hope of acceptance with God, in conscious dependence upon the Saviour, in the support of his Spirit, in the progressive sanctification of his soul, in the friendship of those whose favour is most truly valuable, he receives an hundred-fold now in this time, and in the world to come, eternal life.

LECTURE LXV.

JESUS FORETELLS HIS SUFFERINGS AND DEATH.

MARK X. 32-34.

32. And they were in the way going up to Jerusalem; and Jesus went before them: and they were amazed; and as they followed, they were afraid.

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They were afraid, as well as amazed: amazed to see their Master's boldness and resolution; and afraid, because they knew the danger that awaited him. A short time before they had remonstrated with him. When he declared his purpose to " go into Judea again;" they said, Master, the Jews of late sought to stone thee; and goest thou thither again?" I "Then said Thomas unto his fellow disciples, Let us also go, that we may die with him." So now, though they were afraid, they followed him, as he led the way, and went before them. And thus "the

1 John xi. 7-16.

Lamb of God" was proceeding to the appointed place of sacrifice. For the time of the Passover was at hand. And the feast of the Passover, whilst it was a memorial of the deliverance of the Israelites from Egyptian bondage, was also a type of that greater deliverance which Jesus should accomplish at Jerusalem. And as all things concerning him had been determined in the divine counsels, as he was "the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world;" -he foretells what things should happen to him, that when they came to pass, it might be remembered that he had foretold them, and there might be a lasting proof that "when Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and people of Israel were gathered together" against the Lord's anointed, they could only do what "his hand and counsel determined before to be done." 3

32. And he took again the twelve, and began to tell them what things should happen unto him,

33. Saying, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem; and the Son of man shall be delivered unto the chief priests, and unto the scribes; and they shall deliver him to the Gentiles:

34. And they shall mock him, and shall scourge him, and shall spit upon him, and shall kill him and the third day he shall rise again.

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The Son of man shall be delivered unto the chief priests and the scribes. And so it proved. The great multitude" which met him as he left the garden of Gethsemane, came" from the chief priests and elders of the people." And these condemned

Rev. xiii. 8.

3 Acts iv. 26-28.

4 Matt xxvi. 47; xxvii. 1.

him to death.

5

These, and not Pilate the governor. For he declared that he "could find no fault in him" and was "determined to let him go." But they cried out, "We have a law; and by our law he ought to die, because he made himself the Son of God." Thus they condemned him. But as the Roman government under which they were held, did not make it "lawful for them to put any man to death;" they delivered him to the Gentiles, "to mock, to scourge, and to crucify him." The history of his trial and death relates how literally this prophecy was fulfilled: how they taunted him, that when he had saved others, he could not save himself, or show himself to be the Son of God by coming down from the cross: how they insulted him with the emblems of power, the sceptre and the crown: -how they "spit in his face, and buffeted him; others smote him with the palms of their hands, saying, Prophesy unto us, thou Christ. who is he that smote thee?" Thus he became "a reproach of men, and despised of the people. All they that saw him laughed him to scorn; they shot ont the lip, they shook the head, saying, He trusted in the Lord that he would deliver him: let him deliver him, seeing he delighted in him."8

7

Meanwhile, they were explaining his own words, and words also which had been written long before. Thus it proved that "he was despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrow and acquainted with grief:" thus they"hid as it were their faces from him: he was des

5 John xviii. 31.

7 Matt. xxvi, 68.

6 Matt. xx. 19; xxvii. 2.

6 Ps. xxii. 6-8.

pised and they esteemed him not." "He was taken from prison and from judgment, he was cut off out of the land of the living; and was numbered with the transgressors.

"9

But it is added-he shall rise again the third day. And so, having been crucified on the day preceding the sabbath which followed the Passover, it was very early on the morning after the sabbath that the women hastening to the sepulchre, discovered that he was" not there, but was risen;" and that it was in vain for them to "seek for the living among the dead."

2

All these things were present to his mind. They made part of that bitter cup, concerning which he prayed the Father, that "if it were possible it might pass from him." Notwithstanding, he set his face stedfastly towards Jerusalem. He went before his disciples, who were amazed and afraid. For how else could the Scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be? How else could the purpose of his incarnation be answered, and atonement made for the sin of the world?

In all this, there is much in which our blessed Lord must stand alone, and no man can imitate his example. But there is a sense in which his example must be a pattern to all his followers. They must foresee, as he did, that the will of God may require of them many things distasteful to flesh and blood; many things repugnant to their natural disposition: may call them to self-denial and self-sacrifice, or even

9 Isa. liii. 3-8-12.

2 Matt. xxvi. 39.

Luke xxii. 1-5.

3

to mortification and suffering. But they must determine as Jesus did, that not their own will, but the will of God be done: that whether the road be smooth or rugged, whether the consequence be evil report or good report, he must be obeyed: even as Jesus, when" it pleased the Lord to bruise him," to "put him to grief," to "make his soul an offering of sin," 3 was was" obedient even unto death," and "endured the cross, despising the shame." But there was "joy set before him :" as there is also joy set before all who follow him: all who "suffer with him, that they may also reign with him." "He" ever liveth at the right hand of God," noticing those who "confess him before men," that he may confess them before his Father and the holy angels; and may accomplish the promise which he has left for our comfort and encouragement, "Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee the crown of life." 5

4

3 Isa. liii. 10.

4 Heb. xii. 2.

5 Rev. ii. 10.