Hos. xi. 1.. took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt:* and was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my son. Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently enquired of the wise men. Then was fulfilled Jer. xxxi. 15. that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet, saying, In Rama was there a voice heard, lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be comforted, because they are not. SECT. XI. RETURN FROM EGYPT. NAZARETH, 31st March, 3 B.C. (MATT. ii. LUKE ii.) But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeareth in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, saying, Arise and take the young child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel for they are dead which sought the young child's life. And he arose, and took the young child and his mother, and came into the land of Israel. But when he heard that Archelaus did reign in Judea in the room of his father Herod, he was afraid to go thither:† notwithstanding, being warned of God in a dream, he turned aside into the *The route from Bethlehem to Egypt would be by Hebron, Gaza, and the desert. The journey would occupy about a fortnight. The gifts of the Magi must have been very seasonable, supplying as they did the funds needed for the journey, about 70 miles. We are not informed how long the Holy Family remained in Egypt. The time suggested varies from three months to eight years. Egypt was at this time a Roman province. As many Jews resided there, Joseph would be beside his own countrymen. † Archelaus inherited the cruel spirit of his father Herod; and this well known fact warranted the apprehensions of Joseph. Herod had divided by will his dominions thus:-Galilee and Perea to his son Antipas; Gaulonitis, Trachonitis, Batanea, and Paneas to his son Philip; and Judea to Archelaus. Archelaus, in the roth year of his reign, was deposed by Augustus, and Judea formally annexed to the Roman province of Syria. Joseph evidently intended to return to Bethlehem, perhaps as being to his mind the natural abode of David's son and heir; but he was directed to return to Nazareth, a small city in Galilee, about 70 miles north of Jerusalem, which stands on the summit of a hill, and commands an extensive prospect. The character of the people was such as to make it a byeword and a reproach. parts of Galilee: and he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, He shall be called a Nazarene. And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom: and the grace of God was upon him. SECT. XII. VISIT TO JERUSALEM. (LUKE ii.) JERUSALEM, 8th April, 8 A.D. Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the feast of the passover. And when he was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem after the custom of the feast.* And when they Deut. xvi. 1-8 had fulfilled the days, as they returned, the child Jesus tarried behind in Jerusalem; and Joseph and his mother knew not of it. But they, supposing him to have been in the company, went a day's journey; and they sought him among their kinsfolk and acquaintance. And when they found him not, they turned back again to Jerusalem, seeking him. And And it came to pass, that after three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, both hearing them, and asking them questions. all that heard him were astonished at his understanding and answers. And when they saw him, they were amazed : and his mother said unto him, Son, why has thou thus dealt with us? behold, thy father and I have sought thee sorrowing. And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father's business? And they understood not the saying which he spake unto them. And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject unto them :† but his mother kept all these sayings in her heart. And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man. *At the age of twelve Jesus accompanied his parents to the Holy City, to take part in the sacred services of the passover. He was found in one of the apartments of the outer buildings of the temple, which was used as a school of the Rabbis. † Scripture is silent regarding the next eighteen years of the Redeemer's life. It is generally thought that he worked at the trade of his father Joseph; and the question once put by the inhabitants of Nazareth, "Is not this the carpenter?" warrants the supposition. The only light which gleams forth to irradiate that period shews us Jesus Christ, the promised Saviour of the world, submitting to all the restraints of parental authority, and taking upon himself, in a life of self-denial, cheerful obedience, and humble duty, the common obligations of an unknown Galilean villager and quiet submissive cottager. SECT. XIII. THE GENEALOGIES OF CHRIST.