Further point out how tho Maccabean prinr,es became Messianic modelR, and the idei cheriehed was that Messiah would prove to be a national Hero o.nd Saviour, accomplieh- ing the work permanently which Juilas Maccabeue had only achieved temporarily. Tho merely national idea. of Messiah cannot be based on a full treatment of the Messianic roprescntatlone of Holy Scripture. II. How WERK THESE CONCEPTIONS NOURISFIED? Partly by the national condition in our Lord's time. Patriotic feeling was crushed down by the etron"' Roman rule ; but patriotism, though it may be crushed down, cannot be crushed ':nit, and indeec! only becomes more dangerous to oppres8ors by being silenced. Partly by the hopeless condition of religion, which called for a great reformer·; and, in the later monarchy, the reformers had been kin,qs. Partly by the '}Jersonal ambitions of the disciples, as illustrated by the request of the sons of Zebedee for the first places in the new court. To be faithful to the truth has often required resistance to surrounding sentiments and drcumstances. Such resistance is only maile by high-minded men. III. How THESE CONCEPTIONS WERE OPPOSED BY CHRIST. Take: 1. The general tone of his teaching, as illustrated in the sermon on the mount. 2. The prominence in which be set his sufferings, especially after the Transfi;ruration. 3. 'l'he rebuke of those who would use carnal weapons for his defence, ~ to Peter outside the Garden of Gethsemane. 4. The distinct explanation of the nature of his kingship, as stated to Pilate. In spite of all his efforts with his disciples, we find the carnal notions of Messiah lingering in them (see Luke xix. 11; xxiv. 21); and they seem to have been revived by that very resurrection which should have finally removed them. This is indicated in the text. Our Lord's last effort to destroy them is full of wisdom and gentleness. He says in effect, "Don't think about it; bend your whole mind and heart to two things-(!) your great life-work, and (2) the Divine presence that will be with you for its fulfilment" (ver. 8). The true corrective for.intellectual error is still that which our Lord commands, viz. Christian work.-R. T. Ver. !>.-The .Ascension as the 11isible sign of the acceptance of the Redeemer. If the secret of the Redeemer's life on the earth be this-that he was working out for us a man's obedience to God in a human body o.nd human spheres, then the closing scenes of the record of that life may be thus represented. In the struggle of Gethsemane our Redeemer's soul won a full triumph of trust, submis$ion, and obedience. This inward soul-triumph was tested and proved, and came off perfectly o.nd triumphantly victoriou,, in the bodily shame and suffering, and even in the death-agony, of Calvary. As a " mo.n," his spirit and purpose of obedience, and his actually doing and bearing in obedience, were thus peifectly tested and proved. What remained necessary to con- stitute him a perfect and all-sufficient burnt offering, to be presented to God for us? :Manifestly this alone, that God himself should give some adequate and visible sign to us that with Christ he was infinitely well pleased, and that he would accept him as our Sacrifice. And just this we have in the Resurrection and Ascension. God raised him from the dead. God received him to his own right hand in the heavenly places. Disciples saw him go up to God; and if Enoch was manifestly accepted of God because of his translation ; and if Eli,iah was declared to bo God's prophet by his wondrous fire-journey into the unseen world; much more was the Lord Jesus declared to be the "Son of God," o.nd the accepted Sacrifice, by that breaking of grave-bonds,and passing, to mortal vision, up within the clouds. Our Redeemer's work may be said to lack completeness until his soul-triumph of trust and submission, and his bodily act of obedience, in enduring the cross, as God's will for him, have manifestly 11nd in some open wo.y gained the acknowledgment and acceptance of God.. ?-'he Ascension properly completes the Resurrection, and both together are the D1~, 110 acceptance of the perfect Son, and the acceptance, be it remembered, of llur,,anity in him who was its Head and Representative. Then two thoughts may be unfolded and illustrated- !. TIIE REsunnECTION IS THE ACKNOWLEDGMENT 01" MAN'S VICTORY. That is of Christ, as man, for man; of man in Christ. It is his victory over self, the evil power; and over sin, the evil consequence. Christ mastered self, and obeyed perfectly, as a Son. Christ broke the bonds of death; for the penalties of transgression cannot lie on One who is infinitely acceptable. Now, in Christ, self is no unbeaten foe; and "death THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES. [en. 1. 1-28.
hath no more dominion over us." We have hope in the struggle with self. We hnve security e.gainst the penalties of sin. In Christ death cannot hold us. II. THE ASCENSION IS THE DEGINNING OF GIVING THE VICTOR 'l'IIE VrcTon's Fl,ACE AND HONOUR. He is " highly exalted, and given a name above every name." Ho is " glorified with more than the glory which ho had with the Father before the world was." Exalted to position of highest honour, to a place of power and authority; entrusted with_ t~e "bri_nging on oi sons to glory;" empowered to give repentanco to Israel, and rem1ss1on of sms; set on God's riiht hand, our one Mediator and Intercessor; and "Head over all things to bis Church.' In heaven we may not conceive him as diss~iated from the place, relation, and work of earth, but occupying these still in relation to us, only in altogether higher, more efficient, and spiritual modes. He is the "Captain, or Author, ofs.'1.lvation." Able 110w, as the ascended Lord," to save unto the uttermost all that come unto God by him."-R. T.