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 V.  3 
 
 I 
 
THE 
 
 ¥OEDS  OF  THE  LOED  JESUS, 
 
 IHE  RISE!  SAIlOl  Ai  !I1E  MGEIS. 
 
 RUDOLF   STIEE,   D.   T>., 
 
 LATE  CHIEF  PASTOR  AND  SUPEUINTENDFNT  OF  SCHKEUDITZ. 
 
 Translated    By 
 
 KEY.  WILLIAM  B.    POPE. 
 
 Revised  h/ 
 JAMES  STEONG,  S.T.D., 
 
 AUTHOR    OF  McCLINTOCK  <£    STSONCTS    CYCLOPJSDIAt 
 AND 
 
 EEV.  HENEY  B.  SMITH,  D.D., 
 
 ntOFESSOB  IN  2'HF  UNION  THEOLOGICAL  SEillNARV,  NEW  YORK, 
 
 COMPLSTE  IN  THREE  VOLUMES. 
 
 YOLUME  III 
 
 FOUI\TH       AyVLERICAN       EDITION, 
 
 NEW  YORK; 
 
 PUBLISHED  BY  N.  TIBBALS  &  SON, 
 
 37    PaIiK   row,    and    U5   NASSAU   STBEET, 
 
Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  vear  1864,  by 
 N  .     T  I  B  B  A  L  S  , 
 I  Clerk's  Office  of  the  D'^trict  Court  of  the  United  States  for  the  Southern  District  of  New  Tor'* 
 
THE  ¥ORDS  OF  THE  PASSIOI. 
 
 MOST  DIRECT  PRE-ANNOUNCEMENT  OF  THE  PASSION. 
 (Matt.  xxvi.  2.) 
 
 After  many  intimations  to  his  disciples  of  his  ' 
 coming  sufferings  and  death,  beginning  with 
 John  ii.  19,  iii.  14,  and  increasing  ia  clearness 
 down  to  the  express  and  thrice-repeated  dec- 
 larations of  Matt.  xvi.  21,  xvii.  22,  xx.  18,  the 
 Lord  once  more,  two  days  before  it  comes  to 
 pass,  announces  what  should  befall  him.  This 
 Baying  of  Jesus,  preserved  by  Matthew  alone, 
 is  "the  commencement  of  the  history  of  the  Pas- 
 sion. 
 
 The  first  Evangelist  connects  it  with  what 
 he  is  saying,  by  a  striking  transition,  which 
 impressively  indicates  the  great  beginning  of 
 the  final  catastrophe.  All  these  sayings,  ver.  1, 
 is  ordinarily  referred  only  to  chaps,  xxiv.,  xxv.; 
 and,  allowing  that  allusion  to  be  included,  it 
 
 E resents  us  with  a  highly  significant  contrast 
 etween  the  dread  announcement  of  judgment 
 whicli  preceded,  and  the  present  announcement 
 of  his  own  humiliation.  "  I  will  sit  upon  the 
 throne  of  my  glory,  dispensing  eternal  woe  and 
 eternal  life.  Kow  I  give  myself  up  to  be  cru- 
 cified." But  if  this  was  t!ie  case  alone,  it 
 would  appear  that  afler  two  days  was  really 
 spoken  oh  the  same  day,  Tuesday,  or  in  the 
 evening  of  it — but  that,  as  we  shall  see,  cannot 
 be  allowed.  Moreover,  the  lofty  words  Tcdv- 
 ra?,  "  all,"  and  izsXEdev,  "  had  finished," 
 point  to  a  higher  and  more  comprehensive 
 meaning  of  this  crisis  of  transition.  The  Lord 
 had  closed  all  his  tcords — especially  his  public 
 discourses  before  his  enemies,  but  also  the 
 teaching  and  prophesying  words  which  he 
 spoke  to  the  disciples* — when  he  went  forward 
 to  the  consummation  of  the  final  judgment. 
 He  now  passes  from  the  prophetic  office  to  the 
 high-priestlyt — for  this  reason,  that  the  dis- 
 courses themselves  have  not  yet  fulfilled  any 
 thing.  Such  an  impression  must  be  produced 
 in  this  place  upon  the  mind  of  every  simple 
 and  devout  reader  of  the  Gospel  (and  for  such 
 it  was  written)  :  and  every  one  who  reads  it 
 
 *  For  John  xiii.-xvii,  has  a  perfectly  distinct 
 and  peculiar  character,  belonging  to  the  testimo- 
 nies given  during  the  Passion  itself. 
 
 •j-  Grotius  remarked :  "  The  office  of  the  Teacher 
 and  Prophet  being  lulfilled,  Christ  enters  upon  the 
 priestly  office." 
 
 481 
 
 with  the  Church,  or  preaches  from  it  to  the 
 Church,  must  feel  disposed,  with  Draseke,  to 
 ask — "  What  were  the  words  which  he  had 
 finished  ?  " 
 
 This  Son  of  Man,  who  testified  of  himself 
 as  the  Son  of  God,  had  given  the  sublimest 
 and  purest  witness  to  the  truth  of  God,  in 
 union  with  a  holy  life  and  mighty  wonders; 
 and,  as  the  Saviour  came  into  the  world,  he 
 had  uttered,  moreover,  the  most  urgent  invita- 
 tions to  all  convinced  sinners  to  enter  the  king- 
 dom of  grace.  "  Never  man  had  spoken  like 
 this  man  " — and  so  far  as  by  word  alone  spirit- 
 ual influence  could  be  exerted  upon  man,  sliould 
 there  not  have  been  corresponding  fruit  ?  But 
 here  it  must  be  manifest  that  for  man's  deliver- 
 ance something  more  was  wanting  than  tcords, 
 albeit  the  perfect  words  of  the  eternal  Word  : 
 that  these  could  only  work  preparatorily,  and 
 indeed  (as  the  whole  plan  of  John's  Gospel 
 shows),  in  no  other  way  than  by  evoldii'j  that 
 emni'y  against  God,  which  rejected  and  gave 
 over  to  a  shameful  death  his  Son,  the  witness 
 to  the  truth.  Once  more,  in  this  same  way  the 
 enmity  was  abolished,  the  curse  was  removed, 
 and  the  way  of  the  Spirit  prepared  into  the 
 hearts  of  reconciled  men  ;  so  that  he  may  now 
 unfold  the  words  of  the  Word  down  to  the  end 
 of  time,  and  carry  them  with  power  to  human 
 hearts.  Thus  not  till  after  the  disconrses  were 
 finished,  did  the  proper  accomplishment  and 
 fulfillment  of  all  come,  in  the  facts  of  redeeming 
 sufferings  and  death.  The  discourses  also  be- 
 come naturally  and  necessarily  fewer  and  fewer, 
 while  the  Passion  of  the  silent  Lamb  itself 
 speaks  forth  all  the  more  impressively  its  owa 
 meaning;  not,  however,  that  there  are  no  accom- 
 panying and  explanatory  utterances,  for  even 
 here  the  Evangelist,  after  the  finishing  of  the 
 discourses,  proceeds  to  give  some  further  words 
 of  Christ. 
 
 Here  a  very  few  words,  containing  apparently 
 nothing  new  or  of  special  moment,  disclose  to 
 us  as  it  were  the  scene  of  the  Passion,  before 
 we  come  to  the  Last  Supper  and  Gethsemane ; 
 they  are  generally  passed  over  by  expositors 
 as  a  mere  repetition  of  previous  predictions, 
 and  sometimes  as  if  under  suspicion  of  being 
 spurious.     But  the  repetition  derives  from  tha 
 
482 
 
 THE  PASSION  FINALLY  ANNOUNCED. 
 
 time  and  lionr,  as  connected  with  the  narra- 
 tive, the  utmost  significance,  as  the  Holy  Spirit 
 in  Matthew  gives  us  to  understand.  G)d\ 
 coun-el  and  Chrid's  oliedktics — are  its  two  critical 
 points. 
 
 The  former  Matthew  indicates  by  the  then 
 which  he  appends  to  the  It  came  to  pass  when. 
 The  fruit  of  all  our  Lord's  previous  discourse 
 and  active  energy  is — the  conclusive  and  final 
 determination  to  put  him  to  death  at  all  costs. 
 But  tiiis  counsel  of  men  against  God,  although 
 it  had  been  foreseen  from  the  beginning  and 
 permissively  confirmed  in  the  counsel  of  God, 
 must  nevertheless,  as  man's  evil  device,  be  in 
 some  sense  brought  to  contempt.  Before  they 
 say,  "  Not  on  the  feast  day  !  "*  the  Lord  had 
 announced  that  on  the  feant  day  it  should  and 
 it  must  come  to  pass;  and  this  serene,  sublime 
 assurance,  with  wiiich  the  Lord  anticipates  and 
 meets  the  well-known  design  of  his  enemies, 
 cannot  be  too  deeply  pondered  and  felt.  As  in 
 the  history  of  manlcind  generally,  which  is  the 
 8trug<zle  of  man  to  be  reconciled  to  God  and  re- 
 united with  him,  God's  counsel  and  man's  are 
 perpetually  striving  against  each  other,  so  is  it 
 in  this  great  centre  and  solution  of  human  his- 
 torv,  in  the  death  of  the  God-man  for  the  life 
 of  the  world.  ^;w;//er  purpose  of  man,  deviseJ 
 in  hell  and  suggested  to  Judas  exasperated  at 
 Bethany  (hence  in  ver.  14  another  tlicn  in  con- 
 clusion), must  bring  it  about  that  what  was  to 
 be  done  should  be  done,  according  to  the  word  of 
 Jesus,  in  opposition  to  the  decree  of  the  Sanhe- 
 drim. The  same  Judas  must  hear  with  the 
 rest  what  Jesus  said  vnto  his  diiciples;  in  order 
 that  he  may  know  now  at  the  commencement 
 (as  afterwards,  ver.  24)  that  even  as  Satan's 
 instrument  he  is  no  other  than  the  executor  of 
 the  divine  purpo.se.  For  we  find  not  in  Mat- 
 thew's account  the  slighlcst  reason  for  doubt- 
 ing whether  Judas  was  or  was  not  present ;  on 
 the  contrary,  we  agree  with  Pfenninger's  repre- 
 sentation of  the  imaginary  scene — that  the 
 Lord  expressly  gathered  the  twelve  around 
 him,  in  order  that  in  their  full  assembly  he 
 might  solemnly  utter  this  declaration. 
 
 The  tiine  is  nipasured  to  our  Lord,  even  down 
 to  the  day  and  the  liour;  and  this,  with  every 
 the  slightest  detail,  he  sliows  more  and  more 
 clearly  that  he  knows.  His  own  simple  word 
 bears  impressive  witness  to  that  which  was 
 generally  hinted  in  Luke  xiii.  32,  and  most 
 plainly  declarod  in  Luke  xxii.  53.  Not  one  ut- 
 terance ol  his  lips,  which  was  yet  to  be  spoken, 
 should  be  restrained  or  suppressed;  not  until 
 he  had  made  a  lull  end  of  aU  his  words,  had 
 
 those  days  and  hours  come  which  the  Gospels 
 more  and  more  definitely  mark  off,  until  they 
 begin  to  reckon  from  hour  to  hour.  "  Te 
 know  that  after  two  days  is  the  feast  of  the  Pass- 
 over." Tiic  Lord  thus  begins  with  what  was 
 known  to  every  one,  but  goes  on  immediately  to 
 add  the  most  concealeil  and  hi/lden  purpose  cf 
 God  concerning  this  Passover.  "The  Jews 
 were  well  aware  of  the  day  in  their  calendar ; 
 br.t  Christ  would  have  them  inscribe  this,  that 
 God's  Son  was  now  to  be  tlie  paschal  lamb  " 
 (Berl.  Bib.).  One  might  suppose,  as  the  words 
 stand,  that  the  betrayal  of  the  Son  of  Man  was 
 as  much  part  of  what  they  knew,  as  the  com- 
 ing of  the  feast  was ;  and  certainly  the  Apos- 
 tles might  be  supposed  to  have  at  least  a  general 
 knowledge  of  the  former,  having  been  so  re- 
 peatedly forewarned  of  our  Lord's  sulFerings 
 and  death.  But  they  had  never  understood  his 
 words,  all  his  former  sayings  were  still  hidden 
 from  them  ;  the  Lord  knew  this,  and  his  ye 
 knew  had  no  such  comprehensive  meaning.  He 
 rather  gives  a  revelation,  connecting  the  most 
 known  and  the  most  secret  things  together — 
 As  ye  know  that  in  two  days  will  be  the  feast 
 of  the  Passover,  so  /  know  and  now  tell  you 
 \.\\3.i  in  this  Passover  I  shall  be  crucified.  "Is 
 betrayetl"  brings  the  future  into  the  present, 
 just  like  "is  the  feast;"  and  is  to  be  explained 
 by  the  celerity  of  the  action,  as  Grotius  says; 
 .\lford  is  wrong,  therefore,  in  thinking  that  the 
 separation  of  the  latter  clause  from  the  former 
 does  violence  to  the  construction,  and  would 
 require  to  be  introduced  by  and  then.  We 
 I  doubt  very  much  whether  the  Lord  had  "joined 
 these  two  events  (the  Passover  and  his  own 
 sufferings)  in  his  announcements  to  his  dis- 
 ciples"— for  there  is  no  trace  of  this  throughout 
 the  Gospels.  He  might,  indeed,  have  connect- 
 ed his  approaching  sufferings  with  the  journey 
 to  the  feast,  and  the  course  of  his  proceedings  ; 
 but  this  present  indication  of  the  day  itself  is 
 something  very  different. 
 
 The  Passover — t6  nd6xcc — must  evidently 
 denote  the  first  day  of  the  feast ;  not  the  first 
 great  day  according  to  the  usage  which  reckon- 
 ed only  the  seven  days  after  the  np3n  n'lj^, 
 
 the  evening  of  the  Passover,  but  the  (natural) 
 day  of  theJews'  official  eating  of  the  paschal 
 lamb — the  day  on  the  evening  of  which  h  the 
 Passover,  ami  simultaneous  with  (properly 
 speaking,  already  befoiv)  the  betrayal  and 
 crucifixion  takes  place.  For  in  this  coincidence 
 of  the  typical  day  with  the  historical  fulfillment 
 of  its  meaning,  lies  the  emphasis  of  the  entire 
 assurance* — in    which  the  continuous  "and" 
 
 *  These  words  certainly  show  (if  the  New  Tes- 
 tament \h  to  liave  as  miuh  weiglit  as  the  Talmiil) 
 tliat  there  wa.s  no  s'utute  asaiiist  executions  and 
 processes  at  law  durinii  tlie  least ;  il  in  lad  al- 
 most looks  as  thou^h,  in  other  ca.ses  the  end  of 
 the  festival  was  considered  as  a  tit  time  for  such 
 processes,  for  tliey  were  omitted  only  in  case  of  in- 
 Burrection.  It  cannot  be  proved  that  their  not  re- 
 fers merely  to  the  taknig  and  not  also  to  the  kihing 
 as  soou  as  possible  afterwards. 
 
 *  See  the  remarks  upon  this  contested  point, 
 John  xiii.  That  ru  Ttaoxoc  yiyerai  here  means 
 the  Friday  after  his  ea'iii^  the  paschal  lamb,  ap- 
 pears to  us  certain — the  beiiif/  critcijied,  with  the 
 final  delivering  up  to  (h-it  end  to  the  Genti'.cs,  must 
 loim  tlie  point  of  coincidence  in  the  time.  'Ihis 
 •reneial  desisnation,  accordimr  to  the  predom- 
 inant cu  torn,  is  open  to  no  objection:  it  is  as  if 
 he  had  said  "  Tiie  Passover  of  the  Jews,  my  ene- 
 mies."    In  the  oti.tr  case  the  emphasis  would  haTO 
 
MATTHEW  XXVI. 
 
 13  the  expression  of  a  necessary  consequence, ' 
 just  as  on  the  other  occasions  our  Lord's 
 "must."  The  word,  therefore,  which  spoke  of 
 after  two  daya  could  not  have  been  spoken  so 
 soon  as  the  Tuesday,  but  on  the  Wednesday. 
 Most  important  in  this  is  the  notification  of 
 the  divine  counsel  that  the  death  of  Christ 
 should  take  place  at  the  Passover — not  merely, 
 that  is,  that  many  subordinate  circumstances 
 in  it  would  concur  to  make  the  feast  an  appro- 
 priate time,  but  because  of  the  signification  of 
 the  day  itself.  The  Lord's  trial  and  judgment 
 was  to  be  conducted  publicly,  in  the  presence 
 of  the  multitudes  of  the  dispersion  then  as- 
 sembled in  Jerusalem  He  was  not  to  fall 
 under  popular  frenzy,  like  Stephen  ;  nor  to  be 
 destroyed  by  arbitrary  violence  in  secret,  like 
 the  Baptist.     Public  proof  was  thereby  to  be 
 
 fiven  that  the  people  were  not  instigated  by 
 im  as  his  dependents,  as  the  false  accusation 
 ran — with  whatever  else  of  the  same  kind  may 
 be  soberly  thought  of.  But  the  distinctively 
 critical  point  of  the  connection  between  the 
 time  of  the  feast  and  his  being  hetrayel  is  this, 
 that  here  where  the  Old  Testament  finds  its 
 consummation  and  end  in  the  New,  God's 
 counsel  itself  preserves  the  sanctified  Old-Testa- 
 ment times  and  seasons,  in  fact,  sanctifying  them 
 anew  in  their  New-Testament  meaning.  Inas- 
 much as  the  Lord  died  at  the  Passover,  and 
 the  Holy  Spirit  came  down  at  the  Pentecost, 
 the  Passover  and  the  Pentecost  are  given  and  ap- 
 pointed by  God  himself  as  the  central  periods 
 of  the  new  Christian  year,  of  a  cycle  of  ecclesi- 
 astical festivals  animated  by  the  spirit  of 
 reality.*  This  will  modify,  against  spiritualist 
 misapprehension,  Paul's  doctrine  in  Piom.  xiv. 
 6 ;  Cot.  ii.  16,  17. 
 
 We  have  already,  on  Matt.  xvii.  22,  23, 
 Bliown  in  what  sense  we  are  to  understand  the 
 delivering  up  or  the  betrayal ;  and  why  it 
 is  here  the  fact  prominently  mentioned.  It  is 
 far  from  being  enough  to  interpret  it — "  De- 
 livered up,  rejected  by  the  Jews  that  the  Gentiles 
 may  crucify  him;"  but,  as  Judas  the  traitor 
 had  previously  given  him  up  to  the  Jews,  so  it 
 
 to  be  placed  upon  the  delivering  up  ;  but  this  would 
 not  asree  witli  the  relation  of  h.s  being  killed  to 
 the  slaying  of  the  lamb ;  and  hardly  (especially 
 on  account  of  the  parallel  yiverat)  with  the 
 time,  the  night  already  far  advanced,  in  which  the 
 Lord  was  betrayed. 
 
 *  0  Abolisher  of  the  law,  who  desiredst  even  to 
 keep  the  Passover!  See  Tertull.  in  Ejrard,  Vom 
 Abendm.  i.  p.  289. 
 
 was  the  hand  and  counsel  of  God  under  which 
 the  counsel  and  will  of  these  men  betrayed  and 
 delivered  him  from  one  to  another  (Acts  ii.  23 
 £H8orov).  The  whole  proceeds  to  all  appear- 
 ance humanly  and  naturally,  as  if  men  did  to 
 him  whatever  they  listed  (Matt.  xvii.  12) — 
 but  it  is  not  so,  nevertheless.  All  is  pure 
 injustice  and  guilt  from  the  highest  crime  of 
 the  betraying  disciple  down  to  the  most  venial 
 acts  of  the  crucifying  soldiers — but  in  all  this, 
 and  above  it  all,  is  the-  Father's  eood  and 
 gracious  will.  Therefore,  before  the  Jews  take 
 counsel,  and  Judas  comes  to  them,  the  Lord 
 had  already  spoken  these  words.  Finally,  the 
 crown  of  the  divine  counsel  is  to  be  sought  iu 
 Ei  i  TO  dTavpayOyva  t — in  order  to  he 
 crucified — which  needs  not  now  to  be  again 
 specifically  interpreted.  Not  beheaded,  not 
 stoned,  but  crucified;  a  Gentile  punishment, 
 and  yet  the  fulfillment  of  a  Jewish  type  ;  the 
 realizing  exhibition  of  all  the  mystery  which 
 lay  in  this  hanging  upon  the  wood  of  the  curse 
 — as  going  back  to  the  forbidden  tree.  And 
 the  Son  of  God,  as  the  Son  of  Man,  gives  him- 
 self up  to  this  counsel  of  God,  in  conscious 
 voluntary  obedience:  this  is  ih.Q  second  critical 
 point  in  his  word,  which  in  the  mere  announce- 
 ment of  what  was  coming  expressed  at  the 
 same  time,  with  the  utmost  simplicity  and 
 lowliness,  his  own  obedience — as  if  self-under- 
 stood. This  testimony  to  his  own  voluntary 
 self-devotion  was  included  in  all  his  pre-an- 
 nouncements,  but  here  most  simply  and  im- 
 pressively. The  Lord  does  not  say.  The  Son  of 
 Man  will  deliver  himself  up — although  that 
 also  was  true— but  he  speaks  in  a  purely  pas- 
 sive manner  of  his  Passion.  Nor  does  he  now 
 add  any  reference  to  a  resurrection  on  the 
 third  day ;  he  goes  not  beyond  the  heing  cru- 
 cified, connecting  this,  however,  straitly  with 
 the  being  betrayed  by  the  eli  to,  in  order  to 
 intimate  how  swiftly  the  whole  will  pass 
 through  all  the  forms  of  judgment  to  the  exe- 
 cution of  the  sentence.  Swift  in  succession 
 were  the  taking  and  killing :  in  this  the  counsel 
 of  the  enemies  was  to  hold  good,  still  more 
 than  they  thought.  With  all  the  calmness 
 with  which  both  voice  and  countenance  of 
 Jesus  spoke,  his  words  derived  thence  a  tone  of 
 disquietude  and  even  tearfulness,  for  the  dis- 
 ciples :  After  two  days,  at  the  Ptssover,  our 
 Lord  will  \)Q— crucified!  The  immediate  result 
 was  scarcely  other  than  what  Pl'enninger  de- 
 scribes—a general  stupefaction  and  silence ; 
 until  their  minds,  altogether  unfit  to  look  into 
 such  darkness,  gathered  confidence  again  by 
 turning  from  the  subject. 
 
PROVISION  OF  THE  PASCHAL  LAMB. 
 
 (Matt.  xxvi.  IS;  Mark  xiv.  13-15;  Luke  xxii.  8-12. 
 
 In  respect  to  the  chronology,  we  must  refer 
 to  the  preliminary  observations  at  chap.  xiii. 
 7-20.  To  the  Holy  Spirit  in  the  Evangelists 
 (for  this  we  must  hold  fast,  despite  the  present 
 fashion  of  speaking)  all  the  things  were  perfectly 
 plain  in  the  peculiar  relation  of  the  two-fold 
 paschal  solemnity ;  and  the  two  great  events 
 retained  their  distinctive  significance  in  regard 
 to  the  typical  time— the  Lord's  Supper,  as  the 
 most  direct  fulfillment  of  the  type,  was  insti- 
 tuted on  the  legally  correct  day,  while  the  cru- 
 cifixion took  place  on  the  Jewish  Passover-day, 
 which  had  now  lost  its  validity  and  already 
 become  a  mere  shadow.  Hence  as  Jesus  in  his 
 previous  announcement  to  a  certain  extent 
 acknowledged  this  Passover  of  the  Jews,  so  now 
 on  the  other  hand  the  Spirit  in  the  Evangelist 
 speaks  more  precisely,  since  in  Matthew  and 
 Mark  the  Thursday,  on  which  Jesus  with  a 
 certain  number  of  the  Jews,  however  small,  ate 
 the  lamb,  is  rightly  denominated  the  first  of 
 the  feast  of  unleavened  bread.  It  is  not  ne- 
 cessary (with  the  Peshito)  to  supply  the  Jeios 
 in  Mark's  wlien  they  hilled  the  Passover,  and  to 
 explain  it  as  intimating  a  universal  custom;  it 
 should  be  understood  thus — The  first  or  pre- 
 paratory day  of  the  feast,  in  which  they,  that 
 IS,  the  disciples,  were  wont  with  their  Lord  to 
 slay  the  Passover-lamb.  On  this  supposition, 
 Luke's  eSsi — must  U  killed — has  the  emphasis 
 upon  it  which  we  have  already  discovered; 
 containing  a  hint  where  more  precise  informa- 
 tion was  not  to  be  given — that  something  might 
 remain  to  be  sought  and  to  be  found  in  the 
 Scripture. 
 
 Suffice  it  that  this  day  came,  as  Luke  ex- 
 presses it,  that  is,  it  dawned ;  and  during  its 
 niornin"  or  forenoon  it  was  necessary  that  pro- 
 vision should  be  made  for  the  legal  celebration 
 of  the  Passover.  According  to  the  two  other 
 Evangelists  the  disciples  /nt  remind  the 
 Lord  by  a  question  as  the  where,  a  critical 
 matter;  but  we  would  not  have  this  two-fold 
 authority  so  pressed  against  Luke  as  to  oppose 
 their  easy  reconciliation.  It  seems  more  nat- 
 ural that  the  Lord  himself  should  begin  with 
 words,  now  as  ever  graciously  communicative, 
 touching  matters  external, '"' Go  and  prepare 
 for  us  the  p.aschal  lamb,  that  we  may  eat  of  it 
 together"  (Luke  xxii.  15).  I  cannot  undcr- 
 sland,  at  least,  Lange's  notion  of  our  Lord's 
 design  to  wait  until  "the  disciples,  in  their 
 Jewish  sense  of  propriety,  should  think  the 
 time  come  for  thinking  of  the  Passover."  Their 
 feeling  of  anxiety  about  the  feast  must  have 
 beeu  kept  somewhat  in  abeyance  by  the  Lord's 
 484 
 
 announcement  of  his  coming  death  ;  that  is, 
 they  were  altogether  confused  as  to  this  present 
 Passover,  not  knowing  how  to  understand  its 
 relation  to  what  the  Lord  predicted.  Certainly, 
 there  is  no  sense  in  that  which  many  allege, 
 "  that  they  had  quickly  fallen  into  externality 
 again ; "  the  commanded  feast  was  neither  for 
 them  nor  for  the  Lord  a  matter  merely  exter- 
 nal. But  the  Lord  himself  well  knows  that 
 his  enemies  must  leave  him  time  and  opportu- 
 nity for  this  holy  meal  (Psa.  xxiii.  5) — he 
 knows,  moreover,  what  he  will  do  at  the  feast, 
 and  in  sublime  self-possession  follows  the  an- 
 nouncement of  his  death  by  a  direction  con- 
 cerning the  customary  festival.  Even  after  his 
 final  severance  from  the  people  and  the  temple, 
 he  adheres  still  to  the  ancient  ordinance ;  not 
 merely  for  the  sake  of  the  institution  of  the 
 Supper,  but  because  he  will  be  subject  to  the 
 law  down  to  the  last.  The  disciples  know  now 
 from  his  own  lips,  despite  their  own  fears,  that 
 he  will  uninterruptedly,  as  aforetime,  keep  the 
 feast;  they  know  also,  from  past  experience,  on 
 what  day  he  will  keep  it;  there  remains  only 
 the  anxious  question — Where  shall  we  keep  it, 
 in  peace  and  security?  Such  would  have  been 
 its  meaning,  even  if  they  had  spontaneously 
 uttered  it ;  but  if  it  was  only  a  reply  to  his  first 
 go  and  prepare,  it  has  the  tone  of  an  objection, 
 a  slight  remembrancer  that  it  would  not  be 
 advisable  or  possible  to  go  "'into  the  city" — 
 from  Bethany,  where  they  ihen  abode,  into 
 Jerusalem.  At  any  rate,  thej'  say  what  they 
 say  in  great  obscurity  as  to  the  counsel  of  God ; 
 they  have  but  little  presentiment  of  the  great 
 importance  and  necessity  of  the  last  Passover : 
 they  would  provide  for  him  to  eat  it — no  more. 
 But  he,  whose  design  was  to  make  ready  for 
 them  and  for  us  all  the  sacramental  Feast  of 
 the  New  Covenant,  speaks  with  all  the  fuller 
 assurance,  sublimely  elevated  above  all  their 
 confusion. 
 
 We  have  already  in  Vol.  i.  brought  the 
 sending  for  the  ass  into  comparison  with  this 
 provision  for  the  Passover ;  the  parallel  is  as 
 obvious  as  it  is  instructive.  In  the  former  in- 
 stance he  would  present  himself  before  the 
 people  of  the  Old  Testament,  and  of  the  first 
 calling,  as  the  king  Messiah — in  the  present 
 case  he  exhibits  himself  to  the  disciples,  and  in 
 them  to  the  new  Church,  as  the  true  paschal, 
 sacrificial  lamb.  It  was  his  design  not  merely 
 to  re-assure  them  beforehand  in  the  institution 
 of  the  sacrament,  and  comfort  them,  concerning 
 his  certain  death  ;  but  to  promise  them,  and  by 
 anticipation  give   them  lu  it  superabundant 
 
MATTHEW  XXVI.  18. 
 
 485 
 
 salvation  and  life.  If  any  where,  it  was.  here 
 appropriate,  that  the  provision  for  it  should  be 
 accompanied  by  evidence  of  his  dignity,  and 
 testimony  of  his  divine  authority.  We  would 
 not  say  with  Bengel  (in  hia  Germ.  N.  T.  on 
 Mark),  "  It  was  a  deep  humihation  that  Christ 
 ate  the  paschal  lamb,  like  a  common  Israelite  ; 
 therefore  he  lets  his  glory  shine  forth  in  the 
 provision  for  it;"  for  the  humiliation  of  his 
 obedience  was  not  always  connected  with  such 
 signs  of  his  dignity,  nor  do  we  find  any  thing 
 similar  in  connection  with  those  earlier  Pass- 
 overs, which  the  Scripture  silently  relates  or 
 assumes.  But  this  lad  feast  derived  from  the 
 pre-announcement  of  Matt.  xxvi.  2  an  element 
 of  such  anxiety,  uncertainty,  and  fear — for  the 
 disciples — that  for  their  sake  and  on  that  accnnnt 
 a  testimony  of  the  sublime  security  of  the  Lord 
 was  given. 
 
 Orthodox  exposilocs  should  leave  to  such 
 men  as  Gabler,  Stolz,  PauUis,  and  Kuinol  the 
 supposition  of  a  preconcerted  arrangement  with 
 the  househulder  in  Jerusalern.  Equally  un- 
 worthy is  such  a  notion  in  relation  to  the  send- 
 ing for  the  ass — as  we  have  already  shown.  Yet 
 Braune,  alas !  speaks  of  a  preconcerted  sign — 
 "Jesus  had  beforehand  made  this  sure  with  the 
 master  of  the  house."  The  altogether  mysteri- 
 ous form  8i.lva—such  a  man — with  the  pre- 
 diction of  the  meeting  him  under  such  circum- 
 stances, must  have  produced  in  the  minds  of 
 the  disciples  a  verydiflerent  impression  from — 
 "  I  have  arranged  it  thus  already!"  Rather 
 did  it  mean,  in  a  much  higher  sense — "All  this 
 has  been  appointed,  nothing  can  fail,  as  I  now 
 predict  to  you."  But  another  circumstance 
 ari.ses,  as  giving  a  reason  for  the  form  of  the 
 direition — the  keeping  the  place  secret  from  the 
 betrayer.  There  is  some  truth  in  the  almo.-;t 
 universal  remark  of  the  expositors,  who  make 
 this  design  prominent;  lor  our  Lord's  lowliness, 
 as  blended  with  his  dignity,  required  that  he, 
 whom  all  things  served,  should  observe  the 
 ordinary  precautions  of  human  prudence.  The 
 one,  here  as  every  where,  qualifies  the  other, 
 in  a  marvellous  manner.  Judas,  who,  on  other 
 occasions,  took  charge  of  the  purchase  and  pro- 
 vision of  all  things,  is  not  sent;  and  then  the 
 commission,  given  in  hia  presence,  is  expressed 
 in  so  mysterious  a  manner,  that  he  knows  not 
 before  the  lime  either  the  place  or  the  nnme. 
 This  made  it  manifest  to  him,  the  hypocritical 
 enemy  among  tlie  Apostles,  that  the  Lord  had 
 likewise  concealed  disciples  among  his  enemies 
 in  Jerusalem.* 
 
 Matthew  speaks  indefinitely  of  "the  dis- 
 ciples "  as  sent ;  Mark  notes  "  two  of  them  ;  " 
 Luke,  finally,  names  them,  Peter  and  John,  the 
 two  most  eminent  and  confidential  disciples, 
 the  same  two  who,  at  the  Supper,  sat  one  on 
 each  side  of  ihe  Redeemer.  The  first  Evangel- 
 ist presents  the  Lord's  word  briefly,  as  pre- 
 served in  the  more  general  tradition,  until  the 
 
 *  "  As  there  was  amons  his  friends  a  secret  ene- 
 my, so  was  there  among  his  enemies  a  secret 
 friend  "  (Braune). 
 
 Holy  Spirit  took  care  for  the  addition  of  the 
 supplementary  detail  which  gave  prominence 
 to  the  main  point.  Matthew  and  Mai  k  place 
 first  the  significant  and  decisive  "Go  into  the 
 city,"  which  was,  indeed,  included  in  the  "  Oo 
 and  prepare"  of  Luke.  But  if  we  read  Mat- 
 thew, without  comparing  the  others,  it  might 
 appear  as  if  the  Lord  had  actually  mentioned 
 the  name  of  the  householder,  which  however 
 the  Evangelist  could  not,  or  would  not,  repeat 
 after  him.*  But  it  is  as  impossible  that  he 
 was  ignorant  of  the  name,  as  it  is  that  he  con- 
 cealed it  for  the  sake  of  not  "  compromising  the 
 man" — surely  after  so  long  an  interval  this 
 paschal  hospitality  could  not  be  still  reckoned 
 to  his  disadvantage.  It  is  better,  therefore,  to 
 say  that  his  npoi  rdv  Saiva,  "such  an  om," 
 expresses  concisely  that  which  the  others  ex- 
 press more  in  detail ;  he  thereby  intimates  that 
 the  Lord,  without  naming  the  man,  marked 
 him  out  in  some  manner.  They  were  to  say, 
 The  Master  saith  (in  Luke,  more  expressly, 
 saith  unto  thee);  and  this  describes  the  man  as 
 a  disciple  of  Jesus,  for  the  obedience  which  our 
 Lord  predicts  takes  it  for  granted  that  the  re- 
 ceiver of  the  message  would  interpret  those 
 words — Our  Master  and  thine,t  so  that  he 
 would  acknowledge  the  disciples  at  once,  and 
 recognize  him  who  sent  them  as  his  master  and 
 teaclier.  The  I\Iaster  bids  us  tell  thee— that  is 
 enough  here,  as  in  the  parallel  case,  the  send- 
 ing for  the  ass — The  Lord  hath  need  of  it. 
 Tims  does  our  Lord  go  on  his  way,  every  thing 
 ministering  to  his  foreseen  need;  with  child- 
 like serenity  and  ease  (as  Lange  Says)  provid- 
 ing for  every  earthly  want.  The  staler  in  the 
 fish's  mouth  is  a  remarkable  parallel. 
 
 My  time  is  at  hand — this  word  in  Matthew- 
 does  not  refer  to  the  time  of  the  Passover, 
 the  period  of  which  all  Jews  well  knetj) ;  there 
 might,  indeed,  be  in  it  some  such  meaning  as 
 this— I  keep  it  with  those  who  keep  it  this 
 day  and  not  to-morrow — were  it  not  that  the 
 words  must  have  the  same  significant  reference 
 to  his  suffering  and  death  which  they  have 
 elsewhere.  The  Lord  never  has  any_  other 
 meaning  than  this,  when  he  speaks  oi  his  time 
 or  hour — as  we  have  seen  on  John  vii.  8,  and 
 elsewhere.  In  this  Grotius  is  right,  who  re- 
 minds us  of  the  before  I  suffer,  Luke  xxii.  15  ; 
 but  his  opinion  that  the  Lord  thus  gives  a  reason 
 why  he  was  constrained  to  anticipate  his  Pass- 
 over (to-morrow  I  shall  be  able  no  longer  to 
 eat  it !),  cannot  be  sustained,  as  we  have  seen 
 before.t     This   pre-supposes  a  very  near  and 
 
 *  For  6  S  sly  a  stands  for  the  name,  just  as  our 
 N.  N.  Stolz  translated  "  to  the  well-known  man  " 
 —and  certainly  the  Lord  miyJit  have  to  uspd  iho 
 expression— To  a  certain  man  well-known  to  me, 
 whom  I  name  not  now,  but  will  point  out  more 
 specifically  thus,  etc.  But  this  is  a  too  mechan- 
 ical combination  of  the  several  texis. 
 
 t  Hence  in  the  Ileb.  N.  T.  it  is  well  trasslated 
 
 X  So  Neander :  "  Because  the  time  of  my  de- 
 
.4«6 
 
 PROVISION  FOR  THE  PASSOVER. 
 
 confidential  relation  to  the  unknown  man,  since 
 it  is  understood  that  he  would  know  the  mean- 
 ing of  my  time,  and  be  at  once  moved  by  it  to 
 provide  the  guest-chamber  for  our  Lord's  final 
 Passover.*  It  is  as  if  the  Lord  told  him  thus, 
 what  he  had  already  disclosed  to  the  disciples 
 in  Matt.  xxvi.  2.  We  would  observe  one  thing 
 more  ;  and  that  is,  that  the  Lord  here  declares 
 once  more  his  willingness  to  encounter  his 
 death,  terming  the  time  appointed  in  the  coun- 
 sel of  God  his  time. 
 
 What  follows  in  Matthew  is  a  more  concise 
 expression  of  the  sense,  and  cannot  be  made 
 verbally  to  agree  with  the  more  detailed  ac- 
 count of  the  two  other  Evangelists ;  but  the 
 meaning  is  the  same  in  all.  In  the  itpui  6e — 
 at  thy  hause — which  comes  first,  it  is  shown  to 
 be  an  expression  of  love  and  a  signal  honor, 
 that  the  Lord  should  once  more  invite  himself 
 to  this  man's  house.  In  noiElv  to  nd6x<x, 
 "  keep  [lit.  do  ]  the  Passover,"  we  hear  the 
 expression  of  a  legal  obedience,  according  to 
 the  customary  formula  (np3  r\'VV,  Exod.  xii. 
 
 48;  Num.  ix.  4  ;  Josh.  v.  10.)  And  inth  my 
 disciples:  for,  they  are  his  family,  and  thus  he 
 speaks  as  one  master  of  a  house  to  another. 
 
 But  now  let  us  look  closely  at  the  prediction 
 of  the  circumstances  which  the  two  other 
 Evangelists  add.  Ebrard,  with  the  ancients, 
 says  at  once,  "  In  virtue  of  his  omniscience  " — 
 but  we  cannot  agree  with  him  ;  neither,  how- 
 ever, can  we,  like  Olshausen,  deny  the  indica- 
 tion of  a  miraculous  foreknowledge,  or  the 
 worthiness  of  the  end  in  such  a  miracle.  As 
 respects  the  former,  it  must  be  undeniably 
 plain  to  every  simple  reader  that  the  Evangel- 
 ists record  the  Lord's  saying  as  uttered  in 
 supernatural  foreknowledge,  seeing  afar,  as  it 
 were,  the  course  of  the  most  fortuitous  circum- 
 stances. The  predicted  meeting  with  a  man 
 bearing  a  pitcher  of  water,  supposed  to  be  a 
 servant  fetching  it  at  the  usual  (or  unusual?) 
 time,  thus  indicated  with  the  most  exact  speci- 
 fication of  time  and  place,!  is  evidently  a  sign 
 given  in  supreme  authority  to  the  unbelieving 
 anxiety  of  the  questioning  disciples.  In  this 
 we  have  an  answer  to  the  second  point.  Jesus 
 might  have  been,  in  his  state  of  humiliation  &<■ 
 the  Son  of  Man,  no  more  omniscient  than  al- 
 mighty or  omnipresent;  but  the  evangelical 
 
 parture  from  the  world  is  nigh,  I  will  io-day  eat 
 Ihe  Passover  by  anticipation." 
 
 *  Kahnis  :  "  Thus  he  named  to  them  a  man 
 whom  he  kuf^w  to  be  devot.'d  to  himself,  and  ac- 
 quainted with  his  coming  de|>arture  "  (Zf/jr«  vom 
 Abendm.  p.  5).  "  Named  to  iliem,"  however,  is  in- 
 exact; il  should  be  "  de.cribed  to  them." 
 
 f  In  Luke,  "  Bcfto.'d,  when  ye  are  entered  info  the 
 city" — thus,  at  tiie  very  entrance,  so  that  the  dis- 
 ciples hnd  no  need  to  think  mucli  which  way  to 
 take.  The  vessel  is  expressly  described  as  nepd- 
 Hiov,  and  then  the  water-carrier  goes  into  the 
 right  house — who  can  understand  this  otlierwise 
 than  according  to  the  words  of  the  Seer,  1  Sam.  x. 
 2-7,  wiiich  we  ttierefore  brought  into  comparison 
 already  ou  Matt.  zxi.  2  1 
 
 narrative  so  constantly  attributes  to  him  a 
 miraculous  knowledge  of  earthly  circumstances 
 entirely  transcending  human  sensible  limita- 
 tions, that  it  is  ridiculous  to  enter  into  petty 
 questioning,  about  this  or  that  particular  ex- 
 ample. Further,  we  shrink  from  the  most 
 distant  approximation  to  the  old  habit  of  in- 
 quiring into  the  "purpose"  of  every  "miracle" 
 which  is  introduced.  One  of  our  preachers 
 says,  with  a  good  intention,  "  Jesus  had  here  a 
 reason  for  making  use  of  his  omniscience  " — 
 but  we  recognize  neither  the  occasional  making 
 use  of  an  otherwise  restrained  omniscience  or 
 omnipotence,  nor  his  conscious  reflection  upon 
 tlie  reason  or  usefulness  of  his  acts.  But  that 
 the  Spirit  dwelling  in  the  Lord  might  elevato 
 him  into  the  miraculous  region  of  action  or  in- 
 sight into  the  power  and  light  of  God,  when  it 
 should  be  for  his  own  dignity  and  the  salva- 
 tion of  others — we  cannot  but  admit,  and  the 
 present  instance  gives  us  an  example.  It  was 
 quite  consistent  that,  in  addition  to  this,  the 
 Lord  should  have  a  design — if  such  must  bo 
 sought — to  encoiirage  and  strengthen  the  weak- 
 ness of  his  disciples'  faith.  We  cannot  under- 
 stand the  excellent  Olshiiusen's  assertions.  He 
 says,  first,  that  the  disciples  on  this  occasion 
 betrayed  no  specific  weakness  of  faith;  but, 
 apart  from  their  habitual  lendencv,  their  ques- 
 tion betrayed  anxious  care.  S'ccondly,  that 
 the  actual  sign  would  have  had  no  special 
 significance  to  them,  familiar  as  they  had  been 
 with  so  many  more  exalted  miracles;  but, 
 nothing  could  surpass  the  majesty  of  the  tes- 
 timony, "  Behold,  all  has  been  provided  for!" 
 Thirdly,  that  then  it  would  have  required  to 
 be  added — There  had  been  no  preconcerted  ar- 
 rangement. But  this  last  is  the  worst  of  all  ; 
 for  how  could  it  ever  have  entered  the  minds  of 
 the  disciples  to  think  of  a  "  concerted  arrange- 
 ment" on  the  part  of  Jesus  with  a  water-car- 
 rier waiting  for  them  at  the  entrance  of  the 
 city,  to  guide  them  into  the  house?  Why  re- 
 sort to  all  these  by-methods  for  the  explana- 
 tion of  the  provision  for  the  feast,  instead  of 
 accepting  the  statement  of  such  a  simple  desig- 
 nation of  the  house  and  the  host  as  was  a  sign 
 to  the  disciples,  while  it  excluded  Judas  from 
 privity  to  tliis  plan  ? 
 
 The  question  common  to  the  two  Evangel- 
 ists—  Whire  is  the  g>icst-chaml>er,  wh-ere,  etc.— 
 would  of  itself,  on  this  view,  intimate  that  the 
 prepared  place,  for  which  the  disciples  were  to 
 ask,  was  already  ready,  and  could  not  fail  them. 
 Ye  ask  anxiously  about  the  where— \\\\i  I  com- 
 mand you  only  "to  ask  xchcre  is  it?  for  it  is  al- 
 ready prepared.  Matthew's  complementary 
 expression — /  will  keqy  tfie  Passover  with  tJue — 
 warrants  us  in  regarding  tins  question  not  as 
 an  allusion  to  any  thing^preconcerted,  but  as  a 
 strongly  expressed  announcement  of  tiie  Lord's 
 coming.  The  reading  which  Laciim.  leaves 
 undecided  in  Mark — to  MardXviioc  juov 
 (Vulg.  refectio  moa) — appears  to  us  a  gloss, 
 the  meaning  of  which  is  othr-rwise  in  the  text. 
 But  this  guest-chamber,  xcxrdAvua,  is  cer- 
 tainly not  here  &  public  ^£yo6oxttoy>  ov  inn,  iot 
 
LUKE  XXII.  25-30. 
 
 487 
 
 Euch  places  were  not  used  at  the  time  of  the 
 Passover;*  nor  is  it,  on  the  other  hand,  "room" 
 merely  ;t  l)ut  the  word  corresponds  to  the  Ileb. 
 P^O   deversorium,   JiospUium,    lodgment.     "  The 
 
 Jews,  not  resident  in  Jerusalem,  had  at  the 
 time  ol'  the  Passover  the  right  to  look  for 
 gratuitous  lodgment  and  hospitality  from  the 
 dwellers  in  the  city."t  "Unless  1  am  mis- 
 taken, this  is  in  the  word  xardXv/na" — says 
 Grolius.  That_  the  OLKoSeCitvtrji  of  this 
 house  (mark  this  most  precise  definition)  wf.s 
 not  to  be  asked  first  by  the  disciples — Wilt 
 thou  give  up  thy  already  prepared  chamber  to 
 our  Master  and  thine?  but  only  to  be  required 
 to  lihmo  wiiere  it  was,  takes  two  things  for 
 f,'ranted  :  first,  that  he  held  it  alreadv  prepared, 
 in  devout  hospitality,  for  any  guests  whom 
 God  might  send  him;  and,  secondly,  that  to 
 rone  would  he  more  gladly  surrender  it  than 
 to  Jesus  as  soon  as  he  should  announce  him- 
 self as  coming  to  it. 
 
 The  upper  room — dvdyatov  (more  correct- 
 ly, instead  of  dv&iyEov) — is  frdxiUy  to  be  dis- 
 tinguished from  the  vnepcaov,  or  the  proper 
 JT^J?  of  the  roof  (although  Hesychius  makes 
 
 them  one)  ;  but  the  Lord  thereby  intimates  its 
 suitability  for  a  more  retired  celebiatiou  of  the 
 feast.  It  is,  moreover,  Uirge  ;  not  a  mean  place, 
 but  providing  more  than  enough  room  for  his 
 little  society  ;|  and  it  is  also  even  already/a/'- 
 nislied — 4  6  r  p  a)  u  e  V  o  v.\\  This  last  does  not 
 intimate  any  thing  like  a  "  stately  "  arrange- 
 ment ;  but  only  that  every  thing  needful  was 
 already  provided  there.  On  that  account  we 
 cannot  admit  the  additional  eromov,  "  ready," 
 of  Mark.  This  is  a  heaping  together  of  too 
 many   predicates;   an   additional   eroi/nov    is 
 
 either  superfluous,  or  must  intimate  that  the 
 sweeping  out  of  the  leaven,  or  whatever  else 
 the  ceremonial  required,  was  already  cared  for 
 by  the  host.  But  we  think  such  regard  to  the 
 minutest  specialty  too  petty  in  our  Lord's 
 mouth  at  such  a  (ime.  Von  Gerlach's  expla- 
 nation— a  room  in  which  the  feaf,t  was  already 
 provided — forgets  that  there  would  be  then 
 nothing  left  ior  the  following  there  maks  ready 
 (Mark /or  t<.s).  Thus  De  Wette  says — There 
 make  ready  (the  repast).  We  afterwards  read 
 — x\nd  they  made  ready  the  Passover.  To  this 
 prepai-ation  belonged  the  purchase  of  the  lamb, 
 its  slaughter*  and  roasting,  the  provision  of  the 
 appointed  and  customary  concomitants,  etc, 
 All  this  is  included  by  the  Lord,  with  dignified 
 simplicity  in  i\\e prepare. 
 
 The  disciples  went  in  perfect  confidence  that 
 they  should  find  all  this;  finding  it  all,  they 
 did  as  they  were  commanded.  In  solemn  and 
 s'lent  order  and  reverence,  with  many  deep 
 ponderings,  did  Peter  and  John  perfect  all  the 
 preparation  for  the  feast.  But  before  we  pro- 
 ceed to  the  prepared  feast  itself,  let  us  once 
 more  pause  and  weigh  well  the  appointment 
 and  announcement  which  the  Lord  here  makes. 
 According  to  Rev.  iii.  20  we  might  discern  in 
 this  a  type  of  the  manner  in  which  he  would 
 in  future  announce  and  invite  himself  in  the 
 case  of  souls  already  devoted  to  him — that  he 
 may  hold  the  true  paschal  feast  in  the  prepared 
 gue'st-chamber  of  their  hearts.  Yea,  the  ex- 
 perience of  those  who  have  to  accomplish  this 
 mission,  concurs  further  with  these  words — 
 "  Jeous  often  gives,  even  now,  to  his  disciples 
 signs  by  which  they  may  know  where  to  apply 
 for  and  find  places 'of  entertainment  for  their 
 Lord." 
 
 SETTLEMENT  OF  THE  DISPUTE  FOR  PRE-EMINENCE. 
 
 (Luke  xxir.  25-30.) 
 
 AVe  may  assume  that  Luke  received  his  ac- 
 counts of  this  last  meal  at  second  or  third 
 hand:  and  hence  (here  are  indications  of  in- 
 definiteness  and   inexactness,  which  are  not  to 
 
 *  Tliis  meaning  ot  the  word  genera. ly  is  uncer- 
 tain, even  in  Luke  ii.  7. 
 
 tOr  specifically  a  hall  of  eating;,  as  1  Sam  ix. 
 22  is  referred  to,  where  nS'J'^  is  translated  xazd- 
 
 Xv/ia. 
 
 t  Friedlieb,  Arclued.  der  Lcidemt/esch.,  p.  50. 
 Tills  was  an  ancient  custom  ;  but  the  method  there 
 relerred  lo,  of  iiKlemiiifying;  the  man  l)y  ihe  skin 
 ot  (he  laml)  and  an  earilien  vessel,  may  be  refer- 
 red to  a  later  period. 
 
 ()  In  this  chcuinstance  the  simplicity  of  our 
 failiers  saw  a  txi'lcal  hint  that  many  would  in  due 
 lime  he  summoned  to  the  Supper  of  our  Lord. 
 
 II  The  Lord  speaks  as  if  he  saw  the  room  before 
 liim,  jusL  as  it  was. 
 
 be  found  in  the  compressed  exhibition  of  the 
 essentials  which  Matthew  and  even  Mark  give'.| 
 
 ♦  Probably  in  the  temple ;  not.  however,  that 
 he  priests  alone  could  do  it.  The  ritual  of  that 
 time  is  very  uncerla'n  as  to  particu'ars.  Fried- 
 lieb's  inference  (p  47,  note),  that  the  lamb  was 
 slain  at  tiie  appropria  e  time  in  the  temp'e  or  not 
 at  all— that  the  Passover  was  celebrated  by  Christ 
 w.th  the  Jews,  or  that  it  was  no  proper  Pa.ssover 
 —is  not  therefore  a])P  icable  ;  and  it  must  be  cou- 
 s  dered  that  if  an  early  cdebrntion  was  recognized 
 by  many,  it  must  necessarily  have  been  recognized 
 in  ihe  temple. 
 
 t  We  observe  here,  once  for  all,  that  this  admis- 
 sion is  by  no  means  inconsistent  with  our  consiant 
 denunciation  of  those  by  who.se  "  unwarranted 
 assumption  of  indefinite  and  ine.xact  records  the 
 Scripture  is  constantly  broken."  There  are  hmita 
 plain  enough  to  those  who  will  see  them.  In  par- 
 ticular, we  cannot  surrender  the  conviction  that  m 
 
m. 
 
 DISPUTE  FOR  PRE-EMINENCE. 
 
 In  the  record  of  this  \¥onderful  evening,  the 
 raost  prominent,  thing  was  the  sacrament,  as 
 occupying  the  first  place  in  the  tradition  of  the 
 whole  Church  ;  the  feet-washing  might  be  re- 
 nerved — as  belonging  rather  to  the  circle  of  the 
 Apostles,  and  as  being  an  almost  esoteric  mys- 
 tery in  comparison  with  the  relative  exoteric 
 mystery  of  the  Supper — until  ho  came  to  whose 
 fjen  it  was  given  to  record  it.  But  there  was 
 much  else  both  spoken  and  done  over  this  table  ; 
 «nd  in  the  selection  and  arrangement  of  the 
 several  Evangelists,  the  Holy  Spirit,  who  di- 
 rected them  all,  shows  us,  as  in  a  central  ex- 
 ample, in  what  way  he  has  provided  for  us  a 
 sure  and  sufficing  narrative,  through  the  agency 
 of  the  free  and  manifold  gifts  of  men,  which  we 
 again  are  to  arrange  according  to  our  best  dis- 
 crimination. Luke  is  distinguished  among 
 them  as  the  critical  investigator  and  diligent 
 collector  of  things  retained  in  living  tradition. 
 Hence,  as  we  shall  see,  he  furnishes  many  pre- 
 cious supplemental  details  of  individual  mat- 
 ters, from  the  Lord's  desires  in  ver.  15,  to  the 
 misunderstood  words  touching  the  sword  ; 
 lience,  however,  we  find,  as  we  have  already 
 riaid,  a  certain  appearance  of  compilation  which 
 sometimes  seems  to  forsake  the  exact  seijLuence 
 of  things. 
 
 This  character  of  his  record  is  stamped  most 
 plainly  upon  the  'Eyivf-ro  8e  nai— And  there 
 v>as  also — a  formula  indefinite  in  itself,  with 
 which  he  introduces  the  contention  among  the 
 di.sciples  which  occurred  again  on  this  evening. 
 We  might  be  astonished  and  incredulous  as  to 
 Llie  possibility  of  a  tttrifa  aniong  them  at  such  a 
 time,  especially  after  reading  what  has  preceded 
 in  Luke;  and  tiiis  very  formula,  entering  into 
 our  astonishment,  takes  away  our  doubt  by 
 the  a.ssurance  of  the  actual  there  teas.  For  the 
 moaning  of  the  nai,  in  close  connection  with 
 the  strife,  is  no  other  than  this — And  even  on 
 this  evening,  at  this  table  (where  the  hand  of 
 the  traitor  was)  took  place,  alas  I  an  actual 
 contention.*  Our  doubt  may  be  rendered 
 stronger  by  its  appearing  to  have  been  after 
 the  institution  of  the  Supper — but,  it  is  not  so 
 stated;  for  in  Luke's  habit  of  transposition 
 iyevero  may  well  be   regarded  as  tae  later 
 
 the  Jirst  Gospel  Matthew  the  Apostle  is  the  imme- 
 diate rejjorter — despite  that  German  criticism 
 which  seems  fo  have  exerted  an  evil  influence  on 
 the  English  Alford.  His  condemnation  of  my  se- 
 vere dealing  with  other  views,  and  his  allegation 
 of  inconsi.stencies  (oti  Matt.  xxvi.  1^0;,  do  not  af- 
 fect my  honest  convictions. 
 
 *  Tlie  among  thorn  i.s  further  removed,  and  the 
 emphasis  should  not  he  laid  upon  it,  as  BenHel 
 does — "  Not  only  tlie  traitor,  hid  also  the  IHevcn 
 (fonhled  the  Lord."  Considerin<j  the  words  as 
 followina  ver.  23,  some  sucli  meaiiinir  as  this  misht 
 be  found,  "  Those  wl)o  now  j-o  liunibly  ftsked 
 anioni;  themselves  who  should  betray  him,  htu/  bem 
 askinn;  among  themselves  who  was  liie  greaiesl." 
 Thi.s  i)araliei  and  anlilhosis  may  be  indicated  in 
 rt>e  tepet:lion  of  ro,  r/S,"  not,  however,  that  ver. 
 24  must  necessarily  have  been  subsequent  in  time, 
 *m  that  account. 
 
 record  of  what  had  happened  before.  We  are 
 firmly  convinced  that  this  was  his  meaning; 
 and  agree  with  the  latter  part  of  Olshausen's 
 words :  "  Luke's  account  is  inexact  in  two 
 points  ;  creating  the  impression  that  Judas 
 partook  of  the  Supper  with  the  rest,  and  also 
 that  the  disciples  fell  into  a  contention  after  its 
 institution."  As  it  respects  Judas'  undoubted 
 participation,  we  shall  nave  more  to  say  ;  and 
 as  it  respects  the  latter,  it  does  not  impeach 
 the  credit  of  the  reporter,  who  might  say  to  us 
 — Why  is  my  lysvaTo  de  nai  necessarily 
 taken  in  strict  order  ? 
 
 Neander  deals  far  too  boldly  with  Holy 
 Scripture  when  he  assumes  that  the  thought 
 of  the  feet-washing  occasioned  the  error  of 
 placing  the  earlier  contention  of  Matt.  xx.  in 
 the  evening  of  the  Supper.  We  cannot  but 
 mourn  over  the  fundamental  principles  which 
 permit  such  a  manner  of  reading  what  the 
 Holy  Spirit  has  written  for  the  Church ;  on 
 their  account  we  have  hitherto  preferred  to 
 pass  over  in  comparative  silence  Neander's 
 "  Life  of  Jesus" — but  we  cannot  refrain  from 
 openly  expressing  our  condemnation  here.  The 
 pious  Wesley's  error  is  of  a  different  kind, 
 and  more  venial:  "It  is  highly  probable  (?) 
 this  was  the  same  dispute  which  is  mentioned 
 by  Matthew  and  Mark,  and  consequently, 
 though  it  is  related  here,  it  happened  some 
 time  before."*  We  think  it  impossible  that 
 Luke's  (iii-  ?<•«/.' and  hv  avroi?  can  be  recon- 
 ciled with  a  narrative  of  events  so  far  back. 
 The  same  and  much  more  may  be  said  against 
 the  modified  view  which  identifies  the  contest 
 with  that  resulting  from  the  request  of  Zebe- 
 dee's  sons,  and  makes  the  Lord  simply  revert 
 to  it  at  the  table.  (Grotius  :  "  Christ  is  mind- 
 ful of  their  former  contention  ;  and,  going 
 away,  would  give  thom  precepts  of  love  and 
 humility  founded  upon  it.")  Certainly,  Christ 
 would  not  have  introduced  such  a  reproof 
 without  an  immediate  occasion  for  it,  and 
 Luke  would  not  without  it  have  written  hi.^ 
 eyEVETo.  Schleiermacher  accepts  it  as  a  cor- 
 rect exposition  of  the  narrator,  that  Christ 
 spoke  these  words,  belonging  to  the  feet-wash- 
 ing, in  reference  to  their  earlier  contests  ;  the 
 compiler,  however,  misunderstood  it,  supposed 
 the  contest  to  have  occurred  on  the  same 
 evening,  and  so  changed  the  expression.  But 
 this  is  of  itself  an  admission  that  the  present 
 text  bears  no  other  sense. 
 
 It  is  certain  then  that  the  contention  occur- 
 red on  this  evening.!     But  was  it,  as  seems  to 
 
 ♦  €omp.  Sepp  to  the  samt»  purpose  (iii.  133), 
 who  contounds  the  whole  in  his  Jtlarmony.  Branno 
 nlso  has  made  this  section  one  with  M  itt.  xx.  and 
 Mark  x.,  thoujjh  he  8j»eaks  very  indefinitely  and 
 confu.sedly  about  it. 
 
 f  In  this  we  agree  with  Alford,  on  Luke,  who 
 well  puts  the  reason  for  it;  summing  up  all  ihiis  : 
 Ai!  the  expressions  allude  to  the  circumstances  of 
 this  evening,  to  their  then  employm.^it :  ayaxfi- 
 ^eyoi — SiariOenai — tdOieir  xai  nivfiy — ty 
 TTQ   fia6tkeia   nov.     But   not  ou  that  accoml 
 
LUKE  XXII.  25-30. 
 
 489 
 
 be  the  case  in  the  order  of  narrative,  after  the 
 Supper?  Those  who  so  read  (after  that  old 
 uncritical  manner,  which,  however,  in  its 
 simplicity  of  taith,  should  be  spoken  of  with 
 respect),  have  in  some  cases  taken  no  pains 
 to  explain  and  reconcile  this  supposition.  The 
 swiftest  way  of  evading  the  difficulty,  is  to 
 refer  the  fact  to  a  special  temptation  of  Satan, 
 then  more  than  ordinarily  busy.  But  even 
 Satan's  suggestions  must  be  in  harmony  with 
 psychology  ;  and  our  psychology  at  least  pro- 
 tests against  the  possibility  of  such  a  question 
 as.  Who  is  the  greatest  among  us?  immediately 
 after — Lord  is  it  I  ?  or.  Who  among  us  can  do 
 this?  Hence  others  have  exhausted  expedients 
 to  find  in  the  circumstances  and  sayings  of  the 
 meal  some  point  of  connection  for  it.  The  most 
 improbable  is  that  which  connects  it  with  ver. 
 23,  and  makes  the  questioning  of  the  disciples 
 turn  to  a  protest.  Certainly  not  I !  and  thence 
 to  their  individual  boasting  of  fidelity  and 
 nearness  to  the  Master.*  Pfenninger's  is  a 
 very  far-fetched  expedient,  who  derives  the 
 intention  from  the  previous  prominence  of 
 John,  and  limits  it  to  the  question  whether 
 John  or  Peter  was  the  grmtr.j  So  also  when 
 Rieger  says  :  "  There  must  be  subordination, 
 and  it  was  apparently  quite  right  that  they 
 should  know  whom  to  adhere  to  when  their 
 Lord  and  Master  had  gone,"  etc.  For  the  dis- 
 ciples did  not  send  their  thought  forward  so 
 calmly  to  the  time  of  the  Lord's  departure,  as 
 to  be  already  discussing  their  future  precedence 
 and  dignity.  Finally,  it  is  altogether  inappro- 
 priate to  refer  the  occasion  of  the  contention  to 
 the  expressions,  of  Jesus  in  vers.  16  and  18 — as 
 Hess  does.  Because  the  Lord  "  had  spoken  so 
 definitely  and  confidently  concerning  the  near 
 establishment  of  the  kingdom  "  (was  sooi  otov 
 really  near .?) — this  excitation  of  their  invete- 
 rate notions  of  the  temporal  kingdom  made 
 them  insensible  for  a  time  to  every  other  con- 
 sideration. We  have  only  to  replv  that  this  is 
 unimaginable  and  impossible.  The  question 
 with  them  was  not  about  dignity  and  prece- 
 dence in  a  future  kingdom ;  but  about  place, 
 pre-eminence,  and  service  at  this  meal  in  the 
 immediate  present.  Tz?  Soxel  e/Va-?,  that 
 is,  who  should  appear  to  have  the  pre-eminence, 
 to  be  most  considerable,  and  have  the  right  of 
 
 «fter  the  Supper,  as  Luke  places  it ;  this  we  gain- 
 say on  very  important  2round.s. 
 
 *  The  Hirschberger  Bihcl,  and  Richter's,  and, 
 Brandt's  all  agree  on  this,  the  last,  expre.ssly  con- 
 tradicting the  report  of  the  three  other  Evangel- 
 ists (Matt,  exceeding  sorrowful ;  Mark,  ilmj  began  to 
 he  sorrowful ;  John,  dcul/ting),  says — "Every  one 
 began  to  repel  the  guilt,  sild  vindicate  his  fidel- 
 ity." In  this  the  i  lenity  of  M<tt.  xxvi.  22,  with 
 Luke  xxii.  23,  is  taken  for  granted,  which  we  dis- 
 pute; but,  even  acconling  to  our  view  (of  which 
 more  by  and  by)  such  n  ccnnection,  and  such  a 
 transition  from  tl:e  trnHor  to — which  was  the  greater, 
 appears  mos";  urraiiitable. 
 
 \  This  does  not  agree  with  the  ri?  aCriSy  of 
 Luke. 
 
 pj-iority  over  the  others  ;  comp,  oi  fioKovrrs% 
 apx^ty,  Mark  x.  42.  M£iX,qov  is  not  equivalent 
 to  u£yt6ro<i ;  yet  it  is  not  as  Bengel  says — 
 "  Greater,  as  first,  second,  third,  etc.  'The 
 question  was  not  about  being  the  greatest 
 solely."  For  we  may  compare  Luke  ix.  46, 
 where  we  have  the  same  general  expression 
 concerning  the  pre-eminence  of  one  over  others. 
 
 This  contest  before  the  Supper  finds  its  easy 
 explanation,  as  generally  in  the  solemn  and 
 formal  arrangement  of  their  community,  which 
 the  institution  of  the  sacrament  required,  so 
 particularly  it  may  be  in  the  uncertain  choice 
 of  their  places.  The  words  of  our  Lord  which 
 compose  the  difference,  form  a  plain  parallel  to 
 the  feet-washing;  indeed  ver.  27  can  scarcely 
 otherwise  be  understood  than  by  referring  to 
 it  the  presentation  of  his  own  example.  Com- 
 pare with  it  John  xiii.  13-16,  and  the  harmony 
 will  be  immediately  felt.  Thus  the  third  of 
 the  Evangelists  seems  to  be  already  alluding  to 
 the  more  secret  tradition  of  the  feet-washings 
 which  then  John  made  public.  It  is  obvious, 
 again,  that  after  the  Lord  had  washed  his 
 disciples'  feet,  any  further  contention  among 
 the  disciples  was  impossible,  and  therefore 
 that  this  took  place  when  they  first  arranged 
 themselves  at  the  table.*  But  it  is  equally 
 necessary  to  regard  our  Lord's  words  as  spoken 
 after  the  symbolical  action  ;  for  they  entirely 
 harmonize  with  the  discourses  in  John,  and 
 might  easily  have  been  joined  to  it.  They 
 refer  in  ver.  27  to  the  serving  of  him  who  now 
 once  more  sat  doicn  in  the  midst  of  them. 
 
 We  have  been  somewhat  ditfuse  in  justifying 
 the  position  which  we  give  to  the  words  wiiicU 
 are  to  be  expounded  ;  the  reader  will  not  take 
 this  amiss,  but  attribute  it  to  our  anxiety  to 
 give  good  reasons  wherever  a  non  liquet  is  not 
 satisfactory.  If  we  now  turn  to  the  words  of 
 our  Lord  Jesus  which  compose  this  strife,  they 
 fall  at  once  into  three  parts.  First,  he  reminds 
 the  disciples,  to  their  shame,  of  former  sayings? 
 upon  this  matter,  which  he  now  almost  literally 
 repeats,  vers.  25,  26.  He  then  appeals,  in 
 transition,  to  his  own  example  of  humility, 
 especially  that  which  he  had  purposely  just 
 given,  ver.  27.  In  conclusion  he  turns  his  dis- 
 course, partly  to  raise  them  from  their  shame, 
 and  partly  to  deepen  it,  to  the  high  significance 
 of  the  present  crisis — in  which  such  a  conten- 
 tion must  appear  to  be  most  perverse.  On  the 
 evening  when  the  Saviour  was  to  manifest 
 himself  as  the  minister  of  their  salvation, 
 when  he  would  in  pure  and  per.''ect  grace  es- 
 tablish his  kingdom,  and  make  them  heirs  of 
 all  his  gifts — they  were  foolishly  contending 
 about  who  should  be  greater!  'But  because 
 grace  has  chosen  them,  and  brought  them 
 through  to  this  hour,  the  dianOe/uai,  "  1  ap- 
 
 *  AVe  cannot  tolerate  the  idea  of  Von  Gerlach 
 and  Ebra  d,  that  the  strife  originated  in  tiie  ques- 
 tion who  must  perform  the  service  of  the  feet- 
 washing.  We  would,  however,  admit  that  the 
 contest  might  have  been  ttie  occasion  of  our  Lord 
 performing  that  act. 
 
iW 
 
 DISPUTE  FOK  PRE-ExMINENCE. 
 
 point,"  is  not.  revoked.  The  Lord  looks  back 
 upon  their  previous  fidelity,  sincere  though 
 ■weak  ;  and  looks  forward  to  the  certainly  pre- 
 pared joy  and  honor  of  his  kingdom.  Thus  the 
 great,  crisis,  in  the  greatness  of  Avhich  their 
 petty  contests  about  what  they  thought  great- 
 ness are  swallowed  up,  is  denoted:  by  the 
 glance  back  to  the  whole  time  of  their 
 previous  discipleship,  ver.  28— by  the  promi- 
 nence given  to  the  present  establishment  of 
 the  covenant  and  testament,  ver.  29 — by  the 
 glance  forward  to  the  final  and  glorious  consum- 
 mation, ver.  30.  (In  which  there  is  once  more 
 a  repetition  of  Matt.  xix.  28  ) 
 
 Verses  23,  28.  The  constantly-outbreaking 
 pride  of  the  disciples  must  hear — and  how 
 often  still! — the  same  constantly-repeated  re- 
 proof: thrice  had  it  been  administered  before, 
 according  to  Matthew — chap,  xviii.  3,  4,  xx. 
 25-27,  xxiii.  11.  The  record  of  these  passages 
 13  almost  verbally  the  same  as  our  present  text, 
 60  that  we  may  refer  to  it  for  the  exposition  of 
 its  fundamental  thought.  It  only  remains  to 
 say  something  about  single  expressions  which 
 are  peculiar  here,  and  then  to  exhibit  the  whole 
 in  the  new  light  of  its  present  connection.  The 
 title  of  honor  and  flattery,  5i3fp;'f'r;;;5  (benefac- 
 tor),* winch  was  not  peculiar  to  the  third  Egyp- 
 tian Ptolemy,  but  in  general  use,  is  pertectly 
 suitable  therefore  to  the  kings  of  the  Gentiles.  This 
 word,  moreover,  had  passed  from  the  Greeks 
 to  the  Jews ;  Jewish  Ethnarchs  (Simon,  to 
 wit)  were  so  called ;  and  the  praise  of  Onias,  2 
 Mace.  iv.  2,  has  some  allusion  to  it,  at  least  in 
 the  choice  of  the  expression.  Does  the  Lord, 
 however,  blame  or  forbid  this  being  called,  as 
 such  '^  Certainly  not,  as  we  have  remarked 
 upon  Matthew;  for  lings  and  ruleis  {tcov6td- 
 'ovTEi,  here  not  xaT£c,ovriidZ,F.iv  and  xara- 
 xi>pif,vsty,  \n  an  evil  sense)  there  must  be; 
 and  rank  and  authority  must  be  preserved 
 down  to  the  master  of  the  house  who  sits  at 
 table,  and  has  servants  to  serve  him  (ver.  27); 
 consequently,  rulers  must  be  called  what  they 
 are  and  must  be,  in  order  to  the  due  adjust- 
 ment of  society  in  this  world.  Nothmg  more 
 than  this  fact  lies  primarily  in  the  are  called, 
 in  as  far  as  it  is  parallel  with  they  that  exercise 
 avth/mly.  It  is,  alas  !  true  that  in  fact  a  mere 
 heing  called  is  often  put  instead  of  the  true, 
 internal,  moral  worthiness  (Isa.  xxxii.  5)  ;  this 
 the  Lord  does  not  deny,  when  he  now  exhibits 
 the  humble  form  of  his  externally  powerless 
 kingdom,  to  its  servants  and  subjects.  In  this 
 view,  the  simple  are  called  assumes  the  character 
 of  reproving  irony  :  they  would  be  called  great 
 and  greatest  Avithout  diligently  attending  to  the 
 prnn'ioe  of  benevolence  in  their  office  and  func- 
 tion.)-    Thus  arises  the  meaning  .  xaXovvrai, 
 
 *  See  Grotius  on  Matt.  xx.  :"5,  and  what  he  ad- 
 duceH  on  thi.s  passage  fioni  Philo,  Joseplius,  etc. ; 
 also  the  collection  in  Wetslein.  The  name  had 
 come  to  be  used  in  a  lolly  meanins;  for  eminent 
 poisons  as  the  6ojTt/p  xai  euspyarni  applied  to 
 Caligula  shows. 
 
 f  Aristot.,  Eth.  viii.  13  :  fiadiXel  npui  rovi 
 
 they  would  be  called,  they  arrogate  this  title 
 to  themselves ;  or,  as  Grotius  sets  it  forth  still 
 more  strongly,  "  Christ  signifies  that  such  titles 
 are  often  affected  by  those  who  m  reality  care 
 more  for  themselves  than  for  others'  good. 
 They  see  what  is  excellent  (else  they  would 
 not  affect  the  name),  but  they  neglect  to  act 
 accordingly."  We  might  observe,  as  lying  not 
 far  from  the  range  of  our  Lord's  hints,  that  the 
 best  titles  of  honor  are  always  those  which  re- 
 mind the  exalted  of  their  duties  ;  those  which, 
 to  speak  after  the  Hebrew  manner,  show  that  th» 
 Wyii  (chiefs)  should  be  D'3n:  (nobles) — which 
 
 almost  corresponds  with  the  Greek  evpysrat 
 Von  Gerlach's  notion  is  too  rigorous  :  "  In  liis 
 evil  aim  to  be  like  God,  man  would  rather  bo 
 gracious  and  benevolent  than  righteous,  or  a  ser- 
 vant of  others."  For,  grace  and  benefaction  are 
 real  and  honorable  obligations  of  the  typical 
 gods  upon  earth  ;  and,  on  the  other  hand,  ser- 
 vos servorum  may  be  perverted  into  a  title  of 
 the  utmost  pride.  ^^ 
 
 Thus  the  ovk  ovrosi — not  so — does  not  touch 
 the  rank  or  the  name  in  itself,  but  the  whole 
 state  of  the  case  as  intimated  in  ver.  25. 
 Without,  in  the  region  of  heathenism,  the 
 great  object  is  to  exercise  lordship  and  au- 
 thority ;  and  many  an  i^ov6tdZ,oi>y  (person  in 
 authority)  contents  himself  with  no  more  than 
 the  being  called  a  benefactor.  But  ye  shall  not 
 be  so;  when  ye  bear  rule  and  guide,  and  must 
 needs  receive  the  appropriate  name — the  empty 
 name  itself  must  never  jilease  you  ;  but  your 
 rule  should  ever  prove  more  and  more  in  the 
 .spirit  and  power  of  siixHce*  As  the  disciples* 
 desire  for  distinction  of  rank  "  might  talce  re- 
 fuge in  the  universal  appointment  of  gradation 
 in  the  world"  (as  Rieger  says),  that  is,  make 
 that  its  pretext,  it  was  necessary  that  the  Lord 
 should  ciefinitely  lay  down  the  opposite  funda- 
 mental law  of  Aw  kingdom.  In  placing  but  yt 
 emphatically  at  the  commencement,  he  ac- 
 knowledges those  whom  he  blames  a?  his  dis- 
 ciples and  Apostles,  not  at  once  rejectinj^  thera 
 on  account  of  their  worldliness  of  mind.  He 
 is  far  from  saying,  with  condemning  severity — • 
 Do  so  if  you  will  :  but  then  ye  are  no  longer 
 my  disciples. 
 
 'in  he  that  is  great  among  ymj,  and  he  (hat  i» 
 chief — r'iyov/iisj'o?,  a  precedence  is  acknow- 
 ledged and  confirmed  ;t  but  its  reality  is  to  be 
 striven  for,  deserved,  and  approved  by  an  en- 
 tiro  denial  of  any  such  distinction  in  Ihoucht 
 and  act.     There  must  bo  among  the  disciples. 
 
 /ia6i\Evoufvovi  tpiXia  av  vaapoxi)  fiepye- 
 oiai. 
 
 *  This  warning,  reprovins  Not  so !  confutes  the 
 strange  notion  of  Menken  tliat  the  (piarrel  was  a 
 contest  of  humility,  no  mn>i  willing  to  l)e  the  great- 
 est. Lr.ko  would  not  have  called  that  (piXovei- 
 xia  (dnak  Xey  in  the  N.  T.),  nor  hnve  spoken  of 
 it  just  as  in  chap.  ix.  46.  Nor  would  the  Lord's 
 rei)ly  be  suital)le. 
 
 f  Molitor  in  Part  IV.  of  his  Philosophic  der  Ge»- 
 thichte  does  not  forget  to  observe  thia. 
 
LUKE  XXII.  27.  23. 
 
 '4^ 
 
 in  the  Church  of  Christ,  those  who  are  relatively 
 oi  vsGOTEpoi,  "  the  younger,"  there  must  ever 
 be  vyovnEvoi  and  diaxovovvrs?,  those  who 
 bear  rule,  and  those  who  serve.  When  the 
 Lord  mentions  these  names,  he  at  the  same 
 time  confirms  them  ;  but  a  serving,  humble 
 love  will  put  all  ambition  and  pride  far  from 
 those  who  are  greater.  The  two  clauses  indicate 
 the  two  degrees  of  our  Lord's  evangelical 
 requirement.  The  former  (and  apparently  also 
 the  la.ter)  says — Let  him  that  is  great  be  and 
 comport  himself  as  he  that  is  less:  obviously, 
 not  that  a  Christian  who  is  a  king  should 
 lay  aside  his  crown  received  from  God ;  not 
 that  a  Christian  bishop,  elder,  or  householder, 
 should  decline  to  use  the  prerogative  and 
 authority  given  him  in  his  office  ;  but  he  is  to 
 know  him.-elf  and  evidence  to  others,  that  as  a 
 Christian,  before  the  Lord  and  in  his  brethren's 
 service,  he  is  not  greater  than  those  whom  he 
 serves  while  he  rules  them.  But,  secondly, 
 and  it  is  still  more  emphatically  intimated  by 
 "  as  he  that  doth  serve" — Let  him  that  is  exalted 
 be  all  the  more  anxious,  on  that  account,  both 
 tor  his  own  safety  and  in  service  to  others,  to 
 condescend  to  acts  of  service ;  and  thus  mani- 
 fest his  greatness  by  acts  of  lowliness  which 
 maintain  while  they  seem  to  renounce  his  dig- 
 nity—according to  the  example  which  our  Lord 
 himself  presented  in  his  own  person,  as  we 
 shall  see.  The  Apostle  afterwards  exhibited 
 this  moat  clearly,  in  1  Pet.  v.  3,  5.  Such  a 
 ruler  serves,  and  in  fact  is  the  genuine  type  of 
 a  servant;  such  a  servant  rules  in  the  spirit 
 and  name  of  Christ,  even  without  title.  The 
 self-exaltation  which  opposes  this  is  cured  only 
 through  self-humiliation  in  penitence,  the  per- 
 petual principle  of  which  for  us  disciples  should 
 be — abasement  before  the  awful  example  of  our 
 most  high  Master.  Or  we  might  say,  that  our 
 first  repentance  brings  the  former,  the  descent 
 from  our  false  elevation  in  a  natural  sense  ; 
 while  the  example  and  effectual  grace  of  Christ 
 produces  the  latter,  the  positive  zeal  of  active 
 tumble  service. 
 
 Verse  27.  Gfrorer,  going  to  one  extreme, 
 maintains  that  these  words  would  have  no 
 meaning,  apart  from  a  reference  to  the  symbol- 
 ical feet-washing.*  This  is  an  error;  but  so 
 also  is  that  which  goes  to  the  other  extreme, 
 and  takes  SiaHovely,  "  serving,"  here  merely 
 in  the  general  sense  of  Matt.  xx.  28,  as  refer- 
 ring to  the  whole  life  of  Christ.  The  expres- 
 sion lam  as  he  thai  serveth,  points,  especially  in 
 its  connection  with  ver.  26,  to  specific,  external 
 acts  of  condescension,  in  which  the  Lord  had 
 placed  himself  on  a  level  with  his  disciples. 
 This  is  the  sense  in  which  the  Lord  spoke  the 
 word,  and  Luke  might  well  leave  the  matter 
 
 *  This  word  is  of  course  implied  as  ihe  oppo- 
 site— "the  less;"  without  requiring  us  to  ask 
 whether  a;e.  dignity,  or  time  of  conversion  is  re- 
 ferred to.  AVe  may,  with  Grotius,  compare  1  Tim. 
 V.  1 ;  and  even_Acts  v.  6,  though  here  probably 
 the  latter  usage  stipplied  Luke  with  the  term,  in 
 the  sense  of  Jit^p  or  n^y^. 
 
 open,  with  this  ?dnt,  that  something  corres- 
 ponding to  this  had  been  done  by  our  Lord  on 
 the  present  occasion.  The  saying  connects 
 itself  with  household  relations  generally,  and 
 Luke  xvii.  7,  8  may  serve  for  an  explanatory 
 parallel.  lie  that  'sii'eth  is  the  master  of  the 
 house,  who  with  perfect  propriety  places  him- 
 self at  the  table,  and  is  ministered  to  by  his 
 servants;  the  question  to  the  disciples  "inti- 
 mates that  he  as  the  greater  might  properly  lay 
 claim  to  this.  The  repetitioli  in—/*  not  he  that 
 sitteth  at  meat  ?  refers  the  application  manifestly 
 to  Jesus  himself;  as  if  he  had  proceeded — Is  it 
 not  true  that  I  as  your  paterfamilias  and  the 
 7naster  of  the  house,  as  I  am  now  and  ever,  might 
 have  your  service  and  nothing  else?  "But  the 
 Lord  had  certainly,  many  times  during  his  li!e, 
 assumed  the  place  and  function  of  a  servant; 
 we  might  assume  that  this  had  been  the  case, 
 and  was  well  known,  and  that  his  appeal  refers 
 to  all  such  acts  collectively.  But  the  emphatic 
 lam,  especially  with  among  you,  seems  best  to 
 correspond  with  a  reference  to  an  example  then 
 and  there  given  ;  and,  having  John's  narrative, 
 we  may  thus  explain  our  Lord's  words — Behold 
 I  sit  in  your  midst,  in  the  seat  of  pre-eminenca 
 which  for  you  is  always  where  I  sit* — being 
 the  same  who  as  a  servant  washed  your 
 feet.  Mark,  however,  how  this  in  the  midst 
 seems  to  abolish  precedence  ;  and  that  (accord- 
 ing to  Bengel's  subtle  remark),  the  Lord  speaks 
 in  the  third  person  of  himself  as  the  master, 
 but  m  the  first  person  when  he  speaks  of  him- 
 self as  a  servant. 
 
 Verse  28.  This  reproach,  coinciding  with 
 John  xiii.  13-17,  put  them  to  the  deepest 
 shame  ;  and  their  condescening  Master  will 
 again  lift  them  up— before  he  proceeds  after- 
 wards to  inflict  upon  them  a  painless  humili- 
 ation again,  by  overpowering  them,  despite  the 
 unworthiness  they  have  shown,  with  the  pro- 
 mise of  the  full  grace  and  honor  of  his  kingdom. 
 The  first  i>«<^  ye  contained  in  itself  a  full  ac- 
 knowledgment of  them;  but  it  is  followed  by 
 something  still  more  emphatically  consoling. 
 It  is  not  now  the  time  for  reproaches — he  had 
 been  constrained  to  reprove  them  slightly — 
 his  whole  purpose  now  is  to  bless  his  disciples 
 and  load  his  faithful  ones  with  his  gifts.  Yes, 
 his  faithful  ones  they  are,  with  all  their  infir- 
 mity and  folly:  elsf  would  he  be  now  si; ting 
 thus  in  their  midst,  and  they  thus  sur- 
 rounding him?  He  looks  back  upon  the 
 whole  term  of  their  pupilage  and  probation  ; 
 they  have  been  preserved  in  it  until  this 
 day  ;  and  on  the  evening  of  his  new  covenant 
 with  his  people,  he  can  speak  to  them  as  ha 
 now  speaks.  The  Sianiveiv,  "continuing," 
 is  certainly  something  less  than  vnoiteytiv, 
 (enduring),  and  was  therefore  well  chosen  by 
 Luke;  this  he  can  impute  to  them  in  his  grace, 
 though  in  a  sense  which  excludes  the  hypocrit- 
 ical traitor.  (Thus  John's  "but  not  all"  is 
 again  to  be  understood.)     Jn  my  tempialiom : 
 
 *  So  that  you  measure  the  degree  ot  honor  by 
 proximity  to  me. 
 
m 
 
 DISPUTE  FOR  PRE-EMINENCE. 
 
 the  constant  use  of  this  word  in  Scripture 
 teaches  us  that  this  does  not  mean  simply  in 
 his  reliM  advcmin,  his  conflicts  and  perils,  but 
 during  the  tests  of  his  fidelity,  and  temptations 
 to  decline  from  his  work.  This  is  a  solitary 
 and  most  weighty  declaration  of  our  Lord  him- 
 self, that  his  whole  life  had  been  even  for  him- 
 self full  of  temptations  ;  especially  since  that 
 first  temptation  of  the  enemy,  after  which  he 
 entered  upon  his  conflict  with  the  wicked  world, 
 and  calleu  his  disciples  to  be  his  companions  in 
 it.  My  temptations — thus  humbly  does  he 
 place  himself  in  the  midst  of  the  children  of 
 men,  before  he  proceeds  to  apportion  the  king- 
 dom and  distribute  the  thrones;  for  he  knows 
 it  well  and  they  should  know  it,  that  for  him 
 as  for  them  the  way  to  glory  is  the  way  of  vic- 
 torious fidelity.  His  temptations  were  already 
 in  some  sense  theirs  also,  even  as  we  all  under 
 the  discipline  of  the  Spirit  are  to  be  in  all  points 
 tempted  as  he  was.  They  had  actually  with- 
 stood the  enmity  and  temptation  of  the  world; 
 they  had  not  been  oflfended  in  him  as  others 
 had  who  left  him  ;  they  could  say  in  truth, 
 Behold,  we  have  followed  thee !  He  gracious- 
 ly gives  its  full  weight  to  this  ;  and  thus  ele- 
 vates his  weak  but  beloved  disciples,  knitting 
 them  firmly  to  himself.  On  the  other  hand,  he 
 knew  that  the  time  of  their  temptations  would 
 not  really  come  until  his  personal  temptations 
 were  com.pleted;  yea,  that  in  an  hour  close  at 
 hand,  they  would  all  forsake  him  and  flee  ;  that 
 at  the  outset  of  his  second,  decisive,  and  great 
 temptation  even  his  nearest  disciples  would 
 not  watch  with  him  one  hour.  When  the  pow- 
 er of  darkness  came  upon  the  Shepherd,  Satan 
 would  likewise  scatter  the  sheep  and  sift  them 
 like  wheat.  But,  as  he  afterwards  assured 
 Peter,  his  intercession  and  preserving  care 
 would  interpose;  consequently,  the  truth  is 
 that  here  in  ver.  28  he  already  looks  upon  their 
 entire  probation.  He  regards  the  slight  mea- 
 sure of  their  weak,  preliminary  fidelity  as  the 
 type  of  their  future  fidelity,  and  speaks  in  pro- 
 leptic  promise,  in  typical  prophecy  of  the  fu- 
 ture, even  when  literally  speaking  of  the  past. 
 This  relation  of  the  saying  corresponds  best 
 with  the  significance  of  the  evening  of  the  sa- 
 crament, in  which  the  covenant  was  ratified  for 
 the  whole  time  to  come,  and  the  testament  of 
 future  grace  and  gift  was  sealed.  Their  to/c 
 — to  abide  with  him — lay  yet  wholly  in  the 
 future,  but  their  calling  thereto  was  now  con- 
 firmed, and  the  full  realization  of  it  was  assured 
 to  them  now  by  anticipation. 
 
 Verse  29.  An  orthodox  exegesis  should 
 never  have  failed  to  observe  how  closely  this 
 carefully  chosen  8i  ar  iQ  e  ^  a  t—I  appoint — 
 is  connected  with  the  institution  of  the  sacra- 
 ment, which  is  now  about  to  be  entered  upon, 
 and  pnoken  of  or  pre-announced  as  if  it  were 
 already  taking  place.  JianOedOai  belongs  of 
 course  to  Siabj/Hrf—see  Acts  iii.  25  :  Heb.  viii. 
 10,  ix.  16 ;  and  is  used  for  ri'"i3  ms,  Gen.  xv. 
 
 18  ;  Deut.  vii.  2  ;  P.sa.  Ixxxix.  4,  etc.  But  as, 
 aince  the  xaivTJ  SiaQjJKtf,  "  New  Testament," 
 
 of  the  Lord's  Supper,  fhia  expression  always 
 suggests,  in  the  New-Testament  phraseology, 
 the  concomitant  idea  of  a  legacy  or  testament, 
 of  a  provision  made  firm  by  his  death  for  the 
 future  inheritance  of  his  disciples,  so  also  this 
 meaning  must  be  regarded  as  already  passing 
 over  into  the  corresponding  dtari'Otfiai  of  this 
 text.  It  is,  consequently,  no  mere  "  investing 
 with"* — no  mere  "promising"  or  assuring; 
 but,  as  Luther  well  expresses  it,  an  actual 
 apportioning,  giving  over,  bequeathing  in  an 
 institution — in  short,  a  testament.  The  "  pa-cin- 
 cor"  of  Beza  and  Flaciua  is  also  insufficient; 
 Lange,  however,  says  more  accurately  — 
 "  Through  an  institution,  the  sacrament." 
 Olshausen  remarks,  with  perfect  propriety; 
 "  The  comparison  here  with  the  transfer  of 
 dominion  from  the  Father  to  the  Son,  directly 
 leads  to  the  idea  of  a  xXtjpovouia  (lot),  which 
 the  Lord  again  at  his  departure  bequeathed 
 to  his  own  as  a  sacred  legacy" — although  this 
 x-aOoJ?  SisOezo  not,  "as  he  hath  appointed 
 unto  me,"  is  not  the  only  proof  of  such  a 
 meaning  in  the  word  ;  it  is  involved  in  the  ex- 
 pression itself,  as  used  on  the  evening  of  the 
 Supper.  The  objection  of  Grotius,  that  a  testa- 
 mentary investing  or  bestowment  would  not 
 suit  the  Father's  appointment  to  the  Son — the 
 opposite  of  Olshausen's  remark — makes  no 
 difference  in  the  argument ;  for  the  figure,  even 
 as  respects  Jesus,  is  not  to  be  pressed  so  far 
 as  to  make  him  die,  and  dying  bequeath  an 
 inheritance,  like  dying  men — but  we  shall  seo 
 something  more  in  the«n:0&5;,  "as,"  presently. 
 First,  it  IS  safe  and  scriptural  to  say,  that 
 Christ  gives  us  the  kingdom  and  the  power, 
 even  as  he  received  from  the  Father — Rev.  ii. 
 28  being  a  plain  parallel;  and,  then,  Christ'a 
 own  portion  is  regarded  in  prophecy  as  being 
 an  inheritance  coming  to  him  from  God. 
 
 Theophylact  construed  ia/)/wi?i^  immediately 
 and  only  with  thatye  may  eat,  etc  — a^  tlie  Father 
 hath  ap})oiided  unto  me  a  kingdom,  being  the 
 intermediate  clause.  But  the  kingdom  is  the 
 fundamental  idea  here,  the  object  to  which  the 
 minds  of  the  disciples  are  pointed,  as  the  expo- 
 sition in  ver.  30  shows.  It  is  more  important 
 to  leave  first,  and  in  the  transitional  appli- 
 cation, /ia(JzA£/'aK,  "  kingdom,"  without  the 
 article,  the  sense  then  being — Your  striving  is 
 for  dominion  and  power,  after  the  manner  of 
 the  world  ;  behold  I  give  you  a  kingdom,  an 
 infinitely  higher  authority  than  the  kings  of 
 tlie  Gentiles  have,  no  other  than  that  which  the 
 Father  hath  given  mo.  I  lift  you  up  into  co- 
 regents  with  me.  Thus  is  it  afterwards — la 
 my  kingdom  ye  shall  eat  and  drink  and  judge 
 with  me.  All  of  them  alike,  without  distinc- 
 tion in  equal  dignity,  so  that  no  envious  con- 
 tention could  find  place  there — Judas,  the  un- 
 
 •  The  Heb.  N.  T.  inadequately  translates  'riflj  t 
 instead  of  which  'niS  might  have  been  used 
 without  n^13>  as  in  2  Clirou.  vli.  18,  Sept.  Siedi- 
 
 fXTJV. 
 
LUKE  XXII.  30, 
 
 faithful  one,  however,  "was  alreadv  excluded  by 
 ver.  28,  similarly  to  Matt.  xix.  28.  This  king- 
 dom of  the  Lord  is  now  for  the  present  over 
 and  within  all  the  kingdoms  of  the  world — that 
 kingdom,  viz.,  in  which,  having  become  mem- 
 bers of  his  body  through  the  participation  of 
 hio  flesh  and  blood,  his  disciples  in  the  power 
 of  his  spirit  and  of  his  love  serve  while  they 
 rule.  But  one  day  it  will  alone  remain,  after 
 the  fall  of  all  other  thrones  and  dignities. 
 
 Let  it  not  be  overlooked  that  this  /  appoint 
 in  its  first  and  general  meaning  applies  to  the 
 •whole  congregation  of  believers,  as  they  are 
 represented  by  the  Apostles,  the  entire  little 
 flock  of  chap.  xii.  32.  Let  us  drive  out,  by  a 
 true  homoeopathy,  all  -unholy  ambition,  by  a 
 sacred  aspiration  to  these  high  things  here 
 promised  by  our  Lord  ;  for  we  cannot  aim  too 
 loftily  for  the  Spirit's  power  and  the  glory  of 
 heaven.*  But  we  cannot  too  humbly  ponder 
 the  truth,  that  the  Son  himself  in  his  humanity 
 received  the  kingdom  of  the  Father  only  on  the 
 terms  of  faithful  obedience  in  suiTering,  and  a 
 preparatory  self-renunciation.  This  is  in  fact 
 the  deep  meaning  of  waOoJ; — as  my  Father; 
 and  this  the  holy  sacrament,  instituted  for  our 
 fellowship  with  him  m  his  death  and  life,  testi- 
 fies likewise,  2  Tim.  ii.  11,  12.  Again,  we  can- 
 not with  too  much  confidence  of  faith  look  at 
 him  who  here  as  our  Forerunner,  our  king  and 
 our  servant,  the  beginner  and  finisher  of  our 
 faith,  looks  with  steady  composure  through  all 
 his  way  of  sufferings  forward  to  his  and  our 
 kingdom— comp.  vers.  16, 18.  A?  one  that  sero- 
 eih  even  unto  death,  he  at  the  table  where  he 
 must  previously  pre-announce  the  breaking  of 
 his  body  and  the  shedding  of  his  blood,  appoints 
 that  body  and  blood  to  be  our  future  meat  and 
 drink,  and  distributes  his  crowns  and  thrones 
 for  time  and  for  eternity. 
 
 Verse  30.  The  thrones  promised  already. 
 Matt.  xix.  28,  are  here  preceded  or  accompanied 
 by  an  eating  and  drinking — How  are  these  to 
 be  understood  and  harmonized?  A  superficial 
 method  of  interpreting  all  into  figures,  finds 
 here  two  marks  of  co-dominion — honor,  the 
 symbol  of  which  is  participation  at  the  royal 
 table;  and  power,  in  the  sharing  of  judgment. 
 Whatever  truth  there  may  be  iu  this,  we  can- 
 not but  feel  that  eating  and  drinking  in  itself 
 must  first  s\gniiy  enioyvient  a,nA  satiaf action — the 
 honor  of  being  present  at  his  table  being  added 
 to  that.  Others  distinguish  thus— Now  in  the 
 kingdom  of  grace,  we  are  fed  and  given  to 
 drink  by  him  at  his  tahk;  hereafter  in  .the 
 kingdom  of  glory,  we  shall  sit  and  rule  upon 
 thrones.  There  is  truth  too  in  this,  so  far  as  it 
 includes  the  kingdom  of  grace  in  the  promise ; 
 but  the  separation  between  things  promised 
 alike  for  this  kingdom  and  the  other,  seems  to 
 us  to  be  wrong.  Let  us  ask  first,  what  that 
 means — at  my  table?  Here  there  is  a  slight 
 and  affectionate  allusion  to  the  circumstance 
 
 *  So  Rieser's  H.  T.  characteristically  remarks. 
 Col.  iii.  2  tells  us  ia  a  good  sense  zd  vipfjXoc 
 
 that  the  Son  of  Man,  who  had  not  where  to  lay 
 his  head,  now  sits  with  his  disciples  in  the 
 guest-chamber  of  a  friendly  host — in  opposition 
 to  this  he  speaks  of  his  own  table,  which  he  is 
 now  preparing  to  arrange,  the  spiritual,  royal 
 table  of  grace,  at  which  he  himself  is  the  mas- 
 ter and  host,  the  meat  and  the  drink.  The 
 interpretation,  therefore — "  Ye  shall  eat  and 
 drink  what  I  also  eat  and  drink,  partake  in  the 
 blessedness  of  my  glory  " — is  tame,  has  no  cor- 
 respondence with  the  Supper,  does  not  bring 
 out  the  I aj>point,  and  is  altogether  unworthy. 
 The  eatin'j  and  drinJcing  must  primarily  refer, 
 as  regards  the  beginning  and  continuance  of 
 his  kingdom,  to  the  sacramental  cat  and  drink 
 which  he  is  now  on  the  point  of  instituting  for 
 them,  and  therefore  means  something  far  more 
 specific  than  the  Jewish  figurative  social  feast 
 in  the  kingdom  of  heaven.  Thus  far  the  pro- 
 mise is  universal,  and  embraces  the  whole  timo 
 from  the  I  appoint  unto  you  onward.  But  then, 
 follows  something  higher,  and  evidently  not 
 vouchsafed  to  all  -"for  the  twelve  tribes  oi  Israel 
 are  here,  as  in  Matt,  xix.,  the  New-Testament 
 and  true  people  of  God  in  their  manifoldness 
 and  in  their  untiy- — this  lastclause,  consequent- 
 ly, applies  specifically  to  the  Apostles.  This  is  in- 
 dicated in  the  change  of  the  construction , 
 HaQi'd eaO  £,  "ye  shall  sit,"  being  the  right 
 reading,  naOi6r]6tiE,  "ye  may  sit,"  having  been 
 introduced,  by  those  who  marked  not  this  crit- 
 ical point,  for  the  sake  of  uniformity.  In  Matt. 
 xix.  twelve  thrones  were  spoken  of,  notwith- 
 standing the  apostacy  of  Judas:  the  number  is 
 here,  wUh  evident  design,  omitted,  although 
 we  know  it  cannot  be  broken,  and  find  it  re- 
 curring in  Rev.  xxi.  12-14.  These  apostolical 
 thrones  contain,  as  our  exposition  must  admit, 
 a  mystery  of  the  future  manifestation.  The 
 Apostles  indeed  even  now  exercise  dominion 
 through  the  authority  of  their  writings.  But 
 only  certain  of  them;  and  it  would  be  wrong 
 to  limit  so  massive  a  promise  to  a  particular 
 number  of  them.  The  "  sitting  upon  thrones  " 
 is  not  spoken  as  if  for  children,  who  must  have 
 figures  for  every  thing ;  but  when  once  "  the 
 twelve  Apostles  of  the  Lamb"  (nof'of  Israel") 
 "in  the  kingdom  of  reality  rule  over  glorified 
 humanity  with  Christ  as  spiritual  powers" — 
 the  thrones  also,  according  to  the  relations  of 
 the  glorified  state,  will  be  real  enough.  Much 
 may  be  asked  upon  this  point,  as,  for  example, 
 bv  "Bengel,  "  Judicantes  duodecira  tribus— «m- 
 guline  singjilas  (Judging  the  twelve  tribes— o/i« 
 each)?  In  any  case,  there  remains  something 
 reserved  in  the  background  for  the  future  of 
 the  glorified,  revealed  kingdom,  for  the  glory 
 of  the  regeneration  (Matt.  xix.  23),  which  J3 
 not  yet  clearly  displayed  to  us ;  and  we  cannot 
 but  think  there  is  something  similar  contained 
 
 »  "  Formed  according  to  the  type  of  thos© 
 twelve  tribes  "—we  said  before,  and  now  add  that 
 probably  in  the  rehabilitation  of  Israel  there  may 
 be  an  actual  reference  to  the  twelve  tribes; 
 though  the  Gentile  world  introduced  into  it  must 
 of  course  be  included  in  iU 
 
m 
 
 OPENING  OF  THE  PASSOVER. 
 
 in  the  former  clause,  which  embraces  the  whole  |  sit  down  in  the  new  world  at  the  Lord'a  table, 
 period  of  the  gradual  fulfillment  of  Christ's  i  where  he  himself  will  a.^ain  eat  and  drink  with 
 kingdom.  But  we  do  not  pretend  fully  to  un-  them.  We  can  only  point  to  the  fact  that  ac- 
 derstand  iiow  it  will  be  with  the  eating  and  cording  to  Matt.  xxvi.  29  this  fruit  of  the  vine 
 drinking  of  the  glorified,  when  they  shall  no  will  be  drunk,  by  the  Lord  with  us,  7ieu)  in  iiia 
 longer  partake  ot  ChnsL's  body  and  blood,  but    Father's  kingdom. 
 
 INTEODUCTORY  WORDS  AT  THE  LORD'S  PASSOVER. 
 (Luke  xxii.  15-18.) 
 
 The  hoar,  the  legal  hour  for  the  Passover, 
 has  come;  the  Lord  and  his  twelve  Apostles 
 with  him,  have  sat  down.  With  this*  Luke 
 immediately  connects  the  words  introductory 
 to  the  feast;  and  this  is  consistent  with  his 
 peculiar  selection  of  its  proceedings.  But  it  is 
 obvious  that  the  feet-washing,  and  all  the  words 
 pertaining  to  it,  must  be  interposed  as  having 
 preceded.  It  is  equally  certain  that  this  intro- 
 ductory declaration  must  come  hefore  the  "  One 
 of  you  shall  betray  me."  The  second  portion  of 
 the  words,  vers.  17,  18,  introduces  a  ditficulty  ; 
 since,  according  to  the  other  Evancrelists,  Jesus 
 spoke  a  similar  word  concerning  the  "  no  more 
 drinJcing "  a.t  the  conclusion,  after  the  sacra- 
 ment. To  many  it  seems  in  the  highest  degree 
 improbable  that  Jesus  should  have  repeated 
 such  a  mysterious  word ;  and,  looking  at  the 
 general  freedom  of  Luke  as  respects  time  and 
 order,  they  incline  to  think  that  he  anticipated 
 the  second  saying  on  account  of  the  similarity 
 of  its  thought.  "But  the  accompanying  cup, 
 unless  Luke  adds  this  circumstance  simply  as 
 an  invention,  allows  us  no  alternative  but  to 
 hold  fast  the  historical  truth  of  his  account  as 
 we  have  it. 
 
 Verse  15.  All  those  who  cling  to  the  opin- 
 ion that  the  time  of  the  Passover  v;as  anticipa- 
 ted on  this  special  occasion  on  account  of  cir- 
 cumstances, rest  their  cause  mainly  upon  this 
 verse  (Grotius:  "He  gives  a  reason  of  the 
 anticipation  of  the  paschal  meal");  but  we 
 cannot  see  how  such  a  notion  can  be  based 
 upon  the  desiring  of  this  passage,  since  it  pre- 
 supposes a  necessity  to  wait  for  the  true  "  hour  " 
 of  thTs  Passnvcr.  Moreover,  the  must  of  ver.  7 
 in  this  chanter  expressly  testifies  against  such 
 a  view.  'The  fundamental  idea  and  substance 
 of  this  familiar  and  heartfelt  word  of  Jesus  is 
 its  affecting  expression  of  his  human  feeling. 
 The  whole  life,  indeed,  of  our  Lord  is  that  of 
 the  God-man,  and  his  divine-human  character 
 becomes  more  and  more  wonderfully  evident 
 down  to  his  death  ;  yet  his  per.'"ect  and  full  hu- 
 manity appears  throucjhout.  His  heart  is  a 
 human  heart  with  all  its  sensibility,  impluses, 
 and  emotions;  with  all  the  sympathies  per- 
 taining to  this  life  in  the  body,  so  far  as  they  be- 
 long to  the  sinless  condition  of  earthly  human- 
 ity. The  remembrance  of  what  he  felt  when 
 below,  witu  us  and  for  us,  remains  with  him  still 
 
 in  the  unity  of  his  divine-human  personality,  so 
 that  it  may  be  said  concerning  the  High  Priest 
 sitting  upon  the  throne  of  God — Hs  ii  able  to 
 feel  with  us  in  our  infirmities,  Heb.  iv.  15. 
 
 The  strength  of  the  emotion  which  he  here 
 confidentially  exhibits,  is  shown  by  the  desiring 
 with  desire,  which  corresponds  to  the  Hebrew 
 intensification  by  means  of  the  infin.  abs.  (e)D33 
 
 'nSDDJ),*  comp.  Gen.  xxxi.  30 ;   Num.  xi.  4, 
 
 Sept.  For  what  then  did  he  so  sorely  long  ? 
 Were  not  the  sufferings  includedby  which  he  was 
 to  redeem  the  world?  Yes,  verily,  this  desire 
 was  present  to  him  even  in  the  midst  of  his 
 perturbation  at  the  contemplation  of  them. 
 But  it  is  not  of  this  that  he  now  speaks ;  the 
 last  meal  is  the  specific  object  of  his  desij-e.  First, 
 inasmuch  as  this  paschal  feast  was  itself,  and 
 as  such,  the  pre-fustival  of  his  passion  and 
 death,  and  to  be  glorified  to  that  end  in  the 
 sacramental  institution;  but  more  especially, 
 as  the  words  plainly  show,  as  it  was  to  be  the 
 farewell-fenst  ol  his'love,  the  final  enjoyment  of 
 "his  disciples'  society  before  the  separation. 
 This  latter  is  made  prominent  in  i\\(i"' with  you," 
 and  "before  Isiiffer,"  and  finally  in  (he  declara- 
 tion, "  I  will  not  any  more  eat  (and  drink) 
 thereof."  That  his  resolute  and  straitened  soul 
 longed  icith  j)ain  for  this  festival,  we  admit, 
 with  Lange;  but  not  that  "  what  here  chiefly 
 moved  his  spirit  was  the  anticipation  of  his 
 victory  and  glory."  The  look  forward  to  the 
 fruit  of  his  sufferings,  even  to  its  final  con- 
 summation in  the  kingdom  of  God,  follows  af- 
 terwards;  but  what  moved  his  spirit  first  was 
 the  suffering  and  the  not  any  more.\  Even  for 
 him,  endowed  with  human  feeling,  there  is  a 
 painful  separation,  the  sense  of  which  must  be 
 soothed,  both  in  him  and  his  disciples,  by  the 
 consolations  of  farewell  love — and  thus  divinely 
 to  sanctify  the  human  was  the  deep  desire  of 
 his  heart.  For,  with  all  his  anticipations  of 
 the  compensating  future,  he  humanly  clings  to 
 this  life  in  the  body,  this  confidential  fellowship 
 
 *  There  is  much  force  in  his  reference  to  the 
 mournlnl  desire  with  which  on  each  Passover, 
 year  alter  year,  ho  would  look  forward  to  the 
 last. 
 
 f  This  is  very  emphatically  expressed  by  t>u«rf- 
 Tt  ov  Mi' 
 
LUKE  XXII.  16. 
 
 495 
 
 ■with  his  disciples  upon  earth,  this  lifetime 
 never  to  return— even  as,  on  the  other  hand, 
 he  humanly  shrinks  from  his  sufferings,  and 
 therefore  seizes  the  final  consolation  of'  this 
 once  more  before  I  svffcr.  Wdh  you.  He  spealvs 
 as  the  father  of  the  house  to  his  children,  with 
 •,vhorn  he  is  about  to  leave  his  testament;  joyful 
 that  he  has  some  who  have  continued  with  "him 
 80  long  that  he  can  see  and  address  in  them  the 
 future  Church,  the  recompense  of  his  griefs 
 (comp.  Matt.  xxvi.  18 — with  my  disciples, 
 spoken  in  the  same  meaning).  Alas !  even 
 among  them  there  is  a  Judas,  and  this  will 
 soon  appear:  for  the  present  he  seeks,  as  it  were 
 to  forget  that,  and  to  surrender  himself  to  the 
 joy  of  his  love. 
 
 This  is  the  purely  human  side  of  our  incar- 
 nate Lord's  relation  to  this  occasion,  as  man 
 generally  ;  but  we  must  remember  that  the  first 
 words  in  the  sentence  were — Tim  Passover;  and 
 upon  this  the  emphasis  must  be  placed.  As  an 
 Israelite  he  had,  with  the  bestof  his  people, 
 taken  pure  delight  in  all  the  statutes  and  ordi- 
 nances appointed  of  God  :  in  his  obedience  to 
 them  he  had  found  a  living,  pure,  and  child-like 
 joy,  so  that  he  might  well  declare  the  celebration 
 of  this  festival  once  more  to  be  an  object  of  deep 
 desire.  But  more  than  this :  as  the  perfect 
 representative  of  the  longing  spirit  of  prophecy, 
 who  looks  through  all  these  things  into  their 
 deepest  meaning,  and  perpetually  longs  for 
 then  fulfillment ;  and,  further,  as  the  Messiah 
 and  Son  of  God  who  is  himself,  and  who  brings, 
 that  fulfillment,  he  had  eaten  every  Passova- 
 from  the  beginning  with  the  most  internal 
 realization  of  its  profound  significance :  but 
 how  much  more  momentous  is  this  last  one 
 to  his  mind,  when  he  thus  speaks  of  it  with 
 deepest  emphasis !  Here,  verily,  may  it  be  said 
 with  still  more  truth  than  was  testified  in 
 2  Chron.  xxxv.  18 — There  was  no  Passover  like 
 to  this  kept  in  Israel ;  neither  did  any  king  of 
 Israel  ever  keep  such  a  Passover.  Certainly, 
 "  the  priests,  and  Levites,  and  all  Judah,  and 
 Israel  that  were  present,  and  the  inhabitants 
 of  Jerusalem  "  are  not  with  him  ;  but  the  Lord, 
 who  is  himself  the  lamb,  keeps  it  with  his  dis- 
 ciples before  his  suffering,  and  founds  for  thoni 
 at  the  end  of  the  type  the  new  and  essential 
 feast.*  Thus  at  his"  farewell  he  pays  all  their 
 due  to  human  life  and  to  Israelitish  life;  before 
 he  leaves  the  family  and  table-fellowship,  he 
 consecrates  it  into  a  symbol  of  spiritual  com- 
 munion;  when  he  the  last  time  celebrates  the 
 shadowy  rite  he  glorifies  it  into  its  fulfilling 
 reality.  With  this  the  word  which  now  fol- 
 lows obviously  and  necessarily  connects  itself. 
 
 Verse  16.  The  first  word  spoke  of  his  im- 
 mediately impending  sufferings,  and  renewed 
 
 in  the  disciples'  hearts  the  terror  of  this  oft- 
 repeated  word,  the  reality  of  which  came  mora 
 and  more  near  ;  but  the  second  word  comforts 
 them  again,  and  speaks,  as  it  were,  by  way  of 
 compensation,  concerning  the  all-restoring  fu- 
 ture of  the  kingdom  of  God.  Here  for  tho 
 first  time  the  simple  and  absolute  naOalv, 
 "suffer:"*  that  was  a  hint  at  the  outset, 
 which  said— I  myself  am  the  lamb  I  But  now 
 comes  forthwith  a  clear  and  bright  glance  for- 
 wards to  the  consummate,  final  fulfillment 
 of  that  typical  eating  which  was  now  cele- 
 brated for  the  last  time.  In  this  be  fulfilled-- 
 TtXTjpooO^j — the  Lord  gives  in  a  certain  sense 
 the  programme  of  a  new  institution,  without 
 the  substitution  of  which  the  old  might  not  bo 
 done  away  with  ;  but  he  at  the  same  time  pene- 
 trates into  the  distant  future,  when  he  will 
 again  eat  with  his  own.  And  i^  avrov, 
 (hereof  is  this  again  of  the  Passover?  Many 
 have  referred  it  to  bread,  which  would  corres- 
 pond with  the  cup,  ver.  17  ;  but  this  is  no 
 more  than  an  inexact  and  gratuitous  assump- 
 tion. The  words  themselves  as  they  stand 
 must  be  understood  to  mean — of  the  Passover. 
 This  of  course  does  not  imply  that  Jesus  would 
 then  partake  of  himself  in  any  such  sense  as 
 we  now  partake  of  him  in  the  sacrament ;  but 
 the  type  of  the  Passover  extends  even  beyond 
 ■,he  sacrament  itself.  Until  it  he  fu'fi'lM  "must 
 )e  understood  to  mean — Until  iif.this  Passover, 
 be  fulfilled  (not,  indefinitely — All  that  is  to  be 
 fulfilled).  But,  because  the  kingdom  of  God 
 in  the  fullest,  most  absolute  sense  of  the  word. 
 is  the  end  and  consummation  of  Iho  entire  Old 
 Testament,  all  its  types  must  still  go  forward, 
 oeyond  their  immediately  corresponding  anti- 
 types, into  the  blessedness  and  glory  of  the 
 final  fulfillment.  To  that  the  Lord  now  looks 
 onward,  comprehending  all  in  one  glance,  while 
 he  is  experiencing  the  deep  sorrow  of  the 
 "  Ilencefm-th  no  more."  This  "joy  in  grief," 
 this  combination  of  the  sadness  of"  separation 
 with  the  glad  anticipation  of  a  reunion  to  be 
 provided  for  and  pledged  by  that  separation  it- 
 self, constituted  the  attraction  of  this  last  meal, 
 standing  as  it  did  between  symbol  and  fulfill- 
 ment. It  w:.s  for  that  reason  our  Lord  so  ear- 
 nestly desired  it. 
 
 The  eating  and  drinking  of  the  flesh  and 
 blood  of  Jesus,  as  it  takes  the  place  of  the 
 Passover  in  the  kingdom  of  God  now  existing 
 upon  earth — that  is,  the  sacrament  of  the 
 Lord's  Supper — is  its  most  obvious  and  direct 
 antitype,  but  not  its  full  itXyf)a)6ti,  or  fulfill- 
 
 *  That  this  was  the  final  scope  of  his  desire,  is 
 proved  by  the  sequel.  That  he  institued  the  sa- 
 crament "  from  the  impulse  of  the  moment,  with- 
 out any  pre-deterrained  plan  " — ne^^ds  no  refuta- 
 tion; though  Lijider  lays  too  much  stress  upon 
 the  design  of  our  Lord  being  the  emphasis  ot  his 
 desire. 
 
 *  Luke  ix.  22,  xvii.  25,  comp.  Matt.  xvi.  21, 
 Mark  viii.  31,  sujer  many  thwys— Matt.  xvii.  12, 
 mfcr  of  (hem — Luke  xxiv.  2G,  s"fer  these  things— 
 n  Luke  xx.v.  46  comes  forward  again  the  simple 
 md  strong  suffer,  itaOelv,  involving  the  whole 
 counsel  of  God.  (For  the  ovtcd^  which  precedes 
 ioes  not  properly  belong  to  it.)  Schulthess  for- 
 got this  when  he  declared  "  the  absolute  TCocdxeiv 
 to  be  a  too  modern  Gospel." 
 
 f  Instead  of  this,  a  strange  reading  has  an  ex- 
 planatory— xairdy  /SpooQjj. 
 
■•^flo 
 
 OPENING  OF  THE  PASSOVER. 
 
 ment.  "  It  had  not  its  full  realization  even  in 
 the  essential  blessingrs  of  crrace  which  the  New 
 Covenant  introdiiced"  (Von  Gerlach).  But 
 the  real  and  eternal  antitype,  to  which  Christ 
 poinle-i,  was  "  the  everlasting  feast  of  the 
 kingdom  for  his  glorified  Church,  and  the  an- 
 ticipatory festival  our  Lord  was  now  about  to 
 establish  in  the  sacrament  of  the  New-Testa- 
 ment covenant."*  For  as  yet  we  eat  and 
 drink  of  him;  but  finally,  as  it  is  here  (and 
 Matt.  xxvi.  29)  said,  he  w"ill  eat  and  drink  with 
 US — ir;  a  different  manner.  How  then  are  we 
 to  understand  this?  That  feast  of  sparing  or 
 passing  over,  celebrated  in  Egypt,  was,  at  the 
 distant  commencement  of  the  typical  economy, 
 no  other  than  a  feast  of  a  redeemed  and  delivered 
 j}(;oj)lc — that  was  really  intimated,  though  in  an 
 Old-Testament  and  negative  manner,  in  its 
 name  nos.  In  the  last  and  most  realizing  ful- 
 fillment of  this  name,  the  identity  of  the  re- 
 past to  be  enjoyed  with  the  body  of  the  Lamb 
 through  whose  blood  and  death  our  redemp- 
 tion and  deliverance  come,  will  disappear  ;  and 
 the  new  world  will  otfer  to  glorified  human- 
 ity, to  the  liead  as  well  as  to  the  members,  a 
 new  feast,  with  new  food  and  new  drink,  cor- 
 responding with  that  which  was  afterwards  ap- 
 pended to  the  original  ceremony.  For  when 
 not  merely  all  the  wicked  are  cast  out  like  the 
 Egyptians,  and  all  the  good  accepted  and  spared 
 like  the  Israelites,  but  also  the  whole  fulness 
 ol  God's  gifts  are  poured  out  for  the  saints  in 
 Ihe  new  creation,  for  "the  free  enjoyment  and 
 plory  of  the  children  of  God  " — then  will  Christ 
 keep  the  Passover  in  the  highest  sense  with 
 Ins  own,  and  eat  with  them  as  before,  but  in  a 
 transcendently  different  sense. f  He  longed  for 
 the  Passover  of  that  evening;  but  his  deep  de- 
 sire went  forward  to  a  perfected  fiiendship  and 
 lellowship  in  the  heavenly-earthly  gratifica- 
 tions and  joys  of  the  kingdom  of  God.  Until 
 this  last  most  blessed  reunion  and  full  rein- 
 statement of  fellowship,  he  takes  farewell ; 
 looking  lorward  through  all  intervening  time, 
 just  as  in  John  he  looks  through  his  death  and 
 resurrection  to  his  ascension  into  heaven  and 
 return  to  his  people.  It  is  not  enough  to  say, 
 with  Tholuck  :  "  If  the  head  could  thus  long  for 
 consummate  communion  with  his  members, 
 should  not  thef/  long  for  consummate  fellow- 
 ship with  each  other  and  with  their  head?" 
 But  we  make  bold  to  understand  this  £cj5  otov, 
 as  spoken  by  our  Lord  here  in  the  flesh,  to 
 mean  that  he  himself  even  in  his  glory  retains 
 a  divine-human  longing  for  the  consummation 
 of  lellowship  with  his  own,  and  for  the  eating 
 
 *  So  Lanae ;  but  he  spoils  it  by  a  far-fetched 
 distinction  between  the  catinjj  and  the  drinking: 
 making  tiie  enjoyment  of  the  heavenly  manifesta- 
 tion of  C/irisi  correspond  to  the  eating;  and  the 
 manifestation  of  tlic  glory  cf  the  Church — for  the 
 foij  of  its  Lord,  especially — correspond  to  the  cup 
 of  tlianksgivinc 
 
 t  Conipaie  the  allegorizing  passages  in  Philo, 
 concerning  the  xpuxiHuv  itd^xoc,  which  Grotius 
 adduces. 
 
 and  drinking  with  them  in  the  kingdom  of 
 God  at  tlmt  table  which  he  called  his  own  in 
 Luke  xxii.  30,  when  he  spoke  in  overwhelming 
 majesty  of  their  thrones  by  the  side  of  hia 
 throne. 
 
 Verses  17,  18.  AVhether  the  Lord— after  he 
 had  thus  embraced  in  q>ayElv  to  Ttadxa, 
 "eating  the  Passover,"  the  full  typical  mean- 
 ing of  this  feast  of  redemption,  freedom,  and 
 victory — included  also  the  cup  which  belonged 
 to  it,  and  spoke  the  words  with  which  Luke 
 proceeds  ;  or  whether  this  word  is  the  same 
 with  that  which  is  recorded  afterwards  by 
 Matthew  and  Mark,  is  a  question  which  need 
 not  be  left  undecided.  For,  the  cup  which  he 
 received  in  order  to  ofTer  it  round*  was  an  in- 
 tegral part  of  the  Passover  ritual  itself,  and  is 
 to  be  distinguished  from  the  sacramental  cup 
 after  supper,  ver.  20.  The  other  two  Evangel- 
 ists have  a  similar  saying  only,  and  that  after 
 the  sacrament.  Consequently,  it  is  not  the 
 last  cup,  after  which,  as  still  belonging  to  the 
 paschal  meal,  the  sacrament  was  instituted ; 
 but  the  frst  cup  with  which  the  meal  was 
 commenced.  It  is  evident  that  our  Lord  ob- 
 served in  general  all  the  ordinances  and  rites 
 of  the  typical  ceremony,  giving  it  all  its  rights 
 before  it  was  abolished;  however  doubtful  we 
 may  be  as  to  the  petty  and  multiplied  observ- 
 ances which  were  introduced  later.  Those  who 
 desire  may  see  all  these  described  in  the  Com- 
 mentators, especially  in  Friedlieb's  Archaologie 
 der  Leidensgeschichte,  where  (p.  54)  the  whole 
 series  is  described — the  washing  of  the  hands, 
 the  prayers  or  thanksgivings  for  the  fruit  of 
 the  vine  and  the  fruit  of  the  earth,  the  dipping 
 into  the  dish,  the  eating,  the  distribution,  the 
 moving  of  the  table,  the  questioning  and  the 
 declaration,  with  "  elevation "  of  the  bitter 
 herbs  and  the  unleavened  bread,  the  singing  of 
 psalms,  the  eating  of  the  peace-offering  and 
 the  paschal  lamb  itself  to  the  last  morsel,  the 
 four  or  even  the  five  cups,  each  to  be  mingled 
 and  drunk  at  the  prescribed  place,  from  tlie 
 first  at  the  commencement  to  the  last  which 
 was  allowed.  But  Ben-Maimon's  Commentary, 
 and  the  statements  of  the  Talmud,  the  Mishna, 
 and  Gemara,  do  not  entirely  agree  in  these 
 points.  Who,  however,  can  suppose  that  all 
 this  was  rigorously  established  so  early  as  the 
 time  of  our  Lord?  The  Evangelists  give  us 
 several  hints  which  certainly  coincide  with 
 many  particulars  of  this  ritual  (as  "the  fruit 
 of  the  vine,"  the  song  of  praise,  the  distribu- 
 tion of  the  first  cup  of  benediction)  ;  but  they 
 do  not  mention  the  other  cups,  and  we  may 
 conclude  that  the  Lord  did  not  observe  every 
 petty  ordinance  which  was  current  at  the  time. 
 \Vo  must  remember  that  while,  on  the  one 
 hand,  the  Lord  recognized  such  usages  as  were 
 appended  to  the  divine  law  with  a  sound 
 meaning,  he,  on  the  other  hand,  designedly  ne- 
 glected the  prescriptions  of  the  Pharisees. 
 Finally,  the  transition  from  the  type  to  its  ful- 
 fillment made  a  certain  freedom  appropriate; 
 
 *  Je^aM^yoi,  other  than  Xafit^v  afterwards. 
 
MATTHEW  XXVI.  21-25. 
 
 49/ 
 
 and  we  sliall  see  that  the  new  institution,  tak- 
 ing the  place  of  the  old  one,  commenced  before 
 that  was  fully  ended. 
 
 What  further  may  be  said  concerning  the 
 drinking  of  the  great  future,  we  will  reserve 
 for  the  saying  which  Matthew  and  Mark  repeat 
 more  definitely  at  the  close.  It  must,  however 
 be  observed,  that  "  xintil  the  kingdom  of  Ood 
 shaU come"  refers  to  the  consummate  kingdom 
 of  glory,  the  same  as  in  ver.  16  (afterwards,  7?iy 
 Father's  kingdom).  Thus  we  must  not  be  mis- 
 led, by  the  generality  of  the  expression,  into 
 anticipating  the  term  specified  for  this  drinking 
 again,  and  placing  it  in  the  forty  days.  It  is 
 also  an  idle  question,  whether  the  Lord  did  or 
 did  not  drink  of  this  cup  which  he  gave  to  the 
 disciples.  The  word  itself  decides  nothinc;, 
 even  if  the  unsupported  reading  and  rov  rvy 
 is  accepted  ;  the  saying  "  Take  this,  and  divide 
 it  among  yourselves"  might  be  understood  to 
 mean,  "  divide  it  entirely,  keep  it  for  vourselves 
 alone — for  I  shall  drink  no  more  with  you." 
 But  it  might  also  be  regarded  as  testifying  that 
 he  had  already  drunk,  just  as  he  certainly  ate 
 with  them  the  Passover.  For  when  Sepp 
 understands  ver.  16  to  mean  that  he  would  not 
 even  this  time  eat  the  paschal  lamb  with  them, 
 he  forgets  the  desire  to  eat  it,  expressed  in  ver. 
 15.     If  the  cup  which  as  the  Master  of  the 
 
 household  he  received,  that  he  might  mix  ifc 
 and  hand  it  round,  was  the  cup  usually  drunk 
 at  the  beginning,  he  may  be  supposed  to  have 
 drunk  it  according  to  custom, and  then  to  have 
 declared  this  to  be  the  last  act  of  his  fellowship 
 in  drinking.  For  as  the  eating,  which  was  now 
 at  hand,  was  not  excluded  but  pre-supposed  in 
 the  henceforth  no  more ;  so  now  the  general 
 assurance,  that  he  would  no  more  drink  wine, 
 definitely  connected  as  it  is  with  this  cup,  must 
 have  a  similar  specific  meaning  (and  this  of 
 itself  proves  that  with  regard  to  the  subsequent 
 cups  he  did  not  rigorously  adhere  to  the  usage). 
 Or  the  words  must  be  understood,  that  the 
 Lord  for  a  special  reason  abstained  from  all 
 drinking  at  this  Passover.  This  is  possible,  but 
 not  probable ;  for  it  was  the  last  celebration  of 
 his  human  and  Israelitish  fellowship  ;  as  such  it 
 was  the  object  of  his  desire,  and  his  final  re- 
 freshment. Let  all  that  has  been  said  serve  as 
 an  example  of  the  importance  which  should 
 be  attached  to  a  carelul  consideration  of  all 
 such  words  as  these,  in  order  to  find  their 
 deeper  meaning.  The  too  common  method  is 
 to  pass  superficially  over  the  sense,  and  hasten 
 to  critical  contention  about  lesser  matters,  in- 
 stead of  thoughtSuUy  pondering  every  letter  as 
 it  stands  recorded. 
 
 FIRST  INDICATION  OF  THE  BETRAYER. 
 (Matt.  xxvi.  21-25;  Mark  xiv.  18-21;  [Luke  xxii.  22];  John  xiii.  21.) 
 
 ••I  will  eat  this  Passover  icith  you" — thus 
 nad  the  Lord  spoken  at  the  beginning  with  the 
 game  meaning  and  the  same  feeling  with  which 
 he  had  said, "in  his  message  to  that  unknown 
 One,  to  liim  well  known,  in  the  city — "  with 
 Biy  disciples."  Judas,  nevertheless,  was  among 
 them  ;  and  saddens  this  last  Passover  before 
 his  Passion,  even  more  than  he  had  saddened 
 that  feast  of  love  in  Bethany.  Although  the 
 Lord  would  now  refresh  and  strengthen  his 
 spirit  in  this  final  human  and  Israelitish  fellow- 
 ship with  his  disciples — in  whom  he  beheld  the 
 germ  of  the  new  Church  to  be  established  for 
 the  earthly-heavenly,  all-fulfilling  kingdom  of 
 God ;  that  end  cannot  be  obtained,  inasmuch  as 
 the  sorrow  of  suffering  and  death,  by  which 
 alone  this  new  covenant  can  be  ratified,  presses 
 more  and  more  closely  upon  his  soul.  After 
 the  feet-washing  and  the  accompanying  say- 
 ings had  repelled  their  old  notions  of  his  king- 
 dom, after  the  sayings  of  Luke  xxii.  15-18, 
 which  vibrated  between  the  sorrow  of  separa- 
 tion and  joy  of  the  final  reunion — the  lips  of 
 the  disciples,  waiting  in  anxious  solemnity, 
 were  no  more  opened  in  any  familiar  words ; 
 even  the  Master  kept  silence  for  a  space ;  and 
 nothing  remain'ed  but  the  silent  observance  of 
 the  paschal  meal,  celebrated  in  mysterious  and 
 appropriate  twilight.    Luke  xxii.  17  defines,  as 
 
 far  as  we  can  understand,  the  beginning  of  its 
 ritual;  but  it  intimates  at  the  same  time  that 
 all  its  detail  would  not  be  observed,  for  the 
 Lord  makes  an  end  for  himself  with  the  first 
 cup.  "  And  as  they  were  eating  " — is  Matthew's 
 opening  of  the  scene  which  followed.  "  And  as 
 they  sat  and  did  eat " — is  Mark's  more  definite 
 language.  Thus  we  have  nothing  here  of  the 
 standing,  according  to  the  prescript  of  Exod.  xii. 
 11  (which  Aben-Ezra  allows  to  have  referred 
 only  to  the  first  meal  in  Egypt).  They  sat  or 
 reclined  at  the  table,  and — ate,  almost  in 
 silence ;  but  little,  and  that  only  what  was 
 absolutely  necessary,  was  spoken  ;  scarcely  a 
 word  which  belonged  not  to  the  ceremony. 
 
 In  this  position  of  the  begun  and  proceeding 
 meal,  we  hear  that  fearful  word,  which  descends 
 from  the  most  distant  future  of  glory  to  the 
 deepest  ignominy  of  the  present,  One  of  you 
 shall  letray  me*  "While  this  refers  back  to  the 
 intimation  long  ago  given  in  John  vi.  70,  and 
 was  prepared  for  in  John  xiii.  13,  it  is  mani- 
 festly the  first  indication  of  the  traitor  during 
 this  mcai/and  it  coincides  historically,  doubt- 
 less, with  John  xiii.  21.     How  it  is  related  to 
 
 *  Haw  often  does  the  thought,  and  view,  and 
 word  of  the  Lord  bring  into  close  conj  unction  th© 
 widest  contrasts  1 
 
\«96 
 
 FIRST  ALLUSION  TO  THE  TRAITOR, 
 
 John  xiii.  22  we  shall  see,  as  far  aS  the  uncer- 
 tainty which  undeniabJy  rests  upon  the  inser- 
 tion of  the  sacramental  institution  in  John's 
 closely  connected  narration  will  admit.  When 
 we  examine  the  synoptical  account,  we  find 
 three  distinctive  sayings  of  our  Lord — A  word 
 of  soiTow  to  humble  the  eleven  together  with 
 the  one;  a  word  of  solemn  declaration,  which 
 instructs,  and  at  the  same  time  vindicates 
 them,  while  it  is  a  preliminary  condemnation 
 for  the  traitor;  finally,  a  most  sublimely  fear- 
 ful word  for  the  traitor  alone,  in  which  now 
 for  the  first  time  the  judgment  of  his  reprobation 
 is  complete — even  as  the  Lord  had  given  him- 
 self up  to  his  own  destiny  to  be  betrayed  by 
 him.  But  here  we  only  say,/<;r  the  fint  time— 
 because  the  final  utterance  follows  in  a  spcond, 
 and  more  intense  expression  (John  xiii.  27). 
 
 Matt.  xxvi.  21 ;  Mark  xiv.  18  ;  John  xiii. 
 21.  He  teas  troubled  in  spirit  (as  John  xii. 
 27) — indicates  certainly  a  disturbed  and  painful 
 emotion  ;  and  it  is  not  without  meaning  that 
 there  is  added — and  tcstijiel.  The  former  shows 
 the  motive  of  our  Lord's  utterance  as  regards 
 himself,  the  latter  as  regards  the  disciples  ; 
 his  own  grief  will  not  suffer  him  to  restrain  it, 
 while  he  speaks  for  a  salutary  testimony  to 
 them,  as  also  to  the  future  Church  which  they 
 represented.  The  disciples  also  were  exceedingly 
 sorrowful,  but  their  emotion  was  far  from  reach- 
 ing the  depth  and  strength  of  his  trouble  in 
 spirit.  The  tribulation  and  suffering  of  our 
 Lord  is  always  and  essentially  a  sorrow  of  s  ml ; 
 and  in  that  domain  where  the  spirit  possesses, 
 inhabits,  and  pervades  with  its  energy  the  soul, 
 and  is  consequently  affected  by  it  in  return. 
 Still  more  specifically  is  it  every  where  as  here 
 a  sorrow  on  account  of  sin,  and  even  in  its 
 highest  intensity  a  divine-human  sorrow.  For 
 his  spirit  in  the  unity  of  the  Eternal  Spirit 
 knoweth  the  abomination  of  sin,  as  it  appears 
 in  God's  sight;  his  so\x\  fee-s  it  also,  in  this 
 clear  and  full  knowledge,  even  as  men  feel — or 
 rather,  as  no  sinful  man  as  such  can  feel  it. 
 Thus  from  the  beginning  had  he  already  suf- 
 fered much  through  sin ;  but  now,  the  sin 
 of  men  confronts  him  in  its  direst,  severest 
 form,  and  is  most  bitter  to  him,  as  exhibited  in 
 Judas.  More  severe  and  bitter  was  not  in  this 
 Bense  even  the  conflict  in  Gethsemane  and  upon 
 Golgotha — the  laying  upon  him  tJce  iniquity 
 of  us  all.  Here  in  his  sinrit,  most  internally 
 afflicted  by  sin,  that  passion  begins  and  has  its 
 root  which  issues  through  Judas  (as  we  shall 
 see)  in  his  victoriously  emerging  from  tempta- 
 tion— in  Gethsemane  again  his  soul  is  includ- 
 ed; upon  Golgotha  finally  his  lo/y,  .soul,  and 
 spirit.*  All  the  contradiction  of  frenzy  and 
 haired,  of  hypocrisy  and  malice,  of  ingratitude 
 and  every  other  bad  passion,  which,  distributed 
 among  individuals,  had  fallen  upon  or  should 
 fall  upon  him— was  condensed  and   consum- 
 
 *  It  is  to  be  understood,  as  we  have  said,  that 
 his  soul  also  sulTered  the  sorrow  of  his  spirit  from 
 the  bescinning ;  and  iho  perlui  batiou  ol  his  soul 
 was  stiongly  hhared  in  by  his  bodv. 
 
 mated  in  this  one  sinndr  against  him,  this  an* 
 happy  traitor.  He  breaks  in  upon  the  nar- 
 rowest circle  of  his  won  and  beloved  souls; 
 he  defiles  and  disgraces,  in  a  .sense,  the  apostol- 
 ical foundation  of  his  future  Church  here  at  its 
 very  commencement;  and  brings  to  naught  an 
 election  which  had  its  origin  in  his  love,  by  an 
 actual  though  partial  victory  of  hell.  Thus, 
 alas !  this  son  of  perditim — and  this  is  his 
 deepest  grief — compels  him,  even  now  when  he 
 would  refresh  his  soul  by  naught  but  love  and 
 blessing,  when  he  was  about  to  establish  the 
 seal  and  the  pledge  of  an  accomplished  redemp- 
 tion and  forgiveness  of  sins,  to  retain  by 
 anticipation  the  sin  of  one  awful  exception, 
 condemning  him  externally.  But  we  observed 
 upon  John  xiii.,  with  reference  to  Mark  iii.  5, 
 that  the  Son  of  Man  could  not  otherwise 
 manifest  his  wrath  against  evil  than  in  connec- 
 tion with  the  perturbation  of  his  sympathizing, 
 redeeming  heart;  here,  however,  we  see  that 
 the  converse  of  this  proposition  does  not  hold 
 good — for  Jesus  is  only  troubled  about  Judas, 
 without  wrath.  So  far  we  can  appropriate 
 Tholuck's  word,  on  John  :  "  It  is  not  the  leeling 
 of  provoked  indignation  which  goes  out  toward 
 the  delinquent,  but  that  of  compassionate  sor- 
 row;" though  we  cannot  adopt  the  words 
 which  follow,  as  applicable  to  the  present  con- 
 juncture— "which  always  seeks  anew  to  pro- 
 duce in  the  perverted  mind  an  influence  of 
 compunction."  This  was  now  over,  as  the  will 
 feZray already  festilies.  Where  there  is  human 
 anger'-'  in  the  God-man  as  the  reaction  of  love, 
 there  is  the  hope  of  love  which  takes  this 
 method  to  accomplish  its  purpose  ;  but  where 
 that  is  gone,  the  wrath  of  the  Lamb  also  for  the 
 present  ceases,  and  the  love  is  turned  into  pure 
 lamenting  sicfferingoi  the  sin.  That  the  traitor 
 had  experienced  no  wrath  beforehand  from  his 
 Lord,  on  whom  he  inflicted  the  deepest  grief — 
 is  the  cause  of  the  wrath  of  God  which  now 
 rests  upon  him,  and  which  will  fall  upon  him 
 one  day  as  the  wrath  of  the  Lamb,  of  that  same 
 incarnate  Judge  of  men  who  in  Gethsemane 
 still  called  him  his  friend. 
 
 Why  then  does  the  Lord  utter  that  as  a  tes- 
 timony which  moves  his  spirit?  The  testimony 
 as  such  applies  indeed  to  the  disciples;  but  not 
 exclusively,  as  is  generally  thought,  to  shame 
 and  humbie  them,  and  excite  their  true  repent- 
 ance. In  this  utterance  of  the  deepest  feeling, 
 there  is  primarily  no  consideration  of  the  in- 
 fluence which  it  ought  to  exert  and  must  exert 
 upon  others  ;  but  it  is  no  other  than  a  lamenta- 
 tion of  the  troubled  One,  who  pours  out  his 
 complaint  not  merely  before  God,  but  also 
 before  man  in  a  hur.'.an  manner.  Assuredly, 
 there  is  something  of  human  "  infirmity  "  also 
 in  it,  and  the  Lord  cannot  restrain  within  him- 
 self the  sorrow  of  his  soul,  nor  retain  it  within 
 his  spirit  before  God,  but  must  speak  of  it 
 before  his  own  as  afterwards  in  Gethsemane. 
 
 ♦  Not,  of  course,  in  the  sense  of  James  i.  20, 
 which  contrast,  of  the  Ijuman  and  the  divine  has  no 
 ai>;>lication  u>  the  Goi-mau. 
 
MATTKEV/  XXVI.  21. 
 
 m 
 
 We  must  know  for  our  own  consolation  and  I 
 instruction  that  so  it  was  with  his  spirit ;  and  | 
 therefore  he  hears  this  witness  to  all  times  in  his  i 
 word — as  it  is  also  expressed  in  John's  tfxap- 
 TV/jt}6s,  he  testified.    But  then,  there  is  another  1 
 element  which  is  never  wanting  in  his  self-tes-  j 
 timony ;  the  wisdom  of  love  which  regulates  j 
 all  his  speaking  and  not  keeping  silence  ap-  | 
 proves  itself  decisively  here  as  it  does  to  the  i 
 last,  seeking  always  our  salvation.     We  justly  j 
 saia  at  the  outset  that  this  first  word  concern- 
 ing the  traitor  had  an  especial  reference  to  the 
 others.     The  doom  and  woe  of  the  traitor  is  j 
 intimated  more  plainly  to  himself  in  the  second  | 
 word,  and  most   expressly  in  the  third ;  but  \ 
 now  the  eleven  are  to  know  and  feel,  as  far  as  ! 
 it  lies  in   them,  what  the   Lord   knows   and 
 feels.      They   are   to  be   fortified   against  the 
 awful  event,  when  it  should  take  place,  by  the 
 testimony  to  their  Lord's  foreknowledge  of  it 
 and  submission  to  it — as  we  have  seen  on  John 
 xiii.19.  But,finally — and  this  comes  into  special 
 prominence  yi^r  «s — tluy,  as  being  of  the  same 
 sinfid   nature,  and,  even   under  grace  capable 
 ot  like  sin,  are  to  be  humbled  into  deeper  self- 
 knowledge  and  penitence  by  seeing  how  pro- 
 foundly the  sin  of  one  among  thera  bows  down 
 their   Lord.      This   is  the  just  interpretation 
 and  application  of  the  word  which  the  Church 
 has  always  held  fast.     It  views  the  Lord  as  in 
 this  word   exhorting   fo  contrition  before   he 
 celebrates  his  sacrament;  moving  the  disciples' 
 hearts  to  humiliation  before  he  institutes  his 
 holy  Supper.     There  is  profound  truth  in  the 
 observation  which  has  been  made — that  Paul 
 derived  from  this  one  among  you  his  impressive 
 rule,  But  let  a  man  examim  himself. 
 
 It  is  indeed  only  one,  who  will  commit  this 
 fearful  sin;  but  it  is  still  one  of  them;  and 
 what  that  means,  we  have  sufl[iciently  shown 
 upon  John  vi.  70.  When  one  sins  with  fearful, 
 yea,  the  most  fearful  aggravation — the  rest  of 
 us  must  not  wholly  acquit  ourselves ;  the 
 Lord's  one  word  is  most  grievous  to  him,  to  us 
 lull  of  shame  and  humiliation — One  among  you. 
 Whatever  differences  there  are  between  the 
 several  eleven  disciples  in  disposition  and  feel- 
 ing, the  Lord  embraces  them  altogether,  and  in 
 one  with  Judas ;  he  still  more  emphatically 
 and  comprehensively  refers  its  most  evil  fruit 
 in  the  one  to  the  root  of  sin  in  all,  when  he 
 afterwards  cries — Woe  io  that  man  I  The  sin 
 of  the  one,  most  ripe  for  condemnation,  is  in  a 
 certain  relation  the  common  sin  of  humanity, 
 a  fruit  which  grew  on  that  tree.  Further  :  Is 
 this  Judas  actually  isolated  and  alone  in  his 
 sin  ?  Is  he  not  raiher  the  type  and  forerunner 
 of  many,  found  in  the  discipleship  and  external 
 liellowsliip  of  Jesus,  as  he  was  then?  Hence 
 his  warning  figure  stands  at  the  introduction 
 o!  every  celebration  of  the  sacrament — "  In  the 
 night  in  which  the  Lord  was  hetrayed"  The 
 lesson  taught  by  Judas  may  well  intermingle 
 its  wholesome  bitterness  with  all  our  Passion- 
 devotions.  W-ee  also  to  him  who,  otherwise 
 than  the  beloved  disciples,  is  disposed  to  reply 
 *— Sucii  can  I  and  will  I  never  be.    The  proper 
 
 reflection  is — Am  not  I  also  a  man,  like  this 
 man  of  sin  ?  Is  not  my  human  heart  by 
 nature  likewise  evil  and  unbelieving?  Do  I 
 submit  to  reproof?  Has  the  love  of  the  Lord 
 entrance  in  me,  and  his  truth?  Am  not  I 
 treacherous  to  him  in  heart ;  am  not  I  resting 
 secure  in  external  fellowship  alone  with  hiia 
 and  hi?  ;  is  there  no  Judas-way  in  me? 
 
 All  this  is  not  "  homiletic  application  "  and 
 "edifying  remark,"  learned  readers,  but  actual 
 exposition  of  the  mind  and  feeling  with  which 
 the  Lord  uttered  this  t%  vuwv.  "  One*  of 
 you  " — he  adds  now  decisively— wi/Z  Mray  me; 
 in  which,  as  in  the  followingwords,  the  oofn6- 
 /jEvov,  appointed,  begins  already  to  appear. 
 He  speaks  still  in  ttie  future  ;  since  Judas' 
 offer  already  made  to  the  Pharisees  (jrapa- 
 (5oi3(J(i7)  was  not  the  consummated  betrayal 
 itself.  But  he  speaks  in  the  future  absolute  ; 
 lor,  the  black  counsel  of  Judas'  heart  stood 
 fast,  his  heart  was  no  more  to  be  humbled  and 
 shamed— otherwise  the  Lord  would  not  have 
 thus  spoken. 
 
 They  were  exceedingly  troubled,  and  began 
 every  man  to  say — D^rd  is  it  I?  Judas  is 
 obviously  not  included,  because  the  Spirit 
 designs  to  give  the  Lord's  word  as  pre-eminent- 
 ly directed  to  the  eleven,  and  their  reply  to  it. 
 Judas  delayed  till  the  last  his  similar  question. 
 The  first  mfluence  of  the  word  upon  him  is 
 not  recorded ;  but,  like  the  design  of  his  heart 
 throughout,  is  veiled  in  a  night  of  fearlul  mys- 
 tery. Lucke  remarks  on  the  apparent  parallel, 
 Luke  xxii.  23,  quite  correctly  :  "  Luke  reports 
 like  John  ;  "  but  we  accept  this  on  a  very 
 diflTerent  supposition  from  his,  to  wit,  that  they 
 both  relate  another  circumstance,  the  second 
 indication  of  the  traitor  which  took  place  after 
 the  Supper.  For  it  is  plain  to  all  who  will  not 
 break  the  Scripture  by  assuming  incorrectness 
 in  the  narrators,  that  on  the  first  occasion  the 
 disciples  say  what  they  say  to  Jesus,  the  second 
 time  they  speak  among  thenuelves  {npui  kav- 
 roviy  Eli  dXXTJXovS).  The  first  time,  each 
 asks.  Is  it  If  the  second  time,  they  inquire 
 among  themselves  which  of  them  it  was  that 
 should  do  this  thing.  Liicke  thinks  it  "  scarcely 
 credible,"  as  recorded  in  Matthew  and  Mark, 
 that  each  of  the  disciples  asked  aloud  if  it  was 
 himself — but  it  is  literally  recorded  in  these 
 Evangelists  ;  and  no  man  has  a  right,  to  mix 
 up  with  exposition  his  own  notion  of  what  is 
 or  is  not  credible.  The  simple  and  plain  narra- 
 tive has  in  various  ways  been  most  unexegeti- 
 cally  dealt  with.  Some  have  thought  that  each 
 put  the  question,  but  each  with  his  own  in- 
 dividual meaning ;  Olshausen  supposes  that 
 Peter  and  John,  in  their  more  highly  developed 
 consciousness,  would  not  ask — Is  it  I  ?  but 
 only— Who  is  it?  (This  gratuitous  assertion 
 rests  upon  the  identification  of  the  two  ques- 
 
 *  Matt.  £«a'(Jro5  (another  reading  c/^S— Mark 
 tti  xaOeii,  not  naOsli  or  xara  (xai  eito)  eti, 
 but  instead  of  xar/  f'ra,  as  in  John  viii.  9,  Rom. 
 xii.  5.  The  «a:z  aXXoS'  Mtj-Tt  iyoS  ;  in  Mark  is 
 probably  an  addition. 
 
MO 
 
 FIRST  ALLUSION  TO  THE  TRAITOR. 
 
 tions  and  the  two  accounts.)  Others,  as 
 Ebrard,  change  the  recorded  question  into  "an 
 anxious  appeal" — It  is  not  If  On  the  other 
 hand,  Winer  classes  this  question  with  Mz/rz 
 among  those  in  which,  according  to  the  de- 
 cision of  the  context,  an  atSrmative  answer 
 must  be  supposed  possible.  We  perfectly 
 agree  with  him;  and  appeal  to  the  feeling 
 of  every  simple  reader,  and  to  the  predomi- 
 nant, living  tradition  of  the  Church.  If  the 
 context  allowed  the  assumption  that  some 
 meant  no  more  than  "  Assuredly  not  I! " 
 we  would  rather  join  Nathanael  with  John, 
 than  Peter — and  so  on  with  all  the  rest.  The 
 emphasis  of  this  most  significant  word  would 
 be  lost ;  and  the  subsequent  question  of  Judas, 
 the  affirmative  answer  to  which  our  Lord's 
 reply  confirms,  would  be  deprived  of  its  simi- 
 larity to  the  previous  questions.  Judas  as- 
 suredly asked  because  he  was  constrained  to 
 do  so,  because  and  in  the  same  seiibe  as  the  others 
 asked. 
 
 For  our  own  part  we  regard  that  as  credible 
 in  the  highest  degree  which  Matthew  the 
 Apostle,  one  present  at  the  transaction,  plainly 
 records ;  and,  moreover,  we  can  render  it  per- 
 fectly intelligible  and  probable  to  our  own 
 minds.  The  truth  in  the  arbitrary  addition  to 
 the  narrative  which  we  have  just  noticed  is 
 this,  that  each  one  may  have  thought  first 
 of  the  others  around  him  ;  but  then  when  he 
 saw  not  the  slightest  ground  for  the  supposi- 
 tion in  the  case  of  any  other,  he  would  naturally 
 direct  the  inquiry  to  himself.  "  Of  whom  can 
 I  suppose  that  he  would  do  this  thing?  Most 
 fitly  should  I  ask  myself  the  question."  Such 
 is  the  course  of  true  humbleness  of  mind  in  its 
 pure  simplicity  in  all  similar  cases.  This  pre- 
 paration and  reason  for  the  startling  question — 
 Is  it  I  (no  other  than,  myself)  ?  the  Evangelists 
 have  left  unexpressed,  but  it  is  not  the  less 
 obvious  to  every  psychological  reflection :  they 
 simply  record  the  result  which,  in  the  swift 
 succession  of  emotion  which  went  round  the 
 circle,  was  not  long  in  finding  utterance.  We 
 are  not  to  think  of  clear  consciousness  and 
 calm  pondering  of  what  they  say,  on  an  occa- 
 sion like  this,  when  their  word  was  extorted, 
 enforced  from  tlie  disciples  by  the  warning 
 gjnrit  of  the  word  of  Jesus,  for" a  tt/pical  appli- 
 cation in  the  future.  AVe  must  not  coldly 
 discuss  it  in  its  antecedents  and  consequences, 
 but  take  it  as  it  stands — the  uncalculated  ex- 
 pression of  the  effect  which  the  Lord's  dis- 
 closure had  upon  their  consciousness  of  sin. 
 When  they  thus  suddenly  heard  the  Lord's 
 earnest  "  one  of  y<.v,"  every  one,  even  the  most 
 consciously  sincere,  must  have  thought  himself 
 lor  ono  moment  capable  of  the  most  fearful 
 sin.*      This  meaning  alone  gives  a  sufficing 
 
 reason  for  the  exceeding  soirowful  of  Matthew, 
 which  is  essentially  different  from  the  sub- 
 quent  "doubting  of  whom  he  spake"  in  John. 
 After  the  more  rigorous  "  woe  "  pronounced 
 upon  the  one,  which  must  have  given  every 
 innocent  one  to  feel  that  this  did  not  touch  his 
 conscience,  yea,  after  the  atoning  "  for  you"  of 
 the  Supper — ;heir  position  and  feeling  with 
 regard  to  it  became  different ;  and  the  uncer- 
 tain anxious  inquiry  of  every  one  as  to  which 
 of  the  rest  could  do  this,  was  tlien  quite  in 
 keeping.  The  blending  of  the  two  situations 
 and  states  of  mind  into  one  incident,  is  to  be 
 excused  only  by  the  fact  that  John's  Gospel 
 gives  that  theory  an  apparent  sanction,  unless 
 his  Gospel  be  very  carefully  read  and  compared 
 with  the  others.  For  certainly,  just  at  this 
 point,  between  vers.  21  and  22,  or  vers.  22  and 
 23  of  chap,  xiii.,  John  passes  over  the  Supper, 
 and  inseparably  joins  what  passed  subsequently 
 with  the  first  word  which  gave  occasion  to  it. 
 But  he  wrote  thus  only  that  our  investigation 
 might  be  stimulated  to  careful  arrangement  of 
 the  whole. 
 
 It  was  necessary  thus  carefully  to  observe 
 the  word  of  the  disciples,  and  assert  its  only 
 true  meaning ;  for  this  alone  will  enable  us 
 fully  to  understand  the  design  of  the  preceding 
 word  of  our  Lord,  as  well  as  to  trace  the 
 progress  to  what  follows.  When  he  expressed 
 himself  in  such  a  manner  as  to  involve  their 
 whole  circle  in  a  certain  muse  in  the  guilt,  his 
 sole  purpose — a  purpose  which  most  blessed- 
 ly succeeded — was  tnat  the  beloved  disciples 
 should  he  profoundly  abased  in  the  conscious- 
 ness of  their  general,  human,  capability  of  sin  ; 
 and  that  they  should  be  entirely  divested  of  all 
 wrathful,  loveless,  unjustified  rejoicing  in  the 
 sentence  of  condemnation  pronounced  upon  a 
 fellow-man,  the  traitor  who  now  went  forth 
 from  their  midst;  in  short,  that  they  should 
 be  brought  to  such  a  state  of  mind  as  to  put 
 the  question  which  they  did  put.*  This  ques- 
 tion of  the  disciples,  which  was  a  perfect  ex- 
 pression of  individual  sincerity,  while  it  on 
 that  very  account  proclaimed  all  the  more  feel- 
 ingly their  deep  sense  of  sinfulness,  was  to  him 
 
 *  Ililler's  reflection  therefore  is  beside  the  mark : 
 "  And  if  lie  named  one,  it  was  tlie  thouijlit  of  each 
 that  that  one  might  change  hin  mind."  For  the  will 
 betray  had  been  annour;cod  by  Teriy,  Verily. 
 Kinmmaclier  more  correctly  paraphrases  iho  sense 
 oJ  the  word:  "  Yea,  Lord,  so  corrupt  is  my  heart 
 
 that  I  am  capible  of  any  evil :  and,  if  the  wind 
 of  temptation  bk-w  tliat  way,  I  niijiht  by  possi- 
 bility betray  thee,  the  highsst  eood,  even  as  thou 
 liast  said.  Lett  unguarded  lo  myself,  I  cannot 
 stand." 
 
 *  This,  and  nothing  else,  as  wo  think.  Not 
 spociflcally,  as  L mgo  prefers,  in  order  ti;at  they 
 mi:2ht  be  led  to  repent  of  that  spirit  of  carnal 
 ambition  which  had  so  lonj;  troubled  them,  and 
 which  liad  nourislied  amonsf  tliom  Iho  serpent  of 
 treachery,  and  that  traitor  him-elf  wliom  they 
 had  broiisht  to  liim.  There  is  no  trace  of  this 
 last  in  all  the  narrative  ;  our  Lord  s  /  hnve  chosen, 
 John  vi.  70,  is  a  strong  protest  against  any  .'■uch 
 intro('.uctioii  of  ono  Apostle  by  otliera.  That 
 they  trusted  Judas  and  did  i.ot  see  ilirough  him, 
 was  in  them  a  relative  virtue,  though  spriiijrins 
 Irom  their  sin;  and  tlie  Lord  was  iiitiniteiy  better 
 satisfied  with  their  Is  it  I?  than  ho  would  have 
 been  with  any  uiibecooiiug  "  Id  it  lie  i  " 
 
MATTHEW  XXVI.  23. 
 
 501 
 
 a  consolation  in  the  midst  of  his  distress.  He 
 who  so  asks,  judges  himself  fully — that  he  may 
 not  be  judged — as  to  his  part  in  the  awful  guilt, 
 BO  far  as  it  is  a  collective  guilt ;  but  he  who 
 can  thus  ask,  has  thereby  cleared  himself,  and 
 shown  that  he  cannot  be  "the  one  intended,  nor 
 fall  under  the  terrific  woe.  Now,  alter  this  dis- 
 burdening of  his  own  heart  and  cleansing  of 
 the  hearts  of  his  disciples,  Jesus  is  free  to  pro- 
 ceed with  the  second  word,  which  with  wonder- 
 ful subhmity  embraces  the  whole  of  this  Satanic 
 8in  of  an  Apostle — which  unites  in  itself  a 
 serene  testimony  of  his  own  obedience  to  the 
 counsel  of  God;  an  instructing  assertion  of  the 
 guilt  which  was  nevertheless  incurred  ;  a  most 
 internal  cry  of  anguish  uttered  by  love  which 
 mourns  over  one  who  CAunot  be  saved.  This 
 second  word  is,  to  wit,  a  declaration  as  to  the 
 self-sacrifice  of  the  Son  of  Man,  and  the  doom 
 of  the  man  who  betrayed  him;  but,  for  the 
 sake  of  the  transitional  connection,  an  answer  to 
 the  Apostles'  question  yet  precedes,  which, 
 however,  is  no  new  answer,  but  only  repeats 
 and  confirms  the  first. 
 
 Matt.  xxvi.  23  ;  Mark  xiv.  20.  The  suppo- 
 sition that  this  answer  of  our  Lord  is  the  same 
 ■which  John  xiii.  26,  under  another  representa- 
 tion and  more  specifically,  records — is  one  of  the 
 most  marvellous  and  perverse  misunderstand- 
 ings which  have  sprung  from  a  lax  notion  of 
 the  so-called  inspiration  of  the  Gospels — not- 
 withstanding that  it  is  the  predominant  opin- 
 ion, and  now  almost  traditionally  accepted 
 even  among  the  orthodox.  We  have  shown 
 upon  John,  and  now  more  emphatically  repeat 
 it,  that  we  have  m  these  tv.'o  records  two  quite 
 different  occasions  and  words.  Here  the  eleven 
 ask,  each  for  himself.  Is  it  I?  There  John  at 
 Peter's  request,  put  the  question,  Lord  who  is 
 it  f  Here  Judas,  like  the  others,  dips  with  the 
 Lord  in  the  dish  ;  but  there  the  Lord  dipped 
 the  ^op,  and  gave  it  to  Judas.  If  the  word 
 intimated  a  specific  and  instant  dipping  on  the 
 part  of  Judas,  he  must  have  been  at  once  de- 
 tected before  the  eyes  of  all  ;*  consequently, 
 the  subsequent  "  Woo  to  that  man"  must  have 
 pointed  him  out  as  if  by  name;  then  his  Is  it 
 I!  which  followed  afterwards,  showed  senseless 
 boldness  in  this  detected  and  condemned  man ; 
 and,  lastly,  the  ignorance  of  the  disciples  as 
 recorded  in  John,  vers.  27,  29,  becomes  inex- 
 plicable— and  an  absolute  contradiction  be- 
 tween the  two  eye-witnesses  must  remain.  All 
 those  subtle  suppositions,  therefore,  which  are 
 based  upon  his  dipping  in  the  confusion,  with 
 afiected  candor — and  so  forth — must  be  re- 
 nounced, as  confusing  the  scene.  'O  Iftftdtpa?, 
 he  that  dijypeth,  in  Matthew  is  not,  as  De 
 Wette's  translation  gives  it,  he  that  hath  dip- 
 
 *  For  tht's  answer  to  the  question  ot  all  was  not 
 given  softly  by  Jesus,  and  it  was  given  only  to  one. 
 If  he  received  the  sop  "  bstore  all  eyes,"  and  dip- 
 ped his  hand  into  the  dish,  he  must  hive  been 
 pointed  out  andxevealed  to  them  all.  The  impos- 
 sibility and  contradiction  ot  this  is  weil  put  by  |  ning 
 Krummacher. 
 
 ped   (that  is,  just  now)  ;  bnfc  it  is  aoristical, 
 and  equivalent  to  htfjaTtr^ueyo';  in  Mark. 
 
 The  Lord  does  not  and  cannot  intend  to  give 
 a  new  and  distinctive  answer  to  the  Is  it  1/  of 
 the   several  disciples.     It  was  not   necessarv. 
 The  silent  answer  was  now,  after  this  cleansing 
 of  their  heart,  understood  of  itself — "  Not  ye, 
 my  faithful  ones,  who  have  been  with  mein 
 my  temptations,  and  whose  are  still  the  thrones  ; 
 but  one  among  you."     Thus  the  Lord  merely 
 repeats,  before  he  proceeds  further,  the  former 
 word  in  a  more  plainly  intelligible  form  ;  using 
 an  expression   which  is   parallel,  on   the   one 
 hand,    with   the   earlier-cited   passage   of   the 
 Psalms,  John  xiii,  18,  and,  on  the  other,  with 
 the  subsequent  word  which  Luke  gives — "  The 
 hand  of  the  traitor  is  with   me  on  the  taUe." 
 Nothing  can  be  clearer  than  this  relation  of  the 
 circumstances,  if  we  only  abandon  the  attempt 
 to  make  different  accounts   one,  and  assume 
 such  a  repetition  of  similar  transactions  as  the 
 recurrence  of  this  dark  element  in  the  meal 
 rendered  necessary.     The  "  dipping  in  the  dish," 
 was  by  no  means  (as  Lange  maintains)  "  an 
 irreijidaritrj  which  their  excitemmit  explains  ;  " 
 there  is  no  ground  for  this,  when  we  set  the 
 common  meal  plainly  before  our  imagination. 
 Henneberg   is   quite   right   in   defending    the 
 general  signification  of  the  dippeth  with  me — • 
 "  One  of  my  household,  who  daily  eateth  and 
 drinketh  v/ith  me."     Olshausen  is  altogf^tiier 
 wrong   when    he   asserts   in   opposition,    that 
 "  this  was  applicable  to  all  the  disciples,  and 
 was  therefore  no  answer  at  all" — for  it  was 
 not  to  be  an  answer;  but  only  a  re-assertion 
 of  the  one  among  you.     Mark  gives  us  the  plain- 
 est evidence  of  the  identity  of  the  two  saying'? ; 
 for  in  the  second  he  has  "  one  of  the   twelve." 
 and  adds  to  the  first  "one  of  yrm — which  ea'tth 
 icith  me."     (This  we  now  first  mention,  because 
 here   its   significance  comes   out.)     Thus    the 
 Lord  meant  the  first  time — One  of  my  compan- 
 ions at  table  ;  and  the  second  time  again — One, 
 who  eateth  at  my  table,  like  you  twelve  collec- 
 tively.    The  number  twelve,  still  mentioned — we 
 connot  but  think  of  the  throne  lacking  for  one 
 of  the  twelve  tribes  of  Israel,  Luke  xxii.  30— 
 designs  to  say  that  the  Lord  reckons  the  fallen 
 one  still,  in   testimony  of  his  previous  election 
 (John  vi.  70,  you  twelve),  in  order  then  to  sup- 
 plant him,  comp.  Acts  i.  17.     Thus  the  several 
 passages  of  Scripture  profoundly    coincide  in 
 their  one  meaning. 
 
 The  Lord's  silence  pre-supposes — "No,  not 
 ye,  who  so  anxiously  ask."  But  who  then? 
 He  declines  anv  more  definite  intimation,  and 
 adheres  to  his  "first  word.  Matthew's  specific 
 the  same  {o  v  r  o  S)  shall  betray  does  not  con- 
 strain us  to  suppose  here  a  direct  indication 
 of  the  man,  for  it  does  not  outweigh  the  one 
 of  the  twelve  in  Mark  ;  this  obroS,  rather,  is 
 spoken  concerning  that  one  in  the  same  tone 
 of  lamentation  and  reproach  as  afterwards 
 6  avOpGJTToi  sHEivo?,  that  man.  One  among 
 you:  in  this  there  has  been  from  the  beam- 
 ing a  contrast  with  the  remainder  of  the  dis- 
 ipies,  who  were  not  so  uear  and  not  in  so  con- 
 
502 
 
 FinST  ALLUSION  TO  THE  TRAITOR. 
 
 fidential  a  relation.  It  is  in  correspondence 
 with  the  word  of  the  Psalm,  "  As  it;  was  writ- 
 ten," that  thft  especial  nearness  of  the  twelve 
 is  represented  here  as  a  fellowship  at  the  table  ; 
 it  further  shows,  according  to  tlie  meaning  of 
 that  Psalm,  the  greatness  of  the  guilt  in  which 
 this  trusted  one  becomes  a  trait^or — thus  pre- 
 paring for  the  woe.  Finally,  the  form  of  the 
 expression,  which  makes  the  dipping  into  the 
 dish  a  specific  and  most  concrete  designation, 
 refers  of  course  directly  to  the  present  paschal 
 meal.  For,  the  declaration  would  run  thus : 
 That  one  of  tbe  twelve  (he  will  soon  be  re- 
 vealed in  his  act!)  who,  like  the  other  eleven, 
 lias  been  my  habitual  companion  at  the  table, 
 and  is  so  this  day,  who  still  for  a  while  has 
 the  character  of  an  Apostle,  is  still  shameless 
 and  eats  with  me  (my  bread) — embitters  to 
 ine  this  farewell  feast,  enforces  from  me  this 
 complaint  and  condemnation,  etc.  Ti}y  x^^ft<^, 
 the  hand,  has  the  same  most  concrete  vividness 
 in  Matthew  which  the  impious  hand  has  in  Luke 
 — that  hand  which  no  protest  of  conscience 
 could  restrain. 
 
 Did  Judas  at  this  moment  dip  his  hand  into 
 the  dish,  and  thus  make  the  generally  prover- 
 bial word  a  specific  sign  for  hmiself?  If  that 
 be  supposed  it  must  also  be  assumed  that  the 
 disciples  did  not  remark  or  understand  ihe  sig- 
 nificance of  the  act.  In  such  a  case  this  word 
 would  occupy  a  middle  position  between  the 
 altogether  general  reference  which  preceded 
 and  the  specific  sign  given  to  John;  and  fur- 
 ther, it  might  be  thought  that  this  connection 
 "would  show  why  Judas,  thus  partially  marked 
 out,  asked  also  his  question.  But  this  coinci- 
 dence of  the  immediate  act  with  the  Lord's 
 very  general  indication  appears  to  us  alto- 
 gether unimaginable;  the  disciples'  not  per- 
 ceiving it  (and  they  might  be  supposed  to  have 
 instantly  looked  at  the  dish,  under  a  misappre- 
 hension) being  in  the  highest  degree  improb- 
 able. The  definite  article  before  rpv/iXiov 
 shows  that  there  was  not  more  than  one  dish  at 
 the  table.* 
 
 Matt.  xxvi.  24;  Mark  xiv.  21  (Luke  xxii. 
 22).  We  must  firmly  hold  that  Luke  does  not 
 introduce  ver.  21  supplementarily,  thus  plac- 
 ing it  incorrectly  in  the  midst  of  the  words  of 
 the  sacramental  institution ;  and  it  further 
 seems  probable  to  us  that  ver.  22  also  was 
 (in  its  simple  reference  to  the  contrast  of  the 
 divine  counsel  and  human  guilt)  thus  repeated. 
 Yet  we  admit  that  the  historically  correct 
 "But,  l/clwhl"  may  have  led  to  the  introduc- 
 tion of  ver.  22  as  related  to  it;  and  the  ex- 
 pression being  the  same  (in  all  but  one  word), 
 we   shall  include  it   in  the  text  here.     How 
 
 *  Hence  we  cannot  accept  Bensrel's  strange 
 view,  that  there  was  a  nearer  circle  around  the 
 Lord,  within  tlie  twelve.  (Judas  opposite,  as  Peter 
 and  Jolm  one  on  each  side  1  But  this  does  not 
 suit  tlie  manner  in  which  they  reclined).  Bengel 
 (not  in  Ihe  Gnomon,  hnt  in  the  Germ.  N.  T.")  thinks 
 that  "  this  at  once  eiouerated  a  large  proportion 
 01  the  twelve." 
 
 Judas  comes  against  Jesus,  and  Jesns  endures 
 his  temptation,  in  it  victoriously  separating 
 himself  from  him — we  see  now  exhibited  be- 
 fore us  in  a  spiritually  decisive  and  internal 
 process,  before  the  betrayal  itself  is  accom- 
 plished as  an  external  act.  We  may  regard 
 this  conflict  of  Jesus  with  the  traitor  among 
 the  twelve  as  a  temptation  in  regard  to  himself; 
 as  even  the  beginning  of  the  last,  greater,  and 
 greatest  temptation,  in  which  his  Passion  con- 
 sists. -Now  at  the  last  Satan  comes  again  to 
 him  immediately,  as  in  the  desert ;  and  even 
 more  directly  near,  though  by  the  agency  and 
 in  the  form  of  man,  his  instrument.  And  here 
 in  Judas  the  sin  of  men  is  concentrated,  or 
 rather  he  is  the  concentrated  man  of  sin;  and 
 in  this,  that  he  has  to  do  with  such  a  one,  we 
 mark  the  greatest  temptation  to  the  Holy  Qiie 
 of  God  to  depart  from  the  rigorously-defined 
 path  of  his  holiness.  But  the  patient  Endun^r, 
 when  be  sutlers  this,  is  only  bruised  on  the 
 heel  by  the  heel  of  this  Satan-man  lifted  up 
 against  him  ;  over  him  who  would  tread  him 
 under  his  feet  in  his  impious  course,  the  self- 
 sacrificing  Redeemer  remains  exalted  in  his  un- 
 broken victory.  How  this  was  consummated 
 in  the  second  conflict  of  this  evening,  we  havo 
 seen  already  in  John  xiii.  27;  we  now  see  it 
 here  the  first  time.  That  is,  Jesus  abides  ex- 
 alted above  Judas  not  immediately  as  God,  but 
 in  that  emptied  relation  as  the  Son  of  Man,  in 
 which  he  was  capable  of  temptation  ;  he  is  and 
 abides,  in  opposition  to  this  man  of  sin,  the 
 faithful  man  in  God,  and  recedes  not  from 
 God's  purpose,  righteousness,  and  love.  Thus 
 we  seize  the  three  critical  points  of  this  utter- 
 ance, and  now  proceed  to  exhibit  them  more 
 clearly. 
 
 First:  Jesus  remains  exalted  in  the  purpose 
 and  will  of  God  above  the  wicked  piirpot-e  and 
 will  of  Judas;  for  he  can,  in  his  perfect  and 
 sure  obedience,  subordinate  the  suffering  of  this 
 lot  to  the  providential  arrangements  of  his. God 
 and  Father.  He  holds  to  the  as  it  is  written, 
 or,  as  Luke  says  afterwards,  was  determined ; 
 for  prophecy  and  predetermination  are  here 
 one.  The  whole  counsel  of  God  is  laid  down 
 in  the  Scripture  ;  the  plan  of  the  history  of  the 
 kingdom  and  the  world,  which  shall  stand  fast 
 in  spite  of  the  counsel  of  the  heathen  and  the 
 devic-s  of  the  people  (Psa.  xxxiii.  10,  11).  Be- 
 fore God,  in  the  book  of  his  mutually-interact- 
 ing omniscience  and  almightiness,  all  is  writ- 
 ten, down  to  the  hair  of  the  head  which  falleth 
 not  without  him — but  who  knoweth  the  indi- 
 vidual secret  thoughts  of  his  heart,  before  the)' 
 are  made  manifest'in  act  and  history  ?  For  its 
 it  was  enough,  that  that  had  been  before  an- 
 nounced in  prophecy,  which  wc  must  re':;ard  as 
 the  firm  centre  of  all — the  plan  of  redemption 
 in  Christ.  In  this  "  The  Son  ofmangodh"  are 
 wrapped  up  all  those  thoughts  of  peace  and 
 not  of  evil  which  the  Most  lli'di  has  thought 
 toward  the  children  of  men,  to  bring  the  good 
 end  which  was  expected  by  all  who  in  the  long- 
 ing of  penitence  and  faith  waited  for  it  (Jer 
 xxix.  11).     iHence  all  the  main  crises  of  that 
 
MATTHEW  XXVI.  24. 
 
 603 
 
 wonder  of  all  wonders,  of  the  redeeming  Pasyion 
 of  Chnst,  were  written  down  before;  and  the 
 event  signified  by  this  emphatic  as — the  be- 
 trayal by  one  of  his  most  intimate  chosen  ones 
 — must  have  been  recorded  too,  because  and  as 
 it  was  ordained;  and  here  also  applies  what 
 the  faith  of  the  disciples,  Acts  ii.  23,  iv.  28, 
 could  profoundly  express.  Nothing  can  break 
 or  disturb  this  predetermined  counsel  of  God; 
 all  hell,  and  its  power  in  humanity,  is  impo- 
 tent against  it,  even  as  the  desperate  malice  of 
 Judas  fails  to  disturb  the  repose  and  confidence 
 of  our  Lord.  He  abides  sublimely  elevated 
 above  his  evil  will,  for  he  submits  to  his  per- 
 mitted deed  as  obedient  to  the  good  will  of 
 God,  and  goes  on  his  plainly  marked  out  way. 
 Certainly,  this  is  contained  in  the  expression 
 V  7t  a.  y  E  t,  goelh,  which  here  primarily  indi- 
 cates the  process  of  deaUi  as  such,  just  as  in 
 John's  discourses  it  comprehends  the  going 
 through  death  to  the  Father.  Expositors  usu- 
 ally content  themselves  with  making  it  only 
 separation  from  the  body,  departure^'frora  this 
 life,  as  Tl^Hj  «■  ?•  Gen.  xv,  2;  Josh,  xxiii.  14; 
 Psa.  xxxix.  14("Sept.  n^\eYX)n(xyeiv) — but  the 
 inner  meaning  and  connection  constrains  us 
 here,  as  almost  always  in  John's  vndyeiv,  to 
 include  a  voluntary  submission  in  the  independ- 
 ent, obedient,  going  this  way  of  death.*  Luke's 
 nopEvETai  for  goeth  is  under  the  same  condi- 
 tion; indeed,  we  might  compare  John  xiv.  2, 
 28  (where  the  TtopsvEdOai  is  distinguished  from 
 the  mere  going  away  by  the  blessed  end  of  the 
 way  which  is  marked  out)  and  interpret  it 
 more  emphatically — The  Son  of  Man  goeth  his 
 appointed,  sure,  and  blessed  way  ;  he  fulfilleth 
 bis  course,  comp.  Luke  xiii.  33.  This  is  so  in- 
 timately connected  with  the  matter  itself,  that 
 it  must  prove  its  correctness.  "It  must  be 
 so,  because  it  is  written  ;  not  that  this  lays  me 
 under  constraint,  I  yield  myself  voluntarily 
 and  confidently  to  the  coun.sel  of  God."  Thus 
 the  holy  resolution  of  Jesus'  obedience  abides 
 exalted  above  the  malicious  purpose  of  Judas, 
 even  while  he  does  not  withstand  it.  lie  knows 
 that  even  this,  like  all  evil,  will  be  turned  to 
 good,  and  that  thus  will  be  effected  the  saving 
 of  the  world.  Indeed,  that  which  God  designs 
 for  good,  Judas  designs  for  simple  evil ;  but  the 
 thoughts  of  God  remain  firm  and  will  have 
 their  course.  Even  this  most  terrific  delin- 
 quency must  serve  the  accomplishment  of  the 
 eternal  purpose  of  love,  even  when  it  is  after- 
 wards carried  out  to  its  accomplishment — ^just 
 as  even  now  the  word  concerning  the  traitor 
 •was  turned  into  a  blessing  for  the  rest.  This 
 is  here  in  its  centre  the  same  mystery  of  the 
 divine  government  of  all,  which  meets  us  a 
 thousand  times,  a  thousand  times  repeated, 
 throughout  its  whole  procedure.  We  cannot 
 grasp  the  full  meaning  of  what  we  say,  when 
 we  spej?^;  of  provideiice ;  but  the  simplicity  of 
 our  iaith  in  the  living  God  in  thus  speaking  is 
 
 *  In  Josh,  xjttii.  14,  and  still  more  plainly,  1 
 Kings  ii.  2,  something  of  the  same  seli-devote- 
 meut  is  involved. 
 
 amply  justified.  But  that  the  holy  Son  of  Man 
 thus  simply  subjects  himself  to  this  providence, 
 when  the  greatness  of  tliis  devilish  wickedness 
 might  bring  the  temptation  to  doubt  whether 
 this  also  could  have  been  pre-determined — is 
 his  first  victory.  He  does  not  for  one  moment 
 think— -Can  it' be  tliat  I  shall  sufi"er  this  from 
 such  an  abandoned  apostate?  but  abides  in 
 firm  faith  in  the  purpose  of  God,  and  in  the 
 oledience  of  this  failh.  Here  serves  him  the  prop 
 of  Scripture;  for  all  that  was  written  of  'him 
 was  also  written /(^r  him,  to  be  the  light  of  his 
 feet,  the  lamp  and  justification  of  his  way.  We 
 do  no  more  now  than  point  once  more — aftex 
 having  spoken  of  it  at  large  upon  John  xiii. 
 18.  and  xvii.  12 — to  Christ's  own  exegesis, 
 which  finds  the  treachery  of  Judas  in  the  Old 
 Testament,  and  which  no  scientific  criticism  of 
 our  day  can  invalidate 
 
 It  is  right  before  God  that  this  should  be; 
 but  not  the  less  right  before  God  that  the 
 wicked  purpose  should  bear  its  guilt.  Conse- 
 quently, in  the  second  place,  Jesus  abides  also 
 exalted  ill  God's  righteousness  above  the  imputed, 
 retained,  and  abiding  guilt  of  Judas.  The  trans- 
 ition to  this  tiiougbt  cannot  be  belter  ex- 
 pressed than  it  is  in  the  Ilirschberg.  Bid: 
 "However  patiently  I  suffer  this,  however 
 little  God  will  hinder  it,  however  certainly 
 it  was  foreseen  and  pre-announced  that  I 
 should  be  betrayed  by  my  own  disciple — yet, 
 notwithstanding,  fearful  is  the  temporal  and 
 eternal  woe  which  will  fall  upon  him.  It  was 
 not  the  pre-announcement  which  caused  him 
 to  commit  this  damning  sin  ;  but  his  own  volun- 
 tary malignity,  foreseen  only  by  the  all-know- 
 ing God,  has  driven  him  to  this  heart-breaking 
 crime."  A  second  temptation  for  the  Son  of 
 Man  lay  in  this :  He  might  have  yielded — in 
 opposition  to  the  righteousness  of  God — to  the 
 false  pity  which  should  mourn  over  and  excuse 
 the  "  unhappy  Judas,"  as  being  appointed  to 
 be  the  instrument  of  such  a  destiny.  Into 
 this  temptation  we,  who  know  better,  are  still 
 apt  to  fall — not  so  the  Lord,  who  abides  firm 
 in  the  testimony  of  the  truth ;  and,  even  when 
 he  is  in  the  deepest  subjection  to  the  most  ma- 
 lignant wickedness,  forgets  not  for  a  moment 
 his  position  as  the  judge  over  all  evil  and  evil- 
 doers. 
 
 Woe  to  that  man!  When  the  Lord  thus  calls 
 him  a  man,  he  points  once  more,  as  we  have 
 said,  to  the  general  sin  of  mankind — which  in 
 this  man  of  sin  has  only  reached  its  full  con- 
 summation ;  but  the  emphatic  and  exclusive 
 iWizVoj,  that  man,  points  to  the  individual 
 character  of  this  tremendous  sin  and  guilt. 
 "  By  whom  the  Son  of  Man  is  betrayed  " — such 
 juxtaposition  with  such  a  man  is  the  deepe-t 
 humiliation  of  this  name;  what  inexpressible 
 condescension,  to  allow  that  he  belongs  to  one 
 humanity  with  this  Judas,  as  one^/"  ns.  We 
 might  be  misled  into  regarding  this  as  a  miti- 
 gation of  his  guilt,  as  Judas  did  not  after  all 
 do  violence  to  and  sin  against  the  known  Lord 
 of  glory ;  but  a  profounder  consideration  will 
 preserv-e  us  from  that  error,  and  leave  the  wo6 
 
504 
 
 FIRST  ALLUSION  TO  THE  TRAITOR. 
 
 in  all  its  rigor.  There  is  ample  independent 
 reason  why  our  Lord  should  here  throughout 
 call  himself  the  Son  of  Man;  but  that  Judas 
 was  not  essentially  ignorant  as  io  the  divine 
 dignity  of  his  blaster,  and  therefore  did  not  as 
 it  were  excusably  sin,  must  be  deduced  from 
 the  irremediable  doom  of  damnation  which  is 
 60  strongly  pronounced  upon  him. 
 
 The  Lord  does  not  say,  Woe  unto  men,  all 
 sinners,  by  whose  hand  and  counsel  I  must 
 suffer  and  be  crucified !  But  he  makes  this 
 man  prominent,  who  betrayed  him  to  others, 
 for  special  judgment.  Again,  he  cannot  now 
 say — Woe  to  that  one  of  the  twelve,  or  to  that 
 Apostle  who  has  betrayed  his  Lord  and  Master  ! 
 It  is,  however,  still  more  rigorous  when  he 
 brings  to  mind  that  he  who  had  thus  become  a 
 devil — is  a  man  ;  for  his  sin  at  the  same  time 
 in  another  sense  transcends  the  measure  of  or- 
 dinary  human  sin.  He  was  horn  as  man,  that 
 is,  as  no  more  than  sinful  man  ;  sinful,  indeed, 
 but  smceptihle  of  truth  and  love,  and  therefore 
 of  salvation.  But  now  he  has  feco7?ig  incapable 
 of  salvation,  in  direct  opposition  to  truth  and 
 love  itself.*  This  solitary  tcoe  denounced  upon 
 one  only  head,  in  the  profoundest  patience,  the 
 sublimest  tranquillity,  the  keenest  grief,  has  a 
 far  heavier  weight,  consequently,  than  the  other 
 "  woes  "  which  had  issued  from  the  same  lips  ; 
 heavier  than  that  of  the  seven  and  eight-fold 
 woes  denounced  upon  the  Scribes  and  Phari- 
 sees, which  however  were  dictated  by  the 
 wrath  of  love;  heavier  even  than  the  "woe  to 
 that  man"  by  the  side  of  "  woe  to  the  world," 
 Matt,  xviii.  7  (where,  moreover,  there  is  as 
 here  a  necessity  for  it  which  does  not  remove  the 
 guilt). 
 
 For  concerning  this  Judas  alone  the  lips  of 
 truth  say — It  had  been  good  for  that  man  if  he 
 had  never  hcen  honi!  Here  Krummacher  ob- 
 serves truly:  "This  inscription  placed  over 
 the  grave  of  his  unhappy  disciple  by  the  Lord 
 himself  is  the  most  fearful  and  affrighting  ut- 
 terance of  the  whole  Bible."  This  word,  taken 
 in  its  literal  rigor,  closes  eternally  the  door  of 
 hope;  it  precludes  all  thought  of  an  ultimate 
 salvation,  for  if  there  might  be  a  restoration  of 
 his  soul  in  the  distant"  revolution  of  ages,  it 
 would  be  better  for  him  to  have  been  born  : 
 this  is  so  obvious,  and  has  been  so  deeplv  felt 
 from  the  beginn/ng,  that  we  need  not  spend 
 many  words  in  establishing  it.  The  best  argu- 
 ment for  the  irrevocableness  of  this  sentence  is 
 found  in  the  contrivances  resorted  to  for  its 
 evasion;  for  instance,  It  had  been  better  ^or 
 the  Son  of  Man  if  Judas  had  never  been  born. 
 
 »  Thus  we  find,  and  we  trust  riahtly,  a  diff.-rent 
 sense  in  the  avOpcoTtog  here,  from  that  which 
 Krumniacher  finds,  wlio  regards  it  as  involving 
 "a  rfjectinjr  tone" — ".hulas  has  nothing  more  to 
 do  with  tlie  Rpdeenier  !  Je^us  lias  no  other  name 
 for  him  than  the  alien  and  cold  one— that  man.' 
 Wo  think  of  snch  passages  as  Matt.  xii.  12;  Mark 
 ii.  27 ;  Luke  ix.  5G,  and  ask  in  wonder,  How  can 
 the  name  "  man  "  be,  in  the  lips  of  the  Son  of 
 Man  and  man's  Saviour,  a  term  of  rejection  and 
 alieuatiuu  1 
 
 This  construction,  however  plausible  it  msy 
 seem  according  to  the  letter,  is  in  the  highest 
 degree  artificial,  and  therefore  to  be  rejected. 
 It  has  seemed  that  -KaXov  r/v  avroJ,  "It  hatj 
 been  good  for  him,"  must  be  referred  still  to 
 Christ,  as  the  itEfji  avrov,  "  concerning  him," 
 before;  partly,  because  the  Son  of  Man  imme- 
 diately precedes,  partly  because  the  conclusion 
 with  (hat  man  seems  to  bring  in  a  new  subject. 
 But  this  gives  to  the  words  a  tone  of  self-seek- 
 ing and  weak  lamentation  which  is  utterly  un- 
 worthy of  Jesus,  and  never  heard  elsewhere; 
 and  which  is,  moreover,  so  entirely  unsuitable 
 to  this  place,  that  on  that  account,  and  in  spite 
 of  grammatical  appearances,  there  have  been 
 few  who  have  ever  hesitated  to  admit  that  this 
 sentence  must  be  the  development  and  explana- 
 tion of  the  woe  previously  uttered.  We  repeat 
 what  we  said  on  another  occasion  :  "  Such  an 
 exposition  we  can  never  assent  to,  because  it 
 involves  such  a  direct  contrast  with  the  pre- 
 vious suhmission  to  the  counsel  of  God  as  is  quite 
 out  of  the  question  ;  still  more,  because — to 
 our  feeling  at  least — the  utterance  of  a  vioe 
 against  his  enemy  because  he  had  wrought  him 
 harm  is  at  this  sacred  crisis  altogether  unworthy 
 of  our  Lord  ;  while,  on  the  other  hand,  it  was 
 worthy  of  him  that  he  should  feel  sorrow  for 
 the  destruction  of  that  enemy,  who  had  wil- 
 fully plunged  himself  into  ruin."*  But  we  now 
 strengthen  those  two  feeble  expressions,  and 
 maintain  that  it  must  be  the  feeling  of  every 
 man  who  is  not  bent  upon  doing  violence  to  his 
 feeling,  that  such  an  exposition  altogether  de- 
 ranges the  true  sense  of  the  passage,  and  the 
 entire  relation  of  Jesus  to  Judas  ;  that  it  is  al- 
 together contrary  to  the  whole  mind  of  our 
 Lord  generally,  and  at  this  conjuncture  espe- 
 cially, when  his  sublime  elevation  above  Judas 
 must  be  manifested,  that  he  should  lower  him- 
 self so  far  as  to  make  such  a  lamentation  over 
 his  own  lot.  We  cannot  understand  how  any 
 man  can  tolerate  the  idea  of  such  a  thought  in 
 Jesus'  spirit,  of  such  a  word  on  Jesus'  lips,  as 
 — "  Ilaa  not  Judas  been  born,  it  would  for  me 
 hav3  been  better."  For  does  not  this  border  on 
 that  want  of  resignation  to  the  destiny  of  life, 
 which  in  man  has  said — Would  that  I  had  not 
 been  born  !  Here,  too,  at  the  table  of  the 
 Supper,  after  the  serene  self-sacrificing  words 
 — The  Son  of  Man  goeth,  as  it  is  written.  The 
 reference  of  the  a;3rcJ,  "  for  him,"  to  the  more 
 distant  subject,  instead  of  the  more  immediate, 
 is  sufficiently  explained  by  this,  tiiat  this  man 
 is  the  main  object  of  the  whole  utterance,  the 
 aJrcj  manifestly  being  only  a  repeated  ixsi' 
 vco  ;t  and  the  same  holdi  good  for  the  explana- 
 
 *  Lange  :  "  He  mourns  over  the  eternity  ot  this 
 man ;  so  much  so  tliat  he  forgets  the  sonow 
 which  he  had  wro\ight  for  himself." 
 
 t  Not,  therefore,  according  to  a  mediatin?  ex- 
 position :  It  would  be  better  to  tlie  Son  of  M  m  ; 
 I  should  much  rather  that  this  unhapjiy  man  had 
 never  been  born.  The  Lord  expressly  speaks  not 
 of  himself  at  all;  but  only  of  the  coUL.emiial.on 
 of  this  man. 
 
MATTHEW  XXVI.  24. 
 
 505 
 
 tion  of  the  repeated  that  man  which  is  thereby 
 «Hj;»/«e^/c«%  connected  with  the  tee/i  6orre.  Gias- 
 siu-3  observes  that  this  repetition  of  the  sub- 
 ject is  according  to  the  emphasis  of  the  He- 
 brew,  niS^an  nspin^>  ad  augendam  declara- 
 
 tionem ;  appealing  to  several  Old-Testament 
 passages  (Gen.  ii.  19,  xiii.  16  ;  P^xod.  vii.  2, 
 XXXV.  5;  Josh.  i.  2;  Jer.  xxxvii.  8  :  2  Sam.vi. 
 4),  and  in  the  New  Testament  to  Matt.  xxvi. 
 24,  and  2  Cor.  iv.  3,  4  {ev  oli — rooy  diti6roov). 
 Tiiis  emphasis  in  the  indication  of  this  man  is 
 a  sufficient  reason  for  the  expression,  is  in  fact 
 the  main  thing  in  it;  but  with  this  may  be 
 connected  what  Bengel  finds  in  the  first  exiiva) 
 — illi,  de  quo  ipso  etiam  scriptum  ed* 
 
 Thus  it  remains  that  the  Lord  testifies—"  It 
 would  have  been  better  for  Judas  never  to 
 have  been  born."  But  this  is  not  in  his  lips  a 
 sott  and  sentimental  expression  concerning  the 
 traitor, any  more  than  it  is  a  mere  sentimental 
 lamentation  over  himself.  Nor  is  its  force  to 
 be  evaded  or  explamed  away  by  decreeing  that 
 it  is  only  a  proverbial  saying  ;  for  Jesus  has 
 no  mere  "  manner  of  speech  "  in  what  he  says, 
 and  if  he  uses  proverbs  he  uses  them  as  truth. 
 It  is  primarily  a  prophecy — It  will  befall  this 
 man  to  wish  that  he  could  undo  his  birth  and 
 annihilate  his  own  existence  (Luke  xxiii.  29, 
 SO;  Ecclus.  xxiii.  14,  nai  SEXtf(j£ii  ei  jur/ 
 iyevvt'lOtji).  But  that  which  is  here  predicted 
 is  very  dilferent  from  the  anguish  and  transitory 
 dePi>ondency  which  made  Job  and  Jeremiah 
 curse  the  day  of  their  birth  ;  for  the  emphasis 
 rests  upon  this,  that  Jesus  does  not  merely 
 predict  a  desire  of  Judas,  but  himself  by  anti- 
 cipation confirms  and  utters  this  uaXov  yv — 
 il  -were  heller. 
 
 Here,  consequently,  we  have  in  the  second 
 clause  of  this  utterance  the  second  mystery 
 (if  the  divine  government,  as  it  appears  central 
 in  the  centre  of  that  government — the  divine 
 counsel,  vvhich  orders  all  things  beforehand,  is 
 nol  disturbed  by  the  wicked  purpose  which 
 arises;  so  also  God's  justice,  which  condemns 
 the  sinner,  is  not  invaded  or  neutralized  by  the 
 permissive  appointment.  All  that  comes  to  pass 
 ptands  under  and  depends  upon  the  will  of 
 G(h1.  The  energies  of  nature,  without  will  and 
 Without  organic  power  of  their  own,  work  all, 
 down  to  the  slightest,  only  according  to  the 
 will  of  the  Creator,  immanent  in  his  own  crea- 
 tion. But  in  the  personal  creature  invested 
 with  free  will,  in  humanity,  we  must  carefully 
 
 *  On  llie  oilier  hand,  wo  cinnot  admit  what 
 Benuel  has  saiil  upon  the  second  this  man — "  Videri 
 ]>ossiL  pra:dicn(um."  He  corrects  this  videri  pos.iit 
 by  anolher  subtile  remark  (probably  too  subtile) 
 — "  Ille,  appellatioyrtw  nt  remoti."  i3ut  Lan<je  as- 
 sorts that  ue  must  translate — Better  that  he  had 
 nol  been  Ikjiii  an  that  man.  This,  however,  is  dan- 
 fiprous;  since  Judas  would  then  appear  to  have 
 been  born  the  wretch  he  was,  and  Irs  individual 
 prosressive  guilt  would  be  carried  back  to  his 
 iiinh.  Instead -ftf  laying  upon  his  own  head  his 
 iiiiilL,  it  would  assume  a  jiredestinafion  to  it  in  the 
 wyiiteiiou*  counsel  which  decided  his  destiny. 
 
 distinguish  between  occurrenM  and  act,  between 
 effect  and  loilt.  Whatever  comes  to  pass,  as  far 
 as  it  is  event  and  result,  belongs  to  the  divine 
 direction,  in  which  the  Lord  turns  the  thoughts 
 of  the  people  to  such  and  such  results,  as  his 
 own  thoughts  will.  Thus  all  must  serve  God ; 
 and  thus  Judas,  who  least  of  all  understood  the 
 divine  purpose  of  redemption,  is  an  eminent 
 instrument  in  its  accomplishment ;  a  man,  ly 
 means  of  whom  something  takes  place  which 
 was  to  to  take  place,  and  as  it  was  to  take 
 place.  Ilis  purpose,  nevertheless,  meant  it 
 very  differently  when  he  became  the  betrayer 
 of  Jesus;  and'this  his  act  as  such  falls  there- 
 fore as  certainly  under  the  divine  imputation  as 
 the  event  falls  under  the  arrangements  of  divine 
 providence.  Here  there  is  no  room  for  excuse 
 through  predestination  in  the  prescience.  The 
 event  is  so  cettainly  defined,  appointed,  and 
 interwoven  with  the  great  plan  as  subserving 
 the  great  counsel  of  salvation  (a  dpKJuevov), 
 that"the  betrayal  of  Judas  as  an  accomplished 
 fact  is  already  the  foundation  on  which  the 
 sacramental  institution  is  based.*  But,  at  the 
 same  time,  as  an  act  this  betrayal  was  so  cer- 
 tainly voluntary,  and  independent  of  the  will 
 of  God,  that  its  guilt  rests  upon  this  man — 
 certainly  not  born  or  created  for  damnation — 
 unto  eternal  ruin.  Ten  thousand  times  does 
 this  interweaving  of  divine  foresight  and  the 
 imputation  of  guilt,  this  combination  of  neces- 
 sity and  freed">m,  the  one  not  affecting  the 
 other,  recur  in  history  ;  indeed,  the  pro- 
 vidential government  of  the  world  is  the  per- 
 petual exhibition  of  this  deep  mystery. 
 
 What  now  is  the  guilt  in  which  this  traitor 
 has  involved  himself?  Most  assuredly,  he 
 sinned  as  man  against  the  Son  of  Man  ;  and 
 without  that  dogmatic  knowledge  of  his  being 
 the  Son  of  God  which  the  Spirit  afterwards 
 gave;  but  this  does  not  affect  the  question,  for 
 crime  may  be  committed  against  God  in  man, 
 with  the  same  opposition  to  the  truth  which 
 those  manifested  who  crucified  to  themselves 
 the  Son  of  God  afresh  and  put  him  to  shame 
 (Heb.  vi.  6).  God  in  man  had  been  so  near 
 and  manifest  to  him  in  the  person  of  this  Son 
 of  Man,  that  he  cannot  be  regarded  as  having 
 done  evil  only  against  the  Son  of  Man ;  that 
 which  the  Lord  says  generally  concerning  the 
 Jews  in  John  xv.  "22-25  applies  to  him  as  an 
 Apostle  in  the  highest  degree.  He  resisted  the 
 truth  as  a  hypocrite  ;  love  only  hardened  him  ; 
 from  a  chosen  and  trusted  one  he  had  become  a 
 traitor,  and  delivered  his  Lord  and  Master 
 over  to  the  enemies  who  sought  his  death — 
 for  that  miserable  earnest-money.  He  can  hear 
 the  woe  with  which  redeeming  love  bewails 
 him,  and  yet  daringly  asks— /s  it  I?  He  can 
 eat  and  drink  that  which  the  Lord  presents  as 
 his  body  and  blood  for  the  forgiveness  of  sins 
 —and  then  go  awav  to  accomplish  his  deter- 
 mined sin,  to  do,  as  the  Lord  had  said,  what  he 
 
 *  This  is  probably  the  reason  why  our  Lord  in 
 Luke  xxii.  21  returns  to  it  during  the  Supper,  and 
 testifies  that  his  guilt  remained. 
 
506 
 
 FIRST  ALLUSION  TO  THE  TRAITOR. 
 
 wills  to  do.  "  Woe  to  that  man" — he  was  born 
 a  man,  but  he  has  ceased  to  be  one,  and  has 
 become  a  devil.  H  s  sin — tliat  of  man  against 
 nian — is  nevertheless  in  its  kernel  a  participa- 
 tion in  the  presumptuous  impiety  of  Satan 
 against  God.  For.  in  the  holiness  of  the  God- 
 man  there  was  nothing  which  might  furnish 
 excuse,  as  in  the  case  oi'  man's  sinning  against 
 sinful  man  ;*  his  hatred  of  love  thereW  passes 
 over  the  human  limit  into  the  devilish.  He 
 would  betray  his  Lord,  but  he  betrayed  and 
 sold  hirmt'Ifio  hell.  In  liim  Satan  had  his  first 
 victory  over  the  power  of  the  love  of  God  in 
 Christ :  and  the  saying  of  Rom.  vi.  20  is  re- 
 vf^rsed  by  a  fearful  exception  to  the  rule — 
 Where  grace  was  mighty,  sin  became  mightier 
 still.  It  avails  not  to  apologize  for  him  by  re- 
 ferring to  the  delusion  of  his  covetousness,  as 
 the  handle  by  which  Satan  made  him  his  in- 
 strument ;  the  real  handle  was  in  the  depth  of 
 his  wicked  heart.  Nor  does  it  afTect  the  case, 
 if  it  is  supposed  that  Judas  did  not  really 
 expect  the  condemnation  and  death  of  Jesus — 
 that  would  make  his  daring  mockery  of  the 
 person  of  the  Holy  One  only  the  more  wicked, 
 and  complicate  still  further  the  many-sided 
 falseness  of  his  iniquity.  After  all,  the  Lord's 
 woe  denounced  upon  Judas,  such  as  we  have  it 
 before  our  eyes,  is  decisive  evidence  of  the 
 abysmal  wickedness  of  his  mind  and  action,  for 
 with  that  alone  would  such  a  judgment  accord. 
 He  assuredly  is  the  only  one  who  received  his 
 sentence  in  person  before  the  last  day  ;  who 
 was  given  over  to  destruction  before  the  pre- 
 sentation of  that  sin-oflering  which  saves  so 
 many  from  destruction. 
 
 It  had  been  better  to  him  never  to  have  been 
 born — to  this  man.  Note  that  the  Lord  does 
 not  say  simply — It  had  been  ?>eUer.  For,  that 
 would  imply — before  God  better;  and  would 
 border  on  that  forbidden  question,  which  in- 
 vades the  region  of  unexplained  mystery — Why 
 then  did  God  permit  him  to  be  born?  For 
 the  same  reason,  to  obviate  any  semblance  of 
 imputation  on  the  original  purity  and  guiltless- 
 ness of  all  creation,  he  cannot  say — Bitter  nev- 
 er to  have  been  created.  Mark,  further,  it  is 
 not — Better  that  he  should  be  annihilated  ;  for 
 while  th'' annihilation  of  an  intelligent  creature 
 is  abstractly  possible  to  omnipotence,  so  that  it 
 may  be  regarded  as  a  possibility  for  the  lost, 
 yet  on  the  other  hand  it  is  impossible  according 
 \o  justice.  Therefore  the  Lord's  word  avoids  all 
 liability  to  such  application,  and  confirms  in 
 the  a  r  r  cJ,  "for  him,"  the  eternal  continuance 
 of  this  condemned  one,  to  whom  it  would  be 
 better  never  to  have  been.  Jt  would-  he,  that  is 
 to  him,  as  he  will  feel  and  wish  eternally — thus 
 mourns  his  love,  but  goes  no  further.  His 
 righteousness  proclaims — Wq  vas  born,  and  has 
 become  what  he  has  bc-come,  throu<zh  his  own 
 guilt.  Let  dogmatics  and  speculation  see  to  it 
 how  they  deal  with  this  utterance  which  exe- 
 
 *  This  ho  himself  afrerwards  testified  in 
 shrinl<ing  an!  pnrtinl  expression,  though  plainly 
 eiiouiih,  Malt,  xxvii.  4. 
 
 gesis  hands  over  to  them.  There  are  but  Iwa 
 hints  in  addition  which  we  have  to  give.  The 
 one  is  thus  expressed  by  the  Berl.  Bihcl:  "  We 
 must  distinguish  between  God's  work,  our  own, 
 and  the  devil's.  Neither  of  these  affects  the 
 other — however  mucii  they  interpenetrate  each 
 other — neither  abolishes  the  other's  full  signif- 
 icance." The  other  is  this:  Mark  how  even 
 the  redeeming  power  of  the  blood  of  Christ 
 finds  its  limit  where  the  Satanic  domain  begins 
 and  penetrates  the  human  ;  and  that  there  is 
 an  actual  abyss,  on  the  edge  of  which  all  sin- 
 ners walk,  the  end  of  that  which  had  its  begin- 
 ning in  the  fall,  and  into  which  all  those  must 
 fall,  who  give  no  entrance  to  redeeming  grace. 
 But  is  this  jr.dgment  of  the  Lord  upon  Ju- 
 das— with  all  the  majestic  calmness  of  the  eter- 
 nal righteousness  of  God  in  which  it  is  spok'^n, 
 and  in  his  humanity,  according  to  the  love  of 
 God  incarnate  in  him — a  cold  and  rigoroua 
 judgment  of  a  condemned  enemy,  bereft  of  all 
 sympathy  and  feeling?  Far  be  it!  Rather  is 
 it  the  most  affecting  and  melting  lamentation 
 of  love,  which  feels  the  woe  as  much  as  holi- 
 ness requires  or  will  admit.  Thprefore,  in  the 
 third  place,  Jpsus  abides  ali?o exalted  in  the  love 
 of  God  over  Judas'  eternal  ruin.  If  the  second 
 temptation,  after  the  victory  in  the  first  (that 
 is,  alter  the  self-devotvm  to  God's  will),  would 
 lead  the  Lord  to  a  weak  and  excusing  sentence, 
 in  misapprehension  of  the  divine  counsel,  and 
 thus  to  a  false  love — so  now  the  third  tempta- 
 tion, after  the  second  victory,  would  lead  hina 
 to  a  severely-rejecting  condemnation,  in  mis- 
 apprehension of  the  divine  righteousness,  and 
 as  if  it,  was  divested  of  all  love — and  thus  to 
 false  justice.  From  the  time  when  Jesus  c/wiitf 
 this  lost  one,  with  the  design  of  expending  upon 
 him  the  strength  of  his  goodness,  patience,  and 
 long-suffering,  if  he  might  be  saved  from  the 
 darkness  that  threatened  him,  down  to  the 
 heart-piercing  appeal  at  the  kiss  in  Gethsem- 
 ane — from  tlie  beginning  to  the  end  he  had 
 loved  him,  for  the  Father's  sake  and  in  the 
 Father's  name,  who  would  have  none  to  perish 
 that  have  ever  been  born.  If  he  who  gives 
 himself  to  us  in  Christ  as  a  Father  is  still  in  the 
 midst  of  redeeming  grace,  the  Righteous  Father 
 (John  xvii.  D5),  so  also  his  righteousness, 
 which  must  let  the  deserved  woe  have  its  full 
 cov«se,  is  inseparable  from  love  :  but  this  Fa- 
 ther-love of  God  manifests  itself  in  its  human 
 immeasurable  condescension  in  the  Son  of  Man, 
 who  is  the  Son  of  God.  In  him  it  gives  its 
 abundant  witness  that  God  willoth  not  the 
 death  of  a  sinner;  and  with  all  the  more  love, 
 in  proportion  as  the  sin  more  wickedly  resists. 
 As  the  sin  of  men  is  Chris'/s  grief  generally,  .so 
 specifically  is  the  unlmiited  sin  of  the  traitor 
 here,  and  his  consequent  unbounded  condem- 
 nalion,  and,  further,  the  necessity  that  ho 
 should  testify  of  it — the  woe  pronounced  upon 
 this  man  bee  mes  the  personal  griof  of  his  own 
 high-priestly  heart  as  the  Son  of  Mun  ;  and 
 "  this  man  is  a  sorrow  to  him,  back  to  his  very 
 birth"  (as  Lango  beautifully  says).  Yes.  verily, 
 this  is  the  inmost  meaning  of  the  last  lamenta- 
 
MATTHEW  XXVI.  25. 
 
 507 
 
 tion,  in  which  we  hear  the  last  cry  of  a  love 
 which  goes  in  eympathy  with  the  lost  one  to 
 the  extreme  limits  of  mercy,  where  he  must 
 be  abandoned  forever.  It  vould  he  better  to 
 him — ah  that — it  were  other  than  it  is  !  The 
 Lord  thus  speaks  because  he  has  already  entered 
 within  the  range  of  the  sacred  passion  ;  and 
 because  it  is  now  needful  for  the  fulfillment  of 
 the  divine  counsel,  that  in  this  last  heavy 
 temptation  to  invade  prematurely  the  wrath  of 
 judg'ment,  he  should  assert  in  his  purity  and 
 integrity  the  power  of  forbearing  love.*  He 
 ha.s  asserted  it  here,  in  a  manner  so  reconcilinrj 
 (according  to  every  sense  of  the  term),  against 
 and  upon  Judas,  that  every  heart  of  his  true 
 disciples  which  might  stumble  at  the  eternal 
 condemnation  of  the  lost,  must  be  strengthened 
 and  comforted  by  this  original  lamentation  over 
 it  poured  out  by  the  Son  of  God. 
 
 But  at  this  fundamental  crisis  is  foreshadow- 
 ed what  will  and  must  recur  in  the  history  and 
 final  consummation  of  his  Church.  When  that 
 second  man  of  sin,  potentiated  into  a  whole 
 race,  when  Antichrist  arid  his  hosts  confront 
 the  final  Church  of  the  saints,  whose  victory 
 must  be  patience  and  faith,  Christ's  people  will 
 Lave  nothing  to  do  but  follow  the  example  of 
 their  Head  and  Captain — to  abide  patiently 
 obedient,  resting  on  the  assurance  that  it  was 
 so  written  and  appointed ;  to  maintain  the 
 testimony  of  truth  and  righteousness  to  the 
 damnation  of  the  ungodly  ;  but  while  doing  so, 
 to  hold  fast  their  Ime  down  to  the  final  limit  of 
 God's  patience,  until  the  day  of  his  wrath  shall 
 come.  "  Fury  is  not  in  ine."  So  according  to 
 Isa.  xxvii.  4,  speaks  God's  vineyard,  without  a 
 hedge  of  briars  and  thorns,  to  its  enemies. 
 "  Fury  is  not  in  me."  So  spake  Jesus,  now  at 
 the  first,  the  living  vine,  the  root  and  stem  of 
 the  Church.  Thus  did  he  endure,  condemn, 
 bewail,  but  not  show  wrath  ;  in  order  that  we 
 mav  see  in  him,  the  Son  of  Man,  how  the  love 
 of  6od  glories  even  against  wrath,  and  even  in 
 judgment  has  its  victory. 
 
 Matt.  xxvi.  25.  The  word  which  we  have 
 already  heard,  though  a  cry  of  lamentation, 
 might  be  regarded  as  a  fearful  word,  on  account 
 of  "the  oljed  of  its  lamenting  love — "Better 
 never  to  have  been  born  ;  "  but  this  third  word 
 I'hou  sayest  it!  spoken  to  the  traitor  himself, 
 may  be  regarded  as  simply  sublimely  awful. 
 Matthew  alone  has  preserved  this,  thus  prov- 
 ing himself  like  John  an  eye  witness;  and  in 
 regard  to  this  low-uttered  colloquy,  more  ob- 
 serving, so  to  speak,  than  he.  For  when  John, 
 xiii.  28,  records  that  no  man  at  the  table  knew 
 the  meaning  of  the  latter  and  last  word  to  Ju- 
 
 das, it  is  obvious  that,  as  he  excepts  himself, 
 so  we  may  except  Matthew  too — or  it  remains 
 to  suppose  that  John  alone  observed  this  prior 
 word  to  Judas,  and  afterward  communicated  it 
 to  the  Apostles.  We  leave  all  this  to  the  free 
 judgment  of  the  reader  for  adjustment;  only 
 stipulating  that  the  trustworthiness  of  each 
 evangelical  narrative  must  beheld  unimpeach- 
 able.* For  our  own  part,  we  repose  confidently 
 upon  the  absolute  independence  of  the  first 
 Gospel;  and  regard  it  as  in  the  highest  degree 
 probable  that  Matthew  himself  observed  and 
 heard  what  in  ver.  25  he  records  to  us  with  the 
 same  simplicity  of  an  eye  witness  which  reigns 
 every  where  else. 
 
 There  has  been  found  wanting  in  Miirh  some 
 hint  as  to  the  way  in  which  Judas  receivt>d 
 this  word  of  Jesus  ;f  for  the  traitor  cannot  bo 
 included  in  ver  19,  on  account  of  the  1>?ing  sor- 
 rowful. The  reason  is  that  he  did  not  record 
 what  was  not  certainly  known  to  him.  But 
 Matthew  gives  us  a  brief  but  most  pregnnnt 
 intimation  of  the  proud  daring  o;  the  miserable 
 man.  The  I»  it  I?  of  the  others  did  not  hum- 
 ble or  agitate  him,  save  that  he  had  no  spirit 
 to  join  with  them — last  trace  of  a  fear  and  con- 
 cernment which  soon  was  utterly  to  vanish. 
 The  terrific  woe  which  now  followed  without 
 restraint,  sounded  into  his  deaf  ears  without 
 making  any  impression,  or  producing  any  ter- 
 ror. He  remained  cold  and  immovable,  blind, 
 deaf,  and  feelingless  in  his  cherished  purpose  ; 
 or,  rather,  if  we  may  dare  to  say  so,  strength- 
 ened in  it  by  the  decisive  prediction  of  its  ac- 
 complishment;  insensible  to  the  thunders  of 
 judgment  impended  in  the  woe,  and  to  the 
 mercy  which  shone  upon  the  cloud  in  the  la- 
 menting "Jietter  would  it  he  to  him!"  "He 
 breathed  nothing  but  self  though  surrounded 
 by  the  atmosphere  of  eternal  love"  (Lossel). 
 Just  as  if  he  had  not  heard  the  sentence  of  woe, 
 he  acts  as  if  it  had  never  been  spoken;  and 
 adds  to  the  rest,  with  fearful  desperation  con- 
 cealed under  the  perfection  of  hypocrisy,  his 
 own  delayed  Is  it  I?  Ebrard's  solution  seems 
 to  us  altogether  wrong;  for  he  regards  Judas  as 
 simply  hjing,  and  saying  by  the  tone  of  his 
 question — "  I  cannot  be  the  person  meant." 
 The  only  correct  explanation  is,  that  he  puts 
 his  question  as  much  as  possible  like  that  of 
 the  others  ;  a  question  which  he  had  so  asked  as 
 to  wait  for  no  as  the  answer,  could  scarcely  have 
 been  answered  by  the  affirmative,  thou  hast  said. 
 The  others  are  all  still  absorbed  in  thought,  pon- 
 dering the  hard  meaning  of  the  word  of  Jesus 
 just  spoken;  on  that  account  they  do  not  observe 
 the  question  which  Judas  takes  that  opportu- 
 
 *  This  most  critical  point  in  this  crisis  of  temp- 
 tation is  overlooked  by  Lanae.  lie  speaks  of  a 
 sinking;  back  into  the  Old  Testament  and  letjal 
 wrath  of  zeal,  and  so  forth — but  this  formed  no 
 element,  in  the  present  temptation  of  Christ.  Thie 
 otheiwi'p  justifiable  tvrath,  which  as  the  meek 
 sufferer  he  must  now  avoid,  was  minifp'Jtly  in  the 
 future  of  his  judicial  office,  not  in  the  Old  Testa- 
 ment past. 
 
 *  Nennder  forgets  this  when  (notwithstanding 
 the  sop  reached  to  him)  he  regards  the  low  ques- 
 tion of  Judas  as  an  impossibihty,  on  account  of 
 his  distance:  .ind  tlirn  allows  himself  to  say: 
 "  This  is  probably  a  foreign  (that  is,  untruel  par- 
 ticular, the  origin  of  which  b  explained  by  the 
 true  representation  in  John." 
 
 f  Yet  it  is  he  who  distinctly  testifies— And  they, 
 the  twelve,  drank  all  of  the  cup. 
 
608 
 
 THE  LOPwD'S  SUPPER. 
 
 nity  of  pronouncing  half-abud.  He  intended 
 it  to  bp,  us  we  have  said,  like  theirs;  but  there 
 is  a  difl'erence  which  is  barJlv  accidental.  The 
 others  uttered  in  most  humble  submission  the 
 name  Kvpts,  Lord,  which  was  the  answer  to 
 tlieir  own  question — that  word  does  not  pass  the 
 traitor's  lips,  but  instead  of  it  he  uses  the  cold 
 and  ceremonious  *Pafi(ii,  Master* 
 
 Let  us  mark  well  the  contrast  between  these 
 two,  and  feel  as  far  as  we  may  the  wilful  pre- 
 sumption of  this  question.  In  any  other  saint 
 among  the  children  of  men  it  would  have  pro- 
 vo'.ced  only  anger — if  we  may  with  reverence  in- 
 stitufeany  such  comparison.  Butno  temptation 
 to  icrnth,&ioi\\%T  timesmostholy  and  right  even 
 in  him,  but  now  forbidden,  finds  access  to  the 
 soul  of  Jesus.  Howcan  we  imagine  it  possible 
 that  any  thing — that  even  he,  wlxose  everlasting 
 punishment  he  now  bewails — could  move  him 
 from  the  triumphant  elevation  of  bis  thought 
 and  feeling?  His  answer  to  this  question  is 
 like  a  flash  from  the  bright  heaven  ;  but  it  is 
 only  the  flash  of  absolute  truth,  utierd  as  the 
 reply  of  silent  majesty,  and  without  the  thunder 
 of  threatening  or  invective.f  The  Lord's  wis- 
 dom of  love  still  spares  him  by  an  answer  as 
 low  in  its  love  as  his  own ;  but  the  necessary, 
 inevitable  word  is  distinctly  audible  to  him — 
 Thou  myest  it,  or — Thou  hn&t  said  it  {thyae^f)  ;  a 
 form  of  affirmation  similar  to  that  afterwards 
 used  to  Caiaphas,  and  at  first  meaning — Thou 
 knowest  it  well,  wherefore  askest  thou?  So 
 again — Ah  that  thou  hadst  7iot  asked !  ah  that 
 ]  had  not  to  answer !  ah  that  thou  wast  not  such  ! 
 and  what  else  the  mysterious  emphasis  of  this 
 word  may  evolve  to  the  thoughtful  considera- 
 
 tion. In  such  words  as  these  definite  exposi- 
 tion ceases,  and  pondering  reflection  must  take 
 its  place.  Thus  much  we  further  indicate  as 
 its  force  to  the  feeling:  "Thou  knowe-t  it,  I 
 I  also.  Yea,  I  look  through  thee,  and  canst 
 thou  still  doubt  it?  Thou  deceivest  me  not — 
 thou  dost  not  mislead  or  move  me.  Thou  dost 
 not  shake  me  from  my  submission  to  the  decreed 
 purpose  of  God  ;  thou  dost  not  make  meAvaver 
 in  my  righteous  condemation  of  thy  sin — but 
 neither  dost  thou  move  me  from  my  love — for 
 thou  mayest  not  and  shall  not  even  disturb  my 
 repose."  The  thou  which  is  directly  given  back 
 intimates  what  is  more  strongly  expressed  af- 
 terwards in  John's  What  Uwu  dost — Thou  wiliest 
 it,  and  thy  will,  which  hurries  thee  to  ruin, 
 and,  executed  on  me,  will  subserve  redemption, 
 will  neither  by  me  nor  my  Father  be  resisted 
 (Ilabeas  tibi — but  in  a  tone  more  mournful  than 
 upbraiding). 
 
 Woe,  woe  to  the  man,  who  thus  questions  the 
 Lord,  and  must  receive  this  answer  !  Such  is 
 the  application  with  which  the  Spirit  interlines 
 the  text,  as  it  were,  for  every  reader. 
 
 After  this  interchange  of  these  two  words, 
 which  condense  into  one  moment  the  awful 
 collision  between  heaven  and  hell,  we  must 
 suppose  a  short  pause  to  have  ensued — a  pause 
 of  anxious  silence  or  profound  pondering  while 
 the  paschal  meal  proceeds.  "  And  as  they  jcera 
 eating"  is  Matthew's  new  commencement ;  and 
 all  the  three  Evangelists  introduce  now  the  in- 
 stitution of  the  sacrament.  To  it,  in  all  its 
 immeasurable  importance  and  inexhaustible 
 depth  of  meaning,  we  now  turn  our  attention. 
 
 INSTITUTION  OF  THE  LORD'S  SUPPER. 
 (Matt.  xxvi.  26-28;  Make  xvi.  22,  24  ;  Luke  xxii.  19,  20 ;  1  Coe.  xi.  24,  25.) 
 
 The  importance  of  these  words,  which  are 
 heard  from  age  to  age  amid  the  most  solemn  of 
 all  the  services  of  the  Church,  consists  prima- 
 rily in  this,  that  they  appoint  and  establish  a 
 sacrament.  The  development  of  the  idea  ex- 
 pressed by  this  word  must  be  resigned  to  dog- 
 matic theology.  We  have  only  to  observe,  that 
 this  idea,  and  likewise  the  word  which  denotes 
 it,  belongs  to  the  ecclesiastical  development  of 
 doctrine,  and  is  not  found  immediately  in  Scrip- 
 ture ;  but  that  it  must  be  classed,  nevertheless, 
 among  those  things  which  the  living  tradition 
 of  the  Spirit  in  the  Church  pre-supposed  and 
 
 *  Bengal  reminds  us  that  we  nfver  read  of 
 Judas'  calling  Jesus  Lord.  That  is  plain  eDou<ib, 
 as  rega-  ds  the  Scripture  ;  hut  we  can  easily  sup- 
 pose him  to  liave  said  Lord  to  him  whom  ho 
 kissed  at  the  end. 
 
 f  IIi<?  love  will  and  his  truth  must  expressly  an- 
 swer such  an  Is  it  I?  as  that  of  Judas,  allhouah 
 it  seeins  needless.     To  the  /*  it  If  of  the  amazed 
 
 assumed  from  the  beginning,  and  without  the 
 recognition  of  which  no  exposition  of  Scrip- 
 ture can  fully  accomplish  its  purpose.  We  go 
 further,  and  maintain  that  this  ecclesiastical 
 idea  (in  the  purest  and  most  legitimate  sense 
 of  the  word)  has  its  root  in  the  Scripture,  o: 
 may  be  deduced  from  it  ns  a  necessary  conse- 
 quence •  and  especially,  that  iiere  at  the  insti- 
 tution of  the  Lord's  iSuppcr  wo  are  to  seek  its 
 origin.  He  who  would  ground  dogmatic  the- 
 ology upon  exposition,  will  not  fail  to  exhibit 
 the  root  of  all  sacramental  doctrine  in  this  his- 
 torical event;  he  who  would,  with  a  truly  un- 
 prejudiced spirit,  expound  from  the  depth  of 
 the  words,  as  well  as  of  the  history  with  which 
 they  are  connected,  must  necessarily  at  the  very 
 threshold  admit  a  proposition  which  will  be  a 
 key  to  the  interpretation,  viz.,  that  the   Lord 
 
 guililess  ones  who  question  their  own  innocence, 
 no  answer  is  needlul ;  for,  despite  appearances, 
 the  question  is  its  own  answer. 
 
MATTHEW  XXVI.  26-28. 
 
 509 
 
 here  contemplated  just  sr.ch  a  sacramental  sol- 
 emnity as  his  Church  celebrates.* 
 
 It  is  very  easy  to  hurry  on  with  the  obser- 
 vation that  "  the  words  of  institution  can  con- 
 tain no  dogmatic  mystery  ;  for  Christ  was  not  a 
 man  of  mysteries,  and  of  dogmatic  sentences." 
 On  the  contiary,  it  is  perfectly  plain,  that  the 
 man  who  is  in  his  own  person  tlie  mystery  of 
 all  mysteries  speaks  in  the  highest  degree  mys- 
 teriously concerning  the  eating  and  drinking 
 of  his  body  and  of  his  blood  ;  he  connects 
 with  "Do  this  "in  incontrovertible  authority 
 "  This  is,  "  which  necessarily  exhibits  a  dog- 
 matic ordinance  as  contained  in  the  insti- 
 tution, and  offered  to  our  spiritual  under- 
 standing for  its  development.  Or,  are  we  at 
 once  to  assume  that  "  This  is"  mrist  be  inter- 
 preted in  such  a  manner  as  that  no  mystery  or 
 sacrament  shall  arise  out  of  it?     But  the  very 
 
 fjerson  of  him  who  speaks  forbids  this,  as  we 
 lave  said  ;  so  does  the  allusion  to  his  doctrine 
 in  John  vi.,  concernino;  the  eating  and  drinking 
 of  himself;  and  finally  an3  conclusively,  the 
 connection  between  this  institution  an4  the 
 Old-Testament  Passover. 
 
 Here  as  every  where  it  is  shown  that  the 
 New  Testament  cannot  be  rightly  or  adequate- 
 ly understood,  unless  justice  is  done  to  its  con- 
 nection with  and  derivation  from  the  Old  Tes- 
 tament. We  have  seen  more  and  more  plainly 
 in  the  introduciory  words  what  importance  the 
 Lord  attached  to  the  Israelitish  Passover,  and 
 by  what  degrees  he  prepared  his  disciples  to 
 ■understand  that  at  this  last  celebration  of  it  a 
 new  institution  would  take  its  place,  which 
 should  introduce  its  full  realization.  After  he 
 had  already  in  the  feet-washing  excited  the 
 thoughts  of  the  disciples  to  discern  in  an  exter- 
 ternal  trnnsndion  a  ."w/mioZ  of  spiritual  things,  he 
 speaks  of  his  sufferings  in  such  a  manner  as  dis- 
 tmctly  to  indicate  himself  to  be  the  true  Lamb 
 and  then  goes  on  at  once  to  speak  of  a  future 
 fulfilment  of  the  prophetic  type.  When  in  this 
 connection  he  himself  appoints  another  exter- 
 nal ceremony  for  his  people  during  the  inter- 
 mediate time  (after  his  departure,  and  until 
 his  return  to  their  fellowship),  it  follows — if  we 
 contemplate  the  entire  Scripture,  without  re- 
 gard to  the  whole  of  which  there  can  be  no 
 exposition  of  its  individual  sayings — \\\\ithis 
 ceremony  must  correspond  with  that  former 
 typical  transaction  as  its  fulfillmtnt,  and  bring 
 the  renlity  which  was  shadowed  out  in  it — the 
 Do  this,  as  well  as  This  is  my  body,  taking  the 
 place  of  the  paschal  ritual.  For,  in  this  way 
 we  arrive  at  tue  foundation  of  the  ecclesiastical 
 dogmatic  idea  of  the  sacrament,  which,  though 
 not  literally  expressed  in  Scripture,  is  certainly 
 scriptural  as  involved  in  the  thing  itself— this 
 external  transaction,  appointed  by  the  Lord 
 himself  for    the  New-Testament  Church,  ac- 
 
 *  In  this  we  flatly  contradict  the  position  of 
 Lutz  {Bibel  Dr.gm.  p.  415),  that  the  full  sacramen- 
 tal idea  appearsjn  the  N.  T.  only  in  connection 
 with  the  doctrine  of  baptism,  and  not  with  the 
 doctrine  of  the  Supper. 
 
 tually  brings  and  communicates  the  grace  and 
 gift  which  was  only  promised  in  the  mere  rite 
 of  the  Old  Testament.  It  is  thus  most  obvious, 
 at  the  outset,  that  the  Lord  in  the  Supper  con- 
 templated such  a  mystery ;  and  proceeding 
 from  this,  we  discover  the  analogy  of  baptism 
 likewise. 
 
 Yes,  verily :  "  In  the  secret  silence  of  the 
 little  circle  of  his  disciples  the  Redeemer  estab- 
 lished an  insignificant  act  which  was  to  attain 
 to  a  world-wide  interest."  This  is  saying  but 
 little.  In  giving  a  morsel  of  bread  to  these 
 twelve,  and  delivering  to  them  this  farewell  cup 
 to  drink — he  regally  appoints,  and  leaves  be- 
 hind him  as  a  testament,  a  miracle  of  his  power 
 and  love  which  should  extend  through  all  ages 
 to  the  end  of  time  ;  the  most  gracious  mystery  of 
 his  internal  union  with  his  believing  people, 
 exhibited  in  a  most  open  testimony  thereof  given 
 to  the  world — in  short,  all  that  we  can  say 
 concerning  the  blessedness  of  the  sacrament  of 
 the  Lord's  Supper. 
 
 The  sacrament,  in  as  far  as  it  is  an  external 
 transaction  and  has  to  do  with  earthly  ele- 
 ments, takes  up  into  itself  at  first  the  prophetic 
 type ;  for  while  that  was  ordained  of  God  for 
 the  sake  of  its  fulfillment,  it  could  not  other- 
 wise cease  than  as  continuing  in  a  changed  and 
 glorified  form,  one  however  of  a  strictly  cor- 
 responding character.  Figure  and  similitude 
 therefore  must  obviously  be  retained  even  in 
 the  idea  of  sacrament ;  for,  it  is  through  this 
 that  the  connection  between  earthly  and 
 heavenly  things  is  exhibited.  The  polemic 
 theology  which  refused  altogether  to  admit  any 
 significance  in  the  interpretation  of  types,  proved 
 its  folly,  first,  by  renouncing  the  living  pro- 
 gression and  transition  from  the  Old  Testament 
 into  the  New,  and  then  by  denying  the  funda- 
 mental principle  underlying  the  sacrament — 
 the  symbolical  relation  between  nature  and 
 spirit  which  pervades  the  whole  world,  and  the 
 Scripture  which  interprets  it  to  us.  The  an- 
 cient Church  rightly  termed  the  bread  and 
 wine  in  the  sacrament,  dvjtifioXa,  dyritvna, 
 even  tvtcoi,  species.  Cyril  of  Jerusalem,  while 
 he  discerns  in  them  the  body  and  blood  of 
 Christ,  finds  them  there  only  £y  rvKoo  aprov 
 uai  oi'vov,  which  must  be  interpreted  in  the 
 sense  of  mera  species  into  transubstantiation. 
 Calvin  is  doubtless  right  in  his  position — • 
 "  First,  bread  and  wine  are  signs — which  repre- 
 sent to  us  the  invisible  aliment  which  we  derive 
 from  the  body  and  blood  of  Christ." 
 
 But  the  distinctive  point  in  the  sacrament, 
 as  in  the  New  Testament  generally,  is  this, 
 that  in  and  with  the  figure  the  reality  also  is 
 given.  It  is  a  very  improper  confusion  of  lan- 
 guage bv  which  such  men  as  Ebrard,  poing  far 
 beyond  Zwingle,  and  even  inconsistent  Luther- 
 ans, speak  of  the  "sacraments"  of  the  old 
 covenant,  which  could  have  had  no  existence 
 according  to  the  true  idea  of  this  term  (Ileb. 
 X.  1).  We  have  now  the  sigmim  efficax  or  more 
 properly  exhibitivum.  A  mere  "  prophesying," 
 or  symbolizing,  of  that  which  was  accomplished 
 once  for  all  is  certainly  foreign  to  the  New 
 
510 
 
 THE  LORD'S  SUPPER. 
 
 Testament.,  and  its  external  rites  appointed  of 
 God ;  even  as  in  the  Old  Testament  there 
 could  be  only  ordinances  symbolical  of  the 
 future  reality.  The  living,  essential  centre  of 
 the  new-covenant  economy  is  the  incarnate 
 jterson  of  Christ,  the  Redeemer  himself;  the 
 middle  point  of  his  reilecming  tcork,  again,  is  his 
 death  ;  not,  however,  as  death  in  itself,  but  as 
 it  is  turned  into  life,  and  procures  life  for  us. 
 The  fruit  and  tloe  injhience  of  this  death  which 
 is  our  life,  of  this  life  which  springs  from  death, 
 is  attained  no  otherwise  than  by  the  self-cvm- 
 munication  of  the  LyrH  to  vx,  by  which  he  who 
 died  for  us  implants  himself  in  us  as  living,  or 
 by  which  we  partake  of  him  as  our  meat  and 
 drink.  As  far  as  our  partaking  of  salvation 
 comes  through  the  living,  efTectual  presence  of 
 the  whole  glorified  Christ,  oflered  to  the  appro- 
 priation of  simple  faith,  the  Lord's  Supper  has 
 a  pre-eminent  significance :  giving  a  bodily 
 presentation  to  the  most  spiritual  truth,  in 
 liarmony  with  the  corporeity  of  the  glorified 
 Redeemer.  It  is  the  sacrament  of  the  New 
 Testament  &(?HS7  potiori ;  and  as  such  the  true 
 realization  of  that  paschal  sacrifice  which  was 
 similarly  placed  at  the  very  head,  or  in  the 
 very  centre  of  the  Old  Testament.* 
 
 In  the  appointment  of  the  Passover  we  have 
 the  first  ordinance  for  Israel  before  the  giving 
 of  the  law  ;  and  this  annual  festal  commemo- 
 ration of  their  calling,  redemption,  and  pardon, 
 was  actually,  as  Biihr  terms  it,  "  Israel's  birth- 
 f<;a3t  and  life-feast."  In  the  solemn  prediction 
 of  their  deliverance,  Exod.  vi.,  we  read  these 
 words  of  declaration  and  promise — "  I,  the 
 Lord,  I  tcill  bring  you  out — I  will  rid  you  of 
 their  bondage — 1  will  redeem  you — I  will  take 
 you  to  me  for  a  people,  and  be  your  God ;  "  to 
 which  four-fold  annunciation  the  four  cups  at 
 the  paschal  meal  were  thought  to  have  refer- 
 ence. Thus,  the  Lord  had  heard  the  groaning 
 of  the  children  of  Israel,  and  remembered  his 
 covenant ;  but  they  heard  bim  not  for  anguish 
 of  spirit,  so  that  Moses  objected — "  Behold, 
 they  have  not  hearkened  unto  me."  Neverthe- 
 less, that  came  to  pass  which  the  Lord  had 
 said ;  but  only  in  and  through  the  faith  of 
 Moses,  whose  faith  contended  lor  victory  with 
 Pharaoh's  wrath,  could  the  whole  of  Israel  be 
 led  forth — Israel  finally  heard  this  Moses,  kept 
 the  Passover  at  his  command,!  ^i^^l  thus  was 
 saved.  But  Moses  was  in  this  partly  the  type 
 of  tlie  true  author  and  finisher  of  our  faith  ; 
 partlv,  according  to  Ileb.  iii.  5,  a  witness  and 
 prophet  of  those  things  which  were  to  be  spoken 
 after,  as  fulfillment  in  the  New  Testament. 
 But  to  what  did  he  give  testimony  in  the  ap- 
 pointment of  that  first  law  of  Israel,  which  at 
 the  same  time  contained  the  first  and  most 
 comprehensive  prophetic  type  ?      The    Lord 
 
 *  Therefore,  also,  the  first  in<^titiited.  But  not, 
 accordinsj  to  that  opinion  of  Lindner,  which  lias 
 passed  away  without  leavinij  any  trac\  that  it 
 was  to  be  received  before  baptism. 
 
 +  See  Ileb.  xi.  27,  and  our  exposition  in  the 
 Hebrderbrief. 
 
 saves,  spares,  and  accepts  Israel ;  but,  because 
 Israel  like  Egypt  had  fallen  into  peril  of  the 
 destroyer,  saves  them  only  through  Hood,  the 
 blood  of  the  slaughtered  lanib.  Tims  we  have 
 here  the  first  legal  sacrifice  in  that  special 
 divine  economy  which  then  had  its  commence- 
 ment; and  this  lamb  is  the  most  general  repre- 
 sentative of  all  the  sacrificial  victims  Avhich 
 were  afterwards  slain.  The  sacred  text  speaks 
 of  it  so  often,  not  only  by  the  (ambiguous) 
 verb  naT,  but  under  the  express  name  of  n2T 
 
 {e.  g.,  Exod.  xii.  27  at  the  outset),  that  it  ought 
 to  have  been  scarcely  necessary  for  Kurtz  to 
 point  to  it,  in  opposition  to  the  embarrassed 
 Lutheran  polemics  of  a  former  time.  But  it  is 
 not  (as  Kurtz  thoughtlessly  says)  to  be  speci- 
 fically classed  among  the  □"'Di'tT'^n^Tj  or  thank- 
 
 oiTerings  ;  it  is  at  the  same  time,  primarily 
 rather,  a  true  sin-offering  or  expiatory  sacrifice 
 — in  fact,  it  embraces  the  two  species  of  offer- 
 ing in  one,  in  harmony  with  its  fundamental 
 character.  The  predominant  view,  which  de- 
 nies this,  is  certainly  incorrect,  though  it  is  ex- 
 pressed with  the  utmost  confidence,  as  for  ex- 
 ample by  Lindner:  "We  now  freely  admit 
 that  the  paschal  lamb  v/as  ac  expiatory  sacri- 
 fice." Ebrard,  on  the  other  hand,  says,  "  The 
 Israelites  generally  obtained  a  right  to  the 
 covenant  of  grace,  in  circumcision  ;  the  Pass- 
 over pointed  to  that  which  was  the  true  char- 
 acter of  the  covenant  of  grace  and  salvation — 
 an  atonement  for  actual  death-deserving  sin." 
 The  np66xv6i<i  tov  n:7/<aro5,  or  sprinkling  of 
 Mood,  which  belonged  essentially  to  tlie  Pass- 
 over, is  illustrated  by  the  sprinkling  with  hys- 
 sop (Psa.  li.  7),  as  purifying  from  sin  ;  hence 
 Aben-Ezra,  for  example,  calls  this  blood  sim- 
 ply a  -IDS. 
 
 We  agree  with  Baumgarten  upon  Exod.  xii. 
 13:  "It  is  a  false  spiritualism,  which  Biihr 
 should  not  have  concurred  in,  when  Bochart 
 says  that  this  sign  was  not  given  to  God,  but 
 to  the  Hebrews,  that  they  might  be  certified 
 by  it  of  their  liberation.  P'or  the  sign  is 
 properly  for  him  who  sees  it  and  acts  accord- 
 ingly ;  but  Jehovah  seeth  the  blood,  as  lie  him- 
 self says,  and  not  the  Israelites,  who  sit  in 
 their  houses."  And  when  I  see  the  hlood,  1  will 
 pass  over  you — in  which  words,  as  in  all  that 
 pertain  to  this  matter,  it  is  plain  that  the  pas- 
 chal lamb  had  the  virtue  of  a,  propitiatory  sacri- 
 fice, with  the  same  typical  rel'erence  to  a  real, 
 objective  propitiation,  valid  before  God  as  the 
 ground  of  redemption,  which  is  exhibited  in 
 various  ways  throughout  the  whole  of  the 
 Levitical   economy.*     Hence,    and    moreover. 
 
 *  Ilpnc'tenbera's  views  in  tlie  first  ediiion  of 
 the  Chrtstolnfii/  were  erroneous,  but  he  has  since 
 corrected  tlicin.  Olshausen,  on  tlie  other  hand, 
 j)ropei]y  maintains — ilint  "  tlie  idea  of  snhstitntion 
 was  evidently  involved  in  the  sprinklins  of  the 
 blood  upon  the  posts  of  the  Israelites'  dwellings, 
 in  order  that  tlie  destroy  ins:  an^el  ml^ht  pass 
 over,  Exod.  xii.  7.  Hence  it  possessed  a  specific 
 chaiacter  entirely   its    own.      That   which    WuS 
 
MATTHEW  XXVI.  26-28. 
 
 511. 
 
 the  wisdom  of  God  shadowed  forth  in  this  pas- 
 chal lamb  many  other  things  which  had  their 
 realization  in  Christ.*  We  may  mention  the 
 prohibition  to  break  the  bones,  and  John  xix. 
 56 — These  things  tcere  done  that  the  Scriptures 
 should  1)6  fulfilled ;  and  the  separation  of  the 
 lamb  on  the  tenth  day  of  the  month,  in  prepa- 
 ration for  the  fourteenth,  as  Jesus  on  that  day 
 entered  into  Jerusalem  a3  lvxa.(pia6^u%yfor 
 his  burial,  and  so  forth. f 
 
 Suffice  it,  that  the  paschal  meal,  and  the 
 whole  Passover -feast  which  began  with  it,  had 
 a  very  deep  and  full  prophetic  meaning,  which 
 no  one  isolated  point,  extracted  out  of  it,  ex- 
 hausts. It  was  not  merely  a  "  type  of  the 
 gathering  out  of  Christ's  Church  from  the  Gen- 
 tiles and  Jews ;  "  but  the  whole  feast  had  a 
 very  significant  double  character,  derived  from 
 the  connection  between  the  sin  and  thank- 
 offering  which  we  have  traced  in  it;  its  two  char- 
 acteristics being  interchangeable,  the  one  pass- 
 ing into  the  other.  The  remembrance  of  the 
 propitiatory  offering  became  a,  feast  nfjoy :  the 
 joyous  paschal  feast  of  thanksgiving  on  the 
 other  hand,  had  in  it  a  dread  solemnity,  derived 
 from  the  remembrance  of  sorrow,  and  even 
 pointing  to  trouble  coming  in  the  future.  As 
 a  feast  of  the  sjmring,  passing  over,  riDSj  it  ex- 
 hibited to  the  eyes  of  the  people  of  Israel  the 
 divine  mercy,  through  which  they  had  become 
 and  still  were  the  people  of  God  ;  but  as  a 
 feast  of  unleavened  hread,  niSkSH  Jn>  it   was  at 
 
 the  same  time  a  remembrance  of  sorrow,  and 
 not  merely  of  that  affliction  in  slavery  out  of 
 which  the  Lord  had  mercifully  delivered  them, 
 butof  another  affliction  also,  which  began  on  the 
 day  of  their  leaving  Egypt  and  must  continue 
 throughout  the  whole  course  of  their  wander- 
 ings in  the  desert.     The  tread  of  affliction,  DPl^ 
 
 ^jy,  Deut,  xvi.  3,  is  interpreted  by  Eahr  in  a 
 
 proper  to  the  expiatory  offering,  and  tliat  which 
 Avas  proper  to  the  thank-offerini,  alike  entered 
 into  it ;  and  it  was  this  that  made  iv  so  impres- 
 sive a  type  of  Christ's  sacrifice.  The  paclnl 
 lamb,  as  the  first  offering  enjoined  of  God,  com- 
 bined in  itself,  as  the  germ  of  all  the  others,  their 
 collective  peculiarities."  This  is  better  than  wl:at 
 Lange  says :  "  The  proper  Passover  as  a  feast  of 
 ihank-rffenng  points  back  to  a  j)ropitiation  already 
 accomplished,  in  which  the  sin-offering  and  the 
 thank-offering  were  already  presented."  In  this 
 all-embracing  type  the;/  ate  of  the  s'^me  lamb  which 
 was  at  once  a  sin-ofltering  and  a  thank-offering. 
 
 *  Concerning  this  Ran,  the  opponent  of  all 
 typology,  thus  expressed  himself:  "I  must  con- 
 fess ihat  the  evidence  for  the  reality  of  this  type 
 had  to  my  mind  more  plausibility  than  the  evi- 
 dence for  any  other.  It,  made  mo  in  fact  pause 
 for  a  long  t  me." 
 
 f  See  Eengel's  Ordo  tcmporum,  2d  ed.  p.  228. 
 We  do  not  shrink  from  cont  nuing,  with  Meyer|s 
 Typili — "  Yea,  as  the  great  sacrifice  was  separated 
 from  the  foundation  of  the  world,  so  was  he  of- 
 fered in  death  at  the  end  of  the  fourth  day  of  the 
 world'i  history." 
 
 one-sided  manner,  as  the  "bread  which  re- 
 minded them  of  Egypt  and  the  misery  which 
 they  had  endured  there,  hut  onhj  as  being  eaten 
 alter  their  full  deliverance  from  that  misery  " 
 — so  that  this  Jn  was  by  no  means  a  solemnity 
 
 of  penitence  and  sorrow,  but  solely  a  feast  of 
 joy.  (This  latter  idea  is  not  necessarily  con- 
 tained in  the  word,  for  that  includes  some- 
 times even  the  day  of  atonement.)  As  the 
 very   significant   appointment  of  the    C^lhO, 
 
 the  bitter  herbs,  was  not  merely,  as  a  symbol 
 of  suffering  survived,  intended  to  remind  them 
 that,  according  to  Exod.  i.  1-i,  the  Egyptians 
 had  made  their  lives  bitter  (such  is  tho  inter- 
 pretation of  Maimonides) ;  so  the  very  plain 
 riNi*'  P^Sn?  ''?'  ^''"^  contest  forth  in  haite,  does 
 
 not  mean  to  explain  the  bread  of  affliction  to 
 be  the  food  eaten  in  Egypt.  There  the  Israelites 
 had  eaten  leavened  bread  ;  but  when,  sanctified 
 to  God,  they  were  separated  and  purified  from 
 the  Egyptian  leaven,  and  by  a  hasty  flight  be- 
 took themselves  to  the  way  which  led  to  the 
 promised  land — this  unleavened  bread  was 
 their  confession  that  their  full  salvation  de- 
 manded, in  the  way  to  the  good  land,  hardship 
 and  self-denial  still,  with  the  continuance  of 
 affliction.  As  in  Deut.  viii.  3,  we  read — He 
 humhltd  thee,  ^Sy^l,  and  suffered  thee  to  hun- 
 ger (deprived  of  the  bread  of  Egypt),  and 
 led  thee  with  manna;  so  in  this  combination, 
 in  a  certain  sense,  the  unleavened  bread  coin- 
 cides with  the  heavenly  food  for  the  people 
 which  was  not  savory  to  the  flesh.  Hence  wo 
 may  with  propriety  adopt  Meyer's  words  con- 
 cerning the  accompanying  symbols  of  the  pas- 
 chal meal :  "  Figures,  which  point  to  sanctifi- 
 cation  from  sin,  swift  departure  from  the  land 
 of  uncleanness  and  distress,  and  the  transitori- 
 ness  of  earthly  life  itself." 
 
 We  have  entered  thus  deeply,  at  the  outset 
 into  the  meaning  of  the  type,  in  order  to  pre- 
 pare the  reader's  mind  to  anticipate  in  how 
 profound  and  many-sided  a  manner  this  type 
 IS  glorified  in  the  Christian  sacrament.  Thd 
 paschal  institution  dimly  symbolized  that  won- 
 derful admixture  of  sorrow  and  joy,  death  and 
 life,  grace  and  correction,  which  stamped  its 
 character  upon  the  great  evening  of  the  Lord's 
 Supper  first,  and  which  still  adheres  to  the  holy 
 sacrament  as  the  solemnly  joyous  festival  of  our 
 pilgrimage  between  our  accomplished  redemption 
 and  the  possession  of  the  inheritance  of  glory.* 
 We  bless  God  in  it,  while  we  abase  ourselves ; 
 we  abase  ourselves,  while  we  bless  God.  We 
 partake  of  the  life  of  him  who  died  lor  us — tliat 
 we  may  die  in  and  with  him  in  order  to  live. 
 This  is  now  "  the  birth-feast  and  the  life-feast" 
 of  the  71CW  Israel.  As  in  its  institution,  the 
 circle  of  the  Apostles  was  the  paschal  family 
 representing  the  Church  which  took  its  origin 
 from  the  death  of  Christ ;  so,  further,  every  lit- 
 
 *  "  The   fruit  of  the  Holy  Supper— C/i^   Jiifrhest 
 good  in  the  vale  of  tears"— sls  the  Moravian  hymn 
 
 sings. 
 
512 
 
 THE  LORD'S  SUPPER. 
 
 <le  company  of  communicants  (as  among  the 
 Israelites  every  little  number  surrounding  a 
 paschal  table)  is  a  real  and  essential  symboli- 
 cal representation  of  the  entire  and  complete 
 Church,  of  the  many  who,  partakers  of  his  body 
 and  of  his  blood,  become  thereby  his  body.* 
 
 Finally  :  the  cups  of  wine  which  were  drunk 
 — and  which  the  Lord  here  gate — had  infused, 
 in  the  later  ritual,  a  predominant  element  of 
 joy  and  nraise  into  the  solemnity  ;  and  we 
 shall  see  (hat  the  Lord  acknowledged  and  re- 
 tained this  (apart  from  its  perversion),  and 
 continued  it  in  the  institution  of  the  Supper  as 
 strictly  harmonizing  with  its  predominant  joy. 
 
 After  this  general  preparatory  glance,  we 
 approach  tlie  Scriptures  now  lying  befoie  us; 
 but  it  is  still  necessary  to  observe  beforehand, 
 in  what  way  all  is  arranged  with  reference  to 
 the  ritual  of  the  Passover.  It  needs  no  proof 
 that  our  Lord,  as  an  Israelite  and  under  the  law, 
 observed  all  the  prescriptions  of  God  with  re- 
 spect to  the  Passover,  before  it  was  done  away 
 forever  by  its  consummation — this  was  already 
 intimated  in  the  Itcillke.p  the  Passover  of  Mat- 
 thew, and  to  eat  this  Passover  in  Luke.  We 
 have  just  said  that  he  would  do  honor  to  every 
 custom  and  ordinance  which  had  been  added 
 with  a  good  symbolical  meaning.  But  it  is  no 
 less  obvious  that  he  would  not  submit  to  every 
 detail  of  the  ceremoni.il,  if  it  had  already  as- 
 sumed the  petty  and  frivolous  character  into 
 which  it  degenerated  in  later  times.  The  trans- 
 ition from  the  old  to  the  new,  if  it  is  to  ex- 
 hibit a  living  bond  of  union,  appears  to  us  to 
 require  that  the  ancient  ritual  should  not  be 
 Ctterly  abolished  and  done  away  before  the 
 new  is  introduced,  but  that  it  should  melt  into 
 it  and  give  place  to  its  new  authority  by  in- 
 troducing it.  This  would  be  suggested  to  every 
 reasonable  thinker,  and  it  is  justified  by  the 
 te::t.  It  is  impossible,  indeed,  to  harmonize  all 
 the  individual  details,  partly  because  the  nar- 
 rative does  not  record  every  particular,  and 
 partly  because  the  ordinances  of  that  period 
 are  uncertain  to  us.  In  general,  we  may  re- 
 gard the  table  as  arranged  with  all  its  appur- 
 tenances according  to  rule;  this  the  Lord's 
 prepare  required,  as  Matthew  records  its  being 
 accomplished.  As  regards  the  first  cup  we 
 have  said  enough  already  on  Luke.  The  ex- 
 pression ;K£''''V/'<*  T})i  duniXov,  fruit  of  the 
 vine,  Luke  xxii.  18,  Matt.  xxvi.  29,  like  the 
 blessing  or  thanksgiving  generally,  corresponds 
 
 firecisely  with  the  formula;  which  have  been 
 landed  down,  for  the  bread  or  the  wine,  etc., 
 nnX  '?]n2—"  Blessed    art   thou,  0   God,   our 
 
 everlasting  King,  who  hath  brought  forth  from 
 the  earth  its  Iruit — who  hast  created  the  fruit 
 of  the  vine."  This  do  in  remembrance — eii 
 dvd).ivT}6iv — seems  to  be  in  some  sense  an  al- 
 
 lusion to  the  fact  that  in  the  Passover  there 
 was  a  remembrance  and  a  showing  forth  or  pro- 
 clamation (rrian,  hence  1  Cor.  xi.  26,  xaray- 
 
 yiWETE).  Nor  is  it  without  probability  that 
 in  I'his  is  my  body  there  is  something  analogous 
 to  a  cus(omaryjciasc/ta^  formula.  Not,  however 
 (as  has  been  polemically  alleged),  to  the  words 
 concerning    the    unleavened    bread  —  Q*"1V01 
 
 Nj;"ix3  NjnzN  lbs  n  K'jyn  N»ni)  ^5^— but  to 
 
 the  strong  and  emphatic  expression  5)^3  whicli, 
 following  the  ordinance  of  Moses  in  Exod.  xii. 
 26,  27,  was  probably  substituted  for  nDS"n3T 
 Nin — the  body  of  the  Passover.*  Thus  this 
 solemn  word  ©f  our  Lord  Jesus  gives  assurance, 
 as  its  first  and  direct  meaniHg — "  Th^  paschal 
 Lamb  signified  me;  "f  for  he  says  at  the  new  in- 
 stitution— Take  and  eat,  this  is  my  body  ;  just 
 as  formerly  it  was  said — This  is  the  body  of  the 
 Passover.  (Quite  parallel,  then — My  blood  of 
 the  new  convenant;  by  which  he  testifies 
 that  the  propitiatory  blood  of  the  old  covenant 
 was  a  type  of  his  blood.)  These  allusions  be- 
 ing admitted,  the  question  has  been  asked 
 whether  the  Lord  first  went  through  the  whole 
 ceremonial  of  the  Passover  with  all  its  ancient 
 formala?,  elevations,  and  announcements,  in 
 order  then  to  place  in  ojypositinn  to  it  his  own 
 new  institution — appending  the  sacramei.t  to 
 the  Passover,  and  not  incorporating  it  with  it ; 
 but  we  have  already  intimated  our  dissent  from 
 this.  To  us  it  seems  a  discordant  thought,  that 
 the  Lord  should  first  complete  the  shadowy 
 and  typical  ceremony — the  interpretation  of 
 which  must  have  been  pressed  throughout 
 upon  his  spirit;  "and  then  quite  independ- 
 ently of  the  preceding  solemnity,  once  more 
 break  the  bread."  We  confidently  believe  that 
 here,  where  the  Old  and  New-Testament  insti- 
 tutions met  in  one,  they  must  have  passed  into 
 each  other;  consequently  that  the  Lord  utter- 
 ed his  "  This  is,"  instead  of  that  customary  one 
 which  would  otherwise  have  been  spoken.  In 
 this  supposition  we  are  confirmed  by  the  record 
 ef  Luke  and  Paul,  according  to  which  the  cup 
 was  taken  jtc  e  r  a  to  d  sin  v  7/6  at,  after 
 supper — ichen  he  had  supped.  Consequently,  as 
 we  understand  it,  the  word  which  now  elevated 
 the  b7-ead  into  the  body  of  the  sacrificial  meal, 
 belonged  still  to  the  paschal  eatino;:^ — not  so, 
 however,  what  followed.  With  this  it  is  in 
 accordance,  that  the  cup,  which  Jesus  now 
 gave  them,  was  instead  ot  the  customary  third 
 cup,  the  naian  Di3>  or  cup   of  blessing ;  for 
 
 *  Hence  in  Exod.  xii.  6  the  whole  assemlli/  of  the 
 to^igrcgatwn  is  designedly  tliws  vague  :  it  stands 
 for  cv(r]i  Vif'ie  tompnny  around  llioir  l-^mt>,  as  for 
 the  u:li0.e  Church  in  its  typical  as  well  as  its  real 
 secse. 
 
 *  In  tlie  Mishna  we  find  the  term  of  appellation 
 riDS  b^  iSIJ  J    Paulas   and   Scheibel    agree   in 
 
 thinking  that  ro  dco/ud  fiou  corresponds  with  this 
 — and  we  must  agree  with  them. 
 
 +  I  nm  the  La:nb  of  God — 'estifled  now  at  the 
 end,  as  the  B.iptist  had  testified  in  the  begin- 
 ning. 
 
 X  Matt.  V.  26.  'EdOto^'roiv  Se  avrSv  is  not — 
 When  they  had  eaten  ;  but  repeating  as  i;i  ver.  21. 
 This  is  i.npoitant  for  the  presence  of  iLe  be- 
 ti  ayer. 
 
MATTHEW  XXVI.  25- 
 
 513 
 
 this  did  -not  follow  until  the  lamb  was  wholly 
 consumed,  and  no  man  might  eat  any  thing 
 after  it.*  After  the  word  concerning  "  the 
 blood  shed"  no  man  even  drank  anything 
 more ;  that  which  usually  took  place  after  the 
 third  cup  was  not  observed,  and  the  sublime 
 discourses  of  our  Lord  took  the  place  of  the 
 usual  continuance  of  their  companionship  into 
 the  night. 
 
 So  far,  this  might  be,  so  to  speak,  the  Old- 
 Testament  frame  which  is  in  one  sense  the  setting 
 of  the  scene  of  this  mystery,  though  in  another 
 sense  it  is  aframe  whicli  cannot  hold  it.  But  now 
 let  us,  in  the  light  of  the  New  Testament,  ap- 
 proach more  nearly  and  penetrate  more  deeply. 
 As  belie  vmg  Christians  we  behold  there  illustrat- 
 ed the  incarnate  glory  of  Jesus ;  we  behold  his 
 divine-human  glory  in  all  the  record  of  this  even- 
 ing. As  such  it  is  indistinguishably  one  ;  but 
 we  must  in  our  contemplation  discriminate,  and 
 rise  from  tlie  human  to  the  divine.  The  Lord 
 exhibits  himself  Awman^y  from  the  beginning  in 
 the  deep  and  perfect  sympathy  of  his  human 
 life,  in  his  farewell  love  to  his  disciples,  in  his 
 cry  of  lamentation  over  the  lost  one.  This  last 
 calamity  was  his  deepest  sorrow  at  the  meal 
 ■which  he  had  longed  for  with  such  deep  desire  ; 
 but  his  divim-hnmaii  love,  which  might  be 
 embittered  but  not  exasperated,  gets  the  vic- 
 tory over  this.  The  hand  of  the  traitor  at  the 
 table  hinders  him  not  from  remaining  faithful, 
 and  fulfilling  his  trust — without  any  external 
 exclusion  of  him  who  was  internally  shut  out, 
 he  fulfills  his  promised  dianOs/iiat  v/uiv,  "  I 
 appoint  unto  you,"  establishes  his  covenant 
 and  the  testament  of  redemption  on  the  bor- 
 ders of  life  and  death.  AfTectingly  human  is 
 the  Forget  me  not;  but  with  divine  sublimity 
 is  added — /am  still  with  you,  and  live  in  you. 
 He  holds  out  to  them  in  the  Tnie ;  eat  and 
 drink,  his  body  and  his  life,  his  heart's  blood, 
 himself,  as  corporeally  as  spiritually,  for  the 
 
 offended  at  his  hard  saying  and  turned  back  from 
 him  while  they  remained,  was  deeply  impressed 
 upon  the  minds  of  the  Apostles  (and  v/ho  can 
 doubt  this  ?)— if  we  must  suppose  them  to  have 
 many  times  thought  of  the  eating  and  drinking 
 which  was  then  so  incomprehensibly  demanded 
 and  promised  (and  does  not  that  equallv  fol- 
 low ?)— then  must  they  at  this  lime  also  'have 
 remembered  it,  when  he  renewed  the  offence  of 
 the  incomprehensible  words  with  the  most  gra- 
 cious and  self-devoting  love.  They  could  not 
 but  discern  in  his  words  a  profound  mystery 
 to  be  disclosed  in  the  future,  and  at  the'  same 
 time  an  unconditional  command  to  his  own  to 
 do  this,  connecting  an  internal  and  wonderful 
 receiving  with  the  external  eating  and  drinking. 
 Conaequently  the  Lord  must  be  understood  by 
 us  as  his  disciples  first  understood  him  ;  though 
 with  us  as  with  them,  the  Spirit  must  bring  the 
 full  understanding  only  after  the  actual  re- 
 ceiving.* 
 
 It  is  perfectly  true,  and  accords  with  the 
 words  of  Jesus  concerning  the  new  command- 
 ment of  the  new  covenant,  that  this  mysterious 
 union  with  him  takes  place  in  the  hve  of  living 
 faith,  and  leads  to  the  perfection  of  his  own  in 
 this  love.  But  we  must  not,  however,  say  with 
 Lange  (the  hyperphysical,  bodily-spiritual  foun- 
 dation of  the  mystery  being  thrust  aside),  that 
 these  words  of  Jesus  concerning  love  in  John 
 "are  the  light  figure  of  the  Supper  according 
 to  the  Johannean  view."  For  it  is  far  too  little 
 to  say — "The  most  essential  characteristic  of 
 the  Supper  being  this,  to  bind  the  disciples  to- 
 gether in  love  through  the  exhibition  and 
 sealing  of  the  love  of  Christ — and  therefore  this 
 was  to  be  the  mark  of  distinction  (symbol  =  sa- 
 cramput?)  of  the  disciples  of  Christ."  We 
 think  that  love  is  life,  but  life  comes  to  us 
 through  the  self-impartationof  him  who  is  giv- 
 en for  us  and  in  us;  and,  further,  this  self-com- 
 I  munication  is  sealed  to  us  (and  is  not  merely 
 
 glorifyincr  future.     He  gives  himself  to  all,  even  I  exhibited )  as  the  giving  to  us  of  his  actual  flesh 
 
 to  tlie  false  one;    and  comforts  his  own  heart  j  and  blood. _  Luther  says  well— Where  the  for 
 
 by  the  thought  of  the  many  who  will  in  after 
 
 times  partake  of  him.     But  all   this  is  abun- 
 
 dantly developed  in  the  divine-human  mystery 
 of  this  ordained  and  promised  eating  and 
 drinking,  which  rests  upon  the  atoning  For  you, 
 and  consists  in  the  distributing  This  is,  connect- 
 ing with  the  earthly  element  the  highest  gift 
 of  the  heavenly  life. 
 
 What  then  is  this?  My  lady  and  my  Uood. 
 Here  we  are  directly  reminded  of  the  discourse 
 in  John  vi.,  without  reference  to  which  no  ex- 
 positor should  approach  the  words  of  institu- 
 tion. We  must  refer  therefore,  as  far  as  we 
 can  avoid  repetition,  to  all  that  was  there  said 
 touching  the  literal  meaning  of  the  words  con- 
 cerning flesh  and  blood,  and  the  true  interpre- 
 tation of  John  vi.  51,  53,  63.  If  we  must 
 suppose  that  that  critical  time,  when  many  were 
 
 giveness  of  sins  is  there  is  also  life  and  salva- 
 tion ;  and  we  may  with  perfect  propriety  in- 
 vert the  sentence — Only  where  there  is  life  in 
 and  from  the  living  Saviour  of  the  world,  is 
 there  an  abiding  forgiveness  of  sins.  In  t!ie 
 New  Testament,  we  repeat,  no  mere  assurance 
 and  announcement  of  the  "  For  you"  is  sufH- 
 
 *  We  have  nothing  to  do  here  with  the  Gentile 
 eastern  of  drinking  a  ceneral  farewell  (up  after 
 the  tables  were  cleared,  thoug'a  it  may  be  biough: 
 into  comparison. 
 
 *  Consequently— \o  refer  to  this  at  once  and  do 
 justice  to  all  sides— the  splritualizina  of  the 
 Quakers,  that  is,  their  utter  rejection  of  the  sa- 
 crament, is  decidedly  and  altoaether  an  error.  It 
 understands  here,  as  in  John  vi.,  the  body  or  fle.sh 
 and  blood  to  be  onlr  the  "heavenly  seed"  of  the 
 nature  of  Christ,  "  but  net  tl/at  body,  or  temi.io 
 of  Jesus  Christ,  which  was  born  of  the  Viru:n 
 Mary,  and  in  which  hewalkel,  lived,  rnd  suireicd 
 in  the  landof  Judea"  (Barch.y's  Jpolojtj,  \>vo\). 
 xiii.).  He  goes  on  to  say :  "  The  ])roles.sois  ol 
 Christianity,  IV r  want  of  a  trne  spiritual  under- 
 standing, have  sought  to  tie  this  Supper  of  the 
 Lord  to'that  ceremony  used  l.y  Christ  before  his 
 death,  of  breaking  bread  aud  dnnk.ng  uiite  wUli  bis 
 disciples." 
 
614 
 
 THE  LORD'S  SUPPER. 
 
 cient:  that  is  still  only  the  preparation  instead 
 of  the  liilfiUing  reality.  There  must  be  and 
 there  is  a  true  and  real  "In  you." 
 
 This  is  what  the  Supper  teaches  us,  this  is 
 the  testimony  of  the  words  of  institution,  to 
 which  we  are  drawing  more  and  more  nt^ar. 
 We  are  far,  however,  from  asserting  with  an 
 opponent  of  Calvin  in  Hamburg,  that  "  there  is 
 in  all  the  Scripture  no  passage  which  more 
 plainly  declares  that  the  bread  is  his  body." 
 We  would  rather  say  with  the  profound  and 
 careful  Pcttersen  :*  "  It  is  much  to  be  lamented 
 that  men  over-zealous  foi'  tlie  Lutheran  doctrine 
 make  so  much  stir  about  t!;e  words  of  institu- 
 tion. These  word  may  contain  the  Lutheran 
 dogma,  but  do  not  o/i/unn^IvLS  exegetically  cwi- 
 strairi  its  acceptance  ;  and  that  doctrine  is 
 rather  to  be  first  derived  from  the  «««%?/ of 
 the  tohob  of  Scripture!  and  of  the  whole  faith, 
 ar.d  therefore  to  be  received  as  the  genuine 
 sense  of  the  words  of  institution,  notwithstand- 
 ing that  other  methods  of  exposition  might  be 
 found — but  this  evangelically  rcientific  method 
 is  too  much  lost  sight  of  in  the  heat  of  argu- 
 ment and  assertion."  We  are  by  no  means 
 insensible  to  the  ecclesiastical  and  scientific 
 iniportance  of  a  sound  understanding  in  th-i'se 
 matters,  as  demonstrated  by  the  contests  and 
 divisions  of  the  Church  :  but  we  would  not 
 forget  the  words  of  Luther,  among  the  best 
 which  he  wrote  on  the  subject — "  It  is  a  great 
 and  marvellous  thing  to  be  a  Christian,  and  God 
 lavs  more  stress  on  that  than  on  the  sacrament. 
 Fur  the  Christian  is  not  made  for  the  sakeot  th« 
 sacrament,  but  the  sacrament  was  instituted  for 
 the  sake  of  the  Christian."  We  shall  take  the 
 utmost  pains  to  exa;T;in'i  as  dupifjaii  as  is 
 possible  and  fit,  the  Wdrds  of  institution ;  in 
 order  *hat  we  may  rightly  distinguish  what 
 they  cannot  say — what  they  incontrovertibly  do 
 eav — wliat  they  might  on  the  one  side,  but  also 
 what  they  might  on  the  other,  say,  according 
 to  the  point  from  which  exposition  views  them. 
 Here  there  is  the  freedom  of  a  diverse  accepta- 
 tion, and  liberty  for  evory  man  to  avow  and 
 testify  for  which  view  his  entire  system  of  faith 
 and  understanding  of  Scripture  impels  him  to 
 decide.  We  shall  avail  ourselves  of  this  liber- 
 ty ;  but  lest  we  should  fail  perfectly  to  discrim- 
 inate between  a  possible  and  certain  meaning 
 of  any  of  these  words,  we  have  only  to  remind 
 our  readers  beforehand,  that  with  all  the  exe- 
 gete's  striving  after  objectivity,  the  higher  the 
 object  is  the  more  surely  will  his  exposition  be 
 more  or  less  subjective. 
 
 Now  for  tJte  words  of  institution.  There  is, 
 however,  yet  one  preliminary  question — How 
 did  the  I/n-d  utter  tlum?  which  of  the  sayings 
 in  the  four  records  are  the  authentic  words  of 
 Lis  moulh  ?     We  take  it  for  granted  that  the 
 
 ♦  Die  Lehre  von  dcr  Kirche,  bk.  iii.  p.  445. 
 f  We  maybe  permitted  toa'.d — from  the  whole 
 emNcciion  iu  which  the  words  were  first  spoken. 
 
 reader  has  the  four  accounts  in  juxtaposition 
 before  him — that  of  Paul  to  the  Corinthians 
 being  included.  We  set  out  with  the  indisput- 
 able critical  canon  that  omissions  and  abbrevia- 
 tions in  each  narrator  are  of  no  moment ;  and 
 allow  that  addition  contrary  to  the  truth,  every 
 so-called  extension  and  working  up  of  the 
 account,  is  objectionable  in  proportion  to  tl'.e 
 importance  and  solemnity  of  the  record  thus 
 dealt  with.  But  this  canon  can  be  applied  in 
 all  its  rigor  to  the  Gospels  ;  with  regard  to  the 
 latter  jiart  of  it  we  allege  our  faith  in  their  full 
 inspiration,  and  plead,  further,  the  transcendent 
 and  inccnr:parab!e  importance  of  these  sacred 
 words.  Only  thus  can  we  obtain  a  secure  and 
 comprehensive  foundation  for  the  combination 
 of  all  the  words  which  our  Lord  certainly 
 spoke.  Every  word,  which  any  one  may  omit, 
 but  another  records,  must  be  accounted  valid; 
 and  the  whole  runs  thus — "  Take,  eat,  this  if 
 my  bo-ly,  which  is  given  (broken)  for  you,  Do 
 this  in  remembrance  of  me — Drink  ye  all  of 
 this,  lor  this  (thisntp)  is  my  blood,  of  the  New 
 Testament  (the  New  Testament  in  my  blood), 
 which  is  shed  for  many  (for  you)  for  the  remis- 
 sion of  sins — This  do  ye,  as  oft  as  ye  drink  it, 
 in  remembrance  of  me."  Here  it  is  very  ob- 
 servable that  in  "this  is  my  body"  all  four 
 are  perfectly  at  one.* 
 
 But  whali  of  the  variations  of  the  same  words  ? 
 Did  the  Lord  say — Given  for  you  (as  Luke  has 
 it),  or — Brolcen  for  you  (as  Paul  says  after- 
 wards) ?  Did  he  say — This  is  my  blood  of 
 the  New  Testament  (as  in  the  first  two  Evangel- 
 ists), or — IVie  New  Testament  in  my  Uood  (as 
 Luke  and  Paul  agree  in  saying)  ?  Finally,  did 
 he  say — Shed /or  ma;)!)' (according  to  the  first 
 two)  or — For  you  (according  to  Luke)  ?  It  is 
 hard  to  suppose  at  first  that  all  these  can 
 historically  accord.  The  old  assumption  of 
 simple  faith  we  find  in  Richter's  UauMbel  : 
 "  The  Lord  prd^nbly  repeated  several  times  the 
 words  of  distribution,  and  in  explaining  his 
 meaning  used  interchangeably  one  or  the  other 
 form  of   expression."    ^In  this   Krummacher 
 
 *  Much  may  be  said,  and  satisfactorily,  as  to 
 the  omission  of  this  and  that  word  by  one,  and  its 
 retention  by  anotlier  ;  but,  in  this  matter,  it  is  not 
 wise  to  demand  absolute  certainty  anvl  seek  to  ex- 
 plain every  thing.  Tiiose  who  do  .so  fall  into 
 frreat  extravasai.cies.  It  is  possible  that  the 
 Gncclzing  Luke  mii-ht  put  eixetptdrsly  for 
 evXoyeiy,  though  we  shall  give  a  difterent  ac- 
 count. But  wiio  will  believe  that  ho  omitted 
 Aafiere,  cpnyers  because  it  was  a  Ilebrai.sra, 
 and  betUT  Qro  k  to  avoid  tlie  repetition  of  Aa- 
 /icrc  in  ver.  17  ]  It  has  no  more  value  than  mere 
 assertion,  to  say — tliat  Luke,  more  esjiccially  re- 
 prcsentina  Jesus  as  llic  Saviour  of  sinners,  was 
 coiistra  lied  to  add  "  given  for  you,"  and  Ihcrcfort 
 also  "  in  reniemljranco  of  me  " — that  JLattliew, 
 keepinji  i)romiiient  tlie  King  of  Israel,  gives  the 
 word  of  tiijunction  IUete — that  Luke's  Oiajcisra 
 explains  tho  paraphrastic  character  of  the  words 
 touching  the  cup — and  that  the  nepL  noXXaiv  m 
 Matthew  and  ]\Iark  is  a  mere  Hebraism  (D'31  for 
 a  great  uuraber). 
 
MATTHEW  XXVI.  26-28. 
 
