St Simon is called Zelotes, which means the
Zealot; a title given him (as is supposed) from his belonging before his
conversion to the Jewish sect of Zealots, which professed extraordinary zeal
for the law. Anyhow, the appellation marks him as distinguished for this
particular Christian grace. St Jude's Epistle, which forms part of the service
of the day, is almost wholly upon the duty of manifesting zeal for Gospel
truth, and opens with a direct exhortation to 'contend earnestly for the faith
once delivered to the saints' (Jude 3). The collect also indirectly reminds us
of the same duty, for it prays that all the members Of the Church may be united
in spirit by the Apostles' doctrine; and what are these but the words of zeal,
viz. of a love for the truth and the Church so strong as not allow that man
should divide what God hath joined together?
It is the present fashion to call zeal by the name
of intolerance, and to account intolerance the chief of sins; that is, any
earnestness for one opinion above another concerning God's nature, will, and
dealings with man — or, in other words, any earnestness of the faith once
delivered to the saints, any earnestness for revelation as such. Surely, in
this sense, the Apostles were the most intolerant of men; what is it but
intolerance in this sense of the word to declare, that 'he who hath the Son
hath life, and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life' (1 Jn 5:12); that
'they that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. . . shall be punished
with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord' (2 Thess 1:8, 9);
that 'neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor covetous, nor
revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God' (1 Cor 6:9, 10);
that we must not even 'eat with a brother who is one of such; that we may not
'receive into our houses', or 'bid God speed; to any one who comes to us
without the 'doctrine of Christ' (2 Jn 10, Il)? .1 Such is zeal, a Christian
grace to the last, while it is also an elementary virtue; equally belonging to
the young convert and the matured believer; displayed by Moses at the first,
when he slew the Egyptian, and by St Paul in his last hours, while he was
reaching forth his hand for his heavenly crown.
On the other hand, zeal is an imperfect virtue;
that is, in our fallen state, it will ever be attended by unchristian feelings,
if it is cherished by itself. Hence it appropriately fills so prominent a
place in the Jewish dispensation, which was intended to lay the foundations, as
of Christian faith so of the Christian character. Whether we read the
injunctions delivered by Moses against idolatry and idolaters, or trace the
actual history of God's chosen servants, such as Phinehas, Samuel, Elijah, and
especially David, we find that the Law was peculiarly a covenant of zeal. ...The
Gospel brings out into its full proportions, that perfect temper of mind, which
the law enjoined indeed, but was deficient both in enforcing and creating —
love; that is, love or charity, as described by St Paul in his first Epistle to
the Corinthians, which is not merely brotherly-love (a virtue ever included in
the notion of zeal itself), but a general temper of gentleness, meekness,
sympathy, tender consideration, openheartedness towards all men, brother or
stranger, who come in our way. In this sense, zeal is of the Law and love of
the Gospel: and love perfects zeal, purifying and regulating it. Thus, the
saints of God go on unto perfection. Moses ended his life as 'the meekest of
men' (Num 12:3), though he began it with undisciplined zeal, which led him to a
deed of violence. St John, who would call down fire from heaven, became the
Apostle of love; St Paul, who persecuted Christ's servants, 'was made all
things to all men' (1 Cor 9:22); yet neither of them lost their zeal, though
they trained it to be spiritual.
Collect
O ALMIGHTY God, who hast built thy Church upon the
foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the head
cornerstone: grant us so to be joined together in unity of spirit by their doctrine,
that we may be made an holy temple acceptable unto thee; through Jesus Christ
thy Son our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy
Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
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