Vers. 7-9.-The tetr11,rch and the Teacher. Our Lord had very little to do with the " kings and rulers of the earth," but they did occasionally cross his path. At such times he bore himself as we should expect be would-be who was so fa.r below and yet so much further above them. His relations with Herod, as suggested by the text, were ~hese- I. THE TEACIIBB CAUSING TROUBLE TO THE TETRAnrII. Herod "was perplexed n by all that he Leard conce"1ing Christ: his own wonderful works and those which he commissioned a11d enabled his apostles to perform .(vers. 1-6) made an impression which entered and disturbed the palace. We have reason to think that in Herod's case the fame of Jesus brought not only mental perplexity, but more.I perturbation also (see Matt. xiv. 2; Mark vi. 14). He could not understand who this new, great pr6phet could be, and he consulted his court respecting him. But it was his own apprehension, if not his conviction, that the man whom he had so guiltily slain" was risen from the dead." His carefully trained judgment told him that he had nothing more to fear from that faithful spukesma.n of the Lord. But his conscience, that struck deeper than his judgment, cc,mpelled him to fear that he had not seen the last of that beheaded prisoner. It is a very easy thing to take a human life, but it is a very difficult thing to escape from respunsibillty for a human death. 1. Christ's coming to us has caused and will ea.use a large amount of intellectual perplexity. The world has for eighteen cer.turies bevn asking who Le is, and what is the true and full account of him. In thia mental perplexity there is nothing to be regretted; there is no better subject on which we hum«n intelligence could be employed. 2. Christ's coming to man has occasioned 1; 1 ,,r), trouble of soul. The truths he taught, the life he lived, the claims he makes 111 ,uu us,-the,e have stirred the human conscience to its_ depth; they ha!e awakened a sense nf sin a,,d ill desert; they have turned a strong light upon the guilty past and the perilous future; they have called forth much self-condemnation and self-reproach. lt is well that they have done, it is right that they should do so. II. Till!: TETRARCH DESIRING TO BEE THE TEACHER. "He desired to 11ee him,n perhaps to have hill mental curiosity set at rest; perhaps to have his conscientious fears appeased; perhaps for buth these reasons. Certainly not in the hope of hearing heavenly truth, of hearing that Divine wisdom which would enable him to be a better man e.nd to live a nobler life. And his motive being low, it proved, as we might have exix,cted, that when he did ~~e him, the inte~-view gave him no g!·atification, b_ut only a<lded to his guilt (eh. xxm. 8-11). It 1s well, indce~, to WIBh to. come 10to th_e presence of Christ, but wheLh~r the fo.16.lm~nt o~ ?u.~ deB1re will end rn good or ev~I depeuds maiuly upo~ our ~0~1ve. 1. A selti~h ~pmt 1s 9:l';Dost sure to b_e ~nble~scd, IS most likely to have 1ta guilt increased thereby. 2. A spmt of mere cunos1ty will pro- bably return unrewarded, though it may meet with a gracious benediction. 3. A spirit of <l11votio11 ,md inquiry will certainly gain a blea~iug from his holy hand. We may look e.t- en. 1x. 1-'12.] 'J'TIE GOSPF.L ACCORDING TO 8T. LUR!l}. 255
ITT. Tm: T1ucmrn AND THE TF:TRAilCH IN THEIR STRONG CONTRARTB. 1. Of present position. :.l. Of moral characta an<l the purpose of the,ir Ji1e. 3. Of their destiny.-C.