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from the fact of our Lord commeoding His mother to the care of John. (John xix. 27.)
Who ate meant hy our Lord's " brethren," cannot now be determined. It is certain that the word so translated, does not necessarily mean the sons of our Lord's mother. It is clear, from many passages in the Bible, that the word " brethren" has fre<|uently a wide signification, and may mean either cousins, or mere distant relations. (Compare Gen. xxxi. 46; Matt, xiii. 65 ; xxvii. 56 ; Mark iii. 18 ; Gal. i. 10.) Some think that these " brethren," were sons of Joseph by a former marriage, before he was Mary's husband. Some think that they were uie sons of one of Mary's sisters. Nothing certain is known on the subject.
Whether our Lord's mother clearly saw the nature of His work on earth, at this particular time, may seriously be ques- tioned. There is no reason to suppose that her mind was en- tirely free from that obscurity imder which the holiest and best Jews appear to have been, about the humiliation and sufferings of Messiah.
[Come at him.] The word translated " come at," is only found here in the New Testament. According to Parkhurst, it simply means, " to meet with, meet, light upon, or get to." The Synac version of this place, renders it to *' speak with."
LUKE Vin. 22—26.
22 Now it came to pass on a certain day, that he went into a ship with his disciples : and he said unto them. Let us go over unto the other side oi the lake. And they launched forth.
23 But as they sailed he fell asleep : and there came down a storm of wind on the lake ; and they were filled triM ieater, and were in jeopardy.
24 And they came to him) and
awoke him, saying, Kast&r, master, we perish. Then he arose, and rebuked the wind and the rasing of the water : and they ceased, and there was a calm. 25 And he said unto them, Where is your faith ? And they being afraid wondered, saying one to another, What manner of man is this ! for he commandeth even the winds and water, and they obey him.
The event in our Lord's life described in these verses is related three times in the Gospels. Matthew, Mark, and Luke were all inspired to record it. This circumstance should teach^us the importance of the event, and should make us '' give the more heed" to the lessons it contains. We see, firstly, in these verses, that our Lard Jbsub Christ was really man ae well as Ood. We read tiiat
262 EZFOsnoRT thoughts.
as he sailed oyer the Lake of Gtennesaiet in a ship with his disciples^ ^' he fell asleep/' Sleep, we must he all aware, is one of the conditions of onr natural oonsti- tntion as hnman heings. Angels and spirits requiie neither food nor refireshmait. But flesh and hlood, to keep up a healthy existence, must eal^ and drink, and sleep. If the Lord Jesns conld he weaiy, and need rest^ He must have had two natures in one person — a human nature as well as a diyine.
The truth now hefore us is full of deep consolation and encouragement for all true Christians. The one Mediator, in whom we are hid to trust, has heen Himself ''partaker of flesh and hlood." The mighty High Priest, who is living for us at Ood's right hand, has had personal experience of all the sinless infirmities of the body. He has himself hungered, and thirsted, and suffered pain. He has himself endured weariness, and sought rest in sleep. — ^Let us pour out our hearts before him with £ree- dom, and tell him our least troubles without reserre. He who made atonement for us on the cross is one who " can be touched with the feeling of our infirmities." (Heb. iy. 15.) To be weary of working for Grod is sinful, but to be wearied and worn in doing God's work is no sin at all. Jesus Himself was weary, and Jesus slept.
We see, secondly, in these yerses, what fears and anxieties may assault the hearts of true disciples of Christ. We read that *' when a storm of wind came down on the lake,'' and the boat in which our Lord was sailing was filled with water, and in jeopardy. His companions were greatly alarmed. ''They came to Him and awoke Him, saying. Master, Master, we perish.'' They forgot, for a