the desire of ages-第15章

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They　could　not　but　see　that　their　expectation　in　regard　to　the　Messiah　was　not　sustained　by　prophecy；　but　they　would　not　renounce　the　theories　that　had　flattered　their　ambition。　They　would　not　admit　that　they　had　misapprehended　the　Scriptures　they　claimed　to　teach。　From　one　to　another　passed　the　inquiry；　How　hath　this　youth　knowledge；　having　never　learned？　The　light　was　shining　in　darkness；　but　〃the　darkness　apprehended　it　not。〃　John　1：5；　R。　V。

Meanwhile　Joseph　and　Mary　were　in　great　perplexity　and　distress。　In　the　departure　from　Jerusalem　they　had　lost　sight　of　Jesus；　and　they　knew　not　that　He　had　tarried　behind。　The　country　was　then　densely　populated；　and　the　caravans　from　Galilee　were　very　large。　There　was　much　confusion　as　they　left　the　city。　On　the　way　the　pleasure　of　traveling　with　friends　and　acquaintances　absorbed　their　attention；　and　they　did　not　notice　His　absence　till　night　came　on。　Then　as　they　halted　for　rest；　they　missed　the　helpful　hand　of　their　child。　Supposing　Him　to　be　with　their　company；　they　had　felt　no　anxiety。　Young　as　He　was；　they　had　trusted　Him　implicitly；　expecting　that　when　needed；　He　would　be　ready　to　assist　them；　anticipating　their　wants　as　He　had　always　done。　But　now　their　fears　were　roused。　They　searched　for　Him　throughout　their　company；　but　in　vain。　Shuddering　they　remembered　how　Herod　had　tried　to　destroy　Him　in　His　infancy。　Dark　forebodings　filled　their　hearts。　They　bitterly　reproached　themselves。

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Returning　to　Jerusalem；　they　pursued　their　search。　The　next　day；　as　they　mingled　with　the　worshipers　in　the　temple；　a　familiar　voice　arrested　their　attention。　They　could　not　mistake　it；　no　other　voice　was　like　His；　so　serious　and　earnest；　yet　so　full　of　melody。

In　the　school　of　the　rabbis　they　found　Jesus。　Rejoiced　as　they　were；　they　could　not　forget　their　grief　and　anxiety。　When　He　was　with　them　again；　the　mother　said；　in　words　that　implied　reproof；　〃Son；　why　hast　Thou　thus　dealt　with　us？　Behold；　Thy　father　and　I　have　sought　Thee　sorrowing。〃

〃How　is　it　that　ye　sought　Me？〃　answered　Jesus。　〃Wist　ye　not　that　I　must　be　about　My　Father's　business？〃　And　as　they　seemed　not　to　understand　His　words；　He　pointed　upward。　On　His　face　was　a　light　at　which　they　wondered。　Divinity　was　flashing　through　humanity。　On　finding　Him　in　the　temple；　they　had　listened　to　what　was　passing　between　Him　and　the　rabbis；　and　they　were　astonished　at　His　questions　and　answers。　His　words　started　a　train　of　thought　that　would　never　be　forgotten。

And　His　question　to　them　had　a　lesson。　〃Wist　ye　not；〃　He　said；　〃that　I　must　be　about　My　Father's　business？〃　Jesus　was　engaged　in　the　work　that　He　had　come　into　the　world　to　do；　but　Joseph　and　Mary　had　neglected　theirs。　God　had　shown　them　high　honor　in　committing　to　them　His　Son。　Holy　angels　had　directed　the　course　of　Joseph　in　order　to　preserve　the　life　of　Jesus。　But　for　an　entire　day　they　had　lost　sight　of　Him　whom　they　should　not　have　forgotten　for　a　moment。　And　when　their　anxiety　was　relieved；　they　had　not　censured　themselves；　but　had　cast　the　blame　upon　Him。

It　was　natural　for　the　parents　of　Jesus　to　look　upon　Him　as　their　own　child。　He　was　daily　with　them；　His　life　in　many　respects　was　like　that　of　other　children；　and　it　was　difficult　for　them　to　realize　that　He　was　the　Son　of　God。　They　were　in　danger　of　failing　to　appreciate　the　blessing　granted　them　in　the　presence　of　the　world's　Redeemer。　The　grief　of　their　separation　from　Him；　and　the　gentle　reproof　which　His　words　conveyed；　were　designed　to　impress　them　with　the　sacredness　of　their　trust。

In　the　answer　to　His　mother；　Jesus　showed　for　the　first　time　that　He　understood　His　relation　to　God。　Before　His　birth　the　angel　had　said　to　Mary；　〃He　shall　be　great；　and　shall　be　called　the　Son　of　the　Highest：　and　the　Lord　God　shall　give　unto　Him　the　throne　of　His

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father　David：　and　He　shall　reign　over　the　house　of　Jacob　forever。〃　Luke　1：32；　33。　These　words　Mary　had　pondered　in　her　heart；　yet　while　she　believed　that　her　child　was　to　be　Israel's　Messiah；　she　did　not　comprehend　His　mission。　Now　she　did　not　understand　His　words；　but　she　knew　that　He　had　disclaimed　kinship　to　Joseph；　and　had　declared　His　Sonship　to　God。

