with the same eager hurry as is shown in our day by passengers
in the restaurant of a railway station. But in our Lord's time
they partook of the feast at leisure, reclining at the table upon
couches. On the first occasion the lamb had been eaten only
with unleavened bread and bitter herbs ; but now there was
red wine on the table, and the custom was for even the poorest
Israelite to drink four cups of it. In the Books of Moses there
is no mention of any service of praise at the Passover ; but now
all devout Jews sang at the table the series of six Psalms called
"the Hallel " (that is. Hallelujah), froin Psajm cxiii. to Psalm
cxviii. inclusive, — very much aa the Scottish Church has been
in the habit of singing Psalm ciii. at the Communion Table,
391
392 THE GREAT TEXTS OF THE BIBLE
There was no Divine authority for the changed observance. It was simply that the natural feeling of the nation brought into it this element of thanksgiving. Even the Pharisees and Scribes, who strangled the Jewish religion with red tape, and literalness, and rigid precision, themselves thus kept the feast. And the Lord Jesus fell in with the custom, and Him- self thus celebrated the Passover.
^ Long years ago I happened to be crossing the Simplon on the day of some great Church festival. The bell of the little chapel had tolled for the service, and the simple peasants were gathering for worship. I looked into the church and stood with rigid Protestant defiance. But as I watched the devout congrega- tion, I thought that they were worshipping my Lord and my God — and I knelt with them and gave myself up to a season of communion with God. Then I walked away alone over the Pass, yet not alone ; with such a joyous sense of God's presence that few places or days have come to be more memorable than that June day amidst the glorious mountains. I have sometimes thought that its influence has never died out of my life.^
Jesus Singing a Hymn.
1. Jesus Singing. — It is good to think of our Blessed Master singing. He who taught us to pray, and who spake as never man spake, says, " Let us sing." Music has a new meaning and singing a richer charm since He sang. He who sang at such an hour surely loves to hear us sing as we gather at His table. Since the Master sang a hymn, let us be like Him. I am sorry for those who cannot sing, and sorrier still for those who can sing and do not. Whatever else you do, do sing. Prayer is needful, but prayer itself will one day die. And preaching is needful, but let us thank God that there are no preachers in heaven. But singing will last for ever and ever. Everybody there is in the choir. And Heaven's highest bliss will surely be to sing with Him, in sweeter strains than earth can hear, the new song at the marriage supper of the Lamb.^
^ We sometimes think of Jesus as an austere man. In Quentin Matsy's masterpiece He is represented with dishevelled ^M. G. Pearse. ^llid.
ST. MARK 393
locks, hollow cheeks, eyes dimmed and brows overarched with anguish — a man of sorrows, acquainted with grief. He was, however, no cynic, no anchorite, but a man among men. It is not recorded that He ever laughed, yet His heart must have been full of laughter ; for, seeing the sorrow of the world. He saw the joy beyond it. All men laugh unless they are stolid or dyspeptic, and He was neither. On this occasion He was passing into the dark shadow of the cross, yet He joined in the great Hallel, " Oh give thanks unto the Lord, for he is good, for his mercy enduretb for ever." ^
Why should not Jesus sing ?
(1) His heart was in sympathy with all things pure and lovely and of good report. The town where He spent His boyhood is overlooked by a precipitous hill six hundred feet above the level of the sea. It is not to be doubted that often- times He climbed up yonder to commune with God. The mountain flowers were about His feet, and every one of them was like a swinging censer full of perfume. All about Him were orchards and vineyards and verdant pastures, and every grass-blade was inscribed with His Father's name. He watched the eagles poising in the cloudless azure, and heard the hum of busy life in the village below; saw Tabor to the eastward clothed with oak and terebinth, and beyond the western hills the mists rising from the Great Sea ; to the south lay the plain of Esdraelon, scene of a hundred battles, and far beyond were the gleaming domes of the Holy City. His heart gave thanks with the leaping of the brooks ; the birds sang and He sang with them.
(2) Why should not Jesus sing ? He had a clear conscience, of all living men the only one who knew no sin. He alone could go to His rest at eventide with no cry, " Have mercy on me. 0 God ! against thee have I sinned and done evil in thy sight." For Him there were no vain regrets, no " might have beens." There was no guile in His heart, no guile on His lips. He was conscious of no war in His members. His soul was set on the discharge of duty.