Page:Studies in the Scriptures - Series I - The Plan of the Ages (1909).djvu/283

 Thus he gave them an idea of the spiritual kingdom which he preached | but they were unprepared and received it not. There was a measure of truth in the Jewish expecta- tion concerning the promised kingdom, which will in due time be realized, as will be shown ; but our Lord's refer- ence here is to that spiritual phase of the kingdom, which will be invisible. And as this phase of the kingdom will be first set up, its presence will be unseen, and for a time unrecognized. The privilege of heirship in this spiritual phase of the Kingdom of God was the only offer then be- ing made, and has been the one hope of our high calling during the entire Gospel age, which then began. Hence Je sus referred to it exclusively. (Luke 16 : 16.) This will be more clearly seen as we proceed.

It was probably because oi this adverse public sentiment, especially among the Pharisees, that Nicodemus came to Jesus by night, being anxious to solve the mystery, yet ap- parently ashamed to acknowledge publicly that such claims had any weight upon his mind. The conversation between the Lord and Nicodemus (John 3), though but partially re- corded, gives a somewhat further insight into the character of the Kingdom of God. Evidently the main points of the conversation are mentioned that from these we may readi- ly gather the drift of the whole, which we may reasonably paraphrase as follows :

Nicodemus." Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God ; for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him." Yet some of your statements seem very inconsistent to me, and I come to ask an explanation. For instance, you and your disciples go about proclaiming, "The kingdom of heaven is at hand ; " but you have neither an army, nor wealth, nor influ- ence, and to all appearance this claim is untrue; and in this you seem to be deceiving tbe people, The Pharisees

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