disease." [19:1] It was, consequently, not strange that "His fame went
throughout all Syria," and that "there followed him great multitudes of
people, from Galilee, and from Decapolis, and from Jerusalem, and from
Judea, and from beyond Jordan." [19:2]

Even when the Most High reveals himself there is something mysterious in
the manifestation, so that, whilst we acknowledge the tokens of His
presence, we may well exclaim--"Verily thou art a God that hidest
thyself, O God of Israel, the Saviour." [19:3] When He displayed His
glory in the temple of old, He filled it with thick darkness; [19:4]
when He delivered the sure word of prophecy, He employed strange and
misty language; when He announced the Gospel itself, He uttered some
things hard to be understood. It might have been said, too, of the Son
of God, when He appeared on earth, that His "footsteps were not known."
In early life He does not seem to have arrested the attention of His own
townsmen; and when He came forward to assert His claims as the Messiah,
He did not overawe or dazzle his countrymen by any sustained
demonstration of tremendous power or of overwhelming splendour. To-day
the multitude beheld His miracles with wonder, but to-morrow they could
not tell where to meet with Him; [19:5] ever and anon He appeared and
disappeared; and occasionally His own disciples found it difficult to
discover the place of His retirement. When He arrived in a district,
thousands often hastily gathered around Him; [19:6] but He never
encouraged the attendance of vast assemblages by giving general notice
that, in a specified place and on an appointed day, He would deliver a
public address, or perform a new and unprecedented miracle. We may here
see the wisdom of Him who "doeth all things well." Whilst the secresy
with which He conducted His movements baffled any premature attempts on
the part of His enemies, to effect His capture or condemnation, it also
checked that intense popular excitement which a ministry so