How could Ohrist assert in the most solemn was when the overthrow of Jerusalem and mo.nner, Verily, I say unto you, tho.t some of its temple made way for the full establish- his hearers woulcl live to witness an event ment and development of the gospel, putting which was to occur only a week hence? an end to the first dispensation. Some stand- Nor is it likely that ho would thus publicly ing (o/ them that inand) here. Among the announce a trnnso.otion which was strictly apootles St. John certainly survived the de- pri vote, seen only by three chosen witnesses, struction of J eruso.lem. There seems to be who were further charged not to reveal the no recondite meaning in the term "stand- vision till the Son of man was risen from ing," as if it signified "remaining stead- the dead. The Lord had been telling of fBl!tly by me, adhering to my side;" as, taste the fine.I judgment; he now announces, with of death is merely a periphro..sis for "die," anr\ the formula used by him to present some has not the eeme of tasting the bitterness revelation of Divine truth, that there was of death, experiencing its sting. It appears to be e. coming of the Son of man nt no very to have been originally a metaphor derived distant date. This advent is doubtless the from a nauseous draught, which every one destruction of Jerusalem, which, as it must drain. Coming in his "ingdom. Not occurred only some forty years after this "into his kingdom," but in the power anrl time, some of his auditors, apostles and the glory that appertain to hu kingdom. Not multitude, would live to behold. This great that he will personally appear, but his mys- event was a. type of the second advent, the tical presence will be seen by its effects, the two being closely connected by Christ him- judgment on the Jewish nation, the es- self (see eh. xxiv.). There is some truth in tablishment of a spiritual, yet visible king- all the views that have obtained concerning dom in the place of the old covenant. There this passage: "The prophecy unfolded may be a similar allusion in Christ's words itself by degrees; it has put forth buds and a.bout St. John, "If I will that he tarry till blossoms, but it will not be in its full bloom I come" (John xxi. 23), and "This gene- of accomplishment till the great day" ration shall not pass till all these things be (Wordsworth). There was some display of fulfilled" (eh. xxiv. 34)-where the disso- Christ's kingdom at the Transfiguration; lution of the Jewish polity is the eve11t another at his resurrection, and the events signified. oonsequent thereupon; but the great one
HOMILETICS. ' Vers. 1-12.-The visit to Galilee. I. THB LORD CROSSES THE LAKE TO THE WESTERN SHOBE. 1. He dismisses the multitude. They went away quietly, it seems. There wa~ no need now to constrain the disciples to depart first. The people did not attempt to take the Lord by force to make him a King. They were more docile than the five thousand had been. They were full of thankfulness. They glorified the God of Israel. But they were simple-hearted people; they did not regard themselves as wiser than the Lord. They were content to believe and adore. So we must wait on him, and say, like the rustic people on the east of the Sea of Galilee, " He hath done all things well." He sent them away, and took ship, and crossed to the western side of the lake. 2. The coalition of the Pharisees and the Sadducee&. They were bitterly hostile to each other. The Sadducees rejected the whole system of traditional inter- pretations and observances on which the Pharisees insisted so strongly, and maintained the necessity of accepting in every particular the literal meaning of the written Law. They were in possession of the chief places in the Church. They were cold-hearted and apathetic. 'l'hey clung to the honours and emoluments of the priesthood, but they had no earnestness, no faith in spiritual religion. They were the aristocratic party in the Jewish Church of the day. Their support of the Herodian family and the Roman rule made them unpopular with the people. The Pharisees were fanatics, full of zea.l; but it was misguided zeal-zeal for the letter of the Law as interpreted by the immense mass of rabbinical learning which, though not yet digested iuto the Mishna and Gema.ra, was taught in the school of the rabbis, and regarded as at least of equal authority with the Scriptures themselves. The Pharisees were intensely national. They mix:ed with the people. They sympathized with and encouraged their hatred to foreign domination. Tlleir principles were generally accepted. They were looked upon with .reverence o.s the teachers of the nation. Their great popularity more than compensated for the Co.et that all the highest positions in the Church were held by the Sadducecs. 142 TUE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. MATTIIEW. [cH. xvi. 1-28.