What was it that ye disputed among yourselves by the way?
34 But they held their peace : for by the way they had disputed among themselves, who should be the greatest.
35 And he sat down, and called the twelve, and saith unto them, If any man desire to be first, the same shall be last of all, and servant of all.
36 And he took a child, and set him in the midst of them : and when lie had taken him in his arms, he said unto them,
37 Whosoever shall receive one of such children in my name, receiveth me : and whosoever shall receive me, receiveth not me, but him that sent me.
Let us mark, in these verses, oar Lord's renewed an- nouncement of His own coming, death, and resurrection. " He taught His disciples, and said unto thern, The Son of man is delivered into the hands of men, and they shall kill Him ; and after that He is killed, he shall rise the third day."
The dullness of the disciples in spiritual things ap- pears once more, as soon as this announcement was made. There was good in the tidings as well as seeming evil — sweet as well as bitter — life as well as death — the resurrection as well as the cross. But it was all darkness to the bewildered twelve. " They understood not that saying, and were afraid to ask." Their minds were still full of their mistaken ideas of their Master's reign upon earth. They thought that His earthly kingdom was immediately to appear. Never are we so slow to un- derstand, as when prejudice and pre-conveived opinions darken our eyes.
The immense importance of our Lord's death and resurrection comes out strongly in this fresh announce-
is exceedingly strong, and implies a feeling much beyond that which the English word " amazed" conveys to our minds. It certainly seems as if some traces of visible glory, or, at any rate, some expres- sion of extraordinary majesty appeared in our Lord's countenance, after the transfiguration. It reminds us of the face of Moses shining whm he came down from the mount.