A.D. 29. Lord of the world alone. Neither to angel nor to se raph, neither to lowest nor the highest of sters is thispower given; but it belongs to Him only, that made them and all heaven's mini messages are treated by His friends: 1. She listened to it; 2. Was influenced by it; 3. She obeyed at once.-The Master is come, and calleth for thee.-From this history-I. We are reminded that the Lord may be calling those who are ignorant of the fact that He is thinking of them. II. We observe that sometimes the call which one person has sent to him is first perceived by some other who has just obeyed a similar call. III. This fact, of others seeing what the Lord is doing in the case of some souls, reminds us of our duty in relation to them. Old legends about Lazarus. We almost wonder, looking at the wild luxuriance with which they gather round other names, that things else." - they have nothing more to tell of Lazarus than the meagre tale Jewish Saying. that follows. He lived for thirty years after his resurrection, and "Extraordinary died at the age of sixty (Epiphan. Hær. i. 652). When he came afflictions are not forth from the tomb, it was with the bloom and fragrance as of a always the bridegroom (Philo. Cod. Apoc. N. T. 805). He and his sisters, punishment of extraordinary with Mary the wife of Cleopas, and other disciples, were sent out sins, but some- to sea by the Jews in a leaky boat, but miraculously escaped detimes the trial struction, and were brought safely to Marseilles. There he of extraordinary preached the Gospel, and founded a church, and became its bishop. graces."-Henry. After many years he suffered martyrdom, and was buried, some f Stems and Twigs. said, there; others at Citium in Cyprus. Finally his bones and those of Mary Magdalene were brought from Cyprus to Constantinople by the Emperor Leo, the philosopher, and a church erected to his honour. It is also said that, on being raised from the dead, he asked our Lord if he would have to die again; and, on being told that he would, that he never smiled again." g See Smith's Dict. of the Bible; art. Lazarus. Mary meets a Jo. iv. 49. b Macnight. 31, 32. Jews (v. 19). her.. house, many. and.. her, her very quiet showing an intensity of grief. "Still waters run deep." saw. . rose, they neither saw, nor heard, the message that occa. this haste. saying, very naturally. weep there, all she could, and nothing more likely. if.. died,a both sisters (see v. 21) are agreed on this point. Augustine says that his God was "mercifully Mourning customs of the Jews.-The general time of mourning rigorous" to him, for deceased relations, both among Jews and Gentiles, was seven besprinkling with most bitter days. During these days of mourning their friends and neighalloy all his un-bours visited them, in order that by their presence and conversalawful pleasures, tion they might assist them in bearing their loss. Many therefore "that he might in so populous a part of the country must have been going to and coming from the sisters, while the days of their mourning for Lazarus lasted. The concourse too would be the greater as it was the time of the Passover. Besides, a vast multitude now attended Jesus on His journey. This great miracle therefore must have had many witnesses. seek pleasures without alloy." Jesus wept a Is. lxiii. 9; Lu. xix. 41; He. ii. 16, 17. Tears are the 33-36. groaned.. troubled, "touched with feeling of our infirmity." where .. him, this He asked, not for information, but, as usual, to arouse attention. come.. see, all that a man could do would have ended with going and seeing. Jesus wept," a shortest and most eloquent verse in the Bible. Jews, inheritance of who prob. did not weep themselves, but spoke words of comfort. our eyes; either behold. . him, it might seem strange that a man, and not a our sufferings relative, should weep thus. call for them, or our sins; and no- The Redeemer's tears.-They are tears: I. Of pain-Jesus thing can wholly suffers; II. Of pity--He sympathises; III. In pledge-they dry them up, but speak about the future, and show us what Jesus will always be; A.D. 29. the dust of the grave."-B p. Hopkins. "Death came in IV. For pattern-the Saviour sets us an example.