THE world has thought of Jesus as "a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief." Yet he says, "These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full." Again we read "Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows."
This joy or gladness, exceeding the comprehension as well as the possession of his "fellows," was above the mortal or worldly sense of what constitutes pleasure. The intense longing of mankind for joy and gladness is universally acknowledged and shown by their seeking happiness in the countless ways that inclination or education may lead them. Yet is it universal testimony that beauty, fame, riches, the fulfilment of all earthly desires always yield more or less of dissatisfaction. The statement: "I have seen all the works that are done under the sun: and, behold, all is vanity and vexation of spirit," is as true to-day as when uttered.
Jesus' earthly experience was of bitter disappointments, cruel misunderstandings, persecutions, contumely, and ignominious death,— a career such as none of the myriad seekers after pleasure would care to duplicate. Yet we are told that his joy was above that of all, and this joy certainly did not come through any worldly attainments. He spoke of himself as being in the world, but not of the world. The joy of which he spoke was also not of the world, it was a consciousness of the reality of spiritual things, and the consequent unreality of material things. In speaking to his disciples Jesus commended those who had been faithful over the few things that had been given them to do, and showed them that this faithfulness to his teachings would make them rulers over many things, and said, "Enter thou into the joy of thy Lord."
