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THE  INCARNATE  SON  OF  GOD 


THE  HISTORY  OF  THE  LIFE  AND  MINISTRY 
OF  THE  REDEEMER. 


THE  INCAENATE  SON  OF  GOD: 


THE  HISTORY  OP  THE  LIFE  AND  MINISTRY  OF 
THE  REDEEMER, 

ARRANGED,  GENERALLY,  ACCORDING  TO 

GRESWELL'S  HARMONY  OF  THE  GOSPELS- 


CONCISE    VIEW  OF  THE    MEDIATORIAL  ECONOMY, 


BY  THE  REV.  HENRY  W.  WILLIAMS,     y^ 


LONDON : 

PUBLISHED  BY  J.  MASON,  14,  CITY- ROAD; 

SOLD  AT  66,  PATERNOSTER-ROW. 

1853. 


d'oS'^ 


London :  li.  Needhaui,  Printer,  Paleriioster-Row. 


J 


■■?;■ 


PREFACE. 


In  the  progress  of  the  Christian  life,  the  mind  turns 
with  increasing  interest  to  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  to 
mark  the  circumstances  of  His  earthly  course,— to  trace 
the  developments  of  His  character,— to  ponder  the 
sayings  which  fell  from  His  lips,— and  to  gaze  with 
reverence  and  faith  on  the  momentous  facts  of  His 
death  and  resurrection.  The  evangelical  history  has  an 
unfading  freshness,  and  affords  permanent  instruction. 
And  there  are  few  who  have  read  with  devout  earnest- 
ness the  Scriptural  narratives  of  the  Redeemer's  life  and 
death,  who  have  not  felt  a  wish  so  to  combine  the 
incidents  which  they  embrace,  as  to  form  a  connected 
view  of  the  history  of  Him  who  is  their  Life  and  their 
All. 

The  studies  of  many  years  have  produced  a  deep 
conviction  in  the  mind  of  the  writer,  that  the  myste- 
rious dignity  of  the  Redeemer's  person,  as  the  Incarnate 
Son  of  God,  appears  in  all  His  teaching,  and  in  all 
His  actions.     The  proof  of  this  great  doctrine  does  not 


VI  PEEFACE. 

rest  on  a  few  isolated  passages  of  the  Holy  Scriptures : 
it  is  furnished  in  every  page  of  the  evangelical  narratives. 
This  is  the  grand  truth,  which  the  following  work  will 
be  found  to  establish; — a  work  which  briefly  traces  the 
series  of  prepai-atory  arrangements  for  the  manifestation 
of  the  Son  of  God  on  earth, — presents,  in  a  continuous 
narrative,  the  facts  of  His  life  and  ministry,  His  death 
and  resurrection, — and  affords  a  concise  view  of  the 
mediatorial  economy  in  its  principles  and  its  results. 

It  is  the  hope  of  the  writer,  that  he  has  been  enabled 
to  cast  light  on  many  passages  of  the  New  Testament. 
His  endeavour  has  been,  so  to  follow  the  sacred 
historians  in  their  exhibition  of  Christ,  as  to  realise  His 
teaching  and  miracles,  His  sufferings  and  death.  He 
has  sought  also  to  interweave  with  the  narrative  brief 
expositions  of  some  of  our  Lord's  sayings,  and  to  point 
out  the  relation  of  some  important  incidents  to  that 
great  mediatorial  scheme  which  He  came  to  accomplish. 
It  would  be  presumptuous  to  assume  that  these  pages 
will  supply  the  place  of  a  commentary  on  the  Gospels; 
but  it  is  not  too  much  to  hope  that  they  will  be  found 
to  elucidate  the  evangelical  history,  and  to  bring  out,  in 
many  cases,  the  deep  meaning  of  the  Redeemer's  words. 

To  those  who  are  engaged  in  the  religious  instruction 
of  the  young,  the  author  would  especially  commend  his 
theme.    While  he  trusts  that  this  work  may  be  interesting 


PREFACE.  yij 

to  Christian  readers  generally,  he  cherishes  the  hope  that 
many  who  have  the  care  of  Bible-Classes,  or  who  are 
engaged  as  Teachers  in  Sabbath-Schools,  will  derive 
from  it  considerable  aid  in  the  discharge  of  their 
important  duties.  It  is  a  pleasing  fact,  that  in  the 
present  system  of  religious  education  so  great  prominence 
is  given  to  the  History  of  the  Redeemer,  and  that  an 
effort  is  made  to  fix  on  the  minds  of  the  young  a  vivid 
impression  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  as  He  taught,  and  suffered, 
and  died,  and  rose  again. 

In  arranging  the  incidents  supplied  by  the  sacred 
historians,  the  author  has  derived  great  advantage  from 
the  Rev.  Edward  Greswell's  "Dissertations  upon  the 
Principles  and  Arrangement  of  an  Harmony  of  the 
Gospels."  These  dissertations  have  been  studied;  and 
the  evidence  adduced  by  Mr.  Greswell,  to  support  his 
scheme  of  a  Harmony  of  the  Evangelists,  has  been 
carefully  considered.  In  a  few  instances,— though  very 
few,— the  author  has  been  compelled  to  dissent  from 
Mr.  Greswell's  conclusions,  and  to  modify  the  arrange- 
ment which  he  has  suggested ;  but  the  general  course 
of  the  narrative  is  in  accordance  with  the  plan  which 
he  has  marked  out. 

H.  W.  W. 

London,  January  20th,  1853. 


CONTENTS. 


PAGE. 

INTRODUCTION. xiii 


PART    I. 

THE    ETERNAL    DEITY    OF    THE    SON    OF    GOD, 

AND  THE  GRADUAL  DEVELOPMENT  OF 

THE  MEDIATORIAL  SCHEME. 

CHAPTEE   I. 

THE    ORIGINAL    AND    ETERNAL    GLORY    OF    THE    SON    OF 

GOD.  ........  3 

CHAPTEE   II. 

PREPARATIONS    FOR   THE    MANIFESTATION    OF    THE   SON 

OF    GOD    ON    EARTH. THE    PATRIARCHAL    AGE.  .       19 

CHAPTEE   III. 

PREPARATIONS    FOR    THE    MANIFESTATION    OF   THE    SON 

OF    GOD    ON    EARTH. THE    MOSAIC    ECONOMY.  .       37 


X  CONTENTS. 

PART   11. 

THE     EVANGELICAL     HISTORY    OF     THE     LIFE, 

MINISTRY,  DEATH,  AND    RESURRECTION 

OF  THE   LORD  JESUS   CHRIST. 

CHAPTEE    I. 

PAGE. 
THE    STATE    OF    JUD^A,    AND    OF    THE    WORLD,  AT    THE 

TIME  OF  THE  REDEEMER'S  ADVENT.  .  .  .63 

CHAPTER   II. 

THE    BIRTH    OF    THE    REDEEMER. HIS   EARLT    LIFE    ON 

EARTH.  .  .  .  .  .  .  .78 

CHAPTEE  III. 

THE  CIRCUMSTANCES  WHICH  IMMEDIATELY  PRECEDED 
THE  redeemer's  ENTRANCE  ON  HIS  PUBLIC 
MINISTRY.  .......       94 

CHAPTEE  IV. 

THE    COMMENCEMENT    OF     THE    REDEEMER'S     MINISTRY. 

HIS   VISIT    TO    JERUSALEM  AT    THE    PASSOVER. 

HIS   RETURN    THROUGH   SAMARIA  TO   GALILEE,   AND 
PREACHING  AT  NAZARETH.  .  .  .  .109 

CHAPTEE  V. 

GENERAL  VIEW  OF  THE  REDEEMER'S  TEACHING  AND 
MIRACLES  IN  GALILEE,  UNTIL  THE  CLOSE  OF  THE 
FIRST  YEAR  OF  HIS   PUBLIC    MINISTRY.    .  .  .    1 26 

CHAPTEE  VI. 

THE  redeemer's  VISIT   TO  JERUSALEM   AT  THE   SECOND 

PASSOVER.  HIS      RETURN      TO      GALILEE,  HIS 

MIRACLES     AND     TEACHING     AT     CAPERNAUM     AND 
NAIN. HIS  SECOND   GENERAL  CIRCUIT  OF  GALILEE.    144 


CONTENTS.  XI 

CHAPTEE  VII. 

PAGE. 
THE     FIRST     OCCASION    OF    THE    REDEEMER'S     TEACHING 

PUBLICLY    IN    PARABLES. REMARKABLE   INCIDENTS 

OP    HIS    MINISTRY   IN   CAPERNAUM   AND   ITS    NEIGH- 
BOURHOOD.  HIS     THIRD      GENERAL     CIRCUIT      OF 

GALILEE. CONCLUSION    OF    THE    SECOND    YEAR    OF 

HIS  PUBLIC  LABOURS.  .  .  .  .  .168 

CHAPTEE  VIII. 

THE  LEADING  EVENTS  OF  THE  REDEEMER'S  HISTORY, 
FROM  THE  COMMENCEMENT  OF  THE  THIRD  YEAR 
OF  HIS  PUBLIC  MINISTRY,  UNTIL  THE  FEAST  OF 
TABERNACLES  IN  THAT  YEAR.  .  .  .  .189 

CHAPTEE   IX. 

THE  redeemer's  DISCOURSES  AND  MIRACLES  AT 
JERUSALEM,  DURING  THE  FEAST  OF  TABERNACLES, 
AND  THE  FEAST   OF  DEDICATION,  IN  THE  LAST  YEAR 

OF    HIS    PUBLIC    MINISTRY. HIS    DEPARTURE    FROM 

JERUSALEM  TO  BETHABARA. HIS  VISIT  TO  BETHANY, 

AND  THE  RAISING  OF  LAZARUS.  .  -  .211 

CHAPTEE   X. 

THE      redeemer's    LAST     CIRCUIT     THROUGH     GALILEE, 

WITH  HIS  FINAL  JOURNEY  TO  JERUSALEM.         .  .    233 

CHAPTEE   XI. 

THE     redeemer's     LAST      JOURNEY     TO     JERUSALEM 

(continued).    .  .  .  .  .  .  .250 

CHAPTEE   XII. 

the  redeemer's  entrance  INTO  JERUSALEM,  AT  THE 
APPROACH  OF  THE  LAST  PASSOVER. THE  CON- 
CLUSION  OF  HIS  PUBLIC  MINISTRY.            .  .  .264 


XU  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTEE  XIII. 

PAGE, 
THE      INTERCOURSE      OF      THE      REDEEMER      WITH      HIS 
APOSTLES     ON      THE     EVENING     WHICH      PRECEDED 
HIS    DEATH.         .......    28" 

CHAPTEE   XIV. 

THE  redeemer's  AGONY  IN  THE  GARDEN  OF  GETH- 

SF.MANF,. HIS  APPREHENSION,  TRIAL,  AND  DEATH.  30 

CHAPTEE  XV. 

THE     RESURRECTION     OF    THE     LORD    JESUS,     AND     THE 

LAST    FORTY   DAYS    SPENT    BY   HIM    ON    EARTH.  .    331 


PART   III. 

CONCLUDING    OBSERVATIONS    ON    THE 
MEDIATORIAL   ECONOMY. 

CHAPTEE  I. 

REVIEW  OF  THE  REDEEMER'S  LIFE,  AND  SUFFERINGS, 
AND  DEA-TH,  IN  THEIR  RELATION  TO  THE  DIVINE 
GOVERNMENT  OF  OUR  WORLD,  AND  TO  THE  SALVA- 
TION OF  MAN.  ......    353 

CHAPTEE  II. 

THE      PRESENT      MEDIATORIAL     EXALTATION      OF     THE 

LORD       JESUS.  THE       CONSUMMATION      OF      THE 

MEDIATORIAL  SCHEME.  .  .  .  .  .369 


INTRODUCTION. 


The  appearance  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  among 
men,  and  the  facts  of  His  death  and  resurrection,  are 
the  most  momentous  events  in  this  world's  history.  All 
things  conspire  to  fix  our  attention  upon  Him.  The 
moral  excellence  which  adorned  His  character,  and 
beamed  forth  in  all  His  actions, — the  authority  which 
marked  His  teaching, — the  tenderness  and  condescension 
which  distinguished  His  invitations  to  the  sorrowful  and 
anxious  spirit, — may  well  attract  and  impress  our  minds ; 
but  a  yet  deeper  interest  must  be  called  forth  when  we 
contemplate  Him  as  the  incarnate  Son  of  God,  and 
behold  Him  yielding  up  Himself  to  an  intense  and 
almost  overwhelming  anguish,  and  then  to  a  violent  and 
ignominious  death,  that  He  might  redeem  and  save  us. 

Christianity  is  not  a  system  of  abstract  truths,  and  of 
precepts  founded  on  those  truths.  It  is  a  religion  of 
fact,  and  of  living,  spiritual  jyoiver.  It  announces 
the  appearance  of  a  Divine  Person  in  our  world,  clothed 
in  the  lowly  form  of  humanity;  it  leads  us  through  the 
scenes  of  His  humiliation,  to  view  Him  at  length  ex- 
tended upon  the  cross,  as^the  Sacrifice  for  human  guilt; 
and  then  it  declares  to  us  the  triumph  of  His   resur- 


XIV  INTRODUCTION. 

rection  from  the  dead,  and  the  universal  sovereignty 
and  evei'lasting  priesthood  with  which  He  is  now 
invested.  It  calls  upon  us  to  behold,  in  these  events, 
the  working  out  of  a  scheme  which  Divine  wisdom,  and 
holiness,  and  love,  had  arranged  in  the  counsels  of 
eternity,  for  the  recovery  and  salvation  of  man.*  It 
teaches  us  to  regard  them  as  full  of  interest  to  other 
orders  of  rational  beings,  and  as  conveying  the  most 
important  lessons  to  the  universe  of  God.t 

Around  the  person  of  the  Crucified  One,  now  exalted 
to  ineffable  dignity,  all  tlie  truths  and  precepts  of  our 
religion  stand  in  beautiful  order  and  harmony.  The 
jiecuUar  doctrines  of  Christianity  are  interwoven  with 
the  facts  of  the  lledeemer's  history,  and  lead  the  mind 
to  Him,  to  place  its  trust  on  the  virtue  of  His  death, 
and  to  bow  with  reverence  and  love  to  tlie  sway  of  His 
gracious  sceptre.  Light  is  reflected  from  the  cross, 
upon  the  attributes  of  the  Divine  character,  the  intrica- 
cies of  God's  providential  government  of  our  world,  and 
the  great  principles  of  His  moral  administration. — The 
projnises  which  solace  the  spirit  of  man,  and  encourage 
him  to  approach  the  throne  of  God,  for  light,  and  purity, 
and  strength,  are  all  given  through  Christ.  J  So,  too, 
the  moral  system  of  Christianity  can  only  be  apprehended 
aright,  when  it  is  viewed  in  its  connexion  with  the 
person  of  the  Lord  Jesus, — the  facts  of  His  mediatorial 
undertaking, — and  the  arrangements  of  that  economy 

*  ]  Peter  i.  19—21  ;  Ephesians  iii.  9—11. 
t  1  Peter  i.  12  ;  Ephesians  iii.  10.  J  2  Corinthians  i.  20. 


INTRODUCTIOX.  XV 

of  grace  which  has  been  established  through  His  blood. 
He  is  the  Pattern  of  holiness  to  all  His  people/*  In 
Him,  while  on  earth,  we  behold  the  unsullied  purity 
and  the  ever-active  goodness  of  the  Divine  nature, 
blended  with  the  sympathies  of  manhood,  and  unfolding 
themselves  in  relations  of  human  life.  As  we  mark 
His  footsteps,  and  meditate  on  the  developments  of  His 
character,  we  see  the  loveliness  of  moral  rectitude,  and 
our  hearts  are  attracted  by  the  softened  lustre  of  Divine 
perfections.  The  deep  vicarious  sorrows  of  the  Redeemer, 
and  the  painful  and  ignominious  death  to  which  for  our 
sakes  He  submitted,  supply  neiv  motives  to  humility, 
devotion,  benevolence,  and  universal  purity,  f  New 
duties  are  enjoined  upon  us,  on  the  ground  of  the 
mediatorial  economy.  Faith  in  the  atonement,  and  the 
dedication  of  ourselves  to  the  Saviour,  are  now  essential  to 
a  religious  character. %  Nor  is  even  this  all.  The  entire 
moral  system  of  Christianity  proceeds  upon  the  2mnciple, 
that  through  the  redeeming  work  of  the  Lord  Jesus 
provision  has  been  made  for  the  communication  of  a 
new  spiritual  life  to  the  soul  of  man.  It  announces 
and  makes  prominent  the  truth,  that  there  is  an  unseen 
but  mighty  energy,  which  is  put  forth  upon  the  believing 
mind,  to  renew  its  affections,  and  consecrate  it  to  God. 
While  it  proclaims  the  utter  impotence  of  human 
resolves,  if  the  soul  flies  not  to  the  cross  for  pardon  and 

*  1  John  ii.  6  ;   1  Peter  ii.  21,  22. 

t  2  Corinthians  viii.  9;  Philippians  ii.  5—8;  Ephesians  v.  1,  2. 

X  John  iii.  18  ;  Romans  xiv.  7—9  ;  2  Corinthians  v.  14,  15. 


XVI  INTRODUCTION. 

salvation;  while  it  sets  forth  the  inadequacy  of  even 
vivid  and  powerful  convictions  of  the  beauty  of  holiness, 
to  raise  man  to  the  purity  which  he  admires;  it  dis- 
closes to  us  a  new  source  of  spiritual  power, — it  tells  us 
of  "  the  law  of  the  Spirit  of  life  in  Christ  Jesus,"  which 
can  make  us  "free  from  the  law  of  sin  and  death,'"* 
break  the  fetters  of  our  natural  corruption,  and  lead  us 
forth  to  a  region  of  holy  liberty  and  peace,  where, 
enjoying  the  light  of  the  Divine  countenance,  and 
sweetly  impelled  by  filial  love,  we  shall  obey  from  the 
heart  the  Avill  of  our  heavenly  Father. 

Thus  do  all  the  announcements,  and  promises,  and 
precepts,  of  the  Christian  religion  stand  related  to  the 
person  and  work  of  the  Lord  Jesus.  lie  is  emphatically 
the  theme  of  the  revelation  of  God.  He  is  the  Object 
of  trust  to  the  fainting  spirit  that  weeps  over  its  past 
iniquities,  and  deplores  the  spiritual  bondage  in  which 
it  has  been  held.  He  is  the  Centre  which  attracts  the 
hearts  of  all  the  truly  pious,  and  unites  them  in  holy 
and  heavenly  love.  He  is  the  Fountain  of  blessing, — the 
Source  of  grace  and  peace,  amidst  the  changes  and 
sorrows  of  earth,  and  in  the  languor  and  exhaustion  of 
the  final  conflict.     He  is  the  Giver  of  eternal  life. 

This  is  the  adorable  Person  whom  we  have  now  to  con- 
template. May  He  assist  our  meditations,  and  lead  every 
reader  of  these  pages  to  the  true  knowledge  of  Himself, 
and  to  an  eternal  participation  in  His  blessedness  and 
triumph ! 

*  Romans  viii.  2.     See  also  vi.  22. 


PART    I. 


THE    ETERNAL    DEITY   OF   THE   SON   OF    GOD, 

AND    THE    GRADUAL   DEVELOPMENT   OF 

THE    MEDIATORIAL    SCHEME. 


CHAPTER  I. 

THE    ORIGINAL    AND   ETERNAL   GLORY    OF    THE    SON 
OF    GOD. 

Every  subject  connected  with  the  Divine  nature 
requires  to  be  approached  by  us  in  a  spirit  of  lowly- 
reverence.  The  infinite  perfection  of  Him  whom  we 
contemplate,  and  the  weakness  of  our  own  powers, 
equally  demand  this.  Even  when  we  inquire  into  the 
constitution  and  laws  of  the  world  around  us — when  we 
attempt  to  trace  the  minute  and  hidden  processes  which 
issue  in  the  important  results  that  meet  us  on  every 
hand, — we  soon  discover  that  limits  have  been  placed 
to  our  researches.  The  beautiful  order  and  instructive 
adaptations  of  material  nature  unfold  themselves  indeed, 
yet  more  and  more  clearly,  to  our  patient  thought ;  but 
even  these  evince  an  ever-active  Power,  the  operations 
of  which  we  cannot  fully  comprehend.  When  we  extend 
our  inquiries  to  the  worlds  on  worlds  which  shine  above 
us,  and  endeavour  to  trace  their  mutual  relations,  and 
to  form  a  conception  of  the  magnificent  whole  which 
the  hand  of  God  has  formed ;  we  find  that  the  grandeur 
of  this  subject  is  sufficient  to  overpower  us,  and  that  our 
utmost  efforts,  instead  of  enabling  us  to  understand  the 
universe,  only  disclose  to  us  the  vastness  of  the  Divine 
empire,  and  the  unbounded  resources  of  the  Divine 
mind.  But  when  we  attempt  to  rise  to  the  contemplation 
b2 


4  ORIGINAL   GLORY 

of  God,  and  passing  tlie  bounds  of  time,  to  go  even 
into  the  recesses  of  eternity,  and  to  view  Him  as  He  is 
IN  Himself,  we  approach  a  yet  loftier  theme,  and  one  of 
pecuHar  and  ineffable  sacredness.  In  the  august  pre- 
sence of  Deity,  every  feeling  of  vain  curiosity  should  be 
repressed ;  every  tendency  to  bold  speculation  should  be 
resisted ;  and  while  we  listen  with  profound  attention 
to  the  discoveries  which  God  has  been  pleased  to  make 
to  us  of  Himself,  we  should  bow  before  Him  with 
mingled  reverence  and  love.  Like  Moses^  before  the 
burning  but  unconsumed  bush,  we  should  feel  that  we 
stand  on  holy  ground ;  and  we  should  tremble  at  the 
thought  of  presumptuously  gazing  upon  that  sight, 
which 

"  Dazzles  heaven,  that  brightest  seraphim 
Approach  not,  hut  with  both  wings  veil  their  eyes." 

But  although  it  is  impossible  for  us  to  understand  the 
deep  mystery  of  the  mode  of  the  Divine  existence,  or  to 
apprehend  clearly  and  fully  every  perfection  of  the 
Divine  nature,  it  is  right  that  we  should  raise  our  minds 
to  God,  and  meditate  on  Him  with  sacred  interest.  The 
knowledge  of  the  Eternal  One  is  the  best  and  highest 
knowledge.  The  excellencies  of  created  beings  are  all 
derived  from  Him;  they  are  but  reflections  of  His 
inherent  power,  and  wisdom,  and  hoHness,  and  love. 
To  Him,  by  a  sweet  and  powerful  attraction,  eveiy  holy 
mind,  throughout  the  univei-se,  turns,  to  seek  its  peace 
and  joy  in  the  assurance  of  His  friendship,  and  to  yield 
itself  to  Him  in  v\alling  and  happy  seiwice.  To  know 
God,  and  to  hold  communion  with  Him,  is  the  proper 
bliss  of  the  human  spirit.  And  in  that  series  of  revela- 
tions which    it  is  our   privilege  to    possess,  the   Most 


OF    THE    SON    OF    GOD.  O 

High  has  shed  a  degree  of  light  on  His  own  pecuHar 
glory,  and  has  instructed  us  to  worship  Him  as  the 
Triune  Jehovah. 

In  the  very  front  indeed  of  the  Divine  communica- 
tions to  man,  there  stands  the  great  and  momentous 
truth,  that  there  is  one  God.  We  are  taught  to  look  up 
to  one  Eternal,  Almighty  Being,  as  the  Source  of  exist- 
ence, the  Creator  and  Lord  of  all.  "  Unto  thee  it  was 
showed,  that  thou  mightest  know  that  the  Lord  He  is 
God;  there  is  none  else  beside  Him."'-  "  Hear,  0  Israel : 
Jehovah  our  Elohim  is  one  Jehovah."  t  Between  Jeho- 
vah, and  every  other  being  in  the  universe,  there  is  an 
infinite  disparity.  All  created  intelligences  have  been 
produced  by  acts  of  the  Divine  will,  and  are  sustained  by 
the  constant  putting  forth  of  the  Divine  power;  but 
God  exists  in  and  of  Himself,  and  all  His  perfections  are 
inherent  and  essential.  He  is  the  fountain  of  life, — the 
original  pattern  and  the  source  of  moral  loveliness, — and 
the  giver  of  law  to  the  universe  of  mind.  He  sitteth 
upon  the  throne ;  while  all  other  beings  wait  upon  Him, 
bend  in  willing  adoration  before  His  ineffable  majesty, 
or  bow  reluctantly  to  the  control  of  His  almighty  hand. 

But  while  the  revelation  which  God  has  been  pleased 
to  give  to  us,  so  distinctly  affirms  the  unity  of  the  Divine 
essence,  it  teaches  us  that  in  that  essence  there  are 
mysterious  personal  distinctions,  and  it  leads  us  to  adore 
the  one  Jehovah,  as  the  Fathei",  the  Son,  and  the  Holy 
Ghost.  One  of  the  most  frequent  appellations  of  the 
Most  High  in  the  writings  of  the  Old  Testament,  is 
Jehovah  Elohim  ;  and  while  the  former  term  expresses 
the  essential  unity  of  God,  the  very  form  of  the  latter 
*  Deuteronomy  iv.  3-5.  f  Deuteronomy  vi.  4. 


0  ORIGINAL   GLORY 

indicates  that  plurality  in  some  sense  belongs  to  Him 
wlio  is  the  object  of  our  adoration  and  love.  The  decla- 
ration which  we  have  cited  above  becomes  in  this  view 
remarkable  and  impressive :  "  Hear,  0  Israel :  Jehovah 
our  Elohim  is  one  Jehovah."  It  implies  a  plurality  in 
the  mode  of  the  Divine  existence ;  but  it  aflfirms,  at  the 
same  time,  the  unity  of  that  glorious  Being,  before  whom 
we  are  to  bow  with  lowly  reverence,  and  in  the  posses- 
sion of  whose  friendship  our  highest  happiness  consists. 
Allusions  to  the  Trinity  of  Persons  in  the  one  Godhead 
occur  throughout  the  ancient  revelation.  When  we 
listen  to  the  formula  of  blessing  which  Aaron  and  his 
sons  were  commanded  to  use,  we  are  reminded  of  this 
lofty  mystery :  "And  the  Lord  spake  unto  Moses,  saying, 
Speak  unto  Aaron  and  unto  his  sons,  saying.  On  this 
wise  ye  shall  bless  the  childi-en  of  Israel,  saying  unto 
them,  The  Lord  bless  thee,  and  keep  thee :  the  Lord 
make  His  face  shine  upon  thee,  and  be  gracious  unto 
thee  :  the  Lord  lift  up  His  countenance  upon  thee,  and 
give  thee  peace.  And  they  shall  put  My  name  iipon 
the  children,  of  Israel;  and  I  will  bless  them."*  And 
when  we  follow  Isaiah,  to  gaze  with  him  upon  the  glory 
of  the  Eternal  God,  and  to  contemplate  the  seraphim  in 
the  act  of  adoration,  we  hear  from  their  lips  the  thrice- 
repeated  acknowledgment  of  Jehovah  as  perfectly  holy; 
while  the  statement  of  an  inspired  apostle,  in  a  subse- 
quent age,  teaches  us  to  regard  this  vision  as  manifest- 
ing the  glory  of  Him  who  afterwards  appeared  on  earth 
to  redeem  us.  "  In  the  year  that  king  Uzziah  died,  I 
saw  also  the  Lord  sitting  upon  a  throne,  high  and  lifted 
up,  and  His  train  filled  the  temple.  Above  it  stood  the 
*  Numbers  vi.  22—27. 


OF    THE    SON    OF    GOD.  7 

seraphim :  each  one  had  six  wings ;  with  twain  he 
covered  his  face,  and  with  twain  he  covered  his  feet, 
and  with  twain  he  did  fly.  And  one  cried  unto  another, 
and  said,  Holy,  holy,  holy,  is  the  Lord  of  hosts:  the 
whole  earth  is  full  of  His  glory."'"'  "These  things,"  says 
the  apostle  John,  after  adverting  to  the  message  which 
the  prophet  was  commanded  to  deliver,  "these  things 
said  Esaias,  when  he  saw  His  glory,  and  spake  of  Him."  t 
In  the  disclosures  of  the  Divine  purposes  made  to  the 
patriarchs,  and  to  some  members  of  the  house  of  Israel, 
we  are  led  to  contemplate  One  who  in  mysterious 
grandeur  appears  as  "the  Angel  of  Jehovah."  This  was 
not  an  ordinary  angel, — one  of  the  pure  and  happy 
spirits  that  have  been  called  into  existence  by  the  fiat 
of  the  Almighty,  and  that  encircle  His  throne,  to  behold 
His  glory,  and  receive  His  high  commands;  for  although 
sent  by  the  Father,  and  revealing  Him  to  men.  He  claims 
Himself  the  incommunicable  name  of  Jehovah,  and 
stands  arrayed  in  the  loftiest  attributes  of  eternal  God- 
head. "And  the  Angel  of  the  Lord  called  unto  him  out 
of  heaven,  and  said,  Abraham,  Abraham :  and  he  said, 
Here  am  I.  And  he  said.  Lay  not  thine  hand  upon  the 
lad,  neither  do  thou  any  thing  unto  him:  for  now  I 
know  that  thou  fearest  God,  seeing  thou  hast  not 
withheld  thy  son,  thine  only  son  from  Me."  "And  the 
Angel  of  the  Lord  called  unto  Abraham  out  of  heaven 
the  second  time,  and  said.  By  Myself  have  I  sworn,  saith 
the  Lord,  for  because  thou  hast  done  this  thing,  and  hast 
not  withheld  thy  son,  thine  only  son :  that  in  blessing  I 
will  bless  thee,  and  in  multiplying  I  will  multiply  thy 
seed  as  the  stars  of  the  heaven,  and  as  the  sand  which  is 
*  Isaiah  vi.  1 — 3.  f  John  xii.  41. 


6  ORIGINAL   GLORY 

upon  the  sea  shore;  and  thy  seed  shall  possess  the  gate 

of  his  enemies;  and  in  thy  seed  shall  all  the  nations  of 

the  earth   be  blessed;    because  thou  hast  obeyed  My 

voice." '•■     "And  the  Angel  of  the  Lord  appeared  unto 

him"   (Moses)  "in  a  flame  of  fii'e  out  of  the  midst  of  a 

bush  :  and  he  looked,  and,  behold,  the  bush  burned  with 

fire,  and  the  bush  was  not  consumed.     And  Moses  said, 

I  Avill  now  turn  aside,  and  see  this  great  sight,  why  the 

bush  is  not  burnt.     And  when  the  Lord  saw  that  he 

turned  aside  to  see,  God  called  unto  him  out  of  the  midst 

of  the  bush,  and  said,  Moses,  Moses.    And  he  said,  Here 

am  I.  And  He  said,  Draw  not  nigh  hither :  put  off  thy  shoes 

from  off  thy  feet,  for  the  place  whereon  thou  standest  is 

holy  ground.  Moreover  He  said,  I  am  the  God  of  thy  father, 

the  God  of  Abraham,  the  God  of  Isaac,  and  the  God  of 

Jacob.     And  Moses  hid  his  face;  for  he  was  afraid  to 

look  upon  God."t     In    other   portions  of   the    ancient 

Scriptures,  likewise,  our  minds  are  directed  to  an  august 

Person,  distinct  from  every  created  being,  and  subsisting 

in  a  most  intimate  and  peculiar  relation  to  the  Father. 

He  is  especially  referred  to  as  the  Son,  who  in  the 

fulness  of  time  should  appear  on  earth,  and,  after  His 

rejection  by  men,  should  be  enthroned  a§  the  King  of 

Zion,    entitled    to    universal    homage,    and    worthy    of 

unlimited  confidence.     "I  will  declare  the  decree :  the 

Lord  hath  said  unto  Me,  Thou  art  my  Son;  this  day 

have  I  begotten  Thee.  Ask  of  Me,  and  I  shall  give  Thee 

the  heathen  for  thine  inheritance,   and  the   uttermost 

parts  of  the  earth  for  Thy  possession.    Thou  shalt  break 

them  with  a  rod  of  iron ;  Thou  shalt  dash  them  in  pieces 

*  Genesis  xxii.  11, 12,  15 — 18.    Compare  Hebrews  vi.  13,  11. 
t  Exodus  iii.  2—6. 


OF    THE    SON    OF    GOI».  9 

like  a  potter's  vessel.  Be  wise  now  therefore,  0  ye 
kings:  be  instructed,  ye  judges  of  the  earth.  Serve  the 
Lord  with  fear,  and  rejoice  with  trembling.  Kiss  the 
Son,  lest  He  be  angry,  and  ye  perish  from  the  way,  when 
His  wrath  is  kindled  but  a  little.  Blessed  are  all  they 
that  put  their  trust  in  Him."--' 

But  the  lofty  truth  which  we  are  now  contemplating 
— the  proper  Deity  and  eternal  glory  of  the  Son  of 
God — is  brought  before  us  yet  more  clearly,  in  that 
revelation  of  the  Divine  character  and  government, 
to  which  every  other  was  preparatory,  and  which  we 
term  emphatically  "the  Gospel."  We  must  listen  to  the 
recorded  sayings  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  Himself,  and 
ponder  the  declarations  of  His  inspired  apostles,  if  we 
would  form  even  a  faint  conception  of  that  glory,  in 
which  He  dwelt  with  the  Father,  before  His  manifesta- 
tion on  earth.  Repeatedly  did  He  affirm,  in  the  course 
of  His  public  ministry.  His  own  2^re-existe7ice  and  eternity. 
He  said  to  Nicodemus,  "And  no  man  hath  ascended  up 
to  heaven,  but  He  that  came  down  from  heaven,  even 
the  Son  of  man  which  is  in  heaven."  t  Alluding  to  the 
manna  with  which  the  people  of  God  were  sustained 
during  their  journey  through  the  wilderness,  He  spoke 
of  Himself  as  "the  true  bread  from  heaven,"  as  having 
come  down  from  above  to  give  life  to  the  perishing,  and 
to  meet  the  craving  of  the  human  spirit  for  salvation 
and  peace.  "My  Father  giveth  you  the  true  bread  from 
heaven.  For  the  bread  of  God  is  He  which  cometh 
down  from  heaven,  and  giveth  Hfe  unto  the  world." 
And  when  the  Jews  who  stood  around  Him  exclaimed, 
"Lord,  evermore  give  us  this  bread!"  He  replied  with 
*  Psalm  ii.  7—12.  \  John  iii.  13. 


10  ORIGINAL    GLORY 

illimitable  beauty  and  force,  "I  am  the  bread  of  life : 
he  that  cometh  to  Me  shall  never  hunger;  and  he  that 
believeth  on  Me  shall  never  thirst."*  And  on  a  sub- 
sequent occasion,  when  He  had  referred  to  the  lively 
interest  with  which  Abraham  looked  forward  to  His  day, 
and  the  sacred  joy  which  clearer  discoveries  of  His 
redeeming  work  called  forth  in  the  breast  of  that  holy 
patriarch;  and  when  the  Jews  objected  to  Him,  "Thou 
art  not  yet  fifty  years  old,  and  hast  Thou  seen  Abra- 
ham 1"  He  answered  with  great  solemnity  and  power, 
"Verily,  verily,  I  say  unto  you,  Before  Abraham  was, 
I  am."t 

But  the  declarations  of  our  Lord  were  not  limited  to 
the  fact  of  His  pre-existence.  He  spoke  of  His  i-)ecidiar 
and  intimate  relation  to  the  Father,  as  one  which  had 
subsisted  from  eternity,  and  v>diich  no  human  mind  could 
fully  comprehend.  He  affirmed  that  He  was  the  Son,  the 
only  begotten, — the  object  of  the  Father's  ineffable  com- 
placency,— and  the  gift  of  whom  to  our  world,  was  the 
strongest  proof  of  the  Father's  love  to  man.  Let  us 
mark  on  this  subject  the  following  declarations  of  the 
Redeemer,  recorded  by  two  of  the  evangelists;  and  let 
us  gaze  with  adoring  love  on  the  inherent  dignity,  and 
the  condescending  grace,  of  Him  who  appeared  among 
us,  and  submitted  to  the  humiliation  and  sorrow  of  the 
cross,  to  save  and  bless  us.  "God  so  loved  the  world, 
that  He  gave  His  only  begotten  Son,  that  whosoever 
believeth  in  Him,  should  not  perish,  but  have  everlasting 
life.":}.  "All  things  are  delivered  unto  Me  of  My  Father: 
and  no  man  knoweth  the  Son,  but  the  Father;  neither 
knoweth  any  man  the  Father,  save  the  Son,  and  he  to 
*  John  vi.  32—35.  f  John  viii.  57,  58.  %  John  iii.  16. 


OP   THE    SON    OF    GOD.  11 

whomsoever  the  Son  will  reveal  Hun."*  "And  now,  0 
Father,  glorify  Thou  Me  with  Thine  own  self  with  the 
glory  which  I  had  with  Thee  before  the  world  was."t 
"  Fathei',  I  will  that  they  also  whom  Thou  hast  given 
Me,  be  with  Me  where  I  am;  that  they  may  behold  My 
glory,  which  thou  hast  given  Me :  for  Thou  lovedst  Me 
before  the  foundation  of  the  world."  X 

Warned  by  the  words  of  our  Lord  Himself,  that  the 
deep  mystery  of  His  relation  to  the  Father  is  beyond 
the  comprehension  of  any  human  mind,  we  shall  not 
attempt  to  explain  that  relation,  or  presume  to  know 
God  to  perfection.  The  subject  is  too  lofty  and  too 
sacred  for  the  play  of  imagination,  or  the  inductions  of 
philosophical  inquiry.  We  can  only  ponder  the  words 
which  our  Lord  Himself  has  used,  or  which  His  inspired 
apostles  have  selected,  to  illustrate  the  glory  in  which 
He  dwelt,  as  the  only-begotten  of  the  Father,  before 
He  clothed  Himself  with  our  humanity,  and  became 
our  Brother  and  Pvedeemer.  But  this  course  is  open  to 
us;  and  the  words  of  inspiration  will  be  found  to  have 
a  depth  of  meaning,  which  unfolds  itself  yet  more  and 
moi-e  to  the  devout  and  thoughtful  mind.  Let  us 
advert  to  a  few  of  the  statements  of  the  apostles  of  our 
Lord,  on  this  exalted  theme. 

The  apostle  John,  when  commencing  his  narrative  of 
the  Redeemer's  life  and  death,  affirms,  in  the  clearest 
and  most  decisive  manner.  His  original  and  eternal 
glory:  "In  the  beginning  was  the  Word,  and  the 
Word  was  with  God,  and  the  Word  was  God.  The 
same  was  in  the  beginning  with  God.  All  things  were 
made  by  Him ;  and  without  Him  was  not  any  thing  made 

*  Matthew  xi.  27.  f  John  xvii.  5.  X  John  xvii.  24. 


12  ORIGINAL   GLORY 

that  was  made."  "  And  the  Word  was  made  flesh,  and 
dwelt  among'  us,  (and  we  beheld  His  glory, — the  glory 
as  of  the  only  begotten  of  the  Father,)  full  of  grace  and 
truth."  '••  Here  the  apostle  leads  us  back  in  thought 
to  the  depths  of  eternity.  We  have  to  pass  beyond  the 
limits  of  measured  duration, — ^beyond  the  moment  when 
the  first  act  of  creative  power  was  put  forth, — and  to 
think  of  the  period  when  God  Himself,  the  Unsearch- 
able, was  the  only  Being ;  but  even  then  —  "  in  the 
beginning" — the  Word  existed  in  intimate  union  with 
the  Father,  and  one  Avith  Him  in  His  essential  glories 
and  perfections.  He  is  to  be  acknowledged  and  adored 
as  the  Creator  of  all  things.  His  almighty  energy 
gave  being  to  the  hosts  of  heaven,  and  endowed  them 
with  intelligence,  and  purity,  and  strength.  It  was  at 
His  bidding  that  material  nature  rose  out  of  nothing; 
He  has  spread  out  the  scenes  of  loveliness  which  meet 
our  gaze;  He  has  called  into  existence  the  various 
orders  of  creatures  that  people  His  univei'sal  empire; 
and  He  has  formed  man,  to  reflect  His  intellectual  and 
moral  glories,  and  to  hold  communion  with  the  Triune 
Deity.  But  this  adorable  Person  has  revealed  Himself 
to  us,  in  a  form  which  softens  the  lustre  of  His  uncreated 
excellencies,  and  invites  the  approach  of  the  humble 
and  contrite  spirit.  He  has  assumed  our  nature  in  its 
lowliness  and  Aveakness ;  He  has  come  to  our  earth, 
blighted  by  sin,  and  languishing  under  the  woes  which 
alienation  from  God  must  induce;  and  He  has  wrought 
out  the  scheme  of  the  Eternal  Father,  for  the  recovery 
and  ultimate  glorification  of  all  who  receive  Him  as 
their  Saviour  and  their  Lord.  This  was  the  great  truth 
*  John  i.  1—3,  14. 


OF    THE    SON    OF    GOD.  13 

on  which  the  contemplative  and  susceptible  mind  of 
John  delighted  to  dwell.  He  remembered,  with  lively- 
interest,  how  the  more  than  human  glory  of  the 
Redeemer  had  beamed  forth  in  His  teaching,  His 
miracles,  and  His  entire  deportment ;  and,  with  mingled 
awe  and  gratitude,  he  recognised  in  Him  the  only- 
begotten  of  the  Father,  manifested  to  bless  our  Avorld, 
and  to  pour  on  every  dark  and  mournful  spirit  the 
light  of  life. 

The  introduction  to  the  first  Epistle  of  this  eminent 
servant  and  friend  of  the  Lord  Jesus  shows,  hke  the 
passage  we  have  just  considered,  how  habitually  his 
mind  reverted  to  the  original  glory  of  the  Redeemer, 
and  with  how  deep  interest  he  dwelt  on  the  fact,  that 
he  had  been  permitted  to  be  with  the  incarnate  Son, 
and  to  mark  the  developments  of  His  unsullied  purity 
and  condescending  love.  "  That  which  was  from  the 
beginning,  Avhich  we  have  heard,  which  we  have  seen 
with  our  eyes,  which  we  have  looked  upon,  and  our 
hands  have  handled,  of  the  Word  of  life;  (for  the  Life 
was  manifested,  and  Ave  have  seen  it,  and  bear  witness, 
and  show  unto  you  that  eternal  Life  which  was  with 
the  Father,  and  Avas  manifested  unto  us;)  that  which 
we  have  seen  and  heard  declare  we  unto  you,  that  ye 
also  may  have  fellowship  with  us:  and  truly  our  fellow- 
ship is  mtli  the  Father,  and  with  His  Son  Jesus 
Christ."  *  Here  we  trace  the  characteristics  of  eternal 
Deity,  as  belonging  to  Him  who,  in  the  fulness  of  time, 
appeared  on  earth  to  redeem  us;  and  yet  we  perceive 
that  this  august  Person  was  in  some  sense  distinct  from 
the  Father,  though  one  with  Him  in  nature,  and  power, 
»  1  John  i.  1  —  3. 


14  ORIGINAL   GLORY 

and  glory.  He  was  "  from  the  beginning," — before  any 
created  mind  glowed  with  intelligence  and  feeling,  or 
any  created  thing  had  been  introduced  into  existence. 
He  was  "  that  Eternal  Life,  which  was  with  the  Father, 
and  Avas  manifested  unto  us."  He  had  shared  from 
eternity  in  the  high  prerogative  of  the  Father,  to 
possess  life  in  and  of  Himself  While  in  every  creature 
life  is  derived  and  dependent,  in  Him  it  is  inherent  and 
essential.  And  He  is  the  source  of  life  to  all.  His 
energy  communicates  and  sustains  it;  and  while  He 
causes  the  living  frame  to  glow  with  warmth,  and 
upholds  every  created  mind  in  the  possession  of  its 
intellectual  powers,  He  imparts  to  the  devout  and 
obedient  spirit  the  yet  higher  life  of  holy  affections, 
and  attracts  it  to  Himself  by  a  sweet  and  heavenly 
influence. 

Let  us  now  turn  to  a  remarkable  passage  in  the 
opening  of  the  Epistle  to  the  Hebrews,  which  affirms, 
in  the  most  impressive  manner,  the  Divine  glory  of  the 
Redeemer,  and  unveils  to  us  —  as  far  as  it  can  be 
unveiled  —  His  peculiar  relation  to  the  Father.  In 
contrast  with  former  dispensations  of  religion,  in  which 
the  Most  High  had  spoken  to  men  by  His  prophets, 
who  could  only  partially  and  gradually  reveal  the  pur- 
poses of  redeeming  holiness  and  love,  — ■  the  inspired 
apostle  places  the  glory  of  the  Christian  economy,  as 
that  in  which  the  Son  Himself  has  appeared,  to  shed 
the  light  of  truth  on  our  minds,  to  offer  a  perfect 
sacrifice  for  human  guilt,  and  then  to  rise  to  His 
mediatorial  throne,  to  sway  a  sceptre  of  righteousness 
and  grace  over  our  world,  until  every  hostile  power 
shall  bow  before  Him,     "  God,  who  at  sundry  times  and 


OF    THE    SON    OF    GOD.  15 

ill  divers  manners  spake  in  time  past  unto  the  fathers  by 
the  prophets,  hath  in  these  last  days  spoken  unto  us  by 
His  Son,  whom  He  hath  appointed  heir  of  all  things, 
by  whom  also  He  made  the  worlds;  who,  being  the 
brightness  of  His  glory,  and  the  express  image  of  His 
person,  and  upholding  all  things  by  the  word  of  His 
power,  when  He  had  by  Himself  purged  our  sins,  sat 
down  on  the  right  hand  of  the  Majesty  on  high."* 
Here,  as  in  the  writings  of  St.  John,  our  minds  are 
carried  back  to  the  glory  of  the  Son  before  He  came  to 
our  world  of  sin  and  sorrow.  He  appears  to  the  view  of 
our  faith  in  all  the  majesty  of  the  Creator  and  Lord  of 
the  universe;  to  Him  we  are  to  look  up,  as  even  now 
sustaining  the  entire  fabric  of  created  nature  ;  and  we 
are  reverently  to  conceive  of  Him — if,  indeed,  we  may 
attempt  to  form  a  faint  idea  of  the  relations  of  the 
Divine  nature — as  the  out-beaming  of  the  Father's 
glory,  and  the  express  image,  the  exact  resemblance,  of 
His  inscrutable  essence.  Light,  the  purest  and  loveliest 
of  all  material  substances,  is  frequently  referred  to  in 
the  Holy  Scriptures,  to  illustrate  the  perfections  of  the 
Eternal  God.  It  stands  as  the  chosen  and  most  appro- 
priate emblem  of  Him  whose  intellect  is  cloudless, 
whose  purity  is  without  a  stain,  and  whose  presence 
and  energy  are  universally  diffused.  But  here  the  illus- 
tration is  applied  to  a  subject  which,  above  all  others, 
is  sacred  and  mysterious,  and  of  which  the  most  power- 
ful human  mind  can  form  only  a  faint  and  inadequate 
conception, — the  relation  of  the  Son  to  the  Eternal 
Father.  He  is  the  effulgence,  the  outstreaming,  of 
the  uncreated  Light.  All  the  Divine  perfections  belong 
*  Hebrews  i.  1  — 3. 


16  ORIGINAL    GLORY 

to  Him;  and  tliis,  by  virtue  of  a  relation  grounded  in 
the  Divine  essence,  and  inseparable  from  it.  Thus  it 
was,  that  when  He  assumed  our  nature,  and  became  our 
substitute  and  sacrifice,  He  could,  "«6?/  HirtiseJf,  purge 
our  sins,"  and  open  the  way  for  the  richest  com- 
munications of  grace  and  peace  to  our  guilty  and 
polluted  world. 

There  is  yet  another  passage  of  the  Christian  Scrip- 
tures which  demands  our  attention  when  we  attempt 
to  raise  our  minds  to  the  glory  of  the  Redeemer  in  His 
pre-existent  state.  It  occurs  in  the  letter  of  St.  Paul  to 
the  church  at  Philippi, — a  letter  distinguished  by  all  the 
warmth  and  tenderness  of  pastoral  love,  and  by  the 
beautiful  and  impressive  manner  in  which  the  apostle 
interweaves  the  great  doctrines  of  our  religion  with 
allusions  to  his  personal  history,  and  exhortations  to  the 
duties  of  the  Christian  life.  Among  other  admonitions 
which  he  urges  on  the  Philippian  believers,  he  calls  upon 
them  to  cultivate  an  active  and  condescending  bene- 
volence,— a  benevolence,  in  the  exercise  of  which  they 
should  lose  sight  of  their  o>vn  advantage  and  honour, 
and  seek,  even  at  the  sacrifice  of  their  own  comfort,  to 
promote  the  welfare  of  others.  Immediately,  the  example 
of  the  Redeemer  rises  to  his  view;  and  he  dwells,  with 
holy  interest,  on  the  self-sacrificing  character  of  His  love 
to  man.  "  Let  this  mind  be  in  you,  which  was  also  in 
Christ  Jesas :  who,  being  in  the  form  of  God,  thought  it 
not  robbery  to  be  equal  with  God :  but  made  Himself  of 
no  reputation,  and  took  upon  Him  the  form  of  a  servant, 
and  was  made  in  the  likeness  of  men :  and  being  found 
in  fashion  as  a  man,  He  humbled  Himself,  and  became 
obedient    unto    death,    even    the    death   of   the    cross. 


OF    THE    SON    OF    GOD.  17 

Wherefore  God  also  hath  highly  exalted  Him,  and  given 
Him  a  name  which  is  above  every  name :   that  at  the 
name   of  Jesus  every  knee  should  bow,  of  things   in 
heaven,  and  things  in  earth,  and  things  under  the  earth ; 
and  that  every  tongue  should  confess  that  Jesus  Christ 
is  Loi'd,  to  the  glory  of  God  the  Father."  "■■'     The  full 
import  of  this  sublime  passage  is  beyond  the  apprehension 
of  the  loftiest  human  mind;    but  some   of  the  views 
which  it  suggests  to  us    are  clear  and  striking.      It 
affirms,  with  the  greatest  distinctness,  the  Di^^ne  glory 
of  the  Son,  before  He  appeared  on  earth  as  a  sharer  of 
our  weakness  and  sorrows.       He  was  "in  the  form  of 
God:"  He  subsisted  and  appeared  from  eternity,  in  all 
the  majesty  of  the  Father;  and  when  the  angelic  hosts 
had  been  called  into  being  by  His  power.  He  was  the 
object  of  their  adoration  and  love.     He  had  a  just  and 
rightful  claim  to  be  equal  with  the    Father;    but    He 
"  emptied  Himself," — He  laid  aside  that  glory  in  which 
He  had  subsisted  from  eternity, — "  taking  the  form  of  a 
servant,  being  made  in  the  likeness  of  men."     The  pro- 
found truth  is  thus  suggested  to  us,   that  in  the  very 
act  of  assuming  the  nature  of  man,  the  Son  became  the 
"righteous  Servant"  of  the  Father.     When  the  apostle 
speaks  of  "  the  form  of  a  servant,"  he  does  not  refer  to 
one  particular  class  of  men,  as  distinguished  from  the 
higher   and   more   favoured   members    of  the   human 
family;  but   he   refers,   as  is  evident  from   the   clause 
which  he  immediately  subjoins,  to  human  nature  gene- 
rally.    He  teaches  us,  that  in  submitting  to  be  "  made 
in  the  likeness  of  men,"  our  Lord  "took  the  form  of  a 

*  Philippians  ii.  5 — 11. 
C 


18  ORIGINAL   GLORY 

servant."*  In  this  there  is  the  deepest  truth.  Everj 
created  being  stands  in  a  relation  of  servitude  to  the 
Eternal  Mind.  Man,  therefore,  is  by  his  very  nature 
"  a  servant."  As  the  creature  of  God,  he  is  bound  to 
obey  His  injunctions,  and  to  seek  His  glory.  He 
cannot  divest  himself  of  the  responsibility  which  the  very 
relation  of  a  creature  imposes :  the  will  of  God  becomes 
his  authoritative  rule  of  duty ;  and  to  that  will  he  must 
unhesitatingly  bow.  Here  then  we  perceive  the  con- 
descension of  the  Son.  In  His  original  state  of  glory 
He  was  not  a  servant;  He  was  one  with  the  Father, 
possessed  of  all  His  perfections,  and  arrayed  in  all  His 
majesty.  But  by  allying  Himself  to  our  weak  and  suf- 
fering humanity,  He  assumed  the  form  of  a  servant  of 
God;  and  thus  prepared  the  way  for  the  yet  deeper 
humiliation  of  the  garden  and  the  cross. 

But  here  we  pause.  Enough  has  been  said  to  show, 
that  He  who  came  to  earth  to  redeem  us  had  subsisted 
from  eternity  in  intimate  union  with  the  Father,  and 
was  one  with  Him  in  all  the  glories  of  the  Godhead. 
We  attempt  not  to  penetrate  into  this  high  mystery, 
or  with  irreverent  gaze  to  approach  the  dazzling  bright- 
ness of  the  Eternal  Light.  We  receive  with  humble 
faith  the  teaching  of  the  inspired  record,  and  adore  the 

*  This  view  has  been  very  clearly  brought  out  by  Bishop 
Pearson,  in  his  elaborate  "Exposition  of  the  Creed,"  Art.  II.  After 
giving  as  the  literal  translation  of  the  apostle's  words  that  which  we 
have  adopted  above, — "  But  emptied  Himself,  taking  the  form  of  a 
servant,  being  made  in  the  likeness  of  men," — he  adds,  "  Where, 
if  any  man  doubt  how  Christ  emptied  Himself,  the  text  will  satisfy 
him, — 'by  taking  the  form  of  a  servant;'  if  any  still  question,  how 
He  took  the  form  of  a  servant,  he  hath  the  apostle's  resolution, 
— '  by  being  made  in  the  likeness  of  men.'  " 


or    THE    SON    OF    GOD.  19 

Triune  Deity.  Conscious  of  the  weakness  of  our  own 
powers,  we  gratefully  embrace  the  testimony  of  God ; 
and,  with  the  universal  church,  we  rejoice  to  sing, — 

"  Glory  be  to  the  Father,  and  to  the  Son,  and  to  the  Holy  Ghost: 
As  it  was  in  the  beginning,  is  now,  and  ever  shall  be, 
world  without  end.   Amen." 


CHAPTER  II. 

PREPARATIONS   FOR    THE    MANIFESTATION    OF    THE    SON    OP 
GOD    ON    EARTH. THE    PATRIARCHAL    AGE. 

When  the  loveliness  of  paradise  was  blighted  by  sin, 
and  the  first  human  pair,  formed  to  enjoy  the  complacent 
smile  of  God,  and  to  be  happy  in  obeying  His  precepts, 
had  sunk  down  into  a  state  of  guilt  and  alienation, 
Divine  mercy  interposed  to  suspend  the  full  infliction  of 
the  threatened  penalty,  and  to  provide  for  their  recovery 
and  salvation.  This  world,  destined  to  be  the  theatre 
of  the  most  peculiar  and  affecting  manifestations  of  the 
Divine  attributes,*  was  placed  immediately  under  a 
gracious  economy,  founded  on  that  interposition  of  the 
Son  which  should,  in  the  fulness  of  time,  take  place.t 
The  hope  of  our  first  parents,  and  of  their  descendants 
in  successive  generations,  was  directed  to  a  great 
Deliverer,  who  should  hereafter  arise,  to  overthrow  the 
malignant  power  which  had  seduced  them  from  their 
allegiance  to  Jehovah,  and  brought  upon  them  the 
bitterness  and  sorrow  of  the  curse.    To  that  Deliverer, 

*  Ephesians  iii.  9—11.  f  1  Peter  i.  19—21. 

c2 


20  PREPARATIONS    FOR   THE   MANIFESTATION 

and  to  the  Atonement  for  sin  which  He  should  offer,  the 
Divine  government  had  respect  in  every  act  of  grace,  in 
every  communication  of  peace  and  strength  to  the 
human  spirit. 

It  was  the  arrangement  of  Divine  wisdom,  that  the 
plan  of  human  recovery  should  be  gradually  unfolded. 
Ages  were  to  elapse  before  the  manifestation  of  the 
great  Hestoi'er  in  our  world;  and  during  these,  the 
facts  of  the  mediatorial  scheme  were  to  be  shadowed 
forth  by  the  symbols  of  typical  dispensations,  and  the 
predictions  of  inspired  men.  A  degree  of  light  was 
thus  shed  on  the  purposes  of  God,  sufficient  to  guide 
and  sustain  the  faith  of  the  humble  mind,  and  to 
awaken  hope  of  spiritual  blessings.  But  that  light 
was  dim  and  feeble,  in  comparison  of  the  disclosures  of 
truth  which  are  made  to  us;  and  even  the  prophets 
who  arose  in  successive  ages,  and  who,  under  the  influ- 
ence of  the  Holy  Spirit,  gave  utterance  to  the  sublimest 
truths  relative  to  the  person  of  the  Redeemer,  the  deep 
sacrificial  sufferings  which  He  should  undergo,  and  the 
blessings  and  glories  of  His  reign,  could  not  comprehend 
the  full  import  of  their  own  impressive  sayings,  or 
understand  in  what  manner  their  apparently  conflicting 
declarations  were  to  be  harmonised  in  the  history  of  the 
Messiah.  They  dwelt  on  these  themes,  indeed,  with 
earnest  interest,  and  often  pondered  the  emphatic  words 
which  they  were  inspired  to  utter  in  relation  to  the 
great  Deliverer;  but  though  enough  was  i*evealed  to 
them  to  direct  their  faith,  and  to  guide  them  into  the 
way  of  life  and  peace,  they  ever  felt  and  acknowledged 
that  many  truths  connected  with  the  scheme  of  redeem- 
ing mercy  were  shrouded  in  mystery,  and  could  only 


OP  THE  SON  OF  GOD  ON  EARTH.  21 

be  made  plain  when  the  Messiah  Himself  should  appear, 
and  "the  dispensation  of  the  fulness  of  times"  be 
brought  in.  The  apostle  Peter  has  placed  this  subject 
before  us  in  a  clear  and  impressive  manner,  in  his 
first  Epistle: — "Of  which  salvation  the  prophets  have 
inquired  and  searched  diligently,  who  prophesied  of  the 
grace  that  should  come  unto  you:  searching  what,  or 
what  manner  of  time  the  Spiiit  of  Christ  which  was  in 
them  did  signify,  when  it  testified  beforehand  the 
sufferings  of  Christ,  and  the  glory  that  should  follow. 
Unto  whom  it  was  revealed,  that  not  unto  themselves, 
but  unto  us  they  did  minister  the  things,  which  are 
now  reported  unto  you  by  them  that  have  preached  the 
Gospel  unto  you  with  the  Holy  Ghost  sent  down  from 
heaven ;  which  things  the  angels  desire  to  look  into."  * 

It  is  not,  perhaps,  for  us  to  understand  all  the 
reasons  of  the  arrangement,  that  the  manifestation  of 
the  Redeemer  should  thus  be  delayed,  and  a  series  of 
preparatory  announcements  and  typical  services  should 
introduce  His  coming.  We  can  indeed  perceive,  that 
such  an  arrangement  was  in  accordance  with  that  law 
of  progressive  development,  which  seems  to  be  impressed 
on  all  the  works  and  procedures  of  the  Most  High. 
We  can  perceive,  also,  that  it  tended  to  mark  the  dignity 
of  the  great  Restorer,  and  the  vast  importance  of  His 
work.  Through  every  period  of  the  world's  history, 
human  expectation  had  been  directed  to  His  coming, 
and  the  hopes  of  the  truly  pious  had  all  centred  in 
Him.  Prophets,  and  kings,  and  righteous  men,  had 
looked  forward  with  eager  desire  to  the  manifestation  of 

*  ]  Peter  i.  10—12.     See  also  2  Peter  i.  19—21. 


22  PREPARATIONS    FOR   THE    MANIFESTATION 

the  promised  Saviour;'-  and  when,  at  length,  He 
appeared,  He  came  to  meet  the  wants,  to  satisfy  the 
cravings,  of  our  common  humanity,  t  And  it  is  a  con- 
sideration not  unworthy  of  our  regard,  that  during  the 
period  which  intervened  between  the  first  announcement 
of  a  Deliverer,  and  His  actual  appearance,  the  history 
of  our  world,  though  most  affecting  and  fearful,  pre- 
sented moral  lessons  of  deep  interest  to  the  rational 
universe.  Man  wandered  further  and  yet  further  from 
God,  until  at  last  he  was  enveloped  in  the  dense  dark- 
ness of  superstition  and  idolatry;  and  then  was  made 
apparent  the  utter  inadequacy  of  his  own  resources,  to 
raise  himself  to  the  true  knowledge  of  Jehovah,  to 
break  the  fetters  of  sinful  and  malignant  passions,  and 
to  invest  his  nature  with  moral  loveliness.  "  For  after 
that,  in  the  wisdom  of  God,  the  world  by  wisdom  knew 
not  God,  it  pleased  God  by  the  foolishness  of  preaching 
to  save  them  that  believe."  |  The  tendency  of  sin  to 
spread  discord  and  misery  around  Avas  fearfully  exem- 
plified. The  ungodly  element  of  our  depraved  humanity 
developed  itself  in  connection  with  high  attainments  in 
literature,  philosophy,  and  art;  and  it  neutralised  their 
softening  influence, — it  kept  the  heart  selfish,  and  hard, 
and  cruel, — it  vitiated  every  relation, — and  filled  our 
world  with  sensuality,  oppression,  and  blood. 

But  the  inquiry  which  is  now  before  us  relates  to 
the  intimations  themselves  which  were  given  of  the 
Redeemer's  person,  and  character,  and  work.  The 
Scriptures  of  the  Old  Testament  are  full  of  Christ.  Our 
Lord  Himself  has  taught  us  this,  in  those  declarations  of 
His  which  are  recorded  by  His  apostles.    To  the  unbe- 

*  Luke  X.  23,  24.       f  Haggai  ii.  7.       J  1  Corintliians  i.  21. 


OP  THE  SON  OF  GOD  ON  EARTH.  23 

lieving  Jews,  He  said,  "Search  the  Scriptures;  for  in 
them  ye  think  ye  have  eternal  life :  and  they  are  they 
which  testify  of  Me."*  Repeatedly  did  He  adduce  pas- 
sages from  the  prophetic  writings,  as  about  to  be  fulfilled 
in  His  own  history;  and  when  He  had  suffered  for  sin, 
and  had  risen  from  the  dead,  He  reminded  the  faithful 
companions  of  His  toils,  that  the  great  events  which 
they  had  witnessed,  and  which  they  were  to  proclaim  to 
mankind,  as  lying  at  the  basis  of  theDivine  plans  of  mercy, 
had  been  shadowed  forth  in  the  law  of  Moses,  the  declara- 
tions of  the  prophets,  and  the  sacred  hymns  of  the  Jewish 
church.  "And  He  said  unto  them.  These  are  the  words 
which  I  spake  unto  you,  while  I  was  yet  with  you,  that  all 
things  must  be  fulfilled  which  were  written  in  the  law  of 
Moses,  and  in  the  prophets,  and  in  the  psalms,  concerning 
Me.  Then  opened  He  their  understanding,  that  they  might 
understand  the  Scriptures;  and  said  unto  them.  Thus  it 
is  written,  and  thus  it  behoved  Christ  to  suffer,  and  to 
rise  from  the  dead  the  third  day ;  and  that  repentance 
and  remission  of  sins  should  be  preached  in  His  name 
among  all  nations,  beginning  at  Jerusalem,  And  ye  are 
witnesses  of  these  things."  t 

When  we  open  the  record  of  the  Divine  dispensations 
towards  our  world,  we  find,  that  amidst  the  gloom  and 
terror  which  filled  the  minds  of  our  first  parents,  when 
they  stood  arraigned  and  convicted  before  their  Creator, 
a  ray  of  light  and  comfort  beamed  upon  them  from  the 
Divine  benignity.  In  the  curse  pronounced  on  the 
serpent,  the  Most  High  referred,  though  in  general  and 
figui-ative  language,  to  a  great  Deliverer,  who  should 
appear  to  vanquish  their  envious  and  malignant  seducer : 
*  John  V.  39.  t  Luke  xxiv,  44—48. 


24  PREPARATIONS    FOR    THE    MANIFESTATION 

"And  I  will  put  enmity  between  thee  and  the  woman, 
and  between  thy  seed  and  her  seed;  it  shall  bruise  thy 
head,  and  thou  shalt  bruise  His  heel."*  The  writings  of 
the  New  Testament  clearly  show,  that  the  sei'pent  was 
but  the  instrument  of  a  fallen  inteUigence,  that  sought 
to  frustrate  the  plans  of  God,  and  to  alienate  from  Him, 
and  involve  in  moral  disorder  and  ruin,  that  new  race 
which  His  power  and  wisdom  had  just  called  into  exist- 
ence. To  that  fallen  and  malicious  spirit,  this  part  of  the 
curse  was  directed;  and  while  it  set  forth  the  ultimate 
overthrow  of  his  usurped  dominion,  and  the  confusion 
and  dismay  in  which  he  should  be  at  last  involved, 
it  gave  hope  and  comfort  to  the  sorrowful  minds  of  our 
first  parents.  It  announced  the  important  fact,  that  in 
the  fulness  of  time  One  should  arise,  who  should  be,  in 
a  pecuhar  sense,  the  offspring  of  the  woman,  and  who, 
after  Himself  suffering  from  the  assaults  of  the  great 
adversary  of  our  race,  should  triumph  over  him,  and 
rescue  from  his  power  every  penitent  believer. 

The  suffering  which  the  Messiah  was  to  undergo  was 
placed  before  the  minds  of  the  earliest  members  of  the 
human  family,  in  another  and  more  affecting  aspect,  by 
the  institution  of  sacrijices.  The  j^'^cise  directions  which 
were  given  to  them,  relative  to  the  method  of  approach 
to  God,  by  the  shedding  of  the  blood  of  innocent  and 
perfect  victims,  must  ever  remain  involved  in  obscurity ; 
since  the  book  of  Genesis  supplies  us  only  with  incidental 
notices  of  the  dispensations  of  God  towards  them,  and 
does  not  present  to  us  a  full  development  of  every 
communication  with  which  they  were  favoured.  It  is 
impossible,  also,  clearly  to  trace  the  extent  of  their 
*  Genesis  iii.  15. 


OF    THE    SON    OF    GOD    ON    EAUTII.  25 

information  respecting  that  great  atonement  which 
these  sacrifices  were  intended  to  shadow  forth.  But  we 
are  authorised  to  infer,  from  the  very  nature  of  the 
case,  and  from  the  references  made  in  Scripture  to  the 
primitive  sacrifices,  that  they  were  of  Divine  appoint- 
ment, and  that  their  typical  character  was  intimated 
with  a  considerable  degree  of  clearness.  We  can  scarcely 
suppose  that  man,  without  any  express  injunction,  would 
have  adopted  such  a  method  of  seeking  the  Di\ane 
favour;  nor  can  we  imagine  that  the  Most  High,  who 
so  distinctly  requires  us  to  have  respect  to  His  own 
instructions,  rather  than  to  the  commandments  of  men, 
in  all  our  acts  of  worship,  would  have  distinguished 
the  primitive  sacrifices  with  so  marked  and  decisive 
tokens  of  His  approval,  if  they  had  not  been  expressly 
enjoined  by  Himself.  Yet  the  oflfering  of  Abel,  who 
"  brought  of  the  firstlings  of  his  flock,  and  of  the  fat 
thereof,"  was  accepted  by  Jehovah,  while  that  of  Cain, 
who  brought  only  of  "the  fruit  of  the  ground,"  was 
utterly  rejected.*  The  friends  of  Job,  also,  were  directed 
by  God  to  take  seven  bullocks  and  seven  rams,  and  go 
to  him  whose  mind  they  had  wounded,  and  offer  up  for 
themselves  a  burnt-offering,  while  Job  prayed  on  their 
behalf,  t  Besides,  the  reasoning  of  St.  Paul,  in  his 
Epistle  to  the  Hebrews,  on  the  sacrifice  of  Abel,  clearly 
implies  the  express  appointment  of  such  a  method  of 
drawing  near  to  God.  He  refei-s  to  that  sacrifice  as  an 
expression  of  Abel's  faith, — that  living,  active  principle, 
which,  resting  upon  the  sure  ground  of  the  Divine  testi- 
mony, realises  the  objects  which  that  testimony  places 
before  it,  though  unseen  by  the  eye  of  sense,  and  takes 
•  Genesis  iv.  3—5.  f  Job  xlii.  8. 


26  PREPARATIONS    FOR   THE    MANIFESTATION 

hold  of  every  promise,  with  an  unwaveiing  assurance 
that  it  shall  be  actually  fulfilled.  In  the  very  nature  of 
things,  faith,  considered  as  a  religious  act,  must  have 
respect  to  some  Divine  communication,  some  disclosure 
of  the  character  and  purposes  of  God.  If,  then,  the 
sacrifice  of  Abel  was  the  active  expression  of  his  faith, 
it  must  have  been  offered  in  obedience  to  the  Divine 
requirements,  with  a  recognition  of  the  plan  of  mercy 
established  by  the  Most  High,  and  in  the  hope  of  the 
spiritual  blessings  which  Avere  held  forth  by  God  Him- 
self to  the  devout  worshipper.  That  sacrifice  was  openly 
accepted  by  Jehovah;  and  the  offerer,  though  he  soon 
fell  beneath  the  murderous  stroke  of  his  brother's  hand, 
still  speaks  to  us,  and  proclaims  the  virtue  of  that 
great  Atonement  to  which  he  looked  forward,  and  the 
blessedness  of  simple  trust  in  the  Divine  word,  and 
unhesitating  obedience  to  the  Divine  commands.  "  By 
faith  Abel  offered  unto  God  a  more  excellent  sacrifice 
than  Cain,  by  which  he  obtained  witness  that  he  was 
righteous,  God  testifying  of  his  gifts:  and  by  it  he 
being  dead  yet  speaketh."* 

In  reflecting,  therefore,  on  the  circumstances  of  the 
patriarchs,  and  endeavouring  to  conceive  of  the  intima- 
tions which  were  given  to  them  of  the  Divine  purposes 
relative  to  the  great  Restorer,  we  must  connect  with  the 
first  promise,  so  often  pondered  by  every  thoughtful 
and  serious  mind,  the  Divine  appointment  of  sacrifice, 
as  the  method  of  approach  to  the  throne  of  infinite 
purity.  This  institution  Avas  obviously  symholical.  There 
was  something  in  the  veiy  act  of  presenting  a  valuable 
animal,  perfect  in  its  kind,  that  it  might  be  slain,  and 
*  Hebrews  xi.  4. 


OF    THE    SON    OF    GOD    ON    EARTH.  27 

its  blood  poured  out  before  Jehovah,  and  doing  this 
with  a  lowly  confession  of  personal  sinfulness,  which 
was  calculated  to  instruct  and  impress  the  devout 
mind.  It  implied  an  acknowledgment  of  the  injury 
done  to  the  Divine  government  by  sin; — it  exhibited 
death  as  the  necessary  result,  and  proper  punishment, 
of  transgression; — it  recognised  the  mercy  and  holiness 
of  God,  as  meeting  the  case  of  our  fallen  and  polluted 
race,  only  through  the  substitution  of  suffering; — and, 
since  it  was  impossible  that  the  blood  of  bulls,  and 
goats,  and  lambs,  could  of  itself  take  away  sin,  it  set 
forth  a  Victim  of  a  far  higher  character,  distinguished 
by  every  excellence,  and  free  from  every  stain,  who  in 
the  fulness  of  time  should  die  as  the  atonement  for 
human  guilt.  These  truths  were  apprehended,  just  in 
proportion  as  the  mind  was  thoughtful  and  earnest 
in  reference  to  spiritual  things.  While  many  who 
engaged  in  the  external  duties  of  religion,  without  a 
sincere  desire  of  enjoying  the  friendship  of  God,  and 
living  to  His  glory,  retired  from  their  sacrifices  with- 
out any  special  blessing,  or  any  distinct  and  vivid 
impression  of  the  truths  which  they  shadowed  forth; 
Divine  light  was  poured  upon  the  mind  that  truly 
waited  upon  God,  and  the  purposes  of  redeeming  love 
were  partially  unfolded  to  it.  We  cannot  doubt  that 
Enoch,  who  "walked  with  God,"*  was  favoured  with 
some  discoveries  of  the  Messiah's  character,  and  suffer- 
ings, and  triumphs ;  or  that  Noah,  whose  faith  in  the 
Divine  declarations  and  promises  was  so  signally  mani- 
fested in  the  preparation  of  the  ark,  amidst  the  scoffs  of 
the  ungodly,t  clung  with  unwavering  confidence  to  the 
*  Genesis  v.  24  ;  Hebrews  xi.  5.  f  Hebrews  xi.  7. 


28  PREPARATIONS    FOR    THE    MANIFESTATIOIJ 

first  promise  given  to  fallen  man,  and  claerislied  the 
hope  of  that  Deliverer,  through  whom  eternal  life  should 
be  imparted  to  His  believing  and  obedient  people. 

But  in  tracing  the  disclosures  of  the  plan  of  human 
recovery,  which  the  Most  High  was  pleased  to  make  to 
the  patriarchs,  we  are  now  brought  to  the  history  of 
that  eminent  servant  and  friend  of  God,  to  whom  the 
assurance  was  given  that,  from  among  his  descendants, 
the  great  Deliverer  should  arise.  The  leading  incidents 
in  the  life  of  Abraham  must  ever  awaken  a  lively 
interest  in  the  mind  of  the  thoughtful  Christian.  He 
was  called  to  leave  his  country  and  kindred,  and  to  go 
forth  to  a  land  which  God  would  show  unto  him;  and 
the  promise  was  even  then  made  to  him,  "I  will  make 
of  thee  a  great  nation,  and  I  will  bless  thee,  and  make 
thy  name  great;  and  thou  shalt  be  a  blessing:  and  I 
will  bless  them  that  bless  thee,  and  curse  him  that 
curseth  thee  :  and  in  thee  shall  all  families  of  the  earth 
be  blessed."*  In  obedience  to  the  Divine  command, 
Abram  left  his  father's  house,  and  went  forth  as  a 
pilgrim  to  the  land  of  Canaan.  Having  resided  there 
for  a  while,  he  was  compelled  by  a  famine  to  go  down 
into  Egypt,  where  he  experienced  the  signal  interposi- 
tion of  God  on  his  behalf,  and  that  of  the  sharer  of  his 
joys  and  hopes.  Being  rescued  from  the  shame  and 
suffering  to  which  he  had  exposed  himself  through  a 
departure  from  simplicity  and  candour,  he  returned  to 
the  land  of  promise,  and  there  gratefully  Avorshipped  his 
Almighty  Protector  and  Friend.  Years  rolled  on;  and 
he  whose  descendants  were  to  be  numerous  as  the  stars 
of  heaven,  and  the  dust  of  the  earth,  and  from  whom 
*  Genesis  xii.  2,  3. 


OF  THE  SON  OF  GOD  ON  EARTH,         29 

the  Messiah  Himself  was  to  spring,  remained  childless 
and  alone.  But  his  faith  in  the  Divine  promise  was 
not  impaired  by  this  severe  trial.  He  knew  the  infinite 
power  of  Him  who  had  engaged  to  bless  him,  and  to 
multiply  his  family ;  and  he  knew,  also,  that  the  plan  of 
infinite  wisdom,  and  holiness,  and  love,  as  to  the  great 
Restorer  of  our  race, — mysterious  as  that  plan,  in  many 
respects,  now  was, — must  be  accomplished,  "He  beheved 
Godj  and  it  was  counted  unto  him  for  righteousness."* 
In  process  of  time,  Abram,  acting  upon  the  suggestion 
of  his  wife,  became  the  father  of  Ishmael,  by  her  hand- 
maid Hagar ;  but  it  was  not  thus  that  the  Divine  pur- 
poses were  to  be  fulfilled.  When  a  further  trial  of  his 
faith  and  patience  had  taken  place,  and  Abram  himself 
had  reached  the  age  of  ninety-nine  years,  it  pleased  God 
to  favour  him  with  a  more  ample  discovery  of  His 
gracious  designs.  He  changed  his  name  to  Abraham, 
to  intimate  that  he  should  be  "a  father  of  many 
nations;"  He  promised  to  be  a  God  unto  him,  and  to  his 
seed  after  him;  He  appointed  the  rite  of  circumcision,  as 
a  seal  of  that  special  covenant  which  He  established 
with  him;  and  He  assured  him,  that  Sarai  his  wife — 
whose  name  He  now  changed  to  Sarah — should  indeed 
bear  him  a  son,  though,  according  to  the  course  of 
nature,  it  was  impossible  that  she  should  become  a 
mother,t  Gratefully  did  the  aged  patriarch  receive 
these  announcements ;  but  his  fatherly  affection  for 
Ishmael  led  him  to  intercede  for  him,  and  he  said  unto 
God,  "0  that  Ishmael  might  live  before  Thee!"  The 
reply  of  Jehovah  showed  him,  that  while  Ishmael  should 
be  cared  for,  and  his  descendants  multiplied,  yet  the 
*  Genesis  XV.  6;  Romans  iv.  3.         f  Genesis  xvii.  1 — 16, 


30  PREPARATIONS    FOR   THE   MANIFESTATION 

covenant  of  blessing  to  mankind  was  to  be  established 
in  the  line  of  Isaac,  whom  Sarah  should  bear  unto  him 
in  the  next  year.  "  And  God  said,  Sarah  thy  wife  shall 
bear  thee  a  son  indeed;  and  thou  shalt  call  his  name 
Isaac :  and  I  will  establish  My  covenant  witli  him  for  an 
everlasting  covenant,  and  with  his  seed  after  him.  And 
as  for  Ishmael,  I  have  heard  thee  :  behold,  I  have  blessed 
him,  and  will  make  him  fruitful,  and  will  multiply  him 
exceedingly;  twelve  princes  shall  he  beget,  and  I  will 
make  him  a  great  nation.  But  My  covenant  will  I 
establish  with  Isaac,  whom  Sarah  shall  bear  unto  thee 
at  this  set  time  in  the  next  year,"* 

This  brief  re^dew  of  the  history  of  Abraham,  and  of 
the  circumstances  under  which  Isaac,  the  son  of  promise, 
was  given  to  him,  is  necessary  to  prepare  us  to  form  a 
right  conception  of  one  of  the  most  illustrious  ty2yes  of 
the  Redeemer.  The  arrangements  of  Divine  ProAddence, 
which  we  have  contemplated,  were  not  only  intended  to 
try  the  faith  of  Abraham,  and  his  submission  to  the 
Divine  will,  but  also  to  invest  with  peculiar  interest  him 
who  was  thus  explicitly  marked  out  as  the  ancestor  of 
the  Messiah,  and  whose  birth  was  the  pledge  that  all 
the  covenant-engagements  of  God  would  indeed  be 
performed.  The  promise  so  long  delayed,  but  to  the 
accomplishment  of  which  the  patriai'ch  had  looked 
forward  with  holy  confidence,  was  at  length  fulfilled ;  and 
it  was  fulfilled  under  circumstances  which  marked  a 
special  intervention  of  Divine  power,  that  Abraham  and 
Sarah,  whenever  they  looked  upon  their  beloved  Isaac, 
might  remember  that  he  was  indeed  the  gift  of  God  to 
them.  Thus,  after  a  series  of  ages,  during  which  human 
»  Genesis  xvii.  19—21. 


OF  THE  SOX  OF  GOD  ON  EARTH.         31 

expectation  had  been  directed  to  the  Messiah's  coming, 
He  at  length  appeared  to  bless  our  world;  while  all 
the  circumstances  of  His  advent — though  widely  different 
from  those  which  we  have  just  considei'ed — evinced 
the  immediate  agency  of  God. 

But  the  history  of  Abraham,  now  combined  with  that 
of  his  distinguished  son,  presents  a  yet  more  remarkable 
arrangement  of  Divine  Avisdom,  and  one  which  was 
doubtless  intended  to  shed  a  degree  of  light  on  the 
sacrifice  of  the  Son  of  God,  when,  in  the  fulness  of 
time,  He  should  be  manifested  in  our  world.  The 
mind  of  Abraham  had  often  dwelt  with  deep  interest  on 
the  plan  of  human  redemption;  and  while  he  grate- 
fully pondered  those  intimations  of  the  DiAdne  purposes 
with  which  he  had  been  already  favoured,  and  reflected 
on  the  distinguished  honour  which  had  been  conferred 
on  himself,  that  from  among  his  descendants  the  great 
Deliverer  should  arise,  he  had  longed  for  clearer  and 
ampler  discoveries  of  the  Saviour's  person,  and  character, 
and  work.  We  are  authorised,  by  the  express  declaration 
of  our  Lord  Himself,  to  affirm,  that  such  views  and 
feelings  had  long  filled  the  mind  of  Abraham ;  and  that 
his  pious  wish  was  granted  by  the  Most  High,  so  as  to 
call  forth  his  lively  gratitude  and  joy.  "  Your  father 
Abraham  exultingly  hoped  to  see  My  day;  and  he  saw 
it,  and  was  glad."*  There  can  be  little  doubt,  that 
these  clearer  discoveries  of  the  plan  of  human  recovery 

*  John  viii.  56.  No  apology  seems  to  be  required  for  deviating 
from  our  authorised  version,  in  the  translation  of  the  first  clause  of 
this  verse.  The  term  -fjyaWiaaaTO,  which  occurs  in  the  original, 
is  very  expressive,  and  appears,  in  this  instance,  to  combine  the 
idea  of  earnest  desire  with  that  of  exulting  hope.  It  is  difficult  to 
convey  its  full  and  precise  import  in  an}'  single  phrase. 


32  PREPARATIONS    FOR   THE   MANIFESTATION 

were  made  to  Abraham,  in  connection  with  the  severest 
trial  to  which  his  faith  was  ever  subjected.     Long  had 
he  watched,  vnth.  deepening  interest,  the  formation  and 
development  of  Isaac's  character,  as  he  had  grown  up 
from  infancy  and  childhood  to  early  manhood ;  and  with 
holy  exultation  had  he  thought  of  him  as  the  special 
gift  of  God,  and  the  pledge  of  the  ultimate  and  perfect 
accomplishment  of  all  the  Divine  engagements.     But 
while  he  thus  looked  upon  Isaac,  not  only  with  parental 
fondness,  but  with  a  religious  interest,  since  it  was  in  his 
line  that  the  covenant  of  God  was  to  be  estabhshed,  the 
command  was  given  to  him, — "  Take  now  thy  son,  thine 
only  son  Isaac,  Avhom  thou  lovest,  and  get  thee  into  the 
land  of  Moriah ;  and  offer  him  there  for  a  burnt-offering 
upon  one  of  the  mountains  which  I  will  tell  thee  of"* 
To  meet  the  gush  of  parental  feeling  which  such  a  com- 
mand could  not  fail  to  call  forth,  the  higher  and  more 
sacred  principle  of  tricst  in  God  was  brought  by  Divine 
grace   into  active    operation;    and    thus   the   mind   of 
Abraham  soon  regained  its  usual  tranquillity  and  peace. 
He  reflected  on  the   express  engagement  of  the  Most 
High,  that  in  the  line  of  Isaac  there  should  arise  that  Seed 
of  his,  in  whom  all  the  nations  of  the  earth  should  be 
blessed;  he  knew  that  the  promises  of  Jehovah  could 
not  fail;  and  as  it  was  essential  to  their  fulfilment  that 
Isaac  should  live,  and  become  a  father,  he  was  assured 
that  even  if  God  should  permit  him  to  bleed  beneath 
the  sacrificial  knife,  He  would  reanimate  his  lifeless 
frame.      Sustained  by  this  lofty  trust  in  the   Divine 
fideUty  and    power,    Abraham   went    forward   in   the 
path  of  obedience.      The  conflict  of  feeling  through 
*  Genesis  xxii.  2. 


OF  THE  SON  OF  GOD  ON  EARTH.  33 

which  he  had  passed,  and  the  active  exercise  of  religious 
principle  which  so  soon  gave  serenity  to  his  mind,  pre- 
pared him  to  receive  a  vivid  impression  of  the  great 
truths  which  the  Most  High,  on  this  occasion,  designed 
to  teach  him.  And  when,  at  length,  the  mysterious 
transaction  was  brought  to  a  close,  and  Isaac  was  given 
back  to  his  affectionate  father,  with  a  yet  more  solemn 
renewal  of  the  covenant-promise,  we  have  every  reason 
to  believe  that  Abraham,  being  favoured  with  a  special 
illumination  from  above,  beheld  in  this  arrangement  a 
remarkable  type  of  the  Messiah's  sufferings,  and  an 
illustration  of  the  great  features  of  the  economy  of 
redemption.  Here  Avas  a  father  giving  his  own  son, 
and  the  son  of  his  strongest  and  tenderest  love,  to  be  a 
sacrifice.  Here  was  that  sou  yielding  himself  without 
resistance  to  his  father's  will,  and  submitting  to  be 
bound  and  laid  upon  the  altar,  that  he  might  be  slain.. 
Here — when  the  typical  transaction  had  been  carried 
as  far  as  it  could  be,  without  the  actual  infliction  of 
death  upon  the  son  of  pi'omise,  —  when  Abraham  had 
even  lifted  his  hand  to  slay  his  son,  and  was  restrained, 
at  the  critical  moment,  by  the  express  command  of 
God, — was  the  substitution  of  a  ram  caught  in  a  thicket, 
in  the  place  of  the  nobler  offering,  to  remind  the 
patriarch  that  all  the  sacrifices  which  were  then  pre- 
sented were  but  figures  of  that  great  and  efficacious 
Atonement  which,  in  the  fulness  of  time,  Jehovah  Him- 
self Would  provide.  And  then,  as  the  issue  of  the  whole, 
there  was  the  recovered  life  of  him  in  whom  the 
patriarch  saw  the  type  of  an  illustrious  and  powerful 
Saviour;  and  there  was  the  renewed  and  solemnly  con- 
firmed assurance,  that  he  should  himself  be  blessed, — 

D 


34  PREPARATIONS    FOR    THE    MANIFESTATION 

spiritually  and  eternally  blessed, — and  that  through  his 

seed  the  richest  blessings  should  flow  to  all  the  families 

of  the  earth.     The  typical  character  of  this  remarkable 

transaction  may  not  only  be  inferred  from  the  analogy 

of  the  Divine  arrangements,  but  is  placed  even  beyond 

a  doubt  by  the  statement  of  St.  Paul  in  his  Epistle  to 

the  Hebrews: — "By  faith  Abraham,  when  he  was  tried, 

offered  up  Isaac :  and  he  that  had  received  the  promises 

offered  up  his  only  begotten  son,  of  whom  it  was  said, 

That  in  Isaac  shall  thy  seed  be  called :  accounting  that 

God  was  able  to  raise  him  up,  even  from  the  dead ;  from 

whence  also  he  received  him  in  a  figure.""     Even,  then, 

if  Abraham  himself  had  remained  ignorant  of  the  truths 

which  were  thus  symbolically  represented,  we  who  are 

favoured  with  clearer  light    must    have   turned  to  the 

intended  offering  up  of  Isaac,  as  an  instructive  type  of 

the  sacrifice  of  the  Redeemer.     But  when  we  remember 

our  Lord's  own  words,  that  Abraham    "  saw   His  day, 

and   was  glad,"  we  can  scarcely  doubt  that  a  peculiar 

illumination  was  vouchsafed  to  him  on  this  memorable 

occasion ;  and  tliat  the  severest  trial  of  his  submission  and 

faith  was  the  means,  employed  by  Divine  wisdom,  to  afford 

him  the  clearest  views  on  that  great  subject,  on  which 

he  had  so  often  meditated  with  earnest  desire  and  hope. 

It  is  not  necessary  that  we  should  trace  the  history 

of  the  chosen  family  through  all  its  vicissitudes.     That 

history  is  given  to  us    in  the   Sacred  Writings,   with 

inimitable  beauty  and  simplicity;  and  to  these  records 

every  thoughtful  and  devout  mind  will  turn  with  lively 

interest.       The    character    of  Isaac    presents    to    us   a 

calmness  and  love  of  peace,  produced  and  sustained  by 

communion  with  God;  and  though  his  heart  clung  with 

*  Hebrews  xi.  17  —  19. 


OF  THE  SON  OF  GOD  ON  EARTH.  35 

peculiar  fondness  to  his  elder  son  Esau,  he  acquiesced 
in  the  Divine  arrangement,  that  Jacob,  the  younger, 
should  become  the  head  of  the  more  powerful  nation, 
and  that  in  his  line  the  promise  made  to  Abraham  should 
be  fulfilled.  When  he  finally  parted  with  Jacob,  and 
sent  him  to  Padan-aram,  he  gave  him,  deliberately  and 
aflfectionately,  his  choicest  benediction : — "  God  Almighty 
bless  thee,  and  make  thee  fruitful,  and  multiply  thee,  that 
thou  mayest  be  a  multitude  of  people;  and  give  thee 
the  blessing  of  Abraham,  to  thee,  and  to  thy  seed  with 
thee;  that  thou  mayest  inherit  the  land  wherein  thou 
art  a  stranger,  which  God  gave  unto  Abraham."  *  The 
life  of  Jacob  opened  with  unfavourable  indications  of  his 
probable  career;  but  the  great  mercy  of  God,  while  it 
chastened  him  for  his  unfaithfulness  and  sin,  rescued 
him  from  the  dominion  of  unholy  principles,  and 
invested  him  with  the  true  dignity  of  humble  piety. 
Memorable  was  the  night  which  he  spent  in  earnest, 
agonizing  prayer,  when  his  approaching  interview  with 
Esau  reminded  him  of  his  former  unkindness  and 
deceit,  and  showed  him  that  his  only  refuge  Avas  in  the 
protection  and  care  of  God.  We  can  but  conjecture  the 
varied  exercises  of  his  spirit,  when  he  wrestled  in 
importunate  supplication  with  the  xmcreated  Angel,  and 
received,  at  length,  His  effectual  blessing.  But  from  that 
conflict  he  came  forth  renewed  and  refreshed  in  spirit ; 
and  with  mingled  reverence  and  gratitude  he  called  the 
name  of  the  spot  "Peniel:"  acknowledging,  "I  have 
seen  God  face  to  face,  and  my  life  is  preserved."  t 
Sustained  by  the  promises  of  God  during  the  changes 
of  his  eventful  life,  he  was  cheered,  in  the  evening  of 
*  Genesis  xxviii.  3,  4.  f  Genesis  xxxii.  30. 

D   2 


36  PREPARATIONS    FOR   THE   MANIFESTATION 

his  days,  by  the  presence  of  all  his  children,  and  espe- 
cially of  his  distinguished  son  Joseph ;  and  at  length,  as 
he  lay  in  peace  on  the  .bed  of  death,  he  prophetically 
declared,  that  the  Messiah  should  spring  from  the  tribe 
of  Judah,  and  that  that  tribe  should  not  finally  lose  a 
native  government,  until  "Shiloh" — the  rightful  and 
pacific  Sovereign — should  appear  to  receive  the  homage 
of  the  nations,  and  to  impart  blessings  to  all  of  every 
land  who  should  come  to  Him  and  bow  to  His  gracious 
sceptre.  *  To  the  salvation  of  God  the  aged  Israel 
looked  with  deep  and  earnest  interest;  and  as  he 
approached  the  close  of  life,  he  felt  that  the  promise  of 
the  great  Restorer,  and  of  peace  and  life  through  Him, 
was  inexpressibly  dear.  And  thus,  amidst  the  blessings 
which  he  pronounced  on  his  children,  and  the  prophetic 
intimations  which  he  gave  of  the  history  of  their 
descendants,  he  exclaimed  with  pious  fervour,  "  For  Thy 
salvation  have  I  waited,  0  Jehovah  !"+ 

Here  we  may  close  our  review  of  the  patriarchal  age, 
and  of  the  announcements  which  were  made  to  the 
earlier  members  of  the  human  family,  relative  to  the 
Messiah's  person,  and  character,  and  work.  We  have 
next  to  inquire  into  that  pecuhar  economy  which  the 
Most  High  established  with  the  race  of  Israel,  when  He  led 
them  forth  from  the  bondage  of  Egypt, — an  economy 
designed  not  only  to  preserve  the  true  knowledge  of 
Himself,  amidst  the  deepening  gloom  of  heathenism, 
but  to  prepare  the  way,  by  a  beautiful  and  perfect  system 
of  types,  and  by  numerous  prophetic  declarations,  for 
the  actual  appearance  of  the  Son  of  God  on  earth. 


*  Genesis  xlix.  10.  f  Genesis  xlix.  18. 


OF   THE   SON    OF    GOD    ON    EARTH. 


CHAPTER  III. 

PREPARATIONS  FOR  THE  MANIFESTATION  OF  THE  SON  OF  GOD 
ON  EARTH. — THE  MOSAIC  ECONOMY. 

In   tracing   the    arrangements  whicli   were    deemed 
necessary  by  Divine  wisdom  to  precede  the  manifestation 
of  the  Messiah  among  men,  we  have  now  come  to  that 
important  era  in  the  world's  history,  when  the  descendants 
of  Jacob,   multiplied  to  hundreds   of   thousands,   were 
brought  out  of  Egypt,  amidst  the  fearful   displays  of 
Jehovah's  power,  and  the  most  convincing  proofs  of  His 
exclusive  Godhead.   That  people,  already  separated  from 
the  mass  of  the  nations,  and  brought  into  a  covenant- 
relation  to  God,  were  now  favoured  with  fresh  disclosures 
of  Jehovah's  will,  and  placed  under  an  elaborate  typical 
economy,  intended  to  shadow  forth  the  great  facts^  of 
our   Lord's  mediatorial   undertaking,   and  the    leading 
features  of  His  gracious  and  benignant  reign. 

The  entire  history  of  the  people  of  Israel,  at  this 
eventful  period,  must  be  regarded  as  typical.  It  was 
designed  to  illustrate  the  dealings  of  God  with  His 
church  in  every  age,  and  the  blessings  which  He  confers 
upon  all  who  are  spiritual  and  devout.  The  rescue  of 
the  Israelites  from  the  oppression  and  bondage  of  Egypt, 
formed  a  type  of  the  deliverance  of  aU  who  come  to 
Christ  from  a  state  of  spiritual  captivity,  and  ^  the 
rending  asunder  of  those  bonds  with  which  our  sinful 
passions,    and   the    malignant    power    of    Satan,    have 


38 


PREPARATIONS    FOR  THE    MANIFESTATION 


encircled  us.     The  manna  with  which  their  wants  were 
supplied,  as  they  journeyed  through  the  wilderness,  was 
a  beautiful    emblem   of   Him    who   is   "  the   bread  of 
life,"  —  who   came  down   from  heaven  to    revive    the 
fainting  spirits  of  men,  and  to  impart  nourishment  and 
strength  to  all  His  people.*     The  water  which  gushed 
from  the  rock  smitten  with  the  rod  of  Moses,  and  of 
which,   as  it  followed  their  wanderings,  the  Israelites 
again  and  again  drank,  was  an  emblem  of  that  stream 
of  living  influence  which  flows   to  us  from  Christ, — 
the   Rock   of  ages  smitten  and  pierced  for  us.f     The 
peculiar  and  remarkable  manner  in  which  God  Himself 
directed   the  movements    of  this   people,  going   before 
them  in  the  pillar  of  a  cloud,  and  indicating  the  spots 
where  they  should  rest,  and  the   times  at  which  they 
should    resume   their  journey,   was  illustrative   of  the 
special  care  which  He  exercises  over  all  His  devout  and 
faithful  people, — though  He  now  works  in  secrecy  and 
silence,  and  the  guidance  of  His  hand  is  not  made  visible 
to  man.     The  judgments  which  fell  on  the  perverse  and 
disobedient, — on  those  who  refused  to  believe  the  Divine 
promises,  and  treated  the  declarations  and  warnings  of 
the  Most  High  with  guilty  neglect, — were  premonitory 
of  the  visitations  of  wrath  which  should  descend  on  all, 
in  every  age,  who  rely  not  on  the  Divine  word,  or  who 
openly  violate   the  Divine  commands.  J      The  intimate 
connection  which  was  established  and  maintained,  between 
their  fidelity  to  God,  and  their  success  over  the  enemies 
that  assailed  them,  was  an  instructive  lesson  to  us,  that 
the  secret  of  our  strength  lies  in  communion  with  God, 

*  John  vi.  30—35  ;  1  Corinthians  x.  3.         f  1  Corinthians  x.  4. 
X  1  Corinthians  x.  5 — 11  ;   Hebrews  iii.  7 — 19. 


OF  THE  SON  OF  GOD  ON  EARTH.  39 

and  the  habitual  cultivation  of  His  friendship.  And  the 
entrance  of  the  second  generation,  together  with  Joshua 
and  Caleb,  into  the  promised  land,  formed  a  type  of  the 
ultimate  admission  of  the  true  Israel  of  God  into  the 
heavenly  Canaan, — the  region  of  eternal  peace,  security, 
and  joy.* 

Soon  after  the  people  of  Israel  had  gone  forth  from 
their  captivity,  and  had  passed  in  safety  through  the 
Red  Sea,  —  the  waters  of  which,  in  obedience  to  the 
command  of  Jehovah,  opened  to  them  a  way,  and  then 
returned  and  overwhelmed  the  Egyptians, — they  were 
summoned  to  receive  the  law  from  Him  who  had 
appeai'ed  as  their  Deliverer,  and  whose  messenger  and 
servant  Moses  was.  Amidst  the  clouds  and  darkness  of 
Sinai, — the  thunder  rolling,  and  an  unearthly  trumpet 
proclaiming  the  presence  of  the  Universal  Sovereign, — 
the  great  moral  precepts  of  the  law  were  declared  by 
God  Himself.  This  impressive  scene  was  partly  intended 
to  show  the  awful  justice  of  the  Divine  government, 
and  the  intense  hatred  which  sin  calls  forth  in  the 
Divine  mind.  As  the  assembled  nation  gazed  upon  the 
terrors  of  Sinai,  and  listened  to  that  voice  which  had 
called  nature  into  existence,  they  could  not  but  feel 
that  it  is  a  fearful  thing  to  sin  against  God,  and  that 
to  the  guilty  and  impenitent  He  is  a  consuming  fire. 
Even  Moses,  though  he  had  been  favoured  with  so 
intimate  communion  with  the  Most  High,  stood  appalled 
before  that  sight,  and  trembled  with  emotions  of  awe. 
This  scene  was  intended  also  to  invest  with  peculiar 
sacredness  the  commandments  which  were  now  issued 
by  Jehovah  Himself, — commandments  founded  on  the 
*  Hebrews  iv. 


40  PREPARATIONS    FOR   THE    MANIFESTATION 

relations  in  which  mankind  stand  to  Him  and  to  each 
other,  and  thus  retaining  their  vaHdity  under  every 
dispensation  of  rehgion.  But  this  overwhehning  display 
of  Jehovah's  majesty  was  followed  by  a  series  of  commu- 
nications, in  which  Moses  was  the  medium  of  announcing 
the  Divine  will  to  the  people  of  Israel.  Laws  were  given 
to  them,  relative  to  their  political  arrangements,  their 
judicial  proceedings,  and  their  social  relations;  and 
these  laws  it  was  the  province  of  the  magistrates  to 
administer,  under  God,  the  acknowledged  Sovereign  of 
the  Hebrew  state.  The  Most  High  required,  also,  that  a 
tabernacle  should  be  prepared  for  His  worship  ;  the 
plan  of  this  tabernacle  was  explicitly  and  minutely  laid 
down;  an  elaborate  system  of  sacrifice  was  established; 
and  a  distinct  order  of  priesthood  was  appointed,  to 
draw  near  unto  God  in  the  special  duties  of  His  sanc- 
tuary. 

The  economy,  thus  introduced,  occuj^ies  an  important 
place  in  the  series  of  preparations  for  the  manifestation 
of  the  Son  of  God  upon  earth.  Here  was  a  people, 
separated  from  the  mass  of  mankind,  and  acknowledged 
by  God  as  His  visible  church :  here  was  a  system  of 
typical  worship,  expressly  arranged  by  the  Divine  com- 
mand;* and  every  thing  in  this  worship  pointed  either 
to  the  fact  of  our  redemption  by  a  nobler  Sacrifice, 
and  a  far  higher  Priest,  or  to  the  rich  and  copious 
spiritual  blessings  which  He  should  dispense  to  the 
humble  and  believing  mind.  The  tabernacle  of  Moses, 
and  afterwards  the  temple,  stood  as  a  centre  of  religious 
light,  diffiising  some  rays  of  heavenly  truth  upon  this 
dark  and  sinful  world ;  inviting  the  approach  of  men  of 

*  Hebrews  viii.  5. 


OF  THE  SON  OF  GOD  ON  EARTH.  41 

every  land  to  worship  Jehovah,  the  God  of  Israel ;  and 
directing  the  hope  of  the  thoughtful  and  devout  to  the 
coming  Saviour,  and  the  gracious  reign  of  God  over  the 
hearts  of  men. 

It  is  not  necessary  to  examine,  in  detail,  all  the  sacri- 
fices which  were  required  under  the  Mosaic  dispensation. 
It  appears  unquestionable  that  the  far  greater  number 
of  them  were  exinatory.  The  leading  principle  of  the 
entire  system  is  stated  by  the  apostle  Paul,  in  his 
Epistle  to  the  Hebrews: — "And  almost  all  things  are 
by  the  law  purged  with  blood ;  and  without  shedding  of 
blood  is  no  remission,"  *  The  displeasure  of  God  against 
sin  of  every  kind  was  thus  distinctly  and  prominently 
set  forth;  and  the  throne  of  Deity  was  represented  as 
guarded  from  the  approach  of  every  impure  and  sinfid 
man,  and  only  accessible  through  a  Mediator,  who  should 
sprinkle  there  the  blood  of  atonement.  The  structure 
and  arrangements  of  the  tabernacle  itself  present  to  us 
a  series  of  beautiful  and  instructive  symbols.  In  addi- 
tion to  the  court  provided  for  pious  Gentiles,  and  that 
in  which  the  Israelites,  and  those  proselytes  who  had 
submitted  to  circumcision,  worshipped,  the  tabernacle 
contained  two  principal  apartments.  The  former  of 
these  was  termed,  simply,  the  sanctuary,  or  holy  place; 
and  it  was  open  to  the  priests  generally,  who  there 
conducted  the  service  of  God,  according  to  the  form 
which  the  law  prescribed.  In  this  sanctuaiy  there  stood 
the  golden  candlestick,  emitting  from  its  seven  branches 
a  clear  and  steady  light, — a  beautiful  emblem  of  that 
spiritual  illumination  which  God  imparts  to  His  true 
worshippers,  and  which  they  are  to  reflect  upon  the 
*  Hebrews  ix,  22. 


42  PREPARATIONS    FOR    THE    MANIFESTATION 

world  around.  Here,  too,  was  the  table  of  shew-bread, 
to  represent  the  constant  supply  of  spiritual  nourish- 
ment which  is  vouchsafed  to  the  people  of  God.  Here 
was  the  altar  of  incense,  from  which  a  fragrant  odour 
ascended  to  Jehovah,  as  an  emblem  of  His  people's 
thanksgivings  and  prayers;  and  here  was  the  sacred  fire, 
which  had  been  kindled  from  heaven,  and  which  the 
priests  were  charged  to  keep  continually  burning,  to 
show  us  that  our  worship  can  then  only  be  pleasing  to 
God,  when  it  ascends  in  the  flame  of  heaven-enkindled 
affections,  and  that  the  holy  love  which  God  imparts 
to  the  believing  mind  must  be  habitually  guarded  and 
maintained.  Beautifully  does  all  this  represent  the 
worship  of  the  church  of  Chi'ist  on  earth.  His  believing 
people,  sanctified  by  His  Spirit,  and  constituted  priests 
unto  God,  through  the  virtue  of  His  blood,  offer  up 
spiritual  sacrifices,  acceptable  through  Him,'^  and  receive, 
as  they  wait  upon  God,  the  richest  communications  of 
light,  and  peace,  and  strength.  But  the  inner  sanctuary 
presents  to  us  a  type  of  the  heavenly  world ;+  and  as 
we  reflect  on  the  arrangements  respecting  it,  we  are 
led  to  contemplate  a  Priest  whose  functions  should  be 
peculiar  and  exclusive.  There,  sheltered  from  the  gaze 
of  every  eye,  by  the  interposing  veil,  was  the  ark  of  the 
covenant,  with  the  figures  of  the  cherubim  attached  to 
it, — their  wings  being  extended,  and  their  faces  bent,  as 
in  earnest  but  reverent  contemplation,  towards  the 
covering  of  the  ark,  or  mercy-seat.  Within  that  ark 
were  placed  the  tables  of  God's  holy  law, — the  law  which 
He  Himself  announced  amidst  the  terrors  of  Sinai; 
and  from  between  the  cherubim,  above  the  mercy-seat, 
»  1  Peter  ii,  5,  f   Hebrews  ix.  23,  24. 


