to relate, in other words, that most pathetic of all the records that human language has ever embodied. Our Lord gave the crowning testimony of his own works to his supreme power over life and death, by restoring life to a body upon which corruption had laid its hold; and he taught the full significance of the miracle by the words:-"I AM THE RESURRECTION AND THE LIFE: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live; and whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die.” 34

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§ 6. The miracle was witnessed by many of the Jews, who had come out of Jerusalem to Bethany (the distance being only two miles) to console the bereaved sisters. Even the deep distress of Jesus at his friend's death had given some of them occasion to express their unbelieving cavils; and, while some were convinced by the miracle, others went away to give information to the Pharisees." A council was at once summoned; and the discordant religious views of the different sects were overcome by the common alarm, lest Christ's success should provoke the jealousy of Rome, and bring down destruction on the nation. Caiaphas, the high-priest, the leader of the rulers, took up the argument of political expediency, and proposed that one man should be given up to death as a substitute for the whole people. These words expressed a meaning far deeper than he himself understood; and his suggestion of a sacrifice to save the people from the anger of Cæsar was in fact a prophecy, which the Holy Spirit uttered through him as the head of the nation, of the atonement which the death of Christ should make for the sins of all the world and the common salvation of all God's people. From that hour the death of Jesus was resolved on; and the only hindrance to its accomplishment was God's purpose that the sacrifice should be offered at the Passover. To this end Jesus withdrew to Ephraim in the wilderness, and remained there with his disciples. Thence he seems to have withdrawn beyond the Jordan, perhaps to place himself within Herod's jurisdiction; for he was clearly in Peræa

37

38

In this case the conjecture of Dr. Robinson is very admissible, that Ophrah and Ephraim are identical, and that their modern representative is et-Taiyibeh, a village on a conspicuous conical hill, commanding a view "over the whole eastern slope, the valley of the Jordan and the Dead Sea" (Rob. i. 444). It is situated 4 or 5 miles east of Bethel, and 16 from

39

when he commenced that final movement toward Jerusalem, which forms the turning-point in the narrative of St. Luke.3 § 7. As he proceeded leisurely through Peræa toward Jerusalem, teaching in the villages on the way, he was warned of Herod's designs on his life. The information was given by the Pharisees, evidently with the view of hastening our Lord's return within their own reach-" Get thee out, and depart hence: for Herod will kill thee”—and his answer involved a keen rebuke of their treacherous affectation of regard for his safety. He bids them go themselves to tell Herod that His time was indeed at hand, but that his course was not to be shortened by the wiles of "that fox." His death was to be accomplished by the open violence of his own countrymen at Jerusalem, where former prophets had been slain, "for it can not be that a prophet perish out of Jerusalem !" And then, apostrophizing the city, to which his face' was now turned, he uttered that exquisitely pathetic lamentation, which he afterward repeated in sight of its walls. His ministry had led him thither at least four times, and this visit was to be his last, the last visit of any prophet; and thenceforth the place which God had chosen for his house would be left desolate, and they should see him no more, till the day when, in a sense yet to be accomplished, they should say, "Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord." 41

40

42

§ 8. To this progress through Perea should probably be referred those most impressive parables and lessons which occupy the 14th, 15th, 16th, 17th, and 18th chapters of St. Luke, the last few of which, as already observed, bring this Gospel again into connection with those of Matthew and Mark. As bearing upon the course of our Saviour's history, we should especially notice the warning which he gives his disciples, now for the third time, and in greater detail than before, of his passion, death, and resurrection; " and his answer

Jerusalem; a position agreeing tolerably with the indications of Jerome in the Onomasticon (Ephraim, Ephron), and is too conspicuous to have escaped mention in the Bible.

39 Luke xiii. 22; Matt. xix. 1, 2. 40 Luke xiii. 31-35: comp. Matt. xxiii. 37-39.

41 Comp. Ps. cxviii. 26. To make this prophecy refer to our Lord's entry into Jerusalem a few days afterward-an event which preceded his

final rejection-betrays the greatest confusion of thought. Our Lord only alludes to the vain "Hosannas " of that day as a contrast to the true welcome that is yet to be given to Him by the Jews in common with the Gentiles (comp. Rev. i. 7).

42 For the enumeration, see the TABLE OF THE HARMONY OF THE GOSPELS (p. 375).

43 Matt. xx. 17-19; Mark x. 3234; Luke xviii. 31-34.

to the ambitious request of the sons of Zebedee, which taught that all must suffer with him before they reign with him."