 615 
 
 decisively  occurs.  We  must  needs  admits  that 
 this  is  pomhk  ;  but  none  of  its  advocates  has 
 gone  beyond  its  "  probability  ;  "  to  us,  how- 
 ever, any  such  repetition  as  this  theory  sup- 
 poses, and  especially  any  such  changing  of  the 
 exnression,  seems  highly  improbable  at  so 
 solemn  and  important  an  institution.  The 
 sacrament  sinks  thereby  into  something  too 
 much  like  a  mere  human,  confidential,  com- 
 munication. Pfenninger  strives  to  make  it 
 more  acceptable  by  representing  the  Lord  as 
 turnine  to  the  right  hand  and  to  the  left,  speak- 
 ing the  words  on  the  side  of  John  in  one  man- 
 ner, and  on  the  side  of  Peter  in  another.  We 
 have  no  contention  with  those  who  can  thus 
 satisfv  themselves  :  it  is  a  matter  of  feelmg 
 and  taste.  But  far  better  than  this  solution, 
 wliich  p'aces  the  variation  in  the  original 
 utterance  of  our  Lord,  is  the  theory  which  as- 
 sumes a  later  variation  of  the  expression  in  its 
 liturgical  use  in  the  Church.  There  arc  some 
 who  have  said,  If  Moses  (not  without  design) 
 lias  slightly  changed  the  text  of  the  Decalogue 
 in  the  book  of  Deuteronomy,  so  also  the  free 
 Spirit  permitted  a  like  deviation  from  the 
 exact  words  of  the  sacramental  institution,  the 
 same  sense  being  strictly  preserved.  Those 
 who  think  so,  would  assign  the  highest  histori- 
 cal authority  to  Matthew,  whom  Mark  almost 
 entirely  follows  :  as,  for  instance,  in  the  case  of 
 TTO/lAcjK,  "  many,"  instead  of  which  the  v/naiv, 
 "  you,"  might  easily  afterwards  have  been  sub- 
 stituted. For,  supposing  vjnajy  to  have  been 
 the  original  word — who  would  have  dared  to 
 substitute  TtoXXt^v  ? 
 
 But  we  are  not  content  with  this,  and  there 
 is  much  higher  ground  to  be  taken.  We  read 
 in  the  synoptical  tables  of  Sommer,  in  con- 
 formity with  the  prevalent  view,  upon  Luke — 
 "  This  was  probably  the  ecclesiastical,  liturgical 
 form  in  the  Pauline  congregations."  What- 
 ever truth  there  may  be  in  this,  it  is  altogether 
 wrong  to  attribute  whatever  is  peculiar  in 
 Luke  to  a  subsequent  human  liturgical  arrange- 
 ment. Even  if  vn^v  might  have  taken  the 
 place  of  itoWaJv,  surely  the  SifionEvov, 
 "given"  (or  y^Xa^'tsvov  f)  must  have  been 
 spoken  by  our  Lord  ;  its  addition,  on  any  other 
 supposition,  would  have  been  presumption. 
 So  the  do  this  must,  according  to  oar  feeling, 
 have  come  from  the  Lord  himself,  especially 
 when  connected  with  the  in  rememlrrance  of  me. 
 Finally,  the  change  between  the  words  hlood 
 and  testament  would  never  have  been  thought 
 of  by  any,  without  the  highest  authority.  We 
 are  therefore  driven  to  an  assumption  which 
 we  are  fully  warranted  by  the  Scripture  in 
 holding  fast.  The  fact  before  us  is,  that  in 
 this  solitary  instance  Paid  expressly  quotes  a 
 word  of  our  Jjord  which  deviates  from  the 
 Evangelists,  and  quotes  it  most  definitively  as 
 the  Lord's,  in  a  connection  which  lavs  all"  the 
 stress  upon  that  circumstance.  We  cannot 
 but  ask  for  his  authority  for  such  a  version  of 
 the  Lord's  sayings.  Now,  he  anticipates  that 
 question,  and  assures  us — I  received  it  from  tJie 
 Lard.    The  reader  who  believes  in  the  fact  that 
 
 revelations  were  ever  vouchsafed  to  the  Apos- 
 tle, will  be  all  the  more  iirraly  convinced  the 
 more  he  thinks  of  it ;  and  here,  on  so  important 
 an  occasion,  when  he  is  citing  the  words  and 
 acts  of  our  Lord  on  that  night,  he  cannot  be 
 referring  to  the  intermediate  tradition  of  mere 
 eye  witnesses.*  We  cannot  account,  on  that 
 supposition,  for  this  particular  appeal,  this 
 /  instead  of  We,  and  this  empljatic  from  the 
 Lord;  the  dno  which  we  agree  with  Nitzsch 
 in  regarding  as  equally  emphatic  with  the  naftd 
 which  Schulthess  finds  wanting,  because  in 
 connection  with  eyoo  yxp  ncxpeXafiov,  "fori 
 received,"  it  musi  be  understood  as  standing 
 m  contrast  with  any  mere  human  information^^ 
 received  at  second  or  third  hand— just  as  in 
 Gal.  i.  12.t  The  Apostle  is  certainly  nut  ap- 
 pealing, in  this  specific  matter  of  the  sacra- 
 ment, to  that  one  general  revelation  through 
 which  he  was  converted  ;  for  we  cannot  see  the 
 distinctive  force,  on  that  supposition,  of  such 
 a  strenuous  and  special  reierence  to  it.  We 
 say,  therefore,  with  Von  Gerlach,  that  "  he  re- 
 ceived it  from  the  Lord  in  such  a  manner  as 
 the  others  had  not  received  it,  so  that  he  could 
 present  it  to  the  Church  as  his  own  revelation 
 with  apostolical  authority  ;"  and,  with  Olshau- 
 sen,  "  Accordingly  we  have  here  an  authentic 
 declaration  from  the  Risen  Lord  himself  as  to 
 the  meaning  ot  his  sacrament,  and  the  Church 
 has  always  regarded  this  passage,  thus  viewed, 
 as  the  important  New-Testament  explanation 
 of  the  Lord's  Supper."  Hence  this  expositor, 
 in  his  comment  upon  the  Gnspels,  cites  this 
 Pauline  passage  as  the  main  ttxL ;  and  we  have 
 shown  our  own  opinion  by  placing  the  passage 
 on  a  level  with  the  Gospels  in  the  text  of  our 
 exposition. 
 
 By  this  authentic  explanation  from  above 
 of  tile  meaning  of  the  sacrament  to  be  cele- 
 brated in  the  Church — which  of  course  would 
 fix  forever  the  liturgical  form — the  Lord  did 
 not  pronounce  the  other  records  of  what  he 
 spoke  upon  earth  to  be  spurious.  He  did  no 
 more  than  "give  his  authoritative  decision  as 
 to  the  particular  form  of  administering  the  sa- 
 crament," which,  moreover,  may  be  regarded 
 "  as  a  combination  and  exposition  of  the  actual 
 words  of  Jesus,  likewise"  (Nitzsch).  He  has 
 confirmed  the  ?)i86nEvoi',giccn,^.\\<\  strength- 
 ened it  by  TiXooi-teyoVylroken ;  he  has  made 
 the  New  Testament  prominent;  and  added  a 
 second  and  most  distinctively  imperative  Do  this. 
 Such  a  supplementary  change  is  an  incompar- 
 ably more  becoming  supposition  than  that  of 
 a  variation  at  the  time  of  the  institution  itself. 
 
 *  Especially,  if  it  should  appear  that  this  tradi- 
 tion was  not  the  more  correct, 
 
 f  We  ncree  with  him,  further,  in  wlr.t  he  jjoes 
 on  to  say:  "  Tliere  might  ai)pear  to  lollow  IVoui 
 this,  a  similar  relation  to  the  entire  histo:y  of 
 Christ  " — for  it  would  have  been  almost  uiiapos- 
 tolical  for  one  who  was  so  mightily  confirmed  as 
 equal  with  the  Apostles  to  have  been  under  the 
 necessity  of  informing  himself  after  the  manner 
 of  Luke. 
 
516 
 
 THE  LORD'S  SUPPER. 
 
 The  Bread.  Matthew  alone  uses  the  ar- 
 ticle, roK  aprov*  and  thereb\'  defines  it  to 
 have  been  the  unleavened  bread  then  present 
 on  the  table;  the  other  accounts,  which  have 
 merely  "  bread"  or  "a  bread,"  serve  probably 
 a  two-fold  purpose  thereby.  They  intimate, 
 first,  that  hread  simply  as  such  was  sufficient 
 for  an  ordinance  which  was  not  bound  to  the 
 paschal  ceremony,  which  was  not  limited  to  Is- 
 rael, and  which  had  a  far  higher  meaning  than 
 the  mere  continuation  of  the  Old-Testament 
 rite;t  and  then,  by  the  generalization,  which 
 forsakes  the  historical  style,  they  prepare  for 
 the  observance  of  that  mystery  in  wiiich  even 
 common  earthly  bread  was  so  marvellously 
 sanctified. 
 
 He  blessed  it — gave  thanks.  Luther 
 has"dankete,"  gam  thanks,  wilhont  distinction, 
 for  both  the  £vXoyjj6ai  of  the  first  two  Evan- 
 gelists, and  the  £vx(xpi6r7t6ai  of  Luke  and 
 Paul  (and  a  var.  reading  in  Matt.).  The  two 
 are  in  a  certain  sense  one,  and  were  expressed 
 by  the  same  word  or  prayer.  The  one  idea 
 sufficiently  included  the  other;  and  to  have 
 put  them  one  after  the  other  would  have  been 
 out  of  harmony  with  the  sublimity  of  the  style 
 generally,  and  the  unity  of  the  whole  act. 
 There  is,  notwithstanding,  a  distinction  ;  not, 
 however,  that  the  one  is  a  more  Hebrew, 
 the  other  a  more  Greek,  expression.  Christ 
 gives  thanh  to  God  for  the  food,  but  in  this 
 thank-sgiving  he  blesses  the  food  itself;  and  in 
 this  latter  meaning,  the  evAoyj/dcx?,  "and 
 Vensed,"  refers,  like  tool-,  brake,  and  gate,  to  the 
 accusative  firead.  Both  meanings  are  contained 
 in  the  Hebrew  7]"i3,  and  they  pass  into  each 
 
 other  In  the  account  of  the  feeding  of  the 
 five  thousand,  the  first  two  Evangelists  use 
 ihXnyeU'  for  the  thanksgiving  uttered  with 
 eyes  lilted  to  heaven;  Luke,  however,  has 
 Ev\6yrf6Ey  avTovi,X  he  blessed  them,  the 
 loaves,  comp.  1  Sam.  ix.  13;  John,  again,  writes 
 simply  Euxapi6r?'/(}a?,  but  ascribes  in  ver.  23 
 a  wonderful  blessing  to  this  giving  thanks. 
 But  the  distinction  is  clearly  recognized  in  this 
 identity;  for  Paul,  who  is  accustomed  to  dis- 
 tinguish the  two  words,  in  1  Cor.  x.  16  makes 
 prominent  in  zchich  toe  h'.ess  the  consecrating 
 virtue  of  the  evXoyia,  the  blessing,  uttered 
 over  the  cup.  That  our  Lord  did  not  adhere 
 simphj  'dnd  fully  to  the  customary  ritual  prayer, 
 although  connecting  his  word  and  act  Willi  it, 
 
 *  We  cannot  acknowledge,  T,-it'i  Tisch.  and 
 Laclini.,  tlie  omission  of  the  arlicle  to  be  ctisiti/  e.\- 
 ])lained  on  that  account. 
 
 f  The  earlv  Church,  therefore  (.\cts  ii.  46,  in 
 the  daily  celebr.aion>,  used  the  common  daily 
 bread  (;wHM  ttsitatits) — until  the  Romis'.i  ordinances 
 (Pope  Alexander  1.)  brought  buck  iu  this  the  Old 
 Te.stainoMt. 
 
 f  Some  Codd.  have  Irr''  a^ro??,but  that  is  only 
 a  cloas.  ConsPijiientiy  here  and  in  the  plain 
 which  ue  hicss  of  1  Cor.  x.  IG,  there  is  ample  letu- 
 tat'on  of  Schu  z's  assertion — ilmt  the  N.  T.  has 
 no  trace  of  the  coiisccia.  (;n  or  blessing  of  dead 
 things. 
 
 is  plain  from  the  new  significance  of  this  broad, 
 the  consecration  of  wnich  required  a  new  and 
 free  expression.  The  old  form  of  prayer  and 
 thanksgiving  referred  merely  to  the  bread  of 
 the  earth  ;  but  the  Lord  contemplates  and  con- 
 secrates in  his  prayer  himself  in  this  bread, 
 the  gift  of  heaven  for  the  life  of  the  vk'orld. 
 Grotius:  "At  this  time  and  place,  he  poured 
 out  his  thanksgivings,  not  for  the  old  creation 
 and  its  gift  alone,  but  also  for  the  new  cre- 
 ation for  the  sake  of  wh'^h  he  came  into  the 
 world — for  the  redemption  of  the  world,  now 
 contemplated  as  accomplished."  He  can  give 
 thanks  by  anticipation,  for  he  beholds  his  body 
 already  broken  like  this  bread  ;  he  gives  him- 
 self thus  to  his  disciples  for  their  life.  But 
 this  thanksgiving  uttered  in  the  love  of  the 
 Son  of  Man  in  his  humiliation,  is  the  germ 
 and  beginning  of  the  blessing  of  divine  miracu- 
 lous power  to  be  pronounced  upon  the  bread 
 of  all  communions — a  blessing  which  should 
 go  beyond  the  first  benediction  of  the  Creator. 
 There  has  been  a  foolish  contention  about  the 
 relation  of  the  blessing  and  the  thanksgiving  (in- 
 correctly considered  as  apart  from  and  inde- 
 pendent of  each  other),  as  to  their  antecedence 
 and  consequence  respectively.  Our  opinion  is 
 just  this.  The  former,  with  which  the  Lord 
 commences,  as  connected  with  the  sacred  cus- 
 tom of  the  old  feast,  is  certainly  the  simple 
 though  comp-ehensive  thanksgiving  for  the 
 earthly  fruit,  the  bread  ;  but  he  does  not  on 
 this  occasion  limit  himself  to  that;  he  con- 
 nects with  it  a  thanksgiving  for  the  new  cre- 
 ation, for  redemption  (as  Grotius  said).  In 
 the  Spirit  he  gives  himself  up  to  the  Father, 
 and  for  the  Father's  sake  to  men,  while  he  him- 
 self thanks  the  Father  for  his  own  self-sacri- 
 fice. But  such  thanksgiving  as  this  was,  ut- 
 tered with  direct  reference  to  the  sacrament 
 now  to  be  instituted,  cannot  but  attach  a  con- 
 secration to  the  creature — bread — here  exhib- 
 ited, which  would  give  its  character  to  the 
 myntcry  which  it  was  the  Redeemer's  purpose 
 to  connect  in  future  with  this  bread.  Hereby 
 not  only  was  bread  blessed  anew  (as  in  the 
 former  thanksgivings  of  Christ  who  ate  it)  ; 
 but  in  particular  tlie  bread  of  the  Supper  was 
 blessed  to  the  end  of  time.  What  and  how 
 great  that  blessing  is,  we  do  not  consider 
 now  ;  but  the  most  frigid  interpretation,  of 
 the  most  sober  expositor  who  really  believes 
 in  him,  must  allow  that  a  certain  power  of 
 blessing  was  derived  to  the  sacramental  ele- 
 ments from  this  last  thanksgiving-prayer  of 
 our  Lord.  Meyer's  exclusive  declaration — 
 "  The  blessing  was  not  for  the  bread  or  the 
 wine,  but  for  the  person  who  through  their 
 benediction  was  to  be  blessed  " — is  very  ques- 
 tionable for  this  reason,  that  this  first  ci'^api- 
 6tb1v  and  et-Xoyelv  actually  concerned  the 
 bread  and  wine,  even  as,  in  the  analogy  of 
 lower  things,  there  is  a  certain  sanctification 
 of  our  food  through  our  thanksgiving.  Thus, 
 the  thanksgiving  lor  and  over  the  bread  effects 
 a  blessing  of  the  bread;  but  the  blessing  is  here 
 ail  the  more  eignificant  in  proportion  as  the 
 
MATTHEW  XX Vi.  26-28. 
 
 517 
 
 thanl^sgiving  was  moro  comprehensive  and 
 pertained  to  the  hi<;hest  objects.  At  this 
 third,  and  concluding  crisis,  the  Lord  gives 
 thanks  for  the  blessing  which  he  had  prayed 
 for  and  obtained  i'rom  the  Father. 
 
 All  this  lays  the  foundation  for  the  profound 
 sense  in  which  the  whole  sacrament  has  from 
 the  beginning  been  ca. led  the  Euchnrid  ;  and 
 for  the  sake  of  this  we  have  entered  so  fully 
 into  the  subject.  While  this  name  finally 
 indicates  the  spiritual  thank-offering  which 
 Christians,  partaking  of  the  sacrament,  offer  in 
 their  consecration  of  themselves  to  God  and 
 Christ,  it  nevertheless  took  its  rise  (as  we  find 
 in  Irena^us  and  Justin)  from  the  sanctification 
 of  earthly  gifts  of  God  by  thanksgiving  and 
 their  higher  hallowed  use.  Bread  and  wine 
 are  regarded  in  the  sacrament  as  the  first-fruits 
 of  the  gifts  of  nature  presented  to  the  Lord — 
 not  without  allusion  to  the  fact  that,  in  the 
 Passover,  the  beginning  of  the  religious  year 
 coincided  with  the  beginning  of  the  harvest, 
 the  budding  of  new  life  in  nature,  the  month 
 2'2N.     So  in  the  Lord's  Supper,  "  thankgiving 
 
 for  the  grace  of  creation,  and  thanksgiving  for 
 the  grace  of  redemption,  concur  ;  "^'"  there  is  in 
 it  "a  sanctification  of  earthly  enjoyment  into 
 means  of  grace  in  the  new  covenant."  This 
 last  idea  is  presented  in  the  daily  commemora- 
 tion of  the  earliest  Church;  but  we  are  not  to 
 press  it  so  far  as  to  conclude  that  every  eating 
 of  bread  an<l  drinking  of  wine  may  be  made 
 a  sacramental  participation  of  Christ — the  seal 
 and  witness  of  his  life-giving  death.  This 
 extravagance  was  far  from  the  Apostle's  spirit 
 when  he  said — As  oft  as  ye  eat  oUhis  bread. 
 
 For  the  Lord  took  bread,  specifically,  and 
 elevated  it  into  a  sacramental  symbol  of  his 
 body  sacrificed  and  to  be  eaten  ;  not,  as  might  a;)- 
 ]>enr  to  be  the  case,  the  flesh  or  the  body  of  the 
 proper  Passover — and  this  for  many  reasons. 
 First,  for  the  sake  of  releasing  the  new  from 
 the  old  by  a  free  change ;  the  opposite  might 
 have  had,  to  the  Gentiles,  a  tincture  of  Judaism 
 in  it.  Then,  and  connected  therewith,  for  the 
 sake  of  consecrating  the  most  universal  and 
 simple  nourishment  of  life,  common  almost  in 
 every  land  among  all  people,  and  thus  making 
 the  fieavenly  head  of  life  appear  as  the  manna 
 prepared  for  all  the  world.  Further,  in  order  to 
 obviate   every   carnal   and    grovelling   notion 
 
 *  As  Von  Gerlach  says  on  Matthew.  Justin's 
 words  are  :  "  Tliat  we  may  at  once  praise  God  for 
 the  creation  of  the  world  and  all  in  it  for  mnn's 
 sake,  and  for  delivering  us  from  all  the  evil  into 
 wliich  we  have  sunk."  With  this  the  words  of 
 the  iiucient  Latin  ma.ss  coincide — and  they  are 
 not  in  tliemselves  to  he  despised,  for  their  deep 
 llio'.ish  partial  sense  of  truth  puis  to  shime  many 
 of  our  modern  Protestant  sacrnnieiital  Joimu'a- 
 ries.  But  the  notion  of  the  new  English  Api  sties 
 cannot  be  Justified,  who — in  order  to  establish  an 
 oblation  alter  the  analogy  of  the  m.^ss — teach 
 that  the  Eiicharietic  thank-offerins  must,  as  the 
 first  pait  of  the  ceremony,  precede  tlie  proper 
 communion. 
 
 touching  his  flesh,  which  might  have  been 
 brought  in  some  way  into  analogy  with  animal 
 flesh.  Finally,  to  make  it  manifest  that  there 
 could  be  in  it  no  repetition,  or  even  continu- 
 ance, of  the  propitiatory  offering  ;  inasmuch  as 
 that  is  forever  reproduced  only  in  the  fmit  of 
 the  seed  that  died  (John  xii."24),  as  a  thank- 
 offering.  The  eating  of  the  lamb  would  have 
 carried  over  the  imperfect  one-sidedness  of  the 
 typical  animal  offering  into  the  New  Testa- 
 ment, just  as  if  it  was  the  eating  of  the  dead 
 and  sacrificed  Christ  as  such  ;  therefore,  in  the 
 Supper  of  our  Lord,  the  fruits  of  the  earth, 
 bread  and  wine,  are  instituted  instead  of  the 
 flesh  of  animals — the  eating  of  which  generally 
 had  been  intermediately  introduced  for  only 
 fallen  humanity,  after  his  paradisaical  state  was 
 forfeited.  And  thus  is  fulfilled  the  prognostica- 
 tion of  the  Jews — that  when  the  Messiah  should 
 come  as  a  priest  after  the  order  of  Melchisedek, 
 all  (typical  animal)  sacrifices  should  cease,  and 
 only  the  (thank)  offering  of  bread  and  loine 
 should  remain,     (See  in  Sepp,  iii.  410.) 
 
 And  brake  it — ExXads ;  this  is  the  same 
 in  all  the  four,  and  must  be  of  importance.  To 
 say  that  ''the  bread  of  that  time  required  to 
 be  broken  in  order  to  be  distributed,  and  that 
 is  all  which  is  here  signified,"  is  foolish, 
 thoughtless,  and  most  dishonorable  to  the 
 sacramental  idea.  Why  then  is  it  so  specifi- 
 cally mentioned,  not  merely  here,  but  also  in 
 every  reference  to  the  Church's  breaking  bread? 
 What  then  is  the  force  of  the  breaking  of  bread, 
 Acts  ii.  42,  and  the  bread  tohich  ice  break,  1  Cor. 
 X.  16?  Even  in  the  paschal  ritual  the  break- 
 ing of  the  bread  had  its  specific  place  ;  the  ex- 
 planation was  added  in  due  course  of  time,  that 
 as  the  bread  of  affliction  it  might  be  eaten  only 
 in  fragments,  broken  previously  in  an  unwont- 
 ed manner,  and  not  blessed  till  broken.  Fried- 
 lieb,*  at  least,  tells  ns  so;  and  if  that  was  the 
 case,  then  the  blessing  of  the  bread  in  this 
 Supper  before  the  breaking  would  be  a  testi- 
 mony, in  opposition  to  that  ordinance,  that,  in 
 the  new  covenant,  our  participation  in  the 
 death  of  Christ,  and  in  all  the  tribulation  which 
 to  us  also  is  appointed  in  our  Christian  pro- 
 bation, has  been  previously  blessed  from  the 
 beginning,  springs  solely  from  the  blessing  of 
 God,  and  should  be  matter  of  thanksgiving  be- 
 forehand. With  this  is  connected,  in  the  ad- 
 vancing development  of  the  meaning,  tlie  con- 
 sideration of  the  "Uhrality  of  Christ,  inviting 
 us  to  the  communion  of  all  those  good  things 
 which  were  to  be  obtained  for  us  through  bis 
 cross."  (So  Grotius,  alluding  to  the  fact  that 
 breaking  bread  in  the  0.  T.  means  to  make  others 
 sharers  of  it,  Isa.  Iviii.  7  ;  Lam.  iv.  4,  and  in  a 
 similar  sense  wlien  Ihrake  to  the  five  thousand, 
 Mark  viii.  19.  The  Lord  "  breaks  bread  to  us," 
 when  he  devotes  himself  to  that  end.  Thus 
 the  ceremony  itself,  before  he  begins  to  speak 
 and  interpret  its  meaning,  says  as  it  were  the 
 
 *  Archaologie  der  LcidcnsgescMchtc,  p  56.  But  we 
 are  not  able  to  confirm  it  by  our  own  appeal  to 
 his  authorities. 
 
51-8 
 
 THE  LORD'S  SUPPER. 
 
 same  Ta'ke,ent,  which  in  Luke  xxii.  17  was  ex- 
 pressed by  the  Divide  it  among  yoursdik's  ;  but 
 with  this  difference,  that  he  does  not  give  tliem 
 to  talce  the  whole  mass  of  the  thing  lo  be  dis- 
 tributed. Tlie  biuike  it,  therefore,  in  the  final 
 form  given  to  the  Apostle  Paul,  may  represent 
 the  omitted  ami  gate  unto  them.  But  that  form, 
 &H  we  sliall  see,  teaches  us,  in  tiie  alteration 
 "br  ken  for  yon,"  the  profound  symbolical  mean- 
 ing of  this  breaking,  which  the  Apostle  de- 
 scribes as  a  custom  adhering  to  the  giving  of 
 the  bread,  just  as  he  makes  prominent  the 
 blessing  in  regard  to  the  cup.  Moreover,  it  is 
 — Which  xce  break  ;  for  then  one  gave  to  an- 
 other in  the  place  of  Christ  (not  necessarily 
 one  separated,  and  consecrated,  for  that  pur- 
 pose). But  the  omission  of  the  breaking  in  the 
 Lutheran  communion  (as  the  improper  word  i 
 host,  which  falls  back  into  the  Old  Testament) 
 must  be  mourned  over  and  condemned,  while 
 we  are  speaking  of  the  ceremony  itself.  The 
 early  contests  about  this  did  not  concern  a  mat- 
 ter altogether  indifferent ;  The  Lutherans  were 
 in  some  error  when  they  declared  the  breaking 
 of  Irread,  which  is  alike  scriptural  with  the 
 benediction  and  consecration,  to  be  a  merely  pre- 
 parafonj  action,  ministering  to  the  dislribation ; 
 and  thence  deduced  that  it  was  indifferent 
 whether  the  bread  was  divided  into  certain 
 portions  before  or  during  the  administration,  and 
 whether  it  was  done  by  the  minister  of  the 
 Church  or  by  any  other  Christian.*  On  the 
 other  hand,  the  Confesnio  Marchica  in  Art.  xi. 
 xiii.,  protests  against  this,  and  maintains  the 
 inviolable  importance  of  the  breaking. 
 
 T.vKE  E.\T.  Thus  did  the  Lord  assuredly 
 speak  his  first  plain  word,  which  directly  ac- 
 companied the  breaking  and  distribution,  while 
 it  laid  the  foundation  for  the  immediate  inti- 
 niatif  n  as  to  what  lie  appointed  that  they 
 should  take  and  eat  therein.  No  stress  is  to  be 
 laid  on  the  lacl  that  (pdyatE  is  uncertain  in 
 Mark,  and  that  in  Luke  Aoc/Jere,  q>cx.ytrE  are 
 altogether  wanting,  and  even  in  Paul  almost 
 certainly  spurious.  For,  according  to  the  first 
 canon  which  we  laid  down,  that  is  authentic 
 which  even  one  alone  surely  records  :  in  this 
 case  it  is  the  Apostle  Matthew,  or,  if  it  so  please, 
 the  first  and  most  direct  tradition.  Th€ir  omis- 
 sion by  Paul  had  certainly  no  design  to  take 
 away  these  words,  indispensable  in  the  cele- 
 bration (and  therefore  inserted  in  his  text  from 
 the  liturgical  form) ;  but  they  are  pre-supposed, 
 and  not  specified,  in  order  that  he  may  come 
 at  once,  and  so  much  the  more  emphatically, 
 to  the  This  is  and  I'his  do  ye.  Moreover,  it  is 
 evident,  much  more  certainly  here  than  in  the 
 previous  diviiU  it  among  yout  selves,  that  the  Lord 
 
 *  So  Riidelbach  :  "Not  Ihnt  f/r  must  brenk  it 
 wlioii  partaking  of  tlie  Lord's  iSupper,  Imi  that 
 broken  bread  must  always  be  used"  (as  if  the  en- 
 tue  loaf  could  be  taken.  Or  is  this  in  opposition 
 to  the  cutting  the  bread?).  Kahnis  says,  "  Tlie 
 breaking  of  the  bread  is  its  consecration  to  its  sa- 
 cramental character,  perfectly  parallel  with  the 
 blessing  of  the  cup." 
 
 could  not  join  with  them  in  eating  and  drink- 
 ing  of  that  which  he,  though  only  in  anticipa- 
 tion, called  his  body  and  his  blood.* 
 
 It  must  be  a\\ovfed,Jirst  of  aH,  that  both 
 words  naturally  apply  to  the  bread,  and  signify 
 — XdfitTS  scil.  manibus  (et  ore) — qidyEre  toil. 
 <re ;  talce,  eat,  xoith  the  bodily  hands  and  viauth. 
 There  are  those  who  receive  these  words  in  so 
 entirely  common  a  sense  that  no  exegesis  can 
 bring  them  further  than  the  mere  letter;  but 
 to  all  spiritual  and  more  profound  exposition 
 it  is  matter  of  confident  assurance  that  there  is 
 in  them  a  symbolical  meaning  which  must  go 
 beyond  that.  With  the  intention  to  appoint 
 something  which  was  to  be  repeated  in  the 
 future,  the  Lord  sees  in  these  twelve  all  who 
 should  afterwards  receive,  and  to  them  he 
 would  say  that  and  /twc  they  should  "  receive 
 and  eat."  Still  more  :  When  he  presently  says 
 of  this  bread  that  it  is  something  else,  we  must 
 take  his  whole  word  in  its  unity,  and  conse- 
 quently refer  this  graciously-proffering  com- 
 mand itself  also  to  his  body.  Thus  it  is.  Take 
 and  eat  that  which  I  give  to  you  hereby — 
 what  ye  shall  presently  know.  Then  we  ask, 
 Why  is  it  thus  circumstantially  two-fold,  since 
 for  the  external  meaning  one  of  the  two  would 
 seem  to  be  enough?  (For  the  mere  appoint- 
 ing that  every  one  should  take  the  broken 
 bread  into  his  hand  before  he  ate  it  with  his 
 mouth,  is  surely  an  inadequate  reason,  quite 
 below  the  height  of  a  mystery  in  which  such 
 e.xternalities  in  themselves  are  indifferent  mat- 
 ters.) But  in  the  profunder  sens3  this  two- 
 fold saying  has  its  meaning  secured  to  it — and 
 may  be  itself  placed,  for  the  present,  in  a  two- 
 fold" light.  Either  the  take  intimates  prepara- 
 torily the  modvs  spirituaHs  of  the  participath 
 corjw7-is  Chritsi  qi/cB  ore  fit,  as  testified  in  the 
 eat,  thus  giving  this  meaning  for  the  future — 
 Receive  in  faith  what  I  give  unto  you,  so  shall 
 ye  eat  not  merely  this  bread,  but  my  body  ;  ye 
 shall  receive  it,  even  as  ye  eat  the  bread.!  Or, 
 conversely,  the  taking  bread  might  be  the  ex- 
 ternal eating  (as  tiErocXaufiaveiv  rpocpT/?, 
 Acts  ii.  46,  or  Xafioiv  aprov,  Acts  xxvii.  35 
 — according  to  this  latter  our  Xa/u^ocvEiv  is 
 the  correlative  of  the  first  Xaficov  of  Jesus) ; 
 but  in  the  eat  follows  the  more  essential,  mys- 
 tical eating — thus  giving  this  meaning.  Re- 
 ceive with  hand  and  mouth  this  bread,  but  eat 
 something  other  than  it,  my  body.  It  is  obvi- 
 ous that  the  view  which  we  bring  with  us  to 
 the  understanding  of  this  is  free  to  decide  for 
 itself,  and  that  here  already  Calvin  and  Luther 
 have  occasion  to  separate  ;  indeed,  we  may  say 
 
 *  Though  some  of  the  Fathers  thou  "-lit  so. 
 Chrys. :  He  drink  his  own  blood.  Schulihe.s.s  de- 
 rives it  from  M.itt.  xxvi.  20,  and  say-i  that  it  be- 
 lot^ged  to  the  ijricc  of  the  who  e  action  that  he  in 
 this  least  of  love  should /;««  taste. 
 
 I  Krumniacher :  In  the  takiiig  ihpre  is  a  »«>w- 
 motis,  in  the  ent  ttt  a  ptom>.te  also.  The  take  refers 
 not  merely  to  the  hand,  luit  much  more  to  the 
 hfftrt.  It  demands  susceptibility  and  appropri- 
 ation in  living  faith 
 
MATTHEW  XXVI.  26-28. 
 
 fflt 
 
 preliminurily,  that  fhe  one  sens3  lays  the  em- 
 phasis upon  the  taking  as  ftpintuale,  the  other 
 upon  eating  as  orale.  We  of  course  incline,  on 
 account  of  the  reference  to  John  vi.,  where  the 
 Lord  himself  has  laid  such  strong  emphasis 
 upon  the  eating,  to  regard  him  as  similarly 
 speaking  here — E.it  herewith  dXTjOoDi,  receive 
 as  nourishment  into  yourselves  my  body.  In- 
 asmuch as  this  "eating"  coincides  with  the 
 eating  of  bread,  and  is  liere  on  that  account  so 
 termed,  are  we  to  regard  the  "taking"  as  al- 
 together one  and  the  same,  and  are  both  to  re- 
 fer, as  externally  to  the  bread,  so  symbolically 
 and  internally  "to  the  bo'iy?  We  certainly 
 think  this  conjunction  of  the  two,  after  that 
 former  doubtful  distinction,  to  be  the  true  and 
 certain  sense  of  the  words;  and  that  the  ab- 
 sence of  and  between  them  itself  intimates  that 
 it  is  so.*  But  again,  to  what  end  is  the  em- 
 phasis of  the  two-fold  expression  ?  Tlie  double 
 word  has  its  deep  truth  and  meaning  in  this, 
 that  it  is  a  proffering  imperative,  and  pre-sup- 
 poses  in  us  something  corresponding  to  it  as 
 such,  without  which  it  doLS  not  take  effect. 
 The  receiving  and  partaking  are  thrown  back 
 ultimately  upon  our  own  will,  as  well  as  upon 
 the  divine  gift — and  this  meaning,  when  all 
 things  are  weighed,  best  proves  itself  exegetic- 
 ally.  For,  while  a  man  can  receive  nothing 
 except  it  be  given  him  from  above,  it  is  equally 
 certain  that  nothing  can  be  given  to  him  from 
 above  except  the  man  receive  it.  What  we  mean 
 corresponds  with  Olshausen's  too  partially  de- 
 veloped thought.  "  In  these  words  {take,  eat, 
 drink)  the  rece;  tivity  on  the  part  of  the  disciples, 
 who  represent  the  Church,  is  brought  out. 
 Christ  is  the  distributor,  who  satisfies  with  him- 
 self our  spiritual  hunger  and  thirst."  Here  we 
 find  in  our  Lord's  lips,  as  soon  as  we  apprehend 
 him  aright,  the  great  condition  which  was 
 found  wanting  in  the  Solida  Dedaratio  "  si  cre- 
 dideritis."t     For  while   the  taking  to  ourselves 
 
 *  But  that  mu^t  be  carefully  observed,  which 
 Buddeus  in  the  name  of  his  Church  admits: 
 Probe  discrimen  inter  manducationeni  oralem  et 
 nrrtnrdlcm  teiiendum  est.  Etsi  enim  oralem  man- 
 ducationeni adseranius  atque  propugneiiius,  uatu- 
 rahiu  tnmen  nou  ailmittimus. 
 
 \  Ed.  Rech.nl>..  p.  732,  "  Quia  Christus,  m» 
 dixit:  Si  credidcritis,  aut  dii^iii  fueritis,  turn  in 
 coeiii'i  sacra  corpus  et  sancruinem  meum  prasscntia 
 hab>'bitis,  scdpo'ius  ait:  Accipite,  cditc  ac  libite" — 
 as  if  the  later  did  not  necessarily  imp'y  the 
 jovmer.  Wtien  it  goes  on,  "  Verba  Christi  hoc 
 volunt:  sive  di^nus  s  ve  indijinns  sis,  babes  hie 
 in  coena  Christi  rorpus  et  sanuuinem  " — it  is  as 
 micli  as  to  say,  whi^ther  with  or  wilhout  fa'th,  if 
 thou  literally  eatest  and  d  inkest  the  bread  and 
 the  wii  e  fhou  rcceive.st  me,  the  fellow-^hip  of  my 
 de»th  and  lif  ,  my  gloiified  corixtreily  :  ntiy,  de- 
 spite John  vi  ,  with  lUt  faith,  eternal  hfe  !  Guerlcke 
 says  that  oilicrwise  it  sliould  have  been  Believe,  in- 
 stead of  T'ike  iu  order  lo  obviate  tbe  thotieht  that 
 Juias  part!H)k  o1  the  bofly  of  the  Lord.  But  did 
 Judas  ii  tve  any  b*Hiefit  in  for  the  remission  of  sins, 
 which  however  cannot  be  separated  fiom  the  This 
 
 comes  at  last  to  our  own  decision,  it  is,  like  all 
 spiritual  blessings,  metliated  by  our  faith.  Al- 
 though his  love  and  power  "declares  in  this 
 word,  most  gracious  as  it  is  mo-t  imjsterioiis— 
 Here  am  I ;  take  me  ;  eat  and  drink  me  ;  yet 
 when  he  pronounces  this  most  gracious  iaks 
 and  this  most  mysterious  ent,  it  is  not  here,  any 
 more  than  in  the  rest  of  Scripture,  an  enforc- 
 ing, compulsory,  imperative.  Overlooking  this, 
 men  have  deduced  from  this  centre-mystery 
 the  dogma,  contradictory  to  nature — Ye  ma}', 
 shall,  and  must  eat  my  flesh,  nolentes  volentes. 
 
 So  much  for  the  worJs  with  which  the  svm- 
 bols  are  presented,  in  their  anticipated  connec- 
 tion with  all  the  sequel  ;  we  now  turn  to  the 
 word  of  declaration,  in  which  the  mystery 
 is  solved  only  to  be  sealed  again  in  its  mvs- 
 teriousness— 7'/i«  is  mij  hodij. 
 
 This  is.  But  first,  that  we  may  go  step  by 
 step,  the  little  word  Tkis,  tovto'.  The  stress 
 which  Luther  laid  upon  it,  equally  with  the 
 £(?rz,  is  well  known, \nd  for  the 'most  part 
 amply  justified — for  it  is  essential.  His  scorn 
 and  mockery  were  pardonable  at  the  commence- 
 ment of  the  contest,  when  Carlstadt  perverted 
 the  first  little  word  into  a  negation  of  the 
 entire  character  of  the  sacrament.  Perversion 
 it  certainly  was  to  say  that  Christ  in  this  tovvo 
 pointed  with  his  finger  to  his  body  ;  for  6(^ua 
 being  neuter,  and  aproi  masculine,  the  tovro 
 must  refer  to  the  former  and  have  nothing  to 
 do  with  the  latter.  Luther  correctly  pointed 
 first  to  the  fact  that  we  naturally  u.se  the  neuter 
 when  speaking  of  a  thing  which  lies  before  us; 
 and  then  more  convincingly  still,  brought 
 against  his  opponent  the  parallel  of  the  cup  : 
 "  Tell  me  then,  good  Peter,  to  what  the  second 
 touto  refers,  which  follows  immediately  alter- 
 vvard.  If  the  second  this  must  refer  to  Christ, 
 and  yet  here  expressly  points  to  the  cup 
 (rovro  TO  Ttoryfjioy,  do(^s  your  faith  call  the 
 blood  of  Christ  or  Christ  himself  the  cup?" 
 He  unsparingly  ridicules  all  such  arbitrary  in- 
 terpretation :  "Thus  Christ  would  be  made  to 
 say.  Take,  eat,  for  I  say  unto  you  that  here  sits 
 my  body,  which  is  given  for  vou ;  "  and  so 
 forth.*  ■ 
 
 If  anv  thing  is  certain  in  regard  to  this  mat- 
 ter it  is  the  sober  word  of  Bengel,  which  is 
 faithful  to  t!ie  simple  letter  and  has  become 
 classical — "Hoc  quod  vos  sumere  jubeo"  (this 
 which  Icomin'nid  you  to  take)  ;  in  which,  more- 
 over, he  designedly  omits  to  say  fully  at  once 
 what  is  obvious  in  the  text — "Sumere  ac 
 edere  "  (to  take  arid  eat).-f     Guericke,  not  satis- 
 
 *  Carlstadt  introduced  as  analoaica).  "  Thou  art 
 Peter,  and  on  fhi<  rock  (that  is  myself)."  an  inter- 
 pretation whicli  unhappily  his  opponents  admit- 
 ted. But  this  exegesis  is  itselt  equally  incor- 
 rect. 
 
 f  So  some  of  tho  Lutheran  doamat's's  miin- 
 taiu  this  alove—"  Hoc,  (juod  edere  vos  vo!o — hoc, 
 quod  vos  bibere  voU>."  They  are  right,  but  the 
 question  is  now  as  to  what  kind  of  eat'ng  and 
 drinking  is  meant  in  connection  with  and  after  the 
 taJitnff.  "Luther  said,  against  Carlstadt:  "  If  there 
 
520 
 
 THE  LORD'S  SUPPPEK 
 
 fied  v;ith  Hengstenber;:^'g  almost  Lutheran  ap- 
 proval Oi  this  formula  of  Bengel, blames  this  in 
 the  latter  ;  and  thinks  that  he  should  have  said 
 more  definitely  and  rigorously — "  Quod  vos 
 siimere  et  conicda-e  juheo."*  Bi:t,  in  opposition 
 to  I  he  idea  which  lurks  under  this,  we  must 
 :)iaintain  that  there  is  good  reason  why  our 
 J:ord  does  not  say  with  the  precision  and  ab- 
 sdluteness  which  is  thought  to  be  necessary — 
 <yi  ros  u  a/jToi,  this  bread.  He  not  merely 
 tiiereby  obviated  all  misunderstanding,  just  as 
 lie  explains  the  second  rovro  not  by  this  wine, 
 but  by  this  cup,  of  which  more  anon :  but,  more- 
 over, he  did  not  say  what  could  not  have  been 
 said  with  any  intelligible  meaning.  His  words 
 preserve,  with  most  measured  siraplicity,  the 
 fine  in  which  the  earthly  and  heavenly  agree 
 in  one,  in  a  symbolical  and  real  unity,  without 
 being  however  (which  were  impossible)  identi- 
 eal.\ 
 
 But  now  for  the  little  word  Is,  the  much 
 contested  'E2TL  First  of  all,  it  is  probable 
 that  in  the  Lord's  language,  in  which  subject 
 and  predicate  are  united  without  the  expres- 
 sion of  the  copula,  it  had  no  existence.  Scheibel 
 indeed  thinks  that  there  would  be  an  emphatic 
 NVT  nt  or  even  a  mere  XIH,  corresponding  to  it ; 
 
 but  Meyer  has  shown, J  in  opposition  to  him, 
 that  the  connection  NIH  ni  is  unusual  in  the 
 
 Old  Testametit,  and  that  if  any  thing  it  would 
 be  N^n  :  yet  that  nothing  would  be  wanting, 
 in  any  case,  if  even  that  was  absent,  as  it 
 exerts  no  direct  influence  upon  the  literal  or 
 figurative  meaning.  This  being  the  position 
 of  the  question,  either  tcJrz  having  been  unex- 
 pressed by  our  Lord,  or  if  expressed  its  mean- 
 ing wavering  between  a  copulative  and  sub- 
 stantive sense,  exegesis  must  lay  no  stress  upon 
 it,  but  discover  the  interpretation  by  the  help 
 of  the  subject  and  predicate  alone.  The  sub- 
 ject is  thai  which  was  gwen,^  which  was  to  be 
 taken  and  eaten  ;  and  is  neither  the  Lord  who 
 handed  it  to  them  himself,  nor  (as  Zwingle 
 quotes  from  Thomas  and  Scotus) — "Vos,  qu' 
 hoc  convivio  interestis"  {ye  who  are  with  me  in 
 this  fead).  But  the  predicate  follows  more 
 plainly. 
 
 Mt  body.     This  is  the  cardo  rei.  the  hinge 
 
 be  nny  meaning  in  words,  it  is  plain  that  that  is 
 h.S  body  whch  he  holds  out  and  bids  them  cat." 
 
 *  Der  Calcinismus  Uniomvehikel  und  Kirchcn- 
 Jiiuckc,  p.  31. 
 
 t  Rodntz,  indeed,  thinks  that  if  the  Lord  had 
 Tittered  such  a  rontradctio  m  adjccto  as  "  this  bread 
 ia  luy  body,"  our  human  reason  should  bow  befoie 
 the  (livir.e  reason.  But  all  thought  would  be  at 
 an  end  in  faitii  like  tlii.s ;  and  wo  niiglit  ask  wliy 
 (ho  Lord  spoko  any  thins  at  aU  to  us  in  human 
 lannua^e,  the  medium  of  thoughts  wliicli  may  be 
 apprehended. 
 
 XJahrb.  der  Sheol,  Feb.  1824,  also  Gcsammette 
 Kritiach.  Kraicsen,  j).  306. 
 
 ^  Kot  the  bread  as  brend  ;  for  that  two  ex-sting 
 thin78  should  be  identilied  by  meaus  of  a  copula, 
 k  not  a  necessity  of  logic. 
 
 of  all.  If  the  Lord  when  he  thus  offere(3  to 
 them  the  bread  with,  "  Take  and  eat,"  spoke  ol 
 his  body,  that  is,  of  himself  bodily,  as  he  was, 
 incarnate,  and  lived  before  them — let  this  be 
 our  starting  point — he  pointed  in  i\\\s  fareitiell- 
 mml  first  of  all  to  his  whole  past  earthly  fellow- 
 ship with  them,  in  which  they  had  his  body 
 ever  with  them  and  near  them  ;  but  he  also 
 pointed  by  anticipation  to  a  future  fellowship  in 
 which  they  should  possess  him  again,  or  rather 
 still  continue  to  possess  him — as  he  had  said 
 repeatedly.  And  more  than  that,  for  we  must 
 now  connect  this  solemn  formula  with  the  rite 
 of  the  Passover,  of  which  we  have  already 
 spoken.  Most  certainly,  if  we  would  translate 
 back  his  words,  he  did'not  say  '''\p2,  for  then 
 
 the  Greek  would  have  been  dapS  fxov — and 
 it  is  as  little  probable  that  he  said  n'lS  or  even 
 
 ni3.    Thus  it  is  most  probable  that  he  used 
 
 ^S^a  or  '•V^  '•a^a  (according  to  the  emphasis  of 
 
 the  l-iov  standing  first  in  Paul),  as  they  spoke 
 of  the  Pjia  of  the'npS,     But  it  does  not  follow 
 
 from  this  that  he  spoke  only  in  figurative  rep- 
 resentation, as  and  because  in  the  Old-Testa- 
 ment formula  it  was  said  of  the  lamb — This  i» 
 the  Passover  or  the  body  of  the  Passover.* 
 The  typical  reference,  rather,  modifies  the 
 meaning  of  the  roiro  into  this — What  I  noio 
 offer  to  rjoii,  that  is,  what  I  appoint  therein  and 
 establish  for  you  in  the  future  to  partake  of, 
 instead  of  the  lamb.  Bengel  rightly  says, 
 before  the  words  already  quoted,  "  This  is  is 
 opposed  to  the  old  shadows,  and  means  Te 
 Imve  myself."  We  may,  therefore,  for  the  elud- 
 dation  of  this  meaning,  invert  the  clause,  so  far 
 as  it  contains  in  it  this  point — My  body  is,  I 
 myself  am  your  paschal  lamb.  But  it  is  alto- 
 gether wrong  and  is  refuted  by  the  analogy  of 
 the  words  spoken  with  the  cup,  to  maintain 
 rashly  that  tiie  Lord  uttered  his  words  merelj' 
 in  the  sense  of  such  a  transposition  oftlie  suljecL 
 and  predicate'^ 
 
 Similarly,  there  is  another  inversion  of  the 
 clause  which  an  unbiassed  consideration  must 
 
 *  The  persistent  straining  of  the  analogy  with 
 nin!?  ^^'l^  nD2,  as  we  find  it  in  Ebrard  after 
 Zwing'e,  involves  the  fiindanienta!  error  of  mis- 
 apprehending the  realty  of  tlie  New-Testament 
 sacrament  in  opposition  to  the  Old-Testament  sym- 
 bolical act. 
 
 t  Such  is  Scldeiermacher's  artificial  tr.rn  given 
 to  the  sentence.  This  b:ead,  not  the  lamb,  is 
 henceforth  the  Fasm-er  wliic'i  I  ir.sfituto,  my  P|r|3, 
 So  Tliicss  formerly,  but  11.  Stephani  shows  it  in 
 its  most  meaningless  form  :  "  Jesus  declares  bread 
 and  wjio  to  be  the  symbols  of  the  new  covenant., 
 insto.id  of  the  llesli  and  blood  of  tlio  animal  sac- 
 rifice." Ebrard,  in  like  manner,  though  nrotest- 
 ing  against  that :  "This  unleavened  bread  of  the 
 Passover  (predicate  !)  is  vv/  body  (subject !),  which 
 is  to  be  broken  lor  you  ;  tiiat  is,  my  body  broken 
 for  you  is  the  true  nD3 — ^  ""*  ^hc  true  Passover  sao' 
 
 rifice."    Cut  ho  has  since  rclracLed  this. 
 
MATTHEW  XXVI.  26-28. 
 
 021 
 
 reject.  Acc>ni\1m^  fo  Scliwenlcfeld  and  those 
 who  followed  him,  the  words  must  be  under- 
 stood backward— My  flesh  is  in  truth  a  bread 
 or  a  food — my  body  is  that  which  I  now  here 
 offer  to  you,  that  is,  a  true  bread,  and  my  blood 
 is  a  real  drink.  Thus  Christ  is  regarded  as 
 intending  no  more  than  to  teauih  what  his  body 
 and  blood  would  be  to  us  after  his  death,  our 
 meat  and  our  drink  ;  he  confirms  or  repeats  only 
 (with  an  accompanying  symbol  to  give  it 
 emphasis)  what  he  had  said  already  in  John 
 vi.  The  Tovro  becomes  a  roiovro — this  be- 
 comes such — and  that  as  a  predicate,  moreover, 
 in  a  so-called  spiritual  sense,  and  this  interpre- 
 tation of  his  words  is  what  the  Lord  Christ 
 himself  taught.  But  the  natural  sense  of  the 
 language  rebels  against  such  a  perversion, 
 ■while  the  rovro  to  nori'jpiov  afterwards 
 utterly  refutes  it ;  and  we  have  nothing  to  do 
 but  to  accept,  in  wondering,  huaible  inquiry, 
 the  undeniable  fact,  that  the  same  Lord  who 
 did  indeed  once  say — My  hotly  or  ficah  is  meat, 
 now  inverts  the  words,  and  testifies  while  he 
 presents  bread  to  his  disciples — Thai  (which  ye 
 Jiere  take  and  eat)  is  my  hody. 
 
 That  he,  moreover,  asserts  for  the  present  and 
 promises  for  the  future,  a  presence  and  a  recep- 
 tion of  his  body,  only  after  he  had  preceded  it 
 by  a  talce,  eat ;  and  that  thus  the  this  is  (be  its 
 meaning  what  it  may)  attains  to  its  full  reality 
 only  within  the  limits  and  under  the  conditions 
 of  the  actual  fartaJdn<]  already  spoken  of — is  a 
 remark  which  is  very  obvious,  and  which  we 
 make  now  preparatorily,  m  order  that  nothing 
 necessary  may  be  omitted.  It  is  not  first  said, 
 this  is  my  body,  take  and  eat ;  but  then  first, 
 when  the  takmg  and  eating  takes  place,  the 
 wonderful  "this  is"  follows  in  all  its  force. 
 This  is,  as  we  are  now  prepared  to  think,  only 
 where  faith  truly,  internally,  and  spiritually 
 takes  &nA  eats.  AVhen  the  Papists  act  as  if  it  was 
 said,  Behold  it,  exhibit  it,  and  carry  it  round, 
 adore  it — the  voice  of  truth,  however  in  vain  to 
 multitudes,  must  often  proclaim  to  them  what 
 the  convert  Henhoffer  so  well  expressed  in  his 
 confession  of  faith — "Jesus  cannot  possibly, 
 according  to  all  our  e.xperience,  have  designed 
 to  establish  this  tabernacle- Christ  and  its  honor; 
 otherwise  he  would  have  contradicted  himself, 
 would  have  subverted  his  own  kingdom,  and 
 plucked  down  with  one  hand  what  he  had  set  up 
 or  would  set  up  with  the  other."  The  New 
 Testament  knows  no  institution  of  a  magical 
 spectacle  to  be  wondered  at,  on  the  one  hand, 
 and  no  mechanical  exhibition  of  empty  symbols 
 on  the  other.  It  would  not,  as  the  Komish 
 Church,  which  reached  its  perfection  in  the 
 middle  ages,  did,  "  divert  the  view  from  the 
 Saviour  in  heaven,  to  the  corpus  Christi  in  the 
 hands  of  the  priests."  Firm  and  secure  abides 
 the  sense,  "  Ilere  have  ye  my  body,"  which  I 
 give  and  appoint  you  to  take  and  eat.  But  this 
 "ye  have"  is  as  far  from  the  possessing  in  our 
 hand  or  upon  the  table  a  transformed  wonder, 
 as  from  theempty^fignrative  sense  which  others 
 have  applied  to  it.  The  Lord  bequeaths  to  us 
 his  body  and  Jiis  blood,  not  to  exhibit,  carry 
 
 about  and  adore — not  merely  to  invcsligate, 
 speculate,  and  dogmatize  upon — but  to  eat' and 
 drink.    Thus  sets  out  Luther's  Catechism. 
 
 The  Lord  says  now  body,  and  not  flesh,  as 
 before  in  Capernaum.  He  spoke  on  the  former 
 occasion  as  teaching  (John  vi.  59)  and  laying 
 the  first  foundation  of  his  doctrine  and  testi- 
 mony, taking  pains  to  establish  in  the  most 
 definite  manner  the  substantiality  of  the  flesh 
 as  well  as  the  blood  ;  but  here  that  is  pre-sup- 
 posed,  and  the  actual  giving  being  now  the 
 question,  he  adapts  his  expression  to  a  two-fold 
 design:  to  show  forth  the  unity  of  his  whole 
 bodily  person  as  one  in  itself,  and  that  com- 
 munication and  participation  of  his  whole  body 
 which  leads  to  a  similar  unity  with  himself  anil 
 and  with  one  another.*  The  one  refers  to  him- 
 self, the  other  to  us.  For  the  former  we  appeal 
 to  the  universal  meaning  of  dca/na  (and  Wy  in 
 all  languages)  even  in  its  frequent  figurative 
 use — a  whole,  an  organism  complete  in  itself; 
 for  the  latter  we  appeal  to  the  fact  that  the 
 Church  of  Christ  is  called  his  "body."  The 
 Apostle  Paul  himself  in  1  Cor.  x  17  gives  this 
 interpretation  by  the  Holy  Ghost;  laying 
 emphasis  upon  the  word  body,  and  assigning  it 
 in  its  integrity  to  the  Church.  Olshausen 
 deviates  from  this,  and  reduces  the  force  of  the 
 word,  when  he  says  that  the  expression  body 
 was  imperatively  required  only  by  the  adjunct 
 expressions  yiven  and  broken.  "  The  Pipdeemer 
 thus  likened  the  entire  mass  of  the  bread  which 
 he  broke  to  his  body.  He  did  not,  however, 
 give  to  each  the  body,  the  (jc^/.ta. ;  but  as  he 
 gave  a  part  of  the  mass  of  bread,  so  he  gave  a 
 part  of  the  body,  that  is,  ^flesh.  6apl.  Accord- 
 ing to  the  meaning  ot  the  whole,  dap-  might 
 just  as  fitly  have  been  used  ;  but  on  account 
 of  the  symbolical  reference  to  his  death,  Jesus 
 chose  Oc^Moc,  equivalent  to  Fi'3,"  Here  we 
 must  oppose  in  both  these  sentences  the  one- 
 sideness  which  fails  todo  justice  to  the  pregnant 
 sense  of  the  symbol  and  the  mystery.  For,  as 
 certainly  as  on  the  one  hand  the  individual 
 uXa'djica,  the  portion  of  bread  received  by  each, 
 represented  to  him  his  portion  in  the  grace  and 
 gilt  of  Christ ;  so  certainly,  on  the  other,  does 
 Christ  in  an  equally  true  sense  live,  as  the 
 ichole  Christ,  in  each  of  those  who  are  by  such 
 participation  united  with  him.f  Even  in  John 
 vi.  the  flesh  referred  not  so  much  to  pnrticulas 
 quasdam  a  singulis  edendas,  as  to  the  substance 
 of  the  glorified  flesh  of  the  Son  of  Man  as  a 
 whole  in  its  integrity.  Yet,  again,  the  eat 
 refers  immediately  to  the  body,  as  respects 
 the  individuals  ;  and  the  objection  that  (jgom^x 
 or  body  is  never  and  no  where  the  object  of  eat- 
 ing, altogether  and  wilfully  forgets  that  the 
 
 *  DelitJisch  :  "  To  obviate  the  misunderstanding 
 that  he  distributed  his  flesh  in  portions." 
 
 t  In  Olshausen  we  have  the  sti!!  more  dubious 
 explanation  that  according  to  his  conviction,  not 
 llie  whole  Christ,  and  as  he  died  upon  ths  cross,  is 
 partaken  of  in  the  Supper,  but  an  operation  and 
 influence  Iroui  him,  and  that  as  the  •'  Ilideemer 
 siorified." 
 
522 
 
 THE  LORD'S  SUPPER. 
 
 eating  here  in  question  is  absolur^''--  nlone  in 
 its  kind.  Theom  breal  is  exhibile.t  i  the  one 
 body  in  the  many  who  receive  it  ;*  and  the 
 J.IETEXEIV  of  every  individual  is  a  partaking  of 
 that  one  bread.  So  far  we  proceed  with  the 
 Apostle  ;  but  if  we  press  i\\e  figure  beyond  the 
 limits  within  which,  as  such,  it  presents  the 
 comparison,  we  go  astray  and  fall  into  frivoli- 
 ties wh-'ch  are  here,  if  any  where,  unbecoming. 
 The  comnarison  extends  forward  to  the  break- 
 ing of  tliat  bread,  which  however  as  a  broken 
 and  distributed  whole  is  still  regarded  in  the 
 TovTo  as  a  whole  in  its  integrity  ;  but  we  can- 
 not pursue  it  backward  to  the  manner  in  which 
 it  became  one  Iread,  and  press  the  figure  in 
 that  direction. t 
 
 Nor  of  course  can  we  accept  the  subordinate 
 sense  in  which  the  body  of  bread  represents 
 the  Chtirch  gathered  into  one  in  Christ,  as  the 
 only  one — This  breaking,  giving,  taking,  and 
 eating,  this  entire  procedure  sets  forth  my  body, 
 which  is  or  which  will  be  my  Church.  In  this 
 hyderon  without  a  froteron  where  would  be  the 
 strictly  connected  cjiun  for  you  ?  We  must 
 hold  that  the  body,  equally  with  the  blood, 
 must  have  a  real  signihcation  ;  consequently  it 
 is  neither  the  body  of  the  Church,  nor  the  figure 
 of  my  body  (according  to  (Ecolampadius  who 
 quotes  and  perverts  Tertullian's^^'/m  corporis 
 mei).  Consequently,  it  is  simple  folly  to  main- 
 tain that  "  6cjua  can  in  no  case  signify  flesh, 
 nor  be  parallel  with  6ap^  /"  and  it  is  most  wil- 
 ful folly  to  maintain  this  here,  where  anta 
 strictly  corresponds  with  the  6dpi  xai  aljucx 
 of  .John  vi. 
 
 Which  is  giveit  for  yott.  Thu.=?  is  it  first 
 in  Luke,  according  to  a  doubtless  genuine  tra- 
 dition. The  omission  in  the  first  two  Evangel- 
 ists of  this  seemingly  essential  clause  is  only  an 
 apparent  omission  ;'  for  that  offering  up  of  his 
 body  which  took  place  in  the  death  that  brake  it 
 can  be,  and  must  be,  understood  in  Tovro  tu 
 6(Suoi  uov,  thisismy body, and theparallelin  the 
 shed  afterwards  abundantly  confirms  this.  Not 
 the  less  on  that  account,  however,  did  the  Lord 
 speak  plainly  to  obviate  all  misunderstanding, 
 uttering  for  us  at  theinstitution  the  SidofCF.rov, 
 given,  and  in  his  own  subsequent  explanation 
 the  xXr3/tsvoy,  broken.  There  are  those  who 
 are  so  insensible  to  the  simple  assurance  of  the 
 
 ♦  This  is  the  true  rcdupUeafio  multipHcativa,  and 
 not  wliat  scholasticism  lalsely  so  called. 
 
 t  By  this  we  reject  the  interpretation  givon  in 
 Clrys.,  Ana.,  and  even  in  the  litursy  of  th'» 
 Const.  Ap.:  to  wit,  that  the  bread  is  the  produce 
 of  miny  crains  of  wheat  (something  like  the 
 words  of  I  jnatiiis  at  his  mariyrdom),  as  the  wine 
 is  the  produc3  of  miiiy  grapes.  This,  if  carried 
 out,  brings  us  to  a  body  o:  Christ  which  rises  in 
 and  out  ot  tho  Church,  inste.id  of  a  holy  given 
 in  and  for  us,  and  whch  covild  never  have  been 
 the  produce  ot  manv  piemen's.  And  thus  it 
 would  coinc  de  with  Zwin:;!e's  interpretation  of  1 
 Cor.  X.  IG  which  makes  tho  Apostle  say,  "  I  me.nn 
 not  that,  I  he  cup  is  tha  hlood,  or  the  liread  is  the 
 body  of  Christ;  but  that  we  all.  partnkeis  of  the 
 bread  and  cup,  arc  the  blood  and  body  of  Christ.'^ 
 
 mysterious  words  that  they  make  the  brolen  ao 
 argument  for  referring  the  given  also  rather  to 
 this—ihQ  bread— and  thus  infer  that  tii  ^Lxva- 
 Tov,un'o  death,  [%  not  to  be  supplied.*  JDut 
 they  gain  nothing  by  this  ;  the  direct  and  plain 
 words  concerning  the  body  are  perverted  or 
 lost  sight  of  by  those  who  are  obliged  to  con- 
 fess, after  all,  that  both  senses  (thi.^  bread 
 which  is  given,  or  the  body  which  is  given)  are 
 really  the  same  at  bottom,  since  the  terms 
 given  and  shed  are  used  concerning  the  bread 
 and  the  cup  only  as  far  as  they  arc  or  represent 
 the  body  and  blood  of  Christ. 
 
 Thus  the  body  is  given,  that  is,  devoted  nnto 
 death.  For  the  sake  of  brevity,  we  may  refer 
 those  to  whom  it  is  necessary  to  what  was  said 
 upon  the  5gjcjcj  of  John  vi".  51 — though  that 
 passage  itself  is  quite  sufficient.  That  which 
 was  their  future  is  now  come  near;  the  night 
 of  betrayal,  the  anguish  of  death,  the  judg- 
 ment which  doomed  him,  has  already  begun, 
 so  that  what  was  immediately  impending  might 
 be  spoken  of  as  already  present.  Winer,  ac- 
 cordingly, gives  a  better  solution  than  the  old 
 ennllage  temporis,  "which  was  now  on  the  point 
 of  being  given."  This  kind  of  expression,  how- 
 ever, instead  of  the  absolute  future,  was  strict- 
 ly necessary:  as  giving  at  the  time  of  the  in- 
 stitution itself  the  strongest  possible  assurcmce, 
 and  as  making  the  great  fact  present  again  at 
 every  future  celebration.  We  well  know  how 
 dimly  the  Apostles  apprehended  the  pre-an- 
 nounced  death  of  the  Lord,  down  to  the  last ; 
 it  is  on  that  account  that  he  gave  them  the 
 most  absolute  assurance  of  that  death  as  a 
 present  fact,  in  such  a  manner  as  to  repress  all 
 doubt  at  least  during  that  sacred  hour  :  and  it 
 is  on  that  account  that  he  further  gave  the  dec- 
 laration concerning  its  propitiatory  significance 
 and  power.  (But  not  the  "  first  and  sole"  such 
 declaration,  as  Ebrard  says;  for  see  John  vi. 
 51,  X.  12;  Matt.  xx.  28.)  But,  again,  as  the 
 Lord  is  uttering  a  formula,  we  might  almost 
 =ay  a  formulary,  for  the  futnre  celebration  of 
 the  Supper,  he  cannot  speak  of  it  as  a  past 
 transaction  otherwise  than  as  present.  For  a 
 symbol  must  necessarily  -preientiate ;  and  the 
 sacrament,  which  distributes  its  blessing  and 
 spiritual  influence,  abolishes  all  historical  dis- 
 tinction of  time.  What  Luther  says  of  the 
 blood,  holds  good  of  the  body  :  "  When  we 
 contemplate  the  liistorical  act  by  which  the 
 forgiveness  of  sins  was  obtained,  that  had  not 
 taken  place  at  th'i  sacrament ;  but  now  it  has 
 taken  place,  and  is  past.  But  when  we  regard 
 the  communication  of  forgiveness,  there  in  no 
 notion  of  time ;  it  was  a  thing  done  from  the 
 foundation  of.  the  world. f     Now,  as  the  body 
 
 *  They  then  ray  that  it  is  the  same  with  the 
 rovzo  TO  noTijinov  ;  that  which  was  presented 
 beincr  the  subject  in  both  clauses.  li.it  that 
 Luke's  TO  v-xip  vitc.jv  hcxwoitevov  does 
 not  refer  simply  to  lo  the  cup,  is  yV.nn  from  tho 
 ahia  iHXvyoi-tBvoy — of  the  other  two  Evangel- 
 ists. 
 
 t  Add — And  goes  on  to  the  end  of  tiraa.  • 
 
MATTHEW  XXVI.  26-2S. 
 
 523 
 
 and  blood  of  Christ  are  necessary  to  all  who 
 have  sinned,  and  are  to  be  forgiven,  it  is  for 
 ever  true  that  he  is  always  being  given  for  ihem. 
 For,  althouf;h  the  event  has  taken  place,  yet  as 
 long  as  its  blessing  is  not  dispensed  to  me,  it  is 
 as  if  it  were  yet  to  take  place  as  far  as  I  am 
 concerned."  This  ideal  i^resentiation  of  the 
 event,  which  is  contained  in  is  given,  and  is 
 shed,  proves  itself  as  a  reality.  In  this  we  have 
 the  ground  of  that  double  sense  of  those  two 
 words,  in  relation  to  our  present  reception, 
 which  Ebrard  rejects. 
 
 However  emphatically  this  present  might 
 sound  in  their  ears,  the  disciples  could  not  have 
 interpreted  roiJzo  l6rt  of  that  body  which  at 
 the  same  time  sat  living  before  them  ;  but  they 
 must,  on  the  other  hand,  have  thought  of  the 
 requirement  and  promise  which  he  had  laid 
 down  in  John  vi.  We  infer  therefore  necessarily, 
 that  the  actual  participation  of  the  body  and 
 blood  of  Christ  was  even  then  still  in  the  future, 
 and  that  it  had  its  beginning  at  the  time  which 
 John  vi.  62,  63,  expressly  specifies  for  that  pur- 
 pose. We  cannot  regard  our  Lord  as  intend- 
 ing to  say  any  thing  which  it  was  utterly  out 
 of  the  question  that  the  disciples  should  under- 
 stand ;  or  to  represent  himself  as  offering  to 
 Ihcm  any  thing  which  their  whole  habit  of 
 thought  would  revolt  against.  We  must  there- 
 fore guard,  both  on  the  right  and  left,  against 
 error.  We  must  not  assert  that,  at  this  insti- 
 tution itself,  the  disciples  actually  ate  and 
 drank  of  the  body  and  blood  of  Christ  ;*  nor 
 must  we,  on  that  account,  deny  the  real  par- 
 ticipation in  after  times  as  contrary  to  the 
 original  sense  of  the  words.  The  former  error 
 is  inconsistent  generally  with  all  deeper  views 
 of  the  subject,  and  is  re'uted  by  the  letter 
 itself,  since  they  could  not  have  received  the 
 body  given  and  the  blood  poured  out,  while  the 
 Lord  was  actually  sitting  before  them  and 
 speaking  to  them.f  In  this  case,  the  great 
 weakness  of  the  disciples,  which  continued  af- 
 terwards just  as  it  was  before,  would  be  wholly 
 inexplicable.  But  it  has  been  constantly  main- 
 tained, and  with  truth,  that  at  the  very  insti- 
 tution of  the  sacrament,  the  blindness  and 
 weakness  of  the  other  disciples  (independently 
 of  Judas)  was  specially  brought  to  light.  Yet 
 if  that  which  they  ate  and  drank  was  actually 
 to  be  the  real  and  full  sacrament  of  the  body 
 and  blood  of  Christ,  it  would  appear  that  it 
 hud  no  power  even  in  its  first  celebration,  but 
 declared  itself  to  be  almost  useless — and  how 
 
 *  Most  Lutherans  think  most  indistinctly  and 
 inconsistently  upon  this  subject,  violatin";  their 
 own  doftma  of  the  heavanlv-glorified  character 
 and  preyence  of  tlie  corporeity  of  Chiist.  Christ 
 "was  then  already  glorifiei  latently,"  they  say, 
 and  0:shau.sen  thus  speaks  of  a '  glorification 
 which  becomes  gradually  consummate. 
 
 +  Alford  indeed  observes :  "  The  Passion  had 
 Rh-eady  beaun ;  iu  lact  the  who'o  life  on  earth 
 was  this  civiiig  *nd  breaking,  consummated  by 
 his  d;^a;h."  But  we  ask,  Was  there  already  any 
 $Jiedumg  of  his  biood  i 
 
 could  we  expect  great  things  from  it  now  ?  All 
 that  the  later  Lutherans  have  said  concerning 
 the  full  import  of  the  celebration  of  the  Supper 
 at  the  hour  of  its  institution,  appears  to  me  to 
 be  a  series  of  assertions  v/hich  are  inconctivable 
 and  self-contradictory. 
 
 If  our  Lord's  this  is  had  involved  a  bodily 
 change  of  the  substance,  "  there  would  be  here 
 a  new  Christ,  and  that  a  dead  one  created  by 
 the  side  of  the  living,"  as  Lange  says  roughly 
 but  truly.  But  he  is  not  equally  right  vrhen 
 he  rejects  all  "substantial  presence"  from  the 
 words  of  institution,  on  the  ground  that  Christ 
 as  still  living  distributed  his  body  and  his  blood 
 in  the  bread  and  wine  to  his  disciples  then  pres- 
 ent. He  here  falls  into  that  other  error,  one 
 which,  however  strange  it  is,  has  been  received 
 very  generally  with  unthinking  facility :  to  wit, 
 that  It  must  be  taken  for  granted  that  the  in- 
 stitution can  mean  nothing  more  than  it  meant, 
 or  than  took  place,  at  the  time  of  its  institution. 
 This  leads  him  to  a  very  remarkable  statement 
 of  the  case  •.  "  Their  participation  was  not  only 
 brought  to  them  in  his  presence,  but  his  pres- 
 ence was  their  participation — he  communicated 
 to  them  his  living  breath,  his  living  influence 
 — they  partook  of  him  together  in  his  essential 
 life" — that  is  to  say,  though  it  is  most  oppo- 
 site to  the  Lutheran  doctrine,  not  in  any  sense 
 a  bodily  participation ! 
 
 0,  no ;  and  again  no !  All  this  is  not  "  the 
 body  which  is  broken — the  blood  which  is  shed." 
 As  certainly  as  our  Lord  did  thus  expressly 
 sneak,  while  yet  their  taking  and  eating  of  his 
 body  and  his  blood  was  not  a  thing  possible,  so 
 certainly  did  the  Lord  speak  the  words  of  in- 
 stitution for  the  future,  and  promise,  as  in  a 
 general  present,  what  they  and  all  his  disciples 
 should  always  receive  when  they  should  do 
 this.  The  formula  of  distribution  which  did 
 not  really  distribute  must  be  regarded  in  the 
 same  light  as  that  in  which  the  salvation  and 
 deliverance  of  the  people  out  of  Egypt  is  re- 
 garded as  already  accomplished,  at  the  institu- 
 tion of  the  Passover,  Exod.  xii.  27,  xiii.  14,  15. 
 A  still  more  decisive  parallel  we  have  in  the 
 words  of  John  xx.  22,  Receive  the  Holy  Ghost ! 
 — a  final  symbolical  expression,  sealing  to  them 
 a  promise  which  could  not  and  was  not  fully 
 granted  to  them  until  theglorification  of  our  Lord 
 after  his  ascension  ;  see  John  vii.  39  compared 
 with  chap.  vi.  62,63.  Justasthis  final  "Receive 
 ye ! "  is  here  related,  on  the  one  side,  to  the  re- 
 ception of  the  Holy  Spirit  which  did  not  follow  till 
 afterwards,  and,  on  the  other,  to  all  the  oft-re- 
 peated promises  of  the  Holy  Spirit  which  had 
 preceded — so  is  it  with  this  final  word  of  pro- 
 mise and  institution,  as  connected  with  that 
 bodily  impartation  oi  Christ  which  should  take 
 place  when  his  body  was  glorified  and  had  be- 
 come crtpnhJe  of  communication.  This  glori^/ictl 
 corporeity  itself  is,  once  more,  something  very 
 different  from  that  which  many  hypotheses  have 
 substituted  for  it.  Richter,  for  examnle,  thus 
 strangely  expresses  himself:  "Luther  is  right; 
 we  receive  his  true  body  and  his  true  blood, 
 that  is,  the  living,  heavenly  part  of  his  nature.. 
 
524 
 
 THE  LORD'S  SUPPER. 
 
 which  was  sentient  and  operative,  in  the  fibres 
 and  nerves  of  his  (sometime)  body,  and  ani- 
 mated his  pure  and  guiltless  blood."  Hahn's 
 "scriptural  representation"  is  quite  below  the 
 subjf.'Ct,  whelher  viewed  in  relation  to  specula- 
 tion in  the  light  of  revealed  truth,  or  to  the 
 letter  of  the  words  of  institution,  when  he  says, 
 "  He  gives  the  assurance  that  bread  and  wine 
 now  in  this  Supper  took  the  place  of  his  body 
 and  blood ;  and  that,  as  he  had  been  previously 
 with  them  in  flesh  and  blood,  so  henceforth 
 bread  and  wine  should  be  the  organic  channel  for 
 his  spiritual  fellowship  with  his  disciples." 
 According  to  the  Scripture  (John  vi.),  the  Lord 
 was  to  be"  in  us  and  with  us  also  in  flesh  and 
 blood  after  his  ascension  ;  yea,  then  first  truly 
 60.  His  heavenly  flesh  and  blood,  pervaded  by 
 spirit,  and  which  have  become  spirit  and  life, 
 these  are  the  true  "mediating  organs"  oi  that 
 fellowship  which  is  as  really  bodily  as  spiritual ; 
 and  the  bread  and  the  wine  are  the  mediating 
 gr/mlols  of  this,  in  the  second  degree.  Were  there 
 not  for  the  Church  of  the  Lord  an  actual  re- 
 ception of  his  flesh  and  blood  provided,  it  could 
 have  no  life  in  itself,  it  never  would  be  or  could 
 be  his  Church,  that  is,  his  lody.  If  this  recep- 
 tion was  not  at  the  same  time  (not,  indeed, 
 exclusively,  but  especially)  mediated  by  an 
 external,  earthly  corporeal  element,  the  Church 
 of  the  New  Testament  would  have  no  sacra- 
 ment; its  worsJiip  would  therefore  lack  the  real 
 centre  and  exhibition  of  consummate  fellowship, 
 and  the  whole  word  of  evangelical  preaching 
 upon  earth  (Matt.  xxvi.  13)  its  conclusive  sea/. 
 If  the  body  and  blood  of  the  Lord  were  not 
 for  us,  when  we  eat  and  drink,  in  the  bread  and 
 wine,  the  sacrament  in  the  sacrament  v/ould  be 
 Avanting;  and  the  seal  of  the  v;ord,  instead  of 
 confirming  its  highest  and  most  wonderful  pro- 
 mise, would  retract  it,  and  send  us  back  into 
 the  region  of  everlasting  difference  between 
 flesh  and  spirit — leaving  a  chnsm  forever  un- 
 filled between  our  corporeity  (which,  however, 
 is  itself  to  be  glorified  in  a  resurrection)  and 
 the  "  spiritual  fellowship  "  of  the  head  with  his 
 members.  Schulthess,  opposing  the  e'ycjdi?, 
 says  that  in  Scripture  filesh  and  qiirit  are  the 
 two  most  irreconcilable  things — without  rec- 
 ognizing that  victory  of  the  spirit  v.'hich  recon- 
 ciles the  two  by  glorifying  the  flesh. 
 
 Christ  is  the  high  priest  of  the  coming 
 rood  things  (Heb.  ix.  9,  11),  the  author  and 
 dispenser  of  all  that  v/as  future  under  the 
 Ola-Testament  economy  of  shadows  :  and  not 
 only  80,  of  all  that,  even  to  us,  will  be  per- 
 fect only  in  the  final  glorifying  and  renova- 
 tion of  all  things,  although  its  reality  begins 
 v.'ithin  us  from  the  time  that  the  glorified  comes 
 to  make  his  abode  within  us.  He  acted  and 
 spoke  as  the  high  priest  </«/;7/ia^i5( to  use  Oetin- 
 ger's  expression)  oven  upon  earth,  and  in  the 
 land  of  death,  when  ho  said — This  is  my  body 
 which  is  given  for  you — thus  it  is  my  will  to 
 give  it,  and  I  will  give  it  to  you.  He  conld 
 not  have  instituted  this  mystery  first  at  the 
 time  of  its  great  fulfillment,  for  then  must  he 
 have  como  agaia  from  heaven   expressly  for 
 
 that  purpose.*  He  could  not  and  would  not 
 institute  the  Supper.after  his  resurrection,  dur- 
 ing that  interval  which  drew  nearer  to  his  glo- 
 rification and  was  in  some  sense  an  anticipation 
 of  it.  For  it  was  to  retain  its  necessary  con- 
 nection v;ith  his  own  and  the  old  economy's 
 last  Passover — moreover,  he  would  assure  them 
 by  instituting  it  before  his  departure  by  death 
 that  hisjyresence  tcith  them  would  be  just  as  real 
 as  it  had  been  before  his  resurrection — and, 
 finall}'-,  he  thus  obviated  all  (Zoceiic notions,  such 
 as  would  have  easily  attached  themselves  to  a 
 sacrament  instituted  during  the  forty  days.f 
 
 How  then,  does  he  promise  and  give  us  in 
 the  S3.ci-a.ment  his  body  ?  as  dead  ov  as  living? 
 It  is,  indeed,  the  body  given  up  to  death  for 
 us  ;  and  the  continuous  presence  of  the  power 
 and  energy  of  this  death  so  works  in  us  that 
 Vi'c  ever  anew  die  v;itli  him  unto  sin,  in  sacra- 
 mental union  with  him;  nevertheless  v/e  know, 
 and  it  needs  no  proof,  that  this  death  is 
 life,  and  gives  life,  and  becomes  to  us  the  nour- 
 ishment of  life  simply.  Were  it  not  so  there 
 would  remain  only  the  appropriation  of  his 
 justifying  death  through  the  "  re.-nembrance  "  of 
 faith;  there  would  be  no  living  communication 
 of  the  Christ,  no  longer  dead  but  living,  with- 
 inus.J  But  while 'the  oiSu'isvov  assuredly 
 brings  forward  tlie  death  into  the  present,  and 
 asserts  the  identity  of  the  body  which  is  given 
 v.'ith  that  which  died  upon  Golgotha,  the  v:rsf3 
 vHcjy,  "for  you,"  which  is  added,  testifies  that 
 the  same  body  is  given  as  living,  as  the  bread 
 of  life  within  us — because  the  eating  (as  the 
 very  word  necessarily  implies)  takes  away  the 
 merely  external  sense  of  this  "for  us,"  elevates 
 and  interprets  it  into  the  "  in  us." 
 
 The  BROKEN,  finally,  which  the  Lord's  au- 
 thentic exposition  has  substituted  for  given,^ 
 
 *  Yet  in  the  revelation  to  Paul  there  was  a  con- 
 firmatory supp.ement  added  from  heaven. 
 
 f  Then  he  «•«»  latently  or  initiatorily  glorified — 
 not  before  his  death. 
 
 ■^  Breitenstein  {Sendschreibe  an  IlarTietncTce,  Mar- 
 burg, 1822)  starts  from  the  Syr.  trans,  lia,  and 
 renews  a'l  the  old  Ziiinsfianism  of  an  appropri- 
 ation shnply  of  the  crucified  Lord,  symbolized  by 
 eatin?.  Mever  thoroughly  well  answered  him 
 (Bl.  fiir  hoh.  'if.  v.  136)  that  this  would  bo  a  ha'/- 
 Chris",  find  not,  therefore,  by  any  means  the 
 Christ  whom  wo  must  have.  There  would  bo 
 then  no  difierenco  between  the  Jewish  sacrifice 
 and  our  sacrament,  sav.-)  in  tlie  outward  form, 
 and  in  the  circumstance  that  tlio  former  was  of- 
 fered in  expectation,  the  latter  celebrated  in  re- 
 membrance. 
 
 ^  For  the  omission  of  7c\a>ttsvov,  a"?  in  Lach- 
 maim's  text,  cannot  be  approved,  tluni^ii  Schul- 
 thess  can  appeal  to  Bengel  on  that  side ;  the  sim- 
 ple TO  viZEf>  vn(2y  is  without  meaning,  and 
 arose  from  the  micertainty  between  SiS.  or  x\., 
 as  Nilzsch  has  said.  But  when  he  prefers  5i5u- 
 ^Evovy  and  asserts  jiXoiitevov  to  be  spurious, 
 as  having  originated  honi  1  Cor.  x.  16  or  later  no- 
 tions of  the  breakins  of  tlie  boJy,  wo  cannot 
 ajTree  with  him,  but  hold  the  latter  with  Schulz 
 as  doubtless  genuine.    The  parversion  of  vKsp 
 
MATTHEW  XXVI.  26-28. 
 
 523r 
 
 shonld  by  no  means  throw  us  back  upon  a 
 Dne-sided  view  ot  the  dead  body,  bat  con- 
 firm to  us  the  d'JuUe  mcaninr/  of  the  given, 
 as  being — For  you  to  death,  and  thereby  in  yon 
 '.0  life.  For  both  these,  not  excepting  the  lat- 
 ter, must  this  K/l  cJ/f  c  r  or,  as  partaining  to 
 zuXaCt,  embrace.  It  is  true  that,  first,  it 
 defines  the  breaking  of  the  body,  the  dissolution 
 of  the  organism,  its  (transitoi-y)  disruption  as 
 1  lo'ly  by  death.*  Guericke,  for  the  sake  of 
 withstanding  the  "  Union-Siiibboleth"  of  bread- 
 breaking,  asserts  that  the  body  of  Christ  gener- 
 ally was  not  broken  at  all ;  but  what  would 
 the  authentic  expression  here  given  then  mean  ? 
 We  think  at  once  of  N3*10,  incised,  Isa.  liii.  5, 
 
 and  ils3"1,  ver.  10  (comp.  N31~IJ?j  Psa.  xc.  S), 
 
 wbicli  is  more  intense  than  ppH^D — not  merely 
 
 pierced  or  wounded  to  the  flowing  of  the  blood, 
 but  bruised,  crushed,  broken  to  pieces  as  a, 
 living  body ;  just  as  in  Isa.  xxxviii.  13,  n_3C>' 
 
 \^i?0VJ?"^3j  he  will  break  all  my  bones,  is  par- 
 allel with  maJce  an  end  of  me ;  and  as  in  1 
 Kings  xiii.  28  (not  so  certainly  Dan.  viii.  25  ; 
 Ezeii.  xxs.   S ;    Jer.  xxii.  20)  "^yy,  to  break, 
 
 occurs  in  the  ssnso  of  TciUing.  Even  Zwingle 
 allowed  this,  though  he  made  it  rather  too  gen- 
 eral— "Frangi  pro  pati  aut  perire."  Nitzsch's 
 objection  to  the  broken  body  we  think  altogether 
 unfounded.  But  when  the  same  broken  body 
 is  afterwards  given  as  a  (jGj/<ato  be  broken  for 
 Va^wfood,  the  other  meaning  which  v.'e  alluded 
 to  above  comes  out — Christ  breaks  to  us  the 
 bread,  gives  himself  to  us  as  the  nourishment 
 of  life.  (The  tradetur  of  the  Vulg.  may  express 
 this;  and  Ezek.  xviii.  7,  in  allusion  to  Isa. 
 Iviii.  7,  uses  \y^  for  Di2\)      For  our  UW^,  our 
 
 restoration  and  perfect  soundness,  comes,  ac- 
 cording to  Isa.  liii.,  from  the  propitiatory 
 Si3ip,  our  healing  from  his  stripes — his  blood 
 
 poured  out  in  death  becomes  the  medicine  of 
 life  to  us.  If  this  is  mystical  exegesis,  it  is  the 
 only  one  with  which  we  can  satisfy  ourselves 
 when  dealing  with  the  words  of  a  mystery ; 
 every  distorted  and  one-sided  view  of  this  cen- 
 tral sacrament,  in  which  all  lines  converge  to 
 the  unity  of  the  death  and  life  of  Christ,|  is 
 unsatisfactory  and  misleading. 
 
 We  may  be  permitted   to  recapitulate  in 
 Meyer's  excellent  words.  J    "  The  natural  sense 
 
 ■uixa)V  into  "which  bread  represents  you,"  is  ri- 
 diculously forced.  Nitzsch  still  asserts,  against 
 me,  that  the  h\^uevov  is  a  reading  "  more  than 
 uncertain;"  but  I  must  ho'd  to  its  genuineness, 
 and  say  with  Kahnis,  that  "  the  expression  is  much 
 too  concrete  .and  oilginal  for  any  later  hand  to 
 have  been  bold  enough  to  insert." 
 
 *  Hence  in  some  Codd.  the  gloss  ^pvTiro'nt- 
 vov. 
 
 +  So  in  the  Passover  the  sin-ofTering  and  thank- 
 offering  were  blended  typically. 
 
 X  Blatter  fur  hoh.  Wahrhcit,  xi.  226  fl. 
 
 of  the  expression  will  allow  at  first  this  two- 
 fold meaning:  Represent  to  yourselves  by  tliis 
 my  body  and  my  blood,  as  they  are  sacrificed 
 for  3-0 u  ;  and,  represent  to  yourselves  by  this 
 ray  body  and  my  blood,  as  they  are  essentially 
 partaken  of  by  you,  or  enter  into  you,  and 
 must  enter  into  you,  if  ye  would  have  immortal 
 life,  as  I  have  already  (John  vi.)  said  unto 
 you.  But,  since  no  occasion  and  no  means  can 
 be  conceived  more  effectual  for  the  setting 
 forth  of  this  mystery  in  believers,  than  the 
 celebration  of  that  rite  in  which  bread  and  wine 
 were  blessed  and  partaken  of  in  devout  remem- 
 brance of  the  Lord  and  his  sacrificial  death,  tka 
 third  meaning  must  necessarily  be  added  :  'Ob- 
 serve this  bodily  partaking  of  bread  and  wine, 
 internally  contemplating  me,  and  with  a  believ- 
 ing desire  to  be  united  to  me  in  spirit,  soul,  and 
 body,  to  belong  to  me  through  a  new  birth,  to 
 have  me  as  an  indwelling  Saviour,  and  to  obtain 
 through  this  my  being  within  you  a  spiritual 
 and  eternal  life — observe  this  partaking  of 
 bread  and  wine  as  the  fulfillment  and  sealing 
 of  this  your  wish  itself;  I  give  myself  herewith 
 for  you  to  eat  and  drink,  just  as  1  mj'sterioasly 
 spoke  before,  to  the  offence  of  many.'  " 
 
 Do  THIS  !  This  is  not  a  liturgical  addition 
 which  had  dated  bach  the  appointment  of  the 
 then-customary  celebration  to  the  Lord's  mouth ; 
 but  it  is  his  own  word,  from  which  alone  tho 
 celebration  could  have  taken  its  rise.  It  was 
 hardly — as  Nitzsch  suggests — added  first  after 
 the  resurrection.  This  second  rovro  with 
 TtoisltF.  is  much  plainer  than  the  former  v.'ith 
 idri;  but  it  is  important,  nevertheless,  to  im- 
 press a  definite  idea  of  it  upon  our  minds.  Are 
 we  to  imderstand,  Do  this  as  that  lohich  I  nozo 
 do,  and  interpret  it  as  meaning — Give  ye  my 
 Apostles  one  to  another,  and  let  all  who  follow 
 you  give  to  others  the  bread  in  mv  place,  and 
 with  the  words  which  I  now  use?  Certainly 
 not,  for  that  which  all  believers,  to  whom  long 
 before  the  institution  his  flesh  and  blood  had 
 been  promised,  were  to  do,  was  said  before, 
 TaJce,  eat.  Luke  and  Paul,  indeed,  have  not 
 these  -words;  and  again  Matthew  and  Iilark 
 have  not  the  Do  this;  but  this  omission  on 
 both  sides  is  plain  proof  that  tho  expressions 
 mutually  correspond  with  and  imply  each  other. 
 "Thus  it  rather  means  Do  after  this  manner,  that 
 which  I  now  command  you,  this  eating  (and 
 drinking)  which  I  now  elevate  into  a  mys- 
 terious communion  with  myself.  Decisive  evi- 
 dence of  this  follows  imm'ediately  in  tho  ad- 
 dition—«s  o/i  as  ye  drink.  That  the  disciple.", 
 when  he  should  be  no  longer  visibly  present 
 with  them,  but  give  them  internally  his  broken 
 body  and  shed  blood,  would  externally  give 
 one  to  another  the  bread  and  the  wine,  was 
 self-understood,  and  moreover  in  itself  so  in- 
 diff"erent  a  matter  that  in  the  Ttoteiy  here  ap- 
 pointed to  the  disciples  the  main  matter  of  tha 
 sacrament  must  be  regarded  as  meant.  Paul, 
 in  1  Cor.  xi.  26-29,  does  not  otherwise  ex- 
 plain it ;  four  times  after  the  vdd^ni,  as  oft  as, 
 we  find  meationed  the  eating  of  the  bread 
 
526 
 
 THE  LORD'S  SUri'ER. 
 
 and  11io  drinking  of  the  cnp*  He  appropri- 
 ates it  to  the  Corinthian  Christians  as  well  as 
 1o  the  Apostles,  to  every  "  man  who  would  be- 
 long to  the  Lord  and  his  Church  "  (comp.  Exod. 
 .\:i.  'iSit  Li  this  New-Testament  sacrament, 
 in  the  Old-Testament  type  of  which  the  whole 
 community  acted  as  priests,  there  can  certainly 
 lie  no  room  for  exclusi'/e  prerogative  of  ofBce 
 ami  position. 
 
 Further  (and  as  Paul  has  shown,  1  Cor.  5-7), 
 the  Bo  this  corresponds  emphatically  to  tiie 
 sense  in  which  the  Lord  declared,  as  we  have 
 seen,  his  l,ody  to  be  the  true  Passover;  conse- 
 quently we  may  regard  it  as  certain  that  it 
 contains  his  commandment  to  let  this  festival 
 take  the  place  of  the  2'>'^schai  lamb  (as  pre- 
 viously rozoJ  rc»  ■Kd6xc(. ;  Schulthess  in  this  is 
 right — Tioitlvy  nti'V,  of  festal  acts).  There- 
 fore, obviously  as  the  Passover  was  observed 
 for  a  memorial  and  setting  forth  of  that  deliv- 
 erance and  passing  ovei-,  so  now — In  my  re- 
 mcmlirance.  In  my — this  contains  the  substi- 
 tution. In  my  remembrance;  that  is,  in  the 
 future,  when  I  am  no  longer  thus  with  you ; 
 for  what  was  then  done  needed  no  dvdjiiytfdii 
 for  those  who  were  present. 
 
 "  Not  in  the  days  of  his  exaltation,  but  in 
 the  days  of  his  humiliation,  he  laid  this  great 
 injunction  on  believers;  it  was  as  the  request 
 Of  a  friend  and  not  as  a  commandment  for  ser- 
 vants that  he  pronounced  his  last  wish. "J  Very 
 true,  but  what  majesty  of  most  sacred  injunc- 
 tion is  there  in  this  almost  entreating  word  of 
 him  who  is  about  to  depart  through  suffering! 
 In  rcmemhrance  of  me  has  a  tone  at  once  of  most 
 affecting  and  condescending  entreaty,  as  if  a 
 Iricni  were  to  say— Forget,  me  not  f  But  as 
 certainly  as  his  own  could  not  and  would  not 
 ever  forget  him — as  certainly  as  by  the  preach- 
 ing of  the  Gospel  find  ihe  mighty  testimony  of 
 the  Spirit,  what  ho  had  done  would  be  an- 
 nounced throughout  all  the  world  in  memorial 
 of  him — £0  certainly  must  something  much 
 higher  be  contained  in  this  final  request,  which 
 hides  its  dignity  in  a  lowly  form.  The  memo- 
 rial must  have  yet  another  meaning  ;  it  was 
 his  design  to  establish  in  it  a  work  of  his  own 
 miraculous  power,  of  which  more  anon  ;  and 
 the  Bo  this  is  all  the  more  assuredlv  no  less 
 than  a  most  sacred  commandment.l     llarabach, 
 
 *  Yet  in  chap.  x.  IC  he  had  pro-supposed  that  in 
 connection  with  the  Do  this  tliere  was  the  K^.'ssing 
 and  hreakins,  just  as  at  iho  institution  the  Lord 
 had  done. 
 
 t  This  remark,  otherwise  needless,  is  rendered 
 necessary  by  the  Romanist  doctrine  that  "  the  in- 
 stitution of  the  holy  sac;  anient  of  orders  "  was 
 inclmled  in  tlie  "  most  lioly  sacr  fico  of  tlie  miss." 
 "  The  last  words,  I)o  this,  are  a  command  to  th? 
 Apostles  to  celebia'o  the  sacrament  from  that 
 t.ine  in  his  Church,  and  Jesus  tliereby  consecrated 
 them  i):iests"  (Ailioli's  Dibel). 
 
 X  Nitzsch,  Trcdi'fftsammMitg  von  1819,  p.  20O. 
 
 ()  The  Qinkcis  therefore  are  in  most  manifest 
 enor.  Tiieir  inward  I'ght  puts  them  to  shims 
 through   the  most    uuiatelligent    perversion  of 
 
 I  therefore,  .says  quite  correctly :  "Christ  insti- 
 tuted the  Supper  in  statu  exinanitionis,  indeed, 
 but  not  in  actu  exinanitionis  ;  the  institution 
 of  the  sacrament  was  a  work  of  divine  authority 
 and  power,  hence  Paul  calls  Christ  in  connec- 
 tion with  it  uvftioi,  Lord,  most  emphatically." 
 Nevertheless,  we  must  remark  the  humble  and 
 unostentations  form  in  which  this  work  of 
 power  and  wonder  was  wrapped  up;  and,  more- 
 over, the  New-Testament  freedom  which  ho 
 permits  even  in  connection  with  this  undoubted 
 command.  On  the  one  hand,  although  accord- 
 ing to  John  vi.  faith  through  the  operation  of 
 the  Holy  Ghost  mav,  even  without  the  bread 
 and  wine,  partake  of  the  same  flesh  and  blood* 
 — yet  he  now  appoints  and  declares,  that  this 
 participation  should  as  a  rule  be  bound  to  the 
 participation  of  the  bread  and  wine,  even  as 
 the  Spirit  pre-eminently  and  ordinarily  works 
 through  the  word.  On  the  other  hand,  again, 
 he  appoints  Avith  the  utmost  simplicity  only 
 the  most  essential  matter  to  that  end.  That 
 the  Church  should  possess  this  sacrament  is  firm- 
 ly settled,  and  the  external  essential  is  expressly 
 defined  in  the  Bo  this  ;  but  all  else  is  left  un- 
 defined and  free,  as  becomes  the  New  Testa- 
 ment. It  is  to  be  taken  for  granted  that  the 
 Spirit  in  the  Church  would  take  order  for  the 
 salutary  ceremonial  of  the  service;  but  ho 
 himself  gives  beforehand  no  legal  specification 
 which  should  always  and  absolutely  be  bind- 
 ing. (This  freedom  and  simplicity  shines  out 
 conspicuously  in  contrast  with  the  Old-Testa- 
 ment prescription  for  the  Passover.)  What 
 persons  should  in  the  future  assume  the  dis- 
 pensation in  his  stead — with  what  words,  pray- 
 ers, and  rites  the  elements  should  be  blessed 
 and  consecrated,  and  the  devotion  of  believers 
 be  quickened — what  relation  tJds  eating  and 
 drinking  should  sustain  to  other  eating  and 
 drinking,  yea,  whether  this  should  be  done  neces' 
 sarily  in  a  body  or  sometimes  by  individuals 
 alone — on  all  these  points  there  is  no  word  and 
 commandment.  "We  regard  it  as  conformable 
 with  the  Lord's  meaning,  who  would  have  all 
 things  done  decently  and  in  order  (1  Cor.  xiv. 
 40),  that  the  appointed  stewards  of  God's  mys- 
 teries (1  Cor.  iv.  1)  should  take  the  lead  as  in 
 Christ's  place,  in  the  sacrament  as  well  as  in 
 the  word  ;  but  this  exception  in  the  universal 
 priesthood  is  left  free.     Nothing  seems  to  us 
 
 words,  when  they  persist  in  denyinsf  the  obliga- 
 tion of  Christians  to  tlicso  "  ceremonies."  So  we 
 find  in  Barclay :  "  And  as  for  that  expression  of 
 Luke,  Do  this  in  rcmemhrance  of  mc,  it  will  amount  to 
 no  more  tlian  this,  that  this  being  the  last  time  that 
 Christ  did  eat  with  his  disci plrs,  he  de>ircd  them 
 that  in  their  eating  and  drinking  they  night  have 
 regard  to  him,  and  by  the  romenib?ring  of  that 
 opportunity  be  the  more  stirred  up  to  fallow  hira 
 diligently  through  sufTerings  and  death,"  etc. 
 
 *  Even  in  connection  with  the  onor  wli'ch  re- 
 jects the  institution,  if  that  does  not  spring  from 
 the  heart's  opposition  to  the  Lord  ;  for  who  would 
 deny  to  many  Quakers,  who  are  so  evidently  and 
 inwardly  iu  CLirist,  this  spiritual  supper  of  the 
 Lord  ] 
 
MATTHEW  XXVI.  2G-2S. 
 
 527 
 
 mnre  appro]. 'in fe  than  to  commenco  with  the 
 solemn  repotition  of  the  words  ot  instil iilion, 
 and  then  tosivnctify  the  eatine  and  drinkincr  to 
 its  sacramental  character.  Yet  (as  no  conse- 
 cration is  commanded  in  the  i>y  this)  all  such 
 addition  to  the  sacrament  itself  might  poFsibly 
 be  inwardly  completed  ;  nor  can  we  deny  the 
 validity  of  the  sacrament  to  those  who  silently 
 partake  with  their  believing  minds  directed  to 
 the  words  of  the  Lord.  So  with  the  public 
 and  common  character  of  the  breaking  of  one 
 bread,  and  the  drinking  of  all  from  one  cup. 
 For  the  freest  spirituality  pervades  the  Mew- 
 Testament  "Do  this." 
 
 In  remembrance  of  me.  It  has  often  been 
 said  that  this  word  cannot  contain  the  great 
 essential  matter  of  the  institution,  because 
 Luke  alone,  the  more  removed  reporter,  adds 
 it,  while  in  the  "This  is"  all  the  accounts 
 agree.  There  is  some  truth  of  course  lying  et 
 the  bottom  of  this,  otherwise  the  omission  in 
 the  other  two  Evangelists  would  be  inexcus- 
 able, or  not  to  be  thought  of.*  But  we  are 
 warned  nou  to  press  this  too  far  by  the  circum- 
 stance that  the  subsequent  revelation  to  Paul 
 gives  prominence  to  this  "  remembrance " 
 twice,  and  the  Holy  Spirit  adds  also  an  expla- 
 nation of  it  through  the  Apostles'  teaching. 
 This  explanation  is  very  different  from  the 
 Zuinglian  or  the  Eationalistic  view,  according 
 to  which  the  Lord  is  merely  said  to  have  used 
 such  and  such  words,  as  self-understood.  The 
 condescending  word  certainly  begins  with  what 
 may  be  termed  the  simple  thinking  upon  his 
 person,  his  past  connection  with  them,  not  ex- 
 cluding the  affectionate  remembrance  of  this 
 last  farewell-meal,  and  that  night  of  his  be- 
 trayal which  it  would  forever  make  present  to 
 their  minds.  But,  after  all  that  the  rovro 
 idn  has  already  said,  who  can  content  himself 
 with  understanding  the  a j'a'/i/r7;(jtS  in  such  a 
 bare  superficial  sense  as  utterly  opposes  that 
 former  word?  He  who  does  this,  because  he 
 has  no  faith  in  a  livingly  present  Saviour, 
 workmg  mysteriously  upon  and  witliin  us,  and 
 therefore  turns  ono  word  of  institution  against 
 another,  has  in  reality  no  sacrament  at  all,  and 
 deceives  himself  when  he  says  that  he  brings 
 the  Lord  to  his  remembrance.  Bat  he  who 
 with  sincerity  of  heart  and  honesty  of  faith 
 enters  into  this  memorial  of  the  Lord  and  his 
 death,  will  find  and  experience  in  it  all  else 
 that  we  have  spoken  of — even  though  his 
 theoretical  view3  and  expressions  may  do  in- 
 justice to  the  sacrament  as  a  whole. 
 
 We  say  first,  with  confidence,  that  the  re- 
 membrance is  not  defined  in  the  clause  to  be 
 the  substance,  the  essential  matter,  of  tho  J)o 
 this,  which  points  directly  to  the  eating  and 
 drinking  of  the  body  and  blood;  but  the  ap- 
 pended eli  indicates  the  original  purpose,  the 
 accompanying  disposition,  the  immediate  influ- 
 
 ence, of  the  true  participation  in  the  act.  If  our 
 exposition  has  hitherto  been  in  any  degree  cor- 
 rect, we  have  already  refuted  the  Socinians  and 
 others  who  would  'understand  it  only  of  an 
 external  eating,  as  a  mnemonic  rite,*  but  who 
 understand  neither  what  his  remembrance  is 
 as  spoken  of  bv  the  Lord,  nor  what  is  his  body 
 and  blood.  The  error  is  not  removed  by  lay- 
 ing the  emphasis  upon  rerafmbrance  o^'  me,  but 
 by  rightly  understanding  the  remembranca  it- 
 self. Already  in  the  Old  Testament  it  had  a 
 deeper  and  a  real  meaning  :  when  the  Lord 
 spoke  of  the  remembrance  of  his  name,  and 
 appointed  any  rite  or  any  place  to  be  a  memo- 
 rial in  which  his  name  was  recorded — there  he 
 actually  would  come  to  his  people  and  bless 
 them  (Exod.  xx.  24).  Even  then  the  living 
 God  was  not  in  such  sense  absent  that  he  was 
 to  be  merely  remembered — but  what  does  the 
 remembrance  of  Christ  signify,  tha  remem- 
 brance of  that  God-man  who  gives  us  in- 
 wardly his  body  and  his  blood  ?  Are  we  to 
 suppose  the  same  Lord,  who  had  so  often  testi- 
 fied to  his  disciples  that  he  would  be  with 
 them,  among  them,  and  within  them  in  the 
 time  to  come,  to  speak  here  of  remembering 
 himself  as  an  absent  person  who  was  no  longer 
 there  and  only  an  object  of  remembrance  ?  He 
 does  not  say  kv  zrj  Ijit^  dvauvy6Ei,  in  remem- 
 brance of  me — that  would  signify  the  remem- 
 brance and  devotion  which  the  observance 
 itself  would  bring  with  it,  and  which  it 
 already  pre-supposed  as  the  first  impulse  to 
 the  doing  thin.  But  he  appoints  and  at  the 
 same  time  promises,  that  through  this  doing 
 the  remembrance  should  be  strengthened, 
 made  more  inward  ;  that  a  remembrance  or 
 memorial  of  himself  should  be  wrought  in 
 real  and  living  fellowship  Vv'ilh  him.  All 
 thinking  of  the  past  is  in  a  certain  sense  a 
 making  it  present;  but  if  he  whom  we  think 
 of  remains  absent  and  separated  from  us,  such 
 bringing  the  pa'^t  back  can  only  turn  to  an  all 
 the  more  bitter  feeling  of  the  separation  :  and 
 can  we  suppose  this  to  be  intended  here?  Can 
 the  Lord  be  supposed  to  expect  of  our  weak- 
 ness that  we  should  rise  in  faith,  through  this 
 remembrance,  above  the  separation,  into  spir- 
 itual fellowship  with  him?  Can  this  be  the 
 decisive  and  main  element  in  an  institution 
 which  concentres  in  itself  all  the  mighty  bless- 
 ings and  influences  of  New-Testament  grace? 
 "  As  respects  the  Christ,  who  is  with  us  to  the 
 end  of  the  world,  and  in  our  midst  when  we 
 are  met  in  his  name,  all  is  not  so  much  made 
 to  depend  upon  our  weak  energv  of  faith,  an 
 uoon  his  mighty  presence"  (Von  Meyer), 
 ilis  word  rather  contains  the  real  promise— 
 
 *  But  according  to  Justin,  Apol.  i.  66  the 
 aTtonvrjuoyFvimra  t(Sv  (iito6r6Xa)v'\\&i\  also 
 this  first  TovTO  itoisltE  eii  zi)y  dydi.ivr]Giv 
 
 fiOV. 
 
 *  "  Christ  the  Lord  would  have  a  remembrnnce 
 and  proclamation  of  the  violent  deaih,  which  ho 
 sufTered  for  us,  kept  up  in  his  Chiiicli  throu£;h  a 
 solemn  rite,  to  the  "lory  of  hi.s  own  name." 
 Schulthess  has  even  instituted  a  comp:  riso.i  wi'h 
 the  vsKvdia  of  the  Greeks,  the  festivals  in  raera- 
 orj  of  the  dead;  and  that  in  a  very  difterent 
 sense  from  Theophylact's,  whom  he  quotes. 
 
51i8 
 
 THE  LORD'S  SUPPER. 
 
 If  ye  do  this  in  believing  remembrance,  then 
 will  I  remember  you,  and  come  to  you,  and  work 
 within  you  a  true  memorial  of  me,  that  is,  a 
 more  than  mere  remembrance.  "  In  dvd- 
 fivijcSi?  and  dva/umvr/cSHEiv  there  lies  not 
 merely  the  passive  idea  of  not  forgetting,  but 
 the  active  idea  of  the  revival  of  emotion,  the 
 renewal  and  bringing  back  again  of  some- 
 thing." This  remark  of  Schulz  is  quite  cor- 
 rect ;  but  he  does  not  go  on  to  say  from  who7?i 
 and  by  what  means  such  living  remembrance 
 can  come. 
 
 This  13  the  subjective  side  of  the  word,  but 
 
 ly,  and  more  than  this:  the  living  preaching 
 of  the  Gospel  through  the  Holy  Spirit  finds  its 
 last  and  strongest  seal  first  in  the  memorial  of 
 the  communion.  As  it  is  the^first  oliject  of  the 
 sacrament  to  nourish  and  enkindle  the  remem- 
 brance of  Christ  beginning  in  us,  as  a  disposi- 
 tion of  mind  accompanying  its  celebration;  and 
 as  it  is  then  its  immediate  effect  to  make  this 
 a  living  remembrance  through  union  with  him  ; 
 so  is  it  in  fact  in  a  certain  sense  the  last  and 
 highest  aim  of  the  sacrament  forever  to  pro- 
 claim to  the  world  the  death  of  the  Lord,  wiiich 
 has  exerted  its  power  in  ourselves.     CommemO' 
 
 there  is  an  objective  side  which    inseparably   ratio  and  prediau  o  become  one  in  the  power  of 
 
 belongs  to  it.  Hence  Paul  emphatically  sub 
 stitutes  a  wider  expression  :  not,  Te  remember 
 his  death,  but,  Te  do  shoio  forth  his  death  (with 
 allusion  to  the  m2 
 
 him,  who  testifies  himself  to  be  present.    Thus 
 the  sacrament  goes  back  into  the  word  and  be- 
 comes itself  an  intenser  word  as  being  its  most 
 2n,  or  proclamation  in  con-    impressive  fulfillment;  thus  the   communion, 
 .,,   ^,       '"  X      mi         ■  -L     -ii.-      as  it  is  the  crown  of  worship  within  the  Church, 
 
 nection  with  the  Passover).  The  spirit  within  ^^  j^  ^^  ^^^  ^^^j  ^^^^  ^^  ^^^^  ^^^.j.  ^f  preaching 
 us  teaches  us  to  find  even  in  this  word  an  in-  ^^,^^-^^^^  ^j^^g  q^^^^.^^^  ^^^.^.j^g  ^^^  ^V^  confidently 
 timation,  first  o.  alj,  that  we  must  in  our  hearts  j  ^^-^^^^  ^^^^  ^j^j^  j^^^  -!  plainly  contained  in  the 
 
 show  him  to  ourselves,  or  "enter  with  all  our  \ 
 faculties  and  powers,  and  with  the  whole  might 
 of  our  will,  into  his  death."  But  the  funda- 
 mental meaning  of  that  additional  word  goes 
 
 absolute   and   objectively-laid   down    sii  rrjv 
 enifv  dvdi.ivr]6ty  (instead  of  vi-uv  c/?  aVa'- 
 l.ivi]6iv  hirjy),  in  order  to  the  remembrance, 
 ^    ,,  ,    ,  ,,    ,  1  •     .•     1     ^         not,  ^0  Wii  for  my  remembrance.     It  is  thereby 
 
 further  and  shows  that  our  subjectively-true  ^.^lared  that  the  Lord  would  make  this  ap- 
 remembrance,  which  becomes  through  our  re-  j^tnient  of  what  his  disciples  were  to  do  ji 
 ception  a  living  remembrance  of  our  Lord-  ,  ^,^^^^,^1  to  the  world  of  his  redeeming  act— 
 this  ayauy7;6,?  within  us— must  also  epeak  ;  •  ^^  ^^  ^^  ^^^  .^^^  ^^^  Qjj.rp  stament  typo 
 and  work  cJyjsctiveiy  and  outwardly,  before  the  i  :L^^ 
 
 Church  and  the  world.  "  Thus  Jesus  did  not  I  Likewise  also  he  took  the  cnp.  That 
 merely  sav  that  the  communicants  at  the  Sup-  \  ■  ^^^^  appointed  and  customarv  cup  at  the 
 per  should  think  of  hira  ;  but  that  the  Supper  !  co\iclusion  of  the  Passover.  The  absence  of 
 should  be  an  announcement  and  a  memoria  of  [  ^j^^  j^^^^^g  ^^^^^,^  Ttorvpiov  in  ^lark,  according 
 his  death  to  all      (Scheibel).     les,  verily  the  ,  ^^  another  reading,  has  no  other  significance 
 
 life-imparting  death  of  the  Lord  of  glory,  which 
 should  bring  forth  much  fruit,  was  to  be  other- 
 wise shown  forth,  and  to  have  another  kind  of 
 memMrial,  than  any  other  death  of  one  who  had 
 
 g,  lias  no  otner  signi 
 than  what  we  have^already  remarked  in  con- 
 nection with  the  dprov.  The  emphatic  and 
 striking  'flcSavrooi,  likewise,  of  Luke  and  Paul, 
 which   infers  a  similar   taking,   thanksgiving, 
 
 died.  From  the  night  of  his  betrayal  onward  j  ^lessin^  and  giving,  testifies~to  the  indivis- 
 to  the  great  day  when  he  will  come  agam,  his  , -^jg  character  of  \he  sacrament,  as  essen- 
 own  proclaim-as  in  their  whole  life  derived  |  ^-^^j,  ^^^  notwithstanding  its  two-fold  form. 
 from  and  spent  in  him,  so  pre-eminently  as  ,  r^j^^  ^^^^^^  ^^.^^.^g  of  institution,  in  connection 
 often  as  they  publicly  and  solemnly  commemo-    ^^j^,^  ^[^^  ^^.^^^  ^^^  ^^^^  mutually  confirm 
 
 rate  him  in  the  sacrament— Z?/e  z;i  his  dealh.    and  illustrate  each  other :  he  who  would  super- 
 ficially or  falsely  interpret   the  one,  is  shown 
 
 rate  him  in  the  sacrament — Lift 
 They  bear  witness  of  it  to  each  other  and  to 
 the  world.  They  bear  testimony  with  the  ut- 
 most power  as  worthy  and  sanctified  commu- 
 nicants, such  as  he  would  have  them.  be.  But 
 even  the  mere  external  celebration  itself,  when 
 it  is  no  more  than  that,  is  the  continuous  tes- 
 timony and  confession  of  the  Church.  Even 
 where  preaching  has  ceased  to  proclaim  the 
 sin-ofTering  for  the  world,  the  "  For  you"  pre- 
 serves the  remembrance  of  his  atoning  work  ; 
 and  "  2'liis  u"  bears  persistent  witness  to  a 
 Bervice  which  ehould  be  and  shall  over  be  the 
 means  of  living  communion  with  him.*    Final- 
 
 •  As  lon2,  tha*  is,  as  the  words  of  Christ  are 
 fpoken  ill  ilio  colebratiou  of  the  Lorl's  Supper, 
 llufiiastel  of  Frankfort,  ii  deed,  preferred  as  the 
 formula  of  distribution,  "  Partake  of  th's  bread! 
 The  spirit  of  devoti(  n  rest  upon  thee  with  its  full 
 blessin?.  ParU.ke  of  a  little  wine!  No  virtue 
 lies  in  it :  tint  lies  i»  Due,  iu  llie  diviue  teachiug, 
 and — 1;»  God." 
 
 what  "is  right  by  the  other.*  The  Lord  instituted 
 the  sacrament  under  a  two-fold  form;  and  Von 
 Gerlach  gives  the  most  obvious  and  most  super- 
 ficial reason,  iu  these  simple  words,  "  For  he  con- 
 nected it  with  the  two-fold  bodily  need  of  man, 
 food  and  drink  "  and  we  have  shown  upon  John 
 vi.  that  there  also  hunger  and  thirst  embraced 
 all  the  necessities  and  all  the  desires  of  man  in 
 their  utmost  comprehensiveness.  But  to  this 
 there  corresponds,  as  Von  Gerlach  admits,  "a 
 two-fold  nourishment  and  refreshment  of  the 
 inner  man,  corresponding  to  those  of  the  body ;  " 
 and  we  then  first   understand  this  when  we 
 
 *  TertuUian  :  "  In  calicis  nientione  testnmentum 
 constituens  sanguine  suo  obsignatun,  subtantiara 
 coporis  confirmavit.  Nullius  enim  corpc-ris  san- 
 guis potest  esse,  nisi  carnis."  In  this  more  it 
 said  conceruiug  the  Supper  than  Ebrard  finds  in 
 it. 
 
MATTHEW  XXVI.  2G-2S. 
 
 ^ 
 
 learn  from  tlio  word  in  faith  tliat  Christ  also  is 
 objectively  presented  to  us  in  a  two-fold  form, 
 and  gives  himself  to  us  that  we  may  eat  and 
 drink  The  bread  is  only  his  hodtj  ;  hence  he 
 must  also  give  us  his  blood  in  the  cup.  When 
 Von  Gerlach  places  in  the  middle,  "  He  would 
 thereby  point  to  the  separation  of  the  body 
 from  the  blood  poured  out,  in  his  death,"  we 
 have  nothing  to  object;  for  it  is  most  evident 
 that  this  separation  does  refer  to  the  death,  and 
 consequently  this  is  a  testimony  that  he  speaks 
 of  the  same  body  which  died.  Delitzsch  would 
 satisfy  the  inquiry  by  saying  that  it  is  a  gra- 
 cious condescension  to  our  weakness,  to  the 
 end  that  he  might  exhibit  plainly  to  our  faith 
 the  two-fold  character  of  the  gift ;  but  we 
 would  ask  all  Lutherans,  who  do  not  regard 
 the  sacrament  simply  as  a  condescension  to  our 
 intirmity,  but  insist  upon  a  reality  in  what  is 
 presented  to  their  eyes — What  is  then  oljectively 
 this  twofold  character  of  the  gift?  We  must 
 penetrate  deeper  into  the  mystery,  and  regard 
 it  as  demonstrating  the  separation  of  the  body 
 and  blood  of  Christ  which  continues  even  after 
 his  death  ;  so  that  in  the  sacrament,  where  he 
 who  died,  nevertheless  gives  himself  to  us  as 
 the  living,  the  same  separation  as  it  wore  con- 
 tinues. i''or  this  we  may  refer  tlie  reader  to 
 John  vi.,  and  our  exposition  of  it.^'  Finally, 
 even  this  is  not  enough,  but  there  is  a  two-fold 
 character  in  the  human  nature  (which  here  ap- 
 pears only  in  its  glorification)  corresponding  to 
 the  dualism  of  the  flesh  and  blood,  according  to 
 which  the  one  indivisible  glorified  God-man 
 nevertheless  dwells  and  works  in  his  Church  in 
 a  two-fold  way.  Paul  points  to  this,  when  in 
 1  Cor.  xii.  13,  after  having  spoken  of  the  one 
 body  into  which  we  are  baptized,  and  which 
 consists  in  the  one  spirit,  he  yet  refers  the  f/5 
 ev  Ttv  E  V n  a,  into  one  spirit,  to  the  cup  of  the 
 sacrament,  by  tb.e  we  have  drunk.  We  shall  say 
 more  concerning  this,  upon  the  Lord's  require- 
 ment that  all  should  drink  of  it. 
 
 It  must  not  be  overlooked,  at  the  outset,  in 
 this  transition  from  the  eating  to  the  drinking, 
 that  there  is  in  the  latter  an  extension  of  the 
 fulfilling  of  the  sacrament  beyond  the  limits  of 
 the  Old-Testament  type.  The  Lord  in  adding 
 the  cup  to  his  solemnity  adheres  to  the  later 
 
 Easchal  ritual,  because  that  corresponds  with 
 is  design.  He  does  not  shrink  from  establish- 
 ing the  joyful,  quickening,  cheering  character 
 of  his  institution,  by  sanctifying  God's  gift  of 
 wine  in  connection  with  the  breadt — and  that 
 notwithstanding  the  misuse  of  God's  creature 
 throughout  the  world.  But  what  a  deep  mean- 
 
 *  This,  however,  overturns  Ebrard's  too  confi- 
 dent remark,  "  No  one  would  ever  think  of  a  glo- 
 rified blood  together  with  a  glorified  body."  We 
 are  quite  sure  that  not  only  Paul,  Ileb.  xii.  24, 
 but  also  our  Lord  himself  in  ihe  ins  itution  of  the 
 sacrament,  did  so  speak.  The  bloodlessness  of 
 the  risen  body  is,  as  we  shall  see,  attested  as  a 
 fact.  - 
 
 t  Like  Melchlzodek,  otherwise  than  Moham- 
 med. 
 
 ing,  and  what  a  necessary  truth,  wag  involved 
 in  this,  we  le^rn  only  when  we  contrast  it  with 
 the  divine  ordinance  of  the  Old  Testament,  in 
 which  there  was  not,  there  could  not  be,  any 
 drinking  of  wine  at  the  Passover,  or  at  any 
 sacrificial  meal.  The  heathen  drank  wine  at 
 their  sacrificial  feasts  ;  yea,  they  actually  drank 
 blood — to  which  Ezek.  xxxi;c."l9,  20  in  angry 
 irony  refers,  and  probably  also  Psa.  xvi.  4,  cer- 
 tainly Zech.  ix.  7  ;  but  throughout  the  entire 
 Levitical  economy  it  is  a  forbidden  abomina- 
 tion to  drink:  the  blood  of  atonement*  Such  an 
 ordinance  as  that  now  given  by  Christ  himself 
 was  so  entirely  new — violating;  the  law  and 
 differing  from  the  type  while  in  inmost  reality 
 fulfilling  both — it  was  so  decisive  a  distinction 
 between  the  old  and  the  new  covenants,  that 
 even  thereby  (as  also,  according  to  Heb.  xiii. 
 11, 12,  by  another  connected  circumstance)  the 
 new  Church  was  separated  from  the  old.  Cer- 
 tain it  is  that  no  one  could  have  thought  of 
 such  a  thing  as  this  if  the  Lord  had  not  ap- 
 pointed it.  That  he  appointed  it,  that  he  even 
 only  in  a  symbolical  sense  should  have  said. 
 Drink — nnj  hlnod,  is  in  fact  just  such  a  contra- 
 diction to  the  Levitical  law  as  Schulz  refers  to, 
 in  opposition  to  the  literal  sense  of  the  words. 
 "  The  personal  appropriation  of  the  saci'lfce  was 
 very  significantly  in  the  typical  economy  only 
 partial;  eating  the  body  of  the  animal  was 
 partaking  of  half — and  thus  men  stopped  short 
 in  the  recognition  that  the  blood  of  goats, 
 calves,  and  lambs  could  not  give  life."  "Where 
 blood  is,  there  is  also  the  lii'e  or  the  soul ;  and 
 what  will  the  circumstance  (that  we  now  drink 
 the  blood  of  an  offering)  say,  but  that  we  partake 
 not  now  of  a  dead  sacrifice,  such  as  the  Israel- 
 ites ate,  but  of  a  living,  the  life  and  immortal 
 communication  of  which  was  not  attained  to 
 in  the  old  covenant? "  (Von  Meyer).  Thus 
 marvellously  does  the  symbolism  of  the  sacra- 
 ment turn  "from  one  side  to  the  other ;  and 
 he  who  does  not  apprehend  its  depth  and  preg- 
 nancy of  meaning  must  be  rendered  incorrigible 
 by  his  wilful  determination  to  find  but  one. 
 Scarcely  has  the  blood  as  shed  testified  the  cer- 
 tainty of  the  death  of  the  body  which  was  given 
 and  broken,  when  the  blood  as  drunk  assures 
 us  again  that  in  this  death  is  our  life.  Thus  it 
 is  not  merelv,  as  Luther  at  one  time  thought 
 — Flesh  is  life,  blood  is  death.  Rather  the 
 reverse,  as  Clement  saw  in  the  blood  the  life, 
 the  spirit.  Nor  is  the  wine  of  joy  merely  (as 
 Krummacher  says)  an  ingredient  of  super- 
 abundance, but  it  is  based  upon  a  correspond- 
 ing reality  in  thfe  living  Christ. 
 
 *  Though  only  as  following  from  the  ennct- 
 ment  thit  something  else  should  be  done  with  it, 
 and  from  tlie  analosiy  with  the  prohibition  of  ent- 
 ing  the  blood  with  the  fiesh  :  but  this  it  sufficient- 
 ly decisive.  The  question  is  difFcrent  in  the  case 
 of  those  pissages,  Lev.  iii.  17,  vii.  2G,  xvii.  10; 
 Deut.  xii.  16,  23  (comp.  Gen.  ix.  4  an  I  Acts  xv. 
 20),  which  speak  des  gnedly  only  of  "  eatins,"  to 
 allow  for  the  far-distant  dr.nkmg  in  tlie  New  Tes- 
 tament. 
 
530 
 
 THE  LORD'S  SUPPER. 
 
 Our  next  qnestion  is  now  the  requirement  to 
 driiik.  But  before  that,  we  have  a  parentheti- 
 cal remnrk  cr  two  to  make  concerninsj  the  ex- 
 ternal element  in  the  wine.  It  is  well  known 
 that  in  Palestine  red  wine  was  the  main  growth, 
 and  as  such  served  best  for  a  symbol  of  the 
 blood  ;  but  of  course  it  must  be  understood 
 that  this  is  not  an  essential  point;  for  in  the 
 general  notion  of  antiquity  every  juice  of  the 
 grape  was  as  it  were  the  blood,  life,  and  spirit 
 of  the  noble  fruit.*  Sepp,  who  disports  himself 
 freely  in  all  these  figures,  says  very  justly — 
 "The  ear  (corn)  is  as  it  were  the  flesh  of  the 
 earth,  and  the  vine  its  blood."  Tertullian  calls 
 the  wine,  sanguinis  vetiis  figura.  Another  cir- 
 cumstantial is  the  customary  mingling  of  the 
 wine  with  water,  which  according  to  later 
 sources  had  been  prescribed  in  the  Passover. 
 Presuming  that  Christ  had  done  so  himself,  the 
 first  Christians  (inconsistently  more  exact  than 
 in  relation  to  the  unleavened  bread)  acted  ac- 
 cordingly in  their  Ttori'unov  vSazoi  xai  upd- 
 /iiaroi,  temperamentum  calicis,  mixsJ,  ctip  ;j 
 and  they  further  applied  to  it  a  new  and  un- 
 justifiable interpretation,  such  as  we  find  in 
 Cyprian  (Ep.  63  ad  Ccecil.) — the  water  being 
 the  people  with  whom  Christ  now  united  him- 
 self, as  the  wine  mingled  itself  inseparable  with 
 the  water, J  Against  this  we  must  maintain 
 that  the  custom  alluded  to  is  very  uncertain, 
 and  that,  even  if  the  ritual  of  that  day  pre- 
 scribed the  mixing,  it  is  in  the  highest  degree 
 probable  that  Christ  did  not  mix  the  wine  with 
 water;  in  that  as  well  as  in  Uesxinrj  the  bread 
 before  it  was  broken,  diflTering  significantly  from 
 the  custom.  For  it  appears  to  us  that  only  the 
 "  pure  juice  of  tlie  vine"  v.'as  worthy  to  become 
 the  symbol  of  the  all-holy  blood  ;|  and  that 
 here  there  was  provided  for  us,  in  the  figure  as 
 in  the  reality,  a  feast  of  pure  wine,  in  which 
 there  was  no  water  (Isa.  xxv.  6).  Otherwise, 
 it  miglit  have  been  expected  that  (according  to 
 the  analogy  of  the  bread)  the  mixing  of  the 
 cup  would  be  recorded ;  hence   Origen   made 
 
 •  See  on  John  xv. 
 
 f  Concerning  this,  as  well  as  the  relation  of  the 
 R  >man  and  Greek  Churches  to  the  qupslion,  fur- 
 tlier  jiart'culais  must  be  souslit  elsewhere. 
 
 X  Odiors  found  in  it  a  symbol  of  the  insepar- 
 able union  between  the  divinity  and  the  human- 
 ity. 
 
 ^  VoUaire  launtinaly  referred  to  lands  wliere 
 no  wine  srow,«> ;  and  Schulthess  is  not  ashamed  to 
 say  that  it  was  not  the  will  of  Jesus  that  where  no 
 vine  grows  it  should  be  brought  from  far  at  great 
 cost.  We  would  not  adopt  Lindner's  answer  that 
 in  that  oa<;e  water  wouM  suffi'-e;  nor  Marten- 
 sen's,  "It  is  necessary  that  bread  and  wine,  or 
 faiiine  tbem  whatever  naturally  takes  their  i)lace, 
 sliould  be  distributed  and  partaken  of."  Excep- 
 tions sucli  as  may  be  c:>m;)arcd  willi  2  Chron. 
 XXX.  18,  19  (rightly  translated)  beins;  admitted, 
 the  rule  for  the  sacrament  requires  the  obedient 
 ob<^ervance  of  the  prescribed  elements.  Isolated 
 and  distant  churches  of  Christ  need  never  lack 
 tliem.  liavins  fellowship  witli  all  Cliristendom  ;  ns 
 the  Moravian  mission-stations  in  Greenland  show. 
 
 this  his  prominent  argura'^nt  for  deciding  in 
 favor  of  the  unmixed  cup,  anparov. 
 
 Deink  ye  all  of  it.  As  Jiir  as  drinlc  cor- 
 responds with  the  previous  eat,  all  that  was 
 said  there  applies  here.  But  there  must  be 
 some  additional  significance  in  the  fact  that  all 
 are  bidden  to  drink  of  it  expressly — this  must 
 be  taken  for  granted,  for  every  recorded  expres- 
 sion and  circumstance  must,  as  we  have  seen, 
 have  its  emphasis  of  meaning.  It  is  true  that 
 Matthev/ alone  records  this  requirement;  but 
 then  he  does  so,  as  an  Apostle  and  eye  wit- 
 ness, and  that  !Mark  instead  of  the  injunction 
 specifies  that  all  did  act  accordingly,  seems 
 to  make  the  matter  more  certain  and  more 
 significant.  We  may  first  say,  as  Bengel  re- 
 marks upon  the  likewise,  that  in  the  Drinhye, 
 strongly  emphasized  after  the  eat,  our  Lord 
 gives  his  testimony,  "  that  we  must  not  separate 
 the  two  parts  of  the  Supper,  nor  confound  them  ; 
 as  if  the  bread  should  suffice  without  the  cup, 
 or  the  blood  be  regarded  as  already  received 
 with  the  body.  The  two-fold  and  yet  one  in- 
 stitution must  not  be  abridged  or  divided;  and 
 therefore  the  ndvrsi  here  spoken  by  our 
 Lord  was  an  anticipating  denunciation  of 
 the  denial  of  the  cup,*  uttered  for  all  who 
 should  be  content  to  submit  themselves  to 
 his  word  alone.  This  testimony  is  so  clear 
 that  even  the  Concilium  non-ohtaiitiense  did  not 
 intend  its  non-olistante  to  have  an  exegetical 
 force  ;  but,  rather,  boldly  avowed  its  deviation 
 from  the  ordinance  of  Christ.f  The  proiiibition 
 of  the  cup  to  the  laity  is  a  very  different  mat- 
 ter from  the  "eucharistia  intinda"  which  the 
 early  Church  permitted  for  special  cases  (the 
 bread  saturated  with  the  wine; — and  cannot  be 
 regarded  as  other  than  an  impious  rending  of 
 the  sacrament;  not  but  that  the  great  patience 
 and  faithfulness  of  our  Lord  may  supply  that 
 of  which  they  are  unjustifiably  deprived  to 
 sincere  communicants  who  know  not  their  loss. 
 There  is  a  second  thought  which  the  profound 
 Bengel  here  adds,  in  his  Germ.  New  Test.:  "  It 
 is  not,  Eat  ye  all.  But  after  they  all  have  eat- 
 en, it  is  said.  Drink  ye  all.  T/ie  eating  is  left  to 
 our  freedom — but  after  our  eating,  the  drink  is 
 not  so  left."  This  says,  once  more,  that  no 
 man  must  divide  or  halve.  As  far  as  this  is 
 true,  it  must  appear  that  with  regard  to  Judas, 
 to  whom  the  Take,  eat  could  not  possibly  have 
 been  commanded  at  the  beginning  (hence  not 
 
 *  Calvin  :  "  Thirdly,  wliy  did  he  say  concerning 
 the  bread  simply  that  they  should  eat,  but  of  the 
 cu])  that  they  should  oil  or'nk  ]  li  was  as  if  h<? 
 had  intended  to  jtiotest  beforehand  against  the 
 cunning  of  Satnn." 
 
 \  "  Or  if  one  kind  was  sudiclent,  it  should  be, 
 rather,  the  cup  " — says  Iienn;el  speak, ng  after  the 
 manner  of  men.  Rome,  to  mask  her  denial  of  the 
 cup,  has  resorted  to  interpolation  in  the  words  of 
 institution  ;  so  that  we  find  the  mass  at  the  conse- 
 cration of  the  bread — "  accipite  et  m^nducate 
 ex  hoc  oinnes;"  whde  there  is  inserted  at  tho 
 cup — mysterium  fiilci."  Learned  Catholics  art;  not 
 ashamed  to  say  th.it  those  addition*  originated  in 
 a  tradition  of  St.  Peter's. 
 
MATTHEW  XXVI.  26-23. 
 
 531 
 
 eat  ye  all,  leaving  liim  room  to  abstain  in  fear), 
 inasmuch  as  he  had  eaten,  he  must  also  as  his 
 condemnation  drink  likewise.  But  this  subtle 
 observation  must  not  be  pressed  too  far,  or  it 
 will  soon  vercre  on  error.  For,  in  another  sense, 
 it  may  be  said  inversely,  that  this  requesting 
 injunction  upon  all  permits  a  greater  freedom  to 
 all  in  the  case  of  the  cup  than  in  the  case  of 
 the  bread.  As  the  cup  is  handed  round,  and 
 every  one  is  permitted  to  drink  of  it  as  much 
 or  as  little  as  he  will,  v;e  find  another  aspect  of 
 the  matter  symbolized:  When  the  Lord  has 
 himself  given  with  his  own  hand  the  bread 
 which  represents  our  substantial,  fundamental 
 union  with  his  body,  he  leaves  it  more  to  the 
 determination  of  every  individual,  how  much 
 of  the  life,  of  the  Spirit  which  corresponds  with 
 the  body  of  Christ  he  will  appropriate  to  him- 
 self. But  we  cannot  understand  this  until  we 
 penetrate  deeper,  and  recognize  what  in  its  in- 
 most truth  is  the  body,  and  what  is  the  blood, 
 of  our  Lord.  The  remarks  of  Von  Gerlach  on 
 John  vi.  53  seem  to  us  so  excellent,  tliat  we 
 will  let  them  speak  for  us.  As  the  blood  is  the 
 soul  in  the  flesh,  in  the  substance  of  the 
 body,  so  according  to  him  the  drinking  and 
 eating  have  this  two-fold  reference:  "The 
 spiritual,  like  the  natural  man,  needs  for  his 
 
 {)re.servation  as  well  the  continual  renewal  of 
 lis  substance,  as  the  quickening  and  invigora- 
 tion  of  that  personal  life  of  the  soul  which  gives 
 this  general  human  substance  a  distinct  per- 
 sonality. Jesus  creates,  through  the  partaking  j 
 of  his  flesh,  a  new  man  in  him  ;  and,  through 
 his  blood,  the  personal  life  of  love ;  he  gives 
 him  a  living  personal  part  in  himself."  Again 
 he  says ;  "  Those  who  withhold  the  cup  from 
 the  laity  rob  them  of  their  personal  free  fellow- 
 ship of  life  with  Christ,  and  of  their  spiritual 
 priesthood;  they  degrade  them,  as  far  as  they 
 can  do  it,  to  a  general  mass  of  Christian  people 
 who  are  to  be  directed  and  ruled  by  a  few  whole 
 members  of  the  Lord's  body."  This  is  not  a 
 wild  imagination,  but  the  full  and  deep  mean- 
 ing of  the  memorable  Drink  ya  all  of  this  ;  that 
 is,  "  Let  every  man  take  with  direct  unqualified 
 freedom  his  pergonal  part  in  the  full  pervasive 
 power  of  my  life." 
 
 This  freedom — which  at  the  same  time  is  no 
 other  than  a  necessity  that  all  who  were  pre- 
 sumptuous enough  to  eat  unworthily  should 
 proceed  with  the  sacrament — was,  alas  !  a  per- 
 mission to  Judas,  and  sealed  his  condemnation. 
 The  historical  relation  ol  the  ndvvEi,  and  its 
 typical  meaning  as  a  historical  circumstance, 
 is  made  prominent  by  Mark,  when,  instead  of 
 narrating  the  injunction  of  our  Lord,  he  says — 
 And  they  all  drank  of  it.  Most  expositors  set 
 out  by  "  taking  it  for  granted  that  Christ's  de- 
 sign was  to  remove  Judas  before  he  instituted 
 the  Slipper  :"  but  we  must  utter  our  protest  in 
 the  name  of  the  Scripture  which  cannot  be 
 broken.  Other  occasions  have  required  us  al- 
 ready, especially  on  John  xiii.,  to  declare  our- 
 selves on  this  qu^estion.  Luke's  lehold  the  hand, 
 chap.  XX.  21,  will  have  yet  to  be  considered; 
 we  now  abide  by  the  first  firm  testimony  to  the 
 
 traitor's  participation  in  the  sacrament.  For 
 this  we  may  adduce  a  goodly  cvisensus  patrum 
 et  doctorum  ercZei/tE— Cyprian,  Origen,  both  Cy- 
 rils, Jerome,  Augustine,  Chrysostom,  Theodoret, 
 etc. ;  then  Calvin,  Bucer,  Biillinger  (in  a  specif- 
 ic treatise),  and  Lampe  (yet  more  elaborate- 
 ly) ;  remarkably  enough  more  on  the  Reformed 
 side,  though  of  course  Lutherans  (such  as  Wie- 
 land,  G.  Meier)  are  not  wanting.  There  is  no 
 force  in  what  the  moderns  say  (as  Olshausen) 
 that  "  the  idea  of  the  sacrament  renders  it  most 
 probable  that  Judas  did  not  partake  of  it,"  af- 
 firming with  great  boldness  that  "  it  would 
 have  been  contrary  to  the  love  and  compassion 
 of  the  Lord,  to  suffer  the  traitor  by  partaking 
 of  the  Supper  to  aggravate  his  guilt."  After 
 the  utterance  of  the  woe  there  is  nothing  to  be 
 said  of  the  aggravation  of  guilt;  but  it  has 
 not  been  contrary  to  the  idea  of  the  sacrament, 
 and  as  little  contrary  to  the  mercy  of  our  Lord, 
 that  in  all  ages  the  most  unworthy  have  found 
 admission  to  it — and  we  should  be  rather  in- 
 clined to  suppose  that  this  would  be  typified  at 
 the  original  institution.  The  question  is  not, 
 however,  of  our  supposition,  but  of  Avhat  tho 
 Scripture  says.  Luke  records  a  word  of  our 
 Lord,  which  declares  him  to  have  beheld  the 
 traitor  at  the  table,  after  the  words  of  institu- 
 tion. In  Mark,  ver.  17,  the  Lord  comes  wiih 
 the  twelve — "  as  they  sat  and  did  eat "  is  followed 
 by  words  concerning  the  betrayer,  present  and 
 eating  with  the  rest;  without  the  slightest 
 hint  of  the  departure  of  this  one.  Ver.  22 
 proceeds — As  they  did  eat — he  gave  to  them — 
 they  all  drank  of  it.*  Similarly  in  Matthew 
 the  "as  they  were  eating"  of  vtr.  26  is  a  plain 
 resumption  of  ver.  21  which  was  introduced 
 by  "the  twelve;"  con-sequently,  "he  gave  to  the 
 disciples"  in  his  account,  and  the  Lord's  "Brink 
 ye  all  of  it"  must  be  necessarily  understood  in- 
 clusively of  Judas.  We  cannot  conceive  how, 
 in  spite  of  this,  Lange  can  say,  "  But  we  may 
 assume  (though  nothing  is  said  of  it)  that  he 
 had  gone  away  by  this  time" — compare  his 
 gratuitous  interpolation,  "The  traitor  now  van- 
 ishes." Equally  incomprehensible  is  Olshau- 
 sen's  remark,  that  "  the  traitor's  participation 
 corresponds  neither  with  the  narrative  of  Mat- 
 thew and  Mai'k,  nor  with  the  idea  of  the  sacred 
 transaction."  We  hold  with  the  Bcrlenh^  Bibel, 
 which  presses  the  resumption  of  ver.  26  from 
 ver.  21 :  "  For  something  had  come  between, 
 and  the  Evangelist  now  resumes.  Christ  pro- 
 ceeds to  the  matter  before  him  without  further 
 hindrance  or  restraint  on  account  of  that  which 
 had  intervened.  This  teaches  us  no  lioiht  les- 
 son ;  the  Lord  gives  not  up  the  good  because 
 of  the  evil.  We  poor  mortals  make  too  much 
 ado  of  any  thing  evil  coming  between,  and  give 
 up  our  Gospel  work.  But  in  Psa.  xxiu.  the 
 table  is  spread,  though  enemies  are  in  presence. 
 
 *  On  this  Glassius  says  rightly  :  "  The.se  words 
 were  written  in  anticipation.  For  tliey  had  pre- 
 viously heard  tlie  command  of  Christ,  D.  ink  ye  all 
 of  it;  this  is  my  blood,  etc.  Obeying  this  com- 
 mand they  all  drank  it." 
 
632 
 
 THE  LOBD'S  SUPPER. 
 
 Here  we  see  in  Jesus  the  right  frame  of  mind  : 
 he  lets  not  the  unfaithfulness  of  Judas  hinder 
 him  in  this  work." 
 
 This  is  my  blood  of  the  New  Testament. 
 So  in  Mat'.hew  and  Mark  alike,  only  that  the 
 former  has  an  additional  and  strengthening 
 yap,  "for,"  arising  out  of  the  dmik  ye;  and 
 sometimes  the  second  to  is  wanting  in  the 
 Codd.  (a  mattpr,  however,  of  no  import). 
 Tlih  crip  is  the  New  Testament  in  my  blood.  So 
 Luke  and  Paul  alike,  only  that  the  £dri,  "  is," 
 is  wanting  in  the  former,*  and  in  the  latter 
 ificD,  "  my,"  emphatically  precedes  a'l'iitari, 
 "  blood,"  just  as  previously  it  was  rovro  \.lov 
 l6Ti  TO  6ojjua,  "  this  is  my  body."  It  has 
 already  been  observed  that  the  first  form  prob- 
 ably gives  us  the  words  which  our  Lord  used 
 originally,  and  that  in  the  other  we  have  his 
 own  revealed  and  authentic  explanation.  It 
 follows  from  this,  that  exposition  must  make 
 both  its  text;  but  that  it  must  primarily  set 
 out  from  the  "iVeio  Testainnit"  subsequently 
 brought  into  prominence.  Concerning  the  sec- 
 ond "this  is" — the  reality  of  the  blood,  and  its 
 relation  to  the  wine — all  that  was  said  upon 
 the  body  and  bread  must  be  the  more  fully  re- 
 garded as  holding  good. 
 
 Great  and  emphatic  is  this  word,  xaivi)  8ia- 
 Ot'/XJ^,  "  New  Testament,"  in  this  place.  The  new 
 covenant  is  here  pre-annoiince  I  in  its  near-ap- 
 proaching instant  establishment;  and  it  is  also 
 offered  for  all  futurity  to  every  one  who  would 
 be  a  fellow-partaker.  Bat  it  is  made,  confirm- 
 pil,  and  instituted  (which  idea  of  tlie  Siari- 
 OaoOai  is  unexpressed,  but  understoodof  itself  in 
 the  diaOTJKf^)a-nd  that  can  be  only  by  a  blood 
 which  truly  propitiates,  in  the  blood  of  Jesus 
 Christ  himself  As  "  viy  body  "  was  opposed, 
 in  the  sense  of  being  its  fulfillment,  to  the  body 
 of  the  typical  paschal  lamb,  so  now,  in  the  ex- 
 tended meaning  which  the  sacrament  introduces 
 by  the  cup,  tlie  emphatic  "  my  blood  "  takes  the 
 place  of  all  blood  of  atonement  which  the  old 
 covenant  exhibited — hence  it  is  hlxlv7]  SiaOijnri, 
 and  not  merely  Haivdy  nd^xtXy  or  new  Pass- 
 over. This  latter  indeed  is  included,  in  virtue 
 of  the  parallel;  but  the  Lord's  meaning  in 
 this  comprehensive  expression  is  very  full. 
 First,  that  the  blood  of 'the  paschal  lamb  (as 
 we  said  above)  had  been  a  comprehensive  type 
 of  the  blood  of  atonement  generally  ;  then,  that 
 the  entire  old  covenant  really  had  its  funda- 
 mental and  cen-.ral  mediation  in  blood  ;  further, 
 that  in  this  typical  "without  blood-shedding 
 no  remission"  (Heb.  ix.  22)  there  was  a  truth" 
 on  account  of  which  it  here  follows  "  for  the 
 remission  of  sins;"  finally,  that  tiiis  reality  of 
 tl:ee.ssential  fullillment  of  the  prophetic  typical 
 economy  has  been  brought  and  is  imparted  in 
 his  blood.  Wherever  in  the  Old  Testament,  or 
 in  healhr-nism  as  the  result  of  still  extant  truth 
 perverted   into  friglitful  delusion,  the  blood  of 
 
 sacrifice  and  propitiation  flowed  or  still  flows— 
 the  Lord  brings  the  great  falfillment  and  says, 
 "My  blood  alone."  In  tliis  most  comprehen- 
 sive sense  the  sacramental  word  speaks  now  to 
 New  Zealanders  and  Brahmins,  as  it  spoke, 
 according  to  the  development  of  the  Epistle  to 
 the  Hebrews,  to  the  Jews  of  that  day. 
 
 But  in  an  especial  manner  the  Lord  refers,  in 
 this  decisive  word,  to  two  principal  passages  in 
 the  ancient  Scripture — to  a  historical  passage 
 at  the  commencement,  and  to  a  prophetical  at 
 the  close.  The  historical  is  found  in  Exod. 
 xxix. ;  where,  after  the  beginning  of  the  insti- 
 tution of  the  law  upon  Sinai,  a  second  funda- 
 mental testimony  concerning  the  blood  of  the 
 covenant  is  added,  upon  the  same  mountain,  to 
 the  first  which  the  blood  of  the  paschal  lamb 
 contained  ;  and  where  we  have  the  real  and 
 proper  commencement  of  that  sparing  and  re- 
 conciling covenant-institution  in  Israel,  which 
 was  now  to  find  its  great  fulfillment  in  a  new 
 and  better  covenant  embracing  the  world.  Yet 
 before  the  establishment  of  a  proper  priest- 
 hood,* 5;irwi-o;ff/-irtgrs  a^cZ  thanh-offerings  (per- 
 fectly comprehending  all,  as  in  the  Passover) 
 were  presented  ;  with  their  blood  the  altar,  the 
 book  of  the  covenant  (the  commandments),  and 
 the  people  themselves,  were  sprinkled ;  and  in  a 
 solemn  declarative  word  (the  meaning  of  which 
 we  learn  in  Heb.  ix.  18-22),  this  blood  was 
 pronounced  to  be  the  blood  of  the  covenant  It 
 forces  itself  irresistibly  upon  our  thoughts, 
 when  we  contemplate  the  direct  reference  of 
 the  new  covenant  to  the  old  as  it  is  here  con- 
 centrated, that  our  Lord  designedly  alludes  to 
 this  saying  of  Exod.  xxiv.  8.  Even  then  al- 
 ready the  blood  was  present,  at  least  in  its 
 type,  and  a  fellowship  with  it  was  indicated  by 
 the  sprinkling;  but  now  its  real  presence  in 
 the  sacrament  far  transcends  the  typical  sym- 
 bol, and  the  fellowship  becomes  a  sprinkling  of 
 the  inner  man — a  drinking.  Moses  [.\\q\'q  j>oint- 
 ing  externally  said,  n^"!3n"DT  nSH,  Sept.  iSov 
 
 TO  ai/ua  TT/i  diaO)'/Kr}i,  Behold  the  blood  of 
 the  covenant ;  but  Paul  in  the  Epistle  to  the 
 Hebrews  substitutes  a  tovto,  this  is,  for  the 
 New-Testament  sacramental  word  is  connected 
 with  it  in  the  thoughts. f  When  the  Lord 
 says,  "of  the  new  covenant" — he  makes  the 
 first  old  and  abolishes  it,  as  we  are  taught  in 
 Heb.  viii.  13.  But  it  is  also  true,  on  the  other 
 side,  "of  the  new  covenant — then  is  the  old 
 placed  by  its  side,  as  if  not  to  be  forgotten  " 
 
 *  Th^s,  on  the  one  liand,  shows  that  tlie  words 
 were  spoken  fii^iHTtHMi,  and,  on  the  otlier,  justi- 
 fies our  remark  upon  the  iCti  being  originally  un- 
 expressed. 
 
 *  Hence  young  men  of  the  children  of  Israel  of- 
 ficiate ;  that  is,  not,  as  Onkelos  and  Jonathan  sup- 
 pose, tlie  first-born,  but  choson  roprosenlatives  of 
 the  priestly  people ;  and  Moses  himself,  as  chief, 
 •sprinkled. 
 
 f  So  we  have  observed  in  th^^  exposition  of  that 
 Epistle,  "  Certainly  for  i.o  oilier  reason  than  to 
 point  to  the  fulfillment  of  the  typ->,  to  t!ie  sublime 
 word  of  institution  which  corresponds  to  fho 
 Mosaic  word — ThU  is  my  blood,  of  the  Ne.v  Tes- 
 tament." This  is  a  liint,  too,  that  the  Apostlo 
 was  we'l  awaro  of  the  original  historical  formula 
 toCtu  i6rt. 
 
MATTHEW  XXVI.  26-28. 
 
 (Braune).  It  is  however  fulfilled  in  its  abo- 
 lition ;  and  the  unintelligent  horror  of  the 
 blood,  which  unbelief  in  the  truth  of  God  in  the 
 Old  Testament  has  created,  is  here  done  away 
 in  the  centre  of  the  Christian  worship,  in  this 
 most  gracious  bond  of  love  between  Christ  and 
 his  own  ;  for  even  in  this  we  still  find  hlood  and 
 covenant  essentially  connected.  (See  Zech.  ix. 
 9-11,  in  that  remarkable  Messianic  promise — a 
 new  Uood  of  the  covenant.) 
 
 The  other,  the  prophetic  passage,  which 
 Christ  had  also  certainly  in  his  thoughts,  since 
 in  it  alone  a  "new  covenant"  is  predicted,  Ave 
 have  in  Jer.  xxxi.  31-3i.  (Comp.  again  Heb. 
 viii.  8  seq.)  We  there  read — "  Not  according  to 
 the  covenant  made  with  their  fathers  when  I 
 led  them  out  to  Egypt ;  "  so  that  the  allusion 
 to  this  passage  is  very  plain  and  significant 
 liere,  where  a  new  Passover  is  instituted. 
 There  we  find  the  chief  blessing  and  the  found- 
 ation of  the  new  covenant  to  be  the  now  actual 
 forgiveness  of  sins  ;  and  in  ver.  34,  the  "  for  " 
 has  no  other  meaning  than  this,  that  the  new 
 spiritual  lawgiving  in  the  heart,  the  general 
 enlightenment  unto  the  knowledge  of  the 
 Lord,  all  the  glorious  blessings  which  the  new 
 covenant  possesses  and  brings  to  man,  should 
 take  their  rise  from  that  one  "For  I  will  for- 
 give their  iniquity."  We  feel  at  once  how  ap- 
 propriate is  all  this  here.  AVe  read  further, 
 oy  no  means  as  a  mere  parallelism,  "And  1 
 will  remember  their  sin  no  more" — for  the  old 
 covenant  with  its  typical  sacrifices  and  pro- 
 pitiations did  no  more  than  perpetually  bring 
 to  remembrance  abidmg  sin,  Heb.  x.  3.  But 
 now  the  new  covenant  takes  the  place  of  the 
 old,  and  in  it  there  is  a  remembrance  of  the 
 full  and  perfect  atonement,  of  the  one  high- 
 priestly  sacrifice,  from  which  grace  and  strength 
 are  derived,  from  age  to  age,  in  ever-renewed 
 and  living  application. 
 
 But  we  must  look  more  closely  at  the  word 
 d  taO  17H rj,  and  observe  how  we  arrive  at  the 
 idea  of  Testament,  which  indeed  the  SiariOsfiai, 
 Luke  xxii.  29,  had  slightly  pre-announced. 
 Von.  Gerlach  pre-supposes  as  certain  that  the 
 word  used  was  the  Aramaic  D^p,  but  this  ex- 
 pression less  plainly  contains  the  idea  of  Testa- 
 ment ;  and  we  mus"^t  confidently  assert,  even  on 
 account  of  the  reference  to  the  passages  already 
 cited,  that  the  Lord's  word  must  have  at  any 
 rate  proceeded  from  n^"i3.  Either  this  expres- 
 sion itself  was  (and  we  may  easily  suppose  so) 
 extant  still  in  the  living  language;  or,  if  an- 
 other was  substituted,  as^  in  the  Chaldee  Para- 
 phrases, it  could  be  used  by  our  Lord  only  in 
 its  strict  connection  with  the  D'lSof  the  sacred 
 
 text.  What  then  is  the  meaning  of  this  word  ? 
 Primarily,  it  is  certain,  that  offaiilus*  as  a  com- 
 
 *  So  the  Vulcr.  translates  it  thiourrhout  the  0. 
 T.,  and  in  the  N.  T.  always  tcstamoitnm.  But  not 
 accoidins  to  the  ctyrao'ogy  which  derives  it  from 
 the  cutting  of  the  sicrifice ;  rather,  as  Ilofmann 
 teaches  uf,  from  ^{^2  with  the  meaning,  to  place 
 
 pact  between  two  parties ;  from  this  the  con- 
 descension of  God  sets  out,  when  he  establishes 
 a  covenant  with  men,  such  as  Noah,  Abra- 
 ham, Israel.  Bat  it  is  obvious  that  even  in 
 the  Old  Testament  two  things  were  prominent 
 in  connec.i)n  with  V. — the  initiative  on  the  side 
 of  God  ;  and  the  mediation  of  a  propitiating 
 Uood.  When  God  is  regarded  as  coming  down 
 to  men  with  such  condescension  as  to  enter  into 
 covenant  with  them  as  with  his  equals,  it  must 
 never  be  forgotten  that  it  is  God,  nevertheless, 
 who  first  proposed  and  established  the  cove- 
 nant, and  laid  down  its  conditions  and  promises. 
 The  condition  of  the  Sinaitic  covenant  in  par. 
 ticular  is  the  law  ;  hence  the  book  of  the  cov- 
 enant,  Exod.  xxiv.  7,  and  most  specifically  th& 
 words  of  the  covenant,  the  ten  commandments, 
 Exod.  xxxiv.  28,  and  the  tables  of  the  cove- 
 nant, Deut.  ix.  9,  and  so  forth.  But  still  more 
 emphatically  prominent,  as  the  initiative  of 
 God,  is  the  promise  given ;  so  that  n^"]3  a  -parte 
 
 potiorl  simply  signifies — not  the  rcapayysXia, 
 but  the  ETCdyyeXia  of  him  who  offers  peacg 
 and  friendship,  for  which  it  would  be  enough 
 (with  Gesenius)  to  cite  Isa.  lix.  21.  See,  more- 
 over, the  covenant  with  David  (entirely  equiv- 
 alent to  promise),  2  Sam.  xxiii.  5 ;  Psa.  Ixxxix. 
 4,  35,  2  Chron.  xiii.  5.  All  this  of  itself  would 
 prepare  the  way  for  that  meaning  of  n^-i3,  which 
 
 is  almost  identical  with  institution,  testamen- 
 tary disposition.  But  this  transition  in  the 
 idea  for  the  nao  covenant  (in  which  the  Old- 
 Testament  not'on  of  a  mutual  covenant,  partly 
 anthropomorphical,  partly  legal,  must  alto- 
 gether drop),  is  found  in  the  mediating  blood 
 of  the  covenant — not  without  hlnod — which  has 
 its  fulfillment  in  the  blood  of  him  who  makes 
 us  heirs  of  all  the  blessings  purchased  by 
 that  death,  who  gives  them  to  us  as  an  in- 
 heritance, making  us  heirs  or  co-heirs,  partak- 
 ers in  fellowship  of  his  new  life,  prerogative, 
 and  kingdom.  Thus  the  Apostle  unfolds  it, 
 Ileb.  ix.  15-18,  very  plainly,*  and  "so  connects 
 the  death  which  has  now  taken  place  with  the 
 ancient  words  concerning  inheritance,  that  the 
 conferring  of  the  inheritance  shows  itself  now 
 to  be  an  actual  legacy,  in  the  similitude  of  a 
 human  testament."  He  is  not  playing  upon 
 any  enforced  double  meaning  of  the  Greek 
 diaQi'iKtjy  which,  while  it  was  used  by  the  Sept. 
 as  synonymous  with  duvOt'/m^,  was  in  the  form 
 of  ^p^n^T  already  in  use  among   the  Jews  in 
 
 the  sense  of  a  proper  legacy ;  but  the  new  turn 
 
 any  thing  that  it  may  be,  or  that  it  may  bo  thus ; 
 consequently  not  etymolosically  a  covenant  at 
 once,  but  something  laid  down  or  established,  a 
 dtaOyHrj.  It  does  rot  depend,  however,  upon 
 any  possible  etymology ;  but  upon  the  meaning 
 of  the  phraseology  as  the  Scripture  itself  make? 
 it  plain. 
 
 *  See  my  exposition  of  the  Hebrews  {IlchrSer- 
 bricf,  i.  316-333),  in  which  it  is  shown,  and  I  hope 
 satisfactorily,  that  no  sophistry  can  avail  to  take 
 away  the  idea  of  a  testament. 
 
534 
 
 THE  LORD'S  SUPPER 
 
 given  to  the  expression  in  the  new 
 only  corresponds  with  a  reality  in  the  matter 
 itself.*  Similarly,  the  same  Apostle,  Gai.  iii. 
 15,  compares  the  promised  gift  to  the  firm  tes- 
 tament of  a  man,  and  it  is  not  an  arbitrary  com- 
 ?arison.  The  authorization  of  the  idea  "  New 
 estaraent,"  developed  now  from  the  n^na  and 
 
 coming  forward  in  the  SiaOvurj,  lies  in  the 
 Lord's  words  of  institution  connected  with  the 
 cup,  even  as  we  have  already  seen  that  Heb. 
 ix.  20  alluded  to  them.  Assuredly,  the  simple 
 and  plain  meaning  of  this  word  of  institution 
 is  just  as  if  it  had  been  said,  "  Behold  I  die  for 
 you — and  live  nevertheless — I  thus  give,  be- 
 queath myself  to  you — in  this  ye  have  me,  in 
 my  death  and  blood,  so  that  ye  may  live  in  me, 
 because  I  live  in  you.'  Thus  understood,  the 
 for  of  Matthew  assumes  a  strong  emphasis — 
 "  Drink  ye  all  of  this, /or  it  is  indeed  my  blood 
 in  which  I  ofTer  to  you  all  the  covenant,  and 
 eeal  the  the  testament,  and  give  it  you."  Simi- 
 larly, the  significant  opposition  in  the  juxta- 
 position of  the  words—"  that  of  the  New  Tes- 
 tament;" as  pointing  to  the  new  element — 
 "  AT//  own  blood  makes  the  promise  to  you  a 
 iestament  of  him  who  dies  for  you." 
 
 It  needs  no  further  remark  to  show  that 
 this  is  in  its  construction  with  my  blood  is  to  be 
 understood  as  in  the  case  of  the  bread.  The 
 change,  however,  in  Luke  and  Paul  which 
 msikea  "  the  New  Testament"  into  a  predicate, 
 requires  not  merely  this  is  for  the  subject,  but 
 by  a  similar  change — this  cup.  For  the  wine, 
 indeed  (or  that  which  was  given  in  the  wine), 
 is  the  blood;  but  only  the  cup  can  be  called 
 the  testament  in  the  blood.  (Luther's  transla- 
 lation  in  Luke — this  is  the  cup — is  manifestly 
 incorrect.)  On  the  one  hand,  however,  this 
 amounts  to  the  same ;  for  the  cup  stands  for  its 
 contents — "that  which  I  give  you  in  it,"  as  it 
 were,  *'  this  drink,"  non'jpiov  almost  equiva- 
 lent to  Ttofxa,  itodi?.  (As,  in  connection  with 
 the  bread,  we  may  say,  with  Schulthess,  rouro 
 8cil.  xPVi^'^y  ftptana — except  that  it  must  be 
 understood  concretely,  and  not  merely  this  eat- 
 ing or  drinking.)  But  then,  since  it  does  not 
 now  follow — is  my  blood,  but — is  the  New  Testa- 
 ment, we  must  understand  it — "  This  my  giving 
 of  the  cup  and  your  drinking  of  it,  this  fellow- 
 ehip  in  the  cup  is  for  you  the  New  Testa- 
 ment; "  that  is,  "  your  reception  and  appropri- 
 ation of  it,  your  acceptance  into  the  heirship."! 
 
 But,  in  my  blood,  again,  must  not  be  interpreted 
 as  merely  per  sanguinem  meum,  through  ray 
 blood;  this  is  forbidden  by  the  sacrament  thi$ 
 is,  for  which  the  other  form  is  only  a  substitu- 
 tion. But  it  retains  the  sense  of  a  real  impar- 
 tation — "  The  testament  betwixt  me  and  you 
 becomes  a  reality  through  the  blood  drunk 
 from  this  cup,  consists  in  the  blood,  it  being 
 common  between  me  and  you — the  drinking  ia 
 the  obtaining  of  the  testament,  because  that 
 which  is  drunk  is  the  blood."  Compare  the 
 protest  against  the  superficial  connection  as 
 maintained  by  the  Eelormed  Church  (as  if  \t 
 was  the  New  Testament  which  is  in  my  blood 
 merely),  in  Kahnis,  and  his  con-ect  solution — 
 "  This  potion  is  my  blood,  which  is  the  new 
 covenant ; "  or — "  is,  as  my  blood,  the  new 
 covenant." 
 
 Which  is  shed  foe  many.  Shed  like  given 
 makes  the  future  prfesent;  the  effundetur  or 
 fundetur  of  the  Vulg.,  therefore,  is  wrong,  al- 
 though, in  Luke  at  least,  dntxir  is  more  correct- 
 ly substituted,  n^pi  in  Matthew,  and  vKip 
 in  Luke  (and  in  Mark  as  a  various  reading), 
 are  not  to  be  distinguished  ;  they  go  not  be- 
 yond the  simple  for,  as  this  was  not  the  ex- 
 press place  for  the  decisive  nVr/of  substitu- 
 tion.* Nevertheless,  the  latter  is  involved  in 
 the  former,  as  far  as  the  life  of  Christ  poured 
 out  in  his  blood  enters  into  us  as  our  life.  We 
 need  not  be  dubious  as  to  the  incorrect  dis- 
 placement of  icoWdjy  in  favor  of  itccvToyf — 
 all  instead  of  many.  First  of  all,  the  many 
 might  point,  in  opposition  to  the  Jewish  cere- 
 mony, to  the  "  multitude  of  those  who,  though 
 strangers  to  the  old  paschal  lamb,  were  now 
 invited  : "  and  this  of  course  leads  to  the  most 
 universal  inclusion  of  mankind.  That  the  blood 
 of  Clirist  was  shed  for  all,  in  the  sense  of  suf- 
 ficient merit  and  general  grace,  is  testified  in 
 the  Scripture  generally,  and  here  decisively  by 
 Luke's  vnip  vf-icov,  for  you,  which  certainly 
 includes  Judas. t  The  "many"  might  be  in- 
 tended as  in  the  ordinary  interpretation  of  Rom. 
 V.  15,  18,  19,  the  "  many  all"  who  spring  from 
 Adam,  in  opposition  to  the  One  who  redeems 
 them.  (Comp.  1  Cor.  x.  17,  ol  noWoi,  oi  nciv- 
 rc5.)     But,  strictly  speaking,  even  in  Rom.  v., 
 
 *  There  is  a  half  truth  in  what  Ber.gel  says  : 
 "The  words  JT-12  and  6iaO//«?/  rfi/lv,   and  have 
 
 such  a  difTvTence  as  marvellously  corresponds  with 
 the  nature  of  the  cas3.  For  ri^"l3  is  more  con- 
 gruous with  the  old  economy,  which  had  the  form 
 of  a  covenant;  StaOt/xt;  with  the  new  economy, 
 which  has  the  form  of  a  testament."  This  differ- 
 ence, however,  is  but  a  unity  in  the  great  develop- 
 ment. 
 
 f  Also  in  a  continually  repeated  renewal  of  the 
 eacred  and  firm  Siantettat,  in  the  future;  as 
 Calvin  says — "  For  the  covenant  which  he  once 
 sanctioned  in  bis  bipod,  he  iu  a  certain  sense  re- 
 
 news or  rather  cont  nues — as  often  at  he  ofifera  to 
 us  that  sacred  blood  poured  out." 
 
 *  The  arbitrary  notion  of  Schulthess,  that  Inx^- 
 vo^tvov  is  equ'valent  to  eHxvrov,  pavruv, 
 payrrjptov,  and  vTtep  equivalent  to  upon,  ^y — 
 
 that  in  Mark  the  idea  of  the  covenant-blood  is 
 only  the  blood  of  sprinkling — needs  no  refutation 
 for  our  readers,  who  have  discerned  the  whole 
 clear  connection.  AVe  cannot  but  respect  iho 
 spirit  in  which  Ebrard  proposes  the  Pauline  for- 
 mula, which  he  expounds  one-sidedly,  as  th*»  de- 
 c's, ve  explanation  of  rovro  t6Ti ;  but  our  ex- 
 position of  the  sacramental  words  must  still  inaln- 
 tain  the  whole  fulness  of  meaning  in  this  sncied 
 and  mysterious  discourse,  as  we  have  set  ii  forth, 
 f  For  Kahnis  has  no  reason  for  saying  that  this 
 word  could  not  have  been  used  in  the  prespuce  of 
 Judas:  it  is  Bufficient  to  refer  to  2  Pet.  ii.  I. 
 
MATTHEW  XXVI.  26-28. 
 
 535 
 
 (Tip  voWoi  are  not  the  waVrc?>  but  in  the 
 promised  result  only  those  for  whom  the 
 redemption  finally  avails,  oi  Xanfidvovzei, 
 tiiose  who  receive  it  (John  i.  12).  We  there- 
 fore regard  the  contrast  between  Matthew's 
 "  drink  yeaZ^of  it,"  and  the  "  many  "  {itoXXa^v, 
 not,  altogether  the  same  as  rajv  TtoXXtav^,  as 
 intimaiing  that  only  in  the  case  of  many  (Isa. 
 Lii.  11,  12)  does  this  blood  prove  itself  as  quoad 
 etficaciam  shed  for  them.*  Under  one  aspect,  as 
 Braune  expresses  himself,  "  there  is  something 
 fearful  in  the  subtile  but  manifest  intimation 
 in,  Drink  ye  all  of  it — shed  for  many  ;  where- 
 fore not  then  for  all?  because  thus  also  the 
 Hood  of  Jesus  cries  out  against  some."  Fear- 
 ful, that  is,  is  the  protest  and  exclusion  pro- 
 nounced against  the  same  Judas  who  was  bid- 
 den to  drink  with  the  rest,  and  whom  the 
 varying  expression  in  Luke  includes — so  that 
 this  dreary  mystery  within  mystery  in  the  sa- 
 crament is  exhibited  in  the  two-fold  formula. 
 But  under  another  aspect,  the  comprehension 
 in  one  body  of  the  genuine  sacramental  com- 
 pany— the  correlative  of  that  exclusion — is 
 most  gracious.  The  ma?iy,  saved  and  sanctified 
 by  this  blood,  are  represented  (as  was  said 
 above,  concerning  the  Passover)  by  every  little 
 company  of  communicants.f 
 
 But  in  Luke  to  xjitip  vucav  eKXWu/.iEvov, 
 "shed  for  you,"  follows  Iv  r&j  aJ'yuari,  "in 
 [my]  blood;"  and  how  is  this  peculiarity  ol 
 construction  to  be  explained?  It  has  been  re- 
 ferred back  to  the  cup,  simply ;  and  the  remark 
 has  been  made,  just  as  if  alua  anxwoixEvov 
 in  the  two  other  Evangelists  was  spurious  or 
 of  no  importance,  "  that  very  little  blood  was 
 usually  shed  upon  the  cross."  As  regards  this 
 last  point,  we  think  that,  in  most  certain  and 
 necessary  exception  to  the  rule,  Christ  actually, 
 that  is,  physically,  poured  out  all  his  blood ; 
 and  that  there  is  a  mystery  in  this  which 
 corresponds  to  the  idea  of  the  sacrament,  and 
 is  indicated  in  it — we  would  not,  however, 
 make  this  a  stumbling-block  to  any,  but 
 simply  remark  that  it  may  and  must  be  said 
 in  a  correct  sense,  that  he  poured  out  his 
 blood  (as  respects  its  virtue  and  influence  as 
 good  as  all  of  it)  for  us.  That  the  shed  in 
 Luke  does  not  alone  or  even  primarily  refer  to 
 the  cup  (in  contradiction  to  Matt,  and  Mark), 
 is  clear  from  Bengel's  saying — "  Nam  poculum 
 plenum  non  effunditur,  sed  ebibitur."  Con- 
 sequently, the  transition  to  the  nominative 
 here  is  to  be  explained  thus :  Luke  had  previous- 
 ly spoken  like  Paul,  or  according  to  the  form 
 handed  down  by  him  ;  but  he  then  returns  to  the 
 synoptic  account,  in  order  to  connect  with  the 
 former  the  main  word  of  the  original  tradition 
 — hence  the  nominative.  It  is  a  construciio 
 Ttfjoi  TO  6T]naiv6nEyov,  since  in  the  essence  of 
 the  communication  and  appropriation  which  is 
 here  concerned,  diaOr/ntf  kv  rqj  ainan  and  to 
 
 *  As  we  said  already  on  Matt.  xx.  28. 
 
 t  We  must  leav(H;o  itself  the  idea  of  Grotius, 
 that  there  is  an  allusion  to  Dan,  ix.  27,  dvvajuai- 
 6€t  Sia^tiMTjv  noXXoli., 
 
 aiixa  ryi  diaOi'ixriZ  are  one  an  d  the  same.  But,  on 
 that  account  it  is  plain,  on  the  other  hand,  that 
 enxvyo/ne/uov  also  refers  to  the  cup  (or  strictly 
 speaking  to  the  wine  m  it) ;  not  in  the  exter- 
 nal sense,  but  in  that  symbolical  sense  which 
 now  first  passes  over  from  the  shedding  of 
 the  Mood  to  the  pouring  out  of  the  wine. 
 The  citp  in  a  certain  sense  points  (sym- 
 bolically) to  the  unity  of  the  whole  blood  of 
 Christ,  and  is  therefore  parallel*  with  the 
 whole  mass  of  the  bread,  or  the  body  ;  conse- 
 quently the  tHxvviJuEyov  must  lead  us  to 
 think  of  the  wine  presented  to  be  drunk,  just 
 as  the  8lS6^£vov  and  hXcoiievov  of  the 
 bread.  As  the  body  is  broken  for  us  when  we 
 eat  of  it,  in  the  perfect  unity  of  the  death  and 
 the  life  which  comes  from  it ;  so  is  all  the 
 poured-out  blood  of  the  Lord  sacramentally  in- 
 cluded in  this  cup,  and  is  from  it,  when  we 
 drink,  "  poured  out"  as  to  its  efficacy  for  us, 
 that  is,  in  us — in  the  analogy  of  the  pouring  out 
 of  the  Holy  Spirit,  that  is,  his  abundant,  full 
 communication.  Here  we  see  a  new  reason,  in 
 the  profound  symbolism  of  the  whole,  why 
 Christ  could  say — Drink  ye  all  (the  cup  of  the 
 sacrament  is  provided  like  universal  redemption 
 for  you  all) — but  could  not  say  that  the  blood 
 contained  in  it  was  livingly  poured  out  for  all 
 who  do  no  more  than  presumptuously  and  ex- 
 ternally drink  of  the  cup. 
 
 Foe  the  remission  op  sins.  This  added 
 clause  is  by  no  means  spurious  :  it  is  certainly 
 omitted  in  all  but  the  first  Evangelist,  and  even 
 in  Paul's  form  ;  but  the  omission  says  no  more 
 than  that  it  was  already  understood  in  the 
 blood  of  the  covenant.  When  the  Lord  expressly 
 thus  spoke,  he  brought  into  special  prominence 
 (with  further  allusion  to  Jer.  xxxi.  34)  the 
 main  blessing  of  the  New  Testament  as  now 
 sealed  to  us  in  the  blood  of  atonement.  To  the 
 old  covenant  belongs  the  ndpE6ii,  to  the  new 
 covenant,  essentially  and  properly,  the  a  q>  e- 
 <Ji5,  dnapri(kjy,  Rom.  iii.  25  (Acts  xvii. 
 30);  Eph.  i.  7.  "  For  what  is  the  New  Testa- 
 ment? Certainly  it  is  the  promise  of  there- 
 mission  of  sins  and  reconciliation  through 
 Christ."  We  may  set  out  with  these  words  of 
 Melancthon ;  but  must  follow  them  up,  as 
 Luther  does — Where  forgiveness  of  sins  is, 
 there  is  also  life  and  blessedness.  Luther's 
 controversy  with  those  who  would  have  the 
 forgiveness  of  sins  through  Christ  sought  at  the 
 cross,  and  not  in  the  sacrament,  is  well  known. 
 He  says,  "  We  deal  with  the  forgiveness  of  sins 
 after  a  two-fold  manner.  First,  as  it  has  been 
 obtained  and  must  be  sought  by  us;  and  sec- 
 ondly, as  it  is  dispensed  a.nd  given  to  us.  Christ 
 obtained  it  for  us  on  the  cross,  most  assuredly; 
 but  he  has  not  distributed  or  given  it  on  the 
 
 *  So  Ignat.  ad  Philad.  means  in  the  well-known 
 passage :  /iiia  yap  6dpb, — uaj  ev  noryptov 
 Eii  kvcocjiv  rov  awaroi  avTuv.  Similarly, 
 L'ionys.  Areop^.  (quoted  and_^  perverted  by  Schul- 
 thess),  t6v  ddiaipETov  aprov  fiieXojv—rcai 
 ro  Eviaiov  tuv  nozrjpiov  ndoi  Kuranepi' 
 6ai. 
 
sm 
 
 THE  LORD'S  SUPPER 
 
 cross.  He  did  not  obtain  it  for  ns  in  the  Supper 
 or  sacrament,  but  lie  did  there  through  the  word 
 distribute  and  give  it,  as  also  in  the  Gospel  in 
 which  it  is  preached.  If  I  would  have  my  sins 
 forgiven,  I  must  not  run  simply  to  the  cross,  for 
 I  do  not  find  it  dispensed  there  ;  I  must  not,  as 
 Carlstadt  will  have  it,  simply  bring  to  mv  me- 
 mory and  dwell  upon  the  sufferings  of  Christ, 
 for  neither  do  I  find  it  there ;  but  I  must  go  to 
 the  sacrament,  or  to  the  Gospel,  and  there  I 
 find  the  word  which  proffers,  gives,  and  dis- 
 penses to  me  my  privilege  in  the  forgiveness  of 
 sins."  Luther,  therefore,  has  rightly  taught 
 that  whoever  has  a  guilty  conscience  may  go 
 and  find  comfort  in  the  sacrament;  not  in  the 
 bread  and  wine,  not  in  the  body  and  blood  of 
 Christ,  but  in  the  word  which  in  the  sacrament 
 presents  and  gives  the  body  and  blood  of 
 Christ  as  given  and  shed  for  me.  Is  not  that 
 clear  enough  ? 
 
 We  make  bold  to  answer  this  question,  No. 
 Yet  it  must  be  maintained,  with  Luther,  that 
 the  forgiveness  of  sins  is  also  imparted  in  the 
 Gospel,  as  here,  through  the  word ;  we  may 
 say,  further,  that  the  first  sacrament,  baptism, 
 had  already  communicated  forgiveness  to  the 
 participants  of  the  Supper  ;  yea,  it  must  not  be 
 overlooked,  that  a  preparatory  word  of  absolu- 
 tion had  bepn  pronounced  upon  those  who  now 
 partook — Ye  are  clean;  and  so,  according  to 
 the  old  saying.  Holy  things  were  for  the  holy. 
 But  what  Luther  intended,  though  he  did  not 
 plainly  enough  on  this  occasion  express  him- 
 self, was  the  truth  that,  in  the  sacrament,  the 
 word  given  for  the  appropriation  of  faith  re- 
 ceives its  stronger  assurance  and  guarantee 
 through  the  accompanying  real  communication 
 of  the  body  and  blood.  Thus  it  is  not,  properly 
 speaking,  lor  forgiveness — the  word  concerning 
 which  we  already  believe — but  for  the  assur- 
 ance and  confirmation  of  it,  that  we  fly  to  the 
 strong  consolation  of  the  sacrament.  Hence 
 "  the  forgiveness  of  sins  is  not  derived  from  the 
 participation  of  the  wine  and  the  bread,  but 
 from  the  shedding  of  the  blood  upon  the  cross" 
 (Krahner).  Most  assuredly,  therefore,  this 
 forgiveness  cannot  be  the  essential  and  distinc- 
 tive blessing  which  is  received  in  it.  But  that 
 blessing  is  confirmed  in  the  sacrament :  first, 
 because  we,  by  the  believing  reception  of  the 
 elements,  place  ourselves  ever  anew  upon  the 
 objectively-certain  ground  of  the  accomplished 
 redemption,  of  the  established  testament  ;*  and, 
 further,  because  we  thereby  receive  anew  in 
 the  body  and  blood  forgiveness  unto  sanctifying 
 influence.  All  progress  in  sanctification,  all 
 increase  of  strength  in  the  inner  man,  is  con- 
 ditioned by  an  appropriation  of  justification  in 
 ever  new  and  living  power:  therefore  and  to 
 that  end  Christ  gives  to  us  on  every  renewal  of 
 the  sacrament  a  new  and  mighty  consolation  of 
 
 •  Hence  Luther,  not  cloarly  penetrating  the 
 mnity  o{  tlie  divine  gift  and  the  glorified  corpo- 
 reity, spoke  of  "  the  most  noble  and  precious 
 p'mife  and  sent"  of  the  j)roniise  of  the  covenant. 
 SeeKiiUler,  D.itler  Luth.  Kiteck-  ji.  17i. 
 
 forgiveness  as  the  food  and  invigoration  of  the 
 soul  which  is  first  necessary.  With  this  view  ha 
 added  the  word,  which  speaks  of  such  remiaaion 
 of  sins ;  and  anticipating,  moreover,  that  all 
 communicants,  as  they  would  bring  weakness, 
 so  also  would  bring  sin  requiring  forgiveness  to 
 this  table. 
 
 According  to  Paul  the  Lord  added  a  second, 
 This  do  ye  in  reirwrnbrance  of  rm,  strengthening 
 it  by  the  additional  As  oft  as  ye  drink  it. 
 It  scarcely  needs  proof  that  this  itivTjre  is  not 
 "  As  oft  as  ye  drink  "  (and  eat,  respectively) ; 
 but,  "  As  oft  as  ye  drink  this  cup."*  As  oft^- 
 this  is  not  to  be  perverted,  in  direct  opposition 
 to  the  Do  this,  into  an  entire  surrender  of  the 
 sacrament  to  our  own  option.  Barclay  says, 
 "These  words  (as  often)  import  no  more  a 
 command,  than  to  say,  As  often  as  thou  goesfc 
 to  Rome,  see  the  capitol,  will  infer  a  command 
 for  men  to  go  thither."  He  carelessly  and 
 wilfully  forgets  that  this  repetition  at  the  cup 
 itself  fre-supposes  the  first  injunction  to  Do  this. 
 The  6  6  dm  i,  as  oft,  plainly  enough  intimates 
 that  Christians  are  not  to  eat  and  drink  thus 
 once  or  a  few  times  in  their  lives  :  there  is  to 
 be  in  their  hearts  a  deep  desire  for  it.  But 
 how  often  is  left  in  evangelical  freedom  ;  this 
 last  expression  abolishes  all  limitation  to  any 
 definite  festival-season,  as  in  the  old  economy.! 
 
 The  renewed  importance  given  to  the  old 
 sacramental  controversy  in  our  own  times,  is 
 a  sufficient  apology  for  the  disproportionate 
 length  of  our  exposition  upon  the  words  of  that 
 institution  whicii  is  so  closely  connected  with 
 the  union  projected  among  our  churches.  We 
 cannot  close  without  entering  into  a  dogmatic 
 and  pacificatory  consideration  of  the  contro- 
 versy. 
 
 What  was  said  concerning  the  feet-washing 
 may  be  applied,  even  in  a  higher  degree,  to  our 
 Lord's  act  and  injunction  in  the  sacrament — 
 Ye  do  not  yet  know  and  understand  what  I 
 do,  but  ye  shall  know  hereafter.  The  disciples 
 could  not  at  that  moment  properly  understand 
 the  Lord ;  the  experience  of  the  enjoyment 
 here  promised,  and  the  illumination  of  the 
 Holy  Spirit,  afterward  expounded  the  mystery 
 to  their  minds,  so  far  as  being  a  mystery  it  was 
 capable  of  it.  The  further  doctrine  of  the 
 Apostle  Paul  concerning  the  sacrament  pre- 
 sents itself  to  us  With  the  most  definite  precis- 
 
 *  That  Luther's  "  es"  it.  bad  the  b!ood  for  its 
 object,  is  only  a  charoe  of  SchiiUhess. 
 
 f  "  It  was  added,  because  no  would  have  the 
 sacrament  free  and  not  bound  to  any  fixed  time, 
 like  tlie-Jewi.sh  Passover;  as  if  he  would  say.  I 
 a|v])oint  unto  you  a  pnsch.il-festivity  or  supper, 
 which  yo  are  not  merely  to  celebrate  yearly  on  the 
 eveninii  of  this  day,  but  to  enjoy  of  en,  when  and 
 as  oft  as  it  shall  he  proper  and  for  your  jjood,  tied 
 in  that  particular  to  no  place  or  time  "  {Catech. 
 Maj.  p.  601).  Quite  opposed  to  this  is  the  strange 
 opinion  that  in  this  as  oft  as  a  yearly  and  public 
 ceremonial  like  tlie  Pasaover  was  appointed. 
 
MATTHEW  XXVI.  26-28. 
 
 537 
 
 ion,  simply,  and  without  affording  any  pretext 
 for  baseless  sublilties.  The  Apostle  John  points 
 only  to  its  mystical  depth  in  the  brief  and  sud- 
 den hint  of  i  John  v.  6-8.  The  words  of  the 
 apostolical  fathers,  despite  the  commencement 
 of  the  human  dogmatizins:,  retain  as  a  whole 
 the  same  simplicity.  So  with  the  early  fathers 
 who  followed  them  ;  nntil  graduiUi/  the  over- 
 straining of  the  words  written  in  the  Scripture 
 led  to  the  doctrine  of  transubstantiation.  Then 
 came  the  reaction  of  a  manifold  protest  against 
 euperstition,  which  was  early  prepared  for,  and 
 which  (though  not  yet  complete)  in  and  after 
 the  Reformation  approached  its  maturity,  and 
 •will  re-establish  true  concord  in  the  living  ap- 
 prehension of  the  true  faith. 
 
 The  testimonies  of  the  Fathers,  from  Igna- 
 tius, Justin,  and  Irenseus  downward,  are  well 
 known  to  those  who  study  this  subject.  The 
 oftoXoyely,  or  confession,  of  the  Church  stands 
 firm  against  all  heresy.  "  The  Eucharist  is  the 
 flesh  of  our  Saviour  Jesus  Christ,  which  suf- 
 fered for  our  sins,  and  which  the  Father  in  his 
 loving-kindness  raised  again."  It  runs  most 
 decisively,  "We  do  not  receive  these  as  com 
 mon  bread  or  coramoa  wine — we  have  received 
 and  been  taught  that  they  are  the  body  and 
 blood  of  Jesus  made  fiesh."  To  explain  away 
 this  eommyn  faith  of  the  Church  from  the  be- 
 ginning requires  sophistry  and  artifice;  while 
 to  con  radict  it  in  our  greater  wisdom  is  in  it- 
 self at  least  suspicious.  TertuUian  proves  the 
 "truth  of  the  body  and  blood  of  Christ,"  not 
 BO  much /or  the  sacrament,  which  bears  its  own 
 clear  testimony  to  itself,  as  by  means  of  it. 
 Distinction  was  carefully  made  between  the 
 iTtiyeov  and  the  oUpoivioy  npayna,  as  by 
 Irenasus  ;  between  the  visible  species  of  the 
 elements  and  the  invisible  flesh  and  blood  ;  be- 
 tween the  sacrament  and  the  matter  of  the  sa- 
 crament, as  by  Augustine.  In  proportion  as  the 
 contradiction  of  unbelievers  brought  into  prom- 
 inence the  individual  details  of  the  question, 
 the  faith  of  the  early  Church,  destitute  of  apos- 
 tolical illumination,  was  obviously  exposed  to 
 the  danger  of  deviating  to  the  right  or  to  the 
 left  from  the  exact  truth  of  the  sacramental 
 mystery.  But  it  is  most  perverse  to  place  in 
 the  fine  balances  of  a  later  dogmatic  termin- 
 ology, the  indefinite  and  simple  words  in 
 which  a  pure  faith  expressed  its  views — wheth- 
 er as  testimony  to  the  transcendent  character 
 of  the  sacrament,  or  in  positive  defence  of  its 
 certainty,  or  in  profound  contemplation  of  its 
 wonderful  meaning.  If,  for  instance,  we  meet 
 with  Iv  TVTtcp  ovfigura  corporis,  that  is  not  at 
 once  to  be  explained  as  bearing  Zwingle's 
 meaning:*  on  the  other  hand,  corpus  in  pane 
 and  ocftzot  6w'u\  yevu^jevot  do  not  mean 
 precisely  what  Paschasius  Radbertus  and  Lan- 
 franc  made  out  of  them,  or  what  may  be  termed 
 now  trans-elemenlation,  after  the  early  nera- 
 SdX\E6Q'Xiy  juEra7toi£760aj.  Would  that  men 
 had  adhered  to  their  simplicity,  instead  of  im- 
 
 puting to  them  the  petty  exactitude  of  ex- 
 pression which  better  befits  scholastic  disputes, 
 than  devout  contemplation  !  Alas !  that  the 
 unhappy  controversy  should  ever  have  been 
 kindled,  in  the  course  of  which  "  polemical 
 paper  enough  has  been  consumed  to  build  a 
 fortress ! "  This  sigh  is  warranted,  as  far  as 
 the  controversy  has  a  deplorable  side ;  but 
 sighing  will  not  settle  it.  It  will  not  suffice 
 that  simplicity  of  spirit  would  retreat  betore 
 the  presumption  of  reasoning  ;  the  great  dogma 
 must  be  pursued  into  all  its  developments, 
 until  the  true  simplicity  of  faith  is  reconciled 
 with  the  profoundest  investigation  of  science. 
 The  concise  exposition  and  paraphase  of 
 those  who,  following  the  first  Helvetic  confes- 
 .<!ion  (second  of  Basle),  would  solve  every 
 thing  by  sayins,  "His  body  and  his  blood,  that 
 is,  AJ»«S(3^,"  is exegetically  incorrect,  and  contains 
 the  germ  of  heretical  opposition  to  the  simple 
 words  of  our  Lord.  It  is  not  only  permitted, 
 but  absolutely  necessary,  that  we  should  pro- 
 test against  this,  and  point  to  his  simple  ex- 
 pressions again.  But  that  ecclesiastical  doc- 
 trine or  theology  is  utterly  to  be  rejected,  as  no 
 better  in  this  matter  at  least  than  Rationalism, 
 which  reduced,  as  in  Zwingle's  teaching,  the 
 presence  of  our  Lord's  body  into  "a  realizing 
 contemplation  of  faith,  .and  thankful  recog- 
 nition that  the  Lord  had  truly  suffered  in  the 
 flesh,"  and  did  not  scruple  to  deny  altogether 
 the  presence  of  the  actual  and  natural  body, 
 declaring  this  to  be  "a  looking  back  to  the 
 flesh-pots  of  Egypt,  and  an  erroi'  which  op- 
 poses the  plain  word  of  God  "*  What  Zwingle, 
 who,  alas  I  went  back  at  last  to  the  mere  empty 
 tokens  of  an  ab.sent  body,  retains  of  mere  cere- 
 mony and  typical  teaching,  is  not  only  far 
 from  being  enough,  but  is  itself  in  flat  contra- 
 diction to  the  words  of  our  Lord.f  That,  on 
 the  other  hand,  which  Calvin  not  only  avows, 
 but  confidently  maintains,  is  a  testimony  to 
 the  true  faith  which  must  be  hailed  with  joy. 
 He  thus  retorts  the  objection  which  Rationalism 
 had  urged  against  him — "  Is  it  a  dictate  of 
 common  sense  that  the  immortal  life  of  the 
 soul  should  be  sought  in  the  human  flesh  of 
 Christ?  Does  our  poor  reason  tolerate  it,  that 
 that  vivifying  energy  of  the  body  of  Christ 
 should  proceed  forth  from  heaven,  and  flow  into 
 and  pervade  our  souls  upon  earth?  Is  it  in 
 harmony  with  our  philosophical  speculations 
 that  a  dead  and  terrestrial  element  should  be 
 the  efficacious  organ  of  the  Holy  Spirit  ?     Can 
 
 *  Even  TO  ahta  oivoi  aXXtfyopelrai  in  Clem. 
 Alex,  does  not  exclude  the  mystery. 
 
 *  Zwingle's  Glauhenshekenntniss  von  1630,  art.  21, 
 d.  22,  Sola  contemplatione. 
 
 \  Thus,  rs  his  doctrine  contends  aaainst  tb« 
 deeper  view  of  the  corporeal-spiritual  mystery,  wo 
 cannot  agree  with  Ebiard  that  "  what  Zwingle 
 says  is  not  the  full  truth,  but  it  is  altogether 
 true."  Ebrard  himself  traces  in  his  words  the  first 
 step  in  the  downward  progress  toward  a  denial  of 
 all  life-union  with  Ciirist;  and,  for  our  own  part, 
 we  regard  the  doctrine  of  this  most  unmysiical 
 teache"ras  having  beeu  wrong  from  the  outset  and 
 fundamentally. 
 
538 
 
 THE  LORD'S  SUPPER. 
 
 it  be  deduced  from  natural  principles,  that  any 
 emblems  and  words  of  the  minister  should  be 
 the  channel  lor  the  impartalion  of  Christ? 
 Most  assuredly,  if  the  holy  sacrament  was  not 
 to  be  a  cele-tial  mystery,  we  should  not  attri- 
 bute to  it  effects  so  marvellous  and  soincrettible 
 to  carnal  reasoning;."*  He  must,  on  calm  con- 
 sideration, be  contessed  to  be  in  a  certain  sense 
 right,  when  he  thus  urges  his  aggressive  polem- 
 ics against  those  whose  affirmations  go  beyond 
 this — "  If  they  would  explain  the  meaning 
 thus — tha'.  while  the  bread  is  being  offered  and 
 given,  the  exhibition  of  the  body  is  annexed 
 thereto,  because  the  truth  is  im^jyiraUe  from 
 its  sign,  I  should  not  much  quarrel  with  them. 
 But  wher  they  locate  the  body  itself  in  the 
 bread,  and  assign  to  it  an  vJnqjiity  contrary  to 
 its  nature  ;  when  in  their  's»/i  pane'  they  would 
 have  it  to  be  latent  there — it  becomes  necessary 
 to  vindicate  his  lips  from  all  such  ineptitudes."! 
 The  dist-inction  here  introduced  suggests  mis- 
 understanding and  exaggeration  of  words  on 
 Itoth  sides  of  the  question  ;  and  it  is  the  prob- 
 lem of  a  later  age  to  adjust  the  points  and  rec- 
 oncile them.  But  Calvin's  zeal  goes  much  too 
 far  when  he  says,  "  I  speak  not  of  Papists, 
 whose  doctrine  is  more  tolerable,  or  at  least 
 more  modest,"  He  is  altogether  too  keen  upon 
 that  commnnicatio  idiomntum  which  enters  so 
 essentially  into  all  Christology,  and  requires 
 such  careful  dealing,  when  he  protests,  "  As  i( 
 indeed  that  union  Sad  produced  out  of  the  two 
 natures  some  third  thing  we  know  not  what, 
 neither  God  nor  man  !  "%  But  they  gave  him 
 ample  occasion  for  this — the  truth  lies,  ac- 
 cording to  our  firm  conviction,  in  the  middle; 
 though  it  may  not  be  easy  to  find  express 
 terms  by  which  to  define  it. 
 
 Tiie  doctrine  of  vhiqnity — we  say  with  Hag- 
 enbach§  and  many  Lutherns — "  was  in  fact 
 only  a  product  of  embarrassment,  and  formed 
 the  shadow,  as  it  were,  of  the  doctrine  concern- 
 ing the  bodily  presence  in  the  bread.  But  its 
 worst  feature  is  its  untenableness."  The  abso- 
 lute ubiquity  of  the  body  of  Christ,  which  has 
 been  taught, ||  Mohler  Justly  regards  as  a  "  mar- 
 vellous notion  ;"  and  the  protest  of  the  Land- 
 grave of  Hesse  says  appropriately,  "  We  have 
 not  been  able  to  find  Ihtue  paradoxes  about  the 
 ubiquity  and  nnlocalhntwn  of  the  body  of  Christ 
 in  the  Bible."  Our  present  exegesis' must  ad- 
 mit that  Luther  was  wrong  in  asserting,  in  the 
 relation  which  is  here  in  question,  that  "  the 
 Scripture  teaches  us  not  to  regard  the  right 
 hand  of  God  as  a  particular  place,"  etc. f  In 
 this,  the  truth  of  the  spiritual  immanence  of  God 
 
 '  in  all  creatures  is  confounded  with  something  ' 
 quite  different,  concerning  which  the  Scripture 
 gives  us  sufficient  intimation  to  render  it  car- • 
 tain  that  there  is  a  locality  opposed  to  this  • 
 earth  into  which  Christ  has  a»ceiul&i  and  from 
 which  he  will  come  again.  Luther's  impetuous 
 fallacy  would  prove  far  too  much  :  "  Christ's  ■ 
 body  is  at  the  right  handof  God.  But  the  right 
 hand  of  God  is  every  where  in  the  universe. 
 It  is  therefore  also  in  the  bread  and  wine  upon 
 the  table.  Where  the  right  hand  of  God  is, 
 however,  there  mtist  be  the  body  and  blood  of 
 Christ."  If  he  was  speaking  merely  of  Christ's 
 corporeality  so  far  as  participating  in  the  divine 
 omnipresence  that  it  also  cofdd  be  where  it 
 woidd — it  would  be  quite  correct.  But  tli© 
 "  must "  says  too  much,  as  does  the  "  a'.no  in  the 
 bread  and  wine ;"  for  where  is  then  the  specific 
 presence  in  the  sacrament,  and  how  could  w© 
 then  avert  the  fanatical  extreme  of  spiritualiz- 
 ing which  would  enjoy  the  body  and  blood  of 
 Christ  in  all  the  world  as  Christ-pervaded? 
 — not  yet  to  mention  the  distinction,  that  only 
 in  those  united  to  him  by  faith  the  Lord  bodily 
 as  well  as  spiritually  enters  and  dwells.  It  does 
 not  obviate  this  objection,  to  allege  in  feeble 
 retraction,  that  "  no  where  but  in  the  sacrament 
 can  ice  say,  Here  is  Christ;  since  concerning 
 that  alone  he  has  given  express  assurance. 
 God  is  here  is  one  thing,  God  is  here  to  thee  is  an- 
 other ;  the  latter  iollows  only  when  it  is  said — 
 Here  shall  thou  find  me."*  For  the  reply  is  ' 
 obvious — What  right  hast  thou  to  say.  He  is 
 every  where?  It  is  plainly  a  perversion  to 
 allege,!  "  For  the  personal  union  and  the  union 
 at  the  right  hand  of  God  testify  the  presence 
 (omnipresence?)  of  the  body;  but  tlio  institu- 
 tion and  the  wonls  of  the  sacrament  testify  it.s 
 dispensation."  The  Scripture,  rather,  testifies 
 that  Christ  is  in  heaven,  in  the  sense  of  a 
 bodily  circumscribed  presence ;!  while  the  sac- 
 rament assures  us  that,  and  how,  he  will  be 
 present  also  upon  earth.  We  are  free  to  admit 
 liiat  we  must  here  hold  with  the  Hessian  di- 
 vines— "  Thus  we  determine  and  teach,  that  al- 
 though Christ  is  and  remains  true  and  natural 
 man,  it  does  not  follow  that  his  body  and  blood 
 cannot  be  distributed  and  received  in  the  sa- 
 crament; but,  since  the  humanity  of  Christ  is 
 assumed  by  the  Eternal  Son  of  God,  and  is  thus 
 indivisibly  united  with  the  divinity,  it  follows 
 and  is  irrefragably  proved  that  Christ  as  omnip- 
 
 "  y.ueitc  Lefemton  gtgen  Wcstplial,  p.  675,  G76. 
 
 +  InsMutt.  iv.  17,  16. 
 
 X  Imlitutt.  ^  30. 
 
 <)  SfHd.  u.  Krtt.  1854,  i.  37. 
 
 II  To  be  carefully  distinguished  from  the  poxni- 
 bi.t/i/ of  hciun  present  evoiy  wlipip,  particii  arly 
 ill  tiie  Church,  from  the  xpiriiunhias  =  ubiquttas, 
 wliicli  we  have  already  admitted. 
 
 II  With  tills  tlie  Formtd.  Concord.  aj;rees,  that 
 "  tlie  right  Land  of  God  is  eveiy  where." 
 
 *  "  Christ  is  around  us  and  in  us.  Allhonsh  he 
 is  every  where,  in  all  creatures,  and  I  might  find 
 him  in  the  fire  and  in  tl:e  water,  since  he  is  tliere; 
 yet  it  is  not  his  will  that  I  seek  him  without  the 
 warranty  of  his  word,  and  throw  myself  into  the 
 fire  or  the  wa;er.  He  is  every  where,  but  he  wills 
 not  that  we  ^hould  srope  after  h;ra  every  where; 
 unly  where  his  word  is." 
 
 f  As  in  tlie  Declaration  of  the  Wtlrtemberg  di- 
 vines." 
 
 \  As  tJie  second  Helvetic  Confession,  which  else- 
 where sjieaks  with  jirecision  concerninu  (he  fle.sh 
 ;ind  blood  of  Christ,  cting  John  xiv.  2;  Acts  iii. 
 -1.  Au2ustine :  "In  some  place  of  heaven,  ac*. 
 corditiy  to  the  manuor  ol  a  true  body." 
 
MATTHEW  XXVI.  26-28. 
 
 ytent  and  true  God  can  be  present  in  his  body 
 wherever  he  will."  This  "multivoUprcBsentia" 
 or  this  "  ttbicunque  vuli,"  with  which  the  Fann. 
 Concord,  (pag.  787,  Rechenb.)  agrees,  is  much 
 more  correct,  more  conformable  to  Scripture 
 and  the  thing  itself,  than  the  doctrine  that  his 
 body  also  nmst  be  there  as  omnipresent. 
 
 Can  an  absolutely  every  where  present  body 
 • — not  merely,  that  is,  dynamically  present  ac- 
 cording to  the  design  and  influence  of  the 
 Spirit  m  it,  but  fcc«%  present  in  the  manner  of 
 corporeity  generally — be  a  hodyf  No  more 
 than  that  immaterial  something  which  others 
 are  in  our  time  content  to  attribute  to  the 
 glorified  Christ.  Why  then  is  the  Church  of 
 Clirist  specifically  his  body  ?  Why  specifically — 
 that  touches  the  one ;  why  his  body — that 
 strikes  at  the  other.  Even  Petersen  says,  in 
 his  careful  manner,  "  It  has  ever  been  a  iunda- 
 mental  article  that  the  Son  of  God  became  true 
 man,  and  even  in  his  exaltation  remains  true 
 man  ;  this  is  the  precious  treasure  of  our  faith 
 conoeraing  the  abidingly-true  and  efficient  hu- 
 niariity  of  our  Saviour,  which  neither  Zwingle 
 nor  Qilcolampadius  wished  to  renounce,  though 
 Luther's  exaggerated  doctrine  of  ubiquity  gave 
 them,  not  without  reason,  trouble  upon  the 
 subject."  He  then  quotes  the  words  of  the 
 latter,  "  To  exhibit  the  body  of  Christ  ddx^fjuoc- 
 Ti6rov  xai  dTtEpiypocnroy  xai  (XTpoitov  xai 
 ifoXvTpoTCoVy  what  is  it  but  to  assert  a  Christ 
 imaginary  and  not  real?  "  and  the  right  prin- 
 ciple in  which  they  both  concurred,  "  that 
 nothing  should  be  determined  which  might  op- 
 pose the  real  humanity  of  Christ,  as  Luther's 
 doctrine  threatens  to  do."  Augustine's  words 
 are,  "  We  must  take  care  not  to  build  up  the 
 divinity  of  Christ  in  such  a  manner  as  to  take 
 away  the  truth  of  his  flesh.  For  when  the  flesh 
 of  our  Lord  was  on  earth,  certainly  it  was  not 
 in  heaven  ;  and  now  that  it  is  in  heaven,  it  is 
 not  on  earth."  In  this  we  have  at  the  same 
 time  the  necessary  protest  against  ;OT^a/i  crea- 
 ture-deification. Through  the  exaggerated  doc- 
 trine of  ubiquity  the  individuality  of  Christ  is 
 volatilized  away  ;  the  personal  Christ  of  grace 
 and  salvation  is  resolved  into  a  pantheistic  na- 
 ture-Christ ;  and  thus  in  the  end  all  is  turned 
 into  one  great  sacrament.  But  we  may  main- 
 tain the  true  presence  of  the  body  and  blood  in 
 the  full  Lutheran  sense,  and  yet  join  Calvin 
 and  Beza  in  rejecting  the  overstrained  Luther- 
 an argument  for  it.  This  is  shown  in  the  eight 
 counter-questions  which  the  Anhalt  divmes 
 Bent  to  the  Elector,  after  they  had  replied  in  a 
 clear  affirmative  to  the  first  six  which  they  had 
 received.  Let  those  critical  counter-questions 
 be  pondered,  as  they  are  given  in  Planck.*  The 
 first — Whether  heaven  is  a  place  distinguished 
 from  the  earth?  The  second — Whether,  so  far 
 as  the  partaking  of  the  true  body  of  Christ  in 
 the  sacrament  is  concerned,  there  is  a  difference 
 between  that  which  was  celebrated  on  the  night 
 of  institution,  and  that  which  is  celebrated 
 now  ?     The  sixtlt-^Whether  the  original  words 
 
 *  Frolest.  Lehrhcgr.  \\.  fif.S., 
 
 of  institution  are  not  sufficient  for  the  hin- 
 drance of  all  sacramental  fanaticism?  The 
 eighth — Whether  the  human  nature  of  Christ 
 in  its  majesty  remains  not,  nevertheless,  a crea- 
 ture  of  like  nature  with  ours?* 
 
 We  can,  indeed,  be  quite  at  peace,  and  com- 
 municate, with  those  who  will  not  let  the 
 Spirit  teach  them  more  than  Calvin  asserts. 
 "  Nor  do  we  say  that  any  thing  is  exhibited 
 which  is  not  truly  given.  The  Lord  commands 
 us  to  receive  bread  and  wine;  meanwhile  he 
 declares  that  he  gives  the  spiritual  aliment  of 
 his  body  and  blood.  We  do  not  say  that  it  is  a 
 fallacious  figure  of  this  which  he  sets  before 
 our  eyes  ;  but  a  pledge,  with  which  the  thing 
 itself,  its  realization,  is  conjoined."  Again 
 (and  often  similarly),  "since  the  Lord  is 
 the  truth  itself,  we  cannot  doubt  that  he  will 
 fulfill  the  promise  which  he  there  gives  and 
 add  the  truth  to  the  figure.  Wherefore  I 
 doubt  not  that,  as  he  testifies  in  words  and 
 signs,  he  makes  us  partakers  of  his  sub- 
 stance, by  which  we  are  united  with  him  in 
 one  life."  The  reformed  confessions  from  the 
 Heidelb.  Catech.,  which  is  superficial  enough 
 in  other  respects,  downward,  are  right  in  this 
 point,  that  they  put  first — Although  Christ  is 
 now  in  heaven. 
 
 But  now  we  can  confidently  go  further. 
 With  Luther,  we  can  believe  and  avow  and 
 teach,  obliged  by  the  words  of  institution,  that 
 he  upon  earth  also,  that  is,  in  the  believing  re- 
 ception of  the  bread  and  wine— not  merely 
 operates,  but  bodily  is.  That  is  a  presump- 
 tuous word,  and  to  be  rejected,  which  Beza 
 uttered,  "  The  body  of  Christ  is  as  far  removed 
 from  the  holy  sacrament  as  heaven  is  from 
 earth."  According  to  1  John  v.  8  the  blood 
 witnesses,  like  the  Spirit  vpon  earth.  _  In  Acts 
 iii.  21  we  read,  oy  SeZ  ovpavov  /uiv  Se^a60at  : 
 Christ  must  receive,  possess,  rule  over  heaven  ; 
 not,  that  heaven  must  receive  him^  in  any 
 such  sense  as  that  he  should  be  locally  con- 
 fined and  bound  to  it.  For,  in  the  sacrament 
 Christ  comes  down  to  us;  we  are  not  taken  up 
 to  him  in  heaven.  The  latter  contradicts  the 
 plain  meaning  of  the  words  of  institution,  and 
 is  a  mere  human  device,  like  the  false  ubiquity. 
 The  mere  operative  presence  does  not  suffice  to 
 the  perfect  recognition  of  the  mystery  in  the 
 plain  letter,  whether  as  spoken  at  the  sacra- 
 ment or  in  John  vi.  In  the  hard  saying  of  the 
 latter,  Christ's  flesh  and  blood  are  spoken  of; 
 not  a  mere  effluence  or  influence  of  them,  not  a 
 mere  vivifying  vigor,  and  the  like.  Concern- 
 ing these  we  "do  not  say  eal  and  dritik  S^ill 
 less  does  it  speak  merely  of  a  virtue,  operation, 
 or  merit  of  the  absent  body— as  perilous  the- 
 ories weaken  it  more  and  still  more.     Here  we 
 
 *  In  (his  last  question  touching  the  creatareli- 
 ness  or  the  man  Jesus  his  divine-humanity,  i.s,  after 
 the  manner  ot  the  Reformed  Church,  not  enough 
 consiviereil. 
 
 t  Ben^el  calls  this  a  violent  interpretation,  and 
 opposed" to  the  exaltation  of  Christ  above  aU 
 heavens. 
 
540 
 
 THE  LORD'S  SUPPER. 
 
 must  take  our  stand,  according  to  Melanc- 
 thon's  later  words,  quoting  Cyril  on  John 
 (Loc.  Com.),  "  It  is  to  be  considered  that  Christ 
 is  not  in  us  only  through  his  love,  but  by  our 
 natural  participation  ,  that  is,  he  is  with  us 
 not  only  in  his  efficacy  but  in  his  substance." 
 Calvin's  words  cannot  be  vindicated  from  a 
 cej-tain  vacillation,  when  he  says,  at  one  time, 
 with  Luther,  "  Under  the  symbol  of  bread  we 
 may  eat  his  body,  xinder  the  symbol  of  wine 
 we  may  drink  dintinctively  his  blood,  so  as  at 
 length  to  receive  him  entirely  ;"  and  then  turns 
 round,  "The  kingdom  of  Christ  is  not  so  cir- 
 cumscribed but  that  he  can  diffuse  its  power 
 wherever  he  pleases,  in  heaven  or  earth  ;  but 
 that  he  can  manifest  his  presence  in  its  poicer 
 and  virtue  otherwise  than  as  present  in  body  ; 
 but  that  finally,  he  can  feed  us  with  his  own 
 body,  the  fellowship  of  which  by  the  virtue  of 
 his  Spirit  he  can  communicate  io  us.     On  this 
 
 Erinciple  the  body  and  blood  of  Christ  are  ex- 
 ibited  to  us  in  the  sacrament."  The  virtue 
 of  the  Spirit  is  indeed  there  ;  but  the  otlurwise 
 than  as*  is  far  from  reaching  the  meaning  of 
 TovTo  t6ri,  understood  according  to  the  anal- 
 ogy of  the  whole  Scripture  and  of  the  whole 
 faith,  and  is  far  from  the  sense  of  the  great 
 mystery,  Eph.  v.  30.  When  Calvin  says,  "  As 
 if  indeed  we  should  not  equally  enjoy  his  pres- 
 ence, if  he  call  us  up  to  himself,"  we  may  re- 
 ply to  the  question,  But  why  speak  of  our 
 being  taken  up  to  him?  This  is  as  if  he  had 
 not  said  that  he  would  descend  to  us.  So  Von 
 Meyer,  admitting  almost  too  unreservedly 
 "  Luther's  happy  medium  between  Tridentin- 
 ism  find  Zuinglianism,"  says  excellently,  "  Be- 
 tween Zuinglianism  and  Lutheranism,  Calvin 
 again  wavers,  but  has  found  an  unhappy 
 medium."  This  is  true ;  but  Lindner  ex- 
 presses himself  too  strongly  with  regard  to 
 Calvin :  "  He  makes  of  the  one  sacramental 
 act  two  distinct  matters ;  of  which  the  one  is 
 empty,  and  the  other  full  of  meaning."  For 
 he  does  expressly  maintain  the  unity,  and  not 
 merely  the  "  simultaneousness "  of  the  two 
 acts,  as  actio  in  actione,  actus  in  actu. 
 
 This  much  is  certain  to  the  penetration  of 
 our  faith,  that,  although  (as  we  have  repeated- 
 ly expounded,  and  as  follows  from  John  vi.) 
 the  Lord  can  give  and  does  give  his  flesh  and 
 blood  iiulepiendently  of  the  sacramental  bread 
 and  wine,  this  participation  of  his  glorified 
 corporeity  is  nevertheless  something  different 
 from  that  which  we  receive  through  faith  in  his 
 ioord  and  as  the  operation  of  the  Uoly  Spirit.^ 
 
 *  So  aaain,  "  AUhoush  the  very  flesh  of 
 Christ  does  not  enter  into  us."  The  Ilunsar. 
 Confess,  say.s,  "  J]ut  he  ui  not  bodily  present,  as  lie 
 was  jircvent  in  the  womb  of  his  mother,  in  Judea, 
 in  the  8e|iulchre.  For,  as  he  rose  again  and  as- 
 cended, he  is  not  here  and  must  bo  in  heaven, 
 till  tlie  day  of  judgment."  Tanquam  carcere  in- 
 cluKus ! 
 
 I  Consequf  ntly,  not  the  question,  but  the  an- 
 swer, is  alto<ielher  wron^  in  llie  G  -iiova  Cate- 
 chism: "Do  we  attain  to  this  communiwUion  only 
 
 On  the  other  hand  it  is  equally  eertaJn — and 
 here  we  come  to  tlie  second  point  on  which  the 
 union  must  deviate  from  rigid  Lutheranism, 
 the  ubiquity  being  the  first — that  the  proffen;d 
 flesh  and  blood  of  Christ  cannot  possibly  be 
 received  by  unbelievers  in  the  same  sense,  in  tho 
 same  truth  and  actualitv,  as  by  believers.  That 
 Christ  corporeally  glorified,  and  as  he  cssentialiv 
 dwells  in  believers,  should  by  means  of  any 
 manducatio  oralis  only  for  one  moment  enter 
 into  unbelievers  ;  and  thus  that  it  should  be 
 possible,  as  Luther  says,  "  for  the  flesh  of  Christ 
 to  be  bodily  eaten  in  the  sacrament  without 
 faith" — we  protest  against  as  a  horrendum 
 dictu,  and  a  thing  utterly  unimaginable,  in  the 
 assertion  of  which  the  Lutheran  doctrine  has 
 overstepped  the  limits  of  all  intelligent  under- 
 standing of  all  words  of  Scripture.*  If  even 
 — we  would  say  in  the  spirit  of  concession^ 
 this  could  for  a  moment  take  place,  then  either 
 Christ  must  become  in  them  a  consuming  fire, 
 or  their  immediately-following  rejection  or  cast- 
 ing forth  of  Christ  (things  simply  unimaginable 
 in  themselves)  must  extend  at  once  to  their 
 eternal  condemnation.  Neither  the  Scripture 
 nor  experience  knows  any  thing  of  this. 
 "  We  never  read,"  says  Calvin,  "  that  men 
 bring  down  upon  themselves  death  by  un- 
 worthily receiving  ;  but  rather  by  rejecting  him 
 again."     The  confession  of  John  Sigismund  ap- 
 
 Jeals  (Article  ix.)  with  perfect  propriety  to 
 ohn  vi.  54  and  47,  in  affirmation  that  un- 
 believers do  not  partake  of  the  real  body  and 
 blood  of  Christ.  The  twenty-ninth  article  of 
 the  English  Church  utters  the  simple  truth  ; 
 "  But  rather,  to  their  condemnation,  do  eat  and 
 drink  the  sign  or  sacrament  of  so  great  a 
 thing."  _ 
 
 On  this  point  Petersen  does  not  preserve  his 
 clearness  of  apprehension  and  statement.  His 
 explanation  of  the  condemnation  of  unworthy 
 recipients — that  "  because  they  receive  bodily 
 and  not  at  the  same  time  spiritually,"  therefore 
 it  becomes  to  them,  as  Luther  said,  "  poisonous 
 and  deadly  " — appears  to  us  itself  inexplicable. 
 Here  we  ask  boldly  with  Calvin,  "  Who  does 
 not  see  that  Christ  would  become  exanimate, 
 and  be  by  a  sacrilegious  divorce  sundered  from 
 all  his  spirit  and  virtue  ?  "  For  then  must  the 
 flesh  and  blood  of  Christ,  that  which  has  been 
 penetrated  throughout  by  spirit  and  life,  bo 
 capable  of  existing  also  without  spirit  and  life, 
 
 through  the  sacrament]  No;  for,  according  lo 
 the  tesiimony  of  Paul,  Christ  imparts  himself  oi.io 
 through  the  Gospel."  For  thus  all  flows  vagu^Ij  and 
 undefinedly  into  one,  into  the  communication  of 
 Christ  to  us, 
 
 *  Calvin  :  "  To  receive  Christ  without  faith  is  no 
 more  possible  than  for  a  seed  to  perminate  in  the 
 fire."  Wo  say  that  in  the  sacrament  the  Jit-  kh 
 becomes  an  i>»  us ,  and  thus  that  there  is  here 
 no  other  in  us  to  be  thouoht  of  than  the  for  m* 
 which  is  so  applied.  In  Ebrard's  excellent  words 
 "The  most  real  unity  of  the  gratia  forenss  ami 
 gratia  ined-cinilni.'^  (Gbrard  however  incovrf'cliy 
 excludes  both  Christ's  body  and  oura  liom  Una 
 mcdicinalis.) 
 
MATTHEW  XXVI.  26-28. 
 
 m 
 
 in  a  bodily  sense  alone* — and  wliat  would  this 
 leail  to?  The  true  body  of  Christ  without 
 spirit,  and  now  a  poison  unto  death — let  him 
 who  can  conceive  this,  and  bring  it  into  har- 
 mony with  John  vi.  Petersen  in  a  contradic- 
 tory manner  goes  on,  "  Where  Christ's  body  is, 
 there  is  also  his  Spirit,  even  with  and  in  the 
 unbelievers,  that  is,  iti  the  absolute  objectivity 
 of  a  judicial  presence;"  but  our  hard  under- 
 standing derives  not  the  slightest  help  from 
 this  addition.  Such  "absolutely  objective 
 judicial  presence"  of  the  Spirit  of  Christ, 
 which  at  the  same  time  comes  into  a  man  in  a 
 bodily  sense,  we  no  more  find  in  Scripture  than 
 we  find  the  poisonous  and  deadly  influence  of 
 his  living  and  life-giving  flesh  and  blood. 
 Least  of  all  have  we  scriptural  ground  for  the 
 utterly  inconceivable  notion  of  Kahnis,  that 
 "  the  unworthy  recipient  desecrates  and  as  it 
 were  destroys'  and  puts  to  death  tlie  body  of 
 Christ  by  receiving  it  into  his  impure  personal- 
 ity." 
 
 "  A  state  of  faith,  an  existing  commence- 
 ment of  the  new  man  generally,  is  thus  the 
 condition  for  the  essential  virtue  of  the  holy 
 sacrament,"  we  say  with  Ebrard  ;  and  apply  to 
 this  what  he  has  maintained  with  regard  to 
 baptism,  "The  Scripture  knows  nothing  of  a 
 magical  influence  of  Christ  which  is  independ- 
 ent of  a  free  and  conscious  faith  in  the  word, 
 operating  upon  the  passive  and  unconscious 
 side  of  human  nature."  Luther  has  here,  at 
 the  topstone  of  hi."?  superstructure,  strangely 
 forgotten  the  foundation  of  faith  which  he 
 had  so  well  known  how  to  lay.f  The  doc- 
 trine of  a  like  reception  on  the  part  of  un- 
 believers retains  in  it  a  kind  of  oj)m  opera- 
 turn,  if  not  with  regard  to  the  distributor 
 and  receiver  on  earth,  yet  with  regard  to  the 
 almighty  Christ,  who  is  thus  held  to  connect 
 his  body  and  blood,  for  life  or  death,  with  the 
 external  act,  in  a  manner  which  is  utterly  op- 
 posed to  the  spirit  of  his  kingdom. J  Indeed, 
 to  this  we  may  apply  witli  greater  propriety 
 what  Ilardenberg  said  concerning  the  not  in- 
 tentionally wrong  "  under  the  form  of  bread  and 
 wine  " — This   has  an  odor  of  transubstantia- 
 
 *  With  Ebrard :  "The  body  and  the  Spirit  of 
 Christ  disjoined  violently ;  the  former  being  con- 
 ceived not  as  living  and  quickened,  but  as  an  in- 
 dependent, separate,  and  indiflferent  subslance." 
 We  agree  with  Nitzsch  that  the  Lutheran  doctrine 
 cm  only  then  be  maintained  when  it  gives  up  the 
 absolute  ttbiquHy,  and  "  renounces  any  such  pres- 
 ence of  the  body  and  blood  as  cannot  be  other 
 than  an  absence  of  the  full  presence  of  Christ.'^ 
 
 f  Yet  we  find  him  often  using  expressions  in- 
 consistent with  his  rigid  doctrine,  such  as  "  The 
 sacraments  are  nothing  but  signs  which  minisler 
 to  faith;  nor  are  they  of  any  use  without  that 
 lailh." 
 
 t  Credimus  —  quel  nullum  opns  humanum, 
 neque  ulla  ministri  Ecclesiae  pronuntiatio  pre- 
 sent as  corporis  et  sanguinis  Christi  in  ccen/i  causa 
 sit,  sed  quod  ho^_soH  omnipotenti  virtiiti  Domini 
 r.ontri  Je  u  diristi  sit  tribueuduoi  (Formuia  Cone. 
 Epit.  Tii.  p.  509J. 
 
 tion.*  The  objection  arising  from  the  desecra- 
 tion of  the  body  of  Christ!  is  not  decisive  ;  for 
 the  Lord  does  certainly  in  other  ways  hold  in- 
 tercourse with  the  impure,  and  expose  himself 
 to  be  contemned  without  any  disparagement 
 of  his  honor.  But  the  natureof  the  case  itself 
 does  not  suffer  it :  the  objectively  almighty 
 power  of  God,  present  for  all,  cannot  distribute 
 even  in  the  sacrament  the  body  and  spirit  of 
 Christ  where  there  is  no  corresponding  grace 
 with  which  it  may  connect  itself;  but,  being 
 utterly  rejected,  all  its  operation  must  be 
 withheld.  Calvin,  in  reply  to  Westphal,  says, 
 keenly  but  truly,  "  God  does  not  cease  to  send 
 down  his  rain  because  the  rocks  and  stones  do 
 not  imbibe  it;  mira  vero  slupiditas,  quod 
 coenae  effedum  incredulis  ipse  adimens.  non  ex- 
 pendit,  hanc  primam  effectus  esse  ][jartem,  quam 
 illis  vindicat." 
 
 It  is  most  important,  at  this  culminating 
 point  of  the  controversy,  clearly  to  fix  in  our 
 minds  these  two  things — What  the  glorified 
 corporeity  of  Christ  really  is,  that  is,  spirit  and 
 life  according  to  Johnvi.  63  ;  and  ih&t  our  faith 
 is  throughout  and  alone  the  mediating  condi- 
 tion on  our  part  of  every  reception  of  the  Lord's 
 grace  and  gift.  Paul  does  not  teach  that  as 
 oft  as  we  eat  of  this  bread  and  drink  of  this 
 cup,  all  receive,  and  eat  and  drink  the  body  and 
 blood  of  Christ;  nor  does  he  by  any  means  say 
 that  the  unworthy  eats  and  drinks  the  body 
 and  blood  of  the  Lord  to  his  own  condemnation. 
 He  merely  teaches  what  we  read  in  his  own 
 wordsX — although  Luther,  the  Form.  Cone,  and 
 many  Lutheran  theologians,  have  failed  to  read 
 it  aright,  and  have  most  unjustifiably  cited  1 
 Cor.  xi.  27  or  29,  as  proof  of  their  doctrine. 
 "  The  strict  exegetical  requirement  of  the  pas- 
 sage "  is  only  the  presence  of  the  body  and  blood 
 of  Christ,  but  by  no  means  the  participation  of 
 the  unworthy.  The  latter  is  implicitly  denied. 
 To  the  question  How  can  he  partake  of  the  mere 
 elements  to  his  condemnation  ?  there  is  answer 
 
 *  Planck.  Hence,  Guericke  assures  us  that 
 there  is  so  important  a  basis  common  to  the  Cath- 
 olic and  Lutheran  doctrines,  that  the  superaddi- 
 tion  of  transubstantiation  almost  vanishes  into 
 nothing  (!) — and  that  the  Lutheran  is  infinitely 
 nearer  to  the  Catholic  than  to  the  Calvinist.  So 
 Kahnis  teaches  that  "a  great  truth  lies  at  the 
 foundation  of  the  Catholic  doctrine  (the  concomi- 
 tantia  lying  beneath  the  denial  of  the  cup).  We 
 mi:;ht  say  that  the  Catholic  doctrine  of  the  sacra- 
 ment of  the  Lord's  Supper  is  erroneous,  indeed," 
 etc.  (p,  265).  This  is  very  different  from  the 
 "  vermaledeiten  abgStterei "  of  the  Heidelberg 
 Catechism. 
 
 f  Culvin  stated  this  in  the  strongest  form  :  "  If 
 a  filthy  whoremonger,  a  perjured  min,  a  robber, 
 a  poisoner,  one  stained  with  worse  crimes  if 
 possible  than  these,  or  a  half-heathen,  approaches 
 the  holy  Supper,  and  brings  with  him  there  un- 
 limited defilement  of  vice  and  superstition — they 
 prostitute  to  such  a  man  the  body  of  Clirist." 
 
 X  Yet  at  a  very  early  age  the  idea  was  inconsid- 
 erately substituted — Whoso  eateth  aud  drinketh 
 unworthily  the  body  of  the  Lord, 
 
542 
 
 THE  LORD'S  SUPPER. 
 
 enough  to  be  given.  Of  what  kind  is  the  ex- 
 egesis of  the  Formula  Concwdioe,  which  confi- 
 dently argues  from  the  KoivGovia  of  1  Cor.  x. 
 16 — "  Uoc  est,  qvii  hunc  panem  edit,  corpus 
 Christi  edit ;  "  without  reflecting  whether  these 
 unbelievers  can  belong  to  the  sy  6wjita,  "  one 
 body,"  of  ver.  17.  For  the  rest,  we  have  abun- 
 dantly shown  that  the  assumption  of  a  parti- 
 cipation of  unbelievers  does  not,  as  Ebrard 
 thinks,  stand  or  fall  with  the  assumption  that 
 the  bodi/  and  hlood  of  Christ — in  or  apart  from 
 the  sacrament — are  really  received. 
 
 We  have  thus  seen  that  while,  on  the  one 
 hand,  the  honest  and  zealous  defence  of  the 
 mystery  is  exaggerated  through  human  infirm- 
 ity into  dangerous  error  and  ofTence;  on  the 
 other  hand,  a  deficient  apprehension  of  it  may 
 be  sincere  in  itself,  and  express  much  that  is 
 undeniably  true.  For  ourselves,  we  ra-e  not 
 disposed  to  lay  any  such  stress  upon  exactitude 
 of  doctrine  and  statement  as  would  divide  the 
 Church.  When  the  adorable  Saviour  uttered 
 precisely  these  words  in  the  institution,  he  cer- 
 tainly represented  to  us  a  mystery  which  was 
 to  be  received  in  simplicity,  to  be  magnified  in 
 faith,  to  be  investigated  by  the  humble  boldness 
 of  enlightened  intelligence.  But  he  never  in- 
 tended that  the  blessing  of  the  sacrament,  fel- 
 lowship with  himself  and  his  Church,  should  be 
 made  to  depend  upon  the  degree  of  our  under- 
 standing. As  all  our  intelligence  must  neces- 
 sarily in  general  be  matter  ol  degree,  this  holds 
 good  yet  more  strongly  in  such  a  mystery  as 
 the  Supper  of  the  Lord.  It  may  be  said  with 
 truth  that  as  the  Lord  has  plainly  given  some- 
 thing fur  cick  stage  of  understanding,  while  he 
 has  left  the  kernel  of  the  mystery  unexplained 
 and  undisclosed  in  the  shell  which  he  created 
 for  it — it  wac;  his  intention  that  we  should  dis- 
 cuss it  in  lovo,  though  not  contend  over  it  in 
 divisions.  That  which  he  will  have  us  finally 
 acknowledge  in  faith  he  does  not  express  in 
 plainer  words  (which,  as  the  Church  shows, 
 was  possible)  ;  but  he  intimates  it  so  definitely, 
 that  we  may  and  we  should  press  forward  to 
 it.  The  Lord's  Supper  itself— in  its  profundity 
 of  meaning,  which  the  Church  can  apprehend 
 only  by  degrees;  in  its  comprehensiveness  of 
 meaning,  which  gives  even  the  weak  something 
 to  lay  hold  of — it  a  declaration  of  the  union- 
 princi/ile:  union  in  the  participation  of  Christ, 
 according  to  the  degree  of  the  knowledge  of 
 each,  apart  from  any  formularized  dogma.-*^' 
 For,  as  the  v.'ords  of  institution  provoke  difler- 
 ence  of  opinion,  so  also  they  tolerate  it;  and 
 the  gracious  "for  you,"  embracing  each,  will  al- 
 
 *  "  A'l  breathes  here  of  lovo,  all  fends  to  union, 
 communion,  communication."  So  S.irtorius,  bet- 
 ter than  wliat  we  read  in  tho  LuLlieran  historian 
 Mahzan — "  Tlie  doctrine  of  the  sacrnment  was 
 a'ways  (and  rislitly,  a'*  the  ko:  nel  ot  tho  Gospel) 
 the  point  of  dlsliuciiou  ani  separalioa  iu  tho 
 Church." 
 
 ways  make  peace  and  secure  the  acceptance,  by 
 ihehen7-t  which  longs  for  salvation,  of  the  v/on- 
 derful  "  this  is."  If  the  Lord  did  not  so  purpose, 
 but  would  hedge  about  the  institution  with 
 rigorous  and  Sinaitic  enactment,  wliy  did  he 
 fpeak  precisely  thus,  that  is,  in  words  which, 
 as  the  history  of  all  ages  shows,  may  be  so  va- 
 riously expounded  bv  various  men  all  equally 
 believers  in  him  ?  \Vhy  did  he  not  rather  ap- 
 pend to  this  union-rite— in  the  truest,  sublime'st 
 sense  of  the  term — an  authentic/or?n?/Za  concor' 
 dice,  the  solida  dcc'aratio  of  his  own  lips? 
 
 We  hear  much  said  about  three  stages  or 
 critical  points  in  sacramental  views — we  ought 
 rather  to  say,  in  the  celebration  and  reception 
 of  the  sacrament — but  the  first  point  is  for  the 
 most  part  very  incorrectly  defined.  It  is  not 
 to  be  found  in  the  theory  which  rests  upon 
 "this  signifies,"  and  the  reception  of  mere 
 "  signs : "  that  must  be  regarded  as  itself  a 
 symptom  of  an  essential  deficiency  at  the  very 
 outset.*  That  which  is  really  the  first  essen- 
 tial, and  which  becomes  error  only  when  wo 
 fail  to  go  beyond  it,  is  the  obedience  of  Christ's 
 word — Do  this  in  remembrance  of  me.  Who 
 dares  to  empty  this  word  of  its  significance, 
 and  make  it  mean  nothing  in  the  ordinance? 
 Who  does  not  feel  that  he  must  complete  even 
 Paul's  and  Luke's  accounts  by  introducing  this 
 word  as  the  necessary  introduction  to  all? 
 Who  can  approach  the  sacrament  otherwise 
 than  as  remembering  Christ,  thinking,  that  is, 
 of  his  death,  testifying  and  at  the  same  time 
 strengthening  this  remembrance  by  the  act 
 appointed  by  the  Lord?  It  is  something,  in- 
 deed, to  show  forth,  in  the  true  earnestness  of 
 faith,  the  death  of  our  Lord  ;  to  commemorate 
 it  festally,  to  renew,  seal,  and  confirm  our  fel- 
 lowship as  members  with  the  head.  But  the 
 more  emphasis  we  lay  upon  "  the  true  earnestness 
 of  faith,"  the  more  certainly  must  we  be  led  on 
 to  that  exposition  of  the  "remembrance"  which 
 we  have  given  above.  Zwingle  set  out  with  a 
 perfectly  correct  fundamental  principle,  and 
 spoke  of  it  sometimes  warmly  and  excellently  ; 
 but  he  was  rigorously  condemned  without  any 
 attempt  to  assist  the  development  of  his  views 
 by  gentleness,  and  thus  led  through  an  unhappy 
 offence  to  establish  a  one-sided  system  of  aoc- 
 trine  on  this  great  subject.  The  solemn  "  this 
 is"  was  at  once  explained  to  be  "  this  signifies;" 
 and  the  whole  celebration  was  reduced  to  a 
 simple  declaration  of  faith  in  Christ  :  polemics 
 then  drove  hira  back  so  far  as  to  deny  even  the 
 strengthening  of  faith  to  the  sacrament.  The 
 truth  would  have  been :  I  receive,  according  to 
 the  divine  institution  as  it  is  first  understood, 
 a  fledge,  in  the  symbol  that  Christ  died  for  me, 
 as  certainly  as  the  bread  and  the  cup  are  put 
 in  my  hands.  Meyer's  excellent  words  apply 
 to  this:  "Every  true  Christian  will  admit  that, 
 
 *  Ebrard  has  the  merit  of  havin^r  clparly  shown 
 the  historical  process  of  Zwincle's  iiisuflQcipnt  e.^- 
 esesis  of  the  words  of  institution ;  nnd  how  that 
 which  was  correct  at  the  first  naturally  pioceeded 
 into  error. 
 
MATTHEW  XXVI.  26-23. 
 
 543 
 
 In  the  participation  of  the  visible  bread  and 
 wme,  the  spirit  works  grace  in  every  one  wlio 
 worthily  receives.*     For  wherefore  else  should 
 we  seek  this  invigoration  ?     And,  if  it  was  even 
 merely  the  blessed  feeling  of  grateful   reme.ai-  j 
 brance  and  brotherly  fellowship,  this  of  itself  is 
 from    a  divine   influence,  a  joy    in    the    Holy 
 Spirit."     Yea,  we    would  add — The  body  and 
 blood  would  be  received  even  in  this  commemo- 
 ration, whether  we  acknowledge  it  or  not.     But 
 instead   of    this,   Zvvingle's    excited    polemics 
 went  so  far  backward   as   to   say,  "  The   sacra- 
 ments  are   signs   and   ceremonies,  let  me  say 
 with  all  deference  to  all,  by  which  a  man  ap- 
 proves himself  to  the  Church  to  be  a  candidate 
 or  soldier  of  Christ;  and  they  rather  make  the 
 whole  Church  sure  of  thy  laith,  rather  than 
 thyself."     This  pre-supposes  the  existence  of  a  ! 
 "faith  "  which  is  quite  self-sufficient ;  unintel-  ■ 
 ligently  denies   all  grace   and  gift  in   the   sa-  j 
 crament,  which  nevertheless    has    eating  and  | 
 drinking  for  a  symbol ;  makes  the  last  meaning  j 
 of  "  remembrance  "  the  first  and  the  only  one  ; 
 and  yet  takes  away  its  own  justification,  since  I 
 he  who  thus  commemorates  in  sincere  fuith  i 
 must  wait   upon   the  Lord  and  ask — "  Make  ; 
 thou  me  stronger  and  more  assured,  work  thou  ! 
 in  me  a  living  remembrance,  and  give  thyself] 
 to  me."  i 
 
 He  who  apprehends  this  as  the  object  of  his  ; 
 deep  desire,  will  soon  reach,  in  the  "this  is"  j 
 which  comes  as  a  present  gift  to  meet  that  desire,  \ 
 the  second  stage  of  the  mystery — even  as,  thank  < 
 God,  most  of  the  Reformed    Churches  rtached 
 it.f      There    is    no   real   fellowship    with    the 
 death    of  Christ — even   though   al   first   only  • 
 through  the   appropriation  of  faith,  beholding  j 
 the  figure  in  the  symbols — which  must  not  lead  | 
 further  to  the  "fellowship   of  his   life."     The' 
 plain  words  of  our  Lord   must  be  understood 
 through  the  heart's  experience  to   mean   that 
 he  who  died  for  us  actually  comes  into   us  as 
 he  who  liveth,  that  he  gives  us  to   eat  and 
 drink   of    himself.     (So    Ebrard   states    very 
 plainly  this  transition  from  Zwingle  to  Calvin.) 
 This  second  critical  point  contains  the  third 
 within  it,  even  more  essentially  than  the  first 
 led  the  way  to  the  second.     All  who  are  sincere 
 should  go  on  and  say,  as  the  formula  expresses 
 it,  "The  external  particiption  signifies  the  in- 
 ternal;  but  it  effects  it  also  while  it  signifies 
 it."     As  certainly  as  the  Lord  appointed  not 
 the  bread  to  be  merely  broken  betore  our  eyes, 
 nor  the  cup  to  be  merely  poured  out  "  in  the 
 manner  of  a  libation,"  but  instituted  as  eating  j 
 and  drinking,  speaking  therein  of  his  body  and  I 
 blood,  so  certainly  is  he  in  this  our  meat  and 
 our  drink. 
 
 It  is  now  essential  that  we  should  proceed 
 to  the  sacramental  community  which  there  is 
 
 between  the  sign  and  the  thing  signified  ;  as 
 also  to  the  testimony  that  the  body  and  blood 
 of  Christ,  that  which  was  broken  and  that 
 which  was  shed,  are  imparted  as  vicifying* 
 But  histead  of  this,  men  wander,  through  a 
 one-sided  misapprehension  of  this  second  criti- 
 cal point,  into  a  certain  spiritualistic  interpreta- 
 tion, the  beginnings  of  which  were  seen  as 
 early  as  the  Alexandrian  school  (according  to 
 their  distinction  of  the  a/cOr/ruv  and  the  vo?;- 
 roy).  In  Origen's  detailed  application  of  this 
 to  the  sacrament,  it  is  a  6c^na  tvtiihuv  xai 
 6v/.ifioXtx6v  (typical  and  symbolical  body) 
 of  that  which  7[yevj.tariTo5<;  ;f/'jz(jrzaKz?0Kr£S 
 (spiritual  Christians)  inwardly  experience  ;  al- 
 though he  attributes  even  to  the  external 
 symbol  a  marvellously-quickening  energy  as 
 being  a  vyz}}  npoOsdii  for  the  6ooiiiariKc3i 
 XpKjriaviZoyrei.  This  last  thread  of  connec- 
 tion with  spiritualism  being  broken,  he  loses 
 or  denies  the  mystery  which  it  was  sought  to 
 obtain,  the  q)dp).iaKov  dOayadiai,  (pvXaHT?/- 
 pioy  Eli  dyddradiv,  which  the  ancient  and 
 original  faith  of  the  Church  found  in  it;  then 
 at  last,  while  spiritualistic  expressions  are  used, 
 the  corporeity  of  Christ  is  altogether  lost  sight 
 of,  and  our  incorporation  into  him,  according  to 
 his  and  our  perfect  humanity. f  Guarding,  on 
 the  other  hand,  against  this  spiritualism,  we  go 
 on  at  once  to  the  una  cum  pane  et  vino,  in  which 
 a  part  of  the  Eelormed  Churches  have  so  clearly 
 concuired  that  there  is  no  room  for  opposing 
 them  on  the  ground  of  a  third  and  higher  criti- 
 cal point — for  this  una  cum'xs  that  third  point  % 
 So  tlie  confession  of  Basle:  "  In  which  icith  t!ia 
 bread  and  wine  of  the  Lord,  the  true  body  and  t  he 
 true  blood  of  Christ  are  by  the  ministers  of  the 
 Church  ?,ymho\\ze'\  ami  offered."  The  declaration 
 of  Thorn  also:  "  By  means  of  and  on  account  of 
 the  sacramental  union,  which  consists  not  in  the 
 one  signifying  the  other,  but  in  the  united 
 though  difierent  bestowment  of  the  earthly  and 
 theheavenly  elements."  Thisissimpleandmod- 
 rate  exegesis,  as  even  Durandus  said,  "  If  the 
 Church  had  not  decided  otherwise,  we  might 
 very  well  understand  it — Contentum  est  sub  hoc 
 corpus  meum." 
 
 Here   then  we  may  very  properly  oppose 
 
 *  That  is,  in  believing  and  earnest  remembrance 
 of  the  Lord's  atoning  death. 
 
 t  For  on'y  the  Heidelberg  Catechism  talies  the 
 superficial  viewrand  l!i  t  snvs  nnicli  moe  tlian 
 Zwingle;  a  Zwinghan  Chuicii,  bU.cily  speaking, 
 there  lis  not. 
 
 *  Calvin's  caro  vivifica  goes  as  far  as  tliat,  and 
 is  therefore  condemned  by  the  ultra-Zwingliau 
 Schultliess. 
 
 t  Yet  this  is  and  must  be  the  decisive  point  of 
 completeness,  wliich  even  the  Lutiieran  dogmatics 
 have  failed  to  set  forth  fully,  though  tliey  spealc 
 so  expressly  of  the  bodij,  and  regar.l  the  sacra- 
 mental forgiveness  of  sins  as  only  a  f  nit  of  its 
 reception.  It  is  very  observable  that  most  of  the 
 anciei.t  doctors  of  the  Church  attribute  to  tliis 
 heavenly  food,  besides  the  nourishment  of  .s])ir- 
 itual  lile,  a  wonderful  influence  also  upon  liie 
 bodies  of  those  wlio  partook.  This  was  not  an 
 old  materialistc  notion;  but  all  true  m?taphys.cs 
 must  lead  to  it,  if  the  meaning  of  cirporeity  is 
 rightly  understood,  and  the  word  of  Christ  is  ac- 
 knowledged. 
 
 t  The  three  essential  points  we  tluis  appre- 
 hend :  the   remembraiue  of  the.  redeeming  death 
 
544 
 
 THE  LORD'S  SUPPER. 
 
 Calvin's  words  about  our  (joinr^  up  to  CJirist'*' 
 instead  of  his  coming  down  to  us  ;  liere  we  may 
 in  the  spirit  of  peace  dispute  about  the  locality 
 or  ubiquity  of  the  Lord's  body,  as  far  as  this 
 may  do  any  good.  But  these' scholastic  conten- 
 tions carry  hachcard  instead  of  forward  the 
 ecclesiastical  and  practical  doctrine  of  the  sa- 
 crament. We  see  in  this  question  no  ground 
 for  the  Lutheran  wratli  which  was  poured  out 
 unon  the  enthusiasts  of  1527,  and  in  the 
 'Short  Doctrine  of  the  Supper"  in  1544.  Hav- 
 ing reached  this  point,  they  should  have  been 
 contented  to  rest  on  the  Wittenberg  agreement, 
 which  did  not  renounce  the  fellowship  of  those 
 who  difTcred.  So  Luther  in  1537  wrote  peace- 
 ably and  mildly  to  the  Swiss  States :  "  We 
 leave  the  manner  how  his  body  and  blood  are 
 given  in  the  Supper  to  the  divine  almightiness; 
 we  think  of  no  ascent  to  him  or  descentof  him, 
 but  hold  to  his  own  simple  and  plain  words." 
 And  so  he  goes  on  concerning  the  necessity  of 
 avoiding  all  anger  and  wrath,  of  giving  scope 
 to  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  firmly  establishing 
 concord  and  love — of  taking  care  to  avoid  all 
 suspicion  of  each  other,  and  so  forth.  Or,  as 
 in  1531  to  Bucer:  "Let  us  commend  our  cause 
 to  God,  preserving  meanwhile  as  far  as  in  each 
 lies  his  peace,  and  holding  fast  that  concord 
 which  we  have  reached  by  agreeing  that  the 
 body  of  our  Lord  is  truly  present,  and  ofTered 
 to  the  believing  soul — feremus  discordiara  min- 
 orem  cum  pace  minore."  Here  Father  Luther 
 exhibits  himself  as  the  patron  of  all  true  union. 
 It  was  quite  otherwise  in  the  Formula  Con- 
 cordicc,  which  came  less  from  the  heart  than 
 from  the  head,  and  which  condemns  its  oppo- 
 nents in  mass  (like  Luther  the  "fanatics") 
 as  saying  all  that  they  said  deceptively  and 
 with  reservation.  Were  not  these  Lutherans 
 bound  to  confess,  as  the  confession  of  Basle 
 declared,  that  the  natural  and  true  body  of 
 Christ  teas  not  included  in  the  bread  and  wine  ? 
 or,  as  it  ran,  that  there  was  no  unio  mbstan- 
 iialis,  and  no  unio  localis  ?  Assuredly  a  unio 
 sacrameiitalis  must  be  admitted,  for  the  apostol- 
 ical Kotycovia  is  certainly  no  sodalitas,  com- 
 munity, or  fraternity  established  by  the  eating 
 and  drinking,  but  it  is  the  common  participa- 
 tion, Moivj)  iiETciXj^ipii,  of  a  third  element, 
 the  body  and  blood  of  Christ,  community  in 
 partaking  of  this  object.  So  Luther  avows  "that 
 "this  one  word  had  been  the  living  medicine 
 of  his  soul  amid  all  the  contentions  about  the 
 sacrament."  (Melancthon,  also,  in  the  celebra- 
 ted response  to  Pfalz  :  "The  Apostle  does  not 
 eay,  like  Hcssluisius,  that  the  bread  is  the  true 
 body  of  Christ,  but  that  it  is  the  xoivcaviav, 
 that  is,  that  by  which  is  produced  the  fellow- 
 
 (quickenins),  brou^lit  thtis  into  the  present ;  the 
 actually  entering  into  the  f  ■llowsliip  of  Christ  {re- 
 tciiing  himself  anew) ;  tlie  eatins  and  drinking  his 
 body  and  blood,  not  merely  bread  and  wine. 
 
 *  This  was,  moreover,  taught  in  no  Coufesnon 
 of  the  Rpfo:  nied  Church ;  but  may  be  capal)le  of  a 
 pood  modification  through  its  conuectiou  wi;h  the 
 old  Sursum  corda. 
 
 ship  with  the  body  of  Christ.")  But  this  «a- 
 cramental  union  is,  as  the  name  shows,  some- 
 thing which  is  incapable  of  further  definition  ; 
 although  many  subtle  attempts  have  been 
 made  to  clothe  it  scholastically,  m  all  variations 
 of  suMantiado  and  ovdia  (not  azov(}ia,  not 
 ii'ovGia,  not  CvTovGia,  not  tierovdia,  but 
 iraoovGia'^ — see  in  Gerhard  and  Qnenstedt. 
 
 How  is  it  then  ?  The  peremptory  Shibboleth 
 "  in,  tcitJi,  and  under"  is  in  fact  also  inappropri- 
 ate,* because  this  formula  aims  to  say  something 
 which  however  says  nothing.  "  When  Luther 
 makes  what  is  partaken  by  the  mouth  avail 
 only  for  spiritual  life,  or  only  as  spiritual 
 nourishment,  apply  to  the  whole  man  in  pro- 
 portion to  his  faith,  he  in  a  certain  sense  abol- 
 ishes the  importance  of  the  oral  participation 
 (and  knows  not  really  what  he  contends  for)  ; 
 and  when  he  refuses  to  admit  that  the  sacra- 
 mental union  is  a  consubstantiation,  or  an  ira- 
 panation,  or  as  a  physical  admixture,  and 
 presses  the  formula  in  into  sub  and  cum,  nothing 
 but  negation  is  gained,  and  that  which  is  as- 
 serted is  simply  unintelligible"  (Nitzsch  in 
 reply  to  Mohler).  Even  the  excellent  Richter 
 (in  the  Haicdjibel) ,  who  was  throughout  a  rigid 
 Lutheran,  said  :  "  The  words  in,  with,  and  under 
 direct  the  view  to  the  bread  as  much  as  the 
 false  explanation — This  bread  signifies.  There- 
 fore adhere  to  Christ's  words,  and  pray,"  etc. 
 Yes,  indeed,  with  all  the  protest  against  im- 
 panation  the  view  is  too  exclr.sively  fixed  upon 
 the  bread,  weakening  the  force  of  Christ's  word 
 which  was  rovro  not  ovto?  u  a/3ro?,  this  not 
 this  bread.  Else  how  came  it  that  the  mild 
 Melancthon  could  complain  about  the  certamen 
 TCSfti  apToXarpEioci,  and  of  an  actual  artolati-y 
 on  the  part  of  the  Lutheran  zealots  ? 
 
 The  manducatio  sacramentalis  may  be  called  a 
 manducatio  oralis  in-  a  certain  sense  rightly 
 understood — propter  unitatem  actus ;  since 
 through  the  energy  of  the  operative  word 
 (Spirit  rather)  of  Christ,  his  body  and  blood 
 have  a  fellowship  with  that  bread  and  wine 
 which  we  receive  with  our  mouth.  But  with 
 this  kind  of  language  we  should  be  very  cau- 
 tious ;  for  Calvin's  words  are  not  likely  to  be 
 rejected:  "Take  with  the  hand  the  bread  and 
 by  faith  my  body ;  drink  with  the  mouth  the 
 wine,  and  by  faith  my  blood." 
 
 Justin's  words — r?}y  Si  evxt/?  X6yov  toxj 
 Tiap  avrov  tvxocpidrr]0E'i6ay  Tpoepriv — are 
 as  profoundly  as  simply  expressed,  and  in 
 accordance  with  the  results  of  our  exegesis. 
 But  when  the  Lutherans  lay  such  stress  upon 
 the  consecration  (which  now  is  performed  by 
 man),  terming  it  indeed  only  a  consccrntio  desti- 
 nationix,  but  connecting  with  it  a  confecra'ia 
 unifionis  taking  place  simultaneously  with  the 
 pronunciation  of  our  Lord's  words — when  they 
 assert  a  preliminary  sacramental  union  or  total 
 
 *  Yet  Banm<Tarton  explains  it  to  the  utmost 
 advantage:  "In,  diuin^  the  act  and  no  lonser; 
 cum,  at  the  same  time  with  the  visible  thing,  when 
 bread  and  wine  are  given;  sub.  h,-  means  ot 
 these,  iu  the  recepticn  of  these  visible  elemeuts." 
 
MATTHEW  XXVI.  26-23. 
 
 545 
 
 consecration  "in  tbese  words,"  -whicli  is  fol- 
 lowed by  a  partial  consecration  at  the  indi- 
 vidual distribution — tlien  their  doctrine  ap- 
 proaches too  nearly  that  of  the  Papists,  for 
 in  consistency  with  that  view  there  must  be 
 a  presence  of  the  body  and  blood  Jc/o^e  and 
 independent  of  the  personal  partakincr.  He 
 whose  conscience  revolts  against  these  danger- 
 ous advances  tov/ard  error,  and,  in  his  horror 
 of  superstition  and  human  additions,  would 
 keep  at  the  u.most  possible  distance  from  that 
 transubstantiation  by  which  men  upon  earth 
 dare  to  be  "  creators  of  the  Creator  " — he  who, 
 standing  upon  Scripture  and  upon  faith,  without 
 any  further  ecclesiastical  development,  finds  in 
 the  sacrament  the  essence  of  the  New-Testa- 
 ment gifts  of  grace,  the  enjoyment  of  salvation 
 through  the  living  and  effectual  presence  of  the 
 glorified  Christ,  appropriated  by  faith,  or,  more 
 briefly,  the  self-communication  of  Christ  in  us 
 — is  fully  vindicated,  and  lias  his  place  and 
 privilege  in  the  evangelical  Church.  Thus  we 
 return  to  the  point  with  which  we  set  out ; 
 and  have  expressed,  as  we  hope,  a  clear  and 
 undeniable  formula  of  union.  If  any  man  is 
 not  content  with  this,  we  must  declare  him  to 
 be,  either  ?<  v.'ilful  disputant  who  arbitrarily 
 holds  fast  points  of  contention,  or  one  who  in 
 this  matter  is  narrovr  in  his  spirit,  and  inca- 
 pableof  distinguishing  the  essence  of  the  matter 
 from  the  words  and  notions  which  represent  it 
 — the  word  and  meaning  of  the  Lord  from  the 
 exposition  and  ordinance  of  man. 
 
 At  the  limit  where  we  shrink  back  in  fear 
 and  horror  from  the  "  tabernacle-Christ  "  which 
 all  Church  history  declares  to  be  an  idol — it  is 
 yet  permissible  to  speak  of  a  great  "  transforma- 
 tion" in  this  mystery.  But  what  is  it?  Is 
 that  which  we  partake  of  changed  in  i(s  effect 
 into  the  body  and  blood  of  Christ,  not  indeed 
 by  the  hand  of  the  priest  or  in  the  mouth 
 of  the  partaker,  but  in  the  inner  man  of 
 the  communicant?  By  no  means,  for  bread 
 and  wine  remain  bread  and  wine;  and  such 
 a  change,  with  all  ils  idealism,  is  but  an 
 "  ideal "  expression,  a  nonentity.  This,  rather, 
 is  the  simple  and  true  "transformation."  that 
 through  tlie  energy  of  the  body  and  blood  of 
 Christ  our  flesh  and  blood  becomes  partaker  of 
 immorality,  is  preparatorily  glorified  in  the 
 germ  of  the  resurrection.  Thus  probably  we 
 must  understand  Justin's  well-known  words — 
 Tpoqjr'iy  y  kS,  7/5  amoc.  7{al  6dp\  7cavd  n  e  v  a- 
 /3  oi}}   rpE(povrai  i/jLicjy. 
 
 But  we  would  ask  in  conclusion.  Does  the 
 free  and  abundant  blessing  of  our  Lord,  offered 
 in  the  sacrament,  require  in  the  partakers  of 
 his  table  an  apprehension  of  all  these  doctrines 
 and  words  ?  Most  confidently  we  answer,  No  ! 
 The  reception  of  Christ's  grace  and  gift  is,  in 
 the  sacrament  as  in  all  Christianity,  independ- 
 ent of  the  development  of  knowledge,  of  the 
 more  or  the  less  of  light  in  the  understanding. 
 If  only  the  love  of  desire  be  there,  he  will  re- 
 spond to  it  v/ho_  can  (and  will)  do  exceeding 
 abundantly  above  all  that  we  ask  or  nndersiand 
 (Eph.  iii.  30).  Are  not  true  Lutherans  willing 
 
 to  agree  with  the  devout  Calvin,  "I  am  not 
 ashamed  to  confess,  that  the  mystery  is  greater 
 than  my  thoughts  can  grasp  or  my  words  set 
 forth,  and  must  be  rather  experienced  than  under- 
 stood?" And  will  they  not  accept  the  words 
 of  Zwingle  himself,  when  he  unconsciously 
 goes  beyond  his  theory,  that  "  Christ  is  to  be 
 eaten,  but  in  a  wonderful  manner,  which  the 
 believer  should  not  too  anxiously  scrutinize?" 
 The  Holy  Spirit  preserved  Luther  in  the 
 smaller  Catechism  from  making  tovto  Idrt  a 
 fence  of  terror  around  the  Mount  Zion  to  which 
 we  have  come ;  liis  language  is,  "  The  word  for 
 you  requires  nothing  more  than  helieving  hearts." 
 Let  us  cling  to  that.  For  a  man  may  contend 
 with  very  high  or  very  deep  words  for  the 
 true  doctrine  of  the  body  and  blood  of  Christ  in 
 the  sacrament,  while  he  is  much  less  worthy  to 
 receive  than  a  sincere  and  unintelligent  Zwing- 
 lian.  We  quote  once  more  the  excellent 
 Meyer :  "  The  participation  of  the  Eedeemer  in 
 his  Supper  is  matter  of  experience  ;  consequent- 
 ly of  tliat  most  real  gnosis,  without  which  all 
 mere  speculation  of  the  understanding  is  un- 
 fruitful, whether  on  one  side  or  the  other. 
 The  Christian  is  a  man  of  the  heart.  What 
 avails  it  me  to  say  with  Luther  that  I  '  orally ' 
 eat,  if  I  have  no  'heartfelt'  influence  there- 
 from? But  he  who  has  this  heartfelt  influence 
 is,  to  my  mind,  whatever  his  head  may  think 
 about  it,  a  man  who  lives  in  Christ  and  in 
 whom  Christ  lives."  The  Lord  himself  says — 
 If  ye  eat  not,  ye  have  no  life  in  you  ;  but  he 
 does  not  say — If  ye  believe  not  and  know  not 
 hoio.  And  we  can  appeal  to  Luther  again,  on 
 this  all-important  point:*  "Therefore  take 
 heed.  It  is  more  necessary  that  thy  faith 
 have  regard  to  the  spiritual,  than  that  it  have 
 regard  to  the  natural,  body  of  Christ;  for  the 
 natural  without  the  spiritual  availeth  not  in 
 this  sacrament :  there  must  be  a  iransuhtaniia- 
 Hon  wrought  through  love."  This  is  the  real 
 Koiva)via  and  the  true  transubstantiation,  the 
 working  of  which  through  the  spiritual  body 
 and  blood  of  Christ  the  Holy  Spirit  alone  can 
 solve. 
 
 Let  the  mystery  remain,  a'^  it  stands  in  the 
 not-vain ly-sp"oken  words  of  Christ.  Let  every 
 man  investigate  it  with  earnest  solemnity; 
 and  avow  and  teach  with  power,  liglit  and  love, 
 what  the  Holy  Spirit  gives  him  to  understand. 
 We  regard  nothing  here  as  matter  of  indiffer- 
 ence, but  would  not  suffer  scholastic  terms  to 
 divide  the  Church.  The  real  truth  which  is  in 
 the  expression  of  the  Swabian  Syngramma — 
 though  wrongly  applied  at  the  time — Verbuni 
 ad  panem  fert,  id  quod  in  se  continet  (scil.  to 
 dcajiid  1.10V,  TO  aljiicc  /zou)— we  would  accept 
 and  rest  in,  rather  than  sin  against  the  weak, 
 and  throw  a  stumbling-block  between  their 
 souls  and  the  body  of  the  Lord  which  is  given 
 also  to  them. 
 
 Let  tis  content  ourselves  with  the  tenth 
 article  of  the  Augsburg  Confession,  as  a  sym- 
 bol of  union—"  Quod  corpus  Christi  vere  adiint 
 
 *  In  his  seraaon  on  the  sacrament,  1519, 
 
5i6 
 
 THE  LORD'S  SUPPER. 
 
 et  distribnantnr  tearentUnii ;"  leavincr  Ibis  vcf^cen- 
 tibm,  like  the  vere  before  it,  to  ireo  interpreta- 
 tion, without  any  further  theological  inquisi- 
 tion. Nor  is  there  any  danger  or  impropriety 
 in  (he  softened  cxhibeantur,  since  it  is  connected 
 ■with  cum  pane  et  vino  ;  and  the  "  improbare  secus 
 docentes"  may  fall  back  if  it  is  thought  to  por- 
 tend a  damnare.  On  the  other  hand,  the  et 
 mhstantialiter  added  in  the  apology,  as  also 
 the  "  exhibeantur  cum  illis  rebus,  qnw  viden- 
 tur,"  is  certainly  very  true;  but,  as  scholastic 
 terms  going  beyond  the  letter  of  Scripture  they 
 are  also  very  doubtful,  and  as  inappropriate  as 
 it  would  be  to  make  the  formula  of  distribution 
 go  bej-ond  the  Lord's  word — "This  is  the  true 
 body" — and  so  frighten  away  instead  of  allure 
 those  whose  weak ''faith  goes  as  yet  no  further 
 than  doing  it  in  remembrance  of  him.*  We 
 have  sufficiently  shown  that  the  words  in  the 
 Smalkald  Articles  are  altogether  unwarranted 
 — "  Et  non  tantum  dari  et  sumi  a  piis,  sed 
 etiam  ah  impiis  Christianis  ; "  as  also  those  of  the 
 Forrmda  Concordia — "  Ore  suraantur,  ab  omni- 
 bus illis  qui  hoc  sacramento  utuntur,  ska  difjni 
 sint,  slve  indigni,"  etc. — there  cannot  be  many 
 •who  with  firm  hearts  and  any  thing  like  clear 
 insight  subscribe  them.  For  the  disputants  of 
 our  {imes  are  not  thorough  theologians,  nor  are 
 they  independent  investigators;  but  they  have 
 unlurled  the  old  banner  on  principles  Vhich 
 can  scarcely  be  understood,  being  partly  good 
 and  partly  evil.  The  more  livingly-practical 
 is  the  view  which  is  taken  of  the  thirteenth 
 article  in  the  evangelical  Church — De  vsu 
 sacramentorum — the  more  plainly  must  it  be 
 seen  that  its  "  ore  sumi  ab  omnibus  qui  sacra- 
 mento viunlnr,"  stands  in  contradiction  with 
 its  "  ita  ut  tides  accedat."  Or,  to  speak  other- 
 wise, that  "  independently  of  the  right  use  there 
 is  no  sacrament " — as  Ursinus  explained.  John 
 h  Lasco  made  this  prominent ;  and  deduced  his 
 fourth  position — that  "  we  can  be  partakers  of 
 the  ^Tace  and  influences  of  the  Holy  Spirit, 
 which  are  symbolized  and  offered  in  the  sacra- 
 ment, onhj  through  faith" — from  this  thirteenth 
 article  of  the  Augsburg  Confession,  as  if  it  stood 
 there,  "  Nam  hac  fide  accipimus  promissam 
 pratiam."  "  It  is  plain,"  ho  inferred,  "  accord- 
 ing to  the  sense  of  the  Augsburg  Confession, 
 that  the  nourishment  of  the  body  and  blood  of 
 Christ  is  there  exhibited  tchcre  we  seek,  behold, 
 and  apprehend  Christ  himself  by  faith — and 
 that  it  IS  not  to  be  regarded  as  inhering  in  the 
 earthly  elements." 
 
 We  must  then  deeply  pondor  Melancthon's 
 "  Christus  adest  propter  hominem,  non  propter 
 
 ftanem  ;"  and  consequently  retreat  from  the  vio- 
 ent  exaggeration  of  the  dogmatic  expression, 
 without  in  any  sense  giving  up  the  mystery. 
 We  must  retreat  back  to  that  sense  which  Lu- 
 ther expressed  in  his  earliest  sermon  on  the 
 sacrament:  "The  holy  Facrament  of  the  altar, 
 and  of  the  true  body  of  Christ,  has  three  points 
 ■which  must  be  noted.     The  first  is  the  sacra- 
 
 •  This  tubstaniialitrr  as  eorporalitcr  in  the  Apology 
 approaches  Loo  nearly  the  Romanist  error. 
 
 ment  or  sign.  The  second,  the  signification  of 
 that  sif  n.  The  third,  the  right  faith  toward 
 those  two.  These  three  things  must  go  to- 
 gether in  every  sacrament.  The  sacrament 
 must  be  external  and  visible,  in  a  bodily  form 
 or  appearance.  The  signification  must  be  inter- 
 nal and  spiritrtal,  in  the  spirit  of  the  man.* 
 Faith  must  unite  both  for  man's  good  and  en- 
 joyment." But  he  goes  on  in  his  careless  sim- 
 plicit}',  "  It  is  nothing  but  the  receiving  a  sure 
 sign  of  fellowship  and  incorporation  \i\(\\  Christ 
 and  all  his  saints  "f — and  then  combines  together 
 in  one  transubstantiation  and  spiritualism :  "At 
 the  same  time  as  the  bread  is  changed  into  his 
 true  natural  body,  and  the  wine  into  his  true  na- 
 tural blood,  so  truly  are  we  taken  and  changed 
 into  the  spiritucd  lody,  that  is,  into  the  fellow- 
 ship of  Christ  and  all  his  saints."  We  must 
 retreat  back,  that  is,  not  to  these  indistinct 
 words  of  a  not-yet-clearly  apprehending  know- 
 ledge, but  to  the  practical  sense  of  these  w^ords, 
 as  it  hits  the  real  decisive  point  of  the  question, 
 without  urging  it  too  far.  For  as  tlie  excel- 
 lent Meyer  (one  of  the  oldest  and  best  wit- 
 nesses for  the  union,  whom  the  Church  has  al- 
 most overlooked)  said:  "  It  would  be  better 
 not  to  speak  about  the  feast  of  love  than  to 
 besin  new  quarrels  about  it."  And  again: 
 "  We  condemn  no  man  who  with  a  sincere  heart 
 thinks  thus  or  thus  concerning  the  sacrament. 
 For  we  know  that  he  who  gives  himself  to  be 
 received  in  the  Supper  can  do  more  than  the 
 recipients  ask  or  are  able  to  conceive.  No 
 believer  goes  to  the  Lord's  table  without  de- 
 siring the 'forgiveness  of  sins,  li^e,  and  salvation. 
 Let  the  idea  he  sets  before  his  mind  be  what  it 
 may,  it  is  given  unto  him  according  to  the 
 desire  of  his  faith.  For  the  Lord  looks  at 
 the  heart.J  The  sacrament  of  the  altar  may 
 be  worthily  received  in  every  Christian  Church ; 
 it  is  not  an  imperfect  doctrine,  but  the  con- 
 demning of  him  who  partakes,  which  is  con- 
 demnable.  We  do  not  by  this  leave  every 
 man  to  his  error ;  but  we  know  that  it  is  the 
 perversion  of  the  will  which  is  the  hindrance 
 to  salvation  ;  and  it  is  in  the  power  of  the 
 heart  to  enlighten  or  to  darken  the  mind.  Let 
 therefore  every  man  understand  according  to 
 his  best  lights;  and  if  he  lack  wisdom  let  him 
 ask  of  God  and  he  shall  receive  it." 
 
 We  hold  with  Jul.  Miiller,  that  "as  to  the 
 effect  of  the  Lord's  Supper,  Luther  and  Calvin 
 entirely  agree."     But  we  do  not  demand  this 
 
 *  Then,  as  some  infer,  a  tpiritualia  and  not  an 
 ornlis  manducatio.  So  Luther  pre'^^ently  qno'es, 
 without  any  apprehension,  Augustine's  crede  ct 
 manducasd. 
 
 \  Mark  w?ll  this  last,  according  to  which  the 
 incoipoiation  is  into  that  true  "body"  of  Chi'ist, 
 the  members  of  which  are  only  the  saints. 
 
 \  This  is  right,  and  let  us  teach  and  act  accord- 
 ingly. But  it  is  miserably  wionc,  on  the  one 
 hand,  to  m.iintain  the  participation  of  unboUevers, 
 and,  on  the  other,  to  disturb  the  enjoyment  of  true 
 beUev.'is,  and  refuse  their  fellowshii>,  on  account 
 of  di0erences  cf  exposition  and  views. 
 
MATTHEW  XXVI.  29. 
 
 m 
 
 agreement  in  doctrine  from  all,  provided  only 
 they  in  the  living  faith  of  the  heart  seek 
 Christ  in  the  sacrament,  and  thus  seeking  find 
 him. 
 
 We  would  affectionately  bear  with  error,  for 
 the  sake  of  tl;  ^  truth  which  adheres  to  it  and 
 on  which  it  rests  ;  the  truth  which,  if  we  have 
 patience,  will  make  itself  heard.  We  do  not 
 surrender  the  mystery,  but  we  acknowledge  it 
 with  love  which  helps  the  understanding.  We 
 want  no  union  on  such  ground  as  that  of 
 Hahn,  in  1828  :  "  Luther  was  in  error  when  he 
 asserted  that  in,  with,  and  under  the  bread  and 
 wine,  the  true  body  which  suffered  for  us,  and 
 the  blood  of  Jesus  Christ  which  was  shed  for  us, 
 are  communicated."  For,  the  words  of  Christ 
 assert  this  very  thing.  The  body  and  blood  of 
 Christ  IS  not  merely  "  his  personality,  after  the 
 removal  of  the  actual  body  " — as  Nitzsch  once 
 broadly  avowed.  The  doctrine  of  the  corporeal 
 body  in  the  Supper  was  not  (as  Ebrard  says) 
 "  honorably  and  decently  buried  with  the  per- 
 son of  Luther ; "  but  it  lives  in  the  words  of 
 Christ  himself,  and  is  constantly  revived  as  the 
 self-testimony  of  him  who  lives,  in  all  who 
 with  an  enlightened  apprehension  receive  the 
 corporeity  aright.  Thus  we  want  no  Luther- 
 anism  as  such ;  but  the  truth,  and  the  truth  in 
 love.  We  wish  to  oppose  to  every  evident 
 contradiction  of  our  Lord's  words  the  impro- 
 bamnA,  but  not  the  condemnation  or  the  ban  of 
 the  Church's  testimony  ;  and  we  would  guard 
 
 in  our  exposition  against  all  exaggerated 
 teaching.  Let  Von  Meyer  speak  once  more  : 
 "  The  matter  is  and  must  ever  be  a  sacrament, 
 that  is,  a  mystery,  which  cannot  be  set  forth  in 
 any  formula  of  words.  He  who  can  understand 
 the  union  of  the  divinity  with  the  humanity  in 
 the  man  Jesus,  can  understand  the  union  of  the 
 glorified  humanity  of  Jesus  with  the  external 
 elements  of  the  Eucharist.  Luther  has  preach- 
 ed, and  laid  down  his  doctrine  ;  it  is  the  work 
 of  the  Holy  Spirit  to  give  us  true  knowledge 
 of  the  great  mystery.*  Words  are  of  no  use, 
 if  they  become  not  in  us  spirit  and  life.  Now 
 it  often  happens  that  the  vehemence  of  contro- 
 versy affrights  back  those  who  are  groping 
 their  way  toward  the  truth.  They  who  receive 
 Christ  as  the  sole  ground  of  their  salvation  ac- 
 cording to  the  Scripture,  and  who  would  be 
 justified  and  saved  through  his  blood,  must  be 
 at  one  in  this,  that  just  as  Christ  is  not  a  figure 
 but  a  reality,  so  his  communication  of  himself 
 in  the  sacrament  is  not  a  mere  figure  of  speech 
 but  a  literal  truth.  But  he  could  not  make 
 himself  intelligible,  in  human  language,  and 
 to  man's  weak  understanding,  concerning  the 
 mfinner  of  this  communication ;  and  hence 
 there  has  been  contention  about  it  from  the 
 beginning.  But  from  this  we  should  learn  the 
 insufficiency  of  all  our  ideas,  and  all  our  words; 
 and  that  the  words  and  the  things  of  God  are 
 spirit  and  life." 
 
 FINAL  WORD  CONCERNING  THE  FRUIT  OP  THE  VINE. 
 (Matt.  xxvi.  29;  Mark  xvi.  25.) 
 
 No  satire  will  shake  our  conviction,  as  already 
 expressed,  that  this  word  of  our  Lord,  which 
 the  first  two  Evangelists  not  merely  record  at 
 the  end  of  the  Supper,  but  connect  immediately 
 with  the  words  of  institution,  was  really  spoken 
 twice  by  him.  To  us  it  is  unimaginable  that 
 both  the  Evangelists — led  by  the  "  mention  of 
 the  cup,"  as  is  irreverently  said — introduced 
 afterwards  what  had  really  been  said  before. 
 As  they  have  not  mentioned  the  paschal  cup  at 
 all  (not — As  they  did  eat  and  drink),  so  they 
 cannot  be  supposed  to  intend  that  this  supple- 
 mented word  should  be  understood  as  having 
 accompanied  another  and  a  former  cup.  But 
 it  13  not  hard  to  suppose  that  our  Lord,  as  at 
 the  opening  of  the  meal,  so  also  now  at  its 
 solemn  close,  spoke  of  the  final  and  full  realiza- 
 tion of  it  in  the  kingdom  of  God.  For,  till 
 then  even  the  sacrament  remained  but  a  type, 
 and  it  was  quite  appropriate  that  this  should 
 be  _  once  more_certified  after  its  institution. 
 This  testimony  may,  indeed,  be  said  to  have 
 been  a  necessary  supplement;   as  significant 
 
 now,  as  it  was  before  in  connection  with  the 
 prophetically  longing  desire  to  eat  the  Pass- 
 over, f 
 
 We  have  now  to  add  to  what  was  said  upon 
 Luke  the  more  specific  observations  for  which 
 now  first  we  are  prepared.  By  yEvvi'inatoi 
 (or  yery'/jiiaro';)  r?/S  d/uneXov,  "  fruit  of  the 
 vine,"  the  Lord  designates — as  in  the  pun  ^"}3 
 
 in  the  thanksgiving-formula — the  ph3''sical 
 wine  then  present  and  used,  though  without 
 mentioning  the  word.  Whether  we  regard  the 
 fruit  here  as  the    specific  grape,  or  (as   tho 
 
 *  To  teach  us  some  happier  medium  betwepn 
 Luther  and  Calvin,  by  which  in  catholic  love  we 
 may  hold  communion  wilh  Zwingle  too. 
 
 f  Kahn's  thinks  that  as  the  word  concernins 
 the  glorified  e;  joyment  relers  to  the  Passover,  not 
 to  the  Supper,  its  pLice  is  more  appropriate  in 
 Luke.  But  it  does  refer  naturally  and  neces.'sarily 
 also  to  the  Supper ;  and  this  is  to  us  a  sufficieaf, 
 reason  why  our  Lord  spoke  it  at  the  beginning 
 and  also  at  the  eni. 
 
