Expositions of Holy Scripture: the Acts by Alexander Maclaren
page 117 of 810 (14%)
page 117 of 810 (14%)
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Lord of Life and the Master of Death. Men indeed fastened Jesus to
the Cross, but He died, not because He was so fastened, but because He willed to 'make His soul an offering for sin.' Bound as it were to a rock in the midst of the ocean, He, of His own will, and at His own time, bowed His head, and let the waves of the sea of death roll over it. III. The triumphant divine paradox of life given and death conquered through a death. Jesus is 'Prince' in the sense of being source of life to mankind, just because He died. Hie death is the death of Death. His apparent defeat is His real victory. By His death He takes away our sins. By His death He abolishes death. The physical fact remains, but all else which makes the 'sting of death' to men is gone. It is no more a solitude, for He has died, and thereby He becomes a companion in that hour to every lover of His. Its darkness changes into light to those who, by 'following Him,' have, even there, 'the light of life.' This Samson carried away the gates of the prison on His own strong shoulders when He came forth from it. It is His to say, 'O death! I will be thy plague.' By His death He diffuses life. 'The Spirit was not given' till Jesus was 'glorified,' which glorification is John's profound synonym for His crucifixion. When |
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