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The I5e;iii(iliil Tcjicliiiin of Jesus ;,ih1 rhe i^i\cs (»j His A|)(fs(lcs
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THi; a)Aimrrinjvi:s opTHi: APosTUis OP .„.:s(s
INTKOIircTIO.N
By KliV. 1)AXIJ:l 3IARCH, D D
Author OF "Walks AM. H "vu, 1^.17.
oMEs OH Jt^,V" Night SctSHsiN THE
HE BiuLE," Etc.
TPOM DA.K TO DAWN," " HomEUh;;;;;"'- """•'•■ ■'°'' '^"'"^"'^ "°"^^-'
"^■^^'"^""ED WITH HAIP-TONCS OP
""""^'>l.'\^Ml(|^ .1,1(1 many Lii(|r:ivin.|s i„ rhc Text
THE BRADLEY-GARRETSON CO. Limited
TORONTO, ONT. LHIllEeG
BRANIFUKD, ONT
B S3^ VOO
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©
W
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'" 'li'-oDirfof tl„. I,il,r,ri-i„„f «■ ^
■^S-t'-ii.-;
INTRODUCTION
r-pi
HIS attractive and beautiful hook, with its clear and simple yet graphic style, and .ts abundant illustrations, is an atten.pt to s t the^sa
ing, as he evidently does with his whole heart that lesus Chri.t ' r ] fest n the flesh nnd thnt- <-i, i • ^'^'_^' "^"-^"^ Jesus L-hrist is God mam-
exhibit theMn nf , • ' '"•^^" °^ ^" '^^^ '■^^^'^^^^l ^^'^•■^ of God is to
fr.Hv 7 ^ ^' ^^°^^''^P^^>'' ''^•-^^"ment, or simple narrative is emploved
1 his Commentary does not assume that the Bible i<, n Wln^ i i. j must needs be explained or i. will . t ^''"^ ^°°^' ^"^
Nor does it impT^hlt it i n IK f ^^/'"^'--stood by those who read it.
the artifices of t^il r ? ' """"^ "'"'' "^^ "^^^'^ interesting by all
le a tifices of the novelist or word-painter, or it will never be read Nor
vi
INTRODUCTION
Joes ,tg.vc ,ts readers the impression that the Bible is an antiquated and obsolete work which must be modernized and improved, or it will have to ^ive place to the fresher and more impressive thought of our own time On the contrary It is the object of the author of this Commentary to show his readers that the Bible is //.. book for all times, all places, and all circumstances ; that It IS the most ong.nal, fresh, plain, and interesting book that ever has been or ever will be written; and that its saints, its horoes, and its martyrs are repre- sentative men for the whole human race.
The lesson of the sacred story is sometimes rehearsed anew, and in modern phrase, not to give a clearer version of what was written in olden times but to secure a change of position, and show the inspired picture in a different light, that the reader may see it better and love it more. The best comment IS that wh^h brings the reader's mind into closest contact with the word as written. 1 hat word is ever so pure, simple, and expressive, that it needs only to find entrance to the heart, and it will enlighten the eyes and convert the L\. Many books have been written, and much learning expended, in the effort to sluny that only those who were thoroughly versed in the languages in which the Bible was onginaliy written, and in the history, social customs, and manners, and the literature of the nations among which it had its birth, could rightly understand it; but such an idea is utterly unworthy of the Christian and savors of the bigotry and exclusiveness of the dark ages. " The greater part of tne Scriptures, all that is necessary to show us the way of salvation is w.th.n the comprehension of the simplest and humblest, and will educate and elevate their minds as nothing else can. There are some passages which can be mo-e clearly understood, and will receive added force, by a knowledae of the circumstances under which they were spoken or written, and the habits and customs of the people to whom they were first uttered; and in very rare instances It IS possible that our English translation fails to convey the full force of the original expression. Put even these exceptional cases are pro- vided for ii-i this Commentary, which, while carefully avoiding all display of learning, gives in simple and clear language the results of the profound and extensive research of the past two centuries, on all points, where there is a necessity for them.
The engravings and illustrations scattered so abundantly through this book greatly increase its value. To young and old they teach more vividly and impressively than words. No verbal description, however accurate and minute, can be worth anything like as much to the reader as the plainest picture of the thing described. One glance at the rudest outline of Jerusalem wm fix Its form and situation more deeply in the memory than a whole volume of verbal description,
latecl and /e to give On the is readers ces ; tiiat s been or re repre-
1 modern imes, but different :omment word as s only to the sold, he effort in which ms, and :h, could hristian, greater ation, is ate and lich can edge of i habits sry rare the full ire p re- splay of nd and re is a
gh this vividly ite and )lainest u sal em .'olume
f
INTRODUCTION
vi'i
\\\ I
tl.e Bible story • thev "ve vfrv f '^°'"''°""°"' ^"' "'=>' ''•= ^<=''i°'" <™<= to
patriarchs and sl,ow him ,he sheeo and ,1 ° " P"^""-'=-g'-°"ncls of tl,e
well and the fcntain. iu, as Isaac and T T"' ", """^"^ """^ "^= '"'''■ '!"= Bethel and Shechen, He ' nT ."'"r ''"'" "'"=" =" Beersheba and
plain in ^he glow oJThe „ir ^tV™'; 1 ^tiri^t'""^'"'! "'7 "" ^"^
of the shepherd's tent. °^ "°''" ""^'^'' ^he shadow
pictorial t:;:fjr'r/,rhr:er" i ^" '^'°^= '"= ^^^ <" "- -*^ -
s!on of Bible times 1 nds a„d pi ''.""'"w "'?"'' '-''"S impres- decription alone. The sae ed reLTd K , ■'"""' ''" «'""'" ^y ''^'i'^i
spiritual truths are so bo'nTup „ ca„hl vTr' "i ''Tr'' ''"'"' '°°'^' ""'I "» tHe,r .neanin, and carry it with^^h^^rro ^r .T ™ '^7:/!:^' '''^T "'''
lessons of couracre and cormfnn^,. ^ r • i '"f J°"'^"ey of life. The great
such a companio°nable anTe e" da: , ,' , '^ ''' ^'-"^ """-''-
sympathy with saint, and heroe, t^ ''. ■" ," " '"''^""'''>' '"'■'"'" '"'o
the companions of h s bes hmr^ a! M °1 ' "'' """^"- ""= """^^ 'I-™ ti-eir lives. The hoi „,en o oW ' , ,"T '° '"''"''" ''''' ^''' ""%- ■'" blessing of the father, des"ends tol T' I 7'"" "' '^= "^''"S "£=• "''"d 'he The stj.le and tl,: whltl ion ^ ':r '™'", «^""--'"'°" '" «---"-■ so great and good a result The pn, r . "? ="■' "•=" '''"'='' t" ^<=<:"'-e
careful stndy'of its sacked lessons W iT"' " '""^ '"'" "'= '^•^"- -'' '^e for th,. iousehold, ^'S'" " """' "^ »' "s'" -"hI instrt.ction
Daniel March.
VOLUME I.
TABLE OF CONTENTS.
Tbf P,r,„ AND I„„»cv OP ,js^ cnsnT
r"Ti;:-ir„r;j:r'"' ™^- '■■""'""-■"-■- i--«-.-.- : : : : ;
Christ's Sermon on the Mount
Miraculous Cures Performed hv CHRisT', .'
The Twelve Disciples Chosen
Jesus' Estimate of John the JUpti^t
The Pharisees' Enmity Against Chri'st
Seven Parables Explained, . '
The Martyrdom of John the Baptist
Christ Feeding the Multitude AND wIlkin-c/o; ;„r Sf\
CUR..O.TIE Daughter OF THE Syko-Phcex^cIa^^W
i'ETER s Confession of Christ, . . '
The Transfiguration, . . . '.
Jesus Teaches Humility, Kindnfss t^ril ,^^
Christ Receives Little cTuZ^. '"'''' ^'' ^«'^^''^^^-- ok Injuries,
The Conversation with the Rich' Young Man
The Lahorers in the Vineyard, .
Jesus Healing the Blind Man • • • •
The iRiuMPHANT Entry into Jerusalem,
IHE Marriage Supper,
Jesus Talks with the Pharisees,'
The Wickedness Chris
OF the Pharisees,
The'ten" Vr"'" 'r^ D-TRUCTION O^ J.K,;, ',;, IHE Ien \IRGINS~TiIE TATrMTc_T..„ ^^ .
THE PASSOVER AND m. S.;:^;^^ ^J J^^^^'^^'
Jesus IN the Garden of Geth-emane, '
The Sufferings and Death of Jesus,
The Resurrection of Christ
Description OF the Birth of' John "thk/bIpti^t
De CRiP„o. OF the Birth and Early Days" i^hki't" ' Description of Christ's Persecution at NazI eth "
The Miraculous Draught of Fishes ^^'''*'^™' • • •
The Raising of the Widow's Son
The PENirENT Woman,
The Seventy Disciples Sent Forth
Thk Tnquiking Lawyer,
n, ' "'•^J
XUE Good Samakita;v, ...
Ml)*
' . y
. . 18
. . 21
. . 24
• . 30
• • 37 . 38
• 30
. 42
• 47
• 49
• SI
• 53
• 54
• 58 . 60 . 61
• 63
• 65
• 65
• 70
• 71
• 75
• 78
■ 79
. 82
85 91
99 106
110 114
"9 120 121 122
"5 126
ix
COxVrEXTS.
Marih
xitt, rARABI.E np Ttjr. u.„.. T-. _ '
John the Baptist's Testimonv tc/ Ciu^.st
Account ok the Mark..oe at Can.
'-HRi.sTs Conversation with NicodeLus" .'.■.'.■.'
The Nom.EMAN's Sov Cv^l^ ™' ^^'"""'^ °^' s''^"^^'^'
Ho
;red.
TEsns r -''"^ ^" ™"^ ^"°^ ^^^^ Cured
Jesus Compares II,mself to Bread,
Christ the Fol-ntain or- Happ.mp..
Ax, A -■ Happiness, .
An Attempt to Stone Jesus
How A UKn, Born Blind, was CY-red,
Explanation of Christ-tiie Door
* * II.. ^
Tm R»„™„ or u^.,~:Z^""" "•'""'•'•'■
'1'he Story of t
•:oM the Dead,
f. , ^ ™'= Pkecious Ointment
Christ s Entrance into Jerusa, em. '
jKsus \\ ashing His Discipi.es' Feet
Explanation of the Parable of tii'e Vi'n;
The Lame Man Heai:ed'a;T.-^''^-^'''"'-'^""'"''^ ^-^^^ ^^
ND John Tr Ananias' and Sap.-.hira's Deaths
p"« «»o jo„. T,;.7„;;r,;:r;s:,:;»^ ■ ■ •
ND Resurrection,
Peter and John Imprisoned and Released ' ' ' iHE Death of Stephen, . ^-'^^^ased,
The Persecution of Christians,
Simon Ma(;us, the Makman
Travels, Sufferings, and Success of Paul ^n,", p ' " " How THE Apostles Settled Disputes, •"" ""''''
Paul s Preaching and Persecution at Thes'saloni;
nabas.
Paul's Extensive Preaching Tours,
His Own Lawyer. Dangerous Voyage, Shipw
''enteen Epistles,
Paul His Own Lawyer. His Trial. At Jerusali Commentary on the Sevf-'- ""' ^^'' ^^"'"''^ °*" ^'^^
f^M AND CeSAREA,
... x..-i.rLE. '''' "'' Journey to Rom
Commentary on Revelations,
Asia Minor-Scenes OF THE Labors of Paul P™';.;!
E, .
TAfiB
• . . 126 . . . 126 . . . 127 . . . 127 . . . I2S
• ■ • 135 . . . 139
• • . 141 . . 142
• • 143
• • 145
• . 146
• . I4S
• • 149 . . 150
• • 151
• • 153
• • 154
• • 154
• • '59
• • 159
• • 160 > • 162
' • 164
• 170
• 176
• 177
. 178
• 179
• I So
• iSi
• 1S2
• 184
• 186 ' 190
• 192
• 193 ■ 196
200 205 216 219 225
235 240 249
. . . 126
. . . 126
• . . 127 . . . 127 . . . 128
' ■ ' ^35 . . , 139
. . . 141 . . 142
• • M3
• • 145
• . 146 . . 148
• • M9
• • 150 . . 151
• • 153
• • 154
• • 154
• • 159
• • '59
• • 160
• • 162
• • 164
• 170
• 176
• 177 . 178
• 179
• 180
• 181
• 182
• 184
• 186
• 190
• 192
• 193
• 196
' 200 ' 205
216
219
225
235 240 249 9S0
VOLUME I.
LIST OF LITHOGRAPH PLATES AND FULL-PAGE HALF-TONE ILLUSTRATIONS.
"Suffer Lrm.r Ciulhrfn" (Lillwgraph),
Chkist Calling Fkteh an,, Andkew,
Chkist Pkeaciiikg on the Mount
A Cup of Cold Water,
"Behold a Sower," ^yr
"■' ' • • .
The Wlse and the Foollsh Vh<glxs. The Widow's Mite,
• • •
The Annunciation of Chrlst, .
Christ in the Pharisee's .Mouse,
The Good Samaritan
' • • .
Christ in The Temple w.th the Doctors,
The Good Samaritan {Lithograph), .
The Good Shei-herd,
TiTE Prodigal Son,
Christ and the Woman of Samaria,
"In Mv Father's House Are Manv Mansions.
The True Vintj,
Mary Magdaleni at the Sepulchre.
iHE Return qk the PKui^ioAL Sun ^Luho^raph),
Pagb Ff ontuf^itct
• 25
. 26
' 43 . 44
• 97
. 98 . 107 . 108
• 117 . 118
• 123 . 129
• 130
• '55
• 156 , 165
166 171
XI
VOLUME I.
ADDITIONAL ILLUSTRATIONS.
Nlti!:t ^"^^" ^^'''' ^^°"^'-^'' da Vinci),
NatMc I la,ns of Al.raham and Let, ^ ' '
Dav.d s Tomb at Mo„„t Zion. .
" An"d tt r,""' f '^^'"'^ ^^'^^"^ ^-"'the Field; '• '
B^"o;^;:2^-x-"-o.dA.o.^^^
Eastern Travelers, . . '
The Angel Appearing to Zacharia"3,
i no Infant John, .
John the Baptist Pn^achin;, ncpcntanec
Sermon on the Mount, '
Readers of the Je^vih Law
Mish Scribes in the Time'cf a;i;t,
Healing the EJind,
Wine Skins, ..,.."
Leather Bottles,
Pouring Wine Out 'of'aBmt'le,
Valley of Salt. Bet.-ecn Canaan and Fd;™
Pnson ,n which John was Beheadect'
Dancing ,n the East,
Ancient Harvesters, . .*
Black Mustard,
The High Priest Before the Avk
Jewish Baker in the Time of Christ,' .'
Iransfiguration of Christ,
The Jewish Shekel, . . '
Eastern Gold, . . . ,'
Eastern Silver, . ,
Form of Second Temple
Fig Branch,
Eastern Ivory Ornaments," .*
Eastern Tables, ...
Modern Hebron, . . * •
Ancient Eastern Lamps," [ ]
Ancient Wine-press, ... • •
Ancient Wine-press, .
One of the Gates of Jerusalem", ".
<-^''enng Salutation in the East
Christ Bearing the Cross, .
Interior of a Rock Ser.nl'chre, .'*''■■
Mourners,
Golden Candlestick.
• • •
• • •
• • •
■ •
rAot
• 9 . II
. 12
• 14
■ '5
■ '7 . i.S
20
2 '*
23 27 28
29 32 )3 ,34
xu
■ • ID
• • ,56
• • 3S
• . 40
• • 41
• . 46
• • 49
• • 52
• • 55
• • 58
• • 6r
• . 62 ■ . 64
• 66
• 68
• 69
• 71
• 73
• 76
• So
• 82
• 83
• S5 . 89
• 94
• 96
• ror
• 102
1
UST Olf ILLUSTRATIONS.
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Simeon and Infant Saviotir, .
'1 uitlf-dovc, ....
Olive-press, ....
Mountains about Jericho,
Husks of Prodigal Son, ' . " .'
Ancient Signet Rings (i), ,'
Ancient Signet Rings (-.)'
Jacob's Weil, ....,'
"AnAngelWentDown,''etc
Tent, or Booth, "'
Sheepfold,
"But Mary Sat Still iuihc House""
"They Went Backward, and Fell 'to ti„.V " ', I, ' The Husbandman, . "'" Ground," .
f ^'':^'' High Priest Onenng Intense,
Ancient Messengers in the East
Eastern Millstones,
Slaves Grinding Corn, ..."
Ox-cart in Palestine, . . . , ]
Joppa, from the Southwest, ."
Temple Candelabra, ...'."
Ancient Jewish Idols, ." .'
Anci. nt Egyptian Idols," .*.","
Modern Jericho, ...
Part of Ancient War-galley
Map of Asia Minor, . . . '
Upper Chambers in Ori'en'tal" Hu'use
Ancient War-engine
Ancient War engine for" Throwing Stones
War-galley in Bible Times. ...
Brazen Laver, . .
The River Jordan "Near its Sourc'e
Syrian Tents, .... '
Sepulchral Cave in Je'rusalem, ." - '
Ashtaroth, the Philistine Goddess "
Table of Shew-bread,
Romans Carrying the' T;bie;f"shew.brJad",
Eas ern Women with Timbrels, Dancing,
Eastern Loaves of Bread
Eastern Baker Selling Thin Cakes,
m.
xiii
rAUR
. . . iir
■ • • "3
> . . 116
• .125
• . '3'
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243 245 246
M^?-
voLijMB rr.
THE APOSTLES OF JESUS.
i •
John, the Rei,o\ fd Di
Simon 1'ktek,
Anukrw.
Jamks thk (;kea
Philip,
Tho.mas, ....
M^ATTHEW,
James the Less, JUDE,
Simon Zei.otks, Paui
CONTENTS.
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Jesus Christ, J"'''", • . . , Simon Peter, Andrew, . . James the Great i'liilip, . . . '
Bartholomew, Thomas, . . Matthew, James the Less Jude, .... Simon Zelotes, ^aul, . . . ,
xiv
THE THORVALDSEN GALLERY.
rXGB
• .252
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PACt
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43' 445 461 469
VOLUME If.
ADDITIONAL ILLUSTRATIONS.
Two Women (Jrinding,
" The IVari of (ireat Price,''
"And from that Hour tint iv" • 1
Syrian Shcei,, . . '"'''' '"""^ "" '""" "'« Own
TheRiverof theWatLrof I.iiJ
Clinst and the Trilnue Money. '
Mmint of Olives, . .
Jesus and Peter, ..."
Mount 'labor, in Galilee", .'
Mount 'labor, , . ,
Mount Sinai, ....'*
tastern Scenery, . . '
Unleavened liread, .'
figs, *
An Eastern Dining'room,
An Eastern Feast
H
onie,
™r' ''"•■■<'. "i« or «,„„:,;:"'•
The Heatitiful (late, . ,
Sea of Galilee, , ] ."
Valley of Jezrecl* ' " .' '.
Ananias and Sapphira
The High Priest in Robes."
Lydda,
/oi)i)a from the East, ."
Plains of Jericho, .'.".*.* *
Ruins of Cassarea, .
Kastern Scenerv, . ." • . . .
Mount Ephraim.
Peter Between 'IVo's;,M"iers," [ •"
Bethany, ....
Eastern Vine3ard, .'."." .' .'
Symbolic Union of the Old and m" 'n-
Ancient Judoan Ruins, . " '^''^'^'^^'ons, . . . _
ti backcioth, '
^™r:,r;:.±°"'™-''--^-Vo,;,A;a,o;r.-.: • • • ■ • •
orms of Crosses, . Thorn-crowned Christ, "
Bethlehem. ' ' '
Jerusalem, . . • • • •
Herod Receiving Suppli'cants, Country Around Samaria.
• • 26a
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. . 27r,
• 27.,
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• 293
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330 332
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XV
xvi
/./sr ()/.' ju.rs'n'ir/oxs.
Thorn rr.iwncfl Christ,
Su|.|)<.sc(l Kiiinsof Ca|'.n,u '.n, ".".'"
Worsliipinj,' Jiipiier
Fountain at Na/atvih, .....'
Anticiit VcsM Is, ......
i''t)Mntain at ("ana,
^'"i'"t T I.s in tlic k .(lis, '
Kasicrn Crcotin^' '.'.'"
Kastern Crowns
I'altn 'J'rec ' '
Jacob's WVIl, .
, , , ,
^lci)rew I'ricsts
A I.cvite
Koijin^'a I'riosi
lilnvinfT „f 'IVunipet at New iLln ' ' ' ' lictJKMJ, . • . .
.<uinsof il„. TiK.atrrat'Kphi-sMs
^f'^'^^'Hl^ Is a. .nn,in^.;()„r',.;a; East.-rn So^^^i,
First Friits .*.'.'."
Shoos and Sandals,
Ea-stern Alod,.. of 'I'hresl.ing,"
rtoleniy I'hilatklj)liiis,
Ancient Hooks, ....,.'.
Sci-oll v.i J3,„,i<, _ _
Jewish Scrolls lJse<Ii.; Teaching U,o\'^nm;. Nazareth, "^
Damascus,
I'racticing the Cnnniiig Arts, .' .'
Soothsayers
Diana, Jupiter, and Mineiva,
In the Stocks, ....
Ancient Athens, ....'.'
Corinth
Burning IJooks, _'
Miletus,
Brid-e near Tyre,
Sidon
^°'"^' • • • • • ^ • • ^ ^ ■ . : : . •
Caesar
Roman Centurion .... "
Crete
Ancient Shiji
The Con(iuerors
Roman Soldiers
Roman IJcturs ....
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513 515
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513 515
THE LAST SUITER 1 i,y , ~~"
' J'liiinii pitinling.)
GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. MATTIILW;
The Bfrth and Infancy of Jesus Christ.
tC -.m^ opening; book of the N,-u- T .f
1-W «««R^,„ i„t„ tne ^ui Testament intro. uces
W'hen this b. ok tas I'n"'"' """''■""" ""^ "' "fe'^-
of 'He <^,^ Te^ta;;: r ,rif '^'^''\ "- '-
prophecies; the Jews h.cM <:°"'Pleted his
This, the openin.i. book of the >Jeu-T.^ ^
lO
Tim FAMILY COMMJiXTARY.
were i]o\v ruled i)v a vcrv wir'vpr' I-Jn^r ti i i
kinudcn which he would set up, and that tit In on p^op et,;;n' the Gentiles uould be shut out from it '^ '
wa'''chH"'s"i:;:ior 'T'^'"''' r' "" °""^ ^°^P^'^' h°- <Jiff-cnt Ui ists k^,,^aiom and mission from wliat they liad supposed- and we shall also see what it really ^vas. This firJt book oo 'el
race, and tribe, the .nvat Redeemer 7 to V . IT '" '''°" '^°"' ^° ^ P^'^'-ticular famih ,
promise made in ti,e larde, wa to be amnlif e ' f '^^r'^'^-'S^^ -■• ^^e earb'er ages, the Matthew we have the instorv of he 00^1,^ , v 'f ",'''' '° ''" "^'^ ^'^^l^^' according t,. people ; of their final and co ch ive e tlon > V "' H ' '"/""^ °' '^"^'' ^° '^ ^^ ^'--» dominion, and the offers of sa^^on Ta " t j^^^^^^^^ It t'the f ^•'"' "' ^' "^^■"^'°" °^ '^'^ glorious era; and yet, more than anv other ook of th New Te:"""";' ' ""^' "^' """ Epistle to the Hebrews, it connects itself with the O d T- / ' '''"''' ^"'"'''' '^''
ecies, in its genealogies, its references to Jewtll.s and ZV" T ■''''''''''"' °' ^'^"'^'^- Old Testament forn.s of expression concerning th Messiah I o^t '' " ''I '°"'^'"^ "^^ °^ sermons of Christ, more of his miracles and . l! , "' "'°''' "^^'^^ discourses or
other gospels ; and it presents lu in a T^t^^t c X Zflli f ''7l''' ^'^" '^">' °^ ^'^^ purpose of showing their relations to one anotle ^d to h '^''°''fj!''^' ^"^ ^^''^ the distinct twenty-eight chapters, and is particul-u Iv Ann.;. ^'"""'^ "^'J'^'' °^ '^'' Gospel. It has
lightly. It was probably wtimari fo t tV"'? r" ■^■"l"' "" "'^"^ ^'"^"^"^ '-^'^ ^"' .ears .er the ascensio^of Chr.'and, :/a^:.^L!::lSir ^^^^^^ --
4.;r.r:;;";:i:;?xi^;:^;r',";-
5^-53; xxviii, 19. Read, also, "The Gospel according 'to Vr.ni f' '*° ^ '''""' ^3 ' ^>^vi.,
himself a they had elders or :y openly ^harisees, ocritical ; 'C a tein- believed the new
- and all
different cd ; and ospel is 'spel ; it
- kingly low the tice has
I u-as aftci- lar family, ■ ages, tlic wording to wn chosen ion of his and more haps, the of projjh- iit use of courses or ly of the ' distinct I. It has ;(>nch but or eight he other
. 33> 44- !,- xxvii,
'• Henry
i
MA 777 //sir.
been fittingly called " the Gospd of the rcjeetion." The word " C-os,„.r' 1..S bee, variously defined; it eomes Iron, the old n lo ^ ' ,
Signifies .rood neus tidings o,- I,; , •. ^nylo-baxon, and
NATIVE n.AIXS OF AilRAllAM AM, l.oT.
iMatthew, whose surname wnc; in,.;
much hated by the lews r\j\ alestinc. Ihcse publicans were sonal or poll-tax licin 4' r ^''^'."^^^ ^^7"= °f ^••"•io"^ kinds: a per-
>'-- et^. in^;,:r uLr^s i;:reoi :ct:dt '^■:^-' r-"
naun,, when Jesus called him to leave t^ aM andtTl'^w^
13
THE FAMfLY CO.inr/hVTARV.
n<^ obeyed the divine call, became one of the u.o.fl - • . for the use of the Jeuish discinlcs ^.h.i l ^^f^^^^'^-^ '^"^ recorded
of the Messiah. " ^ ''^'''' ^'' ^^^^^■^^' ^'^"^1 ^^aw. and knew
The first chapter of this <rosncl f.-llc ,,c- r
d'ctcd by tiK. prophets. Meisial, ^ .,^Lf''r'^''"r- pnc,s,s.a,Kl Idnos of Israel ,vere anointe „■ " ! n "'; 'T"''"^'^' ^vould so pour his holy blessings upon the uk ', 1 '"I' T ''°'' were^et apart Tor their particn,ar^,,ee: ":; l^l^il^^f ^'^^
The Messiah, as
Jesus is called, more especially Ijore that name, which is in other words //ic auoiiif-. cd, or the anointed one. Christ is a name which has also the s a m e meaning. None were ever anoint- ed with such an abundance of mfts
andof o-raceas he
IMVID'S TOMB AT MOUNT ZIO\.
prophet, a priest, and a kino- at the snmo .; ^^''^' ^^"^ ^^'^^ ""
tauo-ht the way to heaven l?csl h s fn n "" ^''^^'''' ^''"^'^'^ he
to happen on'earth f^^'^^b c^ ^'^"-^ ^^''-'^ --
such an one as made all sacnfirT w'''^' "^^ "^ sacrifice, and
future, so that they as d ""1^^^^ 'l"'""'?- ''"' ^' "^ "-' '" because he was to rei< n o e n. f ' "^' '''"''^'^^' ^"^' ^' ^•^>^^^. yield him willing ISie^^^ ^ 1 ^^^f' -^' '^- -'^^ects shouki the world. ""^ ^'"'"' ^^ ^°"^^' anci in all parts of
Matthew traces the line of Jesus Christ from M . I. P-nused to Abraham, in the tw.fth chapte:^^,;^^ ^^
recorded nd knew
-sccndcd. siAii prc- !Jroj)hcts, that God :liat they - alone, sial], as
called, 'j)ccially name, in odier auoiiif- noiiitcci tST is a :h has s a m e
None moint- ich an 3 f gifts -as he was a use he 1 \\'cre e, and use in
king, hould rts of
God shall
A
M 1 11 IIIIW.
all the families of the earth be bless,:,l " if ,„. .. . '''
by Abraham that one should .t , r ' ""^'"'^'"'■'-^ "nderstooj
bLsalltheworld^lt r L 5"' f°'", '>""' -"' ^I>°"'^1 indeej Matthew, then, in^h^ :^\|iVcrisf™rttA7'""r' '"^ '^'^■'""^■^• ,>roves, in the first place, that ^ ::: ^.^^ ^l^:^: '^ •sprang from Abraham Alcshkdi, for h(^
..ut,es-criLrb'ni,r^''r;'r ^^--^ ''""^■'"' --^ -' '•^ff-
the fan,ilies thaj „ lot^d '^ } ," L t ^ ' '" •■'""',''"^ ^"'^ ^° ^^'"^ the prcnise was made, and 1 t, 1 r^'/^'r f ""']? ^^"'^'^
^nttlL^iror^omS':;::,^^^-^ Pf cmar in tracing the in orde? to demonstra e to 1 t T' ''"'' ^~'" ^^^^'^ '° Christ,
gree, that Chri" w fde ^e de^ ^n h s° ""f f 7',^"*"=" ^"^ '-"'- themothers^,so,fromridand a':^^^^^^^^^^ fathers side, and on
38. .i..d ll,n, i„ ,l,is several names ,vere ?„ i' w j f, f " ''^™ ""'' "■"' '" ^^^- '^- ;- Gospel ,..„ „„, i„„.i,,<,,„„ ,„,^ ' ;,bK'i, :': "" "'■"V''''' ""'""-^P'^f .!»■
>l>^' first, u may be said that the Jews, lile all or 2,? ?■ ", '' '■■""'>■ """"'=''• '» '<»"<1 to ..".eial, of ,„eir royal families-.ie n s o" , ' f. , t'"'' '" '" f """ '"'"^^'"«'«" -""■ famrly senealogy, sl.cvin,. ,l,e collateral b,a„ t „ ,lh T'°° ' "' *'=°"''' ""-' ■""■•"' ™ ' the mam line ran o,„ from »„„, „f hei,^ Ti k " '"''^'^'i<"> "•» '" !>« conlin„e.l,
'l>e» eives ,he line of royal saccossio,",, i 1„? ™ '"" "'" •="*' "'"' ""■'<'■» "nc I'a. «i». the private or fan.iiy record ,ri,' a"" '" ' ;' f "-">«' »' "'^ '«"« "f Davi., ; ,.„;. iTother ofSolomon, by the same mother (rChrorii,' T "''°'' '""'' ^'athan. the elder
»n the failure of the line of Solomon. Tha iL did M T '"'"' '" '"''"" "■' """StJom "lio was written childless (Jeremiah v,ii Z^ \ , "' '" ""= '">= "' J'^'niali or Jechonia, Neri, of the h„„se of Nathan, -vh v^ Vl her"of"e™';f ff T 'li' "='' '"»"-'' «'- »" "f ha cap„vi,y. There is a mistake here in I ;■ ,!" "''if' "■= '^'-» ™ "'""S prince after
'»W s olhcial t,tle. Another Jewish law exnlai , ' ,'h: Z^^T'" I"" " '"•■"■» '"""-•■ '»" Zer.,1,. son faded to have a son, , he son of hi, br.,th l,ec e 1 , h '"'"' '''"' »'«^" "•"I*'
or He,., .n the genealogy i„ f.,,,. ,,,.,, ,,„ ,„':r:f':,r'r:;.ris',"bylrar, "ir " ""'I
) J ij/ fctnciai tiadition, .said
■'f
THE FAMILY COXmiiNTARY.
,^^___ '"^"'^ ^^ ^^ ^"^ tJ^at uas unuiaiTicd; fc,
"^ " though Josq)]M\ a
the husband of Mary, he was only licr betrothed hus- band—that is. he ^\"as only engaged to her, as \\c sa)- ; — }et that en^aoc- nient, according to the custom of'the J<Avs, could not be broken, and so he ^vas, to all intents and purj)oses, by law and right the husband of Mary, thoui^h she was a
virgin, or as yet not in reality married. Now, Jesus Christ ^\ as " conceived " or formed "by the Holy Ghost," or the Holy Spirit. It
was the Holy Ghost \\Iio formed the
body of the blessed Son, ^\•ho was born
of the Virgin Mary; and St. MattheA\-
■AM^ THIKE WERE SHEPHERDS ABmiNG IN THE FIELDS,
'i\
titold, Isa LiTiccI; for oscph w as sband of
was only tiled hus- at is, he
cugagcii < A\c say ;
- tnoagc- ^rdino- to ni of the <-! not be id so he
1 intents 3ses, by i^lit die f Mmy,
- was a i yet not Harried.
Christ X'ived " ' by the St," or 'irit. It ^' Ghost d the )Iessed s born Mar)- ; itth.ew h was
married
MATTJ/EIV.
H|.okcn of the Lord by the prophet, sayh,,-, ISchold, a VM-,h, shall be « .tl. cluld and shall brin;, f„,,|. , ,„„, ,„., ^,, ^,;,,| ^,^^ . ' J^
■">".a,K,cl wh,ch, bci„,. interpreted, is, God with us." ..(iod itl u " means a:,^t„i_( ;od in Hesh, God in our nature.
ani' ' aajr' j:!:!'" ^"" ■ '"" ^^ •■' ^■^""' ''"' '"'^ ^'^"•' "- ""■ ^'--ah ; was born, Joseph went to live w ith Mary.
T h e r e was a third sign that J e s Li s was the Messiah — the an- ointed and ex- pected Saxiour, and this St. Mat- thew also i.ikcs care to tell u.^. He was "born ill I; ;th- Icheni of Jn :^■a." There were two places called I Jelh- Ichem, and the place where Chri.-,t was born was called IJethicheni of Judea, to dis- lin-Liish it from another Bethle- hem in the tribe of Zebulon, which is mentioned in Joshua xix i, J " ^X: ;T ^T T1' '^ '^^■■" ^^-^^^ ^>- mentioned In l^', .h-
of diee sh n .n ''"'''"- ^^'"^ P^'"^^^ of Judah: for out
Mic!:^ v.t "^" ' ^"^'""^'- ''''^'' ^'^-^^'^ -1^ -y P-Ple Israel"
AX1> Ti;i.: ..i.iU.^ ,U.- TJiK LUKD blluXE RULWD Al. t
mi:m.
i6
THE FAMILY COMMENTARY.
%
wise ,„on ca,„c is supposi.l to l,avc b ,,^ ''^''f '^^ """> "l"^!' thcs. "f Judca. IK,c tl,.; sau- a woncLrfu s ""i'- ^•'■''"^^' "■^" '^'>' -^^t ^ "J It appeared to then to he ev^, I , ""'"''^ '" ""^ ^^'^'^'-ns
^7' 't .s supposed that they no v re« T^ ''''' ''^''''"""' ">-^ ^ "I'o l.ved in the Kas.,_wlncl, ,1 1" ' 'w '' 1'^''^'^^ °f Tialaan,, '" then,,-" There shall eon,e . s" o t if I ?"' '""" ''••'"''^''' ^'""" nse out of Jsrael.- Nu.nbers xxK ^f ■''■"•■°'^' ^'"^ ''' •"^'-■P"-- ^''all
Herod the Great-as l,e was eal'le I .1 and when the wise „,.„ inm,i eT ffT r '" '■''^'"'^^' "''^^ "'<-' Je^vs; came to the ears of Herod rwl • t/',''' T"' '^'■"- ""^' "-- "ens I"'"-" Herod was troubled for L tlm"' ?"'';'"' ^'''''^^^ -"' and all Jenrsalem was troubled lesfl ,' '''°"''' '"'^^ '"'^ c^o"n • -'-should have it. Chrfs 'ito 1 To n '"^ ■•' ^'^■'' "■^'- ■^'^-" 'l>e k.ng of the Je^vs, as Herod, ™sbufr' ■'" '■'^""^ "°' '° l^--' '■-'gn, not over territories, but over hear ' i •■■ ''"'''"''" '^'".^'-'" surrounding nations, but to overeo^e 'b /'"I '° T'"-'''' "°' ''-■ liell- vereome sin, death, and the powers of
But Herod did not underst-in.? n,- -t about, if possible, to d^jl' 7J'l ''Tf^^^ -''■> -ft.ly chief pnests and scribes ^he-e Qn- st'w , J , '" '"''"''■"' °f the '•eferred hin, to the prophecy of A h tn 1 ; t.T'^' '"'"^ ^"^ 'h^^ °f Judea. So Herod sent for the W ' , '""'-=" B^thlchcnt
he had found out the place at vd T '"" ■■"'■"™"' ""^'" "-' 'henr to go and see the neu- kin nd u I?';,"''"!'""' •'"■^' ''^^ "'^'>-' "■ere to let him know, that he mi-d.t" " ^"."'^'^ ^^'1 fo"nd hi„, they
::!i::^^^™i>ip jesus. Jut to'i!;v;°:;:*'' '""^ '"' '^'^ -•-" ''-g"
in books, A. u c -AnL T ^^^ ^^""'^ ^'^^"' '^^ '""""^inff of Rome ' r ' '"^•^''"■■^-'ie^> the
tf>e date when certain Roman gov
• I
len from the ^vhich these Jiat lay cast ic heavens, li-'a. The)', ncci there- of Balaam, icled down q^trc shall
the Jews; the news alem w ith i-'^ crown ; ^\ar about lot to be kin^t^- — to ■, not the 3Avers of
y craftily <J of the md they thlehcm icm that
^\•ished ini they
design
'■■^-'les, the Clinics see 'ary, that christian "■ing the lan gov-
J
MATTHEW
an^ t;'o^r S,K's':;"^' "r ^^^- -- '-^ '"^'^ ---
When the wise ,„e„ I; , , '" ""'>',^'-^ '"i'-^ fro'» Jcrusalen, -here " they sau- the you '! 1, , "^J^ ^'"^^ "-"' '" "- house, 'loun anel wor.hii.pe 1 hin^ ' 'fl, ^l "" '"""'^■^' ■•'"'I "'^y fell
I«rt of the worki, Ihen j,re,t Jrtl'. "^ '" ""^ '="^""" '» "'^t
'-"=-. tl.ey "opened the, t " ^ '•'W'™'-'^''^-')' ••'"^' -l^eeially
;<"lci, and frankineense a I 1:, ■.;,''"'' 'T^'""'"' ""'" '"'" «ifo: bcin,. valuable yun.s f on A W l,/ "', f""^'"'^^"- ^"'' >")-.-rl> both
T;;;;j..on,e,rhavin,.:;:t::^:n;ar'^°^'^^'^--
''epartedfo,Mhei..o,™Ss."Tl"L';:S >>'ay was that « hiel, they took and so h T
a cheam not to return to Herod
;~: r ssrnirr^^ir.sir- feU nuo iv-)pt, which was not far from
Judea, and was out of Ilcrofr. i
<-! ^uL ui iicrous donnnion^ nnJ
there to remain till he shn„I \ ^"''' "^"^^
Lui lie snoiikl recc'ivp a i;i..> — -— -i.. .^
..-t ra,e; and^p ^^^ '^:,,:;-. -" '"'' "ot return, he was in a resolved yet to earry his ,rick, - ^ ""' '" «et!,lehen,, he was
could not, indeed, llarn" let taftlf"' 'ff """ '"'° ^^«'-'- "^
-- of his „,ark he order dom of his'offi' T"'"'' '"' '° ■-"- __; °'J^" ''fiieers to go to Bethlehem
«'.=« -y i. »a. MX ,,,„,. '■" '• "■ "•■■ > " f""' re- l^fore our era, thoush LewiraTdl^e
iS
riiH r.iMiLY comrnxTARY.
MLw inicL ot Ills own sons; no wondn- h.. k-. i i I'-l .s t„ 1.1, the little infants n, VmZ ' ' ''""' '°
^\ hen H.,.,„l was clca.l, Joscpl, was a,ai„ spoke, tu by an ang.I i„
EASTERN IRWn.V.K^.
at Na"u;tir'' '"'"^ "'■'""' '" "'"'"' '" '^'^ '-^^1^' -^^' "■-' '^' 1^- Account of John the Baptist, the Forerunner of Tesus Christ.
MATTHEAv III.
Muihe!'"' if "T"^ ^? ^''"' ^'•■'■"S "'^- M<=s=iah is stated by St Mattheu. It ,s tl,at the Messiah was to have a forerunner- or as great n.n used to have footmen or heralds going before "he; t'o ele:?
■I
4
MATTHEW.
19
the \vay for them, so Jesus was to be announced to tlie world by a i.rophet. And " in those days came John the Baptist, preachin- in the wilderness of Judea." This was "the voice of him that crietli' in the wildcTness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord," which the prophet Isaiah foretold in the fortieth chapter of his prophecy
John the Baptist-the name by which he is distinouishcd from John the hvanirehst— was a priest of the order of Aaron, thou-h we do not find that he ever ministered in the temple; but we shall have occasion to notice more about him as we proceed through the four Gosj els.
The subject on which John the Baptist preached was repentance- the theme of his discourses was-" Repent ye, for the Kini-dom of Heaven is at hand."
The dress of John the Baptist appears to have been sin-ular enou.^di; but it was the dress in which the prophets usually appeared -l)erhaps a camel's skin with the hair on it, or a -arment of hair ^vhlch was very rough ; for in such plain robes the prophets used to dress. John s meat was also as singular as his dress, for he lix ed chiefly on " locusts and wild honey."
It ai)pears that John, by his preaching, attracted great crowds " Hien
went out to him Jerusalem and all Judea, and all the region round
about Jordan "; not that every person in Jerusalem and Judea, and
round about them, heard him at the same time, nor that every person
heard him at all, but Matthexv means that the crowds were great from
all parts of Jerusalem and Judea, and thjy were of all sorts, men and
women, young and old, rich and poor, Pharisees and publicans To
these he spoke in bold language, and warned them to flee from the
wrath to come I And he told them not to boast about Abraham beino-
their father-that is, not to boast that they were Jews descended from
Abraham ; but to bring forth good fruit, that is, good works, as a good
tree brings forth good fruit; and so, if they wished to be thou-dit the
children of pious Abraham, they must be pious like Abraham
Our Lord Jesus from his childhood till now, when he was almost thirty years of age, had lain hid in Galilee.
•' It is supposed that John the Baptist began to preach and baptize
20
rjfii i\uur,Y CLUmiiNrARY.
'«l"i--l Imn.thou.h I, clj: ,:;,"; '"'"'^7',°^ ^hn; an.l J„l,n
^N'-'Ll Ma'l'VKlXG TO /.ACllAKIAS.
John also heard a voice speaking from heaven «• TJ.- • Son, ,n whom I am well pieas^xl " ' ' '' '"Y beloved
^u.s was J.,us declared to Lethe Son of God
In this chapter you read of "the Pharisees and S.H ^
^naubces and badducees;" their
1
tcriiit^- on and julm too ^rcat tliis was Jokcd all 1 dices of
MATTliniV.
dt
' like a - of a 3.- and
loved
their
"hcytcru" "^'™ °'™' ''" "''" ''"''"^'" ^^^ "■'" "^-^^ '^11 >■"" "'«' The •• Pharisees" were a sect or set of men amon- the Icus ul,„ ,.rufessec to observe the h.w of God ,„ore tha„ an>- oU.ers ; .|,"v I,,,,! J a Krea shou- of their rehj^ion outu-ar.lly, anti took eare that cvcrybodv shouki take notice of them when they praye.l, or cMcl anv religions ^l vice. 1 h,y contnvcci, by these means, to ^ain the fa^ „V „f U,c ,„„lii.
tlic^best oftices. Ihcy tatight that men conki n,erit heaven, without a
The " Saclclucecs " were a sort of infidels. They beliexecl tl,at tlie soul d,cd when the body was dead, and denied tlut li,e l,odv wo Id . ise aj,am. As they believed there ,vas neither reu.ud nor ptm shm n inanotlter world, they did not leave sinners to hun.ble themselve before God, or to receive their deserts from him, but punished offe, do against the law in the severest manner. While the Ph.arisces bel ev^^d u. traditions, these people believed only in the written law of itosl
The Temptation of Jesus Christ.
MATTHICW IV.
Jesus,after his baptism, withdrew into the wilderness, for a period of sting and prayer, before entering upon his ^vork as a di^•ine t ." her
known as Mount Quarantania, northwest of Jericho, a very wild and
forbidding region, inhabited only by wild beasts. H.rc at the end "f
.s forty ays of fasting, Satan, who was not quite certain t a la
«. ly God man, est in the flesh, assailed him with his sharpest tem|Z
ons. It IS probable that t^^■o at least, and perhaps all he three of
oim but in the weakened condition of the body of Jesus after this ong fast, these visions might be the most trying o\ tei.ptati^n T e fi St was an appeal to his creative power to furnish himself with food
it. he- S™ of Tod """""fT """ '""P'^'- ="--'-1^ "If tho" be the Son of God. command that these stones be made bread." It
^W: l-AMli.Y (VA/.U/XTiA'y
-^:;A;::r;:.::T:;:;;!:!::^;;'v''---''-^
''■" !■> ^v, ,v ;„„.,l ,|,.,t , , 1 1 ' ■ ;';''■'" '"" live l,y bn.„| .,l,„„.
"' "-'> "I"'" liim t„ Unci us l„v„i
I ""'V"- "'"■••"^'^■^ '" produce baa, fr„„, .ones, U,t only let them trust in </ he would provide for them. The „, 's
h--.^.h chapter of Deuteronomy, and in tile llurd verse.
-Satan then carried Jesus in vision to iIk
Pnnacle or the top of the temple in J ■Mlcnr, uh.ch was not far off. \\'|,i/, ,„, »as here, .standing over the holy citv of c-rusa lem, .Satan proposed to hin, to'cast
",'■" '•• "- "■■■'""' in the 'zr ftd ^^H !;::';^'''^'\™««-'«'
^■lar-e o^er Ihce," .so that he r„„n T , ,■ " *''"''-' ^'^ ^noels ""-1 said .as true. J t di^ tK 'r r "^ "l-ther .hat Cods ■Sn-i|>ture,..It is written, Thou Inl L? ' ', ""'' '■■" ^'"^"•- '""- t-"pt is to try, or put to the ts ,d u ''"' ■°"' "'^' ^'°''" T"
to .see if God can bring us o t of ,. tT T'" '° ■■"" ''""' ''•■'"^--■ from the si.vth chapter of Dent ono, v 7 m,'^°™ "'°"'^ ""'' <l"°'-l
Christ was still assailed ^"X° >', '^ "'" "•'"^'-'""' ^ersc. very high nrotmtai , Jo^ ^ "'""' """ '" "»'" '° '■'
countries, and, while viewLt h' r , t' ! V''' °' '^' surrounding ^in..cloms of the world," '"alide™ ;' h-""' f™ "^^^ "- domimon, if he would only serve hir--' ^". ."""'^ ""-ir ,.ast
iHl: l.MA.M Jnl|v
serve hini. l
ci
haps h
IS
suggestion was
-tl I Mad; L|Kat the "Hs into
• ; l)llt lie Ml of tlir
•1(1 .lldllc,
1!\ this US l)iT;i,l
>sc wlio
C |)()\\t |-
.ad Iroiii i()(l, and ]xissa_<;c find in 1)', and
1 to the n Jcru- liilc he :ity of to cast s^cstcd
(iod's
from
■' To
an«^-cr uotcd
to a
iding- I the
MArn/n\\\
somclhin,^ like ll,i, that: ui,|, l,is mighty ,,„u-,t h. .I„u,l.l have all
I e „ „!., ,.,H,s unrkl „„„u,liately f,,,- |,is M,l,je.t. if he «„„l.l .,„.-
.>..., to hen- aM,„„., a„.l j.i.tily their rites, a,ul ^ive hcnor 1„ th. „■
':; '■^"'':, 'l'."-^- J-"- l-'l' '■■•lUe.l an.! drove the te,n|,ter auav.
I-' hesa„l:..„ettlK.e hu„ v. Sala,, : lor it is un.ten, !l,o„ .h,,
"'"^iHl.lhe l.oraihy<;oJ,a,„l him only .shall thou serve" 1 kre
^'a.st was
JUllN Till': liAl'TlSl- I-KKA( IllXt; KKl'KM A.NcK
t'lrll^hZtWersf ^■^^^*' '■' "'^' '"" ^"■^'"- °^ I^-.tcrono,„y, a,Kl
. Tluis this vile enemy Mas clrixen away, anil offered no more s„..o-cs-
Christ r T ";•■" ''', """'' "'^^' "" ''r'i'rcssion npon the mind of
whlus e'vil °° °'^"'"/'"'^' "1^"" "">■ '"'"J--^. "hen we think and do
After this Jesus was comforted antl fed by angels
.'cs.is connnenced preaching soon after this, and a few months later
THF. FAirir.Y COmmXTAKY,
/"''" "■'•'^ "«t into prison. The eirlv hi V
t-'l'u-"aun, aiul its vicinity 0,1!,^ "''' °^ ""^ ^^^^^^^ "c,v i„
™lcs fron. Na..ret„; a^ l^^ ' , X^,"*^ "-' -Sea of (;,,„,, ^^
•••PPeanng there .oyive the li.h of fc J f'' '''^"'"''''■^'■"' ^"^""t his ^tandinjjs of men. " ' "' '^""" '"'^e to the darkened under-
Now it Wis tint T I
attend him o. his joC^s ^'n/his''?? '°""' '''-'P'-uho shouM
-nners to be saved by l,i„, Soo„\fter T "7'"^ "'™' '« ^^--"^ ^vore fishermen also, and ,vere in f i'i -'.7 J--"""^'^ '•'nd John, ,vho ■ncndmg their nets, and he calTedl t^' ^""' ""-'''■ ''^'her Zebedee also followed hi„,. '""^^ '° 'h<^'» '" the same way, and they
Jesus now proceerlpri ir. i •
"orked miraeL,o.1 ma rth:'"'\^"'' ''" '•"'^''"■- '<> 'his he moans to do; and so S M tZ """^'' ''^>'°"'l 'he reach of natm I '- was the Messiah-tt A;;"'^:^. ^" ^"''"'^ -'''-e tt
Jesus Christ's Sermon on the Mo«,t.
MATTHEW V, VI, v,i.
ji.eont-r trc.:t: :.Sr:ti:nt:f ''b, "™°" - "- -°-.
^eir need of a Saviour, a's a r^ i^prnn^'J 'Tf'' '°''^ " "° ^^ Whtle many a proud rich man, and ma wf ! '"' "^'"'^ °f '■■''a-ity. be shut out or heaven, such a hunll^^^ ^'2,1^:: l^^i i^ Then he proceeds: "Rlessedar-^^h .1
co-fonedr that is, they that t"so;:ylr hT sL'°^ f^.'^"'^" "^
> or tftcir sins, and grieve that
LTC HI
out i
c\v
lis
uiKlcr-
ou Id
sh iclcrful 1 after
idr
cw
rmcn that
inn-
wh
o
th
lec, ey
itural ^ that
Iht
ill
3 X
? X
5i C/5
a H
- O
S >
E r
(I) ^■'
° m
T 33
"33
voi,' x'nT-r""''"'''" °" ™E mount
you, I III l-eaven anH «,^4.,- ■""■!,
\
*
o wise
MATTHEW.
they h:u-c offended against a good (iod. shall ])e ,>ardo„cd ^>r Jesus Chi ,st s sake. lessee! are the meek, for they shall inherit the ea th ^ •
anory persons, full of resentment at every affront, can nexer enjoy anJ comfort of hie; but meek spirits, havin.- the ten.per of Christ r^^al v
blessec a e they whieh do hunoer and thirst after righteousness • for ^ s .1 c h.led-; those uho find then.selves ,mlty before Gc^ and Mth a desu-e strong as a hungry n^m has for meat, or a thirsty man for drn.k look for aeceptanee with God through a better !'h?. eousness, or better merits than their "^
own, shall be satisfied with the right- eousness of the Saviour. " Blcslsed are the merciful : for they shall obtain mercy " ; those who show mercy and kindness toward the bodies and souls of their fellow-creatures, for Jesus Christ's sake, shall receive mercy from him. " Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God " ; and none else shall see him in glory, but those whose hearts or dispositions are made clean and new by the Divine Spirit. " Blessed are the peace-makers: for they shall be called the children of God." Those who do all they can to make men live
tTevt't'coT'T','; '"■-■ "-;' ?^'^"--'-- ■■'-• 'o stop strife ^vhenever they sec ,t God uill bless, and tliey sliall be owned as Iiis eiiildren who so str,k,ngly bear one of tlie marks of i,is iniage ; so you s hat
blessmg. Blessed are they which are persecuted for rifthteousness' sake: forthe.rs ,s the kingdom of heaven." This means 1^X0^0 who are , 1-treated by wicked people, because they are reli,. ou shaU be rewarded at last with the blessin..s of .dorv which ^ cntnrs f.vr,.„t ti, -'"»'' '" &'"')■ wnicli tlieir perse-
men hall evil ^^ ""'T "" "'^'^^ '^"^^y- "Blessed are ye when men shall rev.le you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of
Sermon o\ the Mount.
\
s
28
TIIR FAMILY COMMENTARY.
evil against you falsely for my sake - Thnc i "^itured names, or nanies inhmh 1 . "^ '"^'^^ ''^'''' ^^"^'^' ''I-
serve God in sincerity nil b! ^;^;^'l---h them, because they
ingglad.- if this is d.'e ' ^ ^\ '""' ^^^^'^ -^^' be exceed-' so persecuted they the pro'nhet ' /'-rr ^^^^^^^^^ ^'^ heaven : for
"-- ^vl,o are U^^ ^"" °" '° ^'-- -'-t he expects from He re,„ov.es everyg.ound of .ista.e about his doctHne.anc, sho.s
the peop e that his disciples must rever- ence the holy law of God, and the truts
auyn by the prophets, and have a bctte nghteousness or holiness than theScribes and J harisees, ,vho were men that made only an outside show of religion, uhile,
W GoT"' '''^^ "■■' "°' '-^' "- To help you to understand better our 1-ords <l,scourse, I must just notice these t\vo classes.
^^ The one class of persons is called
.^uibes. They wrote copies of the
Scriptures long before printing was
kno^vn m the ,>orld, and whatever they
Jewish history which Gods wonrdidlt'TSf'th"'' ","'"^" '" "" explamed the Scriptures to th,. , ' ""'>' ^'^° '"'•■ad and
"leaning to them, while the neonle iTi ' f "''"^ *"''' °«'" ''^"'^'''^d great reverence. Many of ,he7l t '"^ '■^"^' ^°"""'="i^ with Lord often coupled them together "''' ''''"''^'^' ^"'' ^° °"
unlettatuotTplrtri'''' "'"' P"''"'^^"^- ^ P"bh-can we
not inn keepers, ^^^::::^^:^:z:;^^^T^ ""'"■•-- -:
-s of t e Jews, who were then su^'^ to tl .X' ^T "n1 ' " •''-■"'^' ^"'' '" ^^"^-"»- "-■ taxes, very often 4^ h"e
Readkrs or r,,,.; Jkw,.s„ Law.
called ill- -ausc they be cxceed- eavcn : for the holy
)ects from
nd shows Jst rever- ;he truths e a better le Scribes lat made >n, while, love the
2tter our t notice
; called of the ig was ^er they in the ad and fancied Ls with so our
an we s were collect re not ed the
Matthew.
«9
11, *'
people, dealt hardly with tht>m -mrl f^ .1 r ,
In continumo- his sermnn r.,,.- t 1 pockets
for, as a father he nro,.|,l,.. r ^ address Cod as your lather;
be treated wi^, r I. t^e'-^yZ^^hl^t r'" '"" "'^ "'""' '"">' heart, and over the hearts of nd? , "'^'>' ""-" "^■^'- >""'■
may be done amonj rn^a,.- ""'"'"■"' "'' "'"' '"'^ '-'> '-^
kmd; you acknowkdge that you live by his bount)-, who gives you daily bread; you confess your sins, which are debts to God, because they have left you short in paying God the duties you owe to him, and you ask him gra- ciously to pardon them, as you pardon those \vho offend you —which we hope you do ; you ask God to preserve you'
and yon express yo H bel f tint Co"; T Tf' "'^° ''^ ''^^"'^"^ your desire to ..ive hin ono n T ^^ '" "''•" >°" '''^'^' •''"'1
-aying, .. For thine T^^Z^nT^ h' """''^ "" ^'''" "''"^ forever. An^en." An^e^ n^tS"'.. ^Z '" ""''"• """' '"^ S'^^'
i^^'^:^::zjs:'^^:":,:r:f-^ r-^ ^ei„, covetous.
JKWISII .SCKIIIKS IN T,„.: Tl.MK oK CllKKsT.
3"
Tim FAMILY COMMUNTARY.
llicreforc, much wiser t<j look for -x l-wt;,,
-tlic happiness of licaven the 1 '^ '""""" °'^ ''""'^'- '■'^^^^-
better tlK'nall the ri s |n't er """' "^ ^'°^ ^'^''^-^^^ '» ^^r
He then ,oes o^tV w r„ ^Ih ll^^^^n'^'' '" ""■- ™'^'- '
agamst thinl.,,. uncharitably of oth^.^r'T'"'""^ '" '""*''""'
body, against beinjf deceived by fal^ p ojhr s . ;""' r'V'" '" ^'">-
or teaehers,-and also against iedvi^^'-tlw^' '" '''" '"""'"'-^
Lastly, our dear Saviour concludes his ,
striking con,parison, taken from fiX^^, en ,^^"7 ^' ^ ""'''' '"' the sea at fishing tinK-, build their huo" h f '7'"' '" ^' "'''
come and, in a moment s,ve, h n ""''"' "''"" ""= ^'"rms
the hopes of all th^se l- , , """''• ''"' ''^' '^"^ "^' "'I'
taught,-but never! ng'vbuhor::"'^'"'"', T"" '"■^"■'■"^' ""'•" '^^ them shall be like a wie\mn tl u ,"■'",'' '"' ''>''"«^ ^'"'' ''" floods, rain, and uind Z!^/::';^^;'^ "^^ ^ ^ -'<• which man fell not, for it u as f„nn,l.i '^ ^^' ^he house of the wise foolish man fe I, and get wa t f 'If °? " 1°'^ ' '^' ''°'-^ °f the sand. Christ hin s If is a a ock -"' . " ""' ""''''' "'"" "-
rested their hopes fo ee,nitv- l^t" "'''''' ""'"^'•""'^ '''''^' safely P'easure is but' as ^m> !7n7.ho: t ^udd'' tt'r, t /'' !'"'- °' mus at last lose everything, and be ruinecl forever ' ""''""''
ishl?"at hSg1:„11':,,^;r:,J™°^ -". the people were aston-
he said was so^ifcen r , w '.ri'VT ''"r"' «°°" ^ ^" taught. And he still preache to n „ "' """^ ^^'"'''''' had
to us in his holy word Mav we '^f'""'''"^ ^e still preaches
Holy Spirit, reaci^ L ttach u^h: ?™ ^eek ' M '^ "" ■^''"' '^>' "'^ we shall find rest for our souls." '' '""''^ °' ^''''- ^"^
Miraculous Cures performed by Jesus Christ.
IMATTHKW VIII IX
followed him wherever he went. ''^''^' ^^^^^^^
MAJTIIEW.
sr treasure -vcr is far world.
I I't'ligion,
II to aii)- prcachcrs
rctty and o be near le storms i us, will : w hat he and do :k, which the wise ; of the pon the c safely opes of ippiness
: aston- 'od ; all ;es had reaches . by his irt, and
31
like to rowds
i
Matthew now tells us about a wonderful cure which Jesus per- formed. A poor creature afflicted with leprosy earnestly cried to him lor help. If we had seen him our hearts would have felt the greatest pity for hnn, for the leprosy was a most miserable disease. We think we see hmi, with his white skin covered all over with scurf, which had It been taken off, would have shown a body full of raw wounds Per- haps he could hardly drag along his swollen limbs, with deformed jomts, the effect of his horrible disease ; and every one stood away from hnn, lest he should be infected by him. But Jesus, whose
" Heart is made of tenderness,"
was ready at once to help him ; and if others pitied him, and could not help, Christ both pitied and helped him, too. He touched him and he was cured ; his word was enough to remove the disorder—" I will ; be thou clean."
Matthew here tells us of another wonderful cure which he did \ Centurion, or officer in the Roman army, met him in a place called Capernaum, where he was dwelling ; and, doubtless, having heard of his fame and readiness to do good, he humbly asked him to cure his servant. " Lord," said the officer, " my servant lieth at home sick of the palsy, grievously tormented." It is not quite certain that Matthew meant by the palsy, in this chapter, the disease which we call by that name ; for the names of diseases, and the diseases themselves chan-e from age to age ; but the disease was, at all events, very distressino- and generally considered incurable; but Christ could cure it as weU as he did the leprosy ; so he said, " I will come and heal him " The officer thought it was too great an honor for Christ to visit him and again humbly asked him only to command the disease to cro and it would obey him, as readily as his soldiers did when he gave them the word of command. This was great faith in his power, to believe that he could cure the man, though the man was not there. But he knew that Christ could see the man, though the man could not see him ; and as Chnst delights in those who fully trust in him, he praised the man's faith to his discples, to teach them to trust him with the same confi- dence; and he told the Centurion to go home, and he would find his
33
Tim FAMILY COMMENTARY
«inic ,.crs„ns in a surprisiii"- h,u- -is
"'«"«'. they would prevent Christ froi,,
Samm. honor i,y curing these victi„,s.
I ut these uere nothing before him, for
lie cast out the devils ;vilh his ,>or<l ■'
1 cThaps you have seen the sea, and >°- rou,h its ^va^•es are. Did you
" •'■ 'T " '" ••• •'^'"'"i ? It foams n ost ft"-.ously, and its waves s,>ell like hi..^
mot,nta,ns It dashes against the rocks
as f,t would even crush them to pieces. When th,s ,s the case the winds blo,v ma force that scarcely anything can """■ , '" -^'"^l' a storm the di.sciples "•ere ^vhen Clu-ist ^v.xs ,vith them In a sh.p, cossmo. the sea of Tiberias into the country of G.adara. \\--|,i,e t|„,,,
were a In, alarm, and "the .ship was covered w,th waves/he was in a. sweeJ
divine po,ver was now fully strent'Lnc^rha' in '''"'' "'"]'' •""■"' '" '^'^ thinffs he di<l, immediatelvawole ■ ■ , ^ ^c-cn what womlerful
perish I ■• His tender hea^t' fel° pit" LT'- "'f' " ''°''' "•'™ "'^ ■ ^'^
- . this that ev'en th^wt,^ ^Tti: srob?,;™- ^-^ ^
nKAI.IN(; TIIK UlIND.
sclf-s:
MArruEw,
line
z:!>
■ 'hat tJu' It is often •irctl in a ft licr. Hxlics of ;■ \\a)', as I'ist from • victims.
him. for s \\()rcl." '^ca, and ^i<-l )ou ns most 'l<e hi oh le rocks > pieces. Is blow ini;- can isciples m in a IS into c they ij) was . sweet
in his iclcrful IS : ^vc tantly i\as a er of
pos- e the
Jewish people used to make their tombs to bury their dead, and they
were so "exceedin^r fierce- that "no man might pass by that way."
The wicked spirits that were in these unhappy bodies were in a still
greater rage when they saw Christ approaching them, and they said,
What have we to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God ? Art thou
comc^ hither to torment us before the time ? " Prom which question
It IS believed that wicked spirits will be more tormented after the day
of judgment than they ever yet have been. Since these devils found
that Christ would not let them keep possession of the bodies of these
poor men whom they tormented, they asked to go into a herd of swine
that they saw near them— for they
would rather torment these poor
animals than be prevented from
doing any harm at all. Now, as
these swine belonged to Jews,
and were kept contrary to God's
law, who would not allow them to
purtake of them, being reckoned
among the unclean beasts, Jesus,
to punish their owners, suffered the
devils to go into the swine, which
they so tormented that they " ran
violently down a steep place into
the sea, and perished in the waters."
The covetous Jews were very angry that they had lost their swine
hough two of their people had been saved from cruel torments by the
loss, and having besought Jesus to leave them, he went home ac.ain to Capernaum. ^
Jesus having returned to Capernaum, another man, "sick of the palsy. wa.s brought to him on his bed, or mattress, which in the East- ern countries is very light and thin. Our Lord, seein- that the man
r • r tl '' ""'^^ '^^'^^^' ^" '^•^ ^^'"^"^-^ and^3ower ;: air hrni, instantly gave h.m relief, both in soul and body.-he pardoned his sins, and he sent him home, carrying the bed on which he was brought Some of the wicked Scribes who were present, when they
Wine Skins.
^\
run FA.]f/rA' au/j//:xr. i/^ y.
new not that he was ..God ....^'^ o^ 'v .frZ'fl' ^^ ^
.ive sins, so nZ t:Ll't l^-.tit^ Z^ ^^ ^ T'^'r ^ palsy, "Arise and walk ' ^ ^ ^"^ ''"^ "'"'^ «^ the
■fitting takin..- taxes at .. tl r l , ' '""^ "'"""■'*• "^^ "'-■'^
touches the heart, sinners now leave 11 thei' I 'l '" ^'""^
are ready to .rive uo all their LVruf ."'^'"™^■"l connection. , and y },HX up all then orldly gams, ,f they stand in their way
, anc follo>v the Lord Jesus Christ by openly
JKJ J^ professmg hnn, and declaring in their lives
^j^ j ^J whose they arc and whom they serve
^*^ ,/^? "'^' '^"" Jc-^"-^ at a feast given bv
Matthav to his friends, as aj.pears from the
tl>em good on this occas ',n ''"r °^ ^'f '/ ''^'"'''''■^ ''^ " '^''"1 '° ^o "ould say. Hi eon°, a" 2r "'"Ty^ """ '° '"" "''^t ^'^ ''-d ".en greatly d sp " ' b e I? "?' "'' '•'^-S^'"— ■ - -' of
the monc/they 'could ft^ ^m'XXfp! .^i-^" "'^'-f 'V^^' ^" themselves the best of „„.„ ? " "■'■■'■■^' "'^o thought
the people to be holy ,S, "it" l"'""'^' "'^" ""■'■^'' "'^ '-'^'^t Lord del not go h ;e to L '•'"' '"'"''''"y- ^"' °"^
design to teach th^mthe'w^rrbrsred"^' ''"'''"'-■ ^"' -'" "^^
in In^eHcTtdt Iharrt''" "^-^'^'^I "'^^^ '° ^ "'^*°- "°* ^no- Lord says, .. N therlo Z, t'°"' '''' "°' ""^'^-"'""-^ "• Our bottles break an 1 the win r T '""^' '"'° "''' '^°«'^^. '='^<-' 'he
^rq-cd him and they sh." liut ncc when oil Id for- ± of the
lisciples ;
He was Ill-house I to him, lis grace onr, and leir way^
openly ir lives
ven by om the -d to do is Lord I set of
get all hought
taught hit our ith the
vnown
Our se the i; but
He active John,
MATTIIIilV.
i5
rv'ere not fit to bear the severity of it any more than an old bottle could bear nevv wine; and, in a verse preceding, than an old rotten garment would bear mending with a strong, new piece. Now we can see why an old garment must not be mended with a strong, new piece of cloth, because the new piece would tear away the rotten part by its strength and weight. But how can new wine hurt old bottles > An old American bottle is as good as a new one, and perhaps, indeed, better, because ,t is seasoned,-has been tried and found good. But the bottles used in the Hast were made of the skins of goats or kids which were taken off whole and dressed; all the legs but one, and the neck, being tied up, were used until the leather became tender and easily rent by strong pressure.
A certain ruler of the synagogue, where the Jews worshiped, had a daughter lying dead; and, having heard of the wonderful things which Jesus did, he believed that he was able to restore his daughter, even from death itself, and so went and worshiped him, and asked him for his almighty aid. Jesus arose from Matthews table where he was then sitting, and, following the ruler, went with him to his house.
On his way to the ruler's house a poor woman who had had "an issue of blood twelve years," and which she could get no one to cure, came behind him, and, being full of faith in his power to cure her, she thought she would touch the hem of his garment,-the fringe which our Lord wore as a Jew.-and even that c^arment, hanoing about his sacrt|d person, might be the channel of conveying the ^healing virtue which he possessed to her poor diseased body. Jesus knew all about what she was doing, and why she did it, and he graciously turned Zt hee" Tl ^f ^^:D.-,Shter, be of good comfort, thy faith hath made thee whole. He, indeed, had made her whole, but by her be/icvnig in his power to heal her she had received the cure Jesus then went to the ruler's house, and when he came there he saw the minstrels and the people making a noise." This was a proof that his daughter was really dead, for the minstrels were pipersWho
PouRiN(; Wine Out of a
UoTTLE.
36
Till- l-AWLV COmtEXTARY.
playuil "linn nfiil tunes, aiul the nois,- ui< .„ i
ing vvo,„c„, >vl,o ucrc '.Kvav r ] ' '" "'■" '"''"''■' '>>' "'o"™-
c-y over decease. ,s,' Soto's!;™ "',""!«."-■ J-- '" K'-m a.ul
■•'s Ihey had seen that she tw I \T , •"" «"';■-■ ■•'-•^"-•'-' her; hut,
"■'-'.^.. a Sleep; a,.a thot.,h ,^ t,.e;:;ir;t!:;;e:::;y™;a^:
VALLKY OK SALT. UETWEExV CANAAN AND EDc-M.
as l,e was to be of the familv n^ p , ■,°'" •■'"°'"'^'' Saviour,_and, Son of David." He let th' m nl "l ""^^'''''--^d Cluist, "Thou asked if thevrPnlKK! , . ' "' '"'" '"'° ">'- house, and th-n h-
Lord 'and T. ; "' ":' ~"''' ^'"■'- "'^"'- And they said "Yea
Lord, and, he havtng merely touched their eyes, they received sfhl'
by mourn- Kroan and id niourn- nly slept; licr; but, '(Jr sa) in^ti;- 111 was no lid awake
MATTIlliW.
37
nd she
m, and - men —and, 'Thou len he " Yea sight'
The bhnd men had hardly left the house when the people hrou.du Jesus . a dumb man possessed with a devil." It i. th uH.t th U U e w.cked spn-.t had taken away his power of speech. •• A^ . devd was cast out the dun,b spake: and the nudtitudes n.arvel!: sa>.ng. It was never so seen in Israel.' - Moses, lilijah, and M..!, t were grea prophets, and did wonderful things.-but so nuuu
ttrlrcfci r t"'' r'"' '"'"^'''"' ''''' ^'^^^•'^^'^••^•^ ^'--^'y ''^'1^---1 for h mse f. but were so r.gully held by the power of the sxna.-o-.ue h": o su^" Pnesthood. that they hesitaled, and even'fea;;d: o arbor such eonv.ct,on-nu.ch more, to give utterance to it, in a uav that would be hkely to reach the ears of those in authoritv. Only tl ■ careful Bible student can properly estimate the force of this. ^
Christ's Twelve Disciples.
MATTni:w X.
We have here a list of the twelve apostles, which, for the sake of memory, we put down in three eolun,ns, and diMde into three fours
1. Simon, called i ^tcr.
2. Andrew, his brother.
3. James, son of Zebedee.
4. John, his brother.
5. Philip.
6. l5artholomew.
7. Thomas.
8. Matthew.
9. Janus, son of Alpheiis.
10. Lebbeus, surnamcd Thaddeus,
11. Simon, the Canaanite.
12. T,|(]as Iscariot.
Th? n !?' ,' ' r™' ■'^''™°" ^'''' """^ '^"'1^'="'. "■^'■e brothers The next wo, James, the son of Zebe.lee. and John, were also brothers The las among the next four w-as Matthew, the writer of this ™s- pe . and the last of the last four vvas Judas Iscariot, who afteru-ards betrayed his Divme Master. ^e.uaius
In the first verse these are called t/Zsaji/cs, which means persons
from h,m In the second verse they are called ^M^-v, whirl, means pcT ons who «.. sen. These twelve were chosen as Christ's disciples
vh -h r Tf .'\''™^' "■'* """'• "^^ -^^ 'he wonderful thin"' which he d,d,and hear the divine doctrines which he taught; an^
38 j
THE FAMILY COMMENTARY,
had i«,/. * ""'""•'^ "'^ «/«^«^« as servants whom he
Christ's Estimate of John the Baptist.
MATTHEW XI.
John the Baptist was at this fim^ . / • his imprisonment is .iven in hi f ? T P'''^^"- ^^^ -^"^e of things which Jesus du^ "r ^owevtr ?n r ^'''^^^^''"- '^^^^" ^^^^^^^ desired that his disciples shouTd ,1 ° " ^" that place, and as he
pics should become acquainted with Christ he
sent them to hear from his own hps what proofs he could give that he was the long-hoped-for Messiah. Jesus both told and showed them what wonderful thmgs he performed on the blind the lame, the lepers, the deaf, the dead ; and how he preached the glad tidings of heavenly mercy to the poor. These were proofs enough.
Then, as soon as John's dis-
PH.SON ,. VVH,C„ J.„. ,,V,s „,„,.,,,.
ciples were gone, he took occn.Jnn f , '"'"'/^ ^^^^on as John's dis- man, on whose foithfulL^n^rn. ] f "^^ ^' '"^^ ^--i
nVhat."said he. <' vvent y o ' jnT T/ -m ^^^'^^^^ '^^^' "^^"^
youwenttohear JohntiB'ts" .a' ^'fTr ^° ^^^^ " " -^-- They understood the n ean inrnf V ''''^ '''''''" ''''^ ^^e wind .>" the Baptist was not a t mid^wf " '""'T' '''''''' '^'^^ ^^-^ John
;r.n,-r'"' -' " " -
* For full I'nforrmtfm r ^- —
«.U book, emiUed ..The' aX'^j'^;!!'""- '"=""■"-"'■ "'" '» "- -„„d d7p^;i;.7(
t they had whom he
cause of vondcrful and as he -hrist, he
his own Lild give oped-for old and onderful le Wind, Jeaf, the hed the ^ mercy : proofs
I's dis- is good tended v\'hen vind ?" It John hakini> Tnings
ment ? f they
ment of
•A
MATTHEW.
39
fhT'v^rr T ''f 'r'' '", °"' "■'"^" "'^-y «'^"' '« ^-^^ J°l'" the Baptist tl cy had found thcnsdvcs mistaken, for he was c,t ite a plain n'in'
who was not eoncerncd to make a show of himself in the woddbm to prepare the hearts of the people to reeeive Christ
Yet agam he asked, •• But what went ye out for to see > a prophet > ■ If tl.s had been their expee-nion, they had been even more hily
rS; t'lv r^;' r"" 'r ■"■•"•' "'^- '^™''"^'^' f-- - bearing Sr
t th r^ a nro f r '""'■' "'^'" ^' prophet, a person n.orc e.xeel- Icn than a p,ophet,-h,s "messenger,' -one whom God had sent to be the forerunner of his own Son when he eame into the worW to preach glad tidmgs to the lost.
They had indeed heard the greatest man that ever was born- for he was prophes.ed of by the prophets, and pointed to the very obiee
Thus you see that true greatness does not consist of riches or .how, or ta ents, but it consists in our being servants of Christ knd
uJlL ^iT ■' ''""'"' °' '," ^^^™""' ='"" '^ '»--^ -''hii'-ine tercou se with a,m. is raised to the most exalted rank. Indeed
hough John the Baptist was so great a man, Jesus said even of hfm'
Notw,thstand,ng he that is least in the kingdonr of heaven is greater
than he. The 1 ttle mfant m heaven is greater than John was for he
itVhtSo ■:;: aeatr" '^ '^^ ^™'" ^'' ^^-■^-'^ ^--r near and
The Pharisees' Enmity Against Christ.
MATTHEW XII.
to ?h? ^"'"^''^^ ''"^ ^''"' ™' S°'"S "^™".>h .-> corn-field on his way
lcked^"'^'°^"'' '".^ ^'' '^''"^'^'' ''^^ ''''' ™'h hin,, being hungry plucked some ears of corn and ate them. Now, the Pharisees, though
outva,d th ngs wishmg people to think them the most pious men m the world. So they found fault ^vith Jesus for letting his disciples
4o
THE FAMILY COMMENtAkV.
the Sabbath clay to kcqV^ t IT ^t tT"'' f 1^'' '^''' " K<='»'^'"ber
(See the twcntfeth chaptc oft^" ,' /''°" ^''^" ,""' "o any work."
of w,sdo„,, gave, them i prompt rep,; L - ^ '^ '''' "*'^' ^""
^'"y answer, for he ren>inded « cm h^ ' m ""^^ ^'«'''' ""' '"^ke
-- '>^ - htm,ry, and that ^.Z^^:LZZ ttt^
''"^>' to the priests, yet the priest gave it to David and his men. He also told them to recollect that the priests did work on the Sabbath day, and that within the tem- Ple too, for they could not kill and sacrifice the beasts without doing worV, and yet they were not doing wrong. This silenced them, and he went to the synagogue.
When he arrived at the synagogue they resolved on renewing their attack upon him ; and as there was a man there with a withered hand, they asked him if it was law- ful to heal on the Sabbath- day. This they did "that
UA.NCIXG IN THE I-AST.
they might accuse him," for thev evrn ^t^'v,. I*"" """y '"'' " that
to be given on the Sabbath Our Lord f .""f "° "'^^'^'"'^ "'a^
not lawful to .save a sheep on « e SabbSl d "'/^ ""?'=""=^ " »-
'no a pit; and, if a sheep, vhy not a man „ ^' '''''" " ^""^ ''='"»
value than a beast? " Wherefore -sTidh- ''^' '° ""* >""«
on the Sabbath days." We mv ni,/ , ' \ " ''^^'■"' '° ^o well
but we may relie4 .he pX"h ^ «P ^°'',- '"=" ^^V,
^n.ness and chant, Xhis ChrisV has' ^t ^ ^^^^
%%.
.'i
5 a sort of Remember any work." always full J not make •hew-bread
0 be given :s, yet the )avid and told them le priests
Sabbath the tem- ould not le beasts , and yet ? wrong. . and he ie.
[ at the »Ived on k upon s a man d hand, ''as law- abbath- " that ne was it was ; fallen
1 more lo well It day rks of e sick,
MATTHEW.
for he said to the man, " Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretch • 1 ^ orth; and n was restored wliole, like as the other" "
I thitfi^s'e'h^t '::; IS 7 -^ '''"''''' 'y ^-" (-^ "-
^ ful for the good donet the Li .?",':?'• ,'"^'^"'^ "^ ''^''"^ ">-k- him, deelari'ng that he hL br k ' t hel H. "'^f ?'"1 '^\^"""^ go in wickedness vvhen tl,eir liearte are h^ 1 n T'"' "'" "'™ I'harisees must have been not tT '''",'''-■"'=') ' Hovv bhnd the
such a cure but God o 5 'h s tweTr /'"' 7""= ^""''^ ''--^°- from them, and mu!tiud..s followed hi ^t"'', "'"""■•"""' "^^ done, took their «i„.with 1 en "and h 7' , ? ''"■'"«■ "''"' '''^ ''^^^ indeed, a har abbat to I ' th se poor" t . "'" 'V '''''' '''^'
n^-mber it as iong as they lived How- ' ""^ """" ''^-
ever, "he charged them that they
should not make him known." He
did this, perhaps, for two reasons : the
one to prevent the Pharisees' havinn-
any more proofs of ivho he was, since
they had already refused to believe in him from what they had seen ; and the other to teach us that when we do good we ought not to publish it abroad ■n every place like the Pharisees, who did all their works ■• to be seen of men "
bH^Td^umb-'^r"' '"''' "" ••""^- P°™'wi.h a devil
th^ pLple'" • the^raMXTh'T ^" "^ '''' ^""^ ^'"""'^^^^ T^^ • , M ^ y ^^^^ *-^^t Christ was certa nlv " the Snn ..f
David, ' meanme the Mossinh f^r t,^ . ^umy me hon of
so Christ was his son Th p.^ • T" ^"^ 'P""- ^'^"^ ^^''^ ^^^"^
natelv set ncmlncf i.- " ' , ^ ^ ^^"^^"^ ^^^^'^ ^^s not obsti-
God TV ^ ™' """'^ '^^'^^^ ^^^^" ^^'^-^s done by the power of
God. This was so wicked that our Lord passes sentence al^uL^l
Ancu-.nt llAkV
•■■3 1 l.K.S.
one possessed with a devil,
43
THE FAMILY COMMENTARY.
u
hardened men, and since th jy sinned against the Holy Ghost— the Spirit of (}od— in saying that the devil did what none but the Al- mighty could do, he declared that such could have no pardon.
Some Scribes and Pharisees having now surrounded him, asked him to give them some other signs, besides those which he had given before they would believe in him. Christ would not gratify their vain curiosity, but he tells them that they shall have one si-n more, and that "asJor;as (or Jonah) was three days and three nights hi the whale's belly, so shall the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth." By this ne meant his resurrection from the dead —the greatest proof that he was the Messiah. Then, as he was speak- nig of Jonah, he told them that they, the Pharisees, were so obstinate and wicked that even the men of Nineveh would rise up against them as witnesses in the day of judgment, and condemn them, for they had repented at the preaching of Jonah, while they, the Pharisees, remained impenitent, though a greater than lonas was there. Jonah is the Hebrew name of that prophet, but Jonas the name he bore amoncr the Greeks. ^
Parables.— The Sower : The Tares : The Mustard-seed : The Leaven: Th-. Hidden Treasure: The Pearl: The Net.
MATTHEW XIII.
We now come to our Lord's parables ; and they are very interesting mdeed, as well as instructive. But do you kno^v what a parable means ? It is a sort of fable, and, by feigned stories, teaches us true things. Parable sometimes has other meanings in Scripture, but this IS the meaning of our Lord's parables. You have perhaps been amused with yEsop s or Gay's fables, and they teach us many good lessons about how we should conduct ourselves in going through the world ; but our Lord's parables teach us how we may find a better world. The finest fables are comparatively nonsense by the side of Christ's parables. They are so simple, so natural, so tender, so beau- tiful—and yet some of them are so grand. The first parable in this chapter is that called " the Sowerr
r Ghost — the but the Al- rdon.
m, asked him e had given^ ify their vain n more, and 1 the whale's ights in the om the dead I was speak- so obstinate igainstthem for they had es, remained onah is the i among the
zt^x The e Net.
' interesting a parable les us true ire, but this ■haps been many good hrough the d a better :he side of r, so beau-
A CUP OF COLD WATER.
'And whosoever shall ^iv« ^ h , ^ WA 1 tR.
BEHOLD, A SOWER WENT FORTH TO SOW."-IVIatt. 13: 3.
mF
3.
MATTIfPAV.
45
Our Lord explains this ])arabic. The So7vcr u-nc; Mm • ir , • also mean every nunistcrof hh .o.lch tin 'T^'^'^f^ ^'"^^^ '^ "^''^X he preaches is the best JZ^^r^f^'"^ '^^ ^"^ "'""
become so numerous thnt tl-.^.,-^ ; . nearmg-, and these
enter. Then it irt^f^L'tirnrlr^^^.r ;;^ r ^ 'h
then the ^^^J^r::t:^:::t::z::^'^ t' ''-'■
.tin vain. The next parabl'e is ^r^X^^'-^y:::!'^' may read ,t from the twenty-fourth to thirtieth "4^ ''°"
which a., that a:et:,e"°ho,r;" ^1 1 t^^ °^7r"-'' '°
knigdom of heaven, which xve mav , M, ' , ""' '°°' '" "^^ but there is a .,n,don, of tl; X^^^ A 'It; t^""™ r^'' wuhm the boundaries of this kingdom Christ n I ^°"^f '""■" them to become his subierts • nn,itr , ' '" '"' S°''Pel, asks
kingdom fete ar nrfpa d Vor h r" 1'° '"^'"" '° "^'^ '^"'^ '" ""-^ ever, many that do ™t subn " to th ''^ T "" '''"'' '""' ''°"- that do, an'd are hke b", s^^ , "ng rgood"^ ^7' ''"' ^^^ grow together now, but they will no^t ahvfvs Jro. t^ ^trTt'?" of judn;ment is comino- and th-itwlll u fi i togttlier. The day
will be burned, and t^ ^od "m t H '^ ^^l-f '^ '^^^^" ""T"^^' treasure in a storehouse. ^ ^' '''"''^^^ ^^'^^^^^^ '-^^
4 I.
46
THE FAMILY COMMENTARY.
Wc have then a short parable of " The Treasure." In the kingdom of heaven there is a rieh treasure. The gospel is the field where it is to be found. Here are "durable riches."
We have another parable of " The Merchantman." He was tryino- to find out some goodly pearls, that he might gain by them ; and al last he met with one, and parted with everything he had that he might get it for himself.
" My heart exulting sings, For I this precious pearl have found."
"Jesus Christ," says Mr. Henry, " is a pearl of great price, a jewel of
inestimable value, which will make those that have it rich, truly rich, towards God : in having him, we have enough to make us happy here, and forever."
The parable of "The Net " follows next. After explaining the wheat and the tares, you will at once see the meaning of this parable.
Then comes " The Householder." " Every Scribe which is instructed unto the kin<r- dom of heaven is like unto a man that is a householder, which bringeth forth out of his treasure things new and old." The teachers among the Jews were Scribes. Our Lord, therefore, was now bringing up his disciples to be teachers, and he meant by this that if they were good teachers, they would be like a good householder, who had both old and new things to set at his table.
We are told, af the close of this chapter, that people were every- where astonished at Christ's wisdom ; especially were they surprised who heard him speak where he was brought up. His reputed lather was a carpenter; and they said, "Is not this the carpenter's son?" But the knowledge of Christ was that of the Son of God. Yet, because he did not take the form of a rich man, but " for our sakes became poor," the silly people thought it strange that he should know so much,
Black Mustaud
MATniEW.
ic kingdom where it is
was trying m ; and at It he might
47
, a jewel of iiake those 'ards God : ^h to make
Hows next. I the tares, ing of this
r." "Every the kin<T- nan that is M th out of )ld." The e Scribes, ringing up he meant ce a good table, sre every- surprised ited father ir's son ? " it, because -s became r so much,
and be able to each tI,o way to heaven even better than the learned Scnbcs. "And they were oftended in l>i„,." They did not like lo be taught by hnn,and so, as they despised his teaching, " he did not many mighty worlcs there, because of their unbelief."
The Martyrdom of John the Baptist.-Christ Feeds the Muhitude.
—Christ Walks on the Sea.
MATTHIiW .\IV.
T 1"^"^'% """^ "y,' '" ■■"'"'"' '" ""^ ''''^P'-^"- i^ 'h^ martyrdom of John the Baptjst I e was killed by Herod the Tetrarch. This wa not the He^d who k.lled the infants of Bethlehem, but one of hi on. I, a Herod was called Herod the Great, but //«i was called Herod Ant,pas. \\'he,r h,s father died he divided the kin.^dom into four parts aniong h,s four sons, and this son had Galilee, of which he
goven'ment' ""'^ "^'"'^^'"° "'"' *"= '^''' "" ^""'"' >"-' °f '^^
This Herod, like his father, was a bad man. His brother Philip h.wmg lost h,s power and retired into private life, Herod lured away his w. c Herodias, who, being a wicked woman, was easily induced to eave i>h,l,p, an.l n,.,rry Herod. John the Baptist had boldly reproved h.ni for this crane, and he cast John directly into prison, and indjl^ would have k.ile.l him at once; but as John wis esteemed by th people as a great prophet, he feared that they might rise and rebel and .so he contented him.sdf with confining him
alUhet,'"''/'"r ^^'•'^'''^to™'"-'^- Herod kept his birthday with
tl tst " th h' .r ^T^' '"'"' ""-^ ^^^ ^ "-'-y "--■ Among he rest, the daughter of Herodias xvas there." She, too, had deserted
h r unfor unate ather. We are not then surprised tha she could be g^nltyo he cruelty she aftenvards displayed, for she seenrs to have been an apt scholar m following the wicked example of her mother. This young creature danced before the court, and Herod was so much st's u d ha' '° "^ "^ T'^°''' ""' declared, with an oathX
not tttl. '^"^\t7 "*^. '^^ ''''^'^' '^'" '" '^' '>="f °f his kingdom : not that he would have given half his kingdom away, but this was an
48
THE FAMILY COMMENTARY.
Eastern method of spcakin- which allowed ihc person to whom it was addressed to ask a very great favor. \ uii rememljer tliat Ahasiierus made the same promise to Esther. Esther, however, saved many ives by her reciuest; but this wretched )oun- creature asked for the life of one of the most excellent of men ; she asked for the head of John the Ba])tist. Her mother urged her on to make tliis request, but she was as wicked as her mother in making it. When we are told to sin, even a parent's commands are not to be obeyed, because God is above our parents, and all sin is an offense against God. It was not however, enough that she should ask the head of John the Bajjtist but she must have it in a charger, or large dish. This was to satisfy her mother that there was no delay, but that John vvas actually put to death; and also to prevent Herod's changing his mind, that, on more sober reflection, his heart should not shrink back from the murder The Evangelists say, "the king was sorry; nevertheless, for his oath's sake, he granted the request. Such an oath had better have been broken than kept. The L\ccd was a far more wicked thing than break- ing his word. However, he <' sent and beheaded John in\he prison • " and the young Salome took the head and handed it to her mother who satisfied her evil eyes with the sight of her faithful reprover's comite- nance, quiet in death.
And now for a while Herod, Hcrodias, and Salome were most likely at ease— for conscience often goes to sleep, but only to wake again in a greater fright ; but at last it must have been let loose upon them like a roaring lion, when (lod punished them for their sins. History tells us that when Herod had put away his lawful wife to make room for Hero- dias, Aretas, king of Pctrea— vvho was father of the former— made war against Herod, and totally destroyed his army. Moreover, at the mstigation of the wicked Herodias, he tried to dethrone his brother Agrippa, who ranked higher than he, bearing the royal title, and not that of Tetrarch. Agrippa, however, outwitted him. and procured his banishment to Lyons, where he and Herodias disgracefully died Salome is also reported to have come to an awful end, and if she had a moment for ^bought she must have remembered her cruelty to Tohn the Bantist; for going over the ice in winter, it is said the ice broke
MATTHEW.
vhoin it was t Ahasucrus ■avccj many skcd lor the the head of request, but
are told to luse God is
It was not, Ba])tist, but ) satisfy her lally put to at, on more he murder, ir his oath's have been tiian break- le prison ; " lother, who r's counte-
most likely e aj^ain in I them like ory tells us I for Hero- -made war ^er, at the lis brother -, and not ocured his ully died, if she had ty to John ice broke,
49
and she slipped in up to her neck, and her head was cut off by the sharpness of the ice. " Thus," says a great writer, " Ciod required lur head for that of John the ilaptist, which, if true, was a remarkabi. providence."
When Jesus he ird that John was cruelly put to death, he left the place to avoid Herod, lor he had yet many works of mercy to do
i
THK IlKill I'Kn:ST OF THE JEWS BEFORE THE AKK. JESLS IS .N,nv .Hu Whulk: VVokl./s Uich I'luiisr Before the Throne o,.- God.
before he should leave the world. On his departure, multitudes fol- lowed hmi, and " he healed their sick."
Having led them into a desert place, the people were very hun-ry and weary, and Jesus felt compassion for them, But there 'were '^no less than "five thousand men. besides women and children;" and how were so many to be fed ? All that the disciples had were five loaves
JO
run FAMILY COMMENTAKy.
and two fishes; and what were they .moni; so minv' VVl.l, T nothmg was in,,,oss,.le, •• M. co,n,„a„dccUl °„u,u"u,dc o s down
> to hca u,, he bles:,ed and brake, and gave the leaves to his disei- pies, and the chscples to the nudtitude." \\,n se ■ les ,s w mI ,
ta e a n.eal without lookin, t,p to ,,eaven fo,- a llssi.^ ::'„:;'
•^^l-etsibl-' "rhp'" "'"'r T'' "">■ '""' "" "^ ">^ ''-^ .".cnt: w e
1, If I , , ,^' ""'™'' ^' '""■"•■''■■ • ••""' "» ""- <:o"lcl l>avc done tins If lie hail not had power from on hi.di
sea of"G'!hr.,.'"rr'ri' "'' '""'"■""'^■•-^'1 -■"' his <lisciples across the sea of Galdee, while he went up into a mountain to pray
In the midst of this niVht the ship in whieh the dis'ipleswerc saihn.. ^^^.s overtaken vvith a violent storm, and they ^vere in the greatest ^ Ser of o„,„j, to the bottom. The Je>vs diVided the ni.d into uZ parts, reiievin. their guards on the w.i teh-towers ev . • ti re hot rs
r Xi;;^.;:-: :r' T!"'"' -'t^^- "^"' '" '"^ f°-*t:tch
went to the disciples, " walking on the sea "-another proo'P'of .l.yine power, ^vho could make the sea, where he pleased to "ead s solid as the cart itself The disciples were ntoi'e fi givtened -f the appearance oChris^ t|„„ ,, ,^^ ^j^,^^ ^^^^ ". e k n v t
hem. And Pete, having asked his leave, went to me t n n, on tl e water, for he could make it as firm for Peter as for hin f P went a little way, but his faith in Christ's power fa^edhm ..n,: began to sink ; and then he cried out " I ord s ,ve n e ,
was calm All the passengers and crew saw most plainly that lesiis possessed nothing less than Almighty power, to do vhat Ic^JZ then^^^came and ..rshiped him, saying. Of a truth thou art [he's^n
mifa^te."" "''' '™''' '■" ^'^""^^^"■'' ^^''-'- Christ performed more
Ul
MATTIIhlV.
With Jesus to sit down nd, lookinj^^ ) his (iisci-
UDllId Hot
"And they
cnts twelve
have i-lone
i across the
'crc saih"n<r latest dan- t into four hours, and b watch of lin^r, Jesus oof of liis ) tread, as cd at the kindly to 111 on the ■If Peter 11, and he !us caught faith, and p the sea hat Jesus did, and the Son
led more
5J
Christ Cures the Daughter of the Syro-Phoenician Woman, and
Feeds the Second Multitude.
MAirilliW XV.
Jesus now left the land of C jnne.iret, and went into the coasts or borders of Tyre and Sitlo'i, two .-.rineipal cities of Phcjenicia — a renowned country at that time. And . woman of Canaan, or 1 Mio-nicia, —for both names meant the ; ne,— met him. \'ou have probably often heard her called the Syro-PlKjenician woman, a name j^dven to persons in that part, because Phcenicia bordered on Syria, and, indeed, it had formerly been a part of it by concpiest. This woman, it seems, had heard of the fame of Jesus, and she believed, very strongly, that he could help her out of the greatest distress.
She had a daughter grievously tormented by a violent disorder, resembling madness, and the evil spirit ruled over her troubled mind and body. The instant she saw Jesus she cried earnestly to him to have mercy on her and cure her daughter ; and she called him " Lord," showing her faith in his divine power, and " Thou Son of David," owning him as the Messiah, the anointed great deliverer who was to save from sin. Jesus, however, did not notice her ; but he knew how great was her faith, and he wished to show it to his disciples. Still she cried out, and still he was silent. The disciples then entreated him to grant her request, and send her away. But he said he was only sent " to the lost sheep of the house of Israel," meaning that he intended to confine his own ministry to the Jews, and not then to have anything to say to the Gentiles— the people who were not Jews.
The woman was not, however, to be silenced; "she came and wor- shiped him, saying. Lord, help me I " This was a veiy short prayer, but it was a very fit one and a very earnest one ; and if you do but offer up this prayer from your heart, it must and will succeed, and the Lord will help you.
Jesus said, " It is not meet," or proper, " to take the children's bread and to cast it to dogs." By the children he meant the Jews, the only
52
Tim FAMILY COMMILYrARY^
nation that maintained amonost tlicm anv c.i fi
the. heavenly Father ; by the )Z^^^^r' '^f' °' ^^^' life wh.eh he preached, and which ^vas Lad to tl 1 7 "' ''''''' '^"^ by c/ogs the Gentiles, for so they we e o^ , behevino- soul ; and
--lean in their wonship \; ^ i",;'^^^^^^^^^ ^^ ^^-' J-v. bein, so meant, for in this way the Tews snn f ., .' "'''" ^""^^ ''^'''^ ^'^ near then, she knew ^ei^ ;l;;^^;t ^n :!^^ ^^"^^^^^^^^ ^ ^^^ ^-^d
Well, she would not take any dcniil t;',,,. , -■Ip he,-, and .she stil, pl.adcd ,4h I l' ^T^u iTZo d'' ^'fT "'"''
'otheje... , an, no t^.Lra lo^t ^ t, 'J^^T ^^'T
c-,> '^i 1 icci tJiat I am a vi e crca urc before Tl,ee ul.o knowest the hca,t,_a miserable sinner.-yet as dosjs '"ay p,ck up the crumbs, though they "lay not s,t at their masters tabfe, so in mei-cy grant me the sn.aliest favor and i snail be ha|)py.
Christ had now fully shown her faith- lic commended it, he granted her re- quest, and he cured her daughter.
and persevering in prayer and tlnn i''^'"'^' *''•'"'''=' "' '"'"-" '=■■"■"=51 will at last have mercy^oi,' '" ' ^ """ '° '"■ " ^''^^'""^ Saviour
-foX llr'^rt^^^dtre ''''°" ''-' "'^^ '° "^^ ^ ^^ Galilee "K-eat multitudes," n'd ,, S TV '"°m'""' '" ""^ ^'^"^J ^y
There were at th s tin e 4000 1 ?."' ' ■■"' '"''' "^ '^'''''^'^'■
children." After bein on th V""; '"""•" besides women and
little provision they mi. , .::;;;;':,: '°:,'""^ '-'y^' ■••-' -'"^^ '^e
">cnt; and here again Jespefo "Lj"';™' "7 "''"'"' ^°""= ■''^fr-h- -ven loaves anda^ few litt 'fi !^ o th tt'Tl ""Ti%r' """"'P"^'' filled. And they took nn of h, hJ ^ ''"' ^" '^"' •■•"'' ^^ere
baskets-full." ^ P °'^ "''■ '''°'^'-'" ""eat that was left seven
After this he removed to Magdala, a place not far from Tiberias, an.
J«visH Bakku i.v Ti.E Time <„.• chri.st.
•4'
-w* *^at«-;
rship of God, of truth and ng ^oul ; and vvs, bcino- so icvv wliat he as she lived
Christ could lid she, ''yet table." As vors belong I am a vile nowest the yet as dogs "^ugh they able, so in favor and
her faith — d her re- ter. ■
)e earnest IS Saviour
of Galilee visited by disorders, men and using the - refresh- Hiltiplied uid were :ft seven
rias, and
MATTHEIV.
Peter's Confession about Christ.
MATTHEW XVr.
When Christ came into the coasts of Cesarca Philippi he out his chscplcs faith to the test; and, after asking .l,en, wha d e peope in
he asked the ^Ltion t'o^d to'lhe^^^^lf -Lt'/'^rj, -^1; t might get a confession of their faith, after all tl ey had seen in do Peter, who was always forward in speakin-r said •■ Thnn .7f ,h r ? t^>e Son of the living God ! '■ that is,' thou art ille'anlin fby' S^ S^3,nt of God, to be the King of thy spiritual people Isra P- he true Messial,, and not a mere man, but tl,e divine Son of God 'lesl , commended his faith, and for the information of th^ltip/e a" nd
Peter df Llv'^'t"'' ""T ""'^ '"'' "°' ^^ '"^ divine glory as Peter d,d. On th,s rock, on the dignity and glory of Christ the Son
of God, as on a sure rode, will he build his church- on h m all be
i-evers rest who are what n,ake up his church, and hel with a is"
powers, shall not prevail against it. Christ to d Peter a o tin he
would g,ve hnn the keys of the kingdon, of heaven. VoJ know d at
o d you, ,n explaming the parables, v^hat the kingdon of '' " „
meant, and that ad that heard the gospel >vcrc in the boun laries oHhi^
kmgdo,„,so that it means the spiritual privileoI^wWd, ri ,,s i.n
o .«/.«„.,, and when Christ told Peter he w^u '^i e^,, hTvs of the kmgdon, of heaven, and whatsoever he should bnd on card
had so nobly decared it; and what, under the guidance of hrs'iri,
I'
54
THE FAMILY COMMENTARY.
he dcclarcci lu be so, should be so, and whatsoever he declared not to be so, should not be so.
Christ then commanded his disciples to be still for the present, and not to make him known as "the Christ, the Son of the living God"; for, had they done so, the Jews would have proclaimed him as their kino-, but he came into the world for a very different purpose than that of reigning as an earthly monarch. From this time, therefore, he more fully explained to his disciples why it was that he would not be an earthly king, and that he must suffer, be killed, and raised again the third day. Pi;ter, indeed, could not bear to hear of this, for he loved his .Master, and could not without grief think of his suffering, besides which he would rather have seen him king over the Jews. But our Lord reproved him, and said, "Get thee behind me, Satan!" intimat- ing that the evil spirit had suggested the thought of opposing his final suffering, for with that he was to triumph over Satan's kingdom.
He then warned his disciples of the great dangers to which they would be liable if they were true to his cause, and that they must always consider themselves like men having a cross to carry, on ^\hich they were to be executed, an allusion they well understood as a mode of execution then in practice.
The Transfiguration of Christ.
MATTIIIiW ' \II.
Wc cnnie next to one of the most interesting and impressive scenes inTAu- Saviour's life on earth. He had drawn from the willing lips of Peter, and with the free assent of the others, the frank avowafof their belief that he was the Son of God; he had told them, once and again, the story which had saddened their hearts, of his coming death by crucifixion at the hands of his cruel persecutors; and when they had urged that this must not. should not be, he had calmly, but decidedly, rebuked their lack of faith.
But his heart was full of tenderness, and that they might more clearly comprehend the glory which he had left in coming to earth, and the glory which should follow the completion of his plan of redemp-
i
ared not to
resent, and
'ing God";
im as their
e than that
*e, he more
not be an
again the
he loved
ig, besides
But our
! " intimat-
ig his final
lorn.
.vhich they they must \ on which as a mode
ive scenes ng Hps of il of their md again, ■ death by they had Jecidedly,
eht more
2arth, and
redcmp-
MATTHEIV.
tion, when he should return to heaven, he determined to give them such a glimpse as they should be able to bear of the condidon of the glorified saints above, and of the necessity of his death, resurrec- tion, and ascen- sion.
For this pur- pose he takes with liim the three fav- orite disciples, Peter, James, and John, and as the evening shadows are falling, leaves the neighborhood of Cesarea Phil- ippi, in the ex- treme north of Palestine, where he had been stay- ing for several days, and com- mences the ascent of one of the southern slopes of Mount Her- mon. Wearily did he and his chosen tlisciples c 1 i m b the lofty moun- tain till at last, toward midnight, they are within full sight of the hi-diest of the snow-clad summits of the mountain, which, under the bri<dit hght of the moon, towers up nearly 9000 feet above the sea. Here
TRA\SKK;uRATIOX of CHRIST.
'^l
56
THE FAMILY COMMENTARY.
perhaps, beneath the friendly shelter of ^on. • , "■ithdrau. a little from thi to »° . r^V^t?"'"'"^ "'^^' "'^ tlirce disciples, mea.nvhile ,reiried wffh^i' , ^ ' '" '"■'''>'"■'■• The clown, and a,-e speedily wr iZd in '" f '"- '"^' thc-mselvcs
conscious of an intense iXtth? I ' ^^""' ' ^^''"'^ "-T -■-
closed eyelids; and hld^dt l) '''"n"'' '""' ""^^''^ their
they gaze, astonished, a tee „',efo,"t;"'"'r°' "^"^ ^"■^"-'- the moon, though that is ^^^J^^Z^^;:'- ^ '^"^^^^ ^'^f oi
™r'^:,X'd;!:'r ;:r ^i t " '^- ^'-^" "^^"
about th^n,. L that'gUSl e™ "^no Ulfor"^'^''^''^
are no longer soiled " J 'tf:.:;;'?';:^ exceeding white as snow," nor' brdiantl%r 1 ''«'"• "^'^'■"'"S. Hemon-s summit abov^ thair a " h^ . ''^^ P"'= ^"""'^ °" glows ,vi.h heavenly li^h tuT;*? J ^" "'^"'^^ P^"^°" "'"^
brilliantly, with the sam h ven^v Id T'' ?f' "^' "^°"S'' ^^^s '"■■"• By a sudden intuitiorthe disc^'at " °" """^ "''-■ °'' Moses and Elijah, the greatest lat^'f^or,::; ^n?;;- ''""' ^'^ nowned and honored nf ^h.. ^ , ^"^ ^"^ ""i^st re-
one hrteen ..nZ^lJ Jl^ S'::-; ,' :„^-^,^- ;" h t,,^
SuH?;LTsi:s:rrLrarti::"r>^^^'^^^^^^^^^^ th^:iStra^r?Er=--^^
awake. As they gaze thev hL/ Tf f^"''^ '^ ^"^'^'^ •■""' intensely
talking, in tonesX^;ltXrci1;^^^^^^^
his coming death at Icrusnl,-,, n„ i 1 , ' they are speaking c
-ill therdoy acco^, r P I "' 4f ^th ''''"''''°" '^^'^ ''^ "notknowin.Mvhatles-,id"\. r' ' ^ """ '^'^''■'""^ vision, and
to be here: i> t t , [ ^ta" "h ""li " ''"I' " ''^ «°°'' ^^ ^ thee, and one for Moses a d "n ft F i*^'.'''- ';'-"-'-, one for
been that, in such goodlv eo„,pan; ^nd witlf' ' T""' '° '^'''"^
own glory around them, it ™s kr L^ f^;! ^ Treml^X-
1
ling cedar, he prayer. The ^t themselves liile they are hroLigh their leir a\vakiii<r^ '■ the h'ght of t sky of the 'Ord, shinino-
atmosphere •f weariness, )oor, travel- s that night, t," "shining, "e snows on person ^hus hough .^ss ler side of ize them as c most re- leaven, the ! now they - above, to ophcts. -y seem to I intensely ^itants ar- >eakini>- C'
whici. h^ ision, and )od for us 3, one for s to have
heaven's n perma-
MATTHEW.
nently than to ^o back to Galilee or to Jerusalem, and to be sub- jected to tlic cruel persecutions of the Scribes and Pharisees No answer u-as made to the bold speech of the impulsive disciple, and s.,c denly a bnght yet dense cloud overshado^vs the whole group and a std deeper awe overwhelms them as they pass into the cloud' and from the cloud proceeds a voice, tender, yet terrible in its tender- ness, and ,t titters these ,vords: " This is my beloved Son, in ^^hon, am well pleased: hear ye hint." The affrighted disciples fall upon thcr faces, and so remain until Jesus comes and touches them and says^ ■• Anse, and be not afraid." Then, lifting up their eyes, they see their Lord and Master onl).,and in his ordinary apparel. These three chsciples never forgot that scene. Two of them, John and Peter re- ferred to It expressly in their writings,*and the third, the first apostolic maryr,t was very soon aduHtted to .see the glory of his ascended Lord m the sanctuary above. But the object which Jesus had in v,ew to confirm the.r fa.th in hint as the Son of God, the Redeemer froni s.n, and the one atoning Sacrifice, was accomplished. Thence- ..rth, m a higher sense than the othe. ..isciples or apostles, they were h,s witnesses; for then., Moses and Elijah had appeared in adoring reverence of then- Lord; for them they had spoken of his death and -s,acnfice ; to them there had come "the voice from the excellent g ory, proclann.ng Jesus as the Son of God; they had been, above all others, the eye-witnesses of his luajesty.
As Jesus and his three disciples descended from the mountain in the mornmg they found themselves suddenly translated from the glory of he heavenly state to the cares, anxieties, and distre...es of this n.ortal hfe. The nme d.scples who had been left behind in the vicinity of Cesarea Phd.pp, had found their faith tested, and proved insuftlcfcnt in a case of possession by evil spirits, accompanied by epilepsy It had been brought to them by the father and some cavilling Scribes and they had attempted to cast out the evil spirits, perhaps relying upon heir own power, perhaps with but weak faith in the power of Christ and had failed utterly. Taunted by the Scribes, surprised and mortified
= Mn i, 14; Revelation i, 14; 2 Peter i, 17, 18. f Acts
XII, 2.
58
THE FAMILY COMMENTALY.
'i'iiE Jewish .Siulkel,
J .mA,,
prayer and fast,„g to accomplish the desired nu-racie ^^ ^
In th,,s chapter we also road of Christ's pacing the tribute mone>.at
Capernaun,. 1 l„s was a half-shekel, paid yjarly, for the ■ crvL ,f tl'c
temple. As he was the Son of C<)d he was not liable to pay a tribute, but le-t oit.tnse should be taken on account of his refusal, he preferred to do it Vet It appc-irs he who had the world ,it his cohimand chose to be so humblr i„d
small sum 'vherewifh fn ^f""' ^°[ """' "'"''"' ^^""^ ^^ ^ad not the
-^^^^^^^:^ worked a
K. • <-uust SO to do, to show his d r^r nirc: fii'if ;r
Ck* ,„d„ Hc^s», Kw«a Sdl,faM .oJ F„8i,^ <j
Injuries.
