July 28

"Jesus answered them, Many good works have I showed you from my Father; for which of these works do ye stone me?"—John 10:32.

IN reading the New Testament, we cannot but be struck at the rage and malice of the Jews towards our Saviour and his cause. In this chapter we find them manifesting great opposition, after he had declared the most gracious truths: "Then the Jews took up stones again, to stone him." He might have commanded fire to descend from heaven, and consume them for their sin; but he replies by putting a very touching, melting question, one would think enough to move them, "Many good works have I showed you from my Father; for which of these works do ye stone me?" Here we have two subjects of interesting contemplation, God's greatest mercy, and man's blackest crime.

GOD'S GREATEST MERCY. It is the gift of his Son to work good among us. Observe five things,—

His works. He came into the world not to live a life of idleness and ease, but to work. How early was he occupied in it! When only twelve years old, his parents found him in the temple with the doctors; he said to his mother, "Wist ye not that I must be about my Father's business?"

Their quality. "Good works." Nothing else could have proceeded from him. He went about doing good. He performed miracles of mercy. He did good to the bodies and souls of men. Human redemption was the grand work he came into the world to perform.

Their number. "Many." His enemies acknowledge this. "This man doeth many miracles." His miracles tended to confirm one another. We have many recorded, but the half is not told us, see John 21:25. There is enough to assure us that he was the Son of God.

Their manifestation. "I have showed you." These vile creatures who attempted to stone him, had been eye-witnesses of many of his wonderful works. They were shown not for ostentation, but conviction.

Their appointment. "From my Father." As Mediator, he acted as the Father's servant. They were works out of the ordinary course of nature, above the power of a mere man to perform. How many good works in the preaching of the Gospel has he showed us! Where is our gratitude? How have we received him? Let God's greatest mercy be our highest joy.