Article October 26, 1918 Issue

"With power"

SAMUEL JOHNSTONE MACDONALD

In Luke's gospel it is recorded that Jesus "came down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee, and taught them on the sabbath days. And they were astonished at his doctrine: for his word was with power." From the comparison of this with kindred passages in the New Testament it will appear that the word power, as used here, has the meaning of capability, or capable authority. The Greek word here translated power is used wherever it is recorded that Jesus gave to his disciples power to heal diseases and to cast out evils. It is quite clear, and is conceded by all, that Jesus did not confer upon his disciples personal authority, a mere honorary dignity, an ecclesiastical distinction, when he commissioned them, saying, "Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature." On the contrary, he endowed them with a vital authority which speaks with the dynamic energy of Spirit and brings its own verification and enforcement, namely, the "signs following," which demonstrated and established their discipleship.

When Luke recorded the fact that the word of the Master "was with power," he did not mean thereby that Jesus was merely an eloquent, persuasive orator who could sway his hearers' emotions at his will; nor did he imply an abstract or academic sense of power dissociated from efficient energy. It is clear and unmistakable that he was describing a vital, active, effective prepollence accomplishing the mandate of undeniable authority. It will require but little reflection to make clear to any student of Christian Science that it is only as the word is "with power,"—only as it is the mandate of authority expressing its own efficient energy, "whose seed is in itself," that it can avail to heal the sick and the sinner. In other words, the healing word must bring with it its own authority and power, must manifest its own efficient ability. Only then will it merit the comprehensive description of Isaiah: "So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it." With her accustomed insight into the spiritual meanings of words, and her command of the niceties of language, our revered Leader also makes this distinction plain on page 393 of "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" where she says: "Exercise this God-given authority. ... Rise in the strength of Spirit to resist all that is unlike good. God has made man capable of this, and nothing can vitiate the ability and power divinely bestowed on man."

Let us now consider the case of one who may have begun to believe in Christian Science, but who has not yet awakened to the vital need of partaking regularly of his spiritual "daily bread." Let us suppose that such a one suddenly finds an intruder in his mental household. What will he do? He may begin immediately to "declare the truth" in an effort to oust the intruder, but sometimes, alas, to no avail; the intruder stubbornly refuses to go. Can he believe or claim, then, that his word is "with power"? Is it not indeed only too plainly apparent that it is with weakness instead? What, then, is he to do? Formulas, though never so earnestly and persistently repeated, will not save or heal him. To declare the truth without sufficient spiritual understanding to give it ability and power to heal, is of little avail. Manifestly, the answer to his sometimes impatient and frantic appeal is that given in Proverbs: "Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding." And if he ask, then, how he is to get wisdom, the apostle James is ready with the loving reply: "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him."

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