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2 SYNOPSIS Two Divisions: A. Healing for the deaf man. Mark 7:31-37. B. Feeding of the 4000. Mark 8: 1-10. JESUS’ COMPASSION ON THE MULTITUDE Two words:— Compassion. Multitude. I. COMPASSION. 1. The Meaning of the word. 2. Where used. 1 Matthew Three I Mark Evangelists j ™ark 3. How used. 1 Prodigal Son. Luke 15:20 Four ( Good Samaritan. Luke 10:33 Persons f Master of Debtor. Mark 18:27 J JESUS. , The Leper. Mark 1:41 Jesus I Two Blind Me n. Mat. 20:34 In four > widow at Nain. Luke 7:13 Instances.J MULTITUDE. 11. MULTITUDE. 1 The Sick Matt. 14:14 f The Tired Matt. 9:36 Multitude I Mark. 6:34 In three f The Hungry . Matt. 15:32 Instances. J Mark. 8: 1 UR Scripture divides itself into two sections; the first is that which gives the account of the healing of the man that was deaf. The sec ond is that of the feeding of the (4,000.) There is nothing specially strik ing about the first part of the les son, —the healing of the deaf man, ( ) —and for that reason we are going to pass it over. The only lesson that comes to us out of that miracle is the lesson of the compassion and power of Jesus over incurable diseases. When we come to the consideration of the second half of the lesson there are many teach ing points. Many expositors regard this mira cle of the feeding of the four thousand as the same miracle in which we have the number fed placed at five thousand. They regard it as the same, because of its similarity. But it is not the same; we only have to give a bit of study to it, to see that it is not the same. For example, our Lord himself, in chapter eight, verses ninenteen to twenty-one, speaks of it as a separate and distinct miracle. And then, again, you will observe that the number fed differs. In the first place five thousand were fed. In this miracle the number is four thousand. Then you will also observe that the amount of food used as the basis, differs. In the first, there were five loaves and two fishes. In the second, seven loaves and a few small fishes. Then you will observe that the amount of fragments remaining differs. In the first place twelve baskets full, in the second place seven baskets full. Then you will observe that the Greek word for basket, in the first, and in the second, differs, which is very material. In the first, it is a word which means “small bas ket,” a kind of basket that they strung over their shoulders, and carried by their side, or just on their hip. In this miracle it is a word which means “large basket,” or hamper. The Multitude. But it is not in this way that I purpose to COMPASSION OF JESUS— Mark 7:31-8:10 Wednesday Night Bible Lecture by Rev. Len G. Broughton, D.D., Christ Church, London. Reported for The Golden Age by M. I. H.—Coopyright Applied for. The Golden Age, for November 21, 1912. treat this miracle; there are some things very much more important. There are two words at the very beginning that stand “compas sion” and “multitude.” “When Jesus saw the multitude that they had followed Him three days without any food, He had compassion on them.” This word, “compassion,” is one of the great est words in all our English language. The more you study it the more it gets hold of you. It is in many respects a stronger word than “love,” because it embraces it. It is in fact, love in action. That is compassion. “When Jesus saw this multitude that they had been with Him three days without food, He had compassion on them.” He loved them, and so loved them that He acted in their be half. Literally, the word means “to move toward.” Jesus moved toward them. He moved in His heart of love, and with His hand of help; for compassion always carries with it the idea of love linked to labor; heart joined to hand. That is compassion. Now, it is interesting to see how this word is used in the Gospels. It is used only by the Evangelists Matthew, Mark and Luke. You do not find the word in the Gospel of John. Perhaps the Evangelist John used, perferably the word “love,” for love is found all through his gospel. But I do not think love is so strong as compassion. And, then, it is interesting to note how it is used by them. It is used of four persons: first, the Prodigal Son. When the father saw the prodigal son coming home, in rags, with out shoes, and hungry, he had compassion on him; he was moved toward him. It is used of the good Samaritan. When the good Sa maritan came along down the road and heard the groaning of a man, he was moved toward him. It is used of the master of the debtor, when the servant, who, owing his lord more than he could pay, went and said, “have patience with me,” his master was moved toward him. It is used of Jesus. And, it is used of Him with reference to four persons. The leper: When He saw him “He