July 4

Words of Wonder

Many hearing him were astonished, saying, From whence hath this man these things — Mark 6:2

They could not help being astonished, for Christ’s words were full of wisdom. “No man ever spake like this man,” they said. Yet, although they were astonished, they did not yield Him their confidence and their love. The outcome of their amazement was only scornful and unbelieving rejection. It is ofttimes the same yet. People cannot help confessing that Christ is wonderful; that He is the most glorious character the world ever saw; that His teachings are infinitely above all human teaching; that His power is majestic; that His love passes all thought. Yet while they grant all this they do not give Him the homage of their hearts.

It is as if a drowning man in the sea were to be amazed at the beauty and the completeness of the life-boat that came to offer him rescue, and should yet sneeringly reject the rescue and stay in the waves to perish.

“From whence hath this man these things?” they asked in derision and contempt. They knew Him. Some of them had been His playmates and schoolmates in earlier years, and then later His workmates. They knew that He had never been to any but the village school, where they had all attended. How came it that this plain, untaught young man had such wisdom as He now seemed to have, and did such works as were reported of Him? They could not explain it, and so they treated the whole matter with contempt.

We may ask the same question today in sincerity of those who reject Christ. Here is a man who spoke the wisest words ever spoken on this earth, and Who did the most wonderful works ever performed. Yet He was only a village carpenter, and had only a village school education.

How do you account for His wisdom and His power? “From whence hath this man these things?” Can it be that He is more than human? Can it be that He is Who the Bible says He is? “God manifest in the flesh.”