10. Seventies Called.—The harvest being great and the laborers few, Jesus called seventies into the ministry to aid the twelve apostles. He sent them two and two before him into every city and place where he himself expected to go. The commission, powers and instructions which the seventies received were nearly the same as those given to the twelve apostles.[32] These seventies went forth as the apostles had done and returning from their labor bore record that the power of God was with them in their ministry and that the very devils were subject to them in the name of Jesus.[33]
11. The Order of Events.—It would be difficult if not impossible to relate even the chief events in the life of Messiah in the order in which they occurred, since no little confusion exists in respect to the succession of events in the narratives of the New Testament. (See note 5, end of section.) Nor is it necessary to our purpose to dwell in detail or in sequence upon those matters. It is sufficient for us to know that after the events we have already noted Messiah's mission was more boldly declared. He proclaimed himself to be the Son of God; the Messiah of which the scriptures had borne record;[34] he taught men that God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son to redeem it, that whosoever would believe in him might have everlasting life.[35] In addition to this great doctrine we have seen that he taught repentance; he likewise taught that men must be born (baptized) of the water and of the Spirit before they could enter into the kingdom of God;[36] he made and baptized more disciples than John;[37] he also taught the doctrine of the resurrection of the dead, and announced himself as possessing the keys and powers thereof.[38]
12. The Divinity of Messiah's Mission.—Jesus sustained the divinity of his mission by pointing to the conformity of the facts connected with his career with the predictions of the scriptures;[39] by the testimony which John the Baptist bore;[40] by the works which he did—his wonderful miracles wherein the power of God was made manifest;[41] and lastly, and best of all, the testimony of the Father himself which was promised unto all those who would do his (the Father's) will.[42]
NOTES.
1. Order of the Temptations.—The order of the temptations is given differently by St. Matthew and St. Luke. St. Matthew placing second the scene on the pinnacle of the temple, and St. Luke the vision of the kingdoms of the world. Both orders cannot be right, and possibly St. Luke may have been influenced in his arrangement by the thought that a temptation to spiritual pride and the arbitrary exercise of miraculous power was a subtler and less transparent, and therefore more powerful one than the temptation to fall down and recognize the power of evil. * * * The consideration that St. Matthew, as one of the Apostles, is more likely to have heard the narrative immediately from the lips of Christ—gives greater weight to the order which he adopts.—Canon Farrar.
2. More than Three Temptations.—The positive temptations of Jesus were not confined to that particular point of time when they assailed him with concentrated force. [In the wilderness.] * * * But still more frequently in after life was he called to endure temptation of another kind—the temptation of suffering, and this culminated on two occasions, viz., in the conflict of Gethsemane, and in that moment of agony on the cross when he cried, "My God, my God! why hast thou forsaken me?"—Ullman.
3. Manner of Christ's Teaching.—Next to what our Savior taught, may be considered the manner of his teaching, which was extremely peculiar; yet, I think, precisely adapted to the peculiarity of his character and situation. His lessons did not consist of disquisitions; of anything like moral essays, or like sermons, or like set treatises upon several points which he mentioned. When he delivered a precept, it was seldom that he added any proof or argument, still more seldom that he accompanied it with, what all precepts require, limitations and distinctions. His instructions were conceived in short, emphatic, sententious rules, in occasional reflections or in sound maxims. I do not think this is a natural, or would it have been a proper method for a philosopher or a moralist or that it is a method which can be successfully imitated by us. But I contend that it was suitable to the character which Christ assumed, and to the situation in which, as a teacher, he was placed. He produced himself as a messenger from God. He put the truth of what he taught upon authority. [I say unto you, swear not at all; I say unto you, resist not evil; I say unto you, love your enemies.] In the choice, therefore, of his mode of teaching, the purpose by him to be consulted was impression; because conviction, which forms the principal end of our discourse, was to arise in the minds of his followers from a different source, from their respect to his person and authority. Now, for the purpose of impression singly and exclusively, I know nothing which would have so great force, as strong, ponderous maxims, frequently urged and frequently brought back to the thoughts of the hearers. I know nothing that could in this view be said better than, Do unto others as ye would that others should do unto you; The first and great commandment is, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God; and the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.—Christian Evidences—Paley.
4. The Law Added to the Gospel.—The Mosaic Law never was considered, by those who understood it, "an everlasting covenant." It was given for a special purpose, and when it had accomplished that purpose, it was laid aside. We read in Galatians iii:8, that "the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all the nations of the earth be blessed." From this it appears that the gospel was preached unto Abraham. In Hebrews (iv:2), Paul speaking of ancient Israel says: "For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them [ancient Israel]: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it." Not only then was the gospel preached unto Abraham, but also unto the children of Israel. Now let us go back to the third chapter of Galatians; for Paul having stated that the gospel was preached unto Abraham, asks this question (verse 19): "Wherefore then serveth the law?" (if the gospel was preached unto Abraham). "It was added because of transgression, till the seed" (Christ) "should come to whom the promise was made." Added? Added to what? Added to the gospel, which before that time had been preached unto Abraham, and also to ancient Israel. But the Israelites under Moses were unable to live the perfect law of the gospel. They were not strong enough to overcome evil with good, as the gospel requires, so a law of carnal commandments was "added" to the gospel—a law which breathed of the spirit of an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth—a law which was suited to their capacity. Paul, speaking of this subject in the same chapter of Galatians (verses 23–25), says: "Before faith came we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed. Wherefore the law [the law of Moses] was our school-master to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after that faith has come we are no longer under a school-master." From these passages of scripture we learn this: The gospel was preached unto Abraham, and also unto ancient Israel. The Israelites were unable to live the law of the gospel, hence a law of carnal commandments, known as the law of Moses was given as a school-master to bring them up to a higher law; Christ came and introduced that higher law—the gospel; explained its principles and pointed out the difference between it and the law of Moses. The gospel took the place of the law of Moses, which was laid aside, having fulfilled the object for which it was added to the gospel.—Lecture on Mission of Joseph Smith—Roberts.
5. Neglect of Chronological Order in New Testament Narratives.—The four gospels narrate the principal events connected with our Lord's abode on earth, from his birth to his ascension. There must, therefore, be a general resemblance between them, though that of John contains little in common with the others, being apparently supplementary to them. Yet there are considerable diversities both in the order in which facts are narrated, and in the facts themselves. Hence the