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to be typical of all the rest, and relate to: 1. Unlawful use of his miraculous power for himself. 2. Dramatic display of his power as Messiah. 3. Absolute turning from his life-purpose for the sake of self-aggrandizement. All these, it is worthy of note, are resisted, by the use of the written Word, which in Jesus' hands is a mighty sword. The fundamental reason for this assault on the part of Satan may be found in the undoubted fact that the Adversary knew that Jesus had come to this world to destroy his works. Demons knew who Jesus was long before men did. On that account the great assault was made, for if Jesus could be stumbled into sin, then he could not be Saviour, since he himself would need to be saved. Had Jesus yielded in the wilderness, Calvary would not have been of any avail. #123. The First Disciples.#--During this first year Jesus gained many disciples, though he himself did not, like John the Baptist, baptize them. This he left to his chosen disciples. This shows that the popularity of the Baptist had at this time already begun to wane, as he himself predicted that it would. Not many miracles are recorded during this period, though we know that the one in Cana of Galilee was the first of a series. The gathering of disciples, who later became apostles, begins in this year. In one day the record indicates that he gained six of these (John 1:35-51). #124. The Cleansing of the Temple.#--A most dramatic event in this year is his first cleansing of the Temple. The extortion practised in the court of the Temple filled him with indignation and he drove out the money changers, and dealers in cattle and doves, declaring that his Father's house was a house of prayer, while they had made it a den of thieves. This drew on him the antagonism of the rulers under whose fostering care, or at least through whose negligence, these abuses had grown up. This antagonism never ceased until they had worked on him their will on Calvary. #125. Interview with Nicodemus.#--It was during this first year that we have two most remarkable dialogues of our Lord. The first is that with the ruler Nicodemus. At this interview either John the evangelist must have been present, or else Jesus or Nicodemus must have told John what was said. In this dialogue occurs the most significant sentence that the world has ever heard, having within twenty-four words more of Divine truth than any other similar number of words ever uttered,--John 3
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