Vera. 1-f!.-Gethsemane. Here we have Gethsemane, apart from external circum- stances-the treachery of Judas, the apathy, ignorance, and drowsiness of the disciples. 'l'he one thing of supreme importance is set before us, even the struggle and suffering in the heart of Jesus himself. Note- I. THE ELEMENTS OF THE SUFFERING. 1. The possession of a suffering nature. 'l'his struggle happened in the days of his flesh. It was nothing wonderful that ho should shrink from physical pain, especially when he knew it Wad to be such pain al! of the scourging and the cross. 2. The possession of a sinless nature. To find " sinless human being shrinking with peculiar horror from death, accords with the great theological dictum that death is the result of sin. The right ol Jesus could not be less than to pass from this world as Enoch did, by translation into glory. Death is the thing from which he shrinks. And full of life as Jesus was, lifo of the whole being, spiritual life most of all, how should he not shrink from death? II. INTENSITY OF THE BUFFERING. This is shown by the urgency of the supplica- tions. Jesus had had his times of intercession, his timel! for sweet remembrance of his disciples, and of a sinning, so1Towing world; but now here is a prayer out of keen personal agony-agony with an overpowering effect on the very thoughts and intents of the henrt. Here in Gethsemane is the field of the Lord's supreme temptation. He who had raised others from the dead, it was not for him to submit to death without 15{3 THE EPIS'l'LE TO THE HEDREWS. [ea. v.1-H.
clc:u proof that such wn.s the will of his Father. We have to submit. We look on ?cath as a co~stant possibility; in us there are no resources for warding it off or recover- mg us from its captivity, as there were in Jesus. Hence the considerations which would press on h:im, "Can it be right that I should die? Shall I let myself sink into the ~ands of ~h1~ approaching band, and finally into the grasp of Pilate, to become 1,ass1ye and y1eldmg in everything save spiritual integrity?" What wonder was it tliat m such a struggle of the heart be should sweat as it were great drops of blood I III. SUCCESSFUL ENDURANCE OF THE SUFFERING. Jesus goes into this struggle of Gethsemane with one great practical truth in his heart, viz. that his Father's will was the supreme determining guide of bis course. To adopt a subsequent metaphor of the Epistle, this was his anchor within the veil. That will, his guide hitherto, had led him to Gethsemane, had led him into the very midst of plots and treacheries, into a thick <ircle of the wicked, each with his own special interest, and yet all wonderfully com- bined in bringing Jesus to the cross. This great truth, that he was in the midst of these things by God's will, kept Jesus as on the rock in the great hour of his tempta• tion. There was more to be done for God's glory and the world's good through death, than through mere continuance of life. A dying Jesus is infinitely more tha1:1 a translated Enoch. lV. RESULT OF THE SUFFERING. His obedience becomes the measure of obedience to others; and also their inspiration-the thing that prompts ever to ask inquiringly, earnestly, with singleness of heart, as to what the will of God is. 'l'o the right-hearted God ever gives an infallible intimation; and before such ever stands also the figure of their perfected Leader. By the will of God he went to the cross, yielded to death; and then came the ascension, the passing within the veil, the entrance on the functions of the true High Priest. And so he became the cause of eternal salvation-eternal as distinguished from temporal. To Laze.rus he had once been the cause of temporat salvation; but Lazarus wonld die again, and needed, through faith and obedience, eternal r;alvation. That is the salvation which transcends death. Death may get mixed up with the process, may for a time even conceal, or at least dim, the reality; but in due C"ourse death is left behind, and eternal salvation shines forth in all its Divine glory.-Y. Vere. 11, 12.-.A special hindrance to Ohristian truth. We have here- I. A LARGE TOPIC. Much had to be said in the times of old concerning the scope of the priesthood. Many instructions had to be given as to various offerings and various seasons. And not one of them was without some reference to the higher and abiding priesthood of Jesus. As the writer of the Epistle thought of all the tabernacle furniture of the holy of holies-ark, mercy-seat, lamps, table of shewbread, altar of burnt offering, priestly garments, ephod, breastplate, Urim and Thummim--and con- sidered how all these things shadowed forth some office, some relation, of Jesus, what wonder that he should try to stir up the languid intellect of his readers by announcing how much had to be ea.id I Multum in parvo, it is true, but still multum. And we Lave to rejoice that as much has to be said, so in the New 'l'estament much is said. No time is spent over useless knowledge and speculation, things conjectural, things to please; everything is bent to setting forth the large needs of man and the compre- hensive fuiness of Ghrist. II. A SPECIAL DIFFICULTY IN DEALING WITH THE TOPIC. Those who are addressed will not give proper attention. We are reminded oft.he words of Jesus," He that bath ears . . . Jet him hear." Progress in the apprehension of Christian truth, true progress in theology depends on our own rlisposition. Great attainments in human sciences are not for aU ~r even for many. They demand a certain degree of intellectnal power, a certain aro'ount of leisure, and perhaps other facilities ; so that it is quite certain all mon cannot be learned any more than all can be rich. Bot God has made progress in Christian truth to depend on the state of the heart. He has ordered things so that those who are babes in this world's knowledge may be as giants in the knowledge of God in Christ Jesus. Spiritual things are spiritually discerned; and if God has given 'Lis Holy Spirit that we may be led into all the truth, and if nevei:theless. we stumble among misapprehensions, then assuredly we are to blame, and especially will blame fall upon us when the element of time is brought into consirlcration. Here were people who had had gospel truth a long time before them, and y~t knew little more tlum the OH. VI. 1-20,] 'l'li!!, EPISTLE 'l'O 'l'HE HEBREWS. 157
alpha.bet.. Slill learners when they ought to be teachers! What worse reproach could there be-seeing how much spiritual ignorance there is in the world, and how much error, and how many there are busy in misleading men? Nor must we omit to notice how this gentle yetsearching rebuke of the writer here shows his own advanced attaiu- mcnts. He is writing of thiugs which he well understands, and knows what he means. His topics are not mere trifl~s. 'l'Liey are very practical, and point forward into the developments and occupations of the future.-Y.