-Jesus wept. -I. Some of the causes for these tears: 1. Friendship for Lazarus; 2. The future of Lazarus; 3. Sympathy with the sad; 4. The need of such a miracle to create and confirm faith; 5. The desolations of death, past and future; 6. That any should think it better for Lazarus to live again here. II. Some lessons by sin; and sin taught by Christ's tears: 1. To admire and love the Saviour; To trust His compassion in the hour of sorrow; 3. To be ready to manifest sympathy with the sad; 4. To anticipate with joy the tearless day of reunion; 5. To contemplate the great joy of Christ when He has for ever made an end of sin and sin's consequences; 6. That sorrow is not sinful. by out 2. goes death; so do the sorrows of life die by those of death. only panacea or Jewish tombs.-The Jewish tombs, like those of Macri, have entrances, which were originally closed with a large and broad stone rolled to the door, which it was not lawful in the opinion of a Jew to displace. They were adorned with inscriptions and emblematical devices, alluding to particular transactions in the lives of the persons that lie there entombed. Thus the place where the dust of Joshua reposed, was called Timnath-heres, b Rev. J. Edmond. because the image of the sun was engraved on his sepulchre, in c Paxton. memory of his arresting that luminary in his career, till he had gained a complete victory over the confederate kings. Such significant devices were common in the East. Cicero says the tomb of Archimedes was distinguished by the figure of a sphere and a cylinder.c 37-39. could.. blind,a notwithstanding the former controversy on this subject, and efforts of Pharisees to repress thought and right opinion on it, the mir. seems to have been gen. believed, and is now referred to as beyond all doubt. caused.. died? truly, yet the delay may manifest His glory more than such an act would have done. groaning.. himself, lit. shuddering. cave.. .it, nat. or artif. cavern. Tombs oft. excavated in rock. take.. stone, extraordinary command! Test of faith and obedience. The great Wonder-Worker, without needing, will have human aid-as far as it will go. (Who rolled away the stone fr. His own grave?) Martha, even she, with her strong faith, is astounded. saith, etc., those who knew best had no doubt as to death having actually taken place. Whose footprint is this?-Whose footprint is that on the ground there before the tomb of Lazarus? Was it God or man that passed that way, leaving strange evidence of His presence in an empty grave. An Arab, one more accustomed to fight than to reason, was asked by a traveller how he knew there was a God. He fixed his dark eyes with a stare of savage wonder on the man who seemed to doubt the being of God, and then, as he was wont, when encountering a foe, to answer spear with spear, he met that question with another," How do I know whether it was a man or a camel that passed my tent last night?" So it is with God's works; they reveal His being and power.d 40-42. saith, to check the struggle in her mind, and help faith to the victory. if.. believe, etc., this, the substance or pith of what He had said, the end and purpose of it. then laid, in speechless awe and wonder. Father,a indirect reply to those who called Him a blasphemer for asserting that God was His Father. Would such a prayer have been heard if the relationship take away the stone a Jo. ix. 6. b Ma. xxvii. 60. sium thinks, that mourn for His friend Laza- was dead (for He raise to live the and he was and to encounter with d Dr. Guthrie. Jesus claims the recognition of His Sonship at the hands of the Father a Jo. xii. 28-30. A.D. 29. "Faith is the vision of the kingdom of grace; it is the eye of the new did not exist. knew.. always, no need now specially to pray creature, that The soul's organ of sight.-I. The duty enjoined: 1. Faith is a which looks not to things that are seen, and is the things not seen, "He calls him by "The sublimest 43-46. loud voice, that all around might hear. Lazarus forth! He wept as a man, now spoke as a God. "A royal command, befitting the Majesty of God."a came, at once. bound, etc., limbs separately bound with strips of linen. loose go, the bystanders had the fullest opportunity of, at once, testing the mir. many.. believed, they had no doubt now of that Sonship wh. had been denied. some, still blinded by bigotry. Clearly opposing the fallacy that "seeing is believing." told.. done, doing what prob. Martha expected (see on v. 28). How differently the Lord appears in different eyes.-I. To the superficial multitude, He is Jesus of Nazareth; II. To the believing disciples, He is the Messiah; III. To the afflicted family, He is the true Friend, the Restorer of their brother." Where wert thou, brother, those four days.