prayers and supplications," etc. (vcr. 7). Notice: 1. The Being to whom lie addressed liis prayer. "Unto him that was able to save him from death," i.e. to the great Sovereig_n of both life and death; "the God in whose hand our breath is," who "giveth to all hfe and breath and all things, . • . in whom we live and move and have our being." Our Saviour directed his prayer to his Father, saying, "O my Father," etc. 2. The object which he sought in his prayer. This is not mentioned here; but it is in the narrative of the conflict in Gethsemane. "0 my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass away from me." From what did the Saviour recoil so shudderingly? Certainly neither from mere death, nor from "the dread of something after death." 'fhe pains of dissolution could not have affrighted him, and beyond death there was nothing to dismay or repel him. But death, with all the dread significance and terrible circumshmces such as awaited him, he shrank from in intense spiritual pain. This has been forcibly expressed by Dr. Farrar: "It was something far deadlier than death. l t was the burden and the mystery of the world's sin which lay heavy on his heart; it was the tasting, in the Divine humanity of a sinless life, the bitter cup which sin had poisoned; it was the bowing of Godhead to endure a stroke to which,man's apostasy bad lent such frightful possibilities. It was the sense, too, of -how virulent, how fri~htful, must have been the force of evil in the universe of God which could render necessary so infinite a sacrifice. It was the endurance, by the perfectly guiltless, of the worst malice which human hatred could devise ; it was to experience, in the bosom of perfect innocence and perfect love, all that was detestable in human ingratitude, all that was pestilent in human hypocrisy, all that was cruel in human rage. It was to brave the last triumph of Satanic spite and fury, uniting against his lonely bead all the flaming arrows of Jewish falsity and heathen corruption- the concentrated wrath of the rich and respectable, the yelling fury of the blind and brutal mob. It was to feel that his own, to whom he came, loved darkno.,s rather than light-that the race of the chosen people could be wholly absorbed in one insane repulsion against infi11ite goodness and purity and love. Through all thls he passed in that hour which, with a recoil of sinless horror beyond our capacity to conceive, foretasted a worse bitterness than the worst bitterness of death." 1 'l'his was the cup which he prayed might pass away from him. 3. The intensity with which he urged his prayer. This is indicated (1) by the fact that two words, which are nearly synonymous, are used to express his prayer. He "offered up prayers and rupplications." The conjunction of synonymous words is "a mode of expressing intensity, which is very frequent in the sacred writings." (2) By his "stron~ cryina." The loud cries were the expression of agonized feeling and of earnest entreaty. By (3) his "tears." Great natures weep, but not for trifles, Their tears indicate deep emotion. Our Lord's teats in Gethsemane welled up from a "soul exceeding sorrowful,'' and were significant of a painful fervency of supplication. "Being in an agony he nrayed more earnestly," etc. (Luke xxli. 44). ill lN ANSWER TO H1S PRAYER OUB LORD OBTAINED BlJ'PPORT IN BIB BlJ'Il'FERINOB, I. Tl.e nature of the answer to his prayer. Not exemption from the cup, but victory over the dread of it, and support in drinking it. He was fortified for his future sufferings and trials, and sustained in them. " There appeared unto him an angel from heaven, strengthening him." His personal wishes wertt now lost in the perfect will of his Father. His dread anxieties are gone, and be is divinely calm. His trembling fears have departed, and he is sublimely courageous. Henceforth, even unto the bitter end, he is serene in sternest sufferings, patient under the most irritatincr provocations, a meek yet majestic Conqueror. Such was the Father's answe1 to bis p~ayer. .And every true prayer which is offered to God is answered by him, thouub not always by granting the specific requests (cf. ~ Cor. xii. 7-10). 2. Thll reas~ of tl.e answer to hi, prayer. "And was heard in that he feared;" margin, "for his piety • " Revised Verson, "Having been beard for his godly (ear; n Alford, "Having been heard by reason of his reverent subm_ission/' His pious resignation to the holy will of his Father was the ground upon which his prayer was answered, and the victory was given unto him. "Nevertholcss," said be, " not as I will, but as 'l'hou wilt.. , . O my Father, if this cannot pass away, except I drink it, thy will be 1 • The Life of Christ,' eh. lvii, CH, V, 1-14.] THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 147
done." When we can thus say, "Thy will be done," we have already an instalment of the a.newer to our prayers, and the fulness of the blessing will not tarry. IV, BY HIB SUFFERINGS HIS 0DEDIENCE TO THE HOLY WILL OF HIS FATHER WAS .-EBI<"ECTED. "Though be was a Son, yet learned he obedience by," etc. His obe- dience 118 e. Son was always perfect. His obedience here spoken of is obedienee in sufferiog. .As his obedience became more difficult, involving more anrl more of self- renunciation, and pain ever increasing in severity, he still obeyed. He willed to endure the sharpest, sternest sutrerings rather than fail even in the slighte.~t de!!l'ee in his practical loyalty to the perfect will of his Father. "Ile became obcdie;t unto death, even the death of the cross." This obedience he learned, as he proceeded step bv step along his painful path, until the lesson was finished and the obedience was con·- summated on the cress. .All Christ's disciples need the discipline of suffering to perfect them in the practice of the Father's will (cf. Matt. xvi. 24).-W. J.