month’s subject, which we trust will stimulate many a flagging footstep, recall many a straying step, fix many a wandering eye to follow more earnestly and steadily so bright an Example.