OF  THE  SON  OF  GOD  ON  EAETH.         43 

there  appeared  the  shekinah,  the  visible  symbol  of 
Jehovah's  presence.  But  into  this  most  holy  place  not 
one  of  the  ordinary  priests  might  enter.  The  high 
priest  alone,  and  he  only  once  in  the  year,  on  the 
great  day  of  national  expiation,  could  venture  to  draw 
aside  that  veil,  and  amidst  the  smoke  of  burning  incense, 
the  cloud  of  which  was  to  cover  the  mercy-seat,  sprinkle 
the  blood  of  atonement  on  that  type  of  Jehovah's  throne. 
Here  was  an  emblem  of  One  who  should  be  far  more 
glorious  than  all  His  people,  and  who  should  even  go 
into  heaven  itself,  to  present  on  their  behalf,  not  the 
blood  of  typical  sacrifices,  but  an  offering  suited  to  the 
pre-eminence  of  His  own  person  and  character, — the 
offering  even  of  His  own  most  precious  blood.*  But 
through  Him,  the  very  throne  of  Deity  is  now  accessible 
to  every  humble  and  devout  spirit.  The  veil  which 
separated  the  holy  of  holies  from  the  outer  sanctuary,  was 
rent  asunder  when  He  expired  upon  the  cross.  And  now, 
without  that  oppressive  dread  which  often  filled  the 
mind  of  the  high  priest  of  Israel,  when  the  day  of 
national  expiation  came  round,  lest  in  any  thing  he 
should  fail  of  his  prescribed  duties  as  he  approached  the 
presence  of  Jehovah,  and  incur  death  as  the  penalty 
of  his  neglect, — now,  even  with  cheerful  confidence  Ave 
may  come,  through  the  blood  of  Jesus,  to  the  throne  of 
our  Father  in  heaven,  and  bear  away  the  spiritual 
blessings  which  we  need.t 

Among  the  types  of  the   Redeemer  which  the  sacri- 
ficial system  of  the  law    embraced,  we  may  select  the 
paschal    lamb,    as    one    of   the    most    remarkable    and 
instructive.  The  passover  was  instituted  at  a  momentous 
«  Hebrews  ix.  11,  12,  24— 2G.        f  Hebrews  iv.  16;  x.  19—23. 


44  PREPARATIOXS    FOR    THE    MANIFESTATION 

crisis  in  the  history  of  the  Hebrew  nation.  The  king  of 
Egypt,  who  held  them  in  bondage,  had  resisted  every 
appUcation  made  to  him,  and  had  hardened  his  heart 
against  every  visitation  of  Divine  judgment ;  and  now 
Jehovah  was  about  to  interpose,  and  by  one  fearful 
stroke  to  spread  bereavement  and  sorrow  through  the 
land  of  Egypt,  and  rescue  His  people  from  the  yoke  of 
the  oppressor.  The  destroying  angel  was  about  to  pass 
through  that  land,  and  smite  the  first-born  of  every 
family,  from  the  sovereign  in  his  jjalace  to  the  humblest 
of  liis  subjects.  But  the  families  of  Israel  were  dii'ected 
to  take  each  a  lamb,  a  male  of  the  first  year,  without 
blemish,  and  to  sprinkle  its  blood  on  the  lintel  and  the 
two  side-posts  of  their  doors;  and  the  gracious  engage- 
ment was  made  with  them,  that  the  destroying  angel 
should  pass  over  every  house  where  this  consecrated 
token  was  found,  and  that,  in  that  very  night,  the 
Egyptians,  dismayed  and  confounded,  woidd  themselves 
urge  them  to  depart.*  The  passover,  instituted  at  this 
eventful  period,  was  to  be  observed  by  the  successive 
generations  of  Israel,  in  remembrance  of  the  mercy  of 
God  shown  to  their  forefathers,  and  with  a  lively  hope 
of  His  continued  favour  and  blessing.  In  all  this  we 
behold  a  type  of  Him  who,  in  the  fulness  of  time, 
appeared  to  put  away  sin  by  the  sacrifice  of  Himself. 
He  is  emphatically  "  the  Lamb  of  God,  which  taketh 
away  the  sin  of  the  world  ;"t  and  as  we  go  back,  in 
thought,  to  the  transactions  of  that  memorable  night 
when  the  destroying  angel  was  arrested  by  the  sprinkled 
blood,  and  the  oppressed  and  groaning  IsraeUtes  Avere 
led  forth  from  their  captivity,  we  triumph  in  a  yet 
*  Exodus  xii.  3—28.  f  John  i.  29. 


OF  THE  SON  OF  GOD  ON  EARTH.         45 

greater  redemption,   and  gratefully    exclaim    with  the 
apostle,  "  Christ  our  Passover  is  sacrificed  for  us."*     He 
who,  on  the  accursed  tree,  bowed  His  head  under  the 
pressure  of  our  guilt,  and  poured  out  His  sacred  blood  to 
rescue  us  from  death,  was,  like  the  paschal  lamb,  a  spot- 
less and  perfect  Victim ;t— He  was  the  Y\ct\m  appointed 
by  the  infinite  wisdom,  and  holiness,  and  love  of  the 
Eternal  Father,  that  in  every  act  of  grace  to  man  all  the 
perfections  of  His  character  might  remain  unsullied,  and 
the  principles  of  His  government  be  preserved  inviolate. 
In  many  minute  particulars,  also,    the    death    of   the 
adorable  Redeemer  corresponded  with  the  circumstances 
which  attended  the  offering  up  of  the  paschal  lamb.     It 
occurred  at  the  time  of  the  paschal  solemnity;  and  as  it 
was  required   that  "not  a  bone"   of  the  offered  lamb 
"should  be  broken," J   so  even  the   rude  soldiers,  who 
broke  the  legs  of  the  two  that  were  crucified  with  our 
Lord,  forbore — though  without  any  knowledge  of  the 
design  they  were    fulfilling— to    break  His  legs,    or  to 
mangle  His   sacred  body.§    And  as  the    blood    of   the 
lamb  was   to   be    sprinkled,    in    order   to    secure    the 
preservation  of  any  family,  so  must  we  come,  as  indivi- 
duals, to  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  as  crucified  for  us,  and 
seek  to  have  His  blood  sprinkled  upon  our  conscience 
and  our  heart. 

But  Avhile  the  sacrificial  rites  of  the  Jewish  church  thus 
shadowed  forth  the  perfect  atonement  which  should 
eventually  be  offered,  that  church  was  favoured  also  with 
a  succession  of  inspired  men,  who  spoke  of  the  great 
Deliverer,  and  of  the  salvation  which  He  should  bestow. 

*  1  Corinthians  v.  7.        f  1  Peter  i.  19.        I  Exodus  xii.  46. 
§  John  xix.  31— 3C. 


46  PREPARATIONS   FOR   THE   MANIFESTATION 

The  light  of  prophecy  gradually  became  clearer  and 
more  distinct,  in  relation  to  the  great  object  of  human 
confidence  and  hope.  It  did  not  indeed  dissipate  every 
cloud  which  rested  on  the  arrangements  of  the  Most 
High  for  our  spiritual  recovery;  but  it  directed  the 
attention  of  men  to  Him  who  Avas  to  come,  as  pos- 
sessed of  mysterious  dignity,  as  enduring  the  greatest 
sufferings  and  sorrow,  and  then  as  swaying  a  sceptre 
of  righteousness,  and  truth,  and  grace,  over  our  redeemed 
world.  Many  of  the  predictions  of  the  ancient  Scriptures 
must  have  appeared  obscure  and  perplexing  to  those 
who  lived  before  our  Lord's  manifestation  in  the  flesh : 
but  it  is  our  privilege  to  contemplate  them  in  the 
light  of  the  evangelical  history ;  and  then  they  are  seen 
to  be  replete  with  spiritual  truth,  and  to  afford  the 
loftiest  and  most  affecting  views  of  the  Eedeemer's 
character  and  work. 

The  course  of  prophecy  threw  light,  for  instance,  on 
the  circumstances  of  the  Messiah's  advent.  It  had  been 
already  declared,  that  He  should  be  a  descendant  of 
Abraham  in  the  line  of  Isaac  and  Jacob ;  and  that  He 
should  spring  from  the  tribe  of  Judah,  before  the  sceptre 
should  finally  depart  fi'om  it.  But  now  it  was  further 
intimated,  that  He  should  arise  from  the  royal  house  of 
David,  when  in  a  state  of  lowliness  and  depression, — 
when  only  the  root  of  that  family  seemed  to  remain,  and 
the  lofty  branches  which  had  once  adorned  it  had  all 
been  cut  down  and  had  perished.  ■"  It  was  declared,  that  the 
Messiah  should  be  born  in  Bethlehem  Ephratah,  so  that 
this  town,  though  small  and  insignificant  in  itself,  should 
be  distinguished  as  the  place  where  He,  whose  goings 
*  Isaiah  xi.  1  ;  see  also  2  Samuel  vii.  18,  19. 


OF    THE    SON    OF    GOD    ON    EAETH.  47 

forth  had  been  from  everlasting,  should  come  into  our 
world,  arrayed  in  the  humble  form  of  humanity.*  It  was 
expressly  promised,  that  the  Messiah  should  appear  while 
the  second  temple  was  yet  standing,  and  that  He  should 
come  to  that  house  of  His,  and  there  display  His  unearthly 
glory. t  And  it  was  intimated,  that  in  His  case  the 
ordinary  process  of  human  generation  should  be  set 
aside,  and  that  a  mysterious  interposition  of  Divine 
power  should  cause  Him,  whose  manhood  was  to  be 
without  a  stain,  to  be  conceived  and  born  even  of  a  virgin 
mother.  J 

The  light  of  prophecy  afforded  intimations,  also,  of 
the  'peculiar  dignity  of  the  Messialis  2'^c-fson.  It  was 
implied  in  every  announcement,  that  He  should  be  a 
partaker  of  our  nature;  and  it  was  distinctly  declared, 
that  He  should  come  into  our  world  in  all  the  lowli- 
ness of  infancy,  and  grow  up  without  any  external  glory 
to  attract  and  impress  the  careless  and  worldly  mind. 
But  under  the  veil  of  His  humanity  there  was  to  be 
the  moral  glory  of  Divine  perfections.  He  was  to  be 
the  Mighty  God, — the  Eternal  One, — the  Son  manifested 
among  men;  and  the  government  which  He  should 
exercise  was  to  be  uninterrupted  and  universal.  Among 
the  declarations  of  the  prophet  Isaiah,  we  find  the 
remarkable  words, — "  Unto  us  a  child  is  born,  unto  us 
a  son  is  given :  and  the  government  shall  be  upon  His 
shoulder:  and  His  name  shall  be  called  Wonderful, 
Counsellor,  The  mighty  God,  The  everlasting  Father,  The 
Prince  of  Peace,  Of  the  increase  of  His  government 
and  peace  there  shall  be  no  end,  upon  the  throne  of 
David,  and  upon  his  kingdom,  to  order  it,  and  to  estab- 
*  Micahv.2.         f  Haggai  ii.  3— 9.         X  I'^aiah  vii.  H. 


48  PREPARATIONS    FOR   THE   MANIFESTATION 

lish  it  with  judgment  and  with  justice  from  henceforth 
even  for  ever."*      In   the    second    Psahn,    the  future 
Restorer  is  spoken  of  as  the  Son,  entitled  to  the  homage 
and  trust  of  every  human  mind.     He  was  to  be,  indeed, 
rejected  and  despised;   His  government  was  to  be  set 
at  nought,  and  the  united  efforts  of  His  people  and  of 
the   Gentiles  were    to    be    put    forth  to    prevent   His 
exaltation :  but  He  was  to  be  enthroned,  at  length,  as 
the   Head    of  His   church,  and   the   Sovereign  of  the 
world;  while  the    solemn   attestation  of   His    j^ersonal 
dignity  as  the  Son,  should  evince  Him  to  be  the  proper 
object    of  religious    confidence,   submission,    and    love. 
Similar  Aaews  of  the  inherent  glory  of  the  Redeemer's 
person  are  given  in  the  forty-fifth  Psalm.     In  Him  the 
Divine  nature  was  to  be  mysteriously  united  with  the 
subordinate  and  dependent  nature  of  man ;  and  thus  He 
was  to  sit  upon  an  everlasting  throne,  and  to   sway  a 
sceptre    of  perfect    righteousness    and    truth.       "Thy 
throne,  0  God,  is  for  ever  and  ever:  the  sceptre  of  Thy 
kingdom  is  a  right  sceptre.     Thou  lovest  righteousness, 
and  hatest  wickedness:  therefore  God,  thy   God,  hath 
anointed  thee  Avith  the  oil  of  gladness  above  thy  fellows."  f 
In  the  one  hundred  and  tenth  Psalm,  the  inspired  poet 
raises  our  minds  to  the  contemplation  of  the  Redeemer, 
when,  having  accomplished  the  work  of  atonement,  He 
should  be   seated  at  the    right    hand  of  the   Eternal 
Father,  and  invested  with  the  dignity  of  an  everlasting 
priesthood.     "The  Lord  said  unto  my  Lord,  Sit  Thou 
at   My   right  hand,  until  I  make  Thine    enemies  Thy 

*  Isaiah  ix.  6,  7.     See  also,  in  relation  to  the  absence  oi  outward 
grandeur  in  the  appearance  of  the  Messiah,  Isaiah  liii.  2. 
f  Psalm  xlv.  6,  7.     Compare  Hebrews  i.  7—9. 


OF  THE  SON  OF  GOD  ON  EARTH.  49 

footstool." '"'  This  language  is,  in  every  point  of  view, 
remarkable  and  impressive;  and  it  has  peculiar  claims 
on  our  regard,  because  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  Himself 
urged  it  on  the  attention  of  the  Pharisees  of  His  own 
day.t  David,  raised  by  the  providence  of  God  to  the 
throne  of  Israel,  and  favoured  with  the  gift  of  prophetic 
song,  had  long  dwelt  upon  it  as  the  choicest  promise 
which  had  been  made  to  him,  and  the  greatest  dis- 
tinction which  could  be  conferred  on  his  house,  that 
from  his  family  there  should  spring  the  Redeemer  and 
Sovereign  of  mankind.  And  yet,  guided  by  the  Holy 
Spirit,  this  illustrious  monax'ch  recognised  the  coming 
Deliverer  as  his  own  Lord.  Thus  did  he,  in  effect, 
proclaim  His  higher  nature;  while  he  rejoiced  to  set 
forth  the  grandeur  of  His  mediatorial  reign,  and  His 
ultimate  triumph  over  every  hostile  power.  In  various 
other  passages  of  the  Old  Testament,:};  the  Divine  nature 
of  the  Messiah  was  intimated  with  a  greater  or  less 
degree  of  clearness;  but  He  was  also  spoken  of  as 
appearing  among  us  in  the  lowly  form  of  our  humanity, 
sympathising  with  us  in  our  weakness  and  sorrows,  and 
Himself  a  sufferer  and  a  rejected  one.  Hei'e  was  the  great 
peculiarity  of  the  prophetic  announcements  relative  to 
the  Messiah's  person.  The  hope  of  the  pious  was 
directed  to  a  manifestation  of  God  Himself  in  our  world ; 
but  that  manifestation  was  not  to  be  majestic  and  over- 
powering, causing  all  who  had  perversely  resisted  the 
Divine  government  to   shrink   back  with    dismay,  and 

*  Psalm  ex.  1.     See  also  verses  2 — 4. 

I  Matthew  xxii.  41 — 45  ;  Luke  xx.  41—44. 

+  Job  xix.  23—27  ;  Isaiah  xl.  3—5, 9—1 1 ;  Jeremiah  xxiii.  5,  6 ; 
Daniel  vii.  9,  10,  13,  14;  Micah  v.  2—4;  Zcchariah  xiii.  7; 
Malachi  iii.  1. 

E 


50  PREPARATIONS    FOR    THE   3IANIFESTATI0N 

inspiring  fear  even  into  the  breasts  of  the  humble 
and  devout ; — it  was  to  be  a  manifestation  of  God  in 
outward  lowHness,  and  in  tender  and  condescending 
grace.  A  Divine  Person  was  to  appear  among  us, 
divested  of  all  external  splendour,  and  manifesting  His 
inherent  dignity  only  by  His  works  of  power,  and  the 
unearthly  purity  and  goodness  which  should  adorn  His 
character  and  pervade  His  deportment. 

The  intimations  of  prophecy  had  respect,  further, 
to  the  peculiar  character  of  the  Redeemers  ministry  as 
the  great  Teacher  of  mankind.  That  ministry  was  to 
be  distinguished  by  its  authority.  He  was  to  issue  laws 
which  should  bind  the  consciences  of  men,  and  to  which 
even  distant  nations  should  bow  with  lowly  reverence.* 
That  ministry  was  to  pour  a  flood  of  light  on  all  the 
subjects  which  most  intimately  affect  the  welfare  of  our 
race; — it  was  to  exhibit  religious  truth  in  its  simplicity 
and  grandeur,  that  all  nations  might  behold  it,  and  be 
led  by  it  to  the  paths  of  peace  and  holiness,  t  The 
ministry  of  the  great  Restorer  was  to  be  distinguished, 
further,  by  its  tenderness  and  condescension,  and  by  the 
clear  and  attractive  manner  in  which  it  should  lay  open 
to  the  contrite  sinner  the  way  of  reconciliation  and 
peace.  He  was  to  utter  words  of  comfort  and  joy  to  the 
troubled  spirit, — to  announce  to  the  captives,  languishing 
in  a  region  of  darkness  and  sorrow,  that  they  might  even 
now  come  forth,  freed  from  the  distressing  consciousness 
of  guilt,  and  from  the  anticipation  of  future  wrath,  and 
released  from  the  gaUing  fetters  of  sinful  passions. 
Numerous  are  the  passages  in  which  Isaiah  gives  this 

*  Deuteronomy  xviii.  18,  19  ;   Isaiah  Ixii.  4. 
f  Isaiah  xi.  2 ;  xlii.  1 ;  xlix.  6. 


OF  THE  SON  OF  GOD  ON  EARTH.  51 

view  of  the  Redeemer's  ministry:  but  there  is  one 
which  is  pecuHarly  copious  and  beautiful,  and  which 
acquires  an  additional  interest  from  the  fact,  that  our 
Lord  Himself  adduced  it  as  fulfilled  in  His  own  teaching. 
"  The  Spirit  of  the  Lord  God  is  upon  Me ;  because  the 
Lord  hath  anointed  Me  to  preach  good  tidings  unto  the 
meek;  He  hath  sent  Me  to  bind  up  the  broken-hearted, 
to  pi'oclaim  liberty  to  the  captives,  and  the  opening  of 
the  prison  to  them  that  are  bound;  to  proclaim  the 
acceptable  year  of  the  Lord,  and  the  day  of  vengeance 
of  our  God;  to  comfort  all  that  mourn;  to  appoint  unto 
them  that  mourn  in  Zion,  to  give  unto  them  beauty  for 
ashes,  the  oil  of  joy  for  mourning,  the  garment  of  praise 
for  the  spirit  of  heaviness;  that  they  might  be  called 
trees  of  righteousness,  the  planting  of  the  Lord,  that 
He  might  be  glorified."  * 

But  the  Messiah  was  represented,  also,  under  another 
character.  He  was  to  suffer  for  the  iniquities  of  men, — • 
to  offer  up  Himself  as  a  lyroijitiatory  sacrifice,  and  then, 
having  risen  from  the  dead,  to  enter  upon  the  discharge 
of  His  priesthj  office  in  heaven.  Throughout  the 
prophetic  Scriptures  it  was  declared,  that  He  should  be 
treated  with  utter  contempt  and  scorn  by  those  who 
ought  to  have  acknowledged  His  claims,  and  whose 
position  in  the  visible  church  should  give  them  extensive 
power  and  influence.  He  was  to  be  "the  stone  set  at 
nought  by  the  builders,"  and  yet  constituted,  by  the 
signal  interposition  of  Jehovah,  "  the  head  of  the 
cornel'."  t     But,  in  addition  to  this  general  intimation, 

*  Isaiah  Ixi.  1—3.  See  also  xlii.  2,  3;  xlix.  9;  Luke  iv.  16—21. 
f  Psalm  cxviii.  22,  23.     Compare  Matthew  xxi.  33 — 44 ;  Luke 
XX.  17,  18;   1  Peter  ii.  4. 

e2 


52  PREPARATIONS    FOR   THE    MANIFESTATION 

that  the  Messiah  Avould  be  rejected  by  the  rulers  of  the 
Jewish  church,  we  find  His  sufferings  referred  to  with 
great  minuteness,  and  expressly  connected  with  His 
work  of  atonement.  Not  only  was  He  to  be  "  despised 
and  rejected  of  men;" — He  was  to  be  "smitten  of  God," 
oppressed  in  spirit  with  a  hidden  sorrow,  appointed  by 
the  justice  of  the  Eternal  Father.  He  was  to  take  the 
place  of  the  guilty,  and  sustain  the  weight  of  the  world's 
iniquities;  and  thus  He  was  to  feel  an  anguish,  deep, 
peculiar,  and  intense,  beyond  the  conception  of  the 
human  mind.  "  Surely  He  hath  borne  our  griefs,  and 
carried  our  sorrows:  yet  we  did  esteem  Him  stricken, 
smitten  of  God,  and  afflicted.  But  He  was  wounded  for 
our  transgressions.  He  was  bruised  for  our  iniquities : 
the  chastisement  of  our  peace  was  upon  Him;  and  with 
His  stripes  we  are  healed.  All  we  like  sheep  have  gone 
astray;  we  have  turned  every  one  to  his  own  way;  and 
the  Lord  hath  laid  on  Him  the  iniquity  of  us  all."  * 
But,  while  enduring  this  unutterable  anguish,  and  all 
the  outward  indignities  which  should  be  heaped  upon 
Him  by  His  malignant  enemies,  the  Messiah  was  to  be  a 
meek  and  unmurmuring  victim.  "  He  was  oppressed,  and 
He  was  afflicted,  yet  He  opened  not  His  mouth :  He  is 
brought  as  a  lamb  to  the  slaughter,  and  as  a  sheep 
before  her  shearers  is  dumb,  so  He  openeth  not  His 
mouth."  t  Dark  and  fearful  as  the  scenes  of  the 
Redeemer's  ignominy  and  sorrow  were  to  be,  yet  were 
the  purposes  of  Divine  wisdom,  and  holiness,  and  love, 
to  be  accomplished  in  them;  and  then.  He  was  to  rise 
to  a  high  and  glorious  life,  to  dispense  to  His  believing 
people  the  richest  blessings  of  salvation,  and  to  enjoy  a 
*  Isaiah  liii.  4 — C.  f  Isaiah  liii.  7. 


OF  THE  SON  OF  GOD  ON  EARTH.  53 

holy  satisfaction  in  witnessing  the  results  of  His  agony 
and  death.  "  Yet  it  pleased  the  Loud  to  bruise  Ilim ; 
He  hath  put  Him  to  grief:  when  Thou  shalt  make  His 
soul  an  offering  for  sin,  He  shall  see  His  seed,  He  shall 
prolong  His  days,  and  the  pleasure  of  the  Lord  shall 
prosper  in  His  hand.  He  shall  see  of  the  travail  of 
His  soul,  and  shall  be  satisfied :  by  His  knowledge  shall 
My  righteous  servant  justify  many;  for  He  shall  bear 
their  iniquities."  * 

The  remarkable  passage  of  Isaiah,  on  which  we  have 
now    dwelt,    sets    forth,    in    the    clearest  manner,    the 
vicarious  and    propitiatory  character    of  the  Messiah's 
sufferings,  while  it  shadows  forth  some  of  the  minute 
circumstances  which  were  to  attend  the  awful  tragedy 
of  His  death.     The  same  general  views  are  presented, 
though  with  greater  brevity,  in   other   portions  of  the 
prophetic  record,     Daniel  declares,—"  And  after  three- 
score and  two  weeks  shall  Messiah  be  cut  off,  but  not 
for  Himself."  t    And  among  the  predictions  of  Zechariah 
we  read,—''  Awake,  0  sword,  against  My  Shepherd,  and 
against  the  Man  that  is  My  Fellow,  saith  the  Lord  of 
Hosts:    smite   the   Shepherd,  and  the  sheep   shall   be 
scattered:   and  I  will  turn  Mine  hand  upon  the  little 
ones."  J     This  passage  derives  a  peculiar  importance  from 
the  circumstance,  that  it  was  referred  to  by  our  Lord 
Himself,  as  about  to  receive  its  accompUshment   when 
He  was  entering  on  the  scenes  of  His  deepest  humihation. 
Its  language  is  remarkable,  and  full  of  deep  spiritual 
meaning.     It  brings  before  our  view  One  who  should 
be  the  Shepherd  of  His  people,  under  whose  protecting 
care  and  love  they  should  together  seek  shelter,  but 
*  Isaiah  liii.  10,  11.      f  Daniel  ix.  26.      ♦  Zechariah  xiii.  7- 


54  PREPARATIONS    FOR   THE   MANIFESTATION 

who  should  be  pierced  by  the  sword  of  Jehovah,  and 
whose  timid  flock  should  then  be  scattered.  It  announces 
the  mysterious  dignity  of  Him  who  was  thus  to  suffer 
and  to  die.  He  was  to  be  truly  man,  that  He  might  be 
capable  of  death;  but  He  was  also  to  possess  a  nature 
most  intimately  allied  to  the  Eternal  Father,  and  one 
with  Him  in  the  essential  perfections  of  Deity.  References 
to  the  Messiah's  death,  and  to  the  salvation  which 
through  it  should  be  vouchsafed  to  His  believing  people, 
are  combined  with  other  prophetic  announcements 
relative  to  His  glorious  character  and  His  benignant 
reign.  Thus,  in  the  prophecies  of  Zechariah,  we  are 
called  to  contemplate  the  King  of  Zion  coming  to  that 
sacred  hill,  amidst  the  acclamations  of  surrounding 
multitudes;  we  are  instructed  to  think  of  Him  as 
"just,  and  having  salvation," — as  "  lowly,"  and  eminently 
pacific  in  His  character  and  administration;  but  then 
we  are  led  onward  to  the  scenes  of  His  humiliation,  and 
the  offering  of  His  perfect  sacrifice.  "As  for  thee, 
also,  by  the  blood  of  thy  covenant,  I  have  sent  forth 
thy  prisoners  out  of  the  pit  Avherein  is  no  water."  * 
Who  can  doubt  that  in  these  words  there  was  a  prophetic 
reference  to  the  fact,  that  within  a  few  short  days  after 
the  coming  of  the  Redeemer  to  the  hill  of  Zion,  that 
great  and  efiectual  atonement  should  be  completed, 
through  which  the  covenant  of  grace  should  be  estab- 
lished, and  salvation  be  brought  to  the  fainting  spirit, 
oppressed  with  the  consciousness  of  its  guilt,  and  shut 
out  from  all  h\xman  hope  of  deliverance  ? 

The  Messiah,   too,   was  to    be   "a  Priest  upon  His 
throne."t     Ha^ang  offered  up  Himself  as  a  propitiatory 
*  Zechariah  ix.  9—11.  f  Zechariah  vi.  12,  13. 


OF  THE  SON  OF  GOD  ON  EARTH.  55 

sacrifice,  He  was  to  "make  intercession  for  the  trans- 
gressors,"* and  bestow  His  effectual  blessing  on  all  who 
should  come  unto  God  through  Him.  The  typical 
services  of  the  Mosaic  economy  directed  the  faith  and 
hope  of  men  to  a  great  High  Priest,  Avho  should  have 
access  to  the  very  throne  of  God,  and  sprinkle  there  the 
blood  of  atonement :  and  the  intimations  of  prophecy 
confirmed  this  hope,  while  they  set  forth  the  peculiar 
and  exclusive  character  of  that  priesthood  with  which 
the  Redeemer  should  be  invested.  The  brief  declaration 
of  the  one  hundred  and  tenth  Psalm  on  this  subject, 
abounds  with  instruction : — "  The  Loud  hath  sworn,  and 
will  not  repent,  Thou  art  a  Priest  for  ever  after  the 
order  of  Melchizedek."t  The  august  Person  who  is  here 
addressed,  liad  already  been  presented  to  the  view  of 
our  faith,  as  enthroned  at  the  right  hand  of  the  Eternal 
Father ;  as  sending  forth  from  Zion  the  word  of  His 
power  and  grace;  as  ruling  in  the  midst  of  His  enemies, 
so  as  to  confound  their  designs,  and  bring  them  ulti- 
mately to  acknowledge  His  supreme  dominion ;  and  as 
encircled  with  a  devoted  and  holy  people,  Avho  should 
esteem  it  their  highest  privilege  and  honour  to  engage 
in  His  service,  and  show  forth  His  glory.  But,  to 
heighten  our  conceptions  of  His  dignity,  and  to  encourage 
our  faith  in  Him,  the  psalmist  leads  us  to  contemplate 
Him  as  invested,  in  the  realms  of  glory,  with  an  ever- 
lasting priesthood.  To  that  priesthood  He  had  been 
appointed  by  the  solemn  and  irrevocable  oath  of  the 
Father;  for  this  arrangement  was  essential  to  the  whole 
economy  of  redemption,  and  was  present  to  the  mind  of 
God  before  the  foundation  of  the  world.  And  the 
*   Isaiah  ]iii.  12.  f  Psalm  ex.  4. 


56  PREPARATIONS    FOR   THE   MANIFESTATION 

priestliood  of  the  Messiah  was  to  be  exclusive  and  unique. 
It  was  not  to  descend  to  Him  through  a  long  line  of 
human  progenitors,  nor  to  pass  from  Him  to  any  other: 
it  was  to  be,  from  first  to  last,  His  own, — a  priesthood 
such  as  no  other  could  ever  exercise,  and  conveying  the 
richest  blessings  to  every  devout  and  believing  mind. 

The  light  of  prophecy  disclosed,  also,  the  peculiar 
features  of  the  Messiah's  administration,  as  the  Sovereign 
of  His  'people  and  the  world.  He  was  to  be  emphatically 
"the  Prince  of  Peace."*  He  was  to  send  foi'th  to  the 
nations  generally  His  message  of  grace  and  salvation,  to 
lead  them  to  the  enjoyment  of  peace  with  God,  and  to 
impart  to  every  troubled  spirit  inward  tranquillity  and 
repose.t  He  was  to  gather  round  Himself  a  people, 
whose  spirit  and  temper  should  be  eminently  pacific; 
who,  while  they  should  regard  sin,  in  all  its  forms,  with 
aversion  and  displeasure,  and  manifest  a  holy  firmness 
in  resisting  its  assaults,  should  yet  be  meek,  and  conde- 
scending, and  forgiving.  His  victories  Avere  to  be  those 
of  truth  and  grace.  His  servants  were  to  go  forth  to 
their  conflicts,  not  clad  in  the  armour,  nor  brandishing 
the  weapons,  of  earthly  warfare,  but  in  "the  beauty  of 
hoHnessj"  adoi-ned  with  the  lovely  graces  which  His 
Spirit  should  impart,  unfolding  to  the  view  of  men  His 
own  sacred  truth,  and  relying  for  success  on  the  power 
of  His  unseen  but  almighty  hand,  j  The  progress  of 
His  Gospel,  and  the  extension  of  His  spiritual  reign, 
were  to  diffuse  a  love  of  peace  among  the  nations,  imtil, 
at  length,  the  clash  of  arms  should  be  heard  no  more.  § 
But  the  Messiah's  administration  was  to  be  distinguished, 

*  Isaiah  ix.  6.  f  Zechariah  ix.  10.  J  Psalm  ex.  3. 

§   Isaiah  ii.  4;  xi.  6 — 9;  Zechariah  ix.  10;  Micah  iv.  3,  4. 


OF  THE  SON  OP  GOD  ON  EARTH.         57 

also,  by  its  perfect  rectitude/^'  Every  act  of  His  govern- 
ment was  to  illustrate  the  unsullied  purity  of  His 
character;  and  all  His  decisions  and  awards  were  to 
be  those  of  truth  and  equity.  His  reign  was  to  be 
eminently  graciotis  and  benignant  to  the  humble  and 
confiding  spirit.  He  was  to  be  the  "  Shepherd  "  of  His 
people;  providing  for  all  their  wants,  sheltering  them  in 
danger,  sympathising  with  the  feeble  and  sorrowful 
among  them,  and  identifying  their  interests  with  His 
own.t  Under  His  protection  and  rule,  His  people  were 
to  be  secure  and  happy,  [j:  Eveiy  act  of  His  providential 
administration,  however  perplexing  to  human  thought, 
was  to  have  a  favourable  bearing  on  their  welfare;  and 
the  whole  economy  of  grace  was  to  be  directed  to  their 
maturity  in  holiness,  and  their  perfect  preparation  for 
the  joys  of  heaven.  But  His  reign  was  to  be  one  of 
terror  to  the  ])erverse  and  rebellious  among  men.  §  The 
rejection  of  His  authority  and  grace  would  call  forth  in 
His  mind  a  holy  displeasure,  and,  if  persisted  in  until 
the  period  of  longsuffering  should  have  expired,  would 
involve  men,  at  last,  in  hopeless  and  irretrievable  ruin. 

In  this  I'apid  survey  of  the  Messiah's  administration, 
as  it  was  set  forth  in  the  announcements  of  prophecy, 
and  in  the  view  which  we  have  taken  of  His  sacrifice 
and  priesthood,  we  have  necessarily  had  occasion  to  refer 
to  the  blessings  which  He  was  to  bestow  on  all  who 
should  come  to  Him,  and  bow  to  His  gracious  sceptre. 
Beautifully  did  the  successive  revelations  of  the  Divine 
plans  illustrate  and  confirm  the  promise   made  to  the 

*  Isaiah  xi.  4;  Psahn.xlv.  6,  7;  Jeremiah  xxiii.  5;  xxxiii.  15. 

t  Isaiah  xl.  11.         +  Isaiah  xxxii.  1,  2;  Psalm  ii.  12,  last  clause. 

§  Psalm  ii.  9—12;  ex.  2;  Isaiah  xi.  4. 


58  PREPARATIONS    FOR    THE    MANIFESTATION 

father  of  tlie  faithful; — "In  thy  Seed  shall  all  the  nations 
of  the  earth  be  blessed,"  Through  the  Restorer, 
despised  and  rejected  by  the  great  ones  of  the  earth, 
and  the  rulers  of  the  Jewish  church,  but  exalted  by  the 
almighty  hand  of  God  to  universal  sovei'eignty  and  an 
everlasting  priesthood,  the  light  of  life  was  to  be  poured 
upon  this  dark  and  wretched  world.  The  blessings 
which  He  should  confer  were  to  be  emphatically  spiritual 
blessings,  and  thus  to  meet  the  hidden  wants  of  the 
human  mind.  We  cannot  read  the  impressive  and 
glowing  predictions  of  Isaiah,  without  perceiving  that 
the  DeUverer,  to  whom  the  hope  of  the  thoughtful  and 
devout  had  been  so  long  directed,  was  to  bless  men,  not 
by  raising  them  to  wealth  and  outward  dignity,  nor  by 
securing  them  from  the  ills  of  sickness  and  bereave- 
ment, nor  by  warding  off  every  disappointment  that 
might  darken  their  earthly  prospects  and  depress  their 
energies;  but  by  bringing  them  to  God,  to  enjoy  His 
friendship,  to  walk  habitually  in  the  light  of  His  coun- 
tenance, and  to  consecrate  to  Him  the  warmth  of  their 
affections,  and  the  vigour  of  their  powers.  The  Messiah 
was  to  "bind  up  the  broken  heart,"  to  lead  forth  the 
prisoners  from  their  state  of  spiritual  captivity,  to  clothe 
the  mourners  in  the  garments  of  praise,*  and  to  put  the 
new  song  into  their  lips, — "  0  Lord,  I  will  praise  Thee : 
though  Thou  wavSt  angry  with  me,  Thine  anger  is  turned 
away,  and  Thou  comfortedst  me.  Behold,  God  is  my 
salvation ;  I  will  trust,  and  not  be  afraid :  for  the  Lord 
Jehovah  is  my  strength  and  my  song ;  He  also  is 
become  my  salvation."t  After  ages  of  darkness  and 
sorrow,  the  Messiah  was  to  arise  as  "the  Sun  of  Righteous- 
*  Isaiah  Ixi.  ] — 3.  f  Isaiah  xii.  1,  2. 


OF    THE    SON    OF    GOD    ON    EARTH.  59 

ness,"  to  shed  a  healing  and  sahxtarj  light  on  all  who 
should  welcome  His  beams  and  turn  away  with  lowly 
penitence  from  every  forbidden  path.* 

Such  were  the  discoveries  of  the  Redeemer's  person, 
and  character,  and  offices,  and  work,  which  were  made  to 
mankind  during  the  long  years  of  the  Mosaic  economy. 
While  the  tabernacle  or  the  temple  of  God  presented  to 
the  devout  inquirer  its  beautiful  symbols,  awakening  in 
many  minds  an  earnest  desire  to  see  the  day  of  Christ, 
the  declarations  of  "  holy  men,"  who  "  spake  as  they 
were  moved  by  the  Holy  Ghost,"t  exhibited  the  great 
Deliverer  to  hunxan  faith  and  hope,  as  mysteriously 
uniting  in  Himself  the  Divine  and  human  natures;  as  a 
Prophet  of  unrivalled  wisdom,  authority,  and  grace;  as 
the  Substitute  of  the  guilty  race  of  men,  and  the  Bearer 
of  the  world's  iniquities;  as  a  Priest,  who  should  present 
on  our  behalf  His  own  efficacious  sacrifice;  and  as  a 
Sovereign,  who  should  be  enthroned  at  the  right  hand 
of  the  Eternal  Father,  whose  reign  should  be  eminently 
pacific  and  benign,  who  should  confer  on  all  His 
people  the  richest  spiritual  blessiugs,  and  before  whom, 
at  last,  every  hostile  power  should  fall  in  utter  confusion 
and  dismay. 

*  Malachi  iv.  2.  f  2  Peter  i.  21. 


PART  11. 


THE     EVANGELICAL     HISTORY    OF     THE     LIFE, 

MINISTRY,  DEATH,  AND  RESURRECTION, 

OF   THE    LORD   JESUS    CHRIST. 


CHAPTER  I. 

THE  STATE  OF  JUD^A,  AND  OF  THE  WORLD,  AT  THE  TIME 
OF  THE  redeemer's  ADVENT. 

Ages  had  rolled  away,  and   successive   changes  had 
passed  over  human  affairs,  when,  at   length,   the  time 
drew   near  for  the  appearance   of  Him  to   whom  the 
hopes  of  the  patriarchs,  and  the  aspirations  of  the  pious 
Israelites,  had  been  directed.     Empires   had  risen  and 
fallen :    conquerors,    whose    names    spread    terror    and 
dismay,  had    pursued  their    career   of  mihtary   glory, 
and  then  had  passed  from  the  scene  of  human  action ; 
and  the  dominion  which  they  had  sought  to  consolidate, 
had  been  "subverted  by  others.     The  palaces  of  Assyria 
and  Babylon  had  been  successively  laid  in  ruins;  and  the 
vast  empire  of  Persia  had  yielded  to  the  victorious  arms 
of  the  impetuous  Macedonian.      The   kingdoms  which 
arose    upon    his    removal    from    earth,  had  long  since 
declined  in  power.     The  political  importance  of  Greece 
had  passed  away,  though  the  influence  of  her  literature 
and  arts  was  still  diffused  among  the  nations.     Rome 
had  now   attained  to    almost  universal  dominion;  the 
east  and  west  bowed  to  her  resistless  power;  her  name 
was  revered  from  the  Euphrates  to  the  shores  of  Britain ; 
and  countries  which  had  long  aspired  to  independence 
and    sovereignty,    received    their  governors    from    her, 
while  the  kings  who  stood  allied  to  her  acknowledged 


64  STATE    OP    THE    WORLD 

their  dependence,  and  sought  protection  from  her  arms. 
The  conflicts  of  party,  which  distinguished  the  repubHc, 
had  prepared  the  way  for  the  estabHshment  of  the 
imperial  rule ;  and  the  mild  Augustus  now  presided  over 
an  empire  which  could  defy  every  hostile  power,  and 
could  only  be  impaired  by  luxury  and  injustice  within. 

The  Holy  Land,  where  the  chosen  people  of  God  had 
been  settled  by  the  interposition  of  His  almighty  arm, 
had  experienced  many  vicissitudes.  The  history  of  the 
Hebrew  nation  presented,  in  every  period,  a  remarkable 
connection  between  obedience  to  the  Divine  will  and 
outward  prosperity,  on  the  one  hand, — and  between 
unfaithfulness  to  God  and  visitations  of  suffering  and 
calamity,  on  the  other.  Through  successive  generations 
God  Himself  reigned  over  His  people,  protecting  them 
when  they  relied  on  His  promises  and  bowed  to  His 
authority,  and  permitting  them  to  fall  a  prey  to  their 
enemies,  and  to  be  humbled  in  the  sight  of  the  world, 
when  they  renounced  their  allegiance  to  Him,  and 
abandoned  themselves  to  idolatry.  The  administration 
of  judges,  whom  God  from  time  to  time  raised  up,  was 
followed  by  the  establishment  of  regal  power;  and  the 
throne  of  David,  the  ancestor  of  the  promised  Messiah, 
and  the  sweet  singer  of  Israel,  was  rendered  illustrious 
by  the  special  blessing  of  Jehovah, — though  the  Hand 
that  exalted  and  sustained  him,  chastened  him  with 
righteous  severity,  when  he  wandered  from  the  path  of 
purity,  and  stained  his  hands  Avith  the  blood  of  the 
innocent.  But  the  glory  of  his  reign,  and  the  still 
higher  glory  of  that  of  Solomon,  when  the  temple  was 
built  in  all  its  grandeur,  to  invite  the  thoughtful  of  every 
land  to  come  and  worship  Jehovah,  was  succeeded  by  an 


AT   THE   REDEEMERS   ADVENT. 


65 


injurious  division  of  the  tribes  of  Israel,— a  division 
which  led  to  frequent  conflicts  and  accumulated  suffering. 
The  separate  kingdoms  of  Judah  and  Israel  experienced, 
on  numerous  occasions,  the  fearful  effects  of  departing 
from  God  and  despising  His  worship;  until,  at  length, 
the  kingdom  of  the  ten  tribes  was  overthrown  by  the 
Assyrian  power,  and  Judah  only  remained,  to  hold  forth 
to  the  nations  the  great  truth  of  Jehovah's  universal 
nile.  But  Judah,  though  favoured  with  many  distin- 
guishing proofs  of  the  Divine  care,  became,  at  length, 
awfully  corrupt,  and  was  thus  abandoned  to  suffering 
and  desolation.  The  powerful  monarch  of  Babylon 
subverted  Jerusalem,  and  laid  the  temple  in  ruins  j  and 
only  a  few  of  the  poorest  inhabitants  were  left,  to 
cultivate  that  land  which  had  once  attracted  the 
admiration  of  surrounding  nations.  But  the  purposes 
of  God  required  tlie  return  of  the  Jews  to  the  land  of 
their  fathers;  and,  in  His  own  way,  He  brought  about 
their  deliverance  from  the  Babylonian  capti\dty,  and 
their  re-establishment  in  the  country  which  He  had 
promised  to  Abraham,  His  friend.  A  second  temple  was 
erected,  which,  though  inferior  to  the  first  in  external 
magnificence,  was  to  be  rendered  far  more  glorious  by 
the° appearance  of  Him  who  should  be  "the  Desire  of 
all  nations,"  and  from  whose  sacred  lips  the  message  of 
peace  and  life  should  be  heard  within  it.^'-  Amidst  the 
changes  which  affected  the  mighty  kingdoms  around  it, 
the  little  state  of  Judaea  experienced  many  fluctuations ; 
but  it  was  preserved  by  the  hand  of  God,  to  be  the  scene 
of  the  most  momentous  displays  of  His  holiness  and 
love.     Herod  now  reigned  as  the  king  of  the  Jews,  but 


66  STATE   OF    THE    WORLD 

in  alliance  with  the  Ptoman  power,  and  paying  homage 
to  Augustus,  whose  friendship  he  courted,  and  on  whose 
favourable  opinion  he  was,  to  a  great  extent,  dependent. 
The  character  of  Herod  was  dark  and  sanguinary:  he 
shrunk  from  no  deeds  of  blood  which  his  suspicious 
temper  suggested,  or  which  seemed  necessary  to  secure 
to  him  the  undisputed  possession  of  the  throne.  But 
while  he  was  blindly  follo\\'ing  the  impulses  of  his 
passions,  and  consigning  to  death  even  some  of  his 
nearest  relatives,  the  fulness  of  time  arrived,  and  the 
Prince  of  peace,  the  Hope  and  Saviour  of  the  world,  was 
born,  a  lowly  infant,  in  the  town  of  Bethlehem.^- 

The  religious  condition  of  the  Jewish  inople,  at  the 
time  of  the  Bedeemer's  advent,  presents  several  features 
which  deserve  our  attention.  The  temple-services  were 
maintained  with  great  exactness;  and  as  often  as  the 
leading  festivals  returned,  multitudes  flocked  to  Jerusalem 
to  observe  the  institutions  of  Jehovah,  and  to  com- 
memorate those  events  in  the  history  of  their  fathers  in 
which  His  hand  had  been  so  signally  displayed.  Syna- 
gogues were  established  in  almost  every  place,  where  the 
law  and  the  prophets  were  read,  and  addresses  illustrative 
of  their  meaning  were  delivered.  Thus  did  the  Jewish 
nation  still  acknowledge  and  proclaim  the  exclusive 
Godhead  of  Jehovah,  and  honour  the  written  revelation 
which  had  been  entrusted  to  their  care.  But  large 
masses  of  that  people  had  no  suitable  conception  of  the 
spiritual  nature  of  the  worship  which  God  requires,  and 
which  must  be  blended  with  every  external  service,  to 
render  it  acceptable  to  Him;  and  many  were  altogether 
devoted  to  the  world  in  their  thoughts  and  affections. 
*  Matthew  ii.  1 . 


AT  THE  redeemer's  ADVENT.  67 

There  was,  indeed^  a  pious  remnant  among  them,  who 
worshipped  the  Most  High  in  spirit  and  in  truth,  and 
looked  forward  with  earnest  hope  to  the  manifestation 
of  the  Messiah,  and  the  unfolding  of  the  Divine  pur- 
poses of  grace  and  love.  It  is  refreshing,  as  we  read 
the  narratives  of  the  evangelists,  to  meet  with  individuals 
like  Zacharias  and  Elisabeth,  who  were  "  righteous  before 
God,  Avalking  in  all  the  commandments  and  ordinances 
of  the  Lord  blameless;"'"" — like  Simeon,  "a  just  and 
devout  man,"  who  habitually  "waited  for  the  Consolation 
of  Israel,"  and  enjoyed  intimate  communion  with  God;t — 
like  Mary,  the  virgin  mother  of  our  Lord,  whose  lofty 
trust  in  God,  and  gratitude  for  the  signal  mercy  vouch- 
safed to.  her,  shine  forth  so  brightly  on  the  sacred 
page;  —  and  like  Joseph,  upright,  considerate,  and 
gentle,!  who  so  gladly  followed  the  intimations  of  the 
Divine  will,  and  accepted  the  honour  of  watching  over 
the  infancy  and  childhood  of  Him  who  was  to  be  the 
Ptestorer  of  the  world.  These  are  but  specimens  of  a 
class  of  persons,  at  that  time  found  among  the  Jews, 
who  loved  to  wait  upon  God  in  His  temple,  and  with 
earnest  desire  and  hope  looked  for  the  promised 
redemption.  § 

But  while  the  narratives  of  the  New  Testament 
present  to  us  some  attractive  examples  of  humble  piety 
among  the  race  of  Israel,  at  the  time  of  the  Redeemer's 
advent,  they  show  us,  but  too  clearly,  that  the  hopes  of 
the  nation  generally  were  directed,  not  to  a  spiritual 
deliverer,  but  to  a  powerful  and  triumphant  prince,  who 
should  raise  them  from  their  political  depression,  and 
constitute  Jerusalem  the  seat  of  a  new  and  illustrious 
*  Luke  i.  6.     f  Luke  ii.  25,  26.     I  Matthew  i.  19.     §  Luke  ii.  38. 


68  STATE   OF    THE   TTORLD 

empire.  They  dwelt  with  interest  on  the  promises  made 
to  Abraham,  and  the  glowing  predictions  of  the  inspired 
writers,  relative  to  the  Messiah's  reign ;  and  not  under- 
standing the  deep  spiritual  import  of  the  ancient  pro- 
phecies, they  fondly  hoped,  that  when  the  great  Restorer 
should  appear,  He  would  raise  Plis  people  Israel  to  the 
highest  dignity,  and  reign  in  outward  splendour  over 
the  nations.  Eagerly  did  many  of  the  Jews  anticipate 
the  establishment  of  "  the  kingdom  of  God; "  identifying 
that  kingdom  with  the  recovery  of  their  national  great- 
ness, and  the  submission  of  men  of  every  land  to  the 
usages  and  rites  by  which  they,  as  a  people,  had  been 
distinguished.  Thus  were  they  utterly  indisposed  to 
welcome  Him  who  appeared  in  lowliness  and  poverty  as 
the  Plope  of  Israel,  and  who  proclaimed  the  reign  of 
God  in  the  human  heart, — the  dominion  of  humble, 
holy  love,  breathed  into  the  soul  by  God  Himself,  and 
sustained  by  His  own  powerful  influence. 

Among  the  religious  sects  which  were  prominent 
among  the  Jews  Avhen  the  Messiah  appeared,  that  of 
the  Pharisees  held  the  most  distinguished  place.  The 
members  of  this  sect  enjoyed  the  esteem  of  the  people 
generally,  and  were  by  many  regarded  even  with  vene- 
ration, on  account  of  their  external  sanctity,  and  their 
exact  observance  of  all  the  rites  of  the  Mosaic  law. 
These  they  studied  with  minute  care  ;  and  instead  of 
entering  into  the  spiritual  meaning  of  many  of  the 
precepts  and  promises  of  the  ancient  revelation,  they 
laid  the  chief  stress  on  outward  things,  and  even  added 
to  the  yoke  which  had  been  laid  upon  their  fathers. 
They  gloried,  as  indeed  did  all  the  Jews,  in  their  rela- 
tion  to  Abraham,  and  in  tiie   badge  of   that  covenant 


AT  THE  redeemer's  ADVENT.  69 

whicli  God  had  established  with  their  race.  But  they 
were,  for  the  most  part,  destitute  of  earnest  religious 
feeling,  and  their  acts  of  worship  were  rendered  valueless 
by  the  absence  of  a  profound  regard  to  God,  and  an 
intense  desire  to  enjoy  His  friendship,  and  to  be  con- 
formed to  His  purity  and  goodness.  In  too  many  instances, 
they  were  chargeable  with  gross  hypocrisy  :  for  while 
they  adhered  with  scrupulous  exactness  to  the  minutest 
ceremonial  injunctions,  they  evaded  the  great  moral 
precepts  of  the  law,  and  committed  acts  of  injustice 
and  oppression.  Their  "  righteousness"  was  thus  essen- 
tially defective,  and  the  hopes  which  they  built  upon 
it  were  utterly  fallacious.''*  They  had  yet  to  learn  that 
poverty  of  spirit  is  the  first  characteristic  of  the  truly 
pious,  and  that  the  utter  renunciation  of  self-dependence 
must  precede  the  attainment  of  inward  peace  and  moral 
loveliness.  They  had  yet  to  learn  that  the  true  attitude 
of  the  human  spirit  in  its  approaches  to  the  Most  High, 
is  that  of  lowly  and  penitent  confession,  and  that  even 
the  joys  of  pardon,  and  the  sacred  hopes  which  rise 
within  the  breast  of  the  restored  sinner,  will  be  com- 
bined with  a  deep  consciousness  of  entire  and  constant 
dependence  on  the  grace  of  God. 

The  sect  of.  the  Sadducees  included  many  persons  of 
wealth  and  influence,  but  did  not  enjoy  that  high 
reputation  among  the  people  in  which  the  Phaiisees 
were  held.  The  principles  of  this  sect  could  not  fail  to 
be  repulsive  to  every  mind  distinguished  by  moral 
earnestness,  and  a  vivid  consciousness  of  religious  need. 
While  the  authority  of  Moses,  as  a  divinely  commissioned 
teacher  and  legislator,  was  respected  and  maintained, 
*  Matthew  v.  20. 


70  STATE    OP    THE    WORLD 

several  of  the  most  momentous  truths  implied  in  his 
flrritings,  and  essential  to  religion  under  every  dispensa- 
tion, were  called  in  question  or  denied.  The  conscious 
existence  of  the  human  spirit  in  a  future  state,  and  the 
resun-ection  of  the  body,  were  treated  as  erroneous  and 
visionary  doctrines  ;*  nor  did  the  members  of  this  sect 
admit  the  existence  of  angels,  or  contemplate  this  world 
as  a  scene  of  interest  and  instruction  to  other  orders  of 
rational  beings.t  Communion  with  God,  and  a  realising 
con  taction  of  His  special  providential  care,  were  altogether 
alien  from  their  habits  of  thought  and  feeUng;  and  their 
religion  was  confined  to  the  acknowledgment  of  Jehovah 
as  the  one  God, — the  observance  of  the  law,  understood 
after  their  own  way, — and  the  maintenance  of  integrity 
and  faithfulness  in  theix  intercourse  with  their  fellow-men. 
There  was  another  sect  found  at  this  time  among  the 
Jews,  though  not  so  prominent  as  either  of  those  which 
we  have  just  considered.  The  members  of  it  were  known 
as  the  Essenes  ;  and  their  principles  involved  a  strange 
mixture  of  truth  and  error, — of  that  which  is  amiable 
and  attractive  in  the  human  character,  with  that  which 
is  injurious  and  repulsive.  They  revered  the  Scriptures, 
but  interpreted  them  in  an  allegorical  manner;  they 
held  firmly  the  doctrine  of  the  immortality  of  the  soul, 
observed  the  holy  Sabbath  with  the  greatest  strictness, 
and  assigned  the  highest  importance  to  universal  rectitude 
and  fidelity ;  but  they  were  in  bondage  to  several  ascetic 
observances, — they  would  only  partake  of  food  prepared 
within  their  own  sect, — and  most  of  them  rejected  mar- 
riage as  inconsistent  with  the  lofty  purity  to  which  they 
aspired.  Though  they  shrunk  from  the  contamination 
*  Matthew  xxii.  23—33.  f  -^cts  xxiii.  8. 


AT    THE    REDEEMER  S    ADVENT.  t  1 

of  great  cities,  they  did  not  wholly  separate  themselves 
from  the  world ;  they  engaged  in  agriculture  and  the 
arts  of  peace,  but  only  to  furnish  themselves  with  the 
means  of  subsistence,  and  to  enable  them  to  contribute 
to  the  necessities  of  others ;   and  they  applied  them- 
selves to  the  study  and    practice    of  medicine.     They 
honoured  the  temple,  and  sent  gifts  to  it ;  but  did  not 
themselves  frequent  its  services,  either  through  certain 
peculiar  views  which  they  held,  relative  to  the  sacrifices 
of   the    Mosaic  law,    or  because    they    regarded    it  as 
profaned  by  the  vices  of  some  who  wei'e  employed  in  its 
duties.     Many  members  of  this  sect  were  doubtless  men 
of  sincere  and  earnest  religious  feeling  ;  but  they  were 
misled  by  the  mystical  and  ascetic  bent  of  their  spirits, 
and  failed  to  present  the  lovely  spectacle  of  that  humble 
piety  which  embraces  the  revelation  of  God  in  its  sim- 
pUcity  and  fulness,  observes  with  reverence  and  love  all 
His  requirements,  and  yet  does  not  add  to  the  restraints 
of  His  law,  nor   aspire  to  peculiar  merit  by  renouncing 
that  which  He  allows  and  sanctions. 

It  was  an  important  feature  of  the  period  in  which 
the  Lord  Jesus  appeared  in  our  world,  that  the  Jewish 
people  were  widely  diffused  among  the  nations,  and, 
under  the  tolerant  government  of  Rome,  had  established 
a  synagogue  in  most  of  the  cities  of  that  vast  empire, 
where  the  law  and  the  prophets  were  read  every  Sabbath- 
day.  The  great  truths  of  the  revelation  confided  to 
them  were  thus  held  forth,  at  least  to  some  extent,  to 
the  view  of  mankind.  Amidst  the  pomp  and  splendour 
of  pagan  worship,  the  chosen  people  unostentatiously 
maintained  the  doctrine  that  Jehovah  is  the  only  true 
God, — exhibited    the  great  precepts   of  His  law, — and 


72  STATE   OP    THE    WORLD 

made  prominent  the  hope  of  an  illustrious  Restorer,  in 
whom  all  the  nations  of  the  earth  should  be  blessed. 
Their  synagogues  were  thrown  open  to  Gentile  wor- 
shippers ;  and  some,  in  every  land,  who  had  not  sub- 
mitted to  circumcision,  nor  taken  upon  themselves  the 
observance  of  the  ritual  law,  were  yet  accustomed  to 
assemble  with  them,  to  avow  their  faith  in  the  living 
God,  and  to  receive  instruction  from  His  holy  word. 
Thus  were  they  prepared  to  listen  to  the  message  of 
mercy,  which  the  ambassadors  of  the  crucified  but  risen 
Saviour  were,  at  length,  commissioned  to  address  to  them ; 
and  many  of  this  class  were  gathered  into  the  earliest 
Christian  churches,  and  were  found  among  the  most 
devoted  and  steadfast  professors  of  the  name  of  Jesus.* 

The  condition  of  the  heathen  world,  at  the  time  of  the 
Redeemer's  advent,  exhibited  many  points  of  deep 
interest.  It  was  an  age  of  refinement,  of  literary 
culture,  and  of  great  advancement  in  the  arts  which 
embellish  life.  But  it  was  an  age,  also,  of  widely-spread 
corruption,  of  unblushing  sensuality,  and  of  cruel  oppres- 
sion. The  state  of  morals,  among  the  most  polished 
nations,  must  appear  xitterly  revolting  to  every  mind 
accustomed  to  estimate  character  on  the  principles  of 
the  Gospel.  It  is  impossible  to  read  the  polite  literature 
of  Rome,  without  a  melancholy  impression,  that  the  tone 
of  public  feeling,  in  relation  to  sensual  indulgences,  was 
fearfully  depraved  and  low :  and  we  cannot  but  perceive, 
how  just  and  appropriate  are  the  words  of  the  inspired 
apostle,  that  the  heathen  of  his  day  "  had  given  them- 
selves over  unto  lasciviousness,  to  work  all  imcleanness 
with  greediness." t  There  was  an  utter  insensibility  to 
*  Acts  passim.  f  Ephesians  iv.  1 9. 


AT    THE    REDEEMERS    ADVENT. 


73 


human  suffering,  and,  in  many  cases,  an  eager  appetite 
for  spectacles  of  blood.  Who  can  think  of  the  shows 
of  gladiators,  and  the  vast  concourse  of  educated  persons, 
and  even  of  Roman  ladies,  that  attended  them,  without 
shuddering  at  the  callousness  of  heart  which  distin- 
guished the  people  of  that  age,  even  in  the  very  centre 
of  civilisation,  the  metropoHs  of  the  world ! 

The  systems  of  religion  which  then  prevailed,  instead 
of  correcting  and  restraining  the  vicious  tendencies  of 
our  nature,  served  rather  to  excite  and  strengthen  them, 
and  especially  to  foster  the  love  of  sensual  gratification. 
The  supposed  deities  whom  the  mass  of  the  people 
worshipped,  were  the  creatures  of  an  impure  imagination 
and  a  depraved  heart.  Their  character,  generally 
speaking,  combined  the  elements  of  ambition,  jealousy, 
revenge,  and  lust;  and  few  of  them  exhibited  any 
redeeming  quality.  The  popular  mythology  was  thus 
calculated  to  lower  the  tone  of  moral  feeling,  by  setting 
before  the  view  of  the  masses  personifications  of  all  that 
is  impure  and  malignant,  as  the  objects  of  adoration 
and  trust.  Some  of  the  festivals,  also,  which  the  religions 
of  paganism  enjoined,  terminated  in  general  licentious- 
ness; and  thus  the  sanction  of  that  power,  which  ought 
to  control  the  appetites  of  man,  and  to  frown  upon 
every  departure  from  purity,  was  given  to  indulgences 
to  which,  alas !  his  fallen  nature  is  too  prone,  and  which 
often  exert  an  enchaining  and  fascinating  influence  over 
their  votaries,  until  the  terrible  retribution  comes  on  of 
exhaustion  and  premature  decay  ! 

The  popular  mythology,  indeed,  had  long  ceased  to 
retain  its  hold  on  the  convictions  of  the  more  intellectual 
and  cultivated  men  of  Greece  and  Rome.      But  this 


ti  STATE   OF    THE   WORLD 

affiected  not  the  condition  of  the  mass  of  the  people. 
Even  if  the  speculations  of  philosophy  had  been  coiTect 
and  valuable  in  themselves,  they  would  have  contributed 
very  little  to  scatter  the  darkness  in  which  mankind 
generally  were  involved.  In  few  instances  were  they 
carried  beyond  the  select  circle.  The  philosophers  of 
that  day  put  forth  no  efforts  to  communicate  to  the 
multitude  the  sentiments  which  they  had  themselves 
embraced.  It  was  not  until  Christianity  appeared,  that 
the  world  beheld  the  spectacle  of  men  who  held  great 
religious  truths  with  thoughtful  earnestness,  and  felt  the 
power  of  them  in  their  own  hearts,  going  forth  amidst 
scorn,  and  obloquy,  and  persecution,  to  press  these  truths 
on  the  attention  of  all  men,  and  to  leaven  with  them  the 
entire  mass  of  mankind.  So  far,  indeed,  were  the  sages 
of  Greece  and  Rome  from  attempting  to  correct  and 
banish  the  popular  errors,  that  they  themselves  conformed 
to  the  superstitious  practices  which  they  secretly  regarded 
with  contempt. 

But  the  speculations  of  philosophy  were,  for  the  most 
part,  vain  and  misleading;  and  the  wisest  among  the 
heathen  had  only  imperfect  and  fluctuating  apprehensions 
of  truth.  The  Epicurean  system  involved  great  and 
fearful  errors,  and  was  utterly  unsuited  to  meet  the 
cravings  of  a  thouglitful  and  earnest  mind,  that  felt  its 
need  of  something  higher  and  more  satisfying  than  the 
pleasures  of  earth.  It  acknowledged  the  existence  of 
deities,  but  ascribed  to  them  the  human  form  as  the 
noblest  with  which  man  is  acquainted,  and  represented 
them  as  free  from  all  care  and  solicitude  about  the 
world  which  we  inhabit.  They  sat  on  high  in  calm  and 
tranquil  dignity,  and  left  the  course  of  human  affairs  to 


AT  THE  redeemer's  ADVENT.  75 

proceed,  without  interposing  to  assert  the  supremacy  of 
rectitude,  or  to  succour  individual  men  who  sought  their 
protection  and  blessing.  The  Stoical  philosophy  was 
essentially  pantheistic.  It  deified  the  universe  itself, 
and  regarded  all  events  as  the  result  of  necessary  causes 
operating  from  eternity.  The  history  of  the  world  thus 
presented  only  a  succession  of  periodical  changes;  and 
the  life  of  each  individual  became  an  aimless  sport  in 
the  necessary  revolutions.  This  philosophy  sanctioned 
the  popular  religion,  but  interpreted  it  in  an  allegorical 
manner,  and  thus  sought  to  bring  it  into  harmony  with 
pantheistic  principles.  A  cold  indifference  to  the  events 
of  life  was  elevated  to  the  rank  of  an  important  virtue ; 
and  the  human  spirit,  formed  to  seek  communion  with 
its  Father  in  heaven,  and  to  find  repose  and  joy  in  the 
assurance  of  His  care  and  love,  was  taught  to  resign 
itself  to  its  destiny,  whatever  it  might  be,  as  required  by 
the  periodical  changes  of  the  universe.  The  Platonic 
j^hilosophy,  in  its  several  modifications,  placed  before  the 
view  of  men  an  intelligent  Being,  distinct  from  the 
universe  which  He  had  arranged.  But  this  Supreme 
Spirit  was  almost  unapproachable  by  man.  It  required 
an  absorption  of  the  mind  from  all  worldly  and  sensible 
objects,  to  rise  to  communion  with  Him.  Created 
spirits,  possessed  of  powers  and  resources  far  above  those 
of  man,  were  thought  to  occupy  the  space  that  separated 
the  primal  essence  from  the  human  mind,  fettered  by  its 
union  with  matter,  and  having  to  strive  incessantly  to 
prepare  itself  for  a  nobler  and  purer  state  of  existence. 
These  spirits  were  regarded  as  proper  objects  of  religious 
homage;  and  thus  even  the  Platonic  philosophy  sanc- 
tioned the  polytheism   of  the  multitude.     It  elevated. 


76  STATE   OF    THE    WORLD 

indeed,  the  thoughts  and  feelings  of  many  minds,  formed 
to  sympathise  with  that  which  is  noble  and  refined ;  but 
it  was  utterly  powerless  to  correct  the  evils  of  the 
world,  or  lead  man  to  the  true  knowledge  of  God. 

Such  was  the  state  of  the  western  world,  in  respect  of 
religious  knowledge  and  worship,  at  the  time  of  the 
Redeemer's  advent.  The  schools  of  philosophy  estab- 
lished in  Greece  and  Rome,  and  the  disciples  of  which 
were  found  in  every  direction,  occupied  themselves  with 
speculations  relative  to  the  Divine  nature, — the  powers 
that  govern  this  world, — and  the  destiny  of  the  human 
spirit.  But  while  some  rays  of  light — derived,  perhaps, 
from  the  testimony  which  the  ancient  people  of  God 
bore,  in  almost  every  land,  to  the  existence  of  an 
Almighty  Creator  and  Ruler  of  the  universe — occasionally 
flashed  on  many  thoughtful  minds;  that  light,  if  it  did 
not  lead  tliem  to  mingle  in  the  worship  of  the  synagogue, 
remained  partial  and  feeble,  and  was  obscured  by  errors 
which  greatly  interfered  with  its  practical  effect.  The 
spirit  of  the  ancient  philosophy  was  utterly  at  variance 
with  the  humility,  and  childlike  dependence  on  the 
Most  High,  which  distinguish  the  people  of  Christ.  It 
did  not  bring  man  near  to  God;  it  did  not  teach  him 
to  seek  communion  with  the  Eternal  One  in  all  the  inter- 
course and  engagements  of  life ;  it  did  not  set  forth  His 
friendship  as  the  joy  and  solace  of  the  human  spirit;  and 
it  did  not  affirm  the  momentous  truth,  that  all  the  moral 
excellence  of  man  is  derived  from  the  influence  of  God 
Himself  upon  the  soul,  and  can  only  be  maintained  by 
walking  humbly  with  Him.  It  left  the  fearful  evils  of  the 
woi'ld  to  accumulate  and  gather  strength;  and  abandoned 
the  masses  to  the  dominion  of  superstition,  or  to  a  cold 


AT  THE  REDEEMEe's  ADVENT.  77 

and  careless  scepticism.  But  when  the  utmost  efforts  of 
philosophy  had  failed, — when,  "  in  the  wisdom  of  God, 
the  world  by  wisdom  knew  not  God,"* — it  pleased  Him 
that  from  the  seed  of  Abraham  the  promised  Deliverer 
should  arise,  to  shed  a  clear  and  steady  light  on  His 
perfections  and  government,  and  to  confer  spiritual 
blessings  on  all  the  nations  of  the  earth.  From  the 
obscurity  of  Bethlehem  and  Nazareth,  that  illustrious 
Teacher  came  forth,  "whose  goings  forth  had  been  from 
of  old,  even  from  everlasting ;"  t  and  to  whose  mind  the 
mysterious  depths  of  the  Divine  nature,  and  the  realities 
of  the  invisible  world,  Avere  known  and  familiar.  His 
brief  and  comprehensive  sayings  poured  a  flood  of  light 
on  subjects  which  the  profoundest  minds  of  the  heathen 
world  had  been  imable  to  explain.  But  He  appeared  as 
"the  Man  of  sorrows;"  and  it  was  not  until  He  had 
passed  through  the  anguish  of  the  garden  and  the  cross, 
and  risen  again  to  confirm  the  faith  of  all  His  followers, 
that  the  message  of  peace  and  salvation  through  His 
name,  could  be  sent  forth  to  the  whole  family  of  man.j 
But  now  that  message  is  to  be  addressed  to  every  human 
mind;  and  the  humblest  of  our  race — those  who 
have  to  toil  without  intermission  for  "the  bread  that 
perisheth,"  and  whom  the  ancient  philosophy  would 
have  neglected  or  despised — may  rise,  through  Christ, 
to  the  loftiest  wisdom;  and  the  sorrowful  spirit,  torn 
with  the  anguish  of  conscious  guilt,  or  weighed  down  by 
the  afflictions  and  bereavements  of  life,  may  find  in 
Christ  an  unfailing  refuge,  and  be  cheered  by  the 
communication  of  heavenly  comfort  and  strength. 


*  1  Corinthians  i.  21.  f  Micah  v.  2.  +  Luke  xxiv.  4(5,  47. 


THE    LIFE   ASD    MINISTRY 


CHAPTER  II. 

THE  BIRTH  OF  THE  REDEEMER. HIS  EARLY  LIFE  ON 

EARTH. 

It  was  the  plan  of  infinite  wisdom,  that  the  appear- 
ance of  the  Messiah  should  be  immediately  preceded  by 
that  of  a  distinguished  prophet,  who  should  act  as  His 
harbinger,  and  direct  to  Him  the  faith  and  hope  of  men. 
This  arrangement  was  eminently  calculated  to  do 
honour  to  the  Redeemer,  It  served  to  awaken  the 
expectation  of  every  thoughtful  mind,  and  to  mark  the 
transcendent  dignity  of  Him  whose  way  was  thus  to  be 
prepared.  In  the  writings  of  the  prophets,  several  inti- 
mations had  been  given  of  this  purpose  of  the  Divine 
mind ;  *  and,  at  length,  when  the  time  drew  near  for 
the  great  Restorer  to  come  to  our  world  of  sin  and 
sorrow,  God  interposed  to  raise  up  the  forerunner  of 
His  Son,  and  to  distinguish  even  his  birth  by  circum- 
stances which  tended  to  produce  a  lively  impression  of 
the  character  which  he  should  sustain. 

Among  the  devout  Israelites  who,  in  that  time  of 
general  corruption,  waited  upon  God,  and  earnestly  looked 
for  the  promised  Deliverer,  there  were  an  affectionate 
husband  and  wife,  far  advanced  in  years,  who  had  never 
sustained  the  parental  relation.  Zacharias  and  Elisabeth 
had  long  walked  in  the  fear  of  the  Lord,  and  had 
endeavoured  to  observe  all  His  precepts ;  but  they 
appear  to  have  felt  the  want  of  children,  and  often  had 
*  Isaiah  xl.  3  ;  Malachi  iii.  1 ;  iv.  5,  6. 


OF    THE    REDEEMEK.  79 

they  prayed  to  tlie  Most  High  to  grant  them  that 
blessing,  so  highly  valued  among  the  Hebrew  nation.  * 
Zacharias  was  of  priestly  descent;  and,  as  often  as  his 
tm'n  came  round,  he  gladly  came  up  to  Jerusalem,  to 
perform  his  duties  in  the  temple  of  the  Lord.  While 
he  was  engaged  in  burning  incense,  a  heavenly  messenger 
appeared  to  him,  and  declared,  that  the  petition  which 
he  had  often  addressed  to  (lod  should  be  answered,  and 
that  his  wife  Elisabeth  should  bear  him  a  son,  who 
should  become  a  distinguished  prophet,  and  "in  the 
spirit  and  power  of  Elijah"  should  arouse  a  slumbering 
nation  to  behold  the  long-expected  Messiah,  and  to  listen 
to  His  words  of  grace  and  peace,  f  Zacharias,  astonished 
at  this  announcement,  adverted  to  the  improbabiUty, 
according  to  all  human  considerations,  of  its  accomplish- 
ment ;  and  then  the  angel,  who  had  been  commissioned 
to  assure  him  of  the  gi'acious  purpose  of  the  Most  High, 
confirmed  his  declaration  by  a  sign,  which  served  to 
reprove  his  unbelief,  and  to  convince  both  him  and  all 
around  him,  that  he  had  really  received  a  message  from 
God.  The  power  of  speech  was  taken  from  him,  until 
the  performance  of  the  Divine  engagement ;  and  thus, 
when  he  came  forth  to  the  people,  from  ministering  in 
the  temple,  "  they  perceived  that  he  had  seen  a  vision  ; 
for  he  beckoned  unto  them,  and  remained  speechless."  :|: 
When  the  period  of  his  ministration  expired,  Zacharias 
returned  to  his  house.  Soon  afterwards  Elisabeth  con- 
ceived, and  rejoiced  in  the  goodness  of  the  Most  High, 
which  had  given  her  the  certain  prospect  of  becoming  a 
mother,  and  had  disclosed  to  her  the  exalted  service  to 
which  her  son  would  be  called  ;  and,  at  length,  her  hopes 
*  Luke  i.  5—7,  13.        f  Luke  i.  8—17.        J  Lukei.  18—22. 


80  THE    LIFE   AND    MINISTRY 

were  realised,  and  her  son,  the  joy  of  her  age,  and  the 
harbinger  of  the  great  Restore!*,  Avas  brought  into  the 
world.    The  incidents  which  occurred  at  the  circumcision 
of  the  child,  are  given  at  length  by  the  sacred  historian, 
and  are  well  deserving   of  remembrance.     It  was  the 
wish  of  many  of  the  friends  of  the  family,  that  the  son 
of  Zacharias  should  bear  his  own  name ;  but  Elisabeth 
interposed,  and,  faithful  to  the  instructions  which  had 
been  given  to  her  husband  by  the  heavenly  messenger, 
insisted  that  he  should  be  called  John, — a  name  expres- 
sive of  the  grace  and  favour  of  Jehovah  which  had  been 
shown   to  them,  and  indeed   to   the  people   of  Israel 
generally,  in  the  gift  of  this  child.*     The  subject  was 
referred  to  the  decision  of  Zachai'ias  ;  and  he,  calling 
for  a  writing-table,  simply  and  distinctly  wrote,  "His 
name  is  John."     Immediately  his  speech  was  restored 
to  him  ;  and  being  "  filled  with  the  Holy  Ghost,"  he 
gave  utterance  to   a  sublime   hymn   of  praise,    which, 
viewed  in  connexion  with  the  circumstances  under  which 
it  was  delivered,  arrested  the  attention  of  all  around, 
and  induced  them  to  exclaim,  "  What  manner  of  child 
shall  this  be  ! "  t     In  the  h}Tnn  in  question,  Zachaiias, 
like  a  devout  man  who  had  long  placed  his  hope  on  the 
coming  Messiah,  dwelt  with  absorbing  interest  on  the 
blessings  which  He  should  dispense,  and  on  the  goodness 
of  God  in  the  approaching  fulfilment  of  the  promise 
which  He  had  made  unto  their  fathers.     The  Redeemer 
to  arise  in  the  house  of  David,  was  the  theme  of  his 
loftiest  praises  ;  and  the  mission  of  his  son  was  adverted 
to,  only  as  that  which  should  prepare  the  way   of  an 
infinitely  higher  Prophet.     It  was  the  great  Deliverer 
*  Luke  i.  60,  compared  with  verses  13,  14.     f  Luke  i.  (J2 — 66. 


OF    THE    REDEEMER.  81 

Himself,  who  was  to  shed  the  Hght  of  life  upon  our  dark 
and  sinful  world,  to  rescue  us  from  the  power  of  our 
spiritual  foes,  and  to  enable  us  to  serve  God  in  holiness 
and  righteousness,  without  any  oppressive  dread,  and 
under  the  sweet  attraction  of  filial  love.  That  Deliverer 
is  brought  before  us,  in  this  inspired  hymn,  in  all  the 
glory  of  universal  dominion  and  eternal  Deity.  We  are 
taught  to  contemplate  Him  as  the  Lord, — the  Most 
High  ;  though,  in  order  to  redeem  us.  He  should  ally 
Himself  to  our  nature,  and  become  the  offspring  of  David. 
"  And  his  father  Zaeharias  was  filled  with  the  Holy 
Ghost,  and  prophesied,  saying,  Blessed  be  the  Lord  God 
of  Israel ;  for  He  hath  visited  and  redeemed  His  people, 
and  hath  raised  up  an  horn  of  salvation  for  us  in  the 
house  of  His  servant  David ;  as  He  spake  by  the  mouth 
of  His  holy  prophets,  which  have  been  since  the  world 
began  :  that  we  should  be  saved  from  our  enemies,  and 
from  the  hand  of  all  that  hate  us  ;  to  perform  the  mercy 
promised  to  our  fathers,  and  to  remember  His  holy 
covenant  ;  the  oath  which  He  sware  to  our  father 
Abraham,  that  He  would  grant  unto  us,  that  we  being 
delivered  out  of  the  hand  of  our  enemies  might  serve 
Him  without  fear,  in  holiness  and  righteousness  before 
Him,  all  the  days  of  our  life.  And  thou,  child,  shalt  be 
called  the  prophet  of  the  Highest :  for  thou  shalt  go 
before  the  face  of  the  Lord  to  prepare  His  ways  ;  to 
give  knowledge  of  salvation  unto  His  people  by  the 
remission  of  their  sins,  through  the  tender  mercy  of  our 
God  ;  whereby  the  dayspring  from  on  high  hath  visited 
us,  to  give  light  to  them  that  sit  in  darkness  and  in  the 
shadow  of  death,  to  guide  our  feet  into  the  Avay  of  peace."* 

•  Luke  i.  67—79. 
G 


82  THE    LIFE   AND    MINISTRY 

But  about  three  months  before  the  birth  of  John,  a 
far  higher  event  took  place,  even  the  concej^tion  of  the 
sinless  humanity  of  our  Lord.  The  family  of  David, 
from  which  the  Messiah  was  to  spring,  was  now  in  a 
depressed  state  ;  and  among  the  descendants  of  that 
illustrious  house,  the  wisdom  of  God  fixed  upon  a  poor 
but  pious  virgin,  betrothed  to  a  holy  man,  who  also  was 
of  the  line  of  David,  to  be  the  mother  of  Him,  for  whose 
coming  so  lengthened  a  series  of  preparations  had  been 
made,  and  in  whom  all  the  nations  of  the  earth  wei'e  to 
be  blessed.  Mary,  the  humble  woman  on  whom  this 
distinction  was  conferred,  resided  in  the  insignificant 
town  of  Nazareth  in  Galilee.*  When  the  angel  Gabriel 
announced  to  her  the  gracious  purpose  of  the  Most  High 
towards  her,  and  declared  the  unearthly  dignity  of  the 
Son  whom  she  should  bear,  though  yet  a  virgin,  through 
the  immediate  agency  of  God, — her  faith  embraced  the 
promise ;  and,  trusting  her  reputation  to  Him  who 
governs  all  things,  she  exclaimed,  "  Behold  the  handmaid 
of  the  Lord  ;  be  it  unto  me  according  to  thy  word."  The 
declaration  of  the  heavenly  messenger  relative  to  the 
Ofispring  of  Mary,  afforded  the  loftiest  views  of  His  per- 
sonal dignity  and  official  greatness.  He  was  to  be  "the  Son 
of  God,"  though  clothed  in  the  lowly  form  of  humanity; — 
He  was  to  be  free  from  every  stain  of  moral  defilement ; 
— His  name  was  to  be  called  Jesus,  God  the  Saviour,  to 
intimate  at  once  His  Divine  glory  and  the  gracious 
purpose  for  which  He  appeared  on  earth ; — He  was  to  be 
enthroned  over  the  true  Israel  of  God;  —  and  His 
kingdom,  unlike  the  empires  of  the  earth,  was  never  to 
pass  away.t 

*  Luke  i.  26,  27.  f  Luke  i.  30—38. 


OF    THE    REDEEMER.  83 

Here  we  may  pause,  and  with  adoring  reverence 
contemplate  the  ways  of  God.  The  miraculous  conception 
of  our  Lord's  humanity  was  necessary  to  the  economy  of 
redemption.  The  Deliverer  of  men  was  to  come  "in 
the  likeness  of  sinful  flesh/'  He  was  to  assume  our 
nature  in  a  state  of  humiliation  and  lowliness;  He  was 
to  be  a  sharer  of  our  weakness,  temptations,  and 
sorrows;  but  He  was  to  be  free  from  every  stain,  and 
not  to  participate  in  the  guilt  and  corruption  of  our  race. 
All  this  was  provided  for  by  the  wisdom  and  power  of 
God.  The  Messiah  was  emphatically  "  the  Seed  of  the 
woman."  He  alone,  of  all  who  have  been  born  into  this 
world,  was  conceived  of  woman  only,  through  the  imme- 
diate power  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  Thus  He  stood  not  in 
the  same  relation  to  Adam  in  which  we  stand;  and 
while  He  came  in  the  utter  weakness  of  infancy.  His 
humanity  was  free  from  the  least  contact  of  evil,  and 
He  ever  remained  "holy,  harmless,  undefiled,  and 
separate  from  sinners."  It  Avas  only  a  nature  thus  pure 
and  hallowed  that  the  Eternal  Son  could  assume  into  a 
personal  union  with  Himself;  and  as  we  dwell  on  the 
circumstances  which  distinguished  His  coming  into  the 
woi'ld,  we  are  led  with  the  evangelist  to  triumph  in 
Him,  as  "Emmanuel,  God  with  us."'^ 

The  first  impulse  of  Joseph,  when  he  perceived  the 
situation  of  her  to  whom  he  had  been  contracted,  was 
to  put  her  away  in  the  most  private  manner  which  the 
law  allowed,  since  his  gentle  spirit  caused  him  to  shrink 
from  the  thought  of  making  her  a  public  example. 
But  while  he  was  reflecting  on  these  things,  an  angel  of 

*  Matthew  i.  22,  23.  See  also  Romans  viii.  3 ;  2  Corinthians 
V.  21 ;  Hebrews  vii.  26—28. 

G  2 


84  THE   LIFE   AND   MINISTRY 

(lod  appeared  to  him  in  a  dream,  to  assure  him  of  the 
imiocence  of  Mary,  and  unfold  to  him  the  purpose  of 
the  Most  High,  that  she  should  become  the  mother  of 
the  long-expected  Saviour,  whose  humanity  had  been 
produced  within  her  by  the  agency  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 
Joseph  accepted,  with  cheerful  confidence  and  gratitude, 
the  charge  which  Divine  wisdom  assigned  to  him;  and 
taking  Mary  to  his  own  house,  he  became  the  reputed 
father  of  the  adorable  Jesus,  though  his  intercourse 
wdth  Mary,  at  least  until  the  birth  of  her  distinguished 
Son,  was  that  only  of  her  protector  and  friend.'* 

In  the  series  of  prophetic  announcements  relative  to 
the  Messiah,  it  had  been  expressly  declared,  that  He 
should  be  born  in  Bethlehem  of  Judaea;  and  the 
providence  of  God,  which  can  never  want  means  to 
fulfil  the  purposes  of  His  infinite  wisdom,  arranged  to 
accomplish  this.  Joseph  and  Mary  resided  at  Nazareth ; 
but  an  order  was  issued  from  Rome  that  a  general 
census  should  be  made  of  the  inhabitants  of  the  empire, 
with  its  dependent  states.  In  obedience  to  this  decree, 
they  proceeded  to  Bethlehem,  the  city  of  David,  that 
their  names  might  be  enrolled  there,  since  they  were 
both  descended  from  that  illusti'ious  monarch  of  Israel, 
though  now  found  in  lowly  circumstances.  Bethlehem 
was,  at  that  time,  filled  with  visiters;  and  the  humble 
pair  were  obliged  to  put  up  with  the  mean  accom- 
modation of  a  stable  belonging  to  an  inn.t  It  was 
here  that  the  Messiah  was  born;  and  He  whom  angels 
adored,  and  at  whose  bidding  universal  nature  rose 
into  existence,  condescended  to  ally  Himself  to  our  race 
in  these  circumstances  of  weakness  and  humiliation. 
*  Matthew  i.  18—25.  f  Luke  ii.  1—7. 


OF    THE    REDEEMER.  85 

But  the  advent  of  the  Redeemer,  though  thus  destitute 
of  worldly  splendoui',  was  distinguished  by  incidents 
which  tended  to  fix  upon  Him  the  attention  of  every 
thoughtful  and  spiritual  mind.  Even  when  He  thus 
appeared  in  the  utter  weakness  of  infancy,  and  in  out- 
ward lowliness  and  depi'ession.  He  was  honoured  by  the 
arrangements  of  the  Eternal  Father.  The  first  of  the 
incidents  referred  to  occurred  on  the  very  night  of  His 
nativity.  Some  pious  shepherds,  who  were  watching 
over  their  flocks  in  the  open  field,  received  from  a 
heavenly  messenger  the  tidings  of  the  Saviour's  birth; 
and  to  confirm  their  faith,  they  were  told,  that  they 
should  find  the  babe  in  the  city  of  David,  "  wrapped  in 
swaddling-clothes,  lying  in  a  manger."  Cheering  and 
delightful  was  the  announcement  which  was  made  by 
the  angel  to  these  members  of  the  house  of  Israel;  and 
his  words  have  often  refreshed  the  minds  of  men  in 
succeeding  ages,  who  have  felt  the  burden  of  their  sins, 
and  sighed  for  deliverance  and  peace.  "  Fear  not ;  for, 
behold,  I  bring  you  good  tidings  of  great  joy,  which 
shall  be  to  all  people.  For  unto  you  is  born  this  day, 
in  the  city  of  David,  a  Saviour,  which  is  Christ  the 
Lord."  *  And  then,  to  honour  still  more  the  infant 
Saviour,  a  multitude  of  the  heavenly  host  appeared,  and 
chanted  the  sweet  and  joyful  words,  "  Glory  to  God  in 
the  highest,  and  on  earth  peace,  good  will  toward  men."  + 
Long  had  the  angelic  hosts  contemplated  the  Divine 
administration  of  our  world,  and  marked,  with  deep  and 
earnest  interest,  the  preparations  for  the  manifestation 
of  the  gi'eat  Restorer;  and  when,  at  length,  He  appeared, 
— when  THE  Son  condescended  to  clothe  Himself  with 
*  Luke  ii.  10,  11.  f  Luke  ii.  13,  14. 


86  THE    LIFE    AND    MINISTRY 

our  humanity,  and  to  come  into  our  world,  in  circum- 
stances of  outward  humiliation  and  poverty,  —  they 
beheld  in  this  event  the  first  great  act  of  that  wondrous 
scheme  of  redemption,  which  was  to  show  forth,  through- 
out eternity,  the  perfections  of  the  Most  High.  The 
shepherds,  astonished  and  grateful,  resolved  at  once  to 
proceed  to  Bethlehem ;  and,  coming  with  haste,  "  they 
found  Mary,  and  Joseph,  and  the  babe  lying  in  a 
manger.  And  when  they  had  seen  it,  they  made  known 
abroad  the  saying  which  was  told  them  concerning  this 
child.  And  all  they  that  heard  it,  wondered  at  those 
things  which  were  told  them  by  the  shepherds.  But 
Mary  kept  all  these  things,  and  pondered  them  in  her 
heart."  * 

The  next  incident  alluded  to  occurred  when  Joseph 
and  Mary  came  up  to  Jerusalem,  to  present  the  infant 
Jesus,  as  the  first-born,  in  the  temple,  and  to  ofier,  on 
behalf  of  His  mother,  the  required  sacrifice,  now  that 
the  days  of  her  purification  were  accomplished.  Among 
those  who  were  accustomed  to  frequent  the  temple- 
services,  was  an  aged  and  holy  man,  of  the  name  of 
Simeon,  who  "waited,"  with  earnest  desire  and  hope, 
"for  the  Consolation  of  Israel;"  and  to  whom  it  had 
been  revealed,  that  he  should  not  die  until  he  had  seen 
the  Anointed  of  Jehovah.  The  character  of  Simeon 
appears  to  have  commanded  the  respect  of  all  who 
knew  him;  for  he  was  faithful  in  the  discharge  of  all 
his  duties  towards  men,  as  well  as  anxious  to  maintain  a 
close  walk  with  God.t  Largely  did  he  enjoy  the  inward 
comfort  of  piety;  and  instead  of  anticipating  eternity 
with  dread,  he  felt  that,  if  he  could  only  behold  the 
*  Luke  ii.  15—19.  f  Luke  ii.  25. 


OF    THE    REDEEMER.  87 

Messiah  in  the  flesh,  his  last  remaining  wish  as  to 
earth  would  be  gratified,  and  he  could  cheerfully  depart 
to  his  heavenly  home.  This  eminent  servant  of  God 
came  up  to  the  temple,  under  the  special  impulse  of  the 
Holy  Spirit,  at  the  very  time  that  Joseph  and  Mary 
appeared  there  with  the  infant  Jesus;  and,  taking  the 
child  in  his  arms,  he  blessed  God,  and  said,  "  Lord,  now 
lettest  Thou  Thy  servant  depart  in  peace,  according  to 
Thy  word :  for  mine  eyes  have  seen  Thy  salvation,  which 
Thou  hast  prepared  before  the  face  of  all  people;  a 
light  to  hghten  the  Gentiles,  and  the  glory  of  Thy 
people  Israel."'"'  Then,  turning  to  the  honoured  Mary, 
who  with  Joseph  had  listened  to  his  thanksgiving  with 
silent  and  grateful  admiration,  he  added  the  emphatic 
words,  "  Behold,  this  child  is  set  for  the  fall  and  rising 
again  of  many  in  Israel ;  and  for  a  sign  which  shall  be 
spoken  against,  (yea,  a  sword  shall  pierce  through  thy 
own  soul  also,)  that  the  thoughts  of  many  hearts  may 
be  revealed."  t  Deep  and  momentous  were  the  truths 
which  this  address  of  the  holy  Simeon  embraced.  He 
recognised  the  Infant  before  him,  as  the  Giver  of 
salvation, — the  Hope  of  Israel, — the  Light  of  the 
world, — the  Hefuge  of  the  sorrowful  and  fainting  spirit. 
But  he  declared,  also,  that  in  His  career  all  was  not  to 
be  bright  and  glorious,  and  free  from  offence  to  the 
world.  There  Avas  to  be  that  in  Hiiu  which  should 
offend  the  pride  of  many  a  lofty  spirit;  and  His  name, 
though  unspeakably  precious  to  all  the  humble  and 
devout,  was  to  become  to  many  the  object  of  dislike  and 
scorn.  Amidst  the  deep  emotions  of  gratitude  which 
filled  the  breast  of  Mary,  now  that  she  presented  in  the 
*  Luke  ii.  29—32.  f  Luke  ii.  34,  35. 


OO  THE   LIFE   AND    MINISTRY 

temple  her  distinguished  Infant,  whom  she  well  knew  to 
be  the  promised  Messiah,  and  the  Saviour  of  the  world, 
another  feeling  was  called  forth  by  the  prophetic  address 
of  the  venerable  Simeon.  He  informed  her,  that  to  her 
there  was  approaching,  in  relation  to  this  her  Son,  an 
hour  of  deepest  sorrow.  "A  sword"  was  to  "pierce 
through  her  soul,"  when  she  should  behold  Him  despised, 
rejected,  crucified.  She  was  to  stand  at  the  foot  of  the 
cross,  and  see  Him  in  whom  she  now  rejoiced,  extended 
there  in  deepest  anguish.  But  the  Redeemer,  as  thus 
crucified  for  man,  was  to  become  the  proper  object  of 
confidence  and  hope;  and  the  reception  or  rejection  of 
Him  was  to  form  the  grand  test  of  character,  and  the 
condition  of  eternal  happiness  or  woe.  "Behold,  this 
child  is  set  for  the  fall  and  rising  again  of  many  in 
Israel;  and  for  a  sign  that  shall  be  spoken  against; — 
that  the  thoughts  of  many  hearts  may  he  revealed.''''  In 
every  age,  the  truths  which  relate  to  the  Lord  Jesus, 
and  the  method  of  salvation  through  faith  in  His  blood, 
have  formed  the  touchstone,  to  which,  in  the  Divine 
administration,  the  characters  of  men  are  brought,  and 
through  which  the  real  moral  state  of  many  hearts  is 
disclosed.  If  thei'e  is  prevailing  worldliness,  or  a  lofty 
pride  of  intellect,  or  an  unwillingness  to  renounce  all 
dependence  on  ourselves,  the  cross  of  Christ  will  repel  us, 
and  we  shall  remain  guilty,  polluted,  and  undone.  But 
if  we  are  humble,  reverent,  dutiful  worshippers  of  God, 
the  plan  of  salvation  through  the  atonement  of  Jesus 
will  be  gratefully  embraced ;  and  then  will  it  disclose  to 
our  expanding  minds  its  riches  of  heavenly  wisdom. 
Such  were  the  sentiments  uttered  by  the  inspired 
Simeon,  as  he  devoutly  recognised  in  the  infant  Jesus 


OF    THE    REDEEMER.  89 

tlie  promised  Messiah.  His  testimony,  doubtless,  pro- 
duced a  deep  impression  on  many  minds;  and  it  was 
confirmed  by  that  of  the  pious  Anna,  a  prophetess,  who, 
"  coming  in  that  instant,  gave  thanks  likewise  unto  the 
Lord,  and  spake  of  Him  to  all  them  that  looked  for 
redemption  in  Jerusalem."  * 

But  the  wisdom  of  God  provided  another  testimony 
to  the  Messiahship  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  while  yet  in  the 
lowliness  of  infancy.  Joseph  and  Mary  had  returned 
from  Jerusalem,  and  had  again  visited  Bethlehem, 
probably  after  a  short  stay  at  Nazareth.  It  may  be 
that  they  were  called  to  Bethlehem  by  some  temporary 
engagements;  or  they  might  have  had  it  in  contemplation 
to  make  that  city  the  place  of  their  permanent  residence. 
At  this  juncture,  some  wise  men  from  the  East,  who, 
though  Gentiles,  appear  to  have  been  worshippers  of  the 
true  God,  and  to  have  looked  forward  with  intei'est  to 
the  appearance  of  the  Messiah,  came  to  Jerusalem,  and 
produced  a  considerable  sensation  by  asking,  where  they 
could  find  the  illustrious  Child  who  had  been  born  to  be 
the  King  of  Israel.  They  explained  the  reason  of  their 
journey,  and  of  their  apparently  strange  inquiry,  to  be, 
that  they  had  seen  a  peculiar  meteor,  which  they  under- 
stood to  betoken  this  great  event;  and  as  they  earnestly 
desired  to  honour  the  distinguished  Sovereign,  and 
enjoy  the  blessings  of  His  reign,  they  had  come  to  do 
homage  to  Him,  though  yet  an  infant.  The  jealous 
temper  of  Herod  was  roused  by  this  occurrence;  and, 
calling  together  the  chief  priests  and  scribes,  he  inquired 
of  them,  where,  according  to  the  declarations  of  the 
prophets,  the  Messiah  should  be  born.  The  reply  of  the 
»  Luke  ii.  38. 


90  THE   LIFE    AND    MINISTRY 

council  was  simple  and  distinct.  They  pointed  Herod 
to  Bethleliem ;  and  referred  him  to  the  well-known 
passage  of  Micah  : — "  But  thou,  Bethlehem  Ephratah, 
though  thou  be  little  among  the  thousands  of  Judah, 
yet  out  of  thee  shall  He  come  forth  unto  me,  that  is  to 
be  Ruler  in  Israel;  whose  goings  forth  have  been  from 
of  old,  from  everlasting."  Having  received  this  answer, 
Herod  sought  a  private  interview  with  the  wise  men,  in 
which  he  inquired  particularly  at  what  time  they  first 
perceived  the  meteor  which  led  them  to  Jerusalem,  and 
sent  them  forward  to  Bethlehem,  to  do  homage  to  the 
young  child,  instructing  them  to  return  to  him,  and  to 
furnish  him  with  accurate  information  of  their  visit,  that 
he  also  might  pay  due  honour  to  so  illustrious  an  Infant. 
The  wise  men  proceeded  to  Bethlehem,  and  being  guided 
by  the  meteor  to  the  very  house  where  Mary  and  her 
child  were,  they  gladly  prosti'ated  themselves  before 
Him,  and,  opening  their  treasures,  "  presented  unto  Him 
gifts,  gold,  and  frankincense,  and  myrrh."'"'  Here  was  a 
beautiful  illustration  of  the  prophetic  statement,  that 
the  Messiah  should  be  "the  Desire  of  all  nations;"  and 
here,  too,  was  an  earnest  of  that  homage  which  the 
Gentile  world  should  be  brought  to  pay  to  its  Saviour 
and  Lord. 

The  request  which  Herod  made  to  the  wise  men,  that 
they  would  return  and  inform  him  of  the  success  of 
their  inquiries  after  the  infant  Messiah,  was  dictated  by 
his  suspicious  and  malignant  temper;  and  was  only 
preparatory  to  the  adoption  of  measures,  to  take  away 
the  life  of  one  whom  he  regarded  as  a  rival  to  his  own 
dignity  and  power.  A  Divine  admonition  caused  them 
*  Matthew  ii.  1—11. 


OF    THE    REDEEMER.  91 

to  disobey  his  order,  and  return  home  by  another  route; 
and  the  guardians  of  the  infant  Saviour  were  also 
directed,  by  an  angel,  to  hasten  with  Him  to  Egypt, 
that  His  life  might  be  secure  from  the  cruel  attempt  of 
the  Jewish  king.  They  obeyed  the  command;  and  thus 
He,  in  whom  all  nations  were  to  be  blessed,  and  who 
was  to  be  the  Head  of  the  spiritual  Israel,  was  nurtured, 
during  a  portion  of  His  infancy,  in  that  land  in  which 
the  ancient  people  of  God  spent  so  many  years  of 
bondage  and  sorrow,  and  from  which  they  were  rescued 
by  the  special  agency  of  the  Most  High.*  Herod, 
incensed  at  the  neglect  of  the  wise  men  to  return  to 
him,  and  the  consequent  disappointment  of  his  hope, 
that  he  should  be  able  to  fix  precisely  on  the  infant 
Sovereign,  and  tenninate  at  once  His  earthly  course, 
issued  an  order  that  all  the  male  children  of  Bethlehem 
and  its  neighbourhood,  who  were  under  the  age  of  two 
years,  should  be  destroyed.  This  sanguinary  edict  was 
in  accordance  with  the  well-known  cruelty  of  his 
character;  and  its  execution  threw  the  deepest  gloom 
over  that  city,  Avhich  had  been  so  recently  honoured  by 
being  made  the  birth-place  of  the  Redeemer  of  mankind. 
The  inspired  historian  beheld  in  this  event  a  renewed 
fulfilment  of  the  remarkable  words  of  the  ancient 
prophet,  who,  by  a  bold  personification,  had  represented 
Rachel  as  rising  from  her  tomb,  to  weep  over  the 
miseries  of  her  descendants,  and  to  sigh  inconsolably  for 
their  captivity  or  death,  f 

The  jealous  and  malignant  Herod  did  not  long  surnve 
this  despotic  act.     He  fell  a  prey  to  a  most  loathsome 

*  Matthew  ii.  12—15.  f  Matthew  ii.  16—18. 


92 


THE    LIFE   AND    MINISTRY 


and  painful  disease  j  and  died  univei'sally  hated  by  his 
subjects  and  attendants.  Joseph,  in  obedience  to  a 
Divine  admonition,  returned  with  Mary  and  her  honoured 
child  to  the  Ploly  Land,  and  again  settled  in  the  town 
of  Nazareth.  Here  the  childhood  and  youth  of  the 
Redeemer  were  passed ;  and  as  Nazareth  was  a  mean 
and  insignificant  place,  He  was  often  called  in  derision, 
the  Nazarene,  by  those  who  refused  to  listen  to  His 
teaching  and  bow  to  His  claims.  Thus,  to  the  appre- 
hension of  the  world.  He  "  gi'ew  up  as  a  root  out  of  a 
dry  ground ;"  and  came  forth,  at  length,  to  the  discharge 
of  His  prophetic  office,  without  any  attraction  of  earthly 
dignity  or  power.* 

It  Avould  have  been  gratifying  to  hviman  curiosity, 
had  the  sacred  historians  furnished  us  with  a  copious 
narrative  of  the  early  life  of  the  Redeemer  on  earth. 
But  the  wisdom  of  God  has  not  judged  it  necessary 
that  the  occurrences  of  His  private  history  should  be 
recorded.  One  incident  only  has  been  handed  dovrn  to 
us ;  and  this  stands  connected  with  His  first  visit — as  a 
child  rising  to  years  of  thoughtfulness — to  the  temple 
of  God.  Joseph  and  Mary  were  accustomed  to  go  up 
QYQVj  year  to  Jerusalem,  at  the  feast  of  the  passover; 
and  when  the  child  Jesus  had  attained  the  age  of  twelve 
years,  He  accompanied  them,  to  participate  in  the 
solemnities  of  that  memorable  season.  But  He  lingered 
in  the  temple, — the  house  of  His  Father, +— the  place 
where  some  of  His  most  impressive  discourses  were  to  be 
delivered,  and  some  of  His  most  stupendous  miracles 
performed.     His  parents  had  already  commenced  their 

•  Matthew  ii.  19—23  ;  Isaiah  liii.  2.  f  Luke  ii.  49. 


OF   THE   REDEEMER.  93 

journey  homeward;  and  during  the  first  day,  as  they 
supposed  Him  to  be  with  some  other  members  of  the 
company,  their  fears  were  not  awakened  respecting  Him. 
When,  however,  they  could  not  find  Him  among  the 
pilgrim-band,  they  returned  to  Jerusalem  with  anxious 
and  sorrowful  hearts,  to  seek  Him  there.  They  found 
Him  in  an  apartment  of  the  temple,  where  the  teachers 
of  the  law  usually  sat  to  expound  it  to  their  disciples, 
permitting  them  also  to  propose  questions  as  to  its 
import,  and  occasionally  interrogating  them,  with  a  view 
to  suggest  trains  of  thought,  or  to  elicit  the  extent  of 
the  knowledge  w^iich  they  had  acquired.  Here  was  the 
child  Jesus,  taking  part  in  the  conversation  w^hich  was 
going  on;  and  as  He  listened  with  earnest  attention  to 
the  observations  of  the  doctors,  and  sometimes  addressed 
questions  to  them,  and  replied  to  inquiiies  which  they 
put  to  Him,  all  that  heard  Him  were  astonished  at  the 
thoughtfulness  and  depth  of  knowledge  which  He 
evinced.'-  Already  was  He  " filled  with  wisdom," t  and 
adorned  with  every  spiritual  grace;  and  His  pure  and 
heavenly  mind  found  its  most  delightful  employment  in 
the  study  and  exposition  of  Divine  truth.  But  many 
years  were  yet  to  elapse,  before  the  treasures  of  tliat 
mind  should  be  publicly  given  forth  to  men ;  and  during 
these.  He  abode  with  Joseph  and  Mary,  showing  them 
that  dutiful  respect  and  submission  which  are  suited  to 
the  filial  relation.;}:  It  was  not  until  He  had  reached 
the  age  of  mature  manhood,  that  He  came  forth  to 
proclaim  the  glad  tidings  of  "  the  kingdom  of  God," — to 
shed  a  clear  and  steady  light  on  all  those  truths  which 

*  Luke  ii.  41—47.  f  Luke  ii.  40. 

X  Luke  ii.  51,  .52. 


94  THE    LIFE    AND    MINISTRY 

most  intimately  affect  the  human  spirit, — and  to  warn 
the  impenitent,  and  the  insincere  professor  of  rehgion, 
of  the  ruin  that  awaited  them.  But  the  appearance  of 
our  Lord  as  a  pubhc  Teacher  was  preceded  by  some 
remarkable  circumstances  which  now  claim  our  attention. 


CHAPTER  III. 

THE    CIRCUMSTANCES   WHICH    IMMEDIATELY  PRECEDED   THE 
redeemer's    entrance    on    his    public    MINISTRY. 