548 
 
 THE  FUTURE  FRUIT  OF  THE  VINE. 
 
 analogy  of  the  pSH  '13  renders  more  probable) 
 the  whole  plant  and  produce  of  the  vine,  so 
 expressed  (Deut.  xxii.  9,  Q^sn  nxnn)— affects 
 not  the  question  ;  rovrov  tov  yEvvjjuato^, 
 this  vine,  expresses  more  emphatically  than 
 Luke's  first  word  its  identity  with  that  which 
 now  grows  as  wine.  This  rovrovy  "  this," 
 contradicts  every  notion  of  an  olvov  vorjruv, 
 an  imaginary  figurative  wine,  and  of  a  meta- 
 phorical drinking  ;  as  does  the  previous  "  I  will 
 not  drink  henceforth."  Von  Gerlach  well  re- 
 marks that  this  word  shows  the  consecrated 
 wine  to  be  wine  still ;  but  we  cannot  regard  it 
 as  conceivable,  that  Jesus  himself  partook  of 
 that  which  in  the  institution  of  the  sacrament 
 he  called  his  body  and  blood.  Olshausen  says, 
 very  properly  :  "  We  should  carefully  note  that 
 the  Lord  does  not  say  Ih  rovrov  r  ov  n  or  rj- 
 piov,  but  TOV  y£yv7fjuaro?:  the  ovroi 
 evidently  forms  an  antithesis  with  naivoi,  and 
 therefore  the  reference  in  these  words  is  to  the 
 meal  generally."  This  last  is  not  however  to 
 be  understood  as  if  there  were  no  reference  to 
 the  paschal  wine  consecrated  to  the  sacrament; 
 the  Lord  embraces  the  whole  together — Of  this 
 earthly  fruit  of  which  I  drank  with  you  in  the 
 paschal  feast,  and  which  I  have  now  consecrated 
 for  your  drinking  (of  me  but  not  tcilh  me). 
 Consequently,  he  "  distinguishes  not  the  matter, 
 but  the  time;"  and  speaks  strongly  and  defi- 
 nitely of  that  drinking  as  to  recur  in  a  final 
 futurity.  Nothing  here  must  be  explained 
 away  ;  the  Lord  speaks  quite  otherwise  in  John 
 iv.  32-34,  for  instance,  concerning  spiritual 
 food. 
 
 He  does,  indeed,  distinguish  the  neio  wine 
 from  this  present  wine  ;  but  this  naivoy  is  by 
 avTo,  "it,"  made  no  other  than  a  predicate 
 of  the  present  wine.  Thus  it  is  not  merely,  I 
 will  drink  it  "  quite  otherwise"  with  you — ''  a 
 wine  of  a  higher  nature  " — and  so  forth.  He 
 had  spoken  of  the  New   Testament;  he  now 
 
 Eromises  new  upon  new,  because  all  things  will 
 e  finally  made  new  (Rev.  xxi.  5) — the  creature 
 will  be  glorified  and  re-established  in  its  funda- 
 mental forms  upon  the  renewed  earth,  apart 
 from  the  Lord's  body,  the  Church.  He  who 
 thus  understands  Rom.  viii.,  and  the  Apocalypse 
 generally,  and  the  earlier  prophets,  will  find  no 
 difficulty  in  thinking  of  the  Lord's  drinking 
 with  us  upon  the  now  earth.  Iicill  drinlc  icitli 
 you — thus  clearly  does  he  speak  ;  not  meaning 
 the  sacrament  in  which  we  only  cat  and  drink 
 of  him,  but  a  further  and  transcendent  heaven- 
 ly-earthly fellowship  of  glorified  bodily  enjoy- 
 ment, in  which  the  paschal  lamb  and  the 
 Lord's  Supper  will  have  their  last  fulfillment. 
 We  must  not  interpret  the  "  new  fruit  of  the 
 vine"  as  merely  a  new,  higher  community  at 
 the  table  or  family  fellowship — as  Hofniann 
 does,  who  "  cannot  be  convinced  that  the  Lord 
 means  here  any  reality  of  eating  and  drinking 
 in  his  kingdom."  Tiiat  such  men  can  so  ox- 
 press  themselves  is  a  lamentable  ])roof  how  far 
 we  have  wandered  away  from  reality  in  the  in- 
 terpretation of  Scripture. 
 
 In  my  Father's  Icingdom  :  this  expression 
 decisively  refers  to  its  condition  of  future  glory 
 — see  the  plain  parallel  in  Matt.  xiii.  43;  and 
 it  corresponds  with  "in  my  kingdom"  else- 
 where, as  Luke  xxii.  30;  Matt.  xili.  41.  And 
 it  is  very  consistent  with  this,  that  not  only 
 Luke  xxii.  18,  but  even  Mark  xiv.  25,  substi- 
 tutes for  the  present  word  the  more  general 
 kingdom  of  Ool;  but  we  must  interpret  the 
 more  general  by  the  more  specific  expression, 
 and  not  conversely.  Hence,  if  Christ  had 
 drunh  with  his  disciples  after  the  resurrection* 
 (as  is  supposed  by  some,  through  a  wrong 
 punctuation  of  Acts  x.  41),|  it  could  not  have 
 been  wine,  certainly  not  paschal  wine.  If  this 
 be  supposed,  and  the  fulfillment  of  his  words 
 found  thus  c*rly,  the  truth  of  Matthew's  record 
 is  contradicted,  as  well  as  that  of  the  two  other 
 Evangelists,  since  he  would  then  have  drunk 
 with  them  again  before  the  future  of  his  king- 
 dom. "  That'explanation  of  this  passage  which 
 refers  to  our  Lord's  companionship  with  his 
 disciples  after  his  resurrection  (which  Theoph- 
 ylact  first  broached),  is  altogether  untenable; 
 since  that  period  was  never  termed  the  king- 
 dom of  God"  (Olshausen).  But  in  Luke  xxiv. 
 42,  43,  he  only  ate  ;  certainly  he  did  not  drink 
 during  the  forty  days  (however  this  may  be 
 inconsiderately  asserted) — much  might  be  said 
 about  this  in  relation  to  the  blooXlless  body 
 (Luke  xxiv.  39). 
 
 The  drinking  here  promised  will  take  place 
 when  Luke  xxii.  29,  30  (which  must  be  con- 
 nected with  ver.  18  of  that  chapter)  is  fulfilled. 
 The  wine  corresponds  as  being  paschal  wine 
 with  the  eating  of  the  Passover,  Luke  xxii.  16  ; 
 although  i|  avTov  there  cannot  be  intended 
 of  the  eating  of  flesh,  for  in  the  new  world 
 animals  will  no  longer  be  slaughtered.  The 
 eating  of  the  broiled  fish  was  the  last  conde- 
 scension to  the  economy  of  killing.  The  Old- 
 Testament  Passover  typified  the  one  sacrifice 
 of  death  for  man's  liie  ;  the  New-Testament 
 Supper  substituted  for  it  bread.  But  that  eat- 
 ing and  drinking  are  not  incompatible  with  the 
 condition  of  the  risen  body,  is  evidenced  by  the 
 eating  of  the  Risen  Lord.  He  himself  here  tes- 
 tifies that  the  partaking  of  the  fruits  of  the 
 earth — not  for  necessity  of  preservation,  but  as 
 a  cultris  of  joy  to  the  honor  of  God,  to  which 
 all  nature  will  then  be  ministrant  in  his  saints 
 — is  not  inconceivable  in  relation  to  the  blessed 
 in  the  Father's  kingdom  upon  the  earth,  where 
 all  things  will  be  heavenly  and  new.  He  who 
 will  not  separate  between  this  authentic,  pro- 
 found, and  sublime  word  of  his  mouth,  and  the 
 Chiliai^tic  dreams  and  expectations  of  earlier  and 
 later  times  (such  as  Irenteus  relates  of  the 
 vines  with  ten  thousand  branches,  and  so  forth) 
 — must  bear  the  consequences  of  his  own  wil- 
 
 *  Ilenco  it  is  wrong  to  say  of  the  con'^ecrated 
 cup — This  is  the  wine  of  the  kingdom  of  God. 
 
 t  Since  o'/'rzKf? — (xvt(^  belongs  on'y  to  I'/fdv, 
 and  points  to  the  earlier  fellowship  of  tlie  Aiiostles, 
 to  whom  he,  the  self-same,  ajipearcd  alter  his  rjs- 
 urrectiuu. 
 
LUKE  XXII.  21.  22. 
 
 ^49 
 
 fnlness,  which  seals  his  understanding  against 
 the  truth. 
 
 As  regards,  finally,  the  necessary  position 
 which  this  concluding  word  of  our  Lord  holds 
 in  relation  to  the  Supper,  we  entirely  agree 
 with  the  beautiful  observations  of  Thiersch  : 
 "  The  Holy  Supper  points  not  only  back  to  the 
 past,  but  also  forward  to  the  future.  It  has  not 
 only  a  memorial,  but  also  a  prophetic,  signifi- 
 cance. We  not  only  show  forth  the  death  of 
 our  Lord  in  it,  until  become;  but  we  have 
 also  the  time  to  think  upon  when  he  will  come, 
 to  celebrate  anew  and  in  another  manner  his 
 sacred  meal  with  his  own,  in  the  kingdom  of 
 glory.  Every  celebration  of  the  sacrament  is 
 a  type  and  prophetic  anticipation  of  the  great 
 marriage-supper,  which  is  prepared  for  the 
 Church  at  the  re-appearing  of  Christ.  This 
 significance  of  the  sacrament  is  set  forth  in  the 
 Lord's  words — I  will  not  drink  henceforth,  etc. 
 These  words  should  never  be  omitted  in  the 
 sacramental  liturgy."  Yes,  truly,  for  this  "until 
 that  day,"  eooi  riji  t^juepai  k>caiv7ji,  this  goal 
 of  the  new  futurity  expressly  dehned  by  the 
 prophetic  term,  includes  (as  1  Cor.  xi.  26)  that 
 terminus  in  which  the  interval  of  separation 
 will  cease,  and  the  eating  and  drinking  ap- 
 pointed for  the  present  time  will  be  done  away, 
 or  pass  over  into  another.     It  is  as  if  the  Lord 
 
 had  said — Do  this  in  the  meantime,  until  I  am 
 again  with  you.  The  sacrament  is,  looking 
 back,  a  commemorative  feast;  in  the  present 
 it  is  a  receiving  and  partaking  of  the  Lord,  tlio 
 true  possession  of  himself;  nevertheless  in 
 prospect  of  the  end  it  is  itself  something  pre- 
 liminary and  transitory,  an  essential  type  and 
 effectual  pledge  of  that  feast  which  in  the  great 
 and  permanent  morning  of  the  renewed  world 
 — in  that  day,  which  is  ever  the  one  great  day 
 — Christ  will  provide  for  his  own.  Let  us  bo 
 on  our  guard  against  a  false  anticipation,  which 
 would  bring  forward  the  final  consummation 
 into  our  present  New-Testament  condition,  and 
 refer  all  this  eating  and  drinking  to  the  Lord's 
 Supper;  for  the  sacrament  which,  on  account  of 
 our  sin,  receives  us  into  the  fellowship  oi  death, 
 must  ever  be  in  contrast  with  that  other  eating 
 and  drinking  •.  it  is,  otherwise  than  that,  sanctified 
 to  us  by  our  accompanying/a«<J«<7  and  prayer. 
 But  we  must  also  be  on  our  guard  against 
 thinking  of  that  final  feast  as  a  continuous  and 
 unceasing  eating  and  drinking  of  Christ — for 
 how  then  would  it  be  fulfilled  in  himself? 
 When  we  become  as  he  is,  then  will  he  be 
 again  as  we  are  ;  he  will  eat  and  drink  with  U3 
 the  new  fruits  of  the  new  world  in  the  fellow- 
 ship of  an  eternal  enjoyment  of  the  renovated 
 creation  of  the  Father. 
 
 SECOND  INDICATION  OF  THE  BETRAYER. 
 (Ltjke  XXII.  21,  22;  John  xin.  23-29.) 
 
 Certain  it  is  that  our  Lord  spoke  again  con- 
 cerning the  traitor  after  the  Supper  ;  and  John 
 records  this  in  a  way  which  shows  that  it  is 
 quite  different  from  that  of  the  Synoptics  in 
 connection  with  the  question  Is  it  I?  See 
 what  we  have  said  upon  this  on  John  xiii. 
 To  us  the  idea  is  utterly  inconceivable  that 
 any  Evangelist  or  reporter  would  be  bold 
 enough  to  work  up  tho  notice,  that  Jesus 
 so  expressed  himself  in  the  presence  of  Judas, 
 into  an  "addition"  of  this  kind.  No,  we  read 
 submissively  what  we  find  written  ;  and  as,  ac- 
 cording to  the  first  two  Evangelists,  the  Lord 
 repeated  the  words  concerning  the  vine  after  the 
 words  of  institution,  it  is  quite  consistent  with 
 this,  that  if  not  immediately — yet  afterwards, 
 he  made  renewed  mention  of  the  betrayer.  It 
 is  at  least  probable,  too,  that  Luke  xxii.  22  was 
 now  spoken  once  more,  as  we  have  remark- 
 ed upon  Matt.  xxvi.  24.  On  the  other  suppo- 
 sition, that  is,  if  Luke,  ver.  22,  is  a  return  to 
 an  earlier  word,  then  it  becomes  almost  certain 
 that  Luke,  ver.  23,  is  one  and  the  same  with 
 the  first  In  it  If*     But  this  is  opposed  to  the 
 
 *  This  Bengel  supposes,  on  account  of  they  be- 
 gan, which  coukl  not  have  been  said  of  a  repeti- 
 tion. But  this  yp^avro  must  not  bo  pressed  too 
 much;  and,  moreover,  there  is  no  repetition  in 
 
 letter  of  the  narrative ;  for  r/?  apa  enj,  who 
 it  should  be,  is  manifestly  the  introduction  to 
 Peter's  demanding  of  John,  rii  av  sitf,  who  is 
 it?  Thus  the  Lord  did,  after  the  institution 
 of  the  sacrament,  more  or  less  literally  repeat 
 vers.  21  and  22  in  Luke ;  the  former  verse  w.e 
 have  already  expounded,  and  it  only  remains 
 to  make  a  remark  upon  the  latter. 
 
 The  meaning  of  the  antithesis  in  7t\7jv  is 
 what  we  have  first  to  observe  upon,  and  it  is 
 two-fold.  It  is  first  the  utterance  once  more 
 of  that  sorrowful  complaint  which  the  Lord 
 does  not  yet  give  up— "  Behold  I  give  my 
 body,  I  pour  out  my  blood  for  you  ;  behold 
 that  with  anticipating  thanksgiving  I  instituto 
 for  you  and  my  whole  Church  this  feast — yet 
 behold  !  even  now,  even  yet,  the  presence  of  the 
 wicked  and  lost  one  follows  and  troubles  me." 
 This  is  undeniably  its  fundamental  meaning ; 
 but  it  does  not  exclude  another,  which  J.  Von 
 Miiller's  short  note  expresses,  "  He  seems  al- 
 most to  except  this  one."  To  except  him,  that 
 is,  from  the  for  you  of  the  sacrament;  and, 
 when  we  take  Matthew's  full  saying,  from  tho 
 forgiveness  of  sim.  That  Judas,  while  in  one 
 sense  Christ  died  also  for  him,  yet  in  another 
 
 the  case,  since  they  did  really  now  beffin  to  ask— 
 what  other  it  could  be. 
 
550 
 
 PETER'S  FIRST  WARNING. 
 
 is  excepted  from  the  benefit,  we  found  already 
 in  the  original  "  for  many,"  itepi  TtoXXwv ; 
 and  this  justifies  our  present  acceptation  of  the 
 meaning — Yet  liehold  !  there  is  the  unhappy 
 one,  for  whom  my  death  is  in  vain. 
 
 It  stands  in  connection  with  this,  that  our 
 Lord  here  specifies  only  the  daring  external 
 fellowship  of  the  traitor  with  himself,  and  does 
 not  unite  him  with  the  rest.  Bengel,  in  his  N, 
 T.,  makes  the  subtle  remark  upon  ^ET  ijiiov, 
 with  me — "  He  does  not  say,  with  us  (or  with 
 ymi).  Thus  he  distinguishes  the  traitor  from 
 the  faithful  disciples  ;  and  shows  that  he  alone 
 has  to  do  with  him  henceforward,  and  that  as 
 an  enemy." 
 
 "  This  daring  sinner  presumes  to  be  with  me, 
 and  even  until  now,  as  my  betrayer — andieAoW 
 I  suffer  it ! "  This  idov  is  obviously  no  external 
 indication ;  but  it  is  quite  appropriate,  since 
 the  disciples  know  and  see  that  they  are  twelve 
 
 sitting  around,  and  therefore  that  the  one  of  the 
 twelve,  although  they  know  not  which,  must  be 
 there,  as  eating  with  him.  This  pointing  to  him 
 and  yet  not  pointing,  this  seeing  him  on  the 
 Lord's  part  and  yet  not  disclosing  him  on  the 
 disciples',  is  presently  made  more  intense  and 
 definite  by  the  emphatic — Behold  the  fiand ! 
 This  embraces  in  one  the  whole  accomplishment 
 of  the  hypocritical  act  with  which  this  hand 
 is  concerned,  as  if  he  would  say — This  hand, 
 which  yesterday  received*  the  reward  of 
 treachery  and  to-day  dippeth  with  me  into  the 
 dish,  receiveth  the  bread  and  the  cup  of  mys- 
 tery !  But  as  the  hand  is  specially  mentioned, 
 ini  TTJi  rpane^iji  does  not  mean  at  the  table 
 during  the  meal  {eni  being *w6  de  tempore,  and 
 TpdnEZ,a,  the  meal) ;  but  literally,  upon  the 
 table,  in  daring  hypocrisy,  serving  with  the 
 rest.  Ah  !  this  hand  wrenched  his  heart,  and 
 therefore  he  thus  spoke  of  it. 
 
 FIRST  INTIMATION  OF  THE  DENIAL. 
 (Luke  xxii.  31-34;  John  xii.  36-38. 
 
 For  the  harmony  of  these  two  Evangelists 
 see  our  exposition  of  John  xiii.,  where  Luke, 
 ver.  34,  is  shown  clearly  to  coincide  with  John, 
 ver.  38.  The  questioning  of  the  disciples 
 among  themselves  led  to  the  questioning  of 
 Peter  through  John  ;  the  Lord  gave  the  con- 
 fidential answer  by  means  of  the  sop  :  Satan 
 then  entered  into  Judas,  and  our  Lord  having 
 dismissed  him,  spoke  more  freely  to  the  others 
 concerning  his  glorification,  and  the  new  com- 
 mandment. Hereupon  came  the  question  of 
 Peter,  Whither  goest  thou?  with  the  assur- 
 ance, I  will  lay  down  my  life  for  thy  sake — all 
 as  it  is  related  by  John,  down  to  ver.  37.  Now 
 first  comes  the  warning  Simon  !  Simon  !  at  the 
 ,  same  time  with  its  gracious  promise.  But 
 Peter  receives  no  warning,  undervalues  the 
 promise,  afiirms  still  more  strongly  in  his  con- 
 fidence— I  am  ready  ;  and  thus  as'it  were  con- 
 strains his  Master  plainly  and  expressly  to 
 predict  his  denial. 
 
 Those  who  are  not  disposed  thus  to  connect 
 the  whole  are  free  to  accept  a  more  indefinite 
 view,  according  to  which  each  of  the  two  nar- 
 rators deviates  a  little  from  the  original  literal 
 version ;  but  we  do  not  see  any  reason  for  pre- 
 ferring this.  Certainly  the  historical  truth 
 consists  with  the  special  selection  in  ref^-rence 
 to  which  each  narrator  has  recorded  the  cir- 
 cumstance. What,  therefore,  Luke  records 
 from  ver.  25  to  ver.  38,  may  be  embraced,  in- 
 dependently of  its  historical  connection,  which 
 was  certainly  dififerent,  in  one  connection  of 
 thought,  according  to  the  design  of  the  guiding 
 Spirit.  He  who  thus  simply  reads  it  will  not 
 do  wrong.  The  Lord  has,  according  to  ver.  25- 
 27,  suppressed  the  pride  of  the  Apostles,  which 
 had  snown  itself  even  at  (that  is,  hejore)  this 
 
 Supper.  He  had  pointed  them  to  his  own  pro- 
 cedure through  ministering  humility  to  great- 
 ness. Hereupon  he  shows'them  (what  belong- 
 ed to  the  same  discourse  at  the  feet-washing), 
 in  ver.  28-30,  their  future  dignity;  and  then 
 (later,  but  returning  to  this),  in  ver.  31-38,  the 
 way  thereto  through  test  and  danger.  These 
 are  indeed  two  separate  discourses  ;  between 
 them,  as  they  were  spoken,  the  whole  of  John 
 xiv.-xvii.,  and  Matt.  xxvi.  31-34,  must  be  in- 
 terposed ;  nevertheless,  in  their  meaning  they 
 are  connected  in  one,  just  as  Luke  here  joins 
 them  one  to  the  other.  For,  the  discourses  of 
 our  Lord  admit  of  diverse  combination  ;  he 
 who  seizes  their  connection  as  any  Evangelist 
 exhibits  it,  is  more  secure  of  the  main  point — • 
 the  right  understanding  and  appropriation  of 
 what  is  spoken — than  he  who,  neglecting  this, 
 troubles  himself  over  much  about  the  chrono- 
 logical harmony,  which  after  all  is  subordinate. 
 Thus,  that  we  may  anticipate  and  introduce 
 th.e  subsequent  word  concerning  the  sword 
 into  our  preliminary  glance — the  Lord  shows 
 
 *  For  e6rTf6ay,  Matt.  x.xvi.  15,  does  not  mean 
 "  They  promised  to  give  "  (Vulg.  con.stituerunt, 
 Luth.  ap;)ointed  or  promised,  for  which  1  Mace, 
 xiii.  38  is  compared) — but,  as  Meyer  corrects, 
 "  They  counted  to  him  "  (as  earnest-money,  before- 
 hand) :  Stolz  the  same,  and  De  Wette,  They  iveighed 
 out  to  him.  Though  the  parallel  passajics  in  Mark 
 and  Luke  speak  only  of  promising  and  agreeing, 
 we  must  understand  Matthew  of  reckoning  out ; 
 since  '{6t7]hi,  .'cil.  CraOncp  occurs  in  IL^rod., 
 Xenoph.  and  others,  as  it  also  does  in  the  Sept. 
 for  ^pt^  (Dan.  v.  27;  Job  xxxi.  6;  Isa.  xl.  12; 
 Jer.  xxxii.  10 ;  2  Sam.  xiv.  26),  especially  in  ths 
 corresponding  prophecy,  Zech.  xi.  12,  comp.  Ecclua, 
 xxi.  25. 
 
LUKE  XXII.  31. 
 
 551 
 
 to  his  disciples  tho  way  to  future  dignity,  as  it 
 leads,  according  to  his  own  example  (as  the 
 Father  hath  appointed  me),  through  internal 
 testings  and  external  perils.  There  is,  however, 
 this  difference  between  him  and  us.  He  goes 
 first  and  alone,  as  in  perfect  humility,  so  in  his 
 own  strength  of  perfect  righteousness;  we  fol- 
 low his  pattern  and  in  his  strength.  Only  in 
 him  has  Satan  nothing  by  right,  although  he 
 Cometh  even  to  him;  we,  on  the  other  hand, 
 are  under  the  power  of  the  tempter  through  the 
 right  which  our  weakness  and  sinfulness  give 
 him.  He  alone  has  no  counter-protection,  gives 
 himself  vp  for  the  world's  redemption,  but  goes 
 before  as  victor  both  internally  and  externally  ; 
 we,  on  the  other  hand,  are  sustained  in  temp- 
 tation by  his  intercession,  and  receive  permission 
 to  use  the  sword  (in  what  sense,  we  shall  see) 
 in  danger,  for  the  question  is  our  salvation  and 
 purification.  This  we  endure  with  him  (of 
 which  ver.  28  was  a  feeble  type)  in  his  tempta- 
 tions, inasmuch  as  he  graciously  attributes  to 
 our  temptations  a  fellowship  with  his  own  ; 
 thus  this  endurance  is  itself  our  dignity,  for 
 the  kingdom  is  appointed  to  us  as  led  through 
 these. 
 
 The  Lord  speaks,  vers.  31-34.  concerning 
 internal  testings,  or  the  inevitable  sifting  by 
 Satan,  in  such  a  manner  as  to  make  Peter,  who 
 would  prematurely  grasp  at  dignity,  and  thinks 
 himself  already  a  persevering  disciple,  an  exam- 
 ple for  all.  Concerning  external  perils  in  their 
 way  through  an  evil  world  he  speaks,  vers. 
 35-^8,  to  all  in  common — intimating  another 
 and  more  severe  future  which  must  come  after 
 he  has  been  reckoned  among  the  transgressors  ; 
 and  pointing  them  to  the  use  of  the  sword,  in 
 a  sense  which  they  indeed  do  not  understand. 
 In  the  former  section,  which  now  lies  before  us, 
 the  Lord  proceeds  from  the  more  general  in- 
 struction of  the  collective  Apostles  (or  disciples) 
 to  the  more  special  humiliation  of  Peter,  who 
 would  stand  out  from  the  rest,  and  contradicts 
 the  Lord's  word.  "  The  enemy  wills  to  have 
 you  all,  and  comes  to  you  all.  Mark  this  thou, 
 O  Simon — to  thee  especially !  But  to  thee  I 
 also  especially  promise  strengthening,  protect- 
 ing grace — and  when  thou  shalt  have  experi- 
 enced it,  then  be  mindful  of  thy  apostolical 
 office  and  priority."  But,  because  all  this  is 
 not  received,  he  says  emphatically — "Thou 
 Peter  wilt  fall  beforehand  so  deeply  as  to  deny 
 me  thrice  in  a  short  space,  overlooking  my  first 
 warning." 
 
 Verse  31.  He  who  reads  the  whole,  as  pen- 
 etrating the  great  subject  of  this  generally- 
 symbolical  instruction,  in  one  connection,  can- 
 not go  astray,  as  we  have  said;  but  more  exact 
 observation  will  correct  the  error  of  supposing 
 that  it  was  actually  such.  This  is  opposed  by 
 the  "  and  the  Lord  said  "  of  ver.  31,  "  and  he 
 said  unto  them"  of  ver.  35:  the  sudden  out- 
 break of  the  address,  Simon  !  Simon  1*  cannot 
 
 *  The    Sixt.  and'Peshito   (piypC'f')   leave  but 
 one  vocative ;  but  this  no  more  than  an  explan- 
 
 be  conceived  after  ver.  SO ;  nor  can  we  under- 
 stand it  at  all  in  a  discourse  at  the  Supper» 
 unless  Ave  suppose  some  special  occasion  given 
 for  such  a  warning.  We  feel  that  this  is  pre- 
 supposed though  not  recorded  by  Luke ;  but 
 I  cannot  find  a  more  approoriate  point  of  con- 
 nection for  such  a  warning  and  awakening  ap- 
 peal than  John  xiii.  36,  37.  "Thou  wilt  go  with 
 me  at  once  into  heaven  through  death  ;  thou 
 art  ready  to  give  up  thy  life  for  me,  before. I 
 have  given  up  my  life  for  thee  and  the  world. 
 Hast  thou  reached  so  far?  Simon,  Simon,  be- 
 think thyself  who  thou  art,  and  how  iL  stands 
 with  you  all!"  From  the  rash  contradiction 
 at  the  feet-washing,  followed  by  the  repetition 
 of  curious  questioning  about  the  betrayer,  down 
 to  this  hasty  and  absolute  affirmation  of  zeal 
 to  be  with  the  Lord,  as  John  describes  it,  he  is 
 the  same  Simon  throughout  this  evening  as 
 the  entire  course  of  his  previous  probation 
 had  exhibited  him.  Nevertheless,  their  faith- 
 ful Alaster,  clamly  contemplating  and  looking 
 through  the  whole,  has  not  to  do  with  him 
 alone,  but  connects  with  the  emphatic  personal 
 address  to  Simon  the  general  word  "  you  ;  "  for 
 he  was  indeed  addressed  only  as  the  leader  and 
 representative  of  all.  It  is  certain  that  in  one 
 sense  he  is  to  be  or  become  the  first  and  the 
 greatest  among  the  Apostles  ;  but  only  in  the 
 strong,  confessing  faith  which  grace  will  enable 
 him  to  maintain,  after  his  fall  into  the  deepest 
 weakness  of  denial.  At  present  he  is  the  first 
 only  in  his  own  unreasonable  ambition,  and  ren- 
 ders it  needful  that  the  general  warning  should 
 be  addressed  to  him  in  particular. 
 
 At  the  time  of  his  former  glorious  confession 
 of  faith  the  Lord  had  addressed  him  with 
 "  Satan,"  because  he  neither  understood  nor 
 would  understand  the  way  of  the  cross  to  glory  ; 
 but  here  this  word  is  qualified  and  changed, 
 expressing,  however,  very  plainly  what  was 
 there  signified.  Because  his  thought  was  on 
 that  occasion  human,  springing  simply  from 
 flesh  and  blood,  Satan  would  tempt  even  tl» 
 Lord  through  him  to  shrink  from  the  cross; 
 and  here  the  same  human  character  of  the  nat- 
 ural Simon  is  a  handle  for  the  enemy,  whereby 
 to  seize  at  least  all  the  rest  of  the  Apostles. 
 Therefore  he  is  addressed  only  by  this  name  of 
 his  natural  birth,  here  alone  emphatically  spok- 
 en twice — see  what  was  said  upon  Matt.  xvi. 
 17,  in  comparison  with  John  i.  43.  Besides 
 these  instances  this  return  to  the  old  name 
 significantly  occurred  thrice— with  its  gentlest 
 meaning  in  Matt.  xvii.  25,  where  his  private 
 thought  was  in  question  ;  much  more  severely 
 in  Mark  xiv.  37,  at  his  sleeping  in  Gethsemane  ; 
 and  finally,  when  he  was  humbled  by  a  reference 
 to  the  past,  John  xxi.  15-17. 
 
 The  Lord  speaks  here  of  Satan,  not  for  Peter 
 only,  but  for  all  his  disciples  in  all  time — for 
 he  knows  hini  well,  and  all  his  desire,  and  all 
 his  deeds.  The  history  of  the  Passion  exhibits 
 around  the  Holy  One  of  God  the  pure  wicked- 
 
 atory  variation.     The  original  has  certainly  not 
 
 2i:.iooyt. 
 
Wi 
 
 PETER'S  FIRST  WARNING. 
 
 ness  and  sin  of  man,  penetrating  even  the  circle 
 'nearest  to  him  ;  but  it  exhibits  also  the  cause 
 of  and  tempter  to  sin,  whom  the  Conqueror 
 alone  reveals  to  us,  as  an  enemy  overcome,  but 
 stni  strong,  subtle,  and  dangerous.  Satan  de- 
 sires the  souls  of  men  without  measure  or  end  ; 
 he  is  insatiable  to  have  and  keep  all.  If  he 
 dared  to  assail  the  "  Son  of  God,"  how  can 
 we  be  secure  from  his  assault?  If  he  broke 
 into  the  circle  of  the  Apostles  with  success, 
 how  anxiously  should  every  one  of  us  receive 
 the  Lord's  warning,  when  "he  is  addressed  of 
 tho  Lord  by  the  name  of  his  birth.  As  King 
 Herod,  after  killing  James,  proceeded  also  to 
 take  Peter  (Acts  xii.  2,  3),  so  Satan  is  not 
 content  with  Judas  (Luke  xxii.  3:  John  xiii. 
 27) ;  he  destres  them  all.  But  we  must  under- 
 stand this  word,  thus  loosely  translated,  ac- 
 cording to  its  meaning  in  the  original — He 
 demanded  Ihem,  on  the  ground  of  a  right;  he 
 challenged  in  a  certain  sense  their  delivery  to 
 himseh.*  We  must  think  of  the  prologue  of 
 the  generally-typical  book  of  Job,  to  which 
 'the  expression  seems  to  refer;  and  of  all  that 
 is  there  taught  concerning  the  necessity  of  a 
 Dermitted  test  under  the  righteous  eye  of  the 
 oupreme,  in  the  congregation  of  the  heavenly 
 children  of  God,  among  whom  the  accuser  en- 
 ters with  his  demand  that  the  pious  upon  earth, 
 if  their  claims  are  to  be  valid,  may  not  be 
 spared.  This  holds  good,  as  our  Lord  here 
 testifies,  all  the  more  expressly  of  those  who 
 are  already  in  near  communion  with  Christ,  in 
 order  that  they  may  be  approved,  and  become 
 worthy  of  their  dignity — and  at  the  same  time 
 with  reference  to  their  significance  in  relation 
 to  all  others.  Therefore  is  Peter  the  first  of 
 the  Apostles,  the  first  in  the  temptation,  and 
 must  take  precedence  of  the  rest  as  an  example 
 of  sifting.  Bengel:  "This  whole  saying  of  our 
 Lord  pre-supposes  that  Peter  was  the  first  of 
 the  Apostles,  in  whose  standing  or  falling  the 
 others  would  be  less  or  more  endangered." 
 This  Satan  knew,  and  would  through  Peter's 
 fall  offend,  weaken,  and  overcome  the  others. 
 Braune  expresses  this  too  strongly:  "He  was 
 the  heart,  hand,  and  mouth  in  the  apostolic 
 circle;  while  Thomas  was  its  head,  and  John 
 its  soul " — for  the  heart  was,  rather,  John,  who 
 hence  in  his  innocence  led  Peter  to  the  fire  of 
 coals.  But  Peter  was  the  mouth  and  the  cour- 
 age of  a  confessivg  faith;  hence  this  a,ssault 
 upon  all  in  his  person.  That  he  must  thus 
 take  the  lead  in  trial  was  his  real  prerogative ; 
 and  something  very  different  from  that  which 
 
 •  The  Midrl.  f$atrs760at,  here  alone  occurrinrj 
 in  (he  N.  T.,  means  propf>rly  to  demand  ano:her 
 for  oneself;  someiimes  in  llie  sense  of  a  request 
 for  deliverance  and  mercy,  but  also  for  the  deliv- 
 ery to  justice  of  a  transgressor — which  lattor  oc- 
 curs es|)ccially  in  l^airt/dii.  But  that  L^V^V- 
 6ato  intimates  the  obtain  ng  of  what  was  .sought 
 (as  Alford  thinks),  we  cannot  admit.  AVe  do  not, 
 indeed,  u'lder.^tand  this  interpretation  ;  for  Satan 
 demanded  not  merely  the  sifting,  but  the  Apostles 
 themselves  (v>uaS). 
 
 his  Romish  successor  arrogates — concerning 
 which  Bengel  says  vigorously,  Totus  misere  in 
 crihnim  incvlit. 
 
 Satan  would  /ia»?,  would  retain  the  Apostles, 
 and  yet  yield  them  to  the  Lord  his  conqueror 
 — this  lies  first  in  i^7^n',daro  vfcdi,  hath  de- 
 sired you;  then  follows  the  closer  definition  of 
 h\s  pm^ose  Tov  dvvtd6at,  to  sift  you.  This 
 infinitive  of  design  (particularly  usual  with 
 Luke)  is  not  so  much  to  be  explained,  "that 
 he  may  sift  you  " — for  if  he  already  hrt»  them, 
 that  was  no  more  needed — as  in  the  liglit  of 
 an  accompanying,  modifying,  explanation — 
 While  he  will  sift  you,  cast  you  into  the  sieve 
 of  test.  The  sifting  is  granted  and  takes  place ; 
 but  the  intercession  of  the  Redeemer  stands  in 
 the  way  of  the  attainment  of  the  accuser's  en- 
 tire demand.  The  word  in  its  condensed  sig- 
 nificance intimates  that  Satan  at  first  demands 
 their  temptation  as  his  right,  but  with  the  un- 
 derstanding at  the  same  time  that  he  will 
 thereby  obtain  them  for  his  own;  just  in  the 
 sense  of  that  daring  but  infatuated  word — What 
 avails  it  that  he  will  bless  thee  to  thy  face  (Job 
 ii.  5)?  So  thinks  he  still,  having  learned  no 
 better;  but  is  in  manifold  ways  mistaken, 
 since  the  permitted  sifting  does  no  harm  to  the 
 wheat  of  God.  He  would  "  mightily  over- 
 whelm you,  cast  you  into  apostacy  and  despair 
 through  my  suflferings,  so  that  ye  may  be  (in- 
 dividually) as  chaff."  Thus  IMeyer's  note  gives 
 the  design  of  the  enemy ;  but  Christ  interweaves 
 his  protest  when  he  says,  like  wheat.  He  does 
 not  mean  merely  that  Satan  lays  claim  to  the 
 sifting  of  the  wheat,  if,  peradventnre,  chaff 
 should  be  in  it,  or  it  should  be  nothing  but 
 chaff;  but  he  has  a  further  two-fold  meaning. 
 The  sifting  m.ust  not  be  refused  to  him — and 
 the  wheat  will  stand  the  test.  Does  he  not 
 declare  his  beloved  disciples  to  he  his  wheat  f 
 Does  he  not  allude  to  the  winnowing-fan,  which, 
 according  to  the  Baptist,  he  himself  would  also 
 use,  to  purge  out  all  the  chaff?  The  sifting  is 
 the  same  as  the  winnowing,  but  with  an  inten- 
 ser  meaning  of  terrifying  and  affripht.  No 
 company  of  the  disciples  is  so  united  and  so 
 near  to  the  Lord  as  not  to  go  through  this 
 test;  but  when  Satan,  the  sieve-holder  of  God, 
 thinks  to  obtain  them  collectively  as  cliafT,  God 
 has  provided  that  no  grain  of  wheat  should 
 fall  to  the  earth.  See  Amos  ix.  9,  the  only 
 place  in  which  the  figure  occurs,  and  to  which, 
 according  to  his  word,  the  Lord  mayjefer.* 
 
 Verse  32.  The  Lord  now  by  his  'Kyoo  8e, 
 But  I,  majestically  opposes  Satan,  as  retain- 
 ing his  own  supremacy  over  his  disciples. 
 That  he  must,  though  but  for  a  season,  give  up 
 his  beloved  ones  to  the  tempter,  and  behold 
 the  fall  of  Peter,  is  a  part  of  his  own  suffering. 
 
 *  Certainly  liiy  in  Amos,  as  elsewheie,  Inpil'iis, 
 
 is  equivalent  to  grannm,  not  by  any  means  "  ver- 
 Lniidenes,"  as  lien2steiil)era:  {Christ,  iii.  2:^6) 
 thinks.  Wo  slated  this  to  be  the  only  i)lace  iit 
 Scripture  which  spealis  of  sifting  as  a  iisnie,  and 
 the  separation  of  ijie  <i;rains  of  corn  j  lor  it  is  in- 
 correct to  iulerpret  Isa.  .\.\vii.  12  in  this  sense. 
 
LUKE  XXII.  32. 
 
 553 
 
 yea,  in  a  certain  sense,  a  temptation  for  him- 
 eelf';  but  he  abides  in  his  serene  self-possession 
 the  conqueror,  he  performs  his  part  for  victory, 
 and  bears  witness  to  it.  With  that  most  gra- 
 cious tempering  of  majesty  by  humility,  which 
 we  every  where  see  in  his  actions  and  words, 
 he  opposes  the  proud  and  in  some  sense  justi- 
 fied desire  of  the  enemy,  by  a  request  on  his  own 
 part.  For  the  evil  one  has,  indeed,  some  show 
 of  right,  but  mercy  triumphs  over  justice,  and 
 "  the  holy  supplication  of  mercy  countervails 
 before  God  the  daring  appeal  of  the  accuser" 
 (Lange).  Christ  had  already  prayed — not,  as 
 has  been  unthinkingly  expounded,  before  Sa- 
 tan's demand,  as  if  anticipating  him — but  the 
 intercession  of  the  Mediator  (apart  from  the 
 eternal  counsel)  comes  actually  into  that  later 
 time  when  he  prominently  declared  himself 
 our  intercessor,  and  specifically  took  place  after 
 Satan's  desire  was  seen  through.  The  Lord 
 plainly  means  hia  intercessory  prayer,  John 
 xvii.,  in  which,  as  the  Son  in  the  Father's  pres- 
 ence, he  nevertheless  humbly  says — I  auk  for 
 them.  He  had  not  uttered  this  when  he  spoke 
 to  Simon  ;  but  he  anticipates  it  with  reference 
 to  the  future  sifting :  tlien  will  it  be  said  and 
 atrail,  I  have  jnuyed  for  thee. 
 
 For  iliee!  This  is  the  transition  to  Simon 
 alone,  and  foretells  to  him  a  special  sifting  be- 
 fore that  of  the  others.  Moreover,  it  is  to  be 
 understood  that  in  thus  making  him  prominent, 
 the  promise,  like  the  warning,  holds  good  of 
 all.  Wliat  then  was  prayed  for?  The  sub- 
 stance of  the  intercession  is  not  stated,  because, 
 as  it  may  be  said,  it  also  is  self-understood ;  yet 
 we  may  take  'iva  for  Zvt  as  in  John.  (See  in 
 Luke,  e.  g.,  chap.  i.  43.)  In  any  case  the  mean- 
 ing is  nearly  the  same,  whether  we  take  the 
 Bustentation  of  his  faith  as  the  matter  of  the 
 intercession,  or  as  its  design  and  result.  Of 
 \\\s,  faith — for  the  translation  "  that  thy  fidelity 
 may  not  fail "  is  contrary  to  the  phraseology 
 of  the  Evangelists.  Christ  here  ascribts  also 
 the  decision  of  the  matter  to  fnilh.  Faith 
 alone,  that  is,  in  God  and  in  him  (John  xiv.  1) 
 settles  the  contest  with  Satan;  in  faith  alone 
 are  we  strong  and  stand  ;  through  faith  alone, 
 when  it  is  still  present,  we  arise  from  our  fall. 
 The  most  evil  element  in  every  sin  of  believers, 
 even  in  those  which  are  called  lesser  sins,  is 
 this,  that  in  sinning  their  faith  is  each  time 
 weakened,  because  the  unbelief  present  with 
 it.  and  from  which  the  sin  proceeded,  obtains  a 
 new  power.  This  unbelief  may,  if  it  be  not 
 checked,  go  on  gradually  from  sin  to  sin ;  and 
 in  a  feariul  fall  it  may  proceed  to  a  total  cessa- 
 tion of  faith.  Let  it  be  carefully  noted  in  op- 
 position to  all  false  teaching  that  our  Lord 
 declares  an  eHXeixeiv,  a  defcere  in  totum,  an 
 utter  extinction  of  faith,  not  only  to  be  pos- 
 fiible,  but,  without  something  intervening,  to 
 be  certain— and  even  in  the  case  of  an  Apostle, 
 of  Peter.  But  the  Father's  grace,  prayed  for 
 by  tne  Son,  defends  from  this  ruin  ;  and  not 
 only  so,  but  the  superabundance  of  his  grace 
 makes  the  experience  thus  gained  of  our  infirmi- 
 ty and  impotence  the   means  of  strengthen- 
 
 ing  our  faith  when  we  are  delivered.  Christ 
 did  not  pray  that  from  the  silting  or  in  the 
 sifting  we  should  be  spared  ;  but  that  we  might 
 not  through  perfect  unbelief  become  chaff  which 
 must  fall  through.  The  fulfillment  of  his  sup- 
 plication takes  place  in  that  he  can  strengthen 
 our  faith,  and  preserve  and  revive  the  spark 
 which  was  ready  to  be  extinguished,  through 
 that  prerogative  of  grace  which  is  of  more 
 avail  before  God  than  the  demand  of  the  ac- 
 cuser. Christ  names  not  his  unbelief,  which, 
 however,  was  strongly  manifested  in  Simon's 
 denial ;  but  his  faith  which  was  very  weak  and 
 near  to  failing,  which,  however,  was  conse- 
 quently sustained  and  not  utterly  extinguished. 
 Again,  where  there  has  been  from  the  begin- 
 ning no  faith,  there  can  be  no  room  for  such 
 intercession  of  Christ  for  its  preservation  ;  it 
 cannot  therefore  be  said  with  regard  to  this  in- 
 tercession, that  Judas  was  included.  To  his 
 case  is  applicable  all  that  we  have  explain- 
 ed in  John  xvii.  concerning  the  distinctive 
 intercession  of  Christ  for  his  own.  However 
 specificallv  the  word  of  our  text  refers  to  the 
 person  of  Feter,  it  has  a  universal  significance; 
 the  general  rule  comes  out  only  in  particular 
 instances.  We  all  have  cause  to  be  mindful 
 of  Satan's  desire  for  us ;  and  to  invigorate  our 
 failing  faith  by  the  comforting  thought  of 
 Christ's  intercession,  when  we  fall  into  the 
 enemy's  sieve.  But  we  must  not  beforehand 
 and  independently  rely  solely  upon  it.  We 
 should  learn  what  conflict  goes  on  in  the  invis- 
 ible world  about  our  poor  souls,  which  so  often 
 like  Peter  forget  themselves  ;  we  should  "never 
 forgot  how  often  the  hand  of  Jesus  has  saved 
 us  from  falling  into  hell,  that  we  may  encourage 
 others  to  put  their  trust  in  the  intercession 
 and  help  of  Jesus"  (Pvieger).  The  more  pre- 
 eminent thou  art,  as  the  guide  and  represen- 
 tative of  others,  the  more  carefully  shouldst 
 thou  guard  against  all  self-confidence,  and  all 
 boasting  beforehand  of  thine  own  strength; 
 learning  what  this  word  of  Christ,  and  the 
 history  which  it  underlies  and  which  is  ex- 
 plained by  it,  is  intended  to  teach.* 
 
 If  the  previous  clause  generally  and  indefi- 
 nitely predicted  a  fall  of  Peter,  down  almost 
 to  the  verge  of  total  loss  of  faith ;  what 
 follows  contains  in  it  mighty  consolation,  as 
 taking  it  for  granted  that  he  would  remain  an 
 Apostle,  and  discharge  apostolical  functions 
 afterwards  all  the  more  etfectually. 
 
 In  a  future  when  {note),  he  will  come  lack 
 from  his  wandering  and  error,  and  rise  all  the 
 
 *  It,  is  enough  to  mention  in  a  note  the  melan- 
 choly perversion  of  the  Romanist  exegesi.s — that 
 Peter  was  specially  prayed  for,  because  all  was  to 
 depend  upon  him  as  the  head;  and  that  the  sub- 
 ject of  the  praj-er  was  that  the  confession  of  the  true 
 Christ  should  never  fail  in  the  chief  head  of  the 
 Church,  or  in  his  successors.  But  thejaith  which 
 Peter  even  in  his  denial  never  utterly  lest,  was 
 somethinn;  very  diflferent  from  externally  true  doc- 
 trine. The  word  ol  Chrii^t,  here  r^  in  Matt,  xvi., 
 has  nothing  to  do  with  "  successors." 
 
554 
 
 PETER'S  FIRST  WARNING. 
 
 more  vigorons  from  his  fall.  Or,  are  we  to  inter- 
 pret l7r/6rp£tl>a?  adverbially — Then  strengthen 
 them  again  as  I  have  strengthened  thee?  It 
 does  indeed  occur  in  this  sense  (in  the  Sept., 
 e.  g.,  Psa.  Ixxxv.  7)  ;  and,  after  Beda,  Maldo- 
 natus,  Grotius,  Bengel  (who  incorrectly  com- 
 pares Acts  vii.  42),  Van  Hengel  has  lately 
 defended  this  view.  But  there  is  something 
 unbecoming  in  such  a  comparison  between 
 Peter's  strengthening  his  brethren  and  the 
 Lord's  strengthening  him,  for  there  is  a  great 
 distinction  to  be  observed ;  and,  moreover, 
 even  if  this  be  explained  away,  the  phrase- 
 ology of  the  New  Testament  too  generally  and 
 distinctively  employs  tTti6Tpi<peiv  and  knt- 
 6Tpe<pE6Bai  to  signify  return  from  sin,  conver- 
 sion to  God  (as  in  Matt.  xiii.  15) — see  it,  as 
 used  by  Luke  himself,  Acts  xi.  21,  xiv.  15, 
 xxvi.  18,  iii.  19,  ix.  35,  etc.*  When  the  Lord, 
 in  this  preparatory  ^•o??z's^,  which  included  a 
 requirement  that  his  Apostle  should  do  what 
 David  promised  in  Psa.  li.  and  honestly  did. 
 speaks  of  his  Eni>}TpecpEiv  or  returning,  he 
 makes  his  meaning  perfectly  plain.  On  the 
 one  hand,  Peter's  deep  fall  is  more  definitely 
 predicted  as  first  to  take  place  ;  and  then,  on 
 the  other,  the  condition  is  made  prominent, 
 on  which  alone  the  fulfillment  of  ihe  promise 
 is  suspended.  Only  to  this  end  has  he  pre- 
 served in  Peter's  heart  even  in  the  midst  of 
 his  denial  a  secret  faith,  that  this  laith  may  be 
 strengthened  into  full  return  and  conversion, 
 might  take  courage  to  return  to  him  Avho 
 should  forgive  such  sin,  and  strengthen  his 
 disciple's  faith  through  the  experience  of  such 
 grace.  (And  whoever  has  already  been  con- 
 verted to  God,  must  after  every  fall  renew  this 
 returning.)  The  Lord  prays  for  all  who  have 
 any  faith  ;  but  not  all  return  back  to  him,  to 
 receive  the  virtue  and  fruit  of  his  intercession, 
 which  constrains  none,  but  "props  up  those 
 alone  who  receive  the  prop."  Thus  while  ?fAf?i 
 thou  hnst  turned  is  a  certain  prediction,  it  is  at 
 the  same  time  a  direct  imperative  to  Peter. 
 
 Then  strengthen  thy  brethren.  Then  shalt 
 thou  be  able.  There  is  a  reason  why  God  per- 
 mits us  to  fall  for  our  own  ^deeper  knowledge 
 of  ourselves  ;  that  our  sin  may  be  turned  into 
 a  blessing  to  ourselves  and  to  others.  When, 
 humbled  and  encouraged,  we  understand  the 
 ways  of  the  Lord,  we  can  from  the  resources 
 of  our  own  experience  warn  others  of  the 
 power  of  the  enemy  and  encourage  them  to 
 rely  upon  the  victory  of  grace— knowing  the 
 voice  of  tlie  wolf  and  the  voice  of  the  "shep- 
 herd, the  cunning  of  the  one  and  the  fidelitv 
 of  the  other,  we  can  teach  others  to  know 
 them  also.  Although  the  Lord  afterwards 
 terms  the  disciples  his  brethren,  he  cannot 
 here  say,  "  Strengthen  my" — or  even  "our — 
 brethren."  For  the  Apostle  was  to  strengthen 
 and  encourage  those  who  were  exposed  to  sim- 
 ilar defect  of  faith  as  himself — thus  hia  own 
 brethren.     The  word  extends  assuredly  beyond 
 
 *  Hence  also  kntCrpoqiv,  chnp.  xv.  3,  not  the 
 converfcaJon,  but  the  conveision  of  the  Gentiles. 
 
 them,  but  Peter's  fellow- Apostles  are  prima- 
 rily meant;  and  the  intimation  is  given  that 
 all  his  brethren  would  waver  likewise.  The 
 fall  of  the  first  of  them,  of  him  who  had  been 
 the  most  courageous  confessor,  must  be  a  stum- 
 bling-block to  the  faith  of  all.  Finally,  it  is 
 observable  that  Peter  is  to  strengthen  his 
 brethren  m  their  brother;  no  such  primacy 
 awaited  him  as  should  change  his  brotherly 
 relation.  When  he  afterwards  wrote  1  Pet.  v. 
 8-10  he  remembered  this  word  of  the  Lord,  as 
 almost  all  his  expressions  show.  The  disper- 
 sion was  strengthened  by  these  his  Epistles ; 
 for  chap.  i.  12,  iii.  17,  in  the  equally  genuine 
 second  Epistle,  have  the  same  tone. 
 
 But  now  as  yet  he  is  the  old,  lofty,  but  weak 
 Simon,  who  knows  not  himself,  whom  we  have 
 learned  to  know  in  John  xiii.  36,  37.  Most 
 unbecomingly  he  contradicts  the  scarcely  re- 
 ceived word  of  his  Master — "  Thy  intercession 
 for  me  is  not  so  necessary,  I  have  a  true  and 
 strong  faith ;  I  am  ready,  I  will  abide  with 
 thee  and  follow  thee  wherever  thou  goest,  so 
 that  I  shall  never  need  to  return  back  again! 
 If  they  put  thee  into  j:)rison  " — that  is  the  first 
 thing  which  he  can  think  of;  what  follows 
 he  hardly  meant  in  full  earnest — "  anil  vnto 
 death."  (If  it  should  go  so  far  as  that  thy 
 body  should  be  offered  up,  thy  blood  be  shed.) 
 Vain  as  is  the  impotent  self-confidence  which 
 expresses  itself  in  these  words,  there  is  no 
 hypocrisy  in  them ;  at  the  moment  when  he 
 uttered  those  strong  feelings  there  was  a  real 
 truth  in  his  willing  readiness.*  Therefore  his 
 heart,  which  truly  hangs  upon  the  Lord,  puts 
 first  the  warm  and  resolute  Kvpie,  uerd  6ov, 
 Tjord,  with  thee.  Yet,  on  the  other  hand,  there 
 is  something  very  blameworthy,  self-willed, 
 and  blind  in  his  continuing  his  contradiction 
 after  a  similar  rash  assertion  had  given  the 
 Lord  occasion  to  anticipate  every  further  ex- 
 cess of  presumption  by  the  warning  rebuke  of 
 his  Simon!  Simon  ! 
 
 Verse  34.  What  remains  to  the  repelled 
 Master  but  to  utter,  in  sorrowful  afll'ection,  the 
 more  definite  prediction  of  all  that  he  fore- 
 saw down  to  Its  minutest   detail  concerning 
 
 *  Niemeyer  carries  ihis  too  far,  and  is  too  indul- 
 ireiit  to  tho  flesh  when  he  finds  here  "  the  voice  of 
 n  noble  and  reso'utesp'rit — honorable  ambition  (?) 
 — the  warm  feelinij  of  love — )iot  excess  of  pre- 
 sumption— n  t  mere  words — but  the  eenerous  out- 
 burst of  the  biavest  d''C  sion,  as  noble  at  the  mo- 
 nietit  as  the  act  itself."  Dijiseke  is  more  correct: 
 "  Man  is  always  bolter  than  his  evil,  and  n-orsa 
 than  lis  good,  imi)ulse  and  humor:  in  other 
 words,  no  man  in  as  good  as  moments  of  clorions 
 inspiration  exhibit  him  ;  and  no  wicked  man  is  so 
 wicked  as  he  ai>peirs  in  the  outbreaks  of  wretclied 
 spjl-oblivion."  Uut  we  may  ask  if  this  g  orious 
 inspiration  is  not  also  wretched  self-oblivion. 
 Ivrunimachcr  wishes  for  us  all  a  similar  zeal  for 
 thpi  Mas' er,  and  snys  that  "  no  self-exaltation  is 
 moi»o  tolerable  and  ])ardonnble  than  tl)at  which 
 springs  from  such  nn  enthusiasm  lor  the  Saviour." 
 Cut  the  Siviour  bimsplt  deals  more  severely  with 
 this  not  thoroughly  well  grounded  devotion. 
 
MATTHEW  XXVI.  31-34. 
 
 555 
 
 him  ?  "  I  yiy  unto  tTtee — because  thou  dost  en- 
 force it — and  wilt  thou  contradict  this  also?" 
 Now  in  gentle  irony — "  Unto  thee,  the  supposed 
 Peter  !  Thoa  didst  in  the  name  of  all  confess 
 thy  faith  in  me,  and  then  thou  wert  Peter ;  but 
 thou  wilt  soon,  to-day,  deny,  and  say  that  thou 
 hast  never  known  rae.  "*  (This,  according  to  ver. 
 37,  compare  Mark  xiv.  68,  71 ;  Matt.  xxvi.  72, 
 
 74,  was  literally  fulfilled.)  "  Even  thrice  in  per- 
 sisting blindness  and  increasing  guilt — until  at' 
 last  the  cock-a'owing  will  awaken  thee  in  thy 
 deep  night,  and  bring  back  to  thy  remembrance 
 my  slighted  Simon!  Simon!"  What  more 
 might  be  said  upon  this  must  be  reserved  lor 
 the  immediately-following  repetition  of  the 
 same  most  memorable  word  of  Jesus. 
 
 SECOND  INTIMATION  OF  THE  DENIAL. 
 (Matt.  xxvi.  31-34;  Maek  xiv.  27-30.) 
 
 According  to  John,  with  whom  Luke  well 
 agrees,  the  Lord  predicted  the  denial  of  his 
 professor,  after  the  Supper  indeed,  but  lefore  the 
 final  discourses  of  John  xiv.-xvii.,  before  the 
 going  forth  in  chap,  xviii.  1.  But,  according  to 
 Matthew,  with  whom  Mark  almost  verbally 
 coincides,  the  Lord  said  the  same  specifically- 
 predicting  words  after  the  actual  going  forth,  in 
 the  way ;  in  a  connection  quite  different  from 
 that  which  John  plainly  gives,  and  constrained 
 by  a  similar  yet  still  different  word  of  Peter, 
 to  express  himself  so  distinctly.  Nothing  is 
 clearer  than  that  their  accounts  are  diverse; 
 nothing  more  certain  than  that  both  must  be 
 true  ;  nor  does  any  thing  prevent  our  assum- 
 ing a  repetition  of  the  word  which  Peter  re- 
 jected the  first  time,  when  such  an  occasion  as 
 we  shall  find  demanded  it.  We  therefore  pray 
 all  believing  expositors  of  Scripture,  all  Passion- 
 preachers  especially,  to  give  up  the  attempt  to 
 make  these  two  distinct  sayings  one.  The  then 
 of  ver.  31  in  Matthew  (consequently  also  the 
 and  of  ver.  27  in  Mark)  cannot  possibly  go 
 back  to  something  said  at  an  earlier  time,  as  an 
 indefinite  formula — ahout  that  iiine.  It  must 
 indicate  the  succession  of  time  after  they  went 
 forth.  As  John  makes  it  plain  that  the  dis- 
 courses and  prayer  of  chaps,  xiv.-xvii.  were 
 uttered  before  that  going  forth,  it  follows  that 
 the  words  which  we  have  now  to  consider  were 
 spoken  after  all  this,  even  after  the  high- 
 priestly  prayer.  And  it  is  a  superfluous  con- 
 firmation of  this  that  Matt.  xxvi.  31  only  again 
 takes  up  what  had  been  once  declared  imme- 
 diately before  the  prayer  in  John  xvi.  32. 
 
 It  remains  to  be  asked,  in  what  connection 
 of  time  the  singing  is  to  be  placed.  As  this 
 solitary  recorded  instance  of  Christ's  singing, 
 vMVElv,'\  must  refer  to  the  customary  psalms 
 which  were  sung  over  the  fourth  paschal  cup 
 at  the  close  of  the  ceremony, J  it  is  plain  that 
 
 *  The  fiif  after  <x.itapvy6^  is,  as  frequently,  a 
 reduplicat  d  negation:  see  chap.  xx.  27. 
 
 f  Not  merely,  They  uttered  a  song,  or  the  song 
 of  praise — but  an  actual  rec  tative  .song.  The 
 only  lime  that  we  find  our  Lord  sanctifying  singing 
 by  his  own  ex.-  mple. 
 
 X  The  so-called  Hallel,  or  great  HaHel,  Psa.  cxiii., 
 cxiv.,  having  been  sung  during  the  meal,  Psa. 
 
 it  here  forms  the  close  of  the  paschal  meal ; 
 yet  so  that  the  sacramental  institution  is  re- 
 garded as  in  part  taking  the  place  of  the  old 
 rite.  If  we  would  strictly  connect  the  singing 
 with  the  going  out,  our  Lord  must  be  represent- 
 ed as  returning  again  to  Old-Testament  words, 
 after  John  xiv.-xvii.,  that  is,  after  the  sublime, 
 a'U-fulfilling  and  all-glorifying  prayer— and 
 this  is  to  us  at  least  quite  unimaginable.  No 
 one  who  enters  fully  into  the  spirit  of  the 
 whole  will  suppose  this ;  and  nothing  can  be 
 more  violent  than  Grotius'  perversion,  who 
 thinks  that  the  high-priestly  prayer  itself  was 
 intoned  as  a  hymn  1  Thus,  after  John  xiii.  23- 
 38,  and  Luke  xxii.  31-34,  all  inseparably  con- 
 nected with  the  meal,  the  customary  hymn  was 
 sung  to  calm  the  spirits  of  all,  fitly  to  close  the 
 feast,  and  to  give  the  first  signs  of  the  approach- 
 ing going  out.  But  the  discourses  in  John 
 (luring  the  delay  of  setting  forth  must  be  inter- 
 posed between  the  singing  and  the  going  out. 
 The  connection  of  these  two  in  the  first  two 
 Evangelists  only  declares  that  this  part  of  the 
 paschal  rite  was  not  omitted;  and  that  they 
 did  not  set  forth  before  they  had  sung. 
 
 ITiis  night — thus  does  the  Lord  noio  begin 
 again,  as  he  goes  forth  accompanied  by  his 
 disciples  through  the  night,  and  sees  in  his 
 spirit  how  soon  they  will  fly  from  him,  be  scat- 
 tered as  sheep  without  a  shepherd,  and  leave 
 him  alone  (John  xvi.  82).  This  is  the  hour 
 already  come,  in  which  the  night,  must  enter  in 
 a  deeper  sense,  in  which  the  power  of  darkness 
 will  break  in  upon  the  light  of  the  world.  All 
 the  powers  of  hell— as  of  heaven— are  excited; 
 the  whole  world  of  spirits  is  stirred  up  to  the 
 decisive  conflict;  and  in  the  world  of  men 
 around  the  Lord  there  is  such  concentration  of 
 suspense,  such  confusion  and  darkness  of  mind, 
 
 cxv.-cxviii.  followed  as  a  closing  doxoloay.  The 
 book  of  Wisdom,  chap,  xviii.  9,  dates  this  back  to 
 the  first  Passover  of  the  fathers.  Certainly  the 
 Lord  did  not  omit  tl.ese  most  appropriate  Mes- 
 sianic psalms  ;  they  were  prophecies  prepared  for 
 him  an<l  his  present  hour.  But  we  must  endeavor 
 to  realize  his  thoughts  in  singing  them,  to  gettherr 
 wonderful  meaning ;  to  understand  how  he  sang 
 "  in  the  confident  exjiectation  of  the  glorious  songs 
 which  would  be  born  of  his  sufferings." 
 
*56 
 
 PETER'S  SECOND  WARNING. 
 
 as  baffles  all  attempt  at  human  description. 
 The  Lord  alone,  now  as  heietolore,  is  serene 
 and  collected  ;  he  looks  through  the  whole,  lets 
 his  light  shine  forth  \waI  the  final  crisis,  and 
 eeeks  still  to  bring  his  disciples  to  thoughtful- 
 ness,  and  arm  them  against  the  confounded 
 powers  of  the  night.  For  this  prediction  of 
 fall  and  offence  is  itself,  connected  as  it  here 
 is  with  words  of  gracious  consolation,  a  defence 
 against  their  perlect  fall  and  continued  offence 
 for  they  would  afterwards  remember — He  fore 
 told  va  this  ! 
 
 What  6Hav8aXit^E6Boii,  their  leing  offended 
 is,  we  have  seen  from  Matt.  xi.  6,  down  to 
 Matt.  xxiv.  10;  so  that  no  explanation  is  far- 
 ther wanting.  "  All  ye  still  remaining  around 
 me" — this  comes  prominently  first  in  contrast 
 with  the  "one  among  yo\i,"  this  one  being  now 
 removed.  Observe  how  that  appears  here 
 again  to  be  taken  for  granted.  Tliey  have  re- 
 ceived the  praise  of  continuing  with  him  hith- 
 erto (indeed  only  in  a  typical  reference  to  the 
 future),  and  great  promises  in  addition;  but 
 their  weakness  must  first  become  manifest,  that 
 weakness  which,  however,  has  not  restrained 
 him  from  instituting  with  them  the  sacrament. 
 In  all  these  relations  we  find  pure  generalities, 
 as  typically  as  historically  presented ;  the  design 
 of  the  icords  of  our  Lord  which  are  recorded  is 
 no  other  than  to  make  prominent  these  funda- 
 mental points  in  the  whole  procedure,  and  thus 
 to  point  out  to  his  future  Church  the  way  of 
 a  perpetual  application.  Shall  be  offeivled  in 
 me — this  is  almost  in  direct  antithesis  to  the 
 betraying  of  that  one;  it  is  far  from  meaninc; 
 what  De  Wette's  translation  suggests,  "  Be 
 apostates  from  me,"  but  only  intimates  the 
 perilous  beginnings  in  that  direction.  Yet  it 
 IS  no  other  than  a  sinful  weakness  in  all  the 
 Apostles ;  and  if  not  one  of  them  was  excepted, 
 BO  there  are  no  disciples  of  any  time  to  whom 
 the  niglit  of  offence  will  not  come.  His  words 
 are  piercing  and  deeply  humbling,  but  they  are 
 also  consolatory,  since  the  Lord  so  calmly  and 
 conciliatingly  speaks  of  it  in  this  night  of  atone- 
 ment. One  has  betrayed  him,  one  has  denied 
 him,  all  have  forsaken  him  :  here  we  have  three 
 degrees ;  but  the  two  latter  are  dillVrent  only 
 in  their  external  manifes'ation.  Hence  the 
 Lord,  if  we  compare  his  words  elsewhere,  in- 
 cludes the  de.nal  of  Peter  with  the  general 
 offence  of  the  eleven  who  remained  with  him. 
 Positive  denifd  indeed  is  in  its  actuality  much 
 more  than  the  negative  forsaking  or  leaving. 
 Yet  both  are  in  principle  one,  and  are  thus  re- 
 lated :  the  offence  is  opposed  to  a /rti</i  which 
 adhere.^,  wails,  holds  out,  and  follows;  the  de- 
 nial IS  opposed  to  an  avowal  of  that  faith. 
 
 For  their  stronger  consolation  the  Lord  gives 
 them  his  prediction  with  a  yiypaitrai.  It  u 
 tentten.  We  know  how  precisely  his  quotations 
 of  Scripture  are  to  be  understood.  The  notion 
 that  he  occasionally  derived  a  figure,  or  a  pro- 
 verb, or  a  striking  say. ns?  from  tiie  Scriptures, 
 without  reference  to  the  real  connection  in 
 which  it  originally  stood,  is  altogether  un- 
 worthy every  where,  but  especially  inappropri- 
 
 ate to  the  holy  solemnity  of  the  season  of  the 
 Passion.*  We  have  not  one  solitary  instance 
 of  any  such  unbefitting  use  of  a  scriptural 
 word.  Von  Gerlach's  remark  is  here  strictly 
 appropriate  :  "  Jesus  no  where  so  often  as  in 
 his  sufferings  quoted  or  alluded  to  passages  of 
 holy  Scripture,  as  fulfilled  ;  so  in  the  desert  he 
 repelled  thereby  the  assaults  of  the  devil,  and 
 obviated  the  offence  of  his  disciples,  as  if  some- 
 thing unexpected  had  befallen  him."  Conse- 
 quently, this  reference  to  the  prophet  Zecha- 
 riah  is  to  be  taken  as  a  precise  quotation  ;  and 
 thus  that  passage  secures,  to  a  believing  expo- 
 sition, its  only  true  meaning. 
 
 The  last  chapters  of  the  prophet  are,  aa  is 
 well  known,  very  obscure,  through  their  pro- 
 found and  often  designedly-paradoxical  expres- 
 sion ,  but  the  Christian -reader,  at  least,  is  per- 
 fectly sure  that  they  refer  to  the  Messiah  and 
 his  time.  It  is  for  us  now,  assuming  this, 
 humbly  to  investigate  them;  and,  avoiding 
 the  presumptuous  arbitrariness  which  can  only 
 confuse  our  understanding,  to  let  the  light  of 
 fulfillment  shine  upon  the  path  of  investigation. 
 We  now  give  the  view  which  we  believe  that 
 in  this  manner  we  have  found. 
 
 The  collection  of  Zechanah's  prophecies  con- 
 sists (according  to  the  preface,  chap.  i.  1-6)  of 
 two  main  sections,  the  iormer  of  which  (down 
 to  the  end  of  chap,  viii.),  bases  upon  the  then 
 renewed  typical  Jerusalem,  a  prospect  of  the 
 essential  nem  Jerum'em.  In  chap.  vi.  we  have 
 the  new  temple,  a  living  temple,  growing  up 
 from  its  foundation,  which  the  man,  the  branch 
 builds,  who  unites  the  kingly  and  high-priestly 
 crowns — the  typical  circle  of  prophecy  thus  at 
 the  end  returning  into  and  coinciding  with  its 
 beginnings  in  2  Sam.  vii.,  and  Psa.  ex.  See 
 further  the  high  consummation  of  the  prophet 
 viewed  in  the  realized  glory  of  Jerusalem,  chap, 
 viii.  But  with  all  this  we  have  not  particu- 
 larly to  do ;  the  second  section,  chap,  ix.-xiv., 
 more  directly  concerns  us  here.  This  pictures 
 the  future  new  Jerusalem  without  any  typical 
 connection  or  basis;  but,  instead  of  that^  with 
 a  comprehensive  glance  over  the  history  of  its 
 preparations  in  the  counsel  of  God  down  to  its 
 full  establishment;  a  glance,  however,  dim  be- 
 fore its  great  fulfillment.  Chapters  ix.  and  xi. 
 prophesy  especially  of  its  prcjMiratiom,  give  us 
 first  a  most  general  glance  at  the  plan  of  the 
 Lord's  government,  whicli  looks  upon  men  and 
 upon  all  the  trilxit  of  Imiel  (chap.  ix.  1),  that 
 is,  embraces  mankind  as  in  its  centre  Israel ; 
 and  then  disclose  tons  purifying  judgments  in- 
 flicted unon  the  nations,  the  peculiar  protec- 
 tion of  the  house  and  people  of  God,  the  con- 
 summation of  the  kingdom  of  peace  for  the 
 Gentiles  and  for  Israel.  In  chap.  x.  the  pro- 
 phet is  more  limited,  having  reference  rather 
 to  Israel  after  the  flesh,  which  will  be  restored 
 at  the  end.  Chap.  xi.  gives  almost  historically, 
 in  the  manner  of  Daniel,  the  history  of  Israel 
 
 *  But  that  notion  lies  at  the  root  of  the  very 
 false  suppo.sition  of  Grotius,  that  Zecliariah's  sub- 
 ject is  "  de  aliquo  non  Lotto  pa^toro." 
 
MATTHEW  XXVI.  31-34. 
 
 557 
 
 down  to  the  days  of  Christ,  and  even  beyond.* 
 This  exclusion  of  those  who  rejected  as  rejected 
 themselves,  this  laying  waste  and  abandon- 
 ment of  the  old  Jerusalem  and  of  carnal  Israel, 
 takes  place  first:  but  in  chap,  xii.-xiv.  we  have 
 the  founding  and  building,  the  establishment, 
 of  the  true  and  new  Jerusalem.  Chap.  xii. 
 glances  forward  preliminarily  to  the  time  when 
 Jerusalem — which  is  to  be  a  burdensome  stonp, 
 a  test  for  all  nations — shall  return  from  its 
 blindness  and  misery,  the  spirit  of  grace  de- 
 scending upon  it  so  that  its  people  shall  mourn 
 as  for  an  only  child  in  whom  was  and  in  whom 
 is  their  life.  Chap.  xiii.  gives  us  several  spe- 
 cific glances  backward,  yet  only  as  from  the 
 final  consummation ;  predicts  the  open  foun- 
 tain for  all  sin,  the  destruction  of  all  false  pro- 
 phets and  unclean  spirits,  it  then  describes, 
 suddenly  returning  to  the  very  centre  of  the 
 time  of  foundation,  how  the  shepherd  goes  be- 
 fore into  condemnation  and  the  death  of  atone- 
 ment ;  how  the  entire  flock,  even  the  true  flock 
 
 *  We  cannot  abstain  from  endeavoring  to  set 
 right  the  perplexities  of  Ebrard,  llitzig,  and  also 
 Hofniann  on  this  sul)jec  ;  but  a  few  words  only 
 must  be  permitted.  Aniioehns  had  destroyed  and 
 laid  waste,  vers.  1-3.  Then  in  ver.  4  tlie  pro[)het 
 conies  forward  in  the  name  ot  the  Shepherd  of  God, 
 the  Messiah,  who,  before  his  manitestations  in  the 
 flesh,  was  the  true  slieplierd  of  this  people,  this 
 flock  of  slaugliter  (and  liere  belongs  Acts  viii.  34). 
 To  him  are  opposed,  in  ver.  5,  the  wiclced  shep- 
 herds who  possess  and  devour  them — then  follows, 
 in  ver.  6,  as  a  punishment,  tae  giving  tliem  up, 
 which  tollowed  as  n  John  xi.  48,  xix.  15.  I  will 
 no  more  pily  and  save  them,  as  many  t.nies  be- 
 fore— but  why  1  For  tliey  have  rejected  the  best 
 Shepherd,  myself,  when  I  came  unto  them  !  This 
 sad  history  tlien  proceeds  more  in  detail.  Not  as 
 if  (according  to  Ebranl)  the  "  tiock  of  slau  :hter  '' 
 was  the  community  of  peoples,  and  he  who  took  pity 
 on  the  fiock,  tlie  peop:e  of  Israel ;  tliis  introduces 
 a  misconception  wliich  would  run  through  the 
 whole  chapter.  The  people  of  God,  who  are  to  be 
 judged,  are  called  generally  and  as  a  whole  the 
 flock  of  slaughter,  yet  some  among  tliem  are 
 genuine  and  liumble  sheep.  For  the  sake  of  these 
 last,  they  are  all  pasluivd  ;  but,  beco.use  one  staff" 
 is  not  enough,  with  alternate  gentleness  and  woe. 
 (For  this,  and  not  bands,  we  hold  to  be  the  inter- 
 pretation of  D'^j^n.)     Thus  had  God  dealt  with 
 
 this  peoi)le  from  the  beginning,  and  down  to  the 
 last  period  of  history  (ver.  8) — but  all  in  vain: 
 the  manifestation  of  the  Good  Shepherd  in  the 
 person  of  Christ  turns  to  the  cutting  off  of  Israel, 
 and  the  abolition  of  the  covenant  for  a  time — 
 vers.  9,  10.  Israel's  treatment  by  means  of  the 
 heathen  had  been  hitherto  gentle  enough  !  But 
 only  the  sheep  who  marked  the  prophetic  word 
 of  the  Lord  know  the  Missiah  in  tlie  lulfllled  pro- 
 phecy, ver.  11.  How  then  1  In  severe  in)ny, 
 whicii  embraces  the  l.teral  accomplishment  in  the 
 general  flj[iire,  it  is  so  described  as  if  the  Shepherd 
 of  God,  even  the  God  of  Israel  himself,  when  he 
 laid  down  his  slaff  and  his  oflSce,  demanded  his 
 hire  !  As  if  he  haxl  served  for  reward,  like  the 
 false  shepherds!  They  weigh  out  to  him  the 
 slave-price  of  thirty  pieces  of  stiver.'  Are  not  these 
 
 knew  him  not  at  first;  but  how,  finally,  his 
 true  people,  after  separations  and  purifyings, 
 shall  come  forth  at  last.  Chap.  xiv.  finally 
 closes  the  specific  prophecy  of  the  Old  Testa- 
 ment (for  Malachi  gives  rather  a  retrospective 
 postscript);  and  shows  in  the  dim  futurity  that 
 which  the  Apocalypse  alone,  itself  interpreted 
 according  to  the  prophets,  can  interpret — the 
 last  conflict  and  victory,  vers.  1-3;  the  future 
 coming  of  Christ  upon  the  Mount  of  Olives, 
 vers.  4-7;  the  new  Jerusalem,  vers.  8-11  ;  the 
 feast  of  Tabernacles  for  all  nations,  vers.  12- 
 19,  the  sanctification  of  entire  Jerusalem,  the 
 bells,  and  tiie  pots,  and  the  bowls,  being  like 
 the  high  priest's  breast-plate,  holiness  unto  the 
 Lord. 
 
 The  rightly-disposed  reader  will  accordingly 
 expect  our  Lord's  citation  to  be  exact;  he  will 
 observe  that  Zechariah  contains  many  distinct 
 Messianic  prophecies;  and  will  perceive  at  the 
 outset  that  the  shqiherd  of  chap.  xiii.  7,  in 
 whom  Christ  now  discerns  himself,  can  be  no 
 other  than  the  same  who  in  chap.  xi.  was  sold 
 for  the  thirty  pieces  of  silver,  and  whom  in 
 chap.  xii.  10  they  pierced.  Itumediately  before 
 our  passage,  there  is  something  obscure  in  ver. 
 6,  where  we  may  hang  in  doubt  concerning  the 
 wounds  between  the  hands  (according  to  Mau- 
 rer,  who  compares  2  Kings  ix.  24,  on  the 
 breast).  Whether  these  refer  to  the  marks  of 
 idol-worship  (which  is  not  clear  to  us)  or,  as  we 
 
 the  high  priests,  when  the  Lord,  as  it  were  by  the 
 (juesiioh  of  the  traitor,  askod  them — At  what 
 price  do  ye  value  mel  In  mockery  they  sell  the 
 Lord  as  a  slave,  while  they  buy  him ;  and  Judas  is 
 the  seller  as  the  representative  of  the  whole  of 
 wicked  Israel,  which  rejected  him.  Tlien  says  the 
 Lord  in  his  counsel  wrathlully — To  the  potter  with 
 it !  Mire  and  clay,  to  be  redeemed  by  tins  price 
 of  shame  and  mockery!  But  this  potters  field 
 lay,  according  to  Jeremiah  (chap.  xix.  2,  hence 
 the  reading  in  Matt,  xxvii.  9),  in  the  valley  of 
 Hinnom  ;  and  by  a  frightful  requital  tor  the  re- 
 jected price  at  which  they  estimated  their  Shep- 
 herd, Jerusalem  becomes  as  To])het  (Jer.  xix.  12; 
 Isa.  xxx.  33).  Thus,  "to  the  potter!  "  is  equiv- 
 alent to  "to  the  tormentor!"  or  "to  Gehennah 
 with  it!  "  And  yet  Judas  thiew  the  money  first 
 in  the  temple.  He  does  this  for  a  witness  in  his 
 despair,  lor  the  temple  itself  is  a  place  of  scorn. 
 Their  rejection  of  the  "  price  of  Llood  "  avails  rot 
 to  the  hypocrites  ;  their  counsel.  Matt,  xxvii.  7, 
 only  fulfills  the  counsel  of  God.  The  price  of 
 blood  is  to  perform  a  work  of  chaiity  "  tor  the 
 bunal  of  strangers  " — but  who  was  first  buried 
 there  1  According  to  Acts  i.  18  Judas  himself. 
 The  field  ot  blooJ  becomes  a  name  notorious; 
 and  the  guilt  of  Judas,  to  whom  they  say,  See 
 thou  to  it!  (as  Pilate  again  to  them,  Matt,  xxvii. 
 24),  falls  hack  upon  them  ;  so  that  soon  the  whole 
 ot  Jerusalem,,  of  whose  doom  the  field  of  blood 
 was  the  last  p'ophetic  symbol,  l)ecame  one  wide, 
 waste  grave,  where  to  this  day — strangers  are 
 buried  in  spiritual  death.  For,  according  to  vers. 
 15-17,  the  guilt  and  punishment  of  wicked  shep- 
 herds over  Israel,  now  rejected,  goes  on  (as  is 
 here  darkly  int  mited)— they  are  given  up  to 
 blinded  leaders  and  oppressive  loids. 
 
558 
 
 PETER'S  SECOND  WARNING. 
 
 prefer,  lo  the  stripes  of  the  parents* — in  any 
 case  there  is  a  transition  in  the  parallel  of  niSO 
 
 and  ^n^3n,  ver.  6,  with  the  T]n  of  ver.  7,  which 
 
 signifies — "  In  a  quite  different  sense  will  the 
 tt'ue  prophet  and  shepherd  svffir  for  the  guilt 
 
 of  others,  let  himself  be  smitten  by  them  who 
 hate  him  because  he  loves  them."  (For  this 
 transition  to  bitter  lamentation,  as  the  under- 
 tone, CT  p3   must  mean  the  hands  literally.) 
 
 What  now  follows  in  ver.  7  consists  of  three 
 clauses:  the  death  of  the  shepherd  marvellous- 
 ly decreed  of  God  ;  the  immediate  result  of  this 
 paradox,  a  rejection  of  the  whole  flock,  which 
 knew  him  not  and  refused  him  ;  and,  thirdly, 
 the  leading  back  of  the  true  and  humble  sheep 
 by  the  hand  and  power  of  God. 
 
 "  Ml/  shepherd  " — thus  in  this  prophecy  the 
 Messiah  is  plainly  termed — He  whom  I  have 
 promised  and  will  give,  whom  I  have  set,  comp. 
 rsa.  ii.  6.  But  he  has,  besides  this  first  name 
 (which  unites  in  one  the  title  most  appropri- 
 ately and  in  the  highest  sense  of  God's  own, 
 with  the  closest  relationship  to  God,  as  in  Psa. 
 ii.  lung  and  Son),  yet  another  term  applied  to 
 him,  and  here  alone  in  the  Old  Testament.  He 
 is  a  "133,  that  ii,  a  man  pre-eminently,  a  human 
 
 hero — how  else  could  he  suffer  the  death  which 
 is  here  recorded  ?  But  God  calls  him  "'JT'py  "123, 
 
 the  man  that  is  my  fellow,  and  this  most  lofty 
 word  of  the  Old  Testament  says  more  in  its 
 anticipatory  letter  than  our  New-Testament 
 dogmatics  allow  to  it.  Gensenius  gives  the 
 wonl  in  this  passage  its  first,  indefinite,  and 
 slemierest  meaning  of  felloirship,  but  without 
 autlioiity.  For,  even  admitting  that  the  phrase 
 was  originally  derived  from  this  etymon,  why 
 must  we  in  this  single  passage  of  the  later 
 Zechariali  return  to  its  most  general  funda- 
 mental meaning?  The  word  is,  as  much  as 
 any  one  word,  a  fixed  term  from  Moses  down- 
 ward ;  besides  tiiis  place  it  occurs  only  eleven 
 times  in  the  Pentateuch  for  -neighbor,  fellow- 
 man,  n\->i6iov — thus  in  the  same  meaning  as 
 appears  in  the  related  root  of  noy?  and  T\tpV, 
 
 jiixta.  jiaritrr  nc,  equal,  by  the  side  of.  Certain- 
 ly, ^ri'DJ?  in  the  giving  of  the  law  is  equivalent 
 
 to  tfiy  equal;  and  1st  it  be  well  considered 
 what  it  means,  when  Jehovah  terms  a  man  his 
 n^cy,  his  fcllmc-man,  at  the  same  time  his  fel- 
 low-G(hI  Hofmann,  who  better  understands 
 chap.  xiii.  7,  and  on  the  whole  hits  the  point 
 well,  declares,  however,  that  "this  is  far  from 
 declaring  a  connection  of  the  divine  and  human 
 natures,  but  rather  a  community  of  spirit,  one 
 r  Inted,  to  God,  his  Son."  He  is  right  as  far  as 
 that  the  doctrinal  statement  is  not  yet  unfold- 
 
 ed :  but  it  is  undeniable  that  in  the  Mosaic 
 n^oy  equality  is  more  prominent   than   mere 
 
 fellowship  or  relationship — thy  neighbor  is  on 
 tl^e  same  level  with  thyself,  is  as  good  as  thou.* 
 Consequently,  ^n'py  "123,  the  man  nuj  fellow, 
 
 is  stronger,  and  nearer  to  the  plain  "  God  and 
 man,"  than  for  example  the  rather  tvpical 
 '!\TT2\  B^'iS,  man  of  thy  right  hand,  of  Psa.'lxxx. 
 
 17.  And,  moreover,  we  hear  in  Isaiah  of  a 
 child  born,  which  bears  the  high  names  of  God  ; 
 in  Micah  of  him  whose  goings  forth  were  from 
 everlasting  ;  in  Jeremiah  of  the  name  of  Jeho- 
 vah given  to  the  Messiah  ;  in  Ezekiel  that  tJie 
 Lord  himself  will  come  as  the  promised  sJiep- 
 herd  (chap,  xxxiv.  11-16,  23,  30).  In  Zech. 
 xii.  8,  as  God  is  strictly  parallel  with  as  the 
 angel  of  the  Lord  ;  and  in  ver.  10  Jehovah  says, 
 Me  whom  they  have  pierced.  Thus  this  man, 
 the  fellow  of  Jehovih,  is  at  the  same  time  dis- 
 tinguished from  all  his  hosts  as  being  one  equal 
 to  himself. 
 
 Christ,  indeed,  very  significantly  and  de- 
 signedly left  out  in  his  citation  this  name  of 
 high  dignity,  given  to  the  shepherd  .surrendered 
 to  death,  because  his  primary  object  was  to 
 speak  of  the  slieep  ;  but  it  was  necessary  that 
 we  should  thus  perfectly  explain  the  passage, 
 and  place  the  man  my  fellow  in  its  true  light, 
 that  we  may  rightly  estimate  the  blindness  of 
 our  recent  Christian  commentators,  who,  like 
 the  darkened  Rabbins,  interpret  this  shepherd 
 to  be  a  common  man.f 
 
 Most  wonderful  and  paradoxical  is  the  divine 
 counsel  concerning  this  man,  his  fellow,  that 
 the  sword  should  awake  against  him  and  smite 
 (that  is  slay)  him.  Instead  of  the  protecting 
 legions  which  the  Lord  of  hosts  might  have 
 provided  for  his  fellow,  he  calls  for  the  sword.. 
 But  the  sicord  is  primarily  a  general  designa- 
 tion of  death,  as  in  Psa.  xxii.  21.  (The  cross 
 could  not  yet  appear  in  the  Old  Testament.) 
 But  then,  looking  closer,  it  signifies,  not  indeed 
 "  the  power  of  this  world,  in  its  judicial  rigor," 
 although  God  did  accomplish  his  purpose  by 
 that,  but  still  a  judicial  infliction,  comp.  Zech. 
 xi.  17,  and  see  the  normal  passage  Job  xix. 
 29.t      The  sword    of    God   had,   as   it    were, 
 
 *  For  see  ver.  3.  Thus  it  i,s  not,  as  Kimchi 
 tliinks,  a  punishniont  f(tr  idleness  in  youtli ;  but, 
 n.s  .Jerome  scmu'd  to  discern,  a  chastispment  for 
 false  proi)hesyiiis,  which  the  humble  delinquent 
 acknowledges  as  a  tebtimony  to  truth. 
 
 *  This  was  so  clear  to  the  Targumist  that  lie 
 preferred  to  ninke  the  one  ]»eison  into  two  :  Con- 
 ceniinj;  the  King  and  the  Prince  his  fellow,  who 
 is  as  he  and  equal  to  him — Hv  'DTI  n^TTlDl. 
 
 •f-  Jarclii  makes  him  the  king  of  Moab ;  both 
 Kinichis  another  Gentile  kintj  who  devastated 
 Jerusalem  ;  other  commentators  an  Israelite  Itero 
 or  king,  Judas  Maccabajus,  Jehoiauhini,  or  tlie 
 like. 
 
 X  Luther's  translation,  thonsh  no*,  literal,  hits 
 the  sense,  that  by  the  sword  jiidunients  fall  up<m 
 evil  deeds.     ForVlori  does  nut  mean,  as  the  Jews 
 
 expounded  it,  the  wrath  of  the  wrath-provoking 
 contention  of  the  friends  of  Job.  who  would  thus 
 fall  under  the  sword-deserving  flijiiy..     ^^^^-  'ht-re 
 
 is  an  anger  (of  God),  which  rest-i  upon  ilie  mis- 
 
MATTHEW  XXVI.  31-34. 
 
 559 
 
 tested  and  slept  till  now;  this  suffering,  this 
 death,  this  judgment  had  yet  been  in  arrear ; 
 but  now  a  ^"liy,  a  sword,  is  called  for,  and  the 
 
 shepherd  is  slain  for  the  sheep. 
 
 Now  its  hnmediale  result.  This  is  very  nat- 
 nral  as  its  consequence,  but  yet  another  para- 
 dox. The  flock  is  scattered  instead  of  being 
 collected  together ;  the  sheep  flee  as  if  there 
 were  no  longer  a  shepherd.  Thus  is  it  again  a 
 starved  and  dispersed  flock  ?  Assuredly,  but 
 only  as  the  first  result  and  only  in  part.  The 
 shame  of  the  death  of  condemnation  into  which 
 the  shepherd  falls,  cannot  be  other  than  a 
 stumhling-block  (the  offence  of  the  cross.  Gal. 
 V.  11)  to  the  ichole  flock,  Jxsrn — it  turns  away 
 
 from  its  shepherd,  not  being  able  to  discern 
 him  in  such  a  form  and  condition.  What,  ac- 
 cording'to  the  meaning  and  connection  of  the 
 prophecy,  is  this  flock  ?  Certainly  ri'm  the 
 people  of  God,  all  who  belong  to  this  shepherd 
 as  his  flock,  not  merely  Israel,  but  mankind 
 (Ezek.  xxxiv.  31).  The  unbelieving  are  dis- 
 persed, turn  away  from  the  smitten  one  down 
 to  this  day  (Jsa.  liii.  1-3,  1  Cor.  i.  2  ;)— but  so 
 are  also  at  first  those  who  believe,  as  the  dis- 
 ciples of  Jesus  ill  the  night  of  his  delivery  to 
 his  enemies.  Even  John,  who  lay  upon  his 
 breast  and  apprehended  his  heavenly  discourse 
 as  no  other  did,  is  offended  ;  and  through  the 
 faithful  heart  of  Marv  the  sword  passes.  It  is 
 finished  with  him.  Thus,  when  at  this  season 
 of  crisis  and  decision  all  forsake  him,  so  that  he 
 is  left  alone,  it  first  becomes  plainly  manifest 
 that  the  flock  would  be  utterly  lost  without 
 the  return  of  this  shepherd. 
 
 But  now  comes  the  third  point,  the  solution 
 of  the  mystery.  Thus  is  the  counsel  of  God 
 .lecomplished  ;  and  in  a  sudden  transition,  we 
 have  as  a  further  result  his  return  and  the 
 gathering  together  of  his  faith. ul  ones.  Thus 
 or  then  wdl  I  turn  my  hand  vpon  lite  Utile  ones, 
 saiili  the  same  Lord  of  Hosts.  Let  it  be  caie- 
 fuUy  observed  :  Not  they  first  of  themselves 
 turn  back,  but  the  hand  and  power  of  God  in 
 the  risen  Shepherd,  restored  from  death,  is 
 turned  upon  them  and  gathers  th"m  togetiier. 
 This  is  what  the  Lord,  without  direct  "literal 
 citation,  means  in  the  words  which  follow. 
 Mark  farther  :  Not  all  the  dispersed  flock  ;  but 
 tliat  difference  is  now  made  manifest  which 
 existed  from  the  beginning,  The  remnant  re- 
 main in  dispersion  ;  they  still  more  and  other- 
 wise are  ofl'ended,  and  deny  yet  more  wickedly 
 their  Lord  and  Shepherd.  The  whole  of  Israel  is 
 first  fully  scattered,  and  in  their  flight  from  the 
 cross  they  are  perpetually  followed  by  the  un- 
 believing part  of  the  called  nations  of  man- 
 deeds  (deseivinst)  of  the  sword.  Such  sins  as 
 your.i  will  be  avengpd  by  (he  sword  (dealt),  thnt 
 Ifius  ye  may  know  that  tliere  is  a  juclament.  We 
 would  not  therefore  remove  the  judicial  elrment 
 from  the  work  of  atonement;  but  it  is  another 
 question  whether  the  common  view  whch  the  ju- 
 ridical theory  of  substitution  takes  is  justified  by 
 such  passages  of  Scripture  as  this. 
 
 kind.  But  the  little  ones,  plainly  distinguished 
 from  the  whole  fiock,  are  his  true  sheep  from 
 the  beginning;  not  merely  the  "  needy,"  but 
 the  INJfn  V.jy— the  poor  of  the  fiock,  chap.  xi. 
 
 7,  11 ;  that  is,  the  miserable,  the  humble  onea> 
 who  wait  upon  the  word  and  the  hand  of  God, 
 just  as  >JJ?  has  this  signification  included  in  it 
 
 in  the  Psalms,  ihx)se  who  ask  for  the  Le/rd,  Psa. 
 xxii.  25. 
 
 Thus  is  the  great  distinction  made  through 
 the  death  and  return,  the  cross  and  the  resur- 
 rection, of  the  Shepherd  ;  they  are  his  sheep 
 among  the  great  flock  called  back  from  the  first 
 universal  offence  and  brought  to  him.  This  pro- 
 gressive purification  and  separation  pX)Ti523 
 
 (that  is,  at  the  same  time,  in  the  actual  type — 
 in  all  the  land,  throughout  the  whole  earth),  is 
 finally  predicted  by  the  prophet  in  vers.  8,  9. 
 "The  shepherdless  flock  is  "indeed  scattered- 
 but  Jehovah  himself  fetches  back  his  little 
 sheep.  The  greater  part  of  the  peoples  is  in- 
 deed sifted  away,  but  what  remains  is  the  true 
 people  of  Jehovah." 
 
 Let  it  now  be  observed  how  far  this  prophecy 
 is  from  being  a  mere  prediction  of  the  isolated 
 contingent  circumstance  of  the  disciples'  leaving 
 Jesus  on  this  night.  The  prophecy  does  not  in- 
 deed speak  merely  of  this  night  and  of  these 
 disciples,  but  of  the  general  destiny  of  disper- 
 sion which  was  to  befall  the  entire  flock,  so 
 that  no  restored  one  should  ever  be  able  to 
 boast  that  he  had  been  exempted  from  this 
 offence  and  this  general  turning  away  from  the 
 Shepherd  who  was  slain.  This  is  made  espe- 
 cially prominent  in  the  addition  found  in  Mat- 
 thew— TLX  itpdliavtx.  zyi  Ttoii-ivyjiy  the 
 sheep  of  the  flock.  The  specific  fulfillment  in 
 this  one  historical  event  is  thus  here,  as  it  is 
 often,  itself  an  embodied  prophecy,  a  type  of 
 the  universal  fulfillment.  It  is,  as  remarked  on 
 Luke  xxii.  31,  an  allusion  to  Amos  ix.  9.  As 
 the  whole  of  the  genuine  house  of  Israel  must 
 be  sifted  without  the  loss  of  a  single  grain  of 
 corn,  so  is  it  with  the  first  family  of  the  dis- 
 cipleship,  the  Apostles.  What  Zechariah  pro- 
 phesies of  the  entire  flock  has  its  luminous  ful- 
 fillment in  the  first  and  nearest  circle  of  the 
 sheep.  Bengel  :  "  The  disciples  were  like  the 
 whole  flock  to  be  afterwards  collected  by  them." 
 Less  correct,  and  only  looking  at  one  side  of 
 the  matter,  is  Von  Gerlach's  note :  "  When 
 the  Jewish  people  had  rejected  their  last  Shep- 
 herd, the  judejinsnt  of  dispersion  fell  upon 
 them  ;  this  was  as  it  were  foreshadowed  in  the 
 dispersion  of  the  disciples  upon  the  death  of 
 Christ,  just  as  their  final  deliverance  and  salva- 
 tion was  foreshadowed  in  the  bodily  deliverance 
 of  the  disciples  when  Jesus  was  taken,  John 
 xviii.  9."  For  although  this  is  really  connected 
 with  it.  yet  the  dispersion  of  the  disciples  did 
 not  typify  the  judgment  of  unbelievers,  but 
 the  preliminary  and  apparently  equal  offence 
 of  all  believers. 
 
 The  translation  of  the  Seventy  was  not  to  be 
 used  on  this  occasion  ;  for  it  did  not  perfectly 
 
560 
 
 PETER'S  SECOND  WARNING. 
 
 understand  the  passage,  having  given  itouis-  \ 
 yoci  twice  in  the  plural,  and  similarly  nard- 
 ^ETE — xai  EK6xddcxrE.*  Thcrelbre  we  have 
 the  quotation  according  to  the  original,  and 
 with  certain  alterations  which  are  strictly  ap- 
 propriate.! The  first  person  icard'u},  /  will 
 unite,  beciime  necessary  when  the  invocation  of 
 the  sword  and  all  the  first  part  was  omitted, 
 because  it  was  not  the  Lord's  purpose  to  speak 
 of  himself  now  as  the  fellow  of  God,  but  simply 
 that  he  was  t/ce  Shepherd  of  the  flock :  hence 
 also  we  have  not  rov  itoiuEva  nov,  "my 
 Shepherd,"  continued  from  the  previous  words. 
 But  Grotius  is  quite  wrong:  "Nor  does  that,  7 
 wiil  smiti,  indicate  a  certain  person,  but  the  first 
 person  is  put  for  any  indefinitely ; "  for  Ood  is 
 the  subject  of  the  verb,  as  afterwards  in  the  / 
 iclll  turn  my  hand  of  the  original  text,  and 
 thereby  the  whole  is  defined  to  be  a  divine  de- 
 cree and  purpose.  And  after  the  resurrection 
 Jesus  appears  again,  John  xxi.,  in  the  figure  of 
 a  iuepn6r<l:  he  is  the  centre  and  rallying- 
 poinl  of  all  liis  own  ;  all  who  forsake  him  are 
 scattered  every  one  to  his  own  (John  xvi.  32), 
 like  tlie  foolish  wandering  sheep,  Isa.  liii.  6. 
 In  the  Apostles  themselves,  as  th«  future  shep- 
 herds, this  must  first  become  manifest. 
 
 We  have  already  seen  that  the  consolation 
 in  ]\Iatt.  xxvi.  32  was  derived  also  from  the 
 prophecy  of  Zechariah,  and  is  no  other  than  an 
 interpretation  of  what  followed  there.  As  there 
 the  Lord  God  was  to  turn  his  hand  to  his  little 
 ones,  so  now  Ciirist  comes  to  that  end  in  his 
 own  person,  that  the  moaning  of  the  whole 
 may  be  conclusively  established.  In  the  after  I 
 am  risen  he  refers,  as  if  it  would  be  self-under- 
 stood, to  all  his  earlier  predictions.  Ho  teaches 
 all  investigators  of  his  word  to  understand  that 
 here  in  Zechariah  (as  often  elsewhere)  the  res- 
 urrection of  him  who  was  given  up  to  death, 
 and  yet  retains  his  kingdom,  is  silently  pro- 
 jihcnied  as  the  necessary  transition.  The  go- 
 ing before  is  consistent  with  the  fiijure  of  the 
 Shepherd :  I  will  then  first  truly  be  your 
 Shepherd,  and  gather  you  around  me  after 
 your  dispersion.  In  this  the  forgiveness  and 
 removal  of  their  offence  is  necessarily  to  be 
 understood — Yc  forsake  me,  I  Ibrsake  not  you. 
 
 That  Galilee  is  made  the  rallying-place  (the 
 same  Galilee  where  he  began  his  teaching,  and 
 for  the  most  part  continued  it),  we  cannot  re- 
 gard, with  Schleierniaclier, as  "  highly  improb- 
 able and  a  later  addition."  Tliis  does  not  ex- 
 clude our  Lord's  intention  to  see  his  disciples 
 more  than  once  in  Jerusalem;  it  rather  con- 
 firms it:  Dif'ore  yc  return  from  the  feast  to 
 Galilee,  I  will  as  risen  be  with  you,  and  lead 
 you  in  the  way  thither.  The  direction  is  con- 
 tained in  it,  that  they  should  not  set  forth 
 alone,  but  remain  in  Jerusalem  until  ho  had 
 
 *  Not  to  speak  of  t'.;e  unintelligible  noXivjjv 
 uov,  which  falls  away  from  tiie  citation, 
 
 f  Not  a>bif>(rry,  to  brinji  out  what  w.is  suitable, 
 as  D()i)ke  tlviiks;  who,  moreover,  refers  to  the 
 asreemout  of  Barnab;;s,  £p.  cap.  6  with  Mat- 
 Uiew. 
 
 risen.  But  the  same  intimation,  that  not  Jeru- 
 salem (now  rejected  !)  but  the  still  and  distant 
 Galilee  should  be  the  place  of  meeting  for  the 
 regathered  flock  (the  place  for  the  last  commis- 
 sions to  the  Apostles,  Olshausen  more  doubt- 
 fully adds),  is  repeated  by  the  angel  at  the 
 sepulchre,  and  immediately  afterwards  by  the 
 Risen  Lord  himself,  Matt,  xxviii.  7,  10,  16. 
 
 Peter,  to  whom  (according  to  our  view  of 
 the  whole)  Luke  xxii.  31-3i  had  already  been 
 spoken,  will  hear  nothing  of  being  scattered 
 and  offended,  at  least  as  far  as  concerns, him- 
 self- the  all  is  said  to  no  purpose.  With  that  un- 
 charitableness  which  is  always  inseparable  from 
 presumption,  he  admits  it  as  regards  the  re- 
 maining all;  but  concerning  himself  he  makes 
 the  unconditional  boast,  extending  far  beyond 
 this  same  night  that  had  been  spoken  of,  / — 
 nevsr.  He  makes  himself  stronger  than  a 
 whole  company  of  men,  and  knows  not  how 
 soon  the  question  of  women  will  turn  him  from 
 his  mind.  Then  he  receives  for  the  second 
 time  the  emphatic  notice  which  he  still  rejects, 
 'A  /1 7/  y  Xsyoa  dot,  I  kave  told  thee* 
 
 Mark  on  this  occasion  gives  us  from  Peter's 
 lips  the  exact  words  which  were  spoken  by 
 Christ ;  he  alone  has  the  two  cock-crowings, 
 and  he  alone  the  swift  succession  of  predictions 
 as  they  reach  their  climax,  "Thou — to-dav — 
 tliis  night — before  the  cock  crows  twice.  IViou 
 — who  sayest,  I  will  not — and  for  that  very 
 reason."  This  day  (as  Luke  xxii.  34),  because 
 the  day  was  reckoned  from  the  evening. 
 "  Even  in  this  already-commenced  and  fearful 
 night  of  the  universal  confusion  and  tumult 
 around  me."  Finally,  the  most  exacD  definition 
 of  the  time,  as  a  previously  given  sign  of  the 
 prediction  ;  the  second  crowing  of  the  cock,  the 
 mystical  warner  and  crier  of  the  night.  Baum.- 
 Crus.  is  quite  wrong  in  his  indefinite  interpre- 
 tation of  the  thrice  denying.  "  Thrice,  indeed — 
 who  knows  how  often  ?  "  For,  apart  from  the 
 recorded  fulfillment,  and  the  fitness  that  a  pre- 
 diction thus  enforced  should  be  thus  convinc- 
 ingly specific,  the  twice  and  thrice  oi  Mark  indi- 
 cate that  we  are  to  take  the  reckoning  as  exact. 
 Denying  is  the  acted  expression  of  offence ; 
 both,  as  we  have  already  said,  are  the  same  in 
 principle  and  feeling,  ye  tone  alone  iciU  deny, 
 as  one  alone  betray ;  but  he  is  the  confessor 
 pre-eminently,  and  he  denies,  warned  and  yet 
 unwarned,  thrice  ! 
 
 The  mention  of  the  cock-crowing  might  be, 
 first  of  all,  a  simple  definition  of  time;  as  in 
 Mark  xiii.  35  the  dXEHToftO(pa}via,  elsewhere 
 al.<;o  dXEHzpvoqioovia,  the  Latin  gnilicinium, 
 among  the  Hebrews  I33n  DXn;?.     The  cock 
 
 crows  once  at  midnight ;  then  again  toward 
 morning,  that  is,  very  early,  midway  between 
 midnight  and  morning.  The  first,  the  earliest 
 crowing,  is  not  heard  by  most,  hence  the  cock- 
 crowing  generally   signified   tho  second  ;t  yet 
 
 *  In  John  also  the  first  time,  Verily,  Verily. 
 f  According  (o  Censorinus,  follows  the  cont\ 
 turn,  cum  conticuere  gaiit. 
 
MATTHEW  XXVI.  31-34, 
 
 961 
 
 we  also  find  gaUidnium  secundum  mentioned. 
 Hence  in  Aristophan.  Ecc.  the  expression,  ore 
 TO  dfvrEpov  aXeHtpvoav  etpOeyysro — and 
 tlie  like  in  Heliodor.,  Synesius,  Juvenal,  etc. 
 Hence  the  proverbial  saying  adduced  by 
 Erasmus,  jrpzV  7)  to  devTspov  dXeurpvoov 
 icpSeyyero.  We  may  accordingly  say,  with 
 Meyer's  note,  "  What  elsewhere  (in  Matt.)  and 
 even  here  seems  to  be  only  a  general  definition 
 of  lime,  was  a:t,erwards  literally  fulfilled."  But 
 this  admits  that  it  only  appeared  to  be  a  pro- 
 verbial expression,  and  consequently,  as  the 
 result  sliowed,  was  meant  literally  at  first ;  and 
 the  latler  is  all  the  more  important,  as  the 
 time  of  the  cock-crowing  was  not  invariably 
 fixed.  But  here,  as  the  climax  given  above 
 shows,  the  exactitude  of  the  prediction  was 
 designed  for  Peter's  especial  conviction. 
 
 But  there  is,  in  addition  to  this,  something 
 mysleri  us  which  envelopes  the  mention  of  the 
 cock  in  this  place.  It  is  a  strange  and  signifi- 
 cant creature;*  its  crv  as  a  nocturnal  watcher 
 (vigil  r.octurnus  in  Pliny)  is  a  specific  token 
 among  men.  Cicero,  De  Biviji.  lib.  2,  records 
 it  as  a  saying  of  Callisthenes,  that  the  gods  had 
 given  to  cocks  the  sign  of  their  crowing.  Its 
 voice  affrights  even  lions,  as  was  observed  in 
 very  early  times  with  wonder.  "  In  the  crow- 
 inst  of  a  cock,"  says  the  venerable  Bochart 
 (Ilieroz  icon,  in  the  chapter  de  galli  cantu), 
 "  there  are  two  things  remarkable  ;  one,  that 
 BO  small  a  creature  should  cry  with  so  loud  a 
 voice,  as  to  be  heard  at  a  vast  distance ;  the 
 other,  that  it  sings  at  stated  ho>;rs,  and  at  such 
 time  as  other  birds  are  silent  in  sleep."  That 
 is — He  is  the  watcher  and  crier  in  nature.  As 
 such,  the  ancient  Christians  often  referred  to  it, 
 in  relation  to  Peter's  history.  Ambrose  mag- 
 nifies the  cock  even  as  the  comforter  who  pro- 
 claims mercy  to  those  who  return  from  their 
 sin.  In  the  hymn  yE erne  rerum  condit^r  the 
 cock  is  said  to  cry  to  us  not  to  deny  our  Lord. 
 In  that  ol  Prudentius  Ad  galli  cantum  the  cry 
 of  the  cock  is  represented  as  driving  away  the 
 evil  sj)ii-its  of  the  night. f  Though  all  this 
 arose  after  the  fact,  yet  it  points  back  to  a 
 typical  sienificance  of  the  cock  in  nature,  of 
 which  antiquity  had  a  universal  feeling,^  and 
 
 *  Their  namps  in  all  languni2:>s  (tis  Au^usti, 
 in  his  treatise  concerning  rcclesiaslical  animals, 
 shows)  are  very  diverse  and  obscure.  T  le  deri- 
 vation in  Eu'^la'.hius  seems  pi  tin  ;  bnt  as  far  as  it 
 regards  aXsHrajp  alone — w!>o  goes  not  to  led,  the 
 wakeful. 
 
 f  We  are  told  that  a  figure  of  the  cock  which 
 cvowed  at  Peter's  denial  is  had  in  reverence  in  one 
 of  tlie  Armeni.in  convents  (BaseUr  3Ii  sions-Mag. 
 1847). 
 
 +  Those  who  are  fond  of  the  like  may  find  the 
 Rabbinical  fables  about  the  gigantic  gallus  silves- 
 tris  in   Luxtorf,  Zfa;.     T«?;».  s.  v.  piJ^inj   and  in 
 
 Bochart,  Ilieroz.  1.  c.  the  Arabian  myths  about  the 
 wliite  cocli  by  the  throne  of  God,  whose  voice 
 gives  the  sisnal  tCTa'l  the  cocks  upon  earth.  We 
 do  not,  how  ver,  refer  to  these  fables,  but  to  the 
 Iundan»ental  feeling  from  which  they  sprang. 
 
 which  the  Lord  in  his  word  to  Peter  recognized. 
 It  is  as  if  he  had  said,  "  Thetoatclier  in  the  night 
 will  finally  awaken  thee,  yet  (as  in  the  case  of 
 most  who  sleep  and  hear  not)  not  till  the 
 second  crowing  in  this  night;  although  thou 
 bodily  watchest — and  sinnest — the  first  cry 
 will  be  in  vain,  and  the  second  find  thee  already 
 a  triple  sinner."  All  Christian  people  should 
 learn  to  be  sober  and  watchful  while  God  is 
 making  his  cock  crow  in  our  ears.  Tliere  are 
 many  appointed  to  confess  his  name  who  deny 
 it,  and  the  very  cock  on  their  church-tower's 
 should  remind  them  of  Peter.  But  the  ques- 
 tion has  been  asked — Were  there  cocks  in  Jeru- 
 salem ?  It  is  certainly  strange,  since  their  con- 
 nection with  Egypt  might  have  led  us  to  ex- 
 pect otherwise,  that  the  Jews  from  the  begin- 
 ning seem  to  have  known  nothing  of  fowls; 
 in  the  Old  Testament  at  least  they  are  unmen- 
 tioned.*  But  that  may  be  explained  as  a  for- 
 tuitous circumstance,  like  many  other  words 
 and  things  which  do  not  hnppen  to  occur. 
 Further,  the  Mishna  records  that  the  inhabi- 
 tants of  Jerusalem,  and  the  priests  everywhere, 
 could  not  possess  them,  because  they  scraped 
 up  unclean  worms.  Accepting  this  in  good 
 faith,  many  have  resorted  to  the  strangest  ex- 
 pedients to  account  for  Peter's  cock  ;t  but 
 Winer  may  well  say  that  the  saying  in  the 
 Talmud  has  no  force  against  the  evangelical 
 narrative.  Certainly,  a  cock  might  crow  at 
 any  rate  outside  the  city,  or  in  the  Roman  pre- 
 cincts (we  do  not  find  "the  definite  article,  as 
 might  have  been  expected,  in  any  of  the  four 
 Gospels),  and  we  may  say  with  Bengel  :  "  Be- 
 cause cocks  were  unusual  among  the  Jew.s, 
 though  the  Romans  could  not  of  course  be  pre- 
 vented from  having  them,  so  much  the  more 
 wonderful  was  the  prediction  of  our  Lord."  But 
 we  prefer  to  seek  the  wonderful  or  the  more 
 wonderful  not  so  much  in  these  externalities, 
 as  in  the  natural  significance  of  the  cock-crow- 
 ing generally;  and  connected  here  with  the 
 precise  appointment  which  showed  that  in  the 
 divine  counsel  all  was  arranged  for  the  awaken- 
 ing of  Peter  at  the  hour. 
 
 The  crowing  of  a  code  (and  in  how  many 
 ways  has  nature,  overruled  for  our  salvation, 
 provided  such  cock-crowings),  may  suddenly 
 awaken  the  deafened  sinner,^  but  only  when  a 
 
 *  The  o'.d  translations  so  termed  the  collective 
 VnT>  P™^-  ^^^-  ^1'  ^'^^  "'1^??''  '^'^^-  -'^•^^^■'''-  ^'^' 
 but  this  was  incorrect.  The  Chaldee  Talniudical 
 nameis^iJJ-in,  N^Jpn  (of  doubtful  derivation); 
 the  cock  was  also  called  123  (the  man),  and  the 
 hen  TT'in?. 
 
 \  As,  that  dXsHTOop  was  the  Roman  Bnccinntor, 
 or  the  watciimanof  the  Jewish  court  of  judgment, 
 or  some  other  human  watch— see  AViner  in  Jtcallcx. 
 On  the  other  hand,  Sepp  (iii.  477)  refers  as  to 
 nnan  n^''-\\>,  as  also  to  the  other  Rabknical  sny- 
 ings,  which  imply  that  there  were  cocks  in  Jeru- 
 salem. 
 
 X  Hiller  :  Jesus  might  have  astounded  him  with 
 
562 
 
 THE  SWORD. 
 
 vxrr'l  has  preceded  wliidi  it  impresses  upon  the 
 mind.  Again,  the  most  powerful  and  con- 
 vincing word  may  be  in  vain,  as  we  see  here  in 
 Peter.  He  is  not  to  be  instructed  by  mere 
 word?,  even  from  the  lips  of  his  Master  ;  he 
 goes  bevond  his  Master,  as  he  goes  beyond  him- 
 self, in  assurances  of  his  fidelity.  As  according 
 to  Luke  and  John  he  had  once  already  spoken 
 in  contradiction,  he  does  so  now  again.  The 
 Ih  niipi66ov  in  Mark  (another  reading  exTtE- 
 pz66aii)  may  mean  the  strength  of  his  affirma- 
 tion, and  the  repetition  of  what  he  mid  ;  but  it 
 may  also  mean  yet  nnce  more,  with  a  hint  that 
 this  waa  not  the   first  time.     Yet  we  prefer, 
 
 comparing  Mark  vi.  51,  the  former,  connecting 
 it  with  fiaXXov — the  more  determinately  the 
 Lord  had  spoken,  the  more  express  was  his 
 contradiction.  The  rest  will  not  be  worse  than 
 i  he,  but  suffer  themselves  to  be  led  away  into 
 equal  presumption.  All  the  disciples,  that  is, 
 all  who  remained  (for  Judas'  removal  is  silent- 
 ly taken  for  granted  since  ver.  61),  say  the 
 same.  The  Lord  says  nothing  more,  but  leaves 
 them  the  last  word,  till  the  approaching  hour 
 shall  convince  them  of  their  folly;  and  also  (as 
 Wesley  remarks)  that  he  might  not  provoke 
 them  to  greater  guilt. 
 
 CONCERNING  THE  SWORD. 
 
 (Luke  xxii.  35-38.) 
 
 The  Lord  spoke  yet  one  serene  word  to  his 
 di.sciples,  before  the  anguish  of  his  soul  began : 
 and  at  the  time  of  their  going  forth.  For  his 
 muid  and  heart  was  full  to  the  last  of  all  that 
 he  had  to  say  to  them  at  his  departure :  and  he 
 continually  poured  out  of  that  fulness  by  de- 
 grees, as  they  might  bear  it.  His  own  des- 
 tiny less  occupied  his  soul — what  self-renunci- 
 at:on  ! — than  the  future  trials  and  dangers  of 
 his  disciples  in  the  world,  which  would  begin 
 w.th  the  withdrawal  of  Ins  earthly  presence. 
 This  great  bul.  ainc  is  ever  before  his  eyes  in  its 
 aspect  toward  tliem,  and  it  presses  upon  his 
 heart  as  the  critical  hour  approaches — the  less 
 they  anticipate  its  issue,  the  more  constrained 
 is  he  to  speak  of  it.  He  had  already  spoken 
 of  their  impending  ttmpta/iim  and  sifting,  and 
 therein  of  their  spiritual  perils,  with  the 
 melancholy  fall  of  the  denier;  it  remains  now 
 that  he  should  utter  a  warnmgof  their  coming 
 eMo-nal  dingers,  exh'ihiied  by  a  few  emphatic 
 touches.  He  thus  returns  to  the  theme,  varia- 
 tions upon  which  had  been  heard  in  John  xv. 
 18-21,  xvi.  1-4;  but  now  with  moat  decisive 
 explanation  of  his  meaning,  bringing  into 
 sharp  prominence  the  contrast  between  their 
 previouf  and  tlicir  future  condition.  This  is 
 ihe  saying,  so  raturaliy  to  be  expected,  which 
 Luke  presorvee  The  "  and  he  saiil  nnfo  than," 
 as  a  formula  (or  the  indefinite  compilation  of 
 the  various  sayings  of  thi:s  evening  (as  in  ver. 
 31),  leaves  ua  quite  free  to  place  these  words 
 either  here  or  there;  but  we  liMve  found  the 
 order  of  time  hitherto  so  specifically  marked 
 that  we  may  probably  regard  this  word  con- 
 cerning the  sword  as  the  last  before  Gethsem- 
 ane.  It  thus  actually  followed  (after  a  pause 
 in  the  going  forward)  upon  the  second  predic- 
 
 tbuii'ler.     But  bis  love  wakened  him  by  gentler 
 lueaus. 
 
 tion  of  the  denial,  as  it  stands  here  in  Luke 
 after  the  fir?t.  But  if  Matthew  and  Mark  are 
 right  that  that  second  intimation  of  the  denial 
 took  place  when  the  going  forth  had  already 
 begun,  ver.  39  in  Luke  must  be  a  supplemen- 
 tary notice  that  this  also  concerning  tlie  sword 
 was  spoken  during  the  continuous  journey. 
 Nor  do  we  see  any  thing  to  oppose  it ;  lor  Luke 
 does  not  write  xai  or  rorc  or  raCra  einaov 
 kzijXOs  (as  John  xviii.  1),  but  rather,  nat  kieX- 
 Oooy  (a:ter  thus  speaking  he  had  gone  forth) 
 knopevOtjy  etc. 
 
 We  saw  before,  when  giving  Luke's  sum- 
 mary, how  perfectly  the  words  harmonize  with 
 the  position  of  things  at  the  time,  and  with  the 
 circle  of  thought  in  which  the  Lord's  discourse 
 moves.  He  had  predicted  to  them,  in  contrast 
 with  their  previous  circumstances,  and  especial- 
 ly with  their  earlier  mission,  a  time  of  need  arvl 
 danger  for  his  disciples  ;  he  gives  the  reason  for 
 this,  ver.  37,  in  his  own  going  before  to  a 
 shameful  death.  But,  as  we  saw  before  and 
 shall  now  see  again,  while  there  is  a  similarity, 
 inasmuch  as  the  enmity  of  the  world  will  be 
 shown  against  his  followers  even  as  it  was 
 against  their  leader,  there  is  yet  also  an  impor- 
 tant difference — he  alone  surrenders  himself 
 to  pure  suffering  ;  they  may  use  foresight  and 
 prudential  defence.  When  the  disciples  mis- 
 understand liis  strong  and  sharply-defined  word 
 — as  if  it  referred  to  the  present  time,  and  the 
 question  was  his  own  defence — he  breaks  off 
 sorrowfully  and  abruptly.  For  the  experience 
 which  will  teach  them  all  is  as  near  as  the  de- 
 nial of  Peter. 
 
 Verse  35.  It  must  be  admitted  that  their 
 wise  teacher  docs  all  that  he  can  to  awaken  his 
 disciples'  attention  and  understanding.  It  is 
 his  intention  to  tell  them — But  now  it  will  be 
 otherwise.  He  therefore  requires  them  to  say 
 how  it  had  been  before.     lie  catechizes  them 
 
LUKE  XXII.  36. 
 
 563 
 
 upon  their  past  experience,  just  as  in  Mark 
 viii.  19.  The  when,  with  its  backward  refer 
 ence,  points  to  something  distinctive,  "  icTien  I 
 sent  you  forth" — not,  as  Luther  translates,  a.s 
 often' as  For  he  had  sent  forth  disciples  gene-  j 
 rally  only  twice,  and  the  twelve  only  that  once 
 whicli  Luke  reports  in  chap.  ix.  3,  and  to 
 which  llierefore  the  reference  here  is  plain. 
 The  Lord  does  not  ask  them  if  icith  him  they 
 had  ever  sufifered  want;  ior  prmmites  eos  aluit 
 Dominns,  as  Bengel  says,  and  there  had  been 
 always  something  remaining  for  the  poor. 
 But,  "  when  I  sent  you  away  from  me  into  the 
 world  (as  the  lype  of  the  mission  now  ap- 
 proaching), without  provision  and  with  the 
 express  prohibition  to  make  any* — had  ye  need 
 of  any  thing?"  Mark  that  not  to  have  need 
 was  then  at  the  outset  enough ;  superfluity 
 was  to  tlie  Lord's  disciples  too  much.  He  may 
 with  confidence  so  ask  ;  for,  although  in  that 
 itineration  there  might  occasionally  have  been 
 mockery  and  rejection,  slight  necessity  and 
 self-dfiiial,  yet  on  the  whole  they  never  really 
 lacked  any" thing;  certainly  they  were  never 
 in  absolute  want  and  peril.  His  accompanying 
 protection,  his  Father's  providence,  had  gently 
 led  them  through  all,  protected  them  sufficient- 
 ly, and  cared  for  all  their  necessities.  It  would, 
 indeed,  have  been  no  wonder  if  these  preachers 
 of  repentance  and  of  faith  in  a  kingdom  of  God 
 which  came  without  observation,  and  in  a 
 MesHitdi  different  from  the  general  expectation, 
 taking  nothing  with  them,  moreover,  had  fallen 
 into  great  necessity  :  and  thereibre  the  Lord 
 points  to  the  wonder  of  their  successful  course 
 when  he  dent  tham.  The  disciples  perfectly  well 
 undM-s1*and  him  in  this;  and,  unlike  those  who 
 have  complaints  always  ready  that  this  or  that 
 has  been  wanting  to  them,  they  admit  joyfully, 
 thankfully,  sincerely,  and  in  the  same  sense  in 
 winch  they  were  asked— NiAhing.  No  Christian 
 but  may  and  must  forever  make  this  symboli- 
 cal word  iiis  own,  even  in  the  hardest  times, 
 and  "  looking  back  upon  his  past,  whatever 
 may  have  been  its  character,  utter  nothing 
 but  contentment,  thankfulness,  and  praise" 
 (Nitzsch).  The  Lord  has  been  our  shepherd, 
 we  have  wanted  nothing — see  further  Psa. 
 xxxiv.  10,  11,  Ixxxiv.  12.  The  Lord  sends  us 
 and  leads  us  all  at  first  in  such  a  manner  that 
 this  admission  is  rendered  easy  ;  many  so  gen- 
 tly and  graciously  that  they  may  go  furiher 
 and  be  disposed  to  think  that  they  have  been 
 lacking  in  no  spiritual  gift  (1  Cor.  i.  7).  But 
 this  IS  only  the  discipline  of  children;  the 
 sterner  sequel  must  follow. 
 
 Verse  36.     The   Lord  does  not  proceed  as 
 
 Crobably  many  expected — And  so  shall  it  still 
 e,  ye  may  still  reckon  upon  the  same.  Oh, 
 no ;  fivin  this  time  they  are  not  only  to  use 
 pursti  and  scrip,  but,  before  all  things,  even  if 
 at  the  cost  of  their  garments,  they  are  to  have 
 a  sinord.     How  can  this  be  meant'?     Certainlv 
 
 not  in  the  special  literal  sense  which  the  word 
 seems  to  bear,  and  which  has  found  its  tame 
 and  unworthy  explanation  in  Seller's  remark — 
 "The  Apostles  would  now  have,  in  part  at 
 least,  to  travel  far  beyond  Judea,  and  in  regions 
 where  they  would  require  provision  of  susten- 
 ance and  even  weapons  to  defend  them  against 
 robbers  and  murderers."  He  who  has  in  any 
 degree  entered  into  the  spirit  of  these  last  say- 
 ings of  our  Lord  will  pre-suppose  a  more  com- 
 prehensive and  profound  meaning  in  these 
 words.  It  is  obvious  that  there  is  a  correspon- 
 dence between  the  preliminary,  typical  "  ichen 
 lient  ymi"  and  the  now  approaching  period  of 
 their  new  and  proper  mission,  as  Apostles; 
 consequently,  the  Lord  speaks  here  of  the  en- 
 tire future  of  these  Apostles  and  of  his  disciples 
 in  common,  of  that  new  and  different  time 
 which  should  follow  the  noio  of  his  death;  and 
 in  the  same  symbolical  and  general  sense  as  he 
 hfid  spoken  to  them  on  their  first  mission.  It 
 is  still  more  certain  that  he  does  not  speak 
 concerning  the  few  days  immediately  at  hand. 
 Hitherto  there  had  been  no  lack  even  in  exter- 
 nal things,  but  an  easy  well-cared-for  course, 
 with  resl  and  protection  from  above  ;  but  now 
 their  way  would  need  provision  and  prudence, 
 and  would  even  involve  conflict,  in  which  they 
 themselves  must  provide  for  themselves  pro- 
 tection and  defence  :  this  is  the  plain  meaning 
 in  general.  Thus  will  it  go  on,  before  ye  (ver. 
 30)  sit  at  my  table,  and  on  your  thrones. 
 That  must  be  said  in  some  form  as  the  comple- 
 ment of  his  farewell  discourses;  as  we  shall  see 
 if  we  take  this  occasion  to  glance  over  the 
 whole. 
 
 We  must  now  observe  the  individual  ex- 
 pression a  little  more  closely,  in  order  to  pro- 
 ceed more  safely  in  the  investigation  of  the 
 meaning  of  the  whole  clause.  The  he  that  hath 
 seems  to  intimate  that  there  will  be  many  who 
 will  not  have  purse,  and  scrip,  and  shoes  ;  thus 
 preparing  the  way  for  what  follows — that  there 
 will  be  something  else  still  more  needful  to  them. 
 But  he  that  hath  these  must  not  leave  them  at 
 home,  as  was  enjoined  formerly,  but  must  tale 
 them  tcith  him  as  prudent  provision  against  lack. 
 This  interpretation  of  dpdroa  is  plainly  demand- 
 ed by  the  antithesis;  it  was  only  an  exegetical 
 necessity  on  account  of  the  /.ir)  exoov,  "that 
 hath  not"(which  can  be  much  betterexplained), 
 that  gave  birth  to  the  artificial  rendering— Let 
 him  who  hath  purse  or  scrip  take,  that  is,  sell 
 these  to  procure  a  sword.  It  was  scarcely 
 needful  lor  Olshausen  to  remark  that  the 
 weighty  contrast  with  ver.  25  would  in  that 
 case  be  lost :  it  may  be  added  that  evei-y  thing 
 would  then  be  made  to  depend  upon  or  be  sub- 
 ordinate to  the  sword.  He  that  hath  not  must 
 sell  his  garment  and  buy  a  sword  instead  !* 
 The  saying  is  thus  made  very  singular,  and 
 there  is  some  difficulty  in  the  first  words  of  it 
 
 *  See  the  explaflation  on  Matt.  x.  9,  10.  Ba- 
 \dvTiov  (there  8,odvtj)  stands  here  for  the  pro- 
 vision of  money  in  the  purse. 
 
 *  Bengel  prefers  the  reading  nai  ayopa'det, 
 which  would  make  little  difierence,  even  if  ad- 
 missible :  he  takes  that  for  afuturum  comccutivwn 
 as  in  Mark  iii.  27,  and  adduces  several  examples. 
 
504 
 
 THE  SWORD. 
 
 fir)  excav.  Many  take  it  to  be,  He  that  hath 
 no  purse,  consequently  7W  money.  So  Grotius: 
 "  He  who  hath,  that  is  to  say,  no  such  purse 
 as  those  carry  who  have  money."  Similiarly 
 Bengal,  "  No  money  wherewith  to  buy  it." 
 This  seems  very  simple,  but  is  not  correct ;  for 
 that  concerning  the  scri'p  is  not  simply  inter- 
 posed ;  the  "likewise  his  scrip"  must  also  be 
 completed  by  "  he  that  hath,  let  hini  take." 
 But  the  interpretation  of  the  /<?/  ex^iv  by  the 
 following  dyopdZ,Eiv  (he  who  hath  not  what  is 
 necessary  in  order  to  buy)  is  forced,  and  forgets 
 that  6  Exayy  preceded.  Equally  forced  seems 
 the  other  method  of  solution,  "He  that  hath 
 no  sword,"  ]et  him  buy  one  at  any  cost;  al- 
 though the  Peshito  translated  at  once  r\)>  D^^T 
 
 ^n^p,  which  is  followed  by  Stolz,'De  Wette, 
 
 Van  Ess,  and  confirmed  by  Lange,  "  He  who  is 
 not  yet  provided  with  a  weapon."  Olshausen 
 hits  the  right  medium,  and  gives  the  o.nly  true 
 sense,  according  to  which  o  ju^  exoov  is  as  it 
 must  be  the  antithesis  of  o  £.^gjk,  but  without 
 any  further  specific  reference  to  scrip,  purse, 
 and  shoes.  The  contrast  is  now,  he  that  hath 
 and  he  that  haih  not;  consequently,  //;/  exoov 
 is  equivalent  to  ov8ev  Excay,  having  nothing. 
 Lange  says  correctly.  He  that  is  not  provided 
 beforehand  :  but  it  is  to  be  supplied  by — with 
 that  which  is  necessary  or  commanded.  There 
 is  thus  ?t.  sudden  advancement  of  the  thought — 
 To  him  I  will  recommend  something  still  more 
 needful,  yea,  the  thing  most  medful  ;  let  him  by 
 all  means  take  care  to  have  a  sword  !  For  that 
 he  may  even  sell  the  garment,  that  which  was 
 otherwise  necessary — for  such  is  the  meaning 
 of  TO  i/Ltdrioy  avrov,  and  it  docs  not  merely 
 refer  to  "decency"  which  must  be  made  sub- 
 ordinate. Consequently:  A  time  is  now  at 
 hand,  when — in  certam  circumstances — it  may 
 be  more  necessary  for  you  to  have  with  you 
 weapons  of  defence,  than  to  have  gold  or  bread 
 and  be  fitly  clothed,  etc.* 
 
 Thus  the  Lord  speaks  in  startling  contrast 
 with  Luke  ix.  3  or  Matt.  x.  9.  10.  But,  as  we 
 saw  tiiere  that  the  prohibition  of  any  equip- 
 ment and  provision  for  the  way  had  a  meaning 
 for  all  times  and  all  circumstances,  so  also  the 
 direction  now  decisively  changed  must  be  un- 
 derstood in  consistency  with  that.  And  there 
 must  be  a  mediating  interpretation  sought  here, 
 as  in  all  those  places  where  the  Scripture,  and 
 the  Lord  in  the  Scripture,  teaches  thus  para- 
 doxically by  .rigorous  contrasts.  If  ho  now 
 says,  to  his  disciples,  "  Hencel'orward  under- 
 stand not  my  former  words  in  their  strict  lit- 
 erality" — without  thereby  contradicting  the 
 spirit  which  was  in  that  letter;  so  we  must  be 
 
 *  Fn:ally,*tliat  /.idxotipoc  stands  here  in  its  com- 
 mon acceptation  lor  a  sword,  is  incoiitrovcrliuJe 
 from  tlic  fiiadation  in  the  sentence,  and  its  con- 
 nection with  tlie  sulisi  (inent  swords,  and  espo- 
 cialiy  that  of  Peter.  It  is  only  throuuh  dv-'spairiurr 
 of  tiie  meaning  that  the  idea  of  a  "  saciific  al 
 knife"  as  necessnry  in  travelling  could  have  en- 
 tered into  the  miud. 
 
 similarly  on  our  guard  in  the  present  case  lest 
 we  take  the  words  in  their  strict  literality 
 alone. 
 
 It  must  be  perfectly  plain  to  every  on«  who 
 understands  our  Lord's  manner  of  speakuig, 
 that  he  does  not  intend  literally  to  ordain  that 
 whoever  among  his  disciples  had  no  sword 
 must,  even  at  the  cost  of  selling  his  garmenl, 
 procure  one.  What  then  does  he  mean?  He 
 expressly  and  concretely  says,  "  Henceforth  be 
 it  not  merely  permitted,  but  my  command,  that 
 ye  avail  yourselves  of  all  natural  means  of  pro- 
 vision and  defence  in  your  way  through  an 
 opposing  world  and  all  its  oppression"  All 
 this  is  very  well,  if  we  not  content  ourselves 
 with  such  fleeting  generalities;  but  when  tiie 
 expression  is  so  sharply  defined  as  it  is  here,  it 
 must  retain  its  literal  significance.  But  how 
 is  this  to  be  defended  in  connection  with  the 
 obvious  truth  that  Christ's  disciples,  as  such, 
 and  in  his  affairs,  are  not  to  bear  or  use  the 
 sword?  Orthodox  expositors  have  witli  one 
 consent,  from  Chrys.,  Theoph.,  Enthym.,  down- 
 ward to  the  present  day,  explained  it  as  by  a 
 firm  tradition,  that  the  Lord  spoke  figurative- 
 ly or  proverbially  concerning  spiritual  armor. 
 "  Using  a  proverbial  and  figurative  mode  of 
 speaking  very  H^miliar  in  those  days,  he  intend- 
 ed to  say — It  will  now  be  as  when  men  in  times 
 of  perils  are  won:,  to  say,  thinking  of  their  de- 
 fence. Whosoever  has  a  purse  with  money,  etc." 
 Thus  runs  the  confident  comment  of  the  Hirsch' 
 herger  Bibel.  Plenninger,  too,  regards  this  as 
 the  evident  meaning:  "We  know  already  that 
 he  by  no  means  designed  to  put  swords  into 
 the  hands  of  his  disciples  for  defence.  Tiiis, 
 therefore,  is  one  of  his  bold  and  penetrating 
 sudden  turns,  and  expresses  the  fundamental 
 idea — Danger  must  now  be  provided  against 
 by  all."  If  we  think  no  deeper,  nothing  seems 
 clearer  than  this;  for  although  the  external 
 sword  has  its  proper  place  and  occasion,  yet  it 
 cannot  be  used  in  the  affairs  of  Christ,  and  l)y 
 his  messengers  as  such,  who  are  here  especially 
 spoken  of  It  is  altogether  inconceivable  that 
 the  Lord  would  give  svch  counsel  to  every  dis- 
 ciple who  was  not  so  provided. 
 
 Yet,  when  we  look  more  closely,  every  thing 
 is  against  this  cursory  spiritual  interprelalion. 
 Not,  indeed,  be.-au.se  it  might  be  asked — How 
 could  the  sword  of  the  Spirit  be  bought?  for 
 Rev.  iii.  18  would  answer  that.  But  first:  If 
 the  Lord  meant  spiritual  defence  against  an 
 evil  time,  he  used  a  very  perilous  word  to  sig- 
 nify it,  and  one  which  was  neco.s.<;arily  open  to 
 misunderstanding.  It  has,  indeed,  l)een  solved 
 thus:  "The  heaviest  persecution  was  now  about 
 to  begin;  enemies  were  at  l;and  with  swonls 
 and  scourges;  so  that  if  a  man  should  wish  to 
 depend  upon  human  defence  and  take  care  of 
 himself  in  the  manner  usual  among  men,  he 
 could  not  do  better  than,  selling  all  things, 
 provide  himself  with  a  sword.  By  this  sign, 
 therefore,  was  given  to  be  understood  the  thing 
 signified.  By  the  necessity  of  the  sword  he 
 syuibolically  intimates  the  greatness  of  iheii 
 impending  danger."     But,  to  our  feeling,  it  ia 
 
LUKE  XXII.  36. 
 
 665 
 
 strange  and  perfectly  unjustifiable  to  introduce 
 this  "  if  a  man  should  wish "  where  such  a 
 wish  was  to  be  forbidden ;  and  this  "  usual 
 manner"  where  it  was  to  have  no  place;  and 
 the  "  iiecessiiy  oi  the  sword  "  as  explaining  gred 
 danger.  We  ask,  If  the  Lord  will  have  no  use 
 of  the  external  sword,  why  does  he  speak  to 
 people  already  too  much  disposed  to  it  in  a 
 manner  so  misleading?  Lange  gives  an  acute 
 answer,  which  does  not  seem  to  put  the  full 
 force  of  the  question  :  "  lie  knew  that  Simon 
 had  already  been  thinking  of  the  means  of  of- 
 fence and  defence,  and  that  his  heart  was  set 
 upon  the  evil  method  of  physical  violence. 
 This  he  would  now  bring  to  light.  He  used 
 the  expression  «w»yZ  when  he  exhorted  them  to 
 the  use  of  spiritual  armor,  in  order  to  make 
 them  disclose  and  exhibit  their  provision  for 
 earthly  violence."  However  ingenious  this  is, 
 it  is  mani'estly  wrong.  Who  would  not  imme- 
 diately reply  that  Christ  could  rebuke  the  dis- 
 ciples' hankering  after  the  sword  in  a  much 
 more  fitting,  intelligible,  and  piercing  way  than 
 by  the  use  ot  such  irony  as  must  fail  of  its  ob- 
 ject? Again,  who  can  imagine  that  even 
 Simon,  not  to  say  others  with  him,  would  pro- 
 vide secretly  swords  against  the  enemies  of  Jesus 
 — and  moreover  precisely  two  swords  ?  Accord- 
 ing to  this  view,  they  produce  their  weapons 
 triumphantly,  and  their  "  leho'A  Lord"  means, 
 thou  hast  rightly  spoken,  and  we  have  already 
 cared  for  this.  I  confess  that  this  is  to  me 
 perfectly  irreconcilable  with  the  whole  character 
 and  relations  of  the  disciples;  and  hold  that 
 their  wise  Master  could  never  have  corrected 
 their  great  error  by  a  seeming  requirement, 
 masking  a  spiritual  meaning,  to  provide  them- 
 selves swords — and  then,  when  they  have 
 shown  the  swords  they  had,  have  said  merely. 
 It  is  enough!  In  truth,  he  must  have  foreseen 
 not  merely  the  misunderstandmg  of  his  "pro- 
 phetic, figurative  words,"  but  also  the  utter  in- 
 sufficiency of  his  rebuke — and  therefore  could 
 not  have  spoken  in  this  sense.  "  It  is  true 
 (says  Von  Gerlach)  that  the  misunderstanding 
 nad  evil  results;  but  it  was  better  that  they 
 should  be  produced,  and  the  roots  of  the  evil 
 thus  disclosed  and  corrected."  And  did  the 
 Lord  then  speak  in  anticipation  of  Peter's 
 drawing  and  using  his  sword,  that  so  he  might 
 be  condemned?  How  can  it  be  so  easily  for- 
 gotten that  this  rash  u.?e  of  the  sword  was  a 
 heavy  disgrace  to  the  cause  of  Christ,  and  as 
 such  a  not  insignificant  element  in  his  Passion? 
 Most  certainly,  this  will  not,  any  more  than 
 the  other  methods,  warrant  our  supposing  the 
 Lord  to  have  spoken  of  "  spiritual  equipment." 
 But,  secondly  :  As  the  scrip,  and  shoes,  and 
 purse  are  to  be  understood,  so  and  not  other- 
 wise must  the  sword  be  understood.  But  these 
 things  are  in  Matt,  x.,  and  here  also,  promi- 
 nent examples  of  many  other  things  of  the  like 
 kind;  figures  therefore  which,  however,  repre- 
 sent external  provision  for  need,  corporeal  re- 
 sources, unless  the  whole  connection  of  thought 
 is  thrown  into  confusion.  (Or  are  we  to  think 
 of  heavenly  treasures  which  are  current  in  the 
 
 kingdom  of  God,  of  provision  in  spiritual 
 purses  of  spiritual  virtues?)  To  this  corres- 
 ponds only  external  corporeal  defence,  though 
 "sword"  as  the  strongest  expression  of  it  in- 
 cludes very  much.  As  the  Lord  permits  from 
 this  time  forward,  yea,  in  a  certain  sense  com- 
 mands, that  all  the  earthly  good  which  a  man 
 has  should  be  used  in  his  service  against  7ieed, 
 just  so  he  appoints,  yea,  command^,  the  pro- 
 vision of  external  defence  against  threatened 
 enmity.  For  need  through  enmity  even  against 
 life — is  the  climax  of  the  lac/c  which  they  did 
 not  experience.  Olshausen  indeed  contends,  in 
 order  to  bring  out  a  fully  consistent  meaning, 
 that  sword  must  be,  like  purse  and  scrip,  taken 
 in  a  figurative  sense;  Lange  carries  that  inter- 
 pretation so  far  as  to  make  it  Fay,  "  What  is 
 now  requisite  is  an  entire  relinquishment  of 
 and  departure  from  the  old  world."  But  how 
 does  this  suit  the  directions  of  Matt,  x.,  from 
 which  the  whole  discourse  takes  its  rise  ?  It 
 must  be  maintained  that  the  resources  of  pro- 
 vision are  primarily  external  against  earthly 
 need,  consequently  the  resources  of  defence  are 
 similarly  against  earthly  danger.  Thirdly,  and 
 finally  :  The  entire  development  of  the  connec- 
 tion, as  we  have  laid  it  down  at  the  outset, 
 carries  us  not  back  to  spiritual  armor  for  spirit- 
 ual conflict,  which  had  been  already  spoken  of 
 in  vers.  31,  32,  but  leads  now  to  a  warning 
 word  of  counsel  as  to  the  external  danger  ot 
 need,  yea,  rather  of  persecution.  This  critical 
 point,  which  has  its  essential  importance  and 
 reality,  would  be  altogether  omitted  in  the 
 farewell-discourses  of  our  Lord  to  his  disciples, 
 if  these  last  words  are  interpreted  simoly  in  a 
 spiritual  sense.  Hence  we  can  perceive  how 
 precipitate  is  the  conclusion  of  Lange,  who 
 generally  is  so  peculiarly  penetrating  and  orig- 
 inal, but  here  falls  in  with  the  predominant  ex- 
 position— "  It  is  almost  superfluous  to  observe 
 that  the  words  can  be  understood  only  in  a 
 figurative  sense."  When  he  mentions  his  only 
 reason,  that  "  in  this  late  evening-hour  no  man 
 could  think  of  buying  a  sword  in  the  proper 
 sense,"  this  does  not  by  any  means  hit  the 
 point.  For  it  is  plain  enough  in  any  case  that 
 the  Lord  is  not  speaking  of  a  defence  on  this 
 same  night;  this  was  the  specific  misun  ler- 
 standing  of  the  disciples.  Between  the  refer- 
 ence to  his  disciples'  appeal  to  the  sword  in 
 that  which  mud  yet  be  accomplished  in  him*  and 
 the  mere  inculcation  of  spiritual  defence  for 
 all  his  future  disciples,  there  lies  much  which 
 must  be  his  only  true  meaning.  That  they 
 were  to  arm  themselves  with  faith,  pi-.-^-yer,  pa- 
 tience, and  wise  provision  generally  for  all 
 spiritual  emergency  (Matt.  x.  16,  17),  was  not 
 the  thing  which  he  intended  in  this  connec- 
 tion by  the  mention  of  the  sword. 
 
 *  Sword,  awake  against  my  Shepherd !  This 
 word  our  Lord  had  siill  in  his  thought,  from  the 
 former  discourse.  This  gives  a  new  exi>lanatioa, 
 how  he  came  to  express  it  here  so  strongly,  and 
 also  a  new  evidence  that  he  did  not  mean  it  sim- 
 ply of  spiritual  weapons. 
 
566 
 
 THE  SWORD. 
 
 "When,  however,  the  Lord  speaks  thus  strongly 
 of  the  sword  alone,  all  kinds  of  defensive  armor 
 being  in  question — when  he  plainly  declares,  as 
 it  were,  that  every  one  at  every  cost  must  pro- 
 cure a  sword — this  must  be  referred  to  the  pro- 
 verbial, vivid  tone  of  the  expression,  to   the 
 living  feeling  and  profound  earnestness  with 
 which  he  would  bring  into  contrast  the  evil 
 time  coming,  as  well  as  the  necessity  of  being 
 armed  against  it.     Such  a  proverbial  character 
 of  expression,  from  the  mere  letter  of  which  a 
 spiritual  interpretation  has  something  to  deduct, 
 is  quite  in  harmony  with  our  Lord's  manner  of 
 teaching  elsewhere;  but  this  cannot  be  said  of 
 a  spirit  ual  sense  alone,  excluding  all  externality, 
 when  the  words  and  theentire connection  pertain 
 to  external  things.     It  must  be  especially  re- 
 marked that  the  progression  of  his  words  even 
 to  their  most  rigorous  climax  has  led  him  to 
 this  buying  of  the  sword — and  this  indicates  the 
 worst  contingency,  of  course,  not  the  ordinary 
 rule.     In  fine,  the  Lord's  very  remarkable  say- 
 ing concerning  the  sword,*  as  far  as  our  most 
 careful  and  well-considered  exegesis  can  appre- 
 ..  bend  it,  is  intended  providently  to  recognize 
 and  appoint  for  the  future  of  his  disciples  the 
 employment  of  earthly  means  of  protection  and  de- 
 fence, in  opposition  to  what  we  may  call,  for 
 brevity's  sake,  the  Quakerish  view.     Is  there 
 any  thing  untrue  or  needless  in  this  ?     It  is 
 of  itself  perfectly  plain  that  the  death-dealing 
 sword    has  nothing  to  do  with  the  things  o! 
 Christ's  kingdum,  the  spread  of  his  Gospel  and 
 Church  (however  earth.y  power  may  be  sancti- 
 fied to  its  preservation  and  defence)  ;  it  is  no 
 other  than  a  wilful  misunderstanding  to  think 
 that  the  Lord's  word  has  any  the  most  distant 
 Mohammedan  sense.    This  is  manilestly  shown 
 alterward  in  the  case  o!  Peter  in  Gethsemane 
 (as  we  shall  devolope  the  consequences  of  his 
 word),  and  still  more  expressly  in  John  xviii. 
 3G.     And   it  is   equally  self-evident  that   the 
 counsel  or  commandment  of  our  Lord  must  be 
 followed  in  the  spirit  and  meaning  of  the  com- 
 mandment  not  to  resist   evil,  in    Matt.    v.  39 
 (which,  however,  itself  leaves  room  for  counter- 
 defence,  see  vol.  i.).     To   this  Bengel's  subtile 
 remark  in  his  Germ.  N.  T.  points  :  "A  sword, 
 not  (so  much)  to  kill  any  other,  but  to  k^ep 
 another's  sword  in  its  sheath."     in  other  words, 
 for  defence  always  and  only,  never  for  the  first 
 assault ;  the  sword  as  the  necessity  of  a  traveller. 
 Kevertheless,  when  we  have  made  all  due  con- 
 cessions and   deductions   as   to   the   sense   of 
 this  concrete  and  progressional  utterance,  the 
 actual  mention  of  the  actual  sword  remains  as 
 a  testimony  of  Christ  to  us  all— that  his  dis- 
 ciples,  servants,   and  messengers  in   this  evil 
 aiul  un:nendly  world  must  no  longer  reckon 
 upon    that  miraculous    protection  and   gentle 
 course  whicii  his  Apostles  experienced  on  their 
 first  trial  mission,  but  that  they  must  for  their 
 personal  protection  of  the  life  which  belongs  to 
 the  service  of  Christ  (that  alone  is  here  spoken 
 
 *  Its  paradoxical  form  is  proof  of  itself  of  the 
 authenticity  of  Luke's  traditioa. 
 
 of),  in  certain  circumstances  and  times  of  in- 
 tenser  danger,  even  have  recourse  to  the  equip- 
 ment of  the  sword.  The  sword  here  stands  on 
 the  same  level  with  the  purse  and  the  shoes, 
 and  is  in  certain  cases  the  most  pressingly  ne- 
 cessary of  all.  As  we  must  not  neglect  care  of 
 the  exchequer  (and  the  Moravian  Brethren 
 understand  now  better  than  they  did  how  im- 
 portant is  the  care  of  the  finances),  as  manifold 
 provision  for  the  pilgrim's  need  in  the  service 
 of  Christ  is  by  no  means  unimportant,  when 
 the  necessity  of  that  high  service  is  studied 
 alone,  and  there  are  many  ■vTtoSi'ifxara  which 
 might  assist  and  expedite  his  way  through  the 
 world;  so  it  is  right  and  proper  that  he  should 
 be  armed,  not  only  when  he  carries  the  peace 
 of  Christ  among  the  wild  Battas  of  Sumatra — 
 where  the  fate  of  Munson  and  Lynian  are  ex- 
 amples— but  even  in  carrying  the  Bible  through 
 Christian  Spain.  Generally  speaking,  every 
 one  should  consider  that  the  promised  protec- 
 tion of  the  Lord  is  vouchsafed  by  him  ordinarily 
 according  to  the  course  of  this  world ;  and 
 where  his  life  is  in  danger,  he  may  confidently 
 and  without  scruple  defend  it,  since  it  is  the 
 Lord's  commandment  that  he  should  not  throw 
 his  life  undefended  away. 
 
 Verse  37.  The  first /<>;•,  which  connects  the 
 new  clause,  shows  that  the  Lord  is  here  giving 
 the  reason  of  what  he  had  said,  and  we  under- 
 stand it  at  the  outset .  "  For  with  myself  the 
 way  leads  to  dire  ignominy,  through  the  bitter- 
 est enmity  raging  against  me;  thence  learn  to 
 estimate  how  much  hatred  ye  may  expect  from 
 the  world  as  the  followers  of  one  thus  singled 
 out "  (John  XV.  18).  This  is  the  first  time  that 
 the  Lord  himself  directs  us  to  the  fifty-third 
 chapter  of  Isaiah,  that,  pre-eminent  anil  com- 
 plete te::t  of  the  Passion ;  but  it  will  scarcely 
 be  expected  by  our  readers  that  we  should 
 here,  as  in  the  case  of  Zechariah,  investigate 
 the  Messianic  character  of  the  entire  section, 
 and  show  the  connection  of  this  individual 
 passage  in  the  [unity  of  the  whole  prophecy. 
 That  would  lead  us  into  too  discursive  disqui- 
 sition ;  and  if  any  where  it  is  here  permitted  to 
 us  to  fall  back  upon  the  ecclesiastical  and  scrip- 
 tural interpretation  which  has  prevailed  frora 
 the  beginning.  The  later  theology,  after  all 
 its  investigations  of  the  ni.T  121?,  and  its  occa- 
 sionally useful  correction  of  the  one-sideness 
 and  disjointedness  of  former  views,  must  needs 
 come  back  to  the  old  reference  to  the  Messiah, 
 Call  it  type  or  prophecy,  and  develope  the. ulti- 
 mate meaning  as  it  points  to  a  fulfillment  in 
 the  New  Testament,  as  you  will — but  do  not 
 .contradict  the  supreme  authority  of  him  who 
 between  the  sacramental  Passover  and  Geth- 
 semane places  this  ysypaui-isyov  among  the 
 prophecies,  of  which  he  decisively  says— r  a 
 n  E  pi  I  n  ov,  ih^t  is,  in  this  connection,  ?A« 
 thin^/f  written,  sjtoJcen,  ajypoinled  concerning  me. 
 
 Chaps,  xlix.-lv.  of  Isaiah  announce  most 
 clearly  to  all  open  eyes  God's  jilan  of  redemp. 
 tion,  according  to  which  he  acquires,  pre. 
 pares,  and  glorifies  his  true  Israel  in  l/ie  Messiah, 
 
LUKE  XXII.  S7. 
 
 567 
 
 and  by  tli'^  /leans  of  his  atoning,  regenerating 
 sufferings.  Israel  is  God's  servant,  but  only 
 because  tlie  Coming  One  is  himself  the  true 
 Israel  (chap.  xlix.  3).  Thrice  in  progressive 
 development  we  have  exhibited  oefore  our 
 eyes  the  conflict  and  victory,  th<?  sufferings  and 
 the  glory,  of  the  Future  One ;  then  the  follow- 
 ing of  his  people  in  the  same  way,  and  the 
 covenant  of  grace  thus  established.  The  third 
 of  these  recurring  sections  embraces  chap.  lii.  13 
 — to  the  end  of  chap.  Iv.  The  same  Lord  and 
 God  who,  according  to  chap.  lii.  12,  is  in  the 
 van  and  rearward  of  his  people's  new  deliver- 
 ance, accomplishes  this  prudently  hy  his  servant, 
 in  whose  person  he  comes  and  is  himself  with 
 them  (chap.  lii.  6).  He  who  was  deeply  abased 
 is  nevertheless  exalted ;  his  suiFering  is  an 
 ofTence  and  cause  of  rejection,  but  his  suffering 
 heals  the  offence  ;  after  tlie  patient  endurance 
 of  a  sacrificial  death  he  lives  again  in  many. 
 This  great  transition  appears  under  three  points 
 of  view  ;  The  despised  root-shoot  grows  up  to 
 a  rich  harvest  of  seed  ;  the  labor  of  his  soul  ob- 
 tains the  fulness  of  recompense  ;  he  who  con- 
 quered in  death  carries  with  him  his  great 
 booty.  So  in  vers.  10-12,  the  exaltation  of  him 
 who  was  humbled  is  described  specifically  at 
 the  close — he  bears  and  takes  away  the  sin  of 
 many,  himself  dying  the  death  of  a  sinner;  he 
 enters  as  mediator  and  intercessor  for  evil- 
 doers, even  as  he  is  reckoned  one  with  them. 
 This  is  the  crown,  the  rsXoi  of  this  chaoter, 
 compact  in  itself.  To  the  sublimely  comprehen- 
 sive yjD^  D^yra^  corresponds  finally,  as  the 
 way  and  means,  nJD3  D^i?"*2"nX.  As  certain- 
 ly as  the  same  y'3a%  which  in  the  most  general 
 
 and  fullest  sense  means  "lie  interposed  for*  the 
 transgressors,"  v/as  specifically  and  visibly  ful- 
 filled in  his  intercession  upon  the  cross;  even  so 
 was  it  concretely  fulfilled  that  he  was  reckoned 
 among  the  transgressors  (Niph. :  11",  submitted  to 
 he  reckoned,  parallel  with  the  NfJ>3,  J?^il2%  P.^f!!'' 
 nnj?n,of  his  own  personal  act),  when  in  hiscruci- 
 
 fi.tion  he  was  placed  between  the  two  murderers 
 as  the  third. t  Therefore  the  Lord  himself  cites 
 this  word,  too,  in  the  same  manner  as  that  other 
 in  Zechariah.t  When  he  says,  ert  tovzo, 
 "  this  yet"  (this  addition  must  be  accepted  as 
 genuine),  he  makes  prominent  the  disgrace 
 thrown  upon  him  as  the  climax  of  his  sufiering 
 in  its  external  manifestation.  It  must  be  ac- 
 complished in  him,  because  it  is  written.  But 
 what  means  the  apparently  superfluous  second 
 clause  with  its  repeated /or  .*      Tekoi  «^£ij', 
 
 *  The  continuous  future  of  his  exalted  state,  the 
 tvrvyxdyeiv  ot  Heb.  vii.  25  parallel  with  the 
 \2.  yspn,  ver.  6. 
 
 f  Although  the  fulfillnxent  already  beains  in 
 John  xviii.  30 ;  )L.deed,  still  further  back,  John  ix. 
 24,  vii.  48,  etc. 
 
 X  Again  //era?  dvojucoy,  more  exact  than  the 
 Sep  .  iv  droMoii. 
 
 have  an  end,  is  generally  regarded  as  one  and 
 the  same  with  TEX£6Q))vai,  he  accompluhed,  aiid 
 this  again  is  made  the  same  as  TtXi}pov60ai,  be 
 fulfilled  ;  but  all  this  is  flat  tautology— It  must 
 be  fulfilled  because  it  is  fulfilled.  The  turn  of 
 expression  receives,  indeed,  another  sense  when 
 TO.  nepi  £fiov  is  emphasized  as  meaning  all 
 things  concerning  me — Because  all  that  was 
 written  concerning  me  must  be  accomplished 
 down  to  the  last,  this  also  is  accomplished,  the 
 last  word  of  that  most  eminent  prediction  of 
 the  Passion.  This  gives  the  words  their  true 
 meaning;  only  that  reXoi  exsiv  must  have  a 
 more  exact  application — If  this  vovro  is  yet 
 accomplished,  because  all  must  be  accomplish- 
 ed, then  the  fulfillment  of  all  has  thereby  an 
 end.  It  is  useless  here  to  make  the  petty  ob- 
 jection that  many  later  circumstances  of  the 
 Passion,  and  many  things  concerning  the  resur- 
 rection and  ascension  of  our  Lord,  were  also 
 predicted,  and  that  therefore  the  reckoning 
 among  the  transgressors  could  not  be  the  last 
 thing.  Nor  should  this  objection  itself  be  ex- 
 plained away  by  weakening  the  force  of  the 
 simple  expression,  as  if  it  meant  only  that  all 
 things  tended  thus  to  the  end,  and  when  this 
 took  place  were  not  far  from  the  final  close. 
 For,  on  the  one  hand,  the  Lord  speaks  here,  aa 
 is  evident  from  the  significant  ^del,  must  (which 
 always  has  this  reference),  only  of  his  sufferings; 
 and,  on  the  other,  the  being  reckoned  among  the 
 transgressors  continues  the  abiding  indignity 
 even  to  the  end,  is  itself  the  climax  of  his  re- 
 proach, the  lowest  depth  of  his  humiliation. 
 The  TtjXeoQijyixi  had  already  implied  this;  and 
 the  words  concerning  fulfillment  here  must  be 
 taken  in  the  same  sense  as  the  rsTdXedrat 
 upon  the  cross. 
 
 But  we  must  now  look  more  closely  into  the 
 two-fold/or  and  the  end,  in  order  to  bring  out 
 what  most  expositors  have  overlooked.  If  it 
 is  rightly  regarded  as  saying  generally  at  first 
 — "  Prepare  yourselves  for  danger  and  enmity, 
 think  of  protection  and  detence,  for  your  Lord 
 must  die  the  death  of  a  malefactor;  "  we  must 
 add  that  il/us  "  lor  "  plainly  intimates  also — 
 "  But  not  on  my  account,  to  protect  and  save  me, 
 provide  your  weapons."  That  was  so  plain 
 that  the  misunderstanding  of  the  disciples  can 
 only  be  explained  by  their  habitual  tendency 
 to  overlook  all  the  announcements  of  the  Pas- 
 sion. That  which  must  be  accomplished  in  hirli 
 cannot  be  averted  by  any  sword  of  theirs. 
 Thus  it  is  in  the  future  and  for  themselves,  as 
 the  disciples  of  a  rejected  Master,  th.at  they  are 
 to  provide  defence  ;  and  for  this  the  second  "  for  " 
 brings  a  new  reason,  and  plainer  explanation. 
 For  if  all  that  was  written  concerning  the  Pas- 
 sion has  primarily  its  end  in  the  personal,  pa- 
 tient, and  passive  atoning  sufferings  of  Christ, 
 it  follows  that  we  are  by  no  means  appointed 
 to  a  similar  perfect  renunciation  of  all  defence 
 and  resistance,  as  if  all  was  binding  upon  us  aa 
 by  an  equal  /?£?,  and  therefore  to  be  passively 
 submitted  to.  Pre-supposing  and  admitting  ail 
 that  fellowship  of  reproach,  and  suffering,  and 
 patience,  which   is  our  badge  as   disciples  of 
 
668 
 
 THE  SWORD. 
 
 Christ,  there  is  yet  a  dhlindion  which  is  h^re  sig- 
 nified. Concerning  ua  this  or  that  has  not  been 
 specifically  written,  and  therefore  at  once  to  be 
 yielded  to  with  submission,  as  in  the  case  of  the 
 Lamb  who  was  led  to  the  slaughter  and  opened 
 not  his  mouth.  If  our  Lord,  according  to  the 
 special  and  sole  decree  which  was  upon  him, 
 was  under  the  necessity  of  devoting  himself  to 
 the  sufferings  of  redemption,  that  had  its  end 
 in  himself;  we,  who  suffer  not  for  atonement, 
 but  for  our  own  purification  and  the  good  of 
 our  brethren,  may  and  ordinarily  should  spare, 
 protect,  and  even  defend  our  life — that  so  we 
 may  spend  it  the  longer  and  the  more  effectu- 
 ally in  love  for  our  brethren,  and  make  it  a  sac- 
 rifice in  the  only  way  which  is  permitted  to 
 us.  It  will  be  seen  what  light  now  falls  upon 
 the  words  concerning  the  sword  ;  the  Lord  aoes 
 not  speak  of  spiritual  things,  but  certainly  of 
 need  and  danger  to  befall  his  disciples,  just  as 
 of  his  own  sufferings  and  death  ;  he  does  not 
 mean  how  they  are  to  defend  him,  but  how 
 every  one  is  in  due  time  to  preserve  and  take 
 care  of  himself.  Ke  has  in  view  the  great  and 
 important  distinction — that  while  he  yields 
 himself  to  the  sword  which  God  had  summoned 
 against  him,  his  disciples  are  in  the  future  in 
 his  name,  in  his  spirit,  and  his  service,  to  contend 
 against  an  evil  world,  and  in  cases  of  stern  ne- 
 cessity to  resort  to  the  defence  which  his  king- 
 dom of  grace  justifies — swcn'd  against  sword. 
 
 The  disciples  do  not  understand  their  Mas- 
 tor  ;  they  seize  the  word  concerning  the  sword, 
 but  without  perceiving  the  whole  connection 
 and  meaning  of  his  wliole  saying:  "When  it 
 concerns  natural  things,  man  is  apt  and  prompt 
 enough  " — says  the  BjH.  Bibel.  Their  gross 
 misunderstanding  is  the  opposite  extreme  to 
 the  "spiritual  interpretation"  of  the  later 
 Christians.  But  their  misunderstanding  did 
 not  lie  in  their  assuming  that  actual  swords 
 were  meant,  but  in  the  supposition  that  he  was 
 referring  to  the  present  night  and  the  defence 
 of  his  person;  therefore  they  produce  the  two 
 swords — See  here  they  are — thus  givin"  him  to 
 observe  that  they  already  have  them*  This  has 
 introduced  a  needless  difficulty  in  accounting 
 for  the  disciples'  being  provided  with  swords. 
 Chrysostom.  though  he  regards  the  Lord  as 
 «peaking  of  a  sword,  thinks  that  the  instru- 
 
 *  Certninly  net  now  first  procured,  or  even 
 hroimht  in  ihe  strict  .sense — this  is  oj)posed  by 
 thn  simple  and  theij  said.  Tliey  bad  the  two 
 Bwordi  with  them,  aiul  merely  said,  See,  wo  have 
 them  already  !  Thus  the  narrative  was  not  in- 
 t**nded,  as  Schleiennacher  thinks,  to  account  for 
 Peter's  liaviug  the  .sword  when  lie  atterwards 
 ined  it ;  though  it  does  nivo  rise  to  the  natural 
 question — Whence  and  wlieroforo  they  had  them. 
 Friedlieb's  remark  that  P.-ler's  haviii<;  a  sword  in 
 Qelhseniane  was  the  result  of  their  having  misun- 
 derstood the  Lord's  words,  m'ght  be  true,  if  those 
 words  had  not  been  uttered,  as  we  have  seen,  in 
 the  way. 
 
 ments  of  the  disciples  were  large  sacrificial 
 knives  for  the  Passover.  Bengel  first  states  as 
 more  probable  what  is  in  the  highest  degree 
 improbable — "  which  they  had  found  in  the 
 chamber  ;  "  but  then  he  adds,  "  or  had  brought 
 with  them."  Nothing  is  to  be  objected  to  the 
 latter,  since  the  Galileans  (a  quarrelsome  race) 
 were  accustomed  and  necessitated  to  travel 
 armed.  The  road  between  Jerusalem  and  Jeri- 
 cho was  never  safe  from  robbers  and  murderers 
 (Luke  X.  30)  ;  and,  according  to  Josephus,  even 
 the  peaceful  Es^enes  bore  arms.*  This  the 
 Lord,  as  we  see  here,  had  silently  permitted  to 
 the  disciples — a  new  confirmation  of  the  mean- 
 ing of  his  word  concerning  the  sword.  Thus, 
 both  swords  were  brought  with  them  from  Gal- 
 ilee ;  Peter  (as  we  might  expect,  and  the  se- 
 quel in  Getbsemane  shows)  had  one ;  and  so  had 
 another  disciple — hence  the  question,  Shall  we 
 smite  with  the  sword?  Thus  all  is  clear.  But 
 the  notion  that  the  disciples  had  provided 
 themselves  now  first  with  weapons  against  the 
 threatening  enmity  of  Jerusalem,  and  for  the 
 defence  of  the  Lord's  person,  is  far  more  unrea- 
 sonable than  that  they  should  now  impetuous- 
 ly and  without  reflection  produce  the  weapons 
 which  they  already  had.  But  we  cannot  at- 
 tribute to  them  the  folly  of  supposing  them- 
 selves sufficiently  provided  in  this  little  arse- 
 nal ;  the  explanation  of  Hess  seems  more  cor- 
 rect :  "  Alas !  Lord,  would  that  we  were  now 
 better  provided — but  here  we  have  only  two 
 swords!"  (What  are  these  against  so  many 
 threatening  thee  and  us,  in  such  a  time  of 
 danger  as  thou  speakest  of  with  such  ever-in- 
 creasing earnestness  ?) 
 
 It  is  probable  that  the  Lord's  answer  con- 
 nects itself  with  this  meaning  of  their  ha-e  are 
 two  so  far,  that  is,  as  his  answer  has  an 
 ironical  reference  to  the  swords.  Indeed,  the 
 fundamental  force  of  'Inavov  i6rt,  It  i» 
 enough,  is  by  no  means  that  which  is  given  by 
 the  London  Heb.  New  Testament — jn'^^T.:  for 
 
 that,  standing  alone,  would  be  quite  insuf- 
 ficient to  express  the  Lord's  regret  at  the 
 lamentable  misapprehension  of  his  profound 
 and  far-reaching  word.  But  with  look  and 
 tone  of  sorrow  he  breaks  off  apd  says,  "  It  is 
 already  enough  of  this:  I  will  no  further  speak 
 of  this,  since  ye  are  so  entirely  without  under- 
 standing, ye  will  better  apprehend  it  soon." 
 This  is  in  harmony  with  the  use  of  the  phrase.f 
 comp.  Deut.  iii.  26,  ^^"31,  Sept.  ixayoveOoo 
 
 *  See  Sepp,  Leben  Chrtsti,  iii.  40.  Corapnre  also 
 Grotius,  De  jure  bc.'li  ac  pacis,  lib.  i.  cap.  3,  ft  3, 
 No.  4. 
 
 f  Hut  hiiihly  artificial  is  the  interpolation  of 
 Grotius — "Satis  ad  siynijkationem,"  the  two  are 
 sufficient  to  illustrate  my  parable  concerning  spir- 
 itual weapons.  Not  much  better  is  Langa's  turn : 
 "  Enough  to  bring  to  light  your  ignorance,  to  ex- 
 plain your  approaching  fall,  to  brmg  me  into  sus- 
 picion with  my  enemies,  as  if  my  cause  was  con- 
 nected with  that  of  tho  transgressors."  This  is  a 
 plentiful  exposition  of  these  short  words  1 
 
MATTHEW  XXVI.  36-42. 
 
 569 
 
 <fof.  ir  it  is  not  just  the  "common  oriental 
 form  of  speech,  when  any  one  has  said  any 
 thing  very  distasteful  or  palpably  lalse,"  yet  it 
 is  the  common  style  of  breaking" off  a  subject, 
 in  some  circumstances  with  anger,  as  here  in 
 Borr&w — Enough  of  it !  let  it  be  so  !  We  need 
 not  asiv  f(jr  what  it  was  enough  ;  the  word  of 
 our  Lord  ceases  to  speak  and  to  explain,  be- 
 cause the  disciples  do  not  cease  their  misunder- 
 standing and  perversion.  Inasmuch  as  this  It 
 i&  enough  is  his  last  recorded  expression  before 
 Getlisemane  (followed,  if  not  by  perfect  silence, 
 yet  probably  by  only  monosyllabic  utterances), 
 it  may  be  regarded  as  involving  the  generally 
 significant  meaning — "Enough  of  speaking  and 
 not  uiiilerslanding ,  now  follows  the  accomjdish- 
 ment  of  all,  and  all  things  will  develope  and  ex- 
 plain themselves  !  "  iStdl  more:  In  those  two 
 swords  the  Lord's  all-comprehendinw  ghince 
 beholds  all  the  misunderstanding  and  perver- 
 sion which  will  lead  to  the  use  of  ihe  sword  on 
 the  wrong  occasion,  and  as  Lange  very  perti- 
 nently says  (more  to  the  point  than  the  note 
 just  quoted)  :  "  It  is  enough — this  is  a  sigh  of 
 the  God-man,  which  sounds  as  a  wail  of  lamen- 
 tation over  the  Pi.omish  swords  and  stakes,  over 
 the  Paulician  and  Hussite  butcheries,  over  all 
 the  terrois  of  civil  power  which  his  religion 
 should  witness." 
 
 Further,  although  he  thus  means  in  sorrow 
 — "Enough  of  speaking  in  vain,  enough  of 
 misunderstanding  !  (enough,  alas!  of  all  that 
 your  swords  show  me,  as  typical  for  the  fu- 
 ture)," yet  he  also  knows  that  the  disciples  had 
 signified,  when  they  exhibited  them,  Are  these 
 two  swords  enough  ?  or  rather,  alas  !  these  two 
 are  not  enough.  Therefore,  when  in  his  reply 
 he  uses  such  an  expression  as  this,  it  seems 
 obvious,  as  Olshausen  says,  that  "  the  phrase 
 it  is  enough  involves  a  sort  of  douUe-meaning , 
 since  tliey  might  refer  its  meaning  to  the  two 
 swords — Two  swords  are  suthcient !  as  well  as 
 to  the  whole  matter  in  hand — It  is  enough  of 
 this  subject,  I  see  ye  do  not  yet  understand 
 me."  But  on  two  points  we  differ  from  Ols- 
 hausen ;  we  view  the  former  as  only  the  second 
 and  coacomitant  meaning,  and  we  do  not  hesi- 
 
 tate to  call  the  other  what  it  really  is,  a  sacred 
 irony.  As  such  it  retains  its  most  solemn  ear- 
 nestness, since  the  insufficiency  of  even  a  gene- 
 ral equipment  of  the  disciples  against  the  Lord's 
 enemies  was  at  the  same  time  prtwf  that  he 
 could  not  have  spoken  of  his  own  present  de- 
 fence. 
 
 Finally,  the  Lord  does  not,  as  some  might 
 have  expected,  peremptorily  repel  them,  and 
 command  the  swords  to  be  "left  at  home  or  to 
 be  taken  away.  But  his  patiently  breaking  off 
 with  It  is  enough  seems  to  permit,  or  even  re- 
 quire, them  to  take  the  swords  forward  to 
 Gethsemane.  The  Lord  thereby  acted  in  the 
 spirit  of  his  own  words  ;  for  he  thus  teaches  in 
 act  and  symbolically  that  he  would  not  have 
 every  sword  unconditionally  taken  out  of  the 
 hands  of  his  disciples.  He  leaves  it  for  the 
 present  till  the  consequences  of  their  misunder- 
 standing will  appear,  and  give  him  occasion  to 
 interpose  more  intelligently  in  word  and  deed. 
 He  did  noi  speak  from  the  beginning  with  in- 
 tent to  bring  out  that  future  act ;  but  he  now 
 keeps  silence,  in  expectation  of  it.  Thus  the 
 history,  as  we  know  it,  brings  fresh  light,  and 
 in  view  of  it  we  may  reflect  upon  the  words  of 
 Jesus — Yes,  verily,  the  two»swords  were  enough 
 for  our  Lord's  protest  against  the  violent  mis- 
 use of  them.  Yet,  on  the  other  hand,  his  first 
 word  concerning  the  use  of  the  sword  was 
 necessary  in  order  to  prevent  the  subsequent 
 words,  Put  up  thy  sword  into  its  pkicel  from 
 being  pressed  beyond  their  legitimate  limits. 
 Before  the  actual  commencement  of  our  Lord's 
 Passion,  where  all  defence  was  utterly  forbid- 
 den, there  was  given  a  word  which  intimatea 
 to  us,  his  disciples,  another  course  than  thi« 
 unqualified  all-sufifering  submission.  But,  be- 
 cause the  right  understanding  of  this,  the 
 drawing  the  line  between  commanded  and  for- 
 bidden self-defence,  and  the  giving  the  sword 
 especially  its  proper  place,  is  one  of  the  most 
 difficult  things  to  our  ignorance,  and  never  can 
 be  taught  in  words — therefore  the  other  saying 
 is  given,  which  points  us  to  the  teaching  of  the 
 Spirit  in  actual  experience. 
 
 THE  CONFLICT  IN  GETHSEMANE. 
 
 (Matt.  xxvi.  36-42;  Mark  xiv.  32-39;  Luke  xxii.  40-42,  46.) 
 
 The  synoptic  record  of  Gethsemane  now  fol- 
 lows, in  strong  contrast  with  the  seventeenth 
 chapter  of  John — a  contrast,  however,  which 
 has  its  Christoiogical,  that  is,  its  theanthropo- 
 logical  propriety.  A  mediating  transition  be- 
 tween these  two  extreme  limits  of  his  divine- 
 human  emotion  we  have  already  seen  in  the 
 going  from  the  chamber  of  the  testament  to 
 the  place  of  betrayal ;  he  who  can  in  a  rever- 
 ent spirit  go  out  of  himself  and  transpose  him- 
 eelf  into  the  humanity  of  the  Lord,  will  under- 
 
 stand what  we  mean.  Hence  the  words  which 
 were  spoken  in  the  way  strictly  correspond 
 to  this  character  of  transition:  this  night,  out 
 into  which  all  things  now  go,  is  the  preliminary 
 fundamental  theme  which  gives  its  aspect  to 
 all,  even  as  the  glorification,  had  been  before. 
 The  shepherd  must  be  smitten  that  "  the  Scrip- 
 ture may  be  fulfilled  "—and  its  dark  counsel, 
 particularly  as  respects  the  lost  one,  is  pres- 
 ent even  to  the  high-priestly  prayer,  as  ita 
 gloomy  background.    Before  the  glorificatioQ 
 
570 
 
 GETHSEMANE. 
 
 in  heaven  can  fake  pkce,  it  mnst  come  to  pass, 
 as  the  end  to  be  accomplished  upon  earth,  that 
 the  holy  one  be  reckoned  among  the  trans- 
 gressors— not  merely  before  men  in  appearance, 
 but  in  harmony  with  divine  justice,  which  has 
 in  this  a  profound  truth.  If  the  question  is 
 still  asked — and  to  ask  is  the  prerogative  of 
 the  wise  as  well  as  of  fools — why  John  has  not 
 recorded  the  mysterious  and  profound  conflict 
 which  preceded  the  Lord's  captivity,  there  is 
 at  least  answer  enough  at  hand  to  convict  all 
 doubts  about  the  truth  of  the  synoptical  ac- 
 count— utterly  inexplicable  as  an  invention 
 without  historical  ground — of  bang  the  off- 
 spring of  wilful  perverseness.  If  it  is  sought  to 
 reconcile  the  contradiction  which  has  been 
 needlessly  found  between  the  first  three  Evan- 
 gelists and  John,  it  only  requires  to  be  ob- 
 served that  the  latter  gives  in  chap.  xii.  27  the 
 oft-repeated  beginning  and  prelude  of  the 
 agony  ;  and,  moreover,  in  chaps,  xiv.  SO  and 
 xvi.  21,  records  the  plain  prediction  of  what 
 was  impending ;  and  even  chap.  xvii.  19,  in 
 the  very  midst  of  the  glorification-prayer,  ut- 
 ters the  Lord's  own  sonsciousness  as  to  how 
 he  would  mnctify  himself  for  his  own.  Yet 
 the  Synoptics  have  sufficient  anticipations  and 
 prospects  of  that  glory  which  would  follow  the 
 Passion,  introducing  the  consummate  feast,  and 
 the  kingdom  received  and  bestowed  after  his 
 conflicts  should  be  past. 
 
 Suffice  it  tliat  there  is  so  much  deep  reason 
 for  the  historical  truth  of  the  soul-contiict  in 
 Gethsemane — at  least  to  every  true  believer  in 
 Christ — that  we  may  leave  all  discussion  about 
 it  to  the  unbelievers.  All  right  understanding 
 of  tlie  pievious  life  of  Jesus  is  prepared  to  ex- 
 pect that  when  the  hour  of  suffering  comes, 
 that  hour  of  which  John  also  was  not  ignorant, 
 his  suflering  would  have  an  internal  commence- 
 ment before  the  assault  from  without  began, 
 and  that  the  perfect  obedience  of  the  spirit  in 
 the  flesh  would  thus  prove  itself  after  sharp 
 conflict.  For  our  own  part,  and  to  speak  as 
 fools,  we  would  sooner  be  able  to  doubt  the 
 elevation  of  his  conscitusness  which  the  high- 
 priestly  prayer  exhibits,  than  its  depression  as 
 shown  in  "Gethsemane.  Yet,  when  we  look 
 into  it,  this  word  is  itself  a  foolish  one,  for  what 
 appears  to  be  dopiession  is  only  the  same  pro- 
 found intensification  of  inward  emotion  which  be- 
 fore appeared  as  elevation  ;  and  the  two  feelings 
 are  represented  as  necessarily  alternating  ac- 
 cording to  the  law  of  true  humanity.  As  Langc 
 has  excellently  said,  "  the  same  spirit  which 
 uttered  there  the  high-priestly  prayer,  brings 
 here  the  liigh-priestly  sacrifice." 
 
 Thi.')  proper  comtuencement  of  the  sacrifice 
 is  thereiore  indicatt-d  in  that  most  apostolical 
 commentary  upon  Gethsemane  which  we  have 
 in  Heb.  v.  7,  8;  in  which  words,  although  they 
 at  the  same  time  embrace  "  all  the  days  of  his 
 fle.^h,"  there  is  an  undeniable  reference  to  a 
 known  and  acknowledged  event,  the  strong 
 crying  and  tears  of  Gethsemane.  The  high 
 priest  is  tempted  at  all  points  like  ourselves,  in 
 the  weakness  of  tho  flesh  a.ssunied  in  fellow- 
 
 ship with  us.  Otherwise  than  in  this  infirmity 
 he  could  not  undergo  atoning  sufferings  ,  he 
 could  neither  be  crucified  (2  Cor.  xiii.  4),  nor 
 consummate  that  obedience  which  alone  was 
 the  internal  and  essential  validitv  of  the" sacri- 
 fice of  the  cross.  And  here  there  is  nothing 
 of  the  wrath  of  the  Father  against  his  beloved 
 Son,  nor  of  any  sinfulness  in  the  Just  One. 
 Nor  can  there  be,  in  the  sense  of  the  old  theol- 
 ogy, any  divine  anger  and  pains  of  hell  for 
 him  who  still  cries  Abba  in  Gethsemane,  and 
 even  upon  the  cross  My  God.  But  "  the  grief 
 of  the  Holy  One  over  sin  takes  the  place,  in  the 
 Saviour,  of  condemning  wrath  " — as  Ebrard 
 '"-ays.  And  this  recoil  of  the  human  nature 
 rom  the  cup  of  sorrow  is  no  disobedience,  nor 
 s  the  weeping  in  which  the  obedience  of  faith 
 found  its  expression  unbelief;  but,  as  Luther 
 once  said,  "  Christ  loved  his  Father  with  all  his 
 powers;  but  these  agonies  being  beyond  his 
 powers  so  oppressed  his  guiltless  infirm  human 
 nature  that  it  was  constrained  to  sigh  and  fear 
 and  cry;  just  as  when  a  beam  is  tested  beyond 
 its  strength  it  gives  way  because  of  the  weak- 
 ness of  its  nature,  not  through  any  thing  want- 
 ing in  itself" 
 
 Thus  might  even  the  willing  ff»'rit  of  the  man 
 Jesus  not  have  conquered  the  Jleiih,  which  re- 
 coiled by  reason  of  weakness,  and  the  over- 
 powered iOfd  might  have  given  way  to  an  in- 
 ternal death  before  the  external  dtath  of  the 
 body,  had  not  a  strengthening  accession  of 
 divine  power  into  his  human  nature  (according 
 to  that  right  of  r/rare  which  avails  for  every 
 graying  man,  and  found  place  even  here)  been 
 earnestly  sought  in  yrayer.  But  that  prayer 
 cries  most  loudly.  Strengthen,  me,  Father'  while 
 it  follows  the  question  of  anguish  perniitted  to 
 the  Son,  Is  it  then  truly  thy  will?  by  the  most 
 entire  filial  resignation  to  that  will.  J'he  way 
 lo  Golgotha  leads  by  GetJisemane.  So  was  it  with 
 Christ  himself,  as  the  way  of  voluntary  surren- 
 der of  himself  to  the  deepest  agony  of  soul 
 ;n  sympathy  with  our  sin  and  our  consequent 
 death — and  thus  Gethsemane  teaches  us  to 
 understand  Golgotha.  Similarly  is  it  with  us, 
 as  the  way  of  fellowship  with  his  sufferings, 
 through  that  faith  in  him  which  brings  down 
 even  into  our  flesh  that  power  ol  the  Spirit 
 which  he  has  obtained  for  us — and  thus  we 
 surrender  ourselves  also  to  the  inevitable  con- 
 flict, without  which  the  redeeming  judgment 
 in  our  fallen  human  nature  cannot  be  brought 
 forth  unto  victory. 
 
 Thus  much  belbrehand  for  the  general  direc- 
 tion of  our  thoughts  of  the  wonderful  and 
 transcendent  object  of  exegesis  which  now  lies 
 before  us.  If  we  look  more  closely  at  the  three 
 records,  wo  find  the  most  sulficing  agreement. 
 It  is  only  natural  that,  in  relation  to  such 
 words,  and  words  which  no  man  at  the  begin- 
 ning could  clearly  hear,  there  should  be  found 
 a  certain  variation  ;  but  the  reminding  Spirit 
 has  given  the  essential  substance  to  the  record 
 of  the  Evangelists  with  jierfect  and  unqualified 
 certainty  ;  and  the  difl"erenccs  of  the  independ- 
 ent narratives  is  itself  a  new  proof  of  their 
 
MATTHEW  XXVI.  36-42. 
 
 571 
 
 tmtli,  speaking  after  the  manner  of  men.  We 
 shall  see  in  detail  that  the  first  two  Evangelists 
 nnitually  supplement  and  agree  with  each 
 other;  Luke's  peculiarity  here  (as  in  the  Sup- 
 ]<ev  and  elsewhere)  regards  the  whole  without 
 •'xact  relation  to  the  order  of  time,  which  must 
 be  supplied  from  the  others.  He  records  in 
 brief  and  in  the  most  general  manner  the  roords 
 which  the  Lord  spoke  on  this  solemn  occasion, 
 but  he  retains  the  three  essential  points  to  which 
 they  may  be  reduced — the  prayer  which  passed 
 :rom  a  supplication  to  be  spared  into  an' act  of 
 entire  resignation ;  the  word  which  exhorted 
 the  disciples  to  like  prayer  ;  the  final  "  Rise, 
 let  us  be  going."  He  lacks,  indeed,  the  first 
 "  Tarry  here ; "  the  selection  of  the  three 
 nearer  witnesses,  the  immediate  prediction  of 
 the  agony,  the  three-fold  repetition  of  the  same 
 prayer;  and  that  which  he  in  vers.  40  and  46 
 places  both  at  the  beginning  and  the  end,  has 
 probably  lost  its  riglit  place.  But,  on  the 
 other  hand,  that  we  may  not  be  misled  as  to 
 his  authority  as  an  Evangelist,  Luke  at  one 
 remove  from  an  eye  witness,  add*  those  most 
 important  facts  in  the  historical  record — the 
 removal  to  the  distance  of  a  stone's  cast,  the 
 strengthening  angel,  and  the  bloody  sweat. 
 
 He  has  also  at  the  beginning  the  important 
 word,  "  Jesus  went  as  he  was  wont,  to  the  Mount 
 of  Olives" — see  chap.  xxi.  37,  and  compare 
 John  xviii.  2.  This  wont  misht  refer  imme- 
 diately to  these  last  days,  in  which  he  retreated 
 before  his  enemies  until  his  hour  came,  and 
 took  refuge  there;  but  there  is  also  something 
 more  in  it,  which  is  not  on  that  account  to  be 
 overlooked  or  denied.  The  Lord  knew,  more 
 or  less  clearly  and  specifically,  and  felt  in  the 
 presentiment  of  his  spirit,  that  here  was  the 
 appointed  place  of  the  commencement  of  his 
 sufferings  ;  and  therefore  he  had  consecrated  it 
 beforehand  by  many  assemblings  with  his  dis- 
 ciples, and  by  many  seasons  of  solitary  prayer. 
 To-diiy  at  least  he  knows  in  the  strictest;  sense 
 all  that  should  befall  him  (John  xviii.  4)— and 
 therefore  does  not  go  directly,  at  sot  late  an 
 hour,  to  Bethany,  as  if  to  "  sleep  and  take  his 
 rest,"  or,  as  on  other  occasions,  to  watch  and 
 ]tray  there  ;  but  he  turns  aside  to  the  garden  of 
 Gethsemane,  under  the  Mount  of  Olives.  He 
 not  merely  knows  that  the  betrayer  was  ac- 
 quainted with  the  place,  and  would  seek  him 
 there  to  deliver  him  up,  but  he  experiences  also, 
 as  his  first  word  shows,  a  presentiment  of  that 
 agony  which  awaited  him  before  God,  previous 
 to  his  being  delivered  into  the  hands  of  his 
 enemies.  John  gives  significant  prominence  to 
 the  brcok  Cedron  which  they  passed  over — the 
 dark  brook  in  the  deep  valley,  over  which 
 David  went  in  his  deep  humiliation  on  account 
 u[  his  sin,  and  where  m  old  time  the  abomina- 
 tions of  idolatry  had  been  thrown  (1  Kings  xv. 
 L3:  2  Kings  xxiii.  4,  6,  12),  as  in  later  times, 
 according  to  Jewish  accounts,  it  had  carried 
 av/ay  the  blood  of  the  sacrifices  and  the  refuse 
 01  the  temple.  From  Gethsemane  to  Siloam 
 stretched  the  valley  of  Jehoshaphat,  the  place 
 oi  graves  and  of  judgment.    Thus,  surrounded 
 
 by  such  memorials  and  typical  allusions,  the 
 Lord  descends  into  the  du-t  of  humiliation  and 
 anguish,  as  his  "glorification"  had  taken  place 
 upon  the  top  of  the  mountain.  Matthew's 
 emphatic  Tute  spxerai,  "  ih^n  he  cometh  " 
 (comp.  chap.  iii.  13,  tote  itapayivEzai),  de- 
 signs to  give  prominence  to  the  place  as  well 
 as  to  what  took  place  there;  Luke,  although 
 he  first  spoke  indefinitely  of  the  Mount  of 
 Olives,  expresses  it  still  more  plainly,  indicat- 
 ing a  well-known  trandition  concerning  Geth- 
 semane— "  and  when  he  was  at  the  flace," 
 ETti  z  ov  T  6n  ov  (where  this  mystery  was 
 to  take  place,  and  where,  as  is  well  known,  it 
 did  take  place) — he  stood  on  the  scene  o/"his  mys- 
 terious conflict.  Let  us  then  now  enter  into 
 the  holy  place.  "  And  his  disciples  also  follow- 
 ed him."  Not  all  indeed  are  prepared  to  follow 
 Christ  hither  even  in  devout  reading  and  pene- 
 trating apprehension  of  the  words  ;  still  fewei 
 in  the  fellowship  of  his  suffering  way.  May 
 the  divine  Spirit  make  me  and  my  readers  fit, 
 and  guide  us  into  both  the  right  understanding 
 and  the  spiritual  fellowship  of  this  scene  I 
 
 Matthew  and  Mark  give  us  the  first  word  on 
 coming  to  the  place  in  almost  the  same  terms; 
 the  latter  being,  however,  more  concise,  and  the 
 former  more  exact,  even  to  the  ditEXOc^v  and 
 EKEi.  The  Lord  feels  the  near  approach  of  his 
 anguish — so  much  is  plainly  expressed  ;  buf 
 the  Berleriberger  Bibel  gives  a  too  human  ex- 
 planation of  the  choice  of  a  place  apart  from 
 the  disciples  :  "  Those  who  are  in  deep  anguish 
 go  here  and  there,"  etc.,  etc.  Oh,  no;  with  all 
 the  commencing  anticipation  of  his  conflict 
 when  he  came  i  7t  i  r  ov  t  6  7t  ov,  was  at  t/u 
 place,  there  is  to  be  observed  the  most  calm 
 collectedness  ;  as  this  first  word  testifies,  and 
 the  selection  of  the  three  witnesses  before  hi? 
 beginning  to  be  exceeding  sorrowful.  KaBi- 
 6are  obviously  includes  their  sitting  down  and 
 waiting  ;  it  does  not,  however,  mean  this  sit- 
 ting as  such,  but  corresponds  to  the  /uf/vars 
 of  Matt.  ver.  38.  In  this  meaning  uaOiXfiv 
 occurs  sometimes  in  the  Sept.,  as  the  transla- 
 tion of  2y^'  and  similarly  in  the  New  Testa- 
 ment, Luke  xxiv.  49;  Acts  xviii.  11.  Luke 
 (as  we  shall  see  further  on)  represents  the  Lord 
 as  already  bidding  them  pray;  and  we  must 
 therefore  understand  that  he  did  not  enjoin 
 upon  his  disciples  to  sit  peacefully  down,  while 
 disquietude  and  horror  were  assailing  himself. 
 Draseke  confuses  the  scene  when  he  describes 
 the  Lord  as  having  first  entered  into  a  hmise 
 (whereas  we  read  ;<:'^'V''0''>  ^o^o';,  HK7to'^),a.nd 
 then  says,  "  Here  in  the  dwelling  of  faithful  and 
 devoted  friends  Je.^us  counselled  his  disciples  to 
 take  their  rei^t.  He  himself  must  go  again  into 
 the  open  air."  Tarry  ye  here — 1  will  and  I 
 must  go  forth  apart :  this  is  the  sole  meaning; 
 avrov  being  in  Matt,  instead  of  oiSe,  avroOE, 
 according  to  the  well-known  phrase  (as  ov  for 
 where),  comp.  Acts  xviii.  19,  xxi.  4.  Tarry — 
 sit  ye  down  if  ye  are  weary — here  wait  for  me 
 
672 
 
 GETHSEMANE. 
 
 — "this  is  now  the  best  that  ye  can  do,  I  must 
 myself  go  for Lh  alone."  He  gives  it  plainly  to 
 be  undei-stood  that  something  earnest  and 
 solemn  awaits  him,  and  therefore  that  the 
 question  was  not  about  simple  rest  for  them- 
 selves— until  (or  while)  I  pray  ;  in  Matt,  more 
 distinctly — Going  apart  pray  there.  This  is 
 now,  as  his  seclusion  from  them  shows,  an 
 altogether  different  praying  from  that  which 
 they  had  heard  immediately  before  their  setting 
 forth.  As  knowing  all  things  that  should  come 
 upon  him,  the  Lord  certainly  had  a  special  pre- 
 sentiment and  anticipation  of  every  thing  as  it 
 came  ;  he  could  not  be  taken  by  surprise  or  be 
 overcome  suddenly  by  any  thing  :  hence  he 
 DOW  knows  the  approach  of  the  conflict,  and 
 orders  all  things  with  regard  to  it  in  the  fittest 
 manner,  and  with  the  utmost  collectedness. 
 But  that  which  he  now  feels  to  be  approaching 
 he  speaks  of,  and  with  perfect  propriety,  as  his 
 going  generally  to  jn-ay  ;  this  was  the  gentlest 
 expression  for  it,  and  used  in  order  that  the  re- 
 maining true  disciples,  whom  he  designs  at  this 
 time  to  keep  further  from  the  mystery,  might 
 not  be  at  once  affrighted.  We  cannot  but  be 
 involuntarily  reminded  of  that  similar  word, 
 which  the  Lord  doubtless  had  in  his  thought, 
 on  occasion  of  the  offering  up  of  Isaac.  As 
 there.  Gen.  xxii.  5,  the  faith  of  Abraham  term- 
 ed the  sacrifice,  looking  forward  already  to  its 
 being  given  back,  an  act  of  worship,  so  in  like 
 manner  does  the  Lord  speak  concerning  his 
 own  bitter  soul-conflict  at  the  commencement 
 of  that  sacrifice  in  which  not  the  Father  binds 
 him,  but  he  lays  himself  upon  the  altar,  uniting 
 in  himself  both  the  faith  of  Abraham  and  the 
 resignation  of  Isaac. 
 
 Tarnj  here!  was  said  at  first  to  all  ;  but  in 
 the  going  yonder,  deeper  into  the  recesses  of  the 
 garden,  lie  calls  three  to  accompany  him,  those 
 kJiXtHcwv  tH\EKToTEfjovi,  tliose  elect  of  the 
 elect,  who  had  been  witnesses  of  the  transfigu- 
 ration, and  had  been  otherwise  distinguished  : 
 Peter,  who  would  know  nothing  of  falling  in  the 
 time  of  trial;  and  the  two  sons  of  Zebedee,here 
 80  termed  in  allusion  to  his  former  prophecy  to 
 them  of  a  fellowship  in  his  cup  instead  of  the 
 places  of  honor.  And  what  was  it  that  they 
 might  have  expected  ?  Certainly  no  scene  of 
 high  revelations  and  glory,  for  the  evening  of 
 the  Supper  had  not  pointed  that  v/ay,  nor  did 
 the  words  of  the  Lord  while  I  jrray  ;  but  rather 
 Boniething  in  harmony  with  the  prayer  of  John 
 xvii.,  and  which  they  should  have  the  privilege 
 of  seeing  and  hearing.  On  the  one  hand,  the 
 sacred  event  must  have  witnesses  for  the  future 
 of  the  Church;  and  on  the  other,  the  Lord 
 would  not  in  his  tribulation  be  left  quite  alone. 
 Both  lie  at  the  Ibundalion  of  the  selection  of 
 the  three  ;  but  we  must  give  the  pre-eminence 
 to  the  latter,  as  the  Lord  afterwards  plainly 
 says — Watch  with  me,  could  ye  not  watch  with 
 me  ?  The  others  he  left  behind  in  their  weak- 
 ness, but  from  those  three  ho  expects  some- 
 thing more,  or  rather  might  have  expected 
 something  more;  and  to  bring  this  to  their 
 bumbled  consciences,  their  impotence,  which 
 
 deceived  his  expectation,  is  made  manifest. 
 We  must  be  on  our  guard  against  laying  an 
 undue  and  exclusive  emphasis  upon  either  of 
 the  two  things  which  here  seem  to  be  opposed, 
 but  are  strictly  consistent — the  Lord's  design 
 to  solace  himself  with  the  presence  and  devo- 
 tion of  these  his  nearest  disciples,  and  his  fore- 
 knowledge at  the  same  time  that  he  should 
 look  for  comforters  but  find  none  (Psa.  Ixix. 
 20).  Indeed,  the  latter  thought  is  not  strictly 
 and  entirely  true;  for,  this  passage  in  the 
 Psalm,  which  is  so  often  adduced,  prophesies 
 only  of  his  enemies.  We  think  it  is  very 
 obvious,  that  the  three  loved  disciples,  the 
 nearest  to  him  of  those  whom  the  Father 
 had  given,  were,  notwithstanding  their  weak- 
 ness, an  actual  consolation  and  strength  to 
 him  by  their  being  at  hand.  He  could  pour 
 out  his  soul  to  them  in  the  intervals  of 
 his  prayer,  and  make  their  very  unsucepti- 
 bility  strengthen  him  in  his  devotion  and 
 resolution  to  offer  his  sacrifice  for  mankind  ; 
 and  in  this  we  have  reason  enough  for  the 
 wisdom  which  permitted  them  to  accompany 
 him.*  Although  he  must  now  urge  his  prayer 
 alone  before  the  Father,  it  belongs  to  his  humil- 
 iation in  our  likeness  that  he  should  seek  and 
 take  with  him,  if  not  companions  in  prayer,  at 
 least  companions  and  helpers  in  his  watching. 
 
 Before  iheeye^of  these  men  thus  taken  with 
 him,  and  at  a  distance  from  the  rest,  he  began 
 to  be  sorrowful  and  exceedingly  dismayed.  Tliis 
 r/ftqaro,  he  began,  has  here  an  impressive 
 emphasis :  Now  as  never  belore,  as  no  man  had 
 previously  seen  him.  At  the  same  time  there 
 is  some  intimation  here  of  his  own  predomi- 
 nant voluntary  energy  in  relation  to  the  suffer- 
 ings which  came  upon  him.  Not  to  the  ex- 
 tent to  which  Rambach  carries  it,  resting  on 
 the  words:  "  In  the  expression  'lie  l>egan  to  he- 
 come  sorrowful,'  we  have  the  active  &r\d  the  pas- 
 sive together.  The  Redeemer  is  exhibited  as 
 one  who  in  suffering  acts,  and  in  acting  suffers; 
 and  this  pervades  the  whole  Passion."  But 
 the  thing^  itself  is  correct,  and  may  be  so  far 
 lound  in  the  began  as  this  would  say — "  He  did 
 not  begin  io  surrender  himself  io  the  pressure  of 
 his  anguioh  -until  place,  time,  circumstances, 
 witnesses,  and  all  tilings,  were  appointed  and 
 ready." 
 
 The  expressions  which  indicate  hia  emotion 
 are  at  the  outset  exceedingly  strong,  exhibit- 
 ing after  all  something  sudden  and  most  ve- 
 hement.     The  translation    "sore  amazed  and 
 
 •  See  Dr;i<;eke's  original  sermon  on  Gethsemano 
 concernins  Christian  deportment  in  soul-confltctn. 
 Rambach  (whose  valuable  reflections  upon  the 
 Passion  generally  we  shall  henceforward  amply 
 quote)  makes  n  sound  application  hero :  ho  would 
 consecrate  and  hallow  Christian  fellowship  as  a 
 means  of  consolation  and  strength  in  suffering. 
 '  Tliose  who  too  studiously  sek  retirement  in  Uieii 
 lieavy  conflicts  act  not  wisely,  especially  it  they 
 despise  theencourag'ment,  consolation, and  prayer 
 of  other  ch  Idren  o*  God — resolved  to  flght  their 
 battles  aUo"etlior  alone." 
 
MATTHEW  XXVI.  36- 
 
 573 
 
 very  heavy  "  might  seem  in  Mark  to  refer,  one 
 to  the  body  and  the  other  to  the  soul,  while 
 Matthew's  "sorrowful  and  very  heavy,"  might 
 seem  to  refer  only  to  the  soul.  But  in  the  orig- 
 inal both  speak  only  of  the  soul  ;  although  its 
 emotions  would  obviously  exhibit  themselves 
 in  the  body  also — how  otherwise  could  they 
 have  been  discerned?  AvrtelcOai  takes  the 
 lead  as  the  most  general  expression,  corres- 
 ponding to  the  Lord's  own  word  (My  soul  is 
 exceeding  sorrowful) ;  but  as  the  Lord  had 
 strengthened  even  that  word,  so  Matthew  adds 
 an  intenser  expression.  Mark  in  his  vivid  and 
 graphic  manner  places  first  tKOajjfJeiGOai  (see 
 his  chap.  ix.  15,  xvi.  5,  6),  which  might  repre- 
 sent amazement  as  i/ in  the  presence  of  some 
 thing  unexpected,  a  manifest  shuddering  and 
 recoil — though  not  terror  or  horror  in  the  ordi- 
 nary sense.  The  second  expression,  common  to 
 both,  leads  us  deeper  into  the  reality,  but  re- 
 quires to  be  carefully  examined.  'ASTj/noyeiv 
 (Phil.  li.  26)  does  not  mean,  "  to  feel  oneself 
 forsaken  ;"*  but  the  word  is  derived  through 
 dStj/Lioay  from  ddso),  to  be  weary,  exhausted, 
 primarily  (ce-iet  me.  Thence  it  signifies  any 
 deep  anguish  and  extremity  of  soul  generally  ; 
 Suidas  explains  it  by  Xiav  \v7tou/tai,  dnop(2; 
 Hesych.  by  dyooviai ;  Eustath.  gives  it  thus 
 fully  :  dSr)ucjy  6  l^  dSov  6  edri  uvpov  rtvoi 
 
 TJ  XvTtTfi   dvanEltVCDHGOi.      ddyjlLlOVELV  To  dX- 
 
 veiv  xai  duvxoc^f'^^-  Aquila  puts  it  for 
 DK^J  (Niph.  of  DD'i^),  Job  xviii.    20.      Sym- 
 
 machus  for  J?*C^J,  Eccles.  vii.  17,  ^^V>  Psa. 
 Ixi.  3,  ran,  Psa.  cxvi.  11.  Thus  this  latter 
 is  equivalent  to  not  knowing  where  to  get  help. 
 But  the  former,  as  well  in  its  lower  degree 
 XvitEtedai  as  in  the  more  express  EuOa/n- 
 /3sl60ai,  indicates  the  positive  reason  of  this 
 negative  abandonment  of  spirit.f  So  Bengel 
 says,  incitrsvm  oltjedi  horribilis  ;  and  Lange,  very 
 properly,  "  The  experience  of  a  positive  oppos- 
 ing influence,  which  restrains  and  oppresses 
 the  soul  in  its  living  energies,  as  if  it  would 
 take  away  the  spiritual  breath.  The  first  re- 
 sult of  this  is  grief;  the  last  anguish,  kd^xivA, 
 amazing,  and  vehement  wrestling  of  the  soul 
 with  the  evil."  This  last,  being,  notwithstand- 
 ing its  negative  character,  a  positive  counter- 
 influence  of  anguish,  is  the  ddr/novrlv.  For 
 the  rest,  we  shall  soon  see  in  the  unfolding  of 
 our  Lord's  own  words,  what  was  the  diject  of 
 horror  which  at  this  time  came  upon  him. 
 
 He  said  to  them,  that  is,  to  the  three — My 
 soui  is  exceeding  sorrowful,  even  unto  death. 
 As  he  had  been  accustomed  to  reveal  to  the 
 men  who  wore  around  him  similar  emotions  of 
 his  soul,  so  now  he  bears  te.-timony  in  their 
 presence  to  th«  experience  of  his  beait  at  this 
 
 *  Accordng  to  Br.ttnian's  falso  ftyinoloiry  from 
 diinoi  and  the  privative  o; ;  "  rrim.arily  the  leel- 
 iiio  ol'  beins  lar  iVoin  home  and  country  and 
 tViends,  generally  Iho  foclinj;  <»l'  boiiig  forsaken, 
 spiritlessness" — thus  "the  cx^jericnce  of  a  ne^a 
 five  opposition  "  (Lanso). 
 
 \  My  heart  hath  jaiLd  me,  I'sa.  xl.  13. 
 
 crisis.  In  silence  and  in  secret  he  had  often 
 suffered  and  wrestled  ;  and  he  who  would 
 picture  to  himself  the  Lord's  internal  life  of 
 prayer  as  equally  tranquil  and  even  with 
 his  external  life  of  word  and  deed,  does 
 not  estimate  rightly  the  true  humanity  of 
 the  God-man.  That  which  he  teaches  us 
 concerning  being  instant  in  prayer,  came  as- 
 suredly from  his  own  inmost  experience.  Thus 
 the  Lord  had  been  accessible  from  the  begin- 
 ning to  sorrow  for  sin  and  death  :  that  which 
 Mark  iii.  5  records  of  his  grief  over  the  hard- 
 ness of  their  hearts,  and  John  xi.  33-35  of  his 
 anguish  over  the  curse  of  death,  are  only  iso- 
 lated examples  which  testify  to  the  deep  re- 
 serve of  his  soul's  emotions,  whence  many 
 other  such  mighty  exhibitions  proceeded.  Nev- 
 ertheless, all  this  was  but  the  slight  prepara- 
 tion for  the  fulness  and  strength  of  that  suffer- 
 ing, of  which  his  word  now  gives  evidence. 
 What  a  most  simple  testimony  is  this  declara- 
 tion of  his  horror  and  amazement ;  and  yet 
 how  profound  in  his  lips,  and  how  sufficient  a 
 witness  of  the  inexhaustible  depths  of  his  an- 
 guish !  A  thousand  time.s  before  and  since 
 have  men  uttered  this  word,  expressing  it  still 
 more  strongly  in  their  immoderate,  sinful  la- 
 mentation, or  in  their  insincerity  ;  but  how 
 dillerent  is  this  simple  word  as  he  utters  it  in 
 all  its  fulness  and  unfathomable  meaning  I 
 
 It  has  a  proverbial  character ;  but  it  would 
 be  simple  folly  to  understand  it  as  used  by  him 
 in  its  common  proverbial  meaning.  There  are 
 to  be  found  echoes  of  this  lament  in  the  Scrip- 
 tures, especially  those  which  refer  typically 
 and  prophetically  to  the  suffering  Messiah ;  but 
 it  appears  to  us  needless  and  inappropriate 
 on  this  occasion  to  refer  the  Lord's  immediate 
 and  most  simple  expression  of  his  internal 
 emotion  to  any  one  word  ol  Scripture,  con- 
 sciously appropriated.*  It  is  more  important 
 to  understand  in  their  fullest,  deepest  solemnity 
 of  truth,  the  two  things  here  expressed — the 
 amazement  of  his  soul,  and  that  even  unto 
 death. 
 
 Only  in  John  xii.  27  and  here,  does  the  Lord 
 say  concerning  himself.  My  soul.  He  thereby 
 avows  himself  to  be  a  true  human  person,  in 
 the  likeness  of  ourselves,  just  as  he  afterwards 
 speaks  of  his  spirit  and  of  his  jlesh,  according 
 to  the  scriptural  trichotomy  of  human  nature. 
 We  therefore  are  justified  in  speaking  of  a  soul- 
 conflict  and  of  soul  sufferings  at  Gethsemane. 
 Assuredly  in  a  certain  sense  every  suffering  is 
 soul  suffering,  inasmuch  as  bodily  pain  affects 
 the  soul,  and  is  experienced  only  through  the 
 soul;  and,  further,  the  most  spiritual  anguish 
 passes  over  to  the  as' it  were  bodily  feeling  ot 
 the  soul  which  mediates  between  spirit  and 
 body,  and  constitutes  the  personal  conscious- 
 ness. Nevertheless  we  rightly  distinguish,  as 
 to  its  pre-eminent  seat  and  origin,  the  srtfer- 
 ingsof  the  soul  both  from  bodily  pain  and  anx- 
 
 *  Thus  the  Lord's  word  is  not  taken  from  Psa. 
 xviii.  6,  cxvi.  3,  or  from  Psa.  xlii.  6,  7  (Sept.  ivart 
 itEpiXvzoi  Ell)  xl>vxv  ixov),  or  from  I'-sa.  xl.  13, 
 
574 
 
 GETHSEMANE. 
 
 iety  of  spirit:  and  all  which  follows  shows 
 that  such  a  distinction  must  here  be  main- 
 tained. In  John  xii.  27  it  was  simply  ?/  tpvxf} 
 MOV  TtrnpaHTai  (it  was  this,  rather,  which 
 might  have  been  taken  from  Psa.  xlii.  7,  Sept.) 
 — but  here  it  is  more  intense,  TtEpiXvndi  'e6ti. 
 This  word  (in  Mark  vi.  2S  concerning  Herod, 
 and  Luke  xviii.  23,  24,  concerning  the  rich 
 young  man)  is  not  to  be  rigorously  and  liter- 
 ally interpreted — surrounded  with  difficulty  and 
 sorroio  (as  in  Psa.  xviii.  6  ^J133D,  nspiEHvHXoa- 
 
 6dv  /<«)— but,  although  the  signification  of  this 
 frequent  zepi  intensive  starts  from  the  "  round 
 about"  or  "  wliolly  and  entirely,"  tliis  mean- 
 ing is  not  to  be  pressed,  as  classical  Greek 
 phraseology  shows,  and  the  Sept.  for  nnin'^n 
 
 in  Psa.  xliii.  But  this  intense  expression  of 
 exceeding  sn-.ow  is  followed  by  one  yet  more  in- 
 tense— even  iinto  death.  This  is,  at  the  outset, 
 not  the  same  as  the  n.'l^'ny  of  human  oppres- 
 sion and  despondency — Oh  that  I  might  at  once 
 die'  though  the  expression  in  Jonah  iv.  9, 
 <jcp65pct  XelvTtrjiiiai  kyoo  £co?  ^avdrov,  has 
 been  inappropriately  compared — but  see  its 
 explanation  in  vers.  3,  8.  Such  a  sense  is 
 sell-evidently  unworthy  of  Jesus ;  but  the 
 analogy  of  the  ordinary  phrase,  as  in  Judg. 
 xvi.  IG,  n^'oh  1-'D3  1VP^1»  ^'^  ^''"^  w"^  '>^cxed 
 
 vnto  death,  comes  nearer  to  the  point,  as  also 
 that  of  Ecclus.  xxxvii.  2 — a  sorrow  bitter  as 
 death,  grief  like  the  anguish  of  death.  This 
 hitlernexH  of  death  however  must  have,  as  re- 
 gards Jesus,  a  quite  sp-^cific  sense;  and  his 
 agony  (Luke  xxii.  44)  must  not  be  understood 
 as  in  the  case  of  a  sinful  man. 
 
 Luther  rightly  supplied  the  meaning  of  that 
 dyoavia  as  his  contention  with  death — for  Heb. 
 V.  7  speaks  of  his  being  saved  from  death.  But 
 how  is  this  to  be  understood?  It  lias  been 
 generally  referred  to  painful  anticipation  of 
 death,  the  shrinking  of  nature  from  dying  ;  and 
 there  is  truth  in  this  at  the  outset,  as  represent- 
 ing the  Lord's  feeling  when  he  said — My  an- 
 guish is  as  if  I  was  about  (now  already)  to 
 die.  This  is  the  most  obvious  meaning  of  the 
 Eay,.  Death  is  to  every  one  that  lives,  through 
 the  opera;  ion  of  a  law  of  nature,  an  object  of 
 shuddering  and   fear;  how  much   more  to  the 
 
 Jure,  mighty,  find  infinitely  susceptible  life  of 
 esus.  against  whom  death  came  as  a  strange 
 thing  and  a  perfect  contradiction  !  Moreover, 
 there  was,  wliat  we  must  not  forget,  the  shame 
 of  his  approaching  death,  as  numbered  among 
 the  transgressors,  as  also  the  grief  that  he 
 was  to  Ue  given  over  to  death  by  the  hand 
 of  sinners  (see  afterwards  Matt.  xx.  45).  All 
 this  must  have,  humanly  speaking,  mightily 
 moved  iiim,  mm  that  it  has  coine  near,  nolwitli- 
 etanding  that  he  had  long  contemplated  it  in 
 spirit,  and  liad  already  overcome  it  all  in  per- 
 fect resignation.  For,  as  Lange  says,  "  there 
 is  a  great  diiference  between  the  consumma- 
 tion of  the  same  victory  in  the  soul's  actual  en- 
 durance of  it."    Those  who  are  stoutest-hearted 
 
 and  strongest  in  the  courage  of  faith  often  find 
 their  heaviest  trial  just  when  it  comes  home  as 
 as  an  actual  reality.  And  such  experience  ia 
 by  no  means  inglorious,  as  arguing  any  defi- 
 ciency of  strength  or  courage;  it  is  rather  a 
 clearer  consciousness  of  the  object  and  the  char- 
 acter of  the  opposition,  and  the  process  of  the 
 victory,  as  the  mocker  Voltaire  said — "  C'est  la 
 vraie  grandeur  de  I'ame,  courir  h  la  mort,  en  la 
 rebutant."  Or  still  better  Beck  :  "  It  is  divine 
 heroism,  to  feel  and  to  see  the  whole  burden 
 and  danger,  and  yet  not  to  shrink  from  it,  or 
 evade  it."  But  all  this — the  anticipation  of 
 death  bitter  in  itself,  and  thrice  bitter  to  the 
 holy  and  loving  Saviour  as  a  death  of  shame 
 and  unrighteous  suffering — is  far  from  satisfac- 
 torily explaining  the  deep  emotions  of  his  soul. 
 All  that  might  have  excited  in  him  grief,  the 
 Xv!tEl60aty  but  not  the  exceeding  amazement 
 and  anguish  of  the  inOaufJeTGOai  and  ddrjuo- 
 vElv  ;  that  could  not  have  driven  him  to  the 
 extreme  in  which,  as  his  prayer  illustrating  hia 
 word  reveals  to  us,  he,  recoiling  from  the  cup, 
 asks  that  it  may  be  removed.  While  we  con- 
 cede in  his  case  the  universal  human  shrinking 
 from  death,  we  must,  on  the  other  hand,  expect 
 from  his  consummate  typical  human  virtue, 
 and  much  more  from  his  divine  q)povElv  rd 
 rou  ^Eov  (sentiment  of  the  things  of  God)  that 
 he  would  not  encounter  death  with  less  courage 
 and  power  than  many  sinful  men  have  actually 
 exhibited.  Bat  here  there  is  exhibited  an  anxie- 
 ty, an  amazement,  a  horror  of  an  altogether  pe- 
 culiar kind  (EvXa^Eia,  Heb.  v.  7),  for  which  aa 
 altogether  deeper  reason  is  to  be  sought.  Fear, 
 again,  in  the  sense  of  unbelief  or  the  feeling  of 
 guilt,  can  have  no  place  in  relation  to  this 
 Holy  One  ;  hence  the  Apostle  lakes  care  not  to 
 speak  in  regard  to  him  as  in  regard  to  us  of  a 
 fear  of  dM(h  (Heb.  ii.  15).  Bu't  still  there  is 
 the  dismay  and  anguish  ;  and  what  is  then  its 
 specific  ground?  Assuredly  no  other  than  sin, 
 the  penalty  of  which  is  death,  the  judgment 
 upon  the  sin  of  men  in  man's  death.  If  that 
 is  the  significance  and  meaning  of  the  atoning 
 death  upon  Golgotha,  it  must  apply  also  to  the 
 internal  commencement  of  that  death  m  Geth- 
 semane  :  this  alone  must  be  the  sting  of  the 
 "  absolute  grief  of  his  soul "  through  experience 
 of  sin.  Tlie  Lord  does  not  say — My  soul  is 
 sorrowful  on  account  of  my  death,  or  in  prospect 
 of  my  dying,  in  dismay  at  encountering  it ;  but 
 he  declares  himself  by  the  ffa?  to  be  already 
 translated  into  the  5ttVaro?.  What  this  in- 
 volves and  includes  as  respects  him,  we  must 
 learn  from  the  entire  tenor  of  Scripture. 
 
 We  quote  the  words  of  Kleuker  against  the 
 rigid  juridical  theory  of  wrath  and  satisfaction  : 
 "  Away  with  the  thought  that  Gethsemane 
 was  the  hell  of  the  Son  of  God — horrible  no- 
 tion !  God  measures  not  with  such  measure 
 as  thi«."  But  we  cannot  go  on  with  him  :  "  It 
 was  his  deep  emotion,  that  the  members  of  his 
 body,  which  he  had  kept  pure  and  undefiled 
 for  God,  should  be  put  to  sname  by  the  hands 
 of  an  adulterous  generation."  Our  protest 
 against  the    false    eatisfactioa    theory   which 
 
MATTHEW  XXVI.  36-42. 
 
 575 
 
 pours  out  wrath  and  the  condemnation  of  hell 
 upon  tlie  beloved  Holy  One  of  God,  in  virtue 
 ot  an  impossible  substitution  of  persons,  must 
 not  rob  us  of  the  irremovable  truth  that  in  an- 
 other and  much  more  real  sense,  in  the  only  ac- 
 tual and  possible  sense,  the  sin  of  the  loorlil  lay 
 upontheLambofGod.  This  holds  good  ofGeth- 
 semane  as  the  beginningr  of  the  great  hour  of  the 
 Passion,  of  the  soul-sufferings  in  Gethsemaneas 
 the  first  drops,  giving,  however,  the  entire  and 
 full  taste  of  the  cup.  The  Lord  felt  the  bitter- 
 ness of  death,  he  Uisted  it  as  the  tcagesofsin  ;  and 
 this  alone  is  the  bitterness  of  death — not  as  his 
 own,  but  so  much  the  profounder  and  keener 
 as  the  sin  of  the  whole  world.  Thus  it  was  to 
 him  more  hitler  than  to  any  believer ;  for,  as  the 
 Lord's  pure  and  perfect  bodily  life  (in  which 
 sin  had  never  introduced  corruption)  would  re- 
 sent bodily  death  in  an  immeasurably  higher 
 degiee  than  our  organism,  invaded  and  marred 
 by  sickness,  so  the  same  holds  good  of  his  holy 
 sinless  soul  in  its  experience  of  the  condemna- 
 tion and  judgment  of  sin.  The  words  of  Eb- 
 rard  may  be  too  intense  :  "  Li  the  deepest  in- 
 ternal suffering  that  we  know,  in  the  torment 
 of  conscience,  which  is  a  smart  for  sin,  thei-e  is 
 mingled  a  minimum  of  complacency  in  sin  ;" 
 but  those  of  Lange  are  true  and  striking:  "  As 
 the  death  of  an  unanxious  child  in  the  house  is 
 related  to  the  death  of  a  man — he  being  the 
 head  of  the  house — so  is  the  death  of  Christians 
 related  to  the  death  of  Christ."  For,  the  child 
 is  without  care  either  through  ignorance,  or,  as 
 in  this  application  to  believing  Christians,  be- 
 cause it  IS  conscious  of  being  well  cared  for  in 
 the  bosom  of  parental  love,  and  has  no  anxiety  ; 
 but  Christ,  as  the  father  of  the  bouse,  who 
 had  to  take  the  place  of  entire  humanity, 
 which  he  carried  in  his  bosom  for  its  regenera- 
 tion, contended  in  anguish  for  that  peaceful 
 victory  which  we  enjoy.  In  this  he  did  not 
 and  could  not  by  any  means  feel  what  the  woe 
 is  of  him  who  is  condemned  for  his  own  guilt  ; 
 but  more  ki-enly  than  any  damned  soul  in  hell 
 did  he  in  his  purity  feel  the  righteousness  and 
 the  judgment  of  God.  Ilis  horror  in  the  pres- 
 ence of  death  was  a  pure  and  absolute  hoiior 
 in  the  presence  of  sin  ;  and  this,  finally,  was 
 at  the  same  time  no  other  than  the  purest, 
 deepest  awe  and  reverence  before  God,  the 
 righteous  Judge  and  Father;  hence  in  Heb.  v.  7, 
 the  religious  evAa/Jsia,  the  same  which  occurs 
 again  in  chap.  xii.  28.*  Thus  alone,  but  thus 
 truly,  he  takes  the  place  of  us  evil-doers,  in  an 
 equality  ot  condemnation  ;  in  his  voluntary 
 love   submitting   to   be   reckoned   amonsj   the 
 
 *  Luther's  translation,  Daniin  dass  tr  Goit  in 
 Tihren  hattc — Xhoreiove  becnuse  he  liod  Gel  in  rever- 
 ence, is  absolutely  iticonect  in  the  Barum,  and  re- 
 la;  ivelj'  incorrect  in  erecting  a  subordinate  into 
 the  princip.al  idea.  The  passage  is  untranslal- 
 at)le ;  inasmuch  as  it  declares  that  Chri.st,  in  this 
 his  horror  and  amazement  at  death  and  sin,  of- 
 fered to  the  rinlrteous  God  the  deepest  reveren- 
 tial fear,  intensitied  into  the  ojuoioj/tix  of  our 
 fear. 
 
 transgressors  by  a  death  of  shame  in  the  Fa- 
 ther's presence.  This  was  so  overpoweringly 
 hard  to  him,  that  he  recoils  with  fear  through 
 tlie  weakness  of  the  flesh.  In  this  mysterious 
 fellowship  with  us,  and  interposition  for  us, 
 there  remains  something  judicial;  hence  in 
 Isa.  liii.  8,  distress  and  judgment  come  together, 
 where,  despite  the  being  delivered  by  God 
 (ni?^),  the  same  God,  according  to  ver.  10,  im- 
 posed upon  him  this  tSStt^OI  "l^ij?,  even  as,  ac- 
 cording to  Heb.  ii.  9,  Christ,  by  the  grace  of  God, 
 tasted  death  for  all.  Justice  in  mercy  requires, 
 since  not  otherwise  was  it  possible  to  redeem 
 mankind,  that  the  Mediator  should  enter  into 
 this  judgment;  grace,  with  and  before  the 
 judgment  which  is  here  exhibited,  heareth  the 
 supplication  of  the  humbled  Son,  and  strength- 
 eneth  him  to  endure. 
 
 He  was  troubled  even  vnto  death.  Not  only, 
 that  is,  would  an  ordinary  man  have  succumb- 
 ed and  died  in  such  anguish,  but  he  himself, 
 according  to  his  humanity,  must  have,  before 
 die  time,  become  the  victim  of  death  had  he 
 not  been  strengthened  from  above.  This  is  the 
 deep  significance  and  necessity  of  the  angel's 
 appearance,  as  in  Luke.  In  receiving  this 
 grace  the  Lord,  on  the  other  hand,  humbles 
 himself,  as  we  have  already  said,  to  be  partaker 
 of  the  right  of  appeal  which  every  petitioner 
 jas  to  the  help  of  God;  but, on  the  other  hand, 
 le  receives  in  his  own  person  for  us  all  the 
 highest  and  most  decisive  of  all  ministrations 
 of  help  from  above.  In  the  wilderness  the 
 angels  ministered  to  him  only  after  the  first  and 
 lighter  victory;  but  here  the  messengers  of 
 heaven  appear  in  the  very  midst  of  the  conflict. 
 And  why ':'  That  he  miglit  be  enabled  to  wrestle 
 and  to  pray  tnrsviijrepoy,  the  more  earnestly. 
 But  how  and  by  what  means  did  the  angel 
 strengthen  him?  Was  it  by  holding  out  to 
 iiim  the  prize,  or  by  a  "  message  and  assurance 
 from  the  Father  at  this  point  concerning  the 
 necessity  of  his  Son's  sufferings  and  his  own 
 complacency  in  them,"  the  Lord  being  at  this 
 luncture  in  darkness?  This  mayor  may  not 
 be;  but  the  main  thing  which  Luke  intimates 
 by  strengthening  him  (comp.  Acts  ix.  19),  was  a 
 ra'iraculous  accession  of  strength  in  body  and 
 soul,  or  rather  a  summoning  up  of  this  strength 
 from  its  concealed  and  oppressed  spiritual 
 ground,  by  the  heavenly  manifestation.  For 
 this  appearance  of  itself,  without  word  or  mes- 
 sage, would  at  such  a  crisis  have  this  influence.  • 
 •^A  ministration  like  that  after  the  temptation, 
 which  served  to  invigorate  his  sinking  bodily 
 energies.  All  the  previous  and  subsequent 
 ministrations  of  angels  chiefly  referred  to  the 
 condition  of  his  bmlj/."  So  Hess,  and  again 
 very  excellently:  "  This  strengthening  had  ref- 
 erence to  the  physical  part  of  this  deadly  con- 
 flict—it was  an  augmentation  of  power."  We 
 cannot  understand  Pfenninger's  "  tcor.ls  of  con- 
 solation and  power"  which  the  languishing 
 soul  of  Jesus  eagerly  received  from  the  angel'a 
 mouth. 
 Before  this  heavenly  strengthening  (between 
 
576 
 
 GETHSEMANE. 
 
 the  first  and  the  second  prayer)  came,  the  Lord 
 felt  his  weakness  and  need  of  help  so  sorely, 
 that  he  not  only  sought  his  consolation  in  an- 
 nouncing beforehand  his  coming  agony,  in  the 
 pouring  cut  of  his  heart  to  the  three  disciples, 
 but,  moreover — like  a  brother,  weak  and  sup- 
 plicating help — seeks  to  take  refiige  in  the 
 sympathizing  neighborhood  of  the  men  whom 
 he  loves,  an^l  by  whom  he  is  beloved.  This  lies 
 in  the  added  clause — Tarry  ye  here  and  watch 
 tr  th  me.  The  repeated  usiyars  aiSe  is  in  con- 
 trast with  the  previous  xaOidare  code — But 
 remain  ye  here,  near  to  myself,  leave  me  not. 
 Your  presence  is  a  stay  to  me  in  my  tribulation. 
 But,  because  he  feels  in  his  own  soul  what 
 power  of  darkness,  obscuring  and  oppressing,  is 
 breaking  in  upon  the  scene,  and  will  on  his  ac- 
 count invade  his  disciples  also,  he  adds  the 
 strong  exhortation  to  tliem  to  ablile  watchi7ig. 
 This  tcatch  vests  at  first  of  course  upon  its  phys- 
 ical meaning;  for  the  disciples  sank  into  bodily 
 sleep;  but  the  bodily  waking  or  sleeping  was 
 only  the  outward  expression  and  figure  of  the 
 wakefulness  or  sleep  of  the  soul.  The  watch- 
 fulness here  first  required  already  includes  the 
 praying  which  he  afterwards  added  ;  but  it  very 
 properly  stands  alone  at  the  first  as  the  funda- 
 mental word  of  that  exhortation  to  his  present 
 and  future  disciples  which  springs  from  this 
 conflict  of  their  Master. 
 
 Watch  with  me — thus  we  have  it  fully  in 
 JIatthew.  They  had  all,  like  Peter,  promised 
 to  die  with  him.  As  here  the  three  are  brought 
 forward  into  symbolical  prominence,  so  there 
 are  times  ever  recurring  when  some  elect  spirits 
 are  called  belore  others  to  watch  with  the  Lord 
 in  his  confiicts  in  his  Church.  That,  however, 
 does  not  affect  its  universal  meaning  for  us  all ; 
 his  meek  request — with  me — becomes  a  most 
 mighty  exhortation  and  a  most  precious  promise 
 — Sec  llica  how  I  watch,  ami  thus  abide  icith  me* 
 He  does,  indeed,  mean,  as  we  have  said,  to  in- 
 clude their  praying;  but  here,  where  the  em- 
 pliasis  falls  upon  "  with  me,"  he  cannot  add 
 that  v/ord,  for  he  could  not  be  supposed  to  say 
 —  Watch  ami  pray  with  me.  There  could  be  no 
 strict  lellowship  and  equality  between  him  and 
 sinful  men  in  relation  to  his  prayer  generally, 
 and  especially  in  regard  to  this  prayer  of  Geth- 
 semane.  "  He  hail  never  prayed  with  his  dis- 
 ciples, nor  could  he  ;  he  challenges  them  not  to 
 pray  with  him  in  his  sharp  cunflict  in  Geth- 
 Ecmane,  but  only  to  watch  with  him."  Least 
 *  of  all  could  he  summon  them  to  share  his  amaz- 
 nient  and  horror.  That  is  never  matter  of  re- 
 quirement or  exhortation;  so  far  as  it  is  de- 
 manded by  our  communion  with  his  sufferings, 
 it  comes  of  itself  at  the  appointed  time;  but 
 only  so  that  his  mediatorial  redeeming  pre-em- 
 inence remair.s  alone  and  without  parallel. 
 
 Tarry  here— in  my  neighborhood,  indeed, 
 but  at  the  same  time  as  it  had  been  said  belore 
 to  the  others — Follow  me  no  further.  For,  his 
 prayer,  to  which  he   now  has  recourse  in  the 
 
 *  II.  L6ssel :  "  To  waich  Kdh  htin  is  watching  in- 
 deed." 
 
 extremity  of  his  soul,  needs  separation  even 
 from  thethree,  and  perfect  solitude  with  God. 
 Hence  the  note  of  separation  ff/aoeASojr  (an- 
 other reading  in  Matt.  itpo6EX0oDv)  /.iixpov — 
 the  same  whicli  Luke  records  in  dnECTtda^tj 
 dri  aurojj'.  For  although  he  does  not  spe- 
 cify the  selection  of  the  three,  his  narrativo 
 being  more  concise,  he  cannot  mean  by  this 
 aTtoGnaijOrjyai,  being  tcithdraicn  from  them, 
 the  same  as  that  first  dirsAOEiy  of  Matt  xxvi. 
 36,  which  took  place  in  perfect  tranquillity. 
 The  former  word  does,  indeed,  occur  as  a  Greek 
 phrase  in  the  enfeebled  meaning  of  a  mere 
 going  aicay  or  departing ;  but  its  connection  here 
 gives  it  the  emphasis  of  a  violent  and  vehement 
 rending  himself  away:  compare  the  impetuous 
 dno6na6QEyra<i  of  Acts  xxi.  1,  on  which  Gro- 
 tius  says,  as  iftvn  away  byfoi-ce.*  It  is  here, 
 therefore,  opposed  to  the  icith  me  which  clung 
 to  them  before;  and  now  we  perceive  that  fluc- 
 tuation of  anguish  which  the  Bsrlenh.  Bihel 
 assumed  too  soon:  he  had  just  asked  them  to 
 tarry  and  watch  with  him — he  must  then  im- 
 mediately tear  himself  from  them  to  pray.  The 
 removal  a  stone's  cast  appears  to  he  more  exact 
 than  the  little  of  the  others ;  but  both  are  per- 
 fectly accordant,  since  Luke's  proverbial  ex- 
 pression means  only  as  far  as  a  stone  goes  whea 
 thrown  without  any  force  or  design.  For,  it  is 
 plain  in  the  whole  narrative  that  the  disciples 
 heard  his  words ;  and  even  saw  his  knees  bent, 
 and  his  bloody  sweat.t 
 
 This  was  a  very  diflfcrent  prayer  from  that 
 which  John  records  as  having  gone  before. 
 But  it  proceeds  from  the  same  spirit,  from  the 
 same  Son  of  God  and  Redeemer  of  men.  The 
 glorification  already  begins  in  the  Passion,  as 
 we  have  been  prepared  to  find  it  since  he  first 
 began  to  speak  of  the  coming  hour.  His  power 
 over  all  flesh  manifests  itseli  irst  as  the  power 
 of  his  contending  and  victorious  spirit  over  his 
 own  flesh,  by  means  of  which  he  belongs  to  us. 
 
 The  Licarnate  Son,  who  had  already  )rayed 
 himself  up  to  the  Father  and  into  heaven,  now 
 first  truly  experiences  that  he  is  still  in  the 
 world,  that  its  prince  is  coming  against  him, 
 and  that  the  righteous  Father  had  ai^  pointed  to 
 the  Son  that  he  should  sanctify  and  offer  him- 
 self for  his  own.  With  what  other  incense 
 could  the  great  offering  be  presented,  than  ivch 
 a  prayer?     If  it  had  not  been  rf.orded,  our 
 
 *  Schftttgpn  :  Tney  are  said  aitodndcQat  or 
 dno6na60t}yai,  who  are  hardly  withdrawn  flora 
 the  cmliraces  of  llie'.r  friends.  But  ho  incor- 
 con-ectly  assorts  that  in  Luke  xxii.  41  it  must  be 
 taken  according  to  a  common  usage,  simply  for 
 XCjpiCOi'fyixt,  to  be  separated. 
 
 f  I  aslced  in  the  first  edition.  And  why  not  that 
 they  saw  the  an^el  ?  Hofminu  {Sc/irtfibeivcis.  i. 
 348)  ajijiears  to  me,  however,  to  .-jo  too  far :  Tho 
 fact  could  not  have  been  recorded,  unless  the  d;s- 
 cii)les  had  witnessed  it.  The  appeared  indicates  a 
 plain  nianitestation,  but  the  to  him  seems  to  ex- 
 clude the  disciples.  How  then  did  Luke  know  it  1 
 May  it  not  be  that  this  among  other  things  was 
 told  to  tho  disciples  during  the  forty  days  1 
 
MATTHEW  XXVI.  36-42, 
 
 577 
 
 own  profoimder  understanding  of  the  person 
 and  work  of  Christ  must  have  led  us  to  assume 
 9uch  an  internal  conflict  in  the  sanctuary  of 
 his  soul.  But  it  isrevealed  tons  ;  and  we  have 
 only  to  read  and  mark  it,  that  we  may  follow 
 our  Forerunner. 
 
 "  He  prayed" — thus  is  it  twice  in  Mark  and 
 Luke,  and  thrico  in  Matthew,  preceded  too  by 
 while  Iprai/,  and  with  pray  ye  also  intervening. 
 "  This  word  is  so  often  repeated  in  the  history 
 that  it  might  seem  as  if  the  Evangelists  had 
 concerted  it  that  no  man  should  fail  to  be  im- 
 pressed with  this  prayer  of  our  Lord"  (Ram- 
 bach).  It  IS  very  natural  that  these  words  of 
 awful  prayer  should  not  have  been  literally 
 heard  or  retained  in  their  exact  form  by  the 
 affrighted,  sleep-oppressed  disciples,  themselves 
 sorely  harassed.  Yet,  the  Spirit  has  given  to 
 usin'their  divine  records  the  three  principal 
 elements  in  it,  w^th  perfect  unanimity;  the 
 preliminary  and  confident  appeal  to  the  Father ; 
 the  urgent  mpplication  of  the  first  recoil;  the 
 instant  and  entire  resignation  to  the  Father's 
 will,  which  closed  all. 
 
 Luke  has  merely  Father  ;  Matthew,  my  Fa- 
 ther ;  Mark  preserves  (as  his  wont  is)  the  very 
 language  of  Jesus,  Abba,  with  Father  then  added. 
 Not  that  he  thereby,  as  Grotius  thinks,  indi- 
 cates a  redoubled  cry  as  a  testimony  of  deep 
 passion  ;  and  certainly  not.  as  the  Berlenberger 
 BiOel  inappropriately  says,  because  he  appealed 
 to  God  as  a  Father  in  his  two-fold  nature. 
 No,  he  does  not  give  either  the  Abba  or  the 
 Father  as  repeated  ;  but  only  interprets  for  the 
 reader  the  filial  voice,  which  still  urged  its 
 claim.  In  this  present  obscured  humiliation, 
 with  which  the  Passion  commenced,  there  is 
 still  "  a  ray  of  filial  confidence,"  otherwise  than 
 at  Golgotha,  in  the  noontide  darkness,  when 
 the  consciousness  of  Christ  passes  entirely, 
 through  the  my  God  of  the  Psalm,  into  the  level 
 of  unity  with  mankind.  But  here  the  Son  ap- 
 proaches still  the  Father,  though  in  deep  pros- 
 tration :  when  he  takes  the  edge  of  the  cup  to 
 his  lips,  this  first  taste  of  bittorness  throws  him 
 upon  his  kiiees,  as  Luke  reports  the  commence- 
 ment— upon  his  /ace,  as  Matthew  proceeds — 
 upon  the  earth,  as  Mark  most  impressively 
 closes.  "  The  only  Sor.  of  the  Eternal  Father  is 
 now  found  in,  the  d'/it — the  Supreme  Good  is 
 weighed  down  with  our  weak  flesh  and  blood." 
 Yet  in  his  profouna  weakness  there  is  still  the 
 clear  consciousness — 3Iy  Father.  He  who  lies 
 as  a  worm  upon  (ne  earth,  nevertheless  appeals 
 to  the  Almighty  as  a  Son.  Thus,  let  it  be  ob- 
 served, there  is  here  no /ear  of  a  punitive  justice 
 as  in  our  stead,  nothing  of  this  Father's  zcrath 
 against  the  person  of  his   beloved   Son.*     We 
 
 *  This  protest  does  not  contrarrct  what  was  said 
 before  of  tlie  mysterious  mediatorial  fellowship 
 with  us  in  the  condemnation  ot  God.  There  is 
 e.xliibitcd  even  here  in  the  depth  of  the  mystery, 
 the  rigorous  distinction  according  to  which  the 
 Mediator  sorrows  f5>-,  feels,  bears,  and  even  appro- 
 priates the  sin  ofthi  world,  but  still  as  the  sin  of 
 tlie  woridf  tor  its  ty^ati/n.    There  13  indeed  judg-  | 
 
 wonder  at  Beck's  lapse  into  the  old  error  of  an 
 unsound  theology,  when  he  says:  "  When  that 
 is  taken  away  from  a  man  which  ia  the  sole 
 dependence  of  his  heart,  that  in  which  he  lives 
 and  moves,  his  heart  and  spirit  is  broken.  The 
 soul-conflict  of  Christ  in  Gethsemane  could  have 
 no  other  ground  than  this,  that  here  that  was 
 taken  from  him  which  was  the  treasure  of  his 
 heart,  that  in  which  his  whole  heart  rested,  that 
 wherein  he  lived  and  moved — the  love  of  his 
 Father,  unity  tcith  him — the  feeling  that  the 
 Father's  complacency  was  in  him,  and  that  he 
 was  in  the  complacency  of  his  Father.  This 
 was  to  Christ  as  indispensable  as  his  breath." 
 How  can  that  vital  breath  be  regarded  as  taken 
 from  him,  when  at  the  beginning  it  vehemently 
 cries  3Iy  Father!  and  still  more  victoriously 
 cries  at  the  end  in  submission  Aathouicilt! 
 Verily,  in  this  "Abba"  the  Father's  compla- 
 cency is  retained  and  not  lost ;  in  this  "  Not  as 
 I  will,"  unity  with  the  Father  is  preserved  ab- 
 solutely inviolate.*  We  see  here  at  least  that 
 the  full  feeling  of  what  sin  is  in  all  its  conse- 
 quences before  God — this  assuredly  was  Christ's 
 experience — consists  strictly  with  the  con- 
 sciousness. But  I  am,  and  I  remain  thy  Son. 
 And  then,  through  the  communication  and  im- 
 planting of  his  Spirit,  we  also  may  adopt  the 
 same  cry  of  Abba  Father  in  the  midst  of  the  sor- 
 row and  condemnation  of  our  sin:  hence  we 
 regard  the  apostolical  sayings,  Rom.  viii.  15, 
 and  Gal.  iv.  6,  as  having  direct  reference  to  the 
 perso.ial  example  of  Christ,  and  probably  even 
 to  the  scene  of  Gethsemane. 
 
 To  the  Father  he  might  freely  put  his  request, 
 even  though  with  strong  crying — not  merely 
 with  desire  and  conjldence,  but  in  the  profoundest 
 urgency  of  need.  But,  because  the  Almighty 
 Creator  is  the  Father  of  Christ,  his  faith  places 
 first  the  appeal  to  the  almightiness  of  this  Fa- 
 ther, that  it  may  be  the  foundation  and  the 
 sole  restriction  of  his  request.  We  must  now, 
 m  considering  the  Avhole,  invert  the  order  ;  and 
 hear  first  what  the  request  is,  in  order  that  we 
 may  then  understand  in  what  sense  he  makes 
 his  appeal  to  God's  omnipotence,  as  able  or  not 
 to  grant  the  request.  Thus  the  Son  of  the 
 Almighty,  come  into  the  world  in  order  to 
 suffer  and  die  for  mankind,  asks  the  Father 
 now,  when  the  crisis  is  coming,  out  of  the  dust 
 — for  what?  That  this  cup  may  pass  away 
 from  him,  may  be  taken  away,  that  he  may  not 
 drink  it.  So  wonderful  is  this  when  we  hear 
 it  first  that  we  may  vi'ell  ask  in  doubt — What 
 can  here  be  the  meaning  of  this  cup  ?     Mark 
 
 ment  here  and  punishment ;  but  not  as  only  puni- 
 tive, not  cs  wrath  which  rests  upon  tlie  Son  per- 
 .sonaliy,  who  can  still  say  "  Father."  AVe  must 
 once  more  say.  The  vial  of  wrath  in  Rev.  xi\'. 
 10  is  very  difterent  from  the  cup  of  Gftliscmane. 
 *  "  The  llcssedness  of  his  life  in  unity  with  the 
 Father  was  absorbed  through  his  ansuish  lor  sin" 
 (as  Ebrard  more  cautiously  say.s),  but  rot  tlio 
 unity  itself;  its  feehng  was  invaded,  but  its  cmt- 
 sciousness  was  far  from  being  obscuied,  rather  was 
 it  brightened. 
 
578 
 
 GETHSEMANE. 
 
 gives  us,  before  he  introduces  that  word  of 
 Christ,  the  first  tone  of  which  is  so  incompre- 
 hensible to  many,  an  introductory  explanation 
 — mentioning  the  hour,  and  moreover  that  the 
 request  was  urged  only  if  it  were  possible. 
 That  explanation  is  certainly  most  important 
 and  decisive  ;  but  it  must  not  be  interpreted  in 
 any  such  way  as  to  separate  the  present  hour 
 of  anguish  from  the  coming  suffering  of  death, 
 and  oppose  the  one  to  the  other. 
 
 Does  then  the  Lord  here  shrink  from  suffer- 
 ing and  dying  for  the  world?  Would  he,  at 
 this  crisis,  be  delivered,  if  it  were  possible,  from 
 the  sacrifice  of  death,  or  does  he  pray  only  for 
 the  taking  away  of  the  present  overpowering 
 burd-en  of  his  soul's  anguish  ?  Thus  must  the 
 question  stand  at  first,  until  its  right  answer 
 corrects  the  question  itself,  and  makes  it  intel- 
 ligible. The  predominant  opinion  among  prac- 
 tical orthodox  expositors  may  be  seen  by  the 
 following  quotations:  "It  was  not,  most  as- 
 suredly, a  supplication  for  the  turning  away  of 
 tiiat  which  had  been  long  predicted,  and  which 
 he  had  tilways  known  to  be  essential  to  his  one 
 vocation  ;  but  it  was  a  prayer,  urged  by  deep 
 distress  for  the  taking  away  of  that  which  jmt 
 now  pressed  so  heavily  upo'n  him."  Or  again, 
 more  plainly  still:  "'l  will  wUlinrjly  suffer,  if 
 only  I  may  be  delivered  out  of  this  anguish, 
 and  this  suffering  be  shortened."  Again  : 
 "  Thus  he  does  not,  properly  speaking,  ask  it  of 
 the  Father  that  he  might  he  saved  Irom  his 
 Passion  as  a  whole:  but  he  only  supplicates 
 for  an  alleviation  and  shortening  of  his  internal 
 anguibli  in  the  present  hour,  of  that  terror  and 
 fear  which  he  lelt,  and  which  might  have  been 
 an  offence  to  the  disciples,  who  understood  not 
 the  mystery."  In  support  ot  this,  they  appeal 
 to  all  the  previous  definite  predictions  of  our 
 Lord,  and  to  the  impossibility,  which  he  there- 
 fore knew,  that  his  Passion  "should  pass  away 
 from  him  ;  and  further  to  the  fact  tliat  it  must, 
 according  to  Heb.  v.  7,  have  been  a  supplication 
 that  might  be  heard,  and  therefore  that  this 
 cup  must  be  no  other  than  "  the  present  feel- 
 ings of  anguish  which  the  wrath  of  God  excited," 
 or  whatever  else  may  be  substituted.  Hess 
 carries  all  this  to  its  climax  when  he  savs  : 
 "  Tiie  Lord  prays  for  the  removal  of  this 
 anguish,  even  in  order  i\\Ai  he  might,  le  ahle  to 
 suffer ;  as  the  physical  element  in  this  feeling 
 took  such  lorni  as  he  could  not  struggle  against, 
 and  would  if  it  continued  render  iVimpossible 
 that  he  should  sustain  the  remainer  of  his  Pas- 
 sion with  the  composure  and  dignity  which 
 were  required  of  him.  For  supposing  him  to 
 be  thus  full  of  anguish  before  Caiaphas  and 
 Pilate,  would  he  not  have  assumed  tlie  appear- 
 ance of  one  consciously  guilty,  or,  in  a  sense 
 inconsistent  with  his  character  and  work,  fear- 
 lui  of  death  ?  " 
 
 But  such  a  view  of  the  matter  is  altogether 
 wrong,  whether  put  in  this  most  rigorous  form, 
 according  to  which  the  prayer  would  mean, 
 "  Father,  give  me  back  only  the  strength  and 
 dignity  necessary  for  the  drinking  of  that  cup 
 Which  it  is  my  will  to  drink/'  or  in  any  otht-r 
 
 application  of  it  whatever.  For  the  Lord 
 had  himself  just  declared  his  sorriAO  to  be  the 
 beginning  and  the  fearful  approach  of  death; 
 and  he  had  spontaneously  given  that  offence  to 
 his  disciples  by  exhibiting  his  anguish.  But 
 what  now,  to  be  more  definite,  is  the  meaning 
 of  the  hour  and  the  cup  ?  We  have  already 
 seen  that  by  "  the  hour,"  John  xii.  27,  nothing 
 else  is  to  be  understood  but  what  the  Evangel- 
 ists, like  the  Lord,  from  the  beginning  call  by 
 that  name — his  entire  suffering  of  dedth.  And 
 here  in  Gethsemane  the  Lord  himself  testifies 
 in  his  word  of  invigoration  after  the  anguish 
 (Matt.  ver.  45,  Mark  ver.  41 — thus  in  the  same 
 Mark  who  previously  explained  the  hour),  that 
 the  hour  had  not  passed  away,  but  drew  near 
 still,  and  was  come.  Further,  in  John  xviii.  11, 
 he  describes  his  passion  as  the  cup  which  he  is 
 to  drink  of;  consequently  his  prayer  means 
 the  same  cup  of  the  suffering  of  death  which 
 now  is  at  hand  after  he  had  appointed  to  his 
 disciples  its  fruit  and  benefit  through  the  insti- 
 tution of  another  cup.  Finally,  as  respects 
 the  decisive  parallel,  Matt.  xx.  22,  in  which  he 
 similarly  spoke  of  the  cup,  we  must  appeal  to 
 what  was  said  there  in  exposition  ;  only  adding 
 Bengel's  note:  "When  baptism  is  mentioned 
 with  the  cup,  the  cup  is  the  internal  Passion, 
 baptism  the  external.*  When  the  cup  alone  is 
 mentioned,  the  universal  Passion  is  to  be  under- 
 stood ;  but  so  that  under  the  internal  is  also 
 included  the  external  Passion."  That  which 
 God  offers  to  men  to  taste  in  suffering,  is  called 
 a  cup  in  the  ancient  Scriptures;  that  which  the 
 Father  presents  to  the  Son  to  suffer  is  the  cup, 
 concerning  which  Christ  speaks  here  as  else- 
 where. This  suffering  is  an  indivisible  unity, 
 so  prepared,  mingled  and  presented  in  the  cup 
 by  the  Father,  that  it  must  be  drunk  and 
 altogether  drunk  by  the  Son. 
 
 Certain  it  is,  that  the  question  is  here  of 
 drinking  it  altogether  awl  all.  But — and  we 
 now  recognize  the  truth  in  the  error  which  has 
 been  mentioned — this  recoil,  which  revokes 
 while  it  expresses  its  own  utterance,  refers,  in 
 its  declining  to  drink  the  cup,  to  i\\e  present  ex- 
 pcri^nce  of  its  first  drops.  And  having  tasted — 
 he  would  not  drink.  In  "  thisn/;),"  rv  Ttovi'ipiov 
 rovro  (which  rouro  Mark  still  more  emphati- 
 cally isolates),  so  much  is  condensed,  that  in 
 the  present  anguish  of  his  commencing  Passion 
 and  death,  the  entire  cup  is,  as  it  were,  pre- 
 sented to  the  Lord.  Is  it  then  such  suffering, 
 must  all  this  come  upon  me?  Father  spare 
 me !  would  my  soul  fain  cry.  Thus  the  dis- 
 tinction in  the  former  question — either  the  suf- 
 fering of  death  itself,  or  the  present  hmtr — was 
 baseless,  lor  the  latter  retains  with  the  former 
 its  distinctive  force  and  meaning.  It  is  the 
 will  of  the  Son  to  be  saved  by  the  omnipotence 
 of  the  Father  from  death  (to  him  that  was  ahle 
 to  save  him  from  death — is  the  word  of  tho 
 
 *  This,  however,  as  we  have  shown  upon  Mat- 
 thew, must  be  more  deeply  understood  and  fun- 
 damentally distinguished,  than  might  seem  to  b« 
 the  meaniHg  here. 
 
MATTHEW  XXVI.  36-42 
 
 579 
 
 Apostle)  :  this  is  marvellous,  but  natural  for 
 liiiii  wlio  is  the  life,  the  Son  of  the  Almighty. 
 But,  according  to  the  feeling  of  his  soul,  which 
 urges  him  to  this  strong  crying  and  supplica- 
 tion, he  beholds  and  e.xperiences  death  now- 
 only  in  this  horror  of  death  which  falls  upon 
 him.  When  the  Father  strengthens  him,  and 
 takes  away  this  anguish,  his  request  is  as- 
 suredly heard  and  answered  ei6aMov6(j£ii  dito 
 TTJi  £vXafJ£iai);  but  he  is  equally  heard  in 
 that  the  Father  accepts  and  fulfills  his  cry  of 
 resignation — "As  thou  wilt."  As  a  present  op- 
 pressive burden  the  time  of  suffering  generally 
 IS  called  the  hour,  and  so  is  it  now  in  specific 
 reference  to  this  particular  present.*  Hence 
 the  language  of  the  request,  to  which  Mark's 
 explanatory  phrase  points,  TtapEAOsrcD,  iva 
 TtapeXOjj  (which  must  mean  no  other  tlian 
 pass  hi)  or  pass  over,  notwithstanding  the  from 
 me  connected  with  it ;  lor  Mark  joins  it  with 
 the  hour) — napivKyuE,  ncxpF.vsyHElv  in  the 
 same  meaning.  The  cy;>  rhust  be  drunk,  inter- 
 nally tasted  in  voluntary  acceptance  of  it — that 
 now  takes  place,  and  this  accepting  obedience 
 is  consummated  in  the  struggling,  lamenting 
 prayer  which  urges  the  conditional  petition  in 
 the  prerogative  of  a  Son.  As  in  this  prayer 
 the  whole  Passion  appears  as  it  were  condensed 
 in  the  present  anguish  (sub  interna  passione 
 connotatur  externa),  so  aiterwards  in  John 
 xviii.  11  the  word  of  victorious  resignation 
 embraces  in  the  drinking  of  the  cup  the  be- 
 ginnings even  of  the  external  Pas'ion. 
 
 If  v,'e  -have  thus  far  apprehended  with  any 
 clearness  the  meaning  of  our  Lord's  petition,  it 
 will  be  still  further  cleared  irom  all  objection 
 by  going  back  again  and  observing  that  it  is 
 olfe:ed  only  under  a  i  coming  condition.  Accord- 
 ing to  Matthew,  the  Lord  before  he  laid  the  let 
 xt  pass  from  me  upon  the  Father's  heart,  had 
 said — If  it  be  possible.  Mark  begins  with  the 
 same  expression,  and  in  the  prayer  itself  makes 
 the  Lord's  word  still  stronger — All  things  are 
 possible  with  thee.  We  will  not  distract  our 
 understanding  of  the  words  by  the  gratuitous 
 question,  How  and  with  what  precise  words  did 
 the  Lord  speak?  No  single  word  literally 
 pressed  would  sufnce  for  the  profound,  im- 
 measurably concentrated  meaning  of  this  pe- 
 tition ;  the  Holy  Spirit  therefore  teaches  us  by 
 Mark  to  unite  and  .spiritually  to  understand  a 
 double  formula.  If,  on  the  one  hand,  all  things 
 are  possible  unto  thee,  as  an  urgent  appeal  to 
 the  Father's  omnipotence,  only  makes  the  pe- 
 tition the  more  intense — Alniighty  Father,  is 
 not  then  this  possible  to  thee?  yet,  on  the  other 
 hand,  this  urgency  carries  with  it  its  own 
 humble  limitation,  as  Mark  has  already  given 
 it — If  it  be  possible  to  thee !     Again,  this  if 
 
 *  Else  \vp  may  s-ay  general!  7:  Ihe  Passion  is 
 called  his  hour,  first  a.s  one  definte  and  measured 
 suirering;  secondly,  as  the  final  and  most  deci- 
 sive suffering  (passio  cxirema  as  distinsuished  from 
 the  passio  incho'i(a)  of  his  wliole  life;  thirdly,  as 
 transitory,  though-while  it  lasts,  an  0^^:  cssive  prcs- 
 
 itself  is  an  urgent  appeal,  and  has  for  its  under 
 tone,  And  before  thee  all  things  are  possible 
 Whether  the  Lord  said  the  one'  or  the  other,* 
 in  either  case  both  are  implied.  Luke's  words 
 are  certainly  not  intended  to  be  verbally  exact 
 —If  thou  be  willing  to  remove.  That  might 
 be,  as  Grotius  says,  0  that  thou  wouldst !  But 
 this  would  introduce  an  element  of  fearful  de- 
 sire, almost  unworthy  of  Christ,  into  the  con- 
 fident petition  of  the  Son  to  the  Father;  it 
 would  further  interfere  with  Luke's  perfect  ac- 
 cordance with  the  other  Evangelists,  which 
 depends  upon  the  like  signification  of  thei/  in 
 them  all;  and  it  would  remove  from  his  record 
 one  of  the  three  main  points,  the  conditional 
 strengthening  of  the  prayer  or  its  strengthen- 
 ing condition.  We  cannot,  therefore,  agree 
 with  this  utinam — oh  that — and  the  reading 
 TtapEvsyuE  shows,  at  least  as  a  gloss,t  the  true 
 explanation.  That  is,  it  is  either  the  infinitive 
 for  the  imperative,  as  Bengel's  Gnomon  at  first 
 preferred,  and  as  Luther  translates — If  thou  be 
 willing  remove  ;  or,  as  we  prefer,  there  is  an 
 ajwsiojiesis  of  the  verb  TCaoevtyxE,  by  which 
 Luke  would  express  the  "  meek  submission  of 
 Jesus  toward  his  Father."  So  Bengel  in  his 
 Germ,  trans. :  If  thou  wilt  remove  this  cup 
 from  me  (the  conclusion  is  withheld) ;  and 
 similarly,  De  Wette  marks  the  aposiopesis  by 
 a  line.  But  what  is  it  that  we  learn  from 
 Luke's  words  thus  taken?  That  most  impor- 
 tant truth,  which  first  solves  the  whole,  and 
 which  the  Holy  Spirit  teaches  as  the  truth, 
 though  it  seems  to  differ  from  the  rest,  viz., 
 that  the  Lord's  if  it  he  possible  really  meant  if 
 thou  tcilt,  and  spoke  of  the  Father's  almighti- 
 ness  only  under  this  modification.  Christ's  not 
 suffering  was  indeed  absolutely  possible,  if  ho 
 had  not  voluntarily  laid  down  his  life  (John  x. 
 IS),  but  had  called  in  the  legions  of  angels; 
 but — as  he  then  said  himself — how  would  then 
 the  counsel  of  God  have  been  fulfilled?  Thus 
 that  possibility  alone  was  intended  which  was 
 relative,  and  within  the  scope  of  this  counsel. 
 This  variation  of  the  word  is  its  interpretation  ; 
 the  Lord  speaks  of  no  other  possibility  to  God 
 than  is  consistent  with  his  will  and  decree — But 
 let  all  be,  if  and  as,  thou  tcilt,  which  the  subse- 
 quent cla'use  fully  brings  out.  Thus  this  fol- 
 lowing word  of  entire  resignation  was  already 
 included  in  the  first  utterance  of  the  petition , 
 and  the  TrX?}^'  or  dXXa,  but,  contains  no  direct 
 antithesis,  If  it  be  possible  in  thy  toill,  let  this 
 cup  pass  away  ;  for  my  will  is  not  other  than 
 thine,  even  though  I  will  otherwise  than  what 
 now  befalls  me.  Grotius  says  very  correctly  : 
 If  thy  counsels  admit  that  in  any  other  way 
 thy  glory  and  man's  salvation  may  be  consult- 
 ed and  attained.  Thus  the  Lord's  thought,  in 
 these  words  of  shrinking,  does  not  border  on 
 
 *  Scarcely  both  in  succession  :  such  an  unfold- 
 ing of  the  thought  would  bs  contrary  to  the  ve- 
 hemence of  the  condensed  petition,  as  it  is  well 
 preserved  by  the  Evangelists. 
 
 f  For  the  more  difficult  infinitive  is  certainly 
 genuine. 
 
GETHSEMANE. 
 
 the  idea  that  humanity  xvas  not  to  be  redeemed  ; 
 this  great  decree,  this  wdloi  the  Father  and  of 
 the  Son  alike,  is  rather  jire- supposed  in  if  it  ie 
 possible,  if  thou  wilt.  Tiie  petition  ashs  only 
 with  urgency — Is  tho  accomplishment  of  thy 
 counsel,  0  Father,  is  the  redemption  of  man- 
 kind not  otherwise  possible  than  by  my  thus 
 Buffering,  my  drmking  this  cup?  Such  a  ques- 
 tion and  such  a  petition  were  possible  to  Christ 
 through  the  hard  conjlict  under  the  pressure 
 and  in  the  midst  of  the  darkness  of  which  his 
 otherwise  clear  insight  into  God's  counsel,  into 
 the  thus  it  must  he  (Matt.  xxvi.  54),  was  for  the 
 moment  obscured.  Braune  is  right,  that  in 
 the  "  Father,  is  it  possible,"  there  is  the  ex- 
 pression of  tcavei-ing,  more  awfully  strange  than 
 in  his  previous  dismay  ;  but  however  strange 
 it  is,  it  13  perfectly  intelligible  through  the  op- 
 pression of  our  Lord's  humanity  under  the 
 dread  weight  of  his  present  suffering,  which  he 
 must  endure,  that  he  rhay  learn,  prove,  and 
 consummate  his  obedience. 
 
 lie  was  and  continued  obedient.  It  was  not 
 otherwise  possible  to  redeem  the  world  than 
 through  the  sufferings  of  the  Son  of  God  in 
 human  nature — this  testiiies  Gethsemane.  The 
 Son  had  no  other  will,  in  the  unity  of  the 
 Father,  even  here  where  this  human  /opposes 
 itself  in  order  perfectly  to  submit — this  is  tes- 
 tified by  the  closing  clause  of  his  prayer.  Here 
 again  we  have  a  three-fold  phraseology  which 
 retains,  while  it  varies  the  expression,  the  same 
 fulness  of  meaning  in  all.  Luke  gives  the  most 
 general,  and  for  us  all  prototypical,  form  of  it 
 in  the  abstract,  the  accomplishment  of  the  loill ; 
 and  thereby  anticipates  the  repetition  of  the 
 prayer  which  passed  into  that  expression  (Matt, 
 ver.  42).  Matthew  and  mark  preserve  the 
 original  aposiopcsis  of  the  y^eveCOoj,  and  place 
 the /and  'Thuu  in  living  and  concrete  oppo- 
 sition ;  the  former  adding  the  as,  and  the  latter 
 the  iohat,  both  including  comprehensively  every 
 appointed  specialty  in  the  decreed  and  inevit- 
 able suffering. 
 
 As  or  tohat  irill — most  profoundly  signifi- 
 cant words  in  this  place,  which  must  not  be 
 qualified  away !  The  Lord  does  not  say  mere- 
 ly— A?  my  ficxh  v.'ill ;  for  that,  strictly  regarded, 
 would  be  saying  too  much,  and  would  assume 
 even  in  him  such  a  dividing  antagonism  of 
 the  contradicting  flesh  as  could  not  exist  in  the 
 harmony  of  his  sinless  human  personality. 
 But,  although  the  velle  non  fuli,  or  non  vcUe 
 pnti  proceeds  from  tho  weakness  of  the  flesh, 
 vet  this  $£Xco  or  2s\Tjfux  (will)  is  mediated 
 by  the  soul,  which  unites  flesh  and  .spirit  in  the 
 per.-onality,  in  tho  entire  iyoo,  "  1."  Hence 
 Lange  says  truly,  "  The  exclusion  of  Monophy- 
 Eite  and  Monolhelite  heresy  Ironi  the  doctrine 
 of  the  Church,  finds  litre  its  firmest  founda- 
 tion." Two  wills  declare  themselves  here  in 
 Christ:  the  one  full  will  of  the  particular  hu- 
 man I  ;  but  at  the  same  time  another,  distin- 
 guished from  tho  former,  as  its  contrast,  and 
 yet  one  with  it  in  the  unity  of  the  one  praying 
 
 £erson,  which  says — As  thou  wilt;  that  is,  let  it 
 »;  that  ia,  I  wiU.    Although  this  last  /  teill 
 
 obtains  and  preserves  the  victory,  the  first  is 
 not  on  that  account  to  be  reduced,  with  Grotius, 
 to  the  level  of  a  mere  SeXoijui,  I  viight  wish* 
 for  see  the  same  full  opposition  of  a  continually 
 renounced  will  as  the  universal  law  of  Christ's 
 life  in  John  vi.  38  ;  and  compare  the  law  for 
 his  followers  in  John  xxi.  18.  That  may  be 
 termed,  on  the  one  hand,  a  merely  negative 
 passive  will,  a  not  willing  of  the  flesh,  of  nature, 
 which  the  spirit  must  endure  ;  yet  there  is,  on 
 the  other  hand,  so  much  of  positiveness  in  it 
 as  to  make  it  an  opposition  to  be  overcome,  a 
 contradiction  to  be  resisted.  It  is  not  the  in- 
 dividual personal  will,  which  every  personal 
 creature  (and  therefore  the  true  humanity  of 
 the  second  Adam)  has  and  must  have,  that 
 is  sinful ;  but  the  power  of  that  individual 
 will  in  act,  then  first  man's  own  will,  against 
 the  will  of  God.  The  natural  tendency  to 
 shrink  from  suffering,  and  specifically  the  hor- 
 ror which  life  has  of  death,  is  in  itself  sinless 
 and  innocent;  and  must  have  existed  in  Christ, 
 in  order  that  he  might  truly  suflfer  and  die — 
 only  in  us  is  "the  touch  of  original  sin  connect- 
 ed therewith."  Suffering  and  dying  is  "a 
 strange  work,  and  one  for  which  human  nature 
 in  the  beginning  was  not  created  ;  "  therefore 
 it  was  all  the  more  abhorrent  to  the  pure 
 humanity  of  Christ.  "  Death  was  to  Christ  a 
 total  contradiction  of  nature,  so  that  his  sancti- 
 fied soul  must  have  experienced  the  deepest 
 woe  in  the  taste  of  death  ;  it  must  have  been 
 all  the  more  fearfully  such,  because,  his  con- 
 scious spirit  penetrated  the  mysterious  affinity 
 and  connection  between  death  and  the  wrath  of 
 Godf  and  the  power  of  darkness  ;  moreover,  be- 
 cause of  the  dominion  of  wickedness  and  hatred 
 to  which  his  soul  must  now  ofTer  an  extreme 
 submission  in  his  death.  It  is  the  sacred 
 spiritual  energy  and  power  of  his  own  holy 
 human  nature  that  is  roused  upj  in  opposi- 
 tion to  the  appropriation  of  the  curse  and 
 death  of  sin  as  Ins  own,  resisting  as  it  were  the 
 surrender  of  his  own  flesh  to  this  dark  power 
 of  nature.  Thus  he  had  to  reconcile  the  two 
 things,  his  great  vocation  to  lay  down  his  life 
 as  a  Saviour,  and  his  horror  of  death. "g  Thus 
 the  flesh,  or  more  strictly,  the  /in  the  flesh,  so 
 far  as  that  had  become  flesh  or  man,  wills 
 otherwise  than  the  Father,  wills  not — nega- 
 tively— to  drink  tlie  cup  ;  but  at  once  and  atlhe 
 same  time  his  spirit  (the  creaturely  human 
 spirit),  in  unity  with  the  Eternal  Spirit,  with 
 God  as  his  Father,  takes  that  cup  ;  the  /  will  is 
 
 *  Or,  with  Lan20  (iii.  510),  distinguish  artificially 
 3eA.tf/ia  from  S£'A;/<Jz5  (which  occurs  in  ilieN.  T. 
 only,  lleb.  ii.  4),  as  the  natural  willing.  For  is  not 
 the  same  SeXr/ua  used  of  the  Father's  ct/iinal 
 counsel  1 
 
 f  Wo  ni'cht  ronturo  to  say:  Christ  tnstod  tho 
 wrath  of  God  as  death,  under  tho  form  and  ex- 
 perience alone  possible  to  liim  of  death  ;  the  un- 
 reconciled sinner,  on  the  contrary,  tasiesof  death 
 as  the  tvrath  of  God. 
 
 ^  That  is,  appears  as  weakness  in  relation  to  thii. 
 
 ^  Bick,  Lehiwissmschaft,  p.  514. 
 
MATTHEW  XXVI.  36-42. 
 
 581 
 
 uttered  only  as  preceded  by  not  as,  not  what,  and 
 thus  ia  denied  and  renounced.  Thus  he  sancti- 
 fies and  offers  Ai;«sc// in  an  entire  self-surrender 
 to  God  on  nfian's  behalf,  such  a  resignation  as 
 was  not  disturbed  but  rather  glorified  by  that 
 dreadful  conflict;  and  the  issue  is — As  thou 
 wilt.  "  For  our  heart  is  as  a  vessel  full  ol 
 water,  at  the  bottom  of  which  there  lies  mud 
 and  uncleanness  that  rises  to  the  top  when 
 the  vessel  is  ktirred.  Thus  the  impurity  of  our 
 original  sin  clinging  to  us,  it  needs  only  some 
 slight  agitation  or  temptation,  and  all  that  we 
 do^is  rendered  impure.  But  the  soul  of  Christ, 
 which  knew  no  sm,  is  as  a  crystal  vase  ol 
 purest  water.  No  agitation,  temptation,  or 
 disturbance  can  make  it  impure,  or  in  the 
 slightest  degree  trouble  it"  (Rambach).  That 
 is  to  say — The  counad  of  God  may  become  ob- 
 scured to  him  to  such  an  extent  as  to  allow 
 the  question  wnether  he  must  thus  awfully 
 suffer,  but  this  only  brings  outfrom  the  spiritual 
 ground  of  the  disturbed  soul  its  unshaken  unity 
 with  the  will  of  God.  Again,  as  the  subsequent 
 word  teaches  us,  not  the  less  was  the  whole 
 power  of  the  spirit,  wrestling  in  watchfulnes> 
 and  prayer,  necessary  for  this  great  victory,  for 
 the  firm"  fidelity  of  the  spirit  under  the  assault 
 of  the  weak  flesh.  For,  voluntary  suffering  de 
 mands  more  energy  of  the  iyefxuviKoy,  the 
 ruling  spirit,  than  acting,  as  contradistinguish- 
 ed fiom  It ;  patient  resignation  is  itseif  the 
 strongest  adion  of  the  spirit. 
 
 This  first  word  of  jjraycr,  which  we  have  now 
 slightly  considered,  is  followed  by  ix  lowrd  of  in- 
 utrudioii,  which  is  added  in  order  to  be  the 
 ground  and  confirmation  of  our  apprehension 
 of  the  former.  In  all  essentials  Matthew,  vers. 
 40,  41,  agrees  with  JMark,  vers.  37,  38,  and 
 literally  as  respects  the  fundamental  word ; 
 but  Luke  has  only  the  abbreviated  foundation 
 for  the  saying  as  repeated  in  quite  another 
 position,  vers.  40  and  46.  If  his  account  is 
 chronologically  exact,  the  Lord  must  have  said 
 these  words  twice,  at  the  beginning  and  at  the 
 end  of  the  whole  transaction  ;  moreover,  as  the 
 others  give  it  in  its  certain  connection,  a  third 
 time  between  his  prayers.  This  miglit  have 
 been  the  case,  but  it  is  scarcely  probable;  since 
 the  plain  motive  cause  of  the  saying  appears  m 
 the  connection  which  they  give,  and  the  words 
 which  begin  and  end  the  transaction  in  Matthew 
 and  Mark  are  quite  different.  We  may  there- 
 fore set  this  to  the  account  of  Luke's  less  im- 
 mediate record;  but  a  spiritual  insight  will 
 justify  h!s  statement,  inasmuch  as  in  ver.  36 
 and  vers.  45,  46  of  Matthew,  the  same  pray  ye 
 appears  as  the  ground-tone  of  the  whole. 
 
 We  have  now  first  the  specific  reproof  of  the 
 disciples,  Peter  especially,  Jbr  their  sleeping  at 
 this  time — then  a  general  word  of  instruction 
 for  all  the  future  ot  all  his  disciples,  the  Lord's 
 exhortation  to  all  his  own  given  at  Gethsemane 
 in  word  and  act.  This  resolves  itself  to  our 
 consideration  into  three  parts:  the  matter,  the 
 design,  and  the  reason  of  the  exhortation.  Or, 
 what  we  should  do  (watch  and  pray)  ;  to  what 
 end  we  should  do  this  (that  we  enter  not  into 
 
 temptation) ;    and  wherefore  so  (because  the 
 spirit  is  willing,  but  the  flesh  is  weak). 
 