was moved toward him.” The two blind men: When He heard their cry for help, and saw their blindness, “He was moved toward them.” The widow of Nain: When He saw her grief, “He was mov ed toward her.” And then, when He looked on the multitude. And with reference to the multitude, there are three occasions in which it is used: Os the multitude sick; of the mul titude tired and faint; of the multitude hungry. Now, this is the tracing of the word “compas sion” through the Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke. The Multitude. We now come to consider the multitude; for it is about this that I want to speak most. What is our conception of the multitude? How do we regard it? Do not think that I am pro pounding a useless question —I am propounding a very profound question —for it is a fact that a man’s true test of character is his regard for the multitude. Do we regard the multitude as a mob, a mass; as a crowd, simply? How does the multitude strike us? The multitude that we see on the street, or gathered in the park, or in some Church or building? What impression does it make upon our minds In referring to the history of our civiliza tion, I find that largely one can tell the status of society by the regard that prominent men, in various periods of our civilization, had for the multitude. Take the philosophers, and writers of fiction, and the statesmen and Church men. You show me the regard that they had for the multitude in their day and time, and I will tell you largely what the status of society was at that time. Go back to the days of Plato. Look at the regard he had for the multitude! He regarded, it as nothing but a mob, and ever spoke of it in a contemptuous and scornful manner. No won der that the state of society in his day was at such a low ebb! He simply voiced the senti ment of the thinking people of his day with regard to the multitude! Then you come along down closer to our own time. Take the writers of fiction: Shakes peare is an example. What do you find in his writings with regard to the multitude? It is a striking fact that though he was a man who embraced almost every class and char acter of men in his sympathy, yet in his refer ence to the multitude there is always a kind of contempt. Then you read the writings of Scott, broad minded, sympathetic Scott. How do you find the multitude fare in the hands of Scott? Ex actly the same way. He had no compassion for the multitude. And hence you are not surprised at the con dition of society in his day. These men, in their works of fiction, uttered the conception of the world around them. And, then, consider it from the standpoint of statesmen, it is also true. The statesmen in the days gone by were largely men with a contemptuous regard for the multitude. They were concerned solely with the class; their bus iness was to preserve the class, rather than the multitude. I thank God that times have changed! To day, statesmen are out of a job, unless they are men on fire with regard to the multitude. The day has come when no man can occupy a posi tion of trust with any respect of his fellows, who is not a man on fire with regard to the needs of the multitude. The nearer we come to our own time the more we see this to be true. This brings me to the more striking ques tion that I want to put to every one of you: What is your conception of the multitude? If you are a Christian man or woman, you want to walk in the footsteps of Jesus, and if you do, you have got to follow His regard for the multitude. One of the first things you will have to adjust yourselves to is the multitude. What is your conception of it? Is it a mob to you? Is it just a mass of humanity thronging about you? What is the multitude? There it is, moving by the door of this Church, living all about us here, all through London; every where. My brethren, lam frank to say to you, that sometimes, especially in this great throbbing city of London, as I come into con tact with it; all shapes and forms and phases of humanity in it, my heart sinks; I am ap palled because I find myself so utterly helpless in endeavoring to supply what I see to be the need of it. Would you get your Lord’s con ception of the multitude? See it! See it until it grips you, and when it grips you, give your self to it; that is the way He saw it. But somebody may say, “What can I do to relieve it? My time is not my own; I have no money; I have no power to think; it takes wisdom that I have not got.” Ah! you do not know the multitude. It is true that it needs time. But it needs more. If it is true that it needs, and wisdom; but it needs more. It needs more than anything else, what everyone can give. It needs two things, and these two things every Christian man and woman can give. (Continued on Page 14.)