Nearly  thirty  years  had  passed  away,  since  the  atten- 
tion of  many  of  the  more  thoughtful  among  the  ancient 
people  of  God  had  been  awakened  by  the  remarkable 
circumstances  which  attended  the  birth  and  circumcision 
of  the  son  of  Zacharias  and  EUsabeth ;  and  during  these, 
John  had  grown  up  in  retirement,  endued  by  the  grace 
of  God  with  many  spiritual  excellencies,  and  especially 
distinguished  by  holy  courage  and  decision.*  The 
time  had  now  arrived,  when  he  was  to  enter  upon  the 
important  service  assigned  to  him,  as  the  harbinger  of 
the  Messiah ;  and  he  appeared  "  in  the  spirit  and  power 
of  Elijah,"  to  announce  the  near  approach  of  "the 
kingdom  of  God,"  and  to  summon  men  to  repentance, 
as  that  which  only  could  prepare  them  to  enjoy  its 
blessings,  t  The  principal  scene  of  his  labours  was  the 
thinly-inhabited  district  to  the  east  of  Jerusalem,  and 

*  Luke  i.  80.  f  Matthew  iii.  2. 


OF   THE   REDEEMER.  95 

near  the  river  Jordan, — a  district  usually  termed  "  the 
wilderness  of  Judaea."  Here,  clothed  in  a  garment  of 
camel's  hair,  and  having,  like  his  great  predecessor 
Elijah,*  a  leathern  girdle  about  his  loins,  he  declared  his 
solemn  message,  and  aroused  the  solicitude  of  many 
hearts.  His  food  corresponded  to  the  austerity  of  his 
appearance;  for  he  subsisted  chiefly  on  the  wild  honey 
found  in  the  rocks  and  the  cavities  of  trees,  and  on 
dried  locusts,  a  species  of  food  permitted  by  the  law, 
and  in  use  among  the  humblest  of  the  people.t  His 
addresses  were  distinguished  by  remarkable  earnestness 
and  power:  he  enforced  the  duty  of  repentance  on  all 
who  came  to  him,  and  charged  them  to  manifest  the 
genuineness  of  their  sorrow  for  sin,  and  their  aversion 
from  it,  in  the  whole  of  their  outward  conduct.  He 
reproved  injustice,  oppression,  and  a  cold-hearted  selfish- 
ness, that  could  enjoy  the  superfluities  of  life,  and  look 
with  indifference  on  the  wants  and  privations  of  the 
poor.J  He  sought  to  impress  on  every  mind  the  reality 
of  God's  moral  administration,  and  the  perfect  conformity 
of  all  His  decisions  to  etei'nal  truth  and  rectitude.  He 
exposed  the  fallacy  of  every  plea  by  which  men  sought 
to  allay  their  apprehensions  of  a  coming  judgment,  and 
to  soothe  their  consciences  to  repose,  while  yet  they 
continued  in  the  practice  of  iniquity.  Terrible  and 
overwhelming  was  his  address  to  some  of  the  Pharisees 
and  Sadducees  who  came  to  him,  and  whose  acknow- 
ledgment of  sin  appeared  to  him  to  be  formal  and 
insincere.  He  said  to  them,  "  0  generation  of  vipers, 
who  hath  warned  you  to  flee  from  the  wrath  to  come  ? 
Bring  forth,  therefore,  fruits  meet  for  repentance :  and 
*  2  Kings  i.  8.  f  Matthew  iii.  4.  +  Luke  iii.  10—14. 


96  THE    LIFE   AND   MINISTET 

think  not  to  say  within  yourselves,  We  have  Abraham 
to  our  father :  for  I  say  unto  you,  that  God  is  able  of 
these  stones  to  raise  up  children  unto  Abraham.  And 
now  also  the  axe  is  laid  unto  the  root  of  the  ti'ees: 
therefore  every  tree  which  bringeth  not  forth  good  fruit 
is  hewn  down,  and  cast  into  the  fire."'^  We  can 
scarcely  read  these  words  without  being  deeply  affected 
with  the  truth,  that  in  the  Divine  government,  personal 
character,  and  not  external  privilege,  vrill  form  the 
ground  of  ultimate  apiDroval.  It  is  not  a  relation  to 
Abraham  by  natural  descent,  or  an  outward  relation  to 
the  adoi-able  Redeemer  Himself,  as  the  Head  of  the 
universal  church,  which  will  suffice  to  secure  our  safety, 
amidst  the  awful  glories  of  the  last  day, — but  the  par- 
ticipation of  Abraham's  faith  and  obedient  love,  and 
that  union  with  Christ,  which  results  from  self-renouncing 
faith  in  His  blood,  and  which  involves  the  reception  of 
His  Spirit  as  the  Spirit  of  life,  and  purity,  and  love. 

While  the  ministry  of  John  was  thus  awakening  and 
impressive,  it  was  not  destitute  of  comfort  to  the 
troubled  and  anxious  spirit.  He  declared  the  almost 
immediate  appeai'ance  of  the  great  Deliverer,  thi'ough 
whom  the  forgiveness  of  sins,  and  the  richest  com- 
munications of  Divine  influence,  should  be  vouchsafed  to 
the  humble  mind.  The  baptism  which  he  administered 
to  those  who  confessed  their  sinfulness,t  implied,  on 
their  part,  a  penitent  waiting  for  the  Saviour.  J  Gladly 
did  John  set  forth  his  own  littleness  in  comparison  of 
that  mightier  Prophet  whose  way  he  was  sent  to  prepare. 
Though  his  own  appearance  on  earth  preceded  that  of 

*  Matthew  iii.  7—10.  f  Matthew  iii.  6  ;  Mark  i.  5. 

*  Matthew  iii.  11 ;  John  i.  31 ;  Acts  xix.  4. 


OP   THE    REDEEMER.  97 

the  Redeemer,  yet  he  declared,  that  long  ere  he  was 
born  into   the  world,    the    Redeemer  had    existed   in 
respect  of  His  higher  nature.      "After  me  cometh  a 
Man  wliich  is  preferred  before  me :  for  He  was  before 
me."*  Though  himself  distinguished  by  the  circumstances 
of  his  birth,  and  exercising  a  ministry  of  remarkable 
power  and  influence,  he  affirmed  that  the  Prophet  who 
was  about  to  appear,  was  so  glorious  and  august,  that 
he  was  unworthy  to  perform  for  Him  the  most  menial 
offices,— that  even  to  unloose  and  bear  His  sandals  was 
an  honour  of  Avhich  he  was  undeserving.    He  contrasted 
the  baptism  which  he  administered  with  that  of  the 
Messiah,  who  should  send  down  on  all  His  beUeving 
people  the  Holy  Ghost  to  purify  and  refine  their  hearts. 
He  spoke  of  Him  as  possessed  of  unerring  discrimination, 
and  invested  with  supreme  authority;  so  that,  when  the 
period  of  judicial    decision  should  arrive.    He    should 
separate  the  unholy  and  insincere   from   the  humble, 
devout,   and  obedient  among  His  people,   and    should 
dispense    with    unfailing    accuracy    the    rewards    and 
punishments  of  the   eternal  state.     "I  indeed  baptize 
you  with  water  unto  repentance :  but  He  that  cometh 
after  me  is  mightier  than  I,   whose  shoes  I  am  not 
worthy  to  bear:  He  shall  baptize  you   with  the  Holy 
Ghost,  and  with  fire :— whose  fan  is  in  His  hand,  and 
He  will   throughly  purge  His   floor,   and  gather  His 
wheat  into  the  garner;  but  He  will  burn  up  the  chaff 
with  unquenchable  fire."t 

The  preaching  of  the    Baptist  awakened    on  every 
hand  a  spirit  of  inquiry,  and  produced  a  deep  impression 
on  many  who  had  before  been  careless  and   worldly. 
*  John  i.  50.  f  Matthew  iii.  11,  12. 


H 


98  THE   LIFE    AND    MINISTRY 

Multitudes  flocked  to  him  fi-om  Jerusalem  and  Judjea, 
and  from  the  region  round  about  Jordan;*  and  as 
they  listened  to  his  faithful  warnings,  and  the  solemn 
charge  that  thev  should  repent  and  await  the  appearance 
of  the  great  Restorer,  their  hearts  were  softened,  and, 
confessing  their  sinfulness,  they  sought  the  baptism 
which  he  administered.  It  was  evident  to  all,  that  God 
had  visited  His  people,  and  that  scenes  of  yet  deeper 
interest  were  about  to  be  unfolded.  Vague  reports  of 
the  Baptist's  character  and  claims  were  circulated  among 
those  who  had  not  themselves  listened  to  his  teaching; 
and  some  even  imagined  that  he  was  the  Messiah,  to 
whose  coming  they  had  so  long  looked  forward  ■wdth 
eager  desire  and  liope.t 

But  before  we  can  complete  our  notice  of  the  ministry 
of  John,  or  exhibit  the  full  import  of  the  testimony 
which  he  bore  to  the  Lord  Jesus,  it  is  necessary  for  us 
to  turn  to  the  Redeemer  Himself,  and  contemplate  His 
solemn  inaugui'ation  to  the  prophetic  office.  When  the 
Saviour  had  spent  about  thirty  years  upon  earth,  in  the 
retirement  and  obscurity  of  Nazareth,;}:  He  came  up 
from  that  town  to  the  river  Jordan,  where  John  was 
baptizing;  and  the  first  interview  took  place  between 
them.  It  had  been  expressly  ordered  by  Divine  wisdom, 
that  John  had  grown  up  without  any  personal  inter- 
course with  that  greater  Prophet  whose  way  he  was 
sent  to  prepare.  When  he  entered  upon  his  mission, 
ana  aroused  by  liis  startling  announcements  and  faithful 
warnings  the  slumbering  attention  of  the  Jewish  people, 
he  had  never  seen  the  Redeemer,  whose  almost  imme- 
diate manifestation  he  so  confidently  declared.  But  the 
*  Matthew  iii.  5  ;  Mark  i.  5.        f  Luke  iii.  15.         J  Luke  iii.  23. 


OF   THE    REDEEMER.  99 

intimation  had  been  given  to  him,  that,  when  the  fitting 
time  should  arrive,  he  should  see  the  Messiah,  and  be 
left  without  any  doubt  as  to  the  illustrious  Individual 
on  whom  the  hopes  of  Israel  and  of  the  world  were  to 
repose.*     Our  Lord  came  to  John,  and  engaged  in  con- 
versation with  him,  requesting  that  He  too  might  receive 
baptism  from  his  hands.     But  there  was  that  in  His 
manner  and  discourse  which  impressed  the  mind  of  the 
holy  Baptist  with  a  conviction  of  His  purity  and  great- 
ness; and  a  secret  intimation  from  above  caused  him  to 
look  upon  the  stranger  who  now  came  to  him,  as  the 
promised   Deliverer.       True    to    his    character    as    the 
forerunner  of  the  Messiah,  and  conscious  of  his  infinite 
inferiority  to  Him  whose  coming  he  announced,  he  said 
to  our  Lord,    "  I  have  need  to  be  baptized   of  Thee, 
and  comest  Thou  to  me?"     The  Saviour  replied,  with 
beautiful  simpHcity  and  wisdom,  blended  with  authority, 
"  Suffer  it  to  be  so  now :  for  thus  it   becometh  us  to 
fulfil  all  righteousness."     John  could  no  longer  hesitate. 
He  baptized  the  distinguished  applicant;  and  as  Jesus 
went  up  from  the  stream  of  the  Jordan,  engaged  in 
mental  prayer,  the  heavens  were  opened,— the  Holy°Spirit 
descended  with  a  hovering  motion,  and  in  a  dove-like 
form,  and  lighted   upon  Him,— and  the  voice   of  the 
Eternal  Father  declared   from  on    high,    "This   is  My 
beloved    Son,    in  whom  I   am  well  pleased."  f      Thus 
was  the  mind  of  John  satisfied  as  to  the  person  of  the 
great  Restorer;    thus  were  the  loftiest    claims    of  the 
Lord  Jesus  attested  and  established;  and  thus  was  He 
inaugurated  to  His  office  as  the  Teacher  of  mankind. 
From  this  time,  whenever  He  appeared,  John  directed 
*  John  i.  31,  33.  f  Matthew  iii.  13—17. 

TT     9 


100  THE   LIFE    AND    MINISTRY 

to  Him  personally  the  attention  of  his  disciples,  and 
commended  them  to  Him  for  richer  instruction  than  it 
was  in  his  power  to  afford.  The  Saviour,  by  submitting 
to  baptism, — though  He  had  no  sin  to  confess,  but  was 
ever  pure  and  spotless, — had  honoured  the  ministry  of 
His  immediate  forerunner;  and  now  the  Baptist  felt 
that  his  mission  was  soon  to  terminate, — that  a  greater 
light  was  about  to  rise  upon  the  world,  to  scatter  its 
gloom  and  sadness,  and  to  disclose  to  the  humble  and 
contrite  spirit  the  way  of  salvation  and  peace. 

But  the  Redeemer  did  not  immediately  enter  upon 
His  public  ministry.  The  august  scene  of  His  baptism 
was  to  be  followed  by  a  period  of  deep  humiliation  and 
mental  conflict.  He  who  had  been  so  solemnly  declared 
to  be  THE  Son  of  God,  and  the  object  of  the  Father's 
ineiFable  complacency  and  delight,  was  to  become  a 
sharer  of  our  temptations,  and  to  experience  tlae  pain 
which  arises  from  suggestions  to  evil,  again  and  again 
presented  to  the  mind.  He  had  assumed  our  nature  in 
its  lowliness  and  weakness;  and  it  was  a  part  of  the 
great  plan  of  our  redemption,  that  He  should  identify 
Himself  with  His  people, — that  He  should  in  all  things 
be  made  like  unto  us,  whom  He  condescends  to  call  His 
brethren.'-  Thus  did  He  submit  to  be  exposed,  even  as 
we  are,  to  the  subtle  and  malignant  attacks  of  the 
prince  of  darkness,  whose  empire  He  came  to  destroy; 
that  in  every  age  His  tempted  followers  might  have  the 
assurance  of  His  exquisite  sympathy  with  them,  as 
well  as  of  His  infinite  power,  and  wisdom,  and  good- 
ness. During  forty  days.  His  immaculate  human  spirit 
was  repeatedly  assailed  by  the  suggestions  of  the  evil 
*  Hebrews  ii.  17,  18. 


OP   THE   REDEEMER.  101 

one;*  and  through  this  period,  like  Moses  and  Elijah  in 
former  times,  He  ate  nothing.  When  these  days  had 
expired,  the  Saviour  "  hungered ;"  and  then  the  tempter, 
permitted  to  assume  a  visible  form,  came  to  Him  amidst 
the  rough  solitudes  of  the  wilderness  of  Judosa,  and 
said,  "  If  thou  be  the  Son  of  God,  command  that  these 
stones  be  made  bread."  The  Redeemer,  instantly  feeling 
that  to  vrork  a  miracle  under  such  circumstances,  and 
for  such  an  object,  would  be  unworthy  of  His  character 
and  mission,  and  that  it  became  Him  rather  to  show 
forth  the  great  principle  of  trust  in  the  benignant  care 
of  Divine  Providence,  replied,  "  It  is  written,  Man  shall 
not  live  by  bread  alone,  but  by  every  word  that  pro- 
ceedeth  out  of  the  mouth  of  God."  Satan,  finding  that 
he  was  not  at  once  authoritatively  dismissed,  but  still 
permitted  to  continue  his  assault  on  the  Redeemer's 
purity  and  wisdom,  conducted  Him  to  the  temple  at 
Jerusalem,  and  ascending  with  Him  one  of  its  battle- 
ments, the  height  of  which  was  so  great,  that  no  one 
could  bear  to  look  down  from  it,  said,  "  If  Thou  be  the 
Son  of  God,  cast  Thyself  down:  for  it  is  written,  He 
shall  give  His  angels  charge  concerning  thee;  and  in 
their  hands  they  shall  bear  thee  up,  lesfc  at  any  time 
thou  dash  thy  foot  against  a  stone."  Plausible  as  this 
reasoning  might  seem,  it  could  not  impose  on  the 
spiritual  mind  of  our  Lord;  and  He  immediately 
affirmed  the  principle,  that  no  one  should  presumptuously 
rush  into  danger,  in  order  to  experience  the  fulfilment 
of  the  promise  of  Divine  protection.  "Jesus  said  unto 
him.  It  is  written  again,  Thou  shalt  not  tempt  the  Lord 
thy  God."  But  the  great  adversary,  though  baffled  by 
*  Luke  iv.'  2. 


102  THE   LIFE    AND    MINISTRY 

the  wisdom  and  firmness  of  the  Redeemer,  ventured  yet 
again  to  harass  His  pure  and  heavenly  mind.  The  scene 
of  the  third  temptation  was  a  high  mountain,  probably 
in  the  wilderness  of  Judcea;  and  here  the  deceiver, 
presenting  to  our  Lord,  in  a  visionary  representation,  all 
the  kingdoms  of  the  world,  and  the  glory  of  them, 
affirmed  that  these  had  been  delivered  to  him,  and  were 
under  his  control,  and  that,  if  only  our  Lord  would  do 
homage  to  him,  all  should  be  placed  at  His  disposal.  This 
was  a  suggestion  too  daring  and  impious  to  be  endured ; 
and  the  Saviour,  asserting  His  peculiar  authority,  replied, 
"  Get  thee  hence,  Satan  :  for  it  is  written.  Thou  shalt  wor- 
ship the  Lord  thy  God,  and  Him  only  shalt  thou  serve." 
Instantly  the  prince  of  darkness  obeyed;  and  retiring, 
for  a  season,  from  the  presence  of  the  great  Deliverer, 
left  Him  calm  and  serene;  and  the  holy  angels,  who 
had  witnessed  the  conflict  with  deep  interest,  and  had 
rejoiced  to  behold  Satan  triumphed  over  by  One  in 
human  form,  came  to  their  Lord,  amidst  the  lowliness 
in  which  He  now  appeared,  and  joyfully  "  ministered 
unto  Him."  * 

Many  questions  may  suggest  themselves  in  relation  to 
our  Lord's  temptation  in  the  wilderness,  which  cannot 
be  distinctly  answered,  and  the  solution  of  which  would 
not  contribute  to  our  spiritual  improvement;  but  there 
are  some  aspects  of  this  remarkable  transaction  on  which 
our  minds  may  be  reverently  fixed.  The  history  of  this 
world,  when  regarded  in  the  light  of  Divine  truth, 
presents  to  us  the  agency  of  malignant  spirits,  who 
having  themselves  forfeited  heaven,  are  now  intent  on 
disturbing,  to  the  widest  possible  extent,  the  order  and 
*  Matthew  iv.  1— 11  ;  Luke  iv.  1—13. 


OF    THE    REDEEMER.  103 

happiness  of  Jeliovali's  empire.  Their  efforts  are  per- 
mitted by  the  Most  High,  though  only  within  Umits 
which  He  has  estabUshed.  At  the  head  of  the  "  prin- 
cipaHties'"  and  "powers"  of  darkness,  stands  Satan,  the 
most  maUgnant  and  subtle  of  them  all.  It  was  he  who 
seduced  our  first  parents  from  their  allegiance  to 
Jehovah ;  and  it  is  he  who,  Avith  untiring  perseverance, 
has  sought  in  every  age  to  insult  the  majesty  of  the 
Eternal  One,  and  to  pollute  and  degrade  the  nature  of 
man,  by  introducing  and  upholding  idolatry  with  its 
cruel  and  obscene  rites.  These  unseen  realities  could, 
in  the  nature  of  things,  only  be  disclosed  to  us  by 
revelation;  but  when  they  are  made  known,  they  derive 
ample  confirmation  from  many  facts  in  the  history  of 
this  world,  and  from  the  tendency  of  cherished  sin  to 
harden  the  heart  and  fill  it  with  an  utter  hatred  of 
purity  and  goodness  in  others.  To  the  powers  of  dark- 
ness, the  Redeemer  could  not  fail  to  be  an  object  of 
deep,  though  painful,  interest :  and  we  can  easily  con- 
ceive, that  the  prince  of  the  apostate  angels,  beholding 
Him  in  the  lowliness  of  ordinary  manhood,  would  be 
anxious  to  try  whether  in  any  way  he  could  pollute  His 
humanity,  or  lead  Him  to  an  act  unworthy  of  His  high 
and  glorious  character.  And  when  he  found  that  he 
was  permitted  to  assail  the  Redeemer, — that  his  first 
approaches  were  not  authoritatively  forbidden, — he  was 
emboldened  to  proceed  yet  further,  and  suggest  the 
most  revolting  thoughts  to  His  holy  mind. 

To  the  important  bearing  of  our  Lord's  temptation 
on  the  plan  of  human  recovery,  we  have  already  alluded. 
It  was  a  part  of  His  humiliation,  and  one  which  assures 
us  of  His  deep  sympathy  with  us  in  our  inward  con- 


104  THE   LIFE   AND    MINISTRY 

flicts.  He  endured  the  assaults  of  Satan,  as  the  Head 
of  His  church,  the  First-born  among  many  hretlireTi. 
This  character  of  our  Lord  appears  in  all  the  arrange- 
ments of  the  mediatorial  scheme ;  so  that  the  mysterious 
scene  of  His  temptation  in  the  wilderness  is  in  perfect 
harmony  with  every  other  part  of  His  great  undertaking 
as  the  Saviour  of  mankind.  We  have  to  contemplate 
Him  as  our  Brother,  while  we  bow  before  Him  as  our 
Lord.  It  was  as  sustaining  this  character  that  He 
became  the  subject  of  weakness,  and  pain,  and  sorrow. 
In  this  character  He  presented  an  attractive  pattern  of 
holiness  and  love ;  and  He  has  left  it  in  charge  to  us  to 
follow  His  example,  and  tread  in  His  steps.*  As  our 
Brother,  He  lay  in  the  cold  and  silent  tomb,  and  then 
rose  to  a  new  and  glorious  life,  "  the  firstfruits  of  them 
that  slept."  t  And  now  He  lives  and  reigns  above  as 
the  Head  of  His  universal  church;  He  has  entered 
heaven  as  the  Forerunner  of  His  people;  and  His 
appearance  there  is  the  pledge  that  they  shall  rise,  at 
last,  to  that  abode  of  light  and  purity,  while  His  glorified 
human  form  is  the  model  to  which  their  restored  nature 
shall  be  conformed  by  His  resistless  power. :]: 

While  the  Saviour  was  enduring,  in  retirement  and 
solitude,  the  humiliation  of  being  tempted  by  the  prince 
of  darkness,  John  was  pursuing  his  career  as  a  faithful 
and  laborious  preacher  of  repentance.  So  great  a  sensa- 
tion was  produced  in  Jerusalem,  by  the  reports  of  those 
who  had  visited  the  neighbourhood  of  the  Jordan,  and 
had  listened  to  the  Baptist's  ministry,  that  the  elders  of 
the  Jews  sent  a  deputation  of  priests  and  Levites  to  ask 

*  1  .Tohn  ii.  6  ;  1  Peter  ii.  20—23.         f  1  Corinthians  xv.  20—23. 
+  John  xiv.  1 — 3 ;   Hebrews  vi.  20;   Philippians  ill.  20,  21. 


OF   THE    REDEEMER.  105 

him,  who  he  was,  and  in  what  character  he  appeared. 
He  immediately  set  at  rest  the  question  which  had 
called  forth  their  deepest  interest,  by  affirming,  "  I  am 
not  the  Messiah."  When  again  they  inquired,  "  Art 
thou  Elias  ?" — conceiving  that  that  distinguished  servant 
of  God  would  actually  appear  on  earth  a  second  time, 
and  resume  his  ministry, — he  replied  with  equal  distinct- 
ness, "  I  am  not."  When  they  still  further  asked, 
"  Art  thou  one  of  the  prophets  of  a  former  generation, 
raised  fi*om  the  dead  V  he  again  replied,  "  I  am  not  :" 
and  on  their  demanding  what  were  really  his  claims,  he 
declared,  "  I  am  the  voice  of  one  crying  in  the  wilder- 
ness, Make  straight  the  way  of  the  Lord,  as  said  the 
prophet  Esaias."*  Beautiful  and  impressive  was  this 
statement  of  the  holy  Baptist !  While  it  affirmed  the 
fulfilment  of  that  remarkable  prediction  of  Isaiah  in  his 
own  labours,  it  showed  how  deep  was  his  conviction  of 
the  preparatory  character  of  his  mission,  and  how 
habitually  his  mind  turned  to  that  adorable  Person,  whose 
approach  he  was  commissioned  to  announce.  It  was 
his  high  and  distinguishing  honour  to  proclaim,  "  Make 
straight  the  way  of  the  Lord  ! " — and  as  he  dwelt  on 
the  Divine  and  eternal  glory  of  Him  who  was  so  soon 
to  appear  among  men,  though  in  outward  lowliness,  he 
felt  that  he  himself  must  retire  into  comparative  obscu- 
rity, rejoicing  only  to  have  called  attention  to  One  who 
is  worthy  of  the  unlimited  reverence,  and  trust,  and 
love,  of  every  human  heart. 

The    day  after   this   incident,    the    Redeemer,    now 
solemnly  inaugurated  to  His  prophetic  office,  and  prepared 
by  His  temptation  in  the  wilderness,  to  sympathise  with 
*  John  i.  19—23. 


106  THE    LIFE   AND    MINISTRY 

His  people  in  their  conflicts  and  sorrows,  revisited  the 
scene  of  the  Baptist's  labours.  John  recognised  Him 
with  holy  satisfaction  and  joy  ;  and  looking  forward, 
through  the  influence  of  the  prophetic  Spirit,  to  His 
sacrificial  death  as  the  great  and  effectual  atonement 
for  the  world's  guilt,  exclaimed,  "  Behold  the  Lamb  of 
God,  which  taketh  away  the  sin  of  the  world  !"*  And 
then,  to  fix  the  attention  of  his  followers  more  earnestly 
on  the  Redeemer,  who  now  appeared  among  them,  he 
added,  "  This  is  He  of  whom  I  said,  After  me  cometh  a 
Man  which  is  preferred  before  me  :  for  He  was  before 
me.  And  I  knew  Him  not :  but  that  He  should  be 
made  manifest  to  Israel,  therefore  am  I  come  baptizing 
with  water."  "I  saw  the  Spirit  descending  from  heaven 
like  a  dove,  and  it  abode  upon  Him.  And  I  knew  Him 
not  :  but  He  that  sent  me  to  baptize  with  water,  the 
same  said  unto  me.  Upon  whom  thou  shalt  see  the 
Spirit  descending,  and  remaining  on  Him,  the  same  is 
He  which  baptizeth  with  the  Holy  Ghost."  t  On  the 
following  day,  John  repeated  his  exclamation,  as  he 
stood  with  two  of  his  disciples,  and  looked  upon  the 
Saviour  as  He  walked  along  :  and  the  two  disciples 
immediately  went  to  our  Lord,  who  received  them 
kindly,  and  even  invited  them  to  spend  the  evening 
with  Him  at  the  place  where  He  was  then  staying.]};  One 
of  these  was  Andrew,  the  brother  of  Simon  Peter,  who 
embraced  the  first  opportunity  of  introducing  his  rela- 
tive to  Jesus,  assuring  him  that  they  had  now  found  the 
long-expected  Messiah.  ||  Philip  also,  and  Nathanael, 
were  at  this  period  brought  into  intercourse  with  the 

*  John  i.  29.  +  John  i.  30—33.  +   John  i.  35—39. 

11  John  i.  40—42. 


OP   THE    REDEEMER.  107 

Redeemer  ;  and  althougli  the  latter,  when  first  invited 
by  his  friend  to  come  and  behold  the  Messiah,  in  the 
person  of  "Jesus  of  Nazareth,  the  son  of  Joseph,"  re- 
plied, "  Can  any  good  thing  come  out  of  Nazareth  1 "  he 
was  convinced  by  our  Lord's  first  remark,  that  He  was 
possessed  of  omniscient  discernment;  and  recognising  in 
Him  a  more  than  human  Prophet,  as  well  as  the  pro- 
mised Deliverer,  he  exclaimed,  "Rabbi,  Thou  art  the 
Son  of  God;  Thou  art  the  King  of  Israel!"* 

Jesus,  now  attended  by  a  few  disciples,  who  believed 
in  His  Messiahship,  and  gratefully  listened  to  His  con- 
versation, though  not  yet  called  to  attend  Him  so  as  to 
forsake  their  worldly  engagements,  departed  to  Galilee, 
where  His  first  miracle  was  performed,  and  the  glory  of 
His  almighty  power  first  displayed  to  men.  The  Baptist, 
meanwhile,  continued  his  labours,  still  calling  upon  men 
to  repent  of  their  sins,  and  directing  them  to  that  greater 
Prophet  whose  ministry  was  now  commencing.  Gladly 
did  he  receive  every  intimation  which  was  brought  to 
him  of  the  increasing  influence  of  our  Lord,  and  the 
regard  shown  to  Him  by  the  people  generally,  though  he 
lamented  that  so  few  of  them  would  prove  sincere  and 
earnest  inquirers  after  truth.  A  remarkable  illustration 
of  this  state  of  feeling,  on  his  part,  is  presented  to  us  in 
connexion  with  his  last  recorded  testimony  to  the  dig- 
nity and  claims  of  the  Redeemer.  When  our  Lord  had 
returned  for  a  short  time  to  Judasa,  and  some  persons 
came  to  John  and  said,  "  Rabbi,  He  that  was  with  thee 
beyond  Jordan,  to  whom  thou  barest  witness,  behold, 
the  same  baptizeth,  and  all  men  come  to  Him,"  John 
replied,  "A  man  can  receive  nothing,  except  it  be  given 
*  John  i.  43—49. 


108  THE   LIFE   AND    MINISTRY 

him  from  lieaven.  Ye  yourselves  bear  me  witness  that 
I  said,  I  am  not  the  Messiah,  but  that  I  am  sent  before 
Him.  He  that  hath  the  bride  is  the  bridegroom  :  but 
the  friend  of  the  bridegroom,  which  standeth  and  heareth 
him,  rejoiceth  greatly  because  of  the  bridegroom's  voice : 
this  my  joy  therefore  is  fulfilled.  He  must  increase, 
but  I  must  decrease.  He  that  cometh  from  above  is 
above  all :  he  that  is  of  the  earth  is  earthly,  and  speaketh 
of  the  earth :  He  that  cometh  from  heaven  is  above  all. 
And  what  He  hath  seen  and  heard,  that  He  testifieth; 
and  no  man  receiveth  His  testimony.  He  that  hath  re- 
ceived His  testimony,  hath  set  to  his  seal  that  God  is  true. 
For  He  whom  God  hath  sent  speaketh  the  words  of  God : 
for  God  giveth  not  the  Spirit  by  measure  unto  Him.  The 
Father  loveth  the  Son,  and  hath  given  all  things  into 
His  hand.  He  that  believeth  on  the  Son  hath  ever- 
lasting life :  and  he  that  believeth  not  the  Sou,  shall  not 
see  life;  but  the  wrath  of  God  abideth  on  him."*  Thus, 
as  the  voice  of  the  Baptist  dies  away  upon  our  ear,  we 
are  reminded  by  his  final  testimony,  that  Jesus,  the 
Redeemer,  is  the  Son  of  God,  the  object  of  the  Father's 
ineffable  complacency,  and  invested  as  the  Mediator  with 
universal  dominion ;  and  we  are  admonished  that  our 
eternal  destiny  must  depend  on  our  faith  in  Him,  and 
our  obedience  to  His  precepts.  Soon  after  this,  the 
forerunner  of  our  Lord,  having  reproved  Herod  Antipas, 
the  tetrarch  of  Galilee,  for  the  incestuous  connexion 
which  he  maintained  with  Herodias,  the  wife  of  his 
brother  Philip,  became  an  object  of  intense  dislike  to 
that  abandoned  woman.  At  her  instigation,  Herod, 
though  restrained  by  his  reverence  for  the  Baptist's 
•  John  iii.  27—36. 


OF    THE    REDEEMER.  109 

character,  and  his  fear  of  the  people,  from  putting  him 
to  death,  committed  him  to  prison,  and  thus  interrupted 
his  widely-extended  labours.*  During  a  considerable 
portion  of  our  Lord's  public  ministry,  John  languished 
in  confinement ;  and,  at  length,  fell  a  victim  to  the 
rashness  of  Ilerod,  and  the  malice  and  revenge  of  her 
whose  licentious  and  unprincipled  career  he  had  faith- 
fully reproved,  "t 


CHAPTER  IV. 

THE  COMMENCEMENT  OF  THE  REDEEMER'S  MINISTRY.  HIS 
VISIT  TO  JERUSALEM  AT  THE  PASSOVER.  HIS  RETURN 
THROUGH  SAMARIA  TO  GALILEE,  AND  PREACHING  AT 
NAZARETH. 

Our  Lord  had  now  retired  from  the  scene  of  the 
Baptist's  labours  near  the  river  Jordan,  and  had  gone 
with  a  few  who  believed  in  Him  as  the  Messiah,  and 
eagerly  sought  instruction  from  His  lips,  to  the  northern 
district  of  the  Holy  Land.  Within  a  few  days  after  His 
arrival,  there  was  a  marriage  in  the  town  of  Cana,  to 
which  Himself,  and  His  mother,  now  probably  left  a 
widow,  j  and  His  disciples,  were  invited.     This  incident, 

•  Matthew  xiv.  3—5  ;  Mark  vi.  17—20;  Luke  iii.  19,  20. 

t  Matthew  xiv.  6—12  ;  Mark  vi.  21—29. 

I  It  is  remarkable  that  Joseph  is  never  mentioned  by  any  of  the 
evangelists  after  the  commencement  of  our  Lord's  public  ministry  ; 
but  that  Mary  is  repeatedly  spoken  of  separately  from  him.  This 
circumstance  certainly  favours  the  opinion  which  we  liave  stated 
above,  and  which  is  generally  adopted  by  those  who  have  studied 
the  evangelical  history. 


110  THE   LIFE   AND   MINISTRY 

in  itself  inconsiderable,  has  acquired  a  peculiar  interest 
from  its  connexion  with  the  first  of  those  miracles,  by 
which  the  Lord  Jesus  attested  His  claims,  and  confirmed 
the  absolute  truth  of  all  His  declarations  and  promises. 
The  invitation  was  accepted,  and  Jesus  appeared  as  a 
guest  at  the  nuptial  entertainment.  Thus  He  who  came 
to  redeem  and  sanctify  humanity, — whose  grace  is  to 
hallow  every  relation  of  life,  and  to  diffuse  its  softening 
influence  over  our  domestic  and  social  intercourse, — 
honoured  by  His  presence  the  institution  of  marriage, 
and  smiled  upon  the  formation  of  the  nuptial  bond.  It 
is  not  impi-obable,  that  the  anticipation  of  seeing  Jesus 
at  this  feast  caused  a  larger  attendance  than  there 
would  otherwise  have  been;  and  it  was  soon  found,  that 
the  supply  of  wine  was  inadequate  to  the  number  of  the 
guests,  Mary  had  an  impression  that  her  distinguished 
Son  would  interpose ;  and  though  He  mildly  but  firmly 
reproved  an  intimation  on  her  part,  that  He  should  at 
once  exert  His  power  to  supply  the  want,  reminding  her 
that  the  time  and  circumstances  of  every  miraculous 
act  must  be  left  to  Himself,  she  charged  the  servants 
instantly  to  obey  any  command  that  He  might  give  them. 
Jesus,  as  the  entertainment  proceeded,  directed  the 
attendants  to  fill  six  waterpots  which  stood  there  with 
water,  and  to  bear  some  of  it  unto  the  president  of  the 
feast.  They  did  as  He  commanded;  and  the  president, 
having  drunk  of  the  water  which  the  unseen  power  of 
the  Redeemer  had  converted  into  wine,  expressed  to  the 
bridegroom  his  astonishment,  that  he  should  have 
reserved  until  then  the  good  wine,  instead  of  adhering 
to  the  usual  practice  of  handing  it  in  the  first  instance 
to  his  guests.     "  This  beginning  of  miracles,"  adds  the 


OF    THE    REDEEMER.  Ill 

apostle  John,  who  has  recorded  the  incident,  "  did  Jesus 
in  Cana  of  Galilee,  and  manifested  forth  His  glory ;  and 
His  disciples  beHeved  on  Him."*  Here  was  a  develop- 
ment of  the  almighty  energy  of  the  Saviour,  blended 
with  an  attractive  proof  of  His  kindness  and  condescen- 
sion. While  He  mingled  with  the  cheerful  company  that 
congratulated  the  wedded  pair,  preserving  His  own 
spirituaUty  of  mind  undisturbed,  and  instructing,  doubt- 
less, by  His  conversation  those  who  sat  around.  He 
evinced  a  power  that  could  control  universal  nature, 
and  effect,  by  a  single  volition,  results  to  which  the 
mightiest  efforts  of  man  are  altogether  inadequate. 

The  Redeemer  proceeded  from  Cana  to  Capernaum,t 
a  town  on  the  coast  of  the  sea  of  Galilee,  which  He 
afterwards  made  the  chief  place  of  His  residence.  He 
did  not,  however,  now  continue  there  for  any  length  of 
time;  but,  as  the  feast  of  the  passover  was  at  hand,  He 
went  up  to  Jerusalem,  to  attend  that  great  annual 
solemnity.:}:  Here  He  appeared  as  a  distinguished 
Pi'ophet,  reproving  and  driving  out  those  who  profaned 
the  courts  of  the  temple,  §  and  performing  miracles 
which  impressed  every  thoughtful  mind  Avith  a  conviction 
of  His  high  and  peculiar  authority,  and  called  forth  a 
profound  regard  to  all  His  teaching.  || 

One  declaration  which  He  uttered  at  this  time,  is  well 
deserving  of  our  attention,  as  showing  how  habitually 
He  looked  forward,  from  the  very  commencement  of  His 
ministry,  to  the  violent  death  which  He  was  to  undergo, 
and  how  uniformly  He  referred  to  His  own  resurrection, 
as  the  great  and  crowning  miracle  which  should  estab- 

*  John  ii.  1—11.  fJohnii.  12.  t  John  ii.  13. 

§  John  ii.  M — 17.  ||  John  ii.  23;  iii.  2;  iv.  45. 


112  THE    LIFE   AND   MINISTRY 

lish  for  ever  the  truth  of  His  claims.  The  authority 
which  He  exercised  in  driving  out  those  who  were  car- 
rying on  traffic  in  the  courts  of  the  temple,  and  the 
emphatic  manner  in  which  He  said,  "  Make  not  My 
Father's  house  an  house  of  merchandise,"  caused  many 
of  the  Jews  to  ask,  "  What  sign  showest  thou  unto  us, 
seeing  that  thou  doest  these  things'?"  Jesus  replied, 
"  Destroy  this  temple,  and  in  three  days  I  will  raise  it 
up."  They  understood  Him  to  speak  of  the  temple  be- 
fore them  j  but  He  referred  to  the  temple  of  His  body, 
as  that  in  which  the  Deity  peculiarly  dwelt.  A  degree 
of  mystery  then  rested  on  these  words  of  His  :  but  when 
He  had  suffered  as  the  great  Sacrifice  for  sin,  and  had 
risen  again  from  the  dead,  His  disciples  gratefully  re- 
called this  saying  to  their  remembrance,  as  well  as  the 
more  explicit  announcements  which  He  afterwards  made ; 
and  their  faith  was  confirmed  and  established.* 

It  was  during  this  visit  to  Jerusalem  that  Nicodemus, 
a  member  of  the  Sanhedrim,  sought  a  private  interview 
with  our  Lord.  The  conversation  which  passed  between 
them  has  been  recorded  by  that  disciple  whose  spiritual 
mind  loved  to  dwell  on  the  Redeemer's  sayings,  and  to 
retrace  the  developments  of  His  more  than  human  dig- 
nity, and  holiness,  and  love.  The  Jewish  ruler  began  by 
avowing  his  decided  conviction  that  Jesus  was  a  divinely- 
commissioned  Prophet.  "Rabbi,"  he  said,  "we  know 
that  thou  art  a  Teacher  come  from  God  :  for  no  man 
can  do  these  miracles  that  thou  doest,  except  God  be 
with  him."  The  Saviour's  reply  directed  him  to  a  great 
and  essential  truth,  bearing  on  the  formation  of  a  reli- 
gious character,  and  the  nature  of  that  kingdom  which 
*  John  ii.  18—22. 


OF    THE    REDEEMER,  113 

He  came  to  establish.  "Jesus  answered  and  said  unto 
him,  Verily,  verily,  I  say  unto  thee,  Except  a  man  be 
born  again,  he  cannot  see  the  kingdom  of  God."  *  The 
mind  of  Nicodemus  was  perplexed.  He  perceived  at 
once  that  the  words  of  our  Lord  could  not  be  literally 
understood ;  and  he  was  wholly  at  a  loss  what  figurative 
meaning  was  to  be  assigned  to  them.  He  could  con- 
ceive that  it  might  be  necessary  for  a  Gentile  to  be 
introduced  by  circumcision  and  baptism  to  another 
family, — even  the  family  of  Abraham  ;  but  he  could  not 
understand  in  what  sense  they  who,  like  himself,  already 
stood  in  a  covenant-relation  to  God,  as  the  descendants 
of  that  eminent  patriarch,  admitted  by  circumcision  to 
the  highest  external  privileges,  must  become  the  subjects 
of  a  new  birth.  Our  Lord  then  declared  to  him  the 
spiritual  nature  of  the  change  which  He  intended,  and 
again  affirmed  in  the  strongest  manner  its  absolute  and 
universal  necessity.  "  Verily,  verily,  I  say  unto  thee, 
Except  a  man  be  born  of  water  and  of  the  Spirit,  he 
cannot  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  God."t  There  appears 
to  have  been  a  reference  in  the  phrase  "of  water"  to  the 
rite  of  baptism,  as  that  which  was  even  then  in  use,  and 
which,  with  a  Christian  import,  our  Lord  intended  to 
perpetuate  in  His  church;  but  it  is  unquestionable  that 
the  chief  stress  was  laid  by  Him  on  the  being  born  of 
the  Spirit.  For  He  immediately  added,  "  That  wliich  is 
born  of  the  flesh  is  flesh ;  and  that  which  is  horn  of  the 
Spirit  is  spirit.  Marvel  not  that  I  said  unto  thee,  Ye 
must  be  born  again.  The  wind  bloweth  where  it 
listeth,  and  thou  hearest  the  sound  thereof,  but  canst 

*  John  iii.  1 — 3.  f  John  iii.  5. 


114  THE    LIFE    AND    MINISTRY 

not  tell  whence  it  cometh,  and  whither  it  goeth  :  so  is 
every  one  that  is  horn  of  the  Sjnrit."^ 

Here  then  a  great  and  momentous  truth  is  pressed 
by  the  Redeemer  Himself  upon  the  attention  of  every 
human  being.  To  constitute  us  His  people, — to  give  us  a 
title  to  the  privileges  of  His  kingdom, — we  must  receive 
from  above  a  new  sj)iritual  life.  The  energy  of  the 
Holy  Spirit  must  be  put  forth  upon  our  souls, — causing 
them  to  glow  with  new  affections, — to  breathe  in  a  new 
element, — to  aspii'e  to  new  delights.  Instead  of  being 
cold  towards  God,  and  averse  from  His  purity  and  jus- 
tice, they  are  to  be  attracted  to  Him  by  a  sweet  and 
powerful  influence,  so  as  to  seek  His  friendship,  and 
delight  in  His  service.  Instead  of  being  surrendered  to 
selfish  passions,  they  are  to  expand  with  generous  and 
benevolent  emotions.  Instead  of  turning  away  from 
spiritual  and  heavenly  truth,  they  are  to  feel  a  sacred 
pleasure  in  religious  meditation,  and  the  devout  study  of 
the  Divine  word.  So  decisive  and  complete  is  the 
change  which  must  pass  upon  our  minds;  and  this,  not 
as  the  result  of  a  lengthened  process  of  self-discipline, 
but  through  the  communication  of  a  new  life,  breathed 
into  them  by  the  Holy  Ghost.  His  operations,  indeed, 
upon  the  human  spirit,  involve  mysteries  which  we 
cannot  unfold;  but  even  as  we  hear  the  sound  of  the 
wind,  though  we  cannot  trace  the  laws  which  regulate 
its  currents,  so  may  we  be  assured  of  the  presence  and 
power  of  the  life-giving  Spirit  by  the  holy  affections  and 
heavenly  principles  which  His  influence  calls  into  existence. 

But  the  Redeemer  directed  the  attention  of  Nicodemus 
to  yet  sublimer  truths.  He  disclosed  to  him  the  dignity 
*  John  iii.  6—8. 


OF   THE    EEDBEMER.  115 

of  His  own  person, — that,  thongh  He  appeared  in  the 
lowliness  of  ordinary  humanity,  He  had  come  down  from 
heaven,  and  was  possessed  of  a  nature  distinguished  even 
by  omnipresence :  "  And  no  man  hath  ascended  up  to 
heaven,  but  He  that  came  down  from  heaven,  even  the 
Son  of  man  which  is  in  heaven."*  He  affirmed  the  ne- 
cessity of  His  sufferings  and  death.  The  unearthly  glory 
of  His  person,  instead  of  being  a  pledge  that  His  career 
should  be  one  of  unmingled  joy,  prepared  Him  rather  to 
make  an  effectual  atonement  for  the  world's  guilt,  and 
thus  to  become  the  object  of  trust  to  every  contrite 
sinner:  "And  as  Moses  lifted  up  the  serpent  in  the  wil- 
derness, even  so  must  the  Son  of  man  be  lifted  up :  that 
whosoever  believeth  in  Him  should  not  perish,  but  have 
eternal  life."t  This  was  a  theme  upon  which  the 
Saviour  dwelt,  from  the  very  first,  with  deep  and  solemn 
interest.  He  looked  forward  to  the  agony  of  the  garden, 
and  the  shame  and  suffering  of  the  cross,  as  essential  to 
our  recovery.  He  placed  the  scenes  of  ignominy  and 
sorrow  through  which  He  was  to  pass,  in  connexion  with 
His  dignity  as  the  Son  of  God,  and  His  ineffable  dearness 
to  the  Father;  and  referred  to  them  as  affording  the 
most  impressive  views  of  the  greatness  of  the  Divine 
love  to  man,  and  as  laying  a  sure  and  sufficient  ground 
for  human  confidence  and  hope:  "For  God  so  loved 
the  world,  that  He  gave  His  only  begotten  Son,  that 
whosoever  believeth  in  Him  should  not  perish,  but  have 
everlasting  life.  For  God  sent  not  His  Son  into  the 
world  to  condemn  the  world;  but  that  the  world 
through  Him  might  be  saved."  j  But  the  Piedeemer  did 
not  close  the  conversation  without  a  solemn  warning  to 
*  John  iii.  13.  f  John  iii,  14,  15.  +  John  iii.  16,  17. 

I   2 


116  THE    LIFE    AND    MINISTRY 

Nicodemus,  and  to  all  to  whom  His  words  might  be 
made  known, — that  the  most  momentous  consequences 
depend,  in  the  case  of  every  man,  on  the  reception  or 
neglect  of  the  offer  of  mercy  through  His  blood :  "  He 
that  believeth  on  Him  is  not  condemned ;  but  he  that 
believeth  not  is  condemned  already,  because  he  hath  not 
believed  in  the  name  of  the  only  begotten  Son  of  God. 
And  this  is  the  condemnation,  that  light  is  come  into 
the  world,  and  men  loved  darkness  rather  than  light, 
because  their  deeds  were  evil.  For  every  one  that  doeth 
evil  hateth  the  light,  neither  cometh  to  the  light,  lest 
his  deeds  should  be  reproved.  But  he  that  doeth  truth 
cometh  to  the  light,  that  his  deeds  may  be  made  mani- 
fest, that  they  are  wrought  in  God."* 

The  interview  of  our  Lord  with  Nicodemus,  which  we 
have  now  considered,  is,  in  every  point  of  view,  instruc- 
tive and  important.  We  cannot  but  observe  the  fidelity 
with  which  the  Saviour  admonished  one  of  the  most 
honourable  members  of  the  Jewish  council  of  the  neces- 
sity of  a  spiritual  change,  and  the  readiness  with  which 
He  unfolded  to  him  the  plan  of  human  salvation.  This 
conversation,  indeed,  though  it  occurred  towards  the 
commencement  of  the  Redeemer's  ministry,  may  justly 
be  regarded  as  one  of  the  most  important  recorded  by 
the  evangelists.  The  great  Prophet  of  Israel  welcomed 
the  sincere  and  candid  inquirer  after  truth,  who  came  to 
Him  in  private, — disclosed  to  him  His  own  peculiar 
glory  as  the  only-begotten  of  the  Fathei', — impressed  on 
his  mind  the  spiritual  nature  of  religion, — and  directed 
his  faith  and  hope  to  His  own  approaching  sacrifice. 

But  another  incident,  related  by  the  apostle  John, 
•  JohD  iu.  18—21. 


OF   THE   REDEEMER.  117 

now  claims  our  attention.  It  is  one  which  beautifully 
illustrates  the  condescension  of  the  Redeemer,  in  im- 
parting light  to  a  mind  enveloped  in  spiritual  darkness, 
and  devoted  solely  to  the  world. 

When  the  Lord  Jesus  departed  from  Jerusalem, 
after  the  close  of  the  paschal  solemnity,  He  spent 
some  time  in  Judcea;  where  His  disciples,  who  accom- 
panied Him  on  this  journey,  administered  baptism  to 
those  who,  like  themselves,  wished  to  acknowledge 
Him  as  the  promised  Messiah.'^  But  when  the  powerful 
impression  produced  by  His  ministry  had  awakened  the 
jealousy  of  the  Pharisees  of  Jerusalem,  He  purposed  to 
return  to  Galilee. t  His  route  lay  through  Samaria; 
and  as  He  approached  the  city  of  Sychar,  he  sat  down 
weary,  on  a  well,  which  the  patriarch  Jacob  had  dug, 
and  which  still  retained  his  venerated  name.  It  was 
now  mid-day;  His  disciples  had  gone  forward  to  the  city 
to  purchase  food;  and  He  sat  alone  on  the  well.  The 
special  providence  of  God  led  a  woman  of  that  city  to 
come  at  this  unusual  hour  to  draw  water ;  and  Jesus,  to 
introduce  a  conversation  on  spiritual  things,  said  to  her, 
"  Give  me  to  drink."  She  immediately  expressed  her 
surprise,  that  one  whose  appearance  and  dialect  showed 
him  to  be  a  Jew,  should  request  a  favour  of  her,  a  woman 
of  Samaria;  since  no  intimate  and  friendly  intercourse 
was  usual  between  the  two  nations.  But  little  did  she 
think,  that  He  whom  she  now  addressed  was  the  Friend 
and  Saviour  not  of  one  nation  only,  but  of  all!  It  was 
His  condescending  grace  which  led  Him  to  prefer  that 
request,  and  to  engage  in  conversation  with  her;  and 
in  reply  to  her  expression  of  astonishment,  He  uttered 
•  John  iii.  22,  compared  with  John  iv.  1 — 3.     f  John  iv.  1 — 3. 


118  THE    LIFE    AND    MINISTRY 

the  remarkable  words,  "  If  tliou  knewest  the  gift  of  God, 
and  who  it  is  that  saith  to  thee.  Give  Me  to  drink ; 
thou  wouldest  have  asked  of  Him,  and  He  would  have 
given  thee  living  water."  Gladly  would  our  minds 
linger  on  the  deep  truths  comprehended  in  this  saying 
of  our  Lord.  He  is  Himself  the  Giver  of  spiritual 
blessings  to  our  lost  and  perishing  world  ;  through  Him 
that  influence  of  the  Spirit  is  vouchsafed  to  vis,  which 
only  can  allay  the  painful  thirst  of  our  souls,  and  render 
them  fi'esh  and  joyous ;  and  if  we  come  to  Him  in 
humble  faith,  He  will  impart  to  us  this  inestimable 
gift  with  the  greatest  readiness  and  freedom.  But  the 
woman  of  Samaria  had  no  perception  of  the  deep 
spiritual  import  of  our  Lord's  words ;  and  she  rephed, 
"  Sir,  thou  hast  nothing  to  draw  with,  and  the  well  is 
deep;  from  whence,  then,  hast  thou  that  living  water? 
Art  thou  greater  than  our  father  Jacob,  Avho  gave  us 
the  well,  and  drank  thereof  himself,  and  his  children, 
and  his  cattle  ?"  Beautiful  and  full  of  meaning  was  the 
answer  of  our  Lord !  "  Whosoever  drinketh  of  this 
water  shall  thii'st  again  :  but  whosoever  drinketh  of  the 
water  that  I  shall  give  him  shall  never  thirst ;  but  the 
water  that  I  shall  give  him  shall  be  in  him  a  well 
of  water  springing  up  into  everlasting  life."  The  grace 
of  the  promised  Spirit,  unlike  the  stream  which  for  a 
time  alleviates  the  thirst  of  man,  is  an  unfailing  source 
of  peace  and  satisfaction  within  the  mind  itself;  and  as 
it  diifuses  its  refreshing  and  enlivening  influence  through 
all  the  powers  of  our  nature,  it  forms  the  earnest  of  a 
holier  and  better  life.  But  the  woman  of  Samaria  either 
failed  to  apprehend,  even  now,  the  spiritual  import  of  • 
the  Redeemer's  words,  or  resisted  that  conviction  of  her 


OF    THE    REDEEMER.  119 

personal  need  of  salvation,  which  was  beginning  to  rise 
within  her  breast.  Again  she  replied,  "  Sir,  give  me 
this  water,  that  I  thirst  not,  neither  come  hither  to 
draw."  Jesus  then  spoke  to  her  conscience  ;  and  with 
peculiar  emphasis  said,  "  Go,  call  thy  husband,  and  come 
hither."  The  woman  answered,  "I  have  no  husband;" 
and  then  our  Lord  evinced  His  perfect  knowledge  of 
all  the  circumstances  of  her  life,  by  adding,  "  Thou 
hast  well  said,  I  have  no  husband  :  for  thou  hast  had 
five  husbands  ;  and  he  whom  thou  noAv  hast,  is  not  thy 
husband  :  in  that  saidst  thou  truly."  Affected  and 
convinced  by  the  proof  which  He  had  now  given  of 
His  more  than  human  discernment,  she  acknowledged 
that  He  must  be  a  distinguished  prophet;  and,  turning 
away  from  a  topic  which  she  felt  to  be  so  reproving, 
she  asked  Him  to  decide  the  great  question  on  Avhich 
the  Jews  and  the  Samaritans  were  divided,  whether  the 
temple  at  Jerusalem,  or  that  on  Mount  Gerizim,  was 
the  proper  place  at  which  sacrifices  should  be  presented 
to  God.  The  Redeemer,  while  He  affirmed  the  superior 
claims  of  the  Jewish  services,  announced  Avith  great 
impressiveness  the  truth,  that  a  dispensation  yvas  about 
to  be  introduced,  under  which  this  controversy  should 
lose  all  its  interest;  and  the  spirittml  worship  of  God, 
which  only  could  be  acceptable  to  Him,  should  be 
established  in  every  land :  "  Woman,  believe  Me,  the 
hour  cometh,  when  ye  shall  neither  in  this  mountain, 
nor  yet  at  Jerusalem,  worship  the  Father.  Ye  worship 
ye  know  not  what :  we  know  what  we  worship  :  for  salva- 
tion is  of  the  Jews.  But  the  hour  cometh,  and  now  is,  when 
the  true  worshippers  shall  worship  the  Father  in  spirit 
and  in  truth :  for  the  Father  seeketh  such  to  worship  Him, 


120  THE    LIFE    AND    MINISTRY 

God  is  a  Spirit :  and  they  that  worship  Him  must  worship 
Him  in  spirit  and  in  truth."  The  woman,  in  reply, 
expressed  her  conviction  that  the  promised  Messiah  would 
indeed  appear,  and  that  when  He  should  come,  He  would 
place  everything"  that  related  to  the  worship  of  God  in 
the  clearest  light ;  and  then  our  Lord  simply  and 
emphatically  declared,  "  I  that  speak  unto  thee  am  He."* 
The  conversation  was  now  interrupted  by  the  return 
of  the  disciples,  with  the  pi'ovisions  which  they  had 
pi'ocured.  Their  astonishment  was  awakened,  when 
they  first  perceived  that  their  Master  was  engaged  in 
earnest  conversation  with  this  Samaritan  woman;  but 
their  reverence  for  His  character  restrained  them  from 
giving  expression  to  this  feeling,  or  inquiring  into  the 
reason  of  His  conduct.  They  came  forward,  and  affec- 
tionately requested  Him  to  take  some  food.  The  reply 
of  our  Lord  beautifully  illustrates  one  feature  of  His 
character, — His  uniform  and  entire  devotion  to  His  great 
work  as  the  Mediator.  "  I  have  meat  to  eat,"  He  said,  "that 
ye  know  not  of;"  and  when,  in  surprise,  they  said  one  to 
another,  "  Hath  any  man  brought  Him  aught  to  eat  ? " 
He  added,  "  My  meat  is  to  do  the  will  of  Him  that  sent 
Me,  and  to  finish  His  work."  Every  part  of  our  Lord's 
conduct,  while  on  earth,  confirmed  this  declaration.  He 
appeai'ed  among  men  to  accomplish  the  purposes  of 
infinite  wisdom,  and  holiness,  and  love ;  and  He  was 
ever  ready  to  seek  and  save  the  lost, — to  pour  the  light 
of  truth  upon  our  dark  and  perishing  Avorld, — and  to 
unfold  to  men  the  spiritual  blessings  of  His  Gospel,  until 
at  length  He  was  lifted  up  on  the  cross,  and  accomplished 
the  work  of  atonement.  He  was  now  near  a  city,  many 
*  John  iv.  4—26. 


OF    THE    REDEEMER.  121 

of  the  inhabitants  of  which  were  prepared  candidly  to 
inquire  into  the  evidences  of  His  claims ;  and  He  designed 
that  the  impression  produced  on  the  humble  individual 
whose  conscience  He  had  aroused,  and  to  whom  He  had 
declared  the  spirituality  of  rehgion,  should  be  the  means 
of  awakening  the  earnest  attention  of  many  around  her. 
And  with  a  feeling  of  benevolent  and  holy  satisfaction, 
He  called  on  His  disciples  to  contemplate  the  abundant 
spiritual  harvest  which  lay  before  them,  and  which  they 
had  only  to  reap  with  joy  and  gratitude. '" 

The  woman,  meanwhile,  had  left  her  waterpot,  and 
gone  into  the  city.  Immediately  she  published  the 
remarkable  incident,  that  at  Jacob's  well  she  had  found 
a  Stranger,  Avho  had  told  her  of  the  secret  transactions 
of  her  whole  life,  and  whose  omniscience  proved  Plim 
to  be,  what  He  Himself  affirmed,  the  long-expected 
Messiah.  The  interest  of  many  was  immediately 
awakened ;  and,  going  to  Him  at  the  well,  they  entreated 
Him  to  come  into  their  city,  and  remain  for  a  while 
among  them.  He  complied  with  their  request,  so  far 
as  to  spend  two  days  at  Sychar;  during  which  He 
discoursed  to  them  on  the  great  truths  which  relate  to 
human  salvation,  and  the  spiritual  blessings  about  to  be 
offered  to  men  of  every  land.  Many  of  the  Samaritans 
of  that  city  were  so  impressed  with  the  testimony  of 
the  woman,  relative  to  our  Lord's  acquaintance  with  her 
whole  history,  that  they  at  once  admitted  His  high  and 
peculiar  claims;  and  many  others,  when  they  had 
listened  to  His  teaching,  distinguished  as  it  was  by 
depth  of  wisdom,  and  by  heavenly  purity  and  power, 
gratefully  owned  Him  as  the  Messiah,  and  said  to  the 
*  John  iv.  27,  31—38. 


122  THE    LIFE    AND    MINISTllY 

woman,  "  Now  we  believe,  not  because  of  thy  saying ; 
for  we  liave  heard  Him  ourselves,  and  know  that  this  is 
indeed  the  Christ,  the  Saviour  of  the  world."  * 

When  the  Redeemer  departed  from  Sychar,  He  went 
forward  to  Galilee,  and  came  to  the  town  of  Cana,  where 
He  had  before  performed  the  miracle  of  converting 
water  into  wine.  ^Vhile  He  remained  there,  He  gave  a 
second  and  still  more  remarkable  proof  of  His  unlimited 
power  and  knowledge.  A  nobleman,  resident  at  Caper- 
naum, whose  anxiety  was  called  forth  by  the  dangerous 
illness  of  his  son,  when  he  heard  that  Jesus  had  returned 
from  Judjea,  went  to  Him  at  Cana,  and  earnestly  besought 
Him  that  He  Avould  come  to  Capernaum  and  restore  his 
child,  whom  he  had  left  at  the  point  of  death.  The 
Saviour,  knowing  that  although  this  nobleman  had  a 
considerable  degree  of  confidence  in  His  power  to  heal, 
yet  he,  and  the  persons  who  stood  around  him,  seemed 
to  restrict  that  power  to  cases  in  which  He  should  be 
present  with  the  objects  of  His  benevolent  regard,  said, 
in  reply  to  his  application,  "  Except  ye  see  signs  and 
wonders,  ye  will  not  believe."  The  nobleman,  whose 
parental  solicitude  now  amounted  almost  to  agony,  and 
who  felt  that  any  delay  on  the  Redeemer's  part  must  be 
fatal  to  his  hopes,  said  to  Him,  with  imploring  earnest- 
ness. "  Sir,  come  down  ere  my  child  die."  "  Go  thy 
way,"  said  Jesus;  "thy  son  liveth."  Who  can  fail  to 
recognise  in  this  address  of  the  Redeemer  the  language 
and  manner  of  Him  who  is  the  Fountain  of  life,  and 
whose  energy  is  everywhere  put  forth  1  Unlike  His 
apostles,  who  performed  miracles  as  the  mere  instruments 
of  One  infinitely  higher  than  themselves,  and  with  a 
*  John  iv.  28—30,  39—42. 


OF    THE    REDEEMER.  123 

distinct  and  reverent  acknowledgment  of  that  "  name" 
in  honour  of  which  they  were  effected,  Jesus  speaks  and 
acts  as  possessed  of  an  inhei-ent  dignity  and  power, 
before  which  universal  nature  must  bow.  The  nobleman 
listened  to  His  emphatic  words;  his  faith,  strengthened 
from  above,  reposed  on  the  veracity  and  power  of  the 
Saviour;  his  inward  agitation  and  fear  gave  place  to 
serenity  and  peace;  and  he  immediately  began  his 
journey  homeward  to  embrace  his  restored  child.  On 
the  following  day  his  servants  met  him,  and  with  light 
and  cheerful  hearts  told  him,  "Thy  son  liveth."  The 
father  immediately  inquired,  at  what  hour  he  began  to 
amend;  and  to  his  joy  and  satisfaction  found,  that  it 
was  at  the  very  time  when  the  Redeemer  spoke  that  the 
fever  departed  from  him,  and  the  freshness  and  energy 
of  health  were  again  imparted  to  his  wasted  frame.""'' 

After  some  time  our  Lord  proceeded  to  Nazaretl), 
where  He  had  spent  the  years  of  His  private  life.t  In 
this  journey  His  disciples  do  not  appear  to  have  accom- 
panied Him ;  and  it  is  probable  that  the  claims  of  their 
worldly  avocations  rendered  it  necessary  for  them  to 
return  to  the  neighbourhood  of  the  sea  of  Galilee.  His 
fame,  as  a  religious  Teacher,  was  now  widely  diffused ; 
and  the  last  stupendous  miracle  which  He  wrought  in 
Capernaum,  though  Himself  at  a  distance  from  it,  seems 
to  have  produced,  even  in  Nazareth,  a  considerable 
sensation.:};  According  to  His  established  custom,  the 
Redeemer  went  on  the  Sabbath  into  the  synagogue,  and, 
as  the  service  proceeded.  He  stood  up  to  read.  There 
was  handed  to  Him  the  book  of  the  prophet  Isaiah;  and, 
opening  it.  He  read  the  beautiful  and  encouraging 
*  John  iv.  43—54.  f  Luke  iv.  16.  +  Luke  iv.  23. 


124  THE    LIFE    AND    MINISTRY 

passage  in  which  that  prophet  describes  the  character 
of  the  Messiah's  ministry :  "  The  Spirit  of  the  Lord  is 
upon  me,  because  He  hath  anointed  me  to  preach  the 
Gospel  to  the  poor;  He  hath  sent  me  to  heal  the  broken- 
hearted, to  preach  delivei'ance  to  the  captives,  and 
recovering  of  sight  to  the  bhnd,  to  set  at  liberty  them 
that  are  bruised,  to  preach  the  acceptable  year  of  the 
Lord."  Having  read  these  emphatic  words.  He  rolled 
up  the  book,  and  gave  it  again  to  the  attendant;  and 
sitting  down,  according  to  the  custom  of  the  Jewish 
rabbles  when  about  to  expound  the  Scriptures,  He 
declared  to  the  assembly,  amidst  their  profound  silence, 
that  even  now  these  declarations  of  the  prophet  were 
fulfilled  in  His  own  ministry, — that  He  was  the  Anointed 
of  Jehovah,  sent  to  proclaim  to  the  sorrowful  and 
fainting  spirit  the  message  of  consolation  and  peace, 
and  to  lead  forth  the  captives  of  Satan  from  their  state 
of  bondage  and  gloom.  Deep  was  the  impression  which 
His  discourse  produced  on  many  of  His  hearers.  It 
awakened,  indeed,  the  astonishment  of  all  who  were 
present ;  and  as  they  reflected  on  the  peculiar  authority 
and  grace  by  which  it  was  distinguished,  and  on  the 
benignant  and  inviting  character  of  many  of  His  sayings, 
they  felt  that  they  had  been  listening  to  no  ordinaiy 
teacher.  But  this  conviction  soon  gave  place  to  a 
feeling  of  envy,  and  to  the  prejudices  which  they  had 
foi'med  against  Him  as  having  grown  up  among  them- 
selves in  outward  meanness  and  obscurity;  and  they 
said  one  to  another,  "  Is  not  this  Joseph's  son  1 "  Our 
Lord  well  knew  the  thoughts  which  were  associated  in 
their  minds  with  this  inquiry :  and  in  reply  He  told 
them,  that  they  might  perhaps  be  ready  to  demand  of 


OP    THE    REDEEMER,  125 

Him  to  perform  among  them,  as  the  inhabitants  of  His 
own  town,  those  works  of  power  by  which  He  had 
distinguished  Capernaum ;  but  that  they  were  not  in  a 
state  of  mind  to  receive  such  favours,  and  that  it  is  not 
for  man  to  dictate  to  Divine  wisdom,  in  respect  to  the 
occasions  on  which  the  miraculous  energy  of  God  should 
be  put  forth,  or  the  persons  on  whose  behalf  it  should 
be  exerted.  He  referred  them  to  events  in  the  history 
of  Elijah  and  Elisha,  which  even  showed  that  in  some 
cases  God  had  seen  fit  to  bestow  on  Gentiles  favours 
which  He  had  withheld  from  members  of  the  house  of 
Israel.  The  fury  of  the  assembly  was  called  forth  by 
these  remarks;  and,  rising  up,  they  thrust  Him  out  of 
the  synagogue,  and  led  Him  to  the  very  brow  of  the 
hill  on  which  the  town  was  built,  intending  to  cast  Him 
down  headlong :  but  here  His  unseen  power  restrained 
their  malice,  and,  passing  through  the  midst  of  them 
unhurt.  He  left  the  place  which  had  so  ungratefully 
rejected  the  message  of  salvation, '"■ 

From  Nazareth  the  Lord  Jesus  went  to  Capernaum,t — 
a  town  eminently  fitted  to  be  the  usual  place  of  His 
residence  during  His  labours  in  the  northern  district  of  the 
Holy  Land.  Its  population  was  considerable ;  and  being 
situated  on  the  shore  of  the  sea  of  Galilee,  it  afforded 
facilities  of  access  to  the  other  towns  on  the  bordei'S  of  that 
lake.  Here  the  Redeemer  taught  with  great  frequency 
and  power;  and  here  many  of  His  stupendous  miracles 
were  perfoi'med, — miracles  which  established  His  claim 
to  be  the  promised  Messiah,  and  evinced  the  submission 
of  universal  nature  to  the  least  intimation  of  His  will. 


*  Luke  iv.  16—30.  f  Luke  iv,  31  ;  Matthew  iv,  13. 


126  THE   LIFE    AND    MINISTRY 


CHAPTER  Y. 

GENERAL  VIEW  OF  THE  REDEEMER'S  TEACHING  AND 
MIRACLES  IN  GALILEE,  UNTIL  THE  CLOSE  OF  THE  FIRST 
YEAR    OF    HIS    PUBLIC    MINISTRY. 

We  have  already  contemplated  the  Lord  Jesus  enter- 
ing upon  the  high  duties  of  His  office  as  the  Teacher  of 
mankind.  We  have  seen  Him  in  Jerusalem,  manifesting 
displeasure  against  those  who  profaned  the  temple,  and 
performing  miracles  which  awakened  the  attention  of 
every  thoughtful  mind.  We  have  listened  to  the  emphatic 
manner  in  which  He  declared  to  Nicodemus  the  spiritu- 
ality of  religion,  and  affirmed  the  necessity  of  His  own 
sacrificial  death.  We  have  followed  Him  in  His  joui'ney 
through  Samaria,  and  have  marked  the  condescension 
and  fidelity  with  which  He  instructed  and  reproved  the 
woman  who  came  to  Him  at  the  well,  and  the  deep 
impression  produced  on  the  inhabitants  of  Sychar,  by 
the  proof  which  He  gave  of  His  omniscience,  and  by  the 
wisdom  and  majesty  of  His  teaching.  We  have  viewed 
Him  at  Cana  and  Nazareth,  evincing  a  power  to  arrest, 
even  at  a  distance,  the  ravages  of  a  fatal  disease,  and  to 
restrain  the  malice  and  fury  of  His  excited  enemies ; 
and  blending  with  the  grace  and  tenderness  of  His 
invitations  to  sinners  a  holy  displeasure  against  those 
who  perversely  resisted  the  force  of  religious  truth. 

Capei'naum  and  its  neighbourhood  were  now  favoured 
with  the  inestimable  privilege  of  the  Eedeemer's  presence 


OF    THE    REDEEMER.  127 

and  ministry.*     Wherever  He   appeared,  He  shed  the 
light  of  heavenly  truth  on  the  minds  of  men, — dispelled 
the  gloom  which  had  enveloped  many  an  anxious  spirit, 
by  disclosing  to  it  the  way  of  reconciliation  and  peace, — 
and  aroused  the  careless  and  worldly  to  serious  reflection 
and    earnest    effort.     He  unfolded    the   deep   spiritual 
import  of  the  Divine  precepts,  and  exposed  the  fallacy 
of  those  hopes  which  rested  on  a  merely  formal  attention 
to  the  outward  services  of  religion.     He  announced  the 
near   approach    of   that   "  kingdom    of   God,"    to    the 
establishment  of  which  the  Jewish  nation  had  so  long 
looked  forward;  but  He  affirmed  that  it  was  to  be  a 
.spiritual  dominion,  and,  like  His  immediate  forerunner, 
He  enjoined  repentance  as  necessaiy  to  prepare  men  to 
enjoy  its  blessings.     One  of  the  evangelists  has  given  us 
the  following  compendious  statement  of  this  period  of 
tlie  Redeemer's  ministry,  and  of  the  leading  topics  on 
which  He  dwelt :— "  Now  after  that  John  was  put  in 
prison,  Jesus  came  into  Galilee,  preaching  the  Gospel  of 
the  kingdom  of  God,  and  saying.  The  time  is  fulfilled,  and 
the  kingdom  of  God  is  at  hand:  repent  ye,  and  believe 
the  Gospel."  t     No  countenance  was  given  by  our  Lord, 
from  the  very  first,  to  those  low  and  earthly  views  of 
the  Messiah's  reign  which  many  of  the  Jews  entertained. 
The  deliverance  which  He  proclaimed  was  the  rescue 
of  the  human  spirit  from  the  bondage  of  iniquity,  and 
its  introduction  to  a  region  of  heavenly  light  and  purity. 
The  blessings  which   He  offered  to  man  were  those  of 
reconciliation  to  God,  and  a  new  spiritual  life,  developing 
itself  in  ardent  aspirations  after  holiness,  in  the  desire 
of  humble  communion  with  the  Most  High,  in  a  love  of 
*  -Matthew  iv.  13—1(5.      \  Mark  i.  14, 15  :  see  also  Matthew  iv.  17. 


128  THE   LIFE    AND   MINISTRY 

peace,  and  in  unaffected  benignity  and  kindness.  He 
sought  to  awaken  in  every  mind  the  consciousness  of 
spiritual  need, — to  call  forth  a  deep  feeling  of  personal 
sinfulness.  He  directed  every  man  to  look  into  the 
recesses  of  his  own  heart,  and  to  remember  with  shame 
and  *  sorrow  his  own  secret  violations  of  the  Di\dne 
laws.  He  called  upon  all  who  heard  Him  to  renounce 
every  cherished  iniquity,  to  turn  away  from  every  for- 
bidden path,  and  to  prostrate  themselves  before  God, 
in  the  lowly  confession  of  their  guilt.  And  then  He 
held  forth  to  the  troubled  and  anxious  spirit  the  offer 
of  pardon,  and  exhibited  the  moral  loveliness  of  that 
form  of  character  which  He  would  impart  to  every 
believer  in  Him.  The  ministry  of  the  Redeemer  was 
impressive  and  heart-searching :  it  abounded  in  powerful 
appeals  to  the  conscience,  and  disclosed  the  fearful  guilt 
of  those  forms  of  sin  which  man  would  pass  over  as 
trifling  and  insignificant.  But  it  was  also  condescending 
and  gi'acious :  it  revealed  the  pitying  love  of  God  to 
man,  declared  His  Avillingness  to  hear  the  prayer  of 
humility  and  faith,  and  encouraged  the  exercise  even  of 
child-Uke  confidence  in  our  approaches  to  Him. 

The  appearance  of  our  Lord  as  a  public  Teacher  was 
also  distinguished  by  acts  of  power  and  love,  which 
attested  His  claims,  and  diffused  around  Him  happiness 
and  joy.  His  touch  gave  health  and  vigour  to  the 
languid  frame,  and  arrested  the  progress  of  diseases 
which  had  baffled  all  the  attempts  of  medical  skill.  He 
calmed  the  agitation,  and  dissipated  the  gloom,  of  many 
an  affectionate  heart  that  had  watched  with  painful 
interest  the  sufferings  of  an  endeared  relative,  and  had 
shrunk  from  the  impending  stroke  of  bereavement.    He 


OF    THE    REDEEMER.  129 

rescued  the  victims  of  Satanic  cruelty  from  that  power 
which  had  tyrannised  over  their  bodies,  and  controlled 
the  actings  of  their  minds.  His  path  was  one  of  light 
and  blessing;  wherever  He  came,  the  reign  of  sorrow 
was  invaded;  and  rays  of  hope  and  joy  beamed  upon 
the  wretched  and  disconsolate.  Often  was  He  surrounded 
with  the  diversified  forms  of  human  suffering;  and  a 
healing  and  life-imparting  virtue  went  forth  from  Him, 
which  changed  the  scene  of  sorrow  and  mourning  into 
one  of  gladness  and  holy  triumph.* 

Soon  after  our  Lord  had  gone  fx-om  Nazareth  to 
Capernaum,  He  called  four  of  His  disciples  to  leave 
their  secular  engagements  that  they  might  be  in  con- 
stant attendance  upon  Himself.  Peter  and  Andrew 
were  the  first  who  were  thus  distinguished.  These 
individuals  had  already  acknowledged  His  claims,  and 
had  accompanied  Him  in  some  of  His  earliest  journeys; 
but  they  had  returned  to  their  usual  occupation,  and 
were  now  fishing  on  the  sea  of  Galilee.  As  the 
Redeemer  walked  along  the  shore,  He  saw  them  casting 
a  net  into  the  sea,  and  said  to  them,  "  Follow  Me,  and  I 
will  make  you  fishers  of  men."  This  was  enough :  they 
well  knew  the  dignity  and  power  of  Him  who  addressed 
them,  and  without  hesitation  or  delay  "  they  left  their 
nets,  and  followed  Him."  A  higher  vocation  was  now 
before  them ;  and  often,  in  subsequent  years,  while  they 
were  engaged  in  their  arduous  toils  as  ambassadors  for 
Christ,  they  must  have  reflected  with  comfort  and  joy 
on  the  promise  of  the  Saviour,  that  He  would  use  them 
as  His  instruments  in  gathering  men  to  Himself,  to  enjoy 
the  blessings  of  His  grace.t     James  and  John,  the  sons 

*  Matthew  iv.  23,  24.        f  Matthew  iv.  18—20 ;  Mark  i.  16—18. 
K 


130  THE    LIFE    AND    MIXISTRY 

of  Zebedee,  were  next  called  to  be  the  constant  com- 
panions of  our  Lord.  They  were  in  a  fishing-vessel 
■vnth  their  .father  and  his  hired  servants,  mending  their 
nets;  and  the  SaA^iour,  as  He  walked  along  the  shore, 
attended  by  Peter  and  Andrew,  called  them  also  to  be 
with  Him,  and  they  "immediately  left  the  ship  and 
their  father,  and  followed  Him."  *  A  beautiful  example 
of  entire  confidence  in  the  Redeemer,  and  of  unhesitating 
obedience  to  His  will,  is  thus  presented  to  us.  Imper- 
fect as  the  views  of  these  disciples  now  were,  they 
evinced  at  least  a  simple  faith  in  the  claims  of  the  Lord 
Jesus,  and  a  grateful  love  which  caused  them  to  prefer 
attendance  upon  Him  to  every  secular  employment. 

Two  of  the  sacred  historians  have  given  us  a  con- 
nected narrative  of  the  transactions  of  one  Sabbath, 
which  our  Lord,  at  this  time,  spent  in  Capernaum. t 
According  to  His  established  custom.  He  went  into  the 
synagogue,  and  taught  the  people  who  were  there 
assembled.  His  instructions  and  warnings  were  ever 
marked  by  great  authority  and  power;  and  on  this 
occasion,  as  on  many  others,  they  produced  a  deep 
impression  on  all  who  were  present.  One  of  the  evan- 
gelists has  observed,  in  relation  to  the  effect  of  our 
Lord's  discourse,  that  the  people  "  were  astonished  at 
His  doctrine,  for  His  word  Avas  with  power ;"  |  while  the 
other  has  spoken  of  the  contrast  which  they  perceived 
between  the  earnest  and  authoritative  expositions  of  our 
Lord,  and  the  insipid  and  powerless  teaching  of  the 
scribes  who  usually  addressed  them.  §     But,  on  this  day, 

«  Matthew  iv.  21,  22  ;  Mark  i.  19,  20. 

t  Mark  i.  21—31  ;  Luke  iv.  31—39.  +  Luke  iv.  32. 

§  Mark  i.  22. 


OF    THE    REDEEMER.  131 

there  was  in  the  synao-ogue  a  man  possessed  by  an 
unclean  demon;  and  that  foul  spirit,  agitated  and 
alarmed  by  the  presence  of  One  whose  purity  was  with- 
out a  stain,  and  whose  control  extended  to  the  invisible 
world,  cried  out,  "  Let  us  alone ;  what  have  we  to  do 
with  Thee,  Thou  Jesus  of  Nazareth  1  art  Thou  come  to 
destroy  us?  I  know  Thee  who  Thou  art,  the  Holy 
One  of  God."  Here  was  a  strange  and  exciting  spectacle. 
God  had  permitted  one  of  those  spirits  of  wickedness,  to 
whose  malignant  efforts  against  the  human  race  we  have 
already  adverted,  to  exercise  a  fearful  power  over  the 
individual  in  question,  using  his  mind  and  his  organs  of 
speech  to  convey  his  own  sentiments,  and  convulsing  at 
intervals  his  entire  frame.  A  strange  terror  fell  upon 
this  spirit  when  he  came  into  the  presence  of  the 
Saviour;  and,  constrained  by  this  feeling,  he  acknow- 
ledged the  unearthly  purity  of  Him  who  now  appeared 
among  men.  But  Jesus  scorned  to  receive  praise  from 
such  a  quarter.  He  came  to  overthrow  the  empire  of 
Satan,  and  to  rescue  men  from  their  captivity  to  him ; 
nor  could  any  acknowledgment  of  His  dignity  and 
power,  on  the  part  of  these  malignant  spirits,  induce 
Him  to  tolerate  their  reign.  With  calm  majesty  He 
addressed  the  impure  demon,  and  said,  "  Hold  thy 
peace,  and  come  out  of  him."  The  eyes  of  all  were 
fixed  upon  the  unhappy  man  when  the  Saviour  uttered 
this  woi'd  of  power ;  and,  in  the  presence  of  them  all,  the 
spirit  put  forth  a  last  convulsive  effort  on  the  man 
whom  he  had  possessed,  and  then  yielded,  though 
reluctantly,  to  our  Lord's  command,  and  came  out  of 
him,  and  left  him  tranquil  and  composed.  The  utmost 
astonishment  pervaded  the  assembly;  and  one  general 
K  2 


132  THE    LIFE    AND    MINISTRY 

exclamation  burst  fortla,  "  What  a  word  is  this  !  for  with 
authority  and  power  He  commandeth  the  unclean 
spirits,  and  they  come  out."  * 

Having  left  the  synagogue,  our  Lord  proceeded  to 
the  house  of  Peter,  accompanied  by  that  disciple  and  the 
three  others  whom  He  had  called  to  be  His  attendants. 
Here  a  new  occasion  presented  itself  for  the  display  of 
His  unbounded  power  and  condescending  love.  The 
mother  of  Peter's  wife  lay  sick  of  a  violent  fever;  and 
upon  His  entering  the  house,  they  earnestly  besought 
Him  to  interpose  on  her  behalf  Without  hesitation 
He  acceded  to  their  request;  and,  coming  to  her  bed, 
He  stood  over  her,  took  her  by  the  hand,  and  by  a 
word  restored  her  to  health.  Her  cure  was  both 
instantaneous  and  complete;  so  that,  instead  of  recover- 
ing her  strength  by  a  slow  and  gradual  process,  she 
immediately  "  arose  and  ministered  unto  them."  t 

So  great  was  the  impression  produced  by  these 
displays  of  the  Eedeemer's  power,  that  when  the  sun 
had  set,  and  the  Sabbath  was  consequently  at  an  end, 
the  inhabitants  of  Capernaum  generally  brought  to  Him 
their  afflicted  relatives  and  friends,  that  He  might  heal 
them  all.  J  One  of  the  evangelists  has  this  striking 
remark:  "And  all  the  city  was  gathered  together  at 
the  door."§  Universal  attention  was  aroused;  and 
while  the  sick  and  dying  hailed  the  presence  of  One 
who  could  immediately  restore  them,  multitudes  crowded 
to  the  house  of  Peter  to  witness  the  impressive  spectacle, 

*  Mark  i.  23—27 ;   Luke  iv.  33—36. 

f  Mark  i.  29—31 ;  Luke  iv.  38,  39;  Matthew  viii.  14,  15. 

+  Mark  i.  32  ;  Luke  iv.  40 ;  Matthew  viii.  16. 

§  Mark  i.  33. 


OF   THE   REDEEMEK.  133 

—  to  behold  the  great  Teacher  of  Israel  instantly 
removing  acute  diseases,  and  raising  up  those  who  had 
languished  under  slow  and  wasting  maladies.  Nor  did 
the  Redeemer  disappoint  their  expectations.  He  came 
forth  to  !)less;  and  with  simple  dignity,  as  possessing 
in  Himself  infinite  resources,  He  "  laid  His  hands  on 
every  one  of  them,  and  healed  them,"  and  by  His  word 
of  power  He  dismissed  infernal  spirits  from  those 
whom  they  had  tormented.*  It  is  delightful  to  dwell 
upon  this  scene  as  illustrating  the  diffusive  benevolence 
of  the  Ptedeemer,  as  well  as  His  resistless  poiver.  He 
rejected  no  one  who  was  brought  to  Him;  He  withheld 
not  His  sympathy  from  any  case  of  human  suffering; 
but  while  He  deeply  felt  in  His  own  spirit  the  woes 
which  sin  had  brought  upon  our  race,t  He  put  forth  His 
unbounded  energy  to  communicate  to  all  the  freshness 
and  glow  of  health,  and  to  diffuse  around  Him  universal 
cheerfulness  and  joy. 

Such  were  the  engagements  of  one  Sabbath  which  the 
Redeemer  spent  on  earth;  and  such  the  acts  of  blessing 
by  which  the  succeeding  evening  was  marked.  The 
following  morning  presents  Him  to  our  view  under 
another  aspect.  We  have  to  contemplate  Him  rising  a 
great  while  before  day,  going  forth  to  a  solitary  place, 
and  praying.:}:  He  wished,  as  man,  to  hold  undisturbed 
communion  with  the  Father;  and  He  designed,  also,  to 
set  an  example  to  His  people,  to  blend  retired  devotion 
with  the  activities  of  public  life.  In  everything  but  sin 
was  the  Redeemer  made  like  unto  us,  His  brethren ;  and 
as  we  trace  His  footsteps,  we  should  gi-atefully  reflect, 

»  Mark  i.  34;  Luke  iv.  40,  41  ;  Matthew  viii.  16. 
t  Matthew  viii.  17.  1  Maik  i.  35. 


134  THE    LIFE    AND    MINISTRY 

that  He  has  left  us  a  pattern  of  perfect  obedience,  of 
uniform  devotion,  and  of  constant  purity  and  love.  The 
disciples  whom  He  had  chosen  to  be  with  Him  followed 
Him,  after  some  hours,  to  the  place  of  His  retirement, 
and  stated  to  Him  the  earnest  and  universal  desire  of  the 
people  of  Capernaum,  that  He  would  remain  among 
them;*  and  many  of  the  inhabitants  of  that  city  came 
to  Him  in  person,  and  entreated  Him  not  to  leave 
them.t  But  the  Saviour  declared  to  them,  that  His 
mission  was  not  limited  to  a  single  place, — that  it  was 
a  part  of  that  gracious  plan  which  He  came  to  execute, 
that  He  should  "preach  the  kingdom  of  God  to  other 
cities,"  and  perform  in  them  His  works  of  power  and 
love.  In  accordance  with  this  declaration.  He  now  made 
a  circuit  through  the  towns  of  Galilee,  preaching  in 
their  synagogues,  healing  the  afflicted,  controlling  the 
malice  of  evil  spirits,  and  scattering  blessings  wherever 
He  appeared. :{: 

The  fame  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  as  an  illustrious  Teacher, 
and  one  possessing  unlimited  power  to  remove  diseases, 
was  now  diffused,  not  only  throughout  Galilee,  but 
through  Judaaa,  and  Decapolis,  and  the  region  beyond 
Jordan,  and  the  whole  of  Syria.  Multitudes  flocked  to 
Him  from  all  these  districts,  to  listen  to  His  words,  and 
to  witness  His  miracles,  or  themselves  to  share  in  the 
blessings  which  He  imparted  to  the  afflicted  and  sorrow- 
ful. §  It  was  when  surrounded  with  such  a  concourse, 
that  our  Lord  went  up  into  a  mountain  in  the  neigh- 
boui'hood  of  Capernaum,  and  delivered  that  impressive 

*  Mark  i.  36,  37.  f  Luke  iv.  42. 

+  Mark  i.  38,  39;  Luke  iv.  43,  44;  Matthew  iv.  23. 

§  Matthew  iv.  24,  25. 


OF    THE    REDEEMER.  135 

discourse  which  has  been  recorded  by  St.  Matthew.'- 
Without  entering  upon  a  formal  exposition  of  this 
discourse,  we  may  properly  advert  to  some  of  its  leading 
features,  and  to  the  light  which  it  sheds  on  the  character 
and  claims  of  the  Saviour  Himself  It  was  distinguished 
by  the  authoritative  manner  in  which  the  Redeemer 
spoke.  He  addressed  His  disciples  and  the  multitude, 
as  the  Lawgiver  of  mankind;  as  invested  with  power  to 
inculcate  precepts  which  should  bind  the  consciences  of 
men ;  and  as  being  Himself  the  exalted  Ruler,  to  whom 
it  would  at  last  belong  to  apply  judicially  the  principles 
which  He  affirmed,  and  to  dispense  the  rewards  and 
punishments  of  the  future  life.  It  was  distinguished  by 
the  lofty  views  which  it  afforded  of  the  spirituality  of 
religion.  In  delineating  the  form  of  character  which  is 
the  object  of  the  Divine  complacency,  and  to  which  the 
promise  of  happiness  belongs,  the  Redeemer  gave  promi- 
nence to  those  inward  dispositions  which  lead  men  away 
from  outward  pomp  and  show  to  seek  communion  with 
God,  as  the  only  Fountain  of  blessing,  the  only  Giver  of 
peace,  and  purity,  and  joy.  But  it  was  equally  distin- 
guished by  the  earnest  manner  in  which  the  2^^'(ictical 
develo2wieut  of  spiritual  feeling,  and  the  active  duties  of 
a  pious  life,  were  set  forth  and  inculcated.  The  Saviour 
distinctly  taught  His  people  that  they  were  to  be  "  the 
salt  of  the  earth,"  counteracting  the  moral  corruption 
which  prevails  in  the  mass  of  mankind,  and  diffusing 
around  them  a  pui'ifying  and  preserving  influence.  He 
showed  them  that  if  "  light "  had  been  imparted  to  them 
from  above,  causing  them  to  take  pleasure  in  heavenly 

*  Matthew  v..  vi.,  vii. 


136  THE    LIFE   AND    MINISTRY 

truth,  and  to  reflect  the  image  of  their  Father  and  their 
God,  that  light  should  shine  forth  to  all  around  them  in 
a  course  of  holy  obedience.  In  guarding  many  of  the 
great  precepts  of  the  law  against  the  false  glosses  which 
had  been  put  upon  them  by  the  Jewish  scribes,  our 
Lord  clearly  unfolded  their  deep  spirituality  and  their 
lai'ge  extent.  He  required  that  the  heart  should  itself 
become  the  seat  of  purity  and  love,  so  that  no  unchaste 
desire  or  resentful  feeling  should  be  cherished  there. 
He  called  upon  men  to  maintain  an  habitual  and 
profound  regard  to  God;  realising  His  presence  with 
them  as  the  Searcher  of  the  heart,  acknowledging  His 
providential  government  as  well  as  His  moral  adminis- 
tration, and  contemplating  His  character  as  the  model 
of  all  that  is  pure,  benevolent,  and  lovely.  He  charged 
them  to  seek  the  approbation  of  God,  and  to  wait  upon 
Him  for  blessing,  in  all  their  religious  duties,  instead  of 
endeavouring  to  commend  themselves  to  the  notice  and 
admiration  of  their  fellow-men.  He  dwelt,  in  particular, 
on  the  subject  of  prayer,  and  showed  what  are  the 
petitions  which  we  should  present  to  our  Father  in 
heaven,  and  what  the  state  of  mind  in  which  we  should 
approach  His  throne.  He  warned  men  against  the  love 
of  the  world,  as  one  of  the  most  insidious  and  destructive 
forms  of  evil;  and  He  unfolded  the  care  of  God  over  His 
people,  to  sustain  their  minds  under  the  trials  of  life, 
and  to  enable  them  to  resist  the  assaults  of  worldly 
anxiety.  Beautifully  did  the  tenderness  of  the  Saviour's 
character  blend  itself  with  His  fidelity  and  His  utter 
hatred  to  sin,  in  this  portion  of  His  discourse.  While 
He  declared,  with  peculiar  emphasis,  "Ye  cannot  serve 
God  and  mammon,"  He  directed  the  humble  and  devout 


OF    THE   REDEEMER.  137 

to  reflect,  that  they  were  not  inhabitants  of  a  forsaken 
and  fatherless  world;  that  the  eye  of  God  was  ever  upon 
them;  and  that  all  things  really  necessary,  or  even 
conducive  to  their  welfare,  should  be  vouchsafed  to  them 
by  His  bounty.  After  alluding  to  the  circumstances  of 
man,  as  requiring  a  constant  supply  of  food  and  raiment, 
He  added,  with  peculiar  beauty  and  grace,  "  Your 
heavenly  Father  knoweth  that  ye  have  need  of  all  these 
things.  But  seek  ye  first  the  kingdom  of  God,  and  His 
righteousness;  and  all  these  things  shall  be  added  unto 
you."*  The  Saviour  then  referred  to  the  fearful  evil  of 
censoriousness.  He  well  knew  that  the  selfishness  of  the 
human  heart  often  manifests  itself  in  its  readiness  to 
magnify  the  faults  of  others,  and  harshly  to  condemn 
them;  and  He  warned  the  assembled  multitudes,  that 
such  a  temper  was  in  the  highest  degree  inconsistent 
with  the  spirit  of  His  religion,  and  offensive  to  the  God 
of  perfect  holiness  and  love.  He  dwelt  on  the  willingness 
of  our  Father  in  heaven  to  impart  to  us  every  spiritual 
blessing,  and  invited  all  wLo  heard  Him  to  seek  with 
earnestness  the  offered  salvation.  Other  topics  of  deep 
interest  were  adverted  to  by  our  Lord,  and  maxims  of 
great  simplicity  and  pre-eminent  wisdom  were  laid 
down  by  Him.  But  as  He  approached  the  close  of  His 
discourse,  a  peculiar  solemnity  attached  to  all  His  words, 
and  He  claimed  for  Himself  an  unearthly  dignity  and 
power.  He  carried  forward  the  minds  of  His  hearers  to 
the  consummation  of  this  world's  history;  and  though 
He  noAV  stood  before  them  in  outward  lowliness.  He 
declared  that  He  should  at  last  occupy  the  throne  of 
judgment,  and  decide  the  eternal  state  of  every  human 
*  Matthew  vi.  32,  33. 


138  THE    LIFE    AXD    MINISTRY 

being;  not  according  to  his  outward  profession,  but 
his  real  character  and  conduct :  "  Many  will  say  to  Me 
in  that  day,  Lord,  Lord,  have  we  not  prophesied  in 
Thy  Name?  and  in  Thy  Name  have  cast  out  devils? 
and  in  Thy  Name  done  many  wonderful  works'?  And 
then  will  I  profess  unto  them,  I  never  knew  you  :  depart 
from  Me,  ye  that  work  iniquity."'"' 

We  cannot  wonder  that  such  a  discourse  produced  a 
deep  impression  on  all  who  heard  it.t  The  simple, 
distinct,  and  earnest  manner,  in  which  great  religious 
truths  were  announced, — the  light  which  was  shed  upon 
the  character  and  government  of  God,- — the  heart- 
searching  fidelity  with  which  the  cherished  sins  of  men 
were  detected  and  reproved, — the  unearthly  purity  of 
that  form  of  character  which  was  exhibited  and  enforced, 
— and  the  repeated  intimations  of  the  mysterious  personal 
dignity  of  the  gi'eat  Teacher  Himself, — could  scarcely 
fail  to  aifect  every  thoughtful  mind.  One  sentiment 
must  have  pervaded  that  assembly, — that  the  Prophet 
who  could  so  address  them,  and  whose  claims  were 
supported  by  such  works  of  power,  was  ineffably  great 
and  august ;  and  that  the  religion  which  He  taught, 
demanded  the  profound  attention  of  every  human 
mind. 

When  the  Saviour  had  descended  from  the  mountain, 
on  which  He  delivered  this  discourse.  He  was  followed 
by  the  multitude,  who  were  still  eager  to  catch  His 
words,  and  to  behold  His  miracles.^  It  was  soon  after 
this,  as  He  entered  one  of  the  towns  in  the  neighbour- 
hood, that  He  was  accosted    by   a    leprous  man,  who 

*  Matthew  vii.  22,  23.  f  Matthew  vii.  28,  29. 

1  Matthew  viii.  1. 


OF    THE    REDEEMER.  139 

came  to  Him,  and,  kneeling  down  with  lowly  reverence 
before  Him,  said,  "  Lord,  if  Thou  wilt,  Thou  canst  make 
me  clean."  This  was  the  language,  not  of  doubt  as  to 
the  willingness  of  the  Redeemer  to  restore  health  to 
his  diseased  frame,  but  rather  of  simple  and  unwavering 
confidence  in  His  almighty  energy.  The  sentiment  of 
the  leper  was,  that  it  was  only  for  our  Lord  to  ivill  it, 
and  the  fearful  malady  with  which  he  had  been  afflicted, 
and  which  was  incurable  by  ordinary  means,  would  at  once 
give  place  to  soundness  and  vigour.  And  the  reply  of 
our  Lord  honoured  the  faith  which  was  thus  reposed 
in  Himself.  He  put  forth  His  hand,  and,  touching  the 
leper,  said  to  him,  "  I  will ;  be  thou  clean,"  and  "  imme- 
diately the  leprosy  departed  from  him."*  The  manner 
of  our  Lord  on  this  and  similar  occasions,  is  well  deserving 
of  our  serious  regard.  Had  His  apostles,  in  subsequent 
days,  been  appealed  to,  as  possessing  in  themselves  the 
power  to  cure  inveterate  diseases  by  a  touch  or  a  word, 
they  would  at  once  have  disclaimed  that  power,  and 
referred  to  an  energy  above  them, — even  the  energy  of 
Him  whose  name  they  were  commissioned  to  proclaim. 
But  Jesus  accepted  this  expression  of  faith  in  His 
inherent  dignity  and  unlimited  resources.  He  confirmed 
the  sentiment  to  which  the  leper  gave  utterance;  and 
His  simple  and  emphatic  declaration,  "  I  will,  be  thou 
clean,"  stands  as  the  avoAval  of  a  resistless  power,  accom- 
panying in  every  instance  the  actings  of  His  will. 

The    loftiness    of   the    Redeemer's   claims    was    still 

further  illustrated   by  a  circumstance  which  occurred 

soon  after  the  incident  that  we  have  now  considered. 

He  had  continued  His  public  ministry,  blending  with  it 

*  Matthew  viii.  2—4  ;   Mark  i.  40—44;  Luke  v.  12—14. 


140  THE    LIFE    AND    MINISTRr 

retii'ement  for  the  purpose  of  devout  and  unbroken 
communion  with  the  Father;*  and,  after  some  time,  He 
returned  to  Capernaum,  as  the  place  of  His  ordinary 
residence.  As  soon  as  it  was  generally  known  that  the 
illustrious  Teacher  had  arrived,  many  crowded  to  the 
house  in  which  He  usually  dwelt,  so  that  "  there  was  no 
room  to  receive  them;  no,  not  so  much  as  about  the 
door."t  Among  the  company  assembled  to  listen  to  His 
discourse  were  several  "Pharisees  and  doctoi's  of  the 
law,"  from  Jerusalem,  and  Judaea,  and  many  of  the  towns 
of  Galilee,  who  had  come  to  Capernaum  to  await  our 
Lord's  arrival.  +  These  sat  near  Him,  and  marked  with 
eager  attention  all  that  He  said  and  did.  In  several 
cases  which  were  brought  before  Him,  the  Redeemer 
displayed  His  power  to  heal;§  and,  at  length,  a  man 
suffering  from  paralysis,  who  earnestly  desired  to  be 
introduced  to  His  notice,  was  carried  towards  the  house 
by  four  persons,  who  themselves  had  the  greatest  confi- 
dence in  the  Saviour's  power  and  love.  Being  unable 
to  bring  him  into  the  house  in  the  ordinary  way,  in 
consequence  of  the  press,  they  removed  a  portion  of  the 
roof,  and  let  down  the  couch  on  which  he  lay,  into  the 
midst  before  Jesus.  The  Saviour  beheld  in  this  an 
evidence  of  the  strength  of  their  faith  in  Himself;  and 
perceiving,  also,  that  the  afflicted  man  was  troubled  in 
spirit  by  the  consciousness  of  his  sins,  said  to  him, 
in  the  presence  of  them  all,  "  Son,  thy  sins  are  forgiven 
thee."  These  words  were  uttered  by  our  Lord  with  a 
distinctness  and  energy  which  showed  that  He  claimed 
the  right  to  bestow  forgiveness,  and  authoritatively  to 

*  Luke  V.  15,  16.  f  Mark  ii.  1,2.  %  Luke  v.  17. 

§  Luke  V.  17,  last  clause. 


OF    THE    REDEEMER.  141 

assure  the  human  spirit  of  its  acceptance.  The  surprise 
of  the  Pharisees  and  scribes  was  called  forth,  and  they 
began  to  reason  Avithin  themselves,  "  Who  is  this  which 
speaketh  blasphemies'?  Who  can  forgive  sins,  but  God 
alone?"  But  the  Saviour  desired  them  to  reflect,  whether 
the  lofty  claim  which  He  had  made  was  not  fully 
sustained  by  the  energy  which  lie  possessed  in  Himself, 
and  which  He  was  just  about  to  put  forth,  to  communi- 
cate strength  to  the  palsied  frame.  Then,  to  establish 
His  right  to  forgive  sins,  even  amidst  the  lowliness  of 
His  earthly  state,  He  said  to  the  paralytic  before  Him, 
"  Arise,  take  up  thy  couch,  and  go  unto  thine  house." 
Instantly  new  vigour  pervaded  his  helpless  body;  and, 
rising  up  before  them  all,  he  took  up  his  couch  and 
went  forth,  leaving  on  the  minds  of  the  assembly  an 
impression  of  utter  astonishment  at  the  unearthly  dignity 
and  infinite  resources  of  Him  who  had  appeared  among 
them.  Here  was  a  miracle,  expressly  intended  to  show 
that  to  Him  it  belonged  to  pardon  transgressions,  and 
to  heal  the  broken  spirit.  Here  was  a  proof,  that  even 
while  His  glory  was  veiled  in  that  "  form  of  a  servant " 
which  He  assumed  for  our  redemption,  He  retained  the 
prerogatives  of  His  higher  and  eternal  nature.* 

Within  a  few  days  after  this,  as  our  Lord  walked  by 
the  sea-shore,  He  called  Matthew,  or  Levi,  to  become 
one  of  His  constant  attendants.  We  have  already  had 
occasion  to  refer  to  the  promptitude  with  which  Peter, 
and  Andrew,  and  the  two  sons  of  Zebedee,  obeyed  the 
Redeemer's  call  to  follow  Him;  and  the  same  features 
distinguished  the  conduct  of  Matthew,  though,  in  all 
probability,  his  worldly  circumstances  were  far  superior 
*  Matthew  ix.  2—8;  Mark  ii.  3—12;  Luke  v.  18—26. 


142  THE    LIFE    AXD    MINISTRV 

to  theirs.  He  belonged  to  the  class  of  officers  termed 
publicans,  who  farmed  the  tribute  of  the  Roman  govern- 
ment. These  persons  were  greatly  disHked  by  the 
people  generally,  on  account  of  their  connexion  with  a 
foreign  power;  but  many  of  them  appear  to  have  been 
respectable  and  influential.  As  the  Redeemer  passed 
along,  He  saw  Matthew  engaged  in  the  receipt  of  the 
tribute  due  to  him,  and  addressed  him  as  He  had  done 
the  other  disciples  who  now  waited  upon  Him, — "Follow 
Me."  Instantly,  and  without  hesitation,  Matthew  "  rose 
up,  left  all,  and  followed  Him."*  He  did  not  stay  to 
inquire  what  bearing  such  a  course  would  have  on  his 
worldly  intei-ests,  or  whether  it  might  not  be  prudent 
for  him  first  to  make  some  arrangements  to  guard  against 
a  loss  of  property.  It  was  enough  that  the  great  Teacher, 
to  whose  discourses  he  had  so  often  listened,  and  whose 
works  of  power  he  had  witnessed,  addressed  to  him  such 
a  call.  The  path  of  duty  was  plain  and  obvious;  and, 
looking  for  grace  from  on  high,  he  at  once  entered 
upon  it. 

The  satisfaction  with  which  this  disciple  renounced 
the  gains  of  his  secular  employment,  that  he  might 
become  one  of  the  immediate  companions  of  the 
Redeemer,  is  shown  by  another  pleasing  and  instructive 
fact.  He  made  for  our  Lord  "  a  great  feast  in  his  own 
house,"  to  which  he  invited  many  of  those  with  whom 
he  had  been  accustomed  to  mingle  in  the  transactions  of 
business.  All  the  circumstances  of  the  case  seem  to 
indicate,  that  he  did  this  in  order  to  avow  before  them 
all  the  resolution  which  he  had  formed, — to  obey  the 
gracious  command  of  the  Saviour,  to  follow  Him;  and 
*  Matthew  ix.  9;  Mark  ii.  13,  14;  Luke  v.  27,  28. 