 According  to  Matthew,  the  Lord  (as  Luke 
 xxii.  31)  turned  to  Feter,  but  spoke  in  the  plu- 
 ral for  all;  according  to  Mark  (which  seems 
 the  more  exact),  he  addressed  in  the  singular 
 Simon,  not  Peter  now.  He  returned,  alter  the 
 first  prayer,  to  his  disciples ;  partly  to  see  how 
 it  was  with  them,  and  partly  to  strengthen  him- 
 self in  the  interval  by  their  presence.  He  can- 
 not and  will  not  be  entirely  sundered  from  them, 
 and  continue  thus  separate  in  prayer — this 
 interchange  of  praying  and  returning,  as  we 
 said  above,  shows  us  both  the  necessity  of  his 
 weakness,  and  withal  the  zeal  of  his  love. 
 For  when  he  finds  them  sleeping,  with  what  was 
 indeed  deep  sorrow,  he  does  not  omit  to  utter, 
 from  the  depth  of  his  own  need,  a  stimulating 
 word  of  exhortation ;  so  that,  as  Rieger  says, 
 "  the  labor  of  his  soul  in  the  obtaining  of  our 
 salvation  never  forgets  the  solicitude  for  the 
 appropriation  of  it  to  the  hearts  of  his  own." 
 Could  ye  not  watch  with  me  one  hour?*  Many 
 whole  nights  they  had  toiled  with  their  nets; 
 but  m  this  night  of  temptation  they  are  stupe- 
 fied and  smitten  down  by  an  invisible  power — 
 even  Simon,  who  made  such  lofty  pretensions, 
 and  John,  who  so  profoundly  loved!  The 
 ovTcoi,  "thus,"  in  Matt,,  as  the  immbling 
 reference  to  their  sleep,  corresponds  in  its  mean- 
 ing to  the  sltejicst  tliou?  of  Mark:  it  is  to  be 
 translated,  with  ErasmiUS,  by  adeo,  as  in  Mark 
 vii.  18,  Gal.  lii.  3.  Are  ye  .w  very,  to  such  a  de- 
 gree, sleepy,  so  impotent  in  body  and  soul  for 
 that  "  watching"  which  I  asked  of  you  ?  Phys- 
 ical is  here  only  the  expression  and  figure  of 
 internal  sleep  ;  hence  he  connects  with  it  at 
 once,  by  such  a  transition,  bis  mighty  Watch 
 
 AND   PEAY  ! 
 
 This  he  saj-s  assuredly  first  for  the  immediate 
 present,  with  reference  to  the  temptation  which 
 was  coming  upon  these  disciples  ;  but  this  word 
 of  instruction  reaches  out  to  all  the  future  of 
 his  Church,  represented  to  his  eyes  by  these 
 disciples.  It  is  remarkable  that  v/e  understand 
 it  naturally  enough  and  without  any  explana- 
 tion, when  we  are  spoken  to  about  "  watciiing  " 
 in  oiher  than  a  bodily  sense;  we  thereby  ac- 
 knowledge the  sleepfuinessand  the  slumbering 
 of  our  souls.  What  this  essentially  is,  and  on 
 what  principles  it  proceeds,  are  questions  which 
 belong  to  the  most  diflScult  investigations  of 
 psychology,  or  rather  of  tlie  nosology  of  the 
 natural  man.  For,  as  in  the  physical  domain, 
 so  also  in  the  internal,  sleep  is  connected  with 
 the  weahiess  of  the  flesh  :  this  is  evident  in  us 
 all,  though  not  alone  and  not  necessarily,  as 
 the  exarnple  of  Christ  shows.  Put  to  proceed 
 with  this  is  not  the  province  of  exegesis,  which 
 
 *  We  very  much  doubt  whether,  as  many  think, 
 an  actual  and  full  hour  had  transpired  in  Geth- 
 semane. It  is  rather  a  general  e.xpression  for  the 
 present  period  of  his  trial ;  and  so  far  an  involun- 
 tary prophetic  utterance  of  the  p:esentiraent  of 
 his  hope,  that  this  would  be  no  more  than  a 
 \  ti  ansitory  hour. 
 
m 
 
 GETHSEMANE. 
 
 has  here  to  do  only  with  the  signification  of  the 
 expression  in  its  general  applicalion.  It  may 
 be  rentarked  that  in  the  entire  Old  Testament 
 we  have  but  few  references  to  "  watching"  in 
 the  sense  here  intended  by  Christ.*  The  watch- 
 ing and  keeping  of  Ezra  viii.  29  (Tpl**),  the 
 wakeful,  watchman-like  observation  of  other 
 persons  and  tilings,  which  is  often  alluded  to 
 (and  anthropomorphically  of  the  Lord  himself, 
 Jer.  i.  12,  xxxi.  28),  as,  e.  </.,  in  the  case  of  the 
 watchmen  appointed  by  God,  is  essentially  very 
 different  in  its  idea  from  absolute  "  watchful- 
 ness and  sobriety  "  in  the  sense  of  reoollected- 
 ness,  readiness  of  spirit,  self-conscious  and  self- 
 ruling  determination  of  mind  toward  the  good 
 and  tlie  right.t  It  is  on!y  in  a  few  passages, 
 such  as  Pria.  Ixiii.  2,  Ixxvii.  5  ;  Isa.  xxvi.  9,  and 
 particularly  the  significant  Cant.  v.  2,  that  the 
 Old-Testament  phraseology  seems  to  border 
 upon  the  New-Testament  injunction  of  v7';q)Eiy 
 Hal  yiiiiyopny,  be  sober  and  vigilant,  1  Pet. 
 V.  8  (i.  13),  1  Thess.  V.  6. 
 
 Watching  and  prajjing  are  here  set  before  us 
 as  two-fold  ;  but  they  are  essentially  one,  and 
 inseparably  united.  To  watch  is  first  of  all  not 
 the  same  as  to  wake  (Eph.  v.  14  comp.  kuvij- 
 <pEty,  1  Cor.  XV.  34),  and  is  required  only  from 
 him  whose  being  awake  is  already  pre-sup- 
 posed.  When  our  eyes  are  opened  (Acts  xxvi. 
 18),  then  it  imports  us,  and  then  most  solemn- 
 ly, to  k'^ep  them  open.  But  the  inability  of 
 man  in  himself  for  such  continued  watchfulness 
 is  exhibited  in  the  disciples  as  types  ;  hence 
 the  Lord's  universal  word,  with  the  reason  of 
 it  first  given — Could  ye  not?  We  cannot  watch, 
 however  much  the  injunction  may  be  pres.sed 
 upon  us — V/'atch  ye!  Therefore  the  essential 
 and  inseparable — Pray  !  Again,  he  who  shall 
 pray,  and  thus  lift  up  his  soul  to  God,  must  as- 
 suredly be  already  awake.  Thu«,  for  what  do 
 ye  watch  ?  That  we  may  be  able  to  pray. 
 {Be  ye  so-jiV  and  watch  itnto  iprayer,  1  Pet.  iv. 
 7.)  For  what,  and  wherefore  are  we  to  pray? 
 Thut  we  may  continue  watchful  through  help 
 from  above.  Hence  in  Eph.  vi.  18,  watching  and 
 praying  are  blended  and  .interchangeable,  eii 
 avzo  TovTo  and  cf  LxCrai'  tovto).  Prayer 
 without  watchfulness — what  is  that  but  self- 
 deception  and  a  vain  thing,  improperly  so 
 called  ?  An  imaginary  watchfulness  without 
 prayer — what  is  that  but  a  delusion  and  a 
 dream  ?  Thus  we  may  say — Prayer  to  God  is 
 itself  the  true  and  perfect  wakefulness  of  man 
 in  the  spirit.  (I  'Koke  unto  tliee,  P.sa.  Ixiii.  2, 
 with  my  ypirit  within  me,  Isa.  xxvi.  9.)  Only 
 when  the  spirit — to  anticipate  the  following 
 word — watches  in  and  unto  God,  that  is,  prays, 
 will  the  flesh  inclined  to  sleep  remain  wakeful. 
 The  two  are  in  their  reciprocation  one;  for  the 
 
 ♦  So  he  had  paved  tlie  way  for  liis  words  in 
 Gethsemaue  by  the  parables  of  the  householder, 
 his  servants,  the  virgins,  etc.,  see  particularly 
 Mark  xiii.  87. 
 
 f  Hence  in  Isaiah  xxix.  2D,  comp.  Micah  ii.  1, 
 the  watching  unto  iniquity  can  be  ironically 
 ipoken  oU 
 
 commencing  watchfulness,  which  must  be  pre- 
 supposed, sees  the  danger  and  remembers  the 
 weakness,  and  the  prayer  which  follows  brings 
 down  help  and  power  lor  watching,  then  beconie 
 perfect.  But  we  may  further  i^Cy— Gethsemane 
 provokes  and  awakes  the  soul'  but  Golgotha 
 first  gives  confidence  and  power  to  pray  in  the 
 name  of  him  who  hath  obtained  for  us  the  filial 
 cry  of  Abba,  Father.  Gethsemane  coming  be- 
 fore has  for  its  fundamental  word  the  exhorta- 
 tion Watch!  for  it  shows  us  how  needful  it  is 
 in  the  heavy  conflict  of  the  Lord  himself.  This 
 thought  prepares  the  way  for  the  right  under- 
 standing of  what  is  afterwards  said  concerning 
 the  flesli  and  the  spirit. 
 
 It  is  however  introduced  through  the  medium 
 of  the  transitional  clause — that  ye  enter  not 
 into  temptation.  (This  saying  is  singled  out  by 
 Luke,  and  impressively  placed  at  the  be^'inning 
 and  the  end  of  the  whole  scene  of  Christ's  pres- 
 ent trial — its  superscription  and  postscript  at 
 once.)  Thus  this  is  primarily  the  important 
 matter,  this  is  iho  first  object  and  reason  of  tho 
 necessary  watching  and  praying — Temptation 
 is  near,  and  will  draw  us  into  itself.  When 
 the  tceakness  of  the  flesh  is  afterwards  spoken 
 of,  we  are  to  understand — It  is  too  weak  {ovh 
 l6xvei)  to  stand  in  the  temptation.  Indeed, 
 the  temptation  which  assails  us  is  something 
 different  from  and  more  than  the  wenlcness  which 
 it,  alas  !  finds  in  us.  But  wiiat  is  the  tempta- 
 tion of  which  the  Lord  here  speaks,  and  why 
 does  he  thus  speak  of  it  here?  He  himself 
 was  assuredly  at  the  time  in  heavy  temptation  : 
 consequently,  this  word  spoken  to  the  disciples 
 out  of  his  own  present  experience  and  condition 
 gives  us  a  new  explanation  concerning  the 
 trouble  and  anxiety  of  his  soul.  The  hour 
 which  came  upon  the  Lord  was  from  this  time 
 forward  specifically  the  time  of  the  assault  of 
 the  poirer  of  darknfss  (Luke  xxii.  53),  of  the 
 prince  of  this  tcorld  (John  xiv.  30).  The  temp- 
 tation came  not  to  him /)wn  the  flesh,  as  it 
 comes  to  us  in  whom  the  tempter  has  something 
 already ;  but  it  assaulted  him  in  the  flesh, 
 which  he  had  in  common  with  us  even  in  its 
 weakness.  Yea,  it  fell  upon  him  as  the  Cham- 
 pion, with  whom  Satan  now  decisively  con- 
 tended for  the  world,  all  the  more  vehemently  ; 
 not  only  as  human  temptation,  but  according 
 to  the  righteousness  of  God,  as  the  temptation 
 of  tho  God- man.  The  tempter  who  was  per- 
 mitted thus  to  come  to  Christ,  and  desires  us 
 all,  is  the  enemy  against  whom  we  have  in 
 watchfulness  and  prayer  to  stand  on  our  guard  ; 
 and  what  is  the  evil  and  hurt  from  hmi  which 
 wc  have  to  fear?  Not  temptation  in  itself, 
 for  that  came  upon  Christ,  and  being  overcome 
 issued  in  the  salvation  of  the  world;  we  must 
 all  enter  <he  sieve,  as  we  have  already  heard 
 Thus  the  emphasis  must  not  be  laid  upon  temp- 
 tation in  the  interpretation  of  that  ye  may  not, 
 as  if  we  were  to  pray  for  the  removal  of  temp- 
 tation, or  our  exemption  from  it;  but  upon  the 
 entering  into,  which  all  the  Evangelists  have  re- 
 markably retained,  and  Luke  has  strongly  em- 
 phasized.   Thus   tho  preachers  do  wrong  to 
 
MATTHEW  XXVI.  36-42. 
 
 683 
 
 •short  that  we  should  pray  against  the  coming 
 of  temptation,  and  that  it  should  be  altogether 
 Bpared  to  us  ;  tor  its  inevitableness  is  demon- 
 strated in  the  example  of  Christ.  His  word  to 
 the  disciples  is  i'ar  from  saying — I  alone  con- 
 tend and  get  the  victory  for  you,  that  ye  may 
 be  under  no  such  necessity.  It  says  precisely 
 the  contrary.  But  what  means  the  emphatic 
 entering  into  temptation,  t\\Q  falling  into  it,  or,  as 
 it  assuredly  indicates,  the  falling  in  it:  how 
 can  that  be  entering  into  temptation  ?  Nean- 
 der's  note  is  not  enough,  "  That  external  may 
 not  become  internal  temptatioji  to  you.  For  a 
 tn^r^'/y  external  temptation  would  be  none;"  and 
 to  Christ  himself,  though  it  sprang  from  with- 
 out, it  became  internal ;  and  Neander,  in  the 
 parallel  place  of  the  Lord's  Prayer  to  which  he 
 refers,  says,  "  Save  us  frorn  or  out  of  the  inward 
 temptation  through  the  might  of  the  evil  one." 
 Thus  Ei6spx£<5Qat,  "to  enter  into,"  does  not 
 mean  the  coming  of  temptation  or  the  being 
 tempted,  which  is  altogether  independent  of 
 our  watching  and  praying,  but  the  falling  into 
 it  or  being  involved  with  it  in  such  a  manner 
 as  not  to  come  out  of  it;  the  remaining  in  it 
 and  falling.  Grotius  compare  I  very  pioperly 
 the  £/u7ti7ir£iy  of  1  Tun.  vi-  9,  fulling  into 
 temptation  and  a  snare,  the  end  of  which  is 
 the  I/ei7ig  drowned,  f3vOi!I,e60ai.  We  have  given 
 our  explanation  upon  the  sixth  petition  of  the 
 Lord's  Prayer,  referring  there  to  these  words  : 
 this  that  ye  enter  not  is  in  fact  an  interpretation 
 of  that  lead  us  not  into*  However  near  the 
 enemy  may  come  to  us,  and  however  seduc- 
 tively he  may  come  even  in  us,  he  can  overcome 
 us  only  if  our  will  make  common  cause  with 
 him  ;  that  is,  if  we  "  enter  into"  his  mind  and 
 •will,  as  our  own  idiom  very  appropriately 
 speaks.  But  we  enter  into  it  and  are  victims, 
 not  merely  v/hen  we  despair,  but  in  the  far  more 
 perilous  circumstance  of  our  thinking  ourselves 
 secure  and  strong  when  we  are  not.  Thus  the 
 Lord,  who  well  knew  our  nature,  the  loeakness 
 of  which  at  least  he  had  experienced,  does  not 
 counsel  us  to  make  ourselves  (that  is,  to  think 
 ourselves)  strong — but  the  very  reverse.  To 
 know  our  weakness  in  sincere  and  wakeful 
 thoughtfulness,  to  bring  it  before  God  in  self- 
 renouncing  prayer  and  supplication  for  strength, 
 this  and  this  alone  is  the  perfecting  of  our 
 strength,  2  Cor.  xii.  9,  10.  Wake  and  continue 
 awake  to  prayer — then,  but  only  then,  tempta- 
 tion brings  no  fear.  At  once  to  pray — and  to 
 sin — is  impossible.  Wlio  could  with  a  wakeful 
 and  recollected  spirit  say  unto  God — Not  as 
 thou  wilt?  Who,  when  the  word  of  Jesus  bids 
 us  watch,  and  the  Spirit  of  Jesus  teaches  us  to 
 pray,  may  answer  him  and  say — Lord,  but  I 
 cannot,  1  am  too  weak. 
 
 *  Wit>)us,  On  the  Lord's  Prayer,  p.  859  (Clark's 
 Bibiiral  Cabinet,  vol.  x.xiv  )  :  "To  enter  into  tempta- 
 tion sionities  to  be  so  involved  in  snares  and  dan- 
 gers as  not  to  be  extricated  from  them.  The  Hebrew 
 phrase  expres^ses  it  more  lully,  to  enter  into  the 
 hand  of  lemplation,  that  is,  into  its  jiower  and 
 d  .million,  so  as  to  i>e  bubjugated  and  absorbed  by 
 it." 
 
 All  this  has  sufBciently  paved  the  way  for 
 the  third  word  concerning  fU.sh  and  spirit  by 
 which  the  Lord's  saying  profoundly  closes, 
 opening  up  to  us  the  inmost  of  the  matter. 
 To  itvEvna,  J/  6dpl,  the  spirit,  the  flesh,  it 
 runs;  not  my  and  not  your  spirit  and  flesh. 
 Which  of  these  are  we  to  supplement?  does  the 
 Lord  speak  of  himself,  or  primarily  of  these 
 disciples  and  then  of  us  all?  It  is  sufficiently 
 evident  that  in  the  obvious  connection  a  reason 
 is  given  here  for  cntr  watching  and  praying  ; 
 and  the  application  of  the  assertion  therefore 
 to  ourselves  is  not  to  be  controverted.  But  at 
 the  same  time  we  must  unconditionally  reject 
 as  erroneous  and  misleading  the  common  opin- 
 ion which  confines  the  reference  of  our  Lord's 
 words  to  others,  to  sinful  men.  Of  course,  if 
 the  words  are  so  interpreted  as  to  be  a  defini- 
 tion of  our  natural  fallen  and  corrupt  condition, 
 the  Lord  could  not  have  intended  to  refer  them 
 to  himself:  but  this,  as  we  shall  show,  is  wrong 
 in  more  than  one  aspect.  At  the  outset,  is  it 
 natural  or  conceivable  that  he,  after  his  own 
 sharp  temptation,  and  speaking  to  us  of  temp- 
 tation, would  altogether  in  the  conclusion 
 forget  and  omit  himself?  No;  although  he 
 appropriates  the  saying  to  us,  he  speaks  it 
 on  the  ground  of  his  own  condition  and  feel- 
 ing ;  consequently  we  must  admit  that  he  pre- 
 eminently and  in  the  first  place  refers  to  that 
 wliich  was  just  now  made  manifest  in  himself, 
 of  the  willingness  of  the  spirit  and  the  weak- 
 ness of  the  fle.'sh.  Once  more,  this  final  word 
 gives  an  explanation  of  the  reason  why  his  soul 
 was  so  troubled,  how  death  could  thus  assault 
 him,  in  what  the  conflict  consisted,  which  they 
 had  marked  in  him  and  his  "praying" — in 
 order  that  thev  might  not  be  offended  in  him 
 or  doubt  of  the  willingness  of  his  spirit,  but  at 
 the  same  time  that  they  might  definitely  know 
 his  own  experience  that — tlie  fiesh  was  weak. 
 He  by  no  means  speaks  this  word  as  a  gentle 
 apologi/  for  their  sleep  (it  rather  urges  watch- 
 fulness), as  if  he  would  say — I  see  how  it  is 
 with  you,  that  your  spirit  is  indeed  willing, 
 etc.  For  in  strict  fact,  as  we  shall  see,  that 
 was  not  true  of  the  disciples.  But,  conversely 
 — Behold  ye  in  me,  how  it  is  and  must  ever  be, 
 even  supposing  the  utmost  willingness  of  spirit, 
 with  you  men.  Thus  he  presents  himself  to 
 us  as  a  type  and  pattern;  he  says  no  more 
 than  what  the  event  itself  says,  but  interprets 
 to  us  bv  this  word  the  nature  and  character  of 
 his  conflict  in  this  temptation.  My  soul — thus 
 he  had  spoken  in  full  appropriation  ;  but  he 
 does  not  now  expressly  say  my  flesh — for,  it  is, 
 properly  spea:king,owr  flesh — alien  to  the  spirit 
 in  him— which  he  had  taken  on  himself,  see 
 Rom.  viii.  3.  Neverthel-^ss,  as  certainly  as  the 
 spirit,  which  was  absolutely  willing,  can  be 
 onlv  his  own,  so  also  the  flesh  is  now  intended 
 of  his  own  person.  The  interpretation  of  this 
 Gethsemane-word  has  been  very  loosely  dealt 
 with  even  by  profound  thinkers,  and  the  fatal 
 habit  of  superficial  exposition  has  led  most  of 
 our  commentators  astray.  Daub  supposes  that 
 this  was  said  at  the  same  time  of  "  eoery  mor- 
 
m 
 
 GETHSEMANE. 
 
 tal,"  but  this  in  his  case  is  an  inadventency. 
 Jul.  Miiller  appears  to  refer  this  saying  of  the 
 willing  spirit  and  the  weak  flesh  to  the  disciples 
 alone ;  though  he  rightly  admits  that  spirit 
 here  is  not  to  be  understood  as  in  John  iii.  6. 
 It  is  not  the  spirit  of  God,  but  evidently  a 
 constituent  part  of  human  nature.  We  found 
 on  this  admission  the  question — If  Christ  is 
 true  man,  does  he  not  speak  all  this  of  him- 
 self? Nor  are  we  content  with  the  form  in 
 which  Rieger  admits  the  truth:  "The  Lord 
 Jesus  at  this  solemn  time  experienced  even  in 
 himself  the  difference  between  the  willing  spirit 
 and  the  weak  flesh."  We  maintain,  rather, 
 that  in  the  pure  experience  of  this  distinction 
 without  admixture,  he,  the  sinless  man,  stands 
 alone ;  and  the  reference  of  this  subsequently 
 to  ourselves  can  hold  good  only  through  the 
 impartation  of  his  own  Spirit. 
 
 Gethsemane  gives  its  most  specific  and  strong 
 testimony  to  the  true  humanity  of  Christ ;  and 
 his  own  words  plainly  declare  the  same.  He 
 had  said  before — my  soui ;  and  when  he  now 
 adds  spirit  and  Jlcsk,  we  have  complete  the 
 scriptural  trichotomy  of  human  nature  and 
 personality;  for,  although _^<'isA  is  not  altogether 
 gynonymous  with  body,  it  has  an  undeniable 
 reference  to  body.  We  would  add  that  docp^, 
 flesh,  has  a  somewhat  different  meaning  here 
 from  that  which  it  has  in  all  those  passages 
 which  connect  with  it  the  idea  of  sinfulness. 
 It  is  assuredly  only  that  "  constitutent  part  of 
 human  nature"  in  itself,  which,  though  un- 
 affected as  in  our  case  by  the  fall  and  sin,  be- 
 longed to  the  second  Adam.  The  Lord  there- 
 fore means  no  more  than  to  say — M'/  spirit, 
 which  ye  shall  receive  from  me;  your  flesh, 
 which  I  also  have  received  from  you.  Bengel's 
 words,  relative  to  i\\Qsecond  clause, "  This  saying, 
 Bin  being  taken  away,  held  good  also  of  Jesus," 
 are  wrong  in  the  assumption  that  sin  must  first 
 be  conceived  to  be  removed  in  the  clause  the 
 flesh  is  weak.  It  is  no  more  involved  in  this, 
 than  in  the  former  concerning  the  spirit  ;  it  is 
 more  correct  to  say  concerning  both  clauses 
 together — This  saying  apart  from  sin  in  us,  aUo 
 holds  good  now  of  ourselves. 
 
 How  can  then  the  natural  man  as  such  goon 
 at  once  and  say  tlia''.  his  spirit  is  willing?*  In 
 Jude,  ver.  19,  we  read  of  sensual  men  having  not 
 gpirit,  that  is,  whose  human  7tvev/icx  is,  through 
 entire  separation  from  the  divine,  no  more  than 
 as  if  not  existing.  Even  the  Ss^-siv,  the 
 willing,  of  Rom.  vii.  18  is  far  from  meaning  the 
 nvevfia  rrpoOvfiuv,  the  nnnj  m,  Psa.  li.  14, 
 
 the  willing  spirit  in  all  its  New-Testament 
 reality  and  truth.  In  Rim.  vii.  it  is,  as  the 
 sequel  shows,  an  impotent  and  bia.s.sed  will- 
 lUfi,  no  better  than  none  at  all — but  hero  it  is 
 evidently  such  a  willing  as  through  watchful- 
 t»es3  and  prayer  may  maintain  its  prerogative 
 
 *  irpdOv^io?  occurs  asiin  in  the  N.  T.  only 
 Rom.  i.  15.  It  do-'s  indeed  oppose  ilsolf  to  a  liin- 
 drance  (as  there  nar  eue);  hut,  it  also  expresses 
 6U>  iudepcndeut  aud  lull  vviilin^uens  of  the  spirit. 
 
 and  get  the  victory.  It  is  only  in  that  con. 
 descending,  prophetic,  and  proleptic  sense  in 
 which  the  Lord  always  and  especially  address- 
 ed his  disciples  as  the  representatives  of  his 
 future  Church,  and  only  therefore  as  he  beheld 
 in  them  the  germ  of  regeneration,  that  he  as- 
 cribed to  them,  in  fellowship  with  himself,  a 
 willing  spirit — had  the  full  truth  applied  to 
 them,  they  would  have  watched  and  prayed. 
 He  had  only  said — Ye  could  not,  graciou.siy  as- 
 suming in  them  a  certain  willingness  •  but  he 
 cannot  now  mean  in  the  full  sense — I  see  that 
 your  spirit  is  pe'-fectly  willing,  and  that  there 
 is  nothing  lacking  there.  They  had  indeed 
 vauntingly  declared  that  they  would  go  with 
 him  whithersoever  he  went,  would  suffer  and 
 die  with  him  ;  but  do  we  not  know,  do  we  not 
 see  even  here,  how  much  self-deception  there 
 was  in  that?  In  its  full  truth  the  spirit  ot 
 Christ  only  is  entirely  and  absolutely  willing 
 and  prepared,  as  Psa.  xl.  9  expresses  it ;  and 
 therefore — let  this  be  carefully  observed — it  is 
 only  his  flesh  again  which  is  nothing  but  weak. 
 In  the  humanity  ot  Christ  alone  are  the  willing- 
 ness of  spirit  and  the  weakness  of  flesh  purely 
 distinguished  and  separate  entirely  each  from 
 the  other;  on  the  other  hand  the  /  in  us  is 
 carnal,  and  in  the  flesh  itself  there  is  a  will,  a 
 positive  tendency  to  sin.  We  say  rightly  with 
 Schulthess  against  a  false  theology :  "  He  him- 
 self experienced  most  perfectly  what  he  said  in 
 Gethsemane — The  flesh  is  weak — and  all  //w 
 ?nore  in  the  degree  in  which  his  spirit  was  will- 
 ing." But  we  utter  our  strongest  protest 
 against  his  unscriptural  combination  of  weak- 
 ness with  sin,  and  the  fearfully  foolish  conclu- 
 sion which  he  draws,  "' A^iapria  is  an  essen- 
 tial attribute  of  the  flesh  fhow  with  respect  to 
 Christ  who  was  made  flesh?),  just  as  humidity 
 is  of  water — where  flesh  is  there  is  sinfulness."* 
 Most  certainly  not:  there  is  weakness,  indeed, 
 but  where  with  that  weakness  there  is  not 
 merely  a  gradual  preponderance  of  the  willing 
 spirit,  but  the  willing  spirit  in  its  absolute 
 predominance — as  in  the  case  of  Christ — there 
 can  be  no  room  for  any  sinfulness  of  the  weak 
 flesh.  It  is  only  when  and  as  far  as  the  spirit 
 of  Christ  enters  into  us,  that  we  can  appropriate 
 the  truth  which  is  here  spoken  to  the  disciples. 
 Bengel's  concise  hint — "  Hence  the  frequent 
 mention  by  the  Apostles  of  flesh  and  spirit," 
 must  be  taken  with  much  emphasis  upon  the 
 hence ;  the  apostolical  phraseology  actually 
 rests  upon  this  appropriation  of  his  words  by 
 Christ  to  liis  disciples.  Flesh  consequently 
 does  not  signify  here  the  entire  natural  man, 
 "corrupted  nature,"  or  the  like;  for  what 
 would  then  be  left  for  the  spirit,  waich  is  evi- 
 dently al.<o  a  constituent  element  of  human 
 nature?  In  my  flesh,  Rom.  vii.  18,  is  quiln 
 identical  with  la  me,  in  spito  of  the  v/illing  ami 
 
 *  Tlio  same,  from  another  point  of  view,  is  that, 
 wliich  A!)ollinaris  aftirrned  on  account  of  ih? 
 freedom  ('f  choice,  whici  is  nece.ssary  to  Ihe 
 vovi:  "  Wberd  there  is  pe.feci  man,  there  ia 
 sin." 
 
MATTHEV/  XXVI.  36-42. 
 
 585 
 
 delighting  which  were  present  to  him.  There- 
 fore sin  dweiieth  in  me,  wholly  and  entirely 
 established  within  me;  even  in  my  spirit  and 
 will,  the  impotent  assent  of  which  to  that 
 which  is  good  is  itself  a  bias  toward  and  vote 
 ior  the  evil.  For  sin  must  be  in  the  will ;  it 
 cannot  be  in  the  flesh  as  such.  But  here, 
 where  the  spirit  stands  in  contrast,  the  soul 
 (before  mentioned)  is  not  included  with  the 
 flesh ;  and  the  meaning  is,  that  the  soul, 
 standing  between  the  spirit  and  the  flesh,  must, 
 iu  watching  and  praying,  itself  derive  strength 
 from  the  spirit  and  overcome  the  weakness, 
 allhough  through  sharp  conflict  amounting 
 even  to  convulsion,  as  their  eyes  had  seen  in 
 him.  The  gracious  anticipatory  equality  as- 
 sumed between  his  disciples  and  himseli  hold: 
 
 sin  and  entering  into  temptation  as  "  weal^ness 
 of  the  flesh;"  just  as  in  Phil.  ii.  ver.  13  is 
 wrenched  from  ver.  12 ;  and  in  Rom.  iii.  ver. 
 23  from  ver.  21.  We  trust  that  all  such  per- 
 version has  been  thoroughly  guarded  against 
 throughout  this  exposition. 
 
 We  turn  to  the  necoiid,  repeated  petition  of 
 our  Lord,  which  Matthew  alone  records  in 
 words.  We  have  already  given  the  reason  of 
 our  Lord's  interrupting  his  prayer,  and  going 
 in  the  interval  to  his  disciples :  let  us  now 
 quote  the  words  of  the  Berleuh.  Bihel:  "  Among 
 other  things  we  may  here  learn  that  in  all 
 times  of  sore  conflict  we  should  not  continue 
 in  one  uninterrupted  strain  of  prayer  in  order 
 to  prevent  our  devotion  from  being  feeble  and 
 lukewarm  ;  we  should  rather  pause,  and  take 
 
 good   now  of   his   saints,  but  only   in  as   far  I  breath,  that  it  may  be  urged  with  all  the  more 
 
 as  they  are  in  him;  no  man  may  absolutely 
 glory  that  his  spirit  is  only  willing,  his  flesh 
 only — weak.  In  the  background  there  is  a 
 most  solemn  application,  at  least  similar  to  the 
 saying — If  this  be  done  to  the  green  tree,  what 
 will  it  be  to  the  dry  ?  If  suck  prayer  is  need- 
 ful to  me,  the  Holy  One,  on  account  of  weak- 
 ness, liow  much  more  will  it  be  needful  to  you 
 sinful  men,  with  your  confmion  of  flesh  and  of 
 spirit?  Alas!  with  us  even  as  standing  in 
 grace,  the  flesh  is  willing,  that  is,  to  evil. 
 It  IS  not  weak,  that  is,  in  the  sense  of  not  will- 
 ing because  not  able  (rather  thinking  itself  not 
 able);  but  it  is  mighty,  and  proud,  deafening 
 the  ypiiit,  and  making  common  cause  with  the 
 tempter.  This  is  to  be  seen  in  the  disciples 
 themselves.  That  Peter  could  not  now  watch 
 one  hour  was  occasioned  by  the  sin  of  his  pre- 
 sumption. He  slept  most  profoundly  when 
 with  open  eyes  he  first  contradicted  and  then 
 denied.  But  if  we  through  the  grace  of  re- 
 generation are  so  far  awake  that  to  the, willing 
 spirit  in  us,  as  in  Christ,  sin,  that  is,  the  temp 
 tation  to  sin,  is  no  other  than  a  suffering  and  a 
 burden,  bringing  no  longer  pleasure  with  it — 
 then  may  we  take  the  consolations  of  Christ's 
 word,  that  the  weakness,  which  feels  the  suffer- 
 ing, and  which  is  exposed  to  the  temptation,  is 
 no  sin,  any  more  than  it  was  iu  him.  No 
 more  is  then  demanded  of  us  than  to  watch 
 and  pray  ;  but  both  with  the  utmost  earnest- 
 ness ;  to  watch  against  the  enemy,  on  account 
 of  the  weak  flesh  exposed  to  his  assault ;  to 
 pray  with  a  willing  spirit  for  the  strength  of 
 God  which  maintains  and  strengthens  that 
 willingness. 
 
 But  nothing  is  more  lamentable  and  more 
 perilous  than  the  perversion  of  this  equally 
 rousing  and  comfortable  sentence,  which  in 
 common  with  many  such  Scriptures,  Satan 
 skilfully  tempts  men  to  misuse.  He  rends  the 
 Wtier  saying  from  the  former ;  separates  it 
 from  the  "  watch  and  pray  ;"  and  makes  that 
 which  was  designed  as  an  encouragement  to 
 watchfulness  and  prayer  a  pillow  for  self-de- 
 ception. He  persuades  the  sinner  to  regard  it 
 as  enough  that  his  poor  imaginary  willing- 
 ness of  soirit  (his-good  heart,  right  intention, 
 etc.)   i3  enough  of  itself;  and  apologizes  for 
 
 vehemence."  When  the  Lord,  yielding  as  it 
 were  for  a  moment  to  the  weakness  of  his  flesh, 
 sought  the  society  of  his  disciples,  their  im- 
 potence must  of  itself  have  invigo;-ated  his 
 strength  to  still  more  ardor  m  the  conflict. 
 nd?uv  tu  SevTspov  in  Matthew  is  an  emphat- 
 ic tautology,  specifically  enumerating.  Mark's 
 saying  the  same  words  (explanation  of  Ih 
 devTEpov)  is  in  the  general  right ;  but  they 
 were  not  entirely  the  same  words.  Luke  refers 
 to  the  second  prayer  as  iHrEvedrepov,  mare 
 earnestly,  not,  however,  as  more  urgently  sup- 
 plicating for  the  removal  of  the  cup,  but,  ac- 
 cording to  Matthew's  sense,  even  if  we  had 
 not  his  words — more  vehemently  struggling  for 
 the  victory  of  submission  in  his  agony.*  Ciirist 
 knew  that  the  Father  always  heard  him  (John 
 xi.  42)  ;  he  therefore  understands  the  not  pass- 
 ing away  of  his  anguish  as  the  granting  of  his 
 last  word — As  thou  wilt — as  the  confirmation 
 of  the  divine  will  that  he  should  drink  the  cup. 
 He  therefore  comes  to  the  conclusion  in  the 
 second  prayer,  as  if  an  answer  had  been  re- 
 ceived. He  no  longer  says — If  it  be  possible, 
 let  it  pass ;  but — If  it  'may  not  pa«s ;  and 
 girds  himself  to  obedience.  His  willingness 
 expresses  itself  still  more  strongly  in  unless  I 
 drink  it.  "  He  now  addresses  himself  more  di- 
 rectly to  drink."  Similarly,  the  more  general 
 and  definitely  spoken — Thy  will  be  done,  in 
 this  as  in  all  things — corresponds  now  to  a 
 perfect  submission:  but  this  does  not  exclude 
 the  continuous  conflict  in  the  praying  utter- 
 ance of  this  determination. 
 
 *  This  became  so  severe  as  to  cause  the  blooriy 
 sweat  in  the  cold  night  (.John  xviii.  18).  We 
 would  not,  wi.h  Athanasius,  pronounce  a  ban 
 upon  those  who  deny  this  sweat  of  blood.  "  The 
 force  of  the  particle  as  falls  upon  the  drops,  not 
 blood,"  as  Bengel  rightly  remmks;  for  it  is  nara- 
 fiaivovTEi  not  xarafiaLyovroi.  "  If  the  sweat 
 had  not  been  b:oodi/,  tlie  mention  of  blood  might 
 have  been  omitted  ;  for  the  word  drops  would  liave 
 been  sufficient."  Rnmbach  remarks  that  tlie  driv- 
 ing out  ot  the  blood  Irom  the  lieart  is  contrary  to 
 the  course  of  nature,  as  anxiety  and  fear  drive  it 
 inwardly  to  the  heart;  but  iiere  all  is  alor.e  of  its 
 kind,  though  after  human  kiiK',  and  we  therefore 
 doubt  the  correctness  of  bis  remark. 
 
•586 
 
 THE  INVIGOKATION. 
 
 The  third  prayer  is  at  least  intimated  by 
 Mark  also — he  cometli  the  third  time;  that  is, 
 alter  a  third  departure  and  prayer.  Matthew 
 adds — Saying  the  same  words,  that  is,  as  on 
 the  second  occasion.  That  which  he  had  taught 
 his  disciples  concerning  the  fewness  and  the 
 einiplicity  of  their  words  in  prayer,  finds  its 
 exemplification  in  his  own  case,  through  the 
 weakness  and  the  oppression  which  made  more 
 words  impossible.  To  repeat  the  same  few 
 words  is  belore  God  the  deepest  earnestne-^s. 
 The  poverty  of  the  words  pertams  to  the  weak- 
 ness, their  perserveringness  to  the  sincerity  of 
 prayer.  Before  even  this  third  prayer  he  found 
 the  disciples  once  more  sleeping.  Their  eyes 
 were  heavy,  pressed  down  {fJefJapf^/itevoi  Matt., 
 xaraliapvvonEvoi  Mark)  ;  according  to  Luke 
 he  found  them  sleeping  fur  borrow,  which  last 
 additi.m  would  almost  seem  t»  be  a  doubtful 
 and  inadequate  reflection  in  some  way  inserted 
 into  the  record.  For,  although  this  uttermost 
 impotence  of  man   here   where  the  God-mau 
 
 treads  the  wine-press  alone,  may  be  hnmanly 
 explained  by  their  exhaustion  in  the  deep  night 
 after  such  a  day,  by  the  reaction  after  so  much 
 excitement,  and  most  decisively  as  Luke  says,  by 
 the  stunning  power  of  a  sorrow  which  was  ton 
 great  for  them;  yet  was  there  something  more 
 tiian  all  this  assaulting  them,  as  the  Lord 
 himself  had  intimated — the  temptation  of  the 
 power  of  darkness,  the  satanio  sifting,  without 
 which  their  sympathy  with  the  sutiVnngs  of 
 Jesiis  would  have  hold  their  eyes  waking 
 But  this  prostration  under  the  assault  of  thr, 
 enemy  is  itself  part  of  the  impoteuje  of  men. 
 TheJiOrd  knew  this;  he  beheld  it  ^ith  coni- 
 passioii,  and  was  urged  by  it  to  perseverance 
 in  his  conflict  for  these  poor  men  :  ho  left  them 
 {dcpEii  otTovi)  and  cont'nued  in  v/atching 
 and  prayer,  until  he  had  overcome  in  this 
 commencement  of  the  hour  which  had  come; 
 until,  with  returning  power, serenity,  and  peace, 
 he  could  deliver  himself  up  to  the  betrayer  and 
 the  hands  of  sinners. 
 
 THE  INVIGOKATION. 
 
 (Matt.  xxvi.  45,  46;  Maek  xiv.  41,  42;  Luke  xxii.  46.) 
 
 This  last  word  before  his  being  taken,  while 
 he  was  speaking  which  (all  three  unite  in  this) 
 the  betrayer  came  near,  as  the  Lord  had  just 
 intimated,  is  given  with  precision  only  by  the 
 first  two  Evangelists ;  Luke  has  retained  only 
 Kal  dya6rdi — dvadrocvrei  (rising).  It  falls 
 once  more  into  a  three-fold  anangement:  the 
 final,  and  most  sorrowfully-gentle  reproof  ot 
 the  disciples'  sleeping  to  the  last ;  the  announce- 
 ment of  the  time  of  his  being  delivered  up  into 
 the  hands  of  external  enemies;  the  voluntary 
 surrender  of  himself  to  meet  it,  through  the 
 vigor  which  his  conflict  had  given  him. 
 
 Are  we  to  make  the  first  clause,  which  the 
 first  two  Evangelists  give  us  literally  alike,  a 
 question,  or  not?  We  find  indeed  in  Luke  the 
 question — Why  sleep  ye?  But  we  have  al- 
 ready seen  that  his  account  gives  up  all  literal 
 exactness,  and  condenses  tlie  whole  :  we  miglit 
 say  that  this  Wliij  nfeep  ye?  in  his  record  is  but 
 the  echo  of  the  earlier  iSimon,  i-Iecpcd  thou?  or, 
 Coull  ye  not  watch?  The  to  Xoitcuv  of  itself 
 scarcely  allows  the  idea  of  a  question  here;  for 
 that  does  not  mean,  properly  speaking — Do  ye 
 then  sleep  on  still?*  but  the  indicative  chav- 
 acter  of  the  whole  sentence  decidedly  contra- 
 dicts such  a  notion.  It  might  bo  possible  to 
 take  them  at  once  as  in  the  indicative — Ye 
 sleep  and  take  your  rest  i<till  ;  and,  behold,  it  is 
 time  to  awake,  and  stand  up,  and  go  forth! 
 But  this  does  not  content  U3;T  this  would  re- 
 
 *  So  Winer  observes,  resting  on  tlie  plirase  it- 
 Belt. 
 
 t  That  is,  our  own  individual  fpelins ;  for  in  the 
 Intel pretatiou  of  ail  such  dubious  and  p;ejjn:int 
 
 (piire  for  the  connection  and,  behold,  whereat 
 we  find  in  Mark  an  abrupt  anixei,  "it  is 
 enough,"  which  can  be  fitly  rendered  only  as 
 an  imperative.  We  therefore,  with  Winer,  take 
 the  words  as  in  the  imperative,  and  regard  them 
 as  noting  an  advancement  beyond  the  previous 
 question,  and  thus  being  more  in  harmony  with 
 the  Lord's  present  invigoration  of  spirit.  He 
 had  previously  lamented  that  they  slept,  while 
 oppressed  himself  with  need  of  help;  but  now, 
 so  far  as  regards  his  need,  he  permits  them  to 
 sleep  on  :  he  requires  and  demands  their  watch- 
 ing for  himself  no  more.  Thus  much  of  per- 
 mission there  is  in  this  conceding  imperative; 
 but  it  is  far  from  being  a  permission  or  direc- 
 tion to  sleep,  expressly  intended,  as  it  were,  to 
 intimate  that  now  for  the  rest  (tu  Xotnuy)  they 
 were  exempted  from  the  necessity  of  watching 
 and  praying.  (For  Bengel  is  right— As  sleep 
 is  opposed  to  watching,  so  rest  is  opposed  to 
 the  labor  of  prayer.  The  dyaitLXv£60ixi  is  not 
 synonymous  with  xa^ei'SczK;  but  this  double 
 saying  corresponds  to  the  former  double  say- 
 ■ng.)  On  his  account,  indeed,  and  as  respected 
 the  previously  urgent  icntch  icith  m\  ih&y  ia\^\\i 
 now  continue  to  sleep,  and  cease  from  prayer 
 for  his  strengthening.  But  does  he  not  go  on 
 to  say  that  his  l>ei7\gl>etraijed  would  soon  awake 
 and  arouse  them,  and  make  them  watchful  in 
 earnest?  Bengel:  "Shortly  others  will  come, 
 who  will  awaken  you.  In  the  meantime  [wft 
 would  add — as  respects  me]  sleep,  i/" ye  ran.' " 
 Or  Neander :  "  Sleep  on  s  ill,  I  will  no  more 
 
 sayings  there  cannot 
 subjective  elemeuU 
 
 to  be  more  or  le.-ss  ol  the 
 
MATTHEW  XXVI.  45.  46. 
 
 587 
 
 awake  you,  no  more  ask  you  to  watch  and  pray 
 with  me;  but  ye  will  soon  bo  roused  out  of 
 your  sleep  by  violence,  J'or  hehM,"  etc.  Q.uite 
 true — but  mav  this  be  called  irony  or  not? 
 Bengel  says,  "  It  is  not  irony,  but  metonymy." 
 Winer  maintains  that  the  assumption  of  irony 
 is  contradictory  to  the  whole  tor-e  of  our  Lord's 
 mind  at  such  a  juncture.  This  is  true  also,  if 
 there  is  to  be  connected  any  thing  like  his  levis 
 Irrisio.  But  there  is  a  sort  of  irony,  at  least  in 
 the  expression,  v/hich  has  no  mockery  in  it, 
 and  which  is  consistent  with  the  most  sorrow- 
 ful gentleness;  and  such  Bengel's  "sivacat," 
 and  Neander's  sleep  on,  seem  to  express.  For 
 if  I  give  permission  to  do  a  thing  at  the  same 
 time  that  I  say  "  But  you  will  not  find  it  possi- 
 ble," what  is  that  but  the  language  of  irony?* 
 Glassius  was  right  in  the  main  :  "  This  is  by 
 no  means  the  time  for  sleeping  and  taking  rest 
 (this  lies  in  tlie  /wur),  but  for  watching;  but 
 because  my  words  have  been  lost  upon  you, 
 I  shall  cease  to  exhort  you  7iow :  however,  though 
 you  may  sleep  on  as  regards  me,  there  are  ene- 
 mies who  will  not  permit  you,  but  will  constrain 
 you  unwillingly  to  watch."  Winer  would  evade 
 this  connection  by  sundering  the  two  clauses 
 thus:  In  the  first  clause  the  Lord  would  in 
 all  earnestness  let  them  sleep  on,  and  knows 
 nothing  yet  of  the  Behold;  but  scarcely  has 
 he  said  so  when  he  beholds  the  traitor  ap- 
 proaching, he  speaks  to  himself  the  Behold, 
 they  are  at  hand,  etc.;  and  then,  retracting  what 
 was  spoken  first,  he  says  to  the  disciples — 
 Arise!  He  who  can  may  content  himself  with 
 this  :  to  us  this  sudden  surprise  of  our  Lord — 
 which  assumes  him  to  have  really  thought  tliat 
 the  disciples  could  have  slept  on  during  the 
 remainder  (that  night  being  so  far  advanced 
 which  he  knew  to  be  the  night  of  his  suffer- 
 ings, and  of  their  offence  and  denial) — and  such 
 an  intervening  monologue  of  the  Lord's  sur- 
 prise, are  altogether  insufferable. 
 
 But  it  is  certainly  a  "  rebuking  word  "  (as 
 Lange  says),  taking  it  as  a  question — "  Do  ye 
 thus  sleep  through  the  time  and  take  your 
 rest  ?  meaning.  Are  ye  then  thus  full  of  sleep 
 throughout  to  the  end  ?  " — but,  a  rebuking 
 word  in  the  most  rigorous  sense,  thi's  final,  and 
 sorrowfully-gentle,  condemnation  of  the  Lord 
 cannot  be  called.  It  is  his  sorrow  and  his 
 gentleness  which  dictate  the  ironical  form  ;  and 
 only  in  this  latter  is  the  reproving  element, 
 which  cannot  be  evaded.  In  Bengel's  "  with 
 tenderness  and  severity"  the  former  must  have 
 the  emphasis;  there  is  no  anger  to  be  thought 
 of,  now  when  immediately  after  his  own  sharp 
 conflict  the  Lord's  heart  has  no  room  for  any 
 thing  but  the  deepest  sympathy,  and  feeling 
 
 *  The  translation — "  S!eep  af  erwards,  at  a  future 
 time,  but  now  it  is  inappropriate,"  is  altogether 
 contrary  to  the  language  and  the  connection.  For 
 Wahl,  who  gwes  posthac,  i.  e.,  alio  tempore,  forgets 
 a  together  that  in  all  the  parallels  for  posthac 
 (Gal.  vi.  17  ;  1  Cor.  vii.  29 ;  2  Tim.  iv.  8  in  the 
 New  Testamenfc)^  the  time  must  be  reckoned  from 
 the  moment  ol  speaking — and  zov  rvv. 
 
 for  our  infirmities.  Thus  Chrysostom  is  wrong 
 when  he  says  (Ilom.  71  in  JJi.) — "  It  is  not 
 the  voice  of  command,  or  of  counsel,  but  that 
 of  reproach." 
 
 Much  more  ambiguous  than  the  former  clause 
 would  be  the  drtexsi  which  Mark  adds,  were 
 it  not  that  the  one  illustrates  the  other.  We 
 must  first  reject  the  interpretation  (in  Wahl's 
 Lsx.  again):  Transiit  scil.  anxietas.  My  anguish 
 is  over,  has  passed  aicay  for  this  time.*  That 
 would  involve  a  perfect  chasm  between  this 
 word  and  that  which  he  goes  on  to  add,  with- 
 out any  Behold — the  hour  is  come.  We  cannot 
 suppose  him  to  say  both  in  one  breath,  who 
 had  previously  prayed  that  the  hour  might  pass. 
 And  it  is  a  very  inapposite  record — "  There  is 
 no  more  anguish  for  me " — at  the  moment 
 when  his  whole  language  and  deportment  attest 
 it  much  more  strongly.  Applying  the  same  in- 
 terpretation of  the  word  another  way,  it  might 
 be  said,  with  Grotius — "  The  time  is  going 
 during  which  the  Apostles  might  have  been  a 
 solace  to  Christ."  More  plainly.  The  time  ia 
 which  ye  should  have  watched  and  prayed  with 
 me,  is  past ;  ye  have  slept  away  the  hour  of 
 probation  !  But  this  would  be  too  stern  a  re- 
 buke, and  such  severity  we  have  repelled  al- 
 ready. Or,  if  (XTtEx^i  must  retain  the  meaning 
 of  abest,  transiit  (which  Grotius  maintains,  ap- 
 pealing to  the  passage  in  Anac.  afterwards  to 
 be  quoted,  and  to  peractiim  est  in  Seneca),  it 
 only  remains  that  we  render  it  with  Lange, 
 "There  is  now  an  end  of  it,"  that  is,  of  your 
 sleeping;  "your  rest  must  be  broken,  others 
 are  coming  to  disturb  it  I  "  This  conies  near 
 to  the  fact,  the  subject  of  the  impersonal  verb 
 being  the  sleeping  a,nd  taking  rest ;  but  in  this 
 sense  the  linsx^i  makes  the  irony  too  keen  in 
 the  sudden  change  :  "  Sleep  on  yet?  It  is  now 
 at  an  end  with  sleep ! "  What  then  is  our 
 refuge?  We  confidently  decide  with  Bengei, 
 for  the  interpretation  It  is  enough,  according  to 
 the  Vulg.  S'lfficit;  and  understand — Enough 
 now  of  dreams!  This  interpretation  of  the 
 word  appears  to  us  established  by  the  passage 
 quoted  from  Anac.  Od.  xxviii.  33 :  and  thus 
 only  do  we  obtain  a  gentle  and  fit  transition  be- 
 tween the  two  opposite  clauses.  The  Lord 
 would  indeed  say  sl.ep  on — but  he  is  constrain- 
 ed at  once  to  proceed — Enough  of  sleep  !  This 
 parallel  imperative  is  more  appropriate  than 
 the  rigorous  announcement — There  is  neverthe- 
 less an  end  of  it  If 
 
 The  remainder  of  the  word  needs  but  little 
 explanation.  The  yXOav  orijyyixsy,  "  came," 
 says  strongly  enough  that  there  is  no  suddea 
 
 *  The  Syr.  and  Arab,  express  it — It  is  over — 
 but  it  reraiins  doubtful  what  they  would  supply. 
 
 t  The  attempt  of  Sepp  to  interpret  it  as  a  mis- 
 understanding for  (XTiEXoi,  l-n}  yevoiro,  tha 
 translation  of  a  rh'<^T[,  is  no  bet'er  than  the  cor- 
 rection of  the  difficult  cxTtexsi  in  the  marginal 
 gloss  ETtexet  (as  if  it  was  spurious,  and  sprung 
 from  the  lenurk  of  an  expositor — here  he  restraint 
 himself!). 
 
688 
 
 THE  MULTITUDE. 
 
 surprise  at  this  sacred  crisis,  in  which  this 
 viclory  of  resignaticm  has  been  fully  gained. 
 Even  if  the  first  Behold  coincides  wilh  the  visi- 
 ble appearance  of  the  multitude,  and  referred 
 to  that  (but.,  because  the  behold  occurs  twice, 
 we  cannot  but  think  that  the  second  only 
 points  to  that  circumstance) — yet  it  is  plain 
 that  the  Lord  had  felt  this  very  hour,  and  all 
 that  it  would  bring  with  it,  to  be  near  through- 
 out his  conflict ;  and  to  our  mind  it  is  very  im- 
 pressive that  iu  the  Father's  counsel  the  first 
 moment  of  the  Lord's  invigoration  should  co- 
 incide so  exactly  with  the  first  instant  of  the 
 external  assault  upon  him.*  The  reading  ap}iro- 
 pinqunhit  in  the  Vulg.  deranges  all.  The  xai 
 after  rjyytxev  in  Matthew  is  not  to  be  resolved 
 into  that ;  but  the  hour  stands  alone  in  its 
 pregnant  fulness  of  meaning,  as  in  Mark  also. 
 To  be  betrayed  into  the  hand  of  sinners— this 
 is  still  a  thought  of  dread  to  the  Holy  One  of 
 God,  even  after  he  has  overcome,  and  devoted 
 himself  to  this  fearful  horror.  By  this,  how- 
 ever, we  are  not  to  understand,  according  to 
 the  common  Jewish  phrase,  the  Gentiles;  the 
 article  in  Mark  might  lead  to  that  conclusion, 
 were  it  not  that  its  absence  in  Matthew  gives 
 the  more  general  and  appropriate  sense.  Even 
 in  Gal.  ii.  15  the  word  has  by  no  means  this 
 meaning,  if  it  is  closely  considered  ;  the  Apos- 
 tle says — Sinners  of  the  Gentiles,  but  the  an- 
 tithesis is — Sinners  of  the  Jews  ;  and  his  iron- 
 ical allusion  is  to  the  proud  word  of  the  Jews 
 who  called  all  heathens  sinners.  Very  differ- 
 ent from  that  is  the   avojuoi,  "lawless,"  of 
 
 Acts  ii.  23;  1  Cor.  ix.  21.  The  Saviour  fn 
 Gethsemane  knows  only  of  sinners  in  simple 
 contrast  with  his  own  holiness;  so  that  he 
 here,  as  every  where,  places  himself  as  the  one 
 Son  of  Man,  in  contradistinction  to  all  sinners. 
 If  it  had  been  said.  The  Messiah — we  might 
 have  been  justified  in  thinking  of  the  heathen. 
 Those  to  whom  he  was  immediately  betrayed 
 were  rather  the  Jews,  the  high  priests  and 
 rulers,  to  whom  he  himself,  John  xix.  Ii,  as- 
 cribed the  greater  sin.  Tlie  keenest  point  of 
 the  sin  which  was  permitted  thus  to  come  upon 
 him  was  the  fact  of  his  being  betrayed  by  the 
 traitor,  the  worst  of  all  sinners:  of  him  he 
 thinks  especially,  be  was  in  his  mind  when  he 
 said,  "  The  Son  of  Man  is  betrayed,''  before  ho 
 directly  mentions  him  as  he  draws  near  at  the 
 head  of  the  multitude.  To  utter  this  with  the 
 deepest  grief  and  yet  with  the  calmest  resigna- 
 tion, to  go  forth  and  meet  this  traitor  and  these 
 sinners'  hands — this  was  the  point  to  which  he 
 had  strengthened  his  soul,  as  his  invigoration 
 is  expressed  both  by  word  and  act.*  The  dis- 
 ciples must  be  there  for  a  brief  space  when 
 their  Master  is  seized,  consequently  to  them 
 first  is  addressed  the  solemn  li.ne!  (which 
 echoes  in  Luke's  <xva6rdi^rEi);  then  follows 
 the  'Ayojiitsy  .'  let  us  be  goiwj  !  which,  while  it 
 seems  to  include  them,  really  means  only  him- 
 self. It  is  almost  as  if  he  would  remind  thena 
 of  the  first  Arhe,  let  us  gj  hence!  John  xiv.  31. 
 This  litse  entirely  puts  an  end  to  the  Sleep  on 
 'iinio ;  no  one  of  the  disciples  found  sleep  of 
 rest  that  night. 
 
 THE  FIRST  WORD  TO  THE  MULTITUDE. 
 
 (John  xviii.  4,  7,  8.) 
 
 Notwithstanding  the  immediately — not  only 
 in  Mark,  whose  use  of  this  expression  we  are 
 familiar  with  from  the  beginning,  but  also  in 
 Matthew,  ver.  49 — we  are  convinced  that  the 
 whole  of  John  xviii.  4-8  took  place  before  the 
 kiss  of  Judas;  and  we  shall  hereafter  justify 
 this  supposition.  The  increasing  divergence 
 of  the  Evangelists,  as  they  go  deeper  into  the 
 history  of  the  Passion,  is  quite  natural  on  the 
 human  ground  of  their  observation  and  re- 
 membrance, and  makes  all  the  more  wonderful 
 the  absolute  unity  of  their  testimony  through- 
 out. That  which,  in  the  confusion  and  excite- 
 ment attendant  upon  its  occurrence,  was  view- 
 ed from  various  points  of  view,  was  not  by 
 any  means  left  as  the  material  which  human 
 tradition  might  variously  weave;  but  the  Holy 
 Spirit,  without  effacing  the  stamp  of  human 
 credibility  which  is  impressed  upon  their  art- 
 
 *  Not  till  lie  had  finished  the  struggle.  Hence 
 Jadas  muxt  "  keep  tlie  multitude  till  th.n  qu.lo  in 
 the  back^'iouiid." 
 
 less  differences,  has  defended  them  from  all  in- 
 correctness, and  set  upon  the  whole  the  seal  of 
 his  own  sure  testimony.  But  only  the  unpre- 
 judiced perceive  that  human  stamp;  and  to 
 none  but  the  partakers  of  that  Spirit  is  the  as- 
 surance of  his  testimony  perfectly  plain.  John 
 knew  of  the  kiss  of  Judas,  but  it  was  not  his 
 purpose  to  record  it  again.  Ho  takes  us  im- 
 mediately after  the  high-prioslly  prayer,  out 
 over  the  brook  Cedron  (to  the  significance  of 
 which  in  the  scene  he  alone  refer.s) — into  the 
 garden  of  anguish  and  victory,  where  the 
 second  Adam  began  to  make  atonement  for  the 
 sin  which  the  first  Adam  committed  in  the 
 garden  of  Paradise.f  But  his  province  was, 
 pre-supposing  all  else  that  had  been  recorded 
 
 *  A  devout  ronnrk  has  been  mido  l.ero  :  "  The 
 creative — Let  us  make  mnii  !  did  not  cost  so  much 
 as  this  Let  ux  go !  ot  tlie  Sou  of  God  in  bis  ra- 
 deeming  work." 
 
 t  This  obvious  parallel  we  find  iu  Cyril  and  Aa- 
 "usliue. 
 
JOHN  XVIII.  4,  7,  8. 
 
 689" 
 
 concerning  llie  Lord's  snfferings,  to  point  out 
 his  glorification  in  suffering.  When  lie  now, 
 in  ver.  4,  sets  over  against  the  Lord's  knowing 
 all  things  that  should  come  and  came  upon 
 him,  the  fatal  and  wretched  knowledge  of  Judas 
 concerning  the  place  ;  and,  with  a  remarkable 
 second  l^sXOa'iy,  w€7it  fo)th  (after  the  t^i/XOe 
 of  ver.  1),  immediately  adjoins  He  said  unto 
 them — we  can  hardly  suppose  the  betraying 
 kiss  of  this  Judas,  thus  mentioned  in  vers.  3 
 and  5,  to  have  intervened.  It  is  evident  that 
 John  would  mention  that  Jirst  going  forth  of 
 our  Lord  to  meet  the  multitude,  which  antici- 
 pated all  that  came  upon  him. 
 
 In  the  whole  interval  between  the  two  dark 
 periods  of  conflict  in  Gethsemane  and  upon  the 
 cross,  the  Lord  exhibits  outwardly  the  most 
 Bublime  serenity  and  strength,  although  this 
 might  consist  with  the  continuance  of  the  con- 
 flict within.  Before  God,  before  the  Father, 
 he  had  obtained  the  first  victory  of  resolution 
 to  drink  the  cup  (John  ver.  11),  the  inmost 
 contents  of  which  his  soul  already  tastes — Now 
 may  men  and  sinners  come,  and  in  them  the 
 whole  power  of  darkness!  And  this  is  to  us 
 an  example  in  our  own  appointed  sufferings — 
 that  our  preparations  must  not  wait  till  the 
 outward  pressure  comes,  but  that  we  must  see 
 to  it  that  it  find  us  prepared. 
 
 The  multitude  which  comes  against  Jesus — 
 ox^oi;  TtoXvi  in  Matt,  and  Mark,  briefly  oX^oi 
 in  Luke — consists,  as  we  apprehend  it,  of  a 
 combination  of  four  if  not  of  five  elements: 
 soldiers  ;  functionaries  of  the  judgment  or  the 
 temple  watch;  servants;  high  priests  and  eld- 
 ers themselves  ;  and  probably  a  miscellaneous 
 concourse.  John  rightly  places  first,  as  re- 
 quired by  Judas  and  placed  at  his  disposal, 
 T7}v  dTtsipay,  that  is,  as  the  article  shows,  the 
 military  cohort  of  the  Romans  stationed  in 
 Jerusalem  for  any  such  purpose.  According  to 
 Josephus  there  was  such  a  body,  established  in 
 the  fortress  Antonia,  in  order  to  prevent  or 
 suppress  any  insurrection,  especially  at  the 
 great  feasts;  and  with  this  Acts  xxi.  31  agrees. 
 ^Tcslfja,  in  Ennius  found  as  spira,  cannot,  pos- 
 sibly signify  the  temple  guard;  for  compare 
 Acts  X.  1,  xxvii.  1,  and  in  John  xviii.  Il2  the 
 XiXiapxo?.  Certainly  it  was  not  the  whole 
 cohort  of  five  hundred  men,  but  a  considerable 
 part  representing  the  whole.  "  To  obtain  this 
 escort  it  was  only  necessary  to  inform  the  chief 
 magistrate  that  there  wore  signs  of  an  insur- 
 rection, which  must  be  put  down  by  the  arrest 
 of  the  leader  of  it"  (Hess).  Thus  this  escort 
 had  been  obtained  by  those  whom  the  matter 
 concerned — that  is,  secondly,  the  vnr^parat,  the 
 officers  of  the  council,  which  must  be  here  one 
 and  the  same  with  the  (Levitical)  temple  guard  : 
 for  see  Luke  ver.  52  captains  oi  the  temple,  and 
 compare  ver.  4,  as  also  Acts  iv.  1,  v.  24,  26. 
 There  was  one  chief  captain,  and  several  sub- 
 ordinate :  the  chief  captain  here  corresponds  to 
 the  ;<;.'/! /'rt/j^o?.  Then  come,  thirdly,  the  com- 
 mon or  private  servants  oi  their  various  masters, 
 whom  the  "  hig|i  priests,"  etc.,  had  sent  with 
 the  rest  in  their  zeal :  see  John  ver.  18,  SoijXbi 
 
 and  vTtjjpETat  distinguished,  hence  Malchua 
 the  servant  of  the  high  priest.  Both  the  official 
 and  the  private  servants  are  included  in  the 
 dno  of  Matt.,  napd  in  Mark,  which  the  Vulg. 
 has  rightly  in  the  former  supplemented  by 
 missi — sent  from — and  it  is  the  same  with  the 
 tH  of  John.  But,  fourthly,  as  we  shall  see  in 
 Luke  ver.  52,  there  were  some  high  priests  and 
 elders — but  whether  by  or  against  the  will  of  the 
 leaders,  whether  they  went  in  their  zeal  or  met 
 the  company,  is  a  questionable  point.*  Enough, 
 that  this  o;f/\oJ  (o^Aoz  Matt.  ver.  55),  this  mul- 
 titude, as  it  is  called,  as  if  to  lay  the  charge  of 
 tumult  rather  upon  these  his  enemies,  was  to 
 have  the  appearance  of  a  united  rising  of  all 
 kinds  against  a  most  guilty  and  most  dangerous 
 man,  an  ecclesiastical  and  political  delinquent. 
 But  the  temple  guard  is  summoned  againsfi 
 the  innocent  teacher  in  the  temple,  the  prophet 
 legitimated  by  many  miracles,  the  Messiah  and 
 Lord  of  the  temple,  proved  to  be  such  by  every 
 sign.  The  Roman  power  is  brought  against 
 \\\m  as  an  insurrectionary  and  a  murderer. 
 John  mentions  only  weapons  generally;  the 
 Synoptics  have  swords,  and,  moreover,  twAflr, 
 that  IS,  stakes,  sticks,  or  however  else  it  may  be 
 translated — not,  however,  "  clubs."  Either  the 
 soldiers  had  swords,  the  servants  of  the  council 
 or  temple  guard  only  weapons  of  wood  {staves 
 as  indicating  office?  but  this  is  quite  improb- 
 able) ;  or,  better,  in  this  "  tumultuously  armed 
 company"  even  the  ^v\a  had  been  hastily 
 seized  for  help.  So  at  least  the  Lord  himself 
 seems  to  intimate.  Matt.  ver.  55.  This  exag- 
 gerated arming  was  in  any  case  a  pretence,  out 
 of  dishonor  to  Jesus,  and  to  mark  him  before- 
 hand as  dangerous  to  Pilate.  John  also  men- 
 tions lanterns  and  torches,  although  it  was  the 
 Easter  full  moon;  to  seek  diligently  the  object 
 of  their  search,  if  he  was  not  found  in  the  indi- 
 cated garden.  We  need  not  refer  this  to  the 
 locality  of  the  valley  of  Cedron  :  on  the  one 
 hand,  there  is  in  this  light  thrown  upon  these 
 works  of  darkness  an  irony  which  condemns 
 them  ;  and,  on  the  other,  it  was  dealing  with 
 our  Lord  in  a  manner  as  contemptible  as  foolish 
 — as  if  he  would  hide  himself!  Similarly  with 
 the  weapons — as  if  he  would  defend  himself! 
 At  the  same  time,  as  if  he  who  called  Lazarus 
 out  of  his  grave,  could  be  taken  with  swords 
 and  staves  !  All  this  was  as  useless  as  the 
 spices  afterwards  at  the  sepulchre — but  this 
 time  all  was  for  scorn  and  indignity. 
 
 But  he  had  already  spoken  his  let  us  go  forth, 
 that  is,  indeed  to  meet  them!  'E'IeXOgov  (or  in 
 Lachm.  and  Tisch.  Hr/AOev  nai  Xeysi)  does 
 not  mean  the  going  out  of  the  garden  ;  for,  ac- 
 cording to  ver.  26,  the  entire  capture  took 
 place  within  the  garden.     Nor  is  it  that  "he 
 
 *  According  to  Lange:  "Already  tlie  begin- 
 ninss  of  the  raob-tumult  wliich  was  !ati?r  exciied 
 against  Jt^s  is — :nriivitlu,il/(r«^.''iirs,  who  joined  the 
 crowd."  So  Nonnus  excellenily  describes  it ;  xai 
 noXvv  OL6vp7jEyra  nap  apx^^Hcixcoy  epapi- 
 daicoy — 6vy8'po;iov  ciXXov  e^ta;'  Kupvy}](pO' 
 pov  idjuoy  vditt^y. 
 
THE  MULTITUDE. 
 
 went  out  from  the  midst  of  the  disciples."  But 
 the  Vulg.  processil  rightly  interprets  this  going 
 torth  to  meet  the  advancing  crowd,  comp.  Matt. 
 xiv.  14.  At  the  same  time,  the  iqeXOelv,  if  we 
 supplement  "  from  the  inner  part  of  the  gar- 
 den," may  contain  a  latent  reference  by  John 
 to  the  secret  conflict  pre-supposed  in  the  tradi- 
 tion. His  first  word,  W/toin  ,seek  ye  ? — the  sim- 
 plest and  most  sublime  word  at  such  a  crisis — 
 requires  rather  to  be  penetrated  by  feeling  than 
 expounded  in  other  words.  He  knew  that 
 which  he  required  :  but  he  would  be  answered, 
 in  order  that  he  might  surrender  himself  to  them 
 solemnly  and  formally  ;  with  the  pure  simpli- 
 city of  the  highest  truth  confronting  their 
 artifices  and  pretexts.  When  they  would  make 
 him  a  king  he  fled  from  them — now,  when  his 
 sacrificial  death  is  come,  he  goes  to  meet  them. 
 He  may  not  let  himself  be  sought  as  Adam 
 among  the  trees  of  the  garden.  In  this  "lohom?" 
 there  lies  already  the  afterwards  expressed  aim 
 of  his  surrender — If  yo  seek  me,  let  these  go 
 their  way.  The  people  must  bethink  themselves ; 
 and,  against  their  will,  with  as  much  becoming 
 calmness  as  was  possible  to  them,  do  simply 
 that  one  thing  for  which  they  were  sent  by 
 God  and  men,  take  his  sole  person  into  custody. 
 If  this  whom  seek  ye  ?  carries  our  thought  back 
 to  that  first  ^cImI  seek  ye  ?  John  i.  38,*  we  fini 
 much  to  ponder  in  devotion  and  to  apply.  The 
 sincere  seek  him  for  salvation,  when  he  asks 
 what  seek  ye  ?  for  the  true  reply  of  their 
 good  conscience.  But  they  who  seek  him  in 
 enmity,  are  ailrighted  at  his  Whom?  Alas! 
 how  many  still  there  are  who,  as  here,  know- 
 ingly and  yet  iguorantly,  are  found  among  the 
 crowds  whom  Judas  leads. 
 
 Among  those  then  present  were  many  so 
 altogether  ignorant  as  not.  to  know  Jesus  by 
 person :  this  would  apply  especially  to  the 
 Roman  soldiers.  They  knew  only  that  they 
 were  to  seize  "  Jesus  of  Nazareth."  That  Judas 
 alone  knew  who  was  to  be  seized,  and  that  the 
 others  were  to  know  at  the  right  time  through 
 liis  sign,  is  altogether  improbable,  and  leaves 
 the  first  answer  with  the  name  inexplicable,  for 
 it  could  not  have  then  been  at  once — Eccn  thee! 
 If  he  had  declared  himself  to  be  the  person 
 sought  when  he  said  Whom  seek  ye  ?  the  amaze- 
 ment which  fell  upon  them  would  not  have 
 waited  for  the  Ian  lie.  Moreover,  there  were 
 many  there  who  must  have  personally  known 
 the  Lord,  as  he  himself  says — I  was  daily  with 
 you 
 
 Are  we  to  a=sume,  with  Grotius  (and  so 
 Chrys.  and  Cyril),  that  lliey  were  collectively 
 struck  at  once  with  blindness,  and  thus  con- 
 founded at  the  very  beginning?  This  is  an 
 altogether  needless  assumption.  Or,  may  we 
 say  that  even  those  who  knew  him  could  not 
 recognize  bim,  in  spite  of  their  lanterns  and 
 torches,  or  through  the  blinding  combination  of 
 their  lights  with  that  of  the  moon  ?    We  think 
 
 that  he  stood  before  them  visible  enough,  hav" 
 ing  come  forward  into  the  clear  light.  Many 
 probably  knew  him,  but  in  these  there  was  an 
 anticipation  of  the  fear  which  threw  thera 
 down,  and  no  man  dared  to  say — lliee.  It  re- 
 mains, therefore,  for  those  who  knew  him  not, 
 to  say  artlessly  to  the  man  who  comes  forward 
 and  asks  them  as  if  to  help  them,  and  who  there- 
 fore was  not  the  person  himself — Jenus  of  Naza- 
 reth. This  was  his  common  name.  Matt.  xxi. 
 11,  xxvi.  71,  not  without  contempt  on  the  part 
 of  his  traducers,  but  among  others  simply  the 
 full  name  and  designation  of  this  Jesus.  But 
 we  cannot  reconcile  it  with  any  thoughtful 
 study  of  the  whole  scene  to  suppose  that  any 
 man  of  the  multitude  could  have  given  such  an 
 answer  after  the  kiss  of  Judas.  Our  hasty  ex- 
 positors should  pause  a  while  and  meditate  in 
 stillness  upon  the  whole,  before  they  enter  into 
 their  details. 
 
 In  the  same  simple  tone  in  which  the  answer 
 had  been  given,  though  more  calmly  than  that 
 answer,  which  the  question  of  the  unknown 
 one  had  somewhat  disturbed,  he  says  again, 
 and  in  the  plainest  words — I  am  he,  if  ye  seek 
 him,  ye  need  seek  no  long'^r,  he  is  before  you  ! 
 This  was  the  necessary  and  designed  protest 
 against  the  seeking,  the  most  lowly  and  yet 
 solemn  testimony  to  his  own  voluntary  surren- 
 der of  himself.  'But,  according  to  the" Father's 
 counsel,  the  fulfillment  of  which  was  brought 
 on  by  the  nature  of  the  case,  there  was  to  be  a 
 yet  strong  protest — that  no  violence  could  have 
 availed  to  take  the  Son  of  God,  if  he  had  not 
 thus  given  himself  up.  There  proceeds  from 
 him  an  unconscious  power  of  the  highest,  in 
 connection  v/ith  this  lowly  1  am  he!  which 
 strikes  amazement  into  the  whole  multitude. 
 First,  they  went  backward — an  involuntaiv  re- 
 treat, the  Old-Testament  frequent  ninS  i',DJ  of 
 
 smitten  foes;  but  immediately  afterwards  still 
 more — they  fill  to  the  ground.  Then  were  tliey 
 the  evil-doers,  whom  fear  in  their  deepest 
 hearts,  which  the  word  of  Jesus  pierced,  had 
 sought  and  found.  Ho  stands  before  them, 
 lately  risen  out  of  his  own  weakness ;  before 
 these  sinners,  in  whose  likeness  he  has  ap- 
 peared, though  far  as  heaven  separate  from 
 them  in  their  guilty  fear,  he  is  glorified  as  the 
 Holy  One  of  God  ci'enwhilehe  is  giving  himseU 
 into  their  hands.  Many  have  appealed  to  the 
 fact  that  "  even  Strauss  discerns  a  miracle  here" 
 — but  we  have  no  sympathy  with  this  ambig- 
 uous acknowledgment.  There  was  no  specific 
 miracle  here,  apart  from  the  standing  miracle 
 of  our  Lord's  personality  itself;  for  it  was  not 
 the  purpose  of  Jesus  to  perform  any,  it  was  not 
 his  conscious  design  to  throw  the  people  down.* 
 
 *  In  John's  Gospel  there  are  miny  such  fus- 
 pestivp  relerenceii  liom  llio  conclusion  to  tlie  be- 
 ginning. 
 
 *  "  Tliis  is  lo  b?  explained  as  tl;e  power  of  a 
 cord  conscience  over  an  evif,  oMaiili  over  unheiiet. 
 For  Jesus  h  id  no  (lesisn  to  u'e  liere  hi.s  inirncu- 
 lous  power,  lallier  in  faith  and  obed  erce  to  n-mier 
 himself  up  lo  tlie  w  11  and  counsel  of  Gi)d,  and  save 
 liis  disciples"  (Branch).  We  think  reason  enov.ah 
 is /omul  here  lur  the  rej-'Ction  of  the  vi'>w  wliich 
 Krunimachcr,  c.  g.,  and  Luihardt  still  maiutaiu— 
 
JOHN  XVIII.  4,  7,  8. 
 
 891 
 
 Tims  assuredly  it  was  no  "ray  of  his  omnipo- 
 tence" or  his"  divinity"  which  suddenly  burst 
 forth  ;  for  his  divinity  and  omnipotence  were 
 now  most  profoundly  concealed  and  withdrawn 
 in  order  to  his  suffering.     Strauss  has  not  well 
 Hhown,  as  Ebrard   thinks,  that  this   falling  of 
 the  crowd  could  not  admit  of  a  natural  expla- 
 nation ;  we  see  here  most  plainly  a  manifesta- 
 tion in  the  highest  degree  of  that  which  has 
 not  seldom  occurred  in  much   lesser  degree  in 
 the  domain  of  human  experience.  Enemies  have 
 been  stricken  backward  in  the  presence  of  sinful 
 men,  in  the  sudden  view  of  their  own  guilt  and 
 of  superior  dignity;  history  has  many  examples, 
 such   as    those   of  Marius,   Marcus    Antonius, 
 Probus,  Pertinax,  the  Polish  bish'^Stanislaus, 
 Coligny  ;  and  there  are  many  which    history 
 does  not  record.     But  here  there  is  One  who  is 
 holy  as   no  other  is ;    and  the  consciences  of 
 most  in  this  crowd  were  susceptible  of  such  a 
 sudden  recoil  before  the  majesty  of  that  /,  from 
 the  knowledge  which  they  had  concerning  this 
 "  Jesus  of  Nazareth."     The  impression  would 
 reach  to  us  all  by  sympathy.     He  had  no.  said 
 this  time,  It  is  I,  he  not  afraid — therefore  did 
 they  fear,  because  they  had  gone  out  against 
 him.     But  to  us,  his  own   disciples,  this  I  am 
 he!  should  say  much  which  must  be  left  to  be 
 Bupplicd  and  expanded  by  the  believing  heart. 
 Just  as  if  nothing  had  passed,  not  surprised 
 at  this  natural  though  undesigned  result  of  his 
 own  word,  Jesus  in  the  transcendent  elavation 
 of  his  repose  still  calmly  haptens  to  the  goal — to 
 deliver  himselt  up  to  them,  and  to  secure  the 
 freedom  of  his  disciples.     He  had  waited  unin- 
 terrupted in   his  composure,  till   they  should 
 rise  up  again,*  and  as  soon  as  they  can  hear  he 
 asks  them  once  more,  literally  as  at  first,  the 
 same  question.     It  is  only   in  the  compound 
 e.Ttr]fjcDn]6£,  instead  of  the   previous    einev, 
 that  John  seems  to  intimate  moie  urgency  in 
 the  question.     Whatever  of  humiliating  or  of 
 ironical  there  was  in  the  tone,  resulted  from 
 the  matter  itself;  their  conscience  would  hear 
 it,  though  Jesus  meant  not  to  speak — What 
 kind  of  man  do  ye  suppose  this  "  Jesus  "  to  be 
 whom  ye  seek,  armed  as  ye  are,  yet  without 
 any  courage  to  take  him  ?   They  are  constrain- 
 ed to  return  the  same  literal  answer,  though 
 its  meaning  is  now  different.     No  man  dares, 
 even  after  the  "  I  am  he  "  no  man  dares,  to  say 
 We  seek  thee!    The  first  time  it  was  proudly, 
 
 that  it  was  the  design  of  Jesus  to  throw  down  the 
 people.  To  our  feeling  tliis  is  altogether  inconsist- 
 ent with  th3  present  position  and  spirit  of  our 
 Lord. 
 
 *  This,  throush  the  predominance  of  the  proud 
 element  in  this  multituda,  speedily  took  i)lace. 
 The  excellent  Wesley  unnecessarily  interposes 
 here  a  great  deal :  "  Probably  the  priests  among 
 them  might  persuade  themselves  and  their  attend- 
 an*s  that  thi.s  also  was  done  by  Beelzebub  ;  and 
 that  it  wns  through  the  providence  of  God,  and 
 not  the  indulgence  of  Jesus,  that  they  received  no 
 further  ("amage."  0,  no;  all  things  passed  much 
 too  rapidly  for  tSls. 
 
 but  now  it  is  feebly,  said,  as  if  a  confession  of 
 sin — Jesus  of  Nazareth,  him  we  should  and 
 would  take,  but  cannot. 
 
 Hereupon  the  Lofty  One  says  with  the  gen- 
 tlest and  most  inspiring  tone  which  he  cor.ld 
 adopt — I  ham  told  you  that  lam  he.  Merely 
 told — wherefore  then  did  you  fall  down  at  the 
 sound?  I  say  it  once  more,  not  to  affright 
 you,  but  because  ye  have  found  me.  Had  he 
 gone  on  to  speak,  no  man  could  have  laid 
 hands  upon  him,  as  we  saw  in  the  prelude  of- 
 this  scene,  chap.  vii.  44.  The  courage  which 
 enabled  them  to  lay  hold  upon  him  at  last, 
 sprang  from  the  courage  with  which  he  sur- 
 rendered himself.  Their  falling  before  him  was 
 doubtless,  hov/ever,  "a  type  of  the  world's 
 judgment."  "  What  will  he  do  when  he  comes 
 to  judge,  who  did  such  things  when  he  was 
 judged?  What  will  he  be  able  to  inflict  from 
 his  throne,  who  had  this  power  when  about  to 
 die?"  This  is  Augustine's  question  ;  and  still 
 more  suggestive  is  Bengel's  brief  word,  "  He 
 will  say  "it  a  third  time  one  day."  That  is  to 
 say.  So  long  as  the  limits  of  his  forbearance  are 
 not  reached,  he  ever  repeats  to  his  enemies  as 
 well  as  to  his  friends  hi^  avowal  I  am  he;  until 
 that  day  comes  when  the  same  words  will  cast 
 down  hfe  foes  forever.  If  it  had  not  been  the 
 Fatner's  counsel  that  he  should  give  himself  up 
 for  the  salvation  of  the  world — then  would  his 
 deportment  here  at  his  capture  lack  its  highest 
 justification  ;  hut  it  is  itself  the  strongest  tr  t.i- 
 mony  for  this  counsel  and  will. 
 
 Finallv,  he  omits  not  to  say,  what  he  had 
 meant  from  the  beginning— that  they  should 
 do  no  harm   to  his  disciples.     In  the  terror- 
 striking  power  and  suppressed  majesty  which 
 involuntarily  as  it  were  attended  him  in  his 
 humiliation,   he  extends  the  hand  of  his  pro- 
 tecting love  over   his   little,   feeble  company. 
 They  did  not  watch  with  him,  but  he  is  watch- 
 ful for  their  defence.     His  collective  disciples 
 are  now  around  him  ;    for,  the  going  for:h  ot 
 ver.  4  reached  to  the  entrance  and   forelront  of 
 the  garden,  to  the  place  where  he  had  left  the 
 remaining  eight.     The  description  is  very  false 
 which   represents  them  as  "  attracted    by   the 
 noise,"  and  so  forth  ;  for  there  was  no  tumult 
 at  the  first,  the  multitude  came  with  cautious 
 silence.     And  now  when  they  had  recovered 
 from  their  fall  and  confusion,  which  of  course 
 would  not  take  place  without  some  noise,  the 
 eleven  were  already  there,  drawn  by  the  first, 
 loudly-uttered.  Whom  see/eye?     //'ye  seek  me, 
 [,fe  says— thereby  once  more  plainly  confirming 
 what'they  could'not  apprehend  in  his  lam  he—- 
 I  defend  not  myself,  I  offer  mysalf  to  you,  take 
 with  you  him  whom  ye  have  found.     But  in 
 the  sa'me  gentle  tone  he  also  commands— B\it\et 
 these  go  their  way.     Probably  they  had  orders, 
 or  at  least  they  might  have  had  the  desire,  to 
 seize   also   his   dependents,  as  is  shown  alter- 
 wards  bv  the  case  of  the  young  man  in  MarK ; 
 they  might  even  have  wished,  having  no  cour- 
 aae  to  lay  hands  on  him,  to  begin   by  seizing 
 Ins  disciples.     But  he  says  to  them  what  they 
 are  to  do,-and  what  not  to  do,  just  as  he  had 
 
692 
 
 THE  MULTITUDE. 
 
 said  to  them — lam  he.  That  he  docs  not  say 
 my  disci]  iks*  has  a  reason  of  deep  propriety; 
 for  that  would  be  calling  them,  in  opposition 
 to  these  people,  his  dependents  in  a  sense 
 which  he  did  not  acknowledge,  and  in  which 
 he  would  not  involve  them.  But  it  requires 
 no  proof  that  those  who  were  thus  found 
 around  him,  and  whom  he  shortly  describes 
 as  these,  belonged  to  him  and  lay  near  his 
 heart.  If  a  supposed  conspirator  and  plotter 
 should  say  "  Let  these  people  go,"  all  the  more 
 certainly  would  the  reverse  be  done,  because 
 he  would  thereby  declare  them  to  be  his  own 
 
 Seople.  But  Jesus  speaks  one  word — not,  in- 
 eed,  as  a  request,  but  as  a  command  in  the 
 tone  of  a  request — and  it  has  the  force  of  a 
 command  at  the  very  juncture  when  he  is  to 
 be  bound  as  a  malefactor.  Thus  does  he  rule 
 in  the  midst  of  his  enemies,  already  in  his  hu- 
 miliation (Psa.  ex.  2).  He  remains  always  the 
 same;  the  same  when  confronting  the  hosts  of 
 his  enemies  as  shortly  before  in  the  circle  of 
 his  friends:  he  sees  the  right,  speaks  and  acts 
 with  composure  in  every  emergency,  shows  to 
 each  his  place  and  way,  even  as  he  knew  and 
 maintained  his  own.     What  a  man  is  this  ! 
 
 The  last  word  says  to  the  multitude — These  (a 
 few  unar.T,ed  and  affrighted  people,  al  ye  see) 
 will  not  defend  me.  He  gives  to  the  disciples 
 an  intimation  and  a  command,  as  to  what 
 would  and  would  not  now  become  them — 
 though,  alas!  Peter  understood  it  not.  In  its 
 deepest  sense — for  every  thing  in  the  Passion 
 has  its  })rofound  undertone  of  typical  meaning 
 — this  saying,  in  which  he  devotes  himself  and 
 Bets  us  free,  shadows  out  the  entire  significance 
 of  the  atoning  sufferings  :  he  and  he  alone  is 
 made  the  victim,  that  we  may  go  free,  by  a 
 substitution  which  has  its  most  real  and  vital 
 truth,  though  not  in  the  hard,  juridical  sense. 
 See  here  the  antitype  and  the  inversion  of  that 
 saying  of  David — lit  is  that  have  sinned,  and 
 done  evil  indeed  ;  but  as  for  these  sheep,  what 
 have  they  done?  (I  Chron.  xx\.  17).  In  the 
 midst  of  the  disquietude  which  pressed  upon 
 him  he  retains  his  pastoral  solicitude  for  his 
 sheep — that  none  of  those  who  have  deserved 
 death,  may  be  lost,  because  and  while  he  gives 
 himself  to  death  for  them.  To  this  day  he  con- 
 tinues to  spare  our  weakness;  and  gives  up 
 rather  himself,  his  name,  his  honor,  when  his 
 enemies  seek  him  among  us. 
 
 This  meanmg  is  profoundly  exhibited  in  ver. 
 9  by  the  Evangelist ;  and  his  quotation  is  not 
 such  an  "  unhappy  t/uit  it  may  be  fulfilled,"  as 
 iSchweizer  has  most  unhappily  called  it.  But 
 John  does  not  regard  (as  many  say  with  good 
 intention,  and  as  1  myself  thought  at  an  ear- 
 lier time)  the  protection  of  their  bodily  life  as 
 a  bodily  pre-fullil!ment  of  that  higher  meaning 
 which  the  Lord's  prayer  for  his  disciples  must 
 have  contained.  Certainly,  such  an  exhibition 
 of  the  spiritual  by  the  external,  which  is  its 
 similitude,  is  justified  generally,  and  has  eev- 
 
 *  So  Noinius  iiiipropeily  paraphrases  by  \lxCv 
 iraifjooy. 
 
 eral  examples  ;*  but  it  is  plain  to  rae  now,  that 
 as  the  Lord  in  chap.  xvii.  12  did  not  give  his 
 word  an  external  meaning,  so  John  does  not 
 refer  it  in  his  quotation  to  their  external  de- 
 fence and  salvation.  This  has  been  acknow- 
 ledged by  older  and  later  expositors.  The 
 Berlenb.  Bihel  says:  "In  this  we  see  that 
 Christ  had  not  in  view  so  much  their  bodily 
 salvation  ;  but  that  he  provided  for  their  bodily 
 safety  for  the  sake  of  their  spiritual."  Both 
 were  hc/e  closely  connected,  for  they  could  not 
 then  have  borne  with  him  his  sufferings ;  he 
 would  not  have  lost  one  only,  but  all."  So 
 Lampe  himself  was  obliged  to  say — "Consid- 
 ered in  themselves  they  would  have  succumbed 
 to  temptation,  if  they  had  been  taken  together 
 with  Christ."  Rambach  states  it  thus  excel- 
 lently :  "  Our  merciful  High  Priest  seeks  to 
 appoint  and  arrange  our  temporal  circumstan- 
 ces in  such  a  manner  that  our  souls  shall 
 take  no  harm — of  this  we  have  here  a  proof 
 and  example."  Liicke ;  "  It  is  perfectly  in 
 harmony  that  the  Evangelist,  remembering 
 Peter's  denial  under  severe  pressure,  finds  in 
 this  external  deliverance  a  rescue  from  such 
 temptation  as  the  disciples  were  then  unequal 
 to  sustain. "t 
 
 Not  merely  is  the  power  of  the  Lord  against 
 the  apparent  violence  of  his  enemies  seen  in  this 
 commandment  issued  at  his  capture;  but  the 
 whole  scene,  as  we  shall  further  contemplate  it, 
 glorifies  generally — his  (divine)  fo«e  in  opposi- 
 tion to  the  wickedness  of  Judas  ;  his  (human) 
 obedience  in  opposition  to  Peter's  self-will ; 
 his  holy  (divine-human)  dignity  in  opposition 
 to  the  wavering  and  confused  conduct  of  the 
 whole  of  those  around  him.  All,  whether 
 friends  or  enemies,  are  thrown  out  of  their 
 course  in  the  mighty  excitement  of  this  event. 
 The  greatest  injustice  under  heaven  takes 
 place ;  hell  is  moved  ;  faith  is  broken  in  his 
 disciples  ;  and  their  presence  of  mind  is  gone — 
 he  alone  exhibits  the  composure  and  power 
 which  is  the  prerogative  of  man  in  God.  So 
 every  one  goes  his  way  at  the  Lord's  direction, 
 and  he  goes  his  own  way — calmness  and  order 
 ensue.  This  must  be  taken  as  a  pre[)aratory 
 glance  at  all  that  follows ;  all  human  (and 
 otherwise  justified)  wrath  he  subordinates  to 
 dimne  love,  as  is  testified  by  the  word  to  Judas, 
 and  at  the  same  time  by  the  healing  of  Malchus. 
 He  renounces  all  divine  power  (though  ever 
 at  his  command)  in  the  fulfillmfnt  of  his  hu- 
 man obedience,  as  the  word  of  Peter  teaches. 
 With  divine-human  dignity  and  light  he  speah, 
 teaches,  tedifies,  from  the  beginning  to  the  end, 
 as  his  final  wonl  to  the  multitude  will  es- 
 pecially show.  Truly,  never  man  suffered  like 
 this  man.  He  utters  lam  iu;,  and  faith  under- 
 stands the  word,  sinks  voluntarily,  to  his  feet, 
 and  responds — Verily,  iJiou  art  he. 
 
 *  Implementum  literale  implement!  niystici  piae- 
 ludium  ac  sigillum.  Matt.  viii.  17  is  decisive  for 
 this. 
 
 f  Ebrard  and  Lan^jo  decide  for  the  same  mean- 
 
THE  LAST  WORD  TO  JUDAS. 
 
 (Matt.  xxvi.  50;  Luke  xxii.  48.) 
 
 The  traitor  had  given  them  a  sign  .•*  Whom- 
 soever I  shall  kiss,  that  same  is  he.  Luke,  who 
 does  not  expressly  say  this,  not  only  however 
 records  the  kiss,  but  our  Lord's  word,  pre-sup- 
 
 ?osing  it,  which  spoke  oi  bclmj/ing  with  a  kiss, 
 he  question  whether  or  not  Mark's  word,  ver. 
 44 — "  Lead  him  away  safely  " — has  an  ironical 
 moaning,  as  if  Judas  thought  that  the  Lord 
 would  know  how  to  save  himself,  is  bound  up 
 with  the  interpretation  of  Matt,  x.xvii.  3,  and 
 the  whole  view  which  we  take  of  the  betrayal. 
 Into  this  we  cannot  now  enter ;  but  may  re- 
 mark that  the  assumption  of  such  daring  tri- 
 fling on  the  part  of  the  traitor,  though  to  us  im- 
 probable, would  only  make  his  wickedness  the 
 greater.  It  is  plain  in  any  case  that  he  had 
 made  the  most  cold-blooded  calculation  and 
 arrangement  of  all  things,  even  down  to  the 
 particular  of  this  sign.  In  this  most  miserable 
 act  of  forethought,  he  is  daring  enough  to  carry 
 his  mockery  even  to  the  awful  point  of  show- 
 ing himself  at  once  his  disciple  and  betrayer; 
 but  he  IS  also  unconsciously  and  secretly  a 
 coward,  in  that  he  does  not  dare  to  give  any 
 other  sign,  such  as  should  externally  dishonor 
 his  Master.  But  now,  through  the  declaration, 
 of  Jesus,  this  sign  has  been  rendered  unneces- 
 sary— are  we  then  to  suppose  that  Judas  did 
 kiss  his  Master?  This  apparently  difficult 
 question  has  induced  many  to  reverse  the  order 
 of  time — the  kiss  was  first  given,  and  then 
 Jesus  came  forth  to  them  with  his  Wliom  scrk 
 ye?  For  this  Lampe  appeals  to  Byn33us  ;  and 
 among  the  more  eminent  names  which  have  so 
 decided  we  may  mention  Hess,  Hase,  Von 
 Gerlach,  Tholuck,  Olshausen,  Liicke,  Ebrard, 
 Lange,  and  Braune.  That  Judas  went  forward 
 first  alone,  "  to  give  the  sign  at  a  distance," 
 while  the  watching  spies  kept  in  the  rear  in 
 order  that  the  seemingly  artless  ki.ss  should  not 
 be  interrupted,  might  appear  to  be  a  very 
 rational  explanation  of  their  concerted  plan  ; 
 but  we  cannot  agree  with  Ebrard  that  this  is 
 the  only  and  the  obvious  solution,  for  it  is 
 easy  to  imagine  a  much  more  daring  kiss  than 
 this  would  have  been.  But  to  what  end  and 
 what  meaning  the  Lord  could  then,  after  he 
 had  thus  been  marked  out  and  "  betrayed  with 
 a  kiss,"  put  the  simple  question  as  to  wltom 
 they  sought ;  and  stiil,  more,  in  what  conceiv- 
 able sense  the  first  equally  artless  answer, 
 "  Jesus  of  Nazareth,"  could  have  been  criven — 
 
 *  Matt.  (}7piE'lov  ;  Mark  more  pracisely  (Ji'd- 
 67]Uoyy  that  is,  siaiium  coinmu  c,  a  concerted  si^n 
 know  to  all.  The  eSooHS  of  the  one  is  to  he  un- 
 derstood as  the"as  tlie  same  with  the  Ssi^ooHei 
 of  the  olher. 
 
 593 
 
 we  are  altogether  at  a  losa  to  nnderstand.  For 
 in  that  case  the  first  answer  of  the  multi- 
 tude would  have  been  bold  to  such  a  degree 
 that  their  immediate  transition  to  amazement 
 on  hearing  the  "  I  am  he  " — which,  however, 
 added  nothing  to  the  intelligence — would  be 
 incomprehensible.  That,  as  Lange  states  the 
 case,  "Judas,  on  hearing  the  rebuking  voice  of 
 Jesus,  quickly  hastened  back,  and  his  hasty  re- 
 treat threw  the  first  element  of  sympathetic 
 fright  into  the  mass  of  the  people,"  sounds 
 reasonable  enougli,  until  we  study  carefully  the 
 very  words  of  the  last  Evangelist.  John's  repre- 
 sentation, in  the  direct  sequence  of  vers.  3  and 
 4,  produces  at  once  the  impression  that  this 
 was  the  Jirsl  time,  and  that  Jesus  went  forth  to 
 meet  all  that  was  to  come  upon  him,  thus  anti- 
 cipating the  a'.vful  concerted  kiss  of  Judas. 
 The  eiortpiEt,  "  stood,"  of  John  ver.  5  appears 
 to  us  entirely  to  preclude  the  idea  of  any  pre- 
 vious "falling  back."  Lampe,  who  takes  for 
 granted  that  the  kiss  had  preceded,  thus  in- 
 correctly interpolates:  "He  stands,  there.''ore, 
 suffused  with  shame,  horrified  at  the  commis- 
 sion of  his  own  act,  and  dreading  what  the 
 issue  of  the  whole  would  be."  For,  if  John  had 
 meant  this,  he  would  have  recorded  the  com- 
 mission of  the  act  ;  or  otherwise  his  narrative 
 would  be  a  very  strange  one.  He  rather 
 stands,  according  to  John,  as  the  same  who  had 
 received  this  band  and  led  them  hither,  and  who 
 had  come  with  them — vers.  3  and  5  are  closely 
 connected.  If  the  EidryKSi,  Judas  stood,  has, 
 as  it  then  would  have,  a  special  emphasis,  that 
 emphasis  is  a  very  different  one,  as  we  read  in 
 the  Bi-rlenb.  Blbel :  "  He  appears  to  have  been 
 stunned,  and  not  to  know  whether  to  go  before 
 or  behind,  to  advance  or  retreat."  More  plain- 
 ly :  He  stood  irresolute,  and  delayed  awhile  his 
 kiss  ;  perceiving  this,  our  Lord  would  anti- 
 cipate his  act,  and  spare  him  this  wickedness, 
 as  also  obviate  all  unnecessary  measures  at  his 
 own  capture.  Still  more,  this  stood,  ver.  5,  is 
 undeniably  a  prelude  to  the  fall  of  ver.  6,  which 
 is  its  direct  antithesis,  and  intimates  that  Judas 
 also  fell  with  them.  Assuredly,  according  to 
 the  plain  word  of  the  Evangelist,  he  did  fall  to 
 the  earth,  and  naturally  was  one  of  the  first  to 
 do  so.  But  he  was  also,  and  this  alone  is  in 
 harmony  with  his  character,  which  is  described 
 in  the  holy  word  as  devilish,  one  of  the  first,  if 
 not  the  first,  who  daringly  stood  up  again. 
 Chrysos.,  Cyril,  Theoph.,  Euthym.,  assume  that 
 he  did  not  give  the  kiss  until  after  John  xviii. 
 4-8  ;  and  we  agree  with  them,  assuming  further 
 that  this  was  even  after  he  had  already  fallen 
 to  the  earth  in  common  with  the  others  who 
 had  stood.     The  sign  was  now  indeed  super- 
 
594 
 
 THE  LAST  WORD  TO  JUDAS. 
 
 fluous,  but  in  the  exuberance  of  his  daring  he 
 frives  it  nevertheless,  though  scarcely  risen 
 from  the  ground.  Nor  was  it,  as  has  been  said, 
 merely  in  his  "  confusion  "  tliat  he  did  it,  for  a 
 devil,  a  man,  into  whom  Satan  has  entered,  may 
 indeed  be  obliged  to  fall;  but  confused  in  his 
 wickedness  he  cannot  be,  at  least  in  the  sense 
 whicli  has  been  maintained.  Why  then  is  the 
 ki?s  given,  when  Jesus  has  already  abundantly 
 declared  that  it  was  he  whom  they  sought  and 
 should  take  ?  Naturally — in  the  devilish  spirit 
 — that  he  may  maintain  his  consistency,  and 
 redeem  his  word,  and  recover  from  the  vexation 
 of  the  fall  to  the  earth  as  speedily  as  possible. 
 All  depends  upon  him,  the  leader;  and  lie  mvist 
 needs  inspirit  his  followers  by  showing  them, 
 what  none  knew  so  well  as  he,  that  they  might 
 approach  Jesus  without  being  harmed.  Pfen- 
 ninger  makes  one  of  his  characters  say,  "Judas, 
 thou  art  a  dead  man  if  thou  goest  near  to  him," 
 and  the  wicked  traitor  replies,  "  Fear  not,  he 
 never  did  harm  to  man."  In  Teschendorf 
 Judas  encourages  the  multitude  :  "  Go  on  to 
 him!  What  fear  ye?  I  will  f<hoio  you.  that  he 
 may  be  approached  without  fear."  We  agree 
 with  this,  apart  from  the  utterance  of  the  feel- 
 ing in  words :  it  is  the  only  view  which  alto- 
 gether harmonizes  the  whole.  He  drew  near 
 to  Jesus,  and  with  some  customary  word  of 
 greeting  hn  lcif<8ed  him.  Luke  has  simply 
 (piXhGai,  Matthew  and  Mark  indeed  xavEcpi- 
 Xr/(iFy ;  both  however  only  in  the  meaning  of 
 the  o"  ixv  qjiXy6(J0  which  they  have  used  pre- 
 viously. Thus  hero  it  is  not  the  compound 
 word,  with  its  common  intensification  of  mean- 
 ing, <liu  multwnque  oncidari,  to  kiss  over  and 
 ovf^r  (Tacitus  oscalis  aHquemfatigare),  which  is, 
 apart  irom  its  impropriety  generally,  quite  op- 
 posed to  the  (piXvuari,  the  single  kiss  whicli. 
 according  to  Luke,  the  Lord  speaks  of.*  What 
 a  kiss  was  this,  the  symbol  and  proverb  of 
 every  thing  horrible  of  the  same  kind;  though 
 nothing  of  the  same  kind  could  ever  equal  it, 
 and  Joab's  kiss,  2  Sam.  xx.  9, 10,  was  but  its 
 distant  type.  Among  all  the  kisses  of  an 
 enemy,  which  Solomon  says,  v.'ith  a  dark  mean- 
 ing,  are  nnnyj,  meaning   thereby   certainly 
 
 something  evil,  deceitful,  wily,  this  ki.ss  upon 
 the  cheek  of  the  Holy  One  of  God  was  the  most 
 dctestible  and  vile  ;  and  it  might  well  provoke 
 to  10  atTi — in  every  other  man,  but  not  in  the 
 Lord  Jesus.  There  is  a  sinless  wrath  of  holy 
 indignation  which  our  Lord  at  other  times  felt 
 and  expressed  ;  and  if  this  pure  human  teeling 
 in  the  Holy  One  was  ever  excited,  it  might 
 have  been  supposed  that  it  would  be  now, 
 when  he  submitted  to  the  blasphemer's  saluta- 
 tion.    What  righteous  man  among  men  would 
 
 *  Hfiiupl  ><  ti'aiislalion  !■<  flnb  i'lm  Ktis.sc,  kisses, 
 as  in  ilie  Gnomon — mnre  than  once.  Ebrard  makes 
 il  an  tiubrace ;  but  all  this  ijs  inappropriate  and  un- 
 nfopssary,  since  KaracpiXElv  is  certainly  used  for 
 cpiXE'iv.  (Ecclus.  xxi.v.  5  in  Wahl  does  not  suit, 
 but  3  Ezra  iv.  47  does.)  Tlie  .stronger  word  only 
 mikos  emphatic  the  €TCOom[)lishment  of  the  pui- 
 puse — be  came  to  kiss,  and  did  it. 
 
 not  have  turned  away  his  face?  What  sain' 
 might  not,  under  other  circumstances,  have 
 felt  holy  and  vehement  anger?  But  here  and 
 now  it  is  very  difTerent — toward  this  Judas  the 
 Lord  will  exhibit  nothing  but  long-suflering 
 and  love.  The  hell  in  man  is  condemned,  dur- 
 ing the  time  of  his  forbearance,  by  the  divine 
 love  of  the  Son  of  Man,  which  will  not  till 
 hereafter  become  a  consuming  fire.  The  Lord 
 turns  not  away  his  face  ;  he  Buffers,  he  receivea 
 the  kiss — this  is  abundantly  more  than  what  he 
 requires  of  his  disciples  in  Matt.  v.  39.  David's 
 submission  to  the  cursing  of  Shimei,  and  what- 
 ever else  may  be  compared,  falls  infinitely 
 short  of  the  acceptance  of  this  kiss.*  Christ 
 loved  his  oion  unto  the  end — but  also  the  lost 
 one,  the  apostate  among  them  (2  Pet.  iii.  1). 
 Therefore  he  does  not  merely  keep  silence, 
 which  is  generally  an  easier  act  of  patience; 
 but  he  still  speaks,  and  now,  as  every  where 
 throughout  the  Passion,  at  the  right  place. 
 His  words  become  less  frequent  and  more  brief 
 as  events  proceed,  but  they  are  all  the  more 
 impressive  and  powerful  when  testimony  de- 
 mands them. 
 
 We  shall  not  needlessly  trouble  ourselves 
 with  the  doubtful  question  as  to  whether  the 
 two-fold  word  to  Judas  was  or  was  not  spoken 
 at  once;  we  take  both  sayings,  as  they  simply 
 stand,  as  being  intended  by  the  Spirit  to  form 
 one  word.  Thus  first,  the  saying  which  ]\Lat- 
 thew  records  ;  for  this  appears  to  us  to  have 
 been  actually  first  spoken,  inasmuch  as  the 
 immediate  reply  is  connected  with  the  greeting 
 which  accompanied  the  kiss.  According  to 
 Matthew  ;t;a?pe  pafifii,  "  Hail,  Master  !" — a 
 mocking  salutation,  the  prelude  of  the  soldiers' 
 mockery  in  Matt,  xxvii.  29.  This  was  the 
 most  confidential  formula  which  a  disciple 
 could  permit  himself  to  use,  according  to  the 
 custom  both  of  Gentiles  and  Jews  ;  whether  in 
 the  apostolical  circle  the  Lord  was  ever  greeted 
 with  "Tjij  n)b"^,  Ptace  be  to  thee,  we  very  much 
 
 doubt,  at  least  as  far  as  regards  the  reverent 
 spirit  of  the  others.  Braune  supposes  that  the 
 Greek  or  the  Roman  salutation  was  used,  on 
 account  of  the  Gentile  soldiers,  and  then  con- 
 tinues, "  Judas  might  indeed  have  been  able  to 
 take  upon  his  lips^the  Jewish  '  Peace  be  with 
 thee  ;'"  we  agree  with  him  in  the  latter,  and 
 are  willing  to  admit  a  certain  truth  in  the  for- 
 mer, if  Matthew  reports  literally.  In  Mark 
 the  best  Codd.  and  the  Syr.  have  a  double 
 RiibM  without  hail,  Lacbmann  gives  but  one, 
 the  Vulg.  ave,  linUd.  However  it  may  be, 
 they  accord  in  this — that  he  greeted  and  kissed 
 him  (with  or  without  the  expression  of  the 
 greeting),  calling  him  RihU.  Corresponding 
 with  this  is  the  kraips  of  the  Lord's  response. 
 This  is  hard  to  translate,  since  the  most  ob- 
 
 *  Pfenninser:  "  Wouldst  thou  know  what  Satan 
 can  do  and  God  can  bear,  what  the  basest  of  man- 
 kind can  do  and  the  best  of  manhood  cnn  \)eiir: 
 
 I  behold  the  lips  of  Judas  who  kisses,  and  the  cheek 
 
 1  of  Jesus  which  receives  the  kiss." 
 
MATTHEW  XXVI.  50. 
 
 695 
 
 vious  "my  friend  "is  either  too  affectionate, 
 and  almost  sentimental ;  or  again  too  cold  and 
 indifferent,  as  it  may  be  taken  like  a  cursory 
 greeting  of  a  traveller.  It  was  neither  the  one 
 nor  the  other  here;  but  uttered  more  gracious- 
 ly and  affectionately  now  by  the  lips  of  Jesus 
 t'han  the  half-friendly  and  half-repellant  ad- 
 dress in  the  two  parables,  chap.  xx.  13,  xxii. 
 12.  The  "  gesell,"  companion,  of  the  Berlenb. 
 Bihel,  has  too  good  a  meaning,  that  is,  according 
 to  Psa.  Iv.  14  ;  it  would  in  its  fundamental 
 signification  suit  very  well,  were  it  not  that 
 •common  usage  had  given  it  another  tone. 
 Friend,  in  the  sense  of  <piXoi,  the  Lord  could 
 not  possibly  say  ;  for  John  xv.  14,  15  teaches 
 us  how  much  meaning  that  word  has  as  used 
 by  the  Lord  Jesus.  Nor  in  the  weaker  sense 
 of  a  merely  human  relationship,  could  he  so 
 terra  this  deceitful  enemy,  at  the  moment  of  his 
 betraying  kiss.  Indeed,  all  allusion  to  former 
 friendship  would  be  beside  the  truth  in  the 
 case  of  this  evil  man.  Nor  does  this  lie  in  the 
 ■word,  as  Ammonius  says  :  "  o  kralpoi  is  not 
 altogether  a  qjiXoi.  'Eralpoi  are  such  as  have 
 been  confederate^  for  a  length  of  time  in  life 
 and  work."  Thus  the  recognition  of  a  near 
 relationship,  so  fearfully  now  dishonored,  is 
 contained  in  the  word — As  thou  by  word  and 
 salutation  declaredst  thyself,  so,  alas  !  thou  hasi 
 heen,  a  close  companion  of  mine.  This  Judas 
 is  the  disgrace  and  refuse  of  mankind.  Twice, 
 ■with  deep  meaning,  had  the  Lord's  hhold  (as 
 before  at  the  table)  emphatically  announced 
 his  coming  ;  the  three  Evangelists  Cimnot  other- 
 ■wise  record  it  than  by  once  more  adding  in 
 horror — One  of  the  twelve.  That  this  man  be- 
 trayed him  is  the  shame  and  grief  of  Christ, 
 the  rejoicing  and  boast  of  his  enemies.  Nevor- 
 theless,  Iw  is  avowed  by  the  Lord,  as  having  been 
 that  which  his  former  companionship  made 
 him ;  just  as  it  is  now  with  his  false  friends, 
 and  the  apostates  from  his  service — the  re- 
 membrance of  their  former  title  follows  them. 
 As  to  Judas,  this  is  the  mildest  and  most  pas- 
 sive form  of  condemnation  which  the  patient 
 Lord  can  adopt — to  remind  him  of  all  the 
 grace  of  this  fellowship  which  he  had  turned 
 to  evil,  all  the  love  which  the  Lord  had  never 
 ceased  to  manifest  toward  him:  this  heaps 
 coals  of  fire  upon  his  head.  As  to  the  multi- 
 tude, who  behold  and  hear  all,  and  who  cannot 
 but  be  regarded  also  in  these  words,  it  is  the 
 most  dignified  form  i'n  which  he  can  stoop 
 under  the  fearful  shame.  It  is  the  acknow- 
 ledgement— Yes,  verily,  this  is  one  of  my  near- 
 est companions  ;  and  now,  moreover,  the  decla- 
 ration— I  know  what  this  kiss  signifies. 
 
 Thus  the  question.  Wherefore  art  thou  come? 
 passes  over  from  the  reference  to  the  by-stand- 
 ers  into  a  direct  address  to  the  heart  and  con- 
 science of  the  traitor.  That  the  sentence  is  a 
 question*  we  firmly  believe  with  Winer.  The 
 notion  of  an  exclamation  is  altogether  improper  ; 
 
 *  The  relat.  kq>  o  instead  of  eTti  ri.  The  same 
 In  the  reading  Tqt'  cp — though  this  is  not  to  be  pre- 
 ferred.    Hesych.  ikinoio}  6Hon^. 
 
 for,  it  regards  the  Lord  as  surprised,  confound- 
 ed, angry,  or  whatever  else,  instead  of  patiently 
 accepting  the  iniquity  which  he  clearly  and 
 serenely  contemplated  and  expected.  Nor  is 
 the/wvrt  of  the  sentence  an  aposio]iesis — though 
 the  reading  in  the  Yulg.  ad  quad  might  lead 
 that  way  :  the  question  would  then  drop,  and 
 it  would  run,  Wherefore  thou  art  come — I  know. 
 This  is  involved  in  the  thing  itself,  but  the 
 question  has  its  piercing  meaning  as  such  for 
 Judas.  The  true  aposiopesis  (not  necessary  in 
 the  form,  only  in  the  sense)  is  expressed  by 
 Bengel — "  Koccine  illud  est,  cujus  caussa  ades 
 (Is  it  this  for  which  thou  hast  come?)."  Thus 
 it  is  harmonized  with  the  similarly-constructed 
 other  words  in  Luke  ;  and  has  almost,  human- 
 ly speaking,  a  tone  as  if  the  fearful,  long-known, 
 and  expected  truth  could  hardlv  be  believed, 
 even  now  that  it  took  place — Unhappy  man, 
 cared  for  in  vain,  art  thou  really  then  come  to 
 do  this  work  of  evil  ?  ITdpEt  is  stronger  than 
 T/XOsi ,  not  quite  the  same  as  rrapayeyovai 
 kvravOa  (not  as  if — in  this  place,  and  in  this 
 company) — but  indicating  strongly  and  simply 
 the  actual  accomplishment  of  his  evil  counsel, 
 presenting  the  traitor  in  his  actual  present  act. 
 The  second  word,  which  Luke  gives,  contains 
 all  this — the  most  patient  acceptance  with  the 
 most  piercing  complaint  ;  this  last  again  only  as 
 the  profoundest  lamentation  of  despised  love, 
 which  had  loved  in  vain,  and  thus  the  expression 
 of  divine  suffering.  But  it  also  contains  still 
 more,  something  yet  more  piercing  for  the  be- 
 trayer. Why  should  not  both  sayings  be  read 
 in  succession,  as  they  appear  to  be  the  first  and 
 second  degree  of  the  utterance  which  impressed 
 this  crisis?  The  former  word  turned  in  the 
 sraipoi  to  the  whole  time  past  of  his  fellow- 
 ship; the  latter  pauses  now  in  the  present,  as 
 summed  up  in  the  ndpei — TtapadiSoji  ;  he- 
 trayestthou?  The  former  acknowledged  him, 
 with  reference  to  the  crowd  around;  the  latter 
 seizes  Judas  alone  and  apart.  The  first  scarcely 
 expressed  as  yet  the  iniquity,  the  second  de- 
 fines it  most  concretely — with  a  Jcit^s !  The 
 former  measured  his  guilt  according  to  the 
 favor  and  fellowship  which  had  formerly  been 
 enjoyed ;  the  latter  borders  already,  in  its 
 almost  formal  expression  of  guilt,  upon  the 
 edge  of  the  judgment  which  impends.  The 
 Lord  now  calls  the  wicked  one  by  his  name, 
 that  name  forever  branded  in  him,  but  which 
 otherwise  has  so  lovely  a  meaning.  This  man 
 had  received  at  his  circumcision  the  name  of 
 the  ruling  tribe,  which  spoke  of  the  praise  of 
 God,  and  was  to  be  forever  a  praise  itself.  He 
 had  been  called  to  be  an  Apostle,  bearing  the 
 distinctive  name  of  the  chosen  people,  prob- 
 ably the  only  man  of  Judea  among  them)  ; 
 and  how  often  had  his  Lord  addressed  him  by 
 that  name  I  Luke  points  to  all  this  when  he 
 sets  out  with  6  Xeyopeyoi  'lovSa?,  he  that 
 was  so  called,  something  like  1  Cor.  viii.  5; 
 comp.  John  x.  34,  35.  What  a  contrast,  be- 
 tween this  calling  by  name  and  the  "Mary" 
 of  the  Risen  Lord  ;  between  the  last  word  of 
 the  suffering  Jesus  to  the   betrayer,  and  the 
 
THE  HEALING  OF  MALCHUS. 
 
 first  word  of  the  Risen  Jesus  to  that  beloved 
 disciple  !  With  a  kiss,  with  such  a  kiss — this 
 first,' in  order  to  say,  I  know  also  this  concerted 
 sign,  that  thou  thereby  betrayesl  me.*  In  thy 
 wicked  design  it  is  and  will  ever  be  treachery, 
 but  to  me  it  is  really  none.  In  conclusion,  the 
 Lord  reminds  the  traitor  of  the  word  concern- 
 ing him  spoken  at  the  Supper;  thei-efore  the 
 similar  expression,  which  here  no  more  than 
 there  softens  the  guilt — the  Son  of  Man  ;  the 
 Rabbi ;  which  he  had  just  spoken  seems  also 
 to  suggest  that  former  "  Kabbi,  is  it  I?  is  it 
 I  ?  "  and  it  is  as  if  he  says,  in  most  unrestrain- 
 ed impiety,  coming  out  from  the  multitude 
 which 'he  had  brought  with  him — Rabbi,  it  isl ! 
 The  Lord  replies,  veiling  the  fact  as  it  were  in 
 a  question,  but  only  that  its  fearful  truth 
 might  be  brought  home  to  the  doer  of  it — And 
 mch  a  man  art  thou,  Judas  ?  doest  thou  that? 
 This  questioa  was  the  last  vain  thrust  at  his 
 
 hard  heart — and  with  what  a  glance  accom- 
 panied !  No  imagination  could  represent  that ; 
 out  we  are  disposed  to  think  that  Jesus  only 
 spoke,  and  withheld  the  condemnation  of  his 
 countenance.  "  He  preached  to  Judas,  but 
 only  cast  a  look  upon  Peter.  The  preaching 
 was  lost  upon  Judas,  the  look  brought  repent- 
 ance in  Peter"  (Gossner). 
 
 What  an  emptying  of  himself,  v/hat  humble 
 self-renunciation  of  that  Son  of  God  in  his 
 first  coming,  concerning  whose  second  judicial 
 coming  it  is  written  that  he  will  destroy  the 
 wicked  with  the  breath  of  his  mouth.  "Here 
 in  the  last  word  to  Judas,  however,  there  is  a 
 concealed  sentence  of  judgment;  this  question 
 and  lamentation  he  carried  with  him  as  an  ac- 
 cusation to  his  hell.  The  remembrance  of  this 
 word  will  be  the  first  thought  with  which  he 
 will  stand  before  his  Judge — and  fall  back- 
 ward.* 
 
 THE  HEALING  OF  MALCHUS. 
 (Luke  xxii.  1.) 
 
 The  moment  of  the  word  to  Judas  was,  ac- 
 cording to  the  first  two  Evangelists,  the  Then 
 when  they  laid  their  hands  on  him,  and  took 
 him.f  Luke  immediately  connects  this  earnest 
 execution  of  their  purpose  by  his  i^ovvEi  Si 
 Tui66jU£voy,  "seeing  what  would  follow,"  This 
 is  the  beginning  of  his  being  reckoned  among 
 the  transgressors  before  men.  The  disciples 
 and  Petei-'had  seen  with  blank  astonishment 
 the  kiss  of  Judas  ;  they  had  not  understood 
 the  patience  and  the  word  of  Jesus  ;  and  now 
 their  spirit  of  opposition  is  aroused.  The 
 highest  injustice  possible  in  the  world's  history 
 was  done  before  their  eyes.  As  our  flesh  wills 
 not  to  suffer  generally,  so  our  carnally-minded 
 spirit  wills  not  in  particular  to  endure  injus- 
 tice ;  for  it  understands  not  the  divinity  of  this 
 suS'ering  of  injustice,  the  patient  long-suS"ering 
 
 *  Lan2;e  puts  in  another  form,  what  we  have 
 hinted  at  in  the  earlier  passage  :  "  The  same  spirit 
 of  infatuation  which  made  him  a  traitor,  led  him 
 to  this  diabolical  refinement,  this  wonderful  com- 
 bination of  the  disciple's  kiss  find  the  traitors 
 sign,  which  lias  no  parall:-!  in  human  lii.story." 
 Yes,  verily,  this  was  his  ciiise  anrl  ban,  that  the 
 apostate  kralftui  must  belrry  with  a  kiss,  But 
 that  Luke  in  his  •'  drew  near  to  Je.sus,  to  liiss  him," 
 intends  to  say  tliat  the  kiss  was  not  accomplished, 
 not  only  contradicLs  ihe  expre.ss  testimony  of  the 
 others,  but  the  Loid's  own  "with  a  /cits."  Lange, 
 furtlipr,  regards  tiie  word  of  the  Lord  as  a  con- 
 demnation thrown  into  hs  face,  by  which,  so  to 
 speak,  the  Lord  finally  cast  him  of!'.  But  this  is 
 quite  ahen  from  the  Lord's  full  subinission  to  all 
 that  ihen  came  upon  him,  including  this  act  and 
 fiign  of  treachery. 
 
 f  How  can  wo  interpose  hero  first,  what  John 
 record.s  ] 
 
 of  the  world's  Ruler.  So  man  invades  the 
 prerogative  of  God,  and  thinks  he  must  exe- 
 cute justice  for  himself.  It  is  probable  that 
 these  myrmidons  of  the  council  still  acted 
 timorously  at  the  first  taking  of  Jesus;  and 
 this  would  make  way  for  the  thought  in  the 
 minds  of  some  of  the  disciples — We  also  have 
 /lands.  All,  all  had  hitherto  loudly  cried,  even 
 as  the  Lord  had  prayed — Father,  thy  will  be 
 done!  But  Peter  in  particular  wills  not  that 
 it  should  be,  that  the  Son  of  God  should  suffer 
 this  :  so  Matt,  xvi.  22.  Others  too  with  him 
 (though  not  the  collective  eleven)  put  the 
 question  which  Luke  gives — Lo)-d,  should  we 
 not,  or  jnaij  we  not,  interfere  with  the  sword, 
 use  our  swords?  Literally:  If  we  strike? 
 What  thinkest  (liou?  What  a  contrast  here 
 between  this  question,  so  self-willed  with  all  its 
 reverential  appeal  to  him  as  "  Lord,"  and  the 
 gentle  word  of  this  Lord  to  the  betrayer! 
 What  folly  in  the  question — to  think  that  the 
 same  Lord  v.'ho  had  thus  endured  the  kiss, 
 would  permit  the  sword  1  Yet  there  is  such  a 
 voice  which  speaks  in  every  one  of  us,  when 
 called  to  suffer  injustice ;  and  that,  though 
 there  is  a  stronger  assurance  of  the  Lord's 
 answer  than  the  slight  presentiment  of  it  which 
 lies  in  the  present  question.  But  not  all  go  on 
 to  the  act  without  waiting  for  the  answer,  like 
 Peter,  whom  John  first  names.  He  will  ex- 
 hibit himself,  where  all  should  have  been  the 
 contemplation  of  the  fyvd,  whoi^e  aspect  would 
 have    answered   all   such    questions;     he   will 
 
 •  Krummacher :  "  The  word  will  then  bo  di. 
 vested  of  its  questioning  form,  and  be  changed 
 into  the  direct,  judicial  senience — Thou  hdrayc*t 
 iho  Son  of  Man  with  a  kiss." 
 
LUKE  XXII.  1. 
 
 597 
 
 solve  the  word  earlier  spoken  to  him,  he  will 
 repair  the  error  of  his  sleep — though  in  this  act 
 he  is  sleeping  still.  Instead  of  previously  ob- 
 taining, by  watching  and  prayer,  the  weap- 
 ons of  the  Spirit  against  himself,  his  spirit 
 breaks  out  in  false  zeal  in  the  wrong  place. 
 Practical  and  devotional  expositions  of  the 
 Passion  generally  dwell  solely  on  his  denial ; 
 but  the  drawing  of  his  sword  was  an  essential 
 part  of  that  denial  :  both  must  be  viewed  to- 
 gether, if  we  would  derive  from  it  all  its  edifi- 
 cation. The  sword  of  Peter  is  the  sword  of  the 
 flesh,  tiken  by  ourselves  against  the  ordinance 
 of  God.  We  draw  it,  alas !  too  often  our- 
 selves :  v;hen  we  are  not  enough  humbled,  but 
 think  too  highly  of  ourselves;  when  we  under- 
 stand not  our  Lord's  wcr  Is  and  works  which 
 point  to  suffering  ;  and  because  they  do  so,  ob- 
 serve them  not;  when  we  rush  on  in  blind 
 zeal  to  smite  the  unrighteous,  and,  instead  of 
 the  help  we  mean,  work  greater  niischief  and 
 wrong.  Lutlier  has  well  expressed  the  sense 
 of  the  nhall  we  smile?  without  any  accusative — 
 shall  we  drein  schlagen  ?  for  so  it  is — smite  at 
 random  and  blindly,  whomsoever  we  may  hit. 
 When  Peter  unsheathed  his  sword  and  struck, 
 whom  did  he  hurt?  It  might  have  been  a 
 servant  who  stood  forth  more  prominently, 
 whose  boldness  chiefly  offended  him  ;  it  might 
 have  been  an  innocent  and  dutiful  servant, 
 whose  heart  went  not  with  the  duty  which  he 
 was  obliged  to  discharge.  All  four  Evangelists 
 notice  his  person,  which  was  so  marvellously 
 wounded  and  healed  at  once,  with  the  article 
 which  pre-suppcses  a  general  tradition — the 
 servant  of  the  high  priest.  The  uncalled-for 
 and  murderous  blow  was  aimed  at  the  head; 
 but  Malchus  declined  his  head  to  the  left,  and 
 his  right  ear  only  was  struck.  Instead  of 
 ajTiov  (in  Mark  and  John  also  the  reading 
 cordfjiov),  Luke  uses  interchangeably  oJj  in 
 ver.  50;  whence  we  see  that  cjtioi'  (as  in  the 
 Sept.  olten  for  |TX)  is  not  merely  the  ear-lap, 
 
 but  the  ear  simply.* 
 
 New  and  grievous  indignity  inflicted  upon 
 our  Lord  by  another  of  his  own  disciples  !  It 
 disturbs,  impairs,  and  troubles,  externally  at 
 least,  the  sacred  dignity  of  his  patience  at  its 
 most  august  moment;  it  makes  it  seem  as  if 
 they  did  right  to  come  out  armed  against  him. 
 For  the  first  and  only  time  the  defence  of  Jesus 
 brings  injury  here  to  man.  What  is  the  Lord's 
 act?  Assuredly  he  could  do  no  other  than 
 what  Luke  records;  though  Neander,  alas  !  so 
 often  an  unsafe  historian  among  orthodox  ex- 
 positor.H,  doubts  it.  Pfenninger  represents  his 
 narrating  disciple  as  asking  the  question — 
 What  thinkest  thou  that  he  did  ?  and  i\Ielea 
 as  replying  with  fine  feeling — Repel  Simon, 
 and  heal  tiie  ear.  The  narrator,  astonished, 
 demands — Didst  thou  know  this?  ]\Ielea  an- 
 swers— How  could  1  know  it?     But  how  could 
 
 he  act  otherwise,  who  endured  the  diabolical 
 kiss  of  Judas?  The  healing  of  the  ear,  which 
 might  be  understood  of  itself,  it  passed  over  by 
 the  three  other  Evangelists,  because  the  word 
 to  Peter  has  in  them  its  prominent  importance  ; 
 but  Luke  connects  with  it  the  act  and  wonl  of 
 healing.  The  excitement  of  all  parties  at  this 
 apparition  of  the  sword  and  the  flowing  of  blood 
 would  make  it  evident  that  the  Lord  did  not 
 first  speak  what  he  had  to  say  to  Peter,  and 
 keep  the  wounded  servant  so  long  unhealed. 
 Thus  the  healing,  and  the  wo}-d  pertaining  to  it, 
 come  first;  both  required  but  a  moment,  and 
 it  is  wrong  therefore  to  say  that  during  the 
 healing  the  Lord  proceeded  to  speak  to  Peter — 
 the  healing  was  not  a  process  which  required 
 time.  No  sooner  was  the  rash  blow  inflicted 
 than  he  knew  what  to  do:  he  neglects  neither 
 sine  of  the  matter.  Almost  at  one  and  the 
 same  moment  he  healed  the  wounded  man,  and 
 rebuked  the  smiter  (for  his  healing  too)  ;  but, 
 since  the  two  were  in  reality  distinct,  the  re- 
 moval of  the  offence  and  injury  has  the  priority. 
 Thus  he  himself,  as  if  it  was  his  own  obligation 
 to  do  so,  repairs  the  unhappy  injury  of  his 
 disciples.*  Thus  he  once  more  gives  testimony 
 that  his  power  of  miracles  had  not  departed 
 from  him,  even  now  Avhen  he  renounces  all 
 help  and  defence.f  He  provides  graciously  that 
 Peter  should  not  be  punished ;  and  that,  where 
 the  life  of  a  man  was  to  have  been  taken,  his 
 soul  should  rather  be  won,  which  we  may  sup- 
 pose was  the  case  with  Malchus.  This  is  the 
 last  act  of  his  hands  ;  he  now  stretches  them  out  to 
 be  houni. 
 
 This  last  thought  we  find  in  the  pregnant 
 word  which,  according  to  Luke,  accompanied 
 or  rather  preceded  the  healing.  Jesus  might 
 have  done  this  silently  by  an  instantaneous 
 touch,  but  in  order  to  that  he  must  have  his 
 freedom.  Witnout  touching  it  is  not  his  will 
 to  heal;  partly,  because  he  would  not  now 
 make  exhibition  of  the  miraculous  power  of  his 
 commanding  word,  partly  to  impress  upon 
 Malchus  the  moment  and  the  fact  of  his  experi- 
 ence of  the  power  of  God.  Consequently,  he 
 speaks,  and  in  tiie  words  which  we  must  rightly 
 understand  in  Luke. 
 
 The  most  ancient  translation,  as  found  in  the 
 Peshito,  represents  it  quite  diflerently;    and 
 
 *  The  o'd  grammarians  say :  ovi  Attic,  ooriov 
 Hellenic.  So,  as  is-Avell  known,  auricula  was  u>ied 
 lor  the  ear. 
 
 *  It  was  the  ear  of  Malchus  ;  and  this  should 
 be  remembered  by  those  who  by  false  use  of  the 
 .sword,  that  is,  by  an  unevangelical  ])reaching  of 
 the  Gospel,  with  a  perverted  zeal,  so  often  cut  off 
 thr;  ear  of  the  people,  that  is,  rob  tliem  lo  their 
 mortal  injury  of  their  willingness  to  hear  the 
 word  of  truth.  We  may  all  cut  off  the  ear,  but 
 the  Lord  only  can  heal  it  again. 
 
 f  0;.e  true  miraculous  work  here  at  the  last, 
 not  to  be  explained  away.  According  to  Jolnvs 
 (XTteHoipey,  and  the  dcpElXev  of  the  Synoi)tics, 
 one  might  suppose  that  the  ear  was  cut  right  off, 
 and  fell  on  the  ground.  But  it  was  only  as  good 
 as  off,  and  yet  hansing— lor  a^a/ffroS  means 
 heating  by  mere  touch,  not  the  taking  up  and  re- 
 storiuKot  the  ear.  Mark  that  Luke  lias  first  ovS, 
 then  ooziov — not  conversely. 
 
598 
 
 PETER'S  SWORD. 
 
 this  has  been  approved  of  by  almost  all  Ger- 
 man translators,  iiickiding  Meyer.  Grotius  and 
 Bengel  interpret,  "There  let  the  matter  rest, 
 let  this  be  enough  !"  as  if  spoken  to  the  inter- 
 fering disciples.  Scholz  and  Theile  divide  the 
 words  into  two  parts,  'Eare,  £cj;  rovrov  (scil. 
 dnoxp^^.  Oisbausen,  Restran  yourselves,  thus 
 far  and  no  further!  Allioli:  Desist,  no  fur- 
 ther! Bengel :  Let  it  end  here !  Kistemaker: 
 Enough  !  But  Lange  rightly  remarks  that 
 this  IS  opposed  by  our  Lord's  reproof  of  the 
 disciple  alter  the  healing.  If  he  blames  Peter, 
 ■we  cannot  suppose  that  he  would  say  to  the 
 other  disciples  who  might  proceed  to  imitate 
 him  (there  was  however  but  one  more  sword, 
 which  also  opposes  that  view);  and  that,  too, 
 in  a  phrase  which  would  involve  some  slight 
 approbation — "  Enough  has  been  done  in  this 
 matter,  ye  have  sufficiently  shown  your  good 
 ■will  in  my  defence,  which  is,  however  now  out 
 of  place."  There  cannot  be  any  irony  here,  for 
 it  13  the  plainest  and  most  open  protest  against 
 the  use  of  all  unrighteous  violence  which  now 
 follows.  There  are  other  views,  however,  to 
 be  considered,  which  are  put  forth  by  those 
 "who  maintain  the  reference  of  the  saying  to  the 
 disciples.  Luther  translates  :  Let  them  go  on 
 thus  far ;  and  explains  in  the  margin,  "  Let 
 them  do  all  their  malice,  so  far  as  they  are  al- 
 lowed ;  there  is  a  Judge,  let  us  not  avenge  our- 
 selves." 'i!he  Jlirscfiberger  Bibel  mends  the  con- 
 Btruction,  and  brings  out,  in  connection  with 
 this,  the  former  opinion  too:  "Let  it  bs  so,  that 
 is,  let  the  enemies  do  what  they  will.  Thus 
 far!  that  is,  Go  no  further  in  a  premature  and 
 rash  opposition  to  them."  This  separation  of 
 the  two  parts  of  the  sentence  into  sayings  hav- 
 ing a  different  reference  is  too  harshly  ellipti- 
 cal, and  almost  unintelligibly  so.  But  Luther's 
 view,  which  does  not  separate  them,  is  open  to 
 the  same  objection — Let  them  fulfill  all  and  do 
 ■With  me  what  they  will.    That  would  assuredly 
 
 be  an  appropriate  first  answer  to  the  question, 
 Shall  ice  interpose?  But  in  the  meantime  the 
 blow  has  been  struck  and  the  injury  done  ;  so 
 that  Jesus  could  not,  omitting  to  notice  this 
 even  for  a  moment,  go  on  to  speak  to  the  disci- 
 ples, who  had,  alas  !  given  their  own  improper 
 answer.  To  supply  them  after  suffer  is  harsh  ; 
 and  still  harsher  to  interpret  the  'iooi  rovrov 
 of  all  that  they  were  to  do  to  him  by  God's 
 permission,  the  least  act  of  which  was  now 
 done.  "Ecoi  rovrov,  "  as  far  as,"  must  in  con- 
 nection with  the  suffer  refer  to  the  present  crisis 
 and  something  now  taking  place. 
 
 It  only  remains,  then,  that  Christ,  when  he 
 begins  to  repair  the  injury,  should  turn  to 
 the  excited,  offended,  injured  multitude,  which 
 after  this  hasty  blow,  would  set  upon  liim  all 
 the  more  vehemently.'*  Lange  observes  quite 
 correctly  :  To  the  disciples  the  healing  (and 
 answer)  itself  was  quite  sufficient  correction  of 
 their  error ;  but  in  order  to  this  healing  the 
 Lord  must  claim  some  short  respite  from  his 
 enemies,  as  he  had  already  delivered  himself  up 
 to  them.  Now  we  understand  this  otten  over- 
 looked word  in  all  its  dignity.  What  humility 
 in  the  midst  of  his  consciousness  and  use  of  the 
 divine  power  of  healing  !  What  most  exquisite 
 feeling  of  what  was  right,  even  in  the  suffering 
 of  injustice,  that  he  should  appeal  to  the  ruling 
 powers,  to  whom  he  had  already  surrendered 
 himself,  for  release  and  permission;  that  he 
 should  as  it  were  ask  it  of  his  enemies  that  they 
 should  tarry  a  while,  and  leave  his  hands  free 
 for  the  performance  of  this  necessary  and  obli- 
 gatory act  of  benevolence  If  Now  we  under- 
 stand this  simple  suffer,  which  vibrates  between 
 request  and  lofty  command,  and  to  which  he 
 does  not  add — Me;  and  now  we  understand 
 the  concealing  rovrov,  by  which  he  mean» 
 this  work  of  miraculous  power,  this  healing  as 
 indispensably  necessary  before  he  was  finally 
 bound. 
 
 PETER'S  SWORD. 
 
 (Matt.  xxvi.  52-54;  John  xviii.  11.) 
 
 They  did  give  him  sufTerance  so  long  as  to  do 
 this.  Yea,  they  were  constrained  to  hold  back, 
 as  soon  as  he  spoke  ;  his  word  was  enough, 
 whether  or  not  they  understood  his  purpose. 
 It  is  probable  that  the  hasty  touch  and  the 
 healing  which  followed  had  not  been  remarked 
 by  the  greater  part;  the  Lord  passes  it  over  as 
 a  slight  thing,  a  circumstance  which  explained 
 itself,  while  he  turns  now  uninterruptedly  to 
 epeak  a  fitting  word  to  Peter.  As  long  as  he 
 epeaks,  they  all  listen  and  do  nothing — this 
 appears  throughout  the  entire  Passion.  The 
 multitude  would  have  listened,  notwithstand- 
 ing their  excited  wrath,  had  the  Lord  spoken 
 belore  the  healing  to  Peter  ;  but  his  perception 
 ol  most  exact  propriety  would  not  allow  him  to 
 
 do  that.  The  word  against  Peter's  sword  is  an 
 instruction  given  to  us  all,  on  an  occasion  most 
 suitable    for  its    utterance  ;    it    begins   with 
 
 *  For  this  sudili-n  api)eal  to  tlie  sword  would 
 naturally,  as  K;  umniaclier  paints  the  scene  ii.tro- 
 duce  mucli  wialhlul  confusion. 
 
 f  Ranibacli  :  "  Hold  back  thus  long !  He  de- 
 mands (commanding  wli.le  he  a.sk^)  that  thej 
 would  leav!^  his  hands  free  until  he  had  healed 
 the  ear."  Wesley  :  "  Suffer  me  at  least  to  have 
 my  bands  at  liberty  thus  far,  while  I  do  one  more 
 act  of  mercy."  Hess:  "Jesus,  whose  haiuls  they 
 would  bind  bohiiid  his  back,  requires  of  them 
 freedom  for  one  moment  while  he  heals  the  ser- 
 vant's ear." 
 
MATTHEW  XXVI.  5^: 
 
 em 
 
 Peter's  unsheathed  weapon  and  ends  with  the 
 thus  it  must  be  of  the  Scripture.  We  have,  first, 
 the  universal  instruction  for  all  the  future.  The 
 foundation  of  this  in  the  sublime  example  of  his 
 voluntary  renunciation  of  all  violent  help,  even 
 that  of  heaven — is  the  second  thing.  Thirdly, 
 there  is  the  reason  of  his  own  conduct  in  the 
 divine  counsel  and  will — this  is  the  necessary 
 conclusion  and  final  appeal  against  all  seh- 
 will. 
 
 Verse  52.  This  self-will  is  first  addressed 
 and  repelled  :  Put  up,  return  thy  sword  into  it^ 
 
 i)lace !  The  dov,  probably  though  not  certain- 
 y  spurious  in  John,  stands  in  Matt,  more  em- 
 phatically first.  Thj  sword — 7}uist  alien  Jrom  imj 
 cause,  as  Bengel  explains  it.  That  cannot  help, 
 but  will  be  the  means  of  still  greater  hurt  and 
 offence.*  These  words,  so  decisive  against 
 Rome's  appeal  to  the  civil  sword,  have  been 
 perverted  into  the  very  reverse,  into  a  witness 
 lor  her  carnal  prerogatives.  Pope  Eugenius 
 III.  urged  that  "  thy  sword "  assigned  the 
 weapon  to  Peter,  though  he  was  checked  for 
 using  it  just  then.  But  every  man  must  see 
 the  folly  of  this;  for  "  thy  "  simply  rejects  the 
 sword  of  Peter,  as  taken  or  unsheathed  at  an 
 improper  time  and  in  self-willed  rashness  hy 
 him.  There  remains  an  altogether  different 
 question,  the  answer  to  which  has  nothing  to 
 do  with  Peter's  particular  person,  or  with  Rome 
 — whether  the  Lord  forbade,  or  could  forbid,  to 
 his  disciples  the  use  of  the  sword  under  all  cir- 
 cumstances. The  answer  is  plain  enough  else- 
 where in  Scripture  ;  it  follows  from  the  rela- 
 tions of  the  matter  itself;  and  is  intimated  here 
 by  a  sure  though  subtile  expression.  John,  to 
 wit,  records  it  as  if  the  Lord  had  said  merely — 
 Into  its  sheath,  comp.  1  Chron.  xxii.  27;  Jer. 
 xlvii.  6;  but  it  is  remarkable  that  Matthew 
 gives  into  its  place  ;  and  we  think  that  this 
 pregnant  expression  is,  as  the  more  exact,  not 
 to  be  reduced  back  again  to  the  meaning  of  its 
 sheath.  There  is  a  distinction  which  must  not 
 be  lost  sight  of,  between  the  mention  of  the 
 sheath  alone  as  such,  and  the  mention  of  it  as 
 the  place  of  the  sword.  The  latter  admits  that 
 there  is  even  for  the  sioord  an  apjjrojviate  place 
 for  righteousness'  sake,  and  that  of  course  the 
 sheath  ;  where  it  is  carried,  not  to  remain  there 
 always,  but  to  be  drawn  from  it  on  proper  oc- 
 casions. Salmeron  is  right  as  regards  this 
 meaning,  though  with  an  application  very 
 ditierent  from  that  of  Rome :  "  The  Lord  did 
 not  say.  Throw  away  or  give  up  the  sword ; 
 but  replace  it  in  its  sheath,  'n  i.j  own  time  you 
 may  use  it."  This  is  very  true,  ii  that  wider 
 interpretation  embraces  "  the  sword  "  generally, 
 which  the  future  disciples  of  Christ  were  to  bear 
 
 *  This  fippli-s,  itmny  be  observed,  to  the  sword 
 of  the  tvord,  when  used  in  carnal  pricie  and  hate — 
 "  not  with  wrath  and  bitterness,  i)ut  with  calm  de- 
 monsi.'ation  and  sound  instruction.  The  truth  is 
 justified  of  all  her  children ;  but  when  we  inter- 
 pose) rashly,  she  turns  and  says,  with  divine  tran- 
 quillity, Pu:  upj,!iy  sword  into  its  sheath  1  shall  I 
 not  drink  the  cup  ! "  (^Von  Meyer). 
 
 and  to  draw.  For  the  sheath  is  not  merely 
 now  in  Peter's  case,  but  generally,  the  place  in 
 which  the  sword  is  to  be  kept /or  use  ;  but  the 
 particular  "  my  sword "  of  any  successor  of 
 Peter  is  here  once  for  all  denounced.  Bengel 
 acknowledges  this,  when  he  explains  ronov, 
 "  The  sword  out  of  the  scabbard  is  not  in  its 
 place,  unless  it  is  subserving  the  divine  wrath." 
 Braune,  on  the  other  hand,  contradicts  both 
 Evangelists,  and  imposes  his  own  meaning  in- 
 stead of  expounding  theirs,  when  he  says, 
 "  Jesus  commands  him  to  put  his  sword  intd 
 its  place ;  not  merely  into  its  sheath,  but  to 
 put  it  away  generally."  For  that  would  bi5  a 
 strange  method  of  commanding  a  thing  to  be 
 put  away  altogether — to  leave  it  in  its  place, 
 and  even  directing  to  that  place. 
 
 The  sword  is  there  and  is  to  remain.  That 
 which  the  Lord  had  spoken,  according  to  Luke 
 not  long  before,  he  has  not  forgotten,  while 
 Peter  thus  unhappily  remembers  it.  But  there 
 is  a  two-fold  use  which  is  forbidden,  and  in  re- 
 gard to  which  it  must  have  its  place  in  the 
 sheath;  as  there  is  a  two-fold  sense — whether 
 as  commanded  or  simply  permitted — in  which, 
 even  when  out  of  the  sheath  (which  preserves 
 it  only  to  that  end)  it  is  in  its  place.  First,  in 
 the  redeeming  work  of  Christ,  in  the  perfect 
 drinking  of  that  cup  of  sorrow  once  for  all  by 
 himself  alone,  it  had  nothing  to  do.  Secondly, 
 it  must  generally  be  at  rest  in  the  matters  of 
 the  kingdom  of  Jesus,  founded  upon  his  suffer- 
 ings, and  spread  through  his  truth  ;  in  the  tes^ 
 timony  of  which  the  sword  has  no  place,  as  we 
 shall  hear  in  John  xviii.  36,  and  Zeeh.  iv.  6  in 
 the  Old  Testament  had  long  before  announced'. 
 But  the  sword  is  borne,  and  that  not  in  vain  ; 
 it  is  used  in  the  service  of  the  divine  adminis- 
 tration by  God's  rulers  ;*  and,  finally,  it  may 
 in  a  certain  sense  be  taken  righteously  in  per- 
 sonal defence,  when  tlie  case  does  not  directly 
 involve  a  testimony  to  the  patience  of  Christ, 
 and  is  not  bound  up  with  the  interests  of  his 
 kingdom — whereof  we  have  spoken  on  Luk6 
 xxii.  36.  Therefore  the  Lord  in  the  following 
 clause  says  only  Aa/ioVr«?,  those  who  take, 
 giving  prominence  to  this  distinction  ;  all  who 
 in  carnal  self-will,  with  however  much  false 
 show  of  spirituality,  themselves  unjustifiaUy  seize 
 the  stcord — but  by  no  means  those  into  whose 
 hands  God  puts  it.  The  fundamental  jvs  talio- 
 nis  which  the  Lord  expresses  is  only  the  con- 
 crete confirmation  for  the  present  case  of  th^ 
 ancient  word  of  God,  Gen.  ix.  6  ;  and  as  to  the 
 patience  of  the  saints  in  suffering  for  Christ's 
 sake,  in  the  drinking  of  the  cup  appointed  also 
 to  them,  the  Spirit  repeats  tliis  word  of  Christ 
 in  Rev.  xiii.  10  ;  which  parallel  passage  proves, 
 what  is  however  perfectly  plain  here — that  the 
 punishment  is  threatened  against  the  wrong 
 use  of  the  sword  in  the  manner  of  Petr.  There 
 was  scarcely  need  lor  Oishausen's  earnest  pro- 
 test against  the  old  opinion,  adopted  by  Gro- 
 
 *  To  this  we  may  reter  the  duty  of  the  subject 
 to  boar  arms ;  the  rulers  being  responsible  for  thri 
 justice  of  the  war. 
 
PETER'S  SWORD. 
 
 tius,  which  makes  our  Lord  saj'  that  retaliation 
 would  j^oon  fall  upon  his  enemies.  Peter,  that 
 is,  ihe  disciple  of  C'trist,  should  violently  defend 
 neither  Clinst  nor  liimseif  m  his  office  of  disciple. 
 But  if  the  I'ut.  shall  perish  hy  the  sword  is 
 equivalent,  as  it  is,  to  an  imperative  of  the 
 divine  ordinance,  then  in  the  second  clause  the 
 use  of  the  sword  by  the  magistrate,  under 
 G"od's  commission,  is  retained  and  established. 
 Now  he  who  in  circumstances  of  private  peril, 
 with  which  the  work  and  kingdom  of  Christ 
 have  nothing  to  do,  without  personal  revenge 
 and  sinlul  wrath,  in  the  name  of  God  (and  it 
 may  be  with  zeal  of  God)  can  defend  himself 
 against  the  murderer  who  would  kill  him,  and 
 thus  in  God's  view  Aaa  killed  him  {takeni\\Q 
 sword  to  that  end) — is  no  other  than  a  warrant- 
 ed avenger  of  blood  for  himself  as  well  as  for 
 his  neighbor  ;  heac^s  according  to  the  command 
 of  God,  as  Christ  has  here  confirmed  it.  But 
 that  Christians  have  ever  found  here  the  utmost 
 difficulty  in  practice,  has,  alas!  its  good  reason 
 in  this,  that  we,  where  our  own  life  is  concern- 
 ed, know  not  how  to  act  with  pure  unselfish- 
 ness, and  only  as  the  executors  of  the  divine 
 judgment.  As  long  as  this  is  wanting,  and 
 thejudgraentfl/'Gw^is  not  pure  and  unimpeach- 
 able in  our  hands  (according  to  that  typical 
 example  in  Judg.  iii.  20) — the  Spirit  ot  the 
 Lord  cries  to  our  flesh — Put  up  thy  sword  into 
 its  sheath  ;  this  is  now  its  place,  rather  than 
 thy  hand  !  Had  they  slain  Peter,  who  would 
 have  slain  another,  that  would  have  been  no 
 martyr's  death,  but  his  just  award — the  Lord 
 lets  him  hear  this  judgment  hovering  over  his 
 head,  while  by  the  healing  he  averts  it  from 
 bim.  This  remission  of  his  strict  sentence  was 
 not  only  m  general  the  prerogative  of  grace ; 
 but  there  was  an  apology  lor  Peter  in  the  com- 
 plication of  the  case,  in  which  the  rulers  of 
 Israel  joined  with  Gentile  powers  in  the  attack 
 upon  Jesus,  as  also  in  his  remembrance  of  a 
 word  of  Christ  himself  which  led  him  astray. 
 In  similar  cases  the  Lord  ever  shows  the  same 
 consideration  of  all  the  circumstances  ;  it  is 
 better  to  act,  however,  so  that  no  such  healing 
 be  made  necessary,  by  asking  and  waiting 
 the  Lord's  answer  in  all  doubtful  cases.  He 
 will  surely  teach  us  by  his  Spirit  when  the 
 ftword  should  bo  in,  and  when  it  should  be 
 out  of,  its  place.  Finally,  all  this  has  its  annli- 
 oalion  to  every  injunoas  and  premature"  "de- 
 lence  of  ourselves,  be  it  of  whatever  kind  it 
 may,  which  may  be  brought  into  comparison 
 with  the  use  of  the  sword. 
 
 John  adds  that  the  Lord,  when  he  thus  re- 
 pelled Peter's  sword,  said  further — The  cup 
 wh.ch  my  Father  hath  given  me,  should  I  not 
 itiiiik  it  .''  Tliis  coincides  with  Matt.  vers.  53, 
 ^)^ ,  but  it  must  have  some  preparatory  notice 
 here.  And  we  observe,  first,  how  expressly 
 the  Gethsemane-prayer  is  pre-8i/]t)wsed  in  it ;  a 
 reader  of  Jolin  alone,  who  had  no  knowledge  of 
 that  prayer,  would  almost  necessarily  conclude 
 that  Jesus  had  said  something  before,  to  which 
 he  now  referred,  concerning  a  cup  tc  oe  drunk. 
 Certainly  we  might  understand  the  words  alone 
 
 and  independently— but  why  should  we  male© 
 needless  concessions  to  those  whose  business  ia 
 to  rend  asunder  the  Gospels?  We  understand 
 in  what  sense  the  cup  had  been  spoken  of,  and 
 in  what  sense-  the  Lord  says  ti  Peter — Didsl 
 thou  not  hear  and  dost  thou  not  yet  understand 
 my  thrice-uttered  prayer,  and  hast  thou  so.^oor 
 forgotten  it?  M^e  understand,  further,  how 
 our  Lord  by  this  word  strengthens  and  con- 
 firms his  soul  in  uplifting  his  eye  to  his  Father, 
 before  whom  all  things  were  open,  who  had 
 already  given,  the  cup,  which  he  had  already 
 begun  to  drink.*  The  Sixtine  Vulg.  says  well 
 — Non  vis  ut  bibam  ?  Is  it  thy  will  to  put 
 from  my  hand  %nd  my  mouth,  by  thy  sword, 
 the  cup  which  I  have  already  received?  Let 
 us,  like  him,  on  all  occasions  of  the  attack  of 
 injustice,  look  up  to  h  'aven,  and  place  our- 
 selves v/ithin  the  defence  of  the  counsel  of  God 
 for  us;  then  shall  we  do  right  more  certainly 
 than  if  we  only  look  at  man,  or  retaliate  his 
 assault. 
 
 Verse  53.  The  Lord  now  points  his  ap- 
 plication to  the  foolish  thought  of  Peter  onco 
 more,  and  more  plainly  ;  entering  more  specifi- 
 cally into  the  present  circumstance,  in  its  sole 
 and  unparalleled  significance.  He  thought 
 in  his  tolly  that  their  two  swords  miglit  and 
 should  bring  them  help  on  this  occasion.  Then 
 he  thought  that,  if  they  did  not  help,  the  Lord 
 would  be  entirely  deprived  of  protection  and 
 strength.  This,  theref^ore,  the  Lord  lays  barr--— 
 Canst  thou  suppose  that,  in  this  my  suffering 
 and  drinking  the  cup.f  I  can  suffer  otherwise 
 than  with  a  voluntary  renunciation  of  all  that 
 ■power  of  God  which  otherwise  is  always  at  my 
 command  ?  Great  and  sublime  word  of  perfect 
 consciousness  icho  he  continues  to  be  even  in 
 his  self-renouncing  sacrifice  !  Throughout  his 
 Passion  there  is  no  proper  /  cannot,  which  re- 
 spects 7W!i)tT3!mplv  in  itself;  his  not  Loing  ablo 
 is  a  sacred  not  willing,  as  w'dh  the  Almighty 
 Father  :  for  the  Father's  almightiness,  with  all 
 its  hosts,  is  ever,  as  his  prayer  had  e:cpressed 
 it,  at  the  service  of  the  Son. "  But  the  host  and 
 army  of  divine  omnipotence  are  the  angels,  in 
 their  personal  reality,  physically  acting,  and  so 
 far  comparable  with  men,  as  is  once  more  here 
 established.  The  Lord  speaks  of  legions,  be- 
 cause the  Roman  soldiers  are  before  him,  v.'ilh 
 whom  the  conflict  would  be;  he  ment'on8 
 twelve!  such  legions  obviously,  as  the  universal 
 supposilion  has  been,  with  reference  to  the 
 twelve  weak  Apostles,  one  of  whom  is  even 
 1  among  the  ranks  of  the  enemy.     But  as  this 
 
 1 ■ 
 
 1  *  It  is  significant  that  the  Lovrl  does  not  speak, 
 like  Knimnncher,  of  a  cup  wliich  Satan  was  to 
 present  to  him.  No,  this  is  altouetlier  unheconi- 
 ina;,  for  as  a  ciip  the  aj)])ointment  of  the  obedience 
 of  drinking  came  only  liom  tlie  Father. 
 
 f  Tlie  word  in  .John  must  l)e  taken  with  tliis  of 
 Matthew,  to  show  the  connection. 
 
 ^  Each  al)out  GOOO  men  among  tlie  Roman*. 
 Augustin.  dc  Spir.  et  Lit.  cap.  1  and  35,  wiiere  l.o 
 8|)e.Tks  oi  aliquid  fieri  posse  giiamvis,  desit  excmpium, 
 reads  oven  duodecim  mUUa  ^egiont*. 
 
MATTHEW  XXVI.  54. 
 
 601 
 
 rt-ckoning  of  the  traitor  has  ever  appeared  a 
 dirticulty,  it  has  been  assumed  that  the  Lord 
 regarded  the  complete  number  by  anticipation 
 as  supplied  in  the  coming  future.  But  we  are 
 more  disposed  to  accept  what  the  Btrlenb.  Bthel 
 gays,  that  the  twelve  points  to  the  number  of 
 eleven  disciples  and  Christ.  Such  a  colloca- 
 tion of  his  own  person  with  the  persons  of  his 
 disciples  is  not  only  an  expression  of  gracious 
 humility,  while  bearing  testimony  to  his  power, 
 but  it  is  also  warranted  by  the  fact  that  Peter's 
 zeal  would  in  reality  defend  them  all  as  well  as 
 their  Lord.  Consequently,  "  Do  ye  not  think 
 that  one  legion  at  least  would  at  once  surround 
 eacli  of  us  twelve  (as  Elisha  was  surrounded 
 by  the  heavenly  guard)  if  I  only  willed  il?" 
 The  Lord  further  shows  that  the  angels  are 
 superabundantly  many  (Dan.  vii.  10;  Psa. 
 Ixviii.  18  ;  Heb.  xii.  22),  when  he  says  nXf  iov, 
 t]  dcoSsKa,  more  than  twelve  thousand,  for 
 every  number  expressed  by  us  is  in  a  sense  too 
 small  for  them  ;  but  he  also  intimates  by  the 
 legions  that  they  are  marshalled  in  order,  and 
 distributed  under  principalities  and  powers. 
 "  One  angel  would  have  been  enough  to  defend 
 Christ  against  all  the  world  " — preaches  Luther 
 here ;  and  Wesley  goes  still  further,  "  The 
 least  of  whom,  'tis  probable,  could  overturn 
 the  earth  and  destroy  all  the  inhabitants  of  it." 
 Others  refer  more  temperately  to  the  one  which 
 destroyed  a  hundred  and  eighty-five  thousand 
 of  the  Assyrians,  and  the  other  which  destroyed 
 the  collective  first-born  of  Egypt.  We  feel  the 
 meaning:  All,  many  as  they  are,  indeed  much 
 fnwethan  twelve  legions,  would  stand  ready  here 
 for  my  assistance  and  at  my  command.  Yet 
 he  behttingly  softens  the  otherwise  discordant 
 thought  by  not  saying  that  he  could  at  once 
 command  their  presence,  but  that  he  could  ask 
 the  Father  who  would  place  them  at  his  dis- 
 posal. Yea,  tJiis  was  not  only  befitting,  but 
 strictly  in  harmony  with  his  humanity,  which 
 has  its  claim  upon  the  Father's  omnipotence 
 only  through  prayer.  UcxfjaHaXEdai  is  cer- 
 tainly not  "call  to  help  me"  of  itself,  yet  it  is 
 somewhat  stronger  than  asking  simply  ;  and 
 the  ffapacJr^tJt'z,  following  the  request  at  once, 
 strictly  corresponds  to  it.  Finally,  the  note 
 which  belongs  to  the  /  cannot  must  be  under- 
 stood as  either — FJcenyet,  alter  things  have  gone 
 80  far,  if  I  should  resolve  not  to  drink  the  cup; 
 or  probably  better — Now,  that  is,  at  once  upon 
 the  spot.  There  is  little  difference  between  the 
 two;  but  we  should  observe,  that  this  whole 
 reference  to  the  angel-power,  described  in  such 
 lofty  terms,  sprang  solely  out  of  the  contrast 
 
 with  Peter's  sword,  as  a  humbling  condescen- 
 sion to  his  thought  that  foreign  help  was 
 needed.  For  the  Lord  might  have  said  yet, 
 more  expressly — Hast  thou  not  seen  that  I 
 need  only  spenk  to  and  look  at  my  enemies,  and 
 they  fall  ?  Would  they  not  be  obliged  to  obey 
 every  differ  which  my  lips  might  speak? 
 
 Yes,  if  he  had  wiUed  otherwise,  as  he  might. 
 Had  the  legions  come — let  that  with  its  conse- 
 quences be  thought  of.  But — "  in  the  work  of 
 redemption  patience  goes  before  almightines-=," 
 as  an  old  hymn  beautifully  says;  similarly, 
 love  goes  before  wrath.  "  Yea,  for  the  brinu- 
 ing  forth  this  conflict  unto  victory,  the  pure 
 angels  in  heaven  availed  him  nothing;*  not  to 
 say  the  sinful  disciples — for  this  his  sacred  cross 
 alcne  was  sufficient"  (Lange).  The  word  of 
 the  Lord  of  hods  to  Zerubbabel  holds  good,  as 
 well  for  the  foundation  as  for  the  building  of 
 the  true  temple  of  God — This  is  not  by  hosts 
 or  by  power,  even  that  of  the  angels,  but  by 
 my  Spirit,  my  Spirit  willing  for  the  suffering 
 victory  over  the  flesh.  The  angels  must  look 
 on  in  adoring  reverence,  instead  of  drawing 
 their  flaming  swords;  the  patience  of  Christ 
 was  to  be  to  them,  otherwise  than  to  men,  a 
 spectacle  (1  Cor.  iv.  9).  Christ  is  now  con- 
 scious of  their  nearness,  for  one  had  already 
 come  to  his  help  in  the  way. 
 
 Verse  54.  Ovv  is  not  here  lut ;  for  no  an- 
 tithesis was  necessary,  the  decision  was  firm 
 from  the  beginning.  Thus,  How  then  would 
 the  Scriptures  be  fulfilled,  if  I  should  7iow  do 
 so  ?  Of  an  abstract  possibility  of  these  not 
 being  fulfilled  he  had  spoken  again  in  the  pre- 
 vious verse ;  but  as  in  the  soul-conflict  he  had 
 declined  the  absolute  abstract  poirer  of  God,, 
 so  here  his  own.  He  rests  in  the  ^si,  "  must," 
 of  his  holy  willing,  without  constraint,  with 
 the  assent  of  his  full  will.  The  note  of  inter- 
 rogation might  indeed  be  put  before  the  on, 
 so  that  the  tnmt  be  would  constitute  a  new 
 declaration  of  Christ's  submission ;  but,  after 
 all,  the  submission  is  more  perfect  when  we  read 
 the  whole  together,  as  is  more  natural — The 
 Sa'iptitres  in  which  it  is  tcritten  that  thus  it  must 
 be.  Where,  however,  these  Scriptures  express 
 no  specific  will  of  God  that  we  should  suffer,  we 
 may  look  for  defence,  and  it  is  permitted  to  us 
 in  our  degree  to  pray  for  the  protection  of 
 angels. 
 
 *  Their  prerogative  it  will  be  to  bear  the  sword 
 of  God's  pure  wrath  and  judgment,  to  cast  the 
 unprofitable  into  ihe  fire. 
 
SECOND  WORD  TO  THE  MULTITUDE. 
 
 CMatt.  XXVI.  55,  56;  Mark  xiv.  48,  49;  Luke  xxn.  52,  53.) 
 
 He  does  not  even  yet  keep  entire  silence — 
 wliicli  is  the  easier  part  in  human  patience. 
 As  his  hand  had  done  good  to  the  last,  so  he 
 shuts  not  yet  his  mouth,  even  after  his  hands 
 were  bound.  He  stands  in  his  majesty,  retains 
 his  power,  tranquillity,  and  love,  to  speak  yet 
 one  word  more.  They  listened  in  involuntary 
 amazement  to  his  words  concerning  the  sword 
 upon  earth,  and  the  angels  in  heaven,  concern- 
 ing the  Father  and  the  Scriptures.  But,  since 
 he  had  again  renounced  all  defence,  and  sub- 
 mitted with  It  must  he  to  what  had  come  upon 
 him,  they  finally  proceed  to  bind  and  take 
 him  away.  It  might  have  been  while  this  was 
 commencing,  more  but  piobably  as  already 
 bound  and  led  away,  that  he  speaks  the  last 
 words  on  this  occasion  ;  thus  breaking  the  si- 
 lence, and  lightening,  more  than  torches  and 
 lanterns  can  do,  the  darkness  through  which 
 he  goes.  The  "  answered "  of  Mark,  ver.  48 
 (which  certainly  has  nothing  to  do  with  ait  off 
 his  ear,  ver.  47,  but  simply  notes  a  commence- 
 ment, Heb.  ]yv\),  and  the  Jesus  said  of  Luke, 
 
 ver.  52,  leave  the  time  undetermined ;  but 
 Matthew  seems  to  intimate  that  a  little  after- 
 wards, but  still  in  this  hour  of  his  seizure,  our 
 Lord  said  these  words.  What  he  in  them  says 
 to  the  multitudes,  he  is  constrained  to  say — for 
 the  Father's  honor,  that  he  may  be  honored  in 
 the  Son  even  when  men  are  pouring  contempt 
 upon  the  Son;  as  a  te.«timony  to  the  truth, 
 that  they  might  not  think  that  they  took  him 
 with  their  swords,  any  more  than  Peter  should 
 have  supposed  that  with  his  sword  he  could 
 have  defended  him  ;  finally,  in  the  love  with 
 which  he,  perseveringly  teaching  them,  shows 
 them  their  sin,  and  lays  bare  its  self-contradic- 
 tion and  dark  principle. 
 
 Verse  55.  The  protest  against  Peter's  sword 
 still  echoes — There  needs  no  sword  either /(>7" 
 me  or  against  me.  He  feels  in  his  perfect  hu- 
 manity the  indignity  which  is  inflicted  upon 
 him  ;  but  turns  that  at  once  into  a  lamentation 
 and  complaint  over  their  sin,  which  in  that 
 indignity  he  deeply  feels  and  resents.  As 
 against  a  thief  or  a  murderer,  with  whom  my 
 whole  life  tells  you  I  have  nothing  in  common 
 — by  this  protest  he  removes  the  semblance  o! 
 evil  which  Peter  had  cast  upon  him.  The  st((ces 
 he  does  not  disdain  to  mention,  because  they 
 most  strikingly  characterize  the  whole.  We 
 doubt  whether  the  Z|?/AOf  rf  (Luke  I^bXtjXv- 
 OazE  var.  l^rjXOarf)  should  be  made  a  ques- 
 tion ;  since  the  exhibition  of  their  sin  has  the 
 emphasi.«,  and  a  whereftrre  would  seem  wanting, 
 if  it  had  been  a  question.  The  two  indicative 
 clauses  show  expre.«sly  the  contrast  and  contra- 
 diction of  their  conduct — Ye  come  thus  now, 
 but  aforetime  yo  let  me  aloue  peacefully  teach- 
 
 ing  (which  connection  Luke  gives  in  the  ovroi 
 ftov,  whiU  I  was).  2vXAafJsly,  comp,  (5vX- 
 Xafjovrai,  Luke  ver.  54,  6vveXcxfiov,  John 
 ver.  12,  is  the  full  accomplishment  of  the  com- 
 mencing x/jareiv,  the  taking  entirely  into 
 their  power  ;  and  this  expression  says — As  if 
 ye  could  not  take  me  into  your  power  other- 
 wise than  by  swords  and  staves  !  Thus  is  Christ, 
 the  Holy  One  before  God,  in  man's  stead,  and 
 therefore  according  to  and  belbre  God's  coun- 
 sel, reckoned  among  the  transgressors,  and 
 treated  here  at  the  commencement  of  his  suf- 
 ferings like  rebels  against  the  law — and  this 
 must  obviously  befall  him  before  men  also,  and  as 
 his  own  personal  reproach.  He  takes  this  pa- 
 tiently; to  the  condemnation  of  many,  who, 
 being  actually  evil-doers  before  God,  so  that 
 their  misdeed  is  laid  open,  will  not  even  confess 
 this  before  men.  Christ  endureth  the  shame, 
 while  he  calmly  speaks  of  it  as  an  actual  fact. 
 But  he  also  at  the  same  time  protests  against 
 it ;  as  every  guiltless  person  may  do,  in  his  re- 
 lative innocence  and  under  the  same  circum- 
 stances, taking  care,  however,  that  it  be  not, 
 as  with  Joseph's  brethren,  a  punishment  of 
 their  greater  iniquity,  notwithstanding  their  in- 
 nocence touching  the  cup — for  in  such  cases 
 the  humble  confession  should  be  made,  "  We 
 are  not  spies,  but  nevertheless  murderers  of 
 our  brother."  Because  we  are  all  concerned  in 
 having  thrown  into  the  pit  and  put  to  death 
 one  who  is  greater  than  either  Joseph  or  Abel, 
 we  poor  sinners  should  never,  in  the  vindication 
 of  our  innocence  and  honor,  in  our  protests 
 against  indignity  and  unrighteousness,  adopt 
 that  strong  and  absolute  tone  which  becomes 
 none  but  the  Holy  One  of  God. 
 
 His  present  word  is  a  pendant  to  John  viii 
 49.  He  speaks  in  majestic  submission — "  I  an 
 no  evil-doer,  but  I  suffer  myself  to  be  dealt 
 with  as  an  evil-doer."  We  cannot  suppose  the 
 Roman  soldiers  to  have  any  knowledge  of 
 what  he,  Jesus  of  Nazareth,  is  or  is  not ;  it  is 
 therefore  obvious  that  this  second  saying  is 
 specifically  addressed  to  the  Jewish  part  of  the 
 multitude,  to  the  leaders  and  authors  of  this 
 aggression  of  (he  power.* — and  the  following 
 appeal,  /  sat  with  you  daily,  proves  this.  Still 
 more,  Luke  teaches  us  that  high  priests  and 
 elders  were  there  in  person,  as  also  captains  of 
 the  temple.  Schleiermacher,  indeed,  permits 
 himself  such  a  criticism  as  this:  "Probably 
 there  were  no  high  priests  and  elders,  certainly 
 no   chief  captain  of  the   temple,*   present   in 
 
 *  Wlio,  accordinc  to  Josephus,  Ant.  viii.  5,  held 
 high  rank,  immedialely  alter  the  Irch  priest, 
 Acts  V.  24.     But  Luke  does  not  speak  of  him  la 
 
 tlie  siii2u:ar. 
 
MATTHEW  XXVI.  56. 
 
 person — but  this  was  the  conclusion  drawn 
 I'rom  the  words  of  Christ,  by  some  reporter  not 
 well  acquainted  with  the  relations  of  things." 
 But  there  is  no  difficulty  in  the  presence  of 
 these  high  personages,  when  we  remember  the 
 importance  of  the  matter,  and  their  own  deeply- 
 excited  interest.  Unnece.ssary  at  least,  though 
 not  entirely  to  be  rejected,  is  the  explanation 
 of  Ebrard,  that  "come  tqwii  him,"  is  to  be  un- 
 derstood of  the  first  appearance  now  of  those 
 who  had  come  in  stealtliily  afterwards.  This, 
 however,  seems  to  be  at  variance  with  the 
 simple  account  of  the  first  two  Evangelists,  as 
 also  with  the  manner  in  which  our  Lord  speaks 
 of  the  (first)  coming  with  swords  and  staves. 
 This  "  which  were  come  to  him"  is  not  super- 
 fiuous,  even  without  the  assumption  of  their 
 later  coming  ;  it  simply  serves  to  make  more 
 prominent  the  presnce  of  even  these  great  per- 
 sonages. Bengel  makes  another  remark  upon 
 it :  "  The  officers  were  sent,  the  priests  had  come 
 voluntarily."  They  might  very  well  have  thought 
 their  presence  necessary  to  keep  the  peace  and 
 inspire  the  courage  of  the  rest,  to  direct  the 
 miscellaneous  multitude  to  the  execution  of 
 their  own  purpose  ;  besides  which,  it  would  be 
 a  gratification  to  their  hate  and  their  curiosity, 
 to  be  there  when  Jesus  was  finally  taken.  But 
 Luke  gives  the  fact  prominence,  in  order  to  ex- 
 plain the  circumstance  that  the  Lord's  words 
 were  not  directed  to  the  Romans.  They  were 
 not,  indeed,  addressed  to  the  Jewish  officers  as 
 such  ;  for,  "  he  knew  well  that  the  mob  of  the 
 captors  were  only  the  instrument  of  the  oth- 
 ers "  (Pfenninger).  Braune  ;  "  Jesus  knows 
 well  that,  besides  the  Roman  authorities  of  the 
 temple  watch,  there  were  priests  also  who  had 
 stealthily  crept  in  among  the  multitude:  he 
 therefore  brings  to  light  tlie  cowardice  and  the 
 malice  of  the  riders;  for  his  word  refers  to 
 them  particularly,  when  he  says — "This  is 
 your  hour,"  etc. 
 
 Daily :  This  is  a  vivid  and  general  reference 
 to  his  frequent  presence  on  all  occasions  at  the 
 feasts,  since  his  first  coming  to  the  temple ;  but 
 especially  during  the  last  time,  Luke  xix.  47. 
 In  the  temple,  in  the  most  public  of  all  places, 
 where  the  temple  watch  might  time  at  any 
 have  done  their  duty,  if  there  had  been  any 
 thing  dangerous  in  him.  I  was  (or  sat  unin- 
 terruptedly, as  Matt,  gives  it  in  full)  teaching. 
 He  says  nothing  more,  and  this  may  itself 
 stand  against  their  coming  as  against  a  thief;* 
 about  his  miracles,  the  series  of  which  had 
 just  been  marvellously  closed  before  their  eyes, 
 he  says  nothing.  And  ye  took  me  not — Luke, 
 And  ye  stretched  forth  no  hand  against  me 
 (with  violence).  He  thereby  reminds  them 
 of  such  occurrences  and  expressions  of  feelings 
 as  John  vii.  30,  44,  viii.  20;  but  he  still  con- 
 tinues unrebuked  to  teach,  after  they  had  taken 
 him,  and  shows  them  the  internal  contradic- 
 tion of  their  cowardly  dealing,  which  the 
 swords  and  the  staves  rather  reveal  than  con- 
 
 *  Alford  calls- it 
 trast," 
 
 the  greatest  possible   con- 
 
 ceal. For,  as  Lampe  says,  "what  fearfulness 
 this,  for  so  many  armed  men  to  come  out 
 against  one  unarmed  !" 
 
 Verse  56.     The  fourth  time  in  this  chapter 
 of   Matt.  (vers.  24,  31,  54),  such  reference  to 
 the  Scripture!     Again  and  again  he  declares 
 this  one  thing  which,  nevertheless,  Christian 
 theology  perpetually  refuses  to  learn  from  the 
 supreme  Teacher  and  Doctor.     He  holds  firmly 
 to  the  Scripture,  whether  speaking  to  the  ex- 
 asperated Jews,  or  the  docile  disciples  ;  he  puts 
 those  to  shame  in  their  lolly  by  proofs  from 
 Scripture,  and  strengthens  these  in  their  des- 
 pondency  by  its  consolatory   promises.      He 
 appeals  to  Scripture  in  his  vehement  disputa- 
 tion with  men,  as  he  does  in  his  solemn  way  of 
 suffering  to  die  for  them  ;  he  confronts  Satan 
 with — h  is  icritten!  and  prays  to  the  Father — 
 that  the  Scripture  may  be  fulfilled.     The  short- 
 ened clause  in  Mark*  makes  it  plain  that  this 
 appeal  was  not  a  supplement  of  the  Evangelist 
 (•vhich  Bengel  assented  to,  on  account  of  the 
 complete  form  all  this  was  done),  but  the  Lord's 
 own   words  continued.     By  the  yeyoyev  he 
 brings  into  prominence  the  fact  of  the  present 
 beginning  of  the  yEvidOai  of  ver  54  ;  but  in 
 adcling  all  he  includes  all  that  was  yet  to  be  ; 
 for  the  lunir  of  which  he  speaks  already  in- 
 cludes the  whole  Passion.     If  it  were  not  for 
 this  restricting  reference,  we  might  assume  a 
 comprehensive  glance  backward  to  all  the  op- 
 position and  unbelief  which  had  prepared  the 
 way  for  his  being  seized  unto  death — All  this 
 must  have  so  come  to  pass.     That,  however,  is 
 rather  in  the  was  done  than  in  all  this.     Let 
 the  plural  the  Scriptures  be  carefully  noted  (in 
 Mark  yet  more  emphatic,  as  without  tlie  pro- 
 pheis),  the  force  of   which,  as  confirming  and 
 establishing  every  part  of  the  canon,  we  have 
 already  pointed  out,  in  John  v.  39.     Here  they 
 are  especially  the  cpoovai  rwv  7cpo(p7/roov,  the 
 voic&iof  the  prophets,  which  the  rulers  knew  not^ 
 which  predict  in  manifold  unison  the  suffer- 
 ings of  the  Messiah,  Acts  xiii.  27.      Bengel 
 well    says — Passio,    conflncns    coniplemeniorurri, 
 (The  Passion,  the  confluence  of  fulfillments). 
 This  word,  spoken  in  the  face  of  his  enemies, 
 and  which  by  its  yeyovEv  embraces  and  ac- 
 cepts all  that  was  written  concerning  him,  is  the 
 strongest  expression  of  his  resolution,  not  with- 
 out a  glance  beyond  the  whole  into  the  It  is 
 finitfhed  of  his  victory.     For  in  this  factum  est 
 he  utters  his  fixit  to  all  that  the  hands  of  sin- 
 ners shall   do  unto  him — according   to   their 
 thought,  whatsoever  they  listed  (Matt.  xvii.  12) ; 
 yet  only  that  the  Scriptures  miglit  be  fulfilled. 
 This  glance  into  the  Scriptures  had  been  ob- 
 scured to  him  before. 
 
 Luke,  ver.  53,  instead  of  this  reference  to  the 
 Scripture,  adds  another  word  of  the  same  mean- 
 ing. His  own  hour  thus  come — and  his  Fa- 
 ther's— he  calls  now  in  another  aspect  their 
 hour.  The  divine  permission  and  appointment 
 lies  already  in  the /w«;'of  itself  (Erasmus:  Hora 
 ilia  vestra)  ;  but  in  the  your  which  precedes  it 
 
 *  Ellipsis,  as  John  xv.  25. 
 
60i 
 
 FIRSr  EXAMINATION  BEFORE  ANNAS. 
 
 is  given  to  them  as  the  hour  which  was  so  wel- 
 come to  tlieir  wicked  minds,  so  long  wished  for 
 on  their  part.  The  double  7)  will  not  allow  us 
 to  combine  the  two  clauses,  "  this  of  yonrs  is 
 the  hour  and  power  of  darkness ;  "  still  less 
 can  we  take  the  nai  epexegetically,  and  reduce 
 the  darkness  to  the  black  sin  of  these  men — 
 "the  hour  of  nic:ht  in  which  your  sins  have 
 their  power."*  But  the  Lord  plainly  distin- 
 guishes the  Satanic  from  the  human,  while  he 
 ucscribes  both  as  united  against  him.  Now 
 comes  upon  him  the  power  of  darkness  from 
 without,  as  before  from  within.  This  phrase 
 (to  which  even  Matt.  xxii.  13  points,  comp.  2 
 Peter  ii.  17,  and  Jude  13)  was  derived  from 
 the  ancient  prophets,  and  is  firmly  fixed  in  the 
 New  Testament,  see  John  iii.  19;  Acts  xxvi. 
 18;  2  Cor.  vi.  U  ;  Eph.  vi.  12  ;  Col.  i.  13  (in 
 this  last  passage  also  with  ti.ov6ia).  Ihepower 
 Las  as  it  were  an  ironical  connnection  with  the 
 your — Ye  have  power  over  me,  so  far  as  and 
 because  Satan  has  power  over  you  ;  and  he  has 
 power  over  me  only  through  yon.  Thus  these 
 men  are  the  instruments  of  the  devil  ;  the  devil 
 is  an  instrument  of  the  divine  purpose  in  order 
 to  this  great,  long-predicted  liour  of  redeeming 
 eufiennir  for  the  salvation  of  the  world.     But, 
 
 as  these  men  gave  themselves  up  by  their  own 
 will,  according  to  their  own  wisli,  to  the  ser- 
 vice  of  the  devil,  there  can  be  no  excuse  for 
 them  here  as  "  blinded,"  least  of  all  for  the 
 leaders,  to  whom  therefore  Luke  has  specially 
 referred  this  your*  Finally,  darkness  here  has 
 some  allusion  to  the  external  night  in  which 
 they  had  come  (as  in  John  iii.  20,  21,  see  our 
 exposition)  :  I  have  sat  with  you  daily,  ye 
 came  upon  me  as  cowards  in  the  nighl — for  a 
 witness  that  the  power  and  courage  which  ye 
 have  come  only  from  him  who  has  and  exercises 
 his  power  pre-eminently  in  the  darkness,  both 
 external  and  internal.  li.  is  quite  scriptural  that 
 the  devil  possesses  especial  power  by  night; 
 for  in  the  creation  at  the  beginning  and  in  its 
 present  ruined  state  there  is  a  profound  con- 
 nection established  between  the  material  and 
 the  spiritual.  At  dawn  of  day  Christ  rose  ;  at 
 mid-day  he  ascended  to  heaven  ;  in  the  even- 
 ing he  died;  at  midnight  he  was  fallen  upon  by 
 the  power  of  Satan,  and  taken.  But  the  light 
 of  his  word  shines  brightly  into  this  darkness, 
 and  then  he  lollows  tne  multitudes,  given  up 
 to  the  hands  of  sinners.  What  these  did  to 
 him  soon  follows. 
 
 PRELIMINARY  EXAMINATION  BEFORE  ANNAS. 
 
 (John  xviii.  20,  21,  23.) 
 
 In  assuming  that  the  "high  priest"  with 
 ■whom  the  Lord  Jesus  here  speaks  was  Annas, 
 we  have  many  very  important  authorities 
 against  us;t  but  we  have  on  our  side  many 
 others,  among  whom  we  may  mention  Chrysos- 
 tom,  Augustine,  Euthymius,  among  the  an- 
 cients; Olshausen,  B.-Crusius,  Ebrani,  Wieseler, 
 Hase,  Neander,  Lange,  Hess,  Von  ileyer.  Von 
 Gerlach,  Luthardt,  among  the  moderns.  There 
 is  too  difficulty  in  the  circumstance  that  Annas 
 (in  Josephus,  Ananus)  is  also  called  high  2>riest, 
 lor  it  is  well  known  that  several  high  priests 
 occur  in  the  New  Testament — As  many  as 
 were  of  the  kindred  of  the  high  priest,  Acts  iv. 
 6.  Annas  had  been  high  priest,  and  it  is  prob- 
 able that  the  vlri  pontijicii  retained  that  title. 
 Still  more,  the  displaced  Ananus  must  have 
 been  a  man  of  special  consideration  and  great 
 influence,  since  his  son  and  now  his  son-ia-laio 
 held  the  office  after  him. J  There  was,  indeed, 
 a  specific  relation  between  them,  according  to 
 
 ♦  Jacobi :  "  When  ye,  under  the  inotection  of 
 the  dark  iii^jht.  atcomplJbh  the  wicked  purpot.es  of 
 your  darkened  hearts." 
 
 \  Luthpr,  Grotius,  Bensel,  Limpe,  Tholuck, 
 LUi^^ke,  De  Weilo,  and  Klin2,  Amonir  prr.ctical 
 expositors  stand  on  this  side,  e.  g.  Plennincer, 
 Rieger,  and  othi-is,  from  the  Jin-knb.  Ihlel  down 
 to  Braune.     So  albo  Sepp  and  Friediieb. 
 
 ■j  Later  even  the  remaining  loi^r  of  his  five  sons 
 
 which  in  Luke  iii.  2  he  is  mentioned  in  connec- 
 tion with  Caiaphas;  but  nothin<r  certain  can  be 
 said  concerning  that  relation.  Whether  he  was, 
 according  to  Lightfoot,  the  representative,  |JD, 
 
 or,  according  to  Selden,and  Wieseler,  the  pres- 
 ident of  the  Sanhedrim,  N'p'J  (which  was  not, 
 
 however,  essentially  connected  with  the  high- 
 priesthood) ;  or  whether,  according  to  Hug,  he 
 vearly  alternated  with  Caiaphas  in  the  ofiice, 
 from  Passover  to  Passover — which  Friediieb 
 would  make  probable  from  the  circumstance 
 that  immediately  after  the  Passover,  Acts  iv. 
 6,  Annas  is  mentioned  again  as  high  priest  le- 
 /o?-e  Caiaphas  :  suffice  it  that  he  was  in  somo 
 way  an  important  person  among  the  high 
 priests,  in  a  wider  sense,  who  were  then  exist- 
 ing. The  relation  whicli  Lange  suggests,  that 
 the  Jews,  tliat  is,  those  who  now  led  Jesus, 
 "  regarded  Annas  as  their  proper  high  priest, 
 while  Caiaphas  was  necessarily  accepted  as  the 
 high  priest  of  the  year,"  might  be  received  as 
 very    plausible,   since   Annas,  as    Sepp    says 
 
 together ;  lience  he  was  esteemed  liishlv  for.u- 
 na.e,  to  have  liad  such  aa  unpar.iilelcd  honor. 
 
 "  Acts  iii.  17  does  not  contradict  this,  for  the 
 (Jdne,j  Mai  helonas  only  to  ilie  irrpd^Lxre,  not 
 to  the  Hard  ayvoiav.  The  others  did  iijuorant- 
 ly  what  tlieir  rulers  did  knowingly,  le.-d.iijj  them 
 uu,     fcJee  my  Reden  dcr  Aposttl,  i,  84,  85. 
 
JOHN  XV ill.  20,  21,  23. 
 
 605- 
 
 (though  he  regards  ihe  examination  to  have 
 been  before  Caiaphas),  was  the  mainspring  of 
 the  proceedings  of  this  night,  still  holding  the 
 rule  {de  fire  or  de  facto),  and  "  since  the  troubles 
 of  the  time  had  removed  him  from  the  chief 
 seat,  he  had  only  placed  his  son-in-law  in  the 
 foreground,  that  he  might  guide  all  things 
 through  him."  But,  it  may  be  said  on  the 
 other  side,  if  John  here,  vers.  13,  15,  16,  ex- 
 pressly terms  Caiaphas  the  high  priest,  vers.  19 
 and  22  must  in  this  connection  have  the  same 
 meaning.  This  argument  does  not  appear  to 
 us  insuperable  ;  for,  by  the  "high  priest  of  that 
 year,"*  Caiaphas  is  really  dlstlnguiahcd  from  the 
 other  high  priests,  and  not  designated  the  high 
 priest  as  such.  Therefore  the  expression  "  the 
 high  priest"  in  ver.  19,  as  referring  to  Annas, 
 is  not  inexplicable;  nor  is  it  so  even  in  the 
 mouth  of  the  officer,  ver.  22,  for  this  title  was 
 used  in  common. 
 
 But,  Tholuck  says,  the  mention  of  that  cir- 
 cumstance in  ver.  14  would  have  significance 
 only  on  the  assumption  that  it  was  Caiaphas 
 who  appointed  the  examination — as  being  an 
 intimation  of  the  Evangelist  of  the  kind  of 
 hands  in  which  the  tord's  judgment  was 
 placed.  But  we  think,  on  the  other  hand, 
 that  the  examination,  with  regard  to  which 
 John  points  to  tho  prejudiced  determination, 
 cannot  on  that  very  account  be  this  one,  which 
 follows  with  a  rather  unofficial  i;poorri6e.  (So 
 De  Wette's  editor  Bruckner  finds  in  the  aslcing 
 concerning  not  so  much  a  judicial  examination 
 as  a  general  questioning.)  The  decisive  exam- 
 ination bfe.'"ore  Caiaphas  is  introduced  in  ver. 
 24,  that  is,  as  pre-supposed  according  to  the 
 synoptical  tradition  ;  to  this  ver.  34  inay  refer, 
 and  at  the  same  time  introduce  the  parenthesis 
 of  vers.  19-23  by  intimating  that  Annas  would 
 pave  the  way  for  his  son-in-law  by  these  in- 
 sidious questions.  Is  not  this  a  connection 
 equally  probable  ? 
 
 The  great  difficulty  which  a  compari^'on  of 
 the  Synoptics  introduces  as  to  the  locality  of 
 the  denial,  becomes  very  slight,  when,  impelled 
 by  otlier  considerations,  we  refer  vers.  19-23  to 
 Annas,  and  complete  the  whole  accordingly. 
 The  dwelling  of  Annas  did  not  lie  merely  in 
 the  way  to  Caiaphas  (as  Augustine  supposed), 
 but  it  was  the  same  great  building,  a  common 
 high-priestly  palace,  occupied  by  the  father-in- 
 law  and  son-in-law  together.  So  it  was  un- 
 deistood  by  Euthymius ;  and  Lange  (consist- 
 ently with  the  view  we  have  quoted.)  says, 
 "  They  had  probably  so  arranged  their  relations 
 in  the  dwelling  that  this  double-dealing  of  the 
 Jews  as  respects  their  high  priests  fell  as 
 little  as  possible  under  observation."  We 
 agree  with  Von  Gerlach,  that  "  John  manifest- 
 ly pre-supposes  this  relation  of  one  to  the 
 other  in  the  same  house,  as  well  known."  Al- 
 ford  agrees  that  all  arguments  to  the  contrary 
 
 *  This  is  meant  as  in  chap.  xi.  49,  with  iron- 
 ical allusion  to  t  le  frequent  chance  at  that  tinip, 
 .15  also  w,th  reference  to  the  decisive  year  of  the 
 Passion. 
 
 admit  of  a  good  answer.  Luthardt  terms  our 
 view  "  too  problematical ;"  but  certainly  it  is 
 not,  as  Briicknpr  says,  "  without  any  ground 
 whatever."  We  protest  altogether  against 
 Liicke's  peremptory  sentence,  "  John  gives  it 
 to  be  understood,  iri  ver.  24,  that  the  two  high 
 priests  dwelt  in  different  parts  of  the  town  I  " 
 How  is  this  to  be  deduced  from  sent  him? 
 Rather,  when  we  read  this  supplementary 
 Gospel  in  the  light  of  all  that  it  pre-supposes, 
 John  gives  us  to  understand,  by  the  accompa- 
 nying account  of  Peter's  denial  in  the  same 
 place  which  the  Synoptics  describe  as  the  pal- 
 ace of  Caiaphas,  that  ver.  24  does  not  refer  to 
 any  sending  to  another  part  of  the  city,  or 
 even  to  another  palace.  Nor  must  it  be  for- 
 gotten, in  considering  this  question,  how  im- 
 proper and  therefore  how  improbable  is  any 
 nol-absolutely-necessary  leading  of  our  Lord 
 through  the  open  city — now,  when  for  a  while 
 the  utmost  secrecy  was  desired. 
 
 We  assert  positively,  with  Olshausen,  that 
 apart  from  the  Synoptics  no  man  could  read 
 John's  account  without  assuming  that  Annas 
 is  meant  in  ver.  19.  Why  was  the  isolated 
 notice  given  in  ver.  13  that  he  v/as  led  first  to 
 Annas,  if  nothing  more  is  to  be  said  about  it  ? 
 Is  it  not  plain  that  ver.  19  by  the  therefore  at- 
 taches itself  to  ver.  13,  and  means  a  higli  priest 
 to  tcJiom  Christ,  as  had  been  said  was  sent,  but  cer- 
 tainly not  Caiaphas  to  whom  Christ  comes  first 
 in  ver.  24  (with  a  second  therefore).  This  ver.  24 
 chses  the  scene,  and  tells  us  what  the  apxispevi 
 Annas  did  after  this  his  own  examination  or 
 questioning.  If  we  read  the  whole  simply, 
 without  reference  to  harmonies,  how  strange 
 must  John's  narrative  appear,  on  tho  supposi- 
 tion that  heomits  at  vers.  13,  14  the  sending  on 
 to  Caiaphas,'"'  then  immediately  puts  in  what 
 passed  with  Caiaphas,  and  not  till  then  brings 
 in  what  had  been  omitted  before — that  Christ 
 had  been  sent  forward  to  Caiaphas.f  Finally, 
 what  is  the  meaning  of  ver.  24  in  its  place,  if 
 it  is  not  the  continuation  of  the  account  of  the 
 result  of  the  conversation  just  held?  That 
 dntdreiXEv,"  s,eni,"  should  be  taken  in  the 
 pluperfect  sense  (as  Matt.  xiv.  3,  tdt/dsv,  and 
 often  in  the  N.  T.  as  in  classic  writers)  is  not 
 open  to  any  grammatical  objection,  and  is  neces- 
 sary of  course,  if  Caiaphas  had  been  the  previous 
 
 *  For  Cengel  says  without  reason  :  "  John  had 
 indicated  in  ver.  15  by  the  verb  6vvEi6r'>X0F., 
 and  by  the  frequent  repetition  of  the  name  hi(/h 
 priest,  that  Jesus  had  been  led  from  Annas  to 
 Caiaphas." 
 
 I  That  tlipn  ver.  24  would  alto:;ether  belong  to 
 vers.  13,  14,  was  felt  by  Cyiil,  who  therefoio 
 interposed  at  that  point  somethinj  of  tho  kind, 
 although  he  was  obligetl  to  leave  ver,  21  as  a  repe- 
 tition. Whether  he  .so  read  it.  is  a  question  :  tlie 
 single  Codex  22-5  and  the  Philox.  margin  signify 
 but,  little.  But  all  tliese  forced  contrivances  and 
 variations  (though  Luther,  Erasmus,  Bezi  ac- 
 cepted them)  are  themselves  j-trong  ev.deiice  of 
 
 I  the  meaning  of  ver.  24  in  the  place  which  t.  surely 
 
 I  holds. 
 
606 
 
 FIRST  EXAMINATION  BEFORE  ANNAS. 
 
 questioner  ;*  but  in  this  cmnection  it  is  one  of 
 
 the  greatest  dJIliculties  of  tlie  opinion  which  we 
 contend  agiinst.  Setting  out  with  such  an  as- 
 sumption, a  ds  or  xai  or  tf  has  been  added: 
 but  the  simple  reading  ovv  rests  on  good 
 grounds;  an.l  this,  especially  in  comparison 
 with  vers.  12,  16,  17,  19,  decides  most  uncon- 
 ditionally for  the  historical  continuation  of  the 
 word  6ent.  The  pluperfect  sense  in  this  place 
 has  been  further  rendered  palatable  by  laying 
 the  emphasis  upon  the  boJind  and  not  upon  the 
 sent;  "John  would  leave  it  to  his  readers  to 
 draw  the  conclusion  as  to  why  the  treatment 
 of  the  servant  was  so  bold — He  struck  Jesus 
 hound."  But  this  will  not  suit,  for  it  intro- 
 duces the  notion  that  John,  or  at  least  the  ser- 
 vant, had  thought  of  some  possible  defence  of 
 iuniself  on  the  part  of  Jesus — "  because  Jesus 
 could  not  put  forth  the  slightest  protection  for 
 his  own  person."  Grotius,  laying'the  emphasis 
 also  upon  the  hound,  is  still  more  forced  : 
 "  John  being  about  to  relate  the  second  fall 
 of  Peter,  gives  beforehand  the  reason,  because 
 Peter  now  saw  Jesus  remaining  bound."  The 
 only  unforced  solution  of  the  whole  is  to  read 
 in  ver.  13  that  Jesus  was  led  before  Annas, 
 the  father-in-law  of  the  high  priest  of  r/i^  year 
 (and  known  by  the  name  of  high  priest  him- 
 self)— then  in  ver.  19  to  hear  what  passed  be- 
 fore this  "  high  priest,"  Annas — then  to  regard 
 ver.  24  as  the  conclusion  :  And  thereupon  An- 
 nas sent  him  bound  again — with  which  it 
 ended  As  Lange  says,  "  His  sending  him 
 forward  bound  as  he  had  received  him  was  to 
 Caiaphas  a  plain  sign,  that  the  concerted  doom 
 was  to  continue  unchanged."  The  exami- 
 nation before  Caiaphas  is  taken  for  granted  as 
 known,  and  passed  over ;  for  John  relates 
 throu:zhout  chap,  xviii.  only  supplementary 
 matter,  almost  entirely  difl'erent  from  what 
 had  been  recorded  before.  New  reason  tiiis 
 for  our  view  I  1/  John  designed  to  record  the 
 examination  before  Caiaphas  and  the  Sanhe- 
 drim, he  could  not,  we  think,  have  broken  off 
 with  this  alter-thought  of  an  introduction  to  it, 
 and  passed  over  the  solemn  and  momentous 
 critical  confession,  lam  the  Son  of  God!  John 
 least  of  all.  But  we  cannot  connect  with  this 
 asking  of  the  high  priest  any  thing  like  a 
 solemn  assembly,  nor  can  we  imagine  such  an 
 unofiicial  asking  and  answering  to  have  been 
 followed  by  an  immediate  production  of  false 
 witness,  and  the  condemnation  to  death.  The 
 one  scene  does  not  pass  harmoniously  into  the 
 other,  as  taking  place  at  one  time;  and  the 
 most  decisive  reason  for  the  conversation  with 
 Annas  is  the  manner  in  which  Christ  answers, 
 quite  different  as  it  is  from  his  demeanor  at 
 the  proper  legitimate  examination.  But  this 
 will  be  more  fully  seen  in  our  exposition. 
 
 According  to  the  desire  of  his  enemies,  the 
 death  of  Jesus   was  to  be,  either  on  the  one 
 
 *  Not  only  our  own  Berlenh.  Bebel,  Benfjel,  Ds 
 Wettp,  Viin  Ess,  Kisteniaker,  and  Gossner  so 
 translate,  but  alas !  also  Ihe  English  and  D;;tcli 
 liibles — II  id  fieut,  him — lladdo  hem  gesoudou. 
 
 hand,  secretly  and  with  cunning ;  or,  on  the 
 other,  in  their  rash  wrath — violently,  and  on 
 the  spot.  But  it  was  already  written  in  God's 
 decree,  "under  Pontius  Pilate,"  that  is,  by 
 public  condemnation.  To  that  end  it  was  or- 
 dained that  no  other  charge  of  guilt  should  be 
 brought  against  Jesus  than  that  one,  that  he 
 called  hiniself  the  Son  of  God  and  the  king  of 
 Israel.  For  that  alone  should  the  Lord  die ; 
 every  attempt  to  fasten  upon  him  even  the  ap- 
 pearance of  any  other  guilt,  he  determined  pru- 
 dently and  persistently  to  bring  to  naught. 
 This  explains  his  whole  deportment  from  the 
 time  that  he  was  taken  :  hi.s  speaking  and  his 
 silence,  his  answers  after  this  or  that  manner 
 according  to  circumstances.  No  such  impru- 
 dence was  possible  on  his  part  as  would  involve 
 him  in  any  thing  which  would  disturb  or  inter- 
 fere with  this  conftssing  character  of  his  death 
 of  martyrdom  in  the  highest  sense.  He  himself 
 expressly  took  care  to  lead  the  way  to  that 
 decisive  crisis  of  avowal  before  Caiaphas.  That 
 hefore  Ca/rt^-^as  the  great  decision  followed,  John 
 sufficiently  signifies  to  his  readers  in  ver.  24; 
 in  order  that  he  may  then,  in  ver.  28,  be  able 
 to  proceed  from  Ca-aphns  into  the  Gentile  Pr.-B- 
 torium.  Thus  the  beginning  of  the  examination, 
 which  he  plainly  describes  is  only  preparatory, 
 corresponds  altogether  with  the  position  of 
 Annas  and  all  the  circumstances.  They  bound 
 Jesus  and  led  him  away  ;  we  might  have  ex- 
 pected to  read — into  jn-isim.  Oh,  no;  the  hour 
 of  darkness  must  be  used,  there  must  be  this 
 same  night  some  appearance  of  justice  done, 
 that  they  may  be  able  to  approach  Pilate  early 
 enough  for  the  confirmation  of  the  sentence. 
 All  is  wakeful,  intense,  ready,  eager — but  a 
 perfect  session  of  the  Sanhedrim  cannot  be  ar- 
 ranged at  once,  notwithstanding  that  certain 
 high  priests  and  elders  were  present  with  the 
 multitude.  According  to  Matt.  xxvi.  57,  Mark 
 xiv.  53,  Luke  xxii.  54,  they  led  Jesus  from  Geth- 
 semane  at  once  to  Caiaphas,  to  the  house  of  the 
 high  priest — though  there  is  some  difference 
 between  the  xai  dvyefixovrai  of  ]\Iark  and 
 the  cTtov  6vyijx07)6ay  of  Matt.  John's  "  to 
 Annas /Zr.st"*  is  quite  consistent  with  this,  if 
 we  regard  the  two  high  priests  as  occupying 
 different  wings  of  the  same  palace.  It  was 
 partly  to  pay  court  to  the  influential  personage, 
 who,  though  he  held  not  the  office,  exercised 
 the  power;  and  partly,  as  one  may  well  sup- 
 pose, to  give  him  the  joy  of  beholding  bound 
 him  whom  he  hated.  All  this  might,  indeed, 
 have  been  concerted  between  Caiaphas  and 
 Annas,  so  that  the  latter  should  make  a  begin- 
 ning, while  the  official  sitting  was  prepared  for. 
 Annas  would,  first,  indulge  his  curio-ity,  and 
 so  far  Christ  stands  before  him  almost  like  Paul 
 before  Agrippa,  Acts  xxv.  22.  But  only  al- 
 most;  for,  Agrippa  would  Amr,  but  Annas  only 
 auks,  for  mockery  and  humiliation.     He  would 
 
 *  We  must  not  therefore,  with  Olshausen,  as- 
 sume a  chinge  of  the  place  in  ihe  Synoptics, 
 which  Jolin  cenly  corrected.  All  is  in  perfect 
 order  and  harmony. 
 
JOHN  XVIII.  20,  21,  23. 
 
 607 
 
 secondly,  have  his  pleasure  in  seeing  Jesus 
 bound— though  not  to  put  it  so  strongly  as 
 Plenninger  does,  with  his  contrast  ol  Simeon — 
 "  Then  1  should  be  willing  to  die,  if  I  could 
 only  see  him  with  abased  head  and  bound  hands 
 standing  before  me."  He  would,  finally— and 
 this  is  most  plainly  set  before  our  eyes— under 
 the  guise  of  a  private  colloquy  preliminarily 
 aotind  the  man,  against  whom  they  never  felt 
 themselves  confident  and  bold,  in  order  to  see 
 how  he  would  demean  himself,  and  in  what 
 Nvay  they  n^.ight  best  proceed  with  him.  He 
 questions  him  "probably  to  extract  from  him 
 some  expressions  which  might  afterwards  be 
 used  as  testimony  or  matter  of  charge."  We 
 think  that  this  preliminary  hearing  prepared 
 the  way  and  regulated  the  questions  for  that 
 v;hich  'ibllowed ;  but  not  that  it  was  itself  a 
 perfect  and  official  examination.  They  were 
 ■persona]  questions,  coming  from  this  person  very 
 much  like  inquisitorial  questions;  but  they 
 were  put  under  the  semblance  of  a  conversa- 
 tion. We  are  convinced  that  Jesus  would  not 
 thus  have  repelled  and  personally  reproved  the 
 high  priest  before  the  assembled  council.  1/ 
 the  official  judge  had  applied  to  him  only  ques- 
 tions, lie  would  have  stood  before  him  ready  to 
 give  every  respectful  answer  ;  but  they  knew 
 this,  and  there  began  at  once  with  false  testi- 
 mony. He  therefore  kept  silence  altogether. 
 We  find  the  most  measured  difference  in  the 
 deportment  of  our  Lord  throughout  the  four 
 examinations.  Before  Caiaphas  and  the  council, 
 where  the  miserable  lalse  witness  so  carefully 
 sought  was  brought  against  him,  he  keeps 
 silence,  respectfully  and  with  dignity  sparing 
 them,  until  he  is  adjured.  Before  Herod  and 
 his  thoughtless  court  nothing  can  move  him 
 from  his  deep  silence.  Before  Annas,  who  puts 
 liis  questions  half  privately  and  half  officially, 
 he  expresses  himself  in  part  with  dignified  re- 
 jmhion,  in  part  by  a  convicting  counter-question 
 of  which  he  thought  him  worthy,  applying 
 himself,  in  this  like  Paul  before  Agrippa,  to  liis 
 conscience.  Finally,  before  Pilate,  he  enters 
 at  once  graciously,  as  we  shall  see,  into  a  re- 
 moval of  misunderstanding,  and  a  testin.ony 
 for  the  truth.  Now  let  it  be  asked,  whether 
 this  will  agree  with  the  Lord's  speaking  in  John 
 before  Caiaphas. 
 
 Thus  with  equal  boldness  and  gentleness — 
 more  properly,  as  sublimely  as  humUy — he 
 speaks,  for  a  pattern  to  us  in  all  circumstances 
 in  which  we  are  subjected  to  examination  and 
 defence.  When  our  htanility  is  spoken  of, 
 that  is  itself  no  other  than  an  humble  conde- 
 scension of  the  word  of  God— for  is  there  any 
 thing  high  or  lofty  in  us?  Again  Jtsus  speaks 
 only  in  condescension,  and  in  our  likeness,  of 
 h\s  med-ness — for  can  he  be  other  than  gentle 
 in  mind,  even  in  the  midst  of  his  zeal?  Has 
 hp  bitter  wrath  in  his  heart?  All  the  meekness 
 of  the  Lord  is  fundamentally  itself  only  his  deep 
 and  absolute  humility,  in  which  he  renounces 
 the  judgement,  and  gives  up  his  prerogative 
 uud  his  jiowei:  — 
 Annas  asked  Jesus  of  his  disci^ples  and  of  his 
 
 doctrine.  Probably,  as  John  relates,  in  these 
 two  words,  thus  apparently  impartial,  but  in 
 the  background  malevolent  enough.  Luthanlt 
 rightly  terms  it  a  captious  and  inquisitorial 
 question.  About  h\?,' tnork,  whether  gooa  or 
 bad,  of  his  deeds  and  miracles,  nothing  is  said 
 either  in  mockery  or  earnest,  as  in  the  case  ot 
 Herod.  But  the  disciples  are  mentioned  as  his 
 dependents,  his  followers,  his  party,  his  sworn 
 confederates — the  doctrine  is  inquired  into  as 
 novelty,  heresy,  dangerous  misleading  error; 
 Doth  together  pointing  to  the  two  main  charges 
 which  "afterwards  were  urged — insurrection 
 against  the  Koman  power,  error  or  blasphemy 
 before  the  Jewish.  Suspicious  reference  is  made 
 to  tlie  crowds  which  surrounded  him  on  his  en- 
 trance into  the  city;  and  ironical  allusion  to 
 the  confidential  ones  who  had  now  fled  from 
 him  and  left  him  alone.  Where  then  are  thy 
 disciples?  How  many  and  whom  hast  thou 
 now  in  reality?  and  what  was  thy  design  with 
 them?  Wherefore  didst  thou  gather  these 
 around  thee?  For,  that  the  disciples  are  men- 
 tioned ^/i/'s/,  before  the  doctrine,  expresses  the 
 malevolent  character  of  the  questioning  plainly 
 enough.  But  Christ  reverses  the  order,  and 
 answers  first,  as  was  right,  concerning  the  doc- 
 trine. Lampe  thinks,  however,  that  the  point 
 about  the  disciples  was  left  out  of  view;  and 
 similarly  Bengel:  "He  replies  concerning  his 
 doctrine,  concerning  his  disciples  there  was  no 
 need."  Some  truth  there  may  be  in  this,  as 
 Earabach  has  explained  the  Lord's  silence  upon 
 the  former  part  of  the  question:  "Because  llie 
 lords  of  the  high  council  were  to  receive  af  (  r 
 the  ascension  an  answer  of  fact  as  to  t'lis  point ; 
 the  disciples  would  give  them  enough  to  do." 
 But  we  shall  see  that  in  ver.  21  there  is  actually 
 an  indirect  answer,  so  much  as  was  now  in 
 place,  concerning  the assetnbling of  disci]}les around 
 him. 
 
 The  Lord  at  the  outset  replies  as  in  Geth- 
 seinane,  when  he  had  put  to  shame  the  higfi 
 priests  and  elders  in  their  secret  dealing  with 
 him — he  points  with  dignity  to  the  publicity  of 
 his  cause",  which  then  as  now  men  were  too 
 much  disposed  to  regard  as  a  thing  of  a  corner 
 (Acts  xxvi.  26),  and'  to  vilify  with  the  vitium 
 clandestinilatis  (as  the  canonical  law  says). 
 During  three  years  he  had,  as  openly  and  pub- 
 licly as  might  be,  taught  and  lived;  many 
 thousands  throughout  the  land  had  seen  him 
 — and  now  he  must  gi'-e  account  as  of  a  secret 
 matter!  On  ncxfjfjTjoia  see  what  was  said  on 
 chap.  vii.  4.  Instead  of  kXaXijtja  we  should 
 probably  read  XeXaXtfua,  but  the  difference  is 
 only  slight.  jTgj  Hodjucp  is  equivalent  to  £ii 
 roy  Hudjicov,  chap.  viii.  26;  it  is  the  language 
 of  utmost  compreaension — to  and  for  every  one 
 without  distinction.  Here  as  there  the  under- 
 tone refers  to  his  position  with  regard  to  tlie 
 sinful  world,  to  which  his  sacred  'Ayaa,  as  tlie 
 Sent  of  God,  must  speak  and  testify;  but  this 
 must  not  be  pressed  too  rigorously — "to  the 
 children  of  this  world."  It  is  rather  the  fiisL 
 description  of  the  universality  and  publicity  uf 
 his  tptaking,  as  belonging  to  openly,  itafjpipLcL, 
 
608 
 
 FIRST  EXAMINATION  BEFORE  ANNAS. 
 
 like  chap.  vii.  4.  It  is  with  strict  piopripty 
 that  he  does  not  s.iy  to  the  muUdudex.  ILs 
 preaching  to  the  crowds  in  the  street  was  the 
 necessary  expression  of  his  universal  constraint 
 of  love,  and  at  the  same  time  of  the  most  pub- 
 lic universality  of  his  teaching;  but  in  every 
 ox^oZ  (or  Sr/noi)  to  which  he  turns  and  dedi- 
 ratf-s  his  words,  he  sees  only  the  loorid  to  which 
 his  Father  had  sent  him.  Now  first,  when  he 
 admits  that  his  !qiealcin(j  was  also  a  leaching,  he 
 heightens  ti;at  former  word  by  mentioning  the 
 ifch/jol  and  the  temple*  Even  if  we  read  vr, 
 evvayoay-^,  it  must  be  understood  of  the 
 school  or  synagogue  of  the  place  where  he  might 
 be;  but  the  reading  without  the  article  in  dis- 
 tinction from  the  temple  is  more  definite  in  its 
 distributive  signification.  The  Jieightening  of 
 his  meaning  is  in  this,  that  he  had  not  only 
 spoken  in  the  open  air  to  any  one  who  was 
 there  and  would  hear  (thus  rcj  xcCuap  is  of  the 
 flace),'\  but  as  a  teacher  he  had  not  shunned 
 the  legitimate  and  ecclesiastically-appointed 
 place.  He  had  used  his  Israelii ish  prerogative, 
 and  had  dono  what  was  his  duty  ;  he  was  not 
 a  preacher  in  corners,  or  a  separatist;  and  in 
 this  he  is  an  example  to  his  followers,  for  it  is 
 right  even  in  times  of  decline  to  honor  the  or- 
 dinances and  institutions  of  God.  //aVrort-is 
 of  course  not  to  be  understood  literally  ;  either, 
 with  Glassius,  very  frcqueatly  ;  or,  still  better, 
 As  often  as  I  was  tha-e,  as  often  as  I  had  oppor- 
 tunity, so  that  the  contrast  with  a  timid  secrecy 
 is  maintained, i  Finally,  in  the  last  clause  he 
 describes  his  cause  and  his  doctrine  as  properly 
 natimal,  for  all  the  Jews.  There  is  in  the  back- 
 ground of  both  question  and  answer,  though 
 the  Lord  discreetly  puts  it  not  in  words,  the 
 meaning  that  the  main  point  of  his  teaching 
 was  the  testimony  to  himself  as  the  Messiah — 
 Thus  where  all  the  Jews  as  Jews  assemble  in 
 their  national  religion  to  worship  God,  tliere  I 
 have  testified,  ihat  which  applies  to  all  the 
 Jews,  that  these  aU  should  be  "my  disciples," 
 should  acknowledge  and  join  themselves  to 
 me.  Tims  is  the  rcocvreh,  the  all,  perfectly 
 justified;  and  there  is  no  necessity  to  qualify 
 it,  or  rather  destroy  it,  as  has  been  done  from 
 the  beginning,  by  the  substitution  of  ra'/'roOf*' 
 or  TtdyroTE. 
 
 This  dignified  positive  declaration  is  now 
 followed  by  a  denial,  which  does  not  contradict 
 the  well-understood  meaning  and  charge  of  the 
 questioner — now  brought  to  light — until  it  has 
 been  refuted  by  the  undeniable  fact  of  the  pub- 
 licity of  his  teaching.  The  "in  secret"  is  here 
 evidently  intended  as  an  inculpation.  He  had 
 certainly  spoken  to  his  confidential  ones  in 
 confidence,  but  nothing  beyond  what  he  had 
 spoken  before  all  the  world ;  he  Had  not  two 
 
 *  Not  therefore  aliojiether  with  Ben^el,  that 
 irafjfjr)6ia  indicate!?  {witli  rw  x66uc^)  (he  kind, 
 natroTE  the  time,  iv  (Swaycoyrj  xai  tv  tco 
 ie/jo)  the  place. 
 
 f  So  Nonnus  literally  accepted  it:  (piXonevOei 
 Kodficj — atraii  Iv  Tpi68ot6i. 
 
 \  Lampe  Icbs  fitly — evHaipoDi,  aHaipaoi. 
 
 doctrines,  an  esoteric  and  an  exoteric ;  but 
 what  he  iiad  spoken  in  the  ear,  he  had  spoken 
 with  a  commission  to  declare  it  upon  the  house- 
 tops. The  inmost  mystery,  which  indeed  he 
 had  commanded  them  not  to  ulter  before  the 
 time,  that  he  was  the  Messiah— he  not  only 
 confesses  presently  alterwards  before  the  San- 
 hedrim, but  all  the  Jewish  world  actually  knew 
 it,  and  Annas  himself  who  thuo  asked  knew  it. 
 So  the  cause  and  the  doctrine  of  Christ  was 
 ever  to  be  "elevated  above  all  suspicions  of 
 secret  mystery,"  and  his  messengers'  badge  is 
 in  all  ages  that  of  2  Cor.  iv.  2.  We  may  with 
 Lampe  read  here  in  ver.  20  the  criteria'oi  the 
 true  teacher:  confidence,  which  testifies  before 
 the  world ;  persevering  continuation  of  the 
 testimony  on  all  occasions;  adherence  to  the 
 existing  divine  and  human  ordinances.  But  in 
 this  last  expression  our  Lord  alludes,  in  his 
 profound  manner,  whether  Annas  understood 
 it  or  not,  to  two  places  of  the  prophet  Isaiah. 
 In  the  former  (Isa.  xlv.  19),  the  Lord  God 
 himself  appeals,  before  the  inhabitants  of  the 
 earth  generally  as  their  and  the  earth's  Creator, 
 and  as  the  God  of  Israel  particularly  to  the 
 seed  of  Jacob,  to  this — /  liave  not  spoken  in 
 secret  ;^-  in  the  latter  (chap,  xlviii.  16),  the  J/e*- 
 siah  repeats  the  same. 
 
 Thus  this  is  the  first  answer,  clear  as  the 
 light  which  the  darkness  here  resists  ;  and  now 
 in  the  following  verse  there  is  the  befitting  re- 
 proof of  the  foolish  questioner,  put  in  the  most 
 mild  and  gracious  form.  He  further  gives  ac- 
 count in  it,  who  "  his  disciples  "  were  or  should 
 be,  and  at  the  same  time  proceeds  to  give  a 
 test  and  proof  of  his  teaching,  napfjijCicc  and 
 ncivTozE — every  where  and  with  plainness. 
 Or,  was  he  nov/  to  begin  from  the  commence- 
 ment, and  exhibit  the  whole  substance  of  his 
 teaching,  from  the  summons  to  repentance  to 
 the  announcement  of  the  kingdom  come  in 
 him  ?  He  would  indeed  have  had  patience  for 
 this,  if  it  had  been  right  on  this  occasion,  and 
 if  it  would  have  done  good  ;  but  such  as  Annas 
 knew  all  this  long  since,  they  had  olten  sent 
 spies  or  heard  it  themselves.  He  therelore 
 takes  this  for  granted  ;  he  does  actually  begin 
 at  the  beginning  with  Annas,  since  he  proposes 
 to  him  as  the  best  preaching  of  repentance  for 
 his  conscience  the  keen  counter-question — 
 Wlurefore  askest  thou  me?  (Entpoordv  is 
 more  penetrating  than  John's  previous  r/paj- 
 Tt]6E,  not  without  bordering  on  the  meaning 
 of  inqnmtion.)  This  was  one  of  those  ques- 
 tions of  Jesus  himself,  which  never  failed  to 
 pierce  the  heart.  It  has  a  manifold  meaning  ; 
 Knowcst  thou  not,  as  a  "high  priest,"  what 
 all  the  Jews  well  know  concerni 
 
 ng  me  .'' 
 
 How 
 
 is  it,  what  means  it,  that  thou  now  first  de- 
 mandest  of  me  an  answer  thereupon  ?  Ac- 
 cording to  Grotius :  "  Ye  have  already  expelled 
 from  tiie  synagogues  those  who  believe  in  rae ; 
 
 *  Hence  it  is  further  proved  that  rep  Hudna> 
 previously,  betore  the  Jews  were  specially  referred 
 K),  hints  at  the  adaptation  of  his  doctrine  to  all 
 uiaukiud,  entirely  as  we  louud  in  chap.  viii.  26. 
 
JOHN  XVIII.  20,  21,  23. 
 
 je  have  decreed  to  talce  me ;  and  have  never 
 inquired  into  my  doctrine  :  do  }'e  wish  now  to 
 know  them  at  length  from  myself?  What 
 manner  of  dealing  is  this?"  He  thus  shows 
 to  Annas  that  he  looks  through  him,  and  that 
 he  will  give  him  no  word  which  he  may  per- 
 vert against  him  ;  thus  gently,  with  concealed 
 severity,  only  through  the  light  which  must 
 put  the  darkness  to  shame,  he  reproves  the 
 self-contradiction  of  their  foolish  cunning — the 
 questioning  of  a  supposed  founder  of  secret 
 mysteries  concerning'  his  doctrine  and  his  ad- 
 herents. 
 
 This  last  thought  is  in  the  direction  whom  he 
 should  ask.  All  (hose  icho  have  heard  what  I 
 have  said  are  therefore  as  it  concerns  thee  my 
 discipkfi,  for  they  have  heard  no  other  words 
 than  I  have  said  to  my  trusted  ones — had  they 
 all  rightly  heard  they  would  have  been  all  of 
 them  dit^ciples  to  me.  Thus,  as  in  Gethsemane, 
 he  continues  to  save  his  own,  and  declines  any 
 specific  selection.  He  points  the  high  priest 
 not  to  his  disciples  in  the  narrower  sense,  but 
 to  all  the  people  who  had  been  in  his  school; 
 but  by  this  demand  that  the  people  should  be 
 brought  into  the  examination,  he  rebukes  the 
 malicious  secrecy  which  had  induced  them 
 through  fear  of  the  people  to  send  and  take 
 him  in  the  night. 
 
 Behold,  all  these,  who  have  heard  me  speak, 
 know  well  what  {a  more  comprfhensive  than 
 Ti,  what  kind  of  things)  I  have  said.  By  this 
 i'de  he  finally  appeals,  as  B.-Crusius  rightly  ob- 
 serves, to  the  "]'lain  and  open  nature  of  his  doc- 
 trine," in  that  no  hearer  could  remain  in  doubt 
 about  it,  witnesses  enough  were  every  where 
 to  be  found ;  and  al.*o,  we  would  add,  to  the 
 impression  of  the  truth  upon  all  the  sincere. 
 Thus  there  are  the  (wo  witnesses  for  truth — 
 publicity  in  adiierence  to  the  school  and  the 
 temple,  to  the  institutions  and  places  appointed 
 from  the  beginning;  impressiveness  or  easiness  of 
 understanding  as  respects  the  hearers. 
 
 He  began  with  ^Aa'/l?/5a,  tdiSaia;  he  ends 
 with  t.\aX?/6a  and  tlnoy  :  his  answer  goes  not 
 beyond  his  saying  and  teaching,  as  the  question 
 did  not;  of  his  woi-hs  he  humbly  says  nothing. 
 For,  as  we  have  seen  throughout  John's  Gospel, 
 the  work  has  its  power  of  self-demonstration  in 
 itself,  before  the  miracle.*  Thus  it  is  not — 
 "Question  and  summon  hither  the  lepers,  the 
 blind,  the  deaf,  the  lame,  the  possessed  whom  I 
 have  healed."  The  i'Se  ovroi,  although  it 
 primarily  refers  to  the  a/cT^wod  ras— -behold 
 these  who  have  heard — has  special  reference  to 
 this,  that  even  now  such  hearers  were  present 
 as  witnesses ;  that  their  lords  of  the  council 
 bad  only  to  summon  these  servants  whom  they 
 sent  after  him,  and  they  would  receive  the  same 
 testimony  as  that  of  chap.  vii.  46  (now  the  re- 
 cord of  the  I  am  he).  Bengel  is  so  far  right : 
 ovrot  points  to  the  multitude  present;  or  these 
 know*     So  Lampe,  and  earlier  Cyril. t 
 
 Survey  then  once  more  the  dignify,  the  clear- 
 ness, the  gentleness,  the  supremely-measured 
 rightness  and  wisdom  of  this  answer.  In  the 
 full  and  perfect  consciousness  that  he  was  no 
 founder  of  a  sect,  deserving  inquisition,  he  be- 
 gan with  I  openly,  continued  with  /,  and  closes, 
 with  profound  leeling  W/<?  he  was,  yet  not  ex- 
 pressing it,  with  a  Eiitov  lyoo,  what  I  have 
 said.  But,  with  the  most  proper  discretion  of 
 one  arrested  and  charged,  more  righteous  than 
 Annas  with  his  foolish  questioning — "  I  may 
 not  and  will  not  now,  my  life  and  doctrine 
 lying  before  you,  testify  for  myself,  or  defend 
 myself.  Let  all  be  investigated.  Let  the  tes- 
 timony of  all  bear  witness."  If  in  this  there 
 was  any  thing  "evasive,"  there  was  the  utmost 
 propriety  in  it,  as  well  as  tlie  most  binding 
 obligation  of  holy  wisdom  :  he  would  not  before 
 this  unhappy  man  betray  either  himself  or  his 
 disciples  into  difficulty  by  any  express  decla- 
 rations or  disclosures. 
 
 We  need  not  regard  this  TfapEdtrjum^,  "one 
 that  stood  by,"  as  implying  that  theofhcer  was 
 an  appariU/r  necessarily  belonging  to  the  court 
 in  which  the  high  priest  sat;  John  has  mentioned 
 no  other  officers,  to  which  the  article  here  might 
 refer  back,  than  those  of  ver.  12,  who  had  taken 
 Jesus  and  led  him  hither.  Thus  we  may  sup- 
 ply— icho  stood  near  Jesus — because  token  he  had 
 thus  sp)olcen  immediately  precedes.  That  which 
 happened  afterwards  to  his  Apostle,  befell  Jesus 
 himself  here.  The  servant*  sees  his  old  lord 
 smitten  and  taken  aback  by  the  bold  and  ap- 
 propriate answer — he  takes  advantage  of  the 
 moment,  and  will  obtain  both  praise  and  reward. 
 For  he  well  knows  what  is  permitted  to  him  ; 
 the  very  lowest  knew  what  had  been  long  de- 
 creed by  the  rulers  to  be  done  to  this  Jesus  of 
 Nazareth.  He  struck  himj — basely  in  the  face. 
 This  was  the  beginning  and  the  signal  for  all 
 subsequent  indignities,  as  in  Micah  iv.  14 
 (comp.  Isa.  1.  6)  it  was  very  remarkably  and 
 directly  predicted  concerning  the  Messiah,  the 
 Judge  of  Israel.  (Vers.  13  and  14  there  allude 
 to  the  history  of  another  prophet  Micah,  1 
 Kings  sx.  11,  24;  and  Josephus  employs  ia 
 relation  to  1  Kings  xxii.  24,  the  word  fjarti^Etv. 
 Job  xvi.  10  refers  to  the  shame  of  being  smitten 
 upon  the  caeek.     In  Micah  there  is  W2'^'2  also. 
 
 *  Nonnus  has  it  most  strongly  :  ?}ri5e  hvuXo) 
 ovronfxvTEi  K.T.  X. 
 
 t  Except  that  ho  goes  too  far,  and  he  tinds  in 
 
 this  appeal  to  the  servants  present  the  reason  why 
 one  of  them,  to  obviate  all  suspicion  of  himself 
 upon  that  point,  smote  him  on  the  lace. 
 
 *  A  very  improbable  tradition  declares  that  he 
 was  Malchus.  Apart  from  the  improbability  in 
 the  thinir  itself,  Malchus  was  a  SoC^.oi,  this  man 
 a  vTcripErr,<i. 
 
 t  Whether  with  a  staff  or  with  the  hand,  cannot 
 be  determined,  since  f)dni6i.ia  and  fjcxTii'C.Eiy  sig- 
 nify both.  Hesych.  paniCai,  paji^op  nXi]q,ai  i) 
 (xXov6ai.  But  in  the  N.  T.  paitiQeiy  is  used  of 
 the  hand  ;  see  Matt.  v.  39,  John  xix.  3,  but  espe- 
 cially Mark  xiv.  65,  and  Matt.  xxvi.  67,  wiih 
 Ho\a(piZety.  Theophyl.  interprets  th's  last  of 
 the  fist  (as  1  Cor.  iv.  11 ;  2  Cor.  xii.  7)  Suidas 
 ex[)lain3  paiti6ai  of  strik  ng  the  cheek  with  the 
 hand. 
 
610 
 
 FIRST  EXAMINATION  BEFORE  ANNAS. 
 
 as  if  the  Spirit  wonld  embrace  the  scene  in 
 wliich  the  Judije  and  King  of  Israel  is  with  his 
 own  sceptre  smitten  on  the  face.  See  also  in 
 Sepp  the  Jewish  punishments,  which  were  in- 
 flicted for  such  misdeeds.)  This  is  the  end  of 
 the  three  years  of  his  teaching  in  Israel,  con- 
 firmed as  "it  was  by  the  signs  of  God,  that  now 
 when  being  bound  he  opens  his  mouth  to  give 
 a  decisive  answer,  appealing  in  righteousness 
 to  all  that  teaching,  a  servant  can  publicly 
 pmite  him  upon  the  face.  This  was  the  first 
 blow,  the  lirst  indignity  which  his  sacred  body 
 received  from  the  handa  of  sinners.  Although 
 he  had  received  Irom  the  lips  of  sinners  much 
 that  was  more  grievous  and  scornful,  although 
 even  now  the  denial  of  Peter  was  a  sorer  grief  to 
 liim  than  the  blow  of  this  servant — yet  is  it  a 
 great  thing,  that  he  on  this  first  striking,  which 
 came  unexpectedly,  continues  to  be  able  to 
 answer,  still  more  calmly  and  meekly,  without 
 any  trace  of  fear,  not  to  say  of  wrath,  words 
 which  have  their  true  and  symbolical  meaning 
 for  us  all. 
 
 He  answered  him — we  must  not  give  up  this 
 avzcp.  That  he  answers  this  servant,  and  in 
 Bucli  a  manner,  is  in  its  profound  humility 
 something  very  different  from,  and  yet  in  its 
 elevation  something  infinitely  above,  that 
 landed  pride  in  abasement  which  man  may 
 display.*  There  is  no  wrath,  but  meekness 
 and  humbleness  alone,  as  is  obvious  in  itself. 
 But  withal  there  is  earnest  freedom  of  spirit,  an 
 open  mouth  for  the  truth  in  love  which  is  not, 
 yet  to  be  stopped.  Again,  Chrkt's  freodom  of 
 speech  is  not  great  in  the  sense  of  fearlessness 
 before  the  threat  of  man — for  how  could  he 
 fear?  The  Apostle's  exhortation  out  of  the 
 prophet,  1  Pet.  iii.  14,  15,  therefore  has  so  far 
 no  application  to  him  ;  he  might  have  been 
 tempted,  in  holv  scorn  of  sinners,  altogether  to 
 keep  silence.  But  his  freedom  to  speak  is  Iwe, 
 which  counts  sinners  still  worthy  of  his  testi- 
 mony. 
 
 Answerest  thou  the  high  -priest  so?  This  was 
 the  servant's  word,  accompanying  and  justify- 
 ing the  blow.  By  "the  high  priest"  might  be 
 meant  that  Annas  was  as  much  high  priest  as 
 Caiaphas — but  this  Christ,  according  to  the 
 divine  law,  does  not  acknowledge,  and  admits 
 but  one  who  with  any  truth  can^hold  the  sacred 
 office.  Certainly  the  so  refers  only  to  the  form 
 -—that  he  had  neglected  respect  and  reverence 
 in  the  refusal  and  counter-question.  R,ieger 
 remarks  that  "so  it  is  now  with  the  foUov.'ers 
 of  Christ,  when  their  truth  cannot  be  resisted 
 — they  have  been  wanting  in  wisdom  in  speak- 
 ing it,  they  have  erred  in  the  form  of  delivering 
 it— that  is,  in  plain  words,  they  should  show 
 more  patience  with  the  world  and  its  unright- 
 eousness."   That  is,  they  should  speak  the  truth 
 
 *  Teschendorf  makes  his  Nicodemus  write : 
 "  Whoever  has  been  in  Reme  and  seen  a  tri- 
 umpljal  procession,  may  liave  marked  how  some 
 have  borne  their  chains  with  dignity.  Whoever 
 should  liave  looked  fo;-  giich  dignity  in  hiiu  would 
 have  beeu  disappoiuteJ." 
 
 with  such  sentimental  respect  and  moderafioni 
 as  would  be  rather  a  denial  of  tliat  truth  !  The 
 supreme  Lord  speaks  unabashed  and  confident- 
 ly to  the  servant  as  to  the  lords,  and  shows  in 
 fact  how  Wfll  he  knows  without  respect  of  per- 
 sons to  speak  to  every  one  as  he  should  be 
 spoken  to.  Far  removed  from  any  self-defence, 
 and  with  a  meekness  which  his  face,  withdrawn 
 for  a  moment  through  the  physical  shock,  still 
 testified,  he  does  not  act  in  opposition  to  the  let- 
 ter, but  still  more  expressly  in  harmony  witli 
 the  spirit  of  the  instruction  which  he  gave  to 
 his  disciples  in  Matt.  v.  39.  He  gives  us  the 
 "authentic  interpretation"  of  it,  iu  opposition 
 to  all  who  would  make  it  mean  an  unworthy 
 humiliation  of  self  simply,  an  unloving  holding 
 back  of  the  truth  and  provocation  of  further 
 sin  against  us.  Sinking  to  the  lowest  extreme 
 of  his  condescension  (which  is  reached  in  this 
 verse,  connected  with  chap.  viii.  46),  he  puts 
 the  case  for  one  moment  as  if  he  might  have 
 been  wrong — but  only  to  deny  and  refute  it. 
 Yea,  from  the  meanest  servant  he  will  receive 
 proof  and  attestation.  This  is  the  higliest 
 point  of  that  meekness  of  our  Lord,  as  depicted 
 in  John's  Gospel,  beyond  which  nothing  is  re- 
 corded. The  servant  did  not  mean  by  his  so 
 that  he  had  spoken  untruth  ;  entering  into  his 
 meaning  the  Lord  sjieaks  only  concerning  the 
 maimer,  xaKwi — ycaXwi,  ill  or  iceU.  Not  simply 
 xaxd  KaHiav,  n;y-i,  evil  in  itself,  although  the 
 
 expression  allows  an  error  in  the  manner  to  be 
 itself  in  its  kind  an  enil.  "By  the  blow  the 
 servant  would  bear  his  tesfiraony,"says  Bengel. 
 The  Lord  answers  him — Neither  is  thy  blow  a 
 testimony,  nor  thy  word  which  takes  for  grantel 
 unrighteousness;  if  I  have  actually  spoken  evil, 
 give — I  will  receive  and  admit  it — -better  and 
 more  real  witness  against  me.  This  would  have 
 required  the  proof  that  Annas  was  the  high 
 priest ;  but  we  think  that  the  Lord  did  not  re- 
 gard this,  nor  enter  so  far  into  the  particulars 
 of  the  matter,  as  was  appropriate  in  the  case  of 
 Paul,  Acts  xxiii.  As  respects  him  and  his 
 never  speaking  evil,  servant  and  high  priest 
 were  altogether  alike. 
 
 But  if  our  Lord  and  Master  shows  himself 
 ready  to  receive  from  this  servant  testimony 
 against  himself,  wliile  he  receives  with  such 
 gentleness  the  blow — what  should*  tre  do? 
 "  Think  on  him  who  said  this,  on  him  to  whom 
 this  was  said,  and  the  reason  why  this  was 
 said,  and  these  words  will  with  magical  divine 
 power  cast  down  all  wrath  which  may  rise  in 
 thy  soul."*  Be  always  ready  to  give  account 
 to  every  man — .says  Peter,  even  though  it  be 
 the  meanest  servant.  Every  man  who  demands 
 of  you  an  account — navri  zcp  aizovvzi  vjucm 
 Xoyoi',  is  to  be  interpreted  as  we  have  ex- 
 plained, Matt.  V.  4'2.  The  unrighteousness  itself 
 demands  of  me,  <islis  me,  as  I  understand  it,  only 
 for  a  new  evidence  of  holy  righteousness  iu 
 truth  and  love.  Not — That  deserves  no  answer. 
 
 *  So  Chrysos.  Ilom.   i.,  nepi  (XHaraXj^nrov. 
 See  Neaiider's  Chri/t.  i.  211. 
 
MATTHEW  XXVI.  64. 
 
 611 
 
 mch  n<>  this  demands  retaliation,  punishment, 
 contempt;  but — Behold,  tliis  slanderer  ami  liar 
 would  see  how  I  shall  maintain  the  consistency 
 of  my  righteous  word  and  walk,  whether  I 
 shall  thus  overcome  him.  How  often  do  m? 
 poor  sinners  harm  ourselves  and  our  cause,  when 
 people  merely  try  us  and  will  not  hear  us,  when 
 Ihey  require  of  113  a  patience  which  13  the 
 denial  of  love  and  truth,  a  courtliness  which 
 would  be  forgetfulness  of  God!  How  basely 
 do  we  spca'c  evil,  jnst  when  we,  speaking  the 
 trutli,  answer  for  ourselves  that  we  are  not 
 evil-doers ! 
 
 B  ,t  the  Lord  as  the  perfect  man  had  never 
 emd  in  word,  whether  in  its  form  or  substance. 
 He  knows  this,  and  this  therefore  he  must  add 
 and  maintain — But  if  well,  which  «t  de,  hutjf, 
 Bengel  rightly  says,  "  has  an  affirmative  force." 
 This  unjustifiable  striking  is  itself  proof  and 
 testimony  that  the  truth  has  struck,  and  can 
 not  otherwise  be  repelled.  And  now  calmly 
 and  victoriously  he  continues  in  this  xpeakinj 
 toed:  the  servant  receives,  like  the  high  priest, 
 both  equal  before  the  Judge  of  Israel,  who  un- 
 weariably  judges  and  teaches,  his  conscience- 
 question —  Wdt/  smitent  thou,  me?   Love  repays 
 
 him  thus.  This  first  word  of  protest  against 
 the  blow  is  the  only  one  that  v;e  hear :  it  con- 
 tinues its  voice  against  all  the  indignities 
 which  followed  this>  Annas  hears  in  "it  the 
 question — Wherefore  sufferest  thou  him  to 
 smite  me  ?  Wherefore  to  be  bound  and  seized  ? 
 Do  ye  not  ever  oppose  my  true  testimon\' 
 by  most  unrighteous  and  unworthy  violence  ? 
 Similar,  according  to  its  spirit  and  meaning,  is 
 the  word  at  his  last  examination  (Luke  xxii. 
 67,  68),  which  he  no  longer  regards  as  oH^cial : 
 If  I  tcil  you,  confessing  and  answering,  or  ask- 
 ing, as  is  fit — ye  believe  not,  ye  reply  only  by 
 persevering  and  malignant  violence !  Annas 
 has  heard  enough  ;  he  sees  whom  he  has  before 
 him,  and  that  any  further  prosecution  of  the 
 matter  under  the  guise  of  conversation  would 
 damage  himself  rather  than  Jesus ;  he  there- 
 fore leaves  the  answer,  the  blow,  and  the 
 counter-answer  to  themselves,  the  witness  con- 
 cerning the  evl  still  in  his  ears.  He  sends  the 
 Lord  forward  hawul  to  Caiaphas,  that  the 
 specious  judgment  may  proceed  as  prudently 
 and  plausibly  as  may  be.  Of  course,  we  are 
 not  to  assume  any  second  "binding." 
 
 PIRST  PARTIALLY-OFFICIAL  EXAMINATION.     THE  CONFESSION  UPON  THE 
 ADJURATION  OF  CAIAPHAS, 
 
 (Matt.  XX vr.  64;  Mark  xiv.  62.) 
 
 As  the  history  of  the  Passion  proceeds,  its 
 amazing  contrasts  become  more  intensely  affect- 
 ing. Christ  is  now  judged  before  the  holiest 
 judicature  upon  earth,  but  condemned  by  the 
 most  fearful  perversion  of  justice  and  abuse  of 
 its  forms.  The  Deliverer  of  mankind  is  in 
 bonds  ;  the  Judge  of  all  is  attainted ;  the  Prince 
 of  glory  is  treated  with  the  foulest  scorn  ;  the 
 Holy  One  is  condemned  as  a  delinquent,  the 
 Son  of  God  as  a  blasphemer ;  and  he  who  is 
 the  resurrection  and  the  life  is  doomed  to  die  ! 
 The  type  here  rises  in  rebellion  against  its  anti- 
 tvpe,  the  shadow  against  its  substance,  and  the 
 Eternal  High  Priest  is  condemned  by  the  so- 
 called  high  priest  of  this  year.  The  law  is 
 perverted  and  turned  against  the  grace  for 
 which  it  should  only  prepare  the  way  ;  and  it 
 becomes  the  triumph  of  grace  thus  to  deliver 
 from  the  curse  of  the  law.  Lying  bears  wit- 
 ness against  truth,  and  long-suffering  truth 
 thus  wins  its  empire  and  rights.  The  subject 
 rises  against  his  Lord  as  a  lord,  the  creature  in 
 the  name  of  God  against  its  God — and  what  do 
 we  hear  ?  One  sole  testimony — I  am  he  !  One 
 sole  sentence — He  is  worthy  of  death  !  This 
 verily  holds  good  in  the  counsels  of  God ;  but 
 not  in  the  sense  of  our  earthly  jurists,  who  like 
 Caiaphas  would  offer  up  one  literally  instead 
 of  all. 
 
 Their  hypocritical  trifling  with  forms  goes 
 
 heavily  at  the  outset.  This  first  assembly  was 
 through  haste  imperfectly  constitute!;  but  its 
 work  is  to  consummate  the  judicial  murder 
 which  had  already  been  firmly  decreed.  The 
 first  feature  which  is  exhibited  here  presents 
 this  judgment  to  us  as  the  most  unrighteous 
 of  all  places  of  judgment  under  the  sun,  in 
 which  wickedness  only  was  found,  and  iniquity 
 took  the  place  of  righteousness  (Eccles.  iii.  16). 
 They  did  not  simply  seek  witness  against  him, 
 but,  as  Matthew  says,  they  sought  fahs  witness 
 against  this  most  innocent  one.  This  v/as  done, 
 it  is  further  added,  by  the  whole  council,  with 
 the  high  priests  and  elders ;  though  it  is  not 
 to  be  understood  of  every  individual  without 
 exception — for,  two  or  three  would  not  be 
 reckoned  among  so  many,  and  moreover  all 
 were  not  present.  As  to  themselves  they  had 
 no  "  need  "  of  testimony ;  the  thousand  wit- 
 nesses for  the  divine  power  of  this  Jesus,  down 
 to  Lazarus,  whose  resurrection  v/as  celebrated 
 by  the  people  every  where,  shall  have  no  force 
 with  them  ;  they  themselves  pervert  in  Luke 
 xxiii.  2  the  truth  of  which  they  were  surely 
 
 *  There  still  sounds  out  into  the  consciences  of 
 all  who  only  ask  like  Annas,  and  strike  like  his 
 servant.  For  "  Christ  still  stand-:  before  Annas, 
 and  ibe  world  still  strikes  him  iu  the  lace  like  his 
 servant "  (Silberschlag). 
 
612 
 
 FIRST  OFFICIAL  EXAMINATION. 
 
 conscious.  They  will  to  do  like  their  father, 
 the  father  of  lies — but  in  order  to  do  this,  some 
 pretext,  some  semblance  of  right,  is  recessar}'. 
 Lies  enough  there  were  wherewith  to  charge 
 Jesus,  what  had  not  been  reported  and  be- 
 lieved concerning  him  on  the  part  of  his  ene- 
 mies hitherto  ?  Cut  now  the  question  is — to 
 put  him  to  ihaih  ;  there  must  be  some  apparent 
 justice  in  the  execution  of  this  pre-conceived 
 and  pre-arranged  purpose  ;  and  the  seeking  for 
 this  is  hard,  very  hard.  There  is  every  where 
 testimonv  /or  him  without  seeking — bni  against 
 him?  T/tci/  found  none;  though  many  false 
 witnesses  came  foru-ard  to  their  order — yet 
 they  found  none.  Their  tpstiraonies  would  not 
 accord,  would  not  answer  ibe  purpose.  !Manv 
 offered  to  bear  witness  to  his  desecration  of  the 
 Sabbath — but  this  will  not  pas=,  for  they  can- 
 not touch  the  miracle  by  which  he  had"  dese- 
 crated it.  To  charge  him  with  having  de- 
 nounced Ihem,  the  leaders  of  the  people,  as 
 hypocrites,  fools,  and  blind,  was  still  more 
 questionable — who  knew  what  he  might  have 
 to  say  to  them,  thus  charged,  even  now?  Or 
 his  breaking  of  the  traditions  and  ordinances 
 of  the  Pharisees — but  this  might  have  secured 
 protection  from  the  Sadducees,  and  divided  the 
 council,  as  was  afterwards  the  case.  Absolute 
 lies  would  not  gain  their  end  with  the  people  ; 
 there  must  be  some  truth  mingled  with  them. 
 According  to  the  law  of  Moses  it  was  essential 
 that  the  witnesses  should  agree  together ;  and 
 it  was  hard  to  secure  this  with  the  clumsy 
 witnesses,  one  outdoing  the  other,  whom  they 
 were  obliged,  without  previous  schooling,  to 
 admit.  Mark,  vers.  55  and  59,  evidently  means 
 only  the  lack  of  agreement.  Erasmus  has  indeed 
 corrected  the  non  convcnientia  of  the  Vulg.  into 
 non  satis  idonea,  that  is,  not  pertinent  to  the 
 condemnation  of  death.  Grotius  thinks  that 
 thi?  meaning  alone  suits  ver.  59,  and  Van  Ess 
 boldly  translates,  "not  sufficient" — but  i'doi 
 can  scarcely  mean  appro]' r late,  fitted  to  any  thing. 
 The  lack  of  uniformity  is  intimated  by  Jilatt. 
 in  the  mention  of  liie  two  witnesses  who  came 
 forward,  when  we  add  to  it  the  fact  mentioned 
 in  Mark's  diflerent  statement  of  it,  that  even 
 their  wi(  ness  was  not  uniform..  A  t  the  last  there 
 are  found  ttoo  witnesses,  only  just  as  maay  as 
 were  absolutely  necessary  (for  the  nviz  in 
 Mark  does  not  necessarily  mean  many),  and 
 they  bring  forward  a  word  heard  two  years  be- 
 fore. Many  members  of  the  council  had  heard 
 that  when  it  was  spoken  ;  and  had,  as  Matt. 
 xxvii.  40  shows,  well  understood  it  subsequent- 
 ly. It  is  now  falsified  and  perverted  into  blas- 
 Shemy  against  the  temple  of  God,  although 
 esus  at  the  time  (as  also  not  many  days  pas't) 
 had  shown  his  zoal  for  the  honor  of  the'temple. 
 Tlie  scornful  ovroi  in  Matt,  is  wnll  expressed 
 by  the  English,  ^/i« /t/W.  The  two  accounts 
 show  their  discrepancy  when  compared — ac- 
 cording to  the  one  it  was,  I  ^ciH ;  according  to 
 the  other,  I  can  destroy  the  lomple  :  similarly, 
 acrain,  in  one — the  t.mph  of  God;  but  in  the 
 other  there  are  the  additions  of  made  tcith 
 liandi  and  not  made  with  Juinds.     Enough  :  as 
 
 Ahab's  Jezebel  hired  two  knaves  against  Na« 
 both,  so  these  rulers  and  high  priests  allied 
 themselves,  in  order  to  keep  po^^se.ssioii  of  the 
 vineyard  of  God,  with  a  wretched  pair  who  in 
 their  boldness  were  not  cunning  enough  to 
 agree  in  their  testimonv.  TiuisPsa.lv.  10  has 
 still  its  fulfillment.  Hear  only  the  lies  of  the 
 world — they  agree  not  together.  Listen  to  a 
 fallen  theology — its  testimonies  contradict  each 
 other,  and  thereby  give  testimony  themselves 
 for  Chnst.  To  him  who  has  this  before  his 
 eyes,  and  still  goes  on  in  his  folly,  the  truo 
 witness  himself  becomes  dumb. 
 
 They  could  not  succeed  in  proving  against 
 Jesus  even  the  appearance  of  evil.  Confused, 
 and  at  the  same  time  daring,  the  high  priest 
 speaks  to  him,  as  if  this  charge  demanded  an 
 account.  The  whole  question  is  not  one,  as 
 Luther  puts  it  following  the  Vnlg. ;  but  the 
 second  r^  is  a  separate  interrogation.  Never- 
 theless, it  is  not  as  Erasmus  translates,  in 
 Matt,  "cur  isti  adversum  te  testimonium  dic- 
 unt?"  in  Mark,  "  quid  ist\  adversum  te  dicunt 
 testimonia?"  (That  is.  Do  they  then  witness 
 in  vain?  Not,  that  thou  shouldst  give  answer?) 
 But,  as  the  former  clause  is  spoken  with  tho 
 presentiment  that  he  who  stands  in  sublime 
 tranquillity  tcill  keep  silence,  so  the  second  will 
 if  possible  break  this  silence  by  suggesting — 
 what  heavy  Uasphemy  do  they  allege  against 
 thep  I  dost  thou  not  hear  that  ? 
 
 The  Lord  keeps  silence;  and  though  we 
 cannot  always  bring  his  eloquent  sj7ence  within 
 the  range  of  our  exposition  of  his  word.i,  yet 
 here  we  must  do  so,  where  speaking  and  silence 
 interchangeably  pass  into  each  other;  for  oth- 
 erwise we  could  not  understand  his  words.  The 
 slic;htest  word  of  reply  would  have  given  tho 
 whole  matter  another  turn,  not  in  harmony 
 with  propriety  and  his  appointed  course.  Either 
 his  pure  and  unimpeached  position  would  have 
 been  disturbed  by  occasion  given  through  his 
 words  for  new  perversions  and  charges  ;  or, 
 since  we  cannot  suppose  him  so  to  have  spoken, 
 the  judge  would  have  been  ashamed  and 
 amazed,  and  set  him  free.  Yes,  verily,  that 
 stood  every  moment  in  the  power  of  his  word 
 — but  on  that  very  account  he  keeps  silence. 
 Killer's  remark,  otherwise  excellent,  says  too 
 little  here,  "  The  truth  must  not  contend  with 
 every  lie."  Thait  sacred  dignity  is  very  sub- 
 ordinate, which,  however,  was  to  be  observed 
 in  opposition  to  frivolities  believed  by  no  man 
 in  the  assembly.  We  may  say,  indeed,  on  tho 
 one  hand,  that  he  kept  silence,  because  they 
 had  7iot  understood  him;  and,  on  the  other, 
 that  he  kept  silence  because  they  did  under- 
 stand him,  and  because  he  kept  silence.  But 
 the  two  reasons  which  remove  this  silence  to 
 an  infinite  distance  from  all  self-willeil  or  proud 
 refusal  to  speak,  lie  still  deeper.  First,  he  is 
 silent  out  of  respect  to  Israel's  highest  judica- 
 ture, that  he  might  not  dishonor  it;  thus,  si- 
 lent as  a  child  bffore  an  unrighteous  father. 
 And,  then,  in  obedient  submission  to  his  heav- 
 enly Father's  judgment,  that  he  might  not  de- 
 fend himself.     "  The  love  of  life  makes  many 
 
MATTHEW  XXVI.  64. 
 
 613 
 
 common  people  eloquent  before  their  judges; 
 the  desire  to  die  for  us  slops  the  rnoulh  of 
 Jesus,  like  a  lamb  before  his  shearers"  (Goss- 
 ner). 
 
 His  silence  speaks  powerfully  to  their  con- 
 sciences, and  is  the  best  preparation  for  the 
 word  which  he  will  say,  when  the  right  time 
 for  speaking  is  come.  Caiaphas  is  at  first 
 wrathful  that  he  cannot  fasten  upon  this  wiser 
 one,  as  he  thinks,  any  single  circumstance  :  he 
 soon  becomes  anxious  lest  this  dignified  de- 
 meanor of  the  Lord,  who  stands,  keeps  silence, 
 and  bears  witness  by  all  the  power  of  his  per- 
 sonal presence,  should  at  last  move  some  hearts 
 even  in  the  council,  and  their  voices  should  be 
 heard  crying  loudiy  for  him.  For,  in  himself 
 there  stirs  some  such  sudden  and  unexpected 
 impulse:  the  Lord's  silence  presses  upon  him 
 the  critical  point  which  he  cannot  evade;  and 
 cries  to  him — Hero,  between  us,  there  is  some- 
 thing more  than  all  this  in  question.  During 
 this  pause,  possibly  not  very  brief,  there  was 
 to  the  whole  assembly,  and  especially  to  him, 
 the  president  and  leading  spirit,  one  last  appeal 
 of  mercy  at  the  extremity  of  its  limits  of  for- 
 bearance, one  last  gracious  summons  to  submit 
 to  the  judgment  of  the  truth  of  God.  But  let 
 us  think  lor  a  moment  what  would  have  been 
 the  consequence,  if  these  sinners  had  been 
 moved  by  his  silence,  lost  their  consistency, 
 and  turned  to  repentance !  This  has  become 
 impossible,  and  the  man  therefore  entangles 
 himself  in  his  own  iniquity.  The  conclusion  is 
 presently  taken  :  the  trifling  with  this  individ- 
 ual charge  is  given  up  as  unsuccessful  ;  and 
 the  great  central  question  involved  in  the 
 whole  must  in  plain  earnestness  be  brought 
 forward — to  make  it  the  matter  of  final  and 
 most  daring  mockery  and  contradiction.  Many 
 methods  have  been  adopted  to  exhibit  the  con- 
 nection and  transition  between  the  first  ques- 
 tion, Answerest  thou  nothing?  and  the  second, 
 which  so  suddenly  breaks  out  with,  Tell  us.  art 
 thou  the  Christ  the  Son  of  God?  Of  such 
 almost  needless  melhods,  Lange's  is  the  best: 
 "Tiie  thought  clung  to  his  mind  that  Jesus 
 had  declared  in  a  mysterious  manner  that  he 
 would  rebuild  the  temple  ;  that  by  tiiese  words 
 as  Weil  as  others  he  had  declared  himself  to  be 
 the  Mcmah;  and  that  loo  in  the  highest  sense, 
 as  the  Son  of  God.  Thus  he  passed  at  once 
 irom  that  false  witness  by  a  single  leap  to  this 
 most  formal  and  solemn  impeachment."  But 
 it  is  not  necessary,  nor  is  it  sufficient,  to  trace 
 any  such  trans'ition  ;  for  this  intervening 
 thought  would  itself  be  no  other  than  a  dis- 
 guise, concealing  the  ti'ue  application  which  he 
 was  constrained  to  make  to  his  own  conscience. 
 Caiaphas  feels,  in  the  silence  of  him  who  is 
 thus  accused,  something  kingly,  yea,  divine, 
 which  iiis  mind  cannot  resist; ""he  must  be  con- 
 scious that  the  Lord  will  not  before  his  judg- 
 ment enter  into  any  other  question  than 
 whether  ihey  would  or  v;ould  not  acknow- 
 ledge him  :  there  remains  nothing  to  him, 
 therefore,  but  to  make  the  nece-sity  appear  to 
 be  his  own  determination ;  and,  though  he  ia 
 
 vanquished,  to  maintain  the  fearful  conflict. 
 At  this  decisive  crisis,  when  Israel's  rejection 
 of  the  Messiah  must  take  its  most  final  and 
 official  form,  there  is  mingled  on  the  part  of 
 the  balfied  inquisitor,  a  certain  yielding  with 
 the  putting  forth  of  new  daring. 
 
 Mark  speaks  only  of  the  high  priest's  "  a.slv- 
 ing  again,"  and  gives  the  decisive  question 
 alone -^  but  Matthew  furnishes  the  full  formula 
 of  adjuration.  This  was  the  method  among 
 the  Israelites  of  proffering  and  accepting  the 
 oath  ;  the  appeal  to  God  (and  the  formula  of 
 curse  as  the  penalty  of  lying — which,  however, 
 
 I  was  not  ventured  on  now)  was  made  on  the 
 one  side,  and  the  answer  made  thereupon  was 
 
 I  received,  without  any  repetition  of  the  oath 
 being  regarded  as  necessary  on  the  part  of  tlio 
 respondent.  (See  the  great  passage,  Lev.  v. 
 1,  which  is  to  be  understood  thus,  though 
 Luther  has  not  clearly  translated  it;  and 
 compare  Numb.  V.  19-22;  1  Kings  xxii.  16; 
 Prov.  xxix.  24.)  "  I  adjure  thee  by  the  living 
 God  (in  whose  office  1  stand,  under  whoso 
 power  we  all  are;  before  wiiora  also  thou 
 standest;  who  knoweth  the  truth  and  judgeth 
 between  us  and  thee),  that  thou  tell  ws,  this 
 holy  Sanhedrim  now  here  as  before  God,  the 
 truth  ! "  Thus  does  he  avow,  bearing  testi- 
 mony against  himself  in  this  most  awful  abuse 
 of  the  name  of  God;  that  he  hiows  this  God 
 as  a  living  God  who  will  not  be  mocked.  He 
 testifies  of  his  truth,  even  while  he  is  aiming 
 to  get  the  victory  by  a  lie  ;  of  his  power  and 
 majesty,  while  he  is  pushing  his  opposition  to 
 the  uttermost.  Still  more  :  although  as  we 
 have  often  shov«rn,  in  the  general  consciousness 
 of  the  people  Christ  and  Son  of  God  were 
 by  no  means  identical,  yet  learned  scribe?  like 
 this  Caiaphas,  who  was  constrained  here  to  ad- 
 mit it,  knew  very  well  the  unity  of  the  two. 
 They  knew  that  the  anointed  king  of  the 
 second  Psalm  was  the  begotten  Son  o:  God, 
 in  whom,  as  in  God  himself,  men  were  to  put 
 their  trust;  they  had  been  convinced  and  con- 
 fessed, Matt.  xxii.  42,  that  the  king-priest  of 
 thellOLh  Psalm  was  the  eternal  and  supreme 
 Lord  of  David.  Hence  here,  where  the  form 
 of  knowledge  and  truth  (uo'pcpcj(ji?,  Rom.  ii. 
 20)  is  extorted  from  the  conscience,  the  two- 
 fold expression  is  given  in  one  most  correctly  ; 
 just  as  in  Luke  xxii.  67,  70,  they  follow  ea'cli 
 other,* and  still  more  solemnly  in  Mark,  where 
 the  adjuring  tone  is  somewhat  more  full — Son 
 
 *01shausen  improperly  reduces  the  qnest'on  to, 
 "  Art  thou  that  Son  of  God  whom  thou  givest  thy- 
 self out  to  be"?  "and  thinks  that  this  wou'd  in- 
 volve a  blasphemy,  which  the  mere  declnration 
 that  he  was  the  Messiah  would  not.  We  may  say 
 with  Von  Gerlach,  "Certainly  Caiaphas  did  not 
 intend  the  very  same  wliich  had  been  expressed  in 
 the  Christ."  Indeed,  he  used  it  in  the  same  sense 
 as  Jesus  had  assented  to;  yet  the  conjunction  of 
 C/iris'.  and  Son  of  God  in  one  person  means  not 
 merely  "  according  to  thy  assertion" — bit  rests 
 upon  a  knowledge  that  in  tlie  Scripture  the  Me.s- 
 siah  is  actually  also  the  Son  of  God. 
 
C14 
 
 FIRST  OFFICIAL  EXAMINATION. 
 
 of  the  li'eii^'l,  as  the  Rabbins  used  NM1  TJIlin 
 for  Go.i,  comD.  Psa.  xl.  17. 
 
 I  adjure  thee!  Thus  does  a  mortal  in  the 
 dust  speak  in  the  presence  and  before  the 
 tlirone  of  the  living  God — notwithstanding 
 that  he  sits  as  a  judge — to  him  who  will  pres- 
 ently himself  sit  on  the  right  hand  of  the 
 majesty  on  high.  Thus  does  a  sinful  rebel 
 against  the  grace  and  truth  of  God — notwith- 
 standing he  13  called  high  priest — speak  to  the 
 Holy  One  of  Israel,  the  true  and  faithful  wit- 
 ness, who  is  himself  one  \\\i\\  the  living  God. 
 If  this  man,  Jesus  of  Nazareth,  who  now 
 stands  before  him,  is  the  Christ,  the  Son  of 
 God — what  then?  Will  he  cast  himself  at  his 
 feet,  and  supplicate  with  adoring  penitence 
 the  forgiveness  of  all  past  opposition?  Oh, 
 r.o  ;  then  and  for  that  very  reason  he  is  to 
 bo  rejected,  condemned,  and  put  to  death  ! 
 Caiaphas  would  only  say — "  Whether  thou 
 rimht  Vv/self  out  to  le  such;"  but  because  he 
 knows  that  that  would  be  a  lie  in  his  lips,  he 
 has  not  at  this  heart-revealing  crisis  the  power 
 to  give  it  expression,  however  much  he  might 
 ■wish  it  to  do  so.  The  living  God  lays  a  spell 
 upon  his  tongue,  so  that  he  must  speak  more 
 truly  than  he  meant  to  speak  ;  he  is  constrain- 
 ed, while  preparing  for  the  last  and  consum- 
 mate denial  of  it,  to  confess  the  truth  from  his 
 inmost  conscience.  There  is  not,  as  afterwards, 
 John  xix.  21,  any  artful  distinction  ;  but  it  is 
 literal  and  earnest — Art  thou?  (which  Matt. 
 also  has  held  fast).  This  is  still  .the  great 
 question  for  our  own  day,  and  it  must  be  put 
 before  his  face,  however  much  it  may  be  sup- 
 pressed or  avoided  by  specious  and  hypocrit- 
 ical polemics.  Caiaphas  asks  not  in  order  to 
 ask  furtlier,  to  give  truth  its  honor;  but  with 
 the  design  to  make  the  decisive  answer  the  de- 
 cisive enormity,  that  the  respondent  may  be  at 
 once  condemned  ;  and  therefore  he  v.'as  himself 
 the  blasphemer.  But  we  too  often  forget  to 
 take  further  into  account  the  actual  conviction 
 of  this  same  Caiaphas  that  Jesus  ir.xs  what  he 
 had  formerly  said  of  himself;  and  that  he 
 would,  thus  adjured,  say  it  openly — upon  this 
 foundation  was  the  frightful  scheme  erected, 
 to  complete  the  rejection  of  him  who  was  thus 
 all  the  time  most  internally  known  and  ac- 
 knowledged."- El  du  ti,  "If  thou  art" — by 
 tliis  Cv  Caiaphas  means  not  merely  t!ie  man 
 who  had  dared  to  arrogate  to  himself  Sonship 
 and  erjuality  with  God,  or  the  bound  one  who 
 would  be  a  deliverer ;  for  then  it  would  have 
 run — i^l  6u  XeyEii  or  Ttoisli  Ceavvuv,  as  in 
 John  X.  33.  But  the  undertone  of  malignity 
 conjoins  with  the  invoking  cT  the  rejecting  (Sv  ; 
 since  it  means,  Thou,  such  an  one  as  we  cannot 
 at  all  tolerate — a  Messiah,  who  would  deliver 
 
 *  Pfenninjer  puts  the  dilemma  very  simply  and 
 clearly.  "  Either  Caiaphas  lioI<ls  it  possible  that 
 Jesus  is  the  Messiah,  and  then  ho  cannot  call  the 
 answer  blasi)hemy ;  or  he  really  rejiards  it  as  a 
 blasphemy  tliat  Jesus  gives  himself  out  to  be  the 
 M>Fsiah,  and  then  he  oucht  uo«  to  adjure  htm  by 
 iLo  living  God  to  answer." 
 
 from  .sm-t,  and  not  from  the  Romans — a  Son  of 
 God,  who  in  the  gentleness  and  humility  of 
 holiness  desirest  our  hearts  for  a  heavenly 
 kinedom. 
 
 ^  When  tliey  would  proclaim  him  a  Messiah- 
 King  of  an  earthlv  kingdom,  Jesus  withdrew 
 far  Irom  them.  When  the  devil  put  to  him 
 the  question.  Art  thou  the  Son  of  God?  he 
 entered  not  into  the  question,  but  worshipped 
 as  man  the  only  God.  But  here  where  Caia- 
 phas understands  the  question  ahnost  better 
 than  Satan  did  then,  he  answers  and  confesses, 
 he  surrenders  himself  to  the  cross  and  the 
 crown  of  thorns.  That  which  he  had  formally 
 forbidden  his  disciples  literally  to  proclaim,  in 
 order  to  obviate  misunderstanding  and  clfence, 
 he  now  himself  testifies  with  the  utmost  plain- 
 ness— 170W  when  the  consequence  will  be  his 
 death.  "  Nov;  first  v,-a3  his  great  mystery  entirely 
 safe  from  the  measureless  Chialiastic  am!>ilion 
 which  had  threatened  to  pervert  it."  lie  looks 
 through  the  meaning  of  the  questioner,  con- 
 templates all  the  consequences  of  his  affirma- 
 tion ;  but  on  that  very  account  he  keeps 
 silence  no  longer.  As  an  obedient  Israelite  he 
 must  respond  to  the  adjuration  of  t!ie  ruling 
 power — under  the  law  to  the  last,  even  when  it 
 is  perverted  against  him.  But  he  knev/  lh.e 
 counsel  of  his  Fatiier,  also,  as  to  this  hour 
 which  had  now  come  ;  and  therefore  he  gives 
 himself  up  the  more  readily  by  his — /  awi  he. 
 This  "I  am  he"  is  self-sacnflcing  as  it  was  be- 
 fore in  the  garden.  But  in  this  same  word  the 
 sum,  as  also  the  goal  and  end,  of  his  prophetic 
 office  is  involved, 
 
 Mark  gives  correctly  the  fundamental  mean- 
 ing ' Ey cj  Eim,  I  dm;  but  Matthew's  2v 
 EiTtai,  Thou  hait  said,  is  the  more  correctly 
 literal  reply.  Tiiis  is  in  this  place  infinitely 
 more  than  the  mere  customary  formula  of 
 affirmation  which  occurs  both  among  the 
 Greeks  and  the  Rabbis.  In  the  words  which 
 followed  "That  thou  tell  us"  Caiaphas  had 
 already  expressed  what  they  hicw  concerning 
 him,  but  had  determined  not  to  confess;  and 
 thus  Christ  also  means — Thou  hast  already  de- 
 clared and  avowed  it,  thou  knowest  it  'well, 
 without  any  need  of  my  now  telling  you  for  the 
 first  time.  Thus  its  meaning  was  precisely  the 
 same  as  before  to  Judas.  It  is  further  a  proof 
 that  Caiaphas  noio  intended  both  e.xprcssions 
 ChTist  and  So7i  of  God  in  their  sole  scriptural 
 sense;  for  the  alTirmalion  avows  itself  in  the 
 same  meaning  as  the  question.  "They  know 
 not  what  they  do."  Tliere  were  some  whose 
 knowledge  placed  them  beyond  the  limits  of  this 
 intercession  upon  the  cross — from  John  iii.  2 
 down  to  Matt.  xxi.  38,  xxii.  16.  Probably 
 this  was  the  case  with  most  in  the  Sanheurim; 
 at  least  it  was  so  in  the  case  of  Caiaphas,  hence 
 the  singular  in  John  xix.  11.  And  there  are  to 
 this  day — they  are  now,  indeed,  more  really 
 such  than  ever — conscious  enemies  and  deniers 
 of  Christ,  whose  questioning  he  returns  into 
 their  own  consciences  with  the  same  Thou  hast 
 said. 
 
 AcccTjting  this  judicial  adjuration,  and  thus 
 
MATTHEV;  XXVI.  G4. 
 
 m 
 
 8W<?ariTig  bv  the  livinc;  Goi3,  Jesus  testifies  not 
 only  that  lie  is  \he  Messiah  of  Israelitish  pro- 
 phecy, but  that  iherewilh  and  therein  he  is  the 
 true  Son  of  God,  in  the  same  "  metaphysical  " 
 sense  as  he  had  elsewhere  asserted  it,  in  con- 
 formity with  Scripture.  As  he  there  stands 
 bound  before  the  vSaiihodrim.  as  he  aiterwards 
 hangs  upon  the  cross,  the  declaration,  "This 
 Jesns  is  the  Christ,  this  Son  of  Man  the  Son  of 
 God!"  is  tolly  to  the  carnal  reason,  a  contra- 
 diction to  all  the  Jewish  expectation  concern- 
 iniT  the  Messiah,  c;v/a;  and  dxdySaXov  to  ivH 
 deistical  notions  of  Gentiie  wisdom  and  natural 
 knowledge  of  God.  But  it  is  not  contrary  to 
 tne  prophetic  word,  which  isfnlfilkd  and  con- 
 summate only  in  its  acknowledgment;  nor  is  it 
 contrary  to  the  inmost  prophecy  of  man's  deep- 
 est feeling  in  tiie  reason  and  conscience,  wh:ch 
 does  not  find  the  "living  God"  again  but 
 through  JenHS  C.trist.  History,  finally,  since  his 
 crucifixion,  is  the  progressive  demonstra'.ion  of 
 the  power  and  the  glory  of  him  who  was  thus 
 humbled. 
 
 A  reference  ^o  this  was  a  necessary  part  of 
 the  ID Uness  for  fiie  present  crisis,  if  not  of  the 
 confesdon  as  such.  For  the  sake  of  this  San- 
 hedrim itself,  partly  for  the  few  who  were  still 
 susceptible,  and  partly  in  the  superabundance 
 of  his  patience  and  love  tor  all  the  rest,  the 
 Lord  will  soften  the  harsh  contradiction  be- 
 tween his  claim  and  his  present  condition, 
 "  that  he,  bound  as  he  was,\vas  the  King  of 
 Israel,  and  Son  of  the  Blessed" — by  pointing 
 to  the  following  future  of  his  manifestation  and 
 glory ;  and  this  would  further  elevate  the  mere 
 yea  of  his  confession  into  a  penetrating  testi- 
 mony to  their  souls.  Further,  for  all  who 
 should  afterwards  hear  this  word  spoken  by 
 Caiaphas,  he  adds  to  the  "Thou  hast  said" 
 something  more — And  moreover,  I sny  also  unto 
 you,  or,  This  much  more  Ihavs  aho  to  say  to  ynu. 
 Thus  we  must  understand  the  nXi'/v  as  less  ad- 
 versative than  continuous,  being  a  strengthen- 
 ing mnreotcr,  furthermore,  vi  addition,  eniinvero. 
 Driiseke  refers  to  John  xiii.  30,  31,  as  a  parallel 
 crisis,  preaching  that  Christ  was  in  these  words 
 glorified:  and  we  may  say,  in  a  certain  sense, 
 that  in  the  andpri,  henceforth,  the  aprj,  now, 
 is  also  included — for  ?/s  believers  the  glory 
 beams  forth  in  the  sublime  crisis  of  this  self- 
 surrender.  Yet  for  unbelievers  and  his  enemies, 
 to  whom  the  word  was  first  spoken,  it  v/as  not 
 intended  in  John's  sense,  but  distinguishes  the 
 suhequenl  exaltation  from  the  present  humilia- 
 tion— as  the  words  evidently  show.  "He  saw 
 now  coming  the  extremity  of  his  shame  and 
 reproach  ;  therefore  he  knew  so  assuredly  that 
 now  would  begin  (through  the  victory  into 
 which  that  would  turn)  his  triumph." 
 
 He  does  not  go  on  to  speak  with  /or  me,  hut 
 objective'y,  as  if  elevated  above  himself,  con- 
 cerning the  /Son  of  Man,  who  is  now  before  their 
 eyes.  This  is  the  necessary  complement  of  the 
 subject  of  the  predicate  Son  of  God  ;  and  ifc  ex- 
 presses his  humility  in  the  midst  of  his  dignity. 
 It  is  at  the  sanie_time  the  conclusive  and  au- 
 thentic interpretation  of  this  name,  vrdiich  he 
 
 had  given  to  himself  from  the  beginning  out  of 
 Daniel;  for  he  po.nfs  to  Dan.  vii.  lo,  14,  and 
 Psa.  ex.  in  their  combination,  taking  the  words 
 for  these  scribes  out  of  the  Scriptures.  In 
 connection  with  the  oath  put  to  him  he  refers 
 to  the  oath  of  God  in  the  psalm,  in  the  same 
 psalm  by  which  he  had  just  smitten  their  con- 
 sciences. "  Ye  shall  see  me  sitting,  as  I  now 
 stand  before  you  while  ye  sit  in  juugment  upon 
 me."  At  the  right  hand  of  power — contrast 
 with  his  present  weakness — a  description  of 
 Almighty  God  himself,  corresponding  with  the 
 Blessed,  as  the  R:ibl>iiis  frequently  use  in  the 
 same  sense  mun.*  The  expression  here 
 deviates  from  tiie  merely  sensible  figure  of 
 silting  on  the  right  hand,  and  points  to  the 
 thought  which  underlies  if :  hence  the  Evan- 
 gelists, entering  into  this,  put  zd  de^id  for 
 p^%  comp.  Mark  xvi.  5.     As  we  have  said,  in 
 
 the  sublimity  of  this  word,  he  sits  as  it  were 
 already  in  judgment  upon  the  throne  of  the 
 glory  of  God ;  but  he  means  now  more  than 
 that.  lie  who  sittetk  will  also  come,  and,  hy 
 the  prerogative  which  is  God's  alone  in  Scrip- 
 ture, but  that  of  tiie  Son  of  Man  in  Daniel, 
 upon  and  with  the  clouds  of  heaven  (I\Iatt.  ini 
 —Mark  /^era).  Neander  rightly  remarks, 
 "  These  words  give  evidence  that  Christ  refer- 
 red to  his  coming,  his  coming  in  the  clouds,  not 
 only  as  a  description  of  his  future  personal 
 coming  again  (as  visible),  but  also  to  indicate 
 his  spiritual  historical  manifestation  of  himself 
 in  the  government  of  the  world."  In  the  same 
 sense  as  Daniel,  John  speaks,  Rev.  i.  7,  of  the 
 manifestation  of  the  kingdom,  power  and  do- 
 minion ever  increasing  throughout  hurnan  his- 
 torv,  which  is  given  unto  him.  Hence  ditdprty 
 in  Luke  afterwards  drto  vov  vCv.  They  did 
 see  it,  these  to  whom  this  yc  shall  see  was  first 
 spoken,  as  all  his  rejectors  down  to  this  day^ 
 it  began  with  the  signs  upon  Golgotha,  it  has 
 continued  from  Pentecost  downwards,  in  an 
 already  visible  coming  of  the  Son  of  Man,  in 
 his  kingdom  (Matt.  xvi.  28;  Mark.  ix.  1).  His 
 prophecy  has  not  been  brought  to  naught; 
 But,  on  "the  other  hand,  if  we  would  see  this 
 aright  we  must  not  overlook  that  all  this  pre- 
 liminary coming  of  him  who  still  sits  above,  is 
 but  the  typical  prophecy  and  the  preparing 
 pledge  of  his  last  visible  coming.  The  two 
 mutuallv  illustrate  and  confirm  each  other: 
 only  by 'the  faith  which  waits  for  the  promise 
 of  thefinal  return  can  we  understand  the  com- 
 ing of  the  Lord  in  history  ;  only  by  the  ac- 
 knowledgment of  this  his  coming  in  history, 
 manifest  as  it  is  to  the  eyes  of  even  his  enemies, 
 can  we  maintain  our  expectation  and  waiting 
 for  the  Son  of  God  from  heaven. 
 
