esteem, to bring religion and the profession of the scribes into contempt. 2. We gather from the Gospel record that the chief cause of complaint ac,ainst JesUB was bi>. neglect and violation of the ceremonial Law. This Law was to the°rabbis the breath of their nostrils; and our Lord and his disciples, doubtless under his influence, were very negligent of the observances upon which the ruling class laid such stress. The Pharisees fasted, Jesus feasted; the Pharisees performed innumerable ablutions, Jesus ate bread" with unwaehen hands." 3. 'Ine sabbath was, however, the most important point of ilifference. Many of the rigid Jewish religionists held the most narrow opinions and cherished the most absurd and ridiculous scruples with regard to what was lawful and what unlawful upon the weekly day of rest. It was not possible that Jesus, with hi~ views as to the spirituality of worship and as to the nature of holiness, should agree with these petty and childish notions; it was not possible that he should do other than. violate traditional rules and shock formal prejudices. He encouraged his disciples to pluck and eat com on the sabbath; he performed cures upon the day which he held to be made for man; he directed those who were healed to take up their conch and return home. In all these respects he both vindicated religious liberty and asserted himself "Lord of the sabbath." The rigid ceremonialism and ritualism of the rabbis, was offended, alike with the superiority which the Lord claimed over all rules, and with the disdain he showed for their usages and traditions. They hated him, as narrow and formal religionists of all schools ever hate the teachers who place religion in the heart rather than in ceremonies and creeds, and who proclaim that newness of life i.B the one acceptable offering and sacrifice in the sight of the Divine Searcher of hearts. 4. Our Lord's treatment of the scrlbes and Phari8ees was itself a cause of offence, an occasion of their enmity to him. Instead of treating them with deference, he defied their judgment, and (at a later period of his ministry) uttered denunciations and woes upon. them for their hypocrisy. When about to heal the withered hand, J esUB "looked round about on them with anger, being grieved at the hardening of their heart." It was not thus that they were wont to be regarded and treated. If this treatment were continued> their influence must be undermined. 6. The cause of hostility just mentioned was a. symptom of a deeper difference between JesUB and the rabbis: the spiritual quality of his teaching was such as to conflict with all their notions of religion. With them religion was an affair of the outward life alone; with him it was, first and foremost, an affair of the heart. And even with respect to outward actions there was this great difference: the rabbis thought of the attitude of prayer, Christ of the feeling and desire; the rabbis thought much of tithes and fasts, of sacrifices and services, Christ of the weightier matters of the Law; the rabbis thought much of what went as food into the man, Christ of the thoughts which expressed themselves in moral conduct. Observe the feeling that was aroUBed in the breasts of the Pharisees. Luke tells us "they were filled with madness," i.e. carried away by violent rage and hostility. What a revela- tion of human iniquity! 'fhe actions of the holy and gracious Redeemer excite the fury of those he came to benefit and save I And the hostility then felt grew and gathered o.s the months passed on, until it culminated in the successful plot against the Holy One and Just. Such feeling did not evaporate in words; it led to action. The enemies of Jesus retired to deliberate, to plot. There was more than indignation~ there was malice, a resolve to avenge themselves upon One too holy, too authoritative, for them to bear with him. An unnatural alliance was formed between the rabbis, who represented the principles of rigid Judaism both in nationality and in religion and the Herodians, who seem to have been Sadducees in religion, and in politics sup- porters of the house of Herod, and accordingly advocates of all possible independence- upon Rome, It is not easy to understand this league. The Herodians themselves may not so much have hated Jesus as, from political motives, they desired to gain the favour of the powerful Pharisaic party, whose influence with the people generally was great, and who might be made the means of strengthening the supporters of Antipas. 'l'he aim which these confederates set before them was atrocious indeed; it was nothing less than the destruction of Jesus. Answer his reasoning they could not. Equally unable were they to find fault with his irreproachable character, bis benevolent actions. Their only weapons were slander and craft and violence. How to work upon the fears of the secular authorities and the passions of the populace-this was their aiw and endeavour, THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. MAliK. [oH. m. 1-35.
Vers. 13-19.-The twelve. Some of these twelve had been" called" by the Master long ago, and had already been much in his company. Others had been, for a shorter time and less intimat~ly, e.ssociated with him. 'l'his formal appointment anrl. com- mission took place upon the mount, e.nrl. immediately before the delivery of the ever- memorable sermon to the disciples and the multitude. 'l'he passage is suggestive of great general truths. l. CHRIST THOUGHT FIT TO EMPLOY HUMAN AGENTS IN TIIE PROMULGATION OF HIS RELIGION. That he might have dispensed with all created agency, that he mi<rht have employed angelic ministers, we cannot doubt. But in becoming man-" th~ Son of man "-he contracted human sympathies and relationships, and undertook to work with a Divine power indeed, yet by human means. ' II. CHRIST SELECTED HIS AGENTS BY VIRTUE OF ms OWN WISDOM AND AUTHORITY. He called "whom he himself would." The Lord Jesus is the absolute Monarch in. his own kingdom. Having perfect knowledge, unerring wisdom, and unfailin"' 0 justice he is fitted for supreme, unshared rule. '