OF    THE    REBEEMER.  143 

in  order,  also,  to  introduce  them  to  personal  intercourse 
with  that  illustrious  Teacher,  that  they  might  observe 
the  developments  of  His  pure  and  benignant  character, 
and  listen  to  the  maxims  of  heavenly  wisdom  which,  in 
the  social  circle,  fell  from  His  lips.  The  Redeemer 
accepted  the  invitation.  He  did  not,  with  Pharisaic 
haughtiness,  stand  aloof  from  the  assembled  company, 
because  many  of  them  were  engaged  in  collecting  the 
Roman  tribute,  and  some  had  lived  in  guilty  neglect  of 
God;  but  He  came  among  them  to  inculcate  the  great 
truths  of  religion,  and  to  point  out  to  every  wanderer 
the  path  of  salvation  and  peace.  A  beautiful  illustration 
of  our  Lord's  condescending  goodness  was  aflforded  in 
the  course  of  the  evening.  Some  of  the  scribes  and 
Pharisees  who  saw  Him  at  this  entertainment,  upbraided 
His  disciples  with  it,  and  said  to  them,  "  How  is  it  that 
He  eateth  and  drinketh  with  publicans  and  sinners?" 
The  Saviour  immediately  replied  to  them,  "  They  that 
are  whole  need  not  a  physician,  but  they  that  are  sick. 
I  came  not  to  call  the  righteous,  but  sinners,  to  repent- 
ance."* It  is  scarcely  possible  to  conceive  of  words  more 
replete  with  heavenly  wisdom  and  grace  than  these. 
This  declaration  of  our  Lord  showed,  that  He  did  not 
mingle  with  the  ungodly,  to  sanction  their  principles  or 
imbibe  their  spirit,  but  rather  to  exert  upon  their  minds 
a  corrective  and  salutary  influence,  and  by  His  faithful  and 
earnest  addresses  to  lead  them  back  to  God.  And  while 
He  thus  guarded  His  conduct  against  any  injurious  mis- 
apprehension, He  affirmed  the  encouraging  truth, — that 
the  recovery  of  the  fallen  was  the  great  object  of  His 
mission  to  our  world.  It  was  for  the  very  purpose  of 
»  Luke  V.  29—32;  Mark  ii.  15—17. 


144  THE    LIFE    AND    MINISTRY 

restoring  the  guilty  and  polluted  to  peace  and  holiness, 
that  He  appeared  among  men;  and  it  was  for  this,  that 
He  endured  at  last  the  agonies  of  Gethsemane,  and 
poured  out  His  life  on  the  accursed  tree.  Instructive 
and  beautiful  was  the  contrast,  which  was  presented  on 
this  occasion,  between  the  spirit  of  our  Lord  and  that  of 
the  Pharisaic  sect.  Thej,  confiding  in  their  outward 
privileges,  and  the  exactness  with  which  they  observed 
the  ceremonial  law,  stood  aloof  from  "publicans  and 
sinners,"  and  regarded  them  with  lofty  disdain ;  but  our 
Lord,  though  possessed  of  a  purity  which  shrunk  from 
any  compromise  with  sin,  condescendingly  drew  near  to 
the  ignorant  and  guilty,  to  shed  the  hght  of  truth  upon 
their  minds,  and  to  lead  them  to  repentance  and 
salvation. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

THE    redeemer's    VISIT     TO     JERUSALEM    AT     THE    SECOND 

PASSOVER. HIS    RETURN    TO    GALILEE. — HIS  MIRACLES 

AND      TEACHING       AT      CAPERNAUM      AND      NAIN. HIS 

SECOND    GENERAL   CIRCUIT   OF   GALILEE. 

As  the  feast  of  the  passover  drew  near,  our  Lord 
went  up  to  Jerusalem,  to  participate  in  its  solemnities.* 
This  visit  to  the  metropoHs  was  rendered  memorable, 
both  by  the  proof  which  He  gave  of  His  power  to  remove 
in  an  instant  the  most  inveterate  maladies,  and  by  the 

*  John  V.  1. 


OF   THE   REDEEMER,  14,5 

impressive  manner  in  which  He  affirmed  His  own  loftj 
claims,  even  in  the  presence  of  His  malignant  enemies. 
There  was  at  that  time,  in  Jerusalem,  a  pool,  called 
in  the  Hebrew    language  Bethesda,  or  "  the  house  of 
mercy,"   around   which   were  five   porticoes,  or  covered 
walks.  These  porticoes  presented  a  melancholy  spectacle 
of  human  suffering.     They  were  crowded  with  persons 
labouring   under  various  diseases,  and    especially  with 
the  blind,  the  lame,  and  the  paralytic.     To  honour,  as 
we  have  reason  to  believe,  the  eventful  period  of  the 
Redeemer's  manifestation  on  earth,  and  to  illustrate  and 
confirm  important  truths  bearing  on  His  government  of 
our  world,  God  had  been  pleased  to  give,  at  intervals,  a 
healing  virtue  to  the  waters  of  this  pool,  by  means  of 
angelic  agency.     But  the  benefit  was  restricted  to  the 
individual  who  first  availed  himself  of  them,  after  the  ^ 
healing   virtue   had   been  imparted;    and  in   his  case, 
whatever  might   be  the  nature,  or  the  obduracy,  of  his 
disease,  a  perfect  cure  was  effected.''^     The  supernatural 
character  of  the  cures  wrought  at  this  pool  was  evinced 
by  this  restriction,  as  well  as  by  the  fact,  that  the  same 
means  was  rendered  effectual  to   impart  sight  to  the 
blind,  and  to  give  renewed  energy  to  the  impotent  and 
disabled.     Here  was  the  proof  of  an  agency  higher  than 
that   of  man,  and  the  operations  of  which  the  human 
mind  cannot  fully  trace.     Here,  too,  was  an  evidence 
that   God  has  not  forgotten  to  be  gracious;  that  He 
looks  compassionately  on  the  outward  sufferings  of  His 
creatures,  though  He  may  reserve  to  Himself  the  time 
and  circumstances  of  their  mitigation  and  removal.  The 
Redeemer,  on  this  visit  to  Jerusalem,  came  to  Bethesda; 
*  John  V.  2 — 4. 
L 


146  THE    LIFE   AND    MINISTRY 

and,  among  the  afflicted  persons  assembled  there, 
He  beheld  one  who,  during  thirty-eight  years,  had 
laboured  under  an  almost  total  loss  of  strength.  Look- 
ing upon  him  with  interest  and  pity,  as  one  whose 
sufferings  had  been  greatly  protracted,  the  Saviour  said 
to  him,  "Wilt  thou  be  made  whole  1"  The  impotent 
man  replied,  "  Sir,  I  have  no  man,  when  the  water  is 
troubled,  to  put  me  into  the  pool:  but  while  I  am 
coming,  another  steppeth  down  before  me."  A  ray  of 
hope,  perhaps,  now  darted  across  his  mind,  that  the 
individual  who  had  so  kindly  addressed  him,  would  wait 
there  until  the  water  should  again  be  moved,  and  plunge 
him  into  the  healing  bath.  But  he  was  in  the  presence 
of  the  Giver  of  life,  Avhose  power  to  save  was  not  limited 
to  particular  seasons,  and  whose  comprehensive  love 
welcomed  every  sufferer,  and  disclosed  to  every  troubled 
mind  the  way  of  deliverance  and  peace.  Jesus  said  to 
him,  "  Rise,  take  up  thy  bed,  and  walk."  Immediately 
he  felt  within  himself  new  life  and  energy ;  and,  taking 
up  his  bed,  he  walked  before  them  all, — a  proof  of  the 
infinite  resources  of  the  distinguished  Teacher  who 
appeared  among  them.* 

The  Saviour  did  not,  however,  remain  there  to  attract 
the  gaze  of  the  assembled  multitude.  He  retired  from 
the  pool  of  Bethesda;  and  when,  afterwards.  He  met 
the  indi\ddual  whom  He  had  restored  to  health,  in  the 
temple.  He  said  to  him,  in  order  to  awaken  religious 
feeling  in  relation  to  the  mercy  which  he  had  expe- 
rienced, "Sin  no  more,  lest  a  worse  thing  come  upon 
thee."t 

It  was  on  the  Sabbath  that  this  miracle  was  per- 
*  John  V.  5—9.  t  John  v.  13,  14. 


OF   THE    REDEEMER.  147 

formed  j  and  when  some  of  the  Jews  beheld  the  restored 
man  carrying  his  bed,  they  objected  to  him  that  such 
an  action  was  not  lawful  on  the  day  of  sacred  rest.  He 
pleaded  the  explicit  command  of  the  unknown  Person 
who  had  made  him  whole;  and  when,  subsequently,  he 
found  that  it  was  Jesus,  the  Prophet  of  Galilee,  to 
whom  he  Avas  indebted  for  his  recovered  vigour,  he 
delayed  not  to  inform  them  of  this,  expecting,  probably, 
that  they  would  be  induced  to  listen  to  His  teaching 
with  profound  attention.*  But  their  minds,  already 
prejudiced  against  the  Saviour,  were  not  disposed  calmly 
to  inquire  into  the  evidences  of  His  mission;  and  they 
gladly  seized  on  the  circumstance,  that  He  had  healed  a 
man  on  the  Sabbath,  and  had  instructed  him  to  carry 
his  bed,  as  affording  matter  of  grave  accusation  against 
Him.  They  even  souglit  to  kill  Him,  thinking  to  justify 
such  an  act  by  imputing  to  Him  a  bold  and  open  viola- 
tion of  the  Sabbatic  rest.  But  the  Bedeemer  fearlessly 
declared  to  them  His  own  unearthly  glory,  and  carried 
forward  their  minds  to  the  period  of  His  final  manifest- 
ation as  the  Dispenser  of  eternal  happiness  and  woe. 
He  adverted  to  the  charge  Avhich  they  had  alleged 
against  Him,  and  justified  the  exertion  of  His  inherent 
and  almighty  power  on  the  Sabbath,  by  reminding  them, 
that  the  energy  of  the  Father  is  continually  put  forth, 
to  uphold  the  universal  frame  of  nature,  and  maintain 
its  processes.  "My  Father  worketh  hitherto,  and  I 
work."  Such  a  declaration  only  inflamed  the  indigna- 
tion of  the  Jews.  Instead  of  being  subdued  to  reverence 
and  awe  by  the  claim  which  He  now  advanced,  of  a 
peculiar  relation  to  the  Father,  and  of  a  power  which, 
»  John  V.  10—15. 
L  2 


148  THE    LIFE   AND   MINISTRY 

like  His,  is  all-pervading  and  resistless,  they  sought  the 
more  to  kill  Him,  because  He  had  put  forth  such  a 
claim,  and  had  thus  "made  himself  equal  with  God."* 
But  the  Saviour  affirmed  His  personal  dignity,  and 
official  eminence,  with  yet  greater  distinctness  and 
power.  He  spoke  of  Himself,  at  considerable  length,  as 
THE  Son, — the  Object  of  the  Father's  unbounded  com- 
placency, and  all  Avhose  acts  were  in  perfect  harmony 
with  His.  He  declared  that  yet  loftier  and  more  affecting 
proofs  should  be  given  to  them  of  His  almighty  energy, 
intimating  that  He  would  even  recall  the  dead  from  the 
silence  of  the  tomb.  He  affirmed,  that  to  Himself  the 
throne  of  universal  judgment  had  been  assigned  by  the 
Eternal  Father,  "  that  all  men  should  honour  the  Son, 
even  as  they  honour  the  Father,"  He  pointed  out  the 
connexion  between  a  cordial  reception  of  Himself  and 
everlasting  life ;  and  He  spoke  of  that  solemn  day,  when 
"  all  that  are  in  the  graves  should  hear  His  voice,  and 
should  come  forth;  they  that  have  done  good,  unto  the 
resurrection  of  life;  and  they  that  have  done  evil, 
unto  the  resurrection  of  damnation."  t 

We  can  easily  imagine,  with  what  feelings  many  who 
stood  around  our  Lord  would  listen  to  these  declara- 
tions, uttered  by  One  who  appeared  among  them  in 
the  lowliness  of  ordinary  manhood.  But  every  serious 
and  earnest  mind  would  immediately  inquire  into  the 
evidence  by  which  His  claims  were  supported;  and 
to  this  our  Lord  Himself  proceeded  to  advert.  Acknow- 
ledging that  if  they  had  only  His  own  affirmation, 
unsustained  by  other  proofs,  they  might,  indeed,  hesitate 
to  receive  it,  He  reminded  them  of  the  testimony 
*  John  V.  16— 18.  t  John  v.  19—30. 


OP   THE  HEDEBMER.  149 

which  John  had  borne  to  His  character  and  work, — He 
appealed  to  His  own  acts  of  power,  which  impressed 
on  all  His  teaching  the  seal  of  Divine  authority, — He 
referred  to  the  express  attestation  of  the  Father,  given 
to  Him  at  His  baptism, — and  He  instructed  them  to 
"search  the  Scriptures,"  since  all  His  announcements 
and  professions  were  in  accordance  with  the  intimations 
which  they  contained  of  the  Messiah's  dignity  and 
power.  But  while  He  thus  set  forth  the  leading 
evidences  of  His  own  transcendent  glory.  He  knew  that 
many  whom  He  addressed  were  not  in  a  state  of  mind 
candidly  to  inqiiire  into  them.  The  love  of  worldly 
reputation  came  into  conflict  with  their  serious  convic- 
tions and  feelings,  and  triumphed  over  them.  They 
were  not  prepared  to  encounter  the  ridicule  and  scorn 
of  those  around  them,  by  avowing  themselves  the 
followers  of  a  Divine  Redeemer,  who  yet  came  in  lowli- 
ness and  sorrow,  and  who  had  even  foretold  His  own 
rejection  and  death.  The  Saviour  charged  it  upon  their 
consciences,  that,  notwithstanding  all  their  pretensions 
to  piety,  they  were  destitute  of  love  to  God ;  and  appealed 
to  them  with  heart-searching  fidelity,  "  How  can  ye 
believe,  who  receive  honour  one  of  another,  and  seek 
not  the  honour  that  cometh  from  God  only?"* 

It  was  about  a  week  after  this,  and  probably  in  the 
neighbourhood  of  Jerusalem,  that  a  circumstance  occurred 
which  led  the  Redeemer  to  affirm  some  great  principles 
relative  to  the  Sabbatic  institution,  and  to  blend  with 
them  instructive  allusions  to  His  personal  dignity.  He 
had  gone  on  the  Sabbath,  with  His  disciples,  through 
some  corn-fields;  and  they,  under  the  pressure  of  hunger, 
*  John  V.  31—47. 


150  THE    LIFE   AND   MINISTRY 

had  plucked  and  eaten  a  few  of  tlie  ears  of  com. 
The  Pharisees  complained  of  this,  and  upbraided  Him 
Avith  having  permitted  and  sanctioned  a  violation  of  the 
holy  Sabbath.*  They  did  not  reflect  on  His  disciples 
as  having  injured  the  property  of  others;  since  it  was 
admitted  that  their  conduct,  considered  merely  in  itself, 
was  allowable  and  proper.t  The  charge  which  they 
alleged  was,  that  it  Avas  inconsistent  with  the  sacred 
character  of  the  day.  But  our  Lord,  without  hesitation, 
justified  His  disciples;  and  laid  down,  in  His  reply  to 
the  Pharisees,  three  important  principles.  He  first 
adverted  to  the  circumstances  which  had  transpired 
as  involving  a  case  of  necessity ;  since  it  was  only  to 
satisfy  the  demands  of  hunger  that  His  disciples  had 
plucked  the  ears  of  corn.  This  principle  He  illustrated 
by  appealing  to  the  case  of  David,  who,  under  the 
pressure  of  extreme  necessity,  had  even  eaten  the  shew- 
bread  that  had  just  been  removed  from  the  sanctuary, 
and  had  given  it  to  his  companions,  although,  in 
ordinary  cases,  only  the  priests  themselves  were  per- 
mitted to  make  use  of  this  hallowed  food.|  But  then 
He  advanced  to  higher  ground,  and  affirmed,  that  just 
as  they  who  ministered  in  the  temple  of  God  were 
obliged  on  the  Sabbath  to  perform  many  duties  which 
seemed  inconsistent  with  the  rest  proper  to  that  day, 
but  which  were  justified  by  the  very  nature  of  their 
office,  and  by  the  sacred  character  of  the  temple- 
worship,  so  they  who  were  in  personal  attendance  upon 
Himself  might   lawfully  perform   the   acts   which  that 

*  Matthew  xii.  1,2;  Mark  ii.  23,  24 ;  Luke  vi.  1,  2. 

f  This  is  obvious  from  Deuteronomy  xxiii.  25. 

I  Matthew  xii.  3,  4 ;  Mark  ii.  25,  2G ;  Luke  vi.  3,  4. 


OF   THE    REDEEMER.  151 

attendance  rendered  necessary.  This  argument  neces- 
sarily implied  His  own  inherent  dignity ;  and  the  Saviour, 
to  show  yet  more  clearly  its  bearing  and  force,  added, 
"  But  I  say  unto  you,  That  in  this  place  is  One  greater 
than  the  temple."  Aware,  as  He  was,  of  the  profound 
reverence  with  which  His  hearers  regarded  the  temple 
as  the  house  of  God,  and  Himself  affirming  the  peculiar 
sacredness  of  the  duty  of  ministering  among  its  beautiful 
and  instructive  symbols,  He  claimed  to  be  Himself  higher 
and  more  glorious  than  that  holy  place,  and  declared, 
that  they  Avho  waited  upon  Him  were  engaged  in  a 
nobler  service  than  the  priests  of  the  ancient  sanc- 
tuary.* He  then  adverted  to  a  third  consideration, — 
that  the  Sabbath  was  designed  to  bless  man;  that  in  all 
our  reasonings  respecting  it,  we  are  to  view  it  as  an 
institution  eminently  benignant  and  attractive,  securing 
to  the  weary  rest  from  oppressive  toil,  and  pouring 
the  light  of  religious  truth  around  the  harassed  and 
sorrowful  spirit;  and  that  such  is  the  character  of  the 
Divine  government,  that  we  are  not  to  press  any  positive 
precept  so  as  to  involve  cruelty  to  man,  or  subject  him 
to  utter  exhaustion.t  And  then  He  closed  the  con- 
versation with  the  remarkable  words,  "  The  Son  of  man 
is  Lord  also  of  the  Sabbath.":|:  Such  a  declaration  would 
have  been  altogether  unseemly  from  the  lips  of  any 
merely  human  prophet,  since  it  is  not  for  man  to 
modify  the  express  requirements  of  Jehovah ;  but  it  has 
peculiar  propriety  and  force  when  coming  from  the 
Redeemer  as  the  Son  manifested  in  our  nature.  He 
who  could  issue  precepts,  by  His  own  autliority,   that 

*  Matthew  xii.  5,  6.  f  Matthew  xii.  7  ;  IMark  ii.  27. 

I  Mark  ii.  28  ;  Matthew  xii.  8  ;  Luke  vi.  5. 


152  THE    LIFE    AND    5IINISTEY 

should  bind  the  consciences  of  men,  and  influence  their 
eternal  destiny, — who  possessed  an  inherent  energy, 
which,  like  that  of  the  Father,  was  ever  active,  and  to 
which  universal  nature  bowed; — He  could  justly  claim 
to  regulate  and  modify  the  institutions  of  religion  in 
order  to  show  forth  yet  more  clearly  His  essential  glory, 
and  to  commemorate  the  facts  of  His  mediatorial  under- 
taking. And  thus,  when  He  had  completed  the  work  of 
atonement,  when  He  had  endured  the  last  fearful  anguish 
which  came  upon  Him  as  the  Substitute  of  our  guilty 
race,  and  had  risen  again,  to  enter,  as  the  Mediator, 
upon  a  new  and  glorious  life,  He  sanctified  the  day  of 
His  triumph  over  death  as  the  Sabbath  of  His  people. 

When  the  Redeemer  had  returned  from  Jerusalem  to 
Capernaum,  He  was  again  brought  into  collision  with 
the  Scribes  and  Pharisees  on  the  subject  of  the  Sabbath, 
and  was  led  to  affirm  another  principle, — that  works  of 
mercy  are  proper  on  that  day,  and  are,  indeed,  eminently 
suited  to  its  holy  character.  He  went  into  the  syna- 
gogue; and  there,  a  man  whose  right  hand  was  withered 
arrested  His  attention.  Many  of  the  Pharisees  who  were 
present  watched  Him  with  a  jealous  and  malignant 
eye,  intending,  if  He  should  exert  on  that  day  His 
power  to  heal,  to  make  this  the  ground  of  an  accusation 
against  Him.  Jesus  knew  their  thoughts,  and  said  to 
the  afflicted  man,  "  Rise  up,  and  stand  forth  in  the 
midst."  Instantly  he  arose,  and  stood  forth.  The 
Pharisees  then  interposed,  and  addressing  our  Lord,  said, 
"  Is  it  lawful  to  heal  on  the  Sabbath-days?"  The 
Saviour  replied  by  asking  them,  "Is  it  lawful  to  do 
good  on  the  Sabbath-days,  or  to  do  evil?  to  save  life,  or 
to  kill?"     They  felt  the  force  of  this  inquiry,  perceiving 


OP   THE    REDEEMER.  153 

in  it  a  reproof  to  themselves,  for  indulging,  on  that  day 
which  they  professed  to  hold  sacred,  the  purpose  to 
bring  about  His  death.  They  remained  silent;  and, 
after  a  pause,  our  Lord  went  on  to  say  unto  them, 
"  What  man  shall  there  be  among  you,  that  shall  have 
one  sheep,  and  if  it  fall  into  a  pit  on  the  Sabbath-day, 
will  he  not  lay  hold  on  it,  and  lift  it  out?  How  much 
then  is  a  man  better  than  a  sheep?  Wherefore  it  is 
lawful  to  do  well  on  the  Sabbath-days."  Then,  having 
looked  round  about  upon  them  all,  with  mingled  feelings 
of  indignation  and  sorrow.  He  said  to  the  man  whose  hand 
was  withered,  "  Stretch  forth  thine  hand."  The  command 
was  obeyed;  and  the  Divine  energy  of  the  Redeemer,  which 
accompanied  His  word,  gave  new  life  and  vigour  to  the 
hand  which  had  been  utterly  powerless,  and  restored  it 
to  perfect  health.  The  Pharisees  left  the  synagogue, 
irritated  by  the  refutation  of  their  objection,  and  con- 
founded by  the  majesty  of  the  Saviour's  acts :  and  they 
immediately  began  to  consult  with  the  Herodians  in 
what  way  they  might  effect  the  destruction  of  the 
illustrious  Prophet.* 

Aware  of  the  malignant  purpose  which  they  had 
formed,  our  Lord  now  retired  with  His  disciples  to  the 
sea ;  but  He  was  followed  by  "  a  great  multitude  from 
Galilee,  and  from  Judoea,  and  from  Jerusalem,  and  from 
Idumsea,  and  from  beyond  Jordan,"  and  from  the  neigh- 
bourhood of  Tyre  and  Sidon.t  These  were  attracted  by 
the  fame  of  His  miracles;  and  many  among  them  who 
were  themselves  afflicted,  or  who  had  mourned  over  the 
illness  of  endeared  relatives,  came  to  Him  to  seek  the 

*  Matthew  xii.  9—14 ;  Mark  iii.  1—6  ;  Luke  vi.  6—11. 
t  Mark  iii.  7,  8. 


154  THE    LIFE    AND    MINISTRY 

interpositions  of  His  grace  and  power.  An  impressive 
scene  is  placed  before  us  by  the  sacred  historians  who 
have  spoken  of  this  period  of  the  Redeemer's  ministry. 
The  great  Teacher  stood  surrounded  by  the  diversified 
forms  of  human  suffering;  and  by  a  touch  or  a  word 
He  removed  them  all.  The  sick  and  wretched  crowded 
around  Him,  and  "  pressed  upon  Him  to  touch  Him,"  as 
the  certain  means  of  again  enjoying  the  freshness  and 
glow  of  health.  They  who  had  pined  under  the  wasting 
and  torturing  influence  of  demons,  were  rescued  by 
Him;  and  these  impure  spirits  fell  down  before  Him, 
acknowledging  with  alarm  and  terror  His  more  than 
human  glory,  but  restrained  from  enlarging  on  this 
theme  by  His  own  authoritative  charge.'"  The  Saviour's 
entire  bearing,  on  this  occasion,  revealed  His  inherent 
dignity,  and  showed  that  He  possessed  within  Himself 
a  power  Avhich  could  control  universal  nature;  but  it 
evinced,  also,  His  gentleness  and  His  deep  sympathy  with 
man.  He  felt  the  Avoes  of  others;  His  compassionate 
heart  was  moved  by  the  sight  of  the  accumulated 
sorrows  of  our  race ;  and  while  He  imparted  health  to 
the  diseased  body,  He  sustained  and  cheered  the  fainting 
spirit,  bending  under  the  weight  of  its  guilt,  and  conscious 
of  its  feebleness  and  destitution.  With  great  propriety 
and  beauty  one  of  the  sacred  historians  has  quoted  the 
prediction  of  Isaiah  as  now  fulfilled  in  Him : — "  Behold 
my  Servant,  whom  I  have  chosen ;  my  Beloved,  in  whom 
my  soul  is  well  pleased :  I  will  put  my  Spirit  upon  Him, 
and  He  shall  show  judgment  to  the  Gentiles.  He  shall 
not  strive,  nor  cry;  neither  shall  any  man  hear  His 
voice  in  the  streets.  A  bruised  reed  shall  He  not  break, 
»  Mark  iii.  9—12;  Matthew  xii.  15,  16. 


OF    THE    REDEEMER.  155 

and  smoking  flax  shall  He  not  quench,  till  He  send 
forth  judgment  unto  victoiy.  And  in  His  name  shall 
the  Gentiles  trust." '"' 

But  the  Saviour  blended  retirement  with  His  public 
labours.  He  often  withdrew,  for  a  while,  from  the 
multitude,  and  even  from  His  disciples,  to  some  solitary 
place,  for  the  purpose  of  holding  communion  with  the 
Father.  It  is  recorded,  that  about  this  time  He  went 
up  into  a  mountain,  apart  from  all  His  attendants,  and 
spent  the  Avhole  night  in  prayer  to  God.t  This  was 
preparatory  to  an  important  act  of  His  administration 
as  the  Ruler  of  His  church.  For  in  the  morning, 
calling  unto  Him  Plis  disciples,  He  set  apart  twelve  of 
them  to  the  high  and  sacred  office  of  His  apostles.X  In 
this  character  they  were  not  only  to  be  with  Him  to 
mark  in  private  the  development  of  His  purity  and 
goodness,  and  to  listen  to  His  sayings  of  heavenly 
wisdom;  but  they  were  to  go  forth,  at  intervals,  under 
His  direction,  to  preach  the  glad  tidings  of  the  kingdom 
of  God,  and  to  heal  diseases  and  cast  out  devils,  not  by 
any  power  of  their  own,  but  in  His  name,  and  as  the 
instruments  of  His  resistless  energy.  §  Thus  were  they 
prepared  to  be  His  ambassadors  to  the  world,  when  the 
grand  scheme  of  reconciliation  should  be  wrought  out, 
and  the  Cross  should  be  set  forth  as  the  refuge  of  our 
fallen  race,  and  the  centre  of  attraction  to  all  mankind. 

While  the  Lord  Jesus  pursued  His  career  of  kindness 
to  the  afflicted.   He    continued  to    inculcate    religious 

*  Matthew  xii.  17 — 21 :  see  also  Isaiah  xlii.  1 — -i. 

f  Luke  vi.  12. 

X  Luke  vi.  13—16  ;  Mark  iii.  13—19  ;  Matthew  x.  2—4. 

§  Mark  iii.  14,  15. 


1-56  THE    LIFE   AND   MINISTRY 

truth  with  great  earnestness  and  power.  His  ministry, 
from  first  to  last,  shed  a  flood  of  light  on  the  character 
and  government  of  God,  and  the  duties  which  devolve 
on  man.  Several  of  the  topics  which  He  had  intro- 
duced into  His  sermon  on  the  mount,  were  repeatedly 
brought  forward  by  Him  in  His  ordinary  expositions  of 
Divine  truth.  He  set  forth,  for  instance,  the  spirituality 
of  religion,  and  showed,  that  many  whom  the  world 
would  regard  as  unfortunate  and  wretched,  are  among 
the  most  blessed  of  men,  as  enjoying  the  friendship  of 
God,  and  having  the  prospect  of  eternal  security  and 
joy.  He  enforced  the  practical  development  of  every 
holy  principle;  and  repeatedly  called  upon  His  people 
to  manifest  a  forgiving,  generous,  and  benevolent  temper. 
And  He  exposed  the  fallacy  of  those  hopes  which  rested 
on  the  mere  profession  of  attachment  to  Himself,  while 
His  precepts  were  disregarded,  and  the  heart  remained 
polluted  and  Avorldly.* 

Capernaum  was  still  distinguished  as  the  scene  of  our 
Lord's  frequent  teaching  and  miracles.  Soon  after  the 
ordination  of  the  twelve  to  the  office  of  apostles.  He 
returned  to  this  town,  and  gave  another  proof  of  His 
unbounded  power  by  healing,  even  at  a  distance,  the 
servant  of  a  Roman  centurion.  The  interest  of  this 
case,  which  has  been  recorded  by  two  of  the  evangelists,t 
arises,  to  a  great  extent,  from  the  lofty  faith  which 
the  centurion  exercised  in  His  resistless  power,  and  from 
the  honour  which  the  Redeemer  put  upon  that  faith  in 
the  performance  of  the  miracle.  The  centurion  in 
question  had  evidently  embraced  the  worship  of  Jehovah, 
to  the  utter  renunciation  of  idolatry;  and  he  had  even 
*  Luke  vi.  17— 4<9.  f  Luke  vii.  1—10  ;  Matthew  viii.  5—13. 


OF   THE    REDEEMER.  157 

built  a  synagogue  as  an  evidence  of  his  profound  regard 
for  the  truths  revealed  in  the  Jewish  Scriptures.  He 
was  a  man,  too,  of  tender  and  strong  attachments;  his 
servant,  who  was  now  sick,  was  "  dear  unto  him  f  and 
he  was  deeply  affected  at  the  prospect  of  the  fatal 
termination  of  the  disease.  Upon  our  Lord's  arrival  at 
Capernaum,  he  sent  unto  Him  some  of  the  elders  of  the 
Jews,  to  entreat  Him  to  come  and  heal  his  servant. 
The  Saviour  accompanied  them;  but  when  He  was  not 
far  from  the  house,  the  centurion  sent  other  friends  to 
Him,  and  afterwards  came  himself,  to  express  his  deep 
conviction  that  he  was  not  worthy  that  One  so  glorious 
and  powerful  should  come  under  his  roof;  and  that  as 
he  could  issue  commands  to  his  soldiers  which  would  be 
immediately  obeyed,  even  so  it  was  only  for  our  Lord  to 
"speak  the  word,"  and  his  servant  would  be  healed. 
The  Saviour  accepted  this  acknowledgment  of  His 
unlimited  resources.  He  honoured  the  faith  which, 
beneath  all  the  lowliness  of  His  outward  form,  could  dis- 
cern His  more  than  human  dignity ;  and,  turning  to  those 
that  followed  Him,  He  uttered  the  memorable  words, 
"  Verily  I  say  unto  you,  I  have  not  found  so  great  faith, 
no,  not  in  Israel.  And  I  say  unto  you.  That  many  shall 
come  from  the  east  and  west,  and  shall  sit  down  with 
Abraham,  and  Isaac,  and  Jacob,  in  the  kingdom  of 
heaven.  But  the  children  of  the  kingdom  shall  be  cast 
out  into  outer  darkness:  there  shall  be  weeping  and 
gnashing  of  teeth."  Then,  addressing  the  centurion,  He 
said,  "  Go  thy  way,  and  as  thou  hast  believed,  so  be  it 
done  unto  thee."  This  assurance  was  enough;  and  the 
centurion  returning,  Avith  the  friends  whom  he  had  sent 
forward,  found  his  servant  perfectly  restored  to  health. 


158  THE   LIFE   AND    MINISTRY 

On  the  day  after  this  incident/'  the  town  of  Nain,  in 
Galilee,  was  favoured  with  a  visit  from  our  Lord,  and  an 
affecting  proof  of  His  power  and  love.  As  He  approached 
that  town,  attended  by  His  disciples  and  a  large  com- 
pany of  people,  He  met  a  funeral  procession.  It  was 
the  only  son  of  a  widow,  whose  remains  were  being 
carried  to  the  grave.  The  mother  herself  followed  them, 
together  with  many  of  the  inhabitants  of  Nain ;  and  her 
deep  sorrow  expressed  itself  in  silent  tears.  As  the  Saviour 
drew  near,  He  looked  upon  her  with  tender  compassion, 
and  said  unto  her,  "  Weep  not."  Advancing  to  the 
bier,  He  touched  it;  and  they  who  carried  the  lifeless 
body  stood  still.  It  was  a  pause  of  solemn  interest. 
Glorious  as  the  miracles  had  been  which  the  Redeemer 
had  already  performed,  He  had  never  yet  restored  any 
one  actually  dead  to  life.  But  all  who  had  carefully 
observed  His  miracles,  and  had  marked  in  how  distinct 
and  emphatic  a  manner  He  had  claimed  to  be  Himself 
the  Agent,  and  not  the  mere  instrument  of  a  higher 
power,  must  have  been  convinced  that  He  could  accom- 
plish even  this, — that  death  itself  must  relax  its  grasp, 
if  He  uttered  the  command.  The  decisive  proof  of  this 
was  immediately  given.  Addressing  the  departed  youth. 
He  said,  "  Young  man,  I  say  unto  thee,  Arise :"  and, 
instantly,  he  that  had  been  dead  "  sat  up,  and  began  to 
speak."  With  great  benignity  and  tenderness,  our  Lord 
turned  to  the  widowed  mother,  and  restored  to  her  the 
son  of  her  hope  and  love ;  while  all  around  stood  amazed 
at  this  display  of  Plis  almighty  energy,  and  exclaimed, 
"  Surely  a  great  Prophet  is  risen  up  among  us,"  and 
"God  hath  visited  His  people."t 

«  Luke  vii.  11.  f  Luke  vii.  12— 16. 


OF    THE    REDEEMER.  159 

It  was  soon  after  this,  and  probably  while  our  Lord 
continued  at  Nain,  that  John  the  Baptist,  who  still 
languished  in  prison,  sent  two  of  his  disciples  to  the 
Saviour,  to  ask  Him, — "  Art  Thou  He  that  should  come, 
or  do  we  look  for  another  T'  Many  reasons  may  be 
assigned  why  John  should  have  had  recourse  to  this 
step,  without  supposing  that  his  own  mind  had  begun 
to  waver.  He  was  not  "a  reed  shaken  with  the  wind;" 
and  the  evidence  which  he  had  received,  that  Jesus  was 
indeed  the  long-expected  Messiah,  was  too  conclusive  to 
render  any  additional  confirmation  necessary.  But  he 
wished,  probably,  that  these  disciples  should  have  the 
proof  of  our  Lord's  Messiahship  vividly  brought  before 
their  minds,  and  that  any  objection  which  had  occurred 
to  them  should  be  met  by  conversing  with  the  great 
Teacher  Himself,  and  beholding  His  works  of  power. 
When  the  disciples  of  John  came  to  our  Lord,  and 
proposed  the  question  which  their  master  had  instructed 
them  to  put,  He  was  surrounded  by  the  afflicted  and 
sorrowful ;  and  "  in  that  same  hour  He  cured  many  of 
their  infirmities  and  plagues,  and  of  evil  spirits;  and 
unto  many  that  were  blind  He  gave  sight."  Then, 
addressing  the  messengers  of  the  Baptist,  He  said,  "  Go 
and  show  John  again  those  things  which  ye  do  hear 
and  see:  the  blind  receive  tlieir  sight,  and  the  lame 
walk,  the  lepers  are  cleansed,  and  the  deaf  hear,  the 
dead  are  raised  up,  and  the  poor  have  the  Gospel 
preached  to  them.  And  blessed  is  he,  whosoever  shall 
not  be  ofiended  in  Me."*  These  miracles  of  condescend- 
ing love  attested  His  claims  to  be  the  promised  Restorer; 
for  they  impressed  the  seal  of  Divine  authority  on 
*  Luke  vii.  17—23;  Matthew  xi.  2— G. 


IGO  THE   LIFE   AND    MINISTRY 

all  His  declarations,  showed  His  control  of  universal 
nature,  and  e^vdnced  the  deep  and  pure  benignity  which 
dwelt  within  His  breast.  Nor  was  it  a  consideration 
of  trifling  weight  which  the  Eedeemer  urged,  when 
He  said,  "  The  poor  have  the  Gospel  preached  to  them." 
It  was  in  the  invitations  of  mercy  addressed  by  Him  to 
the  guilty  and  wretched,  that  His  love  to  man  was 
especially  apparent;  and  the  prophetic  descriptions  of 
the  Messiah,  while  they  contained  allusions  to  the  works 
of  power  which  He  should  perform,  set  forth  in  the 
clearest  and  most  impressive  manner  the  condescending 
character  of  His  teaching,  and  the  message  of  comfort 
and  joy  which  He  should  bring  to  the  sorrowful  and 
fainting  spirit.* 

When  the  messengers  of  John  had  retired,  our  Lord 
took  occasion  to  speak  to  the  multitude  around  Him  of 
the  character  and  mission  of  that  distinguished  prophet. 
Reminding  them  of  the  austerity  of  his  life,  and  of  the 
firm  and  faithful  manner  in  which  he  had  delivered  his 
message,  and  reproved  the  sins  of  men.  He  spoke  of  him 
as  superior  to  any  prophet  that  had  appeared  before 
him,  and  as  the  person  to  whom  the  remarkable  predic- 
tions in  the  closing  book  of  the  Old  Testament  Scriptures 
referred : — "  Behold,  I  will  send  My  messenger,  and  he 
shall  prepare  the  way  before  Me :  and  the  Lord,  whom 
ye  seek,  shall  suddenly  come  to  His  temple,  even  the 
Messenger  of  the  covenant,  whom  ye  dehght  in."  "Behold, 
I  will  send  you  Elijah  the  prophet  before  the  coming 
of  the  great  and  dreadful  day  of  the  Lord  :  and  he  shall 
turn  the  heart  of  the  fathers  to  the  children,  and  the 
heart  of  the  children  to  their  fathers,  lest  I  come  and 
*  See  Isaiah  .xxxv.  5,  6;  Isi.  1  —  3. 


OF   THE   REDEEMER,  161 

smite  the  earth  with  a  curse."*  With  the  ministry  of 
John  a  new  scene  opened  upon  this  world.  He  was  the 
immediate  harbinger  of  the  great  Deliverer  Himself; 
and  the  light  of  his  teaching  was  the  dawn  that  intro- 
duced the  rising  of  "the  Sun  of  righteousness,"  to  scatter 
every  mist  of  error,  and  to  reveal  to  every  earnest  and 
anxious  mind  the  way  of  salvation  and  peace,  t 

A  series  of  mournful  reflections  now  crowded  upon 
the  mind  of  the  compassionate  Redeemer.  He  thought 
of  the  perverseness  of  many  of  the  men  of  that  genera- 
tion, and  especially  of  the  Pharisees  and  Scribes;  that 
they  were  equally  unmoved  by  the  teaching  of  John, 
and  by  His  own  discourses  and  miracles.  Some  of  them 
even  said  of  the  prophet  of  the  wilderness,  whose 
manners  were  rigid  and  austere,  "He  hath  a  devil;" 
while  of  Himself,  who  mingled  with  men  in  the  ordinary 
engagements  of  life,  and  came  into  the  social  circle  to 
give  a  right  and  spiritual  direction  to  its  cheerful  inter- 
course, they  said,  "Behold  a  gluttonous  man,  and  a 
winebibber,  a  friend  of  publicans  and  sinners.":};  So 
ready  is  the  human  mind  to  cavil  at  any  circumstance 
affecting  a  religious  teacher  which  seems  open  to  objec- 
tion, and  to  dismiss,  without  serious  and  earnest  inquiry, 
the  truths  which  are  pressed  upon  its  attention.  But 
the  Redeemer  thought,  also,  of  multitudes  whose  interest 
had  been  awakened  by  His  miracles,  and  who  had  often 
hung  on  His  lips  with  apparent  eagerness,  but  who  had 
never  yielded  to  their  religious  convictions,  or  bowed 
before  God  in  lowly  penitence.  He  reflected,  in  par- 
ticular, on  the  moral  state  of  those  cities  near  the  sea  of 

*  Matthew  xi.  7  —  11,  14;  Luke  vii.  24  —  27:  see  also 
Malachi  iii.  1 ;  iv.  5,  6.  f  Matthew  xi.  12,  13. 

X  Matthew  xi.  IG— 19;  Luke  vii.  31— 35. 
M 


162  THE    LIFE    AND    MINISTRY 

Galilee,  which  had  been  favoured  so  largely  with  His 
personal  labours,  but  Avhich  still  continued  impenitent 
and  cai'eless.  He  thought  of  Bethsaida,  of  Chorazin, 
and  especially  of  Capernaum;  and,  with  a  sorrowful 
spirit,  but  one  to  which  the  claims  of  holiness  and  truth 
were  inexpressibly  dear,  He  declared  the  fearful  and 
aggravated  ruin  which  must  fall  upon  them,  as  having 
neglected  and  abused  their  distinguished  privileges.* 

But  then  He  looked  round  with  complacency  on  His 
sincere  and  devoted  followers,  destitute,  as  they  were, 
of  worldly  influence,  and  high  literary  culture;  and 
addressing  the  Father,  He  uttered  these  words  of  pro- 
found and  momentous  truth  : — "  I  thank  Thee,  0  Father, 
Lord  of  heaven  and  earth,  because  Thou  hast  hid  these 
things  from  the  wise  and  prudent,  and  hast  revealed 
them  unto  babes.  Even  so.  Father:  for  so  it  seemed 
good  in  Thy  sight."  t  It  was  to  Him  a  source  of  satis- 
faction, that  the  beauty  and  excellence  of  the  doctrines 
which  He  taught  were  disclosed,  not  to  those  who 
gloried  in  the  vigour  of  their  intellectual  powers,  but 
rather  to  the  humble  and  docile;  and  that  the  charge 
of  unfolding  those  doctrines  to  the  world,  when  He 
should  have  completed  the  work  of  atonement,  was 
confided  to  men  whom  the  great  ones  of  the  earth 
would  regard  as  powerless  and  insignificant. 

And  now  the  Redeemer,  addressing  those  who  stood 
around  Him,  declared,  in  the  most  emphatic  manner. 
His  mysterious  personal  dignity,  and  the  universal 
sovereignty  with  which  He  was  invested ;  oiFering 
Himself,  at  the  same  time,  to  every  sorrowful  and 
burdened  spirit,  as  the  Giver  of  inward  peace.  "All 
*  Matthew  xi.  20—24.  f  Matthew  xi.  25,  26. 


OF   THE   REDEEMER.  163 

things  are  delivered  unto  Me  of  My  Father :  and  no 
man  knoweth  the  Son,  but  the  Father;  neither  knoweth 
any  man  the  Father,  save  the  Son,  and  he  to  whomso- 
ever the  Son  will  reveal  Him.  Come  unto  Me,  all  ye 
that  labour  and  are  heavy  laden,  and  I  will  give  you 
rest.  Take  My  yoke  upon  you,  and  learn  of  Me;  for  I 
am  meek  and  lowly  in  heart :  and  ye  shall  find  rest 
unto  your  souls.  For  My  yoke  is  easy,  and  My  burden 
is  light."*  Beautiful  and  instructive  is  the  combination 
of  thought  which  is  here  presented  to  us.  The  glory  of 
the  Redeemer's  person,  though  it  transcends  the  loftiest 
efforts  of  our  minds,  need  not  repel  us  from  Him.  His 
very  dignity  as  the  Son,  while  it  qualifies  Him  to  sway 
the  sceptre  of  the  universe,  assures  us  that  He  is  an  all- 
sufficient  Saviour  to  those  Avho  come  to  Him.  Is  the 
spirit  of  man  weary  and  exhausted  with  its  inward 
agitation, — worn  down  with  self-reproach,  and  the 
anticipation  of  a  coming  judgment  1 — is  it  ready  to 
sink  and  faint  under  the  burden  of  its  guilt  ?  Jesus 
offers  to  release  it  from  its  load,  to  cheer  it  with  the 
assurance  of  pardon,  and  to  impart  to  it  the  freshness  of 
spiritual  health.  But  He  requires  of  all  who  thus  come 
unto  Him  for  deliverance  and  peace,  that  they  should 
bow  to  His  government,  follow  His  instructions,  and 
engage  in  His  service.  He  claims  to  exercise  over  the 
human  spirit  a  powerful  and  gracious  sway;  one  which 
shall  conform  it  to  universal  holiness,  give  stability 
to  its  peace  and  comfort,  and  prepare  it  to  dwell  at  last 
amidst  the  glories  of  His  presence  above. 

The  condescension  of  our  Lord,  and  His  readiness  to 
receive  and  acknowledge  every  returning  sinner,  were 
*  Matthew  xi.  27—30. 
M   2 


164  THE   LIFE   AND   MINISTRY 

beautifully  illustrated  by  a  circumstance  wliicli  occurred 
very  soon  after  He  had  uttered  these  declarations.  One 
of  the  Pharisees  requested  Him  to  sup  with  him ;  and 
the  Saviour  accepted  the  invitation,  and  accompanied 
him  to  his  house.  The  Pharisee,  however,  omitted  to 
pay  to  Him  the  marks  of  respect  which  were  usually 
shown  to  a  distinguished  guest;  and  our  Lord  sat  down 
among  the  company,  the  object  rather  of  suspicion,  than 
of  sincere  and  warm  attachment.  But  a  woman,  whose 
heart  had  been  touched  by  His  ministry,  and  who  had 
relied  on  the  promises  of  pardon  which  He  held  forth 
to  the  contrite  spirit,  came  to  express  her  gratitude  to 
Him  through  whom  she  had  found  rest  and  peace. 
She  "  brought,"  as  the  sacred  historian  relates,  "  an 
alabaster  box  of  ointment,  and  stood  at  His  feet  behind 
Him  weeping,  and  began  to  wash  His  feet  with  tears, 
and  did  wipe  them  with  the  hairs  of  her  head,  and  kissed 
His  feet,  and  anointed  them  with  the  ointment."  The 
Pharisee,  who  knew  that  her  life  had  not  been  consistent 
and  pure,  said  Avithin  himself,  in  the  haughty  spirit  of 
his  sect,  "  This  man,  if  he  were  a  prophet,  would  have 
known  who  and  what  manner  of  woman  this  is  that 
toucheth  him:  for  she  is  a  sinner."  The  Saviour,  aware 
of  the  thoughts  which  were  passing  in  his  mind,  said 
to  him,  "  Simon,  I  have  somewhat  to  say  unto  thee." 
He  replied,  "  Master,  say  on."  Our  Lord  continued  : — 
"  There  was  a  certain  creditor  which  had  two  debtors : 
the  one  owed  five  hundred  pence,  and  the  other  fifty. 
And  when  they  had  nothing  to  pay,  he  frankly  forgave 
them  both.  Tell  me  therefore,  which  of  them  will  love 
him  most  ? "  The  Pharisee  answered,  "  I  suppose  that  he, 
to  whom  he  forgave  most."  Jesus  approved  of  this  reply ; 


OP   THE   REDEEMER.     -  165 

and,  having  reminded  His  host  with  what  coolness  he  had 
received  Him,  even  omitting  in  His  case  the  usual  cour- 
tesies of  society,  declared  that  the  conduct  of  this  despised 
woman  was  the  expression  of  her  overflowing  gratitude, 
caused  by  her  conscious  deliverance  from  the  burden  of 
her  sins;  and,  turning  to  the  woman.  He  confirmed  the 
assurance  of  her  pardon,  with  the  gracious  words,  "  Thy 
faith  hath  saved  thee;  go  in  peace."* 

After  the  events  which  we  have  now  considered,  our 
Lord  entered  upon  His  second  general  circuit  of  Galilee. 
One  of  the  evangeHsts  expressly  states,  that  "He  went 
throughout  every  city  and  village,  preaching  and  show- 
ing the  glad  tidings  of  the  kingdom  of  God."t     In  this 
circuit  He  was  accompanied  by  the  twelve:  some  pious 
and    respectable    women,    also,    who    had    experienced 
the  interpositions  of  His  power  and  love,  in  rescuing 
them    from    diseases,    or  from    the    fearful  tyranny  of 
Satan,  gladly  attended  Him   from  place  to  place,  and 
"  ministered  unto  Him  of  their  substance."  +  The  Saviour 
accepted  their  offerings,  as  a  tribute  of  gratitude  and 
respect;  and  imparted  to  them,  as  they  listened  to  His 
discourses,  the  richest  spiritual  nourishment.    His  career 
was  still  one  of  light  and  blessing:  He  preached  the 
glad  tidings  of  a  spiritual  salvation,   and  invited  the 
sorrowful  and  wretched  to  find  rest  and  peace  in  Himself. 
Works  of  unbounded  power  continued  to    distinguish 
His  ministry,  and  attest  His  claims;    and  many°who 
saw  His  miracles,  were  overwhelmed  with  astonishment 
and   awe.      But  He  was  still   an  object  of  hatred  to 
the  Scribes  and  Pharisees,  and  especially  to  those  who 

•  Luke  vii.  36-50.        f  Luke  viii.  1.        j  Luke  viii.  2,  3. 


166  THE   LIFE   AND    MOISTRT 

came  down  from  Jerusalem,*  to  watch  His  conduct, 
and,  if  possible,  injure  His  reputation  among  the  people. 
These  were  so  hardened  by  their  continued  resistance 
to  the  truth,  and  by  the  malignity  which  they  cherished 
towards  our  Lord,  that  on  one  occasion  they  even 
presumed  to  say  of  Him,  that  He  was  in  league  with 
Beelzebub,  and  that  it  was  through  "the  prince  of  the 
devils  "  that  He  cast  out  devils.  The  Saviour  exposed 
the  fallacy  of  such  an  assertion,  and  declared  the  fearful 
consequences  of  this  sin  against  the  Holy  Ghost,  t 
Others  who  did  not  proceed  to  this  enormity  of  guilt, 
but  who  Avere  chargeable  with  not  duly  considering  the 
ample  proofs  which  Jesus  had  already  given  of  His 
loftiest  claims,  desired  of  Him  some  sign  from  above, — 
some  public  and  glorious  declaration  of  His  Messiah- 
ship.  |  In  their  case,  the  perverseness  of  the  human 
mind  developed  itself — as  it  has  often  since  done — in 
dictating  to  God  as  to  the  kind  and  degree  of  evidence 
which  He  shall  give,  to  attest  His  own  revelation :  but 
this  is  a  demand  to  which  the  majesty  of  the  Eternal 
One  will  not  bend.  The  Sanour  replied  to  their  appli- 
cation in  terms  of  solemn  warning.  He  referred  to  that 
corrupt  and  ungodly  state  of  heart  in  which  the  request 
originated ;  and  affirmed,  that  no  other  kind  of  evidence 
than  that  which  they  already  had,  should  be  given  to 
them,  excepting  that  He  Himself,  when  His  lifeless 
body  had  been  committed  to  the  tomb,  shoidd  on  the 
third  day  rise  again  from  the  dead.§  Then,  with  peculiar 
and  affecting  solemnity,  He  pointed  out  the  aggi'avated 
guilt  of  the  men  of  that  generation,  who  had  listened 

*  Mark  iii.  22.       f  Matthew  xii.   24—32  ;  Mark  iii.  22—30. 
X  Matthew  xii.  38.       §  Matthew  xii.  39,  40. 


OF    THE    REDEEMER,  167 

to  His  teaching,  and  beheld  His  miracles,  but  had 
refused  to  come  unto  Him  for  salvation  and  life.  He 
adverted  to  the  men  of  other  countries,  and  of  other 
days,  who  had  repented  at  the  call  of  the  messengers  of 
God,  and  had  sought  instruction  from  the  lips  of  His 
servants;  and  then  He  declared  the  final  condemnation 
and  ruin  of  those  Avho  turned  away  from  Himself,  the 
greatest  Prophet  that  had  ever  appeared  on  earth. 
"The  men  of  Nineveh  shall  rise  in  judgment  with  this 
generation,  and  shall  condemn  it :  because  they  repented 
at  the  preaching  of  Jonas;  and,  behold,  a  greater  than 
Jonas  is  here.  The  queen  of  the  south  shall  rise  up  in 
the  judgment  with  this  generation,  and  shall  condemn 
it :  for  she  came  from  the  uttermost  parts  of  the  earth 
to  hear  the  wisdom  of  Solomon;  and,  behold,  a  greater 
than  Solomon  is  here.""'' 

While  the  Redeemer  was  delivering  these  warnings, 
an  incident  occurred  which  led  to  a  new  development 
of  His  character,  and  induced  Him  to  affirm  a  truth 
of  deep  interest.  His  mother  and  His  brethren,  or 
cousins,  came  to  the  place  where  He  was  teaching,  and, 
standing  without,  sent  a  message  to  Him,  that  they 
wished  to  speak  with  Him.  Some  of  the  multi- 
tude who  sat  around  Him  conveyed  this  message. 
He  replied,  "Who  is  My  mother?  and  who  are  My 
brethren  ?"  and  then,  stretching  forth  His  hand  to- 
wards His  devout  and  attached  followers.  He  said, 
"  Behold  My  mother  and  My  brethren  !  for  whosoever 
shall  do  the  will  of  My  Father  which  is  in  heaven, 
the  same  is  My  brother,  and  sister,  and  mother."  t 
These  words  of  our  Lord  are  replete  with,  spiritual 
*  Matthew  xii.  41,  42.    f  Matthew  xii.  4G— 50  ;  Markiii.  31—35. 


168  THE    LIFE    AND    MINISTRY 

meaning.  They  show,  that  mere  affinity  to  His  human 
nature  was  not  allowed  by  Him  to  involve  a  special  claim 
on  His  regard ;  since  that  regard  must  ever  be  dependent 
on  religious  character.  But  the  humble,  and  devout,  and 
obedient,  are  the  objects  of  His  peculiar  love.  They  are 
brought  into  a  most  intimate  relation  to  Himself.  He 
views  them  as  His  brethren  ;  He  identifies  their  interests 
with  His  own;  and  He  will  acknowledge  them,  and 
delight  in  them,  throughout  eternity.  To  this  dignity 
the  Saviour  invites  us  all;  so  that  the  humblest  indivi- 
dual that  trusts  in  His  blood,  and  yields  himself  up  to 
the  Divine  service,  is  raised  to  a  state  of  privilege  and 
blessing,  in  comparison  of  which  the  brightest  glories, 
and  the  most  thrilling  joys,  of  earth,  are  vain  and 
insignificant. 


CHAPTER  YII. 

THE      FIRST     OCCASION      OP     THE      REDEEMER'S     TEACHING 

PUBLICLY    IN  PARABLES. REMARKABLE   INCIDENTS    OF 

HIS  MINISTRY  IN  CAPERNAUM  AND  ITS  NEIGHBOURHOOD. 
— HIS  THIRD  GENERAL  CIRCUIT  OF  GALILEE. — CONCLU- 
SION   OP   THE    SECOND   YEAR   OF    HIS   PUBLIC   LABOURS. 

Our  Lord  had  now  completed  His  second  general 
circuit  of  Galilee,  and  had  returned  with  His  disciples 
to  the  neighbourhood  of  Capernaum.  The  interest 
awakened  by  His  miracles,  and  by  the  peculiar  and 
authoritative  character  of  His  teaching,  was  unabated; 
but  multitudes  who  gazed  on  His  works  of  power,  and 
listened  to  His  afiecting  discourses,  remained  careless  and 


OF  THE  REDEEMER.  169 

worldly.  The  Saviour  had  already  lamented  this,  in  the 
most  pathetic  manner;  and  had  pointed  out  the  fearful 
ruiu  to  which  those  who  continued  impenitent  under  the 
clear  light  of  His  own  ministry,  were  exposed.*  The 
rehgious  state  of  many  around  Him  induced  Him  noT^  to 
adopt  a  new  method  of  instruction.  He  began  to  teach 
in  parables, — thus  veiling  great  spiritual  truths  under  the 
images  of  outward  and  familiar  objects.  This  method 
of  presenting  religious  truth  had  a  different  eiFect  on 
His  sincere  and  devout  hearers,  and  on  those  who  merely 
listened  to  His  words  with  idle  curiosity.  To  the  former 
He  willingly  unfolded  the  mysteries  of  the  Christian 
economy,  as  far  as  they  were  able  to  bear  them.  The 
parables  which  He  delivered,  awakened  their  interest; 
and  then  receiving  from  Himself,  in  private,  an  explana- 
tion of  the  figures  employed,  they  had  a  more  vivid 
impression  of  the  doctrines  which  He  sought  to  convey. 
But  the  careless  and  obdurate,  who  only  heard  His 
parables,  and  came  not  to  Him  to  be  instructed  in  their 
meaning,  could  not  understand  their  full  import,  and 
would  retire  with  faint  and  imperfect  apprehensions  of 
truth.  He  Himself  declared  to  His  disciples  the  reason 
which  induced  Him  to  employ  this  method  of  teaching ; 
and  affirmed  the  great  principle  of  the  Divine  govern- 
ment, into  which  His  conduct  must  be  resolved.  In 
reply  to  their  inquiry,  "  Why  speakest  Thou  unto  them 
in  parables?"  He  said,  "Because  it  is  given  unto  you  to 
know  the  mysteries  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  but  to  them 
it  is  not  given.  For  whosoever  hath,  to  him  shall  be  given, 
and  he  shall  have  more  abundance :  but  whosoever  hath 
not,  from  him  shall  be  taken  away  even  that  he  hath."t 
»  Matthew  xi.  20—24.  f  Matthew  xiii.  10—12. 


170  THE    LIFE   AND    MINISTRY 

It  would  be  wrong  to  suppose  that  the  Eedeemer's 
explanations  of  His  parables  were  given  exclusively  to 
the  twelve.  One  of  the  evangelists  has  stated,  that 
several  of  the  more  serious  attendants  on  His  ministry, 
in  addition  to  His  apostles,  requested  Him  to  unfold  the 
meaning  of  these  figurative  statements;  and  that  the 
Saviour  kindly  received  their  application,  and  favoured 
them  with  the  clearer  light  which  they  desired.'-'  It 
was  only  from  the  careless  and  ungodly,  who  refused  to 
inquire  into  the  doctrines  which  He  taught,  and  the 
realities  which  He  announced,  that  the  Saviour  veiled 
the  deep  truths  of  His  religion.  And  now  that  we  can 
read  His  own  expositions  of  His  beautiful  and  instnictive 
parables,  and  can  contemplate  them  in  the  light  of  the 
entire  economy  of  redemption,  we  possess  in  them  an 
exhaustless  treasure  of  heavenly  wisdom. 

Among  the  parables  which  the  SaAaour  delivered  at 
this  period,  as  He  sat  in  a  small  vessel  on  the  sea  of 
GaHlee,  that  of  the  sower  was  the  first.  In  this  He 
pointed  out  the  different  classes  of  the  hearers  of  the 
Gospel,  and  showed  that  only  one  of  these  classes,  com- 
prehending those  who  fully  yield  their  hearts  to  the 
truth  and  grace  of  God,  and  bring  forth  the  fruit  of  a 
holy  life,  vdll  derive  from  the  message  of  salvation  any 
permanent  benefit.t  The  parable  of  the  wheat  and  the 
tares  appeal's  to  have  been  the  next  which  the  Saviour 
uttered.  This  referred  to  the  mixed  character  of  human 
society,  and  indeed  of  the  visible  church,  in  the  present 
state ;  it  illustrated  that  spiritual  agency  which  seeks  to 
difi"use  error  and  vice  through  the  world,  and  to  enfeeble 

*  Mark  iv.  10. 
t  Matthew  siii.  1—9 ;  Mark  iv.  1—9  ;  Luke  viii.  4—8. 


OP   THE   REDEEMER.  171 

and  corrupt  the  church ;  it  showed  that  He,  the  Lord  of 
His  church  and  of  the  world,  claims  it  as  His  own 
prerogative,  to  make  an  accurate  and  final  separation 
between  the  truly  pious,  and  those  who  are  destitute  of 
evangelical  hohness;  and  it  declared,  that  the  time 
would  come,  when  the  history  of  this  world  should  be 
wound  up,  and  the  grand  and  ultimate  separation  take 
place.*  The  Saviour  delivered,  also,  the  parable  of  the 
grain  of  mustard-seed, — to  illustrate  the  rise  and  spread 
of  His  spiritual  kingdom ;  t  and  that  of  the  leaven  hid 
in  three  measures  of  meal, — to  show  how  the  grace  of 
God,  received  into  the  heart  of  man,  and  sincerely 
cherished  thei'e,  diffuses  its  influence  through  his  entire 
nature,  and  appears  in  the  whole  of  his  deportment  and 
conduct.  J  Two  other  parables  were  uttered  by  Him,  to 
mark  the  estimate  which  all  His  people  form  of  the 
salvation  which  He  bestows.  To  them  it  is  as  a  "  hidden 
treasure,"  and  "a  pearl  of  great  price;"  in  comparison  of 
which  everything  else  sinks  into  insignificance,  and  for 
the  attainment  of  which  no  sacrifice  is  accounted  too 
great.§ 

After  delivering  these  parables,  and  unfolding  their 
meaning  to  His  disciples  when  retii-ed  from  the  multi- 
tude, the  Saviour  again  entered  into  a  vessel,  and  directed 
the  twelve  to  pass  over  to  the  other  side  of  the  lake  of 
Galilee.  1 1  It  was  probably  at  this  juncture  that  a  Scribe 
came  to  Him,  and  said,  "Master,  I  will  follow  Thee 
whithersoever  Thou  goest."  The  Saviour  rephed,  "Foxes 
have  holes,  and  the  birds  of  the  air  have  nests;  but  the 

*  Matthew  xiii.  24—30. 
t  Matthew  xiii.  31,  32;  Mark  iv.  30—32. 
+  Matthew  xiii.  33.       §  Matthew  xiii.  44 — 16.      11  Mark  iv.  35. 


172  THE   LIFE   AND   MINISTRY 

Son  of  man  hath  not  where  to  lay  His  head."  *  Thus 
did  He  intimate  that  to  follow  Him  was  not  the  way  to 
worldly  dignity,  or  even  to  ease  and  comfort,  but  that 
all  who  became  His  attendants  must  be  prepared  to 
undergo  privation  and  suffering,  and  to  share  with  Him 
in  the  lowUness  and  poverty  of  His  outward  circum- 
stances. But  while  He  would  not  encourage  any  delusive 
hopes  in  relation  to  His  service,  He  enforced,  in  the 
most  impressive  manner,  the  duty  of  compliance  with 
His  OA^Ti  call  to  follow  Him  as  even  higher  and  more 
sacred  than  any  obligation  which  could  arise  from  natural 
relationship.  For  when  one  of  His  disciples  said  to 
Him,  "  Lord,  suffer  me  first  to  go  and  bury  my  father," 
the  Redeemer  repUed,  "Follow  Mej  and  let  the  dead 
bury  their  dead."  t 

But  we  have  now  to  contemplate  a  new  display  of  the 
Saviour's  dignity  and  power.  We  have  to  behold  Him 
controlling  Avith  perfect  ease  the  mightiest  elements  of 
nature, — hushing  the  tempestuous  wind  into  stillness, 
and  rendering  the  agitated  sea  placid  and  serene.  His 
disciples,  in  obedience  to  His  command,  had  set  sail,  and 
were  crossing  the  sea  of  Galilee;  and  He,  fatigued  with 
the  labours  of  the  day,  was  sleeping  on  a  pillow  in  the 
hinder  part  of  the  vessel.  Suddenly  there  came  down 
upon  the  lake  one  of  those  storms  of  wind  by  which  the 
usual  calmness  of  its  waters  is  occasionally  disturbed. 
The  waves  beat  over  the  vessel,  so  that  it  was  nearly 
fil'ed  with  water,  and  was  on  the  very  point  of  sinking. 
The  disciples,  in  great  alarm  and  distress,  came  to  Him, 
and  awoke  Him,  saying,  "  Lord,  save  us;  we  perish."  He 
mildly  reproved  them  for  giving  way  to  so  great 
•  Matthew  viii.  19,  20.  t  Matthew  viii.  21,  22. 


OF   THE    REDEEMER.  173 

agitation  and  fear,  while  He,  their  almighty  Friend, 
whose  work  on  earth  Avas  not  yet  done,  was  with  them; 
and  then,  arising,  "  He  rebuked  the  winds  and  the  sea, 
and  there  was  a  great  calm."  Emotions  of  astonishment 
and  awe  now  filled  their  minds;  and  they  said  one  to 
another,  "  What  manner  of  man  is  this,  that  even  the 
winds  and  the  sea  obey  Him  !""'  The  majesty  and 
conscious  power  with  which  the  Redeemer  addressed 
those  elements  that  defy  the  strength  of  man  and 
overwhelm  the  proudest  eiForts  of  his  skill,  awakened 
their  profound  admiration;  and  when  the  tempest 
ceased,  and  all  was  calm  around  them,  they  felt  that 
they  were  in  the  presence  of  a  Being  of  unearthly 
dignity  and  infinite  resources. 

When  our  Lord  and  His  disciples  landed  on  the 
opposite  side  of  the  sea  of  Galilee,  in  the  country  of  the 
Gadarenes,  He  was  met  by  two  demoniacs,  who  were 
unusually  fierce,  and  one  of  whom  in  particular  had 
inspired  great  terror  into  the  neighbourhood,  and  had 
frustrated  every  attempt  to  subdue  or  control  him.t 
This  individual,  when  he  beheld  the  Saviour,  ran  to 
Him,  and,  falling  at  His  feet,  worshipped  Him.  Jesus 
commanded  the  impure  spirits  who  had  tyrannised  over 
the  unhappy  men,  to  come  out  of  them.  The  demons, 
agitated  and  alarmed,  replied,  "What  have  we  to  do 
with  Thee,  Jesus,  Thou  Son  of  God  Most  High  ?  Art 
Thou  come  hither  to  torment  us  before  the  time  1  I 
adjure  Thee  by  God  that  Thou  torment  us  not."  The 
terror  of  these  malignant  spirits,  when  brought  into  the 
presence  of  our  Lord's  ineffable  purity,  here  discovered 

*  Matthew  viii.  23—27  ;  Mark  iv.  35— 41  ;  Luke  viii.  22—25. 
t  Mark  v.  1—5. 


IT-i  THE    LIFE   AND    MINISTRY 

itself;  and  it  became  apparent,  that  they  were  looking 
forward  to  a  state  of  still  severer  punishment  than  that 
in  which  they  were  now  involved.  They  besought  our 
Lord  that  He  would  not  command  them  to  depart  into 
the  abyss, — their  own  abode  of  gloom  and  horror;  but 
that  He  would  suffer  them  to  enter  into  a  herd  of 
swine  which  was  feeding  upon  the  mountains.  The 
Saviour  permitted  this ;  for  while  He  rescued  men  from 
the  tyranny  of  unholy  spirits.  He  would  not  interpose 
to  preserve  from  their  violence  animals  which  the  people 
of  that  district  kept  for  the  sake  of  gain,  in  opposition 
to  the  Divine  law.  The  demons  entered  into  the 
swine;  and  the  reality  of  their  agency,  and  the  fearful 
extent  of  their  power,  became  obvious,  for  "  the  whole 
herd  ran  violently  down  a  steep  place  into  the  sea,  and 
perished  in  the  waters."*  The  inhabitants  of  the 
neighbouring  city  were  apprised  of  these  events  by 
those  who  had  the  charge  of  the  swine;  and  they  came 
forth,  with  mingled  feelings,  to  see  Jesus,  and  to  satisfy 
themselves  as  to  the  facts  of  the  case.  They  saw  the 
fiercer  of  the  demoniacs  sitting  at  the  feet  of  our  Lord, 
clothed  and  in  his  right  mind;  they  perceived  also,  that 
the  illustrious  Prophet  had  permitted  a  signal  judgment 
to  fall  upon  tliem  for  their  contemptuous  disregard  of 
the  Divine  precepts;  and  being  affected  with  fear,  and 
not  appreciating  those  spiritual  blessings  which  they 
might  have  i*eceived  from  Him,  they  besought  Him  that 
He  would  depart  out  of  their  coasts. t  The  Saviour 
wished  not  to  protract  His  stay  among  a  people  who 
received  Him  so  ungratefully;    but  again  entered  into 

•  Matthew  viii.  28—32 ;  Mark  v.  6—13  ;  Luke  viii.  26—33. 
f  Matthew  viii.  33,  34  ;  Mark  v.  14—17;  Luke  viii.  34—37. 


OF   THE    REDEEMER.  175 

the  vessel  to  retvirn  to  the  neighbourhood  of  Capernaum. 
The  individual  who  had  suffered  most  severely  from  the 
tyranny  of  the  powers  of  darkness,  saw,  with  emotions 
of  solicitude  and  sorrow,  that  his  Deliverer  was  about  to 
depart,  and  earnestly  asked  to  be  permitted  to  accom- 
pany Him.  The  Saviour  did  not  accede  to  this  request; 
but  desired  him  rather  to  return  to  his  own  house,  and 
show  to  his  friends  how  great  things  God  had  done  for 
him.*  By  this  means  our  Lord  sought  to  arouse  the 
inhabitants  of  that  region  to  an  earnest  considei'ation 
of  His  own  character  and  claims;  and  to  impress  on 
His  people,  in  every  age,  the  duty  of  humbly  acknow- 
ledging their  obligations  to  the  grace  of  God,  and 
endeavouring  to  lead  others  to  adore  the  riches  of  His 
love. 

The  Saviour's  return  to  Capernaum  was  marked  by 
fresh  displays  of  His  almighty  power  and  condescending 
goodness.  Jairus,  one  of  the  rulers  of  the  synagogue, 
had  been  anxiously  awaiting  His  arrival,  that  he  might 
implore  Him  to  avert  the  overwhelming  bereavement 
with  which  he  was  threatened.  He  had  an  only  daughter, 
who  had  attained  the  age  of  twelve  years,  and  on  whom 
his  fondest  affections  were  placed.  But  she  lay  at  the 
very  point  of  death;  all  human  means  had  failed  to 
arrest  the  progress  of  her  disease;  and  his  only  hope 
was  in  the  infinite  resources  of  that  illustrious  Teacher, 
who  had  so  widely  diffused  health  and  happiness  around 
Him.  The  absence  of  the  Lord  Jesus  had  caused  him 
deep  solicitude ;  and  it  seemed  as  if  the  dreaded  moment 
would  arrive,  and  life  become  extinct,  before  he  could 
have  an  opportunity  of  unfolding  his  sorrows  to  the 
»  Mark  v.  18—20 ;  Luke  viii.  38,  39. 


176  THE    LIFE   AND   MINISTRY 

Redeemer.  Wlien  our  Lord  had  reached  Capernaum, 
and  was  engaged  in  conversation  with  some  of  the 
disciples  of  John  the  Baptist,  Jairus  came  to  Him,  and, 
falling  at  His  feet,  besought  Him  earnestly  that  He 
would  come  down  to  his  house  and  restore  his  child, 
who  was  just  ready  to  expire.  His  application  to  our 
Lord  was  marked,  not  only  by  the  intensity  of  parental 
feeling,  but  by  a  strong  and  lively  faith  in  His  unbounded 
power :  "  My  little  daughter  lieth  at  the  point  of  death : 
I  pray  Thee,  come  and  lay  Thy  hands  on  her,  that  she 
may  be  healed;  and  she  shall  live.'"  The  Redeemer 
instantly  accompanied  him;  and  now  a  ray  of  hope  and 
joy  beamed  upon  his  mind.*  But  on  the  way  an  inter- 
ruption occurred.  The  people  eagerly  followed  our 
Lord,  and  pressed  upon  Him.  Among  them  came  an 
afflicted  woman,  who  for  twelve  years  had  an  issue  of 
blood,  and  whose  disease  no  efforts  of  medical  skill  had 
been  able  to  remove  or  alleviate.  She  had  heard  of  the 
miracles  of  grace  and  love  which  the  great  Teacher  had 
performed ;  and,  though  she  shrunk  from  publicly  asking 
Him  to  exert  in  her  case  His  healing  power,  her  con- 
fidence in  Him  prompted  the  conviction,  that  if  she 
could  only  touch  the  hem  of  His  robe,  she  should  be 
restored  to  health.  She  touched  Him,  and  was  healed. 
Instantly  that  she  thus  came  to  Christ,  and  relied  on 
Him  for  a  cure,  He  honoured  her  faith,  and  her 
exhausted  frame  experienced  the  first  sensation  of 
returning  vigour.  But  our  Lord,  to  show  that  the 
virtue  did  not  reside  in  His  garment,  but  that  there  had 
been  on  His  part  a  conscious  putting  forth  of  power, 
turned  round  and  inquired,  "Who  touched  Me?"  After 
*  Mark  v.  21—24;  Matthew  ix.  18,  19;  Luke  viii.  40—42. 


OF    THE    REDEEMER.  177 

a  little  hesitation,  the  afflicted  woman  came  forwai'd,  and 
with  trembling  solicitude,  fell  down  before  Him,  and 
told  Him  that  she  had  touched  Him  to  obtain  relief 
from  her  wasting  malady,  and  was  immediately  healed. 
Jesus  calmed  her  agitation,  and,  with  great  tenderness 
and  benignity,  said  to  her,  "  Daughter,  be  of  good  com- 
fort: thy  faith  hath  made  thee  whole;  go  in  peace.'"- 

Jairus,  meanwhile,  waited  with  eager  solicitude,  for 
our  Lord  again  to  move  forward  towards  his  house,  that 
He  might  restore  the  dying  child.  But,  just  as  the 
Saviour  uttered  these  words  of  consolation  to  the  dis- 
tressed woman,  some  of  his  servants  came  up  to  him, 
bearing  the  mournful  tidings  that  his  daughter  had  just 
expired.  They  evidently  regarded  the  case  as  now 
hopeless ;  and  therefore  added,  "  Why  troublest  thou 
the  Teacher  any  further?"  Our  Lord  well  knew  the 
conflict  of  feeling  which,  at  this  moment,  had  place  in  the 
breast  of  the  afflicted  father ;  and,  with  great  condescen- 
sion and  tenderness,  He  interposed  to  sustain  his  faith, 
against  the  fearful  shock  which  it  had  now  to  endure. 
He  said  to  him,  "  Be  not  afraid,  only  beUeve."  Then 
going  forward  to  the  house,  and  entering  it  with  three 
of  His  disciples,  Peter,  James,  and  John,  together  with 
Jairus  himself.  He  hushed  the  waihngs  of  the  assembled 
company,  assuring  them,  though  His  words  were  received 
with  scorn  by  many  who  were  present,  that  the  child 
was  not  permanently  dead,  but  would  soon  be  restored, 
as  from  sleep,  by  His  own  almighty  power.  Having 
directed  these  persons  to  retire,  He  went  with  the 
father  and  mother  of  the  child,  and  His  three  disciples, 
into  the  apartment  where  her  body  was  laid  out,  and, 

*  Mark  v.  24—84  ,  Matthew  ix.  20—22;  Luke  viii.  43—48. 

N 


178  THE   LIFE    AND    MINISTRY 

taking  her  by  the  hand,  said  with  authority,  "  Maid, 
arise."  Instantly  her  departed  spirit  returned  to  the 
lifeless  frame;  and,  rising  up,  she  walked  before  them 
all,  and,  at  the  Saviour's  bidding,  partook  of  food.  The 
astonishment  and  gratitude  of  her  parents  were  almost 
unbounded;  but  Jesus  charged  them  not  to  go  forth  to 
announce  the  remarkable  fact,  nor  to  give  to  it  any 
unnecessary  publicity.*  He  reserved  it  to  Himself  to 
determine  to  what  extent,  and  under  what  circumstances, 
His  works  of  power  should  be  proclaimed;  and  the 
inhabitants  of  Capernaum  entertained  far  too  low  and 
earthly  views  of  the  Messiah's  reign,t  for  the  Saviour  to 
entrust  any  individual  among  them  with  the  charge  of 
attracting  general  attention  to  His  stupendous  acts. 

The  incidents  on  which  we  have  now  dwelt,  illustrate, 
among  other  truths,  the  importance  which  the  Lord 
Jesus  attached  to  the  exercise  oi  faith  in  His  almighty 
energy.  In  some  instances.  He  seems  even  to  have 
required  it,  in  order  to  the  putting  forth  of  His  power 
to  heal.  This  was  yet  more  apparent  in  the  case  of  two 
blind  men,  who  now  applied  to  Him,  addressing  Him  as 
the  Son  of  David,  the  long-expected  Messiah.  They 
followed  Him  even  into  the  house  in  which  He  resided 
iu  Capernaum,  beseeching  Him  to  regard  them  Avith 
compassion.  He  said  to  them,  "  Believe  ye  that  I  am 
able  to  do  this?"  They  replied,  "Yea,  Lord:"  and  then, 
touching  their  eyes,  He  said,  "According  to  your  faith 
be  it  unto  you;"  and  instantly  their  sight  was  restored. J 
Thus  did  He  approve  their  confidence  in  His  inherent 
and  unbounded  power;  and  thus  did  He  teach  us,  that 

*  jrark  V.  35—43;  Matthew  ix.  23—26  ;  Luke  viii.  49—56. 
t  John  vi.  15.  +  Matthew  ix.  27—30. 


OF   THE    REDEEMER.  179 

'  t  is  a  great  principle  of  His  government  to  honour  and 
reward  an  implicit  faith  in  Himself. 

Soon  after  this,  our  Lord  again  visited  the  town  of 
Nazareth,  where  the  years  of  His  private  life  had  been 
spent.  When  the  Sabbath  arrived,  He  went  into  the 
synagogue,  and  unfolded  those  great  spiritual  truths  on 
which  He  was  accustomed  to  dwell.  In  the  course  of 
this  visit,  also,  He  performed  a  few  works  of  power  and 
love, — laying  His  hands  on  some  who  were  afflicted,  and 
instantly  imparting  to  them  health  and  vigour.  But 
the  inhabitants  of  Nazareth  retained  their  unreasonable 
prejudices  against  Him,  as  one  whom  they  had  known 
in  humble  life;  and  their  guilty  unbelief  caused  the 
Redeemer  not  to  honour  that  town,  as  He  had  done 
some  other  places,  with  the  more  signal  proofs  of  His 
Divine  glory.""'  One  of  the  sacred  historians  has  recorded, 
that  "  He  did  not  many  mighty  works  there,  because  of 
their  unbelief  j"t  and  another,  after  referring  to  this 
circumstance,  adds  the  affecting  and  admonitory  words, 
"And  He  marvelled  because  of  their  unbelief.":}:  To 
turn  away  from  the  Lord  Jesus, — to  refuse  to  admit 
His  claims,  and  rely  on  Him  for  salvation, — marks  a 
perverseness  of  mind,  and  a  hardness  of  heart,  which 
may  well  call  forth  astonishment  and  grief 

The  Redeemer  now  entered  upon  His  third  general 
circuit  of  Galilee,  teaching  in  the  synagogues,  and 
healing  the  sick  that  were  brought  before  Him.§  But 
while  He  thus  continued  His  personal  labours,  and 
visited  all  the  cities  and  villages  of  the  northern  district 
of  the  Holy  Land,  He  sent  forth,  likewise.  His  twelve 

«  Mark  vi.  1—5;  Matthew  xiii.  54—57.        f  Matthew  xiii.  58. 

+  Mark  vi.  6.  §  Mark  vi.  6 ;  Matthew  ix.  35. 

N   2 


180  THE   LIFE   AND    MINISTRY 

apostles,  in  companies  of  two  and  two,  to  publish  the 
message  which  they  had  heard  from  His  lips;  ginng 
them  power,  at  the  same  time,  to  remove  diseases,  and 
cast  out  devils.  The  charge  which  He  delivered  to 
them,  on  this  occasion,  has  been  recorded  at  length  by 
St.  Matthew,  and  more  briefly  by  St.  ]\Iark  and  St. 
Luke.*  It  embraces  many  points  of  deep  interest,  and 
suggests  several  important  views  of  the  Redeemer's 
character  and  administration.  But  there  are  two  con- 
siderations which  our  Lord  urged  on  the  attention  of 
His  apostles,  to  which  we  may  particularly  refer.  He 
forewarned  them,  that  they  must  expect  the  hostility  of 
the  world;  that  if  He,  their  Master  and  Lord,  had  been 
rejected  by  many, — if  it  had  even  been  said  of  Him, 
that  He  was  in  league  with  Beelzebub, — they  could  not 
hope  to  meet  with  difierent  treatment,  or  to  be  welcomed 
and  loved  where  He  had  been  neglected  and  despised. 
He  taught  them,  that  it  is  the  natural  tendency  of 
earnest,  spiritual  religion,  to  call  forth  dislike  in  the 
breasts  of  those  who  do  not  bow  to  its  requirements, 
and  seek  its  blessings;  so  that,  even  in  the  domestic 
circle.  His  people  would  often  meet  with  ridicule  and 
persecution.  Though  the  Gospel  which  He  proclaimed 
was,  emphatically,  "  the  Gospel  of  peace,"  calculated  and 
designed  to  raise  the  human  spirit  to  peace  with  God, 
to  fill  it  with  sacred  tranquillity,  and  to  render  it  meek, 
benevolent,  and  forgiving;  yet  He  affirmed,  that  the 
progress  of  His  reUgion  would  necessarily  involve 
conflicts  of  principle,  and  consequent  disunion.  And 
He  uttered  the  startUng  and  memorable  words,  "  Think 
not  that  I  am  come  to  send  peace  on  earth:  I  came  not 
*  Matthew  x.  5—42;  Mark  vi.  7—11 ;  Luke  ix.  1—5. 


OP   THE   REDEEMER.  181 

to  send  peace,  but  a  swovd.  For  I  am  come  to  set  a 
man  at  variance  against  his  father,  and  the  daughter 
against  her  mother,  and  the  daughter-in-law  against  her 
mother-in-law  j  and  a  man's  foes  shall  be  they  of  his  own 
household."  In  this  charge  to  His  apostles,  also,  our 
Lord  claimed,  as  His  inalienable  right,  the  supreme 
attachment  of  every  human  mind.  He  required,  that  the 
love  which  His  people  should  cherish  towards  Himself, 
should  surpass  the  very  strongest  affection  called  forth 
by  the  relations  of  earth.  Not  even  the  pure  and  tender 
love  which  a  child  feels  towards  an  honoured  parent, 
nor  the  deep  and  intense  attachment  which  glows  in  the 
breast  of  a  parent  towards  his  offspring,  is  to  equal  that 
which  His  followers  are  to  bear  to  Him,  and  which  they 
are  to  avow  before  men,  though  this  avowal  may  expose 
them  to  obloquy  and  persecution.  Life  itself,  He 
affirmed,  must  not  be  esteemed  too  great  a  sacrifice,  if 
fidelity  to  Him  should  require  its  surrender.  His  people 
must  be  prepared  rather  to  follow  Him  to  the  shame 
and  ignominy  of  the  cross,  than  renounce  their  allegiance 
to  Him,  and  prove  unfaithful  to  His  cause.  And  thus, 
amidst  the  solemnities  of  the  last  day,  one  great  test  of 
character  will  be,  whether  we  have  stood  forth  to 
acknowledge  Him  before  men,  or  have  shrunk  from  the 
confession  of  discipleship  to  Him,  that  we  might  escape 
reproach,  and  retain  the  comforts  and  honours  of  the 
world.  "He  that  loveth  father  or  mother  more  than 
Me,  is  not  worthy  of  Me:  and  he  that  loveth  son  or 
daughter  more  than  Me,  is  not  worthy  of  Me.  And  he 
that  taketh  not  his  cross,  and  followeth  after  Me,  is  not 
worthy  of  Me.  He  that  findeth  his  life  shall  lose  it : 
and  he  that  loseth  his  life  for  My  sake,  shall  find  it." 


182  THE   LIFE   AND    MINISTRY 

"Whosoever  shall  confess  Me  before  men,  him  will  I 
also  confess  before  My  Father  which  is  in  heaven. 
But  whosoever  shall  deny  Me  before  men,  him  will  I 
also  deny  before  My  Father  which  is  in  heaven."  Can 
we  listen  to  these  lofty  claims,  without  a  vivid  im- 
pression of  the  personal  dignity  of  Him  who  advanced 
them?  It  was  not  simply  as  an  illustrious  Prophet,  or 
as  a  Pattern  of  purity  and  goodness,  that  Jesus  could 
demand  this  supreme  and  constant  love;  it  was  rather 
as  THE  Son  of  God,  who,  for  our  sakes,  had  allied 
Himself  to  our  nature  in  outward  lowhness,  and  who  was 
about  to  submit  to  yet  deeper  humiliation  and  sorrow. 

The  Redeemer,  having  sent  forth  His  apostles,  pursued 
His  own  career  of  evangelical  labour,*  and  taught  Avith 
power  and  unction  in  the  various  cities  of  Galilee.  His 
fame  now  reached  the  ears  of  Herod  Antipas,  whose 
conscience  was  disturbed  and  restless  on  account  of  the 
recent  murder  of  John  the  Baptist.  To  this  act  Herod 
had  reluctantly  consented;  but,  in  a  moment  of  unholy 
excitement,  he  had  made  a  promise  to  Salome,  the 
daughter  of  Herodias,  to  give  her  whatsoever  she  would 
ask;  and  she,  at  the  instigation  of  her  mother,  who 
cherished  an  intense  hatred  to  the  repi'over  of  her  sins, 
requested,  in  preference  to  everything  else,  the  head  of 
the  holy  Baptist.t  Here  was  a  melancholy  proof  of  the 
tendency  of  licentious  indulgence  to  harden  the  heart, 
and  to  fill  it  with  malignity  and  revenge,  so  that  even 
murder  itself  shall  be  perpetrated  without  a  shudder! 
The  remembrance  of  this  cruel  and  wicked  deed  haunted 
the  mind  of  Herod ;  and  when  he  heard  of  the  miracles 
of  Jesus,  he  said  to  his  servants,  "  This  is  John  the 
*  Matthew  xi.  1.  f  Matthew  xiv.  3—12;  Mark  vi.  17—29. 


OF   THE    REDEEMER,  183 

Baptist :  he  is  risen  from  tlie  dead ;  and  therefore  mighty- 
works  do  show  forth  themselves  in  him."* 

When  the  apostles  had  finished  the  circuit  assigned  to 
them,  they  returned  to  our  Lord  at  Capernaum,  and 
informed  Him  of  all  they  had  done  and  taught. t  With 
kind  consideration  for  their  state  of  fatigue  and  ex- 
haustion. He  proposed  to  them  to  retire,  for  awhile,  to 
the  desert  of  Bethsaida,  in  Decapolis,  that  they  might 
rest  from  the  excitement  and  toil  of  constant  intercourse 
with  the  multitude.  Accordingly,  they  sailed  as  privately 
as  they  could  to  the  spot  which  the  Saviour  designed; 
but  some  who  saw  them  departing,  informed  the  in- 
habitants of  Capernaum  and  the  neighbouring  towns  of 
the  circumstance,  and  a  great  multitude  Avent  on  foot 
from  these  places,  and  gathered  around  Him.;};  His 
miracles  had  produced  a  deep  impression  on  their  minds, 
and  had  called  forth  lofty  though  indefinite  expectations 
of  something  great  and  noble  which  He  should  pei-form ;  § 
but  many  Avho  thus  flocked  to  Him,  had  no  i-elish 
for  the  spiritual  truths  which  He  inculcated.  When 
the  Saviour  beheld  them,  His  compassionate  heart,  ever 
ready  to  feel  for  the  sufferings  of  men,  and  to  weep 
over  their  spiritual  destitution,  was  deeply  moved;  and 
He  came  forth  and  resumed  His  labours.  ||  He  taught 
them  many  things  relative  to  "  the  kingdom  of  God;" 
and  healed  all  that  were  afflicted,  diffusing  on  every 
hand,  light,  and  cheerfulness,  and  joy. 51  As  He  looked 
round  on  the  multitude  from  the  eminence  on  which  He 

*  Matthew  xiv.  1,  2;  Mark  vi.  14.     f  Mark  vi.  30  ;  Luke  ix.  10. 
t  Mark  vi.   31  —  33;    Luke    ix.    10,  11;    .Matthew   xiv,    13; 
John  vi.  1. 

§  John  vi.  2.     ||  Mark  vi.  34  ;  Matthew  xiv.  14.     ^  Luke  ix.  11. 


184  THE   LIFE    AND    MINISTRY 

sat  with  His  disciples,'^  and  observed  how  eagerly  they 
continued  to  wait  on  Him,  without  having  made  any 
provision  for  their  bodily  wants,  He  formed  the  purpose 
to  relieve  their  hunger,  and  to  afford  them,  at  the  same 
time,  a  new  display  of  His  unbounded  power.t  As  the 
evening  drew  on,  His  disciples,  to  whom  He  had  not  yet 
disclosed  this  purpose,  came  to  Him  and  entreated  Him 
to  send  away  the  multitude,  that  they  might  go  into  the 
neighbouring  towns  and  villages,  and  procure  food.  The 
Saviour  replied,  "  They  need  not  depart ;  give  ye  them  to 
eat."  They  expostulated  with  Him,  alleging  their  inability 
to  furnish  so  large  a  company  with  bread.  He  inquired 
of  them,  "How  many  loaves  have  ye?"  Andrew,  the 
brother  of  Simon  Peter,  answered,  "  There  is  a  lad  here, 
who  hath  five  barley  loaves,  and  two  small  fishes :  but 
what  are  they  among  so  many?"  Our  Lord  then 
dii'ected  that  they  should  make  the  multitude  sit  down, 
ill  ranks  of  one  hundred;  and  as  there  were  fifty  of 
such  ranks,  composed  of  men  alone,  besides  the  women 
and  children  who  were  present,  it  became  evident,  that 
the  company  which  He  was  about  to  feed,  consisted  of 
more  than  five  thousand  persons.  The  Saviour  then  took 
the  five  loaves  and  the  two  fishes;  and  having  solemnly 
given  thanks,  and  implored  a  blessing  on  them,  broke 
the  loaves,  and,  by  His  creating  power,  so  multiplied 
the  supply  of  food  in  that  desert  place,  that  the  disciples 
continued  to  distribute  from  His  hands,  until  the  whole 
multitude  had  eaten  and  were  satisfied,  and  more  than 
twelve  baskets  full  of  fragments  remained,  j  This  new 
proof  of  His  unlimited  resources  had  a  powerful  eiFect 
*  John  vi.  3.  f  John  vi.  6. 

+  Mark  vi.  35—44;   Matthew  xiv.  15—21 ;  Luke  ix.  12—17  ; 
John  vi.  7 — 13. 


OF   THE   REDEEMER.  185 

on  the  assembled  multitude.  They  saw  that  to  Him 
nothing  was  impossible;  but  they  were  "  slow  of  heart" 
to  receive  the  spiritual  lessons  which  He  taught,  and 
in  their  vain  speculations  they  associated  this  display 
of  His  power  with  the  certainty  of  victory  over  every  foe, 
should  He  lead  them  forth  as  a  mighty  Prince.*  But 
the  Redeemer  gave  no  countenance  to  these  false  and 
earthly  views.  His  whole  spirit,  manner,  and  conduct 
showed  that  His  intercourse  with  the  multitude  was 
designed  only  to  promote  their  spiritual  welfare,  and  to 
alleviate  their  temporal  sufferings.  Without  allowing 
them  an  opportunity  of  expressing  the  feelings  which 
were  rising  in  their  breasts,  He  directed  His  disciples  to 
enter  into  a  vessel,  and  again  to  cross  the  lake  of  Galilee; 
and  then,  having  sent  away  the  multitude.  He  retired  to 
a  mountain  alone,  to  spend  the  last  hours  of  that  day 
in  meditation  and  prayer,  t 

The  passage  of  the  disciples  proved  to  be  a  stormy 
and  dangerous  one.  The  wind  arose  and  beat  against 
them;  so  that  they  had  to  toil  at  their  oars  to  make 
head  against  it.  About  the  fourth  watch  of  the  night, 
the  Saviour  appeared,  walking  on  the  sea,  and  seemed  as 
if  He  would  have  passed  by  them.  They,  supposing  it 
to  be  a  spirit,  were  greatly  agitated;  but  He  calmed 
their  minds  with  the  sweet  and  simple  words,  "Be  of  good 
cheer;  it  is  I;  be  not  afraid."  With  gratitude  and  joy, 
they  recognised  His  well-knovi^n  voice;  and  Peter,  to 
show  his  unbounded  confidence  in  his  Master's  power, 
said,  "Lord,  if  it  be  Thou,  bid  me  come  unto  Thee  on 
the   water."      The  permission  was  given ;  and  Peter, 

*  John  vi.  14,  15. 
t  Mark  vi.  45,  46;  Matthew  xiv.  22,  23;  John  vi.  15,  16. 


186  THE    LIFE    AND    MINISTRY 

upheld  by  the  Saviour's  energy,  walked  for  a  little  on 
the  water  to  meet  his  Lord.  But  as  the  wind  became 
still  more  boisterous,  his  faith  gave  place  to  doubt  and 
fear;  and  he  began  to  sink.  In  the  extremity  of  his 
distress,  he  cried,  "Lord,  save  me;"  and  immediately  Jesus, 
with  ineffable  dignity  and  condescension,  "stretched 
forth  His  hand,  and  caught  him,  and  said  unto  him,  0 
thou  of  little  faith,  wherefore  didst  thou  doubt?''*  The 
lessons  which  this  incident  is  calculated  to  teach,  will  at 
once  suggest  themselves  to  every  thoughtful  mind. 
Never  should  we  triumph  in  the  supposed  strength  of 
our  faith,  lest  we  should  prove,  as  Peter  did,  that  that 
faith,  though  sincere  and  lively,  is  yet  comparatively 
feeble  and  inadequate  to  the  trials  upon  which  we 
venture.  But,  on  the  other  hand,  when  Christ  commands, 
we  may  safely  go  forward,  amidst  storms  of  difficulty, 
relying  upon  His  faithfulness  alone;  and  we  shall  be 
upheld  by  His  unseen  power.  And  how  often,  when 
His  followers  painfully  feel  their  weakness,  and  look  to 
Him  for  succour  amidst  the  tempests  and  anxieties  of 
life,  does  He  interpose  to  bring  them  comfort  and  relief! 
The  extremity  of  their  sorrow  and  danger  is  the  moment 
when  He  appears,  to  display  His  richest  mercy,  and 
reveal  the  sufficiency  of  His  grace. 

But  the  rescue  of  Peter  was  followed  by  another 
manifestation  of  the  Redeemer's  glory.  Jesus  entered 
with  that  disciple  into  the  vessel ;  and  instantly  the  wind 
ceased,  and  the  passage,  which  had  proved  so  difficult  and 
perilous,  was  happily  and  almost  immediately  brought  to 
a  close.t    The  impression  produced  by  these  occurrences 

*  Matthew  xiv.  24—31;  Mark  vi.  47—50;  John  vi.  18—20. 
t  Matthew  xiv.  32;  Mark  vi.  51 ;  John  vi.  21. 


OF    THE    REDEEMER.  187 

on  the  minds  of  all  who  were  in  the  vessel,  was  deep  and 
overwhehning :  they  felt  that  they  were  in  the  presence 
of  One  possessed  of  awful  and  mysterious  greatness;  and, 
remembering  in  how  lofty  and  peculiar  a  sense  He  had 
claimed  to  be  the  Son  of  God,  "they  came  and  worshipped 
Him,  saying,  Of  a  truth  Thou  art  the  Son  of  God."  Xor 
did  the  Saviour  repel  this  homage :  He  received  it  as  a 
just  acknowledgment  of  His  uneartlily  dignity,  and  as  an 
expression  of  humble  confidence  in  Himself* 

Jesus  landed  with  His  disciples  in  the  region  of 
Gennesaret,  and  proceeded  to  Capernaum,  scattering 
blessings  as  He  passed  along,  and  diffusing  the  glow  of 
health  through  many  a  diseased  and  emaciated  frame. 
The  inhabitants  of  that  district  gratefully  hailed  the 
appearance  of  the  distinguished  Prophet  among  them : 
they  brought  unto  Him  all  that  were  diseased, — even 
carrying  on  beds  those  who  could  not  otherwise  be  pre- 
sented to  His  notice;  and  many  crowded  around  Him, 
and  besought  Him  that  they  might  touch  only  the  border 
of  His  garment;  and  "as  many  as  touched  Him  were 
made  perfectly  whole. "t 

A  considerable  number  of  those  whom  Jesus  had 
miraculously  fed,  had  remained  on  the  other  side  of  the 
sea  of  Galilee ;  and  when  they  found  that  He  had  departed, 
as  well  as  His  disciples,  they  took  shipping,  and  came  t-o 
Capernaum  to  seek  Him.;}:  And  now  the  Saviour  addressed 
to  them  a  discourse,  full  of  momentous  truths,  relative 
to  the  design  of  His  appearance, — the  spiritual  nature  of 
the  blessings  which  He  offered  to  man, — and  the  intimate 
connexion  of  these  blessings  with  His  approaching  sacri- 

•  ^ratthcw  \\v.  33.        f  Matthew  xiv.  34—36  ;  Mark  vi.  53—56. 
X  John  vi.  22—21. 


188  THE    LIFE    AND    MINISTRY 

ficial  death.  To  those  who  beheld  His  miracles  with 
astonishment,  but  had  no  desire  for  spiritual  good,  He 
said,  with  solemn  emphasis,  "  Labour  not  for  the  meat 
which  perisheth,  but  for  that  meat  which  endureth  unto 
everlasting  life,  which  the  Son  of  man  shall  give  unto  you ; 
for  Him  hath  God  the  Father  sealed:"  and  Avhen  they 
inquired,  "  What  shall  we  do,  that  we  might  work  the 
works  of  Godl"  He  answered,  "  This  is  the  work  of  God, 
that  ye  believe  on  Him  whom  He  hath  sent."  Some  of 
them  now  demanded  of  Him  a  sign  from  heaven,  and 
referred  to  the  manna  with  which  the  wants  of  their 
fathers  had  been  supplied  as  they  journeyed  through  the 
wilderness  from  Egypt  to  Canaan.  Our  Lord,  in  reply, 
dwelt  on  that  arrangement,  as  typical  of  His  own  coming 
into  the  world,  to  satisfy  the  wants  of  the  human  spirit, 
and  to  meet  its  cravings  for  peace  and  happiness.  He 
spoke  of  Himself  as  "the  bread  of  life;"  and  in  the 
clearest  and  most  explicit  manner  affirmed,  that  He  had 
come  down  from  heaven  to  give  life  unto  the  world. 
But  He  taught  them  further,  that,  in  order  to  bestow 
spiritual  and  eternal  life  on  men,  He  must  Himself 
become  a  sacrifice — His  humanity  must  be  given  up  to 
death,  and  His  blood  be  shed  as  the  sin-offering  for  the 
world's  guilt.  It  was  in  this  character  that  He  was  to 
become  the  object  of  trust  to  our  perishing  race.  That 
trust.  He  affirmed,  must  be  lively,  earnest,  and  realising. 
We  must  "  come  unto  Him,"  under  the  gracious  leading 
of  the  Father ;  we  must  even  "  eat  the  flesh  of  the  Son 
of  man,  and  drink  His  blood,"  relying  on  His  sacrifice 
alone  for  acceptance  and  spiritual  life,  and  thus  rising 
to  intimate  communion  with  Himself.  Profound  and 
mysterious  were  many  of  the  truths  which  the  Redeemer 


OF   THE   REDEEMER.  189 

now  uttered ;  and  they  were  blended  with  solemn 
warnings  of  the  danger  of  treating  His  atonement  with 
neglect.  Many  who  had  hitherto  followed  Him  with 
interest,  were  oiFended  at  this  discourse;  and  they  "went 
back,  and  walked  no  more  with  Him."  Jesus  then 
appealed  to  the  twelve,  "  Will  ye  also  go  away  1 "  Peter, 
from  the  fulness  of  his  heart,  replied,  "  Lord,  to  whom 
shall  we  go  1  Thou  hast  the  words  of  eternal  life.  And 
we  believe,  and  are  sure,  that  Thou  art  the  Messiah,  the 
Son  of  the  living  God."  The  Saviour  accepted  this 
sincere  and  cordial  expression  of  his  faith  and  love ;  but, 
with  mournful  feelings.  He  adverted  to  the  treacherous 
purpose  which  one  even  of  the  twelve  had  formed.*  The 
feast  of  the  passover  was  now  at  hand ;  and  the  Redeemer 
foresaw  that,  when  another  year  should  have  elapsed, 
that  treacherous  purpose  would  develop  itself,  and  the 
great  event  of  His  own  sacrificial  death,  which  He  now 
figuratively  set  forth,  would  thus  be  brought  about. 


CHAPTER  YIII. 

THE  LEADING  EVENTS  OP  THE  REDEEMER'S  HISTORY,  PROM 
THE  COMMENCEMENT  OF  THE  THIRD  YEAR  OF  HIS 
PUBLIC  MINISTRY,  UNTIL  THE  FEAST  OP  TABERNACLES 
IN  THAT  YEAR. 

The  third  passover  had  now  ai'rived  since  the  Lord 
Jesus  entered  upon  His  career  as  the  great  Prophet  of 
mankind.     On  former  occasions  He   had  gone  up  to 
•  John  vi.  25—71. 


190  THE    LIFE   AND    MINISTRY 

Jerusalem,  to  be  present  in  the  temple  at  that  interesting 
period,  and  to  share  in  the  religious  solemnities  by  which 
it  was  distinguished;  but  this  year.  He  appears  to  have 
remained  in  Galilee.  One  reason  of  this  was,  that  the 
Pharisees  of  Jerusalem  had  formed  a  decided  purpose  to 
kill  Him,  as  soon  as  an  opportunity  should  be  afforded; 
and  our  Lord,  whose  work  on  earth  was  not  yet  to 
terminate,  but  who  was  still  for  a  while  to  shed  the  light 
of  heavenly  truth  over  many  districts  of  the  Holy  Land, 
chose  in  this  way  to  frustrate  the  immediate  accomplish- 
ment of  their  malignant  purpose.*  Other  means  of 
preservation  were  open  to  Him,  whose  power  had  so 
often  controlled  universal  nature;  but  now  it  seemed 
good  to  Him  to  remain  at  a  distance  from  the  metro- 
polis, and  to  continue  His  labours  in  the  neighbourhood 
of  Capernaum. 

After  the  feast  had  transpired,  some  of  the  Pharisees 
and  Scribes  of  Jerusalem  came  down  to  Galilee,  to 
observe  His  conduct,  and,  if  possible,  to  lessen  His  influ- 
ence as  a  Teacher.t  Perceiving  that  some  of  His  disciples 
partook  of  food  without  having  previously  washed  their 
hands,  they  censured  our  Lord  for  allowing  them,  in 
this  way,  to  transgress  the  tradition  of  the  elders.;):  His 
answer  was  replete  with  instruction  and  warning.  He 
adverted  to  the  wide  distinction  to  be  made  between  the 
commandments  of  God  and  the  traditions  of  men;  the 
former  of  which  are  binding  upon  the  conscience,  and 
affect  our  eternal  destiny;  while  the  latter  have  to 
commend  themselves  to  our  judgment,  and  solicit  our 
approval.     He   showed   them,  that   they  who   were   so 

*  John  vii.  1 .  f  Matthew  xv.  1  ;  Mark  vii.  1. 

J  Matthew  xv.  2 ;  Mark  vii,  2—5. 


OF    THE   KEDEEMER.  191 

scrupulous  in  regard  to  the  tradition  of  the  elders,  had, 
by  that  very  tradition,  set  aside  one  of  the  most  explicit 
commandments  of  the  Most  High.  From  amidst  the 
glories  of  Sinai,  God  had  issued  the  precept,  "  Honour 
thy  father  and  thy  mother;"  and  this  precept  required, 
among  other  things,  the  alleviation  of  their  sufferings  in 
advanced  age,  and  the  supply  of  their  wants,  should  they 
need  assistance.  But  the  Pharisaic  tradition  taught, 
that  if  a  man  chose  to  devote  to 'the  altar  that  property 
which  should  have  gone  to  the  support  of  his  aged 
parents,  the  obligation  to  provide  for  them  was  super- 
seded, and  his  conscience  might  enjoy  repose.*  Our 
Lord  then  pointed  out  the  grand  defect  in  the  character 
of  the  Pharisees, — that  defect  which  vitiated  their 
outward  services,  and  rendered  them  offensive,  rather 
than  acceptable,  to  God.  Their  religion  was  altogether 
external.  Their  hearts  were  afar  off  from  God,  even 
Avhile  they  approached  Him  with  their  lips  in  acts  of 
v/orship,  and  uttered  words  expressive  of  gratitude,  and 
confidence,  and  love.t  An  important  general  truth  was 
thus  inculcated  by  the  Redeemer, — that  God  has  respect 
to  the  state  of  the  heart;  and  that  there  must  be,  on  our 
part,  inward  sincerity,  and  a  surrender  of  the  affections 
to  Him,  if  we  would  really  sustain  the  character  of  His 
people,  or  enjoy  His  smile  and  blessing. 