 Pfenninger  has  illustrated,  by  four  positions 
 of  his  "impartial"  Zephonias,  the  first  im- 
 pression of  the  word  of  Jesus ;  and  has  ex- 
 plained at  the  same  time  how  it  was  that  the 
 
 *  Only  in  Luke  xxii.  69  f^oos  rov  Bsov  stand 
 expressed  ;  but  the  Vuls;.  (ili)uul»  not  in  the  Cod, 
 AiniaUnus)  gives  it  also  in  Matthew  and  Mark. 
 
'616 
 
 FIRST  OFFICIAL  EXAMINATION. 
 
 sablime  word  did  not  Tiinder,  and  was  not  in- 
 tended to  hinder,  the  course  of  the  condemning 
 sentence.  First,  "I  never  in  my  life  saw 
 enthusiast  so  calm,  deceiver  speak  so  truly  as 
 he  spoke  this."  But  then:  "And  yet  there 
 never  was  folly  so  foolish  (so  contradictory  to 
 ordinary  experience)  as  what  he  said."  Again, 
 very  naturally:  "As  respects  the  condemna- 
 tion of  death,  there  was  nothing  which  could 
 induce  my  own  r:nson  to  hinder  the  judgment ; 
 our  laws  must  have  their  respect  paid  to 
 them."*  Finally:  "Either  he  dies,  and  then 
 he  was  not  the  Messiah,  but  a  deceiver;  or  he 
 is  not  a  deceiver,  but  the  Messiah,  and  then  he 
 will  not  die." 
 
 The  Apostle,  1  Tim.  vi.  13,  terms  this  confes- 
 sionf  of  Christ,  in  contrast  with  Peter's  denial, 
 the  good  confesmn  in  a  pre-eminent  and  absolute 
 sense ;  and  it  is  a  type  and  pattern  for  us,  who 
 must  confess  him  even  as  he  confessed  himself. 
 It  is  a  good  confession,  first,  in  its  humble  obe- 
 d  ;nce  in  righteousness  before  God  and  man,  and 
 is  to  be  imitated  by  us  in  gentleness  and  iear; 
 secondly,  in  its  public  testimony  to  the  truth,  as 
 according  to  Scripture,  and  we  also  have  to 
 seal  our  confession  by  the  sure  word ;  thirdly, 
 in  liis  willingness  to  sutler,  without  the  main- 
 tenance of  any  personal  defence,  without  threat- 
 ening or  returning  injury  for  injur}'.  This  last 
 i.s  to  us,  also,  in  our  degree  for  an  example; 
 yet  the  Apostle  (Acts  xxiii.  8)  might  in  rebuke 
 and  threatening  prophesy — this,  however,  be 
 came  not  the  Lord  wnen  he  surrendered  him- 
 self to  death  for  the  world.  Certainly,  his 
 word  concerning  his  own  future  sitting  and 
 coming,  addressed  to  those  who  sat  before  him, 
 does  appear  in  a  certain  sense  to  be  "an  ap- 
 peal from  their  tribunal  to  the  judicial  throne 
 of  God,  as  a  summons  to  appear  before  his  own 
 judgment-seat  when  he  should  return  to  judge 
 the  world."  But  he  does  not  utter  this  ex- 
 pressly ;  he  speaks  this  as  a  ground  of  faith  for 
 their  future  hope.  As  in  Matt.  xxi.  IG  he 
 breaks  off  the  scriptural  saying,  and  leaves  un- 
 expressed the  destruction  of  the  enemies — so  is 
 ft  here,  and  this  puts  its  perfection»on  his  good 
 ftnd  resplendent  confession.  Think  of  "his 
 being  silent  after  such  a  majestic  word  of  thun- 
 der. I  will  come  in  the  clouds  of  heaven  ; 
 and  yet  not  one  word  of  wo",  then  to  you!  at 
 that  moment  he  feels  in  himself  power  and 
 authority  which  no  man,  no  creature,  ever  felt 
 — and  is  dumb  nevertheless,  as  a  lamb." 
 
 lie  is  sUenl  again  ;  and  stands  and  waits  for 
 his  condemnation.  What  should  now  take 
 place  if  he  were  truly  judged  according  to  the 
 law  ?  The  immediate  question  was — How  prov- 
 est  Ihou  this?  Pie  liad  proved  it,  the  signs 
 and  testimonies  were  before  them  ;  but  we  may 
 be  bold  enough  to  assume  that  if  now  one  more 
 
 •  Only  a  Joseph  or  Nicodenuis  (of  whicli  after- 
 .jrards)  refused  to  agree,  because  tlipy  have  lailh 
 already  in  their  reason  and  in  their  conscience. 
 
 f  Not,  ns  is  ppnerally  uiulpr.s'ood,  tlmt  givpn  af- 
 terwards before  Pilate.  The  ^ni  Uoyrtov  IliXd- 
 toy  Li  on.y  meant  aa  in  the  Aposdes 'CiceJ. 
 
 sign  had  been  officially  required  of  him,  he 
 would,  he  must,  have  given  it.  But  thi.i  judi- 
 cial assembly  will  not  touch  that  point ;  they 
 have  not  observed  the  righteous  forms  from  the 
 beginning,  had  appointed  him  no  an  hv^t  or 
 
 advocate  of  any  kind.  In  the  first  crisis  of  hi^ 
 question  Caiaphas  had  been  half  overcome,  and 
 had  been  constrained  to  this  form  of  question 
 against  his  will ;  but  now  after  the  answer  he 
 takes  courage  in  the  malice  of  his  wickedness, 
 and  brings  the  matter  abruptly  at  once  to  the 
 sentence  of  condemnation — this  is  the  second 
 great  crisis  in  the  scene,  and  the  most  awful. 
 By  a  sudden  dramatic  stroke  he  urges  the  as- 
 sembly to  their  vote,  without  investigation  or 
 examination  of  evidence,  and  thus  he  drowns 
 i  at  the  same  time  the  clamor  of  his  own  con- 
 science. Not  as  a  "  pre-concerted  ceremony  " 
 (for  the  whole  matter  was  not  so  carefully  pre- 
 arranged), but  by  the  inspiration  of  Satan, 
 doubtless,  he  rent;  his  clothes,*  as  if  in  horror 
 of  the  blasphemy' — instead  of  putting  ttiem  oiF 
 before  the  majest^y  of  the  Eternal  High  Priest  at 
 the  right  hand  of  God.  Thereby  (as  Jerome 
 said)  the  typical  high-priesthood  was  rent 
 asunder;  and  soon  would  the  veil  also  be  rent 
 from  the  top  to  the  bottom,  with  the  destruc-* 
 tion  of  the  temple,  when  the  body  of  Christ 
 was  broken.  He  hath  apoleii  Idasjyhemy !  So 
 cries  he  in  consummate  hypocrisy,  as  in  John 
 xix.  7.  But  he  thereby  himself  blasphemes, 
 and  sins  agai:-,st  the  Holy  Ghoit.f  If  Jesus 
 was  not  the  Son  of  God,  then  was  Caiaphas 
 right.  But  Caiaphas  well  knew  who  was  right 
 and  who  was  wrong;  he  therefore  urges  the 
 precipitate  7>?r-judgment,  instead  of  going  on 
 to  the  proper  question— Is  this  confession  of 
 Jesus  blasphemy  or  truth  ?J  Again — What 
 lurther  need  have  we  of  witnesses?  betrays  his 
 guilty  conscience,  before  he  magisterially  de- 
 crees— Ye  all  are  ear-witnesses!  The  assem- 
 bly understood  him — the  last  hypocritical  word, 
 as  if  the  possibilily  of   doubt  was  assumed, 
 
 *  Td  ifidria  instead  of  tlie  singu'ar,  as  fre- 
 quently. This  was  not  contrary  to  the  law  of  Ley, 
 xxi.  10  ;  for  that  referred  either  (but  improl  ably) 
 only  to  the  sacred  vestments  at  the  the  time  of  sac- 
 rifice, or  (mor3  properly)  only  to  lamentation  lor 
 the  dead.  We  se%  in  1  Mace.  xi.  71,  and  in  sev- 
 eial  passages  of  Scripture,  that  high  prie.^ts  rent 
 I  heir  garments;  indeed  Sepp  (iii.  474)  tells  us 
 that  it  was  prescribed  to  them  actual. y  that  they 
 should  rend  them  from  bcloiv  upw.nds. 
 
 f  Six  high  pness  are  recorded  in  Scnptnre  as 
 having  sinned  (Aaron,  Eli,  Abialhar,  Uriili,  or 
 Ahaz,  Seraiah  in  the  time  of  Jeremiah,  Joshua, 
 Zecli.  iii.),  but  Cainphas  the  seventh  surpas.seil 
 them  all.     So  Jean  d  E.-'pagne. 
 
 X  The  parallel  passages,  John  xix  7,  and  x.  Z'), 
 suflicienlly  refute  ili°  strimoe  and  obstinate  opin- 
 ion which  half-orthodox  diViiies  maintain,  thni  Son 
 of  God  is  he:e  equivalent  only  to  Christ,  and  that 
 Jesus  was  called  a  blasphemer  not  on  that  hc- 
 count,  but  on  account  of  "the  appearing  in  tlio 
 clouds,  and  sitting  on  the  right  hand  !"  Liiku 
 xxii.  69,  70  is  qnot-d  tor  this,  but  in  reality  testi- 
 fies the  very  reverse. 
 
LUKE  XXII.  67-70. 
 
 617 
 
 What  think  ye?  is  followed  by  the  voice,  not  of 
 the  majority  but  of  all,  eoruUmnivg  him  to  die. 
 Tlius  Israel  condemns  their  Messiah,  rebellious 
 
 man  his  God.  Bnt  in  the  wonderful  counsels 
 of  c;race  above,  the  guilt  of  all  sinners  and 
 their  doom  is  laid  upon  the.Kedeemer. 
 
 THE  SECOND  OFFICIAL  AND  COMPLETE   EXAMINATION  IN  THE   MORNING. 
 (Luke  xxir.  67-70.) 
 
 After  the  first  condemnation  to  death  the 
 assembly  broke  up  in  wild  triumph  ;  and  the 
 most  daring  began  at  once  with  the  mockery, 
 spitting,  and  other  indignities  which  were  con- 
 tmued  by  their  servants.  The  Evangelists 
 speak  of  these  things,  but  draw  a  veil  over  the 
 worst  scenes  (which  preachers  on  the  Passion 
 should  not  e::patiate  upon),  only  giving  some 
 few  as  an  example.  Meanwhile  it  is  broad 
 day ;  and  they  once  more  take  him  before  a 
 full  council,  as  Luke  plainly  records.  Luke 
 xxii.  66  is,  indeed,  not  absolutely  one  and  the 
 eame  with  Matt,  xxvii.  1  and  Mark  xv.  1 ;  for 
 their  dvjii/3ovXiov  T^aiufidvetv  or  Ttoiely,  the 
 taking  counsel,  would  rather  indicate  the  con- 
 tinuation of  their  secret  delibemtions,  issuing 
 in  the  result  that  he  must  at  once  be  led  before 
 Pilate ;  yet  even  these  parallels  hint  at  a  re- 
 newed assembly  in  more  complete  form,  before 
 which  a  renewed  examination  would  itself  be 
 probable  enough.  Further,  the  indignities 
 (which  strictly  agree  in  the  "Prophesy  who 
 13  it  that  smote  thee?")  took  place,  according 
 to  Matthew  and  Mark,  aftrr  the  examination, 
 according  to  Luke  lie/ore  it;  unless  therefore 
 we  assume  these  to  have  been  repeated,  or  as- 
 sume one  or  other  account  to  be  incorrect,  the 
 examinations  cannot  be  made  identical.  Gro- 
 tius,  who  maintams  this  last,  took  6vyijxOi)  in 
 Luke  for  yy  evvayo/iievov  :  but  the  suppo- 
 sition of  only  one  examination  is  encumbered 
 by  still  greater  difficulties  :  the  words  of  our 
 Lord  in  Luke,  especially,  when  closely  and 
 penetratingly  considered,  cannot  by  any  means 
 be  interwoven  or  connected  with  the  sublime 
 answer  in  the  other  two  Evangelists.  If  v.'e 
 suppose  the  answer  in  Luke,  vers.  67,  68,  to 
 have  preceded,  there  must  be  inexactness  in  the 
 whole  ;  for  Luke  represents  it  as  immediately 
 following  the  question,  Art  thou  the  Christ? 
 which  would  then  be  introduced  too  early. 
 This  would  altogether  disturb  the  profound 
 psychological  and  historical  truth  of  (he  tran- 
 sition from  silence  to  the  confession  demanded 
 upon  oath,  as  we  have  expounded  it.  It  would 
 confuse  the  whole,  also,  to  regard  the  question 
 and  response  as  having  begun  again  in  the 
 eame  examination  from  the  very  beginning. 
 There  is  no  need  of  any  "  softening,"  for  the 
 "  rather  harsh  absolute  silence  "  of  Christ  to 
 the  first  question  of  the  high  priest,  as  01s- 
 hausen  thinks;  to  regard  Luke,  vers.  67,68, 
 fts  such,  hurts  the  sense  and  robs  it  of  its  en- 
 ergy and  force.     If  the  two  accounts  must  be 
 
 identified,  the  words  of  Luke  must  necessarily 
 be  taken  as  not  strictly  historical  and  exact."* 
 For  a  mere  "mixing  up"  of  things  which  oc- 
 curred at  one  time  and  occurred  again  at  any 
 other,  is  too  much  at  variance  with  the  strict 
 historical  tone  of  the  whole. 
 
 We  hold  with  Rambach,  Bengel,  and  Lange.t 
 thai  after  day-break  there  was  the  first  formal 
 arid  complete  assembling  of  the  council,  and 
 that  then  occurred  what  Luke  here  narrates. 
 The  expressions  in  Luke,  ver.  35,  plainly  show 
 this.  (Certainly,  the  dvyjyayov,  th©  true 
 reading  instead  of  (XTtriyayov,  is  not  to  be 
 understood  of  the  Conclave  Oazl'h  or  any  other 
 locality  on  the  temple-mountain  ;  for,  as  By- 
 najus  observed,  John  xviii.  28  is  decisive  against 
 this,  declaring  that  Jesus  was  led  to  the  pra3to- 
 rium  by  Caiaphas.)  They  are  troubled  lest  the 
 first  assembly,  deficient  in  number,  should  not 
 have  suflicient  validity  ;  probably  also  the  or- 
 dinance which  we  find'  in  Sinhedr.  cap.  iv.  g  1. 
 and  Sohar.  p.  56  held  good,  that  all  nVi^'SJ  "'^T 
 should  be  begun  and  ended  DV2,  in  the  regular 
 day  (see  Lightfoot,  JIoi-w,  ad  Matt,  xxvii.  1), 
 indeed  that  capitil  condemnation  should  not  be 
 pronounced  on  the  same  day  as  the  examina- 
 tion (Carpz.  ApparaL  p.  578).  Be  this  last  aa 
 it  may,  the  repetition  of  a  second  and  more  se- 
 cure examination  was  necessary  in  order  to  the 
 utmost  appearance  of  formality  ;  and  it  would 
 aflford  a  further  opportunity  of  ascertaining 
 whether  any  thing  could  be  extracted  from  Jesus 
 more  suitable  for  a  charge  before  Pilate— as 
 will  be  seen.  J  There  is  evidently  in  the  answer 
 of  Christ,  Luke,  ver.  67,  an  appeal  to  some- 
 thing which  had  already  pass-d,  to  what  he 
 had  told  them  before.  This  very  thing  is  enough 
 to  show  that  Luke  passes  over  a  first  exami- 
 
 *  Besides  that  it  would  not  bo  true—li  I  tell  you, 
 ye  believe  it  not. 
 
 ■|-  Ke  refers  to  the  fact  tliat  in  the  first,  imper- 
 fect examination  according  to  Mark,  ver.  64,  all 
 consented  to  the  judgment  of  death  ;  that  there- 
 fore the  dissent  of  Joseph,  Luke  xxiii.  51,  required 
 a  f^econd  and  complete  examination.  But  the 
 itavz!:i  is  generally  not  to  be  taken  so  rigoious'y, 
 for  see  the  same  in  Luke  ver.  70.  B.-Ciusius  (on 
 John  xviii.  13)  declares  himself  for  a  second  ex- 
 amination accoidiug  to  Luke. 
 
 :j:  The  disciples  could  not  watch  one  hour  with 
 Jesus — his  enemies  wake  to  tiieir  earnest  work 
 the  whole  night.  See  here  man's  strength  to  evil, 
 his  weakness  to  good. 
 
618 
 
 SECOND  AND  FULL  EXAMINATION. 
 
 nation,  which  he  takes  for  granted  ;  if  this 
 which  our  Lord  had  told  them  had  been  said 
 in  an  earlier  part  of  the  same  examination, 
 Luke's  beginning  his  narrative  in  the  middle 
 would  be  unaccountable. 
 
 The  first  address  runs  not  as  the  Vulg.  has 
 incorrectly  translated — //'  thou  art  the  Christ, 
 tell  us  :  but  the  et  is  a  simple  question  of  itself, 
 num.  "  We  afk  thee  most  solemnly,  and  once 
 more  over  and  above  all  former  questioning."'* 
 Note,  as  Lange  rightly  sf  es,  the  j/olidcal  signifi- 
 cance of  the  crime  is  alone  brought  into  promi- 
 nence in  the  "  Chrid  ;"  "  the  "  S'jn  of  God," 
 which  the  vehemence  of  the  moment  had  ex- 
 torted from  Caiaphas,  is  at  fir^t  prudently  left 
 out  of  sight — though  in  ver.  70  they  bring  it 
 forward,  being  urged  by  their  zeal  against  his 
 "  sitting  at  the  riglit  hand."  Thus  every  thing 
 has  an  unforced  explanation,  in  harmony  with 
 the  mind  of  the  people  as  it  vibrated  between 
 cunning  and  fanaticism.  The  Lord  alone  re- 
 mains self-possessed  and  tranquil,  even  while 
 altering  his  demeanor.  Ke  speoks  now  once 
 more,  as  a  testimony  that  he  did  not  keep  si- 
 lence or.  the  former  occasion  through  any  con- 
 tempt, and  fulfilling  on  his  part  the  obligations 
 of  justice.  But  his  justice  is  most  characteris- 
 tically in  direct  opposition  to  this  hypocritical 
 judicial  process.  Tiiey  would  make  the  legality 
 of  their  sentence  all  the  more  firm  through  a 
 complete  assembly  in  broad  day — but  to  him 
 they  have  lost  their  character  as  builder,'^ 
 through  their  rejection  of  the  corner  stone. 
 Their  office  has  no  longer  any  validity  in  hi.^ 
 eyes,  since  they  have  termed  his  testimony  a 
 blaspheming  God,  and  have  condemned  his  in- 
 nocence. The  high-priestly  garm.ent  is  torn. 
 Therefoie  he  now  speaks  to  them  as  to  private 
 persons,  just  as  to  Annas  ;  he  humbles  himself 
 so  low  as  to  lament  in  sorrow  over  their  un- 
 righteousness, in  which  one  thing  only  stand.'^ 
 firm — not  to  believe,  not  to  let  him  go !  Com- 
 pare the  complaint  of  the  prophet  Jer.  xxxviii. 
 15.     Is  not  all  this  now  plain  and  intelligible? 
 
 Verse  67  refers  primarily  at  any  rate  to  the 
 previous  examination,  and  is  expres.'-ed  ^vlth 
 the  highest  and  most  marvellous  gentleness — 
 after  the  deeper  experience  of  suffering  through 
 their  mockery ;  for  when  he  told  them,  they 
 blasphemed  that  it  was  blasphemy,  truly  be- 
 cause they  would  not  believe  it.  But  the  word 
 is  (hen  a  general  glance  back  upon  his  whole 
 official  teaching  from  the  outset,  during  which 
 he  had  so  often  told  them  in  vain  by  word  and 
 work  what  they  now  asked.  "  If  ye  believe 
 not  my  whole  lite  which  has  hitherto  said  Yea, 
 to  what  end  is  it  to  say  it  again  now?"  Thus 
 might  we  refer  the  clause  to  the  prc.-^ent — If  I 
 told  you  now  once  more ;  but  yet  we  cannot 
 but  feel  that  something  must  have  preceded, 
 which  gives  the  expression  its  present  appro- 
 priate form. 
 
 *  "  As  it  were  superfluously — probabljP  also  for 
 the  sake  of  the  memSers  who  had  come  in  since." 
 So  I'riiseke  verj-  tru'y  ,  they  should  and  would 
 all  of  theia  hear  it  themselves  from  bis  ii  is. 
 
 Verse  68  is  so  interpreted  aa  if  the  Lord  br 
 an  un.seemly  pre-judgment  only  asserted — If  I 
 now  wished  to  ask  you,  ye  would  not  ansver' 
 m^e.  This  is  involved  in  the  meaning,  but  not 
 so  that  he  from  the  beginning  declined  the  in- 
 terrogation permitted  ;"  the  pre-supposition  in 
 this  aoristical  sentence  is  founded  upon  ante- 
 cedent facts.  Thus  it  is  not  as  the  Vulg. 
 translates — Siaiitem  et  interro'/ovn-n,  nnn  refnxm- 
 dthids  mihi,  as  before,  non  credefis  (instead  of 
 which  another  reading  has  credi(is).  But  the 
 second  clause  continues  the  allusion,  belore  re- 
 marked upon,  to  all  that  had  taken  place  be- 
 fore this  night  of  judgment,  and  presses  upon 
 their  minds  by  lay  ds  7(al  apiMiri-OM*  llow 
 often  many  of  themselves  had  left  unanswered 
 his  penetrating  and  demonstrating  questions, 
 and  therefore  how  certainly  nothing  was  to  bo 
 expected  from  such  a  course  rep'eated  now. 
 As  regards  Annas,  we  may  remember  the 
 Lord's  conversation  with  him,  in  which  t!ie 
 only  answer  was  his  being  struck  :  but  tliei 
 Lord  especially  reminds  tliem  of  the  public 
 questions  of  these  last  days,  such  a.s  Wat',  xxi. 
 25  (when  they  had  come  to  him  in  a  hrff-ofi-i- 
 cial  manner),  Matt.  xxii.  45,  etc.  We  may 
 supplement,  with  Brandt's  Bibe'. — But  I  ask 
 on  mine  own  part,  Wlierefore  ye  do  not  believe 
 my  saying — and  thus  he  gives  it  to  be  nnd"r- 
 stood  that  it  was  for  him,  in  reality,  to  exain- 
 ine  and  judge  them.  "What  benignity^  to  de- 
 scend to  this  position  in  relation  io  them, 
 after  the  fearful  judgment  o:  the  night  i  That 
 ye  would  let  me  go,  acquit  mef — this  was  not 
 (o  be  thought  of  Thus  he  Testifies  that  he 
 knew  full  well  their  loregone  conclusion  and 
 deciee:  and  therefore  the  futility  of  all  ques- 
 tioning and  examination. 
 
 Verses  69,  70.  He  nevertheless  repeals  the 
 former  word,  that  they  may  have  no  excuse; 
 that,  they  may  not  think  him  to  have  uttered 
 ilie  same  words  on  the  former  occasion  inroiigii 
 any  fanatical  elevation.  This  was  the  last 
 time  on  which  he  called  himself  Son  of  JTan. 
 He  who  had  been  smitten  and  spat  r.;;on  ad- 
 heres to  his  confession  ;  after  as  before  tiiese 
 indignities  he  cries,  that  he  will  sit  at  the  right 
 hand  of  God.  This  changes  now  their  previous 
 determination  ;  they  break  loose  upon  liim  with 
 mockery  (not  believing,  as  he  hail  said),  and 
 bring  forward  the  loftier  predicate,  before  sup- 
 pressed :  And  art  thou  then — that  is,  ^VdkU 
 thou  actually  to  be  the  Son  of  (Jod  ?  (Liter- 
 ally: TJiou  poor  man,  vain  in  thy  imagining, 
 assertest  thyself  to  be — i)  He  concludes,  m 
 his  unweariable  patience  and  equanimity,  with 
 his  repeated  /a»?,  now  even  strengthened  (as  be- 
 fore by  the  thou  host  said)  by  a  comprehensive  ya 
 sny  it  which  looks  round  upon  all :  your  repeat- 
 ed question  recoils  upon  your  own  con.science3, 
 ye  have  no  other  response  to  give,  ye  are  as 
 assuredly  convinced  in  your  own  minds  as  ye 
 
 *  This  K(xi  is  certflin!y  genuine,  or  at  any  ral3 
 consistent  with  the  sen;;'*. 
 
 t  For  neither  are  these  concluding  words  to  bo 
 given  up. 
 
MATTHEW  XXVII.  11. 
 
 619 
 
 are  detern.ined  to  hold  the  truth  in  unbelief. 
 The  art  d^es  not  belong  to  XeyETE  as  if  citing  ; 
 but  (as  in  John  xix.  37)  introduce-?  the  new 
 testimony  and  confession  of  our  Lord  himself, 
 exhibits  his  incontrovertibly  being  such  as  the 
 reason  of  their  perfectly  foolish  questioning, 
 denying,  and  mockery  ;  and  this  had  the  same 
 ibrce  as  an  affirmation. 
 
 Thus,  to  make  one  more  remark,  he  has  sev- 
 erally answered  the  two  questions  in  their 
 present  separation,  whether  he  was  the  Christ 
 and  whether  he  was  the  Son  of  God.     Touch- 
 
 ing the  first,  cunningly  advanced  alone,  he  bad 
 given  a  repelling  and  indirect  answer ;  the  sec- 
 ond, which,  however,  was  the  decisive  one,  ha 
 once  raore  answered,  for  the  honor  of  the 
 Father  in  the  Son,  by  a  similar  benevolently- 
 uttered,  filial,  and  plain — I  am  he  !  The  ^finale, 
 ver.  71,  runs.  Thou  boldest  to  this — we  hold 
 also  to  our  former  words.  In  which  conclu- 
 sive repetition  of  what  further  need  have  we  of 
 witnesses?  there  is  to  be  observed,  with  all  its 
 malignity,  a  certain  angrv  vexation  and  em- 
 barrassment. 
 
 FIRST  COLLOQUY  WITH  PILATE. 
 (Matt,  xxvii.  11;  Mark  xv.  2;  Luke  xxiii.  3;  John  xviii.  34-37.) 
 
 Bound  again,  more  straitly  now  that  in  open 
 day  he  is  to  go  through  the  streets,  Jesus  is,  as 
 he  had  foretold,  delivered  up  to  the  Gentiles. 
 This  was  indeed  a  main  element,  according  to 
 the  counsel  of  God,  in  the  every  where  signifi- 
 cant process  of  the  Passion.  Jesus  stood  be- 
 fore the  governor — though  bound  and  charged 
 he  stood  firmly,  and  with  dignity;  plainly 
 speaking,  whether  by  silence  or  by  testimony, 
 what  he  had  to  say  to  the  representative  of 
 this  world's  power;  so  that  he,  at  once  a  reli- 
 gious and  philosophical  indifFerentist,  could  not 
 without  effort  deem  it  a  ridiculous  thing  that 
 this  man,  this  Jew — should  be  a  king.  Even 
 king  of  the  Jews,  and  at  the  same  time  of  all 
 the  true  in  all  the  world  (what  a  contrast!), 
 in  a  sense  which  even  the  proud  Gentile  cannot 
 but  ponder  and  feel.  In  fine,  what  these  Jews 
 and  high  priests  had  desired  in  their  cunning 
 to  keep  too  much  in  the  background — that  he 
 was  the  Son  of  God — breaks  out  in  the  pre- 
 sentiment of  this  Pilate  as  a  voice  and  a  power 
 from  another  world,  even  before  the  word  en- 
 forced from  the  Jews  gave  him  expression 
 with  which  to  clothe  it — JloOev  si  dv  ;  Whence 
 art  thou  ? 
 
 How  grandly,  with  what  inexhaustible  depth 
 of  truth— not  only  for  the  then  historical  rela- 
 tion of  the  Jewish  and  heathen  world  to  each 
 other,  but  for  all  to  this  day  who  stand  like 
 Pilate  before  Christ,  while  Christ  seems  to 
 stand  before  them  for  examination  and  rejec- 
 tion— how  historically  and  poetically  in  his 
 ]>erfect  representation,  with  what  a  union  of 
 simplicity  and  art,  does  this  Jewish  fisherman 
 John,  who  has  hitherto  described  only  the  con- 
 flict of  the  Light  of  the  world  with  the  Jews, 
 give  once  more  by  a  few  strokes  of  his  pencil 
 the  first  testimony  of  Christ  to  the  Gentile. 
 But  it  is  not  John,  it  is  the  Holy  Spirit  direct- 
 ing his  pen,  that  gives  us  these  genuine  acts 
 of  Pilate — the  true  acta  Pilati,  in  opposition  to 
 those  which  well-meaning  Christians  for  the 
 honor  of  their  Saviour,  or  his  enemies  in  con- 
 tempt of  him,— invented  and  gave  forth  as 
 Buch. 
 
 Ponfim  Pilate,  the  sixth  governor  of  Judcoa 
 from  the  time^  when  these  were  appointed,  is 
 here  entitled  vysixoov,  though  this  was  more 
 than  his  real  dignity.  He  was  only  eTrirpoTto?, 
 Procurator;  in  his  exceptional  case  Procurator 
 cum  potestate,  with  judicial  jurisdiction.  He 
 resided  when  he  came  to  Jerusalem,  at  the 
 feasts  more  especially,  in  the  former  palace  of 
 Herod,  which  was  now  his  Prmtorinm.  Thither 
 repair  the  whole  multitude  of  them  (Luke) 
 early  in  the  morning  with  Jesus  ;  their  object 
 being  now  to  obtain  a  confirmation,  or  defini- 
 tive pronunciation,  of  the  sentence  of  death,  as 
 swiftly  as  possible,  because  of  the  feast-day.* 
 They  do  not  enter  the  Roman  Prtetorium,  the 
 most  hateful  house  of  the  Gentiles  in  Jerusalem; 
 they  allege  with  highest  hypocrisy  the  Passover 
 as  their  reason,  avoiding  in  the  midst  of  their 
 impure  works  the  contamination  which  enter- 
 ing a  house  out  of  which  the  leaven  had  not 
 been  cast  would  occasion  ;  not  setting  their 
 foot  on  the  place  where  all  their  desires  have 
 gone  before  them.  Pilate  comes  out  to  them, 
 not  "awakened  by  the  tumult,"  but  on  their 
 proper  summons:  either  this  was  due  to  their 
 customs,  and  might  at  any  time  be  required  of 
 him,  or,  which  is  more  probable,  his  good  na- 
 ture or  curiosity  might  induce  him  to  be  thus 
 ready,  though  ordinarily  he  was  careless  and 
 tolerant  on  such  matters.!     The  fact  that  this 
 
 *  Lampe  thinks  that  "  from  Caiaphas,"  which^ 
 however,  refers  only  to  the  house  or  locality,  indi- 
 cates that  Caiaphds  himself  for  di<inity"s  sake  had 
 remained  behind ;  but  this  is  improbable,  and 
 contradicts  the  synoptical  report.  It  is  very 
 doubtful  whether  "  they  themselves  went  not  in  " 
 suggests  the  contrast  that  Jesus  was  sent  forward 
 as  the  herald  of  their  coming.  There  is  nothing 
 in  the  text  to  warrant  Krummacher's  view  that 
 they  thrust  Jesus  bound  within  tlie  portal ;  wa 
 rather  read  in  ver.  33  plainly  enough,  that  Pilatei 
 then  first  called  Jesus  and  received  him  into  hia 
 presence. 
 
 \  Not  "  the  proud  Roman  bends  " — as  if  this 
 was  the  first  token  of  that  cowardice  which  was 
 the  fundamental  trait  in  his  charac'.er. 
 
620 
 
 FIRST  COLLOQUY  WITH  PILATE. 
 
 was  the  time  of  the  Passover,  and  that  the 
 whole  Older  assembleii,  intimated  to  him  at 
 once  that  this  was  some  important  matter — 
 "  some  arrested  culprit  who  must  die  before  the 
 feast."  It  is  doubtful,  however,  whether  this 
 supposition  was  really  in  his  thoughts,  and 
 only  dissembled  in  the  question — What  accusa- 
 tion bring  ye  (with  such  strange  zeal)  against 
 this  man  ?*  Scarcely  did  he  already  mean, 
 as  Luther's  marginal  note  runs,  "  It  is  marvel- 
 lous that  ye  can  have  any  thing  to  say  against 
 a  man  so  celebrated  for  goodness."  For,  even 
 if  he  knew  any  thing  about  the  "person  "  and 
 cause  of  Jesus,t  he  probably  knew  nothing  of 
 Jesus  by  sight.  Rather  we  may  regard  "  against 
 this  man"  as  expressing  the  simple  and  un- 
 biassed impression  which  this  person  now 
 brought  before  him  made  upon  his  mind;  he 
 knows  nothing  as  yet  more  than  he  sees. 
 Weak  and  prostrate  as  he  was,  after  his  conflict 
 and  seizure,  there  was  something  innocent  and 
 even  exalted  in  his  aspect — it  is  the  first  move- 
 ment in  Pilate  of  the  appeal,  chap.  xix.  5,  and 
 the  question,  chap.  xix.  9 — as  if  he  intuitively 
 thought,  "  Never  have  I  had  before  me  for 
 judgment  and  condemation  such  a  man  as  this." 
 The  Jews  understood  the  question  in  some 
 such  way,  and  therefore  they  oppose  his  doubt 
 with — If  he  were  not  a  malefactor,  we  would 
 not  have  brought  him  unto  thee  now.  Thou 
 seest  that  we  are  all  here,  the  matter  is  as  im- 
 portant as  it  is  pressing — make  brief  work  and 
 ratify  the  condemnation  already  pronounced. 
 We  ask  no  more  than  this  slight  and  becoming 
 act  of  complaisance.  We  come  not  so  much  to 
 make  a  charge;  we  come  as  judges,  and  as  sucii 
 infallible  :  thou  seest  who  are  before  thee.  We, 
 the  whole  sacred  Sanhedrim — and  wouldst  thou 
 enter  upon  a  new  investigation  of  the  ma.tter? 
 Thus  would  they  impose  their  own  mind  upon 
 him,  determining  for  him  beforehand;  but  the 
 wrong  and  the  pride  of  this,  which  is  too  olten 
 made  prominent  alone,  is  dexterously  softened 
 by  the  courtly  intimation — We  would  not  bring 
 to  thee  an  unfounded  charge,  in  demanding  of 
 thee  (for  such  is  our  purport)  a  sentence  of 
 death.  "  We  trifle  not  with  the  governor  of 
 the  land."  But  they  had  not  rightly  calculat- 
 ed this  time.  Their  specious  sigh  over  the  in- 
 iquitv — He  is  an  evil-doer,  their  affronting  de- 
 mand— Enter  into  no  inquiry,  find  no  acceptance 
 with  Pilate.  Though  much  is  said  of  the  injus- 
 tice of  Pilate  (perhaps  through  Jewish  hatred 
 too  much),  and  Philo  in  particular  says  that  he 
 often  condemned  people  unheard,  yet  on  this 
 occasion  he  was  not  so  unjust,  or  he  was  re- 
 strained by  the  counsel  and  guidance  of  God 
 from   putting  confidence   in  this  lofty  assem- 
 
 *  This  is  still  and  must  ever  be,  tho  first  and 
 last  and  most  impressive  question  to  all  enemies 
 of  the  Lord. 
 
 f  Which  cm  hardly  be  denied;  but  it  is  not 
 probable  lliat  ho  already  knew  of  "  the  designs  of 
 the  priests  agains  Jesus  " — became  he  grrnled  the 
 Cohort  for  the  seizure  of  Jesus,  as  is  generally 
 said.     Tliis  last  is  not  necesuarily  to  be  assumed. 
 
 blage:  the  points  of  accusation  must  become 
 public  in  a  proper  judical  process,  in  which  the 
 civil  and  merely  human  innocence  of  "  the  Son 
 of  God"  must  be  fully  vindicated.  We  regard 
 it  as  only  natural  that  the  Roman  docs  not  at 
 once  place  himself  at  the  discretion  of  the 
 Jews;  this  is  a  most  characteristic  mark  of 
 truth  in  the  history.  According  to  Josephus 
 the  respect  paid  to  tlie  high  priest's  office  and 
 position  had  sunk  to  a  very  low  point;  Pilate 
 had  often  had  occasion  to  mark  the  party  ha- 
 tred of  these  rulers  of  the  Jews  (Matt,  xxvii. 
 18),  so  that  the  assurances  of  this  venerable 
 body  were  of  very  little  value  in  his  own  eyes. 
 Their  words  might  very  easily  be  inverted— If 
 we  had  not  been  malefactors,  we  should  not 
 have  delivered  tins  innocent  one  unt.o  thee. 
 
 But  Pilate  retains  his  moderation  and  his 
 place,  and  gives  them  only  the  t-aunting  answer 
 which  is  re'corded  in  John  ver.  -'^l.  Although 
 he  marks — for  the  iMivered  unto  thee  would  make 
 it  plain — that  it  is  a  question  of  death,  he  seems 
 hard  of  apprehension,  and  takes  the  word 
 malefactor,  xcxKonoioi,'*'  in  a  less  rigorous  sense 
 (comp.  1  Pet  ii.  12,  14;  iii.  16),  and  ironically 
 (as  if  they  had  deferred  to  him  more  than  was 
 necessary),  concedes  to  them  that  they  may 
 take  him  and  punish  hiiu  according  to  their 
 law.f  They  feel  the  point,  but  put  up  with 
 the  taunt  in  order  to  accomplish  the  r  purpose; 
 they  humble  themselves  to  the  most  submissive 
 confession — Thou  knowest  well  that  we  maij  not 
 put  any  one  to  death  IJ. 
 
 Now  we  must  certainly  interpose  the  fiist 
 
 *  Or,  according  to  a  reading  preferred  by  many, 
 Kanov  7toia)y — which,  however  does  not  com- 
 mand itself,  for  we  naturally  expect  a  definite  and 
 customary  teiin. 
 
 I  We  cannot  otherwise  understand  this  fii-st  de- 
 claration of  Pilate.  Ei-ummacher  finds  in  this 
 the  contpmptible  conduct  of  tiie  man  who,  con- 
 trary to  justice,  gave  up  the  Redepia -r  to  death, 
 his  pilial)le  attempt  to  evade,  and  so  forth ;  but 
 we  regard  his  view  as  alto^etlier  unpsychological 
 and  inexact.  Souchon  puts  it  in  a  more  a(  cept- 
 able  form,  though  different  from  ours,  when  he 
 calls  "  the  word  an  ironical  (luestion  ;  '  Am  I  to 
 e.xecute  your  judgmenf?  If  ye  examine  alone, 
 tlien  condemn  alone,  if  ye  ran.'" 
 
 ^  This  word,  extorted  from  their  bitter  anger, 
 is  so  plain  that  it  decides  the  question  a.s  to  the 
 right  of  the  Jews  of  that  day  lo  execute  a  capi- 
 tal sentence.  The  fathers  denied  this  through 
 ignorance  upon  the  yioint  of  liistory,  and  therefore 
 expounded  i  ho  words  in  a  forced  and  unsatisfac- 
 tory way.  That  even  if  tlie  Jews  in  fjiiettions  of 
 their  religion  had  the  independent  power  of  execu- 
 tion, they  had  reasons  in  the  case  of  Jesus  lor  not 
 assuming  it  before  the  people,  is  a  matter  ajjart ; 
 this  ovdeva,  no  in^n,  is  plain,  and  .igrees,  as  with 
 the  Gemara  (wlipr.'  the  loss  of  criminal  jurisdicnon 
 is  unchronologically  relerred  to  the  common  date 
 for  many  things — forty  years  before  the  destruc- 
 tion of  the  temple),  so  also  with  the  Romiin  law, 
 which  required  in  Qwcvy  pi  evince  that  a  bentence 
 of  deatii  should  be  at  any  rate  confirmed.  Whiit- 
 ever  may  be  said  on  the  other  side  may  bo  easily 
 explained. 
 
MATTHEW  XXVII.  i: 
 
 621 
 
 specific  accvisation  of  Luke  xxiii.  2,  as  distin- 
 guished from  a  subsequent  one  after  the  confes- 
 sion of  Jesus,  which  is  referred  to  in  Matt,  xxvii. 
 12,  Mark  xv.  3-5,  and  coincides  with  Luke 
 xxiii.  5.  The  Judges  now  come  forward  because 
 they  must,  as  complainants.  There  is  no  Ter- 
 tullus  (Acts  XXIV.  1),  to  speak  for  them  ;  they 
 themselves  are  now  the  fahe  wit7i£'ses.  They 
 betray  that  they  have  jve-jwlged  him  (which 
 in  a  political  question  was  not  their  province), 
 when  their  strong  we  have  found  puts  forth  the 
 lying  declaration — All  has  been  investigated  al- 
 ready, we  have  the  proofs.  Of  the  three  points 
 of  accusation,  the  first  is  half  true;  the  third 
 quite  true  in  its  right  sense;  the  consummate 
 lie  13  interposed  in  the  middle  in  order  that 
 out  of  the  whole  a  confused  false  witness  may 
 arise.  The  perverting  the  nation,  diadrpstpov- 
 ra  To  e'Qyoi  (comp.  Exod.  v.  4  ;  Num.  xxxii.  7; 
 but  especially  1  Kings  xviii.  17,  Sept.),  had  a 
 political  sound,  according  with  Pilate's  late  ex- 
 perience of  the  Galileans  ;  but  the  truth  (which 
 the  reading  i'Oyo';  j'juayy,  our  nation,  seems  to 
 betray),  was  that  this  Jesus  turned  away  the 
 people  from  them.  "  He  who  so  seizes  upon 
 the  people  by  his  discourses,  that  we  cannot 
 get  a  hearing  ;  who  feeds  them  with  bread  in 
 the  wilderness,  while  we  must  shut  up  our 
 granaries  ;  who  drives  devils  out  of  them  which 
 have  no  regard  for  us."  He  says  that  he  is 
 Christ  a  king — certainly  quite  true,  when  right-  j 
 ly  understood.  But  the  daring  lie,  (he  contra- 
 diction of  which  they  had  heard  to  their  con- 
 fusion from  his  own  lips,  comes  in  the  middle,  j 
 in  the  clause  which  puts  an  evil  appearance  upon  i 
 the  pei-verting  t/ie  nation,  and  would  find  its  con-  1 
 firmation  in  the  truth  of  the  third  point,  giv- 
 ing his  heing  a  king  a  political  perversion  ! 
 Verily,  these  liars  lie  well,  but  yet  there  is 
 here  as  ever  a  certain  folly  in  their  lying.  For 
 the  "forbidding  to  give  tribute  to  Cresar  "  had 
 either  passed  into  actual  overt  act  (as  the  first 
 charge  hinted),  but  then  Pilate  would  have 
 long  known  this  without  any  "  we  have  found" 
 of  theirs;  or  else  it  was  only  a  saying  or  teach- 
 ing on  his  part — but  then  it  would  not  be  very 
 dangerous  in  itself,  and  moreover  their  <y>m 
 guilt  as  well  as  his,  as  the  Koman  well  knew. 
 The  points  on  which  they  are  altogelher  silent, 
 are  well  exhibited  and  commented  upon  by 
 Tobler :  "They  say  nothing  of  the  entry  into 
 Jerusalem,  which,  however,  might  have  been 
 most  speciously  objected  before  Pilate  ;  they 
 keep  silence  about  the  cleansing  of  the  temple, 
 which  yet  was  the  strangest  thing  in  the  life  of 
 the  Saviour;  they  say  nothing  of  the  destruc- 
 tion of  the  temple,  the  ambiguity  of  which  had 
 been  one  cause  of  their  own  condemnation  of 
 him.  But  especially  are  they  cunning  enough 
 to  suppress  the  Woe!  Woe  !  which  he  had  de- 
 nounced upon  them  ;  and  most  cunning  of  all  to 
 conceal  all  his  wonderful  works,  concerning 
 which  it  might  probably  occur  to  them  that 
 Pilate  would  not  altogether  adopt  their  expla- 
 nation of  Beelzebub's  aid." 
 
 But  what   they  do  say  seems  suspicious  to 
 the  wary  Puoman,  who  knows  the  relations  of 
 
 his  ofSce  ;  he  knows  that  I  here  must  be  some- 
 thing else  behind.  "  Pilate  knew  too  ni-i'/h 
 about  the  Jewish  expectations  to  suppose  1;':i.i; 
 the  Sanhedrim  would  hate  and  persecute  one  w  ho 
 would  free  them  from  the  Roman  authority  ' 
 (Pfenninger).  "  He  de.^pises  their  simulation 
 of  the  character  of  good  citizens,  for  on  this 
 head  he  knows  them  too  well  "  (Dniseke).  The 
 man,  whom  he  sees  before  him,  tnis  man  %cho 
 said  that  he  toas  Christ  a  king?  Pilate  not  only 
 knew  the  Jewish  hope  in  the  [Messiah,  but  he 
 doubtless  knew  also  concerning  Jesus,  who  for 
 some  time  had  been  partly  celebrated,  partly 
 opposed,  as  the  Messiah,  whose  entire  public 
 life  had  fallen  within  his  own  period  of  office, 
 whose  last  entrance  had  probably  (though  only 
 probably)  suggested  it  to  his  mind  to  inquire 
 further  into  the  matter  if  the  matter  proceeded 
 further.  Thus  Pilate  now  becomes  aware  that 
 he  has  "  Jesus"  before  him,  who  was  reported 
 to  have  denounced,  and  so  wonderfully  taught, 
 and  more  than  taught,  the^e  hypocrites. 
 
 The  reconciliation  of  John  and  the  Synoptics 
 might  almost  be  left  undecided.  The  first  three 
 have  collectively  only  one  question  of  Pilate  to 
 Jesus,  whether  he  was  tlie  king  of  the  Jens,  and 
 only  one  thou  sayest  it  as  the  answer.  Is  this 
 the  same  with  John,  ver.  37,  so  that  the  synop- 
 tic tradition  extractetl  this  affirmation  irora 
 the  entire  colloquy,  and  gives  it  as  the  sum  of 
 the  whole?  Or  did  such  a  first  question  and 
 answer,  isolated  and  alone,  take  place  in  the 
 presence  of  the  whole  assembly  before  ihe 
 governor  summoned  Jesus  apart  by  him.>elf? 
 (Bengel;  "  Pilato  statim  respondet  ")  On  the 
 one  hand  the  former  seems  an  inexact  style  of 
 narration,  since  the  thou  sayest  of  John,  as  taken 
 in  the  connection  of  the  whole,  has  a  different. 
 meaning  ;  and  the  sum  of  the  colloquy  as  re- 
 ported by  him  concerning  the  kingdom,  and 
 concerning  the  truth,  does  not  resolve  itself 
 into — "  He  acknowleilged  himself  at  once  as 
 King  rf  the  Jews."  On  the  other  hand,  this 
 simple,  unmodified  avowal,  as  given  in  the  Sy- 
 noptics, before  Pilate,  appears  to  be  scarcely 
 befitting  or  simply  true,  the  less  so  as  the  Lord 
 himself,  according  to  John,  acknowledges  the 
 necessity  of  obviating  all  ambiguity  o.-  mis- 
 understanding. We  should  agree  with  Nean- 
 der:  "To  such  a  question  Jesus  coidd  not 
 answer  simply  thou  sayest,  as  the  Synoptics  re- 
 late, for  in  the  sense  in  which  the  Pioman 
 meant  this  he  had  not,  and  would  not  give 
 himself  out  to  be  a  king  of  the  Jews ;  nor 
 would  Pilate  after  such  declaration  have  pro- 
 nounced him  to  be  innocent."  The  Bertenb. 
 Bihel  strives  to  solve  the  difficulty  by  saying, 
 "The  King  of  the  Jews  meant  not  a  temj.oral 
 king,  but  a  king  according  to  the  Jewish  sense 
 — according  to  Israelitish  ilieology,  a  king  as  pro- 
 mised in  the  prophets" — but  we  must  reject 
 this  substitution  of  the  true  Israelitish  theology 
 for  the  Jewish  notions  of  the  day,  upon  which 
 the  Jews  and  Pilate  were  well  agreed,  as  in- 
 volving an  untenable  "  mental  reservation  :" 
 for  the  objection  might  at  once  be  urged,  that 
 Christ  used  an  ambrguous  expression,  he  ua* 
 
622 
 
 FIRST  COLLOQUY  WITH  PILATE. 
 
 derstanding  it  spiritually,  but  Pilate  in  a  tem- 
 poral senso.  He  who  can  resolve  to  explain 
 the  Synoptics  in  this  manner  by  John  may  do 
 so,  but  we  cannot.  The  inexactness  in  {heir 
 record  would  then  border  on  untruthfulness; 
 they  knew,  writing  in  the  light  of  the  Holy 
 Spirit,  as  well  as  we,  that  a  mere  affirmative 
 would  be  ambiguous  and  unlrue;  nevertheless 
 they  so  write  tliat  without  John  no  one  could 
 understand  ihem  otherwise.  AVe  think  that 
 the  case  stands  thus.  It  has  not  been  observed 
 that  in  Jolin's  account,  taken  alone,  tbe  Lord's 
 words  have  the  appearance  as  if  he  only  "  spirit- 
 ualized" his  Mexsianic  dignity,  which  was  here 
 in  question,  and  thus  in  part  denied  it.  But 
 that  assuredly  might  not  be  ;  it  was  incumbent 
 upon  him,  in  spite  of  all  misunderstanding  and 
 false  opinion,  to  atoic  himself  to  ihesie  Jars  in 
 op]wsition  to  the  Gentiles  as  their  actual  King. 
 This,  therefore,  he  did  at  the  outset,  with  a  first 
 public  2v  Af'ysii  (which  is  not  altogether  the 
 same  with  ^u  fiTtai  as  we  have  before  ex- 
 pounded this)  ;  the  Synoptics  know  or  write 
 only  of  this,  and  not  of  the  secret  conversation 
 which  then  followed.  It  is  not  to  be  supposed 
 that  Pilate  would  at  once  take  Jesus  into  pri- 
 vate without  any  question  addressed  to  him  ; 
 but  the  first  marvellous  answer  which  he  re- 
 ceived would  at  the  same  time  be  (he  reason 
 why  he  should  ask  the  man  more  confidentially 
 the  very  same  question.  The  first  apparently 
 ambiguous  and  untruthful  affirmation  of  the 
 Lord  is  justified  without  any  "mental  reserva- 
 tion " — first,  inasmuch  as  there  was  in  reality 
 something  true  in  tiie  Messianic  hope  of  an  ex- 
 ternal freedom  (if  they  had  not  themselves 
 rendered  it  vain  for  this  time) — and,  next,  by 
 the  tone  and  exjire-osinn,  in  which  this  "Thou 
 Bpeakest  aright!"  distinguished  as  it  is  from  a 
 simple  and  pure  Yea,  was  spoken  by  this  bound 
 one,  and  by  which  the  misunderstanding  was 
 entirely  obviated.  In  this  Y'ea  of  this  man 
 there  lay  at  the  same  time — I  am  he,  but  not 
 as  a  rebel  against  Caesar,  not  so  that  I  shrink 
 from  thy  investigation.  For,  one  who  is  guilty 
 does  not  thus  concisely  admit  at  once  the  main 
 point  of  his  accusation — excepting  in  7>?7<Ze,  but 
 that  is  infinitely  far  from  the  tone  and  expres- 
 sion here.*  In  a  most  strange  and  impressive 
 manner  pnsdon  and  calmness  are  opposed  here 
 before  Pilate,  so  that  he  suspects  some  peculiar 
 and  specific  mystery  to  be  hidden  under  this 
 mysterious  Yes  ;  therefore  he  says  in  his  soul 
 — That  I  must  hear  for  myself  from  him  alone 
 and  in  secret.  Hess  goes  too  far  when  he  says 
 that  "Pilate  perceived  by  his  silence  that  he 
 would  speak  to  him  alone."  For  it  was  no  si- 
 lence, but  an  affirmation,  which  by  its  supreme 
 tranquillity  provoked  to  the  uttermost  the  de- 
 sire of  this  Gentile  to  inquire  into  and  examine 
 this  "King  of  the  Jews." 
 
 Thus  Pilate  leaves  the  accusing  judges  with 
 their  tee  have  /uund  standing  without,  because 
 
 •  Berhub.  Ihld:  "Tilate  marks  that  something 
 is  behind,  and  thinks — It'  I  had  noth.ni»  woise  to 
 Uas  thau  lli.s  man,  I  should  Ml  secure  enough." 
 
 (hey  dare  not  enter — but  his  doing  so  is  a  deep 
 mortification.  Lange  thinks  that  he  went  into 
 the  judgment-hall  w'lth  a  selection  of  the  Jews, 
 who  had  agreed  to  renounce  the  observance  of 
 the  paschal  ceremonial  that  day,  under  the 
 reservation  that  they  would  celebrate  the  little 
 Passover.  There  is  no  trace  of  this  in  John's 
 narrative,  which  in  ver.  3S  says  expressly — He 
 went  out  again  unto  the  Jews.  There  might 
 have  been  Pioman  attendants  ;  but  even  they 
 were  necessary  as  an  explanation  of  John's 
 knowledge  of  what  passed.  (The  Lord  him- 
 self might  have  narrated  these  things  during 
 the  forty  days.)  With  a  graciousness  towards 
 the  accused  one  which  stands  in  contrast  with 
 his  leaving  the  Jews  without,  he  calls  him  to 
 himself  within  and  permits  him  to  speak  cr-':- 
 dently  before  him  as  a  judge.  This  was  cer- 
 tainly no  judicial  examination  in  the  strict  .Irra. 
 (for  publicity,  or  at  any  rate  the  presence  of 
 complainants  and  witnesses  would  be  necessary 
 for  that),  but  a  conversation,  as  with  Annas; 
 hence  Jesus  here  as  there,  and  still  more  close- 
 ly, speaks  with  a  direct  and  personal  applica- 
 tion.* Had  the  Lord  now  begun  to  speak  for 
 himself  with  dignity  concerning  his  own  life 
 and  his  deeds,  the  w'ickedness  and  falsehood  of 
 his  enemies — he  might  have  found  a  ready  hear- 
 ing and  obtained  his  freedom.  But  of  this  he 
 thinks  not  once.  He  remains  in  statu  confcf,- 
 sionis  as  the  King  of  the  Jews,  and  thinks  only 
 of  pressing  the  truth  upon  this  Gentile's  heart 
 at  this  critical  hour  now  come  :  doing  down  to 
 the  last  that  for  which  he  was  born,  and  in 
 doing  which  he  dies — testifying  for  his  own 
 person  only  as  for  the  truth. 
 
 The  question  repeated  in  ver  S3  by  Pilate  is 
 a  good  beginning,  considered  as  a  question  so 
 put ;  especially  as  a  confidentially  and  gracious- 
 ly repeated  question.  Not,  as  has  been  said, 
 altogether  misunderstanding  the  words,  "spo- 
 ken mockingly  in  the  spirit  of  lofty  conceit" — 
 Art  thou  then,  this  King  of  the  Jews?!  There 
 was  but  the  slightest  possible  tincture  of  this; 
 the  "Art  thoxi'to  ?"  mcawl  earnestly,  "Thou 
 icouUest,  thou  wiliest  actually  to  he  such  ?  Thou 
 sayest  still,  as  I  have  heard  with  wonder,  that 
 thou  art,  though  bound  and  delivered  up,  Christ 
 a  king — ?"  The  whole  process  rested  now 
 upon  this  Yes  or  Ko  ;  let  us  hear  the  remark- 
 able answer  of  our  Lord,  wliich  noio  for  the  first 
 time  says  literally  neither  Yes  nor  No. 
 
 The  accusers  had  not  said  literally  the  King 
 of  the  Jtics,  but  Christ  a  ling,  in  order  that  they 
 might  not  bring  before  the  Romans,  by  the  use 
 of  the  strongest  expression,  one  who  wobld  be 
 
 *  In  another  and  more  general  sense  it  was  in- 
 deed an  examination :  and  therefore  Driisekc's 
 striking  words  are  true,  when  he  calls  the  exim- 
 ination  of  Annas  an  idle,  that  of  Caiaphas  a 
 wicked,  and  (hat  of  Pilate  an  extorted,  e.xamiiiation. 
 Instead  of  this  last  it  were  better  to  say,  a  neces- 
 sitated and  lrie;.dly  examination. 
 
 t  Luthardt  also  finds  only  a  tone  of  mockery, 
 •lepr-ciaticn,  and  oven  scoru,  in  llio  2hoh  whicb 
 begins  Uie  sentence. 
 
MATTHEW  XXVII.  11. 
 
 6-23 
 
 represented  as  a  Messiah  aiming  to  rule  over  a 
 liberated  people.  But  Pilate  naturally  at  once 
 fills  up  and  completes  the  expression.  What 
 shall  the  Lord  reply  now,  when  Pilate  thus 
 throws  himself  into  this  question,  with  a  very 
 different  posture  of  mind  from  that  which  asked 
 the  first  short  and  concise  one?  He  must 
 continue  to  avow  himself  as  the  Messiah,  yet 
 in  such  a  manner  that  the  "  king,"  in  the  sense 
 of  those  Jews  in  John  vi.  15,  should  be  alto- 
 gether declined  and  given  up.  A  mere  Yea 
 was  rot  the  simple  truth  which  Pilate  here 
 asked  about ;  a  simple  No,  on  the  other  hand, 
 would  have  denied  "  the  hope  of  Israel  "  (Acts 
 •i.xviii.  20)  before  the  Gentile.  Tlie  meaning 
 of  the  word  was  now  the  question  ;  the  only 
 thing  therefore  that  he  cottld  say  with  truth 
 and  wisdom,  in  order  to  give  occasion  i'or  fur- 
 ther development,  was  the  counter-question 
 which  we  read — Speakest  thou  this  thing  of 
 thyself,  or  did  others  tell  it  thee  of  me?  Many 
 very  erroneously  regard  this  question  as  show- 
 ing that  our  Lord  had  not  heard  the  accusation 
 which  the  Jews  had  brought.  The  position  of 
 or  did  others  tell  it  thee  m  the  second  place  in  the 
 sentence  opnoses  this  view  of  the  dilemma. 
 Further,  the  dilemma  is  not  that  Jesus  would 
 answer  in  one  only  of  two  cases,  as  Pikenscher 
 e.  g.  explains  it:  "Dost  thou  thyself  believe  it 
 (of  which  nothing  however  is  said) — then  it  is 
 either  contradictory  to  reason,  for  thou  canst 
 not  allege  against  me  any  thing  insurrection- 
 ary, and  as  a  v;orldly  king,  I  do  not,  as  thou 
 knowest,  stand  before  thee ;  or,  it  is  given  to 
 thee  of  God  (as  a  pre-sentiment  and  earnest 
 question),  and  then  I  wiil  answer  thee — but  if 
 thou  only  repeatest  v.-hat  my  opponents  have 
 said  to  thee,  /  have  nothing  to  sny  in  rephj." 
 This  is  certainly  incorrect;  for  Pilate,  at  once 
 retreating  from  his  good  beginning,  asserts 
 that  he  says  what  the  Jews  have  told  him,  and 
 yet  the  Lo:d  does  answer  him  even  after  hear- 
 ing that,  though  he  would  rather  have  heard 
 the  other.  The  whole  means  generally  at  first : 
 What  dost  thou  really  under--^tand  in  this  great 
 decisive  ques^tion  ?  'What  is  thy  notion  of 
 this  King?  Knowest  thou  any  thing  about  the 
 hope  of  the  Jews  in  their  Christ,  and  ichat 
 knowest  thou?  Thus,  with  Lange,  "Is  the 
 expression  of  thy  accusation  thine  own  expres- 
 sion in  thine  own  meaning,  or  the  expression 
 of  my  accusers  ?  "  When  '\ve  look  closer,  the 
 former  of  thyself  (dtp  iavroi,  var.  read,  axd 
 dsavrov)  has  a  iico-fold  possitde  pre-suppo- 
 silion  in  it.  Not,  indeed,  as  Van  Ess  trans- 
 lates, "  Art  thou  brought  to  that  question  of 
 thyself?"  for  that  was  not  to  be  supposed,  and 
 is  contradicted  by  the  nature  of  the  case.  But 
 the  lest  supposable  case  was,  "  Wouldst  thou 
 for  thyself  know  in  good  earnest?"  that  is, 
 whether  I  am  what  thou  sayest,  what  these 
 sav,  what  I  also  say,  and  in  what  sense  I  do  say 
 it?  Such  was  the  case  in  the  heart  of  Pilate 
 for  one  brief  moment,  and  this  it  v/as  which 
 our  Lord  seized  upon  in  his  word.  But  he 
 knows  very  wett  beiorehand  that  Pilate  will  not 
 remain  faithful  to  that  first  feeling;  and  there- 
 
 '  fore  so  orders  his  testing  question  that  its  first 
 clause  penetrates  deeper  at  once,  and  says — 
 Hast  thou  thvself,  not  now  as  m::n,  but  as"  the 
 godernor  of  these  Jews,  who  can  tolerate  no 
 king  over  them,  discerned  and  come  to  the 
 knowledge  by  any  facts  of  my  making  myself 
 akinsr?  But,  because  this  was  not  the  c;ise, 
 and  Pilate  retreats  from  any  earnest  inquiry, 
 the  second  point  of  the  dilemma  alone  remains, 
 which  Christ  knows  that  Pilate  will  afiirm — ho 
 thus  speaks  and  acts  because  the  Jews  have 
 told  him. 
 
 Thus  does  he  now,  on  his  own  part,  take  the 
 friendly  judge  into  examination.  Because  h^ 
 will  not,  and  may  not,  be  condemned  throagli 
 any  amhtguity  of  the  word  "king,"  as  it  had 
 been  thrust  forward  in  the  wicked  accusation, 
 he  begins  to  prepare  the  way  for  distinguishing 
 its  true  meaning,  while  he  lays  hold  on  the 
 conscience  of  Pilate,  already  somewhat  toucli- 
 ed ;  leads  hiin  into  himself,  and  delivers  h'.r.x 
 from  all  mere  foreign  suggestion.  A  judge,  a 
 man  who  has  to  do  with  truth  in  such  a  re- 
 markable and  mysterious  case,  must  not  simply 
 give  heed  to  others.* 
 
 Here  we  see  the  first  taint  upon  Pilate's 
 sincerity  of  spirit ;  he  escapes  from  the  ppne- 
 trating  point  of  this  question,  and  holds  the 
 truth  in  unrighteousness.  Pie  evades  it  and 
 retreats  :■(  speaks  as  it  were  in  a  lofty  tone  of 
 alienation  from  these  Jews,  and  froo:  their  king 
 who  would  now  touch  his  heart.  His  first 
 question  has  almost  a  scornfal  tone — Am  I  a 
 JlW?X  As  if  I  should  with  a  personal  intere.-t 
 ask  after  their  king,  tlieir  Messiah — or  leani 
 from  a  Jewish  Rabbi  1  Thus  was  it  every  where 
 then  in  the  Gentile  world.  Only  the  better 
 sort  of  inquiring  spirits  stumbled  no!;  at  what 
 was  an  oflence  in  these  Jews  ;  but  they  in  their 
 devotion  to  the  God  of  this  people  were  more 
 sincere  than  this  people  itself.  Wherefore  had 
 not  Pilate  long  ago,  out  of  sincere  humanity, 
 instituted  inquiries,  and  made  his  observation 
 of  this  Jesus,  v.'hat  kind  of  man  he  was  ?  It  is 
 not  probable  that,  as  Tobler  says,  "  only  distant 
 reports  had  forced  their  way  into  his  private 
 cabinet  of  state,  into  that  place  where  the 
 great  men  of  the  world  think  they  have  all 
 things  under  their  eye,  but  in  which  the  most 
 important  things  of  humanity  are  often  con- 
 cealed   from    them,    simply  because   they   do 
 
 *  "  If  Pilate  had  only  !eft  his  conscience  free  and 
 disburthened  it,  he  would  not  have  been  so  easily 
 carried  away.  How  many  thousands  since  his  tima 
 have  been  carried  away  who  have  not  allowed  them- 
 selves to  distinguish  between  what  their  own  con- 
 vicion  and  experience  teach  them,  and  what  they 
 have  adopted  untested  from  the  dec.aiations  of 
 others !"     (Rieger), 
 
 f  Krumraacher:  "  With  a  vehemence  which  very 
 plainly  shows  that  ho  has  something  withiu  to 
 struggle  against." 
 
 i  Comp.  Acts  xvi.  21,  and  Bengel's  note  there: 
 "  Ilodiernura  Jtomanitas  Paulo  (Christo)  repugnat." 
 But  there  is  more  than  one  kind  of  liomaiiiiai 
 which  scorns  the  Jew. 
 
624 
 
 FIRST  COLLOQUY  WITH  PILATE. 
 
 not  come  forth."  The  Roman  was  no  snch 
 modern  statesman  as  this.  "  Not  unacquainted 
 with  Jesus'  manner  of  life,"  as  Hase  admits, 
 and  his  whole  demeanor  testifies,  he  was  not 
 "ignorant  of  the  Jewish  expectations  of  a  Mes- 
 fiian,"  as  the  same  Hase  nevertheless  contends. 
 But  he  wU'lS  not  to  know  what  he  knows,  and 
 retreats  when  Jesus  comes  too  near.  He  must 
 le  brought  back  to  himself,  but  the  result  is,  I 
 i'.ii— ;io  Jew  !  What  then  ?  Oh,  if  he  had  been 
 a^  Jew,  a  genuine  and  sincere  one  such  as 
 Nathanael,  who  asks  not  Whence  art  Own? 
 when  salvation  comes,  and  the  truth  bears 
 v.'itness  to  itself!  But  he  is  a  worhily-wi.'^e 
 heathen,  who  counts  the  worship  of  the  gods 
 fit  for  the  stupid  people,  but  will  not  receive 
 what  the  wise  had  taught,  from  their  presenti- 
 ments, of  the  unknown  God ;  and  thus  has  no 
 religion  but  the  slight  so-called  virtue  and 
 righteousness  which  in  his  case  was  of  no  great 
 value.  Withal  he  is  proud,  for  he  is  a  Roman. 
 He  is  a  statesman,  a  servant  of  the  empire,  of 
 that  kingdom  which  admitted  the  rights  of  no 
 other,  and  was  not  "celestial,"  like  tlie  Chinese, 
 but  of  the  entire  orhis  terrarum.  He  is  thus 
 from  below  ;  a  ruler  in  the  plenary  authority 
 whicli  extends  over  all,  not  excepting  him  who 
 came  from  above  and  now  spealcs  to  him — he 
 is  consequently  iha  judge  of'tiiis  King  of  the 
 Jews.  Thus  he  wilfully  loses  himself,  the  man, 
 who  was  divinely  touched  and  attracted  by  the 
 God-man  ;  and  in  his  second  question  seems  al- 
 most to  assume  again  the  person  of  the  judge, 
 asking  wjth  official  air— What  hast  thou  d;nef 
 The  Romans  are  concerned  with  what  is  done  ; 
 not  with  dreams,  as  the  Jews  are — nor  even 
 \yith  wisdom,  like  the  subjugated  Greeks. 
 Somewhat  offended  by  the  bold  counter-ques- 
 tion, and  with  the  first  rising  of  that  proud 
 feeling  which  afterwards  expresses  itself  in 
 chap.  xi.x.  10,  he  now  seems  to  sav — There 
 must  be  matter  of  moment  in  this.  But  there 
 is  something  of  grace,  and  a  continuance  of  his 
 condescension,  in  the  words  which  precede — 
 The  people  and  the  high  priests  delivered  thee 
 unto  me.  This  means.  Thy  people,  thou  mar- 
 vellous King,  will  not  have  thee  ;  the  holy 
 rulers  and  representatives  of  thy  people  make 
 it  thy  offence  that  thou  wouldst  be  their  king 
 — "else  I  should  know  nothing  about  thee." 
 Speak  tjien,  for  I  will  still  hear— What  does 
 this  "King  of  the  Jews"  mean,  with  them 
 and  with  thee?*  Thus  the  three  questions  of 
 Pilate  refer  to  the  three  points  of  accusation — 
 the  first  to  the  title  of  king  ;  the  ?econd  now  to 
 the  disturbance  of  tlie  people  and  tlie  exciting 
 them  against  Caj«ar,  connected  as  one;  the 
 third  aiterwards,  chap.  xix.  9,  to  the  subse- 
 quently-introduced fundamental  question — the 
 "  Son  of  God." 
 
 *  Pilate's  saying  has  been  understood,  "  In 
 what  sense  this  expression  is  used  among  Uie 
 Jews,  I  trouble  not  myself."  The  truth  is  just 
 the  rever.se,  since  he  is  vexed  at  this  Jewish  mat- 
 ter, in  which  he  is  now  to  judge,  and  vindicate  the 
 Eoman  r.ghls  as  to  what  has  been  "  done." 
 
 According  to  strict  right  the   Lord   might 
 have  once  more  kept  silence ;  but,  because  the 
 feeling  of  Pilate's  heart  is,  as  formerly  in  the 
 case  of  Nicodemus,  somewhat  better  than  his 
 words,  the  merciful  and  gracious  Lord  answers 
 him  asain,  and  applies  to  him  a  stiil   stricter 
 test,  whether  he  wills  to  and  will  hear.     He 
 does  not,  indeed,  give  any  direct  answer  to  the 
 proper  question,  wliat  he  had  done ;  still  less 
 does  he  begin  to  narrate  his  detds,  those  incon- 
 trovertible works  which  had  provoked  the  lying 
 contradiction  of  wickedness  to  charge  him  with 
 crime.     But   he    gives   directly    the    negative 
 answer — I  have  done  nothing  politically  evil  or 
 blameworthy,  for  I  am  not  s?/cA  a  king;  and, 
 moveover,  gives  positive   declaration    that   he 
 nevertheless  has  a  kingdom.     Now  follow  both 
 together,  the  No  and  the  Yea  for  the  first  ques- 
 tion whether  he  was  a  king ;  and  that  which 
 was  once  said  to  the  Pharisees,  Luke  xvii.  20, 
 21,  the  Gentile  also  must  hear  in  the  form  in 
 which  he  could  best  apprehend  it.    Three  times 
 in  succession,  in  heightened  emphasis,  does  the 
 Lord  in  his  bonds  speak  of  his  kingdom.     This 
 means  infinitely  more  than  Driiseke  has  mis- 
 conceived, "A  kingdom  is  mo?t  certainly  my 
 desire."*     My  kingdom — thus  he  begins,   thus 
 he  continues,  in  royal  style  and  tone  ;  thus  does 
 he  avow  himself   to  be  a  king  who  already  has 
 a  kingdom,  who  inalienably  retains  it,  and  will 
 more  and  more  reveal  and  impress  its  power. 
 Ba(ji\Eia  may,  indeed,  signify  government  or 
 "ruling."     TiJis,    however,  is   only    included; 
 the  fundamental  meaning  is,  My  kingly  dignity 
 and  kingly  power  with  its  proper  domain — all 
 that  pertains  to  a  king  who  has  not  merely  the 
 empty  name,  but  is  an  actual  king.     This  and 
 nothing  but  this  must  Christ  necessarily  testify 
 in  his  humiliation  before  the  power  of  this  world. 
 The  Gentile    universal   dominion,  centred    in 
 Rome  and  represented  by  Pilate,  must  know 
 that  there  is  a  power  among  men  high  above  its 
 domain,  where   it  assumes   to   have   absolute 
 sway.     This   power   rules  in  the  world  with 
 superior  authority  hecatise  it  is  not  of  this  worUl. 
 Thus   there   is   another  world   than   Ihifi :    not 
 merely  "a  different  world  from  that  of  Roman 
 action,"  for   this  is    far  from  exhausting   the 
 meaning   of    this   significant   saying;    but    a 
 heaven  above  the  earth,  a  divine  and  spiritual 
 world.     The  Lord  tells  the  Gentile  as  plainly 
 as  might   be  said  to  him,  in  connection  with 
 the  denial  of  his  entire  jurisdiction,  that  which 
 "  kingdom  of  God  "  and  "  kingdom  ol  heaven  " 
 signified   among    the   Jews.      That   was    the 
 wonder  addressed  to  faith  ;  a  domain  of  power 
 independent  of  and  above  the  earthly  dominion 
 of  the  world,  which  however  entering  into  and 
 seizing  this,  gains  and  maintains  the  victoVy  ! 
 Indeed,  as  Daub  in  other  words  expounds  it,  the 
 natural  mind  of  man,  disbelieving  the  purely 
 heavenly  truth,  would  sooner  behold  in  Mo- 
 
 *  Here  one  might  say,  as  Frederic  William  IV. 
 reminded  one  who  too  confidentially  torgnt  llie 
 right  oxprosion,  and  said,  "If  your  majesty 
 would  wish,"  etc.     "  Majesty  does  not  wish." 
 
MATTHEW  XXVII.  11. 
 
 hammed  the  prophet  of  the  one  God,  because 
 he  wins  for  himself  and  his  followers  the  power 
 of  this  world ;  but  Christ  asserts  the  purely 
 spiritual  power  of  the  truth  in  the  presence  of 
 tne  highest  earthly  power,  without  using  his 
 own  or  his  servants'  hands  to  take  from 
 this  world's  dominion  a  penny  of  its  tribute. 
 The  judicia'  and  ruling  power  upon  earth  has 
 still  a  conscience,  in  which  the  first  and  irre- 
 pressible que^iion  is  heard,  as  may  be  seen 
 among  the  PLomans — What  is  right?  By  this 
 that  power  involuntarily  recognizes  a  higher 
 power  above  itself,  a  ^elov,  which  is  altogether 
 independpnt  of  man's  caprice  and  all  external 
 things.  It  was  not  publicly  said  to  the  Roman 
 Procurators,  as  to  the  judges  in  Israel — Take 
 heed  what  ye  do ;  for  ye  judge  not  for  man,  but 
 for  the  Lord,  who  is  with  you  in  the  judgment 
 (2  Chron.  xix.  6 ;  Deut.  i.  17).  Yet  they 
 knew,  as  well  as  the  Cassars  who  sent  them  to 
 minister  justice  in  their  provinces,  that  there  is 
 a  higher  power  above  the  highest  (Eccles  v.  7). 
 It  is  to  this  fundamental  feeling  of  right,  and 
 consequent  oUigation  and  duty,  that  our  Lord 
 appeals,  when  he  bears  testimony  to  another 
 kingdom,  which  according  to  its  nature  and 
 kind  is  derived  from  another  world.  Daub 
 puts  the  case  that  Jesus  had  said — I  am  come 
 Dy  my  teaching  and  acts  to  speak  concerning 
 duHj ;  and  Pilate  had  replied  in  mockery  or 
 doubt — But  what  is  duty  ?  He  remarks  that 
 that  would  have  been  the  observation  of  a  con- 
 scienceles.«,  trifling  and  unworthy  fool.  But  we 
 say,  looking  forward  to  the  close  of  this  col- 
 loquy, was  it  otherwise  here?  Should  not  the 
 word  concerning  the  kivgihm,  ver.  36,  have 
 taught  the  conscience  of  Pilate  to  understand 
 what  the  truth  of  ver.  37  was  ?  For,  "he  who 
 eays,  What  is  truth  ?  soon  comes  to  say,  Wh;it 
 is  right?"  These  two  are  one  at  that  point 
 where  the  law,  which  the  heathen  also  have, 
 leads  the  way  to  the  Gospel. 
 
 My  kingdom  is  not  of  this  world,  where  vio- 
 lence L-.nd  unrighteousness  bear  external  rule, 
 where  the  powers  and  the  means  of  this  world 
 can  at  most  attain  to  nothing  beyond  the  .sem- 
 Umice  of  right  and  of  truth.  By  this  tlie  Lord 
 frees  himself  from  all  participation  in  the  vain 
 opinions  and  expectations  which  the  Jews  de- 
 rived from  the  prophecies  of  the  Messiah;  just 
 as  he  had  thoroughly  renounced  them  when 
 enduring  the  mockery  of  the  servants  over  his 
 powerlessness.  He  had  not  forbidden  to  give 
 tribute;  he  had  declined  to  be  a  judge  or 
 divider  among  brethren ;  nor  has  the  world 
 any  thing  of  the  kind  to  fear  from  his  dis- 
 ciples.* But  he  does  therewith  assert,  and 
 that  in  the  most  positive  way,  that  he  never- 
 theless has  a  kingdom  ;  and  testifies  concerning 
 himself  and  his  disciples  (the  subjects  and  ser- 
 vants of  his  kingdom)  the  mme  thing  exoteric- 
 ally,  in  this  first  witness  to  the  heathen  world, 
 
 *  So,  according  to  Eusebius,  tho  relatives  of 
 Jesus  answered  Domitian — "  that  his  kingdom 
 was  not  secular  or  eaiLiily,  but  heavenly  and  aii- 
 geLc." 
 
 which  he  had  uttered  esoterically,  chap.  xvii. 
 14-16,  in  the  mystery  of  his  prayer.  "This  re- 
 nunciation is  by  no  means  to  be  put  in  opposi- 
 tion to  the  true  prophecies  of  the  kingdom  of 
 the  Son  of  Man,  to  whom  alrcndrj  all  power  is 
 given,  and  whose  kingdom ^/?/?rt//?/  will  bring  all 
 other  power  to  naught;  it  is  very  far  from  re- 
 nouncing the  world,  and  all  external,  earthly 
 manifestation  and  confirmation  of  his  heavenly 
 power.  It  does  not,  as  superficial  expositors 
 dream,  here  and  ver.  37,  refer  the  kingdom  of 
 Christ  to  the  invisible  region  of  the  heart:  had 
 he  not  said  already  before  Caiaphas — From 
 this  time  forth  ye  shall  see  him  coming  in  his 
 power?  A  purely  internal  dominion,  which 
 did  not  control  and  subordinate  to  itself  the  ex- 
 ternal, would  be  no  true  king<lom,  and  would 
 have  none  of  the  reality  of  the  dominion. 
 
 In  order  to  bring  nearer  home  to  Pilate  this 
 marvellous  idea — which  he  passed  bv,  but 
 might  have  apprehended  if  he  would— of  a 
 kingdom  which  was  not  of  this  world,  the 
 Lord  adds  a  word  the  design  of  which  was  to 
 say — The  proof  that  I  speak  the  truth  stands 
 before  thee  in  my  person,  which  even  in  bond.s 
 produces  this  influence  upon  thee.  Behold,  I 
 say  unto  thee,  whether  thou  believe  it  or  not — 
 I,  the  King,  am  bound  by  my  own  free  will.  If 
 my  kingdom  were  of  this  world,  I  should  not 
 stand — with  this  majes'ty  and  calmness  which 
 thou  art  constrained  to  feel  in  the  word  "  viy 
 kijigdom" — before  thee  without  defence,  and  be 
 thus  accused  unto  death.  Then  would  my 
 servants  fight,  that  I  should  not  be  delivered 
 unto  the  Jews.  Let  it  be  observed,  first,  that 
 the  Lord  must  now,  alas  !  renounce  these  Jews 
 and  place  himself,  though  their  king,  in  oppo- 
 sition to  them  as  his  enemies,  and  even  as  hav- 
 ing power  over  him.  This  is  the  supplemen- 
 tary answer  to  Pilate's  ironical  expression, 
 "Thy  people,"  which  admits  that  this  people, 
 alas!  hate  and  reject  their  king.  But  what  is 
 the  meaning  of  TZapaSuOcS,  he  delivered  ?  Was 
 he  not  already  in  the  power  of  the  Jews,  de- 
 livered up  to  them  by  the  traitor;  and  ought 
 it  not  to  have  been  said — That  I  should  not  be 
 further  cMivered  up  tinto  thee  ?  Many  under- 
 stand the  words — Then  v/ould  my  servants 
 have  fought,  that  I  should  not  have  been  de- 
 livered up  ;  then  it  would  not  have  come  to 
 this;  they  should  not  have  brought  me  unto 
 thee.  U  yycoyiZovro  would  bear  this  mean- 
 ing, the  'iya  nr/  napaSoQoo  would  not,  espe- 
 cially if  compared  with  chap.  xix.  16,  where 
 the  Evangelist  probably  speaks  according  to 
 the  very  words  of  Christ.  We  say,  therefore, 
 with  Liicke,  that  "Jesus  was  not  yet  (in  the 
 sense  here  meant)  delivered  to  the  Jews;  "  and 
 hold  to  the  translation — decertarent,  they  would 
 fight.  Bengel  says  convincingly :  "  That  I 
 should  not  be  delivered — this  was  done  by 
 Pilate,  ver.  31."  The  Lord  speaks  by  anticipa- 
 tion, warning  the  conscience  of  the  unjust 
 Pilate,  though  he  knew  it  to  be  in  vain,  against 
 that  which  would  take  place.  He  at  the  same 
 time  graciously  indicates  the  Jews,  and  not 
 Pilate  who  delivered  him  unto  them,  to  be  the 
 
626 
 
 FIRST  COLLOQUY  WITH  PILATE. 
 
 proper  originators  and  agents  of  his  impending 
 death. 
 
 Farther,  who  are  the  -Lnrjpsrai,  the  servants 
 of  whom  he  spe.1l^s  ?  For,  indeed,  to  a  king  and 
 a  kingdom  there  must  belong,  not  merely  sub- 
 jects, but  agents  to  maintain  its  authority, 
 fighters*  His  poor  and  weak  disciples  have 
 teen  supposed  to  be  meant,  but  the  notion 
 that  they  might  fight  for  him  is  altogether  in- 
 appropriate, even  if  they  are  hypothetically  re- 
 ierred  to:  if  he  would  not  speak  about  them 
 when  questioned  by  Annas,  wherefore  would  he 
 begin  to  speak  about  them  to  Pilate  without 
 any  necessity?  It  has  been  said  that  servants 
 of  this  world  mu-t  be  meant,  as  the  kingdom 
 spoken  of  is  here  assumed  to  be  such.  Conse- 
 quently— The  host  of  my  dependents,  who 
 hailed  my  entry  into  the  city,  would  have  gone 
 further  at  my  will — then  should  I  have  had 
 another  and  more  powerful  body  at  my  dis- 
 posal, and  all  these  Jews  together  might  have 
 Deen  made  my  dependents  !  But  all  this  is  in- 
 appropriate, especially  the  latter,  because  in 
 the  same  clause  he  places  himself  in  opposition 
 to  these  Jews,  who  will  not  have  him  even  as 
 their  king,  and  only  as  enemies  desire  to  have 
 him.  Tiie  thought  of  Roos  is  a  strange  one — 
 "  He  might  indeed  have  been  able  to  bring 
 together  a  great  multitude  out  of  Galilee,  Tra" 
 chonitis,  Ituraja,  and'  Per£sa — against  those 
 Jewish  enemies  in  Jerusalem!'*"  We  think 
 that  these  intjijezcxi  must  have  a  specific 
 meaning,  and  that  they  must  belong  to  Ids  per- 
 son, as  such  being  distinguished  from  the  sub- 
 jects whom  he  seeks.  In  the  second  clause  the 
 if  it  were  of  this  world  is  not  to  be  taken  in  its 
 strictest  and  fullest  sense  ;  but  merely  means, 
 witli  reference  to  the  inference  which  was  to  be 
 drawn — If  I  went  iorth  to  a  kingdom  after  the 
 manner  of  the  kingdoms  of  this  world.  Then 
 it  is  very  plain — If  that  were  my  will,  my  ser- 
 vants would  stand  ready  to  protect  me,  and  to 
 seize  tlie  world  for  me.  Can  we  not  understand 
 now  what  he  means  ?  They  are,  like  himself, 
 ministers  wtu)  are  not  of  this  world  (Bengel) — 
 whose  warfare  would  therefore  be  all  tho  more 
 effectual  and  victorious.  They  are  the  legions 
 of  angels,  of  whom  he  thinks,  recalling  the 
 word  which  he  had  spoken  when  he  was  taken. 
 Nor  must  we,  with  Lampe,  unite  the  two,  the 
 holy  angehs  and  his  disciples ;  they  are  the 
 angels  alone.  If  it  is  said  that  this  would  have 
 been  language  unintelligible  to  Pilate,  the  ob- 
 jection is  not  true ;  for  to  such  a  power  and 
 dignity  as  that  of  which  the  Lord  here  speaks 
 to  the  Gentih',  such  supernatural  ministering 
 agencies  belong,  and  the  heathen  notions  had 
 much  that  was  analogous.  It  is,  in  fact,  per- 
 fectly appropriate  that  the  Lord  should  direct 
 Pilate's  thoughts,  by  such  a  mysterious  expres- 
 sion, to  higher  and  more  mighty  contending 
 agencies.     Yet  he  speaks  this  word  concerning 
 
 *  Hence,  followinz  the  ordinary  exposition  of 
 this  word,  Luther  liiids  in  it  a  confi;niatioii  of  the 
 righteousness  of  war  ;  see  Kahler  s  Dnttcn  Lulh. 
 Katcchismus,  p.  420. 
 
 the  help  of  his  servants  in  the  same  ppirit  oi 
 humble  condescension  as  we  observed  in  Matt. 
 xxvi.  53  ;  for  he,  strictly  speaking,  needed  no 
 foreign  assistance  at  all.  The  lundamental 
 meaning,  however,  is  intelligible  and  plain — 
 Thou  seest  that  I  defend  not  myself,  it  is  ol  her- 
 wise  than  thus  vvith  my  kingdom.  While  he  thus 
 speaks  he  is  himself  lighting  that  good  fight  of 
 patience  which  alone  became  him  ;"and  thus  he 
 founds  and  wins  for  himself  his  kingdom  in  this 
 world. 
 
 Finally,  he  repeats  in  the  third  clause,  and 
 with  the  greatest  patience,  knowing  well  how 
 hard  it  will  be  to  Pilate,  the  same  truth,  my 
 kingdom — not  of  this  world.  At  the  close,  how- 
 ever, he  changes  the  expression  into  ivravOev, 
 "  from  hence,"  as  it  were  like  a  heavenly  being 
 looking  down  upon  the  earth  and  its  kingdoms  ; 
 so  that  with  this  we  may  connect  the  commenc- 
 ing internal  preparation  for  the  question  of 
 the  Gentile — Whence  etrt  thou?  (Fikenscher's 
 narrow  interpretation  is  very  unworthy — "  Here 
 among  the  Jews  and  Gentiles  I  found  not  my 
 kingdom  ;  here  there  are  none  of  its  members." 
 It  is,  moreover,  untrue,  for  the  Lord  is  not 
 speaking  of  icJiere  but  whence  his  kingdom  is; 
 and  it  is  his  will  to  found  his  kingdom  whcre- 
 ever  he  testifies  of  it.)  It  is  another  question, 
 whether  now  refers  to  time,  and  leaves  room  for 
 a  future  in  which  it  would  be  otherwise  with 
 the  Lord's  kingdom  than  it  teas  then.  The 
 Piomish  exposition,  which  seizes  upon  the  nunc 
 autemoi  the  Vulg.  in  order  to  support  by  it 
 the  claim  of  the  subsequent  external  secular 
 Catholicism  to  be  the  kingdom  of  Christ,  needs 
 no  refutation  from  us  ;  but  the  7uno  has  been 
 pressed  with  a  good  evangelical  intention,  by 
 those  who  have  not,  however,  perceived  the 
 true  force  of  the  clause.  Krummacher  main- 
 tains that  the  little  word  " noio  "  \)0\nts  evi- 
 dently to  a  time  in  which  the  kingdom  of  our 
 Lord  would  assume  a  quite  diflerent  position 
 upon  earth  from  the  present;  but  we  ask  ac- 
 cording to  the  context — Will  it  actually  be  a 
 different  one  from  that  which  the  Lord  described 
 as  being  "  not  of  this  world  ?  "  Looking  closely 
 at  the  word,  a  kingdom  of  this  world,  en  tov 
 Hudnov  rox'zov,  that  is,  kvTEvOev,  hence,  it 
 will  never  be  ;  such  a  tacit  opposition  as  that 
 maintained,  therefore,  is  impossible.  Thus  the 
 vvv  is  here,  as  often,  a  jam  vera,  or  atqui ;  as 
 Bengel  says,  an  adversative  particle,  not  refer- 
 ring to  time — hat.  According  to  B.-Cru.sius, 
 "  But  now,  as  it  stands  " — more  plainly.  Thou 
 seest  by  my  standing  before  thee,  without  tho 
 fighting  of  my  servants,  of  what  kind  my  king- 
 dom is.  It  was  a  demonstration  to  the  eyes, 
 which  evermore  goes  on,  in  that  the  mighty 
 power  of  his  kingdom  approves  itself  in  the 
 world  of  which  it  is  not.  Indeed,  the  cor- 
 ner stone  was  rejected,  but  thereby  became  the 
 head  of  the  corner :  this  is  the  marvel  before 
 our  eyes.  Indeed,  the  rejection  and  external 
 powerlessncss  still  continue  ;  but  the  stone  cut 
 out  without  hands  smites  the  image  of  earthly 
 monarchies  r.pon  its  feet ;  and  it  becomes  the 
 great  mountain  which  alone  filleth  the  earth. 
 
MATTHEW  XXVII.  11. 
 
 627 
 
 (Dan.  ii.).  For  if  the  kingdoms  of  the  world 
 become  the  kingdom  of  our  Lord  and  his  Christ, 
 the  world  ceases  to  be  this  world,  and  is  the 
 world  to  came  become  present.  But  that  will 
 finally  prove  it  to  be  not  from  heiice,  as  having 
 overcome  all  that  is  hence. 
 
 This  goes  beyond  Pilate's  ideas  ;  not  beyond 
 his  power  of  comprehension  as  such,  if  he  had 
 willed,  but  beyond  his  will  to  understand. 
 Another  world  !  A  kingdom  and  a  power  from 
 thence,  yet  present  here ;  in  the  person  of  this 
 King  before  his  eyes  who  refers  to  invisible 
 ministers,  and  yet  not  from  hence  ?  •  No  fighting 
 with  his  enemies,  who  are  still  his  people,  hut 
 entire  surrender  to  them  ;  and  withal  the  unin- 
 terrupted power  and  dignity  of  a  king  in  his 
 kingdom  ?  A  rcgnum  in  regno  that  must  be 
 tolerated  and  acknowledged  ?  This  man— even 
 'n  such  a  sense  nevertheless  a  ting?  This 
 word,  though  the  Lord  had  not  expressly  used 
 it,  clings  to  him  ;  and  his  question,  besides 
 being  the  wondering  question  of  a  doubting 
 rnan  who  would  know  more,  retains  the  word 
 as  being  of  most  concernment  to  him  in  his 
 judicial  capacity.  (Thus  it  relaxed  for  a  mo- 
 ment the  former  question — What  hast  thou 
 done?)  But  it  must  not  be  understood  as  those 
 interpret  it,  who,  misunderstanding  the  thought 
 and  feeling  of  Pilate  at  the  present  crisis,  re- 
 gard it  as  attributing  to  Jesus  the  assumption 
 of  the  kingly  title.  Could  such  a  thought  have 
 been  entertained  with  regard  to  this  merely 
 "anointed"  king,  who,  moreover,  would  not 
 that  any  kingdo«i  should  be  fought  for?  Nor 
 is  the  common  opinion  right,  "The  Pvoman 
 laughs  and  will  not  spare  his  wit."  Nor  that 
 of  Luthardt  (who  seems  generally  to  misunder- 
 stand and  depreciate  Pilate),  who  says.  "Jesus 
 had  not  impressed  his  character  on  the  Pvoman  ; 
 he  was  still  no  more  than  an  object  of  ridicule." 
 Nor,  again,  that  of  Teschendorf,  who  would 
 mingle  something  of  warning  with  the  mock- 
 ery— "  Beware  ot  this  incautious  word  ;  it  may 
 be  thy  ruin  ! "  But  the  question,  while  it  may 
 have  some  very  slight  admixture  of  mockery, 
 is  in  its  predominant  feeling  earnest;  other- 
 wise the  earnestness  of  the  Lord's  answer 
 would  have  been  inappropriate.  "  His  spirit  is 
 touched,  the  being  of  Christ  impresses  itself 
 upon  him."  He  therefore  says,  in  only  a  half- 
 question — Thou  art  indeed  thus  a  king  !  Ovk- 
 ovv  is  a  deduction,  not  a  mere  ovkovv.  In 
 this  the  momentary  feeling  expresses  itself — 
 Thou  seemest  to  be,  and  speakest  like,  one  who 
 is  a  king  Irom  above,  as  if  there  was  in  truth 
 such  another  world. 
 
 It  is  only  when  we  thus  understand  it,  that 
 we  can  seize  rightly  the  sense  in  which  the 
 answer  liere  once  more  runs — '20  Xsyeii  ;  not, 
 as  was  said  before,  quite  identical  with  2i) 
 tinaZ,  and  yet  in  a  good  sense  closely  border- 
 ing upon  it — Thou  thyself  feelest  something  iii 
 it  to  be  acknowledged  and  confessed,  since  thou 
 thus  returnest  to  the  question.  The  ori  whi(;h 
 is  connected  with  it  is  no  more  than  Luke  xxii. 
 70  dependent  upon  the  ,\.eysiv — Thou  say  est 
 it  thyself  that  i  am  a  king;  but  the  testifying 
 
 /  am,  carried  on  by  the  ^Eyoo,  "  I,"  is  the  as- 
 sertion of  Christ  himself.  Still  stronger  than 
 in  Luke  xxii.  70,  this  on  is  essentially  the 
 reason  for  the  snying,  which  is  approved  of. 
 LiJcke  agrees  in  this  with  Stenhanus  and  Beza 
 — Thou  say  est  \i,for  I  am  a  king  This  is  not 
 merely  "justification  of  the  afHrmative"  in 
 purely  logical  connection,  but  a  bringing  for- 
 ward of  the  enforced  acknowledgment  from  its 
 background  in  the  question — I  know  it  well, 
 thou  dost  not  really  ask,  thy  very  question  af- 
 firms it  unto  thyself,  thou  hast  a  presentiment 
 and  feeling  of  it,  because  I  am  a  king.  We 
 might,  indeed,  finally  give  to  the  word  of  Jesus 
 the  strong  emphasis  which  P^ichter  expresses- - 
 "  A  king  /  am — there  is  essentially  no  true 
 king  or  ruler  beside  me." 
 
 Now  the  Lord  begins  to  make  a  more  direct 
 application  of  his  words  to  the  spirit  of  his 
 hearer,  thus  made  attentive  ;  he  gives  him  the 
 plainest  and  most  sublime  testimony  m  that 
 first  declaration  and  announcement  which  the 
 whole  Gentile  world,  and,  indeed,  natural  hu- 
 manity generally,  must  hear.  He  no  longer 
 abides  in  the  negative,  which  the  former  words 
 had  held  fast — A  worldly  king  1  am  not :  but 
 adds  to  it  now  the  plainest  positive  assertion. 
 It  is  necessary,  however,  that  he  should  speak 
 so  that  a  heathen  may  understand.  He  there- 
 fore does  not  proceed  at  once  with  the  kingdom 
 of  God,  or  call  himself  the  Son  of  the  living  God, 
 or  him  who  was  to  come  according  to  Israelitish 
 prophecy — although  apostolical  preaching  after- 
 wards, resting  upon  the  fact  of  the  resurrec- 
 tion and  accompanied  with  the  Holy  Spirit, 
 commenced  its  appeal,  with  perfect  propriety^ 
 by  the  "announcement  to  the  Gentile  worki  o! 
 the  only  God,  and  his  Son  come  into  the  world. 
 But  here,  in  opposition  to  the  full  offence  of 
 the  humiliation,  powerlessness,  and  rejection 
 by  his  people,  of  the  King  of  the  Jews,  the 
 Lord  appeals  in  his  word  to  the  most  internal 
 feeling  of  a  heathen  coming  to  him  susceptible 
 of  good;  and  speaks  only  at  first,  though  in 
 that  comprehending  all  else,  of  the  truth.  He 
 does  not  appeal  as  yet  to  the  need  of  salmti'm, 
 for  sinful  humanity — which,  however,  while 
 the  law  and  the  prophets  awakened  a  sense  of 
 it  more  fully,  slumbered  in  the  unconscious 
 souls  of  all  the  heathen — and  therefore  say,  ex- 
 tending already  the  Messianic  preaching  to  all 
 the  world.  Salvation  cometh  of  tlie  Jews.  But, 
 instead  of  this,  he  assumes  more  elementarily 
 man's  practical  need  'oi  his  mind  and  thought, 
 that  which  is  most  immediately  felt  and  ac- 
 acknowledged  :  Truth — cometh  from  abive.  Thu.- 
 does  his  condescending  wisdom  and  love  la\ 
 hold  on  that  one  thing  in  this  poor  Pilate  by 
 which  br.  might  be  laid  hold  of,  had  he  been 
 willing.  The  word  concerning  the  kingdom  was 
 spoken  to  the  statesman  and  Roman;  the  word 
 concerning  Uie  truth  toUows  for  the  educated 
 philosopher  in  the  statesman,  for  the  "  Greek," 
 inasmuch  as  the  Greek  element  of  investigation 
 and  questioning  after  wisdom  (1  Cor.  i.  22) 
 was  at  that  time  blended  with  the  Roman,  and 
 even  presented  the  fundamental  character  of 
 
628 
 
 FIRST  COLLOQUY  WITPI  PILATE. 
 
 tlie  Gentile  world  prepared  for  the  Gospel : 
 hence,  althou.^h  the  power  and  dominion  were 
 with  tlie  Romans,  the  Gentiles  in  the  New 
 Testament  are  called  not  Romans  but  Greeks* 
 Consequently,  the  Lord  lays  hold  of  the  man, 
 the  seeking  and  inquiring  man,  in  Pilate,  when 
 he  testifies  and  sets  before  him  a  truth,  which 
 is  such  unconditionally,  the  only  sure  and  all- 
 answerin'^  truth. 
 
 But  t'lis  truth,  if  it  is  to  be  given  back  to  a 
 world  sunk  in  delusion  and  doubt,  can  come  to  it 
 only  through  a  persm,and  one  who  has  all  the 
 truth  in  himself,  who  therefore  can  stand  as  a 
 im^  before  every  man,  and  command  the  homage 
 to  himself,  of  all  "truth,"  or  all  that  may  yet 
 remain  in  man  of  the  truth.  In  the  personal 
 consciousness  is  the  contradiction  of  fantasy  or 
 doubt;  in  one  personal  consciousness,  there- 
 fore, must  the  possession  of  present,  certain 
 truth  come  forward,  and  testifying  to  itself 
 communicate  the  truth.  That  which  every 
 philosopher,  who  deems  himself  to  have  found 
 theiinnl  great  conclusion  and  presents  himself 
 with  his  doctrine,  assumes  to  be — a  Messiah  of 
 knowledge,  a  king  in  the  kingdom  of  thought 
 — that  Christ  truly  is  ;  and  in  this  consists  the 
 beginning  of  his  Messianic  dignity  and  power 
 over  us  as  "  Master  of  instruction."  Still  we 
 have  to  mark  tchat  he  teaches,  and  how  his 
 "  truth"  is  altogether  and  from  its  first  princi- 
 ples, practical  and  redeeming,  the  truth  concern- 
 ing mlvation. 
 
 The  reduplicated 'Ex oJ,  the  second  being  a 
 'Continuous  resumption  of  the  first,  is  a  very 
 characteristic  point  in  the  present  saying,  and 
 we  must  not  lose  either  of  them  by  any  various 
 reading:  /am  a  king— 7  witness" to  the  truth. 
 Thus  now  already — while  Christ  stands  bound 
 before  Pilate,  and  declares  beforehand  that  he 
 will  be  delivered  to  the  Jews  to  be  put  to  death, 
 and  will  surrender  himself  without  the  defence 
 of  his  heavenly  servants— no!o  already,  before 
 he  sils  at  the  rigiit  hand  of  God,  he  hath  the 
 kingdom  and  is  king.  For  even  when  he  sits 
 upon  the  throne  of  li'is  power,  he  will  send  forth 
 his  servants  equipped  from  above  to  fight  for 
 no  other  kingdom  than  that  which  consists  of 
 subjects  who  have  been  vanquished  by  the 
 truth  in  the  fi-pedom  of  their  spirits.  Grotius 
 on  Matt. :  "  When  Jesus  here  confesses  himself 
 to  be  a  king,  it  seems  to  me  that  he  cannot 
 deny  that  his  kingdom  in  some  wav  had  alnadij 
 commenced,  wlicn  he  began  to  leach  the  truth  ; 
 for  thus  does  he  interpret  the  kingdom  in  John." 
 In  the  "  Inm"  of  his  person,  sanctified  of  the 
 Father  and  sent  into  the  world,  tlie  tliree  ofiiccs, 
 the  gradual  unfolding  of  which  f^^llowed  after, 
 were  already  frum  the  beginning  included  in 
 one.  Not  till  the  end  of  the  days  will  it  be  said 
 in  all  its  fulness— Tlie  Lord  is'kini,  all  things 
 are  subject  to  him  ;  it  was  not  till  his  ascension 
 that  he  went  up  to  the  throne  and  assumed  his 
 
 *  Liniie  finds  in  Tcr.  34  the  ceneral  thoimht 
 that  the  Romans,  wi'h  all  tlieir  mi^ht  and  energy, 
 yet  in  llieir  relijrion,  j)hi!o*;oi>h}',  ami  poetry  lieard 
 only  what  others  "  told  ihera."" 
 
 kingdom  (Luke  xix  12) — but  he  is  already  in 
 the  prophetic  offi^'e  more  than  a  prophet,  the 
 A:i«(7  born  to  be  a  ruler,  and  already  beginning 
 to  rule.  In  this  sense  (which  does  not  exclude 
 all  that  follows  from  it,  but  rather  pre-supposes 
 all  the  rest  as  following  from  it)  the  Lord 
 strictly  connects  his  lingli/  dignity  with  his  pro- 
 phetic authority,  desiring  now  at  tJie  first  only 
 an  acknowledgment  of  the  truth.  He  even 
 recommends,  as  much  as  possible,  his  prophetic 
 office  to  the  heathen  philosophy  of  the  natural 
 man  (who  is  not  already  an  Israelite)  by  adopt- 
 ing in  his  language  the  seeming  abstraction 
 dXr/Osia,  truth,  which,  however,  for  us  includes 
 the  entire  fulness  of  the  living  God  and  his 
 salvation.  For,  the  Romans,  the  people  of 
 action,  inquired,  in  common  with  the  Greeks, 
 to  whose  doctrines  the  conquerors  submitted, 
 after  truth.  The  philosopher  in  man — accord- 
 ing to  the  best  and  highest  significance  of  that 
 beautiful  word — can  only  seek  the  truth,  with  a 
 longing  love  for  what  heci^nnot  find  :  it  is  the 
 original  instinct,  which  still  remains  in  man, 
 and  yearns  for  its  gratification  in  its  original 
 reality.  But  Chri.^t  gives  man  the  truth,  or 
 bears  witness  for  the  truth.  He  does  not  seek 
 it  in  the  fellowship  of  the  great  spirits  of  men  ; 
 he  does  not,  like  Socrates,  teach  the  common 
 people  about  it;  he  does  not,  like  Plato,  utter 
 presentiments  and  poetry  concerning  it ;  but  he 
 testifies  in  (he  absolute  sense,  as  he  declared, 
 chap.  iii.  11,  in  opposition  to  Nicodemus.  and 
 as  the  Baptist,  chap,  iii.  32,  pointing  to  Jesus 
 confirmed  his  words. 
 
 Thus  while  he  was  born  and  came  into  the 
 world  for  the  redemption  of  mankind,  he  was 
 born  and  came  into  the  world  for  this  purpose, 
 that  he  should  bear  witness  to  the  truth.  As 
 an  announcer  of  the  truth,  he  is  already  "a 
 born  king,  no  pretender  or  usurper  of  a  throne ; " 
 his  dignity  and  authority  was  his  orignal 
 heritage  from  above  and  from  eternily,  in  the 
 highest  sense  o*"  the  words  :  for  office  and  per- 
 son are  one  in  him.  If  this  hirth  of  a  woman 
 placed  him  Iv  vi.ioimuari  on  alevel  with  other 
 erring,  seeking,  failing,  sinful  men  (so  that 
 the  question  of  doubt  might  be  uttered,  But 
 how  comest  thou  to  be  the  sole  son  of  Adam 
 who  can  confront  us  with  such  an  assertion 
 concerning  thyself?) — we  find  (he  profound 
 and  necessary  counterpart  declared  in  his  testi- 
 mony. And  come  into  the  world.  The  being  born 
 and  the  coming  into  the  world  are  by  no  means 
 one  and  the  same,  as  if  Christ  spoke  only  in  the 
 common  phrase — improper,  if  strictly  considered 
 — which  terms  origination  in  the  world  a  com- 
 ing into  it.*  There  is,  moreover,  no  other  dis- 
 tinction which  will  satisfy  the  words:  they 
 must  be  left  in  their  simply  truth  ;  not  that 
 which  understands  "  the  permanent  continuance 
 
 *  In  o:;r  way  of  speak'ng — "  com'na;  into  the 
 world  " — there  seems  to  be  an  indistinct  vaaue 
 appreliension  of  a  pre-existent  I,  the  or'ginaiion 
 of  which  out  of  nothing  we  are  slow  to  receive, 
 because  utterly  unable  to  apprehend.  Still  more 
 plainly  is  ii,  heard  in  tiie  people's  "  jung  werden," 
 
MATTHEW  XXVII.  11. 
 
 629 
 
 in  the  world  "  after  the  first  "crisis  of  birth  " — 
 for  could  that  be  spoken  of  with  eXy'/XvOa, 
 I  came?  nor  "the  public  manifestation,  the 
 dyddEi^ti;" — for  the  an'itbesis  of  another  world 
 in  the  former  saying  is  still  retained  here. 
 Least  of  all  does  Lange's  interpretation  satisfy 
 the  words — "  Born  to  this  end  alone,  and  to  this 
 end  alone  elected  or  sent;  thus  a  king  is  the 
 whole  right  a,s  well  of  birth  as  of  election  and 
 destination."  For,  a  right  of  election  can  be 
 referred  to  Christ's  kingly  dignity  only  in  as  far 
 as  the  Father  sends,  appoints,  and  anoints  him  ; 
 but  to  a  heathen  who  Knows  not  God,  he  can- 
 not say — Sent  into  the  world :  he  therefore  ad- 
 heres to  the  simple  "come,"  and  plainly  declares 
 himself  thereby  to  have  been  a  personality  of 
 divine  origin,  pre-existent  before  his  human 
 birth.  Compare  what  has  already  been  said 
 upon  John  xvi.  28,  which  is  the  authentic  real 
 parallel  of  this  expression.  See  further  chap, 
 viii.  42,  23,  58,  iii.  31,  xvii.  5,  2-1.  Born  as  man, 
 as  thou  seest  me  standing  before  thee,  a  man  ; 
 come,  as  at  the  same  time  more  than  man,  from 
 that  other  world  of  which  my  kingdom  is,  and 
 of  which,  consequently,  as  thou  mayest  con- 
 clude, my  person  also  is.  Here  we  have  then 
 the  foundation  of  the  wh£nce  of  Pilate's  last 
 question.  Moreover,  the  having  come  from  the 
 invisible  world  of  reality  and  certainty  must 
 be  regarded  as  a  necessary  condition  in  order 
 to  the  testifying  of  the  truth  ;  hence  the  second 
 c/5  roCro,  to  this  end,  with  a  stronger  empha- 
 sis in  its  repetition. 
 
 That  all  men  who  are  simply  born  into  the 
 world  err  from  the  truth  is  a  plain  fact  of  ex- 
 perience ;  and  it  is  equally  certain  that  the 
 word  "  truth,"  still  extant  among  men,  testifies 
 of  a  reality  which  men  are  seeking.  Thus  it  is 
 to  be  remarked,  that  "  Jesus  calls  himself  the 
 king  of  truth,  in  the  sense  in  which  all  men  are 
 liars" — that  is,  he  convicts  us  of  our  apostacy 
 from  the  living  God,  of  our  fall  from  communion 
 with  heaven  ;  and  Iience  he  guides  our  falseness, 
 opposing  himself  to  us  as  come  from  above  with 
 the  truth.  He  does  not  say  here  expressly,  as 
 finally  to  his  disciples,  /  am  the  truth  ;  but  we 
 must  not,  therefore,  assume  with  B.-Crusius; 
 "He  does  not  represent  himself  as  the  rukr, 
 but  rather  the  truth  ;  himself  being  its  repre- 
 sentative and  ^i<?2Jw^y."  His  express  and  emphat- 
 ically-repeated words — ^adiAsvi  elfxi  kyoo, 
 iyoD  yEyEvvj]i.iai,  eXijXv^a — declare  what  is 
 the  reality,  that  he  henm  personally  in  himself 
 that  truth  to  which  he  te.^tifies,  and  consequent- 
 ly that  he  is  identical  with  it.  For  he  would 
 rule  by  making  the  truth  supreme;  and  the 
 kingdom,  in  which  the  truth  'is  made  known, 
 is  his  kingdom.  He  does  not  say  bear  Witness 
 to  truth,  but,  with  a  fine  distinction,  to  the  truth, 
 ry — so  that  he  places  the  truth  in  its  highest 
 objectivity,  as  it  were  in  the  place  of  the  living 
 God,  and  as  if  above  himself.  But  he  at  the 
 same  time  arrogates  for  his  own  per.?ortality, 
 which  he  adduces  as  the  fjround  of  the  confident 
 tiaprvpslv,  such  a  unity  with  this  truth,  that 
 every  one  who  is-so  disposed  may  umlerstand 
 it  perfectly  in  the  same  meaning  as  all  that  he 
 
 elsewhere,  especially  in  John,  testifies  for  him- 
 self and  of  himself. 
 
 There  is  another  world — that  was  the  testi- 
 mony of  the  former  words.  There  is  a  truth, 
 which  is  the  truth  simply,  excluding  all  that 
 contradicts  it — this  he  testifies  now  ;  also  that 
 there  was  a  truth  of  God  for  man's  salvation 
 extant  in  Israel,  to  which  it  was  his  office  to 
 bear  witness  (but  not  of  itself  the  truth  in  its 
 entireness,  Jesus  only  bearing  witness  to  that 
 truth,  as  Krummacher  too  strongly  expresses 
 it).  We  know  of  course  that  he  means  saving 
 truth  in  order  to  man's  happiness,  and  no 
 such  system  of  dogmatics  as  remains  in  cold 
 and  moonlight  elevation,  leaving  poor  man 
 below  still  bound  in  mi.sery  and  contradiction 
 with  himself,  and  thus  an  actual  lie  to  himself, 
 This  word  here  attests  it,  inasmucli  as  it  is  in- 
 deed his  will  to  rule,  to  work  in  the  hearts  of 
 his  subjects  obedience  to  the  truth  in  order  to 
 the  obtaining  of  a  kingdom  within  them. 
 Thus  it  is  with  perfect  propriety,  and  for  the 
 present  time  very  appropriately,  that  Tholuck 
 makes  this  kingly  word  rebuke  anotlier  word 
 of  a  king,  which,  however  ill-conceived  orig- 
 inally, has  been  still  worse  perverted,  viz.,  that 
 every  man  is  able  to  get  happiness  in  his  own 
 fashion.  This  is  the  truth,  witnesse.s  Christ, 
 that  I  am  the  redeeming,  restoring  king  of 
 humanity,  who  point  the  way  and  give  the 
 life;  all  other  is  the  lie,  against  which  I 
 bear  witness.  This  is  the  truth  in  which 
 we  (according  to  chap.  xvii.  17,  19)  are 
 .sanctified,  through  him  who  has  sanctified 
 himself  for  us.  His  word  has  this  extension 
 even  here;  but  now  he  cannot  at  once  utter 
 it  so  fully  and  plainly ;  he  goes  not  beyond 
 the  word  appropriate  to  the  beginning  of 
 all — Bear  witness  unto  the  truth.  Compare 
 the  words  in  the  riyal  Psa.  xlv.  5. 
 
 First  of  all — that  we  may  now  return  from 
 the  breadth  and  depth  of"  the  word  for  the 
 whole  world  and  humanity  (for  the  truth 
 must  be  testified  iv  rcii  xod/ncp,  to  Jews  and 
 Gentiles  alike),  to  the  first  apprehension  of  its 
 meaning  in  Pilate's  case— first  of  all,  the  Lord 
 thereby  told  him,  as  an  answer  to  his  question 
 brought  in  afterwards  ■.  "  This  is  what  I  have 
 done,  this  is  my  offence;  judge  thou  whether 
 it  be  a  crime  or  a  merit.  I  have  borne  witness 
 to  the  truth,  as  I  was  born  for  this  cause,  and 
 for  this  cause  have  come;  therefore  also  the 
 Jews  hate  me,  and  bring  their  charge  against 
 me,  hypocrites  and  unjust  as  thou  well  know- 
 est  them  to  be.  Then  give  thou  also,  as  a 
 judge,  in  the  name  of  the  Roman  fJadiXF.vi  or 
 Hai6ap,  honor  to  truth  and  right!"  When 
 the  Lord  designated  speaking  (and  acting)  for 
 the  truth  as  kingly — "  His  answer  paid  honor 
 to  all  the  kings  of  the  earth,  as  he  thus  placed 
 himself  by  their  side."  For  is  not  that  their 
 highest,  their  most  proper  and  true  vocation? 
 So  Lange  similarly  says  :  "  Every  king  is,  ac- 
 cording to  the  idea  of  the  term,  a  born  and 
 called  witness  ;  that  is,  he  was  the  first  histori- 
 cal witness  and  champion  for  the  idea  of  his 
 kingdom."     But  this  does  not  altogether  touch 
 
630 
 
 FIRST  COLLOQUY  WITH  PILATE. 
 
 the  point  which  Daub  had  in  view — The  equal 
 obligation  of  all  kings  to  bear  witness  to  that 
 one  rightful  truth,  and  truthful  right,  which  he 
 represents  who  is  the  King  of  kings,  and  by 
 which  it  is  his  will  to  bring  all  kingdoms  into 
 subjection  to  his  sway,  and  make  ail  who  rule 
 upon  earth  ministers"  of  his  kingdom  (Wisd. 
 VI.  1-4  :  Prov.  viii.  14-16).  Let  this  more  fun- 
 damentally explain  the  word  above — I  am  a 
 kin(/. 
 
 The  Lord,  further,  says  to  Pilate,  indirectly 
 at  least — "  I  do  not  deny  or  conceal  it,  it  is  the 
 truth  that  I  am  a  king,  and  I  tell  thee  the  pure 
 truth  as  to  the  sense  in  which  I  avow  and  wit- 
 ness before  thee  the  wiiole. counsel  and  mystery 
 of  my  person,  born  and  come  into  the  world, 
 and  of  my  whole  course  of  life  and  action  :  all 
 this  I  can  no  more  deny  than  I  can  deny  my- 
 self. I  stand  now  before  thee,  openly  and 
 truly,  that  which  I  am.  Shouldst  thou  be 
 willinj];  with  false  kindness  to  open  for  me  a 
 way  of  evasion  and  escape — I  am  not  such  a 
 one  as  could  adopt  it."  What  dignity,  what 
 majestic  serenity  in  the  personal  truth,  come 
 down  from  above,  which  stands  here  bound  be- 
 fore the  judge. 
 
 Finally,  let  it  be  carefully-  noted  that  the 
 Lord  does  not  by  any  means  term  himself  a 
 "king  of  the  truth,"  and  his  kingdom  a 
 "kingdom  of  truth,"  in  that  superficial,  adjec- 
 tive sense  which  is  so  common  in  human  lan- 
 guage concerning  it — but  he  uses  the  word,  so 
 to  speak,  in  its  strict  substantive  meaning. 
 Again,  we  may  say,  if  we  rightly  understand 
 what  we  say,  that  the  goal  and  end  of  the 
 completed  and  absolute  supremacy  of  his  king- 
 dom is  the  supremacy  of  truth  unto  righteous- 
 ness ;  but  if  even  this  be  taken  in  its  super- 
 ficial meaning,  it  becomes  an  untruth.  It  is  not 
 that  "the  end  of  his  mission  is  the  spreading 
 of  the  truth  among  men;"  but,  to  sanctify  and 
 perfect  men  in  themselves  and  thus  in  the 
 truth  of  their  humanity,  that  is,  in  their  re- 
 newed fellowship  with  God.  Not  that  "  his 
 kidgdom  exists  only  in  the  spread  of  the 
 truth ;"  but  this  first  spreading  of  the  truth, 
 which  he  here  calls  bearing  testimony  to  it,  is 
 only  the  beginning  in  order  to  the  establish- 
 ment of  the  actual  kingdom.  Neander  is  much 
 more  correct :  "  The  witness  to  the  truth  is  de- 
 fined to  be  the  means  for  the  establishment  of 
 his  kingdom."  It  is  almost  like  the  humble 
 reply  of  the  Baptist  to  the  What  smjest  thou  of 
 thyself?  I  am  the  voice  of  one  crying  in  the 
 wilderness ;  but  here  the  Lord  speaks  more  as 
 a  king  in  the  humilityof  that  truth,  which, 
 •while  it  asserts  its  rightful  supremacy  as  truth, 
 will  rule  only  where  it  is  acknowledged — I  tes- 
 tify, I  speak;  these  are  my  weapons,  this  is  my 
 power,  and  this  is  what  I  have  done. 
 
 But  let  not  this  be  despised,  for  it  is  the  high- 
 est and  most  important  of  all  authority.  Can 
 the  truth  more  royally  reign  than  by  its  testi- 
 mony? Is  there  any  king  more  real  than  he 
 who  rules  by  the  sceptre  of  his  lips?  If  in  the 
 domain  of  falsehood  and  unrighteousness  there 
 is  yet  "  a  power  of  words  "  which  is  above  all 
 
 power  of  arms — how  great  must  be  the  powct 
 of  words  in  the  lips  of  the  incarnate  Word  him- 
 self, how  great  the  victorious  authority  of  the 
 self-attesting  eternal  tnitli  !  Here  is  obedience 
 and  rule,  and  no  where  else.  In  all  the  empires 
 of  this  world  there  is  con5<traint  and  delusion, 
 continual  conflict  of  contradiction  ;  but  where 
 hearts  and  consciences  obey  in  the  ol)edience  of 
 truth,  there  is  true  empire,  and  its  king  has 
 true  ohedience.  Not  that  even  this  king  can 
 constrain  the  obedience  of  all ;  for  the  power  of 
 untruth  is  great  in  humanity,  ami  manife:?t3 
 itself  in  many  to  the  highest  extent  nf  contra- 
 diction, which  he  now  bears  with  p:itiently,  but 
 will  one  day  condemn.  Nevertheless  he  says — 
 Every  mwi  that  is  of  the  truth  hearetli"  my 
 voice  ;  be  he  who  he  may,  by  whatever  name 
 known,  Jew  or  Gentile,  king  or  poor  man. 
 This  he  nowspeaks  to  theheartand  conscience 
 of  Pilafe,  for  the  time  is  come  when  he  might 
 hear;  the  hour  in  which  an  influence  and  a  tes- 
 timony comes  to  him  from  above  which  he 
 might  obey  if  he  would.  By  no  means  is  it  as 
 Bensel  misapprehends — "  Jesus  appeals  from 
 the  blindness  of  Pilat"  to  the  susc^itibility  of 
 believers;"  but  as  Olshausen  bettc^r  appre- 
 hends the  love  of  the  conde.''Cr--iding  Redeemer 
 (which  is  quite  consistent  with  the  conscious- 
 ness that  it  is  in  vain)  :  "  This  word  was  evi- 
 dently intended  to  attract  Pilate  himself,  and 
 to  induce  him  to  avow  him-elf  a  subject  of 
 Christ  as  a  friend  of  truth."  Of  the  truth  ia 
 only  another  expression  for  of  God,  chap.  viii. 
 47,  so  that  we  may  refer  here  to  all  that  was 
 said  there  and  upon  chap.  x.  27.*  The  condi- 
 tion on  the  part  of  men  could  not  be  wanting 
 here,  being  in  this  as  in  all  essential.'  He  who 
 with  conscientious  sincerity  desires  and  seika 
 the  right  truth  for  his  inmost  need,  that  is,  for 
 his  help  against  delusion  and  sin,  the  living 
 truth  which  is  unto  righteousness,  is  so  far 
 already  of  the  truth,  and  will  consequently 
 with  a  willing  spirit  obediently  hear  its  voice 
 and  follow  it.  Tholuck  :  "  He"  is  a  thoroughly 
 and  absolutely  sincere  man  against  himself." 
 Lutz  :  "  It  is'  his  kingdom,  which  he  gathers 
 together  by  means  of  the  testimony  which  he 
 bears  to  it;  it  is  a  kingdom  of  truth,  without 
 political  external  force  out  of  the  element  6( 
 most  internal  sincerity  of  Vie  mind's  Inns  toward 
 God;  a  kingdom  ot  that  highest  truth,  by 
 which  man  lays  hold  of  God  himself."  For,  in 
 reality,  the  seeking  and  laying  hold  of  God  is 
 alone  truth  in  man.  As  certainly  as  man  was 
 created  after  God  and  tor  God,  and  is  still  ca- 
 pable of  being  brought  back  to  him,  so  certainly 
 is  there  s\\c\\  a  "truth"  in  us,  which  goes  out 
 toward  that  "  truth  "  which  Jesus  now  bears 
 witness  to  and  brings.  Then  it  is  two-fold  and 
 yet  but  one,  because  it  is  one  in  its   ultimate 
 
 *  Rut.  not  already  "  a  heitig  horn  of  the  truth," 
 as  Fickpr  wrontrly  apprehends  the  expression  in 
 f)ne  of  his  otlierwise  beautiful  five  sermons  on  ijie 
 Doubters  of  the  Ni-w  Testament.  Tho  first,  pre- 
 dominating love  to  trutli  is  far  iVom  being  Ih'?  lull 
 living  and  standing  Id  truth. 
 
MATTHEW  XXVII.  11. 
 
 6S1'* 
 
 {principle.  A  man  who  sincerely  seeks  and 
 earns  is  indeed  already  a  subject  of  the  truth, 
 and  is  prepared  to  be  drawn  to  Christ;  even  as 
 all  the  sheep  which  he  already  has  as  the 
 Shepherd,  know  him  when  they  hear  his  voice. 
 But  the  sincerity  of  a  sinful  man  will  begin 
 with  the  feeling  and  consciousness  of  sin,  as 
 may  be  seen  in  Cornelius  ;  alas  !  Pilate  here  be- 
 comes (he  couuter]iart  and  ojqMsite  of  Cornelius. 
 The  sincere  came  then,  and  for  a  while  longer, 
 through  Israel,  without  being  oflended  at  Juda- 
 ism, to  Christ ;  they  come  now  through  Christ 
 to  Israel.  All  these  are  simply  voluntary  and 
 free  subjects,  other  than  such  the  heavenly  and 
 true  King  desireth  not  ;  but,  glancing  at  these 
 through  all  the  world  and  through  all  time,  he 
 speaks  now  before  Pilate,  at  once  with  sublime 
 resignation  and  all-comprehensive  extension  of 
 his  authority — "  Askest  thou  for  my  subjects  ? 
 Every  soul,  which  voluntarily  and  of  the  truth 
 hearkens  to  my  truth,  is  my  subject  ;  there  are 
 few  of  them,  and  yet  every  where  many — if 
 thou  wilt  receive  it." 
 
 We  may  now  be  permitted  to  consider  a  lit- 
 tle more  deeply  the  result  or  rather  the  result- 
 lessness  of  this  witness  to  Pilate,  and  mark  the 
 word  by  which  he  replied  to  it;  for  that  word 
 must  be  studied  as,  indirectly  at  least,  assisting 
 our  proper  estimate  of  the  word  of  Jesus.  Pi- 
 late was  not  of  the  truth,  to  hear  this  voice,  and 
 to  receive  this  testimony.  Although  his  secret 
 feeling  of  divine  things  and  the  truth  wa? 
 afterwards  again  impressed  by  the  Son  of  God, 
 in  the  veiled  lowliness  of  the  Ecce  Homo,  yet 
 his  second  rejection  of  the  truth  was  already 
 prepared  for  and  decided  in  his  first  rejection. 
 What  is  truth?  This  is  his  question;  did  he 
 put  it  "after  having  kept  silence  and  pondered 
 a  while?  "  This  seems  to  us  scarcely  probable  : 
 but  it  is  possible,  and  that  would  then,  alas  ! 
 only  aggravate  his  guilt.  Every  thing  depends 
 on  the  spirit  in  which  we  put  this  question. 
 There  are  some  who  would  do  no  more  than 
 «sk  :  their  delight  is  to  seek,  everlastingly  to 
 seek  and  never  to  find.  They  (according  to 
 the  well-known  avowal  of  Les'sing)  would'  re- 
 ject the  right  hand  with  the  truth  offered  in  it, 
 and  ask  rather  the  left  hand  with  I  he  joy  of 
 seeking  and  forever  straining  after  the  truth. 
 There  are  those  who  make  for  themselves  a 
 truth  in  the  stead  of  that  which  is  genuine, 
 and  then  either  indolently  repose  upon  it,  or 
 angrily  quarrel  about  it.  There  are  those  who 
 vainly  imagine  that  they  have  found  it,  or 
 vainly  deny  that  there  is  any  truth  to  be 
 found  ;  and  others,  again,  who,  with  the  great- 
 est folly  of  all,  leave  its  existence,  or  non-ex- 
 istence, an  undecided  question  in  their  own 
 minds.  There  are  those,  finally,  who  seek  and 
 ask  with  such  intense  earnestness,  that,  sooner 
 or  later,  the  answer  cannot  escape  them.  To 
 tiiese  last,  Pilate  certainly  did  not  belong — to 
 which  class  then  are  we  to  assign  him  ?  "  Con- 
 cerning his  philosophico-judicial  humor,  noth- 
 
 ing is  canonically  decided" — we  most  admit' 
 with  Kleuker,  yet  we  may  freely  state  our  own' 
 opinion  under  correction. 
 
 First,  it  is  certainly  true  that  he  did  not  ask" 
 in  earnest ;  not  "  with  intent  to  wait  for  and 
 receive  an  answer,"  or  to  be  able  to  apprehend 
 better  that  which  he  had  received  ;*  for  he  does 
 not  give  time  for  any  reoly  at  all.  And  when 
 lie  had  said  this,  writes  John,  he  went  out  again 
 to  the  Jews.  Thus  his  seeming  question  was" 
 not  so  much  an  actual  question  as  an  exclama-' 
 tion,  self-answering,  and  ending  the  matter/ 
 "  The  question  was  thrown  out  as  any  thing' 
 but  a  question  " — says  Lange.  Thus  we  can-' 
 not  attribute  to  this  questioner  even  "curios-' 
 ity,"  that  perilous  and  yet  ofttimes  useful  suc- 
 cedaneura  of  a  desire  to  know.  His  abrupt 
 breaking  off  is  itself  the  "  holding  the  truth  in 
 unrighteousness"  (Rom.  i.  18) — for  otherwise 
 he  would  have  thought  more  deeply  and  fixedly 
 of  the  profound  solemnity  of  this  universal 
 question  for  every  man,  and  v;ould  have  await- 
 ed the  answer,  which  had  already  been  offered; 
 as  supplying  the  need  of  his  soul  ;  he  would 
 have  men  smitten  and  held  fast  by  the  internat 
 consciousness  of  his  own  uncertainty  in  the 
 (iresence  of  this  confident  one,  and  of  his  owri 
 guilt  in  the  pre.sence  of  this  innocent  one  ;  he 
 would  at  least  have  brought,  instead  of  this  vagud 
 and  desultory  no-question,  his  own  best  and 
 deepest  questionsotconscience.astheSamaritan 
 woman  had  done.  Yea,  then  would  Christ' 
 have  given  answer — and  what  an  answerf 
 would  the  world  have  received  from  his  lips  ! — 
 an  answer  of  which  it  was  not  worthy — a  root 
 and  centre  word,  inconceivable  and  unsearch- 
 able by  us,  uniting  in  a  new  light  all  that  the 
 entire  Scriptures  now  testify  in  answer. 
 
 Pilate  did  not  ask  his  question  as  a  philoso- 
 pher, strictly  so  called,  who  had  without  satis- 
 faction investigated  all  existing  systems.  In- 
 deed, it  would  not  necessarily  follow,  even  in 
 that  case,  that  he  would  be  willing  "  to  occupy 
 liis  mind  about  the  system  of  Jesus  in  addition' 
 to  all  the  rest;"  for  Jesus  was  a  Jew,  and,' 
 moreover,  he  who  has  been  disappointed  a  hun- 
 dred times  would  be  rather  disinclined  to  hear' 
 for  the  hundred  and  first  time.  But  such  a 
 view  of  the  procurator's  mental  education  is 
 itself  historically  improbable.  Certainly  he 
 did  not  throw  out  the  rejecting  question  as  a 
 man  "  washed  with  all  waters  "  in  theory  and 
 
 *  This,  however,  was  the  opinion  of  many  of 
 the  fathers,  and  followed  by  E'asmus,  Grotius, 
 etc.  Immediately  alter  puttina  the  que.^tion,  it 
 struck  h's  mind  how  much  time  was  nt>cessary  for 
 the  reply — hence  he  sought  first  to  set  Jesus  free, 
 that  he  ni'ght  afterwards  hear  him  turther.  Gro- 
 tius says — "  He  a^ked  hy  he  way,  but  not  )o  press 
 the  inquiry ;"  and  Lampe,  "  With  singular  insta-' 
 bility  he  immediately  changed  his  mind."  But 
 such  change  of  mind  in  two  successive  moments 
 is  altogether  unimaginable. 
 
 t  Far  above  all  human  thoughts,  according  to^ 
 which  Tauler  thought  that  one  could  not  better' 
 answer  such  a  question  than  by — truth  it  truth. 
 
WHAT  IS  TRUTH? 
 
 practice,  in  system  and  life.  Thus  not  as  an 
 absolute  doubter,  as  is  sometimes  said,  or  as  a 
 systematic  skeptic  ;  for  as  such  he  would  have 
 said  still  more  proudly  and  decidedly,  either  at 
 once  or  in  addition  to  his  question.  There  is  no 
 truth.*  That  is,  indeed,  the  fundamental  mean- 
 ing of  his  word,  but  still  it  is  not  spoken  alto- 
 gether in  that  style.  Further,  we  are  scarcely 
 justi6ed  in  attributing  to  the  unhappy  Pilate, 
 as  a  historical  personage,  any  thing  like  con- 
 scious mockery,  as  if  he  heedlessly  said — "For- 
 sooth, thou  speakest  of  truth  !  "  He  does  not 
 seem  to  speak  in  the  "common  and  frivolous 
 spirit  of  such  mockers,"  at  a  crisis  which  had 
 certainly  been  preceded  by  a  moment  of  deep 
 impression  :  there  is  a  certain  undeniable  tone 
 of  sorrow  to  be  discerned  in  his  abrupt  break- 
 ing oflf.  It  is  not  Pilate's  will  to  mock  of  set 
 purpose;  and  yet  it  resolves  itself  into  that, 
 because  he  does  not  yield  himself  to  the  ear- 
 nestness of  the  question — and  in  that  lay  his 
 sin.  "The  Roman  feels  himself  moved  and 
 pressed  by  conscience;  but  he  mocks  back  his 
 neart's  best  feelino;3"  (Pape),  For  notwith- 
 fttanding  the  weight  of  meaning  which  is  at- 
 tached to  the  word  truth  by  this  questioner, 
 who,  seeking  no  reply,  recoils  as  it  were  from 
 his  own  question,  there  is  yet  in  the  question 
 itself  "  evidence  of  a  certain  latent  contempt 
 of  the  truth  in  his  heart,"  and  indeed  contrary 
 to  the  truth  of  his  heart.  His  instant  aston- 
 ishment echoes  the  great  word  which  he  had 
 heard,  and  puts  it  again  in  the  form  of  a  ques- 
 tion; but  the  next  feeling  gives  it  an  ironical 
 tone — What  is  it?  Ficker'.s  arrangement  is  in 
 the  main  right:  "This  question  of  Pilate  is 
 by  no  means  evidence  of  a  heart  which  would 
 seek  the  truth  ;  nor  of  a  heart  which,  tired  of 
 seeking,  despairs  of  truth  altogether  ;  but  of  a 
 heart  which  is  generally  indifferent  about  it, 
 and  therefore,  even  before  the  face  of  truth  in 
 Christ,  closes  itself  against  it."  That  he  does 
 not,  like  Christ,  speak  of  "  the  Iruth  "  is  very 
 characteristic  and  natural ;  for  that  would  be 
 already  admitting  too  much,  and  with  such  an 
 admission  his  rejection  of  it  would  not  be  con- 
 sistent. The  comprehensive  and  specific  arti- 
 cle in  "  being  of  the  truth  "  pre-supposes  of 
 itself  something  which  was  wanting  to  Pilate  ; 
 the  same  article  in  "  holding  the  truth  in  un- 
 righteousness "  is  only  the  revealing  explana- 
 tion of  the  Judge  and  Searclier  of  hearts,  who 
 brings  to  light  and  stamps  that  which  men 
 wilfully  coneal  from  themselves:  sec  Rom.  ii. 
 16.  The  natural  man  knows  and  mentions 
 only  (ruths,  God's  word  and  revelation  knows 
 of  only  one,  the  truth  ;  in  this  central  singular 
 lies  the  point  of  decision  between  the  hearing 
 
 ♦  Pilate  is  "too  feeble  to  believe  in  truth,  and 
 too  feeble  altogether  to  deny  it,"  as  Tholuck  says. 
 Lnthardt's  expressions  are  certainly  too  sttoii ; : 
 "  Tiiis  trait  of  scorntul  con'emi)l  of  every  thinji 
 wliich  misht  appear  like  enihusi ism,  indicates  a 
 man  jaded  and  worn  out."  This  better  suits  Herod 
 than  Pilate,  though  uot  slricily  applicable  even  to 
 bim. 
 
 and  not  hearing.  He  who  confesses  to  one  ob- 
 jective and  real  "  truth,"  which  is  not  to  be 
 created  by  himself,  is  so  far  on  his  way  to  the 
 truth  ;  the  truth  is,  properly  speaking,  never 
 contended  against,  doubted  of,  or  attacked  by 
 those  who  are  sincere  and  in  earnest,  but 
 sought  even  in  the  midst  of  greatest  errors 
 which  have  its  semblance.  It  may  indeed  be 
 hated,  scorned,  and  persecuted,  but  it  is  by 
 those  who  well  know  what  they  do. 
 
 The  V  i  £  d  r  IV  is  not  to  be  interpreted,  with 
 Grotius,  cujiis  generis,  of  what  Ai/KZ— as  if  the 
 question  had  this  force  :  Of  what  kind  of  truth 
 speakest  thou  then,  of  philosophical,  moral, 
 religious,  political,  or  the  like?  Oh,  no;  it  is 
 a  negativing  no-question,  which  has  there  is 
 none  for  its  secret  meaning ;  but  as  such  it  is 
 capable  of  a  manifold  further  interpretation  or 
 development.  Let  us  attempt  this,  taking  as  our 
 basis  the  masterly  note  of  Meyer,  which  briefly 
 sums  up  the  whole,  and  needs  but  to  be  made 
 somewhat  more  complete.  First,  generally: 
 who  has  explored  what  truth  is,  and  found  it, 
 so  as  to  be  able  to  sav  like  thee  "  the  truth?  " 
 No  man  1  Thou  speakest  as  of  a  certain  thing 
 — I  must,  alas  !  add.  There  lies  the  queMion  it- 
 self. "  Truth  is  an  empty  word "  Neander 
 explains  :  But  it  is  also  a  great  word,  and 
 seems  to  have  great  attraction  for  man,  for- 
 ever exciting  his  pursuit  in  vain.  What  (after 
 so  many  failures)  dost  thou  understand  by  the 
 word?  But  this,  through  the  first  impulse  of 
 Pilate's  abrupt  mind,  and  containing  some 
 slight  admixture  of  good  feeling,  is  not  all  ; 
 tor,  in  that  case  the  questioner  would  have 
 tarried  for  an  answer,  even  in  mere  curiosity. 
 The  question  dispatches  the  matter  in  another 
 way — To  what  end  is  all  this?  What  is  truth 
 for  the  practice,  for  the  life?  Thus,  of  what 
 worth  is  it?  Who  cares  for  it?  Who  will 
 hear  it?  Then,  quite  rightly,  of  what  use  and 
 service  is  it?  Z/tre  enters  in  the  suppression 
 of  conscience  as  influencing  the  practice,  the 
 denial  of  the  most  internal  impulse  of  his  spirit 
 toward  life;  and  in  this  he  thinks  himself 
 wiser  than  any  one  who  should  stand  out  a 
 witness  Jor  the  truth,  and  whom  he  would  only 
 commiserate  (Prov.  xxvi.  16).  Luther  :  "  U 
 thou  wilt  meddle  with  truth  simply,  thou  art 
 lost."  It  is  as  if  he  said  :  I  now  understand 
 why  thou  dost  not  succeed  with  thy  people 
 — how  wretched  may  be  thy  lot  through 
 such  fanaticism  I  He  then  adds,  as  it  were, 
 with  some  touch  of  compassion  :  But  I  at  least 
 will  do  thee  no  harm  on  that  account.  For 
 almost  one  and  the  same  with  this  is  the  appli- 
 cation which  now  follows — What  is  truth  as 
 regards  the  kingdom  of  action?  that  is.  What 
 political  import  has  it  ?  Bengel  well  says 
 (though  it  is  but  a  partial  interpretation  of  the 
 saying  itself),  "  Pilate  thinks  tliat  the  mention 
 of  truth  does  not  square  with  tlie  word  con- 
 cerning the  kingdom.  lie  can  connect  a  king- 
 dom with  power,  but  not  wi:ii  truth."  lie  will 
 not  know  or  acknowledge  the  power  of  truth 
 to  make  free,  nor  its  supremacy  over  the  lie  of 
 authority  ;  he  therefore  signifies  that  dealing 
 
MATTHEW  XXVII.  11. 
 
 with  truth  simply  is  as  foolish  as  it  is  harmless. 
 Hence  the  expression  of  wonder  "  that  Jesus 
 Bhould  speak  so  strongly  of  a  mere  kingdom  of 
 truth"  (as  Hess  says)  ;  and  at  the  same  time 
 of  a  kind  of  contempt  which  acquits  one  who 
 is  complained  against  merely  on  account  of 
 "  truth." 
 
 This,  leads  us,  consequently,  to  the  third 
 critical  point  in  the  matter — What  signifies 
 truth  hei-e  in  this  judgment?  Thou  appearest  to 
 me  to  be  such  a  king  as  the  Stoics  mean — tiie 
 wise  man  is  the  only  king.  "  Now,  the  ki;ig- 
 dom  of  truth  is  an  etherial  and  shadowy  fairy- 
 realm  ;  he  who  will  be  king  there,  rules  over 
 an  innocent  other-world  of  pious  fantasy — and 
 can  do  no  harm  to  the  Roman  eagles  "  (Lange). 
 But  because  this  Jesus  has,  nevertheless,  been 
 brought  before  him  for  judgment  with  so  much 
 ado,  there  mingles  with  this  feeling  of  indiffer- 
 ence in  his  mind  something  of  vexation  on  ac- 
 count of  the  perplexity  of  the  case ;  as  if  he 
 would  say — I  am  not  appointed  governor  for 
 such  matters  as  these.  This  may  explain  in 
 Borae  sense  the  "anger"  with  which,  according 
 to  Lange,  he  throws  out  the  question  ;  for  what 
 passed  before  could  scarcely  have  excited  it. 
 This  displeasure,  finally,  is  heightened  in  a 
 fourVi  meaning  of  the  question,  which  must 
 not  be  omitted  :  we  must  close  the  swift  sac- 
 cession  of  the  thoughts  which  expressed  them- 
 selves in-  it  by  connecting  with  the  primary 
 question.  What  is  truth  generally — What  is 
 truth  in  thy  lips,  thou  King  of  the  Jews?  Your 
 Jewish  truth — am  I  then  a  Jew  ? — with  all 
 your  contention  about  it,  shall  never  move 
 my  mind.  If  our  philosophers  and  the  Greeks 
 have  never  found  it— shall  this  salvation  for- 
 sooth come  at  last  from  you  ?  This  last  may 
 be  regarded  as  finally  turning  the  scale,  and 
 leading  Pilate  to  dismiss  the  subject ;  but  it  is 
 certainly  not  the  only  thought  which  was  in 
 his  mind  when  he  put  a  question  which,  with 
 all  its  folly,  was  so  full  of  importance.  All 
 that  we  have  been  mentioning  passed,  though 
 it  may  be  half  unconsciously,  through  his  mind 
 when  he  uttered  it. 
 
 Thus  then  he  speaks,  to  sura  up  all,  as  a  man 
 in  reality  indifferent  to  the  truth,  or  who  de- 
 cides finally  to  be  so  now.  Thus  truth,  that 
 great,  engrossing,  empty  word,  is  of  no  more 
 value  to  him  than  the  God  of  the  Jews  and 
 their  Messiah.  He  is  not  a  Jew — alas  !  also, 
 not  one  who  seeketh  after  God  in  the  sense  of 
 Rom.  ii.  29 — but  a  true  exemplar  of  a  heathen, 
 as  heathens  then  for  the  most  part  were ;  and, 
 80  far,  their  representative  at  this  point  of  his- 
 tory. "  Not  in  a  great  affirmation,  but  in  a 
 great  denial,  saw  Pilate  the  end  of  the  way 
 m  which  the  seeking  world  had  gone"  (Lu- 
 thardt). 
 
 Thus  skepticism  had  become,  as  we  well 
 know,  almost  universally  the  end  of  philosophy ; 
 and  moral  indifference  in  life  the  end  of  the 
 long  struggle  in  the  case  of  the  multitude  ;  es- 
 pecially of  the  educated,  to  whom  Pilate  cer- 
 tainly belonged.  _"  He  says  it  with  the  air  of 
 a  man.  of  this  world,  who,  short-sighted    and 
 
 laughing,  condemns  the  cau^e  of  earnest  -ealify  " 
 (Klopstock).  So  multitudes  of  the  great  men 
 of  the  world,  and  of  the  lesser  children  of  the 
 world  too,  echo  this  condemnation,  and  think 
 it  lifts  them  to  the  highest  elevation  of  the 
 spirit  of  the  age  ;  they  boast  themselves  one 
 after  another  in  their  new  paths  of  investiga- 
 tion and  in  the  results  of  their  individual  judg- 
 ment— for  truth  has  become  a  very  familiar 
 thing,  readily  enough  talked  of  by  all.  There 
 stands  Pilate  and  his  saying,  not  merely  in 
 history  but  in  the  Scripture,^ a,  prophetic  and 
 warning  and  condemning  type  of  all  such 
 heathens  in  the  midst  of  Christendom.  Bat 
 their  rejecting  indifference,  now  after  centuries 
 have  seen  the  coming  of  the  Son  of  Man  in  his 
 kingdom,  and  the  Crucified  stands  before  them 
 as  he  did  not  before  Pilate — in  the  manifest 
 mystery  of  godliness,  the  pillar  and  ground  of 
 truth — is  thrice  inexcusable.  So  far  this  What 
 is  truth  says  to  the  reader  of  the  Bible  much 
 more  than  Pilate  meant  to  say  or  could  have 
 thought.* 
 
 After  all  that  we  have  said,  the  question  of 
 Pilate,  which  waits  for  no  answer,  is  and  must 
 ever  be  no  other  than  a  self-contradiction.  For, 
 first,  there  is  actually  a  truth,  which  he  cannot 
 question  away,  in  the  questioner,  as  was  after- 
 wards impressively  shown  in  the  case  of  Pilate 
 himself.t  Secondly,  there  is  a  trul'.i  before  him 
 in  the  person  of  Christ,  whom  he  cannot  con- 
 demn. That  this  man  stands  there  before  him 
 in  this  world  and  speaking  concerning  another, 
 is  at  first  undeniably  certain  ;  that  Pilate  had 
 been  constrained  to  put  more  faith  in  him,  in 
 ihe  point  of  his  innocence,  than  in  the  whole 
 dignified  Sanhedrim,  which  had  found  him 
 guilty,  is  again  a  truth,  by  the  help  of  which 
 much  more  might  have  been  reached.  (Lange: 
 "  By   the   words,  /  find  no  fault  in  him — he 
 
 *  We  cannot  refrain  from  inserting,  for  the  sako 
 of  some  into  whose  hands  this  book  may  fall,  the 
 following  remarks  of  Tob!er:  "And  thou,  philo- 
 sophical spirit,  who  canst  not  or  wilt  not  be- 
 lieve this  history,  to  wnom,  however,  at  least,  the 
 eternal  chain  of  influence  and  results  must  b3 
 worthy  of  respect,  think  with  astonishment  that 
 even  thou,  with  all  thy  Ireedom  and  ii-.dependence, 
 art  swallowed  up  in  a  sea  of  results  which  have 
 followed  from  the  fact  that  two  thousand  years 
 a<T0,  in  a  despised  corner  of  the  earth,  a  despised 
 Rabbi  of  a  despicable  nation  was  executed  as  a 
 slave ;  and  that  thou  on  his  account  art  surround- 
 ed with  relations  so  different  from  what  t'^py  other- 
 wise would  have  been.  Bow  down  beiore  Fate 
 with  thy  pure  philosophical  spirit;  but  if  thou 
 wouldst  be  a  true  philosopher,  look  a  little  behind 
 the  veil  and  see  if  there  be  nothing  in  the  history, 
 and  especially  in  the  central  person  of  it,  which 
 marked  him  out  for  such  a  wide-spread  and  deep 
 influence  upon  the  human  race,  and  so  to  speak 
 justifies  it."  The  history  now  says — T/iis  is  truth ; 
 he  is  truth ;  and  wilt  thou  say — Am  I  then  a 
 Christian  ? 
 
 i  Thus  Draseke's  saying — "  Pilate  has  in  him  no 
 truth,"  is  not  altogether  true,  though  it  ig  gener- 
 ally supposed  to  be  implied  in  the  word. 
 
631 
 
 WHAT  IS  TRUTH? 
 
 uttered  a  great  truth.")  The  very  amazament 
 wliich  still  continues  in  his  heart,  not  to  be 
 washed  away  from  it,  the  fear  of  this  half- 
 rigliteous  and  half-unrighteous  judge  at  the 
 cry  of  the  rabble,  higli  and  low,  which  will 
 take  "  the  blood  of  this  Just  One"  upon  them- 
 eelves,  is  only  a  foil  of  the  dark  background 
 which  makes  the  righteousness  of  this  true  and 
 only  Just  One  shine  all  the  more  brightly — 
 but  out  of  that  follows  every  thing,  if  thou  wilt 
 think  aright;  and  the  anagrammatic  echo  of 
 the  question,  Quid  est  Veritas? — Ed  vir  qui 
 adest,  18  really  to  be  derived  from  the  elements 
 of  the  question  as  put  in  the  presence  of  Christ. 
 If  "  this  man  "  is  only  a  man,  born  and  come 
 into  the  world  like  all  the  rest — then,  indeed, 
 his  testimony  is  presumption,  delusion,  self-de- 
 ception, lie,  fanaticism,  or  whatever  else  it  may 
 be  termed,  only  not  truth.  But  then  furtlier, 
 everything  is  delusion  and  lie,  even  the  truth  in 
 the  breast  of  man,  the  conscience  and  senti- 
 ment of  God  in  the  Gentile,  as  well  as  the 
 entire  revelation  and  prophecy  of  Israel — as 
 the  consistent  denial  of  Christ  by  Fenerbach  and 
 his  party  begins  to  prove — by  the  dogmatism 
 of  conscious  falsehood,  Thus  we  have  found. 
 
 Those  who  are  morally  sincere  in  the  practi- 
 cal part  of  life  come  sooner  or  later,  more  speed- 
 ily or  more  slowly,  more  decidedly  or  more 
 waveringly,  in  some  way  or  other  to  the 
 Saviour  of  the  world  upon  the  cross.  This  is 
 most  sure,  for  he  has  said  it — Eoery  one  that  is 
 of  the  truth  heareth  my  voice.  It  is  the  same 
 with  the  sincere  m  science  and  philosophy. 
 For  these  take  their  conscience  with  them  into 
 their  theory,  science,  and  philosophy  :  they 
 therefore  say  neither  tl  t6ri  nor  evftrjHa ; 
 they  put  not  themselves  in  the  place  of  Christ, 
 as  if  they  had  the  truth  already,  nor  in  the 
 
 Elace  of  Pilate,  as  if  they  needed  and  would 
 ave  it  not;  but  they  are  not  satisfied  and 
 ready  with  their  reply  until  they  verily  have 
 Chi-ist  himself.  To  the  end  of  their  speculation, 
 to  the  great  question  of  sincere  earnestness 
 about  concealed  truth  and  the  jiving  God, 
 Christ  attaches  the  beginning  of  his  testimony 
 — /  am  come  to  bear  witness ;  and  on  this  the 
 middle  and  the  end  hangs — I  am  he.  Tiicn 
 does  faith  boldly  confront  a  world  which  cruci- 
 fies Ciirist  with  the  question — What  is  your 
 lie  with  all  its  specious  seeming?  It  tesiiries 
 itself  to  me  concerning  the  truth.  What  is  the 
 power  of  all  the  kingdoms  of  the  world?  It 
 must  fall  down  before  the  feet  of  my  King, 
 who  hath  not  worshipped  Satan. 
 
 But  the  Pilates  ot  the  present  day  mlc,  and 
 when  the  answer  is  plain  before  them,  they 
 turn  away  and  say — What  is  it?  Like  the 
 fools,  of  whom  the  wisdom  of  the  Son  of  Sirach 
 writes  (Ecclus.  xxii.  8)  :  "  He  that  telleth  a 
 tale  to  a  fool,  speaketh  to  one  in  a  slumber; 
 when  he  hath  told  his  tale,  he  will  say,  what  is 
 the  matter,  ri  idny."  With  all  "their  ap- 
 parent Koinan  manhood,  they  are  bke  "  silly 
 women  laden  with  sins — ever  learning,  and 
 never  able  to  come  to  the  knowledge  of  the 
 truth,"  2  Tim.  iii.  6,  7.     They  call  themselves, 
 
 and  think  themselves,  philosophers,  but  when 
 the  personal  Suphia  appeals  to  them  they  be« 
 come  instead  mmsf/phs.  "  Tliey  charge  truth 
 with  being  obliged  to  hide  itself  in  the  world. 
 But  it  is  only  loo  certain  that  it  is  rather  tlie 
 world  which  hides  itself  Irom  Ifap  truth  ;  or,  if 
 it  does  once  ask  the  Just  One,  Wha'  is  truth? 
 it  rushes  away  again,  like  Pdate,  and  goes  out 
 to  take  counsel  with  the  great  ones,  the  learned 
 and  ignorant  rabble."*  Thus,  in  the  presence 
 of  Chri.st,  the  sincerity  of  a  good  heart  is  turn- 
 ed into  lie  and  guilt,  all  wisdom  into  folly,  all 
 justice  to  injustice,  and  moreover,  the  vaunted 
 Roman  "justice" — although  it  is  afterward 
 boasted  of  (It  is  not  the  manner  of  the  Romans 
 — Acts  XXV.  16) — is  here  brought  to  shame, 
 because  it  would  not  submit  itself  to  truth. 
 
 Pilate  now  leaves  Jesus  standing,  as  he  had 
 before  left  the  Jews  ;  and  would,  though  in 
 vain,  mediate  without  partiality  by  his  I  find 
 no  fault  in  him.  This  was  in  a  high  degree 
 offensive  to  the  sacred  Sanhedrim  ;  but  a  still 
 greater  indignity,  in  reality,  to  Jesus,  the  King 
 of  the  Jews,  as  he  was  the  King  of  truth — I 
 ^ni,  further,  nothing,  in  hi;n,  he  is  an  innocent 
 "  king."  The  Pilate-lheologt/,  generally,  which 
 half-unconsciously  and  half  by  enforcement  ad- 
 mits i\\e  sinlessness  of  Jesus,  yet  protests  against 
 the  doctrine  that  he  is  lord  and  king,  can  find 
 no  middle  place  as  mediating,  but  must  in 
 justice  be  given  over  to  those  mockers  and 
 enemies  who  helped  to  crucify  him.  For  after 
 all  Pilate  spoke  not  the  simple  truth  in  his 
 complacent  "no  fault;"  he  really  thereby  de- 
 clared him  to  be  a  fool,  who  had  brought 
 down  all  this  hatred  upon  his  own  head  by  Ins 
 "  king"  and  "  truth,"  therehy  at  least  bein^r  in 
 fault.  In  the  midst  stood  Pilate,  "  mocked 
 both  parties,  and  directed  his  ridicule  as  much 
 ag.iinst  Jesus  as  against  tlieJews"  (Rimf^ach). 
 "  Pilate  mocks  both — the  witness  to  the  truth, 
 and  the  haters  of  the  truth" — as  Alford  still 
 more  pointedly  remarks.  But  history  has, 
 like  a  judgment  begun,  made  of  him  an  ironi- 
 cal monument  "of  the  moral  impotence  of  the 
 {)roud  spirit  of  the  world,  as  it  had  been  edu- 
 cated and  refined  among  the  strong  Romans," 
 and  placed  his  name  in  the  confession  of  faith 
 of  the  Christian  world.  Thus,  niens  volens,  in 
 spite  of  his  skepticism  he  has  become  the  stout- 
 est witness  of  the  truth. 
 
 As  to  Jesus  all  was  to  be  dispatched  with 
 the  word  no  fault — but  as  to  himself  f  Alas  I  for 
 the  unhappy  man,  who  merely  iinds  no  fault  \\\ 
 Jesus,  when  he  should  have  found  th"  truth; 
 which  he  might  have  foun  1  if  he  would  I 
 Merely,  no  fault  in  hnn — instead  of  confessinsj, 
 I  find  in  myself  something  which  is  mightily 
 
 *  So  II.  L5ssel,  in  the  Wcihnnch'»)tiissen,  p.  351. 
 AVo  would  lecoinni'^nd  not  on.y  the  (ii.squisition 
 upon  this  word  of  Pil.nte,  but  the  entire  book  and 
 all  the  books  of  this  insenions  author.  There  is 
 in  the  exuberance  of  this  first  pio'hiction  of  a 
 very  liiizlily  siftf'd  nnn  niucli  more  value  than  tho 
 writ  r  himself,  who  has  now  become  more  practi- 
 Ccl,  attributes  to  iU 
 
JOHN  XIX.  11. 
 
 635 
 
 moved  in  the  presence  of  this  man,  and  must 
 put  ray  more  earnest  question  ri  k6zt,  until  I 
 
 Pnetrate  the  secret.  Every  man  must  avow, 
 tind  fault  in  myself.  This  is  the  first  truth 
 touching  ourselves:  he  who  is  of  this  truth 
 will  find  the  innocence  of  Jesus,  and  from  this 
 every  thing  else.  No  fault  in  Jesus— that  is  a 
 great  truth,  but  only  the  one-half  truth  which 
 
 stands  without,  confronting  thee  until  the 
 question  comes,  What  shall  I  then  do  with 
 Jesus,  who  is  called  Christ?  Will  the  cry 
 which  follows  Let  him  he  crucified!  content 
 thee?  Oh,  no;  let  this  truth  be  responded  to 
 by  another  truth  in  thy  breast,  I  find  fault  in 
 rnynelf;  and  both  together  will  make  up  th« 
 full  and  perfect  truth. 
 
 SECOND  COLLOQUY  WITH  PILATE. 
 (John  xix.  11.) 
 
 We  are  now  dealing  with  the  entire  history 
 Oi  the  Passion,  yet  we  must  not  hasten  from 
 one  word  of  our  Lord  to  another  without  trac- 
 ing, at  least  in  its  broader  features,  the  connec- 
 tion of  the  narrative.  This  alone  will  enable 
 us  to  set  clearly  before  our  eyes  the  situation 
 of  him  who,  excepting  in  these  few  words,  now 
 keeps  profound  silence.  Let  the  reader,  there- 
 fore, consult  the  harmonized  table  at  the  be- 
 ginning of  this  volume ;  and  his  own  inde- 
 pendent investigation  will  show  him  as  we 
 proceed  in  what  way  we  connect  the  details  of 
 the  whole. 
 
 Pilate  said  at  the  first,  briefly  and  summarily, 
 as  if  the  matter  ended  there:  For  my  own 
 part — and  that  is  the  main  point — I  tind  no 
 lault  with  this  man  whom  ye  have  brought  be- 
 fore me.  But  how  much  did  he  deceive  him- 
 self: how  otten  must  he  say  it  over  aoiain,  that 
 "the  political  innocence  might  be  established" 
 of  this  Just  One  who  sutlers  for  the  unjust,  and 
 yet  in  vain  I  For  neither  of  the  two  objects 
 was  to  be  gained:  on  the  one  hand,  no  specific 
 guilt  was  to  be  proved  against  him  independ- 
 ently of  that  truth  which  was  written  upon  his 
 cross  by  the  rejector  of  the  truth  in  the  name 
 of  the  Jews;  on  the  other  hand,  he  was  not  to 
 be  released  from  death.  Now  first  begin  these 
 aggrieved  complainants,  themselves  inculpated 
 now,  to  specialize  their  lies  in  the  most  earnest 
 manner  (Matt.  vers.  12-14;  Mark  vers.  3-5, 
 itoXXd  and  it66a);  Luke,  ver.  5,  gives  prom- 
 inence to  one  point  in  it,  that  after  ail  the 
 whole  was  resolved  into  his  stirring  iip  the  peo- 
 ple by  teaching  them  only.  This  remarkable 
 accusation  must  at  all  costs  be  set  forth  in  all 
 its  amplitude  and  force:  hence  their  becoming 
 more  fierce  (iTticixvsty);  for,  every  thing  was 
 now  staked  upon  the  game,  it  had  become 
 matter  of  honor  and  life  to  carry  through  suc- 
 cessfully that  which  they  had  begun.  Jesus 
 retires  again  into  his  silence:  for  what  he  had 
 taught  had  been  heard  by  Pilate,  who  desired 
 to  hear  it  no  more.  Their  lies,  which  brought 
 forward  nothing  essentiallv  new,  are,  however, 
 believed  by  none.  For  Pilate  he  had  spoken 
 enough  concerning  the  truth;  for  these  liars 
 and  for  himself  he  had  nothing  further  to  say. 
 The  highest  passion  and  the  most  absolute  re- 
 pose once  more  confront  each  other.     Pilate 
 
 gives  but  little  heed  to  their  babbling;  but 
 continually  turns  to  J esns,  Ilenrest  thou  not? 
 Answerest  thou  not  ? — and  is  constrained  by  the 
 sublime  silence  to  wonder  at  the  majesty  of  the 
 Lord's  bearing.*  It  might  appear  to  be  pride, 
 but  only  to  one  who  looked  not  upon  him. 
 
 Pilate's  embarrassment  then  takes  advantage 
 of  the  circumstance  that  Galilee  was  the  scene 
 of  all  his  alleged  offences,  to  send  him  to  Herod : 
 partly,  that  he  may  get  rid  of  the  matter,  and 
 partly  (for  the  politician  has  always  such  by- 
 ends  in  view),  to  put  an  end  to  an  unpleasant 
 relation  between  them,  by  this  act  of  honor.t 
 Christ  was  to  stand,  in  the  counsel  of  God,  be- 
 fore every  authority ;  as  before  the  ecclesiastical 
 tribunal,  so  also  before  each  of  the  civil  courts, 
 to  which  he  was  in  different  relations  subject. 
 But  this  of  itself  shows  Pilate's  defection  i'rora 
 justice,  and  his  surrender  of  the  guiltless  ;  de- 
 luding himself  with  the  thought  that  he  would 
 keep  himself  free,  he  sends  him  to  another — 
 Let  him  do  with  him  what  he  will !  Then  be- 
 gins a  fresh  vehemence  on  the  part  of  the 
 accusers,  if  they  by  any  means  may  prevail  on 
 the  weak  Herod,  with  "whom  they  are  not  how- 
 ever in  good  repute,  to  do  any  thing:  new  and 
 increasing  curiosity  on  the  part  of  all  the  peo- 
 ple; and  new  indignities  for  the  Lord.  This 
 Idunifean,  Sadducee,  Herod,  neither  Jew  nor 
 Gentile,  a  dead  sinner  with  an  extinguished 
 conscience,  drowned  in  his  lusts — would  see  a 
 sign  ;  and  asks  all  kinds  ot  ribald  questions. 
 Shall  Jesus  give  any  answer,  and  begin  to 
 preach  to  him?  He  keeps  silence,  and  atones 
 by  this  sacred  continuous  silence  for  the  sins  of 
 our  tongues.  Herod,  thought  worthy  of  no 
 single  word,  is  lax  and  without  wrath— for  this 
 Baptist  raised  from  the  dead  has  taken  away 
 all  his  fear — and  finds  Jesus  worthy  of  no  sen- 
 tence: he  scorns  and  mocks  him,  in 'common 
 with  all  his  attendants,  who  agree  with  him  in 
 
 *  For  no  one  is  wont  to  keep  silence,  when  his 
 life  is  at  stake,  especially  after  having  once  begun 
 to  speak — tliis  remark  of  Bengel  does  not  alto- 
 gether suffice  for  ttie  ^avjLid^Etv  Xidv, 
 
 f  Probaidy,  as  Roos  remai'ks,  some  ii.terference 
 of  Pilate  with  the  jurisdiction  of  Ilerod  lia  I  led  to 
 their  d.flfdrence ;  and  this  sending  of  Jesus  would 
 be  reparation. 
 
,636 
 
 SECOND  COLLOQUY  WITH  PILATE. 
 
 his  riilicule.  Yet  in  one  thing  he  manifests 
 some  cunning,  and  anticipates  in  his  royal  dig- 
 nity the  Roman's  mockery  of  the  King  of  the 
 Jev/s.  The  gorgeous  apparel  is  the  beginning 
 of  the  ridicule  of  the  king  which  the  servants  of 
 the  Gentiles  so  fearfully  practised  alterwards, 
 corresponding  with  the  Jews'  ridicule  of  the 
 Christ. 
 
 Pilate  receives  Christ  again — and  what  can 
 he  do  with  him  ?*  The  remarkable  paschal 
 custom — a  token  how  this  people,  so  gladly 
 begging  off  those  who  made  insurrection,  stood 
 related  to  the  Romans — appears  to  him  a  for- 
 tunate coincidence  on  this  occasion.  He  places 
 before  the  people,  now  assembled  in  great  num- 
 bers, a  throughly  notorious  malefactor,  between 
 whom  and  Jesus  tiieir  choice  was  to  be  made ; 
 thinking  that  their  choice  would  assuredly  be 
 in  favor  of  the  latter.  This  was  his  second 
 vain  attempt  to  save  the  innocent:  he  would 
 set  him  free,  but  there  was  no  will  for  the  de- 
 cisive sentence  and  act.  In  this  he  had  already 
 yielded  so  far  as  to  acknowledge  their  charges, 
 and  place  Jesus  among  malefactors,  even  by 
 the  side  of  a  most  infamous  one.  (According 
 to  Luke  ver.  16  he  also  promises  a  "  chastise- 
 ment" before  he  releases  him.)  He  falls  deep- 
 er and  deeper;  and  it  has  already  become  very 
 plain  that  Cuiiphas  and  Pilate,  also  must  be 
 made  friends  in  common  against  this  Jesus. 
 Sinners  of  all  kinds  remain  on  one  side,  where 
 guilt  is,  together;  the  malignant  and  the  wa- 
 vering, the  strong  and  the  weak,  the  zealous 
 and  the  indifferent,  the  exalted,  too,  and  the 
 common  mass,  the  leaders  and  the  led.  Even 
 the  people  must  desire  the  death  of  this  Just 
 One,  for  he  by  no  means  has  the  favor  and  fol- 
 lowing of  the  multitude,  as  the  high  priests 
 had  complained  ;  they  themselves  use  all  their 
 influence  to  prove  it  otherwise,  and  like  wolves 
 give  the  cry  to  their  sheep,  until  the  clamor 
 against  the  Good  Shepherd  gets  the  full  ascen- 
 dancy over  the  justice  of  the  Gentile,  who  also 
 has  a  law.  Pilate  has  made  another  mistake: 
 he  has  already  put  the  matter  out  of  his  own 
 hands,  and  committed  it  to  the  voices  of  the 
 multitude.  The  warning  of  the  dream  comes 
 too  late,  since  the  judge  sits  upon  the  judgment 
 seat  no  longer  as  a  judge.  Bardbhas'  release  is 
 demanded  I  And  Jesus  ?  He,  as  from  the  be- 
 ginning, suffers  himself  to  be  led  away  as  o 
 lamb,  to  be  judged,  mocked,  ill-treated,  placed 
 before  and  offered  to  the  people,  rejected  ;  and 
 waits  for  the  end  which  he  knows  full  well,  but 
 which  is  long  delayed,  until  the  thoughts  of 
 man  and  the  counsel  of  God  are  perfectly 
 brought  to  light. 
 
 To  this  point  belongs,  as  we  think  (though 
 the  arguments  cannot  be  entered  upon  here), 
 the   washing  of  his  hands,   and   Pilate's  first 
 
 *  John  in  vers.  38,  89,  passes  over  much  t!iat  in- 
 tervened, and  compresses  the  whole,  j'-.st  as  we 
 found  in  chap.  xiii.  22  :  the  frst  declaiaUi  n  of  in- 
 nocence he  combines  with  ihe  s  cond  {Lnke  vers. 
 14,  15),  and  connects  with  it  at  once  what  took 
 place  alter  Ihe  second. 
 
 judgment.  He  says,  I  do  it  not,  while  he  never- 
 theless dof»s  it.  liis  voluntary  baptism  of  wa- 
 ter* does  not  even  cleanse  hishands  before  the 
 people.  But  their  word  to  Judas— See  thou  to 
 It  I  is  fearfully  given  back  to  tiie  high  priests — 
 See  ye  to  it !  They  still  more  fearfully  accept 
 this;  and  the  whole  mass  of  the  misled  people 
 join  them  in  invoking  upon  themselves  and 
 their  children  the  blood  of  the  Just  One.  Now 
 comes  the  scourging,  the  first  act  in  the  cruci- 
 fixion, which  had  become  necessary  through 
 his  juxtaposition  with  Barabbas.  In  connection 
 with  this  was  the  horrible  mockery  of  the  rude 
 Gentile  servants,  to  whom  it  was  pleasure  to 
 have  for  once  a  king  of  the  Jews  put  into  their 
 hands;  but,  in  whose  mock  crowning  the  coun- 
 sel of  God  exhibits  to  the  reverence  of  all  the 
 world,  in  a  most  sublime  and  affecting  figure, 
 the  King  glorified  even  through  shame. 
 
 Even  Pilate  feels  something  of  this  and 
 would  fain  recede  ;  although  he  had  already 
 given  his  decision  and  delivered  him  up,  what 
 was  done  might,  he  thought,  be  enough,  and 
 the  actual  crucifixion  be  averted. f  The  Kcce 
 Il'jmo  has  an  inexhaustible  meaning,  and  La- 
 vater  might  well  write  a  book  upon  it  alone; 
 for  this  great  word  goes  far  beyond  its  seeming 
 sense  as  he  used  it.  In  this'/fJ^  o  ayOpcoTioi 
 not  only  is  fulfilled  Isa.  liii.  3 — to  which  vers. 
 4-6  also  belongs — bat  man  actually  stands  be- 
 fore us  in  his  misery,  pointing  to  his  guilt,  and 
 at  the  same  time  to  his  elevation  through  ihe 
 person  of  the  God-man.  Pilate's  thought,  in- 
 deed, has  no  share  in  this.  John  xix.  4  means 
 obviously  :  Behold,  even  thus  treated  and  dolli- 
 ed, he  remains  without  confession  and  without 
 fault,  in  his  lofty  and  patient  innocence;  and 
 with  this  is  connected  the  meaning  which  the 
 governor  expresses  in  his  next  words,  in  his 
 "  hvpocritical  political  Ecce  Homo,"  as  Ha- 
 mann  calls  it.  B.hoUl,  behold  at  least  all  who  yet 
 have  human  feeling — Is  this  man  a  king?  an 
 insurgent?  a  man  to  ba  feared  as  dangerous ? 
 How  innocent — and  how  miserable  !  Is  it  not 
 enough  ?  (May  not  the  Hosanna  turn  now  at 
 least  to  compassion?)  Thus  the  martyr-form 
 of  Christ  awakes  humanity  once  more  even  in 
 this  heathen;  yet  his  reckoning  upon  the  hu- 
 manity of  the  "enraged  people  is  only  politic; 
 and,  moreover,  since  the  judge  only  ad:^  \\\  the 
 name  of  innocence,  and  maintains  the  right  in 
 this  unworthy  way,  after  ,so  much  injustice  al- 
 ready done,  it  is  no  other  than  hy}>ocrilical. 
 Just  on  that  account  this  third  attempt  to  set 
 Jesus  free  cannot  succeed,  his  crooked  way  can- 
 
 •  Hardly  adopted  by  Pilate  "as  intelligible  to 
 the  Jews  "  because  prescribed  in  Dent.  xxi.  6-9 
 (as  Alford  thinks)— but  founded  on  the  custom 
 even  among  tlie  Gentiles  of  washing  tlie  hands 
 from  snilt. 
 
 t  We  doubt  whether  he  himself  contributed  to 
 the  crowning  with  thorns,  in  order  throuizh  tlie  ri- 
 diculous to  lea  I  them  to  sympaihy  ;  lor  it  is  psj-- 
 chologically  more  correct  to  supim^e  tliat  this 
 pur[)ose  was  prompted  in  hinisL>lf  fust  by  the 
 aspect  of  the  Lord  s  soirow. 
 
JOHN  XIX.  11. 
 
 637 
 
 not  lead  to  the  end  proposed;  the  purple  and 
 the  crown  ruin  all  with  the  Jews.  But  Jesus 
 stands  before  them  in  perfect  silence,  in  perfect 
 patience :  Is  it  my  death  which  ye  desire  ? 
 and  he  knows  well  that  they  desire  it.  "  In 
 vain  the  lieathen  man  of  the  world  preaches 
 humanity  to  the  Jewish  hierarchy" — they  are 
 bent  upon  the  Roman c/oss for  the  king!  Cru- 
 cify !  Cnicijy !  Thus  is  it,  more  correctly, 
 in  John  without  the  him — as  if  they  would 
 scarcely  allow  him  the  last  remaining  name, 
 6  avOpooTtoi,  which  Pilate  had  given  him  ;  or 
 would  not  lake  "  the  man  "  into  their  lips. 
 
 The  half-righteous  judge  angrily  and  vexedly 
 replies  to  this  unexpected  consistency  of  hatred 
 by  a  consistent  refusal,  which,  however,  with 
 all  its  passion  is  only  feeble:  (Then)  take  ye 
 him  and  crucify  him  !  A  second  AdfJers  after 
 that  first  in  chap,  xviii.  31  ;  but  with  a  difTer- 
 ent  sense,  and  more  nearly  approaching  the 
 irapaStdoyca  roli  'lovdaioii,  the  delivering 
 up  to  the  Jews.  Instead  of  coming  forward 
 with  sincerity  and  energy — "  I  revoke  my  en- 
 forced word,  the  blood  of  this  Just  One  shall 
 fall  neither  upon  you  nor  upon  me;  I  take 
 him  altogether  out  of  your  hands,"  and  then 
 using  the  band  of  soldiers  prepared  for  such  a 
 purpose  (as  in  Acts  xxiii.  27)  ;  instead  of  this 
 he  says — "  Crucify  ye  him,  without  my  judicial 
 confirmation,  if  ye  are  willing  to  take  the  re- 
 sponsibility upon  yourselves  before  Ccesar." 
 It  is  imposible  to  be  certain  whether  or  not 
 this  was  intended  to  say  peremptorily,  I  cannot 
 he  a  party  of  this,  and  at  the  same  time  to  im- 
 press upon  their  minds  the  unlawfulness  of 
 their  own  putting  him  to  death.  It  might, 
 indeed,  have  been  Pilate's  meaning  to  intimate 
 — I  will  permit  you  to  do  it,  I  will  overlook  a 
 tumultuous  and  illegal  execution  ;  but  ye  must 
 not  expect  from  me  any  official  part  in  it,  or 
 wait  for  any  judgment  and  co-operation  of 
 mine.  Then  the  word  would  be  analogous  wit  h 
 Matt,  xxvii.  24. 
 
 The  Jews,  meanwhile,  cannot  put  any  confi- 
 dence in  such  connivance  on  the  part  of  the 
 Procurator,  generally  so  zealous  of  his  power 
 and  prerogative ;  and,  moreover,  it  would  be 
 extremely  perilous  to  themselves.  They  think 
 they  fully  understand  the  meaning  of  that 
 word  :  Crucify— il  ye  can  and  dare  !  They 
 hold  Pilate  fast  with  keen  tenacity :  Yea,  we 
 can  and  we  will  take  the  responsibility ;  but 
 t/u)u  also  must  be  a  party,  thou  must  judically 
 confirm  what  we  do,  thou  must  pronounce  him 
 guilty,  and  of  th.il  crime  of  which  we  have  found 
 him  guilty.  For  we  have  a  law,  which  cer- 
 tainly brings  death  upon  him— 6  <p£tXei 
 ccTtoOaveiy,  "  he  ought  to  die."  Thus  they  are 
 finally  forced  to  declare  plainly  the  proper  re- 
 ligous  accusation  which  was  the  real  point  of 
 importance  in  their  own  council,  after  the  simple 
 Christ  a  king  has  been  fully  repelled  and  con- 
 tradicted and  dismissed.  iVe  have  a  law,,  one 
 specific  and  plain  ordinance  in  our  law  gener- 
 ally*    The   Roman   governor   was   supposed 
 
 *  Thus  the  reading  naToc  ruv  vovov  i/ucjy 
 
 conventionally  to  respect  their  law  and  their 
 religion  ;  but  there  was  at  best  much  that  was 
 illusory  and  unreal  in  that  respect,  and  hence 
 they  appeal  to  it  only  in  their  last  extremity. 
 Thus  the  law  is  turned  against  the  Gospel,  aa 
 in  a  very  deep  universal  sense  it  ever  is.  Be- 
 hold here  the  false  end  of  the  law,  which  should 
 lead  to  Christ,  in  its  pharisaical  perversion 
 against  Christ  I  The  mirror  of  iniquity  be- 
 comes itself  a  veil  of  iniquity  ;  and  they  who 
 themselves  keep  not  the  law,  put  Christ  to 
 death  through  the  law — him,  who  had  given  it 
 to  them,  and  who  had  in  the  same  book  testifi- 
 ed his  coming,  and  who  alone  had  said — The 
 law  is  within  mine  heart,  Psa.  xl.  They  say  to 
 Pilate:  This  "man,"  as  thou  hast  called  him, 
 has  ma/le  himself  the  Son  of  God — thus  do  they 
 persistently  return  to  chap.  x.  33,  instead  of 
 perceiving  in  their  hearts  that  the  Son  of  God 
 had  by  his  voluntary  renunciation  of  his  pre- 
 rogative made  himself  such  a  man.  Thus  King 
 of  the  Jews  and  Son  of  God  were  not  the  same 
 in  their  signification,  although  their  scribes 
 knew  that  the  expressions  designated  the  same 
 person  of  the  Coming  One  in  the  prophets. 
 This  new  turn  given  to  the  charge  is  by  no 
 means,  as  Liacke  thinks,  a  "  changed  expression 
 merely."  Nor  is  the  mediating  note  of  B.-Cru- 
 sius  sufficient :  "  They  used  the  word  certainly 
 not  in  the  mere  Messianic  meaning,  for  then 
 the  matter  would  remain  the  same  ;  but  yet 
 only  in  a  higher  meaning  than  that  in  which 
 they  ordinarily  applied  the  formula."  There  is 
 no  trace  of  this  latter  in  the  history,  and  it  is 
 refuted  throughout  the  entire  Gospel  of  John. 
 As  a  blai-phemer,  who  assumed  to  himoelf  equal- 
 ity with  God  and  the  divine  nature,  and  blas- 
 phemously appropriated  as  man  the  name  of 
 God,  he  should  die  according  to  Lev.  xxiv.  16. 
 This  is  the  specific  law  which  they  refer  to  ; 
 that  which  meets  the  case  of  false  prophets  in 
 Deut.  xiii.  5;  xviii.  20,  is  applied  consequen- 
 tially to  the  liar  in  the  highest  degree,  the  false 
 "  Son  of  God."  We  must  note,  also,  what 
 most  overlook :  "  Hereby  they  became  betray- 
 ers, at  the  same  time,  of  the  most  holy  mystery 
 of  their  divine  teaching,  which  they  expose  to 
 the  contempt  of  a  Gentile  judge,  who  under- 
 stood nothing  about  it." 
 
 This,  at  least,  they  must  have  taken  for 
 granted,  and  could  not  know  that  this  Pilate 
 would  nevertheless  have  in  some  degree  an 
 ear  to  hear  this  mysterious  wo:-d.  The  myths 
 about  sons  of  the  gods  had,  indeed,  lost  all 
 credence  in  the  educated  Gentile  world,*  so  that 
 the  preaching  concerning  the  Son  of  God  had 
 to  apprehend  but  little  admixture  and  taint 
 from  them — yet  there  was  some  point  of  con- 
 
 as  an  extension  of  the  single  vouo?,  subspq-ient- 
 ly  brought  in  for  the  sake  of  impressins  P.  late,  is 
 well  grounded ;  and  we  would  not  omit  it  with 
 Lachmaim,  Liicke,  etc.  The  omission  was  ob- 
 viously ttie  result  of  tov  vv/j-ov  being  mistaken 
 for  rovTov. 
 
 *  Only  in  some  Lycaonian  corners,  Acts  xiv.  11, 
 were  the  people  so  heathenishly  full  of  faith. 
 
638 
 
 SECOND  COLLOQUY  WITH  PILATE. 
 
 neclion  even  for  Pilate  in  such  a  word.  "  It 
 was  the  boldness  of  this  assertion,  so  foreiG;n  to 
 the  spirit  of  tlie  age,  which  was  so  startling." 
 Pilate  hears  for  the  first  time  this  great  and 
 daring  word  ;  and  as  a  dignity  arrogated  by 
 this  marvellous  man  now  standing  before  him. 
 The  vidv  Ssov,  "Son  of  God"  (according  to 
 the  belter  reading),  the  same  to  the  Jews  as 
 rod  Seov,  lays  hold  of  him  by  its  indefinite- 
 ness ;  he  has  some  knowledge  (remembering 
 the  dreams  of  his  childhood,  as  Krummacher 
 says)  of  the  sons  of  the  gods  in  the  legends;  he 
 cannot  but  think  of  them,  and  the  omen  of  his 
 dream  had  made  him  susceptible  to  any  such  im- 
 pressions. The  doubter  and  mocker,  who  gen- 
 erally cared  for  none  of  these  things  ;  the  Ro- 
 man, who  knew  well,  but  despised  the  Jews 
 and  their  religion  of  one  Sfd; — is  obliged  now, 
 on  the  ground  of  his  Gentile  thoughts,  to  form 
 some  indistinct  conception  of  this  kingly  Jew 
 being  in  some  way  a  i)!6?  Bsoii.  He  had 
 hitherto  despised  the  God  of  the  Jews  and  the 
 Jews  alike ;  from  his  pagan  religion  he  had  gone 
 over  to  philosophy,  and  had  found  nothing 
 there  ;  but  that  which  speaks  in  the  presenti- 
 ment of  conscience,  when  Chrid  stands  before 
 us,  is  truth,  and  he  cannot  altogether  escape 
 from  that  response.  "Through  the  manifesta- 
 tion of  essential  truth  his  hollow  skeptical  sys- 
 tem was  overturned;  the  reality  of  the  divine 
 seized  him  by  its  indwelling  power,  while  he  in 
 his  supposition  denied  its  reality  "  (Olshausen). 
 When  Pilate  heard  this — unWov  kqjofiyjfii^, 
 he  feared  the  more.  This //o"AAo»'  Bengel  in- 
 terprets by  pot  ins :  Contrary  to  the  expecta- 
 tion of  the  Jews  he  leaved  rather  than  assented 
 to  them.  But  this  does  not  go  as  deep  as  we 
 must  understand  the  word  ;  for  his  awe  before 
 the  "Son  of  God"  could  not  thus  suddenly 
 have  fallen  upon  him  through  the  influence  of  a 
 single  word.  Thus  the  more  common  intepre- 
 tation  is  right :  he  feared  still  more  than  he  had 
 done  ;  for  from  the  beginning,  since  chap,  xviii. 
 29,  there  had  been  ever  increasing  in  Pilate's 
 mind  a  certain  dread  in  the  presence  of  Christ. 
 The  Iqxyfir'iQr]  Certainly  does  not  mean  a  mere 
 "embarrassment" — or  a  new  "concern  which 
 he  felt  that  this  new  accusation  would  prevent 
 him  from  saving  Jesus  ;"  or  finally,  mere  "  fear 
 of  taking  a  wrong  step  in  this  matter."  Least 
 of  all  is  it  fear  of  the  Jtipa  that  is  intended — not 
 even  as  Tholuck  qualifies  it:  " Ililherto  the 
 subject  of  his  concern  had  been,  lest  he  should 
 go  wrong  with  the  Jewish  rulers  (of  which  his 
 conduct  from  the  beginning  gives  no  trace) ; 
 but  noio  something  uncommon  in  Jesus,  sudden- 
 ly flashing  on  his  consciousne.ss  through  this 
 lofty  name,  strengthens  his  foar."  We  hold 
 that  the  ^laXXov  points  to  the  person  of  Jesus 
 alone  as  the  object  of  his  /mr  from  the  begin- 
 ning. Even  in  I  he  ^'ccei/wwo,  and  now  especially 
 when  it  is  said  that  he  called  himself  the  Son 
 of  God,  he  assumed  the  appearance  to  Pilate, 
 not  of  a  blasphemer,  scarcely  of  an  enthusiast, 
 but  actually  of  one  who  was  indeed  a  man  that 
 had  come  into  the  world  differently  from  other 
 men.     He  bad  seen   many   malefactors — but 
 
 ^cvftr  such  a  one  as  this.  Nor  «Joes  this  per* 
 sonaliiy  affect  him  distressingly,  as  the  fear^ 
 ing  hjvs  been  pressed  to  mean  ;  but  rather 
 with  a  kind  of  attraction  mingled  with  the  awo 
 which  it  impressed :  else  he  would  not  have 
 trusted  himself  so  confidentially  with  Jesus  in 
 secret.  Pihte's  tone  of  mind  was  not,  as  many 
 erroneously  as.sunie,  to  the  great  injury  of  the 
 whole,  that  of  a  purely  heathenish  imagination 
 or  sujierstition,  but  rather,  as  Fiieger  well 
 expresses  it,  "the  beginning  of  that  which 
 P.sa.  ii.  10-12  coTimends  to  all  rulers  amj 
 princes." 
 
 This  must  teach  us  to  understand  the  greai 
 question — TIoOev  si  dv,  Whence  art  tiiou? 
 which  opens  the  convers,-\tion,  and  without  un- 
 derstanding which  aright,  neither  the  silent  nor 
 the  uttered  answer  of  Jesus  can  be  understood. 
 There  is  no  question  here  about  his  earthly  deri- 
 vation (he  had  already  sent  V>m  to  Herod  as  a 
 Galilean),  nor  any  more  precise  inquiry  of  what 
 parents  he  was  born  ;  the  presenticot  Whence, 
 to  which  an  avoo^Ev,  from  above,  afterwards 
 corresponds,  is  meant  as  in  chap.  vii.  23.  Pi- 
 late in  truth  puts  now  the  deepest  and  best 
 question  which  he  could  put — a  belter  question 
 than  any  before.  Better  than  the  first,  Ayi 
 thou  the  King  of  the  Jeim,  as  these  Jews  say  ?— 
 for  it  is  now  simply  the  saying  of  the  Jevva 
 concerning  the  "Son  of  God"  which  prompts 
 him  ;  he  speaks  it  of  himself  as  well.  Better 
 than  that  other.  What  hast  thou  done?  for  he 
 now  asks  more  profoundly  and  fumiamentally 
 about  his  being,  and  its  origin.  Better  than. 
 What  is  truth  ?  How,  What,  Who,  Whence  art 
 thou  ?  Once  more  to  obviate  misconception,  it 
 IS  not  by  any  means  "  only  the  question  of 
 superstition  and  curinsity"  (Neander) — or  so 
 put  as  if  he  would  question  away  the  first  good 
 influence  of  the  fer;r.  But  it  is  plainly  seen 
 here  that  Pilate  still  belonged  to  that  class  of 
 men  to  whicli  the  saying  (improper  enough 
 when  made  universal)  applies  :  "  No  man  can 
 withstand  the  truth  who  has  received  it  even 
 into  a  corner  of  his  consciou.<ness  ;  it  will  work 
 in  him  even  against  his  will."  Let  this  Whcnc« 
 art  thou  be  combined  with  Btholit  the  man  : 
 Art  thou  then  a  man,  or  in  truth  a  higher 
 being?  Thus  this  questioning  sprang  from 
 a  heart  and  conscience  suddenly  and  deeply 
 touched,  and  powerfully  awakened  ;  it  is  the 
 genuine  heart-quedion  of  the  understanding  in 
 the  presence  of  Christ,  whereas  before  the  un- 
 derstanding had  asked  without  the  heart.  It 
 is  the  great,  great  question,  "  Who  was  Christ?" 
 the  penetrating  point  of  which  a  Strau.ss  must 
 first  wilfully  break  off,  the  piercing,  living  fores 
 of  which  an  unbeliever  must  first  destroy,  be- 
 fore he  can  reason  away  the  "  Son  of  God." 
 Christ's  person  in  itself  impresses  Pilate  more 
 than  all  the  miracles  which  he  had  not  seen ;  that 
 is  the  triumph  of  the  truth  which  is  in  him.  It.  is 
 his  suffering  form  which  still  enforces  from  many 
 a  Pilate  this  Whence  art  t/u>u  ?  but  we  say  again 
 that  outof  this  one  truth— this  sulf- rer  is  from 
 above,  if  we  deal  earnestly  with  this  answer  as 
 it  already  lies  in  the  question— follows  every 
 
JOHN  XIX.  11. 
 
 639 
 
 thing  else,  all  Christian  theology  and  its  morality 
 for  us. 
 
 But  Jesus  gave  him  no  answer — and  though 
 this  may  surprise  even  us,  his  silence  has  its 
 perfect  justification.  For,  first,  the  "  answer- 
 ed,"* following  immediately  afterwards  in  ver. 
 11,  shows  that  the  preceding  silence  was  not 
 an  arbitrary  determination  to  sav  no  more,  but 
 pondered  in  Christ's  wisdom.  With  us,  when 
 ffe  would  patiently  suffer  in  silence,  there  may 
 be  some  such  arbitrary  purpose  of  our  own  ; 
 or,  to  put  a  better  construction  upon  it,  we 
 cannot  actually  speak  and  at  the  same  time 
 suffer  in  patience,  for  we  have  inwardly  too 
 much  to  do  with  our  own  spirits,  in  order  to 
 maintain  our  proper  posture  of  mind.  But 
 Christ  is  in  his  profoundest  humanity  elevated 
 above  this  human  imperfection  ;  in  his  lips  (as 
 we  shall  hear  from  tke  cross)  the  word  of  God 
 is  never  bound.  But  wherefore  does  he  make 
 no  reply  to  that  most  weighty  and  well-mean- 
 ing question  of  Pilate?  It  would  now  have 
 been  easy  to  give  his  testimony,  and  to  make 
 this  judge  an  humble  learner.  So  mieht  we 
 think,  but  the  case  was  very  different.  Ebrard  ; 
 "The  circumstance  that  a  heathen  would  sit  in 
 judgment  upon  matters  of  revealed  religion 
 was  unsuitable  and  contrary  to  the  law  ;  the 
 Sanhedrim  was  the  only  competent  court  for 
 such  an  investigation ;  therefore  Jesus,  who 
 would  never  slight  or  surrender  the  legitimate 
 rights  of  the  covenant-people,  answered  Pilate 
 nothins; ;  but,  when  he  broke  his  silence  again, 
 reminded  him  that  he  possessed  as  the  gover- 
 nor no  other  power  than  that  which  God  com- 
 mitted to  him  through  Ca;sar,  and  therefore 
 that  with  this  religious  question  he  had  noth- 
 ing to  do."  What  shall  we  say  to  this  ?  Apart 
 from  the  marvellous  exegesis  of  ver.  11  which 
 will  be  afterwards  refuted,  even  the  first  point 
 is  altogether  wrong,  through  the  error  which  a 
 superficial  spirit  of  interpretation  has  intro- 
 duced of  always  adhering  to  the  external 
 sense.  It  is  altogether  forgotten  that  in  chap. 
 xviii.  Jesus  did  enter  into  these  questions  with 
 this  heathen  ("King  of  the  Jews"  belonged 
 to  revealed  religion;  the  kingdom  not  of  i.ns 
 world  and  the  witnessing  lor  the  truth  were 
 altogether  Jewish  matters),  and  bring  before 
 the  heathen  the  mysteries  of  the  theocracy  and 
 prophecy.  Why  does  he  not  now  similarly  enter 
 into  them  ?  JFurther,  does  the  questioning 
 Pilate  really  intend  to  judge  upon  these  things, 
 and,  moreover,  as  a  heathen  ?  Does  his  ques- 
 tion mean  nothing  beyond  "  a  son  of  the 
 gods" — and  not  rather  in  its  indefinite  ex- 
 pression the  indefinite  but  real  Sslov  in  Jesus 
 which  appealed  to  him?t     Now,  once  more,  it 
 
 *  Correcily  tvithout  at  rep,  that  tlie  contrast 
 may  be  made  evident :  But  new  he  answered. 
 
 f  B.-Crusius  is  also  wrong :  "  Jesus  kept  silence 
 here  because  a  heathen  idea  of  the  Son  of  God 
 was  in  question."  But  who  tells  us  tliis  1  Was 
 not  iliat  notion  which  t'lought  so  earnestly  of  the 
 word  itself,  instead  of  identifying  it  with  the  Mes- 
 siah, the  heathen  idea  1 
 
 was  not  a  judicial  investigation  at  all,  but  a 
 conversation  ;  fh-;  religious  accusation  of  the 
 Jews  as  such,  and  their  phrase  Son  of  Oixl  (for 
 Pilate  asks  not  again,  Art  thou  then  the  Son  of 
 Oodf)  is  not  concerned,  but  the  religious  de- 
 sire of  the  persona!  Pilate  as  expressed  in  his 
 Wlience  art  thou.  The  Roman  did  not  invade 
 the  prerogative  of  the  theocratic  judge,  and 
 thus  transgress  his  jurisdiction.  Oh,  no  ;  the 
 presentiment  of  his  fear  and  awe  before  Je.-us, 
 whom  he  was  to  crucify  because  he  called  him- 
 self the  Son  of  God,  was  most  perfectly  com- 
 petent to  put  the  direct  question,  on  the  reply 
 to  which  all  depended,  to  him  who  was  a  wit- 
 ne.ss  of  the  truth.  The  Saviour  acknowledges 
 this  right  and  competency  every  where  in  all  : 
 wherever  a  soul  seeks  him  he  is  graciously  to 
 be  found,  all  is  yea  and  answer  in  him  (2  Cor. 
 i.  19),  not  nay  nor  silence  ;  but  he  commends 
 himself  in  tlie  highest  sense  to  every  man's 
 conscience  (2  Cor.  iv.  2),  without  asking  wheth- 
 er Gentile  or  Jf^w.  Then  why  does  he  keep 
 silence  here  ?  For  four  reasons  united  :  on  the 
 one  hand,  in  affirmation  and  by  pointing  to 
 what  had  already  been  said;  on  the  other,  for 
 his  righteous  reproof  and  also  to  spare  him. 
 Let  us  explain  ourselves  as  briefly  as  possible. 
 First,  is  not  silence  an  answer?  In  truth, 
 there  was  spoken  an  absolute  thou  s<iy<-8'  it 
 without  the  words  themselves,  as  if  he  would 
 say.  Let  it  not  be  a  question  with  thee.  The 
 answer  lies  already  in  thy  question,  in  which 
 thou  hast  been  constrained  to  utter  thy  pro- 
 sentiment  of  a  whence  that  is  higher  than  hu- 
 manity ;  my  voice,  the  voice  of  truth  spfaketh 
 now  in  thee,  I  will  not  interrupt  it,  as  I  do  not 
 contradict  it.  Assuredly,  if  Jesus  had  not 
 been  conscious  of  a  divine  Sonship,  "  the  love 
 of  truth  would  have  enforced  from  him  the 
 confession,  I  come  like  every  other  mortal 
 from  a  human  father"  (He.=s).  Thus  his 
 silence  is  a  good  confession,  "itself  testifies 
 to  his  divine  origin,"  as  Ltlcke  also  says— is 
 affirmative  in  this  form,  and  no  other  was  im- 
 mediately necessary  :  not  necessary  in  the  face 
 of  the  peculiar  question  v/hich  anticipated  the 
 answer  ;  and,  further,  not  necessary  because 
 of  what  had  preceded,  the  first  conversation 
 and  testimony.  His  keeping  silence  had  point- 
 ed to  what  had  gone  before,  as  if  he  had  said, 
 Have  I  not  told  thee  already,  that  I  have  come 
 into  the  world  bringing  with  me  the  truth  and 
 that  power  from  above  which  is  above  all ;  and 
 that  therefore  I  am  myself  personally  from 
 above,  from  that  other  world?  (Comp.  chap, 
 viii.  23.)  But  now  we  must  turn  to  the  other 
 side.  For  Jesus  was  not  so  rigorously  severe 
 as  never  to  repeat  his  words  for  our  weakness  : 
 this  we  have  often  seen,  and  must  ask  why  ho 
 did  not  repeat  them  now,  and  give  a  plainer 
 answer  to  the  plainer  and  more  urgent  ques- 
 tion. Why  does  he  not  confirm  by  positive 
 words  the'  presentiment  of  this  quest>oning 
 seeker,  as  he  is  wont  so  willingly  to  do?  It 
 was  indeed  difficult  to  answer  plainly  for  this 
 Gentile— but  was  it  impossible  to  Christ?  He 
 might  well  have  chosen  now,  as  be  often  did  in 
 
640 
 
 SECOI^D  COLLOQUY  WITH  PILATE. 
 
 each  critical  cases  (to  use  Lnthardt's  -words) 
 "an  enigmatical  saying"  which  would  have 
 bad  in  it  the  true  point.  It  must  not  be  said 
 that  every  answer  would  have  been  "  to  this 
 polylheist  governor  ii.iintelligible  or  liable  to 
 be  misunderstood;"  for  in  this  Whence  it  was 
 not  polytheism  which  spoke,  and  Christ  could 
 indeed  have  given  reply  clear  enough  to  sufnce 
 at  least  for  a  beginning — that  is,  if  Pilate  bad 
 been  entirely  in  earnest,  and  his  steadfastness 
 could  have  been  relied  on.  But  it  is  time  now 
 to  moJif}',  if  not  to  retract,  the  favorable  ad- 
 missions which  we  have  made  concerning  him. 
 Pilate  was  as  a  Gentile  perfectly  competent  to 
 receive  an  answer  ;  but  he  was  in  himself  not 
 •worthy  of  it,  because  he  was  not  capable  of 
 hearing  it  in  full  and  holding  it  fa.s^,  and  that 
 again  because  he  was  not  willing.  By  that 
 abruptly-ending  What  is  truth?  he  had  scorned 
 away  the  answer  in  deep  unbelief.  Thus  for 
 his  befitting  rebuke  it  was  said,  When  I 
 spoke  to  thee  concerning  the  truth,  wherefore 
 didst  thou  not  believe  me?  (chap.  viii.  46). 
 Finally,  the  Lord  knew  that  he  still  would 
 not  believe,  and  therefore  kept  merciful  silence, 
 to  spare  him  the  increase  of  guilt.  Very  true 
 is  the  plain  word  of  the  Berlenh.  Bibel:  "  Pilate 
 would  not  learn  the  A.  B  C  first,  but  would 
 here  climb  at  once  into  heaven.  My  good 
 Pilate,  thou  must  learn  first  the  first  principle! 
 Whence  art  lltou?  Thou  hast  not  been  faith- 
 ful in  the  first  point,  and  I  cannot  answer  thee 
 to  thi.s." 
 
 Let  us  now  make  application  of  this  typical 
 scene  to  all  that  reproduces  it  in  the  present 
 day.  To  him  who  knows  and  marks,  and  yet 
 asks  again  with  only  partial  earnestness  or 
 with  none  at  all,  who  has  heard  and  yet  has 
 not  heard — Jesus  keeps  silence.  Pilate,  in 
 contradiction  with  himself,  had  regarded  this 
 Lofty  One  as  being  complacent  enough  in  his 
 present  danger  of  deatti,  even  after  he  had 
 ijeen  the  first  time  left  alone,  to  answer  any 
 questions  which  he  might  see  fit  to  put  to  him. 
 In  this  he  erred:  the  Lowly-lofty  One  retains, 
 with  all  his  gentleness,  his  inalienable  dignity, 
 and  answers  most  impressively  by  manifesting 
 that.  The  King  of  tiuth  will  submit  to  no 
 trifling;  the  Son  of  God  will  undergo  no 
 capricious  examination.  Hast  thou  rejected 
 his  witness — then  humble  thyself  to  the  dust 
 for  that,  be.'bre  thou  darest  to  come  back  and 
 ask  new  questions.  Mark  by  the  fear  which 
 is  in  thee  who  he  is,  and  whence  he  is ;  and 
 that  thou  must  come  and  ask,  if  thou  come  at 
 &\\,ofthe  truth?  "Hearken  when  the  truth 
 speaks;  and  question  not,  when  it  is  silent" 
 (Gossner).  Yea,  let  us  with  our  heart  and  with 
 all  our  soul,  give  heed,  when  this  King  of  truth 
 speaketh — and  not  ask  further,  or  be  offended, 
 when  he  keepelh  silence,  for  then  speaketh  he 
 most  loudly  within  us. 
 
 But  Pilate  takes  it  ill,  and  his  teachableness 
 is  suddenly  gone.  Just  now  he  stood  in  beau- 
 tiful submission  under  Jesus;  but  when  the 
 Lofty  One  in  the  righteousness  of  truth  fixes 
 his  soul  by  silence,  he  does  not  remain  faith- 
 
 ful to  the  good  influence.  His  proud  authori- 
 tative I — instead  of  the  smitten  inner  man — 
 rises  iiigh  again  above  the  Son  of  God.  Unto 
 me  speakest  thou  not?  Lampe  rightly  calls 
 this  "an  objurgating  reproof  plainly  at  vari- 
 ance with  his  preceding  fear."  Thou  rjayest 
 keep  silence  before  the  soldiers,  before  the  Jews, 
 and  before  Herod — but  before  me  also?  What 
 lack  of  respect  is  this  !  Knowest  thou  not  in 
 whose  presence  thou  standest?  "Does  not 
 this  make  thee  guilty,  though  otherwise  inno- 
 cent?" {Berlenh.  Bibel).  The  silence  of  Jesus 
 "  wounded  his  official  consciomne«H,  for  his 
 cowardice  had  rendered  him  sensitive;  and 
 mortified  his  official  pride,  for  by  his  vapid  un- 
 judicial words  he  had  humbled  himself  before 
 the  Jews  whom  he  hated  "  (Braune).  It  is  not 
 the  heart  and  conscience  of  ihe  man  which 
 speaks  now;  but  the  haughty  official  conscious- 
 ness, altogether  untheocratic,  of  the  Gentile — 
 un-Roman  indeed,  if  Ptome  was  the  symbol  of 
 justice;  genuinely  Puoman,  if  power  (poouTj) 
 was  every  thing.  Knoicest  thou  not,  that  I 
 have  power  to  crucify  thee,  and  have  power  to 
 release  thee?  It  is  quite  truly  and  sincerely 
 that  he  speaks  plainly  now  of  his  appeal  to  his 
 simple  power,  for  he  is  the  representative  of 
 (impotent)  power  in  the  history  of  the  Passion; 
 speaking  in  the  name  of  all  those  against  whom 
 the  prudential  wisdom  of  the  Son  of  Sirach 
 warns  in  the  Apocrypha,  Ecclus.  ix.  13 — "  Keep 
 thee  far  from  the  man  that  luith  power  to  kill." 
 But  his  words  are  pre-eminently  judicial,  and 
 disgraceful  to  Roman  justice,  when  he  declares 
 that  a  judicial  murder  is  in  the  power  of  his 
 hand— n^  ni32,*     Observe  it  well :  he  knows 
 
 that  he  has  the  power,  and  therefore  testifies 
 against  himself;  so  that  he  is  condemned  out 
 ot  his  own  mouth  when  it  is  afterwards  said 
 —IneKpivE,  napiSoonny  "he  condemned — de- 
 livered." Nevertheless,  this  artless  assertion  ot 
 hissubjcctive  conviction  is  at  the  same  time  a  lie, 
 a  perfect  contradiction  to  the  state  of  the  actual 
 case  generally,  as  well  as  to  the  secret  power 
 over  him  and  within  him  which  his  Whence  art 
 thou  had  been  constrained  to  confess.  Thus 
 first,  his  having  power  generally,  for  the  cruci- 
 fi.x;ion  or  release  of  this  Jesus,  is  nothing  more 
 than  the  vain  imagination  of  the  foolish  man — 
 that  even  that  which  cometh  from  above  is  yet 
 in  his  own  power.  See  here  an  example,  how 
 poor  man  fancies  that  he  can  use  his  freedom, 
 as  at  his  own  arbitrary  discretion,  to  the  result 
 which  he  would  wish,  because  God  rules  with 
 patience!     Secondly,  his  power  to  crucifyf  is  a 
 
 *  As  the  Assyrian  says,  Isa.  x.  13  comp.  Geii. 
 xxxi.  29,  Labaii :  n'  biih. 
 
 t  The  drc(vp(iS6aim\ist  come  first  in  the  clause, 
 not  tlie  aTtoA.v6ai  as  LUcke  thinks  more  proper. 
 For  ho  does  not  speak  "  with  a  waxing  feeling  of 
 his  power,"  but  as  one  injured,  .speaking  at  cnce 
 of  tliat  power  in  threatening.  Liitiiardt  defends 
 the  other  arrangement,  because  then  the  word  of 
 gra^e  comes  first ;  but  it  is  ot)vious  ti;at  the  word 
 of  terror  bursts  fortli  fust— Tliy  cruc.flxion  de- 
 pends on  a  word  from  me. 
 
JOHN  XIX.  11. 
 
 641 
 
 contradiction  to  his  judicial  function,  to  which 
 he  nevertheless  refers  the  whole.  It  is  boldly 
 said,  as  if  a  Procurator  was  appointed  and  set 
 up  to  place  might  in  the  place  of  right ;  and 
 this  wicked  quid  fro  quo,  so  common  among 
 men,  is,  alas  !  disguised  through  the  ambiguity 
 of  the  term  eqov6ia,  which  means  as  well 
 power  as  righteous  prerogative.  Is  he  not  a 
 minister  of  justice,  and  his  responsibility  so 
 much  the  greater  because,  in  the  imperfection 
 of  human  things,  the  eqovdia  of  right  may  be 
 placed  only  in  the  Hovdia  of  his  own  personal 
 determination,  his  prerogative  left  in  the  keep- 
 ing of  his  power?  If  he  actually  has  the 
 power  to  release,  is  it  in  his  power  to  crucify, 
 and  say — I  can  do  it  f  This  too  when  his  con- 
 science so  plainly  speaks,  as  his  words  betray 
 and  testify, against  him?  A  wicked  aUernativc 
 is  this  in  th^  mouth  of  a  judge,  where  arbitra- 
 riness glories  in  its  might.  If  Jesus  was  inno- 
 cent, he  had  no  judicial  power  to  crucify  him  ; 
 if  guilty,  he  had  no  judicial  power  to  release 
 him.  That  was  the  only  right  alternative.  ^  A 
 conscientious  judge  says  conversely — I  can  do 
 nothing  against  right,  against  truth  (2  Cor.  xiii. 
 8)  ;  and  would  rather  set  free  the  guilty,  whose 
 guilt  is  obscurely  proved,  than  give  up  to 
 aeath  the  certainly  guiltless.  There  is  a  power 
 of  right,  from  which  no  man  should  recede  ; 
 and  of  that  (as  said  above)  the  heathen  knows, 
 who  indeed  has  a  power.  To  this  refers  that 
 word  of  David,  something  analogous  to  which 
 at  least  is  found  in  every  human  breast :  God 
 hath  spoken  once ;  twice  have  I  heard  this  ; 
 that  power  belongcth  unto  God — power  is 
 God's  alone  (Psa.  Ixii.  11).  Thus,  as  P»,ambach 
 preaches,  "  he  who  knows  and  feels  what  a 
 perilous  matter  is  earthly  power  and  authority, 
 will  be  slow  to  boast  of  it  when  he  has  it." 
 God  has  come  to  Pilate's  help  in  the  dream  of 
 his  wife  ;  he  had  thus  from  without  as  weil  as 
 from  above  cried  to  his  inmost  heart — Sin  not 
 against  this  P.ighteous  One:  nevertheless  he  can 
 here  boast  that  it  is  in  his  power  to  be  unjust. 
 But  his  vain  assumption,  finally,  that  he  has 
 power  to  release,  is  a  contradiction  in  itself  and 
 a  mere  delusion — for,  as  the  event  shows,  he  is 
 constrained  to  crucify.  Although  his  hasty 
 expression  seems  to  let  slip  the  secret  confes- 
 sion that  he  would  rather  release  than  destroy 
 Jesus — yet  he  hns  no  power  to  do  it,  as  we  may 
 see  in  vers.  12,  13.  Long  before  and  repeated- 
 ly he  had  said — No  fault  in  him,  and  therewith 
 the  accused  should  have  been  set  free  ;  but 
 there  is,  opposed  to  the  divine  power  of  justice 
 in  his  conscience,  another  power  of  tlie  world, 
 before  which  he  knoics  not  what  to  do  with 
 Jesus,  vainly  washes  himself  clean,  and  being 
 overpowered  delivers  him  up.  "The  cultivated 
 Roman  was  strangely  wrought  upon  by  all 
 these  mighty  influences.  First,  his  wonder 
 and  even  fear  in  the  presence  of  this  man — then 
 the  message  of  his  wife — Jhen  the  mad  multi- 
 tude, the  threatening  of  the  rulers  about  the 
 friendship  of  Csesar — verily,  a  mj.n  who  has 
 nothing  but  cuHivation,  even  if  he  had  t>e 
 whole  laud  at  his  command,  must  loose   his 
 
 head"  (Lossel).  "Repeatedly  to  declare  the 
 accused  innocent,  and  yet  to  treat  him  as  the 
 Vilest  malefactor  and  execute  him  as  a  slave — 
 was  incontrovertibiy  no  other  tlian  to  place  the 
 most  unbridled  caprice  in  the  place  of  law,  and, 
 instead  of  the  right  which  has  lawful  might, 
 distrustfully  and  in  fear  of  the  highest  power, 
 that  of  Cajsar,  to  allow  its  course  to  the  most 
 lying  semblance  of  that  right  in  lawless  vio- 
 lence" (Daub).  "  Pilate  makes  great  show  of 
 his  power  against  Jesus  (the  poor  man  in  whom 
 he  had  just  suspected  a  Son  of  God);  but 
 against  the  Jews,  who  should  have  felt  his 
 power,  he  is  a  very  coward  "  {Berlenb.  Bihel). 
 Thus  is  he  fettered,  having  bound  himself;  for 
 the  judicial  question,  what  to  do  with  Jesus, 
 he  had  already  surrendered  to  the  outcry  of  the 
 people  and  the  malice  of  his  enemies,  putting 
 his  foolish  answer  to  them  in  the  place  of  a 
 judicial  decree. 
 
 It  was  necessary  that  we  should  thus  care- 
 fully examine  all  this,  in  order  to  understand 
 the  critical  point  at  which  Jesus,  for  his  Fa- 
 ther's honor  and  Pilate's  good,  once  more 
 speaks  ;  breaking  once  more  his  long  silence  by 
 a  word  which  we  may  term,  in  a  confined  sense, 
 the  last  "testimony"  before  his  crucifixion. 
 (The  word  to  the  daughters  of  Jerusalem  has 
 another  meaning.)  And  how  does  he  speak  ? 
 Truly,  had  he  not  been  the  Holy  One,  the 
 temptation  would  have  occurred  to  mock 
 Pilate's  boasting  impotence,  and  to  dash  to 
 pieces  his  lying  assertion  of  power — I  know  far 
 more,  far  better  how  the  case  is  with  thee.  Or, 
 to  punish  him  by  reflecting  back  his  threat— I 
 have  power  over  thee.  But  how  does  he  re- 
 strain himself  I  Instead  of  that,  there  is  first  an 
 admission  of  the  truth  in  his  error — Yea,  thou 
 hat  power,  but  under  a  quite  different  condi- 
 tion and  restriction,  of  a  very  different  kind, 
 from  what  thou  thinkest.  Tliou  tcouUd  have 
 none,  were  it  not  given  thee — Ji-om  above. 
 
 It  is  obvious  at  once  that  in  this  HitoQev  we 
 have  the  kernel  of  the  reply;  and  consequent- 
 ly, that  it  refers  to  above  in  the  highest  and 
 only  sense  in  which  it  can  be  appropriate  here. 
 He  who  cannot  see  this  without  argument,  is 
 as  inaccessible  as  Pilate  himself  to""  light  and 
 truth.  We  leave  those  who  are  so  disposed  to 
 interpret :  The  high  Sanhedrim  hath  given  thee 
 the  power  over  me,  by  giving  me  into  your 
 hands.  However  boldly  this  exposition  ap- 
 peals to  the  following  clause,  it  is  utterly  and 
 hopelessly  insipid.  We  would  not  say  quite  as 
 much  of  that  other  view  which  refers  it  to  the 
 higher  power  of  the  Roman  Caesar,  who  might 
 have  occurred  at  once  to  an  unbeliever,  when 
 Jesus  thus  speaks — but  only  to  one  who  had 
 not  conceived  of  that  other  whence,  of  which 
 Pilate  had  been  deeply  thinking.  Certainly 
 the  application  which  this  gives  to  our  Lord's 
 words  is  almost  equally  meagre — How  evil  it 
 is,  that  to  the  poor  deputy  of  so  high  a  sway 
 such  arbitrary  "power"  should  be  entrusted  ! 
 Liicke  ;  "At  such  a  moment  we  cannot  well 
 conceive  our  Lord  to  cast  any  blame  upon  the 
 exisang   constitution   of  things;"   and  he  is 
 
642 
 
 SECOND  COLLOQUY  WITH  PILATE. 
 
 right  in  as  far  as  the  power,  as  and  because 
 given  by  Cjesar,  would  not  be  arbitrary,  but 
 strictly  legitimate  in  the  earthly  sense,  if  we  go 
 not  beyond  this  world.  But  we  would  speak 
 more  strongly  :  The  Lord's  answer,  apart  from 
 the  reference  to  subjective  guilt  in  Pilate's  mis- 
 use of  his  power  which  is  contained  in  the  fol- 
 lowing clause,  denies  in  the  first  clause  that 
 Pilate  has  independent  power  to  do  with  him 
 what  he  would — it  by  no  means  admits  or  com- 
 plains that  he  is  given  up  to  the  arbitrary  ca- 
 price of  a  man.  For  this  would  be  a  most  un- 
 accountable contradiction  to  the  general  funda- 
 mental principles  of  divine  government  and 
 providence,  and  to  our  Lord's  own  constant 
 testimony  to  his  Father's  counsel  in  his  death 
 — at  this  critical  time,  especiallv,  altogether  in- 
 comprehensible. Matthai  :  "  Let  us  not  think 
 that /row  above  means/zom  R  me.  That  would 
 be  subordinating  above  to  below,  and  reducing 
 the  Piedeemer  of  the  world  to  a  Roman  citizen. 
 To  speak  thus  without  meaning,  without  in- 
 struction (that  is,  without  proper  answer), 
 would  be  altogether  unworthy  of  Christ.  Christ 
 is  elevated  to  heaven,  the  Eternal  God  is  his 
 horizon  and  the  scope  of  all  hi^  thoughts;  to 
 behold  and  to  point  to  him  is  the  necessity  of 
 his  every  pulse,  in  order  that  men  may  be 
 turned  away  from  their  idolatry  and  from  them- 
 selves ;  but  this  is  not  consistent  with  his 
 speaking  of  Pome  as  the  source  of  Pilate's  au- 
 thority. He  would  then  have  reminded  Pilate 
 of  Pi,ome  in  a  manner  quite  contrary  to  his 
 own  design.  It  was  his  purpose  to  denounce 
 the  cowardly  presumption  which  was  in  him 
 (ver.  10),  because  he  thought  too  much  of  his 
 Roman  power,  and  too  little  of  the  almighti- 
 ness  of  God."  hci  us  now  observe  that  in  this 
 heavenly  from  altove  there  is  (as  so  often  in 
 Christ's'  discourses)  a  supplementary  answer, 
 afterwards  brought  in,  to  the  whence  as  to  his 
 origin,  which  he  had  left  unanswered  before. 
 Grotius  says  with  unusual  point,  "Thence  for- 
 sooth from  whence  I  came."  Not  of  this  world, 
 as  I  said  before  :  from  that  other  world,  con- 
 cerning which  1  know  and  speak,  it  comes  that 
 thou  hast  power,  as  thou  thinkest,  generally 
 and  specifically  over  me.  Christ  stands  now 
 lelmo  :  therefore  he  says  above,  as  man  concern- 
 ing God,  as  the  Son  concerning  the  Father. 
 Yet  he  avoids  in  his  care  and  dignity,  now  as 
 before,  saying  to  this  Gentile  expressly  56t»?, 
 or  God  (or  at  this  time  narijp),  nor  does  he 
 utter  the  word  Juaven ;  for  he  would  give  no 
 occasion  to  blasphemy,  but  rather  as  much  as 
 possible  connect  his  words  with  the  dawning 
 consciousness  of  Pilate's  presentiment.  He 
 therefore  condescends  to  the  seeming  indefinite- 
 ness  of  the  ayoo'jey,  from  above,  just  as  Pilate's 
 feeling  would  apprehend  it.  Thus  in  chap, 
 xviii.  37  he  spoke,  with  similar  abstract  and 
 philosophic  language,  only  of  Iritlh,  yet  mean- 
 ing the  right  trutii.  In  all  dealing  with  the 
 commencing  conviction  of  heathens  we  should 
 closely  imitate  his  example.  How  measured, 
 and  restrained,  and  lull  of  luminous  clearness, 
 are  his  thoughts  and  words,  never  enthusiastic, 
 
 but  always  in  harmony  with  thf  "»ctual  reality 
 of  every  circumstance.  This  to'\  down  to  the 
 last,  amid  all  the  confusion  ot  Gentiles  and 
 Jews. 
 
 But  the  Lord  declares  two  things  here:  he 
 first  speaks  of  the  power  of  Pilate  >jenerally,  and 
 not  till  then  of  his  present  power  over  hisow,n 
 person.  We  must  lay  a  strong  emphasis  upon 
 ovSejuiav,  "  no  power,"  and  hear  in  it — Thou 
 wouldst  have  generally  no  power,  that  is,  against 
 me,  or,  as  thou  sayest,  to  cruelly  me.  Liicke 
 protests  against  this  first  and  general  sense, 
 which  the  Church  in  its  preaching  and  teaching 
 has  always  held  fast :  "  Jesus  speaks  not  here 
 of  the  power  of  Pilate  absolutely  ;  and  there- 
 fore he  declares  his  fate  to  be"  in  this  man's 
 hands  for  life  or  death,  as  a  thing  SeSun/fvov, 
 or  given — not  the  Iquvaia  to  be  deSo/ievr/." 
 But  this  strangely  overlooks  the  fact  ttial  the 
 particular  clause — Thy  power  now  exteoda 
 over  me — must  pre-suppose  the  more  general 
 one,  lyuni  hast  the  power  as  governor.  Pilaie 
 had.  appealed  to  his  office  in  general,  from 
 which  this  particular  power  flowed;  and  the 
 answer  naturally  corresponds  with  that.  The 
 )}y  SeSousyov  in  the  neuter  has  no  force 
 against  this;  because  it  brings  into  strong 
 prominence  the  being  given  from  above  alone, 
 and  with  a  comprehensive  hint  In  every  thing 
 which  a  man  has,  or  can  have,  there  is  involved 
 a  deSo/Jsyoy  ;  every  thing  is  given,  and  so  con- 
 sequently thy  power.  Lampe  has  correctly 
 brought  out  the  steps  of  the  meaning:  "He 
 concedes  to  Pilate,  first  jxno  r.  He  acknow- 
 ledged the  authority  of  the  human  court ;  be- 
 cause his  kingdom'  was  not  of  this  earth,  de- 
 stroying human  magistracy.  Nor  did  he  dis- 
 pute the  power  of  Pilate  and  the  Romans  over 
 the  Jews.  SeconJly,  he  exalts  that  power,  as 
 given  from  above.  This  is  the  Ciiristian  doctrine, 
 that  all  power  is  of  God.  Thirdly,  he  acknow- 
 ledges that  that  power  extended  over  himself, 
 since  all  things  touching  him  were  done  by  a 
 divine  decree."  This  last  is  indeed  the  chief 
 point,  to  which  our  Lord  presses  onward  ;  but 
 it  is  necessarily  and  naturally  as  based  upon,  or 
 mediated  by,  the  former  and  more  general 
 truth  ;  for  the  counsel  of  God  gave  Pilate,  as 
 the  present  judge  in  the  land,  the  jurisdiction 
 over  Jesus  and  the  power  to  judge  him.  If  we 
 have  taken  a  right  view  of  the  pretension  of 
 Pilate,  as  already  exhibited,  we  must  be  pre- 
 pared to  admit  that  the  answer  would  not  touch 
 the  heart  of  the  question — on  account  of  which 
 the  Lord's  silence  was  broken — if  it  did  not  ad- 
 minister some  preliminary  lessons  touching  the 
 arbitrary  perversion  of  official  authority  gen- 
 erally.* Consequently,  the  word  is  not  spoken 
 for  Pilate  alone,  but  for  all  who  bear  rule  in  the 
 world  ;  and  the  reco(jnitioH  of  existing  authority, 
 just  as  in  Matt.  xxii.  21,  precedes  the  instruc- 
 tion, both  admonitory  and  encouraging,  v'uch  is 
 
 *  Roos  says  of  Pilate :  "  He  would  not  le.irn 
 religion,  but  only  do  his  duty ;  his  example,  liow- 
 ever,  teaches  us  that  man  cannot  do  the  duty  of 
 his  office  well  without  rehgion." 
 
JOHN  XJX 
 
 648 
 
 l.aspcl  upon  the  conceded  "  ^iven  from  above." 
 Clii-ist  standing  before  CoBsar  would  have  as- 
 serted the  same  "  from  above,"  and  would  have 
 in  the  same  way  bowed  before  it.  He  does  not 
 liold  the  Gentile  judge  imcompetent  to  pro- 
 nounce sentence  upon  his  life,  whether  he  was 
 righteous  or  unrighteous  ;  and  in  this  his  sub- 
 mTssion  is  the  direct  opposite  of  the  rebellion 
 of  the  Jews,  who  cast  from  them  their  divinelj' 
 justified  king  as  a  pretender.  "What  Jesus 
 says  to  Pilate  is  an  actual  acknowledgment  of 
 his  judicial  function.  He  acts  as  an  accused 
 person  standing  before  his  judge  ;  not  holding 
 up  to  Pilate  his  unrighteousness  and  the  ter- 
 rors of  coming  judgment,*  as  he  would  have 
 done  if  he  had  had  to  do  with  him  simply  as 
 a  prophet  dealing  with  such  an  unrighteous 
 man  "  (Hess).  Suffice  it  that  Christianity  de- 
 rives from  these  two  words  of  the  Lord  (here 
 and  Matt.  xxii.  21)  its  entire  and  impregnable 
 theory  of  the  divine  right  of  the  powers  that 
 be ;  as  Paul  developes  it  in  Rom.  xiii.,  but  as  the 
 spirit  of  the  age  now  utterly  rejects  it.  The 
 doctrine  now  runs,  breaking  down  the  divine 
 principle  of  all  right  and  ordinance,  that  all 
 authority  and  dignity  of  rulers  flows  from  the 
 sovereignty  of  the  people,  and  thus  from  below 
 — alas  !  from  beloio  indeed  (John  viii.  23).  Nev- 
 ertheless, God  without  doubt  remains  in  the 
 authority  of  his  kingdom  supreme  as  "  the  only 
 potentate  "  and  "  King  of  kings  "  (1  Tim.  vi.  15) 
 in  a  two-fold  sense:  as  he  who  givts  or  dinln- 
 bt/ks  to  rulers  their  authority  for  justice  ;  and 
 who  also  gives  or  permits  their  authority  for  in- 
 justice. This  latter,  however,  not  one  step 
 otherwise  than  or  beyond  what  his  hand  and 
 counsel  hath  decreed  ;  so  that  the  authority  re- 
 mains with  God,  as  he  in  his  time  tcill  show  at 
 ihe  <ipyea7-i7)g  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  Mean- 
 while there  is  no  danger  to  the  theory  and  prac- 
 tice of  obedience  and  patience,  in  which  this 
 our  Lord  is  our  forerunner ;  for  if  they  even 
 take  our  life  away,  as  it  is  permitted  them  to 
 do,  the  kingdom  and  the  autliority  of  truth  is 
 evermore  with  the  good  confession,  which  can- 
 not be  bound  with  those  who  are  in  fetters,  and 
 cannot  be  crncitied  with  the  crucified. 
 
 Ail  this  general  truth  is  now  concentrated 
 in  the  woids  which  follow — spoken  not  in- 
 deed merely  for  the  present  occasion,  but,  in 
 their  typical  demonstrative  force,  for  all  occa- 
 sions of  the  arbitrary  misuse  of  power — Thou 
 shouldst  have  no  power  over  or  against  me  ! 
 This  xar  f//oC  is  to  be  taken,  as  it  has  been 
 remarked,  toitk  the  utmost  emphasis.  Ocer  me 
 and  against  me  are  here  united  in  one  ;  but  the 
 latter  is  prominent,  as  the  reply  to  the  bold 
 "power  to  crucify  tl\ee."  That  Pilate  the 
 governor  has  power  over  Jesus  of  Nazareth,  his 
 .'subject  in  common  with  all  the  Jews,  follows 
 fiom  the  power  "  given  from  above  "  in  his  ap- 
 pointment; L'Ut  that,  abusing  this  power,  he 
 cin  condemn  and  give  him  up  to  crucifixion, 
 j)ioceeds  from    the   most   absolute   counsel  of 
 
 *  Paul  so  deatrwitli  Felix,  only  because  he  de- 
 sired to  hsds jprivately  of  his  faith  in  Christ. 
 
 God.*  Thereore  'x  is  sai.l,  with  this  specific 
 reference :  Without  that  thou  wouldst  have, 
 because  no  right,  therefore  no  power,  against 
 me,  who  have  done  nothing  worthy  of  death  ; 
 and  still  more,  against  me,  the  King  of  truth  and 
 righteousness,  the  Son  of  God  come  down  from 
 above.  Because,  however,  this  was  "  given 
 from  above  "  the  Lord  says  at  the  game  time, 
 as  if  it  was  self-understood — Under  ihi^,  not 
 under  thee  and  thy  power,  as  thou  thinkest,  I 
 bow  and  am  submissive.  In  this  he  is  our  pat- 
 tern :  "  The  pious  man  looks,  like  Christ,  not 
 at  him  who  exercises  the  power  over  him,  but 
 ever  at  him  who  permits  to  him  the  power 
 which  he  exercises"  (Gossner). 
 
 The  conclusion  would  now  be :  Therefore  I 
 suffered  meekly,  as  thou  seest  and  wilt  see,  all 
 this  power  perverted  against  me,  and  all  this 
 sin  committed  by  thee  and  my  enemies  in  the 
 violation  of  right,  and  in  the  absence  of  au- 
 thority— and  let  not  myself  be  overcome  and 
 turned  aside  by  all  this  sin.  But  this  conclu- 
 sion was  left  to  be  self-understood  in  the  first 
 clause,  which  has  recognized  and  submitted  to 
 the  authority,  while  denouncing  the  sin  of  its 
 perversion;  with  the  highest  dignity  and  hu- 
 mility combined,  the  Lord  speaks  no  further  of 
 himself,  but  of  others ;  and  utters  a  quite  dif- 
 ferent did  rotro,  the  meaning  of  which,  so 
 much  contested,  we  shall  enter  upon  presentlv. 
 First,  let  us  observe  the  parallel  between  this 
 word,  this  SeSoi-ievov  and  the  G>026nivov  of 
 Luke  xxii.  22  ;  and  note  that  God's  coun:-el 
 does  not  abolish  the  guilt  of  the  men  who  exe- 
 cute it.  Moreover,  let  it  be  marked  that  in  the 
 midst  of  his  selt'-surrender  to  be  judged  as  a 
 malefactor,  the  Lord  is  still  the  supreme  Judge. 
 Those  who  have  power  now,  have,  alas!  sin 
 also  ;  yea,  we  all  have  sin — and  he,  who  alone 
 has  no  sin,  speaks  most  plainly  and  judicially 
 concerning  this.  He  speaks  with  truth  and 
 righteousness  which  recognizes  the  degrees  and 
 
 *  "  Pilate  was  thus  the  man  who  had  been 
 chosen  to  be  tlie  judge  of  onr  Lord.  Such  a 
 character  .as  his  was  fitted  for  this  work :  a  man 
 who  withstands  long  enough  for  lull  light  to  be 
 thrown  upon  the  business,  but  who  then  lets  it 
 proceed ;  a  man  who  interposes  continual  ques- 
 tions, hut  is  too  impotent  to  follow  in  the  course 
 of  justice;  a  man  who  at  least  had  rone  of  the 
 abject  passions  of  the  Jewish  rulers,  and  who  had 
 no  interest  against  him.  lie  was  a  Pioman,  and 
 so  beiongins  to  a  nation  which  Providence  had 
 used  in  eartlily  things  to  pour  the  whole  world 
 into  a  new  mould.  He  was  no  imaginary  sovereign, 
 but  the  deputy  of  an  absent  lord  and  a  higher 
 {)Ower ;  which  makes  it  all  tb.e  more  easy  to  feel 
 (or  rather  symbolizes  it)  that  he  does  not  speak  in 
 liis  own  n  ime.  Finally,  I  gather  from  the  ques- 
 tions he  puts,  as  well  as  from  tlie  character  ot  our 
 Lord's  reitlies,  that  he  had  not  an  interior  kind  of 
 soul,  but  on  the  whole  possessed  something  of  the 
 Roman  manhood,  integrity  of  character,  and  de- 
 cision." So  Tobler — we  would  add,  just  as  much 
 of  these  qualities  as  Rome  herself  then  had,  the 
 representative  ot  the  potver  of  this  worid,  which  he 
 again  represents. 
 
644 
 
 SECOND  COLLOQUY  WITH  PILATE. 
 
 stages  of  that  sin.  fie  knows  not,  nor  does 
 the  entire  Scripture  (Luke  xii.  48  ;  Matt.  x.  15, 
 etc.),  that  false  doctrine  of  the  Stoics,  pressinj^ 
 a  sound  principle  too  far,  which  makes  all  sins 
 equal  and  alike:  there  are  degrees  of  guilt,  and 
 specifically  here  where  sin  reaches  its  highest 
 manifestation — degrees  of  guilt  towards  Jesus. 
 He  weighs  this  out  with  the  sublimest  repose  ; 
 and  graciously  attributes  to  Pilate,  who  had 
 just  now  spoken  so  severely  to  him,  a  lesser  sin 
 than  that  of  one  who  knew  more  than  he.*  Is 
 not  this  blessing  instead  of  cursing  ?  Is  not  this 
 at  the  same  time  the  most  penetrating  and  per- 
 fect answer  he  could  receive :  I  hiow  not  merely 
 thy  power,  how  far  it  goes  and  how  far  not,  but 
 I  know  also  thy  sin. 
 
 But  what,  in  this  connection,  is  the  specific 
 meaning  oiSid  tovto,  "  therefore  "  ?  It  might 
 :cem  as  if  the  whole  of  the  preceding  clause  is 
 regarded  as  being  the  reason ;  hence  Liicke 
 (with  whom  Alford  agrees)  earnestly  main- 
 tains that  every  exposition  of  the  dui  rovro 
 is  incorrect  which  does  not  set  out  from  this, 
 that  in  the  SeSof-ievov  avcoOev,  "  given  from 
 above,"  lies  the  reason  why  Pilate  was  the 
 less,  and  the  Jews  the  more,  guilty.  But  we 
 cannot  see  the  force  of  this,  and  hold  that  in 
 the  "  given  from  above  "  there  cannot  lie  any 
 guilt,  and  that  none  could  result  from  it,  less  or 
 greater  ;  consequently  the  inference  drawn  in 
 "  therefore"  does  not  rest  upon  the  main  idea 
 of  the  preceding  proposition,  but  upon  an  vn- 
 expressed  intermediate  thought  which  it  pre-sup- 
 poses.  Lucke  says  that  Pilate's  guilt  was  less, 
 because  he  was  simply  the  instrument  of  a 
 higher  power  in  the  council.  But  that  cannot 
 be  admitted:  we  would  simply  rsk,  Were  not 
 the  Jews  also  in  their  acts  "  the  instruments  of 
 a  higher  counsel  above  ?  "  Did  not  Caiaphas 
 'jyropheiy,  as  previously  in  the  "  expedient,"  so 
 afterwards  in  the  decree  of  death  which  was 
 valid  before  God?  Does  not  the  Lord  say  of 
 Judas  himself,  that  he  was  only  the  instrument 
 of  the  divine  counsel?!  Euthymius  (with 
 Chrysoslom  and  Theophvlact)  would  under- 
 stand it:  Because  thou,  Pilate,  as  thou  sayest 
 thyself,  has  power  to  release  me,  and  does  not 
 release  me,  therefore  thou  art  not  free  from  sin, 
 though  thy  sin  is  the  less.  Thus  the  conclu- 
 sion would  result  in  a  direct  proposition :  There- 
 fore thou  had  sin — to  which  the  fitting  qualifica- 
 
 *  If  he  then  held  Iha  balancers — how  wi  1  it  be 
 on  the  throne  of  judijmont  ?  But  then  it  will  be 
 otherwise.  Tiio  oreatot  sin  is  now  too  creat  for 
 foriiiveness,  only  in  the  thought  of  tl  e  Cain  who 
 so  declares  i  — but  then  tlio  smallest  sia  will  be 
 great  enough  for  conlemnatioa. 
 
 f-Thus  there  is  a  fun-^lamental  error  in  the  ex- 
 position of  Cocceius,  wliith  Lanipe,  [ia'^sins  over 
 tills  nexum  d'JLilem  with  unusual  suporflciali  y, 
 adojjts — viz.,  that  Christ  had  declared  by  the 
 same  words  that  lh;s  power,  to  put  him  to  death, 
 had  not  been  givpn  to  iho  Jews.  Assuredly,  not 
 e.von  a"5  an  official  k£,ov6id,  but  £riv.-n  them  as  a 
 SbSousvov  gc;.eially,  an  lt,ov6id  in  the  widest 
 seuso. 
 
 tion  was  then  appended.  But  this  is  not  ad- 
 missible, for  the  Lord's  xav  kiiov  had  spoken 
 of  Pilate's  power  to  crucify  him  ;  the  conclu- 
 sion  does  not  speak  of  sin  generally  (which 
 was  to  be  understood  of  itself),  or  of  guilt  as 
 nevertheless  remainine,  but  expressly  of  the 
 difference  of  degree.  This  difference,  therefore, 
 is  the  thing  deduced  in  the  "  therefore."  We 
 must  not  make  it  mean  :  Therefore,  because  it 
 is  a  thing  deSojueroy  and  "  decreed,"  it  might 
 appear  that  thou  art  excused;  but,  neverthe- 
 less, it  is  not  so  (which  would  make  the 
 "therefore"  a  "not  therefore,"  a  "notwith- 
 standing"). Nor  as  follows:  Therefore  hast 
 thou  sin,  although,  if  the  distinction  be  strictly 
 made,  a  less  sin  than  theirs.  All  these  are 
 forced  expedients,  quite  inappropriate  in  the 
 interpretation  of  this  simple  saying.  What 
 then  is  the  unexpressed  intermediate  thought, 
 from  which  the  "  therefore  "  arises  ?  It  is  very 
 obvious  to  our  understanding :  Thou  hast 
 asked  me,  Knoioest  thou  not  ?  Behold,  I  say 
 unto  thee  that  which  I  do  know,  and  very  dif- 
 ferently from  thyself,  concerning  thy  "  having 
 power" — that  thou  hiowest  not.  Is  not  this 
 most  certainly  the  foundation  of  the  whole 
 answer  ?  Because  I  know,  as  I  have  spoken, 
 therefore  I  suffer  thy  power ;  because  thou 
 knowest  it  not,  therefore  thou  dost  exercise  it 
 (guiltily,  notwithstanding  the  divine  decree) 
 against  me.  The  Lord,  adjusting  his  words 
 with  supreme  dignity,  does  not  offend  him  by 
 giving;  back  his  own  word,  and  saying  express- 
 IV,  "Thou  knowest  not;"  but  it  was  what 
 Pilate  must  have  in'"erred  and  felt  at  once — 
 Thou  art  one  who  art  ignorant  as  to  the  ground 
 and  limit  of  thy  autho'rity,  especially  as  to  the 
 counsel  of  God  concerning  my  person.  It  of 
 course  is  to  be  understood  that  Pilate,  like 
 every  other  man,  is  ignorant  only  through  the 
 fault  of  his  ovv-n  evil  will ;  that  he  has  sin  is  a 
 fact  which  is  silently  admitted ;  but  the  Lord 
 who  judges  him,  weighing  out  to  him  merciful 
 right,  makes  prominent  his  ignorance,  as, 
 equally  with  his  power,  an  actual  fact.  Bengel 
 gave  this  interpretation  of  the  Sid  toCto— 
 "  Because  thou  hast  plainly  not  known  me:  " 
 but  we  would  make  it  more  complete — Because 
 thou  hast  plainly  not  known  me,  nor  thy 
 power,  nor  what  has  been  given  thee  "from 
 above."  Thus  the  saying  of  Christ  resolves 
 itself  into  the  fundamenlal  idea  of  that  other, 
 Luke  nii.  47,  48  (to  which  j\latt.  x.  15  is  only 
 a  parallel) ;  for  the  degree  of  guilt  must  in  the 
 end  be  one  with  the  degree  of  knowledge. 
 Thus  he  at  once  includes  Pilate  within  the 
 scope  of  his  subsequent  intercession — They 
 know  not  what  they  do. 
 
 But  even  thou  art  about  to  sin  in  thy  impo- 
 tent power,  of  which  thou  so  foolishly  boastest ; 
 I  know  well  that  thou  wilt  not  retain  the 
 power  to  set  me  free,  and  that  thou  wilt  not 
 finally  be  "  innocent"  ot  the  blood  of  the  Just 
 One.  Even  thy  sin  is  essentially  great  and 
 not  little,  though  by  reason  of  thy  ignorance 
 it  is  the  less  sin.  In  his  careful  respect  for  the 
 official   personage,  whom   he  was  thought  to 
 
JOHN  XIX.  11. 
 
 645 
 
 have  undervalued,  the  Lord  does  not  directly  ' 
 express  the  fact  that  Pilate  had  sin,  even  the 
 lesser  sin ;  but  he  places  first  the  counterpart 
 and  other  side  of  the  matter — Ui  that  delivered 
 me  unto  thee  hath  greater  sin  ;  nor  does  he  add 
 to  this — than  thou.  Whom,  then,  are  we  to 
 understand  by  this  napa^iSovi  (or,  according 
 to  another  reading,  ncxpadovi)  ?  Tiiis  is  a 
 new  question  for  exposition,  in  the  answer  to 
 ■which  it  has  gone  widely  astray.  Many  have 
 answered  it  by  Judas.  But  the  Lord  would 
 scarcely  think  of  him  now,  without  any  direct 
 o:casion ;  his  case  was  dispatched  and  his 
 judgment  sealed;  so  that  it  is  quite  inappro- 
 priate to  suppose  him  referred  to  here,  espe- 
 cially in  a  word  spoken  to  Pilate,  who  proba- 
 bly knew  nothing  about  this  betraying  disciple. 
 Nor  did  Judas  in  any  sense  deliver  Clirist  to 
 Pilate  ;  "  he  that  delivered  me  to  thee"  points 
 plainly  back  to  chap,  xviii.  35,  so  that  the  per- 
 son meant  must  be  sous;ht  among  the  people 
 and  the  high  priests.  Finally,  Judas  had  not 
 the  greater,  but  the  greatest  sin ;  if  he  had 
 been  intended,  as  thus  put  in  opposition  to 
 Pilate,  why  in  this  contrast  of  extremes  was 
 there  no  word  of  those  who  stood  between, 
 and  who  were  there  before  the  hall  of  judg- 
 ment as  the  accusers  who  had  then  delivered 
 Jesus  to  Pilate  ?  The  word  spoken  to  Pilate 
 would  pass  unintelligibly  and  most  abruptly 
 to  a  depth  beyond  his  thoughts,  instead  of  tak- 
 ing hold  of  present  circumstances.  Grotius 
 was  disposed  to  embrace  together  all  in  one — 
 Judas  especially,  in  the  second  place  the  senate, 
 and  in  tiie  third  the  people.  But  Judas  is  too 
 distantly  referred  to  to  be  "especially"  the 
 object,  and  the  senate  and  people  of  the  Jews 
 would  have  been  referred  to  in  the  plural. 
 Liicko  understands  a  reference  to  the  Jews 
 " collectively,"  with  the  ancients  (Eythyrains 
 Tcsv  na^aSuvTOiy)^  and  most  in  the  present 
 day.  Lainpe,  too,  would  combine  all :  "  The 
 deiiverers-up  sinned  in  common  (as  it  were  in 
 one  mystical  person) ;  not  only  Judas,  but  the 
 legislature  of  the  Jews,  the  whole  Sanhedrim 
 acting  as  one  person,  and  especially  Caiaphas, 
 by  whose  authority  all  things  were  done  " — 
 and  this  last  approaches  nearer  the  truth.  The 
 acting  as  one  person  is  indeed  true  ;  but  on  that 
 very  account  this  person  can  be  viewed  only 
 as  represented  by  that  one  by  whose  author- 
 ity all  acted.  The  singular  produces  here,  as 
 put  in  comparison  with  Pilate,  the  decisive  im- 
 pre.ssion  that  person  must  stand  against  per- 
 son f'  and  that  person,  too,  one  who  was  well- 
 known  in  his  wickedness  to  Pilate,  so  that  he 
 might  see  the  propriety  of  the  Lord's  judgment. 
 He  consequently  can  be  no  other  than  Caia- 
 phas, he  in  whose  lqov6ia  all  things  on  the 
 side  of  the  Jews  originate.l  and  were  accom- 
 plished ;  just  as  all  things  depended  on  Pilate, 
 on  the  side  of  the  Gentiles.  Bengel :  "  This 
 was  Caiaphas.  Pilate,  when  he  heard  a  cer- 
 tain mention  of  the  Son  of  God,  feared;  Caia- 
 
 *  So  Nonnus  has_correctly  used  dmjp,  reject- 
 ing all  collective  meaning. 
 
 phas,  when  he  heard  Jesus  himself  calling  him- 
 self the  Son  of  God,  termed  him  a  blasphemer, 
 and  decreed  his  death."  Caiaphas  knew  of  th3 
 power  of  the  living  God,  and  that  he  himself 
 was  only  his  servant;  Caiaphas  knew  the 
 Scripture,  and  from  it  the  counsel  of  God, 
 knew  not  merely  the  meaning  of  "the  Son  of 
 God,"  but  also  (almost  entirely  at  least)  that 
 Jesus  was  he — with  all  this  the  ignorance  of 
 Pilate  stands  in  contrast.  Caiaphas  took  the 
 initiative  in  the  whole  matter  (which  lies  in  the 
 TcapaStSovi).  and  acts  according  to  his  own 
 wicked  will  ;  Pilate  was  drawn  by  circumstan- 
 ces operating  upon  his  feebleness  into  guilt. 
 Pilate  had  not  from  the  beginning  a  malignant 
 will :  in  his  case  the  appointment  of  t'.ie  over- 
 ruling God  comes  rather  into  prominence,  as  in 
 that  of  Caiaphas  his  own  essential  wicked- 
 ness. 
 
 Thus  we  have  here  in  the  most  appropriate 
 place— what  we  might  have  expected,  and 
 would  otherwise  indeed  have  foumd  wanting — ■ 
 a  further  judicial  utterance  concerning  the  sec- 
 o>i  I  person,  after  Judas,  among  the  siniiers  who 
 rose  against  Jesus ;  concerning  this  "  high 
 priest,"  whose  character,  here  held  up  to  him 
 as  a  mirror  of  rjrenter  sin,  could  not  possibly 
 have  been  unknov/n  to  Pilate.  Thus  the  Lord 
 by  anticipation  .«peaks  in  the  same  gracious 
 judical  tone  in  which  his  Apostles  afterwards. 
 Acts  iii.  13,  speak  of  the  aovernor  who  would 
 willingly  have  released  Jesus.  Braune,  how- 
 ever, puts  this  too  strongly,  and  even  incor- 
 rectly :  "  Jesus  hero  spoke  a  word  which  should 
 paofy  the  conscience  of  Pilate — others  might 
 have  sought  to  alarm  it  by  threatenings."  Bub 
 this  much  is  true :  "  The  calm  gentleness  of 
 Jesus  had  already  alarmed  his  conscience  to 
 the  utmost" — as  the  sequel  in  ver.  12  shows. 
 B.-Crusius  is  right  in  saying  :  "  The  first  (thou 
 wouldst  have  no  power,  etc.)  strikes  down  his 
 pride  ;  the  second  encoarages  him  by  the  same 
 consideration" — that  is,  generally,  by  showing 
 him  that  a  higher  dsdojueyoy  of  which  he  was 
 unconscious  ruled  over  the  whole  matter;  and, 
 in  particular,  by  holding  out  to  him  in  the 
 distance  the  forgivness  of  his  lesser  sin.  We 
 remarked  before  that  Jesus  intentionally  for- 
 bore to  speak  to  the  heathen  directly  of  God  ; 
 and  now  we  must  note  that  he  does  not  spare 
 the  word  sin.  For  even  the  heathen  in  their 
 ignorance  knew  what  sin  was ;  and  by  that 
 knowledge  they  might  be  apprehended  on  behalf 
 of  God.  But  how  gnthj,  how  graciously*  does 
 he  speak  of  the  relatively-ignorant  sin  of  the 
 heathen  as  the  lesser  sin,  as  human  sin  gener- 
 ally ;  while  the  wickedness  of  those  who  knew 
 in  Israel  borders  already,  as  the  greater  sin,  on 
 the  greatest — the  Satanic  sin  in  Judas.  Hav- 
 ing this  last  as  it  were  in  his  thought  (for 
 Caiaphas  is  a  second  Judas)  he  names  the  rep- 
 
 *  "  There  is  in  this  expression  a  certain  tok<^n 
 of  love  to  the  per.son  of  Pilate,  which,  coming 
 from  him,  whom  he  was  conscious  of  condemn  ng 
 unjustly,  appeared  to  Pilate  all  the  more  exalted" 
 (Tholuck). 
 
646 
 
 SECOND  COLLOQUY  WITPI  PILATE. 
 
 resenfative  of  opposing  Judaism,  in  opposition 
 to  the  representative  of  blind  heathenism,  the 
 7ra/ja5tSuvi ;  he  doe.-s,  indeed,  at  the  same 
 lime,  designate  two  numerous  classes  of  sinners 
 (with  many  gradations  in  each),  but  he  refers 
 primarily  to  tlie  two  individual  persons.  lam 
 now  delivtred  up  to  thee — thus  he  stands,  and 
 on  this  he  rests,  before  Pilate — to  thee  a  prouil 
 impotent  man,  who  wilt  really  have  no  further 
 power  than  to  become  the  instrument  of  Udia- 
 jihas,  and  thus  wilt  deliver  me  up  again  to  the 
 Jews,  my  sentence  of  death  being  ratified  (chap, 
 xviii.  36).  lie  does  not,  however,  expressly 
 utter  this  last;  he  leaves  it  in  the  background 
 as  the  lesser  sin  of  weakness,  which  he  mea- 
 sures and  defines  now  belore  its  accomplish- 
 ment. 
 
 Pienningcr  makes  Pilate,  pondering  this  an- 
 swer, say  :  "  A  God  in  bonds  could  not  speak 
 more  nobly."  Quite  true — not  more  nobly  in 
 combined  dignity  and  gentleness;  but  we  doubt 
 whether  the  governor  received  so  deep  an  im- 
 pression— he  thought  of  nothing  beyond  the  re- 
 lease of  this  man,  as  in  x\cts  xxvi.  ol,  32.  Of- 
 fended he  certainly  is  not,  and  that  of  itself  says 
 something  in  his  favor.  Here  belongs  Luke  xxiii. 
 22-25  as  the  parallel  passage;  we  cannot  place 
 this  before  the  choice  of  Barabbas,  ajjd  the  first 
 sentence  accompanied  by  tlie  washing  of  t!v; 
 hands.*  John,  ver.  12,  says,  tn  zolcov  he 
 sought  opportunity  to  release  him — but  this  can- 
 not be  merely  in  the  sense  of  time, /'/w?i  now  on- 
 wanh.  For  he  had  been  quite  earnest  about  this 
 before;  indeed  more  so  than  now.  (Liicke: 
 "  He  appeared  to  John  previously  to  have  rather 
 trifled  with  the  matter" — is  quite  unjustifiable.) 
 Thus  it  is  on  that  accourit,  as  the  Syr.  ^^in  ?riip_> 
 
 Lampe  and  Klee  assent  to  this ;  Augustine,  in- 
 deed, corrected  the  Vulg.  exiiide  by  p  o',>terhoc  ; 
 B.-Crusius  points  to  chap.  vi.  66,  and  here  as 
 well  as  there,  combines  the  two — From  that 
 time,  arul  on  that  account.  He  endeavored 
 from  this  saying  onward,  moved  by  it  anew  to 
 release  him  ;  but  he  onhj  endeavored,  he  did 
 not  deliver  it  as  the  sentence  of  right,  by  his 
 personal  authority.  The  fourth  and  the  last, 
 still  wenJcer  attempt  of  the  feeble  man  to  deliver 
 him.  (Tlie  three  previous  attempts  were  in 
 connection  with  lierod,  Barabbas,  and  Ecce 
 Jlmno.  Luke,  ver.  22,  reckons  differently,  not 
 regarding  the  sending  to  Herod  as  a  declaration 
 of  innocence  in  order  to  his  release.)  The 
 matter  must  be  ended  :  enough  has  been  done, 
 I  pronounce  him  freo — but  how  did  Pilate  now 
 finally  miscalculate !  The  .lews  return  to  the 
 "king"  instead  of  the  "Son  of  God;"  and 
 declare.  We  will  go  further  to  l\ome,  and  com- 
 
 *  'EitiHpiynv,  mperjudirare  as  Bimgel  might 
 say,  fiEliaiovv  to  x/jiOsv — does  not  refer  to 
 the  desire  of  the  Jews,  for  an  atrrjucc  is  not  a 
 xpiOev,  but  to  the  rarhcr  jud2;meiit  which  lie 
 wouM  retract.  It  says  now,  lie  confirmed  con- 
 clusiively  the  first  sentence — not  witliou!.  a  laconic 
 addition  of  the  Evangelist,  ho  decreed  that  their 
 requii  eineut  should  take  eifect. 
 
 plain  of  thyself.  Now  first  have  they  touched 
 the  point  where  Pilate  was  most  susceptible ; 
 and,  as  sinners  generally  are  quick  to  find  out 
 this  in  each  oilier,  and  these  sharp-sighted 
 hypocrites  esi.ecially  knew  the  selfislmess  of 
 their  political  rulers,  it  is  almost  a  wonder  that 
 they  did  not  resort  to  this  expedient  before. 
 But  God's  counsel  had  held  them  back,  i^ur- 
 posely  that  all  might  proceed  as  it  had.  They 
 now  suddenly  bethink  themselves  that  Pilate 
 would  in  the  end  inculpate  himself  before 
 Ca?sar,  and  know  very  well  that  "  Pilate  was 
 not  the  man  to  sacrifice  his  own  interest  to  the 
 defence  of  injured  innocence."  A  Procurator 
 was  very  liglitly  degraded  by  the  capricious 
 Tiberius.  "  If  the  thought  had  been  suggested 
 to  Caesar's  suspicious  mind  that  a  strange  peo- 
 ple were  more  faithful  to  him  than  his  own 
 servants — what  punishment  would  he  have  de- 
 vised for  these"  (Draseke).  Whether  or  not 
 the  title  "  amicm  Cesaris"  was  given  to  ail  the 
 higher  officials  of  the  empire,  or  by  wav  of  dis- 
 tinction to  some,  and  possessed  by  Pilate,  it 
 was  doubtless  with  a  keen  and  significant  allu- 
 sion to  it  that  they  now  denied  Pilate's  fidelity 
 to  Ca;sar,  if  he  should  let  this  m  in  go  free. 
 Whoever  should  make  himself  a  kingvrithin 
 the  Roman  empire  opposes  himself  [at-tiXe- 
 yeiv,  as  Luke  li.  Si)  to  Cfesar.  The  position 
 was  incontrovertiblytrue,  but  its  false  applica- 
 tion to  this  Jesus  must  have  its  own  force,  as 
 they  knew  it  would  :  they  ironically  hint  as 
 the  consequence  that  whoever  releases  and 
 does  not  punish  such  a  one,  is  also  an  enemy 
 of  Cajsar,  and  that  they  would  in  their  devotion 
 denounce  both  alike. 
 
 TovTov  Tov  Xoyoy,  "  that  saying,"  says 
 John,  ver.  13  as  in  ver  8,*  and  means  to  say — ■ 
 the  word  concerning  G<jEmr  outweighed  the  word 
 concerning  the  San  of  Ood.  It  suggested  to 
 Pilate — Better  that  this  man  should  die,  than 
 that  I  should  lose  the  government  of  the  land. 
 Thus  he  first  sacrifices  the  guiltless  to  A/s  own 
 selfishness,  and  then  afterwards  to  the  clamor 
 of  the  enemies.  Had  he  been  hitherto  upright 
 in  his  government,  and  had  he  been  now  strong 
 in  the  confidence  of  right,  he  would  have  had 
 nothing  to  fear  from  Caesar;  but  there  were 
 many  tloubtful  things  in  the  past,  and  many 
 cases  in  which  he  had  subjected  himself  to 
 similar  threatenings  of  denunciation,  as  the 
 learned  may  find  in  Philo  and  Josephus.  At 
 a  later  period  he  failed  to  escape  his  fate,  and 
 was  deposed.  For  this  time  he  saves  himself; 
 and  a(i(iin  (after  the  first  time,  Matt,  xxvii. 
 19)  sits  upon  the  judgment  seat,  to  decree  the 
 execution  of  injustice.  Thus  miserably  c-nds 
 his  anxious  running  to  and  fro,  his  goiu'i  in 
 and  out,  which  had  been  but  the  external  sym- 
 bol of  his  vacillation  between  Jesus  and  the 
 Jews,  of  his  internal  conflict  and  surrender  to 
 the   power   of  sin.     The   result  of  his  entire 
 
 *  The  reading  tcSv  Xoyoov  tovtcdv,  sanc- 
 tioned by  Or  osh.,  Schott,  Lachm.,  Tisih.,  and 
 the  Vuly.  Iws  ieiiHOHCs,  la«.es  away  a  ve.y  flue 
 point. 
 
LUKE  XXIII.  28-31. 
 
 m 
 
 conduct,  mixed  up  of  weakness  and  haughti- 
 ness (in  which  the  haughtiness  fro:r.  beginning 
 to  end  ruined  all)  is,  that  the  weakness  remain- 
 ed alone  at  last.  "  In  order  to  conceal  old 
 abominations,  he  must  decide  upon  committing 
 a  new  one.  Now  justly  chastised  for  old  and 
 new  acts  of  wantonness'  he  stands  before  us  in 
 all  his  impotence.  In  fact,  he  will  not  let  the 
 lost  game  be  utterly  lost ;  the  sport  with  the 
 King  of  the  Jews  comes  again,  as  it  were  in  its 
 last  convulsive  efTorts,  down  to  the  superscrip- 
 tion on  the  cross."  So  Draseke  profoundly  in- 
 terprets, and  gives  at  the  same  time  the  most 
 correct  signification  of  vers.  14  and  15.  It  has 
 indeed  been  thought  that  by  this  repetition  of 
 the  "  king"  he  would  remind  the  Lord's  former 
 friends  of  their  Hosanna,  and  encourage  them 
 to  clamor  for  his  release ;  but  this  needs  no 
 refutation,  after  the  whole  statement  of  the 
 case.  Similarly  with  the  interpretation  of  Gro- 
 tius  :  "  He  I'eproaches  them  that  they  had  been 
 Bo  foolish  as  to  desire  such  a  man  for  their 
 king."  Thus  is  it  vwckery,  but  only  of  the  Jews, 
 who  indeed  would  be  glad  to  have  a  king,  but 
 could  bring  forward  in  opposition  to  Cassar  no 
 better  a  king  than  this.*  Or,  as  Von  Gerlach 
 Bays,  "Does  he  seek  to  avenge  himself  through- 
 out on  the  Jews,  mocking  them  in  every  way  ?  " 
 Wc  cannot  think  that  he  consciously  and  de- 
 liberately does  this.  When  he  acts  thus  fool- 
 ishly as  respects  his  object  to  release,  adding 
 "  Behold  your  king,"  to  his  former  "  Behold 
 the  man,"  and  asking  further,  "  Shall  I  crucify 
 your  king  ?  "  he  seems  to  return  back,  half-un- 
 consciously,  to   the  abject   trilling   which  had 
 
 been  all  to  no  purpose  ;  but,  strictly  speaking, 
 he  knows  no  longer  wliat  he  does  and  says,  he 
 shifts  round  with  his  6c<xviJco6oo,  "  I  will  cru- 
 cify," which,  put  as  a  question,,  recoils  upon 
 himself  with  ahiiost  the  mocking  echo  of  an 
 indicative.  His  "  irresolute  unrest  "  is  pamled 
 with  the  highest  historical  truth  in  the  narra- 
 tive, down   to    the  final    TtapeSoonE  and  tne- 
 
 HpiVE. 
 
 Then  rings  out,  after  tlie  first  cmcify,  the 
 wild  crv,  Aic'/i/  v/ith!  Away  with  !  as  m  Luke 
 xxiii.  IS,  Away  with  him  I  which  in  Acts  x.xii. 
 22,  and  how  mi-in y  times  since,  has  been  echoed 
 against  both  the  head  and  his  members. 
 Then  the  Jews  abase  themselves  as  in  thought- 
 ful requital.  We  have  no  king  but  Cajsar.  In 
 the  background  there  might  be,  as  Hezel  sup- 
 plies it—"  That  is  if  he  is  not  mighty  enough 
 and  willing  to  make  us  free  "—but  this  they 
 say  not.  The  saying  of  the  Talmud,  standing 
 tliere  in  proud  impotence,  though  well-ground- 
 ed in  itself — Isniel  has  no  Icing  hnt  Ood — ■ 
 they  blasphemously  and  hypocriticallv  subverl. 
 They  thereby,  rejecting  the  true  Mi^ssiah,  finul- 
 Iv,  formally,'  and  solemnly  renounce  all  their 
 Messianic  "hopes;  they  testily  against  them- 
 selves, utter  their  own  condemnation,  and  once 
 more  (as  in  Matt.  x.x;vii.  25)  invoke  their  own 
 judgment  by  the  hands  of  these  Komans. 
 Lampe  very  suggestively  compares  Judg.  ix.. 
 1-1,  where  the  trees  call  upon  the  bramble.to 
 be  their  king,  and  out  of  the  shadow  of  the 
 bramble  canie  forth  tlie  fires  which  devoured 
 the  cedars  of  Lebanon. 
 
 TO  THE  DAUGHTERS  OF  JERUSALEM. 
 
 (Luke  xxiii.  28-31.) 
 
 Our  Lord's  going  forth  without  the  gate  in 
 reproach  (Heb.  xiii.  11-13)  is  the  counterpart 
 of  his  entrance  a  few  days  before  :'  now  also 
 the  cry  is  that  he  is  the  King  of  the  Jews — 
 while  he  dies  with  two  other  malefactors.  Is 
 this  most  gentle  sufferer  of  the  most  unheard 
 of  wrong — a  revolter  against  Cjesar  ?  Yes, 
 that  was  his  currently  alleged  crime  ;  but  the 
 name  which  Pilate  recognizes,  and  which  the 
 Jews  reject,  remains  unaltered  as  the  symbol 
 of  his  honor  in  the  midst  of  his  reproach — 
 The  King  of  the  Jews.  He  bore  his  cross ;  he 
 the  first  and  the  only  one  who  bore  it  with 
 
 Eerfect  consciousness  and  perfect  freedom  of 
 eart :  not  as  the  typical  Isaac  bore  the  wood 
 for  the  burnt-offering ;  not  as  Simon  the  Cy- 
 renian,  or  even  Simon  Peter.  Properly  speak- 
 ing our  cross  ;  love  takes  it  up,  and  obedience 
 bears  it  as  his  own.  His  garments  were  taken 
 from  him,  but  we  find  nothing  in  Matt,  xxvii. 
 
 *  Lampe:  "  This"much  is  certain,  that  the  irony 
 did  not  touch  Christ,  but  only  the  Jews." 
 
 31 ;  Mark  xv.  20  of  a  ri^mnva!  of  the  crown 
 of  thorns:  that  was  le;t  to  mark  him  out  as 
 the  "king."*  Worn  down  and  exhausted — 
 not  in  spi'i-it,  but  in  body  and  soul — by  all  that 
 had  befallen  since  the  evening  before,  he  be- 
 gins to  fail  under  the  burden  before  the  time  . 
 but  the  Jews,  who  nevertheless  have  such  a 
 law  as  Exod.  xxiii.  5,  feel  no  sympathy  with 
 their  king;  the  Gentiles,  who  have  nowfull  free- 
 dom to  mock  and  pour  indignitv  upon  this 
 kingdom,  feel  no  sympathy  with  this  Messiah. 
 No  man  will  ta'ce  hold  of  his  cross:  neverthe- 
 less, in  order  tliat  the  crucifixion  may  not  be 
 delayed,  and  to  spare  him  for  greater  suffer- 
 ings, they  constrain,  by  magisterial  right  of 
 pressing,  a  stranger  coming  in  an  opposite  di- 
 rection'to  the  crowd  to  bear  the  iull  weight  of 
 the  cross.  No  where  is  there  compassion  in 
 all   the   multitude;    acclamation    rather,    and 
 
 *  As,  accordins  to  the  legend,  C'lrst  was  con. 
 demned  to  be  ciucified  with  the  mock  tokena  oi 
 king  y  dignity. 
 
648 
 
 THE  DAUGHTERS  OF  JERUSALEM. 
 
 merriment.  At  length,  one  voice  of  humanity 
 breaks  forth  :  only  women  indeed,  but  yet 
 women  who  mourn  over  and  bewail  him* — so 
 loudly,  that  their  smiting  npon  their  breasts 
 and  their  lamentations  drown  for  a  moment 
 the  tumult  of  the  mob.  Whether  or  not  the 
 Talmudical  ordinance,  that  there  was  to  be  no 
 loud  bewailing  at  an  execution,  was  in  exist- 
 ence— feeling  here  burst  through  all,  and  what 
 could  not  be  suppressed  must  have  its  course. 
 They  wei-e  not,  however,  the  women-disciples 
 from  Galilee  (Luke  ver.  49),  but  women  from 
 the  city,  belonging  to  the  crowd.  Neither 
 Luke's  statement,  nor  the  ensuing  word  of  our 
 Lord,  justifies  us  in  regarding  these  weeping 
 women  as  believing  dependents,  or  in  assum- 
 ing that  their  feeling  was  any  thing  more  than 
 the  human  impulse  of  woman's  stronger  sen- 
 sibility to  such  scenes  of  suffering.  Thus  it 
 was  not  "  the  outburst  of  nobler  feeling,  which 
 displayed  itself  most  unambiguously  m  thus 
 bewailing  him  whose  condemnation  was  the 
 cause  of  so  much  jov  to  the  rulers  and  the  rest 
 of  the  people."  Nor  does  Laiige  exhibit  it 
 rightly  :  "  Now  already  began  the  first  breath- 
 ings of  another  mind  to  be  felt;  these  were  the 
 early  signs  of  the  future  courage  of  the  cro^s." 
 Nor  does  the  language  of  Jesus  warrant  the 
 exposition  which  Killer  gives  :  "  P.rrtly  out  of 
 common  sympathy  and  pity,  for  tender  natures 
 are  ever  ready  to  mourn  over  the  wretched  ; 
 farily,  through  the  special  love  of  attracting 
 grace,  movin^r  those  whose  faith  in  Jesus  was 
 now  in  the  fire,  and  to  whom  he  was  deeply 
 precious."  We  must  always  maintain  that 
 these  women  did  not  weep  with  conscious  sor- 
 row over  the  unrighteousness  or  sin  of  what 
 v/as  done.  All  was  kindly  meant,  indeed,  on 
 their  part,  according  to  the  impulse  of  blind 
 nature  in  the  womanlv  feeling,  not  easily  ex- 
 cited to  wrath — thus  Braune  adds  the  interest- 
 ing observation,  that  "the  sacred  narrative  has 
 no  record  of  anv  woman's  enmity  against  the 
 Redeemer."!  Yet  they  felt  on  the  whole  and 
 collectively  only  what  was  human.  They 
 mourn  over  him,  indeed,  especially,  as  Luke 
 remarks;  and  therefore  their  feeling  is  not  pre- 
 cisely the  same  as  any  other  malefactor's  mel- 
 ancholy execution  would  have  excited:  but 
 there  is  no  proper  perception  of  his  innocence, 
 and  the  guilt  of  his  enemies,  in  their  minds. 
 "Their  sympathy  was  not  better  than  Simon 
 Peter's  enforced  and  violent  help" — Braune 
 admits,  but  then  adds  :  "  lie,  however,  hasten- 
 ed to  carry  his  feeling  into  action.  Did  these 
 women  do  the  same  ?  S>jmprUhj  often  disap- 
 pears more  speedily  than  its  tears  dry  up." 
 
 Nevertheless,  as  this  voce  of  human  com- 
 passion— which  is  perfectly  in  keeping  with  the 
 
 *  The  first  xai  before  ixcTtrovro  is  certainly 
 to  be  struck  out. 
 
 t  Sonclion  :  "It  was  resorved  for  our  timr>  in 
 which  hell,  conscious  of  tlie  coming  judgment 
 let  loose  all  its  furies,  to  exhibit  the  new  horror 
 of  even  women  lifting  np  their  feet  acainst  him." 
 Bui  compare  Acts  xiii.  50  witli  xvii.  12. 
 
 historical  truth  of  the  whole  narrative,  thttt 
 voice  being  never  wanting  amid  the  utmost 
 horrors— is  almost  a  refreshment  to  ourselves 
 while  we  read,  so  must  it  have  been  acceptatile 
 to  Jesus.  It  goes  to  his  heart ;  he  hears  it  and 
 is  once  more  moved  to  break  his  silence.  He 
 speaks  one  word,  and  that  of  itself  is  his  ac- 
 knowledgment. Otherwise,  however,  what  ha 
 speaks  rigorously  repels  their  weeping.  Ttius 
 he  rewards  them  by  the  most  fitting  word 
 which  he  could  utter  to  them  ;  and  this  cnrrcc- 
 tion  is  his  thanh. 
 
 Jesus  turned  unto  them,  turned  backward  to 
 them  a?  they  followed.  The  eyes  of  love,  which 
 had  been  sunk  deep  in  sorrow  because  sinners 
 rejected  his  love,  he  now  lifts  up  :  he  stand* 
 still,  and  all,  constrained  by  secret  power, 
 stand  ready  to  hear  his  words.  He  begins  to 
 speak — Ye  daughters  of  Jerusalem  :  and  aU 
 are  silent  and  hear  !  "  Gentle  as  was  the  ton© 
 of  his  voice,  the  words  which  he  spoke  have  an 
 earnest  and  almost  severe  tone  ;  not  like  grati- 
 tude for  their  sympathy  and  their  tears,  but 
 rather  like  a  reproof"  (Jacobi).  Yes,  indeed, 
 his  words  are  calmly  solemn  :  we  would  add, 
 keenly  penetrating.  The  men  had  thought — 
 What  matter  is  it  that  the  loomen  weep?  He 
 counts  these  women  worthy  of  a  word,  which 
 he  had  denied  before  king  Herod  !  But  what 
 he  says  is  for  them  and  for  all — the  last  french- 
 inq  of  repentance  on  his  way  of  death,  his  last 
 word  of  puiilic  teaching.  For  us  also  it  was 
 spoken  ;  and  his  words  should  be  preacheii  to 
 Christian  people,  especially  on  the  Palm  Sun- 
 day before  Good  Friday,  that  a  gi^nuine  Hosan- 
 na  may  prepare  the  way  for  the  King,  who  en- 
 ters as  tlie  man  of  sorrows.  It  is,  as  the  Berl. 
 Bibcl  says  with  partial  truth,  "  a  preaching  of 
 the  law  in  the  midst  of  the  Passion  ;  for  the 
 law  is  not  to  be  dismissed  from  the  history  of 
 the  atonement."  More  correctly  it  is  the  Pas- 
 sion-sermon of  Christ  himself  in  its  first  part, 
 which  the  seven  words  on  the  cro.ss  complete 
 by  a  second;  it  is  telling  the  daughter  of  Zion 
 m  the  best  sense  hoio  she  should  first  of  all  re- 
 ceive her  King.  It  is  at  the  same  time  the  text 
 tor  the  typical  symbol  of  Simon  the  Cyrenian, 
 with  which  Luke  connects  it:  and  we  may 
 primarily  embrace  them  thus — The  Lord  does 
 not  at  first  demand  our  sympathy,  but  our  suf- 
 terin;:;  together  with  him. 
 
 We  exhibit  thus  our  general  arrangement, 
 which,  like  the  word  itself,  points  throu<:h  the 
 historical  meaning  to  that  which  is  of  universal 
 application.  The  theme  is — The  true  significa- 
 tion of  the  suffering  of  Jesus  as  regarded  Jeru- 
 salem rejecting  him;  consisting  in  this,  that 
 not  Jesus  but  Jerusalem  falls  into  the  judirraent 
 which  alone  should  be  mourned  over.  First : 
 The  general  turning  of  tlieir  thoughts  from 
 himself  to  Jerusalem,  ver  28.  Secondly:  The 
 nearer  exhibition  of  the  judgment  impending 
 over  Jerusalem,  ver.  29  in  itself,  yet  with  re- 
 ference backward  to  what  should  precede — thr>n 
 in  ver.  30,  with  typical  prophetical  reference 
 •orward  to  the  final  judgment  upon  all  who 
 should  reject  him.     Thirdly,  in  ver.  31,  the  full 
 
LUKE  XXIIL  28. 
 
 explanatirn,  giving  the  ground  of  the  whole  : 
 the  difference  between  the  judgment  of  grace 
 andthatofAvratli  ;  spoken  not  without  a  glance 
 back  to  the  Baptist's  first  preaching  of  repent- 
 ance. 
 
