The Pulpit Commentary — Exodus — Volume 1 — Section 285

temporal jud,,,crment about to fall on Egypt. Underlying it, there wa.s the need for a yei grea_ter rede~mption-a redompti~n. from the curse of a broken law, and from the tyranny of sm e.nd Satan ; from <loath spmtud, temporal, and eteme.l. It is this higher redemp• tion which Christ he.s achieved, altering, through his death, the whole relation of God to man, and of (believing) man to God. 2. 'l'he contrast in the victims. 'l'hat an irrational lamb; this, the Eternal Son of God in human nature, the Lord's own Christ. :t The contrast in the e.ffica.cy of the blood. The blood of the passover lamb had no inherent virtue to take away sin. Whatever virtue it possessed arose from God's am10intment, or from its typice.1 relation to the sacrifice of Christ. Its imperfection as a. sacrifice wa.s seen (1) In the multituck of the victims. (2) In the repetition of the 11erV1ce (Hcb. x. 1-3). But what the flowing of the blood of millions of lambs, year by year slain in atonement for sin could not achieve, Christ has achieved once for e.11 by the offering up of his holy body a.nd soul. The dignity of his person, the greatness of his love, his holy will, the spirit of perfect self-sacrifice in which he himself sinless offered himself up to bear the curse of sin for the unholy, confers upo~ his oblation ru:: exhaustless meritoriousness. Its worth and sufficiency a.re infinite (Heb. x. 10-16; 1 Pet. i. 19; 1 John ii. 2). 4. The contrast in the speci,fic blessings obtained. 'l'he difference in ~hese springs from the contrast in the redemptions. Israel obtained (1) Escape from Judgment. (2) Outward liberty. (3) Guidance, ea.re, a.nd instruction in the desert. (4) ffitimately, an earthly inheritance. We receive, through Christ, (1) Pardon of all sins. (2) A complete justifying righteousness, carrying with it the title to eternal life. (3) Renewe.1 and sanctification by the Spirit. (4) Every needed temporal and spiritual blessing in life. (5) Heaven at the close, with triumph over death, the hope of a resurrection, and of final perfecting in glory.-J. 0. Ver. 26, 2i.-" W7uitmean ye by this service1" Apply to the Lord's Supper. I. A QUESTION TO BE POT BY THE OOMlllTh'ICil'T TO HIMSELF. Qualification for the Lord's table includes" knowledge to discern the Lord's body," as well as" faith to feed upon him." IL A QUESTION LIKELY TO DE PUT TO THE CO:MHUNICANT BY HIS CBILDBEN. 1. The children a.re presumed to be spectators of the ordinance. It is well that children should be present during the administration of the sacraments. It awakens their interest. It leads them to inquire. 2. The ordinance is fitted to attract attention. An externe.1 interest attaches to it. It appeals to the senses. The symbolic acts and movements prompt to inquiry. 3. It furnishes an excellent opportwnity for imparting instruction. Children will attend to an expla.na.tion of the sacraments, who will pay little attention to a book or a sermon. The symbolism of the ordinance aids instruc-- tion; makes it vivid and impressive. ill. A QUESTION WBICH THE ClmlsTIAN PA.BENT SHOULD BE ABLE TO ANSWER TO ms CHILDRE!\. It is a sad matter when a parent is incapable of sitting down, anu instructing his children in the meaning of the sacramental symbol. It betrays some- thing worse than ignorance; not improbably, a total want of spiritual religion. JV, 'fm: ANSWER TO THIS QUESTION INVOLVES A STATEMENT OF TRE GREATEST VERITIES OF OUR FAITH. The Jew had to answer to his child-" It is the sacrifice of the Lord's passover," etc. (ver. 27). The Christian has to answer, "It is the memorial of our Lord's death, in atonement for our sins." He has to tell-1. How we were in guilt and danger. 2. How, for the love wherewith he loved us, Christ gave himself up to the death for our redemption. 3. How, for his sake, we are forgiven and accepted. 4. How the ungodly world has still God's wrath resting upon it. It is wonderful to reflect how simply, yet how perfectly, God has provided for the handing down of a testimony to these great truths in the ordinance of the Lord's Supper. The pulpit may fail to preach the doctrine of atonement; Rationalistic and Unitarian teachers may deny it; but as often as the Lord's Supper is observed, on the model of the New Tes~a- ment, the truth is anew proclaimed in um:nistak.able symbols. 'l'o give a child a satis- factory explanation of the Lord's Supper, embodying the words of institution, would be IWllDllt of necessity, to preach a sermon on the atonement.-J. 0. Vers. 2~27.-T'ne children's qtJaUon, in Canaan. 1. IT WAS A QUESTION TO BE The service was one to proYoke curiosity Ell'£<11'ED. It was not some daily action of Oil, XII. 26, 27.] THE BOOK OF EXODUS. 2'79