§ 9. He now crossed the Jordan, and advanced toward Jerusalem by the high road through Jericho. That city was the scene of the healing of two blind men, who saluted Jesus as the Son of David," and of the conversion of the publican Zacchæus.46 At length, while the Jews, who had already assembled at Jerusalem to purify themselves before the Passover, were wondering whether he would come, and the chief priests and Pharisees had commanded his first appearance to be announced to them, that he might be apprehended, he arrived at Bethany six days before the Passover, that is, on Friday the 8th of Nisan, the eve of the Sabbath." The Sabbath was spent at Bethany; and to the evening succeeding it we should probably refer (though the matter has been much disputed) the supper in the house of Simon the leper, at which Martha served, while Lazarus sat at table, and at which Mary anointed Christ in preparation for his burial. His presence there was soon known at Jerusalem, and many of the Jews went out with the double motive of seeing Jesus, and Lazarus whom he had raised from the dead. The living proof of the miracle converted into believers many who had gone from curiosity. At this the Pharisees were doubly enraged; and perhaps history records no example of infatuation equal to their resolve to put Lazarus as well as Jesus to death.19 This Sabbath was the ninth of Nisan, which in that

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44 Matt. xx. 20-28; Mark x. 35-45. | have given a feast and received a 45 Matt. xx. 29-34; Mark x. 46- multitude of guests. Among the 52; Luke xviii. 35, xix. 1. It is unnecessary to discuss the apparent discrepancy, the very existence of which is a proof of the independence and honesty of the witnesses. Possible reconciliations have been suggested, enough to show that there is no real contradiction.

conjectural explanations which have been given of this difference, the hypothesis that this Simon was the father of the two sisters and of Lazarus, that he had been smitten with leprosy, and that actual death, or the civil death that followed on his disease, had left his children free to act for themselves, is at least as probable as any other, and has some support in early ecclesiastical tradition.

Dr. Robinson (Harmony) takes the "six days before the Passover" to include both extremes; and so places Christ's arrival at Bethany on the Sabbath itself (the 9th of Nisan) postponing the feast in Simon's house to the Tuesday evening.

49 John xii. 9-11. The first impression produced by this passage

year corresponded to March 31st of the Julian Calendar. The intervention of the Sabbath delayed the execution of the design till the following week, when Jesus at length "offered himself" publicly in the spirit of the prophecy: "Lo! I come, to do thy will, Ŏ God."

50

would perhaps be that the raising of Lazarus was a recent event. But our Lord's absence in Ephraim would whet that public curiosity, for the

gratification of which the first opportunity was now given (comp. John xii. 17, 18).

50 Ps. xl. 6; Heb. x. 5-9.

TABLE OF THE ENSUING WEEK.

(The Jewish days are to be reckoned from the preceding sunset.) Nisan 9. March 31. SABBATH at Bethany. Evening; Simon's Supper. 10. April 1. Palm Sunday. Entry into Jerusalem.

S.

S.

11. 66

2. Jesus again in the Temple.

3. Last visit to the Temple. Prophecy of his second coming. 4. Conspiracy of the rulers.

5. Evening. The PASSOVER, and Lord's Supper.

6. Good Friday. The CRUCIFIXION, and Entombment.
7. SABBATH. Easter Eve.

8. EASTER DAY. The RESURRECTION.

17. Holy Thursday. The ASCENSION.

§ 1. The First Day of the Paschal Week: Sunday, April 1st, the 10th of Nisan ; the Paschal Lamb selected-Christ fulfills the prophecy of Zechariah by entering Jerusalem-The Hosannas of the people-He returns to Bethany. § 2. Second Day of the Week: the 11th of Nisan, Monday, April 2d-Cleansing of the Temple-The barren fig-tree. § 3. Third Day of the Week: the 12th of Nisan, Tuesday, April 3d; the last great day of our Lord's teaching in the Temple-Lessons to his disciples by the way-Rebuke of the Pharisees, who questioned his authorityParables concerning their rejection of him. § 4. Devices to entrap him -The Pharisees and Herodians-The dues of Cæsar and of God-The Sadducees and the Resurrection-The Pharisees and Scribes-The Great Commandment. § 5. Jesus now questions them: How is Christ at once David's Son and Lord? Denunciation of the Scribes and Pharisees as hypocrites-Lamentation over Jerusalem-Praise of the poor widow-Christ's final departure from the Temple. § 6. His prophecy of the destruction of Jerusalem, and of the end of the world. § 7. Consultation of the Jews in the house of Caiaphas-Treason of Judas Iscariot. § 8. Fourth Day of the Week: the 13th of Nisan, Wednesday, April 4th-A break in the Gospel narrative. § 9. Fifth Day of the Week: the 14th of Nisan, Thursday, April 5th, till sunset-The