ON page 77 we had a busy scene upon a roadside outside a city, as it was in Palestine in the days of our Lord on earth; let us now spend a few moments thinking over a path across the country, and a road through it.
One thing that immediately occurs to us when reading through the gospels is, how often “the way” is mentioned. Now, suppose we were to read the road where the word “way” relates to a track on which our feet tread! We use the word “way” to express the direction in which we go, either body or soul, and also to express that upon which we direct our goings, but the word “road” usually signifies a matter-of-fact track over which men and carriages travel.
It was most likely upon some such beaten track as that shown in our picture that the sower’s seed fell, which the birds of the air devoured. Had the sower taken his steps along the field he sowed, parallel with the path running through it, then for one whole length of his sowing, his arm would necessarily cast some seeds on the beaten way.
Hence, as in the sowing the good seed of the word of God now, much of that portion of his work would never fall into the ground, much less spring up and bear fruit. When we pass along the path over the fields, we may well remember that part of the Lord’s parable which relates to the wayside.
The circumstances of the lovely parable of the good Samaritan were formed by the Lord from the common incidents upon the road from Jerusalem to Jericho―probably from that part of it where the road descends quickly to the plain. It was His way to teach us from things close at hand, and surrounding us in everyday life. In His perfect wisdom He taught in perfect simplicity. The road-side, the ways of men upon the road, and the flowers growing in the fields, our Lord used to teach of God and the kingdom.
Some of our Lord’s miracles were wrought on the road-side; we remember how the poor demoniac held the people from passing along the road near Gadara; but the Lord went on in His gracious ways of peace and power, and by saving the poor man, and sending him home to his friends, opened up indeed a way into the hearts of the men in that country.
We never can forget the sweet story of the blind Bartimæus, and how he sat by the road-side begging, and then how he heard the multitudes passing by, and asked what it all meant. What a day of light and gladness was that to him as he, rising up from his beggar’s seat, was led to Jesus, and from Him received his sight! Then, as the multitude went on following the Master, Bartimæus followed Him along the road and not as a mere curious, unconcerned follower, nay, but as one who loved Jesus.
The young man of whom we read in the tenth chapter of the Gospel by St. Mark, ran along the road after the Lord and knelt down to Him, asking Him, “Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?” He must have hastened from his home after the Lord, but having received the Lord’s reply, he returned whence he came, and exceeding sorrowful. Alas! how many are earnest to ask a question about eternal things the answer to which they cannot bear, and the consequences of which they refuse?
Never can we forget that day when our Lord with His disciples was walking along the road going up to Jerusalem. (Mark 10:32.) He was first; they were following Him, and “they were amazed.” He was going to die for them, and for us. “They were afraid”! Then He took them “apart in the road,” He left the throngs of the pilgrims going also up to Jerusalem to keep the Passover feast, and, in some silent spot, told His disciples how that the chief priests and scribes should condemn Him to death, and how that the Gentiles should mock, and scourge, and crucify Him, and how that “the third day He shall rise again.” (Matt. 20:19.)
Yes, “and then” it was that the mother of Zebedee’s children came seeking for her sons special dignity in His kingdom!
Again, it was during a journey that the disciples had disputed on the road which of them should be the greatest, and Jesus told them that the least should be the greatest, and that he who seeks the great place amongst God’s people shall be apportioned the lowest. The Master took a little child in His arms as He thus taught. Then John, the beloved, owned how that they had forbidden one who followed not them to cast out devils in the Master’s name! Again the Lord showed John what He valued, and again He spake of the children, and of the dear little one whom He held in His blessed arms of love—a little one who believed in Him.
How faintly do even great disciples recognize the things that the Master loves! There is marvelous grace, and there are the deepest lessons for us in His way of teaching as well as in what He taught that day with the little child in His arms. It is now many a long century since He so spake, but His words still live in our souls: we seem to hear Him in our midst, and to see the child in His arms. Yes, and now He is in the glory, and the one who was then a little child who believed in Him is with Him in Paradise.
The early believers, before they were called Christians, were spoken of as of “The Way.” No doubt the term was more or less contemptuous, but the Lord had Himself said, “I am the Way!” and the crafty Pharisee had said to Him, “Thou teachest the way of God in truth!” and again, the poor girl possessed with the demon had cried out after God’s servants, Paul, Silas, and Luke, “Them men show unto us ‘the way of salvation.’” so that the name by which the truth of God went in early days was, after all, of beautiful significance.
And a glorious way it is! A narrow way, truly, but it leads to life, to joy, to God the Father! On what way are you treading?