The conclusions of great ecclesiastical councils are seldom wise and good, and sometimes are wicked and cruel. Bold, forward, unscrupulous men, like Caiaphas, generally silence the quieter members, and carry all before them.
54. — [Jesus therefore walked. ..Jews.'] From this time our Lord found it necessary to give up appearing openly at Jerusalem, and came there no more till the week of his crucifixion. He knew the result of the council just held, either from His own Divine knowledge, or from the information of friends like Nicodemus; aud as His time was not fully come, he retired from Judaea for a season.
The expression, " no more," is literally " not yet." It must mean " no more at present."
May we not learn from our Lord's conduct, that it may be a duty sometimes not to court danger or death? There are sea- sons when it is a duty to retire, as well as seasons for going for- ward. There are times to be silent, as well as times to speak.
Hutchesou remarks : " It is lawful for Christ's servants to flee when their death is decreed by enemies, and the persecution is personal."
[ Went thence... wilderness. ..Ephraim... disciples.'] Nothing what- ever is known for certain of the distinct locality to which our Lord retired, or of the city here named. It seems, purposely, to have been a quiet, isolated, and little frequented place. The probability is that it was beyond Jordan, in Perea, because when our Lord came to Jerusalem the last time He passed through Jericho.
Ellicott suggests that Ephraim was a town called also Ophrah, About twenty miles north of Jerusalem, on the borders of Sama- ria. He also thinks that on leaving Ephraim those words of St. Luke (chapter xvii. 11) come in, which say, that our Lord "passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee." After that he thinks He went through Perea, to Jericho. But I am not satisfied that he proves these points.
It is worth noticing that our Lord chose a scene of entire quiet and seclusion as His last abode, before going up to His last great season of suffering at the crucifixion. It is well to get alone and be still, before we take in hand any great work for God. Our Saviour was not above this. How much more should His disciples remember it! In saying this, I would not be thought to commend the ostentatious "retreats" of the Romish Church and its followers. It is of the very essence of Christian retirement, if it is to be profitable, that it should be without parade, and should not attract the notice of men. The life of the Eremite has no warrant in Scriptnre.
When it says that our Lord continued or tarried at Ephraim " with His disciples," it is worth noticing that we do not hear a word of any public wrorks that he did there. It looks as if He