Isaiah 9:6 - Homilies By W. Clarkson

The wonderful Lord.

"His name shall be called Wonderful." And well may he have been named Wonderful, whose words, whose works, and whose love were such as those of Jesus Christ. We look at—

I. THE MARVEL OF HIS TEACHING .

1. It struck his contemporaries with awe and with astonishment (see Matthew 5:28 , Matthew 5:29 ; Matthew 13:54 ; Matthew 22:22 ).

2. It strikes us with wonder still. That a Jew, brought up at Nazareth, receiving a very slight education, having no intercourse with men of other nations, acted upon by the narrowing and stiffening influences which were prevalent and powerful in his land and time, should teach as he taught about

II. THE WONDER OF HIS POWER .

1. This also excited the astonishment of his contemporaries.

2. It calls forth our reverent admiration still. We wonder and adore as we realize that

III. HIS KNOWLEDGE - PASSING LOVE . (See Ephesians 3:19 .)

1. On one occasion, at least, the people were powerfully impressed with the fervor of his love ( John 11:36 ; see also John 13:1 ).

2. The love of Christ is far more astonishing to us who can better recognize its greatness. Now that the facts of the Incarnation and the purpose of his sufferings and his death have been illumined by the teaching of the Divine Spirit, we know how surpassingly great, how wonderful, were