 Verse  28.  Ye  daughters  of  Jerasa^^m— this 
 still  remains  a  term  of  honor,  here  as  in  Matt. 
 xxiii.  37,  where  Jerusalem  is  rebuked  and  con- 
 demned. Daughters  of  Jerusalem — his  first 
 word  is  a  prophetical  expression,  in  which  he 
 regards  these  women  as  representatives,  not 
 merely  of  Jerusalem,  but  of  tiie  whole  land 
 around  the  mother  city.  (Daughters  like  chil- 
 dren, Matt  xxiii.)  Read  the  whole  prophecy, 
 Isa.  chaps,  ii.  and  iii.,  especially  chap.  ii.  10, 
 19,  21,  iii.  16-24;  and  compare  furtlier  chap. 
 xxxii.  9.  Weep  not  for  me — he  thus  recognizes 
 and  acknowledges  that  their  tears  refer  to  him- 
 eelf,  and  so  far  their  slight  degree  of  spiritual 
 knowledge  ;  for  he  does  not  say — Weep  not  for 
 vs  three  malefactors  I  But  weep  for  yourselves  ; 
 that  is  not  at  once — For  your  coming  judgment. 
 Nor  is  it — For  your  own  people  ;  but  literally 
 and  strictly — For  yourselves,  for  that  which  is 
 now  on  ycu  and  in  you  most  properly  your 
 own,  that  is,  your  sin — that  ye  may  not  have 
 to  despair  in  your  own  judgment.  Tears  plen- 
 tiful were  shed  that  day  in  secret,  as  by  Peter  ; 
 but  these  were  not  such  tears.  Tears  on  ac- 
 count of  sin  are  the  Saviour's  joy  !  "  The  same 
 lips,  whose  gracious  breath  had  dried  so  many 
 tears,  now  cries  on  the  way  to  the  cross :  Weep 
 —for  yourselves  and  your  children"  (Drii- 
 seke).  It  is  the  only  time  in  all  his  life  that  he 
 commands  those  who  hear  him  to  weep. 
 
 The  ueeping  over  suffering  is  the  first  step  to 
 true  and  wholesome  sensibility  and  emotion — 
 over  our  own  suffering  and  then  in  sympathy 
 over  others'  as  our  own.  The  excitement  of 
 such  emotion  in  regard  to  the  Passion  of  our 
 Lord  is  humanly  true  and  therefore  good — why 
 else  is  the  Man  of  Sorrows  depicted  before  our 
 eyes  in  all  the  lineaments  ot'  his  grief?  We 
 should,  indeed,  rejoice  whenever  a  hard  heart 
 is  even  thus  moved  by  his  own  woes  :  but  that 
 is  no  more  than  the  mere  commencement,  out 
 of  which  very  much  more  must  spring.  The 
 Lord  forbids  not  weeping;  for  taking  up  the 
 word  he  commands  at  once — Weep  ye!  but  he 
 would  give  this  excited  emution  its  proper 
 direction,  and  its  right  object.  The  tears  of 
 mere  sympathy  are  of  no  avail.  Of  imre  sym- 
 pathy ?  Is  then  sympathy,  that  beautilul  im- 
 pulse of  otherwise  selfish  man,  not  right? 
 Should  we  not  weep  with  those  who  weep  ;  and 
 is  not  that  weeping  an  expression  of  love,  the 
 eource  of  many  virtues  ?  Yes,  verily  ;  the 
 sympathy  which  understands  aright,  and  goes 
 to  the  deep  foundation  of  the  reason  for  its 
 exercise.  But  mere  natural  sympathy  is  nei- 
 ther serviceable  nor  salutary  ;  it  is  involuntary, 
 and  therefore  an  impulse  of  pure  nature,  with- 
 out value  or  power.  Through  our  fleshy  effem- 
 inacy it  olten  leads  us,  on  the  one  hand,  to  a 
 weak  sympathy  with  injustice;  and,  on  the 
 other,  to  all  the  greater  hardness  of  heart,  if  we 
 fiuppress  our  feeling  and  thrust  away  Irom  us  | 
 
 its  object.  "  The  natural  man  can  weep  the 
 tears  of  sympathy  without  any  change  what- 
 ever being  produced  in  his  heart.  Such  soft- 
 ness and  good  nature  may  consist  with  sin  m 
 all  its  thousand  forms  ;  even  vanity  and  world- 
 liness  has  tears  of  sympathy  to  shed  ;  the  slave 
 of  fleshly  lusts  may  be  moved  to  tears,  and 
 then  go  the  same  hour  and  serve  his  sin" 
 (Jacobi). 
 
 Thus,  to  mourn  from  the  heart  over  sin, 
 which  is  the  people's  ruin,  and  to  recoc;nize  it 
 as  the  cau!5e  of  all  evil,  according  to  Lam.  iii. 
 39-41,  is  the  second  stage  :  then  first  do  we 
 weep  the  real  tears  of  truth.  The  transition  to 
 this  is  in  its  own  proper  feeling  for  self,  by 
 which  we  are  apprehended  when  he,  for  whom 
 we  weep,  says  to  u.s^Yea,  there  is  much  here 
 for  thee  to  weep  over,  but  on  thine  own  account. 
 Thus  the  Lord,  according  to  the  remark  of  Gro- 
 ti us,  "regards  the  general  tendency  of  men, 
 who  weep  more  for  their  own  than  for  others' 
 calamity."  Such  penitent  suffering  for  sin 
 should  be  excited  within  us  by  every  personal 
 calamity,  as  the  type  and  beginning  of  its 
 future  condemnation,  Jer.  ii.  19.  But  this, 
 alas!  seldom  takes  place;  because  our  false 
 egoism,  disturbed  and  provoked  but  not  broken 
 by  calamity,  hinders  our  deeper  reflection  upon 
 what  conduces  to  our  peace  and  what  leads  to 
 destruction.  Then  should  sin  become  more 
 plain  to  our  eyes,  if  possible,  in  the  sufl'erings  of 
 others.  Where  there  exists  a  higher  necessity 
 of  suffering,  our  knowledge  of  that  should  rule 
 our  sympathy  and  make  it  fruitful.  See,  this 
 sinner  suffers  his  punishment — Think  of  thine 
 own  sin  I  This  is  the  voice  v;hich  we  should 
 hear  at  every  execution,  whether  of  human  or 
 divine  justice  upon  others.  But,  finally,  it  ia 
 our  Lord's  will  that  even  his  guiltless  sufiering 
 lor  the  world's  sin  should  preach  to  us  the  sin 
 of  the  world  and  our  own ;  for  he  who  learns 
 not  to  weep  over  his  sin,  will  one  day  fall  into 
 that  condemnation  which  will  abide  forever  as 
 properly  and  alone  to  be  mourned.  But  the 
 recognition  of  sin  as  the  cause  of  Christ's  suffer- 
 ing also,  leads  first  to  the  profoundest,  most 
 thorough  weeping  over  the  sufiering  which  we 
 have  inflicted  on  eternal  love,  in  order  to  the 
 perfecting  of  our  repentance;*  and  then,  imme- 
 diately, in  most  living  transition,  to  joy  over 
 those  redeeming  sufferings  which  have  obtain- 
 ed eternal  glory — to  that  word  of  triumph, 
 Weep  not,  he  hath  overcome  I  We  do  not 
 merely  mourn,  we  do  not  always  mourn;  to  us 
 also  sorrow  is  the  w:iy  to  joy,  as  suffering  was 
 to  him  the  way  to  glory.  For,  does  not  the 
 same  suffering  of  the  Just  One  manitest  to  us 
 the  highest  love  in  order  to  our  forgiveness 
 and  salvation?  In  truth,  the  cross  of  Christ 
 does  not  merely  preach  to  us  the  condemnation 
 and  punishment  of  sin,  but  also  the  blessed 
 glad  tidings  of  grace.     If  the  Lord's  word  to 
 
 *  Schoberlein :  "  He  is  grieved  at  heart,  not 
 merely  for  havinsf  insulted  the  d;vine  majesty,  but 
 at  the  same  time  for  having  brought  the  diviue 
 love  to  suffering." 
 
650 
 
 THE  DAUGHTERS  OF  JEHrSALEM. 
 
 the  daughters  of  Jerusalem  does  not  include 
 this  as  yet,  but  ends  with  the  threatening  of 
 judgment,  yet  it  would  save  through  threaten- 
 ing, lead  to  joy  through  repentance,  excite  its 
 true  tears  to  dry  them  again.  The  whole  say- 
 ing, especially  its  first  words — Weep  not  for 
 me,  hut  weep  for  yourselves — is  spoken  tor  all 
 mankind  out  of  the  depths  of  the  fundamental 
 thoughts  which  we  have  developed.  He  him- 
 self had  only  wept  over  Jerusalem  when  he 
 entered  it;  and  his  farewell  words  coincide 
 with  those  of  chap.  xix.  42-44,  almost  repeating 
 them.  He  has  nothing  else  in  his  thoughts 
 but  the  salvation  or  ttie  ruin  of  his  people,  of 
 mankind  ;  of  that  alone  he  speaks  here  ;  he 
 forgets  and  renounces  himself  in  his  profound- 
 est  personal  sorrow;  and  will  have  sin  alone 
 bewailed,  on  account  of  its  inevitable  doom. 
 
 Christ's  suffering  is  not  to  be  mourned  over 
 on  its  own  accou:it  ;  and  our  suffering  with 
 and  in  Christ,  while  it  begins  with  weeping, 
 brings  joy  in  the  end.  Only  the  suffering  of 
 those  who  are  condemned  out  of  Christ,  the 
 misery  of  the  rejected  rejectors,  is  essentially 
 matter  of  weeping — that  is,  for  him  and  for  us; 
 to  the  rejectors  themselves  there  is  despair 
 without  tears,  rather  than  salutary  weeping. 
 The  Pasdon  of  Chrht  is  no  tragic  spectacle  to 
 move  men's  hearts  ;  the  history  of  his  suffer- 
 ings is  not  recorded  to  excite  humnn  and  senti- 
 mental feeling.  Meditations  o!  that  kind  on 
 the  Passion  are  not  really  such  at  all,  thouirh 
 whole  books  are  full  of  them.  Christ  is  infi- 
 nitely exalted  above  our  weeping  on  liisaccount; 
 and  wills  not  to  be  mourned  over.  "  Who  can 
 worthily  bewail  him?"  But  he  does  not  reject 
 this  commiseration  for  the  reason  that  harsh 
 dogmatics  sometimes  assign,  "  because  he  re- 
 gards himself  in  his  present  condition  as  one  for 
 whom  sympathy  is  unbefitting,  and  as  being 
 unworthy  of  it  on  account  of  the  curse  and 
 wrath  of  God  resting  upon  him."  For  if  he 
 himself  weeps  over  the  doom  of  the  damned, 
 how  can  we  speak  so  hardly  of  the  wrath  of 
 God  ?  But  because  the  counsel  of  God  leads 
 him  to  victory  and  glory,  there  is  no  need  for 
 weeping  on  his  account ;  but-  much  on  our 
 own  ;  so  that  we,  weeping  for  ourselves,  may 
 be  partakers  with  him  of  his  victory  in  the 
 only  way  in  which  we  can  share  it.  Only  when 
 the  "  for  us  "  penetrates  our  hearts,  can  we  ex- 
 perience the  Passion-sorrow  and  engage  in 
 Passion-meditations ;  and  know  the  grief  of 
 Luke  ver.  48  alterwards,  as  the  preparation  for 
 the  Pentecost.  But  the  lamentation  of  the 
 daughters  of  Jerusalem  hail  not  this  meaning 
 (theretore  Luke  writes  only  tHonroyro  here, 
 and  adds  not  rd  6T},0)/y  or  lii  r«  6n]Qtj  eav- 
 Tc^y).*  They  knew  iiim  in  some  general  sense 
 as  relatively  guiltless;  but  they  knew  him  not 
 as  the  absolutely  ji.st,  as  the  Holy  One  of  God, 
 who  is  offered  up,  and  offers  up  himself — had 
 there  been  moroof  that  in  their  tears,  they  would 
 
 *  So   in  tlio  Ileb.  N.  T.  it  incorrectly  siand.s ; 
 
 \n'zh  h'i  nispinp. 
 
 have  wept  in  still  and  solemn  silence  ;  enter- 
 ing into  themselves  they  would  have  mournpd 
 without  any  xuTtTEebai  of  excited  feeling, 
 which  nevertheless  was  no  smiting  of  tlieir 
 own  breasts.  At  most  they  thousrhi :  "  Alas  ! 
 the  innocent  one  !  who  can  convict  him  of  sin? 
 He  has  told  our  ru'ers  the  truth,  and  they 
 theivfore  crucify  him."  But  that  truth  itself, 
 which  he  had  not  told  merely  the  rulers, 
 but  themselves  also,  they  knew  not.  They 
 knew  not  themselves,  and  what  in  themselves 
 was  to  be  mourned  over  ;  they  knew  not  the 
 sin  of  Jerusalem  and  God's  people  in  sucii  a 
 manner  as  to  see  their  own  sin  in  it.  The  first 
 thing — to  know  Jesus  himself^he  requires  not 
 as  yet  at  the  beginning  ;  that  will  be  preached 
 afterwards.  But  the  second — to  know  tltem- 
 »e!ves — he  really  makes  the  _^?-s/!,  and  requires 
 it  rightly  from  every  one.  No  one,  indet-d,  at 
 least  no  dweller  in  Jerusalem  could  honestly 
 regard  him  as  a  malefactor,  or  as  such  as  he 
 now  appeared  ;  but  every  conscience  might  and 
 should  have  discerned  and  felt  his  own  sin  in 
 the  fearful  sin  of  the  multitude  rejecting  him. 
 Oh,  that  many  in  our  day  would  think  of  thi.-j ! 
 For  to  know  Jesus  (as  a  supposed  Redeemer) 
 without  knowing  ourselves,  is  a  melancholy 
 delusion  of  carnal  security-,  to  know  ourselves 
 without  knowing  Jesus — can  only  lead  to  des- 
 pair. Most  assuredly  the  glorified  Lord  needs 
 no  more  any  lamentation  of  ours  ;  but  we  need 
 to  lament  over  ourselves  that  he  may  enter 
 into  us,  and  in  order  to  that  our  first  need  is 
 that  repentance  which  he  here  preaches  at  the 
 end,  as  he  had  bei'un  bv  preacliing  it.  What 
 the  Baptist  had  said  to  the  unlruiliul  trees,  he 
 now  says  to  the  dry. 
 
 But  that  repentance  which  he,  as  the  suffer- 
 ing Saviour,  preaches  and  works,  is  neverthe- 
 le.ss  (as  is  here  hinted  in  undertone)  something 
 different  from  that  first  still  selfish  weeping  on 
 account  of  wrath  and  punishment — "since  it 
 makes  the  nympathizin'j  narrow  of  divine  love  in 
 some  sense  its  own,"  as  Schoberlein  profoundly- 
 and  yet  simply  says.  That  first  sympathy  with 
 Jesus  should  be  in  us  elevated  and  glorified 
 into  a  truly  intelligent  entering  into  his  sym- 
 pathy  of  sorrow  with  us. 
 
 For  yourselves  and  for  ymr  children — he 
 adds;  not  without  sad  remembrance  of  the 
 people's  word,  Matl.  xxvii.  2').  He  thereby 
 indicates  already  the  (not  mentioned,  but 
 easily-understood)  xin  which  should  be  bewail- 
 ed, as  one  which  would  he  ]>ropa;/afed  from  gene- 
 ration to  generation,  and  the  judgment  there- 
 fore as  one  which  svould  burst  upon  mothers 
 and  children  alike. 
 
 Verse  29.  }^''or — the  judgment  will  infallibly 
 come.  Thus  the  Lord  testifies  by  his  prophetic 
 MiM.  The  intervening  thought  in  this  con- 
 nection is  obviously  the  pre-suppositiun  that 
 space  will  be  given,  between  now  and  that 
 judgment,  for  the  repentance  of  all  who  would 
 escape  that  judgment.  It  is  true  that  the  Lord 
 in  ver.  28  requires  them  to  weep  for  the  judg- 
 ment which  would  surely  and  swiftly  follow  the 
 Bin ;  and  his  words  would  apj)ear  to  go  ou — Do  - 
 
LUKE  XXIII.  29. 
 
 651 
 
 ye  ask  me  what  there  is  then  in  yourselves 
 which  is  so  much  to  be  bewailed?  Behold,  I 
 fovetell  to  you  that  which  I  already  behold,  the 
 impending  destruction.  This  is  the  application 
 to  (hf>ir  own  anxiety  for  self,  which  weeps  most 
 rendily  over  its  own  misery.  But  when  we 
 look  more  closely,  there  is  a  change  in  his 
 meaning — He  who  weeps  in  anticipation  over 
 the  condemnation  of  his  sin,  impending  and 
 pointed  out  beforehand,  already  weeps  with 
 penitent  faith  in  God's  righteousness  and  truth, 
 over  sin,  over  hhnaelf  in  the  true  sense  ;  and 
 thus  escapes  the  judgment.  Or  when  this,  as  in 
 the  present  case,  is  to  come  externally  upon  a 
 whole'land  and  people,  and  therefore  to  befall 
 the  penitent  also  with  the  rest,  he  will  be  de- 
 livered from  the  wrafh  of  the  judgment ;  it  wdl 
 not  be  to  him  a  judicial  and  wrathful  condem- 
 nation. It  will  not  be  the  doom  of  despair. 
 All  this  is  contained  in  the  Lord's  words,  if  we 
 understand  them  in  their  simple  and  easily- 
 intelligible  application  to  the  ca?e  in  hand. 
 Hence  it  is  now  only  "  they  shall  say,"  and  in 
 ver.  30,  "  they  will  begin  to  say " — by  no 
 means,  Ye  shall  say  or  make  answer.  For  with 
 those  who  receive  the  exhortation  to  weep  noio, 
 it  will  be  more  tolerable,  although  they  might 
 be  involved  in  the  general  tribulation  ;  they 
 shall  find  a  far  better  refuge  and  covering. 
 Btngel  very  incorrectly  supplements  the  kpov6t 
 — "They  will  say,  i.  e.  your  ehildnn  ;  "  as  if 
 thcM  would  then  curse  their  mothers,  and  there- 
 by their  own  birth  and  being.  We  cannot  see 
 to  what  end  he  makes  this  restriction.  But 
 neither  must  we  extend  thedistinction  between 
 those  who  will  "say"  tlien  and  those  who 
 weep  now,  to  signity  that  their  weeping  for 
 JiUHH  was  already  a  security  against  thf^  judg- 
 ment in  their  own  case,  as  being  the  token  of 
 their  real  repentance  and  better  feeling.  No, 
 the  Lord  does  not  in  the  following  "  they  shall 
 say"  speak  merely  oi  his  enemies  in  contradis- 
 tmction  to  those  who  were  now  weeping  ;  for 
 in  that  case  there  would  be  no  meaning  m  the 
 first  words — Weep  tor  yourselves ;  and  the  "for" 
 would  simply  tell  them  to  weep  for  their  peo- 
 ple and  their  land.  He  could  not  then  have 
 blamed  and  rejected  their  weeping  hr  him,  that 
 being  their  salvation  from  wrath  and  from 
 judgment^  Oh,  no  ;  it  is  the  very  point  of  the 
 severity  of  his  words,  that  this  mere  weeping 
 for  him  and  not  for  themselves  would  not  by 
 any  means  save  the  weepers  ;  that  it  was  idle 
 and  useless  in  itself,  unless  it  led  to  deeper  re- 
 pentance. Thus  these  mourners  themselves  re- 
 main included  in  the  thredteni/tg,  on  the  suppo- 
 sition that  they  learn  not  to  weep  for  them- 
 selves ;  while  they  are  excepted  from  it,  if  they 
 go  on  to  repentance.  They  are,  on  the  suppo- 
 position  of  their  penitence,  at  once  included  in 
 the  external  tribulation  which  would  befall 
 Jerusalem,  and  excluded  from  the  despair  which 
 would  seize  upon  others  in  that  tribulation.  It 
 is  to  intimate  these  two  things  that  the  word  is 
 thus  indefinite.  The  judgment  is  threatened 
 as  impending  and  near — that  their  repentance 
 might  be  awakened;  yet  it  is  uot  immediately 
 
 and  expressly  denounced  against  these  persons 
 — to  give  them  room  for  repentance.  Thus 
 alone  is  the  kpov6i  rightly  understood:  it  is 
 not  merely  "  it  shall  be  said  ;  "  still  less  a  con- 
 trast of  othe^-  persons  who  should  say;  nor  is 
 it  a  decisive  ^palrs,  ye  shall  say  for  yourselves. 
 When  the  Lord  by  the  prophetic  "  the  days 
 are  coming  " — D^Xzi  D''P'   npT} — repeats,  as  it 
 
 were,  the  prophecy  of  the  entry,  chap.  xix.  43, 
 he  continues  it  by  dwelling  on  the  last  word — 
 and  your  children.  It  is  thereby  indicated  that 
 these  children  then  adult  (or  those  afterwards 
 born  of  the  present  ddughters  oi  Jerusalem), 
 and  with  them  at  least  many  of  their  mothers, 
 will  live  to  the  days  of  that  judgment,  and, 
 moreover,  the  word  affectingly  paints  the  mis- 
 ery of  the  mothers  especially  as  having  those 
 children.  At  such  a  time  of  distress  the  rule 
 of  prosperous  days  is  reversed.  In  these  the 
 unfruitful  are  bewailed,  the  mothers  are  con- 
 gratulated ;  but  then  it  will  be  said  (otherwise 
 than  the  usual  language) — Wee  unto  them 
 that  are  with  child,  and  to  them  that  give  suck 
 in  those  days  (chap.  xxi.  23).  The  Lord  in 
 this  proverbial  expression  alludes  to  Hos.  ix. 
 14;  where  in  vers.  11-13  and  again  ver.  1(5, 
 such  destruction  is  denounced  against  the  chil- 
 dren in  which  fruitful  Ephraim  gloried  as  "  be- 
 loved Iruit"  (D:03  '\ICnp),  so  that  it  v.'ould  be 
 
 rather  to  be  wished  that  God  had  given  them 
 "  miscarrying  wombs  and  dry  breasts."  He 
 irKjludes,  at  the  same  time,  with  the  misery  of 
 the  generation  grown  up  in  the  interval  (as  we 
 have  shown  upon  Luke  xix.),  the  frightful 
 literal  fulfillment  of  the  ancient  prophecies  and 
 types,  in  the  horrible  cruelty  of  the  foe  upon 
 i\\Q  little  chii Ire !i  who  would  then  be  in  exist- 
 ence. His  words,  finally,  are  uttered  in  that 
 mother-feeling,  with  which  he  would  have 
 gathered  the  children  of  Jerusalem  under  his 
 wings;  intentionally  exciting  and  moving  the 
 womanly  and  motherly  sensibility,  even  while 
 he  is  pointing  this  excited  semihilily  to  its 
 proper  object  and  ground.  Not  that  the  moth- 
 ers are  selected  as  representing  "  the  loving 
 souls  among  his  people,"  for  whom  such  bitter 
 tribulation  was  in  store,  this  being  interpreted 
 of  more  than  natural  and  human  love  ;  but  he 
 does  indeed  touch  this  human  feeling,  in  order 
 to  excite  its  keenest  emotion,*  in  that  point 
 where  as  sympathy  and  comjxission  it  malces  the 
 Iruit  of  the  body  one  with  self.  Again,  and  it 
 is  to  be  observed  as  expressing  his  own  per- 
 sonal feeling  and  its  sparing  tenderness,  lie  does 
 not  positively  say,  Woe  to  the  mothers  who 
 have  children  !  but,  Blensed  will  be  those  wiio 
 have  not.  Pfenninger  beautifully  represents  a 
 woman  as  reminding   Mary  afterwards,  wheu 
 
 *  It  is  one  of  those  few  p:issases  in  which  .Jesus 
 speaks  expressly  to  tiie  sensibilities — wheielore 
 else  the  mention  of  the  womb  which  bare  and 
 the  breasts  which  gave  suck.  It  is  so  liere,  ob- 
 viously because  he  .speaks  to  weeping  woiu'ii,  and 
 because  he  would  use  and  uive  a  belter  applicaliou 
 to  the  feeling  which  he  moved. 
 
THE  DAUGHTERS  OF  JERUSALEM. 
 
 this  account  was  read,  of  what  had  been  spoken 
 in  Luke  xi.  27,  28 ;  whereupon  Mary  exhorts 
 them,  "  Then  keep,  ye  daughters  of  Jerusalem, 
 the  word  which  he  said  to  you."  But  the  men 
 who  were  around  must  also  hear  the  word,  and 
 understand  that  judgment  and  sin  should  be 
 bewailed  on  their  own  account  and  on  account 
 of  their  children,  upon  whom  both  pass  over — 
 a  very  touching  and  powerful  reflection  for  all 
 preaching  of  repentance.  The  Lord  did  not 
 lift  up  his  voice  as  a  trumpet  when  he  uttered 
 this  prediction  of  judgment;  but  his  words 
 were  loud  enough  for  the  hearing  of  all  the 
 silent  multitude  around. 
 
 He  spoke  expressly  and  primarily  of  the 
 judgment  of  Jerusalem  and  Israel ;  yet  he 
 contemplated  and  referred  to  that  which  was 
 shadowed  out  in  this  historical  type — the  judg- 
 ment of  all  the  impenitent  and  of  all  unbeliev- 
 ers in  common,  down  to  the  last.  How  could 
 be  have  withheld,  at  such  a  crisis,  such  an  en- 
 largement of  his  circle  of  vision?  His  v/ord 
 is  not  merely  the  voice  of  a  Cassandra ;  he  does 
 not  speak  thus  only  as  a  "friend  of  his  coun- 
 try," but  as  the  Saviour  of  the  world,  as  is 
 more  plainly  shown  in  the  ensuing  words.  As 
 he  bears  with  his  cross  the  sins  of  all  the  world, 
 so  does  he  behold  not  his  people's  misery,  sin, 
 and  punishment  alone,  but  the  condemnation 
 of  all  the  condemned  together. 
 
 Verse  30.  The  same  persons  do  not  con- 
 tinue to  speak,  as  (he  apc.ovrai,  "  they  shall 
 begin,"  proves  ;  but  this  new  word  is  the  uni- 
 versal answer  to  the  preceding,  which  fearfully 
 surpas-es  it — Verily,  unblessed  are  we  ;  all  of 
 us,  whether  we  bemoan  our  children,  or  only 
 ourselves.  To  mark  the  highest  degree  of  this 
 misery,  where  despair  begins,  there  is  once 
 more  a  scriptural,  proverbial,  and  figurative 
 saying — the  calling  upon  the  mountains  and 
 hills  lor  protection  within  them ;  and  that  in 
 vain,  as  is  self-understood.  The  word  is  taken 
 from  a  passage  in  the  same  prophet  Hosea,  in 
 ■which  Samaria  was  doomed  even  as  Jeru- 
 salem, become  like  her,  is  doomed  now.  We 
 read  in  chap.  x.  8,  And  they  shall  say  (o  the 
 mountains,  Cover  us;  and  to  the  hills,  Fall  on 
 vs  ;  and  with  this  is  connected  the  echo  of  Isa. 
 ii.  10,  19.  21— the  humbling  of  the  proud  daugh- 
 ters of  Zion  following  in  chap.  iii.  Thus  we 
 see  once  m.ore  the  Scrijiture  .spread  open,  in  its 
 concert  and  harmony  of  p?ssages  from  many 
 parts,  before  the  Lord's  eyes  ;  and  in  the  midst, 
 too,  of  his  sufferings.  In  that  Scripture  he  had 
 ever  had  his  being  ;  in  its  words,  become  now 
 supremely  and  essentially  his  own,  he  thought 
 and  felt  down  to  the  last.  But  it  is  remark- 
 able, as  we  have  just  seen,  tliat  the  Lord  in- 
 verts tlie  order  of  words  of  Hosea,  and  makes, 
 as  it  were,  an  anti-climax  out  of  them;  the 
 01(1-T<'stament  word  being  deepened  into  a 
 meaning  which,  however,  perfectly  corresponds 
 with  it  in  sjiirit.  The  doomed  first  wish  for 
 utter  destruction  under  the  mountains  ;  and 
 then,  forasmuch  as  tliis  is  vain,  they  desire,  in 
 terror  before  the  majesty  of  the  Judge,  to  hide 
 themselves  under  the  "hills.    The  Lord  ends  with 
 
 this  "hide  ;"  he  does  not  continue  the  words 
 of  Isaiah;  for  it  is  self-understood — before  whom. 
 It  required,  if  the  whole  truth  were  spoken 
 down  to  its  final  fulfillment,  that  he  should 
 name  himself  as  this  Judge  who  should  come. 
 Yea,  verily,  he  is  the  future  Judge  even  on  the 
 way  of  redemption  ;  and,  that  he  must  condemn 
 so  many  who  will  not  be  redeemed,  is  his  deep 
 sorrow  on  sorrow.  Therefore  he  breaks  off, 
 and  in  his  grief  does  not  expressly  say  that 
 before  him  such  terror  will  seize  all  who  then 
 and  thereafter  should  cry — Aicay  with  him. 
 But  the  Holy  Spirit  in  Rev.  vi.  16  most  signif- 
 icantly brings  to  mind  this  word  of  the  Sa- 
 viour's threatening  on  his  way  of  sorrow,  and 
 completes  it — Cover  us  from  the  face  of  him 
 who  sitteth  upon  the  throne;  and  from  the 
 (now  aroused)  wrath  of  the  (once  patiently 
 for  us  suffering)  Lamb.  Such  terror  and  amaze- 
 ment has  the  refuge  of  tears  no  longer;  it  is 
 infinitely  worse  than  that  salutary  weeping 
 which  is  now  commanded  in  order  to  escape 
 from  future  howling  and  gnashing  of  teeth. 
 Then  will  they  begin  their  terror — then  at  last 
 — but  the  better  beginning  of  repentance  they 
 would  never  enter  upon  while  it  availed. 
 Therefore  their  terror  will  be  only  the  begin- 
 ning, the  torment  of  eternity  to  ensue  will 
 cease  no  more.  This  is  the  inmost  meaning  for 
 the  final  consummation  of  judgment,  which  is 
 only  fbreshjidowed  by  the  doom  of  Jerusalem. 
 Then  first,  but  too  late — Oh,  that  they  had  in 
 former  time  voluntarily  humbled  themselves 
 before  the  majesty  of  their  God  I  The  historical 
 and  actual  specific  fulfillment  of  the  figure, 
 when,  according  to  Josephus,  the  inhabitants 
 of  Jerusalem  tied  for  refuge  to  subterraneous 
 passages  and  sewers,  and  literally  were  hidden 
 under  the  hills  of  their  city,  is  the  least  thing: 
 the  meaning  of  the  word  reaches  much  further. 
 Bengel :  "  Men  have  often  been  concealed  in 
 mountains.  Gnat  terror  is  there,  when  that 
 which  is  horrible  in  itself  is  desired  as  a  place 
 of  safety."  But  this  is  the  terror  of  despair. 
 The  sinner  falling  into  the  condemnation  of 
 wrath  mourns  not  merely  over  the  children, 
 to  whom  with  life  he  has  given  sin,  tlie  others 
 whom  he  has  involved  with  his  doom  ;  but  be- 
 fore all  things  curses  his  own  life  and  being: 
 he  would,  as  far  as  in  him  lay,  rather  exist  no 
 longer,  as  Rev.  ix.  G  further  explains  the  word. 
 But  it  will  then  be  told  them,  that  those  who 
 seek  death  shall  not  find  it  ;  that  they  may  de- 
 sire to  die,  but  death  will  fiee  from  tliera. 
 They  are  preserved  and  spared  tor  the  greater 
 terror — Oli,  that  we  could  be  delivered  Irom  a 
 sight  of  his  covnttnaiice !  The  prayer  to  the 
 rocks,  to  cold  and  dead  nature,  is  in  vain;  for 
 (as  Baxter  somewhere  says)  "  thou  hast  made 
 the  Lord  ol  the  hills  thine  enemy;  his  voice, 
 and  not  thine,  they  will  obey."  Oh,  tiiat  tiiou 
 hadst,  while  there  was  yet  time,  called  upon 
 him  to  save  and  hide  thee  from  the  coming 
 wrath  ! 
 
 Verse  3L  This  future  judgment  of  wrath 
 is  now  as  a  warning  shown  forth  even  in  con- 
 nection with  the  present  judgment  of  morcy 
 
LUKE  XXIII.  31. 
 
 which  proceeds  upon  Jesus  in  his  sufferings ; 
 for  that  which  is  common  to  both  is  the  judg- 
 ment, the  righteous  severity  of  God  against 
 sin.  Yet  the  connection  is  exhibited  only  in 
 such  a  manner  that  we  must  draw  the  iifer- 
 ence  from  the  one  to  the  other  by  a  how  much 
 more,  making  plain  the  great  distinction  be- 
 tween them  at  the  same  time.*  We  find  in 
 this  conclusive  utterance  our  Lord's  own  de- 
 cisive protest  against  that  identity  which  is 
 assumed  in  a  certain  theology  between  the  full 
 ■wrath  of  God  and  his  own  sufferings  ;  and  for 
 the  position,  which  should  need  no  argument  to 
 establish  it,  that  he  who  sinks  into  despair  and 
 damnation  through  his  own  sin  endures  a  dif- 
 ferent suffering  from  that  which  the  Redeemer 
 endured,  and  which  we  share  with  him  for  our 
 sanctification  and  life. 
 
 But  before  we  deduce  this  from  the  simple 
 •word  before  us,  we  must  do  the  great  Bengel 
 the  honor  to  set  aside  his  strange  misinterpre- 
 tation, which  has  been  followed  by  only  a  few. 
 He  understood  by  the  dry  wood  or  tree,  old, 
 feeble,  and  unfruitful  people,  in  opposition  to 
 those  who  were  yet  young  and  vigorous — ap- 
 pealing to  Isa.  Ivi.  3;  Ezek.  xxxi.  3.  He  re- 
 ceived all  in  the  external,  literal  sense  ;  and 
 supposed  ver.  31  to  be  a  continuation  of  ver. 
 30,  expressing  the  amazement  of  those  whom 
 this  misery  should  befall.  If  the  enemy  thus 
 deals  with  the  young,  as  we  see — what  have 
 we  aged  to  expect?  In  the  German  New 
 Testament  he  defines  the  matter  very  simply  : 
 in  ver.  30  the  barren,  who  were  counted  happy, 
 reply,  and  then  in  ver.  31  liken  themselves 
 to  a  dry  tree,  as  the  fruitful  to  a  green.  For 
 "when  Jerusalem  fell,  the  aged  and  useless 
 would  find  less  mercy  from  the  Romans  than 
 the  young  and  the  strong."  Apart  from  the 
 questionableness  of  this  last  remark,!  the 
 whole  exposition  (which  some  might  be  ready 
 to  embrace,  in  order  to  escape  from  ours)  has 
 nothing  less  than  the  whole  saying  against  it. 
 After  the  word  of  amazement,  ver.  30 — mani- 
 festly the  last  which  mortal  could  speak — it 
 seems  in  the  highest  degree  inappropriate  to 
 represent  these  despairing  souls  as  beginning 
 again  with  the  feeble  conclusion — For  how 
 will  it  be  with  us.  Equally  so  to  represent 
 the  Lord  as  having  closed  his  words  with 
 such  an  expression  of  the  wretched,  so  de- 
 finitely describing  the  judgment  of  Jerusalem 
 We  expect,  and  should  then  find  strangely 
 
 *  Not  as  Krummacher  dispatches  tliis  word,  so 
 unfavorable  to  his  doctrine  of  substitution  :  "  That 
 which  passes  upon  him  must  be  of  the  same  na- 
 ture witli  that  which  is  threatened  against  the  un- 
 godly." Perfectly  and  entirely  the  same  it  cer- 
 tainly is  vot — that  is  as  clear  as  day  in  the  very 
 progression  and  conclusion  of  the  sentence. 
 
 t  For  we  cannot  see  why  the  old  should  endure 
 greater  cruelty.  Hillsr,  who  always  follows  Ben- 
 gel, only  brings  out — "  Those  who  pierce  the 
 young  and  vigorous  with  the  sword,  will  not  spare 
 the  oil."  Ctaip.— neut.  xxviii.  50;  Lam.  v.  12; 
 ISa.  xlvii.  6 ;  but  also  Isa.  xiii.  16-18. 
 
 lacking,  something  said  about  his  own  present 
 sufferings — for  they  Avere  the  subject  now. 
 Though  they  were  not  to  weep  over  his  suffer- 
 ings, yet  they  should  rightly  contemplate  and 
 understand  them  ;  nor  could  some  reference  to 
 this  be  wanting  here.  But  the  first  and  most 
 immediate  influence  by  which  Christ's  suffer- 
 ings arouse  us  to  repentance,  is  this,  that  they 
 point  out  to  us  a  suffering  on  account  of  sin; 
 and  teach  us  to  conclude  how  awful  must  be 
 the  wrath  of  judgment  unto  eternal  condem- 
 nation, if  the  judgment  of  saving  suffering, 
 purchasing  grace  and  redemption,  and  abso- 
 lutely necessary  to  our  salvation,  is  so  severe. 
 This  remains  the  necessary  conclusion,  without 
 which  the  whole  saying  would  lack  its  appro- 
 priate close.  This  penetrates  at  last  the  whole 
 depth  of  his  meaning,  as  he  connects  the  pre- 
 dicted condemnation  with  the  lamentation 
 which  was  before  his  eyes,  in  such  a  manner 
 as  the  case  required.  On  the  other  hand,  how 
 superficial  and  feeble  would  be  the  termination 
 of  the  discourse  according  to  Bengel's  interpre- 
 tation.* 
 
 We  have  in  the  Old  and  New  Testaments 
 clear  parallels  for  the  meaning  of  this  sayino:, 
 Jer.  xlix.  12;  Prov.  xi.  31,  and  1  Peter  iv.  17, 
 18;  in  which  last  passage  the  sufferings  of 
 Christians  with  and  in  Christ,  consequently  the 
 sufferings  of  Christ  himself,  appear  to  be  re- 
 garded as  a  commencing  judgment.  It  is  gen- 
 erally acknowledged  that  the  Lord  by  the  green 
 tree  signifies  himself,  and  by  r  a  l  r  a  it  o^ov- 
 6 1  v  ,'\{  they  do  these  things,  refers  to  Ihe 
 sufferings  which  the  women  wept  over.  The 
 connection  of  the  present  figure  with  the  former 
 words  is  very  slight,  merely  that  which  the 
 unfruitfulness  and  fruitfulness  might  suggest. 
 He  refers  once  more  to  passages  of  Scripture, 
 combined  together  ;  but  it  is  probable  that  he 
 thought  of  the  cross,  the  dry  tree  of  the  curse, 
 when  he  chose  the  expression.  See  what  was 
 said  in  Ezek.  xvii.  24,  with  another  application, 
 concerning  the  drying  up  of  the  seemingly 
 green  tree,  but  the  maki-ng  of  the  seemingly 
 dry  tree  to  flourish  ;  in  a  type  which  manifestly 
 po'lnts  to  the  judgment  of  the  enemies  and  the 
 kingdom  of  Christ.  This  will  make  it  plain 
 that  the  Lord  here  calls  himself  the  condemned 
 green  tree,  that  is,  the  Righteous  One  suffering 
 on  account  of  sin  the  judgment  of  God,  while 
 those  others  are  the  unrighteous  who  deserve  to 
 be  plucked  up  by  the  roots  (Jude  ver.  12). 
 That,  further,  is  the  plain  interpretation  of 
 Ezek.  XX.  47,  where  the  fire  burns  up  without 
 distinction  all  trees,  green  and  dry  ;t  that  is, 
 according  to  chap.  xxi.  3,  the  righteous  and  the 
 ungodly  are  cut  off  alike.  Von  Gerlach  em- 
 braces this  full  meaning:  "If  the  green  and 
 fruit-bearing  trees  are  rooted  up,  it  is  a  sign 
 
 *  l^hXov  like  J*y  a'so  equivalent  to  tree — 
 vyp(2  is  in  the  Vulg.  vindi,  comp.  3i3"l,  Job 
 viii.  16. 
 
 t  Or,  "  the  rod  of  my  son,  it  despiseth  every 
 tree,"  as  chap.  xxi.  should  be  translated. 
 
654 
 
 THE  DAUGHTERS  OF  JERUSALEM. 
 
 that  all  treo?  are  to  be  destroypd  ;  and  thus,'  and  salvation  in  and  through  Christ  cftuld  noi 
 most  certain!}'  and  above  all,  the  dry  trees,  take  place  otherwise  than  by  such  sufferings  on 
 When  in  the  hidden  purposes  of  the  divine  his  part !  This  alone  is  the  right  and  salutary 
 counsel  of  salvation,  the  pious  are  cut  off,  it  is  contemplation  of  Christ's  «orro\v  and  Passion  ; 
 a  sign  of  fearful  judgment  and  doom  lor  the  it  is  this  which  he  points  to,  instead  of  an  un- 
 ungodly."  But,  it  is  of  importance  to  look  intel'.igent  and  sentimental  lamentation  over 
 more  closely  at  this.  The  reason  of  the  divine  '  it.  "  Gad's  lorath  is  hmoier  to  hear  than  Christ's 
 plan  is  not  so  entirely  a  hidden  one  :  suffering  ^  cross  " — is  an  excellent  word,  by  which  Rieger 
 takes  place  assuredly  only  on  account  of  sin.  ;  abolishes  his  own  dogmatic  system.*  Indeed, 
 Even  those  who  are  relatively  righteous  and  the  sin  of  the  crucifixion  was  atoned  for  through 
 devout  go  not  through  their  course  without  ^  the  cross  itself,  had  repentance  followed.  Jeru- 
 the  fellowship  of  sutiermg.  But,  finally,  in  the  ,  salem  was  not  destroyed  because  it  crucified 
 application  to  the  suflenngs  of  Christ,  who  is '  Jesus,  but  because  it  'rejected  him  ;  that  is,  be- 
 the  Righteous  One,  and  who  is  alone  by  person  cause  it  persisted  in  that  rejection,  and  would 
 and  nature  the  green  tree,  we  should  not  [  not  receive  the  apostolical  preaching,  Acts  ii. 
 adopt  the  ordinary  style  of  speaking  and  say  i  23-3S  ;  iii.  17-19,  etc. 
 
 (with  Von  Gerlach)  :  "  The  accomplishment  of  |  "If  they  do  such  things  in  me,"  the  Lord 
 the  divine  j^'ini^^'f'i^'ii  of  sin  in  the  person  of  says — not  "  if  ye  do" — to  the  women  ;  but  it 
 the  guiltless  (this,  is  even  juridically  impossible;  j  does  not  follow  that  he  distinguishes  his  enemies 
 this  summa  injuria  in  order  to  maintain  summum  ,  and  crucitiers  from  these  sympathizing  and 
 jus)  is  a  sign  beforehand  that  God  will  leave  no  '  better-minded  women.  That  the  sin  of  these 
 sin  unpunished."     The  question,  rather,  would    women,  too,  is  regarded   as  part  of  the  guilt 
 
 arise  as  to  why  any  sin  was  to  be  punished 
 after  all  had  been  already  punished  in  the  one. 
 The  ri  indicates  not  merely  a  contrast  with  the 
 Tavra  as  to  degree  ;  but  rather  that  what  will 
 take  place  upon  the  dry  tree  is  something 
 altogether  different,  which  we  may  conclude 
 
 which  brought  upon  him  his  woe,  was  already 
 assumed,  as  we  have  seen,  in  the  "  weep  for 
 yourselves."  He  might  have  plainly  said — If 
 such  sorrow  comes  upon  me  through  you,  what 
 anguish  will  one  day  come  upon  you  through 
 me!     But  he  does  not  say  so  ;  for,  on  the  one 
 
 minori  mi  mnjus,  from  what  did  take  place  upon  I  hand,  he  veils  now  in  the  way  of  suffering  his 
 the  green  tree.  Theophylact's  paraphrase  is  a  future  judicial  dignity  ;  and,  on  the  other,  it 
 good  one:  "If  they  do  these  things  in  me,  j  would  have  been  a  not  yet  intelligible  antici- 
 fruitful,  always  green,  undying  through  the  |  pation  of  the  future  Passion-preaching  of  the 
 divinity — what  will  they  do  to  you,  fruitless    Holy  Spirit,  if  he   had   thus  early  told  tli 
 
 and  robbed  of  all  life-giving  righteousness? 
 
 Only  thus  does  the  entire  discourse  find  its 
 appropriate  close,  in  the  final  wonls  which 
 give  the  fundamental  reason  of  all.  What  is  it 
 in  all  suffering,  whether  of  the  righteous  or 
 the  unrighteous,  which  is,  properly  speaking, 
 lamentable,  and  to  be  mourned  over?  Noth- 
 ing but  sin,  of  which  it  is  either  the  wages  or 
 the  atonement.  For  there  is  a  judgment  of  sin, 
 and  that,  fma'ly,  a  permanent,  eiernal  judgment 
 of  wrath.  That  ye  may  escape  from  this, 
 mourn  ye  sinners  over  yourselves  !  Behold  in 
 the  judgment  of  grace  which  falls  upon  the 
 Just  One  on  account  of  sin,  a  hortatory  warn- 
 ing of  thatintinitely  heavier  judgment  of  wrath  ! 
 The  judgment  of  grace  begins  and  is  fulfilled 
 first  in  Jesus  and  his  people  ;  and  in  this  sense 
 judgment,  as  Peter  rightly  interprets  the  ex- 
 ternal symbol,  Jer.  xxv.  29;  Ezek.  ix.  6,  begins 
 in  the  house  of  God,  yea,  on  his  own  beloved 
 Son.  (For,  believers  are  included  with  Christ 
 in  TO  vypi'iv  qvXov — the  definite  article  is  not 
 to  be  omitted  from  the  text — and  must  enter 
 into  the  fellowship  of  his  sufferings.  As  it  is 
 ■wrong  to  say  that  he  really  and  fully  bore 
 whatsliould  have  been  our  punishment,  so  it  is 
 also  wrong  to  say  that  this  is  now  imputed  to 
 118  only  as  the  suffering  of  another.)  But  the 
 judgment  of  wrath,  which  brings  final  and 
 eternal  despair  without  salvation  or  refuge, 
 will  fall  upon  those  who  persevered  in  unbe- 
 lief. What  an  awful  reality  is  sin  1  What 
 will  remain  for  those  who  would  not  be  recon- 
 ciled and  saved,  seeing  that  their  reconciliation 
 
 daughters  of  Jerusalem,  in  the  midst  of  their 
 waitings,  that  they  a.ho  joined  to  crucily  him. 
 The  indefinite  7towi;6iy,  if  they  do,  corresponds 
 with  the  ysvTfrai,  "shall  be,"  and  the  mean- 
 ing so  far  is  that  both  (what  the  Jews  now  do 
 and  what  the  Romans  will  do  to  the  Jews) 
 were  not  the  act  of  men,  but  the  counsel  and 
 the  judgment  of  God.  Yet  it  is  not  without 
 design  that  "  they  do"  is  used  the  first  time, 
 since  there  is  in  it  (what  is  suggested  to  be 
 deeply  pondered)  an  unrighteous  noislv,  a 
 deed  of  wickedness  ;  and  none  should  conclude 
 from  this  rooting  up  of  the  good  tree,  although 
 fruitful  in  the  works  of  God — consequently,  he 
 also  an  evil-doer.  But,  rather — If  God  permits 
 and  orders  such  suffering  for  the  righteous, 
 what  shall  le,  what  must  liefdl,  finally  and 
 fully  to  the  unrighteous!  In  this  latter,  the 
 reference  to  the  execution  by  human  handsf 
 falls  entirely  away  ;  because  the  word  already 
 penetrates  beyond  the  Romans  to  the  fire  of 
 the  last  judgment. 
 
 If  the  women  and  the  men  who  first  heard 
 and  pondered  this  saying  were  moved  in  their 
 
 *  The  perfect  opposite  of  Ben^el's  perfectly  in- 
 correct position — "  Tiie  punishinent  ot  Ciu  ist  was 
 heavier  ih  m  ihit  of  any  Jew  when  llie  city  was 
 taken  " — l>ut  it  should  also  run,  "than  thai  of  any 
 CDiidemiied  .-oul,  when  the  world  is  de--troyed." 
 Tliis,  liow.'ver,  is  contradicted  by  ver.  31,  rightly 
 understood. 
 
 I      t  This  is  made  prominent  by  the  reading  in  th« 
 
 I  Vulg.  quid/aeient. 
 
LUKE  XXIII.  34. 
 
 655 
 
 hearts  to  a?ik,  W/nj  is  it  permitted  that  tlii? 
 Bbould  be  done  io  the  green  tree?  tiif^  verv 
 first  word  from  the  cross,  interpreted  by  the 
 Spirit  of  God  in  their  consciences,  and  apo-<- 
 tolical  preaching  most  fnlly  afterwards,  would 
 iinfold  to  thera  the  answer,  and  dednce  Irom 
 the  (jracs  revealed  in  the  snflerings  of  Christ 
 the  piercing  conclusion  ;  What  must  come  upon 
 all  at  last  who  persevere  in  rejecting  this  grace! 
 We  ourselves  may  think  further— What  will 
 come  upon  the  branches  which  had  been  par- 
 takers once  of  grace,  and  then  became  dry  and 
 •withered  again  !      These   the   Lord   includes, 
 
 without  any  distinction,  in  the  dry  tree  frt  for 
 eternal  tire. 
 
 Alter  he  luvl  spoken  these  mighty  words — • 
 words  which  preached  repentance,  predicted 
 jud.gment.,  exhibited  a  possible  sah-atiou  h-om 
 a  misery  which  was  yet  inevitable,  nunisure-l 
 oat  grace  and  wrath,  pointing  from  liis  redeem- 
 ing sufTerings  to  future  eternal  anguish — he 
 turned  round  again  ;  and  the  procession  went 
 onward  to  Golgotha,  where  "these  things" 
 which  they  do  must  have  their  full  accom- 
 plishment, more  awfully  and  more  ppvfectly 
 than  the  sympathizing  women  could  imagine 
 to  themselves. 
 
 FIRST  WORD  FROM   THE  CROSS.. 
 
 (Luke  xxiii.  34.) 
 
 We  have  now  come  to  Golgotha.  Oh,  that 
 all  our  readers  were  such  as  already  sing,  or 
 are  learning  to  sing,  with  the  poet  of  the 
 .Brethren — "Through  all  times,  through  eter- 
 nities, has  my  spirit  restless  wandered  ;  but 
 nothing  seized  my  whole  heart,  until  1  came  to 
 Go'gotha!"  Every  one,  whose  heart  has  been 
 thus  seized,  knows  full  well  that  there  is 
 nothing  else  within  the  discovery  of  man's 
 seeking  mind,  whether  in  time  or  eternity, 
 which  can  absolutely  bring  the  heart,  full  of 
 sin  and  longing,  to  God,  that  it  may  in  him 
 be  renewed  and  restored  to  man  again.  Wan- 
 der whither  thou  wilt,  with  thy  feet  or  in  thy 
 spirit,  thou  must  at  last  come  to  the  place  of  a 
 skull,  consecrated  to  death  and  judgment,  point- 
 ing to  the  Jerusalem  at  hand.  But  here  is  not 
 only  heard  the  word  from  Sinai,  The  wages  of 
 sin  is  death — but  the  gift  of  grace  in  eternal 
 life  is  victoriously  glorified  on  the  cross,  which 
 is  lifted  up  in  the  scene  of  judgment.  Out  of 
 the  profoundest  depth  of  ruin  breaks  forth  in 
 its  most  glorious  exhibition  the  love  of  Gu.i  in 
 Christ  Jesus ;  he  who  embraces  that  love  by 
 laith  can  praise  God  who  hath  given  to  him 
 also  this  victory.  The  superscription  in  the 
 three  theological  tongues  bears  witness  for  all 
 the  languages  of  the  earth,  concerning  the 
 King  of  the  Jews  as  the  Saviour  of  the  world.* 
 All,  even  the  most  shameful  circumstances  of 
 his  crucifixion,  fulfill  the  prophetic  word,  and 
 become  most  convincing  arguments  in  the 
 preaching  of  the  Gospel.  But  the  historical 
 Scripture  of  the  Holy  Spirit  celebrates  in  this 
 
 ,  *  Wi>  miysay  this,  inasmuch  as  the  e/S/jai'dri, 
 the  idiom  ot  Ilie  people  at  the  time,  represented 
 the  Hebrew  tongue,  as  in  the  Eli-invocation  of 
 Jesus.  Strictly  speaking,  the  scrred  lansuaae  is 
 wanting  by  tlie  side  of  the  offlnal  and  Ihe  Jenriicd 
 languages;  biit  in  this  it  was  sliown  tJiat  all  the 
 tongues  of  peoi)le  and  commerce  were  to  be  anew 
 kanctified  for  this  Kinor, 
 
 most  sacred  narrative  its  triumph  over  aM  that 
 can  ever  come  to  pass  in  time  or  the  agcs  of 
 eternity.* 
 
 The  "saying  written  in  Isa.  liii.  12  is  now  ful- 
 filled: he  is  reckoned  among  the  transgressors, 
 in  orler  to  bear  the  sin  of  many.  But  that  all 
 might  be  fulfilled,  or  rather  that  its  fulfillmi^nt 
 might  be  made  manifest,  he  utters  that  v;hich 
 was  there  predicted  in  his  intercession  for  the 
 transgres.iors.  This  is  his  first  word  ;  for  his 
 rejection  of  the  stupefying  drink  was  most 
 probably  accompanied  only  by  a  gesture  which 
 declined  it.  The  custom  of  closing  the  mouths 
 of  malefactors,  a  custom  of  rare  and  mo.-t  ex- 
 treme barbarity,  was  probably  not  yet  m  exist- 
 
 *  We  cannot  resist  quoting  an  anecdote  wliioli 
 Ile.s  received  fVom  an  eye  and  ear  witne.--s.  "  In 
 one  of  the  soae^s  of  Baron  d  Holbach,  wliere  th3 
 most  celebrated  iulidels  of  the  a:jo  were  in  the 
 habit  of  assrmbiins,  great  enfeitainment  w  is  af- 
 forded by  tlie  witty  way  in  wliich  the  pretende.l 
 absurdities,  stupidities,  and  foUies  of  all  kinds 
 which  abound  in  the  sacred  writings  were  descant- 
 ed upon.  The  philosopher  Diderot,  wlio  had  liim- 
 self  taken  no  part  in  the  conversation,  put  an  ab- 
 rupt end  to  it  by  suddenly  savins  :  '  Gentlemen.  I 
 know  men  in  fiance,  or  elsewhere,  wiio  can  speak 
 or  write  with  more  talent  or  more  art.  Nevcnlie- 
 less,  in  spite  of  all  the  evil  we  liave  spol^en.  and 
 doubtless  with  reason  enough,  of  this  book  [de  ca 
 diable  de  iivre],  I  defy  you,  with  all  your  ].ower, 
 to  compose  a  nirrative  which  sliall  be  as  sim;)le 
 but  at  the  same  time  as  subdmo  and  ."S  tone  ling 
 as  the  recital  of  the  Passion  and  d^'ath  of  Je.su ^ 
 Christ,  wliich  shall  produce  the  same  effect,  and 
 make  so  strong  a  sens.ition,  felt  so  gcneraby  l^y 
 all,  and  the  influence  of  which  sliall  continue 
 the  same  after  so  many  ages.'  This  unexpected 
 apostrophe  astonish  d  all  who  liea;d  it,  and  was 
 toUowed  by  a  long  silence."  After  this  note,  wo 
 would  beg  every  one,  whom  it  is  needlul  thus  to 
 beg,  to  read  through  the  entire  liisory  of  the 
 Passion,  before  our  exposition  of  the  Wurds  from 
 the  cross. 
 
636 
 
 FIKST  WORD  FROM  THE  CROSS. 
 
 ence  ;  or,  if  it  was,  they  could  not  put  it  into 
 practice,  because  the  world  was  yet  to  hear  some 
 further  words  of  his  mouth.  They  crucifi&i 
 him — Luke  records  this  first,  so  that  after  the 
 Lord  had  meekly  undergone  this,  he  speaks 
 his  first  word  from  the  cross,  and  probably  while 
 the  nails  were  being  driven.  The  never-ceas- 
 ing intercession  of  his  pleading  heart  becomes 
 here  an  uttered  expression  and  testimony.  Let 
 U3  approach,  and  reverently  seek  to  understand 
 it.     What  a  word  is  this! 
 
 There  is  no  resistance  here.  He  defends  not 
 himself;  and  although  he  might  have  said — 
 Remove  henc) !  Fall  down  hef ore  me  !  He  says 
 merely  with  perfect  resignation — What  tiiey 
 ih  {Ilotovdi,  probably  connecting  itself  with 
 the  raura  rcotovdi  of  ver.  31  before).  There 
 is  nothing  of  wrath.  He  threatens  not,  nor 
 invokes  vengeance — Let  me  see  thy  vengeance  on 
 them  (Jer.  xx.  12).  There  is  nothing  of  accu- 
 sation or  lament,  no  invocation  of  help — Save 
 me!  Nor  is  there  heard  the  word  which  we 
 poor  sinners  are  too  ready,  half  in  truth  and 
 half  in  pride,  to  utier— I  forgive  you  !  although 
 he  as  the  Holy  One  has  the  power  to  forgive  as 
 well  as  to  condemn  (John  viii.  11).  Nor  in 
 this  death  for  sin  not  his  own  is  there  any 
 place  for  Forgive  mc  !  Asserting  his  own  rights 
 while  renouncing  them,  he  thinks  to  the  end 
 not  of  himself,  like  other  children  of  men, 
 but — as  in  the  way  with  the  daughters  of  Je- 
 rusalem— of  others ;  nevertheless,  he  avails 
 himself  of  his  prerogative  in  calling  upon  his 
 Father  for  others.  It  is  an  infinite  gracious- 
 ness  of  self-denial,  and  humility  of  self-conceal- 
 ment, which  is  blended  with  the  sublimity  of 
 this  word.  Thus  he  does  not  now  say,  I  will 
 not  complain  of  you  to  the  Father,  I  will  pray 
 for  you  ;  but  he  prays  at  once  in  most  child- 
 like simplicity,  as  if  in  so  doing  he  only  ful- 
 filled an  obligation,  like  that  of  the  dying  sin- 
 ner, to  confess  and  supplicate  for  himself.  That 
 every  trace  of  personal  judging,  every  tone  of 
 the  most  allowable  and  necessary  thought 
 about  himself,  might  be  taken  from  the  word, 
 he  does  not  even  say — "  What  they  do  to  vie  or 
 agaimt  me."  He  lurther  cries,  Forgive  them, 
 what  they  do — for  "  thy  children  "  he  cannot 
 say,  although  his  appeal  to  the  Father  does 
 avail  even  for  them.  But  he  specifies  whom 
 he  means  m  no  other  way  than  by  the  gracious 
 pre-supposition,  For  they  know  not.  He  re- 
 strains himself  in  his  most  gracious  expression 
 from  making  any  such  distinction  as,  Forgive 
 all  those  wh)  do  not  altogether  know  ;  or,  For- 
 give thorn  j/  they  know  not  what  they  do* — 
 althougli.as  we  shall  see,  tliis  awful  distinction 
 remains  in  the  background. 
 
 Ilis  "intercession"  is  infinitely  more  than 
 any  such  intercession  as  is  po;^siblo  and  appro- 
 priate to  sinful  men  generally,  and  specifically 
 
 *  Indeed,  just  as  little  can  lie  say — Even  if  they 
 know  it;  lonjive  even  tliose  wiio  sin  wiihout  ig- 
 norance. Least  of  all  could  the  word  include 
 the  author  of  all  this  sin,  and  say  of  Satan,  For- 
 give him  ! 
 
 quite  difTerent  from  it.  For,  he  utters  his  word 
 not  merely  as  a  request,  like  others  ;  but  with 
 the  same  consciousness  which  had  been  former- 
 ly expressed — Father,  I  know  that  thou  always 
 hearest  me.  His  intercession  has  this  for  its 
 ground,  though  in  meekness  it  is  not  express- 
 ed— Father,  /  will  that  thou  forgive  them. 
 "  Father  !  "  By  this  he  confirms  to  us  once 
 more,  in  the  most  humble  and  yet  the  sub- 
 limest  manner,  his  own  avowal  that  he  is  still 
 the  Son  of  God,  and  abides  such  upon  the 
 cross  and  in  his  atoning  death.  It  is  not  as 
 merely  a  holy  man,  but  strictly  as  the  incar- 
 nate Son,  that  he  appeals  to  God  by  the  name 
 of  Father;  but  the  expression  of  his  prayer 
 immediately  follows — being  strictly  connected 
 with  it — which  speaks  oi forgiveness  as  its  great 
 object. 
 
 When  we  examine  and  analyze  it,  this  first 
 word  from  the  cross  discloses  to  us  three  things. 
 First,  the  perfect  love  of  the  holy  Son  of  Man, 
 maintained  and  approved  even  unto  death  :  for 
 the  cry  which  went  up  to  God  has  for  its  pre- 
 supposition that  he  as  man  retains  nothing  but 
 forgiveness  and  love.  His  whole  life  was  an 
 expression  of  such  love ;  his  death  set  upon  it 
 the  last  seal.  So  meekly  and  humbly  does  ha 
 die  in  the  hands  of  his  tormentors,  that  it 
 seems  to  him  needless  to  speak  of  forgiveness 
 on  his  own  part.  But,  secondly,  when  we 
 penetrate  deeper,  the  word  points  us  to  atoning 
 love — and  that,  too,  of  the  Father  himself,  as  it 
 is  revealed  through  the  Son,  who  thus  knoweth, 
 and  thus  appealeth  to,  him.  With  God  there 
 is  forgiveness,  that  many  may  fear  him  in  order 
 to  love  him.  No  man  can — even  in  that  sense  in 
 which  Scripture  condescendingly  uses  the  word 
 for  men — forgive  until  he  is  forgiven  ;  otherwise 
 his  unjustified  "  I  forgive"  is  both  untruth  and 
 sin  together  in  one.  Thus  Christ,  now  hang- 
 ing upon  the  cross  in  the  likeness  of  sinners, 
 though  he  does  not  of  course  pray  first  for  any 
 forgiveness  for  himself,  j'et  keeps  silence  as  to 
 any  forgiveness  on  his  own  part,  referring  that 
 to  the  Father  above.  Once  more,  however, 
 this  God  who  reconciles  the  world  unto  himself, 
 not  imputing  to  it  its  sin,  is  no  other  than  the 
 God  who  is  in  Christ,  the  Father  of  this  Son. 
 The  Father,  that  is,  who  tlirough  him  then  wills 
 to  be  and  tcill  lie  our  Father  also ;  by  no  means 
 is  such  already  in  himself.  Consequently  that 
 is  not  indeed  expressed  which  is  implied  in  it- 
 self, my  Father — for  that  Father-love  which  is 
 now  free  to  all  is  appealed  to  ;  but  neither 
 does  he  say — Forgive  thy  children.  In  this 
 supplicatory  appeal  of  the  Son,  which  is  he»»'d 
 and  granted  at  once,  the  voice  of  eternal  love 
 itself  utters  its  promise — I  will  forgive.  But 
 only  through  that  propitiation,  in  which  tho 
 just  interposes  for  the  unjust.  Consequently, 
 finally,  and  in  the  third  place,  this  »'ord  ex- 
 hibits together  and  at  once,  as  well  the  ground 
 as  the  limit  of  forgiveness  and  reconciliation 
 for  the  sins  of  the  world. 
 
 Its  ground  is  and  must  ever  be  this  inter- 
 cession of  tho  Son,  who  in  the  appearance  of 
 like  condemnation  can  yet  say  "  Fut/t^r."  Whilo 
 
LUKE  XXIII.  34. 
 
 657 
 
 his  blood  13  being  poured  out,  the  testimony  I 
 thus  given  beforehand  declares — For  you,  for 
 the  forgiveness  of  sins.  Thus,  we  have  here  in 
 the  beginning  of  the  proper  sufTerings  of  death, 
 the  sufferings  of  redemption,  a  testimony  con- 
 cerning their  cause,  their  design,  and  tlieir 
 fruit — Therefore  to  this  end  I  suffer  \Yhat  they 
 do.  For  he  himself  "  knoweth  what  he  doeth" 
 in  this  his  suffering  fulfillment  of  all.  "  The  sad- 
 dest lamentations  in  the  Passion  psalms  turn 
 constantly  to  exultation  in  the  blessed  results 
 which  would  follow,  in  the  life  which  so  many 
 miserable  souls  would  derive  from  them  ;  and  we 
 may  therefore  say  that  the  Lord  Jesus  sweet- 
 ened his  bitter  crucifixion  to  his  own  thoughts 
 by  his  testimony  to  the  blessedness  which 
 would  follow  his  Passion"  (Rieger).  He  who 
 hangs  as  a  king  naked  upon  the  cross,  does 
 thereby  not  merely  testify  that  "one  may  be  a 
 king  and  not  have  a  thread  of  the  trappings  of 
 this  world  " — but  this  naked  one  alone  covers 
 our  shame  (Gen.  iii.  21).  Thus  the  type  and 
 the  interpreting  word  are  brought  directly  to- 
 gether; and  hence  Luke  adds  in  the  same 
 verse — And  they  parted  his  raiment. 
 
 But  how  far  extends  this  atoning  word, 
 ■which  then  and  now  restrains  wrath  against 
 evil-doers  ?  Who  are  the  evil-doers  for  whom  it 
 was  spoken  and  avails  ?  The  word  says  with 
 designed  indefiniteness  no  more  than  "  them," 
 in  order  lo  make  room  for  every  one  who  will 
 and  who  can  include  himself,  lite  does  not  say. 
 My  enemies — but  he  means  in  the  widest  sense 
 all  who  are  guilty  by  participation  in  what 
 was  done  to  him.  First  of  all,  most  assuredly, 
 the  executioners  idIio  crucify  him,  as  the  con- 
 nection in  Luke  teaches  us;  the  four  soldiers 
 T/ho  execute  the  deed.  One  might  indeed  be 
 tempted  to  say  (with  Von  Gerlach)  :  "  This 
 intercession  was  not  offered  for  the  soldiers  who 
 nailed  him  to  the  cross  ;  they  were  not  directly 
 guilty  of  their  act,  doing  it  simply  in  obedi- 
 ence"— as  their  duty.  But  this  is  only  a  mis- 
 leading fallacy,  for  they  were  otherwise  6i««e;-s/ 
 moreover,  their  obedient,  undoubting  perform- 
 ance of  their  duty  was  done  not  without  a  sin- 
 ful pleasure  in  doing  it,  or  at  all  events  was 
 closely  connected  with  their  general  condition 
 as  sinners,  included  in  that  common  sin  of  the 
 world  to  which  the  Lord  now  ascribes  his  cru- 
 cifixion. The  word  applies  primarily  to  them, 
 in  as  far  as  in  them  was  embodied  the  general 
 fact — They  crucified  him.  Once  more,  as  so 
 often  elsewhere,  the  Lord  seizes  the  immediate 
 and  concrete  exhibition,  but  means  while  he 
 does  so  ail  that  is  exhibited  and  symbolized  in 
 it.  He  says.  Forgive  my  crucifiers,  and  means 
 all  sinners  as  his  enemies  ;  as  far  as  possible 
 all  men,  in  opposition  to  whom  he  stands  be- 
 fore God  as  the  Holy  One,  even  ichlle  he  be- 
 comes their  brother  in  all  things,  in  their  mis- 
 ery and  their  ignominy,  and  as  the  alone 
 guiltless  makes  himself  the  representative  of 
 tlieir  guilt.  Here  prays  he /or  the  tcorld  (John 
 xvii.  9),  and  even  this  intercession  continues 
 in  heaven  (H^.  vii.  25).  Bat  not  only  for 
 the  world,  as  opposed  to  his  disciples,     Peter, 
 
 who  denied  him,  is  included,  with  that  which 
 he  did  toward  the  fulfillment  of  the  griefs  of 
 his  denied  Master ;  even  John  and  Mary  too, 
 with  the  doing  of  their  hearts  in  sinful  infirmity, 
 as  the  Lord  sees  through  them.  Even  the 
 murderers,  between  whom  he  hangs  as  num- 
 bered with  the  trangressors,  are  included,  with 
 all  that  they  have  done  and  all  they  have  to 
 do  ;  inasmuch  as  here  the  whole  world  with  ita 
 sin  is  regarded  as  the  cause  of  the  death  of 
 Christ  upon  the  cross.  Are  the  high  priests  and 
 rulers  also  included,  who  condemned  him,  de- 
 livered him  to  Pilate,  and  raged  for  his  cruci- 
 fixion with  the  most  furious  zeal  of  malignity? 
 Certainly  many  among  them  ;  all,  indeed,  of 
 whom  Caiaphas  had  already  given  in  John  xi, 
 50,  a  prophetically  true  testimony — Te  know 
 not.  But  far  indeed  is  the  word  from  availing 
 for  him,  this  ringleader  of  the  council  and  of 
 the  act.  They  are  greatly  in  error  who  say 
 that  "  the  Lord  had  his  real  murderers  es- 
 pecially in  his  thoughts  in  this  prayer,  and 
 petitioned  expressly  for  the  terrible  men  who 
 urged  on  his  condemnation  with  devilish  mal- 
 ice"" Oh,  no;  we  cannot  give  any  specific 
 interpretation  to  the  word  thus  spoken  in 
 widest  generality,  and  yet  (as  we  shall  see) 
 expressing  its  own  restriction ;  we  can  no  more 
 refer  it  especially  to  the  judges  and  accusers 
 than  to  the  soldiers  who  executed  their  will. 
 The  Lord  does  not  indeed  say  noio^  what  we 
 have  found  expressed  in  the  2v  eirtai,  thou 
 hant  said,  to  Judas  and  Caiaphas  ;  it  is  not  his 
 ioill  to  exclude  and  except  those  who  hieio,  but 
 he  commits  all  to  him  who  judgeth  righteously. 
 He  closes  his  word,  however,  in  such  a  manner, 
 that  it  prays  for  the  forgiveness  of  those  sins 
 only  which  were  capable  of  forgiveness:  not  for 
 the  sin  unto  death,  1  John  v.  16. 
 
 What  they  do— this  expression,  uttered  in 
 the  present  between  the  past  and  the  future, 
 embraces  assuredly  all  sin  of  all  sinners,  which 
 is  seized  in  its  central  manifestation  in  the  cru- 
 cifixion of  the  Son  of  God:  thus  the  sins  which 
 preceded  this  intercession,  and  the  sins  which 
 followed  it.  The  intercession  looks  back  upon 
 all  that  had  brought  them  to  the  point  of  cru- 
 cifying him,  and  forward  to  all  that  would 
 thereafter  be  done  in  continuation  of  that  act, 
 "  The  word  of  this  intercession  stretches  out 
 two  arras  ;  the  one,  to  atone  for  all  the  sins 
 which  had  gone  before,  the  other,  to  atone  for 
 all  the  sins  which  should  follow."  This  is  cer- 
 tainly true  ;  but  we  further  ask — Is  all,  can  all, 
 be  forgiven  which  all  do,  have  done,  or  will 
 do?  and  must  answer  iVo  ;  for  the  intercessory 
 word,  while  it  gives  us  the  ground  of  this  recon- 
 ciliation, gives  us  its  limit  likewise. 
 
 The  first  and  proper  oljective  gronnd  of  all 
 possible,  and  therefore  actual,  reconciliation  was 
 unexpressed  and  only  intimated  in  the  appeal 
 to  the  Fatlier;  if  we  bring  it  into  completeness, 
 it  is— i^or  I,  the  Son,  supplicate  for  them  on 
 the  same  cross  on  which  1  am  pierced  for  their 
 sin.  But  tlien  at  once  comes  out  the  limit  of 
 this  reconciliation ;  since  a  suhjective  condition  and 
 I  consequently  a  resivicfww,  which  supposes  some- 
 
:€!58 
 
 FIRST  WORD  FROM  THE  CROSS. 
 
 thing  different,  is  expressed  an  the  ground. 
 Thus  the  intercession  veils,  as  much  as  might 
 be,  and  gently  passes  bj',  the  excluded  ;  yet 
 the  "for"  which  is  the  ground  of  forgiveness, 
 has  plainly  enough  the  iorce  of  a  conditional 
 "  if."  All  are  meant,  concerning  whom  the 
 ali-knowing  Son  can  say,  because  he  knoweth 
 it — that  they  hioic  not  what  they  do.  "  That 
 does  not  signify  that  their  ignorance  would 
 deaerve  grace  ;  but  the  reason  is  derived  from 
 their  miserable  condition."  So  speaks  the  Berl. 
 Bilel  rightly,  but  not  the  whole  truth  ;  the 
 Avhole  truth  would  be  :  For  it  is  yet  possible  that 
 forgiveness  should  be  extended  to  them.  This 
 alone  is  the  inmost  meaning  of  the  reason  as- 
 signed in  the  for,  which  has  a  restricting  (/"a? 
 its  undertone.  Indeed  the  most  gracious  word 
 of  the  widest  TtdjjEdii  and  most  ready  a<pf<Ji?, 
 which  we  have  here,  docs  not  expressly  name 
 their  dt-iaprdveiv  or  djiaria  (as  Stephen, 
 Acts  vii.  59) — nevertheless  sin  is  intended  in 
 the  word,  \jeca.\i&Q  forgiveness.  This  word  of  our 
 Lord,  which  is  so  unintelligently  and  wilfully 
 perverted,  is  very  far  from  sanctioning  that 
 superficial  conscience-condemned  theory,  so  ig- 
 norant both  of  grace  and  sin,  which  derives 
 sin  so-called  from  not  knowing  simply,  and 
 makes  it  one  with  ignorance.  How  often  do 
 we  hear  in  various  tones  the  effeminate  wail 
 and  empty  hope  of  such  words  as  these:  "  Alas! 
 poor  mortals,  if  they  only  knew  and  under- 
 stood, they  would  not  sin ; "  that  is,  in  fact, 
 they  do  not  sin  at  all!  Then  dcctrine  would  be 
 sufHcient  for  their  deliverance,  and  their  recon- 
 ciliation with  God  would  consist  only  in  the 
 removal  of  their  error.  Oh,  no  ;  in  this  preg- 
 nant ri  (they  know  not  what,  how  great  evil 
 Ihey  do)  the  doing  is  defined  to  be  sinning.* 
 The  erring  sheep  (Isa.  liii.  6,  which  passage 
 might  well  be  in  our  Lord's  thought)  are  at 
 the  same  time,  and  notwithstanding,  no  other 
 than  lost,  voluntarily  and  knowingly  rebellious, 
 children  of  their  heavenly  Father. 
 
 The  slightest  actual  sin  is  not  committed 
 without  a  knowledge  that  we  transgress  in 
 will  ;  else  it  would  be  no  sin,  and  nothing 
 wouKl  be  done  that  required  to  be  forgiven. 
 For  all  forgiveness,  prayed  for  as  yet  possible, 
 pre-supposes  two  things — a  conscious  j7(/i/<,  and 
 also  an  error  connected  with  it.  Guilt  as  such 
 lies  always  in  the  evil  will;  in  mere  error  there 
 is  nothing  to  forgive,  it  is  to  be  pitied  and 
 helped  ;  but  every  moral  error  has  in  it  guilt, 
 and  is  rendered  guilty  by  previous  sin.  Nev- 
 ertheless, there  is  on  the  other  hand  in  every 
 sin  which  may  be  {ov^w&n  a.  not  huncing  ;  from 
 the  first  "deceiving"  of  the  serpent  downtu 
 ihnt  limit  where  consummate  sin  finally  ends  in 
 
 *  Tiie  usual  anl  well-intendeil  remarks  upon  our 
 Lord's  gonlle  and  gracious  ai)oloHy  and  e.xcuse, 
 do  not  ajfprehend  the  matter  in  all  its  force;  for 
 til  y  seize  at  once  upon  the  Lord's  excusing  words, 
 instead  of  first  penetratins  the  wliole  saying  in  its 
 dei)tlis,  and  then  being  amazed  at  the  apology 
 Aliich  is  .so  wonderfully  found  iu  the  depths  of 
 human  sin  itself. 
 
 perfectly  conscious  wickedness.  Such  was  the 
 condition  of  all  those  who  were  embraced  orig- 
 inally in  this  intercession,  from  the  most  un- 
 knowing and  yet  not  guiltless  soldiers,  up  to 
 those  who  had  the  knowledge  in  Israel;  whose 
 sin  was  not  without  blindness,  but  this  blind- 
 ness again  the  judicial  consequence  of  their 
 sin;  so  that  Lange  may  well  say,  "Almost 
 greater  than  this  act  of  horror  (the  crucifixion 
 of  our  Lord)  was  the  guilt  out  of  which  it 
 had  sprung."  Even  for  the  whole  people  of 
 Israel,  who,  invoking  blood-guiltiness  upon 
 themselves,  iu  a  sense  "prayed  against  their 
 forgiveness" — the  words  of  John  xv.  22-25 
 avail.  But  the  greater  part  knew  not  the  es- 
 sential ichat  of  their  act ;  they  knew  it  not  in 
 its  profoundest,  fullest  meaning.  Many  brought 
 the  sacrifice  of  fools,  and  thought  they  did  God 
 service  ;  but  knew  not  the  evil  which  they  did, 
 because  they  knew  neither  the  Father  nor 
 Christ  (Eccles.  v.  1 ;  John  xvi.  3).  Almost  all 
 knew  the  innocent  man,  the  Holy  One  approved 
 of  God  by  signs  and  wonders  ;  but  only  a  few 
 hieio  that  he  icas  Christ  the  Son  of  the  living 
 God.  In  fact  this  last  is  the  great  point  in  the 
 not  knowing  ivlmt  they  do  ;  for  the  Lord's  con- 
 concealed  meaning  is — They  know  not  to  iclmn 
 they  do  this.  Is  it  not  so  even  in  our  own  day 
 with  many  whom  u'e  should  regard  as  exhibit- 
 ing the  full  conscious  and  malignant  contradic- 
 tion of  perfect  wickedness,  but  iu  wiiom  the 
 Searcher  of  hearts  sees  something  different? 
 He  sees  error,  and  therefore  room  for  an  offered 
 and  afterwards  received  forgiveness,  here  in  the 
 most  awful  outburst  of  human  sin,  before  which 
 our  thoughts  are  lost  in  amazement.  "Awful, 
 that  they  know  not  what  they  do!  Incompre- 
 hensible, that  they  know  it  not !  Yet  they 
 really  know  it  not.  This  judgment  of  the  dying 
 Lord  sprang  not  from  his  sparing  them,  but; 
 from  his  knowledge."  So  Draseke;  and  Ram- 
 bach  is  not  merely  more  plain  but  more  pro- 
 found:  "  In  this  (he  Son  of  God  exhibited  a 
 masfer  stroke  of  his  love ;  for  he  makes  that 
 which  might  have  been  matter  of  accusation 
 (lor  their  ignorance  was  unjustifiable)  matter 
 of  excuse."  The  law  of  God  knows  nothing  of 
 the  plea — I  knew  it  not;  but  his  (//'cice  judgeth 
 otherwise.  Christ  on  the  cross  knows  that 
 these  blinded  sinners  themselves  pray  not  for 
 forgiveness  ;  therefore  he  \  rays  in  his  compas- 
 sion for  them  ;  places  himself  in  their  persons, 
 and  speaks  on  tneir  behalf,  that  they  may  be 
 encouraged  to  come  to  the  "  Father"  through 
 him.  Augustine  :  "  Mercy  prayed,  that  mis- 
 ery might  pray  ;  the  Pbysician  prayed,  that 
 the  sick  might  pray  ;  the  Judge,  willing  to  be 
 merciful,  prayed,  that  the  guilty  might  plead 
 to  be  spared." 
 
 Wide,  very  wide,  does  this  appealing  inter- 
 cession, with  its  gracious  excu-se,  extend  its 
 arms  over  all  sinners,  and  all  sins  in  which 
 error  may  yet  be  alleged.  We  may  further  say 
 with  Lange:  "It  availed  for  the  individuals 
 who  were  guilty  in  pro}iortio?i  as  they  in  fact 
 did  not  know  what  they  did."  But  we  should 
 be  in  error  if  we  continued,  as  he  docs :  "  No 
 
LUKE  XXIII.  34. 
 
 659 
 
 man,  however,  could  altogether  know.  For 
 how  could  sin  be  clearly  conscious  of  itself?" 
 This  double  position,  which  denies  the  possi- 
 bility of  any  such  actual  and  full  knowledge, 
 and  therefore  denies  the  existence  of  any  such 
 as  could  be  excluded  from  the  intercession,  not 
 merely  in  the  actual  history  of  the  text,  but 
 generally  and  unconditionally,  is /afe  ;  for  it 
 misapprehends  the  abysmal  nature  of  sin,  the 
 error  of  which  must  finally,  unless  kept  back, 
 end  in  the  abyss  (by  the  fire  sufHciently  en- 
 lightened) ;  and  contradicts  the  Scripture,  es- 
 pecially all  that  we  have  discovered  m  it  con- 
 cerning the  unpardonable  sin.  It  may  be 
 enough  to  refer  to  our  exposition  there.  The 
 Lord  would  not  have  added  his  ov  yap  oiSa6i, 
 "  they  knoio  not,"  if  that  were  unJerstMd  of  itself 
 touching  all  sin,  and  if  there  were  not,  beyond 
 their  limit,  an  oiSa6i  to  be  attributed  to  others 
 who  were  not  included  in  this  avroli.  There 
 is  a  sin  unto  death,  for  which  no  prayer  is  to 
 be  offered;  this  was  committed  by  Judas  at 
 least,  probably  by  Caiaphas  and  others,  and 
 may  have  been  committed  oftentimes  since, 
 where  the  knowing  has  been  directly  within 
 the  spirit's  reach.  Compare  also  what  we  have 
 said  upon  Luke  sxii.  53  concerning  the  judg- 
 ment upon  this  question  in  the  Acts;  and  un- 
 derstand by  that  the  similar  limitation  in  1 
 Cor.  ii.  8.  The  sin  of  man,  deceived  by  the  ser- 
 pent, may  as  such  be  called  that  of  ignorance, 
 and  find  a  sacrifice;  hence  the  expression  in 
 Heb.  ix.  7.  The  sin  of  the  devil  knows  well 
 what  its  aim  is  and  what  it  does.  Finally, 
 those  who  have  become  altogether  the  devil's 
 among  men,  equally  know  ;  they  are  therefore, 
 and  must  ever  be,  his  portion. 
 
 Finally,  we  must  not  overlook  what  is  inti- 
 mated by  this  ignorance  admitted  in  the  first 
 word  from  the  cross — that  on  that  account  a 
 salutary  knowledge,  and  confession  of  repent- 
 ance, still  remains  possible  ;  that  this  is  doubt- 
 less pre-supposed  as  the  condition  of  forgive- 
 ness ;  yea,  for  many  here  referred  to,  is  in  a 
 certain  sense  pre-declared  and  prophesied.  Oth- 
 erwise, this  intercession  of  grace  would  suppli- 
 cate forgiveness  generally  and  unconditionally, 
 in  direct  contradiction  to  the  whole  of  Scripture, 
 which  every  where  demands  the  strictest  re- 
 
 Eentance  of  every,  the  least,  sin,  in  order  to  its 
 eing  forgiven.  See  simply  Luke  xxiv.  47. 
 Out  of  repentance  alone  rises  faith  ;  but  repent- 
 ance and  faith  are  every  where  inseparable  and 
 indispensable,  where  forgiveness  is  to  be  en- 
 joyed. The  apostolical  preaching  has  no  other 
 law  ;  were  it  otherwise,  that  preaching  would 
 be  as  it  were  useless  after  this  redeeming  inter- 
 cession. That  is  a  miserable  perversion  of  this 
 sacred  word  which  regards  the  petition  for  for- 
 giveness, obviously  pre-supposing  the  condi- 
 tions of  that  forgiveness,  as  an  unconditional 
 asmrance  and  bestowment  of  it.  The  Lord  is 
 merciful,  but  he  says — Acknowledge  thine  in- 
 iquity (Jer.  iii.  13).  When  the  sinner's  eyes 
 are  opened  (Acts.  xxvi.  IS)  to  see  his  former 
 sin,  then  he  keows  what  he  has  done,  but  now 
 ceases  to  do,  otherwise  than  he  had  ever  known 
 
 before ;  then  first  repentance  speaks  with  a  new 
 and  full  perception  of  the  wor(i — I  have  sinned. 
 This  knowledge,  however,  becomes  the  further 
 knowledge — I  have  crucified  thee,  my  Lord  and 
 my  God  ;  I  have  made  thee  to  serve  and 
 wearied  thee  (Isa.  xliii.  24).  Thus  the  fulfill- 
 ment of  the  "forgive  them"  lies  in  the  future  ; 
 when  they  attain  to  a  penitent  knowledge, 
 who  now  know  not  what  they  do.  Their  pres- 
 ent not  knowing  makes  their  future  forgiveness 
 possible,  because  there  is  yet  possible  an  opening 
 of  their  eyes  unto  conversion ;  and  as  long  a$ 
 such  a  future  is  before  them  as  possible,  the  in- 
 tercession of  Jesus  avails  and  exerts  its  influ- 
 ence.* The  same  supplication  therefore  cries 
 at  the  same  time  to  the  Father — Bring  them  to 
 this  knowledge!  Give  them  space,  and  give 
 them  motive  to  repent !  But,  again,  as  is  ob- 
 vious— If  they  may  receive  it  (2  Tim.  ii.  25,  26). 
 The  calling  to  mind  this  word  concerning  a  for- 
 giveness, even  then  prepared,  was  helpful  to 
 the  repentance  of  many  even  then ;  and  cer- 
 tainly of  many  under  subsequent  apostolical 
 preaching.  For  it  was  instrumental  in  pro- 
 ducing trust  and  confidence  in  that  grace  which 
 had  regarded  the  ignorance  in  the  sin  which 
 they  had  hitherto  committed.  But  without 
 such  confidence  the  first  beginnings  of  repent- 
 ance are  not  possible.  This  saving  return  to 
 God  may  often  take  place  long  afterwards  ;  and 
 therefore  the  "  forgive  them  "  extends  far  into 
 futurity,  through  many  judgments  which  pre- 
 cede tlie  last.  ""Yet  there  remains  a  limit,  and 
 a  final  judgment  of  wrath  ;  as  Luther,  correctly 
 enough  at  least  as  to  the  main  point,  preaches  : 
 "  The  simple  meaning  is  that  the  Lord  intends 
 to  point  out  two  sorts  of  sin;  and  we  should 
 make  the  distinction.  All  sins  have  the  sacri- 
 fice and  intercession  of  Christ  between  them 
 and  God,  and  God  will  not  impute  them,  if 
 they  are  (known  and)  acknowledged,  and  the 
 sinner's  faith  rests  upon  the  High  Priest,  with 
 his  sacrifice  and  intercession  upon  the  cross. 
 But  those  sins  which  fight  against  grace  and  will 
 not  know  that  they  are  such,  such  as  those  of 
 the  thief  on  the  left  hand  and  the  blasphemers 
 of  the  high  priests,  are  not  included  in  this  in- 
 tercession of  Christ.  There  is  a  great  differ- 
 ence between  the  sin  which  man  acknowledges 
 to  be  sin  (how  great  sin  it  has  teen)  and  the  sin 
 which  man  will  not  know  (wilfully  refuses, 
 though  he  knows  it  to  be  such,  to  acknowledge 
 it  in  penitence)."  Thus,  how  loudly  does  the 
 Lord  here  call  upon  the  sinner  to  seek  the  true 
 knowledge  of  repentance  ;  and  at  the  same  time 
 what  a  learning  is  contained  in  his  encouraging 
 word  !  For  there  is  no  such  thing  as  standing 
 still  in  a  career  of  sin  ;  a  man  does  not  become 
 more  and  more  ignorant  of  what  he  does,  and 
 therefore  more  and  more  worthy  of  compassion. 
 The  tendency  of  continuance  in  the  works  of 
 
 *  "  Jesus  acknowledses  in  them  a  certain  igno- 
 rance, as  something  which  might  make  them  ca- 
 pable of  divine  forgiveness,  if  it  should  after- 
 wards give  place  to  a  knowledgs  of  the  truth " 
 (Wei.s). 
 
660 
 
 SECOND  WORD  FROM  THE  oROSS. 
 
 sin  is  to  make  tlie  Inowleilge  of  it  more  clear, 
 until,  repentance  becoming  more  difBcult,  the 
 point  is  at  last  reached  of  the  unpardonable — 
 They  Icnoin  not  what  they  do. 
 
 Meanwhile  let  us  who  have  knowledge,  pa- 
 tience, and  faith,  make  the  Lord's  word  our  ex- 
 ample, in  praying  for  those  who  know  not  what 
 they  do.  His  word  denounces  forever  all  that 
 Christian  pharisaism  which  would  uncharitably 
 condemn  and  pass  by  others  in  their  sin.  It  is 
 true  that  we  have  the  saying  of  1  John  v.  16  ; 
 but  it  is  not  expressly  said  there — If  any  man 
 
 see  bis  brother  sin  a  tin  which  is  unto  death. 
 For  we  may  indeed  see  with  increasing  clear- 
 ness our  own  sin  ;  but  very  seldom  can  we  see — ■ 
 what  the  Searcher  of  hearts  on  the  cross  would 
 not,  as  it  were,  see,  and  omitted  to  speak  of — 
 that  this  man  or  that  knows  fully  what  ho 
 does.  Stephen  makes  the  last  word  of  the  cross 
 his  first  dying  word — that  is  now  obtained  for 
 us  as  our  privilege ;  but  he  also  makes  the  first 
 word  of  Jesus  on  the  cross  his  own  last  word  in 
 d^ath — and  that  is  thereby  commended  to  our 
 imitation. 
 
 SECOND  WORD  FROM  THE  CROSS. 
 
 (Luke  xxiii.  43.) 
 
 What  was  the  influence  of  the  first  word  of 
 the  Crucified  upon  the  sinners  who  heard  it, 
 and  for  what  did  it  pave  the  way  ?  It  wrought, 
 probably,  repentance  in  some  ;  in  still  more  it 
 distantly  prepared  for  it ;  but  the  greatest 
 part,  and  among  them  many  who  were  after- 
 wards converted,  were  for  the  present  only 
 moved  to  more  excited  energy  of  evil  in  word 
 and  act.  The  internal  history  of  the  hearts 
 around  Golgotha  remains  hidden  from  us ;  but 
 their  external  course  of  conduct  is  recorded  in 
 a  manner  so  impressive  as  to  furnish  more  for 
 cur  exposition  than  it  can  ever  penetrate  and 
 interpret.  According  to  the  connection  of  the 
 narrative  in  Luke,  that  mockery  now  follows, 
 ■which  led  to  the  railing  blasphemy  of  the  one 
 malefactor,  and  the  prayer  of  the  other.  The 
 promise  to  this  latter  of  the  entrance  into  Para- 
 dise is  therefore  obviously  the  second  word  on 
 the  cross.  Rambach  says  of  this  order :  "  The 
 first  was  a  word  of  intercession,  the  second  a 
 word  of  promise.  The  first  prays  for  a  term  of 
 repentance  and  grace  :  the  second  throws  open 
 the  door  of  grace  to  a  great  sinner.  The  first 
 has  for  its  end  justification,  the  second  glorifi- 
 cation ;  the  first  has  to  do  with  the  kingdom  of 
 grace,  the  second  with  the  kingdom  of  glory. 
 In  the  first  our  Lord  executed  his  high-priestly 
 function,  in  an  intercession  founded  upon  his 
 sacrificial  death  ;  in  the  second  he  anticipates 
 his  kingly  office  and  act,  and  at  the  very  mo- 
 ment when  his  kingly  office  was  subjected  to 
 most  supreme  contempt."  But,  in  order  to 
 understand  the  answer  given  to  the  thief,  we 
 must  first  study  carefully  his  request ;  and  that 
 again  will  require  us  to  expound  tlie  scene  of 
 mockery  wliich  gave  rise  to  it. 
 
 And  the  people  stood  heliolding.  This  mere 
 contemplation  involved  a  perilous  stillness, 
 which,  to  the  consciences  of  tne  rulers,  the  real 
 enemies  and  crucifiers  of  Christ,  was  insupport- 
 able— for  much  worse  might  arise  out  of  it. 
 Then  began  these  riders  tiieir  mockery,  to  clear 
 the  stifling  air,  and  deafen  the  voice  which  was 
 stirring  even  in  themselves.  The  oitoicoi  Se 
 ■xai,  ai,so  with  them,  Matt,  xxvii.  41  and  Mark 
 
 XV.  31,  does  not  refer  simply  to  the  time,  but 
 intimates  an  entire  forgetfulness  and  throwing 
 aside  of  their  dignity  on  the  part  of  these  great 
 ones  ;  and  Luke  also  in  ver.  35  plainly  records 
 that  the  rulers  began  the  mockery  ;  for,  "  with 
 them  "  is  rightly  expounded  by  Bengel  with 
 reference  to  vers.  33,  34 — "  With  those  who 
 had  crucified  him."  It  points  us  partly  to  the 
 mockery  in  the  hall  of  judgment,  and  partly  to 
 the  railing  spirit  and  words  of  the  soldiers  who 
 had  just  accomplished  the  act;  and  tells  us 
 that  even  the  rulers  reduced  themselves  to  a 
 level  with  the  lowest  and  meanest  of  the  Gc^n- 
 tiles — and  that  they  also  crucified  Christ,  at 
 least  with  their  words  (Heb.  vi.  6).  There  is  a 
 holy  derision  in  the  mouth  of  God,  and  of 
 Christ,  and  of  holy  men,  which  unites  the  purest 
 truth  with  the  keenest  love  ;  but  the  mockery 
 of  the  ungodly  against  trutii  and  love  is  fear- 
 fully godless,  and  all  the  more  fearful  here  as 
 being  the  first  cfTect  and  answer  which  the 
 intercessory  word  upon  the  cross  produces." 
 "The  highest  love  prays  above  on  the  cross  for 
 those  who  stand  below  ;  and  while  that  prayer 
 is  being  uttered  (properly,  after  its  utterance), 
 those  ibr  whom  that  intercession  is  urged  are 
 speaking  and  acting  nothing  but  hatred  "  (Lan- 
 ger).  That  was  "  the  crucifixion  of  the  sacred 
 soul  of  Jesus  " — according  to  the  title  which 
 Rambach  gives  his  sermon  upon  it:  these  were 
 the  nails  which  went  through  his  heart. 
 
 The  mockery  of  the  rulers,  and  presently 
 afterwards  of  the  people,  was  given  vent  to 
 partly  as  a  needful  protest  against  and  suppres- 
 sion of  any  favorable  feeling  towards  Jesus,  and 
 still  more  as  a  protest  against  the  first  mockery 
 of  the  Gentiles  as  directed  against  this  "  King  of 
 the  Jews  " — for  they  could  contradict  this  only 
 by  joining  in  it.  Thus  the  malignity  of  Gen- 
 tiles and  Jews,  though  mutually  contradicting, 
 is  united  in  its  outburst  against  the  Man  upon 
 the  cross.  "  Have  we  not  long  ago  said  that  he 
 was  a  deceiver?"  Thus  their  words  begin,  and 
 then  continue — "Behold,  also,  how  he  is 
 brought  to  cor  fusion  as  the  pretended  Me."'- 
 siah  ! "     He   had  in  the  sublimest  and  most 
 
LUKE  XXIII.  43. 
 
 661 
 
 affecting  manner  directed  their  thoughts  away 
 from  himself  to  their  own  state,  and  to  the 
 guilt  of  their  own  deed,  which  yet  might  be 
 forgiven.  But  they  will  hear  nothing  of  theni- 
 selves,  or  of  their  own  forgiveness ;  all  their 
 thought  is  against  him,  and  they  continue 
 what  they  have  begun.  All  cry  at  once.  Save 
 thyself!  and  go  still  further,  If  thou  be  the  Son 
 of  God — just  as  in  the  first  temptation  of 
 Satan,  which  now  recurs  in  its  perfect  consum- 
 mation One  after  the  other  ventures  to  bring 
 forward  his  own  keen  railcry ;  even  passing  ly 
 with  wagging  of  head  and  blasphemy,  no  longer 
 standing  still  as  before.  The  first  daring  word 
 addressed  to  the  Lord  himself  (with  an  Ah, 
 Ova,  Mark  xv.  29)  came  doubtless  from  among 
 the  rulers;  for  it  brings  forward  again  the 
 charge  concerning  the  temple,  but  at  the  same 
 time  heirays  in  its  passion  an  almost  correct 
 understanding  of  its  true  meaning.  (Build 
 then  the  temple  again — It  is  in  the  icay  of  being 
 destroyed  now  !)  The  same  rulers  who  had  first 
 decreed — "  He  is  not  Christ  as  he  said,  and 
 therefore  he  must  die,"  now  say  in  their  mock- 
 ery— He  dies  and  therefore  he  is  not  Christ. 
 "  This  is  the  helper  of  all  men  " — with  a  tone 
 as  if  throwing  doubt  upon  all  his  miracles  ; 
 this  at  least  was  the  design,  but  in  the  confu- 
 sion of  their  tongues  it  runs  as  an  enforced 
 acknowledgment — He  saved  others!  and  so  not 
 ohly  his  love  but  his  perfect  faith  is  extorted 
 from  their  admission — He  trusted  in  God ! 
 Taken  together  these  are  their  testimony  to  his 
 pure  devotion  and  unselfish  charity  to  man. 
 lie  must  come  down  from  the  cross  to  save 
 himself — thus  speaks  selfishness  which  knows 
 of  nothing  but  take  care  of  thyseif  (Aide  toi- 
 mume);  and  thus  speaks  vnbeiief,  Take  care 
 of  thyself  (Aide  toi-m^me)  if  "thou  canst ! 
 They  know  not  now  what  they  say ;  they 
 know  not  that  he  had  ascended  the  cross, 
 in  order  to  save  others  with  an  eternal  sal- 
 vation. But  that  even  the  high  priests  and 
 scribes  mock  his  admitted  "  trust  in  God,"  as 
 now  put  to  confusion,  betrays  the  inmost 
 wickedness  of  iheir  hearts,  for  thus  they  really 
 blaspheme  God  himself  in  Christ.  Finally, 
 when  they,  according  to  Matt,  xxvii.  43  (either 
 ignorantly,  or  in  their  customary  manner  of 
 perverting  holy  words  into  proverbs),  speak  in 
 tijte  language  of  Psa.  xxii.,  this  their  mockery 
 becomes  a  witness  to  truth,  in  his  favor,  and 
 against  their  own  sin. 
 
 Thus,  Gentiles  and  Jews,  rulers  and  common 
 people,  those  who  were  standing  there  and  such 
 as  passed  by,  all  join  in  derision — and  with 
 them  even  those  murderers  who  were  also  cru- 
 cified, at  least  one  of  them.  What  Matt,  calls 
 vvEibiZ.Eiv,  Luke  fjXa(5 cpjm eIv ,  must  have 
 been,  according  to  these  emphatic  expressions, 
 no  less  than  moclery  too.  Thus,  it  was  not,  as 
 Krummacher  thinks,  that  the  reviling  thief 
 might  have  made  a  despairing  attempt  to  touch 
 the  Lord's  honor,  thinking  of  the  possibility 
 that  he  might  yet  save  himself  and  them,  if  he 
 only  would.  Olrrno  ;  this  one  had  received  no 
 such  influence  from  the  Man  by  his  side,  and  i 
 
 the  meaning  of  his  word  is  altogether  different. 
 Nor  was  it'  "  in  the  intoxication  of  frenzy," 
 after  having  received  the  stupifying  draught, 
 but,  more  correctly,  it  was  partly  in  the  "  mad- 
 ness of  anguish,"  and  partly  through  the  ex- 
 citement of  the  mockery  raging  around,  which 
 he  would  imitate.  It  is  with  a  side-glance  of 
 wretched  vanity  upon  the  multitude  (I  can 
 mock  too) — using  the  tongue  which  alone  is 
 now  in  his  power — without  any  emotion  of 
 penitence,  but  with  a  shamelul  joy  that  this  in- 
 surgent against  the  powers  of  the  world  is  now 
 also  like  himself— that  he  utters  his  cry.  Save 
 thyself  and  us !  Thou  wast  one  of  us — Canst 
 thou  do  any  thing  now  for  us  ?  We  hold  with 
 thee  still,  and  are  thy  first  dependents  !  What 
 intensity  of  wickedness !  What  depth  of  shame 
 for  Jesus  himself! 
 
 The  daring  man  had  thought  to  excite  gen- 
 eral derision,  and  thus  to  perform  a  great  ex- 
 ploit— but  it  is  otherwise.  He  had  been  bold 
 to  speak  in  the  name  of  his  crucified  companion, 
 as  well  as  his  own — Save  thyself  and  us!  But 
 before  any  one  has  time  to  laugh,  this  other 
 crucified  one  protests  with  all  his  might  against 
 any  such  fellowship  with  those  who  fear  not 
 God.*  One  malefactor  begins  to  preach  to  the 
 other.  Still  more,  a  fellow-crucified  begins  to 
 bear  witness  to  the  honor,  dignity,  and  power 
 of  the  crucified  Just  One.  In  the  midst  of  the 
 mockery  of  blackest  hell,  a  lightning  flash  of 
 faith  and  confession  to  the  truth  breaks  forth  ; 
 and  it  is  as  a  peal  of  thunder  to  all  hearts  and  con- 
 sciences around.  "  One  who  was  cast  out  from 
 the  society  of  men  was  the  first  and  only  one 
 who  was  penetrated  by  the  truth  and  glory  of 
 Jesus,  and  bore  a  free  and  artless  testimony  in 
 his  behalf."  "  Such  a  testimony  of  one  dying 
 in  deep  anguish  through  his  own  sin  is  not  to 
 be  despised."  Let  us  observe,  once  more,  the 
 most  wonderful  mingling  of  honor  and  indig- 
 nity, of  confessing  truth  and  mocking  lie :  one 
 crucified  with  him  is  the  only  one  who  now 
 confesses  that  Jesus  is  king — but  what  power 
 has  the  honor  paid  to  truth  in  such  a  confession 
 
 *  AVas  he  a  Gentile,  in  opposition  to  the  Jew 
 who  had  spoken  of  "Christ?"  An  anonymous 
 writer  finds  in  his  words  and  those  of  Zacchasus 
 tlie  purest  Greek  in  all  the  Gospels  !  Benuel  re- 
 garded him  as  a  Gentile,  but  incorrectly.  For  this 
 malefactor  on  tlie  cross,  and  the  Rom<in  centurion 
 afterwards,  represent  together  the  confessors  from 
 the  Jewish  and  Gentile  world  ;  the  former,  espe- 
 cially, tlie  remnant  of  the  Jews  saved  in  the  im- 
 pending judgment.  The  Lord  would  scarcely 
 have  spoken  of  Faradise  lo  a  Gentile.  Bengel's 
 ingenuity  hides  a  double  error.  AVlien  he  says, 
 "  He  alludes  not  to  the  promises  given  to  the 
 Father  but  the  original  Paradise,"  we  must  reply 
 that  the  Gentile  could  not  have  known  any  thing 
 about  that.  When  he  goes  on,  "  Nor  is  there  any 
 obstacle  in  his  speaking  of  (he  one  God  ;  for  faith 
 in  Christ  infers  faith  in  one  God" — we  cannot  ad- 
 mit this.  Rambach  more  correctly  remarks  that 
 both  belonoed  to  the  seditious  Jews  mentioned  In 
 Mark  xv.  7.  But  we  shall  meet  this  question 
 again. 
 
662 
 
 SECOND  WORD  FROM  THE  CROSS. 
 
 as  this  !  Lnther :  "  This  is  a  comfortable  sym- 
 bol and  example  for  all  Christendom,  that  God 
 will  never  let  faith  in  Christ  and  the  confession 
 of  his  name  go  down.  If  the  disciples  as  a 
 body,  and  those  who  were  otherwise  related  to 
 Jesus,  confess  not  and  lose  their  faith,  deny, 
 him  in  fear,  are  oflended,  and  forsake  him — a 
 raalelactor  or  murderer  must  come  forward  to 
 confess  him,  to  preach  him  to  others,  and  teach 
 all  men  who  he  is,  and  what  consolation  all 
 may  find  in  him." 
 
 Long  had  the  penitent  hanging  upon  the 
 cross  kept  silence,  while  hearing  the  general 
 mockery;  his  indignation  was  not  expressed 
 until  his  companion  included  him  in  the  "  us." 
 He  was  then  compelled  to  rebuke  hirn  by  a 
 word  which  came  from  his  deepest  soul :  Dost 
 not  thou — even  thou  not  yet — fear  God  ?  The 
 ovSe  condemns  at  the  same  time  all  the  rest ; 
 the  inlerence  from  his  words  was,  Hast  thou 
 not  yet  learned  it  (like  me)  upon  thy  cross? 
 The  orr  is  not  to  be  taken  simply  for  quamvis, 
 in  favor  of  which  probably  Acts  i.  17,  though 
 not  John  viii.  45,  may  be  compared  ;  but  it  is 
 to  be  filled  up  thus— Dost  thou  not  fear  God,  as 
 thou  oughfe-st  to  do,  since?  (Bengel:  Because — 
 seeing  that  this  should  be  a  reason  for  fearing 
 him.)  Then  follows  his  beautiful  confession: 
 in  which  he  first  places  himself  on  a  level  with 
 the  rebuked  malefactor  by  "  we,"  that  he  may 
 then  set  over  against  the  daring  "  save  us,"  of 
 his  fellow  a  better  word,  spoken  to  his  conscience 
 and  soul ;  and  then  vindicate  the  Righteous 
 One  fi'om  the  appearance  of  the  same  condemna- 
 tion; and  then,  finally,  speak  to  Jesus  other- 
 wise and  more  becomingly  on  his  own  behalf. 
 He  thinks  of  himself  at  last ;  not  till  he  had 
 rebuked  his  companion,  and  acknowledged  the 
 Just  One. 
 
 But  now,  too,  what  a  contrast  between  this 
 petition  and  that  derision!  Arndt:  "Unbe- 
 lief mocks,  faith  prays."  The  remember  me  is 
 really  a  word  of  prayer ;  as  in  Nehem.  xiii.  14. 
 22,  31,  V.  19,  and  often  in  the  Pfalms  spoken 
 to  God,  besides  Psa.  xxv.  7,  which  has  been  re- 
 ferred to.  It  is  not  merely  parallel  with  the  re- 
 quest of  Joseph,  Gen.  xl.  14,  comp.  Ecclus. 
 xxxvii.  6 ;  or  used  in  the  sense  in  which  among 
 the  Jews  survivors  commended  themselves  to 
 the  intercession  of  the  departing  for  admission 
 into  Paradise — though  tlie  incorrigible  arch- 
 Catholic  Sepp  finds  "here  the  doctrine  of  the 
 intercession  of  the  saints.  But  the  nvpie. 
 Lord,  in  connection  with  the  kin fjdom,  gives  (nW 
 evidr-nce  that  the  thief  thought  more  highly 
 than  this  concerning  Jesus.  This  remember  me 
 includes  first  and  before  all,  a  supplication  for 
 &  forgiviiuss  to  be  obtained  from  God  his  Father 
 for  him  ;  and  is  as  sucli  connected  with  the  in- 
 tercession ot  Jesus,  which  here  will  be  followed 
 by  its  first  anticipatory  fruit.  But  then,  still 
 bolder,  he  continues,  not  indeed  to  say  it  openly 
 but  to  hint  it,  that  he  himself  would  fain  after 
 his  forgiveness  enter  into  the  kin^'Jom  of  this 
 divine  Ruler — Remember  me  as  thy  subject! 
 "The  firm  conviction  of  the  dying  man  as  to 
 the    immortality  of  hia  eouI,"  on  which  Nie- 
 
 meyer  lays  such  stress,  is  the  least  thing,  and 
 is  self-understood.  His  faith  presses  far  be- 
 yond this  !  Luther's  translation  is,  alas  I  very 
 incorrect  and  misleading  ;  its  meaning  being — 
 When  thou  comest  into  thy  kingdom:  he  follows 
 the  Vulg.,  and  many  persist  in  maintaining 
 that  ty  Txj  fJcxdiXeia  is  to  be  explained  as  efi 
 Tijy  ^adiXeiav.  Tliis  is  not  the  meaning, 
 even  as  understood,  with  De  Wette  and  Nean- 
 der,  "  to  found  and  establish  thy  kingdom  upon 
 earth."  But,  as  he  sees  Jesus  patiently  dying 
 upon  the  cross,  he  means  by  the  coming  a  com- 
 ijig  again  ;  and  that,  in  opposition  to  his  pres- 
 ent lowliness,  toi'h  hw  fower  and  glory.  Thus 
 it  is — In  thy  self-manifesting  kingly  power,  aa 
 King  (comp.  Matt.  xvi.  28) ;  certainly  not, 
 When  thou  comest  into  Ihy  heavenly  king- 
 dom, to  God  thy  Father.  What  kind  of  King 
 of  the  Jews  he  is  7iot — that  he  is  not  a  king  in 
 the  carnal  sense  of  Jewish  expectation — is 
 made  plain  -to  the  malefactor,  and  to  all  the 
 world,  by  the  crucifixion  ;  but  this  thief  is  not, 
 like  the  other,*  offended  at  this ;  he  under- 
 stands, what  Pilate  would  not  understand,  that 
 he  is  nevertheless  a  king;  and  that  he  will  in 
 his  time  reveal  his  heavenly,  spiritual  king- 
 dom upon  earth,  as  a  kingdom  coming  with  his 
 own  person.  Tlius  he  declares  firmly  his  know- 
 ledge and  conviction — He  can  and  loill  snvehoth 
 himself  and  olhtrs!  He  puts  his  confidence  in 
 this  Dying  One,  whose  last  garment  is  taken 
 from  him,  and  whose  kingdom  visible  among 
 men  is  now  given  up  finally,  that  he  will  nev- 
 ertheless appear  as  a  king  in  his  glory.  Thus 
 he  reads — "  with  divine  clear-sightedness  in 
 this  deepest  night "  (Krummacher) — the  su- 
 perscription aright,  as  if  he  had  iieard  the 
 confessions  made  before  Caiaphas  and  Pilate; 
 with  astounding  faith,  in  the  face  of  the  whole 
 mocking  world.f  he  looks  forward  into  the 
 kingdom  of  this  Crucified  One  by  his  side  who 
 was  scorned  by  all  men  ;  and  becomes  an  apos- 
 tle of  his  honor,  while  his  own  Apostles  are 
 oppressed  in  silent  despondency.  To  such  far- 
 seeing  clearness  of  spiritual  apprehension  can 
 fundamental  penitence  purge  the  eyes! 
 
 To  all  that  had  preceded,  the  Lord — hearing 
 all,  however,  as  we  now  see — had  kept  silence  ; 
 but  he  cannot  keep  silence  now,  he  must  speak 
 once  more.  Not  like  any  feeble  son  of  man, 
 involved  in  himself  and  thinking  only  of  his  own 
 pain,  does  he  hang  upon  the  cross  ;  but  hia 
 open  love  and  sympatliy  are  ready  for  all,  even 
 the  most  fearful,  expressions  which  these  sin- 
 ners, whom  he  redeems,  cause  him  to  hoar. 
 Probably  he  cannot  see  these  two  criminals, 
 cannot  direct  his  glance  to  this  last,  without 
 adding  to  his  own  agony  by  movement  upon 
 the  cross.  But  that  he  forgets,  and  turns  with 
 an  impulse  of  joy,  as  well  as  he  can,  to  the  soul 
 
 »  They  probably,  as  Lanffe  says,  though  without 
 direct  support  Irom  the  text,  had  hoped  in  Jesus 
 as  the  Jewish  Messiah. 
 
 t  "  This  thief  would  fill  a  consp:cnons  place  in 
 a  list  of  the  triumphs  ol  faith  suppleuieniary  to 
 Heb.  xi."  (AlfordJ. 
 
LUKE  XXIII.  43. 
 
 m 
 
 that  spealts  to  him — thus  making  the  nails 
 more  firm  (Pfenninger).  How  could  he  keep 
 silence,  he  whose  heart  never  received  suppli- 
 cation in  vain?  "Hatred  is  silent,  and  his 
 love  has  the  last  word."  Still  more,  it  is  not 
 merely  in  his  love  to  the  miserable,  but  in  his 
 joy  over  this  word  of  penitence  and  faith,  that 
 he  gives  answer.  "No  strengthening  angel 
 from  heaven  could  have  been  more  welcome  " 
 — says  Arndt  with  deep  feeling.  That  he  can 
 already  assure  and  impart  to  this  first-born 
 the  fruit  of  his  now-accomplished  redemption, 
 is  (as  the  commencement  of  John  xii.  32)  his 
 last  human  joy  and  first  full  Saviour-joy  upon 
 the  earth,  in  which  he  himself  has  the  foretaste 
 of  Paradise  in  the  midst  of  the  ouoiooua  zov 
 xpi'fiaro?.  He  therefore  begins  with  his  sa- 
 cred Amen,  as  in  former  davs  ;  and  Pfenninger 
 touchingly  remarks  that  this  would  in  a  mo- 
 ment recall  to  the  disciples,  in  the  midst  of  their 
 sorrow,  his  former  "Verily,  verily,  I  say  unto 
 you."  "  In  this  word,"  says  Lange,  with  equal 
 beauty,  "all  is  cerlalnty :  the  trust  in  the  rec.lity 
 of  the  penitence  of  the  thief ;  his  merciful  ac- 
 ceptance; the  assurance  of  his  continuing  to 
 live;  the  promise  of  his  future  union  with 
 Jesus;  the  instant  fulfillment  of  all  his  wishes 
 On  the  same  day ;  the  pledge  of  his  elevation 
 to  heaven,"  To  the  last  expression  "  heaven" 
 we  shall  find  some  objection  presently  ;  but  the 
 first  point,  the  trust  in  the  earnestness  (as  to 
 his  repentance  and  as  to  his  faith)  of  the  thief, 
 must  have  its  counterpart  in  this,  that  Christ 
 first  by  his  "  verily  "  strengthened  the  faith  of 
 this  believer  into  perfection.* 
 
 Let  it  be  observed  how  definitely  the  Lord 
 replies  to  all  that  he  said,  and  gives  assurance 
 in  each  case  of  more  than  was  asked  for,  pro- 
 mising abundantly  more  than  even  this  bold 
 petitioner  could  ask  or  conceive.  For  "  he 
 directs  his  words  in  his  sympathy  to  the  sore 
 conflict  of  faith  which  this  poor  sinner  had  still 
 lefore  him  ;  for  he  makes  every  thing  more  de- 
 finite than  his  humble  request  had  ventured  to 
 do"  (Rieger).  The  appeal  cried — Lord!  there- 
 fore he  says,  Verdy  I,  this  Lord,  say  unto  thee. 
 Eemember  me  I  this  also  is  surpassed — Thou 
 shalt  be  tcith  me;  instead  of  the  mere  remem- 
 brance, perfect  fellowship  and  communion  is 
 promised.  When  thou  one  day  shalt  come  in 
 thy  kingdom,  in  opposition  to  this  indefinite 
 futurity,  we  hear— To-c/ay.  This  last  declara- 
 tion also  surpasses  the  request,  sinc3  it  places 
 a  condition  of  blessed  satisfaction  for  the  male- 
 factor in  the  place  of  the  kingly  authority  of 
 Jesus;  yet  there  is  on  the  other  hand  some- 
 thing in  the  io-d.iy  which  corrects  and  restricts 
 the  indistinct  notion  of  his  petition — Not  at 
 once  into  the  lingdom,  but  first  into  Paradise. 
 For  up  to  this  time  the  Lord's  clear  glance  into 
 all  the  relations  and  stages  of  the  way  which 
 he  himself  would  go,  and  in  which  he  would 
 lead  his  people,  had  not  yet  been  obscured,  as 
 
 *  As  Rambach  says  that  "  he  must  strengthen 
 by  his  venythe  >-(ni\  which  with  all  its  first  strong 
 faith,  still  ueeded  tae  strong  consolation," 
 
 it  afterwards  was  in  the  final  darkness  of  his 
 soul. 
 
 The  word  concpi-ning  Paindise,  and  that  con- 
 cerning the  forgiveness  of  sinti,  are  closely  con- 
 nected ;  thouffh  the  connection  does  not  exhibit 
 itself  in  the  expression.  As  the  prayer  did  not 
 first  expressly  ask  forgiveness,  while  this  yet 
 lay  in  the  background  of  the  supplication,'  so 
 the  assurance  of  the  corresponding  answer 
 leaves  it  unexpressed  (though  the  intercession 
 for  all  sinners  coming  to  repentance  had  just 
 preceded),  but  thereby  gives  the  fullest  promise 
 of  a  pre-supposed  pardon.  "  All  who  are  cast 
 out  of  the  Paradise  lost,  are  attracted  by  the 
 inscription  over  the  way — Forgiveness  of  sins. 
 He  who  can  make  this  word  his  own,  is  on  the 
 way  to  Paradise.  Without  forgiveness  of  sins 
 Paradise  would  be  hell.  'Through  the  forgive- 
 ness of  sins — were  that  possible  there — hell 
 would  be  Paradise.  Therefore,  the  Redeemer's 
 word,  To-day  thou  shalt  be  with  me  in  Para- 
 dise, is  only  another  lorni  of  the  consolation — • 
 Be  of  good  cheer,  my  son,  thy  sins  be  forgiven 
 thee  "  ( Langer). 
 
 The  Berlenh.  Bihel  says  :  "  Here  we  must  nofc 
 play  with  the  shell,  but  go  to  the  kernel."  We 
 add  :  Tlie  kernel  of  the  word  is,  first,  the  plain 
 declaration — 'i'hou  shalt  he  ■wi'h  me.  But,  sec- 
 ondly, the  sweet  kernel  of  the  word  "  Para- 
 dise " — which,  with  the  to-day,  has  always  been 
 a  hard  nut  to  expositors — is  the  promise  of 
 Ues-tedness.  The  Lord  obviously  chooses  this 
 expression,  in  order,  both  for  the  thief  ami  tor 
 himself,  to  place  in  opposition  to  present  an- 
 guish the  thought  of  rest  and  jny  ;  graciously 
 promising  the  peace  after  and  as  spi'inging  out 
 of  the  present  condemnation.  But  then  the 
 expression  points  still  further  back  and  further 
 forward :  it  says  much  more  than  merely— 
 "  with  the  blessed."  The  confession  of  the 
 sufferer,  "  We  receive  the  due  reward  of  our 
 deeds,"  sounds  in  the  thought  of  Christ  as  the 
 universal  cry  of  sinful  humanity,  with  which, 
 therefore,  he  includes  the  specific  sinner.  It 
 was  natural  and  necessary  that  in  the  contem- 
 plations of  his  soul  he  should  fix  his  thoughts 
 upon  the  loss  of  Paradise  by  the  whole  race  of 
 evil-doers  ;  and  upon  the  tree  of  the  curse  re- 
 member the  tree  of  life.  Proceeding  from  this 
 he  utters  his  new  and  independent  word  :  how 
 far  his  language  is  connected  v;ith  the  Jeirixh 
 ideas  and  e.rp}-essions  customary  at  that  time,  is 
 a  question  concerning  only  the  shell  of  the  rii"0 
 and  bursting  word  within,  which,  however,  is 
 itself  not  to  be  taken -as  the  kernel.  So  far 
 back  as  Ezek.  xxvui.  13,  xxxi.  8,  9  (and  even 
 by  hints  yet  earlier,  Isa.  li.  3,  comp.  Iviii,  11) 
 we  have  the  beginning  in  canonical  Scriptuie 
 of  the  profound  phraseology  which,  referrinix 
 back    to   the   primitive   pj?3  (in    Eden),  and 
 
 Cn^X'ps  (in  the  Garden  of  God),  speaks  of  a 
 
 state  of  innocence  and  delight  generally,  which 
 it  was  very  easy  to  assign  to  the  blessed  as  their 
 restored  place;  comp.  2  Esdras  vii.  53,  viii.  53. 
 In  the  Talmud,  Paradise  is  now  a  place  in  hea  \-(^n 
 where  souls  are  gathered  together,  aud  now  a 
 
€64 
 
 SECOND  WORD  FROM  THE  CROSS. 
 
 place  where  some  are  caught  up  in  trance  (see 
 Buxt.  Lex.  s.  V.  D'niS)  ;  tben,  again,  it  is  the 
 
 region  of  Hades  appointed  to  the  righteous,  as 
 Gehenna  to  the  wicked.  This  last  is  found  ex- 
 pressly in  Chag'ga,  fol.  xv.  1  ;  hence  Lutz  cor- 
 rccily  maintains  that  the  Jewish  escbatology 
 provided  a  two-lold  intermediate  state — Para- 
 dise and  Gehenna.  From  this  arose  formulas 
 of  good-wishing  as  to  a  happy  death — May  his 
 soul  be  taken  to  the  Garden  of  Eden  ;  may  he 
 have  his  portion  in  Paradise,  etc. ;  see  Grotius 
 on  Jjuke  xxiii.  43.  The  manifold,  and  for  the 
 most  part,  vapid  teachings  of  tiie  later  Jews 
 concerning  Paradise,  may  be  found  in  Eisen- 
 menger.  But  how  mucii  of  this  was  current 
 in  the  time  of  Jesus  is  very  uncertain  ;  and 
 hence  we  cannot  admit  at  once  what  Friedlieb 
 saya,  that  Jesus  in  his  word  to  the  malefactor 
 pre-supposed  this  predominant  view.  In  the 
 New-Testament  writings,  not  only  does  Rev.  ii. 
 7  (comp.  xxii.  2)  confirm  the  truth  of  a  resto- 
 ration of  "  Paradise,"  but,  according  to  2  Cor. 
 xii.  4,  Paul  was  caught  up  to  a  Paradise,  which 
 is  made  equivalent  m  ver.  2  to  the  "  third 
 heaven."  This  is  obviously  to  be  understood 
 on  the  principle  that  now,  after  the  completed 
 victory  of  Christ,  the  true  and  perfect  Paradise 
 can  only  be  above  ;  although  there  may  be  a 
 lower  Paradise  lor  many  as  a  stage  of  tran- 
 sition. For  (as  Olshausen  rightly  remarks) 
 the  Jews  themselves  divided  Paradise  into  the 
 upper  and  the  under. 
 
 To  enter  more  at  large  into  the  whole  obscure 
 doctrine  of  Hades,  and  to  extract  the,  truth 
 from  the  mists  and  perversions  which  surround 
 it,  would  carry  us  too  far  :  we  therefore  content 
 ourselves  with  remarking  that  Christ,  before 
 his  resurrection,  can  mean  by  the  to-day  of  his 
 promise  only  a  lower  Paradise,  the  "  region  of 
 joy  in  Hades  ;"  and  therefore  that  Lutz  is  right 
 in  asserting  an  "intermediate  state"  to  be  here 
 established.  The  two  things  are  quite  consis- 
 tent :  on  the  one  hand  a  certain  adherence  to 
 the  current  ideas  and  language  ;  and,  on  the 
 other,  a  new  meaning  in  the  significant  word, 
 which  is  not  to  be  explained  according  to  Jew- 
 ish opinions.  In  one  point  of  view,  Grotius  is 
 quite  right:  "It  is  not  to  be  doubted  that 
 Christ  .spoke  in  a  manner  which  would  be  un- 
 derstood by  the  thief,"  and  by  the  Jews  who 
 already  knew  something  of  a  Paradise.  In  an- 
 other point  of  view,  it  is  still  more  certain 
 that  on  his  lips  and  at  this  time  this  important 
 word  would  receive  another  and  more  perfect 
 moaning,  as  well  for  all  who  should  afterwards 
 appropriate  it,  as  for  him  who  received  it  first. 
 It  was  not  without  design,  that  our  Lord  in  the 
 parable  of  Lazarus  spoke  only  of  "Abraham's 
 bosom,"  and  not  as  the  Jews  did,  proleptically, 
 of  "  Paradise  :"  for  "  it  %\ws  not  till  the  manifes- 
 to Lien  of  Christ  that  that  resting  place  of  the 
 faitliful  dead  became  in  tniih  an  abode  of  the 
 blessed,  and  changed  into  Paradise"  (Arndt) 
 Now  first,  was  Paraditte  opened  by  the  second 
 Adam  (as  Chiysostom  preached),  (henein  Para- 
 dine  foundtd,  as  Lange  says  (only  that  the  lat- 
 
 ter, with  his  "church  of  spirits"  and  "spirit- 
 congregation  "  idealizes  too  much  ;  invades  the 
 prerocrative  of  heaven  ;  and  leads  us  away  from 
 the  obvious  sense  of  the  words,  as  resrects 
 Jesus  and  the  malefactor).  Certainly,  as  "  Para- 
 dise lost"  is  a  term  which  expresses  and  com- 
 bines all  the  misery  of  man,  and  all  his  hopes 
 and  longings,  as  they  first  look  backward  to 
 what  has  been  forfeited;  so  we  may  say  that 
 the  promise  of  Paradise  is  the  greatest  which 
 could  be  given,  that  is,  the  most  comprehen- 
 sive ;  for  all  that  has  been  lost,  and  that  has 
 been  sighed  for  with  infinite  longing,  is  to  be 
 restored  to  us  in  glorified  form.  So  far  the 
 established  Mngdom  of  the  consummation,  the 
 new  earth,  as  described  in  Rev.  xx.,  is  actually 
 the  final,  most  real,  and  more  than  restored 
 Paradise  ;  consequently  this  reply  to  the  sup- 
 plication does  most  profoundly  and  internally 
 surjmss  it.  But  with  this  is  quite  consistent  the 
 truth  and  reality  of  a  condition  and  place,  the 
 rest  and  joy  of  which  the  Lord  promises  to  the 
 penitent  before  his  "  it  is  finished,"  and  for  a  to- 
 day preceding  his  resurrection  and  ascension. 
 Even  the  entrance  at  the  first  into  this  lower 
 Paradise,  the  type  and  earnest  of  the  higher,  as 
 of  the  last,  is  a  transcendently  great  blessing  for 
 this  malefactor ;  whose  faith,  apprehending  the 
 "  Father,  forgive  them"  had  secured  his  justi- 
 fication, so  that  nothing  needed  to  be  said  first 
 about  them. 
 
 The  to-day,  belonging  to  a  time  before  the 
 resurrection,  proves  that  the  soul  may  be  and 
 will  be  consciously  without  the  body  in  a  par- 
 ticular place  ;  but  much  more  may  be  deduced 
 from  it.  It  is  by  no  means  right  to  paraphrase 
 the  word  as  Braune  does,  making  it  signify  the 
 day  which  begins  with  the  evening  of  death 
 and  ends  with  the  morning  of  the  resurrec- 
 tion ;  or,  to  regard  Jesus  as  meaning  simply 
 eternity,  which  is  no  other  than  an  absolute 
 present.  The  simple  to-day  is  the  rather  to  be 
 taken  in  its  simple  literalness,  because  it  was 
 intended  to  correspond  with,  while  it  surpa.=<.«ed, 
 the  hope  expressed  in  the  indefinite  tchcn.  But, 
 taking  into  view  the  whole  doctrine  of  the  de- 
 scent into  hell,  as  elsewhere  taught,  we  cannot 
 suppress  a  question  of  surprise.  Was  then 
 Christ  that  day,  at  first  and  immediately  after 
 his  dying,  in  Paradise?  Was  he  in  heavenly 
 places,  from  which  he  then  descended  into  the 
 kingdom  of  the  dead  ?  Most  assuredly  not, 
 lor  in  1  Pet.  iii.  18,  19,  the  descent  is  placed 
 first;  and  in  John  xx.  17  the  ascent  into 
 heaven  has  not  yet  taken  place.  The  word 
 upon  the  cross  does  indeed  seem  to  say  .so,  but 
 it  only  seems  to  mean  this.  While  indeed  an 
 immediate  transition  into  Paradise  is  promised 
 to  the  thief,  and  must  be  promised  to  him  in 
 order  that  he  may  not  be  below  other  believers 
 who  had  entered  before,  this  does  not  necessa- 
 rily intimate  that  Christ  went  the  same  way  at 
 once.  It  would  then  have  been — To-day  shall 
 thou  enter  into  Paradise  with  me.  But  Christ, 
 as  the  vicarious  Redeemer,  even  of  the  apos- 
 tates, continued  necpssanly  in  his  own  person 
 the  humiliation  of  death  down  to  the  lowest  re- 
 
LUKE  XXIII.  43. 
 
 665 
 
 gions  of  death  and  judgment,  in  order  to  con- 
 quer there,  and  tlience  to  ascend  again  victori- 
 ous. The  note  of  Meyer,  the  great  authority 
 on  this  question,  must  maintain  its  propriety  : 
 "  In  the  abode  of  joy  in  Hades,  whither  tlie 
 soul  of  Jesus  after  its  descent  into  the  prison 
 ascended,  and  remained  till  the  resurrection." 
 Compare  the  invaluable  though  too  much  ne- 
 glected little  treatise  of  Meyer  on  "  Hades  " — 
 where  the  opinion,  originating  in  ignorance, 
 that  Christ  first  entered  Paradise  with  the 
 malefactor  and  then  went  to  Gehenna,  is  called 
 an  entire  perversion,  which  contradicts  alike 
 reason  and  the  doctrine  of  the  Apostle.  Lange 
 also  so  understands  it  as  to  say,  "  Christ's 
 death  was  necessarily  and  essentially  a  tri- 
 umphal course  through  the  waiting  underworld 
 into  Paradise" — save  that  he  does  not  regard 
 the  first  Paradise  as  still  belonging  to  the 
 underworld,  and  then  first  by  Christ's  victory 
 elevated  into  heaven.  The  notion  that  the 
 Paradise  meant  by  Christ  was  heaven  must  as- 
 sume without  any  good  reason  that  the  Jewish 
 thief  could  already  understand  his  meaning. 
 But  to  investigate  all  this  would  require  us  to 
 write  a  treatise  on  Hades  and  the  descent.  We 
 content  ourselves  with  remarking  that  this 
 critical  6ijnepov,'^  in  as  far  as  it  certainly 
 means  literally  "  this  day  "  and  contains  a  bis  dat 
 qui  ciio  dat,  will  teach  us  that  in  those  regions 
 beyond,  while  on  the  one  hand  torments  may 
 seem  protracted  to  a  thousand  years,  and  peace- 
 ful enjoyment  may  continue  long  without  wea- 
 riness, yet  on  the  other  hand  we  may  conceive 
 in  spiritual  occurrences  a  very  swift  mensure  of 
 time  in  relation  to  the  world  above.  Hence  in 
 the  space  of  time,  to  us  very  short,  leiween  his 
 own  and  the  malefador's  death,  Christ  might 
 perform  his  great  work  in  the  lower  parts  of 
 the  underworld,  and  yet  be  in  Paradise  on  the 
 the  same  day. 
 
 This  to-day  predicts,  at  the  same  time,  that 
 although  other  crucified  ones  lived  longer,  the 
 death  of  the  Lord  was  near ;  and  it  promises 
 the  like  to  the  malefactor,  as  the  shortening  of 
 his  sufferings.  So  far  it  is  a  strengthening  of 
 the  Verily,  a  confirmation  of  his  assurance  by 
 declaring  its  immediate  nearness. 
 
 But  now  let  us  single  out  and  mark  care- 
 fully the  yucr'  i/zou  i^^,  with  ine  ;  and  first  of 
 all  with  me,  as  through  me.  For  without  him 
 there  is  no  fully  re-opened  Paradise  ;  from  him 
 and  his  forerunning  entrance,  in  the  virtue  of 
 his  merit,  comes  all  salvation  into  life,  even 
 though,   in    the  case    of    the   Old-Testament 
 
 *  By  many,  to  extricate  themselves  from  all 
 difficulty,  couneclrd  with  /  say  ut.to  thee,  thoufih 
 Christ  never  used  such  an  expression  as — I  say 
 unto  thee  to-day.  Olshausen  almost  ridicules  this 
 superficial  view  according  to  which  our  Lord 
 would  tell  him,  "  I  to-day  .say  unto  thee  that  thou 
 shalt  one  day  rnter  Paradise,  God  will  yet  f^ave 
 thee."  Notwithstanding  the  Euattg.  Nicodemi (cap. 
 26 1  actually  reads  6rinf.pov  Xsyco  6oi  ;  and 
 Theophylact  meniions,  oul^'  to  reject,  such  a 
 puuctuatiou  iu  his  time. 
 
 saints  who  entered  into  the  place  of  peace, 
 that  salvation  may  have  gone  before  in  time. 
 Similarly,  again,  true  and  perfect  blessedness 
 consistsm  nothing  but  the  fellowship  of  Jesus, 
 in  being  with  him.  Thus  the  promise  passes 
 onward  beyond  the  lower  into  the  upper  Para- 
 dise, and  gives  us  to  meditate  upon  that  which 
 in  John  xvii.  24  is  made  prominent  as  the  high- 
 est bliss  :  Thou  shalt  be  to-day  already — and 
 then  furtlier  with  me  every  where  where  I  am 
 and  shall  be.  In  this  more  plainly  than  in  the 
 Paradise  lies  the  transcendency  of  the  assur- 
 ance, of  which  we  may  say — More  he  could  not 
 promise.  This  is  his  remeinJering  us.  All  sin- 
 ners crucified  with  him,  but  who  call  upon  him 
 in  faith,  he  takes  with  him,  in  the  way  of  life 
 which  was  opened  up  for  himself,  to  the  fulness 
 of  joy  (Psa.  xvi.  11).  Whether  this  is  to  be 
 interpreted  that  we  all,  like  him,  must  go,  al- 
 though only  in  passing,  through  the  fearful 
 deep,  and  that  he  thus  leads  his  people  to 
 Paradise — is  very  much  to  be  doubted.  Some 
 would  admit  this  as  regards  the  malefactor 
 before  us,*  when  the  suddenness  of  his  con- 
 fession is  urged.  But  it  appears  clear  that  the 
 word  of  Christ  abolishes  the  Hades  of  torment 
 from  this  time  forward,  from  the  period  of  hia 
 death  and  victory,  as  respects  all  the  believ- 
 ers of  the  New  Testament ;  and  that  he  here 
 assures  them,  in  this  their  first  representative, 
 of  that  instant  presence  with  Christ  which  af- 
 terwards in  Phil.  i.  23  means  still  more.t  So 
 far  Neander's  remark  is  quite  correct,  that  this 
 answer  of  Christ  "contradicted  the  common 
 Jewish  views" — though  in  a  sense  probably 
 far  beyond  what  he  intended.  The  sinner  is 
 accepted  and  taken  to  blessedness  "  without 
 any  further  condition,  and  without  the  test  of 
 perseverance"  (Lange)  ;  and  this  is  the  "  first 
 manifestation  of  that  limitless  glory  of  grace 
 which  now  began  its  dominion  in  the  death  of 
 the  cross."  This  word  therefore  decidedly  wit- 
 nesses (as  does  the  whole  Scripture)  against 
 any  intermediate  sleep  of  the  soul  ;  and  most 
 decidedly  against  every  Romanist  return  to  the 
 Old-Testament  position  :  it  allows  no  place, 
 at  least  as  regards  such  penitent  believers  as 
 this  man  was,  for  any  still  needful  purgatory, 
 or  intermediate  process  of  purification  or  in- 
 struction. (What  truth  may  be  in  this  as 
 respects  those  who  had  not  reached  this  point, 
 but  yet  were  not  ripe  for  hell — that  is,  the  un- 
 believers up  to  that  period — is  altogether 
 another  question.) 
 
 Thus  Golgotha  has  become  an  absolving  judg- 
 ment-seat, and  the  stake  of  the  cross  a  throne 
 of  grace,  from  which  the  Dying  One  promises 
 
 *  Meyer  elsewhere  expresses  himself  to  the  ef- 
 fect that  he  probably  went  down  with  Christ  to 
 the  lower  parts  of  the  earth — that  is,  thus  accom- 
 panying the  Lord  throughout  hia  whole  course, 
 and  in  this  sense  being  with  him  (?). 
 
 f  "  Thus  it  is  the  state  of  blessedness,  imme- 
 diately  after  death,  of  those  who  die  in  the  Lord  ; 
 Parad  se  in  conscious  union  and  fellowship  with 
 Christ." 
 
666 
 
 SECOND  WORD  FROM  THE  CROSS. 
 
 to  the  dying  paradisaical  life.  In  its  7mat  gen- 
 oul  meaning  it  has  its  gracious  application  for 
 Uis  all :  and  we  may  cr)"- — Hear,  O  Israel  !  Hear, 
 O  world  !  Before  the  justifying,  sanctifying, 
 and  glorifying  grace  of  God,  one  final  look  of 
 perfect  faith  is  of  as  much  avail  as  the  life-long 
 evidence  and  exercise  of  faith  in  good  works 
 wh'ch  the  same  grace  might  enable  others  to 
 exhibit.  "Only  a  poor  remember  me!  is  all 
 that  we  can  do  ;  he  who  can  utter  this  aright 
 may  be  fully  assured  of  the  whole  blessedness 
 
 and  is  exegetically  unsound.  For,  first,  it  is 
 not  necessary  to  assume  that  (according  to 
 Matt,  and  Mark)  both  at  first  reviled  Christ,  and 
 that  then  (according  to  Luke)  one  of  therai ' 
 came  to  a  better  mind  ;  but  Luke  fexpressly  re- 
 cords that  only  one  blasphemed,  and  conse- 
 quently the  undistinguishing  language  of  the  two 
 other  Evangelists  must  be  interpreted  accord- 
 ingly. Secondly,  this  is  confirmed  by  the  char- 
 acter of  the  rebuke  which  the  penitent  uttered  ; 
 for  in  the  OvSi  6v,  "  Dost  not  [even]  thou," 
 
 of  salvation."  In  this  sense  every  death-bed  |  as  we  have  seen,  he  expresses  a  displeasure 
 of  Christians  is  the  cross  of  the  malefactor,  \  which  tie  had  felt  for  some  time,  but  which  he 
 from  which  be  turns  his  supplicating  eye  to  the  !  had  restrained  ;  and,  moreover,  his  words  con- 
 cross  of  his  Lord ;  and  every  one  who  dies  j  tain  more  than  could  have  originated  at  the 
 happy  in  the  Lord  is  like  him  who  is  here  moment.  Hence  it  is  time  for  us  now  to  look 
 finally  accepted.  Yet  we  must,  in  order  to  a  |  steadily  at  this  point,  that  we  may  clearly  ap- 
 complete  exposition,  mark  now  the  specific  ap-  |  prehend  the  conditions  under  which  the  gra- 
 plication  of  the  whole  to  i\\3ii  reiientance  of !  ciou.s  word  of  the  Lord  was  spoken, 
 which  this  malefactor's  is  the  type.  I      The  malefactor  exhibits  not  only  the  fear  of 
 
 It  is  not  an  empty  and  feeble  sigh  of  final  ap-    God  and  repentance,  but  the  coniession  of  sin 
 peal  which  ever  obtains  such  an  answer;  this  !  and  faith — laith  of  the  strongest  kind  ;  he  ex- 
 
 penitent  supplicant  himself  teaches  usotherwise, 
 for  his  was  of  a  very  different  kind.  Even  if 
 we  assume  that  he  thus  suddenly  and  vehe- 
 mently laid  holdof  theconsolation  because  grace 
 ■was  offered  him  now  for  the  first  time— even 
 then  he  would  be  a  warning  to  all  who  wilfully 
 reject  such  offers  of  grace.  But  that  is  a  very 
 improbable  assumption  ;  he  exhibits  too  much 
 knowledge,  and  witnesses  too  sound  a  confes- 
 sion for  such  a  supposition.  But  how  and  to 
 what  extent  had  he  been  previously  prepared 
 for  it?  Had  he  already  repented  in  his  im- 
 prisonment, and  then  turned  his  thoughts  to 
 the  Nazarene  whom  he  had  known,  but  hitherto 
 despised,  and  whose  crucifixion  now  rendered 
 keener  the  sting  wbicli  his  conscience  had  al- 
 ready felt?  Possibly,  but  we  cannot  tell.  It  may 
 be  that  it  was  the  "  Father,  forgive  them  " 
 joined  with  the  superscription  on  the  cross, 
 which  first  awakened  and  instructed  him  ;  or 
 the  words  spoken  on  the  way  concerning  judg- 
 ment and  the  dry  tree  had  fixed  the  first  im 
 
 hibits  his  penitential  love  and  desire,  also,  and 
 consequently  all  that  the  plan  of  salvation  re- 
 quires. The  tokens  of  the  fundamental  reality 
 of  his  late  conversation  are  neither  insutlicient 
 nor  doubtful.  Langer's  sermon  gives  full  pro-  ■ 
 minenceto  the  fear  of  God  as  the  first  condition 
 on  which  all  else  might  be  founded,  even  where 
 no  love  had  been  shown,  in  a  soul  at  leasl 
 which  was  not  altogether  hardened  ;  as  well  as 
 his  confession  of  sin,  his  unrepining  acceptance 
 of  his  punishment,  his  susceptibility  for  the  ac- 
 knowledgment of  the  righteousness  of  him  who 
 was  crucified  near  him,  and  his  glimmering 
 hope  in  a  victorious  kingdom  of  grace.  But 
 this  last  is  far  from  acknowledging  the  strong 
 fiiith,  and  desire  which  was  in  his  soul.  His. 
 admission  of  the  justice  of  his  punuJimrnt,  and 
 his  most  public  confession  in  the  face  of  death 
 — "  we  receive  the  righteous  award  of  our 
 deeds" — sprang  from  the  most  fundamental 
 repentance,  a  repentance  which  was  not  that  ot 
 the  moment;  and  it  is  a  pattern  coniession  for 
 
 pression  upon  his  heart.  But  at  any  rate  his  ]  all  mankind,  for  eve)-t/  otie  on  his  cross,  in  his 
 words  teach  us  this — and  it  should  save  his  ex-  1  death.  But  now  we  must  add  the  equally 
 ample  from  being  unhappily  perverted  by  any  I  strong  confession  of  his  bold  faith,  as  express- 
 — that  he  did  not  suddenly  change  his  mind,  j  ed  in  a  double  sentence,  which  testifies  not  only 
 after  having  joined  the  other  malefactor,  in  his  j  the  innnc-iice  but  also  the  kuifj/y  authority  of 
 blasphemy.     Tiiis  last  supposition  was  indeed  i  Christ.     His  faith  penetrates  through  the  sem- 
 
 advanced  by  Ambrose  :  "  Probably  this  thief 
 blasphemed  like  the  other,  but  was  suddenly 
 converted  ;  "  and  has  been  defended  by  Lange 
 
 blance  of  "  the  same  condemnation,"  and  re- 
 tracts it  at  once  as  regards  Christ :  he  believes 
 in    the   Crucified    One   as    the    Pvightecus,  the 
 
 But  it  may  lead   to  dangerous  consequences,!    Ruler,  and  the  Helper,  to  whom  his  whole  soul 
 
 turns.*     We  may  regard  it  as  certain  that  it 
 
 *  "  His  conscience  wa.s  awakened  just  at  the 
 moment  of  his  Li.st  endeavor  to  find  res.,  in  liis  old 
 manner  of  lite."  But  smh  l)laspliemy  was  no 
 seeking  rest.  Asjaji,  "  This  very  last  error  would 
 liasten  his  conversion."  But  this  at  such  a  time 
 is  psycholosically  iuiima2iiial)le.  Nor  is  tiiere 
 nnicli  signiticaiice  in  llie  distinction  l)etween 
 oiif.i^t'^oy  as  to  boili,  and  i/JXa6ipt/fift  as  to 
 tlie  on.-. 
 
 I  Ziiizendorf :  "  Had  he  not  blas[>hemed,  who 
 knows  if  he  would  have  converted  l)ini ;  had  he 
 not,  blasphemod  upon  tlie  cross,  who  knows  if  his 
 hard  heart  would  liave  been  broken." 
 
 *  In  ovSey  arottov  (whicli  indeed,  acconliiig 
 to  liesycli.,  may  be  equivalent  to  Ttorijfiov, 
 al6xf)o^y  comp.  Pi»)V.  xxx.  20;  Job  x.wii.  C, 
 xxxiv.  12,  Sept.)  there  lies  a  si)eciHc  meanius,  as 
 tlie  unwoiiledness  of  the  word  intimates,  wliioh 
 may  l)o  seeu  in  2  Thess.  iii.  2;  it  ahendy  lefeis  lo 
 the"'kincdom  "  of  this  Kinat  of  tlie  Jews  and  m 
 the  month  of  this  msurgatt  would  have  some  such 
 si<iniflcance  as  lie. or  gives  it.  This  cincitied 
 man  liad  also  beon  zealous  for  Jpwi>b  freedom ; 
 but  now  ho  sees  "  for  wlial  a  niisenble  kina'biu 
 be  liai  coutt'uded — how  lasli  and  wretched  had 
 
LUKE  XXIII.  43. 
 
 667 
 
 was  not  the  superscription  of  the  cross  which 
 told  him  of  the  kingdom  of  this  Jesus  (this 
 would  be  too  direct  and  immediate)  ;  but  that 
 he  had  in  earlier  times  known  concerning 
 Jesus,  and  "  now  believed  what  he  had  once 
 heard  about  him,  or  from  him."  We  may 
 doubt  wliether  "  he  felt  and  believed  the  divin- 
 ity of  Christ,"  as  respects  his  developed  con- 
 sciousness ;  but  this  was  implicitly  at  least  in- 
 volved in  his  faith,  and  Ben^el's  note  is  correct, 
 "  Not  even  the  Apostles  had  such  pure  views 
 of  the  kingdom  of  Christ."  His  bold  and  clear 
 faith,  as  he  here  avows  it,  is  so  great,  notwith- 
 standing all  that  prepared  and  assisted  it,  that 
 he  may  himself  be  reckoned  "  among  the  mira- 
 cles wiiich  occurred  during  the  Passion  and 
 death  of  our  Lord.  The  darkening  of  the  sun, 
 the  earthquake,  the  opening  of  the  graves,  the 
 rending  of  the  rocks,  were  not  greater  miracles 
 than  the  strong  faith  of  this  malefactor" 
 (Spener).  Finally,  let  it  not  be  overlooked, 
 that  the  first  fruit  of  repentance  and  faith  is 
 seen  in  the  exhibition  of  charity  which  pre- 
 cedes;  for  what  but  the  love  of  pity  to  his 
 comrade,  in  connection  with  and  in  his  zeal  for 
 the  fear  and  honor  of  God,  inspired  his  mind 
 with  the  thought  of  rebuking  him  ?  It  is  true 
 that,  no  one  enters  Paradise  without  holiness, 
 but  this  malefactor  was  sanctified  too.  In 
 truth,  this  one  good  word  v/eighs  as  much  as 
 many  works  before  God,  if  not  more  ;  for  good- 
 ness as  well  as  sin  is  estimated  by  him  inde- 
 pendently of  its  acts  in  continuance.  It  in- 
 cluded all  that  the  most  rigorous  preaching 
 should  desire  in  order  to  a  happy  death — hum- 
 ble reverence  before  God,  knowledge  and  con- 
 fession of  sm,  expression  of  faith  in  redeeming 
 grace  and  in  the  Redeemer,  the  prayer  which 
 seeks  salvation,  zeal  to  bear  witness  for  the 
 truth,  and  zealous  love  in  preaching  to  others. 
 As  some  one  says  :  "  From  a  robber  lie  becomes 
 a  teacher  of  righteousness."  Thus  this  forgiven 
 sinner  is,  as  Niemeyer  terms  him,  "  one  of  the 
 most  elevated  characters  in  the  New  Testa- 
 ment." His  acceptance  was  not  only  a  perfect 
 justification  by  faith  alone,  but — in  opposition 
 to  the  perversion  of  this  "alone" — it  was  at 
 the  same  time  a  quickly-accomplished  new 
 birth  unto  holiness.  His  cross  was  to  him  in 
 swift  succession — first,  a  deserved  punishment; 
 then  a  wholesome  discipline  which  taught  him 
 with  the  fear  of  God*  all  wisdom  ;  and,  lastly, 
 the  way  to  salvation  and  glory. 
 
 All  this  will  more  than  sufficiently  counteract 
 the  perversion  pf  this  word  of  Jesus,  and  the 
 false  hope  derived  from  it  by  those  who  are  not 
 what  this  malefactor  was.     We  are  ail  sinners 
 together,  like  the  two  by  the  side  of  Jesus  ;  we 
 belong  to  the  ?ce,  of  whom  the  penitent  first  of 
 all  speaks.     We  cannot   indeed    be   converted 
 too  late,  as  regards  the  mercy  of  the  Lord;  but  we 
 cannot  turn  too  soon,  as  regards  our  sin,  which 
 so  swiftly  hastens  to  obduration.*    For  warning 
 therefore  the  other  thief  hangs  on  the  other  side ; 
 who,  with  death  in    his  bones,  blasphemes,  and 
 "  rushes  to  hell  because  he  believes  not  in  hell" 
 — because  there  is  in  him  no  fear  of  the  judg- 
 ment of  God.    But  why  is  he,  and  does  he  con- 
 tinue, so  blind  and  so    hard?     Wherefore  is 
 this  saving  on  the  part  of  Christ  only  matter  of 
 mockery,  down  to  the  moment  when  all  salva- 
 tion is  shut  out?     He  blasphemes  the  Lord  on 
 the   stake   of   his   crimes,  just   as   others   do, 
 equally  hardened,  who  lie  on  their  soft  death- 
 bedsf  proclaiming  the  complacent  iiti3i\S,anEV 
 of  their  good  works;  or  who  despond  and  des- 
 pair because  they  can  no  longer  believe,  and 
 God's  righteous  judgment  even  takes  from  them 
 I  the  wholesome  cross  upon  earth,  reserving  them 
 I  for  eternal  pain.     Vischer :   "He  would  be  an 
 i  arrant   fool  who,  because  he  saw  a  man  fall 
 I  many  fathoms  without  breaking  neck  or  limb, 
 should  straightway   imitate  him.      But   such, 
 { leaps  are  dubious ;  the  coming  down  is  often 
 i  woeful,  and  there  is  not  always  a  sound  getting 
 i  up."     Yes,  verily  ;  and  who"  would   stake  hia 
 '  soul  upon  the  contingency  that  one  out  of  a 
 j  thousand  so  narrowly  escapes  the  abyss? 
 ;      Concerning  the  other  malefactor  the  Lord  m 
 j  silent,  and  gives  his  scornful  save  no  answer — 
 I  this  says  enough.     Did  the  accepted  one  speak 
 !  no  word,  return  no  thanksgiving  to  the  Lord  ? 
 j  Possibly  he  did,  though  it  is  not  recorded  :  it 
 is  indeed  probable  that  his  grateful  heart  could 
 find  no  word  which  would  suffice  for  the  reply 
 to  so  great  a  promise.     But  it  is  not,  possible, 
 as  Lange  says,  that  "  while  this  gracious  decla- 
 ration was  still  vibrating  in  his  ears,  the  angela 
 of  God   carried  him  to  the   company    of  the 
 blest."t     For,  that  would   substitute  now   for. 
 to-day  ;  and  then  he  would  have  entered  Para- 
 dise before  Jesus,  instead  of  entering   at  the 
 same  time  with  him. 
 
 been  all  his  way  in  the  world."  But,  on  the  other 
 hand,  he  fjloiies  in  the  Lord  Jesus:  "This  man 
 has  not  aimed  at  his  kingdom  in  such  a  lawless 
 way  as  we  have  done  in  our  blindness."  Ii,  was 
 liis  prote.st  aaainst  his  condemnation — his  wish- 
 in  to  be  king  was  no  akoyitv,  no  ineptia. 
 
 *  It  is  from  his  own  inmost  experience  that  he 
 
 says,  cpofifi  ruy  ^euv,  on — a  fresh  reason  for 
 giving  a  casual  meaning  to  on. 
 
 *  "  Ours  is  only  the  present  moment ;  and  while 
 I  maintain  that  no  time  is  too  late  for  repentance, 
 I  only  assert  that  at  the  moment  when  srace  calls 
 us  it  is  never  too  late  (or  too  soon)"  (Theremin). 
 
 +  Bengel  says :  "  Rare  is  conversion  on  a  soft 
 bed." 
 
 :|:  Like  the  apocrj-phal  Gospel  of  Nicodemus, 
 which  rrpresenis  him  to  have  died  immediately 
 after  the  promise. 
 
THIRD  WORD  FROM  THE  CROSS. 
 (John  xix.  26,  27.) 
 
 We  agree  with  Ebrard  in  rejecting  the  hy- 
 pothesis of  Wieseler,  that  Jesus  commended  his 
 mother  to  John  only  on  the  ground  that  John 
 was  her  nephew,  and  therefore  independently 
 bound  to  take  care  of  her.  We  maintain  that 
 became  the  care  of  his  mother  was  left  to  the 
 free  love  of  John's  heart  in  spiritual  relation- 
 ship, the  wife  of  Zebedee  cannot  have  stood  in 
 the  relation  to  Jesus  of  mother's  sister.  Conse- 
 quently, we  find  in  John  xix.  25  only  the  three 
 Marys.  "  That  John  does  not  record  the  pres- 
 ence of  his  mother  is  easily  accounted  for  when 
 he  is  narrating  the  Lord's  gift  of  another 
 mother ;  the  mention  of  his  literal  mother 
 would  have  been  quite  inappropriate."  So 
 Ebrard,  and  Bengel's  feeling  was  equally  cor- 
 rect: "John  modestly  omits  his  mother,  Sa- 
 lome, who,  however,  was  present."  Female 
 love,  though  in  weak  vessels,  is  strongest  and 
 most  enduring;  the  women  are  the  last  at  the 
 cross,  and  the  first  at  the  sepulchre.  The  op- 
 pressed Peter  and  the  other  Apostles — John 
 excepted — are  only  isolated  spectators,  if  at  all, 
 from  afar.  Thomas  may  have  seen  the  prints 
 of  the  nails,  which  he  aflerv/ards  required  to 
 see  again,  subsequently  on  the  dead  body. 
 According  to  Matt,  xxvii.  55;  Mark  xv.  40; 
 Luke  xxiii.  49;  the  remaining  friends,  and  the 
 •women,  stood  for  the  most  part  afar  off.  But 
 John  xix.  25  marks  a  moment  when  it  became 
 possible  for  those  whom  he  specially  named  to 
 draw  nearer ;  for,  otherwise,  the  Lord  would 
 not  have  been  able  to  address  to  them  any  con- 
 Jidaitial  word.  That  John  himself  was  there 
 18  in  ver.  26  mentioned  by  the  way,  and  as  a 
 thing  of  course  ;  it  is  probable  that  he  had  al- 
 ready attached  himself  especially  to  the  mother 
 of  the  Lord,  to  be  near  as  her  stay  and  protec- 
 tion. M<i(er  dolorosa  is  Mary  indeed  under  the 
 cross,  as  Simeon  had  predicted  ;  yet  she  dood, 
 with  all  her  grief,  in  the  strength  of  faith  and 
 love  ;  she  could  thus  stand  near  the  cross,  not 
 far  from  the  crucifying  soldiers.  She  held  her 
 spirit  under  command,  as  alone  became  her 
 dignity  and  her  experience.  That  which  first 
 the  fathers,  and  then  the  series  of  Catholic 
 writers,  describe  or  invent  of  the  anguish  and 
 despair  of  the  Saviour's  mother  under  the  cross 
 — even  to  fainting  and  convulsions — has  been 
 amply  protested  against;  and  especially  by 
 Lampe,  who,  in  his  suggestive  manner,  points 
 to  the  contrast  between  her  firm  contemplation 
 of  the  dishonor  done  to  the  ark  of  God,  and 
 the  death-pains  of  the  wife  of  Phinehas,  1 
 Sam.  iv.  19. 
 
 John  in  ver.  25  intends  to  intimate  by  his 
 
 tl'irj';Hei6ay,  fuid  utood,  that  these  beloved  and 
 
 loving  ones  had  already  stood  there  some  time, 
 
 waiting  lor  at  least  a  token  or  glance  of  his  ob- 
 
 GG8 
 
 servation,  though  they  might  conclude  in  their 
 hearts  that  they  must  not  hope  for  a  word. 
 Christ  had,  in  truth,  previously  cared  by  his 
 first  word  for  the  impenitent,  by  his  second 
 word  for  the  penitent  sinner,  before  he  comes 
 in  the  third  to  those  related  to  him,  especially 
 his  mother;  "from  which  order  of  bis  words 
 we  may  learn  that  poor  sinners  lay  nearer  the 
 Lord's  heart  than  his  personal  relatives ;  and 
 that  his  great  work  of  saving  sinners  must  first 
 be  done,  before  he  could  think  of  the  bodily 
 need  of  his  own  mother"  (Rambach).  There 
 is  much  that  is  true  in  this  artless  meditation  ; 
 although  when  we  look  deeper,  we  must  re- 
 member that  Mary  herself  with  John  belonged 
 only  to  that  humanity  for  which,  according  to 
 its  need,  the  first  and  the  second  words  were 
 spoken. 
 
 The  iScjVy  "  he  saw,"  marks  the  commence- 
 ment of  our  Lord's  special  observation  of  the 
 beloved  disciples  who  were  waiting  in  sorrow  ; 
 there  is  something  unbecoming  in  the  thought 
 that  their  drawing  nearer,  now  first  observed,  was 
 the  occasion  of  his  speaking.  In  his  supreme  col- 
 lectednessof  spirit,  and  in  his  undisturbed  and 
 unbroken  love  to  them,  his  glance  seeks  them 
 out.  After  he  had  promised  to  the  thief  the 
 consolation  of  Paradise,  he  naturally  remem- 
 bers the  residue  of  his  disciples  who  would  still 
 remain  in  the  world  :  should  he  not  care  for 
 and  comfort  them  also  below  ?  It  is  especially 
 his  mother  who  now  connects  his  affectionate 
 human  spirit  with  the  race  of  survivors.  The 
 burden  of  the  world's  redemption  with  all  its 
 increasing  horror  of  sin,  lies  upon  his  soul ; 
 boundless  anticipations,  now  gradually  reced- 
 ing and  passing  away,  of  the  glory  to  be  ob- 
 tained (John  xvii.)  had  filled  his  spirit — yet  he 
 has  room  still  for  the  exercise  of  the  minutest 
 care.  Nor  do  we  err,  if  (with  many  in  all 
 ages)  we  regard  it  in  another  point  of  view. 
 He  feels  that  more  -awful  suffering,  the  last 
 fearful  conflict,  draws  nigh  ;  he  would  spare  his 
 mother  at  least,  the  sight  of  this,  and  therefore 
 provides  for  her  earlier  departure  from  the 
 place.  (Bengel:  Tiie  sword  had  now  pierced 
 the  soul  of  Mary  enough  :  he  provides  that  she 
 should  not  see  his  severest  sufferings,  the  dark- 
 ness, abandonment,  and  death.)  Thus  does  he 
 close  his  earthly  life — that  he  may  die  alone 
 with  his  God  and  Father.*  The  first  three  of 
 the  seven  words  were  expressions  of  love  to- 
 
 *  Lampo  is  not  correct  in  includiiiE;  all  before 
 the  napiSoaHS  of  ver.  30  under  the  head  of 
 "  preparation  for  his  death."  That  in  the  E-an- 
 geiisL'.s  sense  would  api>!y  only  to  the  to.stanient ; 
 :ind  all  that  followed  was  itself  the  conflict  and 
 victory  of  death. 
 
JOHN  XIX.  26.  27. 
 
 m 
 
 wards  others  ;  the  last  four,  after  the  darkness, 
 refer  only  to  Clirist  himself. 
 
 The  word  for  Mary  is  certainly  not  the  sec- 
 ond in  order,  as  many  arrange  it.  Driiseke 
 strangely  expounds  •.  "  His  heart  turns  from 
 his  murderers  ;  his  bruised  soul  takes  refuge, 
 so  to  speak,  with  his  beloved  ones,  his  mother, 
 and  his  friends.  The  transition  is  made  plain 
 by  the  very  mitithesis."  Even  then,  however, 
 it  remains  still  true,  "nothing  but  benedic- 
 tion." Blessing  to  his  murderers,  blessing  to 
 the  malefactor !  But  that  the  word  to  the  cru- 
 cified robber  follows  immediately  after  that  to 
 the  crucifiers,  has  a  more  appropriate  meaning, 
 and  is,  as  we  shall  see,  required  by  Luke's  re- 
 cord. Least  of  all  can  we  justily  the  suppo- 
 sition (of  Neander,  for  example)  that  the  word 
 of  provision  for  his  mother  was  not  spoken  till 
 after  the  EM,  Eloi ;  there  was  no  more  place 
 then  for  any  thing  of  that  kind ;  there  re- 
 mained then  only  the  swift  succession  of  events, 
 through  the  thirst,  the  "  Finished,"  to  the 
 death.  Bengel  (in  the  Harmony)  opposes  that 
 close  connection  of  "  I  thirst  "  with  the  word 
 to  his  mother,  which  has  arisen  from  a  misun- 
 derstanding of  John's  "after  this;"  he  says 
 that  this  /LiEzd  rovro  must  not  be  referred  to 
 the  particular  words  which  were  spoken,  but 
 to  the  whole  crucifixion  to  which  the  Scripture 
 pointed.  We  shall  give  presently  a  different 
 interpretation.  The  Iburth  Evangelist  here  in- 
 troduces supplementary  and  fragmentary  par- 
 ticulars; and  pre-supposes  the  darkness  and 
 the  cry  of  anguish  as  having  taken  place  at  the 
 period  alone  appropriate  to  them.  According 
 to  ver.  35  (as  Bengel  again  remarks)  he  had  re- 
 turned to  the  cross,*  after  having  led  Mary  to 
 his  home  ;  whence  it  is  to  be  gathered  that  she 
 had  been  led  away  before  the  three  hours' 
 darkness. 
 
 The  first  and  the  second  word  the  Lord  spoke 
 as  a  Saviour  in  his  ofiQce;  he  speaks  the  third 
 primarily  as  the  Son  of  Man,  having  a  mother, 
 and  personal  obligations  to  discharge.  The 
 word  of  the  priest  and  the  word  of  the  king  are 
 followed  by  a  word  of  the  son  and  the  friend, 
 or,  still  better,  of  the  master  of  the  household  : 
 for  he  "  remains  even  unto  death  most  affec- 
 tionate and  gracious  in  all  human  relations" 
 (Dietz). 
 
 His  mother  has  naturally  a  claim  to  the  first 
 word.  Yet  he  addresses  her  only  by  yvvai,\ 
 woman,  as  at  the  beginning  in  Cana,  chap.  ii.  4 
 — and  as  he  addresses  the  Magdalene  in  chap. 
 XX.  13-15.  Lange  is  quite  at  fault ;  "  Woman, 
 trembling,  impotent,  dependent  nature" — ^just 
 as  he  would  translate  John  ii.  4  :  "  Troubled 
 heart  of  ^.'oman  I  "J     Altogether  different  is  it 
 
 *  The  only  eye-witness  among  the  Apost'es  of 
 Christ's  death,  while  all  were  witnesses  of  his  re- 
 sun  eclion. 
 
 •j-  John  would  make  this  emphatic,  probably  by 
 the  mere  rr)v  utjrifja  and  again  r^  /< 7/ r pi  (with- 
 out avTov,  according  to  a  reading  which  this 
 makes  more  probable). 
 
 \  There  was  c'ertainly  no  trouble  in  her  mind 
 
 in  its  connection  e.  g.  in  Dio  Cassius  (why  Ihi^ 
 passage  only  instead  of  so  many  similar?)  a 
 Gdp6Et  CO  yvvai — such  a  subordinate  meaning 
 is  applicable  neither  here  nor  e.t  Cana.  Lange's 
 reference  to  the  encouragement  spoken  to  Mary 
 Magdalene  is  rather  specious  than  solid;  we 
 gather,  on  the  other  hand,  from  John  iv.  21 
 (Woman,  believe  me)  and  Luke  xxii.  57,  that 
 yvyat  was  the  general  and  honorable  mode  of 
 addressing  such  as  were  otherwise  unknown, 
 instead  of  the  name  or  any  other  designation. 
 This  is  the  fundamental  idea  here,  as  at  Cana 
 (to  which  it  in  a  certain  sense  refers  back)  :  it 
 is  a  general  appellation  instead  of  the  name  of 
 mother ;  not  otherwise  than  affectionate,  yet 
 having  a  tone  of  strangeness,  and  in  some  de- 
 gree repellant.  But  why  does  he  not  now  call 
 her  mother?  It  has  been  said,  to  spare  her; 
 that  that  word  might  not  still  further  excite  her 
 grief  over  her  son  upon  the  cross.  It  has  also 
 been  said,  in  order  not  to  publish  the  fact  of  her 
 being  his  mother,  and  thus  expose  her  to  hos- 
 tile observation  and  treatment.  There  may  be 
 something  true  in  both  these  suppositions  ;  but 
 the  chief  reason  is  this,  that  her  relation  of 
 mother  is  now  finally  abolished  and  given  back. 
 Her  person  retreats ;  she  is  for  the  last  time  re- 
 garded as  mother,  in  order  to  be  so  no  longer. 
 Tills  is  involved  in  the  words  which  follow  : 
 Behold  thy  son!  (I  am  thy  son  no  longer) — as 
 also  in  the  profound  and  significant  crisis  of 
 farewell.  The  earthly  relation,  \\-hich  at  Cana 
 might  not  intrude  into  his  ofllice,  is  now  entire- 
 ly dissolved  :  the  dying  Son  of  God  and  Saviour 
 of  the  world,  afterwards  exalted,  has  no  longer 
 a  mother  according  to  the  flesh.  Mary  is  not 
 even  mentioned  in  connection  with  the  resur- 
 rection,* and  there  is  no  account  of  any  special 
 appearance  of  the  Lord  for  her  sake;  in  x\cts  i. 
 14,  she  appears  for  the  last  time  as  belonging 
 to  the  little  company  of  the  disciples,  and  to 
 the  Church. 
 
 Thus  we  have  here  once  more  a  testimony 
 against  the  Komanists'  honor  of  Mary.  They 
 are  not  at  a  loss,  however,  for  arguments  to  de- 
 fend their  doctrine  ;  and  (as  Allioli  forgets  r.ot 
 to  remark)  the  "  holy  fathers,"  and  Augustine 
 in  particular,  serve  their  puipose  by  maintain- 
 ing that  all  the  ehildreji  of  the  Church  were 
 typified  in  the  Apostle  John,  and  that  there- 
 fore Mary  was  given  as  a  mother  to  ail  believ- 
 ers. Qaesnf4  on  this  passage  is  still  more  em- 
 phatic :  "  The  holy  virgin,  has,  as  it  were,  the 
 Church's  cause  laid  upon  herself,  that  she  may 
 offer  up  Jesus  Christ  crucified  upon  the  cross, 
 and  herself  with  him.  The  holy  virgin  re- 
 ceives as  her  children  all  Christians  in  the 
 person  of  John.  The  mother-title  of  Mary 
 gives  us  our  right  and  is  our  justification  in 
 putting  all  our  interests  into  her  hands."  But 
 how  manifestly  is  this  opposed  to  the  expressly 
 
 then,   but   strong   and  premature   confidence   in 
 miraculous  help. 
 
 *  But  the  legends  of  the  middle  ages  tell  us  of  a 
 visit,  paid  to  her  by  the  Risen  Lord  j  pre-announced, 
 too,  by  Gabriel. 
 
670 
 
 THIRD  WORD  FROM  THE  CROSS. 
 
 tender  and  personal  reference  of  tliis  legacy  ; 
 this  is  assuredly  the  first  and  obvious  meaning, 
 and  all  further  interpret  alion  mud  he  in  harmony 
 with  that.  We  say  with  Arndt :  "  Is  not  this  a 
 most  violent  perversion  of  the  words  of  holy 
 Scripture?  Does  the  Lord  intend  to  say  to 
 John,  She  will  take  the  place  of  a  mother  to 
 thee  ?  Does  he  not  rather  say,  Thou  shalt  take 
 my  place  and  care  for  her?  John  was  to  be 
 the  stay  of  Mary,  and  not  j\Iary  the  stay  of 
 John.  Jesus  does  not  refer  John  to  Mary,  but 
 Mary  to  J(  hn.  (Therefore  does  this  also  come 
 first,  and  the  other  is  added  as  its  correspond- 
 ing continv;ation.)  Mary  was  not  to  be  to  the 
 disciple  the  representative  of  Jesus,  but  the 
 disciple  was  to  be  to  Mary  the  representative 
 of  Jesus.  "The  dependence  and  n'^ed  of  help 
 was  not  to  be  on  the  side  of  John,  but  on  that 
 of  Mary."  As  Richter's  Ilunshihel  has  simdarly 
 and  more  concisely  said,  "  Christ  does  not  refer 
 the  caring  for  his  disciples  to  the  offices  of 
 Mary,  hnl  conversely."  Another  unbiassed  inter- 
 pretation, moreover,  according  to  which  Mary 
 does  represent  in  these  words  the  Church,  we 
 BJiall  find  at  the  close,  when  we  contemplate 
 the  prophetic  and  typical  meaning  of  the  seven 
 words  together. 
 
 That  John  docs  not  receive  any  direct  appel- 
 lation, any  iralpF.,  cpi2s  dS£A(p£  (friend,  dear 
 brother),  or  the  like,  is  to  be  exjdained  at  once 
 by  the  close  connection  of  the  sayings  as  they 
 belong  to  each  other;  for  him  there  is  nothing 
 repellent  or  renouncing  (as  in  the  yvvat),  but 
 a  new  bond  which  gives  to  him  as  a  mother  the 
 mother  of  Jesus.  The  designation  by  name 
 was  here  quite  needless.  There  may  be  as- 
 sumed, too,  a  cprtain  concealment  from  those 
 who  stood  around  and  heard;  so  that  no  one 
 
 Precisely  knew  to  tchom  the  word  referred. 
 ;oth  looked  up  to  him,  full  of  expectation  ;  as 
 soon  as  he  observes  and  looks  directly  at  them, 
 nothing  more  was  necessary  than  the  gentlest 
 and  most  confidentially-spoken  word  ;  the  Be- 
 hold was  uttered  with  a  glance  which  passed 
 from  one  to  tlie  other.  The  gracious  meaning 
 is  well  brought  out  by  Fikenscher:  "  Woman, 
 look  up  ;  thy  son — is  not  lost ;  behold  him  in 
 the  peison  of  another  whom  I  appoint  to  that 
 end  ! "  G.  K.  Rieger  says,  anticipating  the 
 universal  significance  of  the  word  :  "  He  gives 
 to  them  (the  souls  which  love  him  beneath  the 
 cross)  new  eyes  to  see  with,  which  are  especially 
 keen-sighted  under  the  cross."  He  is  hence- 
 forth thy  son,  she  is  henceforth  thy  mother; 
 this  was  not  exprossed,  but  all  the  more  strong- 
 ly assured  in  the  BJiold.  It  contains  a  two-fold 
 gift,  by  which  he,  who  after  the  parting  of  his 
 garments  possessed  nothing  in  the  world,  but 
 was  yet  infinitely  rich  in  the  love  which  creates 
 love,  gladdened  the  souls  of  his  beloved.  In 
 the  all-comprehending  Behold  thy  mother,  every 
 thing  was  self-understood  to  John  (who  had  in- 
 deed already  in  profound  inward  love  adhered  to 
 Mary  under  the  cross*)  which  pertained  to  the 
 
 *  To  this,  at.  tlio  samo  time,  the  JJchold  tly  son 
 •pokeii  to  Mary  may  point. 
 
 care  of  her  earthly  life.  To  whom  but  to  the 
 £7Ti6r?'/0ioi — the  disciple  who  lay  in  his  bosom 
 — could  the  Lord  have  committed  his  mother? 
 Christ  and  John — to  quote  Daub  once  more — 
 were  united  in  unchanging  confidence;  for  in 
 Christ  was  divine  purity,  in  John  perfect  faith. 
 John  here  calls  himself  the  disciple  whom  Jesus 
 loved ;  it  might  have  been  said  with  equal 
 truth — who  loved  Jesus  with  peculiar  personal 
 attachment,  and  was  to  him  as  the  brother 
 among  the  Apostles  to  whom  he  should  neces- 
 sarily commit  his  mother.  Or,  to  speak  with 
 Grotuis:  Peter  was  q>iX6xin6ro'i  {C\\ThiAo\- 
 ing),  John  q)i\iv6ovi  (Jesu.s-loving)  ;  hence 
 to  the  former,  as  the  lover  of  Christ,  the  Church 
 was  committed  ;  to  the  latter,  as  the  lover  of 
 Jesus,  his  mother  was  specially  commended. 
 Bat  we  may  regard  this  office  of  son  to  Mary, 
 for  which  the  loving  disciple  receives  a  new 
 supply  of  love,  as  silently  giving  him  a  high 
 place  in  the  Church,  higher  indeed  than  that  of 
 Peter.  It  is  beautifully  observed  by  Von  Ger- 
 lach  :  "  But  he  placed  John  in  the  nearest  per- 
 sonal relationship  tohimself  upon  earth  "  (and,  in 
 the  sense  in  which  that  alone  is  possible,  actu- 
 ally) "  in  his  men  place  ;  he  thus  sealed  in  death 
 the  internal  covenant  of  his  heart  with  him, 
 and  breathed  into  him  anew  thereby  the  spirit 
 of  love — that  he  might  hereafter  pervade  the 
 Churches,  lounded  more  especially  by  others, 
 with  the  sacred  fire  of  the  Redeemer's  heart." 
 It  might  be  said  that  John  would  of  him- 
 self have  cared  for  Mary ;  it  might  also  be 
 said  that  he  would  never  have  assumed  that 
 honor  to  himself  beyond  the  others.  But  now 
 the  impulse  of  his  heart  was  sanctifind  by 
 a  now  grace  and  gift;  his  olTice  of  honor  was 
 made  also  a  gift  of  honor;  and  all  conflict 
 of  love  and  humility  was  prevented.  This 
 third  word  of  the  cross  spoken  by  our  Lord 
 Jesus  has  been  rightly  termed  his  human  testa- 
 ment* In  it  he  typically  performs,  to  fulfill 
 all  human  virtue.  Ins  filial  duty  for  the  last 
 time;  thus  giving  testimony,  too,  that  if  he 
 had  previously  placed  his  mother  in  the  back- 
 ground, it  had  not  been  through  any  necrlect  of 
 love — i'or  if  now  first  John  was  to  be  her  son, 
 we  are  assured  that  Jesus  himself  had  hitherto 
 himself  discharged  the  filial  ofTice.  But  in 
 this  dying  provision  for  his  mother  he  no 
 longer  calls  her  mother  ;  and  we  may  say  that 
 in  the  first  word  to  Mary  there  is  rather  a  tak- 
 ing; aicay,  and  not  till  the  second  to  John  is 
 there  a  proper  giving.  After  the  reference  to 
 Paradifie,  and  the  assurance  which  that  gave 
 of  eternity  and  near  approach  of  his  own 
 death,  Mary  must  have  heard  in  the  appoint- 
 ment of  the  son,  who  should  take  his  place, 
 nothing  but  a  most  sad  farewell,  the  final  close 
 
 *  Ambrose  :  "  Testabatur  de  cruce  Chris  us,  et 
 inter  niatrem  atque  discipulum  dividebat  jKetatls 
 ofticia.  Condebat  Domiiius  testanienlum  ;  siana- 
 bat  Johannes  "  (lib.  iii.  ep.  24).  Jerome  obserTes, 
 however,  that  tlie  domestic  tostnmont.  and  tha 
 jmblic  testament  iu  the  Supi)er  uiuot  bo  disliu- 
 "uibhed. 
 
JOHN  XIX.  26,  27. 
 
 m. 
 
 of  his  earthly  life — after  the  manner  of  any 
 otlier  dying  man.  Yet,  he  does  not  take  his 
 farewell  in  words  ;  and  the  sublime  n^pose, 
 like  the  heart-piercing  propriety,  of  his  ap- 
 pointment, evidences  at  the  same  time  the  Son 
 of  God,  the  Lord  and  abidmg  protector  of 
 his  people,  in  his  own  power  and  love.  But 
 as  to  John,  already  now  admitted  to  the  confi- 
 dence of  the  glorifying  death  of  his  Master, 
 the  word  which  he  receives  contains  nothing 
 but  invigoration  and  a  most  costly  gift.  In- 
 vigoration,  as  far  as  he  was  cast  down,  through 
 "  the  feeling  of  a  new  and  great  duty  which 
 bound  him  to  life  by  new  bonds"  (Lange). 
 That  the  mother  of  Jesus  was  given  to  him  as 
 a  mother,  is  an  inestimable  legacy,  and  a  pre- 
 cious promise.  "  He  himself  is  thereby  pro- 
 vided for,"  for  he  knows  well  that  he  will  now 
 eat  with  this  holy  widow  as  long  as  God  per- 
 mits, and  not,  as  it  were,  she  with  hitii,  like  the 
 widow  of  Zarephath  with  Elijah.  The  exter- 
 nalities of  the  relation  to  which  the  testament 
 refers,  are  with  the  highest  tenderness  of  pro- 
 priety omitted;  for  such  hearts  the  short  word 
 was  enough  to  explain  all.  The  hearts,  the  2>^r- 
 sons  were  commended  and  given  to  each  other — 
 and  that  was  the  essential  matter. 
 
 The  Lord  establishes,  founds,  and  blesses 
 here  the  spiritual  family-life  of  his  new  king- 
 dom. This  new  relationship  in  the  love  of 
 Christ  goes  far  beyond  all  relationships  after 
 the  flesh.  That  John  had  already,  and  still 
 retained,  a  mother  in  Salome,  is  not  affected  by 
 this  ;  but  that  he  (according  to  sure  tradition) 
 bad  no  wife,  may  have  been  regarded  in  the 
 provision  of  the  whole.*  That  Mary  had 
 other  sons  subsequently  born  (in  favor  of 
 which  much-contested  though  simply  historical 
 truth  we  have  often  declared  our  opinion)  does 
 not  so  enter  into  the  case  here  as  to  make  this 
 testament  an  argument  against  it.  Paulinus 
 of  Nola  (ep.  43)  says,  "  this  shows  plainly 
 that  she  had  not  had,  and  had  not  now,  any 
 son  but  him  who  was  born  of  her  as  a  virgin  ; 
 for  the  Saviour  would  not  have  taken  such  care 
 of  her  desolate  state  if  he  had  not  been  ber 
 only  son."  Venturini,  too,  thought  that  ihi^ 
 committal  of  Mary  to  the  care  of  John  would 
 argue  against  her  having  other  sons.  So  Von 
 Gerlach  :  "  Thy  son  in  my  stead — thus  she  had 
 no  other;"  and  Olshausen  is  confident:  "This 
 passage  is  to  me  decisive  on  the  question,  that 
 Mary  had  no  bodily  sons ;  the  Eedeemer 
 would  not  otherwise  have  commended  his 
 mother,  as  a  solitary  widow,  to  an  alien  :  this 
 would  have  been  a  slight  to  the  brethren." 
 Strange  proof!  Was  it,  then,  no  "slight"  to 
 Salome,  the  literal  mother  of  John,  who,  ac- 
 cording to  Mark  xv.  40,  comp.  Matt,  xxvii.  56, 
 stood  with  the  rest  under  the  cross?  The  chil- 
 dren of  his  mother,  to  whom  the  Lord  had  as 
 
 *  Jerome  (contra  Jovinian.) :  "  The  virg'n  moth- 
 er wns  commended  by  the  virain  Lo^d  to  the  vir- 
 gin disciple  John."  Comp.  NonTin«!:  rvvai  cpiXo- 
 Tcdp^EVE  ^vTtfr,  vvi6E  TtapOivoy  via.  More, 
 however,  in  the  text. 
 
 yet  been  unknown  and  an  ali^n  (Psa.  Ixix.  8), 
 could  not  pos-ibly,  as  spiritually  alien,  take  his 
 place,  or  be  to  Mary  what  Jesus  had  been, 
 even  after  their  conversion  ;  but  John  was  in 
 spirit  no  alien.  Tiie  whol((  objection  rests  too 
 much  upon  mere  external  care.  This  the  Lord 
 of  course  included,  but  connects  it  with  that  in- 
 most spiritual  relation  of  love  which  could 
 alone  satisfy  the  heart  of  Mary,  and  which  she 
 would  find  most  abundantly  m  the  fellowship 
 of  John's  spirit.  It  is  the  Lord's  purpose  in 
 this  arrangement,  not  indeed  to  neglect  his 
 brethren,  but  to  put  them  to  shame  as  still  un- 
 believing, and  refusing  to  become  svch  brethren 
 of  Jesus  as  John  was.  His  word  is  at  the 
 same  time  the  famcell  which  he  utters  to  hii 
 hrethren,  which  their  unbelief  merited,  and 
 which  urged  them,  through  humiliation  to 
 faith.  For  in  Acts  i.  14  we  find  them  among 
 the  disciples.*  But  what  we  afterwards  learn 
 of  the  character  of  James,  at  least,  a  brother 
 of  the  Lord,  shows  us  that,  with  all  his  excel- 
 lence, he  could  be  no  "son,"  in  the  inmost 
 meaning  of  the  word,  for  the  heart  of  Mary. 
 
 Thus  we  may  at  first  learn  from  this  symboli- 
 cal filial  word  of  Jesus,  that  we  should  in  dying 
 think  of  and  care  for  our  own  with  like  love 
 and  wisdom.  Let  us  learn  to  make  our  testa- 
 ment without  delay  of  forgetfulness,  without 
 any  pretext  of  higher  duties  or  neglect  of  other 
 thoughts.  Let  us  observe  well  that  he  himself 
 here  fulfills  unto  death  and  sanctifies  anew  the 
 commandment,  Uonor  thy  father  and  thy  mother  ; 
 and  that  he  in  general  confirmed  relationships 
 after  the  flesh,  even  while  he  abolishes  tliera 
 and  puts  a  higher  in  their  stead;  sinc3  he  cares 
 most  tenderly  for  his  mother,  and  at  the  same 
 time  by  his  own  divine  authority  takes  from 
 his  brethren  the  rights  of  the  son.  But  all  thia 
 is  far  from  being  the  full  meaning  of  his  word, 
 which  in  its  significant  order  in  the  seven 
 words  (of  which  more  in  the  sequel)  must 
 prove  its  universal  significance  as  a  word  of  the 
 Redeemer.  He  can  now  neither  speak  nor  do 
 any  thing  merely  as  a  human  person,  as  the 
 son  of  Mary ;  and  even  this  must  be  glorified 
 into  its  full  meaning  as  a  divine-human  testa- 
 ment. Thus  we  may  adopt  the  traditional 
 spiritual  interpretation  which  the  Church  has 
 always  given  to  it :  He  here,  when  taking  fare- 
 well "of  earthly  things,  gives  his  promise,  as  to 
 his  mother  so  also  to  all  his  people,  of  sufiicient 
 provision  in  all  earthly  things.  While  he  re- 
 leases himself  from  all  earthly  relationship,  he 
 avows  himself  to  be  in  a  higher  and  heavenly 
 manner  the  provider  for  all  his  disciples.  Will 
 not  he  who  pointed  the  malefactor  to  Paradise 
 in  the  other  world — thus  should  our  iailh 
 argue — provide  for  us  a  place  in  this,  as  long  as 
 we  live  in  it?     He  who  so  graciously  cared  for 
 
 *  Hence  Braune  well  says  :  "  Was  this  a  slight 
 put  upon  the  brothers  1  But  they  believed  not  in 
 him.  Should  he  slight  his  mother,  however?  Tlie 
 choice  was  not  diffi'-ult.  For,  natural  birth  avails 
 not  in  the  kingdom  of  God  as  spiritual  regenera- 
 
672 
 
 FOURTH  WORD  FROM  THE  CROSS. 
 
 his  mother  will  assuredly  not  leave  or  neglect 
 us.  To  this  in  trutli  belongs  what  he  had  be- 
 fore said  in  Matt.  xii.  48-50.  Just  now,  when 
 Mary  ceases  to  be  specifically  his  mother,  he 
 becomes  a  Saviour  to  all,  both  in  this  world 
 and  the  next,  remembering  every  one  of  his  peo- 
 ple. We  are  therefore  perfectly  justified  in 
 taking  his  word  as  a  general  pledge  of  sufficient 
 provision  for  all  his  own  upon  earth.  We  be- 
 hold in  Mary  and  John,  mutually  caring  and 
 cared  for,  in  all  that  pertained  to  the  evidence 
 of  love  and  help,  "  the  little  flock  of  God's 
 children,  brought  together  and  united  under 
 his  cross."*  Thus  the  Lord  establishes  from 
 his  cross  new  bonds  and  relationships  in  the 
 Spirit  (Mark  x.  29,  30):  he  points  all  who 
 love  him,  and  whom  he  loves  to  each  other, 
 and  thus  "once  more  confirms  the  great  law  of 
 love  from  the  cross"  (C.  H.  Rieger).  "The 
 constraining  love  of  Christ  draws  us  to  him 
 even  upon  the  cross ;  draws  down  him  to  us 
 under  the  cross ;  draws  believers  together 
 through  the  cross"  (G.  K.  Rieger).  But  this 
 must  not  lead  us  to  lorget  ihecare  in  this  love, 
 which  is  its  specific  point.  He  remembers  every 
 one,  and  provides  for  his  way  through  the 
 world  from  which  he  is  not  yet  taken ;  and 
 when  we  think  ourselves  forsaken  we  should 
 commend  ourselves — and  when  we  cannot  pro- 
 vide for  others  should  commend  them — to  him. 
 He  will  care  for,  he  has  cared  for,  he  provides 
 for  his  people  by  meaiis  of  his  people  ;  and  is 
 evermore  repeating  the  commendatory  word 
 where  it  is  needed.  Behold  thy  son,  thy  mother, 
 thy  brother.  To  hear  and  to  accept  this  word 
 should  be  our  highest  privilege  ana  honor  ;  not 
 only  when  it  says  to  us,  Behold  one  who  will 
 care  for  thee :  but  also  when  it  says,  on  the 
 other  hand,  Behold  one  who  is  commended  to 
 thy  care ! 
 
 From  that  hour  that  disciple  took  her  tohim- 
 telf,  eii  TO.  i6ia,  that  is,  manifestly,  to  his  own 
 
 home,  to  the  house  which  he  probably  had  in 
 Jerusalem.  Lnthardt  is  right  that  this  last  is 
 not  proved  by  ret  i'Sia- — yet  he  admits  that 
 John  xviii.  15  makes  it  likely  that  John  had  a 
 residence  in  Jerusalem.  Mary  had  not  gone 
 again  to  Naxareth,  which  rejected  her  son,  but 
 had  followed  him  from  place  to  place;  Jesus 
 takes  it  for  granted  that  she  v;ouId  not  return 
 to  that  home,  and  confirms  her  in  that  purpose. 
 He  appoints  her  her  place  for  the  remainder  of 
 her  life  in  the  Church,  especially  of  Jerusalem, 
 with  the  Apostle  who  had  been  hitherto  most 
 trusted  and  so  far  most  honored,  and  who  in 
 the  beginning  of  the  Acts  alwavs  appears  with 
 Peter.  That  art  eHeiyrj?  rfji  capai  (for  which 
 only  one  Code.x:  reads  vnspai)  is  to  be  taken 
 literally,  is  manifest  from  the  general  exactitude 
 as  to  time  which  pervades  the  entire  history  of 
 the  Passion  ;  and  with  this  it  perfectly  agrees, 
 that  John  in  his  >uf  ra  rovto  passes  at  once 
 over  the  intervening  three  hours.  We  cannot 
 admit  Luthardt's  argument  here  ;  but  regard 
 it  as  intimated  by  the  exact  "  hour,"  as  well  as 
 by  the  whole  context,  that  Mary  left  the  place 
 at  once,  and  did  not  wait  till  the  death  of 
 Jesus.  At  once,  understanding  the  Lord's  de- 
 sign, John  led  away,  in  filial  affectionate  love, 
 the  mother,  whose  soul  was  once  more  deeply 
 moved  by  the  word  of  farewell;  so  that  she  di(i 
 not  see  the  increasing  agony  of  her  son  who 
 could  be  and  would  be  no  more  her  son.  She 
 also  understood  the  sad  dismissal  from  the  lips 
 of  her  son,  who  had  many  times  before  laid  his 
 commands  upon  his  mother  for  her  good — and 
 she  obediently  follows  her  new  guide  for  the 
 sake  of  him  who  committed  her  to  that  guid- 
 ance. Bengel  :  "  Great  is  the  faith  of  Mary,  to 
 be  present  at  the  cross  ;  great  was  her  submis- 
 sion, to  go  away  betore  his  death."  But  the 
 Lord  sees  the  fulfillment  of  his  testament  before 
 his  eyes,  before  the  last  waves  of  his  anguish 
 rolled  over  his  soul. 
 
 FOURTH  WORD  FROM  THE  CROSS. 
 (Matt,  xxvii.  46;  Mark  xv.  34.) 
 
 The  darJcne-ts  mentioned  with  one  accord  by 
 the  first  three  Evangelists,!  at  the  time  of  full 
 jnoon,  about  midday,  and  lasting  three  hours, 
 stands  in  close  connection  with  the  words  of 
 Jesus,  themselves  dark,  which  at  length  pro- 
 
 *  To  symbolize  this  these  two  were  chosen  ns 
 "  two  of  ihe  most  elect  souls  which  atlcr  him  the 
 earth  liad  t^e^n  "  (Lange).  His  supposition,  how- 
 ever, that  "  the  /lousc  of  Joliii  was  to  form  the 
 bond  of  union  for  his  elect"  is  altog 'ther  too  ex- 
 ternal in  ils  view.  Tiie  truth  lies  deeper:  tlie 
 bond  of  love  between  Mary  and  John  is  tlio  real 
 and  secret  home  and  hearth  of  the  Cliiuch. 
 
 ■j-  In  Lnke  myivyver  iCnutioOi]  u  ?//l/o5,  as 
 Acts  ii.  iiO. 
 
 ceeded  out  of  this  darkness.  To  the  considera- 
 tion of  those  words  we  now  proceed.  It  must 
 be  left  to  others  to  investigate,  and  if  possible 
 to  decide,  wliether  Tfd6cxy  or  oAv*'  ti/v  yvv 
 actually  indicates  the  whole  earth  then  en- 
 lightened by  the  sun  (as  Lukexxi.  25) — or  the 
 Roman  empire — or  the  Jewish  land  only  (as 
 Luke  iv.  25  ;  James  v.  17).  This  affects  not  the 
 question  ;  and  although  the  remarkable  ac- 
 counts of  the  wider  extension  of  this  miraclet 
 
 ♦  Remarked  also  by  Alford. 
 
 f  The  fathers  referred  (espec.  Oriiren,  contra 
 Cdmm,  ii.  33,  and  Euseb,  in  the  Ch,u\cy)%,  a::d 
 Tertu  I.  Apol.  c.  21)  to  the  testimony  of  profane 
 history  itself,  viz  ,  to  thai  of  Phlegon  of  Tialies,  a 
 
MATTHEW  XXVII.  46. 
 
 673 
 
 Beem  to  U3  perfectly  unbiassed  and  trust- 
 ■worthy,  yet  we  count  it  only  folly  to  contend 
 about  them  ;  and  content  ourselves  as  inter- 
 preters with  the  assurance  of  the  historically 
 certain  sacred  text — so  that  yij,  "  earth,"  goes 
 beyond  Golgotha  or  even  Jerusalem.  In  John 
 these  three  hours  belong  to  ver.  28. 
 
 U')  to  this  time  the  light  of  the  sun  had 
 shouu  upon  this  scene  of  horror  and  lamenta- 
 tion The  mockers  mock,  the  multitudes  stare, 
 the  Lord  suff.'  s,  his  sacred  head  and  face  given 
 up  to  contumely  on  the  cross — all  goes  on  its 
 "Way,  as  if  nothing  were  occurring  which  might 
 move  God  to  interpose.  "If  God  to-day  give 
 no  sign  " — so  spoke  or  silently  thought  many, 
 with  manifold  inferences  in  their  minds.  Be- 
 hold, a  sign  is  given  !  Not  "  unmarked  "  and 
 by  slow  degrees,  but  instantaneously  the  dark- 
 ne.ss  swallows  up  midday  ;  even  as  at  the  birth 
 of  Christ  the  midnight  had  been  illumined. 
 Fint  of  all — as  pointing  back  to  that  darkness 
 over  Egypt,  refusing  to  give  up  Israel  the  son 
 of  God,  which  was  soon  followed  by  destruction 
 — 6rst  of  all,  it  wa?  a  learning  sign  to  all  whose 
 hearts  were  affected,  that  Israel  was  now  com- 
 mitting a  horrible  work  of  darkness  which 
 God's  sun  would  no  longer  shine  upon,  and  by 
 means  of  which  the  darkness  of  doom  would 
 overshadow  them.*  Let  us  imagine  the  im- 
 pression of  this  darkness  on  Golgotha  and 
 throughout  Jerusalem  ;  let  us  depict  to  our- 
 selves the  individual  details  of  terror  and  fear 
 — the  stings  of  conscience,  the  interrupted  lusts, 
 the  disturbed  midday  meals,  the  derangement 
 of  the  temple-service,  the  confu.«ion  as  to  the 
 evening  sacrifice,  and  so  forth.  Most  assuredly 
 all  blasphemy  and  mockery  is  now  silenced  ; 
 Pfenninger  is  incorrect  here,  making  Caiaphas 
 cry  :  "  God  shows  you  the  darkness  into  which 
 this  deceiver  would  have  plunged  your  souls, 
 and  that  darkness  now  puts  him  to  confusion. 
 Behold,  where  is  now  the  Sun,  the  Light  of  the 
 world  !  "  It  is  true  that  the  sign  was  liable  to 
 such  blaspheming  perversion,  in  as  far  as  it  did 
 really  (as  we  shall  see  presently)  refer  itself 
 most  directly  to  the  person  of  Jesus:  but  it 
 cannot  be  supposed  that  any  one  would  dare  to 
 entertain   such   thoughts. f      Anxious   silence 
 
 freedman  of  the  Emperor  Hadrian  (to  whom,  ac- 
 cording to  Spartian,  the  writings  bearing  Phlegon's 
 name  ought  to  be  assigned)  of  an  "  eclipse  of  the 
 sun,  the  greatest  of  all  recorded,"  and  the  "  great 
 earthquake  which  was  felt  in  Bithynia."  Julius 
 Africanus,  also,  mentions  the  same  account  as 
 Irom  a  certain  Thailus,  the  same  perhaps  whom 
 Euseb.  meant. 
 
 *  This  signification  is  maintained  in  a  remark- 
 able dissertation  by  C.  F.  Bauer,  De  dwinitus  prce- 
 dctio  et  cal/tus  data  miraculo  obscwati  solis,  etc. 
 (Wittenb.  1741).  He  joins  Tertull.,  Lact.,  Easeb., 
 Cyril,  Jerome,  Aug.,  in  regarding  Amos  viii.  9,  10, 
 as  predicting  it. 
 
 t  There  is  more  probability  in  Pfenninger's 
 representation  ot_the  perversion  to  which  his  lam- 
 entation, after  the  re;  urn  of  the  sun,  might  give 
 rise — "  Thus  is  it  with  all  who  have  forsaken  God." 
 
 reigns  over  the  place  of  a  skull ;  so  should  it  be, 
 for  the  divine  sign  cried  then,  as  it  cries  ever, 
 Be  silent  and  think.  (Oh  that  this  sacred  and 
 awful  darkness  might  seize  on  all  who  now 
 read  the  Passion  history  !)  Not  a  few,  it  may 
 be,  then  expected  that  something  more  would 
 follow — his  coming  down  from  the  cross,  the 
 revelation  of  his  kingly  power,  and  the  destruc- 
 tion of  his  enemies.  But  neither  punishment 
 comes  to  them,  nor  help  to  him  :  the  darkness 
 continues.  No  man  dares  to  go  away  ;  all  are 
 I  laid  under  a  spell ;  others,  rather,  are  attracted 
 to  the  place.  The  very  drops  of  blood  are 
 heard  falling,  and  the  gentle  sighs  ;  all  listen  to 
 the  cross  in  the  middle,  passing  by  the  lamen- 
 tations of  the  other  crucified  one.^s,  and  the  mur- 
 muring of  the  crowd  around.  Thus  we  paint 
 the  scene  to  our  thoughis  ;  let  us  then  investi- 
 gate the  significance  of  the  sign. 
 
 It  has  a  manifold  meaning,  like  the  language 
 of  God  generally  ;  but  there  is  one  interpreta- 
 tion which  is  alone  perfect  and  true,  as  it  ia 
 given  by  Christ  himself.  We  might  supple- 
 ment the  warning  signification  which  has  been 
 mentioned,  and  say  that  here  was  exhibited  the 
 amazement  of  nature,  and,  as  it  were,  of  God, 
 at  the  wickedness  of  the  crucifixion :  the  sun 
 will  no  longer  shine  upon  the  scene.  Or  it  may 
 be  put  as  in  the  apocryphal  account  of  Diony- 
 sius  Areopagita,  who  said  in  Egypt  concerning 
 this  darkness — "Either  the  Divinity  himself  ia 
 suflTering,  or  sympa'hizes  with  one  who  suf- 
 fers." Or,  as  Driiseke  expresses  him.self:  "Men 
 strip  themselves  of  all  feeling,  and  sympathy 
 passes  into  inanimate  nature,  when  the  Son  of 
 God  dies."  Indeed  this  interpretation  of  the 
 sympathy  of  nature  penetrates  the  reality  of  the 
 matter,  and  corresponds  with  the  general  char- 
 acter of  many  similar  miracles,  which  attest 
 the  correspondence  between  the  material  ar- 
 rangements of  the  world  and  the  doings  of 
 mankind  and  the  Spirit.*  We  may  say,  fur- 
 \kev,  that  when  created  nature  (the  inanimate 
 image  of  a  hidden  spiritual  world)  hides  itself 
 in  mourning,  there  is,  as  it  were,  a  veil  of  sor- 
 row thrown  over  the  scene  which  now  first, 
 from  this  hour  of  noon,  was  going  on  to  its  full 
 consummation  ;  the  silent  sign  cries  aloud  that 
 here  is  exhibited  a  ^ar/^  mystery  of  the  divine 
 counsel.  Hitherto  they  have  seen  the  Crucified 
 — some  with  malicious  joy,  some  with  profound 
 grief,  all  with  astonishment,  none  with  indif- 
 ference ;  but  nov/  none  shall  see  what  remains 
 lor  him  to  suffer,  what  no  mind  can  conceive. 
 All  these  thoughts  have  their  truth  ;  but  they 
 lead  us  finally  to  the  only  real  and  true  signi- 
 fication of  the  darkness,  as  it  is  the  sympathiz- 
 ing, teaching  symbol  and  image,  silent  but  speak- 
 ing, concealing  yet  revealing,  of  the  internal 
 darkening  of  his  soul  which  the  Lord  of  nature 
 now   undergoes,   of  his  final   abandonment  by 
 
 *  Krumraacher,  strangely  at  variance  with  his 
 ordinary  poetical  vein,  has  no  toleration  for  "this 
 poetical  view."  Yet  as  the  Vt  il  of  a  more  pro- 
 found truth  it  is  very  obvious,  and  not  at  all  ia- 
 consistem  with  a  deeper  interpretation. 
 
674 
 
 FOURTH  WORD  FROM  THE  CROSS. 
 
 Ood*  If  at  first  this  sign  from  God  was  a 
 consolation  to  the  sympathizing  hear'.s  below 
 — soon  were  they  conscious  that  his  sufferings 
 had  become  more  terrific  and  dark.  Yes,  verily, 
 he  row  passes  through  the  last  valley  of  the 
 shadow  of  death,  amid  the  darkness  of  the 
 judgment  of  God — not,  indeed,  in  the  pains  of 
 the  eternal  condemnation  of  hell,  but  certainly 
 under  the  judgment  of  grace. f  Deeper  dark- 
 ness than  could  ever  overspread  the  outer 
 world  fell  upon  his  soul,  when  he  cried  unto 
 his  God — Thou  hast  brought  me  unto  the  dust 
 of  death  (Psa.  xxii.  15). 
 
 Three  hours  does  he  thus  hang  between 
 heaven  and  earth.  Cast  out  from  earth  as  a 
 curse,  and  not  yet  received  to  blessing  in 
 heaven.  These  were  hours  the  full  meaning  of 
 which  eternity  alone  will  disclose.  Jlno  long  ! 
 was  the  language  of  his  spirit ;  IIiiw  long ! 
 penetrates  forever  the  souls  of  all  who  are  his. 
 Hark,  he  speaks — "becomes  the  interpreter  of 
 this  darkness,  anil  tells  us  what  it  signifies" 
 (Berl.  Blbel).  We  must  hear — but  only  Aea;' .? 
 The  first  three  words  had  brought  out  for  our 
 pure  consolation  the  fruits  of  redemption — 
 Peace,  life,  love;  though  the  third  had  in  it  a 
 tone  of  farewell  and  preparation  for  bitter 
 death.  P)ut  now  the  midmost  of  the  seven 
 words  (Matt,  and  Mark  record  on^y  this,  and  it 
 is  the  only  one  which  is  witnessed  by  twj  wit- 
 nesses) takes  us  into  the  heart  and  centre  of 
 his  Passion  unto  death.  Ue  cried  icith  a  loud 
 mice — with  the  infinite  power  of  most  internal 
 pressure  of  spirit  he  cries  out  into  the  dark 
 Leavens  above  him,  the  plain  and  intelligible 
 words  of  lamentation  in  the  Psalm — Mi/  God, 
 my  Ood,  tnhy  hast  thoufonaken  me  ? 
 
 It  has  been  said  by  many  from  the  beginning 
 (down  to  Kruramacher)  that  when  Jesus  ut- 
 tered this  cry  of  anguish,  the  sun  had  already 
 begun  to  shine  out  again ;  but  we  cannot  admit 
 this  supposition.  Out  of  the  darkness  still 
 present  within  him,  consequently  while  the 
 darkness  still  continued  around  him,  Jesus  ut- 
 tered his  cry — but  that  cry  of  itself  must  bring 
 the  light  again. 
 
 The  Evangelists  give  the  original  with  a 
 translation — the  former,  indeed,  in  order  to 
 make  intelligible  the  perversion  of  Eli  into 
 Elias,  but  mainly  for  its  own  sake,  on  account 
 of  the  sacredness  and  soleness  of  this  word — 
 "as  if  <hey  were  unwilling  that  a  single  tone 
 of  this  lamentation  should  be  lost."  We  do 
 not  read  the  Hebrew  text,  but  as  mixed  with 
 the  Chaldoe,  according  to  the  current  language 
 of  the  time;  for  Jesus  appropriates  the  word 
 to  himself,  and  it  was  provided  that  every  one 
 should    understand  it.J     Hence    pay*  instead 
 
 *  So  the  title  of  J.  And.  Schmid's  dissertation 
 bespertks:  "De  labore  soils,  laborante  sole  jus- 
 t.taj." 
 
 t  Di  iiseke  suHsests  another  analogy  :  "  lie  died 
 not  sradually;  his  suu  wcu:  down  at  once  iu  higli 
 noon." 
 
 %  Otherwise  the  sncred  original  text  of  Scripture 
 was  familiar  to  the  Lord.     It  has  been  said  very 
 
 of  3Ty>  as  the  Targumist  also  has  it.  (The 
 reading  azabtani  in  the  Vulg.,  which  Luther 
 followed,  is  a  correction  it  may  be  of  Jerome.) 
 The  'EXooi  in  j\Iark  was  probably  Syricised  af- 
 terwards instead  of  'llXei  or  'H,U'.  The  un- 
 usual Voc.  fe)f,j'  in  Matthew  (Sept  elsewhere 
 also  u  Seo'5,  see  however  Judg.  xvi.  28,  xxi.  3; 
 Ezra  ix.  G),  will  bring  into  prominence  the 
 specific  meaning  in  this  place;  as  also  the  put- 
 ting ;/£  before  iyxaT£Xim<i  (deviating  Irom 
 Sept.  and  ordinary  rule)  has  the  same  emphasis 
 lor  its  reason.  Finally,  we  shall  speak  again 
 about  ivavi  or  el,  zi,  Xdjiijiia,  Xaucx  or  Xtfuoi, 
 Xs/iia.  These,  however,  are  trivialities ;  it  is 
 now  above  all  important  that  we  should  bring 
 clearly  before  our  minds  the  twenty-second 
 Psalin,  in  the  language  of  which  the  Lord 
 spoke. 
 
 Let  this  be  read,  let  it  be  read  entire ;  but 
 simply,  as  by  a  Christian,  who,  with  a  mind 
 under  the  influence  of  Calvary,  would  read 
 himself  if  possible  into  the  soul  of  Jesus — this 
 will  do  more  than  all  the  commentaries  of  the 
 learned.  Justice,  however,  must  be  done  to 
 these  commentaries  and  their  objections;  and 
 as  I  may  not  refer  all  my  readers  to  ray  own 
 commentary  (of  which  I  retract  nothing  essen- 
 tial) 1  will  endeavor  as  briefly  as  possible  to  set 
 the  main  question  before  them.  It  may  be  as- 
 sumed as  "scientifically  "  demonstrated  now 
 that  the  psalm  as  a  prophecy  does  not  belong 
 to  the  so-called  directly  Messianic  psalms,  in 
 which  as  (in  Psa.  ex.  according  to  the  decision 
 of  Jesus  and  his  Apostles)  the  prophet  con- 
 sciously speaks  of,  or  introduces  as  speaking, 
 the  future  Messiah  as  a  subject  distinguished 
 from  himself — but  to  the  ti/pical Y)sa,lms.*  For 
 such  delineations  of  external  and  internal  situ- 
 ations could  not  be  dictated  by  the  Spirit  as 
 hanging  in  the  air,  without  psychological  or 
 historical  mediation  or  basis;  we  admit  of  no 
 such  idea  of  inspiration  or  prophecy  as  would 
 tolerate  or  require  this.  But  it  is  by  no  means 
 to  be  asserted — as  is  charged  upon  typical  ex- 
 egesis by  those  who  misunderstand  it — that 
 therefore  the  contents  of  the  typical  word  do 
 not  altogether  suit  the  fulfillment,  and  conse- 
 quently that  between  the  expressions  which 
 were  literally  fulfilled  much  remains  applicable 
 to  David  alone.  The  matter  is  in  reality  (as  we 
 once  more  assert)  true  in  an  inverse  way.  The 
 typical  history  has  indeed  traits  which  do  not 
 belong  to  the  tertiiim  comparationis ;  but,  in 
 contradistinction  to  this,  it  is  the  very  charac- 
 teristic of  a  prediction,  which  proceeds  from  a 
 type  and  makes  the  history  of  the  time  its  sub- 
 
 truly:  It  is  not  to  be  thought  that  Christ,  if  ho 
 would  speak  willi  foreigners,  could  not  have  at 
 once  spoken  their  toiiane;  and  was  he  not  per- 
 fectly at  home  in  the  Scripture,  the  true  home  of 
 his  S[)irit  1  To  this  also  we  mny  apply  John  vii. 
 15.  Nevertheless  he  was  so  accustomed  to  »peak 
 ihe  Sc.ipture,  not  as  a  scribe,  wiih  the  people  and 
 to  the  people,  that  he  u:ters  it  in  the  same  man- 
 ner in  his  own  most  solitary  anguish. 
 *  Just  so  iu  opposition  Psa.  ii.  and  ex.,  and  lz% 
 
MATTHEW  XXVII.  46. 
 
 675 
 
 stratum,*  that  it  should  approximate  the  sym- 
 bolically imperfect  element  to  the  foreseen  fultill- 
 ment,  that  it  should  anticipate,  so  to  speak, 
 and  exhibit  beforehand  the  particulars  of  that 
 fulfillment,  and  thus  overpass  the  historical  re- 
 ference. Thus,  while  it  says  nothing  but  what 
 suits  the  fulfillment,  it  says  also  many  things 
 which  only  in  that  fulfillment  unfold  the  fullest 
 and  most  proper  sense  of  its  letter — much  that 
 has  previoudy  only  a  very  preliminary  truLh.  If 
 we  will  not  admit  that  the  prophetic  spirit 
 foresaw  these  things  and  so  ordered  the  expres- 
 sion that  their  fulfillment  in  Christ  first  actually 
 fulfilLtl  them — then  assuredly  we  have  not 
 only  no  mechanical,  unmediated  inspiration 
 and  prophecy,  but  actually  none  at  all  left ; 
 then  it  is  all  resolved  at  once  into  a  pre-form- 
 ing  history  according  to  the  system  of  Hof- 
 mann.f  But  we  think  that  the  Old  Testament 
 manifests  every  where  a  design  on  the  part  ol 
 the  prophetic  spirit  to  pass  beyond  the  situa- 
 tion and  consciousness  of  the  prophesier,  which 
 both  proves  and  discloses  itself  in  the  final 
 coincidence  of  the  fulfilling  history.  This,  in 
 relation  to  Psalm  xxii.,  is  something  very  dif- 
 ferent from  the  absurd  notion  that  the  entire 
 crucifixion,  and  all  its  attendant  circumstances, 
 had  been  revealed  ti  David — a  notion  which 
 could  spring  only  from  thorough  misunder- 
 standing, and  is  of  CDurse  to  be  protested 
 against.  It  is,  however,  by  no  means  absurd 
 to  say  that  David,  proceeding  hpm  his  own 
 personal  experiences  and  dispositions,  is  led  by 
 the  Holy  Spirit,  whose  language  was  upon  his 
 lips,  further  onward  to  a  delineation  which,  on 
 the  whole,  as  also  in  many  particulars,  n.^w  first 
 liecnnes  fully  true,  TtXrjpovrai.  This  view, 
 which  quite  correctly  "makes  David  speak  at 
 once  and  not  speak,"  is  by  Umbreit's  brief 
 protest  very  far  from  being  refuted.  We  should 
 be  glad  to  have  one  decisive  instance  pointed 
 out  of  the  obscurity  and  confusion  with  which 
 the  figure  of  the  suffering  Redeemer  is  alleged 
 to  be  invested  by  our  theory.  On  the  other 
 hand,  we  are  prepared  almost  every  where  to 
 show  that  the  great,  full  words,  taken  in  their 
 true  literality,  have  only  a  shadowy  suitable- 
 ness to  David;  •whereas  in  Christ,  as  in  their 
 light,  they  shine  as  the  purest  truth,  and  prove 
 themselves  to  have  been  but  the  shadow  of  this 
 great  body.  This  would  be  a  "  magical  neces- 
 sity to  predict  the  most  distant  things  and  the 
 most  contingent  events,"  only  on  the  suppo- 
 sition that  the  prophet's  "  individual  self-con- 
 
 liii.  are  purely  objective  prophecies  of  the  person 
 of  the  Coming  One. 
 
 *  So  in  a  certain  degree  of  historical  writing  it- 
 self, in  as  far  as  it  has  a  typico-prophetic  refer- 
 ence in  its  self^ctions  and  exhibition — the  tase,  for 
 instance,  of  Melchizedek. 
 
 t  The  more  correct  formula  would  then  be, 
 TozB  Savrsftov  iit\ijpo60rj  to  i)6rf  ndXat 
 iteitXrjpoo/xevov — Then  became  true  once  more, 
 that  which  was  then  already  said  or  done.  Thus 
 the  "  fulfillmenT"  would  rather  be  the  recurring 
 
 sciousness  must  be  altogether  extinguished  while 
 he  thus  prophesies,"  which,  however,  we  by  no 
 means  assert.  Apart  from  the  fact,  that  the 
 individual  circumstances  here  in  question  are 
 never  mere  "contingent  events,"  but  rather 
 typico-historical  incorporations  of  general  ideas, 
 like  every  thing  in  the  history  of  the  God-man, 
 which  the  Scripture  specifies  either  in  narra- 
 tive or  prophecy.  We  confidently  sav,  there- 
 fore, and  without  violating  the  laws  of  thouQ;ht 
 or  of  hislory,  the  same  thing  concerning  P.sa, 
 xxii.  which  Umbreit  himself  asserts  concerning 
 prophecy  as  a  whole.  Does  not  the  sorrowful 
 form  of  the  sufferer  rise  before  us  out  of  the 
 simplest  explanation  of  the  text?  If  Umbreit 
 allows  Micah's  Bethlehem  and  the  ass  in  Zech- 
 ariah  to  have  been  prophecies  literally  ful- 
 filled (though  in  themselves  beyond  the  self- 
 consciousness  of  both  those  prophets),  why  not 
 also  the  mockery,  the  parting  of  the  garments, 
 the  cleaving  of  the  tongue  to  the  jaws — yea, 
 finally,  the  piercing  of  the  hands  and  the  feet, 
 like  the  piercing  in  Zechariah  ? 
 
 Christ  took  the  hegiiuiing  of  the  psalm  as  his 
 cry  of  lamentation,  the  end  of  it  (as  we  shall 
 see)  for  his  cry  of  victory.  Ver.  8  was  most 
 literally  fulfilled  in  the  mouths  of  the  mockers. 
 John  refers,  as  simply  as  sublimely,  not  merely 
 to  the  parting  of  the  garments,  but  even  to  the 
 casting  lots,  as  found  in  the  psalm,  ver.  19. 
 Yet  we  do  not  attribute  to  him  any  such  "  ab- 
 surd" notion  about  the  individual  circum- 
 stances as  was  referred  to  above  ;  while  it  cannot 
 be  denied  that  he  finds  this  «.s  an  individual 
 circumstance  really  predicted.  The  whole  delin- 
 eation in  vers.  12-18  of  the  psalm  is — even 
 apart  from  the  difl[iculty  v/hich  modern  the- 
 ology finds  in  the  -iX3  (by  the  Masora,  how- 
 ever, correctly  though  in  ignorance  defended) 
 — so  wonderfully  reproduced  in  the  scene  of 
 Golgotha,  that  it  seems  as  if  we  were  reading  a 
 history  of  it  written  beforehand.*  Verse  22  is 
 not  only  realized  in  its  striking  expression 
 "  brethren  "  in  John  xx.  17 ;  but  it  is  quoted 
 by  apostolical  authority  in  Heb.  ii  11,  12,  as  a 
 direct  prediction.  These  are  the  salient  points 
 which  are  illustrated  and  explained  in  the  New 
 Testament ;  but  the  whole  as  such,  apart  from 
 individual  quotations,  leads  us  directly  to  the 
 Messiah.  A  Holy  One  of  God  is  described  in 
 conflict  and  victory ;  in  the  deepest  anguish 
 and  ignominy  first,  then  in  the  highest  honor. 
 In  David's  lifet  there  are  many  things  sin^ilar, 
 on  which  the  Holy  Spirit  in  his  soul  might 
 base  the  prophecy  ;  but  we  seek  in  vain  for 
 any  single  situation  in  his  life  which  would 
 entirely  correspond.  (Even  1  Sam.  xxiii.  25 
 26,  which  Hofmann  points  to,  will  certainly 
 not  suffice.)  For  we  see  a  righteous  man  who, 
 in  ver.  1  as  in  vers.  10,  11,  can  with  perfect 
 
 *  Less :  "  One  could  almost  believe  Ui.a  a 
 Christian  had  composed  the  psalm." 
 
 f  To  make  the  psalm,  in  opposition  to  the  su- 
 perscription, a  psalm  of  the  captivity  fwith  Um- 
 breit), is  very  bold ;  and  even  were  it  [)ermissible, 
 it  would  not"  fundamentally  help  the  matter. 
 
676 
 
 FOURTH  WORD  FROM  THE  CROSS. 
 
 right  of  liis  own — without  any  trace  of  per-  ! 
 sonal  sin  or  guilt— appeal  to  God,  as  his  God  ■ 
 from  his  birth)-  who,  nevertlieless,  forsaken  by 
 Wiis  God  as  to  his  feeling  and  experience,  is  and 
 remains  miserable,  finding  less  acceptance  for 
 his  prayer  than  any  other  mortal  praying  in  ^ 
 failh.     'Vers.  3-5*      A  reproach  of  men,  and  j 
 despised  of  the  people  ;  not  only  threatened  by  i 
 rauing   enemies,   but    internally  broken    and 
 poure'i  out  like  water;  brought  by  the  dark 
 counsel  of  God  into  the  dust  of  death  ;  that  is,  . 
 abandoned   to   certain   death,  beholding  him-  , 
 self  already  as  dying,  and  his  enemies  already 
 dividing  his  garments.!     Where  and  when  did 
 all  this  befall  David?     As  to  him  it  was  hyper- 
 bole, to  which  the  Spirit  impelled  him,  but  on  j 
 Calvary  it  became  the  simplest  truth.     So  also  i 
 in  the  second  part ;  where,  not  iiif^rely  (as  Hof-  i 
 mann  lowers  its  meaning)  "  the  concealed  sun  i 
 of  the  resurrection  shines  through  its  clouds,"  i 
 but  the  victory  is  as  glorious   as  the  conflict  j 
 was  gloomy  and  dark.     The  anguish  of  death  , 
 is  followed '(and  it  is  the  amicer  to  the  why)  by 
 a  declaration  and   glorifying  of   the  name  of 
 God,  a  salvation  for  all  the  miserable  far  and 
 wide,  to  the  ends  of  the  world,  and  among  all 
 the  kindreds  of  the  nations,  by  means  of  which 
 tlie  hearts  of  the  comforted  live  forever,  others  | 
 Iving  in  the  dust  of  death  are  lilted  up,  and  \ 
 the  people  that  shall  be  born  are  made  par-  j 
 lakers  of    his  righteousness — and  all  through  I 
 the  full   accomplishment  of  salvation   in   this  j 
 One  Sufferer,  who   hath  "  done  this."     What  j 
 deliverance  of  David  ever  had,  or  ever  could 
 have,  such  results  ?     Are  we  not  involuntarily 
 compelled  to  think  of  Isa.  liii.?     Could  David 
 have  conceived  and  uttered  all  this  without  an 
 elevation    beyond  himself;    even   while  lesser 
 analogips  in  his  own  history  might  make  him 
 susceptible,  and   prepare  him  for  such  contem- 
 l)lalions? 
 
 Thus,  all  as  it  is  here  predicted,  has  indeed, 
 its  root  m  the  experiences  of  Old- Testament 
 saints,  especially  David,  who  was  also  an 
 anointed  of  God  passing  through  shame  and 
 suH'cring;  and  the  prophetic  word  which  had 
 its  goal  in  Christ  grows  up  and  takes  its  form, 
 here  as  every  where,  from  the  Old-Testament, 
 human,  life  in  God — nevertheless  it  has  its  full 
 
 *  Fur  lliis  is  by  no  means,  as  Hengstenbt ro 
 lliinks,  "  :i.  (leinoiistra'.ioii,  liow  utterly  abnormal 
 such  an  al)aii(loi)meiit  tMiild  he, '  a  rpasori  Jor  the 
 prayer  foi'  help — Iml  in  veis.  6-15  the  contrast  ol 
 actual  al:aii(loinnent  lollows,  which  by  vers.  1-3 
 pipcedinii  would  be  exliibilPil  all  the  more  stroiijjly 
 ami  allectMigiy.     From  pim  ii>  vo:-.  1,  down  to 
 
 nnX  ^bH}  ^'^i"-  10,  there  is  nothing  1ml  pure  de- 
 scription and  complaint,  elevated  by  the  contrast 
 iiicliulcd.     In  ver.  11  lliere  is  a  gentle  pmri-^x: 
 
 Iml  not  till  after  ver.  18  is  there  full  treedom  of 
 hiil)i)Iicali()n. 
 
 ■  Kveii  Paulus  admits  that  this  parting  of  the 
 raimeiil  was  not  trui>  of  David,  without  hypei  bole. 
 BuL  there  is  much  more  of  such  hyperbole  in  the 
 poa.m — all  simple  truth,  however,  in  Clirisl. 
 
 and  perfect  truth  only  in  Christ.  So  especially 
 and  most  properly  with  regard  to  the  cry  of  an- 
 guish in  the  beginning,  which  Christ  makes  his 
 own,  and  thereby  teaches  us  that  he  fully  dis- 
 cerned himself  in  this  psalm.  Umbreit  says 
 correctly  that  "  beyond  this  there  can  be  no 
 expression  of  human  distress;"  for  it  certainly 
 has  nothing  to  do  with  despair,  but,  on  the 
 contrary,  it  breathes  the  supremest  faith.  To 
 be  forsaken  of  God — does  indeed  sound  dark 
 enough  :  such  language  we  use  either  (in  an- 
 other sense)  touching  consummate  wickedness, 
 or  (as  it  is  here  meant)  touching  the  deepest 
 misery.  When  mortal  man  appeals  to  God, 
 Forsake  me  not!  or  at  most.  Hast  thou, canst  thou 
 then  have,  forsaken  me? — this  speaks  of  deep 
 distress  and  anguish.  But  here  is  the  rigid 
 and  actual  ^JnaiVj  Thou  hast  foi-saJcen,  as  re- 
 spects the  complainant's  feeling  and  experience ; 
 because  hearing, consolation,  help  and  strength- 
 ening are,  notwithstanding  all  the  cries  of  his 
 soul,~'far  off — nevertheless,  and  this  is  the  mar- 
 v»'llou3  counterpart,  nevertheless  he  speaks  of 
 this  to  his  God,  speaks  to  him  with  the  most 
 confidential  and  penetrating  tJwu.  Even  there 
 where  we  read,  I'htm  hringest  me  to  the  dust  of 
 death.  Yea,  he  asks  his  God  like  a  son,  in  the 
 boldness  of  his  complaints,  the  why  of  hia 
 abandonment. 
 
 One  after  another  has  repeated  the  thought 
 that  Christ  Jiad  the  entire  psalm  in  his  view, 
 and  consequently  also  the  consolations  which 
 occur  afterwards  ;  and  that  it  was  his  purpose 
 to  utter  and  pray  through  the  whole  for  the 
 encouragement  of  his  soul,  as  we  use  hymns 
 and  Scripture  in  our  sorrows,  but  that  he  could 
 not  in  his  exhaustion  go  bevond  the  commence- 
 ment of  it.  The  excellent  Braune  (who  cannot 
 always  shake  oft'  Schleiermacher)  speaks  with 
 unpardonable  boldness :  "  After  the  loudly- 
 uttered  first  words  of  the  psalm  he  certainly 
 prayed  through  the  whole  of  it,  or  the  whole 
 was  present  to  his  soul."  How  then  in  that  cise 
 could  the  beginning  of  it  have  been  a  truth  in 
 his  lips?  How  unseemly  such  a  use  of  Sc^-iptnre 
 now  upon  the  cross  1  How  psychologically 
 inconceivable  is  the  present  consciousness  of  an 
 entire  long  psalm  in  that  conflict  which  the 
 soul  of  the  world's  Redeemer  is  now  sustain- 
 ing I  We  must  protest  against  such  views  as 
 altogether  false,  inasmuch  as  they  lose  sight  o( 
 the  real  fulfillment  of  that  mystery  of  profound 
 anguish  of  spirit  which  the  psalm  itself  pre- 
 dicts. The  Lord  thinks  indeed  of  that  psalm 
 which  he  had  often  contemplated  before  as  a 
 prophecy  of  himself;  he  will  not,  however, 
 pray  through  the  entire  psalm  for  his  invigora- 
 tion  ;  but  the  Spirit  brings  to  his  thought,  at 
 the  crisis  to  which  it  belonged,  the  word  with 
 which  it  commences — in  that  ho  finds  hia  con- 
 solation bound  up  with  the  expression  of  an- 
 guish, and  needs  no  more  to  pray  or  lament. 
 Braune  (with  Schleiermacher  and  many)  lays 
 Loo  mivh  emphasis,  because  a  one-sided  em- 
 phasis, upon  our  Lord's  speaking  in  the  worda 
 of  the   p^ulni  ;  he  would  prematurely  occupy 
 
il.ATHEW  XXVII.  46. 
 
 677 
 
 tlie  Lord's  mind  "'">'  )l.s  wbs<rqte>it  hop,>  n-nd 
 joy  of  the  psalm,  k:^sC)i'e  vlie  -'i>c"(>  of  laMftiiU- 
 tion  was  uttered  ;  ai.A  t!n^  e-s<Ji.-ialIy  f^ivj  \.r> 
 the  profound  meaning  of  th^t  woid  in  itself-"^ 
 
 Thus  much  is  true:  The  divine  counssl  W. 
 Scripture  so  ordered  it  that,  as  the  mockery  of 
 the  blasphemer,  so  also  the  lamentation  of  the 
 sufferer  before  Israel  and  the  world,  should  be 
 only  the  fiOfillment  of  what  was  appointed; 
 that  his  anguish  should  only  precede  his  vic- 
 tory— but  ihat  was  a  consequence  which  Jesus 
 at  the  moment  could  not  and  did  not  think  of 
 Thus  much  is  also  true :  The  word  of  the 
 Scripture  presents  to  him  at  the  proper  mo- 
 ment the  expression  at  once  of  disniay  and 
 trust,  as  both  were  struggling  together  in  him; 
 and  he  seizes  it  as  a  rod  and  staff,  for  to  such 
 an  end  was  it  written  for  him.  But  that 
 implies  that  he  did  not  at  once  contemplate  in 
 his  mind  the  whole  subsequent  consolation  of 
 the  psalm.  For  he  does  not  take  the  Scripture 
 here  into  his  moulh  as  an  objective  word,  after 
 our  own  manner ;  but  enters  into  it  wholly,  is 
 as  it  were  one  with  it,  and  it  becomes  living  in 
 him,  he  lives  it  out.  Finally,  it  is  also  true 
 that  the  Lord  could  not  thus  speak,  could  not 
 mourn  over  the  abandonment  of  God,  out  of  a 
 feeling  absolutely  and  originally  his  own,  and 
 as  using  a  word  self-originated  in  his  own  con- 
 sciousness. It  is  so  far  a  strange  word  to  him, 
 a  word  which  grew  out  of  the  sufferings  of 
 humanity  before  him;  and,  as  a  prophecy  in 
 these  sufferings,  prepared  lor  himself  tor  a  wit- 
 ness that  he  now,  as  the  Son  of  Man,  "  the 
 afflicted,  tested  Righ'eous  One  in  the  midst  of 
 the  unrighteous"  suffers  and  laments.  If  we 
 strive  to  imagine  the  Son  of  God  in  the  flesh 
 now  first  forming  for  himself  this  cry  of  pro- 
 foundest  anguish  as  his  own  personal  word,  we 
 shall  feel  how  inappropriate,  yea,  how  impos- 
 sible it  is.  Bui  he  did  nevertheless  perfectly 
 approj>riate  the  word  of  the  psalm  ;  rather,  it 
 .had  such  a  truth  in  his  heart  and  upon  his  lips, 
 as  it  never  had  before  and  never  will  again  have ; 
 it  perfectly  expressed  his  meaning  and  his  condi- 
 tion. Had  it  not  been  so,  there  would  have  been 
 no  prophecy  fulfilled;  yea,  then  he  would  not  have 
 said  it.  He  utters  it  openly,  he  withholds  it  not, 
 when  it  was  given  to  his  thought  by  his  God, 
 for  all  is  now  the  most  hidden  converse  with 
 his  God.  He  thinks  of  no  testimony  to  those 
 without;  the  loud  cry,]  forgetting  the  crowd 
 around  as  if  it  existed  not,  is  the  involuntary 
 expression  of  his  inmost  feeling.  But  it  was 
 the  providential  ordinance  that  all  the  world 
 should  know  what  was  passing  in  the  depths 
 of  his  soul,  and  that  not  otherwise  than  as  it 
 was  foretold. 
 
 The  psalm  itself  shows  us  that  he  who  felt 
 
 *  Equally  incorrect  is  Arndt :  "  He  asks  in  the 
 introductory  word  of  Psa.  xxii.,  in  order  to  ex- 
 hibit the  whole  psalm  as  fulfilled,  and  redemption 
 as  accomplished."  If  thi.s  was  the  conscious  de- 
 sign of  Jesus,  wh->re  would  be  room  lor  the  aban- 
 donment and  the  why  ?  ,^ 
 
 ■j-  What  a  trial  for  the  malefactor's  faith!' 
 
 [  himself  forsaken  was  by  no  means  actually  for- 
 saken ;    and  this   is  proved   by  the  very  first 
 
 J  word  of  t!ie  prayer,  for  he  who  can  speak  to  God 
 ^nusthave  Oodioithhim*  From  this  therefore 
 ^?p  proceed  in  our  whole  exposition.  First  of 
 ail.  we  hold  fast  that  Christ  as  the  Son  of  God 
 cju^a  rever  be  forsaken  by  his  Father ;  and 
 thij  ^3  expressly  testified  in  John  xvi.  32. 
 Sooi.ei  tray  heaven  and  earth  be  torn  asunder. 
 the  ii.'ia^ure  be  dissolved  and  separated  from 
 its  fauQ.Mi.ental  principle,  than  the  Father  be 
 separatoQ  fi.">n.^  the  Son,  that  is,  God  irom  him- 
 self. Only  llitsa  who  forsake  God  are  forsaken 
 of  hira  (2  C:h.ro.^.  xii.  5,  xv.  2,  xxiv.  20).  He 
 who  ]amei:ts>  ui  fh's  "  forsaken  me,"  who  feels 
 himself  thus  fart,at-en,  is  the  same  Son  of  Man 
 who  said  in  Gotlisen;ar<e,  Not  as  I  will ;  that  is, 
 as  man,  by  meand  ol  tbe  xpvipii  Hiiding)  of 
 the  divine  in  him  he  is  now  left  to  nis  human 
 weakness.  The  coiifiict  ot  Qethsemane  is  here 
 heightened  and  fulfilieu.  There,  it  was  the 
 conflict  of  the  human  u>i:(:  but  still  in  the 
 clear  consciousness  of  fwe  Spirit  triumphing 
 over  the  fle-h.  Here  there  appears  even  a 
 struggle  of  the  human  consciouf>ne»s,  an  actual 
 obscuration  of  the  light  of  thtr  Spirit  in  the 
 laboring  soul — laboring  indeed  Orily  through 
 tlie  concealed  spirit.  There  the  Lo^-d  came  to 
 the  bounds  of  obedience;  a  certain  not  willing 
 was  present,  which,  however,  retreated  before 
 obedience.  Here,  the  hardest  and  profoundesfc 
 temptation  drives  him  to  the  bounds  oi  faith  ; 
 a  certain  not  trusting,  and  thus  not  knowing, 
 is  present,  but  firm  faith  proves  and  glori- 
 fies itself  even  in  this.  Adam  forsook  God, 
 though  God  had  not  forsaken  him  ;  Christ  feel- 
 ing himself  forsaken  of  God,  nevertheless  leaves 
 not  God,  and  thus  becomes — our  God  with  us. 
 Assuredly,  for  a  moment  (at  this  extreme  end 
 of  the  three  hours,  not  during  the  whole  of 
 these  hours,  for  in  every  temptation  of  our 
 Lord  the  transition  at  its  limits  must  suddenly 
 come) — in  the  strictest  sense  for  a  moment 
 Jesus  knew  not  that  for  which  his  why  must 
 ask,  felt  no  longer  the  nearness  of  his  God, 
 whom  he  therefore  calls  for  in  the  deepest  lam- 
 entation. This  was,  on  the  one  hand,  a  volun- 
 tary severance,  caused  by  love,  of  the  love 
 manifesting  itself  in  time  from  the  eternal  love, 
 as  Ebrard  expresses  it.  But,  on  the  other 
 hand,  it  was,  at  the  same  time,  the  demonstra- 
 tion and  perfect  work  of  the  same  love,  which 
 must  and  which  will  sink  entirely  into  oneness 
 with  humanity — into  the  doom  and  judgment 
 of  humanity  even  to  death,  the  wages  of  sin. 
 In  Gethsemane  the  cup  of  death  was  brought 
 near  to  him  ;  and  the  scent,  as  it  were,  of  its 
 first  drops  excited  in  him  the  recoil  from  the  full 
 drinking,  which  he  tasted  beforehand  in  spirit. 
 Here,  he  has  fully  drunk  it,  he  has  actually  as 
 God-man  in  his  humanity  tasted  and  experi- 
 enced death;  he  is  seized  by  it,  though  he  was 
 
 *  "  Thus  the  words  express  tlie  contradiction 
 between  his  person  and  bis  position,  wb  n  he  en- 
 tered this  hour— internal  fellowship  with  God  and 
 i.baudonment  by  God  "  (Schmieder). 
 
678 
 
 FOURTH  V.'ORD  FROM  THE  CROSS. 
 
 not,  and  could  not  be,  holden  of  it  (Acts  ii.  24). 
 He  then  spoke  relatively  with  composure,  in 
 submission  to  his  Almighty  F<iihf:r  ;  but  here 
 he  cries  as  if  utterly  sinking  to  his  God.  If 
 we  should  imagine  to  ourselves  that  within 
 him,  in  his  inmost  soul,  there  was  light  amid 
 all  this  ob.?curation — the  word  of  his  lamen- 
 tation would  contradict  us. 
 
 Only  the  material  substratum  of  his  Passion, 
 in  the  unity  and  mutual  interpenetration  of 
 body  and  soul  which  was  perfect  in  him,  was  the 
 corporeal  suffering  which  Psa.  xxii.  14,  15,  de- 
 scribes— the  pouring  out  of  all  his  strength,  the 
 drying  up  of  the  sap  of  life,  the  fever  of  wounds, 
 thirst  such  as  all  the  dying  feel,  possibly  even 
 (for  why  not  even  that?)  recurring  variations 
 of  fainting  which  would  swallow  up  all  con- 
 sciousness. But  under  all  was  the  suffering  of 
 the  sacred  soul,  internally  lull  of  the  energy 
 of  life,  which  was  conscious  of  death  for  the 
 sake  of  sin  as  the  doom  of  human  nature,  and 
 which  he  tasted  as  essential  death  invading 
 the  most  essential  life.  (He  felt  again  what 
 was  said  of  this  upon  Gethsemane.)  This  was 
 now  his  real  dying  ;  the  surrender  of  his  Spirit 
 to  the  Father  was  already  tiie  victory  over 
 death.  "  He  felt  the  death  of  humanity;  hu- 
 manity came  in  his  iieart  to  the  perfect  feeling 
 of  its  own  death  " — as  Lange  says.*  This  was, 
 however,  not  merely  the  pang  of  bodily  disso- 
 lution, but  the  feeling  of  the  dying  soul.  Still 
 less  was  it  any  thing  like  a  declining  to  die — 
 Must  1  thus  actually  die?  (as  if  he  at  tlie 
 close  might  have  hoped  that  this  would  be  re- 
 moved, as  he  had  prayed  in  Gethsemane) — but 
 the  absolute  and  "  boundless  alienation"  from 
 it  which  was  in  the  supremest  degree  natural 
 to  Ais  life — Is  this  death?  Is  it  so  horrible? 
 Is  the  light  and  life  of  God  utterly  no  longer 
 in  it?  That  is  to  say,  death,  and  dn,  on  ac- 
 count of  which  death  comes,  are  to  his  con- 
 sciousness and  feeling  thus  wholly  and  insepa- 
 rably bound  up  together,  as  we  found  it  at 
 Gethsemane.  "  Sin  is  nothing  else  but  separa- 
 tion from  God,  and  now  God  withdraws  indeed 
 his  light  and  himself;  then  follows  darkness. 
 With  the  sin,  which  Christ  now  bears  as  the 
 sin-offering,  God  mingles  not  his  light  of  grace. 
 This  is  the  fundamental  reason  of  the  darken- 
 ing of  the  face  of  mercy  "  {Berlenb.  Bd>el).  Thus 
 the  horror  of  death  assails  him,  inasmuch  as 
 (without  positive,  personal  consciousness  of 
 guilt)  the  death  which  he  accepted  for  the  sin 
 of  others  is  regarded  by  him  as,  and  becomes 
 to  him,  the— being  xcitliout  God.  What  a  feel- 
 ing must  this  have  been  to  this  Holy  One,  in 
 wliom  the  conKcioum^HS of  God  and  the  conscious- 
 ness of  life  were,  as  in  the  case  of  no  other,  one  I 
 The  saints  in  the  Old  Testament  describe  their 
 
 *  Wlidse  thoroush  exposhion  of  the  Eli,  E'i, 
 vAwh  \vp  can  almost  entirely  agree  with,  is  among 
 the  mo.st  beautiful  parts  of  liis  t)o()k.  And  it  is 
 an  illustrious  exnmple  that  may  all  the  more  pro- 
 foundly seize  tlio  inmost  deplli  of  tlie  atoning  pas- 
 sion, if  juristical  satisfaction  and  representative 
 damuaiiou  is  given  up. 
 
 relative  failing  of  heart,  and  darkening  of  t!i« 
 (internal)  eyes,  as  the  hiding  of  God's  coun- 
 tenance ;  but  Christ  is  in  dying  forsaken  of 
 God  as  none  else  ever  was,  for  he  had  lived  in 
 and  with  God  as  none  else  had  ever  lived. 
 
 A  three-fold  oppression,  we  may  more  pre- 
 cisely say,  now  breaks  in  upon  him.  The 
 wickedness  of  human  nature  from  without, 
 from  others— and  its  weakness  in  himself  (the 
 higher  analogon  of  2  Chron.  xii.  5)  he  must  en- 
 dure. Moreover,  Satan  comes  upon  him,  the 
 king  of  terrors,  the  prince  of  death  ;  speaks  to 
 him  lyingly  of  wrath  with  images  for  his  fan- 
 tasy which  show  him  all  the  kingdoms  of  hell 
 and  their  horrors — he  «ee,9  nothing  around  and 
 before  him  but  -|Qpp  TK^y  nly-J  (Psa.  xl.  12), 
 
 sufferings  and  sins  inseparably  interwoven ; 
 for  in  his  sympathy  as  the  head  and  centre  of 
 humanity  he  assuredly  feels  the  sins  of  the 
 world  as  if  they  were  his  own  ('ninij;  in  the 
 
 same  passage).  Finally,  his  own  heart  forsook 
 him  (\3Ty  '3^),  that  is,  God  himself,  who  is 
 
 the  heart  and  life  of  his  heart,  had  withdrawn 
 himself.  This  is  the  truth  and  the  reality  of 
 the  abandonment,  concerning  which  Bengel  re- 
 marks :  "  He  does  not  only  say  that  he  was  de- 
 livered by  God  to  the  will  of  men,  but  also 
 that /row  God  him.'telf  he  suffered  something  un- 
 ^Uterable  to  us."  That  is,  he  suffered  nothing 
 positive* — but  the  negative  keeping  silence, 
 distance,  and  obscuration  of  the  Sonship  in 
 him  by  means  of  which  he  could  say  Father; 
 so  that  only  the  humanity  remained,  and  that 
 no  longer  feels  the  consolation  of  God.  He 
 who  had  just  comforted  the  malefactor  with 
 the  promise  of  Paradise  now  ''  hangs  comfort- 
 less." Thus  "  it  may  be  regarded  as  more  pos- 
 sible before  God  that  the  "personally-assumed 
 human  nature  of  Jesus  should  be  cut  off  from 
 the  infi<nning  of  the  divine  love,  than  that  the 
 wrath  of  God  should  be  severed  from  sin  with- 
 out propitiation"  (Winckler).  Half  true, 
 that  is,  true  in  the  first  clause ;  for  in  the 
 second  we  must,  according  to  the  Scripture, 
 snhsi\inie  death  ioT  ior  if  h.  "Heaven  hiaes  it- 
 self— hell  alone  remains"  (Pape).  But  that 
 hell  remains,  applies  (in  his  meaning),  as  a 
 svmbolical  warning  pointing  to  eternal  dark- 
 ness (Ecclus.  xvii.  21),  to  the  sinners  without ; 
 in  Christ  remains  the  "my  God,"  even  though 
 the  heavens  are  hidden.  This  is  death;  but 
 the  death,  in  which  life  remaineth,  saves  us  from 
 death,  and  obtains  for  us  life  again.  "  As  in 
 the  beginning  of  ihe  creation  the  Lord  called 
 the  light  out  of  the  darkness,  so  also  now  he 
 calls  the  light  out  of  the  darkness  once  more ; 
 he  calls  life  out  of  death. "| 
 
 ♦  Hence,  tiot,  Why  dost  thou  pour  thy  wrath 
 upon  me,  thy  heloved  Son  1  Or.  raiher  without 
 tvlii/,  as  that  theory  would  require,  and  wiiliout 
 the  mij — "  God,  thou  condemiiest  me.  I  sink 
 under  thy  wiaih." 
 
 +  Ralzmann.  He  coes  on  to  draw  a  sna£:PStiTe 
 parallel  in  the    7ta\iyyey£6ia  of  the  exterual 
 
MATTHEW  XXVII.  46. 
 
 Now  let  it  be  carefully  observed  that  Christ 
 nt  the  end  of  the  three  jiiixions  hours  first  sends 
 «p  to  heaven  in  its  full  and  uttered  strength 
 the  cry  of  anguish  which  ended  his  anguish — 
 as  llif-  final  outbreak  of  an  anguish  which  had 
 been  three  hours  restrained  and  secretly  gnaw- 
 ing his  soul.     Although  it  is  the  most  oppi^^s- 
 €ive  moment  of  supreme  abandonment  which 
 urges  the  cry,  it  is  at  the  san;e  time  removed  | 
 by" that  cry;  then   does  his  heart  find  room,! 
 and  light  comes  back  to  his  eyes.     We  correct-  i 
 ly   translate,    Why   hist   thou    forsaken   me  ?  j 
 Bengel :  "In  the  past.     At  that  uionient  the  j 
 abandonment  ceased,  and  presently  afterwards  j 
 the  whole  Passion."     On  the  otlier  hand  he  is 
 quite  wrong  when  he  says,  "  In  the  middle  and 
 deepent  abandonment  he  was  silent ;"  for  it  is 
 the   deepest  abandonmf  nt   which   breaks  forth  ' 
 and  is  lost  in  the  cry  of  anguish.     During  three  j 
 hours  of  deefiening  oppression  he  had  kept  si- \ 
 ience  before  his  God — had.  not  murmured — had 
 not  complained,  even  by  a  Jijjyw^  "  I  thirst" 
 — had  not  cried,  Help  rael  but  had  restrained 
 tiis  sorrow  and  waited  and  been  patient  to  the 
 uttermost  extreme.     This  patience,  and  what  j 
 he  suffered,  this  extremity,  mast  forever  be  to 
 our  understanding  a  concealed   and  impene- 
 trable mv-stery,  Jeanne  we  have  in  us  no  divine- 
 hmnan  experience  of  sin  and  dedtk  in  their  con- 
 nection^    That  word  ^3n3]yj  forsaken  me,  spoken 
 
 still  in  the  darkness  by  Christ  to  God,  is  itself 
 a  dark  abyss  ;  "  it  conceals  a  depth  in  which 
 our  thoughts  are  lost."  For  it  is  that  "  perfect 
 contradiction,"  proceeding  from  sin,  into  con- 
 summate death,  as  it  first  reached  actual  reality 
 on  the  cross  of  reconciliation.  "  In  the  height 
 of  triumph  upon  the  throne  it  will  be  made 
 plain  what  the  Mediator's  sorrow  was  on  the 
 edge  of  the  abyss."  That  was  the  price  of  re- 
 demption. For  however  dark  and  gloomy  the 
 lamentation  of  dee2)est  anguish  may  sound  to  us 
 in  this  word,  these  two  things  are  clear  to  us  as 
 the  light  which  now  again  emerged  from  the 
 darkness — that  this  word  is  not  an  outbreak  of 
 unbelieving  despair  ;  and  that  Christ  suffered, 
 as  holy,  so  also  2^''''^pdiatory ,  suli'ering^,  in  our 
 room  and  stead,  tor  our  sin.  We  cannot  under- 
 stand this  word  in  any  other  way;  it  gives 
 direct  assurance  to  every  one  who  would  not 
 empty  it  or  lay  it  aside  altogether,  that  Christ, 
 in  order  to  perfect  in  his  person  the  work,  and 
 himself  as  the  Redeemer,  suti'ered  death  in  a 
 real  connection  with  sinful  humanity. 
 
 Bat  the  tirst  abides  also  true :  he  never 
 despaired  of  his  God  ;  consequently  he  suffered 
 what  he  suffered  "  Jiof  as  a  punishment  (of 
 himself)  in  his  consciousness,  not  as  a  judg- 
 
 wovld.  "  Hence  when  the  Re.storer  waged  the 
 coiittict  of  f'eath  upon  the  cross,  the  sun  was 
 darkened  niid  the  earth  quaked;  as  a  symbol  ot 
 that  which  will  take  place  at  the  end  of  tlie  world 
 when  the  great  restoration  will  be  consummated." 
 So  piesnant  and  lar-reaching  are  Gods  signs. 
 Here  beloniis  Psa.  viii.  4  (according  to  Bengel's 
 i-euiark  on  Matt.^xvii.  45);  for  the  new  world  has 
 no  new  and  other  sun,  besides  Christ  himself. 
 
 ment  upon  his  own  heart."  The  theology  which 
 goes  so  far  as  to  assert  this,  has  always  most 
 unwarrantably  overlooked  the  ELoi,  S'oi,  which 
 belongs  to,  and  even  precedes,  the  forsaken 
 me — the  unmoved  and  immovable  my  God.* 
 He  trusted  in  God — this  ceases  not  now,  but 
 reaches  its  perfection.  For  God  was  his  God 
 from  his  mother's  womb,  Psa.  xxii.  9,  10  (which 
 psalm-word  as  respects  Christ  has  its  deepest 
 meaning  in  his  miraculous  and  sacred  birth,  to 
 which  he  now  refers  back  in  his  second  birth  ofi 
 death).  Verily,  he  did  not  take  his  farewell  of 
 God  when  he  died  ;  but  he  in  death  fulfilled  his 
 course  and  kept  the  faith.  If  not — who  can 
 think  out  the  consequences  of  this,  as  relative- 
 ly possible  in  his  humanity? 
 
 In  this  my  God  he  utters,  and  he  alone  in  a  sole 
 and  incomparable  sense,  the  neverthdess  of  the 
 "nevertheless-psalm,"  Psa.  Ixxiii.  1-26.  The 
 stiuggleand  transition  was  not,  indeed,  so  easy  aa 
 Urabreit  expresses  it :  "  After  the  supplicatory 
 invocation  had  passed,  like  a  breath  of  the  hu- 
 manity from  his  divine  lips,  he  enters  into  the 
 undisturbed  consciousness  of  his  unity  with  the 
 Father,  and  perfect  rest  and  peace."  But  the 
 "  my  God  "  belongs,  in  the  unity  of  the  mo- 
 ment of  nnguish  with  the  peace,  itself  at  the 
 same  time  to  the  amazement  of  the  lamentation 
 — 3fy  God  hiith  forsaken  me!  Its  repeiitioii  ia 
 at  first  a  repetition  of  the  anguish — as  in  the 
 psalm  originally,  according  to  its  then  psycho- 
 logical truth.  But  then  it  is  also,  since  the 
 fulfillment  goes  beyond  the  meaning  of  the 
 type,  a  repetition  of  the  victory,  surpassing  the 
 only  once  bewailed  abandonment.  While  he 
 thus  calls  upon  his  God,  he  finds  his  God  again. 
 And  it  now  becomes  manifest  that  the  "for- 
 saken" had  not  been  an  objective,  indeed  not 
 an  altogether  subjective,  abandonment.  And 
 so  far  as  the  whole  is  "  not  so  much  a  cry  of 
 anguish,  as  rather  a  testimony  that  he  had 
 t  broken  through  into  a  freedom  becoming  to 
 his  mediatorial  office  "  (Piieger).  Even  in  thi.s 
 quaking  of  the  earth,  the  rock  is  unmoved.  It 
 is,  as  Lange  says,  "  a  marvellous  sacred  de- 
 spair, which  is  one  with  the  supremest  trust." 
 
 He  says  with  the  Psalmist,  who  from  the 
 depths  of  his  own  personal  experience  had  a 
 presentiment  of  the  suffering  Messiah  and  typi- 
 tied  hira,  only  God  and  not  Father;  and  this  is 
 of  great  importance.  Ncr.er  elsewhere  had  Christ 
 spoken  thus  of  "  his  God  "  alone  :  comp.  John 
 viii.  54,  XX.  17.  Only  God,  lor  now  the  man  in 
 him  speaketh — nevertheless  ray  God,  with  a 
 propriety  and  fulness  of  meaning  which  no 
 other  could  arrogate  before  or  after  him;  for 
 the  Holy  One  of  God  speaketh,  who  experienced 
 this  abandonment  for  the  sake  of  sinners.  As- 
 suredly there  is  a  profound  reason  here  why  he 
 does  not  this  time  dare  to  utter  the  Father- 
 name — but  God  is  not  before  him  in  such  fear- 
 
 *  Strangely  enough  the  Pesh.  loses  this,  for  we 
 find  a  mere  ^^X  t  and  we  could  almost  accept  the 
 supposition  of  Grotius  that  it  was  a  corruption  of 
 the  text  through  transposition  of  'pK, 
 
FOURTH  WORD  FROM  THE  CROSS. 
 
 ful  wrath  as  to  take  from  his  lips  ihe  "  my 
 God."  On  the  one  hand,  that  is  certainly  true 
 which  Winckler  delivers  on  Psa.  xxii".  4-6: 
 "Thus  there  was  as  great  a  difference  between 
 his  suff"ering  and  the  greatest  suffering  of  other 
 saints,  as  there  is  between  a  worm  and  a  man  ;" 
 but,  on  the  other  hand,  it  abides  equally  true 
 that,  trodden  in  the  dust  of  death  as  a  writhing 
 worm,  Christ  is  still  and  must  ever  be  Christ. 
 Only  the  Sinless  One  can  in  his  own  person  say 
 still  in  such  a  depth  Mi/  God;  we  only  in  him. 
 That  right  of  humanity  before  the  time  of  Christ 
 to  cry  unto  God  in  prayer,  which  has  been 
 appealed  to* — that  which  in  Psa.  xxii.  5,  6,  is 
 admitted — came  from  the  same  j'/'aos  which  was 
 procured  here  in  the  fulness  of  time  by  Christ. 
 His  lamentation — it  is  in  truth  the  lament  of 
 humanity — had  been  uttered  a  thousand  times 
 before  he  came,  probably  in  the  same  language. 
 But,  the  prophetic  word  was  already  so  framed, 
 that  with  full  personal  right  and  in  his  own 
 power  no  man  can  ever  utter  the  same  'i5X ; 
 
 and  this  expression  has  its  full  truth  only  in 
 Christ. 
 
 Consequently,  Christ  does  not  speak  in  the 
 person  and  in  the  place  of  condemned  sinners, 
 in  any  such  sense  as  the  rigid  theology  of 
 satisfaction  teaches— but  teaches  without  mark- 
 ing how  its  theory  is  here  reluted.  Those 
 who  are  cast  out  with  the  devil  into  everlast- 
 ing torment,  who  cry  to  the  mountains  and 
 to  the  rocks  instead  of  to  God,  dare  not  and 
 camwt  cry,  My  God  !  He  who  according  to 
 the  mmmum  jus  is  at  last  and  finally  aban- 
 doned of  God  knows  well  wherefore — and  has 
 no  prayer  remaining,  because  no  God.  Yea, 
 if  the  "  lohy  "  were  possible  in  hell,  it  would 
 receive  as  the  perfeclion  of  daring  the  most 
 awful  of  all  answers.  Thus  it  was  not  "the 
 punishment  of  the  damned"  which  Christ 
 suffered.  It  was  not,  lo  Theremin  preaches, 
 "the  feeling  of  entire  and  decided  misery" 
 which  this  word  from  the  cross  expressed ; 
 for  can  he  be  entirely  and  definitively  miser- 
 able who  can  yet  call  upon  his  God?t  If 
 God  so  absolutely  forsakes  the  sinner  as  to 
 
 *  Lange  borders  on  this  :  '•  The  great  tvhi/, 
 wliich  is  permit;ed  to  the  miserable  race  of  man 
 aiider  God's  rule."  Certainly  it  is,  but  only 
 tlirou2l>  grace;  and  it  is  not  permitted  to  the 
 damned. 
 
 f  It  is,  moreover,  one  of  those  tmimasinable 
 things  wliicli  so  often  occur  in  dogmatic  systems, 
 fliat  Christ  could  have  endured  in  a  short  space,  by 
 nienns  of  liis  indwelling  divine  power,  the  whole 
 torment  of  hell ;  and  as  an  infinite  person  all  the 
 wrath  of  Go  1,  for  the  endurance  of  which  the 
 lamni-d  require  eternity.  Tiiis  self-contnidicting 
 uution  contradicts  atho  the  testimony  of  Christ, 
 and  nnis'  as-ume,  to  be  intel  i2il)ie  at  all,  that 
 d  ".spair  is  not  of  itself  an  essenti;d  element  of 
 damnation.  Thou^ii  Lnilior  maintained  that 
 "Christ  suffered  the  fe.ir  and  l)Oiror  of  a  tortured 
 eonscievcc,  and  tasted  rtcnwl  wr.Xh'' — it  is  never- 
 theless a  sentence  contrary  to  fact,  reason,  and 
 d<;ripturc. 
 
 leave  him  to  himself  as  nothing  but  a  sinner, 
 then  there  remains  only  despair  and  severance 
 from  God.  But  since  God  forsook  Christ,  and 
 yet  forsook  him  not,  he  remains  the  Man  in 
 God,  who  retains  God  for  himself,  and  recovers 
 him  for  us.*  Here  ia  a  greater  than  Moses, 
 whose  countenance  ihone  when  he  came  out  of 
 the  darkness,  in  the  midst  of  which  was  God 
 (Exod.  XX.  21,  xxxiv.  29). 
 
 Thus  the  ichy,  in  its  only  meaning  as  re- 
 gards Christ,  is  grounded  upon  the  my,  and 
 such  a  why  Christ  alone  can  ask.  Hengsten- 
 berg  says  quite  correctly  :  "  Every  one  is  justi- 
 fied in  asking  this  why,  who  has  a  right  to  call 
 God  his  God,  notwithstanding  his  manifold 
 sins  of  infirmity " — but  whence  came,  and 
 whence  to  this  day  comes,  this  right  of  a  sinner, 
 but  from  the  righteousness  imparted  by  the 
 grace  of  God,  that  righteousness  which  Christ 
 has  here  in  himself?  His  fi  ial  questioning  of 
 the  government,  this  awful  moment  inexpli- 
 cable to  him,  of  the  God  who  forsakes  him,  and 
 yet  is  ever  with  and  in  hira,  forms  a  remarkable 
 counterpart  and  contrast,  in  its  infinitely  sub- 
 limer  and  fuller  truth,  with  his  parents'  ques- 
 ing  of  their  holy  child,  who  had  never  done 
 any  thing  aronov  (amiss) — Why  hast  tliou 
 done  this  unto  us?  This  "why"  is  something 
 quite  different  from  a  questioning  in  donht,  Art 
 thou  then  (or  no  longer)  my  God  ?  That  is  an 
 impossibility.  His  lamentation  has  nothing  to 
 do  with  any  defiance  or  despair  of  hell,  as  if  he 
 had  been  oppressed  or  swollowed  up  of  it. 
 But,  it  is  itself  the  victory  oi  prayer,  the  finding 
 in  the  seeking;  and  the  question  brings  its 
 answer  at  once  with  it. 
 
 Thus  wrath — not  actual,  but  represented  to 
 him  by  Satan — is  lost  in  love,  and  death  in 
 life.  "  There  is  no  fellowship  between  God  and 
 sin,  hut  Christ  comes  betwren."  Most  beauti- 
 fully, though  not  in  theological  style,  Lange 
 says  :  "  In'Christ  the  consciousness  ot  divinity 
 itselff  touches  the  consciousness  of  death.  The 
 heart  of  God  feels  the  breath  of  death  in  that 
 dying  heart  which  is  the  centre  of  humanity: 
 but  thereby  death  dies  in  the  heart  of  God." 
 Now  we  tremble  not ;  but  if  we  fall  into  des- 
 pondency, this  is  our  strength  and  our  consola- 
 tion, that  he  also  was  amazed  but  did  not  fall 
 into  despair. 
 
 The  STipture  was  his  stay  and  consolation 
 throughout  those  all-decisive  last  moments, 
 when  the  salvation  of  the  world  was  in  the 
 balance  :  he  seized  it  as  the  prophesied  word  of 
 Scripture,  and  by  no  such  unconscious  coinci- 
 dence as  the  mockers  spoke,  Psa.  xxii.  8.  He  nouf 
 brings  to  his  mind  (not  before)  the  whole  psalm, 
 
 *  "  lie  held  firm'y  to  God  and  retained  the  di- 
 vinity of  his  lift',  at  the  t  me  when  in  his  unity 
 with  mankinil,  and  in  his  huninn  f>plin<i,  tlm 
 ft»eling  of  abandonment  by  God  amazed  him  " 
 (Lange). 
 
 f  For  it  was  this  which,  in  the  humanity  of  the 
 God-mnn,  could  no  mre  lose  or  give  up  the  "  my 
 Go  I  "  tlian  its  own  unity  with  the  Father  and  iho 
 Sou  in  the  Holy  Spirit. 
 
JOHN  XIX.  28. 
 
 681- 
 
 HTi(i  its  exit  in  glory;  nence  immediately  the 
 "I  thirst"  in  the  consciousness  ot  the  fulfill- 
 ment of  a!l  Scripture.  Why?  he  had  asked. 
 This,  according  to  the  meaning^  of  the  psalm 
 (where  nO?  is  equivalent  to  Hisi';  certainly  in- 
 quires first  into  the  reason— Cur  ?  quare?  qitam 
 ob  rem  ?  and  Matt,  expresses  this  with  the 
 8ept.*  in  his  ii'arL  But  lilark  embraces  the 
 otiier  side,  connected  indeed  with  the  former, 
 where  he  points  forward  to  the  design,  and  says 
 «/S  ^^',  as   if  it  had  been  HDp  (to  what  end)  ; 
 
 hence  the  readings  KTjftd,  Xe/id,  Vulg.  lemn, 
 both  in  Matt,  and  Mark.  In  both  senses,  but 
 pressing  on  the  latter  which  discloses  the  rea- 
 son in  the  end,  the  ansicer  of  the  Father  is  re- 
 vealed to  Christ,  as  he  himself  declares  it  in  the 
 
 I  two  following  words — In  order  to  finish  and 
 fulfill  that  for  which  thy  soul  thirsieth.  When 
 Christ  in  Gethsemane  was  clearly  conscious  of 
 the  other  will  of  his  I,  he  says  concerning  it — 
 Not  as  I  icilL    When  upon  Calvary  he  cries  out 
 
 j  the  question.  Why  ? — ne  also  gives  the  answer. 
 Thus  did  his  cry  in  its  victorious  power  rend 
 the  veil  of  the  darkness  of  his  anguish.  At 
 once  it  is  light  without  and  within  ;  and  the 
 returning  light  is  the  victorious  sign  of  life  out 
 of  death.  Without,  tliere  is  mockery  again — 
 thus  the  sin  of  humanity  reveals  itself  also  in 
 the  new  light  of  grace.  But  to  this  belongs 
 the  following  word  of  our  Lord  :  which  will 
 lead  us  to  consider  and  understand  the  perver- 
 sion of  the  Ei  into  Elias,  and  the  potion  given 
 him  to  drink. 
 
 FIFTH  WOPvD  FROM  THE  CROSS. 
 
 (John  xix  28.) 
 
 We  have  already  seen  that  "  after  this  "  can- 
 not be  taken  as  expressing  an  immediate  se- 
 quel to  ver.  26.  Ver.  30  allows  no  more  room 
 for  the  Eoi,  Eloi ;  consequently  it  must,  with 
 the  three  hours'  darkness,  come  before.  And  it 
 must  belong  to  ver.  28  ;  for  it  is  impossible  to 
 place  Ihe  word  to  Mary  and  John  immediately 
 after  the  cry  of  anguish,  with  which  the  1 
 lldrst  is  strictly  to  be  connected  in  its  order. 
 The  sequence  of  the  seven  words,  which  is  so 
 often  misapprehended,  has  a  sound  exegetical 
 foundation  ;  although  a  spirit  of  contradiction 
 •which  wilfully  finds  fault  may  easily  suggest 
 doubts.  The  first  has  its  uncontested  place  ; 
 the  last  three  are  equally  obvious  in  their  con- 
 nection. 'Only  the  second  and  third  may  admit 
 of  doubt;  biit  the  connection  in  Luke  vers.  35- 
 43  almost  decides  the  place  of  the  second  ;  and, 
 moreover,  that  place  is  justified  and  commend- 
 ed by  internal  eviden<;e.  To  the  thoughtful 
 apprehension  the  Lord  must  deal  with  sinners 
 (the  impenitent  and  the  penitent)  before  he 
 comes  to  his  own  ;  and  further,  the  farting 
 fiom  his  another  forms  the  fitting  transition 
 to  the  deeper  anguish  of  his  soul.  It  is  his 
 farewell  to  the  earthly  relationship  of  life  ge7i- 
 erally,  the  final  preparation  and  detaching  of  his 
 spirit  for  the  last  conflict.  If,  as  appears  to  be 
 here  implied,  John  immediately  led  away  the 
 mother  of  Jesus,  his  resuming  nerd  roCro, 
 "  after  this,"  would  manifestly  refer  directly  to 
 ver.  27,  and  mean — After  the  disciple  had  done 
 
 »  S'^e  in  the  Sept.  Psa.  xHi.  5  (comp.  ver.  9 
 Sxari) — P.sa.  iliii.  1,  xliv.  24,  25,  Ix.^iv.  1,  Ixxx. 
 1.2,  etc. — also  for  na'^JJ?,  Numb.  xxa.  32.     Comp. 
 
 in  the  New  Testatiient  Lr.ke  xiii.  7.  Thus  it  is  to 
 be  resolved  into  zi  t6Tiv,  yeyovEv,  'iva — not, 
 as  Battmaj^n  :  -daiuit  uvz<  /  ge^helie. 
 
 this,  and  then  returned  again.*  Indeed,  we 
 must  in  our  thoughts  place  the  /  thirst  imme- 
 diately after  the  Eli ;  partly  because  the  vic- 
 tory won  hurries  the  Lord  speedily  toward  the 
 end,  and  partly  on  account  of  the  mockery  re- 
 corded in  Matt,  and  Mark,  which  is  evidently 
 connected  with  the  cry  heard  by  the  people. 
 The  giving  to  drink  which  these  two  Evangel- 
 ists relate  i?  assuredly  the  same  which  accord- 
 ing to  John  was  preceded  by  the  declaration  of 
 thirst;  and  that  Jesus  must  in  some  way  have 
 given  utterance  to  his  being  athirst  glimmers 
 (as  Ebrard  says)  through  the  narratives  even  of 
 Matthew  and"  Mark. 
 
 But  there  has  been  much  contention  about 
 the  special  reference,  not  so  much  of  the  eiSoJi, 
 •'knowing,"  as  of  the  '{va  teXricjOj},  "that 
 might  be  accomplis!;ed."  It  is  at  first  plain  that 
 the  "  Knowing  that  all  thiiiss  were  accom- 
 plished— rereXeCrai  "  must  refer  pre-eminent- 
 ly and  conclusively  to  the  rereledrat  uttered 
 in  ver.  30.  This  is  the  general  sense  of  John's 
 words  ;  but  we  cannot  on  that  account  admit 
 that  this  consciousness  as  to  "  all  things  being 
 fulfilled,"  has  nothing  at  all  to  do  with  the 
 raying,  "I  thirst"  which  comes  between.  So 
 Ebrard  :  "  The  kno'wing,  etc.,  is  not  put  by 
 John  between  '  when  he  had  received,'  and  he 
 said  '  It  is  finished,'  simply  because  he  would 
 show     that   both    fol.owed   in   immediate    se- 
 
 *  On  the  re.idinss  ravra  and  iSoov  it  may  be 
 remarked  that  ravza  might  be  a  gloss  aiming  to 
 make  the  expression  a  more  general  postea,  and 
 the  specific  meaning  of  rotTro  (which,  however,  is 
 quite  plain  enoug'i  to  distinguish  it  from  ravra.) 
 was  not  cle Illy  seen  ;  but  that  iSoov  does  not 
 express  what  John  meant,  the  accompanying,  in- 
 dwelling consciousness,  compare  chap,  xviii.  ^ 
 
682 
 
 FIFTH  WORD  FROM  THE  CROSS. 
 
 quence."  For  we  must  ask  with  what  con- 
 sciousness and  for  what  reason  Jesus  first  de- 
 clared his  thirst,  and  not  till  ailerwurds  uttered 
 "  It  is  finished  ;"  that  is,  we  must  do  justice  to 
 the  construction  of  "  that  the  Scripture  lui^'ht 
 be  accomplished."  To  onr  mind  it  is  altogether 
 inappropriate  to  refer  the  zV«,  "  that,"  preced- 
 ed by  no  comma  (as  io  many  editions)  at  once 
 backward  to  the  Ter£Xs6Tai,  "were  accom- 
 plished"— Jesus  knew  in  liimself  that  all  was 
 now  so  accomplished,  that  by  this  one  thing 
 more  the  whole  Scripture  would  be  fnlfiUeei. 
 Bengel,  indeed,  is  in  favor  of  this  :*  and  so  is 
 Thoiuck,  comparing  chap.  xi.  4.  But  we  assert 
 that  in  connection  with  the  rsreXedrat  this 
 iva  would  be  superfluous  and  mere  tautology  ; 
 indeed,  it  would  disturb  the  meaning  of  the 
 TeXeidOcxt,  made  here  so  prominent.!  Thus 
 "  that  the  Scripture  might  be  fulfilled  "  belongs 
 here,  as  in  chap.  xiv.  ol  (let  this  parallel  be 
 marked)  io  icliatfolkncs,  and  first  of  all  to  the  "  I 
 thirst."  For,  in  John's  view,  even  such  exter- 
 nal individual  circumstances  as  we  find  in  ver. 
 24  belonged  to  the  accomplishment  of  Scrip- 
 ture. But  now  comes  the  question,  finally, 
 whether  'iva  TsAeicoO^  is  a  remark  of  the 
 Evangelist  only  (as  in  ver.  24,  where  indeed  the 
 soldiers  did  not  know  that  they  were  accom- 
 plishing Scripture),  or  whether  the  Evangelist 
 gives  it  as  the  conscious  design  of  Christ,  and 
 thus  connects  it  with  the  A£>fi,  "  he  saith," 
 There  are  many  important  voices  raised  in 
 favor  of  the  former,  and  against  the  latter,  as 
 being  unworthy.  Olshausen  says,  "  John  calls 
 to  mind  that  even  this  exclamation  fulfilled  a 
 prediction,  that  of  Psa.  Ixix.  21  ;"  but  that  the 
 iya  is  not  to  be  referred  to  Christ,  "  as  if  his 
 only  object  in  uttering  this  exclamation  was 
 that  this  prediction  might  tlienhy  be  fulfilled." 
 (The  "  only  object  "  is  quite  another  question. 
 Certainly  it  was  not,  but  that  does  not  rem.ove 
 the  accompanying  design  of  the  utterance.) 
 Liicke  admits  that  the  'iva  is  dependent  upon 
 the  Xeysiy  "  but  this  zVa  (he  says)  is  the  ex- 
 pression of  John's  own  typological  views,  Jiot, 
 of  the  Lord's  design."  And  afferwards,  "  Had 
 the  Lord's  design  been  merely  to  fulfill  the 
 passage  in  the  psalm  by  this  '  I  thirst,'  (y)ie 
 would  not  Inoic  what  to  my."  We  shall,  by  per- 
 mission, find  something  to  say  presently;  and 
 meanwhile  simply  remark  that  a  typological 
 thought  of  John,  that  is,  of  the  Holy  Spirit  in 
 his  narrative,  and  therefore  finally  of"the  Lord's 
 own  (revived  and  no  longer  oppressed)  con- 
 sciousness, is  not  so  altogether  unworthy  as  to 
 be  an  "  offence."  Lange,  however,  puts  it  most 
 rigorously  :  "  That  the  Evangelist  does  not  say 
 that  Je>>ns  spoke  this  word  with  a  design  only 
 to  lulfill  the  Scripture  (again  this  captious  and 
 needless  o«/y),  is  self-understood  to  every  unper- 
 
 •  With  tlie  remark,  true  in  itself,  but  not  prov- 
 ing Ilia  point,  "The  verb  TtXeat  is  applied  to 
 thiiiiis,  teXeiuod  to  Holy  Scri|>luie." 
 
 t  Olshausen  regards  the  retorenco  backward  to 
 EiSoii  (ihouah  it  mi^ht  mtlier  be  regarded  as  to 
 Uie  itiiXtdiaij  as  allogelher  uutcuable.. 
 
 verted  mind.'''  Nevertheless,  we  feel  that  noth- 
 ing IS  less  perverted  than  to  take  the  words 
 'ii'a  and  Xryei  together* — as  would  be  obvioua 
 to  every  reader  who  bad  not  been  persuaded  to 
 take  offence  at  it — and  to  regani  the  simple 
 meaning  then  given  as  perfectly  worthy  of  our 
 Lord.  We  protest  against  the  consequence 
 which  must  be  deduced  from  assuming  this 
 alone  to  have  been  his  design — ^it  must  then  be 
 supposed  that  Jesus,  according  to  the  Evangel- 
 ist's view,  did  not  thirst  at  all,  and  that  it  v»ra3 
 not  in  reality  his  desire  to  obtain  refreshment 
 for  his  lips.  We  protest  also  against  bringing 
 the  soldiers,  who  ignorantly  acted  according  to 
 the  Scriptures,  into  comparison  with  the  Lord, 
 who  by  the  liSoo'i,  "  knowing,"  is  distinguished 
 from  them  in  this  matter,  and  perfectly  knew 
 what  he  said  and  what  he  did.  But  we  m:ust 
 not  regard  this  concentrated  and  summary  con- 
 sciousness of  all  the  specialties  of  the  falfilledi 
 Scripture  as  a  conscious  summing  np  of  all 
 their  particulars  upon  the  cross — after  the  me- 
 chanical manner  of  Richter's  JOibel  (preface): 
 "  Thus  the  crucified  Redeemer  in  a  brief  space 
 thought  over  the  whole  Scripture.  He  tested 
 himself  whether  he  had  accomplished  all  that 
 he  should  suffer;  but  he  tested  himself  by 
 the  Scripture."  Even  tee  can  embrace  much  irs 
 our  view  without  discursive  consideration  of 
 particulars — how  much  more  Christ ! 
 
 The  matter  to  our  conviction  stands  simply 
 thus.  It  is  perfectly  self-evident  that  Jesus 
 actually  thirsts,  and  that  he  confesses  this  in  a 
 real  indirect  request.  But  to  this  we  must 
 add,  that  he  declares  his  thirst,  not  merely  in 
 recollection  of  Scripture,  as  Inowing  (which  is 
 plainly  stated)  that  his  thirsting  and  drinking 
 were  included  among  the  all  things  which  ac- 
 cording to  that  Scripture  were  to  be  accom- 
 plished, but  also  with  an  e-xpress  design  (shown 
 by  the  'iva)  to  accomplish  that  Scripture.  Van 
 Hengel  is  also  right  in  saying  that  Jesus  ut- 
 tered the  exclamation  al>to  with  the  design  that 
 by  the  moistening  of  his  mouth  his  weak  aind 
 almost  expiring  breath  might  be  invigorated,, 
 in  order  that  he  might  be  able  to  utter  aloud 
 his  consciousness  that  he  had  accomplished  all 
 — or,  more  concisely,  that  this  refreshment  of 
 his  lips  was  necessary  to  the  "  It  is  finished."" 
 But  this  does  not  exclude  the  fact  that  it  was 
 necessary  in  another  sense,  because  otherwise 
 this  accomplishment  without  the  predicted 
 "  receiving  of  drink  in  his  thirst"  would  not 
 have  been  a  real  fulfillment  of  all  things.  Rie- 
 ger  correctly  expresses  the  predominant  inter- 
 pretation of  all  orthodox  expositors  (of  unper- 
 verted  mind) :  "  The  invigorating  light;  entered 
 his  inmost  soul,  and  he  saw  that  with  his  final 
 thirst,  and  the  vinegar  given  him  to  drink,  all 
 things  would  be  accomplished  which  beloag.e(i 
 
 *  Ilofniann,  also  (Schriflh.  xi.  1,  208),  retracting; 
 his  former  assertion,  admits  thai  iva  lielorigs  t» 
 Xsyei,  and  even  nnke.s  this  an  evidence  of  the 
 l)eitect  voluntariness  and  Ireedom  of  .■•pirit  with 
 wliich  Jesus  surrendered  lii.s  lite.  But  LiUhardl 
 caunot  accent  this  g.rauiuiaLical  cooiiiucliOJu. 
 
JOHN  XIX.  28. 
 
 683 
 
 to  the  falfillment  of  Scripture."  Arndt  preaches 
 similarly  the  truth  .  "  This  exclamation  was 
 the  exclamation  of  assurance  that  even  the 
 greatest  sufferings  of  the  body  and  of  the  soul 
 had  been  predicted  in  the  Old  Testament."  He 
 knew — "  Now  is  all  almost  accomplished,  doicn 
 to  this  one  Iking,"  as  Surenhusen  says,  "so  that 
 nothing  more  remains,  besides  the  cup  being 
 given  to  me  in  my  thirst."  Just  on  that  ac- 
 count he  further  says,  it  is  i''ya  reXsiajOij  and 
 not  lya  TcXrjfjGoQrj  if  ypacpr;  ("  accomplished," 
 not  "fulfilled").  Yor  rtXetovv  means  to  bring 
 to  an  end,  perfectly  to  fulfill ;  quite  parallel 
 with  TEXedQiivai  and  teXo<;  £jti»',  Luke  xxii. 
 37.  All  this  is  answer  enough  to  the  question 
 raised  by  Hofmann— "In  what  connection  stands 
 the  exclamation  I  third  with  his  knowing  that 
 there  remained  nothing  more  for  him  to  do  in 
 this  life?"*  We  answer  once  more  :  when  he 
 no  longer  felt  himself  bound  to  suffer  silently 
 and  unrefreshed,  when  he  called  to  mind  the 
 permission,  nay,  the  appointment  of  a  final  re- 
 freshment for  his  lips — he  thought  it  befitting 
 to  utter  aloud  his  thirst.  Bu"t  the  assertion 
 so  frequently  made,  that  the  torment  of  thirst 
 alone  pressed  from  him  this  cry,  just  as  his 
 anguish  had  extorted  the  Eloi,  is  incorrect  and 
 most  unbecoming.!  I''or  it  forgets  that  he  has 
 now  light  and  repose  in  the  midst  of  his  ex- 
 tremity, as  the  remark  of  John  records  and 
 proves.  Lampe  :  "  Nor  would  he  have  sought 
 this  refreshment  had  he  not  known  that  this 
 also  belonged  to  the  criteria  of  the  Messiah,  ac- 
 cording to  the  prophets  ;  whence  arose  this  new 
 motive — that  the  Scriptures  might  be  fulfilled." 
 Well  would  it  be  if  some  of  our  moderns  would 
 study  and  respect  old  Lampe  more,  instead  of 
 being  scared  away  from  him  by  his  peculiari- 
 ties. 
 
 The  first  motive  was  the  thirst  itself,  and 
 the  need  of  invigoration  in  order  to  be  able 
 to  say,  "  It  is  finished ;"  the  second  was  full 
 obedience  according  to  the  Scripture.  It  is 
 from  this  obedience  that  the  humiliation  comes, 
 in  perfect  harmony  ever  with  his  triumphing 
 love,  in  which  he,  without  expressly  saying 
 "  Give  me  to  drink,"  nevertheless  indirectly 
 asks  his  enemies  for  this  refreshment.  Con- 
 cerning this  humiliation,  as  the  first  and  most 
 obvious  thing  which  the  word  itself  oflTers  to 
 our  observation,  Lange  has  expressed  himself 
 very  beautifully,  and  we  cannot  improve  his 
 words :  "  Into  the  midst  of  the  circle  of  his 
 rude  enemies  and  hard-hearted  watchers,  he 
 utters  this  simple  word.  Not  pride  and  not 
 resentment,  not  even  mistrust  seals  his  lips.J 
 
 *  Weissagung  und  ErfuUuvg,  ii.  146. 
 
 \  Luthardt's  explanation  seems  very  far-fetch- 
 ed :  "  Tliat  it  might  be  seen  that  he  now  died  vol- 
 untarily, Jesus  did  that  which  might  lead  others  to 
 expect  someihing  different  fiom  dying,  that  which 
 would  ten  1  to  the  prese  vation  of  lite — therefore  he 
 said,  I  thirst."     Let  the  reader's  feeling  decide. 
 
 X  But  the  quelilion  whether  he  might,  whether  he 
 ought  not,  according  to  God's  counsel,  to  sutler  all 
 
 The  first  word  which  he  utters,  in  his  present 
 perfect  consciousness  that  he  would  henceforth 
 be  the  king  upon  a  throne  of  grace,  was  a  sup- 
 plicating request,  like  the  word  of  a  mendicant. 
 No  resentment  restrains  him  ;  although  these 
 men  had  already  wished  in  scorn  and  mockery 
 to  give  him  drink,  and  are  representatives 
 of  a  world  whicii  would  have  given  him  I  he 
 dimi.ssing  potion  of  vinegar  and  gall.  The 
 most  severe  tension  of  restraint,  which  his  long 
 silence  toward  these  men  had  necessarily  in- 
 volved, is  now  over.*  He  not  only  can,  but  he 
 must  now  show  them  once  more  the  full  divine 
 simplicity  of  his  love — in  the  form  of  so  hum- 
 ble a  complaint.!  But,  what  must  appear 
 most  eminently  great  in  the  word  of  Jesus  ia, 
 that  no  mistrust  withheld  him  from  confiding 
 his  need  to  those  who  surrounded  him."  To 
 this  last  point  we  must  demur.  True  and  beau- 
 tiful as  the  observation  is,  in  one  point  of  view, 
 that  the  Lord  exhibits  a  confidence  that  he 
 would  find  some  love  and  compassion  even 
 among  these  enemies  and  mockers — yet  there  are 
 two  things  doubtful  connected  with  it.  First, 
 we  ought  not  to  press  the  extent  of  this. trust 
 in  our  Lord's  request  so  far  as  to  say  (with 
 Braune)  that  "  the  appeal  to  the  help  of  these 
 enemies  demanded  a  victory  over  self  which 
 was  not  so  strongly  expressed  even  in  the 
 Father,  forgive  them — which  must  have  been 
 the  hardest  of  all  to  a  human  heart."  For 
 this  imparts  to  Christ's  "  humanity  "  an  im- 
 pure element,  such  a  pride  toward  his  enemies, 
 and  such  a  resentment  for  their  help,  as  could 
 not  exist  in  him,  and  therefore  could  not  be 
 overcome  or  renounced.  But,  secondly,  his 
 trust,  in  its  real  principle,  was  not  reposed  in 
 these  sinners,  from  whom  he  could  expect  no 
 sympathy,  but  rather  persistent  cruelty  and 
 scorn  ;  it  was  reposed  alone  in  his  God.  It 
 was  not  a  "  faith  in  humanity  "  which  he  yet 
 retains,  a  faith  in  some  remains  of  love  to 
 which  redemption  might  attach — but  (so  strict- 
 ly true  is  John)  a  consciousness  and  trust  that 
 the  drink  must  be  given  to  him,  because  the 
 Scripture  must  be  fulfilled.  As  in  Gethsemane 
 an  angel  strengthened  him,  because  there  an 
 angel  alone  could  ;  so  can  men  here  offer  him 
 the  last  refreshment  (though  only  in  half-com- 
 passion, mingled  with  scorn) — and  therefore  it 
 was  so  appointed  and  predicted. 
 
 But  the  Scripture  which  is  here  reforrrd  to 
 without  being  cited,  is  not  Psa.  xxii.  15,  where 
 the  first  is  described  (for  here  the  drinking  is 
 concerned),  but  most  certainly  Psa.  Ixix.  21. 
 In  this  psalm  too  the  suffering  righteous  man 
 is  set  before  us  as  the  type  of  the  Messiah, 
 fiartly  with  the  same  main  feataires  as  Psa. 
 xxii.,  and  partly  with  some  peculiar  aspects; 
 presenting,  namely,  profound   relations  of  this 
 
 in  silence,  might  have  sealed  his  lips.  That  is  for- 
 gotten here. 
 
 *  That  is,  he  mny?ii>\,  because  the  Scripture  per- 
 mits it. 
 
 f  This  is  significantly  his  first  and  only  com- 
 plaint of  bodily  pain. 
 
FJFTH  WORD  FKOM  THE  CROSS. 
 
 684 
 
 suffering  <o  the  present  imd  tlii  f'jdire,  justfiS 
 P.sa.  xxii.  (in  the  firat  part;  onlera  into  the 
 depth  01  the  siiflerin^  in  iLseif.  It  .8  a  i'jner* 
 ing  without  cau-e  ot  personal  ortenoe  a^'iinst 
 man  or  before  God  (ver^.  4,  b)—i  sjHerir.o 
 ratlier  for  the  sfike  of  (lie  honor  aT.  1  tb?  house 
 of  God  (vers.  7-'J),  lor  liie  deti?ive  is3u9  of 
 which  all  k)ok',  who  duly  wiit  i.pon  Go],  vsr. 
 6.  Thi3  decisive  issue  is  (l.-y  a  tu'ldta  (lansi- 
 tion  at  ver.  21)  cet  forth  in  a  (wo- fold  way,  as 
 the  confident  prophecy  of  the  complaimut  now 
 surpassing  his  lamentation:  for  the  cnenr.es  a 
 judgment  of  requital  breaks  in,  salvation  .ind 
 deliverance  for  the  miserable  who  wait  :n  hope. 
 Heng.steiiberg  oays  rightly  that  "among  uil 
 the  psaitus  there  is  none,  besides  Psa.  xxii., 
 which  is  so  ofleu  quoted  and  referred  to 
 Christ :"  ihouglj  tins  is  saying  too  little,  for  the 
 expiess  citationi  Irom  which  it  may  be  leckon- 
 ed  are  more  numerous  by  fur  than  from  any 
 oilier— .John  ii.  17,  xv.  25,  xix.  28,  29  ;  Acts  i. 
 20;  Rorn.  xi.  9,  10,  xv.  3.  And  we  must  not 
 (oraet  the  remarkable  specific  fulfillmeat  of 
 ver.  8,  which  is  not  quoted. 
 
 Verse  21  in  this  psalm  had  already  been  (ul- 
 filled  'ipproximately  or  in  part,  when  they  ol- 
 fered  Christ,  as  a  malefactor,  the  stupelying 
 potion— but  he  did  not  receive  that  potion, 
 and  the  fulfillment  therefore  yet  remains,  in 
 which  the  *J^p*i:>',  "  they  gave  [would  give]  me 
 
 — to  drink,"  actually  took  place.  John,  it  is 
 true,  attaches  this  to  the  mention  of  the  (Junl 
 in  ^aiO'i? — but  so  far  with  propriety,  as  the  ex- 
 pression oHhe  (hirst,  which  was  responded  to 
 by  the  |'Dn  (and  which  the  psalm  [ire-sup- 
 poses), was  the  decisive  point.  It  is  easy  to 
 answer  the  words  of  Strauss,  whose  perverted 
 mind  thinks  that  "no  one  hanging  upon  the 
 cross  in  the  agony  ot  death  would  go  off  with 
 such  typological  play."  For,  first,  the  wonder- 
 ful coincidence  between  the  prophetic  word 
 and  the  most  specific  circumstances  of  the  sa- 
 cred Passion  especially,  is  no  play,  but  the 
 holy  earnest  oi  God,  for  the  conviction  of  such 
 unbelievers  as  Strauss  and  his  confederates, 
 wiienever  they  shafl  come  to  taith  in  prophecy 
 and  its  lulfiUment  generally  And,  further. 
 Christ  is  no  longer  in  the  agony  and  confiict 
 ol  death  (as  Strauss  thinks,  simply  through 
 willul  disbelief  of  John),  but  in  the  commenc- 
 ing consciousness  of  fulfillment  and  the  liard- 
 won  victory.  It  is  on  that  account  he  beholds 
 so  clearly  this  individual  prediction,  at  the 
 moment  when  it  was  to  be  fulfilled  ;  there  is 
 no  playing,  but  the  most  sacred  earnestnes.s,  in 
 his  di-claring  aloud  his  thirst  and  asking  drink, 
 in  order  that  he,  down  to  the  last,  might  act 
 according  to  tiie  light  and  guidance  of  the  fore- 
 wrillen  word.  In  this  (to  contradict  Braune) 
 "  He  does  not  make  himself  dependent  upon 
 fortuitous  agreements,"  for  the  prophesied  in- 
 timations are  not  fortuitous  to  him — "  he  lives 
 in  the  precepts  and  the  will  of  his  God,"  for 
 this  too  wa.s  written  in  the  Scripture  concern- 
 ing him.  as  he  iiad  all  Lis  lile  testified,  and  is 
 
 consistent  v/itli  it  in  death.  M<n^  r'vrsi-vtetift 
 tliat  sucli  believing  expositors,  w:i«  are  con- 
 tinually a^-cribing  to  their  Lord  and  K'^rt^' 
 the  half-beiieviiig  views  ot  the  Old  Teslametv' 
 v;liicli  they,  alas  !  entertain  lliemselves. 
 
 Bot  it  is  now  time,  finally,  alter  these  ne 
 cessary  preliminary  remarks  upon  the  ". 
 thint"  which  Jesui  cried,  to  enter  more  deeply 
 into  its  meaning  It  is  tlie  shorte.?t  of  the 
 seven  words.  Tlie  parched  lips  of  the  sufferer 
 can  scarcely  give  it  utterance,  for  the  loud  cry 
 which  went  before  had  absoibed  all  his  power 
 ot  i:,peech  ;  and  yet,  as  it  was  appointed,  so  it 
 waB  r.ecesiary,  in  order  that,  being  strengthen- 
 ed, ho  might  utter  his  last  two  words  of  vic- 
 tory. It  proceeds  from  the  deepest  truth  and 
 actuality  even  of  his  bodilv  necessity,  through 
 which  he  who  called  all  who  were  athirst  to 
 himsell,  the  fountain  ol  living  v/aters  (John 
 vii.  37) — is  now  as  a  languishing  sufTerer  hum- 
 bled. Since  the  last  Supper  he  had  eaten 
 nothing,  and  yet  had  toiled  and  suffered  im- 
 measurably both  in  body  and  soul.  Think  of  the 
 exhaustion  of  the  bloody  sweat  at  the  very  be- 
 ginning! His  present  thirst,  which  had  gone 
 on  increasing  from  that  time,  is  likewise  m  his 
 humanity  the  derangement  of  fever,  such  as 
 the  dying  experience  generally,  and  (for  which 
 Sepp  may  be  consulted)  the  crucjied  especially. 
 Thus  it  is  {hecorporeal  analagon  and  substratum 
 for  the  exhausting  abandonment  of  his  soul  ; 
 and  tins  belongs  as  its  continuation  to  the  pre- 
 ceding, from  winch  it  is  neverthless  to  be  dis- 
 tinguished by  the  return  which  it  exhibits  of 
 his  repose  and  confidence.  Thirst,  it  is  well 
 known,  is  keener  anguish  than  hunger,  having 
 been  sometimes  used  in  the  application  of  tor- 
 ture; and  so  far  the  last  temptation  on  the 
 !  cross  IS  greater  than  the  first  m  the  wilderness. 
 But  this'parallel  leads  us  to  something  further. 
 As  then  it  was  not  till  the  end  of  the  concen- 
 tration of  his  prayer  in  fasting  that  his  bodily 
 need  came  back  to  his  feeling  and  conscious- 
 ness— he  was  afterwards  an  hungered — so  here. 
 In  the  wrestling  of  his  soul  with  Irs  withdraw- 
 ing God  he  had  not  felt  the  boJy,  or,  more 
 strictly  spealcing,  had  felt  it  only  as  soul;  even 
 in  tiie  Eloi,  Eld  the  bodily  consciousne,ss  had 
 been  absorbed  in  its  co-operation  with  the 
 soul's  feeling.  Bat  now  the  case  is,  as  it  were, 
 inverted  ;  because  the  soul's  distress  is  removed, 
 and  the  body  so  strongly  claims  its  rights  that 
 ail  his  combined  pains  are  compressed  intoand 
 uttered  in  this  lldrst.  Thus  "this  word  ex- 
 presses no  new  heightening  of  his  agony,  but 
 is  rather  an  evidence  that  his  festal  rest  is  al- 
 ready beginning  in  his  eoul.  It  is  like  the 
 word  of  a  hero,  to  whose  consciousnnessit  now 
 first  comes  that  his  wounds  bleed  and  that  he 
 needs  some  invigoralion,  after  the  heat  of  the 
 conflict  has  been  sustained  ;  like  the  word  of  a 
 hero  who  begins  in  the  consciousness  of  his 
 victory  to  think  of  his  rel'reshment  (we  add 
 now — his  promised  refreshment — ;)n<l  so  far 
 it  is  a  most  favorable  token  of  good  "  (fjange). 
 Compare  the  far-dislant  type  of  Samson,  which 
 may  slii^l'.tly  admit  of  comparison,  J  udj.  xv.  13. 
 
JOHN  XIX.  28. 
 
 685 
 
 Verily  a  greater  that  Samson  is  here!  This 
 thirst  is  tae  Lord's  last  suffering — "the  con- 
 summation drew  rapidly  near,"  as  Reiger  says  ; 
 and  so  in  Psa.  Ixix.  the  word  concerning  it  oc- 
 curs at  the  end  of  the  sufferings,  and  goes  off 
 
 t  once  into  the  perdiction  of  vengeance  upon 
 the  table  of  those  who,  in  their  first  and  last, 
 their  only  act  of  compassion,  were  still  unmer- 
 ciful enemies.  Christ  feels  now  "  the  bitter 
 remainder  of  his  woes,  the  last  drops  condensed 
 into  one"  (as  Hiller  says);  and  just  so  it 
 makes  the  transaction  to  the  "  finished,"  being 
 the  only  thing  now  wanting  "  tliat  the  Scrip- 
 ture might  be  fulfilled."  "Pain  relinquish- 
 es him  not,  until  he  has  finally  struggled 
 through,"  says  Draseke.  The  word  by  which 
 he  acknowledges  and  complains  of  this  pang — 
 the  first  complaint  which  he  uttered  in  his 
 agonies* — is  tiie  most  apparently  inconsiderable 
 of  the  seven  words :  it  is  seemingly  the  most 
 simple  external,  human,  and  instantaneous  ex- 
 pression of  bodily  feeling — how  innumerable 
 are  the  times  that  it  has  been  and  will  be 
 spoken  after  him  by  dying  mortals  !  Indeed, 
 this  of  itself  gives  it  a  graat  significance — as 
 an  humble  avowal,  in  the  obedience  of  Scrip- 
 ture, and  as  his  placing  himself  perfectly  on  a 
 level  with  other  sufferers,  immediately  before 
 those  most  sublime  utterances  which  were  pe- 
 culiar to  himself.  It  is  litera'  y  true  in  that 
 most  obvious  meaning  which  aiune  would  oc- 
 cur to  those  who  heard  it  first  ;  nevertheless, 
 there  must  be  something  much  deeper  contain- 
 ed in  it.  It  is  not  record-^d  simply  because  all 
 that  he  said  upon  the  cross  must  be  recorded  ; 
 but  all  that  he  spoke  was  in  its  humanity 
 divine-human,  and  the  most  external  element 
 in  it  could  be  no  other  than  a  type  of  an  inter- 
 nal and  spiritual  truth. 
 
 Shall  we  in  this  word  spoken  upon  the  cross, 
 in  its  place  among  the  seven  words — the  rest  of 
 •which  are  simply  words  of  (he  Redeemer — be- 
 tween "  My  God,  My  God  "  and  "  It  is  finished," 
 discern  nothing  more  than  the  testimony  that 
 he  experienced  physical  thirst  ?  Even  Lange, 
 who  holds  simply  to  the  "  avowal  of  physical 
 need,"  feels  himself  "  standing  before  a  text  in 
 regard  to  which  we  can  hardly  say  how  far  the 
 BPnsative  is  the  symbol  of  the  super-sensitive." 
 Yes,  verily,  we  cannot  and  will  not  presume  to 
 say  whether  and  how  far  the  Lord  himself  con- 
 nected in  his  own  consciousness  a  spiritual 
 meaning  with  this  "I  thirst;"  what  we  said 
 just  now,  points  rather  to  this,  that  even  the 
 thirst  of  his  soul  goes  out  in  and  is  felt  as  phys- 
 ical need.  But  it  loas  nevertheless  his  soul 
 suffering  the  jmngs  of  redemjidon  which  expe- 
 rienced this  bodily  thirst ;  and  therefore  to  us  it 
 is  not  merely  permitted  but  commanded  that 
 
 *  After  a  description  of  all  his  precedina;  suf- 
 feiinsis,  Bengel  jjoes  on  :  "  Amid  all  these  he  had 
 never  said — I  suffer.  For  the  fact  itself  spoke  of 
 the  sorrows  predicted  in  Scripture.  He  does  ex- 
 press the  thirst,  u-/iich  icas  the  confluence  and  end  of 
 them  all,  and  asks  for  drink,  for  the  Scripture  had 
 predicted  both  the  thirst  aud  drink," 
 
 we  should  carry  our  meditation  upon  this  word 
 further,  quite  independently  of  the  instant  con- 
 sciousness of  our  Lord  when  he  spoke  it.  So 
 the  Ilaly  Spirit  in  the  Church  has  from  the 
 beginning  typically  expounded  to  us  this  new 
 Scripture,  which  records  our  Redeemer's  ap- 
 pealing and  supplicating  thirst  upon  the  cross. 
 Let  us  then,  finally,  contemplate  this  word 
 in  the  new  commencing  light,  of  which  it  is  the 
 first  ray.  The  fulfillment  of  Scripture  down  to 
 this  last  potion  was  here  concerned  ;  and  even 
 in  this  connection  of  the  word  with  the  fulfill- 
 ment of  Scripture  we  have  the  bpginning  of  its 
 spiritual  meaning.  Arndt:  "Hence  though 
 Jesus  primarily  meant  by  his  fifth  word  his 
 physical  thrist,  yet.  there  lay  in  the  liadground — 
 since  he  now  first  uttered  it,  and  uttered  it  that 
 the  Scripture  might  be  fulfilled— a  sjnrittial 
 thirst  of  his  soul  Likeicise ;  he  longed  for  the 
 final  consummation,  the  consciousness  of  the 
 feeling  of  his  eternal  union  with  God,  the  per- 
 fecting of  his  sacrificial  offering."*  Thus,  if  we 
 ask  in  devout  contemplation  (and  this  is  the  ful- 
 fillment of  all  true  exposition)  for  what  he 
 thirsted,  in  the  ground  of  his  soul,  under  and 
 in  the  physical  thirst,t  we  must  first  of  all  say 
 in  the  language  of  Psa.  xlii. — For  God,  for  the 
 Living  God  !  But  to  tarry  there  is  not  enough, 
 for  he  was  emptied  even  to  abandonment  only 
 for  us,  only  as  entering  into  humanity  for  its 
 redemption,  as  the  prophetic  psalms  testify. 
 Thus  lie  thirsted  for  the  accomplishment  of  the 
 redeeming  work;  as,  in  order  to  that,  that  he 
 might  be  able  to  say  "  It  is  finished  " — for  say- 
 ing and  doing  are  here  one. J  'This  is  the  sub- 
 stance and  soul,  as  of  all  his  bodily  suffering, 
 so  also  of  this  corporeaiiy-erpiessed  word  of  his 
 soul.  This  connects  itself  again,  as  the  general 
 spirit  of  this  most  concrete  crisis,  with  the 
 thought  that  in  this  supplicating  appeal  he, 
 whose  right  it  was  to  be  refreshed  by  all  crea- 
 tion, and  especially  to  be  gladdened  by  all 
 humanity,  but  who  had  so  awfully  renounced 
 all  this,  now  turns  again  to  this  humanity.  As 
 Lange  says,  alter  giving  promience  to  that 
 reflection  :  "  As  he  thus  thirsted  for  the  re!"resh- 
 ment  of  this  drink,  so  he  thirsted  to  drink  of 
 the  refreshment  of  love  (we  add — for  the  re- 
 quital of  his  infinite  loving)  for  a  final  human 
 greeting,  for  human  blessing.  If  we  pursue 
 this  to  its  deepest  meaning,  we  may  say  that 
 he  with  a  special  depth  oi  feeling  thirsted  for 
 the  s/nils  of  men." 
 This  is  the  harmony  of  the  traditional  expo- 
 
 *  In  the  Eres*lau  sermons  :  "  The  nearer  a  trav- 
 eller approaches  his  goal,  the  greater  is  his  long- 
 ing to  reach  it." 
 
 \  Because,  indeed  as  Lange  says,  "in  hh  life 
 the  corporeity  and  the  life  of  the  soul  are  i:ot  sun- 
 dered, and  go  not  separate  ways." 
 
 :j:  He  now  hastens  to  the  fu'l  accomplishment  by 
 fulfi.ling  this  last  remaining  prediclion.  S)  Noa- 
 nus  says  (here  once  more  bringing  out,  in  the 
 midst  of  his  pomposity,  the  true  thought)  :  Boai- 
 repnv  j/BsXev  eivai  repj.ioi'^iji  idrajueyoio 
 to  Xeiipai'oy, 
 
686 
 
 FIFTH  WORD  FROM  THE  CROSS. 
 
 sition  of  the  Spirit  in  the  Church  •with  the 
 simple  historical  apprehension  of  the  first 
 meaning  of  the  wora,  as  tlie  genuine  ncio  the- 
 ology and  pxiiosition  is  called  every  where  to 
 tiace  ;t.  Bat  *»ve  cannot  content  ourselves 
 with  crying — How  di'ls,t  thou  thimt,  thou  great 
 P;inc8o!  glory,  for  the  poor  sinner,  and  for 
 God  on  my  behalf,  that  he  in  thee  might  be 
 mine!  For  that  transportation  of  thought  into 
 tiie  past  loses  sight  of  the  continuous  influence 
 and  everlasting  presentation  of  his  suffering 
 and  dentil  by  the  Spirit,  as  it  is  sealed  in  the 
 Lord's  Supper.  Still  in  his  glory  he  thirsts  for 
 the  consummation,  his  heart  thirsts  for  the  full 
 possession  of  his  redeemed.  As  he  said,  John 
 iv.  7,  to  the  woman  of  Samaria — Give  me  to 
 drink  ;  and  meant  thereby  in  reality — Give  me 
 tliyself  (comp.  ver.  34  in  that  chapter,  and  our 
 exposition  of  ver.  7)  ;  so  does  his  whole  Passion 
 cry  the  same  to  us  in  the  beseeching  of  the 
 word  of  reconciliation,  2  Cor.  v.  19,  20.  "  I 
 third" — that  is,  to  a  heart-seehing,  all-compre- 
 hending superscription  on  the  cross.  "  He 
 thirsted  that  we  might  thirst" — was  the  say- 
 ing of  Gregory  of  Nazianzum,  and  it  goes  to 
 the  full  depth  of  the  word  :  for,  in  fact,  his 
 thirsting  for  our  sake  and  consequently  for  us 
 tells  us  that  toe,  whose  souls  are  in  need  of  the 
 living  God,  should  thirst  for  him  and  his  snlva- 
 tion,  and  aims  io  t.rcite  that  thirst  in  us.  Simi- 
 larly John  Arndt:  "  When  the  Lord  said  upon 
 the  cross,  I  thirst;  he  thirsted  that  he  might 
 awaken  and  find  in  us  a  sacred,  spiritual,  and 
 heavenly  thirst.  For  as  he  himself  satisfies 
 and  quenches  our  spiritual  hunger  and  thirst, 
 so  must  we  also  satisfy  and  quench  his  hunger 
 and  thirst — as  he  says  in  John  iv.  34."  Ask 
 thyself,  0  hearer,  as  his  word  asks  thy  soul — 
 For  what  am  /tliirsting?  If  I  have  forsaken 
 the  living  fountain,  and  the  hewn-out  cisterns, 
 all  the  seeming  living  fountains  of  nature  and 
 the  creature  become  dried  up,  and  God  in 
 righteousness  forsa/ces  me — what  and  whither 
 then?  The  answer  is — Give  thyself  to  him, 
 and  he  will  give  himself  to  thee  ;  then  as  a  be- 
 lieving Cliristian,  thou  shaltnot  in  distress  and 
 the  dying  hour  lament  in  the  language  of  the 
 psalm  ol  lamentation,  because  he  hath  fulfilled 
 its  meaning  for  thee.  This  preaching  inter- 
 pretation is  infinitely  beyond  the  application 
 wliich  is  so  current,  and  which,  though  in  itself 
 quite  light,  so  often  stops  short  at  mere  moral 
 application — to  wit,  that  we  may,  and  that  we 
 must  ttiU  refresh  our  Lord  Jesus  in  the  per- 
 sons of  his  poor  and  suffering  members  upon 
 earth. 
 
 A  few  remarks  must  be  made,  finally,  upon 
 the  giving  to  drink  which  followed  our  Lord's 
 word.  John  records  it  simply;  Matthew  and 
 Mark  mention  the  accompanying  mockery. 
 Neither  the  drinking  nor  the  mockery  can  be 
 supi)Osed  to  have  taken  place  during  the  dark- 
 ness ;  and  this  is  an  exrgeticai  proof  that  im- 
 mediately after  the  j^'oj  it  became  light;  tliat 
 the  /  third  followed   the  L\oi,  and   was   the 
 
 occasion  for  the  giving  to  drink,  which  would 
 otherwise  have  no  reason  to  explain  it.  That 
 which  our^Lord  received  and  drank  is  called  by 
 them  all  u^w;,  for  y^n  in  the  psalm,  that  is, 
 
 vinegar,  which  was  a  very  poor,  but  thirst- 
 quenching  drink  used  by  the  common  people: 
 see  Ruth  ii.  1-i.  But  the  older  translators  by 
 their  ufig^cx^,*  and  the  learned  disquisitions  of 
 recent  critics,  have  only  introduced  needless 
 confusion.  This  vinegar  (which  is  not  neces- 
 sarily to  be  considered  as  only  poor  or  sour 
 wine),  mixed  with  water,  was  a  drink  in  com- 
 mon use  especially  among  soldiers,  and  as  such 
 is  called  posca  by  Plant.,  Sneton.,  Uipian,  and 
 pusca  by  Vegetius.  In  Spartian  (Life  of  Pesen- 
 nius  Niger)  we  read  :  "  He  ordered  that  no 
 wine  should  be  drunk  in  the  expedition,  but 
 that  all  should  be  content  with  vinegar  (acelo),'" 
 with  which  we  may  compare  Lipsius,  de 
 militia  Romana,  lib.  5,  dial.  16.  Thus  the 
 Lord's  word  in  Matt.  xxvi.  29  remains  true, 
 and  he  drank  no  wine  here.  That  which  we 
 read  of  in  Luke  xxiii.  36  is- either  (which  is 
 possibly  a  particular  mocking  offer  that  Luke 
 alone  relates,  or  the*same  with  the  first  offer  of 
 that  stupefying  draught  which  Mark  calls 
 ed/iiVftyidjLteyoy  otvoy,  and  Matthew  (for  o|o? 
 might  also  be  wine)  o^oi  tterd  xo^f/^  U^/^iy- 
 ^tsvoy,  with  express  allusion  to  Psa.  Ixix.f 
 The  passage  in  the  psalm,  which  is  in  itself 
 very  pregnant,  had  consequently  a  two-fold 
 external  fulfillment,  in  which  the  rejected 
 stupefying  wine  is  to  be  carefully  distinguished 
 from  tlie  vinegar  which  was  taken. 
 
 It  was  provided  beforehand,  that  all  things 
 should  be  ready  for  this  last  refresh m^-nt — tlie 
 vessel  with  vinegar,  according  to  Job,  the 
 sponge  and  the  reed.  The  sponge  was,  it  may 
 be,  used  by  the  soldiers  to  wipe  away  the 
 blood  which  was  sprinkled  upon  them,  or  for 
 any  other  purpose.  The  reed  was,  according  to 
 John,  a  /i^.s.v>;>  ,|.and  this  need  occasion  no 
 difficulty:  for  the  crosses  were  not  so  high  as 
 is  generally  supposed,  and  there  were  several 
 kinds  of  hyssop  (Muimonides  names  four, 
 Kimchi  seven),  one  of  them  with  a  long  and 
 stout  stem,  out  of  which  they  even  constructed 
 tents  (see  in  Sepp).  That  John  has  given  this 
 specific  term  not  without  allusion  to  the  use  of 
 hyssop  in  the  Levitical  ritual,  especially  in 
 connection  with  the  Passover,  is  thouglit  not 
 improbable  even  by  B.-Crusius.  But  the 
 opinion  of  some  of  the  ancients  (adopted  by 
 Bochart  and  Surenhusius)§  is  quite  forced  and 
 incorrect,  according  to  which  the  hyssop  was 
 
 *  Michaelis,  Suppl.  ad  Lex.  would  justify  this. 
 
 f  Winer  thinks  that  "Luke  generally  is  remisi 
 and  confused  (!)  in  his  narrative  of  t;ie  Passion; 
 but,  as  far  as  recrards  the  offered  and  accepted 
 drink,  the  remissness  and  confusion  re.st  upon 
 those  who  wi.l  not  make  the  proper  distinction." 
 
 ^  About  this  he  who  will  niny  read  Bochart, 
 Hieroz.  torn.  i.  lib.  2,  cap.  50.  de  ngno  pn&chnli : 
 but  he  will  find  tie  passage  in  John  Ijudiy  treated. 
 
 ^Tlie  former  changes  the  text  into  vijooanav. 
 
JOHN  XIX.  28. 
 
 m 
 
 an  ingredient  in  the  drink — "to  make  it  more 
 disagreeable."  So  also  is  the  opposite  view  of 
 Sahriasins,  that  the  smell  of  the  hyssop  would 
 be  slightly  invigorating. 
 
 Enough  of  these  things;  let  us  look  moi-a 
 closely  at  the  matter  before  us.  W/io  gave  the 
 Lord  to  drink  ?  The  plural  in  John  may  very 
 well  indicate  the  one  spoken  of  by  the  other 
 Evangelists,  together  with  those  who  were 
 around  and  assisted  ;  or  it  may  be  an  indenn-ite 
 rirei.  Yet  in  this  B.-Crusius  is  right :  the  oi 
 Ss  (which  is  the  better  reading)  must  bt  the 
 crucifying  soldiers  of  ver.  23  (thus  Gentiles) — 
 it  cannot  be  supposed  that  any  others  would 
 be  permitted  to  offer  him  any  thing  upon  the 
 cross.  Thus  it  was  not  one  of  those  who  stood 
 around  ;  the  mention  of  Elins  does  not  make  it 
 necessary  to  assume  that  he  was  a  Jew,  for 
 Koman  soldiers  in  Judea  might  very  well  have 
 heard  and  retained  as  much  as  this,  and  would 
 be  more  ready  to  think  of  this  forerunner  or 
 helper,  than  have  any  regard  for  the  true  my 
 God.  Tims  the  most  fearful  cry  of  amazement 
 ever  echoed  upon  earth,  the  most  sacred  word 
 of  lamentation,  with  its  deep  mystery  of  con- 
 eolation  for  a  sinful  world — is  at  once  mockingly 
 perverted  by  malignant  wit.  It  was  only  a 
 prophecy  of  ten  tliousand  such  instances,  the 
 same  in  principle,  which  Christendom  has  since 
 witnessed.  With  as  much  open  confidence  has 
 Jesus  called  upon  his  God — "  as  if  he  had  been 
 summoning  a  man  near  him  to  his  help."  Ac- 
 knowledging this  even  in  their  mockery,  they 
 pervert  it  altogether,  and  mean :  He  says 
 imthing  more  now  about  his  God,  him  he  has 
 given  up  (in  heathen  daring,  he  meets  not  his 
 case  now) — he  turns  now  to  man  again  and 
 cries  for  help.  Or  more  definitely  :  He  cries  as 
 the  3Ie>isiah  for  his  Eias:  for  even  a  heathen 
 would  know  that  the  two  pertained  to  each 
 other,  and  in  the  lips  of  a  heathen  this  mockery 
 has  its  full  intelligibility  and  bitterness.*  It 
 is  probable  also  that  the  name  of  Elias  was 
 already  in  vogue  as  the  patron  and  guardian 
 of  the  Jews,  appearing  in  time  of  need:  on 
 this  consult  Eisenmenger  (ii.  403  ff.). 
 
 Or,  was  the  speaking  about  Elias  no  mock- 
 ery at  all  ?  Matt,  and  Mark  do  not  expres>ly 
 say  that  it  was,  though  the  former  plainly 
 enougli  gives  the  impression,  by  his  olro^,  of 
 a  hah  pitiful  scorn.  Olshausen  (whom  Krum- 
 macher  follows  in  this)  denies  the  mockery, 
 and  thinks  that  a  secret  dread  seized  upon 
 their  rude  minds,  and  that  they  may  have 
 thought  there  might  be  some  truth  in  the  Mes- 
 eialiship  of  this  crucified  one,  and  that — Elias 
 might  appear  in  a  tempest.  Thus,  they  would 
 have  really  viimnderstood  the  word,  and  said 
 what  they  said  in  earnest — this  being  "  psy- 
 chologically more  probable."  We  certainly 
 think  not  :   just  at   the  crisis  of  our   Lord's 
 
 *  A  Jew  would  have  thought:  His  Elias  (John 
 thr?  Bmtist)  has  been  long  dear! — and  now  the 
 i^i\s,■^  Messiah,  wlio  a'.somust  yield,  calls  upon  him 
 in  vain.  The  Jews  m'ght  have  thus  added  their 
 nockery,  even  thoush  that  was  first  meant. 
 
 abandonment,  this  amazement  of  awe  appearS 
 to  us  altogether  unpsychological,  in  spite  too 
 of  the  wonderfully  returning  light  (which  would 
 tend  rather  to  remove  their  anxifty  and  inspire 
 them  with  fresh  courage).  Moreovpr,  the 
 mocking  meaning  in  the  aq>Ei  and  dcpsrs, 
 "  let  "  (of  which  more  anon),  is  not  to  be  got 
 rid  of.  Lange  improves  upon  the  matter  by 
 suggesting  that  the  great  horror  of  apparitions 
 from  the  other  world — for  they  would  regard 
 an  appearance  of  Elias  as  possible — came  upon 
 them  in  all  its  force ;  yet  they  at  once  tried  to 
 turn  the  suggestion  to  mockery,  in  order  to 
 defend  themselves  against  their  fears.  He  says 
 it  was  "  as  men  in  a  dark  wood  striving  to  rid 
 themselves  of  fear  of  spirits  ;  they  call  out  the 
 names  of  the  beings  they  dread  as  if  in  mock- 
 ery. They  appear  to  scorn  them  ;  but  if  nar- 
 rowly watched  and  listened  to,  it  will  be  found 
 that  they  tremble."  It  may  be  so  in  ordinary 
 cases ;  but  this  scene  at  Golgotha,  alone  in  its 
 kind,  is  raised  far  beyond  all  such  analogies. 
 If  there  had  been  horror  here,  it  would  have 
 been  too  profound  to  admit  of  mockery.  It 
 was  no  other  than  persevering  malignity,  kin- 
 dled afresh  of  hell ;  and  so  mighty,  that  noth- 
 ing like  real  compassion  could  stand  against 
 it.  If  we  think  of  a  holy  shuddering  as  the 
 result  of  the  Lord's  cry  of  anguish,  it  is  a  de- 
 ception by  which  we  transfer  our  sense  and 
 feeling  to  those  who  were  then  present ;  there 
 was  assuredly  no  other  tone  in  it  than  tliat  of 
 the  profoundest  lamentation,  no  other  infiuence 
 could  flow  from  it  than  the  excitement  of  sud- 
 den compassion,  in  conflict,  however,  with  the 
 return  of  keener  mockery,  comparing  his  pres- 
 ent distress  witii  his  former  loity  pretensions. 
 During  the  darkness  they  might  have  felt 
 amazement,  and  expected  some  marvellous  di- 
 vine intervention  ;  but  when  nothing  resulted 
 from  this  cry,  and  thereturn  of  thelight,  all  their 
 anxiety  vanished  and  the  mockery  remained. 
 Just  so  do  the  first  two  Evangelists,  in  histori- 
 cal and  psychological  truth,  exhibit  its  imme- 
 diate influence  ;  after  the  second  cry,  almost  in 
 immediate  continuation,  had  strengthened  the 
 movement  of  pity.  Some  of  the  guard  round 
 the  cross,*  and  probably  others  with  them,  be- 
 ean  at  first  to  steel  themselves  against  pily 
 (not  fright)  by  mocking — This  man,  poor 
 wretched  Messiah,  calls  in  vain  for  his  Elias. 
 But  there  is  one  who  thinks  that  the  refresh- 
 ment which  his  lips  crave  should  not  and  must 
 not  be  denied  to  him;  and  hastens  ([irobably 
 with  the  help  of  another  or  of  more)  to  make 
 preparations  to  give  it.  The  oihci-s  then  speak, 
 as  it  were  mocking  him  for  doing  what  might 
 be  now  a  needless  thing — Let  be,  wait,  let  us 
 see  whether  Elias  will  come  and  save  him! 
 So  Matthew  ;  and  with  this  is  quite  consistent 
 the  characteristically  more  exact  account  in 
 Mark,  according  to  which  he  who  gave  the 
 drink  also  said — Yea,  verily,  wait  and   let  ua 
 
 *  For  the  following  Eii  i|  avrd^y  plainly  refers 
 to  those  who  were  aloie  authorized  to  eive  help. 
 These  were  the  ensl  kdrc^TSi,  the  watch. 
 
GSS 
 
 SIXTH  WORD  FROM  THE  CROSa 
 
 sre  whether  Ellas  will  come  and  {a"ke  him  down  \ 
 (The  stronger  n.-OeXiIy  after  the  dcodcov,  the 
 aq)£re  given  back  after  the  ag)E;,  has  very 
 much  the  sound  of  ji  designed  echo  of  their 
 words  on  his  part.  "Aqjsi  and  a<pEre  are  not 
 merely  rt,7?,  but  maintain  their  proper  mean- 
 ing )  The  first  words  meant  in  mockery — Do 
 it  not!  "Tliou  needest  not  to  give  him  any 
 refreshment,  he  has  called  upon  Elias,  who  will 
 do  it  instead"  (Von  Gerlach).  He  who  gave 
 t!;e  drink,  without  being  interrupted,  mocks 
 v.iih  them.  Be  it  so,  we  will  wait!  Either 
 with  such  a  turn  in  the  thought  as  Pfenninger 
 gives:  "I'ldeed  if  Elias  should  come,  that 
 would  be  better  to  him  than  a  drink  of  vinegar 
 (which,  mcan.vhile,  we  may  give  him);  or, 
 which  seeins  more  in  harmony  with  the  spirit 
 of  his  words — Let  me,  however,  do  this;  while 
 we  wait  for  Elias,  let  me  support  him  that 
 Elias  may  come."  This  poor  man,  that  is, 
 "thinks  he  must  conceal  his  pity  for  Christ's 
 thirst  under  a  disguise  of  mockery  like  theirs  " 
 — "  mookei-y  m  the  lips,  yet  under  the  impulse 
 
 of  a  good  human  feeling."  Thus  he  is  a  type 
 of  all  those  who  have  the  beginnings  of  a  good 
 feeling  toward  Christ ;  but,  weak  and  double- 
 tongued,  join  nevertheless  with  the  world  in 
 order  to  excuse  and  hide  their  feeling.*  But 
 this  admixture  of  mockery  with  pity  is  tiiat 
 bitterness  and  gall  of  iin  which,  according  to 
 the  ideal,  proverbial  sense  of  the  phrase  in 
 Psa.  Ixix.  21  (for  ver  20  denies  the  existence 
 of  any  pure  compassion),  made  the  last  refresh- 
 ment of  the  Lord  an  additional  suffering. 
 (Hamann:  God  desired  wine  from  his  vine; 
 the  vinedressers  brought  him  vinegar  mingled 
 with  gall — this  was  what  his  Son  drank  upon 
 the  cross.)  On  this  and  on  no  other  view  of 
 the  whole,  does  this  prophecy  appear  to  us  to 
 have  been  fulfilled,  as  well  externally  as  inter- 
 nally, that  is,  in  the  fullest  meaning  of  the 
 word  fulfilled.  On  any  other  granting  of  his 
 request  than  that  which  should  expose  him  to 
 new  indignity,  Jesus,  whose  cry  probibly  was 
 uttered  dunng  the  Elias-mockery,  had  by  no 
 means  reckoned. 
 
 SIXTH  WORD  FROM  THE  CROSS. 
 (John  xix.  30.) 
 
 TsTElsdrazy  It  m  finished.  "This  word 
 was  in  the  heart  of  Jesus  in  ver.  28,  and  now 
 is  vUered  hy  his  llvs."  Uttered  with  more  vigor, 
 and  with  louder  voice,  in  the  consciousness 
 that  the  last  of  the  predictions  concerning  his 
 sufi'ering  was  satisfied.  For  the  "  Spirit  of 
 Ciirist,"  who  was  of  old  in  the  prophets,  and 
 who  had  now  become  Jesus  in  person,  must 
 have  brou-ht  out  to  light  the  prophetic  word 
 with  a  precision  and  assurance  of  which  our 
 exposition  (only  then  not  "spiritless")  can 
 but  ask  in  prayer  some  slight  degree.  _  Espe- 
 cially in  him  was  the  distinction  clear,  in  their 
 tvpical  domain  between  what  was  figure  and 
 what  was  reality;  and  what  traits  in  the 
 shadowy  tvpical  figure  were  appointed  to  be 
 reproduced  for  incorporation  in  the  new  type, 
 replenished  with  reality,  of  the  great  eternal 
 history. 
 
 Nut  one  of  those  who  waited  in  this  Pass- 
 over at  Jerusalem,  upon  the  Lord  of  hosts  to 
 see  how  lip  would  sliow  himself  in  his  servant 
 and  Son  (Psa.  Ixix.  6),  had  faith  enough,  even 
 after  the  word  to  the  malefactor,  to  say  confi- 
 denlly  in  the  words  of  Kaomi,  concerning  this 
 t),-j  -^^33  ;;;>;.,  "  mighty  man  of  valor,*^  whose 
 name  was  Tp.  Hmz  (in  him  is  strength)— 
 "  Sit  still,  my  soul,  until  thou  know  how  the 
 matter  will  fall:  for  the  man  will  not  be  in 
 rest,  until  he  have  finished  the  thing  this  dav." 
 But  in  the  midst  of  their  mockery — "  Tiiis 
 man  bf-cjan  to  build  and  was  not  ablf*  to  finish." 
 lie  did'^^tiuish  his  work,  and  ewifily.    Every 
 
 work  of  God  delays  at  first,  and  hastens  at  the 
 end.  The  last  three  word,^  of  Jesus  after  liis 
 abandonment  follow  in  quick  succession  of  vic- 
 tory ;  the  last  two  especially  are  almost  uttered 
 together. 
 
 It  is  remarkable  and  deeply  significant,  (hat 
 Ihis  most  comprehensive  and  immeasurable  of 
 the  seven  words,  this  TETiXs^rai,  is  found  ia 
 most  concrete  connection  with  the  last  sqiecialt.y 
 which  remained  to  be  fulfilled,  the  embittered 
 drink  offered  to  his  final  thirst  P'or  no  pro- 
 phetic word  in  the  lips  of  the  proohets,  cer- 
 tainly no  fulfillment-word  in  the  lips  of  the 
 great  Fulfiller,  is  ever  dissevered  from  the  most 
 definite  and  most  actual  life,  in  which  it  has  its 
 root  and  grows — altogether  different,  in  this, 
 from  our  mere  forms  of  speech,  so  often  abstract, 
 vague,  and  unreal.  With  all  its  similarity  to 
 such  a  human  phrase,  this  "finished"  of  the 
 consummating  and  consummated  Christ  in- 
 cludes in  itr-elf  all  the  glories  which  s  lould  fol- 
 low, with  all  the  sufferings  that  should  go  be- 
 fore (1  Pet.  i.  11) — and  is  infinitely  more,  than 
 any  Et'gi  or  Conftummalum  est  which  mortal 
 might  utter.  Infinitely  more  than  any  rtAoS 
 i'^fi  r:t  Ttdyra  uoi  of  a  dying  man — wiiicb 
 Grotius  quotes  from  the  comic  poet  to  illus- 
 trate this  "  proverbial  phrase."  Least  of  all 
 is  it  merely— Now  have  I  surmounted  all ;  the 
 end  is  come.  But  connected  with  this,  and 
 making  it  a  new  beginning  for  the  agesof  eter- 
 
 •  More  will  come  out  in  the  j>roj)helic  iuterprela- 
 tioii  ot  the  whole. 
 
JOHN  XIX.  30. 
 
 nity— It  is  dene  and  established  ;  Itisperjected, 
 It  is  finiak'nl. 
 
 But  Wwi .'  This  marvellous  word  both  speaks 
 much  and  conceals  much.  The  mysterious  "it" 
 — the  subject  of  the  predicate— is  wanting: 
 history  from  that  time  onward  was  to  supply 
 and  utter  it  in  its  divine  language  through 
 humanity,  even  as  history  before  Christ  had 
 pointed  forward  to  it.  Faith  was  to  discover 
 it — every  sofker  of  God,  whose  heart  should 
 live  forever  (Psa.  xxii.  26,  l.xix.  6),  will  seek 
 and  find  it  in  his  own  heart,  as  in  the  Scrip- 
 tures, the  eld  and  the  new,  which  now  agree 
 together  as  "prophecy  and  fulfillment"  with 
 an  infinitely  closer  concert,  more  fully  and  lit- 
 erally— and  yet  in  the  spirit — than  in  the  books 
 which  we  write  with  these  titles.  John,  who, 
 as  also  an  e^'SoJ?,  looked  into  the  heart  of  Jesus, 
 and  out  of  his  heart  into  ths  Scripture,  has  said 
 already  in  ver.  28,  all  things,  all  things — all 
 things,  too,  wherein  and  through  which  the 
 Scripture  must  be  fulfilled.  It  is  without  ground 
 and  in  vain  that  Liicke  opposes  this  first  and 
 most  obvious  reference  of  the  rsXslv  to  the 
 reXsiovv  of  Scripture  :  "  His  Messianic  work 
 upon  earth  he  knew  to  be  accomplished — not 
 p-opheci/" — as  if  these  were  contrasted,  or  as  if 
 there  was  a  distinction  between  them.  Again, 
 he  asks,  "  Ho  w  could  the  work  of  Christ  be  repre- 
 sented by  John  as  pre-eminently  only  the  fulfill- 
 ment of  Old-Testament  prophecy?"  and  an- 
 swers that  it  is  "  far  more  an  syroX?}  of  God,  a 
 work  anew  revealed  to  him  by  God  " — as  if  both 
 r.'ere  not,  according  to  the  uniform  testimony 
 of  the  New  Testament,  wie  ;  the  new  revela- 
 tion in  Christ  being  itself  pre-eminently  only  an 
 unveiling  of  the  old  Scripture,  which  already 
 contained  all  things  written  in  it.  When  will 
 our  orthodox  theology  truly  apprehend  this, 
 and  cease  to  break  the  Scripture  ?*  Thus,  in 
 truth,  it  is  all  things  which  were  written  (Luke 
 xviii.  34),  predicted,  foreshadowed,  decreed, 
 with  the  sacred  jdsl  and  "E6si,  "  must,"  on 
 that  account,  in  which  Christ  every  where  con- 
 templated the  EVToXi),  the  commandment,  of 
 his  God.  All  things  to  which  the  Old  Testa- 
 ment pointed  as  its  end,  and  hastened  toward 
 in  word,  in  type,  in  work,  in  history.  All 
 things  were  done  which  the  law  required,  all 
 things  established  which  prophecy  predicted, 
 all  tilings  abolished  which  were  to  be  abrogated, 
 all  things  obtained  in  order  to  be  bestowed 
 which  had  been  the  subject  of  promise.  All 
 things — down  to  the  last  drops  of  scornful 
 compassion  and  compassionate  scorn — after  re- 
 ceiving which  Christ's  lips  uttered  this  great 
 word — were  suffered  which   were  to   be    suf- 
 
 fered :  hut  therein,  at  the  same  time,  aH  things 
 were  done  and  accomplished,  nothing  was  t.efl 
 icanting.  The  theolo'jy  of  ages  has  striven  to 
 embrace  this  "  AH"  and  to  devclope  it ;  and 
 strives  to  this  day  in  vain  to  express  it  perfectly. 
 
 Hase  says  well — "  Suffering,  life,  work,  all  " 
 — except  that  he  has  forgotten  Scripture  again, 
 and  yet  according  to  this  those  great  words  re- 
 main to  be  expounded.  Perfected  and  accom- 
 plished is — the  great  work  of  his  life,  pre-ap- 
 pointed  and  given  him  of  the  Father  to  do,  con- 
 cerning the  finishing  of  which  he  had  many 
 times  spoken,  the  last  time  in  John  xvii.  4  ; 
 his  testimony  to  the  truth  beforehand  ;  all  his 
 miracles  and  works  as  one  work  together;  and, 
 in  it,  that  which  took  place  on  him  and  in  him 
 as  a  sufferer,  the  greatest  and  most  essential 
 act,  which  was  the  heart  of  all  his  acta.  His 
 conjlict  is  fully  gone  through  even  to  the  final 
 victory,  in  that  last  "  baptism  "  for  the  accom- 
 plishment of  which  he  had  been  so  long  strait- 
 ened (Luke  xii.  50).  Fulfilled  is  that  for  which 
 in  all  his  human  hunger  and  thirst  he  had 
 divine-humanly  hungered  and  thirsted,  that 
 which  brought  him  into  the  world,  and  urged 
 him  to  his  death — the  atonement  for  the  sins 
 of  the  world.* 
 
 It  may  be  said,  and  it  has  been  said  (with 
 most  incorrect  restriction  of  this  TErsXsdrai), 
 that  there  v/ere  many  things  in  arrears  of  ful- 
 fillment at  this  moment — the  crisis  of  death  it- 
 self (whereof  more  afterwards),  then  the  resur- 
 rection, ascension,  and  all  things  to  the  end  of 
 time,  which  were  signified  by  another  navra 
 in  Acts  iii.  21.  Assuredly,  all  this  is  to  be 
 added  and  accomplished,!  but  only  upon  the 
 foundation  thus  already  laid ;  there  remains 
 nothing  more  to  be  procured  and  so  far  to  be 
 fulfilled.  Moreover,  all  is  already  accomplish- 
 ed and  fulfilled  in  the  one  offering,  and  flows 
 only  from  its  strength  and  victory.  A  new  and 
 a  long  process  does,  indeed,  now  open  up  again ; 
 but  to  Christ  it  is  only  a  course  of  fruit  and  re- 
 ward, as  before  it  had  been  seedtime  and  labor. 
 The  finished  work  itp)on  earth  is  itself  already 
 the  finishing  of  all  that  which  is  further  to  be 
 done  upon  this  earth  as  also  in  heaven,  since 
 he  opened  and  received  the  heavens.  Thus  the 
 word  is  by  no  means  merely,  although  it  is  pri- 
 marily, a  "  glance  backward " — but  it  looks 
 down  from  the  central  height,  its  view  being  as 
 
 *  Liicke  even  asks :  "  If  John  meant  by  the 
 TETEXe6rai,  the  fulfillment  of  the  OLl-Te.sfa- 
 meiit  predictions,  why  does  h?  not  say  in  ver.  30, 
 rereXedrai  v  yparpi)  ?  lie  could  not  say  tliat, 
 etc."  As  it  we  liad  here  a  word  of  the  Evaiigelist 
 John.  Thus  Ltick:",  if  he  were  a  preacher,  would 
 b?  obbsed  on  Good  Friday  to  preach  sincerely  of 
 ihi^  It  in  finished  \\li\c\\  the  fourth  Evai  ^elist  has 
 W>  pnfouudly  placed  in  the  lips  of  Jesua. 
 
 *  "  He  had  come  into  the  form  of  a  servant  and 
 the  hour  of  sulFering,  not  because  he  ci  uld  not  do 
 otherwise,  nor  that  he  might  simply  pass  thioimh 
 and  be  able  to  say — Now  it  is  past !  but  in  order 
 to  accomplish — not  merely  by  brinsins  to  its  end, 
 but  by  bringing  into  act  and  reality — the  counsel 
 of  God,  as  it  had  been  exhibited  in  the  Holy  Scrip- 
 tures.    This  fulfillment  of  Scripture  %\as,  also,  .n 
 
 I  his  thoughts,  when  he  cried — It  is  finished  "  (Bock, 
 
 j  Chrtstl.  Lehen,  i.  417,  418). 
 
 f  Hence  it  is  a  great  error  to  deduce,  with  Einkel, 
 from  this  zETsXedrat,  that  there  was  no  ascen- 
 sion— and  no  real  resurreciion,  since  the  body  of 
 Christ  must  "  be  conceived  of  as  aiioady  glorified 
 in  ti.e  sepulchre." 
 
690 
 
 SIXTH  WORD  FROM  THE  CROSS. 
 
 well  forward  as  backward  in  its  range.  What  a 
 vast  mrvey  in  the  soul  of  Christ — if  not  viewed 
 as  being  at  that  moment  the  divine  conscious- 
 ness of  omniscience,  embracing  the  minutest 
 particular,  yet — as  a  human  contemplation, 
 closely  bordering  upon  it,  the  vast  extent  of 
 which  baffles  our  thoughts.  It  is  much  too 
 little  to  say  that  "  the"  whole  history  of  the 
 Passion,  the  entire  scope  of  the  life  of  Jesus 
 Christ,  yea,  even  the  whole  Bible"  is  included 
 in  it ;  we  must  add  all  the  whole  history  of  the 
 world  and  of  the  kingdom  of  God.  Till  the  last 
 day  ?  Oh,  no  ;  it  stretches  farther  than  that. 
 There  is  nothing  lying  beyond  the  reach  of  this 
 word,  not  even  in  eternity,  for  it  speaks  of  a 
 real  rilo?,  or  end.  Here  is  the  centre  of  the 
 history  of  the  world  and  the  kingdom  ;  this  is 
 the  expressed  idea  and  substance  of  time  and 
 eternity.  All  that  mankind,  forsaken  and  yet 
 not  Ibrsaken  of  God,  had  striven  after  in  its, 
 search  for  him,  is  present  here.  All  that  the 
 world  had  struggled  for — especially  the  Gentile 
 world  ;  all  that  the  world  had  waited  for — es- 
 pecially the  Jewish  world — is  here  secured  and 
 won.  Again,  in  i\n?,  finished  is  already  wrap- 
 ped up  all  that  Christianity  was  from  that  time 
 to  receive,  and  all  that  it  was  to  become;  all 
 that  is  offered  to  entire  humanity,  which  should 
 and  might  become  Christendom,  in  the  new 
 and  Christ-pervaded  history  of  mankind. 
 
 Thus,  to  return  to  the  most  obvious  meaning, 
 the  deuthof  Christ,  which  followed  immediately 
 or  was  almost  simultaneous,  is  assuredly  includ- 
 ed. But  this  must  first  be  rightly  under- 
 stood. For,  on  the  other  hand,  it  is  right  to 
 say  that  there  is  an  undeniable  significance 
 and  trulh  in  the  fact  that  this  "Finished," 
 which  comprises  at  once  and  seals  all  the  pant, 
 comes  here  before  the  "giving  up  of  his  spirit" 
 to  the  Father.  Thus  we  must  conclude  that  not 
 the  last  breathing  forth  and  yielding  up  of  his 
 spirit  in  its  precise  and  critical  moment  was 
 the  essential  redeeming  death  or  suflering  of 
 death,  but  that  which  took  jilace  before  the  "  It 
 is  tinished."  Daub  {Jad.  hch.  ii.  83)  says  cor- 
 rectly :  "The  divine  work  of  redemption  was 
 declared  to  be  accomplished  in  the  word  It  is 
 finished,  and  not  first  in  the  death  which  im- 
 mediately followed."  But  he  commits  a  well- 
 meaning  error  which,  slight  at  the  outset,  might 
 lead  to  a  sad  divergencti  in  the  end,  when  he 
 continues  (as  did  Altaig  formerly)  :  "The  Re- 
 deemer suffered  and  died  (how  then  comes  in  the 
 suffering  as  now  first  after  the  Finished?)  not 
 in  order  that  he  might  be  (or  become)  the  Re 
 deemer  of  men,  but  liccause  he  teas  their  Re- 
 deemer." This  is  well  intended,  as  we  have 
 said,  and  has  some  truth  in  it;  but  we  are 
 right  only  in  saying  that  the  s^jft-nn^  of  death, 
 that  which  was  now  fulfilled,  as  the  essence  of 
 the  atoning  dying,  is  itself  the  consummation, 
 as  of  the  atoning  work,  so  also  of  the  liedetiner. 
 For  person  and  work  are  here  one;  Christ  has 
 truly  bten  maile  our  Saviour  and  High  Priest  in 
 the  great  conflict  of  his  life,  which  here  cele- 
 brates its  victory.  He  is  himself  in  himself 
 made  perfect,  consummated  (Ueb.  ii.  10,  v.  9). 
 
 H:«  TETe\e<5vat  has  latent  in  it  a  rercActf/mt 
 through  his  own  act  of  suffering — I  am  per- 
 fected and  have  perfected  myself.  But  in  him 
 also  his  people;  for  this  servant  of  God,  who  is 
 at  the  same  time  the  Son  of  God  in  the  volun- 
 tarily assumed  form  of  a  servant,  has  more  than 
 done  what  it  was  his  duty  to  do,  and  therefore 
 his  merit  is  of  infinite  avail  before  God  for 
 man  (Luke  xvii.  10).  Consequently  all  is  now 
 finished  for  the  redemption  of  tlie  world — 
 "even  as  in  Adam's  fall  all  was  lost,"  adds 
 Olshausen.  That  which  was  profoundly  inti- 
 mated in  Psa.  Ixix.  4,  under  the  veil  of  an  ex- 
 pression which  seems  (though  not  literally)  to 
 refer  simply  to  the  personal  innocence'  of  the 
 sufferer,  T'J^S  TX  "ni^Trxi'  lil'N,  "  Then  I  re- 
 stored that  which  I  took  not  away" — is  now 
 fulfiled  and  sealed  in  its  truth  :  VLe^restored  and 
 7n(ule  good  that  which  not  he,  but  Adam  the 
 man — thought  to  make  his  own  by  robbery, 
 and  even  thereby  forfeited  (Phil.  ii.  6).  Ac- 
 complished is  all  that  which  we  could  never 
 have  accomplished,  but  must  have  left  forever 
 undone.  All  was  restored  which  man  had 
 lacked;  and  all  was  already  secured  and  laid 
 up  for  us  that  might  still  be  wanting,  so  far  as 
 we  are  not  yet  fulfilled  in  Christ.  The  "  Let 
 there  be  !  "  of  the  new  creation  (which  is  really 
 the  redemption  after  the  fall,  and  not  merehj  a 
 fulfilling  of  the  already  begun  creation)  cost  an 
 infinitely  greater  work  of  the  divine  power,  in- 
 deed the  only  proper  work  it  had  to  do  ;  but 
 now  also  the  rest  of  God  in  Christ,  of  Christ  in 
 God,  is  greater  and  more  glorious  than  that 
 first  rest,  which  therefore  may  be  taken  as  its 
 ty}>e  (Heb.  iv).  Three  times  does  this  rest  oc- 
 cur :  in  the  beginning,  Gen.  i.  31 — in  the  final 
 Feyove,  It  is  done.  Rev.  xxi.  6 — and  here  in 
 the  middle,  where  the  foundation  is  laid  for  that 
 last. 
 
 The  central  point,  finally,  of  this  middle  is 
 the  obtaining  and  restoration  of  the  righteous- 
 ness of  God  for  sinners — of  which  Psa.  xxii. 
 speaks  in  its  final  verse.  ^Most  expositors  of 
 the  psalm  pass  over  this  word  ;  few  discern 
 that  the  Lord  is  here  using  a  word  of  Scrijiture, 
 and  (with  supreme  propriety,  in  order  thus  vic- 
 toriously to  include  the  glorious  end  of  his  an- 
 guish), referring  to  the  same  psalm  the  com- 
 mencing words  of  which  formed  his  lamenta- 
 tion.    The  words  nt;*^  ^3,  "  that  he  hath  done 
 
 this,"  at  any  rate  most  emphatic,  refer  to  God, 
 but  to  that  which  God  in  this  sufferer  per- 
 formed, prepared,  and  accomplished  for  us,  and 
 which  may  now  be  preached  to  all ;  and  thus 
 to  God  ill  Christ,  llengstenberg  admits  that 
 "  the  last  word  of  our  Lord  upon  the  cross,  the 
 TereXearar,  refers  to  this  nti'V"— and  finds  in 
 
 it  a  plain  direction  for  the  meaning  of  this 
 much-perverted  word  of  Christ.  But  now  let 
 us  think  upon  ver.  26,  and  in  connection  tcith 
 this  the  inpnv,  "  his  righteousness,"  in  ver.  31. 
 
 The  finished  work  is  the  "  work  of  God," 
 through  which  his  righteousness  becomes  wt 
 
JOHN  XIX.  30. 
 
 691 
 
 righteousness,  is  given  to  us.  Compare  the  Jint 
 official  word  of  Christ,  Matt.  iii.  15,  at  the 
 baptism  in  common  with  sinners,  typical  of  the 
 crucifixion.  Look  carefully  at  Dan.  ix.  24, 
 where  there  is  a  guiding  exposition  of  the  sub- 
 ject of  the  TETsXedrai. 
 
 By  what  means  and  how  did  he  accomplish 
 all  this?  On  this  subject  there  is  silence  ;  the 
 cross,  on  which  he  still  speaks,  itself  tells  us 
 that.  There  is  much  concealed  mystery  in  the 
 All:  one  thing,  however,  is  plain  and  certain, 
 and  it  is  enough  for  us— tiie  announcement  in 
 and  from  this  word  that  all  is  now  ready.  All 
 is  yours.  Now  there  is  room  for  all  to  come 
 and  receive.  The  subsequent  fulfillment  of  all 
 in  us  is  not,  indeed,  independent  of  ourselves  ; 
 it  requires  our  faith  as  the  condition,  but  all  is 
 through  his  power,  and  out  of  the  fulness  of  the 
 riciies  of  his  merit  and  grace.  All  that  may  be 
 called  our  accomplishing  is  to  be  received  by 
 our  faith  out  of  his*  "  It  is  finished.  One 
 alone  could  say  this  in  the  fullest  sense  of 
 truth."  He  might  with  perfect  right  have 
 uttered,  instead  of  this  mysteriously  indefinite 
 rtre'Afo'rrtz  (which  leaves  the  question  who 
 had  fulfilled  vibrating  betv.'een  God  and  Christ), 
 as  a  TEre\E6i.iai,  so  also  a  TEreXEHa,  a  majes- 
 tic and  absolute  excgi  of  the  divine  power  in 
 himself — I  have  accomplished,  /  alone,  what  1 
 alone  could  accomplish.  But,  humble  in  his 
 exaltation,  he  does  not  say  this  (although  it 
 would  have  corresponded  more  closely  with  the 
 nC'N  of  the  psalm)  :  he  does  not  make  a  "'nb'N, 
 
 but  a  nC'NJ,  out  of  the  nb'X  of  God  in  him. 
 
 He  says  not,  I  have  conquered  and  overcome  all ; 
 nor,  i  have  fulfilled  all  my  sufferings.  Yet  all 
 this  is  in  his  meaning. 
 
 To  whom,  finally,  does  he  speak  this  word  ? 
 The  first  utterance  upon  the  cross  was  spoken 
 to  God,  but  for  men.  The  second  to  a  man,  to 
 comtort  him  with  the  salvation  of  God;  the 
 third  to  mortals,  who  in  the  love  of  God  and 
 his  love  are  commended  to  each  other.  The 
 fourth  is  the  first  which  he  speaks  for  himself 
 alone  with  his  God — and  yet  most  impressively 
 for  us  all.  In  the  fifth,  though  still  almost 
 alone  with  his  own  need,  he  yet  indirectly 
 turned  to  men.  The  si.xth — It  is  finished  ; 
 embraces  all  the  references  of  the  others  in  the 
 one :  he  speaks  it  for  himself,  for  the  world, 
 and  for  the  Father. 
 
 He  proclaims  it  for  himself,  in  contrast  with 
 the  ]3receding  complaint,  as  a  crxj  of  victory  and 
 joif,\  the  faint  echo  of  which  we  hear  from  his 
 di.sciple,  2  Tim.  iv.  7,  8.  It  is  not  "  triumph- 
 antly" that  he  proclaims  his  victory  (as  we 
 
 *  "  Assuredly,  the  disciples  becnme  Apostles  of 
 Clivist  only  in  the  faitii  that  the  Scriitture  was  ful- 
 filled through  the  shnmeful  deat'i,  of  their  Master, 
 and  that  the  work  of  atonement  and  redemption 
 teas  thereby  accomplished — not  that  it  must  first 
 be  accompli^hed  in  any  sense  through  them " 
 (Beck).  _ 
 
 t  Amdt  in  his  Predigten,  p.  83  seems  to  have 
 forgotten  this  \  but  see  p.  86. 
 
 often  read  and  hear),  but  in  the  sublimest 
 repose  which  has  scarcely  emerged  from  the 
 conflict;  yet  this  is  indeed  the  most  internal 
 commencement  of  his  e.-caltation.  Thus  out  of 
 the  final  thirst  springs  at  once  the  hginning  of 
 the  foretaste  of  eternal  joy,  the  satisfaction  in 
 the  fulness  of  gladness  of  which  Isa.  liii.  11 
 and   Psa.   xvi.   11   (ninOt' yst^)   speak.     But 
 
 this  is  in  the  secret  of  his  heart  as  yet,  because 
 he  is  yet  in  the  body  upon  the  cross  :  his  spirit 
 is  yet  for  a  moment  longer  in  the  flesh.  He 
 speaks  more  generally,  and  in  indefinite  an- 
 nouncement, because  he  would  speak  it  at  the 
 same  time  to  the  loorld,  and  be  the  herald  of  his 
 own  victory  for  its  salvation,  at  that  great  crisis 
 when  the  last  of  suffering  and  the  first  of  glory 
 met  together.  He  here  at  the  first,  not  defer- 
 ring it  one  moment,  preached  the  whole  Gospel 
 in  its  entirencss  to  his  brethren,  for  the  great 
 congregation  (Psa.  xxii.  22).  "The  Gospel 
 which  is  now  preached  throughout  the  world, 
 as  based  upon  the  sufiTerings  and  death  of  Jesus, 
 is  the  uniolding  of  his  word — It  is  finished  " 
 (Rieger).  This  word  was  also  in  a  certain 
 sense  "  his  last  unto  men"  (as  Lange  says) — 
 that  is,  as  spoken  among  the  words  from  the 
 cross,  in  the  body  of  death,  during  his  humilia- 
 tion. That  which  in  the  institution  of  the 
 Supper  and  in  the  high-priestly  prayer  he  had 
 anticipated  in  his  disciples'  hearing,  is  now 
 sealed  in  its  reality  by  this  final  and  most  pro- 
 per testament — Now  ye  have  my  fulfillment,  my 
 perfect  work,  your  salvation  and  glory.  For 
 this  is  not  a  departure  from  the  world,  in  which 
 he  takes  with  him  and  reserves  for  himself  the 
 fruit  of  his  fulfillment — to  show  this  he  now 
 openly  proclaims  it.  Finally,  he  speaks  tlii.s 
 word  out  of  the  depth  of  his  praying,  thankful 
 heart  to  the  Father,  as  the  ground  and  reason  of 
 what  follows — Into  thine  hands  I  commend 
 now,  because  all  is  fulfilled,  my  spirit.  The 
 thanksgiving  is  there  as  the  last  tribute  due 
 from  humanity  to  God;  yet  it  is  connected 
 with  the  personal  rejoicing  of  the  perfected 
 Son  before  the  Father,  glorying  in  his  own 
 triumph.  Therefore  it  is  not — Thou  hast  re- 
 deemed me,  thou  faithful  Father,  thou  hast  ful- 
 filled all  ;  but  he  brings  and  presents  himself 
 in  his  consummated  sacrifice — Behold  it,  O 
 Father !  The  Father  alone  fully  nnderstands 
 his  Son :  and,  most  profoundly  considered,  the 
 unmentioned  subject  of  the  predicate  is  this — 
 That  is  fulfilled  which  thou  knowest,  0  Father, 
 that  which  thou  didst  appoint,  and  which  thou 
 seest  now  accomplished.  This  is  the  sealing 
 and  ratifJcation  of  the  work  between  the  Father 
 and  the  Son  for  all  eternity.  Hell  from  that 
 moment  hears  the  cry  of  victorious  defiance,  as 
 if  sounding  already  from  heaven  against  all 
 pnemies  ;  while  upon  earth  it  might  seem  as  if 
 the  death  of  Christ  would  give  his  enemies  room 
 to  cry  out — "Our  work  is  now  accomplished,  and 
 his  is  ruined  ;  we  remain  conquerors  and  mas- 
 ters."*  The  heavens  hear  the  cry  of  exultation 
 
 *  So  Beck,  Reden,  1.  420.  He  follows  this  further 
 and  says  that  t/  Christ's  kingdom  had  been  of  ihia 
 
692 
 
 SEVENTH  WORD  FRO.M  THE  CROSS. 
 
 in  the  first  pure  tones  which  begin  "  the  songs  ]  another  word  which  is  the  last  utterance  o* 
 of  deliverance."*  Yet  this  great  triumphant  victorious  faith — The  perfecting  self-surrender 
 word  of  consummation,  which  is  now  but  an  of  the  Son  to  the  Father,  as  the  world's  Re- 
 anticipation  of  faith,   is  followed  finally   by  1  deemer  made  perfect  in  the  spirit. 
 
 SEVENTH  WORD  FROM  THE  CROSS. 
 (Luke  xxiii.  46.) 
 
 Although  spoten  before  his  Father  and  as  a 
 cry  toward  heaven,  yet  the  It  is  finished  was 
 especially  directed  to  men  upon  earth — as  the 
 farewell  with  which  he  goes  and  yet  remains, 
 as  the  testament,  the  bestowment  and  partici- 
 pation of  which  then  immediately  began.  Now 
 first  comes  his  own  last  word,  which  stretching 
 on  to  eternity  announces  his  entrance  into  t!ie 
 presence  of  God — that  is,  as  the  forerunner,  tak- 
 ing us  with  him  and  fetching  us  after  him.  For 
 all  that  is  his  is  ours ;  ours  are  all  his  words  and 
 his  whole  and  perfect  self,  all  his  accomplish- 
 ment and  work  down  to  the  end.  Thus  we 
 may  accept  Draseke's  remark,  which  springs 
 from  a  right  feeling  of  the  whole  :  "  Finished — 
 that  is  his  farewell  greeting  to  earth ;  Father, 
 into  thine  hands — that  is  his  entrance-greeting 
 to  heaven." 
 
 Low  and  languishing  was  the  "  I  thirst " 
 sighed  forth  ;  heard  only  by  those  who  stood 
 near,  and  the  ready  ear  of  John.  After  this 
 invigoration  the  sublime  word  of  victory  was 
 uttered  with  more  strength.  But  more  loudly 
 still,  with  a  marvellously  mighty  sound  {qxavrj 
 /isydX^),  and  with  unexpected  quickness,  he 
 proclaimed  his  voluntary  death  as  the  deliver- 
 ing up  of  his  spirit  to  the  Father.  To  our 
 mind,  it  was  uttered  with  as  loud  a  cry  as  the 
 Eloi  {Hpac,ai,  I\Iark  xv.  39)— partly  to  make 
 the  word  of  victory  the  counterpoise  of  the 
 word  of  lamentation  ;  and  partly  to  indicate,  in 
 the  midst  of  the  repose  of  victory,  the  critical 
 violence  of  his  death,  the  rending  of  his  flesh  by 
 his  own  voluntary  will,  in  order  to  the  setting 
 free  of  his  spirit.  Matthew  by  "  when  he  had 
 cried  with  a  loud  voice,"  Mark  by  "  cried  with 
 a  loud  voice" — since  he  did  actually  cry  some- 
 thing— mean  most  probably  this  last  word  of 
 all,  of  which  Luke  decisively  records,  "and 
 when  he  had  said  this,  he  gave  up  the  ghost." 
 But  John,  who  had  heard  and  reports  the  pre- 
 vious" It  is  finished,"  indicates  the  dying  word 
 as  well  known  by  a  brief  paraphrascT— ;r  ap  e- 
 8  a>  H  £  TO  TCyEvua,  he  gave  up  the  ghost,  in 
 which  TcapiScoHE  Cyril  found  the  7tapaOi}6onai 
 reproduced. t     Nonnus  renders  it  as  an  expres- 
 
 woild  he  must  now  have  confessed — "  NoLhins  is 
 accomplished,  but  all  is  lost,  my  lite  and  kingdom 
 at  once." 
 
 *  Psa.  xxxii.  7,  already  for  the  salr.ts  :  13^3  '!)-) 
 
 t  The  transposi'.ioD  of  Sepp,  who  loakcs   the  i 
 
 sion  of  voluntary  dying  (of  which  more  here- 
 after)— ^EXTJiiioyt  6  elnaQe  TCor/uoj,  and  he 
 departed  ly  a  voluntary  death. 
 
 His  last  like  his  first  word  on  the  cross  calls 
 upon  and  acknowledges  his  Father.  Indeed 
 this  last  word  concerning  the  Father  corres- 
 ponds as  well  with  the  first  public  word,  John 
 ii.  16,  as  with  the  first  word  which  we  have 
 generally,  the  child-word  of  Luke  ii.  49.  He 
 does  not  yield  himself  up  in  death  to  the  blind 
 power  of  nature,  he  does  not  commit  himself  to 
 unknown  darkness,  or  to  "  the  womb  of  the  gen- 
 eral life  of  the  universe,"  or  to  the  pantheist  uni- 
 versal divinity  ;  but  he  yields  up  his  fersonal 
 spirit  independently  to  the  living, ^i?rsorta^  God 
 as  his  Father.* 
 
 Because  this  separation  of  the  spirit  from 
 the  body  is  the  destiny  of  man,  into  which  he 
 has,  even  after  the  "  Finished,"  to  enter,  in 
 order  that  the  fruit  and  power  of  his  fulfill- 
 ment might  be  exhibited  in  the  domain  of 
 hitherto  unconquered  death — therefore  he  ut- 
 ters this  naturally  and  appropriately  in  the 
 language  of  Scripture.  "  He  dies  with  the 
 word  of  God  in  his  mouth.  His  whole  earthly 
 existence  had  been  lived  out  in  this  word  of 
 — a  saying  of  that  word  is  the  last  com- 
 panion of  his  departing  soul  through  the 
 dark  valley  (to  him  no  longer  dark)  of  the 
 shadow  of  death"  (Arndt).  But  there  is 
 something  more  to  he  observed  here  than  this 
 final  use  of  scriptural  language.  Psa.  xxxi.  is 
 properly  not  a  prophecy  of  Christ,  nor  do  we 
 find  in  it  even  distinctive  typical  references; 
 we  read  in  vers.  4,  8,  15  of  a  hope  of  deliver- 
 once  from  the  danger  of  death,  and  of  the  pre- 
 servation of  earthly  life,  and  other  things 
 purely  pertaining  to  humanity,  such  as  in  ver. 
 10  the  mention  of  iniquity. f     Nevertheless,  on 
 
 "  It  is  finished  "  the  seventh  word,  needs  no  refu- 
 tation. 
 
 *  "  lie  who  can  imanine  that  Jesus  in  these 
 words  breathed  out  forever  his  spirit  into  the  air, 
 knows  nothing  of  the  truly  living  spirit,  and  cer- 
 tainly nothing  of  the  livlnG:  God  and  the  livinst 
 power  of  the  Crucified."  Sj  U.lmann,  S.  u.  K. 
 1817,  p.  167. 
 
 t  Unless  '^y.'^l  is  to  be  interpreted  (wi!h  Syni- 
 
 mach.  5za  r7)v  na.Hoo6iy  /iov)  of  suflTerinss,  as 
 many  so  understand  (though  doubtfu.ly)  '^Syj  in  2 
 
 Sam.  xvi.  VI;  1  S^ni.  xxviii.  10,  etc.— or  to  bo 
 read  as  ^Jiy3, 
 
LUKE  XXIII.  46. 
 
 the  other  hand,  the  psalm  does  not  proceed  (as 
 the  alphabetical  order  of  itself  shows)  from 
 any  defined  situation  of  personal  snlFering;  but 
 it  is  a  generall}'  prophetic  psalm  of  instruction, 
 the  fundamental  tone  of  which  is  not  so  much 
 distress  as  a  firm  and  clear  confidence  in  sal- 
 vation :  see  the  very  beginning  of  it,  ver.  1, 
 and  especially  vers.  7,  1-1,  15,  17,  19-24.  He 
 whom  the  harassed  righteous  man  calls  his 
 OoJ,  is  the  faithful  God  who  will  be,  as  he  has 
 promic-ed,  a  sure  deliverer — nOX  ^JN  niiT,  "  Lord 
 
 God  of  truth."  Hence  Hengstenberg,  with 
 Cocceius,  rightly  acknowledges  this  universal 
 significance  of  the  psalm.  But  this  is  again, 
 at  the  same  time,  no  other  than  a  most  general 
 form  of  typical  reference  to  Christ ;  and  Christ 
 finally  spoke  in  the  language  of  this  psalm,  in 
 order  that  taken  in  connection  with  Psa.  xxii. 
 and  xlx.  it  might  show  that  he  walked  gener 
 ally  the  human  way  of  faith,  that  he  appropri- 
 ated to  himself  throughout  and  to  the  end  all 
 that  was  said  of  human  confidence  in  distress 
 and  human  appeal  to  God,  as  most  profoundly 
 applicable  to  himself — he  spoke  this  language 
 to  the  very  end,  where  the  Son  of  God,  consum- 
 mate in  tlVfe  flesh,  dies  in  his  own  divine  inde- 
 pendent power,  and  yet  as  truly  dies  the  death 
 of  man.  That  which  David  magnifies  as  the 
 confidence  of  the  righteous  man  in  life* — to 
 commend  or  dedicate  his  soul  or  his  spirit  to 
 God — he  now,  in  the  simplest  and  yet  sublim- 
 est  manner,  binding  together  firmly  the  divine 
 and  the  human,  makes  into  an  expression  of 
 his  ceaUng  to  live  or  dying,  an  expression  used 
 by  him  in  an  unapproachable  sense,  and  yet  at 
 the  same  time  symbolical  for  us.  The  use  in 
 the  psalm  of  m~i  instead  of  [i'SJ,  as  well  as  the 
 
 significant  word  ms  (comp.  Psa.  xlix.  16,lxxi. 
 23),  points  profoundly  to  an  eternal  redemption 
 out  of  and  beyond  "this  life;  but  this  came 
 first  distinctly  out  in  tlie  lips  of  Christ. 
 
 For — let  it  be  carefully  marked — he  changes 
 this  Scripture,  which  did  not  refer  personally 
 to  himself;  andin  two  ways,  adding  something 
 and  omitting  something.  Pie  adds  to  it  his 
 new  word  Fallier,  hitherto  appropriate  to  him 
 alone,  but  now  given  to  mankind  for  the  en- 
 couragement of  their  confidence  :  IldrEp  here 
 takes  the  place  of  ncX  h^  nin\     Again,  he 
 
 gives  up  the  words — For  thou  hast  redeemed 
 met — for  that  was  scarcely  now  befitting  on 
 the  lips  of  him,  who  had  already  cried  m  "  It 
 is  finished,"  I  have  redeemed  mankind.  Yea, 
 his  God,  in  whom  he  trusted  even  in  the  midst 
 of  his  most  distressed  lamentations,  redeems 
 him  ntw,  and  takes  pleasure  in  the  consumma- 
 tion of  his  suffc.-ings  for  men;  and  thus   he 
 
 *  So  Peter  counsels  sufierrrs  (1  Pet.  iv.  19)  who 
 have  time  left  lor  good  works. 
 
 t  Or  more  e.xacMy,  Thou  redecmeftt  mo ;  an  ex- 
 pression of  confidence  forever,  cousequently  for 
 ev-ery  ihhig  pertaining  to  time  (v.  16) — by  no 
 menns  a  mere  preterite,  Thou  hast  so  olteu  and  in 
 such  minilold  ways  iaved  me. 
 
 goes  as  a  redeemed  Redeemer,  a  delivered  Dfe- 
 liverer,  after  his  consummation,  into  his  rest 
 and  joy  witli  God.  Yet  even  here,  in  the  re- 
 strained emotion  which  pervades  his  Passion, 
 there  is  no  expression  of  exultation  in  the 
 prospect  of  bliss  and  glory  :  it  is  not  from  Psa. 
 xvi.  9-11  or  the  like  that  his  last  words  in  tlio 
 flesh  are  taken.  Nor,  after  the  "  Finished,"'  is 
 this  "Father  into  thy  hands  "  any  thing  like 
 "  the  battle-cry  of  a  conqueror  who  is  figtiting 
 his  way  through  to  victory;  the  death-cry  of 
 one  who  is  sore  oppressed  and  whose  spirit  is 
 struggling  its  way  into  a  place  of  eternal  secu- 
 rity— the  arms  ot  the  Almighty  Father."*  Oh, 
 no :  all  struggling  and  fearful  oppression  was 
 sealed  and  closed  in  the  previous  word.  Th9 
 profoundest  and  most  blessed  repose  after  toil 
 IS  expre.ssed  in  this  surrender  of  the  spirit  to 
 God,  to  the  Father.  It  is,  moreover,  a  human 
 declaration  of  faith,  in  which  the  spirit  avows 
 its  assurance  of  continuance  apart  from  the 
 body,  because  God  will  receive  and  preserve 
 it  ;t  but  it  is  withal  (so  perfectly  consummate  is 
 the  God-man)  a  majestic  word  of  divine  au- 
 thority, which  should  never  be  termed  "  his 
 death-sigh." 
 
 That  which  in  John  x.  18  he  had  spoken 
 concerning  his  own  independent  power  to  lay 
 down  and  take  up  his  life,  is  proved  and  con- 
 firmed here  in  the  majestic  and  sublime  napa- 
 07J6ojiiai,  "  commit."  Luke  the  Greek  ha^ 
 given  the  whole  saying  strictly  according  to 
 the  Septuagint ;  therefore  eii  x^lptxi  6ov, 
 "into  thy  hands,"  for  T1'3  (which,  however, 
 
 Christ  probably  spoke  in  the  sing.),  and  so  the 
 future  napa'Jijdouai.     But  in  the  psalm  TpB?* 
 
 is  certainly  used  with  a  present  meaning  as  the 
 interchangeablecontinuationsin  vers.  7-9show; 
 and  here  the  word  at  this  great  crisis  has  the 
 force  of  a  napari^Jenai,  TtapaTiQiji-ii.  Beza 
 and  Casaubon  noted  these  as  various  readings 
 of  a  correct  gloss ;  and  Lachmann  actually 
 adopts  the  Ibrmer  into  the  text.  But  it  does 
 not  mean  in  the  superficial  sense  "  I  com- 
 mend," as  the  Vulg.  commewla  might  mislead 
 one  to  think;  but  an  actual  iraderi,  yielding 
 up,  John  7tapE5cjH£y.  Thus  all  those  views 
 are  incorrect  and  opposed  to  the  text,  which 
 liken  this  dying  to  the  passive  dying  of  any 
 other  man. J  Albertini  missed  his  way  very 
 much  when  he  preached  :  "  Death  mercifully 
 drew  nearer,  to  ^llay  the  bitterness  of  his  an- 
 guish :  as  the  energies  of  life  sank,  his  pains 
 relaxed."     Ebrard  is  equally  unhappy  when  he 
 
 *  So  Krummacher  inadvertently  expresses  him- 
 self. Similarly  Lan^e,  v/ho  lurther  speaks  of  a 
 flying  before  the  terrific  form  of  death  into  the  Fa- 
 ther's arras.  Assuredly  there  is  no  longer  any 
 terrific  form  now. 
 
 •j-  "  Above  the  poor  qnesfon  of  mr  tals.  To  le 
 or  not  to  be"?  he  is  infinitely  elevated."  This  is 
 the  beautiful  remark  of  Krummacher. 
 
 rj:  So  Weiss  introduces  the  "  Finished  " — "  Yet 
 there  is  a  limit  set  to  mortal  power;  Jesus  felt 
 the  near  approach  of  death." 
 
694 
 
 SEVENTH  WORD  FROM  THE  CROSS. 
 
 describes  the  crisis  "  wlien  the  sudden  horror 
 of  death  camf»  near."  To  him  who  now  volun- 
 tarily died,  after  the  great  "  It  is  finished," 
 death  had  no  lonper  power  to  draw  near  at  all ; 
 but  he  who  had  now  su(!ered  and  accomplished 
 all  in  the  dying  of  iiis  soul,  does  not  die  his 
 bodily  death  as  a  sufferer,  but  as  in  spirit  al- 
 ready the  Lord  and  Ruler  of  death.  A  sinful 
 man,  though  an  Elijah,  can  at  best  utter  the 
 supplicatory   'y»aj  np,    "Take    my   life"    (1 
 
 Kings  xix.  4) — even  Stephen,  when  by  the 
 counsel  of  God  death  actually  came,  can  only 
 utter  the  appealing  "  Receive  my  spirit" — the 
 Son  of  God  alone,  the  Lord  of  death,  said  to 
 the  Father  in  the  highest  truth  of  the  word,  1 
 render  up  to  thee  now  my  spirit.  This  was  al- 
 ready intimated  by  John  in  the  "  knowing  that 
 all  things  were  accomplislied  ;"  and  Hofmann's 
 remark  is  very  correct :  "  He  received  (we  add, 
 desired)  the  refreshing  drink;  not,  however, 
 to  protract  his  life,  but  because  it  was  his 
 Father's  will  that  he  should  not  assume  the 
 appearance  of  languishing,  and  thus  of  iiivol- 
 untarily  giving  up  his  life."  That  v/hicli 
 Elijah,  in  the  infirmity  of  his  sinfulness,  ar- 
 rogated to  himself  the  liberty  of  saying,  though 
 without    result — Now  it  is  enough   (nny  21) 
 
 the  Lord  here  speaks  with  supreme  propriety 
 — Because  all  things  are  accomplished,  and 
 there  remains  nothing  more  to  fulfill.  I  now 
 die,  not  sooner  nor  later  than  now.  His  death 
 is  thus  his  last  act ;  and  therefore  not  death  as 
 in  our  case,  but  simply  the  givincr  up  of  the 
 spirit  to  the  Father.  No  Evangelist  uses  the 
 apostolical  word,  which  comprehends  all  in  one 
 —And  he  died.  His  death  is  at  the  same  time 
 miraculously  alone  in  its  kind,  like  his  birth  ;  it 
 was  not  possible  to  be  otherwise.  The  utmost 
 that  may  be  said  is  this,  that  in  Christ  the  phj-^s- 
 ical  process  (of  dying  here)  coincided  entirely 
 with  the  energy  of  his  Spirit  and  will.  But  not 
 through  any  "  harmonia  prasstabilita :"  the  spirit 
 is  ever  in  him  the  ground  and  strength  of  the 
 bodily  life.  Thus  the  energies  of  life  do  not 
 relax,  as  takes  place  in  us;  but  in  the  power  of 
 the  spirit  there  would  have  been  present  suffi- 
 cient energy  of  bodily  life  to  begin  a  new  life. 
 He  dies  at  the  act  of  his  will  in  full  vigor  of 
 life ;  and  it  was  this  which  caused  the  cen- 
 turion's wonder  at  the  crying.  There  can  be 
 no  agony  supposed,  at  this  crisis  after  the 
 "Finished;"  lar  from  us  be  every  notion  of 
 obscuration,  gradual  weakenine,  'convulsion, 
 and  every  thing  of  the  kind.*  Rambach,  con- 
 fused by  his  theology,  speaks  without  any 
 understanding  when   he   represents   this   last 
 
 *  S  'j>p's  perversion  of  the  truth  deserves  to  be 
 put  into  liis  "  Catal  gue  of  the  sin.s  of  learned 
 Prote.>itantism  :  "  "  In  |)roportion  as  his  anxiety  (?) 
 increases,  his  eyes  are  dark<  ned  and  liis  l;^^t 
 death-rattle  begins,  the  Kim  liecanie  more  and 
 more  dark,  and  Jesus  criett  (words  which  were 
 neither  dark  uor  anxioui.) — Fallier,  into  thine 
 Lauds,"  etc. 
 
 "  cry  "  of  our  Lord  as  a  cry  of  anguish  in  the 
 
 bitterness  of  death. 
 
 Jesus  hnwed  his  head,  when  he  uttered  his 
 TiPpX,  "I  [will]  commit,"  to  the  Father;  bend- 
 ing— not  under  the  pressure  of  nature,  and  not 
 in  the  sense  in  which  it  is  the  appointment  of 
 God  for  all,  but  under  the  decree  of  God  con- 
 cerning his  Son,  yet  with  his  own  will  and  his 
 own  act,  consummating  his  perfect  obedience 
 in  this  transition  to  his  power.  He  enters  into 
 rest,  that  his  work  may  begin  again  without 
 suffering.  He  closes  the  eyes  of  weary  flesh, 
 that  they  may  soon  be  opened  again  in  a  very 
 different  way.  He  loses  his  consciousness  for 
 one  single  vanishing  instant;  for  that,  as  the 
 abiding  reality  of  his  death  in  the  likeness  of 
 men  is  intimated  by  the  expression  that  he,  no 
 longer  master  of  himself,  gave  up  his  spirit  to 
 the  Father.  But  immediately  after  this  criti- 
 cal moment  begins  his  being  quickened  ac- 
 cording to  the  Spirit  (1  Pet.  iii.  18).  and  his 
 mighty  work  in  the  underworld.  He  bowed 
 his  head,  that  he  might  lift  it  up  again  (Paa. 
 ex.  7). 
 
 He  came  forth  from  the  Father,  and  he  goeth 
 to  the  Father,  John  xvi.  28.  It  is  his  last 
 avowal — I  am  the  Son  of  God.  Uttering  this, 
 he  dies.  An  "  obscure  but  great  presentiment 
 of  consolation"  was  poured  by  this  "  Father" 
 into  the  hearts  of  all  the  troubled  believers  who 
 heard  it.  Into  thine  hand  or  hands — as  his 
 body  had  been  delivered  to  the  hands  of  men 
 and  sinners,  and  his  soul  into  the  hand  and 
 power  of  the  tempting  enemy.  But  he  does  not 
 mention  the  body  or  thefksh — it  is  self-under- 
 stood that  the  hands  of  sinners  have  no  more 
 power  over  it,  in  lulfillment  of  Psa.  xvi.  8,  9 — 
 he  does  not  think  specifically  of  that  now  ; 
 even  as  dying  sinners,  strong  in  the  blessed 
 confidence  of  faith,  are  often  released  in  their 
 consciousness  from  the  body.  Nor  does  he 
 name  the  soul,  but  the  spirit  in  which  it  lives, 
 and  which  carries  it  with  it ;  for  now  this  spirit 
 reigns  most  absolutely  in  his  human  nature. 
 Not  that  his  humanity  is,  in  the  sense  of  Rothe, 
 converted  into  mere  spirit;  his  human  personal 
 spirit,  in  the  mention  of  which  he  commits  his 
 /into  the  Father's  hands,  is  the  perfect  Son 
 still  and  ever,  and  by  no  means  becomes  iden- 
 tical with  the  Holy  Spirit.  The  receiving  of 
 the  Holy  Spirit  from  the  Father  is  still  in  the 
 future  of  his  resurrection  and  glorification,  in 
 order  that  in  this  distinction  the  unity  of  the 
 Spirit  and  the  Son  might  finally  be  accomplish- 
 ed and  realized  in  humanity,  even  as  the  unity 
 of  the  Son  with  the  Father. 
 
 Into  the  Father's  hanJs,  that  is,  into  his  pro- 
 tection, power,  keepine  (Wisd.  iii.  1),  he  gives 
 up  his  spirit;  that  is,  first,  for  the  mean  lime, 
 for  the  intermeiliate  space  till  he  should  return 
 to  the  body,  and  then  with  the  body  ascend 
 above  all  heavens.  Geier  has  very  well  inter- 
 preted the  TpDX   in    the   psalm  :  "  Tanquam 
 
 jni5p    depositum  "  (like  a  deposit) — and   the 
 
 commendo  of    the   Vulg,   rightly    understood, 
 
LUKE  XXIII.  46. 
 
 695 
 
 jneani?  nothing  else.  Bat  this  traditio  ail  de- 
 fiosiium  must  not  be  regarded  as  meaninpc,  con- 
 trary to  all  anthropology  and  christology,  that 
 in  death  the  spirit  was  separated  from  the  pouI.* 
 Assuredly  not,  for  wit/tout  the  human  spirit  the 
 soul  would  be  only  animal,  and,  therefore,  not 
 continue  to  live.f  We  may  conceive  of  a  cer- 
 tain obscuration,  a  certain  slumbering  of  the 
 spirit  in  the  dreaming  soul,  as  existing  among 
 the  dead  in  Sheol  in  various  degrees,  even 
 among  the  happy  dead  in  the  slightest  degree  ; 
 but  that  One,  who  dies  this  great  death,  can 
 enter  into  the  kingdom  of  the  dead  only  as  the 
 Living  One,  ^oaoTtoiifjeJi  nvEv^iarty  "quicken- 
 ed in  the  Spirit,"  as  the  Apostle  says.  Thus 
 the  Tiysvjita.  /uov,  my  spirit,  means  the  entire 
 I,  passing  over  and  leaving  the  body,  spirit 
 and  soul  undivided,  just  as  the  soul  now  has 
 uttered  the  /uov  ;  the  delivery  into  the  Father's 
 preserving  hands  expresses  only  hii  crmjuleiice 
 against  all  the  p&wer  of  Sheol ;  it  is  a  testimony 
 that  now  for  Christ,  and  from  that  time  forward 
 through  him  for  all  his  people,  the  might  of 
 the  Father's  life  and  love  pervades  and  rules 
 all  regions  of  this  kmg  lorn  of  the  dead.  "  We 
 know  but  little  of  our  state  after  death;  but 
 what  Jesus  said  when  dying  is  enough  for  us." 
 There  is  also  in  his  words  a  glance  forward,  be- 
 yond the  intermediate  state,  to  the  final  coming 
 to  the  Father,  with  a  deeper  fulness  of  meaning 
 than  when  the  preacher,  Eccles.  xii.  7,  mentions 
 the  return  of  the  spirit  of  man  generally  to 
 God  who  gave  it.  Nevertheless,  Christ's  spirit 
 did  not  at  once  go  up  to  heaven  (the  word  to 
 the  malefactor  would  contradict  this),  thither 
 where  the  Eternal  Son  was  before  ;  that  did  not 
 take  place  until  the  glorified  fle-h  could  go  there 
 too.  But  all  this  as  our  forerunner.  The  fore- 
 runner brings  us  thither  afterwards;  but  he 
 now  carries  his  whole  Church  with  him  in  his 
 spirit,  prolentically  in  this  "  It  is  finished  " 
 embracing  all  in  whom  he  will  live.  On  the 
 one  hand  he  first  defined  his  own  personality  by 
 TivEvnd  f^iov,  as  that  which  would  "  not  simply 
 continue  to  live  in  the  general  spirit  of  human- 
 ity ;"  but,  on  the  other  hand,  in  a  prophetic 
 mediatorial  sense  he  already  commits,  after  the 
 "  Finished,"  all  the  spirits  of  the  sanctified,  the 
 entire  Church  as  one  with  him,  to  the  Father. 
 
 *  Rambach  :  "  He  deposits  his  spirit  as  a  jewel 
 of  inestimable  value  in  the  hands  of  God,  with  the 
 hope  to  receive  it  again  on  the  third  day,  and  to  unite 
 it  again  with  his  glorified  body. '  Olshatisen  : 
 "  Wliile  the  soul  of  Christ  went  to  the  dead  in  Sheol 
 (but  1  Pet,  iii.  18  testifies  against  thai)  and  his 
 body  rested  in  the  sepulchre,  his  spirit  returned  to 
 the  Father.  In  the  resurrection  all  was  le-united 
 into  a  harmonious  unity." 
 
 f  The  dead  who  appear  without  a  body  are 
 called  in  Scripture  nvevnara  (Luke  xxiv.  37 
 89;  Acts  xxiii.  8,  9) — j'ea,  even  Uie  torm^'niel  in 
 the  pr  son,  1  Pet.  iii.  19,  as  also  the  saints  ma<le 
 [lerfect  before  the  resurrection,  Heb.  xii.  23.  Willi 
 this,  in  another  refeienceof  the  expression,  .iude 
 cer.  19  well  agrees;  compare  my  expositioa  ol 
 h.s  Epistle,  p.  101. 
 
 Here  is  a  sla  viator  for  the  pondering  of  all 
 the  living,  who  shall  die.  The  dying  word  of 
 the  conqueror  and  forerunner  becomes  a  word 
 of  test  for  every  man.  Whitlier  in  thy  case, 
 when  it  comes  to  this?  No  ?««??.  hath  power 
 over  the  spirit,  to  retain  or  release  it  on  the 
 day  of  death  (Eccles.  viii.  8;  1  Chron.  xxx, 
 15;  2  Sam.  xiv.  14).  What  kind  oi  finiali  d 
 wilt  thou  bring  before  God  ?  Seek,  while  there 
 is  yet  time,  that  which  will  be  alone  accep- 
 table, through  the  finished  work  of  thy  Re- 
 deemer. Then  wilt  thou  also,  with  conscious, 
 voluntary  submission  in  death,  cry  with  Ste- 
 phen— Lord  Jesus,  receive  my  spirit,  thou,  hast 
 redeemed  me;*  and,  thus  coming  t-o  the  Son, 
 come  through  him  to  the  Father. 
 
 And,  behold,  the  veil  of  the  temple  was  rent. 
 This  is  the  first  thing  which  Matthew  mentions 
 at  the  moment  of  the  death  of  Jesus,  before  the 
 earthquake  which  accompanied  and  caused  it ; 
 Mark  mentions  this  alone ;  Luke  only  seems 
 to  place  it  lefure  the  death.  Schleiermacher 
 cannot  understand  how  this  could  be  known, 
 since  the  priests  would  certainly  not  betray  it, 
 and  asks  further,  "  Why  is  there  not  the  laint- 
 est  trace  of  a  reference  to  it  in  tlie  Epistle  to 
 the  Hebrews?"  But  he  did  not  rightly  read 
 Keb.  X.  19,  20,  where  the  most  perfect  interpre- 
 tation of  the  sign  is  given.  He  who  sleeps  in 
 Jesus  will  experience  the  truth  of  this,  even 
 though  he  did  not  believe  or  understand  it  be- 
 fore ;  but  it  is  better  and  more  blessed  preoions- 
 ly  to  be  taught  by  the  Scripture.  "The  Ohl 
 Testament  is  done  away,  but  in  its  very  aboli- 
 tion it  is  once  more  confirmed.  This  world- 
 embracing  death  of  Jesus  has  a  more  internal 
 connection  with  this  external,  theocratical  sanc- 
 tuary of  Israel,  than  the  theology  or  philos- 
 ophy of  history  which  places  the  Old  Testa- 
 ment on  the  same  level  as  heathenism  will 
 understand.  Theentrance  hitherto  closed  is  now 
 laid  open  ;  humanity,  like  Israel,  has  free  access 
 to  the  sanctuary  of  communion  with  God. 
 Where  hangs  tliis  veil,  which  Christ  alone 
 rends?  Even  in  the  symbol  and  shadow  it 
 was  below  and  not  above — not  so  much  before 
 God,  as  before  man.  It  is,  according  to  Isa. 
 XXV.  7,  the  veil  which  is  spread  over  all  na- 
 tions ;  and  the  covering  cast  over  all  the  peo- 
 ples (tD1;in-^:Qj    the   face   or   the   form  of  the 
 
 covering) — the  great  pall  of  death,  and  the 
 power  of  death  through  sin  separating  from 
 God  ;  that  is  (as  the  Epistle  to  the  Hebrews 
 teaches),  Die.  flesh  ol  sin  and  death  which  the 
 Saviour  himself  received  from  us,  in  order  that 
 
 *  So  Huss  on  his  way  to  the  pile  repeatedly 
 said,  first  when  ihey  gf^ve  his  soul  over  to  devj^s 
 Willi  the  paper  crown,  ''But  I  commit  my  spirit  in;o 
 J.iue  h  .lids,  0  Lord  Jesus  Chri.st;  I  coniiiieiid  my 
 soul  lo  thee,  who  hast  redeemed  it" — and,  ag:iin, 
 '  Thou  hast  redeemed  me,  my  Lord  Jesus,  God  of 
 tiutli."  Tne  ''■  I  commend  "  has  been  hy  nuilti- 
 u  les  after  him  innocently  used;  although  Ste- 
 phen, lull  of  ihe  Holy  Ghost,  more  properly  re- 
 mains within  the  limits  ol  what  becomes  im. 
 
696 
 
 THE  SEVEN  WORDS  TOGETHER. 
 
 dying  he  might  rend  the  veil  first  in  his  own 
 flesh,  and  the  spirit  and  the  life  of  God  might 
 burst  throivrh  upon  man  in  a  stream  never 
 more  to  be  restrained. 
 
 The  earth  did  quake — while  he  in  the  pro- 
 foundest  repose  bowed  his  head.  Jerusalem's 
 (emple  and  towers  letter — "and  the  cross  of 
 Christ  alone  is  unshaken."*  The  rocks  rent — 
 and  should  not  thy  heart  quake,  and  the  veil 
 of  thy  flesh  be  rent,  tliou  redeemed  sinner?  No 
 man  takes  harm  from  these  signs,  for  they  are 
 signs  of  salvation.  A  third  sign  completes  the 
 testimony  of  this  day,  of  these  hours,  of  this 
 moment.  Above  in  the  heaven,  from  the  light 
 of  the  sun,  began  the  first  sian  for  the  mystery 
 of  the  counselof  redemption — upon  the  earth, 
 the  old,  preliminary,  mutable  dispensation 
 which  predicted  a  new,  immovable  kingdom, 
 recedes  and  gives  place — and  in  the  depths  of 
 the  world  beneath  there  is  movement  and  con- 
 vulsion, which  also  must  become  manifest. 
 The  graves  open.  For  the  life-creating  power  of 
 this  death  begins  even  there  its  enertry  of  sal- 
 vation. All  humanity  dead  before  Christ  had 
 waited  for  him — even  the  saints  can  now  first 
 rise  again.  Before  they,  after  his  resurrection, 
 appear  as  the  first-fruits  of  the  "  first  resurrec- 
 tion,"! there  is  a  quickening  toward  the  resur- 
 rection even  now  at  the  crucifixion  ;  for  in  the 
 kuigdom  of  death  begins  the  power  of  life,  the 
 
 grave  is  first  opened  by  the  death  in  order  to 
 the  subsequent  resurrection. 
 
 The  centurion  presiding  over  the  crucifixion 
 lifts  his  voice — the  voice  which  afterwards 
 burst  forth  more  loudly  from  the  heathen  world 
 against  Israel's  denial* — and  confesses  :  Thii^ 
 man  was  what  he  said,  that  which  Pilnta 
 declared  him — a  righteous  man — that  which  he 
 had  answered  to  their  "  Art  thou  ?  " — the  Sin 
 of  Ood.  The  two-fold  view  of  his  testimony  is 
 true  and  significant  in  the  spirit  of  the  history. 
 Whether  thou  renderest  him  at  first  the  Ebion- 
 ite  acknowledgment  of  his  being  a  righteous 
 man,  or  the  indefinite  and  Oentik  honor  of 
 being  a  Son  of  God,  is  of  no  moment  at  the 
 first :  thy  faith  avails,  thou  already  glorified 
 God,  and  God  will  assuredly  glorify  his  Son  in 
 thee.  But  in  order  to  that,  it  must  be  the  faith 
 of  repentance.  For  the  two  immediate  in- 
 fluences of  the  signs  which  took  place  around 
 the  cross,  as  Luke,  vers.  47,  48,  combines  them, 
 are  in  most  internal  unity,  and  reciprocal  in 
 their  operation  :  first,  the  giving  God  honor  in 
 sincere  acknowledgment  of  the  impression  pro- 
 duced by  what  has  taken  place  ;  and  then  th© 
 smiting  upon  the  breast  unto  repentance,  the 
 preparation  for  Pentecost,  and  change  from  a 
 mere  idle  beholding.  Thus  the  voice  of  reason 
 and  the  voice  of  conscience  give  their  testimony 
 I  in  answer  to  the  question — Whotoas  this  Jesus 
 I  who  died  upon  Calvary? 
 
 THE  SEVEN  WORDS  TOGETHER. 
 
 We  cannot  leave  these  words,  though  we 
 have  entered  at  large  upon  each,  before  regard- 
 ing them  once  more  as  a  whole.  The  sacred 
 se»en-mimlier  would  of  itself  demand  this.  Ben- 
 gel  writes :  "  The  words  are  seven,  according 
 to  the  four  Evangelists  :  no  one  of  them  has 
 written  down  all.  From  this  it  appears  that 
 their  four  books  are  as  it  were  four  voices 
 which  together  make  full  symphony."  Certain- 
 ly he  is  right.  Not  that  Christ  himself  thought 
 of  this,  or  designed  that  his  words  should  be 
 just  seven  more ;  nor  did  the  Evangelists  intend 
 it  or  order  it  so,  for  no  one  of  the  Synoptics 
 knew  all  that  had  been  spoken.  John  might 
 have  comprised  them  all ;  but  he  has  not  done 
 80,  only  supplying  what  was  wanting  and  leav- 
 ing us  to  connect  the  whole.  But  the  seven 
 words  prove  themselves  in  their  connected 
 harmony,  alter  a  wonderful  manner  ;  thus  giv- 
 ing us  one  more  testimony  and  example  that, 
 as  in  the  history  of  Jesus  first,  so  also  in  the 
 Scriptures  concerning  him,  there  is  a  most 
 mysterious  rule  and  ord'-r  to  be  discerned 
 Such  results  of  the  combination  of  the  whole, 
 though  they  were  not  aimed  at  by  the  writers 
 
 *  So  Pape  in  his  ChrUtus,  p.  220,  sings. 
 f  Not  merely  as  Lange  makes  them,  "  spirit- 
 appearances." 
 
 themselves,  throw  back  a  confirming  and  glo* 
 rifying  light  upon  the  truth  and  significance 
 of  "the  hktory  of  the  Son  of  God  in  the  flesh,  and 
 especially  of  the  history  of  his  Passion.  "  The 
 suffering  Christ  speaks,  as  the  symbol  of  a  fulnes.i 
 ol  most  profound  truths  and  references  the 
 most  significant,  a  language  to  the  world  which 
 could  scarcely  have  been  uttered  in  the  tones 
 of  his  living  word" — says  Olshausen  truly;! 
 yet,  however  true  this  is  of  the  impressive 
 voice  of  the  history  in  all  its  circumstances  and 
 details,  which  to  our  thoughtful  contemplation 
 become  more  and  more  invested  with  the  char- 
 acter of  symbols  and  speaking  acts — it  could 
 not  fail  to  be  still  more  profoundly  true  of  these 
 final  and  most  essential  words  of  the  Word. 
 The  suffering  Lord,  hanging  upon  the  cross, 
 broke  the  silence  and  opened  his  lips  seven 
 times — these  words  are  to  us  as  the  bright  lights 
 of  heaven  shining  at  intervals  through  the 
 darkness,  or  as  the  loud  thunder  tones  from 
 above  and  within,  which  inteiprel  the  cross,  and 
 n  which  it  receives,  so  to  speak,  another  col- 
 
 *  The  honorable  spirit  among  the  rude  soldiers, 
 in  opposition  to  the  hypocritical  priests. 
 
 f  lie  adds  that  "  the  most  unbounded  ima^ina. 
 tion  could  not  produce  a  poem  which  should  equal 
 this  reaiity." 
 
liUKE  XXIII.  31,  ETC. 
 
 697 
 
 kctive  superscription.  Braune  saj's  beauti- 
 fully: "Tlie  poet  is  right;  the  <tos«  is  a  plant 
 which  bears  fruit  without  blossoms.  But  yet 
 the  last  words  of  Jesus  may  be  regarded  as  the 
 most  glorous  blosaoms" — of  the  cross,  of  the 
 dry  tree  planted  to  bring  forth  fruit.  For  thus 
 we  would  prefer  to  close  his  sentence,  instead 
 of  saying  (in  the  spirit  of  Schleiermacher), 
 "  the  most  glorious  blossoms  of  pious  elevation  j 
 and  communion  with  the  Father."  j 
 
 What  significance  is  there  in  the  individual 
 words  ;  how  sharply  definite  is  each  single  tone 
 in  the  seven-toned  "symphony  !  The  first  word 
 is  most  gracious  in  "its  invitation  for  the  com- 
 mencoment  of  all  faith,  universally  embracing 
 the  entire  guilty  world  of  his  enemies.  Tlie 
 second  to  the  malefactor  then  follows  as  the 
 most  specifically  encouraging  to  all  individual 
 souls,  in  all  ages,  who  believingly  turn  in  their 
 distress  to  their  sympathizing  King.  The 
 third  to  Mary  and  "John  may  be  termed  the 
 most  pregnant  in  its  meaning,*  inasmuch  as 
 this  most  personal  discharge  of  his  obligation 
 and  most  specific  care  of  these  disciples  is  at 
 the  same  time  the  pledge  of  liis  equal  care  of 
 all  whom  he  leaves  behind  him  upon  earth. 
 The  fourth  is  without  doubt  in  its  central 
 darkness  the  most  mysteriously  deep,  although 
 it  contains  in  itself  the  kernel  of  all  the  conso- 
 lation of  redemption — "  When  my  heart  is 
 eunk  in  deepest  auk'uish,  pluck  me  out  of  my 
 distress  by  the  virtue  of  thy  anguish  and 
 pain."  The  filth,  /  thirst,  we  have  already 
 termed  the  least  seemingly  significant:  but  its  I 
 inmost  meaning,  as  the  expression  of  the  thirst 
 of  Jesus  alter  our  souls,  makes  it  the  most 
 touching  and  affecting  of  all  in  its  appeal.  We 
 may  regard  It  w  finhhed,  as  the  most  sublime, 
 the  widest,  and  most  boundless  of  the  series ; 
 while  the  seventh  and  last  is  the  most  blessed 
 word  of  faith;  the  sealing,  moreover,  of  the 
 end  of  faith  for  all  Christ's  disciples. 
 
 Another  thing  observable  is  this,  that  almost  j 
 all  the  seven  words  iiere,  where  all  things  tend  ' 
 to  final  fulfillment,  point  back  to  jirojihicy,  and  i 
 are  spoken  more  or  less  in  the  words  of  Scrip-  \ 
 Uere.f  Properly  speaking,  i\ie  fourth  in  its  j 
 central  fulfillment  is  spoken  in  the  most  literal  | 
 words  of  Scripture  ;  and  with  it  the  seventh,  as  i 
 a  glorilying  application  of  a  general  human  j 
 word  (which  here  alone  fii.l.s  its  true  jtAt;- i 
 pcodii).  'Ihe  ^fiid  rests  upon  the  Messianic; 
 prophecy  of  Isa.  liii.  12;  the  jft,ith  and  8ia:th\ 
 point  to  Messianic  psalms  (that  one  which  i 
 passes  from  lamentation  into  victory).  Only  j 
 the  second  and  third  were  originated  by  specific 
 circumstances,  and  have,  so  lar  as  we" can  yet 
 see,  no  typico-prophetical  basis  in  the  Old 
 Testament;  though  light  may  yet  be  shed  upon  j 
 
 this.*  Even  these  will  be  found  the  more 
 plainly  to  approve  their  place  as  belonging  to 
 the  wonderfnlly  arranged  completeness  and 
 unity  of  the  whole. 
 
 We  must  make  some  further  observations,  in 
 connection  with  this,  upon  the  compldetiess  o( 
 the  whole,  and  then  upon  the  significant  order 
 of  the  individval  words  of  the  series.  These 
 seven  words  perfectly  embrace  the  fulness  of 
 those  truths  and  relations  which  the  cross  was 
 to  reveal.  Bengal:  "  This  summing  up  of  all 
 doctrine  regards  his  enemies,  the  converted 
 sinner,  his  mother  and  the  disciple  (that  is,  we 
 may.  add,  the  communion  of  his  ovva),  and  his 
 heavenly  Father."  This  leaches  us  not  to 
 forget  that  the  Lord  in  all  these  words,  and 
 not  pre-eminently  from  the  fourth  to  the  sixth, 
 bears  witness  concerning  himself.  Thus  he 
 lets  us  contemplate  (to  use  Driiseke's  words, 
 which,  however,  we  correct)  the  object  of  the 
 redeeming  work  in  the  first :  its  fruit  and 
 fiower  in  the  second  and  third  ;t  its  price  (how 
 much  it  cost)  in  the  fourth;  its  extent  (how 
 far  his  suffering  went,  and  the  longing  of  his 
 soul  still  reaches)  in  the  fifth;  its  consumma- 
 tion in  the  sixth  ;  finally  its  perfect  end  in  the 
 self-surrender  to  the  Father.  Thus,  at  least, 
 has  the  preaching  of  the  Holy  Spirit  in  the 
 Church,  from  the  beginning  summed  up  all 
 doctrine  in  these  woids,  thus  giving  their  most 
 living  and  most  profound  exposition — an  "  an- 
 akephaleosis  doctrinaj,"  as  Bengel  says,  "  nobis 
 protuturfe  in  nostris  fions  extremis" — all  profit- 
 able traih  for  our  hist  hour. 
 
 The  quotation  we  introduced  from  Richter's 
 Ilausbiliel  is  not  strictly  exact :  namely,  that 
 "  the  first  three  words  before  the  darkness  were 
 spoken  to  others,  the  last  four  referring  to 
 Christ  himself  alone."  Assuredly,  (he  first  word 
 begins  in  the  most  absolute  selfforgelfubiess, 
 sinks  with  all-embracing  love  into  the  need  of 
 others.  Forgive  iiieni — what  they  do  ;  without 
 adding — to  me.  The  last,  on  the  contrary,  ap- 
 pears to  be  the  most  perfect  retreat  into  his  own 
 personality,  which  he  gives  up  to  the  Father. 
 But  the  process  and  gradation  between  these 
 two  extremes  must  be  more  carefully  looked  at. 
 To  the  second  word  of  special  grace,  which  ac- 
 tually effects  the  forgiveness  of  sins  in  one 
 pattern  and  first-fruit  of  sinners,  he  is  excited 
 and  cnlled  by  the  malefactor  himself;  but  that 
 word  Paradise,  which   was  the  encouragement 
 
 *  Or,  which  is  the  same  thing,  iheviost  symhohcal, 
 thenieanins  of  which  as  refening  to  us  all  is  most 
 hidden  in  the  form  of  type. 
 
 t  Riimbach  applied  Wisd.  ii.  20  to  this:  Tlien 
 shall  a  m;in  be  kntwvn  by  his  words.  But  this  is 
 Bot  faithlul  to  the  original  of  that  passage. 
 
 *  That  what  Karrer  {Luth.  Zdts.  1849,  ii.  323) 
 addures,  is  not  satisfactory;  lor  what  reference 
 can  be  found  in  P^a.  xxii.  9,  10,  to  the  word 
 spoken  to  Mary,  or  in  P.sa.  xxii.  29,  30,  to  that 
 spoken  to  llie  malefactor?  So  also  the  re  erence 
 of  the  "Fini.«hed  "  to  Isa.  liii.  11  is  incorrect. 
 
 f  This  is  better  than  L'riiseke  s  view.  He  chanaes 
 the  order  of  ihe^e  two,  and  s  es  in  the  lellowsliip 
 of  love  symt)o;ized  in  Mary  and  John,  the  truit, 
 and  in  the  obtainin<i  of  Paradise  the  jmwer  of  re- 
 demption. (Comp.  his  Fredigten,  Magdeburg, 
 1839.)  Is  not  the  winning  and  saving  of  this  sin- 
 tier,  as  a  fiist-fruit,  its  fruit ;  and  the  cenien'.ing 
 love,  its  power  f 
 
698 
 
 THE  SEVEN  WORDS  TOGETHER. 
 
 of  that  sinner,  reminds  the  Lord,  as  of  the 
 anguish  to  be  passed  through  before,  so  also  of 
 those  whom  lie  would  leave  behind  in  the 
 world  ;  hence,  therefore,  the  testament  of  love 
 for  tliem  and  for  us  all.  Then,  indeed,  in  the 
 middle  of  the  conflict,  where  he  has  to  do  with 
 his  God  alone,  the  Eloi,  Eloi,  is  uttered  in  the 
 most,  "peviiici  furgetf Illness  of  all  others,  from  the 
 depths  of  the  utter  loneliness  of  his  soul.  But 
 the  consciousness  immediately  returns  to  him 
 that  he  must  accomplish  for  the  world's  re- 
 demption what  had  been  decreed  and  written  ; 
 consequently  he  turns,  as  we  saw,  in  his  thirst, 
 once  more  to  men  ;  he  cries  out  to  the  world,  as 
 well  as  to  his  Father,  and  himself,  the  great 
 "  Fulfilled  ;"  and  finally  (yet  not  without  secret 
 conjunction  with  himself  of  those  made  perfect 
 in  him)  he  yields  up  himself  as  perfected  to 
 the  Father. 
 
 All  this  has  already  indicated  the  signifi- 
 cance of  the  specific  order  in  which  we  find 
 them.  This  may  be  meditated  upon  still  fur- 
 ther— for  the  subject  is  inexhaustible  to  medi- 
 tation— and  the  more  we  meditate  upon  it,  the 
 more  will  our  exegetical  arrangement  prove  it- 
 self. With  what  could  the  Lord  begi7i  but  the 
 great  intercession  at  the  commencement  of  his 
 crucifixion,  which  embraces  first  his  crucifiers, 
 and  in  them  all  other  sinners?  "  Love  first  of 
 all  stoops  to  the  most  wretched  "  (Driiseke). 
 Therefore  we  hear  first  this  testimony  to  the 
 love  which  brought  him  to  death  and  the  cross, 
 in  unison  with  his  conscious  experience  of  tlie 
 love  of  the  Father  whom  he  invokes,  which  not 
 onlv  suffered  this  awful  act  to  take  place,  but 
 sufi'ei-ed  it  to  take  place  in  order  to  forgivene.ss. 
 With  what  could  he  close  but  the — Father  into 
 thine  hands?*  Further,  where  could  the  Lord 
 have  spoken  those  two  v.'ords,  the  promise  of 
 salvation  in  another  world  and  the  provision 
 for  this  world's  happiness,  but.  in  the  all-em- 
 bracing conscious  activity  of  his  love,  before 
 his  own  personal  anguish  of  soul.  Again,  he 
 who  was  dying  for  sinners,  and  interceding  for 
 impenitent  sinners,  has  a  sinner  made  penitent 
 to  encourage  and  save,  before  he  turns  to  those 
 who  were  already  his  own.  Where,  if  all 
 these  things  were  placed  fragmentarily  into  our 
 hands,  should  we  place  the  two  other  words — 
 the  avowal  ot  distress  and  need,  in  order  to  re- 
 ceive from  his  enemies  the  last,  albeit  bitter 
 portion,  and  the  blessed  retrospect  upon  all  the 
 8utr»*ring  by  which  all  was  now  fulfilled  and  the 
 world  delivered — but  after  the  sonl-angnish, 
 and  hef(/re  the  immediate  dying  words  ?t   Thus 
 
 *  Tluis  the  transposition  of  this  word  into  a 
 j>Iacp  before  "  It  is  finished  "  (whicii  we  have  met 
 witli)a[pppars  altow-'ttier  contrary  to  the  spirit  of 
 tioth  words,  when  viewed  as  spoken  in  such  cir- 
 rnin^laiices  by  Ciirist  It  is  intellisible  enouijl) 
 in  the  low  view  wh.ch  Weiss  tnkps  of  it :  Not  only 
 i\l  first  tiie  "  reaignatton  and  confi  lence  of  the  de- 
 voui  a>>d-loviiiLr  man" — hut  sill  more  joyful 
 "  Tiie  vocation  was  accompiislied,  the  end  of  lite 
 was  attained." 
 
 \  Wc  cannot  cor.ceive  how  the  '•  I  thirst"  could 
 
 the  middle  wnrd  of  the  seven  in  its  order,  is  in 
 reality  the  central  and  middle  word  in  its' 
 meaning  ;  before  which  we  behold,  as  it  were, 
 a  descent  of  compreiiensive  and  conscious  love 
 to  the  first  departure  from  this  earthly  life,  and, 
 after  which  an  ascent  again  to  consummating 
 elevation  and  serenity.  What  Pvieger  says  is 
 true,  that  Christ  is  in  the  first  triad  of  words. 
 "  so  little  moved  by  all  the  mockery  around 
 from  his  heavenly  composure  and  kingly  spirit, 
 that  we  may  well  glory  in  this  cross  ourselves, 
 against  all  the  world's  scorn  now."  As  high 
 priest  he  supplicates  for  all ;  as  king  he  dis- 
 penses grace  and  salvation  to  the  suppliant  ;* 
 as  the  master  of  the  household,  or,  so  to  speak, 
 the  father  of  the  house,  he  makes  provision  for 
 his  family.  This  is  the  triumph  of  his  love, 
 which  blesses  eneinies;  of  his  grace,  which  re- 
 ceives such  as  come  to  him  ;  of  his  fidelity, 
 which  forgets  no  needful  care.  All  this  is  quite, 
 true;  and  yet  is  there  not  manifest,  in  the 
 mention  oi  Paradise  (longed  for  by  the  suflerer 
 himself)  instead  of  kin//ilom,  and  still  more  in 
 the  appointment  of  a  deputy  to  represent  his. 
 earthly  life  and  care,  a  certain  humiliation  and 
 dejection  of  tone  which  anticipates  and  waits 
 for  the  great  anguish  ?  But  alterwards,  again; 
 what  an  ascending  process  of  feeling  from  tha 
 satisfied  thirst  through  the  Finished  to  the  ma- 
 jestic napa0)](5i>i.iai,  I  commend  my  spirit! 
 
 But  all  this  has  not  yet  pointed  out  even  the 
 several  directions  which  meditation  may  take. 
 How  much  lies  in  the  depths  of  each  word  in 
 its  concrete  connection  with  the  history  out  of 
 which  it  sprang,  and  how  much  for  general 
 application  and  deep  rejection,  which  our  ex-> 
 position  has  as  yet  but  sliglitly  indicated  '  Let 
 us  look  once  more  at  this  pregnant  falnesSj 
 that  we  may  be  on  our  guard  against  all  super- 
 ficial treatment  of  them.  Thus  {.\\e  first  word 
 contains  in  it  the  whole  doctrine  concerning 
 forgiveness,  and  the  difTerence  between  sia. 
 paidonable  and  unpardonable;  giving  the  pro- 
 foundest  disclosure  of  the  condition  and  proce- 
 dure of  sin,  as  ignorantly  crucifying  or  know-, 
 ingly  scorning  the  Lord,  and  also  of  that  re-. 
 pentance  by  which  a  salutary  knowledge  of  sin 
 IS  attained,  and  which  is  the  necessary  condi- 
 tion of  forgiveness.  The  second  throws  its 
 enlightening  beams  into  the  darkness  of  the. 
 underworld,  and  speaks  of  the  restoration  of 
 that  which  was  lost  in  Adam.  The  third  obvi- 
 ates a  misunderstanding  concerning  his  rela- 
 tions to  his  mother,  which  has  filled  ages  with 
 its  sad  results;  and  in  the  abolition  of  his 
 sonship  according  to  the  fl^"sh  points  to  new 
 and  spiritual  relationships  by  a  figure  which 
 is  to  be  understood  as  applicable  to  all.  The 
 fmirth  penetrates  the  depths  of  humanity  strug- 
 gling toward  him  when  future,  and  backward 
 
 1)6  placed   before   the  great  anguish,  as   many 
 maintain. 
 
 *  For  to  refer  tliis  word  concrrnins  kingdom 
 and  Prtwrfwtf  (with  Lange  in  the  Chrtslo>erpe)mcr^ 
 iy  to  the  "  i)eijitent "  and  the  "  priest,"  by  do 
 means  comes  up  to  its  meaning. 
 
J.UKE  XXIII.  34,  ETC. 
 
 rhetorical  words  are  to  be  taken  with  much 
 niodification  :  "  These  seven  words  are  not  to 
 be  expounded — they  expound  themselves.  They 
 are  deeper  than  the  sea,  and  higher  than  hea- 
 ven ;  but  they  are  at  the  same  time  bright  as 
 the  sun,  and  need  not  the  lamplight  of  our 
 explanations."  Most  certainly,  the  lamplight 
 of  our  so-called  exposition  is  of  no  avail  here ; 
 but  if  that  Holy  Spirit,  through  whom  Jesus 
 spoke  words  which  even  his  human  conscious- 
 ness did  not  embrace  at  the  moment  in  all  that 
 was  involved  in  them,  sheds  his  light  upon 
 those  words,  we  may  surely  investigate  them 
 with  humble  prayer  for  his  enlightenment. 
 
 A  new  method  of  observation  presents  itself 
 when  we  regard  all,  as  we  certainly  have  a 
 right  to  do,  as  symbolical  for  the  followers  of 
 the  Forerunner,  the  members  of  the  Head.  In 
 them  we  learn,  as  before,  to  live  in  the  fellow- 
 ship of  the  death  of  Christ,  so  also  and  espe- 
 cially to  die  bodily  in  that  fellowship  ;  we  can 
 appropriate  every  word  in  our  degree  to  our- 
 selves. We  can  pray  for  our  enemies,  comfort 
 with  our  own  consolation  every  tempted  soul, 
 receive  all  true  penitence  as  valid  to  the  last, 
 forget  no  offices  of  loving  care  through  life  and 
 in  death,  cry  even  in  our  most  distressed  aban- 
 donment in  faith  to  our  God,  shrink  from  and 
 be  ashamed  of  no  infirmity,  work  in  suffering 
 and  in  suffering  labor,  until  there  is  for  us  also 
 a  final  fulfillment,  and  the  commendation  of 
 our  spirits  to  our  Fatiier. 
 
 Finally,  the  character  of  the  seven  words  as 
 the  budding  blossoms  of  the  cross  is  justified 
 in  this,  that  they,  like  blossoms,  prophesy,  and 
 bear  in  themselves  the  future  of  their  consum- 
 mation. Bengel  says,  with  reference  primarily 
 to  the  individual  Christian:  "  Even  in  the  very 
 order  of  the  words  there  lie  mysteries  ;  and 
 they  may  be  made  to  declare  the  gradations  of 
 the  persecution,  afHiction,  and  conflict  of  the 
 Christian."  We  would  not  only  apply  this  to 
 the  process  of  every  Christian's  life,  but  regard 
 the  order  of  the  words  as  a  prophetic  type  for 
 the  entire  course  of  the  Church  as  a  whole.* 
 That  the  life  of  our  Lord  generally  contains  in 
 itself  a  typical  prophecy  for  the  Church  called 
 to  follow  in  his  steps,  has  been  ever  involunta- 
 rily acknowledged  oy  believers  ;  the  conviction, 
 however,  that  in  the  way  of  the  Head  there  is 
 also  a  specific  preformation  of  the  history  of 
 his  body,  is  not  so  generally  received:  but  it 
 is  so  nevertheless.     But  this  symbolical  char- 
 
 •  This  may  at  least  be  better  carried  throush 
 than  Bennel's  piral'el  with  the  seven  pelitoiis  of  the 
 Lord's  Prayer.  For  even  if  the  first  and  tlie  last  pe- 
 titions m  y  sugsest  such  an  accordance,  the  series 
 between  cannot  be  paralleled  without  violence; 
 anil  indeed  the  fourth  anJ  the  sixth  words  defy  it 
 a  together.  For  ihe  rest,  when  my  critic  Munch- 
 meyer  declares  my  exposition  also  to  be  arbiirary 
 tritiins,  and  oflTers  to  trace  in  the  sam-^  manner 
 tlie  process  of  the  Church's  history  in  the  ten 
 commandments — f-can  only  challenge  him  with 
 all  submi&siou  to  the  test. 
 
 acter  of  his  history,  which  is  at  the  same  time 
 prophecy  (for  all  the  symbols  of  Scripture  and 
 Christ's  kingdom  are  prophetic,  because  they 
 all  point  forward  to  the  end,  while  any  thing 
 remains  to  bo  accomplished)  is  found  in  its  more 
 absolute  concentration  in  the  history  of  the  Pas- 
 sion. Again,  the  cycle  of  the  seven  words  repre- 
 sents a  specific  cycle  in  that.  We  cannot  sup- 
 press our  own  pres?ntiment  of  this  ;  for  by  so 
 doing  we  should  be  denying  the  full  truth  to 
 many  of  our  readers. 
 
 The  preaching  of  forgiveness  to  a  world  not 
 knowing  what  it  did,  the  first  form  of  the  word 
 on  the  cross,  specifically  opens  the  Church's  his- 
 tory. The  Jews  did  what  they  did  ;  that  is, 
 crucified  and  rejected  Jesus,  without  knowing 
 whom  they  crucified,  and  what  they  did  there- 
 by :  therefore  this  was  disclosed  to  them  for 
 their  repentance,  and  mercy  was  ready  to  fol- 
 low. The  Gentiles  did  not  know  that  they  had 
 done  it,  that  their  sinful  deeds  were  the  cause 
 of  his  sufferings — but  after  the  times  of  igno- 
 rance which  were  winked  at,  grace,  obtained 
 now  by  the  death  of  Christ,  is  ofTered  likewise 
 to  them.  Out  of  the  first  "  Father,  forgive 
 them,  for  they  know  not  what  they  do,"  as 
 its  key-note,  flows  the  first  apostolical  preach- 
 ing to  the  world  as  a  whole,  all  preaching  of 
 the  Gospel  now  where  it  enters  for  the  first 
 time.  The  two  following  words  from  the  cross 
 then  represent  in  prophetic  type  the  two  results: 
 the  first-fruits  (that  is,  of  the  Gentile  world 
 also,  as  added  to  the  little  confessing  company 
 of  Jews)  are  collected  together ;  and  they  are 
 then,  as  belonging  to  Christ,  preserved,  cared 
 for,  and  united  in  one.  The  one  malefactor  is 
 the  prophetic  example  of  the  many  (comp. 
 Matt.  viii.  10,  11)  who,  in  the  deepest  and 
 most  internal  fear  of  God,  break  through  the 
 mockery  and  offence  of  the  cross,  recognize  in 
 the  Crucified  their  King  and  their  Saviour,  and 
 commend  their  souls  to  him;  especially  of  all 
 those  who,  themselves  enduring  the  sufferings 
 arid  judgments  of  an  evil  time,  recognize  in 
 these  the  just  award  of  their  deeds,  and  receive 
 from  Christ  the  glorious  hope  of  a  Paradise 
 beyond.  Is  not  this  the  predominant  character 
 of  the  Church's  extension  and  its  missionary 
 history  during  the  first  centuries  of  calamity 
 and  persecution  of  Christians?  But  these  thus 
 won  ever  increase  the  little  company  of  Christ's 
 people,  so  small  in  the  beginning  of  the  Gospel, 
 and  which  is  exhibited  in  the  persons  of  Mary 
 and  John.  Such  are  all  who  endure  in  love 
 beneath  the  cross,  whose  fidelity  will  never 
 forsake  their  suffering  Lord:  he  therefore  shows 
 his  fidelity  to  them  in  caring  for  their  earthly 
 life  before  they  are  received  to  Paradise.  Here 
 behold  the  testamentary  provision  for  the 
 Church  upon  earth — and  that  in  and  by  its 
 union  in  love  I  Still  more  :  as  Mary  is  here 
 the  type  of  believing  humanity  in  the  old  cov- 
 enant, in  and  out  of  which  Christ  was  bora 
 by  the  Holv  Ghost,  so  further  she  is  the  type 
 ot  the  Church,  which  beareth  him  continually 
 in  sucessive  spiritual  births.  This  is  his  moth- 
 er, who  travailed  and  brought  forth  the  mysti- 
 
>700 
 
 THE  SEVEN  WORDS  TOGETHER 
 
 cal  Christ  (Rev.  xii.  6) — and  yet  at  the  same 
 time  not  his  mother,  as  he  is  her  exalted  Lord. 
 This  Mary  is  left  in  the  care  of  John,  the  dis- 
 ciple of  love,  who  through  love  penetrated 
 most  deeply  the  heart  of  Jesus  and  the  myste- 
 ries of  his  word — rather  than  to  the  preacher 
 and  confessor,  Peter.  Preaching  may  gather, 
 instruction  may  regulate,  and  confession  may 
 .in  a  certain  sense  hold  it  together ;  but  it  is 
 .only  love,  at  once  inward  and  contemplative 
 (T\oi  so  much  dialectic  and  dogmatical)  which 
 nourishes  and  takes  care  of  the  true  Church. 
 The  beginning  of  the  Church's  life  bore  pre- 
 eminently this  Johannean  character — See  now 
 these  Christians  love  one  another  !  and  so  at 
 the  end  of  its  history  John,  the  fourth  Evan- 
 gelist, the  writer  of  the  epistles  of  love,  and  at 
 the  same  time  the  apocalyptic  Apostle,  will  again 
 take  to  himself  the  Church  bearing  the  anguish 
 of  the  cross  in  her  heart,  and  be  her  refuge  and 
 consolation  from  the  final  woes.  This  Johan- 
 nean love,  and  in  it  the  blessed  communion  of 
 secret  traditions  and  experiences  of  Jesu.x, 
 Ibunds  the  new  spiritual  fellowship.  While 
 peoples  and  nations  come  and  go  in  history, 
 empires  rise  and  fall,  and  the  bonds  of  society 
 are  more  and  more  relaxed — within  the  hidden 
 Church  there  is  the  continual  realization  of 
 that  first  truth,  Behold  thy  son  ;  behold  thy 
 mother;  behold  your  brethren  and  your  sis 
 ters !  Was  not  this  the  predominant  character 
 of  Church  history  during  those  wanderings  of 
 the  nations  which  prepared  lor  the  crisis  of  the 
 middle  ages  in  the  world's  history  ? 
 
 But  in  these  middle  ages,  rightly  so  called  as 
 in  the  midst  of  time,  the  central  word  from  the 
 cross  is  most  especially  realized  :  the  power  and 
 light  of  Christ  are  hidden,  darkness  breaks  in, 
 the  mystically-repeated  crucifixion  of  Christ 
 begins  lor  the  struggle  and  victory  of  the  faith 
 hardly  beset.  Then  comes  a  time  (although  a 
 more  exact  fulfillment  is  before  us  still,  in  the 
 last  hour.  Rev.  iii.  10)  when  the  people  of 
 Jesus  must  raise  to  heaven  the  lamentation  of 
 ahandoiiment.  Then  begins  the  crisis  of  the 
 second  part  of  history.  Christ  in  his  people 
 once  more  holds  firmly  to  his  God  ;  the  Scrip- 
 ture, which  must  have  its  fulfillment  Lkewi.se 
 in  these  sufferings  of  the  Church,  is  unsealed  in 
 victorious  clearness.  (The  first  Reformation 
 followed  by  a  continually  enlarging  view  of  the 
 prophecies  which  predicted  anti-Christendom 
 and  its  transitory  power.)  The  Lord's  thirst  in 
 his  abandonment  after  the  consummation  is 
 renewed  in  all  its  force  as  a  thirst  for  human 
 Bouls  which  must  be  satisfied — in  the  midst  of 
 the  never-ceasing  mockery  and  scoru  which  is 
 now  once  more  heard.  This  is  the  revived 
 preaching  of  the  Gospel,  proceeding  from  the 
 Spirit's  strong  impulse  to  save  the  souls  of 
 men  ;  the  preaching  of  reformation  first — then, 
 when  this,  alas  I  became  cold  and  frigid,  bring- 
 ing over  into  our  own  age  the  Bret  hren's  and  the 
 Pietists'  words  from  the  heart  to  the  heart.  In 
 all  this  the  voice  of  the  Lord,  forsaken  and  yet 
 no  longer  forsaken,  is  heard — I  thirst.  Those 
 whom  he  thus   wins,  are,  however,  not  such  1 
 
 thoroughly  sound,  and  earnest,  and  strong  con- 
 fessoi-s  as  ihe  first-fruits  of  apostolic  preaching 
 were  before  the  Church  was  forsaken,  and  who 
 were  represented  by  the  malefactor  with  his 
 bold  glance  onward  to  the  kingdom  of  Christ. 
 Ah  no  1  they  more  resemble  as  a  whole  the 
 soldier  who  gives  the  potion,  who,  half-heart- 
 edly, still  clings  to  the  world  which  mocks  the 
 kingly  sway  of  Jesus,  and  wonders  at  the  long 
 delay  of  the  restorer  Elias.  This  is  the  his- 
 torical and  predominant  character  of  the  con- 
 versions within  the  Church  during  the  con- 
 tinued Reformation  (hence  Luther,  with  more 
 truth  than  the  Reformed,  laments  that  he  could 
 not  find  John's  con.=titution  of  the  Church; 
 and  even  among  the  "  Brethren,"  Mary  and 
 John  do  not  truly  meet) — and  it  is  also  the 
 same  now,  in  the  second  Reformation,  with  our 
 missions  which  proceed  so  feebly  in  the  midst 
 of  scorn.  This  little  flock  of  heathens,  which 
 comes  to  allay  the  thirst  for  consummation  in 
 humanity,  only  excites  it  the  more  ;  and  itself 
 utters  the  great  cry,  wavering  between  unbelief 
 and  faith — Why  does  Elias  yet  tarry?*  Here 
 that  miserable  perversion  of  Christ's  sacred 
 word  marvellously  proves  itself  in  prophetic 
 truth,  such  as  all  mockery  around  the  cross  will 
 fundamentally  prove  to  have  been.  He  who 
 called  upon  his  God,  did  thereby  at  the  same 
 time  call  upon  his  forerunner  and  the  preparer 
 of  the  way  for  the  true  accomplishment  of  all 
 that  has  been  promised. 
 
 Nor  will  it  cease  till  the  great  day,  according 
 to  Mai.  vi.  5,  6  at  the  end  of  prophecy.  The 
 Elias-preaching  in  the  power  of  John — not 
 only  the  Baptist's  to  repentance,  but  the  Evan- 
 gelist's also  to  faith  and  love — will  be  difl'erent 
 from  that  which  has  gone  before.  For  the  Lord 
 will  bring  in  a  spealy  end  with  his  Church  and 
 humanity,  even  as  in  the  last  three  words  from 
 the  cross.  It  was  just  then,  when  the  potion 
 was  scornfully  given  to  his  thirst,  that  the  "  It 
 is  finished "  was  near.  Then  will  Israel  hear 
 it,  and  the  "Crucify"  will  be  changed  to  a  true 
 Hosanna,  when  he  is  seen  comii  g  in  hia  poor 
 congregations  and  feeble  hearts  throughout  all 
 naiions,  in  the  loud  witness  which  the  history 
 of  his  Church  will  give  to  the  fulfillment  of 
 Scriplure.j  Then  will  Israel  recognize  the 
 suflfering  Messiah  as  glorious  in  the  Spirit;  a 
 second  time  will  the  veil  l>e  rent,  the  veil  which 
 now  covers  their  hearts  ;  the  cloud  upon  the 
 law  and  the  prophets  will  disappear  before  the 
 light  of  the  Epislle  to  the  Hebrews  and  of  the 
 
 *  In  this  the  impatience  of  waiting  is  affect- 
 inj^ly  blended  with  tho  doubt  of  half-belief  and 
 the  scorn  of  unbelief. 
 
 t  The  true,  perfect,  and  clear  "  prophetic  the- 
 ology "  we  shall  not  have  till  ih'?  end  draws  nigh 
 (Dan.  xii.  4).  But  its  centre,  viewed  from  whicli 
 all  becomes  clear,  is  the  knowledge  of  the  suffer- 
 ings {\  Pet.  i.  11)  before  the  glory,  and  that  al.so 
 for  Christ  »«  h\»  people.  This  In.vt  will  be  raid© 
 plain  only  in  tho  iiistorical  fHlfiliment,  just  as  it 
 was  in  relation  to  Christ's  own  personal  huffer- 
 iugs. 
 
LUKE  XXIII.  34.  ETC. 
 
 701 
 
 Apocalypse,  of  Paul  and  John.  Then  will  all 
 nations  come,  the  consummation  break  forth  in 
 humanity,  and  the  counterpart  of  the  rerf'Af- 
 6vat  will  be  seen  in  tlie  kingdom  set  up. 
 
 But  that  will  be  a  kingdom  of  his  Spirit,  of 
 his  own  personality  now  consummated  in  his 
 people.  All  trust  of  humanity,  which  can  com- 
 mend itself  to  God  (as  it  is  expressed  by  Psa. 
 xxxi.,  therefore  chosen),  is  concentrated,  elevat- 
 ed, fulfilled  in  him.  His  enemies  are  beneath 
 his  feet ;  the  last  enemy  death  is  abolished  ; 
 and  for  eternity  the  Son  delivers  up  himself  with 
 
 his  redeemed  ones  to  tfie  Father  (1  Cor.  xv.  24- 
 26).  There  is  no  more  Sheol,  no  intermediate 
 place  or  condition  ;  only  the  depth  of  hell  re- 
 mains for  those  who  are  now  decisively  sepa- 
 rated from  him  and  the  Father,  because  the 
 hand  of  God  must  condemn  all  whom  it  cannot 
 receive  and  bless.  It  is  a  fearful  thing  to  fall 
 into  the  hands  of  the  living  God  without  atone- 
 ment and  forgiveness  (Heb.  x.  31)— a  blessed 
 thing  it  is,  to  be  given  into  the  hands  of  th* 
 Father  at  last  with  Christ  himself. 
 
THE  WORDS  OF  THE  RISEN  LORD. 
 
 FIRST  APPEARANCE  OF  THE  RISEN  LORD  TO  MARY  MAGDALENE. 
 John  xx.  15-17. 
 
 The  first  earthquake  upon  and  around  Gol- 
 gotha, extending  indeed  over  all  Jerusalem  to 
 tiie  temple  and  the  graves,  was  public  and 
 general ;  the  second  only  moves  the  stone  in  . 
 Joseph's  garden  and  scares  the  guards  away.  I 
 The  proper  resurrection  itself  was  secret,  alto- 
 gether secret,  to  man  ;  the  eye  of  no  earthly 
 watcher  saw  the  actual  resumption  of  the  body, 
 the  rising,  and  the  going  forth.  Before  the  sun 
 of  this  lower  world  had  risen  upon  the  third 
 day,  the  Sun  of  Righteousness  had  already 
 risen,  the  Bridegroom  had  gone  forth  from  his 
 chamber.  And  how  did  it  take  place?  By 
 the  divine  power  of  the  Father  in  the  Son. 
 That  might  indeed  have  passed  through  the 
 stone,  as  afterwards  throuudi  the  doors,  yea, 
 through^all  the  heavens  ;*  but  the  stone  rolled 
 away  wa's  to  be  the  first  sign — explaining  all — 
 for  the  children  of  men,  whether  enemies  or 
 friends;  and  here  was  something  for  the  minis- 
 try of  the  ever-ready  angels  too.  They  speak 
 first  to  the  troubled  ones,  and  at  once  announce, 
 by  shining  manifestation  and  by  words  yet 
 brighter,  what  had  taken  place.  But  the  Lord 
 himself  rejoices  in  silence  before  his  Father  and 
 his  God;  solemnizing  his  great  victory  in  the 
 human  foretaste  of  his  full  joy.  His  spirit 
 comes  back  from  the  lower  world  to  his  body, 
 leaving  his  commencing  conquests  there:  there 
 is  woawalcing  in  his  case,  as  those  imagine  who 
 wholly  rnisundenstand  the  descensus  ad  inferos 
 (descent  into  hell)  ;  and  yet  is  his  resurrection 
 the  consummation  of  his  great  victory,  and  he 
 celebrates  it  as  such.  Although  the  impulse 
 of  his  love  urged  him  at  once  to  the  company 
 of  his  own  upon  earth,  who  are  still  in  the  sor- 
 row of  death,  yet  he  does  not  overwhelm  them 
 with  sudden  surprise  at  his  glorious  re-appear- 
 ance, but  restains  himself,  yields  himself  to 
 their  view  by  degrees  regulated  in  the  highest 
 •wisdom   of  love.     Their  minds  are  gradually 
 
 *  Hence  many  of  the  fathers  actually  say  that 
 the  opening  of  the  sepulchre  took  place  after  the 
 Lord's  departure  from  it,  as  a  witness.  L6ssel 
 writes  against  this,  though  too  boldly  :  "  Was  not 
 the  Son  of  God  able  to  come  forth  from  liis  grave 
 without  the  ministration  of  an  aiiuel  to  take  away 
 the  stone — and  yet  will  the  children  of  m^»n  think 
 to  do  all  by  their  own  ingenuity  1"  Alas!  who 
 will  roll  away  the  stone  for  u*  ? 
 
 702 
 
 prepared,  each  one  according  to  its  tempera- 
 ment and  need.  Lampe  expresses  it :  "  Placuit 
 ei,  non  uno  ictu,  sed  gradatira  tanti  gaudii 
 amicos  suos  participes  reddere"  (It  pleased 
 him,  not  by  a  single  shock,  but  gradually  to 
 make  his  friends  partakers  of  so  great  a  joy). 
 
 There  is  confusion  at  the  sepulchre,  and 
 afterwards  in  the  little  room,  in  the  thoughts 
 and  acts  of  the  disciples,  like  the  clouds  around 
 the  rising  sun  ;  until  it  shone  fdrth  in  all  its 
 glory — The  Lord  is  risen  indeed  !  It  has  taken 
 place — and  yet  they  know  it,  they  believe  it, 
 not.  There  is  joy — and  yet  they  are  enveloped 
 in  deep  distress  ;  these  Apostles  are  doubting, 
 thinking,  and  waiting  longest  of  all.  Yet  there 
 is  a  latent  impulse  in  their  minds  which  drives 
 them  to  the  sepulchre;  a  heavenly  gaidanco 
 leads  some  among  them  at  least,  as  represent- 
 ing the  rest,  wiiose  thoughts  and  feelings  are 
 still  at  the  grave  of  their  Lord.  They  come  not 
 singly:  neither  ^Magdalene  (although  it  might 
 seem  so  at  first  from  John)  nor  the  disciples 
 whom  she  called — a  bond  of  love  has  been  al- 
 ready established  which  should  ripen  into  a 
 fellowship  of  blessedness.  The  true  and  deep 
 love  of  the  women  has  here  also  its  pre-emi- 
 nence. "  Novam  hoe  mulieres  viris  palmam 
 praeripiunt"  (These  women  snatch  away  a 
 new  palm  from  the  men),  says  Lampe;  but 
 adds,  not  quite  so  pertinently,  "  Et  sic  quoque 
 fas  erat  in  regno  Christi  ultimos  evadere  pri- 
 mos  "  (Thus  too  it  was  right  that  the  last  in  the 
 kingdom  of  Christ  should  become  first) — for  ir.. 
 the  sense  of  this  saying  the  women  were  not, 
 properly  speaking,  the  last. 
 
 They  know  of  the  stone  which  Joseph  had 
 rolled  to  the  sepulchre  ;  but  they  do  not  think 
 of  it  until  tiiey  have  approached  it :  of  guards 
 and  a  seal  they  know  nothing  ;  of  the  resurrec- 
 tion they  have  no  distant  presentiment :  they 
 only  desire  to  finish  the  anointing  of  the  boltj 
 which  had  been  abruptly  interrupted  by  tho 
 Sabbath.  Yet  a  most  secret  hope,  concealed 
 even  from  themselves  in  their  sorrowful  love, 
 seemed  to  lead  them  out,  as  it  were,  to  meet 
 the  resurrection.*     "  Their  running  was  in  tho 
 
 ♦  So  Krummacher  has  very  beautifully  depict- 
 ed it  in  his  sermon  on  Easter  morning  and  M  iry 
 Maijdalone.  We  shall  make  many  allusious  W 
 this  sermon. 
 
JOHN  XX.  15-17. 
 
 703 
 
 meanwhile  an  actual  going  forth  towards  the 
 resurrection  of  the  dead,  and  the  faith  and  ex- 
 perience of  the  life  of  Jesus  "  (Rieger)  Christ 
 already  lives  in  them ;  their  sorrowing,  seek- 
 ing, dependence  upon  hini,  and  going  alter 
 him,  is  actually  of  itself  the  pledge  of  the  res- 
 urrection ;  as  the  angels'  word.  Matt,  xxviii. 
 5,  6,  will  intimate  that,  always  and  every  where, 
 those  who  seek  the  Crucihed,  shall  lind  the 
 Eisen  Lord.*  Thus  these  women  and  disciples, 
 especially  Mary  Magdalene  (who  not  only,  as 
 Fikenscher  says,  takes  the  place  here  of  James, 
 in  company  with  Peter  and  John,  bat  is  still 
 more  highly  favored  by  the  first  appearance), 
 are  a  type  of  all  penitent  souls,  who  go  out  in 
 sorrow  to  meet  their  Easter  consolation. 
 
 The  narratives  of  the  several  visits,  which 
 have  been  deemed  inextricably  contradictory 
 by  the  ignorant  and  wilful,  have  been  easily 
 reconciled  by  believing  exposition,  one  way  or 
 another,  from  the  beginning.  John  mentions  at 
 first  only  Mary  Magdalene,  because  he  purposes 
 only  to  speak  concerning  her;  but  we  think, in 
 harmony  with  Matthew  and  Mark,  that  she 
 went  out;  with  the  other  women. f  Consistent- 
 ly with  this  it  is  quite  possible,  rather  quite 
 probable  from  the  passionate  temperament  of 
 the  Magdalene,  that  she  haste/ang  forward 
 reached  tlie  place  earlier;  and  to  this  the  dif- 
 ference between  Mark's  aycxtEiXayroi  r(;u 
 7)Xiov,  "at  the  rising  of  the  sun,"  and  John's 
 dHorta?  ETt  oi,6r]i,  "  while  it  was  yet  dark," 
 seems  to  lead.  Just  so  she  runs  back  again 
 (rpf'^ez,  John  xx.  2)  from  the  others  after 
 the  first  glimpse  of  the  open  grave  ;  with- 
 out having  approached  or  entered  it,  without 
 seeing  the  angel  upon  the  stone  (her  profound 
 grief  rendering  her  unsusceptible  to  this),  and 
 without  having  heard  his  words,  and  those  of 
 the  two  angels  within.  Then  come  the  others 
 to  the  sepulchre ;  the  angel,  he  who  sat  upon 
 the  stone  which  bore  the  seal  of  the  council, 
 speaks  to  them  (Matt.  ver.  6  J  sv  r  a,  i'dere 
 Tuv  ToTtov),  and  they  depart  in  haste,  as  he 
 commanded  them.  Yet  not  all.  They  are 
 probably  some  who  came  after,  or  who  now  re- 
 main, who  according  to  Luke  see  the  two  an  j;e!s 
 in  the  sepulchre,  who  receive  the  ri  ^Tjreirs^ 
 "  what  seek  ye?  "  (for  the  re^t,  however,  with 
 the  same  message  as  before,  a  similar  allusion 
 to  Christ's  word's),  and  according  to  Luke,  ver. 
 22-21,  merely  report  the  vision  of  the  angels.f 
 We  must  assume  that  Luke'3  information  was 
 not  exact  when  in  ver.  10  he  speaks  too  gener- 
 ally of  the  collective  women ;    but  Matthew 
 
 *  Or :  "No  man  can  sink  into  the  death  of  Christ 
 without  rising  in  his  resurrection." 
 
 t  Not,  with  Ebrard,  that  "Matthew  couples  the 
 going  out  of  Magdalene  with  that  of  the  ot,her 
 women,  quite  alter  his  manner." 
 
 X  Thus  do  we  solve,  in  the  way  most  harmr.ni- 
 ous  with  the  text  (although  other  methods  are  pos- 
 sible), the  seeming  contradiction — brought  forward 
 by  Cel^us — between  one  or  two  angels;  not  as 
 Lucke  thinks,  that  one  of  the  Evangelists  is  mis- 
 tikoa. 
 
 designs,  by  self-restriction,  or  was  appointed 
 by  tlie  Holy  Spirit,  not  to  record  the  appear- 
 ance to  Mary  Magdalene,  but  only  the  circum- 
 stance that  a  part  of  the  women  saw  the  Lord 
 in  the  way.  Generally  speaking,  the  Sun  of 
 the  true  resurrection  dispersed  by  his  bright- 
 ness the  clouds  which  accompanied  his  rising, 
 and  threw  them  in  some  sense  into  oblivion. 
 The  details  of  the  individual  appearances  befora 
 the  great  revelation  in  the  apostolical  circle, 
 fell  so  naturally  into  the  background,  that  sub- 
 sequent reflection  alone  attempted  to  arrange 
 them  ;  and  that  not  with  such  elaborate  exact- 
 ness as  was  left  to  our  later  criticism  ;*  unless 
 we  prefer  to  take  the  narratives  and  the  words 
 in  their  simplicity  (apart  from  the  polemical 
 necessity  of  refuting  the  investigations  of  in- 
 fidelity), just  as  the  Holy  Spirit  has  recorded 
 them — as  annourcements  which  on  such  a  sub- 
 ject transcend  all  the  petty  details  of  lower  his- 
 tory, in  which  every  utterance  breathes  the 
 spirit  and  life  of  the  great  event. 
 
 Thus  Magdalene  runs  back,  according  to 
 John,  ver.  2,  and  seeks  or  finds  those  two  of 
 the  Apostles  first,  whose  province  it  was  to  go 
 and  inspect  the  sepulchre.  Peter,  who  had 
 gained  courage  enough  to  join  himself  to  the 
 others,  f  had  united  himself,  since  his  fall,  yet 
 more  strictly  to  John.  They  both  come  to 
 the  sepulchre,  withijut  meeting  the  returning 
 women.  (Luke  mentions  only  Peter  in  ver. 
 12,  but  in  ver.  21  knows  of  certain  other.) 
 TheT/  have  taken  away  the  Lord  out  of  the 
 sepulchre,  and  ice  know  not  where  they  have 
 laid  him  !  Thus  ran  the  communication  to 
 them.  This  oi'6a/i£v  of  Magdalene  (for  which 
 Pol.  Leyser  read  viSa  /tsy,  and  the  Syr.  and 
 other  ofd  vers,  translate  it  in  the  sing.)  cannot 
 be  interpreted  impersonally,  when  connected 
 with  ^pa» — he  has  been  taken  away,  it  is  not 
 known  where.  This  would  be  frigid  indeed. 
 Pwather,  as  her  sorrow  forecasts  the  worst,  and 
 as  her  unbelief  thinks  more  of  the  hands  of 
 men  than  of  the  power  of  God,  she  shudder- 
 ingly  refers  to  the  enemies  of  Jesus — They 
 have  persecuted  him  to  the  grave,  and  have 
 now  denied  him  the  resting-place  which  had 
 been  granted  to  our  supplications.^  With  this 
 would  harmonize  the  general  "  we,"  as  contra- 
 distinguishing his  friends  and  disciples,§  were 
 
 *  Compare  what  Martensen  {BogmatiJc,  p.  8G1) 
 says  upon  this :  So  we  should  ex])ect  only  such 
 records  of  the  great  and  absorbing  fact  of  tlie 
 resurrection,  as  would  leive  the  coiemporaneous 
 details  uncared  for  in  its  fiist  great  imp:eision. 
 
 ■j-  For  we  may  not  say,  with  Sepp,  tint  "  the 
 remaining  Apostles  were  all  dispersed,  and  no  ou© 
 knew  rightly  concerning  any  otuer." 
 
 X  It  was  far  from  her  mind  to  think  of  mlhera 
 (as  Gi-otiu  ).  Still  less  are  we  satisfied  wiih  Klee  : 
 Friends  might  have  removed  him  to  aiioti.er  place, 
 to  secure  him  against  further  ill  treatment.  Ver. 
 15  is  adduc  d  in  corroboration  of  this,  but  wo 
 understand  that  passage  differently. 
 
 ^  Bengel :  "  Discipulornm  nomine,  quos  scribat 
 eadera  de  re  laborare. '     So  Ebrard. 
 
FIRST  APPEARANCE  TO  MARY  MAGDALENE. 
 
 it  not  that  this  "  we"  must  belong  to  the  an- 
 nouncement to  these  disciples,  and  therefore 
 distinguish  tlie  speakers  Irom  them.  Conse- 
 quently we  must  regard  the  company  of  at- 
 tendant women  as  glimmering  through  this 
 "Ave;"  and  therefore  inlcr  that  John  thereby 
 intimates  the  presence  of  others  with  Mary 
 Magdalene.*  For  although  the  others  after- 
 wards encountered  the  angels  pnd  heard  other- 
 wise from  them,  Mary  Magdalene  speaks  by 
 anticipation  in  their  name,  as  if  they  also 
 would  find,  like  herself,  nothing  else. 
 
 John,  reporting  concerning  himself  in  a 
 purely  objective  manner,  records  the  difference 
 between  the  two  disciples  in  their  running  and 
 inspection  ;  and  that  not  merely  as  personally 
 characteristic  of  either,  but  as  a  profound  sym- 
 bol of  spiritual  distinction  in  the  circle  of  dis- 
 ciples, even  in  connection  with  their  closest 
 union. t  Luther,  finally,  has  in  our  judgment 
 rightly  translated  the  £7ti6r£v6sv  of  ver.  8 — 
 "  He  believed  it ;"  adding  in  the  margin, 
 "  that  he  had  been  taken  awa}',  as  Mary  Mag- 
 dalene had  said."  So  Bengel:  "Vidit  et  cre- 
 didit;  vidit,  non  adesse  corpus  Jesu,  et  credidit, 
 id  fuisse  translatum,  ut  dixerat  Maria."  Stolz 
 andSeiler:  "And  convinced  himself."  Eras- 
 mus, Grotius,  Gerhard,  not  to  mention  others, 
 hold  the  same  view.  The  predominant  opinion 
 of  older  and  later  times,  however  confidently 
 maintained,  that  this  ni6rEvEiv  must  neces- 
 sarily indicate  a  faith,  though  only  dawning  or 
 germinant,  in  the  resurrection, X  appears  to  us 
 altogether  untenable.     The  next  verse  does  not 
 
 *  Bencel  in  the  Harmony  :  "  Yet  was  it  in  fact 
 one  united  company,  as  is  pre-supposed  by  John, 
 ver.  2."  So  Michaclis  and  others ;  Doedes,  also, 
 J)e  Jesu  in  vitam  reditu,  whom  Ebrard  opposes 
 without  reason,  Luthardt  rightly  refers  to  this 
 circumstance,  as  an  example  of  the  manner  in 
 which  the  Evangelist  throuahout  this  chapter 
 pre-supposes  the  historical  conLcuts  ot  the  oiher 
 Gospels. 
 
 f  Peter's  slowness  proceeded  not  from  aee,  or 
 depression  of  conscience ;  but  deeper  internal 
 love  here  as  ever  goes  faster  than  swiftness. 
 Tiien  again  John  is  satisfied  with  look  ny  into  the 
 grave,  and  a  deeper  feehtig  of  holy  awe  restrains 
 liim  from  ^oing  in  like  Peter.  (Wetstein,  with  as 
 much  folly  as  possible  :  "  Ne  pollueretur."  Gro- 
 tius, much  too  lamely:  "  Juveaili<juadam  ccnpo6- 
 Ciia.") 
 
 i  So  Cyril  and  Chrysostom,  then  Calvin,  Beza, 
 Lampe.  (Nonnus  sought  to  ^ave  the  connection 
 with  ver.  9  by  the  str.ange  modification :  itidrevEv 
 ort  ;t9of:Gj;'  and  xoXnojy  ovpavirjv  kni 
 ifi^ay  vTCr]yE^to<i  venvi,  tnrrj.)  So  very  de- 
 cisively Lnnge,  in  the  3il  cd.,  though  by  argu- 
 ments easily  refuted.  Neander  re>ts  upon  this 
 necessary  meaning  of  ntCrtvEiv  in  John's  phrase- 
 ology, which  also  decides  Alford.  So  also  Lnnge, 
 Klee,  B  -Crusius,  Richter,  Von  Gerlaoh,  and  Luth- 
 ardt. Iless,  leeling  the  historical  difficulty  of  this 
 believing,  strangely  interpreted — lie  began  to  con- 
 ceive some  hope  ;  though  he  admits  tliat  one  imght 
 find  in  the  words  confirmation,  as  well  as  reluu- 
 tion,  of  Mary's  suspicions. 
 
 agree  with  this  ;  the  emphasis  falls  there  opv 
 the  ayadrf/yai,  or  rising,  as  the  opposite  t« 
 that  which  they  did  believe.  For  certainly  it 
 is  altogether  wrong  to  regard  this  verse  as  giv- 
 ing the  reason  why  Peter  only  did  not  believi 
 — though  this  has  been  done,  in  spite  of  "  thev 
 knew  "  and  the  entire  connection.  Hezel  even 
 rendered  it,  "  But  the  others  did  not  understand 
 the  Scripture,  and  therefore  did  not  believe." 
 Fikenscher  says,  "  They  should  have  had  more 
 than  faith,  they  should  have  Inmon  it" — s<i 
 that  the  emphasis  would  fall  upon  the  muU,  af 
 taught  by  the  Scripture.*  But  such  a  dictinc- 
 tion  between  believing  and  knowing  is  foreign 
 to  John  ;  and  it  cannot  be  evaded  that  the  spe- 
 cific and  definite  passages,  Luke  xxiv.  11,  12, 
 41,  and  Mark  xvi.  14,  are  inconsistent  with 
 the  idea  that  any  one  of  the  disciples,  even 
 John  himself,  bad  any  faith  in  the  resurrection 
 at  this  time.f  Euthym.  says  on  ver.  9:  "He 
 explains  the  reason  why  they  did  not  before 
 believe  the  women  ;"  but  the  announcement 
 of  the  women  which  was  not  believed  did  not 
 come  till  afterwards.  That  none  of  the  Apos- 
 tles believed  at  first,  notwithstanding  the  ear- 
 lier appearances  to  the  women  which  might 
 have  stimulated  their  faith,  is  as  historically 
 certain  as  it  is  profoundly  signiGcant ;  and  we 
 cannot  regard  John  as  the  exceptional  first  be- 
 liever— before  Mary  Magdalene.  Indeed,  there 
 was  a  divine  design  in  suffering  them  to  see 
 the  empty  sepulchre,  with  all  its  ordered  ar- 
 rangements, "to  bring  them  by  these  special- 
 ties to  faith"  (as  the  Berlenh.  Bibel  says) — but 
 that  design  was  not  attained.  The  clothing 
 laid  by  said  symbolically,  that  "  the  form  of 
 sinful  "flesh  hitherto  borne  was  now  laid  aside; 
 and  that  the  Lord  Jesus  had  entered  a  lile 
 of  glory,  in  which  no  garments  or  other  cov- 
 ering would  ever  more  be  needful" — but  even 
 that  they  understood  not.  "They  might  in- 
 deed have  perceived  from  this  fact  that  neither 
 friends  nor  enemies  had  taken  him  away;  for 
 friends  would  not  have  taken  off  bis  garments, 
 and  enemies  would  not  have  so  carefully  ar- 
 ranged them  "  (Schmieder).  But  they  merely 
 marvelled;  they  thought  no  further;  this  was 
 all  they  believed — no  more  than  they  saw, 
 that  the  body  was  actually  not  in  the  sepul- 
 chre. This  is  the  simple  meaning  of  "  and  he 
 saw  and  believed,"  a  phrase  which  John  de- 
 signedly uses  :  employing  the  word  m6rEvcty, 
 elsewhere  and  afterwards  used  with  so  lofty  a 
 meaning  as  an  inexpressibly  beautiful  ironi/ — 
 which  has  confused  the  expositors.  Augustine 
 has  given  this  view  in  his  own  clear  manner  : 
 "Some,  not  carefully  reading,  think  that  John 
 here  believed  in  the  resurrection  of  Jesus  ;  but 
 that  which  follows  intimates  otherwise.  What 
 did  he  mean  when  he  added  that  they  did  not 
 
 *  This  is  at  least  better  than  with  Tholuck  to 
 fake  the  pSstday  in  a  forced  pluj)erfect  sense 
 — They  bad  not  unCU  now  understood  iLe  Scrip- 
 ture. 
 
 •f  For  it  is  mere  .irbitrary  presumption  to  insert, 
 as  Klee  does,  "John  and  Peter  eipecled." 
 
JOHN  XX.  15-17. 
 
 705 
 
 Jit  understand  the  Scripture  that  he  must  rise 
 from  the  dead  ?  That  he  therefore  did  not  be- 
 lieve him  to  have  risen,  because  he  did  not 
 know  that  he  must  rise.  What  was  it  he  saw, 
 and  believed  ?  He  saw  the  empty  sepulchre, 
 and  believed  what  the  women  had  said,  that  he 
 was  taJcen  aicay  from  the  sepulchre."  "  The 
 grave  is  empty.  The  Lord's  body  is  no  longer 
 therein."  This,  and  only  this,  was  the  first 
 Easter  tidings,  disguised  in  sorrow.  The 
 •women  had  seen  nothing  more  at  the  begin- 
 ning, at  least  Magdalene  had  seen  nothing 
 more;  for  the  traces  of  the  earthquake,  the 
 careful  arrangement  of  the  inside  of  the  sepul- 
 chre, and  so  forth,  they  had  neither  eyes  nor 
 thought.  The  two  disciples,  therefore,  wanted 
 to  be  convinced  only  of  that  which  had  been 
 testified  to  them.  John  had  gone  in  doubt 
 •whether  this  was  possible;  but  now  that  he 
 sees  it  with  his  own  eyes,  he  must  believe.  He 
 does  believe  it  fully,  but  believes  nothing  more 
 than  he  sees. 
 
 But  let  us  come  back  to  Mary  Magdalene, 
 whose  proper  relation  to  the  occurrences  of  the 
 resurrection  morning  it  was  necessary  for  us 
 thus  to  determine.  It  speaks  much  in  favor  of 
 the  view  which  we  have  taken,  that  the  disciples 
 return  home  again — not  waiting  for  his  pro- 
 mised return  at  the  sepulchre,  in  the  garden  of 
 manifestation.  But  Mary,  who  had  returned 
 again  with  the  two,  goes  not  back  again  ;  for 
 she  clings  more  closely  than  John  himself,  and 
 is  of  all  the  troubled  ones  the  most  troubled. 
 Her  Lord,  who  had  saved  her  from  the  power 
 of  the  seven  devils,  is  alone  in  her  mind  ;  noth- 
 ing that  occurs  has  any  influence,  either  to 
 make  her  wonder  or  make  her  think.  She 
 cannot  leave  the  sepulchre  ;  she  remains  stand- 
 ing there  a  while — and  then  finally  looks  again 
 within.*  Now  there  must  be  a  great  revulsion. 
 At  first,  it  was  as  Pfenninger  paints  :  "  All 
 things  were  as  beautiful  as  they  could  be 
 around  the  sleeping  room  of  the  King's  son, 
 which  he  had  left.f  The  odoriferous  air,  the 
 bright  morning  sun,  the  pure  blue  heaven,  the 
 jubilant  songs  of  birds,  the  blooming  garden — 
 but  all  was  of  no  account  to  Mary.  She  is 
 not  thinking  of  the  King's  son  as  gone  out  of 
 his  chambers,  but  as  murdered,  and  his  sepul- 
 chre desecrated,  his  body  stolen ;  she  thinks 
 only  of  him,  and  her  last  consolation  gone,  her 
 purpose  is  to  take  no  comfort,  but  to  weep  her 
 
 soul  away."  When  she  opens  her  eyes,  not 
 involuntarily,  but  to  behold  once  more  and 
 more  closely  the  sad  reality ;  when  she  looks 
 directly  into  the  sepulchre* — she  beholds  two 
 angels.  Peter  and  John  saw  none,  for  they 
 could  not,  and  it  was  not  appointed  that  they 
 should,  see  any  ;  Mary  Magdalene,  on  the  con- 
 trary, was  to  be  roused  to  attention,  and  thus 
 elevated  step  by  step  from  her  deep  prostration. 
 The  appearance  and  vanishing  of  an  angel  is 
 not  a  "  most  alarming  circumstance  to  begin 
 with,"  and  certainly  no  "  marvellous  capricious 
 hiding  and  seeking  ; "  but  all  is  simply  volun- 
 tary and  appointed.  In  this  we  may  confi- 
 dently adopt  Ebrard's  words,  as  well  as  those 
 of  Olahausen,  who  deduces  from  this  history 
 that  "angels  have  the  power  to  make  them- 
 selves visible  and  invisible" — if  that  is  not 
 self-understood  in  relation  to  angels.  Yet  with 
 this  objective  truth  we  may  in  some  sense  con- 
 nect the  subjective  susceptibility  for  a  higher 
 seeing :  not  as  Lange  makes  the  angels  alto- 
 gether internal ;  but  that  the  visibility  of  the  an- 
 gels is  dependent  upon  the  existing  wakefulness, 
 or  susceptibility  of  that  eye  which  can  alone 
 behold  angels.f  The  application  of  this  to  the 
 narrative  of  the  resurrection  morning  we  must 
 discover  in  our  own  thoughtful  reflection.  The 
 same  Magdalene,  who  at  first  saw  not,  sees  af- 
 terwards in  her  heightened  longing;  but  the  in- 
 vestigating Apostles  have  no  eyes  for  angels, 
 and  these,  therefore,  await  the  eyes  of  the  wo- 
 men alone.  Further,  we  may  say  with  Bengel : 
 "  There  may  have  been  two  other  angels  which 
 Mary  Magdalene  afterwards  saw.  The  angels 
 in  John  hadanother  ministry  than  those  of  the 
 other  three  Evangelists."  They  sit,  one  at  the 
 bead  and  the  other  at  the  feet,  where  the  body 
 of  Jesus  had  lain  ;  as  it  were  to  show  "  that 
 Jesus  was  from  his  head  to  his  feet  in  the  pro- 
 tection of  his  Father  and  his  angels  ;  so  that 
 no  human  might  could  disturb,  or  could  have 
 invaded  him  in  the  rest  of  the  sepulchre  " — as 
 Fikenscher  most  suggestively  says. 
 
 Woman.,  ichy  loeei^eat  thou  ?  The  affectionate 
 commencement  of  sympathizing  words,  which, 
 in  order  to  console,  would  open  the  hearer's 
 heart  by  expression  of  sympathy  :  comp.  Luke 
 xxiv.  17.  This  is  the  first  obvious,  external 
 aspect  of  the  angel-word,  which,  however,  in 
 the  thoughts  of  these  heavenly  spirits,  con- 
 cealed much  more  •.  Whv  weepest  thou  so  alto- 
 gether without  cause  ?  'Behold  the  place  where 
 he  lay — he  is  no  longer  dead !  J/  thou  hadst 
 found  his  body,  thou  mightest  weep  uideed..t 
 
 *  "  When  they  found  hun  not,  they  went  back 
 aga'n  together.  How  loftily  does  Mary's  !ove  rise 
 ^bove  theirs  !  She  thought  not  of  goin?  back ; 
 rather  would  she  have  breathed  her  life  away, 
 than  leave  the  place  where  she  had  seen  him  the 
 last  time."  This  hyperbole  of  the  preacher  Al- 
 bertini  is  better,  however,  than  Bengel's  cold  re- 
 mark in  the  Harmony — "  She  was  weary."  It  is 
 better  in  the  Gnomon — "  With  greater  persever- 
 ance." 
 
 \  His  attendants  have  g-acefully  arranged  all 
 things  after  him. 
 
 *  For  itapanvTtTEtv  is  certainly  r\oi—cursim 
 velut  atque  obiter  inspiccre — to  behold  in  passing. 
 
 f  This  is  otcr  canon.  Compare  something  sim- 
 ilar in  Lticke,  3d  ed.  p.  781. 
 
 ^  Driiseke  prosecutes  further,  and  in  a  very 
 beautiful  way,  the  allegorical  words  :  She  wept 
 without,  before  the  sepulchre.  This  was  natural. 
 What  can  we  do  other  than  weep,  as  long  as  we 
 stand  before  a  grave  1  But  look  into  it  fixedly, 
 look  death  steadily  in  the  face,  and  its  terror  is 
 "one.     Tlie  grave  is  empty  to  the  hand  (the  inves- 
 
706 
 
 FIRST  APPEARANCE  TO  MARY  MAGDALENE. 
 
 The  angels  would  proceed  to  give  her  consola- 
 tion, and  tell  her  what  the  other  women  had 
 heard.  But  Mary  will  hear  nothing  more;  she 
 interrupts  them  at  the  first  word  about  her 
 weeping — Should  I  not  weep?  and  pours  out  the 
 same  lamentation  in  touching  simplicity  to  the 
 angels  now  which  the  Apostles  had  heard  be- 
 fore. Does  she  not  know  the  angels  whom  she 
 sees  sitting  in  white — and  is  she  not  terrified  at 
 thern  ?  Ah  !  she  is  so  altogether  swallowed  up 
 of  the  sorrow  which  .forgot  every  thing  else, 
 that  all  who  live  and  speak,  whether  angels  or 
 men,  are  alike,  and  alike  indifferent  to  her. 
 She  has  only  her  Lord,  and  his  body  taken 
 away,  in  her  thoughts  ;  her  absorbed  soul  has 
 no  room  for  astonishment  even  at  an  appear- 
 ance of  angels.*  There  is  only  one  touch 
 which  intensifies  this  repetition  of  her  sorrow- 
 ful cry.  To  the  Apostles,  ver.  2,  she  had  spok- 
 en of  "  (he  Lord  " — our  Lord,  in  common — but 
 now,  before  these  strangers,  although  they  are 
 angels,  she  appropriates  to  herself  the  beloved 
 dead,  and  speaks  with  a  sensibility  which  the 
 interval  had  rendered  more  keen — Mi/  Lord. 
 Should  not  I,  a  poor  womayi,  weep  for  that? 
 Fikenscher  incorrectly  assumes  that  she  be- 
 trayed thereby  her  feeling  that  the  men  in 
 white  were  neither  angels  nor  friends  of  Jesus. 
 No,  she  has  no  thought  as  to  who  had  spoken 
 and  interrupted  her  weeping  ;  she  speaks  sim- 
 ply from  the  profound  depth  of  her  emotion. 
 Is  it  not  a  deep  grief  that  one  who,  like  Mag- 
 dalene, had  been  forgiven  and  saved  by  the 
 Lord,  and  learned  to  know  him,  and  enjoy  his 
 communion,  should  now  be  left  with  the  feeling 
 of  Magdalene  in  the  world  without  him,  stand- 
 ing belore  his  grave,  desecrated  by  his  enemies — 
 not  knowing  concerning  his  body  what  had 
 become  of  it?  So  may  many  in  after  times 
 have  wept  for  a  while,  when  the  unbelief  of 
 the  opposer  has  taken  away  his  Easter  conso- 
 lation and  therefore  his  Lord,  leaving  him  noth- 
 ing more  of  his  kingdom  of  heaven  than  the 
 empty  eepulchre  and  an  "  I  know  not  where." 
 Yet  such  sorrow  and  distress  endures  not  long ; 
 and  one  day  of  such  waiting  before  the  sepul- 
 chre, as  the  outer  court  of  the  glory  of  God,  is 
 better  than  a  thousand  spent  in  the  secure 
 tents  of  the  ungodly  (Psa.  Ixxxiv.  10).  My 
 Jjyrd — that  is  spoken  by  the  hidden  laith  of 
 love.  "  Deep  within  her  soul  sits  another 
 blessed  angel,  who,  without  her  knowledge, 
 gives  her  more  comfort  than  the  angels  with- 
 
 tisating  hand,  of  course,  like  that  of  Peter) — but 
 to  the  longing  of  love,  angels  are  within,  messen- 
 gers of  peace." 
 
 *  Bengel :  "  Non  attendit,  quis  quid  in  sepul- 
 chre loqueretur.  Jesuni  quajrit."  Krunimacher  : 
 ''In  the  persons  of  these  two  angels  two  brieht 
 beams  of  the  Resurrection-sun  shine  full  into  her 
 lace  ;  and  yet  she  does  not  know  that  it  is  Easter. 
 She  leaves  the  angels  sitting,  and  goes  forth  to 
 weep ;  and  might  not  the.se  heavenly  beings  have 
 (smiled  at  tlie  neglect,  and  thought  "that  they  had 
 never  b<j(ore  been  so  little  regarded  as  by  this 
 BobbiUij  Mary  1  " 
 
 out ;  and  to  that  angel's  ministry  must  we 
 ascribe  it  that  she  despaired  not.  It  was  the 
 angel  of  a  slender,  but  real  and  inward,  hope" 
 (Krummacher).  Yes,  verily,  love  believes 
 even  in  the  midst  of  unbelief,  hopes  even  the 
 greatest  things  even  in  the  midst  of  profound- 
 est  sorrow  :  all  this  we  see  in  the  Magdalene. 
 The  place  where  the  Lord  lay — so  said  the  an- 
 gels. They  have  taken  away  the  Lord — My 
 Lord — so  says  Magdalene.  The  word  "  Lord" 
 conies  out  gradually  into  all  its  Easter  clear- 
 ness. 
 
 Then  the  Lord  himself  appears.  Mark's  as- 
 surance must  be  vindicated,  that  he  first  ap- 
 peared to  Mary  Magdalene  ;  for  his  statement 
 shows  us  that  this  first  manifestation  was  held 
 without  doubt  by  the  body  of  the  disciples.* 
 But  John  alone  was  capable  of  recording,  and 
 lie  alone  was  honored  to  record,  in  their  incom- 
 parably beautiful  conciseness  and  depth,  the 
 particulars  of  this  scene.  We  have  already 
 remarked  that  Mary  most  naturally  interrupts 
 the  angels;  with  this  alone  seems  to  accord  the 
 expression:  vaCra  eiTtoCda,  edrpdq}}^  e/5  ra 
 07Ii6g3,  "  When  she  had  so  said  she  turned  her- 
 self about."  We  are  not  licensed,  with  Chrys. 
 and  Theoph.,  to  assume  that  the  angels,  sud- 
 denly beholding  the  Lord  himself,  broke  off 
 and  pointed  out  to  her  what  made  Mary  herself 
 turn  round.  (Theoph.  artificially  appends : 
 rolf  ^iy  dyysXoLi  tvxov  Iv  kHnXyrvoyTL 
 6)C7'ii^aTt  i(pdv7],  rrj  Si  Mania  ovxsrt,  dXX' 
 £v  £vteXei  xai  xoiy gj.)  Nor  may  we  say 
 with  Fikenscher,  that  "  the  Lord  spiritually 
 attracts  her  to  turn  round" — or,  in  contrast, 
 with  B.-Crusius,  that  she  turned  round  "  upon 
 hearing  a  movement."!  But  the  ravra  eliiov- 
 6a  tells  us  that  Mary  herself  had  turned  away 
 from  the  coming  word  of  comfort — in  order 
 that  she  might  turn  toward  and  seek  the  Be- 
 loved One  whom  she  would  find.  Ebrard  well 
 states  it :  "  And  therewith  she  turns  round, 
 that  she  might  uninterruptedly  weep.  But 
 there  stands  another  man  hifore  her,  and  asks, 
 Why  weepest  thou?  Whom  seekest  thou?" 
 Now  she  should  no  longer  weep,  but  find  him 
 to  her  joy.  Yet  she  knows  not  this  man,  and 
 does  not  "discern  the  Lord  for  whom  she  weeps! 
 How  then  was  that?  May  we  say  with  Tho- 
 luck,  that  "  his  death  of  agony  had  made  his 
 features  unrecognizable?"  or,  still  more  harshly 
 with  Hasse,  "  that  he  was  dkfigured  by  the 
 deeply  engraven  marks  of  pain  ?  "  We  think 
 that  such  thoughts  are  altogether  unworthy  of 
 a  correct  view  of  the  resurrection — not  to  men- 
 tion the  intimations  given  elsewhere  in  the 
 Evangelists  of  the  glory  of  his  manifestations. 
 Or  did  Jesus  stand  before  her  (as  Herder  thinks) 
 "  in  a  disguise  ?  "     Or  did  he  at  first  show  him- 
 
 *  Neander's  "  First  to  the  women  who  had  gon« 
 away  belore,  then  to  Mary  who  remained  behind  " 
 is  one  of  his  crbitrary  supposiiions.  The  time 
 may  very  well  be  adjusted  with  Mark. 
 
 t  Ilezel  made  this  turning  no  less  than  a  return 
 to  the  city,  so  reconciling  the  scene  with  the  other 
 appeal  ance  in  Matthew,  of  which  more  anon. 
 
JOHN  XX.  15-17. 
 
 707 
 
 to  Mary  Iv  hrepqc  fiop(pj},  "in  another  form," 
 as  Mark  says  concerning  the  manifestation  at 
 Emmaus,  but  not  concerning  this  one?  Scarce- 
 ly so  ;  the  simple  and  right  solution  seems  to 
 OS  to  be  that  Mary  only  partially  looks  up  and 
 does  not  in  her  grief  steadily  look  ;  she  sees 
 Jesus  standing  before  her  as  a  man,  but  does 
 not  see  that  it  is  Jesus.  That  which  is  so  in- 
 finitely far  from  our  thoughts,  as  the  resurrec- 
 tion of  lier  Lord  was  from  hers,  we  would  not 
 see  or  discern,  even  if  standing  before  our  eyes. 
 "Her  tears  weave  a  veil  which  conceals  him 
 who  stands  before  her  from  her  view.  The 
 seeking  for  the  dead  hinders  our  finding  the 
 living."  Draseke  is  right  here,  though  not  in 
 referring  the  same  to  the  disciples  on  the  way 
 to  Emmaus. 
 
 Woman,  why  tceepest  thou  ?  This  fird  word 
 of  the  liisen  Lord  to  a  mortal  is  an  inexhaustible 
 text  for  the  resurrection — to  unfold  which  is 
 the  province  of  the  preacher.  He  has  risen 
 again  to  comfort  those  who  mourn.  Even  the 
 "woman"  has  its  deep  significance  in  many 
 ways.  He  first  in  his  sacred  dignity  addresses 
 this  Mary,  as  he  had  addressed  his  mother 
 from  the  cross,  by  the  general  and  common  ap- 
 pellation, before  the  individualizing  and  affec- 
 tionately appealing  "  Mary  "  follows — thus  in- 
 timating how  highly  he  is  exalted  above  every 
 particular  personal  relationship.  But  the 
 dignity  of  the  female  sex  restored  in  the  re- 
 generation of  humanity  is  reflected,  and  not 
 fortuitously,  in  this  Jirsl  word  of  the  Conqueror 
 of  pain  and  death ;  and  there  is  in  it,  further,  a 
 condescending  reference  to  the  appointed  deeper 
 grief  of  woman's  nature.  He  seems  to  speak 
 just  as  the  angel  had  spoken,  in  simple  and 
 insignificant  words ;  but  the  simple  word, 
 when  uttered  by  him,  involves  a  more  lofty 
 meaning  at  this  significant  moment.  Thus 
 this  second  time  the  "  Why  weepest  thou  ? " 
 penetrates  the  weeping  heart  with  intenser 
 keenness ;  and  the  new  word  which  follows — 
 Whom  seekesi  thou  ? — touches  the  inmost  secret 
 of  this  sorrowful  heart.  This  is  different  from 
 the  more  concealed  "  What  seek  ye  ?  "  in  the 
 beginning  of  the  Gospel  (chap.  i.  SS).  For  his 
 person  is  now  plainly  referred  to,  that  which 
 had  already  been  manifested  to  Mary,  and  was 
 to  be  yet  more  gloriously  manifested.  Thus, 
 weeping  and  seeking  bring  Jesus  to  us.  He  is 
 risen  to  dry  up  the  tears  of  all  who  weep,  if 
 they  will  receive  this  blessing  at  his  hand — how 
 much  more  all  those  tears  which  are  shed  in 
 the  disconsolate  seeking  for  himself!  Thus  in 
 this  first  word  of  the  resurrection  we  have  the 
 reason  given  why  the  Magdalene  received  the 
 honor  of  the  Lord's  first  manifestation — she 
 was  the  most  troubled,  the  most  inconsolable 
 of  all.  His  love  draws  him  to  all  who  weep 
 for  him  in  love  :  this  is  the  sole  law  which 
 reigns  here,  and  breaks  through  every  other 
 gradation  in  rank.  For  this  reason  and  not  on 
 account  of  his  rank  (since  his  name  comes  last)* 
 
 *  Much  thatr  has  been  written   about  the  ar- 
 rangement of  the  appearances  may  be  regarded 
 
 was  the  angel  commissioned  to  say — Tell  his 
 disciples  ami  Peter. 
 
 The  angels  probably  designed  to  continue, 
 when  Mary  interrupted  them.  But  the  Lord 
 restrains  himself,  and  seeks  her  answer.  Yet 
 Mary  is  not  roused  from  her  sorrow  ;  she  does 
 not  look  closely  at  him,  but  replies  to  him  as 
 believing  that  she  was  speaking  to  the  graden- 
 er.  "  The  hodt/,  the  beloved  body,  fills  and  per- 
 vades all  her  feeling  ;  there  is  no  place  for  her 
 friend,  even  the  living"  (Albertini).  That  is, 
 she  was  still  sunk  in  thoughts  of  death,  having 
 died  with  the  Beloved  One.  Yet  there  is,  at 
 the  same  time,  in  her  awakening  supposition 
 as  to  who  it  was  that  spoke  to  her  aeain,  a  re- 
 turning consciousness  of  external  things  which 
 was  excited  by  the  secret  influence  of  the  so 
 gracious  voice ;  and  this  transition  was  neces- 
 sary in  order  that  she  might  be  able  to  bear 
 the  sudden  revelation  which  awaited  her. 
 Therefore  she  at  first  thinks  of  the  overseer  of 
 the  garden,  who  might  be  thus  early  at  the 
 place:  nothing  further  is  to  be  sought;  in  this 
 circumstance.*  Her  words  to  the  supposed 
 gardener  are  in  the  highest  degree  artless,  and 
 produce  in  our  minds,  knowing  as  we  do  that 
 she  was  speaking  to  the  Lord,  a  strange  im- 
 pression. First,  it  is  observable,  as  a  further 
 transition  from  her  state  of  deep  and  dark  sor- 
 row, that,  softened  as  it  were  by  the  reiterated 
 expression  of  sympathy,  she  gives  up  her  former 
 gloomy  supposition,  and  expresses  the  new  idea 
 
 as  mere  trifling,  which  might  better  be  omitted. 
 For  instance  (to  quote  only  one  instance)  Geiler 
 of  Keisersberg  thus  allegorizes  :  "  There  are  three 
 sorts  of  men  to  whom  our  Lord  Christ  appears  in 
 this  day  with  his  gifts  of  grace.  To  some  he  ap- 
 pears in  early  morning  gardener-wise — these  are 
 the  men  who  have  long  continued  in  sin,  but  are 
 beginning  to  repent.  To  others  he  appears  in 
 pilgrim-fashion  at  mid-day — these  are  those  who 
 are  progressing  well.  To  the  rest  he  appears  in 
 his  own  person  late — these  are  the  perfect." 
 
 *  Natural  as  this  is,  it  d,oes  not  content  many 
 who  have  all  kinds  of  notions  about  our  Saviour's 
 garments.  Paulus  discovered  that  the  amnzed 
 family  of  the  gardener  hastened  to  the  sepulchre 
 (the  children  in  white  clothing,  being  taken  for 
 anaels !)  and  provided  garments.  This  we  find 
 reproduced  in  a  celebrated  commentaiy  :  "  Prob- 
 ably lie  had  put  on  gardener's  clothing,  the  family 
 of  the  owner  of  the  garden  (to  whom  he  first 
 showed  himself!)  havrng  given  them  to  him." 
 Hug's  thought  (assented  to  by  Lilcke  and  Tholuck), 
 though  it  seems  more  reverent,  is  not  much  better: 
 "  The  Lord  was  crucified  with  an  apron  about  his 
 loins,  subligaculum,  lumbare,  and  probably  bu  led 
 with  it :  this  being  similar  to  that  worn  by  gar- 
 deners and  laborers  in  the  field,  occasioned  his 
 being  taken  for  the  gardener,"  We  prefer  to  say 
 concerning  the  clothing  of  the  Risen  Lord  (on 
 which  Carpzov  wrote  a  treatise)  with  Olshausen  : 
 "  The  question  must  be  answered  as  we  wouUl  an- 
 swer that  concerning  the  clothing  of  the  angels." 
 So  with  Fikenscher :  "His  glorified  form  needed 
 earthly  garments  no  longer,  and  assumed  a  differ- 
 ent vesture,  like  the  angels,  whenever  he  appeared 
 to  the  disciples." 
 
708 
 
 FIRST  APPEARANCE  TO  MARY  MAGDALENE. 
 
 — that  "  probably  not  enemies  but  people  with 
 no  evil  design  had  removed  the  body."  (So 
 B.-Crusiu3  rightly  urges,  against  the  argument, 
 which  Klee  deduces,  that  she  had  not  from  the 
 beginning  thought  of  enemies.)  Then  let  it 
 be  observed  that  she  thrice  says  only  avrov, 
 him,  without  mentioning  whom  she  means  ; 
 for  it  is  to  her  as  if  every  one  must  know  that. 
 So  the  Shulamite,  Cant.  iii.  3,  cries  to  the  watch- 
 man: "Saw  ye  him  whom  my  soul  loveth?" 
 Hence  the  Franciscan  brother  Bertholdt :  "  See 
 how  warm  and  earnest  was  her  true  love  to 
 our  Lord  for  whom  she  was  weeping !  she 
 thought  that  all  must  know  what  her  feelings 
 toward  him  were."  Further,  how  innocent  in 
 its  fidelity,  how  confident  in  her  address  to  the 
 man — 2'ell  me  where  thou  hast  borne  him. 
 Lange  thinks  she  "  hoped  that  thn  gardener,  a 
 faithful  disciple,  might  have  carried  the  body  to 
 a  place  of  security  from  the  crafty  and  un- 
 scrupulous plots  of  his  enemies  ;  "  but  this  is 
 not  verjr  probable,  for  it  argues  too  much  re- 
 flection in  the  midst  of  the  storm  of  her  pas- 
 sion.* Still  less  can  we  agree  with  Ebrard 
 that  she  "  speaks  as  it  were  impatiently,  be- 
 cause thus  again  interrupted  ;  "  for  that  would 
 have  been  a  very  inappropriate  tone  of  mind 
 to  prepare  for  the  blessedness  which  immediately 
 follows,  and,  moreover,  is  contradicted  by  the 
 KvpiE,  "  sir,"  with  which  she  addresses  the 
 unknown  person  in  the  extreme  of  respect,  as 
 well  as  by  the  confidential  air  of  her  whole  say- 
 ing. A  certain  confusion  which  seizes  her,  in 
 connection  with  the  secret  consolation,  and  the 
 constrained  turn  given  to  her  feelings,  best  ex- 
 plains the  question  which  holds  fost  the  one 
 object  of  her  sorrow  and  longing — Hast  thou 
 taken  him  away  ?  Thus  she  characteristically 
 confounds  the  living  person  of  him  whom  she 
 loved  and  the  bodi/  taken  away  ;  and  would 
 have  him  again — that  she  might  bury  him 
 again,  bear  him  again  to  his  place.  (She,  the 
 weak  woman,  says — And  I  will  taJce  him  away, 
 very  different  from  the  anxious — Who  will  roll 
 us  away  the  stone  ?  This  is  her  last  and  most 
 artless  confusion.)  All  this  she  says  to  him- 
 self, the  Risen  One,  who  had  raised  himself  from 
 the  sepulchre  by  divine  power.  0  Mary,  they 
 could  not  have  talcen  him  away  ;  no  other  had 
 removed  him  from  his  rest.  So  may  we  cry, 
 and  pcradvcnture  forget  how  like  her  we  should 
 be  in  our  despondency,  sin,  and  unbelief;  and 
 how  easily  we  ourselves  fail  to  discern  his  form 
 and  voice  v.'hen  he  stands  before  us,  thinking  it 
 the  gardener,  the  preacher,  the  man,  belonging 
 to  tlie  place. 
 
 It  was  necessary  that  we  should  thus  think 
 upon  and  feel  the  force  of  her  interjection,  in 
 order  to  understand  in  all  its  depth  the  emphat- 
 ic word,  Mary!  by  which  the  Lord  breaks  in 
 upon  this  marvellous  confusion  of  her  softened 
 sorrow   and  dawning   hope.     His    voice   had 
 
 *  Else,  indeed,  his  words  of  comfort  might  have 
 sounded  to  her  as  if,  knowiiiK  or  supposinji  that 
 she  sought  the  l;ody,  he  would  conce.il  from  lier 
 the  removal  of  which  he  had  lakou  c.iro. 
 
 been  restrained  (though  not  disguised)  m  the 
 former  questioning,  but  now  when  he  calls  her 
 by  name,  and  effectually  awakens  her,  it  re- 
 sumes its  former  tone  of  perfect  gentleness — "  as 
 if  he  was  continuing  one  of  his  former  conver- 
 sations with  her  "  (as  Pfenninger  expresses  it — 
 not  in  the  majesty  of  his  new  life,  for  this 
 would  have  oppressed  instead  of  comforting, 
 her  weak  soul).  This  voice  she  knows — by 
 this  she  was  to  recognize  him,  thus  and  not 
 otherwise  was  she  to  receive  him  back  again  at 
 this  moment.*  We  perceive  that  the  adorable 
 Prince  of  victory,  returning  from  the  sepulchre, 
 has  human  sensibility,  and  speaks  to  human 
 sensibility,  as  far  as  it  is  expedient  to  do  so. 
 How  profoundly  affecting  is  it  that  such  a  word 
 of  sensibility,  so  humanly  spoken  to  humanity, 
 should  first  fall  from  his  lips,  before  the  sub- 
 lime words  follow  which  speak  of  his  return  to 
 his  Father  !  One  word,  the  calling  her  by 
 name,  as  an  expression  of  intimate  confidence, 
 in  all  his  manifestation  of  himself  to  Mary.  In 
 one  corresponding  word  she  utters  naturally 
 her  bewildered  astonishment.  2  r  pa  (pei6  a, 
 she  turned  her.elf,  says  John,  once  more.  Not 
 that  she  had  turned  again  to  the  sepulchre  when 
 she  said,  "  I  will  take  him  away  "f — but  now 
 first  does  she  entirely  turn  to  him  who  spoke 
 and  called  her;  she  sees  as  she  had  heard — It  is 
 he  !  and  falls,  before  him  clinging  to  his  feet. 
 (B.-Cruaius  says  correctly:  "''E6rpd(prj  ver. 
 14  denoted  a  half  turning ;  then  in  ver.  16  fol- 
 lows 6Tpaq)El6a.")  In  this  RabhoniX  is  breath- 
 ed her  whole  soul ;  the  conscious  and  inexpres- 
 
 *  The  affectionate  tone,  accompanied  by  a 
 Slance  of  his  eye  (comp.  Luke  x.>cii.  61),  in  both 
 which  his  perfect  love  manifested  itself  to  the  eye 
 and  ear."  So  Hasse  {Das  Leben  des  verkldrtea  Er- 
 liissers,  Leipz.  1854) — Out  the  jjlance  came  after- 
 wards, when  she  hearing  the  voice  turned  towards 
 him.  It  is  surprising  that  Hasse  seems  to  identify 
 Magdalene  with  the  sinner  of  Luke  vii. 
 
 ■}■  So  some  one  preached,  and  adds  :  "  She  aeeis 
 Jesus  with  hot  tears,  and  yet  turns  away  from  him, 
 because  siie  knows  him  not."  How  sliould  she 
 tiien  wish  to  sp?ak  again  to  the  angels,  from 
 whom  slie  had  already  turned  away  "]  How 
 should  she  wi.sh  to  turn  away  fiom  him  to  whom 
 she  hid  said — Tell  me  where  thou  hast  laid  him  1 
 We  cannot  regard  Mary  (with  Luthardt)  as  b  ing 
 so  renlkss  that,  even  after  questioning  the  man  in 
 the  garden,  her  glance  must  again  turn  to  the 
 sepulchre.  Better  is  Meyer's  note,  that  6rpa- 
 rpEida  means  at  the  sime  time,  She  came  to  a  differ- 
 ent m  nd — :hough  this  is  only  as  the  secret  mean- 
 ing of  tha  exLernal  act. 
 
 :j:  The  kfipa'ijri  preceding  is  needless;  nor 
 would  it  show  that  she  was  in  the  habit  of  speak- 
 ing Greek,  but  now  in  lier  deep  feeling  used  the 
 nearer  tongue.     It  is  well  known  that  }3T  was 
 
 higlier  than  3"),  and  'JHT  a  customary  appellation. 
 
 Probably  also  'Jiai  (as  Mark  x.  51),  as  the  Jewish 
 
 pronunciation  of  'J3"1,  and  yet  the  more  obscure 
 
 (Galilean)  ^TOTi,      The  Cod.   Cant,  has  hero  also 
 
 fjncftfSai>i'f.i. 
 
JOHN  XX.  15-17. 
 
 1i)9 
 
 eibly  comforting  return  to  her  earlier  fellowship 
 with  the  Teacher  and  Master,  on  whose  lips  her 
 ear  and  her  heart  had  hung.  Here  for  the  last 
 time  is  Jesus  addressed  by  that  expression 
 which  had  been  earlier  used— as  rf  in  perfect 
 contrast  with  the  words  of  Thomas,  My  Lord 
 and  my  God !  But  this  full  and  decisive  Eah- 
 loni  has  no  "  half-questioning"  tone  in  it,  as  if 
 followed  by  a  note  of  interrogation.  After  such 
 a  call  as  this,  there  could  follow  nothing,  but  a 
 full  recognition;  there  was  no  room  for  the 
 doubtful— Art  thou  then  truly  he?  It  is  no 
 matter  of  wonder  that  John  could  depict  the 
 ecene  as  he  does,  without  adding  one  senti- 
 mental word,  even  while  he  adds  his  quiet 
 "which  is  to  say.  Master;"  but  we  might 
 wonder  that  Maiy  could  find  strength  for  only 
 this  Ilalihoni,ii  we  did  not  remember  tliat  the 
 call  of  lljfe/Lord  had  inspired  her  with  this 
 strength^The  cry  of  her  rapture  is  a  most 
 beauriiul  symbol  of  all  similar  finding  of  him 
 whom  the  soul  spiritually  seeks ;  and  it  is 
 a  prophecy,  too,  of  the  recognition  of  him  in 
 the  last  great  day.  Thus  will  every  one  hear 
 himself  called  by  name,  by  a  voice  so  well 
 known  and  yet  so  new  ;  then  will  sorrow  and 
 death  be  forever  done  away — and  happy  he 
 who  will  be  able  to  cry  Rahboni,  learned  in  the 
 school  in  which  alone  it  is  taught.* 
 
 What  now  would  be  expected  by  the  reader 
 — not  yet  instructed  in  this  school — who  should 
 pause  at  this  soul-absorbing  call  and  response? 
 Would  it  be,  on  the  part  of  Mary,  further  out- 
 pourings of  delight,  ecstatic  exultation  at  hav- 
 ing found  him  again,  thanksgivings,  leaping 
 3or  joy — or  all  this  mingled  with  the  reac- 
 tion of  fear,  the  return  of  doubt,  unbelief 
 through  gladness — or,  between  the  two,  her 
 progress  to  the  wurnhipping  "  My  Lord  and  my 
 God."  On  the  part  of  our  Lord,  was  there 
 after  this  affectionate  beginning  a  further  con- 
 descension of  love,  words  expressing  the  sweet- 
 ness even  to  himself  of  this  restored  fellowship. 
 the  enjoyment  of  this  gracious  hour,  the  first 
 fruits  of  his  victory  in  making  another  happy, 
 revelation  of  the  mysteries  of  this  victory,  and 
 new  instruction  of  "the  Teacher  returned  from 
 the  dead?  There  is  nothing  of  all  this.  The 
 dignity  of  the  Risen  Lord  desires  now,  even 
 more  than  before  his  death,  brief  words  and 
 acts,  and  less  even  than  then  tolerates  tarrying 
 
 *  Diiiseke  has  taken  John  xx.  1-18  as  the  basis 
 of  an  exliibition  of  tlie  influence  of  the  resurrec- 
 tion of  our  Lord  upon  the  mate  and  the  female 
 mind.  In  man,  or  the  male  element  as  it  were  of 
 the  inner  man,  thought  rules ;  in  this  region  of  the 
 testing  sjiirit  the  resurrection  changed  imhcUef  into 
 faith.  In  woman  soimbi'.iti/  is  predominant,  and 
 in  this  region  the  resurrection  changed  sonow  into 
 j'o;/.  This  would  be  beautiiul,  if  the  text  admit- 
 ted it,  and  if  this  interpretation  of  E7ti6rev6Ey 
 ver.  8  couid  be  justified.  If  we  misfit  enter  into 
 sucli  matters,  we  should  prefer  to  say  that  this  is 
 \\\e  feminine  portion  of  man's  nature  which  is  sus- 
 ceptilile  of  the  fii-st  convic;t:on  and  the  strongest 
 consolation. 
 
 in  sentiment  and  feeling.  His  lips  do  not  over- 
 flow with  mysteries  of  the  other  world  ;  and 
 only  at  the  right  time,  afterwards,  that  is,  when 
 he  opens  the  Scripture  given  for  the  preaching 
 of  salvation,  does  he  pour  out  his  words  con- 
 cerning the  kingdom  to  be  established  upon 
 earth — otherwise,  all  his  manifestations  and  re- 
 velations bear  a  character  of  rese.ve  and  hasty 
 transitoriness.  The  scene  with  Peter,  of  which 
 we  know  nothing  more,  had  been  brief,  no 
 more  than  an  ^qArj,  lie  appeared  ;  this  scene 
 with  Mary,  which  John  describes  doubtless  in 
 full,  exhibits  even  after  the  most  confidential 
 approximation  a  marvellous  Ndi  me  tangere. 
 It  is  strange  indeed  ;  but,  if  we  have  compared 
 Scripture  with  Scripture,  and  noted  all  the 
 other  accounts  of  his  appearances,  not  unex- 
 pected or  incomprehensible.  We  have  already 
 hinted  at  the  right  view  to  be  taken  of  it.  In- 
 terpreters of  this  life  make  themselves  here 
 much  needless  trouble  ;  the  crux  extends  into 
 the  forty  days,  and  the  bright  ascension  itself 
 becomes  a  dark  and  mysterious  riddle.  We 
 will  do  our  best,  mindful  of  our  own  infirm- 
 ity, to  exhibit  the  history  of  the  exegesis  of 
 this  much-confused  conclusion  of  the  saying,  in 
 such  a  manner  as  to  arrive  at  the  truth  which 
 we  have  recognized  already  in  the  beginning  of 
 it 
 
 Many   have   resorted   to  doubts    and  con- 
 jectures as  to  the  text.    Gersdorff ^struck  out  the 
 nn;  Schulthess  made  it  6v  nov  aitrov  ■  Vogel, 
 even,  nij  ov  nroov.  But  the  text  is  absolutely 
 I  firm  (save  the  nov  is  sometimes  wanting,  some- 
 1  times  transposed)  ;  and  we  leave  the  easy  refu- 
 I  tation    of   these  artifices    to  those  who   have 
 I  abundantly  refuted  them.     The  worst  instance 
 was  that  of  the  Utrecht  Profe.ssor  Bauldri,  who 
 altered  the  punctuation  into  Mry  nov  anrov — 
 that  is.  No,  I  am  not  the  gardener ;  only  touch 
 me  to  convince  thyself,  for  I  do  not  yet  ascend, 
 am  no  heavenly,  impalpable  essence.     Did  she 
 then  cry  Eabho'ni  as  to  the  gardener  ?  And  how 
 could  /"/  be  used  in  so  strange  a  sense  as  this  ? 
 Others,  rejecting   all   these   refinements,  have 
 despaired  of  the  word  and  pronounced  it  simply 
 "  unintelligible."     But  we  shall  see. 
 
 The  difficulty  lies  in  the  rigorously  literal 
 idea  of  the  anreeQai,  which  we  must  certainly 
 hold  fast ;  and  in  the  obscure  connection  of  the 
 reason  given  in  the  yap.  All  expositions 
 which  sacrifice  the  one  or  the  other  are  to  be 
 rejected.  Thus  the  prohibition  to  touch  must 
 first  be  literally  taken.  Wetstein's  grievous 
 perversion  is — Make  thyself  not  unclean  by 
 touching  one  who  has  been  buried.  Schleier- 
 macher  reproduced  a  rationalistic  notion,  which 
 here  and  there  finds  unaccountable  acceptance, 
 that  the  new  life  of  the  newly-risen  Lord  was 
 as  yet  too  tenderly  susceptible  to  be  touched. 
 It  was  Paulus  who  first  conceived  that  the 
 Lord  went  into  the  garden  with  his  wounds  as 
 yet  unsoothed,  etc.  According  to  Brennecke 
 he  said:  "  My  body  unprotected,  every  thing 
 yet  pains  me  ;  I  have  not  yet  died,  but  shall 
 die."  According  to  Venturini :  "  Touch  me 
 not  yet.     This  afflicted  body  remains  yet  sua- 
 
710 
 
 FIRST  APPEAPwANCE  TO  MARY  MAGDALENE 
 
 ceptible  to  pain  ;  the  wonnds  which  the  reck- 
 less inflicted  upon  me  torment  me  still."  One 
 can  hardly  believe  that  Schleiermacher  could 
 have  fallen  into  or  adopted  such  errors :  yet  in  a 
 festival  sermon,  which Olshausen  thinks  " incom 
 parably  beautiful,"  we  find  this  reproduced, 
 though  with  more  delicate  expression:  "The 
 Lord  said  this,  as  it  were,  with  a  fearful  and 
 susceptible  feeling  in  his  new  life  ;  eight  days 
 afterwards  he  suffered  himself  freely  to  be 
 touched  by  Thomas"  (as  if  at  the  beginning 
 he  had  shrunk  from  the  opening  again  of  his 
 newly-healed  wounds).  This  view,  somewhat 
 spiritualized,  is  accepted  even  by  Olshausen, 
 and  the  words  are  supposed  to  infer  a  preven- 
 tion of  any  interruption  or  hindrance  to  the 
 gradual  process  of  the  resurrection  and  glori- 
 fication. Whatever  slight  element  of  truth 
 there  may  be  in  this  "  gradual  process,"  the 
 whole  view  has  been  rightly  rejected  by  most  ;* 
 and  even  Kinkelj  concisely  asks,  "  Is  not  the 
 miracle  of  the  resurrection  degraded  by  it?" 
 Most  assuredly  it  is.  Either  it  was  a  seeming 
 death,  as  the  first  inventors  of  this  interpreta- 
 tion supposed  ;  or  there  was  an  actual  resur- 
 rection, which  defles  all  such  natural  explana- 
 tions as  are  inconsistent  with  the  literal  journey 
 to  Einmauson  the  satna  day.  Admitting  that 
 the  Risen  Lord  was  not  yet  fully  glorified,  and 
 that  there  was  until  the  ascension  a  continual 
 process  towards  glorification,  yet  certainly  the 
 resurrection  itself  put  him  beyond  all  suscepti- 
 bility of  pain, J  which  as  a  concomitant  cf  death 
 had  been  overcome  and  abolished  forever.  It 
 is  a  contradictory  and  utterly  incomprehensi- 
 ble thought  that  one  raised  from  the  dead 
 should  be  capable  of  suffering  in  the  body,  or 
 of  being  kept  back  from  a  perfect  resurrection 
 by  the  operation  of  any  human  hand. 
 
 Thus  we  must  reject  this,  and  all  that  simi-  | 
 larly  outrages  our  true  "  consciousness  of 
 faith."§  What  then  ?  Michaelis  laid  down 
 this  dilemma :  Mary  Magdalene  wished  to 
 touch  the  Lord  either  out  of  curiosity  or  out 
 of  deep  reverence.  Instead  of  the  former, 
 which  however  womanly  is  inappropriate  here, 
 we  should  substitute  doubt  whether  he  whose 
 voice  she  heard  really  stood  before  her  in  his 
 bodily  person.  Was  she  then  desirous  of  con- 
 vincing herself  by  touching  him  ?||     But  the 
 
 *  The  more  marvellous  is  the  idea  of  an  inter- 
 ruption or  restraint  through  the  hands  of  Mary. 
 
 f  In  his  treatise,  Stud  u.  Krit.  1841.  iii.  the  gen- 
 eral result  of  wliich  we  shall  refer  to  again. 
 
 |:  "  It  is  not  the  painless  body  of  glorification 
 which  I  now  bear  "  (Di  iiseke). 
 
 ^  According  to  Weisse,  Jesus  (that  is,  again,  in 
 the  opinion  of  the  narrator)  meant  that  he  was 
 spiritual  as  yet,  incorporeal  and  impalpable,  and 
 that  he  would  receive  his  corporeity  again  from 
 the  Father. 
 
 |i  So  Teschendorf  makes  her  say:  "But  pres- 
 ently doubt  returns  and  seizes  my  breast.  The 
 eyes  would  see,  the  hands  would  feel.  I  cannot 
 resi.st  the  imjiulse  to  appro.nch  and  touch  his 
 baud.«  and  feet,"  etc.     He  then  answers :    "  Em- 
 
 intrusion  of  such  a  doubt — Art  thoa  really  he? 
 into  the  blessed  emotion  of  happiness  which 
 cries  Rahhoni !  is  altogether  inconsistent,  as  we 
 have  intimated  before.  Olshausen  remarks 
 very  rightly  :  "  It  does  not  by  any  means  ap- 
 pear how  the  subsequent  'I  am  net  yet  as- 
 cended' is  applicable  to  the  supposed  unbelief 
 of  Mary."  In  that  case,  finally,  the  Lord 
 would  not  have  been  able  to  say,  Touch  me 
 not,  for  I  am  he,  and  thy  touching  is  not  neces- 
 sary ;  but  rather  must,  as  in  Luke  xxiv.  39, 
 have  challenged  her  to  the  iprjXacpdy,  or  hand- 
 ling, in  order  to  invigorate  her  confidence.* 
 For  it  could  do  him  no  offence ;  and  wherefore 
 then  might  she  not  touch  him?  According  to 
 Matthew  he  does  not  deter  the  women  pres- 
 ently afterwards  from  "  holding  him  by  the 
 feet,"  but  uttered  an  encouraging  "  Be  not 
 afraid;"  and  he  himself  requires  the  Apostles 
 in  the  evening,  and  Thomas  afterwards,  actual- 
 ly to  touch  him.  How  then  is  this  contradic- 
 tion to  be  solved?  Kinkel's  solution  will  be 
 referred  to  afterwards  ;  but  there  is  no  method 
 of  reconciliation  which  does  not  ascribe  to  the 
 touching  of  Mary  a  peculiar  significance  and 
 design.  The  dilemma  above-mentioned  brings 
 forward  "deep  reverence  "  as  the  other  side 
 of  the  alternative ;  but  this  also  has  two  as- 
 pects. Either  it  is  an  actual  amazement  and 
 fear,  as  is  seen  in  Matt,  xxviii.  9  ;  but  there  the 
 Lord  rebukes  not  the  taking  hold  of  himself, 
 he  says  on  the  contrary — Be  not^afraid  I  How 
 can  we  understand  in  ny'i  nov  a  n  r  ov,  touch 
 me  not,  such  a  meaning  as  this,  "  Be  not  terri- 
 fied, or  pray  for  mercy,  because  ye  have  seen 
 me  ?  "  Or  Mary's  design  is  to  pay  him  the  di- 
 vine honor  of  worship.  But  this  is  not  to  be 
 reconciled  with  the  liahfini;  she  certainly 
 would  not  give  her  Lord  and  God  the  title  of 
 Rabbi,  as  the  Talmudists  did  afterwards. 
 Moreover,  we  cannot  suppose  that  the  per- 
 ception of  her  faith  would  make  in  one  sud- 
 den moment  so  great  an  advance.  But,  even 
 if  we  admitted  this,  how  strange  and  unintelli- 
 gible would  be  the  expression  "  Touch  me 
 not" — without  any  mention  of  "feet"  or 
 "  knees " — in  such  a  meaning.  Would  he, 
 could  he,  have  forbidden  the  worship,  becauM 
 he  had  not  yet  ascended  ?  Could  he  mean — I 
 am  not  yet  clothed  with  heavenly  honor,  my 
 glorification  is  yet  before  me?  l3ut  he  bad 
 received  that  worship  from  Thomas  before  hia 
 ascension  (as  we  shall  make  clearly  evident^  ; 
 and  in  that  case,  as  Olshausen  remarks,  ne 
 must  have  gone  on  to  speak,  not  of  his  abiding 
 brotherhood  and  nearness  to  his  own  (my 
 Father  their  Father,  my  God  their  God),  but 
 rather  of    the    divine   and   adorable    dignity 
 
 brace  me  not  so  anxiously  and  violently,  I  nm  still 
 at  thou  art.''  Thus  this  view  is  connected  wilb 
 the  prerious  one,  of  his  susceptibility  to  feeling. 
 *  Thus  Lampe  goes  not  far  enough  aaainst  B. 
 Lamy :  "  This  hypothesis  would  be  ingenious 
 enough  if  there  were  any  signs  of  doubt  in 
 Mary."  But  even  allowing  this,  it  would  not 
 agree  with  the  words  of  Jesus. 
 
JOHN  XX.  15-17. 
 
 711 
 
 winch  should  be  revealed  after  his  ascension.* 
 We  say,  with  Von  Gerlacli,  "  If  we  regard  her 
 as  having  reverentially  embraced  his  knees, 
 yet  Christ  lays  no  stress  upon  this  meaning  of 
 her  act,  but  makes  prominent  another." 
 
 What  then  is  this?  We  look  more  closely, 
 and  remark  that  all  depends  upon  what  Mary 
 meant  by  her  touching.  Bat  John  has  given 
 us  no  record  of  that ;  we  are  left  to  draw  our 
 conclusion  from  the  word  of  Jesus.t  It  may  be 
 regarded  now  as  certain  that  she  sank  to  his  feet 
 in  reverence  (which  might  be  without  paying 
 divine  honor),  because  at  this  moment  of  deep 
 emotion  to  stand  longer  was  impossible;  but 
 her  accompanying  thought  and  feeling  may 
 admit  of  interpretations  quite  independent  of 
 the  dilemma  just  referred  to.  Is  it  her  pur- 
 pose to  hold  him  fast — not  in  doubt,  but  in  her 
 natural  anxiety  lest  the  wonderful  appearance 
 should  vanish  again,  ami  in  the  immediate  out- 
 pouring of  her  full  love?  In  the  parallel 
 usually  cited,  2  Kings  iv.  27,  there  is  some- 
 thing like  this  more  than  has  been  noticed  in 
 the  )''?i~\2  prnni,  "  and  she  caught  him  by  the 
 
 feet " — the  petitioner  will  not  let  the  man  of 
 God  go  until  he  has  granted  her  will.  But  the 
 word  of  the  Canticles  (chap.  iii.  4)  best  suits 
 Mary  Magdalene — "  I  held  him  and  would 
 not  let  him  go."  Entering  into  this  sense, 
 a7Cr£60ai  has  been  regarded  as  signifying  "  to 
 hold  fast ;"  and  Meyer's  note  (on  this  point  in- 
 distinct and  indefinite)  mingles  this  feeling  with 
 that  of  doubt,  and  interprets — "Thou  needest 
 not  touch  me  thus,  or  anxiously  to  detain  me  ; 
 I  am  he,  I  am  still  here,  I  am  not  yet  gone 
 up."  There  is  some  truth  in  this,  at  least  in 
 the  detaining.  .  But  in  order  to  reach  the  true 
 meaning,  we  must  bring  clearly  before  our 
 minds  the  inmost  meaning  of  this  holding  him 
 fast,  the  disposition  and  feeling  of  Mary's  mind 
 in  so  doing.  J 
 
 The  truth  has  been  more  or  less  acknowledg- 
 ed from  the  beginning.  The  earliest  explana- 
 tion is  found  in  a  writing  attributed  to  Justin, 
 and  found  among  his  works — Qimdiones  et  res- 
 pofisa  ad  orihodoxos  (qu.  48)  :  Modera'e  thy  de- 
 sire toward  me,  and  retain  me  not  with  thy 
 demonstrations  of  love ;  the  time   is  not  yet 
 
 *  Yet  this  view  is  taken  by  Kypke,  Herder, 
 Less,  Kuiiibl  (earlier  also  Lucke),  Tholuck,  Meyer, 
 etc.  Hasse  adheres  to  it,  because  ail  other  ex- 
 planations seem  "  forced ;"  but  we  regard  this  one 
 as  simply  impossible.  Sepp  completes  it :  Touch 
 me  not,  scil.  Ttpo6HvvoZ6a — Worship  me  not. 
 But  he  forgets  his  own  exposition  in  the  sixth 
 volume  of  his  work,  where  he  rejects  the  same  in- 
 terpretation, as  a  specmien  of  Protestant  unbelief, 
 when  given  by  Pfiiflf:  Honor  me  not  in  a  divine 
 manner,  for  I  do  not  yet  come  down  from  heaven, 
 I  have  yet  to  ascend  thither. 
 
 \  Only  one  MS.  has  the  addition — And  they  ran 
 to  em  I)  race  him. 
 
 X  Meyer  in  the  last  letter  which  I  received  from 
 him  acknowledges  the  justice  of  my  resnark,  and 
 substitutes  in  his-new  edition,  "  Probably,  etc., 
 Interrupt  me  not  with  womanly  passion.'' 
 
 come  for  confidential  and  permanent  inter- 
 course— this  earth  is  not  the  place  of  perfec- 
 union  and  fellowship.  Somewhat  similar- 
 though  developed  with  more  or  less  indis- 
 tinctness, are  the  views  of  Chrysost..  Theod. 
 Mopsu.,  Theophyl.,  Euthym.  ;  irho,  however, 
 refer  it  rather  to  the  past,'  that  alter  the  resur- 
 rection such  intercourse  was  no  longer  befit- 
 ting.* Cyril  seems  to  add  the  remarkable 
 thought,  that  Mary,  being  not  yet  capable  of 
 receiving  the  Holy  Spirit,  was  not  worthy  thus 
 already  to  touch  and  hold  the  Holy  One  ;  but 
 this  must  be  rightly  understood.  Indistinct 
 and  wavering  as  all  this  may  be,  we  are  per- 
 suaded that  it  is  upon  the  right  track.  Even 
 Grotius  is  not  altogether  in  error  when  he  in- 
 terprets :  "  Thou  wouldst  touch  me,  Mary, 
 that  is,  thou  wishest  altogether  to  enjoy  my 
 friendship  ;  that  is  not  lawful  now,  for  I  pres- 
 ent myself  to  your  view  only  oiHovojuiKoS?, 
 for  the  strengthening  of  your  faith.  But  when 
 I  shall  have  ascended  to  the  Father,  thou  wilt 
 be  able  most  perfectly  to  enjoy  my  friendship 
 and  fellowship,  not  by  a  terrestrial  contact,  but 
 by  spiritual — such  as  is  appropriate  to  that 
 place,  that  is,  to  heaven."  This  last  is  Cyril's 
 meaning  more  plainly  expressed,  and  is  in  a 
 certain  sense  right;  but  he  makes  the  thought 
 repulsive  by  the  mechanical  observation  that 
 the  fndiio  might  be  very  fittingly  expressed 
 by  the  aTtredSat.  This  is  not  so  very  ob- 
 vious ;  ajtredGai  cannot,  as  many  have  sup- 
 posed} (Aug.,  Calv.,  Beza,  not  Grotius),  even 
 metaphorically  stand  for  mente  contrectare  vet 
 adhmrere  ;  it  must  retain  its  literal  significance. 
 But  this  view  of  the  meaning  generally  appears 
 to  us  the  only  right  one,  when  it  is  fundamen- 
 tally developed  ;  we  shall  find  the  reason  after- 
 wards why  it  is  expressed  by  ht}  uov  dntov. 
 
 That  our  conclusion  may  not  appear  to  be 
 novel,  we  are  glad  to  let  others  speak.  The 
 Berlenberg.  Blbel — which  we  have  done  some- 
 thing, we  trust,  to  redeem  from  its  undeserved 
 neglect — says  :  "  We  cannot  now  continue  our 
 former  method  of  intercourse  ;  all  must  be  now 
 quite  different.  This  must  thou  now  learn. 
 Ye  cannot  now  act  toward  me  as  ye  did  before 
 my  death."  Richter's  Rmsblhel  :  "  There  was 
 in  her  prostration  before  his  appearance  some- 
 thing human  and  savoring  of  passion,  which 
 was  not  yet  removed  by  any  contemplation  of 
 the  divine  fulness  in  Christ,  and  which  there- 
 fore was  not  to  be  encouraged.  Thus  it  was — 
 Hang  not  upon  me  in  thy  former  humanly 
 weak  confidence.  Another  relation  now  begins, 
 a  higher  relation,  and  one  both  for  rne  and  thee 
 
 *  Euthymius  :  "  He  said  this  for  no  other  pur- 
 pose, as  Chi-ys.  remarks,  than  to  teach  her  that  he 
 was  now  rai.sed  to  a  higher  position,  and  must  be 
 more  profoundly  reverenced.  In  that  he  was 
 hastening  with  his  body  to  ascend  to  his  Father 
 and  God,  it  was  manifest  that  he  had  laid  aside 
 the  mortality  of  the  body." 
 
 t  Lampe  after  Cocceius  :  "Cleave  not  in  'hy 
 mind  and  thoughts  to  me,  as  in  that  state  ia 
 which  thou  now  beholdest  me." 
 
712 
 
 FIRST  APPEARANCE  TO  MARY  MAGDALENE. 
 
 more  glorious."  Von  Gerlach  is  especially 
 good  :  "  She  should  not  touch  him  now  heamse 
 he  stood  again  bel'ore  her  visible  and  tangible ; 
 but  was  to  wait  with  her  touch,  until  she  could 
 'Tjo  longer  touch  him  in  the  body.  The  true 
 seeing  again,  and  the  true  touching,  would 
 then  first  begin  when  he  was  Avithdrawn  from 
 her  sight  and  from  her  hands.  The  touching 
 signifies  generally  that  altogether  intimate  and 
 confidential  intercourse  which  Mary,  full  of  joy 
 at  seeing  him  again,  would  have  at  once  recom- 
 menced." Neander :  "  Not  in  the  form  in 
 which  he  now  appeared  should  men  adhere  to 
 him ;  for  he  had  not  yet  been  exalted  to  his  Fa- 
 ther in  heaven.  Then  when  he  should  as  the 
 Glorified  manifest  himself  again,  should  they 
 cleave  to  him,  touch  him,  and  embrace  him,  not 
 in  a  sensible  manner  but  in  a  spiritual.  For  the 
 present  his  tarrying  among  the  disciples  was 
 only  transitoTy."  De  Wett  almost  comes  to  the 
 same  point,  when  he  speaks  of  embracing  him 
 with  the  feeling  of  contentment,  which  as  yet 
 was  unseasonable.  According  to  Krummacher 
 the  Lord  intimates  to  Mary  "  that  she  must  no 
 longer  reckon  upon  any  such  intercourse  with 
 him  as  had  hitherto  been  accorded  ;  that  she 
 must  now  exchange  the  life  and  touch  of  sight 
 for  the  higher  and  more  spiritual  relation  of 
 faitli,  that  which  no  longer  knows  Christ  after 
 the  flesh." 
 
 All  these  are  the  expressions  of  simple  truths, 
 wliich  supplement  each  other  and  make  a  per- 
 fect whole;  especially  as  they  bring  out  the 
 necessary  union  of  the  -'wo  'longer"  and  the 
 "not  yet"  in  this  intermediate  season.  More 
 might  be  quoted,  but  these  are  enough.  Thus 
 the  Lord's  repelling  word  is  a  sublime  and  pro- 
 found declaration — "  No,  thus  it  was  not  design- 
 ed," enforced  from  him  by  the  opposition  be- 
 tween the  heavenly  feeling  of  his  own  mind 
 and  the  earthly  feeling  of  Mary's  spirit.  Sen- 
 sible experience  and  apprehension  will  avail  no 
 more  from  this  time.  Thou  wilt  not  possess 
 and  hold  and  enjoy  my  presence  as  thou  didst 
 before  my  death.  Did  not  Mary  betray  that 
 thought  and  fee-ling  by  the  liabboni,  a  wo'rd  en- 
 tirely derived  from  their  former  relation,  but 
 which,  as  spoken  to  him,  and  addressing  him 
 by  his  iitle  as  a  teacher,  is  in  strange  contrast 
 with  the  K  V  fj  I  e  addressed  to  the  garden- 
 er, and  the  vov  HtJpiov  fiov  io  men  and  angels  ? 
 We  would  not  turn  this  to  Mary's  blame  or 
 disparagement,  but  rather  regard  it  as  having  a 
 beautilul  internal  propriety  ;  yet  it  brmgs  out 
 strongly  the  propriety  of  the  Lord'a  word — 
 Thou  slialt  possess  me  again,  but  not  as  before, 
 it  shall  be  from  this  time  and  forever  in  the 
 JS/nril.  Photius  in  Lampe  :  "She  would  con- 
 verse with  the  Lord,  and  enjoy  his  communion, 
 ill  a  human  manner,  and  as  she  had  been  wont 
 dui 
 
 must  apply  to  the  whole  period  of  the  forty 
 days,  down  to  the  ascension  which  is  here  pro- 
 leptically  mentioned.  So  Pfeninnger  makes 
 Nathanael  observe,  in  relation  to  the  Lord's 
 brief  manifestations  and  sudden  vanishing."*: 
 "  I  understand  it,  ray  brethren  ;  he  deals  witit 
 us  just  as  he  said  to  Mary  at  the  beginning 
 We  are  not  to  enjoy  his  society  aa  if  bis  pres- 
 ence were  to  be  with  us  always."  Knimvel 
 has  equally  well  expressed  it ;  "  The  forbidding 
 word  of  Jesus  to  Mary  has  this  deep  meaning: 
 Refrain  from  this  corporeal  and  sensible  touch- 
 ing, else  wilt  thou  never  apprehend  and  em- 
 brace me.  When  I  shall  "have  ascended  to 
 heaven,  thou  wilt  be  able,  in  common  with  all 
 my  disciples  (to  whom  thou  must  announce  this), 
 through  the  Spirit  to  apprehend  and  possess 
 and  enjoy  me  as  the  Saviour  who  will  unite 
 you  all  into  one  brotherly  fellowship  in  God, 
 yonr  true  Father." 
 
 Now,  having  reached  this  point,  let  us  re- 
 mark the  significant  contrad,  that  it  may  help 
 us  to  understand  the  concrete  and  strong  ex- 
 pressioii.  It  is  just  after  that  most  internal 
 and  most  living  approximation  to  her  in  the 
 "  Mary  "  that  the  Lord  thinks  fit  to  retreat 
 from  her  again.  For  she  interprets  it  humanly, 
 but  he  divinely  ;  she  is  an  earthly  sense,  but 
 he  already  in  a  heavenly.  Hess  had  some  ap- 
 prehension of  this  :  "  With  all  his  confidential 
 condescension  there  was  always  (especially 
 now,  we  would  add)  united  dignity.  Leave 
 me  untouched.  Though  I  am  not  at  once 
 translated  into  the  superterrestrial,  yet  is  thi-S 
 immediately  at  hand."  The  Bed.  Bihel  brings 
 out  more  definitely  the  passionate  and  seni'uous 
 character  of  the  act  which  the  Lord  would 
 repel:  "  Her  externality  of  mind  was  altogether 
 too  vivacious,  and  the  Lord  would  moderate 
 it."  Krummacher  :  "  We  may  suppose  that  it 
 was  the  Lord's  purpose  to  suppress  a  storm  of 
 emotion  in  Mary's  soul,  the  undue  admixture 
 of  human  sensibility  being  unworthy  of  that 
 higher  relation  in  which  his  people  would  thence- 
 forward stand  to  himself.  Many  traits  in  our 
 Lord's  former  life  have  prepared  us  for  a  certain 
 repulsion  on  his  part  of  that  which  we  are  ac- 
 customed to  term  sentimentality."*  Consequent- 
 ly, it  is  quite  right  to  say  that  the  Lord  is  aj- 
 grievid  by  I\Iary's  laying  hold  on  him.  The 
 injury,  however,  is  not  corporeal,  but  in  the 
 pure  spirit  of  heavenly-mindedness  with  which 
 he  ha;?  risen;  in  the  feeling  of  his  dignity,  which 
 resents  all  human  and  sensible  approxima- 
 tion and  touch,  as  bearing  in  it  too  much  of 
 the  remains  of  earthly  pamon.  This  feeling 
 has  at  the  first  moment  its  full  vigor :  and 
 therefore  he  uses  this  strong  expression,  oppos- 
 ing as  it  were  to  this  too  human  passion  the 
 sacred  passion  of  his   own  supreme  repose,  re- 
 
 man manner,  aim  as  sue  uau  ueen  woni    sacrea  passion  oi  nis   own  supreme  repose,  re- 
 llie  course  of  his  incarnate  dispensation,    polling  her  first  eagerness  ana   preventing  the 
 
 But  Christ  leads  her  away  Ironi  this  tone  of 
 mind,  and  says — The  time  of  exalted  and  divine 
 rel.itioiiships  is  come."  Thus  wo  have  at  the 
 firU  appearance  of  our  Lord  (and  this  is  no 
 Blight  confirmation  of  our  view)  a  word  of  pro- 
 found ytncral  application,  the  force  of  which 
 
 continuance  of  such   a   method  of  exhibiting 
 it.     Hence  it  is  a  rigorous  and  concrete  noli  nw 
 
 *  Yes,  verily,  and  in  so  wide  a  sense  of  lh» 
 word,  tliat  Krummacher  liimself  may  well  pon.ier 
 
JOHN  XX.  15-17. 
 
 71» 
 
 tangere ;  and  therefore  the  aitvt60a.i  is  used, 
 the  propriety  of  which  has  caused  much  need- 
 less trouble  to  the  expositors.  For  in  il&elf 
 axreeSat  cannot  be  made  to  mean  (as  Neander 
 a«serts)  the  seizing  or  grasping  of  an  object 
 which  one  intends  to  retain  hold  of;  but  it 
 literally  signifies  a  "momentary  touching," 
 though  with  a  specific  distinction  from  Btyya- 
 vety.  We  very  much  doubt  whether  it  can 
 mean  (as  Hofmann  thinks),  at  least  in  this 
 place,  "  the  having  to  do  with,  or  adhering  to, 
 any  one." 
 
 "The  relation  between  us  is  somewhat  chang- 
 ed ;  my  former  life  with  you  will  return  no 
 more  ;  but  after  a  brief  time  of  transition  my 
 elevation  to  the  Father  will  come — all  this 
 thou  must  from  the  beginning  know  and  pon- 
 der well."  This  is  the  Lord's  meaning,  which 
 Mary's  ignorance  causes  him  thus  plainly  to 
 express ;  and  therefore  the  thought  which  is 
 occasionally  given  both  as  exposition  and 
 translation  is  really  contained  in  it — Detabnme 
 not.  But  this  lies  in  the  matter  itself,  not  in 
 (he  leonl  aitrov,  where  some  have  thought  to 
 find  it.  On  the  other  hand,  Silberschlag,  e.  g., 
 gives  it  quite  a  different  turn — Detain  not  thy- 
 stlf  with  expressions  of  reverence,  for  I  shall 
 tarry  yet  longer  upon  earth.  (Hezel  goes  so 
 far  as  to  say:  "Spare  now  all  ceremony.") 
 We  consider  both  to  be  involved  :  Detain  not 
 me  and  thyself — as  a  subordinate  thought  which 
 a  complete  view  of  the  whole  position  of  the 
 case  will  discern  in  the  following  clause.  But 
 this  is  not  to  be  taken  as  if  his  ascension  was 
 matter  of  instantaneous  haste — such  an  unin- 
 telligent exaggeration  of  our  Lord's  affection- 
 ate and  profound  expression  would  fairly  lay 
 itself  open  to  objection  and  mockery.  But 
 this  much  is  true,  that  not  only  are  the  Lord's 
 own  thoughts  and  desires  (as  we  shall  after- 
 wards mere  clearly  perceive)  turned  with  all 
 their  force  towards  his  own  ascension  ;  but  he 
 also  on  account  of  it  urges  Mary  to  a  certain 
 haste  in  communicating  to  his  disciples  the  in- 
 telligence at  once  of  his  resurrection  and  of 
 his  ascension.  Whether  it  may  be  intimated, 
 in  the  mysterious  background  of  our  Lord's 
 words,  that  he  himself  had  something  more  to 
 do  (in  the  superterrestrial  world  of  spirits) 
 than  only  to  show  and  yield  himself  up  to  the 
 women  and  the  disciples,  our  perfect  ignorance 
 must  leave  undecided.*  But  there  is  no  doubt 
 as  to  the  other  point,  eince  Mary  immediately 
 receives  a  commission  to  go  to  the  others. f 
 Thus,  that  is  denied  to  her  which  she  might 
 have  deceived  herself  into  regarding  as  intend- 
 ed personally  and  expressly  for  herself:  "  This 
 i«  not  my  design.  To  thee  I  give  only  a  rapid 
 meeting,    because   thou    mournest    overmuch  : 
 
 *  Yet  this  may  be  in  that  "  depth  of  raeanins; 
 which  has  never  yet  been  explored  by  man," 
 which  Krummacher  attributes  to  this  saying. 
 
 t  Instead  of  stopping  to  touch  me,  carry  to  my 
 brethren  the  assuarice  of  my  beinj?  alive,  and  of 
 my  speedy  departure  to  the  Father  (Hauff).  But 
 not  this  aLoue. 
 
 but  my  manifestation  is  not  so  much  for  thee, 
 as  for  thee  in  common  with  my  h-ethren.  Thus 
 the  apparent  pre-eminence  given  to  the  female 
 sex  is  neutralized  ;  and  the  word  brethren  points 
 rather  a  parte  potiori  again  to  the  men.  Thus 
 Mary's  honor  consists  not  so  much  in  her  first 
 enjoying  the  Lord's  manifestation,  as  in  this, 
 that  she  was  first  to  announce  the  Risen  Lord, 
 to  herald  the  resurrection  to  its  future  heralds. 
 The  touching  which  he  permitted,  nay  com- 
 manded, to  the  unbelieving  Thomas,  he  denies 
 to  this  believer.  "  But  that  was  not  to  the 
 honor  of  Thomas,"  says  the  Berlenb.  Blhel ;  and 
 we  add  :  so  much  higher  is  Mary  honored  in 
 beincf  required  to  delay  her  touch,  since  the 
 Lord  knew  that,  notwithstanding  the  first  out- 
 burst of  her  feeling,  she  was  capable  of  intelli- 
 gently obeying  his  repelling  command.  To 
 this  requirement  Lange  (on  this  difficult  saying 
 lor  once  too  brief)  refers  :  "  She  must  compre- 
 hend the  time  and  place  of  this  manifestation, 
 and  not  externally  limit  its  intention,  and 
 make  the  crisis  eternal."  The  same  thing  does 
 the  Lord  require  of  us  all,  when  we  have  be- 
 come ripe  for  it;  that  we  should  not  find  our 
 rest  in  the  sensuous  sentiment  of  moments  of 
 sweet  communion  with  him,  not  seek,  as  it 
 were,  to  touch  him  in  love  too  much  mingled 
 with  selfish  ingredients,  but  j/o  forlk  with  our 
 commission  into  life,  to  do  the  work  for  which 
 he  sends  us.* 
 
 We  now  proceed  to  the  next  clause,  con- 
 nected by  the /c;r  which  has  caused  so  much 
 trouble  and  perplexity  to  expositors.  (Kinkel 
 thinks  all  the  difficulty  lies  in  this  yocp,  and 
 in  this  he  is  right.)  After  what  has  been  said 
 the  matter  will  become  presently  plain.  It 
 would  appear,  indeed,  at  first  that  only  the  1 
 hate  not  yet  tmcewled  belongs  to  the  fjr ;  the 
 common  method  of  interpreting  being  then  as 
 Ebrard  expresses  it  :t  Thou  needest  not  to  hold 
 me  so  firmly,  because  my  appearance  is  not  a 
 momentary  one;  I  shall  yet  remain  a  while 
 upon  the  earth.  Bat  if  this  is  made  the  sole 
 sense  of  the  for,  then  all  that  deeper  meaning 
 which  we  have  found  in  the  touch  ine  not  is  con- 
 fused and  weakened  away.  Better  than  this 
 is  the  already  quoted  view  of  Von  Gerlach, 
 who  acknowledges  and  gives  prominence  to 
 the  seeming  contradiction  according  to  which 
 Mary  was  not  to  touch  and  hold  hiiu  because  he 
 was  present,  and  would  continue  present.  He 
 explains  this  yet  further:  "  We  find  here  the 
 same  pregnant  expression  of  a  higher  meaning 
 by  words  which,  understood  in  their  lower 
 sense,  would   involve  a  contradiction,  as    we 
 
 *  Lampe  :  "  He  denies  the  touchins;  to  Mary 
 alone,  to  show,  on  the  one  hand,  that  she  sur- 
 passed all  the  re?t,  even  the  men,  in  faith,  and  was 
 so  fully  assured  of  tiio  resurrection  that  she  need- 
 ed no  further  confirmation ;  and,  on  the  other  hand, 
 to  teach  how  those  wlio  surpass  olkers  iu  faith 
 shall  find  it  necessary  to  demonstrato  and  prove 
 its  stiensth  in  tlie  absence  of  nearer  communioa 
 with  their  Lord." 
 
 t  Das  El).  Joh.  und  die  neusle  llypothese,  etc. 
 
714 
 
 FIRST  APPEARANCE  TO  MARY  MAGDALENE. 
 
 have  found  in  the  being  made  blind  through 
 seeing,  the  finding  life  through  dying,  and  so 
 forth.  Ho  who  enters  thoroughly  into  this 
 profound  character  of  our  Lord's  manner  of 
 speaking,  will  find  no  difficulty  here."  But 
 we  think,  notwithstanding,  that  this  does  not 
 satisfy  the  whole  saying.  We  think  that  the  1 
 ascend,  as  its  counterpart,  strictly  belongs  to  the 
 lam  not  pet  ascended  ;  and,  consequently,  that 
 the  connecting  for  must  be  referred  to  it,  or 
 rather  to  the  but  go.  "  But  go  "  does  not  begin 
 any  thing  altogether  new,  as  if  it  were  preced- 
 ed by  a  full  stop  ;  consequently  the  for  refers 
 to  the  whole  sentence  together:  I  am  (indeed) 
 not  yet  ascended,  but  thou  must  go  and  an- 
 nounce my  coming  ascension.  The  ascent  lies 
 indeed  rather  on  this  latter  hut.  It  is  only 
 subordimitely  that  the  consolation*  comes  in — I 
 still  remain,  although  not  for  such  touching  as 
 this — interposed  on  account  of  the  repulsion, 
 that  it  might  not  grieve  her  too  much,  or  be 
 misunderstood  to  mean  that  the  Lord's  pres- 
 ence was  a  mere  vanishing  manifestation.  But 
 the  special,  decisive,  and  conclusive  meaning 
 was  :  Go  thou,  rather,  to  my  brethren,  and  tell 
 them  ;  the  chief  thing  is  for  thee  the  going,  and 
 for  me  the  ascending.  Understand  then  my 
 manifestation  aright,  and  repair  thy  first  sad 
 tidings  of  an  empty  sepulchre. 
 
 Thus  viewed,  how  wonderful  is  this  first 
 word  of  the  Risen  Lord,  in  its  suggestive  and 
 emphatic  contrast  with  the  word  which  after- 
 wards offered  the  touch  to  Thomas  I  How 
 deep  is  its  significance  for  all  his  appearances 
 before  the  ascension  !  What  a  marvellous 
 blending  of  Aw/na/i  condescension  and  sympathy 
 with  the  mourning  woman,  and  divine  dignity 
 which  withdraws  sublimely  from  a  too  human 
 touch  I  Divine-human,  rather  ;  for  even  in  this 
 earnest  and  rigorous  710U  me  tangere  there  ap- 
 pears, with  all  its  supreme  repose,  a  certain 
 glorified  human  passion  in  his  risen  conscious- 
 ness, a  yearning  toward  the  heavenly  which 
 cannot  readily  endure  the  touch  of  the  earthly; 
 and  which  therefore,  after  the  Mary  so  full  of 
 condescending  feeling,  denies  itself  again  to  the 
 Rabfx/ni  which  would  assume  too  much. 
 
 We  now  advance  to  the  remainder  of  these 
 wonderful  words.  It  is  his  Father  of  whom  he 
 speaks  first — how  could  it  be  otherwise  ?  His 
 Father  he  calls  him,  first  only  Father,  first 
 only  his  own.  His  way  goes  tip  to  him:  to 
 him  his  heart  is  drawn  more  than  to  any  Mary 
 or  any  brethren  upon  earth,  that  the  honor  of 
 this  Father  may  abide  untarnished,  equally 
 with    the    honor  of  the  Son.f     He  has    risen 
 
 *  Pliotiu.s:  When  the  woman  was  forbidden  to 
 toucli,  lest  the  rejection  of  her  eirnest  desire 
 should  overmuch  sadden  her  (woman's  nature  be- 
 ing inclined  to  pusillanimity),  the  Saviour  interposed 
 hi.i  con.<iclation. 
 
 t  Tiiis  clause,  "although  rot  for  such  touchinn; 
 as  th  s,"  an  I  the  "  subordinately  "  beore,  .suffl- 
 cicntly  obviate  the  eontradtctton  with  which  Miinch- 
 meyer  charges  my  expositioii.  The  chief  matter 
 01'   tiie  Kayiug  was  given   beloro,  that  the   true 
 
 again  as  the  perfected  Son  of  God  in  Humanity; 
 that  is  the  first  thing,  and  from  it  follows 
 that  he  becomes  the  forerunner  of  our  salva- 
 tion, of  our  glorification.  But  by  what  means? 
 Even  by  his  final  ascension  to  the  Father ;  and 
 as  long  as  this  is  unaccomplished,  it  must 
 occupy  his  thoughts  ;  "  I  have  wA,  yet  ascend- 
 ed "  must  be  the  fundamental  feeling  of  bis, 
 heart  during  the  intermediate  period.  He  does 
 not  suffer  this  to  be  disturbed  (to  speak  once 
 more  in  a  very  insufficient  human  manner)  by 
 the  return  of  that  entire  surrender  of  himself 
 to  his  disciples  which  they  had  enjoyed  before 
 his  death.*  If  it  were  right  to  speak  of  this 
 period  as  of  the  period  past  we  might  say  that 
 the  touch,  the  embrace,  of  the  Magdalene 
 might  have  tempted  his  soul  to  incline  to  renew 
 his  former  intercourse,  and  to  remain,  in  his 
 personal  triumph,  loving  and  blessing  upon 
 earth;  and  that  he  meets  this  temptation  by 
 saying  to  himself — I  am  not  yet  ascended.  Bat 
 we  are  no  longer  permitted  to  use  such  lan- 
 guage. There  is  no  more  overcoming  of  temp- 
 tation ;  but  all  is  absolute  rest  and  assurance. 
 All  things  are  behind  him  and  beneath  him  ; 
 his  head  already  in  heaven,  his  feet  alone  rest 
 for  a  few  days  longer  upon  earth. 
 
 So  sublime  is  the  first,  "  I  have  not  yet  as- 
 cended." But  he  immediately  condescends 
 from  this  height  of  dignity  and  majesty  to  his 
 weak  and  troubled  disciples,  for  whose  sake  he 
 yet  tarries  according  to  the  counsel  £^nd  com- 
 mission of  the  Father.  He  knows  his  own 
 way,  and  tells  Mary  hers — Go  to  my  brethren. 
 He  has  indeed  brethren  after  the  flesh,  but.  re- 
 lationship after  the  flesh  has  no  more  import 
 with  him  now;  though  the  word  may  remind 
 him  with  joy  that  these  brethren,  hitherto  un- 
 believing, had  now  been  won  to  the  true  bro- 
 therhood.f  Mary  well  understood  his  meaning 
 after  ver.  18,  and  announces  her  message  to  the 
 disciples.  Those  whom  he  had  finally  termed 
 children  and  friends  he  now,  on  the  way  to  his 
 own  highest  exaltation,  dignifies  with  the  high- 
 est name,  which  has  in  it  a  loftier  sound  and  a 
 richer  pledge  even  than  "children  of  God" — 
 his  brethren.  It  is  here  used  as  at  least  an  in- 
 direct address  to  them,  and  with  all  its  un- 
 bounded fulness  of  meaaing;  consequently,  it 
 is  something  very  different  from  his  former 
 distant  announcement  that  all  who  should  be- 
 lieve would  be  to  him  brethreu.     To  addres»^ 
 
 touching  would  be  in  the  future ;  subordinate'y  to 
 this,  however,  there  is  incluied  the  consola  ion 
 that  he  would  remain,  and  bo  seen  again  by  her. 
 
 *  The  liisen  Lord  takes  no  »pecijic  notice  of  his 
 moth'r — as  we  have  remarked  before. 
 
 f  Iless  gives  ui  a  remarkable  example  how 
 esiegiously  great  men  miyeir:  "It  appears  to 
 me  past  all  doubt  that  Mary  was  comra  ssioned 
 to  tell  this  not  to  his  discii>les,  but  to  his  literal 
 brethren  or  balf-bieihren,  the  sons  of  Joseph.  Th» 
 expression  brethren  is  to  \n  understood  in  its  literal 
 meaning.  Ho  needed  not  to  send  me.ssagos  to  t.ia 
 disciples,  wiiom  he  would  see  during  the  day  ;  nor 
 was  it  bis  wout  to  call  tha  disciplea  brethreu." 
 
JOHN  XX.  15-17. 
 
 715 
 
 them  directly  with  the  brother-name  would  not 
 have  become  his  dignity,  or  suited  their  weak- 
 ness ;*  he  therefore  goes  just  as  far  as  he  may 
 go,  in  order  now  at  the  beginninc;^  to  testify — I 
 am  not  ashamed  to  call  you  brethrea  (Heb.  ii. 
 11).  The  Apostle,  in  the  Epistle  to  the  He- 
 brews, having  this  saying  in  his  mind,  refersas 
 in  ver.  12  to  the  fulfillment  of  Scripture.  The 
 word  of  lamentation,  and  the  word  of  victory 
 upon  the  cross,  were  taken  from  Psa.  xxii. ; 
 and  ver.  22  in  the  centre  of  the  same  psalm, 
 the  ^rst  word  which  commences  the  transition 
 to  victory  in  it,  is  here  consciously  and  pur- 
 posely employed  by  our  Lord.  We  li^arn  from 
 the  psalm,  combined  with  the  Epistle  to  the 
 Hebrews,  that  he  meant  primarily  the  Apostles, 
 but  in  them  the  whole  Church,  which  would 
 from  henceforth  preach,  and  in  which  he  him- 
 self would  preach  on  to  the  end — and  thus,  all 
 who  are  sanctified  in  him.  At  the  sam.e  time 
 we  may  observe  how  significantly  this  message 
 a.^sumes  that  the  flock,  scattered  by  the  death 
 of  the  Shepherd,  has  remained  nevertheless 
 united  in  love;  and  that  it  is  still  to  be  found 
 gatliered  together,  at  least  in  its  representa- 
 tives, in  one  place  (which  abiding  "  friendship 
 and  bond  of  union  among  the  disciples  "  had 
 been  already  shown  in  the  several  journeys  to 
 the  sepulchre).  His  first  and  highest  thought 
 is — To  my  Father.  But  the  second,  belonging 
 to  the  first,  and  involved  in  it — For  the  sake  ol 
 my  brethren,  that  they  may  now  have  one  Fa- 
 ther, and  one  God  with  me.  He  is  drawn  by 
 the  last  attraction  which  holds  h:m  to  earth,  to 
 make  himself  known  to  his  brethren,  like 
 Joseph.  Had  all  Israel  reppnted,  like  Joseph's 
 brethren  I  How  would  it  then  have  been  said 
 Come  ye  all  unto  me  I 
 
 Bengel  observes  that  Jesus  never  called  God 
 his  Lord,  and  only  three  times  his  God — on  the 
 cross  by  the  '^X  quite  alone;  in  Rev.  ii.  7,  with 
 
 the  mention  of  Paradise  to  be  won  by  victory ; 
 and  here  in  conjunction  his  Father  and  his 
 God.  Compare  1  Cor.  xi.  3,  and  mark  that  the 
 Risen  Lord,  who  is  about  to  go  up  to  heaven, 
 bears  witness  now  to  his  abiding  humanity, 
 which  he  will  take  with  him  to  heaven,  and  ac- 
 cording to  which  his  Father  is  also  at  the  same 
 time  his  God.f  This  is  an  anticipatory  pro- 
 test against  a  false  interpretation  of  the  subse- 
 quent word  to  Thomas.  This  whole  manifesta- 
 tion to  Mary,  generally,  is  to  be  regarded  as  the 
 counterpart  of  the  manifestation  to  Thomas, 
 confirming,  qualifying,  and  explaining  it. 
 
 He  savs  brethren  immediately  after  speaking 
 of  the  Fulhir  ;  but  he  does  not  say — for  that 
 
 *  It  is  on'y  in  the  apocryphal  narrative  that  he 
 says  to  James — My  brother. 
 
 t  "  Since  the  ascending  belongs  to  the  jl^sh " 
 (Chry.s).  Thus  God  is  actually  and  truly  the  God 
 of  Christ ;  not,  as  we  read  in  a  sermon :  "  The 
 Almiohty  is  to  him  a  Father,  to  them  he  is  God ; 
 but  in  order  to  place  himself  on  a  level  with  thf-m, 
 he  calls  his  Falher  their  Father,  their  God  his  God 
 likewise."  W&uld  he  not  then  have  ordered  his 
 words  accordingly  ] 
 
 would  have  been  not  merely  unbeseeming,  but 
 untrue  and  impossible — To  our  Father  and  our 
 God.  At  this  point  such  an  expression  was 
 most  obvious,  if  admissible;  and  its  exclusion 
 is  most  decisive.  A  rationalistic  Christ  must 
 have  said  our,  r]nwv,  in  order  to  give  honor  to 
 truth,  and  to  avoid  exalting  himself  unduly  in 
 the  presence  of  the  common  God  and  Father ; 
 but  the  God-man  cannot  possibly  use  such  ;in 
 expression.  Cyril  of  Jerus.  observes:  "Mino 
 in  one  sense,  by  nature  ;  yours  in  another,  by 
 privilege."  Chrys. :  "  In  different  senses  my 
 Father  and  yours.  If  he  i.^  the  God  of  just 
 men  in  a  sense  in  which  he  is  not  God  of  oth- 
 ers, how  much  more  does  this  hold  good  of  tho 
 Son  and  you."  Augustine  :  "  He  does  not  say 
 our  Father  :  He  is  mv  Father  by  nature,  and  in 
 another  sense  your  Father,  by  grace.  He  saya, 
 my  God  and  your  God ;  not  our  God — in  one 
 sense,  therefore  mine,  and  in  ano;her  sense, 
 yours.  My  God,  under  whom  I  also  am  man  : 
 your  God,  between  whom  and  you  I  am  media- 
 tor." Ambrose :  "  Because,  although  he  and  the 
 Father  are  one,  and  the  Father  his  Father  by 
 propriety  of  nature,  to  us  God  became  a  Father 
 through  the  Son,  not  by  right  of  nature,  but 
 of  grace."  Your  God — means  here  infinitely 
 more  than  your  Creator,  Lawgiver,  Judge;  it 
 includes  and  pledges  the  fulfillment  of  Old-Tes- 
 ment  promise  down  to  Rev.  xxi.  3.  Your 
 reconciled  God,  as  the  ordinary  language  of 
 theology  runs ;  according  to  the  right  sense  of 
 Scripture,  your  God  because  ye  are  now  recon- 
 ciled to  him.  God  was  from  the  beginning  even 
 according  to  his  humanity  the  God  of  the 
 Ri<lhleouH  One,  of  Christ.  But  our  God  and 
 Father  (thfse  ever  belong  together),  he  be- 
 comes only  through  this,  that  he  was  the 
 Father  and  God  of  Christ.  (Hence  the  apos- 
 tolical word,  thus  to  be  construed — The  Gud 
 and  Fuller  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.)  This  my 
 is  the  ground  and  source  of  the  your ;  and 
 therefore  the  Lord  thus  speaks.  Father  stands 
 first,  for  his  divinity  is  and  must  ever  be  tho 
 ground  of  his  sacred  humanity — not  converse- 
 ly, as  it  would  have  been  if  his  becoming  God, 
 and  having  God  for  his  father,  had  proceeded 
 upward  from  his  humanity.  (On  the  other 
 hand,  the  Apostle  might  well,  with  his  mean- 
 ing, ascend  from  the  Seo's  to  the  itatnp)  The 
 whole,  finally,  is  a  most  decisive  declaration  of 
 the  spiritual  meaning  of  the  brother-name,  and 
 the  disclosure,  finally,  of  our  present  right  to 
 its  possession.  So  high  is  the  honor  put  now 
 upon  us  men.  All  his  redeemed,  and  all  who 
 were  to  be  sanctified,  are  here  embraced  by  tho 
 Lord  in  one,  as  looking  down  upon  them  from 
 above — anticipating  their  union  in  one,  as  in 
 the  high-priestly  prayer. 
 
 The  Lord  on  the  morning  of  his  resurrection 
 speaks  at  once  of  the  ascension,  which  took 
 place  forty  days  afterwards.  What  are  now 
 lo.-ty  days  to  him?  and  how  natural,  how  ne- 
 cessary to  his  thought,  his  death  being  now 
 survived,  was  this  presentiating  I  ascend  with 
 its  quick  prolepsis'  For  his  disciples  it  was  as 
 true  as  it  was  important;  intimating  to  them 
 
7W 
 
 FIRST  APPEARANCE  TO  MARY  MAGDALENE. 
 
 that  he  had  not  risen  in  order  to  remain  upon 
 earth,  and  bringing  all  to  their  remembrance 
 that  he  had  compreliensively  spoken  concerning 
 his  departure  to  the  Father.*  To  the  angels 
 it  was  given  in  commission  to  announce  the 
 resurrection  in  itself;  but  the  Lord  assumes  a 
 loftier  tone,  in  harmony  with  his  risen  dignity, 
 and  does  not  say  only — Tell  them  that  I  am 
 risen  ;  for  that  would  be  too  little  for  the  ele- 
 vated state  in  v/hich,  for  a  few  days,  he  tarries 
 between  the  sepulchre  and  heaven.  He  him- 
 self is  impelled  upward;  the  clearest  conscious- 
 ness and  the  most  urgent  impulse  of  his  being 
 is  toward  heaven :  how  could  he  otherwise 
 than  utter  in  his  first  word  his  deepest  thought? 
 AVesley  :  "  He  anticipates  it  in  his  thoughts, 
 and.  so  speaks  of  it  as  a  thing  already  present." 
 Therefore  we  have  not  the  indirect  sentence, 
 but  most  emphatically  his  own  word  is  to  be 
 repeated:  not — Tell  them  that  I  ascend;  but 
 say  what  I  say — I  ascend  (as  according  to  ver. 
 18  she  does).  Bengel's  note  condenses  into 
 few  words  what  we  mean  :  "  More  still.  He 
 does  not  say,  I  have  risen  ;  nor,  I  will  ascend  ; 
 but,  I  ascend."  He  refers  to  Luke  ix.  51,  where 
 even  Luke,  in  the  spirit  of  John,  speaks  in  an- 
 ticipation of  the  death  as  of  the  dyaXi/ipii,  or 
 being  received  up.  Neander  here  rightly  per- 
 ceives why  "the  Lord  did  not  commission 
 Mary  to  announce  his  sensible  coming,  but  that 
 he  would  fulfill  his  promise,  ascend  to  his 
 Father,  and  then  first  (fully)  reveal  himself  to 
 them  ;  making  no  mention  of  the  intermediate 
 and  transitional  manifestation,  which  should 
 only  prepare  the  way  for  the  higher  and  more 
 permanent."  (Neander  says,  "here  also  ;"  and 
 there  is  some  slight  incorrectness  in  this,  for 
 we  have  found  in  John  xiv.  18,  19,  xvi.  IG, 
 22,  and  generally,  that  the  Lord  had  tliere  inti- 
 mated to  the  disciples  his  bodily  and  visible 
 return.) 
 
 On  the  one  hand,  the  present  words  make  it 
 plain  that  our  Lord  did  not  in  death  leave  the 
 world  and  go  to  the  Father,  but  remained  in- 
 termediately in  the  underworld  ;  but,  on  the 
 other  hand,  it  does  not  follow  that  he  literally 
 and  properly  went  up  to  heaven  on  the  morn- 
 ing of  the  resurrection.  We  trust  that  our 
 readers,  after  what  has  been  said,  will  not  be 
 accessible  to  any  doubt  upon  this  point,  or  so 
 narrowly  interpret  the  words,  in  opposition  to 
 all  the  rest  of  the  account,  and  the  universal 
 tradition  of  the  Church.  But  we  must  spend 
 a  few  words  upon  Kinkel,  whof  argues  from 
 
 *  Thohick  compares  John  xiv.  28.  They  shou'd 
 less  r  joice  that  his  bodily  presence  was  ajiain 
 with  them,  than  that  he  would  be  soon  altogether 
 exalted. 
 
 t  In  the  treatise  already  mentioned,  Slud.  u. 
 Krit.  1841,  iii.  So  also  Baur ;  and  before  him 
 Whiston  in  his  Sermons  and  E^say.s,  to  whom  Joh. 
 Sclimid  replied  by  a  specific  dissertation  against 
 the  miuttpiex  Christi  in  coe'o  asceniw.  It  is  a  neces- 
 eity  ol  Rt>lhe's  whole  nyslem  that  he  should  find 
 in  John  xx.  19  the  immediately  identical  resurrec- 
 tion and  exalULion  of  the  second  Adam  {Ethik, 
 
 this  word  to  ^lary,  with  which  he  makes  all 
 the  rest  harmonize,  that  our  Lord  went  imme- 
 diately to  heaven  ;  and  reduces  to  an  equality 
 all  lurther  manifestations  before  and  after  the 
 hitherto  assumed  day  of  ascension,  or  rather 
 establishes  a  successive  series  of  ascensions. 
 He  thinks  that  he  learned  the  lesson  of  cau- 
 tion which  has  so  often  been  given,  and  had 
 hesitated  to  give  forth  an  imaginary  discovery 
 of  his  ov/n,  contrary  to  the  universal  belief  of 
 Christendom.  Many  things  have  hitherto  been 
 but  dimly  understood;  but  the  general  sense 
 of  Christian  men  has  apprehended  the  truth 
 far  more  correctly  than  those  speculatists  have 
 done,  whose  pprverted  learning  has  so  confi- 
 dently assumed  to  know.  Just  so  is  it  with 
 this  dvaftaivoo.  Kinkel  (p.  G12)  proceeds 
 from  the  incorrect  pre-supposition,  that  in  the 
 last  discourses  of  John  the  Lord  looks  forward 
 proleptically  altogether  beyond  his  death  and 
 resurrection  ;  as  if  he  had  not  literally,  both 
 before  and  intermediately,  spoken  of  his  en- 
 tombment, dying,  leaving  his  life,  the  lamen- 
 tation over  iiis  death — as  chap.  xii.  7,  24,  xv. 
 13,  xvi.  20.  But  when  he  asserts  that  such 
 prolepsis  of  the  ascension  which  was  to  take 
 place  after  forty  days  cannot  possibly  be  imag- 
 ined in  our  Lord's  consciousness  now,  he  re- 
 futes himself  in  the  most  striking  manner  by 
 his  own  subsequent  artless  words :  "  Occur- 
 rences which  are  separated  by  an  interval  of  a 
 month  and  a  half  from  my  present  existence 
 would  scarcely  lift  my  soul  to  such  a  flight." 
 This  we  readily  believe,  and  merely  add — But 
 what  were  forty  days  now  to  the  soul  of  ChiUt  t 
 His  first  axiom,  tiiat  "  the  reports  of  Christ's 
 ascension  which  the  New  Testament  gives  are 
 altogether  irreconcilable  in  respect  to  time, 
 place,  and  circumstances,"  is  nothing  more  than 
 the  thousand-times  refuted  assertion  of  pseudo- 
 criticism — as  we  shall  herealter  more  fully  see. 
 When  he  decrees  that  "the  ascension  of  the  Acta 
 of  the  Apostles  cannot  possibly  be  identical  with 
 that  of  Luke's  Gospel,"  Luke,  wlio  wrote  both, 
 will  amply  vindicate  himself.  It  is  further  as- 
 sumed in  the  most  arbitrary  manner  that  the 
 Apostle  Paul,  1  Cor.  xv.  1-8,  makes  no  dis- 
 tinction between  the  appearances  before,  and 
 the  appearance  after  the  fortieth  day;  and  that 
 he  therefore  knew  nothing  of,  or  allowed  no 
 validity  to,  the  synoptical  narrative.  But  there 
 is  a  great  difference  between  the  truth  (denied 
 by  Kinkel  in  his  false  assumption),  which  was 
 always  acknowledged  by  the  early  Church,  that 
 tile  manifestations  of  Christ  after  the  ascension 
 were  not  on  that  account  "  visionary,"  but  real 
 corporeal  manifestations* — and  the  unscriptu- 
 
 ii.  291).  But  how  the  merely  visionary  kind  of 
 intercourse,  the  transitory  assumption  of  an  al- 
 ready abandoned  and  formerly  material  bod/, 
 which  he  asser  s,  can  bo  reconciled  with,  we  say 
 not  the  rest  of  Sori[)ture,  lut  his  own  system,  it 
 would  be  well  if  he  would  consider. 
 