MATTHEW XVIir.
the.v t'-^.Ht^:Ter::t raf hi;: ■ r^^^^^^^^^^^^ ^-" ^^ -
about this subi^rf t-i r i -^ lalkmg to one i. t ;;; r
reign over the Tewr't ? "^ '"^ supposing that he won!.! 4
t.K';.seK.esl{:t":ho\t?SHt To bf his Th^f T""" ■^'"-^ ing his government. " '"' ''"''^ °^'"='' '" "^n^'o"
i
us appeared J healed tlie vate a in; Id necessity of
ite monevat ervice of the 1 of Cod he ite, but, lest
account of do it. Yet vorld at his "lumblc and had not the
worked a pics that if )ut because le knew all idst of the he wanted, n, and pay ;er.
veness of
5ked hi; : oi'cl knew le ii i"thor hi . ing. vouN yet d amonc 1 man:i >
Matthew. ^^
" Peter was always the chief speaker, and already had the keys .rjvcn l^rm, and he expects to be Lord Chancellor or Lord Chambcrlafn of tiic Household, and so to be the grealcst. Judas had the ba<.- and therefore he expects to be Lord Treasurer; which, though nmv he come last, he hopes will then denominate him f/ie gycafcst. Simeon and Jude are nearly related to Christ, and they hope to take place ot all the great officers of state, as princes of the blood John IS the beloved disciple, the favorite of the prince, and, therefore hopes to be the greatest. Andrew was first called, and, therefore, why should he not be preferred ? "
Mr. Henry supposes that some such thoughts as these passed between them when they asked Christ to settle the matter. /V little child happened to be near, and Jesus took and set it in the midst of them, and told them that unless they were as humble as that little child they could never enter into his kingdom— the kingdom of heaven; and that the humblest among them was the greatest.
Again, Christ here teaches us not to give offense. We should be careful, as much as possible, to oftend nobody in any way But the offense of which he here speaks is particularly against his humble fol- lowers and servants. We must not despise one of these his little children, how poor and despised soever he may be by a wicked and sneering world.
Christ also here teaches us self-denial, to part with things that we even dearly love, rather than lose our souls. He tells us that we are to cut off our hand and foot and pluck out our eye rather thin let them stand in the way of our salvation. He does not, however mean that we should really do so, but he does mean that whatever hinders it, if it be even as dear to us as these parts of our body we must be ready to give it up. An amusement, though ever so delioht- ful if It leads us into sinful habits and company, must be parted with A friend and companion that would draw our hearts away from Christ though we love him ever so much for his kindness in other respects' must also be parted with. Many such right hands must be cut off and many such right eyes must be plucked out. Another thing here taught is forgiveness of injuries. A
this
IS a
Go
THE FAMILY COMM/LYTARy,
very hard thin- indeed to learn. When Christ f.ll- i
I\'f(>r\uicK,.,i f I 1 ^^"'-" '--'^"•''t talked on this snhcrf
i etcr u i.shed to know how many times ho mi.rhf h <t i , V ^"^J^^-^
and yet forgive hi,.. .« SevJ ^ t ^^'^ "^^^ -' LTT"^-^'
owS\t°":nhoXr::h ^^ ^. "^f ^- ^'°"' ^ ^'--' "-'
forgave hi,„ hi. d"b bu' a e In '"'"'''y *^°°'°°°)' "-' y^^ ^^ stetvard only a hundred ,lnr// ,'"!'!''''"' '''■'PP^"'"^ to ou-o the kindlytreated byWs ordn„r^n°"'*3*''*°"i>''' ^' 1^^'' '^'••-" ^o
his pL fe.,ow4t:t r ?;, :^^ ti'rr^T^y^' ""^"'^ '"^^'^^
farthing. His lord, however heTrd of a H ^" ^ """^ ""''"' ''"^ was still due in law to n„nkh l, r V- ' ' "" "^'^ stewards debt
and threw ^n.'Z'^Zto °' '" ""^"^ '''= '^'^ "°''' "^ ^im
tai^rts/^fo^i: SLtrVS fr^^ -^r ^^ '"= '^" '"— '
to us from others ZT. t^ ° '^"''' ""-" '^""'''■'='1 P^'^'^ due
ready to ^^^^r^J^o^t^l!^';^::'^:^-- ^'^ *^^ ^^ if. that be not the ease, we shouM not'r r ev f^r elTirt"'' ''"" wise, blessinc- We have seen a hnrri ^ "'"'^f ^" '°'^'=^''. b"t, contrari- ing kindness for injunes! '^^'^''-hearted man softened by reeeiv-
Ch.i3t receives Littk Children -Converses with a Rich Young
Man. ^
MATTHEW XIX, I3-30
in the same way for Christ is Tsr J ''" ""^^ "^'" ^° '^'"^ ^^^^% ay. Chi 1st IS ascended up mto heaven, but they can
I
1 this subject ;<-! by aiiothcT, ." said Jesus, hat any one It wo should
steward that
and yet he
to owe the
lad been so
ruelly threw
him every
ward's debt
lold of him
n thousand pence due ;n they are ; and, even It, contrari- by receiv-
1 Young
to Christ, 1 with the 2nds, who -Ives very hrist and s exactly they can
MATTHEW. f^^
take them in prayer, and. tliough Christ is in heaven, he can still bless tliem there.
The disciples thouylit that these parents were troublesome, but Chnst cl,d not tlunk so, nor will ho ever tl,ink you troubleson.^ fo S^t"lt° Wl n ^^>'%"\Vhosoevorcon.eth unto „,e I will in nowise cas out. \Vha he sa,d to the disciples he says now : " Suffer little children, and forbKl them no,, to come unto me; for of such i kmgdom of heaven.
Another thinj; here recorded is a conversation of Christ with a rich young n>an. 1 h,s young man was desirous of goin.^ to heaven in w,shed to know what he should do to enable hinUo get th re In tht respect he was^ better than souk- people, wlu. hope to gol heaven when they die but live all their days "^avtn
as if they cared nothing about it. He called Christ "Good Master,"— or good Teacher,— but Christ told him there was no one good but God, and as he only considered Christ as a teacher, and did not see his divine glory, he was wrong to give any human being the title of good.
Jes^us told this young man, who had no notion of believin- in him as a Saviour, but only thought of doing somethino- to become e-.-nvh^ happy, that if he would keep the commandments^.ll wJld be'S The young man said that he had kept them all. He did indeed • but knew httle of his own heart to say so, for a wrong tl^ou^^L th commandments as well as a wrong w.rd or dted. He should, a Mr Henry observes, mstead of saying. "All these have I kept what ack yet ?• rather have said, with shame and sorrow, " Al the'se have broken, what shall I do to get my sins pardoned ? " and thus have I least, avoided his claim of self-righteousness '
Christ however, soon put him to the test. He proved that he was an ido ater and sr hml-o fK^ - c ^ t ^y^ mai. iic was
-.-.ater, ana sc broke the very first commandment, "Thou
t.VSTKRN GOI.D.
have
no other gods before me." He did not, indeed,' bow
wrought out of gold and silver, as the heathen did, but
5 L
shalt to idols still he loved
(>2
THE FAMILY C0MM\\![RY.
1 m
11 ■ m i
1,^1 , . , '" «-"uu^n. J'-^us told hiin to sc cvcrvthinn hf.
•of"u^' l,Vr ' '^"°:' •■'"" """^^ """• N"' 'hat cJL? Xir Tr r' ? "' '° '^"J"> "''■" 1"'^ providence riv.s us and be thankful for ,t; but hero was a particular case «„ h n,„ ,h,
mans heart to the test, for ■ ^vhen the you Inn heard t^' ^■°""*'' c went away sorrowful : for he had grLt pos^^l s"^ d 1: cS not give these up to enter nito life.
After the young man was gone, our Lord showed his disciples from h,s example, how difficult it was for a rich man to enter S n is easier for a camel to go through the eve nf ■, „. . ii .u r •
man to enter into the tingdonrof Cod^^^ ^M i^S a ^tVdlffi-
culty for a rich man, surrounded with the snares of riches, to enter into the kingdom— for this is what the words mean.
This incident led Peter— who was as impulsive as ever, and had, more- over, some of the oriental disposi- tion to extol his o \n sacrifices and to seek to have them noticed and
forsaken all and followed thee" whar'T!,'; '"'' T"""'^.' ''' '"^^ nr fK.-. 1 i.- • . "ICC, wnat alialJ we hive there inrp?"
Ut this boastin<r inciu rv Mr R..r,r,, n , uicrctore r
a poor all that f-^hey L7fi"^"^J„:: ^^^^^^'^ 'V™'', '"J
qmtted a place in the custom-house- bu yZ^ t '* 'f 'f'"^'
had only left a kw boats nnri n » , 1 ' ''^' ""O"' "^ "" "'
fishing trade • and vet s ^ u'" Pf '" ^^^s of a poor
had beenlome mi|^ ,ting°".B!ho^ l'""": '''^' ''^ "' '''' " However what thev Jm i ?5' ' '*'^ ^^"^ forsaken all!'"
little saifi^ewhtCelai'lr" t'"'^ '"' ^"'^ ^""^' ^"<=P'^ °f ^
hiwiuestion a, stwse; e ■ "d him"tr.'r'^ '"'/" ^"^"-^""^ in the future life nnd tlv.; , h"' '"'* rewards were mainly
«r.t shorbillSn'dteTa^LtulStZ."-''' '^^-'-^ ^ ''^
Eastkrn .Sii.vkr.
MATTHEW.
s heart to his ;vcrything he irist requires ■s us, and be t this young that saying, ind he could
sciplcs, from leaven. " It an for a rich I great diffi- )unded with enter into s what the
■ — who was had, niore- tal disposi- :ri flees and oticed and d, we have herciore ? " it was but ad, indeed, St of th( 111 of a poor it, as if .. :en all I'" :epts of a answering -re mainly /es to be
63
The Parable of the Laborers in the Vineyard.— Christ foretells his Sufferings.-~The two Blind Men.
MATTHEW XX.
This chapter contains four things, which we shall briefly notice in the order in which tlicy stand.
First.— y/-^ Payable of the La^-mrs in the yiiicyanl Here our Lord compares the kingdom of heaven— or the season of proc iau.ung the gospel to poor sinners-to a person who kept house and hired servants. Being in want of some to work in his vineyard he "went out early in the morning to hire laborers." "And when he had .greed w.th the laborers for a penny a day, he sent them into his viney. -d. Our Lord here means a coin called the Roman penny which . :s of more value than ours, and equal to about seventeen cents of < T money; this, indeed, was low for wages, but they differ very muui 111 all parts of the world, and even in our own country in some parts no ing more than half what they are in others
Several hours after the householder went out, and findino- more laborers wanting work he hired them also. Three hours after "that he employed some more to uork, and three hours after that still more And now it drew toward the end of the day. "An. about the elev-' cnth hour, and within an hour of finishmg work, he, sec no some more standing idle, hired them also."
After they had done their work he paid them, and gave every man a jDenny ; so that you see he gave just as much to those he emploved last as to those he employed first, though, of course, they had done but \ ery little, while the others had done much work.
Those that had done much work began to complain on seeing the others paid as much as the) were; but the good man of the house told them they had no right to do so, for he had done them nov^xon^-
fj.-r?" kI° 7'^ ^""'.^ P^""^' """^ ^^ ^^"^ ^^'^^" ^^^"^ ^^^'^ pe""y •'
,..K..„„ ^^ ^j^y^j^ ^g j^^ j^,^^ p^^.^ ^^^^^ though
I
they had done less, he had a right to do as he pleased with h Now, the Jcvvs were very jealous of the Gentil
IS own.
es, or nations not of
64
fi 'fli
THE FAMILY COMMENTARY,
tlic Jews, and so selfish tir.f fi, of GoU be,,,, bcsto J; , ' ir'l:"', '"", '" "^-^'^ "^ ""^ «-= "any ages, been ranked a„on. e ,^ '^' '''^•'"^^'^'^ I'ad, fo, so was,tl,eref.Me,tore,„-ovetl,er?elfi I '^ °^ ^"''- ''''"•'^ P.'--.>Wc
"Sl't to do with all ,a,i.„ ; ,;"■"•"", '° ^'"™' "-' GocI l,as . t-ches us that if l.c gives us .'n^neier'" '''""'-'^' •''"''■ ••"-■ " of Leaven at last, it ,' not ace dil to '^i "1 '^^'T'^ "'^ ^^^S^ scrv,ces arc but poor at the bes ' ^2 V''^'"' 'l-ne-for otr gcnei-osity and gn.ee. '^'•'''.-l^ut accord,,,^ to his oun great
llic second thin<' our T «.. i i
mint N^ r,„- +1,.. - . .
tei,ibl
^ event
tOKM OF SECOND TEJU'LE.
minds for the fl' ills death.
petition made to hhn, tluough tl>eir mother, by the sons oi ^obedee, James and John, ,vho were two of his fi,-st disciples. I was no less than that fhey ^sliould have the first places of honor ,n his kingdom; for death, they secncd cither not to understand. '"'' '^'" ""•'"> "^ ^is' was most probable-.hat after L d 'a , t '' ,T .'° ^^^PPose-which Judah, and beco,ne king of the J wf so h ^^ I''"""' "^^^ "'™"^ °f nearest to him when hc^houl I be \in'° ^ """^'^ "'^' "^"^y ""ffl't sit other on his left hand. The .1,;^^^°"' °" ^' "^*'"-'"d *e al>vays consi.lered to be a nhce n , f '^ f'"''"" of rank ,vas
^ian king, of whom we reaci in s° r"' ' ''"' '^>'"'-^' "'<= S-'eat Per- valued near his left hand b ".st ^'T' "^^'^ '° P'^^^ "'e guests he
and he thought that bei g , "^ nL^Tha."'" °" "^^' ^'■''' °f 0™ affect,on. '' ' '""'-'' "'^ar that was a great sign of his
y^^Z'^Xi""^^'"^ '° "'^ ^'"■bitious disciples ..Ve I
ye asic. They were pleasing themselves wi^luhe p^osplcrS:
;ar of the j^race Iv't-s IiacI, ioi so 'i^'iis parable tiiat God lias a ^ ; and, also, it y the blessings done — for our liis own great
ffcn" ngs which led to his dis- Jrcpared their -nible event
is a sino-uiar lim, through the sons of I John, who •^t disciples. " that they St places of ,'tloni ; for, them of his ose— ^vhich e throne of y might sit ht, and the rank \vas Sfreat Per- guests he Jc of him, igii of his
not what :)f honoio,
MATTHEW.
f^5
when all the time there was nothing but m.ffrn'n.r K .r *i
they replied, "We are ablr " 'FN .1 ,^'^I'V ^^'^h? To this
th/dij,,i., at last, .ui^^ pai J 'iif e^^i [^ ^i,!^ t^::;:': '"'-'
grcaU,ono.; U,t that cu;:^;'' ^ ^ /^^^ V'' "w" l'^' with hiMi, wc shall also rciVn with iiin, " -r'l i ' '. '""''■
of heaven were, however notTi; •! v "'^''"""'•■'' °f 'he kin,,<l<„n by his Father, God wlo'i 's r t '. d™':":" '" ""• "^■^"' ^"' th^ ..ide and cuHosity ,.ati«ej liu/n^llt^nM pl^. t'o" j^-
.:::f^^t;^t,:risr^..i-£^^^^^ fCid r-^' t! ■ :::; rz^i Tr °" "^' ,° ^-SJi'-L^n;
multitttde rebtikeTthL"^ S^^^^^^^^^^ "°' ''^"y- "The
perhaps, that they wt'-trout^o^e 'rcrhis^L^ni^f-did tTf^- he,r hononn. him by eallin. hint " Lord," and "Son of David ••• ! , "Jesus had compassion on them and t,>„rl„.,i n, ' '^"'
diately their eye^ received ..du:!; t^::^^^^^" ■•'"'' ""-
Jestlltim ^al °" "■ ° '"'"'■ "-" ^- °^ D-i'" ■■■ is a cry that Christ's Triumphant Entry into Jerusalem.
MATTHEW XXI.
The first thing which is related in this chanter i, th. » ■ , entry of Christ into Jerusalem ^ triumphant
they were to brin^ to him,'tW "did^' r^'^t: tot, -IndT '''''' he had sad who l-np^v -,11 n • , / ' ^"^ ^^^'^e — as
his use. ^'p^r:^:^^;u:^^T^!:^'';z':zt "r^— -vfor
clothes, and they set him thereon. '' '"^ P"' °" "^'="' ^eir
J?
66
THE FAMILY COMMENTARY.
Chr St was followed by a multitude wherever he went Hi. r m doing good caused many to go to him In r r. ' . ""^ others went to see this wonderful pt^r on Tl ^T""''^ ""^
which he was to ride some wid^ th " ^ ^^^^^^ ''^^^^^^^'^^l the way on
INTERIOR VIEW OF ANCIENT TEMPLE AT JERUSALEM^
means " Save Tb e/ch o^" 1 1 '""'1 '" ""' ^''^''''' ' " "--"^
David, the iMe siah 1 • 1 / If "'' "'' '''=''='-'^'' "^'='^' ">°" Son of feast of trbcrntcles ^ "'"" """ "^^'^ "^^ "^ P™P'-= ^t the
by t;;:;hef ,\; •i'°Tdi'!;"'tr '"/""'?= '"''""' "■'^''^'' -- ^po'<-
Cometh unto thee me?L an /h ""^^'''' "^ ^'^'■°"' «^h°l'l. thy kin,.
an ass." The proXtt, "^ 1''^°" ''" '^'■'' """^ ' "" *<^ ""o^' "f
K„ c- • P™P"ccy here quoted is found in 7achariil, .V „ i
by S,o„ ,s .eant Jerusalem. Here Christ c,ai,^d ^^^t;^^^
;: ^ ■•'
■"""-^s^-WSreaaRv.
f
MATTHEW.
It. His fame bc^nefits, and d the way on J some with quantities of X method of e same parts t. And the
67
|
1 |
|
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s he that |
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|
Hosanna u Son of 3le at the |
|
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as spoken 1, thy kintr he foal of |
■i |
|
ix, 9, and ity, being |
1 |
King over his church, and in token of it he rode, as the judges of old on an ass. At this time, indeed, the great, and they only, rode upon horses ; so that Christ did not enter Jerusalem in worldly splendor but still he entered it like one bearing a high dignity. And this fulfil- ment of prophecy was one of the many marks which the prophets gave, by which the Messiah was to be known. Had not Christ so gone into Jerusalem, one of the marks to show him as the true Mes- siah would have been wanting; while every mark which so distin- guished him was a confirmation of his character and ofi^ce, and so must establish our faith in him.
Another thing here recorded is Christ's entrance into the temple or rather that part of its courts in which were daily sold frankincense' oil, wme, and other requisites for sacrifice, such as doves, lambs and oxen. It was near the time of the passover, and as many of these were then wanted, the courts were well stocked. This custom was most likely in imitation of the heathen, who did the same in their temples. Among the traders were also money changers ; these were persons who accommodated the people with proper coin for any forei-n com which they had taken from any of the neighboring nations wfth whom hey traded, and in so doing they overreached their customers and were guilty of shameful extortions. All these things made our Lord very indignant; he could not bear to see the house of God pro- faned and such wickedness practised, and he cast out the dealers and '< overthrew the tables of the money changers, and the seats of them that sold doves, and said unto them, It is written. My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves --a place as bad as the caves in which robbers hid who infested Judea.
That Christ should have disturbed these people, and, though numer- ous, have driven them out in the midst of their gains, and for the time have spoiled their trade, is a proof that they were overawed by some- thing m him, while, their own consciences being guilty, they were the more easily affrighted when they were so attacked.
Returning in the morning to Jerusalem, having slept in the quiet village of Bethany, which was only two miles from the city it is said
6S
THE FAMILY COMMENTARY.
the way. l,e would lunve refreshed hL,lf''"*'\''' ^'i '''" S""'"S in had plenty of fine leaves tafpeL at ; Tl ' 'r^- '"'' "'""^"^ '' nounccd sentence upon tl e tree L t In f . "° "'"' ^"'' ^^ P™" >vard forever. And pre ent v thV fi » 'I' *>"""'" °" '^'' ^'"^-f°^-
teaches us also that mere show
IS not what Christ looks for, but he expects us to bear something good, if we profess to bring forth the fruits of holiness.
The chief priests could not let Christ alone, and as soon as he had returned to the temple, and began to teach the people the way to heaven, they beset him and wished to know who author- ized him to do his work. Now they might have easily seen by the miracles that he did that he was divinely authorized, and if minds and thev had hnmhl,. . , T^ ''"""^^ ^'^'^ '^^^^" '" their
:ep^-ton,y;,ta;:rvx;:-^--^^^^^^ beil!Xhi<i uS ,';:::^t ';::' '^''^T", '"^ ^■^'"'^'' -''• ••' -
regarded ],i„, .;; mpe „";;"", '™' '"', "'^' '""'''^ ''-' -•""-y-^ against. So <:knst'Xj^' ^:^:^'"'^- ^"" ^o be ^PO^'n
heaven or of .en . One of t;^:;; "^ tstt" 'ZZ;^, tl
ROIJIJERS LYINi; IN WAIT.
- who was the -e growing in but, though it . and he pro- thee henccfor- V-' This was nation, which )rcl, were like fruit. And it It mere show looks for, but ar something to bring forth s.
could not let ' soon as he temple, and ' people the V beset him, who author- ^'ork. Now, ^ily seen by (lid that he zed, and if n in their , he would lice of their 1 no direct -m to keep
^nd, it was lad always be spoken was from y felt that
MATTHEW.
69
they could not say it was from heaven, for then Christ and the people could justly have reproached them for not believing on him and for persecutmg a prophet of God ; and yet, if they said it was from men they would equally expose themselves to difficulty, since the people' believed otherwise, and would have been enraged against them So they told a talsehood, and said, " We can not tell." Then our 1 ord told them that as they would not answer his question, he would ^not answer theirs, and so he confounded them.
After this he instructed the people by interesting parables. The first of these is usually called " The Two Sons." By this he tau-dit the sin of pretending to works of righteous- ^
ness, and not doing them.
Our Lord afterwards said, " Hear another parable " ; and then spoke the parable of " The Husbandmen."
This parable was to show how they had treated the servants of God whom he had ,. ^j sent to them ; for they had ill-used and :M/Z kili-d his prophets, one after another, and '^
in the end God had sent himself, the Son of God, but they used him no better, and \\;,
were now conspiring to put him to death. ^|
We should have supposed that the priests and Scribes would have felt
ashamed when they found that the parable described their wicked- ness ; instead of which they even then sought to lay hands on him. but at the time they were afraid lest the multitude should take his part, as he was then high in favor with them "
There are two verses near the end of this chapter which we must
- explain. In the forty-second verse you read. -Jesus saith unto
lun. Did ye never read in the Scriptures, The stone which the
builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner > " This
• 'ul ; L " ' ' '''■^''^^ ^'^ ^"'"^" ''''"^'^^ in the hundred and
faithful men, of which it is fonn.d-is compared to a buikliny ; aad,
I I
70
(1!
>ii
I '11
THE FAMILY COMMENTARY.
Christ is d. support of al, hi ■ ch ch a d"^r ?? ,"^^ '^r,"'''"^' ^'^ upon h,„,. But tlie Je^vish buiide,^ th I ^ ''"'''''"*'' ''•■^'^ pncsts uould have had a churcl 't :;; L ^";'"' ''"^^--- -" and so he was the stone uhicl, th, .li m 7''"'^ '''J'^"'^'' Christ;
nevertheless, the chief f^lati th ^0^^^^^^^^ ''"' ^^■'"* "-' church, on which sinners in everv a J 'r X. '" '^'°"' °'- his
hopes of salvation. Ou Lord .1?' . '^^ ^'?^''^' '""=' '^"'1^ their one, the forty-fourth, •Vhoso'r shall f T '" ','" "•-"' ^^^ ^ut broken; but on whomsoever tM| Wl I ',°".''f ^'°"<^ ^1^^" be Tl>e Jews knew very well wh4 :, Lo ell'"' "T, '° T" ''^^■" "■ays of stoning criminals ■ the r,„ u , °- ^''''y ''a'-i two
them, the other was by throw „' them T" ''^""•°-"S atones upon stones ; and as in botif ca ™s the V ^°'r *■" '"^* '^'"^-^ 'l"^™ "Pon Jews that, as the person" In" onTh^f '1' '° ''^ '""™^'«' '" 'he but only himself, L those w ,0^ oppls^d Z '°", ,7' '"'■' '"^^ ^'°-'
MATTHEW XXI I
•■SS-J:s::;i:^h:^^tC^^"°^™ ^^--eor
This parable ha<l a like meanin.,? with the hst Th. , , • Chnsts kmsdomwere offered to the T, I ? . ^he blessmgs of
and ill-treated his servants wLinvte Ml, /""'^ "^^''''^ 'h^^""' life. Their *v reriisilen, , I *-''" '° ^"''^ °" 'he bread of
armies, and thd^^c ^ t ™e Thf h "r '-^ =•"'"'"' '^^ "'^- ^oman people on the hi..hwavs 000, -^ - "i" "'■""'' "*° ^^'''^ '''^ '^e Cod, were then t r;n' al ou" bsf PK '•"'''''°"' ""■ '^"'^^^'^"^'^ °f hear the glad ne.vs of Z^ ^^Z^' '"1 """=" '"^^ ^^^'^
servants, they ^vould accept ^hisM^lTT '^ '" '"""■"'
I mv itation and so hasten to the feast.
*»^^:mm^-mxktimt!m9^is%-
■«»«=>-Ui6a'tojsisre4*:s
building, and e building, so building rests *harisees, and jectcd Christ; ut which was,
2ion, or his t build their -xt verse but one shall be
to powder." hey had two stones upon
down upon nated to the t the stone, ir own ruin, •Ihng stone,
5 of Christ
e name of
essings of :ted them, - bread of ^e Roman ere as the >vledge of 2y should is faithful the feast.
MATTHEW.
n
We must now notice the conversations of our Lord with his adver- saries. Mortified at his parables, the IMiarisees took counsel together to try and catch him saying something that they might accuse him of speaking against the emperor at Rome. The Jews had then a kin«^, Herod; but he held his ( rown under the Roman emperor— the peopfe' having been so far conquered as to pay tribute to him. So the Phari- sees took with them some of Merod's cunning courtiers, and asked Christ if it was lawful to pay tribute to Ccu'sar or not ?— that is whether, according to the law of iMoses, they should pay tribute to a heathen ? Now, if our Lord had said it was'lawful, the people would have been enraged at him, for they did not like CiEsar, who was a Roman, taxing them, who were Jew s ; and, if he had said it was not lawful, they would have carried him before the Roman magistrates, and have had him put to death for teaching rebellion against Cae-
sar's authority. By such a subtle question, therefore, any other person would have been liable to be en- trapped ; but our divine Lord " perceived their wickedness, and said. Why tempt ye me, ye hypocrites ? Show me the tribute money! And they brought unto him a penny. And he saith unto them, Whose is this image and superscription ? " meaning, whose likeness was that stamped upon tlie penny, as the queen's'" head is stamped upon the English coin, with her name and dignity around it. " They say unto him Cdesar's. Then saith he unto"^ them, Render therefore unto Cassar the things which are Caesar's, and unto God the thine^s that are God's." ^
Now, they could not say that he had taught rebellion against Caesar for having his coin in circulation among them was a sign that they were subject to his authority : and so he hinted as much as that they were to give him his dues, while he left them to think what were the' dues 01 Catsar. And they could not say that he had set Caesar above
EASilOKX iVoKV ORNAMLNTS.
73
THE FAMILY COMMENTARY.
GotaliZ tl\,t I Z ''"" ''-' ■"-' - '^'^ -- ti- „Ve to
domed the doctrine of the res rectio of H 1 'T '"'""''^ ""= J"'- mdeed, they denied even a f '.u e s I o ° , " ^°''^^ "' ""^ ''••=' ^ay ; died there >vas an end of the^foreTe ' m^"'?;"^^'', '"••" '''^^^ "-Y ^liould perplex our Lord in eaclin.! tV ? '' "^ "'°"«'" 'h'-" 'h^X him about a cnrious case h ' , h'l l' \ "''"'^ '^ "'^^ 'l"-"™«^ Seven brothers had had I s'^e ^f M Z '' ""' '"'«'" ''"W-"- then the second, on to tl,e a"t d so h " ':°""^ ^'>'"- ^"d other, which they could do b" the 1 is ' :r'''T;"' '""" °"'-- "^'^^ "- resurrection is to take nhr,. ,, i 7 ' ^''«="' '^aid they, if the
be in, for whose .Wfef,;"!^ ™'--- ^^'f^^-^^V ^^^'^ and tl^y J,' them that they were quite ist en that th ' ''°"'' '" '"'''y' '«'^' heaven, and that all there ^vere as LVh? '''' '"■''' "" "''"'y''"^ '" those do„,estie comforts whi:h ar 2^^^' ^^''"^ ^''^ "-^ of the resurrection, he referred to tl,^ i ^"''' '"'h '''-'spect to
sueh a way that they ^^^i l^]^! " ''f T ■^"■"^''"- '" not read that which was spoken T^n ^ ""rad.ct him; •■ Have ye God of Abraham, and the God of Is^T' '^<^r'' -••>■'•%'• I -" the This was the lan^ua^e of God L v ' '' ■ "'' ^"'^ "^ J--"^"^?" Abraham, Isaac, and Jaco w^rc ^he?:;,' f T ."•"'"« ''"'^■' -^ "God is not the God of tlK earb",t of t^i- . ^'°^^' "''''ed Jesus, never to rise again, and tl,eir sS w e o t ir^' '' '/ "^"^ ''■''' be called their God, Therefore Tod ;= ? '"""^" '"-' """''> not
are no, but of the iiving^t ,^:t^.,r' Zr""^' 1 ''' ''''■ " "° d.rect answer on state matters ,vh» Xd .h \ r° "'°"''' S'^"-' "° dom was not of this world ; bu u en d,eS.n ^''"'"'' '°' ^'^ ^'"S- trutl., he directly declared i for he c it ^ , """' "'^P"'^''' "•' S''-'^ talityto lisht,-or to make thL ele r a °th ^'J "'? ^"'' ""™°- gospel." The Sadducees supposed thnt ( u'^!" °^ ''"y^ "'^y the died with it ; but Christ Rave them n ''" ""' ''°''y ^'"' the soul that the soul did n .' i; understand the vervront-rv
- d,d n.. d,e. anu that the body would live with ," ^-j;;
MATTHEW.
time give to
left him. ng the Jews le last day; t whi;n they lit that they
questioned ylit happen.
<Jying, and ne after the
they, if the id they will
reply, told larrying in le need of
respcet to I'iptures in ' Have yc
I am the ' Jacob ? " >ush; and ed Jesus, lese were ■^ould not ead, who
g^v^ no his king- J a great
immor-
" by the the s(ml
T f 1— ^ f. - iLi dl \— —
'• The
n
spirit lives, but the spirit is not a perfect man, and so there shall be a resurrection of the body to unite it to the spirit forever.
The Sadducees had nothing to say, and the people were all sur- prised at the i)owerful teaching of Christ.
The Pharisees were much vexed to find that our Lord had so put the Sadducees to shame, for they thought that he would gain all the people over to him ; and, being jealous of his popularity, they resolved o try what further could be done to confound him. So they set theix heads together, and got a clever lawyer of their body to attack him. But by a lawyer you must not understand one who practised the com- mon law of the land, as our American lawyers do, but one who under- stood well the law of Moses, and was accustomed to be looked up to by the people to explain it. The question which the law)'er put to Christ was, "Which is the givat commandment in the law?" The Jews were used to cpiibble and dispute about a number of trifling- things, and there were many opin- ions among them on this question, and so the lawyer hoped that by obtaining an answer from Christ he should set all those against him who held the opinions which he opposed. But our Lord did not hesitate one moment to reply, and he said that the great command- ment ^N-as to love God with all the heart; and who could dispute this— that God has the first claims on the love of his creatures ? However, as all the commandments are great, he added "The second is like unto it. Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself", and what could they say against that being a great commandment? tor If all men were to be guided by it, no one would ever do wrong to another. You know, indeed, that there are ten command- ments, but all the rest are to prevent our oppressing or doing wrong to our neighbor, and so our Lord made here two\rreat command-
Kasikkn Taiilks.
^"^ ^'^^^" I'AMILY COMMENTARY.
as much as tlns_th u' ^1^ .--'"T'" "' ^°'' "'^' ^^'>"'^ ■•"■^'"ifi^-J love to ou,- na^,bo If Ubc of ^," ," , r' ""'"''' ~">">-«''»-' ; ^r by l>in, ^vho trul;. loves God " '""■ "■"" "'">' ^^ '"'''"^^'i
he answered o,- pro o^ U . .'^ r^'x;!:"''^ '^'^'^''^''^ ""^"-■'■ think ye of Christ? Whose Z^-^t.^'^T"''^''"^'^'' Messiah, whom they were exueetin >■ H / , ^''"'' ""^""^ ''''^
this skilful lauyer oI,,"t to m e Ln ,1 ,"" "" f ""^ '^'^"'^''^ ^"'l his question ; but what thev s . 1 , ' ° '"''''" '""''^ '''■'Ply to
answered: "Th SW^avt""' m" ""^ '""'= ^''"'' '^""''""^'e the ieast about the^MeLia^r. hfrkn^^ d^ttr '1 """^^
out of it, Ld Xch they' fo Jut rffi",r'''=' another, whieh arose them. How then d j; I "1'^;';'^^^ ,!V''t ' " ""^ ''''' ""'°
-id unto my Lord, Sit tl^o: T^li^^^::^' ^'"^•^^'^ ^^'^ enemies thy footstool > u n ■. ./ * ' "" ' ™^l^e thme
son ? " Tlte wc^c k auote, • ™ '•''" '"'"' '-°^''' ^ow is he his
The Jews umie ttcttst wo^rci: to'^ ,°'" 'rTr' "^""^ P^'- understood ri.d«lv-t ou'h n , T'^ " ""^ Messiah, and they
When they saw hh ^^ noi: -^ Lri 'I t Z^T"" '"" ".^-^^'^^ among then,, ,vhich sho^ved him to\e a 1 ? "^'•'"y ™"-^des
Now, the Messiah wns t^ ? '^ extraordmary person,
was his son a ^r hTflesh Z'u''\ ''' ''"' °' '^='^'^' ^'"d ^° he
him: yet Dayid^cld M mt'f' '^^l^r"''^- f™- speaking to hint, and telling hi.n to s t tin IsZt^ Z TT''' power; and, in describing this David 7 of dign.ty and
was to come to pass saicr- The . '^''°' '*' '^'^^'"^ °f "hat
my right hand/'"^ Now if he ere n W ""'" "^ ''°^''' ^^ "^°" °" he be his Lord ? Is a son lo I u r' f""' ''"^ ^^"''' "^"W eould
^P^harisees ..re pu^l^^^'Xirkt'd r^me':;:::^^^ ^''^ to be thetr Messiah, and did not see that the Messirh^^hri;^ ^b:
I
I
Rrcat com- ic sig-nifiecl idmcnt; for •e exercised
"t he began -d wlicther ^as, - What means the Jeople and le reply to :ould have id learned ' to spring
question, hich arose saith unto The Lord ake thine ' is he his h Psalm, and they
Messiah
miracles ^ person, id so he nee from resented nity and
of what thou on w could 't. The to come as to be
not on)y man in his flesh, but also vuv Sov oi.- God thp T n.n tt- m whom dwelt all the fullness of the GoZd b dii; '^Z'^^
, Messiah they could not make out how David called his son I ord and I so could not answer Christ, and were put to shame and sile Le Thev
Lt7t trof^D '^^''": '•" "^^^ ^^ '^ ''^-'^ son aid Dav r
its:"" " «" =?rt;rri'';,-r ,:;
After this no man durst ask Christ any more questions. Christ's Discourse Respecting the Wickedness of the Pharisees.
MATTHEW XXIII
wild"::' oTl"^f '•• '" "'^ "'"°""^ °f °"^ Lord respecting tl,e Zm """■ ""-' P''''''-'''^^'' '^''^'■5=''-'^ he n>akes against
l^o^se ihefifm.~B„t all fhcir -^orts they ,/o to be seen of me,, ■ tl.r.
ganneds. Tlicy were fond of making a show of rchgion and did everythmg before men, instead of secretly before God Tiry wo e fhe' wr'; t' f'T^' T/'"" °f P-chn,ent, on their forehew^ aV o„ div ne 1!':" \ "'T' °" "'"^'^ "'^" "•^'«- -rtain ^vords o emeX f ' ^ T ,"^\P^'°P'« Relieve how n,ueh they tried to remember ,t And as the Jews wore fringes on the edo-e of their gannents to distinguish them from the heathen nations -ound -.bouT so they, to distinguish the„,selves fron. others of their own countrv- men, wore broader fringes than others ^
Verse the tl,lrtee„th.-But woe ,mto yo„ Scribes and Pharisees hPocntes tfor ye sh„t up the kingdo.n of ;,e.,n agai„st„" Tye nathergo „, yourselves, neither suffer ye the,.. mat!re entering to go], By woe ,s here meant sorrow, misery, and a threatening of drefd ^ pumshment for such great wickedness as hypocrisy. By the ktgdo of heaven ,s meant, not heaven itself,-for happ.i; „o man ha pot
Hi
" Ik
Hi
JG
THE FAMILY COMVmXTARV,
lo Shu another out of hcavcn.-^but what is called " the gospel d.snen- -tion or //.. tune of p^cackin, f,c .osfcl to per.shing s nners ^Is I have before expkuned it to you. Now.by trying to prejudic L people against ChrKst-the Messiah who came into the wor d to open he gates of th.s kingdon. and to preach the gospel to the meek--
oTc ntent 'l ^"d" ''T '" ^'^''^ ^' ^'^''^ ^^"^ ^^^ ^'-'^ -^'. not contented with refusing to enter in themselves. Ihev both ruined
themselves and others by persuading them not to enter in
ycyse the foH,tcenth.~iyoc nnto yon, Scyibcs amnVuinsccs, hyfo-
cyifcsl for ye dcvoitr loidows houses, (vid for (1 pretence make long prayer; therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation. It is said by s o ni e writers that the Pharisees, to seem very holy, prayed three times a day, and three hours at a time, so that they must have
a cU^r p„f *t 1-1 prayed nine hours
a day. But they did not pray from the heart. They repeated
Xl't r f 7' -"-/-- of prayer, without Iheir' soufs'
bv heirn r TV"" "^'^ '^'^ '^'^' ^^'y ^^'^ "^^^e money
by their prayers, and this was their object, which was a vile abuse
selves and others. And, what was worse, under this pretence of
pZTvfdovvJ 1T"1 "''r' '"^^"'^^ ''''' is, they imposed upon poor widows^fiom whom they very often took much of the money
MODERN IIEIiRON; SIIOWINC THE GREAT MOHAMMEDAN
MOSnUE. HHB.O. w.. ^';- n-n's C.,,,,, „,,„,, „, ,,,„^^„ ^^ ^^ IT NOW Contains about 5000 Inhabitants.
I
I
^pcl ibspeii- i 11 tiers, as I cjudicc the rid to open he meek — them ; and, )(jth ruined
'sees, hypo-
foy ye li'idoivs'
and foy 'lice fiiake prayer ; 'e ye shall ^he greater ion. It is y some
that the -s, to seem ly, prayed nes a day, c hours at
so that ust have ine hours repeated, eir souls le money ile abuse for our- :tence of ed upon - money
I
I
UAiiJiiiu:
77
left to them for their support-by prctenclinn to pray for then, l„.tt,,r than th.:>- could pray for themselves. ^^'
soever sl,n ,^ea, by Ike temple it is >,ot/,i,g ; b„f ■ Uo,oe,r skn}l I Z "y t/ie go/d 0/ t/ie temfi/e. /,e ,\ „ M,l„r P,., ■<"-^'->- '■""H s,.u,y
nff,-r,.ift<.,f II f '•" '^ " """'"■ lee, aereaecustonie. to otfei xKts o jjoia for t|,e use of the temple, and sometimes to swear o, make oath that they uoui.l ,ivc eertain ,ifts. Nou-, if th y • de ";" ' '" >>« ain tinn,, ami merely said, " Uy the temple, • or in t le of the teinp e, "I uall .lo it," the Pharisees sai.l they , ,i,ht bre k Z i;-m,se I they pleased; but if they swore in the'iian'; of le essels of he temple they must keep their oath saered. H t'^ Lord said this ,vas u.|eked, for one saered promise should be ke„ ' ■mich as another; aud if there was any diffirenee in point o d ilv botu.een the :,old conseerate,l to the temple and the temp e itse? 1 e
to he kept. I,u lie ^^-ho knows men's hearts saw th.u this was all Inpocnsy, an.l th.it they made this distinetion, ,,s they did that r an ."K the atir and the ,ift upon it, from corrupt 'and hypoeal ieal motues. Christ ea led these n,en blind guides, since they ret iS to K^ude o hers in the w.ay to heaven and could not see it^l em^"ves /.„f"T "•;'''"'^y-"'''--^-1"-oo n„to you. Scribes a,nl P,,^' liypocnes forycpay tithe of mint ami anise andennmin ndtave
if »i ■ " , '"• ^ P"'-^ts and Levites the tenth part of the value
of everything that n,ade their inconre, even to these small herbs ancl they d,d not lose by it, for the priests nrade them due re urns fo setting this example. But they were unjust, unkind, and u if /to others, and so while they minded trifling things that cost them nothing, and turne.l to their advantage, they ne^^i^cted to do instil and to be merciful, kind, and „ghteous"in thai de\l£ w^th oii:;:
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78
THE FAMILY COMMENTARY
Christ Foretells the Destruction of Jerusalem.
iMATTIIKW XXIV.
The temple of Jerusalem was a mo.t splendid buildin- and kinp Herod had expended a j^reat deal for its improvement, so that it was so grand that the Jews used to say. '. He who has not seen the temple ot Herod has never seen a beautiful building."
The disciples one day. having taken particular notice of its fine marble columns and curious workmanship, pointed them out to Christ tha he might admire them too. Our Lord then told them, " There shall not be left here one stone upon another that shall not be thrown down ; which really took place not a very long time afterwards, though there was then no probability that so fine and firm a buildin.r v.'ould or could be so easily destroyed. "^
The disciples were then more curious u, know when this wonderful destruction should happen. Our Lord did not satisfy their curiosity, but gave them warning how they might know xvhen it was coming on ; that here should first be false prophets arising who should deceive the people; and so it was. Then there should be wars ; and there were ter ible wars for a long time between the Jews and the Romans, who then ruled oyer them, as between them and several other nations. There should also be "famine, pestilences, and earthquakes." There should likexv^se be cruel persecutions and murders of the followers of Christ ; and, finally, the gospel should be preached to all other nations as well as to the Jews.
This would be a dreadful time. The Jews must then expect miseries never known before in the whole world. God was about to punish tliem for their many and great sins against him, but especially for the greatest of all sins-that of rejecting and hating Jesus Christ, the only Saviour. So dreadful would be the vengeance of the Roman armies when once Jerusalem should be besieged, that the moment there was an appearance of it. all Christians were advised to escape, and lose not a moment but flee and hide themselves in secret places in the mountains. If they were walking to cool uxemselves on the tops of
■JT'^^rrsr
, and king- that it was ;hc temple
of its fine to Christ, 11, " There je thrown ftcrwards, buildinn^
.vonderful curiosity, ming on; :ceive the lere were lans, who nations. There owers of r nations
miseries ) punish y for the the only n armies lere was md lose s in the
tops of
MATTHEW.
70
at a cMstance. ,t woul.l be unwise to risk delay by Roin.^ .f e tl-en
to escape at all. '° ' '''"'' >''''""''■ " ^™"'^' """'y ^^ P-^'^l'
„mT ^""T ''?''" '■' P'""'*'" ■''■ <:""iI»n»on about the fi^-tree . d
t t ^: a th,K.:'^' ""• '"'f' °f "^^- ^W-°-h of the sunnner.
one snould be taken and the other left "
The Parafck of the Ten Virgins.-The Parable of the Talents.-
The Day of Judgment.
MATTHEW XXV
. ™: tciiL" ss: v;rs -rr ? * r™
It refer, tn . . '; "•'"^^^'> called The Parable of the Ten Virmns " It reters to a custom amonsj the Tews anrl -f;ii .• / ^"'^-
people in Eastern nations. When tr/^Ll I^lS^lS
|
1 ; 1' |
|
^! |
|
• |
.So
run FAMILY CO M:\riiXTAKY.
Ri-ooni ^^ out at night to meet his wile, lie has his friends with hnn and she has hers called here "ten virgins.- or young unmarried woni n. lorciies and lamps are always carried in these processions Our i ord represents five of the virgins as foolishly forgettinc.^ to tal^e any o, w.th then.. When, therefore, the party uere alfin a bustle ^o tnm then- lamps and to light those which had gone out while they ad fallen asleep, and to go to meet the bridegroom on his arrival at the house of her father, wher., th.e bride was, the foolish virgins had
no time to buy or get oil elsewhere, and ask'xl the other virgins to supply them, hut as the others had only oil enough for themselves, they could not spare any to their foolish com- panions. So the foolish virgins had to leave the company to get oil ; but before they could get back the pro- cession was gone, the party had entered the bridegroom's house, and, agreeably to their custom, the do'- ' was shut, and no further admittai: given to any.
By this our Lord teaches us that if wc are not prepared with grace or holiness in our hearts wh':n Christ comes to judgment, we shail be able
. . to get none after; and, as the foolish
virgms were shut out of the bridegroom's chamber, so must we in such a case be shut out of heaven.
There is also another parable, which is known by the name of "The Parable of the Talents."
The design of Christ in this parable is to teach us all to use our tune, and abdities, and money, and whatever we have, diligently in the best way we can, to promote his glory. These are our talents intrusted to us to use properly. The talent was a fixed weight of
:nt was worth nearly fifty-seven thousand
ANCIKNT KaSTJ-.KN I. AMI'S.
gold
riciuls with unniaiTicd >roccssions. uvj:; to take a bustle >o while they ; arrival at 'irgins had elsewhere, ' to supply had onlv they could 'lish com- irgins had t oil ; but : the pro- )arty had ouse, and, the do'" dmittai:
us that if i^race or :n Christ 1 be able !ie foolish 1st we in
: of "The
) use our :ly, in the " talents, 'eight of housand
MArrifFjv.
".ust be ansut "d f^b/ n Vr";? "r ""■'" «"'-' ""' '''^" -" them wc must cxu.-rt tr, . ''"''"' '■""°"°"' "^' ("' 'i""i"Ji
and joys Ta 1 e 'alth "f" ,°""''':^" '^"^ "'""•'"'«■ l^'— ' '^ much as a tithe of it "' '""'' ~"'^ "°' I'uichase-no, „„t so
sinful world, ouri^LtcTlod ' ^'^'"f "" "^ J-"-'-" to that of our in all his ffbry attenSc ^°' V"'''''^' '^'^ '''""'' ^'"'' «'>al eomin.r tin-one. 1 11 ni.il of al . ^"f ' """ '"''"' "" '"'^ it"lK"'-n
appear beret: ;„l''r'V; 'r """' ''""' '"^ ''"'' '•-'
:>bout the hilly e^u-uHi : '(' 1 " .ii:: ^ tt '"rr''', ^^"^-^"'^
animals fcedincr to-cther Nr '': '"'"''^ f^^ 1"^!^" "> ''"th sorts oi Scripture by the name of ^h T' '''l'"'""' '"'^ "f'^" '^■'""1 "'
cn,b'leu,s of nnocen ^^^ "T" "">' '•"" "x'"«'>' '" '- K<"'>l
™s causes, are^:;,;;:™'::^^;!;:::.^:;:-:::"^ ^-'^' ^-"
pi^!:^ZiXrattist;i;t'T r ^-t ''^^^■'-"■^'-•^ ■--'- --i"
of honor, and h 4k j af " -^t ', " ,'' '^^ '^""^""^"■^' ''■^ "^ l^'---'
or, to speak in ^t^^t^J^tT^'^" "\ """• ^""'"""'-^ approval and the wicked uit'h 1,- ""^'^\ 'h^^ righteous ^^■ith his
invite the righteous and sa to t^'^^'n '"^' '''■""" "^ "'" 'hen duee them to 1 s eV enlv Ti . "'' T?'""' ^^ ^'^^^"'•" =""' '"'ro- " Depart from n^^tS n:;-, tfn noti""'1 '' '"" ''^''
:n: ",f :: M^^r r-^:- --- - '^ -' -i" my breth J; ye Cdo^: ^u^ , :."^ whiir„::,tt'r;i° V'^^'-^^ :::::k:So;; ■z.'^ri! ^^r -o>ve^h-:r':;^:i:sr^
punished ; for he will say to the
did It not to one of the least of these
g-uilty, " Inasmuch
as ye
ye did it not to me." " And
R2
run IwUIILY COMMENTARY. these shall go away into everlasting punishment, but the righte
life eternal.'
ous into
The Passover.— The Sufferings of Christ.
MATIHi:w XWI.
When our blessed Jesus ea„,e into the uorld to save sinners he new what Ite Itad to suffer. He uas to die that ^ve n,i,d,t live. An now the tune of h,s death began rapidly to approaeh : .utd he toi<ll,i d,sc,ples that .n two days the passover was !o be eaten, in ren e branee of the eatmg of the lan.b at the eseape of the ehildren of Israel
out of Hfrypt, and that then he ^^■as to be betrayed that he might be crucified.
The disciples soon foinid that it was but too true— tliey must lose their beloved Lord and Master. For •• the chief priests, Scribes and elders of the people," who had so often shown their haired to Jesus, because he ex- posed their wickedness to the peo],le and reproved them for their hypocrisy antl otiier crunes, now assembled together in the palace
suited tl„f ,., ■ , f ""^ '"'^''' •"■'"'"'• '^''""' Caiaphas, and con-
ulted that they might take Jesus by subtlety and kil him Thev
however, d,d not like to venttu-e to do so just at the passov for thcT
lea,-ed lest there should be " an uproar an.ong tile people. T e
cople had reccved great benefits from Jesus many of 'them and
hen- fiaends, ,vho would travel from all parts of Jt.dea to the fea ha
h,cl Ik had .lone, and .t was, therefore, natural to suppose that if
£edt :::^^^"'"'^^ ^^°"' "-- '"^■^"-"^' --^-"-y '--'s
A few days before the passover Jesus came to Bethany a vilh.re near Jerusalem, and was invited to eat at the house of Sim , he eper-vcry l.kely one who had been a leper and whon, he ha re 1
he entcrtan Christ, and it is here related to his honor.
A.NCIKNT WlNE-l'RKSS.
;htcous into
MATTinuv.
^Z
sinners, lie live. And he t(jlcl liis in remeni- -n of Israel Avas to be
it was but 3ved Lord ts, Scribes, d so often Jse he ex- ^'ople and and other the palace , and con- n. They, r, for they le." The hem and feast, had ' miracles ic that if y insults
a villag-e imon the id cured, 11 events
pensive and the fri.r,-,nf =,„ ii " ^ ' ' "''" "'"*""■"' bein- cx- present Some oT^ P';occed,n,^r Iron, it most grateful „, all
but christtn : h ; o i::';: :,: r'if v'r -t"^" ™^ ^^^^^^
^Vho she was is not !vc. I "■ ' , ''" ^"'"'"^"^'"1 I'"' ^-^^■
she n-as Mary the skf ■ f T, ' , '" ''"'''■ ''"'' '"''^'■•'' ""*
^ind act-he:^n;':rarti.::.i;;:f ::;:::^ ^"^ ^- - "^■■■
wa,-, however, well known and spread abroad at that tmie; and wherever the f^ospel was prcaehed th,s was mentioned to her praise
And no^^ the moment arrived ^^■hen the siiHermgs of our -racious Saviour beran. One of his disciples, Judas-the u retehed man t_ went to the chief priests and offered to deliver up Chnst to then, for thirty pieces of siher- the paltry price paid for a purchased servant about eighteen dollars and fifty cents! Thev durst not take Christ publicly for fear of the
L7 L e^l-" dif r l:^: r'"l \^- «^ ^^ Pnvate retreats, for the most fa^n.bL :;;ZmU;' ""' ""' ^'"■^"=^' '^"^ ''^ ™'*^^
Jr^b:::7nr;i:rof";:::raS^^
livered from P • , } ""' ^^'"^ J'^'^" '" "^'"^ that they ^verc de-
AncIKNT Wj.NE.l'KKbS.
84
THE FAMILY COmiliXTARY.
:J
chtional s.^-n of the haste in uhicli tiic people were to escape; hut this si^ni wius afterwards not used, and now they lay down, leaning on their elbows, just as we do on a sofa, this bein- the fashion in 'the lews- country, and is still s.) in that part of the world. While our blessed Saviour took the passover. he said to his disciples, "One of you sliail betray nie." So that he showed that he knew what Nvickcdness was in the heart of Judas, and that he could have escaped from his treachery li he pleased, but he came into the world to give his precious life a ransom for smners.
His disciples were very sorrONvful, and all were afraid lest they
should be tempted to do so wicked a thing as to betray their beloved
l.()Kl, and they asked with great concern, "Lord, is it I ?" Then he
said to them, "He that dippeth his hand with me in the dish, the same
shall betray me.'" They uould all do this, f(3r this was the way of
siting, taking it out of one dish with their fingers, and not with knives
-.nd forks, as we eat; but then this was to show how villainous the man
would be; for to eat together was the greatest sign of friendship, and
so his showed his conduct to be as bad as it possiblv could be Yet
Judas, in order to disguise himself before the other disciples, darin<.-|y
asked, " Master, is it 1 ? - and Christ said it was he. "^
Jesus then took bread and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, as is now done, after his example, at the Lord's Supper- and in like manner he took the cup. W^hen he gave the bread he said,' Ihis IS my body'— meaning this represents my bods —to be broken for you ; it could not actually be his body, for his body remained the same. So. also, he said when he took the cup, "This is mv blood of the Aew Iesfame>ir-~i\,:,i is, this represents mv blood to be shed' for sinners, and represents it by a different sign from that which has been used; hitherto the blood of beasts was shed as the si-n that he was to die, but now and henceforth wine, the blood or juice of the grape, was to be the sign. Both of these-the bread and the wine- were to be taken, and afterwards to be continued in the church, and received by Christians in remembrance that Christ died for them— "for the remission of sins " ; that is, the pardoning of sins
'; but this ;< on tlicir the Jews' r blessed you siiall :ss was in treachery JUS life a
lest they
beloved
Then he
the same
- way of :h knives
the man ^hip, and be. Yet daringly
ve it to
Supper; he said,
- broken ined the y blood, be shed iiich has
that he ; of the
wine — xh, and a — " for
MATTHEW.
85
Gethsemane.-The Sufferings of Christ.
through the narrow streets of Jerusalem to the eastern gate,
which led to the Mount of OlTves!
On their way he continued his
lovmg exhortations and xvarn-
ings to them. "AH ye shall be
offended because of me this
night," he said; " for it is written
I will smite the Shepherd, and
the sheep of the flock shall be
scattered abroad. But after I am risen again, I will go before you into Galilee." How merciful and gracious was our blessed Lord in this! He knew that these disciples, strongly as they
the. a,ain .i.K ^^1^1:1^!: ::^or'zt::i rcT
ONE OF Tin: GATES UE JERUSALEM.
II-
86
THE FAMILY COMMENTARY.
good, and would for the time overcome it. He therefore said, very (luictly, " Verily 1 say unto thee, that tiiis night, before the cock crow, thou siialt deny me thrice." So near was the time of Peter's fall and disgrace, and yet so wholly unconscious was he of its approach. "Though I should die with thee," he protested, "yet will 1 not deny thee." Likewise also said all the disciples.
They had by this time descended the slo])e from the city gate to the bridge which spanned the Kidron ravine, crossed it, and were ascend- mg the opposite slope of the xMount of Olives. Their destination was an inclosed garden or olive orchard, known as Gethsemane, from the od-press which was near it, in which the oil was expressed from the ripe olives which abounded in that vicinity. It was in one of the secluded hollows of the western slope of the mountain, and was well known to the disciples as a place where their Master often went to pray. As they drew near to it Jesus began to be in great distress of mind, and said to the disciples, while they were yet without the inclosure,' "Sit ye here, while I go and pray yonder." His anguish of soul mcreased,and taking with him Peter, and James, and John, the three who had witnessed his transfiguration, he entered the inclosure. Turning to them with every feature indicating his agony of spirit, he said, " My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death ; tarry ye here, and watch with me." This craving and longing for human sympathy is perhaps the strongest evidence \\-e could possibly have that he, the Son of God, had taken upon him our nature ; that he was, m reality, the Son of God and the Son of Mary, and ^\■as a man of like passions with us, yet without sin, while he was also the Divine Redeemer. Having made this touching appeal to the three disciples lor sympathy, "he went a little farther [Luke says, "about a stone's cast"], and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt." After this earnest petition, he rose and came to the three disciples and found them sleeping, and said unto Peter, "Simon, sleepest thou ? Couldst not thou watch with me one hour? Watch and pray, that yc enter not into temptation; the spirit indeed is will- ing, but the flesh is weak." " He went away again the second time,
!*!»*» » 'iMfawu -^.mjt-
laid, very )ck crow, tcr's fall ipproach. not deny
tc to the
as ceil d- stination ne, from >ed from le of the kvas well
to pray. ')( mind, iclosure,
of soul le three iclosure. pirit, he :arry ye
human )ly hav^e he was, man of
Divine lisciples
stone's
if it be , but as le three Simon,
Watch is will- d time,
MATTHEW,
87
1.C prayed more earnestly ; a,ul l.is s„ „. ,s . ' '" ^"' ^'•'^'"">'
of bloo.l, fallin. dona to the „ot„ul \ j , %, 1^' •^"•" '""l'^ asain to his disciples, and a,,m, found I .i ' '","•■,'''■ """^■
were roused thev uv,-,. c.,,!! ''"'I'' •""' "'"•" 'l^v
<lia not kno;; »r ^a^ :: ; 7''^^'; ,, ;p;> »;"■ SI..,, that d,ey chosen place of H-ivstlin,,- , '"". ''. <lq'ait«l to his
oftheo!dri;;::5^j ^:;[::■t:^;r'rt;'■:^^'■'- mi^dlt bo accomn ishci '^,J..,: "'•" "'^ JHinewill
time his p.aye;ts hi:; ;;,;:;'::i-:;;;^ -;;;■;;;; -''^^
weakened body ind th. nr-r ..i i , ^^'^'l-tl, x\as ^i-ucn to the
for the sa,.e yTx^;^::",::':::;!, ';;,;/-' -:' -■«-^nn,,
returned to his discii,l,.s I, . ' "i- t ^I'onld l,,llou. Now, as he
"uiUitudedos end ' fL^ " T fl ""' '""''^'^ ^"'"^ '^^ "- and hrid..e u ul il. J h / ^ ' ' "'" "'" '" "'^ '^''1™" ■"•''vine
Addressing' hl^'di I s ' h Id ".i sh' T ^'"""^'"-^ '"' ^^^ J^'-
-St.' The a,ony .ii.ch'had ^o lush' ■;:■.;;;":::,:":' ^''^ >-'■
now needed not their witchfid . . .'f N"it«as i^one, and he
bestow. An..els had m ni t ■ ■■ l'' '""'"'" '^'^y "'"''^ "<"
watch over tt , 1^ I " i ," ' "" '' "'^ """' '''^ turn to
hourc,f ther ; ;ne te .ta rr"' " "■ " ^" ''"' ""^- ■■" "-'' ■ t'- and therefore e s " ' | ^ T u""' ^ "/°^ "'■™' " '"" '"•'^-•"' man is betrayed in'.o the'ha;:';,,^ ofM: "r ^T ' ;':' t ■"'" "^ behold, he ,s at hand that doth betrav uk- " ■'^"'"^''
death of the cross is etjet fro ,™ ' ,'"'""" ,™'' '■^'"""-"°"S known from the fir t that e si 0 d htr'l r?'"''""' ' ''" '^^''
With his disciples, and With M^:SEiS;,';?t::-s;i;t^^
1'^
88
THE FAMILY COMMENTARY.
yet Without fear and witlioul distress; in the twelve or fifteen hours which followed his arrest, amid tiie insolence and insults of priests and rabble, of Roman soldiers and malefactors, amid the cruel tortures of the thorny crown, the scour-in- and the terribly painful death of the cross, he manifested not the slightest fear; his calm and di..nified c emeanor awed hisjud-es, and on the cross his pardon of the'dvin.-- thief, his care for his mother, his sublime prayer for his murderers^md his calm announcement of the completion of the work of redemption all showetl a spirit incapable of fear.
Weakness and exhaustion of body may have had some, thou-di probably but a sli-ht, intluence. 'Ihe previous week had been one of Kreat excitement and weariness; vast multitudes hadlistened to his teachin-s; even the (Ireeks. first fruits of the ( lentiles, had sought an mterview with him; the Pharisees, Sadducees, and Ilerodians had combined to entan-le h.im in his talk, and all had completely failed • more than once the officers of the temple had been sent out to arrest him, and had been prevented only by some sudden chan-e of base or by his eloquence, which disarmed them. The knowledo'e on his part of every step of Judas in betrayin- him had added to' his cares and anxieties ; but none of these tr()ul)les could haxe so wei-hed down his spirits or whelmed him in such deep distress. TJie -rcat cause of this fearful an-uish svas that he, the Sinless One. to whom all sin was so loathsome and hateful, was to .satisfy the divine law by takin- upon himself the burden of the sins of the uhole world ; he, the <>uiltless and Holy One, was to bear the -uilt and impurity of the sinncTrs of al' the ages. He was to be wounded for our transoressions, to be bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was'to be upon him and with his stripes we were to be healed. But under this terrible pres-' sure It was not the divine nature that faltered; that had from eternity determined on this plan of salvation, and had foreknown all its details • It was the human body and the human soul which stretched its arms outward and upward for svmpathy an<l comfort under this dreadful load, and found it at last in sweet submission to the divine will Once more, and but for a moment, in th(^ hou-s of torture which fol- lowed, did this " horror of great darkness " fall upon the dying
en liours icsts and "turcs of li of the tli\;iiiriccl
rcrs.aiul ^•niption,
thoiiL^h 1 one of d to Ill's Ui;Iit an ;ins had r failed ; t) arrest base, or his part res and own his J of til is was so it^*" upon guiltless -sof al! bruised )\\ hini, le preS' eternity ietails ; s arms readful le will, ch fol-
dying
Ar.riTiuiw.
89
/^'.'ileenier; it w is wliil,. i, ^
I'"" forsake, „,c?' lUa til 'v ' ', '^'J' ^-"'l' '»>■ t^"'!. »liy lu.t I""'. ^"Hl the racked artcl tortured bo K^sf' l""", ''''"' "^'"" "'"""■I , Jiut wc, too, i„ this discussion of ,„ ' '" "'^' ""^'"^'^ "^ <l^''"h.
'•■■-- left the Saviour as "r • ' """"r^ '''"' ''"■''^•^ ^'^""Y.
'''•^■^v ni,h,atthc luacl of a r j^^' ^'''''"«-l>"l '"">. Judas „o '->.|'lc'. the ui,l,t watch, a su ,,'"'"'"■'' "' "'^' ""'-- '" ^>>^
servants and han,crs-on .,f | ,, ! ' '•'' ^'""■"' -^ol'liers, and such asscn,hlcd. The Ro„,an o er ' ' I " ," """'' "^^^ "'■"■^"-"'Iv ten.|,le„.orc.s„.ords; the re f t , " ,''"'''''" "'^' "''"'-■^■'■•^ ^' "' ' c-l,els. Judas, uith an ,„",;'>' ""V'"'""' "'"' ^''^'^^ -' onler that the officers ,ui '| L '"--.v, had proposed that in
rccosni.e Jesus he uouhl'^ o t. . 'ir,,,:: ':' cVr "'^ '"'"• '^--^'n. •. - so
-:^fMldt,-S;';-r
'•S'S;:.t;rtSl'''''','V''^
J-"s reph-ed uith perfc t -^ t, :Co„,:;'■ l"''' "fricn.l,-. our versio,f s\-t ™ "';
:ri^.''^r^"'"-'n.foru.,,at:;rt''t',;;;;
items uluVhV h"' r""-'"''^ ■"'■^■^' '■' '^'^ "■""-"^"-■■•"--™k.:.~t.
crowd, awestruck, retrea e 1 nn 1 ''"°'"lf "'"' 'h--' '-"iswer that the ^Vhen they had 'rccovetcl' tie L d"^ f """" '''' '° '"^^ S™-''- " Whom seek ye?" and a.nnh , '^"•■"" P"' ""= question
of Nazareth. %u.^7^^Z7:^r'' 'T' '""'''■ "J^- of h,s disciples, said, "I have to ""^f '=f • •''"d especially tender -^■^ me, let these ' (mVdrciptr: J "I ' '-- "l-^ = 'f therefore ye soldiers ad^-anced to seize hijp Lf as 'Hr'^; ^^ '"^ ^°™^" l^raveas ever, drew his sword ancl t off t ^t'r o/ ''"■P™^^""^
ine car of a servant of
i'
90
TlUi FAMILY COMMENTARY.
the Iii-h priest. Jesus instantly commanded him to put up his sword uito its siieath, and apologizing to the soldiers for the rashness of his follower, touched and healed the wound. While they were bmdin<< him Jesus remonstrated with the multitude, sayino-, "Arc ye come out as an:ainst a thief, with swords and staves, for to^'take me ? I sat daily with you, teaehin- in the temple, and yc laid no hold on me. But this is your hour ami the power of darkness." When the Roman soldiers had bound his hands behind his back, and moved forward with their prisoner to the hi-h priest's palace, all the disciples tied, under the apprehension that the)- too would be arrested • but John and Peter, loth to leave their Lord, followed on at a safe distance and John first, and Peter later, entered the palace hall; Peter sittin<^ with the servants to see the kixm},. ^
In the meantime the priests and elders tried to obtain some wit- nesses to testify that Christ had said somethin- in their hearin- that was very wicked, and accordino- to the ir law deserxed death. \ow none could say this in truth; so they were obli-ed to net false wit- nes.ses ; that is, pay some bad men to say anythin- thev wished, to justify them in pronouncing,^ sentence on him. These vile men then declared that they had heard Christ say that he could destroy the temple and rebuild it in three daxs. Christ had, indeed, said to the chief priests, more than three years before, when he had driven the traffickers and money-changers out of the lemple and they asked him for a sign o{ his authority, " Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up " ; but this saying of his had reference to his own body the temple which enshrined the living God, as the temple at Jerusalem was supposed to enshrine the divine Shechinah ; and he had not said that he could destroy that temple. But it was evident, even to them that this testimony was worthless ; so the high priest tried if he could get Christ to say something that would suit their purpose better and adj^iircd him to tell them whether or not he was "the Son of God."
fesus. — that
V
of God." Then the high priest rent his
thou art right, — " I am the Son
spoken blasphemy, and that th
s clothes, declared he had
Had he not been the Son of God h
ere was no further need of
witnesses.
e w
ould, indeed, have spoken
'-cssi'ass*^..
t up his raslincss
:icy were "Arc yc
:;ikc mc ? hold on \1icn the -1 moved disciples ted ; but distance, ;r sittin<^
Dme wit- ■ing- that I. N(nv, alse wit- ished, to len then itroy the id to the iven the ked him e da)s I m body, rusalem lot said o them, le could ter, and f God." the Son he had tnesses. spoken
MATTHEW
seized the opportun^y Tf ;; ■ ' '"r:r,;'' r" .""•"■'"'■^' "->■ '>""■ And now the scrv .„ s^n " r ' ^"^ "^ ^'''''^ »'>'' ^^'ory.
flapped his cheeks In; tt'?'^ T;", '," "'^ '"^"^■- ^"-'^ """■ then, uho did it This us ,1 'J '"'"• •■'''^"' ''"" '« t-ll
wicked uho ,nake spo d, trJnl"' n' ^ ^"' ""■>• •'- ■■■^ '-'-■'">•
being a disciple; but Pet r ,s '"' °"'' '""' •"^"'^-l '"'" o''
and so deniil i H en e t h s "f"'"- '" "'^- -"-■ nay,
trance of the high pr st ■ | t^T "I """ '" "'^' '•"'■^'' "'^ -'" another maid, and 'the , .'-o '\ r„'^\"'-'^ '^^'^ '"--cred by After this some more persons ,,.- ' ■ "■•■"■ """""« "' t;in-ist.
followers, and theysai t ^hi ha t " "', i '"'"^ '"" °' ^'"-'■^ part of the eonn.ry. > t^^'^FT' ''^ """^ f''"'" "'^ sanK-
"- before, and sLd he kn^t ,7; a ri:n-h''''''t!''^- "'"■^^' and su-ear show most nln'nlv th-,t tl, ; '"""^^ "'at curse
Peter took a most effec U and ? '''", ""' ^'^""^ '" Christ, so
Jesus had xvarned I ■ of s ? /m'"°'' '° ^''■^«""''^^- ''"'--'f- shou,derowtwiceh?™url:; ;;:,/; J"'",;;- '-f^' ">e coek to pass; the cock crowed-Petr-r rr.„ , • "'"■''" """' ^me
to break-he thought how wild rw^eer'": '"•"' "^'^ ■-^•->- " wept bitterly." This was a si.^n tim he st 1 ' '^"""'^ ''''''>' ^'^ weeping bitterly ean ever ^vash "awav h f ""''^^'-■'y/'^P™ted ; but no mine; //«,/ can only be do,'e bv Wt m T,' °^ ^'""'' ^'""^ ^"'-^ «f
which alone can brine, healin'toth '', '''°"'' °^ J^^"-^ Christ,
guilt and defilement, an^atl^ci;" et::::!: ^^^^^^^^ '^'^ -->' '-
The Sufferings of Christ.-His Deatli.
MATTHEW XXVir
92
THE FAMILY COMMENTARY
only sliow how much they desired to put him to death. About two years before this the Romans, who had conquered the Jews, had taken trom them the power to execute any. and tiierefore another council was held to know what further to do. So they bound Jesus and led hui: to Pilate, the Roman oovernor who was placed over them, in order that he mi-ht execute the sentence which they had pa.ssed upon hiin. ^ ^
Wliile this was doin- Judas' conscience became so troubled for having basely delivered up his innocent Master that he went and threw down the money which, for his wicked act, he had received from the chief priests and elders, and he said, " I have sinned, in that I have betrayed the innocent blood." But the priests, even more hardened than he, said, " What is that to us ? see thou to that." As much as to say, that is your concern, Judas, and not ours ; our end is served, and so you may do as you please; and if you have betrayed the innocent the fault is yours, and not ours.
Christ havin- declared himself to be the Christ or Messiah— the Son of Cod,— the Jews thought they had excellent omunds on which to accuse him to the Romans. They had a notion in their heads that the Messiah was to be their king, as David and others had been before • and so they thought that by Christ owning himself to be the Messiah he professed also to be their king. This was their own fancy, for his kingdom was not of this world, but spiritual; he never intended to sit upon an earthly throne, but to reign in the human heart, makin- it obedient to him from love. This fancy of theirs they told to PiTate as truth ; and as the Romans would be jealous of any one claiming the throne— as Herod was when Christ xxas born— thev thou<dit they could bring a charge of treason against Christ. Pilate being hiformed of this asked, "Art thou the King of the Jews?" Jesus said unto him, ''^1 hou sayest " ; meaning, « I am." He explained, as John ^ells us, to 1 ilate that his kingdom was not of this world, and Pilate understood It. To the other flilse charges of the Jews he would make no reply Now, there had been a custom introduced by the Romans— perhaps to win the hearts of the lower orders of the Jews— to release some prisoner at the time of the passover. So Pilate fixed upon Barabbas
MATTimn;
A^boiit two had taken cr council IS and led " them, in ssed upon
iibled for went and :ived from lat I have hardened mch as to rved, and innocent,
^iah, — the on which icads that :n before ; ; Messiah y, for his ded to sit iiaking- it to Pilate claiming ght they informed into him, lis us, to derstood lo reply, -perhaps se some iarabbas,
a most notorious thief and tlctennine which of the two" si Christ. IJe believed Ch
murderer, and proposed to the J
lould b
as.
nst to be innocent, and
'c set at libert)', P.arabb,
cws to
;is or
whose life none could well wish
pioposed this Barab^
Saviour, whom he set
111 contrast to him, niiL-ht
to be sjjaretl, that th
c mnocent priests and elders mnv.,.-,.,l f^ " "","' V"'"'" ^''^^^P'-"- ^'^^'t the chief
wood, w„ic„ ^^::::i::^^::^::^^^-^^^f "po„ .„.
was then lifted un nnrl ^^■h\. • i • ^^^^- T^^ti cros.^
servants, thieves robbers '^nl f °"'^ ^'"""^''""^ °" ^^-^'^^^^1
conscience in ^nvin-r ,,,) fh. h. ' / c^ '':'l"^'^' ''"'to quiet his o^^u ^11 giving up the mnocent Saviour to be nut \n J,.nfi i
pe..o„: and,,;iv;r:„;;::-ro - 'Cd:?r-;r^-^
evernKwhaL! r*.t'" V,'"' '\:^'^'''" 1^-- 'ho blame, ,vl,at-
e
sequ Oh
ay happen from it. so let him di nces, we are not afraid of them, iserabi
c; we care nothing for th
c con-
7 I,
e people ! His blood was afterwards upon th
!l
pon them indeed !
94
THE FAMILY COMMENTARY.
gill
Nearly their whole nation were butchered, enslaved, driven into per- petual banishment, and scattered among- all nations, as they are to this day; and the Romans, whom they used as the tools to do their wicked deed, were the men that afterwards executed the Di\ine vengeance. " It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God."
Jesus was scourged, stripped, dressed in mockery in a scarlet robe, like a pretended king ; a crown of thorns was made and put ujjon his
head, that his tender tem- ples might be pierced and made to bleed ; and a reed, or cane, was put in his hand as a sham scepter. All of this the Saviour submitted to with the greatest meek- ness. Then, to finish their mocker}-, the Jews bowed their knee to him, and cried, " Hail, king of the Jews ! " Now they spit upon him out of contempt, and smote him on the head with the reed, and finally took off his mock robes and led him away to be crucified.
On their way to the place
of execution they met with
a man of Cyrene, named
Simon, thought by some to
have been attached to Christ; and as they feared that our blessed
Lord could hardly live to be crucified, having suffered so much, they
made Simon carry the cross.
At length they came to a spot called Golgotha and there " they gave him vinegar to drink mingled with gall; and when he had tasted thereof he would not drink." Comj)assionate people usually mixed a drink to cheer the spirits of the victims going to execution, and to
CHRIST BEARING THE CROSS.
into pcr- rc to this :ir wicked
mgcance.
rlct robe, upon his Jcr tcm- rccd and d a reed, his hand All of Libmittcd st mcck- ish their i bowed nd cried, : Jews ! " pon him id smote with the >k off his led him J.
:he place net with
named some to
blessed ich, they
ley gave 1 tasted mixed a , and to
Vi
MATT/JEW. ^'ir griefs ; but none offered
stni)efy th
ncgar would have (luenclied h
nau
(1
to soothe the blessed Jesus '■' ^'^"••^t. but gall mixed with it wa'.'
iseous ni(iee( It was usual to write thr nffi.r, i •
to the c-oss. p„ate u^^t, If a.-i;"" xir;:";' " "■^^•^ ■•' ••'^-"
TIIK Jhws." "^^- -^"^-^ 1'' JHSI S, TJlli KlX(, or
">at passed byit ;:tV,,'/::;r'"f--.''"- "'°'' '■'■"'" J^-alcm
ouijl.t to shou- it by comin.r do n . ' "'" ■^"" "^ '^o'' '"^
-on to si,ow that he « tl.t So of r", 1' """' "^' ""^^ "-'-'1. ^™y. after their „,aiice ,ri s s '^ fi , \ ■ ^"' " """'^' '^^ '" ^'""ther cl.icf priests and scibe 1 " u^ , d' t^:^ 'T '" """'^- '"-' "ould conte doun fro„, the c " I h v u nV','"'' ^'"■•' '"''^ '" ^'^ pHests and seribes kne;,- thu 1 e h^ ' '"'''''" '"'"■ '''''^■«-
they ^vot,ld not belieNe 1, , "T'^'" """''^■'■'■^'' '""-^'^l-S >^t
of tl,eir iniqtntv an , , " ; i """■"'^>"-' «""' "!> the „,eas re thieves also Leked i'i„" ""' «"'"■ ""^- "^ ""^ -'-ificd
a ^^tl;^t!::i!C^''? "'"= •^'•^^■^ "°-'-'^- -- on Anu at the nintl, ho or t t' ?'T ""', '"T' "'■"' ^" "^ '--'■ "ith a loud voice, sayin ^. t Co, ' r " f ^'•"°°"." J<-'-^".^ cried ">o?" and so his ht,m n nat, f. ; ^'^ *^°:'- "''^ ''^'^' ""^" ^''^-'ken that he eried out fro "Icin so thl" t "'"", "' r"' ^°™'-- "'-Kh' in a spon,.e put upon a rlcd .n^ ^'' "r ''" "' '"'" '°"''^' ^'"'^^'^ and gave up'the Jho^t::;!',,^ -LJ;---' "^'^ =' 'oud vofee,
Uh. what wpr^ I-i.-c- c-„a-...-. . ,t. P'l'L.
were his suffe
great, but these were nothin God to forsake him at that
'■Jng-s! His bodily sufferi
forsake him ? God hates
^S^ were indeed g compared with those of Lis soul For moment, how awful ! But why did God
I ri
\
sin. The innocent J
esus then bore our sins.
c/,
THE FAMILY COMMliX lAKW
Tlli
s w
II )>
:is the reason why he \ i\ hied to (Kalh. The jews were wicked
o\\ II cKcoicl aiul out ol Uk; hi,
ill ivilliii- him, ami tiid it all of tluir r their own hearts; but the) could not ha\ e killed Christ it he I
o
iliee
lail
K'
not w illin-ly -iven iiiniselt to their malice and cruelly. And tliir. lli.it ill his death he nn'ght bear the sins of all his people, lor he him.^eil w.is innocent, and it was these sins that caused (iod to withhold his comforts from him. Well may ue adore the blessed Jesus for .such a display of love But, if he cried out beneath the wei-ht of manV i;uilt, what must those sinners endure w ho will not belie\e in him and be sa\ed, and so tloom themscKes to bear the weij;ht of their (jw n ..ruilt forever?
But besides the great darkness, the veil of the tem])le was rent from
top to bottom, the earth (|uaked, and e\en the rocks were split asunder. The thick tapestry veil was rent, as a sign that all that was sacretl in the ceremonies of the law was now o\ er, and tho^^e ceremonies of no use; for the great Sa\ iour and saciifice was now ct)me, antl he had i"mi>hed his work for guilty men. The earth cjuaked, perhaps as a sign of the drea.dful shaking which was soon to Ijcfall the whole Jewish nation: and the rocks were split asunder to shame the hearts of the people, more haj-dened than those rocks.
These things convinced the soldiers who watched Jesus and the centurion who commanded them that he was no common person; and they were struck with fear, and said, "Truly, this was the Son of Cotl." Many women also, who followed him from Calilee, were witnesses of his crucifixion; among whom "was Mary Magdalene, and Marv the mother of James and Joscs, and the mother of Zebedee's children."
On the evening of this day, when the Jewish Sabbath was al)out to begin, the body of Jesus was obliged to be removed; and |oseph of Arimathea, a rich man, and secretly attached to Christ, went to Pilate
I.NTERio'r OF A Rock Sei-ulchre.
1 1 nn»lt»itllil
J w ickcd c in.ilicc
IH' ll.i'.l
lliis ili.it, liiiu.-^e il hold his r Mich a )f Hum's him ami cir (j\\ n
ill iVoiii ctl, ami IS under, rent, as (.1 in the w ()\ cr, isc; for ice was lied his J earth of llie soon to n: and e, more
.ml the n ; and if Ciod." tn esses [ary the ■en." bout to sej3h of ) Pilate
"TI^E WISE AND THE FOOLISH VIRGIN<=
Then s.a,. the kin.Co. of heaven be U.eneci ...to ten v.,! n:.' --Matt. XXV.
In i
■'4i
THE WIDOW'S MITE.
'This poor widow hath cast more in, than ail t
Mark Xll, 4
iiey wliicn have cast Into the treasury.'
M.rrr/i/ar.
K
and bcygcd l,is body, vvhicli could n„f 1, . t i .
out permission l,ci, : ,iv ' , by 'r , " "" " ""' '""''-■'' " '"-
granted, ■■ he un>|med k , > de , I ^"""l'" S"^'^''-""'- l--'^c bein,
'I- J-vs ,ve,c n,a.lc in roc • , ^^ ''" T'"' "'^ ^^l'"'^'"- "I'
i lie (la\' lojlow ilKr fl,,. ,,k; r
(1. r.-;.ri.i,,- 1,,.. .1, .• . . I "^-^Ls .uKi I naiisccs went to rilaic,
The Resurrection of Christ.
^. ^At r,r :^'£ ':i'i!;" ^7r '^'^'-'^ - '""■'>--•"
<l."-'c and Mary, the w ie ', Vi ," ^ ^''' "' "^^ "'^-l^. -^'ary Ma,- dcsirin,- to see thecle ^^ .i o Z irl ' T\ '," ""' ^^■'"'^'"■^' ^'i'' tlicre ^vas a ^reat earth., '. '"-" ''^l";-^^' l-"'-!. " And, beludd,
f."".lK.uen:and ca ;,;,,'' 'if °' "'^ '-°'-'' ^'^'=^'^-"'1"
»t ...on it. n,s c,nnt ifi'TLrr:'"' ""'"/'''= ''"^■'-•••'-'
white as sno,v : and for fear n^,- "^^ h.i^htnni- .^„d his raiment
as ,lead „,en." T e Kvo "'^ '^-P^'''^ <li^l shake, and became
a^cous n,en in the uo Id b . i:'? '^"'^^V'"'''"'"' ""•■ '""•^' »'- the resurrection of Ch 'u. s, ^r'"', '^^■'^'"^'"^'' '" "'^ ''^■^■"^' If
™- ^^- i , no. .ill z;^:;^t::, '-'" "■'■^ -^^^ - -'"••^'-
-o tl.'r,\:ndZr;; ■:n:f^^^^^^^ "- An.el spo.e hindly
'^n the ,lad ne.,..s to t! e is ,1 V''' '''"■"' '■""'' '^"•^"'^ "'"" "> l"s crucifixion and death, and' t^;^^ ,, ;::„n"f ,--"-.f '' ^" meet them in Galilee. ^'^^"^ '^^^ ^^'^'^'''^' •'^('<>n
1
Iff
zoo
run J'AM/LY commxTARY.
The women ran with all speeil to tell the tlisciples, but on their way Jesus himself met and saluted them; and they fell at his feet, and held them, and worshiped him: and he rejjeated the orders to go into (ialilee.
Hut what did the Roman soldiers do ? They were set to guard the body of Jesus, and yet he had escai)ed. How eould they escape pun- ishment for this ? They went into the city and told the simi)le story how it hai)pened, and how terrified they were. "They showed unto the chief priests all the things that were done"; how that there had been a very great earthcpiake, and a very suri)rising appearance; lor one like a young man descended from the clouds, whose ccnmte- nance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow, which filled them with astonishment and dread; that he rolled away the stone from the sepulchre, and then sat upon it; and that some women coming to the sepulchre were shown by him where the body had been laitl, but was now gone ; and how that after they had recoveretl themselves from the fright they had themselves examined the sepulchre, and the body was certainly gone ; and sure they were that the women did not carry it away, nor any others; all which they thought proper to relate to the chief priests; i)artly on their own account, to clear themselves from the charge of bribery, corruption, sloth, and negligence; and partly that the chief priests might consider what further was best to be done.
Now, it would not do to bring the guards to trial for letting Jesus escape, for they would have defended themselves by tellinir the truth
lit ^ o '
ami only have spread the account of the resurrection more abroad. So it was settled that a story should be made up that the disciples came by night and stole the body away while the guards slept; and the elders gave the soldiers a large reward to keep the resurrection secret. But this story, after all, was a very poor one ; for it was not very likely that the timid disciples, who all forsook Christ and fled, would have stolen his body from the Roman soldiers ; nor that all the guards would have been asleep ; and even if they had, it was more than probable that some would have roused up, and the disciples would then have endured their vengeance. And then it was very
heir way
[ukI hcli.1
go i n t(j
uard the Lpc j)un- >lc story ccl unto it there :arance ; coLi II te- ch filled ine from iiiiiiL;' to aid, but mselves and the did not o relate mselves :c; and St to be
s^ Jesus e truth, abroad, isciples 3t ; and Tection vas not id fled, all the s more isciples IS very
MATTHEW,
should explain ^hcZiJto Li" ""'"' ""' ""= J"^''^'' ^'<'--^ under his noticcand ., I -'"an governor if the affair can.e
buHKiin, nature'ofh, '1:: ';;'■;: f/""'' -' '^ '"J"''"'- ''■'-■ that they could not prevent tl . ' '"'''"•■''" '°''' ''' "'-•• and
thou.!, hey were e v n\ '^^""f'^"^ oi our blessed Saviour,
aslejp or -make- If • ? "■'"'' '"' '°"''^- Either they were'
takcn^u.a;" If", leeri, ■■ "''>', f "?'"'' "-^)' ^-'f-' the body , be it away? ^,o.!f c^ \ ; ;;;:',' :^l ^"7.;"-'t the diseiplls took
again, the evidence of the aoo t ' f • ""' ''°'^" ' ^'l'^"'
the clearest and n.ost po wer'^k u| MTr " ""'' -"^""'^"'^ "^
tial.and tin,orous creatures (J the '^ '^ ""■'-' ''°°'' ""'"""^"-
number of then, forbids collusion
for the witnesses to the resurrection
were very many ; (3) the facts they
aNovv were apparent to their oivn
eyes; (4) the concurrence of all
their testin,on>- ; (5) they gave their
evidence before Je,>s, heathens, phi-
osophers, rabbins, courtiers, and lawyers; (6) they bore evidence
l^eiuK investi,k.d, or e f ^b'thr""'' ''T ^^"^""'"'^ "-
persecution of the Je!:L;;^,':Lri:L""" "■'"^"' '° '"^ ^"™'>- -^
cour^enS '^^Z'^^^Jt^^-ri^^'' '^•^>'' ''= ^ ^^"■•^"'^"' -- the third day; but ot he onlv ^ r '"' '''°'' ^"'"' "^'^ d-""' °" ciples went into Ga ilee and L'T "'; T"''' '"' "^^ ^'^^ ^is-
and he commanded Ihem o tZiTetl^Z ^'" 1"^ '■"""^•="°"' Sure ; to tell men the rrbd tlM "^ , "^ S°'P'^' '° '^^ery crea-
the glad tidmgs, or good news, that he had died to
MuUKNICRs.
f}
■ i
1.
102
^nn I'AMILY COMML.YTARV.
save sinners, and iha* vvhosoevcr bclicvtv! in him sIkhiUI never perish; and that he had risen ^'^mn, and was therefore an l va-Hvin- Saviouri t.) uiioni all sinners miyht f^^ok for salvation to iJie en(i of time! When any jirofessed sincerely lo believe their messa-e, they were to l)ai)tize them, in the name of the leather, and of the Son, and of the Holy c;host— /. r., in the name of the blessed Trinitv; and this was to show that in like manner the Holy S|)irit would i)urifv their hearts who truly believed in him, and was to be a bold avowal before the world that the\' were the followers of Ilim who was crucified. As a fm-ther proof that those baptized were his followers, they were to do all his holy commands, and then all of them mi-ht expect his blessin<' and favor, "even unto the end of the world. Amen." *
jr perish ; : Saviour,
of time. / were to ul of the
this was -ir hearts 1 1 before led. As L'rc to do
blessiny:
Ok «m Tliiie il
GOSPI^L ACCORDING TO ST. ]\m
!'>• M.iii, iiihIit llic iliiu, ijnii ,,| (lie ,\
|mimIi' I'(|( r, ilir.Mi
I'll lull
Ih
<• • liiUii.in ( liiir.li uju,,, hi, amli,
, , • -'•Mil, Hrm lue o lUT two (i , 1, I ,,„ , 1 ' "" •"iiMi.niy, IS
N..-,,k.. „f the wii,i„j,s „f M„„l„.w „„| M,,k as..xi.,i„ " J I ; ; :"" '" ^"l'l'l<''"-U-ry U, ,1,. in. J...,,,,,
.l.-l„n,.U.,.,f „.e A,,..,,.. ■,,.,„ with,,.... . " r : 7" '' ,"' "" - '""•"-• -'■'■•• ">• '.-l^.'l «..li
"- ■•'•"' '" '"I ""• churches, an,. .Innn, .h- :',,:: -"'/'■"- ' -. -imin., .h.. i,
.-' - i ..Mh... Mau.|n.n,, ,h. hM ,,r ..vnh.nce ,h . ; C^^ H". w..'.,,...,,
"u. uf I...kes.i.„,,..,.-was n..dv..,l a, au.hcn.ic. «,„ ^i 1 7 ' '"""'' "'," "■^""" ''>' -' M" -l...-.„, in ih-
sHvos; ,his lat.or fac-t in.hK■in^; t'le ..a,lv .hurcl, .„ >^. ,v I ^ ' ', ' " '^""'"'-'l ^'^ >"' I' l..vlh.. Ap.„,l..s ihcm
"f ""• i '..ly Spirit, aiiil .taiuls h.,„rc. th. ,n " ■" """' """ ""-* '""''""'^' '' - " '
-y huinan c.,n,.pti.,n. ,t i, r.:Z:!Zru i: ZlZ^ZTri:"'' 'T'^'"": "-- ' ■' ".^Iut than
facts. It is (livid,.' - - ' --
fiMlliur |ia!liculais.
' -° -'- ' « " '-'■'- -^ --.:^ :;;:::; ;i:;;;^: ::: .„„,. ,
rries with it the M.inip
«hcr II
' r,(,iril ,,f
yARK is shorter than A[atthcu-, It is a r, Peti- tion ol the same history hv another liand. Aith icre and there some few facts not nicnti. lud by Matthew. Some of these, therefore, ar. all tiiat need be added in this place.
bi the/v//'/// chai.ter ue haxe the Panblc of tliL- Seed, which appears to have bee n d - ii vered at the .same time that the Parable of the Sower Nvas. as we have read in AbUtheu bi : was not mentioned by him with that pa.abK liuis. that nothm- important mi-ht be lost one hvan^eli.st has supplied what another
^^^ all that the other ha. tid""""'' '^ "^' ^" "^'^*^'"^^^^ ^'^ ^-^'^
•'^if^f::js.^:^c::2'i:!:-'-'" -
" ■■-'■^'•^^'^"::^'szzi^::t:?::^'i
103
104
Tim FAMILY COMMENTARY.
I ■. !
II !
spake plain." Most likely he might have once had his hearing, and had learned to speak a little, but having lost his hearing early in life, he could learn no more; but now with his hearing he learns also to speak. This kind action of Christ made the people look upon him with admiration, and they said, " He hath done all things well ; he maketh both the tleaf to hear and the dumb to sj)eak."
In the eighth chapter is related the cure of a blind man at Rethsaida, on whose eyes he sj^at, and he put his hand upon them. And the man directly saw men as trees walking: he could not exactly make out their shape from a tree. He put his hands on his eyes a second time, and then he .saw clearly: teaching us, perhaps, to persevere in the use of i^roper means. Hut both in this case and in that of the deaf man the means were only signs ; they could never have cured the man if administered by a common physician; these were miracles — things not of a common kind, and showed that he \\ho performed them could only be the Son of God.
In the last chapter we have some further particulars about Christ's resurrection, and his encouragement to his disciples to preach his gospel and work miracles in his name, which would prove that their message was divine, and establish the truth of it at its beginning, before all the world. They were to cast out devils, who then pos- sessed the bodies of men, just as Jesus had cast them out; they had to speak new languages which they had never learnt, so as to be able to tell men of every country about the way of salvation through Jesus Christ; they were to take up serpents without being bitten or endan- gered by them ; if any attempt should be made to poison them, the deadly potion, which would kill other persons, should do them no harm ; and if sick persons were brought to them to be cured, they should only lay their hands upon them and they would recover. You must, however, remember that there was this great distinction between the miracles performed ty Jesus and those performed by his disciples, — that Jesus did all his by his own power, and without using any other name ; but the power which the disciples had was not their own, but only what he gave them, and they were to work miracles only in his name. These miracles arc not now needed, because we have so
and had II life, he also to )on him ivell ; he
jthsaida, Ihc man lakc out nd time,
the use man the
man if —things m could
Christ's ach his at their dnninof, 2n pos- ley had be able h Jesus endan- ! them, lem no d, they . You etween sciples,
ir own, inly in lave so
MARK.
i"5
many proofs left us that they were done by the first ministers, and the reh-ion of Jesus is everywhere spread and spreading without them Mark further informs us more than Matthew, as he not only men- tions Christ's command to his disciples, but the effect of their obe>in.. It, and preaching the gospel to every creature ; for " they went forth and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them, and confirm- mg the word with signs following." Amen.*
.\s the observance of the Christian Sabbath^ the first day of the week-instead of the Jewish Sabba h-the seventh day, or Saturday-commenced soon after the ascension of Christ, it mav l,e as well to explam the reason of the change here. The setting apart of one day in seven for\he worsh.p of God ,s older than the Hebrew nation or the Jewish religion. It dates from the creation o man; and at first was unquestionably, the seventh day, as that was the day of the completion o the creative work. All nations which are wholly or partially civilized adhere to this practice which ,s founded .n nature as well as in revelation ; but in the lapse of time thev have selected d. ferent days ; so that almost every day of the week is the Sabbath of some nati'on. The Tews adhered to the seventh day ; but the early Christians, and especially the Gentile Christians felt that they should rather observe the first day of the week (our S.mday), since our Lord rose from the grave on that day, and his resurrection was a cardinal point in their faith. Some of the [ewish Christians, m the apostles' tin.e, observed both days ; bnt it was not easy to do this, and very earl v the Christians were distinguished from the Jews as those who observed the first day of the week for religious worship. God requires one-seventh of our time for his service, and that day is best for it which commemorates the resurrection, and is most generally observed.
1
II
I i^
11^
GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. LUKE
Ok, wrillen hy l,„kc, ,1„. u,M,,.u,i„„ of P.u,l ,l„,in^ l,i, ,„.,., nctiv. lai ,„s n,„l scvnv ..(IVru^s. I, was oxtan, U a vnyarly ,,,m„.,1, n„.l wa, r-;oivnl as ot .Hvinr au>l„„i.y l.y ,l,e inlant du„ch f„„„ ,1:.. .i.ne „f i„ |,„l,lica,i„n S...n. ,„Kvna,n,y ha,,,, about \.uU-: ,.a,ly l,is,..,y an,i hi, ,,oM,i„„ ,,„.,„„ ihc ^,ll„w,.,. „f rh,i-,. Ih.' a,„,iu„ of the .\|,„sllc laul, a„,l th. oa,ly a,„l u„a„i„„H„ ,v.,.|,,i,,„ ,,1 th,; ( in.,,,! „l I ulr a, ,livi„clv i„-|a,v,l, ,,,,.1 ,1, i,,-,.,,.,,. MHO Ihc. .Scptur.. n>„o„, a,.. Mo,,. M.ll,n..„i ,„„ol ol i,> l„.av,„ly o, ,.,„. H U„„i.,h,, mai.v ,.a,al,lc, .IKcou,.. .n.nulc,, a,„l rv.,,,. o„,i,.. .1 l,y th. (,..,,,.1, |„,,,.,li„u i,, uhil-, so,,,, ahva.lv ,c.onlc,| a,-c o,,,!:,,..!. The s,vl. of l.i.k. „ .„.u,«,„shc.,l in,,,, ,l,at ..fo.hca New I,., a„„.,„|,..,„„.„ l,y i„ |,„rc.„.,s a„.l da.-i.al l„„.h, asi,!. f,',„ n, o.ra„o,,al „>o ol llehrevv and Syriac „^o„,s. 1, i. divided .Ml., IwenlylV.ur chapter,, evide.uly written lor the inst.fc' liun of (lentiie I hrisdans. y . v.
The Birth of John the Baptist.
LUKJi: I.
IIKI-: is thouL^ht to have been the same mentioned by the Ai)()stle Paul in the last ehapter of his epistle to the Colossians, where he speaks of "Luke, the beloved physieian."
This I'\anL;elist tells us some particulars
about the birth of John the baptist which are not
mentioned by the other three — that his father
was a priest of the name of Zacharias ; that
his mothers name was Idi/abeth, and that she
was sprun-- from the race of Aaron ; that they
were both \ cry ^^ood j)eople, and walked toi,;ether
in the holy ways of Cod; and that John the Baptist was born when
they were "well stricken in years," or cpiite old.
This remarkal)le forerunner of Christ was born, like him whom he was to honor and proclaim, in a very honorable and wonderful way. John's father. Zacharias, was burnini^r incense in the temple, while the people "were prayino- without." when an an-el appeared to him and told hun that his son should be born, and that he must call him' John —a name which means ///r on,rr ainf favor of Coi/ ; and du"s was to show that God's <'race would b
c ujjon him in a very stril
vinu- manner.
ioO
II was extant at il> |iiililicaliiiM.
rin- ~ai;( tiiJii iif
III iln iii-crtimi k-.^, ili-coijiM'.--,
Tlu- siylc of
a.si'lc fiDiii its
lor iIk- iiisliuc-
cntioncd
r of his
icaks of
rticulars
1 arc not s father is; that that she lat tlicy :oL;'cthcr "11 when
honi he fill way. hilc the iin and m John was to iianncr.
i
H-,fi n .. "^"^^ ANNUNCIATION OF CHRrQ-r
Ha,., thou ,.at a.-t .„Mv favored. tHe Lo.-c, is wlt.T,L^,^f i
Luke .. 28, ^- '"^'^'^^ ^'-^ t'^o^ amon« women.-
CHRIST IN THE PHARISEE'S HOUSE. "And he said unto her, Thy sins are forgiven. "-Luke VII, 4S.
LLKIi.
IO'»
¥^
I.: uas t„ l,.sq,amtcd fron, the „,„l,l, like ,|,c ancient \a.a,-itcs(N,„n- bl s. |':,'m i"^ ■■»-;I'- -">■ "..r strcng drink"; a„u C,eHi\u,ul,l
l-.Kl t„ tl.e l,,„-J then („„i. l|e..h.H,hi iKUethe >ame hcliness -n.,e ,,u.eala.H,,a.,,Md^ai,^
• I- -'X'l told hn„ „^ N.r...n,e.,,nn„„,«hKhhe
"Jit I Kc better re,,.,,„ „, |,,|ieve that what he sa,d „.,uld eo,„e U, I ass. Ihe aa.el t„l,l h„„ he shntdd be d.inii, till the ehild was born ■ " 1"S sh,.uhl l,e a .i,„, and, at the sa„,e tinte. a ,e,.,oof l.r hi doubling- the niessa.ue «hieh (i<,d had sent
The |,e„,,le wondered that Zaeharias sh.nil.l ren,ain s., lont;- in the
Uliple and when he ea,ne out he ha.l lost his S|,eeeh, as the an-el
a sa,d. hl^abeth. Ins w,le, at length had a s.,„; and when he wa
to be en-e.„„c,sed at e,,ht days old, he had Ins nante ,iven to hin, It
"•as tisnal to „.-,n,e the s,.n after the father, a.ul the friends and rela-
tn^.s present w.Hdd have had hin, clled Zaeharias, bnt Kli.abeth
luvn,j. been ntfonned n, writin.^ by her luisband of all that had taken
P ace n, obedience to the eon.n.and of the an,,el wotdd have hin,
ailed John. he Ir.ends, howoer, asked the father what he wonid
c „n cal ed ; and he by si.ns asked for a w ritin.-tablet, or little
; V 1, ■'■'•'■ "■"';''■ """^-"-■'1 '" those davs,-and „,-ote oiscttched L,,,on ,1, as the- then did, with an i,on pen, "His nan,c is John. And they ,nai-\elled all."
No .sooner had Zach.arias obeyed he divine co,„n,an<l than his ton-ne was unloose.l, and he spake as before.
rh,s event which cansed so .^reat w„n,ler amon^ all present, was soon ,-cpo,-ted th,-o..yhou. the hill country of Jndea,whe,e they dwelt ■ an a„ that feared (a.d were hlled with a,ve at this extraordina,;
n,ti';h: l:;!'"""' ""'- " ^^^ ^'"- ""^" """-- >- -^ -^^ --'
IJisfathe,-, Zaeharias, was then " filled with the Holy Ghcst," or the Holy Sp,r,t ,nsp„-ed him to prophesy about the con,in.< of Christ An,l John ;^Tew up, but loved letircnient.and went into desct and lonely places, no doubt Go.l holdiny swCet communion w,ih his spi,-it
no
Tim FAMILY COMMENTARY.
or talkin^r, as it were, with his holy mind ; and so he remained till he came to proelaim Christ's coming, "preaching in the wilderness of judea, as we have already seen in Matthew.
The Birth and Early Days of Jesus Christ.
LUKE II.
About the same time that John the Baptist was born Jesus ;vas born also; John was born not more than six months before Christ At this time Caesar Augustus, who was the second Hmperor of Rome reigned over that empire, which had become so large from its con- quests that it was called "all the world." Judea, you kno^v. was then tributary to it, or paid taxes to the Roman government. But a par- ticular sort of tax was now determined on by the Hmperor, which IS called a poll-tax, or tax upon the head of every person; and to make sure of all the subjects in the empire they were obli-^ed to attend in person at an appointed place, and be enrolled,'' or entered in a book.
It is a remarkable fact that the Emperor had resolved on this tax twenty-seven years before; but disturbances in the empire dis- tracted his attention, and it was only now, when all the world was at peace, that he had time to attend to it. See here how Providence overrules all things I Had he been able .o carry his purpose into effect before, then the mother of Jesus would not have been there with her husband Joseph, and Jesus would not have been born in Beth- lehem but at Nazareth, where he was afterwards brought up. But If he had been born at Nazareth instead of Bethlehem, then the pro- phecy respecting him would not have been fulfilled, as recorded in the fifth chapter of Micah and the second verse, and the fact that he was the true Messiah w^ould have so far been doubtful. But here the ambitious views of a Roman Emperor to fill his coffers with money were made to bring about the fulfilment of God s promise to nis church by bringing the parents of Jesus to Bethlehem, the place prophesied of, where he was born.
At this time one Cyrenius was governor of Syria, which was an-
(1 till he rncss of
III
ills was : Christ. Rome, its con- 'as then : a j)ar- , which n ; and oblin;ccl led, or
)n this re dis-
vvas at ndence o effect e with
Beth- • But le pro- ded in hat he t here ; with ise to
nlace
IS an-
'^^•^^■^1 to Judca, and he hid M,
^•^^' Hcnt to his own X \ '^^^^"''^.^^''»^'"t of the tax \n i
'° ,tro up .o J^ahldK™. • '"""^ ''•'"^'•■I'l' "a. nou a poor „,a„, t. ■;,';;,■
--.-sort of '"' '''^ '''--'■-' l^y >^W,. i J \
'"^^^^1 no- -place
""^y- He uas.
therefore, born antl
^^^l^■ed in a place
for the acconinio-
<Jation of cattle.
Now, there were ■'^onie shepherds "^ the fields ncar J^ethlehem who ^^'^^'•e on the hills ^vatchin- their flocks at nio-ht to preserve them from beasts of prey, when an ^n^el appeared to them, surrounded uith
^nimy ,yu ,x,,^, ,,,,,,^^^
a brio-ht .^"'«'y. and told
heavens, and let all the hZ^ ^^^' t'' ""' '' ^^°^ "^ ^he hiX "- ^o dwell upon earth l^C^^^ ^^^^^ '^-. ^r pe^Jt
.^leat peacemaker betu-ecn
il
H
> fl
112 Till: I'AMII.Y COMMIiXTARY.
(nul and -uilty men. ami every kind of Ijlessing will proceed from him.
And when the aw^cU departed the .she|)hertls went to I'.ethlehem and saw Jesus, as the messenger had exactly described him, " wiapped in swaddlinw- clothes," or bound closely uj), as was the custom in many countries about a hundred years a-o, instead of infants having theu- limbs free, as they are now; and he was " 1) ing- in a manner." And the\- told every one they knew what wonderful things they\id seen, and praised ( iod for his -reat mercy in sendin-- a Saviour into the worhl. Let us |)raise him, too.
Alter this Jesus was ciiriiiuciscd, and by this rite became a Jewish citizen, entitled to die covenant blessin-s jjromised to Abraham and his seed. Then he wa^ redeem cd, another custom of the Jews; for when God slew all the lirst-born of the li-yptians, he protected' the Israelites, who. accordin-- to his command, ^ivcn through Moses, had sprinkled the lintels and posts of their doors with the blood of the Passover lamb ; and from that time he kept up the remembrance of this mercy by demanding the first-born to be consecrated to him; "for," said he, by Moses, "all the first-born of the children of Israel are mine, both man and beast: on the day that I smote every first- born in the land of ligypt, I sanctified them for myself" Instead of gi\ ing them up, howexer, to the serx'ice of the tabernacle,— which was consecrating them entirely to God, as the Levites were, " the first- born of man migiit be redeemed for five shekels," or about two dollars and eighty cents of our money, which went to the service of the sanctuary. As no mention is, however, made here of the per- formance of this custom, it is supposed by some that " in case of poverty the priest was allowed to take less, or perhaps nothing." Our Lord's mother also pirsciifcd her offerings a further custom usual on such an occasion. Mad she been able she ought to have presented a lamb for a burnt-offering and a dove for a sin-offering; but as she wi'.s poor, and not able to purchase a lamb, she took two turtle-doves ; for so the Lord had ordered by Moses: " If she be not able to bring a lamb, then she shall bring two turtles, ^r two young pigeons ; the one for a burnt-ofi"ering, and the other for a sin-offering:' and the priest
from
LUKE.
shall make an atonement for her, and she shall f;e clean." This uis- tom was to teach the Jeus, and us also, that we cught to thank C.d for all our mercies, and that ue should express our unuurthincss of thc;m by eonlessm- our sins— we must present the sin-offerin.-- together with the burnt-ofterin<,^ ^
While the infant Jesus was in the temple there came in a -ood old man named Simeon, who had been anxiously waitin- for the comin<.- of the Messiah; and God having shown him bv his'lloly Spirit tluu the Saviour, whom his heart desired to see, had come, he took him up in his arms, and blessed (;od that he had lived to see him. and said he could now dejjart in ])eace, since he had
seen God's salvation. "One Anna, a pro- ^-
phetess, ' who was ei<;ht)-four years of a,i;e, also entered the temple, and "gave thanks unto the Lord, and sjKike of" Jesus "unto all them that looked for redemption in Jeru- salem."
Luke omits to tell us of the flight into F.gypt; but that was told us fully'in ALit- thev/.
After these things Joseph and Mary, with the infant Saviour, " returned into Galilee, to their own city, Nazareth."
And the child Jesus was brought up at Nazareth, under the care of his parents, and he "waxed," or grew, "strong in spirit," giving signs of a wonderful mind and of great piety, for " the grace of God was upon him "
When Jesus was twelve years old his parents went up to the temple to the feast of the Passover, in remembrance of the deliverance from Egypt, and he went with them. Probably this ^vas his first Passover and something now occurred which made the Lvangelist Luke take notice of him at this age. For when the feast was over, and they re- turned with a number of other families ih^t had gone for the same purpose, Jesus remained behind. His parents did not miss him till the end of the day; for, as he was amiable and beloved by all ^vho
Turtle-dove.
I
I
\i
I
t h
////;■ 1 AMILY COMMEXTARY,
knew him. they supposed that he was ain.,11- some of their frieiuls and ac(|uamtances 011 the road ; ')iit not heaiin- anvthin- of him, they be- came uneasy, and went hack the next chiy to Jerusalem, and it was not till the thn-d day that the\ found him. J^,ut where was he? Not in l>.u! company, f.,r he never stood in the way of sinners; nor was he at l'la\-. lor he was of an a-e to learn, and he uas improving his time and .L^ettmo- knowIed.i,rc from the doctors of the temple. " The teachers of the laxv uere used to instruct the youn- there, and they were allowed to ask any (luestions they pleased for the purpose of learning Jesus had, therefore, placed himself at their feet, and was "both hea'r- in- them and askin- them (juestions." "And all that heard him were astonished at his understanding;- and answers."
