will precede his second coming. But his people need be no sharers in this fear. So far from this, o.s soon as the judgment-signs begin thsy are to lift up their heads, assured that redemption is drawing nigh. The outlook may be wintry for the world, but it is summer for the saints of God. And here we may notice : 1. The parable <{ the spring trees. (Vere. ::l9, 30.) Our Lord reminds the disciples that every sprin", in the burl.; o.nd shoots of t~e various trees there is th~ promise of the summer. The progress is gradual, yet noticeable. In the same way his pe~ple are to look for the signs of coming summer, and to manifest a hopeful spirit in beautiful contrast to the despairing spirit of the world. 2. The imperishable character of the Christian stock. (Vers. 31-33.) All the world's opposition and persecution will not annihilate the Christian stock. As the martyrs foll before their persecutors, it is only to summon fresh witnesses for the Master from the ranks of their enemies. The Christian 11tock abides. There need be no fear. Let this be left to the unbelieving world. V. THE Loo.D's PEOPLE OUGHT CONSEQUENTLY TO BE WATCHING A~D PBAYrnG Fon. THE ADVENT. (Vers. 34-38.) And in the conclUBion of this discourse our Lord clearly indicates: 1. That it is possible to escape the f1ulgments which are coming on the earth before the advent. For there is no merit in allowing one's self to be involved in judgments which others by their unbelief have invited. It is our duty to escape, ii possible, the catastrophe. 2, It can only be by a watchful and prayerful spirit. SeJr- indulgence, everything that would dull our sense of the impending advent, must be avoided. It is to oome as a thief and a snare upon those that dwell on the face of the whole earth. Hence the imperative necessity of watching. And it is prayer which will help us in our watching. ,ve must wrestle with the coming King, that he may count us worthy to escape the world's judgments and to stand before him. 3. Bow great a privilege it will be to be permitted to stand in the presence of the Son of man I No such privilege is afforded even by the greatest of earthly kings. It becomed us, therefore, to be in downright earnest about thi1:1 privilege, and by persevering prayer to secure it. VJ. OUB LORD GAVE THE DISCIPLES TIIE EXAMPLE OF TBE WATCHFUi, PBAYEB REQUIRED. (Vers. 37, 38.) For it would seem thnt, in the closing days, the people came so early to the temple to be taught, that he could not go as far as Bethany to spend the night. He went out, therefore, at nightfall to the Mount of Olives, and spent the night-watches more in prayer than in sleep. He was showing what persever- ing prayer in the crises of history must be. Let our Lord's Gethsemane habits call each of us to privacy and patient prayer such as will alone secure the proper public spirit.-R. M. E.
EXPOSITION. transliteration, with o. sort of alliterative CHAPTER XXII. allusion to the Greek 1rcl.1rx"', " I suffer." Ver. 1-ob. x.xiii. 56.-THE LAST PABB- This greatest and most important of the ovEn. Jewish feo.sts, which ever brought a greo.t Vere. 1, 2.-Short explanatory introduc- host of pilgrims to Jer11Balem, was kept in tion. the first month of the Jewish ytiar (Nisan), Ver. 1.-Now the Feast of Unleavened from the 15th of the month, the day of full llread drew nigh, whioh is called the Pass- moon, to the 21st. Roughly, this corre- over. 'l'hese words show that many of the sponded to the eud of our M,,rch. re11ders for whom this Gospel was intended Ver. 2.-And the ohief priests 11.11d 1oribe1 were foreigners, who were unacquainted sought how they might kill him ; for they with Jewish terms such as the "Pass- tee.red the people. The determination, long over." Passover (Tb 1rd.1rxa, MOE>) means, maturing, had, dtll'ing the last few dt1ys of literally, "a passing." The feast so named public teaching, been come to on the part commemorated the manner in which the of the Sanhedrin. ThPy bad deterniined to chosen people were spnred iu Egypt when put the dangerous public Teacher to death. the destroying angel of the Lord passed The bitter hatred on the po.rt of the Jewish over all Israe!ilish houses, which hod been rulers bad been gradually growing in in- sprinkled with the blood of the lamb, with- tensity duriu~ the two years and I\ half of out sfoying the flrstborn. Dr. Farrar sug- the public ministry of Jesus of Ne.ztUeth. gests tlmt th~ Greej.: word 1rcl.1rxa is a The rnising of Lazarus seems to ha.ve tin.ally 196 THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. LUKE. [en. xxn. 1-71,