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Yet one more quotation from Colossians as bearing upon this one point:--
"Let no man therefore judge you in meat or in drink or in respect to an holy day, or of
the new moon, or of sabbath days: which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is
of Christ" (2: 16, 17).
If we turn our attention to the teaching of the Word regarding doctrine and practice,
prophecy and ministry, church truth and age-time truth, search where we will, we shall
find that the centre of each is Christ.
CHRIST IS ALL IN THE SCRIUPTURES.--To attempt to compare the Scriptures
with any other book is indeed absurd. Like God Himself it sends out the challenge, "To
whom then will ye liken Me?" The incomparable theme of this incomparable book is the
Person and Work of Christ. What was the subject that caused the two disciples' hearts to
burn within them on that day of resurrection? Let them tell us:--
"Did not our hearts burn within us, while He talked with us by the way, and while He
opened to us the Scriptures"
If we make further inquiry as to the subject of this memorable discourse we read:--
"And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, He expounded unto them in all the
scriptures the things concerning Himself."
Again, in this same chapter (Luke 24:) we have the same theme:--
"These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things
must be fulfilled, which were written in the Law of Moses, and in the Prophets, and in the
Psalms, concerning Me."
It is a fact known to most of our readers, that these three words, "the Law, the
Prophets and the Psalms" are the recognized title of the complete Hebrew Scriptures. In
both quotations the Lord makes it clear that in all the Scriptures are to be found things
concerning Himself. The words of the Lord, as recorded in John 5: 39, 40, convey a
vital lesson in this connection:--
"Ye search the scriptures: for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they
which TESTIFY OF ME. And ye will not come to Me, that ye might have life."
The failure both of the Jews and of the disciples was due to their failure to see Christ
in all the scriptures, and to realize in each case that "Christ is all." When Philip sought to
persuade Nathaniel concerning Christ, his appeal is made to the Scriptures:--
"We have found Him of Whom Moses in the Law and the Prophets did write, Jesus of
Nazareth" (John 1: 45).
Look at the way in which the Lord's whole life and ministry were continually referred
to the Scriptures by the occurrence of the formula, "that the scripture might be fulfilled".
The choice of Judas, the betrayer, and his doom, the very words and acts of the Roman
soldiers regarding the Lord's coat, and, marvellous thought, the final concern of the