His ]xu-ents uondered to fmd uhat he was about and to see how much he was approved. And his mother -ently chided him for havmg given them so much alarm for his safety ; but he replied " Wist yc not," or know ye not, " that I was about my Father's business ?" or "in my Father's house?"
His mother remembered this and other savin-s. and w^aited tosN- what more wonderful would happen as he should o•r()^v up to become a man.
So they returned to Nazareth, and there he lived, obedient to his parents and growm- in favor " both with (]od and men"- his be- havior, says the pious Dr. Doddridge, "bein- not only remark.oly reli-ious, but so benevolent and obliging as to gain the favor and atiection of all that were about him."
You will observe that most of these interesting facts about the birth and early days of Jesus Christ are not mentioned by the Hvano-elists Matthew and Mark and are only given us by Luke. "^
Christ Persecuted at Nazareth.
LUKE III, IV.
We shall now glance at some other matters mentioned by thi«= Pivangehst which have not been before noticed, and run throu-h many chapters. ^^
-SSSS'aBB
rMKH.
An.ipas, one of ht so s ' " ' ''7" '''^'.'^''-■'J ^"•'^■'•'"i^ dcatl,,//,w
-.other fourth pa h ; ;t" ' """'''-■/"'"^''"- /'/„/^ tctrarch of the name whid vv ; o v ■ v / 7"""^'""'"" '""^ '>a<i,onWs~
/;vo... not u,at.t:i :;.:;: :h- :;;4:i,S'''-^ r""'. '''^-^^
uho had been hi-.h t,n\..f . ^V ^"''''^•^ ^^^ ^"^ time, but Annas,
--C five of his 's':^:: :;r nrr l ;r(ctH!,-^";'--'"^'^-^'^' - '-
priests when l„. uas not in o/M '''", (C.>ia,,has) appomteil hi-h
"■'-" they were hi^hprstrnr^lll'-^-^^'^^ ^'^ '^ generally ..u,:.!
somewhatclifferen. L^;.; r-'' 'V"' "' ''^^"- -^'-■. '""'
forefathers after the I esh V.,»7 . ' ' ° "'""'■ " ''" "'^r'^ ''is
-l""-n to Joseph an 1 lul, in •; Tf " '"""■' "■'■"'" Abmhan, l>y adoption, , f I Jho u- .1 ; •;'*'™'''' ■■'■"'" J^^P''. ""= -". Joseph to Adan t ; :,p;t r.hr 'm "' J"';'- ""■ "'•" '■^"'-•'- °'
- we. .to tHe ^^i:^^^^;^t:rTc^
|
II |
L 1 |
|
'i ' |
: |
|
i ' |
|
|
fc |
i'lf
ii?i«^¥#"
TUli lAMIlA' COMMl-.MAKY.
read," (or this was a ioii^laiil i)ail of tin: Jrui>li u,)r.slii|,. ".\n,l lluic \\a^ (Kli\civ.l imt.) him tiic Ix.ok (.I'lhc [.loplict I'.^aias," or Jsiiah; the lorimi lH:in- tin; (ircck and the hitler \\\v Ilchrcw (br the j.|-o|.hcts name— jii^t, lor instaiue. as l.oiii> INiih'ppe ua^ the I'lcneh name for the kin- ol the I'reiKh, and \x\\\^ llndip the lai-h'>h name lor the same kin- "And ulien he had oi-uied the lu.ok." or unrolled the: \,,limie.— for the Hebrew Seriplinv^ were uritliii on Ion- pieces W parehmenl. laMcned at each end on sticks, and so rollecfup,— he lound the place where it was written as in the InrtN-first chaplcr of luuah. and the hrst, second, and third verses, llaxin- read the pas- sage, "closed the
book," and rolled it up, he "sat down," as the jews used to do, to [>reach, while "the eyes of all them that were in the synaL;o-ue were fastened on him," beinc,^ very curious to know ^\■hat he was .i^'oini,'- to say about a text ^^■hich the\' knew described the Messiah. And he then discoursed upon the passai,^ and told them that the Scripture was that dav fulfilled in their hearin-' Ilis words were so full of orace. both in the precious truths whidi he uttered and in the way in which he uttered them, that all his hearers were exceedin-ly suri)rised ; but \et thev could not for-et that lie was the son of the humble Joseph, and had been l)rou-irt up at Nazareth under his care, "and they said. Is not this Iosej)h's son ?"
Jesus knew what they thounht. And lie said. "Ye ^\•ill surelv sav unto nic this proverb, Physician, heal thN'seli." \oxx have worked miracles abroad, now do so at home. "Whatsoever we have heard
:.\>i*
■r'-
■SWy'-v-^
^$^e&
Ol.UE-I'KESS.
"^^r-i
^^■■ai
il on
ijoin^''
i
i|
■• BUT A CERTAIN SAMARITAN HAD COMPASSION ON HIM." Lu
ke 10; 33.
CHRIST IN THE TEMPLE WITH THE DOCTORS
"And all that heard him were astonished at his understanding and answers."-Luke II, 47.
■' 1
LUKE.
riQ
■m
WW!-.-. >(
.lone ,11 Capcrnau,,,. do also in tl.y country.- And l,c .aid ..v ,11 Isayuntoyou, noprophet is aoxptcd in l,is .„n « n v ul.i h ^^ anotlicr p,„vcrl,, ,„■ con„n„„ say n- iiv this h, ,r '"
;;;,:;:;;;:\;-;.";;r'"r'' ^^•''^'^zss::s:::z.
ii icathcn So nm- ii,... , I e- • • • >> 'i^ "^i v^} iicin aiui
-■ ana in '^^ ^L^;:^:; ;;:;::: ;:;i;:r;;:.,^:^:::^;^::7Tr
1--V .l,cy ..,. so lualcn.d that tl,cy woul.l not I ^ V „,'" '"'
1 1..S fa.tlilul address turned their iulnnration into r e ,-l '
7' 'V' '"!""""-- manner, u-ithout any rever e U Ihe ' ""
CWs Miracle of the Draught of Fishes.-Christ Raises the W.dow s Son.-The Penitent Woman.
nr.'
the
I-rKF. v-ix. While our Lord xsas at Caperna.un we' find l,i
s^^Cl in clomp' nnn.I f,-w^Ki^^ :„ .._
an^oiTuc, and instructi
im continiiallv en-
people at all oth(
attended by crowds, and
r o])portunities. \Vh
nt
ere he went he
.•~.
wa;
on one occasion they were so -reat that they
'•n
II il
i-o
77//i FAMILY COMMENTARY.
"pressed upon him to hear the word of God, as he stood by the lake of Gennesareth." Seeing two fishing vessels near the shore he went into one of them, and, pushing off a little way from the shore, he there " sat down and taught the peoi)le out of tiie ship."
The fishermen who owned the vessels had been very unsuccessful in their last night's labors, for they had tcjiied all the night and taken nothing. WHien Christ had done preaching, and feeding tliem with food for their souls, he now thought of their bodies also, and he desired them to launch out into the deep, and let down their nets for a draught of fishes. They had little hope of success, but, in obedience to Christ's word, they were disposed to try. The nets were let down, and they drew them u]) so full of fishes that one of them broke, and the fishes taken so overloaded both the vessels that they began to sink. All were astonished ; and Simon Peter, who was one of the party, with his partners, James and John, the sons of Zebedee, fell down on his knees, and cried out, " Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord " —meaning that he was not worthy of the high honor of having Jesus on board his vessel and of continuing in his presence. Jesus encour- aged the timid man, and told him that he would emi)loy him in a far nobler work, and that henceforth he should catch men. And so it came to pass when— if we compare the gospel to a net— he caught 3000 souls at once by his preaching, as we shall read in the Acts'^of the Apostles. Matthew and Mark have given no more of what hap- pened at this time than merely that Christ sat down in the ship and taught, so Luke has supi)lied what they omitted.
In the sixth chapter of Luke we find a beautiful discourse of our Lord's, something like that which we call the Beatitudes, in the begin- ning ot ALitthew. That, however, was delivered on a mount, and this on a plain ; and on examining them and comparing them together, we find them differing very much, though parts of the former' discourse were re])eated in this, it being another assembly.
In the seventh chapter the Evangelist informs us of Christ's laising to life the son of the widow of Nain. He was just at the momenl entering into that city, and a number of his disciples and followers were with him ; and on approaching the gate he met a funeral proces-
LUKE.
i2r
s.o„. J he dead person ^^as a young man-thc only son of a widow Il>c custom was not to inclose the body in a coffin, as with us l^ to
tl>c co.pse u.tl, a cloth. The poor wido^. lolio^ved in great so ow
h son, by the arge concourse that attended the funeral ; but her f, nds and neighbors could onl>- pity her. Jesus pitied her oo, for I c ad a heart full of tenderness, as he has now; but he could do son e 1 .ng more for her than mere n,ortals-he had power e^■en ov' r dca , • and so he ,sa,d kuully to the widow, "W'eep not. And he c m an i touched the b,er, and they that bare hin, stood still, and he sai Voun
"'".Ir^Tu ''ri-^'l\-^'"' T '"^'""^ ''^' -' up,andVc "m to speak , and he tlelivered hmi to his mother "
In the .same chaj.ter ^vc haxe also an account of a woman that had been a notonous smner, who entered the house where Christ ns din mg w,th one of the Pharisees. He, as usual, was engaged in p d in - the words of mstruction, and she listened to hin, wTth the gr at^:. ,t cnt,on. hvery ^sord touched her heart, and as his feet lay bar on the couch, accordu,g to custom, the tears fell in a shower fron. her c^",
tre s s of h T" ";T ■""■■ '"'•"'^■'"•'^ ""■^- -1" ^' "-■- -i""he
th In. he sir"'' " ;, '' '""■" ="°"' ''" "■^""•^-^ ' -J '!-". "°t
thmkmg heiself ivorthy to anoint his head, she kissed his feet an,l
poured upon then, some licpnd perfun,e. The Pharisefw st r"
01 such a class to approach Inm ; and though he did not speak Tesus knew what he thought. And he told hinr there were two debtors • anJ the one owed five hundred pence, and the other fift As X'
rthTit tit '''i "r" rf°' """>■ "^'^^^ "^-- ^--^ ■- -^
h"m"'..Pi!l , . P'"'-'^----'."the one who had n,ost forgiven
sense J,'^^' I ■ '"'^'"'''^ °"^ ^°"^ ' " "°^^ *°" h^-^' "O' ''a^ the sense of pardon as this woman. My words touched her heart • she has
122
THE FAMILY COMMENTARY.
Some think that this is the same woman that we read about in the twenty-sixth chapter of Matthew ; but many who have carefully studi d their J3ible think otherwise, and for these reasons : the story told by Matthew happened in Bethan)-, this in Galilee ; that in the house of Simon the leper, and this in the house of Simon the Pharisee ; that was but two days before the death of Christ, and this a considerable time before; the ointment that woman poured was poured upon his head, and this upon his feet.
In the second verse of the eiohth chapter we have mention made of " Mary called Magdalene," or Mary of Magdala, so called, just as Jesus was c.illed Jesus of Nazareth; for xMagdala was the place of residence of this Mary, as Nazareth was that of Jesus. Out of this woman our Lord cast seven evil spirits, which, I have before remarked, were suffered then in an extraordinary manner to torment the minds and bodies of men. Few persons can, without considerable reflection, form the sh'ghtest idea of the gratitude and love toward Christ that must have moved the poor afflicted creatures whose lives were converted ^ from misery to a full degree of health, and bodily comfort. Among them not the least favored by this "Physician of all physicians" was this Ma.y, who became a faithful follower of her Lord.
The Seventy Disciples sent forth.— The Inquiring Lawyer.— The Good Samaritan.— Martha and Mary.
LUKE X.
In the tenth chapter we are told that, besides the twelve apostles whom Jesus chose to be witnesses to his truth and to declare it to the world, he also sent forth seventy disciples, who were to go in company with each other, two one way ard two another way, and so with the whole.
And now he mentioned the awful state of Chorazin and Bethsaida — cities where he had preached and performed his glorious miracles, so that the inhabitants, if they had reflected, must have seen that he was the true Messiah, the Son of God, and have repented and believed his words. Instead of which they rejected him, in spite of all the
\
sa-j^»*fti^«ii>j.'Ur^i««MSMs<tii^^^
-The
'■'t GOOD SAMARITAN
w n \\
S th
tic
wa
cai
qui
nin
for(
pov
sho
stro
shoi
on
crea
ceiv(
but
sho
preac
AV'orcI
the J]
evil .s
to o-lc
\vitho told tl zens V wh tliat h: ally kc \Vhi
ere
j"^^.
LUKE.
words he spoke and the mi<duv J . , ''^
n-ssa,e u-as ^^^n^J^i^^^^^^^^^^ to p.ove that hi. w-'re very wicked cities but th s. ^ ^''"''^- '^ > '"^' ''^'^^i >^'clon
f ion had never heard no'lru^hdnr" ^''^'' '^' ^>- -^ ti-\l-ople of Capernaum and l^ct k^ ^"^ '^ """ '"-'^' ^^"ou'n to
l:ncourao-cd by their divine " It ,- • ,
;^^v.ng^oneon their circuit, the,: u,^";, ^'""^^^f /^'^"^ ^'^^h ; and.
then- u-rcat success, and thitthcv hi "'^ ^"'^' ^i^^'''" ^Master of
tion of his authori V I ]!^1^ n ?'''" '''^'^ "^'^ ^'^■^■'•^ ''^t the n.en-
was. for rebelhon. ' ^ '^'^" ^^^^ ^^^^"^ '^^^^^ he saw Satan wh he
cast out of heaven quick as h"^L;lit- nJnS", and he still foresaw that his power on earth should be de- stroyed. They -should trample on venomous creatures and re- ceive no hurt; 'out much more s h o u 1 d t h e preach in o- of his Avord break down the power nhich
"•'thout his aid and mi.d.t' b tV f ' "^ "''-■>' ~^'l'' ^o notliinsj
'o'^i then that their na.^; ^t "^^^^ '-'-d to ^,o,-y .hen hf -e^'s u-e,e often enrolled, or I eir n^ ^''''''" "''''"'' 'h'-"'^^ ci.i-
"•here they dwelt, so thc^; 4 e o ' T' "\Tl ''" "'^ ^""^^ "f cities
rsth^r----^^--i^Sri:t:;^:r
Wi.i.e onr Lord .as ta.in, to the seventy d,seip,es, a ,a.yer-or
WOUXTAIXS ABOUT JEKICHO,
r f
126
T//I1 FAMILY COMMENTARY.
one of the writers and expounders of the Jewish law-came to him and said, "Master," or Teacher, "what shall 1 do to inherit eternal lUe i Our J.ord asked him what he read in his own law. And he said he found there that he was to love God with all his heart and his neighbor as himself "Do this," said Jesus, "and thou shalt live " Ihis is the grand proof of our religion: if ^vc truly love God and endeavor to do the best sort of good to our neighbors. The lawxer next HKiuired, "And who is my neighbor?" Jesus told him in the interesting /r/;7//Vc' of the Good Samaritan.
This parable begins at the thirtieth verse of this tenth chapter I must merely tell you that the road from Jerusalem to Jericho was, and still ,s. very dreary, and has always been a lurking-place for robbers so that It was called the " bloody way "; that priests and Levites often traveled that road, for some thousands of them lived at Jericho, and they had frecpient occasion to go to Jerusalem; that the Jews' and Samaritans hated each other greatly, and so the kindness of the good Samaritan in relieving a poor injured Jew, while even his own pl'iest and Levite cruelly passed him by, was so much the more to be ad- mired ; and that the two pence mentioned by our Lord mean Roman pence, which were worth about sexenteen cents each. We will end all we shall say about this parable by the xxords of our divine Lord to the lawyer; and when you meet with an enemy in distress, do not be revenged upon him, but "go and do likewise."
This chapter closes with an account of a visit which Jesus paid to Martha and Mary, two pious sisters who lived at Bethany, a villa<Te about two miles from Jerusalem. ^
May my young readers all have grace to choose Mary's good part and, like her, b) faith sit at Jesus' feet and hear his word I
Jesus teaches his Disciples to pray.— The Parable of the Rich Fool.
— The waiting Servants.
LUKI- XI, XII.
Our blessed Saviour often retired to pray; and he taught his dis- ciples to pray what we call the Lord's Prayer, which is repeated here
"=»-*'*^'»— ■"■"^-'■■"^IIM-TrKf
LUKE.
"7
and w;,ich we have l.cfore seen in >\ sixth eliapter of Mitthew In this, l,owevcr, are not mentioned all the Ihin^/u" 1" ft ' " find many other prayers, or parts of prayers, ifs ip Z t '^^
And here he particularly reminds his disciples thit uhrn fh . tl.cy must be in earnest. And he tells titem'ijK t i t of" t 'n^ ^:i puree to be out of bread, and a friend should eonre to ee h 1 t i le venmg, and he should be obliged to borrow son.e, as t e e„ used to do of each other, it nu;,ht happen that the house uould le ■nut up at which he n.ight knock. X^H .h.-n, what xvill it do" u'i he go away? No, he will knock and knock again By th,s our blessed Lord would teach his disciples, and us also that
r:rr;'nre'aS"-^;'"^^^.v'" '^■^■" °" ^"°'^'-"- ^^ "-'•-'
mcicy, and earnestly ask, as if we wanteil in.leed to have- and if ih.- >;ans fr,end was obliged to gi^e him bread on account of hi ess m h.m so much, then n.uch more ^voukl our gracious Father mc'en give good thmgs to them that ask him
weouTt '7'f'' ','ri-r' '"'■•■ "■'"^■^ ""^"''"'"' "f"'' ''-'' r^ool, as
first e Oul\ \ T '°,""' '■' "'"'" "" ^^'^ '" "- tuentv-
nrst verse. Our Lord describes n it a rich imn ^^■h,. k. i i
arns, full of what his lands had produced, a:^! s^^e 'ick , Tt
the room of the old ones, and to make them larger. And then he thought " How happy I shall bel I have many years yeCto I ve u i my soul an body may be both at ease : so ll^l ea cirmk Inei merry. But he never thought of thanking God for his wealth or Hn- ng any o ,t out for his glory. So just as he fancied he had go ^11 things to h,s mmd,God sent death to him, and spake to hisconsdenc by ,s ProvKlenee: "Thou fool, this night thy soil shall be requinof thee r How unportant is gratitude to God I
In the thirty-fifth verse our Lord says, "Let your loins be crirdcd about and your lights burning; and ye yourselves like unto mef tin wait for their lord, when he will return from the wedding " A no I the Jews weddings took place at night. The servants, therefore, would
128
rim J-AMILV COMMEXTARV.
Ill
have to sit up for their masters, and must keep their huups trimmed ready to li-ht them. If the lamps uviit out it uouhl i)e a si-n of ue-iii^rcnce, or that, instead of uatehin- tiiey were asleep. Tile Gar- ments bein- Ion- like a mornin- -own, it was also usual to tuek them up ■A\u\ -ird them elose round the waist if anythin- needed to be (juickly done. V>y mentioning tliese eustoms our Lord would show the diseiples and us that, as his servants, we should aiua\s be ready to meet him at his eominn-. Death, at his eomniand, wil'l take away all that we have; but as one would watch a thief exj)ected to come at midni-ht, so ou-ht we to be upon our watch, and then, when called to die, we shall not be taken by surprise. The faithful steward, who uses his tmie and talents for the divine -lory, shall be richly rewarded ; but he who presumes on his Lords delayin- and does' wicked thin-s, must suffer the most dreadful conseciuences. As the faithless and d?s- obedient servant was, by the Jewish ])eoplc, scourged with stripes, so shall all such receive the sorest punishment, and that j)unishment ^ hall be the -reater for those who ha\e been tau-ht good thin-s and choose to do those that are bad.
The Parable of the Ban en Fig Tree.— Of the Highest Seal.— Of the Lost Piece of Money.— Of the Prodigal Son.
HKi: xiii-xxiw
My limits now obli-e me una\oidably to pass over many things in this gospel which I should be glad to explain to you ; but there are many parables given by this evangelist which we do not find in the others, and as I wish particularl)- to explain them, I must beg )'ou to place your Testament before you, and refer to and read them before you read my short remarks, which I hope, by Gods blessing, will be some help to you in the right understanding of them.
The first is f//e Banrii Fig Tree (Chap, xiii, 6-9).
Expiauatiou.— \\\^ tree referred to by our Lord was a sort of white fig, which, if it did not bear fruit in three years, rarely bore any at all. This tree represented the unbelie^•ing Jews, whom God had favored with great privileges, and sent his prophets and his Son among them
r
triinmccl
sii;n of
riic t;.ii--
ick them
Jcl to l)C
Kl show )c read)' vc away conic at :all(j(l to ho uses cd ; but
things, And cHs- "ipcs, so nt^ball
choose
-Of the
ung-s in icre are 1 in the
}()U to
before
uill be
f white ^ at all. avored i them
/T'
'^
WV:.*^
r
I:.
SK^iSf
.,^-
THE PRODIGAL SON.
" His father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on hi . neck."-Lu;co XV, 20.
J
IMKIi.
»3«
to call then, to rc;,,c„t.„,cc; but .still they had not Klorificil him Still
. adbccn,,at,cntu,,,uhen,,an., h, n pn.nslu,! thun as tl ^
^l-n^.d,butann vain. His kn„l unc over thun nuist therefore soon cease, and they be ruined like a tree cut down.
In the f.,urtcenth chapter front the seventh to the eleventh verses, " c li.u e the parable of ///,■ ///;_,/„■.>/ Sail.
sef uu rtrv'':;,''"'^ '"'"" ""'"""'" ■•""'•"•^' - '•'"'•" ^^-^ ••'
. mrt , h ^^-^nx.nies are nn,eh greater. The Persians
will wccl-c themselves in at the taljle'
just at the place where they siii)j)ose
their rank entitles them to sit. The
master of the feast ma)-, hcnvever,
raise any one as hi-h up the table as lie pleases. The Greeks hav e the same custom at their wechlin- feasts, and if an\- take places higher than they ou-ht, they arc very likely to be ])u^t lower tlown.
Our Lord here teaches us "that P'-icle will have shame, and will at last hcive a fall."
Tht Pyodigal Sou \. a most de- lightful parable, fmni the eleventh ^crsc to the en of the fifteenth chaptf r.
cliikiren ul lie the Gentiles were not so; and how they felt themselves mc,rt,fied when our blessed Lord gave them to nnderstand that he Z^.V T V'' al.,o ble.ssed in the Chris, the true Messiah I she vs ns, also, how the sinner, clioosing his own way, goes afar from God our common Father, and so from real ha|,piness And it poin^
r rlintl'n "'°1>"""'^ P"^""^ "■'^° """ "^-'^'^ through ' vej restraint and have their own ,v.ay, ^^■hich most frequently brin-^s on
CaKi.II FrIMT (IIisKS O.. I'ROlii.lAI. .S„N) anu
Lkavks.
T,^>2
THE FAMILY COMMENTARY.
misery, and often ruin. It likewise teaches us at the greatest extreme of misery and wretchedness not to despair, but to go to a merciful God, who will look upon our tears, will hear our supplications, and will yet receive us graciously into his tender mercies, through Jesus Christ our Saviour.
The sixteenth chapter begins with the Unjust Steward, and it is contained in the first eight verses.
Explanation.— ''T\\\?, world," says one, "is a house; heaven, the roof; the stars, the lights; the earth, with its fruits, the table spread ; the Master of the house is the holy and blessed God ; man is the steward, into whose hands the goods of this house are delivered ; if he behave himself well, he shall find favor in the eyes of his Lord ; if not, he shall be turned out of his stewardship." We see in this parable that one step of sin leads on toward another, and that he who begins to cheat will soon easily go on cheating. Roguery is, however, sooner or later discovered, and then it ends in the disgrace of the offender. Yet bad as it is to act unjustly toward man, it is worse when we consider that we can not do wickedly toward others without breaking God's law. Such a steward must break the sacred command, "Thou shalt not steal " ; and God marks those who wickedly break his righteous laws.
In the nineteenth and following verses we have the parable of tlie Rich Man and Lazarus.
Explanation. — The expression " Abraham's bosom," used here, was used among the Jews to express heaven. We must remember that this is only a parable, and that the happy in heaven and the wicked in hell are too far apart ever to talk with each other.
In the seventeenth chapter is a short parable which we call the Ser- vant in the Field. It is to teach us that when we serve God ever so diligently we have only done our duty, and have merited nothing from his hands.
In the eleventh and following verses we read of ten lepers whom Christ cured, but out of the ten only one gave him glory for what he had done. Was not this ungrateful ? But ask yourself, How many mercies have I received and have forgotten to praise God for them ? " In everything give thanks," and bless the kind Giver.
LUKE.
extreme
merciful
ions, and
gh Jesus
md it is
iven, the ; spread ; n is the sd ; if he \ ; if not, ; parable )egins to ooner or er. Yet consider od's law. .halt not Lis laws, le of the
lere, was bcr that icked in
the Ser- ever so nothing
's whom what he w manv r them ?
^33
those r ,r,:: ;:x; ;:■ ;r,:i,:H:':^ir'">- "•" - "■ ■'-' -'-
eluded m the tenth and following verses. The Pharisee represents those Avho think there is merit in their perform - their religious duties, and who hope to be saved by them; while the publican represents the humbh-hearted sinner who feels no pride in praying, but only feels his need of Gods mercy.
''God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace to the humble."
Ju cho. he wished much to see him. Pnit he was a very short n u
of fio_trec. Jesus looked up and called him by name to come
down, for he meant to go with him to his house. Zaccheus was delighted at this, but many were mortified, \and, no doubt, many of the Pharisees, for they said that Jesus was gone to be a guest with a sinner. Yes, Jesus Christ "came into the world to save sinners." And
by his o-race R. hn l i ""''' ^''' ''"'"'^ ""^ Zaccheus was touched 7JLT 1 ^ ^'''" '''' oppressive and unjust tax-gatherer
an had wronged those of whom he had collected, o enrich hm'eTf'
to those whom he had injured, and so to repent. Jesus saw that 1 e was sincere. He knew, tc. that his heart was ready to re eiv i as his Saviour. Zaccheus becoming blessed, would now be a bless g
Ancient Signet Rings.
(
134
THE FAMILY COMMENTARY.
to others. " This clay," said Jesus, " is salvation come to this house, forasmuch as he also is the son of Abraham." Publicans, though Jews, \vere reckoned by them but as heathens ; but now Zaccheus is blessed with faithful Abraham ; like him, he would command his children and his household to walk in the ways of holy obedience. The salvation of Zaccheus was an example of Christ's design in coming into the world, "to seek and to save that which was lost."
In this gospel there are also several particulars concerning the cruci- fixion, the resurrection, and the ascension of Christ which are not found in the other gospels. Among those relating to the crucifixion are: his praying for his murderers, " Father, forgive them ; for they know not what they do"; the petition of the dying thief, and his prompt pardon by the Saviour; the commending his spirit into the hands of his Father just before his death. In regard to the resurrection, we have two angels ajjpearing to the women; Christ's appearance to the two disciples going to Fmmaus; and to the eleven in Jerusalem. As to his ascension, Luke gives a more particular account of it, both here and in the first chapter of Acts, than any of the other Evangelists. He is also the only Evangelist who gives the command of Christ that th^y should remain in Jerusalem until they received the Holy Spirit.
is house, , though Zaccheus nand his jcdicnce. csign in est." he cruci- ot found ion are : ey know
prompt lands of :tion, we :e to the nn. As Dth here ngeh'sts. irist that
Spirit.
GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. JOHN
have been not to repeat the incidents of thb^ n^ vol fT?-'"' "r"''*'""- '"^ '-P'- i-vriting it seenm wuh .sumcient fullness , nor to de.scr,.. n.any o ^ L (h! mem'^' T' ""i "'"" '' '^"^'^"^'^ '^^ •^'--'> ^'v
other (.ospels), or recount l,is parables, which h.d ara< v h T T ■ '''^^''' "'' °^ "'''<-''' ="■« ""' found in the and to the world, ./..y..„ J,, ,,, i.,„ ;'2/ ^';1 ;:":„;■;;; ''"' - :;--'-- - .he disciples at EphLlI more.nttmate mtercourse with Christ enahlc.l hi,„ to know Ir fu ,. H "," ' T'''''"" "''''"^ ''^"'"''-« -''i^'' hi prommence to those teachings of Christ in which hi i ^ " "'^ «>1'^'>- Kvangelists, and he gives special
this, his conversation with his earliest di pl^^ Ih K T ""'"'' "" """'"' ""^ den,o„s,ra,ed. Astns anc 'i njiracle of healing the in,potent n.an 'af T ::;: ^";S:":;:r'T TT. '''"''"' ^'^ '"^ ^^^^^ ^ o her occasions at Jerusalem, at the raising of Laz.rus int le , , f '"' """ '""'^ "'°"^'->'"'' -"' °" ^ev.-ral
chsctples the evening before his ,„ .rayal. Ly 1 X'e ? ,?T',"; '''^•""^' -""* '-''- '"'-view with his
u ler account of the Saviour's , i„ ,,,,,. ^^an ^ o,,.,, ?, '" ""^ '""■'""' ""-" •'"'"> gives a n.uch
labors ■„ Galilee. Mis a^ , ,f ,„e Jia,. th crucmvi: ^d hTr""'"''"^ 'T """^"^ "^•^■"'''^•'' -'" '^ "^'^ -'" pnncpal eye-witness of .1, .,., „,o,e ^„ ^^^ de," u^ t^, ^ e7"""T': "' '''"'^^ "'"' "^ ^"^ "^ '"« - "- ins ma,n purpose-to demonstrate that •■ the Word w^ made ,«;,:, ^^ "'^' ""'^-^ ""^'"^^'-^^ ' "'-' "-^ also ai.U accepted by the church as authen.io and inspired; o 1 te .^ ^ in i J' """"^'"" '''" *='^^'"-" '^ '""•^y^ '-" hat ,t was wru.en in the second or third cen ury after Q ris and ' 1 T"' """' '""" '"'""'""' "^ ''-"■
. vKled ,nto twenty.one chapters. The last two ver" s o the we^^ t'T""" ' '"' ""'^ '""'■" ^''^'""'■^ '^'^''- " - the elders of the church at Ephesus. at whose recp.est he g"; :^:;.t:'"''" "' ""'""' '" '^'^ '^"" '''""^'^ '^^
Account of John the Evangelist.-John the Baptfst^s Testimony to
Christ,
JOHN I.
HE Evangelist John was distinguished as "that
'^^ discp c whon> Jesus loved/' Jesus loved all hi
d.sc,ples, but John was particularly honored by
Vh; n't "'" ."'"■ ""' '"''""' "P°" his bosom When Jesus shone m such glory on the "hi.d,
mountam," John was one of the three disciples ., a saw h„„. He was, likewise, one of the th'Jee tha saw h,s agony ,n the garden. To hin, also was committed the care of Mnrv th,. m-,' r r when he died on the crn« u,-., ■ , ^^ m^l'i'^r of Jesus,
136
THE FAMILY COMMENTARY.
As we find thini^^s in Mark and Luke which arc not in Matthew, so we find things in John which are not in either of the other H\angelists.
John does not re})eat the account of the birth of Jesus Christ, for that had been suf- ficiently done by the other three H V a n g e 1 i s t s ; those who follow- ed the first hav- ing told us about matters omitted by him, that noth- ing important might be wanting. And throughout this Evangelist the history of what Jesus did is not so much re- lated as what he said.
In the other
Evangelists we
are told about the
things which
Jesus performed,
from which wc
m u s t conclude
that he was more
than a mere man, for no man could do the miracles which he
did; and there are also expressions used at different times which
point out that he was a divine person. But John treats more
"lU: CAME TO XAZARETll, AND WAS SUajECT UMO THEM."
JOHN.
^^^ point, and begins his gospel by declaring that Jcl
Christ is here called " the Word." We will f..ll . , ,
he It IS that speaks all divine thin.s to us- u In '7 " ^^'■' ^'^""-^^ only through him. "^ ' ''^ ^"''^^' ^'^^ uord of Ciod
He who is called " the "\\7"r..-j " • i -'ys John. .. was God. " "'" ^^"^''^ C^' • " --' "-• Uord/'
He was in " the becrinnin<r " • Jn fK. ) • • fore he was f.on, ete™\;;VeTi ^ r "'"i^,:!:::;' ■^"'^ '"- the begmnm-" as eternity is cilled I,?, T "*" "°' "'"
The world can not ,,ave 'JJft ^ ^'^J^, '^^'"!^'"^ because_as ,s elsewl.cre said of hin,_"he 1 h ) ,, f- '■""^''' by hnn all thinj^s consist."* He must h! t T "" """«"• ^'"'i because he ,nade the world; t jl' :,: ^;^ ^"^^^ "^ --H by hnn ; and without him w,s J, ?, ^'""'^'' "^''^ '"'"I'--
Now, ,ve l,ave seen in G ne ^ tha^ ■ ! T^' ""^''-' "'^" "'^'^ ™'•'^''-■■■• heaven and the earth" otts l" 1 '"-■«"'"!"»' God created the WOK. •■is the sa„,e thltl tWrc'riled^.^G:;"" " ''- -''' ' ^^^
;i^rt::;:Tu:,;r-rii;,t:,;T"i ^t^^ <^— '^
fine statue, but all the nien in h^ n ''■ ^'^ '=•''" '"^^-^ a
alone must do this. But"m ti:;i l^'.^Cl ^ fl^^ '' "^^ ' ^^ And the Life was the Lirrht of men " Ti. ,
ni gross darkness without him We could h' 7 '""'' ^'''' ^^^" ______ '"^^J^ocould have known nothing about
*It has been well said that " while \tThi77~. ■ ', ~~
Luke traces it back to Adan, Joh ^ es bj "^ -If'T '" '""^'"^>^ °^ ^--^^ -''h Abrahanr;;;^ or the universe. To him the reatioT f n an Ln .T'""'"^'' ""''''' '^'^ "-'-" "^ >he e h genealogy dates from eternity." Ou read; sh d a. ' ""'"" "^'^ "^'^"' -™-e H mencement of this gospel and that of th: bo k t "1 ts^ "T 'm ^'■"'■'^^'■^^' ^'^^^^^^^^ ^'^ -- the new both start from " the beginnine " of n'l M ,' ^ "'"^ revelation of God's will and
- to the hill-tops, from whence we my see the L?'^ ^ )V'' ^'^ ^''^ '^^'^^^--t onl^ brings ness -the coming of the light of the world -thn'"' " ''""'"^ ""' ^^^ ^^ "' ^^t o" s
see, from the walls of the Jerusalem bov ei^end !rair" "! i'"^' '" "" ^"^^^'■^' -'"S^' ^i' -e en
tr. r "• t^"' 'f 77 -"'^' -'^-■" ^weiirri^,r r ';'^' tnT r^ ^'^^ --^- °^ ^^"
uie unoic hL.toty of Gud's dealings with man—mcf " ^'-' ^^^Pt^'es, then, we have
Ood ,„ ,],„ period i„ the future when ,|,e ear h Id h, . ""' """"'«' '" ">= mi d of
•-'---™«n,e„dea..e.„.„fa„a:;?l:^-:™„r:,;^--.;^^^^^^^^^^
138
THE FAMILY COMMENTARY.
God and the way to heaven but through Jesus Christ. Where he is not known even the wisest men did and still do worship carved fig- ures of different materials, believing them to be God.
This " light shined in darkness, but the darkness comprehended it not." " The world by wisdom knew not God." When Jesus Christ appeared men could not see his glory ; they were even so blind that the miracles which proved him to be no mere man could not convince them.
" There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the light— thiit all men through him might believe. He" [John] "was not that light, but was sent to bear witness of that light. That was the true light which lighteth every man that cometh into the world." The heathen have the light of reason, which God gave to them; and we have the light of revelation, or of the gospel, revealed— or made known to us— by his Holy Spirit.
" 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."
Now, think a little on what John has here said. Though his lan- guage, being about uncommon matters, is expressed in a way not directly to be understood,— on account of our being so used chiefly to common concerns,— yet by a little thought it becomes very clear.
The Word— which spoke the mind of God, and was God ; which made all things, and is the life and light of all men— was borne witness to by John the Baptist, who came preaching a few months before Jesus openly showed himself in his ministry ; and that " Word " was the Lord Jesus Christ himself, who " was made flesh " when he took our nature and was born in Bethlehem ; who " dwelt " some time in the world; whose "glory "the apostles saw— in the deeds he did, in the Heavenly truths which he taught, in his transfiguration on the mount, and in his ascension to glory, of which we shall hereafter read.
John attracted much attention by his bold and singular way of preaching ; and the Jews made inquiries of him if he was the Christ— the Messiah foretold by the prophets. John replied that he was not;
JOHN.
^l")
ere he is "ved fig--
lended it s Christ lind that :onvince
n. The
all men ght, but lit which en have light of — by his
and we her, full
his lan- vvay not hiefly to iar.
; which witness re Jesus was the )ok our e in the 1, in the mount,
way of 'hrist — as not;
hat he was only like the forerunner of a prince in his processions or ravels, gomg before hi.n and saying, " Make straight the way of the Lord, ^ remove every impediment out of the way to receive him ; or as a kmgs servants say, " Make room." Men must turn out their sins by repentmg of them, and so make room in their hearts for Jesus Chnst He who was the Christ, was speedily coming to preach his gospel, and he was far greater than John ; so much so that the latter was not worthy of being honored as his servant, to unloose even the straps ot his sandals-or shoes without the upper leathers, as worn in the bast.
The very next day Jesus made his appearance, and John pointed to
hun anc sa.d.^' Behold the Lamb of God, ^vhich taketh away the sin of
the world ! This is he of whom I said.
After me cometh a man which is preferred
before me: for he was before me." But
why did John call Jesus "the Lamb of
God " ? Because he came into the world
to die for sinners. Every morning and evening the Jews offered up a lamb in sacrifice ; which sacrifice in the morninc- took away the guilt of the night, while that of the night took away the guilt of the
morningr. So God appointed, and so the Jews sacrificed. But Tesus Chnst was now to be the Lamb slain. What those lambs did only in type, or as a sign, he came to do in reality for all who by faith behold him as "the Lamb of God "-the only Lamb that can take away sin • or, in other words, the only sacrifice that can be truly effectual, and on whose account alone all the old sacrifices were of anv use The Tews would in vain have offered their lambs in sacrifice if Jesus Christ had not died ; and the truly pious Jews believed this, and looked to some- thing more that was to take place when the Messiah should finish his work.
John moreover, declared that he knew nothing of Christ any more than other people-there was no scheme between them that he should make out Christ to be the Messiah, for he declared him to be such
Sandaus.
)
140
T//£ FAMILY COMMENTARY.
because he had seen the Holy Spirit rest upon him in some extraor- dmary appearance, resembling a meek and innocent dove, yet at the same time all glorious and divine. On this account he " bare record," or declared of Christ that he was " the Son of God."
John's disciples, on hearing this testimony, wisely left John, as John wished, and followed after Jesus, and were soon joined by other dis- ciples, whom Jesus added to them to be witnesses of what he said and did.
After this Jesus soon gave his disciples a proof that they had not been mistaken in following him as the true Messiah. IJathanael was mvited by Philip to come to Christ, and to follow him.
Nathanael went to Jesus, and when Jesus saw him approaching he -said, "Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no guile!" This was a proof that he was more than a mere man, or how should he have known anything about Nathanael, whom he had never before seen ? By this he meant that Nathanael did not merely pretend to serve God as an Israelite, but that he served him from his heart. There was no guile or deceit about him, but he was truly sincere.
The good man was surprised at our Lord's knowledge, and asked "Whence knowest thou me?" Jesus said, "When thou wast under the fig tree I saw thee." This was probably some spot where Nathanael retired to meditate and to pray, and where he was so shut out from the world that he knew no eye could possibly see him but the eye of God.
Nathanael needed no further proof that Christ was the Messiah, and so he directly cried out, " Rabbi, thou art the Son of God, thou art the king of Israel." That is, " My Master, thou art a divine person, thou art the Messiah, prophesied of to rule over Israel."
Many suppose Nathanael to have been the same disciple which is called Bartholomew ; because Bartholomew being called to be a dis- ciple is never mentioned, and so they think that Nathanael must have been the proper name of Bartholomew, for Bartholomew is not a proper name, but signifies the son of Ptolemy. The Evangelists who speak of Bartholomew never mention Nathanael ; and John, who men- tions Nathanael, never mentions Bartholomew ; so that it is thought
JOHN.
X41
extraor- et at the record,"
as John ther dis- said and
had not lael was
hing
he " This Duld he " before itend to s heart. 2re.
1 asked, t under ithanael lut out the eye
ah, and art the n, thou
^hich is I 2L dis- st have not a 5ts who o men- hough t
the one name is mentioned for the other; and, lastly, John seems to rank Nathanael amon- the apostles, when he says that Peter, Thomas, the two sons of Zebedee, Nathanael, and two other disciples havin<r' gone a-fishing, Jesus showed himself to them. See the twenty-first chapter and the second \ crse.
Marriage at Cana, in Galilee.
JOHN II.
We have here an account of the first of Christ's public miracles, which he performed at a marriage feast at Cana in Galilee, to which he and his disciples were invited, and his mother Mary was also there.
There being more guests than were probably at first expected, the wme was soon consumed. Mary mentioned this lack of wine to Jesus. Some think that Mary, having seen him perform some miracles in private, now expected to see him perform another by supplying the wme. And they suppose this because Mary could have no other reason for mentioning it to him than that he should take notice of it, and because he checked her for intimating it to him, probably to induce him to work a miracle. "Jesus saith unto her, \\\)man, what have I to do with thee? mine hour"— that is, my time for working any mira- cle here—" is not yet come." I wish you just to observe, by the way, that this language seems rather rude, and for us to say to any one,' but especially to a mother, "Woman," would show a very great want of respect; but it was a manner of speaking which in that society implied no rudeness, for even princes addressed ladies of rank in the same way, and serxvints employed the same word to speak to their mistresses ; just as people now address a lady by the name of Madam.
His mother left him to perform his own pleasure, and told the ser- vants just to mind what he should say if he gave them any orders.
Now, there were six stone water-pots there, which had been used tor water for various purposes, especially for purifying or washing the hands and feet and the cups and platters. These water-pots, or jars, learned men have reckoned, from the size of the measures used at that
i
112
run FAMir.Y commentary.
\
'.nc to have held about fifty-four gallons. "Jesus saith unto them, fill he water-pots with water. And they filled them up to the brim And he saith unto them. Draw out now, and bear unto the i-overnor of the feast. And they baie it." When the governor had tasted the uine, he was delighted with the flavor, but did not know whence it came, and he said, •' Ex ery man at the beginning doth set forth irood wine, and when men have well drunk, then that which is worse but thou hast kept the good wine until now."
Some persons have argued from this miracle that our Saviour approved of the use of intoxicating wines ; but this is wron-r for the common wines of Palestine were not as intoxicating as our dder, and tlie Jewish peoi^le were very temperate ; and, besides, we have no war- rant for thinking that this wine, miraculouslv changed from water by our Saviour, contained any intoxicating principle ; though tastincr like their wine, ,t was not the fruit of the vine, nor had it been fermented • turthermore, to draw from this an argument in favor of indulgence in intoxicating drinks is to contradict the spirit of Christ's teachings He requires us to deny ourselves, take up our cross,— that is, avoid the indulgence of selfish and sensual appetites,-and follow him. Doing this, we are in no danger of using intoxicating drinks freely.
Christ's Conversation with Nicodemus.
JOHN III.
In this chapter we have an interesting conversation which our Lord held with Nicodemus, one of the sect of the Pharisees, and " a ruler of the Jews "; that is, a member of the great Sanhedrim.— a sort of par- liament, consisting of seventy-one or seventy-two members,— and con- sequently he was one of considerable authority in Jerusalem ; though this parliament was perhaps now somewhat altered in its character and allowed only to meddle with religious matters, the government being under the Romans.
Nicodemus being afraid of incurring the displeasure of the Jews by going to see Jesus, went to him -by night." He respectfully addressed him by the name which the Jewish Doctors bore, and called
JOU.V.
'43
m R.l,b,. by way of distinction. lie told hin, ho believed hi,n to be "a teacher come from God," and that he Itad given proof of it by tie ....racles wh.ch he had wrot,ght, and „ hich no a,n.n.on pc"son Im
" bom •l^:i;I"'' Tl •"''r "" "°' '""''-''' '° ^•''™ '^'■™- '^"' he ntust be
ad he had been born anew int., the world. He nu,st be cmite a d^- fe.ent creature fron. ^^hat he had been. Me xvas born in s but he "Ujs be born of the Holy Spirit, or he could never ente h aven N "'Jemus could not understand hin, ; but Christ told hin, not to n,a vel, o,- wonder, at ^vhat he said ; for as the wind ble^v which way It would, never seen by our eves vet filt In i,. bodies sn th,. I, ,-,.;„ c • •. , ■' ^ " "-^ "'"■'='■ "\"J" our
hea t of th i ^P'" ™-l<^ unseen, yet powerfully felt on the
an no ite '.' ™', " ''" ^' ''''"^- """■ '"'•" ^^ ^y nature he
metises r ;• "°^' \^"'"''-' ^' '°^"^ '"">• -' by nature he
In; htrin f II \ '"■''' ^" ^"'''''''' ''"""^-^^ ' -' ^y "•••fire he cehghts ,n oily, so by grace he delights in that which is good This
Uiange of the n„nd is ec,ual to a new birth, for none can tm erstan
but those who have felt it; and those who have felt it now tl,a
they are "born again '-are "new creatures in Christ Jesul'
The Woman of Samaria.-The Nobleman's Son Cured.
JOHN IV.
There is a very pleasing little narrative in this chapter about a wZcla^rr" "7 "-^^'-i'y-lled Sychar: jLb f:':: ly' I ad purchased a piece of ground here, and gave it to his beloved son Joseph ; and here was a well, which still bore the nan,e of jlob "
Jesus having occasion to pass that way on a journey, being hunerv
:::?• ^^f^y-'^' -' d°- by this wen jt,st at Ihe molen 'th^='
«on,.in of Samana went to ,t to draw water, and Jesus asked her to
g.ve l,,m some to drink. The won,an wondered at such a rentes"
from Jesus, he be.ng a Jew, and the Jews and Samaritans havfn^a'";
144
THE FAMILY COMMENTARY.
bitlcr tlislikc to each other; for the Samaritans had in various ways endeavored to injure the Jews. Jesus then said to her, "If thou knewest the gift of God,"— that is, that God has j^iven his own Son to sa\ e lost men of every nation,—" and who it is that saith to thee. Give me to drink ; thou wouhV'st have asked of liim, and he would have given thee living water"; by this he meant the Holy Spirits influc'nces, which, because they are refreshing to the thirsty soul of man in search of peace and happiness, are often compared to water.
The woman did not understand him, and asked him how he could draw water elsewhere, having neither well nor bucket at hand ; as if he thought himself wiser than Jacob, who had drunk the water of that
well, and left it as a valuable gift to his family.
Jesus told her that those who par- took of that water would grow thirsty again, but that which he could bestow would afford full and everlasting satis- faction.
Still the woman could not compre- hend his meaning, and either suppos- ing he might know of some extra- ordinary water, or might be boasting of what he could not give, she pro- posed putting him to the test, and said, " Sir, give me this water, that I thirst not, neither come hither to draw."
Jesus then began a conversation which convinced herthui he was no common man, and told her all about her private concerns.
She then said, " Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet " ; and not liking to talk about some things w^hich she had wrongly done, she asked him to inform her which place of worship was most pleasing to God, that in which the Samaritans worshiped on Mount Gerizim, or that in which the Jews worshiped at Jerusalem.
Jesus told her that the time was now coming when no one place in l)articular should be more holy thru another, but every spot would be the same in the sight of God in which the worship was sincere ; for
Jacod's Well.
oils uays "If thou n Son to ^cc, Give ivc given illiicnces, in search
he could id ; as if r of that e gift to
vho par- V thirsty 1 bestow ng satis-
compre- suppos- e extra- Doasting ihe pro- 5 water,
:was no
ind not 3ne, she )leasing ^erizim,
[)lacc in ould be ^re; for
JOHN. ,,.
The woman further an,s^vcrccl him that she hdicvccl ,vliat he said wa.snKl.t; but the Messiah was expected soon to cou.e, auU the,, he wouki clear up all difficulties about the matter
Lnagine hmv surprised the won.an „u>st have beeu ^^hen Jesus said,
that speak unto thee a„, he." The disciples, however, ulu, were gone away to buy food, now returned, and so the inter^■,ew ended
beemg Jesus thus engaged i- what appeared to be .u, intercMin.^ conversation w,th a Samar,lan ...man, the disciples were quit: am-ed; but they would not t,-e th, liberty of aski.'g Jesus uhy L^
c ty, and told all her acquanUances there that she had seen the Wcs ,ah ; for a person she had Ulked with had told her tl,e n>ost uon- derfuHhmgs; and they must come along with her, and see and hear
While this was taking place the disciples begged of Tesus to eat of
k,,ownot of ; and h,s mmd was so intent on his work of doing ™od
wh,ch he called h,s meat, that he cared not about eating. The d sxi-
ples, however, were often dull of understanding, and so they were
now, for they thought that he had got some othermeat, and wond r d
how he cou d have procured it. Jesus then explained to then, h^
meanms : " My meat is to do the will of him that sent me and to
fin,sh ,s work." It wanted then four „,onths of harves -ti e bu h^
nevertheless had a great harvest to gather in-„ot of barley bu o
ouls^ It was not a tuBe then to eat and to drink, but to w^rk ■ for
the bamantans were ready to receive hin, and to believe on him 'and
these were h,s precous fields, which were w^hite and rea<ly for haJ
MitTd'oVhr.." •'-^•^--"^ °f 'he Samaritans^f that city
r.fr^^ K- '" '"■""""''^ "I'"" '° ''°P ^' ^y*'-''- '"'o days, he then pro- ceeded on h,s journey into Galilee ; and going again to Cana •■ whrr,.
he made the water wine." he performed another' mirade brcurinith:
A^'&o-: MTiKis^sa^i^i
146
T///I FAMILY COMMENTARY.
Sick son of a nobleman of Herod's court. This nobleman, hearing that Jesus was there, took a journey from Capernaum to see him, and to iinplore him to cure his son. Jesus knew how unbelieving the people of Capernaum ^^'ere, and perhaps that the nobleman had been so him- se f so Jesus reproved him and did not say he would cure his son, but to d h„n .. Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe." Ihe nobleman, however, urged him to return and save his child The kind heart of Jesus could not resist the yearnings of the fond parent over his beloved son, and he said, " Go thy way, thy son liveth." The nobleman relied on his word and hastened home. But before he got home some of the servants were sent on the road to meet him and to tell him the joyful news that his son was recovered ; and on his inquir- ing at what time it took place, he found it was exactly at the time which Jesus had said.
Owing to this remarkable miracle, the second which Jesus performed at Cana, not only did the nobleman believe, but all his fomily were convmced that Jesus was the true Messiah; that is, "The Christ the Saviour of the world."
Christ Cures the Disabled Man at the Pool of Bethesda.
JOHN V.
We now behold Jesus going, according to custom and in obedience to the law, to the feast of the Passover at Jerusalem, on which occasion a vast number of persons being assembled, he had the greater oppor- tunity of doing good.
There was at Jerusalem a pool which, on accour' of some medicinal properties in its waters, was a sort of bath, to which persons with com- plaints of various kinds went in order to obtain a cure, and many had been cured by bathing in it. It seems, however, that it was necessary they should go in just at a certain time, when the waters were a<-itated by an extraordinary cause. ^
Jesus arriving at the pool, saw a poor man there who had been dis- abled during no less than tliirt) -eight years, and having no money to pay any one to wait upon him and put him into the water whenever it
JOHN.
147
be.n:an to stir, some other person aKv:us hurried into the pool before hnn just at the j^-oper nionient, and obtained eure instead of himself. Jesus talked to him about his complaint, and learning his hard lot asked hnn if he would like to be cured ; and then he commanded h.m to take up his bed and walk. We have noticed a similar cure in the nmth chapter of St. Matthew, and there told nou that the bed
AN ANCKL WENT I.OWN AT A ^^HTA,:^^,^W ,X InT^^TuE TuuL 7.^^ .KOL.LuTn^
used was a sort of mattress, or, we may add, if you have ever seen a sailor s hammock, it was something of that kind, so that a man in health could carry it wnhoutany ^rcat inconvenience.
This happened on the Sabbath day. Now, the Tews were verv strict observers of the Sabbath, and so fai- they were right; and thex'would not allow any one to carry a burden on that day. So, seein- this man cariy.n- his bed, they told nim that he ^^•as breaking the Sabbath
14^
THE FAMILY COMMENTARY.
The man then excused himself for ^vhat he was doing, and intimated as „,uel, as that he could not in that instance be doinjj ^v,•on.: fo he wo had power to cure hin, had certainly a right to .rder him to clrll Ills bed The poor man could not afford to lose his bed and he was no gomg to reave it by the pool. He did not carry it for' ^pu p" of busmess, but only from entire necessity. Besides, all wo.ks o necessity and mercy are laxvful on the Sabbath
These were probably Pharisees, who, guessing that it was Jesus who cured this n,an, endeavored thus to prejudice him, for they took e^rv oi.,portunity to s1k»>- their hatred to our divine Lord ^
wcm'^nT/l'T'T''' '^r""^'"^^" it was Jesus who had cured him,
^e o h , -"T- °'''"*''"° ^'""l^f' "'-' they would raise the
lame of his divine Saviour; instead of which these wicked peoDle
only hated him the more, and sought to kill him by bringing hm
b:'^: thetrr''"^ --^'^^^- - '-« hu/cond^rntd for As yet, hoxvever, they could only threaten to stone him or to use mob violence toward him, for the plans afterward concocted by the Phansecs and pnests for his destruction had not then been matured
Christ compares Himself to Bread.
JOHN VI.
Soon after the events mentioned in the last chapter Jesus had left Jerusalem and gone into Galilee, and at Capernaum and Bethsaida and
n ncl r"u°VT' "'=" '"f ^^^ °' ^'^"■'^^'=' "^'^ '-S'" -d P-f^™ ' of r 1 f '"'^f "''"5? '•" ''•'^' '° "'^^ '"'"y region northeast of the Sea of Gahlce for a short penod of rest and uiet, he had been followed
davsS """'""''V''" '"'' "^^'^^ ^"'' '^^"•«' "^-^ f-'- or three .ys,finaly feeding five thousand men and many women and children
with five loaves and two small fishes, as you read in the fourteenth
chapter of M.mhew The people who had been fed thought hs an
hey Wlowed him across the sea to Capernaum, whither he had gone the night after the miracle. Here he took occasion to tell them that
he knew they sought only their own gratifieation in following him, and tha then motive w.s wrong; they thought Co make themselves rich and great by following him, but they «cre mistaken
He then told them not to labor so much for the body as to for-et to feed then souls: that to do this they must believe on bin, They ungratefully replied that if he would rain manna from hcasen they u-ould. Jesus replied that his Father had sent them bread Oom heaven-the bread of life : they asked to be fed ^vith it. Then lesus said, "I am the Bread of Life,- Yes, my dear young readers, hose ^vho believe in him find life for their souls. Bread sustains the body and Christ only can sustain the soul.
Many of the Jews were so much displeased at the spiritual character of Christ .s te.aehings that, though they had previously professed to be his disciples, they now "went back and walked no more with him " Jesus said to the twelve uhom he had chosen, •• Will ye also go away >" Peter replied, " Lord, to whom shall vve go ? Thou hast the words of
11. r i r ^"'' "'^':,"°^^ ™'' ^'•'^ ^"'-'^ that thou art that Christ, the bon ot the living God.
Chiist the Spring or Fountain of Happiness.-The Jews try to stone air,st.-Christ gives Sight to a Man born Blind.
JOHN VII-I.X.
Jesus had left the province of Judea for that of Galilee, for while he
remained in Jewry, or Judea," the Jews .sought to kill him"; but he
soon afterward returned thither at the feast of tabernacles, vhen al
he males went to Jerusalem, and when the Jews erected tents o
ooths, in which they dwelt and ate their n,eals, in commemorlaLn o
1 Z 1 f 7 '" 'f'"' '■" ""= "■"^'^™'^^^- M-re Christ went into the temple and taught the people ; and they wondered at the
ivine truths which he told them. He also repeated his rep oofs o the Jews and they still tried to get a favorable opportunity to' kU
day of the feast he stood up and cried aloud, •• If any man thirst let him come unto me and drink." You understand wha you have read
I -•' '*•]
»50
T//E FAMILY COMMENTARY.
j bout the nonian at the well : Christ here „,ea„s the same-that ali true fe proceeds fron, h,m, and that if any „,an wished then to be hippy
by com,ng to hui, he could n.ake him so ; from him he could 2^\
be supp ,ed as a thirsty man could from an overflowing spring he hould be br,mful of happiness, which he expresses by saving ,';
"out of h,s belly should ■• flow rivers of living \vater " Si^Tn "s'rna e
tr rije::' %Tv "^"'ir' "'^ ^''"-^^ "^^' '-^- - -- rm::::
migh^betrut"''"^' ' ^'""'^'' '^"' "°' "'^^ ™'^^= *^'
In the following chapter a «oman ,vas brought to him who had for- saken her husband and lived with another man. This ^^as forbidde^
by the laws of God, and was to be punished with death. The Jews brought this ^^■oman to Christ, that he might say whether she ought to be punished or not. Now, if he had said that she ought, the)- would have accused him to the Sanhedrim and to the Roman government of taking upon hmis"lf to sit in judgment without any author! i. which would have been a high crime; r.id
,„„„, , , , , .'' ^^ '''"' ^^''-' she was not punishable, they
wo Id have accused him of contradicting the law of Moses I^ bo h cases, therefore, they would have taken an advantage of him ■ but with his usual wonderful wisdom, he defeated their design and instead of answering their question for his opinion, he said "He that .s without sin among j-ou, let him first cast a stone at her." Jesus knew that her accusers were as wicked as she, and this answer made them quite aslmmed of themselves ; so they all slunk away one by one, leaving the woman with Christ, who faithfully and tenderly admonished her to " go and sin no more " ^
as the light o the world," and "many believed on him," He .nlso
to hemXre "'^ <="\"'''°, '^^'^'-'"'^ ^° '^"•■■■■ged with what he said to them, and especially when he spoke of his own eternal existence as
TkNT, (IK liciOTIl.
JOHN.
the Son of God, that they took up stones with which some builders were repa,ru,,. the temple that they might throw then, at hin, ; bu Je't esea,.ed a^atn front their hands, for his work on earth ^;•as 1{ "^
And as Jesus passed by from the temple he saw a man who was born bhnd ; and he uet sonte clay with his spittle, and putti m it on hrs eyes contntanded h t, to go to the pool of .Siloan, and uash I ere The ntan accordingly obeyed him, " and washed, and cante seein ' "
Now, the puttmg of clay on the mans eyes could not .nve°him s.ght nor could the washing in the fountain called Sio n -'^Int t™ was done to show us that we ought never to despise the use any means, how snnple soever they may seem, if those means a d,v ne y commanded. Praymg to God and hearing and reading the word of God can never save our souls; but they are all m.-ans which we are
grace, ne is pleased to yive his blessing.
This miracle attracted much notice, for the man was a public beir^ar and everybody knew him, and now e^•erybody asked, " ifno tl f he that sat and begged?" Then the people wished o leriin wha wonderful way he had got his sight ; and he told then,. Th P Ir ees also soon heard about it, and th were also very innuisitive he
matter. The man told them the same story. Now, th , ad I ke
being still full of malice against Jesus, these wicked Pharisees said that hough Jesus might ha^■e cured the man, yet nevertheless he w^ a bad man, for he had broken the Sabbath Some feu however ^,ought ditterently, an-, they „uarreled among themse v ; aCt ' As for he blind man, he made up his mind at once that Jesu was a prophet, for he knew that no common person could do ihat he had done to his heretofore sightless eyes.
The Pharisees then sent for the man's parents, to knou- if he had really been born blind ; or, if so, whether perhaps some mean had no
to J^s Th"*" ''": " "■""' ''^>- ""=<''' ^'-'"^ ''^ cure ratht tl an to Jesus The parents were as much surprised as the Pharisees h„t
as they knew nothing about the cure, they'were obligc-d t'Tr^hem
I>2
'Jim J-AMILY COMMIiXTAi:Y.
ag. n mqu.nngof the man; and, besides, had they known more about , hey wore a ra,d to say wha- u,ey thought of Jesus, for the PhaHsees ad tl,reatenod severely to punish any who should own that h was tl e true Mess.ah : they vvere liable to be put out of the ssl^^^Zll wh,eh was a sentenee that did not exelude' them fronrgoi'n toTe' M^^agogue but ^vas only so ealled. ,t nas, howeve^^J; ^^^ e After th,s sentence no one durst hire the punished perso, to work no
Tom him' '""^ ™"^ '^™'='"'' ^'^ ^'"-'^ -- -"'-^'^^ or urn'aw:: toll 'lir'r"'""'"" •''f' ■"• j''=^^'f™-<=. ^VoVc to the n-.an whowasct.red and
sinner But the man thought more highiv of him. n^ ^^l.o had opened h,s eyes had thrown some h,ht of knowledge into h n,in
m. And after disputmg their opinion he at once asked themif thev would become d,se,ples of Jesu.s. Th,.. ^v■as n,ore than their a L fous and prouu sp,r,.s could bear, and they then reviled him and C itoo The man, how n-er, reasoned well with them, and said it was v^^'
c araete ti '"' '°"" "°' ''•'''= "^ ''"^^'-^ ^'^ °f ChHs 'I
character, fo t ^va : plain enough that by no human power could he
have opened h,s eye. : "Since the world began was it not hea d that any man opened the eyes of one that was bSrn blind "
liemg unable an>- longer to reason the point, they had recourse to
c s Z' "':' ' "f "■"'■ " ^°^' *°" ''-•■-' '° ^ - ? " and so thS cast him out of the synagooue. -^
In this pitiable eondition'the Saviour sought for him and found him • and he sa,d to hm, " Dost thou belie^ c in the Son of God ? "-tha Ts Dos thou expect the Messiah ? Wilt thou trust in hint ? for in the propheces he was called the Son of God, The poor mans h a t w s
Lord, tha I may beheve m him ? " Jesus then told him that he him .elf was tne Son of God, and the mar, worshiped him.
jKKSswtisaaipiiaiift'-
JOHN.
153
Christ Compares Himself to a Door.-Christ, the Good Shepherd.
JOHN X.
it did so from
bad dcsiijfns —
he was a thief
and a robber.
^V e have
doors of en- trance to our
houses, and
none but
thieves and robbers think of getting- in- to them by climbing up to the win- dows. The allu-
SIIEErrOLD
sion was well understood bv the Tews TN . 1 ru
Now, the real shepherd would always enter in Sv f^.f ^ ■s, by the proper way,-ana the .an wL r^^^;:", ^^e doort.^lS
i( !
It'*!
'54
TllR FAMILY COMMENTARY,
™io , " 1"-"''' "''"' """'^ '""■••'y^ "f^-" "'^ ^l°°'- "" I'-'H", n,s
na„K. , for ,„ Last, n, countries the shepherds know their sheep as
e k„o our dogs, and they give tl,e„, na„,es,ancl vvhen the>- are ea led
Ley w,li con,e to the shepherd out of the Hock and ansul- to their
names, as a dog we know will answer us. With the same fan,iliarity
went bcfo, e them, playmg some musical instrument. Hut if a strm-er I ail civvtiy. By the shcepfold Christ meant his clmrch, to which he ^^•as the onK- ay of entrance, and he tells the Pharisees and people that ,vloev ' before clauncd to be the Messiah had deceived then, for he-Jest s-
out of this fold under his guidance would find happiness and peace
• f ,"' r?"") ''■'^'' " ' '■"" "'" S°°'' ^'"-'■''''•■'■J • "i*; t'ood shepherd g veth his life for the sheep." So you read that David exposed i
hfe and fought with ^^■lld beasts to save his fathers floek. Christ or
good shepherd actually gave himself u,, to death that his sheep niight
no perish, unlike the hireling that cares not for them, and if h!s lif? is
t^^l'"'''''^^'^^''-^^^ -^ '-CS them to the
Thus he loved his church and gave himself for it. Amoi,.- the Jews he had many sheep, whom he came to save ; but not ami,^ them only, but also among the Gentilc.s_an,ong the heathen ; that i:^ the nations that ,vere not Jews, of vvhich ,ve form a part. Jesus furthcT says, "And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold ■ tt m ho
and on sf"' T\ ""' ''"" ^'''' '"^ ^"-^ ' ^"^ "^^^ ^^allbe one fold and one Shepherd.
Christ raiseth Lazarus from the Dead.
JOHN XI.
At a vilhin^e called Bethany, about two miles from Jerusalem, there lived two sisters, Martha and Mary, of whom we have read in the
ariiio his led them sliecp as irc called to their miliarity Id times, stranger 3ice and
the onl} \hoever Jesus — t in and peace, lepherd sed his "ist, our ) might s life is to the
ng the among that is, further m also nefold
, there in the
CHRIST AND THE WOMAN OF SAMARIA
-Whosoever drinK.H. of the water that I shall ^ive him shall never thirst." -John IV, ,4.
y\
IN MY FATHER'S HOUSE ARE MAN
Y MANSIONS." John X
fV, 2.
rv
s:::!:st;'t:.:;:f ; ^ y '• "7"7 — > -an., a,u, Z
^".. .ill he ua. ...a This.,.,.;.;/;;;:/ ";,:r;;^;;:^,;;;-
'2--U.S, .,„U .sec ir tl,.y ,.a„, ,.,icv„, in hi': .n^i^.^lt '.'^
"iiL-T MAk^ >AT STILL IN THE HOUSE."
!l
{
^-»*»-
158
Tf/Ii FAMILY COMMENTARY,
a mourner in the house, as she did not know that Jesus had arrived ,or she ha<l a most sincere love for liim. -"nvLd. lor
Martli., eomplained, "Lord, if thou hadst been here mv broil,,,- iv, 1 not died.' This proved how hi,h an opinion she d'oN, s ,t , o save hmi ; and she seems to have had fa th -nou.d, u, bdi ■ i, , , that ne mi,,lu raise him fr.,m the dead. ^ ''"''"''"
After some further conversation with Jesus Martha hastened to , ,11 cr sister, who, suddenl>- leaving the house, was supposed t.,; have gone to weep over her brothers grave, and 'si tliey lollo ved 1 e
As soon as Mary came to Jesus she also said, as her sister" nl s i' "Lord, 1 thou iKulst been here, ,„y brother had not died ■ t^'
vvho had all the feelings of our nature, ,vas tenderly touched at the affecting scene, and going to his sepulchre "Jesus wept Oh I ■ km.lness of his heart I Who could but love him I ' ' '"
Some of the Jews who did not like him reasoned wisely enouoj, and said that smce he had opened the eyes of the bli'd s.'re 1 : .-,mt as easily raise the dead ; but they said this in On r to rl doubt whether he ever had done such a thing in reality as IrUi:;
Jesus now went to the cave, in which, according to a custom of the
the mouth of the cave. Jesus immediately desired the stone to be lemoved, and " cried with a loud voice, La.arus, come forth And it that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with grave-clothes "- havmg several folds of linen wrappe-d about him. wWeh w nmh:; CIS cm of those times ; " and his face ,vas bound about with a na, Un - that IS, round the forehead and under the chin. Jesus then sa c^^to the persons at the grave, •■ Loose him, and let him go "
This miracle made many more Jews believe in Christ ; but some remained so astonishingly obstinate that still they would not beMeve he was the Messiah; and, being filled with hatred^o Tin be an h was becoming so popular, they went and told the Pharisees, probably ^^^t^"^ ""''' "^'^ - -'- ™-- - --^e ^him a„^
I
*
rived, for
'llicr had jovvcr to possible
d to call
■ JcW.s to Acd llLT.
ad said, ihouin^ d Jesus, I at the Oh, the
jnougli, rely he raise a ide the
of the r upon
to be \nd he les "— nother :in "—
to the
some elieve se he ^bably n and
I
ycv/x
"-aclcs, an. tha /,,„,, '5 -^'"'"'"'K-I 'hat l,c clkl n.any of their hearts that they Ih"! ",t ""' ' '"" " *""-' "'^^ Wi.ulnc.s
nor appear in r.ubhc icmn.nv V ^' '••'-•'•S nor worl< niiraeles,
obscuri city called h;,;;"!;;? ' '"" """ •'"'' '--i^'-' "' - 'ittlc and
Washes His DisdpL" Fe'et - M ''t ''""J "^^ven.-He tender Address to h1^ oSieT °'' ^'~"' J"^-^- " Christ's
JOIIX XII-Xiv.
.<^^7z ptir o!nt,t:!;':r ^ "r t"'™'- — ^^ '"^
as he reclined at tl,e t ble i I? I '"^7''""' "" ""^ f^'' "' ^-l-Hst, some notice was k f •„ L "^""" "f,^''"™ "^ '^-l-'. of uhich Matthew. We are t^ Ter t n iT ul" ^l' '"-'y-^"' chapter of who thus showed her aftl.ctio, "^ he I ord '' V^' "'''" "' '"•"••'™-^' m.raculous restoration of her b,; h er ,, "\ , ! gratitude for his tliat It was Judas Isc uiot „-l, . , ^ '^"^'^ ^'^o informed
n>ight have been sol .h ' Z^ T' °' '"" "'■''^'^•' '"^' ^-'"^ '^
to the poor. What he xdK .. '''""-" '''"'"' ^5' ' ^"'1 '.'ivon
be mtritsted to himli^l'^el: 1 tv:!! :',''^^' -'-^ °f ■'' ^^-"^ our Lords rebuke of his greedy sniri^ th' /i? "'',.™' '° ^"-'■y ^'
plot to betray his Master" m- P iri ee no "'™"''^'^'>' bej,'an to h.s entry into Jerusalem, alread^de ch'k d in t,-'' T f'""'"'^ ^"^■'■ or Matthew, were so much displeased tfAu >■ ''"'"V' '^""P"'' the people that they wante.l to -m . ^"^^^ popularity among who,, he had .aised C;he dei" "°' ""'^ "im, but Lazarus also'
i6o
rmi i'A.]fii. y a \MMiixr. ir ) :
.iiKl talk vv itli JoLis. 1 l,c>- Mere, pcrliaps, the first fruits of tint ibun
■::^:i::i *" -nf ^""" - "r" -^'^ '"-" '° •'^- •'■•oi ' i!;;' i
o the an.cl "-.'l'"V:^J"'-"« -Hi pnoi"K i" the court
nc people ax oicc from heaven, Iron, the excellcut i.|orv such aslrul been heard belore, at his baptisn, an.l h,s trausliy'^uat ;„ nd ic vo,cc saul n, re,,ly to his ,,ra, er, " I-athor, glorify th^ na ,!- , , bo h ,,on cd ,t a„<l will ,,orify it a,ain.-° Bt,t\,otwithstandin.!.h s
, , '7""'''''- , -""'He he would uot be the teu.poral ruler for whom
tmitccu, hat Jesus, n, order to teach his disciples humility uk ,„ pro.eu titeu. Iron, havin, such jealousies as they had hith to „ stcd toward one another in re,ard to the places thej- x^erc . oc u n"
ceedcd to wash h,s discples feet, and on their express,,., surprise h,- aul to then, : " If I, then, your Lord and Master have Tvasl I t^ feet ; yc a so ought to wash one auothers feet. Vo. I ha „C
an exam,, e, that ye should do as I ha^.: done to >otr'' Son "e lent Chnst,an people think that Christ intended to establish th s 4 ' ordutance to be ,,ractised by the chtu-ch in all ages, and th y |o t^ .se t accor.hngly. Others think that he nteant to teach us hitn i •
anc to show t,s that if we ,vere trtdy his disciples we wo.d< be wil i^ ' o do even hun.ble an.l n,enial things for those who are h s di ef
1" his nanie and for his sake. mscipics,
We also learn from this chapter, in relation to the wicked tnitnr
hat Chr,st pointed out Ju.las as hrs betrayer to the oth r 1 p " bv
saymg. n, ansner to the in<,uiry of John, " Lord, who is it ? ''" Het
ad come inic, and d to sec at abun- into the 1st of all ic court arino- of 1 as had ;ind the ' I ha\e ig tiiese 1 belie V- \e him whom IS, they
chapter and to
mani- uccupy d i)ro- rise he 1 your '11 you excel -
as an
prac- iiility,
illing :iples,
"aitor, -s, by He it
JOIIX.
ir,i
■s to ^^•hom I shall give a sop ■' (the unk.uene.l bread folded up and . .,.|.c ..no the steu- or the gravy of the n,eat, ".hen I have dp
nnn,r :t:t; "'" '''''' "^ ^'^ '^ ^^ " ^ J^'-.' " '>o "' "' After Jesus had tlu.s distributed the bread and the ^^ine he com- menced a most touclnng and ten.ler discourse to his <iisciples' ans'v - ni^ the,r quest.ons and re.noving U,eir doubts and fears. He tok t e ,
"IIILV WE.N
iACRWAKl), AM) I i;i.l. T( . TJIK (.Rt^CM). ■
of his de:uh and resurrection, and of his ascension to hcaN-cn to intcr-
te d, td :;'•, ;T, '"r T'"' "' "^ ""■>' ■'^l""'- "-■ C^-r-ter, to teach and gu ,le them. In tlie progress of this discourse he gave them
c p u-ab e o the vine, of uhich we speak in the next chapter, and cS
I . beaufful address to them by a prayer of the decpLt earnestness
an tj,e „,ost tender p.athos, witl, and for them, in which, after ev"o t
Img the obedience and love ^^•hich they had manifested and would yet
mm^'s^mi.
162
THE FAMILY COMMENTARY.
m.
dii
manifest for him lie commended tliem, and all who should believe on
1 atncr. As the secne m the Garden of Gethsemane had already been lly dcscnbed by the other evangelists, John does not dwell upon t tl.ough hnuself an eye-witness of the agony of that hour- but he is more full and mmute in his account of the circumstances ;f the ar e and tr,al, as well as of the fall of Peter, of the ,vhole of which he was e only observer on the side of our Lord. He dc s full sfa™ he hes.tation and un,villingness of Pilate to give judgmen tains^ he Savour, and the consciousness of his own misdeeds, h ch mLde lum afraid to be just to his prisoner.
Tlie Parable of the Vine and Branches.
jon.\ .\v.
Christ here speaks the parable of the Vine. The wine which
ad just been .hunk at supper with his disciples afforded our d'ne
Lord an opporttm.ty of comparing hi„,self ^vith it. He had sa d he
was Bread and L.ving Water to them that believed on hin and now
I'luZ^dn,;: '"^ '™^ ^'"^■■' "^- ^'- -'"'- ^- 1^-"- to"d:
You know that most of the wines, and all those which were drunk a th,s supper, ^^•ere made of the fruit of the vine-that is tl e rane Chrrst compares himself to the vine, because he wished o how ," chscples how closely by faith they were united to him. He ' e efoe compares them to branches ; and he says, "Every branch in u th t beareth not rent he taketh away; and every branch that beare"h <1™' e purgeth ,t that .t may bring forth more fruit. Fruit k tha w 1 ch he tree produces of any real x-alue. Now, in like nana branch united to the vine is expected to bring forth fruit, so 4ose «t are by fa,d, united to Jesus Christ are expected to bring fort ,1^° fruits. What te.se fruits are we n,ay learn from the like e^rL ons
fruit mif'^f, ""^ T'' Scriptures- fruits meet for repen nt:^ fruits untu ho mess-the fnuts of righteousness, which are by Tesus to the praise and glory of God." "y Jtsus to
" — •-"-iir--~''"ninA»iiinitiniiiitiwiirw
clievc on heavenly ady been I upon it, mt he is he arrest li he was !istice to : against ch made
JOHN.
163
e which r divine said he nd now • to the
drunk grape, ow his erefore le that h fruit, ^\•hich as the 5e who I their ssions nee — sus to
we^arrcutT/^'X'? 'f "^ '" ^'"•'^'' ^"^ "" "°' "ear .hose fruits here meant prunin- The vine i. f-,L- n ." ^ P"'"^ '"y" '^
becomes Jea n ^ f"; 2 iT ■•■ ,'"" '""">' '^""^'^^^- ">^ ""''
root sends up ,0 hos Im f' " '"""^^• "'^^ ""^^ J"-- 'I-'
wi>ich they ;.ieir I trthi rts';:"'"' ^'"' '"^ ""'"«^'- '"^ "■-'
the knife is freely used to cut off the •superfluous branches which are not likely to bring- forth good fruit.
You must recollect all this is merely the language of comparison ; that is, "hive as the husbandman prunes the vine, my heavenly Father u-ill prune
requires often .0 b lov d v ? " """'= " "'"'^' ''" "^ '>'•''
abide in n,e." Tin s too eh f ''"'', "" "'""' ''" >"=' ''"■'^' y^ f " • ' ' ^^^ ^'''^^\' from hun such lif(> -1^1-^,.^
o our increase here and our rejoicing hercater The Tf^
truth continually floHs into H,„K ,, ."••^"'•'^- The power of his
tl'i^ fruits are coml^lin^Sd" '^ "'^" ''''' '" ''""■ ■^"" "'-"«"
The Ilrsii.wDMAv.
itWiiiii
164
THE FAMILY COMMENTARY.
I
11 11
Christ^s certain Death from the Soldier Piercing his Side.- His Appearances after his Resurrection.
JOHN XVI-\XI.
Wc have noxv o-(,„e through the principal passa-es of the four iivangehsts : a le^v thrngs only remain in John of which it may be necessary that we should take a short notice.
The first is in the imicfccufh c/iaptcr^ audhveuty-fffh mid fol/owiu^ vcyscs We here learn that three Mar)-s stood by the cross of Jesus when he was na.led upon it. and dying- with his crucifixion: Mary his motherMary his ..others sister-who was the wife of Cleophas-and Mary Magdalene. As for our sakes the biessed Jesus became poor he had nothmg to leax'e his mother; and as Joseph was without doub^ now dead, and she was getting old, he was affectionately concerned for her that she should not uant for comfort and support in her last dciys. I his, I thmk, ,s a most Icnely trait in the character of Jesus Ihoughhewasthen in the deepest agony of body on the cross he forgot his pams to think on his poor afflicted mother. He therefore commended her to the care of his beloved disciple John. "' WV^man •' said he -and )'ou remember that I have before told vou that this name so spoken, was a title of respect.-" behold thy son I ^ As much as to say " I am going awax- from earth, and thou canst therefore have this body with thee no longer, but look upon John as thy son ; and I know the kindness of his heart, that for my sake he will loxe thee and treat thee as a son. And then he said to John, "Behold thy mother"- meaning, '« behax-e to^^•ard her as a son ; take care of her ; comfort her 111 her o d age." Some writers say that Mary lived with John at Teru- salem eleven years and then died ; and others say that she lived longer and removed with him to Ephcsus ; but the Scripture gives us no more information on this subject. Jesus knew that John loved him. and ^vould therefore obey him ; and no doubt he behaved to her as a kind son ' , the day of her death.
In the fliirfy-Jirst and folkn.iug verses of the same chapter ^ve also read some particulars respecting the crucifixion of the blessed Jesus
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^olloiuiiig of Jesus Jar)' his as — and le poor, It doubt nccrned her last f Jesus, ross, he erefore, Oman," s name, :]i as to ve this I know d treat )ther " ; "ort her t Jeru- i X\\'q([ ivcs us loved to her
e also Jesus
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MARY MAGDALENE AT THE SEPULCHRE.
As she wept, she stooped dcwn. and looked into the sepulchre." John XX, II.
Masm
JOHN.
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which ^ro not mentioned by the other Evan.ijelists. The Teu-s there
u-ere therefo.e afraid of a breach of thc1a^v on thit , ,v f "'r"''
to tirejeu-ish ,a. (Oe.teronon,, ...i, ., ;i:;fCy^;.'"™: '^J on a tree «as not to remain all ni,,ht, but to be taken down that dav and bur.ed. Among the Ron.ans the carcasses remained o be a tn by b,rds; but the Jeus ^vere taught to consider then, a :fi' n" h^
;:!;:'r;ir::t:^^,rh"'°^^ ^--^'-^ "---'"'-^ <--
Now. this circumstance led to a certain proof that Tesus had re-.llv >?aeto do 'w :?■ ",T "'" ""■>•"""■ ""^^^^ 1-n.ission o
^ieadai::^; th^tieit':::^^;:: b^^::':;^,:::,?^" '-t
spear pierced his Sid. and forthnitrTcametlCl'Jt^^^ trust in him may restL ^s .ord, •■ HriLlryeliriirallo.^
[(
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168
THE I'AMILY COMMENTARY.
And on these accounts the I Evangelist John is very particular, not oniy in statnig^th.s fact, but ui adding that he had it not from mere hear- say but that he hmiself saw it, being near the cross at the time, •' And he tha s:uv it bare record,and his record is true; and he knovveth that he saith true, that ye might believe."
The Evangelist John tells us of a very particular circumstance that happened after the resurrection of Jesus. Thomas would not believe what all the rest told him ; and declared that nothing should satisfy h,m about the Saviour's resurrection short of seeing and touchin^r hi„' li.mself : " Except, sa.d he. " I shall see in his hands the print of the nads and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hands mto h,s side, I will not believe." Eight days after this Jesus ai)peared an.ong the disciples, when Thomas was with them; and" he said to Ihoinas, "Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side ; and be not faithless, but beheving. Thomas M-as astonished, and instantly confessed that It was indeed his divine Master who was alive again ; and he said to him, full of love, and gratitude, and praise, "My Lord and my God ! " John also relates another appearance ^^•hich took place at the Sea of I iberias. There were then present six disciples. Peter went a-fish- mg, and not having succeeded, he, and his companions were desired by Jesus, who stood unknown on the shore, to cast their net on the right side of the shij), and then they caught so many that they were unable to draw them up. John. " the disciple whom Jesus loved " in a very particular manner, on seeing this miracle, said directly, " It is the r J ;^»^^^I>'^^^ instantly, without waiting to get ashore in the ship, cast off his fisherman's coat and swam ashore to meet Christ It is said " He was naked," but this does not mean quite so, but only that lie had thrown off his cumbrous upper garment ; so we call a person stripped who has thrown off his coat, though he has many other gar- ments remaining on him.
The other disciples soon after landed with the fish, and "they saw a fire of coals there, and fish laid thereon, and bread," which Jesus had also miraculously prepared.
Jesus then invited the disciples to dine. This was " the third fc'ine
, not onjy -re h car- le, " And ivcth tliat
nee that t believe d satisfy ling- him t of the rust my is Jesus
and he ds ; and aithlcss, sed that
said to ' God ! " : Sea of
a-fish- desired
on the :y were ed " in It is the le ship, It is ily that person er gar-
ey saw us had
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thatjesus showoil himself to his liiscmlc^s" H,- I, M . '"'
by individuals or small ..rou„s l,„f t "^ ' ^'-"""''^'"" ^'^'-■"
shouod imnself to then, '^ " „nn' of'th" "'' "''"' ''""' ''^^ ''-'
And no^v he asked Peter , ^?^r u ''"■' '°''^'-"'^''-
asked hi,,, tlnee tin,es because he h ," "" '°'"='' "'"'■ ^nd ho did this, perhaps, to htunW^ p Jtr .i":'!'"''" "'7 ""''''■ ''^ tin,e to show his disciples that h was y t a t™c"'H ■"' ' ^" ,"" '''"''' should not rcp,.oach. since he had forgiven "hi,, fo^.f '' "'','"" ""^ he commanded him to feed his lanL "„,,;/" ;'^"-'' '"'-'''.••"'^"^^ young and the old of his sincere foil u .,■ , '''''• '"'•'"'"•''' ""•■
The Evangelist in conZZl^'^::;^:f^'''^'''^'^>^"^'<- other things which Jesus did, the whi i h J ho I b "■' 'f" '""'^ one, " even the ^^■orld itself could not co, ti^n ? ^ , " '""'^ be written." John simply meant tl -,t ,h °''' "''" -''"'"'J
many „,o,-e conversations nn , w '■" 7'"" '"""^' '"°'-^' l"'"-')-^'--^. of Jesus, which would Ime fill "™''''™"y'"°'-^' '^i"^' ^-t- had they been reco°ded but ns '''" '"'"''"'^ """^^'-^ of vohunes onoug/only arc're: Id' ,.^ :: '^1^^'';'^ ^ '^^ '''''' "'^"' ■"'•
adapted to the wants o e'l^'f.rw-ei;""' "'' -'^ ''"'"'" -"' withstanding that every creatL'^.i;ff '' '"■""''>' '"^"^idual, not-
and estate. It clearly lull not '" "'°'' " '^'^^ '" "^''nd, bo.ly,
■•oundings, our capab^ifc 1 CsTo' i:" ""I!"'"" '" '"''■ ""'^ -'- sive or elaborate revelation rtan L h ' ""■ ^"'' ™°''^ <•■^'^"-
within us the eonsciousnes" hat tnth /■"'"■ ^"'^ "'^ '=^-^" ^ear our God, we have de"alt out t '''^■"«"'"= S°°dness and loxe of
everything-every it'L^r^-d-tto it^^';;7"'' '"''l' '™^" regard to our souls or their etem.l r °'' "' '° '^^'^''^ '"
able to bear. We can e fane" he ^l"" '' p',"'' ^" '"^^ "'^ ->= ^«ssion tovvard us, in not bein i'^'-"'^^;^f' "^^^oved witheom-
ot DCH,^ able t. .onfide to our limited and
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narrow iinclcrstandini-s mure of thr ,n-<.nf t
look out, i„ our i,„a,rinal,o ,„ ,1^ , '""T"' "' ''"^' " -"' |...n.cs u-ith rcJ„ici„,,Louin, that ^^^C ^,tZ. "^'l liavc a more complete knowled-c of th. lif. it ^ '"- " '^^^"
of ChHst, as .cll'as a„ „ls ^lh::L^^ ^t^^f
JEWISU Jllui, l'^^^ OlFLKLNt; Ln
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THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES
Or, a liistdry, by I.uke, of the ministry and laljors of the Apostles of C'hrist. This (ills tlic posiiion in Uie Now Tustament of a needful supplement to the (iuspels and an ini|)ortant and indispensable inlrodnclion lo the Kpi-tles. It l>eL;iiis with the ascension of the Messiah, and continues it> history t'lnou^h about thirty years, to the end of i!ie lir-t iniprisuiu'ient of Paul at Rome, A. I). t')j. Its inspired character has never been doubted in the ( hri>ti,in ( luircli. 'I'he lirsi twelve chapters arc mainly <lcvoted to the spread of the (io^pel in rale-tine and to the i-.irn. s! labor- of IVlcr, James, and John, and their associates, in Judea and Samaria. From the t'lirternlb chapter lo tl.c clo-i it is almost exclusiv.-ly occupie(i with the work of t!ie Apostle I'aul as a niissicjiiary to the (ientiles. The graphic and interesting; account of the descent of the ;"ily Sjiirit, and the conversion of thousands on the day of I'entecost, and, -uli-eipiently, of the zeal, and niiracles performed by I'eter and John, of the martyrdom o"" Stephen, anil the conversion of Said an<l i)f (-'ornelius, render it one of the most attractive lOoks of the New Testament ; and the career of the Apostle Paul, his peril-, sacrilices, and triumphs, are not less enteiiaining and deliijhtful. Of all the inspired writers of tne New Tcsiament, Luke possesses the greatest descriptive power and the most lucid and linished style.
Histot y of what the Apostles of Christ said and did immediately after his Death, Resurrection, and Ascension.
ACTS I , I I .
T is generally agreed by writers on Scripture that this book was written by the Evangelist I^uke. As "the former treatise, ' or his Gospel, was written respect- ing "all " — meaning a great number of things — " that ^amm^-^'lK^ Jesus began both to do and teach," as were also \ ^BHififfi^ ^j^^ treatises of Matthew, Mark, r'litl John, so this
was written to relate the "acts," or what his faithful servants did from the time of his death, and gives the history of about thirty years,
I told you in my remarks on the tenth of Mat- thew that "apostles " means persons who are scut; that is, in other language, mcsjcngcrs. The first disciples were Christ's messengers, as all good ministers must be, declaring to men the message of mercy which he wished them to know when he said, " Go ve out into all the world, and preach the Gospel to every creature " ; tell every creature the glad tidings— the good ncws—\\\\\d\ I have told you.
II Iv
'i:!i
174
THE FAMILY COMMENTARY.
li
Now \vc shall sec how the apostles obeyed their divine Master, and what success attended their labors.
In this chapter we learn that Jesus appeared to his disciples at dif- ferent times during forty days after his resurrection and tau<^ht them many important "things pertaining to the kingdom of God " ; or, as it means, the period of preaching the Gospel, commonly called "the Gospel Dispensation " ; that he told them to remain together at Jeru- salem, and to " wait for the promise of the Father " ; that the)- should
have another comforter when he was gone, — the HolvSi'Ikit, whose
comforts they should feel in their hearts ; that he siiould give them such power that nothing should hinder or discourage them in preach- ing the Gospel in all parts of the world.
While Christ was giving these instructions, he finally left them, as- cending up into heaven in a way like to that in which the prophet Elijah ascended, " and a cloud re- ceived him out of their sight." Two angels then appeared, and, as the disciples gazed with wonder at the sky, they told them that in the same manner Jesus should . ri appear, meaning. at the time wi.en he shall come to judge the world. The account of his being "taken up " which is here given is that which we commonly call t/ic ascension, and the event happened on the Mount of Olivet, a spot distant from' Jerusalem "a Sabbath day's journey," or the distance allowed for a Jew to walk on a Sabbath day, which was a mile, or perhaps some- thing less.
After Jesus had ascended to heaven his disciples assembled together in " an upper room," which was a retired place where they might pray, having those women who had so much loved the Saviour joined with them.
Peter now observed to those that were met together that as they lacked one disciple of their full number since^ the treachery of Judas, it was desirable to choose another, and they therefore
Ancient Mi:sskn(;i.ks in thk East.
tiiimMamiiaia&iiitmst
Master, and
iplcs at dif- auglit them od " ; or, as
called "the her at Jera- thc)- should ^iT, — whose
give them I in preach-
ft them, as- n in a way he prophet i\ cloud re- leir sight." ed, and, as wonder at that in the ould . r, time wiicn ng "taken • ascension, istant from 3wed for a aps some-
^d toijether night pray, Dined with
ir that as treachery therefore
ACTS.
huacllong, he burst asundtr i t mM ,'" , ''"''''' " ^"'' '"^'"'"8
so that he could not have p ,d 1"., fi n "7 '" "'^' ^'''■^'f Pnests, P"rcl,ased a field with th.e , ,o " t Tm ' ^"'' "' "'^^^ ^"'"■"^"•'l This field was on the brov of ;;°:; ""VT' "'"' '"'^ '-"^^l" it- valley of Minnon,, soutinv°st of t ' f^ """"^'"' '" "'^ ''^^'P tha;e. feel into that deep'Ld foil t il'^ ""''' ^"'''' '""^^">« '""-''
whicrtS:::.:^:;:;^ fiS-^-::; :- ;r "- -- '^e da, on
gratitude to God ; and that div o off ^'■''■"' "' ■' '"^'^" <>(
day of the feast of the I'ssov^ of^i'nf ! ' ""''^ ""^ "'^- — ' were all met together "in on° n ace , I'^i "'' '"^^''''^■^ "^csus
singular sound filled the hZe as, ho',, T " ^' "^^>' "■-■^' ^o n,et a it, and flames, like fire ar , .. ? "'""«'' ^ "nid were rushin- through
the shape of' ton.ut,' r^" r°d" v^ded °^ tT ''''"'''''■ '^^^ token that "the Holy Ghost" whn. , ■ "'" •'' "'"-aculous
promised, to comfort, Jtren-nl IT- !""' , '"""^'"^^-^ J^^us had come among then> i„ pro"? of whic t^ "^ ""' ''"''^'^■^- ''-' ""- toogues" than their own. "^ ''^'S"" '" ■^l^^'-'l^ "itl> other
Now, you must know thnt if ,„ • diligence to learn difl-er nt ^ . , ^rb:,: T"" ''""■•, '••"'' ^^'°'-' -d languages at once; and the reason ,f\h ""^^^'''^^'l^'^''^ ^poke several tell people of different countries who ""' ,"'"' "'^■>' ""«'" directly
great things that Jesus hTCVwr/l" ^n ""■""" '''•'"' "" ">' sinners of mankind in everytm^; m 'h :t S^^"'^' "^ "™ ""•"
orr-id!- isVoTond r '"''^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ -■"-
dispersed,_had visLd CsJTt^r^;:^? "°""™ ^''^^'^ astonishment when they f^d Strdi;;Us ^s^r-
lyG
Tllli FAMILY COMMliNTARY.
languai^^cs of all the coLintrics whence they had come. Some of the people of Jerusalem, who hated Christ and his disciples, mocked, and said that they were drunk. They were more like drunken men themselves, who could sui)pose that men could sj)eak other languages than their own merely because they were tipsy ; and if they had not been full of prejudice and hatred against Christ and his disciples, they would never have suggested such a reason for this miraculous gift. The apostle Peter, who from this time, as the oldest, and perhaps the most thoroughly instructed in his Master's will and ]jurposes, took the lead of the apostolic band, thought it best to preach to the multitude. And "when they heard it, they were pricked in their heart"; that is, "the word of God entered into them, which cut and laid open their hearts, and the sin and wickedness of them"; and they felt as you have perhaps felt when you have been detected in doing something you ought not to have done, and perhaps something very bad indeed ; for shame and guilt pierce and wound the soul, as a sword cuts and pains the body. And they "said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles. Men and brethren, what shall we do ? " Peter told them they must " repent" — that is, their minds must be changed ; they must seek for- giveness and pardon from Christ for the wickedness they had done, and they must be " baptized," as a proof that they had embraced the religion of Jesus, and then the Holy Ghost would work in their hearts, and make them both holy and happy.
In the course of the day no less than " three thousand souls " repented and believed, from the preaching of Peter, and were baptized.
The Lame Man Restored at the Gate of the Temple.— Peter and John taken before the Jewish Sanhedrim.
ACTS III, IV.
Wc have here the account of a miracle wTought by the apostles Peter and John. We are told that they went up to the temple at the hour of prayer, and there they saw a poor man who was born lame, and who was daily carried to the gate of the temple which was called "Beautiful," on account of its being more handsome than the other
ACTS.
T-7
Some of the <cd, and said themselves, ;s than tlieir been full of would never The apostle js the most )ok the lead itude. And that is, " the their hearts, s you have lethinf^^ you indeed ; for ts and pains ;he apostles, 1 they must ist seek for- y had done, ibraced the their hearts,
ind souls " :re baptized.
pie. — Peter
he apostles mple at the born lame, was called 1 the other
gates. As he was unable to work hcn> h,. alms of the charitable. As til tuo .n I " ^"" ''''' ^'^^""^ also to give hin. son.ethin; I i ," Zt"' "'"^'l'' '^' "^'^"' ^'^^^ by that supplication. .- l4r s i d S ""T"' ^"^ ^'' ""^'''''^'^ -^^'^
such as I \L; give I thee /th n '' f]'^ ^"'^' ^''''^ ^ "^^"^"^ '^^t rise up and walk. A, M^ ^>k him l"7 ^"J" ."^''"^ °' ^--•^^'^' "P : and imnKdiately h "h e " ^ " '■'^'' ^'''''^' ""'"'^ ^'^^-' ^^'"^ 1-ping up. stood and J IJ': :':;::!.;;^^^^:i^^' ^^-^11. And he. walking and leaping, and prmi^ cllj^^' '''' ^'^^"^ '"^^^ ^'^ ten,p,e,
woLi^rn :;;7lh;:; :;;:; ::r :;!^i:-^ ^ ^-- ""-^- of peop,. a,i
tunity of preaching a scTmnnV ^ "^^'^ ^^^^^^ embraced the oppc,,-
them to repent of their .shis, ,^
and to subnn't to Jesus as
the Saviour of sinners; that
Ahnighty Saviour, by whose
power lie liad performed this
cure.
The Jewish priests, who had opposed Christ, now tried to stop the mouths of his apos- tles, so they laid hold of them
thousand so:i\reo:;ir^'^'^ ''" '"-"'"" "" '- ''-" fi-.
together their rul^ts crib ./""?'"• "'"" "'"■•^ ='^-">'''"' asked by what pou^'r thev^^H f; ''"''''' ""^' "'-' '^l^^tlcs were
the devn, as t y ,0 , ht' o^bv'rV ' T' "'""'^^ "^^ *^' '^^^'l' -^ Holy Ghost filled Pc^r s helrtl fh th '' °' ''°'- ^' ""'^ ™°'"™' "- preached, having the nders^d^ l^ '^ ■->«-
converted, but nevertheless they ,vcre l„d t Z, ^^'T "'"' "<" bCdness or Peter and John.^' Jthe;;ecr:;:d" 'hlTSin^ ^
Eastern Mii.i.stonix.
17R
rilE FAMILY COAIiWiXTARY.
aiuoni; the timid disciples of Jesus, who once all forsook him and lied. '
The apostles being set free, again joined their brethren, and told them of their treatment and escape. Then they all united together in prayer to God, to give them courage still to speak his word, and to enable them to show it was his word by performing more miracles. And God gave them another sign, as on the day of Pentecost — a mighty shaking of the place where they were assembled, such as when a house is shaken with the wind; and by this sign they knew that the Holy Ghost would give them new power and energy, which imme- diately was the case, " and they spake the word of God with bold- ness."
! I
Ananias and Sapphira Struck Dead for Lying. — The Apostles Peter and John thrown into Prison. — Released by an Angel.
ACTS V.
There were now above eight thousand Christians ; and, as they were liable to great afflictions and persecutions in embracing the faith of Christ, they all readily agreed to sell their possessions and to put all their money into one common stock, and so help one another, just as they might stand in need.
But a man named Ananias, and Sapphira his wife, while professing to do as the rest did, gave only a part, and slyly kept back the rest.
Liars think they can not be found out; but God can always find them out. And so he did here. It was revealed to Peter that Ananias had kept back part of his money, and he told Ananias that Satan had got possession of his heart, to do so wicked a thing.
Ananias was terrified at this discovery ; he was convicted of his sin, and instantly fell down dead.
In about three hours after this Sapphira made her appearance, and, not having heard of the death of her husband, she expected to ser him among the disciples of Christ, received as one of his sincere and liberal followers. Peter asked her for how much the land was sold for which Ananias kept back the money. And she told him the same
)k him and
:n, and told :cd together /ord, and to re miracles, 'entecost — a jch as when lew that the /hich imme- with bold-
le Apostles n Angel.
IS they were
the faith of
id to put all
ther, just as
e professing V the rest. ys find them Ananias had tan had got
d of his sin,
arance, and, cted to scf sincere and id was sold m the same
ACTS.
J7«>
ic as Ananias, havin^'" arrrp<wl h-wk k* -l i
then rebuked he, oi- hrm » .' ''"''' "'" '"'l'"-^"'-'-^- I'^'^^
by seeing if it ^vxr o , "'il I ^'"' °' l'^' ""-' ""^""^ "' 'h^' '-'"-J
so base an action ad l"..;.:!," "r" '"'r T^''""" ••'<'"^"- buried thy husbaul ■, e .t • , "^''"'''' 'l;^f|^-'' "f thetn uhici, have
fell she down str. h. ".J L Ws f't " , ''-1 ""'■>■ "'^" ""'' '''>- the young men earn" r^. t^l^lj^^'"'' "" ''^^ «""^'^ ■•-' buried IKT by her husband. An t fcar 'in " ""'7, '"" '"■"'■ and u,,on as many as heard thes £!l' AnT "'n " "'' """■^''• These were awful exanmles of th f , , "■*■■" ""•'^'" "'''■y f'^^'- P.:er could not have An -.sC's ' *'"' "^T '" '>"'- '"^
said: it was Gods hand tlm killed " " ""'"''' '>' "'''" '^ them.
The apostles continued workincr
miracles and preaching, "and be"^
lievers were the more added to the
Lord, multitudes both of men and
women." The people also. learning.- what cures the apostles performed in the name of Jesus, thronged to them with their sick, and were happy if they could get within reach of the shadow only of Peters body, sup-
Worst deeds in^u^oA ^r i • n • ! ^ "'^*^' ^°"^ the very
%ZrT/' T "'">^ '"""<? ^^^^ '^'^'^ '-^"^1 the lame.
Si.AVKs tiKiNi :ng Corn.
agai
peopl
All that now happened to the apostles our Lord had foretold
as
tRo
THE FAMILY COMMHM'ARY.
Matthew informs us in tlic tenth chapter of his gospel : " lUit beware of men, for they will deliver you up to the councils, and tiiey will scourge you in their synagogues. And ye shall be brought before governors and kings for my sake." The apostles, therefore, rejoiced " that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name. And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ." Thus, from morning to night, every day, they continued at the work of preaching, and embraced every oi)portunity to teach, even in the temple itself, as well as from house to house. They made it the great business of their lives to exhibit Jesus to the people as the promised Messiah ; also to clear from their spiritual eyes, beclouded by the forms and ceremonies and customs of the fathers, all that was dark and incomprehensible, so that they might appropriate him to their souls.
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The Death of Stephen. — Saul of Tarsus. — Persecution of the Christians. — Simon Magus. — Philip and the Eunuch.
ACTS VI-VIII.
In the sixth chapter we are told that the disciples chose seven men out of their number to take care of the poor among them, that they should not be overlooked ; Stephen, who was afterward martyred, was among those now chosen. It is one beautiful feature of Christianity that it never overlooks the poor.
The disciples of Jesus still continued to increase in numbers, and even many of the priests were at last converted.
Stephen was a man very " full of faith," and he " did great wonders and miracles among the people." Like Peter and John, therefore, he was dragged before the council ; and as there was no crime committed by him to condemn him, false witnesses were procured ; and wicked men, for the sake of a reward, made up a story against him, that he had spoken blasphemous words against the temple and the law. Stephen was quite calm and happy; "and all that sat in the council, looking steadfastly on him, saw his face, as it had been the face of an angel." The good man made a noble reply, and boldly told them of
i
^iit beware 1 tlicy will ight before )rc', rejoiced line. And teach and y day, they tpportiinity J to house, jsiis to the ir spiritual ms of the :hey might
n of the uch.
seven men I, that they -tyred, was Christianity
nbers, and
at wonders erefore, he committed nd wicked m, that he 1 the law. le council, face of an d them of
i
ACTS.
'I'-n so to the ht.art.Wth tt ' , T^^:'^'^ '"' ^'"^'- -"' -" pack of .,o,,s, ..jj„a„„u „„' J ' "> "-- -,c ,|,,,, |i,, ,
I'lm out of tho city thcv si„„ . , , '^""'- ''"-"■ tlnusii,,..
1"^ kneeled a,u| , rayed foM,' ' "' "'"'"' "'^^ >^' -'""d hi,,,
"1-11 asleep I" St^,,!^, "•" l!^-^-""'-. •■'">! tl,e„ "fell ,,i'^
and death to the,,, is no p, , s h ' J, I ''. ",''"' "^^ ^'-i'' -^ '-<; tl.c first Christian „,a,t>r ' ^'""'"'' ^"' "»'>■ - ''^st. Stepl,e„ was
a.it*^,ef i:;:;,!'^;::^;,^ J'-"-' -'-■^■"-> -> -...„«
Saul," and who u.s an e, ,y to ^ " 'T' T"' "'">-■ "■"- "■- of the false witnesses tl .TtVl IM ';,'' '"f '"" "' "'^' ^'"'l'- better stone the pious S ph™ ',1.7 ' "'" "">■ ""■■^'" "- ^loath.- which n,eans here ' at he t ', 'V' T" ™"*"""'^' '" ''- at that time there was a ..reat ne,x V ' ''''"■'-' ' '" ''■ "And
wasatjerusale,,.; and h^; vl,*^^: 1~ JT I''' ^""-''"'■-L regions of Judea and Sa,nu-i " fl , ' ^''"■'"'' """UKhout the
the fury o/their en ,^" t ' a ,o tT " T"" ""'>' ^""''' '" --''1- ^till to bear witness in W,:alf of ^^^ T' '^"T"'' ^" ■'^■"'•^•"-' '• were ,nore active than this Sa„l • for .'i ?•", " '''•'''"'•■""o'-s none
falling on then, like a w d 1 '-t 1 r " ^'''"'' "^ "'^ ^l'"'''-''."
house, and haling men and wom^^l "t H^^'^'^'r '"'° ^-^-y -•■ co,iin,ittcd them to prison " ' '''•'»«'"y "'en, by fo,ce,
more; for the disciples bcin.?driyenf,o, I / ''"''"'' '' ^'''"""' "^<=
preaching the word." An3 mon- 1 ""'1 ™' " ""■"' ^^-^ "here great success was Phili./one nf T^ "''" ^''''"'^"^ ""h very
preached Christ unfo the peop e AnTtl""'n "■'".' '" "••""•■'■■'■' ■•-' heed unto those things whIH p,.,^."''.,''^.^ ' ' "'."' °'"-- ^'^^rd oav:
miracles which he wrought. •• A And there
mgs which Philip spake, he;
UlUL'-
was a man at Samari
nd there was
great a, named Simon
g" and seeing the joy in that a'ty." n, whom wc are
jgj THE I'JMILY COMMliXTAKY.
iccustomcd to call Simon Maj^us; that is. Simon the magician or con- jurer because he' used cunning arts like the magicians of hgypt. This man "bewitched," or astonished, the people with his tricks, and they thought he was some wonderful person. Hut when they heard the wonderful things about Jesus which Philip had to tell, and saw how he cured the lame and the sick and others, they would no longer believe in Simon Magus, but became disciples of Jesus; and Simon professed
to be a disciple also. _
The apostles at Jerusalem, informed of the great things that were bein- done in Samaria, sent Peter and John to assist Philip in his work. And^hey laid their hands on some of the disciples, as a sign of implor- in'r the Holy Spirit to give them peculiar courage and abilities, that Miey m«ght become fellow-laborers in their great work; and the Holy Ghost gave them extraordinary powers, as had been done to the disciples assembled on the day of Pentecost. Simon, seeing this, and havinc. been left out of the number, oftered Peter money if he would enable him to do the wonderful things which he saw the others could do- that is, speak in different tongues and heal diseases and the like. Here he showed that his heart was awfully darkened, or he must have seen 'hat no monev could purchase such power, and that it could only have been given from above. This Peter told him, and exhorted him to repent, and pray God to forgive him for such wicked thoughts. It is most likely that Simon Alagus. seeing he had lost his chance of beiricr popular and of making money by his old tricks, wished now to attrtin the same ends by means of the gifts of speaking and healing ha/in«- no design to glorify Jesus by what he might say and do ; and it is g'enerally believed that he died a bad man, for we never read of h's heart having been changed.
But we have directly after a more pleasing account m the narrative
of the Ethiopian eunuch. ^
Philip having been ordered by an angel to take a journey on the road from Jerusalem to Gaza, xvas traveling in obedience to the divine command, when he met with an Ethiopian dignitary; an officer "of great authority under Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who had the change of all her treasure, and had come to Jerusalem for to worship.'
\
m or con- of lv-;yi>t. tricks, ami I heard the aw 1k>\v he ;er believe 1 professed
that were n his work, of implor- )ilities, that \ the Holy one to the ig this, and i he would ;hers could id the like. ; must have could only :hortec] him oughts. It \ chance of [led now to ind healing, nd do ; and /er read of
he narrative
rney on the
0 the divine
1 officer " of vho had the to worship."
/\CTS.
'«.]
