hour; he looks forward with sweet, holy oe.lmness to that cruel death. " The Son of man is delivered up," be said-is being delivered; even while he was speaking the treason was being planned; it would soon be consummated. The greatest festival of the Jewish year would be desecrated by the foulest crime which the world has ever seen; but that crime would, by God's overruling providence, bring about the great BBCrifice of which the Passover was the type. •• Christ, our Passover, is sacrificed for us." Mark the quiet composure with which the Lord spoke of his coming Passion, and learn of him to contemplate the approach of death with calmness and tranquillity. II. Tas BEGIN1'"'ING OF THE FULFILMENT. 1. The assembly in the MU&! of Oaiaphas. Caiaphas was, by the appointment of the Roman governor, high priest that year. He bad already (John xi. 50) urged the Sanhedrin to seek the death of Christ, prophesying unconsciously "that Jesus should die for that nation ; and not for that nation only, but that also he should gather together in one the children of God that were scattered abroad." Now the chief priests and elders assembled in the court of his house to take counsel as to the best means for carrying out their wicked purpose. 2. Their fear,. The Lord's words and actions had made a great impression upon the people; they had observed his victories over the Pharisees and Sadducees; they had listened to his preaching with interest, and were very attentive to hear him. Many of them had taken part in the triumphal procession which had escorted him into Jerusalem, and had recognized him with "Hosannas l" as the King Messiah. The leading Jews dared not att.ernpt to take him openly by force; they feared lest the people should rise in his favour, especially as large numbers of Galilreans always came to the Passover. They consulted, therefore, that they might take him by subtilty ; but they determined to defer the execution of their design till after the feast-day. It was not from reverence for the sanctity of the Passover season ; they did not shrink from desecrating it, when the treachery of Judas enabled them to do so without danger. They feared the multi- tude. There was an immense concourse in the city. The people, always inflammable, were more so than ever at the Passover, partly through the excitement of numbers, partly through the national spirit a.roused by the festival. They might, the chief priests thought, side with Jesus; they might support his claims to the Messianic dignity. The attempt to seize him might evoke a burst of popular sympathy, and lead him to put himself at the head of the multitude. Bo they determined to defer their guilty design. LEssoNs. L The Lord had finished his public teaching; the Pharisees and chief priests had heard it; it bad increased their condemnation. Take heed how ye hear. 2. The Lord was a.bout to die. We must die soon. Let us learn to think and speak of our death calmly as he di<l. 3. The chief priests feared danger; they did not fear the wrath of God. Let us learn of Christ to fear not death, but him who is able to cast both soul and body into hell. Vers. 6-16.-17ie supper at Bethany. I. THE ANOINTING, 1. The house of Simon the leper. The Lord was always welcome there. It may be that he had healed Simon of his leprosy. He had raised Lazarus from the dead; he was regarded with the utmost reverence and affection by Martha and Mary. St. John tells us that Jesus, six days before the Passover, came to Bethany. "There they made him a supper; and Martha served: but Lazarus was one of them that sat at the table with him." St. Matthew is evidently relating the same events, but, like St. Mark, he gives no note of time, and apparently neglects the chronological order. Vi:ry possibly the tw:o evangelists may have had some reason for omitting the names of Lazarus and hlB sisters which did not exist when St. John wrote. It was a memorable supper. One sat there who had been dead, who had known those awful secrets which we shall one day know-those secrete eo full of deep mysterious interest, so attractive, but so ioscruta.ble. And One was there who is the very Life, without whom there is no life, who had again and again given life to the dead, who one day will_call all the dead fro~ lheir graves as he had a short time before ea.lied Lazarus from bis; who, though he lB the Life and hath life in himself, was yet about to die, to lay down his life of himself, that the dead in sin might live through him who by death abolished death, and b~ought life and i=ortality to light. He sat there at supper in his infinite conde~cens1on, as now he deigns to sup with those whom he bath raised from the death of sm unto the -0n, XXVI, 1-75.] TllE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. MATTHEW. 537
!He of righteousness (Rev. iii. 20). 2. Mary. The two siRters were at the supper. Martha served, as she had done before; Mary could think only of the Lord, and of hill late wondrous mercy vouchsafed unto the family. "Her eyes are homes of silent prayer, Nor other thought her mind admits But, he was dead. and there he si ta, And he that brought him ba.r.k is there.'"