cross. His work as the great Prophet, so far as His earthly ministry was concerned, was almost finished and completed. His work as the sacrifice for sin and sub- stitute for sinners, remained to be accomplished. Before giving Himself up as a sacrifice. He desired to draw the attention of the whole Jewish nation to Himself. The Lamb of God was about to be slain. The great sin- offering was about to be killed. It was meet that the eyes of all Israel should be fixed upon Him. This great thing was not to be done in a comer.
For ever let us bless God that the death of our Lord Jesus Christ was so widely known and so public an event. Had He been suddenly stoned in some popular tumult, — or privately beheaded like John the Baptist in prison, there never would have been wanting Jewish and Gentile unbelievers, who would have denied that the Son of God died at all. The wisdom of God so ordered events that such a denial was rendered impossible. Whatever men may think of the doctrine of Christ's atoning death, they never can deny the fact that Christ died. Publicly He rode into Jerusalem a few days before His death. Publicly He was seen and heard in the city imtil the day that He was betrayed. Publicly He was brought before the High Priests and Pilate, and condemned. Publicly He was led forth to Calvary, and nailed to the cross. The comer- stone and crowning event in our Lord's ministry was His death for sinners. Of aU the events of His ministry that death was the one most public, and the one witnessed by the greatest number of Jews. And that death was the " life of the world." (John vi. 61.)
Let us leave the whole passage with the cheering