He vva.s now returning, and was sittin- reuh-n.^ in M i • ' '
was inclined, by a peculiar i.nnn...i ^'^'"".^^ '" 'us chariot. I'hilj,,
of God. to hold conve s^ion 1^ h ^'; ""'' 'V' '" '"'"' '^>- ^'^ ^l-' t chariot, he found that " ^^ rj i„ '."'r^'^ "^'' approaching' his ^'^^^t is. Isaiah^the JnJt ^^tf (! ^r^ ri V'^ ''^'t^^ "^^^^^ name for the prophet And M,i , \ ^'''' ''^""■'" ^'^^" Hebrew
thou readest?'- ^ow tl. . u 1 'th"' ', " ^"^^^^^-'-t thou what very humble man ; and .X tuT'^ '1 ";^ '" ^^ ^'"'•'"^' ^^ ^
could, especially about the S -on V ' "'r '"' '° ^^'^""^ ''^'^ ^''''^^ he 1 J "ivwui iiii, c5a\ our. he rci* ic/l <i ir
some „,an should ruMu „,c ? An,l I, ' , .? ' „.'.!"' .'"" '■ ^■•^^'-•1"
come up and sit wUh l,i„,;' Ac v. '," '"' "''" ''^' "'""''
the blessed Jesus bcinn led as ';,"'' V;'"'«, "'^- """I'l'-v about lamb dumb before his theae, but h'' "'^-^'-'''.^h'-- aud like a it spoke about the pro t 7 , m"''' "', '' '"^'^ '" know whether explained it to l,i„, ind' reache,! T7 "'"" '"^'■■^°"- '''"''I' ">-"
"»' 'ho prophet wa e t " , j , ■'•T^" ^'^ ''""^" I"-' '"l' 1 bin, P.-.tience of 'the suffer ^ji^ - irV'^'-rT".'^' '"-'^"--.-hI ^'"•ay the sin of the ^^■orld ' • nd shn' " f ^'"'' "'"^'' '^'l^eth crucified, and so shed his nr^c'o s T ^ '"" """^ '^'^ "''''^ '"' '" l"- 'vas she<l upon the Jew h .It rs M ?•■ "'' ^" ""-' '^'"'l'^' I*""'
the command Riven t„ the scin^ i "' '''''"'" '•"^° '°'^' '""' °f and to baptise them i^ In t 'of .h Th'"' f'^'' ••"' "^"'■°"-^' the Holy Ghost. For. on ar H "V. , , "^ "' "^^ ^""- ••""> of Htlnopian desired to be bioti.. ^ , '■" '"""^ "'"ci-, the
Jesus was the .Son of God 'am ,;r.f '^f''"'' '''^ ""^ ''^'-'f 'hat one of his clisciples s^p li 'Y'-'^":"' ^"/"-^ ""hn^■ to become
-iractdously remived^;;^ 'VS^'al ™„ '''"^: ^ ""'' cumstancc which must have sntisfin.i „ , " ""''''''"■ ■' cir-
no inferior person but a me. '"""''''' """^ "''•" he was
way of salvition '.So thel eh'T 'T 'T """" '° "=-^* """ '^e he had been favored wth such new of ^^ ,°"'"™'''' "^°'"'"f'' ">'•" knowledge of Christ crucifi I T e ScrinuirH "' "'■'' *■"""" "^<-- some respect.able ancient writers do Zf-°'' ""' 'ell us. but flourishing church in his own count v Tho u'T"'' '"""'"' ' try to make others know him also ' ''"°"' '^^"'' ^^'"
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THE FAMILY COMMENTARY,
Remarkable Conversion of Saul of Tarsus— Peter cures Eneas of
Palsy.— Raises Dorcas to Life.
ACTS IX.
We shall now hear more about Saul of Tarsus, whose history has been interrupted by notieing" the persecutions of the Christians, and
the labors of Philip.
" Not satisfied with the murder of Stephen, and with the havoc he made at Jerusalem," we learn here that Saul was " yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the discinles of the Lord," and he
therefore went to the High Priest and begged him to give him authority to go to Damascus, the capital city of S)'ria, that he might there search for the Christians, and take all that he could find bound to Jerusalem.
But the grace of God stopped him, as it has many a wicked person, in his career. "As he journeyed, he came near Damascus : and sud- denly there shined round
OXCART. XrALKSTINKSUOWINUTHK COAL. ^^^^^^ ^^.^^^ ^ j.^j^^ ^^^^.
heaven : and he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persccutest thou me ? " Now, you must observe that Saul' did not know Jesus ; that Jesus was in heaven, and therefore he could not persecute him in person; but Jesus so loves those who love him that, in persecuting his sincere followers, he felt the cruelty of Saul as if it had been inflicted upon himself. And Saul said, "Who art thou. Lord? And the Lord said, T am Jesus whom thou perse- cutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks," or goads, as a stubborn bullock would against the spiked stick with which his driver
J \
ACTS.
i«5
Eneas of
listory has slians, and
; havoc he athiiii?' out d, " and he the High :d him to y to go to lital city of light there Christians, t he could Lisaleni. J of God t has many
1 his career. d, he came
and sud- ned round light from T unto him, ibservc that ;hcrefore he >e w ho love
2 cruelty of said, " Who thou perse- goads, as a h his driver
1
^^ iiz^t^vt '" r '^'°-- ^-"'^ ^""" »-
bled hi,nse f, and sjj tike si " ""'"^ "■^'""^'^ "°^^ '^^■••"•
thou l,avo „c to do'' T,;. ^"rrr '"■^""' '■^""'> ^^■''••" "ilt l>i.n fro,„ heaven had blin , "^If 'f^ '"" "^'^""' ""™ I'^J into Damascus as a , nl ^ ' '"' '"-' "''■' "'^''K^^' '" '"^
ho could ncithc ec nor '"""V.","^' "--■ ''"■',,, three days,
Saul hu„,bled and , ;-avn ..■ r; ■ '"'""^- ^'''^' '-""'• """' '^-■inu
name of Anania to ?el^, ':"''';'"'"T'"'"' =' '"-'I'l^' of th^
words to him. Ananias /'.r:,-';! '" ■^"'-■^'^ "'"f™''"S
and was afraid to .^o neu- I, „ ,' P^'-^-eutor Saul ,vas,
was one of his cho.£, "e L ' a ^^' '"'' "'" ""' •'•'"'
and such thin.^s so he \v™d 1 \ \t " '"" "■''■"'"'■^- ""« ""'s the heart of Sa d an n d- •' "^%";^'^'^"'-- of his grace into So Ananias wen^'^^'Ie e ^he^'s^^^^^ T"-- "'"-'-
s.«ht as he was co„,nK,nded to lo ncU M T '"'"'"' '"'" '° the same time to his before darl-,.,?,' I ,^ ^' "''""' ■"■'''■'^ -^'S'" at
that cotdd ciuahfy hi,„ o .-e ct c^ r^ ' ""' '"'^"" '"'"' -•->">'"? he was a .Saviour And S u w ' ' t,"""" ■''"^' ^''"^ "'-" -w another disciple of Chris t "f ; ' "'""' '""^ '«l"i^^''l as
now joined hin.self to d.en '':,''•''","'''"•';■ ','"■ '•'">'''■ ^-"' •Damascus. And there ■ Spread edCri"! :^^' "'' ""'" '•" he is the Son of GotI " ' "' '" "'>-■ ^>'"agognes, that
thej'; •^Xm:;;:;:^ ::«aL';:;r ."^ 'r;'"-"" " '" °'"- -^
falHng upon hin,; an,^hey w, ',' ?' '' '"' ^^ '"^''''■"'^
^lay that'he mi.h't not eSp" ^o Ve tfl^: 1 '"';"^'^™^ "'■^"" -^' ■ns their vigilance, n.anacje 1 to ■ et L, o' ' f thT' "°'"'"'^''""'- of one bein-r built on the citv wnM , ^^ '"y- ^'"' ""-■ ''ouse
a bacic windo,v and so ^ot awav fro, ,r'''' ''°"'" ''>' '^^ '^-'^^' f™"' either of the gates ° ^ °'" *' "'^ "''"'°"' l«^^ing through
Saul then went to Jerusalem, but his name was so tcrrif, ; „
.*'W«»'sm:>»>™
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SIP
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THE FAMILY COMMENTARY.
and so play the part of spy, and inform against them, and get them to be imprisoned and put to death. At length Barnabas told the disciples not to fear, and what wonderful things had happened to Saul, " and how he had preached boldly at Damascus in the name of
esus.
At Jerusalem, also, the new apostle met with the most violent enemies, who seemed the more enraged against him because he was a deserter from their ranks. Here the Grecians, as they are called, or Jews that used the Greek language, and not Greeks, who were heathen, " went about to slay him," and he found no rest until he went to his own city of Tarsus. After this the churches were allowed for some time to enjoy a little rest.
We now leave Saul at Tarsus, and return to notice what Peter was doing. We are told that he paid a visit " to the saints which dwelt at
Lydda."
• Lydda, where Peter went, was a city about thirty miles from Jeru- salem. Here Peter worked another miracle in the name of Jesus, and cured a certain man named Eneas, who had kept his bed eight years, and was sick of the palsy.
We are next informed about a good woman, whose name you may often have heard mentioned, because her memory is held in great repute on account of her being very charitable. Her name was Tabitha in the Syriac language, and means a roe; and because a roe in the Greek is called Dorcas, that was the name which she bore among the Jews that spoke Greek. She lived at Joppa, a town now called Jaffa. This excellent woman died, and was laid out. Peter being then at Lydda, which was near Joppa, the disciples sent to him to tetl him of their grief, and no doubt with a view to his restoring her to life. Peter hastened to Joppa, and there he found the dead body in an upper chamber, " and all the widows " to whom Dorcas had been very kind and charitable " stood by him weeping, and show- ing the coats and garments which Dorcas made while she was with them." It is from this circumstance that we call some of our societies for giving clothes to the poor, Dorcas societies.
Peter ordered every one of the widows to leave the room, that he
1 get them s told the ppcned to t name of
)st violent ise he was i called, or re heathen, /ent to his 1 for some
Peter was ch dwelt at
from Jeru- " Jesus, and iight years,
e you may id in great name was cause a roe [i she bore
town now Dut. Peter sent to him s restoring i the dead lom Dorcas
and show- le was with )ur societies
om, that he
ACTS.
might, in a more undisturbed way kneel rlnun . ^ havmg done so. he said to the dc;d bo/ 'S '^ "^f \ '''''
opened her eyes: and when she suv v?' , ' ''•'^^- ^"^^ ^^'^
her his hand, and lifted hup and Jh'';' ?' T "^^^ ^"^ ^'^ S-^'^ widows he presented her alive '" '" ' ^^'^ ^''^^^^^ '^'' ^^^^^^ ^nd
• co^Sr:^::::^.::;::;^ ^^^l:- - Jesus: and Peter
b-sily engaged in foliou' . 't 1' ""' ^""^"' ^1 ^---^'■. "o doubt exhorting the disciples to cS.Zu fi ^^ ^ht;^ ^^ ^^ --• by from which they would be liable to be sink n T '""''' '° ^'''''' which were to be expected from tl^^ envitt J.'s. "'^ P^^-"^--^
Cornelius's Drcam.-Peter's Vision.
ACTS X, XL
inere was a man livino- at Cp^iron .. ippi. on the borders of Sv'ria wlt^s ' "'"'^"'^ '^'^"^^' ^^^^'"^^^ Phil- a centurion, that is. a offi c^; ctnn "7' "T ''""'"'^"■^' ^"^^ ^-' -- Italians, su^ect to' the R^ma^ g^ l^f^^ '""t^' -"' ^^^ were pious and charitable, and particuhrlv f i ; ' "'''" ^^'^^ ^^ry
while he was devoutly en' ed ho ^ '"'''"^^ '' '''^- ^°" angel of God spoke to'hh ^i^^f ^ 1"',^'^ i^l '"'" l' ''''''' ^ in a dream by night, but in bro.r N ' , '. ' "^'"^ ^^^ ^"^^^^^'' "ot ''Thy prayers Ld thine l,ar^^^^^^^^ ^^^^ '^^^^^ --^ to him.
meaning that the pray rs which 1 el T' ?'" " "^""^^'^^ ^^^^^''^ ^-^ ; " family, and the charitlb 4t ons h h r ? '" '''^^^' ^^^ himself and love, were like sacrifice V oe^aT ^^T^' 'T "" ''''''^^'^ ^^ acceptance. And he desired Corn us to ' 'T"'"' ^^ ^''' '^''"^
tanner shouse.atJoppa. where Perrt^d,;" T" '', f '""" ^'^^ about those great thin<rs which u^. ,^';^"'' ^^^^'ter would teach him
sent two of his servant^sani 'it sTm •"""■' "' ^"'"""'"■^^- ^^« ^e
c .__....
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T/l/i /■.Lir/LV COMM/iXTARY.
Jews, and Peter at that moment was prayint^, and fell into a trance; that is, he lost all sense of what was going on, and felt as if he wcrf; a happy spirit, departed from the body ; and he saw heaven opened, and a large sheet let down to earth and spread out before him as a table-cloth, in which were wild beasts and creei)ing things, as well as tame beasts and fowls; and a voice desired him to kill and eat. Peter, who had strictly observed the Jewish law, had never eaten anything which it forbade and called unclean, anil he hesitated to touch the offered food. The voice then said, " What Ciod hath cleansed, that call not thou common." This vision seems to have been rei)eated three times, to impress his mind the more strongly. Peter, on coming
to himself, could not think what all this could mean ; but while he was thinking upon it the messen- uers from Cornelius arrived at his tloor, and he was urged by a secret impression of Ciod's Sj)irit to meet them and go with them.
When Peter arrived at the house of Cornelius, the good man had assembled his relatives and friends, supposing that some bless- inir from God would attend this
Jori'A, l''R(tM nil'. Sdl'TllWKST.
'.•^
extraordinary meeting, and he wished them to enjoy it as well as himself
On seeing Peter, Cornelius fell at his feet "and worshipped him," or paid him reverence. He was not a foolish heathen, who paid him worship as if he h^cl been a god, but he paid him very high respect as a servant of God, sent to instruct him. Peter, however, thought that he paid him more reverence than he ought, and, fearing that he might rob Christ of the honor which was really due to him, and none other, he " took him up, saying. Stand up ; I myself also am a man."
And now Peter saw^ the plain meaning of the sheet with the unclean creatures of which he was to eat. This was a sign to teach him that although he was a Jew, yet he was now to unite with those
ACTS.
o a trance ; ; if he vvcr(i en opened, e hini as a , as well as ill and eat. lever eaten lesitated to th cleansed, en repeated on coniinyf think what Hit while he he messen- rived at his n\i;"ed by a iods Si)irit vith them, ed at the i: <>ood man :latives and some bless- attend this as well as
lipped him," u) paid him ligh respect ver, thout;ht ini>- that he II, .ind none ;uii a man." ^t with the ign to teach ; with those
who would believe in Chrisf nf -.n • "'"^
Jew, to keep co„,pany, or eon^:" „;""''''"' """« '■°'' ^' '"^'" ">at i-s a hath .shonn n.e that I shouh o ^^^T: "'"""'■ "'""" • ^"^ ^o^
Cornelius now told Peter oth^ ^ '""? ~""""" "'' ""^'^'an." 'hat his little con,pany v e' a.. b 7^^"'' '"^ '"^ ^™' f-' l>i-", and
wl.i^:la;od nnolu'speak ti;;;:,:; s t " "■'"" '-" ••'"y "ords
I oter then preaehed to this f.-ntil he had preaehed to the lew an, """''""^ "'^ ^^'"'^ ''"^''^ "hieh
a.s a Saviour, assuring ti::;";;;,:,"'^""'-^°^-'' ""'" '° "^■"-^' '" J-us "m every nation he that feareth" Cod, "and ^vorketh righteousness ■weeepted with him"; and that
whosoever believed in Jesus should receive remission, or enjoy the Puttmg away of their sins, so that
hey should not be brought a..ains 'hemmthedayofjudgmentr
VVhde this honored apostle was
Preaehnig, the Holy c'host ■ also
came upon these Gentiles, as on
"le Jews assembled on the day of
Pen ecost^ They also were now
filled with zeal for the honor of
Christ, and could speak in tongues
they had never learned so as tn . i
any country, the great' tlhngs about' the' '° '''," "">' ""■«'^' "'-'• of
arcumcision," that is, the lews vvhn ' '"''"°"- " They of the
for they had no notion that tie rTn '^"'''"'- ''''"= astonished
thought that this blessing was lTZ:T'.rr "^^ "?'"'• ^^''^
persons, having received the Sphit wer5 , 'u '''="" °"'y- These
they were the disciples of Christ ''''° ''"P"'^^^' '« ^^ow that
The apostles, who were scattered nt th .• Stephen, still continued "preacwt t . °' '^' Persecution of
their labors to the Jews onl/and to the r ''°''' ' ^"' '^'y ~nfined ,, j_ J y, and to the Grecians, or Jews which spake
Tkmple Candelabra.
■'■>*"'''-'^' ■
mtmMiummm
ii ii
TI/M FAMILY COMMENTARY. ^"^^ 1 11 wi iT,.ll.'nist Tews, which means
Grecian Jews. These apostles pre , j ^ ^.j unto the
and elsewhere: "and a great "^"^.^^'id a visit to the • I ord " And Barnabas being sent from 3^-^"^ "• ' P , , ,,^ „ .^w !;:: diseiples at Antioch, where ^^^^^^^^ Ld dis- the grace of God," in its holy and happy ^^^'J^ „ . ^„j ,,hile he positions of the V^^^^^^^^^^^Jt Lord." Barnabas rttsir Ct tXpt:^. and they labored together for a
^::l :his"'i.rtt"" th': SSes were caned Christians first at
n'htleventh chapter closes by ^l^J^S^:::^:^. Christians at Antioch, in sending -^^^'^^^^^Z: the spirit of Judea. At this time Agabus, ^^h° ^^^"4^ j^^e all over the iophecy, foretold that ^ <^;™"--^^ ^o' ^.Ldiu^ Lsar," a Roman world, •-•^-^ --; °i^: Vn -ochNvhich was a fine city in Syri. are rirrbelieve <^^;^:X:;^ 2 ^^^I^ ^ lat ^T^:::^'^^"^ .- their wants, when the time of need should come.
The Apostle PWs Imprisonment and Miraculous Escape.-
Herod's Miserable Death.
ACTS XII.
„ 1 1 „ T4<>rnd the Great slew the infants The He-ods were all bad "^=","^.°,j;'the Baptist; and Herod
■| -
of our bl
essed Lord's apostles, he procec
if<ti»ittitvatimmmmsmmt'm»tt<-
lich means IS, Antiocli, ;d unto the visit to the - or he " saw '^es and dis- id while he ." Barnabas Tether for a
.tians first at
id act of the r brethren in the spirit of i all over the ir," a Roman city in Syria, isalem would ition, but sent nts, when the
5 Escape. —
ew the infants
St; and Herod
sv/ord," which
Jews that was
i on those who
murder of one Dersecute Peter,
ACTS.
one another's guard, and so watchcV.imKv '",'"'""•' '''^'""''^
was impossible that he could esca e h ^ ■- '"-'" ^""' ''•'>•■ "
u'cro chained, and when he slent , L ^ "T' ""™^''-'' f"'' '"'^ ''^n.ls him, one on each side and tl ' h "'^ ' ''' '"'' '"" ^°'^"^'''' V'"; by Land of eachsoldilr '^"" °" '''^' ''^""' "-^ ^-'---l lo a
But nothing can withstand the power of rn,l. i , , tians met together to pray for ]W -v Y i ' "■'"" ""^ ^■''■■'■^-
prayers and sent his ajgel'to e 1 im free Th""' '"■' !"■"' '"^'^ happened was to have been Peter's In . /heverynight that this next morning Herod intended to hav . ,'!'^ '"prison; for „n the and to have put him to dead, as he- di t'T' '"'" '" ""^ ''^"l^'^'' appeared, surrounded ^vitl br Hune s "T' ^^'''"' "'^ ^"'y^'
he awoke Peter by toucl nl h f f- .'""'"'nated the prison,
fell from off his hands ■an^dhavi "! ' T""^ '^"" "''' " '"^ '^l'^"" he followed the ange, o'ut ^f tht fs^o^ 1 ' tifi'^"^- """ '"^, ■--'^"^. S"rpr,smg that Peter scarcely believed ifl ",'" "", '"''''^" ^'"^ must be dreaming. When thevhni , , '■"'''■ '''"^ "'°"H''f he
or watch, they had to escnn. ,, ^ ^ad passed the first and second ^^•ard
a gate made o'f iron aSol^^t-c ttht "''^T: '^"^ °^ '"^ ■'^'-"' the city. This gate opened ofltVn ^ , "''' ""'"■'■ ''""'^'='ly ii"o
from the hands of his' eneli Js Wh". '"°'' •'""' ^° '''^''^^ '-'-'Ped during this time is not said "rhans a' le" ^ " ''''" "' ""•' -"'-''^ their sight was darkened so mt ch ' t„ 7 ' ■"'"' °""' "'""' °' guish objects at the moment """^'" "''"■'•'^'y ^ distin-
The angel having left Peter in the street ho K. . h..s astonishment, and comforted WmMf;,,,^'"-''" '" ^-■'^°«r from posed to save him. Then w itl 1 1 ' ^^™' ''•■"' '■^■••'">- '"'-■r-
fellow Christians, who v re iu t Zn '% ""''' ''" '"^'"'"' '« ^''^ house of ..Mary the Itl efo ^^I'^h^T '" ^°^ '^'^y- '^^ "- Havmg knocked for admission ,, surname was Mark."
-for that is the mean n^ of R oT T°'"'" """"' '^"-'='. - Rose, -■thin Who was there, and onS:^^;^ Jol'e wt!' ''''' '"^
SO o\cr
come
^
,^, Tim FAMILY COMMENTARY.
with joy that she ran in and told the company instead of stopping to let him in. Though they were praying, and no doubt praying for his release, yet they could hardly believe that it happened so soon, and they said to the young woman, " Thou art mad " ; and when she assured them it was true that Peter was at the gate, they said, "It is his angel " : they thought it was some heavenly messenger that had assumed his form to bring them some news about him.
As Peter continued knocking they went and opened the door; and, to their astonishment, they saw Peter himself, and he then told them how he had escaped.
When daylight came, Peter being missed from the prison, the soldiers were all in alarm ; and Herod, on being told what had hap- pened, was so enraged that he ordered the poor soldiers to be put to death, or executed, as we say, for their negligence.
Merod now left Jerusalem and went on a journey to Ccsarea, a city about fifty-five miles from it. Here he was visited by some persons of importance, who were sent from the people of Tyre and Sidon, to reconcile him after some offense which he had taken, and on account of which they feared he would make war against ihcm. This would have been ruin to them, for they lived by merchandise, which they could not then so extensively sell ; and, as they were not accustomed to the labors of the field, they were also " nourished by the king's country " — that is, received their food from it, especially their corn. Herod appointed a day to receive the supplicants, as he sat on his throne ; and, being very splendidly dressed with robes which Josephus, the Jewish historian, says were richly worked with silver that sparkled brilliantly in the sun, he delivered a speech to the ambassadors of Tyre and Sidon, in the presence of a great multitude of people. The foolish people, in order to compliment the king, cried out, "It is the voice of a god, and not of a man." The more foolish king was delighted with this praise, and instead of reproving them for their blasphemy, in so extolling a poor mortal like themselves, he silentlv heard and rejoiced in their flattery. But God can punish kings that ofi"end him, as well as poor men ; and while this impious king was setting himself up for a god, an angel secretly smote him
m
M«M>w*>Mlwnaitiu«tt&s^MiHi
opping to ng- for his soon, and when she lid, "It is that had
loor; and, told tlicm
)iison, the had hap- be put to
irea, a city e persons Sidon, to )n account 'his would ,hich they ccustomed the kino's :heir corn, sat on his I Joscphus, it sparkled ssadors of )ple. The Dut, "It is lolish king ; them for iselves, he an punish is impious jmote him
ACTS.
10.5
i
" because he gave not God tlie .rlory " ;„ re,>rov;„ , ,i
"and he was eaten of uonns,' a„d died. ' "' ^ '""'^^""^ '^•^"''"•■'
The Travek, Sufferings, and Success of Paul and Barnabas.
ACIS \iii^ XIV
to ';';d.^S';:;:f "'^-istiut ^t "^'-'"- ^""- '"-"-
thenee ■■ they sailed to Cv m • • ^ ""''' ^' "'>' "'' ^y'''-'. '"'J There they visite v^.^ "' /'""'""'/" ">^ Mech'.erranean Sea,
proceeded^topiUt:;;:;:::::^,-^^ ^'-' ti.-,.. the.
We arc here told that Saul was also called Paul. It was common to have two names of these kinds • for Saul was the Hebrew name by which this apostle was kno^vn amon<r the Jews, but Paul was his Roman name.
From Paphos they next "came to Perga, in Pamj>h)lia," a country in Asia, of which Perga was the chief city ; and from Perga " they came to Antioch in Pisidia," so called to distinguish it from Antioch in Syria Her. M. the synagogue on the Sabbath-day, and ^^ \r^^^ ^"Z """/ '"'" speak; and Paul preached a sermon to the .01 1 do '"T?
as foretold 4 the ^:t;^^ It^^J^^ ^: ^ ^[ ^-i^-
have a otlL onX ^il^Slltr ! ^ ^Z:.^^^^:^ 1 It, for they were jealous because the preacher had nt Tl ""^
attention. Then Paul and Rarnak MtL^^^^^^^^ recused to hear any more about ChrisUlS^i,:,^ ^^^ [^d
Anciknt JrwisH Inor.s.
.w^^^
n4
T///' FAMILY COmiENTARY.
iii
tidi^.^s to the Gentiles or heathen, which the heathen, at Antioch, were gkid\o learn; and many of them heard the holy preachers and
believed.
The Jews then raised a persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and got some women, who had gained fame as devout women from their attention to the laws of their religion, and who were also of rich families, to help them in driving these servants of Christ out of the city. So they shook the dust off their feet, as Christ had told them to do if their message was not received in any place, as a sign of dis- pleasure against it, and they "came unto Iconium," another place on the borders of the country.
At Iconium they again went into the Jews' synagogue, and "a great multitude," both of the Jews and also of the Greeks, believed their
divine message.
But the Jews and Greeks were now greatly divided among them- selves ; some of them believed, and some of them did not believe, notwithstanding all the divine proofs of the heavenly message; and as parties rose very high, and it was determined by some that they would even stone Paul and Barnabas, they left the place, that they might carry the Gospel elsewhere, where the hearts of many more would be ready to receive it.
They now^ "fled unto Lystra and Derbe, cities of Lycaonia," at no great distance, " and there they preached the gospel."
Here a man, who was born a cripple, was sitting to hear a discourse, when the apostle Paul, perceiving that he had faith in the truth of his message, addressed him before all the people, and " said with a loud voice. Stand upright on thy feet. And he leaped and walked."
The heathen people w^cre so astonished and delighted that they said, " The gods are come down to us in the likeness of men." They thought there were many gods, and that these were two of them. They knew no better, not having the Scriptures ; and they took Bar- nabas for Jupiter, one of their gods, and Paul for Mercury, another of them ; and, according to their custom of worshiping and honoring their deities, the priest of Jupiter, which was before their city, brought oxen and n-arlands unto the gates, and would have done sacrifice with the
ACTS.
ioch, were chcrs and
nabas, and from their so of rich out of the Id tliem to ign of dis- place on
d "a great eved their
ong them- ot believe, Lsage ; and some that place, that many more
nia," at no
I discourse, ruth of his mih. a loud ed."
1 that they en." They o of them. y took Bar- another of noring their Dught oxen ce with the
^')S
Pl'c..y, and sl^n \ " ^^ '''^ .""^"r''^' "■''^'' "'^T ''^-"-.l bias-
exhorted them to cast off if r '^'■'-^'"'"^ 'I'^X were only men, and God, which ,"n c hcav,l l^ ", «"'''' "'"' '^^'''-•^'^- '" " '''^ livinj. are therein" T c c; , ', "r- T ' "'' "" ^"'' ^'"'^ ^'" """-^ "> "' vented fron, wor hi ! i;:;"; r^'y'r"? "T' "■'" ^'«^-">l'- adoration of then, vha, oo'l' " ^-^'""tu'thstanding this servile
Antioch and Icon k, iouTd t Z T""i"''^"'''''''' '" ">"">■""'•> fro,n those places ami s,o T'"'" ='1'"^"-^ ''ad been driven
had seen L ^2:^' ;!:t,X:' '"^'"-'"^^^ '''"' '-'""^ "'-
ihe lame man, and would then have
adored the apostles, n(nv were per- suaded to stone Paul, so fickle were
they; and they hurt him so much
that he appeared to be dead, and his
body was dra^-ed by them out of
the city. He must have been dread- .. -^^^ ^.Ily injured by this treatment; but ^Ip^" God left the people without excuse ""^^"^ " for future punishment in thus treat- ing his servant, and tried the bold- ness of Paul in his cause ; and when
next day ^' a^p.^j:::::::!:::^.^'':::^,;::^^ "--' ''- -trt,:;t^2drirrr"-^ ''-;---
eomfort, and establk^ tit n ?' r ,""™' '''"^' ^""°*> '" i"^ n^ct,
™i^u not be S!:t:;:tr;r::^:r ^-' ^^'^--^ '^- "^^^
apo"t ' :vt't:ht"Xm™'^d "^"^r^^ '■"'" ^""-hes; and the order, and appointed proneTne "7"^ ""'' ""™' ^^' "'^■" '"
the worship iraod:iTr^rot';:rari!;rn;:r;r^"' '° --^^^
Ancient ErivrTiAN Idols.
fff
I I
L\
I'/
///h h-AAlJ^^' 0\)m/iA/^lI^V.
Then they passed throu-h Tisicha, the country where Antioch was, and eanie to l\un.iylia. lii Asia, and pi cached at I'erga in that country, and thence went xmo Attalia, a seacoast town mh the borders of the Mediterranean Sea. 1 hui ^hey took shiupini; an.l sailed to the other Antioch, which was in Syria, and deli-hted the Christians there by tellin- tlieni of tlieir travels, and of the great success which, notwith- stand'hi- all opposition, had attended their preaching of the Gospel of Christ—" and there they abode a long time with the disciples."
Disputes Among the Christians at Jerusalem Settled by the Apostles.
ACTS XV, XVI.
While Paul and Barnabas were at Antioch, in Syria, some persons from ^ TUS.V m came to Antioch and raised a dispute. Paul and Par- Piabas, thcrc.^re, went to Jerusalem to settle the ([uestion.
The affaii being ([uietly settled, Paul and Barnabas now resolved on revisiting all the places where they had preached the Gospel ; and Bar- nabas wished John, whose surname was Mark, to accompany them ; but he, having been their companion on a former occasion and left them to bearUieir labors and dangers alone in a manner that did not quite please Paul, who perhaps thought him timid, or not sufficiently zealous, Paul did not wish to have his help. This caused a misunder- standing between Pai.l and Barnabas, and so they parted company. Barnabas, taking Mark with him, sailed to Cyprus, an island m the Mediterranean Sea, and, as wc learn in the latter part of the f(Uirth chapter, the native place of Barnabas. Paul, aecompanied by Sila^^, took another route, and went through Syria and Cilicia, which was his native country, and visited the churches or assemblies of Christians whom he had before b; -aght, through his preaching, to receive the
religion of Christ.
Among the places visit.eu a(%- = a by the apostle Paul were Derbe and Lystra. At the latt:! p^.c he foii ;d a young disciple named Timothcus, or Timothy,— the same to whom he afterward wrote the Epistles. The mother of this young man was a Jewess, but his father was a Greek ; and so it happened that he was not circumcised. Now.
n
tioch was, ,t country, urs of tlic tlic other tlicic by , notwitli- Gospcl of s.
Apostles.
ic persons 1 and Bar-
isolvctl on ; and Har- any thcni ; n and left at did not sufficiently
misunder-
company. and in the
the fourth d by Sili'^, ich was his
Christians ■eccive the
/ere Dcrbe pie named I wrote the it his father sed. Now.
ACTS.
i')/
wiuci. wore i : : ,ni : ."T""r"'' """■ '^^'"^^ -'■ -"^ j--
Crock, and thcrcloa | , V.'d "' •^''''"'''''' '"■" ''" '■^'"- -'s a '-C raised ol^^cuj';;! ^^X^!;:^ """'"'^'' "'"'" '"'"• "-"^
ort:;!,;;^:;'::!;,:;^!:;,;'::'^"'' ':'-7«" - ^sia, a,., .,. ,.,„,„ - .o into m;:;::2,:!:^2X'::: ;:t^:%- r ''''-'■
prevented by a nirti, nl „■ ,•„, ■ ''' '"""■' 'j"' "^re
Spirit „f (;od. / I, ' :""'™ "';"'^ "" ">-'• "-'>ls by the
taken, and these,'' fey gone, ,he,r hVes uouid have been
;r-'- at M^iiruil'^r :;:r^^;t;:'^t!;f:a r
Koniaiis, now called Alexanchii "'''">' ""^ ^^^^
He loosed, or s i ; :^^V™' " '7^ '^"'^''^ ^"""'^^ '" ^
island in the Archil ' I, " ^ ' ^'^"^ ''"'''"' -^^n'oth aeia, 'an -s a part of .Ma'e'id 1 " -^ ^ ^^e ^'> ^'-I»lis,a seapo -.uhieh chief eity of that part of M, """"'^'^ '"^ "'-■"' on to i'hiir,pi, ihe
Here, on the ^nhdavh "''■''"'',''"''''"' '''''' '""^ ^la>--
tl.e Jews worsinped, nd^'is 7e T'^ """ "' ""-' ^"°'^ -l^'-- thither." ''"^'- '° "'^ "-o'lt™ «hich re,ortcd
pu^;:^^: i:a"r,:::i^ -an^d Lydi. she was a seller of
province of Asia, in Via Mi o" S^ " ^'"''''' ' ^"'^'^ "'^>^ '' ^'^- true God, but knew nothi:; f" ,us cL^ Br"''^": 'I ''' ^"^ preached, the Lord onened f.-. '. ." ..!''' , ^"^ "°^^ ^'^^ ^^^^^^1 him
faith truths
; and she received J
opened her heart, like a door, to I
Tcsus there, and embraced all
ct him into it by
spoken about hint by Paul. And she was bap
the
nn
tizcd, and
portant received
tW''^
■ r.fm-i^'^f^^^i^^^f^j.
"T rsBirrmr-
IM
III!
I.
198
n/Ii FAMILY COMMENTARY.
the sacred messengers into her house, while they remained in that neighborhood.
The apostles regularly went to a place used for prayer ; and a girl, who knew their custom, followed them, as they went every day, and cried after them, " These men are the servants of the most high God, which show unto us the way of salvation." This girl was one of a certain class of people of those days who pretended to be divinely inspired, and who might possibly have been permitted to perform some astonishing things by the aid of the devil, who seems to have had full possession of her mind. By her predictions she gained much money. It seems that she was not free, but belonged to masters who received what she gained. Paul, perceiving what kind of a person she was, was grieved at her condition, and, in the name of Jesus Christ, he commanded the evil spirit to come out of her. " And he came out the same hour."
Her masters were greatly enraged that they had now lost their gains, for the girl could serve the devil no longer. They therefore seized Paul and Silas, and carried them before the magistrates, accus- \\\Z them of teachinor doctrines and customs contrary to the laws. Then the magistrates had them stripped, by tearing off their clothes, and commanded them to be beaten with rods, after which they were cast into prison, and the jailer had orders to take the greatest care that they should not escape. So he thrust them "into the innermost prison " — one that, lying beyond others and having more bolts and bars, was the more secure. And still, to add to their security, he put their feet fast into heavy wood stocks, and thus they lay, as it is sup- posed, in the most painful position, with their sore and naked backs stretched upon the cold and dirty stones — the prisoners not sitting, as in modern times, when the stocks are used, but being compelled to occupy the most painful and unnatural position suggested by the mode of punishment.
In this situation, which would have made most men groan and weep, Paul and Silas, being comforted in their minds in an extraor- dinary way, sang praises to God in the middle of the night : it is thought that they sang one of David's Psalms, which is not unlikely.
in that
d a girl, lay, antl y,h (iod, me of a divinely m some had full money, received she was, hrist, he ime out
)St their herefore ^, accus- lie laws, clothes, ley were :are that nermost olts and , he put t is sup- xl backs tting, as 3elled to by the
oan and extraor- ht: it is unlikely.
ACTS.
i"s sword and ,vould avckU ed Iv'.r ?' '■ '""""^ '■'"'■ ''^ ''--
thyself no harm ; for we are alT ere T ,"''" "'" '° '""'■ " 1^° sprang in and " came tremblntul alt'l ' ."■"["' '"'' "" ''i>''^'' ton, of showing respect, fell down' c"';: IV "^i'" f' ''^r "^^ them out of "' '"^*-' ^^^^^> ^nd bnnging
the inner prison, he
began to talk to them di- rectly about his poor soul, and asked, "What must I do to be saved?" The apostles told him to " Be- lieve on the Lord Jesus Christ "land
they also preached to his whole familv Tl,. n • •, stripes, which had perhaps bcoun n f V !" ^'''^'' ''"'^'^'^ ^heir kindness. They had done o-ood tn\ ' ^^ '^''''''^ ^^^^""^ -'-Y
family, as well a^s saved his i odv 1 ', ""'' ''"' '° ^^" '^^"^^ ^^ '^^ self; and the least he could do fo^ ''"' '^""^ ^" '^'^'^^y J^'"-
comforting their bodies Tl I • V' '^ '^''''' '^''^' ^^"^'n'ss by
the Gospel from Uil" p^"^ 1^",?^-^ ^^ ""''''' ^-^^ ^^^ -ady to receive declared their readies to ^.e 0^^^^ "^ T""''' '"'^ '^"'^^^'-' ^^-X tized Then the Jailer toclk :^;^^t:::i::' ""''' ""V '''''' ^^^ ^re them to re.esh their weaL ^oJ^^^^';;::;^'^^
MODERX JERRI la
Hiil
200
THE FAMILY COMMENTARY.
In the morning the magistrates thought that Paul and Silas had had punishment enough, and so sent orders for them to be released. But Paul, being a Roman citizen, now maintained his privilege, teaching us that Christianity is not at all opposed to our claiming and defending our civil rights — that is, those which belong to us as men and citizens. "They have beaten us openly ^ncondemned," said he, " being Romans, and have cast us into prison ; and now do they thrust us out privily? Nay, verily; but let them come themselves and fetch us out." The magistrates had taken upon themselves to do what they were not authorized to do; for the magistrates were not to try prisoners, but only to see that the lawless were seized and secured and that the law was properly put into execution when the prisoners were condemned. Paul, therefore, on account of others, as well as on his own account, would not sanction such shameful proceedings ; he did not, however, demand revenge upon them, though he might have got them severely punished for what they had so unjustly done, but he required that they should acknowledge themselves wrong, and, with all respect, make amends to them by fetching them out. So the mag- istrates, being now greatly frightened, went to the prison, and begged Paul and Silas to forgive them, and that they would leave the city as soon as possible, that nothing more might be said about the matter.
When they had quitted the prison they paid another visit to their kind hostess, Lydia, and then pursued their journey.
Paul Preaches at Thessalonica and is Persecuted There,
ACTS XVII, XVIII.
Paul and Silas, having passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, both considerable cities in Macedonia, " came to Thessalonica, a free city of the same country," where the Roman governor resided. Here there "was a synagogue of the Jews," and during three successive Sabbaths Paul went in and reasoned with them about what the Scriptures said of the Messiah, and proved that Jesus was he. His facts and arguments were so forcible that, accompanied by the power
.*r«*«-B*---*^««.««^.W«^W(»«*'-**«**^^'9«e^^
ilas had •eleased. rivilcgc, ling and as men said he, ;y thrust nd fetch hat they t to try secured irisoners zW as on ngs ; he ^ht have e, but he nd, with he mag- . begged the city )OUt the
to their
ere.
pollonia, :a, a free I. Here iccessive v'hat the le. His le power
yicrs. o{ the Soirif cf r^^j ^ 201
Jews weL :o™: "''"' ^'''' '"' '"■•">■ ^-'"'i'- .„o „ac. beco.ne
This enraged tlic unbelievin- lew.- nn^ ,1,
■ ^e at the house of J^son.J^tJTik2^^'7'''P''"''"'^ I^^" '°
been brought to trust in Clirirt vinT, , '"^"' """^^ !>-•>" Iiaci
-^aed hin, on, .vith othe foX "{ rV ^"°"' "°"-^=' -'^'
tliem with turnintr the world Z , °'^ ""= "'^V' ""'I ehar..e,l
wl.icl. ''-y visitedlnto eJ a 1:' ; he! 7;'',°^ '"^"■'■"^' -"^ P^^-' hou;ever, acted on this occasion .;':*'"'-" . ^''^' ■"■•'^istrates, Christians were accused of bein.. tro , ^ .' '"■°'"'"-''>'' '•'"^' ^^ "'ese o them that they would noV"^ :^f:;;';->-;'y -^"hed pledges
"went into the synagogue of L'j , ''';r'™:'^' ""^' "'-- -'» they received by the people? vvho heard Pan, , , ^.i' ^' ^^"^P^'' ^™-^ ■■e-dily then exan,i„ed the Scriptures fothen'i "^ " "''"' '•'"^""■°"' -J about te Messiah agree'd uith t = "r^':^' '°,"''= '^ "''-' "- said
■"any of them became true Christians "^ '"' ^'"'"'' ^"^ ™
to '''f .rce"a^'^:;;::::;-;/'-"^„- the^ — ^oilowed them d'sturb the apostles, ' "nthtnkmg part of the people to
Jth;r^^sr::::u;;-;^S ^~ of .he way, because against behmd to explain thi.^s fur he 'to 2 '^'^ ^""°"^""^™"''-'d have many questions to ask abo t dr l^'T'l '°""'='''^' ^^*° ''°"M
Paul next went to Athens, a c v „ c! '' ^''"■^' ''"S^t and did. ■t-s kno^vledge and learning When he ' '^^f'^S^y ''^""ou.s for gneved and provoked ,0 ^see th stum-di^v" f' .""" "'^ '^""' "- standmg all their knowledge for the^^ ^ ^ P'°P'^' ""'"ith- more images called gods dm al H ^ ™' '^"" "^ ''''o'==- it had '"•"lorously said of it,1t was easier \" a""' °^ ^'''''' ^° that one Here Paul, according to fct m '^ "i^ "°! "'.<^^'= '"••'" -■' "-
synagogue, and with " the devout pertr-o;;' f"" J™''^ '" "^-^
persons, or Jewish proselytes, who
'Am-:
,,,r*^¥%^«^'-«*»Jt,w
^■^fwa¥»--jit t TiinrrMiflifiiEBr*'"'
! I
203
THE FAMILY COMMENTARY.
had left heathenism and embraced Judaism ; and he also took every opi)ortiinity of conversing about Christ with the Athenians, whom he met in the great market-place.
In this city he was violently opposed by the heathen philosophers, called Epicureans and Stoics.
The Epicureans were so called from their first teacher, Epicurus. Though they believed there was a God, they were foolish enough to believ'e that the world was made by chance, and that no Providence * ruled over it. See how ignorant the wisest of men were without the
Scriptures 1 The Stoics received their name, not from their founder, whose name was Zeno, but from a Greek word, stose, which signifies a portico, or piazza, because it was customary for Zeno to walk under a portico' and teach his scholars. He was wiser than the Epicureans, since he believed that God did make the world: but he, like them, denied that the Creator cared anything about it after it was made; and so, instead of being ruled by His Providence, it was left
to Fate. .
These were the men with whom Paul had here chiefly to contend. They were, however, disposed to hear him; for though they despised him and called him a babbler, yet, as he brought with him doctrines new to them,— and they were fond of " some new thing,"— they thought at least that they should be amused.
There was at Athens a celebrated place called the Areopagus, " in the midst of Mars' hill." This building was used as a court of law, and was adapted to accommodate a large concourse of people. Here it was determined that Paul should publish his opinions. It was a fine opportunity, and he embraced it.
He told them that he had observed they were very superstitious, or given to the worship of many and false gods; and that in passing through their streets he had even seen an inscription— "To thi-: UNKNOWN God" ; which perhaps meant the God of the Jews, of whom they had heard, but did not know. Now, he came to tell them who he w^as, and that instead of the world being made by chance, as some amomr them believed, he it was who made all things and all men ; and vviiose providence, so far from not noticing the world he made,
: every lom he
Qphers,
)icurus. ugh to /idence out the Dunder, nifies a inder a urcans, I them, it was vas left
iefly to
though Drought
" some 1.
" in the law, and
Here it IS a fine
tious, or passing To THIl )f whom I who he as some all men ; le made,
ACTS.
~1
20^
even notices every individual, and fixes the boundaries of every nnns We and the very spot where he shall reside. And as ue sp2 a",
mo ;Tsr'tLr:f '"'""' ;"'" "^ '^ ^'^ ^p'^"' -""■> '-I'x
niore absurd than to ni.aguie that stone carved into different ima.res hould represent God-n>any of them being even unwor hy to re^e sent men, whom God has made. For a lon.r whil,. rT, I , ^ ' with this idolatry, but now Paul decla:.ed le had n° ^^^J^Z bear witness agan,st it, and called upon n.en everywhere o ri^t fir he has determmed to judge the world, and Chris will be 1 e iud- e who is now risen from the dead. ■' ^ '
On mentioning the subject of the resurrection the whole assemblv seems to have been in a tumult. It was a doctrine either disbdin^d or never thought of by the Grecian philosophers ' Some mo ked and others said. We will hear thee again of this niatte^ So n t^ ' were not disposed to hear any mo,^ at that i nd r^ceiv d Ws
a t:X"us"etr'''''^/T' Z^-^' '"^-- ^-^ '^-^'*- wafn': Ji- , "^'•''=^=- "Howbeit certam men clave unto him and beheved; among which was Dionysius, the Areopagite,"-or a Iud J m the court of AreonacTim ^ ^^a ^ i ^ ^' ^^ ajucige
others with them.' ' " '™™'''" "^"'"^ ^^"'^"'' ^"^
Paul ne.xt proceeded to Corinth, another Grecian city of consideri
wa made because the Jews were so violent in opposing the Chr' hns that they caused continual disturbances It inLir. ,w i. , ! A,ui,a were of the same craft or trade JtenttrsTand," Tn reason v.h.ch brought them together. It was no di grace amomnhe
evTv one' k"'' f"' ^'^er a disgrace to be without, and ThTrefo every one was brought up to a trade, that he might never want the means of procunng his livelihood ; and so the apostle P.au hou„h a earned man, and brought up at the feet of the leirned Gamaliel-that
Tents, m hot countries, are very common and useful, and it wS
2,j^ rilE fjUriLY COMMENTARY.
by this trade that the apostle supported himself while preaching the
gospel.
While at Corinth Paul, as usual, visited and "reasoned in the syna- gogue every Sabbath "' ; and here he was joined by Silas and Timo-
theus.
The Jews having refused to hear what he had to say about Christ, Paul " shook his raiment," it being loose about him, as a sign that he would shake them off and have no more to do with them, and went to the Gentiles who were in the city. For this purpose he took up his abode at the house of a man named Justus, who, though not a Jew^ was a sincere man, and worshiped the true God, having learned about him from the Jews, his house being near the synagogue. His labors were, however, not altogether useless among the Jews, for " Ciispus, the ruler of the synagogue, believed on the Lord, with all his house." Many Corinthians also believed.
Paul was, indeed, particularly encouraged in his labors at Corinth, for God told him in a vision, "I have much people in this city." " And he continued there a year and six months, teaching the word of
God among them."
The success of Paul excited the enmity of the Jews, whose rage against Christ was as bitter as it still is. They therefore rose up against Paul, and accused him before Gallio, the Roman officer who at that time presided over Achaia, in \.nich the conquered province of Corinth was. Gallio saw their wicked rage, and told them that if Paul had done any bad thing he would have taken notice of it, but as they accused him only about religious matters, he had nothing to do with such disputes, and so he drove the Jews away from his presence. The Greeks, seeing how he treated the Jews, and knowing that they were not now in high favor, immediately fell upon Sosthenes, the chief ruler of the synagogue, and beat him severely ; so that the harm the Jews wanted to do^ to Paul now fell upon themselves ; " and Gallio cared for none of these things," but looked on with total indifference.
Paul's next journey was into Syria, and he took with him Priscilla and Aquila. Then he came to Ephesus, the metropolis of Asia, where he still reasoned with the Jews by entering into their synagogue.
^.«» hit»mM^''Mimttet>,immimmm
ACTS.
20X
Mavinj^r left Lphcsus he landed at Ccsarea, and visited the Christian chureh there 1 hence he went to Antioeh. "and after he had spent somc^ tniie there he departed, and went over all the eountry of Galatia and Phrygia in order, strengthening all the disciples."
While Paul was en-a.^red elsewhere Apolios visited Ilphesus. This was a most eloquent Jew. who had been taught about Christ by John the Baptist. Here he preached boldly, urging men. no doubt, to repentance and faith in the Messiah. But Aquila and Priscilla, havin<^ been instructed by the apostle Paul, kne^v more than Apolios did, and they therefore assisted in showing him " the way of God more perfectly, and about Christ as the Saviour of sinners
After this Apolios visited different parts of Achaia and strencrth- ened the minds of those who believed in Christ, and " he mi^rhtily convinced the Jews, and that publicly, that Jesus was the Christ "
Paul's Extensive Travels to Preach the Gospel
ACTS XIX.
In the last chapter we learned that Apolios visited different parts of Achaia, and here ue are informed that he also paid a visit to Corinth which was the capital of Achaia. During this time Paul "passed through the upper coasts," or countries to the north of Ephesus, called I hrygia, Ionia, Mysia. Caria, and Lydia (see Asia Minor, at the end of Acts), and then again to Ephesus. He here instructed some of John the Baptists disciples, and baptized them "in the name of the Lord Jesus"; and he "spake boldly" in the synagogue "for the space of three months concerning the kingdom of Gcd"-that is, the reign of Christ the Messiah.
However at length he gave over instructing the Jews in this plac^ since their hearts were so much hardened against Christ; and "one lyrannus having a school of public instruction and disputation he went there and taught his disciples about the way of salvation, and in this manner he passed two years. Ephesus being a place of great importance, and numbers of persons, both Jews and Greeks, visiting it for purposes of trade and information, the doctrines of the apostle
1
&
•»
ao6
77/E FAMILY COMMRXTARY.
were heard by most of these, and so conve)'ed abroad and spread in all the cities and towns of Asia.
Seeing- the wonderful things done by the apostle, some " vagabond Jews" who strolled about from place to place, like our vagabond mountebanks, to gain a livelihood by their tricks, and who were "exorcists," or a sort of conjurers, tried to do a like thing in a similar way. Among these were seven sons of a Jew, a "chief among the priests " at Hphesus ; and they attempted to cast out evil spirits from those who were tormented with them, and said, "We adjure yoa by Jesus whom Paul preacheth." They, however, were soon proved to
be imi)Osters, to their in- jur)- and shame, to the honor of the apostle and to the advancement of the cause of Christ.
This affair was soon spread over the city of Hphesus, and produced a great change in many per- sons, both among the Jews and Greeks. In- deed, "many of them which used curious arts brought their books to- gether, and burned them before all men; and they counted the price of them, and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver." This was a glorious triumph over Satan in his own territories, for Hphesus was a very wicked and idolatrous city, where magic was taught, and it was a deadly blow to the wicked art when the books were destroyed by which the people had learned how to perform it. The price of the books burned has been reckoned, at the lowest rate, at about eight thousand eight hundred dollars; but some think it was not less than thirty-one thousand two hundred and fifty dollars. Rooks were extremely dear before the art of printing was invented, and books on curious arts were dearer than others.
I'ARr ()F ANcn:.Nr waruali.kv.
...mm.^m'Ma.Jtaiitmmigsmmimtim
ircad in
gabond Lgabond \o were . similar among il spirits urc )'Ol1 •ovcd to heir in- to the itlc and X of the
IS soon city of duccd a any pcr- niX the s. In- f them Dus arts )oks to- die price is was a IS was a d it was oyed by :e of the it about not less nks were Dooks on
ACTS.
20:
The apostle Paul „„„• l„„an to think about visitin^^ some otlar par s a,H,, av.nj, decided to go through Macedonia ad A " ia
lanbolan of the cty of Corinth, as ue learn in the siuee
te Tthf c n";'"^^ r" ^"•""'^ «^'^-^ "'"'^ '^f '- visit, ;:;,''
to eav W "','" '''''"'" '"■"'■ ^^''"^ "'- apoMlewas about
eliin oM SUV f "T, "■^^\'— '■ " "" sn.al/ stir ■ about the
peoole cal ,.,{ ; < l"'^"'' "' '"'''^'''- "'''^1' "'- i-'ol^trous
S a tumult^", M ■,'"' "' '""'' "' "'^"- ^"^''""' --'-^ored to exute a tumult and to drive hnn out of the city
Lcfore we notice this affair it may be necessary just to oive xou a short ^account of this famous city of Hphesus anVof^;: 'c^l^b^rrtod
We have before said that Ephesus was the metropolis of Asia and mcleed, ,t was the ,„ost famous place of trade i , all Asia M or rhe ancent cty stood about fifty n.iles sot.th of Snurna Ins
lo g gone to decay, like n,any other once splendid citie o" the H t"
w -h all the"::":"' °' T- "'' ''^^ "'^- ''"^"'i"^' "^ '^--'^ '<> ^-t
world. It was near y as on*-- as St T^nl'^ r^.f^ i i • t , nearly as xvuh^ n. q/d v "" "' "^ Cathedral m London, and
iieany as wide as St. Pau s at its •rreatosf Iin-wlfli if K,, 11, i^it-cULst uicacltli. It was SUnDOrffrl
by one hundred and tu-cnty-scven marble pillars, seventy fchlh
or twelve tm,es the height of our tallest m n, and these we ceithe;
mos curtously carved or highly polished. Fron, accot.n tv by
anu nt xvnters, th,s temple was Uvo h.mdred and twenty years in
buddmg, and ^vas continually improved for four luutdred ye us The
cbony,-a hard, black, and valuable wood,-and the people were weak-
ztm : '"'^ ^v"> '''"' °^ ^"'^^ -°'' --;:;;; o
oneof ,r, 7" by Jup.ter, a name by which they distingui-hed Di na To ;;f " S°ds, and whom they supposed to be the father o
It had h r 1 ; '^"'^°''' ""-'y P''"''' '•■ K>-'=^' deal of reverence It had been formerly placed in the trunk of an old elm, but, from the
i
I
"■ t^" ■--
"''4"*'ffr'^'^T?!^*fr'f^^"'.^- y^
"-iTTwiiMi--»if[rii'iiiii
r' .'.^
I'
anS
77//: hAMILY COMMENTARY.
honors paid to it. it was at length provided with this magnificent building. All the inhabitants of Ionia went every year to Hphesiis to solemnize a festival to " the great goddess Diana, " and wives and children carried their offerings to her temple, many of which were exceedingly rich and valuable. Priests who ofliciated on this occasion were liberally maintained by the people; and the citizens, no doubt, made much money by the gathering together of so large a number of peoj)le, many of whom were wealth)-, and who remained during the continuance of the sports which accompanied their offerings.
The throngs that yearly visited Hphesus furnished the silversmiths with plenty of employment to make siher models of this famed building, which the multitude so much venerated, and brought no small gain to the craftsmen. One of these silversmiths in particular, whose name was Demetrius, called together his fellow-workmen and told them of the injury they suffered by the reduced sale of their silver temples, in consequence of the apostle Paul having "almost thre.ugh- out all Asia persuaded and turned away much people, saying, that they be no gods which arc made with hands." And Demetrius showed that the temple itself was in danger of falling into contempt and neglect, owing to the success of the apostle's preaching. His interested auditors felt the force of what he said, and " they v re full of wrath, and cried out, saying, Great is Diana of the Ephesians!"
Their noise and shouting roused the whole city, and, having put many others in a rage against the apostle's preaching, the mob caught Gaius and Aristarchus, two of Paul's companions, and rushed with them into the theater, where public plays were acted in honor of the goddess, and where, among other things, men were set to fight with wild beasts ; and very probably it w^as intended to hurry the servants of Christ thither to throw them to the wild beasts.
Paul, not in the least afraid, would have followed them into the theater to preach the gospel even to this enraged multitude ; but the Christians at Ephesus advised him not to expose himself to danger and probably thought the people were not in a mind to attend to any- thing he might say.
When the people were got together in the theater a great many of
ACTS.
anr)
niticcnt Lphcsus /cs and li were ccasion doubt, liber of ing the
rsmiths famed o small , whose ul told ir silver in.ugh- ng, that metrius )ntempt T His "^re full ns!
ing put • caught jd with Dnor of to fight irry the
nto the but the danger to any-
them did not know why they were there, and as one asked another what was the matter, all were in confusion.
In the meantime Alexander, who was a professed Christian was dragged into the theater, the Jews helping to push him in. and so unitmg m their wicked deeds with the Hphesian idolaters. Here Alexander would have defended his faith, but when he attempted to speak the mob drowned his voice, and cried out. "Great is Diana of the Ephesians I " They knew that they could say nothing in their own defense in reply to Alexander, and so for two hours he tried in vain to speak and they roared out against him.
_ At length "the town clerk " interfered. (This was a person of some mfluence and authority, and he hit upon a very good method to restore quietness.) "Why/' said he, "you know 'that everybody worships the goddess Diana-there is no need to dispute about thaf and you know that her image came doun from Jupiter, and as nobody can contradict it, what need is there of all this noise?" (This is just what he would have said in English, for his words are to the same purport.) "Besides," he added, "these men have done no harm to our goddess; they have neither robbed the temple of her wealth nor said anything that I know of against her dignity. However, if they have done any harm, the law is read)' to appeal to; but if they have not, the injury will fall upon your oun heads for disturbing the peace and making this terrible uproar; and if you do not immediately de])art quietly home you will all be in danger of being taken up as rioters" Having spoken to this effect, the people grew a little cool. and. seein- that they could do nothing to stop the doctrines of the apostle and might injure themselves, they quietly departed to their homes. 'The foolishness of their proceeding was thus quickly made very apparent to the idolatrous multitude. In fact, there is nothing that can be made to appear so ridiculous, even to the least reflective mind as the enmity that would overcome truth by the merest outcry and passion
i In
nany of
ll
2IO
Tim FAMILY COMMENTARY.
Paul's Travels and Preaching. — His Arrest and Trial at Jerusalem. — Taken to Cesarea and Pleads in his own Defense.
ACTS X.\-.\\VI.
We have now to follow the apostle Paul rapidly through some more of his travels; and, except a few occasional remarks, shall merely notice the jjlaces where he went, so as to explain their situation antl importance, if they have not Iv'en noticed before.
Paul, havinp( taken leave of the disciples at P^jjliesus, now went into Macedonia, and, havins^^ visited the disciples there, — at Phili])i)i, Thessalonica, and Berea, of which we have lately read, — " he came into (ireece," or, as some think, Achaia. Here he remained three months, and was preparini;- to sail for Syria, when he heard that the Jews were watchini;* for him to kill him if he went in that direction ; and so he resolved not needlessly to put himself into danger, but returned by land through Macedonia to visit the churches there. lie was now accompanied into Asia by .Sopater, of Herea, and Luke, the writer of the Acts, who includes himself as one of the party when he speaks of " us " ; and Aristarchus and Secundus, of Thessalonica, and Gains, of Derbe, and Timothy and Tychicus and Tro])himus, of Asia, went on to prepare matters for the apostle's reception at Troas. They sailed from Philippi, as the apostle had intended to do, and it being a short way they reached Troas in five days. The apostle, how- ever, was not many hours behind them, since he joined them there and spent a Sabbath with them ; and they remained there altogether but seven days.
The companions of Paul now took passage in a ship to go from Troas to Assos, a city of Asia by the seaside ; and here the apostle, having traveled on foot, shortly joined them ; when, having been taken into the ship, they sailed for Mitylcne, a city in Lesbos, an island situated in the /Egcan Sea, now known by the name of the Archi- pelago, being that part of the Mediterranean Sea which divides Greece from Asia Minor. Thence they continued their course " over against Chios," another island in the ^gean Sea, and the next day they
f
t(
Ol
««««■««&)« ««rti.^WJ8»ftlfi»»*«WS
ACTS.
213
o nncd ^t T ■'■ "''"'' '" "" "™^ =^^' ^"J -shored or
stopped at l,ooyll,u,„,a smr.ll island near San.os, for there was a
bay here convenient for vessels to anchor in; and t e next Lrev
canK o M, ctus, the chief city of Ionia. On his way to tl,is pi e P u^
passed by Ephesus, for he l,ad deternnned to sail past it "be nse he
r: feTs't Tv T '™^, '" ^"'^•■' "'^'""S to ^e 'at Jerusa'r rt fn . th °7>'"'^"«'. "'at he might have an opportunity of preach-
mg the gospel to a great number of Je^^ s, out of all countries whom he knew would come to that feast '-ountncs, whom
sen^'forThe'ell ""''■ "'"" '""'^"' '"""^ f''"'" '^l'"^--. 'he apostle sent lor the elders or managmg members of the church in tint citv
t ur p.olcssion of faith m Christ; and he told them this was the last nne he shotdd see then,, for he knew that he was about to -o he^
L:rd";:su f""",-'' ■'^r ""'^"^ ■•'"^' ^ '^■•-"" f- the ll
tlten h kneded r" T """ """"^ '° ''^ ''°"'" "'^ "f^''- "-"
fe oru .r "", ""' '""^■"' "'"' "■^■'" ••"'■" ^Ve are not told
most n t r. "" "'■••>■ '-"«■>■ suppose that it ^^as one of
P to r'f'' "^:"' ■■'"'' '^"''^'' '"■••^^■'^'■•^ "'••""•'•'« ^ver offered 1 to Go I, for he seemed to love the liphesians nuxst sincerely -.nd
ad fe7'^ p""'-""' /°'- "-ir happiness; "and they all we^t 'so and fell on Paul s neck, and kissed hin,." In this way Hsau fell on acobs neek,an.l Joseph on his brother Benjamin's ; Vw" as yot" have heard before, the Hastern uay of sho^vinj great iffection. '
Hav ng parted «-,th these elders, who accon,panied Paul to the shir, a d c d not cave hin, till the very last n,oment, he and h co pan.onssaded straight for Coos, or Cos, another island in the yl4'an
w kh" ad : r IT' ""^ '''''''' '^"™'^-^' =• -^brat^dtk ; called the Colossus of Rhodes, which cost twelve years of the sculn- ors abor and fc.8,000. Its height .as seventy ™bits. o 05 I was esteen,ed one of the seven wonders of the world AsVhv a ong ,taston,shed all beholders, for few men with their arms ft etched out couki embrace the thumb. sircicnea
They ne.xt proceeded to a place called Patara, a city of Lycia
i I
■t I
ii-V
THE FAMILY COMMENTARY.
which was a country of Asia Minor, bounded on the south by the Mediterranean. Here they found a ship for Phoenicia, and thither they sailed, and passing Cyprus stood for Syria, and landed at Tyre, the chief city of Phoenicia. Having met with some Christians here, they stayed to establish them in their faith, and were with them seven days.
Then they sailed from Tyre to Ptolemais, a city of Galilee, on the seacoast, where they remained with some fellow-Christians during one day. y\nd the day following Paul's company stoj)pcd at Cesarea, " and entered into the house of Philip the Evangelist," — undoubtedly the same who had baptized the eunuch, — and there they took up their abode while they remained in that place. It is worthy of remark that Philip had four daughters who had the gift of prophecy, or were inspired by the Holy Spirit to foretell events which should happen to the Church of Christ.
While the apostolical travelers were at Cesarea the prophet Agabus arrived from Judea, and foretold the treatment Paul would meet \\'\\\\ from the Jews at Jerusalem ; at the same time, taking the girdle which fastened Paul's robes around his body, he expressed it by the signifi- cant siun of bindin<j his own hands and feet. This made Paul's com- panions weep and entreat him not to go to Jerusalem ; but the holy servant of (iod, bent upon the conversion of men, would not be dissuaded from his purpose on so important an occasion, when thou- sands of Jews would be collected together at the feast, and he answered, "What mean ye to weep and to break my heart? for I am ready not to be bound only, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus."
Shortly after this the p^rty took their carriages — or, rather, " their baggage " — and went to Jerusalem, accompanied by some disciples of Cesarea and one Mnason of Cyprus, an old disciple, who happened to reside at Jerusalem and who accommodated them at his house.
When Paul visited the temple the Jews "laid hands on him," and treated him so cruelly that they would have killed him had not the Roman commandant rushed in among them wnth some soldiers and rescued him. He, however, supposed from their treating Paul in this
li by the thcr they Pyre, the ere, they ni seven
2, on the
durin<Tf
Cesarea,
Dubtcdly
up their
lark that
or were
;ippen to
Agabus lect with le which 2 signifi- il's com- :he holy
not be m thou-
and he for I am he name
r, " their ciples of pened to e.
im," and 1 not the liers and jI in this
manner that he mi'dit hiv. u , • ^'-^
him to be bound tvi.,;: ^ r^^ °'^f--''''"'pvrong, and „.de,.d fulfilled. "•'• '^"^ ■'■o "k- prophecy of Ayabus uas
w.tl. the co„„„an,lant, who fe Ld h"" T '",'"• ''^''^ ^^ --er e" "■•« had done inuch „, "hi^^ ' ,1 V"'^^'" ""'. ""^ '^»Ptian robber '-operate „,e„. had lately ;„':' ^^""'^'^"'^^ , h' -our thousand "'on n,fonned hin, ,hat I wa „ , t Tf'"""^ -""">'. Paul sus, no mean city in Ciliri-, ^ ,' ' ""■ '"-' ™^ ^^ citizen of -l-ir
people, which he chd r^l'P'"''' '" ^'^ ■'"'-cd to addrcls t J
eastle. He then told the t m "" ' , '''^' "' "'^^ ^^^nt to tl,e Gamaliel." a learned Jew" „ ' ^ "^ ^™"^''' "P "at the feet of scholars then sat beneath tl n mac ,'^ Tr'^'l; ''" '"^'^"^^i-"^. as as any Jew could be in beh if oT "V ,''"'' been as zealous
verted on his uay ,o Damascus a he """' "' "'^" ^' "'•'^ ^°n- Chnst,ans;and that now he >^"'an a os 1 f,'"^' '" '""^^"^' "'^ preach to the Gentiles. This they co d 1 ,^"""' ^''"^'' ^^''^ '«
hcntselves to be the only plprwhom r ° ■■"'■ '"'''''' ''""'^^ d.v,ne message; and now a-X t^^ev I , """''' ''°""'- "'"' ^ tumult. The chief captain tllu o er IP, °"' ■'"' ^ '■•'f^'e and "'h'le they were bindi g hin h sdd " ,'° ^' ^'^™^««1 ^ '""t
was a great cri„,e to scourge sch a J "' ' '^"'"'''" ^'"■^"'' ^'"'1 it "■•-« a free city, and Paul't „' xl if '°" ■"''''°"' ^ '^i^''' 'tarsus born free; .so Paul escap.rbe . : "'' "'r"'' °'' ''"■•^"■^' ''e -as
greatly frightened that he ^i '"Xui?' ?""' ""' ''"'^''^ "- ofiense against the Ron.an law to bind a' "' "-""^^ ■'"so a great On the morrow Paul ,vas tnl "'^ '*°"'''n ctizen.
eil.or Jewish Sanhedrin, WhuTh^ '' ""^ ^'"'^'^ '^'-'^ -d coun- the high pries, Ananias com ,5 ^'V":"'""''^ '° "'^'^^^ ">em, face, which the apostle resen e . ' '° '"'^'^ '^''" '•> ^lap in the
the priest a w,hitid wall, n,:;;;:,;!.:;;',;!:'?"" °/'he law.ani called
'" pocri
\v
id within. The j
God sh..h priest, when he aeknowled it. but he was not aware that he was f
hyp ^^^vs then reproved h
pd that he would not have d was the high priest
looking fair
im for reviling
one
<)
2l6
THE FAMILY COMMENTARY.
The apostle, finding that the Jews would not hear him, wisely be- thought himself to divide his enemies among themselves; and as one thing which had offended the Jews was his preaching the resurrection of Jesus, he called out that he was brought there for professing his hope iii the resurrection of the dead. Now, the Sadducees denied that there was any resurrection, but the Pharisees believed it, and immediately, as Paul had foreseen, they fell out among themselves;
and the Scribes in the council, ^^=s^^^p?^*^ ^^ who were Pharisees, declared
that Paul was unjustly accused. As the parties became vio- lent. Paul's life was in danger amongst them, and the chief captain, now fearing the con- sequences of his being injured as a Roman citizen, commanded the soldiers again to rescue him and take him into the castle. Here Jesus appeared to him in a vision, and told him he must preach his gospel yet at Rome. Above forty of the Jews, en- raged at the deliverance of the apostle, now took a solemn oath that they would neither eat nor drink till they had killed Paul, and they proposed to the chief priests and elders that if they would make an excuse to have him once more before the council they would take care that he should not again escape alive. How^ever, God defeated their wicked purpose, for, pro- videntially, a sister of Paul's had a son at Jerusalem, who, having learned the intended plot of these men, went himself and informed the apostle, who sent him to tell the chief captain. The captain then ^ost no time to protect him, but ordered a body of soldiers to take him at night to Cesarea, a place which was seventy-five miles from Jerusalem, ard where Felix resided, who was governor of Judea. The captain,
Ui'i'KR CiiAMi;i:Kb IN ORitMAL House.
SIMi
ACTS.
'isely he- ld as one urrection ssing- his s denied i it, and mselves ; I council,
declared
accused, une vio- \ danger he chief the con- j injured imanded scue him le castle. :o him in
he must It Rome, fews, en- ce of the solemn . neither the chief him once lot again
for, pro- I, having rmed the then ^ost :e him at :rusalem,
captain,
217
whose name was Claudius Lysias, also sent a favorable letter to Felix, which you may read in the twenty-third chapter.
At Cesarea Paul was kept for five days in " Herod's judgnient hall,'' or court for holding trials. At the end of this time Ananias, the high priest, and the elders had traveled from Jerusalem, accomijanied by an orator, or sort of counsellor, named Tertullus, for the i)uri)()se of prosecuting Paul. Tertullus, ai)i)earing in court, delixered a very flattering speech to Felix, and then accused Paul of being "a i)estilent fellow, and a mover of seditions," and " a ringleader of the Naza- renes," a name of contempt given by the Jews to the Christians, derived from Jesus being brought uj) at Nazareth. Paul, in re])lyi defended himself with great eloc|uence, and his si)eech agreed with what the captain had said about him in his letter. Felix would not, therefore, hastily condemn him, but put off the business till he had inquired and thought more about it, and had seen the chief captain, who could more particularly explain what he knew of die matter. In the meantime he ordered a centurion to keep guard over Paul, but allowed him to go unfettered and to see any of Ws friends.
Some days afterward, when Felix came with his wife Drusilla, he sent for Paul and had some private conversation with him " concerning the foith in Christ." His wife was a Jewess, the daughter of Herod Agrippa, who was eaten by worms, and sister of the king called Agrippa; and probably Felix wished to satisfy his curiosity and that of his wife about the new faith, which she could better understand than he, knowing something about the prophecies of the Messiah. Paul's reasoning was most powerful ; and while he took this oppor- tunity of striking at some vices which he knew had disgraced the character of Felix, and showed him that, though a rider himself, he must be judged at last for all his crimes before the Judge of the whole earth, the guilty " Felix trembled," and then put off the conversation for another opportunity; but he lulled his conscience to rest and never met Paul again, except on common matters, when he hoped he might in some manner bribe him to gain his liberty.
In this unjust way was Paul kept a prisoner during two years, when Porcius Festus was appointed governor of Judea in the room of Felix.
j-awataeUai^J:-
(f
2lS
THE FAMILY COMMENTARY.
n
Felix did not even then set the apostle at liberty, but left Paul bound, to please the Jews. This was, however, of no advantage to him, for he was himself accused by some of the Jews of oppressive conduct, and taken before Cesar to answer for his own real offenses; and had it not been that he had a brother named Pallas, who had great influ- ence in the court, he would have been severely punished.
The new governor, Pestus, arriving at Jerusalem, the Jews had great hopes that they should now accomplish their wicked purj)Oses against Paul ; and " the high priest and chief of the Jews " even beg'oed it as a fa\or of Pestus that he would send Paul back to the Sanhedrim at Jerusalem to be tried, where they would not have failed to have murdered him. Pestus, however, thought he would first go to Cesarea and inquire into the merits of the case, and he wished the Jews to acconijjany him thither and bring forward their charges against Paul. On reaching Cesarea he took his seat as judge, and the apostle was brought before him; but his accusers were not able to prove any- thing against him. Notwithstanding this, the wicked governor, who ought to have set him free, proposed, after all, to send him before the Sanhedrim, wishing by so doing to gratify the great persons among the Jews. Paul, however, again took shelter under his rigiits as a Roman citizen, and demanded that he should at once go before the emperor, — Nero, then in the seventh year of his reign, — which com- pletely defeated the malicious schemes of his adversaries and left no means of evasion for Pestus.
Agrippa, who ruled over the northeastern portion of Palestine, with the title of king, and his sister Bernice, came over to pay a visit to Pestus and congratulate him on his new dignity. Pestus told Agrippa how much he was perplexed about Paul ; that he had been tried before him and appeared to be an innocent man ; but that, as the matters in di:^:pute were chiefly things which concerned the Jews, and which he did not well understand, he had wished to have sent him before the Sanhedrim, but Paul had resolved to appeal to Cesar.
Agrippa, being a Jew, had his curiosity excited, and wished to ex- amine Paul himself; so he was, on the next day, brought before the public court, where Agrippa and Pestus and Bernice and all " the
5a:
».»j»i.i.ii.i.|ii<,i»i!l><IW|!!y^
ssa
ACTS.
s?i9
il bound,
) him, for
conduct,
and had
cat influ-
cws had purposes vs " even :k to the Lve failed I first go shed the s against e apostle ove any- nor, who cfore the s among lits as a tefore the ich com- d left no
:ine, with I visit to Agrippa ^d before latters in vhich he cfore the
d to ex-
2forc the all "the
chief cai)tains and principal men of the city " were assembled t()«<ether. Festus then openly declared his opinion of Paul's innocence; but smce he had ap|,calcd to Cesar, he said he must now send him to Rome, but he rcall)' did not know what to say to the emperor as an excuse for sending him thither. lie had, therefore, assembled this court for advice, and especially wished for that of Agrippa, an illus- trious person, and who was capable of entering better into the matters in dispute.
After Festus had spoken Agrippa told Paul he might speak; when the apostle again elociuently pleaded his own cause, stated his early life, his conversion, his mission to the (ientiles, his sufferings from the Jews, and the doctrines which he preached. At length he was suddenly interrupted by Festus, who said, with a loud voice, "Paul, thou art beside thyself; much learning doth make thee mad." To whom Paul replied that he was perfectly in his senses, and his doctrines were the words of truth. The apostle also so closely pressed his ad- dress upon Agrippa that he forced him to cry out, "Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian." Paul said to the king, " I would to God that not only thou, but also all that hear me this day were both almost and altogether such as I am, except these bonds."
After breaking up the council Agrippa told Festus that if Paul had not appealed to Cesar he should certainly have advised his bein<.- set at liberty, for he was without doubt an innocent man. ""
Paul's Dangerous Voyage to Rome.— His Miracles at Melita.
ACTS XXVII, XXVIII.
Paul was now given in charge of Julius, a Roman centurion, and sent on board a ship of Adramyttium to sail for Rome. Adramyt- tmm was a seaport town in Mysia. a part of the province of Asia
Ancient War-engi.ne.
"T^'-
"y'lnafcuiiii ' ..
^iiS.
77//: FAMILY COMMENTARY.
He w.-is accompanied in his voyag'e by a Christian brother named Aristarchus. They touched at Sitlon, a famous city of I'htx^nicia, where Paul having some friends, Julius handsomely allowed him per- mission to go and visit them. Thence they sailed under the island of Cyprus and crossed the sea of Cilicia and Tamphylia, and then came to Myra, a city of Lycia. Here the centurion found a ship of Alexandria which was bound for Italy. Alexandria was the chief city of Egypt, built by Alexander the Great immediately after his contjuest of Egypt, and it was peopled with Greeks. It had many magnificent buildings and a library — built by Ptolemy Philadelphus, one of the kings of Egypt — containing 700,000 \'olumes, which was, unfortunately,
burnt in a war between Julius Cct;sar, who ^\'as the Roman dic- tator, and Pompcy, a great Roman general.
In order to make a short cut to Italy, the master of the ship now stood toward Cnidus, a place in Asia Minor; but the wind being contrai'y, he altered his course, and so sailed below Crete, one of the noblest isles in the Mediterranean Sea, which is now better known by the name of Candia, and then he passed over against Salmone, known latterly by the name of Cape Salmone, a piece of land in the island of Crete. They next came to a place called the Fair Havens, near Lasea, a city on the seashore of Crete.
Having lost much time in sailing slowly against the wind or stop- ping at the Fair Havens, the captain wished to proceed on his voyage, although the time of the year was now very unfavorable. Paul advised the centurion not to proceed, for there was great danger ; but the captain persisted, and in the end found he had done wrong in not taking the apostle's advice. Rash people have often to repent of not taking kind and wise advice, when it is too late.
As the haven was not commodious to winter in, they proceeded on
Anciknt War-icngine for Tiirowinc Stonks.
iMyiiiiaMiNlliii' ''' " — ^ — ^^
ACTS.
r named 'hcunicia, him per- ic island md then I ship of :hief city concjuest gnificent le of the tunately, n Julius nan dic- t Roman
>rt cut to hip now place in id being arse, and le of the erranean r known ^almone, id in the Havens,
or stop- voyage, I. Paul ger; but ig in not It of not
ieded on
i>-<i
wind ™r: r;rt- ''"r'"'' ■•' '"^■^" °^ ^^^'^-^ "- ">« ••' '--ah,c
diftcult) they secured their boat to go ashore; and th.-v na^sc<l r, , s
so darkened by this storm inrl fiv.f w , ^i-'i me skits were
see none of fhJ h i r "'''"^^ ^''^>''' ^^^^'^^ ^hey could
wen" and in '''^^ ^°'^'''' ""^^ ''^^''■^'^°^*'' '^"^^^ "«t whither they
ho,v.ver, no. they must be shipwrecked, but the^r ],>: ^uM all
On the fourteenth nig],t the seamen found, by soundintr that thev were approaching some land, and so to prev nf be m' vfeded thev cast anchor. In sounding, a wei.^ht attirl ed f„ , . • ^^'^^^^'^ ""^y sea a„, , .^e depth to^lhich Tt'si^ll^a Vthrm" Icnots on the rope, the sailors know whether they are nea lanT Th.
cable and thrown into the sea, and its flukes burying themselveTin he sandy or gravelly bottom of the sea, it holds the ship so that t an not be easily moved from its place or drift upon the rocics or sand
In this case four anchors w-ere cast, to hold the 'ship the more firmly The sadors now attempted to escape for their liv' s, and w re s" al-
''-**•• — -^^^^SSESS ?
•1 I
223
'/y//' FAMILY COMMEXTARY.
\\v^ off with the boat, when Paul dcchircd that their continuance was absolutely necessary to sa\e the rest; so the soldiers cut the rope by which the boat was tied to the ship and let it go, that the sailors might not get into it.
They had now all fasted a long time, and the apostle urged them to eat before the siiip was wrecked, ami to g.ither a little strength for the toils they would have to undergo; and tli-n he solemnly gave God thanks before them ali, and began himself to eat. We ought never to take our food without giving (lod thanks; for, as good Mr. Henry says, we can not put a morsel of food into our mouths till God first puts it into our hands.
The namber of the crew and passengers was 2/6. Having satisfied
their appetites, the last thing which they could do to lighten the '-hip was to throw away the wheat and provisions ; this they now did.
At daylight they saw
a little creek of water,
with a shore, and taking
up the anchor, hoisted a
sail and tried to run the
ship in. In doing this they ran upon some sands where two seas
met, and the fore part stuck fast, but the hinder part was broken by
the furious waves.
The soldiers now proposed to kill the prisoners lest any of them should escape and they should be answerable for them, and the apostle Paul was to have been killed among the rest. But the cen- turion, who by this time greatly respected Paul, opposed the wicked, cruel, and ungrateful scheme ; he therefore ordered those who could swim to escape to the shore, and that the others should ride on boards and broken pieces of timber from the ship, and escape the best way they could ; and so they all got " safe to land."
The place at which they landed was called Melita, which has gener-
WAR-UALLi;v 1\ lill.'LE TIMES.
ACTS.
incc was
rope by
; sailors
L'd them nijth for ily j;ave c ought IS good iLiths till
satisfied the last y could he ship ,vay the visions ; l1.
Iiey saw water, 1 taking oisted a run the ,vo seas 3ken by
3f them uid the he cen- wicked, o could boards est way
gener-
2^.^
ally been supposed to be the island now called Malta Ikre th!-
nauve. u.ugh uncivilized, showed the shipwrecked UKu-ine. ^.-^
la ;^ -ulness and as it was rainy and they were fatiguecfan
, '^'Z '^^''.'^^^^' '^'-^^^ gathered a bundle, and while he was layin- it on
t hi: ;ri '^'tu r:' ) 'r^ ''■'^■^" '^ ''^ ^^^^^^ --^^ ^-'-5
pon nis Hand. I he bite of this scr],cnt is exceedin-dv venomous -Kl ,ts po,son the n.ost dangerous. Vhe natives. bei,;;!\- " s ^
^ rr :;::d:r:r" 't^ -^ i>aui. who.: t^.;r::i;
shpw^ek h 1 1 "^^ now punishing, though he had escaped
snipu cck. laul shook off the reptile into the fire, and they all looked on expectu^g to see him fall down dead; but vhen tl 'sw he l.ad received no hurt, they then looked upon hin. as no lels tlm I
rec^ved^t!!"^ ^'r^' ^''"■"'' """^'^' Publius. who very hospitably
rccuvcd the unfortunate strangers. But his hospitality w s well
pa.d; fort e fuher of Publius. laying at the time sick of tfl^
apostle and lis companions were much respected durino- their stiv and received help for their voyage. "^ ^ ^ '
Here they remained during diree months, when thev sailed in a s .p of Alexanclria. which had wintered in the isle. T c)' n " t L ded at Syracuse, a famous city in Sicily, where they stopped threlvs
t^r rtrtmVonr 'ti ^'°-t '''J''- ^'^'--' ^^^
oi mm as a prisoner for the cause of Christ.
'^"^^
22\
run I'AMiL y a >MM/:.\r. i/< i :
Oil arrivini;' at Rome Paul was allouid to have an a|)arliiicnt to himself, that he miL;ht not l)e annoyed by the common prisoners; ])erhai)S lie owed this favor to the kindness of Julius, the centurion, who liatl behaved toward him very handsomely throuj^diout his whole voyas^e. He liatl, however, a soldier with him, and accordini^ to the Roman custom this man was constantly chained to the apostle, as men are handcuffeil to_L,''etlier in our country.
Here Raul sent for the Jews at Rome, and told them how unjustly lie had been treated by their brethren and how he had been obliL;ed to appeal to Cesar; and he informed them aljout Christ, the true Messiah; and lindint;- them disposed to hear him he met many that visited him and instructed them in the Cospel, and numbers of them believed in Jesus. " And Paul dwelt two whole years in his own hired house, and received all that came in unto him, j)reachiny^ the kingdom of (iod, and teaching' those thini;'s which concern the Lord Jesus Christ, with all confidence, no man forbiddinsj^ him."
In these facts we have constantly j^resented to our minds the faith- fulness of this threat and valiant worker in the establishment of Christianity; and therein, too, are reminded of the similar energy and steadfastness of others of the apostles, shown in their unconcern for the threateninL;s and persecutions directed against them. It seems tiuly wonderful that those who were selected to do the work of the Master were not only inspired and strengthened for it, but were also filled with a boldness that shrank not from the face of kinijs and emperors and turned not away from the gaze of death. This espe- cially appears in the case of several who, unlike Paul, seemed influ- enced by ignorance and temerity.
incut to •isoiicrs; nturion, is uliolc ^ to the (istlc, as
unjustly ol)li<;cd he true :uiy ihiit of them Ill's own linj^^ the le Lord
le faith- uent of rti'V and cern for t seems of the ere also i<j:s and is espc- ;d influ-
THE nnsTLts
Aki. euers ether to parlia.l.r |,cr.so„s .„ cln.rdu.s , or are what arc .so,„,.,i,„,.s calle.l '• cir.ular letters" to tl,e Churc he. ■„ «e,.eral. It „ l,..|„.vc.,l they were all written l.y Apostles, ,u„l, in.l.e.l. e.uh has th. .Kune ol „„ A,,„stle a -i .;| I . -o.p,„„ that to the ll..|,r,.v. a„.. the ,wo asen,,..., to Jol,,,. V.n, i, „:„„..,| a. the writ,, o, ,|,i„.! „ 1 he, .. 1 „. l.,|„stl,.s were certainly .hvn.ely n.,pi,e,l. The .lunches, in the early tnn, ,. u, .u,.! th-n, a, the wo„l of (.o,li „,„! ,,,.„h..r heretus nor oppos.rs of the anei..nt ohurehe. .lenie.l that they we,,, th.- „„„„„. u.iun., of the
Apcstles a,„l the plan, tr„,h, of . hri^tianity. All the Kpistles. execptin« the several nn-nt '| al-ove. heein with
.jatnes of te wr.ter a,„l of ,h„s.. to wl , th. Kpis.le is n.l.lresse.l ; then follow, the sal„ta„ then thcletfr. a 1
hen the in,hv„l„al messages. it ,s ..ve.ywh.re a«,e,.l to that this pa,t of ,h. N, w Testan.en, -|„.„s ,1„. lull.ln,..,, of the ancent prophee.es even more than .hat is .;,lh.,l the historical par,. Tl„.c Kpis.hs „No contain a n„n,l,.., of wonderful pr„phec,es. thus provin, that they wee in.pi.d |,y onr ( ,n,l, who alone see.the end Iron. ,h. heginniny
..^
The Epistle to the Romans.
'^l-^^^^^'"^ J^I^i^tle is placed first in the li^t of the I-pistles,
m ^E^)^i)r«)I)ably because Rome was a place c' very -reat
»L impt.' ce; but the Hpistles to the 'rhessafonlaiH,
('< nnthians, and the first lipistle to Timothy, that
to litus, and perhaps some others, were all written
before it.
It is generally thou.i,dit that the Apostle Paul had never seen the Roman Christians when he wrote to them, but he felt a ^rreat interest in them ; and they must haxe Joxcd him very much for it. for thc\ traveled from thirty to fifty miles hom that city to meet him when he was iroin<r as a prisoner there. '^
You are not to suppose from the title that the people to xvhom this hpistle x\as xxritten vNere native Romans, some of them were so and U'erc converted from heathenism; but they were mereh- persons dwellm.^^ m Rome, most of ^^•hom were converted Jews. The \postle calls them neither Jews nor Romans, but addressed them as "all that be at Rome, beloved of God, called to be Saints."
The chief desiu-n of this Hpistle was to show these dwellers at Rome and us, how a poor smner may be justified or accounted righteous and
225
M.m^-
2ZG
THE FAMILY COMMENTARY.
good in the sight of God. Then, as in the other Epistles, after having explained the grand subject he had in his mind, he exhorts the Chris- tians to practise various duties. These duties are named frequently in his various Epistles, and are such as obedience to parents and rulers, respect to ministers, kindness and charity toward one another, and love to all saints.
The First and Second Epistles of Paul to the Corinthians.
Corinth has been noticed when we treated on the Acts. It was a
large and crowded city, and the capital or chief city of Achaia ; and Achaia was a province of Greece. The apostle Paul was at this place about two years, and, having converted many Jews and Gentiles, and left them united together in a Christian church, he now wrote to them to correct some wron<>- thin<'s which he heard were practised among them.
Corinth was celebrated for its games, called the Isthmian games, because the place itself stood on an isthmus, or neck of land joining two larger bodies of land, as we are told in the geographies. These games were practised every fourth year. There were other games of a similar kind celebrated in Greece, called the Olympic, Pythean, and Nem.-can. Those who engaged in these games were trained for twelve months before ; and they had suitable food and exercise, to prevent them from growing too fat or too indolent, and so be- coming unfit to endure the hardships they had to undergo ; for they
ISrazen Layer.
EPISTLES.
er having ;he Chris- requcntly cnts and J another,
hians.
It was a ', and the ' Achaia ; ivincc of Paul was vo years, d many left them Christian
to them g- things practised
ated for Isthmian Lce itself
or neck D larger
are told These :r games Pythean, I trained exercise, d so be-
for they
23:
had to run, to ^vrcstlc, to leap, and to box. The boxers used their arms, frequently beating the air, as if they were beating their onno- nents, that so the)- nught be skilful and strong. The path of 'I- raeers was marked out by ^^hite lines or posts; he who did not keep w,dtm then,, though he uas first at the goal, or winning post, lost th'e^ prize. Garlands or erowns made of leaves of pine, olive, laurel or ixirsley.vereg.ven to the conquerors by the judges appointed to de-
Large nun.bers of speetato. . were present to see these g'uues, ^^hieh d.eny as n.ueh attention in Greece as the greatest sights do an, .n.r us
aga,nst s,n ,n order to obtam superior honors. So you ,vill, fron kno,vmg what has been here n,entioned about them, understand his meanmg ,n many parts of his Epistles where otherwise it uould not have appeared quite plain. The following texts are among those in wh,c, the aj^ostle alludes to these games: : Cor. ix, ^r. g1 v 7. Phil. 11, i6: 111, 13, 14; Heb. xii, i. ■ *. v.
The Epistle of Paul to the Galatians.
Galatia was a ,,l■„^•ince of Asia Minor, and this Epistle was not
cChn" ;^V""i^'r"^ °^-'">' p«-- ^-'y - town, butt ;
Christians in the uhole province. It is not certain by whom their sever.^1 churches uere founded, but it is thought probable that thev were founded by the apostle. The reason why d,e l^pistle w..s\vritte^ was this . some couNerted Je,vs had joined the Galatians, and not avmg a clear knouledge of the Gospel of Christ, had taught them they must, in beconung Christians, attend to some things ,^hiel, wer^
SI h" ■: "'"'f'?" f "" J"^" '"'''■ - Christ had done . v'^ vith all he rites of the Jewish Church,_which were only shadows or types .and figures of the spiritual worship of his new ehurel,,-this was d great mistake, and tae apostle wrote to correct it
23S
THE FAMILY COMMENTARY.
The Epistle of Paul to the Ephesians.
Some account of the city of Ephcsus has been given in the remarks on the nineteenth chapter of the Acts. The apostle Paul went to this city after he had been at Corinth, but he made only a short stay. The next time he visited it he found twelve disciples, and made many more. He continued two or three years, and formed a Christian church, to whom this Epistle was written. The apostle foresaw that teachers of untruths would spring" up after his death, and his design in writing to the Ephesians was to fix their minds in the pure truths of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
The Epistle of Paul to the Philippians.
You read something about Philippi in the commentary on the six- teenth chapter of the Acts of the Apostles. Philippi was a Roman colony, which had, for several reasons, received great favors from the Roman emperors and senate. It was situated in Macedonia, a country near Greece. The Gospel was first preached here by the apostle Paul. The design of this Epistle was to exhort the Philippians to live in love toward one another, and to comfort them under those troubles which they were called to endure from the persecutors of the Christians.
The Epistle of Paul to the Colossians.
Colosse was a city in Asia Minor, which perished by an earthquake with several other cities. Soon after this Epistle was written a new city was built on its ruins. It is not known how the Christian faith reached this place, and it is thought by some that the apostle Paul was not known there in person, because in the second chapter and first verse he seems to imply that they had not seen his face in the flesh ; but this language is not cjuite certain, and does not exactly state any such thing. Some, therefore, think that the apostle Paul did preach here, for during three years that he dwelt at Ephesus he employed himself with so much zeal and diligence that we are told in the nine-
■..v,iuM»*iiemssimi«--£j^is
EPISTLES.
329
remarks It to this ay. The le many ^^hristian saw that s design re truths
the six- . Roman from the
country tie Paul. ) live in troubles
of the
•thquake I a new ian faith ^aul was md first le flesh ; tate any ] preach nployed lie nine-
teenth chapter of the Acts that " all they that dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks." This, like some of the Epistles, is chiefly written to warn against making mistakes in religion and to encourage to constancy in the profession of faith in Christ. It is to be noticed that this Epistle and that to the Ephe- sians are very much alike, from which it is thought that they were both written at the same time, while the same inspired thoughts were fresh in the mind of the apostle.
The First and Second Epistles of Paul to the Thessalonians.
Thcssalonica was a very large and flourishing city, where trade was
free, and th ripital of Macedonia. The place is now called Salonica
Here the ; tie came after
he had been at Philippi, and
stayed there about three
wrecks, and preached every J_
Sabbath day. Many Jews, f
Greeks, and chief women of
the place readily received
the glad tidings of salvation
which he declared, and the
foundation was laid of a
Gospel church. The wicked
Jews, who despised the
apostle's message, raised a
mob and assaulted the house '"" "'"" ■^'""''' ""''^ '" '""'^'^''^•
of Jason, where Paul and Silas were, and thev were sent away for safety by night out of the city. Timothy was soon after sent by the apostles to comfort and instruct the converts at this city. He was pleased with what he saw, and took back to the apostle a report of the faith and charity which appeared among the Thessalonians. The apostle then wrote the Eirst Epistle, and some months afterward he also wrote a second, comforting the Christians in their troubles and urging them to hold fast their profession.
230
THE FAMILY COALUENTARY
The First and Second Epistles of Paul to Timothy.
Timothy was remarkable for hi:, early piety and acquaintance with the Scriptures. The apostle in writing to him says : " From a child thou hast known the Scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation, through faith which is in Christ Jesus." Timothy s mother, Eunice, was a Jewess, and his father was a Greek, \\1ien in his travels the apostle Paul came from Antioch the second time to Lystra, Timothy was so warmly recommended to liim by the church in that place that he took him with him as a traveling com.panion. He was set apart for the work of an Evangelist, in order to be a fellow- laborer with Paul in preaching the Gospel. The apostle evidently had a tender regard for him, and these Epistles were written to him to give him useful advice in the work of the ministry.
The Epistle of Paul to Titus.
Titus was a Greek, to whom the apostle Paul had been the honored
messenger of preaching the Gospel, and he had not received it in vain.
Paul dearly loved him, and employed him much in assisting him to do
his work; we read of his sending him to Corinth, to finish a collection
there 1 ) assist the poor saints at Jerusalem, and to Dalmatia, to
inquire after the saints Micre and to comfort them. We do not read
in the apostle's history that he ever was at Crete, but from this
Epistle it is thought that he was, for he says to Titus, " I left thee at
Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that arc wanting and
ordain elders, or ministers, in every city, as I had appointed thee."
Crete is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, and is now called
Candia. This island has a considerable number of inhabitants, and
is remarkable for producing no ferocious or poisonous creature. This
Epistle was evidently written to teach Titus how to choose good men
for pastors, and how to act himself as a minister of Jesus Christ.
m^.:,mMi*i'^.Miimii:i3oam>xtimL
EPISTLES.
23T
The Epistle of Paul to Philemon.
This is a very short but a very interesting Epistle. It is, in fact a story about Onesimus, a converted slave, who ran away from his master Philemon, whom some think he robbed, and then went to Rome, where he
heard the apostle Paul ^^:g<i«^ ^- - .. .^^
preach, when his ^,,^*^^— "^^ =^^^=^
heart was chani-ed. ^^"^ .. ■ -s«^^=-.
The kind apostle then wrote this most tender Epistle to Philemon, whom he knew, begging him to take his slave back into his service, for Onesimus was now become a truly good man, and what loss Philemon had sus- tained by his absence, the apostle assured him he was quite ready to pay. It is supposed that Philemon lived at Colosse.
The Epistle of Paul to the Hebrews.
This does not bear the name of the apostle Paul, but, if not written by hmi. It manifests much of his spirit. The design of writin^r it was to explain to them— the converted Hebrews, or Jews— the sup^eriority of Christ to Moses, to Joshua, or Aaron ; to prove that in his priesthood ana death all the work of the priests was completed ; that he had made a perfect offering for sin; and that from henceforth there was no other way in which salvation could be expected but throuirh Christ ^
SYRIAN TENTS.
ij
1 I
233
77//: FAMII.Y COMMENTARY.
m
The General Epistle of James.
The Epistle of James is ealled "general " beeause it was not written to any particular person. It was addressed "to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad." These were not Christian Jews scattered abroad by i)ersecLition, but Jews who had been scattered over all countries by the captivity, numbers of whom never returned, in conse- quence of Cyrus' decree, but remained among the Gentiles. The author of this Iipistle is thought to be James, the brother of Jude, known by the name of James the Less, probably because he was less in stature or younger than James, the son of Zebedee, who was slain by Herod. Some of the Jews here addressed were pious men and some not. This is clear from the difterent sorts of address which we find in the lipistle, some consoling and comforting, others warning and rebuking.
The First and Second Epistles General of Peter.
These Epistles, like that of James, were addressed to scattered Jews, "strangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Caj)|)adocia, Asia, and l^ithynia." These might include some remains of the ten tribes carried captive by the Assyrians and of the two tribes carried captive by the Babylonians ; but more especially are the Epistles addressed to suffering Christians, chiefly converted Jews and some Gentiles, who were scattered abroad in the early persecutions of the Christian Church.
The apostle Peter was more especially sent to minister to the Jews, as the apostle Paul was to the Gentiles ; and Peter, meeting with a fnithful brother, Silvanus, who had been the companion of Paul, takes an opportunity of sending a letter by him. chicfiy addressed to the converted Jews dispersed among the (kntile countries where he with Paul and others traveled, the design of which was to show that both taught the same glorious doctrines. This was the First Epistle.
The Second Epistle was to urge those to whom the apostle wrote to be anxious after divine knowledge, to fix their minds on the Gospel,
, ..jiumsnSiimila^tMm
EPISTUIS.
23.^
to guard them a.<,rainst teachers that would instruct tliem in error, and to warn them of the approaching- end of all thin-^s.
The First Epistle General of John.
The author of tliis Epistle .vas John, the son of Zebedee, the disciple whom Jesus loved ; he was the youn-est of the apostles and surx ived them all. The design of writing it was to promote brotherly love to warn agamst doctrines that alloued men to live in sin, and to give clear notions of the nature of God and of the divine glory of Jesus Christ. There is an anecdote of tliis apostle worthy of being remembered, both by young and old, whom the vener- able John was used to address alike by the tender names of little children. It is said in some early histories that he spent his last days at Ephesus, where he died; and that when he was too old to walk he was carried to the place of worship in the arms of some of the disciples He could then only speak a few words ver\- feebly, and these words always were, " Little children, love one another."
The Second Epistle of John.
This you see, is not called " general." It was written to a pious ^dy. The object of it was to urge this pious lady to hold fast her Christian faith, to avoid error, and to love God and those who loved him.
The Third Epistle of John.
This Epistle was to a particular person also. His name was Gaius or Cams, and, most likely, the same mentioned by the apostle Paul for
Ski'ui.cmkal Cave in Jkrusalkm,
234
THE FAMILY COMMENTARY.
i '
his kindness in rcccivint;- and lodging and entertaining good people. See the sixteenth ehapter of Romans, near the end. In this Epistle John speaks of one " Diotrephes," who was a very haughty man, which was not a proper mark of a Christian, and of one " Demetrius," who had a good report of all men, as every Christian should have, as far as respects his life, temper, and behavior. The former he mentions that Gaius may not imitate him, and the latter he holds up as an excellent example. We should always imitate the example of the truly wise and good.
The General Epistle of Jude.
This is also an epistle written to no particular person, but chiefly designed for the Jews who believed in Jesus Christ. Jude, or rather Judas, was the son of'Alpheus, and brother of James the Less, or the younger. He was also called Lebbeus and Thaddeus, for it was a frequent custom in those days to have two or more names; so Peter was sometimes called Simon and sometimes Cephas.
■^aiWBiawiTiiilffiiY-ri'ilWil
cople. Lpistlc which " who far as 5 that client f wise
:hicfly rather or the was a Peter
REVELATION OF ST. JOHN THE DIVINE
^^ OxMITIAN, a Roman tyrant, banished the Apostle
- John, for bcin- a Christian, to a solitary and rocky
island called Patmos, about thirty miles from the
western coast of Asia Minor. The good man is
never alone, for God is with him ever>-where. Here
God favored John with wonderful visions of uhat
i^f^J^^^^ ^'^"^"''^ hereafter happen to the Church and the
\ ^^llfe • '''jJ^ wor 1 d .
The first three chapters of this book contain a sort of preface, addressed to the seven Churches in rru .• o J. r.^?''' ^Minor— namely, Ephesus, Smyrna, Percramos. Thyatira. Sardis Philadelphia, and Laodicea. The remaining chapters are accounts of his vision. "" ^
We shall first notice the seven Churches in Asia. These w^ere not the only Churches in Asia Minor; for there were Churches in Phryma Pamphyha, Galatia, Pontus, Cappadocia, etc., which were also in Asia Minor, but the Apostle knew and wrote to these seven Churches "in particular. The first w^as Ephesus, of which we have made men- ion on several occasions. The second is still known as S,,vym the largest and richest city of Asia Minor. It contains about one hundred ana ninety thousand inhabitants, the largest number of which are 1 urks; the rest are Greeks, Jews (of whom there are eleven thousand),
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«36
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w
Armenians, Roman Catliolics, and Protestants. It is a beautiful city, but Ircciucntly ravaged by the plague, and has suffered by repeated earth([uakes.
The third Church named is that of Pcygatnos. This city is now called Bergamo. It must in John's time have been a city of great importance, for it then had a manuscript library of 200,000 volumes, which Antony and Cleopatra, queen of Hg)pt, sent lo Alexandria. It has now 14,000 inhabitants of different nations, but the houses are of wood, and look sm:dl and mean.
The fourth Church named is lliyatira. This place is situated in the miilst of an extensive i)lain, which is nearly surrounded by moun- tains. Its houses are low, and chiefly of mud or earth. It now looks poor and mean. It was anciently, and still is, famous for dyeing, es|)ecially in scarlet.
The fifth Church mentioned is Sardi's. This famed city was once the capital of King Croesus, the richest monarch that ever lived. He was defeated by C\ rus in the plain before the city, when it passed to the Persians. After the Persians were defeated by Alexander the (ireat it surrendered to him, and then in time to the Romans. It was destroyed by a terrible earthc[uake in the reign of Tiberius, the Roman Hmperor, who rebuilt it. Afterward the different nations of Goths, Saracens, and Turks, one after another, ruined it in their wars, and it is nothing but desolation. A mere sprinkle of ruins of its former greatness remains. No Christians dwell on the spot: two Greeks only were lately living there to work a mill, and a few wretched Turk- ish huts were scattered among the ruins.
The sixth Church addressed w^as in Philadelphia. The Turks call this place Allah Shehr, or " city of God." There are now about three thousand houses on the spot, covering a space of ground running up the slope of three or four hills. The streets are filthy and the houses mean.
The seventh Church was that of Laodicca. There were two places so called in Asia Minor. This place is more desolate than any of the others, having been completely ruined by earthquakes. Its ruins cover three or four small hills, and are of very great extent, consisting of an aqueduct, theater, amphitheater, and other public buildings.
:mmift»*»emmm^^m
A'mv-L-ir/OM
^37
Some remarkable fuifilments of what God said l)y the apostle John
must also be noticed
The Hphesians had j;one back
in their religion, which is what is
meant by leavmg their first Ion e. (iod threatened them by his prophet and he told them that he would remove their "candlestick out of its' place 11 they did not repent. By this he meant that he would take the li-ht of the Gospel away from them; and he did so. Hphesus is now a forlorn spot— it is no more. Its ruins are of vast extent.
Sm\ rna was mentioned in terms of approval, and no judgment was de- nounced against it. So, thou<<h they have but little Go.spel li-ht, V^t the candlestick has not been wholl) re- moved out of its place, and the city itself is still large and nourishing. Of this Church the venerable Polycarp was one of the pastors. In the year one hundred and sixty-two, about seventy years after this Book of the Bible was written, a persecution broke out against the Christians at Smyrna; and the Roman Hmperors, who had then dominion of those parts, treated them with shocking cruelty because they w^ould not serve their idols. The gray-headed Polycarp was marked for destruction. His friends concealed him in a village, but they were put to the torture to make them tell where he could be found. The old man could not bear that they should all suffer for him, and delivered himself up, saying, "The will of the Lord be done." When he was brought before' the proconsul one of the governors of Smyrna wished him not to be injured and' when he Nvas examined, made signs that he should -cieny he was Poly- carp, but Polycarp would not tell a falsehood. He then urged him to deny Christ, and promised him safety. " No," said the brave old man.
15 1,
ASHTARdTir, Till, rmi.ISTINE GoDDESS,
«3S
THE I AMILV COMM/LYTARY.
"fourscore and six years have I served Christ; neither hath he ever wronj^rcd me at any time; how tiien can I deny my Saviour and King?" He was threatened with being thrown to the wild beasts, being burned and tornK ,ited, but he stood unmoved, saying, " You threaten me with fire, which shall last but an hour, and is cjuickly quenched ; but you are ignorant of the everlasting fire of the day of judgment, and of those endless torments w hich are reserved for the wicked I But why do you delay? appoint me what death you please." The proconsul was astonished. He then commanded the crier to proclaim three times that Polycarp owned himself a Christian, and he was sentenced to the flames. In the midst of the flames he thus prayed to his Father in heaven: "O God I the Father of thy beloved Son, Jesus Christ, and through whom we have received the knowledge of thee I O God, the Creator of all things, upon thee 1 call, iliee I confess to be the true God ; thee I glorify ! O Lord, receive me, and make mc a partaker of the resurrection of thy saints, through the merits of our Great High Priest, thy beloved Son, Jesus Christ, to whom with the Father and the Holy Spirit, be honor and glory for- ever, Amen." Here was courage more than mortal ; God helping his servant to put on the martyr's crown : and here was fulfilled what God said to Smyrna, " Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life."
The rest of this book is very difficult to explain, and '"^n only in part be understood by those who are of riper years txuC. vho well study and pray over it. This book, like the Projjhecies, is written in dark terms on purpose, because otherwise all the world would know them ; and this book and the Prophecies are only designed to be a guide to those who w^ish to know the mind of God and to mark his providence in his dealings with his Church.
We can not, therefore, attempt to do more than to tell you that most of the language here used is the language of signs ; that is, certain things are used to signify other things. John in his inspired visions
saw all that he Stntes; but then whal" hp sawonlv renrpsf^ntf^d »'ealitif«:
in other forms.
In the eighth chapter the seven seals which were opened and the
,,jmimimutmi>stMfiami0.tikitti^
Rr.VfXATfOM.
839
seven trumpets which were to he blown are descriptions of sc\ en periods of Christ's Church on earth and of the divisions of those periods. They tell of the setting Uj) of Christ's kin-dom in the world; of the triumphs of Pa<;anism and rise and fail of Popery and other great errors; of the final triumph of the Gospel, the happy state of the Church of Christ, the Day of Judgment, and the eternal blessedness of the saints.
May we, dear young readers l)e found anion- the hapi)y numl)er adormg Jesus, "the Lamb of Go('," who died for sinners, and singin-r forever, " Salvation to ou- ikxl. vhich sitteth upon the thronc'lmd unto the Lamb!" And ni : a e, more than this, so try to do' and finish our life's work that we sliall reap the reward set before us in one of the most beautiful of the Old Testament prophecies: "And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness, as the stars forever and ever."
i«-\^
'I ABLE OF SUEW-liKEAD.
i I
ASIA MINOR.
The Scene of the Labors of the Apostles Paul, Peter, and John.
N the fulfilment of our purpose of furnishing all necessary assistance to our readers for understanding,^ and beini^ profited by the word of God, we have thought it best to give such a description of the regions in which the Gospel was preached by the apostles and especially by Paul, John, and Peter, as should enable those who may read the Acts of the Apostles and the Epistles to know definitely where, and under what difficulties, they performed their labors. The missionary labors of Paul commenced at Antioch (which was his Christian home in a higher sense than Jerusalem), and extending at first to his native city. Tarsus, and his native province, Cilicia, led, in his successive missionary journeys, to his traversing five of the seven provinces which then comprised the peninsula now known as Asia Minor, and his subsecpient visits to Macedonia, Attica, Achaia, and eventu.nUy Illyricum, and his compulsory residence in Rome. That he extended his labors in later life to Spain, and perhaps to other portions of western Europe, is possible but not certain; but we can only, in this place, concern our- selves with his work in Asia Minor, Macedonia, and Greece. The Apostle John, after many years of active labor in Jerusalem and Judea, subsequent to the destruction of Jerusalem, continued his work in Ephesus and its vicinity, and after the martyrdom of Paul and Timothy continued their work in the Roman province of Asia, the western province of Asia Minor, of whi h Ephesus was the capital. The seven churches of Asia were all in this province. He was banished by Domitian to the isle of Patmos in the yEgean Sea, at no great
240
AS/A MAYOR.
24 1
distance from Ephesus, but returned to that city after the death of the t\rant. The Apostle Peter, aside from occasional visits to Antioch, spent the earlier years of his ministry in Palestine, but finally crossed the Tigris into Mesopotamia, and at Hdessa, Nisibis, and P>abylon preached, founded schools, and wrote his epistles, visitino' also Ephesus and Corinth, and ending his ministry by imprisonmen't and martyrdom at Rome.
