religion. He had thus joined a formal issue with the old order of things and with all the existing sects connected with it. We shall therefore look for greater activity and boldness in all His operations. The church militant must now evince its radical and aggressive character, although for the present more especially represented in its Head alone. CHAPTER I. JESUS HEALS THE CENTURION'S SERVANT. THE MULTITUDE AGAIN GATHER TO JESUS-HIS ZEAL AND ACTIVITY— THE CENTURION-HIS AFFLICTION-HE APPEALS TO JESUS-HIS MESSAGE TO OUR LORD BY THE WAY-JESUS COMMENDS HIS FAITHHIS FAITH CONTRASTED WỊTH THAT OF THE NOBLEMAN OF CANA. HAVING finished His discourse to the people, our Lord returns to Capernaum. Here the multitude, which appears to have temporarily dispersed after returning from the mountain, again assembled about Him, and doubtless in greatly increased numbers. This would naturally result from the interest excited by His recent discourse, and from the constantly. widening fame of His wonderful works. Possibly also His choice of the apostles awakened an expectation that He was about to reveal Himself more openly and decisively as the Messiah. To the work of ministering to the wants of this multitude, both as it regarded teaching them and healing their sick, Jesus gave Himself with renewed devotion. Though they pressed upon Him, so that He had no time even to eat,* He neither faltered nor fell short under the excessive labors imposed upon Him. Indeed, His application to His work was so intense that His friends became alarmed for Him. To them it seemed little less than an inconsiderate, an almost * Mark iii. 20. |