Stoics and Saints - College of Stoic Philosophers

STARTLING PHRASES IN THE GOSPELS. 103
on a large scale ;
it was necessary that it should be tried and
should fail, though in failing it was to leave noble legacies
of influence to Christian society. Idolaters of the word of
Scripture and the word is certain to be idolised before it is
apprehended with full intelligence
find sentences there which
the severest ascetic discipline seems alone to satisfy. Hegel
says that nowhere are there to be found such revolutionary
utterances as in the Gospels. Hegel is right,
but let no red
revolutionist think that either their letter or their spirit will
if he reads the New
help him. The first thing he will find,
Testament honestly, is that it lays
the axe to the root of his
arrogance, his impatience, his self-will, and his idea that
Society can be a God to itself. All fruitful revolution begins
from within. Some of the sentences of the New Testament
are, however, startling enough
Jesus said unto him, If thou wouldest be perfect, go, sell that thou
hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven ;
and
come, follow me (Matt. xix. 21).
And he said unto If all, any man would come after me, let him deny
himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. For whosoever would
save his life shall lose it ;
but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake, the
same shall save it
(Luke ix. 23, 24).
If any man cometh unto me, and hateth not his father and mother, and
wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also,
he cannot be my disciple (Luke xiv. 26).
And as they went in the way, a certain man said unto him, I will
follow thee whithersoever thou goest. And Jesus said unto him, The
foxes have holes, and the birds of the heaven have nests ;
but the Son
of man hath not where to lay his head. And he said unto another,
Follow me. But he said, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father.
But he said unto him, Leave the dead to bury their own dead : but go
thou and publish abroad the kingdom of God. And another also said,
I will follow thee, Lord ;
but suffer me to first bid them farewell that
are at my house. But Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his
hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God
(Luke ix. 57-62).
Nor are these vague words. They
are sustained to their
uttermost literal meaning by
the life of the Lord. We are