It \\ill be seen, then, that the regions which we have to describe in connection with the apostolic labors, as recorded in the New Testament, are Asia Minor, Macedonia and Greece, and Syria and Mesopotamia! Let us first understand where Asia Minor is. If you will look at any good map of Asia, or, what will be better, at any of the recent maps of the Turkish empire, )-ou will notice that the Alediterranean Sea extends almost due eastward to the Syrian coast, and that the coast line runs nearly from north to south, as the eastern boundary of the great sea. Now look flirther north on the same map, and about 350 miles to the north you will find the Black Sea, which in old times was called the Euxine Sea. Runnincr vour finoer westward, along the south shore of the Black Sea. you come to the Bosphorus, or strait leading into the Sea of Marmora, in which Constantinople is situated. Passing down this strait, into and through the whole length of the Sea of Marmora, which in Bible times was called the Propontis, you come to another strait now called the Dardanelles, but in former times the Hellespont, which leads into a sea full of islands, called the yligcan Sea or Archipelago, which is really a part of the Mediterranean. If you have followed my directions carefully, you will see that you have passed around three sides of a peninsula or tract of land bounded by water on the north, the west, and the south sides. This great peninsula, nearly 700 miles long from east to west, and about" 400
Romans Carrying th?; Tai;i.|': ur Siikw-hrkad.
243
THE FAMILY COMMENTARY.
\
■'i
miles wide, is Asia Minor. It is separited from f.yria and Armenia on the east by the mountains of the lofty Taurus range. Its history for the past LnVo tliousand years has been full of interest; some of tiie most renowned cities of the world, such as ancient Troy, Kphesus, Tarsus, and Smyrna, were within its boundaries; many of the largest and most influential of the early Christian churches were founded here bv the apostles and their successors ; for five or six hundred years after tile Christian era, the churches of Asia Minor exerted a powerful influence over all Christian Europe. At a later period the country fell into the hands of the Turkomans, and finally was conquered by the Ottoman Turks, who have held it to the present time, and have reduced much of it to the condition of a desert. It is still, however, the most populous and wealthy part of their empire.
But we have only to describe the country as it was in the time of the apostles. If you will look again at the map (our map of Asia Minor in this book), you will see in the northeast corner of the Medi- terranean Sea that there is a gulf projecting into the land ; this is called the Gulf of Issus, and that part of the Mediterranean below it, the Sea of Cilicia. From the south a river flows down from the Syrian Moun- tains, and discharges its waters into this Cilician Sea ; it is the river Orontes, and a few miles above its mouth you will find the city of Antioch. That city did not belong to Asia Minor, but was one of the capitals of Syria. It was a very rich, beautiful, and populous city. Here the disciples of Christ were first called Christians, and the Chris- tian church of Antioch, soon after Paul's time, had 100,000 members and 3000 pastors and teachers. At thi point were started the first Christian missions to the heathen. This was not far from A. D. 45. Previous to this time, Paul (or, as he was then called, Saul) had spent considerable time in his native city of Tarsus in Cilicia, preach- ing the Gospel, and probably establishing churches in that city and its vicinity, among the refined and intelligent people who had made it noted for its learning-. But the first missionaries sent out from Antioch were Saul, or Paul, Barnabas, a converted Levite from Cyprus, and his nephew John ^lark (the evangelist), a native of Jeru- salem. Passing down the Orontes to Seleucia, the magnificent port
1* s (
AS/A MINOR.
S'l.l
from
of Antioch they sailed from thence to Salamis, on the island of Cyprus, and eomnienecd tlicir labors among the kinsn-.en and friends
0 Barnabas. After spendin,^. a few days there they passed along the on hern coast of the island, which was then very populon^, to . p OS, at ,ts western end. Paphos was a large and very wicked ity,
uho ly gnen t,p to the worship of the hcatlien goddess Venns ; here
1 an , by a mnacle caused a Jewish magician who was opposing the work of Chr,st to become blind, and the word preached was blessed
o the conyerston of many of the people of Paphos. We have recently had the most convincing proofs of the idolatry of the people o Cyprus, m the discoveries made by General di Cesnola of temples idols, shrmes, amulets, and votive offer- ings, at Paphos, which is now in ruins, and in other parts of the island.
Without visiting the northern por- tion of the island, Paul and his com- panions sailed directly i'rom Paphos to Terga, a city of Pamphylia, situated on
the river Cestrus, on the main land, MSW/f i «\lC-4 /H*,* northwest from Paphos. Here they ' ' '
first entered Asia Minor, Cyi)rus being a separate Roman province, governed by a proconsul, or officer appointed by the Roman senate. Asia Minor, as
we no^v■ call this peninsula, consisted at the time it was visited by laul and his companions of seven Roman provinces, which beginning at the- west, were named Asia, Bithynia, Galatia, Pam- phydia, Cihca, Cappadocia, and Pontus. These provinces, some of then, under other names, had been independent kingdoms before the tunc of Alexander the Great, and some ol them had continued to be tributary kingdoms, first to Alexander and his successors, and afterward to Rome, until near this time. We find the okl names remaining, though without definite boundaries, in the west- ern provinces at the time of Pauls journeys through them. Thus Antioch in Pisidia is spoken of (in distinction from the Syrian
Eastkrn Womkn with TiMimELs, Dancing.
,i
244
THE FAMILY COMMENTARY.
Antioch), Pisidia bcin<; the old name for the northern part of the province of Pamphylia, as Lycia (whose chief cities, Myra and Patara, were visited by Paul at a later period) was, of the southern i)art of that province. Iconium, Lystra, auu Derbe are said to be cities of Lycao- nia, that being the former name of the southwestern part of the province of Galatia. Phrygia was tlu old name of the eastern half of the province of Asia, and the Phrygians, like the (;alatians, were a tribe or nation of different origin from the people who surrounded them.* Mysia was the former name of a tract in the north of the province of Asia, and extended to the shores of the Hellespont and the Propontis, the present Dardanelles, and Sea of Marmora. Of these seven provinces, Paul, in his several missionary journeys, traversed five. There is no evidence that he ever entered Pontus or Bithynia, though he attempted to go into both. These two provinces, forming the entire northern districts of Asia Minor, have for their northern boundary the entire southern shore of the pAi.xine or Black Sea, and the now important cities of Trebizond, Tocat, Batoum, aj ! Erzeroom are within their limits.
Of the southern and western provinces, Cilicia was his native province and often the scene of his labors ; Cappadocia, north of Cilicia, was visited and crossed in his second and third journeys ; Galatia was traversed and its principal cities visited in his first, second, and third journeys ; and to the churches in Galatia his Epistle to the Galatians was addressed ; f Pamphylia was crossed in his first
*The Galatians were of the same stock as the Gauls, or inhabitants of France, and the resem- blance between the two nations was very strong in form and figure, in language and in their excita- bility and emotional tendency, and their fickleness and levity. The Epistle to the Galatians gives many illustrations of these traits of character.
t Paul's first visit to the cities of southern Galatia, or Lycaonia, as the region is called in A.c«<-, xiv. 6, was connected with his early experiences of the hostility and malignity of the unconverted Jews, which grew in intensity with every subsetjuent year of his life. Driven by their persecutions out of Antioch in Pisidia, where he had established a large and growing church, he was followed by his persistent foes to Iconium, and after long and successful labors there, forced to fly from a mixed uuib ul Jews and Gentiles to L\stra, where a miracle of healing wrought bv him caused the heathen inhabitants to attemjtt to pay divine honors to him ; but Jewish malignity again pre- vailed, and he was stoned by the mob. Escaping with his life by a miracle he went on to Derbe, where he was not molested, and after planting a church there he went back to Lystra, Iconium,
^S/A MINOR.
2-15
journey, both in going and returning, and its two principal cities, Perga and Attalia, visited; in his third journey he spent some time at Patara, and crossed thence to the island of Rhodes; in his last journey recorded in the Acts, that from Jerusalem to Rome, he touched at iMyra, in the southern i)art of the province, and was there transferred to another shij). The province of Asia was the scene of his longest and most arduous labors. In three of his missionary journeys he i)assed through ))()rtir,ns of its territory; in his first journey visiting some of its eastern cities ; in his second, traversing the northern part, or Alysia, stopping for some time at Adramyttium, Assos, and Alexandria Troas, from whence he first entered Europe ; in his third journey he entered the province from Galatia, visiting Philadelphia and Sardis, making his head- quarters for two or three years at Ephesus, and preaching and organizing churches at Trogyl- lium and Miletus, and possibly also visiting Crete, whither he after- ward sent Titus. Mitylene, in the island of Lesbos, was visited, possibly twice in these journeys, and very possibly Samos also. Lao- dicea and Colossal, to the churches in both which cities he addressed epistles (the so-called Epistle to the Ephesians having been probably a circular letter written to the several churches in Asia; see Colossians iv, 13-16), had not been visited by Paul in either of these journeys, nor, apparently, had Hierapolis, a large city ne,^r Laodicea, noted for
Eastkkn Loavks of 1!ri:ad.
and the Pisidian Antioch, and confirmed the discijiles in their faith. In his subsequent journeys (his second and third) he returned first to Derhe, I.ystra (where he found among the converts his young but greatly beloved companion, Timothy), and Iconium, and thence proceeded through the mountain passes into the ancient Phrygia, now tlie eastern part of the province of Asia, and after planting some churches there turned northeastward to Pessinus and Ancyra, cities of Galatia, to the churches in which the Epistle to the Galatians may have been addressed. In his third journey he is supposed to have visited also Tavia, another Cialatian city, almost on the border of Pontus.' It is supposed that there were Christian churches in Pontus at this time, for among the 3000 converted at the day of Pentecost were Jews from Pt)ntus. Acts ii, «.
jfrv/^l
246
THE l'\,.,nLV COMMENTARY.
Its mineral sprinjjs. Philemon, to whom a short epistle is also addressed, was a convert under Paul's preach n<;, perhaps at Hphesus, and seems to have been the founder of die church at Colossal.
His second and third missionary journeys extended into Hurope ; in the second he went, by way of Samothracia an.i Nea{)oIi.-„ to Philippi, the chief city of eastern Macedonia, where he and Si' .;, were im- prisoned in violation of the Roman law, and the next day, ifter a miracle and the convej-.^ion of the jailer and his family, were released with honor by the terrified magistrates. The epistle of Paul to the I'hdippian church was one of ll:.; a.-iilts of his labors here. From thence they proceeded to Amphipojis and Apollonia, and without miich delay went forward to Thessal') iica (tlie Salonika of the present
day), where their labors were abun- dantly blessed. The church at Thcs- salonica became one of the largest and most efficient of those planted by the apostle in I<uroi)e. To it were ad- dressed two of his ej)istles. Driven from this city by the persecution of the Jews, Paul and Silas went on to Berea, where another church was planted. These Macedonian churches were re- visited several times by the apostle, and there is reason to believe that after his acquittal at Rome he went to Macedonia, and from thence into Illyricum (the present Dalmatia and Montenegro).
From Berea Paul went alone by ship to Cenchrea, where he planted a church, and thence to Athens ; and in that chief city of the GreeV learning and philosophy preached Christ before its most brilliaii:, scholars. His success here, however, was not so great as in C rjn, . which he next visited, and where he ren; ;;:ed nearly t\\o year ;M.,i founded a church, which was for several centuries the largest and n, . t influential in Greece, To th-'s church his two longest epistles are addressed. His labors at this period were not confined to Corinl- Other cities of Achaia had the benefit of his zealous efforts. More
Eastern Baker Selling Thin Cakes.
..iimiMiin*ii.i«i-'-iMm<pri.rt»ji
AS/A Mf.VOR.
2-17
than once he visited ILphcsus, an.l co.uimicd his watch-care over (he cnurches „ Asn. I„ his last return „, J.rusalen, he was unable ,., stop at Uphesus but met the elders of ihe l-phesian church at Miletus and gave then, h,s parting blessing^ If our readers have lolloued on our excellent map of Asia Minor, these journeys of the Apostle J'a.d hey can not fa,l to have forn.ed a ^ery clear idea of he region traversed by this early missionary. "
Let us now briefly refer to the labors of the Apostle John in the provmco of_As,a, at a considerably later date. As the chief pastor or bshop at Lphesus, the apostle's age an<l infirnnty of body seenr to havc^restricted hnn to a much narrower sphere of action than that of the Apostle Paul. Still the province of Asia was at this tinre very populous, and the great church at Hphesns.and the large an.l flourish- mg ones at Irogylhum, Miletus. I.aodicea, Ilierapolis, Colossa-, Phila- dcph,a, Smyrna, Sardis,Thyatira. Pergamos, and Mitylenc. all of them str nrnf t'"'' "^^^T |°°'""^--.">iK'>twell require all his waning sticngtl. To seven of these churches he addressed those letters dictated by our Lord and recorded in the Revelation. Those churches, so flourishing and prosperous at that time, were .a fexv cen- turies later extinct, and the cities themselves are nearly all now in fuins. ^ "
The journeyings of Peter outside of Palestine ^vere pcrhai.s less extensive than those of Paul, lie vvas often at Antioch, ,'as probably or a time m Cormth, from which he departed in con. eqnence of the attempt of Jewish partisans to make out that there was a conflict between his teachings and those of Paul. There is a possibility, but veryhttle probability, that he visited Rome at this time; his later years were spent in Mesopotamia, prob.ably in Edessa and Nisibis .vhere he is sam to have founded schools of Christian disciples, and m Babylon, from whence his epistles were vvritten. In the year of his death he w-as taken to Rome, where, after being at liberty for a short ime he was sentenced to death, and was crucified, tradition says, with his head downward. His intercourse with Paul, in the later years of his ministry, „.as frequent and cordial. There is no reason to .suppose indeed, that .t was ever otherwise, except on the occasion at Antioch'
348
THE FAMILY COMMENTARY.
when Paul, tliough much younger, " withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed." Galatians ii, 1 1-19.
Of the journeyings and missionary labors of the other apostles we have no certain knowledge. Two of them, James, the son of Zebedee, and James, the brother of our Lord, died in Jerusalem, one slain by Herod Agrippa I, the other by the Jews. Jude, the brother of James, from certain passages in his epistle, is supposed to have been with or near Peter in Mesopotamia. Of the rest we have only vague and conflicting traditions.
^^..MtmmmttiaMimMml^immtmiimi
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CHRONOLOGY OF NEW TESTAMENT BOOKS.
DATE.
A. I). 38-61
61 63-64
64
97
DATE.
A. I).
52
52
56-57
57 58 58 61 62 62 63 63 64 64 65
Place Where Written and Autikirs.
HISTORICAL BOOKS.
TITLE.
AUTHDk.
Gospel of St. Matthew, St. Matthew,
Gospel of St. Mark ! st. Mark. .
Gospel of St. I. like st. I.uke, .
Acts of the Apostles I St. Luke
Gospel of St. John i St. John,' '. .
THE PAULINE EPISTLES.
TITLE.
95-96 Published in 97.
First Kpistle to the Thessalunians, . Second Epistle to the 'riiessalonians, p]l)istle to the Galatians, .... First Kpistle to the Corinthians, Second Kpistle to the Corinthians, Kpistle to tiie Romans, . . ICpistle to the Kphe.sians, Epistle to the Philippians, , I'^pistle to the Colossians, . Kpistle to Philemon, . . . Kpistle to the Hebrews, . . First Kpistle to Timothy, .
p]pistle to Titus,
-Second Kpistle to Timothy,
AUTHOR.
St. Paul,
St. Paul,
St. Paul,
St. Paul,
St. Paul,
St. I'aul,
Revelation,
St. Paul,
St. Paul,
St. Paul,
St. Paul,
St. Paul,
St. Paul,
St. Paul,
St. Paul,
St. lohn,
THE GENERAL EPISTLES.
DATE.
A. D. 61
63
65
65 97-98 97-98 97-98
TITLE.
Epistlf of St. James,
AUTHOR.
St. James,
First E.,i;:.le of St. Peter, | St. Pe
.'ter, St. Peter, St. lude,
Secon( Kpistle of St. Peter, lOpistle of St. Jude,
First Epistle of St. John, j st. John,
Second Epistle of St. John, | St. John'
rhip: Epistle of St. John, ; St. John,'
WIILKE WRITTEN.
Jerusalem.
.Mexandria.
Rome.
Rome (probably).
ICphesiis.
WIll.RK WRirrKN.
Corinth.
Corii.tii.
l''l)liesus.
J'^phesus.
Philippi.
Corinth.
Rome.
Rome.
Rome.
Rome.
Rome.
Laodicea.
ICphesus (probably).
Rome (probably;.
Pat in OS.
WHERE WRITTEN.
I Jerusalem.
Babylon. ; I5abylon.
Syria. ' K])hesiis. : Kphesus. j Ephesus.
■^
«49
PARABLES OF JiiSUS CHRIST.
Il
i'LACE.
Galilee, Galilee, ?'/(/, . Galilee, Galilee, Galilee, Galilee, Galilee,
Galilee, Galilee,
Galilee, Galilee, Capernaum
and 7'ia
Capernaum,
Jerusalem,
via, . .
via, . .
Capernaum,
7>ia, , . Jerusalem, Jerusalem, via, via, via, via, via, . via, . via, . via, , via, . 7'ia, . via, . via, . via, . via, . Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Jerusalem,
SUHJECT.
Mote and Beam,
I'oundation of Rock and Sand,
The Two JJel)lors,
The Darren Fig Tree, . . . .
Tiie Sower,
Wlieat and Tares,
Seed Cast in tlie Grouini, . . . The Mustard-seed,
TEXT.
T.iil-
T,uk
ic vin.
Matt, xviii, 23-35. Luke X, 30-37. I.uke xiv, 7-12. Luke xi, 5-13. Luke xi, 24-26. Luke xii, 16-21. John X, i-i.S. Luke xii, 3,-39.
riie Leaven
Tile Huried Treasure
Pearl of Creat Price,
Casting of the Net,
Parables of the Lost Sheep, . . .
The Merciless Debtor,
Good Samaritan,
Chief Seats at the Wedding, ....
The Midnight Friend,
Return of Unclean Spirit, ....
The Rich Fool,
The Shepherd and Siieep,
The Faithful .Servants,
The Faithful Steward, ^ Luke xi., 42- iS.
The Closed Door, j Luke xiii, 24-27.
The Great Supper, ' Luke xi. , 16-25
P.uilding a Tower, Luke .viv, 28-30.
A King Going to War 1 Luke xiv, 31-33.
The Lost Piece of Money | Luke xv, 8-9.
Tiie Prodig.d Son : Ti \ xv, 11-32.
The Unjust Steward Luke xvi, 1-8.
Rich Man and Lazarus, Luke xvi, 19-31
The Unjust Judge,
Pharisee and Publican,
Laborers in the Vineyard
Ten Servants and Ten I'ounds, . .
The Two Sons,
The Lea.sed Vineyard,
The Marriage F'>ast,
The Fig Tree
Faithful and False Servant, . . . Wise and F"oo!ish Virgins, ....
The Talents,
Sheep and Goats,
Matt, vii, 3-5 : i.ui,,- .,. , ^.42 Matt, vii, 2.(-.7 ; l.uke vi, 48-49. Luke vii, 41-50. Luke xiii, 6-9. Matt, xiii ; ^Iark iv Matt, xiii, 24-30. Mark iv, 26-29. Matt, xiii, 31-32;
Luke xiii, 19. .Matt, xiii, ;^^; Luke xiii, 20-21 Matt, xiii, 44. Matt, xiii, 45-46. Matt, xiii, 47-50.
Matt, xvi
Mark iv, 30-32 ;
1 2-1 , ; and Luke
XV.
3-7'
I-uke xviii, 1-8. I-uke xviii, 9-1. j. Malt. XX, I I-uke xix, ) Matt, xxi, :;2.
Matt, xxi, 3_, 46. Matt, xxii, 1-14. Matt. xxiv. 32. Matt, xxiv, 45-51. Matt. XXV, 1-13. Matt. XXV, 14-30. Matt. XXV, 31-46.
250
^2•
8-49.
-21.
XV, 3-7-
uriiiTi-^
(I
M
THE
APOSTLES OF JESUS
BY MRS. CLERE
into an the cities and C w e ; i: f tt TT'' ""' T '' "'"^'"'^^'°"^'^' ^^'^ '" «° ordained twelve men whom 1 e 7.1^ ''"f ' "'^"^''•■^' '^ ^^^-'^ "^^ ^-''el ; but out orthem all he
ruUy instruct themt th my ^^ : Irutd' \r ^'°"" '' ''"' '™' ^"' '^^' '^ ■"'«'^' -- in his temptations and toXn o H '7 """■ """■" '''" ''^^^ "'^° ^""^"^^ ^'^ ^im (Luke xxii .8) ; e a „r: J TT t ""'"°"' " ^'^ ^•^"^- '^^ »PP°inted unto him. roll, is not include? Vtr;.' ;:,::: '^^ "^"' "'^" '-' -^ ^^'^ -^'-'-^ -<^ ^^^ transmission
Matthias to take his place bu as he 7 •" ^ .'/"'"'"' "'"'"' "'" "' "^''^'^ ^"•="^'°"' ^'^'^^'^'^ weifth apostle. ' ' '' "-"' '"""'' '''''''' ^"'^ «"' ""' ^-1. ^^ - here reckooed .. th.
253
wfeiipF^'fl^^WWlBP^Wf
r. I
THE THORVALDSEN GALLERY
OF
CHRIST AND HIS APOSTLES.
jERTEL THORVALDSEN (1770-1844), a very able Dan :'|^ ish sculptor, was the son of an Icelander who had settled in Copenhagen, and there carried on the trade of a wood- carver. While very young, Bcrtel Thorvaldsen learned to assist his father ; at the age of eleven he entered the Copenhagen School of Art, and soon began to show his exceptional talents. In 1792 he won the highest prize, the traveling studentship, and ui 1 796 he started for Italy. On the 8th of March, 1797, he arrived in Rome, where Canova was at the height of his popularity. Thorvaldsen's first success was the model for a statue, which was highly praised by Canova, and he received the commission to execute it in marble for Thomas Hope, a wealthy English art patron. From that time Thorvaldsen's success was assured, and he did not leave Italy for twenty-three years. In 18 19 he returned to Denmark, where he was received with the oreatest enthusiasm. He was then commissioned to make the colossal series of statues of Christ and His Apostles, which are now in the 'TM-uekirke" (The Church of our Lady") m Copenhagen. These were execu' ed after his return to Rome, and were not completed till 1838, when Thorvaldsen again returned to Denmark. He died suddenly in Copenhagen, 1844, and bequeathed a great part of his fortune (or the building and endowment of a museum in Copen- haeen, and also left to fill it all his collection of works of art, and the models of all his sculptures — a very large collection, exhibited to the greatest possible advantage. Thorvaldsen is buried in the courtyard of this museum, under a bed of roses, by his own special wish.
A very prominent critic says about Thorvaldsen : " He belonged to the Scandinavian race , its genius and character were his. This race of the extreme North, simple and proud, kind and hospitable, has in all ages delighted in noble things. The poetry of its earliest bards was warlike and chaste. It was indeed the pure and vigorous sap of the Scandinavian race which flowed in the veins of the Danish artist.
" His works will always maintain a high rank in the esteem of man, not only because they are the highest and most complete expression of the ten- dencies of the age, but also because they are the product of an original mind — of genius true and individua',"
20r
t
t
c t
ERY
ible Dan ad settled f a wood- n learned tered the > show his icst prize. 1 for Italy, le, where
;ue, which )mniission n. From
Italy for s received e colossal ruekirke" his return
returned id a great in Copen- he models t possible I, under a
ed to the e extreme d in noble ^as indeed the veins
' man, not f the ten- al mind —
ST. JOHN,
• HE BELOVED DISCIPLE. THE APOSTLE, PROPHET, AND EVANGEUS7 HIS LIFE. CHARACTER, AND EXAMPLE.
N THIS wonderful book, the New Testament, the life, the teachings, the sufferings, death, resurrec tion, and ascension of the divine Redeemer necessarily and appropriately occupy the firs'^ place; and are followed by a history of the origin and development of the church of the Redeemed, which he founded. But in his work and mission here on earth, and in the work which he committed to his disciples to be done after his ascension, we find three persons named with especial honor, and their labors narrated with particular care and minuteness. These three were; Peter, bold, impulsive, warm-hearted, but fickle and wayward in his early career ; the apostle of the circumcision ; John, ardent, manly, loving and beloved, and modest and retiring in his disposition; but with strong prejudices and ambitions; the man who had understanding of the visions of God ; Paul, stern, resolute, uncompromising, and heroic, yet tendei and sympathizing with those who were in sorrow ; the great apostle to the Gentiles. All of the three were apostles, though one received his commission from his risen and ascended Lord. All contributed to the number of the inspired books of the New Testament; Peter, according to generally received tradition, furnishing to his young companion, Mark, the material which was wrought so skilfully intc the second gospel ; and, in his later years, writing those two general iti I. 255
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Tin; .irosTLiis oi-- jEstis.
.pistlc. to the churches, which are so full of instruction, reproof, and consolation; John, writing, first, that remarkable collection of prophecies and warnings, which we know as the Apocalypse, or Book of Revelation, and, some twenty years later, the fourth Lspel so full m .ts demonstrations that Jesus Christ is the Son of God: and' <ater stdl, when he had upon his head the snows of nearly a himdred years, those three epistles, which fitly and fully round out the gospel he had given to the church ; Paul, in the midst of his arduous and mcessant labors x^nting thirteen and perhaps fourteen epistles to the churches which he had founded, and the individuals converted uncle. h.s preaching: epistles which contain in themselves a whole body ol -iivinity, and are profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, and .or mstniction m righteousness. Thus, with the exception of the Gospels of Matthe^v and Luke, the Acts, the short Epistles of James and Jude, an<l possibly the Epistle to the Hebrews, the whole New Testament was written by these three men, and the book of Acts is almost wholly occupied with the record of their labors
Of these three mighty leaders of the sacramental host, the pillars
n the life of Peter; we have traced, in following the sacred record, the abundant labors, toils, sacrifices, trials, and triumphs, of the heroic and undaunted Paul; and it now only remains to us to portray as well as we may, the exquisite beauty of the life and character of "the disciple whom Jesus loved."
In doing this we must of necessity go back to his birth and childhood, and see for ourselves what were the circumstances by vhich these were surrounded: for the early training has often much o tlo Mith the later character and life of the man.
Galilee, the region in which James and John, Peter and Andrew ind mdced most of the apostles, were born, was, in the time of our Lord, very populous, and its population, far from being uholly Jewish was made up of a great variety of nationalities. This was particularly true of the cities and towns around the sea of Galilee or Jake of Gennesaret, as it was often called. Here might be fomid jostling each other in the narrow streets, Syrians from Damascus.
Mj^gj^ji"! ij.— 'i—mi'i .p»wif ir
proof, and -ction of ilypse, or ^h gospel, jod; and, L hundred ic gospel uous and es to the. :ed undei : body of :tion, and n of the of James olc New f Acts is
le pillars irticulars 1 record, le heroic )rtray, as of " the
irth and nces by :n much
;\ndrcw, time of wholly his was LlileCj or ; found iiascui.
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ha M; att Cr(
um:"! «iiiii.»)ii)'!nii) immrm^im'VifS
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ST. JOHN, THE BELOVED DJSCJELE.
Greeks from Antioch A^in at- , , ^^^
the Eastern desert o,ferran ""of"", ",' ''''"''' '^'^^- -^^^bs from from the regions aro:nd he Dead "a'th '"'"""'^ ^"^ "°^'^''- Minor, Galatians, Phry.rians r,! i ' ' ''"■'™' ''*^-^ "f Asia Mysians and lonians!" and ^^''^ ^ t;iiicians, Lycaonians,
carpenters, farmers, t nt^mak r """I "'" """ ^^ "^l'^""™ gatherers, and usu;ers, l" I v^ t T'''"'"' '^^"^*-'^^' '->'- one-third or one-half rf the nn' , T "■'''' "'^^'^ "P Perhaps villages of the hills they were' n'u h ' ^'''"'^ '" "'^ '°^™^ -'' >n povver and authority though uT, ""serous. Above all
'B:r::h:ft^;"'? r-i '^'-^ -^-^ «:r ""'^^^' -- '^^- ^-^
J3ut wnat the Galilean Tew<? lnri-!..i • their ardent patriotism, and tTei abl /" ;""!^:^''' "^^^^ "''''dc up in was the habit of the proud and . , /'''S'°"= ^'•■^'- 'Jhoi'^h it
speak slightingly of T Galit^T""'' '^^""''' °^ J^^^^'-'n to
dialeet,andto'reUenUhem 11 ::„^„rth"f"'\''^-'^ P^™"^^ no occasion for such reproaches Th r n '^''' "'"" ""^ ''^"Y
speak Greek, while the Jew of lud J w. i "*" ■'''" '°"'^ S'=""^"y wider culture which he thu nhl Tl " '«"°'"^"' "^ " • t° the knowledge of the Old Te ta,ne„^ c"'"; ^' "^'^"^ ^ ">°st thorough in the families and synasoZlT o^'"^^''''- "'"' ''''"^ '^^^t, both where else in Palestine.*^ Cehaj^ T' ^""^f^''^ """ ^ny- thorough provision for a good General T ""''" '^'"^ ^^'Y
of that time; and the rabbis oahe^l' ",'""°" '" ^" '^-^ ^'"^ies
everywhere schools and colle^^es f "^ . ■''""'''™' ^""^ "Established the elders known as the oral or itill'f T'"°"''? ""'■''= "'^'''''""^ °f to burden the consciences n dcvo^ T' ^'"' '"^'''^ *'=y sought
commandments of m. „.'' Nowh r^m T.''"^ fo-" doctrines the found men more zealous for the aw „. T ^"^ "-^''^ '» be
n>ent, tortures, and dta h for th t^ ^ "'"'' ■ '^^ '° '"''*"'' '"P"'""" Galilee. And with th n ^d Lou J f"']- f""" ^™°"« "'« Jews of
hand in hand. They we're Te I ' ' - " "' ^'''"^""^ '''"'
Maccab.-^an h.afhr^lZllT' brave and patriotic soldiers of the
attack and ;onqu r an . m 'of /'" f ^ °'7'^fe-'. -"d who would
Comwel. s Ironli:, thrir/ ^i '.rLt' f "'"''" u ™^" ''^^^
^ feO into battle singing the Psalms
26o
THE APOSTLES 01- JESUS.
ii s r ii
its
of David, while, with giant strokes, they hewed down their enemies And when tiieir country came under the power of the Romans, they were resdess and constantly rising in insurrection. To them, the idea of a coming Messiah was ever present, and as they would only recognize the rule of God himself, through his priests, their idea of Ihe Messiah was, that though he should possess divine, or at least archangelic attributes, he should be to his chosen people a deliverer ^Tom the Roman despotism, and should rule and reign over them, as a temporal prince, and high priest on the throne of David, exalting to positions of trust and power in his kingdom or government those devout and patriotic Jews whom he might select as best quaiitied for &uch a service. That the Messiah would be a spiritual prince, that hi^ dominion was to be over the minds and souls of men ; that he would nave nothing to do with the administration of temporal power, and that the Gentile believer would enjoy equal privileges with the Jew vvho trusted in him, both in this life and the life to come, and that he vas to redeem to himself a chosen people, a spiritual Israel, from all nations that dwelt on the face of the earth— were ideas which the Galilean Jew was incapable of comprehending, until his heart was enlightened from on high ; and even then, he would ever and anon turn back to his old belief in a temporal Messiah.
The country or region of Galilee, which comprised the ancient territory of Issachar, Zebulun, Asher and Naphtali, was, in the time of our Lord, surpassingly beautiful. The combination of lake, river and sea, of elevated mountain slopes, broad fertile plains, and valleys dad in living green, made up landscapes of remarkable loveliness. The hills were terraced almost to their tops ; and the latitude, which was that of Florida, was rendered more diverse in its temperature and its productions by the varying heights of surface found Vvithin a few miles. Little Hermon, the loftiest mountain west of the sea of Galilee, was about 4000 feet above the sea ; Tabor and Carmel, the one over- looking the sea of Galilee, the other the Mediterranean, were about iuroo iev,t auuvc uic ivicuiLcnaiican, vvniic tne sea 01 Ltaiiiee was 635 feet below that level Yet the mountain slopes are not usually precipitous, and on some of these plains, valleys, and hillsides, were
i
iMmmmMim-AM^J''''*^^^'^**'^' ""** ■
I
enemies ns, they the idea Id only idea of at least leliverer ^hem, as dting to It those itied for that hii 2 would ver, and the Jew that he from all lich the art was d anon
ancient le time :e, river valleys eliness. ;, which jre and 1 a few Galilee, e over- ; about ras 635 usually ;s, were
67, /0///V. THE BELOVED DISCIPLE a6r
to be found the fruits, grains, flowers, and forest trees of most of the temperate and semi-tropical countries of the world.
In the small city of Bethsaida, on the northwest shore of the sea of Galilee, resided at this time two Jewish families, both strict observers of the law. and remarkable, even among their countrymen, for their patriotism and devotion. The names of the heads of these families were Jonas and Zcbcdee. or Zabdai, as his Jewish neighbors preferred to call him. hach had two sons ; those of Jonas were named Simon, afterward called also Peter or Cephas, and Andrew; those of Zabdai James and John. Neither family was abjectly poor; that of Zabdai was, for the time and place, comparatively wealthy; ownin<r not only some property at Bethsaida, but also a dwelling at Jerusalem Both, in accordance with the Jewish custom, that every man must have a ti-ade or calling, pursued the business of fishing in the lake or sea of Galilee, at that time a profitable occupation, followed by many of the inhabitants on the shores of the lake. The sons of Jonas were some- what older than those of Zabdai, but the two families were very intimate. They were all taught to read the law before their sixth year, and were then sent to the synago-ue school, where they remained till they were fourteen or sixteen, and acquired a good general education. If either of the four ever attended the hioher schools or colleges of the rabbis, of which there was one at Scpphoris some eighteen miles away, and possibly one also at Capernaum, it must have been John, whose disposition for study was strongly marked, and who in later years was a scholar of good repute. As they grew up the young men adopted the calling of their fathers, and were for a time in partnership. Of the two sons of Zabdai, James, the elder, was about the age of Jesus, while John was four or five years younger. Their mother, Salome, a woman of great energy and perseverance, and withal of an earnest and devotional spirit, was according to the universal tradition of the early church, a kinswoman of Mary, the mother of our Lord, though there is a difference of opmion as to what was the exact relationship. Some believe h^r to have been a daughter of Joseph by a former wife, while others, "with more probabdity, regard her as an elder sister of Mary. The intimacy
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2C>2
THE APOSTLES OF JESUS.
between »h< two families may not have been kept up during th^- Juld- -<'o<l o/ i.hc sons of Zabdai, as Nazareth was among the hills, twelve >r fifteen miles from Bethsaida; but that John, and probably' James, ^ere an.onu the earliest disciples of Jesus, that Salome had become well acquainted with Jesus, and claimed fiom hin) th. privileges o/
Ji
if 'Mil
TWO WOMEN GRINDING
kinship for her sons, and that, apparently after her husband's death she devoted her time and her property to ministrations to the bodily welfare of our Lord, and, with the constancy and love of a faithful woman's heart, followed him to the cross and the tomb, we know from the gospels.
John and iiis brother James had undoubtedly, in accordance with
ST. JOh :. THE nEI.OVLD D/SCIPLE. ar.j-
the custom of tl,c devout Jews, gone up to tl,e to„,|,le at Jerusalem at the , .eat feasts, and especially at the passover from tl e 1m they attamed the,,- twelfth year. The journey, the son^s of I, r pH«r,mage, the firs, sight of Jerusale,,,, a,ul of the te,„ple,"vhich then nea,-,ng ,ts co,,,pletion, the architectural beauty o ,1 e ln,il 11
J hn.and these ,mpress,ons would be re,ide,-cd more pennanent by h s ubsequent v,s,ts. That they did thus impress him is evident, no^ only from h,s eager ,nc,uiries of his Divine Master conce,-nin,: tle temple and the cty, and their predicted destruction, but al "'"^i, a greater degree f,o,n his vivid descriptions of the New Jerusalen" th U gates of pearl ,ts walls of precious stones, and its streets of '.ol all w,-,t ten at a tune when both the city and the temple of Jerusa^cn were totte,-,ng to their downfall. jcusaicm
But as they attained to the years of manhood, and the ,-umors bc^an to gather strengtl, that the Messiah, so long pro.nised, was con mg"
"meradT "^^ ',"''r' =''^-^'>- "P°" '■•<•■ -tl.; that the fulness <J' t,me had co„K^ and that possibly from their own kindred (for ru,™rs
he cars of Salome) was to spring that blessed one, the Hone of
t rt of''?'-''"'"" f ""°^^ '^'^"' "■■"' ^-""-fi-' -^ g^nfie
tnc lacc oi every mother of thr- tnK,. . r t i i r
., ^ "wiHci ui me tribe ol Judah for centur es •
M:::iariv"""r "T" '° r'* ^^»^^'^ ^'^ "- ^i-vn «; the
Mcss,an,c day In the.r early childhood had come into their 71TT7 \ ''■"'• '"'™"^ """■ ^ '^-° "f "- Maccaba^an typ
sons If r n ''"' "'"' '''= "'^' -^'^°"'^' '''^"^•^f I^.-="--l; and the
sons of Gahlee, ever eager for freedom, had gone out to swell his
anks by thousands, in the expectation that they should sue ed in lh,-ow,ng off the Rcnan yoke; but the R, n,an legions under Cv renins
Ta hTe beflii th ' "'"".'''' '' ""= "'"' ^''"^ °f '^^"'^- Would such a fate befall the com,ng, the promised Messiah ? Not if he were
mdeed the chosen of God, the great deliverer, who, as the; read Se
n
' " ■'" "' »*aHB^BB«6I
! ' [*
y
Mi
264
rj//i APOSTLF.S OF JF.Sl/S.
pr(j|)hecies, was to be their champion against the Roman hosts, The bloo.i tiirillcd through the veins of these sons of Zabdai, as they thoLiglit of the coming of this prince Messiah ; for they were young ml brave, they loved their country and their faith, and as Galilean Jews they were willing to fight to the death under a gallant leader to throw off the Roman yoke, and to restore the sway of Jehovah ove» the chosen people of God.
Tell me not that this fervid, warlike spirit is inconsistent with th* character of the pure, gentle, lamb-like John I John was a Galilear and a Pharisee; to him there was no holier cause than that ol insurrection against the hated Roman, no duty more sacred than that of fighting for his country, his faith, and his God, For these he would have fought to the death, 'vould have endured the severest tortures, or suffered death on thu: < r,)ss. There was nothing weak, cowardly, or effeminate aboul; this yom\g man. We shall see evidence enough of this further on.
But just at this time there comes intelligence to him which changes the whole current of his thoughts A great prophet and reformer has appeared at the fords of the Jordan— perhaps the upper ford, only thirty-five or forty miles distant; he is urging upon the people tha» they should repent and be baptized as the indication of their purposf to begin a new life; and as a reason for this repentance and baptism hitherto only required of proselytes to the Jewish faith, he tells then that the kingdom of heaven is at hand; that the Messiah is comine speedily, and this repentance must precede his coming This reformer's name is John, and because of his practice of baptizing he is called "John the Baptist;" he is of priestly family, though he does not himself engage in the work of the priesthood, but appears like one of the old prophets; most of all like Elijah, whom in his rough dress and his coarse and sparing diet, his earnestness, and his fearful denunciations of sin and hypocrisy, he strongly resembles John, and Andrew, his friend and townsman, resolve at once to go and listen to this new prophet. Passing along the plain of Gennr- saret, on the western shore of the lake, they soon come to the Jordan valley, with its rough and volcanic rocks, its frequent cataracts, and its
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266
THE APOSTLES OF fESUS.
thick, jungle-like forests. By what road they find their way to the wider plain at the ford we know not, but they reach if at last, and listen with intense interest to the ringing appeals of this " voice from the wilderness." Their own life, which they had deemed so pure and blameless, now presents itself to them as full of sin; and with repentant hearts, and an earnest desire to do the will of God, they f)resent themselves to the prophet for baptism. They are accepted and seal their vows before God and men in the waters of the Jordan To the major part of the multitudes who listened to the preaching of John the Baptist, his constant references to him who should come after him, one far mightier than himself, the latchet of whose sandals he was not wor''.y to unloose, were but imperfectly comprehended. They knew, indojd, that the Messiah was soon to come, and that these words probably referred to him, but they believed that the Messiah was to be a temporal prince ; and while they were impressed with the earnestness of him who proclaimed himself as merely the forerunner of this Messiah, they half believed that he was himself the long predicted prince, and that ere long, casting away his rough robe of camel's hair, and abandoning his scanty desert fare of locusts and wild honey, he would appear as the glorious Messiah, the King of kings; and till this transformation took place, having taken all the steps of preparation for his coming which they knew, the confession of their sins and baptism^ they were content to await, at their own homes, the commencement of his reign. But there were some who — reverencing and honoring the son of Zacharias as a true prophet and the forerunner of the Messiah, and believing that his holy and abstemious life, his humble and devout spirit, and his evident consecration to the service of God, had given him a clearer insight into the mysteries of the future— desired a nearer intimacy with him, and sought from his lips fuller instruction and information concerning this coming Messiah. Among the most earnest and eager of these were the two yc ...g Galileans, John and Andrew, whom he had so recently baptized ; and their simple and ingenuous natures, and their evident desire for instruction, won the heart of the great reformer. In his wild desert life, John the Baptist had been a zealous student
fl
' .>«l!;«M>^iJJWk£J&^iSf.
to the
ast, and ce from ure and id with Dd, they ccepted Jordan hing ot d come sandals hended. nd that :hat the ipressed rely the iself the igh robe ists and <Cing of
all the nfession eir own 3 who — het and Dly and
evident ' insight dth him, icerning of these
had so nd their eformer.
student
^7: JOHN, THE BELOVED DISCI PIM. ^^^^
Of the Scriptures, and God had revealed to him. as he always doos \ those who seek wisdom from above in an humble spirit much o( th cha.-acter and work of the Divine Redeemer. To hJm J "^ va th Light of the World, the Ancient of Days, the Jud^ w o To 1 Jiscnmmae between the wheat and the cLff. the pur^e aJLv at
ut fc that T '•' "°\ '-''' "^"^^'^^ ^^- P'- ^' -^- o" T^l . . /''''' ''^' '^^ °"^ •'^^^^•'fi^<-^ ^he atoning lamb whon
tt siW fh" ''^'^^rlT^'' ^^^^" ^^P'^^^' -ho should take aw
ntVvals of hir .•''" "^^ "^^" h^ communicated, in th
wo;dltith the 1 ^''''. !"^' *° '^^ '"" ^^^^^P^^^' -h« ^'-"k in his words with the deepest interest He told them, moreover that six or
frrhK^ T''^ ''"^ '^' ^^"^^ '^ h- ^- baptism e 'whom from his wondrous grace and dignity he believed to be the Messhh
be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me? "but that this oracious
b cl''e:ht^o"fu,fil'^,"!';.''^"^" '' ^° ^^ ^° --' f-^'- i Decometh us to fulfil all righteousness " " It had been revealed to
him he said, "that he should be able to recognize the Mess[4 vvh.n
he should be called, to baptize him. by the des^cent of thf^ Spirit
in the sembla.ee of a dove, and its resting upon his head " Wher
he baptized this mysterious person, not only was the e thi manrta
tion of the descent of the Holy Spirit in visible form, bu ttl" reaven.
pleased Then John the Baptist knew that on him had heel conferred the highest honor which had ever been be tow d on mo ta) man. that of administering baptism to the Son of God rndTom tl.s .me he had ever been ready to testify that the Hope of' I^
On the next day after this interview with the two disciples Tesus who had but just returned from the mount of the temptatt passed near where John was baptizing, and John immediately pointed him
the^amb If'Gor^"";!?^;^''' ^^^^^ "^'^^ u'ords."Beh M the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the woridi" He
then explained briefly what he had already stated more fj.lly to 2e
4 i
268
777/1 APOSTLKS OF JHSUS.
two disciples, of the circumstances attending Christ's baptism. It is hardly pi-obabie that Andrew and John were present on this occasion; but the next mornmg John was standing near the river's bank with the two disciples, and Jesus again passed, ard he pointed him out to them, .saying, " Behold the Lamb of God." This was enough for them ; their eyes were greeted with the sight of the long-expected Messiah liagcrly, yet timidly, they followed his footsteps, and presently he turned and said to them in that gracious voice of his, " What seek ye.''" Awe-struck, yet encouraged, they answer his question by another, " Rabbi, where dwellest thou ? " His answer was still more gracious, "Come and see." Thus encouraged they followed to his temporary home, and as it was but ten o'clock in the morning,* they had nearly the whole day for their interview with him. What a visit that was! How did the hearts of these young men burn within them as they realized that they had thus held converse with the Messiah, he whose coming patriarchs and prophets, kings and holy ones, in all the ages, had so longed to see, .- y et had died without the sight. It docs not seem that either John or Andrew ever doubted, from that time, that Jesus was the Messiah, though it was not till long after that they fully realized who and what the Messiah was.
Much as they had been drawn to John the Baptist, and greatly indebted as they were to him for :hus bringing them to Christ, they had now found a new and higher love, a Master to whom they were drawn by a stronger and more enduring tie. Henceforward they were the disciples, not of John, but of Christ. And their zeal constrained them, as the love of Christ has always since done, to bring their friends to him. Andrew sought for his brother Simon, who was among the multitude who were listening to John, and having found him, brought him at once to Jesus, saying only, "We have found the Messias." Jesus welcomed him with a new name, Cephas, or, in its Greek translation, Peter. John, with that modesty
*John says in his gospel, "It was about the tenth hour," but it is to be observed that, unlike ihe other evangelists (probably from the fact that his gospel was not written till some years after the lestrnction of Jerusalem), John always uses the Roman reckoning, which made the day begin fcf midnight, instead of the Jewish, which began at six o'clock in the morning.
ii*Jum»t!li':Miii.'-^
■■f
1\
ST. JOHN, THE BELOVED DISCIPI E ^,
James was any,,<,cre within liis reach, at the fords n ,1,71
he may very well have h,.pn 1,„ r i t ?, '"" Jordan, aj
T * V ', ' "'" ^""°"n':cment, "We have found the ALsiah ' horn •:, clf "-™;"r' ""^ "^''^' ^'^y'" leave Bethablr for -s'li hhn On ^.■.::' ■'" ""^ '""'P''^^ "•'-'- ''^"y'"-' '° aceon,pany
invited tt'i::",;- r cTn^a'^'Tf ^^- ^"^ '"'^ ^■-"^'- "-' vvcuuing at Cana, asmall town not far from N'.7i.v.th
whici Mn'': r;r' "" t^"^ °^ ^^^"^'''^"^' '"^ water -uoi: '• After' ^^rerjr;t:r;;:, ti 'r^r- ""'^'^>"'""-
Capernaum, then .he pr n p"l d of e T"^ ""' "'^ '^'"''"'^^ '°
Jerusalem to the e^^f t^epa Lver'T"'" ^^'"'^'--- g--"S to .im. through the Jordantl^rarjeas^rnrB^irl'^l"^^^^ beet ofl'o'; '° ",°" "°'T "^~"^"'> S^--"'- J°hn had doub^ s"
=rv.it a^nLt^: e^'-^" ^^- -"- '---
climbed therut^^ed Hiff!f I ■ "'"''' '"^" 'P^'^'^:" ^"^ «= "»-7
have leaped of oytfthrTeSf: '° J""^^'?'?"'^" "'^ '--' ■"-' Olivet for for thifi ! ' '"'' '" ^'°'" fr°m 'lie height ol
thatlL vistn at :h rds'^f' h^""''•' !'''°^^r°'"'' " '^^ ^^ be fulfilled, "The Lo d Is ,n h' "^ ,'"'P"''' P^P''^' ^^^^^ ^^out to
silence before him "Bu alas Ithoi; 'T'V ''' ^" "^^ ^^^"^ ''^^P had recognized the I nH r f ,S'' ^ ^'"^ '""''''"' '°"'=' "^e John,
their worfhi, anf hott yet^re?!'"^ ;T" "T"'^ '° ^'^^ '^''^
consider The priests an 1^1, °' ''"°''- '"' P'^°P'« '"^ "°»
pncsts and Levites, who ministered at the altars and
270
riiF. AposTi.iis or jj-sus.
perf,. ,„.d the service of the sanctuary, were wholly unaware that he. to when, that temple was dedicated, had come dow^ from the ter^ple not made wah hands and had deigned to grace this earth y house
mm not The, e was, however, one scene in connection with this passover feast, which „,ade so vivid an impression upon John tht more than fifty years later, he describes it as if it had oZred bu the day before Jesus, on In's arrival at Jerusalem, had entered the t ml as us nghtful heir It was his Fathers house, the one te nple n the w.de world consecrated to the pure worship of Je ovalT and e there ,„ ,ts courts were lowing oxen, calves and heifers, Vheep and goats, lan,bs and kids; and on one side great numbers o doves and
fof ^de f , "' ''^'^ P™^' '■''"^'='f '''"' ^--'d '° ^'^ brought thae o sale from Ins own extensive dove-cotes on the Mount of Olives
.nd he barganung of the men who had these in cl>arge with the ea.er'
bibe^'of",:":"^' ""r"'"' ^°"'"^'°"^ ^''"-"^ ^^
oabblc of the ,uoney changers, Jewish usurers, who made lartre -on n,,ss,ons by exchanging shekels of the sanctuary, ,vhich aione ^.ould be pa,d for the temple dues, for the Roman, Greek and ofte' (oretgn corns, brought by the Jews of the dispersion who t ronged to erusalem at these times from all parts of the Roman enZ A | th.s trafhc was forbidden by the law, but the Jews, a d espe'cLlly d pnes s, were proverbially greedy of gain, and Annks, the hi dfpri t
Srcu,:™" '"' ^■°" """ '" "" '^°"°--°f Godor'tl^purftJoT^lre All this desecration of the temple was apparent to Jesus at a glance md ,t roused h,s righteous indignation. Seizing some of the small' ..ords or bands of rushes, which bound the animak to be sacrificed he
a^ rl t?" 'r'° ^ "°"'^^ °'" ""'P' '-'"'' ^' 'he dignity and sub h anger of the divme nature gleamed forth from those eyes ordinan v so nu d and gentle, he drove the animals and their owners' otfofl^e temple area, and mto the streets of Jerusalem; poured out the
dot:f"TaT":rT'"",!'" '^■^■^^•^"'^ ^^'^^ unto' them tha si
aoves, "lake these thino-s henrp* mil— --^ ^ r- .1 . t
1 - i-ii!ii^.>, iiciiLG, make iiuL my Fathers hniis;^^ an
house of merchandise- The venders of this m'lrchanjise, and the
2 that he, ic temple ily house
received with this ohn that, d but the e temple le in the
and yet leep and >ves and ,dit there
Olives ; he eaoer was the le large h alone id other nged to re. All ally the I priest ^ of the
glance, e small ced, he iublime iinarily of the ut the at sold use an id the
ST. JOHN, THE BELOVED DISCIPLE
271
money changers, awe-struck by his evident ri-hf t,, , ^ \ fearing to encounter those terrible ev^.fl 1 • , '^^'""^^"d. ^nd no resistanrp or . turiDle eyes, fled m haste, and ventured
•uthorityto t us cnVe T'^ ^^ '^"^^°">^ ^■^'" "^ P'oof of his :i iv^ Liiub urivc out those who desecritrd fli<. t >.,, i n-
'Cl^ly ^v•as a memorable one- "Destmv fM ^ 7 , '''''• "" I will raise it im " Ti ' ^'-^"^°y ""^ temple, and ni three days
cal d 7e worw' intle^.i^t ""' "'^ f " ""■«'"^' '° ">™> ' l'^' -'- ''"J
beautifu temple o He^dTn'th" '.'""'"^■'f '■^"" '''••^'■^^ •''"-^ 'h«^ needful to "o so but h. ,''^^' "' ""''^'^ ''°"'-=' ''^^ '' been
words. The temple of HnT ' k'^.'^ "'' ''""^■^ "'^■^'"'"S '" '"^ in whose Hoi ' Jh^L thai K 1 "'^ °"'"-'J ----,. or shell.
shechinah; so^lt:Thet^d^:L':^t:: v^L^s^d^r^^
come to earth in human form • hi. K..^ proiessed to woiship, had
within three days afte Ts te^ue i™ ^f '" "■"°''' """^'^""^ "^"''y by the priests or by John u thld 1 stenert^^r'^i;:?"' '"^^""f"
272
THE APOSTLES OF JESf/S.
thus early to his cause, to become one of the chief officers of his Tcahii, 1 here may liave been, also, some desire to know more of this kmcrdoin of heaven or of God, of which both Christ and John the Baptist had so much to say, and a lurking suspicion down in the depths of his heart that even he. with all his strictness of ritual observances was not quite perfect, and that this great Teacher mi-^ht be able to fill an aching void which he found in his heart John vvas present at this interview, and his interesting narrative of Christ's metnod of laying bare the needs, cravings and experiences of a self- righteous soul, though written after the lapse of half a century, show hat even then he had a very clear conception of the omniscience of tiis Divine Master. The stay of Jesus at Jerusalem was brief; he had declared himself as the Messiah, by his deeds and miracles, and had awakened the active enmity of the Pharisaic or priestly party thereby ^nd not being desirous of further provoking their hostility at this time, he withdrew quietly to one of the towns of Judaea, north of Jerusalem, where, very soon, the people flocked to him to receive mstruction, in even greater numbers than had attended the preaching :>f Joh. the Baptist, Here, under his direction, his disciples, and John among the number, administered baptism to those who acknowledoed him as the Messiah, and ere long his personal following had exceeded that of his forerunner. An incident which occurred at this time, and ss recorded in the Gospel of John, indicates very clearly that neither jea.ousy nor envy had any place in the soul of John the Baptist .K.nie of his disciples, who had been having an angry discussion with the Pharisees about the oral law and the traditions of the rabbis came to John the Baptist with a grievance, which had evidently been aggravated by the taunts of their adversaries : " Rabbi," said they •• he that was with thee beyond Jordan, to whom thou barest witness, beho d the same baptizeth. and all men come unto him." John calmly replied, " that he had always declared that he was not the Christ, but only his forerunner: and that, as the Christ or Messiah was now come, his own mission was drawing to a close. Christ must increase, he must decrease, and that he rejoiced in this result" He contmued with an ascription of praise to Jesus, fully recognizing his
■j'Ui>*tA»MtlltlltaMsa^mi
Sr JOHN, THE BELOVkD DlSClPlk
10
later IhAd' 1 ''!S '"t'^''';'" ^^ '^' ^'^^^'■'-^^^^^' ^-^"J - f^^vv month^ later DLlicadcd. The hostility of the enemies of rhrl -f stron<rly manifested th-,f K,. i r. t • ^"^"11^^ ot Christ was so
Tf T„ 1 -^ ™' "^'' ''y =*0""-' means entered the t,.m„l,
a Jerusa en, at night, and strewed dead n,ens bones in the «
£.S=gs:S|iH
nt to expose himself ^ wmen ne sau
thJ'nnr"''' ^°"™'y' """^ ''"'■'"g ""^ ^"^sencc of his disciples in
he ne,ghbonng e,ty to purchase provisions, that Jesus eld th^^
conversation w th the Samririfor, t '' ^ ^"^'
two days, while the firsf fruUs liVZ^lV'^'^"' '"' gathered in and the foundation laidtr 'lTexLsi"rr<:'
S:d':n aStTarvl^^^^" ''''' '^'^ -"^ J°^" ^^ ^-
274
THE APOSTLES OF JHSUS.
j/ healing, and blessing the multitudes who thronged around nitt. in Capernaum, Bethsaida, Chora/Jn, and the other populous towns of the plain of Gennesaret. His home, at this time, was at Capernaum, whither Andrew and Peter certainly, and James and John probably, had removed. During this period of six or eight months, before Jesus again visited Jerusalem, he was very active Besides his labors It the towns and cities around the lake, he iiad delivered his sermon on that mount which, from its double peak, was known as the Morns of Hattin; had visited and taught the people on the eastern and northeastern shores of the lake; had selected and commissioned his twelve apostles, and had made, either in person, or by his disciples, whom he sent out two and two, a circuit of the Galilean towns. In all this time, except possibly a very few weeks, John was his constant companion, and received, perhaps in larger measure than either of the other apostles, constant instruction from his lips. Peter, Andrew and James, who were next to him in their intimacy with their Lord, had for a time, and until they received a second call, resumed their fo'rmei occupation; but after they were chosen apostles, they too were constantly in attendance upon him, or engaged in missionary labors performed at his command. The two sons of Jonas and the two sons of Zabdai hold the first place in all the lists of the apostles, and were undoubtedly the first chosen by Jesus. Of the four, Peter, both from age and impulsiveness, was the acknowledged leader, though John was the most beloved and cherished An English writer of great ability, Professor Plumptre, draws a very nne distmction between the relation which these two disciples held to the lord : " Peter," he says, '•was the friend of Chnst as the Messiah, the first to acknowledge his divine character, and to adore him as the Son of God ; John o^n the other hand was the friend of Jesus; clinging with the most intense affection to his humanity, and recognizing him as the incarnate Saviour." It is a somewhat remarkable commentary on these ideas, that the gospel which is regarded as containing in substance Peter's narrative of the life of Christ, speaks of him most frequently as the Son of man, and is most definite in its descriptions of his earthly life; while the Gospel of John is almost wholly occupied with the
I
- .mmmitAaiat'mimHS
•iiiui mrr. towns oi pcrnaunv probably. Ls, before lis labors ) sermon le Horns tern and oned his disciples, s. In all constant ler of the Irew and ,ord, had ir formei 00 were y labors wo sons nd were Dth from gh John Df great ^een the he says, -dge his on the intense ncarnate e ideas, Peter's ^ as the lily life; ith the
^7 /rV/.V, T//^ liELOVP.D Dl<sCIPr H
■ .oJ, tl. Word who was witl. God and who was Cod," Imt wh. "was made Iksh and dwelt anion.' us "
.o ^>!lf ll'"' '"'T i'l""^ "^ ""-^ 'li^tinction, it cannot be denied tha' heir M •/ .? ''"^ ^°'"' ''"' granted a closer special intin.acy witl the.r Master, than to any other of the apostles. They were ^^ith hin ." the chan,ber of death (Mark v, 37) ; in the glorious sc no ™nsfigura„on (Matt xvii, ,); when he forewarned then of Jesruct,on o Jerusalent (Luke xxi, 7); and in the agl o r.ethsen,ane (Matt xxv,, 36-56) ; John was the disciple who recLe next to esus at the passover feast, and at the Loci's sunnc-r hc-n .nst,tuted, and it is noteworthy that when Jesus had deck red o uvelve, m that sad hour, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, that one o yo„ shah Letray ,n," and the other disciples Jere ciueLo'nin, "rord
a tcrnble en,pta ,on. John alone, of them all, does not ask this question; the union of soul betwx-en hin, and his M° tcr is t
perfect love castcth out fear." He knows that it is imnossibfe fo.' hin. o betray Christ, and though not boastful like Pete he ooks u,^ frankly and lovingly into the eyes of Jesus, and when .Vtervhc understood the intimacy of his relation to Christ beckons to hi ■ he asks with perfect confidence, " Lord, who is it I"
And yet. we grieve to say. that ardent as was his love for lesus h could not maintain his watchfulness for even an hour! whe, h s Lo ; was passmg through that fearful agony in the garden of G tl cnnne
cht cTu'eT",, """ -"It of intense weariness and sonw to this cause Jesus, m mercy, attributed it ; but he was more self
rrrLord hH r- rr""^ "' "-^"'-■•P'- ^'"ea^re^ Av, • . "^ followed him to the palace of the hi* ori,.st and havtng been in former years acquaint with the L ' l^-^ s he read, y obtained admission, and seems to have been the ofyo '
Indt.;"^ n^^ ""T^"^ "^^ ^""^"^ '"^■••^o'h before the hi.Vpries .nd before Pdate: for thoug', Peter was. for a short time ii ut ante-room of the palace he .as in such fear, and so f™qu n, t
_^ ^ "''"^' '^'-^ ^«'"P''i"'ons being those nol.Ic ucnun
'^ '" ^vho, nu)i( coura
geousthaiianyof tlK' clioscn apos tics except John ^^■c^(. • last at tho cross and earliest at the grave , ' and It was there, amid his dying agonies, that Jesus committed to this faithful disciple the sa- cred trust of car- ing for that deaj mother whose heart was so reni with sorrow
On the morn ing of the rcsur rection. when tht first tidings came that the grave had been de- spoiled of Its prey, John and Peter set out fo. the sepulchre and for once John's real sur-
'^'"' ™» ™^c?ioS^L?!--- ™- •- u:xI,Ts
sepul>.h,c. His recognition of h,s r.s.r Urd was perfect, and m diat
ST. JOHN, THH BELOVED DlSCfPLI.
•hat our I ,,„J, l,y ',|„„, ," ch n. n , '""^' " '^^^ "' ""^ ""'e ■no the ,narty,, crown «„; ^I'rVT'' ''"■'""'^'•■^ ''••"-
I'assed „ver several incid „ts n s e f." ■''" ''" ""^'^■■■- ^^ '"-
■l>ow n,ost conclusively th.-^t M , Vs ' ^
'aturc. „.|,ich adapts itsel cnidv m '° '' ""P^^'^^iWe, plastic
-..a witiK,.,. i-Lsin«'a„; pti ve 'c ;:i;Tr °^ ••' ^''°"-''-'
■ontrary h, u'as a man oFgrcat cner vnn I f J ' °^'"- «" "«= full of strong prejudiees. fct" i^ t'd ^ ° f ""^ " k ''""^ "^'''^•^' wd even recunmg to them a.nTn Vn I ''"''"^"y 1"^ '-arly ideas,
been den,onstrated to hi rim |,eseV^r'"r''''" ""'■■ ''"'^''y '-^ iisposition uere in the end so on etelv r " ^';"'"' ••'"'' P'^^™'-- »n example to the church in Til a" s n ^.n?,^''''"'-'^' ""^ '° ""^^^ 1>™ md of good report, is due „ tt fi ■" ''^' P"'^ -'"^ '"vely
oontrollino .nnu'.nee\w,ich Jesus veSe "^ " V'° "'^ ""'"'^""S -"'' ■ban over any other of hi c^' L?, 'n 1°'". f'"' '" ' ^""'•^■'- ''<=e^« •«octi„„ whieh this intense lZnn;'r''',"'""^P'^'^'--' to 'he - -"Land .h,eh made "t li ^ V,^;;: J"; ''"" '",<^ ''r '°P=d in """.t,- Hinch uould please hi. on 1 m ''" ^'^'^^^ "'"^'^
'ecause he hath first lived us ^^'" "^^e love him
.n.n:a:d^;trdt^:;;:e'n"ar ■■ \t ''-" -^ -- —^
ame into his presence at a Ince ,vhen h '7 1 ''"^ """ -ho «o be apostles, named them /?!,' ""^ '^"'='' '^"«=^ ^"^ John
mdicative of their ch a eT ^ler^""' "'""l"' "'""''-■" ^ ''"^ *h.ch ,nelis and disapp cl r ,vhe L ■"'• "°' ^'^' "'^ "^^^^ ^'"'"1 -' ■'^■<- those eloud' a, 1", 'I "l/T f^" ^^-tly upon ,t
iosc oi day arxj, clad more beautiful th
that he athxvart the western •n hues of purple and crold md v --"-iodine; rather, they we^ret^^^^^^^^^^^
^^y at th' violet, ninlvi
th
rcatoo-
278
6 l-S'
THE APOSTL/iS OF JESUS.
L
iggecf
ing clouds, heavy with the comint; rain ;inr) fr^„. . u Hft5 leap the live thunder and the swift r w " '"''°'' '"•'Sg^' 'o. the right, like the old pr^ph ^ .™1''^' ' "'rl"''"'""' ' ^^■'""■^■"' natures, who would "not hand^ th^ word o ^'^".S' '•'^™'=-^ '»"-'"-
.K,ns^ T ey w r n" to nt ., "' T""" "" °- «' "'-'X li-ita
^vho wer^ alreadvTo n™ ? ""'>' '° "'^'' J'"'"'''''' brethren
and mssion of Chris th ' "" '"'°™'=' """""'"« "'^ ^l''-"-'- ,nH , '^^'°"°' ^hust, they were to proclaim him as the Messiah
o til n" tI" "r"'"'' '°/"'°^"' '" "'^ -"- 'he si„,pl r m ra e o hcahng Tliey knew and comprehended but little o the schem, of .alvat,on, but what they knew they toId correctly ol their ett^
nnnv haV'r?"' h"'.""' '° -''-"^"^' ^"'--"■•>' ''•-"«'■ ° 'a n ns vhic hid ta ': ^°'''' ""''''''' '"' "'^" "^ "-i''^.''
^ubjecrtrli'thj "hH^^^^^^ 'r"r '" r "^'^ ^^^
joy at this result of , hi 1 1, ■ ^ '''-■'"''""« "'<=''' ^^uberanl
occasion 0 i:er"; InTth""'^ "'"'"'"' ""•'" "'^' "^'^^ "^'^
rhey proceeded wlM, l?^' "'''""' '''■''■'' "''''"«" '" '''^aven
ncy proceeded with their report, and here it ,s John that speaks
n!^Tz :::z: tT' r '''"' '" '^^ "••"- -'^ ^rfor ;
Porbid1"m Tot for , ■ '"'' "' '°"°"''-'"' "°' "= " J-"= ^•-' udiue, mat can lightly speak evil of me "
'nbr.ed"anT?n f ™? '!'^''°""" "' '"^ ^P°^"^= ^^^ -'"-•'^'
« ended also, cTvr'^^'cJ'''' "' ""'' ™""' °^ ^'^''•'<^'^- «hicK ^tended also tc Tyre and Sidon and to th half-heathen villages of
Sr. JOHN, THE liELOVhD DISCIPLE.
explanation of th^t 5 we^' d^ i sL^:::.t' hi;' """^^ '" '"' as they journeyed bv hi^ >.l,1. "7 mstruc cd by him in private; yel
the mo.s{ eommon dfemo o h r '^ '" "^'^ '"""''^"-■P^' ^^^at was debate P not the satu , ' „ t ^7'^" TT''' °' ^'^^^ claimc.l the gosnel not tl„ . ., / "" '° "'""" 'hey I'ro-
banishment oTthe s"n "id °"°' ''"J"''"'' "^ ^"'' - ""^
<hese. It was whicl of h K T, f^'-y^^here so rife. None of
the h. ,est tat on n L '^°"''^ ^^ '^^ S^'^^"^^'' ^"ould oecupy
■I-or^said arteC"S Tm,'" r"" '^"'^'■'y '° Christ have thereiorr' tL fe"h" Tht ""'''" ^ "'"' ^''^" - Messiah was to be a temporal prince, wlio should deliver them from the sway of the hated Romans, and should there- after reign in great glory and power over the Jews, sitting on the throne of David was thoroughly ingrained into their mmds; Jesus, they were sure, was the Messiah, and they were daily looking for h.s assumption of kingly power, and when the multitudes were disposed, with loudaeclauvi. to take him by force and make
::^'::;' ';;rdi;t t;:':' ''""'"-' r "- '''"-'' •« >^^'^' - '^eir
'h? ofced th one t'lC v o T^d' T","'^''^, '"-" ''""''' '' '-' '^-•■P' entitled to the besi ae;s in h.s r < "^ "" '" ''"' '""'' ^-^
what should be ti^ 'dIvS of ht'lteT >'"n ""' °"'/i^"^-^'""" "-• James and lohn who hid Z , "" P^'"*^"' '" "''""^ that
spirit of CI, is \; o ,„d^rV° '^"*°f 'h^- -eek and humble i^ingdomw^snot j^i woHd tT,.r '"""'' '^>' '""' ""' ''is over the hearts and mLr 'meT ^VlhTthe^'r,"' ^'°^^'"'™^"' be renewed before any one couWenter ,t slionl , "'''"" ""'^'
unseem^ w.ngle, b^t so it J "%: ^^^^^^^tl!:: ^
SYRIAN SHKEP.
h
\f
I I
1*' 'I
7y/y? APOSTLES OF JESUS.
time, for the encouragement of the twelve, " Verily, I s.-.y unto you that ye wh,ch have followed me, in the regeneration, when the Son of man shall s,t m the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve
Lrke^hn^''"^ '^Ti'"' '"""' "' '""'''■ A^-l --y -e that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife or
ch, dren or ands, for my names sake, shall receive an hundred-fold characte' T'h"' '"'''.''''"S/'^-" Overlooking the wholly spiritua
,tn . P™'""'' '"'' "'^''"^'"S i' '0\dy as the guarantee of
tcmpora advancement soon to come, the disciples looked forward eagerly to their several shares in the offered rewards. Among the
^velve none had been nearer or apparently dearer to Christ, than the two sons of Zabdai, and their ambition was roused to obtain the highest places in this new kingdom.
Accordingly they communicated their wishes to their mother Salome, who had followed Christ throughout Galilee, and had .ninistered to h,m of her substance or property. The mother was not less ambitious tor her sons than they were for themselves ; and the three came to Jesus when he was alone and offered their request the mother urging and the sons seconding it. At first she desir;d a ertam thing of him but seemed reluctant to name her request, but vhen Jesus said to her, " What wilt thou ? " she answered, ■■ Grant that
In tLTJ'™ r"i -'"T "'• "'^ °"' "" "^y "S^' ^^'^- ^"'l 'he other on the left, in thy kingdom." The immediate right and left hands of
the monarch were the places of highest honor; and thus these two young men desired for themselves-for they repeated the request- the highest positions in that kingdom, which they persisted in believ- ing he was about to found in Palestine. The reply of Jesus was a sterner rebuke than he had yet given to any of his disciples, yet it was administered in love. "Ye know not," he said, "whit ye ask 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?" Utterly Ignorant of the sorrow and suffering which these significant word^ included they repl:ed confidently, "We are able." Jesus said unto hem, "Ye shall drink indeed of my cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized ,vitl, ; but to sit on my right hand and on
-.u;**,.-r„»...*«;»)^^*;.!^.v-«w^-;;Aa«i^ij*^^
57: JOHN. THE BELOVED V/SLIPIM. jg
^y left is not mine to give, but it shall be given to tliem for whom U,s prepared of my Father." The other members of the apostolk
,hT» .r''/7 '^ ^Sf'"' ^' *'■' '■'1"^^' °f "•= t"° brothers: not *at they had any clearer ideas of the spiritual character of th, kmgdom of Christ but that they regarded this as an elTort, on thr part o James and John, to steal a march on them and prefer a prior c ami to the dignities of the new kingdom. And this was afte, hese two discples and Peter had witnessed the glories of th
Ws' mfcifixlon"; '"' ' '"' "''''' "' """""'^ =" "><= f"""^-'' '''^f-'
We may notice incidentally, that even the crucifixion and resurrec t.on of our Lord did not wholly dispel this idea of the temporal kmgdom of the Messiah from the minds of his disciples. The two disciples vvho went to Emmaus, on the day of the resurrection, said to Jesus, of himse "We trusted that it had been he which should have
oulhTth T ' '^'' ";^"™ "'^ Roman power; and the question put by the eleven to our Lord, on the very day of his ascension, afte, having received from his lips the great commission, shows with whal tenacity they still clung to the idea of a temporal kingdom: "Lord wilt thou at this time restore the kingdom unto Israel?"
One more example of the fiery spirit and the abiding prejudi-es of James and John, will show how much need there wts of a deepe. «nct.fication in their hearts ; when Jesus had commenced that last lourncy toward Jerusalem, which was to close with his arrest and
TmahTr' S T"'J'"" '"' ■'°''" '"'° ^ ^'"^S^ °f 'h^ Samaritans to make ready for his stay over night: but the inhabitants, suppo---.
that his intention was to go to Jerusalem, refused to receive him"
This was churlish ; yet had it occurred in any Jewish villan-e the
disciples wou d have found some excuse for it, but it was the°h'ated
Samaritans who had refused shelter to the Messiah ; and the loyalty
of the brothers to their Master joined with their hate of these people
and they asked and we may easily believe that it was John who put
the question: "Lord, wilt thou thit we rnm-^n-J fi,. , , ^
,,„ , , ' "'"• ^"-^ mat we commaiiu fire to come down
from heaven, and consume them, even as Elias did?" But lesus turned _and rebuked them, and said. "Ye know not what manner of
282
rilE APOSTLES OF JESUS,
spirit yc are of f-or the Son of man is not come to destroy men s Jvcs uut to save them." And they went to another village
VVe lm^^lu multiply these instances, which illustrate the narrow and sorcl.d views which, at times, gained the ascendancy over the minds o the twelve disciples, and James and John nearly as much as the others, up to the very day of the ascension ; but what we have ali^eady adduced are sufhcient to show that, notwithstanding all the preaching and teaching of Chnst. notwithstanding their daily personal inter- course with h,m for three years, and the powerful influence he exerted over them, they were still under the bondage of Jewish prejudices, of |3ersona and unhallowed ambition, and of a zeal not accordi.u^ to knowledge, T hey were not as yet wholly sanctified nor consecrated for the work in winch they were to engage. Our Lord knew this and hence he commanded them to remain at Jerusalem, until they should receive the baptism of the Holy Ghost
They obeyed, and after ten days of earnest prayer, the pronnsed descent of the Holy Spirit came, and they s.crUL^ to enl. upon dieir great work A wondrous change had come upon them all They were m the city of Jerusalem, and it was the feast of Pentecost one of the great Jewish feasts, when, from all parts of the Roman empire the Jews of the dispersion came up to Jerusalem and presented themselves at the temple Fifty days befbre. these eleven apostles, and the believers who were now with them, had fled affrighted, at the arrest of their Master; f^ir from attempting, any resistance or rescue, they had concealed themselves, and met bu. stealthily with barred and bolted doors, lest they also should suffei arrest. Their Master had been crucified by Roman authority, at the urgent sohcitadon of the Jewish Sanhedrim , and their hopes had fallen to the dust But he had risen from the dead, and though he had not, as of old, led them through the streets of Jerusalem and the villages of Galilee, showing himself openly to the multitudes his resurrection and his ascension had put new faith and courage 'into their hearts, and this mysterious but all powerful influence which they now experienced had consecrated them to their work, and they were ready for any labor, any sacrifice, which might be required of them
-A*f^l»^lXffvt,!#l^l^imiiSlltlSS^^i^-
I
ST. JOHN, THE BELOVED DISCIPLE. 283
The most timiel of the apostolic band was now ready to face thr •Sanhedrim, or the Roman authorities, charge upon them the murdc o[ Jesus, and defy their power. To the multitudes who thronged th= Jewish capital, they preached boldly the crucified and risen Christ, an. urged them to repent and believe on him.
And if this change had come upon all the disciples, it was especialh marked in the case of Peter and John. Peter was, as before the crucifixion, the leader, but his boastful spirit was gone; he was meet and humble, yet full of zeal, courage and energy, and henceforth hi? chosen associate was John , together the two preached unto the people administered bai)tism to the new converts, performed miracles in thf name of Jesus Christ, charged home upon the rulers their responsi bility for the death of Christ, stood undaunted before the Sanhedrim endured their threatcnings without alarm, and without yielding for s moment to their demands; suffered imprisonment, and were beater with rods, but rejoiced that they were counted worthy to suffer sham* in and for the Master's name. Meanwhile, the church, which they, ii accordance with their Master's command, had founded at Jerusalem had grown so rapidly that it numbered many thousands of joyfu' believers; it was fully organized, and had been consecrated by th* blood of its first martyr, and a violent persecution had scattered manv of Its prominent members; but Peter and John remained at Jerusalen and cared for the remainder of the flock. Now came one of tho^.^ questions which tested the completeness of the change wrought ir them. Philip, one of the seven deacons (not the apostle), had lef Jerusalem in consequence of the persecution, and gone to Samaris where he had preached Christ with great success,— the recollection o' the Saviour's visit there undoubtedly rendering the people mor^ ready to receive the gospel. He had baptized great numbers, an. was in need of assistance Thereupon, the church at Jerusalem sent their two chief pastors to aid Philip in his work. Peter and John hastened on this mission of love, received the Samaritans warmly as brethren in Christ, and ere they returned preached the gospel in many of the Samaritan villages And yet this same Jolm.'only six years
^'U-AXX>■i^\■'mZ,J• 't
284
before, had dcsirccl to call d
T///- .tPOSTU-S OF J/.SUS.
own fire from heaven
of theSf
id
^anunl.,,, \-,lla,^cs f„r a real ,„■ fancied sliVht
Oilier events, foll.nvin,^- (hick and fa.st,'™vc evidenco nf H, had become l',n| tl.c- m.ifl . , -'iw^tles, Saul the persecutoi
IVter and Ja ' t" ' h "' T ""^''^^^.'-'".-ly ''7 J'*" and
rron, heaven, an.l it , I i ;e , t '^ """" °' ""-' '""'^ '^■' ''-™ Iho church <,r Corneh ' "'"^^'■^■o'> and admission into
-:.e^,e and ;;r;:t:,e'r:h\;^t:r:";rrL^^^^^^
deliverance, ami it came Peter IrfV T ..•. . V ^^ ^''^''''■'
-ained at his ,.ost. and' the ;"se::^:r TJ"'' '' ""''■ '"' ■""■"
of i::\t;:"n';;}::^:;:;:^'''>'7^---? - ■--■ '^•"' very shv^ record Gentile chu!;t.:';;n;t :r: :;ruv; nttT,''°"^ ''"""^^■" "-^
have heard fron, ,„„, as uvli a CnPeerb h /""/,"' T ''''"'' from Jerusalem I'uil s,„-,l-. f t ,' ' "'^ "'^"' ''eixirture
reiioihip to H.;;;!^::;;,^;,^^- -r^^
^ed, destru^;;: ;nrt-£ t; ti^o: r:^^-rr
r > uic apostle among- the number, took refiKxr .'n i>..ii.
niountam fastness on the east sido of fK /t . ^^ ^"''' ^
Tiile-s south of theseao r.lil ^ , •^'''''''"' ^'^^"^ ^'^^^^teen
:on. and 1^ i " .^ ^' " ^J^r^ ^^ '^^^ ^^"'^^ ^^ ^^^ been
order of V ^"' ■ ■?"^" '"'""" *"' "^"^"' ^' Ep''^^"^ he was, by the order, „f N,,,o, ban.shed to the h'ttic rocky islet of Patmos, aboS
--«iiu«.«» ■.,*ttfi«»H,'..;ii»i»f.i«»i(s,
y/ JOHN, Tllh lihLOVhD DJSC/PLh.
38s
">■- or four y..r.s, tcn„iL^:\,,"|,t" :;;::,' 'T' '"T"""^ ■lun,,,. his c-xilo ,„. tl,is island that h w otc h i, • ^7v ' ■"'' 'ri which, after ilctailiim' the view he InTof I, , ■ '''"^■'■■'■"""'
. view fa,. „.,... s.l„i,i^e a„„ Te^h:: i .^ U Jl'Xf ^ fT Witnessed on Mount Ilcnnon -.f th,. f.- r '. ^'^^ '''"^'^ '^^ 'lac
which 1,0 .■ec,,,,,i.ed at ^sil^r;'::^'';;'''"''- "","'^" """ " received from him i,> .1, . . ■'> "'•H'l'- I-»hI, lie ,t;ives llie nicssa-e!
Asia, ntess^ w,- r n^ "Zr'i'r'''^ ^"""'"^ "' "'^' I"™' °'
heaven, a„d . " e a', h .r tl"" T"",'"' /" "^' "" '^''"'^■^ "' -""10 on the eath be H I '""'J'"'-'"^'"^ "'''^l' ^^•-■'•- tc
-uture progress :fhe'ct,;:i,-?;;i.XH'''''^'' 'T ^'^""' "^ '"^ nnal destruction of the pa.la ^ ! ':«, ^ hi^ I ■ '","''^""' •'"" •et, and the books were opened he le ,1 , ^', ''''""" '"''
raised from their ..raves an ,. , r ', '" '""' -''•■"■ ^^'^''c
portrayed; the ni^nrV. t irin'T^ln b, f^'l'" '[^'V"-^"'^- ="' -•ehearsedin his hearin.r • ,w. k' '' ■"'"'' "^ '"-^ were
the final destruaion of fh'. t , "'Tr''"'"' "'^^ "''"^"'"•■'l K'-'ri^s able beauty of Te n°w e us., ""'m "" ""^''-^^''>'^ -"I indescrib- i^i-oceeded fron/L throne of God ,"'"' 'f, "" "'''•""^'-' "'"^'^ stones, whose gates vv re pe rl^ ^ 7T """' "'^^ "' '"^^'""^ ^'old,were shovvn to hhl^^^T -n " ''""''' ''""'' "' 1'"" pure as crystal, its bant: sh u L b^the rt TfT' ',"■ Z?"' " ','"■ "'anner of fruits, and yielded ils fn t ' "'" '^^"'^'
illuninated by the divine tt r''^ '""""'' "'^ ^^''o''^
Lord God Ahniohtvand the^^n,'"' "'f'"- "° '^'"l'''-'' ^'"^-^ the
were also presente'Jtritritrv- it ""'^ '^''^'^^'^ '" ^--'"'
.o.l-ti;r^^r^--l-t--^e
'■^ """ '" tlicsc visions, which
nomufan. The date of the banfshmen ttns 1T ''"' "" ^""'''>- '" ^"^^ '^^ <^f
Revdafon was written before or after the fa 1 of "X ' ti"'"'^;^ ^^''"""' "^ '^"'^^'>''- ^' 'he Idea that it was written before tliat event ■' "'^''"' ^'^^ ^^'^'g'^' ^' ^vulence seerns to fevfi,
Wi\
286
Tv/Zi Ji'OSTU:s; of jesus.
ransformcd it into the very gate of he:iven ; nor that, when recalled 0 his apostolic work at liphesus, he should have left with reluctance ts ru^geil ciifls.
Hut there was yet much for him to do. Paul and Peter, his own >roLher James, and James, the Lord's brother, that James ihe Just who lad so loiio and ably presided as the chief pastor of the church at Jerusalem, had all gone, through the martyr's chariot of fiie, to theii lome abcn-e. 'lo him there was given a longer service, mori' abundant trials, but at last a peaceful and quiet death. Mo probably returned to iiphesus about the beginning of the year a. l
THE RIVER OF THE WATER OF LH'E.
69, and though not far from sixty-eight years of age, " his eye was no* iim, nor his natural force abated." Vigorous and active, he visited ir ;urn the fifteen or twenty churches of the province of Asia, counsellci' :heir i)astors. and very possibly extended his apostolic labors ti >ete, to Cenchrea, to Athens, to Corinth, and to the churches o( ^lacedonia. The destruction of Jerusalem, and the wide dispersior )f the Judcuan Christians, many of whom migrated to Asia Minoi Vlacedonia and (Greece, must have greatly increased his labors, sine; to most of them he was personally known.
There seems to be good reason to believe the testimony of the eArly father^, some of whom were in direct communication witli the
ST. JOHN, THE ntiLOVED DlSaPLh.
2^7
now venerable apostle, that his gospel was written about A. D. 85 o< 86, at the reciuest of the elders of the ehurch at liphesus, who though possessing the other gospels, tlesired to preser\ e his recollcc tions of his l)elovecl Master, and to obtain from him also thos< particulars which had not been recorded by the others. His owr purpose in writing it seems to have been, not so much to supplement the other gospels, though he does this incidentally, as to j)r()vc, in this life of Jesus, that he was the Christ, the Son of (iod, (iod manifest in the flesh. Having this object in view, he divides his gosjiel into two parts: the first, extending from the first to the- thirteenth chapter, consists of a series of proofs or signs that Jesus was the predicted Messiah, the appointed Saviour of the wodd; or, in other words, it is a record of what Jesus made known of himself to convince the unbelieving; the second part, extending from chapter thirteenth to the end of the book, consists of evidence that Jesus is the Saviour of the world, derived from his intercourse and discourses in private with his chosen friends, and especially as seen in tie great sacrifice offered by him, and its acceptance for the salvation o' the world. When wt consider that this gospel must have been written wlu.n he wah eighty-five or eighty-six years old, and possibly nearer ninety; that ite detail of these conversations and discourses of Christ is very clear and minute, and not marred in the slightest degree by the garrulity of ok- age, and that the style of its composition is suj)erior, even, to that ol the accomplished and learned Paul, while the Greek, in which it is written, is as pure as that of the best classic Greek writers ; wc car come to no other conclusions than these : that John was intellectual 1\ a man of remarkable genius and extensive culture, and that he wa^ -specially inspired of the Holy Spirit to write this and the othei books which he contributed to the New Testament.
The Gospel of John is, indeed, so far as any book or document car be, one of the main pillars of the Christian system. More than an\ other ' the books of the New Testament it is devoted to thf doctrines of the divinity of Jesus Christ and of the Trinity in unity and hence it has been the citadel against which infidelity anr rationalism have made their most vigorous and determined assault^ .
r'ji
V
THE AposTu:s of jhsus.
but they have assailed it in vain: it stands to-day unliarnicd, as it ha^ .tood through all the Christian ages, and as it shall continue to stand iiitil the last foe shall have hurled his last missile against it.
Hut. though already past the allotted age of man, John had still work to do for the Master he loved, and for the church of (iod. Ik was, It IS supposed, past his ninetieth year when he wrote the three epistles which bear his name. They show on their pages evidence of advanced age. but not of senility or weakened mental powers The tlieme of the first epistle is fello7uship, the union of believers with God and his Son Jesus Christ, and their union with one another Like all of Johns writings, it is thoroughly systematic. He treats first of the nature of fellowship, in both its aspects ; second, of its fruit holiness; third, of its law. truth; fourth, of its life, love; fifth, of its root, faith. In reading it we are often reminded, by the vigor and almost explosive force of its language, that this old man. whose head has been whitened by the snows of almost a hundred winters has not yet wholly lost that fiery zeal which gave him, in his youth 'the title of Boanerges, a "son of thunder." His heart, great and loving as it is, has been sorely wounded by the professions of false disciples who cbim to be the children of God, and to be perfect and sinless, while their lives are impure and their hearts full of malice, bitterness and hate; and he denounces them in such terms as these: "If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth. . . If we say that we have no sin. we deceive our- selves, and the truth is not in us. . . If v.e say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. . . He that saith. I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is'a liar and the truth is not m him. . . Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus IS the Christ? He is Antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son. . . He that loveth not his brother abideth in death ' Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer; and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him." The honor of his blessed Lord was assailed, and this loving and gentle disciple was roused to wrath and denunciation, as he was in his youth, when a word was said agamst him whom he loved. And yet, in other portions of this epistle
ST 10} iN, THk BhLOVhD DISCI PIE.
2Rq
as it has to stand,
had still Dd. He he three lence oj •s. The LTS with another, e treats its fruit, h, of its ^or and se head has not the title wg as it es, who s, while 2SS and ^ay that
do not /e our- ave not Ke that iar, and ith that icr and
death, hat no blessed jsed to as said epistle,
how tender and sweet is his spiriti " Herein is Une. not that wc loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to !jvc one another." . . •• There is no fear in love ; but perfect love casteth out fear; because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love."
The second and third epistles are short, and addressed to individual disciples. They were probably written at a date still later than the first, but breathe the same spirit.
The exact date of the death of the loving and venerable apostle is unknown; different authorities differing more than twenty )'ears in their dates; but the most probable conjecture seems to be that he died at Hphesus, in the third or fourth year of Trajan, and after passing his hundredth year.
Jerome relates that when, in extreme old age, he was too weak to walk into the church, he was still borne tliither; and unable to delivei a long discourse, he would lift his trembling hands and simply say. " Little children, love one another;" and repeat these words again and igain When asked why he constantly repeated this expression, hi?- inswer was, "Because this is the command of the Lord, and nothin^^ •s done unless this thing be done."
So passed away the last and most Christ-like of the apostles From the day of his Lord's ascension to that in which he too joiner the assembly and church of the first-born, whose names are written ir the book of life, there is no stain or blemish on his character. Hi.^ life, for that period of more than seventy years, was as pure and spotless as any recorded in the Scriptures, except only that of the Blessed One, to whom through life he clung in adoring love Innumerable are the legends which have come down to us concernin^^ this holy servant of God ; some of them are absurd and puerile, and unworthy to be recorded, as they are totally at variance with hii character. These are probably the inventions of idle monks, who. ir the fifth and sixth centuries of our era, spent their abundant leisure ir, the concoction of all manner of legends concerning the apostles, anr' even concerning Christ himself. A 18 L
few are deserving of notic*.
M
■s
^
iqio
TffK APOSTLES OF JESUS.
-iccau'e of their apparent liannony with tlic spirit of the apostle and •ecau.o. from their cui-'-er date, there is a stron-er possibility of 'their n.ith Whether true or not. tliey are not inconsistent with lii.s naracte;
The tradition of his shipwreck on his first voya-e to Ephesus wlien >iear that port, is not improbable, for tiie .ligean sea was often a tempestuous one, and its many rocky islands, and its harbors and roadsteads so liable to be filled up with silt from ih. mountain streams, made shipwrecks there very frequent. The legend that he ^as taken to Rome, and, by the orders of Nero, or some other Koman tyrant, plunged in a caldron of boiling oil, from which he ciiierged entirely uninjured, rests only on the doubtful authority of rertulhan, and is believed by many of the most careful critics to be a misinterpretation of the words of some earlier writer.
One of the most beautiful, as it is one of the most probable of these traditions, is that which relates that, as he was visiting the church at Pergamos, he saw a young man in the congregation to whom he wa^ powerfully drawn, and that, turning to the pastor of the church, he said. " I commit this young man to you, before Christ and 'the congregation." The minister accepted the charge, took the youth home, instructed, and finally baptized him. Subsequently he fell into bad company, led a profligate life, and at last, renouncing all his religious professions, joined a band of robbers, and became theii captain. After some years John again visile i Pergamrs. and while there, made mquiry of the pastor concerri;.g the young man whom he had committed to his charge. The minister sighed heavily, and his tears flowed, as he replied. " He is dead." " Dead I " said John • " in w^^t way did he die ? " •• He is dead to God." answered the pastor he .e- .mc godless, and finally a robber, and is now with his comp.,. ioas m the fastnesses of the mountains." The venerable apostH hearing Vuis. started at once, and saying, M must go after this lost sheep." procured a horse and guide, and went to the mountain in which was the robbers' haunt. Being seized as he had expected, by the band, he demanded to be carried into the presence of their captain The outlaw chief, rcco mizin ' John i^ he
and of a tender full of stron<r \'c been some- ways, whicli,
ST JOHN Tfih m-Lnvuo or^ctpt.h
M>pro.-ic'.cd. attempted to fly; but John hastened after him. crying. Why do you flee from me? Stop! stop! Do not be afraid. If •eed be. I will lay dovvn jny life for you, as Chn t laid down his life :or us Believe. Christ hath sent me to you." '1 - robber stopped threw away his arms, and began to tremble afl w. p bitterly. John' filially let him back to the chureh. of which he .ubsocpiently .eeame one of the pillars, demonstrating the genuaienes of hi. penitence and conversion by his holy life and earnest zea..
It remains that we should seek to ascertain what are the lessons to be drawn from the cha. icter and example of .i.s beloved and eminently holy servant of Christ.
We have seen that, thou; h possessed of rare gi
md loving nature, he was in his vouth impufsix
prejudices, and ambitious. \ ct withal, there must
ihnig very attractive in him. s. .me winning . harm in , .ay. waicn
^v'th h.s strong affections and his pure and truthful u. position, drevv
the human heart of Jesus to h.m in a love which mai^v waters could
no quench lie was the mo t loyal to Jesus of all iNe disciples
ind he gives this grand rea^ )n for his loyalty: "W love him
^ecause_ he hath first loved i ." Mis fidelity to his Lord was
unquestioned and unquesticmab'e. No doubts of the perfect and
abiding love which existed bei veen them ever caused a shadow
upon his brow, or for a moment b clouded his spirit.
And yet it required three year, of instruction and training by the divine Master, and the death, resurrection, and ascension of that Master to rid him of his expectations of the tem])oral reign of the Messiah, to overcome his narrow and bitter prejudices, and to control ^is vehement and passionate nature.
But when the Holy Spirit, the Comforter, had come, and imparted Its sanctifying and elevating influences to his soul, he was created anew m Christ Jesus Me was no longer a Boanerges, a "son of thunder but J' a son of consolation." He had power with God ane prevailed Where miracles were needed for the confirmation of th. truth, tney were wrought in the name of his Master; but to those with ^hom he was brought in contact his pure and holy life vvas greater
292
THE APOSTLES OF JESUS.
than any miracle. Both Peter and John had been 'with Jesm as the ^.anhcdnni perceived (Acts iv, 13), and from him they had learned far better than the Jewish rabbis could have taught them, to rebuke sin but to love and labor for the sinner; and by a pure and holy example to enforce the truths they preached.
We cannot suppose that any man, except our adorable Redeemer has ever trod our earth who was perfectly free from sin, but it is worthy of notice that the inspired writers, wIk), under the ..uidance of the Holy Spirit, noticed so freely the errors and shortcominos of even the purest and holiest, and were most severe of all upon "their own sins, nowhere, after the day of our Lord's ascension, pass a word of censure upon John. Peter, the great apostle of the circumcision was led astray in his course in regard to the Jewish and Gentile disciples at Antioch; and even Paul, with his zealous and fervent spirit and his overcoming^ faith, was not wholly exempt from thos^ mfirmities of the flesh, which at times led him to cry out "Oh' vvretched man that I am! W^io shall deliver me from the body 0/ this deaths But John dwelt perpetually in that hiohcr atmosphere o. the divine love. No cloud obscured the Sun o> Righteousness from his vision; and cheered by its blessed rays, toil for his Lord was a delight, pain was a pleasure, and he could say with the poet--
"Iven sorrow, touched by thee, grows bright With more than rapture's ray; As darlviie-ss shows us worlds of light We never saw by day."
Nor can we doubt that the visions of God which were set before him in Patmos were among the minor rewards, the "hundred-fold in this life," which were given to him for his unfaltering fliith and hi^ undying love for his Redeemer. To L.' n, as to Daniel, the message might have come. " O man, greatly beloved, fear not,"
And when this " disciple whom Jesus loved " was at last received into the mansion prepared for him above, does it transcend the grace of our blessed Lord to suppose that the position which he ignorantlv ^ought on earth, in the days of his early ambition, was reserved foi him m the heavenly kingdom > That, havin- drank of the cup of
Jrh!
^ ■'•II .,--
•"■■' -"""'""■'"
fs, as the arned far uukc sin, example
idccmcr, but it is •uidance nino-s of )on their ^ a word incision, Gentile fervent 11 those t, "Oh! body of osphcre ousness is Lord oet —
; before
•fold in ind hi^
lessagf
-ceived 3 grace orantly ^ed foi cup of
293
294
THE APOSTLES OF JESUS.
1 1 It
Christ's earthly sufferings, and having undergone his baptism of sor- rows, this saint of God, so greatly beloved, was called, not as a matter of right, nor because of any claim he could bring, but of the free grace of the Redeemer, to sit at his right hand as one of the prime ministers of the now glorified and reigning Messiah? If such is his blessed lot, no seraph of the heavenly host will utter with more melodiou? notes the new song, or with a more reverent and adoring spirit will ascribe "blessing, and honor, and glory, and power unto Him thai sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever."
The lessons of this beautiful life, then, are briefly these: That, however pure and amiable are our natural dispositions, we need to be taught of Christ, and to be regenerated by the Holy Spirit, before we can do our Master's work effectively.
That, since Christ hath loved us and given himself for us, the only measure of our love for him should be his love for us ; and that the nearer we attain to a perfect and all-absorbing love for him, the fewer will be the clouds and doubts over our pathway, and the more perfect and complete our peace and joy.
Thit it is only to those who, by long and constant trust in Chnst have won this peace which passeth all understanding, that the heavens are opened and they are permitted to know the blessedness of the redeemed in glory, while they are still within this earthly tabernacle.
That if we would have an open and abundant entrance administered to us into the New Jerusalem above, w:^ must imitate the example of the obedient, faithful, loving, and holy John, and, like him, be known to all around us as the disciples whom Jesus loves. God has prom- ised, " He that overcometh shall inherit all things ; and I will be his (Sod, and he shall be my son."
May God give to each of the readers of this book grace thus to overcome.
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jm oi sor- s a matter free grace ministers is blessed [nelodiou? spirit will Him thai :r."
ie : That, eed to be before we
, the only
1 that the
the fewei
>re perfect
in Chnst e heavens iss of the lernacle. ninistered :ample of )e known las prom- all be his
e thus to
Bsai
■K i-IJ
,^^^<mMai-»mmmi!l2miik'AMt...
THE APOSTLES OF JESUS.
SIMON PETER.
N the western shore of the Sea of Galilee lay
Bethsaida, a city deeply interesting to ai)
Christians as having been the birth-place of
several of the Apostles, and afterward the
scene of many of the mighty works of Jesus
Here in a dwelling perhaps scarcely better than
he stable at Bethlehem, the great Apostle Simon
cter first sa;v the light. How little would the
uio': tlJ™'V"' "" '''"' ""^S'"^' - «^^y looked looKe<i-for U^" """'''""'"' '"'"'• ^"'^ Apostle of the long
lars of them havin, been handed dot' t's' Hi^ C To "" ""'""■ poor, and is trenerilW b,.l,„„„^ . i. , ^"^ J°"^ ™s very
readily suppose th/' . ^'^' '"^'=" ^ ^*=™^" ' ^"^ -= may
dangerous' ^"h^g""^',": ZltuZZ'^''' ^°'^' 1"'="='' '^™ '" '"' when Tesus wn, L ">o"gh' 'hat Simon was about ten years old
i-ake" iTTib! 1- . ,r tr: '.^I'Tth 't t^ ^^^^^^ '-'^^^ - '^'
herds of Bethlehem and t.M I "^"'^ ^ord appeared to the shep-
vvas born No d"ine 1 . "" "^^ J^^''"' "^^^^ "^^' '^^ Saviour No divme intimation, so far as we know, had the fisher-
»97
298
THE APOSTLES OF JESUS.
■t
?*^l
men of Gaiilee that night of the birth of the Redeemer. But perhaps they, to \\ horn every star would be familiar, pointed out to each other a brilliant meteor they had never seen before. Ah I little thought they then that that star was guiding the sages of the East to the cradle of the infant Saviour. In after years, when the events of that wondrous night became known, they would often, perhaps, remind each other of the star of Bethlehem. In the sacred history, years intervene between that time and the period when Simon is first introduced to us. Years they were to the poor fisherman of toil and hardship, still not without their blessings. Domestic ties had Simon formed, and there was a dear wife, and it is believed children, to welcome him home after his nights of labor. He had quitted the parental roof, and had removed, It IS supposed, on the occasion of his marriage to Capernaum. But thoughts higher and nobler than those connected with the pleasures of the domestic hearth, or the dangers and hardships of his calling, occupied the active mind of Simon. A mighty preacher had appeared on the banks of the Jordan who proclaimed that the Messiah was at hand. The glorious news reached the ears of the sons of Jona. Andrew, and it is believed Simon also, went to hear the Baptist in the wilderness. Certain it is that the brothers were among the first to welcome Jesus when he appeared to John and his disciples, they believing him to be the Christ, the Saviour of the world. It was Andrew who had first the honor of conversing with Jesus, but no sooner had he left the presence of our Lord than he sought his " brother Simon, and saith unto him. We have found the Messias, which is, being interpreted, the Christ." * Willingly did Simon accompany his brother to the place where Jesus was, who no sooner saw him than he said to him, "Thou shalt be called Cephas."! Cephas in Syriac means a stone or rock; Petros in Greek also means a stone or rock; and so Simon was sometimes called Cephas, but much more generally Peter. This name was given him by our Lord as an honorable title, denoting i;he firmness and constancy for which, through the grace given him. his faith would be generally
I '
* John i. 41.
tJohn i. 42.
HM««^iiii»JLII— lBlu")B^WajaHIHi»
SIMON PETER.
299
ii '
not-^d, and which would distinguish his labors and sufferin<Ts in lIk cause of Christ.
Peter did not at his first interview remain long with our Saviour Oh, what joyful news had the poor fisherman to tell his dear ones al home when he returned to Capernaum. Can we not imagine his wife listenmg m wondering silence to her husband's account of his meeting with the Lord, while her aged mother would pray that she might, ere she closed her eyes in death, be blessed with the sight of him^whom prophets and kings had long desired to see ?
We hear nothing more of Peter for a year, but we may suppose that though during that period he continued to pursue his calling as a fisherman, he spent much of his time in the society of Jesus. Nay, it is not at all improbable that our Lord made the abode of Peter hi<^ home whenever he stayed in Capernaum, even before the time when he miraculously cured Peters mother-in-law. During this year Jesus had been actively employed in his ministry, not alone in Capernaum, but in the region round about, preaching the gospel, healino- the sirk' and casting out devils. His fame had spread not only throughout Galilee, but in the countries beyond, and multitudes flocked after nim wherever he went. We read that they not only followed him, but " pressed upon him " * in their great anxiety to hear the word of God In Jerusalem, the people heard of Jesus, and went to Galilee to hear hmi. In Syria, the people heard of Jesus, and went to Galilee to hear him. The Tyrians and Sidonians left their coasts and flocked to the shores of Tiberias to listen to the tidings of salvation. Distance with these poor sinners seemed to be no consideration. How different it is with many professing Christians at the present day! Let the house of God be only a mile or two from their homes, and their constant excuse for not attending upon his service is that the length of the way is wearisome.
Our Saviour one day, to avoid the crowd, stepped into a boat which lay on the beach. This boat belonged to the brothers Peter and Andrew, but they were not in her. They were, however, near on the
16
* Luke V. I.
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300
r/Zf APOSTLES OF JESUS.
shore, w.ishiii^r their nets after a night of fruitless toil. Jesus asked Peter to " thrust out a Httle from the land. And he sat down, and taui;ht the people out of the ship." =^ After he had done speaking, he told Peter to launch the boat into deeper water, and let the net into the sea. Peter replied that he had been toiling all night, which is the best time for fishing, and had caught nothing. However, as Jesus had bidden him, he let down the net.
" ' The livelong night we've toilM in vain, But at thy gracious word I will let down the net again : — Do thou thy will, O Lord I'
" So spake the weary fisher, spent With bootless darkling toil, Yet on his Master's bidding bent For love and not for spoil."
Ills obedience was well rewarded, for immediately the net enclosed so many fishes that they could not draw them up into the boat, and they beckoned to their partners, James and John, v ho were in another ship, to come and help them. When all the fishes were drawn up they filled both the ships. Peter was so struck with the divine power of Jesus, that he fell down at his feet and exclaimed, " Depart from me; for 1 am a sinful man, O Lord!"f Pie felt himself altogether unworth}' of being near so great a personage. But Jesus said, " Pear not; from henceforth thou shalt catch men." |' y\nd how did he suc- ceed ? If you will look at the second chapter of the Acts of the Apostles, you will see that he was in one day the blessed means of bringing three thousand souls to the Lord Jesus Christ.
From this time Peter became the constant companion of our Saviour, who soon gave him another proof of his divine power and favor. It was this : The home o^ Peter, at that time the honored abode of our Lord, vvas visited by fever. Peter's wife's mother, who, it would appear, resided with her daughter and son-in-law, was seized with the deadly
* Luke V. 3.
t Luke v. 8.
\ Luke V. 10.
S/A/O.V PETl'R.
r.-ialady. No time, however, was lost in Iettin<r Jesus know of her ill- ness, lie was in the eity, healin|.r the sick and casting out devils, but he no sooner heard of the calamity which had befallen Peter's house- hold, than he went to the bedside of the sick woman, "and stood over her, and rebuked the fever; and it left her/'^f' Yes, it left her I Not, as you might think, weak, and needing rest, but so well that she could
MOUNT OF OLIVES.
at once wait upon Jesus and his disciples, for we read that " immediately she arose and ministered unto them." f
Not long after this Jesus chose his twelve Apostles. The word Apostle means a person sent forth. To these favored ones, among whom was Peter, our Saviour gave "power against unclean spirits, to
* Luke iv. 39.
f Luke iv. 39.
• If"
mm\
■ rr ■ ;i
302 77/// IPOSTUiS OF JLSUS.
cast them out, and to ncal all manner of sickness and all mann.-r of disease." -' Intimately associated with Jesus were all the Apostles hut tiu-ec of them were si.ecially selected by our Lord to be his constant companions. They were Peter. James, and John, who were often allowed to remain with their divine Master when he desired the other Apostle^- to leave him. or withdrew himself from them. The first time he showed this mark ol kivor was when he restored the dau-hter of Jairus to life The story -is this : There was a -rcat man, a ruler of the synai-ooue of Capernaum, called Jairus. lie had a dauohte.; about twelve years of anre, whom he lox'cd very much. Now this riear child was very ill indeed dyin- Jairus had, of course, heard of the wonderful things' Jesus had done; so he went to the shore of the Sea of Galilee where our Lord was, anti fell down at his feet, entreating him to go directly to his daughter and lay his hands on her, that she might live. Jesus at once went ^^•ith him, his disciples accompanying him, and a great number of people following. Beibre the anxious father however could reach home, a servani; met him with the tidings that his daughter was dead. This was sad news, but Jairus had a friend near xxho muld at once cheer him with the words, "Be not afraid; only believe "f Jesus allowed no one to proceed any further with him, excepting Jairus Peter, James, and John. Wlien they reached the ruler's liouse the' minstrels were piaying, and the ])eople making lamentations for the dead, as was the custom in that country w^hen any one of great conse- quence died. Jesus told them that the maid only slept, but "they laughed him to scorn." % Did their eyes deceive them ? Could those stiffened limbs and pale and rigid features belong to any but one from whom the soul had departed ? No I they could not believe that she only slept. Soon, however their scorn was to be turned into astonish- ment. Jesus put them all out, and with only the father and mother of the maid, and Peter, James, and John, he entered the room where the damsel lay, and, taking her by the hand, "said unto her, Talitha cumi- which IS, being interpreted. Damsel, I say unto thee, Arise And straightway the damsel arose and walked." § Can you be surprised to
*Matt. X. I.
t Mar'.: v. 36.
X Mark v. 40.
§Mark v. 41, 42.
inn^T of ■itlcs, hut constant
allowed Apostles
showctl s to life.
(3gUC of
^cars of very ill, I thin_L;s -, where directly Jesus a great owever, :iiigiiter
0 could icve."-|- • Jairus, use, the for the consc-
; "they
1 those e from lat she ^onish- :her of ^rc the
. cumi ;
And
sed to
SIMON PETER.
303
read that "they were astonished with a great astonishment ? "* lY-ter ought by this time to have had most perfect confidence in the ])ower of Jesus under all circumstances; but soon his faith was tried till it wavered. He was one night with the other Apostles in a ship on the sea of Galilee. It was dark. They were: toilin-- in i()\\in<. ; for the wind was against them. Jesus was not with then'i ; he was on a moun- tam, praymg. A violent storm arc--, and Peter and his friends were m great danger. They continued in this state of fear and distress till after three o'clock in the morning, when thev saw a figure walking on the ragmg sea towards them. This figure was none other than Jesus, but they did not know him. Their terror was very great for they thought it was a spirit. Jesus came '^
close to the shij) in order that they might see him distinctly; but still they did not know him, and they cried out with fear. The Saviour immediately said, " It is I ; be not afraid." f No sooner did Peter hear the voice of his beloved Master, than he begged to be allowed to go to him. Jesus gave him permi^•.sion. Peter got out of the ship, and walked on the sea towards Jesus; before, however, he reached him, he began to be afraid. Per- haps a high wave arose between them, and prevented him for a moiiient seemg the Lord. Be that as it may, his faith wavered; and as he lost his faith, he lost his footing, and began to sink Then in an agony, he cried out, "Lord, save me! "J Jesus stretched out 'his hand and caught him; at the same time reproving him for his want of faith. Jesus and Peter entered the ship; the wind ceased, and immediately the ship reached the shore. Then all that were in the ship worshipped Jesus, and said, " Of a truth thou art the Son of God." )^
I am sure you will suppose that the disciples could not help think-
JliSUS AM) I'KlEk.
* Mark V 42,
fMatt. xiv. 37.
X Matt. xiv. 30. § Matt. xiv. 33.
>l I
.^04
Tltn APOSTUIS OF JESUS.
ini; Jesus was, indeed, the Son of (lod ; and yet, the very next day alter he had been \valkin;< on the sea, he tokl then* that some r)f them did not believe; l)Ut Peter assured hiin that he and the rest of the Apostles believed that he was the Christ, the Son of the living (iod. Our Lord knew better than Peter ditl what was in the hearts of those about hiin, and aithoui^h he did not tell them all he knew, he replied, "Have not I chosen you twelve, ?sA one of you is a devil ?"=*= Judas was amons^'- them.