— And home to Mary's house returned, "From every house the neighbours met, The streets were filled with joyful sound, The purple brows of Olivet. "Behold a man, raised up by Christ! He told it not; or something sealed 47-50. then.. council,a hastily convened, to meet this crisis. what.. we ? i.e., what shall we do? man.. mirs., an important admission, placing their conduct beyond excuse. Romans.. nation, they apprehend that the followers of Christ would raise an insurrection, wh. would be quelled by Rom. power; and that they would suffer. ye.. all, half measures will not meet the case. expedient, a priest of God, talking of expediency rather than of right, justice, truth! die.. people, as a political martyr. nation.. not, at the hands of the Roms. The prophecy of Caiaphas.-I. The circumstances which led to A.D. 29. leave out of their this council being summoned. The Pharisees entertained feelings e Lu. iii. 2; Jo. of hostility against Christ: 1. Their national prejudices led them xviii. 14; Ac. iv. to do so; 2. There was much in their official position and 6. interests to lead them to regard Him with suspicion and hatred; "It is ever in the 3. But the grounds of their hostility were carried further still. way of those who II. The acknowledgment made by those who were now gathered rule the earth to together. III. The plan agreed to, as suggested by one of their reckoning Him number. This may be regarded: 1. As a suggestion of mere car- who rules the nal policy; 2. As an unconscious intimation of God's purpose and universe."- -Cowgrace. Regarding the words of Caiaphas in connection with the comment of the Apostle, they contain four important truths concerning the death of Christ: 1. Its necessity; 2. Its nature-it was a vicarious death; 3. Its extent; 4. Its design. Substitution illustrated.-A certain town, called Ekrikok, was devoted to destruction for high treason. But it was allowed to redeem itself, partly by a fine, and partly by one life being offered in expiatory sacrifice for the whole, which was accomplished in the person of a new slave, bought for the purpose. Mr. Waddell, the missionary, remonstrating on the subject with "Old Egho Jack, the head of a great family," that personage asserted that "it was impossible the affair could be settled without a death, for Egho law was the same as God's law to Calabar, and he pointedly asked me if it were better for all Ekrikok to die, or for one slave instead to die for all the town? I thought of the words of Caiaphas, and of the value of life as substitution and atonement for sin. A poor slave, bought in the market for a few hundred coppers, by his death redeemed a town, for which many thousands of money would have availed nothing."s Jesus . per. "In council it is good to see dangers; and in execution, not to see them, except they very great."-Bacon. be f Anon. U. P. Church. sel to himself."- prophecy a See Alford in loc.; cf. also Balaam, Nu. xxiii.; Saul, Ma. vii. 22. b Is. xlix. 6; Jo. c d 2 Ch. xiii. 19; 51-54. this.. himself,a C. the unconscious organ of the unconscious Holy Spirit. Subtle advice intended in sense of political expediency; yet, in truth, a prophecy. nation, more especially since the heads of the nation placed Him in the hands of the Roms., thus securing, as they thought, the enemy's favour. 1 S. xix. 20-24; not.. only, etc., this is what the H. Spirit meant, not what C. "spake of himself." then.. day, fr. that time, and on that account. To compass His death was henceforth their fixed purpose. took.. together, plotted, planned. Jesus.. Jews, bec. His hour was not yet come. d Ephraim, site uncertain, supposed to Ophrah and Ephron of the O. T., and the mod. et-Taiyibeh, ab. 16m. fr. Jerus., and 5 or 6m. E. of Bethel. Caiaphas' view of vicarious sacrifice.-I. The human form in which the words are false. The falsities in the human statement f that truth of vicarious sacrifice are-1. Its injustice; 2. Its selfishness. II. The prophetic or hidden spirit in which these words are true: 1. Vicarious sacrifice is the Law of Being; 2. Christ's sacrifice of Himself was an offering for sin."/ "The prophecy Illustration of self-sacrifice.—At a village called Ragenbach, in took effect, but Germany, one afternoon a great number of people were assembled in the opposite in the large room of the inn. There was only one door to the way to which Caiaphas deroom, and that stood open. The village blacksmith-a pious, signed. Christ brave-hearted man-sat near the door. All at once, a large dog was slain and came and stood right in the doorway. He was a great beast, with the people of the literal Israel frightful look. His eyes were bloodshot, and his great red tongue were scattered. hung out of his mouth. As soon as the keeper of the inn saw him, he exclaimed, "Back, back! The dog is mad!" Then 66 2 S. xiii. 23; cf. Jos. Wars iv. 9. 