Chapter XX.—JESUS GOES TO THE FEAST OF TABERNACLES.
When the disciples were alone with their Master, after the miracle of casting the devil out of the child, they naturally asked, Why, as He had given them authority to cast out evil spirits, they had not in this case been able to do so? Jesus told them plainly, that it was because their faith was weak; for that no miracle would be too hard for them if they had a lively and increasing faith, or "faith as a grain of mustard seed." This was an expression in common use amongst the Jews, to signify something very very small, because the mustard seed was the least of all seeds. But when sown in the ground, the plant grows from it quickly, and spreads in every direction, so as to become quite a large plant: and thus it was very properly compared to faith, which should always be increasing and growing stronger. Jesus ended by reminding His disciples that, though He had given them permission to work miracles, they would not have power to do so, unless they prayed earnestly for it, and tried to lead holy lives.
After this, Jesus and His disciples passed through Galilee, on their way to Capernaum. Again He spake to them of His sufferings, His death, and His rising again on the third day. Still they did not understand: they were exceedingly sorry to hear of such things as likely to befall their beloved Master, but they did not like to ask any questions on the subject. How little they yet understood the real nature of Christ's kingdom is plain; for at this time "there arose a reasoning (or disputing) among them, which of them should be greatest": as if they still expected Jesus to be a king on earth, and appoint them to places of trust and honour under Him.
When they were come to Capernaum, they, whose business it was to collect the tribute-money for the service of the temple, "came to Peter, and said, Doth not your Master pay tribute? He saith, Yes." Jesus afterwards showed Peter, that He, being the Son of God, was not called upon to pay this tribute; for that earthly kings do not take tribute from their own children, but only of their subjects, or of strangers. Jesus, however, would not give the Jews any pretence for saying, that He taught His disciples to be careless about the temple and its worship, or to disobey the laws of the country; and therefore He now worked a miracle, to provide the tribute-money required from Him and His disciples.
When they were quietly in a house together, Jesus spake to the disciples about their dispute by the way, as to who should be greatest; and told them that all who wished to be really and truly His disciples and followers must be humble and meek and obedient, as little children ought to be.
Many other things Jesus taught His disciples: and He told them a parable (Matt. xviii. 13), to show us, that if we wish God to forgive us our sins, we must be always willing to forgive those who have offended against us.
After these things, Jesus chose out from those disciples who constantly followed Him seventy persons; and desired them to go two and two together, and enter into the cities which He meant by and by to visit, and prepare the people to listen to Him. These seventy were disciples, but none of them were Apostles: all the Apostles were disciples, and are generally so called in Scripture; but all the disciples were not, of course, Apostles. To these seventy, Jesus gave many directions as to what they were to do and teach.
Jesus was at this time in Galilee; but as the time for keeping the Feast of Tabernacles was drawing near, the brethren, or rather near kinsmen of Jesus, begged Him to go into Judæa, and let all the people, who would then be assembled in Jerusalem, see His works. They said, "If thou do these things, show thyself unto the world. For neither did his brethren believe in him." To a certain degree, His kinsmen did believe in Jesus; but like the Jews in general, they expected that the Messiah would be great and powerful upon earth, publicly acknowledged and worshipped by all nations: and when they saw Jesus in such very different circumstances, they had not faith enough to feel quite sure that He was indeed the Messiah: they therefore wanted Him to take this opportunity to make Himself known, by working miracles at Jerusalem: this open display of His power would, they thought, strengthen the faith of all who were already His disciples, and force the great men among the Jews, as well as all the strangers collected together, to acknowledge Him as the Messiah.