Charles Spurgeon Commentary Luke 2:35

"yea and a sword shall pierce through thine own soul; that thoughts out of many hearts may be revealed." — Luke 2:35 (ASV)

(Yea, a sword shall pierce through thine own soul also,)

Great privileges often involve great troubles. Mary was highly favored, and truly blessed among women, yet no woman ever had greater sorrow than she had.

(Yea, a sword shall pierce through thy own soul also,)

This favored woman had the greatest pain to go with her great honour. She saw the suffering and anguish of her son; and the nearer you are to Christ, the more of sorrow it will cost you, sorrow which you may be well content to bear. You know how it is put in that hymn of which many of us are very fond, –

"If I find him, if I follow,
What is his reward here?
Many a labour, many a sorrow,
Many a tear."

Yet, I say again, you may be well content to bear it all for his sake; for you remember what the next verse of the hymn is, –

"If I still hold closely to him,
What has he at last?
'Sorrow vanquished, labour ended,
Jordan past'."

That the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.

Christ's death revealed the thoughts of many hearts. It revealed the thought in the heart of Pilate, that he loved popularity better than the truth. It revealed the thought of the heart of Judas, that he loved gold better than he loved his Master. It revealed the thought in the heart of Caiaphas, that he would keep to old customs rather than to the right. It revealed the thought in the hearts of the disciples, and showed what poor, timid, trembling hearts they had. Peter's impulsive spirit, too, was revealed in all its weakness by the death of the Saviour.

The cross is the great touchstone. Wherever it comes, it tests and tries us, even as the crucible tries the metal that is put into it, and lets us know what kind of people we are. Do you love Christ? Do you glory in his cross? Then it is well with you.

But do you despise the cross? Do you set up your own righteousness in opposition to it? Are you depending upon anything besides Jesus Christ and him crucified? Then his cross reveals you to be self-righteous, and dead in trespasses and sins. Our Saviour was not only to be received by men, but he was to be welcomed by women also, so now we read:

That the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.

Christ and his cross are the revealers of the thoughts of men's hearts. Men's hearts can conceal their thoughts until Christ's cross comes near; then the old enmity rises up, the heart rebels, and we see what is really in men's hearts.