The Pulpit Commentary — John — Volume 2 — Section 129

clple11. This roused the malignity or the the withering o T thi! Ilg 'tree, the cleansing unspirihml and unscrupulous pe.rty o( Oe.ie.- of the temple, the parables of the judgment& phae. 0f Annae, e.nd of the Pharieees in ttie ~nnhoorin. on scribes and PhariAees, and the pro• ~ -er~. ! o, I 1.-(2) O,i Ou! ohief pri,uu. The pheoy of the future, he portrays the inner chief pne11t■ oonaulted that they might put life oftbe Lord, and ~cords his moat gracious LIIZILI'llB also to dea.th; beoaUBe that by reaaon esoteric teaching and sublime prayer. Tho of ~ many of the 1IIIWI went e.we.y, and current tradition of the Church, the distinot beliem on J'IIB118. They delibernt-Od to Jd.ll Le.mrns as well e.s Jesus. It wDB not note of time for Christ's arrival at Dethe.ny enough that one man shonld die; another (six de.ye before the Passover), make tho and another must follow if their plan is t.o triumphal entry te.ke plaoe on Sunday after- ~_ucooed:. And now the hour bad come (eh. noon (of. vcr. 1) of Passion week. 11. 4; vu. 80), but not until our Lord hll.d once more warned thf' disciples with intense Vere. 12, 13.-The nm day (on the ~ignificance and e~plicitnessof hise.pproaob- morrow) must be the day after the fee.et. rni:- dee.tb an_d b~rial. Thus another striking We have seen that that feast probably took 1llustrat1on 1s given of the judgment, the place on the evening of the sabbath. The crisig, tbe sifting process, whioh is alwa'l'e events that happened are far more abun- going on ill the presence of Christ. His dantly described in Matthew, Mark, and g-reatest si~s, hie wisest teachings, his Luke-the excitement in Jerusalem, the most amazmg love, bring out the twofold metho,l in which the triumph was carried result. Some receive, some reject, some through, the modo adopted to secure " the burst into louder acclaim, some try to slny. young ass," the weeping over Jerusalem As w!th. the history of this "Gospel," some from the summit of the hill: none of these henr m 1t the very voice of the Eternal, but circumstances are inconsistent with this there a.re others who would grind it t.o account. Brief, however, as our narrative powder. Because Ignatius and Polycarp is, it adds some features whioh are peculiar benr witneBS to the existence of the Goepel, ancl highly historic. A 1 vast orowd that th~ Laznruses must be put to death, or he.d oome to the feast, when they heard that baDIBhed to a later period out of harm"s way. l8S11S we.s comingto J'el'llBalem.. These that Even the genuinenees of the Apocalypse, so had come from the country, and had already long a tower of defence for the Tiibingen encampod near or in Jerusalem, came gronp school, is too powerful a proof of St. John's after group to Bethany to escort him into residence in Asia to be aocepted with equa- the city. The synoptists, not mentioning the nimity or left in possession, and some of the pause of the sabbath at Bethany, e.nd not later critics have taken counsel to repudiate clenrly indicating where nnd when the feast its Johamri.ne authorship. at Bethany took place, naturally connect the journey from Jericho with the entrance into V crs. 12-19.-S. The triump1wl ent"!I int,o Jerns:Llem.- 'John explains, in addition, that there were of the Jernsalemitee themselves Jerwia.lem. Christ', challenge of the autJ- certain who had been led to go to Bethany ri.ties, and it, ruult.s. (On the <lilferences and throw in their lot with the Lord. The between John's account of this tre.nsaction early pilgrims mentioned in eh. xi. 55, 66, and that of the synoptic narrative, ef. com- also came forth from the city to bail and mentaries, Matt. XXL 1-11; Mark xi. 1- welcome his approach. Took branobes of the palm trees, and went forth to meet him. The 10; Luke xiL 29-44.) On the precise synoptiste had mentioned that the trium- order of events it is difficult to spea.k with phant host had cut "branches," 1t.\&:6011r(Matt. a.bsoiute decision. The main difference be- xxi. 8), from the trees, and Mark (xi. 8) tween the synoptiet.s and John is in the had said IT'Tt/36.6,n, fragments of trees, grass, break at Bethany of the journey from J erieho small branches, that could be strewn in the way. Luke (xix. 35) simply mentions· the t.o J ernealem, to introduce a feast, which is garment. thus strewn-a fact mentioned also related afterwards by the synoptist.s, though by Mark and Matthew. Our narrative gives DDt limit.ed by them to any later chronological greater definiteness, and even adds a njlw position. It should be observed, moreover, feature, by speaking of .,.a j3a.ta. .,.;;,,, ,powl1t"'"• that the synoptic nmrative containsnm11:erone •• the palm branches of the palm trees,'' referencee to the residence in Bethany which they waved probably in triumph, as during seveml ds.ys of the week (d. Mark 1 Tregelles, Tisohendorf (8th edit.), anrl ::Ii. 12; Hatt. xxi. 17) ,rlwm followed. B.T., on the authority of N*, A, and quotn- John adds important details, and while he tiona from Origen, do omit the article d omits the gree.t discussion& in the temple, before ex,,os. en, :xn. 1-50.J TIIE GOSPEL ACOOBDING TO ST. JOHN.