which, in the form of bis human presence, the Lord could no more work. "He taucrht dail~, in the temple" (ver. 47). The events of the Monday would seem to be the~e: ln tlie keen-aired early morning, Jesus, on his way to the temple, is huncrry. He sees (lllatt. xxi. 19; Mark xi. 12-14) a fig tree, evidently a conspicuous one ~hich rich in leaves, gave the promise of fruit. 'l'here is nothing but leaves, a mere simulac;um the semblance without the reality of goodness. As a lesson to all the ages a swift witness agaimt all part-acting, he pronounces over it the curse of the Eternal T~uth and leaves it to wither and rot. Tlie temple gained, again the dense crowd gathers' around the Prophet of Nazareth. The phrnse is most expressive: "The people were very attentive to bear him" (ver. 48). The tide had not yet turned. He was still encrirt by the hosannahs of the multitude; when, lo l cries are heard, "Make way for° the chief priest! " and, followed by a retinue of priests and scribes, the head of the temple- worship confronts the Teacher. Poor, purblind souls! they do not look for his authority to the truth with which be is :filled, to the works which he does. To bigots like them the certificates which the truth supplies are unintelligible; their only point is a formally expressed delegation of power (eh. xx. 2). Had not Jesus met similar cavils at the Feast of Tabernacles two years before? Had he not argued (John v. 32-47) that it is im- possible for minds brimful of prejudice, loving and courting the honour of men, to under- stand him, to know whose he is, whence he comes, and by what right he speaks? Ilut now be will not thus argue. They are there to browbeat and overawe him ; they shall themselves be silenced bys thrust impaling them on the horns of a dilemma from which they will escape only in confusion and chagrin. Question is replied to by the question of eh.. xx. 3, 4. They cannot answer. Then, rejoins the Truth, "Neither tell 1 you by what authority I do these things" (ver. 8). And there follows a series of parables bearing on and bringing out the obstinacy which had just been exemplified: the two sons; the wicked husbandmen; and the marriage of the king's son. Only the second of these is quoted by St. Luke (XL 9-16). The parable is in harmony with well-known prophetic symbols; e.g. Isa. v. 1-7. 'l'he vineyard is the kingdom of God, which bad been planted in Israel; the husbandmen are the priests and scribes to whom had been committed the care of the vineyard; the servants sent-first one, then another, and then a third-to demand the fruit, represent the prophets, ending with John the Baptist; and the climax of the wickedness of the husbandmen is the rejection and <leath of the beloved Son. "What will the owner do with such men ? " Christ demands. He pauses for the reply; and, not perceiving that it is pronouncing its own judgm.ent, his audience answers, "He will miserably destroy them, and give the vine- yard to others." Ah ! priest and Pharisee, out of your own mouth are you condemned. "The kingdom of hea'l'en shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof." And from st.a.rtled consciences comes back the shuddering, " God for bid! " He has not done with them. The eye, flashing its holy :fire, fastens on the crouching multitude, and, resuming the discourse, he sends straight home the words of Ps. cxviii 22, 23. Solemn, memorable words! Pause and ponder them. The .;purning of the Incarnate Love and truth by those amongst whom he came often seems to us a miserable infatuation, a double-dyed Hin against tbe Holy Ghost. Are we sure t!iat Christ, coming as the swift Witness, would be welcomed even in the house of his friends to-day ? The late General Gordon said, "No; he would be a Stranger, rejected, if not despised, by the society which is professedly Christian." One thing, at all events, is strange; and that is that men and women should live in such marvellous light as that into which we are called, and remain the men and women they are, unmoved by, unresponsive to, the voice of God, willing to live apart from him whose service is their perfect freedom. May we not summon ourselves before the great white throne of truth, aod ask whether God is receiving from us the fruit of his own vineyard; whether we are consciously and really living to him; whether our attitude towards the Son of his l-:,ve is that of a whole-hearted and loyal acceptance; or only like that which has been si;rikincr]y compared to "soma fever-reduced patient, lifting himself up for an instant from th; bed on which he is lying, and putting out a hand, and then falling back a"ain 0 the vacillating, fevered, paralyzed will recoiling from the resolution, the con- science ba~ng power to say, 'Thou o~ghtest,' but with no pow~r to enfo~ce the execu- tion of its di,crees, and the heart turnwg away from the 8alvat10n that 1t would have found in the Jove of God to the loss that it finds in the love of self and C!lrth." 'l'hnt OH. xix.1-48.] THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. LUKE. 147
vncillo.tion, tho.t impotence, is the strange, sad thing. Reflect intensely, prayerfully, on the house which the builders rejected. Which of the two ways is it, will it be: this House tRken as tho Head of the corner, the reconciling centre of all the days-pride, wilfulnPBb falling on it, and through the fall broken 't or, the house rejected, and thfl Comer-stone falling on the disohedicnt soul, grinding its 7ery strength to powder? Love rejected-the wro.th of the Lamb: who can measure that force?