Page:PracticalCommentaryOnHolyScripture.djvu/503

 all the  land. Yet to  none  of  them  was  Elias  sent  but  to  a widow at Sarepta  of  Sidon. There were  also  many  lepers  in  Israel  in the  time  of  Eliseus  the  prophet;  yet  none  of  them  was  cleansed but Xaaman  the  Syrian.”

Now all  those  who  heard  these  things  in  the  synagogue  were filled with  anger. And rising  up,  they  drove  Him  out  of  the city, and  took  Him  to  the  brow  of  a mountain  to  cast  Him  down headlong. But He,  striking  them  with  a sudden  terror,  passed through their  midst  and  went  His  way.

Jesus is  the  Messias.  He  proclaimed  Himself  to  be  such,  when He said:  “What  the  prophet  says  about  the  Messias  is  fulfilled  in  and by Me.”

Jesus is  God.  He  proved  this  by  the  miracle  He  wrought  at Nazareth,  passing  through  the  crowd  of  the  furious  Nazarenes,  who were thirsting  for  His  Blood,  without  any  one  among  them  being  able to withstand  Him.

Resistance of  Grace.  In  the  last  chapter  we  saw  how  salvation comes to  those  who  correspond  with  grace. In this  chapter  we  have a terrible example  of  how  salvation  is  forfeited  by  resisting  grace. The Nazarenes were  impressed  by  the  discourse  of  Jesus,  but  they  did  not obey the  call  of  grace  which  was  knocking  at  their  hearts. They resisted it, and  would  not  believe.

Causes of  unbelief.  The  Nazarenes  had  heard  of  the  great  miracle which Jesus  had  worked  close  to  them  at  Cana. They had  also  been to Jerusalem  for  the  Pasch  and  had  witnessed  the  miracles  He  worked there (chapter  XV); and  now  He  came  to  them  and  revealed  Himself to be  the  Messias. Still they  did  not  believe  in  Him,  but  tried  to  kill Him. What was  the  cause  of  their  unbelief? Firstly, their  carnal-mindedness. They expected  an  earthly  Messias, who  would  be  a great prince, and  would  drive  away  the  Romans  and  make  Israel  great  in