One day, when Jesus was walking with his disciples, he said to them, " Whom do men say that I, the Son of man, am ? And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist; some, p:iias ; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets. He saith unto them. Put whom say ye that I am ? And Simon Peter answered ami said, Thou art tiie Christ, the Son of the living (kjd. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Plessed art thou.'simon Par-jona : for flesh and blooil hatii not revealed it unto thee, but my P'athcr which is in heaven. And I say unto thee, that thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Cluirch ; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And I will givo unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven : and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed m heaven." •)■ Our Saviour here confirms to the son of Jona the title he had before given him, "Thou art Peter," a stone or rock. Jesus then goes on to say, "and upon this rock (that is upon the confession^ which Peter had made that Jesus was the Christ, the Son of the living God) I will build my Church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail agamst it." The last few words are understood by some to mean that all the assaults and attempts which the powers of darkness can make against Christ's Church shall not be able to overthrow it. And by others the expression, "gates of hell, ' is understood to signify death as the entrance into hades, or the place of departed spirits. Securely as these gates may be barred, they shall have no power to confine
*J*^'^"^'- 7°- fMatt. xvi. 13-19.
JThis view is favored by the changing of the Greek word/^/w in this text into /«ra.
SIMON PHTER.
next day of tlicni it of the in^ God. of those repUed, •' Judas
said to uid they as ; and L'm, But nd said, d Jesus ma : for -i" wiiich ul uj)()n hall not in^doni ^ bound .: loosed the title Jesus fession^ e living
prevail L'an that n make And by y death ieeurely eonfine
-19.
etra.
305
Christ's departed saints ulun the ardun-el shall sound the Hump of judgment, but all that are within tlu.se gates shall hear the voice of the Son of God and come forth. \ ou are aware, I suppose, that all who were not Jews were called!, entiles. G.ul intended die Jewish reli-.ion only for his own peculiar people; but the religion of Jesus Clirist'was for the whole world, Jews and Gentiles. Christianilv broke down the nnddle-wall ol partition between them, and the kingdr.m of heaven was opened to all believers. Now. the kevs of the kingdom of heaven bcmg given to I'eter by uur Lord, means that it ..hould be his happs
b^
MiiLN T TAIJOU, IN liALIli;!';.
lot to be the first to open the door of Christ's kingdom to the Gentile^ and persuade them to enter in. and become participators in the glorious privileges of the gospel. In the seventh verse of the fifteenth chap- ter of the Acts of the Apostles we find Peter reminding the members of the council of the Apostles of this. But the way being opened by Peter, preaching to and baptizing the Gentiles was not confined to him as you will read hereafter. The expression, "Whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven ; and whatsoever thou shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven," means that Jesus gave Peter power to retain or do away with whatever portion of the Mosaic lau
11 ;
!!» ;
306
THE APOSTLES OF JESUS.
relating to ceremonies the circumstances of his religion might require The power which is here confined to things was afterwards extended by our Lord to persons (John xx. 23). The authority given to Peter was not restricted to him, but was given to the other Apostles also. " Whatsoever j|/£? shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven : and whatsoever j^ shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven,"'*' said our Saviour, when conversing with his disciples on a future occasion. In the Talmud, a book highly valued by the Jews, the words to bind and to loose are used in the same manner as above, namely, to retain or do away with anything. The extended expression of our Lord relates to the authority the Apostles possessed as the representatives of Christ. The Apostles themselves had not, except when the power was specially given to them, an infallible insight into the characters of men ; but they were kept from error in stating the way of salvation, and in administering the discipline of the Church. In such cases their decision was confirmed by their great Master in heaven.
When Jesus first told his disciples that he would have to suffer many things, and be put to death at Jerusalem, Peter, who could not bear to hear him say so, rebuked him with the words, " Be it far from thee," f or, God forbid it. Peter and the rest of the Apostles had still a hope that Jesus would reign as a great king in this world. But Jesus, turning to Peter, said unto him, "Get thee behind me, Satan ; thou art an offence to me, for thou savorest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men." J Satan here signifies an enemy, and the word offence a hinderance ; so our Saviour meant to say that Peter, led away with human weakness, would place a hinderance in his way, and tempt him from the path of sorrow which he must tread if man- kind were to be saved.
A few days after this the transfiguration on the mount took place. Within about two hours' walk from Nazareth is Tabor, a mountain rising out of the valley of Esdraelon (Jezreel), and celebrated in the Old Testament history as having been the spot selected by Deborah whereon Barak was to assemble his army of ten thousand men before
*Matt. xviii i8.
t Matt, xvi- 2 2.
J Matt. xvi. 23.
sm^-m
SIMON PETER.
l<^7
giving battle to Sisera. This mountain is supposed to have been the one on which our Saviour was transfigured. It is described by modern travellers as being about a mile in height, and its sides rugged and precipitous. The shai)e of the mountain is that of a cone'with the top cut off, the summit being a plain about a mile in circum- ference.
"And it came to pass, about an eight days after these sayings, he took Peter and John and James, and went up into a mountain to^'pra)-. And as he prayed, the fashion of his countenance was altered, and his raiment was white and glistering. And, behold, there talked with hun two men, which were Moses and Hlias: who appeared in glory and spake of his decease, which he should accomi)lish at Jerusalem. But Peter and they that were with him were heavy with sleep." =^ The apostles slept though it was day. Perhaps the journey up the steep and rugged mountain had taxed their strength too much, and when they reached the top they yielded to the sense of fatigue. Oh, what conflicting feelings must have been theirs when they awoke, and beheld the glorious sight of Christ transfigured I Amazement, joy, and devotion would fill "their breasts as they looked upon their beloved Lord, clothed with divine splendor, and attended by two heavenly beings. But, alas! what did their ears hear ? That the face of their dear Master, then shining as the sun, must be insult- mgly spat upon by his enemies, and disfigured by cruel blows ; that his temples, then radiant with glory, must be pricked with a tho.ny
MOUNT TABOR.
m i
I I '
I J*' 'i^-
•308 77/ii APOSTLES OF JESUS.
crown ; that his varments, then glistening- with celestial brightness, must be stripped from off his holy body, and be divided among rude soldiers ; and that, as he was then seen between Moses and Elias, he would afterwards be seen between two malefactors.
No two such fitting comi)anions as Moses and Elias could have been found in heaven to attend upon our Saviour when he was glori- fied upon earth, the one representing the law and the other the prophets. Both of tiiem were noted throughout their lives for. their faith and holiness; both were types of Christ; both fasted forty days; both suffered much for the glory of God ; both divided the waters; both were the messengers of God to kings ; both heard the voice of God in Horeb, and both were wonderful in the mode of their depart- ure from this world.
Moses and Elias appeared as attendants upon the glorified Jesus, to show the agreement of the law and the prophets with Christ, and their fulfillment in him.
It is evident that the impression made upon Peter by what he saw on the mount was greater than that produced UjoOii him by what he heard, for he (supposing that Christ had begun to reign on earth, and that Elias had come as Malachi had foretold he should) said, " Lord, it is good for us to be here ; if thou wilt, let us make here three taber- nacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias."* It was the deeply-rooted opinion of all the disciples that, even after the introduction of the gospel, the whole of the Mosaic law, both moral and ceremonial, would be retained in conjunction with the law of Christ. Now, one of the designs of the transfiguration was to show Peter, James, and John that they were in error on this point. When they I woke, and saw Moses, the Jewish Lawgiver, and Elijah, or Elias, the chief of the prophets, talking with Jesus, they would naturally con- clude that they were right in their opinion; so Peter, ev^er ready with his speech, proposed that all three, Jesus, Moses, and Elias, should make the holy mount their place of abode. But even while he yet spake, a bright cloud, the Shekinah, or Divine presence, overshadowed
* Matt. xvii. 4,
Ml
iSMins
3^htness, ig' rude ilias, ht
Id have LS glori- hcr the 'or. their y da)'s ; waters ; Aoice of depart-
1 Jesus, ist, and
he saw wlvdi he rth, and
" Lord, e taber- ,." * It Jter the )ral and
Christ. r Peter, en they lias, the ly con- dy with
should
he yet adowed
S/MON PETER.
them. "And, behold, a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him Y\nd when the disciples heard it, they fell on their face, and were son^ afraid." * Moses and Elias vanished. St. Mark tells us that -suddenly when they (Peter, James, and John) had looked round about, they saw no man any more, save Jesus only."t There stood their unrivalled and undisputed sovereign, whom they were to hear, not Moses nor Ehas, but he whom (;od had just declared was his beloved Son. fhey were to hear him and him alone, the great Prophet and Teacher
of the Church of God. They were to adore him and him alone
as their Saviour,
and obey him and
him alone as their
Lawgiver and
King.
Much migdit be written upon this subject that could not fail to interest you. I must, how- ever, confine my- self to a few re- marks. Tabor has been called the Gospel Sinai, and
the resemblance between the transactions which took place on the two mountains, Sinai and Tabor, is striking. On the former the law vvas given by God to Moses ; on the latter, God preached the gospel to the three disciples. When Moses went up into Sinai not even the priests were allowed to go up with him; when Jesus went up Tabor, his attendants were not suffered to accompany him. except the three favored ones as witnesses. On Sinai the face of Moses shone when God talked with him; on Tabor che
MOUNT SINAI.
* Matt. xvii. 5, 6.
t Mark ix. 8.
310
THE APOSTLES OF JESUS.
face of Jesus shone as the sun. Out of the midst of a cloud on Sinai, Moses heard the voice of God ; out of the midst of a cloud on Tabor, Peter, James, and John heard the voice of God. But there was this difference, the cloud on Sinai was a thick one, that on Tabor a bright one. There was darkness in the law, but light in the gospel. The people at the foot of Sinai trembled when they heard the thunderings and the noise of the trumpet, and saw the lightnings and the mountain smoking. Peter, James, and John feared when they entered the cloud on Tabor And, lastly, Moses encouraged the people with the words, " Fear not ; "* and Jesus comforted the three Apostles with the words, "Be not afraid."!
So lone: as the world endureth will these two mountains remain as monuments of the terrible majesty and the exceeding great love of our Father in heaven. Neither you nor I, dear reader, will probably ever, like some of our more privileged countrymen, ascend Sinai or Tabor. But we are all, I trust, journeying to the heavenly Zion (which is far better), where we shall see the blessed Jesus, the glorified Redeemer, attended not only by Moses and Elias, but by a great multitude which cannot be numbered. Oh, may we then be ready to exclaim, " Bless- ing, and honor, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb, for ever and ever ! " |
The venerable Bede tells us that, in accordance with Peter's wish, there were afterward built three churches on the top of Tabor, which in later times were held in great veneration.
Peter, James, and John remained with our Saviour all night on the mountain. The other Apostles were in the valley below. And you will agree with me, if you will read the ninth chapter of St. Luke, that it must have been a most welcome sight to the nine, that of Jesus descend- ing Tabor with the three greatly favored ones ; even Judas would be glad to see the Lord to help him with the rest out of a difficulty.
Shortly after this our Saviour and his Apostles arrived at Capernaum, and " they that received tribute money came to Peter, and said. Doth not your Master pay tribute ? He saith. Yes." § The tribute of half a
* Exod. XX. 20.
t Matt. xvii. 7.
J Rev. V. 13.
§ Matt. xvii. 24, 25.
SIMON PETER.
311
The
shekel (equal to thirty cents of our money) was conimantled by God to be paid annually by every Jew above twenty years of age. This money was to be devoted to the service of the tabernacle (and of course afterward to the service of the temi)le), and with it was bought every- thing that was necessary for public worship. No sooner had Peter answered the tribute gatherers than he went into his house where Jesus was. Our Lortl, though inside the dwelling, knew what had passed in the street, and before Peter could speak said, "What thinkest thou, Simon ? of whom do the kings of the earth take custom or tribute ? of their own children, or of strangers ? Peter saith unto him. Of Strang- ers. Jesus saith unto him, Then are the children free." =f- When a king subdued a country, and laid a tribute upon the inhabitants, he did not tax his own people or children who might happen
afterwards to live in that country, but the strangers whom he had con- quered. So Jesus argued that, as earthly kings did not receive tribute from their own people or children, so he, the Son of God, was exempt from paying tribute to God.
Jesus was by this time well known in Capernaum as a great prophet. The people were enraptured by his preaching, and astonished at his miracles. The story of the restoration of the daughter of Jairus, no
EASTERN SCENERY.
*Matt. xvii. 25, 26.
312
THE APOSTLES OF JESUS.
doubt, had spread rapidly from housr to house. The death of the beloved ehild of the ruler of the synagogue would cause no little sensa- tion in the city. What, then, must have been the effect upon the minds of the people when they heard that she was miraculously restored to life ? This miracle was followed by many others, and we cannot won- der that the tribute gatherers hesitated about demanding tribute from the Lord Jesus. Our Saviour did not wish to give offense by appear- ing to despise the temple, and not to respect the authority which had originally commanded this tribute to be paid. And as he and his poor host had no money, or at least not sufficient, he said to Peter, « Go thou to the sea, and cast a 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."f St. Matthew (the only Evangelist who mentions this miracle) says no more on the subject; but we infer, even from his silence, that Peter did as he was commanded by our Lord.
It was not every poor Jew who had a divine Master near him to miraculously provide him with the means of paying the tribute ; and doubtless many were often unprepared to meet the demands of the collectors, although all, when they could, would cheerfully give money that was de\'oted to the maintenance of their beautiful and beloved temple. How different must their feelings have been when, after Jerusalem had fallen into the hands of the Romans, and its ' glorious temple had been destroyed, they (so Josephus, the Jewish historian, tells us) were compelled to pay every year into the Capitol in Rome the same sum they had annually paitl to the Temple in Jerusalem.
After the miracle of the fish and the tribute money, St. Matthew relates Christ's discourse with his disciples about humility and forgive- ness, and tells us that Peter asked Jesus how often he should forgive his brother. "Lord, how oft," said the Apostle, "shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him ? till seven times ? Jesus s;iith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times ; but, Until seventy times
* A stater, or shekel of silver, value sixty cents.
f Matt. xvii. « ^,
mam
SIMON PETER.
313
seven. Jesus meant Peter to understand that, however often liis Christian brother oftended or harmed him, he was to for-ive him if he repented of what he had done, and sought his for-ivenes^s Our I ord then illustrated what he had said by the beautiful parable of the kintr and his servants, whieh you can read in the eighteenth chapter of St Matthew's Gospel.
One day a rich young man, a ruler, came running to Jesus and vvhen he had reached him, he "said unto him.Ciood Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal lifeP-f Our Saviour told him that he must keep the commandments. He inciuired Which > Jesus answered, "Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt noi commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness Honor thy flither and thy mother: and thou shalt kne thy nei<vhbor as thyself.":!: The young man replied, "All these things have fkept from my youth up : what lack I yet ? " ,^ " Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: co thy way sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou'shalt have treasure in heaven : and come, take up the cross, and follow me - 11 Several times before had Jesus given this invitation, and it had alwav." been accepted. To Peter and Andrew he had said, "Follow mc"% and they forsook all and followed him. Our Lord called James Lnd John, we may suppose, with the words, "Follow me;" "and thev immediately left the ship and their father, and followed him " ='= =<= Philip and Matthew heard the same gracious words, and needed not a second mvitation. But the young rich ruler whom Jesus loved refused to obey the voice of the divine Redeemer. True, he felt sorrowful nay more, grieved, but still he went away. He longed to follow Jesus' and to obtain eternal life, but he loved his earthly treasures more than the Saviour or his own precious soul. He went away, and never again m all probability, saw Jesus. Upon our Saviour remarkino- after the young ruler had gone, how hard it was for a rich man, o?'one who trusted in riches, to enter the kingdom of God, Peter asked him what
* Matt, xviii. 21, 22. 11 Mark x, 21.
t Matt. xix. 16. t Matt. xix. 18, 19. § Matt. xix. ao.
% Matt. iv. 19
■* Matt. iv. 22.
314
THE APOSTLES OF JESUS.
rcvvaRl he and his companions sliould have who had forsaken all and followed hniL Our Lord answered. "There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children or lands, for my sake, and the gospel's, hut he shall receive a hun-' ch-ec fold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life.-^ "Verily I say unto you. that ye which have followed me. m the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his olory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, iud-dne- the twelve tribes of Israel.- t This promise Jesus repeated to ht. Apos- tles on the n.<.ht of his betrayal. The promise made bv Christ to his ollowers of temporal blessings in such abundance, mu^t not be taken iterally. it means that more, a hundredfold more, than houses or brethren, or sisters, or fathers, or mothers, or wives, or children, or lands, should those who had forsaken all for his sake have in the peace of conscience, the fellowshij) with God, the communion with the saints and the glorious and blissful prospect of heaven which they should enjoy. The chief promise of our Saviour to his fliithful followers re ates to their future state, and by-and-by. in the day of r:generation, when God shJl make all things new. and when Christ shall come with his holy angels, and shall sit in the throne of his glory, the Apostles shall be seated upon thrones "judging the twelve tribes of Israel " that IS. the Jews. The Apostles will bear witness to the acceptance of the gospel, or Its rejection, by the twelve tribes, and they will join in the justness of the sentence the Lord Jesus will then pronounce Here IS, doubtless, an honor spoken of to which other saints are not to be raised. Our Saviour evidently alludes to the custom of princes hav- mg their great men ranged around them as assessors or assistants when they sit in judgment or council.
In writing the life of Peter, so far as it is recorded in the sacred narrative. I must confine myself as much as possible to the events in which he IS individually mentioned. But it must not be forgotten that in doing this. I omit many, very many, deeply interesting scenes in which he, as one of the twelve, took a part.
( r i t
]\ u b
P
* Mark x. 29, 30.
t Matt. xix. 28.
SIMON fETER
and Bethany, at the Mount of otl vh J '.^ ";'"^ '" "^■^''l''>'^«'= disciples (supposed to have been m'er au ' n - ''"' '"" "^'"'^ Mie village over a-ainst you h, M Y J ^' '''^■'"^'' *'''>^' '"'^
find a colt tied, wher o /et iv nns.'t I '°r """',"r ^'^ ^'""
And they brou-ht him to tI, >, ', ''^'"' """' "' ''''"•
the colt, .^d they set j"us tit " ' " '' "^' ""■''■ «"™^'"'^ "1'°"
on. And as he went, they spread
their elothcs in the way. And
vvlien he was eome ni^rh^ even
now at the descent of tlie Mount
of Olives, the wliole multitude of
the disciples began to rejoice and
praise God with a loud voice for
all the mighty works that they
ine sight of our Saviour enterinrr Terusilem nn..M f .i i of the mnhlhirl^ n„.i • r ^ Jt-iusaiem amidst the hosannas
01 tne multitude, and riding upon an ass, must have confirmed in the minds of many wavering Tews the {?^ci: fhnf t ^"'' ''^^^i. '■^- the
indeed the long-lookedir Me^ '^^^ Nazareth w^as
that Zechariah in the pa sa^e th ' F '^r"' '^'''^" understood
prophetess of Israel, ,n her exquisite hymn of thanksgiving t the
UNLEAVENED BREAD.
te
* Luke xix. 30-38.
h I
316
T//£ APOSTLES OF JESUS.
d.^Iivcrancc of Israel from Jabiii and Siscra, describes the chief {-o-'er. nors of Israel as ridin- ci, white asses. Jair "jud<,^ed Israel twenty and two )ears. and he had durty sons who rode on thirty ass colts ^'* Another juclcrc we .cad of, Abdo.i, "had forty sons and thirty nephews that rode on threescore and ten ass colts/'f But from the buildin^r of the temple after tiie Babylonian captivity to its destruction by Titus no one but Jesus ever entered the oatcs of Jerusalem sittin.,. upon an ass and attended by a multitude proclaiming him kin<<. And yet the rulers of the cit)'. Nvitn the priests and scribes, would not acknowledge the Messiah when he did come. Pride and envy made them willfully blnid; and msteau ot welcoming dieir lon^-looked-for kinjr when he at length appeared, as their prophets had said he should/ they only
"sought how they might kill
him."!'
The humble village of Beth- any had the honor of affording a resting-place for our Saviour during the last few nights which preceded his arrest in Gethse- mane. The Mount of Olives ^ „ , , '-'^y Ijetween Jerusalem and
Bethany, and the morning after Jesus had entered tlie city in triumph, saw him and his disciples passing over Olivet on their' way to Jerusalem. Jesus, we read, "was hungry: and seeing a fig tree afar off havmg leaves, he came, if haply he might find anything thereon; and when he came to it, he found nothing but leaves; for the time of figs was not yet. And Jesus answered and said unto it. No man eat fruit of thee hereafter for ever. And his disciples heard it \^ On the following morning, as they passed by the same spot, " they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots. And Peter, calling to remembrance saith unto him. Master, behold, the fig tree which thou cursedst is withered away."|| When you have read the words "the time of figs
Fi(;s.
* Judges X. 3, 4. § Mark xi. 12-14.
t Judges xii. 14. U Mark xi. 20, 21.
X Luke xxii. 2.
-ir—r--
SIMON PETER.
1^7
figs
scaso,, for h-s o be on the tree, an,l may have uonderecl ^^■|,v Icsns
LZi ""' '"-«^'h-'-"'S o( fi.,.s, and as the fl, tree
lent 2n 1. T ''"'^' "" '""' "" ""-■ "'^^ "■•''• ^'" --^'^
ot r I onM, ""' "''■"' ^^'''^""'"- "'^- ''^''^'>" '-«!" ''-- I--.
it an tl , T '''•^'^'■'''""" "|'"» "■ "^"- ■'^^'""ur eonsequently crsed IXL '""""I'^l'^ly withered a,vay. This uas a parable
pa-Jonmd. Jestis wished h,s diseij^les to understand the fiir tree as a
X'io;: :['::„'"' '"^ j^-^.^" ";""-"■ -'-" "•■"' "-- 1^-'^"-
ncs nd th t li •' ,7'' l'"\^^^^'."^">'^ ''^■->vos but not the fruits of holi- ness, an that hU- the h„ tree ,t should be su.ldenly cursed and rooted ou . ete, d.d not live to see the fulfillment of the pro|,hecy but one at least of his companions did. ' ^'
Three ilays after his public entry into Jerusalem, Tcsus tokl Peter
PH h!°r'of ..f;-","^^ "'^' ^•"^' "-y -"''' "-' --- can'yinr: pitcher of w.tter. I hey were to follo^v him, and if he went into a house ^tey were to go m also, and say to the n,aster of the hous °n^"e
ciplts . I he guestchamber was a room set apart for eonio inv
Apartments m Jerusalem ,vere not, at the season of the iVssovr S the cty would be crowded with strangers from all part ) to be I tt ,t were a the service of any who wished to partake of the feast m
made ready the Passover. In the evening Jesus widi hi- ^-.-A Wes^sa^dow^^to^th^p,,3over.^^""w^^^
^ Mark xiv. i^.
3i«
THE APOSTLES OF JESUS.
Jesus knew that before the next eveniii-- he vvouKl be in paradise; but his poor disciples would be scattered and friL-iUcned as sliccp having lost their shepherd. Tlie (east of tiie I'assover, you will renieniber, was a festival kc\A in commemoration of the dei)arture of the Israelites out of Hi^ypt, and took its name from the destroying- angel passing over the houses of the Israelites, when the first-born of the I<gyptians were slain. The feast consisted of a lamb, roasted, u hich was eaten with bitter herbs. These bitter herbs were dipped into a .sauce called charoseth, which was composed of dates, figs, or raisins, l)eaten into a pulp, and tlvi mi.xed with vinegar and other ingredients to the con- sistency of thick mustard.
^^^^
.Vf'
This sauce wa.^ a memorial of the clay with u hich the Israel- ites made bricks in ligypt, and the herbs of the bitter trials they there enduretl. The guests at the feast of the Passover also dipped the unleavened bread in the cha- roseth and then ate it. It is supposed that it was in this sauce that Christ dipped the sop w liich he gave to Judas. The Jews observed the fol- lowing ceremonies at their solemn feasts: When the party who were to partake of the feast met they were first to salute each other either wMth a bow or such words a., "Peace be unto thee," or by kissing one another. Paul calls the last mode of .salutation a "holy kiss,"* and Peter "a kiss of charity,"-}- or love. The next ceremony was washing the feet. This was only done once, ex- cepting at the feast of the Passover, when the feet were washed both before and after the feast. This office was performed by servants and the meanest of the family. Indeed, the very vessels which had been
AN EASI1;rn 1)I\L\UK(J0.\1.
* J Cor. xvi. 80.
1 1 Peter v. 14.
smoN p/iriiR.
3'i^
used for th(; purpose were coiisidciccl n ilc 'piirv uvrr r-.Il .1 .. -. pots. The i.sahn.st u is.nn, to shou- his conl'; ;^ " the J ^
peojJiL U) iiiL vilest servitik e. Alter the icv\ »-,..• > ,.. i i -i
1—1 u,„.„ ti,c,„ and u,,.„ .1,,,. I,.. I of u ; :, vi :: ,""
crcatcst the fruit of L v ' Xt!' ^ ^'"'\ '■" f ""■ "'"■'''• "'-''
nanus and said, Let i,s ble.ss hnn who hath fed „s will, his ,nv„ and of whose goodness we h've" Tlirmll ti, . . """ nis cmn, and
be he of vdvw,. n, , u ""- ■'^'"-■'•''' answered. •■ lilessed
t ml "in soft 1 ' """■ '^'•^>-^'-"'-- -''i^'"l'-- Kuests said to
wor;i!;;:;''atV :,~ !r;,:;'T;:V':T'';^'''T''^^
■ittlc of the wine passed it ,-0.,:^ t t^l^.'tif: ^l!^ ^ ^~ tT "7 °" "f^'"'"- "^^-^ ^^■'-" institfJing t K o ;
* Ps. Ix. 8.
fPs. xxxiv, 9, 10.
320
THE APOSTLES OF JESUS.
You will, I think, after reading this account of the feast of the Pass- over, better understand the transactions of our Lord and his disciples at " the last supper." We read that after Jesus had sat down with the twelve Apostles " he said unto them, With desire 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. And he took the cup, and gave thanks and said, Take this, and divide it among yourselves; for I say unto you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vme, until the kingdom of God shall come. And he took bread and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying. This is my
body which is given for you ; this do in remembrance of me. Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the New Testament in my blood, which is shed for you."* Jesus did not, as you will have ob- served, when he instituted the sac- rament of his most , , , . blessed body and
blood, appomt a new rite, but appropriated an old one to answer a new purpose. His followers were no longer to eat the consecrated bread and drmk the consecrated wine in remembrance of the deliver- ance of their forefathers out of Egypt, but in remembrance of their dear Master, who, by dying for them delivered them from spiritual bondage, a bondage far worse than the Egyptian one. The feast of the Passover was restricted to Jews, but all Christians, whether Jews or Gentiles, may partake of the gospel feast. Jesus invites all his dis-
AN EASTERN FEAST.
* Luke xxii. 15-20.
^.^^antmnmie ttuMime
SIMON PE TER.
cipies to come to the holv mmn^^r n -. ,
ti.on. refuse so gracious'at iS.on ^A..'' ^rT\ ""' ='"\'" It IS unheeded. In vain k tl,» t . ; °''''" '°° "■"« 'hat
Christ point to the bri'd and wll'' r"'^'^' '^^'' ™-^^engers of touching scenes cLnetwrr """"""^ their ilocks of all the
"This d^o in reL^r e ' 'm • ' Ttr"' 'l""-^' '>'"« ~™"-''' such vital importance to U,e souls If h "1 "''"'"' '" " '^"^^ "^ result? Many verv minv .= . ^ '''^"''^''^ ' ='"'' what is the
backs upon tisaTrcd feast a^°?,:;^ the pleaders arc silent, turn their been listening ,o ' °"^'' " ''"' ^" ''"« '^l« 'hey had
outer™itt."Tht ^r^fter ^' ^r ^™^^ ^-^ '°°^ °^ ■-=
way when the bearervv^^d o a;;Tor'r'o:rVT''. '" '" ''' some water into a basin =nH K / 7 ^'""'''^ '^en poured
wished to set them an eva "f, f," '° *"'"' ""'^ '"^'^'P'^^' f^'^'- He
they ought to w^; oL'aX' te ^ "oti:'"''' 'f^ ''""' *^' assist each other in anv wZ L ', "■ "■°'''''' ^^ "'i'^'ng to
When he came to PeterVe Losr^H " '"" '^""^ ""S^t be. thou wash my feet>- hIw rZ [ '" '•>«tomshment, "Lord, dost
this question"^ He loved and r^ ''f I' ° ."" ™P^'"°"-'' I'-^'™ own unworthincss too mud, to r ,'"' ^"'"' ^''''''' ^"^ ^1' his office for him. Bu our I ord in T "'""' '° P"^^'""" ^"^ ^ "^"'^1 "What I do thou ^noTesS r;tt U slu /" ^T' "; ^^"'^ Peter ought at once, after hearing this to We ilin h°T ^"'^^'''"f ceed with the ceremonv as o„r « , ^ allowed Jesus to pro-
was a hidden n,:::-;,^ ' fn what hr" tf' '"""'^"^'^ "'^' *ere obstinate in his refusal Ind said tT' . '," ^'°- '^"' ^'''" ^^' Jesus answered hin,, •' f I vvash h;e nit t^ f ""'•" '"'^'^ "^ f^^''" This vvas an awful tl rcat With; . T ''^" "° P'^"-' ^^'tli me.-J
"If I wash /A. not tni fsufe'^H ""''''""""' "P"" ''^'"'^ "^'nd renewed by my sphit rle^ent d 1 "■' T^'^'-''' '" '"^ ""^^ and
no part wifh me. ' A eTat once '^ 7 '"""^'"''^ '"^ '"''■ "'^'°^ ^ast
only, but also my hands an i my head ' "T "";'.^°"'- "°' "^ f^' ■___ "> '"='"'• S He would rather be washed
John xiii. 6.
tjohn
XIII. 7.
t John xiii. 8.
§ John
XIII. 9.
r~
322
TH£: APOSTLES OF JESUS.
all over than not to belong- to the Saviour. "Jesus saith unto him, He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit."-'' In consequence of it being- the custom for the people of the East in our Lord's time to go abroad barefoot or with thin sandals, the feet required to be washed much more frequently than other parts of the body. So a pardoned sinner, diough pardoned completel)', has still pollutions daily contracted to be daily washed away.
When Jesus had sat down again, he told his Apostles that one of them should betray him. The discii)les looked at each other, wonder- ing which of them could do such a wicked deed. They were very much grieved, and each began to say, " Lord, is it I ? " f " Now, there was leaning on Jesus' bosom one of his disciples, whom Jesus loved.
Simon Peter therefore bc> k- oned to him, that he sh. 'M ask Vvho it should be of whom he spake. He then, lying on Jesus' breast, saith unto him, Lord, who is it? Jesus an- swered, lie it is, to whom I shall give a sop, when I have dipped it. And when he had dipped the sop, he gave it to Judas Iscariot." \ The traitor very shortly after this left the room, and then Jesus told his disciples that he would before long leave them. Peter asked him where he was going to ? Our Lord said, "Whither I go thou canst not follow me now; but thou shalt follow me afterwards." § Peter would remember these words when he was, like Jesus, fastened to the cross. But, not knowing his future fate, he said, "Lord, why cannot I follow thee now? I will lay down my life for thy sake." || Jesus answered him, with a countenance and voice more expressive of pity than severity, " Wilt thou lay down thy life for my sake?"** As much as though our Lord had said. Ah,
ROMANS AT TABLE IN TIME OF PAUL.
* John xiii. 10. §John xiii. 36.
f Matt. xxvi. 22. II John xiii. 37.
J Jolin xiii. 23-26. * * John xiii. 38.
SIMON' PETER
323
Peter, this is sooner said than done. Life is not so rcadilv „„fP 1 out, Lord, save mc. * Be not so confident now. ■•Vurilv vuiilv
i : ^,- ^'"' '°" ™"<='^ confidence in liis oun strength so not
wuhstanCng what Jesus had said, he declared, that th, t^f ' ^J
yet wdl not I, | |,e sa.d. He doubted tlic faith and courac»e of other but had no doubt about his own. ° •
TIte paschal hymn having been sung by our Saviour and the eleven Apostles, they all went to the Mount of Olives, ^vhere Jesus with ,m,w sweet words, comforted and instructed his sorro^ving d sdn caZ after ofifermg up a fervent prayer for them, -he ^vcnt for w th his discples .ver the brook Cedron."§ ..And they came o a ll ce wh,ch was named Gethsemane: and he saith to his disdnles*^ Sit ye here, wh, e I shall pray. And he taketh with hin Pe ,nj
heavy | And now our Saviour suffered that bitter agony «l>ich
tne grouncL He was takuig upon himself the sins of mankind
He knew he was going to be sacrificed, to suffer a slow ■ nd no t painful death, and he prayed that if it were possible the nn, T
ni-dtt kneehnJil a ' T '"' """'^ "^-"^"^"^ °" ^''^" ''^-^ful
wl .„ ^ ^?"^ °" "''^ Sround, how must we hate sin I
J^t inTeTardir" " ^'"' ^•^"^-'"" -'-- ^ ^^ -"■ 'hink ^f'
" Go to dark Gethsemane, Ye that feel the tempter's power,"
And Jesus, who is now reigning in all his glorious majesty in heavfn' w, 1 send the Holy Spirit to contfort and strengthen you '
^^Whilejesus was passing through such dreadful sufferings, his wearied
* Matt. xiv. 30. II Maik xiv. 32, 33. 20 L
t John xiii. 38. * * Luke xxii. 44.
tMark xiv. 29. 1 1 Luke xxii. 42.
§John xviii. x.
324
THE APOSTLES OF JESUS
disciples had fallen asleep. Our Lord went to them and said to Peter ♦V.imon, sleepest thou? couldest thou not watch one hour? Watch ye and pray, lest ye enter into temptation. The spirit truly is ready, but the flesh is weak. And again he went away, and prayed, and spake the same words. And when he returned, he found them asleep again (for their eyes were heavy), neither wist they what to answer him. And he cometh the third time, and saith unto them, Sleep on
potter's field, or field of ni.OOD,
now, and take your rest; it is enough, the hour is come; 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.'* We can easily suppose how Peter, James, and John would start to their feet. But we can scarcely imagine their surprise and horror when they saw Judas leading armed
Mark xiv. 37-43.
SmON PETER , ,. , ■ 32s
soldiers to the spot where their dr-ir AT-.^f
-T H,. i,i,h ,nj, named «;,:,,::■■.:,■: ,::';T"f 'T ^ "•:"■"
was so indignant .hat he struck Male! us vi hi -^'T'- f ' ".tending to kill him, bt,t ho only cut off s c n T I ''"'"^'>' Peter for using his suord, and to' cl Ig th c ; of H "" 'T7'' hiin. The disciolcs fl<>rl t> f 1 * Alalchus he hea cd
return and fonoTtsustd is ^ip oTIl^ ^^^^^^^^^ --'"""" ^
was taken to the palace of Caiaph s tl ;. li 1° ,' ! ^ , r '^^ '""'' be tried by his cruel iud...... a„„i ,■ ■ ' ' "'"'"•' ''^' "''■■ '"
John) also follow d s b ;„d^r '"'■^^''.''''''^ ''"''''"■^"' '" ''- ^' '--' we fid, stood futile and cl." '"'", """ "'^ ^^^^- l'^'-'
disciple, who was to: 'mt',r .:;:;:; 7!^'"^;^ "-"■' '"^ -"-
kept the door, and brought in Pet "V'^; '"^,' \'"'" '"^ '''■'' thought it, to be allowed to en tr 1 "hce i;™;'' ',""'"':"■ ''^■'^■'■ self-reproach he v.^uld have escanrd if ^ , • ''' '""'-''">' ""^'
the cold without " And wh,', H r , • '^i; '■"""'""' ^'"'^■^'"'K- i" the hall, and we're ^^^^^'^^^^^ ^ ^'^ --^i- "f Butacertain maid beheld him a.ta'bv tie fir T" "'""';« ""^'"• upon him, and said. This man ^vadso wit him ' "^ T',''"^?''^ '?''"' saying, \Von,,,n, I know l,in, not. And te TittI ^ !' '"',"' '^™' l>ii". and said, Thou art also of then. An V " r """"'^■'' ^'^™
And about the smce nf .?,, i r ^"'' ^^''^'' -'^''"J.'^'-'". I am not
saying. Of a t^th' Is 1 lo at';t:i:,r;:;;:^ r't""- ">- ^"^^"-^^•
And Peter said, Man, I l.now not wlm t'ou s "est A , " ' ^'l'''"'"- while he yet spake, the cock cre^.. ^nd the Lo , .u^nr^ir'f''
And Peter went ^ut^^fd^:; but^T ^f^!^^ T 'l^ pierced h,s heart. And well might he weeo I H r-^' ',' ''"*
apostle, and a .special favorite, had deni d 1 "beloved k^ '^"'f'' '" viourand Redeemer Peter Jh„,i * r '^'-'°^™ 'blaster his Sa-
bered how, a few our.sb for '1 ?"!^'?'? ,'-■"'•'--- He ren.enr-
hours before, when Jesus toki
iiim that his faith might not foil, he had d
him he Iiad prayed for
eclared that he was ready to
*Joh' tviii. i6.
fl.uke
XXII,
55-62.
I
326
T//B APOSTLES OF JESUS.
go with his clear Lord to prison and to death, and how, when the time of trial came, he had bent as a reed in the wind. His faith was assaulted, it gave way, but it did not utterly fail. He repented, and became again the faithful and affectionate disciple he was before. With the remembrance of his fall, which lasted through his life, Peter never forgot the Saviour's injunction, "When thou" art converted, strengthen thy brethren."* By his faithfulness, his preaching, hi.s courage, his love, his devotion, his zeal, his firmness, his patience, his humility, and, lastly, by his cheerfully submitting to death on the cross, Peter strengthened his brethren.
After his fall and repentance we hear nothing more of Peter till the resurrection morn. The holy women who had gone to the sepulchre with spices to anoint the body of Jesu3, saw an angel, who said unto them, "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."f Why was Peter specially mentioned ? That he might be comforted by the assurance that his dear Master had forgiven him and still regarded him with favor as one of his chosen ones. How Peter spent the hours which intervened between his denial and his meeting with the women, we know not. But most probably he was bowed down to the earth with grief, not only on account of the condemnation and death of his beloved Master, but also on account of his own baseness. Neither do we know where he went to when he left the palace of Caia- phas, but we may suppose that the gentle and affectionate John took his humbled and penitent brother to his own home, for we find these two disciples running together to the sepulchre after Mary Magdalene had told them that the body of Jesus was gone. " And the other disciple did outrun Peter, and came first to the sepulchre. And he, stooping down, and looking in, saw the linen clothes lying; yet went he not in. Then cometh Simon Peter, following him, and went into the sepulchre, and seeth the linen clothes lie, and the napkin, that was about his head, not lying with the linen clothes, but wrapped together in a place by itself. Then went in also that other disciple,
r ii n o a 1 T
SIMON PETER.
the time iith was ted, and before, fe, Peter inverted, ling-, his 2ncc, his he cross,
r till the jpulehre lid unto h before Why 1 by the egarded )ent the A'ith the lown to ion and aseness. Df Caia- in took d these j,'dalene e other \nd he, et went mt into in, that a-apped lisciple,
327
I I
which cnme first to the sepulchre, and he saw, and believed "* Thev
takc,^ away. They did not believe that Christ had risen ind ve tl„.v could scarce y have supposed that the grave-clotherof le L' wo ^
nib penitent Apostle we are not mformed
Pcler'and'the' T T^' '"," '°"^' " "■" ^""'^^^ ""-' -"nxction that mer and the d,sci|,les saw Jesus by appointment in c;alilee- but
certainly ,t ^vas more than eiyht days, for it vvas after ei. h h.; tin
our Lord appeared to the Apostles in a roon. in Jc 'u^ le ? . „
1 omas was ...h them, and this occurred before the n/ceti , i la ilee
iaboi, and ,t ,. supposed that many disciples besides the Apostles aw esus on the mountain; indeed, it is 'ti,„u,ht by son e t tW
Jesus was see, of above hve hundred brethren at once." f St M ,t- oubted It ,s conjectured that the reason why some doubted was
cou r,; iTdT:" f ' 'T"' '''■^'^""'^ ^'•"'" J-- "- "'"'- -J eouiu not as ciistmctly see him.
Once .a^ain vve find I'cter on the sea of Galilee eno.-,.re<l in his old nule of fislnuK Several of the Apostles were w,th him A i lon,^ they toded, and caught nothing. •■ But when the mornin. w "
■";:a"i:;^"Tf°°'T"'''""r"^ '^^ '"^ '"-'"'- ^^ -tt;
meat? T^ /,''"' '"'"' ""'" "^^'"' Cl'il'li-en, have ye any
meat ? They answered Inm, No. And he said unto then,. Cast the ne^ on the ngh s,de of the ship, and ye shall find. They cast tl c efore and now they uere not able to draw it for the n,u tit" fishe '
Inerefore that discple whom Jesus loved saith tm.o Peter It is the Lord. No;v, when Simon F '
* John XX. 4-8.
1 1 Cor. XV. 6.
JMatt. xxviii. 17.
328
THE APOSTLES OF JESUS
o ufs . • . " ° ■'""^' ^'°' ""' ^™= "^l^^d') '-""d ^'i'l "»t himself • U I f ,; 1 • ^ ■■"P=>t'ence and eagerness ^voulcl not let him
I rn en T ?"'^r ,' ","''" ''^^'"'^ ""' "-"'^'^ ^™-^ ^ close-fitting
"it; ' n^m'c T'" ;"" '''•''°''' "'"'^'^ "'^y «-''^'' ="-"' 'heir waists M, tmic of ^^•ork or aetion. When they had not this „/,p„
■■WHE.V THE .MOR.N,.VG WAS NOW COME, JESUS STOOD ON THE SHORE.'.
garmen on they were spoken of as being naked. David we read daneed before the ark uneovered or naked, uhieh means he on y Zt h>s tun,c when he daneed, and that he had put off his royal robes
the wf "r r , ' ''1 '"' ^°"'' '"^ ^^™'^^ AP-"^ -d'=d ' ough the water to Jesus, and we ean imagine him with feelings of raptufe
■ John xxi, 4-7,
it himself )t let him s naked " >sc-fitting ider gar- out their lis iippcy
e read. y wore ?s.
irough ipture,
SIMON PETER.
brch'"'ln7h"""' *:'■'"'",""« '"""'-■'' '^'•■^"■■^ '- «-■'■"- on t'h! buch In the mca,n,„>c tlio other diseiples reached the shore in a little ship, draggmg the net uith fishes. When thev Im e,l th -v a fire of coals, "and fish laid .hereon and brea i ''^\u;al /':; .,7 loudy provKied. Jesus told then, to bn'ng the fish thcT n 1 a ," , ' The ever-ready and active Peter " went up^.nd dreu t fe " ," i w e o"";:,f ,::• ^'" '"""''■^f ■•'-' fif'y --' "- : and for all .
ctcr, Jsnnon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these > I [p
sa, h unto hm. Yea, Lord; thou knou-est that I lose ee le'sai h
unto h,n,. Feed my lan,bs.-t Peter did not now ■ ume to av
It e^ovod Jesus more than the other Apostles did, in,t ^ eal . Z
o his ^? , ,f ^""'' "■''" '■'^^"•«' "°' "'^^ all-searching eye
o 1 ,s Saviour, but could appeal to his Cnniscience to confir.n the trutl of h,s smcer,ty. Three tin,es did our Saviour ask him h \me questjon, thus reminding Peter of his threefold denial on I "h ^me Jesus rece.ved the same answer. No u-onder Peter w grie^'d But m order that he might knos. that he svas forgiven and Ihat
m to Iced h,s flock. Me was to mstruct and guide all of Christ's fold. To feed the lambs, by giving then, the sincere milk of the ord by comfortmg the feeble-minded, and sunportin..- the u ■• ill '
nl^^e's'^nd'^n""' '"^'"^ 'V'^^ ™" ^^^^^ '^^^^^^C. ^
of the 'r orT ri'"^^ "''•''," '° ^'■°" '" S'-'-"^^- ••""' i" ""= '^"o-ledge of their Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. This commission had been
,if.ven ,n other svords, to all the Apostles, and Peter on y recced ,^
now from the lips of Jesus that he might know he w.astl . ":'ed
oi nis death. Venly, verdy, I s.ay unto thee. When tho.i wast \ouno- hou gu-dest thyself, and walkedst svhither thou wonldest : bu w en hou bhalt be old, thou shalt stretch fo-*!- 'i-- ■---'- ■ ■
thy hands, and another shall gird
John
XXI.
tJohn
XXI. ii-i-
tJohn
XXI. 15.
'
330
THE APOSTLES OF JESUS.
thcc, and carry thee whither thou wouldcst not. This spake he sicrnj, fyin- by what death he should glorify God. And when he had spoken this, he saith unto him, Follow me."* Two years before had Peter as now stood on the shore of Galilee, with his fishing net miraculously filled with fishes, and listening to thi gracious words. "Follow me" Where to. Lord? might the poor fisherman have asked. To where poverty, sickness, ignorance, and vice dwell ; to the solitude of the
#
THE RIVER JORDAN.
barren wilderness and the lonely mountain, to prison, and to Calvary would be the reply. " Follow me," said the risen Saviour. How > mig^it the Apostle have asked. By walking in the paths of active obedience, by obeying my precepts, by imitating my example. Follow me to the cross, from whence thou shalt follow me to my glorious home above, and there occupy the throne awaiting- thee
■John
xxi. i8, i(
S/MOU PETER.
The prospect of suffi
331
.„,, :. ■„ , ■ , I^"""' '^^'-'" ""to '''-■•'til for Chrisfs sake di,l not
txLtv . L "H ' '"■?"""" "f I'i^ ">^'>ty'l"m, only betrayed anxiety to know what would befall his eon,,,anion, |ohn. "Then
vh To'l"'^ ^^•^'^ 'I- 'lisci,.le who„, Jesus loved following.;
t bit ?,"m T ;r '''"'^'^' ■'^"I'l'^^' '">^' «"''. '■-••'. "Inch is hJ
hall this man do? Jesus saitl, unto him, If I will that he tarry till [
o lo ^hV" T1 r,™"'"" °^"''' ^"'' ""' '-^"'""I'l haveeno^ih to do il ho attended to his own duty.
We are not told how lony Jesus remained ,vitl, the Apostles on the sl^re of Gahlee. But it is esident that Peter and his e, „p nio s Ik not pursue the.r trade of fishing, for we next find the ek.- n v^itl o Savour near Jerusalem. .And Jesus "led then, out as far s to
to pass while he blessed them, he w.is parted from them .uul carried "P;"to I'eaven "t " And ^vhile they looked steadfastlv toward I ven as he went up, behold two n,en stood by them in ulut; a,,,,- w ^
h, same Jesus, which ,s taken up from you into heaven shall so come m hke manner as ye have seen him go into hea^•en.■■ t These an." s were merei ully sent to the Apostles to instruct and console them a a
cond tion. 1 hey were not only con.soled. but cheered, for .St I uke at erLt i^: ° '" '■°''"' "-'"^ "^ "'^' " "'^>- -'--'I '° Jerusalem tith
Tc^^s'^fn^tn'tr T''"''' f J^n,sal.M according to the command of Jesus until the descent of the Holy Ghost upon them Thev ind many of the disciples met in an upper room where they "all contfn'ued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Ma^ the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren. And ■ ' ' -
iiiose days T'eter
*John xxi. 20-22. 17
tLukexxiv. 50. 51. |Acts. i. 10, n. § Luke xxiv. 52.
33>
THE APOSTLES OF JESUS.
tood up m the m,*t of the disciples,"* and addressed then, on the subject of electm,. a„ Apostle in tlu: place of the traitor Judas
When the Apostles ha,l received the gift of the MolyGhostand had begun to speak many lan.,ua,^es. the people said they ha.l been U^
oo much wu,e. Peter boldly defended hin.self and his frien Is Zi spoke w,th such pou-erthat three thousand of his listeners beauue of Chris"'' ""'l'""'l«. I'-ter now gloried in being a follower
•I-he first miracle recorded as having been performed by the Apostles after the conversion of the thre, thousand was the healing of the crippled beggar, St. Luke Uvho ^^rote the Acts of the Apostles) gives
the followins;- account of it:_"Now Peter ami John went up together into the temple at the hour of prayer, being- the ninth hour. And a certain man lame from his mother's womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms of them that entered into the temple ; who seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple asked an alms. And Peter, fastening his eyes upon him with , JoJin, said, Look on us. And he
ga e heed unto them, expecting to receive something of them Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have ^ve thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, is
hL un- H '^ .'•' ?"' ''^ ^>^ '''' ''^ ^^--'' --^' I'ft-'
s tenotr A 1 'T\ ■"'■'' '"' ^''' ^"^^ '-^"'^'^ bones received strength. And he leapmg up stood, and walked, and entered
and they knew that ,t was he which sat for alms at the Beautiful gate
'i'iUi UEAUTirui, OATF
♦Actsi. 14, 15.
.^amumm&^mmmmtm.
J
111 on the
IS.
:and had
-n takin^.^
luls, and
l)ccame
follower
Apostles 5^ of tlic is) gives — " Now togctlicr f prajcr, X certain > womb daily at is called -■m that ) seeing into the 1 Peter, m with \nd he
them. 1 as I th, rise
lifted iceived :ntered raising
God: il gate
I
S/MO.V PF.TnK.
'•( the temple: nn.l they were filled «ith won.ler „, r 'hat whieh ha.1 h..|,|,e„ecl unto hi„, ,ul " , , ■""■'^^■■"^■"' •-"
was heale,! held I'eter and l„l,„ I, , ''"'"^ '"''" "'"^1'
in the poreh tlntiscdl ^ 'T'''" ''"' '".^"-•"'er unto them
that t,!is nlt;:':,::;:!r'r^r:'';r^:'''''r['r7' '^""""■'^'
perhaps ,or ,„any years, had the 'o , " : \,' >,'^'^ ^7 ''""' the habit of seein.r this „„„r „,.,n " 'l'^'\-^' "'e temple heen in
''*'-in 'u's birth, a period -Strength, and he who had
• i iorty years, been a ■
helpless cripple, now walked. Those who have been always bless- ed with the use of their linibs can scarcely im- agine the gratitude and joy of this poor man,
when as if testing the
new power just given to
him he went into the
temple "walking, and
leaping." Often per- haps had he seen the
blessed Jesus enter the
name of Jesti^Ch Hst'^orNLS";- 1 r^ ntvV' ■■ hi ''''' " '" '\
JttaXter ofr r^\vti::;f„.r;t s^ ^^^ ^"•" ^-^ ■■-
"" ^^" ^^^ci It witnout benig struck
SEA OF GAIJLEE.
♦Acts iii. i-u.
i'; :'i
(I
334
THE APOSTLES OF JESUS
With the boldness and courage of the once timid Apostle ? He spoke to a vast assembly, to many who only a kvj weeks before had joined in the cry. "Crucify him, crucify him.- ^ and who hated and despised the very name of Jesus of Nazareth. These the dauntless Apostle accused of being murderers, of having killed the Prince of Life He then told them that it was through faith in Jesus that the man whom they both saw and knew had been made strong. With irresistible arguments he exhorted them to repent. The result was that very many became Christians, and that the company of believers now numbered five thousand men. But the priests and Sadducees, though strongly opposed to each other in their religious belief, united in their opposition to the Apostles. Peter and John were seized and pu^ into prison. On the morrow they were brought before the rulers elders, and scribes, "and when they had set them in the midst, they asked. By what power, or by what name, have ye done this > " f Peter was filled with the Holy Ghost, who both strengthened and instructed him. The words of Jesus never fail. He had told his disciples that they should be brought before kings and uilers for his sake, and that he would give them a mouth and wisdom which all their adversaries should not be able to gainsay nor resist. \\^ith inspired words Peter answered his judges. He told them the simple truth, and the priests elders, and scribes could say nothing against it. They were at a loss to know what to do, so they ordered all to leave the council-chamber while they consulted together. They agreed to threaten Peter and John and then let them go. " And they called them, and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John answered and said unto them. Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, VKhve ye For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard So when they had further threatened them, they let them go finding nothing how they might i)unish them, because of the j^eople • for all men glorified God for that which was done." | "And b-ing let go they went ^o their own company, and reported all that the chief priests
*Luke xxiii. 21.
t Acts iv. 7.
J Acts iv. 1 8-2 1.
SIMON PETER.
335
and elders had said unto them. And when they heard that, they lifted up their voice to God with one aceord, and said, Lord, thou art God which hast made heaven, and eartli. and the sea, and all that in them IS ; who by the mouth of thy servant David hast said, Why did the heathen rage, and the people imagine vain things ? The kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers were gathered together against 'the Lord and against lus Christ. For of a truth against thy hc^ly child Jesus' whoni thou hast anointed, both Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Genti es, and the people of Lsrael, were gathered tooether, for to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined 'before to be done. And now, Lord, behold their _ .^...
threatenings : and ---v- ^->
grant unto thy ser- ^'^v^ \_
vants, that with all - "^ -"
boldness they may >*
speak thy word, by
stretching forth thine
hand to heal ; and that
signs and wonders
may be done by the
name ofthy holy child
Jesus. And when they
had prayed, the place
was shaken where
rhnT"*" '■'f^,"'"'^'^'' toy^""^^; ^"^1 tl'ey ^verc all filled with the Holy Ghost * Oh, what a thrilling seene this must have been! Where ■t took place we do not exactly know, but most probably the same
was st,ll the n,eetms-place of the followers of the crucified One
a^estTf ""'-'S'"'^ "'i'h "■'''•" ^°"^t^™>tion the disciples heard of the arres of Peter and John, and how they would inune.liatelv convene together, and vv,th prayer and supplication entreat the- Lord to
VALLEV OF JEZkEKL.
* Acts iv. 23-31.
336
THE APOSTLES OP JESUS
protect h,s servants. Their prayers were answered. Peter and John, unfettered a,.I free, joined them. The two Apostles soon told the,r story and then the whole assembly lifted up their voiees to God Wvvouldgady know whose voices joined in that fervent prayer We are not told, but we may reasonably suppose, that in addition to tie Apostles, most .f not all the seventy disciples were of the com! I any Salome, the mother of John, was perhaps there, and the other devoted won,en ,vho had followed Jesus fron, Galilee. And poss blv the mother of Jesus, who had trembled for the safety of 1,^ y
the e'srand°''' "T^ ''" f "^ '" ^'^^^ '" P^^^^^ ^^ P"- " the res , and perh.aps Lazarus and His sisters were there and
many whom Jesus h.ul healed of their infirmities; and possibly 'some
o the mothers who had taken their little ones to the Saviou to be
bkssed by hun fonued part of the co.npany. Far above the noi v
aty, far above the loftiest pinnacle of the ten,ple, their voices rose k^
heaven the.r prayer was heard. "The place was shaken where 'thy
were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Hoy
_ We noNV come to a very, very sad story. The followers of Tesus increased rap.dly and the majority of them being poor, -as many a were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and briuglt the prices of the thmgs that were sold, and laid them do^vn at the Apostles' feet and distribution was made unto every man according as he had need "* There ^vere among the belie^.e|•s a man and his ,vife nan.ed Ananias ""^^^!PP'";'-''."^^'^o. though professing to be disciples, had not the grace of God ,n heir hearts. They had landed possessions, ^vhich thc/soM avowed J :or the same purpose as the rest, not wishing to appear behind their companions in zeal and benevolence. But they were no w hng to part with all their money; so they agreed between tl em- elves to give the Apostles only a portion of it. They were quite at hberty to do so i they chose, and as they had not faith enough to trus m the Lord providing for their future wants, they only acted with com- mon worldly prudence. Had they brought a part of the money and
*Actsiv. 34, 35.
SIMON PETER.
337
said they w,l mgly gave so much, all might have been well : thev would but have had the reputation of not being wiiolly .'.isinterested.' Graee might ere long have been given them, and the)- ^^•ould then have been both ready and willing, from the purest motives, to lend a// they possessed to the Lord. But covetousness and vainglory tempted them to eomm.t a fearful sm. They took part of the n.oney to the Apostles declaring it was all their estate had produced. One of the extraordi- nary gifts of the Holy Ghost was the power of discerning spirits - tnat IS, of seeing the inward purposes of men s hearts. Peter at this time possessed this power, so when
Ananias laid the money at the
Apostles' feet, " Peter said, Ananias,
why hath Satan filled thine heart to
lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep
back part of the price of the land ?
While it remained, was it not thine
own ? and after it was sold, was it
not in thine own power? Why
hast thou conceived this thing in
thine heart? thou hast not lied unto
men, but unto God. Ananias hear- ing these words fell down, and gave
up the ghost : and great fear came
on all them that heard these things.
And the young men arose, wound
him up, and carried him out, and
wh'^^^,''™■•^ ^"'^ ," ™' "''°"' ""= ^1'=^'=^ °f *'■'='= hours after, when his wife, not knoxving what was done, came in. And Pete^
answered unto her Tell me whether ye sold the land for so mueh ?
And she said. Yea, for so much. Then Peter said unto her, How is
It tha ye have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord >
behold, the feet of them which have buried t!>y husband are at the
door, and shall carry thee out. Then fell she down straightway at his
ound'l 'h '.'' "J? "' ^'°^' '■ ^"'^ "'^ y"""^' ■"^" -"^e in, and found her dead, and, carrying her forth, buried her by her husband.
ANANIAS AND SAITUIRA.
iv
V i
'-,i
33^
T/f/i APOSTLES OF JESC/S.
And great fear came upni all the church, and upon as many as. heard these thinors." *
The speedy and awful display of God's vengeance upon this guilti pair was necessary to prevent the intrusion of hypocrites into the society of the believers. The desired effect was produced, for very shortly after the account of this transaction we read the words, " and of the rest durst no man join himself to them."f Many hypocrites would doubtless have made an effort to join the disciples, from no other motive but the prospect of being maintained out of the believers' treasury. But with the terrible fate of Ananias and Sapphira before them, they dared not attempt to pollute the assembly of God's saints with their presence. Peter charged Ananias with having lied to the Holy L-rhost, and directly afterwards says, " Thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God," thereby showing that the Holy Ghost is God. The young laen, weread, wound Ananias up and buried him. These last sad duties were also performed for Sapphira. In their graveclothes the corpses were wound, and, as is the custom still in ho\ eastern countries, were buried almost immediately after thei" souls had departed.
The judgment of the Almighty . )on Ananias and Sapphira was nnmediately followed by numerous acts of mercy, as though to invite people to love Christianity, and so join the believers without fear. Many w^onders were wrought by the Apostles, insomuch that the people " brought forth the sick into the streets, and laid them on beds and couches, that at the least the shadow of Peter passing by might overshadow some of them." J It is not said that his shadow a/^e^ the sick, neither are '.ve told that it did not. But if God did make use of the shadow to display his power and goodness, there was nothing to marvel at, more than at the fact that the handkerchiefs and aprons which had touched Paul's body werr -. d as instruments to cure diseases and cast out devils. Multituc.^s ik "ime believers. Then the high priest, an ungodly man, if nou a Sadducee, rose, and they thai were with him, and, seizing upon the Apostles, " put them in the com- mon prison. But the angel of the Lord by night opened the prison
* Acts V. 3-n,
t \cts V. 1.3.
J Acts V. 15.
SfMON PETER.
many as
is guilty into the for verb- is, " and 'pocritcs from no elievers'
1 before s saints lie Holy nen, but - young d duties corpses -s, were
ira was 3 invite ut fear, lat the )n beds ' might aired ike use lothing aprons o cure len the \y thai
2 corn- prison
339
doors and brought them forth."* The next niornhu- the Anostle^ were found m the temple teaching the people. The hi., prtst h d
cScrt;cV:;tt';::^s''^r;d"hi"«''' '^'^ "r '^-''•^""-
the eharge made agaiL ' ^'^"^'"'^ '"^ -'"1—- boldly replied to
them, which so enraged their judges that the Apos- tles would have been put to death; but, by the ad- vice of one of the council (Gamaliel), they were only beaten, and commanded not to speak in the nax.:e of Jesus, and then set at liberty. "And they de- parted from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted w^orthy to suffer shame for his \. .le. And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ." f
The Church now began to be much persecuted. The blood of the first martyr, Stephen, had been shed ; and Saul of Tarsus was imprisoning all he
X^ ^"^ 'W^^
rilL; HIGH !;.iK;.r IX KOUKS.
could lay hands upon who would not der > thit Tosus .f v^ .u wa. t^e Messiah. The believers were ^St^:]^^^. they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of jXa and
21 L
♦Acts V. i8, 19.
t Acts V. 41,42.
340
THE APOSTLES OF JESUS.
Samaria, except tlie Apostles."-^' " Thercrorc tlicy that were scattered abroad went i^veryvvhere preaching the word."f God brought good out of evil, foi as the disciples were di.persed, so was the Gospel. Among tliosc \\ho went to Samnria w.is Pliiilp — no! the Apostle of that nanie, for he was with the other Aj}ostles at Jerusalem, but Philip the deacon. About that time there was in Samaria a very wicked man called Simon, better known us Simon Ma^/us or Simon the sorcerer, who so bcwitclied the people with his diaboliccd arts that they believed him to be a deity. But when Piiilip .appeared among them and preached Jusus, and the Samaritans saw that unclean spirits obeyed hii voice, and that those who were ahlicted with diseases were healed by hhi\, tliey believed what he taught "concerning the kingdom of God, a^'J the name of Jesus Christ: diey were baptized, both men and women." J Simon Magus could not help believing like the rest, and he was likewise baptized.
" When the Apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John: who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost. (For as yet he was fallen upon none of them : only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.) Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost. And when Simon saw that through laying on of the Apostles' hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money, saying. Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost." § Simon's greedy eyes at once saw the rich harvest in store for him, if he could only by laying on his hands endow men with mi- raculous powers. What would not even the nobles and princes of the land offer him for his services, besides the honor that would accrue to himself! Yes, avarice and pride would be abundantly gratified if Peter would sell him the gift of Go But Peter, with the greatest indignatj:.' , refused him his reoi'est He felt the most thorough con- tempt for ' ch a character, and, \i,uh i.is usual zeal, said, "Thy money perish with thee, because thou has; thought that the gift of God may
♦ Acts nil. I.
f Acts viii. 4.
J ".''t?; viii. 12.
(Acts viii. 14-19.
SIMON PETER.
341
cattcrcd ht good Gospel. )stle of ,t Philip :cd man iorccrcr, relieved jm and obeyed healed dom of len and est, and
Samaria .1 John: Y might lone of Then t. And inds the lie also le Holy in store vith mi- :s of the
accrue tified if greatest gh con-
money id mav
19.
oe purchased with money. Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of C^od."* Peter then exhorted Simon to repent, who besought the Apostle to pray for him, not that he (Simon) might repent, but that the judgment denounced upon him might be averted. There is no further notice of Simon Magus in the sacred writings, but ecclesiastical history speaks of him as the father of all heresy. To the end of his days, he remained in the bonds of iniquity. He was by birth a Samaritan, antl, travelling into Egypt, there studied oriental philosophy. He returned to Samaria, eminently skilled in medicine, astrology, and other abstruse sciences. He made use of his knowledge to impose upon his country- men. He was the bitterest enemy to the Church. He -—'l-
allovved that Jesus was a divine person, but not equal to himself " I am," he says, in one of his books, " the word of God ; I am the beauty of God; I am the Comforter; lam the Almighty; I am the whole essence of God." He taught the people not to trouble about doing what are called good works, and pretended
that men could not be saved unless they offered to God abominable sacrifices. He is spoken of as the first of the false Christs our Saviour prophesied should rise up.
Peter and John preached the gospel in Samaria, and then returned to Jerusalem. But, before following them there, I am tempted to linger witn Philip, and dwell upon one of the most interesting scenes St. Luke has recorded in his Acts of the Apostles : " The angel of the Lord spake unto Philip, saying, Arise, and go toward the south, unto the way that goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza, which is desert. And he arose and went." f
♦Acts viii. 20, 21.
f Acts viii. 26, 27.
342 THE APOSTLES OF JESUS.
** ' Twas silent all and dead. Beside the barren sea, Where Philip's steps were led, Led by a voice from thee — . He rose and went, nor ask'd thee why, Nor stay'd to heave one faithless sigii."
"And, behold, a man of Ethiopia, a eunuch of great authority under Candace queen of the Ethiopians, who had the charge of all her treasure, and had come to Jerusalem for to worship, was returning-, and sitting in his chariot, read Esaias the prophet." =»= Ethiopia, now Abys- sinia and Nubia, was one of the great kingdoms of Africa, governed at the time of which we are reading by a queen. Eor long the queens of Ethiopia had been called Candace, as the kings of Egypt were called Pharaoh, and the emperors of Rome, Cassar. Now, the treas- urer of Candace had been converted to the Jewish faith, probably by Jews from Alexandria. This pious nobleman allowed neither the cares of his high office, nor the attractions of the court, nor the long and tedious journey of many hundred miles, to prevent him going up to Jerusalem to worship in its holy temple. Most probably, when there, he heard of the crucifixion of our Saviour, and of the super- natural occurrences which took place at his death. And he might have listened to the preaching, and have witnessed some of the mim- cles of the followers of him whom the priests, the scribes, and the elders had crucified. We can imagine this Ethiopian lord, in his chariot, entering Jerusalem, full of pious rapture at the sight of the glorious temple, and we can imagine him leaving the city on his return home, full of earnest thought about all he had heard and seen. The greatest treasure he possessed, the holy Scriptures, he had with him in his chariot. And as he rode, he "read Esaias the prophet. Then the Sph-it said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot. And Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read the prophet Esaias," f The Ethiopian had approached the deserted Gaza, the forsaken city. Perhaps, as he was journeying from Africa to Jerusalem, he had, when passing the same spot, ordered his charioteer to stop, while he, with th©
♦ Acts viii. 27, 28.
t Acts viii. 28-30,
4fr*%
SIMON PETER.
343
sacred roll in his hand, climbed the mountain on which Gaza stood, and rambled among the desolate ruins so full of scriptural associations. But now, other thoughts filled his mind than those connected with the once mighty city. Me was pondering over the words, " He was led as a sheep to the slaughter ; and like a lamb dumb before his shearer, so opened he not his mouth : in his humiliation his judgment was taken away ; and who shall declare his generation ? for his life is taken from the earth." ■'= God's ever watchful eye was upon the Hthiopian. He saw the longing of his heart to know the truth, and satisfied it. Philip, under divine guidance, overtook the chariot, and, hearing the eunuch reading, said to him, " Undcrstandest thou what thou readest ? And he said, How can I, except some man should guide me ? And he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him." f The Ethio- pian then asked the Hvangelist of whom the prophet spoke in the passage quoted above, " of himself, or of some other man ? Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same Scripture, and preached unto him Jesus. And as they woiv on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized ? And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. And he commanded th* chariot to stand still : and they went down both into the water, both Philij:) and the eunuch ; and he baptized him. And when they were come uj) out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: -u :ie went on his way rejoicing. But Philip was found at Azotus." J The sudden and miraculous disap- pearance of Philip would naturally confirm the faith of the new con- vert, as it would show him that a messenger had indeed been sent by God to instruct and baptize him. Rejoicing, he returned to Candace's court, carrying with him that pearl of great price, with which all the treasures entrusted to his care were not worthy to be compared. He is not again mentioned in holy writ, but ecclesiastical history tells us that in his own country he preached Jesus, and suffered death for
* Acts vii.i. 32, 33.
f Acts viii. 30, 31.
X }.ci^ viii. 34-40.
344
THE APOSTLES OP JESUS.
Fl-r'V''-^''''.fP''"''^^'""^ that the Church he established in hthiopi . ll()uri-;hc(i for several ages.
^ With regard to Philip, after his miraculous removal from the Ethio-
If t-r r r "■'' '" "" ^••^^^^^^ility. he resided for the remainder
insnirl 'l ^T'^ '' " "'"^ ^^' '''' ^'^'"^^ ^'^^ ^^^•^^^'"^^''^ ^^^^^ his four inspired daughters twenty-six years after he had baptized the Ethio-
To return to Peter. After he and John had preached the gospel in many villages of the Samaritans they went back to Jerusalem II ith- crto the number of the Apostles had been limited to twelve, ;>ut about this time another was added to their company. Saul of Tarsus was miraculously converted, and chosen by the Lord to be one of his Apos- tics Then had the ch irches rest throughout all Judrea. and Galilee and Samana, and were edified ; and walking in the fear ot the Lord' and in the comfort of the Iloiy Ghost, were multiplied."t : ae crreat reason why the believers were suffered by their persecutors to l„we a ittlc peace was that political troubles at that time wholly (,.cupied the mind of the Jewish nation, so that the followers of Christ cou' meet together witaout molestation. During the calm Peter traveled about visitmg the breth en, first in one place, and then in nnoth.r. He came uown also to the saints which dwelt at Lydda. And there he found a certain man named /Eneas, which had kept his bed eight years, ..la was sick of the palsy. And Peter said unto him ^meas, Jesus Christ maketh liiee whoL . anse. and make thy bed' And he arose immediater % Are we to suppose that .4^neas had never for the period r ,ip-bt years quitted his bed of suffering ? It is very possible that it as .en so. Cases have occurred under our own notice in which mvalids have lin., red for years in a hopeless state of sickness, and have been scarcely .ble to endure the very slightest movement, much less the removal from one couch '. , another This might have been the sad condition of poor ^neas when Peter tound him. No longer, however, was he to be a burden to his frienHc:
* Acts viii. 40.
fActs ix. 31.
tActsix. 32-34.
lished
in
le Ethio- he came
:inaindcr his four
e 11
o-
ospel in Ilitii- at about sus was is Apos- Galilce, e Lord, le great liave a ccupied t ecu raveled nothiT. d there lis bed o him, ly bed. :as had ' It is ler our )peless e very lother. Peter iends :
I
SfM0}7 PETER.
345
Jesus Chnst maketh thee wliole." said the Apostle to him. and then commanded hnn to arise and make his bed. The palsied limbs which had so long lain useless became at once supple and full of vicror .4ineas must make his bed to prove how complete was his cure, "and
H ' r-i M^^^'''?"'"^ •^^^••-•^ (^^haron) saw him, and turned to the ord. - Not in the.r o^yn names did the Apostles work miracles, but m the name of Jesus Chnst. Our Saviours divinity is shown by the manner m which he performed miracles. He was the Lord of nature and when nature hear<l his voice she obeyed him. " Peace, be still, he said to the raging elements, ''and the uind cease.!, and there was a great calm."t "Be thou dean," he .- '^
^\'\ to the leper, "and ' ^
mmediately the lep- 1
losy departed from him,
and he was cleansed." J - .4
"Young man. I say
unto thee arise," he said
to the dead son of the
widow of Nain, "and
he that was dead sat up
and began to speak." §
"Come forth," he suid
to the putrefying corpse
of Lazarus, "uKl he that was .lead can,e forth, bo„n<I hand an.l foot
w,th gravc-c othos; || How different generally was the lan,ua..e of
atd t'^k * ■■ '," T "•""^' "' J*^"'^ ^'^"^' °f Nazareth ris'e ty
^ A. 21 '"''''• "J"'"' ^'""''' '"'•^'^'^^'l' *'-■'-■ whole," tt Pete, a,d to the bed-r,dden ^neas. "Brother Sa 1, the Lord, ^ven Jesus hat appeared unto thee in the way as thou earnest, hati, sent me, tha
V.~hl"e'^ ■" ?•"!.' ""-■ ='Sh'."n said Ananias to the blind and nuiiiDiea convert in Damascus.
JOPPA i.ROM TIIK EAST.
♦Acts ix. 35. IJJohn xi. 44.
tMark iv. 39. * * Acts iii. 6.
X MarK I. 42. t \ Acts ix. 34.
§ Luke vii. 15. J I Acts ix. 17.
3;6
I! I
i
if
I' -tit
#^4-
Hill
r//y^ APOSTLES OF JESUS.
About ten miics from Lydda was a town called Joppa. Here there
IV cd a disciple, a woman rich in ^ood works and noted for her charity
icrnam. was Tah.lha. which in Svriac means a gazelle, an animal
•^'na.kahlc for its beautiful eyes; indeed, the. .^•azellc or antelope was
rc^ranlcd a. the cnihl.m of beauty. Tabidia wis by th.- (ireeks called
Yj^as.i!:e.IatKrna::,c I \,,. the (Ireck f,r a gazelle. Whether or
nni ia.;,M.i or 1 )>Mvas was so luiued nn account of the beautv and
ri.AIXS OF aCRICHo.
bea utifu u-rr ," / """"' '-''>■• '"" "-^ ^"' '^"°- "'■•>' her life was beautiful Ulule IVtcr was at Lydda this charitable uoman, whose hicf en,ploymcnt api^ears to have bee,, to help the destitute, siekened and died. With lovuig hands the eorpse was prepared for its burial, ^nd laid m an upper chamber, "and forasmuch as Lvdda was ni.rh to Joppa, and the disciples had heard that Peter was there, they sentlmto him two men, desiring him that he would not delay to come to them
SfXrn.W PETER.
crc there r charity. n animal l()l)t' was ks called lethcr or iut\- and
m
ife was whose :kcned burial, iigh to it unto them.
347
Ihen Peter arose and went with them. When he was come, they brou-ht Inm into the upper chamber: and all the widows stooil by him weepm;<,and showin- the coats and garments which Dorcas made while she was with thein."='= The clothes which the mourners showed to the Apostle had doubtless been made by Dorcas for charitable purposes. "Hut Peter put them all forth, and kneeled down, and prayed ; and. turnui- hnn to the body, said, Tabitha, arise. And she opened her eyes: and when she saw Peter, she sat up. And he uave her his hand, and lifted her up, and when he had called the saints and widows, he presented her alive." f On the boM.ni nf her Saviour labitha had rested from her labors; tlicreforc it uas more for the good of others than for her .)\mi. that she was roii.^ed fiXMii that peaceful sleep. How v.uuld the l.;:-.icn-
K I . \ S 1
i.-Aiu:.\.
tatioii^ l\a^c, and t!;c wi.;u\v.>'
hearts nj..irc, \\\\ -x '\\; •;' i_ ,• ..
stoi-etl t(j life an 1 !i'.,ii;'i, .' I
her weej)ini;- hicii '.-, a> I'-jv rj-
entered the chaiii!;jr. Tiu ciica
of this nu'racle was tli;it niai:y
belic\-ed in the Lord.
IV'ter sta}ed some tiiric in
Joppa, and lod-ed with one Siaion a t:inner. So fu" the oospcl
had been preached to Jews only; no <,thers had been tau-dit or
invited to become disciples of Christ. Hut the time had now arrived when he. who had appeared that he mi-ht be -the .dory of his people Israel," should also be "a li^ht to lighten" the (.entiles. J; It was unlawful for a Jew to have anythin- to do in matters of religion with a Gentile or unclean person. The Jewish prejudices were, however, to give ^^■^.y under the religion of that gospel which was for Gentile as well as for Jew The first G^entile convert was Cornelius, a centurion of the Roman army. He lived at Qe.sarea and was a "devout man, and one that feared God with all his house which gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God alway. He saw in
18
'■^ Acts i.x. 38, 39.
I Acts ix. 40, 41.
I Luke ii. 32,
348
THE APOSTLES OF JESUS.
a v,s,on, evKlemly about the ninth hour of the day, an angel of God
■ on M,g ,n to hnn, and saying unto him, Cornelius. And when he
boke on ln,n, he was afraid, and said. What is it, Lord ? And h sa d
before God ^''r"'' "'/""^ '"''"" ''"' ^"'"^ "1> ^r a memorial before God, And no;v send men to Joppa, and eall for one Simon
w^,ose surname ,s Peter: he lodgeth with one Simon a tanner, vZe ^ sc ,s by the sea-s,de: he shall tell thee what thou oughtes to do Ami «hen the angel whieh spake unto Cornelius was departed he ^vtlv rd "r '-"-'-'",— '^.-d a devout soldier'oflem tht unto d ] ^°'"'"7"y' -'^l -h- h^ had declared all these '3 r ;"' ''"' "'"" '" J°PP^-"* Cornelius, who is sup-
posed to have been a men,ber of the great Roman family of the Corneln, was one of a elass of persons ealled •• proselytes of the gate " He was a eonvert from heathenism who had adopted the Hebrew
cted th r ; ":,' '°t"" '° ""■ ^°''"' '^"'- "' -- -' -- -
eiscd theiefore, though a x>orslnpper of the true God, he was, in the eye of the Jew a Gentile. The Ethiopian eunueh w^s one o t",ose -ho are called "proselytes of righteousness." He had not on y en.braeed the Jewish faith, but had adopted its ceremon.es. n"w although tornehus d.d not observe the ceremonies of the Jews he evidently conformed to some of their customs. He observed their hours of prayer, for ^ve read that ■• he prayed to God alway," which
u^ed'in H %T"^ J""'' '■""" °f '^">^^- ""^ "- word'hour used n the B.ble, you must not understand what we call an hour that
js s.xty n,uu,tes. By an hour was ,neant any allotted portion of i The Jews d.v.ded the day into greater and lesser hours. Of d^' former there were four, nan.ely, the third hour, which was fron, six 0 clock m the ,norn,ng till nine; the sixth hour, which was from nine till twelve ; the nnuh hour, which was from twelve till three in the after- noon; the twelfth hour, which was from three till six in the evening You ^^,u\ have observed these divisions of the day in our I ord^' parab.e of f^e aborers in the vineyard, as recorded in the twentieth chapter of St. Matthew. In that parable our Saviour called the last
* Acts X. 2-8.
S/AfOJV PETRR.
2l of God when he id he said memorial e Simon, 2r, whose -St to do. arted, he of them all these i is sup- / of the le gate." Hebrew circum- s, in the 3f those ot only Now, [ews, he -d their " which lour, as )iir, that 3f time. Of the om six m nine e after- /ening. Lord's entieth he last
349
hour the eleventh, to teach us that though God in his mercy accepts
laborers into his vineyard eleven hours of the day, yet he seldom calls
any at the twelfth, as that is the hour in wliich rather to discharg^i
servants than to admit new ones. The lesser hours were twelve in
number, and these were regulated by tlic time of the rising and setting
of the sun. In summer the hours would be longer than in the winter,
The night was divided into four greater hours or watches. The first
w a t c h w a s
from six till
nine o'clock
at night. The
second watch
was from nine
till twelve.
The third
watch, or
cock-crowing,
was from
twelve till
three in the
morning, and
the fourth or
m o r n i n <jf
watch was
from three till
six. "Arise,"
said Jeremiah,
"cry out in the night, in the beginning of the watches."* " If he
shall come in the second watch, or come in the third watch," | said
our Saviour. "And about the fourth watch of the night he cometh
unto them, walking upon the sea." % These passages will suffice to
confirm what I have said. Our Lord alludes to all four watches in
the following verse: "Watch ye therefore: for yc know not when
EAS'ri'.KX SCKNKKY.
* I^am. li. 19.
\ fjiikc xii. .38.
X Mark vi. 48.
350
I, J
ii
4
THE APOSTLES OF /ESrZ
the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at cock- crowmg-, or in the morning." *
Cornelius^ sent three messengers (who were doubtless worshippers o the true God) to Peter. Their route lay through the lovely vale of Sharon, which extended from tearea to Joppa, a distance of about thirty miles. In this -.alley blossomed the beautiful rose, and the lily of which Israel's king had sung. The messengers did not reach their destination till near noon the next day. They must have rested for the night in one of the many villages which studded the valley Perhaps they might from time to time have stayed to listen to the account of the miracles wrought by him to whom their master's mes- sage was sent. Each stranger they met would be able to tell them something about Jesus, ^vhose gospel the Apostle was preaching in Joppa. And ere they neared the city, possibly the truth had dawned upon their minds, that he who had died upon the cross in Jerusalem and in whom all Sharon and Lydda believed, was indeed ///r/;- Saviour' Peter, you have read, lodged, while staying at Joppa, with a tanner a man who prepared the skins of animals for domestic use. The trade of tanning was held in great abhorrence by the Jews, because those who followed It had so constantly to come in contact with dead bodies which rendered them ceremonially unclean. So infamous was the occupation considered by the Jews, that if a tanner did not announce Ills calling before his marriage the contract was void. Simon the tenner of Joppa, was compelled to live at the sea-side, not only because his business required a great quantity of water, but because the law lorbade him carrying on his trade within the walls of the city It was on the flat roof of the despised tanner's dwelling that P<^ter was pray- ing when the messengers of Cornelius were drawing nigh to Joppa As the Apostle prayed he " became very hungry, and would have eaten : but while they made ready, he fell into 'a trance, and saw heaven opened, and a certain vessel descending unto him, as it had been a great sheet knit at the four corners, and let down to the earth • wherein were all manner of fourfooted beasts of the earth and wild
* Mark xiii.
35-
SIMON PETER.
35 »
beasts, and creeping things, and fowls of the air. And there came a voice to him, Rise, Peter; kill, and cat. But Peter said. Not so, Lord; for I have never eaten any thing that is common or unclean. And the voice spake unto him again the second time, What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common. This was done thrice: and the vessel was received up again into heaven." ^ There were in the vessel pigs, hares, camels, swans, owls, vultures, storks, and many other crea- tures which were called unclean, and there might have been many ani- mals called clean, which the Jews as a rule were permitted to eat, for the holy story tells us that the vessel contained "all manner of four- footed beasts of the earth, and wild beasts, and creeping things, and fowls of the air." But Peter would consider it unlawful to touch even them, because they would have become unclean by their contact with unclean animals. " Now while Peter doubted in himself what this vision which he had seen should mean, behold, the men which were sent from Cor- nelius had made inquiry for Simon's house, and stood before the gate, and called, and asked whether Simon, which was surnamed Peter, were lodged there. While Peter thought on the vision, the Spirit said unto him, Behold, three men seek thee. Arise therefore, and get thee down, and go with them, doubting nothing: for I have sent them." f Peter went down to the messengers, who told him their errand, and from whence they had come. Then Peter, with some of the brethren, at once set off for Csesarea, and reached there the following day. In the meantime the centurion had called together his kinsmen and friends, and was anxiously waiting for the arrival of the Apostle. "And as Peter was coming in, Cornelius met him, and fell down at his feet, and worshipped him. But Peter took him up, saying. Stand up ; I myself also am a man. And as he talked with him, he went in, and found many that were come together. And he said unto them. Ye know how that it is an unlawful thing for a man that is a Jew to keep company, or to come unto one of another nation : but God hath shewed me that I should not call any man common or unclean, ihereiore came I unto you witliout gainsaying, as soon as I was
♦ Acts X. 10-16.
t Acts X. 17-20.
352
THE APOSTLES OF JESUS.
sent for: I ask therefore for what intent yc have sent for me > " * Cornelius told Peter his vision. "Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons : but m every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness IS accepted with hiui.-f The Apostle at once preached Jesus to the devout centurion and all his household. And as he was declaring unto them the way of salvation the Holy Ghost fell upon then^ and they began to speak with other tongues. The brethren who had accompanied Peter from Joppa were greatly astonished to find that the gift of the Holy Ghost was bestowed unon uncircumcised Gentiles. Then I^eter said, "Can any man forbid water, that these
MOUNT EPHRAIM.
should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as x,..ir .. „.. ■> And he commanded them to be baptized in the name
well
as we ?
ot the Lord. % Thus did Peter exercise the power of the keys § given to him by the Lord Jesus, and opened the door of Christ's king- dom to the Gentiles. The believers from Joppa could afterwards bear witness to what had passed in the house of Cornelius, and were useful as witnesses when Peter had to defend himself to the Apostles and brethren in Judea for having eaten with uncircumcised men. After
* Acts X. 25-29. t Acts X. 34, 35. I Acts X 47 48
§ It is in_ consequence of our Lord having said to Peter, " I will give unto thee the keys of ,W i^gtTl *" '' ^^^^''' '''"■ '^^' "'''' "'''' '^P°"'^ is generally represented in pictures carry-
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Peter had visited the newly-planted churches he went back to Jerusa- lem. " Now about that time Herod the kin- stretched forth his hands to vex certain of the Church. And he killed James, the brother of John with the sword. And because he saw it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to take Peter also. And when he had apprehended him he put him in prison, and delivered him to four cjuaternions of soldiers to keep him; intending- after Iiaster to brin- him forth to the people Peter therefore was kept in prison : but prayer was made xvithout ceas- ing of the Church unto God for Jiim. And when Herod would have brought him forth, the same night Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains: and the keepers before the door kept the prison. And, behold, the angel of the Lord came upon him and a light shined in the prison ; and he smote Peter on the side and raised him up, saying, Arise up quickly. And his chains fell off from his hands. And the angel said unto him. Gird thyself, and bind on thy sandals : and so he did. And he saith unto him, Cast thy garment about thee, and follow me. And he went out, and followed him ; and wist not that it was true which was done by the angel ; but thought he saw a vision. When they were past the fir.t and the second ward they came unto the iron gate that leadeth unto the city ; which opened to them of his own accord : and they went out, and nassed on through one street; and forthwith the angel departed from him."*
" Then all himself, all joy and calm. Though for a while his hand forego, Jus. as it touch'd, the martyr's palm, He turns him to his task below."
He went first " to the house of Mary the mother of John, whose sur- name was Mark, where many were gathered together praying And as Peter knocked at the door of the gate, a damsel came to hearken named Rhoda. And when she knew Peter's voice, she opened not the gate for gladness, but ran in, and told how Peter stood before the gate. And they said unto her, Thou art mad. But she constantly afhrmed that it was even so. Then said they, It is his angel " f
'•' Acts xii. i-i
;(«
354
THE APOSTLES OF JESUS.
»?■ i:
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Herod, it seems, was determined to secure his intended victim, Peter was not only imprisoned, but was fastened by two ciiains to two soldiers, while two more soldiers guarded the door of his prison. Four fresh soldiers were provided for each watch, but all in vain. In the night, while Peter was sleeping, the angel of the Lord entered the prison, awoke the captive, and raised him up. The chains fell off from Peter's hands, and he was soon prepared to follow the heavenly messenger. After passing the first and the second ward they came to theironoutergateof the prison, which opened of its own accord and let them pass into the city. When the angel had conducted Peter safely through one street he left him. The lil)cr;ited Apostle at once went to
his friends. In the prison, Peter, under sentence of death, sle])t i)cacefully, but his anxious fri; !k1s rested not. They met in the bouse of Mary, the mother c^f Mark the Iivan;,elist, and liici-e ni,Jit and chi\- pra)-ed for tiio captive Apostle. We are Hut tcjjd who were Mary's guests, but they were truly a party of mourners, and many of them were perhaps already marked by their enemies for slaughter. No small praise is due to the mother of xMark for opening her doors at such a time to the persecuted flock, and sheltering them from the bloodhounds of the tyrant. No idle threat they knew was Herod's. The head of the dauntless and zealous James had fallen beneath the stroke of the executioner, and Peter's hours they believed were numbered, if even then he had not met with a cruel death. We can imagine how many of the devoted band would start and turn pale, when, in the solemn stillness of the night, a knocking was heard at the gate. How would each with anxious eye gaze upon the maiden Rhoda when she ap- peared to announce who was standing without ! " Peter ! " each would exclaim. " It cannot be Peter." And when Rhoda assured them that
PETER liEI'WEEX 1 WO .SOLDIERS.
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SIMON PETER.
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victim, s to two prison, lin. In ^red the fell off eavenly came to and let :r safely went to prison, f death, anxious ley met mother St, and L)ed for iVe are Mary's truly a I many already is due ime to bounds lead of of the if even ' many iolemn would he ap- would m that
it was indeed Peter, they, believing that death alone had set the captive free, said, " It must be his angel." It was an ancient opinion that every good man had a guardian angel appointed him by God, to take spe- cial care of him till his life's end ; to direct him in his way, to guard him from danger, and to deliver him in distress. We know from the Holy Scriptures that these heavenly beings haVe an interest in the welfare of men, for Paul asks, "Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation ? " =^- A superstitious notion also prevailed among both Jews and Gentiles, that on the death of a person his guardian angel often appeared to his friends in the form of the deceased. Not long did the friends of Peter remain in doubt. " Peter con- tinued knockintj: and when the)' had opened the door, and saw him, thcv were astonished. But he, beckoning un- to them w ith the hand to hold their peace, "W..,,^^^
declared unto them ^ m 'n i|iiiiiiiiiiwiiHiiiiii"iniH" ' jit
how the Lord had bethanv.
brought him out of
the prison." f Peter knew that as soon as Herod had discovered he had escaped, he would search for him in every direction, so, for his own safety, as well as for that of his friends, whose lives would be endangered if they harbored him, he went away. The unfortunate soldiers who had the charge of Peter in prison were by Herod's command put to death for allowing their prisoner to escape.
We hear nothing of Peter for several years. We then find him taking a icading part in the counci] of the Apostles, which was con-
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* Heb. i. 14.
t Acis xii. 16, 17.
22 L,
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355
THE APOSTLES OF JESUS.
vened for the purpose of discussing matters connected with the cere- monial law. A full account of this important meeting you will find in the life of James the Less. Nothing more can be gathered of the history of Peter from the pen of St. Luke, but in the second chapter of Paul's Epistle to the Galatians we find that Peter was with Paul at Antioch, and there met with severe censure from the great Apostle of the Gentiles. After Peter's vision of the vessel from heaven filled with unclean beasts, he, knowing that the partition wall between Jew and Gentile was broken down, ate and drank familiarly with the Gentile converts wherever he met them. This he did at Antioch until some Jewish brethren, sent by James the Less, Bishop of Jerusalem, arrived at the Syrian capital. Peter, fearful of offending the new comers, separated himself from the Gentile converts as though it were unlawful to hold communion with them. This strange conduct pro- duced many evils, and undid much that had been done. The Jewish zealots were confirmed in their error, the Gentiles were filled with fear and dissatisfaction, and the old feuds and prejudices between Jew and Gentile were revived. All the Jewish converts in Antioch followed Peter's example in their conduct toward the Gentile brethren, and even Barnabas was led away to act in the same manner. Peter was indeed much to blame, and Paul, as he tells the Galatians, " withstood him to the face." * The word " withstood " in the original Greek is a military term signifying to stand against, either by force of arms as among soldiers, or by dint of argument as among disputants. It is a word of defiance, and signifies an opposition, hand to hand and face to face, not yielding a hair's-breadth to the adversary. No answer, it would appear, did the humbled and doubtless penitent Apostle return. In love was the rebuke given, and in love was it received. A iaw years afterward, very shortly before his crucifixion, Peter in his second epistle, when mentioning Paul, speaks of him as " our beloved brother Paul." f We therefore are assured that no ill feeling was borne by Peter toward his candid, courageous, and resolute reprover.
It is not known with certainty where Peter labored after he left
♦Gal. ij. II.
1 2 Peter iii. 15.
SIMON PETER.
357
left
Antioch, but as he addressed his first epistle " to the stran<^ers scat- tered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia," * it is supposed that he had journeyed into those countries. He wrote from Babylon. This is generally understood to mean Rome, the ancient Assyrian capital of that name being then deserted by men, and a habitation only for wild beasts. Peter and John (the latter in the Book of Revelation) gave to Rome the name of Haln Ion, figuratively to signify that it would resemble Babylon in its idolatry, and in its opposition to, and persecution of, the Churcii of (iod; and that, like Babylon, it will be utterly destroyed.
From Paul's words, " Have we not power to lead about a sister, a wife, as well as other Apostles, and as the brethren of the Lord, and Cephas?"! it is believed that Peters wife accompanied him in his missionary journeys. Clemens Alexandrinus, who lived in the second century, tells us that Peter's wife suf- fered martyrdom, and that her husband, seeing her on the way to execution, rejoiced that she was counted worthy of so great
an honor, and calling her by name he encouraged her, and " bade her to be mindful of our Lord. Such," continues Clemens, "was the wedlock of that blessed couple, and the perfect disposition and agreement in those things that were dearest to them/' Clemens also says that Peter had children; the name, however, of only one, PetroniMa, is mentioned by early writers.
Peters two divine epistles are supposed to have been written, the
EASTERN VINEYARD.
* I Peter i. i.
1 1 Cor. ix. 5.
3S8
THE APOSTLES OF JESUS.
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first in the year 64, and the second in the early part of the year 65. In the first he eiicourai;es the Christian con\ crts to bear with fortitude all the trials they would have to undi r^o, and excites them to the practice of particular duties, and to beautify and adorn their holy pro- fession by a holy and becoming conversation. In the second epistle he confirms the doctrines and instructions he delivered in the first, and cautions the Christians against false teachers, whose tenets and prac- tices he largely describes, and he warns the believers to disregard those profane scoffers who made or should make a mock of ChHst's coming to judgment. Both of the epistles evidently show their divine origin.
The time arrived when Peter was to follow Jesus. Calmly, as though he were only about to take off his raiment for the night, he speaks of his approaching death : " Knowing that shortly 1 must put off this my tabernacle, even as our Lord Jesus Christ hath shewed uk ." * Not in the !:,a,.:ucd story must we look for any particulars of the death of Pete? ;.>e}ond those foretold l)y our Savi( ur. It has been generally believed, from the works of TertuUian, Origen, and other early Chris- tian writers, that Peter suffered martyrdom at Rome about the year 65. It was in the persecution against the followers of Jesus raised by that monster of iniquity, Nero, that Peter was put to death. One cannot read without shuddering of the cruelties inflicted by the tyrannical emperor upon the Christians. But can we \\onder that he had no mercy upon those who openly condemned his religion, when he had no pity for those of his own creed, or even for his own flesh and blond ? He put to death his mother and his brother-in-law, and murdered his beautiful wife Octavia when she was only twenty years of age. His second wife fared no better, for she fell a victim to his brutal violence. Indeed, the wretched young man, who was but thirty years old when he committed suicide, seemed only to delight in cruelty and every vice. The holy Apostle was crucified, and, it is said, according to his own request, with his head downward, as he did not consider himself worthy to suffer in the same posture in which his Lord had suffered
* 2 Peter i. 14.
S/MOX PETER.
359
year 65. fortitude \\\ to the oly pro- 1 epistle irst, and id prac- isrc'^ard Christ's ir divine
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SYMBOLIC UNION OF THE OI.l) AND NEW DISPENSATION.
through the city, they were carried out to be crucified. Fcr thirty years or more had the Apostle been looking forward to this last short jour- ney. How would he, when taking it, recall the words of Jesus " When thou Shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall g-ird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not."* Nature would
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* John xxi. 18.
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shrink from the contemplation of the torture of the cross, but the devoted mar yr would likewise recall other words of the Sav our encouragmg h„n to faithfulness even unto death, and would poss.^,' he assurance that the cro^v„ of life would soon he his. Anled a vh P^f °f,^?'^^""°"' I"-- (filled with love and veneration for him
feanng not the pan, h,s enemies might inflict upon him) prayed i„ h,s deep humiliation that he might suffer in a still more agoL 1 posture than that in which his executioners would have plafed h m His last reques ,vas granted. So died this great and good Apostle His body was ouned in Rome, and we are told that over the spot was built a small church. This has long since disappeared an Mn ts place st:.nds the magnificent Romish cathedral, vvhich l,as f^^ beauty, brrome one of the wonders of the world
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ANCIENT JUDEAN KUlNb.
5, but the Saviour, I possess nived at for him disc, and )rayed in gonizing :ed him. Apostle, the spot i, and in has, for
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HAVE related the principal events in the life of 1 ^ter. I will now give you a short account of his brother, Andrew. This Apostle was, before our baviour began his ministry, a disciple of John the Baptist. He was, as you are aware, the son of poor parents, who were unable to give their chil- dren the advantages of education. Andrew was a fisherman, and found leisure to go into the wilder- ness to hear John preach. He became not merely a lis.entT to, but a companion of, and an attendant upon, the Baptist. How may many of us blush when
Tne riV /'r^^-'""^"-' ^""'^y^^^^ -"-^— not an ea^ one. a life of hardship is that of a fisherman-often ni^^ht and dav must he la or for his bread : and we know that the po f men on th'e
Vet some of them thought not of fatigue nor of danger but traveled many a weary mile to hear the preacher in the wildernes Do a,l
tic Word of Lue? Alas! no. Though Gods messengers are nro laiming the gospel almost at their very doors, businessrp eaTurf " mdolence make them too often refuse to listen
How long Andrew had been a disciple of the Baptist before he saw
01 nis d sciplcs. one of whom was Andrew. We can picture to nnr seh.s the Baptist, clothed in sackcloth, or. as the Biblfe^es it having .<his raiment of camels hair,"t and his two companions." in the
*John i. 35.
363
fMatt. iii. 4.
lij
3^4
THd APOSTLES OF JESUS.
mean attire of poor fishermen, waiting for him whom prophets and kmgs had long desired to see. The precise spot where they stood is not known. It might haxe been where Joshua, the type of Jesus, more than fourteen hundred years before, had led the Israelites over the Jordan into the promised land ; and perhaps many of those who had been hstenmg to John that day had, on their return home, to walk over the very ground on which the ark of the covenant rested when their ancestors marched to the gates of Jericho. Or it micrht have been within sight of the Sea of Galilee, for John not only baptized near Bethabara, but in all the region round about Jordan, and possibly he and his disciples were contemplating the lovely lake so soon to be
hallowed by the presence, and rendered famous by the mighty works, of Jesus. Evening approached. The tops of the mountains were tinged with the glow of the settinfr sun. Can we not imagine a scene of so much beauty being in unison with their feelings, as John and his disciples stood and waited for the appearance of the Holy One? Jesus drew near, and, as he passed them, John said, " Behold the Lamb of God ! " =^— the Lamb so soon to be sacri- ficed as an acceptable offering for the sins . . . ^ ^ , °^ mankind. No sooner was the attention
of Andrew and the other disciple (supposed to be John) called to Christ, than they left their master and followed Jesus, who turned round and spoke to them, asking them whom they soui^ht " Thev said unto him, Rabbi (which is to say, being interpreted." Masterl where dwellest thou? He saith unto them. Come and see Ihey came and saw where he dwelt and abode with him that day; for it was about the tenth hour:"i that was two hours before nigin. After his visit to Jesus, Andrews first act was to seek out Peter, and tell him the joyful news, "We have found the
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* John i. 36
tJohn i. 38, 39.
ANDREW.
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stood is ius, more over the who had
to walk ed when ■ht have baptized possibly Dn to be endered Jesus.
of the ^low of agine a
unison lisciples i of the , as he : Lamb e sacri- he sins tention lied to turned " They raster), 3 see. n that
hours vas to id the
36s
Messias."* thus becoming the first preacher of the gospel. Not content with this, he took Peter to Jesus. Every sincere Christian must sympathize with Andrew, whose warm heart prompted him to lose no time in letting his brother be a participator in his happiness. Surely it is a blessed privilege to be the instrument of leading even one soul to Christ. The brothers visited Jesus together, but only remained with him for a brief space of time. They must earn their hvmg by fishing a little longer, and so they returned to their home at Capernaum. This occurred soon after our Lords temptation in the wilderness, and not long before John was east into prison by Herod. The Baptist's work was accomplished when a mightier than he had come forth: and, having prepared the way for the Messiah, he must shortly rest from his labors.
We hear no more of Andrew by name for a year, and then he and his brother received the summons to follow Jesus. A full account of the miraculous draught of fishes you will have read in Peter's life It was Andrew's boat, as well as Peter's, which was honored by being made the pulpit of the Saviour, when he preached to the people who were on the shore of the Sea of Galilee. And Andrew received with Peter, the promise, that if he forsook all, and followed Jesus, he should become a fisher of men. Soon after this he was chosen as one of the Apostles.
^ Only a icw times is Andrew mentioned individually in the Holy Scriptures ; and yet, as one of the Apostles, a full account of him would occupy a volume. Was he not on the Sea of Galilee when there arose a great tempest, while Jesus, who was also in the ship, was asleep? And did not Andrew, with the other disciples, awake 'him exclaiming. "Lord, save us, we perish? "f You know they did not appeal for help in vain. Did not Andrew, at the command of Jesus go forth to preach the gospel and heal the sick ? And cannot we nnagine his sorrow-stricken countenance, when he and the other Apostles returned to Jesus, after the cruel execution of his former master ? W^as he not present at the raising of Lazarus ; and did he
♦ John i. 41.
19
fMatt. viii. 15.
i^ THE APOSTLES OF JESUS.
not shortly aftenvard stand, though "afar off,"* watching in bitte, gr,ef the crucfix.on of hin. for whose sake, a few years later he cheer!
fully endured the most cruel tor- tures ? But, in- deed, I have not space in this book to remind you of one-half that An- drew did and saw. He is especially mentioned in the account of the miracle of the loaves and fishes, as telling Jesus ^vhat provision there was for the multitude who had followed them into the wilder- ness to hear the Saviour preach and to be cured of their infirmities by him. Afterward, Andrew, with Philip, told Jesus that some Greeks desired to see him. The disciples seem to have hesitated
"THERE WERE ALSO WOMEN LOOKING ON AFAR OFF."_Mark
XV. 40.
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about the propriety of taking these Greeks or foreigners to Jesus, for
*Luke xxiii. 49.
ANDREW.
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were called proselytes of the gate. Our Lord had forbidden his Apostles to go into the coasts of the (ientiles. On this account, probably, Philip and Andrew consulted Jesus before ushering the Greeks into his presence. Jesus said to them, " The hour is come that the Son of man should be glorified ; "=i^ or, in other words, he would soon be manifested both to Jews and Gentiles.
When Jesus foretold the destruction of the temple, Andrew, with Peter, James, and John, asked him privately, " Tell us, when shall these things be, and what shall be the sign when all these things shall be fulfilled ? "f Jesus replied that nation should rise against nation, that there should be earthquakes, famines, pestilences, and fearful sights and great signs. Did the four Apostles who (luestioned Jesus witness the fulfillment of these predictions ? Not all. Andrew had sealed his faith with his blood, it is supposed, before the heaviest judgments of God descended upon the wretched Jews. Peter was crucifi'ed, as you know, by Nero. This wicked emperor committed suicide before Titus Vespasian entered Judea with his army. James survived our Saviour only fourteen years ; but John not only lived till the destruction of the temple, but thirty years afterward. He was pa hably, at the time when Jerusalem was besieged, residing at liphesus. Deeply would he mourn over the fearful sufferings of his fellow-countrymen, although he knew they had, by their rejection and crucifixion of Christ, brouglit all the calamities upon themselves. Can we not imagine one terror- stricken Christian after another arriving at Ilphesus, each brin-inu accounts more harrowing than the last. \'ews traveled comparatively slowly in those days, but too soon would the Apostle hear that the Romans were at the gates of Jerusalem, and that the inhabitants uere suffering from sedition, famine, and pestilence; that the Jews who escaped out of the city were caught by their enemies, and were crucified outside the walls in such multitudes that wood enough could not be found for crosses (fearful retribution for having crucified the
* John xii. 23,
t Mark xiii. 4.
368
THE APOSTLES OF JESUS.
Lord of Kloryl); that mothers, according to tlie prediction of Moses* many hunchec years before, were rendered so desperate by famine that they devoured their own children ; that in one night two thousand Jcu ,sh deserters were cut open by the Syrians, who suspected that they 1; dr I I'"'' "m ' r ^ ',"'■•■'"' °^ "''"^'y'^S '•' away; and that six
come the fearful news of the burning of the temple, and that all who had taken refuge m ,t fell victhns to the flames, or were slaughtered
fallen and the Romans were m full possession, slaying all they n,et and burnmg the houses, and that the streets ran so with gore that the hrcs of the burning buildings were, in many places, quenched with men s blood. But the heart sickens at the mere recital ol such hormr vtorUrt' ™' ""*"'^'""" '"'^' '^ ™^ "ot ^ince the beginning of the
To return to Andrew. After the ascension of our blessed Lord which Andrew with the rest of the Apostles ^v•itnessed, his name only occurs once more m the holy writings, ^vhen he is sin,ply mentioned as being m the up,,er room in Jerusalem, uhere he and others assem- bled for prayer and supplication. After this ^ve only know what hap- pened to h„n as one of the twelve; and fron> the period when the Apostles dispersed we kno^v absolutely nothing of him that is of divme authority. The conmiission the Apostles received from their great Master was to go into all the ^vorld and preach the uosnel It was generally believed by the early Church that the Apostles agreed betwec-n thcm,selves, under the special guidance and direction of th,. Ho y Ghost, which parts of the world each should take. Andrew it is said, preachcxl to the inhabitants of Sebastopol ; and Nieeph'orus, patriarch of Constantinople, tells us he founded a church in that city then called Byzantium. An early writer says, it was at a place called Ratra;, a city of Greece, that his labors ended. A great man, named ^geas, came to l>atr;e, where St. Aiulre>v ,vas teaching the people ^geas, who was the proconsul of Achaia, was an idolater, and he was
♦Deut. xxviii. 56, 57.
fMatt. xxiv. 21.
ANDRKW. ;nra<,^C(l to find that multitudes had bi
.^69
rtcd from hcathc
c^
jii conv'i to Christianity. He tcld Andrew that if he would not sacrifice to the .-■ods. he should suffer death upon the cross. Andrew refused, and was put mto prison. The people were so indignant that they would have released him, but the Apostle begned them not to prevent him I obtaining the crown of martyrdom. The next day /Egeas condemned
him to death. Andrew, it would appear, had cured the wife and brother of ^geas of dreadful diseases, and had been the instrument, m God's hands, of converting them to the faith of Christ. This made /Egeas more angry with Andrew, and he ordered him to be scourged by seven men, who, in turns, whipped his naked body. This torture he bore without a murmur. The proconsul then commanded that he should be tied to a cross— not nailed— that his death mi-ht be more hngermg and tedious. The cross on which he suffered was in the form of the letter X. A cross in this form is called " St. Andrew's cross." The martyr was composed and cheerful. When he saw the cross in the distance, as he was being led to execution, he exclaimed, " O cross, most welcome and long-looked for; with a willing mind, joy- fully and desirously I cou..- to thee, being the scholar of him who did hang on thee: because I have been always thy lover, and have coveted to embrace thee."* The people were so struck with his forti- tude that they cried out he was an innocent and good man, and un- justly condemned to die. He hung on the cross two days, instructing the people all the time, and then fell asleep in Jesus. His body Vvas taken from the cross and embalmed, and was then buried with honor by, or at the expense of, a lady named Maximilla. When a corpse was embalmed, it was filled with spices and perfumes, called aromatics, which prevented it from going to decay, and caused the most fragrant exhalation to issue at times from the tomb. Jerome tells us that An- drew s body vVas afterward taken to Constantinople by the Emperor
FORMS OK CROSSES.
* Vid€ Foxe's "Acts and Monuments."
M
370
T//£ APOSTUiS OF J/SSC/S.
Constantinc, who was a Christian. lie buried it in a church he had built in honor of the Apostles.
In the union flai^ of Hnj-Iand, Irehind, and Scotland, the last-named kinj^nloni is represented by the cross of St. Andrew, he haviiiL^ been in Romish times, regarded as Scotland's patron saint.
TIIORN-CROWNED CHRIST.
he had
■named C been.
JAMBS, THE GRKAT.
HO docs not long to go to Palestine, and tread the ground hallowed by the footsteps of Jesus ? Surely no part of the Holy Lan'V Bethlehem and Calvary excepted, is moiv interesting than the Sea of Galilee!* It is the same beautiful lake it was when our blessed Lord frequented its shores, and when those poor fishermen, but great Apos- tles, you are reading about, cast their nets into its waters. You have heard how two of those Apostles received the crown of martyrdom. James did not follow Peter and Andrew to the martyr's tomb, but went before them. He was, the Evangelists tells us, the son of Zebedee and Salome. He was born in Galilee; in what part is not exactly known. But as Peter and Andrew, James and John were partners in business, they all prob- ably belonged to the same city, Bethsaida. James, the son of Zebedee, is frequently called "James the Great." Perhaps this title was given him because he was much older than the other Apostle of the same name, who is often styled "James the Lees."
Zebedee, though a fisherman, was not very poor, for when Jesus called James and John to follow him, they left their father Zebedee in the ship " with the hired servants."! The Jews say that Zebedee had many servants, but be that as it may, whatever were the brothers' worldly prospects, they, like Peter and Andrew, forsook all to become the disciples of Jesus. Happy are those who are able and willing to
♦ In the Hebrew language all lakes are called seas.
. 373
f Mark i. 20
!L.._
374
TH£ APOSTLES OF JESUS.
m
■"flSSS
J
give up al that hinders them from walking in the path whither Tcsus would lead them! What faith these fishermen had in the Saviour! 1 hey did not stay to ask him any questions as to how they were to live • what dangers and diffieulties they would meet with ; or what duties at home they ought rather to attend to. With them it was simnlv- Jesus ealls, and we obey the call. Zebedee was too old to oo, but he did not stand in the way of his sons' departure; and their mother we know, was a believer in Jesus.
