Editorial February 8, 1908 Issue

"I HAVE OVERCOME THE WORLD"

John B. Willis

There is much to indicate that prior to his conversion St. Paul was a close student not only of Roman law and policies, but of its martial prowess and history. His ideal Christian hero, as described in the sixth chapter of Ephesians, is no less carefully armed and accoutered than were the picked men of the Pretorian guard, and in writing to the Corinthians he describes the Christian athlete and his emprise in terms which disclose his familiarity with the soldierly games and sports which yielded the Roman swordsmen both their amusement and their muscular agility. Further and yet more interesting evidence in this line is found in his letter to the Colossians, whom he reminds that Christ is Lord of all princes and rulers, that he has "spoiled principalities and powers," and "made a shew of them.

The felicity and force of the apostle's illustration appear when we recall the salient features of the Roman triumph. In his life of L. Emilius Paulus, Plutarch tells us how, having been accorded this honor on his return from the conquest of Macedonia, three successive days were given up to elaborate processions through the streets of Rome, during which there was displayed the arms and treasures, the soldiers and slaves, the princes and mighty men of the fallen ruler. Following all these came the king himself, and then the laurel-crowned victor and his soldiers, upon whom the populace showered their plaudits. It is this great and impressive spectacle which St. Paul uses to illustrate Christ Jesus' conquest and control of the asserted powers of evil, and to suggest the completeness of our possible overcoming. He met and vanquished all the enemies of Truth, and when he led their "captivity captive" he won a supreme "triumph."

Christian Science reveals and emphasizes the significance of this stupendous fact to every follower of Christ Jesus to-day. It declares for the identity and continuity of the Christ's overcoming in all times and in every believer. Said Jesus, "Be of good cheer; I have overcome the world," and the larger meaning of this statement is found in the distinctive teaching of Christian Science for which Mrs. Eddy has unflinchingly stood, namely, that the victory over sin, sickness, and death which Christ Jesus achieved was but an earnest of the phenomena which in his purpose and expectation were always to attend the apprehension of spiritual truth. His overcoming of "the world" included humanity's every foe, and the acme of spiritual understanding is reached when we so participate in the Christ-life that we are able consciously to include the defeat of our individual enemies in the one glorious conquest of Christ, Truth. The Christ triumph is thus thought of, not as a specific event, but as a continuous, all-inclusive fact which the Galilean Prophet realized for himself, and which we are each to realize for ourselves.

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