of heaven. But they are so intensely significant that they claim our attention on thei• own account. I. CIIRIST THE SERVANT. This startling conjunction of titles is suggested even in I.ho Old 'l'este.ment, in the latter part of Isaiah. Jesus realizes the singular prophecy in d,:eper humility and self-denial. In the prophet the Messiah is the "Servant of the Lord." In the life of Jesus we see him as this, but also as the Servant of man. Con- sider the negative and positive aspects of this wonderful fact. 1. Its negativ• aspect. Christ did not come to be ministered unto. He did not ask for a prince's courtly rights; he did not expect them. He came in lowly guise. Although a few obscure friends delighted to give him the means of support in their gratitude, the great world's ministry of honour was never his. 2. Its positive aspect. Jesus came to minister. Service was an object of his life, not an accident that came upon him with surprise. He speaks of his coming into the world as though this had been deliberately fixed and the service of man part of its great purpose. Here we see the humility, the unselfishness, the love, and the practical spirit of our Lord. In this ministry (1) he deserves our adoring gratitude; (2) he invites our trustful confidence,-for it is on our behalf; and (3) he is the example for our diligent imitation. II. CHRIST THE RANSOM, Here is a great thought :flashing out of the darkness that broods over the cross, Previously, Jesus.had spoken of his approaching death; now be suddenly reveals the purpose of it. It was more than a necessity resulting from faith- ful living, more than a martyrdom. It was the paying of a ransom. 1. The price paid. Jesus gave his life. He came for the express purpose of doing so. One object of bis birth was that he might be able to die. It is to be observed that our attention is always directed more to the fact of Christ's death than to the pain he suffered-to his cross rather than to his Passion, though doubtless both were of value in the great redeeming work. " The wages of sin is death." Jesus tasted death for every man. He g:we all he could give-bis very life-blood. 2. The Uberty effected. Men ransom from captivity. What was the captivity from which Christ brought liberty? Origen and other Fa.there regarded it as bouda.ge to Satan, and they thought the ransom was actually paid to the devil. This is a coarse way of regarding a great truth. The ransom could not have been paid to the devil, because Christ fought the prince of evil as a deadly foe; he did not bargain with the fiend. But he came to deliver from the power of Satan, i.e. from sin, and that object involved his death. He died to save us from sin. We must not press the analogy of the ransom further. 3. The people/reed. The ran- som is for" ma:py." It is a harsh, ungenerous criticism that would fix on the apparent limitation of the word" many"-many rather than all. There is no such antithesis here. The many saved are contrasted with the one Saviour, His life-blood is so valuable a ransom that it purchases, not the liberation of one or two captives of sin only, but a large multitude-the host of the redeemed.-W. F . .A.
Vern. 29-34.-The blind men of Jericho. Jesus is now at Jericho on his last journey to Jerusalem. When he visited the sacred city a few months before, he cured a blind man, and the miracle led to an important investigation and vindication of the powers of Christ (John ix.). It is likely that the fame of it reached to Jericho, and that this inspired the faith and hope of the blind beggars. Let us follow them throuah 0 the course of the incident. I. 'l'BEIR HELPLESS CONDITION. 1. These affiicted men were " sitting." They could but grope about when they attempted to walk. The glad activities of life were not for them, They sat apart in their misery. 2. They were "by the wayside." St. Mark te'Js us th_at ?no of them, at leas~, was begging (Mark x. 46). While the throng of country pilgrims passed_ by on their way to the l'assover, a harvest of charity might be reaped. Yet at best this was a wretched way of gaining a livelihood. 3. They were together. St. Mark on)y tells us of one man-Bartimreus (Mark x. 46). Probably he war the more energetic and the better known of the two, Yet his obscure friend is with him. Sufferers can sympathize with their brothers in suffering. The more active and confident should bring their diffident friends to Christ, II. THEIB PRAYER OF FAITH. 1. They acl,,-vnowledged Christ. They named hiil'l "'Son of Davi~." . Thus they anticipated the hosannas of Palm Suu,hy. Perhaps they helped to msp1re those hosannas. 2. They cried for mercy. Mercy was all they 298 THE GOSPEL ACOORDING TO ST. MA'l''l'HEW. [oa. n.1.-84.