9. e Robinson Harm. 204; see also Por. Hd. Bk. for Syria, 209. Their house is left to them de M.A. A.D. 29. there was great confusion in the room. There was no way out but by the door in which the dog stood; and no one could pass solate' (Ma. xxiii. 38), and the true him without being bitten. "Stand back, my friends," cried the Israel were brave smith, "till I seize the dog; then hurry out while I hold gathered to him. Better for one to perish than for all!" He seized the gether in one in Christ."- Chrybeast with an iron grasp, and dashed him on the floor. The dog sostom. bit furiously on every side. His teeth tore the arms and thighs fF.W.Robertson, of the heroic smith; but he would not let go his hold. Unmindful of the great pain it caused, and the horrible death which he "O what great knew must follow, with the grasp of a giant he held down the matters are snapping, biting, howling brute, till all his friends had escaped in transacted on the safety. Then he flung the half-strangled beast from him against earth, yet ordered above; done by the wall, left the room, and locked the door. The dog was shot; human agency, but what was to become of the brave smith? The friends whose but under a Di- lives he had saved stood round him, weeping. "Be quiet! my vine impulse."friends," he said. "Don't weep for me: I've only done my duty. Augustine. When I am dead, think of me with love; and now pray for me, ing providence is that God will not let me suffer long, or too much. I know I a power which shall become mad; but I will take care that no harm comes to veils its inter- you through me." Then he went to his shop. He took a strong ference, and moves so as not chain. One end of it he riveted with his own hands round his to shock the body, the other end he fastened round the anvil, so strongly that tenor of man's no earthly power could loose it. Then he looked round on his responsibility in of friends, and said, "Now, it's done! You are all safe. I can't the course hurt you. Bring me food while I am well, and keep out of my reach while I am mad. The rest I leave with God." Soon madness seized him; and in nine days he died-died gloriously for his friends; but Christ died for His enemies. "God's over-rul trial and duty." -Davison. g Dr. Newton. will He a Nu. ix. 10; 2 55-57. nigh.. hand, approaching. purify, fr. Levitical uncleanness.a Purifying themselves and meditating a great crime! Thinking more of ceremonial than of moral uncleanness. sought, with the earnestness of inveterate animosity. and, etc., disappointed at not finding Him. as.. temple, carrying rites descr. by their murderous thoughts to a place consecrated to judgment and Jos. Ant. viii. 3; mercy. To such minds even God's house does not suggest heavenly thoughts. what.. feast? They could not reach Him "There must be unless He came to them. now, etc., rather "for," etc., wh. explains the conversation of v. 56, i.e. "Think ye He will not come?" etc.; how otherwise shall we obey the command ? Wars, v. 2. a striving to enter; there must be an ascending into heaven, a Festivities.-I. Christ will certainly be at your feast as a motion contrary judicial inspector. I. It is possible for Him to be at your feast as to nature, and, therefore, 'tis a loving friend. III. If He does not come as a loving friend, you folly to think we had better not have the feast at all." shall drop into A cruel conspiracy.—Mr. Gilbert Rule was minister of Alnwick heaven. There in Northumberland during the time of the persecution. When must be a going upward, if ever he was forced to leave his charge at Alnwick, he went to Berwick, come where he practised surgery for the support of his family. His Abp. enemies continued their persecutions. They engaged some of the we will thither." Usher. b Homilist. c Whitecross. no peace there is baser sort to waylay him. That he might be brought into this snare, a messenger was despatched at midnight to request him to visit a person in the country whom he should represent as very "Where there is ill. The good man expressed so much sympathy for the sick no feast."-Lord person, and showed such readiness to run to his relief, though at midnight, that the messenger's heart relented (for he was privy to the plot), and was so filled with remorse, that he discovered the whole affair to Mr. Rule, which happily prevented his meeting a premature death.c Clarendon. |