But  the  incident  which  had  just  transpired,  afforded 
an  opportunity  to  our  Lord  of  exhibiting  this  truth 
under  a  pai'ticular  aspect,  and  one  calculated  to  impress 
the  minds  of  a  Jewish  audience.  Calling  the  multitude 
around  Him,  He  said  to  them,  with  peculiar  emphasis, 

*  Matthew  xv.  3—6;  Mark  vii.  9  —  13. 
t  Matthew  xv.  7—9;  Mark  vii.  (j,  7. 


192  THE    LIFE    AND    MINISTRY 

"  Hearken  unto  Me  every  one  of  you,  and  understand : 
there  is  nothing  from  without  a  man  that,  entering  into 
him,  can  defile  him;  but  the  things  which  come  out  of 
him,  those  are  they  that  defile  the  man.  If  any  man 
have  ears  to  hear,  let  him  hear."*  Here  the  Divine 
Teacher  Himself  declares,  that  man  does  not  contract 
defilement  from  the  food  of  which  he  partakes,  but  from 
the  indulgence  and  open  manifestation  of  inward  e-vdls. 
The  human  heart.  He  afiirms,  is  the  seat  of  moral 
impurity;  and  the  principles  of  evil  which  exist  there, 
develop  themselves  in  those  works  of  violence  and  licen- 
tiousness which  spread  misery  through  our  world,  t 

Soon  after  this  conversation,  our  Lord  proceeded  to 
the  coasts  of  Tyre  and  Sidon,  there  to  exercise  His 
ministry,  and  scatter  the  blessings  of  His  love.;}:  One 
miracle  which  He  performed  in  this  district  is  recorded 
by  two  of  the  Evangehsts;  and  the  circumstances  con- 
nected with  it  suggest  important  lessons  to  His  people 
in  every  age.  They  especially  show  the  value  which  He 
places  on  a  firm  and  unwavering  confidence  in  Himself; 
and  they  show,  also,  that  He  sometimes  sees  fit  to  try 
that  confidence,  in  order  to  call  it  forth  in  yet  more 
vigorous  exercises.  A  Gentile  woman,  a  native  of  Syro- 
Phoenicia,  cried  after  Him,  as  He  walked  along,  "  Have 
mercy  on  me,  0  Lord,  Thou  Son  of  David :  my  daughter 
is  grievously  vexed  with  a  devil."  But  the  Redeemer, 
who  was  usually  so  ready  to  listen  to  the  ciy  of  distress, 
and  to  put  forth  His  power  to  alleviate  the  sorrows  of 
mankind,   appeared  not   to  regard  her.     His  disciples 

*  Mark  vii,  14 — 16  ;    Matthew  xv.  10,  11. 

t  Mark  vii.  21—23  ;  Matthew  xv.  18—20. 

X  Matthew  xv.  21  ;  .Mark  vii.  24. 


OF    THE    REDEEMER.  193 

then  came  to  Him,  and  interceded  on  her  behalf.     They 
referred  to  the  depth  of  her  anguish,  as  evinced  by  her 
manner,  and  the  perseverance  with  which  she  urged  her 
request;  and  desired  our  Lord  to  accede  to  her  applica- 
tion, and  send  her  away  in  peace.     But  He  replied  to 
them,  that  His  mission  as  a  public  Teacher  was  rather 
to  "  the  lost  sheep  of  the  house  of  Israel,"  than  to  those 
who  were   without.      The   distressed   woman,  knowing 
that  if  Jesus  should  refuse  to  help  her,  her  daughter 
must  continue  hopelessly  to  suffer, — ^and  confiding  also 
in  the  benignity  and  grace  which  dwelt  in  His  heart, — 
ventured  now  to  throw  herself  at  His  feet,  and  importu- 
nately to  ask  His  interposition.     He  replied  to  her,  "  It 
is  not  meet  to  take  the  children's  bread,  and  to  cast  it  to 
dogs."     But  even  this  apparent  repulse  did  not  shake 
her  faith.     She  meekly  replied,  "  Truth,  Lord :  yet  the 
dogs  eat  of  the  crumbs  which  fall  from  their  master's 
table."     The  Saviour  honoured  her  confidence  in  the 
riches  of  His  grace  and  love ;  and  now  addressed  to  her 
the  words  of  comfort  and  peace,  "  0  woman,  great  is  thy 
faith :  be  it  unto  thee  even  as  thou  wilt."     His  Divine 
power,   at  that  instant,  expelled   the  demon  who   had 
tyi'annised  over  her  child;  and  when  she  returned  to 
her    house,    she    found    her    daughter    composed    and 
tranquil." 

Our  Lord  afterwards  returned  through  the  coasts  of 
Decapolis  to  the  lake  of  Galilee,  continuing  His  works 
of  power  and  love,  and  inculcating  the  truths  of  spiritual 
religion.t  One  scene  which  the  apostle  Matthew  has 
briefly  depicted,  illustrates  the  wide  extent  to  which  His 

*  Matthew  xv.  22—28  ;  Mark  vii.  25—30. 
f  Matthew  xv.  29  ;  Mark  vii.  31. 
o 


194  THE    LIFE    AND    MINISTRY 

almighty  energy  was  put  forth,  to  remove  the  afflictions 
of  mankind.  He  went  up  into  a  mountain,  and  sat  down 
there;  and  great  multitudes  came  unto  Him,  bringing 
with  them  the  lame,  the  blind,  the  dumb,  the  maimed, 
and  persons  afflicted  with  various  diseases,  and  placed 
them  at  His  feet,  as  fit  objects  of  His  compassion.  The 
Saviour  restored  them  all;  and  as  the  assembled  people 
beheld  those  who  had  been  lame  walking  with  ease  and 
comfort,  the  blind  enjoying  sight,  the  dumb  speaking 
with  readiness,  the  maimed  restored  to  soundness,  and 
the  sick  again  feeling  the  freshness  and  glow  of  health, 
they  were  filled  with  sacred  awe,  and  "  gloi'ified  the 
God  of  Israel."* 

It  appears  that  the  multitude  who  had  now  gathered 
around  our  Lord,  and  had  witnessed  this  display  of  His 
benignity  and  power,  lingered  near  Him,  to  listen  to  His 
teaching,  until  the  third  day^  when  their  supply  of  food 
was  wholly  exhausted.  The  Saviour  looked  upon  them 
with  affectionate  interest,  and,  calling  to  Him  His 
disciples,  said,  "  I  have  compassion  on  the  multitude, 
because  they  continue  with  Me  now  three  days,  and 
have  nothing  to  eat:  and  I  will  not  send  them  away 
fasting,  lest  they  faint  in  the  way."  His  disciples,  as  on 
the  former  occasion,  adverted  to  the  impossibility  of 
their  providing  food,  in  a  place  comparatively  desert,  for 
so  large  a  number.  Jesus  inquired,  "  How  many  loaves 
have  jeV  They  replied,  "Seven,  and  a  few  little 
fishes."  These  the  Saviour  took ;  and,  having  the  people 
arranged  before  Him,  He  gave  thanks,  and  distributed 
them  through  His  disciples  to  all  who  were  present, 
multiplying  the  food,  so  as  to  afford  to  all  a  sufficient 

*  Matthew  xv.  29—31. 


OF    THE    REDEEMER.  195 

supply.  Here  was  another  remarkable  instance  of  His 
creating  power.  Eour  thousand  men,  besides  women 
and  children,  were  fed  from  those  few  loaves  and  fishes ; 
and  even  the  fragments  which  remained  were  enough  to 
fill  seven  baskets.* 

The  Saviour  then  dismissed  the  multitude,  and  crossed 
the  lake  with  His  disciples,  so  as  to  land  on  the  coast  of 
Magdala.t  Here  He  met  with  a  painful  development 
of  that  perverseness  of  spirit  which  distinguished  so 
many  of  the  Pharisees  and  Sadducees,  and  caused  them 
to  unite  in  resisting  His  claims.  Some  individuals  of 
both  these  sects  came  forth,  and  began  to  propose 
questions  to  Him,  hoping  in  some  way  to  perplex  Him 
before  the  people,  and  especially  demanding,  that  He 
would  show  them  a  sign  from  heaven,  in  preference  to 
those  works  of  power  which  He  was  daily  performing. 
The  Redeemer  was  deeply  affected,  as  He  beheld  these 
men,  and  thought  of  their  moral  state.  He  exposed 
their  inconsistency;  and  "sighing  deeply  in  His  spirit," 
declared,  that  the  only  sign  which  should  be  given  to 
them,  in  addition  to  those  which  they  had  so  ungrate- 
fully disi-egarded,  should  be  "  the  sign  of  the  Prophet 
Jonah."  This  was  an  allusion  to  His  own  resurrection 
from  the  dead,  as  the  crowning  miracle  of  His  religion, 
and  that  which  should  stamp  the  seal  of  Divine 
authority  upon  His  loftiest  claim, — to  be  the  Eternal 
Son  of  God.+ 

The  Saviour  then  left  them,  and  again  entering  with 
His  disciples  into  the  vessel,  sailed  to  the  other  side  of 

*  Matthew  xv.  32—38  ;  Mark  viii.  1—9. 

t  Matthew  xv.  39  ;  IMark  viii.  10. 

I  Matthew  xvi.  1 — 4;  Mark  viii.  11,  12. 

0  2 


196  THE   LIFE   AND    MINISTRY 

the  sea  of  Galilee.*  On  landing,  He  addressed  to  them 
the  charge,  "  Take  heed  and  beware  of  the  leaven  of  the 
Pharisees  and  of  the  Sadducees."  At  first  they  supposed 
that  His  words  were  to  be  understood  literally ;  for  they 
had  just  discovered  that  they  had  forgotten  to  take 
bread.  But  the  Eedeemer  taught  them,  that  His  caution 
had  a  deeper  meaning;  that  the  mode  in  which  a  supply 
of  food  could  be  obtained,  need  not  awaken  their  anxiety, 
since  He,  who  had  fed  so  many  thousands  with  a  few 
loaves,  could  readily  meet  all  their  wants;  but  that  it 
was  solemnly  binding  on  them,  and  on  His  people  in 
every  age,  to  guard  against  those  corruptions  of  His 
tnxth  which  would  result  from  the  admixture  with  it  of 
the  characteristic  principles  of  either  of  the  sects  which 
He  had  named.t  The  spiritual  and  earnest  religion 
which  He  inculcated,  was  at  an  equal  distance  from  the 
cold  formalism  of  Pharisaic  worship,  and  the  pride  of 
intellect  cherished  by  the  Sadducean  sect.  The  Saviour 
demanded  humility  as  the  first  requisite  on  the  part  of 
all  Plis  people ;  and  He  called  upon  them,  while  they  fled 
to  His  cross  as  their  only  refuge,  to  surrender  their 
hearts  to  God,  so  that  their  obedience  should  be  the 
natural  expression  of  their  inward  devotion.  It  is  a 
mournful  thought,  that  this  caution  of  our  Lord  has  been 
so  often  overlooked  by  those  who  have  professed  His 
name.  Most  of  the  errors  which  have  corrupted 
and  enfeebled  Plis  church  in  successive  ages,  may  be 
attributed  to  the  insinuation  and  development  of  the 
Pharisaic  or  Sadducean  spirit.  Some,  alas!  who  have 
rigidly  observed  the  external  duties  of  piety,  have  been 

*  ISIatthew  xvi.  4  ;  Mark  viii.  13, 

t  Matthew  xvi.  5—12 ;  Mark  viii.  14—21. 


OF    THE    EEDEEMEK.  197 

destitute  of  a  living  faith,  and  have  even  poured 
contempt  on  the  deep  emotions,  and  the  earnest  strivings, 
of  the  spiritual  life :  while  others,  proudly  confiding  in 
the  strength  of  their  own  intellect,  have  sought  to 
obliterate  from  Christianity  all  that  is  mysterious  and 
supernatural,  and  have  divested  it  even  of  the  doctrines 
which  form  its  glory  and  its  might. 

Having  landed  on  the  eastern  side  of  the  Galilean 
lake,  our  Lord  proceeded  to  Bethsaida.  Here  they 
brought  unto  Him  a  blind  man,  whose  eyes  they  requested 
Him  to  touch.  On  many  occasions,  the  Saviour  had 
instantly  imparted  the  gift  of  sight  by  a  touch  or  a  word ; 
but,  in  this  instance.  He  deviated  from  His  usual  method, 
perhaps  to  teach  us  that  His  operations  of  grace  admit 
of  many  varieties,  and  that  the  mode  in  which  He  shall 
bless  His  people  must  be  left  to  His  own  infinite  wisdom. 
Taking  the  blind  man  by  the  hand.  He  led  him  out  of 
the  town;  and  having  spit  upon  his  eyes,  and  put  His 
hands  upon  him,  asked  him  if  he  saw  anything.  The 
afflicted  man  looked  up,  and  said,  "  I  see  men  as  trees, 
walking."  The  Saviour  then  again  put  His  hands  upon 
his  eyes,  and  made  him  look  up ;  and  ^'  he  was  restored, 
and  saw  every  man  clearly."* 

Soon  afterwards  our  Lord  departed  to  the  neighbour- 
hood of  Ctesarea  Philippi,  and  visited  the  several  towns 
and  villages  of  that  district.t  This  journey  was  chiefly 
remarkable  for  several  important  conversations  which 
passed  between  Himself  and  His  disciples.  On  one 
occasion,  when  He  had  been  praying  alone,  and  His 
disciples  had  just  rejoined  Him,  He  called  their  atten- 
tion to  His  personcd  claims.     "  Whom,"  He  asked,  "  do 

*  Mark  viii.  22—26.  f  Matthew  xvi.  13  ;  Mark  viii.  27. 


198  THE   LIFE    AND    MINISTRY 

men  say  that  I,  the  Son  of  man,  am  ?"  His  disciples 
answered,  "Some  say  that  Thou  art  John  the  Baptist; 
some,  Elias;  and  others,  Jeremias,  or  one  of  the  prophets." 
Our  Lord  then  inquired,  what  were  their  own  views  of 
His  person  and  character;  for  the  question  which  He 
had  just  before  proposed,  was  only  intended  to  draw 
their  attention  to  this  subject,  and  to  prepare  them  to 
receive  the  full  impression  of  the  truth  which  He  was 
about  to  inculcate.  Peter  replied,  with  distinctness  and 
emphasis,  "  Thou  art  the  Messiah,  the  Son  of  the  living 
God."  Our  Lord,  in  the  most  solemn  manner,  approved 
this  declaration,  and  pronounced  Peter  blessed,  as  having 
been  raised,  by  the  special  illumination  of  the  Father, 
to  a  vivid,  though  inadequate,  perception  of  the  glorious 
mysteiy  of  His  person.  He  affirmed,  that  on  this 
immoveable  truth  His  church  should  ever  rest;  and 
though  it  should  be  assailed  by  the  powers  of  darkness, 
it  should  stand  firm  and  secure.  To  Peter  himself  He 
promised,  as  He  subsequently  did  to  all  the  faithful 
eleven,  a  position  of  high  authority,  as  a  teacher  in  His 
church,  and  that  plenary  communication  of  the  Spirit 
which  should  qualify  him  for  his  office,  and  render  his 
expositions  of  truth  and  duty  binding  upon  the  con- 
sciences of  men.*  This  conversation  doubtless  left  a 
powerful  impression  on  the  minds  of  the  twelve.  They 
had  often  heard  the  Redeemer  avow  Himself  to  be  the 
Son  of  God;  but  now  they  had  a  more  vivid  conviction 
of  this  great  truth;  and  they  were  taught  by  our  Lord 
Himself,  that  it  lay  at  the  basis  of  the  plan  of  human 
recovery,  and  would  form,  in  every  age,  the  sure 
foundation  of  His  people's  hopes. 
*  Matthew  xvi,  13—20;  Mark  viii.  27—30;  Luke  ix.  18—21. 


OF    THE    REDEEMER.  199 

But  the  explicit  disclosure  wliicli  the  Saviour  had  now 
made  of  the  grandeur  of  His  personal  claims,  was  fol- 
lowed by  a  distinct  announcement,  that  there  were  before 
Him  scenes  of  deepest  suffering  and  ignominy.  On  various 
occasions  He  had  alluded  to  His  own  death,  as  necessary 
to  the  salvation  of  men ;  but  now  He  began  to  unfold  to 
His  apostles  some  of  its  circumstances  of  shame  and 
sorrow.  He  told  them,  that  ere  long  He  should  go  up 
to  Jerusalem  to  suffer  and  die; — that  though  He  had 
scattered  blessings  wherever  He  had  taught,  yet  He 
should  be  rejected,  and  treated  with  utter  indignity  and 
scorn; — that  the  malice  of  the  chief  priests  and  elders 
would  be  gratified  in  consigning  Him  to  a  painful  death ; 
— but  that  their  triumph  would  be  partial  and  temporary. 
On  the  third  day,  He  declared,  He  should  rise  again,  to 
establish  His  loftiest  claims,  and  bestow  spiritual  and 
eternal  blessings  on  His  devout  and  faithful  people.  One 
of  the  sacred  historians  says,  with  beautiful  simplicity, 
"  From  that  time  forth  began  Jesus  to  show  unto  His 
disciples  how  that  He  must  go  unto  Jerusalem,  and  suffer 
many  things  of  the  elders,  and  chief  priests,  and  scribes, 
and  be  killed,  and  be  raised  again  the  third  day."  * 
Peter,  though  fully  convinced  of  the  unearthly  dignity  of 
his  Master,  had  no  correct  idea  of  the  plans  of  Infinite 
Wisdom  relative  to  the  atonement  which  He  should  offer. 
He  had  observed,  with  interest,  the  displays  of  His 
inherent  and  resistless  power;  he  had  seen  how  all  nature 
owned  Him  as  its  Lord ;  and  often  the  purity  and  good- 
ness of  the  Redeemer's  character  had  called  forth,  in  his 
mind,  sentiments  of  profound  veneration  and  awe.  But 
to  think  of  this  glorious  and  almighty  Prophet  stooping 
*  Matthew  xvi.  21 :  see  also  Mark  viii.  31 ;  Luke  ix.  22. 


200  THE    LIFE    AND    MINISTRY 

to  be  treated  with  indignity,  and  enduring  a  violent 
death,  was  contrary  to  his  cherished  hopes,  and  distressing 
to  his  heart;  and,  taking  our  Lord  aside,  he  began  to 
say  to  Him,  almost  in  a  tone  of  reproof,  "  Be  it  far  from 
Thee,  Lord :  this  shall  not  be  unto  Thee."  But  Jesus, 
turning  to  His  disciples,  said  to  Peter,  with  peculiar 
solemnity,  "Get  thee  behind  Me,  Satan:  thou  art  an 
oflfence  unto  Me :  for  thou  savourest  not  the  things  that 
be  of  God,  but  those  that  be  of  men."*  Thus  did  He 
teach  them,  that  His  declarations  relative  to  His  suiFer- 
ings  must  be  literally  understood;  and  that  the  deep 
anguish  through  which  He  should  pass,  and  the  igno- 
minious death  to  which  He  should  submit,  were  part  of 
the  plan  of  God  for  the  recovery  and  salvation  of 
mankind. 

But  the  Saviour  now  proceeded  to  affirm  another 
truth,  and  to  press  it,  with  the  greatest  earnestness,  on 
the  attention,  not  of  His  apostles  only,  but  of  all  the 
people  who  wei'e  at  hand.  He  called  them  all  around 
Him,  and  declared,  that  they  who  would  enjoy  the 
blessings  of  His  grace,  must  be  prepared  to  follow  Him 
to  suffering  and  death, — that  every  one  who  entered 
upon  His  service  must  "  deny  himself," — must  no  longer 
seek  personal  ease,  or  dignity,  or  pleasure,  as  the  great 
end  of  existence,  but  be  ready  to  sacrifice  every  worldly 
comfort,  and  even  life  itself,  should  fidelity  to  Him 
require  the  surrender.  He  showed  them,  that  this  was 
the  way  to  eternal  life  and  blessedness;  and  that  the 
spirit  of  self-renunciation,  habitually  maintained  and 
developed,  would  meet  at  last  with  the  highest  honours 
and  rewards.  And  then,  to  arouse  them  all  to  serious 
«  Matthew  xvi.  22,  23  ;  Mark  viii.  32,  33. 


OP    THE    REDEEMER.  201 

reflection,  and  to  call  forth  in  the  minds  of  men,  in  every 
age,  a  profound  regard  to  the  realities  of  eternity,  He 
added  the  impressive  words,  "What  shall  it  profit  a  man, 
if  he  shall  gain  the  whole  world,  and  lose  his  own  soul? 
or  what  shall  a  man  give  in  exchange  for  his  soul?  For 
the  Son  of  man  shall  come  in  the  glory  of  His  Father 
with  His  angels;  and  then  He  shall  reward  every  man 
according  to  his  works."'- 

Within  a  few  days  after  these  conversations,  our  Lord 
left  the  neighbourhood  of  Ctesarea  Philippi,  and  jour- 
neyed southward  to  the  lower  part  of  Galilee.  Here 
there  occurred  the  memorable  scene  of  the  transfigura- 
tion. The  Saviour,  having  selected  three  of  His  disciples, 
Peter,  James,  and  John,  to  be  the  witnesses  of  this 
manifestation  of  His  glory,  and  to  attest  it  to  the  world 
when  the  time  should  arrive  for  its  announcement, 
retired  with  them  to  "a  high  mountain  apart."  While 
He  was  there  engaged  in  prayer,  the  ordinary  lowliness 
of  His  appearance  was  exchanged  for  a  brightness  too 
dazzling  for  the  steadfast  gaze  of  man;  for  His  counte- 
nance "shone  as  the  sun,"  and  His  very  raiment  assumed 
an  unearthly  whiteness  and  splendour.  To  add  to  the 
interest  of  the  scene,  Moses,  the  lawgiver  of  Israel,  and 
Elijah,  the  most  eminent  of  the  ancient  prophets,  appeared 
on  the  sacred  mount,  and  engaged  in  conversation  with 
Him.  From  their  abodes  of  glory,  they  had  marked 
His  career  on  earth ;  and  now  that  He  was  approaching 
the  period  of  His  humiliation  and  death,  they  rejoiced 
to  be  permitted  to  acknowledge  Him  as  their  Saviour 
and  their  Lord;  and,  with  deep  interest,  they  conversed 
with  Him  respecting  "His  decease  which  He  should 
*  Matthew  xvi.  24—27  ;  Mark  viii.  34—38. 


202  THE    LIFE    AND    MINISTRY 

accomplish  at  Jerusalem,"  At  the  time  of  the  commence- 
ment of  this  vision,  the  three  disciples  were  oppressed 
with  sleep.  It  was  now  night;  they  were  alone  on  a 
mountain  with  their  Lord;  the  very  fact,  that  they  had 
been  separated  from  their  brethren  to  accompany  Him 
to  this  solitude,  had  doubtless  awakened  in  their  minds 
peculiar  emotions;  and  as  the  Redeemer  had  probably 
spent  a  long  time  in  prayer  before  this  mysterious  change 
in  His  appearance  took  place,  they  felt  fatigued  and 
exhausted,  and  sank  into  the  repose  of  sleep.  But  when 
the  scene  opened  in  all  its  splendour,  they  were  aroused 
to  behold  it;  and,  recognising  Moses  and  Elijah,  through 
a  special  inspiration,  they  gazed  v/ith  mingled  admiration, 
and  fear,  and  joy,  on  the  glory  which  was  conferred  on 
their  Lord.  Peter,  under  the  impulse  of  these  conflicting 
emotions,  exclaimed,  "Master,  it  is  good  for  us  to  be 
here :  and  let  us  make  three  tabernacles ;  one  for  Thee, 
and  one  for  Moses,  and  one  for  Elias."  But  while  he  yet 
spake,  a  bright  cloud  overshadowed  them ;  and  the  voice 
of  the  Eternal  Father  broke  from  that  cloud,  "  This  is 
My  beloved  Son,  in  whom  I  am  well  pleased :  hear  ye 
Him."*  Thus  was  the  'personal  dignity  of  the  Redeemer 
attested  from  on  high.  While  other  prophets  were  only 
the  servants  of  Jehovah,  He  was  the  Son, — the  Object  of 
the  Father's  ineffable  complacency  and  delight.  Thus, 
too,  was  His  siq:>reme  authority  declared.  His  people 
are  to  "hear  Him"  with  lowly  reverence;  they  are  to 
embrace  His  instructions,  to  obey  His  precepts,  to  confide 
in  His  promises,  and  to  rely  on  Him  for  eternal  life. 
Even  while  they  contemplate  Him  in  the  bitterness  of 
His  anguish,  and  the  depth  of  His  shame,  they  are  to 
*  Matthew  xvii.  1 — 5 ;  Mark  ix.  2—7  ;   Luke  ix.  28 — 35. 


OF   THE    REDEEMER,  203 

remember  that  He  was  "the  Prince  of  life,"  "the  Lord 
of  glory;"  and,  placing  the  dignity  of  His  person  in 
connexion  with  His  sufferings  and  death,  they  are  to 
trust  in  the  infinite  merit  of  His  perfect  sacrifice. 

The  three  disciples  were  affected  with  almost  over- 
whelming awe,  as  they  listened  to  the  voice  which  broke 
from  the  cloud  of  light.  One  of  the  sacred  historians 
relates,  that  "when  they  heard  it,  they  fell  on  their  face, 
and  were  sore  afraid."  But  the  Saviour,  whose  tender- 
ness and  condescension  were  equal  to  His  majesty, 
"came  and  touched  them,  and  said.  Arise,  and  be  not 
afraid."  They  obeyed  His  gracious  direction,  and,  looking 
around,  they  found  that  now  they  were  left  alone  with 
their  Lord,  Avho  would  still  mingle  with  them,  as  He  had 
done,  in  the  lowliness  of  ordinary  humanity."^  As  the 
Saviour  came  down  from  the  mountain  with  them,  on 
the  following  morning.  He  charged  them  not  to  publish 
the  vision,  until  the  great  event  of  His  own  resurrection 
■  from  the  dead  should  have  taken  place.t  Important 
purposes  were  doubtless  to  be  answered  by  the  scene  of 
the  transfiguration,  and  by  its  announcement  when  the 
fitting  time  should  arrive :  but  this  "  sign  from  heaven," 
with  which  the  chosen  three  had  been  favoured,  was  not 
to  be  proclaimed  to  the  men  of  that  generation,  or 
made  known  to  any  others  of  the  disciples,  until  the 
Redeemer  should  have  offered  up  Himself  as  a  pro- 
pitiatory sacrifice,  and  have  risen  again  to  establish  the 
hopes  of  His  people,  and  to  convince  even  His  enemies 
of  the  truth  of  all  His  claims. 

It  is  remarkable,  that  this  reference  of  our  Lord  to 

*  Mattliew  xvii.  6—8 ;  Mark  ix.  8  ;  Luke  ix.  S6. 
t  Matthew  xvii.  9;  Mark  ix.  9. 


204  THE    LIFE    AND    MINISTRY 

His  resurrection  from  the  dead  was  not  yet  fully  under- 
stood, even  by  the  three  who  were  now  with  Him.  His 
declarations  but  a  few  days  previously,  relative  to  His 
approaching  death  and  resurrection,  had  been  most 
explicit;  and  yet  they  could  scarcely  bring  themselves 
to  think  of  their  Master  as  actually  passing  through  the 
mortal  agony.  But  they  pondered  the  words  Avhich  He 
now  uttered ;  and,  when  alone,  they  conversed  respecting 
them.  "  They  kept  that  saying  with  themselves,  ques- 
tioning one  with  another  what  the  rising  from  the  dead 
should  mean."''-'  They  did  not,  however,  now  press  Him 
to  explain  His  meaning;  but  rather  asked  Him,  in  con- 
sequence, probably,  of  the  appearance  of  Elijah  on  the 
sacred  mount,  "  Why  say  the  Scribes  that  Elias  must 
first  come?"  Our  Lord  informed  them,  in  reply,  that 
the  prophetic  intimations  relative  to  the  appearance  of 
a  prophet  in  "the  spirit  and  power  of  Elijah,"  as  the 
forerunner  of  the  Messiah,  had  already  been  fulfilled; 
and  He  added,  that  even  as  that  prophet  had  been 
rejected  by  many,  so  He  Himself  must  sufier  many 
things  from  the  chief  priests  and  elders,  and  be  ti'eated 
by  them  with  utter  contempt  and  scorn,  f 

When  the  Saviour,  accompanied  by  the  three  who  had 
witnessed  His  transfiguration,  came  to  the  rest  of  His 
disciples.  He  found  them  encircled  with  a  great  multitude, 
and  engaged  in  eager  disputation  with  the  Scribes.  The 
multitude,  perceiving  Him  approach,  came  to  Him  and 
saluted  Him.  He  inquired  of  the  Scribes,  "  What 
question  ye  with  them'?"  But  ere  they  could  reply,  a 
distressed  father  ran  to  Him,  and,  kneeling  down  before 
Him,  repeated  his  tale  of  woe.  He  had  an  only  son, 
*  Mark  ix.  10.  f  Matthew  xvii.  10—13;  Mark  ix.  11—13. 


OF    THE    REDEEMER.  205 

whom  an  evil  spirit  frequently  threw  into  the  most 
violent  convulsions,  so  that  he  foamed  at  the  mouth,  and 
gnashed  with  his  teeth,  and,  rushing  to  the  fire  or  to  the 
water,  sought  to  destroy  himself.  This  son,  pining  away 
in  the  very  bloom  of  youth,  he  had  brought  to  the  nine 
apostles  in  the  absence  of  their  Lord;  and  they  had 
been  unable  to  cast  out  the  demon,  or  to  restrain  his 
malignant  power.  The  Saviour  listened  to  this  sorrowful 
address;  and  then,  turning  to  the  Scribes  who  had  been 
disputing  with  His  disciples  and  triumphing  in  their 
want  of  success,  said  to  them,  and  to  all  among  the 
multitude  who  sympathised  with  them,  or  whose  pre- 
dominant feeling  Avas  that  of  curiosity  rather  than  of  calm 
and  settled  confidence  in  His  almighty  power,  "  0  faith- 
less and  perverse  generation,  how  long  shall  I  be  with 
you  1  how  long  shall  I  suffer  you  1  Bring  him  unto  Me." 
They  brought  the  youth  to  our  Lord;  but,  even  now, 
the  demon  threw  him  into  fearful  convulsions,  so  that 
"  he  fell  on  the  ground,  and  wallowed  foaming."  The 
Redeemer  then  said  to  the  father,  "  How  long  is  it  ago 
since  this  came  unto  him?"  He  answered,  "Of  a  child; 
and  ofttimes  it  hath  cast  him  into  the  fire,  and  into  the 
waters,  to  destroy  him :  but  if  Thou  canst  do  anything, 
have  compassion  on  us,  and  help  us."  Memorable  was 
the  reply  of  our  Lord.  He  said  to  him  in  effect,  "  The 
question  is  not  concerning  My  power,  but  concerning 
thy  faith :  all  things  are  possible  to  him  that  believeth." 
Immediately  the  afihcted  father,  bursting  into  tears,  and 
troubled  lest  any  want  of  faith  on  his  part  should  prevent 
the  restoration  of  his  child,  exclaimed,  "  Lord,  I  believe  : 
help  Thou  mine  unbelief"  The  people  now  came 
running  with  eagerness  to  witness  the  exciting  scene; 


206  THE    LIFE    AND    MINISTRY 

but  our  Lord,  without  any  further  delay,  charged  the 
demon  to  come  out  of  him,  and  to  enter  no  more  into 
him.  The  infuriated  spirit  yielded,  though  reluctantly, 
to  this  word  of  power;  and  making  a  last  effort  to  injure 
the  youth  whom  he  had  so  long  harassed,  came  out  of 
him,  leaving  him  almost  as  one  dead.  Some,  indeed, 
among  the  crowd,  exclaimed,  "Pie  is  dead;"  but  Jesus 
took  him  by  the  hand,  and,  lifting  him  up,  presented  him 
to  his  father  in  the  enjoyment  of  tranquillity  and  health. 
The  disciples  afterwards  inquired  of  our  Lord,  why  their 
efforts  to  expel  the  demon  had  proved  unsuccessful ;  and 
the  Saviour  reminded  them  of  their  want  of  a  lively 
faith  in  Himself,  and  stated  the  necessity,  in  a  case  so 
obstinate  and  fearful  as  this,  of  securing,  by  prayer  and 
fasting,  that  lofty  and  unwavering  trust  in  His  constant 
agency  and  resistless  power,  before  which  every  obstacle, 
however  formidable,  must  give  way.* 

Our  Lord,  after  this,  went  from  the  neighbourhood  of 
Mount  Tabor  towards  Capernaum,  In  the  course  of 
this  journey,  He  again  drew  the  attention  of  His 
disciples  to  His  approaching  sufferings  and  death.  He 
informed  them,  that  although  He  had  displayed  a  poAver 
to  control  universal  nature,  and  to  restrain  the  efforts 
of  invisible  beings  far  mightier  than  the  human  race, 
yet  He  should  be  betrayed  into  the  hands  of  men,  and 
they  should  kill  Him,  and  the  third  day  He  should 
rise  again.  He  charged  them  to  ponder  the  truths  which 
He  thus  announced, — to  reflect  on  them  as  most  certain 
and  momentous.  But  the  disciples  could  not,  as  yet, 
enter  into  the  deep  import  of  the  Saviour's  words,  or 
understand   the    important   bearing  of  His  death  and 

*  Matthew  xvii.  14—21 ;  Mark  ix.  14—29;  Luke  ix.  37—42. 


OF    THE    REDEEMER.  207 

resurrection  on  the  salvation  of  mankind.  One  feelin^- 
pervaded  their  minds  whenever  He  spoke  of  His  comin^ 
sufferings,— a  feeling  of  sorrow  and  distress;  and  they 
were  afraid  to  ask  Him  the  full  meaning  of  His 
declarations,  lest  fresh  disclosures  should  be  made  to 
them  which  would  awaken  yet  deeper  solicitude  and 
anguish.* 

When   our   Lord    had    returned    to   Capernaum,   an 
incident  occurred,  which  illustrated  the  grandeur  of  His 
claims,  and  evinced,  also,  His  unbounded  knowledge  and 
power.     The  persons  who  collected  the  tribute-money 
annually  paid  by  every  Israelite  above  twenty  years  of 
age,  for  the   support   of  the   temple-worshii?,  came   to 
Peter  and  said,  "Doth  not  your  Master  pay  tribute?" 
Peter  replied  in  tlie  affirmative.    On  his  coming  into  the 
house,  to  report  this   conversation,  and  to  ask  for  our 
Lord's  instructions,  Jesus  anticipated  him  by  inquiring, 
"What  thinkest  thou,  Simon?     Of  whom  do  the  kings 
of  the    earth   take   custom   or  tribute?   of  their  own 
children,  or  of  strangers  ?"  Peter  answered, "  Of  strangers." 
Our  Lord  rejoined,  "Then  are  the  children  free :  notwith- 
standing, lest  we  should  offend  them,  go  thou  to  the  sea, 
and  cast  an  hook,  and  take  up  the  fish  that  first  cometh 
up;  and  when  thou  hast  opened  his  mouth,  thou  shalt 
find  a  piece  of  money :  that  take,  and  give  unto  them 
for  Me  and  thee."     It  is  probable,  that  at  this  time,  our 
Lord,  who  submitted  to  a  lot  of  outward  lowliness  and 
poverty,  had  no  money  at  hand;  but  He  met  the  appU- 
cation  made  to  Him  in  a  manner  eminently  suited  to 
His  dignity  and  power.     He,  indeed,  might  justly  have 
claimed  exemption  from  that  tribute.    It  was  a  religious 
•  Matthew  xvii.  22,  23  ;  Mark  is.  30—32;   Luke  ix.  43—45. 


208  THE    LIFE    AND    MINISTRY 

offering,  given  for  the  sujDport  of  the  temple,  as  the 
house  of  God,  the  place  of  solemn  worship,  adorned  with 
the  symbol  of  Jehovah's  throne,  as  sprinkled  with  the 
blood  of  atonement,  and  thus  rendered  accessible  to 
man.  But  He  was  the  Son  of  God;  and  from  Him,  as 
sustaining  so  high  and  peculiar  a  relation  to  the  Father, 
no  tribute  was  strictly  due.  But  He  waived  this  claim, 
lest  He  should  be  supposed  to  be  indifferent  to  the 
temple-service,  or  to  neglect  the  ceremonial  law;  and  by 
the  direction  which  He  gave  to  Peter,  He  provided  for 
the  emergency  of  the  case,  and  evinced,  in  the  clearest 
manner,  His  infinite  knowledge  and  exhaustless  re- 
sources.* 

While  the  disciples  were  on  their  way  to  Capernaum, 
they  had  disputed  among  themselves,  which  of  them 
should  be  the  greatest  in  that  kingdom  which  their  Master 
would  eventually  establish.  When  they  came  to  our 
Lord,  after  this  controversy,  He  inquired  of  them,  "What 
was  it  that  ye  disputed  among  yourselves  by  the  way?" 
They,  conscious  that  they  had  indulged  an  improper 
feeling,  hesitated  at  first  to  mention  to  Him  the  subject 
of  their  conversation,  and  remained  silent.  But  He  took 
a  little  child,  and  placed  him  in  the  midst  of  them  beside 
Himself,  and  then  taking  him  in  His  arms.  He  said  unto 
them,  with  peculiar  emphasis,  "  Verily  I  say  unto  you, 
Except  ye  be  converted,  and  become  as  little  children,  ye 
shall  not  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  heaven.  Whosoever, 
therefore,  shall  humble  himself  as  this  little  child,  the 
same  is  greatest  in  the  kingdom  of  heaven."  f  Nothing 
could  teach  them  more  impressively  than  this  action  and 

*  Matthew  xvii.  24—27. 

t  Matthew  xviii.  1—5 ;  Mark  is.  33—37 ;  Luke  ix.  46—48. 


'  OF   THE    REDEEMER.  209 

address  of  our  Lord,  how  foreign  from  the  spirit  of  His 
religion  is  an  aspiring  and  ambitious  temper.  He  warned 
them,  that  the  guilty  love  of  pre-eminence  must  endanger 
their  own  salvation;  and  He  affirmed  the  truth,  that 
they  who  were  really  "great"  in  His  kingdom,  instead 
of  seeking  to  occupy  the  more  prominent  positions,  and 
grasping  at  outward  dignity  and  power,  were  intent 
rather  on  walking  humbly  with  God,  and  cultivating 
pure  and  spiritual  affections. 

The  apostle  John  now  mentioned  an  incident  which 
had  recently  occurred,  in  order  to  obtain  the  judgment 
of  our  Lord  on  the  propriety  of  the  course  Avhich  they 
had  taken.  "  Master,"  he  said,  "  we  saw  one  casting  out 
devils  in  Thy  name,  and  we  forbad  him,  because  he 
foUoweth  not  with  us."  Jesus  immediately  replied, 
"  Forbid  him  not :  for  he  that  is  not  against  us  is  for 
us."*  Thus  did  He  teach  His  disciples  that  they  should 
guard  against  an  exclusive  spirit,  and  be  willing  to 
recognise  the  evidences  of  humble  faith  in  Himself,  and 
of  sincere  love  to  Him,  wherever  they  were  found.  He 
went  on  to  speak  of  the  peculiar  dearness  to  Himself, 
and  to  the  Father,  of  all  who  should  come  to  Him,  and 
rely  on  Him  with  the  simplicity  and  affection  of  children; 
and  He  pointed  out  the  fearful  and  overwhelming  ruin 
which  must  fall  on  those  who  should  cast  a  stumbling- 
block  in  the  way  of  His  humblest  followers,  or  lead  them 
astray  from  the  paths  of  righteousness  and  peace,  t 
Aware  of  the  tendency  of  the  human  heart  to  cherish 
offence,  if  a  supposed  injury  or  slight  has  been  received, 
He  gave   instructions  how  His  people  were   to  act  in 

*  Luke  is.  49,  50 ;  Mark  ix.  38—40. 
t  Mark  ix.  40—50;   Matthew  xviii.  7—14. 
P 


210 


THE   LIFE    AND    MINISTRY 


every  such  case:*  and  then  He  added  several  declara- 
tions, full  of  deep  meaning,  and  calculated  to  impress 
the  minds  of  His  apostles  with  a  conviction  of  the 
importance  of  their  trust,  and  to  assure  them  of  His 
constant  presence  with  them,  and  with  His  people  in 
every  age,  who  meet  to  do  homage  to  His  "  name," — to 
succour,  and  guide,  and  bless  them.t 

Peter  now  came  forward,  and  asked,  "  Lord,  how 
oft  shall  my  brother  sin  against  me,  and  I  forgive  himi 
till  seven  times?"  Our  Lord  replied,  "I  say  not  unto 
thee,  Until  seven  times,  but,  Until  seventy  times  seven.";}: 
Beautiful  and  impressive  words!  worthy  of  Him  who 
"  came  to  seek  and  to  save  that  which  was  lost."  Never 
are  His  people  to  refuse  to  welcome  one  who  has  injured 
or  grieved  them,  but  who  comes  to  ask  forgiveness : 
never,  indeed,  are  they  to  indulge  a  spirit  of  resentment 
or  unkindness;  but  remembering  how  great  has  been  the 
mercy  shown  to  them  by  God,  they  are  to  have  com- 
passion on  their  erring  brethren,  and  to  seek  their 
recovery.  This  lesson  our  Lord  proceeded  to  enforce  by 
an  impressive  parable ;  in  which  He  showed  how  offensive 
to  God,  and  how  perilous  to  our  own  souls,  is  an  unfor- 
giving temper.  §  Oh  that  His  words  had  ever  been 
remembered  by  His  professing  people ;  and  that  we  were 
all  more  anxious  to  learn  of  Him  who  was  "  meek  and 
lowly  in  heart!" 


*  Matthew  xviii.  15—17.  f  Matthew  xviii.  18—20. 

I  Matthew  xviii.  21,  22.  §  Matthew  xviii.  23—35. 


OP   THE    REDEEMER.  211 


CHAPTER  IX. 

THE  redeemer's  DISCOURSES  AND  MIRACLES  AT  JERUSA- 
LEM, DURING  THE  PEAST  OF  TABERNACLES,  AND  THE 
FEAST     OF     DEDICATION,     IN     THE    LAST    YEAR     OF     HIS 

PUBLIC    MINISTRY. HIS  DEPARTURE    FROM  JERUSALEM 

TO    BETHABARA. — HIS     VISIT    TO     BETHANY,     AND    THE 
RAISING   OF   LAZARUS. 

We  have  now  reached  a  period  of  deep  interest  in  the 
Redeemer's  history.  During  the  last  eighteen  months. 
His  labours  had  been  devoted  to  the  northern  district  of 
the  Holy  Land;  and  the  metropolis  of  Judasa,  where  so 
many  had  treated  His  claims  with  guilty  neglect,  and 
where  so  malignant  a  feeling  was  cherished  towards 
Him  by  the  chief  priests  and  elders,  had  been  left 
without  His  visits  of  mercy.  The  last  occasion  on  which 
He  had  gone  up  to  that  city,  was  the  feast  of  the  pass- 
over  in  the  preceding  year;  when  He  restored  to  perfect 
health  the  impotent  man  who  had  so  long  sought  relief, 
in  vain,  at  the  pool  of  Bethesda.  At  that  time,  He  was 
brought  into  controversy  with  many  of  the  leading 
Pharisees,  who  charged  Him  Avith  having  violated,  in  the 
performance  of  this  miracle,  the  rest  of  the  holy  Sabbath : 
and  He  declared  to  them,  in  terms  which  called  forth 
their  warmest  indignation,  the  mysterious  dignity  of 
His  person,  and  the  peculiar  and  intimate  relation  in 
which  He  stood  to  the  Eternal  Father.*  The  purpose 
*  .John  V. 

p  2 


212  THE    LIFE    AND    MINISTRY 

which  they  then  formed,  to  take  away  His  life,  they  had 
ever  since  cherished;  and  as  they  heard,  from  time  to 
time,  of  the  impression  produced  by  His  teaching  and 
miracles  in  Gahlee,  their  minds,  instead  of  being  subdued 
to  reverential  feeling,  or  brought  to  inquire  with  candour 
into  the  evidences  of  His  claims,  were  filled  with  envy 
and  dislike.  As  often  as  any  of  the  great  festivals 
occurred,  they  eagerly  sought  Him  in  Jerusalem;""'  and 
great  was  their  disappointment  when  they  found  that 
He  did  not  afford  them  an  opportunity  of  accomplishing 
their  malignant  design. 

The  feast  of  tabernacles  was  now  at  hand;  and  our 
Lord  resolved  again  to  go  up  to  the  metropolis,  and 
faithfully  to  declare  to  its  guilty  inhabitants,  and 
especially  to  the  chief  priests  and  Pharisees,  the  great 
truths  on  which  He  was  accustomed  to  dwell,  before  He 
should  pay  His  last  visit  to  it,  to  suffer  and  die.  But 
as  He  seemed  to  linger  at  Capernaum,  some  of  His 
relatives  according  to  the  flesh,  who  had  beheld  with 
astonishment  His  works  of  power,  but  had  not  entered 
into  the  spiritual  meaning  of  His  discourses,  or  believed 
in  Him  as  the  Saviour  of  sinners,  expostulated  Avith  Him 
on  the  inconsistency  of  remaining  in  comparative 
obscurity,  instead  of  displaying  His  glory  in  the  capital 
itself  Jesus  replied  to  them,  "  My  time  is  not  yet 
come :  but  your  time  is  always  ready.  The  world  cannot 
hate  you;  but  Me  it  hateth,  because  I  testify  of  it,  that 
the  works  thereof  are  evil.  Go  ye  up  unto  this  feast :  I 
go  not  up  yet  unto  this  feast;  for  My  time  is  not  yet 
fully  come."+  The  brethren,  or  cousins,  of  our  Lord, 
went  forward  to  Jerusalem :  and,  at  length,  He  Himself 

*  .Tolm  vii.  11.  f  John  vii.  6 — 8. 


OF    THE    REDEEMER.  213 

set  out  for  that  city,  not  accompanied  by  a  large 
number  of  His  more  serious  hearers,  but  in  a  private 
and  retired  manner.*  About  the  middle  of  the  feast, 
He  appeared  in  the  temple,  and  taught;  and  the  depth 
of  wisdom  which  His  discourse  evinced,  and  the  peculiar 
authority  by  which  it  was  distinguished,  awakened  the 
astonishment  of  many  who  listened  to  it.f  In  the  con- 
versation which  followed  with  some  of  the  unbelieving- 
Jews,  He  manifested  a  sacred  boldness  and  dignity.  He 
affirmed,  that  His  doctrine  had  the  sanction  of  the 
Eternal  Father,  and  that  it  must  commend  itself  to 
every  mind  anxious  to  do  the  will  of  God,  and  to  enjoy 
communion  with  Him,  He  spoke  of  the  purpose  which 
some  among  them  had  formed,  to  take  away  His  life ; 
and  charged  them  with  having  thus  violated,  in  spirit 
and  intention,  one  of  the  most  important  precepts  of 
that  law  which  they  professed  to  revere.  He  referred 
to  the  miracle  of  healing  which  He  had  performed  when 
last  He  visited  Jerusalem,  and  to  the  feeling  of  hostility 
towards  Him  which  it  had  provoked;  and  He  exposed 
the  fallacy  of  the  plea  on  which  they  grounded  their 
opposition  to  His  claims.;];; 

Many  of  the  inhabitants  of  Jerusalem,  who  well  knew 
the  settled  purpose  of  the  chief  priests  and  Pharisees  to 
kill  the  distinguished  Prophet  of  Galilee,  should  He  again 
appear  among  them,  and  thus  place  Himself  in  their 
power,  were  surprised  when  they  heard  Him  speaking 
with  boldness,  and  saw  that  His  most  malignant  enemies 
did  not  attempt  to  seize  Him.  Some  even  began  to 
inquire,  "  Do  the  rulers  know  indeed  that  this  is  the 
very  Messiah  1"  and  then,  repressing  their  rising   con- 

«  John  vii.  9,  10.      f  John  vii.  Ms  15.       +  Jo''"  vii.  16-2i. 


214  THE    LIFE    AXD    MIXISTEY 

victions,  added,  "  Howbeit  we  know  this  man  whence  he 
is  :  but  when  the  Messiah  cometh,  no  man  knoweth 
whence  He  is."  Others  yielded  to  their  convictions;  and, 
remembering  how  His  whole  career  had  been  marked 
by  works  of  power  and  love,  said,  in  justification  of 
their  confidence,  "  When  the  Messiah  cometh,  will 
He  do  more  miracles  than  these  which  this  man  hath 
done?"* 

The  Pharisees  and  chief  priests  were  now  apprised 
of  the  impression  which  had  been  produced  on  the 
multitude,  by  the  teaching  and  manner  of  our  Lord ;  and 
they  sent  officers  to  apprehend  Him.  In  their  presence, 
Jesus  adverted  to  His  approaching  removal  from  the 
sight  of  men.  He  intimated,  that  it  was  only  for  a  little 
while  that  He  should  be  with  them,  and  that  He  should 
then  depart  to  the  Father,  having  fulfilled  the  purpose  of 
His  mission  to  our  world.  Though  He  now  restrained 
the  malice  of  His  enemies,  and  caused  a  secret  awe  to 
rest  upon  their  minds,  w^iicli  kept  them  from  oiFering 
violence  to  His  j^erson;  He  well  knew  that  the  j^eriod 
was  drawing  near,  when  He  should  for  the  last  time 
teach  in  that  guilty  city,  and  should  yield  Himself  up  to 
suflfering  and  death.  This  truth  He  now  declared,  in 
language  which  was  obscure  and  mysterious  to  many 
who  heard  it,  but  which  to  us  appears  beautifully  clear 
and  appropriate. t 

On  the  last  day  of  the  feast  of  tabernacles,  which  was 
emphatically  "  the  great  day  of  the  feast,"  the  Redeemer 
stood  foi'th  amidst  the  assembled  thousands  of  Israel, 
and  called  their  attention  to  Himself  as  the  Fountain  of 
spiritual  blessing.  It  is  probable,  that  the  imposing 
»  John  vii.  25—31.  f  John  vii.  32—36. 


OF    THE    REDEEMER.  215 

ceremony  of  drawing  water  from  the  fountain  of  Siloam, 
and  carrying  it  to  the  temple  to  be  poured  out  at  the 
foot  of  the  altar,  had  just  taken  place,  the  people 
singing,—"  Therefore  with  joy  shall  ye  draw  water  out 
of  the  wells  of  salvation," — when  Jesus  stood  forth,  and 
uttered  the  memorable  words : — "  If  any  man  thirst,  let 
him  come  unto  Me,  and  drink.  He  that  belie veth  on 
Me,  as  the  Scripture  hath  said,  out  of  his  belly  shall  flow 
rivers  of  Hving  water."  •-  This  brief  address  is  rich  in 
spiritual  instruction.  It  leads  us  to  contemplate  our 
Lord  as  the  Source  of  that  water  of  life,  which  only  can 
allay  the  thirst  of  the  human  spirit.  It  points  out  the 
method  of  salvation, — even  a  x>ersonal  coming  to  Him 
under  a  consciousness  of  need.  And  it  declares  the 
fulness  of  that  gracious  influence  of  the  Holy  Ghost, 
which  He  should  vouchsafe  from  the  throne  of  His  glorv 
to  His  believing  people,  to  purify  their  hearts,  and 
render  them  instruments  of  blessing  to  all  around. 

A  powerful  sensation  was  produced  by  these  words  of 
the  Redeemer  among  the  assembled  multitude.  Some 
of  them  said,  "  Of  a  truth  this  is  the  Prophet."  Others 
said  explicitly,  "This  is  the  Messiah."  But  some  of  them 
asked,  "  Shall  the  Messiah  come  out  of  Galilee  ?  Hath 
not  the  Scripture  said,  that  the  Messiah  cometh  of  the 
seed  of  David,  and  out  of  the  town  of  Bethlehem,  where 
David  was?"t  Among  the  enemies  of  Jesus  there  were 
individuals  who  would  gladly  have  seized  Him:  but  a 
secret  awe  restrained  them,  and  even  tlie  officers  Avho 
were  sent  by  the  chief  priests  and  Pharisees  returned  to 
them,  and  frankly  confessed  that  they  were  so  affected 
with  the  majesty  of  His  teaching,  that  they  could  not 
*  John  vii.  37,  38  :  see  also  verse  39.         f  Jolin  vii.  40 — 42. 


216  THE    LIFE    AND    MINISTRY 

dra",v  near  to  apprehend  Him.*  But  the  perverse  and 
haughty  spirits  of  these  men  were  only  roused  to  a  more 
intense  dislike  of  Jesus,  mixed  with  a  bitter  contempt 
for  all  who  acknowledged  His  claims,  or  even  treated 
Him  with  respect.  They  disdainfully  replied  to  the 
officers,  "  Are  ye  also  deceived  1  Have  any  of  the  rulers 
or  of  the  Pharisees  believed  on  him  1  But  this  people 
who  knoweth  not  the  law  are  cursed."  Nicodemus,  who 
was  a  member  of  the  council,  here  interposed,  and 
mildly  asked,  "Doth  our  law  judge  any  man  before  it 
hear  him,  and  know  what  he  doeth  ?"  Instantly  they 
upbraided  him  as  a  follower  of  the  Galilean,  and  said, 
"Art  thou  also  of  Galilee?  Search  and  look:  for  out  of 
GaUlee  ariseth  no  pi'ophet."t 

When  the  feast  of  tabernacles  was  over,  our  Lord 
continued  for  a  while  in  Jerusalem,  or  its  immediate 
neighboui'hood;  and  frequently  visited  the  temple,  to 
deliver  His  doctrine,  and  affirm  His  claims,  even  in  the 
presence  of  His  inveterate  enemies.  His  conduct  also 
evinced  the  more  than  human  dignity  and  benevolence 
of  His  character,  though  the  display  of  these  qualities 
frequently  incensed  the  chief  priests  and  elders  still 
more  against  Him.  He  showed  His  wisdom.  His  pro- 
found insight  into  human  character.  His  hatred  to  sin, 
and  His  pitying  kindness,  in  the  manner  in  which  He 
treated  the  case  of  the  woman  taken  in  adultery,  whom 
the  Scribes  and  Pharisees  brought  before  Him.  He 
did  not  lay  Himself  open  to  their  accusations,  by 
pronouncing  a  sentence  which  might  seem  to  set 
aside  the  law  of  Moses :  but  He  touched  their  con- 
sciences by  the  emphatic  words,  "He  that  is  without 
*  John  vii.  44— 46.  f  John  vii.  47—53. 


OF    THE    KEDEEMER.  217 

sin  among  you,  let  him  first  cast  a  stone  at  her;"  and 
when  they  had  retired  one  by  one,  He  said  to  the 
woman,  ashamed  and  troubled  as  she  was,  "  Hath  no 
man  condemned  thee  ?"  And  when  she  replied,  "  No 
man,  Lord ;"  He  added,  "  Neither  do  I  condemn  thee  : 
go,  and  sin  no  more  ;" — thus  reminding  her  of  the  guilt 
of  her  conduct,  and  charging  her  henceforth  to  walk  in 
the  paths  of  chastity  and  peace."' 

But  the  sayings  of  our  Lord,  at  this  period,  relative 
to  His  own  person  and  work,  demand  our  earnest 
attention.  As  He  stood  in  the  temple,  surrounded  by 
many  Avho  were  disposed  to  listen  candidly  to  His 
teaching,  and  by  others  who  Avere  ready  to  cavil  at 
anything  which  might  appear  to  them  extravagant  or 
inconsistent.  He  uttered  the  remarkable  words,  "  I  am 
the  Light  of  the  world  :  he  that  followeth  Me  shall  not 
walk  in  darkness,  but  shall  have  the  light  of  life."t 
This  was  a  claim  which  only  a  Divine  Person,  manifested 
to  save  and  bless  our  fallen  world,  could  put  forth. 
For  ages  a  deep  gloom  had  rested  upon  the  mass  of 
mankind;  and  the  human  spirit,  harassed  by  its  disap- 
pointments and  sorrows,  and  oppressed  with  the  load 
of  its  guilt,  had  not  been  able  to  discover  the  way  of 
life  and  peace.  Philosophy  had  tried  in  vain  to  unfold 
the  truths  which  relate  to  the  Divine  nature  and 
government,  and  to  find  a  sure  ground  of  repose  and 
comfort  for  the  human  mind.  The  light  Avhich  had 
shone  upon  our  world,  had  been  derived  from  the 
earlier  revelations  of  God,  and  from  the  sacred  writings 
and  the  instructive  types  of  the  Jewish  church  :  but  all 
these  had  pointed  to  a  yet  clearer  discovery  of  truth 
*  John  viii.  2 — li.  f  John  viii.  12. 


218  THE   LIFE    AND   MINISTRY 

and  grace,  to  be  afforded  by  Him  in  whom  "all  the 
nations  of  the  earth  should  be  blessed."  That  glorious 
Deliverer  now  stood  in  His  temple ;  and  His  teaching  was 
to  shed  light  upon  the  world  through  every  succeeding 
age,  Avhile  His  approaching  sacrifice  was  to  throw  open 
the  way  of  salvation  to  every  humble  and  believing 
mind.  .  He  was  "  the  Sun  of  righteousness,"  whose 
diffusive  rays  should  penetrate  the  darkness  of  eveiy 
land,  and  impart  life,  and  comfort,  and  strength,  to  the 
distressed  and  fainting  soul.  With  beautiful  propriety, 
therefore,  the  SaAdour  could  declare,  "  I  am  the  Light 
of  the  world,"  and  assure  all  His  followers  that  He 
would  conduct  them  even  to  eternal  life.  But  such  a 
declaration  was  not  likely  to  pass  without  opposition 
from  the  Pharisees  who  stood  around  Him;  and  they 
objected,  that  He  bore  witness  of  Himself,  and  that 
His  witness  was  not  true.  The  Saviour  replied,  that 
although  He  bore  witness  of  Himself,  yet  His  state- 
ments were  perfectly  true;  and  He  appealed  to  the 
heavenly  dignity  of  His  Person, — the  intimate  union 
between  Himself  and  the  Father, — and  the  testimony 
which  the  Father  continually  bore  to  Him,  though  their 
darkened  and  sensual  minds  were  not  prepared  to 
apjDrehend  or  embi'ace  it.'"' 

After  a  pause,  the  Saviour  resumed  His  address,  and, 
referring  to  His  approaching  removal  from  them, 
admonished  them,  that  if  they  continued  obstinately  to 
reject  His  claims,  they  would  die  in  their  sins,  and  be 
eternally  banished  from  His  presence.  Even  now  the 
scene  of  the  cross  was  present  to  His  view,  together 
with  the  bright  demonstration  of  His  glory  which  His 

*  John  viii.  13—20. 


OF    THE    REDEEMER.  219 

resurrection  would  afford.  In  the  anticipation  of  these 
events,  He  declared,  "  When  ye  have  lifted  up  the  Son 
of  man,  then  shall  ye  know  that  I  am  He,  and  that  I 
do  nothing  of  Myself  j  but  as  My  Father  hath  taught 
Me,  I  speak  these  things,  And  He  that  sent  Me  is 
with  Me  :  the  Father  hath  not  left  Me  alone ;  for  I  do 
always  those  things  that  please  Him."* 

The  Redeemer  now  addressed  those  who  believed  on 
Him,  and  charged  them  to  "  continue  in  His  word,"  that 
they  might  indeed  be  His  disciples,  and  enjoy  that 
spiritual  freedom  which  only  His  truth  and  grace  could 
impart.  But  the  Jews  who  continued  hostile  to  Him, 
regarded  this  promise  of  freedom  as  involving  a  re- 
flection upon  themselves,  and  said  with  indignation, 
"  We  be  Abraham's  seed,  and  were  never  in  bondage 
to  any  man :  how  sayest  thou.  Ye  shall  be  made 
free?"  This  led  to  a  conversation,  in  which  our  Lord 
affirmed  many  profound  and  weighty  truths.  He  began 
by  saying,  "  Verily,  verily,  I  say  imto  you.  Whosoever 
committeth  sin  is  the  servant,"  or  slave,  "  of  sin."  Thus 
did  He  point  out  to  them,  that,  however  they  might 
glory  in  their  supposed  liberty,  they  were  really  in  a 
state  of  spiritual  bondage;  and  then  He  showed  them 
that  it  was  only  Himself,  the  Son,  who  could  make 
them  "free  indeed."  He  admitted  that  they  were  the 
natural  descendants  of  Abraham;  but  He  admonished 
tliem,  that  they  were  not,  in  the  highest  and  best  sense, 
his  children, — that,  as  to  their  moral  character,  they 
were  rather  "  of  their  father  the  devil," — a-nd  He 
appealed,  in  proof  of  this,  to  the  purpose  which  they 
were  even  then  cherishing  to  take  away  His  life,  though 
*  John  viii.  21—30. 


220  THE    LIFE    AND    MINISTRY 

His  ministry  among  tliem  ought  rather  to  have  made 
Him  the  object  of  their  esteem  and  love.  His  teaching, 
He  affirmed,  could  not  fail  to  attract  every  spiritual 
mind,— every  mind  that  was  "  of  God,"  that  sought  His 
friendship  as  its  first  and  highest  good,  and  was 
prepared  to  welcome  the  disclosures  of  His  will.* 

These  declarations  exasperated  the  Pharisees;  and 
they  replied  insultingly,  "  Say  we  not  well  that  thou 
art  a  Samaritan,  and  hast  a  devil?"  Jesus  meekly 
answered,  "I  have  not  a  devil;  but  I  honour  My 
Father,  and  ye  do  dishonour  Me."  Then,  in  the  presence 
of  them  all,  He  added  the  startling  but  consolatory 
truth,  "  Verily,  verily,  I  say  unto  you.  If  a  man  keep 
My  saying,  he  shall  never  see  death."  To  the  believer, 
who  continues  in  the  word  of  Christ,  death  comes  not 
in  its  natural  horror,  as  the  unmitigated  curse,  but  is 
only  the  passage  to  eternal  life  and  blessedness.  The 
wisdom  and  love  of  Him  who  reigns  in  our  nature 
ai'range  its  circumstances;  and  His  grace  enables  the 
dying  saint  to  triumph  in  the  final  conflict.  He  resigns 
his  body  to  the  tomb  under  the  security  of  the 
Redeemer's  covenant,  assured  of  a  glorious  and  happy 
resurrection;  and  his  spirit  passes  to  be  with  Christ 
Plimself,  and  to  enjoy  His  eternal  friendship.  But 
the  Jews  could  not  enter  into  these  profound  and 
spiritual  views ;  and,  eagerly  taking  hold  of  the  words  of 
our  Lord  as  inconsistent  and  absurd,  they  said  to  Him, 
"  Now  we  know  that  thou  hast  a  devil.  Abraham  is 
dead,  and  the  prophets ;  and  thou  sayest,  If  a  man  keep 
My  saying,  he  shall  never  taste  of  death.  Art  thou 
greater  than  our  father  Abraham  Avhich  is  dead?  and 
*  John  viii.  31—47. 


OF    THE    REDEEMER.  221 

the  prophets  are  dead:  whom  makest  thou  thyself?" 
The  Saviour  rephed,  that  the  glory  and  power  which  He 
claimed  were  those  which  the  Eternal  Father  Himself 
attributed  to  Him;  and,  referring  to  Abraham,  He 
declared,  that  that  holy  patriarch  had  looked  forward, 
with  earnest  desire  and  exulting  hope,  to  brighter  dis- 
coveries of  "  His  day,"  and  that  when  such  discoveries 
were  vouchsafed  to  him,  his  spirit  greatly  rejoiced. 
The  Pharisees  immediately  answered,  '•  Thou  art  not  yet 
fifty  years  old,  and  hast  thou  seen  Abraham?"  and  then 
our  Lord  gave  utterance  to  the  memorable  words, 
"  Verily,  verily,  I  say  unto  you.  Before  Abraham  was, 
I  am."  This  was  a  distinct  avowal  of  His  own  pre- 
existence  and  Divine  glory ;  and  the  Jews,  who  regarded 
Him  as  having  spoken  blasphemy,  "took  up  stones  to 
cast  at  Him,"  that  they  might  at  once  terminate  His 
earthly  course.  But  He  restrained  their  malice,  and,  con- 
cealing Himself  miraculously  from  their  view,  departed 
from  the  temple,  leaving  them  to  ponder  the  sayings 
which  had  fallen  from  His  lips."' 

It  appears  to  have  been  about  this  time,  that  our 
Lord  gave  sight  to  a  man  who  had  been  blind  from  his 
birth.  As  He  was  passing  along  on  the  Sabbath,  His 
attention  was  called  to  this  person  by  some  of  His 
disciples,  who  proposed  the  question,  "  Master,  who  did 
sin,  this  man  or  his  parents,  that  he  was  born  blind?" 
Our  Lord  replied,  that  his  blindness  was  not  to  be 
ascribed  to  either  of  these  causes,  but  was  rather  per- 
mitted in  order  that  in  his  case  the  w^orks  of  God  might 
be  gloriously  displayed.  And  then  He  added,  "  I  must 
work  the  works  of  Him  that  sent  Me,  while  it  is  day : 
»  John  viii.  48—59. 


222  THE    LIFE    AND    MINISTRY 

the  night  cometh,  when  no  man  can  work.  As  long  as 
I  am  in  the  world,  I  am  the  Light  of  the  world."  When 
He  had  said  this,  "  He  spat  on  the  ground,  and  made 
clay  of  the  spittle,  and  anointed  the  eyes  of  the  blind 
man  with  the  clay,  and  said  unto  him,  Go,  wash  in  the 
pool  of  Siloam."  The  afflicted  man  obeyed  this  direction; 
and,  having  washed  in  that  pool,  returned  possessed  of 
sight.*  Here  we  are  again  reminded,  that  the  Saviour 
reserves  it  to  Himself  to  decide  upon  the  mode  and 
circumstances  of  His  gracious  interpositions  on  behalf  of 
His  people.  He  had  often  given  sight  to  the  blind  by  a 
touch  or  a  word;  but  in  this  instance  He  saw  fit  to 
employ  means,  which  had  no  natural  tendency  to  bring 
about  the  result,  but  which  His  own  almighty  energy 
rendered  effectual.  By  adopting  this  course.  He  put  to 
the  test  the  faith  and  submission  of  the  man  on  whose 
behalf  He  was  about  to  exert  His  gracious  power;  and 
the  issue  showed  the  blessedness  of  a  simple  reliance  on 
His  word,  and  an  instant  obedience  to  His  command. 

This  miracle  produced  a  great  sensation  among  the 
inhabitants  of  Jerusalem.  Those  who  had  known  the 
bUnd  man  from  his  childhood,  and  had  long  observed 
him  as  he  sat  begging,  were  astonished  to  find  him 
possessed  of  sight;  and  some  of  them  could  scarcely 
believe  that  it  was  indeed  he.  But  he  assured  them 
that  he  was  the  person  whom  they  had  known  so  well, 
and  told  them  the  process  by  which  Jesus  had  given 
him  sight,  t  Some  of  them  now  brought  him  before  the 
assembled  council.  Here  the  question  was  formally 
proposed  to  him,  by  what  means  he  had  received  sight ; 
and  with  great  simplicity  and  distinctness  he  repeated 
*  John  ix.  1  —  7.  t  John  ix.  8—12. 


OF    THE    REDEEMER.  223 

his  statement.  Some  members  of  the  council  imme- 
diately fixed  upon  the  circumstance,  that  this  miracle 
was  performed  on  the  Sabbath,  as  sufficient  to  justify 
them  in  altogether  rejecting  the  claims  of  Jesus:  but 
others  replied,  "  How  can  a  man  who  is  a  sinner  do 
such  miracles?"  They  next  called  the  parents  of  the 
blind  man,  and  inquired  of  them  what  were  the  real 
facts  of  the  case.  They  attested  the  blindness  of  their 
son,  even  from  his  birth,  but  referred  the  council  to 
himself  for  information  as  to  the  means  by  which  he 
had  obtained  his  sight.  They  feared  to  enter  fully 
upon  the  subject,  or  to  avow  their  own  belief  in  the 
Divine  mission  of  Jesus;  since  it  was  the  known  reso- 
lution of  the  Sanhedrim  to  excommunicate  any  person 
who  should  openly  acknowledge  Him  as  the  Messiah. 
Again  calling  the  man  who  had  been  born  blind,  they 
said  to  him,  "  Give  God  the  pi'aise :  we  know  that  this 
man  is  a  sinner."  But  his  spirit  was  too  grateful  for 
the  blessing  which  he  had  received,  thus  coldly  to 
dismiss  the  claims  of  the  illustrious  Prophet;  and,  in  the 
conversation  which  followed  between  him  and  the 
council,  he  dwelt  upon  the  fact  that  Jesus  had  given 
him  sight,  as  clearly  proving  that  He  was  indeed  "  of 
God."  The  assembled  Pharisees  were  irritated  beyond 
measure,  that  one  whom  they  had  been  accustomed  to 
regard  with  contempt,  as  bearing  in  his  very  person 
the  marks  of  the  Divine  displeasure,  should  thus 
presume  to  remonstrate  with  them;  and  scornfully 
addressing  him,  "  Thou  wast  altogether  born  in  sins,  and 
dost  thou  teach  usf  they  thrust  him  away,  and 
declared  him  excommunicated.* 

*  John  ix.  13— S-t. 


224  THE    LIFE    AND    MINISTRY 

After  this,  Jesus  met  him ;  and,  awai'e  of  the  treatm.ent 
which  he  had  received  from  the  council, said  to  him,  "Dost 
thou  believe  on  the  Son  of  God"?"  The  man  replied, 
"Who  is  He,  Lord,  that  I  might  believe  on  Him?" 
Jesus  answered,  "  Thou  hast  both  seen  Him,  and  it  is 
He  that  talketh  with  thee."  Conviction  instantly  flashed 
on  his  candid  mind;  and  beholding  in  the  person  of  his 
Benefactor,  not  only  a  Prophet  whose  mii'acles  attested 
His  Divine  commission,  but  by  His  own  avowal  the  Son 
of  God  manifested  in  our  nature,  he  immediately  replied, 
"  Lord,  I  believe,"  and  worslnpped  Him.  The  Saviour 
received  this  worship  as  an  expression  of  his  sincere  and 
lively  faith;  and  then  uttered  the  remarkable  words, 
"  For  judgment  I  am  come  into  this  world,  that  they 
which  see  not  might  see,  and  that  they  which  see  might 
be  made  blind.""'  Thus  did  He  intimate,  that  while 
His  appearance  on  earth  was  a  source  of  blessing  to  the 
afflicted  and  sorrowful,  and  shed  the  light  of  truth  on 
many  minds  involved  in  darkness  and  error,  it  would 
form  the  occasion  of  judicial  blindness  to  those  Avho 
cherished  a  feeling  of  self-sufficiency,  and  gloried  in 
their  knowledge  and  attainments. 

After  some  interval,  but  while  the  impression  of  this 
miracle  was  fresh  upon  the  minds  of  the  people,t  our 
Lord  spoke  of  Himself  as  "  the  good  Shepherd,"  and  as 
the  "door,"  by  which  the  devout  and  humble  are 
admitted  to  the  privileges  of  the  people  of  God,  and 
every  ti-ue  Minister  is  introduced  to  the  high  and 
momentous  duties  of  the  pastorate.:}:  By  these  com- 
parisons, He  illustrated  the  necessity  of  a  living  faith  in 

*  John  ix.  35 — 39.  f  This  is  evident  from  John  x.  21. 

X  John  X.  1—18. 


OF   THE   REDEEMER.  225 

Himself  on  the  part  of  all  who  profess  to  be  His;  and 
more  especially,  on  the  part  of  those  who  are  engaged 
in  watching  over  the  souls  of  others.  He  illustrated, 
also,  His  dee}')  and  tender  regard  for  His  believing  peojile. 
As  the  ancient  shepherds  knew  their  sheep  individually, 
so  as  to  call  each  by  its  particular  name, — led  them 
forth  to  pi'oper  pasturage, — and  continued  with  them,  to 
guard  them  from  every  danger;  so  He  loves  all  who 
follow  Him, — provides  for  their  nourishment  and  com- 
fort,— and  shelters  them  when  the  adversaries  of  their 
peace  would  approach  to  destroy  or  scatter  them.  But 
the  love  of  the  Saviour  to  His  people  appears,  yet  more 
clearly,  in  the  giving  up  of  Himself  to  death  for  their 
salvation.  He  claimed  to  be  emphatically  "the  good 
Shepherd,"  since  He  was  about  to  lay  down  His  life  for 
His  sheep.  Thus  did  He  carry  forward  the  minds  of 
His  hearers  to  His  approaching  sufferings;  affirming,  at 
the  same  time,  that  the  surrender  of  Himself  to  death 
would  be  voluntari/, — that,  should  He  choose  to  exert 
His  unbounded  power,  no  man  could  take  away  His 
life, — but  that  He  would  "  lay  it  down,"  to  accomplish 
the  purposes  of  the  Eternal  Father,  and  that  He  "  might 
take  it  again,"  so  as  to  establish  for  ever  the  validity  of 
His  claims.  The  people  listened  with  astonishment  to 
these  declarations.  Some  of  them,  who  had  no  relish  for 
si^iritual  truth,  exclaimed,  "  He  hath  a  devil,  and  is  mad : 
why  hear  ye  him  1"  Others,  who  perceived  a  depth  of 
meaning  and  a  heavenly  power  in  His  discourses,  though 
they  could  not  comprehend  their  full  import,  said, 
"These  are  not  the  words  of  him  that  hath  a  devil. 
Can  a  devil  open  the  eyes  of  the  blind?"* 
*  John  X.  19—21. 
Q 


226  THE    LIFE    AND    MINISTRY 

It  is  probable  that  our  Lord  continued  in  the  neigh- 
bourhood of  Jerusalem  until  the  feast  of  dedication, — a 
feast  which  occurred  about  two  months  after  that  of  taber- 
nacles, and  which  was  instituted  by  Judas  IMaccabasus, 
to  commemorate  the  purification  of  the  temple  and 
altar,  after  their  desecration  by  Antiochus  Epiphanes. 
That  feast  had  now  arrived ;  and  the  Redeemer  appeared 
again  in  the  temple.  It  was  the  month  of  December, 
and  Jesus  walked  in  the  portico,  which  was  still  called 
after  Solomon,  the  illustrious  monarch  who  first  built 
the  temple  of  Jehovah.  Sevei'al  of  the  Jews  gathered 
around  Him,  and  said,  "  How  long  dost  thou  make  us  to 
doubt  ?  If  thou  be  the  Messiah,  tell  us  plainly."*  The 
Saviour  replied,  "  I  told  you,  and  ye  beheved  not ;"  and 
then  proceeded  to  speak  of  the  works  of  power  which 
He  performed  in  His  Father's  name,  as  svifficieutly  estab- 
lishing the  claim  Avhich  He  had  repeatedly  put  forth  to 
be  the  Messiah  and  the  Son  of  God.  He  referred,  also, 
to  His  former  discourse  relative  to  Himself  as  the 
Shepherd  of  His  people ;  pointed  out  the  moral  obliquity 
which  kept  them  from  believing  on  Him;  and  enlarged 
on  the  privileges  and  blessings  of  His  humble  and  devoted 
followers : — "  But  ye  believe  not,  because  ye  are  not  of 
My  sheep,  as  I  said  unto  you.  My  sheep  hear  My  voice, 
and  I  know  them,  and  they  follow  Me :  and  I  give  unto 
them  eternal  life;  and  they  shall  never  perish,  neither 
shall  any  man  pluck  them  out  of  My  hand.  My  Father, 
which  gave  them  Me,  is  greater  than  all;  and  no  man 
is  able  to  pluck  them  out  of  My  Father's  hand.  I  and 
My  Father  are  One."  +  This  last  declaration  called  forth 
the  intense  displeasure  of  the  Jews  around  Him.  They 
*  John  X.  22—24.  f  John  x.  25—30. 


OF    THE    REDEEMER.  227 

perceived  that  it  implied  a  participation  of  Divine 
perfections,  and  instantly  tliey  "  took  up  stones  to  stone 
Him;"  but  the  Saviour  restrained  their  violence,  and 
mildly  expostulated  with  them  :  "  Many  good  works  have 
I  showed  you  from  My  Father ;  for  which  of  those  Avorks 
do  ye  stone  Me  ?"  They  replied,  "  For  a  good  work  we 
stone  thee  not;  but  for  blasphemy;  and  because  that 
thou,  being  a  man,  makest  thyself  God."  The  Saviour 
answered,  "Is  it  not  written  in  your  law,  'I  said,  Ye 
are  gods?'  If  he  called  them  gods  unto  whom  the 
word  of  God  came,  (and  the  Scripture  cannot  be  broken,) 
say  ye  of  Him  whom  the  Father  hath  sanctified,  and 
sent  into  the  world.  Thou  blasphemest,  because  I  said,  I 
am  the  Son  of  God?  If  I  do  not  the  works  of  My 
Father,  believe  Me  not.  But  if  I  do,  though  ye  believe 
not  Me,  believe  the  works:  that  ye  may  know,  and 
believe,  that  the  Father  is  in  Me,  and  I  in  Him."  *  In 
these  words — while  the  Redeemer  addressed  to  them  an 
argument,  calculated  to  lessen  the  prejudice  with  which 
they  looked  upon  One  who  appeared  among  them  in  the 
lowliness  of  manhood,  claiming  a  participation  of  the 
Divine  glory — He  again  affirmed  the  peculiar  and  exclu- 
sive dignity  of  His  own  person.  He  spoke  of  Himself 
as  emphatically  the  Sent  of  the  Father,  and  the  Holy 
One;  He  renewed  the  declaration,  that  He  Avas  the  Son 
of  God,  between  whom  and  the  Father  there  existed  an 
intimate  and  ineffable  union;  and  He  appealed  to  His 
miracles  as  establishing  the  truth  of  all  His  statements. 
The  Jews,  perceiving  that  He  continued  to  advance  His 
loftiest  claims,  again  sought  to  lay  hands  upon  Him; 
but  He  eluded  their  attempts,  and  retired  from  among 
*  John  X.  31—38. 


228  THE   LIFE    AND    MINISTRY 

them.*  He  even  left  Judasa,  and  retired  for  a  little 
while  to  Bethabara,  where  John  at  first  baptized;  and 
many  who  resorted  to  Him  there,  and  saw  His  miracles, 
were  brought  to  confide  in  Him  as  the  Saviour  of  the 
world,  t 

The  Redeemer  had  not  been  long  in  Bethabara,  when 
He  received  a  message  from  a  family  in  Bethany, — a 
village  within  two  miles  of  Jerusalem, — apprising  Him 
of  the  dangerous  illness  of  one  of  their  number,  towards 
whom  He  had  manifested  a  peculiar  affection.  It  is 
probable,  that  in  the  interval  between  the  feast  of  taber- 
nacles and  that  of  the  dedication,  Jesus  had  often  visited 
Bethany,  and  had  been  welcomed  by  Lazarus  and  his 
sisters,  Mary  and  Martha.  Lazarus  was  now  sinking 
under  a  fatal  disease ;  and  that  home,  which  was  usually 
the  abode  of  peace  and  cheerfulness,  was  involved  in 
gloom  and  sadness.  As  all  human  means  had  proved 
ineffectual  to  arrest  the  progress  of  the  malady,  the 
only  hope  of  the  distressed  sisters  was  in  the  power  of 
that  illustrious  Prophet,  whose  disciples  they  had  become, 
and  who  had  ever  shown  to  them  an  affectionate  regard. 
Though  He  was  now  at  so  great  a  distance,  they  thought 
it  possible,  that  if  they  could  only  apprise  Him  of  the 
dangerous  state  of  Lazarus,  He  might  arrive  in  time 
to  avert  the  calamity  which  they  dreaded.  But  Jesus 
designed  to  afford,  both  to  them  and  to  the  inhabitants 
of  Jeiiisalem,  a  yet  more  signal  proof  of  His  almighty 
energy ;  and,  instead  of  hastening  to  Bethany,  where  His 
presence  was  so  eagerly  desired,  He  remained  two  days 
in  the  place  where  He  was.|  At  the  expiration  of  that 
time.  He  stated  to  His  disciples  His  intention  to  go  into 

*  John  X.  S9.  t  John  x.  40—42.  +  John  xi.  1—6. 


OF   THE    REDEEMER.  229 

Judjea,  and  to  visit  the  scene  of  affliction  and  sorrow. 
They  expostulated  with  Him  as  to  the  danger  which  He 
would  incur;  but  He  intimated  to  them  that  His  life 
was  secure  until  the  appointed  period  of  His  public 
labours  should  have  expired ;  and  then  adverted,  in  terms 
of  great  sweetness  and  condescension,  to  the  miracle 
which  He  was  about  to  perform : — "  Our  friend  Lazarus 
sleepeth ;  but  I  go,  that  I  may  awake  him  out  of  sleep." 
His  disciples  did  not  at  first  comprehend  His  meaning; 
and  then  our  Lord,  to  whom  all  that  passed  at  Bethany 
was  known  and  obvious,  said  to  them  plainly,  "  Lazarus 
is  dead;  and  I  am  glad  for  your  sakes  that  I  was  not 
there,  to  the  intent  ye  may  believe;  nevertheless  let  us 
go  unto  him."  Thomas,  addressing  his  fellow-disciples, 
replied,  "  Let  us  also  go,  that  we  may  die  with  Him."  * 
When  the  Redeemer  arrived  at  Bethany,  the  remains 
of  His  friend  had  already  been  committed  to  the  grave 
four  days.  The  house  of  Martha  and  Mary  presented  an 
affecting  spectacle.  The  deep  sorrow  of  the  sisters 
expressed  itself  in  frequent  weeping ;  and  several  of  the 
inhabitants  of  Jerusalem,  who  were  intimate  Avith  the 
fiimily,  were  there  to  sympathise  with  them,  and  to 
minister  to  their  comfort.  When  the  approach  of  Jesus 
was  announced,  Martha,  with  characteristic  energy,  went 
and  met  Him;  but  Mary,  oppressed  with  grief,  sat  still 
in  the  house.  The  address  of  Martha  to  the  Saviour 
evinced  her  faith  in  His  power,  and  disclosed  the  intense 
solicitude  with  which  His  arrival  had  been  anticipated : 
— "  Lord,  if  Thou  hadst  been  here,  my  brother  had  not 
died.  But  I  know,  that  even  now,  whatsoever  Thou 
wilt  ask  of  God,  God  will  give  it  Thee."  Jesus  imme- 
*  John  xi.  7—16. 


230  THE    LIFE    AND    MINISTRY 

diately  said  to  her,  "Thy  brother  shall  rise  again." 
Martha,  who  scarcely  dared  to  hope  that  He  would  now 
recall  her  brother  from  the  tomb,  answered,  "I  know 
that  he  shall  rise  again  in  the  resurrection  at  the  last 
day ;"  and  then  our  Lord  gave  utterance  to  the  animating 
truth,  "  I  am  the  resurrection,  and  the  life :  he  that 
believeth  in  Me,  though  he  die,  yet  shall  he  live;  and 
whosoever  liveth  and  believeth  in  Me,  shall  never  die. 
Belie  vest  thou  this?"  Martha,  whose  faith  in  the  loftiest 
claims  of  Jesus  had  long  been  firm  and  settled,  distinctly 
replied,  "  Yea,  Lord :  I  believe  that  Thou  art  the  Messiah, 
the  Son  of  God,  which  should  come  into  the  world."* 
Immediately  she  returned  home,  and,  with  a  heart 
lightened  and  filled  with  hope,  said  to  her  sister  secretly, 
"The  Master  is  come,  and  calleth  for  thee."  Mary 
instantly  arose  and  went  unto  Him.  The  Jews  who 
were  with  her  in  the  house,  observing  her  rise  up  hastily, 
said,  "She  goeth  unto  the  grave  to  weep  there;"  and, 
Avithout  delay,  followed  her,  to  alleAaate,  if  possible,  her 
distress.  Mary  threw  herself  at  the  feet  of  the  Redeemer, 
and  with  many  tears,  addressed  Him  as  her  sister  had 
done,  "  Lord,  if  Thou  hadst  been  here,  my  brother  had 
not  died."  Jesus  looked  upon  her  as  she  wept,  and 
upon  the  weeping  company  around  her,  and  His  deepest 
sympathies  were  moved.  He  Himself  "  groaned  in  spirit, 
and  was  troubled."  But  soon  He  threw  a  ray  of  hope 
on  the  mournful  scene,  by  inquiring,  "Where  have  ye 
laid  him?"  They  asked  Him  to  go  with  them  to  the 
tomb;  and  as  He  went,  the  rush  of  soiTowful  emotions 
within  His  breast  caused  Him  to  weep,  so  that  the  Jews 
Avho  were  near  Him,  exclaimed,  "  Behold  how  he  loved 
*  Johnxi.  17—27. 


OF   THE   REDEEMER.  231 

him!"  Some  of  tliem,  perceiving  the  sorrow  which  filled 
the  mind  of  our  Lord,  and  remembering  the  miracle 
which  had  recently  caused  so  great  a  sensation  in  Jeru- 
salem, said  among  themselves,  "  Could  not  this  man,  who 
opened  the  eyes  of  the  blind,  have  caused  that  even  this 
man  should  not  have  died?"* 

Jesus  now  came  to  the  tomb.  It  was  a  cave,  the 
entrance  to  which  was  closed  up  with  a  large  stone. 
Jesus  said  to  them,  "  Take  ye  away  the  stone."  Martha, 
in  whose  mind  hope  and  fear  seem  to  have  prevailed 
alternately,  reminded  Him,  that  her  brother's  remains 
had  already  been  committed  to  the  sepulchre  four  days, 
and  must  now  be  offensive.  Jesus  replied,  in  terms  of 
eucoui-agement  and  admonition,  "  Said  I  not  unto  thee, 
that,  if  thou  wouldest  beUeve,  thou  shouldest  see  the 
glory  of  GodT'  The  stone  was  removed;  and  our  Lord, 
lifting  up  Ilis  eyes  to  heaven,  said,  "  Father,  I  thank 
Thee  that  Thou  hast  heard  Me.  And  I  knew  that  Thou 
hearest  Me  always:  but,  because  of  the  people  which 
stand  by,  I  said  it,  that  they  may  believe  that  Thou 
hast  sent  Me."  Then,  with  a  voice  of  majesty  and 
power.  He  cried,  "Lazarus,  come  forth;"  and  instantly 
Lazarus  came  forth,  and  the  scene  of  lamentation 
and  woe  was  changed  into  one  of  gladness  and  holy 
triumph,  t 

Many  of  the  Jews  who  were  present  yielded  to  the 
conviction  which  this  miracle  could  not  fail  to  produce 
in  every  thoughtful  mind,  and  believed  on  Jesus  as  the 
great  Restorer.  Others  went  to  the  Pharisees,  and 
reported  the  astonishing  event,  as  one  which  must  cause 
a  great  sensation  throughout  the  city.  The  Sanhedrim 
*  John  xi.  28—37.  f  John  .\i.  38—44. 


232  THE   LIFE   AND    MINISTRY 

was  assembled,  to  deliberate  on  the  steps  which  should 
be  taken  on  the  occasion.  Many  of  the  members  eagerly 
said,  "What  do  we?  for  this  man  doeth  many  miracles. 
If  we  let  him  thus  alone,  all  men  will  believe  on  him; 
and  the  Romans  shall  come  and  take  away  both  our 
place  and  nation."  Caiaphas,  the  high  priest,  advised 
that  He  should  be  put  to  death:  and,  in  giving  this 
counsel,  used  remarkable  language, — the  Holy  Spirit 
controlling  his  mind,  so  as  to  make  him  unconsciously 
utter  a  prediction  of  the  great  design  of  the  Eedeemer's 
death.  "  Ye  know,"  he  said,  "  nothing  at  all,  nor  con- 
sider that  it  is  expedient  for  us,  that  one  man  should 
die  for  the  people,  and  that  the  whole  nation  perish 
not."  The  evangelist,  after  recording  these  words,  imme- 
diately adds,  "  And  this  spake  he  not  of  himself :  but 
being  high  priest  that  year,  he  prophesied  that  Jesus 
should  die  for  that  nation;  and  not  for  that  nation  only, 
but  also  that  He  should  gather  together  in  one  the 
children  of  God  that  were  scattered  abroad."  * 

It  was  now  the  fixed  and  settled  purpose  of  the 
Pharisees  of  Jerusalem  to  take  away,  by  some  means, 
the  life  of  our  Lord.  But  Jesus,  whose  ministry  was 
yet  to  be  prolonged  for  a  few  months,  and  whose  great 
sacrificial  offering  was  to  be  presented  at  the  time  of  the 
paschal  solemnity,  did  not  expose  Himself  to  their  malice. 
He  retired  to  Ephraim,  a  city  near  to  the  wilderness; 
and,  after  continuing  there  with  His  disciples  for  a  short 
time,t  returned  to  Galilee,  that  He  might  again  proclaim 
in  its  towns  and  villages  the  truths  that  relate  to  the 
kingdom  of  God,  and  then  go  up  to  Jerusalem,  to  suffer 
and  to  die. 


*  John  xi.  45— 52.  f  John  xi.  54. 


OF   THE   REDEEMER.  233 


CHAPTER  X. 

THE   redeemer's    LAST   CIRCUIT     THROUGH    GALILEE,    WITH 
HIS    FINAL    JOURNEY    TO    JERUSALEM. 

When  the  Lord  Jesus  retui^ned  from  Judaea  to  the 
northern  district  of  the  Holy  Land,  there  appear  to  have 
been  about  two  months  to  the  feast  of  the  Passover. 
From  the  very  time  of  His  arrival  in  Galilee,  He  began 
to  make  preparations  for  an  extended  journey  through 
that  district  and  part  of  Samaria, — a  journey  which  was 
to  be  continued  through  the  coasts  of  Judaea,  and  to 
terminate  with  His  entrance  into  Jerusalem,  at  the  time 
of  the  paschal  solemnity,  there  to  accomplish  by  the 
offering  up  of  Himself  the  work  of  atonement.* 

One  of  these  preparatory  arrangements  was  to  send 
forth  seventy  of  His  disciples,  in  companies  of  two  and 
two,  to  the  several  towns  and  villages  which  He  intended 
personally  to  visit.  The  charge  addressed  to  them 
corresponded,  in  many  particulars,  to  that  which  He 
had  given  to  the  twelve,  on  a  former  mission;  and  the 
substance  of  their  announcements  was  to  be,  that  "  the 
kingdom  of  God"  was  about  to  be  established  in  its 
fulness  of  spiritual  blessing,  and  that  its  privileges  were 
brought  "  nigh "  to  every  humble  and  earnest  mind. 
But  while  the  Saviour  gave  them  this  commission,  He 
reflected,  with  sorrowful  emotions,  on  the  impenitence 
and  perverseness  of  multitudes  that    immediately  sur- 

*  Luke  ix.  51,  compared  with  xiii.  22,  and  xvii.  11. 


234  THE   LIFE   AND    MINISTRY 

rounded  Him;  and  He  repeated,  with  a  slight  modifi- 
cation, His  pathetic  exclamation  over  the  cities  which 
had  enjoyed  the  largest  share  of  His  personal  labours. 
"  Woe  unto  thee,  Chorazin  !  woe  unto  thee,  Bethsaida ! 
for  if  the  mighty  works  had  been  done  in  Tyre  and 
Sidon,  which  have  been  done  in  you,  they  had  a  great 
while  ago  repented,  sitting  in  sackcloth  and  ashes.  But 
it  shall  be  more  tolerable  for  Tyre  and  Sidon  at  the 
judgment,  than  for  you.  And  thou,  Capernaum,  which 
art  exalted  to  heaven,  shalt  be  thrust  down  to  hell."* 

When  the  seventy  returned  to  our  Lord,  after  ful- 
filling their  mission,  they  acknowledged,  with  gratitude 
and  joy,  the  wonders  which  they  had  been  enabled  to 
eifect  through  His  almighty  name.  They  said  to  Him, 
"  Lord,  even  the  devils  are  subject  unto  us  through  Thy 
name."  The  Saviour's  reply  was  impi'essive  and  admo- 
nitory. He  declared  to  them  the  fearful  shock  which 
the  kingdom  of  Satan  was  about  to  receive;  He  assured 
them  of  the  infinite  resources  which  He,  their  Lord  and 
Master,  possessed  within  Himself,  and  which  He  would 
use  on  their  behalf;  but  He  taught  them,  that  their 
joy  should  be  called  forth,  not  so  much  by  the  miracles 
which  they  had  been  enabled  to  perform,  as  by  their 
personal  interest  in  His  salvation,  and  their  title  to  the 
inheritance  of  heaven.  "  I  beheld  Satan  as  lightning  fall 
from  heaven.  Behold,  I  give  unto  you  power  to  tread  on 
serpents  and  scorpions,  and  over  all  the  power  of  the 
enemy:  and  nothing  shall  by  any  means  hurt  you. 
Notwithstanding  in  this  rejoice  not,  that  the  spirits  are 
subject  unto  you;  but  rather  rejoice,  because  your  names 
are  written  in  heaven,"t  As  the  Redeemer  looked  upon 
»  Luke  X.  1—16.  t  Luke  x.  17—20. 


OP    THE    REDEEMER.  235 

these  devoted  followers  of  His,  and  contemplated  the 
wide  diffusion  of  His  truth  and  grace  through  their 
instrumentality, — feeble  and  insignificant  as  they  would 
appear  to  many  of  the  wise  and  learned  of  the  world, — 
He  "  rejoiced  in  spirit,"  and  again  uttered  the  remark- 
able and  impressive  words,  "  I  thank  Thee,  0  Father, 
Lord  of  heaven  and  earth,  that  Thou  hast  hid  these 
things  from  the  wise  and  prudent,  and  hast  revealed 
them  unto  babes:  even  so,  Father;  for  so  it  seemed 
good  in  Thy  sight.  All  things  are  delivered  to  Me  of 
My  Father:  and  no  man  knoweth  who  the  Son  is,  but 
the  Father;  and  who  the  Father  is,  but  the  Son,  and 
he  to  whom  the  Son  will  reveal  Him."*  Then,  turning 
to  His  disciples.  He  said,  "  Blessed  are  the  eyes  which 
see  the  things  that  ye  see:  for  I  tell  you,  that  many 
prophets  and  kings  have  desired  to  see  those  things 
which  ye  see,  and  have  not  seen  them;  and  to  hear 
those  things  which  ye  hear,  and  have  not  heard  them."t 
Almost  immediately  upon  the  return  of  the  seventy, 
our  Lord  commenced  His  last  general  circuit  through 
Galilee.  In  this  journey.  He  continued  His  course  of 
public  instruction,  and  still  exerted  His  power  to  heal. 
The  leading  topics  of  His  ministry  were  those  on  which 
He  had  ever  dwelt;  and,  as  circumstances  arose,  He 
again  inculcated  the  great  truths  of  religion,  and  enforced 
its  solemn  warnings,  in  terms  similar  to  those  which  He 
had  before  employed.  But  He  placed  many  truths  in 
new  and  affecting  aspects;  and  often  did  He  carry 
forward  the  minds  of  His  hearers  to  the  realities  of 
eternity,  and  seek  to  arouse  the  most  thoughtless 
among  them  to  earnest  reflection,  by  reminding  them  of 
»  Luke  X.  21,  22.  f  Luke  x.  23,  24. 


236  THE   LIFE    AND    MINISTKY 

their  final  account  to  God.  It  will  be  instructive  to 
advert  to  some  of  the  incidents  of  this  journey,  and  the 
impressive  sayings  which  they  drew  from  the  Redeemer's 
lips. 

About  the  time  of  its  commencement,  one  of  the 
lawyers  or  scribes,  who  wished  to  try  His  skill,  proposed 
to  Him  the  question,  "  Master,  what  shall  I  do  to  inherit 
eternal  life  V  Our  Lord  replied,  "  "\^Tiat  is  written  in 
the  law?  how  readest  thou?"  The  lawyer  answered, 
"Thou  shalt  love  the  Lord  thy  God  with  all  thy  heart, 
and  with  all  thy  soul,  and  with  all  thy  strength,  and 
with  all  thy  mind;  and  thy  neighbour  as  thyself"  This 
was,  indeed,  a  beautiful  summary  of  the  Divine  law,  and 
one  which  our  Lord  Himself,  on  a  subsequent  occasion, 
gave;  and  He  now  expressed  His  approval  of  the  reply, 
and  added,  "  This  do,  and  thou  shalt  live."  The  lawyer, 
unwilling  that  the  conversation  should  thus  terminate, 
inquired,  "  And  who  is  my  neighbour  ?"  The  Redeemer, 
in  reply,  delivered  the  parable  of  the  good  Samaritan, 
who  cared  for  a  wounded  traveller  of  another  nation, 
when  both  a  priest  and  a  Levite  of  his  own  people  had 
treated  him  with  indifference  and  neglect.*  Thus  did 
He  show  that  our  benevolence  is  not  to  be  restricted  to 
those  of  our  own  country  or  party,  but  is  rather  to  be 
extended  to  every  man,  of  whatever  race  and  faith,  who 
may  need  our  assistance.  Thus  also  did  He  point  out 
the  earnest,  practical,  and  self-denying  character  of  that 
benevolence  which  is  pleasing  to  God,  and  the  absence 
of  which  must  utterly  vitiate  all  pretensions  to  piety. 

Soon  after  our  Lord  had  entered  upon  this  circuit  of 
Galilee,   a  circumstance  occurred,  which   led    Him  to 

*  Lukex.  25— 37. 


OP   THE   REDEEMER.  237 

affirm,  in  a  very  impressive  manner,  the  supreme  im- 
portance of  the  care  of  the  soul,  and  the  blessedness  of  an 
intense  love  of  Divine  truth.  He  was  entertained  in  a 
certain  village,  by  Martha  and  Mary,  the  affectionate 
sisters  who  usually  resided  at  Bethany,  but  who  appear 
to  have  been  natives  of  Galilee,  and  to  have  had  posses- 
sions there.*  Martha,  who  was  of  an  anxious  disposition, 
wishing  to  do  honour  to  her  Guest,  exerted  herself  in 
making  preparations  for  the  entertainment  to  be  given 
to  Him,  so  as  even  to  bring  her  mind  into  a  disturbed 
and  harassed  state.  Mary  was  eager  to  catch  all  the 
lessons  of  heavenly  wisdom  which  fell  from  the  lips  of 
the  distinguished  Prophet ;  and,  as  on  former  occasions, 
she  "sat  at  Jesus'  feet,  and  heard  His  word."  Her 
sister,  grieved  that  she  should  thus  allow  the  burden  of 
domestic  management  to  fall  upon  her  alone,  came  to 
our  Lord,  and  said,  "  Lord,  dost  Thou  not  care  that  my 
sister  hath  left  me  to  serve  alone?  bid  her  therefore 
that  she  help  me."  Jesus  perceived  that  Martha  was  in 
danger  of  undue  solicitude  about  earthly  things,  and 
needed  to  have  her  attention  directed  more  strongly 
to  her  own  spiritual  interests :  and  He  said  to  her,  with 
great  affection  and  fidelity,  "Martha,  Martha,  thou  art 
careful  and  troubled  about  many  things :  but  one  thing 
is  needful :  and  Mary  hath  chosen  that  good  part,  which 
shall  not  be  taken  away  from  her."t 

The  subject  of  prayer  was  brought  before  our  Lord, 

*  This  point  seems  to  be  satisfactorily  established  by  the  Rev. 
Edward  Greswell,  in  his  "  Dissertations  upon  an  Harmony  of  the 
Gospels."  Vol.  II.  Diss.  32.  On  the  village  of  Martha  and  Mary. 
His  reasonings  on  the  subject  are,  at  least,  deserving  of  the  most 
attentive  consideration. 

f  Lukex.  38-42. 


238  THE   LIFE   AND    MINISTEY 

by  one  of  His  followers,  who  probably  was  not  present 
when  He  delivered  the  discourse  on  the  Mount.  This 
disciple  preferred  the  request,  "  Lord,  teach  us  to  pray, 
as  John  also  taught  his  disciples."  The  Saviour  repeated 
the  form  of  prayer  which  He  had  before  given;  and 
then  He  dwelt  on  the  importance  of  a  consciousness  of 
need,  leading  even  to  imj^ortunate  solicitations  for 
hles&ing,  ami  unfolded  the  zviUingness  of  God  to  impart 
to  us  every  spiritual  good,  and  especially  to  give  to  us 
the  Holy  Spirit.* 

The  continued  opposition  of  the  Pharisees  to  His 
claims  caused  our  Lord  to  reiterate  some  of  His  im- 
pressive declarations  in  reply  to  their  cavils,  and  to  set 
forth,  yet  more  clearly,  the  state  of  spiritual  destitution 
in  which  they  were  found  notwithstanding  their  high 
professions,  and  the  awful  ruin  which  awaited  them  if 
they  remained  impenitent  and  worldly.  Some  of  them 
again  said  of  Him,  "He  casteth  out  devils  through 
Beelzebub,  the  chief  of  the  devils;"  but  the  Redeemer 
exposed,  as  He  had  before  done,  the  fallacy  of  such  an 
imputation. t  Others  sought  of  Him  "a  sign  from 
heaven;"  but  our  Lord  again  referred  them  to  the  sign 
of  the  prophet  Jonah,  to  be  given  in  His  own  death  and 
resurrection,  and  then  dwelt,  with  sorrowful  emotions, 
on  the  obduracy  of  that  genei'ation.  J  One  of  the 
Pharisees,  who  invited  our  Lord  to  dine  with  him,  mag- 
nified it  into  an  offence,  that  He  did  not  wash  His  hands 
before  eating ;  and  the  Saviour,  in  reply,  showed  the 
'Vanity  of  all  external  ceremonies,  if  the  heart  continues 
polluted  and  unholy.     He   proceeded  to  exhibit,  with 

«  Luke  xi.  1—13.  f  I-uke  xi.  14,  15,  17—23. 

I  Luke  xi.  16,  29—32. 


OF    THE   REDEEMER.  239 

fearful  impi'essiveness,  the  leading  sins  of  the  Pharisaic 
sect;  and  those  also  of  the  Scribes,  who  claimed  to  be 
the  expositors  of  the  Divine  law,  but  who  openly  violated 
its  plainest  commands,  and  cherished  feelings  of  hostility 
towards  every  one  whose  piety  was  deep  and  earnest.* 

On  His  disciples  He  enforced,  in  the  presence  of  an 
innumerable  multitude  of  people,  many  of  the  admoni- 
tions which  He  had  given  in  former  periods  of  His 
ministry.  He  charged  them  to  maintain,  at  all  times, 
sincerity  and  truth,  and  never  to  admit  the  leaven  of 
hypocrisy;  assuring  them,  that  a  day  is  approaching, 
when  the  real  character  of  men  will  be  exhibited  without 
disguise.  He  called  upon  them  never  to  leave  the  path 
of  duty,  through  the  fear  of  any  suffering  which  man 
could  inflict;  but  rather  to  stand  in  awe  of  Him,  who 
bestows  the  rewards  and  punishments  of  the  future  life. 
He  reminded  them  of  the  benignant  care  of  Divine 
Providence,  Avhich  should  be  constantly  extended  over 
them ;  He  dwelt  on  the  momentous  consequences  of  fidelity 
to  Himself,  or  the  deiiicd  of  His  name,  Avhen  the  solem- 
nities of  the  last  judgment  should  burst  upon  the  world; 
and  He  gave  them  the  promise  of  special  assistance 
from  above,  when  placed  in  circumstances  of  peculiar 
difficulty  and  trial,  t 

This  impressive  course  of  observations  appears  to  have 
been  interrupted  by  a  request  preferred  by  an  individual 
from  among  the  multitude: — "Master,  speak  to  my 
brother,  that  he  divide  the  inheritance  with  me."  With 
this  request  the  Saviour  could  not  consistently  comply; 
and  He  reproved  the  person  who  applied  to  Him,  for 
supposing  that  He  Avould  assume  the  office  of  a  civil 
*  Luke  xi.  37—52.  f  Luke  xii.  1—12. 


