EFFECT OF THE MIRACLE,

So Jesus crossed over on the sea!

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The Jews could understand no "sign," no miracle, which did not promise to them temporal prosperity. "Thus," says Andrews, "the effect of the miracle (over the lake) was to confirm their false Messianic hopes, for they interpreted it as a pledge of the highest temporal prosperity under His rule, who could . . . feed five thousand men on five barley loaves," and have more remaining than they began with! This was the sort of prophet that they were looking for. "This of a truth is the kind of prophet that should come into the world," they enthusiastically exclaimed.

Hence Jesus, at the synagogue on the next day, accused them of following Him more for loaves and fishes than any higher sign of His Messiahship.-John 6: 26.

This explains what has seemed to some as a harsh accusation-"Ye seek me not because ye saw signs (verse 14), but because of the loaves of which ye ate and were filled."

Every Israelite found here what best pleased him. "The young tasted bread, the aged honey, and the children oil" (Lightfoot; Geikie). "When Messiah comes He would restore all things"-that is, temporal things.

CHAPTER XXXIV.

TWO WEEKS' RESPITE IN CAPERNAUM.

TIME-During Passover, April, A. D. 29.
PLACE-At Capernaum and vicinity.

References. Matt. 14: 34-36. Matt. 15: 1-20.

ATTHEW and

and Mark

Mark 6: 53-56.

make no mention of the

Mark 7: 1-23.

Luke 13: 1-5.

Sabbath day's proceed- John 6: 25-71. ings "in the synagogue

at Capernaum" on the day following the return of Jesus and the twelve (at night) from Butahia; whereas John has given us a full account thereof, commencing with the expressions of surprise by the people, who found Jesus at Capernaum giving a complete report of the great sermon on the "bread which came down from heaven:" the disaffection of the disciples-not the Twelve (67) and His direct address to the apostles, closing the whole at verse 59.

From this point Matthew (14: 34) and Mark (6: 53) take up the narrative, going back to state the fact of their landing -probably a little farther south than they were accustomedin consequence of the wind having blown them out of their regular course.

It must have been yet dark when they landed-"the fourth watch of the night"-and the people did not see Jesus until after leaving the boat.-Matthew and Mark.

"The passover of the Jews was nigh," we learn from John

THE ACME OF HIS FAME.

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(5: 4), and doubtless Capernaum was crowded again with pilgrims from the north, referred to in the last chapter of these journeys. Thus Jesus preached the sermon on the Bread of Life to a new congregation, in part. These pilgrims had witnessed the miracle of the feeding on the previous day, and now they heard from "he apostles of the more wonderful miracle of Jesus crossing the sea on foot in the storm!

"In those two incomprehensible miracles, Jesus had reached the culminating point of His labors." Never was His popularity so great. He carried all opposition before Him, and the people ran wild with enthusiasm.

On the first day of the week the pilgrims in the city, and those encamped on the hills above and the plains below, renewed their journey toward Jerusalem to attend the passover. What marvellous stories they rehearsed along the various routes to the Holy City, and with what astonishment and amazement were these stories there received by the multitude and the Sanhedrin! The effect on the latter was, immediately on the close of the feast, to send a new and more powerful deputation of scribes and Pharisees to watch Him, and try to apprehend Him in His career.

During the passover our Lord remained in and about "home." Probably the disciples went up to Jerusalem meantime to attend the feast. It would require six days for the multitude to go and return, and eight days to attend the passover; and thus we find the "two weeks' respite" for Jesus referred to at the head of this chapter.

The Pharisaical spies sent from Jerusalem after the feast found Jesus at Capernaum (Matt. 15: 1). It is scarcely to be supposed that they left the city until the close of the passover. -So Andrews, Greswell, and Tischendorf.

It would seem from the language of Mark 6: 56, that, during a portion of this respite, Jesus went about many villages and cities, and into the country and market towns, doing good. There were plenty of sick folks still to be healed. Where these places were it is impossible to know, but this we do know, that

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THE SPIES FROM JERUSALEM.

'Wherever the people heard that Jesus was, they ran around about the whole region, bringing in all who were sick, laying them in the market-places, beseeching Him that they might but touch the fringe of His garment as He passed along among them, and as many as did so were healed." What faith was this!

What a marvellous scene was that which marked the closing of His labors in this country! Words utterly fail to convey to the mind of man the immensity of the scene. For this was the zenith of the Lord's popularity. Henceforth His pathway will not be strewn with roses. "The time of the crisis of faith had come, and the gathering opposition had gained in strength, and the fair-weather friends of peace and righteousness waxed cold."-Rev. F. A. Malleson.

Jesus did not go to the passover, for it would have been unsafe to have shown Himself in Jerusalem (Geikie); but His disciples may have gone, since no Jew neglected this duty when possible to comply with its requirements.

There is no mention made of the Twelve during this passover; but a few days afterward, with the return of the pilgrims, and arrival of the Pharisees and scribes from Jerusalem at Capernaum, the disciples are again brought forward. Therefore we think that they went up to Jerusalem to attend the passover of April, A. D. 29.

The presence of this new and strong deputation of spies may well be attributed to the reports of the pilgrims who attended the feast, of the increasing power of Jesus in Galilee, especially as regards the last two miracles, and His Messianic claims shadowed forth in these miracles, as also in the marvellous sermon on the Bread of Life, preached in the synagogue of Capernaum.

Arriving in the city, these bold spies openly pressed into the very presence of Jesus and His disciples, invading what should have been the privacy of their domestic hearth, and criticising the latter in the manner of taking their food. They had observed that some of the disciples ate their bread with unwashed hands.-Mark 7: 2.

REBUKED BY THE LORD.

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In Pharisaical eyes this was an unpardonable sin, and with a bitter complaint they came to Jesus, asking:

"Why do your disciples transgress the tradition of the elders ?"

"Wherein?" Jesus well may have asked.

"Inasmuch as they eat bread with unwashed hands."

The answer of Jesus was full of just severity and rebuke for the hypocrisy and littleness of these great rulers in Israel, as recorded in Matthew 15: 3 to 9.

This occurred in the house, and Jesus, calling the multitude (without), said to them, perhaps as He stood in the doorway: "Hear, and understand, all ye people."

He then explained to them, in the Pharisees' presence, the weakness, folly, and hypocrisy of the accusation.

"Then He entered the house" (Mark 7: 17), and there came the disciples to Him (Matt. 15: 12) and said:

"Do you know that the Pharisees are highly offended with you for what you have just said without to the multitude?" for He had left them outside.-Mark.

"Are you also without understanding?"

"Yes," said Peter. "Declare unto us the parable spoken to them."

Evidently they were, for Jesus at once proceeded to explain to them the whole matter of purification, saying, in conclusion: