IJ, THE INSUFFICIENCY OF OFFICE TO SECURE ITS RIGHTFUL SPIRIT. The parallel of Judas’s infamy is found in the men who stood as the head and representatives of the very religion it was Jesus’ high mission to fulfil and perfect. How deplorable is the contrast between the sanctity of the position held by these officials and the spirit in which they held it! It was theirs to be the leaders of religious thought, and the embodiment of the religious spirit. But the sad testimony is borne to the insufficiency of official relationship to secure the true spirit of office. Truly may the Shepherd say, “T was wounded in the house of my friends;” and the poor one, “yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me.”
III, THE powER oF CovETOUSNESS, And this was all for money! Well might it be written, “ For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil.” But it is needful to return to the preceding incident to find the hidden clue to such a deed of darkness. St. John has left the sad record, “ He was a thief, and having the bag took away what was put therein.” So, yielding little by little to the love of pelf, this chosen one, who harboured the demon of covetousness within the folds of his dress, had lost all strength of virtue, and being overcome of evil, and under the influence of a master-passion, sold his Master for thirty pieces of silver— the price of him that was priced, whom certain of the children of Israel did price.” But our thoughts should rest less upon the faithless disciple or the more faithless priests vhan upon the patient, submissive One who drank so deeply of our cup. He who descended to that lowest condition of human shame was found, like the slaves in the market, “priced” and sold. Revolting from that
ou, xIv. 1—72.] THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. MARK. 269 eee
unfaithfulness which could sell friend for gain, from that love of pelf which could crush all the fine and noble and generous feelings of the heart, even closing it to the sweet, winning voice of him who spake as never man spake—revolting equally from that deceitfulness which could occupy holy office without the slightest apprehension of the sanctity of demeanour, or the slightest possession of the purity of spirit due to such a position—let us mark and imitate the lowly, patient, self-possessed, forgiving, trustful spirit of him who endured all that the Scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled, eos oe ey of the Father might be done, that the redempiion of the lost might be ellect °
Vers, 12—16, 22—26.—The Lord's Supper. During the process of the betrayal, the “first day of unleavened bread” came round, and “the Master,” with “his disciples” in “a large upper room furnished and ready,” sat and together partook of the Passover. It was the last time. ‘he long series of observances begun in Egypt had now come to an end. Before the next year should bring round the time of the Passover, it would be “fulfilled in the kingdom of God.” A deeper and wider meaning would be given to it. Another Lamb would be slain, whose blood, sprinkled by faith, would cleanse the “con- science from dead works.” New symbols would supplant the old, by means of which the Lord’s death should be showed forth until his coming again. ‘The simplicity of the newly appointed ordinance stands in marked contrast to all the elaborate rites of the earlier service, and to the scarcely less elaborate forms of the extreme schools of the Christian Church.
I. Tue gL.emenrs. Taking up the common articles of their daily food, he made them symbolize himself. The “bread ” his “ body ;” the “ wine” his “blood.” Any- thing more simple could not have been conceived, anything more ready-at-hand, more truly universal. At the same time, he glorified that food by making it to represent, to memorialize, himself—his body given and his blood shed, through which spiritual life and nourishment were secured for them. Thus materials and spirituals are united; and a portion of our daily food may be taken in remembrance of him who gives life to the world, and “feeds the strength of every saint.”
IL Tug rxpresentation. ‘lo the simple “ This is my body” of St. Mark, St. Luke adds, “which is given for you”—given up unto death on your behalf. He who “ gave himself ”—his entire personality—for our sins, gave his body “unto death, yea, the death of the cross.” This is the sacrifice offered “once for all,” “ when he offered up himself.” The blood represents, he says, “my blood of the covenant; ” or, in St. Luke’s words, “ This cup is the new covenant in my blood, even that which is poured out for you.” It is “shed for many unto remission of sins.” Both are to be taken with the impressive and tenderly touching words, “This do in remembrance of me,”
lll. Tus commanv. “Take ye;” “ Take, eat;” “ Drink ye all of it ;” * This do in remembrance of me;” “ This do, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me.” With these words our Lord enjoins on his disciples the observance of this simple, central Christian rite; and they form the warrant for the observance of the Lord’s Supper. Gathering together the several words of direct and indirect reference to this Christian service, we see how it is the centre from which radiate many lines of relation to the entire circle of the Christian life. 1. It is an affectionate memorial service, bringing to remembrance the entire self-devotion of the Redeemer—*“ in remembrance of me.” It calls up all that the one word me represents, with an especial allusion to the supreme act of self-immolation, “I lay down my life.” 2. It is @ covenant service. He who drinks of the cup places himself under the bonds of the new covenant, and receives at the same time the seal of the certain inheritance of all covenant blessings (see Heb. viii. 6—12). 3. It is @ service of communion. It symbolizes our joint participation with the whole body of Christ (1 Cor. x. 14—17). It declares the perfect oneness of the Church of Christ: “ We, who are many are one bread, one body;” and it affirms our perfect community of interest: we “all eat the same spiritual meat ; ” we “all drink the same spiritual drink.” 4. It is at once s service of lowly confession and humble faith, of exulting hope—“ As often as ye eat this bread, and drink the cup, ye proclaim the Lord’s death till he come ”—of brotheriy love. It is to the believer the pledge of al blessing and help; while from him it is the pledye of all obedience. Aud the Eucha- ristic song speaks of the life, the fellowship, and the joy of heaven.—G. vs
270 tHE GOSPEL ACCORDING 'LO ST. MARK. (oH. xiv. 1—72,