Master, we would that thou shouldst do for us whatsoever we shall desire. And he said unto her what wilt thou? She saith unto him, Grant that these my two sons may sit, the one on thy right hand, and the other on thy left hand, in thy kingdom of glory. But Jesus answered and said, Ye know not what 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? They say unto him, We are able. And Jesus said unto them, Ye shall indeed drink of the cup that I drink of, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with: but to sit on my right hand, and on my left, is not mine to give, but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared of my Father.

And when the ten heard it, they were moved with indignation against the two brethren James and John. But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them. But it shall not be so among you but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister; and whosoever will be chief among Isa. liii. 10, you, let him be your servant: even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.*

II.

SECT. XXXI. BLIND BARTIMEUS HEALED.†

(MATT. xx. MARK X. LUKE Xviiii.)

:

JERICHO.

And they came to Jericho and as he went out of Jericho with his disciples and a great number of people, blind Bartimeus, the son of Timeus, sat by the highway side begging.

*Here we have from Christ's own mouth a clear proof of the vicarious and atoning character of his death.

Matthew speaks of "two blind men," a similar miracle having evidently been performed about the same time and place. Lightfoot, Greswell, Wieseler, and others, are of opinion that one blind man was healed before Jesus entered Jericho, and another on his departure from it. The difference in the accounts of the Evangelists appears to us very unimportant, except as serving to show that they are independent historians; and we do not attempt to solve the apparent discrepancies existing here. It is Mark's graphic and minute description which is adopted.

And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out, and say, Jesus, thou son of David, have mercy on me! And many charged him that he should hold his peace : but he cried the more a great deal, Thou son of David, have mercy on me! And Jesus stood still, and commanded him to be called. And they call the blind man, saying unto him, Be of good comfort, rise; he calleth thee. And he, casting away his garment, rose, and came to Jesus. And Jesus answered and said unto him, What wilt thou that I should do unto thee? The blind man said unto him, Lord, that I might receive my sight. And Jesus said unto him, Go thy way, thy faith hath made thee whole. And immediately he received his sight, and followed Jesus in the way, glorifying God. And all the people, when they saw it, gave praise unto God. And Jesus entered and passed through Jericho.

SECT. XXXII. THE VISIT TO ZACCHEUS.

(LUKE xix.)

BETWEEN JERICHO AND JERUSALEM, 29th March, 30 A.D.

And, behold, there was a man named Zaccheus, which was the chief among the publicans, and he was rich. And he sought to see Jesus who he was; and could not for the press, because he was little of stature. And he ran before, and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him : for he was to pass that way. And when Jesus came to the place he looked up, and saw him, and said unto him, Zaccheus, make haste, and come down, for to-day I must abide at thy house. And he made haste, and came down, and received him joyfully. And when they saw it, they all murmured, saying, That he was gone to be guest with a man that is a sinner. And Zaccheus stood, and said unto the Lord; Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken anything from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold. And Jesus said unto him, This day is salvation come to this house, forsomuch as he also is a son of Abraham.

For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.

And as they heard these things, he added and spake a parable, because he was nigh to Jerusalem, and because they thought that the kingdom of God should immediately appear. He said therefore, A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom, and to return. And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten Parable of the pounds. pounds, and said unto them, Occupy till I come. But his citizens hated him, and sent a message after him, saying, We will not have this man to reign over us. And it came to pass that, when he was returned, having received the kingdom,* then he commanded these servants to be called unto him, to whom he had given the money, that he might know how much every man had gained by trading. Then came the first, saying, Lord, thy pound hath gained ten pounds. And he said unto him, Well, thou good servant because thou hast been faithful in a very little, have thou authority over ten cities. And the second came, saying, Lord, thy pound hath gained five pounds. And he said likewise to him, Be thou also over five cities. And another came, saying, Lord, behold, here is thy pound, which I have kept laid up in a napkin for I feared thee, because thou art an austere man : thou takest up that thou layedst not down, and reapest that thou didst not sow. And he saith unto him, Out of thine own mouth will I judge thee, thou wicked servant. Thou knowest that I was an austere man, taking up that I laid not down, and reaping that I did not sow: wherefore then gavest not thou my money into the bank, that at my coming I might have required mine own with usury? And he said unto them that stood by, Take from him the pound, and give it to him that hath ten pounds. (And they said unto him, Lord, he hath ten pounds.) For I say unto you, That unto every one which hath shall be given; and from him that

* There is probably an allusion here to the kings of Judea going to Rome to receive the investiture of their kingdom from the Roman Emperors. When Archelaus went to solicit the kingdom in the room of his father, an embassage from the Jews was sent to plead against him, and this recent event would doubtless make the parable more striking and impressive to Christ's hearers. Wild hopes and expectations pervaded all hearts, and it was to check and allay these that the parable was delivered.

hath not, even that he hath shall be taken away from him. But those mine enemies, which would not that I should reign over them, bring hither, and slay them before me. And when he had thus spoken, he went before, ascending up to Jerusalem.*

The end was now fast approaching, and Jesus knew well the terrible baptism of suffering and blood that awaited him; but he advanced thoughtfully and zealously in front of them all, "ascending up to Jerusalem."

PART VI.

FROM CHRIST'S ENTRY INTO JERUSALEM TO HIS APPREHENSION AND DEATH.

SECT. I.

JESUS ARRIVES AT BETHANY.*

Saturday, the sixth day before the Passover.

(JOHN xi. xii.)

BETHANY, 31st March, A.D. 30. And the Jews' passover was nigh at hand: and many went out of the country up to Jerusalem, before the passover, to purify themselves. Then sought they for Jesus and spake among themselves, as they stood in the temple, What think ye, that he will not come to the feast? Now, both the chief priests and the Pharisees had given a commandment that, if any man knew where he were he should show it, that they might take him.

Then Jesus, six days before the passover, came to Bethany,† where Lazarus was which had been dead, whom he raised from the dead. Much people of the Jews therefore knew that he was there; and they came not for Jesus' sake only, but that they might see Lazarus also, whom he had raised from the dead. But the chief priests consulted that they might put Lazarus also to death; because that by reason of him many of the Jews went away, and believed on Jesus.

*The course of our history has now brought us down to the period when Jesus, having finally finished his ministry in Galilee, was about to complete it in Jerusalem also, the great work of human redemption being at the same time accomplished. We now find the events of each day very minutely narrated, and the harmonizer can arrange the passages with greater satisfaction.

†There is much diversity of opinion in regard to the day of Christ's arrival at Bethany, the Jewish mode of reckoning, which was from sunset to sunrise, being so different from ours. With Lightfoot, Wieseler, Robinson, and Greswell, we have placed the arrival on the evening of Saturday.