students, and talk as confidently as if they were prophets themselves. Above all, let us read prophetical Scripture with a thorough conviction that the study carries with it a blessing, and that more light may be expected on it every year. The promise remains in fuU force, " Blessed is he that readeth.'^ At the time of the end, the vision shall be unsealed. (Bev. i. 3 ; Dan. xii. 9.)
Notes. Lvkb XXI. 6—9.
5. — [Same spake... temple.'] The feeling with which all Jews, in our Lord's time, regarded the temple, was something far beyond what we can imagine in the present day. This should be borne in mind, in order to estimate rightly the effect which our Lord's words, in this place, must have produced on those who heard them.
[Ooodly stones^ The enormous size of the stones with which the temple was built by Herod at its last restoration, is specially mentioned by Josephus. He says that " many of them were about twenty-five cubits in length, eight in height, and twelve in breadth." A cubit was about twenty-two inches of our measure.
[Oifts.] Tacitus, the Roman historian, and. Josephus, the Jewish writer, both mention the enormous riches contained in the temple, consisting chiefly of offerings given by pious persons, or by rulers who wished to testify respect for the Duilding. In particular there was a golden vine given by Herod, with clusters oi grapes as tall as a man. Many of these offerings were sus- pended in the portico of the temple, so that all could see them.
6. — [Not he left one stone upon another. 1 These words were literally fulfilled when Titus took Jerusalem, and Turrus Rufus, one of his officers, ploughed up the foundations of the temple.
It may be well to remember, that these words do not necessa- rily apply to the substructure on the side of the hill on which the temple stood. There are remains of a wall built of enormous stones still seen at Jerusalem, which the best informed travellers agree in thinking must have been standing when our Lord spoke this prophecy.
Burkitt remarks, " Sin will undermine and blow up the most magnificent and famous structure. Sin brings cities and king- doms, as well as particular persons, to their end."
8. — [Take heed... he not deceived.'] The caution given by our Lord is very Bignificant. The mistakes that theologians have made
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BXFOSrrORT THOUGHTS.
about the fulfilment of prophecy, in every age of the Church, have been many and great. In our own day we Bee some putting a literal meaning on figurative prophecy, and others putting a figurative meaning on literal prophecy. — Some can see nothing but "the Church "in passages where Israel is mentioned. Others can see nothing but Israel in every prophecy in the Bible. — Some say that nearly all prophecy is fulnlled. Others say that it is nearly all unfulfilled. — Some see the Church of Rome every- where in prophecy. Others cannot see Rome in prophecy at all. — Some can see no anti-christ except the Pope. Others can see no anti-christ except a future general anti-christ yet to be re- vealed.— Some think that events around us are fulfilling the book of Revelation. Others think that every word of Revelation remains yet to be fulfilled. — Amidst this tangled maze of discord- ant opinions, we need greatly the solemn warning of our Lord, " Take heed that ye be not deceived."
\Many shall come saying,..! am Christ. ] There were many impostors who appeared in the latter days of Jewish history, who pretended to be the Messiah. It must not surprise us if some in like manner shall arise and make similar claims about the time of the second advent of Christ.
9. — [By and by.] The Greek word so rendered is almost always translated in the New Testament, " immediately," " forthwith," or " straightway." This is clearly the meaning in this place.