Jesus　did　not　ignore　His　relation　to　His　earthly　parents。　From　Jerusalem　He　returned　home　with　them；　and　aided　them　in　their　life　of　toil。　He　hid　in　His　own　heart　the　mystery　of　His　mission；　waiting　submissively　for　the　appointed　time　for　Him　to　enter　upon　His　work。　For　eighteen　years　after　He　had　recognized　that　He　was　the　Son　of　God；　He　acknowledged　the　tie　that　bound　Him　to　the　home　at　Nazareth；　and　performed　the　duties　of　a　son；　a　brother；　a　friend；　and　a　citizen。

As　His　mission　had　opened　to　Jesus　in　the　temple；　He　shrank　from　contact　with　the　multitude。　He　wished　to　return　from　Jerusalem　in　quietness；　with　those　who　knew　the　secret　of　His　life。　By　the　paschal　service；　God　was　seeking　to　call　His　people　away　from　their　worldly　cares；　and　to　remind　them　of　His　wonderful　work　in　their　deliverance　from　Egypt。　In　this　work　He　desired　them　to　see　a　promise　of　deliverance　from　sin。　As　the　blood　of　the　slain　lamb　sheltered　the　homes　of　Israel；　so　the　blood　of　Christ　was　to　save　their　souls；　but　they　could　be　saved　through　Christ　only　as　by　faith　they　should　make　His　life　their　own。　There　was　virtue　in　the　symbolic　service　only　as　it　directed　the　worshipers　to　Christ　as　their　personal　Saviour。　God　desired　that　they　should　be　led　to　prayerful　study　and　meditation　in　regard　to　Christ's　mission。　But　as　the　multitudes　left　Jerusalem；　the　excitement　of　travel　and　social　intercourse　too　often　absorbed　their　attention；　and　the　service　they　had　witnessed　was　forgotten。　The　Saviour　was　not　attracted　to　their　company。

As　Joseph　and　Mary　should　return　from　Jerusalem　alone　with　Jesus；　He　hoped　to　direct　their　minds　to　the　prophecies　of　the　suffering　Saviour。　Upon　Calvary　He　sought　to　lighten　His　mother's　grief。　He　was　thinking　of　her　now。　Mary　was　to　witness　His　last　agony；　and　Jesus　desired　her　to　understand　His　mission；　that　she　might　be　strengthened　to　endure；　when　the　sword　should　pierce　through　her　soul。　As　Jesus　had　been　separated　from　her；　and　she　had　sought　Him　sorrowing　three　days；　so　when　He　should　be　offered　up　for　the　sins　of　the　world；　He　would　again　be　lost　to　her　for　three　days。　And　as　He　should　come　forth　from　the　tomb；　her　sorrow　would　again　be　turned　to　joy。　But　how　much　better

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she　could　have　borne　the　anguish　of　His　death　if　she　had　understood　the　Scriptures　to　which　He　was　now　trying　to　turn　her　thoughts！

If　Joseph　and　Mary　had　stayed　their　minds　upon　God　by　meditation　and　prayer；　they　would　have　realized　the　sacredness　of　their　trust；　and　would　not　have　lost　sight　of　Jesus。　By　one　day's　neglect　they　lost　the　Saviour；　but　it　cost　them　three　days　of　anxious　search　to　find　Him。　So　with　us；　by　idle　talk；　evilspeaking；　or　neglect　of　prayer；　we　may　in　one　day　lose　the　Saviour's　presence；　and　it　may　take　many　days　of　sorrowful　search　to　find　Him；　and　regain　the　peace　that　we　have　lost。

In　our　association　with　one　another；　we　should　take　heed　lest　we　forget　Jesus；　and　pass　along　unmindful　that　He　is　not　with　us。　When　we　become　absorbed　in　worldly　things　so　that　we　have　no　thought　for　Him　in　whom　our　hope　of　eternal　life　is　centered；　we　separate　ourselves　from　Jesus　and　from　the　heavenly　angels。　These　holy　beings　cannot　remain　where　the　Saviour's　presence　is　not　desired；　and　His　absence　is　not　marked。　This　is　why　discouragement　so　often　exists　among　the　professed　followers　of　Christ。

Many　attend　religious　services；　and　are　refreshed　and　comforted　by　the　word　of　God；　but　through　neglect　of　meditation；　watchfulness；　and　prayer；　they　lose　the　blessing；　and　find　themselves　more　destitute　than　before　they　received　it。　Often　they　feel　that　God　has　dealt　hardly　with　them。　They　do　not　see　that　the　fault　is　their　own。　By　separating　themselves　from　Jesus；　they　have　shut　away　the　light　of　His　presence。

It　would　be　well　for　us　to　spend　a　thoughtful　hour　each　day　in　contemplation　of　the　life　of　Christ。　We　should　take　it　point　by　point；　and　let　the　imaginat