* (MATT. i. LUKE iii.) The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. Abraham begat Isaac; and Isaac begat Jacob; and Jacob begat Judas and his brethren; and Judas begat Phares and Zara of Thamar; and Phares begat Esrom; and Esrom begat Aram; and Aram begat Aminadab ; and Aminadab begat Naasson; and Naasson begat Salmon; and Salmon begat Booz of Rachab; and Booz begat Obed of Ruth; and Obed begat Jesse; and Jesse begat David the king; And David the king begat Solomon of her that had been the wife of Urias; and Solomon begat Roboam; and Roboam begat Abia; and Abia begat Asa; and Asa, begat Jesus was (as was supposed) the son of Joseph, the son of Heli, the son of Matthat, the son of Levi, the son of Melchi, the son of Janna, the son of Joseph, the son of Mattathias, the son of Amos, the son of Naum, the son of Esli, the son of Nagge, the son of Maath, the son of Mattathias, the son of Semei, the son of Joseph, the son of Juda, the son of Joanna, the son of Rhesa, the son of Zorobabel, the son of Salathiel, the son of Neri, the son of Melchi, the son of Addi, the son of Cosam, the son of Elmodam, the son of Er, the son of Jose, the son of Eliezer, the son of Jorim, the son of Matthat, the son of Levi, the son of Simeon, the son of Juda, the son of It having been predicted that the Messiah should be born of David's line, it was needful that his descent should be exhibited; and, as even after the Babylonish captivity, the genealogical records were preserved, it would not be difficult to verify the prophecy. The tables given are evidently copies of family registers which had been carefully preserved, even though the royal house of David had fallen into great obscurity. I am inclined to agree with those who hold that Matthew gives the genealogy of Joseph according to the flesh, which might fairly be accounted the genealogy of Jesus, the son of Joseph's wife, and that Luke gives the genealogy of Mary, which is the legal genealogy of Joseph her husband. If this be so-and it is the easiest explanation of a most difficult subject the tables are in beautiful harmony with the design and scope of the respective Gospels. Matthew wrote chiefly for Jews, to prove that Jesus was indeed their promised Messiah; and therefore he naturally shows how, as being the legal son of Joseph, he was the descendant of Abraham, the father of the chosen people, and the heir to the throne of David, the founder of their royal line. Luke, on the other hand, wrote chiefly for Gentiles, to prove that Jesus was the Saviour of the world; and therefore the descent of the second Adam, through his mother Mary, is traced beyond David, beyond Abraham, up to the first Adam, the son of God by creation, the common ancestor of all. Josaphat; and Josaphat begat Joram; and Joram begat Ozias; and Ozias begat Joatham; and Joatham begat Achaz; and Achaz begat Ezekias; and Ezekias begat Manasses; and Manasses begat Amon; and Amon begat Josias; and Josias begat Jechonias and his brethren, about the time they were carried away to Babylon; And after they were brought to Babylon, Jechonias begat Salathiel; and Salathiel begat Zorobabel; and Zorobabel begat Abiud; and Abiud begat Eliakim ; and Eliakim begat Azor; and Azor begat Sadoc; and Sadoc begat Achim; and Achim begat Eliud; and Eliud begat Eleazar; and Eleazar begat Matthan; and Matthan begat Jacob; and Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ. So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations; and from David until the carrying away into Babylon are fourteen generations; and from the carrying away into Babylon unto Christ are fourteen generations. Joseph, the son of Jonan, the son of Eliakim, the son of Melea, the son of Menan, the son of Mattatha, the son of Nathan, the son of David, the son of Jesse, the son of Isa. xi. i. Obed, the son of Booz, the son of Salmon, the son of Naasson, the son of Aminadab, the son of Aram, the son of Esrom, the son of Phares, the son of Juda, the son of Jacob, the son of Isaac, the son of Abraham, the son of Thara, the son of Nachor, the son of Saruch, the son of Ragau, the son of Phalec, the son of Heber, the son of Sala, the son of Cainan, the son of Arphaxad, the son of Sem, the son of Noe, the son of Lamech, the son of Mathusala, the son of Enoch, the son of Jared, the son of Maleleel, the son of Cainan, the son of Enos, the son of Seth, the son of Adam, the son of God. PART II. BAPTISM, TEMPTATION, AND EARLY Time: ABOUT ONE YEAR. SECT. I. THE MINISTRY OF JOHN THE BAPTIST.* (JOHN i. LUKE iii. MATT. iii. MARK i.) THE DESERT-THE JORDAN, 5th July, 26 A,D. THERE was a man sent from God, whose name was John. The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe. He 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. Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Cæsar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judæa, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of Ituræa and of the region of Trachonitis, and Lysanias the tetrarch of Abilene, Annas and Caiaphas being the high priests, the word of God came unto John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness. And he came into all the country about Jordan, *Considerable difference of opinion prevails regarding the time when the Baptist began his ministry, and how long his labours continued before Jesus came to be baptized. It is generally supposed, from the custom of the Levites, reaching the age of thirty before they entered upon their full service (Numb. iv. 3), that John must have reached that age ere he began his ministry. Seeing his fame had extended so widely, that so many had been baptized, and that his work seems to have reached its highest point when Christ appeared on the banks of the Jordan, we cannot suppose less than six months to have elapsed since its commencement. John had retired from the haunts of men, and buried himself in the rocky solitudes of the wilderness of Judea, clothing himself with the roughest robes, and satisfying himself with the coarsest fare. And now, properly trained and fitted for his great work, he openly appears. The time of his appearance was in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Cæsar, the stepson and successor of Augustus, and joint emperor with him for two years before his death. It was in the first or second year of the government in Judea of Pontius Pilate, the sixth |