"Seventy times seven,"-is as good as saying "always," for no one is likely to offend another 70 × 7 = 490 times. "Talents," of silver: a talent about £342, 3s. 9d. "Pence," denarii.

=

"Tormentors," the prison-keepers, who in those days had the power to examine by torture. In the case of debtors committed to jail, these " tormentors were allowed to try and extract payment from the prisoner by any, and every means short of death.

A creditor had the option of imprisoning a debtor, or of selling him, and all his, till the next Jubilee.

The meaning of this Parable Christ Himself gives, "So likewise," &c.

We gather from it also that future punishment will be eternal, for the unmerciful creditor was delivered to the tormentors till he should pay all he owed, which, from its great amount, he never would be able to do.

Christ Passes into Peræa.

(c. xix. 1, 2.)

"And it came to pass, that when Jesus had finished these sayings, he departed from Galilee, and came into the coasts of Judea beyond Jordan; and great multitudes followed him; and he healed them there."

"When Jesus," &c.-Jesus did not cross the Jordan from Galilee into Peræa immediately upon concluding the lastrelated discourse. There is in Matthew's narrative, in fact, a gap of six months between the time the Parable of the Unmerciful Creditor was uttered and that when the text describes Christ as being in Peræa.

In these six months Christ's movements were numerous. It is not within our scope to note them; it will be sufficient to state that the greater part of the time had been spent in Judæa, and in residing at Capernaum or at Ephraim, and that the main events that intervened were

His going up to Jerusalem to the Feast of Tabernacles, and teaching in the Temple, the Healing of a man Born Blind,-the Raising of Lazarus,— the Sending forth of the Seventy,-Lord's Prayer again given, a Demoniac healed,-a Woman healed

in the Synagogue on the Sabbath,-Man healed of the Dropsy,-Ten Lepers healed.

Many discourses, including several of our Lord's finest Parables, were delivered during this period.

Christ's Answer to the Pharisees and to His Disciples concerning Divorce. (IN PEREA.)

(c. xix. 3–12.)

"The Pharisees also came unto him, tempting him, and saying unto him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause?

And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female, and said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh? Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.

They say unto him, Why did Moses then command to give a writing of divorcement, and to put her away?

He saith unto them, Moses because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so. And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery.

His disciples say unto him, If the case of the man be so with his wife, it is not good to marry. But he said unto them, All men cannot receive this saying, save they to whom it is given. For there are some eunuchs, which were so born from their mother's womb and there are some eunuchs, which were made eunuchs of men and there be eunuchs, which have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven's sake. He that is able to receive it, let him receive it."

"Tempting" = trying,-i.e., trying what reply He would give to the question, which it appeared impossible for Him to answer either way without compromising Himself.

"Is it lawful," &c.-Amongst the doctors, the school of Shammah held that divorce was lawful only in cases of adultery: the school of Hillel held that the most trifling cause justified it.

The question was the more crafty because Christ was in the dominions of Herod who had imprisoned John the Baptist for inveighing against his repudiating his lawful wife.

Mark's account of this conversation is better than Matthew's. He makes Christ ask, at once, “What did Moses command you?" and His questioners say, "Moses suffered to write a bill of divorcement, and to put her away.”.

This was no doubt the real order of what occurred, for Christ by at once appealing to the great Jewish law-giver, Moses, escaped the difficulty.

"Male and female," should be, "a male and a female.” Here is a Divine declaration against polygamy.

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Moses," &c.-Moses, under Divine direction, restricted licentiousness by allowing divorce under certain circumstances. Such an allowance was absolutely necessary in the then condition of the Jewish habits and ideas, which Christ characterizes as "hardness of heart."

"I say," &c.-This declaration was made partly as a punishment upon the Jews for violating the permission of divorce. But it was, principally, the doctrine as to divorce under the New and perfect Covenant. Moses had allowed divorce; but his imperfect Economy had passed away in Christ, and He here declares what had been the Divine intention at the Creation, and ordains that henceforth save for adultery no man shall put away his wife,- -a declaration binding on all nations and times.

"Of the man,"- -or "of the husband."

"For the kingdom of heaven's sake,"-i.e., that they may be more serviceable to God's cause. Paul restrained from

marriage with this motive.

Christ blesses Little Children.

(IN PEREA.)

(c. xix. 13-15.)

"Then were there brought unto him little children, that

he should put his hands on them, and pray and the disciples rebuked them. But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me for of such is the kingdom of heaven. And he laid his hands on them, and departed thence.”

Matthew, Mark, and Luke narrate this incident.
They agree in the main.

Matthew alone says that the children were brought to Him that He might "put his hands on them, and pray." Mark alone states that

1. Christ was displeased at His disciples rebuking the children.

2. He took them up in His arms, before blessing them. Luke calls the children "Infants."

He omits the blessing them.

Mark and Luke add that Christ declared that whosoever did not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, should not enter it.

"Of such," &c. Christians are like children,-simple, gentle, and guileless.

Christ and the Young Ruler: He discourses

on Riches, &c.

(IN PERMA.)

(c. xix. 16-end.)

And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life? And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments. He saith unto him,

Which? Jesus said, Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Honour thy father and thy mother : and, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

The young man saith unto him, All these things have I kept from my youth up: what lack Í yet? Jesus saith unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven : and come and follow me.

But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions.

Then said Jesus unto his disciples, Verily I say unto you, That a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven. And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. When his disciples heard it, they were exceedingly amazed, saying, Who then can be saved? But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.

Then answered Peter and said unto him, Behold, we have forsaken all, and followed thee; what shall we have therefore? And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name's sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life.

But many that are first shall be last; and the last shall be first."

Matthew, Mark, and Luke narrate this incident. They agree in the main.

Luke alone records that the man was a Ruler.
Mark alone says that--

1. He came running, and kneeled to Christ.

2. Christ loved him.

3. Christ told him to take up his cross, and follow Him.

He also adds to the commandments quoted by Christ, "Defraud not."

Matthew adds to the commandments, "Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself."

"Good Master,"-a title bestowed by the Jews on their most eminent rabbins.

"What good thing," &c.-He evidently imagined that he could of himself do some good work that would merit for him eternal life.

"Why callest," &c.-Christ does not here repudiate the