by Rabbinic quotations, since the whole system of Rabbinism and Pharisaism, with its
separation from the vulgar and ignorant, rests upon it. But even within the charmed
circle of Rabbinism, there would be distinctions, due to learning, merit, and even to
favouritism. In this world there were His special favourites, who could command
anything at His hand, to use the Rabbinic illustration, like a spoilt child from its father.30
31
And in the Messianic age God would assign booths to each according to his rank.32
On the other hand, many passages could be quoted bearing on the duty of humility and
self-abasement. But the stress laid on the merit attaching to this shows too clearly, that
it was the pride that apes humility. One instance,33 previously referred to, will suffice by
way of illustration. When the child of the great Rabbi Jochanan ben Zakkai was
dangerously ill, he was restored through the prayer of one Chanina ben Dosa. On this
the father of the child remarked to his wife: 'If the son of Zakkai had all day long put his
head between his knees, no heed would have been given to him.' 'How is that?' asked
his wife; 'is Chanina greater than thou?' 'No,' was the reply, 'he is like a servant before
the King, while I am like a prince before the King' (he is always there, and has thus
opportunities which I, as a lord, do not enjoy).
30. Taan. iii. 8; comp. especially Jer. Taan. 67 a.
31. The almost blasphemous story of how Choni or Onias, 'the circle-drawer,' drew a
circle around him, and refused to leave it till God had sent rain - and successively
objected to too little and too much, stands by no means alone. Jer. Taan. 67 a gives
some very painful details about this power of even altering the decrees of God.
32. Baba B. 75 a.
33. Ber. 34 b.
How deep-rooted were such thoughts and feelings, appears not only from the dispute of
the disciples by the way, but from the request proffered by the mother of Zebedee's
children and her sons at a later period, in terri ble contrast to the near Passion of our
Lord.34 It does, indeed come upon us as a most painful surprise, and as sadly
incongruous, this constant self -obtrusion, self -assertion, and low, carnal self-seeking;
this Judaistic trifling in face of the utter self-abnegation and self-sacrifice of the Son of
Man. Surely, the contrast between Christ and His disciples seems at times almost as
great as between Him and the other Jews. If we would measure His Stature, or
comprehend the infinite distance between His aims and teaching and those of His
contemporaries, let it be by comparison with even the best of His disciples. It must have
been part of His humiliation and self -examination to bear with them. And is it not, in a
sense, still so as regards us all?
34. St. Mat t. xx. 20.
We have already seen, that there was quite sufficient occasion and material for such a
dispute on the way from the Mount of Transfiguration to Capernaum. We suppose Peter
to have been only at the first with the others. To judge by the later que stion, how often
he was to forgive the brother who had sinned against him, he may have been so deeply
hurt, that he left the other disciples, and hastened on with the Master, Who would, at
any rate, sojourn in his house. For, neither he nor Christ seem to have been present
when John and the others forbade the man, who would not follow with them, to cast out