Some months after his call, James was promoted to the position of an Apostle, with power to heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the
dead, and cast out devils. He was one of the peculiar favor- ites of our Lord, be- ing often, like Peter and John, allowed to remain with him when the other Apostles were ex- cluded. He was present at the rais- ing of the daughter of Jairus, and at the transfiguration, and
, r ^ , ^^''^^ '^^■^t'l Jt^sus in the
garden of Gethsemane. The Saviour gave him and his brother John the name of Boanerges, or the sons of thunder. He knew that their zeal would be so great, that, fearing notliino-, they would, as It were, thunder the gospel into men's ears, startlin- and arousing all who heard them. Some have thought that the ^name Boanerges was given them because they wished to call down fire from heaven upon the Samaritans for not receiving Jesus When we read this incident in the lives of these brothers, we must admire their zeal and devotion to the Saviour, which made them feel such indigna- tion at the want of respect shown to him. Jesus, however, reproved
BETHLEHEM.
her Jesus Saviour I re to live; hat duties simply — i'o, but he " mother,
)sition of raise the cast out
was one iar favor- ^ord, be- ke Peter lowed to t h hi m
other ere ex-
e \v a s :he rais- laughtcr d at the )n, and us in the
brother e knew g, the) ing- and e name wn fire 1ien we re their idigna- ;proved
/AA/BS, THE GREAT. 375
them. Love anc' forbearance were what he taught, not revenge. Elijah had indeed called down fire from heaven, but it was to save his life ; the Apostles were only led by human passion, and knew not what spirit they were of. Jesus told them he had come to save men's lives, not to destroy them.
It was soon after Jesus had informed his disciples of his approach- ing death and resurrection that Salome, the mother of James and John, knowing that our Lord had promised to his Apostles that they should sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel, came to him and made this request, "Grant that these my two sons may sit, the one on thy right hand, and the other on the left, in thy kingdom."* She thought Jesus would shortly reign as a king on earth, and was anxious to secure the places nearest his throne for her sons. Our Lord told her that she had mistaken the nature of his kingdom, which was a heavenly, not an earthly one ; and the most honorable places in it were not his to give, but they would be given to those for whom they were prepared by his Father. As a mere man, or medi- ator, Jesus could not promise his disciples places in heaven, but as God he could; for at one time he said, "/appoint unto you a king- dom ; "f " /give unto them eternal life."]; When the other Apostles heard of Salome's request, they were very indignant. Jesus, however, called them unto him, and told them that, if they wished to be great and honorable, there must be no strife or selfishness among them, but they were to be meek and lowly, and ever willing to minister to the wants of others ; to be ready to drink the cup of sorrow he drank of, and in all things to follow the example he set them of humility, love,' and patience.
After the transfiguration on the mount, and the scene inGethscmane, we hear but little more of James individually in the Bible. He was one of the congregation of the faithful who assembled in Jerusalem after the ascension, and from that time his name does not occur in the Scriptures, until his death is recorded by St. Luke ; though, for the fourteen years he lived after his divine Master had ascended into
*Matt. XX. 21.
2S I4
f Luke xxii. 29.
t John X. 28.
3/6
THE APOSTLES OF JESUS.
h'
'■\
I It i
'i .
heaven he labored indefatigably as an Apostle of the Lord Jesus On h.m a cloven tongue of fire sat on the day .of IVnteeost.and hespoke with other tongues as the Spirit gave hin, utterance, and many wonders and s,gns were done by him. He was, ^vilh the other Apostles, im- prisoned by the high priest and the Sadducecs, but the Lord was his keeper .and m the night the angel of the Lord opened the prison doors and set i„m and hrs eo.npanions free. No fear had the son of thunder Oft e ternble Sanhcdrun and its instruments of to, ttue and death, but he re:,o,ced that he w.is counted -vorthy to sufier for Christ's sake
JERUSALEM.
Though the rch-gion of Jesus spread rapidly, there were still in Teru- salem multitudes of Jews who would o-ladly have seen the whole body of believers extenuinated. The kino- of the Jews at that time was Herod Agnppa the iMVst. He was the grandson of Herod the Great vvho slew the uinocents, and being a favorite with the Emperor Clau- dius, he was made king of Judea, Samaria, and Abilene. He was a zealous supporter of the Jewish law, and a stanch upholder of the rites and institutions of his country. Being withal a cruel and ambi- tious prince, he was very willing to please the majority of his subjects
Jesus. On J he spoke ly wonders ostles, im- rtl was his son doors, :)f thunder uid death, ist's sake.
^*i
-^
in Jeru- ole body ime was le Great, 3r Clau- e was a r of the d ambi- subjects
JAMES, THE GREAT. 37,
by harassing the Christians. In the persecution raised by him against the followers of Christ, the holy Apostle James, the zealous and earnest preacher, was called upon to drink his share of the bitter cup Christ had drunk before h'"m. The prophecy of Jesus was fulfilled, "Ye shall drink indeed of my cup, and be baptized with the baptism' that I am baptized with." * The following is the short account St. Luke gives us of the death of the first Apostolic martyr :— " Now about that time Herod the king stretched forth his hands to vex certain of the Church. And he killed James, the brother of John, with the sword." f In the history of the early Church we learn a few more particulars. Clemens Ale.xandrinus says that as James was being led to the place of execu- tion, the soldier who had accused him before the tribunal was so struck with the courage and constancy displayed by the Apostle, that he fell at his feet and implored forgiveness for what he had said against him. James raised him up, and embracing him, said, " Peace, my son, peace be to thee, and the pardon of thy faults." The soldier publicly pro- fessed himself to be a Christian. He was immediately condemned to death, and was beheaded with the Apostle.
Not for James the martyr would the band of believers weep, but for themselves. He was safe with Jesus, they had yet to pass through the fire which was fast kindling around them. In the Church there was mourning. The Jews were pleased, and the politic king "pro- ceeded further to take Peter also. Then were the days of unleavened bread." j- The mighty zealot of the IVIosaic law, the observer of all legal ceremonies, he who was never absent from the daily sacrifice, knew that it was unlawful at that season to put any one to death, so he had Peter imprisoned in chains, intending after Easter to bring him forth, doubtless with the design of further pleasing the Jews by beheading him as he had done James. His rage was great when he found Peter had escaped out of his hands, and he had no mercy upon the unfortunate soldiers who guarded the prison. Shortly afterward Herod went to Ca^sarea, not to trouble himself about the Christians, but to make war against the Tyrians and Sidonians. His mind being
* Matt. XX. 23.
f Acts xii. I, 2.
J Acts xii. 3.
378
THE APOSTLES OF JESUS.
:|! i
fully occupied with the cares of state, schemes of worldly ambition and legal ceremonies, Herod probably scarcely bestowed a passing thought upon the miseries he had brought upon the followers of Jesus But God heard the cry of his chosen ones, and his avenging hand soon fell upon their persecutor. The Tyrians and Sidonians, know- ing that It would be greatly against their interest to be at war with Herod, desired peace, so they « made Blastus, the king's chamberlain their friend,"* probably by bribery. Herod was persuaded to give them an audience. In the morning, he entered the theater magnifi- cently attired in a robe of cloth, woven with silver, and having ascended a throne he made an oration to the people. The rays of the morning sun, dart- ing upon his shining dress, caused it to be so dazzlingly bright that " the people gave a shout, saying, It is the voice of a god, and not of a man. And immediately the angel of the Lord smote him, because he gave not God the glory : and he was eaten of worms." f He was carried to his palace
HEROD RECEIVING SUPPLICANTS.
by his attendants, where, after enduring the most racking torture for hve days, he died.
Enraptured by the glorious prospect before him, the blessed martyr James, would scarce feel the stroke of the executioner which hurried his happy spirit to paradise. Slowly, as if to prove how utterly worthless wealth and rank are in the hour of suffering and death the wretched Herod sank into hell. " Let me die the death of the riUt- eousI"J ^
It is remarkable that the Herod who slew the infants of Bethlehem
i
♦ Acts xil. 20.
fActsxii. 22, 23.
X Num. xxiii. 10.
JAMES, THE GREAT.
370
y ambition, 1 a passing srs of Jesus, iging hand ians, know- at war vvitli bamberlain, ed to give sr magnifi- 'be of cloth, ind having le made an 3ple. The ; sun, dart- ling dress, dazzlingly »ple gave a the voice of a man. e angel of n, because the glory : worms."! his palace torture for
sd martyr, :h hurried •w utterly death, the the right-
Jethlehem
and the coasts thereof died, very shortly after that barbarous act of cruelty, of a disease very similar to that which attacked his grandson in the theater of Caesarea. A short sketch of the life of Herod the Great, though not immediately connected with our subject, must be so interesting that I cannot refrain from giving it. When Herod was made king of the Jews, the beautiful though wicked Cleopatra, queen of Egypt, was in the height of her power, and Herod was not a little mixed up with her affairs, although she failed in her attempts to capti- vate him. It was about the year 37 b.c. that Herod ascended the throne of Judea, and from that time till his death domestic crimes and troubles formed a great portion of his history. He had a very beauti- ful and noble-minded wife, named Mariamne, whom he loved most ardently ; but his happiness with her was of short duration, for, hav- ing three years after his marriage willfully caused her brother, Aristo- bulus, a very handsome young man, to be drowned while bathing, all her love for Herod turned to indignation and loathing. She upbraided her husband with the murder of her beloved brother, and refused to be reconciled to him. Herod became angry, but his love for Mari- amne was so great that he could not long bear any resentment toward her. She, however, had a bitter enemy in Salome, Herod's sister, who did all she could to procure her destruction. Salome accused the innocent Mariamne of the worst crimes, and succeeded in bringing her victim before judges who were resolved upon con- demning her. Mariamne was executed, meeting her fate with heroic firmness. No sooner was she dead than all Herod's ardent love for her returned, and he was seized with the most violent remorse for having caused her death. His agony of mind was so great that it seemed as if divine vengeance had fallen upon him. Frequently would he call for her and loudly lament her loss. He sought to divert his mind in feasts and assemblies, but to no purpose, and he would desire his ser- vants to call for their late royal mistress as if she were still alive and could hear them. At length he ceased to give any attention to public affairs. About that time a pestilential disease carried off the greatei part of the people, and many of his best and most esteemed friends were among the victims, and all men suspected that this calamity had
'(
I j
380
been brounfht
THE APOSTLES OF JESUS. thci
Miriamn." »PO" them by the anger of God for the murder of
s:r%r';r.' r --p^-^-- donned t^,:;.r,tr;,::
mcatcr. ihe plot, however, was discovered md H<.r^ 1 r 1 «ona, oru„ ,.M,', 1 I ,'» "» ™P«'«i™cl.ro ,ho„ ,„„
* Luke xxi. 5.
fActsiii. ^,
■iMiu.'i. juongg^sBaittMi
JAMES, r/fli GREAT.
381
murder of he retired Contrary to "cd, but his e mask of Jews were lim in the found it rebelhon. converted name of m by dif- unate, but ^ Jews at coneih'ate e greatest iand men ^ul edifice liere were ng, more Ics speak doors of red veils ^ golden There d silver. 5sed the and was 3ng the old and itiful,"f 1. The latej of
gold, so that when the sun rose ui)c)n it, it reflected such a dazzling luster that the eye of the spectator could not bear its radiance. But it is quite impossible for me to enter into a minute description of this magnificent and immense work of art. Though Ilerod was said to have finished the temple, yet the Jews continued to add to its splendor many years after that monarch's death, which explains what the Jews said to Jesus, " Forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days ? " *
While the temple was in course of erection, Herod's domestic troubles increased rather than diminished. His two sons, Alexander and Aristobulus, inherited the lofty spirit of their mother, Mariamne, and no doubt they often felt bit- terly toward their father for the share he had in their mother's death. Their wicked aunt, Salome, hated them as she had done her sister- in-law, and did all she could to incense Herod against them. At last they were by Herod's orders strangled in prison. They were both married men. The younger, Aristobulus, was the grandfather of Drusilla and Bernice, who are
mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles as being at C^esarea when Paul was a prisoner there. Another of his sons Herod ordered to be led to execution when he himself was dying, but this son richly deserved his punishment. The miserable king had entered upon the last year of his life when our Saviour was born. " Now when Jesus was born in Pjcthlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews ? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come lo worship him. When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. And when he
CDLMRV AROUND S.AMARIA.
John ii.
20,
W I
382
IE]
r//£ APOSTLhS OF JESUS.
had ^rathcred all the chief priests and scribes of th
he d
c people together,
cKuulod Of them where Christ should be born. And they said' _ linn, In Hethlehcm of Judea: for thus it is u.ri»„n L .,...
prophet, Anil thou Bethlehem, in the lami of'jud anion;,' the princes of Juda : for out of
us It IS written by the a, art not the least
that shall rule my people Israel. Then Herod
thee shall come a Gov
ernor.
called the wise me
n, m
when he had privily
a„„en-,.l A , M TT'^ °' """" ''"iK™tly what time the star
a peaied. And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search chhgently for the young child; and when ye have found him biw mc word agani, that I may come and worship him also."* oh how .ke the treacherous Herod I He who could sport with his broth^-r-in- lavv after ho had made all the arrangements for his murder, and could persuade the unsuspecting youth to plunge into the water and swim
mt n rrr'^ "V7' r'""^' '° *°^™ ''™' »"'! '^°"'J afterward
etend to be overwhelmed with grief at the untimely death of Aristo-
bu us ^^■ould find no difficulty in professing to the sages of the east
a x.cty to ^vorsh,p the mfant Saviour. Well might Jesus have called
im a fox, as he did his son, Herod Antipas. How Joseph and Mary escaped w,th the babe into Egypt, and remained there until the death
tolT\T "'^'''" ^'""^^ ^^"^^ >"= =^^^ «>^t he was
mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and
lew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts
thereo , front tv,o years old and under, according to the time which he
had diligently inquired of the wise men." f If ,ve did not know that
everything related ,n the Bible is true, we should doubt the pos t
b.l.ty of a civilized n.an being guilty of such atrocity, which remains
an "npa'-al eled instance of cruelty, if one of the last acts of the
^vre ched Herod were not equal to it. Not long after the murder
of the innocents, Herod was seized with a dreadful disorder, which
caused the most excruciating agony-worms fed upon him, and his
breath became so loathsome that no one «*o could avoid it ver'ured
near hini. The more he suffered the fiercer he grew, and a few davs
before his death, leeling that his end was near, he sent for all the pri'nl
* Matt. ii. 1-3.
fMatt. ii. 16.
James, the great.
383
toj^rethcr, they said n by the the least Governor, d ])rivily the star id search m, bring Oh, how 3ther-in- id could nd swim fterward f Aristo- the cast e called id Mary le death he was th, and : coasts hich he ow that : possi- emains of the murder which nd his ntured N days e prin-
cipal men of the Jewish nation wherever they lived. Under pain of death they weie to obey the summons. A great number accordingly assembled at Jericho, where Ilerod was then staying, and were imme- diately, by the king's command, shut up in the hippodrome. Herod then sent for his sister, Salome, and told her that, as he knew his death would be the cause of great rejoicing, he was determined that it shou!"* be also the cause of great mourning. Me therefore onlered her that she should, as soon as he had breathed his last, have all the nobles who were confined in the hippodrome shot with darts, and then there would be greater mourning at his funeral than had ever been heard of at the funeral of any king before him. This barbarous order was given only five days before he died. One ineffectual attempt he made to commit suicide, and shortly after expired. Such was the end of Ilerod the Great. Alas for human greatness I He was carried to his sepulcher on a golden bier, which was inlaid with precious stones and covered with purple. On his head was placed a diadem, and above it a crown of gold. His mortal remains were thus, with all the pomp of royalty carried to their last resting-place, but whither had fled his black and guilty soul ?
I must not omit to say that Salome did not obey Herod's orders, for she, as soon as he was dead, set all the nobles who were confined in the hippodrome at liberty.
Whether or not devout men, as in the case of the first martyr, Stephen, were permitted to carry the Apostle James to his burial, we know not. The stranger who visits Jerusalem is shown a slab upon which, it is said, St. James laid his head when he was about to receive the stroke of the executioner. But if we only reflect a little, we can scarcely suppose that the poor persecuted Christians could have pre- served this memorial of the murdered Apostle ; or if they did for a few years, how could they, after Jerusalem had been razed to the ground, and presented to the beholder only a confused mass of ruins, say on what particular stone James had been beheaded ?
It is more than probable that James the Great never preached the gospel out of the Holy Land, though the Spaniards say that he visited Spain. They regard him as their patron saint, and represent him in
J.S4
THE APOSTLES OF JliSUS
stir;,? '^- ^YT' "" """^^-^ ''^'"^' ^'""'1-' with ccalop c-H to s'7' ""■" "' t™" "'^^•-- '■""'"■"• ■""' -"ty cinn-chcs cledi-
cscalop ic Order
L's (Iccli- t. James
fs'\
Eal
hi [)■
FJ
I if i '^
'I'- J
fi;
! ; i ii
III
,11
f
I
I
ii
i
■aiFMi"'.i.iic;aaii;
PHILIP.
OE unto thcc, Chorazin ! woe unto thoe, 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."* How must three at least of Christ's listeners have trembled when they heard this den\jn- ciation from the lii)S of one who never spake but the truth I Peter and Andrew were, as you know, born in Bethsaida ; and St John tells us that " Philip was of IJethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter." j- Doubtless all these Apostles had rela- tions and friends near and dear to them in the doomed city — relations and friends whom they had, perhaps w ilh tears, attempted to lead to Christ, but who had refused to listen, and continued hardened and impenitent. Capernaum was also included in the anathema of our Saviour. "And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted unto heaven, shalt be brought down to hell : for if the mighty works, which have been done in thee, had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. But I say unto you, that it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment than for thee."]; How literally all that Christ foretold has come to pass! Bethsaida was then a rich and populous city — now five or six poor cottages, part of a large cistern, the ruins of a church,
*I-.uke X. 13, 14.
•j-Jolui i. 44.
i^7
I Malt. xi. 23, 24.
388
THE APOSTLES OF JESUS
\m.
brother to Jesus. " The day follow- ing Jesus would go forth into Gali- lee, and findeth Philip, and saith unto him, Follow me."* So Philip was the first chosen of the Apostles; for though Peter and Andrew had con- versed with Jesus before Philip had seen him, yet they were not invited
SUPPOSED RUINS OF CAPERNAUM.
to follow our Saviour till some months afterwnrd Ti '""^'^^^
f on given as to how it was thaT PI il 1 1. x ? '' "° "^P^^"^"
lowed him, excepting thrh. r ^l "'" °^'>^"^ J^^"^ ^"^ fol-
"^ ^^^- ^ 1""P tioes not seem for
♦John i. 43.
tJohn i. 44.
PHILIP.
335
one moment to have hesitated about what he should do, or to have questioned who it was who called him. No sooner was he elected than he began his labor of love. He "findeth Nnthanael, and saith unto him, We have found him of whom Moses m the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph." * It is evident from this passage that Philip was well acquainted with the writings of Moses and the prophets; and it has been further state ' by ancient writers that he had received an excellent education. Some months after his call to the disciplcship, he was promoted to the dignity of an Apostle. His name does not frequently occur in the holy writings.
Before our Saviour fed the multitude in the wilderness, he said to Philip, "Whence shall we buy bread, that these may eat? And this he said to prove him," f or try his faith. " Philip answered him. Two hundred pennyworth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may take a little."J" It was no small quantity of bread that Philip named as being insufficient to distribute even sparingly among the company. A Roman penny, considered as equal to fifteen cents of our money, would make their two hundred pence equal to about thirty dollars with us. Besides, bread is now fully ten times dearer than it was then, so that in reality, according to our present ideas, Philip remarked that over three hundred dollars' worth of bread would not be sufficient for each to have a little. What a vast multitude there must have been! How many persons we do not know. There were five thousand men, but we are not told how many women and children. Every circumstance connected with this miracle is deeply interesting. John the Baptist had shortly before been beheaded in the Castle of Macherus, which was not far from Bethabara. His faithful disciples (some of them now Apostles of Jesus) were near the scene of his execution, and took up his body and buried it, no doubt at great personal risk. Who can but admire the courage and devotion of these good men, for they had reason to fear that the malice of Herodias would not be confined to John, but would be also extended
*John i. 45.
tJohn vi. 5, 6.
J John vi. 7.
390
THE APOSTLES OF JESUS.
\l. \
? H
hLlcL-a'S Sf "vv: T,'"" ^'"™^^^"' ""'^ P-f--'^ they
Apostles l,ad been sent out, two a,,d two bv I J '"^"''- '^^''^ heal the siel<, and ca.t out deWls P m'J.-^ "' " ""Tt "'^ 8"°^P'='' and John to the neighborhood oZ^^^TT'^\''^'^'''''''' ne,^lected not the work lesus had ,rL.„ , . ' '° "''■"■ '^'"''^ '^ey
same time visit spots dear .1 1*^ " '° ''°' "'^'y ^""'''"t the
">.nist.y. Their lib! cu , to n atr^^'l ":'"' "'^ ^^»"^''= belove.l n,aster was put to del .nd f7 ,'°"''""°"- ''"'^^'^ '^te inj,' to Jesus to tell hi „ the sad t^" m"^ , "° "'"' '" '''''■^'™- have to travel before thev .„■ ^' u !"^ '■" '°"° ""'^ ^™"W they
every journey h.t^:re Snf:rv:?L'„:'r'""-°^^'"'"^^'- ''"' where their Lord was All th ■ 11^ . "■ ^ ''""'"^ ^' the place
san,e time, and ■'KathLd tl en 1 ' ? 'l" "='='"'■ ^^'"""^d at tl,. out both ;■„ bodyat i„r::tultT*" ""'"J---"* Worn
the wearied ones^vould'^e^h: St ^o^^'uT-'cr^*"'"^" " selves apart into a desert place, and rest " wlil' ■ ' x, r^f y°"'- entered a ship, and sailed to .no her part oh -"'', ,"''^ ''""''
landed, and ascended one nf m, ' '" ^'^"''"-'' ^^'''crc they
the lake, "an • ," IJ^ T^T "'^" ^'°P^ S^""^ 1°^" to
. 'uiu LuciL lie sat with his d sn'nlp^ "t tj , ,
res ed I cannot tell, but I fear only a shorU e P h ^°"^' "'"^^ had assisted at the burial of Inl,n I i ?! , P<;rhaps those who Baptists last n.o„,e: " X :' "e f ■"I'^^'f ^ "^^ ^^-t of the great com,,anyl comi, ,r t t f , '' '"' '=>''==^' '"""J ^-^ a
enter the lu'p^and ™ f an ZT f^ "'f '"'°'^''-' ''-•"' ^-" them which Jesus ind his pie ■ d rled (vf ''""' '° "" ^'^^ '° this v.ist concourse hurrv n ftn ^ k u ^ ''^" "^ ^'''"■""r beheld been if he ha^ ^c aled 1 Tf , r ' .'^°r,^-t.-->ble ^v•ould it have that before he :^::t:t:Z^^r^it^tt'- FTT'''' so pressing, with their wants that he an iL's d'cin es'Z ' 1 '''" SO much as to cat -"11 l^nf n.. ^. t j- ^'^^'P^^s "had no leisure
not allow hin. t^ d^s pp L the nSud^ ''''' ''^^'' ^'^ ^'^^ mulutudc, who " were as sheep not
*Markvi.3o. tMarkvi.31. J John vi. 3.
§Johnvi. s. 11 Mark vi. 31.
PHILIP.
391
Tied, they probable,, er. The e gospel,
Andrew lile they Id at the Baptist's leir late
hasten- -ild they ee; but le place \ at the
Worn :ome to e your- e band re they own to g they ie who
of the saw a i them ace to )eheld ; have efind
been 'isure /ould p not
I.
having a shepherd,"* therefore he came down the mountain and met them, " and spake unto them of the kingdom of God, and healed them that had need of healing." f So interested were the multitude in all Jesus was doing and saying that they appear not to have noticed the flight of time, and evening found them still in the desert, far from their homes, listening to the great teacher. Our Saviour must indeed for the time have fascinated them. They had traveled on foot many miles, bringing their sick and children with them, and had passed a whole day without having anything to eat, and yet they complained not of hunger, nor of fatigue. The twelve disciples at length inter- fered, but not until it was too late to dismiss the people to their homes fasting. The only plan that suggested itself to their minds was to send the multitude to the villages and towns near there, to lodge for the night and buy victuals, and this they advised Jesus to do. But he said, "They need not depart; give ye them to eat." j" The poor disciples confessed that they had but five barley loaves and two small fishes. How homely was the fare of Jesus and his Apostles, — dry bread and a little fish. Surely we ought not to complain if our table be not provided with dainties. After a little further conversation with Philip and the rest of the disciples, Jc ;us told them to make the men sit down on the grass. He directed them how they were to be seated, in companies of hundreds and fifties — one hundred facing another hundred, and fifty across each end. Thus arranged, all would be more easily served, and the number more readily ascertained. How the women and children wjre placed we are not told, but we know they were not overlooked. Not one out of that vast multitude refused to follow the directions of Jesus, but, in perfect order, seated them- selves on the grass, as they were told, though doubtless many looked at the five loaves and two fishes, and wondered if that were all the food provided for them. " Then he took the five loaves and the two fishes, and, looking up to heaven, he blessed them, and brake, and gave to the disciples to set before the multitude." § Many agents, doubtless, were employed in this stupendous miracle. The loaves
* Mark vi. 34.
t Luke ix. 11. |Matt. xiv. 16.
§Luke ix. 16.
^SSR
M
I
392
T//£ APOSTLES OF JESUS.
the space 7ahn"f\ '' °'' ''°'' '°"''' '^^'='^--- '"-". i"
••A„H tL I r ';°"'''' '"^' ''^^^^^' th^^^and hungry peoi/le'
appease^d. Clo°/v a '^:rtHr efo"e r^'". ''^" T^'^^ -- long fast Thev w^r^ n t i ,, ''>' '"'«'''" '° '^''eak their
the Me sL th->^ t.r^'fT ""'"'• '" ""'^'"^«' "'•« J^-^»' -as
the dosh," f "°''' °^ ^'^"'P ^y "ame in the holy writin-^s tiH
' ^--^"'^g amazed in themselves beyond measure, and
*Luke ix, 17.
PHILIP.
303
tvho must e men, in r people ? lien, and iger was eak their ly. The - twelve lultitLide -sus was relieving nonarch. : of this ■ earthly 3 across
)r more ; of the by all i is still sad." ngs till ubtless )n, was s, alsOj which es and Dstlcs I about, i with sd the nVacle 2, and
wondered."* Then think of that fearfifl night when Philip and the rest forsook Jesus, and fled from Gethsemane ; and the nights of sorrow that followed, till that evening when their risen Lord appeared in the midst of them and said, " Peace be unto you." f
The Greek proselytes, who wished to see Jesus, addressed them- selves to Philip, who, with Andrew, delivered their message to our Saviour. Both of the names, Andrew and Philip, are Greek. Why these two Apostles had not names common among the Jews given them is not known, but probably they may have traveled into the neighboring districts, such as Caesarea, where Greek was the language spoken by the mixed population, and found it advisable to adopt Greek names so long as they sojourned in those parts, and afterward retained their adopted names. This appears probable from the fact of the Greeks, when they wished to speak to Jesus, addressing them- selves to Philip, who immediately consulted Andrew, and these two, after telling Jesus that certain Greeks desired to see him, evidently introduced the foreigners to him. It would seem as though Philip and Andrew alone among the Apostles knew the Greek language.
When Jesus was comforting and encouraging his poor disciples, just before the last supper, and was speaking of his Father, Philip said, "Lord, show us the Father, and it sufficeth us." J Strange request to fall from the lips of a chosen servant of the Lord, and one who was well acquainted with the Holy Scriptures. Had he not read how God had said to Moses, " Thou canst not see my flice : for there shall no man see me, and live?" § And had not Jesus declared that " no man hath seen the Father "? || On Philip betraying this ignorance, our Saviour returned him this gentle reproof, " Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip ? He that hath seen me hath seen the Father ; and how sayest thou then, Show us the Father? Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me ? The words that I speak unto you I speak not of my- self; but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works." * *
*Mark vi. 51. §Exod. xxxiii. 20.
24 I.
•j- John XX. 26. II John vi. 46.
\ John xiv. 8.
* * John xiv. 9, 10.
394
THE APOSTLES OE jr.SUS.
" No man hath seen God at any time ■' * A n ,1, appearances of the Deitv wer^ , , f 1 1 \, . " "•''"''cstntions or
sons of the Holy Trin [v T '"''^'V''^''''^ '^""' """ ''^ ""-' tl-^e pcr- Israehtes through ^^Mat,"" ^sT'-p'^ "^' " ™^ -"° '^■"'l- t-npt Christ, as° sonK^ o^ n " L tl,^"" "^■'' " ''^"'"■- '^' "^ serpents." t He it was wh7n '^'"l^t'^'l. and were destroyed of
and to Moles He m^tldT",/" ^\''"''""' '° '^^•■'^' '° J-ob, the angel who so oi^^ ,^,, j't' ""''^•'- ™'-'°"^ 'i'les. He was captain of the Lord of h<^?^ rapp°r T t'","";"" '""'^ °""-'^-^- ^s ;s he ealied Jehovah, tran Jiat i ^ " K^ir 'aT;.? J;;'""- «'''^- times by that great name in the rh„ , , • , '' "" '''''"' "" '1°^'^"
interview with^Vbraha n i tt tt^ :t^ ^""A'" '''"-'"' "^ "- us that God the Father never h "s . ""■'• ^^ ''°'-<' '''^^"'■^■s
and Jehovah is a na e^n ™ ^^nTo th" '° f"^ '" •" '•" '•'">' "•'-• fined to the crreat bein,r w^o „f 'T^ "'" ^"^els, but is al,vays eon- God therefore is the fei o °i , ""''T" '''"^' '"''•""•■ T'"= Word of
was favored ^.ith a vsio oft Almi'r? r' V'"" '""^"^' ^^--^^ "In the year that l<i„g L.i' Idted 'f ^'' '""^^"'''""- '•"'^l 1>-H,tifu!.
upon a throne, high and 1 ft' Inn , 'T' " ' ''^ "'^' •'°'-^' ■'^'■'"•"'J In the fifth vese of t^cSttlfr" T •"'"" ""-'"'^ teu,ple," J the Lord of hosts " Th, F ' e'"' ''"'"'■^" ''^ '^^'""'' " Tho Kingt
whom the prophe; s J th ?• ""■ J°'" '^"^ "^ "'•" "- P--" things said' liai:,Xn sJrWs,d:.°"'''r'°r^''''^'- "T'-- what marvelous love dkl thi mi.^rtv P^' ""1, 'P'^' "^ '""'"§ "''• Lord of hosts display when he ./f^i"' "'" «'■'•'''" J'^'"^''. 'his
'ess infant in the 'taW o B h , em^'w^t";' 1 ' "'f' •''"" '>^''^- the labors of the humble llo ''"■'" ^""'' •''"^1 shared
poor fishern e and m „ :d w ;; ]™ ""' ^'^'^•^'"' - ''- -n,panions He was the VV;rd who ""r 1 1 h ?r"'f °^ "^'-" ^°"^ °f ^•'•"'hl
to the slaughter He the PrL T?'''^'' f "^ ^'^'^ ^«'= ''-■^ «^ '^ ht„,b
n^ocked, an! then fS'e^S foT alS rrandtiu' ' ^'^" "''""' open to us the rates of P-inrU... fi ,' '^" ^"^ ^'''^'^^ "^^' ^o
* John i. 1 8.
1 1 Cor. X. 9.
Jlsa. vi, 1-3.
9 John xii. 41.
stations or tlircc pcr-
0 led the ^r let us troycd of to Jacob,
He was ^ers. As ). Often : a dozen nt of his
1 assures my time, ays con- A'oi-d of t Isaiah eautiful. .1 sitting mj)lc."J le King,
person " These § Oh, ah, this d help- shared •anions
earth I 1 lamb
upon,
us, to ni the ain to
PHILIP.
395
receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing." * " Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever." f
Philip is mentioned as being with the rest of the Apostles at Jeru- salem after the ascension, and after then his name does not occur in the Holy Scriptures.
He is often confused with Philip the deacon, who preached and baptized in Samaria It was generally believed by the an- cients that Philip was married, and it was said by some that he had daughters, who resolved never to marry; but the women alluded to were, doubtless, the four daughters of Philip the deacon, "virgins which did prophesy." :j: The Apostle Philip, in the distribution of the different parts of the world that was made by the Apostles under the divine direction, had — so we are told by Nicephorus and others — Upper Asia given to him as the sphere of his ministry. There he labored with the greatest diligence,
baptizing the converts, healing the sick, planting churches, and appointing ministers. After remaining in those parts some years, he went, we are told by the same authority, into Phrygia, now part of Turkey in Asia, where he, like Peter, followed his divine Master, and was crucified. It was in a city of Phrygia, named Hierapolis, now called Aleppo, famous for ius wealth and
WORSHH'PING JUPITER.
*Rev. V. 12.
f Rev. V. 14.
J Acts xxi. 9.
396
THE APOSTLES OF JESUS,
JI
iclolatry that he suffered martyrdom. Clemens Alexandrinus savs the ,„hab,ta„ts of llerapolis wore acldieted to the grossest ido7a! try. hihp was much distressed at seeing them so dekided -.nd
rr f 7r ""^f ;, '"^■" '^" r^ -^^^^ ^-"^'^ - '■'' ^-''^-
edge of Jesus. He then pomted out to the people the folly of their
tlK Gospel to then,. They became quite ashamed of their idolatry and many of them turned to the Lord. But as was usually the as^;
the rulers of the people rose up to oppose them : so the magistrates of H.erapohs se.^ed upon Philip, put him into prison, and then I oj h,m unmercfully whipped and scourged. He was then crueifid and whde hangmg on the cross, stoned to death. It is said tint at hk execution, the earth began to quake under the feet of e 1 d re • and they m the.r terror acknowledged and beuaded their sin, wS
ceased Ph.hp had a constant and faithful companion in his be-^oved s.ster Mar,an.ne. She, assisted by St. Bartholem'ew, took the martwed Apostle down fron, the cross, and buried him in or near Hierapor
Surely here could not be many scenes more interesting for a painter
to depict than the burial of Philip. It would probably bt- nigh hen
he devoted sister and her friend, the holy Bartholomew, per o med
Im bs (for he had been fastened to a cross by the cruel Phrygians but had when the earth quaked, been taken down and set at liberl] c;uM but littk. assist Mariamne in the melancholy task of arranging decenuj the disfigured body, bruised and broken as it would be They Ta d
enemie" '°'"'' ^"'' '*'= "^^'^ '"""^ «-'-■ P-y«=d ^r 'their
" Then cheerly to their work again, With hearts new-braced and set To run, untired, love's blessed race, As meet for those who, face to face, Over the grave their Lord have met."
!
nil us says ^cst idola- Lidcd, and he knovvl- \y of their preach in<^r
r idolatry, y the case I^hristians, agistrat^s then had ified, and, lat, at his urderers; in, which irthquake ; beloved martyred apolis. a painter ;^ht when srformed raunded ians, but V), could Recently hey laid Dr their
...V.
u
I
BARTHOLOMEW.
i
-Mf^
OV cannot have read the hfe of Phih'p without wishin^r to hear more of his fellow-hiborer, the holy Apostle Bartholomew, who is also known by the name of Nathanael. It is not distinctly told us in the Bible that Nathanael and Bartholomew were the same person ; but there can be little doubt of it, for Matthew, Mark, and Luke speak of Bartholomew, and say nothing of Nathanael, and John speaks only of Nathanael and never mentions the name of Bartholomew. The three first Kvanirelists place Bartholomew among the Apostles, and couple him with Philip as John did Philip with Nathanael. And it would seem Nat/ianacl was one of the twelve, from the fact of St. John speaking of him as bein-,. with the disciples Peter, Thomas, James, John, and two others, who are sup- posed to be Andrew and Philip, on the Sea of Tiberias, when " Jesus stood on the shore "* after his resurrection; and then John expressly tells us that this was "now the third time that Jesus showed himself io his disciples after that he was risen from the dead."t It was evidently only to the Apostles that our Saviour had appeared on the two previous occasions the Evangelist alludes to. The first was on the evening of the day Jesus rose from the dead, when all were assembled in a room but Thomas, "one of the twelve."! The second was eight days afterward, when "again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them."§
The word Bar, in Syriac, signifies son of, hence Bar-Tholmai, or
♦John xxi. 4.
tjohnxxi. 14. t John XX. 24.
399 _
§ John XX. a6.
, > I
K)'
40O Barthc
THE APOSTLES OF JESUS.
this
lolomevv, means son of Tliolmai or Tholom Apostle nuoht be spoken of as Nathanael Bart o om mai. Peter was sometimes r-,n„,) n t "'"'"°'°"'^". "' "ar-ttiol- the blind beggar Cre.!l?TJ°"-'''=^°"°fJ°"^- Bartim.x-us, magieian StlCl Tuek with M , "?'• '" *^ ^"'^'^ °f '!>'= son^of a man of" e ™ t o su ' vr'n!," "^''f "«-J--."t with more particulars otheHfr J ^ "'^' '"= ''^'' '^'^'=" ^^'^'°'^'^
so call hin:t,j::iri ^ f ; s^r.r^'°T-^^^^ ^^ ' -^'^
works of aneient writers- but the m I »> / ^':"Pt">-es and the
fail to inspire every one 'wi th! . " ^"°"'" "^ '^"" ^^'""°'
Our Lord himse^rpoimed In, %^'''' "'' ""''P''' *"°' '"^ ^''^"^'^^• cerity, by sayin' Behold an 'i > '' ^ '''."'™ °^ ^''"1'"^''^ -"^ ^^-
-UaLwor;:;':Sn;:rs^^
but little i known St lohn^- if ?"!', ' '^'""'^' ''^^''' "' P'°''<=ssion and some have sunoos ^i I . "" ''" '"'''' "°^ ^ana in Galilee ;"§
the Ptolemt "riC tl oVri n'r"''^'' ''°"' '^ "°"^' ""--'y. -- relations were in huniler f T ^^'°"''' """ '^^ ^"^ ^'^ "^^^ callingwasthelie a ir '»•'"''■'•. '' """^ 'ik^ly that his
LakeiGaiiieeXt:: ^::j::ir;^:t'- ^^ ^-^ '- - '^^
t.J to foltv~t':haf h?'"''V"' "" =°°"^^ ^-^'-<' "- '-nVta- "We have found L f ,'°"^'^' °"' Nathanael, and said to him
doubted. He vv;is nnf .Vv«^. .. r i , J^^^P^i- || -But Nathanael stated re,atingt:r^SX't1:^VaV^^^^^^^
he exelaimed, "Can t£"nv ^odll ' "°'°"°"''^ "'"'='^'^'' P'^'^' '"'•" For thirtv years hn^r ^ ^ . '"- """"^ °"' °f Nazareth ?" + +
_____1___^ '''"'"='• '^''° ''^'='' only four miles off, had never
* Mark x. 46. II John i. 45.
fActs xiii. 6. * * John vii, 42.
J John i. 47. tt John i. 46.
§John xxi. 2.
that this ^ar-ThoI- irtinicxus, 'C of the -Jesus," t I favored if I may
and the 1 cannot haracter. and sin- leT'J A n Jesus,
of any Dfession .lilee;"§ y, even n's near that his
on the
invita- ;o him, )phcts, hanael ts had was to where :e that ?"tt 'elt in never
'
BARTHOLOiMEW. 491
even heard of him till now. So strong was the prejudice against the
Nazarencs, that no one looked for goodness among them, and the
holy family of Joseph passed their days unnoticed and uncared for by
the short-sighted world around them. Most likely Nathanacl had,
from his boyhood, been accustomed to visit Nazareth. He might
more than once, perchance, have passed the workshop of the carpenter,
Joseph, and have seen the master and a comely youth busily employed
with their tools, but he saw no more. Had he known who the youth
was, he would have prostrated himself before him, exclaiming, " My
Lord and my God;"* or perhaps he maght, before entering the city
have stopped at a well to quench his thirst, and while resting there, a
matron may have come to the fountain,
accompanied by a youth, who, with
affectionate care, assisted his mother
to raise some water, and then, lest the
burden should be too heavy, helped to
carry the jMtcher back into the cit\-.
Such a novel sight in Nazareth would
excite the wonder and sympathy of the
pious and warm-hearted Nathanael ;
and we can fancy him following this
pattern of filial love to his humble
home. Perhaps he would have entered
the dwelling, poor as it was, but he
had no right to intrude upon the privacy of even a despised Nazarene, and he would pass on, wondering whether there were not, after all, some good in Nazareth. Had he known who that youth was, he would have knelt before him, exclaiming, " Rabbi, thou art the Son of God ; thou art the King of Israel." f Or pr-haps on one occasion of his visiting Nazareth, a funeral procession may have passed him, and first among the mourners he may have observed a newly- made widow, supported by her son. Out of reverenc^^ for the dead, Nathanael may have stood with head uncovered till the melancholy
FOINTAIX AT XAZA Kl-.TI I.
*John XX. 28,
f John i. 49,
y^
402
train had
THE APOSTLES OF JESUS.
gone by. But had he known who the son n{ fK. k- /■ mourner was, he would, i„ solemn awe, ha.e bowed his Lad to th dust wh,Ie the Holy One passed. There is abundant scope for the miagmafon m pieturing scenes connected with the privl We nf our Sav,our, but those I have drawn are not altoje herTmt tive esus we know, probably worked at his reputed fathers trad tl he wa" th , ty years of age, for he is not only called •• the caroenter s sn„ " * T\ "the carpenter ;"t and the well now called the vSTwel "'stout s.de of Nazareth, still remains. Lord Lindsay, in his " Let ers on tt Holy Land, says, "Every scene of our Saviours life at Na a,°tht marked by chapels and churches. There is a well, however named a te e V,rg,n, to the east of the city, which we gazed at with ev^ent" te It It s^ll supphes Nazareth with water, and thither, w-ithout a doubt clme the Virgm mother and her Saviour son dav ifter H,„ ,a we also saw the daughters of Naz^tt 'com '^'' AnS;;!!"' ^'^ may suppose, died and was buried in Nazareth some t me^b Sre Z Saviour conimenced his ministry. There can be no doubt tht Ma v
■ vear Z I ' '"'' " '" '"="'=™'l ^^e had been so for some
yeans. But I must proceed with the history of Nathanael as thr IT
cS: ,Ts t° 'T ''^ ""-'T "' '''' AP-'e's SeTvit v tt ymst calls hmi. He received no direct reply to his nne<.tiAn ur
ftere any good thing come out of Nazareth ? Philip saith unt'o h
Come and see. Jesus saw Nathanael coming to hm and saith to him
Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no rruile I Ztl u'
Jewish writers tell us that devout persons frequently offered uo their prayers under the shade of fig-trees Prohahlv Mnti , ^ so occupied when Phiiip found him,Ld ::ok h™ t'^e^s:-"' "^^
" In his own pleasant fig-tree's shade, Which by his household fountain grew Where, at noon-day, his prayer he made,' To icnow God better than he knew."
*Matt. xiii. 55.
fMark vi. 3,
IJohn i. 46-48.
BARTHOLOMEW.
' the chief lead to the pe for the ite life of laginative. till he was 5on,"* but 1, just out- ers on the azarcth is imed after It interest, 'ubt, came ■ water, as 'seph, we efore our hat Mary g'ned her for some the only ^iew with )n, "Can nto him, 1 to him, lel saith aid unto fig-tree,
sred up lael was
403
Our Lord's knowledge of his secret devotions, though at too great a distance to have seen him with his bodily eyes, convinced Nathanael that it was indeed the Messiah who stood before him ; and in an ecstasy he exclaimed, " Rabbi, thou art the Son of God ; thou art the King of Israel." '^ Our Saviour, pleased with his ready faith, said, " Because I said unto thee I saw thee under the fig-tree, believest thou ? Thou shalt see greater things than these. Verily, verily, I say unto you. Hereafter ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man." f Greater things than ChrisVs knowing he had been at prayer under the fig-tree should Nathanael see in the miracles our Lord in- tended shortly to perform, and _^ .= -^^1^^^-=-.. which would so convince him of the heavenly nature of Jesus, that he would in imagination, if not in reality, see angels descending upon our Saviour, and ascending again when their mission was accom- plished. How greatly those holy beings rejoiced in the prospect of man's redemption, and, in an inferior sense, assisted in the mighty task, we have abundant proof At the annun- ciation, at the birth, after the tempta- tion in the wilderness, in Gethsemane, after the resurrection, and at the ascension, we find these holy messengers were employed, and in visible forms. Within three days after his introduction to Jesus, Nathanael witnessed the first public miracle our Saviour performed. " And the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee ; and the mother of Jesus was there : and both Jesus was called, and his disci- ples, to the marriage." % The twelve were not all there, of course, several of them not having yet seen Jesus ; but Nathanael is gener- ally believed to have been one of the disciples invited to the marriage
ANCIENT VESSELS.
* John i. 49.
t John i. so, Si.
IJohn ii. I, a.
I
21
404
Bk->i
THE APOSTLES OF JESUS.
wine was exhausted Ind. the nift!::; of T " "' f"^' ""•'^ °^- ''= have no wine losu. s-.ith . , ^,? -^ "^ '^'""^ ""to him, They
'l-e ? Mine houit ot J ttl ■' *' 1^ "' ^^'^' '^^^'^ ' '° ^'° ^'^ of Mary only as the n Jk 'anT^owly ^^^^l^t in T"', 1 *'"' receiving the hcavcnlv messio-^. fi. ^^'^e.m.-.tirst in humble faith
conveniences of a ^Ix^^^T ix^ZTT''^' rt''"''^ ^" ""= '"- own hon,e; then, under the guidte of L 1 fl ""t? °' ""^^ Jesus into a forei.rn countrv^n "''.^'jo' Joseph, fleeingwith the infant years afterward lard nlwl™ ' ^™fl 'X of atyrant; then, a few
and lastly, as a d\^::^:ri; ^^^^^^^ '''' ^^ '-' ^''^'^
we can scarcely imaoinc her on^ of n " ^ \ ^r^cxfi^A son,-that
no less true tl4 shet^i o e o « e XraHh ^' ''■'''• '"' " '^ and not merely tolerating the festive sfeneLt f ™"'™^' °^ ^""'''' and bridegroom, but takhig an a Ive Tart in the ?"'-^ '° ""= ^^'■'''-■ cntns into the feelincrs of thVl ? ^T u '=""^'''amment. She app.'a's tojesus to let, h im ' \T^^'\ *' "''"•^ ''^ ^'^hausted, and .'-n, possii4 in a whhtrlh^t r '^- ^^^^ *''' ^^^'y '^" her
ten Nathanil, whj'S'w b rin"^ "own T^ "'' 1^ "°' more could be procured > S„r,.K, M I "'^ '^^'°"' ^^'i<=nce
the ntiraculous po^v" of Tes t ^7^^ """m 'V'™ '"'"'=^-^'='' ^°'"^ "f now hoped he Would bv tl ' '^",.'^"'^''''= ^ome at Nazareth, and
groon, fton, his Twl w rd' o tio t1"'" • '^°""' ""'^^'^ *•= l'^'-''- of Jesus to Mary that a i^r "0°:; ra"^^ rh:r:irt,t';'' '" "" '^"'^^^^^ respect; he only wished her to „n,l . \ , ' "' '"" ""=ant no dis-
"I'on his Public'^n, nis ry he could noT" T' ""' '"'^ "ow entered word won' an was in 2se dav used TT ^ '"r^'^^' '° ""''■ ^he and our Lord, when dil°'hv ^1" , T '•' °^ "^' '^'S'^^^' ^anl<,
fearful agonies addrct^M *= ,, ^ ''*^''"°" ^°' ^'^^ '" ^s las thy son !■■ f Mar , .r. rf"" f "'°'™"- " ^oman, behold she receive! fl>::!rbu?pi:t f/L So tr^^^^' '' '"^ ^^^'^
lere six
'John
11.
3' 4*
tJohn
xix. ?6,
IJoh
n n.
BARTHOLOMEW.
405
it is sup- over the ini, They ' do with to think 3le faith 1 the in- s of her le infant n, a (cw it child ; 1, — that 3ut it is f Cana, e bx-ide . She -d, and ;e]l her ihe not t'hence me of h, and bride- nswer o dis- itcred The rank, s last shold reply atso- i six
"^^Aik
waterpots of stone, after the manner of the purifying of the Jews." * The vessels were placed for the guests to wash their^hands in before sittmg down to the feast, as it was contrary to their custom to sit down to meat with unwashen hands. Jesus told the servants to hli the waterpots with water. "And they filled them up to the brijn And he saith unto them. Draw out now, and bear unto the governor of the feast." f The water was, as you are aware, turned into wine. This miracle, no doubt, confirmed the faith of Nathanacl, and the other followers of Jesus, for it is said, "This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth his glory ; and his disciples believed on him."+ Among the ruins of Cana may still be seen large stone pots of the same description as those used in our Saviour's time for purification. We hear nothing more of Nathanael till we find him, under the name of Bartholo- mew, ranked among the Apostles, when he not only saw, but, in the name of Jesus, did many mighty works. Devils trembled at his voice, and dared not disobey him. Disease vanished at his touch, and the soul returned to the stiffened corpse when he commanded it. His life, from this time till the ascension of our Lord, was one continued scene of self-denial and danger. His Master was "despised and rejected of men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief" § And Bartholomew, his faithful follower and servant, endured the same indignities and trials. Twice he escaped ship- wreck, only by a miracle each time. Often doubtless, like hi:^ Lord, he had nowhere to lay his head. From city to city ht accompanied Jesus, and shared with him the hatred and contempt of his wretched countrymen. He was one of the little band who took refuge in Bethabara when the Jews sought to kill Jesus: and he, with the rest, tried to persuade our Saviour not to go to Bethany
FOUNTAIN AT CANA.
♦John U. (J,
tjohnii. 7, 8.
J John ii.ij.
§ Isa. liii. 3.
4o6
when Lazaru astounding words
THE APOSTLES OF JESUS.
was sick. He was at the last
supper, and heard the
One of you sliall betray me ; " * and, like
... others,
sang on earth ^^^:t^^ZZ7c\ ^°'"!f '" "^'^ '"^' ''>'"" ^e Gcthsemane, and unless ho we , n„ r./ "" "''"" "'S^"^' '^'^ "^^ fro™ afar off behdd nj^"he erne fiv r f '^^^"^'"'^"^es who stood
nothing more of him till „„fin . ■ . """'' ^''-''^es, we know
■ of the/ews," \ 1 ™ t "room T "f ""• °"'" ^'^^'>'^^' " ^^ ^-^
midst of tlem iKtll tlu "' T "^^''^.f =" Lord appeared in the
saw a spirit; but t'su 'l^d Tl '"'''"'f' '°'" '''"^ "'°"Sht they
"showed^hem his';::dsr;;;f 1 '^T* -;!t:;t ":^^
Savour again appeared to the diseiples in Jefusa -m ' T, 1 T "'^' the room m ^^'hich tlievwere isspn,l-,lpri , ^ ,""■ '"^ doors of beh-eve securely fastened vet T ^7\ dosed, and we are led to
them, and said.'/Cet',„ :;:„•• t'rLY'tr' ^" "^ '"''^' "^ Nathanael, with some of the nT ^r • V °''">' afterward we find
Lake of dalilee Therj ""''^^^'^^''^^.o"^^ more on the hallowed
called Didy„;usrand';:aX„^a:7or'St^f 'cTl '"^",^f ^"°™- Zebedee, and two other of hisr!,-. i e *^""''''=<'' ^"d ^he sons of
I go a fishing. ThTsatttrh "w 7" ''""^"■'''""'^ ''-">• went forth, and entered mo 1 ' ,.^''° S° ^""^ thee. They
'hat is when he is mentioned in t°,e liTdv n of th ^°''''^'' •^"^
to the command of Jesus, remain d n Jc sdcm, IZ:^' '"°?"^ Holy Ghost upon them A f^ Jt^risaicm till the descent of the
* John xiii. 21. , II Mark xvi. 14.
t Mark xiv. 19. **Lukexxiv. 40.
t John i. 29. 1 1 John XX. 26.
§John XX. 19. JlJohnxxi. 2, 3.
BAKTHOLOMRW.
I of self-denial an
407
life was one continued scene 01 seii-ueniai ana danger, but no one in the least acquainted with the history of the early Church and sup- pose that his labors or his troubles ceased till he had laid down a life devoted to the spread of the Gospel. Socrates, of Constantinople, in his " History of the Church," says that he worked among the most cruel and barbarous heathens on the borders of Africa, near Abyssinia, then called Ethiopia; and Eusebius tells us that more than a hundred years afterward a great philosopher and Christian, named Pantaenus, became a missionary, and in his journeyings arrived at the scene of Bartholo- mew's labors, and there found a copy of the Gospel according to St. Matthew, which, according to tradition, St. Bartholomew had left behind him. Has ever traveler since found on the shores of the Red Sea such a peerless gem as that manuscript, carrying as it did the tidings of salvation to millions of immortal creatures ? After Bartholomew had been some time in this part, it appears from the history that he removed further north; and now it was that at Hierapolis he worked with Philip. You will remember that the Phrygians were perfectly blinded with idolatry, but the devoted and zealous Apostles succeeded in convincing many of their errors, which so enraged the magistrates that they seized upon Philip and Bartholomew, and crucified them. The life of the latter, however, was saved in consequence of the people being made sensible by the earthquake that God's vengeance was upon them. He was taken down from the cross alive, his heavenly Father having more work for him to do ; but Philip's labors were ended, and he rested in the Lord. How Bartholomew assisted Philip's sister, Mariamne, to bury the martyr, I have already told you. After making one more effort to convert the inhabitants of Hierapolis, they left the city. What afterward became of his interesting companion I know not ; but probably she is among the noble army of martyrs near the throne of her Saviour, in her robes of spotless white. From Hiera- polis Bartholomew removed a little further to the east, and went into Lycaonia, where Chrysostom assures us he established the Christian religion ; and, having crossed Cappadocia, he finally reached Armenia, and there, according to Sophronius, his labors ceased. While preach- ing to the inhabitants of a city, called Albanople, he was seized by the
4o8
BARTHOLOMEW.
IZ^r'r "^•^^'•'•'"^'■^''"•-"'•■^. wl- treated his victim with the .nntes.
The bunal-placc of this Apostle is iinccrtiin Tf i. c. otting then- destruetion ; bt,t it was the fearful traijedy thu eon,
n.a!Lr 'o^f ^rB:r2±r::r rt^-t^httT^ -^^^^-r " '^^
the citizens were ordered to appear in the Hn.r'. ,... numPcr of
.o.d ,e han,e ; At r^^-Ct:l/Z::£:t:i^-'^ were rung, torches were put into the windows, and chains placed
B-^RTirOLOMEW.
409
ed by
across the streets, and the bloody work bcj^an. The murderers spared neither age nor sex. Many were slain in their beds, and the headless bodies were thrown through the windows. The badge worn by the inhuman monsters engaged in this tragedy was a white cross in their hats ; and they were encouraged by the priests, who each held a sword in one hand and a crucifix in the other. Surely the angels must have wept to have seen the sacred emblem of our salvation thus polluted. The massacre lasted a week. Seventy thousand fell vic- tims to the fury of the ambitious and cruel Catherine de Mcdicis. Many visitors at the palace were slain ; and one goldsmith boasted of having killed four hundred persons with his own hands. Though Catherine de Medicis was the prime mover of this fearful massacre, the heads of the Church in Rome must have been privy to it, for the news of its accomplishment was eagerly expected in the papal city, and when it arrived was received with acclamations, and the firing of cannon announced to the neighboring villages that the bloody work had been done in Paris. The Pope went to church in procession, performed high mass with all the splendor of his court, and ordered a Te Detmi to be sung in celebration of the event. By his order, a picture of the slaughter was painted, and still hangs on the walls of the papal palace. A medal was also struck in commemoration of the event, the one side of it presenting the head of the Pope, and the other the exterminating angel, with the sword and the cross, destroy- ing the Protestants, and having this inscription in Latin, "Slaughter of the Huguenots, 1572."
taeaa
THOMAS.
HE more we study the lives of the Apostles, the greater must be our regret that so little is known in reference to their youthful days. Such noble, self-denying, and brave men must in their boy- hood have given many instances of the courage, love, and devotion for which they were afterward so eminently distinguished. It is true that the grace of God powerfully influenced them after "they had been with Jesus."* But can we imagine Peter as a youth being anything but warm- hearted, energetic, and generous, as ready to plunge into the Sea of Galilee to save the life of a companion, as he was when a man to leap from his boat and wade through its waters to his dear Lord ? And how many affecting stories might not the mother of John have told of the gentleness, goodness, and filial love of her child ! But there were no printed books in those days ; and though there might be a few biographers, they would only think of writing the life of a Herod, a Pilate, or a Caiaphas, Poor fishermen, however exalted their virtues, would be quite beneath their notice.
We are told the birthplace of many of the Apostles, but as to what city Thomas was a native of, or who his father was, we are left in total ignorance. It is supposed that Thomas was a Galilean, and that his parents were very poor indeed; but, being pious, they carefully instructed him in the knowledge of the holy writings. It is thought that his father was a fisherman, and that he himself was brought up to the same occupation. The Evangelists do not mention him till they
•2.-. L
* Acts iv. 13.
ama
412
THE APOSTLES OF JESUS.
g^vc the list of the Apostles, a.ul then always couple him with Matthew. At the coniina.ul of Jesus, 'riiomas went forth to preach to men that they should repent, to cast out devils, and to anoint with oil those that were sick, and heal them. Hut. from the time of his ordiin- tion to the Apostleship. he is not individually mentioned in the Scrip- tures untd he was at Hethahara with Jesus shortly before the crucifix- ion. A touchm<r instance is then ^iven of his willingness to die with h.s dear Master Our Lord had. with his disciples, ^^one up to Jeru- salem. He had, by his preachin- o^(cxu\c,\ his unbelievin-^ country- men, who three times attempted to stone him; but "his hour was not yet come, and he escaped out of their hands, and went to Beth- abara. beyond Jordan, where John had baptized. While he was there with the Apo.stles. he received a message from the sisters of Bethany tellmg hmi that their brother Lazarus was sick. « Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister, and Lazarus." f but he did not at once hasten o the beds.de of his friend ; not because he was afraid of the Jews (Bethany bemg only two miles from Jerusalem), nor because he was indifferent, but "that the Son of God might be glorified.-j- He mi.rht have transported himself instantly to Bethany, and raised Lazarus at once from h.s sick couch, or even have given the word at Bethabara and the disease would have vanished; but the hardened Jews might have said that the complaint had suddenly taken a favorable turn • and so our Saviour waited till Lazarus ^vas dead. Can ^ve not imagine the state of painful suspense the sisters were kept in ? Jesus had re- ceived their affecting message. " Lord, behold he whom thou lovest is sick. ^ They did not ask him to come, for they felt sure that if he knew they were in trouble, he would hasten to their assistance ' His reply, "This sickness is not unto death," || would, for a time, assure them. But the disease gained strength, the pulse became weaker and symptoms of death appeared. Oh, how often would Martha leave her dying brother, and with eager gaze look in the direction from whence Jesus should come I but still there were no signs of the Great Physi- cian. The death dew stood on the forehead of the loved one and
*Johnvii. 30. tJohnxi. 5. JJohn
XL
4- § John xi. 3. || John xi. 4.
liiin with
0 J) reach to int with oil Ills orch'na-
thc Sciip- hc crucifix- to die with ip to Jciii- g country- jr was not : to Ikth- : was there f Bethany, :sus loved ncc hasten
the Jews se he was
He might -azarus at [icthabara, -ws might turn : and 't imagine s had re- i lovest is that, if he ice. His le, assure aker, and leave her
1 whence at Physi- one, and
— ■■!<
xi. 4.
Mary,
in an agony of grief,
THOMAS. lid
415
nr^f f^ f T ' - ° ' f^'i-y — oh, how fervently ! — for Tcsus
not to tarry; but there was no sound of his coming. At lenrth e parting l<,ss was given, the eyes were closed, the hetrt ec.. ed to beat and the bereaved sisters sat down to weep beside the ope of S bro her. Jesus knew all that was passing in that house of mounin- he heard the prayers and sighs of Martha and Mary, and saw t le oui
At length he sari to h.:. Iisciples, •• Let us go into ludea Krain Hk cl-saples say unto him, M.aster, the Jews of late soug t toXe the
h^rf "'t,*°", "f'^rr ^^"•"" ' ""^^"^ '''"^^^--'' Arc- there otwve' hours m the day ? If any man walk in the day he stumblcth not
because he seeth the light of this xvorld. But if k man wa IkL the
n.ght, he stumbleth, because there is no light in him."* J t me nt
thenr to understand that, until the time had arrived for hinfto " ml e
h,ssoul an offering for sin,"t the Jews had no power o take ht
Afterward, he sa,d, "Our friend Lazarus sleepeth, but I go that I nav
:M d 'In ■■ °' i7- rT':" f' ''' '''^^''' L-''- 'he sleep h^ Shall do well, t Thus d.d the disciples try to persuade lesus no to
go, fearmg that they would fall into the hands of the Jews ,Ytheyven
ured near to Jerusalem. " Then said Jesus unto them^ plain yLazC
IS dead, and I am glad for your sakes that I was not there to the inlen
which .s called Didymus, unto his fellow-disciples. Let us also ™ tha we may die with him " §_that is. with Jesus. Vl>e cour 'e of -n^^t .nspired the rest of the Apostles, and the devoted party le t Belnb" a bu did not reach Bethany till Lazarus had been in'the grave foud^ys' Bethany was only six miles from Bethabara. Whv did lesus uZ.Zn he way.^ "That the .Son of God might be glor fi d" eS
Lazarus immediately after his death, the Jews might 1 ave said hat Lazarus had on v been in a tnnr^ ar. u v i •,, ^
beoun its work Tn .^ ' ^'^ '''"^'"^ ^''^ corruption had
bt un Its work. In the meantniie, we can imagine that so lon<r as
then brothers corpse remained in the house, fu hope u^uld%o be cxtmguished n. the bosoms of the sisters. Doubtless, thcj
♦John xi. 7-10. flsa. liii.
10.
tJohn
xi- II, 12. § John xi. 14-16. II John xi. 4.
4i6
m
h
I fi
T//B AWSTL£S OF JESUS.
had heard how Tesus har^ .-^ *
the widoWsson/andcoufdhe ToMf Te '"' ^f"^'^ ''='"^'^'- -d brother back again? But hour a^r .""'' *'^'''=' S'^-^ 'hem their
One day only was the copse suffered to""' ''""'^' '"'' '^^ ^-'^'•' "°'- .■t carried to the tomb. And now he s-T""";! '," '^' '^°"^^' '^en was mdeed parted forever from Lazarus on T" ^■f''''^ "'^' '^ey were amiable family had many friends vvhn f '"*' °^ *^" Srave. This
and Mary, to comfort them concerl.'tr fr"-/--''"'^- " to Martha mourning passed away, and Then a "ifr °"'''-" * ''°"'- ''^^^ of city, and soon the neJs spread thatTe us '"'"'=" "'^P™^*^'' '^e heard of it, but only Martha wen t J'";'\ .^'•''^ "^o^mg The sisters
face had she formerly wet: nmTBeInv''7\'''-''°"'«'J°^ broken accents, she salutes him ^ *, ^ethany; but now, in heart-
hadst been here, my brothertd ^ d e'd "T"a 'd" 'J ''°"'' ' "-" were not quite abandoned, she continued "But it '^T' '' '' ^°P' whatsoever thou wilt ask of God God xviM T' "'"' "^^" "°w,
unto her, Thy brother shall nWarn m f."' "u"'"*^- J^="= ^^''h that he shall rise again in th r<^fr "ectionTth^T .""'° ''''''' ' '^"°- unto her, I am the resurrection andThli Y u ^" ^^>'- J-^^"^ ^aid though he were dead, yet hall he iv '•' i" '?'' ''^"^^^"^ '" ^e, beheveth in me shall neve die R r "".^ whosoever liveth and hhu. Yea, Lord: I behev th t tho aTl rT "" i "'" ^^'* -'° which should come into the wold •+ If ^\".^'' 'he Son of God, confession of her faith, " she weTt It' . ""' ^"" ^"^ ^°"'P'ete
secretly, saying. The Mas er i otraJcLMM T"'u ^''^ '''' ^'''^ she heard that, she arose qu fclv ami c ^"'i ""''■ ^' ^°°" =»=
hopes fluttered in the breasts of fh. T' ""'° ^'"'"^ ^hat new Martha had told Ma^, .'"1^,° h t FeT r T ""^ •''"^""' '° J-^sl much reason she l/d to dtkd the f f '°'"'- ^''^ i^""' how near. But the mourners whom M.rv i^l r'"°"''"^' "'^' 1^^ ™s so that she had gone to th; grave ^o^ f' '" ""^ ''°"se. supposing Mary had reached the placrwhee tIT'' "^'^'■V°"«-'=d her When •--siste^^e^.,,-^^^
*Johnxi. ,9. tJohnxi. 21.
J John xi.
^^ 27. §Johnxi. 28, 29.
THOMAS.
'ghter and them their came not. e, then \vas they were ive. This to Martha ir days of 'ached the he sisters 'it, joyous in h cart- el, if thou
> if hope vtn now, 'US saith 1, 1 know :sus said
► in me, eth and ith unto of God, ^mplete -r sister 5oon as at new Jesus I
vv how tvas so posing- When t, and, rother
)
417
had not died. When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping which came with her, he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled, and said, Where have yc laid him ? They said unto him, Lord, come and see. Jesus wept. Then said the Jews, Behold how he loved him! "=^
Jesus wept : the sisters wept : and the Jews wept. Were the Apostles, do you imagine, unmoved spectators of so much sorrow ? Thomas had proved his love to Jesus by coming, as he supposed, to die with him. Would he not weep with Jesus? Peter was ready to lay down his life for his dear Lord's sake : would he not weep with Jesus ? And the best beloved disciple, would he not weep when Jesus wept ? And Bartho'rir;fj\\- and Philip, and the rest, a' ' : : the hypocritical Judas, how would their hearts melt with- in them! They moved to the grave. It was cut in the rock, and a stone was placed at the entrance. Jesus gave orders for the stone to be removed. This was done, and at once revealed the corpse, closely wrapped in linen bandages, the legs bound together, and the arms bound to
the sides. "And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and 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 1 said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me. And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth. And he that was dead came forth, boutid hand and foot with grave- clothes."! What must have been the feelings of those who, after hearing the command of Jesus, saw the body immediately begin to move, then leave the tomb and stand before them ? We can readily
ANCIENT TOMBS IN THE ROCKS.
* John xi. 32-36.
t John xi. 41-44.
41 8
THE APOSTLES OF JESUS.
suppose how they grazed in ^il^nf
"" 'he voice of Jesi 1 "et "1^"^'",™' "T" '"^ ^P^^'^' "S"- aroused them. Vain would if h . '^ ''™ ^"'l 'et him go " *
of the sisters, the "veT:" ' awe of The'T' 'm'""''^ '"^ g-'^^de
f^:^arfer~r^^^
"ATlerrt^rrw^dT-^^^^^^^^^^
butweca„\erdi,ysuppL Jt L:rar^ '° ■^'^ ''-e;
pests. How would the sisters on ' '''"''P'^^ became his
Wing joy, bring out the g m 'nts of T^ t 'S^ """-^ ^'h 'rem- carefully put away, to be kc^, as p ciou rdic'^^T' u"'''^'' "'^y ^ad removmg all signs of mourninrfror,h? ' t,"'' "''="■ ^"^r hastily
"stthn" t^rr^^^^'^^^ '■ ''''''' ' '-'^
interesting event. The re afon Ih .f^l' ^" ^''°""' °f '^is deeply- silent on the subject problbrwas ttt T'": "^''^^ ^"^ L"-^- -ere La^arus (who, we are told Z ISv wriJ V^7 ^™'^ "'^'^ Gospels, was raised from the dead) was ahve and I u -f ['>' ^'^^''^ ^"^ he the miracle, have been exposed To f I' '^ '^'^ ^""^ recorded
hatred of the Jews. But, when St JolTl "r'!^' '"^ "^"■^ -^
X°S:^ "VZ:itL^^^^^^^^ -."^". each
addressed as Thomas, but in Gre:k al D Tdymus" '"" '" ^^''"'^ '^'^
a place for you. And if I go anrprtpa e ! n 'T ' ^° '° P^^P^^ agam, and receive you unto myself th! V "^ '°' y°"' ' *'" eome also. And whither I go ye know' nH^^''" ^ ^'"' 'here ye may be — ____^_y^^^^^^ the way ye know. Thomas
♦Johnxi. 44.
THOMAS.
tral finrure
419
*
him go, gratitude k'onder of ^ered the ption, but
is home; came his ith trem- ;hey had r hastily ■ a feast
deeply- ^e were jospels, ifter he ^corded ce and -azarus d time
s, each uld be
i them
d: ye
many
epare
come
ly be
omas
saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest ; and how can we know the way ? Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life : no man cometh unto the Father but by me." * Thomas was still thinking of an earthly kingdom, and an earthly palace, and wished to know the way that led to them ; but Jesus explained to him that he was the way, and it was only through him that they could reach their home — a heavenly one.
After this, we do not hear of Thomas by name till the evening of the day Christ rose from the dead. " Then, the same day, at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you. And when he had so said, he showed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad when they saw the Lord." f Thomas was not with them. What occasioned his absence we know not. Perhaps since that night, when, like scattered sheep, the disciples fled from Gethsemane, he had not been seen by any of his companions, so knew not of their arrangement to meet together ; or perhaps, though aware of their design, fear of the Jews prevented him, even at night, leaving his hiding-place. We are simply told that " Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came." % It would seem, however, that but little time was lost before he was informed that the Lord had appeared to the Apostles. But he would not believe. " Except," said he, " 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." § Strange indeed was his incredulity. Had not Jesus himself said to his disciples, as they were going up to Jerusalem, that he would rise from the dead " the third day?" II And could he, after the wonderful miracles he had seen per- formed, imagine anything impossible with Christ ? And, moreover, he had the declaration of te7t men who had, for more than two years, been the constant companions of Jesus, that they had seen him, and he had showed them his hands and his side. So deeply rooted was
♦ John xiv. 1-6. t John xx. 19, 20. J John xx. 24. § John xx. 25. || Mark x. 34.
420
THE APOSTLES OF JESUS.
over and over again how irsusVr """? P™'""^ ''"^^ ''^^^''-
then to the womfn who lad be „ at th^"'''? J° ""^^^ ^-%^^\^r...
*-sciples on their way to 'nlZsLd^^^^^ 'V^^ '-
seen him. How fat;)l th.« k..^ r , ^^ ^^^" ^'one had
Tu .<■ ' '•"^•^ hardness of behVf wnni ri k i
Thomas if the comoassinnnf^ t. u i "'^ ^^^^ been to
^-er th, finder, and behoM I, han^srarreth^hlSh^S
,^"l,"'™f">'"'°™yside:andbeno; faithless, but believing. And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God. Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed : blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have be- lieved."* No sooner was Thomarcon- vinced than his unbelief was changed 'nto rapture ; and he confessed that it vvas not only his Lord and Master who Not much more r-,„ h» fto°d before him, but his God. Thomas from the Ho^Scr ptfr^s'^H °' "' ""^ "' "^"^ ^P-"« Lake of Galilee when lesus s n'd ^l ^"^ °"' °^ "'^ P""^ °" "'^ and who. when they reached the sh !■ T^' '"'^ ^'' resurrection,
-ay suppose that Je^ chose a TeldtrsnoT^ Tv"^^'""' ^^ stray pedestrian may perchance whnl! T "' ""' '■'^P^^*' but a
* John XX. 26-29.
EASTERN GREETING.
'»v^
THOMAS.
421
e proof of ave heard, lagdalene, ) the two ilone had been to ' prove to ad!
Thomas 3d in the IS, Reach hy hand, d be not Thomas Vly Lord nto him, een me, ire they lave be- las con- hanged 1 that it ter who
Apostle on the ection, . We , but a :, have as he id the iighty
God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace," * and the Saviour of the World.
After the ascension we find Thomas, with others, in a large upper room in Jerusalem, where they " continued with one accord in prayer and supplication,"! and from that time he is not spoken of by name in the Bible. Thomas labored at first in Judca, and afterward, Origen tells us, he traveled into Parthia. He subsequently, Sophronius and others inform us, preached to the Medes and Persians, and other nations. After man}' journeys, it appears that he reached India. Nicephorus says that at first he was afraid to venture among these dark- colored and cruel heathens, but he was encouraged by a vision that God would be with him and help him, so he not only entered India, but journeyed far into the country. He was, through the divine bless- ing upon his ministry, most successful in bringing the people out of the grossest darkness into the clear light of the gospel, winning them by his gentleness, patience, and persuasive powers to the obedience of Christ. It was at a city called Malipur, in India, that he began to erect a place for divine worship, when he was forbidden to complete the building by the priests and Segamo, prince of the country. But, after performing several miracles, the work was suffered to proceed, and Segamo himself became a Christian. The idolatrous priests now began to see that their calling was in danger ; so they resolved to put Thomas to death, vainly imagining that, if the leader were destroyed, the new religion would soon die away. Not long had the murderers to wait before an opportunity occurred for them to carry out their wicked design. Outside the gates of Malipur was a tomb ; who was buried there I know not, but one would suppose some dear friend of the Apostle, for to this tomb Thomas was in the habit of retiring, and, probably because it was a quiet and secluded spot, he there held communion with his God. It was while engaged in prayer in his favorite retreat that the Brahmins and their armed followers attacked him. They shot him with their arrows, stoned him, and at length one of the priests ran him through with a lance. His disciples
* Isaiah ix. 6.
•f Acts i. 14.
n
49.2
Tim APOSTLES OF JESUS.
sacred building was aften d iCvo^m it h' '°'^ "■•"■'^^- ^-^^ great magnificence. Tlie ChristiZTftK , ''''^""^ ^ '='""•'='' "f
the body of Thomas was wi?h ''It ' ^"' ''^' ""'^ '^'="'^™' 'h^' Frea, governor of the Coist f f : f"^ "'' ''^ D°" ^^m^n^el
that Prince Sogamo wliom T,,^?™",'"^ ' '"" " ^^^» '"^'^"vered verting had bee'n buHed'm thJtr;ra:e '"" '^^ ~ °^ --
lnd,a, 'un^dDr th^S ^ TZ ^1 '""^ ^^ "-°^ '•" scene of Thomas's deat tLc^ p! f ^ ^^^'' ""'' '''''^'^ ""-'^'^ 'he tablets were brouc^ht to h m ,>• th ^°""S"ese say that some brass
they could scarcdy be rea AT '"7""'°"' "" *•='" ^ -""-' tha
tha. they contained a :;o;ttion 1 1 r^ a' ^^''^ ^f"'^
■"in. It gave L acZ t ; thn "" '"'"P""^'^'' "^^^ '^-"^^ Bra ! his death, and stated hat t,a IrosrhaH T'^T '" '""^^ P^'^- -^
yea?:r:;eSi:;;i;xf::^"h":';™-^'^
Christians: no less, soL sav han fiff ' ''"'' '""'^^ S'' ^homass
successors of the disci,!?; "Th/m:" '"'Z'^^l" '^'^'^^^"'^ f^r-iUes,
very poor, were governed bv oat inr.T , u ? '''"' "churches, were
sacraments, and Served .mnvtfX ^''"'T' '''''""^ '^e two
The date of Thomas's h"^»k ^^'°"' °^ "'^ Church.
that this Apostle, TvwLatfitt the "'l'""""- ^'"^^— -7^ of all the Apostles, becrme throu U r^''.^''' ^"^ '"°^' incredulous his scruples, and the poTer of thf dfi"e '''"''T'"'''"S to satisfy invincible of them all "" S'^"^' 'he most active and
^e before tyr. The liurch of ieve, that Hmanuel scovered of con-
iceroy in near the le brass :ent that covered a piece a cross i Brah^ ^ts, and •rial of
Lindred omas's milies, , were le two
says 'ulcus atisfy : and
jL
.__., )
MATTHB\V.
OLEMN indeed must be the thoughts of the traveler as he strolls on the shores of Galilee. Perfect stillness pervades the scene. Not even a ripple on the beautiful lake disturbs the silence around him. Not a single boat gliding across the sea varies the picture. In solitude he may stand and contemplate the mountains that afforded a retreat to the blessed Jesus from the noisy throng, and the waters that were j^^>iS* ever ready to obey the voice of their divine Master. But how different must it have been when our Saviour walked by the sea-side, and multitudes followed him I Look at an ancient map of Palestine, and you will sec how many flourishing cities raised their proud heads on the banks of Gennesaret. What a busy scene the lake must have then presented I Vessels of every description were sailing from one side to the other. Boats for passengers, and ships for merchandise ; fishermen's boats, and doubtless often boats full of pleasure-seekers from Capernaum, Bethsaida, Tiberias, and other places.
No wonder that the publican, or tax-gatherer, who had the good for- tune, speaking in a worldly sense, to be stationed on the shore of the Sea ot Galilee, carried on a flourishing trade. It is the history of one of these Roman servants you are about to read. But, first, I must explain what a publican was. He was a collector of the customs, or tribute, from the Jews and others for the Romans, under whose yoke the Jews then were, and had been for sixty years before the birth of Christ. These collectors were called in Latin publicani (publicans), because they gathered public payments. The taxes were looked upon by the
425
426
THE APOSTLES OF JESUS.
often employed then, as <lepu e Thl H ' "''''" °*^" P'^''^''^. 'n great detestation and conte n.pt fo h;"^"'! ""'''^^"-^ ^--' ''I'l was re<iuirecl by ,he Ro.nans, b ' ti ed e7 " °"'^ '°"^^"='' ^^^at ■ng money for themselves. Anode rtr\°''P?'''""'''y "^ ^^'°«- them was, because they had, tC ° Lv oH.^ ^ "'' ^^^ '"''^'-'^ Entiles, a Jew thinking it a dis,r ace to / , u'"'' '° ""'^ ^^i"' ">e Gentile, So n.uci, „ie the Ravish n '""'' °' "^^^ ^I'^'^k to, a countrymen, that it was con de/edtnlaw?n 'f"'' ''"'°""' "^^ "'-> «-' act of kindness, ,o sit at mc-at or to / '^°'' ""^ °"^ '° ^'o 'hem miKht even cheat a l>ublican wTthout h '' '""' ""=■"■ ^ Jew
not allowed .o hold iny comnTunion w^r^' P"""'^" '^' "' =">d L In short, a pttblican was shunned detsted^'r """''"' "' "^''S'on- ■ng directions to his disciples told th? 1 '^/''"=^- J^^"^' '"giv- against one of them, he was to r orlvM •"■'' " ^ ^^'^'^'^^ fespas'sed no efi-ect, he tnust do so befor wimesses ',Tu'' ' ''"' '' "''' had tmued hardened, the injured mnmuT^T e' "ff-^nder still con-
'he church ; but if he neglect o hear thh ^"^ ^"'°"'' " "" '' "'"° as a heathen man and JuiffcZ'* f ^ *"'''• '•-•' ^m be unto thee the Rabbins, " Take not a wife^; of thaVr' ", '°T"'°" P''°^^^'' '^^ong '■can, for such are all publicans or vt'"'"^*''^' '" "nereis a pub! publicans were generally peo^iu of '^''■'°"'- ^''"gh the Roman tation for honesty. So confi? d was thel"'".''' ''"^ ''^'' "° -P"- extortion, that when one of them ^K "'""".'character for fraud and Vespasian, proved an exception To 'he'^u^^ '^ '^"^^^ °^ '"^ Emperor erected to his memory with this int ! ' ^ "'^'"'^ certain statues
--_______ ^ " ""'^^^ b^ made known. Read
xvuj.
MATTHEW.
n'y the loss constantly ans, knovv- wn people, were held -cted what of ex tort- despised '■ with the peak to, a ^y their tlo them A Jew and was rt-^h'gion. 5, in giv- -spassed that had till con- ! it unto ito thee ' among ' a pub- Roman • repu- id and nperor statues lican." ITS go
orded Read
4»7
his own word? " And as Jesus passed forth from thence, he saw a man, named Matthew, sitting at the receipt of custom : and he saith unto him. Follow me. And he arose, and followed him."* What aston- ishment must this event have caused in the minds of those who were standing by I Can we imagine the scene ? In a counting-house on the shore, near Capernaum, sat Matthew, busy collecting the taxes due upon merchandise and passengers about to be taken across the lake. Probably he appeared wh'riiy absorbed in his profitable business, and heedless alike of the sc( rn and hatred of his fellow-countrymen, and any reproaches of his o.'-n ccnscence, as he extorted money both for his masters and for him;; 'f But who can tell what was passing through his mind ? Perhaps, as he sat there, he was reflecting upon the wonderful things that were happening at Capernaum, ?nd possibly he had listened to our Lord's discourses, and his heart had been touched with love for, and admiration of, the divine Teacher. We know, however, no more than the Jews who unwillingly paid him the tribute money, and saw in Matthew only a vile tax-gatherer. A man in humble garb approached the spot. He looked upon Matthew, an(^ simply said, "Follow me."f
"At once he rose, and left his gold, His treasure and his heart Transferr'd, where he shall safe behold Earth and her idols part. "
What marvelous power h.ul that meek stranger exercised ? would the wondering Jews ask, as they looked upon the vacant seat and the neglected heaps of money. They did not reflect that he who could heal the sick, and raise the dead, could, with a word or look, give spiritual life to a heart dead to all but worldly gain. With a cheerful and willing spirit did Matthew sacrifice all for Christ. So overflowing with thankfulness was he at having found the Saviour, that he made a great feast in his own house, inviting his friends to meet Jesus and his disciples, and to rejoice with him. Jesus became the guest of Matthew, and sat down with publicans and
:
* Matt. ix. 9.
f Luke V. 27^
(Sif**
428
THE APOSTLES OF JESUS.
iji
II
Sinners. You wnlII.^ k
were afflicted with the disea e nf' '' "f '""'" '° '"-■'•'I 'hose >vho themselves righteous, they ou'L not'to 1^ ','" '^''^"^^- ^"^^^ sinners rather than themselves L"s.l' ^'--'=" '^"''Priser. at finding The follo>ving year Mitth. ^'^^'«"'-s companions. ^
"•- no special lZ^:tZ^^^''^ '" ^P-"^. ^om which rest of fhe holy band, preichTd ... " .'"Scripture. He, like t le
dev s, and took part in' o^Sn estd^T ' '^"'^■' ''" ''''■ -^' « Lords l,fe, the last of which was .t't , .'""^^esting scenes of our when Jesus, while blessing tl^l loos "^ '°°^ P''-"^^ »" Olivet
Matthew was also called Levf rf ' """T^"^ '"'° heaven. '
was born, but he was believed to havf h"°' °'™ '"'"'^'y ^^^ere he father's name was Alphsus and ,„ . " "" "^"'^'^ °' Galilee His a publican. The fathe^of Mat C ''Z '"''°'"' '"« "^ also v" Ap-us,thefatherofJames th LL Aft"°' '^ ^°"''°""<''=d with
E' ted t1 "-^ ^"^ ^-™ J"^- fo Vhryctt '-'"''''"• 'ir., fk . eonvertmg the Gentiles H ^ ^ ""^ """"e, and first that was penned) chiefly for his J w7sh iZT"'" ^'" ^"^P"^' ('^e hat Jesus was the pro.nised Me s/aht *'''"■ '" " ''^ P'^^^s countrymen in the Old Testament q, ^"°''"'S the faith of his Pomting out that Jesus of Naz™ eth vv ''h"'"'^ "^^^'"^ ''- Gospel by rom whom was to spring thrMc' s ^ (Z TT ^^"^ ^^ ' o Isaiah.) He shows, in mai ,/ in=t ' , ""^ eleventh chapter h.s Gospel werethefufillml'of r'-"'"' ""^ events related in
'° be true. When speaS;: 1 f^^f J^'^ ^^ ^^'-"-'^l" of the prophecy of Isaiah, ..lehofd . rgfn^slTl' l' ''T''" "^^ — ■ ___^ ^'" ^"^" be with child and
♦Lukev. 31, 3a.
MATTHEW.
admireti the y Pharisees 'ts why he ' them, and Ksician, but ' i>inners to ' he is with those who considered at finding
om which e, like the ■» cast out 'S of our
n Ohvet, ;n.
ivhere he ee. His also was led with cension, 3re, and pel (the
pioves
of his spel by » Jesse, 'hapter ited in edged ' them % and
429
shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us."* He told them that Jesus was born in Bethlehem, and that the chief priests and scribes said that Christ must be born there, for the prophet Micah had written, " And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel." | John the Bnptist, who, in the wilder- ness, proclaimed to the Jews that the Messiah was at hand, was, Matthew said, the same spoken of by the Prophet Esaias, "The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight." J Jesus, he wrote, " came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is upon the sea coast, in the borders of Zabulon and Nephchalim : that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the Prophet, saying. The land of Zabulon, and the land of Nephthalim, by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles ; the people which sat in darkness saw a great light ; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up." § When he recounted the miracles of Jesus, how he healed th/* sick and cast out devils, he reminded his countrymen of the prophecy of Esaias, " Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses." || The method of teaching adopted by our Lord was, he wrote, a fulfill- ment of prophecy. " All these things spake Jesus unto the multitude in parables ; and without a parable spake he not unto them : that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, I will open my mouth in parables ; I will utter things which have been kept secret from the foundation of the world." * * Jesus entered Jerusalem upon an ass. St. Matthew reminded the Jews of what Zechariah had prophesied. " Tell ye the daughter of Sion, Behold, thy King cometh unto thee, nicek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt the foal of an ass." f f Thus this Evangelist lost no opportunity of pointing out the fulfillment of prophecy in the life and ministry of Jesus. And what believer in the Old Testament could, after reading St. Matthew's
x\
* Matt. i. 23. II Matt. viii. 17.
fMatt. ii. 6.
X Matt.
111. 3.
§ Matt, iv, :3-i6.
**Matt. xiii. 34, 35. ff Matt. xxi. 5.
430
tiii
11
THE APOSTLES OF JESUS.
P". whm h. h^, b, k" ~ "' » ;'»»"1 « N«|d.to, I. eh"
PALM. TREE.
indeed the
account of acre of the ^'s wife, the J the brib- risen from
lovvn; but
in Ethio-
nieans of
Clemens so.
^ark and 'cfore the ■ iasL
JAMES THK IvKSS.
Y no means the least important of the Apostles was i James the Less, who was also called James the Just, He was considered a model of virtue ; and Josephus, the Jewish historian, speaks of him as a "wonderful person, celebrated of all others for righteousness." It is not known what place he be- longed to, excepting that in the Talmud it is said James was a native of Sechania. No trace, how- ever, of even the site of a town of that name can be discovered, so you must be content with simply knowing that he dwelt in Palestine. It is needless to surmise in what part of the Holy Land the deeply-interesting family of whic^ James was a member resided. His mother was sister to the Virgin Mary, so her home, before her marriage, must have been at Sepphoris, a large city near Nazareth, as Anne and Joachim, the supposed parents of the Virgin, are said, by early writers, to have resided there. But this does not tell us where James lived before Christ began his ministry. He and his cousin, the blessed Jesus, might have been companions from their infancy, or they might only have seen each other when they and their parents met at the annual feasts m Jeru- salem. James the Less was one of the four sons of Alpha^us or Cleo- phas and Mary. His brothers — Joses or Joseph, Simon or Simeon, and Jude or Judas (the last an Apostle) — are all mentioned in the Gos- pels, and are spoken of as our Lord's brethren. The word "brethren " in the New Testament must not always be understood as meaning sons of the same parents, as it is sometimes used when a remoter relationship is intended.
No record is left of James's call to the discipleship, and his name 2(! L 431
432
THE APOSTLES OF JESUS.
^^^^^Jl^tlJ^ Z^ -, -"■^^"- •••" Apostle, of the twclveselected by ou"savi;" to ," '"k '' '''"''"'^' "^^^ ^''^o"-^
came off more than conqueror through him who loved him.
The Saviour, after his resurrection, hon- oi'cd James with a special interview; but what passed on that occasion, or even where the meeting took place, we are not told in the Bib- Not
oneoftheEvar-^clists speaks of the event, but St. Paul tells us that Jesus '<was seen of James; then of all
the Apostles."* There was, so early as the first century, a sect of Judaizing Christians (afterward called Nazarenes),who5; ^ :
JACOB'S WELL.
the Gospel of St. Matthew in Hebrew b„t ,^''f"="^^^)'^^ho'i -■ cannot be considered of undoubted Tuthor tv Th"""* '° "' '"■'' g>ve of the interview between our I ord f ^"''""' '"'^J'
stance which led to it k = T '' J'™'^''' '""^ "^e circum-
____^^^|e^.t, .s, accordmg to Jerome, that the latter took a
* I Cor. XV. 7.
I
p*
w.
f/t
JAMES THE LESS
u'ould eat bread no mo" oil he f,^"^^^'"™' °f «"= Lords Supper, he thatafterhisresurrec ion '^'^'^ ^'='^" J"-'^"^ risen from the dead ; and
saying, .. Eat thy bre d nj b othc^ fo: 'the S ^"r " '° *^ ^P''^"^' from among them that sleep ■ °" ""^ '^^" '^ '™'y "^«
Partrt;^e\rrilprt,e^°an;/r -^ --^ ^■•-■•"."ished character, regarded as a oersnn ^V!^ ' '"'°"'" """ ^'"^ ^>^^^i<^'i
Christian Chureh He wa 1 p-'^r''"'' ""P^^'^ce in tl,e early supposed, left bind him ant, ' '^^^*°P °f ■''^^"salem. Jesus, it is appointed to this ho^rblep;;''"" "'^' '- wished James to be
of m!:;^ a^ h- " ^:i^:T- '"^ 'r-- °^ «-> '"^ -«-
friends an aeeount of hilmirL, I '""°" ^^ ""-' ^"^el, he gave his these things unt^ {amef d t^ bX: "V''^" ''''■ "^-' ^'^w Cht.eh andpartieulirlyJame^h:btCofit """'"'"' ''" ""^°''^
deference whieh ^^^^^^Tll!::^ '^^:-lJ^ «t'""' '''
';":nd' :rE: ~tV"'- ^^r'-"-" 'Suhjr^h!
cannot be sa^ed" f' ^he a lTd""":'v "" "' •"^""^'- "^ "--• X^ discussion with thise ctit ,! '"^ ™"Vanion, after a lengthy
law with faith n a rist^X^^^ T """^ "^ —--1
Apostles and elders abou the q'est.fp "P '°. J<=™='^'"" '« consult the us that he " went up by ZZlZX"' ""'^ '''^ f^'' I'^'"' "^"^
received by " Janies cXs and Vl' "''^°™P^""-'d by Titus, and were
the churchftolhon; ■ they de did aU T 'T"' '° ""' ^''"^''^ " § "^ them."|| A council was tlen held in l^l ^"'^ ''"'' ^'°"^ ^"'"^ I.^ addressed the ass^ 'Cr^n^L^ I^ '"^r 'n^' l!!::i::^^;^^;i^JI-^^ eager eyes would be fi^TJup^^t'
*Actsxii. 17. t Acts XV. I. |Gal. ii. 2.
§Gal. i. 9. I! Acts XV. 4.
436
ft! H
THE APOSTLES OF JESUS.
^^^^^^^t^tL!^;^'--' -'f ^-^ ^—1 to hear .he
Han... ha. i^t. .s^? ::r::^z:^ '^^:^i^ -^^
hearken unto me- mm<^^r. " /e- t^ ^vicn and brethren,
the first did v^^ '.if Ge" ili. ." "'"^ " "^'"' '''""''^'■^^ "°- God a
name. And to Is g^ee rwo.d^tf T °' "^'•'" ^' ^^^'^ f"-- '''■^ After this I will return anrlwin-L P^-ophets; as it is written,
whieh is fallen down ind I win h" ,. '^""" "'^" '"'^^''■"^^''^ °f I^^'vi^L
trouble not them which fmn, ,J fu ^ ^ sentence is, that we but that we Suntolhem thnT^ t ^™"''^' "^-^ '""'"^^ '° God: and from fornkation LdT:! H '^ ''"? ^™'" P°"""°"^ °f 'dels,
Moses of old ^:^i^vz^^::xf;:::^r r°"'- '^°^
'"/•*"-er James had given his sentence Petpr lr>i,n r. r i, nabas, and the rest rerardp,) tl,„ • . , ' ^ '"■ •'^''"1, Bar-
Apostles deemin. hZ , ^"'"1 '' '""'"''■ "^''^ ^^'^t of the
position whici: "his m^:. :;; ri::s ;"'■ '^ ^'^r °^ ""^ ^-^''^ '"■^">
of his brethren "Then nl.t! ^ v '^u , """f"'"''' '" ""= -^'''""atio.,
whole church, ^o sen^d eho-^rmen of tlelr't^^ ''''''' '''' "- with Paul and Barnabas- namt-^v T T '^"'"Pany to Antioch
Silas, chief men among tie' bretit' ■ "L H, '"'■""™'^ ^^'''^'''' '"^^ after this manner- Th^e Anos lei 1 u ''^ "''■°"-" ^'''"' ^y th<--"> ing unto the br: hren vhlc'h a of t e'ctrf"' '".'""" ^"^"^ ^■-•'- and Ciiieia: Forasmuch „rhavehe->rfthtV"."''T-';''"^' ^^^'" from us have troubled vo„ ,, • l" f '^^ t certain which went out
Ye must be cir^um sed^ a tV;^^^^^^^^ ^-^ -">^. ->-«,
a~to^:^- Lr " - """ -
♦ Acts XV I J j,^
» hear the Paul, aiul brethren, w God at
2 for his > written, f David, )f, and I ord, and :)i'(-\, who l<s from that we to God: of idols, •d. For ig read ion was il, I3ar-
of the rv hiL'h matioii ith the ^ntioch Ls, and / them greet-
Syria nt out aying,
3 such h one s and
Lord
/AAf/iS THE LESS.
437
Jesus Christ. We have sent therefore Judas and Silas, who shall also tell you the same things by mouth. For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these neces- sary things ; that ye abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication: from which if ye keep yourselves, ye shall do well. Fare ye well." *
This decree of the council of Jerusalem set the question about cir- cumcision completely at rest. No Gentile was required to be circum- cised, nor was obedience to any part of the ceremonial law enforced upon them as necessary to salvation. There were, however, certain customs, in themselves indifferent, which few Jews, even after they had become Christians, could be induced to lay entirely aside. Of this nature was their dislike to eat any animal with the blood in it, or that had been strangled, or any meat which had been offered in sacrifice to idols. As regarded these things, the Gentile Christians had no such scruples. But the letter from the council advised that the Jewish pre- judices in these matters should be considered, in order thi'i .;. e Jews might not, when they sat down to their meals, be shocked by seeing the Gentile converts pay no regard to so positive a command of Moses. The letters were written, and every precaution, we may suppose, was taken to guard against any mischance that might happen to travelers passing through a country at that time infested by banditti, and overrun by a conquering enemy. But before the great Apostle and Barnabas took their departure from Jerusalem, can we not imagine them, in company with Peter, John, and James, paying • ha^Ay visit to places, oh, how dear to the devoted followers of Tesus — Gethsemane. Calvary, Olivet, Bethany, and many other spots would possess an irresistible charm to the enthusiastic Paul. But the zealous mission- ary, anxious to return to his great work, would not linger; and soon he and his three companions were far from the holy city, wending their perilous way to Antioch. Three hundred miles had they to travel. It is probable they took a direct route ; and, if so, they would pass the lofty Gibeon, and perhaps gaze at the rock upon which, more than a
♦ Acts XV 22-29.
■■in,M
438
THE APOSTLES OF JESUS.
they arnVod at Nain thcv,„rh "■"'"'"' "f^ •'^^'maria. When
which twenty years iX":;" tf ^ "''. "^ "■^- ^'-"^ ">-^ -.rned when Jescs restored t to life I ' T"r ^°" "'^'^ •^^'"^ -T„,ay have .a.ed ,„.on tlovelv I T ;/-'"« "'^ °' '"^^-'-.h
W00.I of those ,vho tool, no eedo ■;;"'; ■^~" "^^^ ">■"' "'"' "•': "">c they >vould reach th.. foot o th ■ " '^ ""'■'^'^ ^'^"^ ''i''- I"
-non: and „„„, .hr„,„h' ch^ry d 7"'''"^' ■"°""'-'- °f I-l- woary travelers directed their c^l: to dt' < , °r ''"'"'"- "'•"■-■ "-
to them would be the siffht of th M,,^, Y °'""'- °''' ''"^ W'^'crime banks I The rest of their ,ou m ', ' "^''- ''''^' "^ vine-covere J
- *e splendid city of^An^ r C'';™;' f'^y ^^^ ^ water, and view, can we not i,„a.ine the dejf, ht " ,^ ^''''' ^"'''' "Pon their pcndous walls, the ™;o-eo,, ' , '^ °\ ^''''' ^"'^ J^'l-s. The stn- baths, colonnades,S:;i;° : ' "' ' '"'"! °'' ^'''•^'■"'>' ">^- ''>-tc cypresses, above which twei'^^rr^ L°\'r"'^' '"^'•"-' -" "-'' to then,. ij„t Paul an •utbar,'' ""' ■''>''''"-^' "-'= beaut,es of Antioch, so one obe all ' n' '"''"■'^■'■^ '° '^e clunch of the Christians. The new I "°"' '''''"'' then,-,he ooked-for travelers had arrived ml . ;'•'■"':' '"'•" "'^ •"'-^'■o"sly- '° >ear the decision of " the o e of ,."";"""^ ?"'^'^'>' --"'W-l l".'W.cly read, the contents of wl ic , fille:l t ''"f '"■ '"''^ '^^'- "as V. h joy. Ages have passed nee th ., ""''' °' '''"^ "^"^n^rs
bt.t the sentence of Ja,„es con n '.,'"'"'. '"°'''-''-''' ""0 dt,st, o( the faithful, who still rejoice in 1 ,lh "" ' "^^^ ~"«^c,,,a,i. . made his people free. ^ ""- '^''''''y >' -'^^ ^th Christ hath
coJncjj,^:!:';' ■; aS': rj"r:^a!:nf an",t "'■" '"^^ '^^«^^ '"'- "-
and all the elders, to whom ' he de r;d "^^''T "■'^^''-~""'='' ''>■ James
^wrou,ht amon, the GentiL^byt^r::: ,^1^ "^^ ['/''"Ss Cod
— ^•"- — - — - — -'•• -fjiJi. uicre were
♦Actsxxi. 19.
t
a h
IIEHkEW IRIKSTS.
JAMES THE LESS. .„
433
those in the city who no sooner heard of his arrival than they sought
l^ 1. ^""- , 'P' ^'^'1^^'' ^^^^^ '^'^^'^ '-^U^'^lly. and " nian> thousands of Jews ■ had become Christians. But still the infant Churc h was in tile midst of foes, who, though with good reason distracted and terrified at the fearful state of their country (famines, wars, mas- sacres, and robberies desolating every part of it), could yet consult with one another how best to overthrow the religion of Jesus. The Jews were not i)erni.aed \o slay Paul; and he was sent a prisoner to Cresarea'
guarded by tu.3 hundred .oldiers. two hundred spearmen, and seventy horsemen. The Scribes and Pharisees ^v■ere enraged because tl"d^ intended victnn had escaped out of their han<ls, and then- malice was turned against James.
Ananus was then high' priest. lie was a bold, mer- ciless man, and undertook to put James to death but It was fully four years before he accomplished his pur- pose. Peli.x, Nvho kept Paul in prison two years at CTsarea,was on account of his unpopularity removed from his post, and was succeeded by Festus, who, two years after he was appointed governor, died. It was in the mterval between the death of Festus an-1 the arrival of Albanus the new governor, that Ananus took upon himself to call together the Sanhedrim, which was the chief council of th.- Jews formed of seventy members, over whom the high priest usually presided. The Sanhedrim was composed of priests, doctors of the law, and elders. These vvere " the chief priests, and the scribes, and the ciders," f who met at the palace of Caiaphas to consult how they mi<rht tak. Jesus. Before the ,e judges James was brought, and was by them condemned to death. They wished however, to have some plausible reason for killing him, so, Ilegesippus
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A LI-;\ HE.
ROBING A PRIEST.
* Acts xxi. 2o.
fMatt. xxvi. 3,
440
THE AlVSTUiS OF //iSUS,
c
an ecclesiastical historian who liv.,! in h, i
-Serines and ..„a,,s..s „:;,■:;; 1; t^::::^:^zi '"'r -"■ '■''
""i.^ly sai.l t„ l,i,„, " \Vc beseech th ., . , ' "'''^■' •""' "I"-
"-- in J-us as tl/ouyl^he ;; \ ' c^lt"" '" ''7'''^' ^^ ">^y "^e- V^'n>W; that they be not deee ved , '™ P^y tl'«, I'ersua.le the
'"•" "•"" rna> Jt be n , ''t ^h " "'',"" ""^ ''"'"^ "'' "'^ '-"I'l^ I-Ple." |an,es u-as t u i' i ' ' , '^' h"?'^ "'^'>' ''" ''-'"I ''y all I.e
''■7'i''.-thatthenul:;j:'t :;;, ;:';;:t^
^"i^J'ii'ntcd Apo.tlc then saiJ uiih ■ i ''"'"■ '^"'^- '^^^i^'
nie of Jesus he Son f "'^ '■^''^'' " ^^^'^''^ ^lo you ask
;;■ .... ..;,i:'::.;:,;r— « r i;;i- r,;r;*;;-
I'liansecs vv^re s„ enra.^ed if ,hi. ,h , Z. „ -Scribes and
l'"">acle„nuhichhc St.; Th ': ,"^, """« J-n.es fton, the
-I. ■•'sin, npon hi. i;::; ^ he ; V""o l':! r Tr ""' ''""' ^ seech thee t., U,v^Wc then, for th T *^"''' '■'"'"^'■' ' l^-'"
<^"-.H,.s, instead o( be : ;,ft ' 7j?7 ""' "•''•" "'^^ <1°-" Bt,t his
»■••. pravin- for them Ii„i l,iin 1 . i , '^J"'\a"'' "gntecnis man who
atones ,;pon their 1 v hn J on "^ T'""' '''7 "''' '' '^''--'- °f li.i"<l a club uhi.h he^„ ,V I'll on-;, who was a fuller, havin^• in his
"- '.-a With ■; aid' z il ':,.t "t/ "T'\ '"^- ^'^-"^ -
si.xdi year of his a-e hn.es , I , i, 7 ""'"■■''■'""'" '"'"'-•'y- "l-id. n.eans " th^drfen an Vt" ' ' ^■' '■"'° <^'"'''^ "'^ O"''^'". name ,vas given him bv th/ T'"' °^ u'' '"■'"P''^" This latte ••'" ' I'.'ppiness of the nt-on d^"'' YT" "''^ ^°""'^'='-^^ "''= safety slain ah, „t the r "' '""/•^l^^'"' "P°" his prayers, James wa^
'" ''»^ ^ ™c city Cn' ,! • ,^ ::: r^ -^^'^ J'^-- «- ^-t had
tells n. testified their respc.t or t m tiK F '"'T '' ^ "^^"">P"^ "lent o^er tl,c s„ot where he^l-T f ^^ P'*'='"' '' """""
highly vaU,ed, !,.t it d , ,t bn Txi t tr'ei ht '"'" """"^'■•^' -- Ron,ans, .vhen they took the Sd'^fo^ed if '"" '"""■'""■' *^
jAAffiS Tim LFSS.
'Wui cun- tllcy bc- iuadc the c temple y all the IK of the n. 'i'he you aslv ht hand Many i<J cried, x\s and oni the killed; r, I be- Hut his ^K^'iinst Jiother :ed the 1 who iver of in his tic on incty- ^liam, latter safety s was t had ppiis onu-
was the
44t
The death of James was a j^Tcat ^rief to all upright men, even to those who were not Christians, and when the hand of (]od was so heavy upon the Jews, they believed, so it appears from Josephus, that the fearlul calamities that befell them were the effects of the vengeance of the Almighty for their having barbarously murdered James tlie Just. He was buried, according to Gregory of Tours, on the Mount of Olives, m a lomb he had himself built, and in which he had interred the "just and dcx out - •'= Simeon, and Zacharias the father of John the P>ai)tist. Jam<s, the son of Cleophas, was called James the Less, prob- ably because he was lower in stature and younger than James the Cireat, and these titles were given them by way of distinction.
James the Less was the author of one of the epistles in the holy volume: when he wrote it is not exactly known, but it is supposed to have been during the year before his martyrdom. Great errors had arisen in consequence of the misinterpretation of the doctrine of justi- fication by faith, as taught by Paul, many believing that moral duties were not necessary, and had, consequently, given themselves up to all manner of evil courses. But James in his epistle undeceived them, for he told them they must be " doers of the word, and not hear- ers only;"-}- they must bridle their tongues, and not deceive their own hearts ; that they must relieve the afflicted, and keep themselves free from the vices of the world ; be " peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy." J For unless their faith led them to practice these virtues, It was dead, and their religion vain ; in other words, that they had no proper faith nor real religion at all; for if the tree be made good, it must produce good fruit; and if the fountain be made pure, it must send forth pure water. Li the latter part of his epistle, he alludes to the approaching destruction of Jerusalem, and exhorts the Jewish Christians to be patient, and to stablish their hearts for the coming of the Lord. ^
James remained bishop of Jerusalem until his death. He had charge of the mothei church about thirty years, during which time he
* Ivuke ii. 25.
f James i. 22.
23
J James iii. 17.
442
THE APOSTLES OF JESUS
labored with the Prcitr^t .in;
such .ucccss that th j os st IT '"' '■^'"^f'""«=-. Preaching with nobles in J.™.„„„ '^^l "a jr ";?r'"-^-"d "any of the piety was most fervent, and sincere nr^ "'-'gesippus says that his stantly retired to the t n^t top rfo'rm hi"T '"-^''^''s^"". -^ he eon- m such veneration by the'peopir ronton"""""" "^ "^^ "^^'^ he wrought, but because of his hoHnLs ^ T ""' °' '^' ""'^^^''-'^ hm wherever he ,vcnt, deen n^ " 11 r'V^'''^'y f°"°^^'='' t 'e hen, of lu's garment A^d "aer h s l"^r V^''^'''-'^^' '" '""^'' '^V'-'" tl'e episcopal chair in ,vhich he ut to s " ""'^'"' "'™"°"^ "''•"
regarded ahnost as sacred hI ch.rit „?' '""''""' ''''''"''• ^"'^ and hunulity admired by even one /, ,*^r'' '''"'^ ''^^ temperance and honored, that ahiiost all [erusilr.n "''"'•'''•.'"= ™^ ^o much beloved James the Just. J'-^-alcm united m giving him the title of
M h\
BUmiNG OF TRUMPET AT NEW
MOON
5.dSL_'l
caching with many of the lys that his and he con- fe was held the miracles ey followed touch even ■ntions that served, and ■cniperance ch beloved the title of
JUDE.
I
■4^:
^;^T^^|v LESSED, indeed, were Alphaeus and Mary in
their children. The history of their first-born
you have just read. Simon, or Simeon, was, upon
the death of his brother James, unanimously
elected bishop of Jerusalem. Alphaeus and Mary
had, there can be little doubt, long before this
honor was conferred upon their son, closed their
eyes in death. But we may be assured that he,
who was thought worthy of so high a trust, would
be, so long as his parents lived, the joy and comfort of
their hearts.
Joses is generally believed to have actively devoted himself to the
service of the Lord Jesus ; and Jude, you know, was an Apostle.
Blessed as Alpha^us and Mary were in their children, no less so were the brethren, "James and Joses and Simon and Judas,"* in having such j^ious parents. I cannot tell you so much of the father as of the mother of Jude, but no one can suppose that Alph^eus was aught than a true follower of Jesus. He had trained up his family " in the nurture and admonition of the Lord ; "f and perhaps he was not less eminent than his dear partner, for piety, courage, and devotion.
AlphcEus, or Cleophas, was one of the two favored disciples whom our Saviour walked with after his resurrection. lie and his companion were on the road to Emmaus, a village about seven miles from Jeru- salem. As they walked they conversed about all the strange things that had happened. " While they communed together and reasoned, Jesus himself drew near, and vvcnt widi them; but their eyes were
* Matt. xiii. 55.
t Eph. vi. 4.
