man's sin. He knew that He was the Lamb of God, who must die to take away the sin of the world. He knew that His death was the appointed sacrifice, which must be ofiered up to make reconciliation for iniquity. Knowing all this, He went willingly to the cross. His heart was set on finishing the mighty work He came into the world to do. He was well aware that all hinged on His own death, and that, without that death. His miracles and preaching would have done comparatively nothing for the world. No wonder that He thrice pressed on the atten- tion of His disciples that He "must needs" die. Blessed and happy are they who know the real meaning and importance of the sufferings of Christ !
The next thing that we should notice in these verses, is the mixture of ignorance and faith that may he found, even in true-hearted Christians. We see the mother of James and John coming to our Lord with her two sons, and preferring on their behalf a strange petition. She asks that they "may sit, one on His right hand, and the other on His left in His kingdom." She seems to have forgotten all He had just been saying about His suffer- ing. Her eager mind can think of nothing but His glory. His plain warnings about the crucifixion, appear to have been thrown away on her sons. Their thoughts were full of nothing but His throne, and the day of His power. There was much of fiith in their request, but there was much more of infirmity. There was some- thing to be commended, in that they could see in Jesus of Nazareth a comins^ kiuG;. But there was also much to blame, in that they did not remember that He was to be crucified before He could reign. Truly the flesh