Jesus Christ. 4. He was closely related to Barnaba.s, being his elster's eon. II. Ho was, '<'ery probably, a rich young man, and devoted his wealth to the missionary work of the Church. 6, His office, as minister or attendant on Barnabas and Paul, was one necessitated by the difficulties and perils of travelling in those times. 7. In spirit and ch:iracter John Mark should be carefully compared with 'l'imothy. We note that he always occupies a subordinate position, but that there was a precise sphere which ho could occupy, and a useful work given him to do. His failure from missionary work may be regarded as an indication that he had not, at that time, found his proper sphere. The man who was to prepare a written Gospel had not the kind of boldness and enerey that was necessary for dangerous travelling. As suggestive and openin?' the wa~ for a full study of his character, we notice that he was sincere, studious timia"' imptd$ive, and patient. ' ' l. SINCERE. His failure was in no way a sign of unfaithfulness to Christ. He left Barnabas and Saul, but he did not cease to minister to Christ. Years after he is spoken of for his profitableness, and he was evidently a sincere Christian. It may be shown how sincerity is the leading Christian virtue, and how it will abide and 8a.ncti(y all varieties of disposition, character, talent, and adaptations for service, We can all be sincere. Il. STUDIOUS. Of a meditative and thoughtful habit, finding his right place when collecting the records of our Lord's words and deeds, and possibly doing so under St. Peter's superdsion. God needs studious men, but they are seldom fitted for any other than their own particular work. They are hardly ever prepared for the public conflicts of life, and they have even some characteristic moral frailties. St. Paul knew the weakness of the studious Timothy, and bids him "endure hardness as a good soldier of Jesus Christ." III. Tmm. This was the secret of his unwillingness to venture on the perilous journey into Asia Minor. Shrinking from danger, and even from exertion and enter- prise. Such men never can be leaders. They bad better stay at home. They seldom can be men of great faith. Their mental history matches their material history-they are timid about the truth, seldom quite sure of their own hold of it, and ever ready to join the foolish cry, "The Church is in danger." We get no heroic champions from the class to which John Mark belonged. IV. !IO'ULSIVE. Some have thought that the young man who was nearly arrested with Christ was John Mark, and that he had heard the noise, and impulsively rushed out of his house to see what was going on, and had forgotten his outer robe. The same impulsiveness is seen in his refusing to go on with the missionaries. But notice how it differs from the impulsiveness of St. Peter or of St. Paul. It was a kind of negative impulsiveness, not UJ'ging him to do, but keeping him from doing. A dangerous spirit to cherish into strength. V. PATIENT. This we may see illustrated in his Gospel, remembering that he bad not the personal experiences of St. Matthew or St. John, and had to collect and collate his materials. From John Mark we may learn these things. 1. A man has his own particular work for which he is divinely fitted. 2. If a man makes the mistake of trying to do somebody else's work, it is a blessed thing that God's providence stops him, and turns him mto the path where he may work efficiently and successfally.-R. T,
EXPOSITION. vlav rathe, meam "the existing Church," OHAPTEB XIIl just as cl oi11cu l{ov1Tlcu means " the existing Ver. 1.-At .A.ntioch, in the Church that powers," "the powers that be," in Rom. tmU there for in the Church that was at :xiii 1, A.V. and T.B. The then Church .A.fltioch, A. V. ; prophet,, etc., for certain seeIDB more the meaning than the Church prophet&, etc., A. V. and 'L.B.; Barnabas, there. Luke writes from the standpoint of et.c., for al! Barnamu, et.c., A.V.; Symeon for many years later. Prophets were a regular Bimeon, A. V. : the foster-brofner of for which po.rt of the ministry of the then Churoh had be.mi brought "P tDith, A..V. At Antioch. (see eh. xi. 27: xxi. 9, 10 : Rom. :xii. 6, 7 : in the Church, etc. Ka.-11. .-~v oi11a.v l,ucA'lj- 1 Cor. iii. 10, 28; xiii. 2, eto.; xiv. ·1, a, eto., CD, XIII, 1-52.] THE ACTS OF TIIE APOSTLES. 401