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running together, he rebuked the foul Spirit ""

etc.

After this event he proceeds on his way through Galilee; one of the narrators making this remark, that "He wished not that any one should know it." The passage is curious; and the connection between this circumstance, and the prophetical declarations of his death which we are concerned to remark, observable: "And they departed thence, and passed through Galilee; and he would not that any man should know it. For he taught his disciples, and said unto them, the Son of man is delivered into the hands of men, and they shall kill him; and after that he is

delivered into the hands of men. But they understood not this saying," etc. Luke ix, 43, 44, 45.

I quote this prophecy at length, because in the Harmony which I have followed it is identified with our Lord's subsequent declarations of what should befall him, made while he passed through Galilee; and on that account is not particularized in my text. To me it appears to be an independent instance.

d If our Lord intended the miracle to be public we may be allowed to suppose that it was to rectify any false impression which might have been occasioned by the failure of the Apostles. It may indeed be alleged that the verse cited implies, that He wished to avoid publicity, and seized the moment when the people were collecting, but had not yet collected, together: but I confess the passage does not so strike me.

killed, he shall rise the third day. But they understood not that saying, and were afraid to ask him." Mark ix, 30, 31, 32. St. Matthew, (xvii, 22, 23), gives the same prophecy, but merely mentions that it was delivered while they were in Galilee; without making the prediction a reason for the circumstance that Jesus avoided to make himself known while in that country.

His solemn and repeated declarations of his

* I may be allowed (in a note) to mention, as another instance of the high degree of authority which our Lord virtually ascribed, (by his words and actions), to his own character, notwithstanding the simplicity of his life, the argument he is recorded to have used on the subject of the tribute to the Temple. It will be remembered that this money was paid for the maintenance of the great Temple at Jerusalem, and our Lord argues, that as the children of earthly potentates were free from imposts, so was He: yet, to avoid offence, directs Peter how to pay it; the tendency of the argument being-and to this He would seem to lead the mind of Peter-that He stood in the same relation to God, in which the son of an earthly king does to his father; and on a totally different footing from any of his countrymen. Matt. xvii, 24.

When our Lord says "Give it for me and for thee;" he probably refers to that particular payment; not identifying the two cases of Himself and His disciple, but in this instance providing for both.

approaching departure had excited among his followers that ambitious spirit which has been already referred to (see p. 54, note), and which he sought to check in so striking a manner by teaching them to imitate the humility of children; Luke ix, 46, sqq. I only remark this as coming in connection with the preceding predictions of his death, which are thus seen not to be solitary and unsupported, but linked with antecedent and succeding circumstances.

It is very consistent also with the fact, that he had so frequently forewarned his disciples of his death, that he now sends forth seventy of their number to disseminate his doctrines, and prepare the minds of men for his coming (Luke x, 1',) His injunction is, that they should teach those to whom they presented themselves; that "the kingdom of God is come unto you:" an expression the force of which was not to be mistaken, meaning as it did, "the kingdom of the Messiah."

The wisdom and the simplicity of his precepts, I regret that it does not fall within the compass of this work to consider.

The next point which it belongs to me to remark, arises out of what the brethren of Jesus are stated to have said, urging him to go up

f St. Luke (compare x, 1, with ix, 51, sqq.) appears to place the mission of the seventy rather later: but I forbear to trouble the reader with this question.

to Jerusalem to the approaching feast of Tabernacles, that he might make his claims to be received as a prophet more universally known. This advice was not the result of conviction, for it is added (John vii, 5); "for neither did his brethren believe in him." His answer is ambiguous; "My time is not yet come; but your time is always ready:" and again: "I go not up to this feast; for my time is not yet fully come:" expressions which appear to mean somewhat more than a mere delay of his attendance on that particular feast, and, on this account I would notice them. We find that he subsequently went to the feast, but privately.

From this period to that of his suffering, the references made by him to his approaching death

8 That is, they did not believe in His mission and His exalted character; a very difficult trial for those who had known him familiarly from the age of children. That they believed all that we should think necessary to be made a question, and which being admitted we have no doubts about the rest;-the reality I mean of His miracles;-appears from this very passage, verses 3, 4; "His brethren therefore said unto him, Depart hence, and go into Judæa, that thy disciples also may see the works that thou doest. For there is no man that doeth any thing in secret; and he himself seeketh to be known openly. If thou do these things, show thyself to the world." Compare John xiii, 37; vii, 31, and similar places.

are so frequent that I must content myself with a more summary statement of them.

That there was now danger to his person is apparent (in addition to several other passages which have occurred in the former part of the history) from many circumstances recorded of the period we are now considering; which for the sake of convenience, I have thrown into a note".

Not

h See John vii, 13; "Howbeit no man spake openly of him (that is, as appears from the context and the necessity of the case, "openly in his favour,") for fear of the Jews." Ib. 19; "Why go ye about to kill me?” 25; "Then said some of them of Jerusalem, Is not this he whom they seek to kill?" 26; "But, lo, he speaketh boldly, and they say nothing unto him :" (the latter observation evidently made with surprise). 30; "Then sought they to take him; but no man laid hands on him, because his hour was not yet come." See also verses 32, 44, and 45, of the same chapter.

An objection may be raised from ver. 20. Our Lord had said, "Why go ye about to kill me? The people ́answered and said, Thou hast a devil (art beside thyself), who goeth about to kill thee?" But it is apparent all along that the persecution came from the Hierarchy of the Jews at Jerusalem; and that the people at large were divided about him; nay, that they were in a great measure favourable to Him, if they could have reconciled themselves to the disappointment of certain traditional prejudices.

The ferment excited on the occasion we have been

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