The miracles of Jesus - Classical Christian Literature by Athleo.net

COUNTRY OF THE GADARENES 65
But to the Gadarenes, not men but swine were
They broke with Jesus on no great question,
precious.
but simply on that His passion for men came into
conflict with their greed, and they banished Him.
They had no use for Him. The Gadarene scheme
of life left no room for any such enthusiasm of
humanity.
It was the first clear utterance of opposition.
The
disciples were fated to hear it in the future with the
growing insistence and passion. The prayer of the
Gadarene was the prelude of Calvary. On no grand
issue, on no sublime or august question, did the leaders
of the nation finally break with Jesus.
Their hatred
of Him rose out of their love of money and place.
He cared only for men. They cared nothing for men.
They were Gadarenes. Their interest lay in things
He ignored. They asked but one thing, that He
should depart. " "
Away with Him ! Crucify Him !
He stilled the storm, He quelled the rage of madness,
but man's sin withstood Him. The Gadarenes of
Jerusalem slew Him.
III.
Has the rising of this terrible parable any sting
for our time Mr Stephen Phillips, in one of his
poems, describes Christ in Hades, as about to unbind
one imprisoned soul
" But He with arm outstretched,
Suddenly stood. A scene unrolling stayed
Him who had easily released the dead,"
for He sees the earth again, sees human history defile
before His eyes, " an endless host parading past."
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