240  THE    LIFE   AND   MINISTRY 

magistrate,  or  interfere  in  secular  disputes.  But  tliis 
incident  suggested  a  solemn  admonition  relative  to  the 
guilt  of  covetousness,  and  the  folly  and  danger  of  those 
who  devote  their  energies  to  the  acquisition  of  worldly 
property,  while  they  neglect  their  spiritual  interests,  and 
make  no  preparation  for  the  coming  eternity.  Such  an 
admonition  the  Redeemer  now  urged  on  all  who  were 
present;  and,  by  one  of  His  most  affecting  parables.  He 
showed  how  easily  the  cherished  hopes  and  plans  of 
worldly  men  may  be  frustrated  by  the  summons  of  God, 
calling  them  into  His  presence,  and  terminating  for  ever 
their  connexion  with  earth.* 

Then,  turning  to  His  disciples,  He  resumed  His 
exhortations,  seeking  both  to  establish  their  confidence  in 
the  care  of  their  heavenly/  Father,  and  to  impress  on  them 
the  necessity  of  habitual  watchfulness  and  effort.  He 
directed  them  to  contemplate  the  universal  agency  of 
God,  reminding  them  that  it  is  His  hand  which  invests 
nature  with  loveliness,  and  supplies  the  wants  of  every 
living  thing ;  and  assuring  them  that  His  benevolent 
regard  is  more  especially  placed  on  His  devout  and 
obedient  people,  t  He  called  upon  them  ever  to  bear  in 
mind  their  stewardship  to  Himself,  and  to  live  with  a 
reference  to  their  final  account.  He  admonished  them, 
that  the  duties  assigned  to  them  were  high  and  sacred, 
and  that  the  punishment  of  unfaithfulness  would  be  in 
proportion  to  the  greatness  of  their  trust,  while  the 
reward  of  fidelity  and  persevering  effort  would  be  rich 
and  glorious.  I  He  adverted,  as  on  a  former  occasion,  to 
the  conflicts  of  principle  which  the  diffusion  of  His 

*  Luke  xii.  13—21.  f  Luke  xii.  22—31. 

X  Luke  xii.  35—48. 


OF   THE    REDEEMER.  241 

religion  would  induce,  especially  when  His  great  sacrifice 
should  have  been  actually  offered,  and  His  claims,  in  all 
their  grandeur,  should  be  proclaimed  throughout  the 
world.  To  the  propitiatory  sufferings  which  were  before 
Him  He  looked  forward  with  solemn  interest,  as  essential 
to  the  recovery  of  man,  and  the  establishment  of  the 
perfect  economy  of  grace.  With  deep  and  peculiar 
emotions  He  now  exclaimed,  "  I  have  a  baptism  to  be 
baptized  with;  and  how  am  I  straitened  till  it  be  accom- 
plished!"* 

About  the  time  in  which  our  Lord  addressed  these 
admonitions  to  His  disciples,  some  individuals  mentioned 
to  Him  the  case  of  certain  Galileans,  whom,  Pilate  had 
slain  when  they  came  up  to  the  temple,  so  as  to  mingle 
their  blood  with  their  sacrifices.  In  reply,  the  Saviour  said, 
"Suppose  ye  that  these  Galileans  were  sinners  above  all  the 
Galileans,  because  they  suffered  such  things?  I  tell  you. 
Nay :  but,  except  ye  repent,  ye  shall  all  likewise  perish." 
He  adverted,  in  a  similar  manner,  to  the  case  of  eighteen 
persons  who  had  been  killed  by  the  falling  of  a  tower 
in  Siloamj  and  then  added  the  afiecting  parable  of  the 
barren  fig-tree,  illustrative  of  the  state  of  impenitence  in 
which  the  men  of  that  generation  were  found,  though 
they  had  enjoyed,  for  nearly  three  years,  the  advantage 
of  His  personal  ministry, — and  premonitory  of  the  utter 
ruin  that  would  fall  upon  them,  if  they  continued  careless 
and  obdurate,  when  the  Spirit  should  be  poured  out 
from  on  high,  in  honour  of  His  perfect  atonement,  and 
the  message  of  mercy  should  be  declared  to  them  by  His 
apostles,  in  all  its  fulness  and  power,  t  But  these  sayings 
of  our  Lord,  though  they  had  a  special  application  to  the 
*  Luke  xii.  49—53.  f  Luke  xiii.  1—9. 

R 


242  THE    LIFE    AND    MINISTRY 

people  around  Him,  must  be  regarded  as  embracing 
general  truths  of  deep  and  permanent  interest.  They 
remind  7is,  that  we  are  not  to  estimate  the  character  of 
men  by  the  outward  calamities  which  fall  upon  them; — 
that  severe  and  overwhelming  visitations  of  wrath  may 
be  in  reserve  for  those  who  now  enjoy  a  measure  of 
temporal  prosperity,  but  whose  hearts  are  alienated  from 
God,  and  hardened  against  the  calls  of  His  grace ; — and 
that  the  long-suffering  of  the  Most  High,  great  as  it  is, 
has  its  limits,  and,  when  these  ai*e  reached,  even  the 
voice  which  interceded  for  mercy  will  concur  in  the 
sentence  of  destruction. 

In  the  course  of  this  journey,  our  Lord  again  affirmed 

those   principles   relative  to  the  Sabhath  which  He  had 

uniformly  maintained,  and  especially  showed  that  works 

of  mercy  are  allowable  and  proper  on  the  day  of  sacred 

rest.     As  He  was  teaching  in  one  of  the  synagogues  on 

the  Sabbath,  He  gave  instant  soundness  and  health  to  a 

woman   who   had  been  "bowed  together"  by  Satanic 

power  for  eighteen  years,  and  "  could  in  no  wise  lift  up 

herself."      The   ruler   of   the    synagogue,   grieved    and 

indignant  at  this  action,  said  to  the  people,  "  There  are 

six  days  in  which  men  ought  to  work :  in  them  therefore 

come  and  be  healed,  and  not  on  the  Sabbath-day."    The 

Saviour   exposed  the   fallacy  of  this   objection   to   the 

miracle  which  He  had  performed;  and  showed  that,  if 

even  the  inferior  animals   are   objects   of  regard   and 

solicitude    on   the    Sabbath,    surely    "  a    daughter    of 

Abraham "  might  be  restored  to  health  on  that  day,  in 

perfect  consistency  with  its  holy  character.* 

On  another  occasion,  an  individual  proposed  to  Him 

*  Luke  xiii.  10—17. 


OF    THE    REDEEMER,  243 

the  question,  "Lord,  are  there  few  that  be  saved f  To 
this  inquiry  He  did  not  give  a  direct  reply;  but,  address- 
ing all  Avho  stood  around  Him,  He  solemnly  charged 
them  to  put  forth  earnest  and  constant  effort  in  order 
to  the  personal  attainment  of  everlasting  life.  Instead 
of  encouraging  the  disposition  to  treat  the  momentous 
subject  of  salvation  as  one  of  curious  speculation,  the 
Redeemer  sought  rather  to  fix  the  minds  of  men  on 
their  individual  accountability,  and  the  eternal  realities 
which  must  soon  burst  upon  their  view :  and  He 
reminded  them,  that  the  time  would  come,  when  many 
who  had  enjoyed  on  earth  great  rehgious  privileges,  but 
had  lived  in  the  practice  of  iniquity,  AA'oxild  apply  in 
vain  to  be  admitted  to  the  joys  of  His  people  in 
heaven.* 

When  this  incident  occurred,  our  Lord  was  in  the 
territories  of  Herod ;  and  some  of  the  Pharisees,  with  an 
affected  solicitude  for  His  safety,  came  to  Him,  and  said, 
"  Get  thee  out,  and  depart  hence :  for  Herod  will  kill 
thee."  The  Saviour's  answer  showed,  that,  while  He 
felt  secure  from  any  attempts  of  Herod,  He  looked 
forward  habitually  to  His  approaching  death, — but  that 
the  scene  of  that  death  was  to  be  the  guilty  metropolis, 
which  was  already  stained  with  the  blood  of  the  prophets 
of  Grod.  And  He  uttered  the  affecting  exclamation,  "0 
Jerusalem,  Jerusalem,  which  killest  the  prophets,  and 
stonest  them  that  are  sent  unto  thee ;  how  often  would 
I  have  gathered  thy  children  together,  as  a  hen  doth 
gather  her  brood  under  her  wings,  and  ye  would  not! 
Behold,  your  house  is  left  unto  you  desolate :  and  verily 
I  say  vmto  you,  Ye  shall  not  see  Me,  until  the  time  come 
«  Luke  xiii.  23—30. 
E  2 


244  THE    LIFE   AND    MINISTRY 

when  ye  sliall  say,  Blessed  is  He  that  cometh  in  the 
name  of  the  Lord."- 

We  have  ah-eady  seen  that,  although  the  feelings  of 
the  Pharisees  generally  towards  our  Lord  were  bitter 
and  malignant,  some  of  them,  in  the  course  of  this 
journey,  invited  Him  to  their  table.  Even  when  they 
did  so,  however,  they  looked  upon  Him  with  suspicion, 
and  were  eager  to  catch  at  any  de\'iation,  on  His  part, 
from  their  established  customs.  The  evangelist  who  has 
furnished  us  with  so  many  incidents  of  this  period  of 
the  Redeemer's  ministry,  has  related  that  one  of  the 
chief  Pharisees,  about  this  time,  invited  Him  to  eat 
bread  with  him,  and  that  the  invitation  was  accepted. 
It  was  the  Sabbath,  and  many  of  the  Pharisees  and 
Scribes  were  present,  to  hsten  to  the  words,  and  observe 
the  deportment,  of  the  great  Teacher.  The  first  act  of 
our  Lord  was,  to  heal  a  man  labouring  under  the  dropsy, 
who  was  present;  and,  knowing  that  this  would  appear 
to  many  to  involve  a  violation  of  the  Sabbatic  rest.  He 
A'indicated  the  act  by  the  clear  and  simple  reasoning 
which  He  was  accustomed  to  employ  in  defence  of  works 
of  mercy  on  that  holy  day.t  Observing  the  eagerness 
with  which  many  of  the  guests  sought  the  most  honour- 
able places.  He  addressed  them  all  on  the  importance  of 
humility,  and  affirmed  the  truth,  "  Whosoever  exalteth 
himself  shall  be  abased;  and  he  that  humbleth  himself 
shall  be  exalted."  %  Next,  turning  to  His  host,  He  incul- 
cated an  important  principle,  which  should  govern  the 
conduct  of  those  to  whom  God  has  entrusted  this  world's 
good.     That   principle   was,  that,  instead  of  spending 

*  Luke  xiii.  31 — 35.  f  Luke  xiv.  1 — 6. 

X  Luke  xiv.  7—11. 


OP   THK    REDEEMER.  245 

their  affluence  in  honouring  their  rich  neighbours  and 
friends,  they  should  rather  care  for  "the  poor,  the 
maimed,  the  lame,  the  blind."  He  reminded  all  who 
were  present,  that  it  was  in  the  power  of  opulent  friends 
to  return  their  liberality ;  but  that  the  kindness  which 
they  showed  to  the  poor  and  distressed  would  be 
remembered  by  God,  and,  if  their  hearts  were  devoted  to 
Him,  would  be  "  recompensed  at  the  resurrection  of  the 
just."*  One  of  the  company^  who  had  been  listening 
attentively  to  the  Redeemer's  words,  now  exclaimed, 
"  Blessed  is  he  that  shall  eat  bread  in  the  kingdom  of 
God!"  Our  Lord,  in  reply,  delivered  an  impressive 
parable  relative  to  the  blessings  of  that  kingdom.  He 
showed,  that  many  of  those  who  had  been  invited 
beforehand  to  partake  of  them,  would  treat  them  with 
neglect,  through  their  devotion  to  secular  interests  and 
pleasures;  and  that,  while  they  stood  aloof  from  the 
salvation  of  God,  the  offers  of  mercy  would  be  proclaimed 
to  others  who  had  been  regarded  as  aliens  and  outcasts, 
and  would  by  many  of  these  be  welcomed  and  em- 
braced.t 

Soon  after  this,  when  our  Lord  had  resumed  His 
journey,  and  "great  multitudes"  were  following  Him, 
He  paused,  and,  turning  round,  solemnly  admonished  them 
all,  that  if  they  would  indeed  be  His  people,  they  must 
love  Him  above  their  dearest  relatives,  and  be  prepared 
to  sacrifice  for  His  sake  every  worldly  comfort,  and  even 
life  itself.  He  called  upon  them  seriously  to  deliberate, 
hefore  entering  ^ipo)i  the  jirofessiou  of  discijyleship  to 
Himself ; — a  profession  which  might  expose  them  to  so 
many  hardships  and  trials;  and  He  pointed  out  the 
*  Luke  xiv.  12 — 14.  f  Luke  xiv.  15 — 2-i. 


246  THE    LIFE    AND    MINISTRY 

fearful  state  of  those  who,  while  retaining  the  name  of 
His  disciples,  are  as  tasteless  salt,  being  altogether 
destitute  of  the  savour  and  power  of  His  grace.* 

While  these  warnings  could  not  fail  to  awaken  anxious 
thought  in  the  nainds  of  the  multitudes  around  Him, 
they  did  not  diminish  the  eagerness  which  was  felt  to 
listen  to  His  instructions,  A  great  number  of  publicans, 
and  of  men  who  had  lived  in  open  sin,  including,  doubt- 
less, several  Gentiles,  drew  near  unto  Him  to  hear  Him ; 
so  that  the  Pharisees  and  Scribes  murmured,  saying, 
"This  man  receiveth  sinners,  and  eateth  with  them." 
Here,  again,  the  self-complacency  of  the  Pharisaic  sect, 
and  their  haughty  disdain  of  those  beneath  them,  were 
most  offensively  developed;  but  the  Saviour  reproved 
the  spirit  which  they  manifested,  and,  by  three  instructive 
parables,  showed  the  joy  which  is  called  forth  in  heaven 
by  the  repentance  of  a  sinner,  and  the  willingness  of  God 
to  restore  to  His  favour,  a,nd  admit  to  the  privileges  of 
His  family,  every  wanderer  who  returns  to  Him  in  the 
lowly  confession  of  sinfulness  and  guilt.f  The  last  of 
these  parables  was  that  of  the  prodigal  son, — one  on 
which  our  minds  may  well  linger,  both  on  account  of 
the  fulness  of  truth  which  it  embraces,  and  the  beautiful 
and  touching  manner  in  which  that  truth  is  suggested. 
While  it  throws  light  on  the  dispensations  of  God 
towards  the  Gentiles  and  the  Jewish  people  in  past 
ages,  and  on  their  relative  position  under  the  perfect 
Christian  economy,  it  illustrates  also  the  condescending 
grace  with  which  the  Most  High  meets  every  returning 
sinner,  and  banishes  his  sorrows  and  his  fears. 

These  encouraging  parables  were  followed  by  others  of 
*  Luke  xiv.  25—35.  f  Luke  xv.  1—32. 


OF    THE    REDEEMER,  247 

an  admonitory  character.     Addressing  all  who  professed 
to  be  Ilis   disciples,  the  Redeemer  again  enforced  the 
great  principle  of  their  steivardship  to  God,  more  par- 
ticularly in  relation  to  worldly  'property ;  and  He  called 
upon  them  to  live  with  a  reference  to  that  state  upon 
which  they  must  enter,  when  their  trust  on  earth  should 
cease.     The  parable  of  the  unjust  steward,  which  bore 
upon  these  topics,  might,  to  a  superficial  hearer,  have 
appeared  strange  and  perplexing;  but  the  meaning  of 
our  Lord  would  become  apparent  to  every  spiritual  and 
earnest  mind.    The  forethought  which  He  approved  and 
enjoined,  was  one  which  could  consist  with  the  pure  and 
heavenly  principles  of  the  Christian  character;  for  He 
affirmed,  "  The  children  of  this  world  are  in  their  gene- 
ration wiser  than  the  children  of  light,"  and  then  went 
on  to  show,  how  fearful  an  obstacle  the  love  of  money, 
with  the  want  of  fidelity  to  God  in  the  use  of  it,  is  to 
our  obtaining  the  higher  and  eternal  blessings  of  religion. 
Many  of  the  Pharisees  who  were  present,  and  who,  not- 
withstanding their  outward  sanctity,  were  covetous  and 
worldly,  laughed  at  these  sayings  of  the  Redeemer :  but 
He  replied  to  them,  "  Ye  are  they  which  justify  your- 
selves before  men ;  but  God  knoweth  your  hearts :  for 
that  which  is  highly   esteemed  among  men  is  abomi- 
nation in  the  sight  of   God,"*      Soon  afterwards.   He 
addressed  to  them  and  to  all  His  hearers  the  affecting 
parable  of  the  rich  man   and    Lazarus.     In   this   He 
unveiled  the  realities  of  the   spiritual  world;    He  set 
forth  the  existence  of  the  soul,  in  a  state  of  conscious- 
ness and  activity,  immediately  after  death;  He  showed, 
that  a  life  of  worldly  indulgence  and  neglect  of  God  will 

*  Luke  xvi.  1 — 15. 


248  THE   LIFE   AND   MINISTRY 

be  followed  by  future  suffering,  while  many  of  the  poor 
and  destitute,  who  are  truly  pious,  will  rise  to  ineffable 
happiness  and  glory;  He  affirmed  the  unchangeable 
character  of  those  states  of  retribution,  upon  which  men 
enter  when  they  leave  this  earth ;  and  He  declared,  that 
if  a  man  closes  his  eyes  against  the  evidences  of  that 
revelation  which  God  has  actually  given,  and  hardens  his 
heart  against  the  influences  of  His  grace,  no  other 
means  can  prove  effectual  to  his  awakening  and  con- 
version.* 

As  the  Saviour  continued  His  journey.  He  addressed 
various  admonitions  to  His  disciples,  calculated  to 
prepare  them  for  the  duties  and  trials  of  their  future 
career.  He  charged  them  to  maintain  a  consistent  and 
holy  walk  before  men,  so  as  never  to  cast  a  stumbling- 
block  in  the  way  of  any  humble  believer  in  Himself,  or 
any  sincere  inquirer  after  salvation.t  He  enjoined  on 
them  a  frank  and  open  conduct  towards  each  other,  and 
the  repeated  and  cordial  forgiveness  of  an  offending 
brother,  who  should  acknowledge  that  he  had  done 
wrong,  and  avow  his  regret  and  contrition.;}:  In  reply 
to  the  request  of  the  twelve,  "  Lord,  increase  our  faith," 
He  pointed  out  the  wonders  which  a  lively  confidence 
in  Himself  would  enable  them  to  perform;  but  reminded 
them  that,  however  high  the  services  to  which  they 
might  be  called,  they  could  never  exceed  the  limit  of 
their  duty,  or  confer  a  favour  upon  God.§ 

The  power  of  the  Redeemer  to  heal  diseases,  and  to 
remove  the  vai'ied  forms  of  human  suffering,  was  fre- 
quently manifested  in  this  circuit  through  Galilee  and 

*  Luke  xvi.  19—31.     f  Luke  xvii.  1,2.     +  Luke  xvii.  3,  4. 
§  Luke  xvii.  5 — 10. 


OF    THE   REDBEMEK.  249 

part  of  Samaria.  One  instance  in  which  it  was  put  forth, 
about  the  period  at  which  we  have  now  arrived,  has 
been  recorded  by  St.  Luke,  in  connexion  with  an  im- 
pressive remark  of  our  Lord,  relative  to  the  duty  of 
evincing  gratitude  to  God  for  any  signal  mercy  which 
has  been  received  from  Him.  As  the  Saviour  approached 
a  certain  village,  ten  persons  afflicted  with  leprosy,  and 
cut  off,  in  consequence  of  that  fearful  disease,  from 
intercourse  with  society  generally,  stood  afar  off,  and 
cried  unto  Him  aloud,  "Jesus,  Master,  have  mercy  on 
us."  He  said  to  them,  "  Go,  show  yourselves  unto  the 
priests."  This  command  tacitly  implied,  that  His  power 
would  be  put  forth  to  restore  them ;  and  though,  as  yet, 
no  process  of  healing  had  commenced,  they  went,  as  the 
Saviour  dii'ected  them,  and  their  faith  was  rewarded  by 
the  sudden  removal  of  their  disease.  One  of  them,  when 
he  saw  that  he  was  healed,  returned,  glorifying  God  with 
a  loud  voice;  and  when  he  came  to  the  Redeemer,  he 
fell  down  at  His  feet,  and  thanked  Him  for  this  inter- 
position of  His  grace.  This  person,  whose  gratitude  was 
so  conspicuous  above  that  of  his  companions,  was  a 
Samaritan;  and  our  Lord  honoured  his  feelings  and 
conduct  by  saying  to  His  disciples,  "Were  there  not  ten 
cleansed'?  but  where  are  the  nine?  There  are  not  found 
that  returned  to  give  glory  to  God,  save  this  stranger." 
Then  addressing  the  individual  himself.  He  said,  "Arise, 
go  thy  way :  thy  faith  hath  made  thee  whole."* 

Thus  was  the  Redeemer's  last  visit,  as  a  public  Teacher, 
to  the  towns  and  villages  of  Galilee,  distinguished  by 
remarkable  displays  of  His  power  and  love.  He  scattered 
blessings  wherever  He  appeared;  and  gladdened  many 

*  Lulcexvii.  11—19. 


250  THE    LIFE    AND    MINISTRY 

sorrowful  hearts  by  the  removal  of  loathsome  and 
inveterate  diseases.  He  uttered  words  of  peace,  also,  to 
the  troubled  conscience,  and  disclosed  to  every  wanderer 
the  path  of  life.  But  He  warned  the  careless  and 
impenitent  of  their  approaching  ruin,  and  threw  around 
all  His  discourses  a  peculiar  solemnity,  calculated  to 
leave  an  indelible  impression  on  every  thoughtful  mind. 
His  voice  was  no  more  to  be  heard  in  the  synagogues 
which  He  now  visited,  or  in  the  towns  through  which 
He  passed;  but  the  truths  which  He  taught,  would 
sink  deep  into  many  hearts,  and  be  vividly  recalled  when 
His  apostles  should  go  forth  to  tell  of  His  sacrificial 
sufferings,  and  of  His  glorious  resurrection  from  the 
dead. 


CHAPTER  XL 

THE  UEDEEMER's  LAST  JOURNEY  TO  JERUSALEM. 

(continued.) 

Our  Lord  was  now  on  His  way  towards  the  metropolis 
of  Judsea.  He  had  gone  through  Galilee,  for  the  last 
time,  proclaiming  the  truths  which  relate  to  "  the 
kingdom  of  God,"  and  displaying  His  unbounded  power 
and  condescending  love;  and  now  He  was  slowly 
advancing  towards  that  guilty  city,  where  He  was  to 
endure  His  deepest  sufferings,  and  to  die  as  the  sacrifice 
for  human  guilt. 

His  addresses,  at  this  period,  to  His  disciples  and  the 
multitude,  and  His  replies  to  the  questions  Avhich  Avere 


OF    THE    EEDEEMER.  251 

incidentally  proposed  to  Him,  embraced  many  points  of 
deep  interest.  To  some  of  the  Pharisees,  for  instance, 
who  inquired,  when  the  kingdom  of  God  should  come. 
He  answered,  "The  kingdom  of  God  cometh  not  with 
observation :  neither  shall  they  say,  '  Lo  here  ! '  or,  '  Lo 
there!'  for,  behold,  the  kingdom  of  God  is  within  you.""* 
Thus  did  He  emphatically  state  the  truth,  that  that 
kingdom,  to  the  establishment  of  which  the  pious  of 
every  age  had  looked  forward,  was  not  to  be  one  of 
outward  dignity  and  splendour,  but  one  which  should 
bow  the  heart  to  the  Divine  will,  and  fill  it  with 
heavenly  purity  and  peace.  Then,  addressing  His  dis- 
ciples, He  forewarned  them,  that  when  the  Son  of  man 
should  come  in  the  revelation  of  His  power  and  glory, 
it  would  be  to  inflict  sudden  and  overwhelming  ruin 
upon  that  guilty  nation,  which  had  so  perversely  resisted 
the  overtures  of  Di\dne  mercy,  and  was  now  about  to 
consummate  its  crimes  by  rejecting  and  crucifying 
Himself  t  He  added  a  parable,  to  encourage  His 
people  to  be  earnest  and  importunate  in  their  supplica- 
tions to  God,  assuring  them  that  their  prayers  should 
not  be  disregarded,  but  that  even  if  the  answer  of  peace 
were  for  a  while  delayed,  it  should  be  granted  at  length, 
and  the  special  kindness  of  God  towards  them  should 
be  openly  manifested. ;{:  Perceiving  around  Him  some 
who  "trusted  in  themselves  that  they  were  righteous, 
and  despised  others,"  He  delivered  the  admonitory  yet 
encouraging  parable  of  the  Pharisee  and  the  publican. 
Impressively  did  He  show,  in  this  parable,  how  oflensive 
to  God  is  a  spirit  of  haughty  self-complacency  in  prayer, 
combined,  as  it  ever  must  be,  with  low  and  imperfect 
*  Luke  xvii.  20,  21.     f  Luke  xvii.  22—37.      X  Luke  xviii.  1—8. 


252  THE    LIFE    AND    MIXISTRY 

views  of  the  spirituality  of  the  Dinne  law;  and,  with 
equal  clearness  and  power,  He  disclosed  the  willingness 
of  God  to  listen  to  the  sighing  of  the  contrite  heart, 
that  renounces  every  plea  of  personal  merit,  and  casts 
itself  wholly  on  the  Divine  mercy.* 

It  appears  to  have  been  about  this  time  that  the 
Pharisees  came  to  Him  with  an  inquiry  relative  to  the 
law  of  marriage  and  divorce.  Hoping  to  perplex  Him, 
or  to  involve  Him  in  some  opposition  to  the  authority 
of  Moses,  they  asked,  "  Is  it  lawful  for  a  man  to  put 
away  his  wife  for  every  cause  1"  The  Sa'vdour  referred 
them  to  the  original  institution  of  marriage,  and  the 
ob\dous  design  of  God  that  the  tender  and  endearing 
bond  of  the  nuptial  contract  should  remain  during  the 
earthly  life  of  those  whom  it  has  made  one.  He  intimated 
that  polygamy  was  a  departure  from  the  Divine  plan, 
since  the  conjugal  relation  was  to  unite  two  persons, 
and  two  only,  as  one  flesh;  and  He  expressly  affirmed, 
that  this  relation  can  be  dissolved  only  in  the  case  of 
conjugal  unfaithfulness.  Thus  did  He  thi-ow  additional 
guards  around  the  sacredness  and  permanence  of  an 
institution  which  is  essential  to  the  peace  and  welfare 
of  society,  and  which  especially  tends  to  promote  and 
foster  the  domestic  affections,  and  thus  to  sweeten  the 
life  of  man.f 

An  incident  now  occurred  which  placed  the  henignity 
and  condescension  of  the  Redeemer  in  a  most  affecting 
point  of  view.  Several  persons  brought  to  Him  their 
"  little  children,"  that  He  should  "  put  His  hands  on 
them,  and  pray."  His  disciples,  thinking,  perhaps,  that 
it  was  beneath  their  Master's  dignity  to  have  His  time 
*  Luke  xviii.  9—14.  f  Matthew  xix.  3—12  ;  Mark  x.  2—12. 


OF   THE   REDEEMER.  253 

and  attention  thus  occupied,  and  that  such  applications,  if 
encouraged,  would  become  very  numerous  an-d  trouble- 
some, "  rebuked  those  that  brought  them."  But  greatly 
did  they  mistake  the  feelings  of  our  Lord  towards  the 
infants  upon  whom  His  blessing  was  desired  !  He 
beheld  in  these  infants  all  that  distinguishes  the  nature 
of  man,  and  invests  that  nature  with  so  high  import- 
ance; He  thought  of  them  as  comprehended  in  the 
Divine  plans  of  mercy,  and  interested  in  that  covenant 
of  grace  which  He  came  to  earth  to  establish;  and  He 
viewed  them  as  aiFording  an  appropriate  type  of  that 
form  of  character — humble,  docile,  and  confiding — 
which  all  His  i^eople  must  possess.  He  manifested  great 
displeasure  at  the  conduct  of  His  disciples,  and  said, 
with  inimitable  tenderness  and  grace,  "  Suffer  the  little 
children  to  come  unto  Me,  and  forbid  them  not :  for  of 
such  is  the  kingdom  of  God.  Verily  I  say  unto  you, 
Whosoever  shall  not  receive  the  kingdom  of  God  as  a 
little  child,  he  shall  not  enter  therein."  Then,  taking 
them  up  in  His  arms.  He  "  put  His  hands  upon  them, 
and  blessed  them."*  It  was  a  lovely  spectacle,  and  one 
on  which  every  thoughtful  mind  must  have  gazed  with 
interest.  The  great  Prophet  of  Isi'ael  welcomed  these 
children  to  His  arms,  as  the  proof  of  His  affectionate 
regard  to  them,  and  of  the  love  which  He  bears  to  our 
nature,  even  in  its  lowliest  and  most  fragile  form. 

Another  circumstance  now  took  place,  Avhich  drew 
from  our  Lord  some  of  those  startling  and  impressive 
warnings  for  which  His  ministry  was  so  remarkable.  A 
young  ruler,  possessed  of  great  riches,  came  to  Him,  and, 
kneeling  down  to  Him,  said,  "  Good  Master,  Avhat  shall 
*  Matthew  xix.  13—15;  Mark  x.  13— IG ;  Luke  xviii.  15—17. 


251  THE    LIFE    AND    MINISTRY 

I  do,  that  I  mav  inherit  eternal  life  ?"  The  Saviour 
first  reproved  him  for  applying  to  Him,  as  a  matter  of 
comjiliment,  the  epithet  "  good."  Had  the  use  of  that 
epithet  been  the  expression  of  an  enlightened  and  Uvely 
faith  in  our  Lord's  more  than  human  dignity  and 
holiness,  it  is  reasonable  to  conceive  that  He  vrould  have 
allowed  and  approved  it.  That  He  was  justly  entitled 
to  it;  there  can  be  no  doubt;  for  both  at  His  baptism 
and  on  the  mount  of  transfiguration,  He  had  been 
declared  to  be  the  Son  of  God, — the  object  of  the 
Father's  ineffable  complacency  and  delight.  In  several 
instances,  also,  He  had  accepted  Avorship  ofiered  to  Him 
under  that  high  and  glorious  character :  but  He  would 
not  sanction  the  complimentary  use  of  an  epithet  indi- 
cative of  perfect  excellence,  on  the  part  of  one  who 
A-iewed  Him  only  as  a  distinguished  Teacher.  In  reply  to 
his  inquiry  relative  to  the  way  to  eternal  hfe,  our  Lord 
referred  him  to  the  great  precepts  of  the  law  as  delivered 
from  ilount  Sinai;  thus  recognising  their  permanent 
validity,  and  the  obligation  which  rests  on  all  His  people 
to  study  and  observe  them.  These  precepts  the  Re- 
deemer came  not  to  impair,  but  to  establish :  and  while 
He  has  opened  to  us  a  new  way  to  pardon  and  acceptance, 
and  has  made  provision  for  otir  receiving  the  Holy 
Ghost  to  sanctify  our  nature.  He  calls  upon  all  who 
come  to  Him  to  "  walk  in  newness  of  life,"  and  evince 
the  reality  of  the  change  which  they  have  experienced, 
by  theii'  uniform  obedience  to  the  Divine  wiU.  But  the 
mind  of  the  young  ruler  had  yet  to  be  impressed  with  a 
con-viction  of  its  cherished  sin.  He  had  from  his  very 
childhood  regarded  the  great  precepts  of  the  law  with 
reverence,  and  had  sousrht    to    obey  them;    and    with 


OF    THE   REDEEMER.  255 

sincerity    and    openness,  though   with    very    imperfect 
conceptions  of  the  extent  and  spirituality  of  the  Divine 
requirements,  he  replied  to  our  Lord,  "  All  these  have  I 
kept    from   my   youth  up:   Avhat    lack    I  yet?"     The 
Saviour  looked  upon  him  with  affectionate  interest;  and 
perceiving  that  the  love  of  riches  was  the  great  obstacle 
to  his  becoming  truly  pious,  struck  at  the  root  of  this 
insidious  and  fatal  evil,  by  commanding  him  to  go  and 
sell  his  possessions,  and  give  them  to  the  poor,  assuring 
him  that  he  should  have  treasure  in  heaven,  and  offering 
to  him  a  place  among  His  own  immediate  attendanta 
"One  thing  thou  lackest:  go  thy  way,  sell  whatsoever 
thou  hast,  and  give  to  the  poor,  and  thou  shalt  have 
treasure  in  heaven:  and  come,  take  rip  the  cross,  and 
follow  Me."     A  fearful  struggle  must  at  this  moment 
have  had  place  in  the  breast  of  the  young  ruler:    but 
the    love   of  money  triumphed,  and    he   "went    away 
sorrowful;  for  he  had  great  possessions."*    The  Saviour 
then,  turning  to   His  disciples,  adverted  with  peculiar 
solemnity   to    the    difficulty    which    the    possession    of 
riches  would  place  in  the  way  of  a  person's  "  entering 
into  the  kingdom  of  God."     To  become  the  subjects  o*f 
that  kingdom,   we  must  be  willing  to  renounce  every 
earthly  good,  rather   than  remain  without    the  Divine 
friendship:  and  if  God  should  confide  worldly  property 
to  our  care,  we  must  use  it  as  a  trust —not  setting  our 
affections  upon  it,  nor  making  it  the  object  of  ou?  con- 
fidence, nor  wasting  it  in  luxurious  self-indulgence,  nor 
holding  it  with  an  avaricious  grasp;   but  employing  it 
for  His  glory,  and  for  the  welfare  of  our  fellow-men. 
And  yet,  great  and  almost  insurmountable  as  are  the 
*  Matthew  xix.  16-22;  Mark  x.  17-22;  Luke  xviii.  IS-23. 


256  THE    LIFE   AND    MINISTRY 

difficulties  Avhicli  lie  in  the  way  of  a  rich  man's  attaining 
the  peace  and  joy  of  piety,  the  grace  of  God  can  enable 
him  to  rise  above  them  all,  and  can  lead  him  to  that 
humility  and  faith,  and  entire  devotion  to  the  Divine 
service,  which  are  essential  to  the  Christian  character.* 

Peter  now  adverted  to  the  position  of  himself  and  his 
fellow-apostles,  who  had  "left  all"  to  follow  our  Lord, 
and  asked,  "  "What  shall  we  have  therefore  1 "  The  reply 
of  the  Saviour  was  remarkable.  It  gave  prominence  to 
the  truth,  that  the  rewards  of  His  service  are  in  every 
case  equal  to  its  high  demands;  it  assured  the  apostles 
that  their  eminence  in  His  spiritual  kingdom  should  be 
equal  to  their  peculiar  toils  and  dangers;  and  it 
affirmed,  that  all  who  should  for  His  sake  resign  their 
earthly  friends  and  possessions,  should  enjoy  His  special 
care  on  earth,  and,  though  they  should  often  be  the 
subjects  of  persecution,  should  find  even  here  many 
who  would  kindly  contribute  to  their  comfort,  and  in  the 
Avorld  to  come  should  inherit  eternal  life.  He  reminded 
them,  however,  that  in  the  administration  of  His  kingdom, 
and  the  distribution  of  the  rewards  of  eternity,  the 
expectations  of  men  would,  in  many  instances,  be  reversed; 
and  that  while  all  His  arrangements  and  decisions  would 
be  those  of  perfect  equity  and  goodness,  "many  that 
were  first  would  be  last,  and  the  last  first."  t 

The  next  incident  recorded  by  the  evangelists  brings 
the  Redeemer  before  us  disclosing  to  His  apostles  the 
deep  feelings  of  His  own  mind,  and  preparing  them  for 
those  scenes  of  suffering  and  shame,  through  which  He 

»  Matthew  xis.  23—26;  Mark  s.  23—27;  Luke  xviii.  24—27. 

f  Matthew  six.  27—30  ;  Mark  x.  28—31 ;   Luke  xviii.  28—30. 

See  also,  in  illustration  of  the  last  sentiment,  Matthew  xx.  1 — 16. 


OF    THE    REDEEMER.  257 

was  about  to  pass.  As  they  were  on  their  Avay  to 
Jerusalem,  He  called  the  twelve  aside,  and  said  to  them, 
"Behold,  we  go  up  to  Jerusalem,  and  all  things  that 
are  written  by  the  prophets  concerning  the  Son  of  man 
shall  be  accomplished.  For  He  shall  be  delivered  unto 
the  chief  priests,  and  unto  the  scribes;  and  they  shall 
condemn  Him  to  death,  and  shall  deliver  Him  to  the 
Gentiles :  and  they  shall  mock  Him,  and  shall  scourge 
Him,  and  shall  spit  upon  Him,  and  shall  kill  Him :  and 
the  third  day  He  shall  rise  again."*  In  His  former 
journeys  to  that  metropolis,  He  had  been  well  aware  of 
the  intense  hatred  which  was  cherished  towards  Him 
by  the  chief  priests  and  scribes,  and  of  their  settled 
purpose  to  take  away  His  life :  but  hitherto  He  had  seen 
fit  to  restrain  their  malice,  and  to  overawe,  by  the  majesty 
of  His  teaching,  all  who  had  sought  to  apprehend  Him. 
But  now,  His  "  hour"  was  approaching, -^that  hour,  of 
which  He  had  so  often  spoken  Avith  deep  and  peculiar 
feelings,  and  the  solemnities  of  which  were  to  consum- 
mate the  work  of  atonement.  All  the  circumstances  of 
outward  ignominy  which  awaited  Him  in  Jerusalem, 
together  with  the  deep  mental  anguish  which  was  to 
come  upon  Him  as  the  Substitute  of  our  guilty  race, 
were  vividly  present  to  His  mind.  But  He  went  forward 
with  a  calm  and  steadfast  resolution.  The  world's 
redemption  lay  upon  Him ;  and  the  great  design  of  His 
appearance  on  earth  was  to  be  accomplished  by  the 
agony  of  the  garden,  and  the  death  of  the  cross.  It  is 
an  impressive  sight  to  behold  Him  thus  calling  His 
disciples  away  from   the   multitude,  and  unfolding  to 

•  Mark  x.  32—34,    collated    with    Luke   xviii.  31—33,    and 
Matthew  xx.  17—19. 


258  THE    LIFE    AXD    MINISTRY 

them  the  scenes  of  His  approaching  suiFerings;  that 
when  they  should  gaze  upon  Him  treated  as  an  outcast, 
and  not  exerting  His  power  to  save  Himself, — when  they 
should  behold  His  countenance  covered  with  mortal 
paleness,  and  hear  Him  utter  the  last  groan  of  death, — 
they  might  remember  that  all  this  was  necessary  to  fulfQ 
the  purposes  of  Infinite  Wisdom,  and  accomplish  the 
declarations  of  the  prophetic  Scriptures,  and  might  look 
forward  to  the  joyous  triumph  of  the  third  day,  when 
He  who  had  submitted  to  be  laid  in  the  silent  tomb, 
should  burst  its  barriers,  and  come  forth  to  bestow  life 
upon  the  world. 

But  while  it  is  instnictive  and  affecting  to  contem- 
plate the  Redeemer  thus  addressing  His  apostles,  it  cannot 
but  awaken  a  feeling  of  sadness,  mixed  with  astonish- 
ment, to  find  that  their  minds  were  still  closed  to  the 
true  import  of  His  words,*  and  that  two  of  them  were 
anxious,  even  then,  to  obtain  from  Him  a  promise  of 
superiority  to  their  brethren,  when  He  should  establish 
His  glorious  kingdom.  James  and  John,  who  had  been 
chosen,  together  with  Peter,  to  enjoy  the  most  intimate 
intercourse  with  Him  during  His  ministry,  and  to  witness 
the  scene  of  the  transfiguration,  preferred  through  their 
mother  the  request  that  they  "might  sit,  the  one  on  His 
right  hand,  and  the  other  on  His  left,  in  His  kingdom." 
The  Saviour's  reply  was  impressive  and  rich  in  instniction. 
He  first  declared  to  them,  that  they  knew  not  what  they 
asked;  that  as  yet  their  views  of  the  nature  of  His 
kingdom  were  exceedingly  defective;  and  that  they 
entirely  mistook  the  pi'inciples  of  His  administration,  if 
they  supposed  that  its  honours  and  rewards  were  to  be 
*  Luke  xviii.  -34. 


OF   THE    KEDEEMBR.  269 

bestowed  on  the  ground  of  personal  favour.     Then,  to 
show  them  how  unsuitable  was  such  a  request,  prompted 
by  unhallowed  ambition,  when  He  was  approaching  His 
deepest  sorrows,  and  when  the  world's  redemption  already 
pressed  heavily  upon  His  spirit.  He  asked,  "  Are  ye  able 
to  drink  of  the  cup  that  I  shall   drink  of,  and  to  be 
baptized  with  the  baptism  that  I  am  baptized  with  1 " 
A  deep  and  weighty  truth  was  implied  in  this  inquiry, — 
that  the  way  to  reign  with  Him  is  to  suffer  with  Him, 
and  that  all  who  hope  to  share  His  triumph,  and  parti- 
cipate His  joy,  must  be  prepared  to  endure  for  His  sake 
the  loss  of  worldly  comforts,  and  even  of  life  itself    James 
and  John,  not  aware,  perhaps,  of  the  full  import  of  their 
Lord's  words,  replied  with  confidence,  "  We  are  able :" 
and  then  the  Redeemer  admonished   them,   that  they 
should  indeed  be  called  to  suffer  in  His  cause ;  but  added, 
that  the  honours  of  His  kingdom  were  not  to  be  bestowed 
by  Him  on  the  ground  of  partiality,  but  rather  to  be 
awarded  according  to  the  high  and  holy  principles  fixed 
in  the  arrangements  of  the  Eternal  Father.     "  Ye  shall 
indeed  drink   of  My  cup,   and  be    baptized   with  the 
baptism  that  I  am  baptized  with :  but  to  sit  on  My  right 
hand,  and  on  My  left,  is  not  Mine  to  give,  but  to  them 
for  whom  it  is  prepared  of  My  father." '''    The  plan  which 
the  Son  of  God  appeared  on  earth  to  carry  out,  had  been 
formed  in  the  mind  of  the  Triune  Deity,  and  its  great 
facts  and  principles  were  settled  and  determined.     To 
this  plan  the  Saviour  invariably  had  respect;  nor  would 
He,  for  a  moment,  sanction  the  idea  that  the  honours  of 
His  government  could  be  bestowed  on   the  ground  of 
human  attachment. 

*  Matthew  xx.  20—23  ;  Mark  x.  35-40. 
s  2 


260  THE    LIFE    AND    MINISTRY 

We  can  easily  conceive,  that  the  jealousy  of  the  ten 
remaining  apostles  would  be  awakened  by  the  request  of 
James  and  John.  The  Saviour  beheld  the  feelings  of 
indignation  which  were  rising  in  their  breasts,  and, 
calling  them  all  around  Him,  said,  with  great  tenderness 
and  dignity,  "  Ye  know  that  the  princes  of  the  Gentiles 
exercise  dominion  over  them,  and  they  that  are  great 
exercise  authority  upon  them.  But  it  shall  not  be  so 
among  you :  but  whosoever  will  be  great  among  you,  let 
him  be  your  minister;  and  whosoever  will  be  chief  among 
you,  let  him  be  your  servant :  even  as  the  Son  of  man 
came  not  to  be  ministered  unto,  but  to  minister,  and  to 
give  His  life  a  ransom  for  many."  *  Beautifully  do  these 
words  illustrate  the  deep  spirituahty  and  condescending 
grace  of  the  Redeemer's  character.  They  show  us,  that 
worldly  ambition — the  love  of  pre-eminence  and  power — 
is  altogether  alien  to  the  temper  which  His  people  are 
to  maintain;  and  that  the  only  way  to  become  "great" 
in  His  kingdom,  is  to  abound  in  self-denying  labours  for 
the  souls  of  men,  and  to  engage  in  those  labours  with 
unaffected  humility.  They  remind  us,  that  He  Himself 
is  to  be  our  pattern;  and  that  as  we  follow  Him  to  the 
cross,  and  gaze  upon  Him  there  pouring  out  His  life  "a 
ransom  for  many,"  we  are  to  renounce  the  pursuit  of 
personal  dignity  or  ease,  and  to  imbibe  that  spirit  of  self- 
saci-ificing  love  which  bore  Him  through  the  scenes  of 
His  deepest  sorrow. 

The  Redeemer  had  now  reached  the  neighbourhood 

of  Jericho,  on  His  way  to   the   metropolis  of  Judaea. 

When  He  passed  through  that  city,  He  was  attended  by 

a  great  multitude,  who  had  hung  on  His  lips,  and  beheld 

*  [Matthew  xx.  24—28  ;  Mark  x.  41—45, 


OF    THE    REDEEMER,  261 

His   miracles  with  deep  interest.     The   multitude  still 
increased;  and  as  they  left  the  city,  two  blind  men,  who 
sat  by  the   road-side  begging, — one  of  whom  was  well 
known  as  the  son  of  Timajus, — perceived  from  the  noise, 
that  there  was  an   unusual   concourse  of  people,  and 
asked  those  who  were  near  them,  what  it  meant.     They 
replied,  that  Jesus  of  Nazareth  passed  by.     Instantly 
the  blind  men  indulged  a  hope,  that  they  might  be  able 
to  engage  the  attention  of  that  illustrious  Prophet,  and 
receive   from   Hira,  as  so  many  had  already  done,  the 
gift  of  sight.     Addressing  Him  as  the  Son  of  David, — 
the  long-expected  Messiah, — they  began  importunately 
to  entreat  Him  to  have  mercy  upon  them.     The  multi- 
tude, disturbed   by  their  earnest  and   i-eiterated   cries, 
charged  them  to  hold  their  peace;  but,  aware  that  every 
thing  depended  on  the  success  of  their  present  applica- 
tion, they  cried  so  much  the  moi*e,  "  Thou  Son  of  David, 
have   mercy  on   us."     The  Eedeemer  stood   still,   and 
commanded  them  to  be  brought  near  to  Him,    Instantly 
some  of  the  multitude  went   to  them,  and,  addressing 
Bartimseus,  whose  cries  appear  to  have  been  even  more 
vehement  than  those  of  his   companion,  said,    "Be   of 
good  comfort,  rise;  He  calleth  thee."     The  blind  men 
now  came  to  Him :  and  our  Lord,  with  great  dignity 
and  kindness,   touched   their  eyes,  and  instantly  gave 
them   sight;   and  they,  having  received   this   blessing, 
gladly  joined  the  multitude  that  followed  in  His  train, 
and    triumphed    in    the  power  and  goodness   of  their 
distinguished  Benefactor.'^ 

Another  incident  occurred  soon  after  our  Lord  had 

left  Jericho,  which  illustrated  His  discernment  of  human 

*  Matthew^x.K,  29 — 34 ;  Mark  x.  46—52  ;  Luke  xviii.  35 — 43. 


262  THE    LIFE    AND    MINISTRY 

character,  and  His  intimate  knowledge  of  the  thoughts 
of  every  human  mind,  while  it  evinced,  also,  His  con- 
descending grace  to  those  from  whom  the  self-righteous 
Pharisees  would  have  turned  away  with  contempt. 
Zacchseus,  the  chief  of  the  collectors  of  the  customs  in 
that  district,  felt  an  earnest  desire  to  see  Him;  and  as 
he  could  not  do  so  among  the  crowd,  he  ran  before,  and 
climbed  up  into  a  sycamore-tree,  by  which  the  Sa\'iour 
had  to  pass.  When  our  Lord  came  to  the  place,  He 
looked  up,  and  said  to  him,  "  ZacchjBUS,  make  haste,  and 
come  down;  for  to-day  I  must  abide  at  thy  house." 
Astonished  and  deUghted  at  this  announcement,  Zac- 
chseus made  haste,  and  came  down,  and  entertained 
the  Redeemer  with  every  mark  of  affection  and  respect. 
Many  of  the  people,  who  cherished  an  intense  dislike  to 
all  who  were  engaged  in  the  office  of  publican,  and  who 
knew  that  Zacchjeus  had  been  guilty  of  extortion  and 
fraud,  complained  of  this  conduct  of  our  Lord,  saying, 
that  He  had  gone  to  be  guest  with  a  man  whose  life  had 
been  sinful  and  unjust.  But  the  grace  of  the  Saviour 
had  touched  the  heart  of  Zacchieus;  and  before  all  who 
were  present,  he  avowed  his  intention  to  i-estore  four- 
fold to  every  man,  whatever  he  might  have  taken  from 
liim  by  false  accusation,  and  to  give  to  the  poor  one-half 
of  his  worldly  property.  The  Redeemer  accepted  this 
evidence  of  his  sincere  repentance,  and  of  his  desire  to 
be  numbered  among  His  people ;  and  graciously  declared, 
"  This  day  is  salvation  come  to  this  house,  forsomuch  as 
he  also  is  a  son  of  Abraham.  For  the  Son  of  man  is 
come  to  seek  and  to  save  that  which  was  lost."* 
The  journey  of  our  Lord  was  now  nearly  completed. 
•  Luke  xix.  2—10. 


OF    THE    REDEEMER.  263 

He  was  drawing  near  to  Bethany,  in  the  immediate 
neighbourhood  of  Jerusalem;  and  within  a  very  few  days, 
He  was  about  to  enter  the  metropolis  itself.  Some  of  His 
attendants  still  cherished  the  hope,  that  "  the  kingdom 
of  God  woxxld  immediately  appear,"  and  that  the  Prophet 
whose  career  had  been  one  of  light  and  blessing,  would 
be  enthroned  among  them  in  outward  dignity  and 
power.*  But  the  Saviour  addressed  to  them  a  parable, 
to  correct  these  misapprehensions,  and  to  admonish  them 
of  the  position  in  which  all  who  professed  to  be  His 
disciples  would  soon  be  placed.  By  a  beautiful  allegory 
He  taught  them,  that  He  was  about  to  leave  them; — 
that  the  seat  of  His  dominion  would  be  in  heaven,  and  not 
on  earth ; — that  the  restraints  of  His  government  would 
call  forth  the  hostility  of  many  of  the  men  of  the  world, 
and  even  of  some  who  claimed  to  be  the  people  of  God ; 
— that  when  He  should  ascend  to  His  heavenly  throne.  He 
would  entrust  to  each  of  them  certain  talents,  which  they 
were  to  use  for  His  glory ; — that  their  state  on  earth  was 
not  to  be  one  of  ease  and  worldly  gratification,  but  one  of 
active  and  unremitting  effort  in  His  cause ; — and  that  when 
He  should  come  again,  in  the  manifestation  of  His  royalty, 
He  would  not  only  inflict  punishment  upon  His  avowed 
enemies,  but  would  summon  His  servants  to  their  account, 
and  distribute  to  every  one  of  them  according  to  his 
improvement  or  neglect,  t  Such  were  the  sentiments 
which  the  Redeemer  impressed  on  the  minds  of  His 
folloAvers,  as  He  drew  near  to  the  capital  of  Judsea.  He 
gave  not  the  slightest  countenance  to  the  idea,  that  He 
was  about  to  establish  a  secular  kingdom,  and  to  confer 
on  His  attendants  dignity  and  Avealth :  but  He  sought 
*  Luke  xix.  11.  f  Luke  xix.  12—27. 


264  THE    LIFE    AND    MINISTRY 

to  prepare  them  for  His  own  removal  from  their  head, 
and  He  fixed  their  attention  on  their  individual  account- 
ability, and  the  solemn  investigation  of  their  character 
and  condvict  which  should  take  place  at  the  period  of 
His  manifested  glory. 


CHAPTER  XII. 

THE  redeemer's  ENTRANCE  INTO  JERUSALEM,  AT  THE 
APPROACH  OF  THE  LAST  PASSOVER.  THE  CONCLUSION 
OF    HIS    PUBLIC    MINISTRY. 

The  paschal  solemnity  was  now  rapidly  approaching, 
and  a  large  concourse  of  people  had  already  gone  up  to 
Jerusalem,  to  prepare  themselves  to  observe  it.  The 
Prophet  of  Galilee  was  a  frequent  topic  of  conversation 
in  the  metropolis;  and  the  chief  priests  and  Pharisees 
looked  forward  to  the  feast  with  mingled  emotions  of 
solicitude  and  hope.  Sometimes  they  feared  that,  being 
aware  of  their  malignant  design  against  Plim,  He  would 
remain  at  a  distance ;  or  that,  should  He  come,  He 
would,  as  on  former  occasions,  frustrate  their  attempts 
to  injure  Him:  and  at  other  times  they  hoped,  that  He 
would  appear  among  them,  and  that  ere  He  left  Jerusa- 
lem, they  should  be  able  to  accomplish  His  death.* 

The  Redeemer,  meanwhile,  was  drawing  nearer  and 

nearer  to  that  guilty  city,  which  was  to  be  the  scene  of 

His  deepest  humiliation.     It  was  His  purpose  to  enter 

Jerusalem  in  public,  and  to  deliver  in  the  temple,  in  the 

•  John  xi.  55 — 57. 


OF    THE    REDEEMER.  265 

presence  of  His  bitterest  enemies,  some  of  His  most 
impressive  declarations  and  warnings.  To  those  who 
envied  His  influence,  and  thirsted  for  His  blood.  He  was 
about  to  proclaim  the  mysterious  dignity  of  His  person, 
and  the  supreme  authority  with  which  He  should  be 
invested;  and  then  He  was  about  to  yield  Himself  into 
the  hands  of  the  beti'ayer,  and  to  submit  even  to  the 
death  of  the  cross,  to  accomplish  the  designs  of  infinite 
holiness  and  love.  Six  days  before  the  passover  He 
arrived  at  the  village  of  Bethany,  which  was  endeared  to 
Him  as  the  residence  of  Lazarus  and  his  pious  sisters, 
and  which  was  now  memorable  as  the  scene  of  the  most 
stupendous  miracle  which  He  had  wrought.*  In  this 
favoured  spot  He  appears  to  have  passed  an  entire  day 
before  entering  the  capital  of  Judfea.  The  Sabbath  had 
terminated;  and  the  first  day  of  the  week  in  which  He 
was  to  suffer,  was  spent  by  Him  in  the  society  of  His 
faithful  disciples  and  fi'iends,  A  person  of  considerable 
note  in  Bethany,  of  the  name  of  Simon,  prepared  a 
supper  in  honour  of  His  arrival;  and  the  Redeemer 
condescended  to  accept  the  invitation  given  to  Him. 
Lazarus,  also,  and  his  sisters,  were  present  on  the  occa- 
sion ;  but  while  Lazarus  sat  with  our  Lord  as  one  of  the 
guests,  Martha  expressed  her  affection  and  reverence  for 
her  Benefactor,  by  cheerfully  waiting  upon  Him  at  tablet 
The  love  and  veneration  of  Mary  were  evinced  in  a 
different  form.  She  took  an  alabaster  box  of  ointment 
of  spikenard,  very  precious,  and,  breaking  the  seal, 
poured  it  on  the  Redeemer's  head  and  feet.  J     She  felt, 

*  John  xii.  1,  collated  with  .John  xi.  5. 

f  John  xii.  2,  collated  with  Matthew  xxvi.  6;  Mark  xiv.  3. 

I  John  xii.  3 ;   Matthew  xxvi,  7 ;  Mark  xiv.  3. 


266  TlIS    LIFE    AND    MINISTRY 

as  she  did  this,  that  nothing  was  too  costly  to  be 
expended  upon  Him,  from  whose  teaching  she  had 
derived  so  great  spiritual  benefit,  and  whose  more  than 
human  glory  had  been  displayed  in  calling  her  brother 
from  the  tomb;  and  a  mournful  impression  seems  to 
have  rested  on  her  mind,  that  His  sacred  body,  which 
she  thus  honoured,  would  soon  be  treated  with  rude 
indignity,  and  be  committed  to  the  silent  tomb.  Judas 
Iscariot,  and  a  few  others,  complained  of  the  lavish  use 
of  so  A^aluable  an  unguent;  and  asked,  "To  what  purpose 
is  this  waste?  for  this  ointment  might  have  been  sold  for 
more  than  three  hundred  pence,  and  given  to  the  poor." 
But  the  Redeemer  at  once  interposed,  to  assure  the 
affectionate  and  anxious  Mary,  that  He  approved  of  this 
expression  of  her  esteem  and  love.  He  reminded  them, 
that  they  had  the  poor  always  with  them,  and  that 
repeated  opportunities  would  be  given  to  them  to  show 
the  sincei-ity  of  their  benevolent  feelings  towards  the 
destitute :  but  He  added,  with  peculiar  emphasis,  "  Me 
ye  have  not  always;"  and  then  spoke  of  this  action  of 
Mary  as  peculiarly  appropriate  when  viewed  in  relation 
to  His  approaching  death.  It  was  an  expression  of  love 
to  Him,  as  one  who  Avas  soon  to  be  removed  from  their 
sight ;  and  the  Saviour  has  commended  it  to  the  attention 
of  His  people,  in  every  age,  as  a  beautiful  illustration  of 
that  supreme  regard  to  Himself  by  which  they  should 
be  distinguished.  "  She  hath  done  what  she  could :  she 
is  come  aforehand  to  anoint  My  body  to  the  burying. 
Verily  I  say  unto  you.  Wheresoever  this  Gospel  shall  be 
preached  throughout  the  whole  world,  this  also  that  she 
hath  done  shall  be  spoken  of  for  a  memorial  of  her."* 
*  John  xii.  4— S;  Mark  xiv.  4 — 9;  Matthew  xxvi.  8—13. 


OF    THE    REDEEMER.  267 

With  His  mind  thus  fixed  on  the  sufferings  and  death 
that  awaited  Him,  the  Redeemer  prepared,  on  the 
following  morning,  to  make  His  public  entrance  into 
Jerusalem.  He  sent  two  of  His  disciples  to  a  village 
just  at  hand,  to  bring  to  Him  a  young  ass,  on  which  no 
man  had  yet  sat.  The  owners  of  the  colt  being  apprised 
that  Jesus,  the  great  Teacher  of  Israel,  desired  it  for  His 
use,  at  once  consented  to  the  disciples  taking  it;  and 
they  brought  it  to  Him,  accompanied  by  its  dam.*  In 
selecting  an  ass,  as  the  animal  on  which  He  would  ride 
into  the  city,  the  Redeemer  designed  to  fulfil  the 
remarkable  prediction  of  Zechariah,  and  to  present  an 
impressive  and  beautiful  emblem  of  the  lowliness  of  His 
own  spirit,  and  the  pacific  character  of  His  reign.  He 
came  to  the  hill  of  Zion,  not  on  the  warlike  horse,  or  in 
a  military  chariot,  but  like  a  peaceful  Sovereign  of  ancient 
daysj  and  everything  around  Him  proclaimed,  that  the 
kingdom  which  He  would  establish  was  not  to  be 
founded  or  extended  by  the  clash  of  arms.  This  had 
been  indicated,  with  great  clearness  and  power,  in  the 
prophecy  which  was  now  accomplished: — "Rejoice 
greatly,  0  daughter  of  Zion ;  shout,  0  daughter  of  Jera- 
salem :  behold,  thy  King  cometh  unto  thee :  He  is  just, 
and  having  salvation;  lowly,  and  riding  upon  an  ass,  and 
upon  a  colt  the  foal  of  an  ass.  And  I  will  cut  ofi"  the 
chariot  from  Ephraim,  and  the  horse  from  Jerusalem, 
and  the  battle-bow  shall  be  cut  off :  and  He  shall  speak 
peace  unto  the  heathen :  and  His  dominion  shall  be  from 
sea  even  to  sea,  and  from  the  river  even  to  the  ends  of 
the  earth."  t     A  great  multitude  attended  our  Lord  as 

•  Matthew  xxi.   1—7 ;    Mark  xi.   1—7 ;    Luke  xix.    29—35 ; 
John  xii.  14. 

t  Zechariah  ix.  9,10:  see  also  Matthew  xxi.  4,5;  John  xii.  15,16. 


268  THE    LIFE    AND    MINISTRY 

He  went  forward  to  Jerusalem.*  Many  bad  accompanied 
Him  from  Galilee;  and  others  came  from  Jerusalem  to 
Bethany,  when  they  heard  that  He  had  arrived  there, 
that  they  might  see  both  Himself  and  Lazarus  whom  He 
bad  raised  from  the  dead.f  As  the  procession  moved 
onward, — the  Redeemer  riding  upon  the  ass-colt,  on 
which  some  of  His  disciples  had  spread  their  garments, 
— the  multitude  began  to  express  their  joy  and  triumph. 
Many  threw  their  mantles  on  the  road,  that  He  might 
ride  as  upon  one  continued  cai'pet ;  others  cut  down 
branches  from  the  trees,  and  strewed  them  in  the  way; 
and  from  the  lips  of  nearly  all  who  were  present,  the 
joyous  acclamation  burst  forth,  "  Hosanna  to  the  Son  of 
David :  blessed  is  He  that  cometh  in  the  name  of  the 
Lord :  Hosanna  in  the  highest.":|:  The  news  quickly  . 
reached  Jerusalem,  that  the  great  Prophet  was  about  to 
enter  it  publicly;  and  many  persons  who  had  already 
come  up  to  the  feast,  and  v/ho  probably  had  often  heard 
Him,  and  seen  His  miracles,  in  the  northern  district  of 
the  Holy  Land,  came  forth  to  meet  Him  with  branches 
of  palm-trees,  and  joined  in  the  universal  shout  of  praise 
and  triumph. §  Some  of  the  Pharisees,  who  mingled 
with  the  multitude,  appealed  to  Him  to  repress  these 
acclamations;  but  He  replied,  "I  tell  you  that  if  these 
should  hold  their  peace,  the  stones  would  immediately 
cry  out."  II 

As  the  Saviour  drew  near  to  Jerusalem,  He  gave  an 
affecting  proof  of  the  sorrow  which  filled  His  own  breast, 
amidst  all  the  joys  and  hopes  of  His  followers.     The 

*  Matthew  xxi.  8.  f  Jolin  xii.  9. 

I  Matthew  xxi.  8,  9  ;  Mark  xi.  7—10  ;  Luke  xix.  35—38. 

§  Johu  xii.  12,  13.  |1  Luke  xix.  39,  40. 


OF    THE    REDEEMER.  269 

view  of  that  guilty  city,  wliich  was  just  about  to  fill  up 
the  measure  of  its  iniquities,  and  on  which  the  heaviest 
visitations  of  Divine  wrath  were  about  to  fall,  moved 
Him  even  to  teai's :  and  He  paused,  and  wept  over  it, 
and  exclaimed,  "If  thou  hadst  known,  even  thou, 
at  least  in  this  thy  day,  the  things  which  belong  unto 
thy  peace !  but  now  they  are  hid  from  thine  eyes. 
For  the  days  shall  come  upon  thee,  that  thine  enemies 
shall  cast  a  trench  about  thee,  and  compass  thee 
round,  and  keep  thee  in  on  every  side,  and  shall  lay 
thee  even  with  the  ground,  and  thy  children  within 
thee;  and  they  shall  not  leave  in  thee  one  stone  upon 
another;  because  thou  knewest  not  the  time  of  thy 
visitation."*  Then,  resuming  His  progress.  He  entered 
Jerusalem,  and  the  whole  city  was  moved  at  the  strange 
and  novel  sight.  Many  of  the  inhabitants  doubtless 
recognised  Him;  but  many  others,  and  several  of  those 
who  had  come  up  from  the  country  to  worship  at  the 
feast,  eagei'ly  inquired,  "  Who  is  this?"  His  attendants 
replied,  "  This  is  Jesus,  the  Prophet  of  Nazareth  of 
Galilee. "t  He,  meanwhile,  went  forward  to  the  temple, 
and  cast  out,  as  He  had  done  at  the  commencement 
of  His  ministry,  those  who  converted  that  sacred  place 
into  a  house  of  merchandise.  J  There,  also.  He  repeated 
the  exercises  of  His  power  and  love.  "The  blind  and  the 
lame  came  to  Him  in  the  temple;  and  He  healed  them."§ 
The  little  children,  too,  crowded  around  Him,  re-echoiDg 
the  shout  of  the  multitude,  "  Hosanna  to  the  Son  of 
David!"  and  when  the  chief  priests  and  scribes  iudig- 

«  Luke  xix.  41—44.  f  Matthew  xxi.  10,  11. 

+  Matthew  xxi.  12—13  ;  Luke  xix.  45—48. 
§  Matthew  xxi.  14, 


270  THE   LIFE   AXD    MINISTRY 

nantly  said  to  Him,  "Hearest  thou  what  these  say?" 
He  avowed  His  approval  of  their  acclamation,  as  an 
appropriate  acknowledgment  of  His  real  character,  and 
of  the  blessings  of  His  reign: — "Yea;  have  ye  never 
read,  Out  of  the  mouths  of  babes  and  sucklings  Thou  hast 
perfected  praise  1"* 

It  appears  scarcely  necessary  to  remark,  that  there 
was  nothing  in  our  Lord's  public  entrance  into  Jeru- 
salem, which  could  justly  awaken  the  jealousy  of  the 
civil  power.  He  made  no  attempt  to  establish  a  secular 
dominion,  but  came  to  the  hill  of  Zion  as  a  spiritual 
King; — the  exercises  of  authority  which  He  put  forth 
were  designed  to  vindicate  the  sacred  character  of  that 
place  where  solemn  worship  was  to  be  offered  to  Jehovah, 
by  men  of  every  land; — and  the  triumphal  scene  closed 
with  the  renewed  exertion  of  His  power  to  remove  the 
sufferings  of  men,  and  restore  health  and  vigour  to  the 
disabled  frame. 

It  was,  probably,  on  this  day,  as  our  Lord  was  passing 
out  of  the  temple,  that  certain  devout  Greeks,  who  had 
come  up  to  be  present  at  the  feast,  and  who  were  per- 
sonally known  to  the  apostle  Philip,  sought,  through 
him,  to  be  introduced  to  the  illustrious  Teacher  of 
whom  they  had  heard,  and  whose  entrance  into  Jerusalem 
had  caused  so  great  a  sensation. t  The  Saviour  acceded 
to  their  wish  to  see  and  hear  Him ;  and  in  their  presence, 
and  that  of  His  disciples,  with  many  others,  He  gave 
utterance  to  the  remarkable  words :  "  The  hour  is  come, 
that  the  Son  of  man  should  be  glorified.  Verily,  verily, 
I  say  unto  you,  Except  a  corn  of  wheat  fall  into  the 
ground  and   die,   it  abideth  alone:    but    if  it  die,   it 

•  Matthew  xsi.  15,  16.  f  John  xii.  20—22. 


OF    THE    KEDEEMER.  271 

bringeth  forth  much  fruit.  He  that  loveth  his  life  shall 
lose  it;  and  he  that  hateth  his  life  in  this  world,  shall 
keep  it  unto  Hfe  eternal.  If  any  man  serve  Me,  let  him 
follow  Me ;  and  where  I  am,  there  shall  also  My  servant 
be  :  if  any  man  serve  Me,  him  will  My  Father  honour."* 
This  language  of  the  Redeemer  is  rich  in  spiritual 
instruction.  It  shows  us,  that  His  own  mind  was  intent 
on  His  approaching  sufferings  and  death,  as  necessary  to 
His  mediatorial  glory,  and  essential  to  the  salvation  of 
man.  It  illustrates  the  loftiness  of  His  claims.  He 
demanded,  as  His  inalienable  right,  the  submission  and 
obedience  of  every  human  being;  He  called  upon  His 
people  to  tread  in  His  steps  of  self-denying  labour  and 
suffering,  and  to  follow  Him  even  unto  death;  and  He 
promised  to  all  who  should  yield  themselves  up  to  His 
service,  that  the  Eternal  Father  wovdd  confer  upon  them 
the  highest  honours  and  rewards.  Having  uttered  these 
impressive  sayings,  the  Redeemer  appears  to  have  paused; 
and  then,  feeling  already  the  pressure  of  that  inward 
anguish,  which  in  its  fulness  was  soon  about  to  come 
upon  Him,  He  said,  "  Now  is  My  soul  troubled ;  and 
what  shall  I  say?  Father,  save  Me  from  this  hour: 
but  for  this  cause  came  I  unto  this  hour.  Father, 
glorify  Thy  name."t  Profound  and  momentous  are  the 
truths  which  these  words  of  the  Saviour  involve.  The 
Lord  Jesus  lays  open  to  us  the  deep  workings  of  His  own 
mind.  The  "  hour  "  upon  which  He  was  entering,  was 
one  of  almost  overwhelming  sorrow;  but  He  could  not 
ask  to  be  saved  from  it,  since  it  was  for  the  very  purpose 
of  becoming  our  Substitute,  and  bearing  on  His  spirit 
the  pressure  of  our  guilt,  that  He  appeared  on  earth,  and 

•  John  xii.  23—26.  f  John  xii.  27. 


272  THE    LIFE    AND    MINISTRT 

had  gone  through  the  years  of  His  pubhc  ministry.  The 
only  i-equest  which  He,  the  Mediator,  could  offer,  was, 
that  in  all  the  scenes  of  darkness  and  suffering  through 
which  He  was  about  to  pass,  the  Father's  name  might 
be  glorified,  and  the  perfections  of  the  Divine  character 
shine  forth  with  unclouded  lustre.  Immediately  upon 
His  uttering  the  petition,  "  Father,  glorify  Thy  name,"  a 
voice  was  heard  from  heaven,  "  I  have  both  glorified  it, 
and  will  glorify  it  again."  Some  who  stood  by  said  that 
it  thundered ;  others  said  that  an  angel  spake  to  Him : 
but  the  Saviour  declared  to  them,  that  this  voice  was 
intended  to  confirm  their  faith  in  Him,  in  that  season  of 
gloom  which  Avas  at  hand;  and  then  afiirmed  the 
important  bearing  of  His  sufferings  and  death  on  the 
overthrow  of  Satan's  empire,  and  the  salvation  of  a 
guilty  world.  "  This  voice  came  not  because  of  Me,  but 
for  your  sakes.  Now  is  the  judgment  of  this  world : 
now  shall  the  prince  of  this  world  be  cast  out.  And  I, 
if  I  be  lifted  up  from  the  earth,  will  draw  all  men  unto 
Me."*  Many  who  stood  around  Him,  and  who  had 
shared  in  the  joyous  emotions  called  forth  by  His  public 
entrance  into  Jerusalem,  were  by  no  means  prepared  to 
receive  the  announcement  of  His  approaching  death; 
and  they  answered  Him,  "We  have  heard  out  of  the 
law,  that  the  Messiah  abideth  for  ever:  and  how  sayest 
thou,  The  Son  of  man  must  be  lifted  up  ?  who  is  this 
Son  of  man  1 "  The  Saviour,  in  reply,  admonished  them 
not  to  cavil  at  His  words,  but  gratefully  to  follow  the 
light  which,  during  the  brief  remainder  of  His  public 
ministry,  should  be  shed  forth  upon  their  minds.  "  Yet 
a  little  while  is  the  light  with  you.  Walk  while  ye 
*  John  xii.  28—32. 


OF    THE    REDEEMER.  273 

have  the  light,  lest  darkness  come  upon  you :  for  he  that 
walketh  in  darkness  knoweth  not  whither  he  goeth. 
While  ye  have  light,  believe  in  the  light,  that  ye 
may  be  the  children  of  Hght."*  He  then  left  them, 
and,  retiring  from  Jerusalem  with  the  twelve,  went  to 
Bethany,  and  lodged  there. -t" 

On  the  following  morning,  as  He  returned  about 
sunrise  to  the  city,  He  saw  a  fig-tree  richly  covered  with 
leaves,  and,  being  hungry,  went  up  to  it,  and  found  it 
hopelessly  barren.  He  then  pronounced  on  it  the  curse, 
"Let  no  man  eat  fruit  of  thee  hereafter  for  ever;"  and 
almost  immediately  it  withered  away.;}:  This  tree  stood 
as  an  emblem  of  the  insincere  professors  of  religion,  that 
abounded  in  the  Jewish  church,  and  especially  in  the 
guilty  metropohs;  and  the  malediction  which  He  uttered 
against  it,  illustrated  the  fearful  ruin  which  was  coming 
upon  them.  Having  entered  the  city.  He  again  went 
up  to  the  temple,  and  repeated  the  exercise  of  His 
authority,  in  driving  out  those  who  had  again  dared  to 
occupy  its  sacred  courts  for  the  purpose  of  traffic.  §  On 
this  day,  also.  He  taught  publicly  in  the  temple,  || 
though  we  have  no  record  of  the  discourses  which  He 
delivered, — unless,  indeed,  we  assign  to  this  day  the 
brief  but  impressive  observations  which  are  given  by  St. 
John,  towards  the  close  of  the  twelfth  chapter  of  his 
Gospel,  "He  that  believeth  on  Me,  believeth  not  on 
Me,  but  on  Him  that  sent  Me,  And  he  that  seeth  Me, 
seeth  Him  that  sent  Me.     I  am  come  a  Light  into  the 

•  John  xii.  34— 3f5. 

t  John  xii.  36  ;  Matthew  xxi.  17;  Mark  xi.  11. 
I  Matthew  xxi.  IS,  19;  Mark  xi.  12—14. 
§  Mark  xi.  15—17.  ||  Mark  xi.  18  ;  Luke  xix.  47. 

T 


274  THE    LIFE    AND    MINISTRY 

world,  that  whosoever  believeth  on  Me,  should  not  abide 
in  darkness.  And  if  any  man  hear  My  words  and 
believe  not,  I  judge  him  not :  for  I  came  not  to  judge 
the  world,  but  to  save  the  world.  He  that  rejecteth 
Me,  and  receiveth  not  My  words,  hath  one  that  judgeth 
him :  the  word  that  I  have  spoken,  the  same  shall  judge 
him  in  the  last  day.  For  I  have  not  spoken  of  Myself; 
but  the  Father  which  sent  Me,  He  gave  Me  a  com- 
mandment, what  I  should  say,  and  what  I  should  speak. 
And  I  know  that  His  commandment  is  life  everlasting : 
whatsoever  I  speak  therefore,  even  as  the  Father  said 
unto  Me,  so  I  speak."*  In  these  words,  the  Redeemer 
affirmed  the  perfect  accordance  of  all  that  He  taught 
and  did,  as  the  Mediator,  with  the  purposes  of  the 
Eternal  Father ; — He  declared,  as  on  the  preceding  day, 
that  He  had  come  to  earth  to  shed  light  upon  the 
spirit  of  man,  and  to  disclose  to  every  dark  and  fainting 
mind  the  way  of  salvation  and  peace;  and  He  pointed 
out  the  fearful  consequences  of  rejecting  Him,  when  the 
history  of  this  world  should  be  brought  to  a  close.  A 
secret  conviction  of  His  Messiahship,  and  of  the  truth  of 
all  His  sayings,  now  filled  the  minds  of  several  even  of 
the  rulers,  though  they  did  not  openly  confess  Him :  but 
the  chief  priests  and  scribes  generally  were  only  irritated 
by  every  fresh  development  of  His  wisdom,  and  every 
exercise  of  His  poorer,  t  In  the  evening  of  this  day, 
also,  the  Saviour  retired  from  the  city  to  the  jMount  of 
Olives.  + 

Early  on  the  next  morning,  He  again  went  to  Jeru- 

*  .Tohii  xii.  44 — 50. 

+  John  xii.  42,  43;  Mark  xi.  18;  Luke  xix.  47,  48. 

X  Mark  xi,  19  ;  Luke  xxi.  37. 


OF  THE  REDEEMER.  275 

salem,  accompanied  by  the  twelve;  and  as  they  passed 
by  the  fig-tree,  which  was  now  "dried  up  from  the 
roots,"  Peter  and  the  other  disciples  adverted,  with  a 
degree  of  surprise,  to  the  complete  and  almost  instanta- 
neous fulfilment  of  the  curse  which  He  had  pronounced 
upon  it.  The  Saviour  availed  Himself  of  this  opportunity 
to  encourage  them  to  exercise  a  firm  faith  in  the  Divine 
fidelity  and  power,  and  to  expect  the  actual  performance 
of  every  engagement  of  the  Most  High.*  He  then  went 
forward  with  them  to  the  city,  and  proceeded  to  the 
temple,  to  instruct  the  people  who  were  assembled  there 
to  listen  to  His  teaching. t  This  was  the  fourth  day — 
Wednesday — of  the  week  in  which  He  was  to  suffer; 
and  on  this  day  He  closed  His  public  ministry/.  It  is  a 
circumstance  of  peculiar  interest,  that  three  of  the 
evangelists  have  left  us  a  copious  account  of  His  dis- 
courses and  conversations  on  this  memorable  day;  and 
we  have  now  to  listen  to  them  with  that  solemnity  and 
earnestness  with  which  the  last  public  addresses  of  our 
Saviour  and  our  Lord  should  ever  be  regarded. 

As  He  was  teaching  the  people  in  the  temple,  the 
chief  priests,  and  scribes,  and  elders  came  up  to  Him, 
and,  adverting  to  the  occurrences  of  the  two  preceding 
days,  inquired,  "  By  what  authority  doest  thou  these 
things?  and  who  gave  thee  this  authority? ":{:  The 
Redeemer,  who  well  knew  that  this  question  did  not 
proceed  from  a  desire  candidly  to  investigate  the  evi- 
dences of  His  claims,  declined  to  reply  to  it,  in  the  first 
instance,  in  a  direct  and  explicit  manner.     He  chose 

*  Mark  xi.  20—26 ;  Matthew  xxi.  20—22. 

t  Mark  xi.  27,  collated  with  Luke  xxi.  37,  38. 

I  Matthew  xxi.  23 ;  Mark  xi.  27,  28  ;  Luke  xx.  ] ,  2. 

T  2 


276  THE    LIFE   AND   MINISTRY 

rather  to  put  their  sincerity  to  the  test,  by  asking  them 
a  question  relative  to  the  mission  of  John  the  Baptist, 
— whether  it  was  from  heaven,  or  of  men?  and  when 
they  declined  to  answer  it, — since  to  acknowledge  the 
Divine  mission  of  John  would  have  been  to  allow  the 
claims  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  and  to  deny  it  would  have 
exposed  them  to  the  indignation  of  the  people, — the 
Saviour  rejoined,  "Neither  tell  I  you  by  what  authority 
I  do  these  things."*  But  He  did  not  thus  terminate 
the  conversation.  In  the  presence  of  the  assembled 
multitude.  He  addressed  to  the  chief  priests  and  elders 
two  parables,  calculated  to  awaken,  even  in  their  callous 
hearts,  serious  emotions.  In  the  former  of  these,  the 
application  of  which  He  Himself  pointed  out.  He  showed 
them  that,  notwithstanding  their  professions  of  regard 
and  submission  to  Jehovah,  their  case  was  far  more 
perilous  than  that  even  of  publicans  and  harlots, — since 
they  had  resisted  every  call  to  repentance,  and  had  closed 
their  eyes  against  the  clearest  light  of  truth.t  But  it 
was  the  second  of  these  parables  which  was  the  more 
remarkable,  especially  when  viewed  in  connexion  with 
the  circumstances  in  which  our  Lord  now  stood.  "  Hear," 
He  said,  "  another  parable.  There  was  a  certain  house- 
holder which  planted  a  vineyard,  and  hedged  it  round 
about,  and  digged  a  winepress  in  it,  and  built  a  tower, 
and  let  it  out  to  husbandmen,  and  went  into  a  far 
country :  and  when  the  time  of  the  fruit  drew  near,  he 
sent  his  servants  to  the  husbandmen,  that  they  might 
receive  the  fruits  of  it.  And  the  husbandmen  took  his 
servants,  and  beat  one,  and  killed  another,  and  stoned 

*  Matthew  xxi.  24—27  ;  Mark  xi.  29—33;   Luke  xx.  3—8. 
t  Matthew  xxi.  28— -32. 


OF    THE   REDEEMER.  277 

another.     Again,  he  sent  other  servants  more  than  the 
first :  and  they  did  unto  them  hkewise.     But  last  of  all 
he  sent  unto  them  his  son,  saying,  They  will  reverence 
my  son.     But  when  the  husbandmen  saw  the  son,  they 
said  among  themselves.  This  is  the  heir;   come,  let  us 
kill  him,  and  let  us  seize  on  his  inheritance.     And  they 
caught  him,  and  cast  hiiB  out  of  the  vineyard,  and  slew 
him."*    Here  let  us  pause,  for  a  moment,  and  reflect  on 
the  bold  and  impressive  manner  in  which  the  Redeemer 
affirmed  His  personal  dignity,  even  while  addressing  His 
bitterest  enemies.     The  prophets  who  had  come  before 
Him  were  the  servants  of  the  Lord  of  the  vineyard :  He 
was  THE  Son,  entitled  to   peculiar   reverence,  and  the 
rejection  of  whom  would  be  an  act  of  surpassing  guilt. 
Let  us  reflect,  too,  how  distinctly  He  intimated  to  the 
chief  priests  and  scribes  His  knowledge  of  the  design 
which  they  had   formed   against   His  life,   and  of  the 
success  which  would  now  attend  it,  though  soon  their 
triumph  would  be  followed  by  utter  dismay  and  ruin. 
Often,  in  the  course  of  His  ministry,  He  had  restrained 
their  violence;  but  now  He  was  about  to  yield  Himself 
up  into  their  hands,  and  to  become  the  victim  of  their 
malignity.      The    pai-able    which   He   delivered,   repre- 
sented even  the  Son  as  slain  by  those  to  whose  care  the 
vineyard  had  been  entrusted;  and  having  led  His  hearers 
to  this  point,  the  Saviour  appealed  to  them,  "  When  the 
lord  therefore  of  the  vineyard  cometh,  what  will  he  do 
unto   those   husbandmen?"     They  answered,  "  He  will 
miserably  destroy  those  wicked  men,  and  will  let  out  his 
vineyard  unto   other  husbandmen,  which  shall   render 

•  Matthew  xxi.  33—39  ;  Mark  xii.  1—8  ;  Luke  xx.  9—15. 


278  THE   LIFE   AND    MINISTRY 

him  the  fruits  in  their  seasons."*  The  Ptedeemer  took 
up  this  reply,  and  added,  emphatically,  "  He  shall  come 
and  destroy  these  husbandmen,  and  shall  give  the  vine- 
yard to  others."  The  solemnity  of  His  manner  made  it 
obvious,  that  He  intended  to  predict  the  heaviest  judg- 
ments as  about  to  fall  upon  them;  and  they  exclaimed, 
"  God  forbid !"  But  the  Saviour  beheld  them  steadfastly, 
and  said,  "What  is  this  then  that  is  -vsTitten?  'The 
stone  which  the  builders  rejected,  the  same  is  become 
the  head  of  the  corner ;  this  is  the  Lord's  doing,  and  it 
is  marvellous  in  our  eyes.'  Whosoever  shall  fall  upon 
that  stone  shall  be  broken;  but  on  whomsoever  it  shall 
fall,  it  will  grind  him  to  powder."  t  Here,  again,  our 
Lord  adverted  to  His  approaching  rejection  and  death; 
but  He  connected  these  events  with  His  mediatorial 
exaltation,  to  be  brought  about  by  an  astonishing  and 
overwhelming  display  of  Divine  power.  He  was  the 
"stone"  set  at  nought  by  "the  builders," — by  those  who 
professed  to  instruct  the  people  of  God,  and  to  establish 
them  in  knowledge  and  hoUness :  but  soon  He  was  to 
become  "the  head  of  the  corner," — His  lowest  humiha- 
tion  was  to  be  followed  by  the  highest  dignity,  and  He 
was  to  be  declared  the  Head  and  Lord  of  the  church  of 
God,  uniting  all  the  truly  pious,  and  forming  the  model 
of  that  loveliness  which  shall  at  last  adorn  their  perfected 
nature.  To  trifle  with  His  claims,  even  while  He 
appeared  in  outward  lowliness,  was  an  act  of  fearful 
guilt;  but  to  maintain  a  perverse  resistance  to  Him, 
when  He  should  have  ascended  to  the  throne  of  His 

*  Matthew  xxi.  40,  41. 

f  Luke  XX.  16 — 18,   collated  with   Matthew  xxi.  42—45,  and 
Markxii.  9—11. 


OF   THE    REDEEMER.  279 

glory,  must  involve  men  in  utter  and  irretrievable  ruin. 
As  the  chief  priests  and  scribes  listened  to  these  sayings 
of  our  Lord,  they  were  yet  more  incensed  against  Him, 
and  "sought"  even  then  "to  lay  hands  on  Ilim:"  but 
they  feared  the  people,  and,  deeming  it  most  prudent  to 
defer  their  attempt  against  His  life,  they  left  Him,  for 
the  present,  and  departed.* 

To  the  people  who  continued  around  Him,  the  Saviour 
now  addressed  a  parable,  in  which  He  represented  the 
blessings  of  the  evangelical  economy,  under  the  figure  of 
a  marriage-feast  given  by  a  king  in  honour  of  his  son ; 
and  illustrated  the  fearful  consequences  both  of  making 
light  of  the  Gospel-invitation^  and  of  professing  to  accept 
it,  and  yet  neglecting  the  required  preparation  for  the 
Divine  presence,  t  Some  of  the  Pharisees  and  Herodians 
now  came  to  Him,  and  souglit  to  ensnare  Him,  by  pro- 
posing a  question  to  which  they  deemed  it  impossible  for 
Him  to  reply,  without  either  rendering  Himself  un- 
popular, or  laying  Himself  open  to  a  chai'ge  before  the 
Roman  governor.  With  many  commendations  of  His 
fearlessness  in  declaring  the  truth,  they  asked  Him,  "  Is 
it  lawful  to  give  tribute  to  Caisai',  or  not  ?  Shall  we  give, 
or  shall  we  not  give?"  The  Redeemer,  knowing  their 
hypocrisy  and  cunning,  said  to  them,  "  Why  tempt  ye 
Me  1  bring  Me  a  penny,  that  I  may  see  it."  When  they 
produced  one.  He  inquired,  "  Whose  is  this  image  and 
superscription  V  They  replied,  "  Ctesar's :"  and  then  He 
uttered  the  beautiful  and  impi-essive  maxim,  "Render 
therefore  unto  Cjesar  the  things  which  are  Coesar's;  and 
unto  God  the  things  that  are  God's"     They  listened 

*  Matthew  xxi.  46  ;  Mark  xii.  12  ;  Luke  xx.  19. 
f  Matthew  xxii.  1 — 14. 


280  THE   LIFE    AND    MINISTRY 

"witli  astonishment  to  this  reply,  so  full  of  profound  and 
heavenly  wisdom;  and,  not  perceiving  how  they  could 
take  hold  of  His  words,  they  "  left  Him,  and  went  their 
way."  * 

Some  time  after  this,  the  Sadducees  came  to  Him,  and, 
as  the  avowed  opponents  of  the  doctrine  of  a  future  life, 
placed  before  Him  a  case,  which  they  considered  sufficient 
to  show  the  folly  of  hoping  for  an  existence  beyond  the 
grave,  and  still  more  the  folly  of  anticipating  the  resur- 
rection of  the  body.  They  stated  that,  in  compliance 
with  the  direction  of  Moses,  "  If  a  man  die,  having  no 
children,  his  brother  shall  marry  his  wife,  and  raise  up 
seed  unto  his  brother,"  one  woman  had  been  in  succes- 
sion the  wife  of  seven  brethren;  and  then  they  asked 
Him,  with  an  air  of  triumph,  "In  the  resurrection  there- 
fore, when  they  shall  rise,  whose  wife  shall  she  be  of 
them?  for  the  seven  had  her  to  wife?"  The  Saviour 
answered  them,  "  Ye  do  err,  not  knowing  the  Scriptures, 
nor  the  power  of  God.  The  children  of  this  world 
marry,  and  are  given  in  marriage;  but  they  which  shall 
be  accounted  worthy  to  obtain  that  world,  and  the 
resurrection  from  the  dead,  neither  marry,  nor  are  given  in 
marriage :  neither  can  they  die  any  more :  for  they  are 
equal  unto  the  angels ;  and  are  the  children  of  God,  being 
the  children  of  the  resurrection.  Now  that  the  dead  are 
raised,  even  Moses  showed  at  the  bush,  when  he  calleth  the 
Lord  the  God  of  Abraham,  and  the  God  of  Isaac,  and  the 
God  of  Jacob.  For  He  is  not  a  God  of  the  dead,  but  of  the 
living  :  for  all  live  imto  Ilim."  t  In  this  reply  our  Lord 
shed  a  clear  and  instructive  light  on  one  feature  of  the 

*  Matthew  xxii.  15—22;  Mark  xii.  13—17  ;  Luke  xx.  20—26. 
t  Matthew  xxii.  23—32;  Mark  xii.  18—27;  Luke  xx.  27—38. 


OP   THE   REDEEMER.  281 

heavenly  state.  The  peculiar  relations  of  earth,  and  the 
instincts  connected  with  them,  have  no  existence  there : 
all  is  spiritual,  and  adapted  to  the  special  dwelling-place 
of  God.  He  showed,  also,  the  depth  of  meaning  con- 
tained in  the  covenant-promise,  that  the  Most  High  will 
be  "a  God"  to  His  faithful  servants.  Were  this  the 
only  state  of  existence,  a  dark  and  impenetrable  cloud 
would  sometimes  rest  upon  this  engagement,  when  com- 
pared with  His  actual  dispensations  towards  His  people  : 
but  the  glory  of  that  state  in  which  the  souls  of  de- 
parted saints  live  with  Him,  and  still  more,  the  higher 
glory  which  shall  encircle  their  entire  and  perfected 
nature,  when  the  day  of  the  resurrection  shall  arrive, 
will  dissipate  every  cloud,  and  show  that  the  blessings 
which  He  bestows  on  His  people  are  worthy  even  of 
Him,  the  Creator  and  Lord  of  the  universe. 

The  Pharisees,  being  appi'ised  that  Jesus  had  put  the 
Sadducees  to  silence,  again  came  to  Him  in  considerable 
numbers.""'  One  of  the  scribes  who  belonged  to  this 
sect,  having  listened  attentively,  and  with  admiration, 
to  His  reasoning  on  the  future  state,  asked  Him, "  Master, 
which  is  the  great  commandment  in  the  law?"  This 
was  a  question  on  which  considerable  diversity  of  opinion 
existed  among  the  Jewish  teachers;  and  many  of  them 
were  disposed  to  fix  upon  some  ceremonial  precept,  as 
that  to  which  the  greatest  importance  should  be  assigned. 
But  the  Redeemer,  without  hesitation,  declared  that 
supreme  love  to  God  is  the  first  duty  of  the  human 
spirit,  and  gave  a  summary  of  the  law  for  the  instruction 
of  His  people  in  every  age.  "Jesus  said  unto  him, 
Thou  shalt  love  the  Lord  thy  God  with  all  thy  heart, 
*  Matthew  xxii.  34,  compared  with  verse  41. 


282  THE    LIFE    AND    MINISTRY 

and  with  all  thy  soul,  and  with  all  thy  mind.  This  is  the 
first  and  great  commandment.  And  the  second  is  like 
unto  it,  Thou  shalt  love  thy  neighbour  as  thyself.  On 
these  two  commandments  hang  all  the  Law  and  the 
Prophets."  The  scribe  expressed  his  entire  approval  of 
our  Lord's  reply;  and  the  Saviour,  perceiving  that  his 
mind  was  opening  to  the  light  of  truth,  and  to  the 
entrance  of  gracious  feeling,  said  imto  him,  "  Thou  art 
not  far  from  the  kingdom  of  God."  * 

The  profound  wisdom  of  our  Lord,  as  a  religious 
Teacher,  had  now  been  evinced ;  and  no  one  ventured  to 
ask  him  any  further  question.  +  But  He  now  proposed 
to  the  assembled  Pharisees  an  inquiry,  which  bore 
directly  on  the  person  and  character  of  the  Messiah. 
He  said  to  them,  "  What  tliink  ye  of  the  Messiah]  whose 
son  is  Hef  They  immediately  replied,  "The  son  of 
David."  But  He  had  in  view  a  deeper  truth  than  this. 
He  wished  to  fix  the  attention  of  every  thoughtful  mind 
on  the  inherent  personal  dignity  which  had  been  ascribed 
to  the  Messiah  in  the  prophetic  Scriptures,  as  well  as  on 
the  mediatorial  exaltation  and  dominion  which  had 
been  attributed  to  Him.  He  referred  them  to  the  one 
hundred  and  tenth  Psalm,  and  asked,  "  How  then  doth 
David,  by  the  Holy  Spirit,  call  Him  Lord,  saying,  '  The 
Lord  said  unto  my  Lord,  Sit  Thou  on  My  right  hand, 
till  I  make  Thine  enemies  Thy  footstool  ?'  If  David  then 
call  Him  Lord,  how  is  He  his  son  ?"  A  clear  and 
afiecting  light  was  thus  shed  by  the  Redeemer  Himself 
on  the  application  of  this  inspired  hymn,  and  its  deep, 
spiritual  import.     He  has  taught  us  to  regard  it  as  con- 

*  IMatthew  xxii.  35—40  ;  Mark  xii.  28—34. 

f  Matthew  xxii.  46  ;  Mark  xii.  34 ;  Luke  xx.  39,  40. 


OF   THE   REDEEMER.  283 

veying  an  intimation  of  His  higher  and  eternal  nature, — 
that  although,  according  to  the  flesh,  He  was  a  descend- 
ant of  the  royal  house  of  David,  He  was  yet  possessed  of 
a  nature  befoi'e  which  David  himself  bowed  with  lowly 
reverence  and  profound  submission.* 

All  this  occurred  while  the  Saviour  was  in  the  temple  ;t 
and  now,  as  He  sat  over  against  the  treasury,  a  circum- 
stance attracted  His  attention,  which  led  Him  to  place 
the  subject  of  religious  offerings  in  its  true  light.  He 
beheld  many  persons  advancing  to  the  treasury,  and 
there  depositing  their  gifts.  Several  rich  men  cast  in 
much;  but  a  poor  widow  came  at  length,  and  threw  in 
two  mites.  The  Redeemer  looked  upon  her  with  interest, 
and,  calling  unto  Him  His  disciples,  said,  "  Of  a  truth  I 
say  unto  you,  that  this  poor  widow  hath  cast  in  more 
than  they  all :  for  all  these  have  of  their  abundance  cast 
in  unto  the  offerings  of  God;  but  she  of  her  penury 
hath  cast  in  all  the  living  that  she  had."+  Thus  did 
He  affirm  the  principle,  that  our  religious  gifts  are  to  be 
estimated  by  the  2^'^'oportion  which  they  bear  to  our 
resources,  and  by  the  disposition  which  they  may  evince 
to  make  a  sacrifice  of  worldly  comfort,  rather  than  stand 
aloof  from  the  cause  of  God. 

The  Redeemer  was  now  about  finally  to  leave  the 
temple;  but,  before  He  did  so,  He  gave  a  last  warning 
to  the  people  who  were  assembled  around  Him,  to  beware 
of  imbibing  the  spirit,  and  imitating  the  conduct,  of 
the  Scribes  and  Pharisees.  And  then,  in  the  most  solemn 
manner.  He  denounced  woe  against  these  false  professors 

*  Matthew  xxii.  41—45  ;  ]\Iark  xii.  35—37  ;  Luke  xx.  41 — 44. 

f  Mark  xii.  35. 

X  Mark  xii.  41 — 44 ;  Luke  xxi.  1—4. 


284  THE   LIFE   AND   MINISTRY 

of  religion,  pointing  out  their  great  and  grievous  sins. 
He  set  forth  the  awful  ruin  which  was  about  to  come 
upon  the  city,  and  upon  that  beautiful  house  in  which 
they  were  assembled;  and  then  He  added,  "  0  Jerusalem, 
Jerusalem,  thou  that  killest  the  prophets,  and  stonest 
them  which  are  sent  unto  thee,  how  often  would  I  have 
gathered  thy  children  together,  even  as  a  hen  gathereth 
her  chickens  under  her  wings,  and  ye  would  not!  Be- 
hold, your  house  is  left  unto  you  desolate.  For  I  say 
unto  you.  Ye  shall  not  see  Me  henceforth,  till  ye  shall 
say.  Blessed  is  He  that  cometh  in  the  name  of  the 
Lord."  * 

These  were  the  last  words  which  the  Sa\aour  uttered 
in  the  temple,  where  He  had  so  often  declared  the 
message  of  salvation,  and  met  the  cavils  of  His  malignant 
enemies.  As  He  departed  from  that  house,  now  bereft 
of  its  highest  glory, — the  presence  and  teaching  of  the 
incarnate  Son  of  God, — some  of  His  disciples  asked  Him 
to  contemplate  its  architectural  beauty.  He  replied,  with 
mournful  solemnity,  "  See  ye  not  all  these  things  1 
Verily  I  say  unto  you,  There  shall  not  be  left  here  one 
stone  upon  another,  that  shall  not  be  thrown  down."  t 

Our  Lord  now  left  the  city,  and  retired  to  the  Mount  of 
Olives;  and  as  He  sat  there,  four  of  His  apostles  asked 
Him  privately  for  more  ample  information  relative  to 
the  awful  calamities  which  He  had  just  predicted, — the 
overthrow  of  Jerusalem,  with  the  entire  destruction  of 
the  temple, — and  relative  to  the  end  of  the  world.  He 
entered  upon  the  former  of  these  subjects  at  consider- 
able length ;  and  then  added  a  brief  statement  concern- 

*  Matthew  xxiii.  1—39  ;  Mark  xii.  38—40 ;  Luke  xx.  45—47. 
f  Matthew  xxiv.  1,  2 ;  Mark  xiii.  1,  2 ;  Luke  xxi.  5,  6. 


OF   THE   REDEEMER.  285 

ing  the  winding  up  of  this  world's  history,  and  a  solemn 
charge  to  all  His  people,  and  especially  to  those  who  are 
called  to  sustain  office  in  His  church,  to  be  faithful  to 
their  trust,  and  to  maintain  a  constant  preparation  for 
His  manifestation  in  glory.*  He  Avas  anxious  that  His 
apostles  should  contemplate  this  great  event,  not  as  a 
matter  of  curious  speculation,  but  rather  as  suggesting 
important  practical  lessons.  He  wished  them  ever  to 
remember  their  true  position  upon  earth; — that,  as  His 
devoted  followers,  they  were  to  await  with  earnest 
expectation  and  desire  His  second  coming;  and  as  His 
servants,  entrusted  by  Him  with  certain  gifts  and 
advantages  to  be  improved  for  His  glory,  they  were  to 
live  with  an  habitual  reference  to  their  final  account. 
He  addressed  to  them  two  parables — that  of  tlie  ten 
virgins,  and  that  of  the  talents — bearing  on  these 
subjects,  and  calculated  to  enforce  on  all  His  people  the 
duty  of  continual  watchfulness  and  effort,  t  And  then 
He  spread  before  their  view  the  scenes  of  the  final 
judgment.  He  declared  His  own  coming  in  all  the 
majesty  of  the  universal  Sovereign; — the  attendance  of 
the  holy  angels  upon  Him ; — the  gathering  of  all  nations 
before  His  tribunal; — and  the  separation  of  mankind,  by 
His  own  unerring  discernment  and  resistless  power,  into 
two  great  classes,  according  to  the  character  which  they 
had  sustained  on  earth.  He  declared  that,  when  He 
should  thus  be  revealed  in  undisputed  royalty.  He  would 
welcome  His  faithful  people  to  share  in  the  joys  and 
triumphs  of  His  kingdom,  and  pronounce  against  the 
wicked  and  impenitent  the  sentence  of  everlasting  woe. 

*  Matthew  xxiv.  3—51 ;  Mark  xiii.  3  —  37  ;  Luke  xxi.  7 — 36. 
t  Matthew  xxv.  1—30. 


286  THE    LIFE    AXD    MINISTRY 

He  unfolded  the  principles  on  which  the  final  judgment 
will  be  conducted;  giving  prominence  to  the  disposition 
of  sincere,  devoted,  active  love  to  Himself,  as  the  grand 
characteristic  of  those  whom  He  would  approve.  This 
love.  He  taught  them,  would  manifest  itself  in  the 
cheerful  acknowledgment  of  His  people,  though  involved 
in  poverty,  repi'oach,  and  persecution, — as  well  as  in  the 
imitation  of  His  own  benevolence;  and  He  assured  them 
that  every  development  of  it  would  be  graciously 
acknowledged  by  Him,  when  He  should  appear  to 
receive  the  homage  of  assembled  worlds.  From  the 
throne  of  His  glory,  He  will  say  to  those  who  have 
identified  themselves  with  His  afflicted  and  persecuted 
people,  and  have  sought  to  relieve  their  wants,  "  Inas- 
much as  ye  have  done  it  unto  one  of  the  least  of  these 
My  brethren,  ye  have  done  it  unto  Me."  But  the  absence 
of  this  active,  devoted  love  to  Himself  will  form,  in  the 
case  of  multitudes,  the  ground  of  eternal  condemnation. 
This  ti'uth,  also,  the  Saviour  placed  in  a  clear  and 
striking  light;  and  then  He  added  the  impressive  and 
aAvful  words,  "  These  shall  go  away  into  everlasting 
punishment;  but  the  righteous  into  everlasting  Ufe."* 
Thus,  as  the  Redeemer  closed  His  ministry.  He  declared 
with  peculiar  solemnity  the  grandeur  of  His  j)€i'sonal 
claims.  He  was  about  to  pass  through  the  darkest 
scenes  of  His  great  mediatorial  undertaking;  His 
immaculate  spirit  was  soon  to  be  weighed  down  with 
unutterable  anguish;  and  He  was  to  be  lifted  up  on  the 
cross,  as  a  blasphemer  and  an  outcast ;  but  even  now  He 
taught  His  disciples,  that  He  should  at  last  occupy  the 

•  Matthew  xxv.  31—46. 


OF    THE    REDEEMER. 


287 


throne  of  judgment,  and  that,  when  He  should  come  to 
fix  the  eternal  destinies  of  men,  one  great  test  of 
character  would  be,  the  possession  and  development  of 
supreme  love  to  Himself,  or  the  refusal  to  own  His 
people  and  to  suffer  in  His  cause. 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

THE  INTERCOURSE  OP  THE   REDEEMER  WITH   HIS    APOSTLES 
ON  THE  EVENING  WHICH  PRECEDED  HIS  DEATH. 

The  jnibllc  ministry  of  our  Lord  had  now  terminated ; 
and  within  two  days — as  He  Himself  declared  to  His 
apostles'-^ — He  was  to  be  betrayed  into  the  hands  of 
His  enemies,  and  lifted  up  on  the  cross.  On  the  evening 
of  the  day  in  which  He  delivered  His  last  addresses  in 
the  temple,  the  Sanhedrim  assembled  to  deliberate  on 
the  means  which  they  should  take  to  accomplish  His 
death.  They  were  anxious  to  avoid  all  unnecessary 
pubUcity,  and,  if  possible,  to  apprehend  Him  when  away 
from  the  multitude.  They  even  proposed  to  allow  the 
feast  to  transpire,  lest  their  attempts  against  His  life 
should  cause  an  uproar  among  the  people,  t  But  while 
they  were  engaged  in  consultation,  Judas  Iscariot,  one  of 
the  twelve,  came  unto  them,  and  offered,  if  they  would 
remunerate  him,  to  betray  his  Master  into  their  hands. 
The  love  of  money  had,  for  some  time,  alienated  his 
heart  from  the  Redeemer  j  and,  impelled  by  the  great 

•  Matthew  xxvi.  1,  2. 

f  Matthew  xxvi.  3 — 5 ;  Mark  xiv.  1,2;  Luke  xiii.  1,  2. 


