Jews of late had sought to stone him, his Disciples were amazed at his intrepidity, and trembled for themselves lest they also should be involved in difficulties through hima: and, if they were so agitated with a confused apprehension of probable evils, how great must his resolution have been, who saw every trouble distinct and certain, and yet went forward boldly to meet it all! But he had undertaken to glorify his Father upon earth, and to open a way for the display of all his perfections in the salvation of fallen man ; and he would not go back : yea, fore- seeing what a " bloody baptism he had to be baptized with, he was quite straitened till it should be accomplished." The only alternative was, to bear the sins of men in his own body, or to leave them to perish under the wrath of God : and though he knew how dreadful that wrath was, and that, if not borne by him as their surety, they must bear it for ever, he went for- ward a willing sacrifice, and " gave himself up for us an offering to God of a sweet-smelling savour." These heavenly virtues, I say, are all heightened by the consideration, that he had a distinct view of the indignities that were to be offered to him, and the miseries that he was to endure ; and his prophetic enumeration of them discovers and illustrates the unrivalled excellencies of his character.]
2. His office as the Messiah—
[What clearer proof could be given of his Messiahship ? Two questions I would put to any one that doubts the Mes- siahship of Jesus; and I will defy all the infidels upon earth to answer them : Could any impostor foi'esee such events ? or, Would any impostor rest his pretensions on the accomplish- ment of them ? We may conceive an impostor to foresee, that he shall be treated with much indignity, and that he shall be put to death : I say, he may see so great a probability of these things, as that he shall venture to predict them: but the cir- cumstances foretold by our Lord are beyond the sphere of probability. Compare the account of this prophecy as it is related in the text, and by St. Matthewb: Jesus foretells that he was to be betrayed, and " delivered up into the hands of the Chief Priests and Scribes ;" that he was to undergo the for- mality of a trial, and " be condemned" by a judicial sentence: that he should then not be put to death by them, but " be delivered unto the Gentiles," and by them be mocked, and spitefully entreated, and spit on : that by them also he should be scourged ; and after that should " be crucified" as a slave. Now the probability was, that he would be tumultuously stoned to death by the Jews; because that was the punishment
a Compare John xi. 7, 8, 1G, 37. with Mark x. 32. He " went before:" they "amazed, and afraid." ' b Matt. xx. 18, 19.