an<l doctrines," were new no one, we imagine, could tell us. They were the old wine and the old garments, eo.sy and palatable to the self-righteoUB mind, like old wine; but tho Christian spirit of sociality and missionary enterprise was tho new wine which the ~elf-righteous do not particularly care for. Hence our Lord resolved to initiate no such foolish policy as this, to tack on the free spirit of Christianity to the old pharisaic spirit of fasting frequently and being generally morose. The two woul0. not work, and so he courageously resolved to be an innovator, cost what it would, and to conduct bis disciples to a better position than Pharisaism realized.I The diEciples are the new hottles, and the Christian spirit is the new wine. The free, social spirit, which Christianity fosters, may not be palatable to the proud minds of men, but the humble appreciate aud preserve it as the disciples have done down to this day. We onght to have the courage of our convictions, even when it leads us to take new courses for men's sake.-Il. M. E.
EXPOSITION. simplest ar.d most satisfactory are: (1) The OHAPTER VI, first sabbath of each of the seven years Vere. 1-11.-The Lord's teaching cm the which made a sabbatic cycle was called first, question of· the observance of the sabbath. second, third, etc., sabbath. Thus the Ver. 1.-And it came to pass on the seoond " second-first" sabbath would signify the eabbath after the first. The expression first sabbath of the second year of the seven- accompanying this note of time of St. Luke, years' cycle. This is Wieselcr's theory. (2) " the second sabbath after the first," more The civil year of the Jews began in autumn literally, "the second-first sal;lbath," has about mid-September to mi<l-October (month always been o. difficulty with expositors of Tisri), and the eccle~ins Iical year in spring, this Gospel. The word is absolutely unique, about mid-March to mid-April (month and is found ill no other Greek author. Nisan). Thus there were every year two Recent investigations in the text of the New first sabbaths-one at the commencement 'l'estament have proved that this word is of the civil year, which would be called not found in the majority of the more ancient "first-first;" the other at the beginning of a.utborities. Of the modem critical edi tore, the ecclesiastical year, which would be Alford and Lachmann enclose the disputed called "second-first." The period here word in brackets; Tregelles and Meyer omit alluded to by St. Luke would perfectly it altogether; but the Revisers of the English agree with either of these explanations. Version relegate it to the margin in its The wtter theory was suggested by Louis literal form, "second-first;" Tischendorf Cappel, and is quoted with npproval by alone admits it iu his text. The question Godet. And bis disciples plu~ked the ears is of interest to the antiquarian, but scarcely of corn, and did eat, ruhbil:g them ill their of any to the theologian. It was, perhaps, hands. St. Maltbew adds here that thev introduced at an early date into many of the "were an hungred." This they mighi weil manuscripts of St. Luke, owing to some h,tve been in following the MRBter in his copyist writing in the margin of his parch- teaching in different places, nen though ment in this place "first" to distinguish some of their homes were nigh at hand. this sabbath and its scene from the other We have no need to introduce the question sabbath alluded to four verses further on; of their poverty-which, in the case of "second" was not unlikely to have been several of them at least, we know did not written in correction of" first" by some other exist-here leading them to this method of copyist using the manuscript, thinking it satisfying their hanger. They had pro- better thus to distinguish this from the sab- bably been out for some hours with Jesus bath alluded to in eh. iv. 31; and thus the two without breaking their fast, and, finding corrections may have got confuse<l in many themselves in a field of ripe corn, took this of the primitive copies. It can scarcely be easy, p1·esent means of gratifying a natural imagined, if it really formed part of the wunt. The Law expressly permitted them original work of St. Luke, that so remark- to do this: "When thou comest into the able a word could ever have dropped out of stancling corn of thy neighbour, then thou the text of the most ancient and trustworthy nmyest pluok the ea.rs with thine band" authorities. Supposing it to have been a (Deut. xxi.ii. 25). part of the original writing, scholl\rs have Ver. 2.-And certain of the Pharisees suggested mr1Dy explanations. Of these the said unto them, Why do ye that which is
1 Cf. Gcsij's 'Christi-Sclbstzeugniss,' s. 19. 110 THE GOSPEL ACCORDING 1'0 sr. LUKK [,·11. VI \-l!J,