Amintas had done valiant acts, and lost part of his arm in the field of battle for his country's good. His brother Esehylus was about to be condemned to die. Amintas came into court, spoke not a word, but only lifted up the stump of his arm without a hand; as though he had said, See what I have lost in my country's cause His silent oratory prevailed, and saved his brother's life How much more affecting a sight does our Lord here present to his disciples! He called upon them, he calls upon us: Behold! they by the eye of sense; we by the eye of faith. Consider the reasons for this.
To compose and comfort their minds: they were terrified and affrighted; they took him for a spirit. Christ is touched with the feeling of our infirmities: he sympathises with us in all our troubles. One cause of them is misapprehension of the nature of Christ: we too oft forget that he was man, like unto us in all things, except sin: "Behold my hands and my feet" with the print of the nails; "it is I myself:" the very same man, with the same flesh and blood, who lately hung upon the cross. Handle me; feel me.
It was to confirm their faith in his dying for their sins and rising again for their justification: he died as a weak man; he rose as the almighty God: as God-man he atoned for sin, conquered death and hell for us. The faith of this is the source of all hope and the spring of all peace to our souls.
He says, Behold, that he may quicken our love. O soul, can you behold by faith, and think of the love and sufferings of Jesus for your salvation, and not love him? His pierced body, hands and feet, are the marks of his great love and the agony of his sufferings for you. O love, rejoice and adore. Does he not deserve the whole love of our heart and the affections of our soul? Behold –that all your hope may be in him. Beware of the fatal error of some, who pretend to believe in Christ for the pardon of sin, but for final justification hope in their own works. No, my Lord, the sin-atoning, soul-justifying work is thine, and thine alone. I will hope in no other. My soul, I charge thee, fix, constantly fix all thy attention, for all thy hope, upon thy once-pierced Lord. My conscience, I charge thee, when base intruders would rival his glory, banish them: cry with abhorrence, Get ye hence; "what have I to do any more with idols?" Hosea 15:8.
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