already had its answer if John would but look rightly for it.  He simply referred to the things that were being done before the eyes of all, and asked John to form from them a conclusion concerning him who did them.  One aid he offered to the imprisoned prophet,—­a word from the Book of Isaiah (xxxv. 5f., lxi. 1f.),—­and added a blessing for such as “should find nothing to stumble at in him.”  Here Jesus emphasized his works, and allowed his message to speak for itself; but he frankly indicated that he expected people to pass from wonder at his ministry to an opinion about himself.  At Caesarea Philippi he showed to his disciples that this opinion about himself was the significant thing in his eyes.  Throughout the ministry in Galilee, therefore, this twofold aim appears.  Jesus would first divert attention from himself to his message, in order that he might win disciples to the kingdom of God as he conceived it.  Having so attached them to his idea of the kingdom, he desired to be recognized as that kingdom’s prince, the Messiah promised by God for his people.  He retired behind his message in order that men might be drawn to the truth which he held dear, knowing that thus they would find themselves led captive to himself in a willing devotion.

135.  This aim explains his retirement when popularity pressed, his exacting teaching about the spirituality of the kingdom of God, and his injunctions of silence.  He wished to be known, to be thought about, to be accepted as God’s anointed, but he would have this only by a genuine surrender to his leadership.  His disciples must own him master and follow him, however much he might disappoint their misconceptions.  This aim, too, explains his frank self-assertions and exalted personal claims in opposition to official criticism.  He would not be false to his own sense of masterhood, nor allow people to think him bold when his critics were away, and cowardly in their presence.  Therefore, when needful, he invited attention to himself as greater than the temple or as lord of the Sabbath.  This kind of self-assertion, however, served his purpose as well as his customary self-retirement, for it forced people to face the contradiction which he offered to the accepted religious ideas of their leaders.

136.  The method which Jesus chose has already been repeatedly indicated,—­teaching and preaching on the one hand, and works of helpfulness to men on the other.  The character of the teaching of this period is shown in three discourses,—­the Sermon on the Mount, the Discourse in Parables, and the Instructions to the Twelve.  The sermon on the mount is given in different forms in Matthew and Luke, that in Matthew being evidently the more complete, even after deduction has been made of those parts which Luke has assigned with high probability to a later time.  This address was spoken to the disciples of Jesus found among the multitudes who flocked to him from all quarters.  It opened with words of