445-
( )l
If
446
THE APOSTLES OF JESUS.
holden, that they should not know him " * Onr <5o,m 1 j ,
u^at was the subject of the,V convers^ion, an^^hyT ^^..tlo' IT •■And the one of them whose name was Cleophas, answer! nt sat
the thin"; y T ""'^ ' ^'""^" '" Je™salem,'and'hast no T;" n the things which are come to pass there in these days ? •' + Jesus Tskld them, What thmgs ? And they told him all about the m glty works Jesus of Nazareth had done, and that he had been crucified Id hot astonished they were at the account they had heard of his resur c on Then Jesus upbraided them with their unbelief "and bein n' "t Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in alUhe sc°rin tures the things concerning himself And they drew ni^h unto the village, whither they went: and he made as though he would hi gone further. But they constrained him, saying. Abide wi h u ft i IS toward evening, and the day is far spent. And he went in to n rv with tnem^ And it came to pass, as he sat at meat with h m he «k bread and blessed it, and gave it to them. And the r eves ,«^e opened, and they knew him: and he vanished out of t e siX Zl hey said one to another. Did not our heart burn within us while h' talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the sir ies And they rose up the same hour and returned to Jerusalem "i The companion o Cleophas is supposed by many to have been Luke
of hnseT T ^'"^' "'"''u °^ "^' ''''^'' °^ J"^^- b"t his mother was' one of those holy women who went with Jesus about Galilee, throu-^h everv city and village, mmistering unto him of their substance" The e pious women likewise followed our Saviour on his last jou ne^^on Galilee to Jerusalem, to attend, so far as lay in their power to W tmporal necessities^ It must not be supposed that they devoted themselves exclusively to Jesus ; doubtless, the Apostles aL nrt ci pated in the benefits of their thoughtful care. Tu'o, a ea t o Xse females had sons in the little band who accompanied our Lord and
ch"' '•"1"'/'°"'= T"'' '^1 "^^- '° -^P-' *he wants of 'thet children. I need scarcely remmd you how much courage and self- denial were required to act as Mary and her friends did. Home and te
t - ,
♦Luke xxiv. 11;, i6.
fLuke xxiv. i3.
J Luke xxiv. 27-
33-
JUDL
AM
isked them ere so sad leering, said not known esus asked jhty works 1, and how :surrcction. ginning- at
the scrip- 1 unto the ould have
us : for it in to tarry n, he took eyes were ght. And , while he :riptures ? ."J The -uke. ■ was one gh every • These ney from ir, to his
devoted ) partici- of these )rd; and
of their nd self- - and its
comforts must have been forgotten ; and often, footsore and weary, they would reach a city only to be treated by its inhabitants with contempt; and, like the blessed Jesus whom they served, would have nowhere to lay their heads. Let us hope that in Jerusalem they met with friends who could hospitably entertain them. Johanna, the wife of Chuza, Herod's steward, had ministered to Jesus of her substance in Galilee. She, too, had followed our Saviour to Jerusalem, where, perhaps, she had wealthy friends who offered a temporary home to her and her companions. Joseph, the counselor, who was " a good man and a just,"* and the wealthy Nicodemus, would neither of them, surely, refuse to shelter such true handmaidens of the Lord. These brave women were faithful to the last. The disciples of Jesus forsook him when the hour of trial came, and many of them did not venture to return to him. But Mary the mother of Jesus, Mary the wife of Clcophas, and Mary Magdalene were with our Saviour on Calvary. Most probably they had formed part of that great company who, weeping and lament- ing, followed Jesus to the place of execution, and then stood afar off beholding the crucifixion. Love, however, conquered fear ; and, re- gardless of the rude soldiers and the cruel and excited mob, the three Marys, with the Apostle John, took up their position at the foot of the Cross. Through that day of agony these devoted and loving women were supported from above. Human nature alone could not have sustained them beneath such a weight of sorrow.
John took the mother of Jesus at once to his own home ; but the other Marys remained on Calvary, and attended the funeral of Jesus. The evening of that terrible day arrived. The dead body of Christ hung upon the cross, and the people had returned home ; and a pit, doubtless, was prepai-^d in Golgotha, in which were to be flung the three corpses. But one of them must be rescued from such an igno- minious grave, for the prophet had said, "He made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death." f Joseph of Arimathasa, an honorable member of the Sanhedrim, " being a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews, besought Pilate that he might take away
;il
r if
448
Tm AlVsn.ES OP JESUS.
the body of Jesus ; and Pilate rave liim Imve u„ ., .
and took the body of Je^^iis \J,hT., "«. came, therefore, at the first eame to jesus by n^^ t and \T" t" ^"°'''"'"^' ->"^h and aloes, about a hundred'; t .Iht™?" T^^'uT "' 'T' aceording to the Jewish eu'stom, prepa d for [t b.ll":,"""' wrapped with the aromatic spiees in linen elot^L N t? T , T sacred c.,rpse to be carried. Joseph had a"„e:t:^„,r,™t*f
^t^e r f:,t\":i.? r, "■ t- '"'"" ^'^-^ ™^ '•^'■"-' ^
vas luiiLu against the door of it. "And M■^r^r m, . i i and Mary the „,other of Joses beheld .T.. l7wX'r ^
Jesus was entombed. Tlie _^^^^^"^^r"%^.___ ^^i'jL)ath dawned; and Joseph,
N'codemus, and the two Marys' left the sepulchei*. How they spent the Sabbath we are not told. Perhaps, after a kw Iioiirs' rest, Mary, the mother of Jude, sought her sister, the Virgin, to sympathize with ;ind comfort her; or perhaps, in perfect retirement, she pondered over all that had happened.
In the meantime the chief
the permission of Pilate, made the sepuleSilS d'^l^h^ se^u^rb!; sealing the stone, and setting a guard of soldiers to u-.f a ^
tWewish Sabbath was ove^ ^|.ry, th: w;^^^*?:;:^^;:^!:! Icne, and Salome, the mother of Tames and Tohn uL. L ^ '^^k^^-
which they prepared by mixing the::nt: a? mtm^''mhl:f;r intended to embalm the body of Jesus the funeral rites h , , ^
hastily performed on the FrLy ev nine and wln.iT^''''" '"^
dawn, while it was yet dark tlX wit fh'e oth ^^ "'S"" '"
^_ ^ '^' ^"^y- ^^'t" tn^ other women, went to the
inrruK.sDA.
= J'Jhn xix. 38,39.
t Mark xv. 47.
JUDE.
449
therefore, nis, which
of myrrh was then,
and was * had the vn out of id, and a agdalene 5 ]aid."f -d. Tlic J Joseph, vo Marys low they
we are ter a {<l\v
mother stcr, the ?e with perhaps, nt, she lat had
»e chief ad, with cure by >oon as Jagda- spices, lis they -en too gan to
sepulchcr. One cannot but be struck with their courage. The Apos- tles had hidden themselves for fear of the Jews. The counselor Joseph was a disciple, but secretly, for fear of the Jews. Nicodemus visited Jesus, but under cover of the night, for fear of the Jews. The women, however, who followed Jesus from Galilee, feared nothing human. Love with them had cast out fear. The night was dark and stormy, but occasionally the moon would emerge from behind a cloud, and throw a faint and sickly light on the surrounding objects. Per- haps, when they had passed through the gate of the city, it showed them Calvary, with its three crosses, on one of which so lately hung the Prince of Life. A shudder, it may be, passed through them as they looked upon the instruments of death, but the only anxiety they felt was with regard to the stone. "Who shall roll us away the stone from the door of the sepulcher ? " * they said among themselves. They knew not of the seal and the watch. Did they, one naturally asks, feel the earthquake ? Or were they startled by soldiers, in wild terror, rushing past them ? Both were possible, but still they were not to be shaken from their purpose. When they reached the garden, the sun had risen to shed his light and heat alike upon the holy women, the fond disciples, who in the city mourned and wept, and upon the hardened, cruel Jews, The Sun of Righteousness had also risen — the Prince of Love and Peace. " the bright and morning star, ' f to his beloved ; but, to the Jews, with a self-invoked curse upon their heads — a God terrible in his vengeance. The women approached what they supposed to be the abode of the dead, and beheld with surprise the stone rolled away. What would they think ? Two of the party had, only a few hours previously, seen the door of the sepulchcr made secure by this very great stone. Who had rolled it away ? Perhaps the Jews, whose malice extended beyond the grave, were rifling the tomb, in order that they might insult the remains of Jesus. If so, what mercy could a party of females expect, if they fell into their hands? But whatever were their thoughts, they pressed on, and entered the gloomy vault, a room, caoable of holdinu ten nersons. Thev ff^nnd
if
1 5.
* Maik xvi. 3.
t Rev.
xxii. 10.
4S6
SitmAaa-
TH£ apostles of JESUS.
The body of J(
were
em in shinin«,r oarments." ='=
Jesus was gone, and, "ii
thereabout, behold two men stood by ..._ „..,.
Now they were afraid, and bowed down their faces'to'the earth The angels told them that Jesus had risen from the dead, and that they should see hmi in Galilee. '< And they departed quickly from the sepulcher, with fear and great joy; and did run to bring his disciples word. And as they went to tell his disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saymg, All hail. And they came and held him by the feet, and wor- shiped him. Then said Jesus unto them, Be not afraid : go tell my brethren that they go into Galilee, and there they shall see me " f
I know but little more of Mary the mother of Jude. Afr-r the as cension she was with the disciples in a large upper room in Jerusalem where they assembled for prayer and supplication, and from that time there is no authentic account of her, but through all ages she must be regarded as a pattern of devotion, self-denial, and courao-e
Beyond the fact that he was the son of Cleophas andViry the sacred history gives no information about Jude till he was ordained an Apostle. As our Lords cousin, he had probably known Jesus all nis life : but this is simply conjecture.
You will have observed that Jude is called by Matthew Lebk-eus arid Thaddaeus, by Mark Thaddaeus, and by Luke and John Judas The last name had, as being that of the vile traitor, become odious to the disciples, so the two first evangelists avoid it. Thadd^eus means the same as Judas, and Lebbaeus signifies <' lion-hearted " St John and St. Luke wrote their Gospels some time after the other evangel- ists, so that, as the feeling of dislike to the name of Judas would as time wore on become weaker, they had less hesitation in usino- it
It has been supposed, but not with any degree of certai^'nty that Jude was born near Mount Carmel. Like several of the Apostles he IS seldom mentioned by name in the sacred history, but as he was eminent for his firmness and boldness, we cannot doubt that while attending upon our Saviour he had many opportunities of provin^r his zeal and devotion.
* Luke xxiv. 4,
t Matt, xxviii. 8-10.
Wmim
I perplexed garments." =" -•arth. The i that they y from the lis disciples s met the 111, t, and wor- go tell my me." f fter the as- Jerusalem, 1 that time i she must ■ge. Mary, the s ordained n Jesus all
i Lebba^us *hn Judas, odious to eus means St. John r evangel- would as ngit. ainty, that jostles, he as he was hat while ■oving his
JUDE.
45*
At the last
supper, - aen Jesus, after telling his disciples that he must leave them, was comforting them, ho said that he would manifest himself to them that loved him. "Judas saith unto him, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us and not unto the world ?"* Jude was like the rest, thinking that Jesus would reign as a temporal monarch, and he could not understand how a king, exalted on a throne, and ruling the nations, should show himself only to a small company of faithful servants. Jesus told him that the manifestation of himself would be his dwelling in the hearts of true believers, and that the Father would, through his intercession, send the Holy Spirit to teach them, and make those things plain which were now difficult for them to understand.
After our Lord's ascension, Jude preached the Gospel in different parts of Judea and Galilee. He then, it is said, went to the cities of Arabia, and afterward into Syria, and from thence, Nicephorus adds, to Edessa, a city of Mesopotamia, about nine miles from the Euphrates. At the last place he found the seeds of Christianity had already been sown by one of the seventy disciples, of the name of Thaddccus. This Thadda^us had been sent, Eusebius relates, by Thomas to Edessa, very shortly after the ascension. There he healed diseases, wrought miracles, and taught the religion of Jesus with such success that the governor, Abgarus, and his people, became converts to the faith. King Abgarus offered him costly gifts, but Thaddseus refused them with scorn, telling him they had little reason to receive from others what they had freely relinquished and given up themselves. Nearly three hundred years afterward there was found among the records of the city of Edessa a full account of this matter. Jude at Edessa perfected what Thaddaeus had begun, and by his preaching and miracles con- firmed the souls of the faithful. His principal labors, it seems, were in Persia, where it is understood he suffered martyrdom. The manner of his death is unknown, and the time of it uncertain ; but it is generally believed he survived his brother James some years.
luu r-v... e>iLi_ii i.ia.\\, iudu inc zsViv- \, ij,pibtic ui juue m me ISew
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x'v. 22.
27 L
45-
THE APOSTLES OF JESUS.
ill
Testament. It is supposed to have been written after the destrL^tion of Jerusalem, and was addressed to ail Christians. He in the plainest terms warned them against the vile doctrines of certain heretics who troubled the Church. Jude exposed and denounced those " dreamers,"* as he called them. "Clouds without water, carried about with winds; trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots; raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wan- dering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever." f
Jude was one of the married Apostles ; but who his wife was, I cannot tell you. There is an interesting account given of two of his grandchildren. Hegesippus states that the wicked Emperor Domi- tian, fearing a claimant might arise for the throne of David, and the Jews rally round him, ordered all to be killed who were of the stock of David. He was informed that there were in Judea some of the kingly line, in the persons of lude's grandchildren, remaining, and he commanded that they shoun* be brought to him. The Emperor first asked them what was I;' . ; manner of life. They replied, hus- bandry. He next inquired .*on,.crning the kingdom of Christ, and when it should appear. To this they replied that it was a heavenly and spiritual, not a temporal, kingdom, and that it would not be mani- fested till the end of the world, when he, coming in glory, should judge the ([uick and the dead. Domitian, hearing this, dismissed them unbound, and, by edict, stayed the persecution then moved against the Christians. These grandsons of Jude afterward presided over churches, and lived until the time of Trajan.
It can scarcely be considered out of place here to give a brief account of Simeon, the brother of Jude, whose life was by no means less interesting than those of the rest of his family. Eight years after he had been appointed to preside over the affairs of the mother church, Jerusalem was besieged by the Romans. Simeon, however, warned by our Saviour, was one of those who noted the signs of the times. The earthquakes, famines, wars, and pestilences which were desolating the country, he knew were only the forerunners of greater woes. The
• Jude 8.
tJude 12, 13.
JUDE.
IcstjLvt.ion ic plainest relics who •earners,"* ith winds ; up by the me ; wan- br ever." f /ife was, I two of his •or Domi- lavid, and ere of the a some of ining, and i Emperor plied, hus- ;^hrist, and I heavenly t be mani- ry, should dismissed ^n moved \ presided
'e a brief no means ^ears after ler church, zx, warned the times, desolating oes= The
453
" fearful sights and great signs " * from heaven, which so perplexed the people, were to the Christians intimations that they must prepare for their flight. Of these " fearful sights and great signs " Joscphus, in his "Wars of the Jews," gives a most interesting account. lie speaks of a star that resembled a sword, which stood over the city for an entire year; and that before the Jewish rebellion, at the feast of unleavened bread, " on the eighth day of the month ^'" >an,f and at the ninth hour of the night,:}: so great alight shone nd the altar and the holy house, that it appeared to be bright daytime, which light lasted for half an hour Moreover, the eastern gate of the inner
RUINS OF THE THEATER AT EPHESUS.
couit oi the temple, which was of brass and vastly heavy, and had been with difficulty shut by twenty men, and rested upon a basis armed with iron, and had bolts fastened very deep into the firm floor, which was there made of one entire stone, was seen to be opened of its own accord about the sixth hour of the night." § Joscphus also speaks of chariots, and soldiers in their armor, being seen in the heavens. He also says that, at the feast of Pentecost, "as the priests were going by night into the inner court of the temple, as their custom
* Luke xxi. ii. \ Part of March and April. % Three o'clock in the morning. § Midnight.
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THE APOSTLES OF JESUS.
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vvas, to perform their sacred ministrations, they said that, in the first place they felt a quaking and heard a great noise, and after that they heard a sound as of a great multitude saying, • Let us remove hence ' '• Tacitus, the Roman historian, who lived in the first century gives a similar account of these "fearful sights and great sio-ns"* from heaven He says that "armies were seen engaging in the heavens, arms glittering, and the temple shone with the sudden fire of the clouds ; the doors of the temple opened suddenly, and a voice greater than human was heard that the gods were departing, and at the same time a great motion of their departing."
The Jewish historian also speaks of a man who, between seven and eight years before the destruction of Jerusalem, went to the temple and began on a sudden to cry aloud—" A voice from the east, a voice from the west, a voice from the four winds, a voice against Jerusalem and the holy house, a voice against the brir grooms and the brides and a voice against this whole people ! " Th:s was his cry as he went about by day and by night in all the lanes of the city. In vain did the rulers try to silence him. He was whipped till his Dones were laid bare. He shed no tears, but at every stroke of the lash he cried I" Woe, woe to Jerusalem." For seven years and five months, though beatcL every day, his melancholy cry still sounded through the city till the enemy besieged it, when it ceased; for, as he was going round upon the wall, he cried out with his utmost force, "Woe, woe to the city again, and to the people, and to the holy house I " And just as he added at the last,— "Woe, woe to myself also!" there came a stone out of one of the engines, and smote him, and killed him immediately.
Simeon, with a multitude of Christians, fled from Jerusalem, but not says Epiphanius, till they had been warned by an angel that they must depart. The enemy unwittingly favored their departure Josephus says that Cestius Callus, who was at that time before the walls of Jerusalem, raised the siege and retired, when he could with ease have taken the city. The short-sighted Jewish historian knevK
♦Luke xxi. ii.
JUDE.
455
not the cause of this strange conduct on the part of the enemy ; but Simeon and his flock were aware that a power the Roman commander could not resist directed his movements, and they would thank God for opening the way for their escape. Even as their forefathers fled from Egypt, did the Jewish Christians flee from Jerusalem when the signal was given. He that was on the house-top went not down into his dwelling to fetch anything, however precious, but hastily pressed from one roof to cmother till he reached the walls of the city. And he that was in the field went not home to fetch even his clothes (the upper garments which he would not wear over the tunic when working in the fields), but took advantage of his position at once to make his escape. Not only did the Christians avail themselves of the oppor- tunity of the withdrawal of the Roman army, but many of the principal unbelie\ ing Jews did so also. Doubtless, the latter fled in all direc- tions, but the way the Christians werj to take had been pointed out by a divine guide. To the mountains of Percea the followers of Jesus directed their steps. Oh ! what a touching sight it must have been, the venerable bishop and his flock — composed of the aged and infirm, the sickly and the strong, mothers with new-born infants, children of all ages, youths and maidens, and tl.ose in the prime of life— slowly traversing the banks of the Jordan, to Pella,the Zoar of the Christians ! How often would n-iany of the travelers pause on their way, and, with clasped hands and streaming eyes, implore God to protect the friends they had left behind, guilty as they were. Many, many prayers would be offered for parents, husbands, wives, children, brothers, and sisters, who remained in the doomed city. Many supplications that, if they must perish, they might be led to cry at the last hour for mercy, in the name of Jesus, and that their pardon might be sealed in his blood. Past the enemy's camp and the banditti's lair, over rocky steeps and dismal swamps, the Lord guarded his servants , not one Christian, it is said, perished. Jerusalem and her temple were utterly destroyed, only three towers and part of the wall were allowed by the Roman general to remain standing. The magnificent city, whose fame had extended over the world, was " dug up to the foundations," Josephus tells us, " and there whs nothing to make those that came thither believe
4S6
THE APOSTLES OF JESUS.
it had ever been inhabited." The vial of Gods venireance was fullv poured out. ^
When the war was ended, Simeon, and, doubtless, many of his flock, returned to Jerusalem. Possibly, as their journey back drew to Its close, they ascended the Mount of Olives, and. from the spot where Jesus forty years before stood when he wept over the city, they gazed upon the vast ruins before them. Vainly would they look for tne splendid temple of polished marble, which, like a mountain of snow had been wont to dazzle their eyes with its brightness. Where was the gorgeous palace of Herod ? and where the judgment hall of Pilate ? and where, to the Christians how dear, the large upper room in -.vaich had been instituted the holy supper of the Lord, and in which the Christians assembled after the ascension of their Lord > Gone gone for ever. And as they gazed upon the wreck, and thought of their desolated homes and lost friends, they would, like the captive Jews of old, sit down and weep.
Jerusalem was still dear to the Jewish Christians, and they with their venerable bishop, made the ruined city their home. And now we might have supposed that Simeon would have been permitted to pass the remainder of his days in peace. No fear now of encountering hoary-headed sinners who had joined in the cry, " His blood be on us and on our children,"* and who to the last hated the followers of him whom they crucified. No fear now of the cruel scribes and Pharisees who had slain his brother, and thirsted for his blood also. God's ven- geance had overtaken them, and they would trouble him no more.
But God willed that his aged servant should be still further tried The Gnostics, a vile sect, who held many of the doctrines of Simon Magus, became the bane of the Christians. With the most absurd tenets, they admitted that Christ came from God to free the world from evil, and thus they proved a great stumbling-block to those whose faith was not established. Of course, Simeon opposed these false teachers with all his might, and they resolved to destroy him Euse- bius says that the Emperor Trajan was, like his predecessor. Domitian
♦ Matthew xxvii. 25.
JUDE.
457
very fearful of the Jews revolting, and rallying round some leader of the family of David, so he sent down a command that whoever could be found of the stock of David should be put to death. This was an opportunity the Gnostics seized upon to accomplish their wicked purpose, so they accused Simeon of being a descendant of David. A journey of a hundred miles or more had the venerable bishop, then one hundred and twenty years old, to take in order that he might appear before Atticus, the governor of Syria. He was examined by torture for several days together, and endured his sufferings with the greatest firmness, till they were terminated by death on the cross. Thus died the venerable Simeon, the last, in all probability, of that holy family, the history of which cannot fail to interest those who sym- pathize with the pious, the zealous, the faithful, the self denying, the generous, and the brave.
SEALS AND SCROLLS AT BEGINNING OF OUR ERA.
SIMON ^ELOTES.
WICH only is the Apostle Simon mentioned b> name in the Scriptures, and then but in company with all the other Aj)ostles, and yet he is supposed to have been one of the first disciples of our Lord Very little indeed is known of his history before Christ be<ran his ministry, or after the ascension, and yet if a book were written, called " Simon Zelotes," containing a full account of all his actions — all he heard and all he witnessed as a chosen disciple of the Lord Jesus— one volume would not contain what would have to be related. Ho\v many mighty works of our Saviour must he have witnessed, and how many beautiful dis- courses from the lips of the divine Teacher must he have listened to? Was he not one of the guests at the feast Matthew maa ?' Did he not at the command of Jesus preach the Gospel, heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, and cast out devils ? Did not Simon help to distribute the bread and fish to the five thousand men, besides women and children, and afterward to four thousand men! besides women and children ? Was not his life twice saved in storm's on the Sea of Galilee by the mighty power of Jesus ? Was he not with our Saviour at Bethabara when Lazarus died? and did he not go to Bethany to be present at the raising of him whom Jesus loved? Did he not form part of the triumphal procession when our Lord publicly entered into Jerusalem ? Were not his feet washed by the holy Jesus before the last supper, and did he not receive from the hands of the Saviour the sacred emblems of his most blessed body and blood ? But I cannot even simply enumerate all the interesting events that Simon, as an Apostle, must have been connected with
46;
.63
THE APOSTLES OF JESUS
Matthew and Mark speak of him as Simon, the Canaanite; and Luke calls him Simon ZeJotes. There is a difference of opinion as to why he IS called the Canaanite, or why Zelotes. Some think that the word Canaanite is, in our version of the New Testament, wroncrly spelt, and that it ought to be Cananite, or a native of Cana; for as Jesus hved only four miles from Cana in Galilee, it is more than probable he knew many of its inhabitants, and that from amonjr them he would select some of his Apostles. Others are of opinion that bcmg called the Canaanite is no proof that he came from Cana but that the title was given him by our Saviour, to denote his great zeal m Hebrew, those versed in the language tell us the word Cana has
almost the same letters and the same sound as the word for zeal has, and that it was not unusual in such cases to use one word in place of the other. Our Lord was in the habit of giving names to his disciples, ex- pressive of some peculiar characteristic of, or circumstance connected with, them. Simon, the son of Jona, he surnamed Peter, or a rock! James and John he called Boanerges, or sons of thunder; therefore, it would not be singular if the Apostle Simon had a title given him , . , . ^ denoting his burning zeal, his great love for
his Master, and his eager wish to advance Christ's religion in the world. The disciples of Christ have not now n.mes conferred upon them, denoting their peculiar gifts, but do not all bear one itle-that of Christian? a name given originally, as some suppose, by heathens to the followers of Christ. Let us ask ourselves vvhether we are so living that, if we were in the society of idolaters they would— judging from our actions and conversation—pro- nounce us to be Christians? Alas! too many bear the title but. whether at home or abroad, have no resemblance either to the great author of their faith, or to those first disciples who not onlv glonea m being called Christians, but in suffering for the sake of him whose name they bore. Let all those who are ashamed of their title
EASTERN SOWER.
SIMON ZELOTES.
4'>3
think of the martyr Attains, mentioned by Eiisebius, who was led about the amphitheater at Rome, that he mi<^dit be exposed to the hatred and derision of the people. But he triumphed in this, that -i tablet was carried before him with the inscription, "This is Attains, the Christian." And of Sanctus, who. being often asked by the presi- dent what his name was, what his city and country, and whether he was a freeman or a servant, only replied that he was a Christian, con- siderin<;' this name to be country, kindred, and everythin;^- to him And let them think of all the noble army of martyrs, who gladly en- dured every kind of torment rather than disown the name of Christian. With regard to the title St. Luke gives Simon, that of Zelotes, or the zealous, some have thought that it was conferred upon him by our Saviour, as being of the same signification as that of Canaanite. Others are of opinion that Simon had, before his call to the disciple- ship, been one of the sect called Zealots, who regarded themselves as the immediate successors of Phineas, who, in his zeal for the honor of God, slew Zimri and Cozbi — an act which " was counted unto him for righteousness unto all generations for evermore." * The Zealots took upon themselves to protect the law and the religion of the Jews, and considered that they were at liberty to execute capital punishment upon offenders without bringing them before the Sanhedrim. For example, if a blasphemer cursed God by the name of any idol, the Zealot who next met him might iimediately kill him. By degrees the Zealots so abused their privileges that they committed all kinds of wild extravagances, and became the pest of the commonwealth They were continually advising the people to throw off the Roman yoke, and succeeded in creating the greatest confusion Josephus writes in bitter terms of them. He says that, instead of being zealous in good undertakings, they were zealous in the worst actions. Mercy was with them unknown. They trampled on all the laws of man, and laughed at the laws of God. According to his account the Zealots were one main cause of the greatest calamities that befell Jerusalem. When the Romans were about to besiege the city, the Zealots created
* Ps. cvi. 31.
4«4
THE AI'OSTl.ES OF JESUS.
only turn,, ts and factions within the walls, and, with the help of rob- be, s, murdered twelve thousand of the nobility and prineipal IToi U,e cty for the sa e of plun.ler. Ha<l the Jewish historian Zl[ Christian, he woliUI, when recounting this barbarous act of the Zealots have reminded his readers of the prophecy of the Christian bishop the eyercd and beloved James, ■■ Go to now, ye rich men ; weep and howl
u ,ted"^n7"'''"" ""' ''■•■'" ^™"= "P°" y°"- Y°- "'^h- are coT- nip cd, .and your garments are moth-eaten. Your gold and silver is
cankered; and the rust of them shall be a witness against you 'nd
sha eat yotir flesh as it were fire. Ye have heaped treasures Ct ir
for the last days "* The Zealots, we may readily suppose were ^^
so corrupted at the tune when our Saviour selected his Aposles We
need not therefore, think of Simon, if he were of that sect, as hav^^^
ofihe- 'for;^ ^^ ''"'' '''" '""" '-'' J-"- -S-"^'' - 'he curs?
After the ascension we find Simon Zelotes, with the rest of the
Apostles w.aiting m Jerusalem "for the promise of the Father " +
comfort ess, I or, as the more literal translation is, "I will not leave you orphans. After the ascension the disciples were indeed orphans
{ ul n T' f " "' T "T""' '"'^ "^-^ ""'y <^''-'' "- Comfort" : had not yet come. In a large upper room the Apostles and disciples
numbering about one hundred and twenty persons, met for pnayer^ind supplication, .and most prob.ably here, and in the temple,l,ent the grca er part o the ten d.ays ^^■hich intervened between th ■ ascensfon of Christ and the descent of the Holy Ghost ^^ctnsion
Among those mentioned as being in the upper room for pr,ayer and supphcation was U.ry, the mother of Jesus. When last wc' hLd o
cr, S . John had taken her to his own home. No account is given in the holy story of the interviews she had with our Saviour after his res- urrection ; but It cannot be supposed that, while so many others were being comforted and cheered by the special notice of their risen Lord the bereaved mother would not at least be equally favored Afte^
* James v. 3.
t Acts i. 4.
t John xiv. 18.
S/AAhV /LLOTES.
465
the Pentecost, she, as it were, disap[)cars, as she is never ai;ain men- tioned in tlic Sciiptiircs. Considerinj; her position, very few facts relating to Mary are recorded in the Hii)le, and no account whatever is given of her death. God dealt with her as with Ah)scs, of whom it is said "no man knowetii of his sepulcher unto this da)."^*' Some are of opinion that the Virgin suffered martyrdom, and diat Simeon, in his propiiecy, " A sword shall i)ierce through thine own soul also." + had reference to the mode of her death. Hut the prediction more probably alludes to excessive grief, which pierces like a sword, and which Mary specially endured when she stood by the cross beholding her dying son. To the dregs she drained her cup of misery. The
FHiST FRUITS.
loved one who had for thirty years blessed her peaceful home in Nazareth, and for whom she felt both natural and heaven-born love, the pride and glory of her life, her son, her Saviour, and her God,wasi before her eyes, nailed to the accursed tree. Oh, the agony of the poor mother, so near and so helpless ! Surely many swords must have pierced her gentle breast.
To return to Simon. Ten days after our Lord's ascension, he, with the other Apostles, received the gift of the Holy Ghost. "And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all, with one accord, in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a
* Deut. xxxiv. 6.
f Luke ii. 35.
\. '■
466
THE APOSTLES OF JESUS.
[ • .1
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rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sit- tmg. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues, like as of fire and ,t sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. * 10
The Pentecost was, as you are probably aware, a Jewish festival kept in commemoration of the giving of the law on Mount Sinai. It was also called the day of first-fruits, because on this day the Jews offered thanksgivings to God for the bounties of harvest, and presented to him the first-fruits of the wheat harvest in bread baked of the new corn.
This festival was typical of the miraculous effusion of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles and the first-fruits of the Christian Church. At the feast of Pente- cost, the number of Jews assem- bled at Jerusalem would be very great— collected from nearly all parts of the world; and they who, at the Passover, had seen Jesus crucified, would have now convincing proof that he was the Lord of glory, the prom- ^1 . ,. , , ised Messiah. OnWhit-Sundav.
2ZT" r !, ''' !^\ ^'''""^ "^ '^' "^»y Ghost upon the Apostles. la the early church this was the great day for baptisms because on it the Apostles were baptized with the Holy Ghost and tho three thousand converts received the holy rite on the
cTdidat"^: f 'V"; ""'' Whit-Sunday, or White-Sunday, because candidate, for baptism were arrayed in white garments. When the Apostles were endowed with the supernatural power of speaking many
ZZnZ: T'"^' ''.^'''^ "^^ "^^"^^ ' ^"^ h^ -ho had then "IV, gitt ut them to unite aii as one in Christ.
* Acts ii. 1-4.
SHOES AND SANDALS.
SIMON ZELOTES.
467
With what joy would the news spread among the faithful, that the Comforter had come, and that the Apostles had obtained the promised gift. Jesus was then, they knew, not only risen, but glorified ; and so his disciples felt fresh power and courage. As Iambs among wolves, they had been pent up in Jerusalem ; but now they had no fear of their enemies, and endued with the power of the Holy Spirit, boldly came forth and declared their faith. Great was the success of their first day's labor. Three thousantl became converts, and were baptized, " and they continued steadfastly in the Apostles' doctrine and fellow- ship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers." "^
Simon remained with the other Apostles until their dispersion throughout the world, when he, Nicephorus in his history of the Church tells us, went to Africa, and, ar ■ ig the most barbarous nations^ preached the Gospel. After then, it is said by the same writer, Doro- theus and others, that he sailed westward, and finally reached Britain. Supposing this to be true (and it is not improbable, for it is certain that Christianity was introduced into Britain in the time of the Apostles), how dear should the name of Simon Zelotes be to the English people ! When we read of the Apostles traveling over every part of the world, and preaching in all the cities, we must be forcibly struck with the wisdom and goodness of God in conferring upon them the gift of tongues. Even now, with all the advantages of books, it takes the diligent student years to acquire a perfect knowledge of a foreign lan- guage. How much more difficult would it be with the Apostles, in whose days printing was unknown ? Picture to yourselves Simon or Paul in England without the gift they had received on the day of Pen- tecost. Miracles they might perform, but what would be the result, if they could only speak in their native language ? Doubtless, the sick would flock after them to be healed, the dead would be brought to them to be raised to life, and crowds, out of curiosity, would attend them ; but not a soul would be led to Christ. And how did the Britons treat zealous Simon, who had left his home, friends, and all he most valued on earth, and h.ad traveled many, many miles to convey to
* Acts il. 42.
468
THE APOSTLES OF JESVS.
the heathen the glad tidings of a Saviours love ? They crueified him I
EASTERN MODE OF THRESH I N(;.
ied him I
precious
Simon
PAUL.
N the New Testament we read the account of the life, of the death, of the resurrection, and of the ascension of our blessed Saviour ; also of the de- scent of the Holy Ghost upon the Apostles, and of their first labors, before Saul of Tarsus is men- tioned. And how is he introduced to us ? As a violent persecutor of the followers of Christ, as- sisting the murderers of Stephen in their bloody ^M\ " ^^^^^- ^^"^ himself tells us that he was "con-
-^1 ' senting unto his (Stephen's) death, and kept the rai- ment of them that slew him." * Who was Saul ? Let Saul himself answer the question: "I am verily a man which' am a Jew, born m Tarsus, a city in Cilicia."t It was no mean city then that Saul boasted as his birthplace— famed as Tarsus was for its learn- mg, magnificence, and the beauty of its position. There he spent his youthful days. Amidst the heights of Taurus, and by the fall of the Cydnus, how often had the young Cilician wandered, gazing upon scenes full to hmi of associations that roused every feeling of ambition m his ardent bosom. Often would he tread the battle-fields of Alex- ander and Caesar; and how often, as he gazed upon the broad Cydnus would he think of that gorgeous pageant of beauty and luxury, when Cleopatra sailed up the river to meet Antony at Tarsus. Saul did at length, become a soldier, but not under any earthly commander, and obtained conquests far greater than did ever Alexander.
He was not an only child ; possibly his parents had many sons and daughters, but of one dear sister alone we read, whose son, in after
* Acts xxii. 20.
28 L
t Acts
xxn.
469
JM
,
7X>
470
THE APOSTLES OF JESUS.
years, was the instrument of saving his uncle's life. The father of Saul was a Jew. a true descendant of Abraham, of the tribe of Bcnia- mm. Why he left the land of his fathers we know not; but in his foreign home he continued a strict Pharisee, and. doubtless, an honest one. who tried to serve God as his ancestors had done. In his own persuasion he trained his son, who lived after the straitest sect of his religion, a Pharisee. The study of the Old Testament Scriptures would not, therefore, be neglected in the education of Saul The ycung Jew was likewise taught a trade, that of tent-making, accordin^r to the Jewish maxim, « He who teaches not his son a trade, teaches him to be a thief" But for a nobler calling was Saul destined by his parents than that of tent-making. Among the learned of their own nation they hoped to see their son hold a high position. Tarsus
boasted of possessing one of the three greatest universities in the world, and so we may suppose that, at an early age, Saul took his place among the students of his native city. Why he did not complete his education at home is a matter for conjecture, but probably the rigid Pharisee dreaded the influence unbelieving Gentile youths might exercise over the mind of his son, and so sent him to Jerusalem to be "taught according to the perfect manner of the law of the fathers."* With what emotions would the ardent Saul gaze for the first time upon the holy city I How eagerly would each part of it be visited as the scene of some fact of sacred history I Little thought he then, that in a few years he would gaze upon many of the same spots with feelinos of veneration increased tenfold, because they were associated with the life and death of the Lord Jesus.
Saul's teacher was Gamaliel, a learned doctor of the law a man of eminence, and '< had in reputation among al! the people '' f He is generally believed to have been a son of the devout Simeon who took the infant Jesus in his arms in the temple. The young Cilician soon
PTOLEMY PHILADEL- PHUS.
* Acts xxii. 3.
fActsv. 34.
father of of Bcnja- )ut in his an honest
his own i-xt of his Scriptures lul. The according e, teaches -d by his heir own Tarsus
greatest ■ suppose e among
did not atter for
dreaded IS might sent him e perfect s would ! How e fact of. e would neration life and
man of
He is
ho took
in soon
PAUL
4/:>
ANCIENT HOOKS.
"P bigoted, narrow-minded, and utterly " "'"'>' ''"^' ^^"^'-' ^''"l grew
unable to tolerate any religious sect that
differed from his own. Such was the
future Apostles state of mind when he
ceased to be a pupil of Gamaliel, and, as
IS supposed, returned to Tarsus. Nearly
four hundred miles north of Jerusalem lay his distant home. Can we not im- agine the accomplished scholar nausin- now and then, on his long journey, to exrmime places of particular beauty or ■nterest.' If he trayeled by land, the
'rp^tib°;.:::f.:; ^rir;*:/- -t or his 1... and as he
templation of a scene of such grandeur and ovelmess as the Lake at all times presented, i'crnaps, as he .sauntered along its banks he siw a weather-beaten fisherman, ^^■\ih two mtenigent-lookingyoung men, washing their nets m the shallow water; and not far from them another group, composed of a matron with a gentle youth, watching her husband ana eider son busily preparing for their night of to.l.^ How little would the proud .-Tnd Icarnea young Pharisee imagine that ere four youths (Peter ,^ ndr^T^^"''' had passed away, he and those
SCROLL OR BOOK
474
THE APOSTLES OF JESUS.
the years that intervened from the time he left Gamaliel's sclujol till he appeared as a persecutor of the followers of Jesus ; but, probably lie hved with his parents at Tarsus, perfecting himself in Hebrew,' Greek, Latin, the Jewish law, and the arts and sciences.
How important in the world's histor>' were those few years I The blessed Redeemer had become a sacrifice for the sins of mankind, and his faithful disciples were teaching the doctrines of the cross through- out Judea. Fondly had the chief priests, the scribes, Pharisees, and all the difierent sects, hoped that, with the death of their leader, the Nazarenes, as they called the believers in Jesus, would be crushed • but how much they were mistaken. " The word of God increased, and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly ; and a
great company of the priests were obedient to the faith." =»= The enemies of Jesus became more and more alarmed ; they no longer hesitated, and perse- cution was resorted to. With all the violence peculiar to his sect, Saul hated the Nazarenes. We have reason to belie\e that he had never seen Jesus, so that only in a perverted form did he perhaps hear the doctrines of the holy One; and he had no. opportunity of witnessing the divine graces of the Saviour, which inspired many a bigoted Jew with feelings of love, awe, and admiration No sooner did Saul perceive that his religion was in danger, than studies, home,— all were forgotten but his zeal toward God, ^\•hich made him think that he " ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth." f He scorned the idea that the son of a poor carpenter, who chose a few fishermen as his most intimate friends should be the Messiah— the Prince of Peace he and his forefathers had looked for.
JEWISH .SCROLLS USKI) IN TFACHING THE VOUNG.
♦ Acts vi. 7.
fActs xxvi. 9.
PAUL.
475
'-^
^;jie~»i*-.a*^"^'
. onncd to take charge of the money for the rehef of the |,„„r, ;,s
I as o preach the Gospel and bapti.e the converts. He wai a n,a„
„;,;,"" •■'"' 'T"; ^':"'"'"' -'"^l R'--t wonders and n.iraeles
; 1 r^U ,""' '" ' "■ ^''^^' ■^'^■|'l>-> -K'""l with „,en of
h en ' ""'■ T'""^' '^■''"'" '"''''' '^'^' '"• I-''>^'1« Saul, who was then at Jerusalem, was one of those who disputed xv ith him But
r", it r^r' r'\ "^ ^'""'"^•' ""'"' ■-' ■■'■'-' "- --lo" n^
^ ' " ,'^f "■''";'' ''^ ^,^'^-l'l'^") ^l«ke." t Before the .Sanhedrim was accuser Ste^-^ ^f^"' '''' '^^'' ^^"--^ ^^ P— '• "ho speaking- blas])hcmy aL^ain.st the holy place and the law. He was calm, "and all they that sat in the council, look- ing steadfastly on him,
saw his face as it had
been the face of an
''i"gt'l."J- Stephen's
eloquent and spirited
defense you will find
in the seventh chapter
of the Acts of the
Apostles. At the close of it you read how he accused his jud-^es
of bemg stiff-necked and uncircumcised of heart betrayer a'nd
murderers of the just One, who had received the L^ had Tot
kept ,t This enraged h,s enemies to such a degree that they
Ghos . looked up steadfastly into heaven, and saw the glon^ of God and Jesiis standmg on the right hand of God. and said. ^Behold 1
a^d :f GT"Vh^""f ' ^"' '^' '°" ^' "^^" ^^-^-g - the .nth hand of God. Then they cried out with a loud voice; and stopped
r^-'^
t-rfSu~1=-
f.^^5#».>i..
— ^'-jSSSi^^' "
NAZARirni.
* Acts vi. 8.
I Acts vi. 10.
JActs vi. 15.
476
THE APOSTLES OF JESUS.
their ears, and ran upon him with one accord, and cast him out of the city, and stoned him ; and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a youns^r nian's feet, whose name was Saul. And tiicy stoned Stephen, calling- upon God, and sayini,^ Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their chari^e. And, when he had said this, he fell asleep." =i^ " Devout men carried Stei)Iien to his burial, and made great lamentation over him."f Where the place of his interment was we know not ; perhni)S the rich counselor, Joseph, provided a tomb for the mangled remains of the martyr. A cavern is still shown in the valley of Jehoshaphat, into which it is said the murderers of Stephen dragged their victim when life was extinct. How bitterly must Saul afterward have mourned over the share he had taken in Stephen's murder ! Often, perhaps, even before his conversion, the angelic face of the martyr haunted him,' and he marveled at the courage, firmness, love, and forgiveness of the follower of One whom he regarded as an impostor. But whatever his thoughts were at the time of Stephen's death, his heart was not softened, for he afterward "made havoc of the church, entering into every house, and haling men and women, committed them to prison." J He himself says: "And I punished them oft in every synagogue, and compelled them to blaspheme ; and being exceeding mad against them, I persecuted them even unto strange cities." § His fury and mis- guided zeal were insatiable ; for, having harassed the poor Christians at Jerusalem in every way, and driven them from the city, he must needs follow them as far as Damascus, in order that he might bring them bound to Jerusalem to be punished. Perhaps many of those who were assembled in the upper room after the ascension were then in prison, victims of Saul's frenzy, or had fled far away from Jerusalem. How many homes must have been made desolate by the bigoted Pharisee ! How many families would only dare to worship the cruci- fied Lord secretly, for fear of Saul of Tarsus I How would his name strike terror even into the hearts of the brave women who followed Jesus from Galilee to Calvary ! How would the sisters of Bethany
♦Acts vii. 55-60.
f Acts viii. 2.
J Acts viii. 3.
§ Acts xxvi.
II.
PAUL.
^77
tremble for the life of their dear brotlicr. if they saw tnc persecutor approaehin- their peaeeful village! But it uould take too long to enumerate half of the miseries Saul, in his blinded zeal, brought upon the believers.
It was about the year a.d. 35, a few months after Stephens martyr- dom, that "Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter a-ainst tlie disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest, and desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that, it he found any of this way. whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem." =!•■ His request was complied with; and he and a few attendants left Jerusalem for Damascus. No inclination would he
DAMASCUS.
feel to linger on the way; yet, eagerly would he note every group of travelers he passed, and, if his suspicions were roused, he would most probably pause to inquire the object of their journey, and not unlikely, if they proved to be followers of the crucified One, he had them' seized and carried to the nearest prison, there to await his return from Damascus, when they would help to swell the number of those he hoped to lead into the council chamber to hear their doom. In a lew days, his long journey of one hundred and thirty miles drew near its close. Perhaps some fugitives, who had seen him on the road,
* Acts ix. I, 2,
*78 THh APusl'Lhs <^F JESUS.
had reached Damasct/. >>efore hi.n, and had told the belicvrrs tlicre that the merciless 8aul oi Tjrsus was approaching the city If so hovv would the trembhn.. disciples seek for places of refuge wherein' to lie concealed so long a. Iru: fierce persecutor rcnmined in the Syrian capital. Possibly, from tiie roofs of houses here and there anxious eyes gazed along the banks of Abana and Fharpar. to catcli the first glimpse of the dreaded one I Oh, how many prayers would ascend to heaven, that God would protect his children, and not let them be delivered as prey into the hands of the destroyer I
It was mid-day when the travelers' journey was suddenly checked They were within half-a-milc of Damascus. The burning sun was directly over their heads, and, doubtless, they looked forward with no litt e pleasure to procuring rest, shelter, and refreshment within the wall, of the city. Even the over-zealous Saul would, probably be thinking tha nz r< ist rest awhile before presenting his letters and commencing his search for the Nazarenes, when ^"suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven: and he fell to the earth and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul. Saul, why persecutest thou' me? And he said. Who art thou. Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. And he, trembling and astonished, said. Lord, what wilt thou have me to do ? And the Lord said unto him. Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do."* In a moment Saul was a Christian. He never was a hypocrite. He had believed as he had professed, that Jesus of Nazareth was an impostor; but now. from the evidence of his own senses, he was convinced of his error. He had seen Jesus in his glorified human nature, and had conversed with him. This would have been sufficient to have checked him in his persecution of the disciples ; but more than this was accomplished. The powerful o-ce of the Saviour had changed his heart and quickened him to spini ;■. iife.
Saul's companions were speechle-is ^ Mm terror: *hey saw the light but nothing more, and heard not, oi dia m\ understand, what paf^.ed
* Acts ix. 3-6.
PAUL ^75
between the Lord Jesus and Said. When tlic nvw convert arose Woxw the ground lie was sightless, and was led by his companions into the city. I'or three days he remained blind .md fastin^-, and probably nei(lecteil by men. No sympathy now would he have with unbeliev- ers, or they with him, ami the brethren would not dare to api.roach him until they h.id some better evidence of his sudden and recent con- \crsioi) Mian his own words. At the end of three days the Lord ap- peared unl(. a disciple, named Ananias, a very devout man, supposed to have been one of the seventy, and "said unto him, Arise, and go into the street wiiich is called Straight, and in- quire in the house of Judas for one called Saul, of Tarsus; for, behold, he prayeth, and hath seen in a vision a man, named Ananias, coming in, and putting his hand on him, that he might receive his sight." ^'= Ananias hesitated. He knew Saul's reputation as a persecutor, also what had at that time Ijrought him to Damascus ; but the Lord told him that he wa^ now a chu.^en vessel, to preach the gospel both to the Jews and
Gentiles. So Ananias went to the house where Saul was, and laid his hands upon him, and told him that the Lord had sent him to him, that he might receive his sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost. "And immediately there fell from his eyes as it had been scales: and he received his sight forthwith, and arose, and was baptized."! He at once joined himself to the disciples, "and
PRACTICING THE CUNNING ARTS,
as
* Acts ix. II, It
fActs ix. iH.
480
THE APOSTLES OF JESUS.
S'God.'* P"""'" ''''"^' '" '"^ ^>-S°g"-. "--t he is the
it if'niT' 'f' '"'" "' ""^ P'"'™' ^^^y' ^ "'^h ='"d beautiful city In it IS still the street called Straight, which is about three miles in leno-th
runmng, direct line across the city from east to w^t" N I fh '
eastern gae,s a house, said to be the one which belonged to ludas
where Saul lodged after his conversion. There is in ifa very sma M
closet, xvhere, according to tradition, the Apostle passed the Ihree dav
he remamed b ind, and without food, Thlre is afso, in Str ight St eet
a fountain, which ,s believed to have supplied the water for Sauls'
annually walkmg m procession to the scene of Sauls conversion and there reading the history of it. conversion, and
Saul did not stay long in the Syrian capital after he was baotizeH but went into Arabia, where he preached the Gospel fo three yars' and then returned to Damascus, and taught openly'^n the syna— "and confounded the Jews which dwell at Damascus nrovin^^w his IS very Christ." f Unable to withstand his argm ien s the Mt became enraged and resolved to kill him. Saul, nowing Ih design, concealed himself, and his enemies watched the gals by day and by night, that he might not escape. It is evident fh't no little
WrhThTr"''^'' '" ''^"^^^"^ '^'"^'^ conversion of I u to faith he had been once so indefatigable in attempting to crush In h.s second epistle to the Corinthians, when recounting thvriois trials ,,e had gone through, he said, '.In Damascus, ±gove no under Aretas, the king, kept the city of the Damascenes with'a "rri ■.on, desirous to apprehend me." % Vain, however, were all the efforts of the governor and his soldiers, for the Lord had a mighty work fo his servant to accomplish. "Then the disciples took Wn b nthT and let ,m doun by the wall in a basket"/ The window or port- ho.e m the parapet of the great wall of Damascus, through wi^ht ^ aid, Saul escaped, ,s still shown, and is called St. Paul's Gate Without any human friend to accompany him, and surrou ded ^■
»AcKix. 20. tActsi.. „. JiCor.xi. 3,.
§ Acts ix. 35.
he is the
city. In in length, Near the to Judas, 'ery small hree days :ht Street, "or Saul's point of sion, and
baptized, ee years, agog-ues, 'ing that the Jews ng their i by day no little j1 to the ish. In various overnor a garri- - efforts I'ork for V night, )r port- hich, it s Gate, ied hv
PAC7L.
481
dangers of almost every description, Saul of Tarsus commenced his journey back to Jerusalem. He had, however, one friend near him,- the Lord Jesus, who never left him by night nor by day; and he could, with sincerity say, " I will fear no evil, for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me."=*=
The weary journey was accomplished. Oh. how welcome to the rave er would be the first glimpse of the glorious and snow-^vhite temple ! But no friend greeted him as he entered Jerusalem. Mis lormer associates would have shunned him. even if they had reco- nized.in the humble, penitent pilgrim, the once proud and spirited Saul of 1 arsus. And the disciples either had not heard of his conver- sion, or did not credit it, for, when he wished to join them, "they were all afraid of him, and believed not that he was a disciple." f Barna- bas, however, "brought him to the Apostles, and declared unto them how he (Saul) had seen the Lord in tile way, and that he had spoken unto him. and how he had preached boldly at Damascus in the name of Jesus."J The fears of the disciples were at once removed, and Saul
"was with them, coming in and going out at Jerusalem. And he spake boldly m the name of the Lord Jesus, and disputed against he Grecians : but they went about to slay him."S Fifteen days only did he remain at Jerusalem. While he was prayincr one day in the temple, he fell into a trance, and the Lord appeared unto him. and told him to leave Jerusalem quickly for he must\ro far away unto the Gentiles. Saul may have hesitated to go out of the city for the brethren, we read, knowing the evil designs of the Jews " brought him down to Cassarea, and sent him forth to Tarsus "11 We cannot help wondering how he was received by his relatives and
SOOTHSAYERS.
* Ps. xxiii. 4. t Acts ix. 26. X Acts ix. 27. § Acts ix. 28. 29.
Acts ix. 30.
482
I
i
THE APOSTLES OF JESVS.
f ends at Tarsus. Did the ng,d Pharisee (supposing him to be stil! ahve) disown h>s son .' And did his mother and sister shed tears ol sorrow and joy when they once more beheld him ? Or had sonic
w^lfof ^r:'"r '^^f",P^^^t'"° ^'^"'' '=™^''''^'' '■■' Tarsus, and the whole of Sauls famdy been illuminated by the olorious lirfit of fl,.
•-ast, and that, in sweet communion with his kindred, Saul spent the hree or four years he remained in his native city. Rdations we know, he had who were Christians, some of whom had en,bracld «" faith before his conversion. But where these lived I cannot tell
thlTcitr ".l'7''T" '^'"' T'' '^" ^P'-^"^ '" *^ brethren of andnwfH: ' =7=' "Andronicus and Junia, my kinsmen
and my fellow-prisoners, who are of note among the Apostles «ho also were in Chiist before me."* rtposiies, «no
The history of Saul, from this time till his separation from Barnabas, you have read in the life of James the Less. One fact however. I omitted to note, which is this, after Sergius Pauhis the Governor of Cyprus, had been converted, the great Apostle is always spoken of in the saered history as Paul. There are various conjecture^ as to the reason of this change; one of which is, that he himself took the latter name in honor of the noble convert, Sergius Paulus; but it .s very probable that, as Saul was a Jewish name, and Paul a Roman
he"ls%''rii''f '•''''■'"'" " ^™^ ='"°"S the pagan Romans he was henceforth chiefly to labor.
After Paul and Barnabas had parted, the former, accompanied by Silas, went through Syria and Cilicia, and then came to Derbe and 1 ystra. At Derbe the Apostle met with Timothy, and chose him for his companion The father of Timothy was a Greek ; but his mother Eunice, was a Jewess, who had, with her mother and son, been con-' verted to Christianity during Pauls previous visit to those parts. The remembrance of the unfeigned faith of Timothy's gnmdmother, Lois, and of his mother, Eunice, filled Paul with joy : so he tells Timothy in his second epistle to him. I have not space to write at length of the
* Rom. xvi. 7.
PAUL
483
to be still 1 tears ol lad sonic 5, and tlu :ht of the were tlie spent the tions, we raced the not tell ^thren of kinsmen ties, who
an from )ne fact, Lilus, the 3 always ijectures elf took ; but it Roman Romans
nied by be and him for mother, ;n con- ;. The r, Lois, othy in of the
most excellent Timothy. Paul truly loved him, and from remarks he several times made, it is evident that he hiL;hly esteemed him. Through various countries the three journeyed, leaving at each city they came to a copy of the decree of the Council of Jerusalem Their route was directed by the Holy Ghost, who forbade them, alter they had been throughout Phrygia and Galatia, preaching in Asia. When they reached Mysia, they attempted to go into Bithynia ; " but the Spirit suffered them not,"* so they went to Troas. It was here that Luke, the Evangelist, is believed to have joined them, as the word we, for the future, often takes the place of t/icy. Luke (who wrote the Acts of the Apostles) was a physician ; and, as Paul had, in Galatia, been attacked with sickness, it is possible he accompanied him, in order that he might not only assist in the ministry, but attend to the health of the great Apostle. At Troas "a vision appeared to Paul in the night : there stood a man of Mace- donia, and prayed him, saying. Come over into Macedonia, and help us." f This was Paul's call to Europe. He obeyed the call ; and, with his companions, Timothy, Silas, and Luke, embarked upon the /Egean Sea. Only one island they touched at before they reached the port of Neapolis; from thence they proceeded to Philippi, the capital of Macedonia.
There were so few Jews at Philippi that they had no .synagogue, but only an oratory by the river side, wherein they conducted their ser- vices, or, as St. Luke expresses it, " where prayer was wont to be made.";|: In this humble building, to a few poor women, was Christ first preached in Europe ; and the first convert we read of was Lydia,
DIANA, JUl'ITI-R AND MINERVA.
* Acts xvi. 7.
I Acts xvi. 9.
I Acts Kvi 1 3.
484
THE APOSTLES OF JESUS.
a seller of purple dye. She was baptized, with her household and constrained Paul and his companions to become her guests Daily would It appear that Paul and his fellow-laborers went to this place of prayer, and they were often followed by a damsel who was a Pyth- oness, that IS, a sort of witch, who, being- possessed with a spirit of divination cried out, " These men are the servants of the most high God, which show unto us the way of salvation.'"* But Paul needed not Satan to be his witness, and he commanded the demon to come out of her, "and he came out the same hour.-f Her masters who had profited much by her diabolical arts, were very indignant when they found their trade was spoiled ; and they caught Paul and Silas and, taking them before the magistrates, falsely accused them. Most --.ruelly were tiie devoted missionaries treated ; their clothes were torn off, they were beaten with many stripes, and then thrust into a dark cold and damp inner prison. No sleep visited the suffering captives' If their bleeding wounds were not sufficient to prevent them closing their eyes, the painful position they were compelled to be in (as it is supposed that not only their feet, but their hands and their necks were confined in the stocks) would prevent them resting. And how did they pass the long, tedious hours. In prayer ? Yes ; but not, as you might imagine, interrupted by bursts of grief, for "at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God ; and the prisoners heard them. ^ Perliaps thieves and murderers, waiting for their doom on the morrow, heard the heavenly strains, and wondered what new sounds they were that made them weep who had never shed tears before; and the le.ss guilty criminals possibly listened with clasped hands and streaming eyes to music which, they knew not why melted their hearts within them. Only the stern jailer slept ; but soon he was to be awoke, not only from his temporal, but his spiritual sleep, for "suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and every one's bands were loosed. And the keeper of the prison' awaking out of his sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, he drew out
* Acts xvi. 1 7.
t Acts xvi. 18.
JActs xvi. 25.
PAUL.
48:
his sword and would have killed himself, sui)posino- that the prisoners had been fled. But Paul cried with a loud voice, savin- Do thyself no harm : for we are all here. Then he called for a linht, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas and brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved ? And they said. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved and thy house. And they spake unto him the x\ord of the Lord and to all that were in his house. And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes, and was baptized, he and all his straightway. And when he had brought them into his house, he set meat before them, and rejoiced, believing in God, with all his house. And when it was day, the magistrates sent the Serjeants, saying, Let those men go. And the keeper of the prison told this saying to Paul, The magis- trates have sent to let you go ; now therefore depart, and go in peace. But Paul said unto them. They have beaten us openly, uncon- demned, being Romans, and have cast us into prison ; and now do they thrust us out privily? Nay, verily, but let them come themselves, and fetch us out. And the Serjeants told these words unto the magis- trates, and they feared when they heard that they were Romans And they came and besought them, and brought them out and desired them to depart out of the city." * And so the noble and brave Paul and Silas were brought out of prison bv the friohtencd and humbled magistrates, who were indebted solely to the Christian for- bearance of their late victims, that they were not punished for the breach of the law in having scourged Roman citizens.
Paul and Silas shortly after this departed from Philippi, leaving Timothy and Luke in charge of the infant church there. At Thessa- lonica, Paul reasoned with the Jews in their synagogue. He reminds
IN THE STOCKS.
* Acts xvi. 26-
39-
n
ifi
Tf
{
I ■
I,
n>i
486
THE APOSTLES OF JESUS.
the Thessalonian disciples of this in his first epistle to them, " Even after that we had suffered before, and were shamefully entreated, as ye know, at Philipi)i, we were bold in our God to speak unto you the gospel of God with much contention.'" =^ Some unbelieving Jews, however, of the lowest class, collected a mob, and set all the^city in an uproar, assaulting the house of Jason, where Paul and Silas lodged; but the brethren sent away Paul and Silas by night to Berea. Here
ANCIENT ATHENS.
the great Apostle was much encouraged, for the Jews of Berea •'received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the Scriptures daily, whether these things were so. Therefore many of them believed ; also of honorable women which were Greeks, and of men, not a few." f The Jews, however of Thessalonica ifollowed
♦Thess. i. 2.
f Acts xvii. II, 12.
'•~.''S^ymi$';jx, '-I'ljmum
111, " Even ited, as ye ) you the ing Jews, he city in s lodged; I. Here
PAC/L
48;
mi
I ---/^^r*^^
)f Berea hed the iiany of and of bl lowed
^-'lu! and Silas to Rcrca, and stirred up the people a-ainst tliem. I 1^' iMVthrcn immediately sent Paul away, but Silas and Timolhv ithe latter must have joined his two friends again, remained at P,erea ' nder the care of an escort. J-ui! traveled south till he arrived at Athens, when his friends from Berca left him, and returned home conveymg a message from Paul to Silas and Timothy that thev should come to him with all speed. In a strange citv, perhaps still suHormg from the ill-treatment he met with at Philippi. no wonder aul longed for the society of his faithful and tri.-d companions Idle However he could not be. He disputed in the synagogue and in the '^'•'iket daily. He was accused, among other things, of being a setter lorth of strange gods, because he preached unto the people Jesus and tlie resurrection. They took him to the Areopagus, on Mars' Hill. th(- pnncpa court of justice in Athens. The Areopagus was an ancient and celebrated tribunal held on a hill of rock, in some of the caverns o which the Puries (spirits supposed to be charged with the infliction ot divine vengeance) were reputed to dwell. The Areopagites, who were the chief men of the city, judged murderers and all immoral persons. I hey also rewarded virtue, and were particularly active in punishing those who set up strange gods. More than four hundred years before Paul was brought to this tribunal. Socrates, havinc. been accused of the crime of introducing strange deities into the state, was condemned by the Areopagites to drink the cup of hemlock. _ Paul, we are told, stood in the midst of Mars' Hill. How impres- sive the scene must have been ! Hie undaunted Apostle beneath the blue canopy of heaven, at the top of the rock, facing his noble judcres who occupied seats hewn out of the stone. Before the prisoner was spread a glorious prospect of mountains, islands, and seas; and be- hind him arose the lofty Acropolis, crowned with all its marble tem- ples. Having been asked to explain the new doctrine of which he had spoken, he replied that, in passing through their city, he had ob- served an altar with this inscription. "To the unknown Cxod "* He then, in a few simple words, told his listeners who the unknown God
* Acts xvii. 23.
29 L
4S8
run APOSTLES OF JESUS.
was whom they i<;norantly worshiped, that he was no otlier than the great God, tlie creator of all tilings, the Lord of heaven and earth, who dwelleth not in temples made with hands, " neither is worshiped with men's hands, as though he needed anything, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things." f= The remainder of Paul's address to the Athenians you will find in the seventeenth chapter of the Acts of the Apostles. The effect produced upon his listeners was that some mocked, "and others said, We will hear thee again of this matter," f and some believed. Among the last was Dionysius, the Areopagite, who is said to have been afterward made Bishop of Athens, and to
CORINTH.
have been burned to death in that city in the year a.d. 93. The palace he occupied previous to his conversion stood close to Mars' Hill, and upon the site of it a church was afterward built, which is now a ruin. Another person, mentioned as having been converted in Athens, was a woman, named Damaris, supposed by some to have been the wife of Dionysius. Paul, it seems, was allowed to leave Athens without further molestation. He went next to Corinth, and there abode with a Jew of the name of Aquila, and his wife, Priscilla, who had been, with
* Acts xvii. 25.
f Acts xvii. 32.
PAUL.
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a «i[rcat number of Other Jews, banished from Rome by the limperor Clauilius. They were tent-makers, and, as Paul would not be burden- some to them, he wrouyiit at his old trade for his daily brcLid. It was in Corinth, and most probably in the house of Aquila and Priscilla, that he wrote the first of his epistles, which was to the Thessalonians. Shortly after he wi"ote, also in Corinth, his second epistle to the Thes- salonians. The friendship he at this time formed with the excellent A([uila and Priscilla lasted until his death. On the Sabbath days he reasoned in the syna^^ogues, but the unbelieving Jews opposed him so violently that he shook his raiment, and said unto them, " \'our blood be upon your own heads: I am clean. Prom henceforth I will j^o unto the Gentiles."-^ The Lord, however, appeared to Paul in a vision in the niu^ht, and said, " Be not afraid, but speak, and hold not thy peace, for I am with thee, and no man shall set on thee to hurt thee ; for I have much people in this city. And he continued there a year and six months, teachini^' the word of God among them." f lie made use of the house of a convert, of the name of Justus, to preach in, though still living with Aquila and Priscilla. There can be no doubt that Paul worked at tent-making during the whole of the time he stayed at Corinth ; and, possibly, notwithstanding this, he suffered from want, as a famine was then prevailing throughout Greece. He was, however, cheered by the arrival of Silas and Timothy from Macedonia, who brought him relief from that country. St. Paul, in his second epistle to the Corinthians, says, " And when I was present with you, and wanted, I was chargeable to no man ; for that which was lacking to me, the brethren which came from Macedonia supplied." X
Among those who believed in Corinth was Crispus, the chief ruler of the synagogue. The conversion of such an influential person enraged the Jews more and more, so they made an insurrection, and took Paul before Gallio, the pro-consui, but he would not listen to them, and drove them from the judgment seat. And the Greeks took Sosthenes (probably the successor of Crisp'js), the chief ruler of the synagogue, " and beat him before the judgment seat. And Gallio
* Acts xviii. 6.
•{•Acts xviii. 9-11.
X 2 Cor. xi. 9,
490
THE APOSTLES OF JESOS.
cared for none of those things.-^ lie did not consider it his province o interfere ,n tiie disputes between the Jews and the Christians. \Vell, perhaps, it wouM have been for hini if he had concerned hini- •se in the matter, and given Paul an opportunity of defending him- se t be ore iiun. f„r lie was talented and amiable, and might have been ed to believe m Jesus. It may not be uninteresting to you to know that Galho was the elder brother of Seneca, the philosopher. IlaviuLr planted the church in Corinth, Paul sailed to Hphesus, Ac.uila and 1 riscilla accompanying him. The yVpostle did not remain Ion.- at bphesus, but left his traveling companions there, and went up to Jeru- salem. to one ol the feasts. After a very short stay in the holy city he paid what was, probably, his last visit to Antioch. Many years had 1 aul labored as a servant of Christ, but still he thought not of resf and after staying at Antioch some time, he set out on his third mis- sionary journey. I le directed his course toward F.phesus. You will remember that he left Aquila and Priscilla in that city. This worth / couple did all they could to promote the S])read of the Gospel ; and while they were at Ephesus during Pauls absence, " a certain lew named Apollos, born at Alexandria, an eloquent man, and mighty in the Scriptures, came to P:phesus. This man was instructed in the way of the Lord ; and, being fervent in the spirit, he spake and tau. nt diligently the things of the Lord, knowing only the baptism of John And he began to speak boldly in the synagogue : whom, when Aquila and nscilla had heard, they took him unto them, and expounded unto him the way of God more perfectly. And when he was disposed to pass into Achaia. the brethren wrote, exhorting the disciples to receive him: who, when he was come, helped them much which had be heved through grace : for he mightily convinced the Jews, and that publicly, showing by the Scriptures that Jesus was Christ "f
For three months, Paul taught in the synagogue at Ephesus ; but meeting with great opposition from the Jews, he left the synagogue' and, taking with him those who had been brought to Christ, he, in the school of one Tyrannus, instructed them and others, "and this con-
* Acts xviii. 17.
t Actsxviii, 24-28.
province iristiaiis. led Ivi Mi- ng hini- ive been to know Having lila and long at to Jcru- o\y city, :ars had of rest ; rd niis- 'ou will worth / si ; and in Jew, ghty in in the taii^nt f John. Aquila )unded sposed •les to :h had id that
i ; but, jogue, in the s con-
BURNING BOOKS.
491
40-
THE AfViTLES OF JESUS,
tinned by tlic space of two years; so that all they which dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and (ireeks. And God wrought special miracles by the hands of Paul : so that from his body were brought unto the sick handkerchiefs or aprons, and the diseases departed from them, :intl the evil spirits went out of them. Then certain of the vagabond Jews, exorcists, took upon them to call over them which had evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, We adjure you by Jesus, whom Paul preacheth. And there were seven sons of one Sceva, a Jew, and chief of the priests, which did so. And the evil spirit answered and said, Jesus I know, and Paul I know: but who are ye ? And the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, and overcame them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded. And this was known to all the Jews, and Greeks also, dwelling at Ephesus ; and fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified. And many that believed came, and confessed, and showed their deeds. Many of them, also, which used curious arts, brought their books together, and burned them before all men ; and they counted the price of them, and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver. So mightily grew the word of God and prevailed."*
Three years did the great Apostle remain at Ephesus, lodging in all probability with Aquila and Priscilla, and working with them at the trade of tent-making. Shortly before he left the city, a circumstance occurred which rendered it impossible for him to remain longer there with any degree of safety.
The great pride and glory of Ephesus was the temple of Diana, a short description of which will not be out of place here. I must, how- ever, first speak of the false deity for whom this splendid house was prepared. It is difficult to say who she was, as, some hundreds of years before Paul was at Ephesus, she had, according to tradition, fallen from heaven. The priests said Jupiter had sent her. Those who had no faith in her said that she had been made by men who, as soon as she was finished, w^ere put to death or banished by the priests,
♦ Actsxix. 10-20.
mm
PAUL
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A)rfear they should bctravhcr humble orij^in. As she presented, u^ion her first appearance, a sliapeless form tliat re(|uirecl a stretch ot the ima^inatit)n to re,^ard as an\ thin;< like human, and in which (br>n she is re|)resentetl on ancient coins, she probably did fall from heaven, and was neither more nor less than an aerolite, or meteoric stone. I sup- j)ose it was sufficient for superstitious peo|)le that the priests saic/ that the lumj) of stone was a goddess, and Ju|)iter's gift. She was magnifi- cently adorned, and I should imagine, when she took possession of her temj)le, Jui)iter himself woukl scarcely have recognized her. This temple, for beauty and costliness, became one of the seven wonders of the world. It was built entirely of marble, of such pure whiteness that it dazzled the eyes of the beholder; and was four hundred and twenty-nine feet long, and two lumdred and twenty broad. The shrine of the goddess was surrounded by a colonnade, open to the sky, com- posed of a hundred and twenty-seven columns of Parian maible, sixty feet high, each weighing a hundretl and fifty tons, and each the gift of a monarch. Inside, it was decorated with cedar, cypress, gold, jewels, and precious stones, pictures, and statues. One picture alone was worth twenty talents of gold. ■= One of the statues was of pure gold; and the altar was most magnificent. The roof was supported by columns of green jasper.
The silversmiths of Ephesus made multitudes of cabinets or chap- lets, little shrines, in the form of the temple, with an image of Diana in each of them. These, and probably silver medals of the splendid temple, they sold to strangers, for the false deity had numerous wor- shipers in various parts of Greece. At one season of the year in particular, crowds from all parts of Asia, and of Europe, went to Ei)hesus, to the great annual festival in honor of Diana, and fortunate would any stranger deem himself who could purchase a silver shrine or medal.
The natural consequence of the spread of Christianity was the decline of the gainful trade of the silversmiths. One of these, Deme- trius, called his fellow-craftsmen and their workmen together, and told
♦1187,550.
494
THE APOSTLES 01' JESUS.
chem that, through the preaching of Paul, not only was their trade in danger, but the great goddess Diana would be despised, and they "cried out, saying, Great is Diana of the Ephesians." =i^ The whole eity was soon in confusion. The multitude seized tuo of Paul's com- panions, Gaius and Aristarchus, and rushed with them into the theater probably with the design of casting them to the wild beasts. The brave and noble Paul, hearing of their danger, would have forced his way into the theater, but the disciples prevented him, knowin<r that the people would at once thro\v him to the wild beasts, which were
MILETUS.
kept there for the amusement of the populace. The confusion was very great, the majority not knowing the reason of the tumult For two hours nothing could be heard but the cry, " Great is Diana of the hphesians." When the mob had become a little calmer, the town- clerk addressed the people, and succeeded in appeasing them. But it was no longer safe for Paul to remain at Ephesus, so he left the city and went into Macedonia. Jiidea was, at this time, in a fearful state. Evils of almost every
* Acts xix. aS.
)mtimmmfmmmi>,^.^.m,
PAUL.
495
description,— famine, wars, and banditti.— were desolatint.r the country l<roni Macedonia, Paul went into Greece, where he met Titus, who had brought great contributions from the church at Corinth for the poor Christians in Jerusalem. Paul was determined himself to carry the assistance to his suffering brethren in Judea. He was about to sail for Syria, when he heard that some Jews were lying in wait to kill hnn; so he went back into Macedonia, and embarked, with several others from that coast to Troas. W^hile at Troas, the indefatigable Apostle preached, on the Sabbath, in an upper room, till midnight. One of his listeners, a young man named Eutychus, who had become drowsy, fell from the window in which he had been sitting, and was taken up dead. "And Paul went down, and fell on him, and, embrac- ing him, said, Trouble not yourselves, for his life is in him. When he, therefore, was come up again, and had broken bread, and eaten and talked a long while, even till break of day, so he departed. And they brought the young man alive, and were not a little comforted."* Pauls companions had proceeded on their journey, while he remained an hour or two longer at Troas, instructing and comforting the con- verts. He went on foot and alone along the shore to Assos, where, according to arrangement, the company were waitintr for him He and his friends embarked on the /Egean Sea. Their^ourse lay past the most lovely scenery. They first cast anchor at Mitylene. the capi- tal of the beautiful island of Lesbos (now Mitylene). Sailing- from thence, they next touched at Chios, and arrived the next day at Samos Paul must, when approaching Samos, have been within a very few miles of Ephesus, in which city he had many dear children in the Lord, whom he longed to see; but he "had determined to sail by P-phesus, because he would not spend the time in Asia: for he hasted •f it were possible for him, to be at Jerusalem the day of Pentecost "f At Miletus the travelers landed. Ephesus was thirty miles from .is city, and Paul sent, desiring the elders of the church of Ephesus to come to him. They obeyed the summons. We can imagine how affecting would be the meeting. A year before, Paul had been oblig.^d
80
♦Acts XX. lo-ia.
t Acts XX. 1 6.
496
THE APOSTLES OF JESUS.
to hastily leave them, to avoid the fury of the enraged worshipers of Diana, and now he knew it was very probable that they would see his face no more. PI is touching, beautiful, and affectionate farewell ad- dress to them you have often read in the twentieth chapter of the Acts. When he hatl ceased speaking, " he kneeled down, and prayed with them all. And they all wept sore, and fell on Paul's neck, and kissed him, sorrowing most of all for the words which he spake, that they should see his face no more. And they accompanied him unto the ship."*
We hear but little more of Ephesus in connection with St. Paul. This once magnificent city, that was considered the metropolis of Asia,
and was called by Pliny the or
BRIDGE NEAR TYRE.
nament of Asia, is now a perfect wreck: all is silence and desola- tion around it. The splendid harbor, that was wont to be filled with vessels from all nations, is now a pestilential marsh, the sea having retired from it. Noble ruins are all now that remain of the theater, and the very site of the temple is uncertam. The call of the partridge may now be heard where the multitude cried "Great is Diana of the Ephesians!" The only relics that have been preservea of the magnificent temple of Diana are eight of the green jasper columns which supported the roof of the shrine of the false goddess. These were removed to Constantinople, and may still be seen in tne great Mosque of St. Sophia. The few wretched inhabitants of Ephesus, chiefly Greeks, live among the ruins, some occupying the vaults of the once gorgeous edifices, and some the sepulchers hewn out of the precipices. You will remember that the glorified Redeemer sent a message by John to the angel, or bishop, of Ephesus, accusing
1« Acts XX. 6-38.
-'i^jpyftTiT
PAUL
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)f h
1(
the church of that city of having left her first love, or, in other words, of having declined in religious fervor, and threatening to remove her candlestick if she did not repent. She did not repentrand her light is wholly extinguished ; for not a single resident Christian remains at Ephesus, to read either the message from heaven, or the epistle of the great Apostle to its church.
To return to Paul and his companions. On the shore of Miletus the parting kiss was given, but the weeping elders of Ephesus acajm- panied their beloved father in God to the ship, and even then were unwilling to say farewell. The voyagers sailed straight to Coos, and from thence to Rhodes.^^' and from Rhodes to Patara, where they found a vessel about to sail for Tyre. In her they took passage, and accom- plished in safety the voyage of four hundred miles. At Tyre they found some disciples who had the gift of prophecy. These foresaw what would befall the Apostle at Jerusalem, and tried to persuade him not to go up to the feast ; but he was not to be deterred from his pur- pose. Luke says, "And when we had accomplished those days, we departed, and went our way; and they all brought us on our way, with wives and children, till we were out of the city, and we kneeled down on the shore and prayed. And when we had taken our leave one of another, we took ship, and they returned home aga.n." f The next port they stayed at was Ptolemais (Acre), where they found some disciples, and abode with them one day ; the next day they landed at Caesarea. Philip, the deacon, received the weary travelers, and they remained with him many days, his four pious daughters, doubtless, with affectionate care, attending to their comfort Here another prophetic voice warned the great Apostle not to go to Jerusalem. Agabus, of whom you have heard before, arrived at C^sarea. and went
* Rhodes was celebrated for the Colossus, a gigantic brazen image, which was made about ,oo years b.c. This huge statue was 126 feet high, and each finger was as large as a man It was used as an observatory, a winding staircase running to the top. It only stood fiftv or sixty y<.ars when It was thrown dovvn by an earthquake ; and for 894 years it remained where it fell' conse' quently, when St. Paul visited the island, the monster was lying on the beach. At length the brass was sold to a Jew for $183,920.00, and the great Colossus was carried away in fragments oa nine hundred camels. f Acts xxi. 5, $.
498
THE APOSTLES OF JESUS.
to the house of Philip. When he saw the pilgrims, "he took Paul's girdle, and bound his own hands and feet, and said. Thus saith the Holy Ghost, So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man that owneth this girdle, and shall deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles. And when we (Luke continues) heard these things, both we and they of that place besought him not to go up to Jerusalem. Then Paul answered. What mean ye to weep and to break mine heart? for I am ready, not to be bound only, but also to die at Jerusalem, for the name of the Lord Jesus. And when he would not be persuaded, we ceased, saymg, The will of the Lord be done. And after those days, we took up our carriag.-s, and went up to Jerusalem." * The word carriao-cs here means bagnra-e, ^
Welcome, indeed, to the suffering Christians in Jerusalem was the sight of Paul and his fri-nds. One day was spent, we may suppose, in mutual inquiries, congratulations, and condolences; and we read that the day following, the strangers went to the house of James the Bishop, where all the elders met him. After saluting them, Paul told them how God had blest his labors among the Gentiles, for which they glorified the Lord. They then informed him that in Jerusalem there were many thousand Jewish converts, who had a great venera- tion for the law, and that they had heard that he (Paul) had preached against the ceremonies o{ the law, and consequently, as soon as his arrival was known, multitudes would come together to hear if this were true. It was agreed, in order that the Jewish converts might be convinced that they had heard a false report, that he should join him- self to four men who had taken a vow, probably for deliverance from sickness, or from some great danger, and that he should ])erform the usual ceremonies in such a case. This Paul agreed to; but the next day, when he went into the temple with the four men to make their offerings, some Jews from Asia stirred up the people, and a tumult was raised against the devoted Paul. He was seized, and dragged out of the temple, and would have been murdered by the excited mob, if the chief captain of the garrison had not, with his soldiers,
* Acts xxi. ii-ij.
PAUL.
rescued him. Supposing Paul to b
439
, , , , , • ' -^ - " ^^' ^ common malefactor, the captain
orc.red a double chain to be put upon him. and that he should be taken to tne castle. So violent were the angry Jews that the soldiers haa to bear tne Apostle iu their arms to prevent him being torn to pieces. AS they were going into the castle, Paul begged the gov- ernor to allow hmi to speak to the people. •' And when he had given hnn iicense. Paul stood on the stairs, and beckoned with the hand unto the people." =^ In perfect silence the assembly listened to his defen x^ until ne scokc of his mission to the Gentiles, and then they " lifted up their voices, and said, Away with such a fellow from the earth ; for it IS not fit that he should live. And as they cried out, and cast off their clothes, and threw dust into tiie air, the chief cap- t.iin commanded him to be brought into tiie castle, and bade that he should be examined by scourg- ing, that he might know wherefore they cried so against him.
And as tlicy bound him with thongs, Paul said unto the centurion that stood by, Is ,t awful for you to scourge a man that is a Roman, and unco„demned?"t When the chief captain heard that Paul was a Koman, he gave orders that he should not be whipped. The freedom of the cty of Rome was Paul's by birthright, he having inherited it from h,s ancestors. The next day the Apostle's chains were knocked off and he was taken to the Sanhedrim. As he stood before his sev- enty judges, he must have thought of the holy Stephen, who, tweptv. four years before, had, on tb- same spot answered his accusers "And
SI DON.
♦ Acts.vxi. 40.
t Acts xxii. 23-35.
SOO
THE APOSTLES OF JESUS.
Paul, earnestly beholding the council, said, Men and brethren, T have lived in all good conscience before God' until this day." =f= This bold assertion of his innocence so enraged the high priest, that he com- manded them that stood by to smite him on the mouth. Paul's spirit was roused at this new insult, and, not knowing that it was the high priest who had spoken, he said, " God shall smite thee, thou whited wall ; for, sittest thou to judge me after the law, and commandest me to be smitten contrary to the law?"f Twelve years afterward, Ananias was slain, when Jerusalem was besieged. Paul perceived that his judges were composed of Pharisees and Sadducees, and being wise as a serpent, though harmless as a doxe, he cried out, " Men and brethren, I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee. Of the hope and resurrection of the dead I am called in question." J In the last icw words he had touched upon the doctrine that caused the greatest dissension between the two sects. " For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, neither angel nor spirit; but the Pharisees confess both." § So the latter wished to release Paul. "And when there arose a great dissension, the chief captain, fearing lest Paul should have been pulled in pieces of them, commanded the soldiers to go down, and to take him. by force from among them, and to bring him into the castle. And the night following, the Lord stood by him, and said. Be of good cheer,' Paul, for as thou hast testified of me in Jerusalem, so must thou bear witness also at Rome." II
Forty vagabond Jews bound themselves by an oath that they would eat nothing until they had killed Paul, but the nephew of their intended victim heard of the plot, and he went into the castle and told Paul, who desired one of the centurions to take the young man to the chief captain. This was done ; and when the captain had licard how that the Jews were lying in wait to kill Paul, "he called unto him two centu- rions, saying, Make ready two hundred soldiers to go to CcTsarea, and horsemen threescore and ten, and spearmen two hundred, at the third hour of the night ; and provide them beasts, that they may set Paul
♦ Actsxxiii. I. fActsxxiii. 3, JActs xxiii. 6. § Acts xxiij. 8. || Acts xxiii. 10, 11.
PAUL.
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on, and bring him safe unto Felix the oovcrnor." * Claudius Lysias, the captain, also wrote a letter to l-elix, telling hini what Paul was accused of, and why he had sent him. When the soldiers with their prisoner arrived at C.esarea, they delivered the letter to Felix, who, when he had read it, asked Paul what province he was of, and, on being- told he was a Cilician, decided to wait till his accusers' arrived. Alter live days, Ananias the priest came to C;esarea, bringing with him
ROME.
a famous orator, named Tertullus, to speak against Paul. This man said that Paul was guilty of sedition, heresy, and profanation of the temple. Paul defended himseK, and proved that he xvas falsely accused. Most eloquently did he plead his own cause. But Felix refused to give judgment in the case till he had seen Lysias. "And
* Acts xxiii.
23. 24-
502
THE APOSTLES OF JESUS.
he commanded a centurion to keep Paul, and to let him have liberty, and that he should forbid none of his acquaintance to minister or come unto him." * For two years Paul remained a prisoner at Q-esa- rea; and doubtless Philip, his four daughters, and many others, >.ot only belonging to Caesarea, but Ptolemais, Tyre, Sidon, and the neighboring places, availed themselves of the privilege of visiting him. Luke was almost his constant companion. Felix often sent for the Apostle to commune with him. At the first interview, Paul, knowing the character of the wicked man in whose presence he stood, reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come. The conscience of the unjust, cruel, immoral, and covetous governor was roused. "Felix trembled, and answered, Go thy way for this time; when I have a convenient season, I will call for thee." f Frequently after- ward did he call for his prisoner; but, alas! not to learn from him the way of salvation, but to endeavor to corrui)t him, for he hoped " that money should have been given him of Paul, that he might loose him." J He probably bore in mind that Paul had brought alms and offerings from the Macedonian Christians for their brethren in Jerusalem.
Felix was removed from his office, and Porcius Festus, a just and honorable man, succeeded him as governor of C^esarea. Three days afterward, business called Festus to Jerusalem. The high priest and the chief of the Jews at once asked him, as a favor, to send for Paul, wickedly intending to lie in wait for the Apostle on the road and assassinate him. Festus did not comply with their request; but, when he returned to Caesarea, took some of Paul's accusers with him.' The Apostle being brought before the judgment-seat, the Jews laid many and grievous complaints against him which they could not prove. Paul asserted his innocence. " But Festus, willing to do the Jews a pleasure, answered Paul, and said. Wilt thou go up to Jerusalem, and there be judged of these things before me ?" § The Apostle, knowing what would be the consequence if he were sent to Jerusalem, told Festus that he was a Roman, and ought to be judged by the laws of Rome; and he, then, solemnly appealed unto Caesar.
♦ Acts xxiv. 23 t Acts xxiv. 25. X Acts xxiv. 26. § Acts xxv. 9.
PAUL
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Some time afterwards, Kint^ Aj^rippa, son of Ilcrod Aj^Ti'ppa, who put James tho Great to death, came to Qusarea, with his sister liernice, on a visit to the new governor, wiio told them all about Paul. " Then Agrippa 'said unto Festus, I would also hear the man myself. T(3- morrow, said he, thL)U shalt hear him. And on the morrow, \\hen Agrippa was come, and Bernice, with great pomp, and was entered into the place of hearing, with the chief captains, and principal men of the city, at Festus' commandmeut Paul was brought forth," '■"' chaineil to the soldier who guarded him. The Roman method of fettering criminals was to lix one end of a chain on the prisoner's right arm, and the other to the left arm of a soldier. The fact of jvablicly wearing this chain, and being coupled with a soldier, was considered very disgrace- ful, and the ignominy would naturally occasion the desertion of former friends. Paul experienced the truth of this, and to Timothy, in his second epistle, speaks with gratitude of one who clung to him notwithstanding his humiliating bonds. "The Lord give mercy unto the house of Onesiphorus, for he oft refreshed me, and was not ashamed of my chain ; but, when he was in Rome, he sought me out very diligently, and found me. The Lord grant unto him that he may find mercy of the Lord in that day."f In extreme cases the prisoner was fastened with two chains to two soldiers. Peter was thus con- fined when he was "sleeping between two soldiers";}; in prison. Paul, also, was fastened to two soldiers when the Jews in Jerusalem wanted to take him.
To return to Caesarea. When Paul was brought before Festus and Agrippa, the former began by stating the prisoner's case, and that he did not know what to say in writing to Caesar when he sent Paul to him. " Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Thou art permitted to speak for thyself. Then Paul stretched forth the hand, and answered for himself.*' § After telling the king that he had been brought up a
C.li:.SAR.
♦Acts XXV. 22, 23. 30 L
f 2 Tim. i. 16, 17. JActsxii. 6. {^ Acts xxvi. i.
504
THE APOSTLES OF JESUS.
Pharisee, he gave him the history of his conversion. Fcstus, being a heathen, knew nothing of Moses, the prophets, or the expected Redeemer, and beheving Paul to be a person deceived by his nnagmation, he became impatient, and interruptin^r \uv^^ ^^\(.,\ out, "Paul, thou art beside thyself; much learning dotliniake thee mad.' Hut he said, I am not mad, most noble Festus ; but speak forth the wc-ds of truth and soberness. For the king knuvveth of these things, before whom also I speak freely: for I am persuaded that none of these things are hidden from him; for this thing was not done in a corner. King Agrippa, believest thou the prophets ? I
know that thou believest. Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Almost thou persuadest me to be a Chris- tian. And Paul said, I would to God that not only thou, but also all that hear me this day, were both almost and altogether such as I am, except these bonds." =^ I low start- ling must h. ve been the effect of the noble prisoner's words ! His voice, his expression, his whole attitude would speak for his sincerity, as he raised his chained hand, and prayed that they, his enemies, might be altogether such as he was, except those bonds. All the inward peace which passeth understanding, all the joy in his blessed Saviour, and all the hope of an immortal crown, he prayed his enemies might share with him, but not his fetters. How truly did Paui obey the precept of his divine Master, "Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you."f
When the great Apostle had ceased speaking, the royal party arose and left the place of hearing. They retired to commune with one
ROMAN CENTURION.
♦ Acts. xxvi. 24-29.
fMatt. V. 44.
PAUL
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.-^' - -^
!.r* V* -lK
another, and Paul went back to prison to commune with his God Ihc knig. the governor, the officers of state, tiie magistrates, and the prmcipal men of Cacsarea, unanimously pronounced Paul to be inno- cent, and he would have been at once set at liberty if he had not ap- pealed unto Caesar. We cannot help wonderin- whether any of that assembly who had listened to Paul were not only almost, but alto- j^^ether, persuaded to be Christians. Possibly some were, and after- ward testified that, as far as they were concerned, the Apostles prayer was answered, but Agrippa and Festus were not of the number; and 1 ernice if history may be relied upon, many years after Paul had changed his fetters for an immortal crown, was living, not only in an unconverted state, but in open
sin. -*--.__,-
.._^f*~=' ■ ' ■ •• « ■- .'
It was decided to send Paul ^^^■■:. \. %
to R(Mne in the charge of a centurion, of the name of Julius, who accordingly em- barked from CcEsarea with the Apostle, Luke, Timothy, and Aristarchus : the last one of the two Christians who were car- ried by the mob into the theater at Ephesus. After a sail of eighty miles, they reached
Sidon, where Paul was allowed to go on shore to visit his friends. They next crossed the Sea of Cilicia, and, consequently, passed Pauls native country. At Myra, a city of Lycia. they cast anchor, and the prisoners, among whom, doubtless, were many malefactors of the worst description, were removed to a large Alexandrian corn ship, which was about to sail for Italy When they had arrived at Fair Havens, a harbor of Crete 'the wind being very boisterous, and sailing dangerous, Paul, who was owing to his many voyages, an experienced sailor, said to those who had charge of him, "Sirs, I perceive that this voyage will be with hurt ^"^ much ^'^•"^— ^ -"'■ — '-- -'■ ' ' '• • -"-
CRETE.
and much damage, not only of the lading and ship, but also of
our
$o(S
THE APOSTLES OE JESUS.
lives."* The centurion, however, gave more heeil to the captain, who thought they might try antl reach Phenice, another port of Crete, it being more convenient to winter in than Fair Havens. A soft south wind favored their leaving Fair Havens, and they sailed from thence. But not long after there arose a tempestuous north-east wind, called Huroclydon, which bore down all before it, and they were forced to let the ship drive at the pleasure of the wind. They threw out some of die lading and tackling of the ship. For fourteen days they continued in this state, neither sun nor stars appearing for a great part of the time. •'But, after long abstinence, Paul stood forth in the midst of them, and said, Sirs ye should have hearkened unto me, and not have loosed from Crete, and to have gained this harm and loss. And now, I ex- hort you to be of good cheer: for there shall be no loss of any man's life among you, but of the ship. For there stood by me this night the angel of God, whose I am, and whom I serve, saying. Fear not, Paul ; thou must be brought before Caesar : and lo, God hath given thee all them that sail with thee. Wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer ; for I believe God, that it shall be even as it was told me. Howbeit, we must be cast upon a certain island. f "
On the fourteenth night, as the ship was being driven up and down in Adria (the Adriatic J Sea), the sailors, fearing lest it might be dashed lo pieces on the rocks, cast four anchors, and intended to make their escape in a boat, and leave the passengers to their fate. Paul, see- ing this, told the centurion and the soldiers that, unless the sailors re- mained in the ship, they could not be saved. He meant them to under- stand that, though God had promised that not one of those in the ship should perish, he expected them to use every effort for their own preser- vation. The mariners, consequently, were not suffered to forsake the vessel. When the day began to dawn, Paul besought all to take some meat, as, for the past fortnight, they had been so overcome with fear
♦ Actsxxvii. lo. fActsxxvii. 21-26.
Jin St. Paul's time the name Adriatic was not com ed, as it is now, to that portion of the Mediterranean which flows between Dahnatia and Italy, butwcis given to the whole sea lying be- tween Greece, Italy, and Africa, including tlip Sicilian and Ionian Sea
PAUL
507
*i
und horror at their position, that they had been unable to take their ordinary food. Paul was now the counsellor to whom every one looked up. llis directions were followed, and when he spoke words of comfort, all were cheered. \Vhat a scene it must have been on that H-yptian vessel at break of day I Between two and three hundred terror-stricken wretches, with pale and hai^gard faces, resting their entire hope upon one man, and he a jjrisoner in chains. With the tempest ra-in-- around him, and the sea rollini,^ mountains hij^h, the holy Apostle " took bread, and gave thanks to God in presence of them all, and, when he had broken it, he began to cat: "=*-' they all took some meat, and were much refreshed. " And when they had eaten enough, they lightenetl the ship, and cast out the wheat into the sea." f . Day- light revealed to them that they were near land, so they took up the anchors, and let the ship run aground, "And the forepart stuck fast, and re- mained unmovable, but tli hinder part was broken with the violence of the waves. And the soldiers' counsel was to kill the prisoners, lest any of them should s' > out and escape. But the centurion, willing to save Paul, kept them from their purpose; and commanded that they which could swim should cast themselves first into the sea, and get to land, and the rest, some on boards, and some on broken pieces of the ship.^^ And so it came to pass that they escaped all safe to land,"+ and found themselves on an island called Melita (Malta) They were received kindly by the inhabitants, who, because it was wet and cold, made a fire for them. Paul assisted in the work, and having gathered a bundle of sticks, laid them on the fire. A viper was among them, and it no sooner felt the heat than it sprang out
ANCIENT SHIP.
* Acts xxvii. 35.
t Acts xxvii. 38.
X Acts xxviL 41-44.
$08
THE APOSTLES OF JESUS,
of the flame, and fastened on the Apostle's hand. " And when the barbarians saw the venomous beast hang on his hand, they said among themselves, No doubt this man is a murderer, whom, though he hath escaped the sea, yet vengeance suffereth not to live. And he shook off the beast into the fire, and felt no harm." * The people, when they saw his hand did not swell, or that he did not drop down dead, thought then that he must be a god. The Greeks and Romans called all foreigners barbarians, which accounts for the inhabitants of Melita being thus styled by St Luke. They were not barbarians in the sense in which we use the word, for, when Paul was in Melita, its inhabitants were in a high state of prosperity and civilization.
The governor of the island hospitably entertained Paul and his friends for three days. His humanity did not go unrewarded, for his father " lay sick of a fever, and of a bloody flux, to whom Paul entered in and prayed, and laid his hands on him, and healed him."f It is said that Publius became a Christian, and that he died bishop of Melita. Certain it is that Paul planted a Christian Church in the island, which became famous for its steadfastness in the faith. No mention is made as to how Luke, Timothy, and Aristarchus conducted themselves dur- ing the shipwreck, but we may rest assured that with them all was well, and that they exerted themselves to the utmost to assist and comfort their fellow-passengers. They, doubtless, labored with Paul in Melita, and the inhabitants were not ungrateful, for, Luke says, they " honored us with many honors ; and when we departed, they laded us with such things as were necessary. " % Three months did they remain at Melita, and then embarked in an Alexandrian vessel, called Castor and Pollux, which was bound for Italy. In due time they reached Syracuse, the capital of Sicily, where they stayed three days. From thence they sailed to Rhegium, now Reggio, the capital of Calabria, and the next day arrived at Puteoli, a beautiful seaport, situated about one hundred miles south of Rome. The Castor and Pollux had now reached her destination, and the Apostle and his companions, having found brethren, were permitted to remain with their Christian friends seven
♦ Acts xxviii. 4, 5.
+ Acts xxviii. 8.
J Acts xxviii. 10.
garni
TAUL.
509
days, after which they proceeded toward Rome. The disciples in the city had heard of their approach, and some went to meet them as far as Appii Forum, a distance of about fifty miles, others waited for them at the Three Taverns, a village situated about thirty miles from Rome. When Paul saw these devoted Christians, " he thanked God and took courage." =^ Not only was he rejoiced to meet them, but he was cheered by their zeal and energy. It was also a relief to him to find that the followers of Jesus had so much liberty.
Touching, indeed, must have be 1 the sight of Paul's first entrance into the capital of the world. No herald announced his approach. No acclamation of a multitude told that he had arrived ; but a greater conqueror than had ever passed through the gates, with captive princes following his chariot, now might be seen in the form of a prisoner chained to a soldier, and attended by a band of pilgrims, who tri- umphantly conducted the mighty Apostle into the city. Paul was not treated in Rome like an ordinary prisoner. It is supposed that the centurion Julius spoke favorably of him, for, while the malefactors were secured in the common jail, he was allowed to live in his own hired house, but still chained to the soldier who guarded him. Paul's great desire, expressed in his epistle to the Romans, was now accomplished : " For I long to see you, that I may impart unto you some spiritual gift, to the end ye may be established ; that is, that I may be comforted together with you by the mutual faith both of you and me." f
After three days, Paul called the chief of ihe'jews together, and told them the cause of his coming to Rome ; that he had been guilty of no violation of the laws of their religion, yet he had been delivered into the hands of the Roman governors, who found him innocent of any capital offense, and would have acquitted him, but the spitefulness of the Jews was such that he was obliged, in order to clear himself, to appeal unto Caesar, and that he had sent for them to let them know that it was "for the hope of Israel," J or, in other words, for preach- ing the Messiah and a future state, he w.as bound with that chairt The Jews replied that they ! ad heard nothing evil of him, either by
♦Acts xxviii. 15.
fRom, i. II, 13.
*Acts xxviii. aQ.
S'o
THE APOSTLES OF JESUS.
letters from Judea or through friends of theirs who had come to Rome; but they wished to be informed about the religion which was every- where spoken against. A day was accordingly appointed ; and Paul discoursed with them from morning till night about the doctrine of Jesus, proving from the promises and prophecies of the Old Testament that he was the Christ. "And some believed the things which were spoken, and some believed not." * The latter left the Apostle with a solemn warning from his lips sounding in their ears, and the assurance that henceforth he would turn to the Gentiles. For two years Paul remained in Rome, employing himself constantly in preaching and
wniing, no one forbid- ding him.
f lere St. Luke abrupt- ly closes his history; but, from St. Paul's epistles, we find that great suc- cess attcnd'xl his (^i-'aul's) labors in Rome, many of high rank becoming be- lievers, some of whom belonged even to Nero's court. "All the saints," he says, in his epistle to the Philippians, "salute you, chiefly they that are of Caesar's household."! Among those who did Paul great service during his first imprisonment in Rome was Onesimus, a slave belonging to Philemon, a wealthy citizen of Colosse, who had been converted to Christianity by St. Paul's ministry. Onesimus ran away from his master and went to Rome, carrying some valuables with him. He attended Paul's preaching in that city, repented of his sins, and acknowledged his faults to the Apostle, who instructed him in the doctrines of the Gospel, and, after he had given evidence of his faith in the Lord Jesus, baptized
THE CONQUERORS.
* Acts xxviii. 24.
f Philip, iv. 22.
PAUL.
5"
.-f
him. Paul would have willingly kept him near him, but he thought it would be an act of injustice to Philemon to do so, accordingly he sent Onesimus back to Colosse with a most earnest and affectionate letter to his master, begging him to receive his slave again into his family, and offering to make full compensation for any loss Philemon had sustained through Onesimus. We are not told what was the result of this epistle, but we may reasonably suppose that Paul was right in his conjecture, when he said, "Knowing that thou wilt also do more than I say."* There was a bishop of Ephesus, named Onesi- mus, and it has been supposed by some that he was the pardoned slave^ of Philemon. The epistle to Philemon, written oy " Paul the aged,"f is considered a masterpiece of its kind. We find, from the first and twenty-fourtl verses, that Timothy, Mark, and Luke M^ere with him when hr : , ;te it.
During Paul's :..b. miprisonment, the Philippians, knowing that he would be in want of common necessaries, raised a sum of money for him, and sent it by Epaphroditus, their bishop, who became danger- ously ill in Rome. Upon his recovery, he returned to Philippi, carry- ing with him the epistle of Paul to the church of that city. Did ever any father write in stronger terms of endearment to his children than the Apostle did to the Philippians ? " Therefore, my brethren, dearly beloved and longed for, my joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord my dearly beloved." % Such a passage as this shows how deep and earnest his affection was for them. In Rome, he also wrote his epistles to the Ephesians and the Colossians, and it is supposed that about this time he wrote (possibly from Rome) the epistle to the Hebrews.
His first trial before Nero took place, it is believed, in the early part of the year 63. Calm and dignified, the noble Paul stood in the pres- ence of the cruel and profligate young emperor. There is no record left of the particulars of the trial ; but, contrary to the expectation of many, he was acquitted. It is conjectured that the Jews dared not to appear against him. If this were true, they showed their wisdom by
* Philem. ver. 31.
f Philem. ver. 9.
J Philip, iv. 1.
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512
THE APOSTLES OF JESUS.
keeping out of the way of a monster who seemed ready to devour all who crossed his path.
There is some doubt as to the course . le indefatigable Apostle took after he quitted Rome, but the prevailing opinion is, that he went at once to Jerusalem, accompanied, when he set off on his long journey, by Timothy and Titus. The latter, however, he left in Crete, of which island Titus was bishop. Having visited the churches in Judea, the venerable Apostle and his beloved Timothy went through Syria, Cilicia, and Asia Minor. They continued some time at Colosse ; and here Paul, probably, again met Philemon and Onesimus. Paul left Timothy at Ephesus, and proceeded ^o Macedonia, visiting the churches. From Macedonia he wrote his epistle to Titus, and alsr his first epistle to Timothy, giving his friends full instruc- tions for their conduct as bishops of the Church of God. After visiting Greece, Crete, and other places, he directed his course west- ward. It is supposed that after remaining some time in Spain, he preached the Gospel in Britain. Clement, bishop of Rome, in his epistle to the Corinthians, a part of which has been handed down to us, says that Paul traveled to the extreme west, and carried salvation to the islands that lie m the ocean, by which he means the British Isles. When the Apostle was first a prisoner in Rome, Britain was suff"ering much from the ambition of the Romans. Caractacus had been, a few years before, defeated and ca-ried a prisoner to Rome. While Paul was there, the Britons revolted under Boadicea, London was burnt, and several thousands of Romans perished. Ten thousand warriors were at once despatched from Rome against Boadicea, who was de- feated, and eighty thousand Britons were massacred. Paul, who had friends in the imperial city of all grades, from the prison to the palace, would doubtless hear the particulars of these sad events. How would his lofty spirit sympathize with the noble Caractacus, and how would he long to comfort the afflicted Boadicea by leading her to the fountain of healing waters. Perhaps he may have become personally acquainted with some of the illustrious Britons who were in Rome at the time he WIS. But this is mere conjecture. it was ia the eleventh or twelfth year of Nero's r^ign that Paul was
PAUL.
513
again a prisoner in Rome ; but not as before permitted to live in his own hired house, but cast into the common prison. He knew that he would not again escape out of the lion's mouth. In his second epistle to Timothy, which was written at this time, he says, " I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand " * He then entreats his beloved son to hasten to him. Whether Timothy ever again saw his revered friend and preceptor or not, I cannot say.
The enemies of Paul were resolved to put him to death. He went through a form of trial, for he tells Timothy that, at his first answer, all men forsook him. The cruel Nero had struck terror into the hearts of even the brave Chiistians, for every species of to'ture that the wretched tyrant could conceive they were made to endure. In the year a. d. 64, a great fire broke out in Rome, which raged for six days, and there were strong suspicions that the emperor himself was the cause of it, many of the buildings not being according to his fastidious taste. His subjects were justly indignant with him, so, to screen himself, he laid the blame of the calamity upon the Christians. The consequence was that the devoted followers of Jesus were most mercilessly persecuted. Some were burnt; others stabbed with forks; some sewn up in skins of beasts, and then devoured by dogs ; many were flayed alive ; in short, every species of crueltv was practiced upon them Persecution still raged in the city, when Paul arrived; and he was forthwith thrown into prison. That he was a Christian was a sufi^cient crime ; but it has been said that Nero was chiefly enraged at him be- cause he had converted to the faith a favorite lady of his abandoned court, who henceforth refused to have any intercourse with him How long Paul remained in prison is not precisely known ; but, we may be
ROMAN SOLDn<:R.S
* 3 Tim. iv. 6.
-^14
THE APOSTLES OF JESUS.
assured, that when his hour of release came he was ready, and in trutl he could say, " I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, [ have kept the faith : henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me al that day." *
In the church cf St Mary, beyond the bridge, in Rome, a pillar stood so late as the sixteenth century, to which, it was said, the great Apostle was bound when he was scourged, though," as a Roman citizen, he ought to have been spared that degradation He was sentenced to be beheaded. The scene of his martyrdom was Aquae Salvice, three miles from Rome. As he was being led forth from the city, it is said that three of the soldiers who guarded him became converts to the faith, and were, a few days afterward, by Nero's command, put to death. Arrived at the fatal spot, Paul solemnly prepared himself, and then cheerfully submitted to the stroke of the executioner, and so entered into his rest
" 'Tis past, 'tis o'er ! — now rest how sweet, His trials all are fled ! Before tlie Saviour's mercy-seat (His livelong work of faith complete). The conqueror bends his head."
By the death of Paul the Christian Church lost its brightest luminary. One whose faith, devotion, learning, humility, temperance, disinterestedness, kindness, charity, zeal, patience, and fidelity were unequaled. No danger, no weariness, nor pain ever caused him to rest from his labors. Above every difficulty he rose triumphant, though the trials he passed through were far greater than those which ordi- narily fall to the lot of man. He himself gives a catalogue of the suf- ferings he had endured up to the time he wrote his second epistle to the Coiiiithians, which epistle was sent two or three years before he was shipwrecked on the coast of Malta. He says, «' Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one. Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I sulYered shipwreck, a night and a day I
* 2 Tim. iv. 7, 8.
PAUL
S15
have been in the deep; in journeyinj^rs often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in i>erils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren, in weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness." * But these things were of little consequence to one who could with truth say that he took pleasure in infirmities, in persecu- tions, and in distresses for Christ's sake, and that he counted not his life dear to himself, so that he might finish his course with joy.
The execution of Paul took place, it is believed, on the 29th of June, A.D. 66, in the sixty-eighth year of his age. He was buried in the Via Ostiensis, about two miles from Rome. Over his grave, Constantine the Great built a stately church, upon a plot of ground which Lucina, a noble Christian matron of Rome, had, long before, settled upon the church. He adorned it with a hundred marble columns, and beautified it with the most ex- quisite workmanship. This edi- fice was afterward taken down by the Emperor Theodosius, and a larger and even handsomer church was built in the room of it This was further beautified by the Empress Placidia.
Space will not permit me to dwell at length upon the writings of Paul ; I must therefore confine myself to a few remarks. There are fourteen epistles of his in the New Testament. The first, according as they are placed, is that addressed to the Romans, though it was by no means the first the Apostle wrote. When the Church in Rome was founded is not precisely known, but certain it is that, when Paul sent
ROMAN LICTORS.
* 2 Cor. xi. 24-27.
5i6
THE APOSTLES OF JESUS.
his epistle to the Christians of that city, their faith was spoken of " throughout the whole world." ^^ The Apostle wrote from Corinth, and the date of the epistle was about the year a.d. 58. It was in- trusted to the care of Phoebe, a deaconess, who lived at Cenchrea a port near Corinth. She carried it to Rome. From St. Pauls words in tlie beginnin.<,^ of the sixteenth chapter, we gather that Phcebe was a rich lady of inlluence, who devoted her time and wealth to the service of Jesus. The design of the Epistle to the Romans was cliicfly to settle certain differences which existed between the Hebrew Christians and the Roman or Gentile Christians, and to prove the important doctrine of justification by faith.
The First Hj^isde to the Corinthians was written at Ephesus f about the year a.d. 57, during the feast of the Passover, as may be -inferred from the remarks of the writer in the fifth and sixteenth chapters. When Paul left Corinth he committed the care of that Church to Apollos, who, you will remember, was instructed at Iiphesus by Aquila and Priscilla. After the departure of the Apostle the members of the Church in Corinth became divided, some saying they were of Paul, and others of Apollos. False teachers also crept into the Church, and many of the Corinthian converts became affected by very loose notions of morality. Paul was informed of these things, and wrote to them an earnest and affectionate letter, full of love, reproof, and instruction, promising to visit them when he passed through Macedonia. But he delayed doing so longer than he had intended, partly from a wish to hear how they had received his epistle before seeing them. After leaving Ephesus he went to Troas, hoping there to meet Titus and learn from him tidings of the Corinthian Christians. He was, how- ever, disappointed ; he says, " I had no rest in my spirit, because I found not Titus my brother : but taking my leave of them, I went from thence into Macedonia." J There Titus met his spiritual father, whom he cheered by his account of the manner in which he had been received
* Rom. i. 8. t The subscription which is found at the end of each of the epistl
relied the fil
epistles IS not in every case to be
upon. They did not form part of the original epistles, but were added, it is supposed, about
til CO
ntury
t 2 Cor. ii. 13.