288  THE   LIFE   AND   MINISTRY 

adversary,  he  was  now  ready  to  sell  his  Lord,  even  for 
thirty  pieces  of  silver.  The  Sanhedrim  eagei'ly  caught 
at  his  proposal;  and,  having  entered  into  a  formal 
engagement  with  them,  he  left  them  to  watch  for  the 
first  favourable  opportunity  of  effecting  his  design.* 

On  the  following  day,  the  Redeemer  sent  Peter  and 
John  into  the  city,  to  prepare  for  the  celebration  of  the 
passover.  He  gave  them  particular  insti'uctions  as  to 
the  individual  to  whom  they  should  apply  for  the  use  of 
a  guest-chamber.  On  their  arrival  at  the  city,  they  were 
to  meet  a  man  bearing  a  pitcher  of  water;  him  they 
were  to  follow  into  the  house  into  which  he  should  enter, 
and  to  express  to  the  head  of  the  family  the  wish  of 
Jesus  to  keep  the  passover  at  his  house  with  His  disciples. 
They  obeyed  these  directions;  and  being  welcomed  by 
the  master  of  the  house,  and  conducted  by  him  to  a 
large  upper  room  conveniently  furnished,  they  made 
every  preparation  for  the  paschal  supper.t 

In  the  evening,  the  Redeemer  came  with  the  twelve.^ 
As  He  sat  down  with  them  at  the  table.  He  expressed 
the  deep  and  peculiar  emotions  with  which  He  had 
looked  forward  to  that  evening.  "  With  desire,"  He 
said,  "  I  have  desired  to  eat  this  passover  with  you 
before  I  suffer :  for  I  say  unto  you,  I  will  not  any  more 
eat  thereof,  until  it  be  fulfilled  in  the  kingdom  of 
God."  §  It  was,  indeed,  a  memorable  occasion.  It  was 
the  eve  of  the  offering  up  of  His  oAvn  effectual  sacrifice, 
of  which  the  paschal  lamb  had  for  ages  been  a  type ; 

•  Matthew  xxvi.  14—16;  Mark  xiv.  10,  11  ;  Luke  xxii.  8 — 6. 
f  Matthew  xxvi.  17—19  ;  Mark  xiv.  12—16 ;  Luke  xxii.  7—13. 
I  Matthew  xxvi.  20  ;  Mark  xiv.  17  ;  Luke  xxii.  14. 
§  Luke  xxii.  15,  16. 


OF    THE    REDEEMER.  289 

and  it  was  the  last  season  of  affectionate  intercourse  with 
them  which  He  should  have,  before  submitting  to  the 
deepest  sorrows  of  His  mediatorial  undertaking.  Soon 
they  would  be  scattered,  as  sheep  without  a  shepherd; 
and  although  the  gloom  which  His  ignominious  death 
should  bring  over  their  minds,  would  be  dissipated  by 
His  resurrection  on  the  third  day,  yet  was  He,  after  a 
short  interval,  to  be  removed  from  their  sight,  and 
ascend  to  the  throne  of  His  glory.  With  the  exception 
of  one,  they  had  clung  to  Him  with  sincere  attachment, 
and  under  His  protection  had  felt  themselves  secure ;  but 
now  they  were  about  to  be  placed  in  new  circumstances, 
and,  as  the  witnesses  of  His  death  and  resurrection,  to  go 
forth  to  publish  His  claims  to  mankind,  and  to  endure 
for  His  sake  reproach,  and  want,  and  persecution. 

The  cup  with  which  it  was  usual  to  begin  the  paschal 
supper,  was  first  handed  to  them  by  our  Lord,  though 
He  would  not  Himself  drink  of  it.*  Nothing  which 
seemed  to  indicate  I'ejoicing  was  appropriate  to  the 
solemn  feelings  which  now  filled  His  mind,  or  to  the 
season  of  anguish  upon  which  He  was  about  to  enter. 
But  His  apostles  were  so  unmindful  of  the  pecuhar 
duties  of  the  occasion,  and  so  defective  in  spirituality  of 
mind,  that  even  as  they  sat  with  our  Lord,  at  the  last 
supper,  they  renewed  the  controversy,  which  of  them 
should  be  accounted  the  greatest.t  The  Saviour  adopted 
a  most  affecting  method  of  reproving  their  guilty  am- 
bition, and  showing  them  what  was  the  temper  which 
His  disciples  should  cultivate.  He  rose  from  supper, 
and,  laying  aside  His  upper  garment,  took  a  towel  and 
girded  Himself;  then,  having  poured  water  into  a  basin, 
*  Luke  xxii.  17,  18.  f  Luke  xxii.  24. 

U 


290  THE    LIFE    AND    MINISTRY 

He  began  to  wash  His  disciples'  feet,  and  to  wipe  them 
with  the  towel  with  which  He  was  girded.  A  feeling  of 
astonishment  must  have  pervaded  their  minds  as  they 
beheld  Him,  who  had  so  often  declared  His  unearthly 
glory,  performing  this  menial  office.  Peter  was  unable  to 
repress  his  emotions;  and  when  the  Saviour  came  to  him, 
he  said,  "  Lord,  dost  Thou  wash  my  feef?"  Jesus  replied, 
"  What  I  do,  thou  knowest  not  now ;  but  thou  shalt  know 
hereafter."  The  eager  aiFection  of  Peter,  however,  led  him 
still  to  hesitate;  and  he  even  ventured  to  say  to  our 
Lord,  "Thou  shalt  never  wash  my  feet."  The  Redeemer's 
answer  was  emphatic  and  alarming :  "  If  I  wash  thee 
not,  thou  hast  no  part  with  Me."  While  it  reminded 
Peter,  that  profound  submission  to  His  arrangements, 
whether  they  accorded  with  his  own  views  or  not,  was 
an  imperative  duty;  it  taught  him,  that  there  were 
inward  evils  from  which  he  needed  to  be  cleansed,  in 
order  to  an  eternal  union  with  the  Master  whom  he 
loved.  Peter  exclaimed,  "  Lord,  not  my  feet  only,  but 
also  my  hands  and  my  head."  And  then  the  Redeemer 
acknowledged,  with  great  kindness,  the  sincerity  of  his 
attachment,  and  that  of  His  apostles  generally,  together 
with  their  desire  to  attain  and  exemplify  the  holiness  of 
His  people;  but  He  admonished  them,  that  they  did  not 
a3  yet  exhibit  all  the  humility  and  pin-ity  which  He 
designed  them  to  possess.  "  He  that  is  washed,  needeth 
not  save  to  wash  his  feet,  but  is  clean  every  whit : 
and  ye  are  clean,  but  not  all."*  When  He  had  gone 
round  to  all  His  apostles,  and  had  washed  their  feet.  He 
resumed  His  upper  garment,  and  again  took  His  place  at 
their  head;  and,  addressing  them  with  great  tenderness 
•  John  xiii.  1  — 11. 


OF   THE    REDEEMER.  291 

and  dignity,  said,  "  Know  ye  what  I  have  done  to  you  1 
Ye  call  Me  Master  and  Lord :  and  ye  say  rightly; 
for  so  I  am.  If  I  then,  your  Lord  and  Master,  have 
washed  your  feet;  ye  also  ought  to  wash  one  another's 
feet.  For  I  have  given  you  an  example,  that  ye  should 
do  as  I  have  done  to  you.  Verily,  verily,  I  say  unto 
you.  The  servant  is  not  greater  than  his  lord ;  neither  he 
that  is  sent,  greater  than  he  that  sent  him.  If  ye  know 
these  things,  happy  are  ye  if  ye  do  them."*  After  a 
pause,  as  it  appears.  He  added,  "  The  kings  of  the 
Gentiles  exercise  lordship  over  them;  and  they  that 
exercise  authority  upon  them  are  called  benefactors. 
But  ye  shall  not  be  so  :  but  he  that  is  greatest  among 
you,  let  him  be  as  the  younger;  and  he  that  is  chief,  as 
he  that  doth  serve.  For  whether  is  greater,  he  that 
sitteth  at  meat,  or  he  that  serveth?  But  I  am  among 
you  as  he  that  serveth. "f 

This  address  of  our  Lord  to  His  apostles  was,  in  every 
point  of  view,  instructive  and  affecting.  It  placed  the 
temper  which  became  His  followers  in  striking  contrast 
with  that  love  of  pre-eminence  which  they  had  often 
indulged;  it  taught  them  to  contemplate  Him  as  their 
pattern,  and  ever  to  imbibe  His  spirit,  and  walk  in  His 
steps;  and  it  gave  prominence  to  His  own  rightful 
claims,  as  the  Sovereign  of  His  people,  though  for  their 
sakes  He  had  submitted  to  a  low  and  menial  service. 

As  the  supper  proceeded,  the  Redeemer  was  "troubled 
in  spirit,"  while  He  thought  of  the  treachery  of  one  of 
those  who  were  even  now  eating  with  Him  as  His  com- 
panions and  friends.  With  great  solemnity  He  said  to 
the  twelve,  "  Vei'ily,  verily,  I  say  unto  you,  that  one  of 
»  John  xiii.  12—17.  f  Luke  xxii.  25—27. 


292  THE    LIFE    AND    MINISTRY 

you  shall  betray  Me."*  A  feeling  of  surprise  and  grief 
spread  itself  around;  and  the  apostles,  one  by  one, 
began  to  ask  Him,  "  Lord,  is  it  I  ?"  Peter  beckoned  to 
John,  who  Avas  reclining  next  to  our  Lord,  that  he  should 
ask  Him  distinctly  to  point  out  the  traitor.  He  did  so, 
and  the  Saviour  replied,  "  He  it  is  to  whom  I  shall  give 
a  sop,  when  I  have  dipped  it."  Then,  dipping  a  sop. 
He  gave  it  to  Judas  Iscariot,the  son  of  Simon,  and  almost 
immediately  afterwards  added,  "  That  thou  doest,  do 
quickly."  Judas,  after  having  inquired  like  the  rest, 
"Master,  is  it  I?"  and  having  received  from  our  Lord  a 
direct  answer  in  the  affirmative,  retired  from  the  com- 
pany with  conflicting  passions,  but  resolved  to  embrace 
the  first  opportunity  of  carrying  his  treacherous  purpose 
into  efiect.t 

The  Redeemer  was  now  left  with  the  eleven  who 
continued  faithfully  attached  to  Him.  To  them  He 
said,  "Now  is  the  Son  of  man  glorified,  and  God  is 
gloi'ified  in  Him.  If  God  be  glorified  in  Him,  God  shall 
also  glorify  Him  in  Himself,  and  shall  straightway 
glorify  Him.":}:  In  these  words,  He  taught  them  that 
His  state  of  humihation  was  just  about  to  terminate.  He 
was  approaching,  indeed,  its  deepest  shadows,  and  His 
pure  and  benignant  spirit  was  soon  to  experience  an 
intense  and  unutterable  anguish;  but  this  very  sorrow 
and  shame  were  to  be  the  ground  of  His  mediatorial 
exaltation;  and  after  glorifying  the  Father  by  His  obe- 
dience unto  death,  He  was  to  rise  to  universal  dominion, 
and  receive  the  homage  of  every  created  mind.     That 

*  John  xiii.  21  ;  Matthew  xxvi.  21  ;  Mark  xiv.  18. 
t  John  xiii.  22—30  ;  Matthew  xxvi.  22—25;  Mark  xiv.  19— 21 ; 
Luke  xxii.  23. 

I  John  xiii.  31,  32. 


OF    THE    REDEEMER.  293 

glory,  however,  which  awaited  Him  as  the  result  of  His 
propitiatory  sufferings,  implied  His  ascension  to  heaven ; 
and  thus  He  went  on  to  say  to  His  apostles,  that  soon 
He  should  be  removed  from  their  sight,  and  that,  after 
a  brief  interval,  they  would  not  be  privileged  to  converse 
with  Him,  as  they  now  did,  on  earth.  "  Little  children, 
yet  a  little  while  I  am  with  you.  Ye  shall  seek  Me : 
and  as  I  said  unto  the  Jews,  Whither  I  go,  ye  cannot 
come;  so  now  I  say  to  you."*  And  then  He  added  the 
earnest  and  solemn  charge,  "A  new  commandment  I 
give  unto  you.  That  ye  love  one  another ;  as  I  have  loved 
you,  that  ye  also  love  one  another.  By  this  shall  all 
men  know  that  ye  are  My  disciples,  if  ye  have  love  one 
to  another."t  Hitherto,  the  Redeemer's  presence  with 
them  had  been  their  chief  bond  of  union  j  and  their 
recent  controversy  had  made  it  obvious  how  ready  they 
were  to  indulge  an  unhallowed  rivalry.  When  He,  there- 
fore, should  be  removed  from  their  head,  they  were  in 
danger  of  being  separated  from  each  other,  or,  at  least, 
of  regarding  each  other  with  shy  distrust.  But  He 
charged  them  to  remain  united,  and  to  love  each  other 
with  a  deep,  spiritual,  self-sacrificing  affection,  such  as 
that  which  He  had  ever  borne  to  them.  He  made  the 
development  of  mutual  love— a  love  of  spiritual  sym- 
pathy, and  fraternal  attachment  —  the  distinguishing 
mark  of  His  followers  in  every  age. 

Petei',  unwilling  to  think  that  he  must  be  separated 
from  his  Lord,  said  with  characteristic  eagerness,  "  Lord, 
whither  goest  Thou*?"  Jesus  answered  him,  "  Whither 
I  go,  thou  canst  not  follow  Me  now;  but  thou  shalt 
follow  Me  afterwards."  Peter  rejoined,  "Lord, why  cannot 

*  John  xiii.  33.  f  John  xiii.  34,  35. 


294:  THE    LIFE    AND    MINISTRY 

I  follow  Thee  now?  I  will  lay  down  my  life  for  Thy 
sake."  Sincere  and  warm  was  the  affection  which 
prompted  this  declaration :  but  Peter  knew  not,  as  yet, 
the  feebleness  of  human  resolutions,  and  the  need  of  a 
constant  supply  of  Divine  strength.  Ere  the  light  of  day 
should  again  break  upon  the  earth,  he  who  was  now  so 
forward  to  express  his  love,  would  thrice  deny  his  Master. 
The  Saviour  knew  this,  and  admonished  him  of  his 
approaching  fall.  "  Jesus  answered  him,  Wilt  thou  lay 
down  thy  life  for  My  sake  1  Verily,  verily,  I  say  unto  thee, 
The  cock  shall  not  crow,  till  thou  hast  denied  Me  thrice."* 
In  connexion  with  the  supper  of  that  evening,  our 
Lord  instituted  the  sacrament  which  was  to  commemo- 
rate in  every  age  Hh  sacrificial  death,  and  in  which  His 
people  wei'e  gi'atefully  to  avow  their  faith  in  His  atone- 
ment,— their  spiritual  union  with  Him  and  with  each 
other, — and  their  relation  to  that  covenant  of  grace 
which  has  been  established  through  His  blood.  It  was 
during  the  supper  that  our  Lord  instituted  the  first 
branch  of  this  holy  sacrament.  "  As  they  were  eating, 
Jesus  took  bread,  and  blessed  it,  and  brake  it,  and  gave 
it  to  the  disciples,  and  said.  Take,  eat;  this  is  My  body 
which  is  given  for  you:  this  do  in  remembi'ance  of 
Me."t  It  cannot,  perhaps,  be  determined  mth  certainty, 
whether  this  took  place  immediately  before  the  conver- 
sation which  led  to  the  retirement  of  Judas, — so  that 
even  he,  the  traitor,  would  partake  of  the  emblem  of 
the  Saviour's  body, — or  whether  it  followed  that  conver- 
sation. |     But  it  is  clear,  that,  even  if  Judas  was  now 

*  John  xiii.  06 — 38. 

f  Mattliew  xxvi.  26;  Mark  xiv.  22,  collated  with  Luke  xxii.  19; 
1  Corinthians  xi.  23,  24. 
X  The  Rev.  Edward  Greswell,  whose  opinions  are  entitled  to 


OF   THE    REDEEMER.  295 

present,  he  had  left  the  supper-chamber  before  the 
chosen  emblem  of  the  Saviour's  blood  was  handed  to 
the  faithful  eleven.  For  it  was  not  until  after  they  had 
supped,'"'  that  Jesus  "took  the  cup,  and  gave  thanks, 
and  gave  it  to  them,  saying,  Drink  ye  all  of  it ;  for  this 
is  My  blood  of  the  new  covenant,  Avhich  is  shed  for  you 
and  for  many,  for  the  remission  of  sins."  And  then  He 
added,  "  Verily  I  say  unto  you,  I  will  drink  no  more  of 
the  fruit  of  the  vine,  until  that  day  that  I  drink  it  new 
in  the  kingdom  of  God."t 

In  this  solemn  and  impressive  manner  did  the 
Redeemer  institute  the  rite  which,  under  the  new  cove- 
nant, was  to  take  the  place  of  the  paschal  supper  under 
the  old,  and  which  was  to  show  forth,  in  every  succeeding 
age,  Ris  own  death,  as  the  greatest  fact  in  the  media- 
torial scheme,  and  to  illustrate  its  relation  to  the  govern- 
ment of  God,  and  to  the  spiritual  blessings  which  are 
offered  to  mankind.  He  had  eaten,  with  the  faithful 
companions  of  His  toils  on  earth,  the  paschal  lamb;  and 
now,  ere  He  rose  from  the  table.  He  gathered  their 
thoughts  around  Himself,  as  just  about  to  be  offered  up, 
the  true  Sacrifice  for  human  guilt.  His  mind  was  intent 
on  the  atonement  which  He  was  about  to  offer ;  and  He 
had  now  only  to  comfort  them  in  the  prospect  of  their 
separation  from  Him,  and   to   commend   them   to   the 

great  respect,  adopts  the  former  view.  The  reasons  which  he 
alleges  in  support  of  it  may  be  seen  in  liis  "'  Dissertations  upon 
an  Harmony  of  the  Gospels."  Diss.  42,  vol.  III.,  pp.  181,  182. 
Second  Edition.  But  the  point  may  be  regarded  as  not  yet 
settled. 

*  Luke  xxii.  20  ;  1  Corinthians  xi.  25,  collated  with  Mattliew 
xxvi.  27,  28  ;  Mark  xiv.  23,  24. 

f  Mark  xiv.  25  ;  Matthew  xxvi.  29. 


296  THE    LIFE    AND    MINISTRY 

Father  in  prayer,  and  His  preparatory  work  would  be 
finished,  and  nothing  would  remain  but  the  agony  of 
the  garden,  and  the  shame  and  suffering  of  the  cross. 

The  consolatory  discourse  which  the  Saviour  proceeded 
to  address  to  Ilis  apostles,  has  been  recorded  at  length 
by  St.  John,  who  eagerly  caught  every  word  that  fell 
from  his  Master's  lips,  and  to  whose  mind  the  sayings  of 
the  Redeemer  were  vividly  recalled,  in  after-years,  by 
the  promised  Spirit  of  truth.  It  was  a  discourse 
eminently  rich  in  spiritual  instruction,  and  marked  by 
the  purest  and  tenderest  affection  for  them.  Our  Lord 
commenced  by  saying,  "  Let  not  your  heart  be  troubled : 
ye  believe  in  God,  believe  also  in  Me.  In  My  Father's 
house  are  many  mansions :  if  it  were  not  so,  I  would 
have  told  you.  I  go  to  prepare  a  place  for  you.  And 
if  I  go,  and  prepare  a  place  for  you,  I  will  come  again, 
and  receive  you  unto  Myself ;  that  where  I  am,  there  ye 
may  be  also.  And  whither  I  go,  ye  know,  and  the  way 
ye  know."  Thomas  here  interposed,  and  said,  "  Lord, 
we  know  not  whither  Thou  goest ;  and  how  can  we  know 
the  way?"  Jesus  replied,  "I  am  the  way,  the  truth, 
and  the  life :  no  man  cometh  unto  the  Father,  but  by 
Me."  He  then  spoke  of  His  essential  oneness  with  the 
Father, — referred  to  the  works  of  power  which,  after 
His  departure,  they  should  be  enabled  to  perform, — and 
assured  them,  that  the  petitions  which  they  should  offer 
in  His  name  should  be  granted.  He  especially  dwelt  on 
the  animating  truth,  that,  in  honour  of  His  mediatorial 
work,  the  Father  would  send  to  them  the  Holy  Ghost, 
the  Comforter,  to  fill  their  minds  with  heavenly  light, — 
to  bring  to  their  remembrance  all  that  He  had  taught 
them,  and  unfold  to  them  the  meaning  of  those  declara- 


OP    THE    REDEEMER.  297 

tions  of  His  which  had  appeared  at  the  time  mysterious 
and  obscure, — to  dwell  in  their  hearts  as  the  source  of 
holy  principles  and  affections, — to  succour  them  amidst 
the  difficulties  of  this  probationary  state, — and  to  form 
the  earnest  of  eternal  life.  He  enjoined  on  them  a 
course  of  practical  obedience  to  His  commands,  as  the 
proper  evidence  of  sincere  love  to  Himself ;  and  assured 
them,  that  to  every  humble  and  obedient  mind  He  would 
manifest  Himself  in  all  the  riches  of  His  grace.  As  the 
most  precious  legacy  which  He  could  bequeath,  He  left 
them  His  own  "peace," — a  peace  which  infinitely 
transcends  every  worldly  joy,  and  which  can  be  main- 
tained, through  the  grace  of  His  Spirit,  amidst  all  the 
sorrows  and  conflicts  of  earth.  He  reminded  them,  that 
His  departure  to  the  throne  of  His  glory,  and  to  the 
reward  which  the  Father  would  bestow  on  Him  as  the 
Mediator,  should  rather  be  to  them  a  cause  of  joy  and 
triumph,  than  one  of  solicitude  and  grief.  And  then 
He  adverted  to  the  fierce  assault  which  the  prince  of 
darkness  was  about  to  make  upon  Him,  though  all  his 
efforts  would  be  utterly  unavailing  to  pollute  His  spirit, 
and  the  issue  of  the  whole  would  be  a  bright  and 
impressive  display  of  the  perfect  character  of  His 
obedience  to  the  Father,  and  of  the  complacency  with 
which  He  had  accomplished  the  Father's  will.* 

Having  reached  this  point  in  His  address,  the  Saviour 
said  to  His  apostles,  "Arise,  let  us  go  hence  :"t  but,  ere 
He  left  the  supper-chamber,  His  love  to  them  caused 
Hinji  to  resume  His  discourse,  that  He  might  give  them 
yet  additional  lessons  of  heavenly  wisdom,  and  place 
under  new  aspects  some  of  those  precious  promises,  on 
*  Jolm  xiv.  1—31.  t  Johu  xiv.  31. 


298  THE    LIFE    AND    MINISTRY 

wliicli  their  minds  were  to  repose  under  the  trials  and 
sorrows  that  awaited  them.  lie  illustrated  the  union 
between  liimself  and  His  people,  by  the  figure  of  a  vine 
and  its  branches;  and  showed,  that  it  is  only  by  an 
active  and  constant  faitli  in  Himself  that  our  spiritual 
life  can  be  maintained.  He  dwelt  on  the  fruitfulness 
which  will  result  from  "abiding"  in  Plimself;  and 
affirmed  the  purpose  of  the  Father,  that  all  His  people 
should  glorify  Him,  by  a  course  of  cheei-ful  obedience 
and  benevolent  effort.  He  again  enjoined  on  His 
apostles,  and,  through  them,  on  all  His  people,  the  culti- 
vation and  practical  development  of  mutual  love, — a  love 
such  as  that  wliich  He  had  shown  to  them,  and  wliich 
He  was  about  to  display  yet  more  impressively,  by  giving 
His  life  for  their  redemption.  With  great  tenderness 
and  affection,  He  adverted  to  their  special  nearness  to 
Himself;  and  then  forewarned  them,  that  tliey  must 
expect  to  be  hated  by  the  world,  and  must  be  prepared 
to  endure,  even  as  He  had  done,  and  was  still  about  to 
do,  reproach,  contempt,  and  persecution.  He  dwelt  on 
the  fearful  guilt  of  the  Jewish  nation,  and  especially 
of  its  leading  men,  in  closing  their  eyes  against  the 
indubitable  proofs  which  He  had  given  them  of  the 
truth  of  His  claims;  and  affirmed,  that  their  rejection  of 
Himself  must  be  ascribed  to  their  aversion  from-all  that 
was  pure,  and  spiritual,  and  heavenly.* 

In  the  prospect  of  their  arduous  enterprise,  as  His 
ambassadors  to  the  world,  the  Saviour  encouraged  them 
by  again  adverting  to  the  gift  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  a,^  the 
Comforter  and  the  Spirit  of  truth.  He  sought  not  to 
conceal  from  them  any  of  the  sufferings  or  indignities 
«  John  XV.  1—25. 


OP    THE    REDEEMER.  299 

to  which,  in  His  cause,  they  would  be  exposed.  He 
distinctly  told  them,  "They  shall  put  you  out  of  the 
synagogues :  yea,  the  time  cometh,  that  whosoever  killeth 
you,  will  think  that  he  doeth  God  service.  And  these 
things  will  they  do  unto  you,  because  they  have  not 
known  the  Father,  nor  Me."  But  then  lie  assured  them, 
that  they  should  not  be  left  alone  in  the  fearful  struggle ; 
and  that  the  presence  of  the  Comforter  would  even  more 
than  compensate  for  the  want  of  that  personal  intercourse 
with  Himself,  which  had  been  so  rich  a  source  of  conso- 
lation and  strength.  He  promised  them,  that  the  power 
of  the  Spirit  should  be  put  forth  on  the  world,  in 
connexion  with  the  truth  which  they  proclaimed;  and 
that  that  Divine  Agent  should  unfold  to  their  own 
minds  all  the  depths  of  spiritual  knowledge,  and  should 
unveil  to  them  the  glories  of  the  mediatorial  scheme.* 

In  bringing  this  part  of  His  address  to  a  close,  the 
Redeemer  adverted  to  His  resurrection,  as  that  which 
would  soon  follow  His  ignominious  death;  and  to  His 
renewed  intercourse  with  them,  during  the  brief  interval 
between  that  event  and  His  ascension  to  the  Father. 
"  A  little  while,  and  ye  shall  not  see  Me :  and  again,  a 
little  while,  and  ye  shall  see  Me,  because  I  go  to  the 
Father."  t  Some  of  the  disciples  were  greatly  perplexed 
at  these  words,  and  wished  to  ask  Him  to  explain  His 
meaning.  The  Saviour  knew  this,  and,  in  a  beautiful 
and  impressive  manner,  showed  them,  that  the  deep 
gloom  which  would  soon  encircle  their  minds,  when  they 
should  behold  Him  extended  upon  the  cross,  and  find 
His  body  committed  to  the  silent  tomb,  would,  after  a 
little  while,  give  place  to  sacred  joy,  when  they  should 
»  John  XV.  26,  27  ;  xvi.  1—15.  f  John  xvi.  16. 


300  THE    LIFE    AND    MINISTRY 

see  Him  restored  to  life;  and  this  joy  no  man  should 
take  from  them.*  He  adverted  to  the  fulness  of  blessing 
which,  under  His  mediatorial  reign,  should  be  imparted 
to  them,  in  answer  to  the  prayer  of  humble  faith, — a 
faith  which  should  have  respect  to  the  glories  of  His 
"  name,"  and  the  efficacy  of  His  atonement  and  inter- 
cession. He  assured  them,  that  they  were  the  objects 
of  the  Father's  complacency,  since  they  had  loved  Him, 
and  had  believed  that  He  came  forth  from  God.  And 
then  He  added,  "  I  came  forth  from  the  Father,  and  am 
come  into  the  world :  again,  I  leave  the  world,  and  go  to 
the  Father."  t 

The  disciples  now  assured  Him,  that  His  last  remarks 
had  shed  a  clear  light  upon  their  minds,  and  had  greatly 
confirmed  their  faith  in  His  unbounded  knowledge  and 
His  Divine  mission.:}:  And  then  the  Saviour  closed  the 
conversation,  by  an  afiecting  reference  to  their  speedy 
desertion  of  Him  in  an  hour  of  imminent  peril,  and  by 
again  adverting  to  the  peace  which,  when  restored  by 
His  grace,  they  should  find  in  Him,  though  in  the  world 
persecutions  and  sufferings  might  attend  them.  "  Do  ye 
now  believe'?  Behold,  the  hour  cometh,  yea,  is  now 
come,  that  ye  shall  be  scattered,  every  man  to  his  own, 
and  shall  leave  Me  alone :  and  yet  I  am  not  alone, 
because  the  Father  is  with  Me.  These  things  I  have 
spoken  unto  you,  that  in  Me  ye  might  have  peace.  In 
the  world  ye  shall  have  tribulation :  but  be  of  good 
cheer;  I  have  overcome  the  world."  § 

The  Redeemer  had  now  concluded  His  affectionate 
address  to  His   apostles;    but,  ere  He  left  the  supper- 

•  John  xvi.  17—22.  f  John  xvi.  23—28. 

I  John  xvi.  29,  30.  §  John  xvi.  31—33. 


OF   THE    REDEEMER,  301 

cliamber  with  them,  He  solemnly  commended  them  to 
the  Father  in  prayer.  Lifting  up  His  eyes  to  heaven, 
He  said,  "Father,  the  hour  is  come;  glorify  Thy  Son, 
that  Thy  Son  also  may  glorify  Thee."  He  went  on  to 
advert  to  some  of  the  leading  features  of  the  media- 
torial scheme,  and  affirmed,  that  His  own  work  on  earth 
was  now  nearly  accomplished,  so  that  He  looked  forward 
to  His  ascension  to  that  glory  which  He  had  enjoyed 
with  the  Father  before  the  woi'ld  was.  He  then 
prayed  for  His  apostles, — that  they  might  be  kept  by 
His  almighty  energy  and  abounding  grace, — that  they 
might  be  distinguished  by  a  spiritual  and  unearthly 
oneness, — and  that  they  might  be  sanctified  through 
the  truth,  applied  by  the  Spirit  to  their  hearts,  and 
thus  be  qualified  for  the  duties  of  their  high  and  holy 
mission.*  But  He  did  not  restrict  His  intercession  to 
the  immediate  companions  of  His  toils  on  earth.  He 
prayed  for  all,  in  every  age,  who  should  believe  on  Him 
through  their  word, — that  "  they  all  might  be  one," — that 
a  common  spiritual  life,  resulting  from  their  union  with 
Himself,  might  attract  them  to  each  other,  and  that 
their  mutual  sympathy  might  be  so  manifested  to  the 
world,  as  to  produce  a  universal  acknowledgment  of  the 
truth  of  His  claims,  and  the  reality  of  His  gracious 
power.  He  I'eferi'ed  with  complacency  to  the  ultimate 
participation  of  all  His  people  in  the  glory  to  Avhich  He 
was  about  to  ascend.  Beyond  the  sorrows  which  now 
awaited  Him,  and  beyond  the  conflicts  of  His  church  in 
successive  ages.  He  looked  forward  to  the  consummation 
of  the  mediatorial  scheme,  when  all  who  had  trusted  in 
His  atonement,  and  had  been  devoted  to  His  service, 

*  John  xvii.  1  —  19. 


302  THE   LIFE   AND    MINISTRY 

should  be  with  Him,  to  gaze  upon  His  perfections,  and 
enjoy  His  eternal  friendship.* 

When  the  Redeemer  had  offered  up  this  prayer,  the 
usual  hymn  was  sung;  and  He  went  forth  with  His 
apostles,  over  the  brook  Cedron,  to  the  Mount  of  Olives,  t 
As  they  passed  along,  He  again  told  them  that  in  that 
very  night  they  should  all  "  be  offended  because  of 
Him,"  and  should  indeed  forsake  Him  in  the  extremity 
of  His  grief  and  shame.  He  referred  to  the  remarkable 
prediction,  "  I  will  smite  the  Shepherd,  and  the  sheep 
shall  be  scattered,"  as  just  about  to  receive  its  accom- 
phshment;  but  He  added,  that  when  He  shoidd  have 
risen  from  the  dead.  He  would  go  before  them  into 
Galilee,  and  there,  amidst  the  scenes  of  His  former 
labours,  give  them  a  public  and  convincing  proof  of  the 
validity  of  all  His  claims.;}:  Peter,  still  warm  in  his 
affection  for  his  Lord,  and  eager  to  express  the  uncon- 
quei-able  love  which  glowed  within  his  breast,  replied, 
"  Though  all  men  shall  be  offended  because  of  Thee,  yet 
will  I  never  be  offended."  The  Saviour  again  admonished 
him,  how  soon  his  boasted  firmness  would  give  way : 
"  Verily  I  say  unto  thee.  That  this  day,  even  in  this 
night,  befoi'e  the  cock  crow  twice,  thou  shalt  deny  Me 
tlirice."  Peter  could  not  believe  that  he  was  capable  of 
so  base  an  act;  and  renewed  his  earnest  protestation  of 
unwavering  fidelity  and  attachment.  He  affirmed,  that 
not  even  the  certain  prospect  of  death  could  induce  him 
to  deny  his  Master;  and  in  this  declaration  they  all 
concurred.  § 

•  John  xvii.  20—26. 

f  Johnxviii.  1;  Matthew  xxvL  30;  Mark  xi v.  26;  Lukexxii.  39. 

i  Matthew  xxvi.  31,  32;  Mark  xiv.  27,  28. 

§  Matthew  xxvi.  33—35  ;  Mark  xiv.  29—31. 


OP   THE   REDEEMER.  303 

It  was  now,  probably,  near  midnight,  and  the  hour  of 
the  Saviour's  deepest  agony  had  arrived.  A  new  scene 
opens  upon  our  view;  and,  with  chastened  and  solemn 
feelings,  we  have  to  contemplate  "the  Man  of  sorrows" 
bending  beneath  the  weight  of  that  anguish  which  our 
sins  brought  upon  Him. 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

THE    redeemer's   AGONY  IN  THE  GARDEN  OP  GETHSEMANE. 
HIS    APPREHENSION,    TRIAL,    AND    DEATH. 

Near  the  foot  of  the  Mount  of  Olives,  and  on  the 
road  to  Bethany,  lay  Gethsemane, — a  place  ever  memo- 
rable in  the  history  of  the  Christian  redemption.  Like 
the  other  suburbs  of  Jerusalem,  it  was  full  of  gardens ; 
and  to  one  of  these  the  Saviour  had  frequently  resorted, 
on  His  visits  to  the  metropolis,  for  the  purpose  of 
retirement  and  meditation.*  There  were  many  in  that 
neighbourhood,  and  especially  in  the  village  of  Bethany, 
who  revered  His  cliaractei',  and  valued  His  teaching; 
and  it  is  a  pleasing  thought,  that  this  garden  must  have 
been  placed  at  His  sei'vice  by  its  owner,  that  He  might 
at  any  time  enjoy  there  a  degree  of  quiet  and  repose, 
after  the  toils  of  His  public  ministiy.  This  familiar 
spot  was  now  to  become  the  scene  of  His  deepest  sorrow; 
and  He  who  had  so  often  walked  there  in  calm  and 
delightful  communion  with  the  Father,  was  now  to  feel 
»  John  xviii.  1,  2. 


304 


THE    AGONY    AND    DEATH 


a  peculiar  anguish,  such  as  had  never  before  oppressed  a 
human  spirit. 

As  the  Redeemer  went  into  this  garden  with  His 
apostles,  He  gave  them  the  general  charge,  "  Pray  that 
ye  enter  not  into  temptation;"  and  then,  leaving  eight 
of  them  near  the  entrance,  He  took  with  Him  Peter, 
James,  and  John,  to  be  the  witnesses  of  His  deep  agony. 
With  these  He  retired  to  the  recesses  of  the  garden,  and 
said  to  them,  "  My  soul  is  exceedingly  sorrowful,  even 
unto  death :  tarry  ye  here,  and  watch  with  Me."  *  Then, 
leaving  even  the  favoured  three  at  a  little  distance.  He 
went  forward,  and  kneeled  down,  and  afterwards  fell  on 
His  face,  and  prayed  to  the  Father,  that,  if  it  were 
possible,  the  "cup"  of  which  He  was  then  drinking 
might  pass  from  Him ;  adding,  "  Nevertheless  not  as  I 
will,  but  as  Thou  wilt."  While  the  Saviour  was  thus 
praying,  there  appeared  an  angel  from  heaven,  to 
strengthen  Him, — His  humanity  almost  sinking  under 
the  pressure  of  the  mental  anguish  which  He  endured; 
and  such  were  the  depth  and  intensity  of  His  feelings, 
that  a  bloody  sweat  came  profusely  from  His  body,  and 
fell  in  great  drops  to  the  ground,  t 

Here  we  may  pause,  and  reflect  on  this  solemn  and 
mysterious  scene.  We  would  not,  with  irreverent 
curiosity,  press  into  the  Saviour's  retirement,  or  attempt 
to  unfold  the  deep  emotions  which  now  filled  His  breast. 
We  have  rather  to  stand  at  a  distance,  and  gaze,  with 
silent  awe,  upon  the  almost  fainting  Sufferer.  The 
"hour"  of  which  He  had  so  often  spoken,  had  now 
arrived;  and  He  who  had  given  peace  to  the  troubled 

*  :\Iattliew  xxvi.  36—38  ;  Mark  xiv.  32— 34 ;  Luke  xxii.  39,  40. 
t  Matthew  xxvi.  39  ;  Mark  xiv.  35,  3(i;  Luke  xxii.  41— 4'1-. 


OP    THE    REDEEMER,  305 

mind,  and  had  diffused  happiness  and  joy  among  the 
afflicted  of  our  race,  was  now  Himself  the  subject  of 
oppressive  and  exhausting  sorrow.  It  is  almost  needless 
to  remark,  that  this  anguish  could  not  have  been  the 
result  of  any  personal  transgressions.  He  "knew  no 
sin;"  His  mind  was  ever  distinguished  by  perfect  purity 
and  goodness ;  and  His  entire  life  on  earth  had  been  one 
of  unfailing  obedience  to  the  Father's  will,  and  of  con- 
descending benignity  to  man.  The  very  fact  that  He 
suffered  thus,  can  only  be  explained  by  regarding  Him 
as  the  Substitute  of  our  fallen  race.  The  burden  of  the 
world's  iniquities  lay  upon  His  spirit.*  He  took  the 
place  of  the  guilty;  and  as  He  thought  of  the  sins  of 
men,  the  intensity  of  His  anguish  was  in  proportion  to 
His  vivid  and  exquisite  perception  of  the  moral  baseness 
of  transgression.  The  powers  of  darkness,  also,  were 
probably  permitted  to  harass  His  pure  and  heavenly 
mind.  On  this  very  evening.  He  had  said  to  His 
disciples,  "The  prince  of  this  world  cometh,  and  hath 
nothing  in  Me :"  and  we  have  every  reason  to  regard  the 
mysterious  scene  of  Gethsemane,  as  one  of  the  occasions 
on  which  He  endured  the  predicted  assault  of  the  great 
adversary  of  mankind. 

The  prayer  which  the  Redeemer  addressed  to  the 
Father, — "  0  My  Father,  if  it  be  possible,  let  this  cup 
pass  from  Me," — cannot  be  understood  as  referring  to 
His  deliverance  from  death.  From  the  very  period  of 
the  fall.  His  death  had  been  set  forth  as  the  great  sacri- 
fice for  human  guilt.  The  types  of  the  patriarchal  and 
Mosaic  dispensations  had  all  pointed  to  His  effectual 
atonement.  The  Saviour  Himself  had  repeatedly 
*  Isaiah  liii.  4 — 6. 
X 


o06  THE  AGONY  AND  DEATH 

declared  the  necessity  of  His  death,  in  order  to  the 
redemption  of  mankind;  He  had,  on  several  occasions, 
foretold  its  minute  circumstances,  and  had  appealed  to 
the  triumph  of  His  resurrection,  as  the  crowning  con- 
firmation of  His  claims ;  and,  on  that  veiy  night.  He  had 
instituted  the  sacred  rite  which  was  to  commemorate 
His  death  until  the  very  end  of  time.  These  considera- 
tions, to  say  the  least,  would  render  it  extremely  im- 
probable that  our  Lord  should  now  ask  to  be  exempted 
from  the  death  that  was  before  Him.  The  petition 
which  He  offered  up  had,  we  conceive,  a  far  different 
import.  The  "cup"  of  which  He  spoke,  was  that  cup 
of  bitterness  and  anguish  which  He  was  then  drinking : 
and  His  request  was,  that  if  it  were  possible, — if  it 
could  be  done  without  impairing  the  efficacy  of  His 
atonement,  or  obscuring  that  bright  and  full  display  of 
the  Divine  perfections  which  His  vicarious  sufferings 
should  present  to  the  rational  universe, — the  severity  of 
His  mental  anguish  might  be  alleviated,  and  its  duration 
shortened. 

It  is  probable  that  nearly  one  hour  passed  away  while 
the  Saviour  thus  agonized  and  prayed :  and,  at  the  end 
of  that  time.  He  came  to  the  three  disciples,  and  found 
them  oppressed  with  sleep.  Addressing  Peter,  in 
particidar,  He  said,  "  Simon,  sleepest  thou  ?  couldest 
not  thou  watch  with  Me  one  hour?  Watch  ye  and 
pray,  lest  ye  enter  into  temptation.  The  spirit  truly  is 
ready,  but  the  flesh  is  Aveak."*  He  then  left  them,  still 
feeling  an  oppressive  weight  of  sorrow  upon  His  spirit, 
and  again  prayed  earnestly  to  the  Father, — expressing 
His  perfect  resignation  to  His  will,  while  yet  He  asked 
*  Matthew  xxvi.  40,  41 ;  Mark  xiv.  37,  38. 


OP   THE   REDEEMER.  307 

for  the  mitigation  of  His  deep  anguish.  After  a  little 
while  He  returned  to  them,  and  found  them  asleep 
again;  for  their  spirits  were  exhausted,  and  their  eyes 
were  heavy.*  He  again  left  them,  and  renewed  His 
supplications  to  the  Father;  and  then,  aware  that  the 
traitor  was  approaching,  with  his  band  of  armed  men, 
He  went  to  them  the  third  time,  and,  awaking  them, 
apprised  them  that  the  moment  of  danger  was  at  hand. 
"  The  hour  is  come,"  He  said;  "  behold,  the  Son  of  man 
is  betrayed  into  the  hands  of  sinners.  Rise  up,  let  us 
go;  lo,  he  that  betrayeth  Me  is  at  hand."f  Accompanied 
by  the  three.  He  returned  to  His  other  apostles,  whom 
He  had  left  at  the  entrance  of  the  garden,  and,  arousing 
them  also  from  sleep,  charged  them  to  pray,  lest  they 
should  enter  into  temptation,  J 

While  the  Saviour  was  yet  addressing  them,  Judas, 
accompanied  by  a  large  body  of  men  armed  with  swords 
and  staves,  and  carrying  lamps  and  torches,  came  to  the 
retired  spot  in  which  they  were.§  Jesus,  though  He 
intended  to  yield  Himself  into  their  hands,  first  gave 
them  an  impressive  proof  of  His  dignity  and  power,  and 
showed  them  with  how  great  ease  He  could  wither  all 
their  strength.  He  advanced  to  meet  them,  and  asked, 
"Whom  seek  ye?"  They  replied,  "Jesus  of  Nazareth," 
He  said  to  them,  "I  am  He;"  and  immediately  "they 
went  backward,  and  fell  to  the  ground,"  Recovering 
from  their  consternation,  they  rose,  and  the  Saviour 
again  asked  them,   "Whom  seek  jeV      Again  they 

*  Matthew  xxvi,  42,  43 ;  Mark  xiv.  39,  40, 

f  Matthew  xxvi.  44 — 46  ;  Mark  xiv.  41,  42. 

X  Luke  xxii.  45,  46, 

§  Matthew  xxvi,  47 ;  Mark  xiv,  43 ;  Luke  xxii.  47 ;  John  xviii.  3. 

x2 


308  THE  AGONY  AND  DEATH 

replied,  "Jesus  of  Nazareth:"  and  our  Lord,  though  He 
did  not  a  second  time  exert  His  power  to  lay  them 
prostrate,  but  indirectly  intimated  that  He  woidd 
surrender  Himself  into  their  hands,  charged  them  not 
to  molest  His  disciples,  but  allow  them  quietly  to  depart. 
He  said  to  them,  "  I  have  told  you  that  I  am  He :  if 
therefore  ye  seek  Me,  let  these  go  their  way."*  At  this 
juncture,  Judas  advanced  towards  our  Lord,  and  kissed 
Him,  according  to  the  signal  which  he  had  agreed  upon 
with  his  followers.  The  Saviour  addressed  him  mildly, 
"  Friend,  wherefore  art  thou  come  1 "  and  then,  after  a 
momentary  pause,  sought  to  arouse  his  conscience  by  the 
question,  "  Judas,  betrayest  thou  the  Son  of  man  Avith  a 
kissr'-f-  Meanwhile,  the  officers  of  the  chief  priests 
rushed  forward  to  apprehend  our  Lord ;  and  some  of  the 
disciples,  perceiving  them  about  to  lay  violent  hands  on 
Him  whom  they  revered  and  loved,  asked,  "  Lord,  shall 
we  smite  with  the  sword?"  The  impetuosity  of  Peter 
led  him,  without  waiting  for  a  reply,  to  attempt  the 
I'escue  of  his  Master.  He  drew  his  sword,  and  struck  a 
servant  of  the  high  priest,  who  had  probably  taken  hold 
of  our  Lord,  and  cut  off  his  right  ear.  But  the  Redeemer 
at  once  interposed,  with  calm  dignity.  He  protected 
Peter  from  the  violence  of  the  band  that  had  come 
against  Him,  and  soothed  their  irritated  feelings,  by 
saying,  "  Suffer  ye  thus  far;"  and  then,  touching  the  ear 
of  the  wounded  man,  restored  him  to  soundness  and 
vigour.  He  reproved  His  disciple  for  resorting  to  such 
a  method  of  defence ;  and  reminded  him,  that  if  He  had 
wished  to  rescue  Himself  from  the  power  of  His  assail- 

*  John  xviii.  4 — 9. 
t  Matthew  xxvi.  48—50 ;  ]\Iark  xiv.  44,  45 ;  Luke  xxii.  47,  48. 


OP   THE   REDEEMER.  309 

ants,  He  might  have  commanded  the  services  even  of 
the  angeUc  host;  but  that  He  voluntarily  gave  Himself 
up  to  death,  to  fulfil  the  prophetic  Scriptures,  and 
accomplish  the  designs  of  the  Eternal  Father.  He  said 
to  Peter,  "  Put  up  again  thy  sword  into  its  place :  for  all 
they  that  take  the  sword  shall  perish  with  the  sword. 
Thinkest  thou  that  I  cannot  now  pray  to  My  Father, 
and  He  shall  presently  give  Me  more  than  twelve  legions 
of  angels?  But  how  then  shall  the  Scriptures  be  fulfilled, 
that  thus  it  must  be?" *  Then,  addressing  the  multitude, 
and  especially  the  chief  priests  and  captains  of  the 
temple  who  stood  among  them,  He  said,  "  Are  ye  come 
out  as  against  a  thief,  with  swords  and  staves  to  take 
Me?  When  I  was  daily  with  you  in  the  temple,  ye 
stretched  forth  no  hands  against  Me :  but  this  is  your 
hour,  and  the  power  of  darkness."  j-  The  demeanour  of 
our  Lord,  at  this  critical  juncture,  evinced  the  purity 
and  greatness  of  His  character.  No  agitation  or  alarm 
rufiied  His  spirit;  but,  with  a  calm  and  collected  mind, 
He  surrendered  Himself  into  the  hands  of  His  enemies, 
while  He  gave  them  the  most  convincing  proofs  that  He 
retained  His  control  over  universal  nature.  His  disciples, 
perceiving  that  He  allowed  Himself  to  be  seized  and 
bound,  and  that  the  officers  of  the  chief  priests  were 
beginning  to  lead  Him  away,  "forsook  Him  and  fled.":J: 
The  band  that  had  apprehended  Jesus  took  Him  first 
to  the  house  of  Annas,  the  father-in-law  of  Caiaphas  the 
high  priest;  and  soon  afterwards,  at  the  desire  of  Annas, 

*  Matthew  xxvi.  50—54;  Mark  xiv.  46,  47 ;  Luke  xxii.  49—51 ; 
John  xviii.  10,  11. 

f  Luke  xxii.  52,  53 ;  Matthew  xxvi.  55 ;  Mark  xiv.  48,  49. 
J  John  xviii.  12;  Matthew  xxvi.  5(3 ;  Mark  xiv,  50. 


310  THE  AGONY  AND  DEATH 

conducted  Him  to  the  palace  of  the  latter.  The  Sanhe- 
drim, though  it  was  yet  night,  was  immediately  convened 
to  sit  in  judgment  upon  Him.*  Meanwhile  Peter  and 
John,  who  had  recovered  a  little  from  their  alarm,  fol- 
lowed the  Redeemer  afar  off,  and  went  into  the  palace 
of  the  high  priest,  to  await  the  issue  of  the  proceedings. 
A  fire  had  been  kindled  by  the  servants  in  the  midst  of 
the  hall,  and  Peter  sat  down  among  them,  and  warmed 
himself,  t 

The  high  priest  appears  to  have  commenced  the  in- 
vestigation, by  asking  our  Lord  respecting  His  disciples 
and  His  doctrine.  The  Saviour's  reply  was  dignified 
and  impressive : — "  I  spake  openly  to  the  world  ;  I  ever 
taught  in  the  synagogue,  and  in  the  temple,  whither  the 
Jews  always  resort;  and  in  secret  have  I  said  nothing. 
Why  askest  thou  Me  1  ask  them  which  heard  Me,  what 
I  have  said  unto  them :  behold,  they  know  what  I  said." 
Immediately  one  of  the  oflTicers  of  the  high  priest  struck 
Him  with  the  palm  of  his  hand,  saying,  "Answerest 
thou  the  high  priest  so  ?"  The  Redeemer  turned  to 
him,  and  said,  "  If  I  have  spoken  evil,  bear  witness  of 
the  evil:  but  if  well,  why  smitest  thou  Me  1"  J 

The  council  now  eagerly  sought  for  pei'.sons  who  would 
attest  any  charge  against  our  Lord,  which  might  justify 
them  in  pronouncing  Him  to  be  worthy  of  death. 
Several  came  forward,  but  their  statements  were  insuf- 
ficient and  contradictory.  The  most  plausible  accusation 
which  they  could  allege,  was,  that  He  had  spoken  against 

•  John  xviii.  13,  24;  Matthew  xxvi.  57;  Mark  xiv.  53  ;  Luke 
xxii.  54. 

t  John  xviii.  15,  Ifi;  Matthew  xxvi.  58;  Mark  xiv.  54;  Luke 
xxii.  54,  55. 

I  John  xviii.  19—23. 


OF    THE    REDEEMER.  311 

the  temple,  by  affirming,  "  I  will  destroy  this  temple  that 
is  made  with  hands,  and  within  three  days  I  will  build 
another  made  without  hands."*  But  the  evidence  of  the 
two  witnesses  who  preferred  this  charge  was  not  con- 
sistent; and  the  council  felt  that  they  could  not,  with  any 
shadow  of  justice,  condemn  Him  to  death  on  the  ground 
of  it.t  Their  only  resource,  therefore,  was,  to  obtain, 
if  possible,  from  His  own  lips,  some  declaration  which 
they  might  pronounce  to  be  blasphemous,  as  involving 
an  assumption  of  the  peculiar  glory  of  Jehovah.  The 
Redeemer  had  hitherto  preserved  silence  in  regard  to 
the  accusations  brought  against  Him ;  but  now  the  high 
priest  rose  from  his  seat,  and  appealed  to  Him,  "  An- 
swerest  thou  nothing?  what  is  it  which  these  witness 
against  thee?";}:  Still,  however,  our  Lord  remained 
silent;  and  then  the  high  priest  addressed  Him  with 
peculiar  solemnity,  "  I  adjure  thee  by  the  living  God, 
that  thou  tell  us  whether  thou  be  the  Christ,  the  Son 
of  God."  In  proposing  this  question,  Caiaphas  well  knew 
that  on  several  occasions,  and  even  in  His  last  discourses 
in  the  temple,  He  had  claimed  to  be  the  Son  of  God :  and 
as  that  claim  involved  a  participation  of  the  Divine  nature, 
and  the  possession  of  Divine  perfections,  the  council  were 
prepared,  if  He  would  only  avow  it  before  them,  to  declai'e 
Him  a  blasphemer,  and  adjudge  Him  to  be  worthy  of 
death.  Jesus,  thus  solemnly  called  upon,  distinctly  and 
emphatically  replied  in  the  affirmative ;  and  added,  that 
soon  He  should  be  exalted  to  the  right  hand  of  the 
Father,  and  should  be  revealed  in  glory  as  the  Judge  of 
all  mankind.    Then  the  high  priest  rent  his  clothes,  and, 

•  Matthew  xxvi.  59—61  ;  Mark  xiv.  55—58.         f  Jlark  xiv.  59. 
X  Matthew  xxvi.  62  ;  Mark  xiv.  60. 


312  THE  AGONY  AND  DEATH 

addressing  the  council,  said,  "He  hath  spoken  blasphemy; 
what  further  need  have  we  of  witnesses  ?  Behold,  now 
ye  have  heard  his  blasphemy.  What  think  ye  ?"  They 
replied,  "  He  is  guilty  of  death."  *  And  now  the  malig- 
nant feelings  of  many  who  stood  ai'ound  Him  began  to 
vent  themselves  in  the  indignities  which  they  heaped 
upon  His  sacred  person.  They  spat  in  His  face,  and 
struck  Him  with  their  fists,  and  some  with  the  palms  of 
their  hands;  and,  blindfolding  Him,  they  again  struck 
Him,  and  tauntingly  said,  "Prophesy  unto  us,  thou 
Messiah,  Who  is  he  that  smote  thee?"t  But  no 
word  of  anger  escaped  His  lips.  Amidst  the  vulgar 
insults  of  that  hour.  He  was  meek  and  placid;  nor  did 
He  shrink  from  any  portion  of  the  suffering  and  contempt 
which  the  Father  permitted  to  come  upon  Him. 

But  the  hall  where  the  Redeemer  thus  meekly  endured 
the  taunts  and  buffetings  of  ungodly  men  had  now 
become  the  scene  of  Peter's  fall.  Thrice,  ere  this 
examination  closed,  did  that  disciple  who  had  been  so 
sincerely  and  warmly  attached  to  his  Master,  deny  Him 
before  the  servants  of  the  high  priest:  and,  at  length, 
when  he  had  affirmed,  even  with  oaths  and  curses,  his 
utter  ignorance  of  Him,  and  the  cock  crew  the  second 
time,  Jesus  turned  and  looked  upon  him,  and  his  heart 
was  touched  and  broken.  The  Saviour's  warnings  came 
vividly  to  his  remembrance ;  the  affecting  scenes  of  his 
past  intercourse  with  his  Lord  crowded  upon  his  mind; 
and,  under  a  deep  conviction  of  his  own  ingratitude  and 
baseness,  he  "  went  out  and  wept  bitterly."  ;}: 

*  Matthew  xxvi.  63—66;  Mark  xiv.  61—64. 
t  Matthew  xxvi.  67,  68  ;  Mark  xiv.  65  ;  Luke  xxii.  63—65. 
+  Matthew  xxvi.  69—75  ;  Mark  xiv.  66—72 ;  Luke  xxii.  56—62 ; 
John  xviii.  17,  18,  25—27. 


OF    THE    REDEEMER.  313 

As  soon  as  it  was  day,  the  Sanhedrim  again  assembled 
in  their  usual  chamber,  to  repeat  those  inquiries  to  which, 
in  the  night,  the  Saviour  had  so  distinctly  replied,  and 
to  consider  how  they  might  secure  the  consent  of  the 
Roman  governor  to  His  death.*  The  Redeemer  again 
avowed  before  the  council,  that  He  was  indeed  the  Son 
of  God;  and  affirmed,  that  the  time  was  coming  when 
He  should  "  sit  on  the  right  hand  of  the  power  of  God." 
They  listened,  with  a  malignant  satisfaction,  to  these 
declarations,  and  said  one  to  another,  "  What  need  we 
any  further  witness  1  for  we  ourselves  have  heard  of  his 
own  mouth."  t 

They  now  led  Him  to  the  hall  of  the  Roman  governor, 
bound  as  a  criminal  who  had  exposed  himself  to  the 
severest  penalty  of  the  law.|  Being  anxious  not  to 
contract  any  ceremonial  defilement,  they  did  not  them- 
selves enter  the  judgment-hall;  and  Pilate,  to  oblige 
them,  came  forth,  and  inquired,  "  What  accusation  bring 
ye  against  this  man  1 "  They  replied,  "  If  he  were  not 
a  malefactor,  we  would  not  have  delivered  him  up  unto 
thee."  Pilate  then  said  to  them,  "  Take  ye  him,  and 
judge  him  according  to  your  law."  The  Jews  answered, 
that  they  had  not  the  power  to  put  any  man  to  death 
without  Pilate's  consent, — and  that  they  regarded  the 
case  of  Jesus  as  one  which  called  even  for  that  extreme 
punishment. §  They  proceeded,  consequently,  to  allege 
the  charge  which  they  had  determined  to  bring  against 
Him,  as  most  likely  to  affect  the  mind  of  the  Roman 

*  Luke  xxii.  66,  collated  with  Matthew  xxvii.  1  ;  Mark  xv.  1. 
f  Luke  xxii.  66 — 7L 

X  Matthew  xxvii.  2  ;  Mark  xv.  1 ;  Luke  xxiii.  1 ;  John  xviii.  28. 
§  John  xviii.  28—32. 


314  THE  AGONY  AND  DEATH 

governor,  and  induce  him  to  consent  to  His  death.  "  We 
found  this  fellow,"  they  said,  "  perverting  the  nation, 
and  forbidding  to  give  tribute  to  Csesar,  saying  that  he 
himself  is  the  Messiah,  a  King."  *  Pilate  then  entered 
into  the  judgment-hall,  and  called  Jesus,  and  asked  Him, 
"Art  thou  the  King  of  the  Jews'?"  To  this  inquiry 
the  Saviour  replied  in  the  affirmative;  but  at  the  same 
time  He  distinctly  stated,  that  He  was  a  King  in  a 
peculiar  sense,  not  in  that  which  Pilate,  as  a  Roman, 
would  attach  to  the  phrase,  but  in  one  which  the  Jewish 
Scriptures  would  illustrate  and  sanction.  His  kingdom. 
He  affirmed,  was  spiritual;  and  the  chief  means  of  its 
establishment,  the  powerful  application  of  truth  to  the 
understanding  and  the  conscience.t 

This  explanation  of  Jesus  fully  satisfied  the  mind  of 
the  Roman  govei-nor,  that  He  had  not  been  guilty  of 
any  seditious  conduct.  He  thought,  probably,  that  He 
was  an  enthusiast;  and  yet  he  felt  a  degree  of  respect 
for  the  purity  and  uprightness  of  His  character.  Pilate 
went  forth,  therefore,  to  the  chief  priests  and  elders, 
followed  by  his  august  prisoner,  and  declared  his  full 
conviction  that  He  was  innocent  of  any  attempt  against 
the  Roman  government.  J  They  repeated  the  charge  of 
sedition  with  increased  vehemence,  alleging  against  Him 
many  things  which  they  could  not  prove ;  and  especially 
affirming,  that  "he  had  stirred  up  the  people,  teaching 
throughout  all  Judaea,  beginning  from  Galilee  unto  that 
place."  §     The  Redeemer  preserved  a  calm  and  dignified 

•  Luke  xxiii.  2. 

f  Luke  xxiii.  3  ;  Matthew  xxvii.  11 ;  Mark  xv.  2  ;  John  xviii. 
33—37. 
X  Luke  xxiii.  4 ;  John  xviii.  38.  §  Luke  xxiii.  5. 


OF   THK   REDEEMER.  315 

silence  in  respect  to  their  unfounded  accusations;  and 
even  when  the  governor  appealed  to  Him,  "  Hearest 
thou  not  how  many  things  they  witness  against  thee?" 
He  still  remained  silent  and  unmoved,  so  that  Pilate 
looked  upon  Him  with  utter  astonishment.*  The  men- 
tion of  Galilee,  however,  suggested  to  Pilate  the  thought, 
that  He  might  belong  to  the  jurisdiction  of  Herod ;  and 
he  asked,  "  whether  the  man  were  a  Galilean."  Being 
answered  in  the  affirmative,  he  gladly  availed  himself  of 
the  circumstance,  to  send  Him  to  Herod,  who  was  at 
that  time  in  Jerusalem. t  This  prince  had  long  wished 
to  see  Jesus,  and  hoped  that  the  great  Prophet  whose 
fame  had  reached  him,  would  gratify  him  by  performing 
some  miracle  in  his  presence.  This,  however,  would  not 
have  been  suitable  to  the  simplicity  and  dignity  of  the 
Redeemer's  character;  nor  did  He  satisfy  the  idle 
curiosity  of  Herod,  by  replying  to  his  various  questions. 
The  chief  priests  and  scribes  stood  there,  and  vehemently 
accused  Him;  but  Herod  viewed  Him  rather  as  an  object 
of  contempt  and  derision,  than  of  serious  condemnation, 
and  with  his  men  of  war  "set  Him  at  nought,  and 
mocked  Him,  and  arrayed  Him  in  a  gorgeous  robe,  and 
sent  Him  again  to  Pilate."  + 

When  the  Saviour  was  thus  led  back  to  the  Roman 
prjetorium,  the  governor  again  called  together  the  chief 
priests,  and  the  rulers,  and  the  people  generally,  and 
solemnly  declared  before  them,  that  neither  himself  nor 
Herod  had  found  Him  guilty  of  any  crime  which  could 
justly  expose  Him  to  the  penalty  of  death.  §  Perceiving, 
however,  that  He  was  regarded  with  envy  and  hatred  by 

•  Matthew  xxvii.  12—14 ;  Mark  xv.  3—5.         f  Luke  xxiii.  6,  7- 
X  Luke  xxiii.  8 — 11.  §  Luke  xxiii.  13 — 15. 


316  THE  AGONY  AND  DEATH 

the  leading  men  among  the  Jews,*  Pilate  endeavoured 
to  effect  His  rescue,  and  yet,  in  some  measure,  satisfy 
their  malignant  feelings,  by  releasing  Him  under  circum- 
stances which  should  exhibit  Him  as  an  object  of  pity 
and  contempt. 

The  custom  had  long  been  established,  that  at  the 
feast  of  the  passover  the  governor  should  release  unto 
the  people  a  prisoner,  whom  they  might  desire;  and 
some  among  the  multitude  began  now  to  request  him  to 
show  them  this  mark  of  deference  and  respect,  t  It 
occurred  to  Pilate,  that  he  might  avail  himself  of  this 
custom  to  save  the  life  of  Jesus,  and  yet  mark  Him  out 
as  a  degraded  man,  indebted  to  the  favour  of  the  people 
for  exemption  from  an  ignominious  death;  and  to  this 
he  proposed  to  add  scourging,  so  as  to  treat  His  pretended 
royalty  with  utter  contempt  and  scorn.;}:  To  secure  the 
selection  of  our  Lord  as  the  prisoner  to  be  released,  he 
limited  the  choice  of  the  people  to  two, — Jesus  and 
Barabbas;  the  latter  being  a  man  of  infamous  character, 
who  had  openly  engaged  in  an  insurrection,  and  in  that 
insurrection  had  deliberately  committed  murder.  §  He 
did  not  conceive  it  possible,  that  such  a  man  should  be 
preferred  to  Jesus,  whose  morals  were  pure  and  un- 
blemished, and  whose  only  crime  appeared  to  be,  that, 
in  some  mysterious  and  spiritual  sense.  He  claimed  to 
be  the  King  of  the  Jews.  But  the  chief  priests  persuaded 
the  assembled  people,  that  they  should  ask  Barabbas, 
and  clamour  for  the  death  of  Jesus.     And  when  Pilate 

*  Matthew  xxvii.  IS  ;  Mark  xv.  10. 

f  Mark  xv.  6,  8  ;  Matthew  xxvii.  15  ;  Luke  xxiii.  17. 

J  Luke  xxiii.  16. 

§  Matthew  xxvii.  16,  17  ;  Mark  xv,  7  ;  Luke  xxiii.  19. 


OF   THE   REDEEMER.  317 

pressed  it,  again  and  again,  upon  their  consideration, 
they  reiterated  their  request,  and  cried  out  respecting 
Jesus,  "  Crucify  him,  crucify  him."  *  Thus  was  an 
additional  indignity  cast  upon  our  blessed  Lord.  A 
murderer  was  preferred  to  "  the  Prince  of  life,"  —  to 
Him  whose  course  on  earth  had  been  one  of  unmingled 
purity  and  goodness,  and  who  had  scattered  blessings 
wherever  He  had  exercised  His  ministry. 

Pilate  now  proceeded  to  execute  the  second  part  of 
his  plan,  in  the  hope  that  the  sight  of  Jesus  as  a 
degraded  and  despised  man  might  at  length  cause  them 
to  relent.  He  directed  some  of  his  soldiers  to  take  the 
Redeemer  and  scourge  Him.  They  did  so ;  and  then,  to 
deride  His  pretensions  to  royalty,  they  "  platted  a  crown 
of  thorns,  and  put  it  on  His  head,  and  put  on  Him  a 
purple  robe,  and  said,  '  Hail,  king  of  the  Jews ! '  and 
smote  Him  with  their  hands."t  Pilate  now  went  forth 
to  the  chief  priests  and  the  multitude,  and  announced 
that  he  was  about  to  bring  out  Jesus  to  them,  treated 
with  mockery  and  contempt;  but  that  it  was  his 
deliberate  judgment,  that  He  had  committed  no  offence 
against  the  Roman  power,  and  that  he  could  not  consign 
Him  to  death.  Then  was  the  Saviour  led  forth,  wear- 
ing the  crown  of  thorns  and  the  purple  robe;  and  Pilate 
exclaimed,  "Behold  the  man!"  But  the  chief  jDriests 
and  the  officers  cried  out  with  renewed  vehemence, 
"Crucify  him!  crucify  him  !"|  Pilate  said  to  them, 
"  Take  ye  him,  and  crucify  him :  for  I  find  no  fault  in 
him."§      And  now  it   was,  that  they  disclosed  to  the 

*  Matthew  xxvii.   20—23;    Mark  xv.    11—14;    Luke   xxiii. 
18—22;  John  xviii.  40. 

t  .John  xix.  1—3.  J  John  xix.  4—6 ;  Luke  xxiii.  23. 

§  John  xix.  6. 


318  THE  AGONY  AND  DEATH 

Roman  governor  the  real  ground  on  which  they  had 
condemned  Him.  Hitherto  they  had  represented  Him 
as  a  seditious  person, — one  whose  claim  of  royalty 
was  injurious  to  the  rights  of  Csesar;  but  it  was  the 
design  of  God  that  the  'personal  dignity  of  the  Redeemer 
should  be  formally  brought  before  the  notice  of  the 
governor,  that  all  the  agents  of  the  Roman  power  might 
be  aware  of  the  true  nature  of  the  controversy  at  issue, 
and  might  perceive,  when  He  should  rise  again  from 
the  dead,  that  His  claim  to  be  possessed  even  of  Divine 
perfections  was  established,  and  that  He  was  the  proper 
object  of  religious  confidence  and  love.  The  chief 
priests  said  to  Pilate,  "  We  have  a  law.  and  by  our  law 
he  ought  to  die,  because  he  made  himself  the  Son  of 
God."*  This  announcement  filled  the  mind  of  the 
governor  with  a  degree  of  awe.  He  again  went  into 
the  judgment-hall,  and  inquired  of  our  Lord,  "  Whence 
art  thou  ?"  But  Jesus  remained  silent.  The  mind  of 
Pilate  was  not  in  a  fit  state  to  have  the  mystery  of  the 
Redeemer's  person  unfolded  to  it;  nor  did  it  become 
the  dignity  of  our  Lord,  in  such  circumstances,  to  explain 
the  lofty  truths  involved  in  the  question  proposed  to  Him. 
The  governor,  surprised  at  His  silence,  said  to  Him, 
"  Speakest  thou  not  unto  me  ?  Knowest  thou  not  that 
I  have  poAver  to  crucify  thee,  and  have  power  to  release 
thee?"  The  Saviour  repUed,  "Thou  couldest  have  no 
power  at  all  against  Me,  except  it  were  given  thee  from 
above :  therefore  he  that  delivered  Me  unto  thee  hath 
the  greater  sin."t  This  development  of  the  character  of 
Jesus  impressed  the  mind  of  Pilate,  yet  more  deeply, 
with  a  conviction  of  His  perfect  innocence;  and,  going 

*  John  xix.  7.  f  John  xix.  8— 11. 


OF   THE   REDEEMER.  319 

forth  to  the  Jews,  he  again  endeavoured  to  soften  their 
feelings  towards  Him,  and  induce  them  to  consent  to 
His  discharge.  He  appears,  indeed,  at  this  time,  to 
have  contemplated  releasing  our  Lord  in  spite  of  their 
continued  clamour;  but  the  chief  priests  and  their 
officers  cried  out,  "If  thou  let  this  man  go,  thou  art 
not  Caesar's  friend  :  whosoever  maketh  himself  a  king 
speaketh  against  Caesar."* 

The  fears  of  Pilate  relative  to  his  own  honour  and 
safety  were  now  awakened;  and  being  aware  that  if 
he  persisted  in  releasing  Jesus,  in  defiance  of  the  remon- 
strances of  the  leading  men  among  the  Jews,  they  might 
so  represent  his  conduct  at  the  imperial  court,  as  to 
render  him  an  object  of  suspicion,  he  began  to  give 
way  to  their  malignant  clamour.  He  ordered  Jesus  to 
be  again  brought  forth,  and,  sitting  down  solemnly  on 
the  judgment-seat,  he  said  to  the  assembled  Jews,  "  Be- 
hold your  king  !"  t  They  cried  out,  "  Away  with  him, 
away  with  him,  crucify  him!"  Pilate  replied,  "Shall 
I  crucify  your  king?"  The  chief  priests  answered, 
"  We  have  no  king  but  Caesar."  |  Perceiving  that  a 
tumult  was  likely  to  be  made,  Pilate  now  called  for 
water,  and  washed  his  hands  before  them  all,  saying,  "  I 
am  innocent  of  the  blood  of  this  just  person;  see  ye  to 
it;"  and  with  this  impressive  action,  he  delivered  Jesus 
to  be  crucified,  and  released  to  them  the  murderer 
Barabbas.  The  infatuated  multitude  exclaimed,  "  His 
blood  be  on  us,  and  on  our  children,"  and  triumphed 
in  the  prospect  of  the  fearful  tragedy  that  was  at  hand.§ 

*Johnxix.  12.  f  .John  xix.  13,  14.  J  John  xix.  15. 

§  Matthew  xxvii.  24 — 26;  Mark  xv.  15;  Luke  xxiii.  23—25; 
John  xix.  16. 


320  THE  AGONY  AND  DEATH 

The  Redeemer  was  now  handed  over  to  the  soldiers, 
in  order  to  the  execution  of  the  sentence  which  had 
been  passed  upon  Him.  The  whole  band  was  gathered 
around  Him,  and  began  to  deride  His  assumed  royalty. 
Still  clad  in  the  purple  robe,  and  wearing  the  crown  of 
thorns,  He  was  the  object  of  their  bitter  taunts  and 
insults.  They  put  a  reed  in  His  right  hand,  and,  bowing 
the  knee  before  Him,  saluted  Him,  as  they  had  done 
before,  "  Hail,  king  of  the  Jews ! "  and  then  they  spat 
upon  Him,  and,  taking  the  reed,  smote  Him  on  the 
head.*  The  Saviour  bore  all  this  with  meekness  and 
patience.  No  word  of  indignant  complaint  was  heard 
from  His  lips ;  no  feeling  of  resentment  ruffled  His  pure 
and  benign,  but  now  sorrowful  spirit,  intent,  as  it  was, 
on  the  accomplishment  of  man's  redemption.  His  deport- 
ment under  this  cruel  mockery,  and  in  every  subsequent 
stage  of  His  sufferings,  was  in  strict  accordance  with  the 
prophetic  declaration,  "  He  is  brought  as  a  lamb  to  the 
slaughter,  and  as  a  sheep  before  her  shearers  is  dumb, 
so  He  openeth  not  His  mouth."  t 

Meanwhile,  the  cross  on  which  He  was  to  suffer  was 
made  ready,  and  the  title  selected  by  Pilate  to  express 
the  charge  against  Him  was  attached  to  it.  When  this 
was  done,  the  soldiers  took  the  purple  robe  from  off 
Him,  and  put  His  own  raiment  on  Him,  and  led  Him 
away  towards  the  spot  on  which  He  was  to  be  crucified.]: 
At  first,  the  Redeemer  had  to  bear  the  weight  of  His 
own  cross  ;§  but  as  His  physical  strength  was  probably 

•  Matthew  xxvii.  27—30  ;  Mark  xv.  16—19.       f  Isaiah  liii.  7. 
X  Matthew  xxvii.  31  ;  Mark  xv.  20:  see  also  Matthew  xxvii.  37; 
Mark  xv.  26  ;  Luke  xxiii.  38  ;  John  xix.  19—22. 
§  John  xix.  17. 


OF    THE    BEDEEMER.  321 

impaired  by  the  deep  mental  anguish  through  which  He 
had  passed,  the  soldiers  laid  hold  of  one  Simon,  a 
Cyrenian,  whom  they  met  on  their  v/ay,  and  compelled 
him  to  share  the  burden  of  it  with  our  Lord.*  As 
they  went  through  the  streets  of  Jerusalem,  many 
who  had  listened  to  His  teaching,  and  had  beheld  His 
miracles,  with  deep  interest,  followed  the  mournful  pi'o- 
cession  with  unaffected  grief;  and  many  of  the  women 
of  that  city,  touched  with  pity  and  sadness,  "bewailed 
and  lamented  Him."  But  the  Redeemer  paused,  and, 
turning  to  them,  said,  "  Daughters  of  Jerusalem,  weep 
not  for  Me,  but  weep  for  youi'selves,  and  for  your 
children.  For,  behold,  the  days  are  coming,  in  the 
which  they  shall  say.  Blessed  are  the  barren,  and  the 
wombs  that  never  bare,  and  the  paps  which  never  gave 
suck.  Then  shall  they  begin  to  say  to  the  mountains, 
Fall  on  us;  and  to  the  hills,  Cover  us.  For  if  they  do 
these  things  in  a  green  tree,  what  shall  be  done  in  the 
dry?"t 

But  in  this  procession  there  were  two  others,  who 
also  appeared  as  criminals,  and  were  bearing  their 
crosses  towards  the  place  of  execution.  The  holy  Jesus 
was  condemned  to  suffer  and  die,  in  company  with  men 
who  had  seized  the  property  of  others,  and  had  been 
distinguished  by  many  acts  of  violence  and  injustice.;}; 
Thus  was  the  prophetic  statement  remarkably  fulfilled, 
"And  He  was  numbered  with  the  transgressors ;" §  and 
thus,  as  far  as  man  could  arrange.  He  was  set  forth  as  an 
object  of  utter  detestation  and  scorn. 

*  Matthew  xxvii.  32 ;  Mark  xv.  21  ;  Luke  xxiii.  26. 

t  Luke  xxiii.  27— 3L 

+  Luke  xxiii.  32  ;  Matthew  xxvii.  38;   Mark  xv.  2?, 

§  Isaiah  liii.  12.     See  also  Mark  xv.  28. 
y 


322  THE  AGONY  AND  DEATH 

The  eminence  on  which  the  crosses  were  to  be  erected, 
was  on  the  north-west  side  of  the  city,  and  a  little 
without  the  walls.  It  was  the  ordinary  place  of  exe- 
cution, and  it  derived  its  name  of  Calvary,  or  Golgotha, 
— the  place  of  skulls, — from  the  abundance  of  the 
mouldering  or  bleaching  remains  of  human  bodies  which 
lay  there.*  Having  reached  this  spot,  the  soldiers 
offered  our  Lord  sour  wine  mixed  with  some  bitter 
ingredient,  to  drink,  before  the  process  of  crucifixion 
commenced:  but  when  lie  had  just  tasted  of  it,  lie 
declined  to  drink  it,  that  He  might  not  even  seem  to 
attempt  to  mitigate  His  sufferings.t 

And  now  they  nailed  Him  to  the  cross :  and  while  the 
rude  soldiers  were  driving  the  nails  through  the  palms 
of  His  hands,  and  through  His  feet, — parts  exquisitely 
sensitive, — He  uttered  the  prayer,  "Father,  forgive 
them;  for  they  know  not  what  they  do."| 

The  crosses  were  erected :  that  of  our  adorable  Lord 
being  in  the  middle, — with  His  face,  in  all  probability, 
turned  towards  the  city, — and  those  of  the  two  thieves 
on  either  hand.§  The  soldiers  now  proceeded  to  divide 
His  raiment  among  themselves.  There  were  four  to 
whom  the  charge  of  His  crucifixion  had  been  assigned; 
the  same  number  was  probably  allotted  to  each  of  the 
others;  and  over  these  was  placed  a  centurion,  to  super- 
intend the  fearful  tragedy.  The  four  soldiers,  therefore, 
who  had  nailed  the  Saviour  to  the  cross,  distributed  His 
clothing  into  four  parts,  and  cast  lots,  which  of  these 
portions  each  of  them  should  take.      Perceiving  His 

*  Luke  xxiii.  33  ;  John  xix.  17 ;  Matthew  xxvii.  33 ;  Mark  xv.  22. 
f  Matthew  xxvii.  34 ;  Mark  xv.  23.  J  Luke  xxiii.  34. 

§  Luke  xxiii.  33  ;  John  xix.  18 ;  Matthew  xxvii.  38 ;  Maik  xv.  27. 


OF    THE    REDEEMER.  323 

inner  garment  to  be  "  without  seam,  woven  from  the 
top  throughout,"  they  said  one  to  another,  "  Let  us  not 
rend  it,  but  cast  lots  for  it,  whose  it  shall  be."  In  this, 
too,  the  prophetic  intimation  was  fulfilled,  "  They  part 
My  garments  among  them,  and  cast  lots  upon  My 
vesture."* 

It  was  now  about  nine  o'clock  ;t  and  the  Redeemer 
hung  on  the  accursed  tree, — the  object   of  scorn  and 
hatred  to  the  chief  priests,  and  the  ungodly  who  had 
clamoured  for  His  blood,  but  of  affectionate  solicitude 
to  many  who  had  listened  to  His  ministry  with  profound 
attention,   and   knew  the  purity  and  goodness  of  His 
character.      For  three   hours  the   light  of  day  shone 
upon  that  spectacle;   and  the  gaze  of  multitudes  was 
fixed  upon  the  Sufferer. |    Some  who  passed  by,  remem- 
bering those  words  of  His,  which  had  been  so   long 
treasured  up  against  Him,  "  Destroy  this  temple,  and  in 
three  days  I  will  raise  it  up;"  and  remembering,  also, 
the  distinct  and  emphatic   manner  in  which   He  had 
claimed,  even  before  the  Sanhedrim,  to  be  the  Son  of 
God;  wagged  their  heads,  and  said,   "Ah,  thou  that 
destroyest  the  temple,  and  buildest  it  in  three  days,  save 
thyself     If  thou  be  the  Son  of  God,  come  down  from 
the  cross."  §     The  chief  priests  and  elders,  also,  crowded 
to  the  scene,  and  as  they  looked  upon  the  Prophet  of 
Galilee,  now  treated  as  an  outcast,  and  soon  about  to 
expire  upon  the  cross,  they  said  with  malignant  exulta- 
tion, "  He  saved  others ;  himself  he  cannot  save.     Let 
the  Messiah,  the  King  of  Israel,  descend  now  from  the 
•  Matthew  xxvii.    35 ;  Mark   xv.  24 ;  Luke  xxiii.    34 ;    John 
xix.  23,  2  k     See  also  Psalm  xxii.  18. 

f  Mark  xv.  25.  %  Luke  xxiii.  35. 

§  Matthew  xxvii.  39,  40  ;  Mark  xv.  29,  30. 

y2 


324  THE  AGONY  AND  DEATH 

cross,  that  we  may  see  and  believe.  He  trusted  in  God; 
let  Him  deliver  him  now,  if  He  will  have  him :  for  he 
said,  I  am  the  Son  of  God."*  Unconsciously  were  these 
deluded  and  wicked  men  fulfilling  one  of  the  predictions 
of  the  ancient  Scriptures  relative  to  the  Messiah's  suffer- 
ings, and  even  giving  utterance  to  the  very  words  of  the 
inspired  record : — "  All  they  that  see  Me  laugh  Me  to 
scorn:  they  shoot  out  the  lip,  they  shake  the  head, 
saying,  He  trusted  on  the  Lord  that  He  would  deliver 
Him:  let  Him  deliver  Him,  seeing  He  delighted  in 
Him."t  The  soldiers,  also,  who  had  sat  down  to  watch 
Him,  derided  His  claims  to  royalty ;  and  when  their 
dinner-hour  arrived,  they  offered  Him  some  of  their 
beverage,  saying,  "  If  thou  be  the  King  of  the  Je^^'s, 
save  thyself."!  One  of  the  thieves,  likewise,  who  were 
crucified  with  Him,  retaining  to  the  last  his  hatred  of 
every  thing  pure  and  good,  joined  in  the  reproaches  that 
were  cast  upon  Him;  but  the  heart  of  the  other  was 
touched  by  the  entire  demeanour  of  our  Lord;  and 
remembering,  probably,  what  he  had  heard  in  former 
days  of  His  teaching  and  His  claims,  and  convinced,  by 
a  special  illumination  fi-om  above,  that,  notwithstanding 
this  accumulation  of  ignominy  and  suffering,  Jesus  was 
indeed  the  true  Messiah,  he  acknowledged  Him  even  on 
the  cross,  as  one  about  to  be  invested  with  a  glorious 
kingdom.  Reproving  his  companion,  he  said,  "  Dost  not 
thou  fear  God,  seeing  thou  art  in  the  same  condemn- 
ation? And  we  indeed  justly;  for  we  receive  the  due 
reward  of  our  deeds :  but  this  Man  hath  done  nothing 
amiss."     Then,  addressing  the  Redeemer,  he  said,  "  Lord, 

•  Matthew  .xxvii.  41—43;  Mark  xv.  31,  32 ;  Luke  xxiii.  35. 
f  Psalm  .xxii.  7,  8.  +  Luke  .xxiii.  36,  37. 


OP   THE    REDEEMER.  325 

remember  me  when  Thou  comest  into  Thy  kingdom." 
Jesus  accepted  this  expression  of  a  lively  faith  in 
Himself,  and  assured  the  penitent  and  believing  thief 
of  eternal  life  and  blessedness : — "Verily  I  say  unto  thee, 
To-day  shalt  thou  be  with  Me  in  paradise."* 

But  there  were  some  standing  near  the  cross,  whose 
hearts  were  filled  with  sorrowful  emotions,  and  who 
gazed  even  with  anguish  upon  that  overwhelming 
spectacle.  One  of  these  was  Mary,  the  honoured  mother 
of  our  Lord.  She  who  had  watched  with  interest  the 
development  of  His  more  than  human  purity,  and 
wisdom,  and  goodness, — who  had  marked  with  reverent 
affection  His  career  as  a  Prophet,  and  had  seen  how  all 
nature  owned  His  touch,  and  obeyed  His  word, — now 
beheld  Him  lifted  up  as  a  criminal  and  an  outcast, 
enduring  all  the  sufferings  of  the  cross,  and  all  the 
taunts  and  revilings  of  His  enemies.!  The  Saviour  well 
knew  the  extremity  of  her  grief;  and,  ere  the  veil  of 
darkness  was  drawn  over  the  scene  of  His  humiliation, 
commended  her  to  the  filial  attachment  and  care  of  His 
beloved  disciple  John,  who  also  was  standing  near  with 
an  agonized  and  bleeding  heart.  John  dutifully  and 
gratefully  accepted  the  charge  confided  to  him;  and  at 
once  removed  her  from  the  spot,  that  she  might  not 
witness  the  Redeemer's  final  agony.  ^ 

During  three  hours,  the  mockery  and  insults  of  the 
chief  priests,  and  the  elders,  and  an  ungodly  multitude, 
had  been  continued  with  only  occasional  pauses.  It  was 
to  them  a  time  of  triumph  and  exultation:  the  dis- 
tinguished Prophet  seemed  to  be  abandoned  by  heaven 

*  Luke  xxiii.  39—43.  f  John  xix.  25. 

X  John  xix.  26,  27. 


326  THE  AGONY  AND  DEATH 

and  earth,  and  to  hang  there  in  utter  helplessness.  But 
when  the  hour  of  noon  arrived,  a  preternatural  darkness 
overspread  the  land  of  Judasa,  and  veiled  the  august 
Sufferer  from  their  gaze.  The  eternal  Father  thus 
marked  the  momentous  character  of  that  fearful  tragedy, 
and  awakened  a  feeling  of  awe  in  every  mind  that  was 
not  utterly  base  and  obdurate.  Nor  was  it  a  transient 
darkness  which  rested  on  the  scene  of  the  Saviour's 
sufferings,  and  on  the  whole  of  that  guilty  land  which 
had  rejected  Him.  It  continued  for  three  hours;*  and 
during  these,  the  Redeemer,  hidden  from  the  view  of 
men,  experienced,  as  we  have  every  reason  to  believe,  a 
renewal  of  that  deep  anguish  of  spirit  which  came  upon 
Him  in  the  garden  of  Gethsemane.  The  insults  of  His 
enemies,  and  the  acute  physical  suffering  which  the 
process  of  crucifixion  involved,  were  not  all  that  He  had 
to  endure.  There  was  a  peculiar  sorrow  of  heart,  into 
the  depth  of  which  it  is  not  for  us  to  penetrate.  He 
had  taken  the  place  of  a  guilty  world;  and  as  He  bore 
the  burden  of  our  sins.  He  felt  a  "travail  of  soul"  which 
only  One  so  great  and  holy  could  have  sustained.  In 
this  season  of  darkness,  we  may  well  conceive,  the  hosts 
of  hell  would  seek  to  harass  Him  who  had  invaded  their 
empire,  and  who  was  so  soon,  through  these  very  suffer- 
ings, to  triumph  over  them;t  while  the  angelic  hosts 
who  had  rejoiced  when  He  came  into  our  world,  and 
had  watched  His  ministry  with  deep  interest,  would 
crowd  around  the  scene  of  Calvaiy,  to  behold  the 
offering  up  of  the  great  Atonement  to  which  the  Divine 

•  Matthew  xxvii.  45  ;  Mark  xv.  33  ;  Luke  xxiii.  44,  4.5. 
f  The  views  here  suggested  appear   to  be  justified  by  Luke 
xxii.  53  ;  John  xiv.  30  ;  xii.  31,  32. 


OF    THE    REDEEMER.  327 

government  had  had  respect  from  the  very  period  of  the 
fall* 

But  when  the  ninth  hour,  or  three  o'clock,  arrived, — 
the  hour  of  the  offering  of  the  evening  sacrifice, — the 
darkness  cleared  away,  and  the  meek  Suiferer  was  again 
visible  to  all.  It  was  then  that  He  uttered,  with  a  loud 
voice,  the  first  words  of  the  twenty-second  Psalm, — 
words  indicative  of  the  awful  mental  anguish  through 
which  He  had  been  passing : — "  Eloi,  Eloi,  lama 
sabacthani,"  "  My  God,  my  God,  why  hast  Thou  forsaken 
Me'?"t  Some  of  those  who  stood  near  said,  "Behold, 
he  calleth  Eiias."  Again  the  Redeemer,  after  a  mo- 
mentary pause,  said,  "  I  thirst :"  and  straightway  one  of 
them  ran,  and  filling  a  sponge  with  the  vinegar,  or 
sour  wine,  which  the  Roman  soldiers  had  brought  with 
them  as  their  beverage,  put  it  upon  a  stick  of  hyssop- 
wood,  and  handed  it  to  Him.;];  In  this,  too,  some  of 
the  minute  intimations  of  the  prophetic  Psalms  were 
fulfilled;  though  they  who  surrounded  the  cross  little 
thought,  that  in  everything  they  did  they  were  contri- 
buting to  this  result. §  Some  of  them,  supposing  that 
He  had  actually  invoked  the  help  of  Elijah,  said,  "  Let 
alone:  let  us  see  whether  Elijah  will  come  to  take 
him  down."  II  But  an  end  was  now  to  be  put  to  all 
their  taunts,  and  to  all  the  anguish  that  had  filled  the 
breast  of  the  Redeemer.    The  purposes  of  Divine  justice 

*  Alany  passages  of  the  New  Testament  might  be  adduced  in 
support  of  this  sentiment.  We  may  refer,  in  particular,  to  1  Peter 
i.  11,  12;   1  Timothy  iii.  16;  Revelation  v.  11,  12. 

f  Matthew  xxvii.  45,  4(5 ;  Mark  xv.  33,  34. 

+  John  xix.  28,  29;  Matthew  xxvii.  48;  Mark  xv.  36. 

§  See  Psalm  xxii.  15  ;  Ixix.  21,  together  with  John  xix.  28. 

II  Matthew  xxvii.  47—49  ;  Mark  xv.  35,  36. 


328  THE  AGONY  AND  DEATH 

and  love  were  accomplished;  that  grand  display  of  the 
Divine  hatred  to  sin,  on  which  the  universe  was  ever 
hereafter  to  gaze,  had  been  made;  and  nothing  remained 
to  complete  the  work  of  atonement,  but  that  the  Re- 
deemer should  actually  expire  amidst  that  scene  of 
sorrow  and  shame.  When,  therefore.  He  had  received 
the  vinegar,  He  said,  "  It  is  finished ;"  and  adding, 
"  Father,  into  Thy  hands  I  commend  My  spirit,"  He 
"  bowed  His  head,  and  gave  up  the  ghost."*  And  now 
the  veil  of  the  temple,  which  separated  the  holy  of 
holies  from  the  outer  sanctuary,  was  rent  in  twain  from 
the  top  to  the  bottom  ;t  to  indicate  the  passing  away  of 
the  ceremonial  economy,  and  the  throwing  open  of  the 
mercy-seat  of  God  to  every  penitent  worshipper,  through 
the  blood  of  the  true  Sacrifice. ;{:  Now,  also,  an  earth- 
quake rent  the  ground,  and  tore  the  rocks  asunder, 
throwing  open  many  of  the  graves  to  the  view  of 
men;§  and  so  aifecting  was  the  entire  scene,  that  even 
the  Roman  centurion,  who  supeiintended  the  execution, 
and  who  well  knew  the  lofty  claim  which  Jesus  had  put 
forth,  was  constrained  to  say,  "  Truly  this  was  a  righteous 
man  :  truly  this  was  the  Son  of  God."  Even  the  soldiers 
feared  greatly,  and  joined  in  the  acknowledgment  of 
His  claims;  and  all  the  people  that  had  come  together 
to  that  sight, — when  the  solemn  tragedy  had  closed, 
and  the  Saviour's  body  hung  lifeless  on  the  tree, — 
"smote  their  breasts,  and  retui-ned."l| 

The   Sabbath   was  now  drawing  near;  and  in  order 

*  John  xix.  30 ;  Luke  xxiii.  46 ,  Matthew  xxvii.  50 ;  Mark  xv.  37. 
f  Matthew  xxvii.  51 ;  Mark  xv.  38  ;  Luke  xxiii.  45. 

I  See  Hehrews  ix.  8;  x.  19—22. 
§  Matthew  xxvii.  51,  52. 

II  Matthew  xxvii.  54;  Mark  xv.  39  ;  Luke  xxiii.  47,  48. 


OF    THE    REDEEMER.  329 

that  the  bodies  should  not  remain  upon  the  crosses  on 
that  holy  day,  the  chief  priests  went  to  Pilate,  and 
requested  that  the  legs  of  the  criminals  might  be 
broken,  in  order  to  expedite  the  process  of  dissolution, 
and  that  they  might  be  taken  away.  Pilate  complied 
with  this  request,  and  sent  some  soldiers  to  execute  it. 
They  accordingly  broke  the  legs  of  the  two  thieves  that 
were  crucified  with  our  Lord;  but  when  they  came  to 
His  body,  they  found  that  He  was  dead  already,  and 
forbore  to  inflict  this  indignity  and  violence  upon  Him. 
One  of  them,  however,  pierced  His  side  with  a  spear; 
and  immediately  there  issued  from  it  blood  and  water.* 
Thus  was  the  type  of  the  paschal  lamb,  of  which  it  was 
declared,  "  Neither  shall  ye  break  a  bone  thereof," 
fulfilled  in  our  Lord;t  and  thus,  also,  was  a  peculiar 
significance  given  to  the  prediction  of  Zeehariah,  "  They 
shall  look  upon  Me  whom  they  have  pierced.";]; 

The  tragedy  of  Calvary  was  now  over; — the  Redeemer 
had  there  endured  His  last  agonies,  and  had  expired 
as  the  Sacrifice  for  human  guilt.  And  now,  two  of 
the  most  honourable  members  of  the  Jewish  Sanhedrim, 
who  had  never  consented  to  the  malicious  design  formed 
against  His  life,  came  forward  openly  to  testify  their 
sincere  regard  to  Him.  One  of  these  was  Joseph,  of 
Arimathjea,  a  rich  man,  distinguished  by  unaffected 
piety,  and  who  had  long  been  convinced  secretly  of 
the  truth    of  the    Saviour's    claims.  §     The    other  was 

*  John  xix.  31  —  35. 

f  Exodus  xii.  46;  Numbers  ix.  12;  John  xix.  36.  See  also 
the  present  work,  Part  I.,  Chapter  III.,  page  45. 

X  Zeehariah  xii.  10. 

§  Luke  xxiii.  50,  51  ;  John  xix.  38;  Matthew  xxvii.  57  ;  Mark 
XV.  43. 


330  THE  AGONY  AND  DEATH 

Nicodemus,  who,  when  Jesus  first  visited  Jerusalem 
as  a  public  Teachei",  came  to  Him  by  night,  and  to 
whom  our  Lord  even  then  unfolded  the  necessity  of 
His  being  lifted  up  on  the  cross,  in  order  to  the 
redemption  of  mankind.*  Joseph  went  in  boldly  unto 
Pilate,  and  requested  to  have  the  body  of  Jesus  given 
to  him  for  interment.  Pilate  called  the  centurion,  and 
asked,  whether  He  was  already  dead;  and,  being  satisfied 
on  this  point,  directed  the  body  to  be  delivered  to  him.t 
Having  thus  obtained  the  sanction  of  the  Roman 
governor,  Joseph  hastened  to  the  cross,  with  some 
fine  linen  which  he  had  procured;  and  here  he  was 
joined  by  Nicodemus,  who  had  provided  a  large  quantity 
of  spices,  to  do  honour  to  the  Saviour's  remains.  Care- 
fully taking  down  the  lifeless  body  from  the  cross,  they 
wrapped  it  in  the  linen  clothes,  along  with  the  spices, 
and  committed  it  to  Joseph's  own  new  tomb,  in  which 
no  human  body  had  ever  before  been  laid.  This  tomb 
was  in  a  garden  near  to  Calvary;  it  was  hewn  out  of  a 
rock;  and  Joseph  and  Nicodemus,  having  placed  in  it 
the  sacred  body  of  the  Redeemer,  rolled  a  great  stone 
to  the  door  of  it,  and  departed.;];  Some  of  the  affec- 
tionate group  that  had  followed  our  Lord  from  Galilee 
lingered  near  the  scene  of  His  sufferings,  until  they 
beheld  these  offices  of  respect  paid  to  His  honoured 
remains.  Two  of  them,  in  particular,  Mary  of  Magdala, 
and  Mary  the  mother  of  James  and  Joses,  sat  for  a 
while  over  against  the  sepulchre. §     Then,  returning  to 

•  John  xix.  39. 

f  Mark  xv.  42—45  ;  Luke  xxiii.  52;  Matthew  x.wii.  58. 
+  John  xix.   40—42 ;    Matthew  xxvii.  59,  60 ;  Mark  xv.   46 ; 
Luke  xxiii.  53.     Compare  Isaiah  liii.  9. 

§  Matthew  xxvii.  61 ;  Mark  xv.  47  ;   Luke  xxiii.  55. 


OF    THE    REDEEMER.  331 

the  city,  or,  it  may  be,  even  to  Bethany,  they  waited 
till  the  Sabbath  should  have  passed,  and  the  first  day 
of  the  week  should  dawn,  to  embalm  the  crucified 
body  of  Jesus,  and  thus  complete  the  funeral  obsequies 
of  One  whom  they  had  so  sincerely  revered  and  loved.* 


CHAPTER  XV. 

THE   RESURRECTION    OF    THE    LORD   JESTJS,    AND   THE    LAST 
FORTY    DAYS    SPENT    BY    HIM    ON    EARTH. 

The  quiet  of  the  Jewish  Sabbath  had  now  succeeded 
to  the  noise  and  tumult  of  the  Redeemer's  trial  and 
crucifixion.  The  hill  of  Calvary  was  no  longer  covered 
with  a  mixed  multitude,  actuated  by  conflicting  passions. 
The  taunts  of  those  who  hated  the  Prophet  of  Galilee 
were  hushed;  and  the  deep  sighs  of  those  who  loved 
Him  were  heard  only  in  retirement  and  obscurity.  The 
body  of  the  distinguished  Sufferer,  hastily  wrapped  in 
grave-clothes  with  spices,  now  lay  in  the  cold  and  silent 
tomb.  Outwardly  all  was  still;  but  the  minds  of  men 
were  deeply  moved,  nor  could  the  impression  of  the 
scene  that  had  transpired  be  effaced  from  the  memory 
of  any  who  had  witnessed  it. 

To  the  chief  priests  and  Pharisees  that  Sabbath  was  a 
time  of  guilty  triumph,  mixed  with  apprehension  and 
alarm.  They  exulted  in  the  accomplishment  of  their 
long-cherished  purpose.  They  rejoiced  that  they  had 
seen  Him  who  had  so  often  reproved  their  vices,  and 
*  Luke  xxiii.  56. 


332  THE   RESURKECTION 

whose  works  of  power  had  again  and  again  confounded 
them,  stretched  upon  the  cross,  and  expiring  there  in 
deepest  agony.  It  was  to  them  a  source  of  malignant 
satisfaction,  that  He  who  had  assumed  an  unearthly 
dignity,  affirming  that  He  was  even  the  Son  of  God,  and 
that  He  should  be  revealed,  at  last,  in  all  the  majesty  of 
the  universal  Judge, — had  been  consigned  to  the  death 
of  the  vilest  criminal.  But,  on  the  other  hand,  a  feeling 
of  solicitude  arose  within  their  breasts,  Avhen  they 
reflected  on  the  strange  phenomena  which  had  marked 
His  last  hours;  and  when  they  remembered  that  He 
Himself  had  predicted  His  own  rejection  and  death,  and 
had  declared  that  on  the  third  day  He  should  rise 
again.  To  this  day  their  anxiety  was  now  directed. 
Should  that  declaration  of  Jesus  be  verified,  all  that  they 
had  done  would  only  involve  them  in  confusion  and 
dismay;  but  if  they  could  retain  His  body  in  its  lifeless 
state  until  the  third  day  should  have  passed,  they  would 
be  able  to  exhibit  to  the  whole  nation  the  decisive  proof 
of  the  fallacy  of  His  claims,  and  to  crush  for  ever  the 
hopes  of  all  who  had  revered  and  loved  Him.  To  efi"ect 
this  important  object,  they  applied  to  Pilate,  even  on  the 
Sabbath,  for  a  guard  of  soldiei's  to  be  stationed  at  the 
sepulchre.  Their  request  was  immediately  complied 
with ;  and  they  went,  accordingly,  to  the  tomb  of  Jesus, 
and  having  seen  the  body  still  there  in  the  coldness  of 
death,  they  made  the  sepulchre  sure,  sealing  the  stone 
at  its  entrance,  that  no  one  might  remove  it  without 
their  being  able  to  detect  the  fact,  and  setting  a  guard 
of  Roman  soldiers,  to  prevent  the  approach  of  any  one 
whatever  to  invade  its  quiet.*  Every  human  precaution 
•  Matthew  xxvii.  62—66. 


OP    THE    LORD    JESUS,  333 

was  thils  taken  to  retain  the  body  of  Jesus  in  the  tomb ; 
and  this  very  arrangement  was  overruled  by  Di\'ine 
Providence,  to  afford  a  strong  and  conclusive  evidence  of 
the  reality  of  our  Lord's  resurrection. 

The  apostles  were  now  timid,  dejected,  and  sorrowful 
The  declarations  which  their  Master  had  repeatedly 
uttered,  relative  to  His  approaching  sufferings  and  death, 
but  which  they  had  ever  been  unwilling  to  receive  in 
their  natural  and  obvious  meaning,  had  now  been  literally 
fulfilled ;  and  they  had  seen  Him,  in  whose  protection 
they  had  so  long  rejoiced,  treated  as  a  criminal  and  an 
outcast,  and  yielding  Himself  up  to  the  most  painful  and 
ignominious  death.  They  felt,  that  they  were  as  sheep 
without  a  shepherd.  The  reality  of  the  Saviour's 
separation  from  them  distressed  and  overwhelmed  them. 
The  remembrance  of  their  own  ingratitude  added  to 
their  sorrow.  In  the  hour  of  His  extremity,  they  had 
forsaken  Him.  The  most  zealous  and  enthusiastic  of 
their  number  had  even  denied  Him  with  oaths  and 
curses.  One  apostle  alone  had  stood  beneath  His  cross, 
with  the  faithful  group  of  Galilean  women,  that  first 
looked  on  Him  from  afar,  and  then  drew  nearer  and 
nearer  to  the  scene  of  His  last  sufferings.*  Self-reproach 
must  have  been  mingled  with  the  feeling  of  bereave- 
ment in  the  breasts  of  all  the  eleven,  during  that 
Sabbath  in  which  the  Redeemer's  body  lay  in  the  silent 
sepulchre.  The  assurance  Avhich  He  had  so  often  given 
them,  that  on  the  third  day  He  would  rise  again,  was 
not  apprehended  by  them  so  as  to  bring  hope  and  com- 
fort to  their  minds.t     Even  the   consolatory  discourse 

*  Compare  Mark  xv.  40,  41,  with  John  xix.  25,  26. 
f  John  XX.  9  ;  Luke  xsiv.  11. 


334  THE   KESURKECTION 

which  He  addressed  to  them,  on  the  last  evening  before 
He  suiFered;  seems  to  have  faded  from  their  memory, 
amidst  the  excitement  and  terror  of  the  day  that  had 
just  passed.  They  abandoned  themselves  to  a  feeUng 
of  desolation,  blended  at  intervals  with  fears  for  their 
pei'sonal  safety,'-  since  they  had  every  reason  to  expect 
that  the  relentless  hostility  which  had  pursued  their 
Master,  even  unto  death,  would  now  be  directed  against 
them,  as  His  constant  companions  and  His  chosen 
Mends. 

But  the  ardour  and  strength  of  female  piety  triumphed 
over  every  fear  which  the  known  enmity  of  the  chief 
pi'iests  and  rulers  to  the  followers  of  Jesus  could  awaken. 
The  affectionate  group  that  had  watched  the  Redeemer's 
final  agonies,  and  had  only  been  prevented  by  the  arrival 
of  the  Sabbath  from  embalming  His  sacred  body  before 
it  was  committed  to  the  sepulchre,  had  appointed  to 
meet  there,  early  on  the  morning  of  the  first  day  of  the 
week,  and  complete  the  obsequies  of  the  Teacher  whom 
they  loved.  Those  of  them  who  had  lingered  in  the 
garden,  where  the  sepulchre  was,  until  it  was  too  late 
to  procure  spices  and  ointments  before  the  Sabbath 
began,  did  so  as  soon  as  the  day  of  rest  had  expired, 
that  everything  might  be  ready,  on  the  following  morning, 
to  execute  their  purpose.t 

When  the  morning  came, — as  soon  as  the  earliest 
dawn  enabled  them  to  proceed  on  their  errand  of  duty 
and  love, — these  devoted  and  pious  women  set  out,  in 
two  companies,  for  the  sepulchre ;  having  aiTanged, 
probably,  to  meet  there  about  sunrise.  Mary  of  Magdala, 
Salome,  and  Mary  the  mother  of  James  and  Joses,  appear 
•  John  XX.  19.      f  Mark  xvi.  1,  compared  witli  Luke  xxiii.  5G. 


OF   THE    LORD   JESUS.  335 

to  have  been  the  first  who  drew  near  to  the  tomb.*  They 
had  observed,  on  the  evening  of  the  liedeemer's  death, 
that  Joseph  of  Arimathsea,  and  Nicodemus,  had  rolled  a 
great  stone  to  the  door  of  the  sepulchre;  and  they 
naturally  asked  each  other,  as  they  went,  "Who  shall 
roll  us  away  the  stone  from  the  door  of  the  sepulchre ?"t 
Of  the  appointment  of  the  guard  they  ajjpear  to  have 
been  ignorant ;  since  this  only  took  place  on  the  evening 
of  the  Sabbath.  But  as  they  came  nearer  to  the  spot, 
and  steadfastly  looked  towards  it,  they  perceived  that 
the  stone  which  had  caused  their  anxiety  was  rolled 
away.  J  Their  first  impression  was,  that  the  tomb  had 
been  despoiled  of  the  body  of  their  Lord,  and  that  some 
additional  indignities,  even  after  death,  had  been  cast 
upon  it.  With  a  mind  full  of  astonishment  and  sorrow, 
Mary  of  Magdala  appears  to  have  left  Salome  and  the 
other  Mary,  and  to  have  hastened  back  to  tlie  city,  or,  it 
may  be,  even  to  Bethany,  to  apprise  Peter  and  John  of 
the  remarkable  fact.  Her  brief  and  earnest  statement 
to  them  evinced  the  depth  of  her  emotions: — "They 
have  taken  away  the  Lord  out  of  the  sepulchre,  and  we 
know  not  where  they  have  laid  Him."§  Her  companions, 
meanwhile,  went  forward  to  the  scene  of  wonder  and 
awe;  and  there  received  the  cheering  tidings  of  the 
Saviour's  resurrection.  The  Koman  guard  were  yet 
about  the  sepulchre;  but  they  were  amazed  and  power- 
less. Scarcely  had  that  day  dawned,  when  a  great 
earthquake  was  felt  on  the  hill  of  Calvary,  and  an  ano-el 
of  God,  descending  from  heaven,  rolled  back  the  stone 
from  the  door  of  the  sepulchre,  and  sat  upon  it ;  and  the 

*  Matthew  xxviii.  1 ;  Mark  xvi.  1,  2  ;  John  xx.  1. 
t  Mark  xvi.  3.         +  Mark  xvi.  i ;  John  xx.  1.  §  John  xs.  2. 


336  THE    RESURRECTION 

Lord  of  life  came  forth  from  the  silence  of  the  tomb. 
In  the  presence  of  the  heavenly  messenger,  who  appeared 
as  the  servant  of  the  crucified  but  now  triumphant 
Jesus,  the  soldiers  "  became  as  dead  men."-  Salome 
and  Mary  shared  in  their  terror,  as  they  beheld  one 
sitting  upon  the  stone  in  human  form,  but  with  his 
countenance  like  lightning,  and  his  raiment  white  as 
snow.  But  he  addressed  them  in  terms  of  encourage- 
ment and  comfort : — "  Fear  not  ye  :  for  I  know^  that  ye 
seek  Jesus,  which  was  crucified.  He  is  not  here :  for 
He  is  risen,  as  He  said.  Come,  see  the  place  where  the 
Lord  lay."t  Cheered  and  strengthened  by  these  con- 
solatory words,  and  anxious  to  see  for  themselves  the 
vacant  tomb,  they  entered  it,  as  the  angel  in-sdted  them 
to  do ;  and  there  they  beheld  another  of  the  heavenly 
host,  sitting  on  the  right  side,  clothed  in  a  long  white 
garment,  who  also  declared  to  them  the  resurrection  of 
their  Lord : — "Be  not  affrighted :  Ye  seek  Jesus  of  Naza- 
reth, which  was  crucified:  He  is  risen;  He  is  not  here : 
behold  the  place  where  they  laid  Him.  But  go  your 
way,  tell  His  disciples  and  Peter  that  He  goeth  before 
you  into  Galilee:  there  shall  ye  see  Him,  as  He  said 
unto  you."  J  They  obeyed  this  charge,  and,  leaving 
the  sepulchre  with  mingled  emotions  of  fear  and  joy, 
hastened  to  inform  the  disciples  of  the  astonishing 
event,  and  to  convey  to  Peter,  in  particular,  the  gracious 
message  which  had  been  sent  to  him.§ 

Almost  immediately  after  they  had  left,  some  of  the 
guard  went  into  the  city,  to  communicate  to  the  chief 

•  Matthew  xxviii.  2 — i.  f  Matthew  xxviii.  5,  6. 

+  Mark  xvi.  5—7  ;  Matthew  xxviii.  7. 
§  Mark  xvi.  8  ;  Matthew  xxviii.  8. 


OF    THE   LORD   JESUS.  337 

priests,  the  intelligence  of  the  resurrection  of  Him  whom 
they  had  crucified.  Without  delay,  they  convened  the 
council ;  and  as  the  absence  of  the  body,  notwithstanding 
all  the  precautions  they  had  taken  to  secure  it,  was  of 
itself  an  evidence  of  the  fact,  they  bribed  the  soldiers 
to  make  the  incredible  and  ridiculous  statement,  "  His 
disciples  came  by  night,  and  stole  Him  away  while  we 
slept,"  assuring  them,  at  the  same  time,  that  they  would 
secure  them  from  the  displeasure  of  the  governor.* 

Meanwhile,  the  other  party,  of  which  Joanna,  the  wife 
of  Chuza,  Herod's  steward,  appears  to  have  been  the 
chief  person,  came  to  the  sepulchre,  and  found  to  their 
surprise,  that  the  stone,  of  which  they  too  had  thought 
with  solicitude,  was  already  rolled  away.t  Perceiving 
the  tomb  to  be  open,  they  entered  it,  and  discovered 
that  the  body  of  Jesus  was  not  there.  They  were 
astonished  and  perplexed;  but  the  two  angels  who  had 
so  kindly  addressed  Salome  and  Mary,  now  announced 
to  them,  though  in  terms  of  gentle  reproof,  called  forth 
by  their  want  of  faith  in  the  Saviour's  express  prediction 
that  He  had  indeed  risen  from  the  dead.  "  Why  seek 
ye  the  living,"  they  said,  "  among  the  dead?  He  is  not 
here,  but  is  risen :  remember  how  He  spake  iinto  you 
when  He  was  yet  in  Galilee,  saying.  The  Son  of  man 
must  be  delivered  into  the  hands  of  sinful  men,  and  be 
crucified,  and  the  third  day  rise  again.":}:  The  declara- 
tions of  the  Redeemer  now  came  to  their  minds  with  a 
force  which  they  had  never  had  before;  and  they  too 
hastened  from  the  sepulchi-e,  to  inform  the  eleven  of 

•  Matthew  xxviii.  11 — 15. 

f  Luke  xxiv.  1,  2,  compared  with  verse  10. 

X  Luke  xxiv.  3 — 7. 

z 


338  THE   RESURRECTION 

the  astonishing  event,  and  to  apprise  all  whom  they  had 
known  to  be  sincerely  attached  to  Him,  that  He  was  no 
longer  held  by  the  power  of  death.* 

A  comparison  of  the  evangelical  narratives  shows  us, 
that,  soon  after  the  departure  of  these  pious  females, 
Mary  Magdalene  returned  with  Peter  and  John  to  the 
sepulchre.  In  their  eagerness  to  know  the  facts  of  the 
case,  these  apostles  ran  together  towards  the  spot  where 
the  body  of  Jesus  had  been  laid;  but  John  outran  Peter, 
and  reached  it  first.  Stooping  down,  he  saw  the  linen 
clothes  lying,  but  did  not  go  into  the  sepulchre.  Peter 
followed  him,  and  went  in,  and  observed,  in  particular, 
that  the  napkin  which  had  been  placed  about  the 
Redeemer's  head  was  not  lying  with  the  linen  clothes, 
but  was  wrapped  together  in  a  place  by  itself,  so  that 
everything  within  the  tomb  indicated  calmness  and 
composure,  not  haste  and  violence.  John,  also,  then 
went  into  the  sepulchre;  and,  having  thus  satisfied 
themselves  that  the  remains  of  their  Master  were  no 
longer  there,  they  returned,  meditating  with  astonish- 
ment and  awe  on  the  remarkable  event.t 

The  affectionate  Mary  of  j\Iagdala  still  lingered 
weeping  at  the  sepulchre.  To  her  the  mysterious  fact 
was  yet  unexplained.  She  only  knew,  that  the  body  of 
her  Lord  was  not  reposing  in  its  allotted  resting-place; 
and  she  feared  that  it  had  been  treated  with  unseemly 
violence.  The  cheering  tidings  of  His  resurrection, 
which  the  angels  had  conveyed  to  her  companions, 
during  her  absence  to  call  Peter  and  John,  had  not  yet 
reached  her  ears :  but  now,  "  as  she  wept,  she  stooped 
down,  and  looked  into  the  sepulchre,  and  saw  two 
*  Luke  xxiv.  8,  9,  11.  f  John  xx.  3—10. 


OF   THE    LOKD   JESTJS.  339 

angels  in  white  sitting,  the  one  at  the  head,  and  the 
other  at  the  feet,  where  the  body  of  Jesus  had  lain." 
These  heralds  of  her  Lord  addressed  her,  "  Woman,  why 
weepest  thoul"  She  replied,  with  beautiful  simplicity, 
"  Because  they  have  taken  away  my  Lord,  and  I  know 
not  where  they  have  laid  Him."  Then,  turning  herself 
back,  she  observed  a  person  standing  near,  who  accosted 
her  in  similar  language  :  "  Woman,  why  weepest  thou? 
whom  seekest  thou"?"  Her  first  impression  was,  that 
this  must  be  the  keeper  of  the  garden;  and  she  said  to 
him,  with  the  earnestness  of  deep  affection  and  solicitude, 
"  Sir,  if  thou  have  borne  Him  hence,  tell  me  where  thou 
hast  laid  Him,  and  I  Avill  take  Him  away."  But  the 
person  who  stood  before  her  was  her  honoured  Lord 
Himself;  and,  with  His  own  peculiar  accent  of  benignity 
and  grace.  He  said  to  her,  "Mary!"  She  gazed  upon 
Him,  recognising  His  well-known  voice,  and  with  a  full 
heart  exclaimed,  "  Rabboni," — "  My  Master."*  She  was 
about  to  embrace  His  feet :  but  the  Saviour  directed 
her  not  now  to  do  so,  as  other  opportunities  of  seeing 
Him  would  be  afforded  to  her ;  but  to  go  to  His  apostles, 
whom  He  still  condescended  to  call  His  "  brethren,"  and 
to  say  unto  them,  "  I  ascend  unto  My  Father,  and  your 
Father;  and  to  My  God,  and  your  God."t 

This  was  the  first  appearance  of  our  Lord  after  His 
resurrection  from  the  dead.  It  was  vouchsafed  to 
Mary,  as  the  reward  of  her  surpassing  affection,  and  to 
impart  comfort  to  her  troubled  mind.  Her  grateful  love 
to  the  Saviour  would  not  permit  her  to  leave  the  spot 
where  His  sacred  body  had  been  laid,  uncertain  what 
had  become  of  it,  and  fearful  that  it  had  been  removed 

*  John  XX.  11—16;  Mark  xvi.  9.  f  John  xx.  17. 

Z  2 


340  THE    RESURRECTION 

by  an  unfriendly  hand.    Jesus  Himself  assured  her,  that 
He  had  risen  to  a  new  and  glorious  life.     He  dried  her 
tears,  by  revealing  Himself  to  her  in  all  the  benignity 
and  tenderness  which  had  ever  marked  His  addresses  to 
the   humble  and    devout.      The    first    recorded   words 
which  He  uttered,  after  He  rose  from  the  tomb,  were 
intended  to  dispel  the  gloom  of  one  who  loved  Him,  and 
to  pour  consolation  into  an  anxious  and  sorrowful  spirit. 
About  the  time  when  the  fact  of  the  Saviour's  resur- 
rection had  been  generally  reported  to  His  followers  in  the 
city,  but  when  no  one  had  yet  arrived  who  had  actually 
seen  Him,  Cleopas  and  another  disciple  left  Jerusalem  for 
Emmaus,  a  village  rather  more  than  seven  miles  distant. 
As  they  walked  along,  they  conversed  respecting  the 
astonishing  and  mournful  events  of  the  last  few  days.   A 
Stranger  "  drew  near,  and  went  with  them."  He  inquired 
the  subject  of  their  discourse,  and  the   cause   of  that 
sorrow  and  dejection  which  were  visible  in  their  appear- 
ance  and  manner.       Cleopas,  in   reply,   expressed  his 
surprise,  that  any  one  who  had  been  staying  in  Jeru- 
salem  or  its  neighbourhood,  during  the  last  few  days, 
could  be  ignorant  of  the   affecting  events  which  had 
transpired.      The  Stranger  asked,  to  what  events  he 
refen-edj  and  then  Cleopas  avowed  the  profound  regard 
which  he   and   his  companion  had  felt   for  Jesus   of 
Nazareth,  whose  teaching  and  miracles  proved  Him  to 
be  an  illustrious  Prophet,  and  of  whom  they  had  hoped, 
that  He  was  indeed  the  promised  Redeemer;  but  now 
they  had  seen  Him  condemned  to  death,  and  extended 
as  an  outcast  upon  the  cross.     And  yet,  on  that  day,— 
the  third  since  the  tragedy  of  Calvary,— their  astonish- 
ment had  been  awakened  by  the  report  of  some  pious 


OP    THE    LORD    JESUS,  341 

women  of  their  company,  who,  having  been  early  at  the 
sepulchre,  had  not  found  His  body,  and  who  stated  that 
"they  had  also  seen  a  vision  of  angels,  who  said  that  He 
was  alive."     The  fact  of  the  absence  of  the  body  they 
regarded  as  established  by  the  additional  testimony  of 
some  of  their  fellow-disciples,  who  went  to  inquire  into 
its  truth;  and  yet  none  of  them  had  seen  the  Saviour 
Himself,  since  He  had  come  forth — if  it  were  really  so 
— from  the  silence  and  darkness  of  the  tomb.*     Such 
was  the  statement  of  Cleopas;  and  it  clearly  shows  the 
conflict  of  thought  and  feeling  which  had  place  in  many 
minds  on  that  critical  and  eventful  day.     The  shame 
and  suffering  of  the  cross  had  nearly  extinguished  their 
confidence  in  the  power  of  Jesus;  and,  not  understanding 
that  His  death  and  resurrection  were  both  essential  to 
the  accomplishment  of  the  Divine  purposes,  they  thought 
of  Him  as  their  crucified  Friend  and  Master,  with  unaf- 
fected sorrow,  and  scarcely  dared  to  hope  that  He  would 
revisit  our  world,  and  open  new  scenes  of  glory  to  His 
humble   and  devout   people.      But    the   Stranger  now 
interposed,  to  correct  their  low  and  earthly  views  of  the 
Messiah's  work,  and  to  unfold  to  them  the  deep  meaning 
of  the  ancient  prophecies  relative  to  His  sulfFerings  and 
triumphs.     He  began  with  the  expostulation,  "  0  fools, 
and  slow  of  heart  to  believe  all  that  the  prophets  have 
spoken!     Ought  not  the  Messiah  to  have  suffered  these 
things,   and  to  enter  into  His  glory?"     Then,  leading 
them  through  all  the  Scriptures  of  the  Old  Testament, 
He  showed  them  the  numerous  intimations  which  had 
been  given  both  of  the  Messiah's  rejection  and  death, 
and  of  His  subsequent  exaltation  and  glory,  f     Just  as 
*  Luke  xxiv.  13--24.  f  Luke  xxiv.  25—27. 


342  THE    RESURRECTION 

He  completed  this  elaborate  exposition  of  the  Messianic 
prophecies  and  types,  they  drew  nigh  to  Emmaus;  but 
He  seemed  as  if  He  would  protract  the  journey.  The 
two  disciples,  however,  whose  profound  interest  had  been 
awakened  by  His  conversation,  though  as  yet  they  did 
not  recognise  in  Him  their  honoured  Lord,  urged  Him 
to  stay  with  them  at  Emmaus.  He  yielded  to  their 
importunity:  and  as  He  sat  at  table  with  them,  "He 
took  bread,  and  blessed  it,  and  broke,  and  gave  to 
them :"  and  in  this  act,  the  truth  flashed  on  their  minds, 
that  He  with  whom  they  had  conversed,  and  to  whose 
exposition  of  the  Scriptures  they  had  listened  with 
astonishment  and  delight,  was  indeed  the  risen  Saviour 
Himself*  When  they  left  Jerusalem,  they  had  no 
expectation  of  again  seeing  Him  on  earth;  and,  up  to 
this  moment,  a  peculiar  influence  seems  to  have  kept 
them  from  knowing  Him,  that  a  calm  and  argumentative 
appeal  might  be  made  to  their  judgment,  in  relation  to 
the  testimony  of  the  ancient  Scriptures  concerning  the 
Messiah's  death  and  resurrection.t  But  now  He  stood 
revealed  in  all  the  tenderness  and  grace  of  His  former 
intercourse  with  them,  as  well  as  in  the  peculiar  author- 
ity which  He  had  ever  claimed,  and  the  fulness  of 
"wisdom  which  had  ever  distinguished  His  discourses. 
Holy  joy  and  gratitude  filled  their  breasts:  but  the 
Redeemer  tarried  not  with  them,  to  gratify  their  affec- 
tion, or  contribute  further  to  their  instruction.  Other 
visits  of  mercy  were  before  Him ;  and,  ere  that  eventful 
day  closed,  the  bleeding  heart  of  Peter  was  to  be  assured 
of  the  removal  of  its  guilt,  and  the  assembled  company 
of  the  apostles  was  to  be  favoured  with  a  decisive  proof 
*  Luke  xxiv.  28—31.  f  Luke  xxiv.  16. 


OF    THE    LORD    JESUS.  343 

of  the  reality  of  His  resurrection.  As  soon  as  they 
recognised  Him,  the  Saviour  left  them;  and  they, 
astonished  and  dehghted,  said  one  to  another,  "  Did  not 
our  heart  burn  within  us,  while  He  talked  with  us  by 
the  way,  and  while  He  opened  to  us  the  Scriptures?" 
Then,  leaving  Emraaus,  they  hastily  returned  to  Jeru- 
salem, to  communicate  to  their  companions  and  friends 
the  delightful  fact,  that  Jesus  had  indeed  risen  from  the 
dead,  and  that  they  had  seen  Him,  and  had  conversed 
and  eaten  with  Him.* 

But  ere  they  arrived  in  the  city,  the  affecting  inter- 
view of  our  Lord  with  Peter  had  taken  place,  and  had 
been  made  known  to  most  of  the  apostles,  t  The 
particulars  of  that  interview  are  not  recorded.  Deep 
and  intense  must  have  been  the  emotions  of  Peter, 
when,  alone  with  his  Master,  he  acknowledged  the  guilt 
of  his  unfaithfulness,  and  sought  the  forgiveness  of  his  sin. 
The  compassionate  Redeemer  loved  His  fallen,  but  not 
treachei'ous,  disciple.  lie  who  never  "  broke  a  bruised 
reed,"  nor  "  quenched  the  smoking  flax,"  doubtless 
uttered  words  of  comfort  and  peace  to  one  who  sincerely 
loved  Him,  and  who  had  now  learned,  by  bitter  expe- 
rience, the  feebleness  of  his  own  resolves,  and  his  need 
of  constant  succour  from  above. 

In  the  evening  of  that  day,  the  eleven,  with  the  ex- 
ception of  Thomas,  were  gathered  together  in  Jerusalem. 
They  were  now  assured,  both  by  the  acknowledged  fact 
of  the  absence  of  the  body  from  the  sepulchre,  though 
guarded  by  Roman  soldiers,  and  by  the  explicit  testi- 
monies of  Mary  Magdalene  and  Simon  Peter,  that  their 
adorable  Lord  had  risen  from  the  dead.  The  gloom 
*  Luke  xxiv.  31 — 33.  f  Luke  xxiv.  34;  1  Corinthians  xv.  5. 


344  THE    RESURRECTION 

which  had  enveloped  their  minds  was  to  a  great  extent 
dispelled ;  and  their  cheerful  language  was,  "  The  Lord 
is  risen  indeed,  and  hath  appeared  to  Simon."  Still 
they  remembered  that  they' were  exposed  to  the  hatred 
of  the  chief  priests  and  Pharisees;  and  they  accoi'dingly 
secured  the  doors  of  the  room  in  which  they  were 
assembled,  lest  any  attempt  should  be  made  to  appre- 
hend them."  Cleopas  and  his  companion  had  now 
arrived,  and  had  related  their  memorable  interview  with 
the  risen  Saviour,  when  He  Himself  stood  in  the  midst 
of  them,  and  in  His  own  gracious  manner  said  to  them, 
"  Peace  be  unto  you."  At  first  they  were  gi-eatly 
alarmed  at  His  sudden  appearance,  supposing  that  they 
beheld  a  spirit  from  the  invisible  world.  But  He 
calmed  their  agitation  by  the  affectionate  appeal,  "  Why 
are  ye  troubled?  and  why  do  thoughts  arise  in  your 
hearts'?  Behold  My  hands  and  My  feet,  that  it  is  I 
Myself:  handle  Me,  and  see;  for  a  spirit  hath  not  flesh 
and  bones,  as  ye  see  Me  have."  Then,  with  great  con- 
descension and  kindness.  He  showed  them  His  hands 
and  His  feet,  still  bearing  the  marks  of  the  nails  with 
which  they  had  been  fastened  to  the  cross,  t  Their 
emotions  of  surprise  and  joy  were  almost  overwhelming; 
but  the  Saviour  proceeded  to  give  them  yet  another 
proof  of  the  reality  of  His  resurrection.  He  said  to 
them,  "Have  ye  here  any  food?"  They  "gave  liim  a 
piece  of  a  broiled  fish,  and  of  an  honeycomb.  And  He 
took  it,  and  did  eat  before  them."+  Then,  ere  He  left 
them.  He  repeated  His  benediction,   "  Peace   be  unto 

*  Luke  xxiv.  33,  34,  compared  with  John  xx.  19 — 24. 
f  Luke  xxiv.  35 — 40  ;  John  xx.  19,  20. 
t  Luke  xxiv.  41 — 43. 


OF    THE   LOED   JESUS.  345 

you," — constituted  them  the  authoritative  teachers  of 
His  religion,  and  the  guides  and  rulers  of  His  church, — 
and  assured  them  of  the  gift  of  the  Holy  Spirit  to 
qualify  them  for  their  high  and  peculiar  functions. 
Though  He  was  about  to  continue  on  earth  for  forty 
days,  His  work  as  a  public  Teacher  had  terminated; 
and  it  was  His  design,  that  His  apostles,  when  they  had 
received  the  baptism  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  should  go  forth 
in  His  name,  to  proclaim  the  message  of  repentance  and 
faith  in  Himself,  and  authoritatively  to  declare  to  men 
the  terms  of  their  acceptance,  and  the  rule  of  their 
duty.* 

One  of  the  eleven — Thomas,  called  Didymus — was 
absent  from  his  brethren  on  this  memorable  occasion. 
They  embraced  the  first  opportunity  of  conveying  to 
him  the  joyful  inteUigence,  that  they  had  seen  the 
Lord.  But  he  remained  incredulous;  and  even  went  so 
far  as  to  say,  "Except  I  shall  see  in  His  hands  the 
print  of  the  nails,  and  put  my  finger  into  the  print  of 
the  nails,  and  thrust  my  hand  into  His  side,  I  will  not 
believe."  +  A  week  was  suffered  to  elapse  before  this 
culpable  want  of  confidence  both  in  the  predictions 
of  his  Master,  and  the  consistent  testimony  of  his 
brethren,  was  removed;  and,  during  this  period,  his 
mind  must  have  been  the  subject  of  painful  conflict  and 
suspense.  But  on  the  next  Christian  Sabbath,  when  the 
disciples  were  again  assembled,  and  Thomas  with  them, 
the  Saviour  condescended  to  visit  them  again :  and 
having  saluted  them  in  the  usual  manner,  but  with 
words  which  from  His  lips  had  a  peculiar  significance, — 
'•'  Peace  be  unto  you," — He  said  to  Thomas,  "  Reach 
*  John  XX.  21—23.  f  John  xx.  24,  25. 


346  THE    RESURRECTION 

hither  thy  finger,  and  behold  My  hands;  and  reach 
hither  thy  hand,  and  thrust  it  into  My  side :  and  be  not 
faithless,  but  believing."  Here  was  a  convincing  proof, 
not  only  of  His  resurrection  from  the  dead,  but  of  His 
knowledge  of  the  thoughts  of  men,  and  of  their  words, 
though  uttered  in  His  absence.  The  unbelief  of  Thomas 
was  instantly  overcome ;  and,  remembering  the  evidences 
of  Divinity  which  had  appeared  in  his  Master's  whole 
career,  he  exclaimed,  "My  Lord  and  my  God!"  The 
Saviour  accepted  this  acknowledgment  of  His  glory; 
but  admonished  His  disciple  of  the  higher  blessed- 
ness of  a  more  simple  and  child-like  faith : — "  Thomas, 
because  thou  hast  seen  Me,  thou  hast  believed :  blessed 
are  they  that  have  not  seen,  and  yet  have  believed."* 

Soon  after  this  the  eleven  departed  to  Galilee,  being 
directed  to  do  so  by  a  message  from  the  Redeemer. 
Here  He  manifested  Himself  to  several  of  them,  on  the 
shore  of  the  lake  of  Galilee.  After  spending  a  night  in 
fishing  on  that  lake  without  success,  they  obtained,  by 
following  the  direction  of  Jesus,  who  in  the  morning 
stood  on  the  shore,  a  large  draught;  and  He  condescended 
to  partake  Avith  them  of  the  food  which  His  kindness 
had  provided.  His  conduct,  on  this  occasion,  evinced 
His  interest  in  the  temporal  wants  of  His  people,  while 
it  afforded  a  proof  of  His  true  and  proper  manhood. 
But  this  interview  was  chiefly  remarkable  for  the  con- 
versation which  passed  between  the  risen  Saviour  and 
Peter.  In  the  presence  of  six  of  his  brethren,  our  Lord 
said  to  that  disciple,  "  Simon,  son  of  Jonas,  lovest  thou 
Me  more  than  these  ?"  The  affectionate  heart  of  Peter 
at  once  responded  to  this  inquiry.  Taught  by  his  recent 
•  John  XX.  26—29. 


OF   THE    LORD   JESUS.  347 

fall  to  distrust  his  own  strength,  he  did  not  now  venture 
upon  a  bold  declaration  of  surpassing  attachment,  but 
appealed  to  our  Lord  Himself,  as  to  the  sincerity  of  his 
regard.  The  Saviour  thrice  repeated  the  inquiry;  and 
receiving,  in  every  instance,  a  firm  and  decided  avowal 
of  Peter's  love,  He  graciously  accepted  that  avowal, — 
charged  him  to  feed  His  lambs  and  His  sheep, — and 
carried  forward  his  views  to  the  painful  and  ignominious 
death  by  which  he  should  at  last  glorify  God.  But 
when  Peter  presumed  to  ask,  what  would  be  the  circum- 
stances of  the  death  of  John,  our  Lord  repressed  his 
curiosity,  and  taught  him,  that  his  one  business  was  to 
"  follow"  Him,  until,  having  suffered  with  Him  on  earth, 
he  should  rise  at  last  to  participate  in  His  triumph,  and 
to  share  His  joy.* 

But  the  departure  of  the  eleven  to  Galilee  was 
arranged  v/ith  an  express  reference  to  our  Lord's  public 
and  formal  manifestation  of  Himself,  after  His  resur- 
rection, in  that  district,  which  had  formed  the  principal 
scene  of  His  labours,  t  The  Saviour  had  Himself  spoken 
of  this  manifestation,  in  His  last  conversation  vv'ith  His 
apostles,  on  the  evening  before  He  suffered  ;;|:  and  the 
angels  who  announced  His  resurrection  to  the  women, 
on  the  morning  of  the  day  which  witnessed  His  triumph 
over  death,  instructed  them  to  say  to  His  disciples, 
"  Behold,  He  goeth  before  you  into  Galilee ;  there  shall 
ye  see  Him."§  Everything  conspired  to  invest  this 
appearance  of  our  Lord  with  solemnity  and  importance. 
The  attention,  not  of  the  eleven  only,  but  of  many  of 

*  John  xxi.  1 — 24.  f  Matthew  xxviii.  16. 

+  Matthew  xxvi.  32  ;  Mark  xiv.  28. 
§  Matthew  xxviii.  7  ;  Mark  xvi.  7. 


348  THE    RESURRECTION 

His  devout  followers,  seems  to  have  been  directed  to  it, 
as  that  which  should  form  the  crowning  evidence  of  His 
resurrection,  and  fully  establish  the  truth  of  all  His  claims. 
It  was  on  this  occasion  that  He  was  "  seen  of  above  five 
hundred  brethren  at  once,"  to  the  greater  part  of  whom 
St.  Paul  refers  as  still  alive,  when  he  wrote  his  first  Epistle 
to  the  Corinthians.*  And  it  was  on  this  occasion  that  our 
Lord  gave  to  His  apostles,  in  the  presence  of  His  assem- 
bled followers,  their  high  commission.  He  "  came  and 
spake  unto  them,  saying,  All  power  is  given  unto  Me  in 
heaven  and  in  earth.  Go  ye  therefore,  and  teach  all 
nations,  baptizing  them  in  the  name  of  the  Father,  and 
of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost :  teaching  them  to 
observe  all  things  whatsoever  I  have  commanded  you : 
and  lo,  I  am  with  you  alway,  even  unto  the  end  of  the 
world."  t  In  these  emphatic  words  the  Redeemer  set 
forth  His  own  mediatorial  authority  and  dominion ; — He 
appointed  baptism  as  the  mode  of  admitting  men  to  the 
profession  of  discipleship  to  Himself; — He  declared  the 
profound  mystery  of  the  Trinity  in  Unity,  and  shed  a 
degree  of  light  on  His  own  essential  glory  as  the  Son, 
united  with  the  Father  and  the  Holy  Spirit  in  that  one 
"  Name,"  before  which  every  creatui'e  is  to  bow  with 
reverence  and  love ; — He  affirmed  that  His  revealed  will 
is  to  be  in  all  ages  the  law  of  His  church; — and  He 
assured  His  apostles,  and  His  faithful  ministers  in  every 
period  of  the  world's  history,  that  He  would  be  with 
them,  to  succour  them  in  every  conflict,  to  sustain  them 
under  every  trial,  to  fill  their  minds  with  heavenly  con- 
solation and  peace,  and  to  crown  with  success  their 
arduous  enterprise.  Many  who  witnessed  this  impressive 
*  1  Corinthians  xv.  6.  f  Matthew  xxviii.  18 — 20. 


OP    THE   LORD   JESUS.  349 

scene,  "worshipped"  the  risen  Saviour;  nor  did  He 
repel  this  homage,  dictated  by  a  lively  faith,  and  a 
sincere  and  fervent  love.* 

Soon  after  this,  our  Lord  favoured  James  with  a 
special  manifestation  of  Himself  t  The  pai-ticulars  of 
this  interview  have  not  been  given  to  us;  and  it  would 
be  vain  to  hazard  conjectures  respecting  its  design.  It 
is  sufficient  for  us  to  know,  that  every  part  of  our  Lord's 
conduct  had  the  highest  reasons ;  although  those  reasons 
may  not,  in  every  case,  be  obvious  to  us.  Some  have 
thouglit,  that  through  this  apostle  a  message  was  sent 
to  the  eleven,  to  return  to  Jerusalem,  and  prepare  for 
the  final  removal  of  their  beloved  Master  from  their 
sight.  The  fact  itself,  that  they  did  return  to  that 
metropolis,  is  certain;  and  it  is  highly  probable  that 
they  did  so  in  obedience  to  the  express  instructions  of 
the  Saviour.  For  now  the  time  was  drawing  near  when 
He  should  leave  this  world,  and  ascend  to  the  throne  of 
His  glory.  The  great  purposes  of  His  appearance  on 
earth  were  accomplished.  He  had  shed  the  light  of 
heavenly  truth  upon  the  minds  of  men;  —  He  had 
endured  the  deep  humiliation  and  anguish  which  were 
appointed  to  Him  as  the  Substitute  of  our  guilty  race; 
— He  had  offered  up  Llimself  as  a  perfect  and  spotless 
Victim; — and  He  had  risen  from  the  dead,  to  diffuse 
gladness  over  our  redeemed  world,  and  give  the  assurance 
of  eternal  life  to  all  who  should  trust  in  Him.  By  Plis 
intercourse  with  His  apostles  since  His  resurrection.  He 
had  established  the  certainty  of  that  great  event; — He 
had  restored  their  confidence  and  peace,  after  the  gloom 
and  terror  which  had  come  over  them; — He  had  given 
*  Matthew  xxviii.  17.  f  1  Corinthians  xv.  7. 


3-50  THE   RESURRECTION    OF   THE   LORD   JESUS. 

them  their  full  commission,  as  His  ambassadors  to  the 
world; — and  He  had  instructed  them  in  the  duties  which 
would  devolve  upon  them, — duties,  for  the  faithful  dis- 
charge of  which  they  were  to  be  qualified  by  the 
promised  Spirit  of  truth.  Nothing  now  remained,  but 
that  He  should  address  to  them  His  last  words  of  ad- 
monition, encouragement,  and  blessing,  and  ascend,  in 
their  presence,  to  His  Father's  throne.  Assembled  >vith 
them  in  Jerusalem,  He  commanded  them  not  to  leave 
that  city  until  "  the  promise  of  the  Father "  should  be 
fulfilled,  and  they  should  be  "  endued  with  power  from 
on  high,"  by  the  descent  of  the  Holy  Ghost.*  He 
reminded  them,  that  their  great  business  was  to  announce 
to  mankind  His  death  and  resurrection,  and,  through 
His  name,  to  proclaim  repentance  and  remission  of  sins ; 
and  He  charged  them  to  enter  upon  their  high  and 
holy  mission  in  Jerusalem  itself  +  Repressing  every 
feeling  of  vain  curiosity  as  to  the  plans  of  God  for 
the  future,  He  admonished  them  to  apply  themselves 
to  their  proper  work  of  bearing  testimony  to  Him; J 
and  then  He  led  them  out  as  far  as  Bethany,  and  Ufted 
up  His  hands  and  blessed  them, — and  while  He  blessed 
them.  He  was  parted  from  them,  and  received  up  into 
heaven.  §  They  gazed  upon  Him  as  He  ascended,  until 
"  a  cloud  received  Him  out  of  their  sight ;"  and  then 
returned  to  Jerusalem,  not  overwhelmed  with  sorrow, 
but  triumphing  in  this  last  display  of  their  Master's 
dignity,  and  waiting  with  sacred  hope  for  the  promised 
gift  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  to  qualify  them  for  their  embassy 
of  grace  and  peace.  || 

•  Luke  xxiv.  49  ;  Acts  i.  4,  5.  f  Luke  xxiv.  44 — 48. 

+  Acts  i.  6— S.     §  Luke  xxiv.  50,  51  ;  Acts  i.  9  ;  Mark  xvi.  19. 

II  Luke  xxiv.  52,  53. 


PART  III. 


CONCLUDING    OBSERVATIOrS    ON    THE 
MEDIATORIAL   ECONOMY. 


CHAPTER  I. 

REVIEW  OF  THE  REDEEMER'S  LIFE,  AND  SITPFBRINGS,  AND 
DEATH,  IN  THEIR  RELATION  TO  THE  DIVINE  GOVERN- 
MENT OP  OUR  WORLD,  AND  TO  THE  SALVATION  OP 
MAN. 

We  have  now  reached  a  point  in  the  mediatorial 
undertaking  of  the  Son  of  God,  from  which  we  may 
properly  survey  its  bearing  on  the  principles  and  arrange- 
ments of  the  Divine  government.  We  have  contemplated 
the  appearance  on  earth  of  the  Deliverer,  to  whom 
human  expectation  had  been  directed  from  the  period 
of  the  fall.  We  have  traced  the  events  for  which  so 
elaborate  a  series  of  preparations,  extending  through 
many  ages,  had  been  made;  and  to  which  the  angelic 
hosts  had  looked  forward  with  deep  and  constant  interest. 
We  have  seen,  that  when  "  the  fulness  of  time"  arrived, 
the  Eternal  Son  clothed  Himself  with  our  nature,  and 
appeared  among  us,  a  sharer  of  our  weakness,  our 
temptations,  and  our  sorrows.*  We  have  marked  the 
njysterious  union  of  lowliness  and  majesty  which  dis- 
tinguished His  entire  career.  We  have  viewed  Him  as 
the  babe  of  Bethlehem,  —  the  obscure  inhabitant  of 
Nazareth, — the  illustrious  Prophet,  whose  teaching  shed 
a  flood  of  light  on  religious  truth, — and  the  Divine 
Restorer,  from  whose  touch  pain  and  sickness  fled,  and 

*  Galatians  iv.  4,  5;  Hebrews  ii.  14 — 18. 
2  A 


354  THE    ECONOMY    OF    GRACE 

to  whose  will  universal  nature  bowed.  In  the  development 
of  His  character  we  have  beheld  an  attractive  gentleness 
and  condescension,  blended  with  an  ineffable  dignity,  and 
a  purity  which  shrunk  back  from  all  moral  contamination. 
We  have  followed  Ilim  through  the  three  years  of  His 
ministry,  until  He  came  up,  for  the  last  time,  to  Jeru- 
salem, to  suffer  and  die.  We  have  listened  to  His 
public  discourses,  and  to  His  admonitory  and  affectionate 
addresses  to  the  disciples  whom  He  chose  to  be  the 
companions  of  His  labours,  and  the  witnesses  of  His 
sufferings  to  mankind.  We  have  seen  Him  oppressed 
with  mental  anguish,  amidst  the  solitudes  of  Gethsemane; 
and  we  have  traced  the  rude  indignities  which  were 
heajjed  upon  Him,  until  at  length  He  was  extended 
upon  the  cross,  and  died  as  the  Sacrifice  for  human 
guilt.  We  have  contemplated  His  resurrection  from 
the  dead,  together  with  the  numerous  and  convincing 
proofs  of  that  great  event;  and  we  have  rejoiced  to 
behold  Him,  after  His  deep  humiliation,  released  from 
the  burden  which  before  pressed  upon  His  pure  and 
benignant  mind,  but  retaining  all  the  tenderness  and 
sympathy  which  had  ever  marked  His  intercourse  with 
His  followers.  We  have  listened  to  His  last  charge  to 
His  apostles,  and  have  seen  Him  taken  from  their  head 
"while  in  the  very  act  of  blessing  them,  to  be  enthroned 
at  the  right  hand  of  the  Eternal  Father,  and  to  sway  a 
sceptre  of  righteousness  and  grace,  until  His  enemies 
shall  be  made  His  footstool.* 

In  the  history  of  the  liedeemer  which  we  have  thus 
traced,  the  greatest  prominence  must  ever  be  given  to 
His  sacrificial  death.     The  incarnation  of  the  Son  of 
•  Psalm  ex.  ]  ;  Hebrews  i.  1 — 3. 


ESTABLISHED   THROUGH   THE   REDEEMER.  355 

God,  and  all  the  events  of  His  life  on  earth,  were  pre- 
paratory to  the  oiFering  up  of  Himself  as  an  atonement 
for  the  sins  of  men.  It  was  "  for  the  suffering  of  death," 
that  He  who  had  dwelt  with  the  Father  in  the  glories 
of  eternity,  "  took  upon  Him  the  form  of  a  servant,"  and 
appeared  on  earth,  divested  of  external  gi'andeur,  and 
revealing  His  inherent  dignity  only  in  the  purity  and 
goodness  of  His  character,  and  the  majesty  of  His  works 
of  power.'"  He  Himself  looked  forward,  with  profound 
interest,  to  that  period  of  anguish  through  which  He 
had  to  pass  to  accomplish  the  work  of  our  redemption; 
and  it  was  when  He  bowed  His  head  on  the  cross,  and 
exclaimed,  "  It  is  finished,"  that  He  was  "  made  perfect" 
as  "  the  Captain  of  our  salvation."  t 

It  becomes  us,  therefore,  to  take  our  stand  at  the  foot 
of  the  cross,  that  we  may  learn  the  lessons  which  that 
solemn  spectacle  is  designed  to  teach.  The  scene  of 
Calvary  was  intended  to  present  to  the  universe  an 
affecting  display  of  the  essential  righteousness  of  God, 
blended  with  His  tender  and  condescending  love  to  man. 
The  sufferings  which  came  upon  the  Redeemer,  though 
Himself  pure  and  spotless,  and  uniting  in  His  mysterious 
person  the  Divine  and  human  natures,  wei'e  endured  by 
Him  as  the  Substitute  of  our  guilty  race; J  and  their 
very  intensity  illustrates  the  displeasure  of  God  against 
sin,  and  His  inviolable  adherence  to  all  the  principles  of 
His  government. 

It  is  not  for  us  to  penetrate  into  the  deep  sorrows  of 
the  Redeemer's  spirit,  when  that  "  hour"  arrived,  of 
which  He  had  so  often  spoken  with  peculiar  emotions. 

*  Hebrews  ii.  9,  collated  with  Philippians  ii.  5 — 8 ;  John  i.  14. 

f  Hebrews  ii.  10.  J  Romans  v.  6 — 8  ;   1  Peter  iii.  IS. 

2  A  2 


356  THE   ECONOMY   OF    GRACE 

It  is  enougli  for  us  to  know,  that  in  the  garden,  and 
upon  the  cross.  He  endured  that  "  travail  of  soul"  which 
the  intimations  of  prophecy  had  ascribed  to  the  great 
Deliverer.*  It  was  an  anguish,  deep,  intense,  unutter- 
able; and  to  that  anguish  we  must  add  the  exquisite 
pain  of  body  which  He  felt,  as  He  hung  on  the  accursed 
tree,  and  the  ignominy  which  was  heaped  upon  Him, 
until  at  length  He  yielded  up  His  spirit.  As  we  behold 
Him  thus  becoming  "  obedient  unto  death,  even  the 
death  of  the  cross,"  we  are  reminded  of  the  emphatic 
declarations  of  the  apostle  Paul : — "  God  hath  made  Him 
to  be  sin  for  us,  who  knew  no  sin;  that  we  might  be 
made  the  righteousness  of  God  in  Him."t  "  Him  hath 
God  set  forth  to  be  a  propitiation  through  faith  in  His 
blood,  to  declare  His  righteousness  for  the  remission  of 
sins  that  are  past,  through  the  forbearance  of  God ;  even 
to  declare  at  this  time  His  righteousness,  that  He  might 
be  just,  and  the  justifier  of  him  which  belie veth  in 
Jesus." + 

Such,  then,  is  the  arrangement  of  God  for  the  recovery 
and  salvation  of  man :  and  with  reverence  we  may  say, 
that  this  arrangement  is  in  every  respect  worthy  of  Him, 
It  affords  the  most  affecting  views  of  all  His  attributes ; 
and  conveys  to  every  thoughtful  mind  the  most  salutary 
lessons.  Nor  is  the  interest  of  this  arrangement  confined 
to  the  human  race :  the  principles  which  it  involves 
affect  other  orders  of  rational  beings,  and  even  the 
angelic  hosts  desire  to  look  into  its  mysteries,  and  gaze 
on  the  atoning  Sa^dour,  to  derive  instruction  from  the 
contemplation  of  His  sorrows.  §     Wliile   we  would  not 

*  Isaiah  liii.  11.      f  2  Corinthians  v.  21.      %  Romans  iii.  24 — 2G. 
§  1  Peter  i.  11,  12;  1  Timothy  iii.  16. 


ESTABLISHED    THROUGH   THE    REDEEMER.  357 

presumptuously  speculate  on  the  fitness  of  the  plans  of 
God,  but  would  humbly  follow  the  teaching  of  His  own 
word,  assured  that  all  His  ways  are  right  and  good,— 
we  may  yet  boldly  and  gratefully  affirm  with  the 
apostle,  "It  became  Him,  for  whom  are  all  things,  and 
by  whom  are  all  things,  in  bringing  many  son°s  'unto 
glory,  to  make  the  Captain  of  their  salvation  perfect 
through  sufferings."* 

It  is  an  obvious   consideration,  that  it  became  the 
Most  High,  in  interposing  to  save  man,   to   do  so  in  a 
manner-  which  xoould  convey  to  all  His  creatures  just 
conceptions  of  His  own  ckaracter.~The  character  of  God 
is  an  object  of  interest  to  the  universe.     The  affections 
which  bind  His  intelligent  offspring  to  Him  have  some 
correspondence  to  the  views  which  they  form  of  it.    The 
beautiful   system  of  nature,    and   the  entire   course   of 
providence,  tend  to  develop  and  unfold  it.     Much  more, 
then,  was  it  suited  to  the  Divine  wisdom,  that  so  peculiar 
a  procedure  as  the  redemption  of  a  sinful  race   should 
place  every  attribute  of  that  character  in  a  clear  and 
impressive  light.     And  so  it  is.     As  we  stand  beneath 
the  cross,  and  look  upon  the  august  Sufferer,  and  think 
of  the  deep  anguish  of  His  spirit,  we  behold  an  impres- 
sive display  of  the  holiness  and  justice  of  God.f     Here 
is  an  affecting  proof,  that,  under  the  Divine  government, 
sin  cannot  be  treated  as  a  light  or  trivial  thing.     Had 
man  been  pardoned  by  an  act  of  mere  prerogative,  then 
might  the  suspicion  have  been  awakened,  that  sin  does 
not,  after  all,  call  forth  intense  displeasure  in  the  mind 
of  God,  and  that  it  may  even  be  connived  at  by  Him. 
But  now  every  such  idea  is  shut  out;  and  no  man  who 
*  Hebrews  ii.  10.  f  Romans  iii.  25,  20'. 


358  THE    ECONOMY    OF    GRACE 

contemplates  the  dying  Saviour  can  retire  from  that 
sight  without  feeling  that  sin  is  regarded  by  the  Most 
High  as  infinitely  vile  and  base,  and  that  under  His 
administration  it  must  be  visited  with  suffering.  When 
we  reflect,  further,  on  the  person  of  the  Redeemer,  and 
remember  that  He  was  the  only-begotten  Son  manifested 
in  our  nature,  we  feel  that  the  scenes  of  Calvary  illus- 
trate the  love  of  God  to  man.  He  who  was  one  with  the 
Father  before  any  creature  was  formed,  and  who  was 
unspeakably  dear  to  Him  while  He  tabernacled  upon 
earth,  became  the  Sacrifice  for  human  guilt.  "  Herein 
is  love,  not  that  we  loved  God,  but  that  He  loved  us, 
and  sent  His  Son  to  be  the  propitiation  for  our  sins."'^ 

There  is  another  aspect  under  which  the  sacrificial 
death  of  the  Lord  Jesus  should  be  regarded,  in  our 
attempt  reverently  to  trace  the  wisdom  and  excellence 
of  the  Divine  plans.  While  that  great  event  sheds  light 
on  the  character  of  God,  it  is  designed  also  to  exert  an 
important  influence  on  the  sentiments  and  feelings  of 
man.  It  was  eminently  worthy  of  the  Most  High,  as 
the  Creator  and  Lord  of  the  Universe,  to  make  the  very 
means  of  our  reconciliation  to  Himself  the  means  of 
calling  forth  within  our  breasts  a  profound  hatred  to  sin, 
and  an  intense  desire  of  holiness.  Such  a  state  of  mind 
the  scenes  of  Gethsemane  and  Calvary  are  calculated  to 
produce  and  sustain.  That  man  Avho,  under  the  burden 
of  his  guilt,  flies  to  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  as  the  only 
Saviour, — who,  with  humble  faith,  gazes  upon  Him  in 
the  deep  agony  of  spirit  which  He  endured,  and  who 
follows  Him  even  to  the  cross,  there  to  behold  Him 
made    a    sin-offering   for  us, — cannot    trifle   with    any 

*  1  John  iv.  10.     See  also  John  iii.  16  ;  Romans  viii.  32. 


ESTABLISHED    THROUGH    THE    REDEEMER.  359 

form  of  iniquity,  or  wish  to  retain  that  which  was  the 
cause  of  exquisite  sorrow  to  His  pure  and  benignant 
mind.  The  heart  that  really  trusts  in  Christ,  and 
surrenders  its  affections  to  Him,  cannot  but  turn  away 
from  sin  as  that  which  He  regards  with  intense  dis- 
pleasure, and  which  brought  upon  Him  an  unutterable 
anguish,  when  He  took  the  place  of  the  guilty.  The 
death  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  therefore,  while  it  opens 
to  us  the  path  of  life  consistently  with  eveiy  perfection 
of  the  Divine  character,  and  every  principle  of  the 
Divine  government,  directly  tends  to  restore  us  to  uni- 
versal holiness,  and  to  reunite  us,  in  sentiment  and 
feeling,  to  the  angelic  hosts,  who  esteem  it  their  highest 
happiness  and  joy  to  do  the  will  of  God.* 

These  considerations  may  suffice  to  illustrate  the 
profound  wisdom  of  the  plan  of  human  redemption,  by 
the  sufferings  and  death  of  the  incarnate  Son  of  God. 
But  while  we  reverently  engage  in  such  inquiries,  we 
cannot  but  feel,  that  it  is  more  suited  to  the  position 
which  we  occupy,  as  the  subjects  of  the  Divine  govern- 
ment, to  contemplate  the  sacrifice  of  the  cross,  in  the 
light  which  it  sheds  on  the  actual  state  of  our  race,  and 
then  to  trace  the  method  of  salvation  which  it  opens 
to  us. 

When  from  beneath  the  cross  we  look  round  upon 
our  world,  the  first  reflection  which  forces  itself  on  our 
minds  is,  that  the  state  of  mankind  must  be  one  of 
guilt  and  mun,  or  such  a  Sacrifice  Avould  not  have  been 
provided.  This  was  a  sentiment  on  which  the  apostle 
Paul  was  accustomed  to  dwell,  and  by  which  he  was 
urged  onward  in  his  career  of  evangelical  toil.  "  The 
*  Romans  viii.  3,  4;  Ephesians  i.  9,  10. 


360  THE    ECONOMY    OF    GRACE 

love  of  Christ  constraineth  us;  because  we  thus  judge, 
that  if  One  died  for  all,  then  ivere  all  dead."^'  The  utter 
sinfulness  of  man,  and  his  exposui'e  to  eternal  woe,  are 
truths  which  lie  at  the  basis  of  that  plan  of  recovery,  of 
which  the  incarnation  of  the  Son,  and  His  vicarious 
death,  are  the  leading  facts.  Nor  can  any  one  appre- 
ciate the  Redeemer  as  he  should  do,  or  come  to  Him  for 
salvation  and  life,  until  he  feels  that,  without  Him,  he  is 
utterly  undone  and  lost. 

It  is  a  solemn  fact,  that  we  are  all  involved  in  the 
results  of  the  first  transgression.  The  ravages  of  disease 
and  death,  extending  even  to  those  who  have  not  passed 
the  tender  years  of  infancy,  are  a  convincing  proof  of 
this.  And  our  relation  to  Adam  has  affected  our  moral 
state.  Our  natural  condition  is  one  of  (/tiilt  and  pollution. 
The  race  of  man  is  under  the  displeasure  of  God,  and 
severed  in  heart  from  Him.  "  By  one  man  sin  entered 
into  the  world,  and  death  by  sin;  and  so  death  passed 
upon  all  men,  for  that  all  have  sinned."  "  By  the 
offence  of  one,  judgment  came  upon  all  men  to  con- 
demnation." "  By  one  man's  disobedience  many  were 
made  sinners."t  Sin,  also,  has  pervaded  our  lives,  and 
vitiated  our  best  and  fairest  actions.  The  burden  of 
accumulated  transgressions  rests  upon  every  soul  that 
has  not  fled  for  refuge  to  the  Sa-sdour,  and  obtained 
forgiveness  and  peace  through  Him.  J 

Every  thoughtful  man  must  plead  guilty  to  the  charge 
of  sinfulness  before  God,  when  he  seriously  inquires  into 
his  own  character  and  state,  and  j^laces  not  his  actions 

*  2  Corinthians  v.  14. 

f  See  the  entire  argument  of  St.  Paul,  in  Romans  v.  12—21. 

I  Romans  iii.  19,  23;  John  iii.  36. 


ESTABLISHED   THROUGH    THE   REDEEMER,  3G1 

only,  but  his  principles  and  motives,  in  the  light  of 
God's  holy  and  spiritual  law.  That  law  requires,  that 
the  Most  High  Himself  should  be  the  object  of  our 
supreme  regard, — that  to  Him  our  hearts  should  turn 
with  grateful  love,  blended  with  lowly  reverence  and 
profound  submission, — and  that  we  should  at  all  times 
seek  His  glory,  and  aim  to  do  His  will.*  Communion 
with  Him  should  be  viewed  by  us  as  the  most  ennobling 
and  delightful  exercise;  and  His  character  should  ever 
be  esteemed  as  the  pattern  of  moral  loveliness.  But  the 
human  heart  is  naturally  estranged  from  God.  It  seeks 
rather  to  forget  Him,  than  to  maintain  a  reference  to 
Him  in  every  engagement  and  relation  of  life.  The 
consciousness  of  entire  dependence  upon  Him  is  unwel- 
come and  painful.  The  remembrance  of  His  righteous 
administration  is  alarming.  The  thought  of  His 
unsullied  purity  is  repulsive.  If  the  tendencies  of  our 
nature  are  allowed  to  develop  themselves  without 
restraint,  and  that  gracious  influence  of  the  Spirit  which 
would  produce  repentance  is  checked  and  resisted,  we 
seek  to  be  as  gods  to  ourselves, — dwelling  with  fond 
complacency  on  our  own  excellencies,  making  our  own 
judgment  the  standard  of  rectitude,  and  seeking  our 
own  glory  and  enjoyment  as  the  end  of  existence.  Self 
is  the  idol  which  is  enthroned  in  our  hearts,  and  to 
which  the  sweetest  incense  is  offered.  There  is  thus  a 
fearful  schism  between  us  and  God.  We  are  "  alienated 
and  enemies"  to  Him  "  in  our  minds  by  wicked  works. "t 
"  The  carnal  mind  is  enmity  against  God :  for  it  is  not 
subject  to  the  laAv  of  God,  neither  indeed  can  be.";};    And 

«  Matthew  xxii.  37  ;  Mark  xii.  29,  30  ;  1  Corinthians  x.  31. 
f  Colossians  i.  21.  J  Romans  viii.  7. 


362  THE    ECOKOMY    OF    GRACE 

this  charge  of  estrangement  from  the  Most  High,  is  one 
which  may  be  justly  alleged  against  every  mem  who  has 
not  yielded  to  the  softening  influences  of  the  Spirit,  and 
embraced  the  overtures  of  mercy.  There  are  many 
whose  conduct  towards  others  is  upright  and  honourable, 
and  whose  character  presents  some  amiable  and  attractive 
features,  who  are  yet  wanting  in  this  first  principle  of 
holiness, — the  devotion  of  the  heart  to  God.  And  the 
absence  of  this  vitiates  all  that  appears  excellent  and 
lovely.  It  is  base  to  forget  God,  to  regard  Him  with 
aversion,  or  not  to  respond  to  His  demand  of  supreme 
and  constant  love. 

But,  indeed,  this  alienation  of  the  affections  from  God 
naturally  tends  to  produce  a  disordered  state  of  mind 
towards  our  fellow-men.  The  outward  manifestations  of 
depravity  may  be  restrained  by  the  influence  of  edu- 
cation, or  a  regard  to  worldly  considerations;  but  even 
when  all  is  right  without,  the  heart  is  often  the  seat  of 
impure  and  hurtful  passions.  If  love  to  God,  and 
reverence  for  His  authority,  are  not  the  commanding- 
principles  of  our  minds,  we  shall  find  it  difficult  to 
maintain  a  strict  regard  to  all  the  rights  of  others,  when 
those  rights  would  interfere  with  our  own  interests. 
Still  more  difficult  shall  we  find  it,  to  forgive  an  aff'ront 
or  injury,  and  to  check  the  first  movements  of  envy 
towards  those  whose  circumstances  are  more  favourable 
than  our  own,  or  whose  success  has  involved  us  in 
disappointment  and  sorrow. 

Those  requirements  of  the  Divine  law  to  which  we 
have  adverted  may,  at  the  first  view,  appear  strict  and 
even  repulsive.  But  they  are  right,  benevolent,  and 
lovely.     They  commend  themselves,  upon  mature  reflec- 


ESTABLISHED    THROUGH    THE    REDEEMER.  3G3 

tion,  to  the  approval  and  esteem  of  every  enlightened 
and  spiritual  mind.  It  is  a  beautiful  and  impressive 
declaration  of  St.  Paul,  that  "  the  law  is  holy,  and  just, 
and  good."*  It  frowns  upon  everything  that  is  impure 
and  contaminating,  in  feeling  or  conduct;  it  asserts  the 
rights  of  God  as  to  vis.  His  creatures  and  subjects;  it 
guards  our  rights  as  to  each  other ;  and  even  its  strictest 
demands  tend  to  promote  the  happiness  of  the  mind 
that  reveres  and  obeys  them.  Were  the  principles 
enjoined  in  the  Divine  law  cherished  by  every  human 
mind,  and  developed  in  all  the  intercourse  of  society, 
this  earth  would  again  be  changed  to  paradise,  and 
present  an  attractive  spectacle  of  peace,  and  love,  and 
joy.  But  we  have  broken  this  holy  law.  There  is  no 
one  who  can  stand  forth  in  the  presence  of  Jehovah, 
and  affirm  that  he  has  never  sinned.  There  is  no  one 
who  can  plead,  that  his  heart,  throughout  life,  has  been 
right  with  God,  and  fully  devoted  to  His  service.  "  By 
the  deeds  of  the  law  there  shall  no  flesh  be  justified  in 
His  sight :  for  by  the  law  is  the  knowledge  of  sin."t 
The  proper  attitude  of  the  human  spii'it  before  God  is 
that  of  lowly  and  penitent  confession.  The  prayer  which 
each  of  us  should  breathe  forth  is  that  of  the  publican, 
"God  be  merciful  to  me  a  sinner.":}; 

But  to  the  mind  thus  awakened  and  contrite,  the 
mediatorial  economy  opens  a  new  method  of  justifica- 
tion. All  hope  in  ourselves  is  cut  off,  that  we  may  fly 
to  Christ  the  appointed  Befuge  of  the  guilty,  and  receive 
through  Him  forgiveness  and  peace.  §  We  are  to  be 
"justified   freely  by  the   grace  of  God,"   without   any 

*  Romans  vii.  12.         f  Romans  iii.  20.         %  Luke  xviii.  13. 
§  Galatians  iii.  22. 


364  THE   ECONOMY    OF   GRACE 

merit  of  our  own,  and  simply  through  the  exercise  of 
^aith  in  that  blood  which  has  been  shed  for  our  redemp- 
tion.* Not  only  is  every  plea  of  personal  righteousness 
to  be  cast  aside,  but  even  our  repentance — though 
necessary  to  lead  us  to  the  Saviour — is  not  to  be  relied 
on  as  making  us  worthy  of  the  Divine  favour.  We  must 
seek  forgiveness  as  the  unmerited  gift  of  God  through 
Jesus  Christ;  and,  taking  our  place  before  the  mercy- 
seat  as  guilty  and  undone,  we  must  look  to  Him  who 
bore  our  curse,  and  plead  with  humble  confidence,  "  The 
Son  of  God  loved  me,  and  gave  Himself  for  me."  We 
must  commit  our  souls  to  the  infinite  merit  of  the 
Redeemer's  sacrifice;  we  must  embrace  Him  as  "the 
Lord  our  righteousness ; "  and  when  thus,  with  the  heart, 
we  believe  on  Him,  God  will  not  impute  to  us  our 
iniquities,  but  will  "  accept "  us  in  Christ,  and  love  us  as 
His  children,  t 

This  dependence  on  the  SaAaour  becomes  the  fixed 
and  settled  hahit  of  the  mind,  when  reconciled  to  God, 
and  blessed  with  the  fulness  of  spiritual  life.  The 
believer's  state  is  ever  represented  as  a  being  "  «i  Christ."'^ 
The  faith  through  which  we  are  justified  brings  us  near 
to  Plim;  it  unites  us  indeed  to  Him,  as  the  Head  of  His 
spiritual  church;  and  it  is  only  while  we  "abide"  in  Him, 
that  we  can  retain  our  peace,  or  pursue  a  course  of  evan- 
gelical obedience.  "Abide  in  Me,  and  I  in  you.  As  the 
branch  cannot  bear  fruit  of  itself,  except  it  abide  in  the 
vine ;  no  more  can  ye,  except  ye  abide  in  Me.  I  am  the 
vine,  ye  are  the  branches.     He  that  abideth  in  Me,  and  I 

*  Romans  iii.  24 — 2G;   Galatians  ii.  15,  16. 

f  Galatians  ii.  20,  21;  Jeremiah  xxiii.  6 ;  Romans  iv.  6 — 8; 
2  Coi'inthians  v.  21  ;  Ephesians  i.  5 — 7. 

X  Romans  viii.  1 ;  2  Corinthians  v.  17;  Philippians  iii.  9. 


ESTABLISHED   THROUGH    THE   REDEEMER.  365 

in  him,  the  same  bringeth  forth  much  fruit :  for  without 
Me  ye  can  do  nothing."*  Trust  in  the  atonement  is  to 
be  blended  with  all  our  acts  of  worship, — all  our  emo- 
tions toAvards  the  Father, — and  all  our  active  services  to 
Him.  "  I  am  the  way,  the  truth,  and  the  life :  no  man 
Cometh  unto  the  Father,  but  by  Me."t  "  Through  Him 
we  both  have  access  by  one  Spirit  unto  the  Father.''^ 
As  we  advance  in  Christian  experience,  the  conviction  of 
dependence  on  the  Lord  Jesus  becomes  deeper  and 
yet  deeper.  Every  established  Christian  can  gratefully 
adopt  the  language  of  the  apostle  Paul,  "  I  am  crucified 
with  Christ:  nevertheless  I  live;  yet  not  I,  but  Christ 
liveth  in  me :  and  the  life  which  I  now  live  in  the  flesh, 
I  live  by  the  faith  of  the  Son  of  God,  who  loved  me,  and 
gave  Himself  for  me.  I  do  not  frustrate  the  grace  of 
God :  for  if  righteousness  come  by  the  law,  then  Christ 
is  dead  in  vain."§ 

But  this  view  of  the  believer's  state,  as  one  of  spiritual 
life  derived  from  union  with  Christ,  leads  us  to  consider 
more  distinctly  the  provision  which  has  been  made, 
through  our  Lord's  atonement,  for  the  sanctipication 
of  our  nature.  It  was  the  design  of  the  Eternal  Father, 
in  giving  His  Son  to  become  our  Substitute  and  Sacrifice, 
to  restore  us  to  holiness,  and  enable  us  to  yield  a 
cheerful  and  constant  obedience  to  His  will.  "  For 
what  the  law  could  not  do,  in  that  it  was  weak  through 
the  flesh,  God  sending  His  own  Son  in  the  likeness  of 
sinful  flesh,  and  for  sin,  condemned  sin  in  the  flesh : 
that  the  righteousness  of  the  law  might  be  fulfilled  in 
us,  who  walk  not  after  the  flesh,  but  after  the  Spirit."  || 

*  John  XV.  4,  5.  f  John  xiv.  6.  J  Ephesians  ii.  18. 

§  Galatians  ii.  20,  21.  H  Romans  viii.  S,  4. 


366  THE   ECONOJir    OF   GRACE 

We  have  already  seen  that  the  deep  anguish  which  filled 
the  Redeemer's  spirit  in  Gethsemane  and  on  Calvary, 
while  it  evinced  the  displeasure  of  God  against  sin,  was 
intended   to  call  forth  Avithin    our  minds  a  profound 
hatred  to  all  iniquity.    The  light  which  is  reflected  from 
the  cross,  places  the  \ileness  of  sin  in  new  and  afiecting 
aspects;    and  no  one  who  feels  its  influence  upon  his 
spirit,  can  trifle  with  any  form  of  transgression.     But  it 
is  in  the  gift  of  the  Holy  Spirit  that  we  see  the  grand 
provision  for  our  actual  consecration  to  God.    In  honour 
of  the  perfect  sacrifice  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  now  presented 
by  Himself  before  the  throne  of  the  Majesty  on  high, 
the  Spirit  is  sent  down  in  all  the  fulness  of  Plis  gracious 
power.     He  visits  the  mind  while  yet  in  darkness  and 
spiritual  death.    He  applies  "the  truth  as  it  is  in  Jesus," 
to  awaken  religious  emotion,  and  to  call  forth  desire  and 
effort.*     He  melts  the  heart  that  yields  to  that  truth, 
into  all  the  tenderness  of  evangelical  repentance.     He 
leads  the  contrite  spirit  to  the  cross;  and  enables  it,  Avith 
appropriating  faith,  to  look  to  Him  who  there  bore  the 
iniquities  of  our  race.f      To  the  beheving  mind  He 
imparts  comfort,  and  purity,  and  strength.     He  attests 
our  adoption    into    the    family  of   God,   and    sweetly 
prompts  the  cry,    "  Abba,   Father."+      He  b)-eathes  a 
living  energy  into  our  souls.     He  leads  us  forth  from  a 
state  of   captivity  to    sin;   and,   constituting  us  truly 
free,  enables  us  to  devote  our  affections  and  our  powers 
to  God.     "  There  is    therefore    now    no    condemnation 
to  them  which  are  in  Christ  Jesus,  who  walk  not  after 
the  flesh,   but   after  the  Spirit.     For  the   law  of  the 

*  John  xvi.  7 — 9.  f  Ephesiaiis  ii.  S  ;  John  vi.  44,  45. 

X  Romans  viii.  15,  16  ;  Galatians  iv.  4 — 6. 


ESTABLISHED   THROUGH    THE    REDEEMER.  367 

Spirit  of  life  in  Christ  Jesus  hath  made  me  free  from 
the  law  of  sin  and  death."-  lie  gives  to  us,  within  our 
own  breasts,  the  pledge  and  earnest  of  eternal  life.  He 
^' seals  "  us  as  the  people  of  God,  and  the  heirs  of  that 
inheritance  upon  which  the  Saviour  has  entered,  and 
which  His  saints  are  to  share  with  Him  for  ever.f 

The  gift  of  the   Spirit  as  the    Comforter  and  the 
Sanctifier,  is  the  great  promise  of  the  evangelical  dispen- 
sation.    His  richest  influences  were  reserved  to  honour 
the   economy  which  should  be   established,   when  the 
incarnate  Son  should  have  accomplished  the   work  of 
atonement,  and  ascended  to  the  throne  of  His  glory.  + 
Everything  conspires  to  show,  that  it  is  through *Christ 
that  the  Spirit  is  given  to  mauj  and  thus,  that  not  our 
pardon   only,    but    our    inward    life,    and    purity,  and 
strength,  are  all  to  be  ascribed  to  the  sufferings  of  the 
cross.     "  Christ  hath  redeemed  us  from  the  curse  of  the 
law,  being  made  a  curse  for  us :  for  it  is  written,  Cursed 
is  every  one  that  hangeth  on  a  tree:  that  the  blessing 
of  Abraham  might  come  on  the  Gentiles  through  Jesus 
Christ;  that  we  might  receive  the  promise  of  the  Spirit 
through  feith."§     "But  of  Him  are  ye  in  Christ  Jesus, 
who  of  God  is  made  unto  us  wisdom,  and  righteousness' 
and  sanctification,  and  redemption :  that,  according  as  it 
is  written.  He  that  glorieth,  let  him  glory  in  the  Lord."|| 
The  atonement  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  therefore,  while  it 
sheds  light  on  the  attributes  of  the  Divine   character, 
and  upholds  the  principles  of  the  Divine  government,  is 
*  Romans  viii.  1,  2.     See  also  Romans  vi.  22. 
t    2   Corinthians  i.    21,    22;      v.    5  ;     Ephesians   i.   13,    14- 
Romans  viii.  9 — 17. 

X  John  vii.  39 ;  xvi.  7.  §  Galatians  iii.  13,  H-. 

II  1  Corinthians  i,  30,  31. 


368         THE  ECONOMY  OP  GRACE,  ETC. 

the  source  of  the  richest  blessings  to  every  humble  believer. 
And  that  atonement  places  us  under  a  solemn  obligation  to 
devote  ourselves  to  the  Saviour.  The  anguish  which  He 
endured  for  us,  viewed  in  connexion  with  the  mysterious 
dignity  of  Plis  person,  gives  Him  a  claim  to  our  supreme 
love  and  our  profound  submission.  In  coming  to  Him 
for  salvation,  and  embracing  Him  in  all  the  fulness  of 
His  grace,  we  ai'e  to  resign  ourselves  to  Him,  so  as 
henceforth  to  seek  His  glory,  and  do  His  will.  "  The 
love  of  Christ  constraineth  us,  because  we  thus  judge, 
that  if  One  died  for  all,  then  were  all  dead :  and  that 
He  died  for  all,  that  they  which  live  should  not  hence- 
forth live  unto  themselves,  but  unto  Him  which  died  for 
them,  and  rose  again."'"'  The  Redeemer  demands  of  all 
who  trust  in  Him,  that  they  should  place  themselves 
under  His  rule,  and  dedicate  themselves  to  His  service. 
He  seeks  to  encircle  Himself  with  a  holy  people,  rejoicing 
in  the  benefits  which  He  bestows,  and  esteeming  life  as 
valuable,  chiefly  because  it  can  be  used  for  His  glory. 
"  He  gave  Ilimself  for  us,  that  He  might  redeem  us 
from  all  iniquity,  and  purify  unto  Himself  a  peculiar 
people,  zealous  of  good  works."  t  Oh  that  all  the  nations 
of  the  earth  were  thus  brought  to  trust  in  the  incarnate 
Son, — to  reflect  His  image, — and  to  engage  in  His  ser- 
vice !  Then,  in  its  widest  extent,  would  the  declaration 
of  the  evangelical  prophet  be  fulfilled : — "  He  shall  see 
of  the  travail  of  His  soul,  and  shall  be  satisfied :  by  His 
knowledge  shall  My  righteous  Servant  justify  many;  for 
He  shall  bear  their  iniquities."  J 


*  2  Corinthians  v.  14,  15.       f  Titus  ii.  14.   See  also  Psalm  ex.  3. 
;j;  Isaiah  liii.  11. 


MEDIATORIAL  EXALTATION  OF  THE  LORD  JESUS.      369 


CHAPTER  II. 

THE     PRESENT     MEDIATORIAL    EXALTATION    OP    THE     LORD 

JESUS.  THE     CONSUMMATION    OF    THE    MEDIATORIAL 

SCHEME. 

The  Redeemer  has  "entered  into  His  glory."  His 
work  on  earth  as  "the  Man  of  sorrows"  is  over;  and 
the  anguish  which  once  filled  His  heart  in  the  solitudes 
of  Gethsemane,  and  amidst  the  tumult  and  darkness  of 
Calvary,  is  past  for  ever.  His  resurrection  was  the  com- 
mencement of  His  triumph,  and  the  pledge  of  yet 
higher  dignity.*  Scenes  of  brightness  now  encircle  Him. 
Amidst  the  acclamations  of  attendant  angels.  He  has 
"  passed  into  the  heavens,"  and  has  "  sat  down  on  the 
right  hand  of  the  Majesty  on  high."t 

Our  faith  has  to  follow  Him  to  heaven.  The  glory  in 
which  He  now  appears  is  hidden  from  our  view :  but  we 
can  turn  to  His  own  emphatic  sayings  while  on  earth, — 
to  the  declarations  of  His  inspired  apostles, — and  to  the 
prophetic  oracles  of  the  ancient  Scriptures,  now  placed 
in  the  clearest  light;  and,  realising  the  scenes  which 
they  unfold,  we  can  ascend,  in  thought,  to  those  realms 
of  joy  where  the  Saviour  reigns  and  triumphs. 

An  unearthly  dignity  encircles  His  human  nature. 
Every  trace  of  sadness  and  suffering  has  passed  away 
from  His  benignant  countenance;  though  even  His 
glorified   form    presents   the    marks   of   His  sacrificial 

•  Romans  vi.  9,  10.     f  Hebrews  i.  3  ;  iv.  14;  Psalm  xxiv.  7 — 10. 
2  B 


370  MEDIATORIAL    EXALTATION 

death,  and  reminds  the  angelic  hosts  of  the  scene  of 
Calvary.*  But  a  dazzling  brightness  is  now  diffused 
over  His  sacred  body, — a  brightness  surpassing  even  that 
with  which  it  was  invested  on  the  mount  of  transfigura- 
tion. It  presents  a  beautiful  and  striking  contrast  to  the 
lowliness  in  which  He  once  appeared  on  earth ;  and  it 
forms  the  model  to  which  "  the  body  of  our  humiliation" 
shall  be  at  last  conformed  by  His  almighty  power,  if  only 
we  trust  in  His  atonement,  and  are  devoted  to  His  service.t 

The  Redeemer  is  the  Object  of  adoration  to  the  hosts  of 
heaven.  They  worshipped  the  Son,  together  with  the 
Father  and  the  Holy  Ghost,  before  He  became  incarnate 
to  effect  the  redemption  of  man.  They  honoured  Him, 
in  obedience  to  the  command  of  the  Father,  when  He 
stooped  from  the  throne  of  His  glory  to  ally  Himself  to 
our  nature  in  all  the  weakness  of  infancy. J  They 
watched  with  interest  His  entire  career  on  earth;  they 
ministered  to  Him  in  His  temptations  and  soitows  ;  they 
gathered  round  His  cross;  and  they  hailed  the  triumph 
of  His  resurrection.  And  now  that  He  has  ascended  to 
heaven,  and  the  lustre  of  His  Divine  perfections  shines 
forth  without  a  veil,  and  He  reigns,  as  the  Mediator,  at 
the  right  hand  of  the  Father,  they  "bow"  with  rever- 
ence and  love  to  His  glorious  "  name,"  ascribing  to  Him 
"power,  and  riches,  and  wisdom,  and  strength,  and 
honour,  and  glory,  and  blessing."  §  They  place  them- 
selves at  His  disposal,  and  esteem  it  their  privilege  and 
honour  to  execute  His  will,  and  to  minister  to  the  com- 
fort and  safety  of  the  humblest  of  His  people.  || 

*  Revelation  v.  6,  11,  12. 

•j-  Philippians  iii.  21 ;  1  Corinthians  xv.  49,  50. 

X  Hebrews  i.  6  ;  Luke  ii.  13,  14. 

§  Philippians  ii.  9,  10  ;  Revelation  v.  12.       ||  Hebrews  i.  14. 


OF   THE    LORD   JESUS.  371 

The  authority  with  which  the  Redeemer  is  now 
invested  is  to  be  viewed  as  given  to  Him  by  the  Eternal 
Father.  It  belongs  to  Him  in  His  complex  person,  and 
in  His  character  as  the  Mediator.  He  Himself  declared, 
a  short  tiaie  before  He  ascended  to  the  throne  of  His 
glory,  "  All  power  is  given  unto  Me  in  heaven  and  in 
earth."  ■^"  The  dominion  of  our  Lord  is  one  which  was 
assigned  to  Him,  in  the  counsels  of  the  Divine  mind, 
when  the  plan  of  our  recovery  was  formed.  Ages  before 
the  song  of  the  angels  announced  the  advent  of  the 
Messiah,  the  prophetic  oracle  had  been  delivered,  "  The 
Lord  said  unto  my  Lord,  Sit  Thou  at  My  right  hand, 
until  I  make  Thine  enemies  Thy  footstool."t  That 
oracle  is  now  receiving  its  accomplishment;  and  the 
Eternal  Son,  who  for  our  sakes  became  incarnate,  and 
submitted  even  to  the  ignominy  and  suffering  of  the 
cross,  is  now  exalted  to  unutterable  gloi-y,  in  the  nature 
which  He  assumed  for  our  salvation.  :|; 

The  dominion  of  our  Lord  extends  to  every  creature. 
Every  agency  throughout  the  universe  is  subjected 
to  His  control.  §  Even  the  hosts  of  darkness  are 
restrained  by  His  sovereign  will;  and  the  ungodly 
among  men,  who  resist  His  government  and  seek  not 
the  blessings  of  His  grace,  cannot  free  themselves  from 
His  rule,  or  break  through  the  limits  within  which  His 
unseen  power  confines  their  guilty  efforts.  ||  Nature,  in 
all  her  realms,  owns  His  sway,  and  obeys  the  intimations 
of  His  will.  The  entire  course  of  providence  is  ordered 
and  directed  by  Him.      He  guides  the   circumstances 

*  Matthew  xxviii.  18.  f  Psalm  ex.  1. 

X  Philippians  ii.  5 — 11 ;  Hebrews  xii.  2. 

§  1  Corinthians  xv.  27  ;  Ephesians  i.  20—22.      ||  Psalm  ii.  1—9. 
2  B  2 


372  MEDIATORIAL   EXALTATION 

which  determine  the  position  of  individual  men;  and  He 
arranges,  or  permits,  the  events  which  fix  the  destiny 
of  nations.  The  gentler  influences  which  mould  the 
character  of  society,  and  the  sudden  revolutions  which 
shake  or  overwhelm  the  institutions  of  men,  are  made 
to  contribute  to  the  establishment  of  His  kingdom;  and 
all  things  are  tending  to  that  grand  consummation  when 
He  shall  be  revealed  as  the  universal  Lord,  when  '"'eveiy 
knee  shall  bow"  to  Him,  and  "every  tongue  confess" 
His  sovereignty  and  poAver. 

But  the  reign  of  the  Saviour  is  directed  to  -moral  and 
spiritual  ends. — His  dominion  is  especially  one  of  gj^ace 
and  blessing  to  man,  considered  as  fallen  and  guilty. 
"  Him  hath  God  exalted  with  His  right  hand  to  be  a 
Prince  and  a  Savioui',  for  to  give  repentance  to  Israel, 
and  forgiveness  of  sins."*  From  the  throne  of  His  glory 
He  has  sent  down  the  Holy  Spirit,  to  convince  the 
world  of  sin, — to  lead  the  awakened  and  contrite  sinner 
to  His  cross. — and  to  impart  consolation  and  purity  to 
the  soul  that  believes  in  Him.t  He  has  sent  forth, 
also,  His  ambassadors,  to  pi'oclaim  in  His  stead  the 
message  of  reconciliation,  and  to  exhibit  His  atonement 
as  the  refuge  of  the  guilty  and  distressed.  |  The  ex- 
altation of  the  Redeemer  is  ever  to  be  associated,  in  our 
minds,  with  the  rich  provisions  of  the  evangelical  economy 
for  the  illumination  and  conversion  of  men.  It  was  a 
beautiful  prediction  of  the  inspired  Psalmist,  in  relation 
to  the  Messiah  enthroned  at  the  right  hand  of  the 
Father,  "  The  Lord  shall  send  the  rod  of  Thy  strength 
out   of  Zion."§      From   the   bosom   of  His    church, — 

*  Acts  V.  31.  f  John  xvi.  7—11  ;  xiv.  16—18. 

+  2  Corinthians  v.  18—20.  §  Psalm  ex.  2. 


OF    THE    LORD   JESUS.  373 

small  and  feeble  as  it  was, — and  from  the  hill  of  Zion, 
where  so  many  of  the  faithful  of  old  had  looked  forward 
to  the  blessings  of  redemption,  the  apostolic  band  went 
forth,  to  announce  the  glad  tidings  of  salvation  through 
the  name  of  Jesus;  and  their  word  was  attended  with  an 
unseen  power,  which  rendered  it  triumphant  over  every 
opposing  influence.  The  stubborn  and  selfish  heart  was 
melted  into  penitence;  men  of  all  ranks,  of  all  degrees  of 
intellectual  culture,  were  brought  to  the  obedience  of  faith; 
and  "  the  kingdom  of  God"  was  established  in  the  breasts 
of  thousands  of  our  race.  This  feature  of  the  mediatorial 
administration  of  the  Saviour  still  continues.  He  sends 
forth  His  servants,  even  now,  to  declare  the  facts  of  His 
redeeming  work,  and  to  offer  pardon  and  eternal  life  to 
all  who  trust  in  Him.  And  He  is  zvitk  them  in  their 
work.  The  message  which  they  bear  to  a  perishing 
world,  is  accompanied,  as  in  the  first  ages,  by  His  unseen 
energy;  and  thus  it  awakens  in  many  hearts  the  deepest 
emotions,  and  calls  forth  earnest  spiritual  effort.  The 
Lord  Jesus  reigns  to  subdue  our  alienated  world,  by  the 
gentle  influence  of  His  own  truth,  and  the  secret  opera- 
tion of  the  promised  Spirit.  To  this  grand  result  the 
arrangements  of  His  government  are  directed ;  and  when 
His  Gospel  shall  be  proclaimed  throughout  the  world, 
and  the  men  of  every  land  shall  welcome  His  gracious 
sway,  then  shall  the  promise  be  fulfilled,  that  "  in  Him 
shall  all  the  nations  of  the  earth  be  blessed."* 

But  the  mediatorial  reign  of  the  Lord  Jesus  has  a 
special  relation  to  His  believing  people,  and  is  directed 
to  their  welfare  and  security.  When  we  penitently  em- 
brace the  overtures  of  mercy,  and  fly  to  Him  as  the 

•  Genesis  xxii.  18,  collated  with  Galatians  iii.  8  ;  Acts  iii.  25,  26. 


374  MEDIATORIAL    EXALTATION 

Saviour  of  the  lost,  we  become  more  particularly  His 
subjects,  and  are  entitled  to  the  privileges  and  imraunities 
of  His  kingdom.  Thus,  when  the  apostle  Paul  would 
represent  the  change  which  believers  in  Christ  experience, 
through  the  abounding  grace  of  the  Father,  he  says, 
"  Who  hath  delivered  us  from  the  power  of  darkness,  and 
liath  translated  us  into  the  kingdom  of  His  dear  Son."* 
The  privileges  of  Christ's  subjects  are  high  and  glorious. 
They  enjoy  through  Him  the  forgiveness  of  sins; — they 
receive  the  Holy  Spirit  as  the  Comforter  and  the  Sanc- 
tifier; — they  walk  in  a  region  of  light  and  spiritual 
freedom; — and  they  are  constituted  heirs  of  heaven. 
The  active  administration  of  the  Saviour  is  directed  to 
their  preservation, — their  comfort, — and  their  maturity 
in  holiness.  The  agencies  which  from  time  to  time  He 
raises  up  in  His  church  are  designed  to  promote  the 
edification  of  His  saints,  as  well  as  the  conversion  of  the 
world,  t  He  watches  over  the  humblest  of  His  people  with 
aifectionate  interest;  and  orders  every  circumstance  that 
can  affect  their  welfare.  He  shelters  them  in  the  hour  of 
danger;  Hesustains  theminthetime  of  conflict  and  sorrow. 
In  their  greatest  weakness, — if  they  only  look  to  Him, — 
He  displays  the  perfect  character  of  His  own  strength, 
and  the  sufficiency  of  His  ever-present  grace.  J  He  leads 
them  onward  to  eternal  life,  that  they  may  share  that 
rest  from  conflict,  and  toil,  and  sorrow,  upon  which  He 
has  entered.  § 

The  mediatorial  reign  of  the  Lord  Jesus  has,  also,  an 
aspect  of  terror  towards  those  who  ohstinately  maintain 
an  attitude  of  hostility  to  Him.     It  Avas  predicted  of  the 

*  Colossians  i.  13.     f  Ephesians  iv.  11 — 13  ;  Matthew  xxiv.  45. 
+  2  Corinthians  xii.  9.  §  John  x.  27,  28  ;  xvii.  24. 


OF    THE    LORD    JESUS.  375 

Messiah,  that  He  should  "break"  His  enemies  "with  a  rod 
of  iron,  and  dash  them  in  pieces  like  a  potter's  vessel;"* 
and  on  the  ground  of  this  announcement,  the  exhortation 
was  addressed  even  to  the  most  exalted  and  powerful  of 
the  human  family,  "  Be  wise  now  therefore,  0  ye  kings : 
be  instructed,  ye  judges  of  the  earth.  Serve  the  Lord 
with  fear,  and  rejoice  with  trembling.  Kiss  the  Son, 
lest  He  be  angry,  and  ye  perish  from  the  way,  when  His 
wrath  is  kindled  but  a  little.  Blessed  are  all  they  that 
put  their  trust  in  Him."t  To  the  sinner  who  acknow- 
ledges his  guilt,  bows  to  the  authority  of  Christ,  and 
flies  to  Him  as  the  refuge  of  the  pei'ishing.  His  govern- 
ment is  one  of  peace  and  blessing;  but  to  the  man  who 
treats  with  neglect  the  overtures  of  His  mercy,  and 
hardens  his  heart  against  the  influences  of  the  Holy 
Spirit,  that  government  will  at  last  prove  to  be  one  of 
fearful  judgment.  From  the  throne  of  His  glory,  the 
Saviour  now  looks  down  upon  the  conflict  which  is  going 
on  in  our  world.  He  sees,  on  the  one  hand,  His  humble 
and  devoted  followers,  adorned  with  "  the  beauties  of 
holiness"  imparted  to  them  from  above,  and  esteeming 
it  their  highest  privilege  and  honour  to  live  and  labour 
for  Himself;:};  and  on  the  other,  He  beholds  the  enemies 
of  His  truth  and  grace.  In  many  human  hearts  He 
perceives  a  decided  hostility  to  His  claims,  and  a  settled 
aversion  from  that  living,  spiritual  religion,  which  gathers 
the  aff'ections  around  Him  as  the  incarnate  Son  of  God. 
But  He  "  rules  in  the  midst  of  His  enemies." §  He  fears 
them  not.  Their  utmost  strength  and  subtilty  cannot 
shake  His  throne,  or  overthrow  His  kingdom  among  men. 
In  the  very  midst  of  His  enemies  He  exerts  His  power, 
*  Psalm  ii.  9.     ^  Psalm  ii.  10—12.     %  Psalm  ex.  3.     §  Psalm  ex.  2. 


376  MEDIATORIAL  EXALTATION 

often  frustrating  their  designs,  and  often,  after  permitting 
them  to  rage  and  triumph  for  a  while,  interposing  to 
cover  them  with  shame,  and  overwhelm  them  with  the 
visitations  of  His  wrath.  Still,  however,  He  permits  the 
struggle  to  continue.  Age  after  age  the  same  diversity 
of  human  character  presents  itself;  and  the  same  prin- 
ciples are  brought  into  conflict.  But  the  day  is  coming, 
when  all  the  enemies  of  the  Redeemer  shall  be  made 
His  "footstool;"  and  when  even  those  lips  which  never 
uttered  the  name  of  Jesus  but  with  ridicule  and  scorn, 
shall  confess  reluctantly  its  transcendent  glory.* 

But  as  we  follow  the  Redeemer,  by  faith,  to  the 
heavenly  world,  we  behold  Him  sustaining  there  the 
character  of  our  great  High  Priest.  The  prophetic 
declarations  of  the  ancient  Scriptures  had  exhibited  the 
Messiah  to  the  faith  and  hope  of  men,  as  combining,  in 
His  person,  the  regal  and  priestly  offices.  Thus,  in  the 
beautiful  and  impressive  psalm  to  which  we  have  already 
referred,  the  august  Sovereign  who  sits  at  the  right 
hand  of  the  Eternal  Father,  and  before  whom  at  last 
every  hostile  power  must  fall,  is  represented  also  as 
invested  with  an  everlasting  priesthood.  "  The  Lord 
hath  sv.'orn,  and  will  not  repent.  Thou  art  a  Priest  for 
ever  after  the  order  of  Melchizedek."t  It  belonged  to 
the  priestly  office  to  make  atonement  for  sin,  to  offer 
intercession  for  men,  and  solemnly  to  bless  them  in  the 
name  of  Jehovah.  In  all  these  respects  the  Redeemer 
is  our  Priest, — discharging  the  functions  of  that  sacred 
office  in  a  far  higher  sense  than  any  of  those  who 
ministered  in  the  Jewish  sanctuary.  He  has  made 
atonement  for  the  sins  of  men, — not  a  typical  atonement, 
*  Psalm  ex.  1 ;  Philippians  ii.  11.  f  Psalm  ex.  4. 


OP   THE   LORD   JESUS.  377 

prefiguring  some  greater  and  nobler  offering  hereafter 

to  be  presented,  but  an  efficacious  and  perfect  atonement; 

one,  the  virtue  of  which  reaches  back  to  former  ages, 

and  forward  to  the  very  close  of  this  world's  history.    He 

has  offered  up  Himself;  and  the  dignity  of  His  person 

as  the   incarnate  Son,  and  the   spotless  purity  of  His 

character,  give  to  His  sacrifice  an  infinite  and  permanent 

value.     "  For  such  an  High  Priest  became  us,  who  is 

holy,   harmless,    undefiled,   separate  from   sinners,   and 

made  higher  than  the  heavens;  who  needeth  not  daily, 

as  those  high  priests,  to  offer  up  sacrifice,  first  for  his 

own  sins,  and  then  for  the  people's:  for  this   He   did 

once,  when  He  offered  up  Himself    For  the  law  maketh 

men  high  priests  which  have  infirmity;   but  the  word 

of  the  oath,  which  was  since  the  law,  maketh  the  Son, 

who  is  consecrated  for  evermore."'^"     He  has  gone  "  with 

His  own  blood,"  "  not  into  the  holy  places  made  with 

hands,    which    are  the    figures   of   the  true,    but  into 

heaven  itself,  now  to  appear  in  the  pi-esence  of  God  for 

us."t    The  sacrifice  which  was  completed  on  Calvary  is 

still  presented  on  our  behalf  in  the  heavenly  world ;  and 

"  the   blood  of  sprinkling "  has  a  voice    which  pleads 

effectually  for  mercy  on  all   who   trust    in  it  alone.  | 

Our  exalted  Redeemer  "  maketh   intercession  for  us."§ 

His  very  presence  as  our  Advocate  and  Friend  in  heaven, 

and  the  constant  presentation  of  His  sacrifice   on   our 

behalf,  secure  the   success  of  our  prayers  for   spiritual 

blessings,  if  only  we  seek  them  with  a  lively  faith  in 

Him.    It  is  through  Him  that  our  acts  of  worship  come 

up  with  acceptance  to  the    Father.      The    "spiritual 

*  Hebrews  vii.  26—28.     See  also  Hebrews  ix.  14. 

f  Hebrews  ix.  24.         +  Hebrews  xii.  24.        §  Romans  viii.  34. 


378  3IEDIAT0RIAL    EXALTATION 

sacrifices"  whicli  His  people  offer,  can  only  be  received 
by  the  infinite  purity  of  Jehovah,  when  they  involve  an 
acknowledgment  of  that  propitiatory  sacrifice  which  He 
presents  before  the  throne.*  And,  as  our  Priest,  He 
dispenses  to  His  people  the  richest  blessings.  He 
imparts  peace  to  the  troubled  mind;  He  gives  strength 
to  the  weary  and  fainting  soul;  He  invigorates  His 
saints  for  the  conflicts  and  duties  of  the  present  life; 
and  He  sustains  them  as  the  last  adversary  approaches, 
and  when  their  heart  and  flesh  begin  to  fail.  His  deep 
sympathy  with  man, — His  own  experience,  while  on 
earth,  of  the  son-ows  and  temptations  of  our  present 
state, — and  the  condescending  manner  in  which  He  ever 
identified  Himself  with  His  people,  encourage  us  to  look 
to  Him  for  consolation  and  support  under  every  trial; 
while  the  glory  of  His  person  and  the  perfection  of  His 
sacrifice,  assure  us  that  His  power  to  save  and  bless  us  is 
unlimited  and  permanent.  "  Seeing  then  that  we  have  a 
great  High  Priest,  that  is  passed  into  the  heavens,  Jesus 
the  Son  of  God,  let  us  hold  fast  our  profession.  For  Ave 
have  not  an  High  Priest  which  cannot  be  touched  with 
the  feeling  of  our  infirmities,  but  was  in  all  points 
tempted  like  as  we  are,  yet  without  sin.  Let  us  there- 
fore come  boldly  unto  the  throne  of  grace,  that  we  may 
obtain  mercy,  and  find  grace  to  help  in  time  of  need."t 
In  contemplating  the  present  mediatorial  exaltation 
of  the  Lord  Jesus,  it  is  important  for  us  to  reflect 
further,  that  He  appears  in  heaven  as  the  Head  of  His 
church.%  Several  things  implied  in  this  relation  have 
been  already  alluded  to,  in  the  rapid  view  which   we 

•  1  Peter  ii.  5.  f  Hebrews  iv.  14 — 16. 

X  Colossians  i.  18  ;  Ephesians  i.  22. 


OF    THE    LORD    JESUS.  379 

have  taken  of  His  sovereignty  and  priesthood.  It 
implies,  for  instance,  His  authority  over  His  church, — 
that  it  belongs  to  Him  to  rule  and  govern  the  entire 
body,  laying  down  the  laws  which  His  people  are  to 
obey,  and  appointing  the  institutions  which  they  are  to 
observe  and  maintain.  It  implies  His  special  care  for 
the  interests  of  His  church, — that  He  watches  over  it 
with  affectionate  solicitude,  to  shelter  it  in  the  hour  of 
danger,  to  avert  from  it  everything  which  would  be 
ultimately  injurious,  and  to  provide  for  its  stability  and 
welfare.  It  implies,  further,  that  He  is  the  source  of  living 
energy  to  His  believing  peojile.  It  is  from  Him  that  we 
receive  the  life-giving  Spirit,  whose  gracious  influence 
causes  us  to  delight  in  God,  attracts  us  to  each  other,  and 
forms  the  earnest  of  future  blessedness.  This  relation 
involves,  also,  that  exquisite  sympathy  of  our  Lord  with  His 
believing  people,  to  which  we  have  alluded  as  one  of  His 
qualifications  for  the  discharge  of  His  priestly  office.  And 
it  shows  us  that  He  connects  the  happiness  and  glory  of 
His  people  with  His  own.  It  is  His  gracious  purpose,  that 
all  who  believe  in  Him,  and  are  devoted  to  His  service,  shall 
be  with  Him  at  last,  to  share  His  dignity,  and  participate 
His  joy.*  He  has  gone  into  heaven  as  the  Forerunner 
of  His  people;  and  He  regards  it  as  essential  to  the 
completeness  of  His  mediatorial  triumphs,  that  all  who 
are  truly  His  should,  in  their  restored  and  perfected 
nature,  be  introduced  to  His  presence,  and  dwell  with 
Him  eternally.t 

To  this  grand  consummation  the  history  of  our  world 
is  tending.     It  is  not  for  us  to  know,  loheyi  the  revolu- 

*  John  xii.  26  ;  xvii.  24  ;  Matthew  xxv.  21,  23. 
f  Hebrews  vi.  20  ;  John  xiv.  2,  3  ;  Ephesians  i.  23. 


380  CONSUMMATION    OP 

tions  of  earth  shall  reach  their  close,  and  the  Kedeemer 
shall  come  agaiu  as  the  final  Judge.  But  the  fact  itself 
is  certain.  He  who  once  appeared  among  us  in  great 
lowliness,  and  who  for  our  sakes  submitted  to  the  death 
of  the  cross,  shall  descend  from  heaven,  amidst  the 
acclamations  of  attendant  angels,  while  "the  voice  of  the 
archangel,"  and  "  the  trump  of  God,"  summon  the 
attention  of  the  universe  to  the  scene  to  be  unfolded.* 
Then  shall  the  glorious  resurrection  of  His  saints  take 
place.  Their  entire  nature  was  redeemed  by  Him,  and 
consecrated  by  His  Spirit  to  His  service;  and  now  that 
their  bodies  have  reposed,  as  His  once  did,  in  the  silence 
of  the  grave,  they  shall  be  raised  by  His  power,  and 
conformed  to  that  glory  which  encircles  His  own 
humanity.t  The  wicked  also  will  be  raised  ;■};  and  they 
that  are  living  upon  the  earth  will  be  "  caught  up  to 
meet  the  Lord  in  the  air."  Thus  will  death,  the  last 
enemy,  yield  to  the  power  of  Jesus.  "  For  this  cor- 
ruptible must  put  on  incorruption,  and  this  mortal  must 
put  on  immortality.  So  when  this  corruptible  shall 
have  put  on  incorruption,  and  this  mortal  shall  have  put 
on  immortality,  then  shall  be  brought  to  pass  the  saying 
that  is  written,  Death  is  swallowed  up  in  victory."§ 

The  judgment  of  the  last  day  is  a  theme  unspeakably 
solemn  and  affecting.  The  declarations  of  our  Lord 
place  before  us,  in  a  Anvid  and  impressive  manner,  both 
the  majesty  in  which  He  will  be  revealed,  and  the 
2)rinciples  on  which  His  decisions  will  be  formed.  With 
unerring  accuracy  He  will  then  separate  mankind  into 

*  1  Thessalonians  iv.  16. 

f  ]  Thessalonians  iv.  13 — 15;  Philippians  iii.  20,  21. 

+  John  V.  28,  29  ;  Acts  xxiv.  15. 

§  1  Corinthians  xv.  53,  54.     See  also  verses  25,  26. 


THE    MEDIATORIAL   SCHEME.  381 

two  great  classes,  not  on  the  ground  of  any  of  those 
adventitious  distinctions  which  prevailed  on  earth,  but 
solely  on  that  of  religious  character.*  Having  known 
the  heart,  and  traced  the  life,  of  every  human  being,  He 
will  determine,  with  perfect  rectitude,  the  rewards  and 
punishments  of  eternity.f  He  will  visit  with  His  severest 
displeasui-e  those  who  refused  to  come  to  Him, — who 
would  not,  while  on  earth,  bow  to  His  authority,  or 
trust  in  His  atonement.  J  He  will  reject,  and  treat  as 
utterly  unworthy  of  His  love,  those  who  shrunk  back 
from  confessing  Him  before  men, — who,  to  escape  the 
ridicule  of  the  ungodly,  and  to  avoid  a  sacrifice  of 
temporal  comfort,  did  violence  to  their  conscience,  and 
proved  unfaithful  to  Him.§  He  will  condemn,  also, 
those  who  refused  to  acknowledge  His  people  when  in 
want,  or  suffering,  or  persecution,  and  who  did  not  seek 
to  alleviate  their  sorrows,  and  to  support  them  under 
their  trials.  ||  He  will  frown  upon  those  who  professed 
to  be  His  followers,  but  who  cherished  some  secret 
iniquity,  or  whose  lives  were  impure  and  corrupt. 
Amidst  the  awful  glories  of  that  day.  He  will  "  bring  to 
light"  their  "hidden  works  of  darkness;"^  and  though 
they  may  be  ready  to  plead,  that  they  were  included  in 
His  church  on  earth,  and  even  taught  in  His  name,  He 
will  disown  them,  and  command  them  to  depart.**  All 
these  forms  of  character  Avill,  at  the  last  day,  be 
exhibited  in  their  essential  baseness;  and  they  who 
sustained  them  will  be  involved  in  the  common  doom 

*  Matthew  xxv.  31,  32.  f  Acts  xvii.  31. 

X  Luke  xix.  27  ;  John  xii.  48  ;  iii.  36. 

§  IMark  viii.  34—38  ;  Matthew  xvi.  24—27. 

II  Matthew  xxv.  41  —  45.  ^  1  Corinthians  iv.  5. 

**  Matthew  vii.  22,  23. 


382  CONSUMMATION    OP 

of  everlasting  banishment  from  God.  However  different, 
in  some  respects,  their  feelings  and  conduct,  they  will 
all  appear  to  have  rejected  the  authority  of  Christ, — to 
have  trifled  with  His  cross, — and  to  have  been  destitute 
of  an  active  love  to  Him.  With  Him  they  cannot  dwell 
eternally.  They  have  no  principles  in  common  with  His 
devoted  people ;  and,  in  obedience  to  His  awful  mandate, 
they  must  depart  to  the  regions  of  the  lost,  to  share  the 
woes  and  anguish  of  the  fallen  angels  that  have  long 
been  estranged  from  all  that  is  pure  and  good,  and  whose 
only  bond  of  union  is  enmity  to  God.* 

But  the  Redeemer  will  look  with  complacency,  from 
the  throne  of  His  glory,  upon  His  believing  and  holy 
people.  With  humble,  yet  joyous  confidence,  they  will 
appear  before  Him;t  and  their  restored  nature  will 
reflect  His  own  dignity  and  loveliness.  ;|;  He  "  shall 
come  to  be  glorified  in  His  saints,  and  to  be  admired  in 
all  them  that  believe."  §  The  judgment  of  that  day  will 
recognise  and  make  prominent  the  arrangements  of  the 
mediatorial  scheme.  All  its  decisions  will  proceed  upon 
that  mixed  economy  of  grace  and  law  which  was  estab- 
lished through  the  Sacrifice  of  the  cross.  Faith  in  that 
Sacrifice  Avill  then  be  approved  and  honoured;  not, 
indeed,  a  cold  assent  to  its  truth  or  its  importance,  but 
a  personal  reliance  upon  it  as  the  only  refuge  of  the 
guilty.  1 1  Fidelity  to  Christ,  and  obedience  to  His  will, 
will  also  be  graciously  rewarded.  If  we  have  confessed 
Him  amidst  the  sneers  of  the  ungodly,  and  at  the  hazard 
of  our  worldly  interests,  He  will  own  us  in  the  presence 

*  Matthew  xxv.  41,  46. 

f  1  John  ii.  28;  iv.  17 ;  2  Timothy  iv.  8. 

J  1  John  iii.  2.  §  2  Thessalonians  i.  10. 

II  Philippians  iii.  9—11  ;  John  iii.  14—18. 


THE   MEDIATORIAL    SCHEME,  383 

of  the  heavenly  hosts,  and  of  the  whole  human  family.* 
If,  instead  of  trifling  with  His  laws,  and  disregarding 
His  example,  we  have  delighted  in  holiness,  and  have 
walked  in  His  steps; — if  we  have  used  our  powers  and 
advantages  for  His  glory,  and  our  lives  have  exhibited 
the  results  of  that  Hving  energy  which  His  Spirit  dif- 
fuses through  the  believing  mind ; — He  will  acknowledge 
us  as  His  "  saints,"  and  welcome  us  to  participate  in  His 
joy.t  He  will  distinguish  with  peculiar  marks  of  His 
complacency  an  active  and  devoted  love  to  Himself, — a 
love  which  evinced  its  power  in  sympathy  with  His 
suiFering  followers,  in  the  sharing  of  their  reproaches, 
and  the  relief  of  their  wants.  ;|  The  acknowledgment  of 
His  claims, — the  trust  of  the  heart  in  Him  as  the 
crucified  Redeemer, — ^the  unreserved  devotion  of  the 
affections  and  energies  to  His  service, — and  the  practical 
development  of  holiness, — are  the  grand  features  of 
character  which  He  will  approve,  when  He  sits  upon 
the  throne  of  judgment,  and  fixes  the  eternal  destinies 
of  men. 

But  when  the  awful  solemnities  of  that  day  shall  have 
closed,  His  entire  church  will  enter  upon  a  state  of  inti- 
mate union  with  Him;  and  that  union  will  continue 
throughout  eternity. §  The  resurrection  of  the  body 
has  consummated  His  triumph,  and  given  to  them  their 
entire  nature,  restored  and  glorified.  The  winding  up 
of  this  world's  history  has  gathered  all  His  saints 
around  Him,  in  the  abodes  of  light  and  joy.  JSTone  are 
left  toiling  amidst  the  conflicts  and  sorrows  of  earth, — 

*  Matthew  x.  32  ;  John  xii.  25. 

f  Matthew  vii.  21,  24,  25  ;  John  xii.  26  ;  Matthew  xxv.  14—23. 

+  Matthew  xxv.  34—40. 

§  1  Thessalonians  iv.  17;  Matthew^  xxv.  46. 


384      CONSUMMATION  OF  THE  MEDIATORIAL  SCHEME. 

assailed  by  the  powers  of  darkness,  and  encompassed  with 
the  adverse  influences  of  the  world.  The  universal 
church  of  spiritual  and  holy  men  is  admitted  to  His 
presence,  to  share  His  victory,  and  enjoy  His  sacred 
rest.  He  looks  upon  them  with  complacency;  reveals 
to  them  the  glory  of  His  character,  and  the  wonders  of 
His  love;  imfolds  to  them,  yet  more  and  more  clearly, 
the  economy  of  redemption;  and  opens  to  them  sources 
of  satisfaction  and  delight  which  are  ever  fresh  and 
unfailing.*  To  enjoy  the  Saviour's  friendship, — to  hold 
communion  with  Him, — and  to  be  conformed  to  His 
perfect  loveliness, — will  constitute  the  bliss  of  the 
redeemed  throughout  eternity. t  When  the  exercise  of 
His  priestly  functions  has  ceased,  and  the  crowning  act 
of  His  mediatorial  administration  has  been  performed^ 
the  Redeemer  will  still  appear  as  the  Head  of  His 
church,  "the  Fii'st-born  among  many  brethren;"  and  all 
the  purity  and  glory  of  His  saints  will  be  but  the 
reflection  of  His  own,  and  will  be  ascribed  by  them  to 
their  relation  to  Him,  the  incarnate  Son  of  God.:}: 

*  John  xvii.  24  ;  Revelation  vii.  17. 

t  Philippians  i.  23  ;  1  John  iii.  1,  2.        J  Romans  viii.  29,  17. 


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