 *  Thus  Schenkel  in  1839  {Die  Wm^nschafl  und 
 die  Kirche,  p.  122),  in  direct  opposition  to  Scrip- 
 ture, termed  the  appearances  to  Taul  "  only  a  sud 
 
jojix  XX.  lo-r 
 
 717' 
 
 ral  error  Avliich  stumbles  at  and  reJeoL.-;  the  in-  , 
 terval  and  intervening  state  of  llie  forty  (ir.ys. 
 The  assurance  given  afterwards  (p.  G17)  is 
 fearfully  bold :  "  The  words  of  John  xx.  17 
 have  been  and  still  are  a  cni.x  i/Uerjirelitiu  only 
 because  expositors,  resolutely  bent  upon  hold- 
 ing fast  the  terni  of  the  forty  days,  have  re- 
 fuser! to  yield  the  plain  and  simple  force  of  ex- 
 pression its  riglits."  After  our  interpretation 
 of  the  "touch  me  not"  and  the  "  I  ascend," 
 and  the  "for"  which  links  them  especially,  we 
 are  quite  justified  in  declaring  that  the  force  of 
 the  words,  not  superficially  but  thoroughly 
 siudied,  contains  no  reference  whatever  to  an 
 ascension  on  the  morning  of  the  resurrection. 
 It  is  most  foolish,  therefore,  and  proves  the 
 blinding  consequences  of  headlong  devotion  to 
 a  hypothesis,  when  he  says,  p.  619 :  "  One 
 sends  a  messenger  only  when  one  cannot  go  in 
 person.  It  would  seem  very  strange  that  Jesus 
 did  not  at  once  in  person  assure  his  disciples 
 of  his  life,  unless  Ave  assume  that  he  had  pre- 
 viously another  object  to  attain.  What  that 
 object  was,  is  so  plainly  expressed  in  the  mes- 
 sage to  the  disciples,  that  no  doubt  can  remain 
 upon  the  question."  Thus  the  Lord  is  sup- 
 posed to  have  meant  by  that  message  :  I  can- 
 not come  to  you  immediately,  for  I  must  pre- 
 viously and  at  once  go  to  the  Father.  If  that 
 is  so  entirely  past  doubt  now,  why  haa  all 
 Christendom  vntil  this  time  iinders'ood  it  other- 
 wise? Our  exposition  of  the  "  touch  me  not" 
 has,  further,  perfectly  refuted  the  conclusion 
 which  has  been  drawn  from  a  most  wilful  and 
 superficial  perversion  of  the  letter,  and  which 
 runs  thus,  p.  620;  "In  the  mornmg  Christ 
 forbids  to  touch,  lecnuse  he  has  not  yet  ascend- 
 ed ;  in  the  afternoon  he  permits  and  commands 
 it  (Luke  xxiv.  39,  ip)^Aag}?j6ar£  //£).  The  re- 
 ference is  very  simple:  between  morning  and 
 afternoon  every  reason  for  not  touching  him 
 has  been  i-emoved — the  ascension  to  heaven 
 has  taken  place."  Apart  from  the  fact  that 
 during  the  morning,  and  very  soon  after,  the 
 Lord  permitted  himself  to  be  touched  by  other 
 women,  and  blamed  them  not  because  they 
 touched  him  with  a  different  spirit  and  mean- 
 ing (showing  that  consequently  the  reason  of 
 the  prohibition  was  something  sfiecific  in  the 
 dTtTE60ai  of  Mary),  we  simply  ask.  What  had 
 the  Lord  to  do  in  the  garden  during  the  inter- 
 val while  they  went  from  the  sepulchre  to  the 
 city  and  back  again,  if  his  exaltation  to  the 
 Father  belonged  essentially  and  immediately  to 
 his  resurrection  ?  Was  it  necessary  that  he 
 should  collect  his  thoughts,  and  prepare  him- 
 self in  any  sense  for  the  dvafiaiyoa  ?  Or,  did 
 the  Lord's  conscious  course  and  way  from  the 
 opened  sepulchre  to  heaven  proceed  so  slowly 
 upon  earth,  in  the  garden,  that  after  a  consid- 
 erable space  of  time  he  had  not  yet  ascended — 
 
 den  outbeaming  of  Christ  to  the  spiritual  eye  of 
 the  Apostle."  How  can  he  reconcile  wiih  ihis 
 the  emphatic  declaration  in  ReT.  i.  17,  18,  of  the 
 personal  identity -&f  him  who  had  been  dead  and 
 was  alive  again. 
 
 nnd  still  stands  not  far  from  the  sepulchre? 
 Wherefore  tlien  and  i.o  what  cud  was  Mary 
 •Magdalene  t!ie  only  favored  one  who  witnessetl 
 anil  enjoyed  t!i:s  brief  inlerme'liatf  glance  of 
 tiie  Lord  before  h;s  ascension?  He  who  ad- 
 heres so  very  tenaciously  to  the  letter,  must 
 necessarily  thus  give  account  of  the  not  yet; 
 the  critic  who  finds  it  "  perf',^otly  aimless"  that 
 Jesus  "  at  this  crisis  should  have  nothing  more 
 speedy  to  speak  of  to  his  disciples  than  that  he 
 should  ascend  after  forty  days"  (because  in 
 fact,  he  has  no  feeling  of  the  spiritual  signi- 
 ficance of  this  crisis  itself,  and  of  the  Lord's 
 reference  to  the  intervening,  transitory  charac- 
 ter of  the  forty  days) — may  very  reasonably 
 be  asked  to  account  for  the  "aim"  of  our 
 Lord's  delay  for  the  sake  of  Magdalene  alone. 
 Could  he  not  in  the  meantime  have  sent  his  mes- 
 sengers to  her?  Would  it  not  have  been  nrore 
 consistent  that  he  should  at  once  go  up  to  the 
 Father,  that  he  might  then  be  able  to  show 
 himself  all  the  sooner  to  all  of  them  with  an 
 7/St/  dyafiifirfHa,  I  have  already  ascended? 
 Hauff  says  well,  "  But  why  does  he  not  at 
 once  ascend/  if  he  is  in  such  haste  to  do  so?" 
 It  is  certain  that  ver.  17  must  have  another 
 meaning  ;  not  so  much  because,  as  Liicke  says, 
 there  is  no  "  now"  connected  with  the  "  I  as- 
 cend," as  because  it  is  plain,  to  all  who  read 
 ver.  17  with  simplicity,  that  Jesus  on  the 
 evening  of  that  day  wis  stdl  xipon  earth.  That 
 other  meaning  is  found  in  the  words  of  ver.  17 
 itself:  "I  am  not  yet  ascended"  cannot  signify, 
 1  hasten  to  ascend  ;  but.  "  I  tarry  yet  a  while 
 longer  among  you."  For  it  is  at  least  as  true 
 here,  as  it  was  asserted  of  1  Cor.  xv.  :  John 
 makes  "  no  distinction  "  between  the  appear- 
 ances which  took  place  after  the  "  I  ascend" 
 announced  to  Magdalene,  and  this  first  ap- 
 pearance before  it. 
 
 The  argument  for  this  immediate  ascension 
 which  has  been  drawn  from  a  supposed  impar- 
 tation  of  the  Spirit  in  John  xx.  22,  will  be  re- 
 futed on  that  passage  by  the  maintenance  of  a 
 meaning  other  than  simply  literal  in  the  Ad- 
 fSere,  "  receive."  As  to  the  endeavor  which  has 
 been  made  to  establish  Kinkel's  view  by  patris- 
 tic authorities  as  the  tradition  of  the  first  three 
 centuries,  we  shall  leave  that  question  to 
 others,  ourselves  adhering  simply  to  exegesis. 
 
 While  we  would  recommend  the  theosoph- 
 ists  to  reserve  their  speculations  as  to  the  mys- 
 tery of  the  forty-number,  instead  of  obtruding 
 the'm  inopportunely  to  the  oflence  of  theology, 
 it  remains  evident  to  every  untheosophical  yet 
 believing  apprehension,  that  "  the  time  from 
 the  resurrection  to  the  ascension,  which  was  the 
 connecting  link  between  the  weakness  of  tl;e 
 Lord's  former  life  and  the  high  dignity  of  his 
 glorified  life,  and  the  transition  from  his  obedi- 
 ence to  the  supreme  rule  of  all  creation,  was  a 
 necessary,  essential,  and  most  important  portion  of 
 the  circle  of  the  life  of  Jesus.  Necessary,  and 
 so  far  essential,  not  merely  economi>nlly  for 
 the  transitional  discipline  of  his  disciples,  but 
 most  certainly  indispensable  to  the  humanity  oi 
 Jesus  himself,  which  was   to  be  exalted    and 
 
718 
 
 SECOND  GEEETING  TO  THE  WOMEN, 
 
 glorified.  An  immediate  ascension  of  the  Risen 
 Lord,  an  vinmediated  transition  or  rather  leap 
 from  obedience  into  dominion  is  to  us,  as  Kleu- 
 ker  says,  an  unimaginable  thing  as  to  Jesus 
 liimselt";  although  the  lack  of  revealed  instruc- 
 tion upon  the  subject,  and  moreover  the  in- 
 capacity of  our  minds  for  such  instruction, 
 keeps  us  in  ignorance  of  the  internal  process  ol 
 this  transitional  state  of  our  Lord.  The  descent 
 into  hell  was  not  this  transition  in  itself,  for 
 the  resurrection  from  the  sepulchre  connects 
 him  at  once  with  the  earth  again.  Here  are 
 mysteries,  and  it  is  better  to  acknowledge  these 
 in'silent  reverence,  than  over-curiously  to  spec- 
 ulate upon  them.  A  process  of  gradational 
 glorification  in  the  person  and  body  of  Christ 
 himself  is  an  idea  by  no  means  self-contradic- 
 tory ;  indeed  a  thorough  investigation  of  the 
 subject  drives  us  necessarily  to  assume  it.  And 
 we  may  confidently  assert,  to  bring  back  these 
 observations  upon  the  text  which  we  are  ex- 
 pounding to  the  point  from  which  they  set  out, 
 that  the  Lord  uttered  this  presentiating  "I  as- 
 cend "  to  Mary  because  his  present  intermediate 
 state  was  a  continual  advance  towards  his 
 ascending,  and  preparation  for  it.    Tholuok : 
 
 "Thus  the  Lord  declares  his  resurrection  to  b® 
 already  a  glorification,  although  not  yet  his  fuU 
 glorification." 
 
 Neither  Magdalene  nor  the  brethren  under- 
 stood at  the  first  announcement  the  depth  of 
 the  Lord's  word ;  but  it  was  not  spoken  simply 
 for  that  purpose.  Enough  that  in  loving  obe- 
 dience, des'nng  no  further  touch,  the  same  wo- 
 man who  in  ver.  15  had  bewailed  to  the  Lord 
 himself  the  taking  away  of  her  Lord,  departs 
 and  joyfully  declares  his  message  :  koDpaxa — 
 T  av  r  a  e  i  it  e  v ,  I  have  seen — these  tilings 
 she  said.*  The  note  of  Grotius — "  Dubitabat 
 iterum,  annon  fuisset  visio  incorporea"  (She 
 doubted  whether  the  vision  were  not  incorporeal) 
 — has  not  the  slightest  ground  for  its  folly  ; 
 certainly  not  in  the  emphatic  words,  "  that  she 
 had  seen  the  Lord  and  that  he  had  spoken 
 these  things  unto  her."  For  it  is  plain  that 
 she  needed  not  to  relate  specifically  her  own 
 aTtre6^ai  in  addition  to  the  Lord's  Mrj  iiov 
 ccTtrov.  The  disciples  on  the  way  to  Emmaus 
 (according  to  Luke  xxiv.  22,  23)  had  certainly 
 not  yet  received  this  message  of  Magdalene  ; 
 but  the  "disciples"  were  not  all  assembled 
 together  in  one  company  on  this  day. 
 
 SECOND  GREETING,  TO  THE  WOMEN  LEAVING  THE  SEPULCHRE. 
 
 (Matt,  xxviii.  9,  10.) 
 
 Matthew  is  to  be  reconciled  with  Mark  and 
 John,  without  having  recourse  to  all  kinds  of 
 artifices — the  strangest  of  which  is  the  suppo- 
 sition that  there  were  two  Magdalenes.  We 
 have  said  already  that  the  same  one  Magdalene 
 (>}  MayScx\r/v7J)  went  and  came  with  the 
 others  to  the  sepulchre;  but  she  hastened  be- 
 fore, and  went  away  again  earlier.  We  know 
 not  whether  Matthew  was  acquainted  with 
 this ;  we  do  not  alSrm  it  as  a  dogma  that  each 
 Evangelist  knew  every  paiticular.  The  first 
 mentions,  ver.  1,  in  addition  to  Mary  Magda- 
 lene, only  the  other  Mary  ;  yet  we  must  sup- 
 pose other  women  to  have  been  present,  as 
 otherwise  there  would  be  left  for  vers.  9. 10, 
 only  the  second  Mary — Mary  Magdalene  hav- 
 ing, according  to  John  and  Mark,  seen  the 
 Lord  at  first  alone.  In  this  Ebrard  is  right, 
 but  not  in  thestranjje  supposition  that  vers.  9, 
 10,  refer  to  the  manifestation  which  had  been 
 made  to  the  Magdalene  alone,  but  merely  con- 
 tinue in  the  indefinite  plural,  because  that  had 
 already  been  adopted — the  Magdalene,  how- 
 ever, being  solely  intended. 
 
 If  we  yield  to  Ebrard,  and  those  who  think 
 with  him,*  this  section  of  our  exposition  must 
 
 *  Groiius,  Olshausen,  Thouck,  Von  Gerlach. 
 We  (hid  llie  same  view  Uev;'loping  its  consequen- 
 ces where  we  should  not  have  expected  it.  For 
 instance,  Aib  rtini  preaches  lliat  "  Magdalene 
 had,  as  Mattleiv  express';/  relates,  embraced  the 
 Lord's  feet."    Situiarly,  iSepp'a  "  scientific  eran- 
 
 fall  to  the  ground — because  our  present  narra- 
 tive would  then  be  only  Matthew's  "  depictur- 
 ing "  of  the  simple  occurrence  which  took  place 
 with  Mary  Magdalene.  But  such  an  apparent 
 extension  of  the  manifestation  granted  to  Mary 
 to  all  the  women  would  be  much  more  than 
 what  Olshausen  terms  "  inexactness  '.'  in  Mat- 
 thew. Of  such  inexactness  we  admit  no 
 "possibility."  Have  those  who  adopt  this 
 theory  considered  it  in  all  its  bearings'/  Is  it 
 possible  that  the  x<x'/^^^^  of  JIatthew  is  the 
 same  as  the  apostrophe — Mary  ?|  Is  this  •  Be 
 not   afraid,"  no   other    than    the  "  Touch  me 
 
 celicalcriticijm  "  perceives  in  Matthew  two  events 
 blended  into  one  narrative.  AVe  hoj)?,  however, 
 in  spite  of  Weizsackers  protest,  that  our  book 
 will  have  some  influence  in  helping  to  abolish  such 
 a  method  of  dealing  with  the  Gospels. 
 
 *  Lango  says  :  '■  This  Mary,  who  thus  leaves 
 his  face  to  celebrate  her  Easter,  and  can  find  her 
 Easter  joy  in  tliis  form  of  announcement  of  his 
 new  lif?,  sliows  r.n  obedience  ripened  into  the 
 character  of  that  of  angels  ;  hers  is  the  blessed- 
 ness of  heaven,  for  she  can  lor.ve  the  nlor.ous 
 manifestation  of  heaven  in  order  to  cany  the  me."*- 
 sase  of  consolation  to  the  comfortless  circle  of 
 her  fellows  upon  earth."  Tiiis  is  beautiiully  sa!d, 
 though  somewhat  extravagant. 
 
 t  Grotius  actually  adds:  "  Addre^siTin;  Miry 
 also  by  name,  as  is  usual  with  tho^e  who  s.-ilu;e." 
 But  w.iere  is  the  "  Wonnn.  wliy  weojieiu  thou  1  " 
 And  what  of  the  meeting  them  as  tliey  inopeij' 
 
 OYVO  f 
 
MATTHEW  XXVIIl.  9,  10. 
 
 719 
 
 not  ?  "  Can  the  announcement  that  the  dis- 
 ciples should  see  him  in  Galilee  be  only  another 
 form  of  the  "I  ascend  "  in  John  ?  The  sending 
 to  his  brethren  is  the  only  particular  which 
 remains  common  to  both  ;  all  the  rest  is  totally 
 distinct.  We  confess  that  we  cannot  account 
 on  any  other  ground  than  that  of  inadvertence 
 for  Meyer's  admission  in  his  note  that  all  this 
 may  pomlly  refer  to  Mary  Magdalene  alone — 
 pointing  (with  Von  GerJach)  to  Matt,  xxvii. 
 44.  Oh,  no;  this  notion,  which  the  Wolfen- 
 luVel  Fragmentht  broached,  is  altogether  im- 
 practicable. We  cannot  even  admit  the  view 
 which  Lange  propounds  :  "  Matthew  makes  the 
 second  appearance  of  the  angels  to  Magdalene 
 coincide  with  the  first  to  the  other  women  ; 
 and  blends  the  first  manifestation  of  Christ 
 which  was  granted  to  the  Magdalene  with  his 
 second  appearance,  which  the  women  report- 
 ed." There  is  no  such  blending  or  making  to 
 coincide  in  his  account;  but  what  Matthew 
 relates  is  a  characteristic  and  independent  re- 
 cord, just  as  is  that  of  John,  who  records  what 
 he  had  omitted.  The  inexactness  complained  of 
 springs  from  this,  that  without  the  other  Evan- 
 gelists we  misunderstand  Matthew ;  making 
 him  mean  in  ver.  1  that  only  these  two  women 
 were  present,  and  consequently  including  Mary 
 Magdalene  in  vers.  9,  10.  But  how  much 
 slighter  is  this  difficulty  than  that  which  makes 
 Matt,  xxviii.  9,  10,  historically  the  same  as 
 John  XX.  14,  17  ! 
 
 This  does  not  invalidate  Von  Gerlach's  ex- 
 cellent remarks  upon  the  climax  of  the  several 
 manifestations  of  Christ  on  the  day  of  his  re.s-  | 
 urrection  ;  it  rather  adds  new  features  to  it.  i 
 Mary  Magdalene  is  initiated  into  the  mystery  j 
 aft(r  an  anxious  testing  by  tiie  angels  and  by  i 
 Christ  himself;  some  of  the  other  women  see  an  | 
 angel  and  presently  the   Lord  also  ;  but  some 
 (Luke  xxiv.)  have  only  a  view  of  the  angeU 
 who  said  that   he  lived  ;  to  the  dismayed  di.s- 
 ciples  on  the  road  to  Emmaus  the  Lord  him- 
 self as  unknown  first  opens  the  Scriptures,  and 
 when  they  believe  gives  them  a  momentary 
 sight  of  himself;  between  Peter  and  John,  who 
 were  not  convinced  even  by  the  view  of  k.v 
 sepulchre,  there  is  a  distinction  made  on  ac- 
 count of  I'eter's  penitence  ;  finally,  the  rest  of 
 the  Apostles  who  did  not  believe,  even  those 
 who  had  seen  him  after  he  had  risen  (Mark 
 xvi.  14),  are  in  the  evening  humbled,  reproved, 
 and  blessed. 
 
 But  now  let  us  turn  to  the  matter  itself 
 The  Lord  connects  his  words  with  those  which 
 an  angel  had  spoken,  though  somewhat  differ- 
 ently. The  angel  had  said,  "  Fear  ye  not,  and  be 
 not  ye  terrified  like  the  guard,  and  his  enemies 
 — I  have  good  tidings  lor  you  who  seek  Jesus 
 the  crucified."  The  angel  terms  him  indeed 
 afterwards  "the  Lord"  (as  Luke  ii.  11) — but 
 the  first  name  is  the  name  of  reproach  and 
 death  glorified  into  a  title  of  honor.  Accord- 
 ing to  Mark  it  is  expressly  Jesus  of  Nazareth 
 (comp.  Acts.  xxii.  8) — and  in  addition,  the 
 Crucified.  This  is  the  first  high  name  of  thf 
 Risen  Lord,  as  it  was  given  and  sanctified  at 
 
 first  by  the  mouth  of  an  angel ;  tnus  was  the 
 Lowly  One  called  now  in  the  world,  thus  would 
 he  be  ever  named  both  in  heaven  and  upon 
 earth  ;  of  this  cross  it  would  be  proclaimed,  in 
 the  glorious  preaching  of  salvation,  that  all 
 things  were  obtained  in  it.  Ye  seek  him,  even 
 in  disgrace  and  death  ;  yea,  it  is  this  cross  which 
 has  attracted  you,  and  makes  you  still  no  other 
 than  those  who  were  with  Jesus  of  Nazareth. 
 Ye  seek  him,  although  in  the  wrong  place ; 
 but  ye  shall,  nevertheless,  find  him.  Thi.s  is 
 the  message.  He  is  not  here,  he  is  7-isen,  and  that 
 as  he  told  you.  The  Lord  had  pointed  to  the 
 Scripture,  but  now  the  angels  point  back  to  his 
 words  ;  for  every  testimony  to  truth  which  ever 
 fell  from  his  lips  is  confirmed  and  sealed  by  the 
 sign  of  the  resurrection  ;  the  first-born  from  the 
 dead  is  the  Faithful  Witness  (Rev.  i.  5).  The 
 power  of  God  hereby  impresses  the  seal  upon 
 all  that  he  had  spoken  ;  the  Father  himself  ut- 
 ters his  Amen  to  the  Finished  upon  the  cross. 
 Come  and  see — not  indeed  himself,  but  the  place 
 where  the  Lord — as  dead — lay.  Tarry  not, 
 however,  in  the  place,  go  on  further — is  the 
 meaning  of  the  word  "  he  is  risen  "  to  the  dis- 
 ciples. Do  ye  believe  ?  Will  they  believe 
 it?  Behold  ye  shall  see  him,  even  as  he  said, 
 in  Galilee :  and  now  let  it  suffice ;  for  behold 
 I,  his  and  his  Father's  messenger,  have  told 
 you. 
 
 Most  mighty  words!*  Nothing  but  peace, 
 joy,  and  life.  Yea  and  Amen.  But  the  women 
 are  affrighted  at  him — this  is  the  combined 
 sjies  ei  horror  mortahum — they  shrink  from  the 
 world  beyond  the  grave;  fear  contends  (as 
 often  in  the  case  of  us  all)  in  their  hearts  with 
 their  g  eat  joy.  And  they  said  nothing  to  any 
 man,  as  Mark  adds,  ver.  8;  that  is,  they  said 
 nothing  in  the  way,  before  they  came  to  the 
 disciples. t     Their  fear  itself  helps  them  right- 
 
 "  Still  more  mighty,  to  excite  faith  without 
 -;i2ht,  is  that  word  to  the  others — Why  seek  ye  the 
 living  among  the  dead  ]  (Isa.  viii.  19).  In  the 
 question  lies  its  answer.  The  Crucified  is  never- 
 theless the  livii>!j.  He  was  among  the  dead,  as  he 
 /fty  in  death.  He  was  intermediately  below  amonj 
 the  dead,  but  nevertheless  as  the  living — and  noiv 
 he  liveth  for  evermore  (Rev.  i.  18).  He  is  the 
 Lord  and  God  not  of  the  de^d  but  of  the  living. 
 We  children  of  men  are  the  dead,  but  he  the  liv- 
 ing who  maketh  alive !  Thus  he  is  not  to  be 
 sought  among  ourselves,  in  the  world,  in  any  par- 
 ticular place.  (This  answer  of  tha  angel  s  was 
 once  more  siven,  as  Hezel  says,  at  the  sepulchre 
 ot  our  Lord  to  the  crusading  world.)  Not  among 
 dead  "  Christians  " — not  in  the  dead  letter  of 
 Scr  pture,  dogma,  preaching — for  he  himself,  th» 
 living,  is  to  be  sought.  The  angel  could  not  then 
 say — Seek  him  among  the  living  :  but  there  are  liv- 
 ing now,  araonrj  and  in  whom  he  lives,  and  is  to  be 
 found.  Yea,  those  who  seek  him  as  the  living  ara 
 to  him  as  living,  and  will  surely  find  him.  Thus 
 the  seeking  is  with  the  seekers,  but  not  amojig 
 them,  for — seeking  is  r.ot  yet  finding. 
 
 t  Not,  as  Von  Gerlach  thinks,  that  they  did  not 
 at  first  tell  even  the  Apostles,  for  this  would  not 
 agree  with  Matthew. 
 
720 
 
 SECOND  GREETING  TO  THE  WOMEN: 
 
 ly  to  under^land  the  commission  to  tell  it  onhj 
 to  the  disciples.  They  go  in  the  way  of  simple 
 obedience;  their  own  dawning  faith  overcom- 
 ing the  temptation  to  ask — Shall  we  find  cre- 
 dence? or  to  say — Let  us  wait  until  we  have 
 ourselves  seen  the  Lord.  Therefore  they  re- 
 ceive their  recomoense,  that  of  being  able  to 
 Kay  with  Mary  Magdalene-  I  have  seen  the 
 Lord.  To  them  also  he  makes  himself  present, 
 as  they  walk  in  the  way :  for  the  Living  One 
 is  no  more  restricted  by  limitations  of  space, 
 as  we  are  to  observe  at  once  by  the  succession 
 of  the  first  two  appearances.  It  is  not  in  the 
 neighborhood  of  the  sepulchre  (as  Hess  thinks) 
 that  he  appears  to  them  ;  but  as  ^latthew  re- 
 lates, he  met  them  as  they  went  in  the  icay. 
 Bengel  says,  "  He  came  not,  therefore,  from 
 the  sepulchre,  but  from  the  city  :"  and  we  add, 
 as  always  goinrj  befi/re  us,  according  to  the  an- 
 gel's word.  But  we  are  not  to  suppose  that 
 Mary  Magdalene  was  already  again  with  them, 
 nor  is  it  probable  that  the  mother  of  the  Lord 
 was  in  this  group  of  women  (as  Lange  sup- 
 poses, in  order  at  all  events  to  introduce  her 
 somewhere)  ;  she  would  in  that  case  have  been 
 mentioned.  The  Berlenb.  Blbel  tells  ns  that 
 the  holy  mother,  in  her  more  silent  and  deeper 
 mind,  did  not  seek  the  living  among  the  dead, 
 but  waited  for  him  in  perfect  composure. 
 
 XaipEze,  Hall,  is  his  first  greeting  now  :  ap- 
 parently an  unpretending  word  of  human  confi- 
 dence, but  in  his  lips  retaining  its  fullest  truth 
 and  essential  reality.  It  is  more  than  a  mere 
 Atde,  as  translated  by  the  Vulg. ;  certainlynot 
 a  mere  translation  of  an  Israelite  23-5  DitJ"'} 
 
 "Peace  be  unto  j-ou  :"  both  kinds  of  greeting, 
 that  of  the  Jews  and  that  of  the  Greeks,  the  Lord 
 had  himself  from  the  beginningsanclified(comp. 
 Acts  XV.  23,  and  James  i.  1)  ;  hence  the  He- 
 braizing Matthew  records  ;t;a//'jtr^,  and  the 
 Greek  LukeEi/j;;K7;  v^ly.  But  j nj  must  now 
 overcome  the  fear.  That  is  its  meaning  as 
 closely  connected  with  the  immediately  follow- 
 ing "  Be  not  afraid,"  for  which  Matt.  ver.  8 
 had  prepared.  Because  it  had  been  already 
 announced  to  them,  the  Lord  can  begin  with 
 bis  gracious  encouragement.  These  women 
 are  less  "  beside  themselves  "  through  sorrow, 
 or  rather  less  sunk  into  themselves,  than  Mary 
 Magdalene ;  they  at  once  know  their  Lord, 
 they  boldly  approach  nearer,  come  close  to  him, 
 fall  down  and  grasn  his  knees,  and  worship 
 him  without  a  word.  (Bongel :  Jesum  ante 
 passionem  alii  potius  alieniores  adorarunt, 
 quam  discipuli.)  Ho  does  not  icject  it,  be- 
 cause there  was  nothing  in  it  to  be  repelled  ; 
 he  encourages  still  more  those  who  were  again 
 affrighted  even  while  they  embraced  his  feet, 
 and  gives  them  from  his  own  lips  their  com- 
 mission. 
 
 His  words,  like  those  to  Mary  Magdalene, 
 are  generally  only  a  repetition  of  the  words  of 
 the  angcI ;  in  the  case  of  these  weaker  women 
 he  does  not  go  beyond  that  repetition,  for  to 
 them  the  higher  declaration  concerning  the 
 "ascending"  would  Lave  been  too  high.     He 
 
 therefore  m  his  condescension  simply  contlrm* 
 tliem  in  their  mission.  He  repeats  not  onh 
 iiis  servant's  "  fear  not,"  but  also  the  commano 
 to  go,  and  the  promise  that  the  disciples  shouW 
 see  him  in  Galilee — all  the  angel's  message  be 
 ing  thus  confirmed.  These  are  Uie  three  branch 
 es  of  our  Lord's  saying.  All  fear  must  at  one* 
 subside  ;  for  the  Comforter  and  Conqueror  is 
 there,  to  silence  all  agitation,  to  dispel  all 
 anxiety,  to  overcome  all  weakness  and  sin. 
 Nothing  now  remains  but  the  "great  joy,'' 
 now  more  clearly  revealed  and  more  abun- 
 dantly won,  than  when  it  v.'as  announced  bj 
 the  angels  at  the  birth  of  this  Lord*  The 
 angel  had  said — Tell  his  disciples ;  the  Lord 
 now  says,  in  a  stronger  and  more  dignified  ex- 
 pression— Announce  to  them.  The  angel's  word 
 was — That  he  is  risen.  The  Lord  does  not  first 
 say — I  am  risen.  The  angel  had  said  only— 
 Tell  his  dacip'es:  the  Lord  says  the  second 
 time,  as  before  to  Magdalene — My  brethren  ; 
 that  the  comparison  and  concert  of  these  two 
 messages  might  produce  all  the  greater  joy 
 and  assurance.  The  disciples  are  his  brethren  ; 
 new  demonstration,  if  any  more  were  needed, 
 of  the  true  meaning  of  this  word.  Neverthe- 
 less, he  does  not  say  even  to  those — Announce 
 to  all  the  world,  tell  every  man  who  will  hear 
 it;  but,  as  to  Magdalene,  and  confirming  the 
 angel's  word — On']/  to  my  brethren.  The  first 
 message,  indeed,  even  to  the  disciples,  was 
 committed  to  women  ;  but  not  on  that  account 
 (as  Gossner  says)  must  the  women  exa't  them- 
 selves into  Apostles.  Not  to  them  was  after 
 wards  said,  "  Go  ye  forth  into  all  the  worlif 
 and  preach."  That  the  Apostles  do  not  first 
 see  the  Lord  himself,  nor  even  the  angel,  but 
 were  required  to  believe  the  women  without 
 seeing,  was  not  only  ordained  for  their  greater 
 honor,  but  arranged  in  wisdom  with  regard  to 
 their  office.  They  were  not  made  to  wait,  as 
 many  say,  because  they  had  been  ofT-nded  and 
 fled;  forhow  would  that  agree  -y^th  the  grace 
 shown  to  Peter,  and  the  Lord's  unpunishing 
 benignity  generallv?  The  reason  lay  in  their 
 specific  office.  Their  slowness  to  believe — 
 grounded  upon  men's  more  deep  and  inquiring 
 thoughtf — their  unbelief,  mixed  with  it  and 
 yet  overcome,  would  afterwards,  when  related, 
 itself  strengthen  their  certain  testimony  :  as 
 Leo  the  Great  says,  "  They  had  doubted,  that 
 we  might  not  doubt,  but  be  all  the  more  urged 
 to  believe."  The  remembrance  of  their  own 
 unbelief  would  teach  them  to  bear  patiently 
 with  the  unbelief  of  their  hearers  ;  and  we 
 may  suppose,  with  Bengel,  that  the  Apostles 
 would  afterwards  in  their  humility  think  more 
 highly  than  of  themselves  of  many  who  believ- 
 ed  at  once  without  seeeing.     They  regarded, 
 
 *  Yet  Nilzsch  rightly  preaches  :  "  IIow  instiuc- 
 tiv©  it  i.o,  that  the  revivification  of  the  disciples  /a- 
 (/ins  in  the  feeling  of  fear  !  Most  assuredly,  in  the 
 tear  thus  excited  was  a  germ  of  joy  and  salva- 
 tion." 
 
 ^  For  a  flower  is  more  easily  planted  than  a  tre« 
 — in  Dengel'B  remark. 
 
MATTHEW  XXVIII.  15-17. 
 
 721 
 
 indeed,  as  XrjpoZ,  an  idle  tale,  not  merely  (ac- 
 cording to  Luke  xxiv.  11)  tlie  report  of  tlie  ap- 
 pearance of  ti)e  angels,  but  also  the  announce- 
 ment that  the  Lord  himself  had  been  seen. 
 "  On  th.e  one  hand,  at  the  bottom  of  all  this 
 unbelief  there  laj''  a  certain  confidence  in  his 
 love— If  he  had  actually  risen,  he  would  him- 
 self have  appeared  even  to  me.  But,  on  the 
 other  hand,  If  lie  were  alive,  would  he  not 
 first  appear  to  the  chosen  ambassadors  of  his 
 kingdom?"  (Ptenninger).  They  could  not 
 understand  tlie  preference  given  to  insignifi- 
 cant "  women  :"  "if  the  law  of  his  kingdom 
 did  not  require  his  first  and  most  immediate 
 appearance  to  themselves,  would  not  his  heart 
 move  him  to  show  himself  to  John,  and  to  his 
 mother?"  Peter  especially  could  not  believe 
 that  lie  was  mentioned  by  the  angel,  and  John 
 passed  by. 
 
 Suffice  it  that  the  Lord  would  thus  test  them 
 and  reveal  to  them  their  hearts,  and  give  them 
 full  experience  of  the  true  nature  of  r.iibelief  in 
 its  fairest  forms.  He  well  knew  that  at  this 
 great  beginning  of  fulfillment  all  his  disciples 
 and  brethren,  even  the  Apostles,  would  urgent- 
 ly need  and  desire  to  see  him  ;  therefore  he  gave 
 to  them  by  these  women  (as  the  supplement  to 
 the  word  to  Magdalene  concerning  his  ascen- 
 sion) the  promise  of  that  sight.  But  must  they 
 go  away  to  Galilee  (from  Jerusalem),  and  there 
 see  him  first?  This  has  been  a  great  difficulty 
 to  many;  and  even  Sepp  regards  this  as  evi- 
 dence that  Matthew  intends  here  only  an  inex- 
 act account  of  the  appearance  to  Mary  Magda- 
 lene ;  yea;  more,  that  this  word  concerning 
 Galilee  is  placed  in  the  angel's  mouth  by  an 
 incorrect  anticipation,  and  therefore  in  our 
 Lord's  is  only  a  pleonasm.  For  "  we  cannot 
 suppose  (he  says)  that  any  one  who  would 
 meet  others  to-day,  and  again  repeatedly  after- 
 wards in  the  same  place,  would  reler  them  by 
 a  third  person  to  a  more  distant  time  and 
 place."  So  indeed  it  would  appear;  but,  when 
 we  closely  examine,  the  angel's  and  the  Lord's 
 words  are  perfectly  consistent  and  right.  It 
 was  not  without  reason  that  the  angel  (see  in 
 Mark)  referred  back  to  our  Lord's  own  former 
 words  upon  this  subject  (Matt.  xxvi.  32  ;  Mark 
 xiv.  28) :  this  designation  of  Galilee  as  the 
 general  place  of  reunion  for  the  scattered  flock 
 we  have  already  enlarged  upon.  The  reference 
 here  is  to  be  understood  in  precisely  the  same 
 sense  as  that  in  which  our  Lord  first  gave  the 
 command.  And  that  is  referred  to  here  at  the 
 outset,  because,  as  Storr  remarks,  "  this  was 
 the  last  prediction  of  the  resurrection  which 
 Jesus  gave  to  his  disciples,  when  they  were  go- 
 ing forth  to  the  place  of  his  capture,  immedi- 
 ately before  their  dispersion."  Thus  he  brings 
 his  own  words  to  their  minds,  which  they  should 
 ponder  for  the  assistance  of  their  faith — words 
 which  must  be  fulfilled;  but  he  does  not  by 
 any  means  contradict  thereby  his  own  purpose 
 to  show  himself  previously  to  his  Apostles. 
 Lange  has  well  said  that  this  lomng,  this 
 texLof  the  re&«rrection-day — To  Galilee  !  ap- 
 plied not  so  much  to  the  Apostles  exclusively 
 
 as  to  the  Apostles  in  union  with  the  whole 
 greater  company  of  his  disciples  and  brethren.* 
 Not  all  of  these  were  fit  and  prepared  to  see 
 him  at  once,  at  least  in  Jerusalem,  where  a 
 premature  and  unsanctified  triumph  might 
 have  easily  broken  out.  The  Apostles  were 
 themselves  indeed  surprised  on  the  same  day  by 
 an  appearance  of  the  Lord  :  this  was  seasonable 
 and  necessary,  in  order  that  they  might  be  the 
 leaders  of  the  flock.  But  that  "this  might  ap- 
 pear to  be  a  surprise  of  his  free  grace,  and  not 
 interfere  with  the  test  of  their  faith  and  obe- 
 dience, he  did  not  appear  to  them  at  once,  but 
 directed  their  thoughts  to  that  future  general 
 meeting  promised  to  the  whole  flock  by  their 
 Shepherd  going  before  them.  It  may  be  asked 
 why  the  Apostles  remained  in  Jerusalem  in- 
 stead of  obeying  at  once  the  order  received 
 from  their  Lord;  and  the  answer  is,  not  only 
 !  (as  Ambrose  remarks)  that  their  unbelief  pre- 
 [  vented  them,  but  that  the  Lord's  orders  were 
 j  not,  when  rightly  understood,  intended  in  that 
 i  sense.  The  Lord's  command  pre-supposed  their 
 j  tarrying  through  the  eight  days,  according  to 
 the  rule  of  the  feast;  for  the  intimation  (as  it 
 more  plainly  appears  in  the  angel's  words) 
 meant  no  more  and  no  less  for  the  collective 
 disciples  than  this— that  they  should  without 
 fear  or  dismay,  in  joyful  assurance  of  his  resur- 
 rection,! afler  the  feast  journey  back  again  in 
 all  sobriety  to  their  own  Galilee,  and  that  there 
 he  would  more  perfectly  reveal  himself  to  them 
 all  at  once. 
 
 Paulus  asserts  that  the  Lord  here  once  more 
 "altered  his  plan,"  and  turned  back  from  his 
 way  to  Galilee  through  Emraaus,  having  been 
 induced  to  do  so  by  the  unexpected  exhibition 
 of  the  wilfulness  of  his  disciples'  unbelief.    But 
 our  reverence  recoils  from  all  such  thoughts.J 
 The  Risen  Lord  "journeyed  "  no  longer  from 
 place  to  place  as  he  had  been  v/ont  to  do  ;  ho 
 no  longer  could  change  his  mind,  or  turn  back, 
 I  'or  all  that  he  would  do,  and  all  that  should 
 j  happen,    was   perfectly  well   known    to   him. 
 I  Moreover,  the  direction  to  go  to  Galilee,  under- 
 I  stood  as  we  have  explained  it,  is  by  no  means 
 I  in  contradiction  with  the  command  to  tarry  in 
 Jerusalem,  Luke  xxiv.  49  :  the  investigation  of 
 this,  however,  must  be  reserved  for  that  pass- 
 age.  Suffice  it  that  we  mark  here  that  the  "go- 
 
 *  Hofmann  {Schriftbewes,  II,  i.  864):  "Because 
 Galilee  was  the  land  of  his  believing  people — 
 there,  where  ho  had  found  faith  among  the  poor 
 and  ignorant,  and  not  in  Jerusalem,  where  the 
 rulers  had  crucified  him  in  their  enmity,  it  was 
 that  he  should  assemble  together  the  flock  which 
 his  death  had  scattered." 
 
 f  Without  expecting  any  revelation  of  his  king- 
 dom in  Jerusalem — as  Et)rard  (againbt  S:rau8s) 
 finds  in  the  words. 
 
 :[:  Olshausen,  alas !  assents  to  this:  "Probably 
 the  Lord  would,  according  to  his  promise,  have 
 shown  himse  f  to  the  disciples  only  in  quiet  Gali- 
 lee, i/  these  had  attained  to  a  living  faith  in  the 
 resurrection  at  once."  This  sentence  would  bo 
 quite  true  wiihoxit  the  clause — "  according  to  his 
 promise." 
 
722 
 
 ON  THE  WAY  TO  EMMAUS. 
 
 ing  to  Galilee"  is  a  general,  diffusive  intima- 
 tion for  all ;  just  as  in  ver  16  we  find  that  a 
 particular  mountain  in  Galilee  was  appointed 
 lor  the  great  assembly  of  his  disciples.  There 
 shall  they  see  me — oipovTai — all  shall  see 
 me  as  ye  have  already  seen  me  ;  it  is  not 
 uipECOs,  as  the  angel  had  said.  The  Lord  pro- 
 mises the  geeing — that  is,  once  more  before  the 
 ascending — not  therefore  his  visible  continuance. 
 There  shall  they  see  me — are  his  significant 
 words,  intimating  that  his  coming  to  this  or 
 that  place  was  not  a  journey  on  his  part,  but 
 simply  his  making  himself  visible  there.*  The 
 angel's  npodysi,  go  Itefore  you,  ver.  7,  was 
 only  taken  from  the  Lord's  own  words,  in 
 which  he  figuratively  represented  himself  as 
 the  Shepherd,  collecting  and  leading  his  flock. 
 The  Evangelists  never  use  concerning  the  ap- 
 pearance of  the  Risen  Lord  the  expressions 
 epX^GOai,  itopevEdOat,  "  coming,"  "going,"  or 
 the  like;  but  the  dnr'ivrrjdEVy  "  met,"  here  in 
 ver.  9  is  the  strongest  expression  at  the  outset, 
 meaning  only  that  he  (suddenly)  came  against 
 them,  stood  in  their  way.  Kis  vanishing  is  not  ex- 
 pressed according  to  ver.  10,  but  all  the  more 
 plainly,  therefore,  pre-supposed.  So  in  ver.  17 
 there  is  the  sudien  xai  iSovrei,  before  the 
 nearer  approach  in  TcpudsMElv  follows.  In  Mark 
 xvi.  9  it  IS  IqxxvTj — ver.  12  eg)ayE,jcJ9tj,  he  ap- 
 peared— in  strict  contrast  with  the  nopsvone- 
 voii  of  the  disciples.   In  ver.  14  kqiavepojOT],  he 
 
 appeared,  without  any  subsequent  departnre.  It 
 is  true  that  in  Luke  xxiv.  15  we  read  evvETtO' 
 pEiETo  avroli,  went  with  them — but  not  till 
 after  the  tyyidai,  dreio  near,  which  is  thus 
 an  kqjavEpoaBrj,  and  that  in  another  form,  as 
 ver.  16  shows  in  a  different  expression.  Con- 
 sequently in  ver.  28  the  "going  further"  is 
 shown  by  the  "  made  as  though  "  to  be  an  ap- 
 pj^arance  regulated  by  his  own  will.  In  ver.  31 
 aqiavToi  kyEVETo,  he  vanished — in  ver.  36,  he 
 stood  in  the  midst.  Finally  in  John  xx.  \i, 
 ^EoopEl  E6rd5ra — in  ver.  19  the  ^XOev  (and  in 
 ver.  24)  is  shown  to  be  a  miraculous  "  coming  " 
 by  the  »ai  £6rrj,  through  the  closed  doors. 
 Thus  the  "coming  and  standing,"  ver.  26, 
 must  be  similarly  understood,  since  in  vers. 
 17,23,  29  there  is  no  driEpxEGOai,  no  depar- 
 ture, spoken  of;  and  in  ver. 30  his  appearances 
 are  reckoned  among  the  signs,  the  GrjuEla.  So 
 again  in  chap,  xxi,  1  "Jesus  showed  himself" 
 — and  in  ver.  4  the  miraculous  "stood"  with- 
 out any  j/Xf^Ev.  No  one  ever  says — He  came  to 
 me,  or  was  tcith  me  ;  but — /  have  seen,  we  have 
 see7i,  he  had  been  seen,  Mark  xvi.  11.  Even  in 
 Luke  xxiv.  35,  concerning  his  walking  with, 
 them,  it  is  only  rd  sy  r^j  odoj,  what  things 
 were  (mysteriously)  done  in  the  way.  All  this 
 exhibits  the  commencing  glorification  of  his 
 body,  which  was  not  completed  till  the  ascen- 
 sion. 
 
 ON  THE  WAY  TO  EMMAUS. 
 
 (Luke  xxiv.  17-27.) 
 
 The  notion  which  was  formerly  urged,  that 
 Mark  xvi.  12  refers  to  two  other  persons  than 
 those  mentioned  by  Luke,  has  been  for  some 
 time  exploded.  The  two  disciples  journeying 
 out  of  the  city  over  the  country,  to  whom  the 
 Lord  appeared  as  they  walked,  are  as  fully  de- 
 scribed as  the  Lord's  appearance  Iv  irepa 
 ixoptpfiy  in  another  fovm.  This  cannot  mean 
 "  in  a  disguise,"  if  clothing  is  supposed  to  be 
 the  foundation  of  it;  but  it  might  well  be  the 
 same  vestment  which  had  hindered  his  being 
 recognized  in  the  garden.  Certainly  it  was  not 
 "  in  the/orm  of  a  traveller;"  if  by  that  is  meant 
 that  they  took  him  for  a  fellow-traveller,  as  Mary 
 had  taken  him  for  a  gardener.  But //o/9<p57  added 
 to  iq)a%'Epc60t]  points  to  something  objective, 
 proceeding  from  Christ  himself,  and  present  in 
 nim.  Yet  it  is  not  a  general  notice,  applicable 
 to  the  collective  appearances  of  the  Risen 
 Lord—"  that  the  form  of  Christ  had  been 
 changed  since  his  death."  For  such  a  change, 
 as  the  beginning  of  his  glorification,  would 
 have  enabled  them  to  recognize  him,  rather 
 
 *  Origen  rightly  maintained  that  "  the  body  of 
 Christ  was  seen  during  the  forty  days  when  he 
 would,  and  by  whom  he  would." 
 
 than  otherwise  ;  but  it  is  their  not  recognizing 
 him  which  Mark,  compared  with  Luke,  de- 
 scribes in  this  first  manifestation.  It  is  cer- 
 tain, too,  that  he  points  out  the  cause  of  their 
 not  knowing  him,  and  not  merely  the  not 
 knowing  itself;  for  /nopquj,  as  we  have  said,  is 
 something  objective,  and  cannot  possibly  stand 
 for  an  appearance  assumed  in  the  eye  of  others, 
 or  for  the  notion  which  others  form  of  a  person. 
 Ebrard  correctly  says  that  "  in  the  perfect  in- 
 terpenetration  of  the  corporeity  by  tne  perfect- 
 ly sinless  soul,  the  formal  character  first  has 
 its  true  significance,  and  the  body  becomes  an 
 expression  of  the  spiritual  being  " — but  we  would 
 add  that  according  to  the  same  law  the  will  of 
 the  soul  then  sxiljecLs  the  body  to  itself,  gives  to 
 the  expression  of  its  form  as  much  or  as  little 
 as  it  will,  and  can  weaken  or  withdraw  this 
 characterizing  expression  even  to  the  becoming 
 invisible.  A  relative  degree  of  this  vanishing 
 is  that  general  indefinite  /.lopcpi},  without  per- 
 sonal recognizability,  which  the  Lord  assum- 
 ed ;*  and  therefore  it  is  rightly  termed  by 
 Mark  eve  pa,  that  is,  a  strange  form.     Bengel 
 
 *  As  to  Magdalene  atfrat  it  was  a  voice  not  yet 
 personal  and  cognizable  as  bis. 
 
LUKE  XXIV.  17-27. 
 
 72S 
 
 calls  it  with  propriety,  "an  intermediate  grade  j 
 of    revelation,   between   the   messengers    and 
 manifest  appearance."*  ( 
 
 Luke,  ver.  16  appears,  indeed,  in  contradiction  j 
 with  this,  to  assign  the  cause  of  their  misap- 
 prehension to  the  eyes  of  the  disciples  them- 
 selves ;  but,  when  we  closely  consider  it,  the 
 contradiction  is  only  apparent.  Proceeding 
 from  the  opposite  point  of  view,  it  gives  pro- 
 minence to  the  fact  that  as  his  manifesta- 
 tion generally,  so  his  manifestation  in  this 
 or  that  way,  was  conditioned  by  a  corres- 
 ponding influence  upon  those  who  beheld,  and 
 accompanied  by  it.  The  corporeity  of  the 
 Risen  Lord  was  corporeal ;  but  no  longer  in 
 such  a  sense  like  our  own  that  it  might  or  mmt 
 have  been  seen  by  the  eyes  of  every  man  who 
 might  meet  him,  as  in  ordinary  life.  This  im- 
 penetrability, subjecting  the  spirit  to  the  ab- 
 solute law  of  matter,  is  a  concomitant  of  a 
 condition  of  death,  and  consequently  no  longer 
 to  be  thought  of  in  relation  to  Christ :  we 
 therefore  do  not  teach  Docetism  by  such  an 
 explanation,  but  only  the  truth  and  reality  of 
 his  resurrection.  They  are  in  great  error  who 
 would  press  Luke's  words  into  a  demonstration 
 that  it  was  not  the  Lord  himself  who  took  an- 
 other appearance,  but  that  the  cause  of  their 
 not  knowing  him  was  merely  in  their  own  eyes. 
 The  two  causes  are  not  at  all  in  conflict,  but 
 are  inseparably  connected  together.  The  Lord's 
 suffering  himself  to  be  seen  was  in  every  case 
 at  the  same  time  an  opening  of  men's  eyes  to 
 that  end  ;  consequently  his  being  seen  as  man, 
 but  not  as  Jesus,  was  a  relative  reservation  of 
 himself,  the  hindering  them  from  seeing ;  as  it 
 were,  half  opening  their  eyes,  which  lel't  them 
 still  half  shut.  'EKparoCvzo,  "  were  holden," 
 is  not  to  be  taken  as  in  the  midle  voice  or 
 niphal — they  were  in  a  state  of  blindness — but 
 as  a  passive,  which  Seiler  more  appropriately 
 translated  by  algehalten,  than  De  Welte  by 
 sugehalten.  (Kparelv,  conlinere,  retinere,  cohi- 
 here.)  By  whom  then  but  by  the  Lord,  who 
 would  be  seen,  indeed,  but  not  be  known? 
 Grotius  :  "  Divinitus  inpediebantur."  Hasse  : 
 "  The  absolute  passive  refers  to  the  influence 
 of  God."  That  is,  of  course,  in  the  present  case, 
 of  the  Lord  Jesus. 
 
 Luther,  indeed,  says  very  decidedly  :  "  Not 
 that  he  was  different^  or  would  not  be  known  ; 
 but  that  their  heart  and  thoughts  were  at  the 
 time  so  alien  and  far  from  him."  But  this 
 method  of  explanation,  referring  their  misap 
 prehension  to  the  disciples'  prepossession,  which 
 rendered  it  impossible  that  they  should  think 
 it  could  be  Jesus,  leads  us  away  altogether  from 
 
 the  text.  That  might  indeed  explain  their  first 
 mistake,  but  certainly  not  the  continuance  of 
 it  from  two  or  three  hours  until  the  instanta- 
 neous "  and  their  eyes  we/e  opened  ;  "  for  their 
 attention,  gradually  more  and  more  excited, 
 must  certainly  have  made  them  put  the  ques- 
 tion more  and  more  urgently.  Who  (his  stranger 
 was,  or  could  be?  Kleuker :  "If  those  who 
 knew  him  not  had  been  calm  and  collected,  and 
 certainly  assured  of  the  Lord's  return  to  life, 
 they  would  at  once  have  known  him  by  his 
 tone,  voice,  and  gesture."*  But  how  was  it 
 that,  when  fully  convinced  out  of  the  Scripture 
 that  Jesus  was  alive  again,  they  nevertheless 
 were  so  little  aware  that  the  stranger,  who 
 spoke  so  much  and  whose  influence  upon  their 
 hearts  was  so  powerful,  was  Jesus,  that  they  re- 
 quested him  as  a  mere  traveller  to  take  up  his 
 abode  with  them  for  the  night  ?  Again,  how  was 
 it  that  the  deeply  troubled  Mary,  quite  certain  of 
 the  death  of  Jesus,  at  once  recognized  him  who 
 called  her?  If  the  Lord  had  designed  not  to 
 be  known  by  the  disciples  on  the  way  to  Em- 
 maus,  as  Luther  thinks,  why  and  to  what  end 
 did  he  so  strangely  begin  his  discourse  in  ver, 
 17?  As  Jesm).ie  could  not  thus  have  begun 
 it.  The  error  in  this  matter  has  been  fallen 
 into  by  orthodox  expositors,  and  by  preachers 
 upon  the  disciples'  holden  eyes,  simply  because 
 they  have  confused  the  typical  meaning  with 
 the  historical  sense,  in  this  most  typical  his- 
 tory. It  is  true  that  our  Lord  would  here  at 
 the  same  time  symbolically  show  how  many  of 
 his  people,  in  after  times,  and  through  their 
 own  fault,  might  fail  at  once  to  discern  him 
 when  near  to  them  in  the  career  of  life  ;  but 
 he  has  connected,  as  we  shall  see,  his  full 
 manifestation  with  the  typically  significant 
 breaking  of  bread — which,  however,  was  not 
 on  that  account  an  actual  sacrament. 
 
 Luke's  expression  {Ttopevojjevot  eH  Ha)/.n^y) 
 renders  it  very  doubtful  whether  they  were 
 purposing  to  journey  further  toward  Galilee  ; 
 ver.  29  makes  it  probable  that  both,  or  at  least 
 one  of  them,  dwelt  in  Emmaus.f  But  this 
 going  away  on  the  -very  same  day  (comp.  ver. 
 21)  indicates  that  they  had  as  good  as  given  up 
 the  hope  of  Christ's  resurrection.  Who  were 
 these  diwiples?  'Eiavrcov,  of  them,  says 
 Luke  :  and,  as  the  sequel  shows,  not  with  im- 
 mediate reference  to  the  Apostles,  ver.  10,  but, 
 
 *  Maywahlen,  in  his  recent  work  on  Death  and 
 the  Kingdom  of  the  Dead,  etc.,  a  work  which 
 darkens  a  sound  scriptural  truth  by  much  stranse 
 exposition,  speaks  of  a  change  in  the  Risen  Lord 
 which  prevented  his  being  recognized.  Has-se  is 
 right,  also,  in  the  assumption  of  a  change  cones- 
 ponding  with  the  beginning  glorification,  but  we 
 think  that  this^would  make  his  personality  only 
 the  more  distinct. 
 
 *  Biie/e  uber  die  Herderische  Schrift,  p.  200. 
 
 j  Not  the  capital  of  a  Toparchy,  22  miles  dis- 
 tant, afterwards  called  Nicopolis  (1  Mace.  iii.  40, 
 57);  but  the  villaoe  mentioned  by  Josephus,  60 
 stadia  from  Jerusalem,  that  is,  a  journey  of  two  or 
 three  hours.  (The  readings  30  or  160  stadia  are 
 manifestly  errors.)  There  was  a  third  place  named 
 non  or  jion  from  its  warm  springs  ;  and  so  prob- 
 ably was  this.  See  Winer's  Bcalicorterh. ;  and 
 Lange's  excellent  remarks  in  reply  to  Rohr,  who 
 in  his  geography  marks  the  place  on  the  foolish 
 supposition  that  the  Risen  Lord  intended  to  travel 
 to  Upper  Galilee  through  Emmaus,Bethhoron,  and 
 the  mountains  of  Ephraim — in  order  to  avoid 
 meeting  the  caravans  connected  with  the  feast. 
 
724 
 
 ON  THE  WAY  TO  EMMAUS. 
 
 foing  further  back,  to  the  "rest,"  ver.  9.  Ver. 
 3  ia  decisive  for  this,  as  also  the  name  Cieo- 
 phas.  We  see  that  there  were,  apart  from  the 
 twelve,  men  worthy  and  capable  of  such  in- 
 struction as  these  men  here  received  before  the 
 Apostles  (ver.  45).  Whether  KXsoTtai  is  the 
 KA.cjTtd';  of  John  x\x.  25,  or  Alphseus,  is  more 
 tlian  doubtful,  since  K^-soTtai  (instead  of 
 KXeoTcarpoi)  appears  to  be  a  quite  different 
 name  from  KXcoTtdi for  ^AXcpato'^,  ^sbn.      And 
 
 who  was  the  other  ?  We  find  in  Braune  the 
 confident  assumption  that  the  two  men  were 
 father  and  son,  together  in  Christian  friendship 
 and  communion  :  Alpha3U3  and  his  son  James 
 the  Apostle,  to  whom  then  the  apocryphal  ac- 
 count of  the  known  manifestation  is  referred, 
 as  a  variation  of  our  report.  In  this  all  is 
 confused  and  misapprehended.  An  old  tradition 
 in  Epiphanius  named  the  other  Nathanael  (not 
 in  that  case  an  Apostle),  and  Griesbach  has 
 received  this  among  his  various  readings. 
 Origen  contra  Celsttm  quotes  it  as  a  ysypaTtvai 
 in  Luke,  that  the  Lord  gave  the  bread  to  Simon 
 and  Cleopas;  whence  (as  Grotius  rightly  re- 
 marks) it  must  be  concluded  that  he  read  in 
 ver.  Si  Ae'/oKreS  instead  of  Xsyovra?.  But 
 the  text  remains  firm  ;  and  this  whole  view  is 
 most  forced,  making  "  the  eleven  "  in  ver.  33 
 merely  nine,  and  just  here  when  the  tenth 
 comes  to  them.*  We  prefer  to  agree  with 
 Valer.  Herberger,  who  preached  to  his  people  : 
 "  The  learned  cannot  come  to  any  agreement 
 who  the  other  was,  and  I  will  give  you  this 
 good  counsel — Let  each  of  you  take  his  place." 
 This  is  better  than  the  hypothesis  which 
 Lango  once  more  brings  forward — that  the  un- 
 named companion  was  the  Evangelist  himself 
 He  meets  the  objection  of  Grotiusf  by  saying 
 that  in  chap.  i.  2  the  emphasis  must  fall  upon 
 the  ftV  dpxjji — Luke  was  not  indeed  an  eye- 
 witness at  the  heginning,  but  ho  was  at  the  end. 
 This  appears  to  us  to  be  very  arbitrary  ;  as  is 
 also  all  that  has  been  said  about  the  Hellenist 
 derivation  of  both :  to  wit,  that  the  Lord  ap- 
 peared first  to  the  great  Apostle  of  the  Jews, 
 and  then  to  the  Hellenists,  who  with  Hellenist 
 freedom  wandered  so  far  from  the  place  of  the 
 feast,  and  who  as  such  were  furthest  from  ap- 
 prehending the  cross,  etc.,  etc. I  Wo  would 
 carefully  abstain  from  all  that  the  text  itself 
 does  not  contain,  or  that  may  not  be  developed 
 from  it ;  and  thus  shall  we  find  the  rich  fulness 
 
 *  Neither  of  these  disciples  could  have  been  an 
 Apostle,  eitlier  Jame.s,  or  S  mon,  or  Nathanael. 
 The  attempt  of  LiglUfoot  and  others  to  establish 
 tliat  it  was  Peter,  leaving  tiie  Xsyovrai  of  ver. 
 34  undisturbed,  but  understanding  tlio  words  as  a 
 question — lias  the  Lord  indeed  r.sen,  and  appear- 
 ed to  Simon  "?  we  leave  to  those  who  may  be  in- 
 clined to  consider  it. 
 
 +  "  Many  have  thounht  that  the  othor  was  Lnko, 
 bu  ho  himself  refutes  them  in  his  preface,  where 
 Le  distinauibhcs  himself  from  the  eye  witnesses." 
 
 \  As  Hellenists  were  they  lo  bo  convinced  by 
 Oi.e11.n3  ilio  £cri;)tuic. 
 
 of  true  significance  which  is  contained  in  this 
 discourse  of  the  Lord,  their  fellow-traveller, 
 who  thus  turns  his  hand  upon  the  little  ones 
 (Zech.  xiii.  7). 
 
 In  connection  with  the  oniXftv^  "commun- 
 ing," which  stood  comprehensively  alone  at 
 first,  the  6v^ijte'lv,  "  reasoning,"  expresses  no 
 unfriendly  contention,  and  yet  an  <^T'rz/?a/lA£iv' 
 \6yovi,  "  having  communications,"  a  friendly 
 interchap-^e  of  opposite  and  differing  thoughts 
 and  fee'nngs  concerning  all  the  dark  mysteries 
 which  had  just  been  enacted.  Here  again  we 
 observe,  as  we  have  seen  at  the  sepulchre,  the 
 difference  between  man's  thmking  and  investi- 
 gating, and  woman's  emotional  temper.  But 
 the  deep  sorrow  remains  the  same  in  both,  sor- 
 row because  of  no  longer  having  and  no  longer 
 seeing  him  ;  but  here  there  is  the  additional 
 sorrow  that  they  as  thinking  men  know  not  in 
 what  light  therj  must  regard  this  Prophet,  and 
 for  what  they  must  hold  hira.  To  this  griev- 
 ous uncertainty  the  Lord  reveals  himself  in 
 consolation  ;  but  leading  them  onward  pre- 
 paratorily by  instruction  in  this  consummating 
 continuation  of  his  prophetic  office,  testifying 
 concerning  his  own  person  and  guiding  them 
 to  the  knowledge  of  himself.  Luke  does  not 
 record  that  he  came  behind  the  travellers,  so 
 that  we  must  ask — From  whence?  but  by  a 
 mysterious  iyyida?,  "  drew  near,"  ho  marks 
 beforehand  the  symbolical  significance  of  the 
 whole  (Jesus  would  prove  himself  to  be  near  to 
 his  people,  as  a  fellow-traveller  in  their  way) 
 in  the  first  revelation  of  himself  out  of  invisi- 
 bility ;  and  then  follows  the  "  going  with  them  " 
 as  in  "another  form."  Let  it  be  marked  and 
 pondered,  that  instead  of  a  public  triumph  in 
 Jerusalem  he  seeks  the  two  sorrowing  pilgrims 
 without,  that  he  may  bless  them  in  solitude 
 with  conviction. 
 
 Verse  17.  Confidentially  approaching,  as  a 
 fellow-traveller  in  the  same  way,  disposed  to 
 friendly  converse,  he  takes  up  the  word  when 
 he  comes  quite  near  them.  We  cannot  sup- 
 pose the  ordinary  friendly  greeting  to  have 
 preceded  as  an  introduction,  for  Luke  would 
 have  recorded  it ;  it  is  significant  that  without 
 preface  ho  at  once  appeals  to  and  penetrates 
 their  souls  by  his  friendly  ir:quiry.  The  Lord 
 asks  here  once  more,  as  so  often  before,  about 
 that  which  he  perfectly  well  knew — in  order 
 that  the  answer  might  be  plainly  spoken.  The 
 first  sound  which  they  hear  seems  to  be  that 
 of  an  inquisitive  atranger,  crone  who  would 
 gladly  have  their  company — I  am  going  the 
 same  way,  take  mo  with  you,  I  would  converse 
 xoith  tjou.  But,  then,  the  second  part  of  the 
 question  added  another  meaning — I  take  part 
 in  your  sorrow,  and  'probably  can  comfort  you. 
 Pfenninger's  sketch  imagines,  strikingly  enough, 
 that  while  ho  was  ut'tering  these  words  he 
 went  into  the  midst  between  them.  But  we 
 cannot  agrco  with  Lange  :  "  He  asked  them  the 
 question  in  sympathy,  about  what  they  thus 
 held  communication  ;  and  gently  rebuked  them 
 that  they  were  so  troubled,  and  strengthened 
 themselves  in  their  anxiety  by  this   sad  inter- 
 
•.,;,; a  LUKE  XXIV.  19. 
 
 125 
 
 course."  For  to  assume  any  tinng  like  reproof 
 here  at  the  beginning  dioturbs  the  full  and 
 gracious  confidence  of  the  kyyiZ,Eiv,  which 
 opened  their  hearts ;  and  would  be  a  prema- 
 ture anticipation  of  the  turn  given  to  the  dis- 
 course in  ver.  25.  The  dvTifi'oiXXEivXoyovi 
 (comp.  2  Mace.  xi.  13,  not  simply  a  Latinism) 
 does  indeed  express  a  certain  zeal  of  differing 
 discourse  about  matters  of  great  moment ;  this, 
 however,  is  not  blamed  as  discord,  which  it 
 was  not,  but  regarded  as  the  natural  and 
 friendly  interchange  of  thought.  In  the  gen- 
 eral interpretation  of  the  whole  history  this 
 symbolizes  that  fellowship  and  mutual  commu- 
 nication which  is  the  laudable  requisite  in  order 
 to  the  Lord's  drawing  near  to  ourselves. 
 ^HvQpcoTtoi,  "sad"  (before  which Tischendorf 
 omits  the  ^oci  idre)  marks  the  external  impress 
 of  .sorrow  upon  the  countenance  (as  in  Matt. 
 vi.  16),  and  gives  the  reason  why  the  Sympa- 
 thizer knew  that  they  were  in  need  of  comfort: 
 I  hear  that  j'e  are  exchanging  communications 
 about  very  weighty  matters ;  /  see  also  that 
 they  are  sad  ones.  Does  not  this  address  at 
 once  show  that  our  Lord  would  not  at  once  be 
 known,  but  rather  be  regarded  as  a  traveller 
 who  casually  met  them?  Nevertheless,  he 
 makes  prominent  already,  as  if  in  a  distant 
 manner  to  betray  or  herald  himself,  the  deci- 
 sive mark  of  his  own  company  of  disciples  in 
 these  days  of  their  sorrow  (John  xvi.  20) — 
 that  he  may  found  his  appeal  upon  that,  and 
 extract  from  them  their  confession.  In  the 
 joyous  spring-time,  and  in  the  feast  of  joy  they 
 were  mourners — this  rendered  them  the  fit  sub- 
 jects for  the  reception  of  joy.  The  Lord  in  our 
 day  fulfills  in  another  sense  that  which  he  then 
 began ;  and  draws  nigh  in  spirit  to  many  of  his 
 baptized  ones  whom  he  must  rebuke:  What 
 manner  of  idle  and  evil  communications  are 
 these  that  ye  have ;  how  are  ye  so  joyful — 
 without  me  ? 
 
 Assuredly  the  first  impression  which  this 
 bringer  of  consolation  would  create,  was  that 
 of  an  unseasonable  interruption ;  how  gladly 
 would  they  have  evaded  him  when  they  saw 
 him  first  approaching  I  But  to  recoil  from  him 
 when  he  now  addresses  them — is  a  thing  no 
 longer  possible.  He  did  not  speak  to  them  ob- 
 trusively, but  frankly,  confidently,  and  pene- 
 tratingly. Weiss  adopts  the  current  style  and 
 says,  "They  scarcely  fixed  a  direct  look  upon 
 Jesus  " — but  this  reason  for  their  not  knowing 
 him  seems  to  us  unnatural;  and  we  should 
 say,  on  the  contrary,  that  they  looked  with 
 anxious  scrutiny  upon  this  stranger.  Their 
 first  word  of  response,  recorded  in  the  purest 
 historical  truth,  seems  to  be  midway  between  a 
 certain  uneasy  alienation  from  such  a  sudden 
 and  interrupting  question,  and  the  confidence 
 which,  instantly  excited,  enters  into  the  in- 
 quiry, and  gives  information  in  reply  to  it. 
 Thou  shouldst  knov/  what  we  are  conversing 
 about;  and  know  m  by  this  mark,  that  we  are 
 mourning  over  a  matter  which  makes  the 
 world  rejoice.  Who  can  speak  now  of  any 
 thing  but  the  great  event  ?     Who  can  in  good 
 
 conscience  be  joyful  after  tlie  crucifixion  of 
 Jesus?  Thus  we  may  understand  both  the 
 rising  of  their  slight  displeasure  in  the  counter- 
 question,  and  their  free  answer  given  at  the 
 same  time  in  their  question.  We  must  leave  it 
 to  every  one's  feeling  to  decide  whether,  as 
 Lange  says,  "  his  extraordinary  calmness  was 
 somewhat  offensive  to  them ; "  to  our  own 
 feeling  the  words  of  Jesus  are  not  the  expres- 
 sion of  calmness,  but  of  sympathy  which  would 
 mourn  with  them.  The  main  point  is  this, 
 their  wonder  that  he  should  know  nothing 
 about  the  great  matter  which  moves  them  so 
 much,  and  should  not  take  it  for  granted  that 
 that  was  the  cause  of  the  sorrow  in  which  he 
 found  them.  It  has  been  very  needlessly  con- 
 cluded that  Jesus  betrayed  himself  to  them  in 
 some  particular  way  as  a  stranger  or  foreigner; 
 and  even  Bengel  refers  to  the  Galilean  speech. 
 But  it  is  plain  that  the  disciples  judge  merely 
 from  the  ignorant  question  that  he  is  a  strang- 
 er, and  allege  that  as  the  reason — Truly,  thou 
 must  be  a  real  stranger  here  !  IlapoiHElY 
 (besides  here,  only  Heb.  xi.  9)  might  in  Luke's 
 genuine  Greek  mean  neighborhood,  or  resi- 
 aence  near:*  Dwellest  thou  (as  it  seems,  going 
 now  to  Emmaus)  so  near  to  Jerusalem,  and 
 yet  k newest  thou  not  what  must  be  known  far 
 and  wide  around?  But  this  on  the  one  hand 
 pre-supposes  too  much;  and,  on  the  other,  it  is 
 not  in  harmony  with  the  Hellenistic,  biblical 
 
 Ehraseology  derived  from  the  Septuagint,  which 
 as  given  a  different  sense  to  itapot/cslv,  ita- 
 poiHia,  itccpovioi.  Thus  napoiKEli  'lepov- 
 6aki)ix  (or  with  tv\  especially  in  connection 
 with  //0K05,  is  a  designation  of  the  many  guests 
 who  came  from  abroad,  and  for  the  time  abod$ 
 in  Jerusalem.  But  as  this  expression  itself, 
 used  of  an  unknown  person  concerning  whom. 
 they  know  nothing,  either  whence  he  came  or 
 where  he  belonged,  might  be  a  mere  figure 
 in  their  excited  speech,  we  might  almost  "trans- 
 late it,  finally,  as   if  ^Evoi  ei   (Syr.  NJi35J) 
 
 had  been  writte:i :  Art  thou  only  in  the  full 
 and  perfect  sense  alien  and  unJcnoion  in  Jeru- 
 salem, whence  thou  now  comest  ?  For  dv 
 Hovoi  irapotxEi?  has  a  tone  in  it  quite  different 
 from  the  translation — Art  thou  only  among  the 
 strangers.  Suffice  it  that  the  fundamental  idea 
 is  the  same  ;  and  it  is  a  type  and  symbol  that 
 the  Lord  would  in  the  future,  and  in  the  person 
 of  others,  draw  nigh  to  us  and  go  with  us  as 
 one  at  first  apparently  unknown  and  ignorant. 
 He  allows  himself  to  be  reproached,  and  ac- 
 cused even  of  strange  ignorance,  that  he  may 
 all  the  more  impressively  himself  teach  and  re- 
 buke afterwards. 
 
 Verse  19.  The  Lord  in  this  most  gracious 
 condescension  to  the  likeness  of  our  own  ordi- 
 nary humanity,  gives  us  by  the  way  an  instruc- 
 tive example  how  we  may  in  the  wisdom  of 
 love,  and  without  sinful  dissembling,  keep  back 
 and  reserve  our  thoughts,  yet  without  speaking 
 
 *  But  not,  as  many  incorrrectly  say,  dwelling  in  ; 
 for  a  TtdpoiHoi  is  certainly  not  a  xavoiucav. 
 
726 
 
 ON  THE  WAY  TO  EMMAUS. 
 
 positive  untruth.  For  the  Lord  does  not  af- 
 firm that  he  was  one  of  the  strangers  at  the 
 feast,  nor  does  he  deny  that  he  knew  what  had 
 occurred  in  these  days :  he  asks  simply  in  con- 
 tinuation—  What  then?  What  and  what  kind 
 of  things  do  ye  mean  and  lament  over?  That 
 sounded,  indeed,  as  if  he  had  said — If  I  am  a 
 stranger,  give  me  information;  but  it  might 
 also  have  seemed  to  them  as  only  a  continua- 
 tion of  his  first  sympathizing  question  :  Who 
 can  tell  whether  I  know  it — let  that  pass — but 
 I  have  asked  you,  tell  me  what  it  is*  No  man 
 could  attribute  to  that  first  "  Woman,  why 
 ■weepest  thou? "an  unwarranted  dissembling 
 of  that  which  he  very  well  knew  ;  and  so  this 
 "  What  manner  of  communication  have  ye  as 
 ye  walk  and  are  sad?"  and  again,  "  what  then*  " 
 are  but  the  same  expression  of  that  desire,  with 
 which  he  has  risen,  to  comfort  all  who  mourn. 
 This  brief  and  pregnant  word  Ilola  (much  too 
 diffuse  in   the   Heb.  version,  nDH  n^S  HD— 
 
 more  correctly  in  the  Pesh.  only  fcij©)  at  once 
 elicits  from  them  the  whole  section,  vers.  19-24, 
 ■words  which  flow  on  and  cease  not  until  they 
 have  opened  all  their  heart  and  told  him  every 
 thing.  Such  a  secretly-working  power  to  draw 
 men's  hearts  proceeds  from  the  Risen  Lord, 
 even  in  this  other  form.  Without  that  the 
 whole  matter  cannot  be  explained,  and  would 
 be  scarcely  probable.  Compare,  moreover,  the 
 similarly  penetrating  effect  of  the  words  of 
 Christ's  servant  in  Acts  viii.  30.  How  neces« 
 sary  was  it  for  the  entrance  of  the  consolation 
 which  was  to  follow,  that  he  should  give  them 
 occasion  to  speak  out  all  their  mind.  How 
 symbolical  is  this  wisdom  of  consolation  for 
 ourselves  !  What  a  testimony  of  his  will  that 
 we  should  begin  by  speaking  to  him,  and  open- 
 ing to  him  all  our  hearts  ! 
 
 They  said :  that  may  naturally  be — Both 
 alternately  and  mutually  supplemented  each 
 other;  only,  not  as  Paulus  supposed,  that  vers. 
 19  and  21  express  different  and  opposite  senti- 
 ments in  the  two  men.  We  shall  understand 
 the  entire  discourse,  which  Luke  combines  into 
 one  whole  (so  in  ver.  29  the  words  of  both 
 given  in  common),  very  differently  in  its  in- 
 comparable living  truth  and  unity.  2'hat  con- 
 cerning Jesus  of  Nazareth — thus  they  at  once 
 give  the  sum  of  the  whole,  confessing  the  ab- 
 horred name  without  fear:  that  they  cannot 
 cast  off,  they  cannot  be  offended  at  that. 
 Happy  all  who  in  this  resemble  them  I  They 
 begin  with  the  prophet  (really  more  honorable 
 still — dyr'ifi  npocpr/TTji)  as  of  a  truth  known 
 most  surely  to  all  the  people  (Matt.  xxi.  11)  ; 
 as  the  Pentecost  sermon.  Acts.  ii.  22,  begins 
 afterwards.  In  ver.  21  more  of  their  own 
 previous  faith  comes  to  light,  so   that  wo  see 
 
 *  "  If  he  had  said  that  he  knew  all  full  well, 
 Cleopas  would  have  drawn  back — Why  should  I 
 recount  it  to  him  1  No  would  not  have  been  truth, 
 lie  therefore  so  ordors  his  answer  that  it  was 
 neither  Yes  nor  No :  What  things  1  I  would  hear 
 wh.at  ye  mean  "  (Q.  K.  Rieger). 
 
 that  they  keep  nothing  back,  t)ut  confidentiatly 
 tell  him  all ;  but  because  they  have  erred  as  to 
 his  being  Redeemer,  they  fall  back  now  tipon 
 that  first,  preparatory  faith  :  a  prophet  at  least 
 he  certainly  was,  for  many  prophets  have  been 
 shamefully  put  to  death.'  And  what  was  the 
 evidence?  The  same  expressions  which  we 
 find  (probably  as  proverbial  and  customary) 
 used  in  Acts  vii.  22  concerning  Moses;  only 
 with  a  two-fold,  not  accidental,  difference,  that 
 here  the  stronger  unity  of  the  entire  lite  is  in- 
 dicated in  the  sinf/ukir,  and  the  worh  is  placed 
 before  the  word.  Before  God  and  all  the  people  : 
 this  is  scarcely  to  be  paraphrased  as  Lange 
 does — "  Equally  great  in  secret  contemplative 
 holiness,  and  in  public  acts  of  beneficence" — 
 for  what  is  a  secret  and  contemplative  epyov 
 before  God  ?  But  Acts  ii.  22  gives  us  the  right 
 interpretation  at  once — Approved  of  God  be- 
 fore the  people  through  the  divine  power  im- 
 parted to  his  word  and  work.  Hence  the  Berl. 
 Bibcl :  "  They  take  God  and  man  together  ;  for 
 it  was  of  God  that  the  people  discerned  the 
 finger  of  God  in  this  person."  He  who  at  first 
 only  acknowledges  him  as  a  prophet,  will  go 
 further  in  faith  ;  but  he  who  rejects  that  con- 
 cerning Jesus,  is  not  of  the  truth. 
 
 Now,  nevertheless,  it  is  only — This  he  was. 
 For  his  life  and  work,  mighty  as  it  was,  has 
 come  to  a  miserable  end.  Our  high  priests 
 and  rulers — thus  they  continue  in  deep  grief 
 thereupon  ;  this  first  tee  seems,  as  addressed  to 
 the  stranger  visiting  the  feast,  to  be  spoken  in 
 the  name  of  Israel  (ver.  21 ).  Ttius,  in  passing, 
 these  disciples  were  no  Hellenists,  but  Israelites. 
 This  prophet,  notwithstanding,  nay  rather  on 
 account  of  his  might  and  truth  in  the  word 
 and  work  of  God,  the  ungodly,  hateful  and  un- 
 worthy rulers  of  God's  people  (mark  here  fur- 
 ther the  pre-supposed  unity  of  view  as  re- 
 spects the  sad  condition  of  things  in  Israel) 
 have  delivered  over  to  the  Gentiles  for  the 
 confirmation  of  their  sentence  and  death,  and 
 — God  has  suffered  it  to  take  place,  they  have 
 by  unrighteous  hands,  and  with  the  greatest 
 ignominy  and  suffering,  crucified  him.  This 
 fearful  word  closes  the  sentence  which  belongs 
 to  oTTOJ?,  "  how  ;"*  but,  as  the  silent  stranger 
 appears  to  be  earnestly  listening,  there  follows 
 a  new  and  bold  disclosure,  expressed  with  the 
 more  and  more  confidential  "  we  "  of  the  spe- 
 cial adherents  of  this  condemned  and  crucified 
 prophet.  Before  the  unknown  personage  they 
 openly  avow  their  lost  faith,  thereby  as  it  were 
 strengthening  themselves,  if  it  might  be,  to  re- 
 cover it.  We  hoped:  it  has  been  said  that 
 this  was  less  than  faith  ;  but  we  regard  hope 
 as  the  stronger,  and  as  built  upon  the  faith. 
 Yet  that  view  may  be  profitably  taken  in  ap- 
 plication; and  certainly  they  do  not  use  the 
 term  believe.  More  important  than  this  ques- 
 tion is  the  fact,  that  they  now  declare  this  their 
 hope  to  be  past ;  and  yet,  which  is  still  more 
 important,  that  hope  could  have  been  based 
 
 ♦  Instead  of  this  Dav.  Schulz  groundlessly  con- 
 jectured Hfiooi. 
 
UTA'IiUKE  XXIV.  19. 
 
 ITU 
 
 <iT>iy  upon  the  personal  word  and  teBtimony 
 df  that  prophet,  who  had  said  and  promised 
 All  this  concerning  himself.  But  as  to  the 
 present  ?  Cross  and  Messiah  ?  Redeemer  of  Is- 
 rael ?  lie  cannot  have  truly  been  such— but 
 what  then?  Ah,  had  he  but  been  all  this! 
 That  a  Redeemer  of  Israel  was  promised  in 
 the  prophets  as  to  come,  they  understood  and 
 believed,  as  their  prophets  had  declared ;  but 
 did  they  hope  for  redemption  with  an  intelligent 
 apprehension  of  its  meaning?  To  us  it  is 
 very  improbable  that  (to  quote  Olshausen) 
 Avi-povcQat  Tuv  'idpai'iX,  "redeem  Israel," 
 in  their  meaning  had  only  "  a  very  subordinate 
 and  in  part  political  signification."  For  the 
 very  word  Xvzpoid'Jai  reaches  beyond  that 
 (comp.  AurpajdzSand  Coorijpia,  Luke  i.  68,  69 
 \vith  ver.  75) ;  moreover,  disciples  so  entirely 
 entangled  in  Jewish  feeling  would  scarcely 
 have  been  thought  by  the  Lord  worthy  of  such 
 a  manifestation ;  and  they  would  not  have 
 brought  with  them  the  first  essential  founda- 
 tion for  his  conviction  out  of  the  prophets 
 (which  concerned,  too,  only  the  eSsi  TtaOsIv). 
 Thus  in  the  hoping  for  "redemption"  the 
 spiritual  character  of  their  faith  was  in  some 
 Blight  degree  expressed;  but  with  this  there 
 was  mingled  the  expectation  of  an  immediate 
 Betting  up  of  the  kingdom  (Acts  i.  6).  Like 
 all  the  others  down  to  this  time,  they  could  not 
 represent  to  themselves  a  spiritual  redemption, 
 without  at  least  connecting  it  with  a  political, 
 or  rather  externally  manifest,  redemption.  They 
 waited  for  the  kingdom  of  God  and  the  re- 
 demption as  one  (Luke  xxiii.  51,  ii.  38).  That 
 through  the  death  of  the  cross,  to  them  so 
 incomprehensible,  not  merely  Israel,  but  the 
 -whole  world,  was  actually  already  redeemed, 
 does  not  in  the  most  distant  degree  enter  their 
 imagination;  while  they  thus  affectingly  com- 
 plain to  the  already  victorious  Redeemer.  Fi- 
 nally, they  mention  ike  third  day  ;  and  it  was 
 scarcely  fortuitous  and  without  some  peculiar 
 thought  in  the  background.  They  do  not  say 
 " — Three  days  have  now  rolled  away  ;  but,  as  we 
 think,  their  rpizriv  i]i.iepavy  "  this  day,"  faint- 
 ly echoes  the  saying,  which  was  made  known 
 in  mockery  under  the  cross,  that  he  himself 
 had  promised  a  decisive  event,  or  resurrection 
 on  this  third  day.*  But  they  scarcely  confess 
 this  to  themselves  ;  it  is  but  gently  and  iuvol- 
 Tintarily  spoken.  We  must  certainly  not  give 
 it  the  harsh  interpretation:  But  the  time  is 
 come,  and  he  has  not  risen,  and  almost  appears 
 now  to  be  a  faLe  frophet.  For  such  a  flat  con- 
 tradiction with  the  firm  avowal  of  ver.  19, 
 could  not  have  shaped  itself  in  their  thoughts. 
 Yea,  more  than  that:  on  this  third  day 
 something  has  actually  transpired,  which  has 
 thrown  them  into  astonishment,  and  engen- 
 dered thoughts  which  waver  between  faith  and 
 
 *  It  is  indifferent  whether  we  take  ayei  as  im- 
 personal ;  the  nomin.  being  omitted,  and  the 
 m  aniiig  being  iertins  agitur  dies :  or,  as  in  later 
 Greek,  supply  'Itpjovi  as  the  nominative.  The 
 latter  does  not  commend  itself  to  us. 
 
 unbelief.  This  is  further  proof  that  we  have 
 rightly  understood  the  previous  verse.  With 
 expressions  of  a  still  more  confidential  and 
 trusting  character  they  now  declare  themselves^ 
 to  be  members  of  the  little  company  which  was 
 and  still  is  united  in  dependence  on  this  Jesus: 
 in  ver  22  i?  j'/jiiojy,  "of  us,"  is  a  continuation 
 of  the  previous  y/usJi,  "  we,"  as  opposed  to 
 the  rulers;  and  then  m  ver.  22  rivis  rooy  6vy, 
 r/l.i'iv,  "certain  of  our  company,"  plainly  and 
 without  fear  avows  their  secret  confederacy., 
 The  £c£(jr77(Ja>',  "  made  astonished,"  is  gen- 
 erally interpreted — They  have  ra.ihev  affri(j/Ued 
 us  more,  than  comforted  us ;  but  this  appears 
 to  us  (especially  when  Acts  viii.  9  is  compared) 
 incorrect.  When  they  name  the  third  day, 
 they  record  that  at  least  in  the  early  morning 
 of  this  very  day  (yet  passing  in  the  ayet),*  a 
 rumor  of  resurrection  was  circulated  which 
 threw  them  into  astonishment.  But  these  women 
 had  done  no  more  than  excite  thei;;  astonish- 
 ment, and  the  doubt  which  could  not  believe; 
 certainly  they  had  not  given  them  back  their 
 "hope"  again.  For  what  after  all  does  it 
 amount  to?  Certain  women — found  not  the 
 body  in  the  sepulchre — said  they  had  seen — r 
 what?  An  appearance  or  vision  of  angels. 
 It  remains  doubtful  whether  they  were  really 
 angels,  or  all  was  an  oTtvadia  of  the  women  \ 
 These  angels,  again,  are  said  to  have  said — that 
 he  lived.  ""Theypause  now  before  the  amazing 
 thought  which  well  might  eii  euCradiv  ayeiv^ 
 "  lead  to  astonishment "  He  lined !  Jle  i^ 
 risen — they  venture  not  to  express. 
 
 Still  more:  Certain  of  them  which  were  con- 
 nected with  us  (Peter  and  John  of  course,  but 
 probably  not  only  these  ;  others,  it  may  be,  not 
 Apostles,  might  have  gone  later  in  the  day,  all 
 the  confusion  and  distraction  of  which  is  not 
 recorded) — certain  men  went  to  the  sepulchre, 
 to  investigate  this  saying  of  the  women  con- 
 cerning what  angels  had  said — but  they  found 
 the  sepnlchre  emjAy ;  in  this  the  women  said 
 right — but  himself,  who  was  said  to  be  alive, 
 they  saio  not. 
 
 They  saw  not !  This  they  say  now  before  his 
 own  face.J  Yet  he  does  not  emerge  from  his 
 other  form  ;  he  reveals  not  himself ;  but  begins 
 as  an  unknown  one  to  point  their  faith  to  the 
 word  of  all  the  prophets.  But  we  must  pause 
 to  consider  for  a  while  the  words  which  th^y 
 uttered,  that  we  may  understand  the  whole 
 aright.  It  is,  as  Lange  beautifully  says,  "  the 
 first  report  of  the  Easter- message,  as  yet  in 
 the  form  of  a  lamentation ;  Easter- tidings  ia 
 
 *  Hence  the  opOpiat  (or  opBptvai)  is  not 
 forgotten. 
 
 \  Had  these  disciples  left  before  the  message  of 
 the  others  who  had  seen  the  Lord  himself  1  This 
 can  hardly  be  admitted,  when  we  reckon  the  time 
 to  and  from  Emmaus,  before  otpia  John  xx.  19, 
 and  connect  with  it  Luke,  ver.  29.  But  tlie  disei- 
 ples  were  not  all  together  in  one  place ;  and  these 
 two  had  not  received  the  inteUigence. 
 
 %  So  Magdalene  asked  him— Where  hast  thou 
 laid  him  1 
 
728 
 
 ON  THE  WAY  TO  EMMAUS. 
 
 the  Ash-Wednesday  spirit ;  the  Sun  of  the  res- 
 urrection is  envelopea  in  thick  clouds  of  des- 
 poriHency  and  sorrow,  scarcely  penetrated  by  a 
 ray."  They  have  fully  exposed  their  own 
 hearts,  and  shown  how  all  was  with  them. 
 Weak  toward  faith — blinded  in  their  folly 
 (while  thinking  themselves  thoughtful  in- 
 quirers) against  joyful  intelligence — slow  of 
 heart  to  understand  the  divine  word  :  all  this 
 indeed  they  are  ;  but  it  is  equally  evident  that 
 they  are  sincere  viitha,],  dificipks  who  still  love 
 Christ.  To  see  him  and  to  have  him  again — is 
 what  they  want,  and  that  to  which  all  their 
 desire  and  sorrow  tends:  if  he  does  not  live, 
 they  also  would  not  wish  to  live.  "  Nothing 
 would  they  more  deeply  desire  than  that  what 
 they  have  heard  about  his  resurrection  should 
 be  true" — says  Luther.  For  that  reason  the 
 Lord  gives  them  this  manifestation.  On  the 
 one  hand,  it  is  easy  to  dilate  upon  the  folly 
 which  gave  so  little  credence  to  the  saying  of 
 the  women  and  of  the  angels  ;*  but,  on  the 
 other  hand,  Tholuck  is  right  in  saying:  "  Does 
 not  this  word  sound  as  the  language  of  those 
 in  whose  hearts  the  flax  yet  glimmers,  though 
 nigh  to  extinction?"  Yes,  certainly,  their 
 secret  thought  was  profoundly  sorrowful,  but 
 had  not  absolutely  and  altogether  given  up  the 
 previous  hope :  "  Something  may  yet  occur, 
 something  will  yet  appear."  Thus  their  du^j/- 
 relv,  or  "reasoning,"  previously,  was — What 
 BJiould,  will,  or  may  that  be  ?  What  is  now  to 
 be  hoped,  or  feared?  But  observe  that  as  to 
 what  bad  taken  place  after  the  rauraeyEveTo, 
 ver.  21,  they  are  only  astonished:  they  are 
 yet  in  some  slight  degree  ii:niii7ig — but  nothing 
 more.  Tliey  do  not  remember  or  remind  them- 
 selves of  his  words,  and  that  they  could  not 
 fail ;  nor  do  they  think — What  saith  the  Scrip- 
 ture to  all  this  ?  Oil  that  some  one  would  ex- 
 plain it  to  us  !  For  as  John,  chap.  xx.  9,  refers 
 the  unbelief  of  the  Apostles  themselves  to  their 
 not  knowing  the  Scripture,  and  not  Iringing  it 
 to  mind  ;  so  in  this  intimation  all  the  Evangel- 
 ists concur,  Luke,  however,  confirming  it  most 
 emphatically  as  from  the  lips  of  the  Lord  him- 
 self. With  this,  that  is,  with  this  deficiency  in 
 the  words  which  be  heard  them  speak,  our 
 Lord  impressively  connects  his  saying  ;  and,  as 
 Luke  records,  in  direct  and  emphatic  contrast. 
 We  cannot  think,  as  some  have  supposed,  that 
 the  disciples  after  ver.  24  continued  to  speak  in 
 most  positive  terms  of  unbelief,  and  thus  gave 
 occasion  to  the  Lord's  rebuke  in  ver.  25.     The 
 
 *  Zinzendorf  gives  a  stronser  coloring  to  their 
 thou2lit :  "  If  that  were  true,  half  tlie  world  would 
 h  ive  been  in  amazement,  and  tlie  city  would  hive 
 been  overturned :  it  cannot  be  more  than  idle 
 tales  of  the  women.  Yea,  if  the  report  coes 
 abroad,  they  will  say  that  wo  have  substituted 
 some  one,  and  lay  hold  of  us  on  that  account," 
 etc.  But  all  this,  and  what  follows,  is  based  upon 
 an  uncertain  translation  of  the  word  l^E6rT/6ay. 
 "  Otherwise  they  would  not  have  .said — The  women 
 affrighted  us ;  but  merely  that  tliey  created  in  us 
 a  vaiu  joy." 
 
 final  lamentation,  him  they  saw  not — allows 
 nothing  further  in  their  deep  emotion  ;  they 
 keep  silence  in  the  presence  of  their  hitherto 
 sympathizing  fellow-traveller,  who  now  know* 
 all. 
 
 Verse  25.  It  is  now  his  turn  to  apeak,  and 
 theirs  to  listen  and  give  heed.  Observe  at 
 once,  and  at  the  outset,  the  sudden  and  entire 
 diversion  of  their  thoughts  from  the  con:  used 
 and  mysterious  accounts  of  the  passing  time — 
 his  having  been  seen,  and  their  not  seeing  him 
 —to  the  Scripture,  sublimely  elevated  above  all 
 things  that  are  passing,  from  the  beginning 
 above  all  history.  We  learn,  indeed,  in  the  res- 
 urrection, on  the  one  hand,  that  the  actual  ful- 
 fillment alor^e  makes  us  capable  of  fully  under- 
 standing the  prophecy  ;  but  now  with  profound 
 propriety  the  Lord  proceeds  from  the  other 
 side,  and  opens  vp  the  historical  event  hy  first  un- 
 folding the  Scripture.  They  cannot  comprehend 
 and  reconcile  the  things  which  have  come  to 
 pass  ;  but  he  leaves  these  things  in  their  specif- 
 ic character  alone  for  a  while,  and  tells  them — 
 All  will  be  rightly  adjusted  to  your  minds,  if 
 ye  only  understand  and  receive  the  fore-written 
 word.  He  will  not  have  their  faith  to  be 
 grounded  upon  any  appearance  and  word  of 
 angels,  upon  any  human  report  of  women  or  of 
 men,  upon  any  seeing  or  not  seeing,  yea,  not 
 upon  their  personally  seeing  hiime{f—h\\t  sole- 
 ly and  essentially  upon  the  self-consistent,  har- 
 monious, and  convincing  word.  This  is  so  plaia 
 before  his  own  eyes,  that  their  ignorance  can 
 only  excite  within  him  earnest  reproof.  The 
 sympathizing,  questioning,  and  listening  strang- 
 er is  at  once  transformed  into  a  mightily  rebuk- 
 ing Master  of  Scripture  instruction.  Can  he  be 
 the  same?  was  the  question  which  they  must 
 ask,  once  more  looking  at  him  more  fixedly 
 than  before.  But  it  is  the  same  graciousness 
 and  love  which  now  rebukes;  and  tliis  their 
 rebuked  and  smitten  hearts,  penetrated  by  the 
 fire  of  his  love,  begin  at  once  to  feel.  It  is,  at 
 the  same  time,  as  if  he  would  cover  the  rebuke 
 with  consolation :  0  ye  poor  men,  who  so 
 groundlessly  sorrow  and  doubt,  and  cannot  be- 
 lieve— what  ye  might  and  would  so  gladly  be- 
 lieve !  Why  can  ye  not?  If  ye  understand 
 the  Scripture,  and  toould  understand  it,  all 
 things  are  there  rightly  and  clearly  set  forth 
 concerning  the  career  of  your  Christ.  "  Smit- 
 ten, and  as  if  translated  to  another  world,  they 
 listen  to  their  fellow-traveller,  as  he  thus  talks 
 to  them"  (Hess).  What  words  are  these — no 
 man  has  ever  thus  spoken  in  Israel  before  him 
 — what  manner  of  scribe  is  this?  'AyoTjroi  he 
 calls  them — unintelligent  and  not  understand- 
 ing ;  "  perceptionless  "  fools,  as  Lange  has  well 
 translated.  (Compare  Beck's  Bibliache  SeeUn- 
 lekre,  p.  51,  for  the  moral  import  of  the  word  ) 
 And  wherefore?  Because  faith  is  what  is 
 wanting ;  but  the  heart  is  indisposed  and 
 averse,  too  shio  or  dull  and  idle  to  believe. 
 Certainly  napSia  is  not  merely  rod  or  under- 
 standing again  ;*  this  would  involve  tautology. 
 
 ♦  So  Stolz  :  "  Slow  of  approheusion." 
 
LUKE  XXTV.  26. 
 
 !?a> 
 
 and  indeed  a  softening  retractation,  in  some 
 »ense,  of  the  dvorjrot.  But  the  deeper  reason 
 of  their  ignorance,  and  which  properly  was  the 
 object  of  rebuke,  lay  in  the  heart — as  all  Scrip- 
 ture attests  in  relation  to  divine  things— in  the 
 slowness  of  the  heart,  as  the  error  of  the  will 
 and  disposition.  BpaSeli  r^  xapSia  is  some- 
 thing different  from  the  mere  state  of  3!?  ^"l??* 
 
 or  the  like,  as  the  inf.  rov  ittdrsvetv,  belong- 
 ing to  it,  shows :  this  tarditas  infers  a  moral  im- 
 putation, a  not  ab'e  springing  from  3.not  willing. 
 Just  so  our  Lord  had  often  similarly  rebuked 
 his  disciples.  If  these  two  disciples  (as  is  pro- 
 bable) had  often  walked  with  him  before,  his 
 words  might  now  have  appealed  to  them,  as  if 
 he  were  alive  again,  and  were  saying  to  them 
 as  in  former  time — Have  ye  not  yet  further  ad- 
 vanced in  ray  school?  They  do  not  mark  that  ; 
 but  we  wh.o  know  who  it  is  that  speaks,  ob- 
 serve that  he,  the  Risen  Lord  of  glory,  has  not 
 left  the  requirement  of  faith  in  these  old  Jew- 
 ish prophetical  books  behind  him  in  the  sepul- 
 chre, as  if  that  had  been  no  more  than  a  mere 
 ac<X)mmodation  on  his  part  before — but  that  he 
 demands  it  now  more  rigorously  and  earnestly 
 than  ever.  We  would  submit  ourselves  to  his 
 supreme  criticism,  grounded  upon  his  victory 
 6ver  death  as  the  express  and  actual  ground  of 
 all  demonstration;  a  criticism  which  does  not 
 refer  so  much  to  the  books  as  to  their  readers  ; 
 which  terms  those  fools,  whose  hearts  are 
 guilty,  who  find  not  in  these  prophets  what  he 
 had  lound  in  them — his  suffering  and  his  glory, 
 and  all  spoken  purely  concerning  himself.* 
 For,  had  not  the  same  Spirit,  who  gave  all  this 
 to  the  prophets,  provided  for  their  readers  also, 
 yea,  for  all  Israel  from  the  beginning  ;  so  that 
 all  misunderstanding  must  have  sprung,  so  far 
 as  its  essentials  are  concerned,  only  from  sin  in 
 the  heart  as  its  cause  ?  How  much  more  now, 
 when  in  the  new  Church  of  the  Risen  Lord,  the 
 Spirit  is  poured  out  in  all  his  fulness  !  Who 
 will  be  able  to  stand  before  him  with  his  igno- 
 rance or  false  science  and  theology,  when  he 
 ahall  one  day  pronounce  in  a  very  different 
 manner  his  rebuke  of  unbelief? 
 
 Believe!  This  great  word,  constantly  recur- 
 ring as  the  decisive  test  for  man's  heart  and 
 will,  and  as  leading  to  understanding  {voelv) — 
 he  now  opposes  to  their  hooting,  in  order  to  give 
 them  back  again  something  more  than  hope. 
 They  had  shrunk  from  openly  expressing  that 
 decisive  liltle  word,  but  he  makes  it  all  the 
 more   prominent  on   that   account.     Yet   (to 
 
 3uote  Braune),  "He  does  not  so  much  con- 
 emn  their  unbelief  in  the  report  of  the  women 
 ('which  was  only  a  consequence)  as  their  want 
 of  faith  in  the  prophetic  word."  They  had  de- 
 clared that  they  slill  held  Jesus  as  a  prophet,  at 
 least,  and  therefore  as  that  last  and  greatest 
 one,  whom  Moses,  the  first  of  them,  had  pro- 
 mised as  greater  than  he:   then  they  ought 
 
 clearly  and  firmly  to  have  combined  together 
 and  held  fast  the  words  of  this  prophet  and  of 
 all  the  prophets.  That  which  Jesus  had  pro- 
 phesied concerning  his  own  suffering,  dying, 
 and  rising  again  on  the  "third  day,"  had  its 
 sure  foundation  in  the  words  of  all'  who  had 
 spoken  before  him  and  about  him.  Terlullian 
 tells  us  that  Marcion  had  altered  it — "  To  be- 
 lieve all  that  he  (Jesus)  had  spoken  to  you  ;" 
 but  he  allows  this,  in  the  argument,  to  his  ad- 
 versary, in  order  to  confirm  the  a>ithority  of 
 the  prophets  from  the  lips  of  Jesus  himself.* 
 Th»^  two  things  are  inseparable:  If  these  dis- 
 ciples had  fully  believed  Jesus,  they  must  have 
 believed  the  prophets  also  ;  and  so  conversely. 
 It  is  the  latter  which  Jesus  now  makes  tho 
 ground  of  his  appeal ;  but  not  without  sub- 
 ordinately  including  the  former,  in  the  abso- 
 lutely expressed  and  independent  iti6rev£iv. 
 It  is  usual  to  connect  it  with  the  following  words 
 — to  believe  in  all — and  that  would  have  its 
 own  impressive  truth,  just  as  in  Acts  xk'iv.  14 
 the  emphasis  falls  upon  a  similar  Tta6t :  to  be- 
 lieve not  only  the  word  concerning  the  king- 
 dom and  the  glory,  but  that  also  concerning 
 the  sufferings.  Philip  (John  i.  45)  had  found 
 Jesus  of  Nazareth  in  Moses  and  the  prophets 
 (yet  as  the  son  of  Joseph);  but  much  was 
 wanting  to  the  believing  apprehension  of  all 
 that  was  written  in  them,  else  they  would  not 
 have  almost  lost  again  him  whom  they  had  found. 
 Only  in  Act's  xiii.  12  can  we  in  any  way  con- 
 strue TiiOTEheiv  with  eiti  and  the  dative; 
 hence  it  is  more  natural  to  interpret  here — Oh 
 ye  slow  of  heart  to  believe  (in  itself  and  gen- 
 erally) after,  or  notwithstanding  all  that  the  pro- 
 phets have  spoken.  So  Bengel :  "  The  worde 
 of  the  prophets  are  among  you,  and  yet  ye  be- 
 lieve not.  Comp.  Luke  xvi.  26  prm'-er  hiec 
 omnia,  or  Mark  vi.  52  even  post."  Faith  in 
 the  prophetic  word  is  of  course  included ;  but 
 the  thought  is  made  more  comprehensive  and 
 more  penetrating  when  we  regard  the  prophetic 
 word  as  the  auxiliary  or  instrument,  the  ad- 
 miniculum,  and  not  the  object  of  faith.  Tha 
 Tttdreveiv,  the  believing,  has  itself  a  wider 
 range  than  faith  simply  in  the  Bible. 
 
 Verse  26.  "Christ'"  instead  of  the  preced- 
 ing "he  that  should  redeem  Israel;"  for  the 
 the  Lord,  hastening  rapidly  onward,  substitutes 
 in  his  convincing  appeal  the  true  word  instead 
 of  all  their  more  indefinite  expressions.  They 
 had  not  ventured  to  say  plainly  either  believe  or 
 Messiah — not  through  any  want  of  candor,  but 
 through  the  hesitation  of  fear — but  he  sets  both 
 words  before  them  in  all  their  clearness ;  and  in 
 this  connection  and  progress  we  have  new  evi- 
 dence that  the  Lord  meant  by  the  "  believing" 
 of  ver.  5  "  believing  that  Jesus  was  the  Christ." 
 Indeed,  this  is  the  same  with  believing  all  that 
 
 I  *  Still  greater  fools — may  the  preacher  now  cry 
 to  the  congegatioa — who  will  not  seek  and  read 
 kodfindl 
 
 *  "  Christus  enim  Jesus  in  evangelio  tuo  meu» 
 est"  (see  in  Grolius).  So  may  it  be  said  to  all 
 such  heretics :  Would  ye  turn  away  from  the  Old 
 Testament  to  the  simple  "  pure  doctrine  of  Jesus  " 
 — be  it  so,  this  pure  doctrine  sends  you  back  to 
 the  Old  Testament  again. 
 
730 
 
 ON  THE  WAY  TO  EMMAUS. 
 
 the  prophets  had  spoken  ;  for  the  Christ  in  the 
 prophets  so  entirely  coincides  with  this  cruci- 
 fied and  risen  Jesus,  that  tliere  only  remains 
 the  plain — Ought  not  these  things  to  have  taken 
 place?  The  very  thing  which  was  matter  of 
 scruple  and  obiection  to  the  Apostles— the 
 grievous  suffering  of  death — is  turned  into 
 most  decisive  arguii.ent  and  demonstration. 
 Teschendorl  well  paraphrases  thi  word,  in  its 
 immediate  connection  :  "  Has  this  thrown  you 
 into  amazement  ?  Ye  could  not  then  hold  him 
 for  the  Messiah,  because  he  had  died;  and 
 when  it  was  told  you  that  he  had  risen,  were 
 ye  astounded,  and  would  not  believe?  O  ye 
 fools — was  it  not  then  necessary  that  the  Mes- 
 siah should  suffer  such  things;  and  must  he 
 not  attain  to  his  glorification  through  such 
 sufferings  ?"  Kinkel,  blinded  by  his  theory  of 
 the  ascension,  finds  here  a  demonstration  of  it ; 
 "suffering  and  entenng  his  glory  "  he  reads 
 together,  as  if  both  were  spoken  oi  a.s  past.  But 
 it  13  easy  enough  to  explain  away  this  sem- 
 blance of  such  a  meaning  from  the  words.  It 
 is  more  correct  to  tay  that  neither  the  suffering 
 nor  the  entering  here  is  regarded  as  past;  the 
 words  are  aoristical,  and  dogmatically  refer  to 
 what  was  to  befall  the  Christ  according  to  the 
 Scripture.  Moreover,  the  "  suffering  "  in  its 
 connection  with  "  (Jiese  things"  points  distinct- 
 ively to  the  history  already  fulfilled.  The  em- 
 g basis  lies,  as  should  be  self-evident  io  every 
 hristian  reader,  upon  the  great  truth  which 
 was  now  conceided,  which  had  been  concealed 
 from  Israel  through  its  own  wilful  blindnesss, 
 and  was  now  not  known  even  to  the  disciples, 
 that  Christ  was  a  suffering  Messiah— 7raO;/ro; 
 6  Xpt6T6i  (Acts  xxvi.  23,  comp.  xvii.  6).  It 
 is  equivalent  to  naOoyra  £i6£XQ£7y,  that  he 
 should  enter  as  suffering.  The  66^a  avrov, 
 hii  glory,  the  glory  appropriate  and  due  to 
 Christ,  is  sc>meXh'\ng  pre-suj^osed  ;  but  the  con- 
 dition of  that  glory  and  the  tony  to  it  (on 
 which  account  the  word  tieeXQEiy  is  used)  are 
 shown  in  the  suffering.  It  is  zaCra  TraOelv. 
 with  reference  to  ravra  iysysro,  ver.  21. 
 Just  that  which  has  taken  place,  and  in  the  way 
 in  which  it  took  place,  mud  have  come  to  pass, 
 for  thus  was  it  written.  Thus  to  collate  the 
 ^;'£Vf  ro  with  iho  y/;ypa7erai,  and  the  prophe- 
 cies of  the  glory  with  the  prophecies  of  the  ."uf- 
 fering,  would  have  been  a  far  more  profitable 
 rtVr//ia'AA£?i',ordiscussion  and  argumentative 
 communication.  Then  would  the  conclusion 
 of  faith  have  been  easily  reached  :  As  his  suffer- 
 ing is  now  fulfilled,  nothing  remains  of  that 
 which  is  written  but  the  entering  into  his 
 plory.*  Thus  they  would  have  hoped  and  be- 
 lievf  d  in  the  rising  again  as  the  bcijinning  of  the 
 entering  (this  alone  is  the  historical  reference 
 of  this  word  here,  a  repetition  of  dyadaivc.-) 
 ditcipri)  before  they  had  heard  and  seen  ;  at 
 least  they  would  not  have  been  amazed  at  the 
 
 •  In  this  diehotmny  there  lies  latent  the  thonnht 
 (commonly  rejiarded  ns  John's)  that  tlie  ■itt\6xtiy 
 ts  even  iU>elf  the  eidapxeCOai  eii  du^ay. 
 
 intelligence  thereof  as  an  amdroy — 3  thing 
 incredible  (Acts.  xxvi.  8). 
 
 Apart  from  and  beyond  this  immediate  and 
 necessary  reference  to  the  thoughts  of  the  dis- 
 ciples, the  Lord's  saving — which  shines  like  the 
 Easter  sun  upon  all  the  darkness  of  the  pro- 
 phets— teaches  us  the  clear  fundamental  truth, 
 that  all  the  prophets  have  predicted  the  suffer-' 
 ings  and  the  glory  of  the  Coming  One,  both  ii^ 
 their  unity,  as  it  is  declared  in  1  Pet.  i.  11.  To 
 understand  these  two  things,  each  separately 
 first  and  then  both  in  their  connection,  is  the 
 only  key  which  can  open  the  entire  prophetic 
 word.  The  glory  of  Christ,  that  is,  is  no  more 
 a  mere  internal  and  spiritual  glorification  (aa 
 many  are  disposed  to  assume,  in  their  inter- 
 pretation of  John's  Gospel  especially)  than  the 
 sufferings  which  preceded.  Its  beginning  was 
 the  resurrection  from  the  dead;  but  its  end 
 was  not  the  glorifying  ascension  into  heaven. 
 There  are  yet  unfulfilled  "glories  that  should 
 follow,"  as  there  are  for  the  Church  in  Christ,, 
 and  for  Christ  in  the  Church,  yet  remaining 
 "  sufferings."  The  edei  in  the  past  tense  refers, 
 when  strictly  viewed,  only  to  the  Scripture, 
 which  had  been  long  with  them  as  contain- 
 ing the  eternal  counsel  of  God  ;  not  to  the  suf- 
 fering of  "  all  things  "  independently  of  the, 
 "  these  things,"  still  le.ss  to  an  already  accom- 
 plished "  entering  into  his  glory."  He  him- 
 self in  his  own  person  is  led  through  the 
 suffering  of  death  into  glory  ;  but  the  same 
 way  is  now  before  his  members,  and,  conse- 
 quently, as  far  as  he  lives  in  his  members,  that 
 same  way  is  still  belore  the  head,  until  all 
 the  "sufierings"  are  accomplished  and  all  the 
 "glories"  obtained.  Suffering  is  ever  the  way 
 to  glory,  as  faith  is  to  salvation — this  is  the 
 Easter  lesson  which  our  forerunner  teaches  us. 
 He  who  understands  and  experiences  this,  criea 
 with  all  his  saints  in  growing  confidence,  chal- 
 lenging all  things  that  may  transpire — But  we 
 hofie,  that  he  will  certainly  redeem. 
 
 Verse  27.  The  ve7-ha  ijisissinwi  (identical 
 words)  cease  ;  but  as  Luke  summarily  records 
 how  the  Lord  established  the  raiglity  paradox 
 of  ver.  2&,  and  pointed  them  to  the  Scriptures, 
 he  doubtless  received  his  special  expression* 
 from  the  lips  or  from  the  Spirit  of  Jesus,  and 
 we  are  justified  in  interpreting  this  verse  also 
 as  part  of  our  Lord's  own  discourse.  Now 
 toUowed  in  quick  succession  answers  to  the 
 inquiries  which  lay  deep  in  the  doubting  hearts 
 of  the  disciples,  and  which  may  be  reduced  to. 
 two  or  three  leading  questions:  IIow  could, 
 Jesus,  and  wherefore  must  he,  if  he  was  the. 
 Christ,  suffer  these  things?  What  must  and 
 what  will  iollow  after  these  sufferings?  Where, 
 have  the  prophets  tlms  spoken  of  both?  In 
 order  that  the  law  of  his  kingdom  concerning 
 faith  in  the  word  might  not  be  invaded,  he 
 does  not  at  once  say — See  ye,  feel  ye,  that  I  am 
 he  I  He  himself  rather  points  to  himself  ia 
 the  Scripture,  and  thus  opens  their  under- 
 standing, before  he  opens  their  eyes  to  behold 
 his  commenced  glory.  Thus  he  places  the  word 
 above  all  visible  manifestation ;  and  thus  the' 
 
LUKE  XXIV.  27. 
 
 781 
 
 beginning  of  faith,  and  the  Wcay  to  it,  is  ever 
 the  knowledge  of  the  word.  None  among  those 
 who  beheld  him  would  have  apprehended  the 
 Risen  Lord  in  faith,  without  a  certain  prepara- 
 tion through  the  word,  such  a  preparation  as 
 was  not  altogether  wanting  to  these  Emmaus 
 disciples.  Even  for  the  Apostles  afterwards, 
 the  great  essential  was  that  which  Luke  re- 
 cords in  his  Gospel,  chap.  xxiv.  45,  and  in  the 
 Acts  chap.  i.  3  ;  for  without  that  nothing  would 
 have  been  able  to  strengthen  their  faith  for  its 
 victory  over  the  world.  Faith  is  a  matter  of 
 experience,  but  in  and  in  order  to  experience, 
 yea,  in  a  certain  sense  befiTe  experience,  and 
 in  order  that  it  may  be  possible,  faith  is  as- 
 suredly matter  of  knowledge. 
 
 The  Lord  has  no  need  of  the  Codex,  the  en- 
 tire Scripture  lies  open  before  him— and  the 
 disciples  have  at  least  so  much  of  it  within 
 them,  that  they  can  recognize  the  passages  he 
 quotes,  as  such.  "  If  he  had  the  spirit,  the 
 two  disciples  had  the  letter  of  the  Scriptures. 
 How  good  a  thing  it  is  to  pet  firm  possession 
 of  the  Bible  in  early  youth;  the  letter  itself 
 does  not  kill  unless  it  drive  away  the  Spirit, 
 but  it  is  there  in  readiness  for  his  coming"  j 
 (Braune).  If  thou  knowest  the  Scripture,  the 
 Lord  may  come  to  expound  it.  The  earlier  in- 
 struction of  Jesus  (as  Hess  remarks)  "  had  not 
 been  a  proper  and  detailed  explanation  of  Scrip- 
 ture," at  least  in  the  great  connection  of  the 
 whole  ;  for  before  the  ravra  iyeyeto,  or  fact, 
 all  representation  of  their  Sei  yevedOai,  or 
 necessity,  would  be  vain.  Remark,  once  more, 
 the  reciprocation  :  before  its  fulfillment  in  his- 
 tory there  is  no  perfect  understanding  of  the 
 Scripture  ;  while  the  history  itself  is  not  to  be 
 understood  without  the  Scripture. 
 
 'Aft^dfiEvoi,  beginning,  has  a  sirong 
 emphasis  :  he  began  to  speak  and  to  teach,  as 
 no  lips  upon  earth  had  ever  vet,  before  this 
 crisis,  spoken  and  taught.  We  may  under- 
 stand it,  further,  that  he  began  and  continued 
 long ;  that  he  began  now  a  long  detail  and  ex- 
 hibition of  the  scriptural  truth.  Or,  that  he 
 each  time  began  anew  with  the  toord  of  Scrip- 
 ture,'in  order  then  to  append  the  SiepntjvtvEiv, 
 the  comparison  of  it  with  the  facts  which  had 
 occurred — as  it  were  already  preaching  upon 
 the  text  of  the  prophets  his  own  Gospel  (Acts 
 viii.  35).  At  least  we  prefer  such  interpreta- 
 tions as  these  to  that  which  connects  the  specif- 
 ic dno  Mffi>i<j£(a;  alone  with  the  word*  (as 
 Alford  maintains  against  me).  Luke  does  no^ 
 mean  lo  say  that  the  Lord  began  with  Moses  ; 
 but  his  "  beginning  "  has  a  much  more  com- 
 prehensive sense  than  that  of  merely  express- 
 ing the  order  of  progression  ;  therefore  it  imme- 
 
 *  Kai  and  Ttocvrcov  is  hard  to  reconcile  with 
 this.  It  is  strange  to  read  in  Altord  :  "  He  began 
 with  Moses  first ;  he  began  with  each  as  lie  came 
 to  them."  AViner,  Gr.,  affirms  the  phraseology  to 
 be  inexact,  and  compares  Acts  ill.  24.  But  there 
 the  rcay  «a9£|^s,  standing  in  a  kind  of  attrac- 
 tion, is  solved  by"the  following  06 ot  iXdXrjdav y 
 aad  the  passage  is  so  far  not  strictly  parallel. 
 
 diately  follows — And  from  all  the  propheta. 
 Meanwhile,  it  is  self-understood  that  t!ie  Great 
 Interpreter  would  advance  through  the  series 
 in  order,  for  this  alone  would  luminously  set 
 forth  the  progrpssive  development  of  the  pro- 
 phetic word.  Would  that  all  our  teachers  and 
 learners  would  now  also  begin  with  the  Scrip- 
 ture, and,  as  God  has  appointed  it,  with  the 
 first  and  earliest  Scripture,  HaOsqtji  (in  order)  ! 
 Moses  wrote  concerning  Christ  (John  v.  46)  not 
 only  in  the  Abrahamic  promises,  in  the  pass- 
 age concerning  the  future  prophet,  in  the  pro- 
 tevangelium,  but  al?o  in  the  whole  law  which 
 condemns  sin,  and  figuratively  predicts  atone- 
 ment, in  the  whole  of  his  typical  history,  espe- 
 cially that  of  the  first  deliverance  of  Israel,  and 
 before  that  in  the  original  historv  of  the  crea- 
 tion which  testifies  of  "the  Eternal  Word.  Our 
 Lord's  exposition  was  assuredly  not  confined  to 
 what  we  call  prophecies  in  the  narrower  sense; 
 but,  as  the  Spirit  in  the  Apostles  teaches  us,  all 
 the  types,  both  of  the  history  and  of  the  law,  were 
 included  in  it.  His  deep-drawn  sSei,  "ought," 
 embraced  the  necessity  of  an  atoning  Redeemei' 
 from  the  sin  which  the  Old  Testament  reveals, 
 and  of  a  dying  Redeemer  from  the  dea'A  which 
 it  denounced  as  the  consequence.  Moses  him- 
 self was  a  prophet,  yea,  the  first  and  the  great- 
 est, with  whom  Christ  alone,  as  a  prophet  com- 
 pleting the  whole  series,  is  compared;  nai  cxTta 
 T a  V  T  u}  V  ,  "and  from  all,"  has  also  the 
 meaning  that  Moses  is  in  no  sense  opposed  to 
 the  prophets.  But  inasmuch  as  afterwards  "  in 
 all  the  Scriptures"  is  plainly  synonymous  with 
 "  all  the  prophets,"  we  learn  further  that  all  the 
 holy  writers  of  the  canon  wrote  as  prophets,, 
 under  divine  inspiration.  The  Christ,  toward' 
 whom  the  entire  Old  Testament  pointed  and 
 pressed  forward,  was  not  an  idea  and  a  hope, 
 which  grew  up  in  the  national  mind;  but  the 
 prophets  spoke  and  wrote  concerning  him 
 under  the  light  and  counsel  of  God.  This  is  to 
 all  unbiassed  historical  investigation  the  pecu- 
 liar characteristic  of  the  Hebrew  people,  that 
 their  national  character  was  not  like  that  of 
 other  people,  developed  only  from  within  out- 
 wards, but  by  continual  inspiration  from  above, 
 continual  miracles  of  guidance,  miracles  of  re- 
 velation. These  last  form  the  system  of  pro- 
 phecy in  its  most  general  sense,  which  pervades 
 the  whole  life  of  the  people,  and  yet  at  the 
 same  time  is  ever  bringing  out  new  ideas,  sub- 
 limely elevatad  abovj  the  people. 
 
 How  wonderfully  did  the  Lord  in  concen- 
 trated brevity  disclose  this,  through  all  the 
 prophets,  all  the  Scriptures  I*  We  may  adopt 
 rfenninger's  thought :  "  Both  listened  with  one 
 rapt  attention — hung  upon  his  lips,  went  ex- 
 citedly on  their  way,  heedless  of  fatigue.  Oft. 
 did  he  for  a  brief  space  restrain  his  worcs.  But 
 without  speaking  they  gave  him  to  understand 
 their  desire  that  he  would  renew  his  discourse." 
 Hennell  expresses    his  wonder   that  such  an 
 
 *  Mark  azain  this  raii  ypaqtaii  as  the  corifir- 
 mation  of  the  canon  which  was  then  received,  ia 
 every  individual  part  of  it. 
 
732 
 
 ON  THE  WAY  TO  EMMAUS. 
 
 epitome  and  summary  of  truth  should  have 
 been  forgotten  in  the  Church,  and  not  rather 
 have  been  preserved  as  a  precious  document. 
 We  have  this  document  in  the  entire  New 
 Testament,  in  which  the  Apostles,  taught  in 
 the  school  of  Christ,  interpret  to  us  the  Old 
 Testament  ;  but  more  than  any  document 
 in  definite  paragraphs  have  we  in  the  commu- 
 nication of  the  Holy  Spirit,  through  whom 
 Jesus  to  the  present  day  continues  and  ever 
 renews  his  office  of  expositor.  Let  us  hear  and 
 learn  from  him  ;  then  shall  we  ever  more  deep- 
 ly penetrate  and  understand  the  things  said 
 eoncernlng  him.  It  is  not  absolutely  necessary 
 that  all  obscurities  in  the  mere  external  and 
 historical  rela'ions  should  be  cleared  up.  That 
 may  rather  be  left  to  natural  investigation  and 
 its  uncertain  criticism  ;  although,  on  the  other 
 hand,  these  things  are  never  altogether  distinct 
 from  the  essentials.  But  the  great  essential, 
 the  kernel  of  the  Scripture  is  Christ.  Here  it  is 
 said — ra  nepi  avrov, '"'  the  things  concerning 
 himself,"  identical  with  the  ra  Ttepi  zou  Xpi- 
 6tov,  ver.  26.  Consequently,  all  that  is  written 
 concerning  Christ  is  written  concern' ng  Jesus, 
 the  fulfilling  person.  This  is  infinitely  more 
 than  the  longing  and  anticipating  type  of  a 
 Coming  One  which  alone  many  in  our  day  find 
 in  the  Old  Testament:  in  the  counsel  of  God 
 that  which  really  took  place  in  Jesus  was  fore- 
 seen and  written  in  an  anticipatory  history. 
 Kor  are  they  mere  detached  and  unconnected 
 vaticinations  here  and  there,  such  as  the  old 
 exegesis  termed  "  Messianic  passages."  There 
 is  one  great  connected  unity  in  the  whole;  his- 
 tory, type  and  prophecy  all  coinciding  in  their 
 harmonious  progreisive'development.*  Finally, 
 it  is  not  merely  the  personal  Christ  manifested 
 in  Jesus,  the  head,  which  is  meant,  but  also 
 the  mystical  Christ  in  his  people  and  members ; 
 and  no  man  will  thoroughly  hnd  the  true  con- 
 nection of  all  the  Scriptures,  who  does  not  re- 
 cognize that  Christ  and  his  Israel,  the  true  Is- 
 rael, as  the  Son  and  servant  of  God,  are  ever 
 as  head  and  members  embi'aced  by  the  Spirit 
 in  one. 
 
 It  is  not  that  "  the  life  under  the  old  cove- 
 nant is  the  historical  ground  and  foundation  of 
 the  life  in  the  new  ;  "  but  there  was  an  actual 
 prophecy,  which  when  it  was  given  transcended, 
 ^nd  went  beyond  all  history  ;  a  specific  inspira- 
 iion  of  the  holy  writers,  the  pro})fi^ts,  furnishing 
 them  for  their  work.  The  older  theologians 
 were  in  great  error  through  not  rightly  perceiv- 
 ing the  connection  between  the  prophetic  tes- 
 timony and  the  historical  time  of  the  prophets 
 thems^elves,  and  consequently  they  apprehended 
 both  prophecy  and  inspiration  in  too  mechani- 
 cal a  manner — but  the  exegesis  of  Jesus,  as  he 
 taught  it  to  his  disciples,  is  at  the  utmost 
 remove  from  this  error.  For,  inasmuch  as 
 it  speaks  from  the  living  centre  of  the  whole 
 Old  Testament,  in  all  its  individual  quotations. 
 
 *  Alford  lays  a  proper  emphasis  upon  the  ex- 
 pression of  the  English  Bible  :  "  Tiie  things  con- 
 cerning himself" — uoL  XXxQparlt, 
 
 it  not  only  requires  us  to  enter  upon  a  thorotigS 
 investigation  of  the  whole,  in  order  that  the 
 abrupt  citation  may  be  understood,  but  it  also 
 proves  itself  to  all  inquirers  as  adjuslins;  the 
 history  in  a  manner  most  systematic.  The  old 
 faith  of  Christendom  in  the  expounding  word  of 
 Christ  and  his  Apostles  will  never  have  to  re- 
 treat before  the  young  science  of  our  modern 
 times.  As  often  as  hearts  which,  burning  like 
 the  disciples',  and  hearing  the  one  Master's 
 words,  come  to  the  Old  Testament,  they  make 
 the  captious  tenets  of  critico-historical  specu- 
 lation pay  tribute  to  the  genuine  hermeneutics 
 which  the  Scripture  itself  contains.  In  this 
 way  of  the  opened  understanding  those  most 
 critical  and  strange  special  fu^JUlmcnU,  which 
 are  the  very  pith  of  all  convincing  demonstra- 
 tion, justify  themselves  more  and  more  fully 
 to  the  inquirer.*  But  tliat  the  suffering  of  Christ, 
 as  certainly  as  his  glorification,  is  predicted,  be* 
 longs  to  the  immovable  axioms  of  Christian 
 doctrine  and  preaching — even  its  catechetical 
 and  elementary  torm.  On  the  one  hand,  as  we 
 find  on  the  wav  to  Eramaus,  the  death  of 
 Christ  was  (as  Do  Wette  says)  "a  mystery 
 which  was  first  disclosed  in  the  history  and  by 
 the  history."  But  that  mvstery  is  at  the  same 
 time  an  eternal  decree  of  God.  from  before  the 
 foundation  of  the  world  (s^ei)  ;  and  this  had 
 been  revealed  previously  to  the  prophets,  his  ser- 
 vants (Amos  iii.  7).  (the  copi6niyoy,  in  xxii. 
 22  is  a  ysypaTcroLi,  Matt.  xxvi.  24.)  On  tiie 
 other  hand,  in  the  universal,  all  pervading 
 principle,  according  to  which  the  whole  Scrip- 
 ture announces  and  typifies  no  other  way  to 
 glory  for  the  Coming  One  but  that  of  suffering, 
 the  most  express  and  particular  specialties  are 
 embraced — the  "these  things"  which  were  to 
 be  sufTered.  This  the  Risen  Lord,  without  any 
 accommodation  to  E,abbinical  hermeneutics, 
 pointed  out  to  the  two,  and  afterwards  to  the 
 Apostles  in  their  writings:  whence  did  the 
 Apostles  and  Evangelists,  among  whom  the 
 Galilean  fishermen,  Peter  and  John,  had  no 
 previous  knowledge  of  llabbinism,  obtain  their 
 citations  but  from  this  highest  authority  and 
 school?  Either  Christ  did  not  say  what  Luke 
 here  records  of  him,  and  then  we  are  on  the 
 foundation  of  Strauss,  that  is,  we  have  no 
 foundation  under  our  I'eet ;  or  we  find  through 
 the  enlightening  Spirit,  who  willingly  proves 
 himself  such  to  all  who  prav,  as  Christ  himself 
 found,  the  ravra  e.6s.i  naOecr,  "  must  suffer 
 these  things."  "In  short"  (says  Olshausen) 
 ""a  man  must  be  altogether  a  Christian,  or  not 
 a  Christian  at  all.  lie  who  will  not  confess 
 that  Jesus  Christ  is  come  in  the  flesh,  is  Anti- 
 christ ;  and  he  who  does  not  believe  all  that 
 
 *  Nitzsch,  with  all  his  one-sided  polemics 
 against  what  ho  terms  "  Voihersau;ung,"  con- 
 fesses :  "  riediction  attains  its  lull  perfection,  hi 
 the  cases  to  which  it  refers,  only  in  the  most 
 definite  precision  in  tiie  peculiar  nnrks  of  ilie 
 tact."  We  would  t^rm  this  de  criptive  prediction 
 of  future  eveutb  not  tubordiiiaU  but  rather  to-ortU' 
 naie. 
 
LUKE  XXIV.  27,  ETC. 
 
 738 
 
 the  incarnate  "Word  of  the  Father  teaches, 
 proves  in  fact  that  he  does  not  believe  that 
 God  in  him  manifested  hin;self  in  the  flesh. 
 But  he  who  would  believe  these  words  of  the 
 Son  of  God,  and  of  those  disciples  concerning 
 whom  it  is  said  that  he  himself  opened  to  them 
 the  Scriptures,  must  also  explain  the  Scripture 
 as  the  Lord  himself  and  his  disciples  expound 
 it."  Meyer  also  writes  :  "  If  the  exegete  should 
 read  the  Old-Testament  Scriptures  without 
 knowing  to  whom  and  to  what  they  every 
 where  point,  the  New  Testament  clearly  directs 
 his  understanding,  and  places  him  under  an 
 obligation,  if  he  would  be  a  sound  Christian 
 teacher,  to  acknowledge  its  authority  and  in- 
 terpret accordingly.  Doubt  as  to  the  validity 
 of  our  Lord's  and  his  Apostles'  method  of  ex- 
 pounding, involves  necessarily  a  renunciation 
 of  Christianity." 
 
 Two  reasons  as  clear  as  day  forbid  us  to  as- 
 sume, in  the  exposition  which  the  "  sacred 
 writers"  of  the  New  Testament  give  of  the 
 Old  Testament,  any  thing  like  a  "  tponoi 
 itatSeiai  which  must  be  directed  according  to 
 the  education  and  needs  of  the  age."  First, 
 this  exposition  and  this  use  of  Scripture  is  so 
 strictly  connected  with  that  most  essential 
 principle  of  the  whole  Gospel — Jesus  is  the 
 Christ,  that  God's  providence  (thus  for  once 
 to  speak  rationalistically)  cannot  be  conceived 
 of  as  that  of  a  true  God,  if  it  had  introduced 
 the  great  truth  of  salvation  into  the  world 
 through  the  medium  of  a  confusing  error.  But, 
 secondly,  the  Apostles  point  to  Christ  in  the 
 Old  Testament,  not  as  "  writers,"  but  as  Apos- 
 tles, who  in  this  very  particular  received  their 
 Lord's  full  directions  ;  and  it  is  altogether  im- 
 possible to  attribute  to  the  E,isen  Lord  of 
 Glory  a  rpJffoS  naideiai  in  the  esoterical 
 doctrine  which  he  gave  his  Apostles  for  their 
 new  preaching  to  the  world.* 
 
 The  Risen  Lord  shows  himself  to  the  sor- 
 rowing and  doubting  disciples  in  the  Christ  of 
 the  Scriptures,  as  sufferirfig  and  through  suffer- 
 ing entering  into  his  glory — before  he  opens 
 their  eyes  to  behold  himself,  and  to  see  that 
 he  still  lives  and  had  said  all  this  to  them  him- 
 eelf.  The  gracious  explanation  of  vers.  17-19 
 (by  which  their  offence  at  the  cross  was  to  be 
 brought  out  into  full  utterance)  is  followed  by 
 earnest  instruction  ;  by  sharp  rebuke,  ver.  25 ; 
 by  paradoxically  decisive  assertion,  ver.  26  ; 
 by  convincing  proof  from  the  entire  body  of 
 Scripture,  ver.  27.  The  conclusion  of  ver.  30, 
 with  its  full  return  of  graciousness,  we  shall 
 also  learn  to  understand.     Suffer  thyself,  dear 
 
 reader,  to  be  thus  rebuked  and  taught  by  hira: 
 it  will  be  no  disgrace  to  thee,  and  will  bring 
 thee  great  joy  !  Take  to  thyself  the  rebuke 
 and  the  instruction  ;  the  demonstration  will 
 then  follow.*  Know,  mark,  and  feel  that  he 
 who  approaches  thee  for  thy  consolation,  and 
 he  who  comes  to  thy  unbelief  with  the  severe 
 rebuke  of  Scripture,  are  one  and  the  same  (and 
 so  is  it  also  of  the  servant  who  comes  in  his 
 Lord's  name)  ;  and  that  these  two  functions 
 are  united  and  one.  If  thy  heart  begins  to 
 burn,  know  that  it  is  Jesus  under  another 
 form  who  would  thus  prepare  thee  for  a  living 
 understanding  of  the  Scripture.  Hear,  read, 
 search,  begin  and  continue  to  understand  the 
 Scripture  with  the  heart — the  longing,  seek- 
 ing heart  which  feels  its  need  of  redemption, 
 and  already  begins  to  burn  in  love  to  the  Re- 
 deemer. This  is  the  test  of  true  exegesis. 
 Dost  thou  rejoice  to  find  in  the  Old  Testament 
 a  Christ  who  is  thy  atonement  and  thy  fore- 
 runner to  glory,  so  that  thereby  the  New-Tes- 
 tament preaching  concerning  him  finds  in  thy 
 heart  the  "  sure  foundation  "  of  a  divine  de- 
 cree ?  Dost  thou  say  sincerely,  and  not  as  a 
 mere  phrase — The  message  I  hear,  but  faith  fails 
 me?  Then  mayest  thou  and  thou  wilt  mark 
 that  he  draws  nigh,  to  demonstrate  to  thee  hia 
 own  claims.  Canst  thou  not  call  upon  him  to 
 come?  Pray  in  confidence,  as  if  he  were 
 really  near,  for  he  is  so— Expound  thou  to  me 
 thine  own  Scripture  I  He  will  expound  it.  He 
 will  indeed  rebuke,  but  only  in  love.  He  will 
 not  even  require  of  thee  that  thou  shouldst 
 interpret  and  understand  it  like  himself,  be- 
 cause he  would  have  it  so — but,  as  this  blessed 
 history  shows,  he  will  concsal  and  renounce 
 his  own  highest  authority,  in  order  to  give  thee 
 insight  and  understanding  through  personal 
 conviction.  Thus  only  would  we  have  all  the 
 previous  rigorous  expressions  of  requirement 
 to  be  understood ;  their  propriety  rests  upon 
 the  comparative  impossibility  of  remaining 
 honestly  in  doubt,  since  the  glorification  of 
 Christ;  as  also  upon  an  experimental  assur- 
 ance that  the  Lord  continues  to  the  present 
 day  to  act  as  he  acted  towards  the  disciples  on 
 the  way  to  Emmaus. 
 
 *  Thus,  not  as  Hase's  unbelief  in  this  Lord  utters 
 itself:  "  A  dying  Messiah — could  be  recoanized 
 by  Jesus  as  a  divine  decree,  and  Jy  allegoriccd  ex- 
 pcsition  found  in  the  prophecies,"  etc.  Or,  as  D5pke 
 babbles  on  Luke  xxiv. :  "  Christ  must  open  it  to 
 their  conviction  from  Moses  and  the  prophets  (hat 
 such  a  Messiah  had  been  promised  in  the  Holy 
 Scriptures  ;  and  he  could  do  this  according  to  the  then 
 aeneral  allegorical  method  of  explanation,  which  he 
 uimself  received  and  used." 
 
 Thougli  there  are  no  more  of  our  Lord's  tcords 
 in  it,  we  must  not  decline  to  pursue  the  narra- 
 tive to  its  conclusion.  After  a  thorough  glance 
 at  the  whole  we  shall  be  able  to  understand  it  in 
 all  its  significance;  and  thus  alone  make  it  a 
 fit  preparation  for  our  Lord's  next  appearance 
 in  the  circle  of  the  Apostles,  npoderroteiro, 
 "made  as  if"  (or  npo^ertoiT/daro)  ver.  28, oc- 
 
 *  Cade,  mododoce — was  a  word  even  of  Diogenes. 
 "  The  Lord  would  reveal  himself,  but  instead  of 
 immediately  disclosing  his  glory,  he  leads  them  as 
 it  were  by  a  by-way,  through  the  whole  of  Scrip- 
 lure.  He  would  comfort  them,  and  he  begin* 
 by  rebuking  them  as  fools  and  slow  of  heart *• 
 (Leipoldt). 
 
i^ 
 
 ON  THE  WAY  TO  EMMAUS. 
 
 curs  only  here  in  the  New  Testament  ;*  it  indi- 1 
 cates  no  feint  or  deception,  which  itself  would 
 require  justification,  and  means  that  he  would 
 go  furtlier,  if  they  did  not  retain  him,  and 
 would  actually  have  gone.  Thus  does  he  test 
 them,  whether  his  words  had  duly  pene<rated 
 their  hearts,  or  whether  they  were  satisfied  or 
 satiated.  It  is  his  will  to  be  retained,  to  be 
 entreated,  when  he  draws  near  ;  not  only  are  we 
 ourselves  to  penetrate  the  mystery  of  his  pres- 
 ence, but  we  are  ourselves  to  hold  him  fast. 
 Alas!  how  many  are  there  to  whom  he  has 
 drawn  near,  but  with  whom  he  has  not  tarried, 
 because  they  have  suffered  him  to  go  away 
 again  in  his' living  and  heart-moving  words! 
 It  was  not  so  here  •.  they  rejoice  at  heart,  not- 
 withstanding their  humiliation  ;  thankful,  and 
 still  desiring  more,  they  condrain  him  with  the 
 utmost  confidence.  (Comp.  Acts  xvi.  15,  the 
 same  word  :  here  as  there  it  is  only  by  urgent 
 appeal,  napaHLxXEiv ;  they  did  not  of  course 
 lay  hold  of  and  retain  him,  which  would  have 
 be'en  opposed  to  the  reverence  mingled  with  their 
 trust.)  Tneir  request,  through  it  has  some- 
 times been  too  allegorically  dealt  with,  invites 
 most  suggestively  to  a  typical  view  of  the  whole 
 transaction — of  which  more  anon.  First,  and 
 in  its  siuiple  historical  sense,  "  they  make  their 
 care  of  him  the  jiretext  of  their  request,"  as  the 
 sure  token  that  they  do  not  yet  suspect  who  he 
 is.  So  in  Gen.  xix.  2,  3  ;t  Judg.  xix.  9,  they 
 say.  Thou  canst  not  traval  farther  now  that  it 
 is  night— and  would  thus  give  emphasis  to 
 their  abide  with  us,  the  true  reason  of  which  they 
 might  probably  proceed  to  give  in  their  further 
 eondiainiiig.  Or  still  better,  this  simple  word 
 of  request  was  to  him  a  sufficient  constraint. 
 And  now  they  entertain  him,  preparing  the 
 meal  with  hiin  alone.  But  he  does  not  go  on 
 so  abundantly  to  teach  and  expound  as  he  had 
 done  in  the  way  ;  he  becomes  gradually  more 
 silent  and  more  invested  with  sacred  solemnity. 
 When  they  sit  down— i/e  taketh  the  bread.  Ei- 
 ther they  resign  to  him,  as  the  obvious  prerog- 
 ative oi  a  Kabbi  or  teacher  of  Scripture,  the 
 office  of  blessing  the  table— or  he  suddenly  as- 
 sumed on  his  own  part  the  function  of  the 
 master  of  the  household,  as  a  transition  to  the 
 revelation  of  himself.  Both  suppositions  agree 
 very  well  together  ;  as  he  alone  was  the  teach- 
 er, rebuker,  comforter,  and  giver  of  blessing 
 through  the  word,  so  can  he  alone  give  thanks 
 and  pray — this  is  self-apparent.  He  utters  the 
 benediction  ;  he  breaks  the  bread  and  gives  it 
 to  them  ;  then  were  their  eyes  opened,  and 
 they  knew  him.  Luke,  by  using  du/yoixO'/oay 
 as  corresponding  to  the  previous  tHparovvro, 
 obviously  assigns  a  specific,  miraculous  inllu- 
 ence  as  the  reason  of  their  knowing  him.  He 
 does  not  intend  to  intimate  that  they  knew 
 him  by  the  circumstance  of  his  blessing  and 
 breaking  the  bread.  'Ev  rj;  M\d6Ei,  ver.  35, 
 may  as  well  mean  "  in  connection  with,  at  the 
 time  of"  the  breaking,  as  "  by  the  breaking," 
 
 in  the  sense  of  Luther's  tran? i^lic-  j  Here  in 
 ver.  31  Luke  does  not  say  tot^c  or  .»/  tovtco: 
 but  the  somewhat  opposite  Si.  Tirus  it  is  not, 
 as  commonly  said,  that  they  knew  him  by  his 
 customary  manner  of  taking  food,  and  "  break- 
 ing bread;"  although  as  a  consequence  of  the 
 opening  of  their  eyes,  they  might  immediately 
 observe  this  also.  Certainly  those  two  dis- 
 ciples could  not  have  been  immediately  re- 
 minded of  the  Lnrd'n  Sufiper,  at  which  they  had 
 not  been  present,  or  of  any  manner  of  break- 
 ing bread  peculiar  to  that  sacrament.*  L^ast 
 of  all  can  we  allow,  or  reconcii3  it  with  our 
 theory  as  developed  on  the  sacrament,  that 
 Christ  here  celebrated  his  Supper  with  them, 
 or  gave  to  them  his  body  (now  visible  before 
 them,  and  not  yet  glorified  and  perfectly  capa- 
 ble of  impartation)  in  the  bread.  Pfenninger 
 makes  the  Lord  speak  first  of  a  "  pledge  of 
 that  food  which  should  endure  unto  eternal 
 life,  which  tlie  Son  of  Man  will  give  unto  you," 
 and  then  adds  the  solemn  form — Take,  eat,  this 
 is  my  body,  which  was  given  for  you,  etc.  This 
 is  most  questionable,  under  two  aspects.  He 
 could  really  and  essentially  no  more  give  his 
 body  now  than  he  could  at  the  first  institution 
 (for  John  vi.  62  still  holds  good) — such  a  sup- 
 position would  lead  us,  if  not  into  the  error  of 
 a  mere  symbolism  in  the  sacrament,  yet  into 
 that  magical  notion  of  a  body  apart  irom  the 
 body,  which  we  for  our  own  part  must  protest 
 agamst.  And  then,  secondly,  the  Lord's  Supper 
 would  here  be  partaken  of  under  one  form,  the 
 body  without  the  blood  ;  as  it  is  well  known 
 that  the  Romanists  press  this  instance  into  a 
 scriptural  demonstration  for  their  perversion. f 
 Thus  we  have  here  no  celebration  of  the  sacra- 
 ment in  the  historical  and  actual  sense.  But 
 it  is  a  difierent  thing,  and  quite  consistent  witli 
 this,  to  assume  a  typical  significance  as  de- 
 signed  by   our  Lord    throughout   the    whole 
 
 •  John  viii.  6  in  an  explanatory  gloss. 
 \  Where  ver.  9  Sept.  has  napsfiidl^ovTo. 
 
 *  Nltzsch  :  "  We  are  njt  clear  that  Jesus  broke 
 the  bread  in  any  peculiar  manner  (as  if  sailing 
 the  symbolism  of  his  violent  death),  and  was  liius 
 known  bj'  the  two  disciples  in  Luke  xxiv.  30,  35. 
 For  it  is  not  said  that  he  was  recognized  in  the 
 breaking  of  bread,  but  at  or  during  the  break- 
 ing of  thread ;  that  is,  in  the  confidential  meal, 
 when  his  gi-stnies  or  words  would  remind  fliem 
 of  his  former  intercourse  jr.st  before  he  died,  or 
 of  the  last  Supper."  While  we  agree  with  the 
 former  part,  we  must  contend  against  their  being 
 reminded  of  their  last  Supper,  and  against  the 
 Lord's  "  words  "  reminding  them.  [On  the  con- 
 trary kv  wiih  the  dative  here  most  niitirrally  indi- 
 cates the  means  or  manner  of  the  d.sclosure. — 
 Am.  Ed.] 
 
 f  In  the  so-called  "  Refutation  of  the  Augsburg 
 Confession,"  after  referring  to  Acts  ii.  42,  xx.  7, 
 we  read  :  "  Certainly  Christ,  the  Inslitutor  of  tlrs 
 most  sacred  sacrament,  when  he  rose  from  the 
 dead,  aJministered  the  Eucharist  to  ine  discijiles 
 at  Eiumaus  under  one  species  only  :  for  he  took  the 
 bread,  brake,  and  gave  it  to  them.  But  they 
 knew  him  in  the  breaking  of  the  brend.  Augus- 
 tine, Chrysostom,  TheophylncL,  and  Beza  alBrm 
 that  this  meal  was  the  bucrameut." 
 
LUKE  XXIV.  27,  ETC. 
 
 735 
 
 •cene,  and  especially  now  at  its  impressive  con- 
 clusion The  opening  of  their  eyes  in  imme- 
 diate connection  with  the  breaking  of  bread  was 
 intended  by  the  Lord  to  say — la  that  will  I  be 
 ever  known  ;  in  that  I  will  make  myself  felt  to 
 be  living  and  near.  This  also  still  more  plainly 
 appears  in  the  expressions  of  the  disciples,  ver. 
 35,  or  of  the  Evangelist  under  the  guidance  of 
 the  Spirit  (and  in  John  xxi.  the  early  meal 
 on  the  shore  will  be  found  to  bear  a  similar 
 application).  Grotius  quotes  it  as  a  "  mystical 
 interpretation  of  the  ancients"  which  he  is 
 not  displeased  with  ;  and  even  Neander  ad- 
 mits, though  he  weakens  away  the  force  of  it, 
 that  "his  manifestation  in  this  manner  mi^ht 
 have  reference  to  the  promise  given  at  the  last 
 meal,  and  thus  remind  his  disciples  that  he  in 
 their  common  meal  (it  should  be — in  the  cele- 
 bration of  the  Supper)  would  be  always  as 
 certainly  in  their  midst."  The  renewed  pro- 
 mise which  is  contained  in  this  revelation  in 
 the  breaking  of  bread,  points  to  the  future 
 sacrament  which  should  bring  his  invisible  but 
 corporeal  presence;  but  there  is  not  a  repeated 
 eekhraiion,  for  that  would  be  inconsistent  with 
 the  plain  record  that  the  Lord,  known  by  his 
 countenance  and  form,*  immediately  vanished 
 without  further  speaking  or  act:  thus  there 
 ■was  no  eating  and  drinking  with  him,  and 
 therefore  no  common  meal.f 
 
 Their  knowing  him  and  his  vanishing  are  in 
 swift  succession.  To  these  disciples  he  has 
 nothing  further  to  say;  and  nothing  more  to 
 give  than  the  longed  for  "seeing  of  himself" — 
 for  this  suffices  one  great  critical  moment, 
 which  refers  them  back  to  the  enlightenment 
 given  to  their  understanding  in  and  in  order  to 
 ihe'iv, believing.  The  very  beginning  of  faith  is 
 2reater  assurance,  a  stronger  internal  persua- 
 ision  rather  than  direct  knowledge  ;  but  afler- 
 iDirds  reflection  will  go  back  and  collect  all. 
 Thus  these  disciples  themselves  subsequently 
 wonder  that  they  had  not  sooner  discerned  the 
 stranger  who  exerted  so  miglity  an  influence 
 upon  them.  He  had  touched  their  hearts,  and 
 opened  them  to  trust  him,  even  in  the  first 
 question  ;  and  in  and  after  the  rebuke  of  \  ct. 
 25  he  had  set  them  on  tire.  "  The  expression 
 — a  burning  heart — was  not  coined  in  the  school 
 of  human  wisdom;  these  disciples  had  not 
 found  it  in  the  treasure-house  of  the  divine 
 word. J     It  is  a  new  word,  which  was  given 
 
 *  Possibly — and  there  is  something  touching  in 
 this — by  the  print  of  the  nails  in  the  hands  which 
 broke  the  bread,  and  which  were  beheld  by  their 
 opened  eyes. 
 
 f  Nitzsch  says :  "  The  Lord  made  himself  cog- 
 nizable at  once  after  his  resurrection  by  the  repe 
 tition  ot  this  festival."  But  this  is  inexactly  ex 
 ptessed,  and  seems  to  retain  the  opinion  which  he 
 formerly  expressed,  that  sacraments  were  held  with 
 the  disciples  afier  the  resurrection.  This  view  it- 
 self we  cannot  adopt ;  but  there  it  is  even  stated 
 that  in  thei-e  subsequent  celebrations  the  properly 
 instituting  coiftraandment  was  given. 
 
 X  Psa.  xxxis.  4  is  ditferent ;  but  Gen.  xliii.  30 ; 
 
 them  in  connection  with  a  new  and  hitherto 
 unfelt  experience.  How  surely  and  swiftly 
 does  internal  experience  lind  the  right  word  for 
 its  emotions  "  (Leipoldt).  Yes,  verily,  what 
 this  word  means  wf  must  experience  to  know. 
 It  is  far  more  than  Zinzendorl's  too  superficial 
 paraphrase;  "Ah!  how  did  our  hearts  bent 
 with,  emotion  !  "  This  burning  speaks  not  only 
 of  new  life  in  the  joy  and  hope  of  faith,  but 
 especially  of  a  most  internal  impulse  of  lone  to 
 the  Lord,  and  to  this  marvellous  strangor  for 
 the  Lord's  sake.  Not  only  did  he  kindle  the 
 light  of  their  understanding  in  opposition  to 
 their  folly,  this  light  of  life  became  a  tiro  in 
 opposition  to  their  slowness  of  heart ;  but 
 this  fire  was  most  internally  the  drawing  and 
 the  energy  of  love.  Tlie  cold  moonlight  of 
 illuminism  is  dead,  and  leaves  us  in  death; 
 but  when  Christ,  after  his  ascension,  begins 
 onlv  to  teach,  the  sincere  and  receiving  hearts 
 begin  at  once  to  burn.  Did  not  our  hearts 
 (more  and  more)  burn  "within  us,  when  he 
 spoke  with  us,  or  rather  to  its — spoke  so  might- 
 ily to  our  hearts?  (Bengel:  IXdXet  ijulv ; 
 to  us,  which  is  more  than  icdh  ns.)  And  when 
 he  opened  to  us  the  Scripture — both  are  here 
 viewed  as  one.  The  first  rebuking  word  to 
 their  slow  hearts  was  continued  in  exposition  ; 
 the  exposition  which  opened  and  won  their 
 hearts  began  already  in  the  rebuke  and  declara- 
 tion of  vers.  25,  26.  But  the  Scripture  is 
 opened  to  us,  when  in  us  the  yoiS  and  nocftSia, 
 the  eye  of  faith  and  the  eye  of  the  heart,  aie 
 opened,  ver.  45.  This  was  to  them  a  foretaste 
 and  anticipatory  beginning  of  the  Pentecoslal 
 fire,  of  which  also  Luke  xii.  49  speaks.  Oh 
 that  it  would  descend  now  upon  our  exposi- 
 tors, to  melt  away  all  their  previous  unworthy 
 thoughts  !  Oh  that  the  frightful  coldness  of 
 many  were  exchanged  for  a  warm  heart  toward 
 the  "Scripture,  which  speaks  of  Christ,  and 
 through  which  Christ  speaks  !  The  living  de- 
 monstration of  faith  is  found  only  in  this  way 
 of  the  Emmaus  disciples  ;  but  Christ  is  always 
 ready  thus  to  draw  near  and  go  with  us. 
 
 Leipoldt,  the  excellent  preacher  on  Emmaus, 
 is  exegetically  incorrect  when  he  lays  the  em- 
 phasis on  the  past  tense — "Burned  not  our 
 heart  within  us?  Thereby  they  declare  that 
 it  was  tiol  the  same  with  them  then,  while  he  was 
 yet  speaking,  and  now,  when  he  had  vanished 
 from  their  eyes.  Even  the  still  life  of  faith 
 and  love  is  not  the  less  on  that  account  a  burn- 
 ing of  the  heart."  What  he  means  is  true, 
 and  may  find  its  proper  application  to  their 
 subsequent  remembrance  of  the  whole;  but  it 
 is  quite  foreign  to  the  historical  reality.  Did 
 not  our  hearts  burn  within  us  already  in  the 
 way?  that  is  their  meaning  here,  just  after 
 the  crisis  of  the  manifestation;  and,  althougii 
 he  had  vanished,  the  zeal  of  their  faith  and 
 love  burns  still  more  fervently  and  joyfully 
 
 1  Kings  iii.  26,  are  analogous.  Thus  the  expres- 
 sion is  not  exact,  but  it  is  true  that  the  disciples 
 spoke  only  from  their  own  impulse,  and  did  not 
 think  of  scriptural  words. 
 
736 
 
 ON  THE  V/AY  TO  EMMAUS. 
 
 ^vithin  them.  Proof  of  this  is  their  hastening 
 hack  to  Jerusalem,  after  they  had  tasted  but  a 
 little  of  the  bread  blessed  by  him.  "They 
 now  fear  not  the  journey  in  the  night,  who  had 
 before  dissuaded  from  it  their  unknown  com- 
 panion." Kai  dya6rdyr£i,  "and  they  rose 
 up,"  as  themselves  risen  again.  They  find  the 
 eleven  together  with  the  others.*  These  open  at 
 their  knoching,  and  the  doors  are  then  pru- 
 dently and  securely  shut.  But  the  message  of 
 joy  which  they  bring  is  anticipated  by  the  in- 
 tonation of  tiie  antiphony  of  tne  Easter  hymn 
 — T/ie  Lord  is  risen  indeed,  and  halh  appeared 
 unto  Simon. 'f  It  is  not  meant  that  they  all 
 eaid  this  in  concert;  nor  does  ver.  35  intimate 
 that  all  of  them  fully  and  firmly  believed  the 
 new  report.  For  Mark  xvi.  13  must  retain  its 
 force,  and  in  ver.  14  the  rebuke  of  the  unbelief 
 and  hardness  of  heart  even  of  the  eleven.  J 
 
 Such  is  theEmmaus  history,  in  which  Jesus 
 fpenbs  from  beginning  to  end,  even  in  the  bread- 
 breaking,  the  manifestation,  the  vanishing,  in 
 the  witness  of  his  power  which  the  narrative 
 gives.  The  event  was  ordered  by  him  thus, 
 and  thus  recorded  to  us,  in  order  that  it,  and 
 he  in  it,  might  speak  to  us  still  more.  .  The  first 
 aim  of  his  "being  seen"  in  these  exhibitions 
 of  himself  was  that  he  might  show  himself  to 
 be  alive  ;  the  second  was  that  he  might  speak 
 and  teach  (Acts  i.  3).  But  the  appearances  as 
 TeH/.(7Jf)ia  and  signs  speak  (o  us  a  symbolical 
 language  of  promise  for  the  future ;  and  we 
 may  now  in  a  final  glance  at  the  whole  ask 
 •what  is  the  significance  of  our  history.  He 
 who  had  been  previously  visible  will  henceforth 
 invisibly  draw  near  to  his  people  (ver.  15, 
 lyyi6ai),hQ  their  fellow-traveller  upon  earth, 
 yea,  enter  and  abide  with  them  :  to  give  them 
 a  pledge  of  this,  to  detach  them  from  depend - 
 
 *  Now  a  general  term,  referring  to  the  chasm  in 
 the  number  ot  the  Apostles;  it  does  not  follow 
 necessarily,  that  Luke  did  not  know  of  the  ab- 
 sence of  Thomas. 
 
 f  Peter,  certainly,  according  to  Mark  xvi.  7,  and 
 1  Cor.  XV.  5.  But  even  after  such  a  favor  the 
 fallen  one  is  not  yet  mentioned  by  h!s  name  of 
 honor.  Did  he  see  the  Lord  before  and  after  the 
 Emmaus  disciples  1  Chrys.  thinks,  "  to  liim  first 
 among  the  men,  as  most  deeply  desiring  to  see 
 him — or  m'  st  deejjly  needing,"  Possibly,  but. 
 who  know.s  that  1  It  was  a  private  mys.ery  be- 
 tween the  Lord  and  his  disciple. 
 
 X  On  the  one  hand,  according  to  Benjel :  "  They 
 believed,  but  suspicion  and  even  iircredulity  recur- 
 red. Their  rising  faith  when  the  first  joy  was  re- 
 moved, which  had  in  it  an  admixture  of  some- 
 thing unwoiited  and  ecsfat  c,  was  not  faith, 
 when  comjiaied  with  that  purged,  and  satisfied, 
 and  apostolical  faith  which  followed  afterwards." 
 On  the  other  hand,  according  to  Von  Oerlach, 
 "tho  rebuke  of  Jesus  fell  upon  all  together  on  ac- 
 count of  B(,me  individuals.  It  appears  that  the 
 vvTcoi  here  is  directed  against  some  known  un- 
 belief," 
 
 ence  on  visible  intercourse  and  accustom  them 
 to  this,  was  certainly  thedesiun  and  meaning  of 
 all  the  appearances  of  the  Risen  Lord  in  the 
 transition  to  the  day  of  Pentecost. — but  here  it 
 was  most  plainly  shown.  Thus  it  was  the  be- 
 ginning of  the  fulfillment  of  the  promise  given 
 long  before.  Matt,  xviii.  20,  and  finally  in  Matt, 
 xxviii.  20.  He  was  not  yet  properly  omnipres- 
 ent through  the  Holy  Spirit  during  the  forty 
 days ;  but  he  gave  a  final  typical  example 
 thereof,  which  was  the  germ  of  its  full  accom- 
 plishment. This  narrative  is  to  be  interpreted 
 in  that  light;  but  this  being  perceived,  the 
 natural,  historical  meaning  of  the  incidents  is 
 to  be  distinguished  by  sober  exposition  from 
 the  typical  meaning  which  was  shadowed  forth 
 in  it :  the  unskilful  blending  of  the  two  tends 
 much  to  the  disparagement  of  God's  word. 
 Thus  at  the  very  outset :  the  eyes  of  the  di.s- 
 ciples  were  holden  by  Christ ;  but  now,  alas  ! 
 they  are  closed  by  our  own  fault,  so  that  we 
 know  him  not.* 
 
 The  narrative  teaches  us  in  the  details  and 
 in  the  whole  what  the  Lord,  approaching  and 
 going  with  us,  will  do :  this  need-j  no  further 
 development.  But  the  answer  is  not  always 
 quite  so  clear  which  we  must  give  to  the  ques- 
 tion—  When  may  and  should  we  believe  that 
 the  Lord  is  near  to  us  and  will  reveal  himself? 
 First  of  all,  when  we  nmrrn  the  Comforter 
 draws  nigh  with  his — Why  weep  ye,  and  are 
 sad  ?  Specially,  however,  when  our  sorrow 
 concerns  him  ;  but  such  sorrow  is  in  principle 
 every  doubt  which  troubles  the  God-seeking 
 heart,  all  inability  to  believe,  all  abandonment 
 of  faith  and  hope.  For  all. swcerd  doubters  and 
 seekers,  Psa.  xxii.  26  holds  good — in  wliich 
 word  of  prophecy  the  Emmaus  history  itself 
 seems  to  be  marvellously  pre-typified;  and  then, 
 as  the  consequence  of  this  at  the  same  time  that 
 it  is  the  condition  of  it,  when  we,  forsaking 
 Jerusalem's  pernicious  uproar,  betake  ourselves 
 into  seclusion  with  our  sorrow.  Again,  thirdly, 
 when  we  do  not  selfishly  and  with  self-will 
 shun  the  fellowship  of  those  like-minded  ;  but 
 go  on  our  way  together  in  mutual  communion 
 and  opening  of  heart.f  Oh  how  gladly  does  he 
 make  the  third  or  the  fourth  of  such  little  com- 
 panies of  two  and  three  I  Fourthly,  we  must, 
 when  he  incites  us  to  it  in  the  form  of  another, 
 mourn  to  him  and  tell  him  out  all  that  con- 
 cerns us  ;  this  we  can  do,  even  in  the  beginning 
 of  faith,  immediately  by  prayer.  Thus  it  pro- 
 ceeds :  He,  fifthly,  points  us  to  Scripture  and 
 Scripture  inquiry.  When  we,  with  seeking 
 and  susceptible  hearts,  read  ourselves,  or  yield 
 ourselves  up  to  be  preached  unto,  expounded 
 to,  and  exhorted,!;  he  himself  is  near — and  then 
 shall  we,  sixthly,  soon  begin  to  mark  that  our 
 hearts  burn  within  us — until,  seventhly  and 
 
 *  To  intimate  this,  is  the  reason  why  LuAe  here 
 expresses  the  matter  in  this  particular  w.iy. 
 
 t  They  might  hive  gone  sadly  and  silently 
 one  to  the  right  and  the  other  to  the  left. 
 
 :t:  For  he  comes  now  to  men  by  the  medium  of 
 other  men,  whom  Le  sends  in  bis  own  name. 
 
LUKE  XXIV.  27,  ETC. 
 
 737 
 
 finally,  while  we  are  holding  him  fast  in  our 
 presentiment,  he  breaks  to  us  the  bread,  seals 
 the  word  in  the  sacrament,  and  gives  us  more 
 without  seeing  and  touching,  yet  by  the  taste 
 of  inmost  experience,  than  all  the  understand- 
 ing previously  given.  Those  are  the  seven 
 steps  of  our  "Lord's  drawing  nigh.  Or  they 
 may  be  condensed  into  three;  \\Qdraios  nigh  to 
 us  and  teaches  us,  when  we  turn  and  open  our 
 hearts  to  him  ;  he  abides,  when  we  ask  him  to 
 do  so  (we  should  now  know  that  it  is  he)  ;  he 
 gives  himself  to  be  known  by  us,  if  and  when 
 we,  entering  into  ourselves,  take  him  with  us. 
 But  most  important  in  the  whole  recital  is  his 
 condescension  to  the  weak,  a  condescension 
 which  our  rigorous  dogmatists  are  slow  to  learn  : 
 he  does  not  at  once  demand  firm  faith  from  the 
 slow  hearts,  which  he  nevertheless  penetrates, 
 probes  and  blesses  ;  still  less  does  he  expect 
 clear  perception  from  the  fools,  whom  he  is 
 ready  with  equal  grace  to  rebuke  and  to  con- 
 vince.* He  who  thinks  that  he  has  from  the  be- 
 ginning known  and  understood  all  without  fail- 
 ure, is  not  sincere  and  not  the  man  for  Christ's 
 school,  who  gives  in  his  instruction  all  that  is 
 found  wanting. 
 
 Let  him  to  whom  error  still  adheres,  be 
 humble  and  patient !  We  see  the  divisions 
 and  sore  weakness  even  of  believers  (the  worse 
 their  guilt) — and  should  we  so  rigorously  con- 
 demn those  who  are  without  ?  If  so  few  of  us 
 stand,  yea,  all  of  us  so  seldom,  in  the  full  power 
 of  the  ?w?'t/,  because  not  in  perfect  consecration; 
 it  with  us,  alas  !  there  is  dulness,  and  it  may  be 
 such  impurity  of  vision,  as  the  Lord  must  re- 
 buke—should we  demean  ourselves  so  rigor- 
 ously, so  exactingly,  towards  unbelievers? 
 Alas  1  that  in  many  instances  the  spiritually 
 striving  life  is  on  the  side  of  those  who  sliil 
 err ;  and  opposed  to  them  is — we  will  not  say 
 what.f 
 
 Further,  in  as  far  as  the  ^first  preliminary 
 and  then  perfect  revelation  of  himself  by  the 
 Lord  is  the  type  of  our  present  internal,  yet 
 
 *  But  he  reproves  and  convinces  even  now  only 
 by  Scripture.  We  have  no  right  even  in  liis  name 
 to  use  the  rebuke— 0  fools  and  slow  of  heart  to 
 believe  all  that  "  the  Church  "  has  established  and 
 taught!  Become  mi<Thtyin  the  Scrip; ure thyself 
 through  him — and  what  avails  it  1  No  man  shall 
 then  rebuke  thee  as  a  fool. 
 
 t  This  is  tho  meaning  of  the  173d  of  my  Un- 
 lutheran  Theses,  which  must  not  be  retracted, 
 whatever  offence  they  may  have  given.  Sincere  seek- 
 ing avails  more  in  the  Lord's  sight  than  an  imagin- 
 ary having  found,  which  without  love  and  without 
 w;6dom  puts  d.fSculties  in  the  way  of  the  Neeker. 
 
 still  more  living,  experience  of  his  power  and 
 fellowship,  so  the  narrative  symbolizes  to  us — • 
 how  the  internal  loord  and  the  internal  experience 
 are  related  to  each  other.  It  repels  all  enthusi- 
 astic seeking  and  enjoying  of  the  latter  alone, 
 and  also  all  self-sufiicient  dealing  with  the 
 former.  For  we  see  here  that  the  be2;inning  of 
 fiiith  conies  from  the  word  and  proceeds  through 
 the  word — but  in  and  after  the  word  comes 
 also  the  Lord  himself,  giving  life,  and  in  it  as- 
 surance. Desire  not  at  once  and  prematurely 
 to  enjoy  and  possess  only  himself:  it  is  he 
 himself  who  (with  some  exceptions)  leads  to 
 the  lile  of  faith  through  the  Scripture  and 
 preaching.  Here  learn  with  docility,  for  here 
 13  the  living  transition.  Yes,  indeed,  already 
 in  and  under  the  word  he  himself  seizes  thy 
 heart — but  he  comes  himself  more  properly 
 after  it,  as  not  only  drawing  nigh  but  clearly 
 disclosed.  Therefore  be  thou  never  satisfied 
 with  any  mere  understanding.  The  word  tes- 
 tifies concerning  the  Living  One,  breathes  as  it 
 were  his  breath,  but  it  is  not  himself.  He  who 
 has  the  word  concerning  Christ  merely  in  the 
 external  understanding  (without  the  urgent 
 seeking  of  the  heart) — has  essentially  nothing, 
 and  although  most  orthodox  has  no  sound 
 faith.  He  who  believes  the  word  from  the  heart 
 — is  in  the  way  with  the  Lord,  already  his 
 companion.  Then  will  the  day  dawn,  and  the 
 day-star  arise  in  his  heart  (2  Pet.  i.  19) ;  but 
 it  will  be  evening  again,  and  the  Lord  will  test- 
 ingly  seem  to  be  going  farther — then  pray  and 
 hold  him  fast,  constrain  him.  He  who  possesses 
 him  as  him  that  liveth,  has  reached  the  goal. 
 But,  again,  it  is  not  as  if  the  external  word 
 must  be  rejected,  as  the  mere  staff  by  the  way. 
 The  history  is  ever  being  renewed.  The  word 
 also  as  the  medium  of  his  Spirit  abides  ;  and 
 we  need  it  for  a  continual  test  whether  our  in- 
 ternal experience,  possession,  and  enjoyment  is 
 genuine — and  in  order  to  our  increasing  en- 
 lightenment and  assurance.  Let  us  well  observe 
 how  through  the  word  and  sacrament  the  fel- 
 lowship of  the  Sjiirit  is  attained.  With  these 
 we  should  be  content,  since  the  ascension  has 
 withdrawn  from  us  the  "  seeing  of  himself,"  and 
 he  holds  our  eyes  ;  until  one  day  our  eyes  and 
 our  hearts  will  be  finally  and  fully  opened. 
 For  finally,  this  way  to  Emraaus  is  a  figure 
 of  our  life  pilgrimage :  he  who  now  in  the 
 beginning  is  olten  for  a  long  time,  in  a  certain 
 sense  down  to  the  end,  an  unknown  Guide, 
 Teacher,  and  Comforter,  will  in  the  eventide  be 
 perfectly  adored — then  will  he  visibly  break  to 
 us  the  bread  of  eternal  life,  without  vanishing 
 again  out  of  our  sight. 
 
rr.? 
 
 .dt:^' 
 
 FIRST  APPEARANCE  TO  THE  APOSTLES. 
 ([Mark  xvi.  14] ;  Luke  xxiv.  36-41 ;  John  xx.  19-23.) 
 
 Few  words  are  needful  to  establish  our  con- 
 viction that  the  section,  Mark  xvi.  9-20,  is 
 genuine.  Reuss  decides  (appealing  to  Tischen- 
 dorf),  on  the  evidence  of  a  purely  diplomatic 
 criticism  of  manuscripts,  that  this  is  an  "  addi- 
 tion of  a  very  late  period,"  and  Hofmann  ad- 
 heres to  this  view  ;  but  we  perfectly  agree  with 
 Guericke,  who  has  fully  settled  the  question. 
 We  appeal  to  his  demonstration,  that  the  ex- 
 ternal arguments  against  it  are  not  uncon- 
 ditionally valid,  and  that  much  internal  evi- 
 dence is  strongly  in  its  favor.  The  conclusion 
 of  a  Gospel  with  merely  the  words  of  the  angel, 
 with  the  report  that  the  women  said  nothing 
 to  any  man,  with  "  they  were  afraid  " — appears 
 to  us  never  to  have  been  the  original  design  of 
 the  Evangelist,  and  Hofmann  himself  admits 
 the  same.  Against  Greg.  Nyss.,  Euseb.,  and 
 Jerome,  stand  Irenteus,  who  mentions  ver.  19 
 as  "  the  end  of  the  Gospel  of  Mark,"  the  Pe- 
 shito,  and  all  the  old  versions.  The  alleged 
 difference  of  style  is  partly  not  true,  and  partly 
 to  be  explained  by  the  recapitulating  concise- 
 ness of  such  a  conclusion.  Its  omission  might 
 have  proceeded  from  the  Evangelist's  having 
 jor  a  time  allowed  his  writing  to  be  devulged 
 in  a  state  of  incompleteness — while  he  hesitat- 
 ed how  to  sura  up  all  the  rest  in  few  words. 
 This  at  any  rate  is  imaginable;  but  not  so 
 Hofmann's    theory    of    a   definitely    imperfect 
 
 Qoapd. 
 Th 
 
 .'he  Evangelist  Mark  (we  therefore  con- 
 fidently maintain)  gives  us  in  ver.  14  a  very 
 rapid  report  of  the  first  appearance  of  the  Lord 
 in  the  circle  of  the  Apostles,  on  the  evening  of 
 the  day  of  his  resurrection.  For, "  it  is  clear  that 
 we  have  here  the  colloquy  on  Easter  evening;  " 
 this  much  we  concede  to  Kinkel,  but  not  that 
 vers.  15-18  also  belong  to  the  same  colloquy, 
 thus  making  the  ascension  coincide  with  the 
 same  day.  (But  more  of  this  in  due  time.) 
 The  r6TEftoy,  aftencanh,  is  by  no  means  aL 
 last  (Vulg.  mvisnime),  in  the  sense  that  this  (as 
 we  find  in  Allioli)  "  was  Lue  last  appearance  of 
 Jesus  Christ,  shortly  before  the  ascension." 
 Nor  is  it,  as  Bengel  (who  in  his  Oerm.  N.  T. 
 translates  "  finally  ")  interprets  in  the  Gnomon: 
 "  Not  absolutely  the  last  of  the  appearances, 
 but  of  those  which  Mark  records."  For  the 
 following  xai  eiTCey  evidently  belongs,  if  we 
 compare  the  others,  to  a  later  appearance  (it  is 
 indeed  parallel  with  Matt,  xxviii.  18-20)  ;  and 
 Mark  embraces,  as  ver.  19  teaches,  all  the 
 \a\fj6ai  avtoti,  before  the  ascension,  in  a  few 
 leading  traits.  Thus,  as  Grotius  decided  for 
 the  obvious  chronological  sense — "  Non  est 
 postremo  sed  deinde."  What  he  concedes  after- 
 wards, that  it  may  be  taken  for  aCOii,  is  less 
 appropriate,  for  it  corresponds  in  the  series 
 738 
 
 with  the  TtpcSrov  of  ver.  9,  and  jerd  Si  ravra 
 of  ver.  12.  It  is  a  repeated  postca  (comp. 
 Matt.  iv.  2),  and  will,  before  the  brief  summing 
 up  of  the  XaXeiy  is  introduced,  arrange  the 
 three  remarkable  appearances  of  the  ^first  day 
 of  the  ID  eh  (ver.  9),  and  intimate  by  the  ex- 
 pression which  seems  to  pass  over  into  fmstremo 
 — that  not  till  late,  and  as  the  last,  the  eleven 
 (sitting  at  the  evening  meal)  received  their 
 manifestation.* 
 
 Once  more  "he  appeared,"  itpavepooOTf,  but 
 710'.  now  in  another  form — this  is  emphatically 
 contrasted  in  Mark's  words,  and  perfectly  agrees 
 with  the  record  of  the  others,  which  represents 
 the  Lord  as  most  perfectlv  and  certainly  re- 
 vealing himself  to  them.  When  this  Evangel- 
 ist gives  prominence  only  to  the  rebuke  of 
 their  unbelief,  he  shows  us  generally  that  it 
 was  his  purpose  only  to  hasten  over  this  as  a 
 connecting  link  for  his  concluding  words  ;  no 
 thoughtful  reader  can  suppose  that  the  mission 
 of  ver.  15  was  thus  immediately  connected 
 with  the  sharp  ovstSiZ^iv.  Further,  Mark 
 pre-supposes  that  the  more  precise  tradition 
 of  that  which  he  briefly  hinted  was  known  to 
 most  of  his  readers :  and  hence  we  understand 
 the  6HX7]poHaf}8ia,  "slowness  of  heart  "  (Luke 
 xxiv.  25)  which  would  say  :  "  He  rebuked  the 
 Apostles  not  less  than  the  di-sciples  from  Era- 
 maus."  How  this  rebuke  is  reconciled  with  the 
 peace  and  the  showing  himself  which  the  oth- 
 ers record,  we  shall  see  in  the  end.  Mark  calls 
 the  company  of  the  Apostles  without  Thomas 
 tlie  eleven,f  just  as  in  Luke  ver.  33  ;  and  as  1 
 Cor.  XV.  5  the  two  appearances  on  this  and  the 
 following  Sunday  are  embraced  together  as — to 
 the  twelve.  Here  in  Mark  Thomas  is  not  in- 
 cluded among  the  ayaxEt/usyoii  ;  but  the 
 Evangelist  has  this  reason  for  speaking  so  gen- 
 erally, that  one  of  the.^e  eleven  remained  long 
 and  firmly  in  unbelief,  and  then  received  the 
 7nost  gracious  rebuke. 
 
 Mary  Magdalene  had  announced,  the  other 
 women  had "  related  ;  to  one  of  the  Apostles, 
 though  not  as  an  Apostle,  but  as  the  troubled 
 Simon,  the  Lord  had  appeared  for  his  abundant 
 
 •  "  At  last,  that  is,  on  h  s  departure  and  as  his 
 farewell  belore  his  ascension,  the  Lord  adminis- 
 tered rebuke"  (llelt'erich).  There  is  a  certain 
 truth  in  this  as  I'ar  as  regards  Mark's  summary ; 
 but  it  is  not  true  that  after  the  intercourse  of  the 
 forty  days,  and  the  faith  of  Thomas,  etc.,  the 
 Lord  left,  as  his  testament  and  farewell  rebukes 
 of  faults  which  were  altogether  past  and  oveii 
 Every  unprejudiced  feeling  must  contradict  this. 
 
 t  The  conjecture  of  Michaelis  avroli  xai  roH 
 eySsHcx  might  do  very  well,  but  cannot  be  de- 
 fended, nor  is  it  necessary. 
 
LUKE  XXIV.  36-41,  ETC. 
 
 739 
 
 consolation ;  but  the  others,  most  of  them  at 
 least,  find  their  hearts  quite  unprepared  to  be- 
 lieve those  who  had  seen  the  Lord  as  risen.* 
 Then  come  the  two  joyful  messengers  from 
 Emmaus,  with  their  burning,  melting  hearts, 
 and  shame  them  by  the  artless  account  of  their 
 own  fnith,  in  the  word  brought  home  to  their 
 understanding  before  they  had  seen — but  neither 
 lelicvcd  theij  t)um,  says  Mark,  that  he  may  con- 
 nect with  this  his  immediately  following  after- 
 wards.  Consequently  we  are  not  to  suppose  in 
 the  converse  which  Luke,  ver.  36,  records  by 
 "  as  (hey  thus  spake  "  any  general  and  perfect 
 unbelief— after  vers.  34,  35 ;  but  certainly  there 
 was  no  unanimous  and  joyful  faith,  which 
 would  not  be  mentioned  with  a  mere  ravra 
 XaXsIv,  iaUdngof  these  things,  and  Luke,  vers.  37 
 and  41,  decisively  confirms  this.  So  far  all  agrees 
 very  well.  We  cannot,  however,  adopt  the 
 concise  words  of  Richter's  Uaudtibel :  "  But  as 
 Ihey  were  speaking  thereof,  disputing  away 
 tlieii  faith  "f — though  there  is,  on  the  one 
 hand,  some  general  truth  in  this.  On  the 
 other  hand,  it  is  not  altogether  as  Tholuck 
 eays :  "  Full  of  joy  and  of  that  internal  lile 
 which  increasing  assurance  must  create,  the 
 disciples  are  talking  together  about  it" — though 
 there  is  also  some  truth  in  this.  Suffice  it  that 
 they  waver  and  doubt  even  yet  whether  they 
 might  dare  to  believe  the  great  fact ;  this  is  es- 
 timated by  the  Lord  as  dni6ria,  or  unbelief, 
 and  therefore  is  recorded  by  Mark  as  ovde 
 t7Ci6tEv6av.  In  his  deep  wisdom  the  Lord, 
 although  his  love  to  his  chosen  Apostles  and 
 witnesses  must  have  drawn  him  mightily,  had 
 Wilhheld  himself  from  them  down  to  this 
 vdT6f3oy  ;  he  administered  to  the  future  preach- 
 ers of  the  faith  the  severest  test,  as  was  fit. 
 But  he  had  at  the  same  time  by  degrees  pre- 
 pared them,  attracted  them  more  and  more 
 f>owerfully  towards  faith,  by  varying  evidence, 
 rom  the  empty  sepulchre  to  the  tidings  of  the 
 Emmaus  disciples  ;  for  this  was  needful  to  their 
 disposition  of  mind,  which  as  it  more  deeply 
 pondered  all  things,  so  was  more  slow  in  decis- 
 ion. They  did  not,  as  he  foreknew,  altogether 
 stand  when  they  were  tried ;  but  they  were  so 
 far  prepared  that  he  anticipated  the  promised 
 meeting  in  Galilee,  and  entered  among  them 
 now  with  his  graciously  rebuking  peace.  Di- 
 vided between  laith  and  unbelief,  they  are  never- 
 theless gathered  together  into  one  place  {6vvri- 
 6poi6uevovi^)  as  his  disciples,  who  can  speak 
 and  think  only  about  himself;  thus  he  finds 
 them   desiring  most  earnestly  to  believe  the 
 
 in  the  same  sacred  paschal  room  where  he  had 
 
 *  LTchmann's    test    adds   with    emphatic    Ih 
 
 VEHp(Sv. 
 
 f  Most  assuredly  not  as  Teschendorf  exagger- 
 ates: They  sousht,  to  bring  all  into  suspicion,  the 
 declaration  of  Mary,  of  Peter,  and  of  Cleophas — 
 that  Mary  had  only  seen  the  gardener,  Peter 
 probably  a  wiKul  Sadducee  who  deceived  him  (!), 
 the  two  disciples  a  learned  scribe  who,  becoming 
 aware  of  their  error,  made  that  a  handle. 
 
 last  sat  in  the  midst,  spoken  with  them,  estab- 
 lished his  testament,  and  prayed  in  their  hear- 
 ing. Farewell  and  welcome  tenderly  join  their 
 hands  over  this  sad  interval.  We  must  not 
 too  lar  press  the  "  toward  evening"  and  "  the 
 day  is  far  spent"  of  the  Emmaus  disciples; 
 we  must  assume  a  very  rapid  hastening  back 
 on  the  part  of  these  happy  men  ;  and  the  oipicx, 
 John  ver.  19  (still  the  first  day  of  the  week), 
 is  not  already  dark  night,  as  Nonnus  describes 
 it.  We  may  understand  it  of  the  Jirst  evening 
 of  the  Jews,  as  Matt,  xxvii.  57.  2^/iis  is  now 
 the  sanctuary  and  Church  of  the  Lord,  not 
 where  the  evening  sacrifice  is  brought;  the 
 High  Priest  comes  here  to  his  people  with  his 
 benediction  and  peace. 
 
 Inasmuch  as  John  has  already  mentioned 
 the  ecentiile,  ha  cannot  mean  by  the  "  doors  be- 
 ing shut "  to  indicate  the  tune,  but  the  actually 
 shutting  of  the  doors  of  the  houses  where  the  dis- 
 ciples were.  He  gives  also  the  decisive  reason 
 for  fear  of  the  Tews.  For  Sid  rvv  (pu/jov  with- 
 out any  comma  must  not  be  connected  only  with 
 6uvT/y,ii£voi  ;  at  furthest  it  must  be  referred 
 to  both  together  (Grotius,  Lampe,  Bengel),  re- 
 ferring both  to  the  shutting  of  the  doors  and 
 their  own  assembling* — that  is,  if  6vvyyi.i£voi 
 itself  is  genuine.  According  to  our  feeling, 
 John  as  certainly  gives  the  cause  of  the  unu- 
 sual door-shutting  ;  and  further  marks  by  the 
 latter  something  miraculous  in  the  Lord's  en- 
 trance. Hezel  thinks  that  the  'louS(x2oi  were 
 not  the  high  council  or  the  rulers  of  the  people 
 (as  elsewhere  in  John  lor  the  most  part)  but 
 the  Jews,  those  who  were  generally  Jewishly, 
 that  is,  evil  disposed  towards  Jesus  ;  but  a 
 comparison  with  chap.  vii.  13,  ix.  22,  xii.  42, 
 shows  us  the  contrary;  and  the  Evangelist 
 thereby  intimates  that  even  the  disciples,  the 
 Apostles  themselves,  were  not  more  bold  than 
 those  half-believing  but  not  confessing  indi- 
 viduals among  the  people  whom  he  had  for- 
 merly mentioned.  Assuredly,  had  not  these  af- 
 frighted disciples  seen  the  Risen  Lord  himself, 
 they  never  could  have  been  his  witnesses  to 
 the  world. 
 
 Then  came  he  unto  them  himself,  after  so 
 many  announcements  of  his  living  had  pre- 
 cedent The  7}X0£y,  he  came,  in  John  has 
 certainly  a  designed  reference  to  the  closed 
 doors,  although  it  is  not  said — thrmigh  the 
 doors;  nor  is  there  expressly  recorded  any 
 miraculous  opening  of  them  (as  in  Acts  xii. 
 10,  comp.  V.  19,  23).  Lampe,  indeed,  thinks 
 it  possible  according  to  the  text  that  the  Lord 
 knocked,  and  that  it  was  then  opened  to  him  ; 
 or  that  he  entered  immediately  after  the  Em- 
 maus disciples,  before  the  door  was  again  shut 
 (which  is  not  to  be  reconciled  with  Luke)  ;J 
 
 *  It  would  then  symbolize  the  secret  assemblies 
 of  disciples  which  is  winked  at  or  in  a  sense  per- 
 mitted to  our  weakness,  in  fear  of  the  world. 
 
 f  In  Luke  the  6  'l?/6ovi  after  avro?  must  be 
 struck  out,  as  most  critics  agree. 
 
 ^  According  to  Teschendorf  he  knocked  twice 
 before  the  door  was  opened  to  him. 
 
i*6 
 
 FIRST  APPEARANCE  TO  THE  APOSTLES. 
 
 but  the  hiocking  and  opening  would  certainly 
 (as  in  Acta  xii.  13)  as  a  remarkable  circum- 
 stance have  been  precisely  recorded,  after  the 
 closing  of  the  doors  had  been  mentioned  so  ex- 
 pressly.* Instead  of  this  we  read  in  Luke  the 
 mysteriously  sounding,  instantaneous  £6Ttj  kv 
 /ue'6a),  he  stood  in  t/ie  midst,  and  nothing  more  ; 
 in  John  it  is  true  we  read  e6z7]  eii  to  i.ie6ov 
 (with  which,  however,  chap.  xxi.  4,  ^H  tov 
 aiytaXuy  is  to  be  compared)  ;  but  this  in  con- 
 nection with  the  "doors  shut  "  has  the  meaning 
 of  a  miraculous  circumstance,  and  this  is  com- 
 municated to  the  7}XQsy,  he  came.  We  think 
 that  they  saw  him  not,  as  it  were,  coming 
 through  the  (still  shut  or  self-opening)  door; 
 nor  (as  Lampe  says)  "coming  forward  in  his 
 ordinary  manner;"  but  his  sudden  presence 
 there,  standing  in  their  midst,  was  his  comin.'j, 
 here  as  in  ver.  26.  That  he  could  thus  appear, 
 unimpeded  by  the  closed  door,  is  self-under- 
 stood in  the  analogy  of  all  his  other  appear- 
 ances and  the  manner  in  which  they  are  spoken 
 of;  although  we  have  no  experimental  insight 
 into  the  character  of  his  risen  body.  Lucke 
 maintains  decidedly  that  a  medium  between 
 etherial  angel  corporeity  and  material,  bodily 
 solidity  is  to  him  unimnginable ;  and  we  may 
 allow  this,  without  finding  in  it  any  argument 
 against  those  who  have  from  the  beginning 
 thought  otherwise.  To  the  intervening  con- 
 dition of  the  forty  days,  as  the  Scripture  ex- 
 hibits it,  there  corresponds  nothing  but  a  me- 
 dium between  perfect  spiritualization  or  glori- 
 fication, and  perfect  similarity  to  the  state  be- 
 fore death ;  all  our  error  may  be  traced  to 
 an  unhappy  leaning  either  to  the  one  or  the 
 other  of  these  extremes.  Many  of  the  fathers, 
 with  whom  we  cannot  at  all  agree,  speak  with- 
 out consideration  on  this  subject,  and  only  ren- 
 der the  marvel  more  marvellous.  Most  un- 
 founded is  that  of  Theodoret:  "He  passed 
 through  the  door,  even  cj5  Ic.yX'^Ev  eh i-n'/rpai." 
 Better  Augustine:  "It  had  been  already  in 
 his  pov/er  to  walk  upon  the  water."|  Quite 
 right,  but  to  what  end  is  such  a  mere  miracle 
 of  omnipotence  here,  as  he  views  it  ?  Christ 
 must  have  designed  to  point  out  something  to 
 his  disciples  by  the  manner  of  his  coming  ;  and 
 nothing  remains  but  that  we  say — he  will 
 teach  them  two  things  :  that  he  lives  bodily 
 (as  will  presently  be  seen  to  follow)  ;  and  that 
 this  bodiiiness — to  obviate  all  misunderstand- 
 ing— is  at  the  same  time  different,  and  already 
 less  bound  than  before.  Hence  Epiphanius 
 most  correctly  ascribes  to  the  body  of  the  Risen 
 Lord  a  XcTtrorj/i  TtvEvfiariHjj^  a  "spiritual 
 subtility  ;"  Euthymius  says, J  "  His  body  being 
 
 *  Apart  fro  n  the  thoualit  that  such  a  manner 
 of  coniins  would  be  unsuitable  to  the  majesty  of 
 the  Conqueror  of  death — even  as  a  condescending 
 symbolizinji  of  Rev.  ill.  20. 
 
 I  Throuiih  want  of  insight  into  the  power  of 
 the  spirit  ruling  ihe  body,  he  rejiards  this  as  "  con- 
 trary to  the  nature  of  the  body,"  which  it  abso- 
 lutely is  not. 
 
 t  Poetically  in  Nonnus  :  gjJ  itTSpor  iji  vo-qixa 
 
 now  subtile,  thin,  and  unmixed."  The  ques- 
 tion has  been  lately  confused  by  the  Lutheran 
 champions  of  the  so-called  uUqnitas  corjwri* 
 Chrisli.  This  is  not  to  be  held  in  any  such 
 sense  as  they  teach  it,  certainly  not  before  the 
 ascension  ;  and  this  passage  cannot  be  made 
 evidence,  since  it  says  nothing  about  penetrat- 
 ing or  coming  in  any  way,  indeed  penetration 
 opposes  the  notion  of  ubiquity.  (Lampe  : 
 Why  should  he  penetiate  and  approach,  if  he 
 was  there  already  by  his  omnipresence?)  Cal- 
 vin, therefore,  termed  this  penetrating  through 
 the  door,  and  so  forth,  puerile  conceits.  But 
 when  he  assumed  that  the  Lord's  ?}\OEy  was 
 connected  with  a  display  of  his  power — "on 
 the  Lord's  coming  the  closed  doors  opened  at 
 the  nod  of  his  divine  majesty"* — we  can  only 
 say  that  this  opening  is  not  in  the  text,  the 
 HEHXEi6nivoov,  "  being  shut,"  of  which  sounds 
 rather  as  if  they  remained  closed.  Suffice  it 
 that  we  must  leave  all  exact  definition,  and 
 confine  ourselves,  on  a  subject  of  which  we 
 know  nothing,  to  the  simple  truth  that  the 
 Lord,  as  he  could  be  either  visible  or  invisible. 
 so  could  come  into  a  closed  room  ;  that  this  was 
 a  miracle  connected  with  the  relatively  miracu- 
 lous nature  of  his  present  body ;  and  that  John 
 records  it,  as  and  because  the  Lord  did  it,  to 
 indicate  this  characteristic  of  his  risen  body. 
 We  agree,  further,  with  Tholuck,  in  regarding 
 the  otherwise  unrequired  repetition  of  this  cir- 
 cumstance in  ver.  26  as  decisive  for  this  mean- 
 ing in  his  account. 
 
 But  we  say  finally  :  More  important  than  the 
 instruction  which  the  Lord  here  gives  concern- 
 ing the  XETtrorrji  of  the  body  of  his  resurrec- 
 tion, is  the  symbolico-jirophitical  significance  of 
 this  sign,  in  the  analogy  of  all  the  similar  ap- 
 pearances of  the  forty  days.  To  this  the  Evan- 
 gelist points  our  attention  by  the  mention  of 
 the /far,  and  we  should  understand — Thus  does 
 the  bringer  of  peace  penetrate  all  the  bolts  of 
 fear  and  weakness  in  the  hearts  of  his  disicples, 
 and  comes  with  his  blessing  when  they  are  as- 
 sembled as  a  company  of  his  own.  Doors  hinder 
 him  not,  like  closed  hearts. 
 
 Thus  we  arrive  at  the  word  of  entrance — 
 Peace  be  nnto  you — testified  alike  by  Luke  and 
 John.  The  Apostles  receive  the  resurrection- 
 greeting  at  the  latest,  but  it  is,  therefore,  all 
 the  more  emphatic  and  sure  :  the  Lord  enters 
 with  this  greeting  only  to  thorn,  and  for  their 
 sake  to  those  who  are  assembled  with  them. 
 His  word  connects  itself  with  the  jiejce  which 
 he  had  at  his  farewell  both  left  and  promised  to 
 give  :  the  first  word  on  his  return  reminds 
 them  of  that,  and  points  to  the  fulfillment  of 
 the  promise.  See  John  xiv.  27,  xvi.  33,  and 
 what  we  have  already  said  upon  the  profound 
 meaning    of    this   ordinary  greeting    as   used 
 
 tterdf36io?  eH  liiedov  tGrrj.  Tie  afterwards 
 handled  corporeity  by  no  means  "  contradicts  " 
 this  '■  spiritual  entering  through  an  unopened 
 door  " — but  both  in  their  union  attt^st  only  the 
 power  of  the  Spirit  in  the  body  of  the  Loid. 
 *  Jeiomo:  Creatuia  cedente  Creatori. 
 
LUKE  XXIV.  36-41.  ETC. 
 
 741 
 
 by  the  Lord  himself.  The  whole  fulness  of  ac- 
 complished and  attained  salvation  lies  in  this 
 one  word,  which  the  Apostles  afterwards  so 
 often  gave  to  the  Church  for  inexhaustible  ex- 
 perience ;  here,  however,  it  was  first  obviously 
 intended  to  take  from  them  not  merely  all  fear 
 of  the  Jews,  but  all  that  fear  which  his  appear- 
 ance excited  in  their  hearts.  The  Lord  gives 
 his  peace  first,  before  he  renews  the  rebuke  of 
 his  love.  This  "  Peace  be  with  you  !  "  was,  as 
 Dietz  preaches,  "  a  mighty  heart-quickening 
 assurance  that  all  the  past,  its  sin,  and  per- 
 versions, was  forgiven  and  forgotten.  Be  not 
 afraid,  would  Jesus  say.  I  come  not  as  a 
 wrathful  judge,  to  reckon  with  you  thus  for 
 your  unbelief  and  unfaithfulness;  I  do  not 
 enter  among  you  as  one  who  has  been  injured, 
 to  reproach  you  for  your  blameworthy  conduct. 
 I  bring  to  you  (and  all  the  world)  from  my 
 sepulchre  something  very  different  from  iip- 
 braidings."  These  indeed  followed  afterwards  ; 
 how  could  the  Apostles  escape,  who  deserved 
 them  more  than  those  two  disciples  in  the  way  ? 
 Yet  it  is  love  that  rebukes,  in  peace  and  unto 
 peace.  With  all  the  weakness,  and  even  ob- 
 duracy of  their  unbelief,  they  are  nevertheless 
 children  of  peace,  worthy  and  susceptible  of 
 receiving  it  (Luke  x.  5,  6).  But  as  to  the 
 Jews,  fur  fear  of  whom  they  have  shut  them- 
 selves in,  whether  they  are  enemies  or  only  in- 
 difTerent— how  could  Jesus  bring  and  offer 
 peace  to  them  ? 
 
 Tiiere  is  a  very  plausible  reading*  which 
 follows  Luke's  "  Peace  be  to  you  "  by  the  re- 
 assuring comfort  eyoS  £i/.n,  Mt)  (pu/JeieOe.  But 
 we  preler  to  adhere  to  John  ;  this  addition  to 
 the  sublime  and  all-comprehending  word  at  his 
 entrance  seems  premature,  and  scarcely  in  har- 
 mony with  the  fear  and  terror  which  follows  in 
 Luke  ver.  37.  They  are  terrified  at  the  peace, 
 they  are  afraid  of  the  Lord  and  Master  whom 
 they  had  so  painfully  longed  for — for  they  sup- 
 pose they  see  a  spirit.  Klee  says  :  "  His  com- 
 ing so  marvelloudy  into  their  midst  was  the 
 reason  why  they  took  him  for  a  spirit."  Almost 
 right,  in  as  far  as  this  bodily  penetration  of  the 
 Lord  through  a  closed  door  must  have  at  once 
 excited  doubt  as  to  his  real  corporeity  ;  and  so 
 this  circumstance  would  be  a  new  argument 
 for  our  previous  exposition.  It  was  not,  how- 
 ever, this  alone,  but  generally  the  novelty  of 
 the  appearance  of  the  form  of  him  who  had 
 been  dead,  that  made  such  an  impression  upon 
 them.  Mark  here,  as  in  its  highest  exposition, 
 the  fear  of  spiriis  which  belongs  to  the  natural 
 man,  and  which  could  only  be  "overcome  by  the 
 peace  of  the  Pusen  Lord.  We  may  even  say, 
 penetrating  deeper  into  its  most  general  mean- 
 ing (and  to  this  end  TtvsCjua  is  here  chosen) — 
 Thus  fears  the  flesh  before  the  spirit — before 
 the  spirit  only  improperly  regarded  as  utterly 
 
 without  body.  Meanwhile,  itvsvua  here  signi- 
 fies something  specific  ;  it  is  not  altogether  the 
 same  as  (po'VracJyua  in  the  similar  want  of  recog- 
 nition upon  the  sea,  Matt.  xiv.  26.  Nor  is  it 
 "an  appearance  without  essence"  (lor  see 
 afterwards,  ver.  39,  the  recognition  of  the  ex- 
 istence of  such  nvFii/iuxra)  ;  nor  "a  higher 
 superhuman  being,"  as  Von  Gerlach  says  on 
 this  passage;  nor  a  damovtov  d6cJ/iiaroy,  as 
 we  find  in  Ignat.  ad  Smym.  c.  3  ;*  but,  as  in 
 Acts  xxiii.  8  with  ayyeXoi,  correlative  of 
 dva6ra6ii,  a  human  soul  without  the  body 
 (yet  seen  visibly),  an  sl'dcoXov  from  the  king- 
 dom of  the  dead — thus  rather  a  being  in  nnother 
 manifestation  than  that  with  whicli  we  are 
 familiar.  The  disciples  do  not  think  as  "  a 
 spirit "  might  mislead  us  to  suppose,  of  an  evil 
 spirit;  but  their  doH£iy,m  connection  with 
 the  perfectly  cognizable  form  of  Jesus,  indi- 
 cates only  that  this  Jesus  who  had  certainly 
 been  dead  appeared  to  them  without  a  body, 
 that  is  as  nvsvua:  they  cannot  yet  apprehend 
 the  resurrection  of  the  body.  Tlie  whole  scene 
 .•^hows  us  "superstition,  unbelief.and  true  faith  in 
 reference  to  the  kingdom  of  spirits"  (Heubner) 
 — concerning  which  much  might  be  said  in  more 
 precise  development.  Perverted  man,  until  he 
 has  come  to  sound  faith,  vibrates  contradictorily 
 between  too  much  and  too  little  faith,  between 
 superstition  and  unbelief.  The  "thing  in- 
 credible" is  altogether  too  great  and  wonderful 
 for  him— he  may  maintain  it  in  his  system  and 
 as  a  dogma  ;  but  if  God  actually  re-awakens  in 
 the  bo3y  such  as  have  been  bodily  dead,  he 
 cannot  believe  it  (Acts  xxvi.  8).  He  has  a 
 superstition  as  to  the  mere  spirit,  that  there  may 
 and  is  such  alone  ;  he  has  nevertheless  (in  tes- 
 timony of  the  error  and  unnaturalness  in  his 
 too  much  faith)  "a  secret  horror  of  all  pure 
 spirit,  unclothed  of  bodily  investiture."  He 
 >-as  an  unbelief  m  the  continuance  and  restora- 
 tion of  corporiety  beyond  death ;  the  very 
 (supposed)  appearance  of  such  corporeity  amazes 
 him," as  if  it  could  only  be  a  lie  of  the  abominated 
 spirit ;  nevertheless,  he  is  pacified,  and  brought 
 to  true  and  certain  faith,  to  peace  even  as 
 respects  the  world  beyond,  only  by  the  con- 
 vincing demonstration  of  a  bodily  human  life 
 which  has  gone  through  and  survived  death. 
 This  last  is  the  surest  proof  that  the  body  and 
 the  soul  of  man  belong  inseparably  together, 
 and  that  the  resurrection  is  the  only  complete 
 victory  over  death.  Whence  else  the  horror  of 
 an  unclothed  spirit,  and  of  being  unclothed 
 generally  (found  even  in  the  Apostle,  2  Cor.  v. 
 4) — even  among  those  who  hope  to  be  such 
 spirits  ?  Here  there  is  co-existing  with  a  germ 
 of  faith  superstition  and  infidelity  still,  the  in- 
 
 *So  the  Pesh.  \6nin  iib  J<JX  i<JS-Vu]g. 
 "  Ego  sum,  nolite  timere."  Ambrose  thus  quotes 
 it,  and  the  Arab.  Vers,  so  translates.  Bengel  too 
 accepts  it. 
 
 *  This  being,  as  by  Grotius,  understood  of  a 
 bad  spirit  or  of  the  devil ;  thou  h  the  word  was 
 at  a  later  time  used  of  departed  men.  Moreover, 
 the  passaae  in  Ignatius  (concerning  whicli  Euse- 
 bius,  iii.  36,  says  that  he  knows  not  whence  it  was 
 derived)  is  referred  by  Jerome,  fatal,  to  the  Gospel 
 of  the  Nazarenes ;  by  Origen,  Ttspi  apxc^Vt  to 
 the  doctrina  Fetri. 
 
742 
 
 FIRST  APPEAEANCE  TO  THE  APOSTLES. 
 
 distinctness  and  baseleness  of  which  brings  its 
 own  tear;  but  which  at  the  sarre  time  rests 
 upon  unbelief  in  the  reality  of  oQr  corporeity, 
 as  triumphing  even  over  death. 
 
 As  unbelief  in  the  disciples  now  degenerates 
 thns  into  superstition,  and  confounds  them 
 with  feur,  the  Lord  graciously  goes  on  to  en- 
 courage them.*  Luke,  vers.  38-40,  is  evidently 
 paralhd  with  John,  ver.  20.  Because  John  will 
 report  the  following  and  more  important  words, 
 he  pa-ses  over  those  which  are  mentioned  by 
 Luke  as  accompanying  the  shvwing.  As  he  had 
 formerly  spoken  in  Mark  iv.  40;  Matt.  viii. 
 26,  the  Lord  must  still  continue  to  speak  to 
 his  disciples — even  down  to  this  time,  when 
 he  comes  to  them  to  abide  with  them  forever 
 in  the  Spirit,  he  must  bear  with  their  unbe- 
 lieving and  perverted  thoughts  (Matt.  xvii. 
 17).  Were  he  yet  capable  of  suffering,  his 
 Passion  would  now  begin  again.  But  the  con- 
 summate power  of  his  high-priestly  patience 
 and  long  forbearance  now  elevates  his  bearing 
 our  weakness  above  every  thing  like  suffering 
 it;  and  he  knows  that  such  weakness  will  be 
 of  perpetual  recurrence,  and,  moreover,  that 
 his  peace  penetrating  through  the  doors  of  their 
 fear  will  soon  most  perfectly  enter  their  hearts. 
 L"  an  anticipatory  "Be  not  afraid,  it  is  I!" 
 was  not  before  suitable  to  the  occasion,  it  is 
 appropriate  now  and  is  most  emphatically 
 spoken.  Btfore  there  was  the  expression  of 
 one  humbling  question — Wherefore  do  ye  still 
 fear?  in  which  the  word  "fear"  is  designedly 
 omitted  ;  then  follows  an  incontrovertible  eyaj 
 tini,  evident  both  to  their  sense  and  to  their 
 understanding.  He  convinces  them  by  the 
 very  tone  and  substance  of  the  well-known  and 
 gracious  appeal,  ver.  38,  before  in  ver.  39  he 
 directs  them  to  the  visible  and  palpable  cor- 
 poreity of  his  manifested  presence.  It  is  as  it 
 (opposing  the  mildest  report  to  their  excite- 
 ment) he  should  begin — Children,  do  ye  not 
 then  know  me  again  ?  (at  the  same  time,  as  if 
 the  death  which  had  intervened  came  not  into 
 consideration ;  as  if  he  had  entered  and  was 
 speaking  to  them,  just  as  in  earlier  times). 
 He  terms  their  amazement  and  fear  merely  a 
 disquietude,  a  confusion  of  the  heart ;  and  ap- 
 plies his  instructing  conviction  at  once  to  their 
 erroneous  thoughts.  I  know  well  what  ye  now 
 think.  What  follows  shows  us  this  meaning  in 
 his  question,  for  he  goes  on  to  refute  their  de- 
 lusion about  "  spirit."  ^laXoyiC/noi  are  not 
 here  simply  cogitationes,  as  the  Vulg.  translates, 
 but  critical  questionings,  doubting  and  contra- 
 dictorv  thoughts,  as  in  chap.  ix.  46  ;  Phil.  ii. 
 14 ;  1  Tim.  ii.  8.  These  arise  out  of  the  hidden 
 (ground  of  nature,  contemplated  by  the  Lord 
 in  its  depths,  in  the  hearts  of  the  disciples — 
 
 *  His  word  of  Peace  was  scarcely  heard  by 
 them  before  the  sudden  beholding  of  his  form. 
 This  in  a  measure  justifies  Luther's  application  (in 
 the  Tab'.e-talk')  as  to  the  virtue  of  the  human  word 
 against  fanaticism :  "  They  thought,  before  he  spoke 
 to  them,  that  ho  was  a  spirit  or  apparition  ;  but 
 when  he  spoke  to  them,  their  fears  were  stilled." 
 
 a  most  distinctive  expression*  (not  eii  rdi 
 napdiai,  as  the  Vulg.  reads),  as  if  they  came 
 from  without.  He  at  once  contradicts  these 
 reasonings  ;  he  condescends  to  the  need  of  hu- 
 manity, not  otherwise  to  be  supplied  in  these 
 Apostles  at  first,  by  offering  himself  to  external, 
 sensible  experience.  Yet  this  is  not  the  abso- 
 lutely decisive  evidence,  for  we  may  be  deceived 
 not  only  by  sight,  but  also  by  the  (supposed) 
 touch;  but  the  subsequent  testimony  of  the 
 Spirit  inbreathed  must  be  first  prepared  for  by 
 a  seeing  and  tociching,  in  the  case  of  these  dis- 
 ciples and  for  all  mankind;  yea,  as  united  with 
 this  internal  testimony,  even  the  testimony  of 
 sen.'ie  has  its  abiding  reality  and  importance. 
 
 In  the  middle  stands  the  decisive  aurd? 
 eyoj  eiftz— not  merely  /  am  he  myself,  but  it 
 absolutely  connects  his  new  life  with  his  pre- 
 vious weil-known  life;  lam  indeed  the  same 
 who  was  with  yoa  before  death;  it  is  my 
 whole  human  personality,  and  not  merely  as  a 
 spirit.  This  humanity  rose  and  continued  in 
 the  resurrection  ;  it  remains  in  and  after  the 
 ascension.!  At  first  he  challenges  them,  in  his 
 closer  approximating  transition,  to  feAo^ci;  that 
 is,  to  the  calm,  unaffrighted,  and  unconfused 
 contemplation  of  his  hands  and  feet :  his  hands 
 which  he,  the  well-known  and  not  to  be  mis- 
 taken, stretches  out  to  them  in  kindness;  hU 
 feet,  on  which  he  now  stands  before  them. 
 What  was  specifically  to  be  beheld  in  them,  we 
 already  plainly  mark — he  will  presently  show 
 it  to  them.  Not  till  after  the  It  is  I  (for  this 
 strong  encouragement  might  at  first  have  only 
 increased  their  terror),  will  he  also  be  fell  and 
 touched.  (It  is  carefully  expressed — Handle  me, 
 when  ye  touch  these  hands  and  feet  as  mine.) 
 Hereupon  there  is  a  second  "  Behold,"  which  is 
 obviously  not  a  mere  repetition  of  the  first,J 
 but  passes  over  into  the  meaning — Behold  me 
 so  as  to  know.  For  the  convincing  demon- 
 stration immediately  follows,  to  silence  their 
 thoughts  concerning  the  "  spirit."  Discern  ye 
 (I'Sers)  that  I  am  not  a  spirit,  but  that  it  is  I 
 myself,  with  flesh  and  bones,  as  ye  see  me  sen- 
 sibly (Ssapeire). 
 
 Very  important  is  this  asserted  and  demon- 
 strated fact  of  the  Risen  Lord's  "  possessing 
 flesh  and  bone  ;  "^  but  there  are  two  qualifica- 
 tions which  must  be  carefully  observed.  First 
 that  this  tangible  corporiety  does  not  contradict 
 the  sudden  appearance  and  vanishing,  the  com- 
 ing through  a  closed  door  :  he  coidd  make  him- 
 
 *  Or  still  strongly  marked  iu  Lachmann's  read- 
 ing iy  rj7  xapSia. 
 
 \  It  is  not,  therefore,  as  Gregg.  Nyss.  maintain- 
 ed against  Apollinaris,  th.it  the  aVOpcJ.TiKa 
 ISioJ/jara,  the  "  human  peculiarities "  were 
 done  away,  there  being  no  longer  Jicsh,  but  liis 
 human  nature  being  changed  into  the  ddcoftoorof 
 and  (x6xrji.i(xri6Toy — "  bodiless  and  formless." 
 
 X  So  many  inexactly  translate  :  V.".n  Ess,  Feel 
 and  mark ;  Seller,  Touch  aiid  look  ut  tne ;  Stolz, 
 Handle  end  observe  me  ! 
 
 ^  Marcion  perverted  thus — As  ye  see  that  I 
 have  not  (TertuU.  Adv.  M.  iv.  43). 
 
LUKE  XXIV.  36-41,  ETC. 
 
 Y43 
 
 self  palpable,  condensing  his  bodj'  (so  to  speak)  i 
 into  tangibility  by  his  will ;  but  he  could  also 
 assuredly  withdraw  himself  when  he  would 
 from  the"  feeling  as  well  as  from  sight.  Second- 
 ly, it  is  very  natural  that  for  the  ipr/Xacpdv,  or 
 touching,  the  hones  should  be  mentioned  which 
 are  to  be  felt  in  the  flesh,  instead  of  the  bhod 
 usually  connected  with  it ;  but  there  are  other 
 reasons  why  blood  might  not  be  ascribed  to  the 
 Risen  Lord — reasons  not  indeed  exhibited  here 
 but  at  least  confirmed.* 
 
 The  Lord  finally  enters  with  condescending 
 conviction  into  ihe  thoughts  of  the  disciples 
 concerning  the  spirit— jnst  so  far  as  they  had 
 ill  them  a  basis  of  truth,  and  no  further.  A 
 spirit,  that  is,  a  dead  man,  not  yet  partaken  of 
 a  risen  corporeity  (!or  this  is  in  tlie  disciples' 
 thoughts — but  the  same  holds  good  of  an  angel, 
 or  ot'her  extraordinary  being)  may  indeed  be 
 seen,  but  not  fe.t  or  handUd  ;  cannot  be  sub- 
 jected, like  the  boily  ot  a  man,  to  the  calm  and 
 collected  test  of  the  sense.  It  may  possess  a 
 certain  relatively  so-called  corporeity  and  me- 
 dium of  individual  existence  (concerning  which, 
 as  to  angels  and  the  dead,  nothing  specific  is 
 now  to  be  said),  but  by  no  means  tangible  like 
 the  flesh  and  bones  of  "man.  If  ever  there  was 
 a  time  for  the  annihilation  of  man's  notions 
 about  the  appearance  of  bodiless  spirits — sup- 
 posing those  opinions  groundless,  and  mere 
 superstition — this  was  ihe  time,  when  the 
 Risen  Lord  brings  trom  the  oiher  world  sure 
 intelligence  and  certainty.  But  he  does  not 
 say  by  any  means — "  Tliereare  no  such  Ttvev- 
 fiara;"  but  he  admits,  he  undeniably  confirms 
 their  existence  and  visibility,  when  he  thus 
 makes  "  spirit  "  the  subject  of  his  sentence,  and 
 speaks  of  what  it  "  has  not."t  For  to  assume 
 here  anything  like  the  silent  reservation — "as 
 ye  falsely  suppose" — would  be  to  attribute  to 
 our  Lord  an  accommodation  to  a  pervalent 
 error,  when  a  single  word  u'ould  have  sufficed 
 to  root  it  out  for  all  future  time. 
 
 If  we  now  turn  to  John,  he  says  in  ver.  20 
 merely  that  he  showed  them  his  hands  and  his 
 side — while  Luke  says,  ver.  40,  his  hands  and 
 his  feet ;  and  with  the  (probably  genuine)  ad- 
 dition of  the  stronger  iTtdSeiiev,  "  showed." 
 Instead  of  deducing  from  a  comparison  of  John's 
 words,  with  his  chap.  xix.  34,  that  the  wounds 
 
 *  See  what  f.e  have  remarked  on  John  vi. 
 against  tr.e  strange  protest  of  our  critic  Munch- 
 meyer.  \fe  maiiitfun  that  he  sets  himself  in  op- 
 position to  all  scriptural,  and  especially  Christolo- 
 gical  anthropology,  according  to  which,  on  the 
 one  hand,  the  blood  essentially  belongs  to  the 
 life  of  the  entire  man,  and,  on  the  other,  flash  and 
 b.ood  inseparably  are  tpoken  of  only  in  a  condi- 
 tion of  nior;ality.  Can  we  admit  then  a  resurrec- 
 tion of  the  flesh  and  blood  ?  That  would  be  un- 
 scriptural  and  untrue.  Even  in  Ezek.  xxxvii., 
 there  is  no  Taention  of  the  blood,  as  a  mystcrium 
 singulare. 
 
 t  Just  so  Hie  line  of  Homer,  quoted  by  Grotius  : 
 Dv    yop    f'zi^ddpHaS   re    xai    cdrea    tVeS 
 
 £XOV(Str. 
 
 of  Jesus  on  the  cross  were  here  in  question,  and 
 that  therefore  Lake's  additional  reference  to  the 
 feet  establishes  the  wounds  on  his  feet,  some 
 have  set  aside  Luke's  words  altogether,  and 
 pressed  John's  into  an  argument  that  the  feet 
 were  not  nailed  to  the  cross.  Herder,  referring 
 to  the  Mtmxn-ahUia  of  Paulus,  thought  that  the 
 plain  intimation  of  John  made  it  a  matter  be- 
 yond question  that  the  feet  remained  unwound- 
 ed  ;  for  he  spoke  of  the  hands  and  the  feet  "  to 
 point  out  distinctly  the  effects  of  his  crucifix- 
 ion." But  how  can  we  be  so  certain  of  that  ? 
 Might  he  not  have  omitted  the  mention  of  the 
 feet  because  they  were  pre-supposed  in  connec- 
 tion with  the  liands,  and  because  it  was  his 
 purpose  to  refer  expressly  to  the  side?  How 
 shall  we,  without  breaking  the  Scripture,  dis- 
 patch the  eqiudbj  plain  declaralion  of  Luke? 
 The  omission  in  the  former  is  certainly  moro 
 easily  to  be  accounted  for  than  the  addition  in 
 the  latter.  The  showing  ol  the  feet,  if  Luke 
 also  (vers.  39  and  40)  reports  the  truth,  can 
 have  had  no  other  than  the  same  reason ;  espe- 
 cially as  according  to  John  the  side  also  was 
 shown.  Stolz  and  Paulus  explain  ridiculously 
 that  "  he  showed  merely  the  parts  of  his  body 
 which  were  not  covered  with  clothing,  to  show 
 that  he  had  actualy  flesh  and  bone."  This 
 might  apply  to  the  hands,  the  arms,  the  breast 
 or  side,  but  certainly  noo  to  ihe  feet.*  The  con- 
 troversy which  has  been  carried  on  concerning 
 the  independent  quesLion  of  the  feet  has  been 
 abundantly  decided  ;t  we  will  not  enter  into 
 antiquarian  researches  upon  it,  but  maintain 
 as  the  duty  of  the  expositor  the  authority  of 
 Luke's  testimony.  Here  the  Lord  incontro- 
 vertibly  shows  also  upon  his  feet  "signs  of  his 
 crucifixion,"  as  Lange  simply  says;  we  see  fur- 
 ther from  ver.  39,  that  it  was  in  evidence  that 
 it  was  av  T  6  s  tyoo  ;  that  is,  that  it  was  him- 
 self, the  same  who  died  upon  the  cross,  and 
 therefore,  according  to  their  thoughts,  could 
 come  back  again  only  as  a  "  spirit."  Whatever 
 may  be  thought  of  Von  Gerlach's  remark, 
 "  There  was  in  the  feet  something  more  con- 
 vincinof  and  touching  than  in  the  hands,  on 
 account  of  the  wonder  that  one  who  had  been 
 so  grievously  wounded  could  move" — it  is 
 pre-supposed  thereby  that  the  pnnts  of  the 
 naih  were  what  the 'Lord  presented  to  their 
 touch.  To  the  mere  feeling  that  he  "  had  flesh 
 and  bones,"  the  hands  and  "  easily  uncovered 
 arms"  would  have  been  enough. 
 
 But  there   is  one   thing  more.     The   Lord 
 showtd  his  wounds  not  merely  as  the  tokens  of 
 
 *  Notwithstindins  Luthardt's  objection,  I  must 
 hold  that  the  exhibition  of  the  feet  would  be  al- 
 together superfluous  and  unsuitable  for  the  assur- 
 ance of  the  reality  of  his  body.  As  if  the  Lord 
 might  not  rather  in  his  dignity  have  removed  the 
 clothing  which  concealed  his  limbs!  When  he 
 showed  his  feet  to  the  disciples,  it  was  to  show 
 something  visible  upon  them,  as  well  as  upon  the 
 hands. 
 
 t  See  Friedlieb's  ArchM.  der  Leidensffc$chicht«,  p. 
 144. 
 
744 
 
 FIRST  APPEARANCE  TO  THE  APOSTLES. 
 
 his  cructfxion  for  the  identity  of  his  bod)' ;  but 
 evidently  also  as  the  tokens  of  victory,  the 
 proofs  of  his  triumph  over  death,  and  therefore 
 also— and  this  is  its  deepest  meaning,  as  per- 
 training  to  his  introductory  greeting — as  the 
 peace-tokens  of  his  sacrificial  death,  of  his 
 accomplished  atonement.  This  had  reference, 
 indeed,  rather  to  the  future  understanding  of 
 the  disciples  (which  soon  followed  in  the 
 opening  of  Scripture),  in  the  symbolical  mean- 
 ing of  this  his  revelation  for  his  whole  future 
 Church  ;  yet  we  may,  as  Diez  says,  expound 
 it  as  historically  true,  that  "  they  began  to 
 have  a  presentiment  of  the  mysterious  con- 
 nection between  this  peace  and  the  wounds 
 of  Jesus."  Luther  also  preaches,  how  Christ 
 presents  to  us,  when  he  reveals  himself  to  us, 
 his  death  of  crucifixion  through  the  word.  He 
 adds,  "  This  is  the  true  token,  by  which  he  com- 
 lorts  the  terrified  conscience  and  heart."  Yes, 
 verily.  ^  The  Lord  himself  here  justifies  the 
 Church's  celebration  of  his  sacred  wounds, 
 though  not  its  unworthy  trifling  with  them. 
 That  he  retained  in  the  resurrection  these 
 marks  of  his  wounds  on  the  body  which  was  to 
 be  exalted  to  heaven  (marks  which  otherwise 
 as  the  concomitant  of  death  might  or  should 
 have  been  abolished),  and  that  he  retains  them 
 till  now  and  for  eternity,  as  the  glorious  tokens 
 of  his  victory  and  atonement,  is  of  great  and 
 blessed  significance  for  our  faith.*  It  is  as- 
 suredly the  Lord's  will,  as  we  see,  to  appear] 
 himself  to  his  disciples  as  "  the  Crucified,"  as  ' 
 the  angels  in  the  empty  sepulchre  termed  him  ;  I 
 and  thereby  to  manifest  his  glory,  thereby  to  seal  I 
 his  feace.  To  this  referred  that  suggestive  le- 1 
 gend  of  Satan's  appearance  in  the  form  of  the 
 glorified  Saviour,  when  St.  Marlin  repelled  him 
 by  asking  for  the  prints  of  the  wounds.  No 
 (pdyra6jua  could  counterfeit  these  wounds,  for 
 these  were  chosen  and  sanctified  by  the  Lord 
 of  glory  as  the  tokens  and  the  marks  by  which 
 he  would  be  known. f 
 
 Did  the  disciples  actually  touch?  As  re- 
 gards Thomas  afterwards,  we  shall  see  that  it 
 is  not  to  be  assumed ;  and  here,  too.  Von  Ger- 
 lach  thinks  that  the  disciples  declined  it,  and 
 that  this  was  the  basis  of  Thomas'  doubting. 
 We  think  on  the  contrary  that  Thomas  wanted 
 aUo   himself  to  touch,  as  they  had  reported 
 
 *  An^ustino,  de  Civ.  lib.  22,  cap.  19,  deduces 
 from  this,  with  a  "  peih^ips  we  .shall  see,"  the 
 same  wi;h  respect  to  the  wounds  of  the  martyrs. 
 Be  it  as  it  m  y,  we  Lold  it  with  the  "  current 
 view"  against  Delitzsch,  who  {Proph.  Theol.  p.  222 
 would  sive  up,  with  Iluntiius  and  KrUirer,  the 
 mirks  of  the  wounds  of  ihe  glorified  Lord.  This 
 matter  has  more  signiiicaiico  and  weight  than  is 
 often  thought. 
 
 +  Meyer  (J5/.  fixr  hoh.  Wahrh.  iv.  475)  writes  : 
 "  U  is  obvious  that  the  Risen  Lord  might  have  ap- 
 y)eared  in  anotlier  form  than  with  the  wounds  of 
 tlie  cross."  That  is  not  stated  with  precision,  at 
 fiirtliest  it  is  only  abstractly  true ;  for  he  would 
 not,  then  or  ever,  appear  otherwise,  and  therefore 
 that  was  actually  his  form. 
 
 themselves  to  have  done ;  1  John  i.  1  leads  m 
 also  to  this  conclusion.  "  If  he  patiently  al- 
 lowed himself  to  be  handled  by  his  murderers, 
 why  not  by  them  who  loved  him?"  This 
 thought,  according  to  Pfenninger,  gave  them 
 courage  to  do  so.*  In,  during,  and  after  such 
 palpable  conviction,  we  must  suppose  the  re- 
 buke of  their  previous  unbelief  mentioned  l>y 
 Mark — Are  you  now  convinced  ?  Thus — Not 
 before  ?  Wherefore  were  your  hearts  so  tiard 
 as  not  to  believe?  We  might  be  almost  tempt- 
 ed to  say — Herein,  in  -the  circumstances  men- 
 tioned, Luke  vers.  38-40,  consisted  this  re- 
 buke; as  B.-Crusius  remarks,  "the  matter  is 
 thus  explained  by  Mark."  But  the  expression 
 is  too  specific  for  that — they  had  not  believed 
 those  who  had  seen  him  after  his  rising  from  the 
 dead.  This  seems  to  us  to  be  equal  to  an  indi- 
 rect, though  not  verbal,  intimation  Of  another 
 word  of  Jesus,  in  which  the  external  testimony 
 for  faith  of  the  second  degree  is  established  in 
 its  place  and  prerogative.  Thus  it  was  fit  in 
 respect  to  those  who  were  to  be  sent  into  the 
 world  to  demand  every  where  faith  in  their 
 own  having  seen.  He  says  nothing  about  their 
 fleeing,  being  offended  and  falling ;  he  speaks 
 only  of  their  unbelief  in  the  message  of  peace 
 and  of  joy.  But  it  was  scarcely  the  first  thing, 
 before  Luke  ver.  38  (as  Lange  supposes) ;  we 
 think  that  since  it  is  love  which  rebukes  them 
 with  most  gracious  earnestness,  that  rebuke 
 was  not  administered  until  after  the  abundant 
 evidence  was  given  for  their  conviction.  Else 
 it  remains  true  that  the  reproof  of  unbelief 
 is  an  indispensable  preparative  for  the  enjoy- 
 ment of  the  peace  of  faith  ;  and  we  may  inter- 
 pret this  rebuke,  at  the  first  appearance  of  the 
 Risen  Lord  in  the  greater  circle  of  his  disciples, 
 which  represents  his  Church,  as  the  Bsrlenb. 
 Bibel  does :  "  We  must  not  suppose  that  our 
 Lord's  dealing  was  so  complacent  and  gentle 
 that  no  sin  was  regarded  by  him.  When 
 Christ  came  to  their^'hearts,  and  searched  out 
 their  thoughts  with  his  light,  as  a  glorified,  pure, 
 and  mighty  being,  his  reproof  could  not  spare 
 any  thing  evil.  Let  us  therefore  prepare  for, 
 and  rightly  understand  the  rebuke  of  our 
 Lord."t  But  the  ground  of  all  evil  is  the  unbe- 
 lief of  the  hard  heart,  and  that  is  always  best 
 seized  and  condemned  in  its  last  manifestation. 
 There  is,  however,  a  distinction  between  the  un- 
 belief which  the  Lord  can  reprove  and  take 
 away,  and  the  unbelief  which  hastens  to  utter 
 condemnation  ;  yet  even  the  former  goea 
 never  unreproved  in  any  man,  so  long  as 
 it  exists  in  his  soul.     Thus  the  Lord  during 
 
 *  But  he  makes  the  touciiing  follow  imnied  - 
 atcly  ujion  the  chaI''"nG;e.  so  that  the  "  as  ye  see 
 me  "  refers  directly  to  that  which  is  contrary  to 
 ver.  40. 
 
 f  Beck  derives  from  this  a  very  excellent  word 
 against  the  delusion  and  demmd  of  the  world, 
 Ih  it  the  preachers  of  the  Go<pel  of  peace  should 
 not  chido  :  Christ  hero  on  the  glad  festival  of  his 
 resurrection  rebuked  even  his  Apostles  with  puri- 
 fying and  sanctifying  love. 
 
LUKE  XXIV.  36-41.  ETC. 
 
 745 
 
 the  forty  days  begins  the  convincing  function 
 of  the  koly  Spirit,  predicted  in  John  xvi.  9 ; 
 and  begins  it  first  in  his  Apostles.  With 
 every  advance  to  a  higher  degree  of  the  life  of 
 faith,  the  reproof  of  previous  unbelief  recurs  ; 
 only  at  the  end  in  its  final  established  matu- 
 rity do  we  hear  the  pure  and  perfect  praise  of 
 God. 
 
 Then  were  the  disciples  glad  that  they  saw 
 the  Lord,  kxccprj^av  ovv — iSovre?.     By  this 
 John  notes  the  fulfillment  of  his  promise  in 
 chap.  xvi.  22;  and  how  must  the  remembrance 
 of  that  hour  have  stirred  in  his  heart  when  in 
 old  age  he  thus  wrote  of  it.     He  hastens  away, 
 in  his  pure  and  deep  remembrance  of  the  peace 
 and  joy,   from   the   other  individual  circum- 
 stances ;  but  Luke,  on  the  other  hand,  records 
 them  all  with  exact  minuteness.     The  disciples 
 Lad  beheld,  touched,  and  gladly  received  their 
 rebuke — but   there  is   again   a  "  wondering  " 
 among  them,  before  the  final,  clear,  and  tran- 
 quil  assurance  fills   their  hearts.     As   before 
 through  fear,  so  now  through  astonished  joy, 
 they  cannot  altogether  and  fully  believe.*     A 
 record  this   which    proves  its   own    profound 
 psychological  truth.    Psa.  cxxvi.  1  has  been  un- 
 suitably compared — for  it  has  a  different  mean- 
 ing.    In   this  joi/  at  having  the   Lord  again 
 there  is  an  actual  faith — and  yet  it  does  not 
 reach  to  peace  and  joy  combined  in  their  ful- 
 ness.    And  wherefore  so?     Because  their  joy 
 itself  has  in  its  first  vehemence  and  disquietude 
 too  little  peace.     Assuredly  there  is  a  violent 
 joy  in  which,  notwithstanding  its  semblance  of 
 overpowering  feeling,  a  deep  and  firm  faith  can 
 scarcely  fix  its  roots.     Therefore  the  wise  and 
 patient  Master  gradually  brings  them  to  the 
 peace  of  faith  :  the  first  sign  of  his  wounds  had 
 been  a  rather  exciting  appeal ;  he  now  follows 
 it  by  a  second,  and  one  more  composing.     He 
 takes  them  back,  at  least  for  a  short  space,  into 
 the  peaceful  communion  of  their  former  rela- 
 tion restored  ;  and  puts  an  end  to  all  mere  ec- 
 Stacy  by  the  indescribably  confidential,  though 
 perleetly   unexpected    question — Haiie  ye  here 
 any  tiling  to  eatf     Their  evening  meal  might 
 have  been  over,  and  yet  they  sat  according  to 
 Mark  still  at  the  table.     What  condescension  ! 
 Like  so  much  else  in  these  manifestations,  this 
 eating  was  an  expressif)n  of  the  love  which  en- 
 tered into  and  would  salisfy  the  need  of  their 
 weakness.     As  in  the  case  of  the  daughter  of 
 Jairus,  the  eating  was  at  once  the  surest  sign 
 of  perfectly  restored  life ;  so  here  there  is  an 
 apparent    resemblance,   though   with  a  very 
 great  difference.     Assuredly,  need  of  nourish- 
 ment had  nothing  to  do  with  this  act  of  our 
 Lord.     But   that  he  could  eat,  if  he  would,  is 
 proved  here  by  the  fact:  he  did  eat,  though 
 certainly  without  "organic  necessity"  of  his 
 body — a  supposition  which,  with  all  its  conse- 
 quences, must  be  earnestly  repelled.!     But  yet 
 
 there  is  no  Sonrfdii,  no  mere  docetic  sem- 
 blance (as  Liicke  supposes  in  this  case) ;  no 
 "deception"  as  Hasse  says.  If  we  must  as- 
 sume that  in  Gen.  xviii.  8,  xix.  3,  there  was  a 
 reality  in  the  miraculous  eating  of  the  angels, 
 and  of  the  appearing  Lord  himself,  how  much 
 more  was  the  eating  of  the  same  Lord,  in  his 
 present  actual  body,  a  reality — however  dis- 
 tinguished from  our  own.  That  he  asks  them 
 to  eat,  and  eats  before  them  "  in  order  the  more 
 fully  to  assure  them  that  he  had  not  merely 
 the  appearance  and  form,  but  the  inward  reality 
 of  the  human  body  "  (as  Schmieder  says),  we 
 would  scarcely  atfirm,  at  least  in  such  easily 
 misunderstood  words;  but  he  did  assuredly  in- 
 tend to  give  proof  of  his  actual  bodiliness 
 against  every  docetic  conceit.  Let  the  reader 
 refer  back  to  what  we  have  said  upon  Luke 
 xxii.  16,  18  ;  Matt.  xxvi.  29,  concerning  eating 
 and  drinking  in  the  kingdom  of  glory.  Let 
 not  the  words  of  C.  Kapplinger  be  despised: 
 "  The  tangibility  of  his  members  was  no  longer 
 an  attribute  of  his  earthly  body,  but  the  result 
 of  the  divine  energy  of  his  supreme  will,  ex- 
 erted upon  his  heavenly  body.  So,  that  which 
 he  partook  of  after  his  resurrection  was  a  sacri- 
 fice of  his  heart's  love  to  his  disciples  ;  but  the 
 nourishment  of  the  system  of  tlie  body  could 
 no  longer  be  created  within  the  body.  He 
 consumed  what  he  received  in  the  fire  energy  of 
 his  life,  as  a  holy  sacrifice  in  love,  to  the  honor 
 of  the  Father."*  ^ 
 
 In  ver.  42  xaiaitd  fteXiddiov  xrjpiov,  "and 
 of  a  honey-comb,"  is  wanting  in  many  MSS. ; 
 if  it  is  genuine,  we  must  supplement  nai  ri 
 cxTCu  or  Kai  iiepoiy  and  understand  the  exact 
 description  which  the  redundant  ue^tddiov 
 (for  ^^A/pz'ou  itself  points  to  no  other  than  the 
 honey  of  bees)  as  intimating  that  the  wonder- 
 ful incident  was  to  be  described  with  precision 
 — and  this  would  be  in  favor  of  its  genuineness. 
 Atui  taking  it,  lie  did  eat  (it)  before  them.f  Thus 
 after  the  greeting  he  gave  them  advancing  de- 
 monstration of  his  lite  :  by  his  gracious  word, 
 by  their  seeing  and  feeling,  by  the  rebuke  of 
 their  unbelief,  and  finally  by  his  taking  and 
 partaking  this  fipoodii-ioy,  which  would  reduce 
 to  peace  the  yet  half-unbelieving  joy  of  faith. 
 He  did  not  desire  to  drink  ;  we  no  where  read 
 
 *  Lachmann's  text  very  appropriately  puts  nai 
 davjiiaZuvrcov  before  and  zfji  x^^di — as  also 
 the  Vuljj. 
 
 t  Alas !  Hasse  speaks  in  the  same  tone,  that 
 
 "  the  receptive  and  digestive  organs  of  bodily  life 
 were  not  abolished,  the  resurrection  body  assimi- 
 lated matter — precisely  as  our  present  body,  and 
 the  human  earthly  body  of  Jesus  before."  This 
 is  one  of  the  individual  blemishes  of  an  excellent 
 book.  Assuredly  there  was  g.-eat  diffareace  be- 
 tween his  present  and  his  former  condition. 
 
 *  Schmieder  speaks  of  the  spirituality  of  the 
 body  consisting  in  this,  that  it  had  no  matter  in  it 
 foreign  to  the  spirit  and  the  soul ;  that  the  pre- 
 dominance of  the  power  which  appropriates  all  to 
 itself  transubstantiated  all  matter,  like  burning  fire 
 {Hohepr.  Gebet,  p.  40). 
 
 f  Vulg. :  Et  cum  manducasset  coram  eis,  su- 
 raens  reliquias  dedit  eis.  This  clause,  found  also 
 in  the  Arab,  and  Armen.  versions,  may  he  apocry- 
 phal, having  probably  originated  ia  a  false  view 
 of  Acts  X.  41. 
 
746 
 
 FIRST  APPEARANCE  TO  THE  APOSTLES. 
 
 that  he  drank.*  Bengel  on  this  passage  says 
 — "  Ke  eats  spontaneously,  without  any  need, 
 and  tlierefore  he  does  not  also  drink."  If  this 
 is  not  enough,  may  we  not  connect  it  with  tlie 
 hidde:i  propriety  of  his  now  bloodless  body  ? 
 But  about  this  we  will  contend  with  no  man. 
 Only  this  much  we  assert,  that  according  to 
 the  account  of  Luke  and  John,  the  Lord  by  no 
 Tae^xns  mt  ihwn  with  his  disciples  to  speak  with 
 theiu  still  further ;  nor  did  the  Apostles  eat 
 witli  him  any  more.  The  little  morsel  of  fish 
 and  honey  was  enough  for  the  design  of  his 
 eating.  That  he  did  not  terminate  this  revela- 
 tion by  thus  eating,  but  continued  to  speak, 
 though  not  the  words  which  now  follow  in 
 Luke,  is  established  by  Stein,  in  his  commen- 
 tary. We  know  from  John  xx.  21-23  what  he 
 went  on  to  say;  but  for  this,  any  sitting  as  at 
 a  meal  seems  to  be  inappropriate  :  and  further 
 it  appears  contrary  to  the  propriety  of  this 
 first  revelation  to  his  Apostles  to  separate  John 
 XX.  20,  21,  from  Luke  xxiv.  37-43  by  any  in- 
 tervening sitting  conversation.  That  which 
 Luke  further  record.s  belonged,  as  we  shall  see, 
 not  to  the  same  evening  ;  he  lets  it  follow  in 
 hi»  own  order  of  the  whole,  in  order  to  show 
 that  the  .sensible  demonstration  which  they  had 
 had,  required  to  be  followed  by  instruction  out 
 of  the  Scripture.  For  the  preaching  of  the 
 Apostles  concering  the  Risen  Lord  had  for  its 
 foundation  their  assured  conviction  first,  by  no 
 means  the  external  experience  of  their  sense ; 
 secondly,  their  insight  into  the  counsel  of  God 
 through  the  opening  of  the  Scripture;  and, 
 finally,  the  power  Irom  on  high  experienced 
 within  themselves  :  it  is  this  which  Luke 
 would  teach  at  the  end  of  his  Gospel,  in  the 
 summary  account  which  is  his  transition  to 
 the  Acts  of  the  Apostles.  But  John  brings 
 forward  this  nece-ssary  supplement  to  the  ex- 
 perience of  sense  in  a  more  precise  historical 
 manner;  for  he  records  the  »«ws/o/i  which  was 
 accompanied  by  the  breathing  on  the  very  first 
 evening. 
 
 This  evening  manifestation  had  reference  to 
 the  Afosdes  especially,  though  according  to 
 Luke,  ver.  43,  others  were  present  and  enjoyed 
 it  with  them.  The  same  Luke  in  his  continu- 
 ous avToii,  avrccyy  vers.  44-46,  and  vjueii, 
 ver.  48,  does  not  go  beyond  the  before-chosen 
 witnesses.  John  has  used  the  word  "disciples" 
 according  to  his  prevalent  phraseology  (only 
 once,  chap.  xiii.  16,  has  he  mentioned  the  name 
 
 '  *  Yet  we  find  in  LUcke  (as  in  many  others)  the 
 unscrujmlous  words  :  '•  Jesus  conies  anfl  goes  l;ke 
 oltier  men,  and  eats  and  drinks."  But  Acts  x.  41 
 does  not  prove  this,  as  we  have  already  .said.  Not 
 after  his  re.surrection,  but  before,  they  were  his 
 compminns,  eating  and  drinkin^r,  and  therefore 
 1> Mtectly  knowing  him.  This  only  correct  con- 
 st ruclion  is  established  too  by  Knapp's  text. 
 Hasse  is  here  wrong  once  more;  the  weak  side  of 
 his  theologically  important  work  is  ia  its  esi^ecial 
 tzegeais. 
 
 I  aVo^rolo?  in  the  general  sen?e)  ;  yet  we  ob- 
 serve even  in  his  account  also,  as  in  vers.  24,  25, 
 so  already  in  vers.  21-23,  that  there  is  a  special 
 reference  to  the  twelve.  Thus  the  strongest 
 conviction  which  we  have  yet  considered  wa3 
 especially  for  them  :  and  for  Ih'im  the  solemn 
 confirmation  and  sealing  of  the  mission,  to  which 
 we  now  come.  At  once  on  this  day  of  the  res- 
 urrection, the  great  day  of  the  Lord,  we  meet 
 with  the  first,  preliminary  institution  of  the 
 New-Te.stament  preaching  o^ti  which  the  Spirit 
 records.  (The  second  and  perl'ect  one  follow.s 
 in  the  Synoptics.)  Nothing  could  be  more  ap- 
 propriate than  that,  as  the  Berlenh.  Blbel  says-, 
 "  by  virtue  of  the  resurrection  is  the  office  ot 
 preaching  living  with  the  life  of  Christ.  Preach- 
 ing is  a  benefaction  of  the  resurrection,  for  it  ia 
 nothing  else  but  awakening" 
 
 Once  m'jre  must  the  Lord  say — Peace  be  with 
 you  !  it  is  repeated  until  it  thoroughly  enters 
 and  is  established.*  There  is  literal  and  actual 
 truth  in  this  observation,  in  as  far  as  the  first 
 greeting  of  our  Lord  was  scarcely  h^ard  or  re- 
 ceived by  the  affrighted  disciples.  But  the  re- 
 petition has  a  deeper  significance  than  this. 
 Certainly  it  was  not  (as  Tholuck  says)  at  the 
 close  of  a  meal,  and  as  the  conclusion  of  a  long 
 colloquy,  that  the  Lord  rep'^xted  his  greeting;! 
 and  yet  we  say  that  its  repetition  is  rat'.ier  a 
 farewell  in  relation  to  the  first,  which  was  an 
 introductory  srreeting.  For  the  sending  them, 
 tlirough  the  Spirit  in  his  name,  with  uuthority 
 in  his  stead  over  sin  into  the  worla,  is  itself 
 another  farewell  word  of  hi.s  departare.  Yea, 
 still  more.  All  the  Lord's  enterings  and  com- 
 ings during  these  forty  days  were  but  one  great 
 farewell  before  the  ascension  ;  they  leave  be- 
 hind his  final  words  and  farewell  blessing  on 
 his  going  back  to  the  Father.  Hence  Schmieden 
 rightly  preaches  :  "  The  greeting  here  (on  this 
 first  occasion)  is,  as  respects  the  present  ap- 
 pearance of  Jesus,  a  welcome  of  entrance;  as 
 respects  his  whole  presence  with  the  disciples, 
 a  word  of  farewell.  For  all  the  appearances  of 
 the  Risen  Lord  collectively  are  to  be  regarded 
 as  th.e  return  of  one  who  has  been  absent,  who 
 looks  round  for  those  whom  he  is  about  to 
 leave  behind,  saying  repeatedly.  Farewell,  fare- 
 well !  adding  to  each  farewell  vet  a  lew  words 
 
 *  This  should  satisfy  Olshauseu's  scruple,  who 
 would  prefer  to  place  this  repeated  consecration 
 and  renewal  ol  the  Apostles'  commission  (which 
 it  was  not,  however,  exclusively)  at  the  end  of  the 
 forty  days,  as  a  matter  of  final  import ;  and  there- 
 fore was  almost  inclined  to  assume  that  John  ab- 
 breviated and  anticipated  here.  But  this  last  is 
 opposed  by  the  Tta'Xiv,  ver.  21,  and  the  definite 
 statement  of  vers.  24,  26. 
 
 t  To  repeat  once  more :  lie  did  not  sit  down 
 ag  lin  to  eat  and  drink  with  tliem,  nor  did  he  thus 
 at  the  table  expound  the  Scripture  (Luke  ver.  44) 
 — nor  did  he,  after  the  meal  and  discourse,  breathe 
 upon  tliem  for  their  mission.  Ttie  solemnity  t)f 
 tliis  breathing  of  the  Ilisen  Lord  permits  to  our 
 feeling  no  such  representation  ;  but  we  think  gen- 
 erally that  he  no  more  in  any  such  coufiJeulial 
 way  continued  sittiug  long  with  them. 
 
LUKE  XXIV.  36-41.  ETC. 
 
 747 
 
 of  love  and  exhortation."*  (Comp.  chap.  xvi. 
 38.)  As  regards  this  evening  appearance  itself 
 vi^ith  its  redoubled  "  peace,"  the  distinction  be- 
 tween the  entrance  and  the  departure  may 
 justify  Driiseke's  arrangement  for  his  sermon  -. 
 "  The'  Lord  had  the  two-fold  design,  to  make 
 the  disciples  glad  in  what  had  taken  place,  and 
 to  consecrate  them  for  what  was  to  come." 
 Thus  the  first  greeting,  with  the  showing  which 
 accompanied  it,  spoke  of  the  past :  I  have  over- 
 come the  world,  have  brought  life  to  light — I 
 was  dead,  and  behold  I  live  !  But  the  second 
 greeting,  with  the  accompanying  breathing, 
 speaks  for  the  future  :  And  1  so  send  you. 
 Thus  we  may  finally  say  that  the  first  peace 
 was  rather  for  the  disciples  themselves,  to  as- 
 sure them  and  gladden  their  hearts  ;  while  the 
 second  was  through  them  to'pass  on  to  all  others, 
 although  the  second  was  obviously  only  the  es- 
 tablishing confirmation  of  the  first. 
 
 To  the  sending  of  the  ambassadors  of  Jesus 
 belongs  the  peace,  in  which  they  have  their  own 
 preparation,  and  on  which  their  own  feet  stand 
 firm    (Eph.   vi.    15,    erot/:ia6ia,  |i30).       The 
 
 sons  of  peace  are  not  to  retain  it  for  themselves ; 
 its  possession  makes  them  also  messengers  of 
 peace.  This  is  the  deepest  ground,  the  inmost 
 might  and  power  of  the  evangelical  office  and 
 preaching  ;  the  mission  and  equipment  has  this 
 universal  meaning  here,  and  although  it  refers 
 pre-eminently  to  the  Apostles  properly  so  call- 
 ed, yet  it  holds  good  not  of  them  alone,  but  all 
 others  participate  in  it — as  we  find  the  words 
 spoken,  Matt,  xxviii.  19,  20,  Mark  xvi.  15,  to  a 
 larger  a,ssemb]y  of  the  disciples  in  common. 
 On  this  point  it  is  remarkable  and  should  be 
 carefully  noted,  that  throughout  the  Gospels 
 the  strongest  authorization  and  promises,  which 
 afterwards  are  referred  in  their  fullest  preroga- 
 tive and  degree,  and  in  a  certain  sense  exclu- 
 sively, to  the  apostolical  office,  are  uttered  in 
 tlieir  most  conprehensive  universality,  and 
 leave  it  open  to  every  disciple,  as  it  were,  to 
 press  into  an  apostolical  position. 
 
 According  to  John  the  Lord  had  spoken, 
 chap.  xiii.  16,  20,  and  specially  chap.  xvii.  18, 
 with  the  same  comprehensiveness ;  and  he 
 seems  to  refer  back  to  these  sayings  when  ful- 
 filling them.  The  Apostles,  indeed,  had  been 
 specifically  sent  already,  and  had  more  than 
 once  been  pointed  out  as  those  who  were  to  be 
 sent  pre-eminently  and  beyond  all  others;  but 
 the  proper  mission,  now  once  more  confirmed, 
 was  yet  in  the  future,  and  thus  TtEjunco  in  ver. 
 21  is  no  other  than  a  promissory  future,  point- 
 ing onwards  to  another  time,  as  we  intimated 
 when   explaining   the  breathing   of  ver.    22.t 
 
 *  Lnthardt  doas  not  seem  to  have  understood 
 this  excellent  representation  of  the  matter,  in  its 
 larse  comprehension  of  the  forty  days,  when  he 
 confines  it  lo  this  single  appearance,  and  speaks 
 of  "  an  intolerably  quick  interchange  "  of  greet- 
 ing and  farewell. 
 
 t  Bengel's  n«te  seems  plausible  at  the  first 
 glance,  seeking  to  establish  a  subtle  distinction 
 
 "  Ux/iiTrGo  is  in  the  pres.,  like  the  dvafiaivca 
 to  Magdalene.  But  he  does  not  send  them  at 
 once,  anv  more  than  he  then  at  once  ascended" 
 (Lnthardt). 
 
 The  Son  of  the  Father,  indeed,  himself  the 
 first  and  highest  Apostle  (Heb.  iii.  1),  stands 
 as  mediator  between  the  Father  and  all  sub- 
 delegated  Apostles:  the  Father  sent  him  alone 
 by  a  mission  which  is  sole  and  incomparable; 
 thence  and  therefore  lie  sends  all  others.  But 
 he  sends  them  as  the  Father  had  sent  him  :  iu 
 this  «a0flJ5  (which  we  already  had  in  Luke 
 xxii.  29  and  John  xvii.  18)  very  much  is  in- 
 volved. First  of  all,  it  shows  that  the  Son  is  a 
 sender  in  equal  authority  with  the  Father. 
 Then,  as  to  the  commission  :  I  send  you  to  hear 
 witness,  and  that  concerning  me,  through  the 
 manifestation  that  I  am  and  that  I  live  in  you, 
 as  the  Father  sent  me  to  testify  and  make 
 manifest  that  he  is  in  me.  See,  further,  John 
 xiv.  24,  viii.  26,  28,  29,  and  all  similar  passages. 
 Yea,  it  contains  a  reference  to  the  entire  ex- 
 ample and  type  of  his  own  life — that  they  were 
 to  live,  to  teach,  to  act,  and  to  suffer  even  as  he 
 had  in  this  world.  Thus,  as  Luther  says, 
 "  he  first  takes  away  the  carnal  notion  which 
 the  disciples  still  retained,  after  his  resurrec- 
 tion, that  he  would  rule  like  a  worldly  king 
 with  external  and  physical  authority.  There- 
 fore he  says — Ye  have  now  seen  what  kind  of 
 office  I  have  sustained  upon  earth,  that  it  was 
 a  spiritual  kingdom  which  I  should  establish. 
 I  send  you  in  the  same  manner,  to  be  my  mes- 
 sengers; not  encompassed  with  earthly  trap- 
 pings, but  exercising  the  same  office  which  I 
 liave  hitherto  executed,  that  of  preaching  the 
 word  which  ye  have  heard  and  received  of  me — 
 an  office  by  which  those  are  to  be  saved  irom 
 their  sins  and  from  death,  who  feel  their  sia 
 and  death  and  desire  to  be  saved." 
 
 Christ  was  sent  to  preach  glad  tidings  to  the 
 miserable,  to  heal  broken  hearts,  and  to  com- 
 fort all  who  mourn.  But  as  he  was  anointed 
 thereunto  with  the  Spirit  (Isa.  ixi.  1,  2),  so  the 
 disciples  need  the  same  anointing  for  the  per- 
 formance of  their  ^unctions  ;  only  in  the  power 
 of  the  Holy  Spirit  received  from  the  Lord  can 
 they  go  forth  with  success.  Tims  ver.  22  be- 
 longs necessarily  to  ver.  21,  to  obviate  the 
 anomaly  of  his  sayings — You  poor  sinners, 
 ignorant  Galileans,  insignificant  fishermen,  etc., 
 I  send  into  the  world.  Have  they  for  them- 
 selves and  in  themselves  peace,  it  is  the  Si)irit 
 who  seals,  preserves,  defends  it,  and  distributes 
 it  with  power.     Braune  :  "  So  far  as  we  are 
 
 between  the  dnidzXHe  he  and  TtEfxno)  vjxd<i  : 
 '■  In  aTtodreWrsj  is  regarded  the  will  of  the  send- 
 er and  the  sent ;  in  ne/CTTOJ  the  will  of  the  sei;der, 
 apart  from  that  of  the  sent."  If  it  had  only 
 grammatical  ground!  But  nsunoo  is  used  by 
 John  of  the  Father  and  the  Son  (chap.  iv.  34, 
 vers.  23,  24,  30,  vi.  38,  44,  vii.  16,  etc.) ;  drtodreX- 
 Xeiv  is  used,  Matt.  ii.  16,  of  Herod's  servants, 
 Acts  V.  21,  X.  8,  xiii.  15,  of  official  servants,  and 
 Matt.  X.  16,  of  the  A-iostles  themselves.  In  Joha 
 xvii.  18,  aTto^TdXXsiv  u  both  times  used. 
 
748 
 
 FIRST  APPEARANCE  TO  THE  APOSTLES. 
 
 einful,  Clirist  is  sent  from  the  Father  unto  us  ; 
 but  so  far  as  we  are  redeemed,  we  are  sent  as 
 his  witnesses  to  others."      I  would  say  more 
 
 Elainly — So  flir,  that  is,  as  we  are  partakers  of 
 is  Spirit  and  of  his  life. 
 But  now  for  the  mucli-contested  question — 
 How  is  this  Receive  the  Holy  Spirit  from  the 
 lips  of  Jesus  on  the  day  of  resurrection  related 
 to  the  outpouring  which  did  not  take  place 
 until  the  day  of  Pentecost?  We  must  not 
 proceed  recklessly  and  say  that  Jesus  here  al- 
 ready communicated  the  Holy  Spirit — thus 
 opposing  the  rest  of  Scripture,  throwing  doubt 
 upon  the  miracle  of  the  Pentecost,  and  deduc- 
 ing with  Kinkel  an  ascension  already  accom- 
 plished. All  this  is  plain  enough  for  thought- 
 ful people  at  the  outset.  It  is  the  Gospel  of 
 John  which  makes  the  coming  of  the  Comfort- 
 er dependent  upon  the  going  to  the  Father,  and 
 the  outpouring  of  the  Spirit  upon  the  ascen- 
 sion and  glorification  ;  but  since,  as  we  have 
 earlier  seen,  an  ascension  cannot  be  regarded 
 as  having  taken  place,  what  John  here  records 
 must  have  another  reference.  When  we  take 
 the  rest  of  Scripture  into  account,  we  find  that 
 in  Luke  xxiv.  49,  Acts  i.  5,  8,  the  Lord  even 
 at  the  ascension  promises  the  Holy  Spirit  to 
 bis  disciples  as  a  gift  not  to  be  received  until 
 eome  days  had  passed.  This  must  be  taken  in 
 its  simple  truth.  But  it  is  not  necessary,  on 
 that  account,  to  make  this  present  Adfjers 
 simply  equivalent  to  a  future  Xtfip£60e — as 
 many  are  content  to  do,  e.  g.,  Liicke  in  the  first 
 edition,  and  Tholuck,  following  Chrys.,  Theod. 
 Mopsu.,  and  other  fathers.  For  even  if  there 
 be  no  "exegetical  arbitrariness"  (as  Kinkel 
 complains)  in  making  this  imperative  a  prom- 
 ising future,  there  must  yet  be  some  adequate 
 reason  for  it.  C^n  we  not  find  that  reason  in 
 the  entire  connection  ?  The  mission  itself, 
 ■which  was  then  the  subject  of  discourse,  was 
 as  yet  in  the  future  :  that  is  one  reason.  The 
 ascension  to  the  Father,  to  which  the  Lord  had 
 before  so  plainly  pointed  as  the  condition  of 
 the  sending  of  the  Spirit  (see  only  chap.  xvi. 
 7),  was  after  the  message  by  Magdalene  like- 
 wise still  in  the  future  :*  this  is  a  second 
 reason.  Finally,  the  circumstance  that  Jesus 
 connects  an  external  sign,  his  breathing  with 
 this  Receive  ye^a,  circumstance  which  Kinkel 
 strangely  assumes  to  be  undeniably  in  favor  of 
 his  view— permits  us  to  regard  ihe  whole  as 
 prophetical  and  symbolical,  and  therefore  as 
 making  the  future  present,  and  giving  in  this 
 form  a  most  absolute  promise.  Why  should 
 not  the  Lord,  who  had  spoken  so  often  and  so 
 much  in  the  sanctified  style  of  the  prophets, 
 continue  now  at  the  last  to  act  in  this  man- 
 ner? Why  should  he  not  present  his  promise 
 to  his  disciples  in  a  form  so  appropriate  to  the 
 occasion  as  that  of  a  symbolical  action  ?    We 
 
 *  This  is  still  future  even  now,  according  to  the 
 plain  meanini;  of  John.  For  should  ho  uol  then 
 nave  recorded  something  nioro  concerning  it  than 
 this  dvafJaivcD,  which  had  been  spoken  in  con- 
 nection wilii  an  ovnoj  dvafiefirjxa  t 
 
 are  firmly  convinced,  and  believe  .that  ev<»ry 
 one  may  soon  convince  himself,  that  here,  first 
 of  all,  "  the  promise  of  the  Paraclete  is  sym- 
 bolically renewed."  (So  B.-Crusius  without 
 much  argument  decidedly  expresses  it.)  Let 
 the  reader  receive  with  unbiassed  mind,  that 
 according  to  John's  own  representation  of  this 
 act  of  Christ,  it  could  be  no  other  than  sym- 
 bolical; and  that  no  Christian  reader,  who 
 was  acquainted  with  the  event  of  Pentecost, 
 could  have  understood  it  otherwise  from  the 
 beginning.  The  propriety  r.nd  proof  of  the 
 realizing  in  the  present  what  was  to  take  place 
 a  few  days  aft^^rwards,  rests  upon  that  hasting 
 unto  the  ascension  which  we  have  discerned  in 
 the  Lord's  Spirit  from  the  day  of  resurrection, 
 and  which  expressed  itself  in  the  dvafiaivoa 
 of  ver.  17  :  in  the  same  disposition  of  mind 
 which  thus  looks  forward,*  he  now  speaks  this 
 "  Pieceive  ye,"  and  would  thereby  elevate  the 
 disciples  preparatorily  into  the  same  sentiment 
 and  feeling.  Finally,  we  have — to  our  appre- 
 hension at  least — in  the  "Take,  eat  "of  the 
 sacramental  institution  a  most  perfect  parallel 
 of  this  mystico-symbolical  anticipation.  As 
 the  body  of  our  Lord  piven  to  death,  and  his 
 poured-out  blood,  could  not  then  have  been 
 actually  received,  and  yet  were  promised  in 
 such  terms  as  if  they  were  actually  received — 
 so  here.  Both  events  mutually  explain  and 
 confirm  each  other. 
 
 What  a  significant,  pregnant  sign,v!h\c\\  ac- 
 companies the  promise  as  a  preliminary  pledge, 
 as  for  symbolical  interpretation  !  That  in  the 
 Gentile  world  also  spiritual  communication  of 
 energy  and  influence  was  regarded  as  afflat.un 
 numinis,  iniTtvota,  etc.,  is  only  a  most  general 
 and  distant  illustration  of  the  matter.  Spirit, 
 breath,  wind,  breathes  or  blows — Ezek.  xxxvii. 
 9.  The  quickening,  energizing  Spirit  of  God 
 (whether  in  natural  or  spiritual  things)  is 
 called  in    the   Old   Scripture  'T4»-n?^!;0,  Job 
 
 xxxiii.  4— vs-mi,  Psa.  xxxiii.  7— rnsb  nn, 
 
 Isa.  xi.  4.  Thus  when  the  Son  of  God  with 
 the  breath  of  his  mouth  breathes  out  the  Holy 
 Spirit,  this  is  in  its  divine  majesty  altogether 
 parallel  with  that  first  record  concerning  the 
 creation,  when  the  Lord  God  breathed  into 
 man  the  breath  of  life  (Gen.  ii.  7) — after  which 
 passage,  let  it  be  well  observed,  such  a  breath- 
 ing, as  imparting  spirit  or  life,  never  again  oc- 
 curs in  Scripture  as  the  act  of  man.t  (Ezek. 
 xxxvii.  9  is  the  one  only  parallel  between  the 
 Creator  and  the  Picdeemer;  comp.  in  Isa.  xl,  7 
 the  counterpart,  and  in  Ecclus.  vii.  25,  dtfiii 
 Tjji  rov  ^Eov  Swdi-ucci.)  That  which  at  the 
 original  creation  is  recorded  of  God,  with  all 
 its  profound  reality  yet  in   anthropomorphic 
 
 ♦  Wo  may  be  permitted  still  humanly  to  speak 
 of  our  Lord's  disposition  of  mind,  but  not  that  he 
 "  felt  himself  excited  toward  any  thing  " — as  some 
 one  expresses  it. 
 
 t  For  in  1  Kings  xvli.  21  *non»1  is  arbitrarily 
 translated  by  Uie  Sept.  xai  ivi(pv67]6t. 
 
JOHN  XX.  22. 
 
 Tir 
 
 etyle,  that  he  inbreathed  life  with  his  breath,* 
 has  in  the  case  of  the  incarnate  Son  of  God, 
 as  respects  his  glorified  humanity,  penetrated 
 with  divine  life  (not  consummately  so  yet,  but 
 soon  to  be  so) — its  literal,  perfect,  historical 
 reality.  To  testify  this,  the  Lord  performs 
 this  act  now  preliminarily,  in  symbolical  truth 
 as  by  a  true  symbol.  Hence  Cyril  Jerus. 
 (Cati'ch.  xvii.  12),  finds  the  restoration  of  the 
 divine  life  after  the  fall  in  this  "  Sevrepoy 
 ku(pv6i}ua,"  secand  inhreathlng  of  Jesus  ;  and  so 
 Augustine,  de  Civ.  xiii.  24,  combines  profoundly 
 both.  Hence  John  has  used  the  same  expres- 
 sion iyE(pv6T^ds  with  the  Sept.  in  Gen.  ii.  7. 
 It  is  not  merely  that  in  the  former  (as  1  Cor. 
 XV.  45  might  be  incorrectly  interpreted)  the 
 natural,  animal  life  was  inbreathed,  while  here 
 it  was  the  spiritual  and  pneumatic.  There  it 
 was  also  the  immortal  breath  of  the  Almighty, 
 the  communion  of  the  human  spirit  with  the 
 Spirit  of  God;  here  the  restoration,  and  more 
 than  the  restoration,  of  that  which  was  lost  in 
 the  fall.t 
 
 The  Lord  in  his  majesty  does  not  bestow  the 
 hss ;  but  his  sacred  breath,  mightily  felt  far 
 ofT  as  well  as  near,  is  more  than  that  would 
 have  been.  But  with  all  the  majesty  of  this 
 breathing  there  is  a  certain  cordial  familiarity 
 in  the  symbol  of  this  secret  influence  passing 
 from  his  inmost  life  into  their  inmost  life. 
 "  Like  the  Ireath  of  a  friend  on  the  cheek,  so 
 graciously  and  confidenlially  should  the  Spirit 
 of  God  come  upon  the  spirit  of  man" — says 
 Braune,  probably  following  Draseke,  in  whom 
 we  read  somewhat  differently,  "  Gently  like  the 
 breath  of  a  friend,  would  he  signify  that  the 
 fulness  of  the  Spirit  would  follow."  Assuredly, 
 as  Lange  has  observed,  this  breathing  is  •pri- 
 marily "  the  last,  and  most  loving  sign  of  the 
 co7-poreity  of  his  new  life" — as  proof  that  there 
 dwelt  sensible  and  energetic  pov.'er  in  this  body 
 which  they  had  seen  and  felt.t  But  he  imme- 
 diately goes  on  to  term  this  breath  of  his  mouth 
 the  iloly  Spirit,  in  prophetic  promise  to  typify 
 and  show  that  now  when  he  was  exalted  power 
 would  go  forth  from  him  otherwise  than  ever 
 before.  The  breath  of  his  mouth  refers  also  to 
 the  word,  the  medium  of  the  Spirit:  "  It  is  a 
 pure  and  holy  Spirit  who  will  henceforth  speak 
 through  your  lips,  as  hitherto  through  mine  " 
 
 *  Philo :  "  The  evEipvdTjdev  is  equivalent  to 
 kv£nyEv6£Vy  or  the  informinjOf  the  soulless  with 
 a  soul.  But  we  must  not  think  so  unbecomingly 
 of  God  as  that  he  u^ed  the  mouth  or  physical  or- 
 gans in  this  breathing,"  etc. 
 
 f  Yet  according  to  Augustine's  remark,  there  is 
 a  reason  for  Tti'o?}  and  not  7tyev/na  being  used  in 
 Gsn.  ii.,  because  in  the  Hebrew  it  is  n!D'i*J, 
 
 ^  Lange :  "  He  gives  them  to  feel  the  warm 
 breath  of  his  new  life,"  but  we  should  take  ex- 
 ception to  such  a  representation,  as  coming  too 
 near  the  breath  of  a  mortal.  Pfenninger  says,  "  It 
 came  upon  them  like  a  strongly  invigorating  air," 
 But  he  erroneously  regards  the  ten  Apostles  as 
 alone  breathed  -en.  He  certainly  breatlied  on 
 them  altogether  and  at  oace. 
 
 (Hess).  So  Weiss:  "  Tht  same  Spirit  by 
 whom  I  have  always  spoken  to  you,  and  pro- 
 claimed to  you  the  glad  tidings  of  the  king- 
 dom of  God."  But  this  is  far  from  being  all  its 
 meaning;  for  the  breath  of  Christ  promised 
 much  more  than  even  the  words  of  Jesus  could 
 give  before  the  ascension.  It  was  not  merely 
 a  "symbolical  description  of  the  breathing 
 from  heaven"  (Neander),  but  intimated  that 
 the  Spirit  would  thenceforward  actually  and 
 essentially  come  from  the  inmost  life  of  the 
 glorified  Son  of  God  and  Son  of  Man  ;  and  so 
 far  as  proceeding  from  the  Sm.  He  breathed 
 upon  them — "  in  order  to  impart  unto  them 
 with  his  breath  his  life  and  his  love,  his  in- 
 most, his  all"  (G.  K.  Rieger).  Yea,  that 
 which  had  at  this  time  its  initial  truth,  was 
 perfect  reality  after  the  ascension — the  heaven- 
 ly-bodily breath  of  the  Lord's  life  is  itself 
 Spirit  and  divine  energy.  It  is  in  vain  that 
 Miinchmeyer  contradicts  our  exposition  of 
 John  vi.  and  vii.  37,  38,  denying  altogether 
 that  the  notXia  of  Jesus  is  the  o^croS  of  the 
 TtvEvna,  that  is,  that  the  Spirit  comes  from 
 his  inmost  corporeity  to  us ;  for,  not  to  men- 
 tion other  passages,  this  very  hrealhing,  wheth- 
 er viewed  as  symbolically  prophetic  for  the  fu- 
 ture, or  as  actually  influential  at  the  time,  af- 
 fords the  proof  which  has  been  found  wanting 
 for  this  scriptural  doctrine.  C.  H.  Rieger 
 touches  the  point  when  he  says :  "  Jesus  es- 
 tablishes here  the  true  meaning  of  his  human- 
 ity. Not  only  was  it  during  his  life  upon 
 earth  his  appropriate  pilgrim-garment  ;  not 
 only  the  flefh  in  which  he  should  suffer  ;  but  it 
 was  after  his  resurrection  (more  correctly,  from 
 his  resurrection  onwards,  but  periectly  in  his 
 ascension)  so  pervaded  by  his  life-giving  Spirit, 
 (hat  it  sliould  be  for  all  eternity  our  icay  to  God, 
 and  the  medium  through  which  God'a  gracious 
 communications  shotdd  hs  made  to  us." 
 
 Having  gone  so  far  toward  the  understanding 
 of  the  profound  symbol,  we  must  now  attempt 
 to  define  the  medium  between  the  two  extremes; 
 one  of  which  attributes  to  it  the  impartation 
 of  all  power  and  truth,  while  the  other  empties 
 it  of  them  altogether.  Jesus  was  not  yet  fully 
 glorified,  but  he  had  begun  his  glorification: 
 this  .is  the  simple  foundation  of  our  middle 
 view.  It  is  certain  that  the  disciples  did  not 
 receive  the  whole  full  Pentecostal  Spirit;  but 
 "  they  had  a  preparatory  pledge  of  the  Holy 
 Spirit,"*  before  its  richer  outpouring,  as  in  a 
 v/ider  sense  (2  Cor.  i.  22).  Their  weakness 
 and  ignorance  yet  remained  in  part;  and  when 
 Kinkel  alleges  "  the  mighty  word  and  act  of 
 
 *  Meyer.  This  probably  was  intended  to  be 
 meant  by  TfvExJi.ia  ayiov  without  the  article. 
 Hofmann  (Schriftb.  II.  i.  376)  lays  emphasis  upon 
 the  fact  that  breathing  upon  is  not  breathing  info  ; 
 and  in  general  ho  is  right,  while  he  maintains  that 
 they  received  something.  But  when  he  intimates 
 that  the  breath  did  not  enter  into  them,  we  know 
 not  how  he  can  really  mean  that  ihey  received 
 aught.  What  they  received  was  a  breathing  upon 
 their  itiner  man. 
 
750 
 
 FIRST  APPEARANCE  TO  THE  APOSTLES. 
 
 Peter  at  the  choice  of  an  Apostle  before  the  day  ' 
 of  Pentecost,"  he  overlooks  (with  most  others') 
 that  tliis  uncalled  for  and  unratified  choice  was  ' 
 a  final  example  of  his  presumption  and  misnn- 
 derstandina*  On  the  other  hand,  it  is  equally 
 certam,  as  Alever  says  :  "Jesus  stood  now  in 
 the  Spirit,  1  Tim.  iii.  16,"  that  is,  in  a  sense 
 which  harmonizes  with  Acts  ii.  23;  conse- 
 quentlv  his  breathing  was  not  altosether  empty 
 or  inetHcient,  it  was  no  mere  token  of  a  pro- 
 mise, but  carried  with  it  as  the  pledge  of  a 
 future  fulness  the  beginnings  and  the  first- 
 fruits  of  tlie  gift.f  "  Christ  completes  the  as- 
 surance of  the  resurrection  in  their  hearts, 
 when  he  breathes  upon  them.  But  this  con- 
 summation is  the  fulfillment  of  the  prepara- 
 tion of  their  inner  life  for  the  reception  of  the 
 Spirit,  and  the  beginning  itself  of  the  commu- 
 nication of  that  Spirit.  As  soon  as  the  life  of 
 the  Christ  stands  consummate  before  their 
 souls,  it  begins  as  Spirit  to  come  upon  them- 
 selves." So  far  we  accord  with  Lange;  but 
 when  Olshausen  would  teach  us  that  the  com- 
 munication of  the  Spirit  to  the  disciples  must 
 generally  be  "viewed  as  in  fvogressivc  increase," 
 we  cannot  appropriate  this  unhappy  expres- 
 sion, but  must  leave  the  great  fact  of  Pente- 
 cost ail  its  full  significance,  and  say  more  cau- 
 tiously with  Neander  that  the  divine  influence 
 connected  with  this  breathing  is  "  an  impor- 
 tant mediatinfi  memler  between  the  first  pro- 
 mise and  its  fulfillment."  This  also  is  Lange's 
 meaning,  when  he  speaks  of  a  "  previous  con- 
 dition and  point  of  connection  for  the  coming 
 miracle  of  Pentecost."  Thus  we  have  in  this 
 partly  prophetic,  partly  already  influential 
 inq)i'.6i]itay  recorded  by  the  esoteric  Gospel, 
 which  includes  all  the  more  mysterious  begin- 
 nings, nothing  but  a  concentrated  expression 
 for  the  whole  influence  of  the  forty  days,  as  it 
 was  a  necessary  middle  term  before  the  Pente- 
 cost, assuring,  comforting,  and  preparing  their 
 hearts.  If  this  was  what  Hofmann  meant  by 
 his  somewhat  inadequate  expression,  that "  this 
 preliminary  impartalion  served  for  thestrength- 
 ening  of  their  penonal  faith,  and  the  Pente- 
 costal gift  made  them  capable  of  their  great 
 testimony" — v/e  agree  with  him.  But  Braune 
 has  most  appropriately  spoken  of  this  ■.  •"  If 
 the  day  of  Pentecost  was  the  birthday  of  the 
 Holy  Spirit  in  the  hearts  of  the  disciples,  this 
 was  the  time  of  his  conception  with  them.'"| 
 
 *  See  what  is  said  upon  this  in  my  Jieden  dcr 
 ApoHtd,  j.  18-21,  a  view  wiiich  I  am  unable  lo  re- 
 tract. 
 
 f  Meanwhile  we  cannot  sc-ipturally  spealt  of 
 eirlier  first  fruits  of  the  New-Testament  nvev/ia 
 ayiov,  not  even  at  the  mission  of  Matt.  x. ;  tor 
 the  power  of  miracles  is  not  the  power  of  the 
 S[)ir;t,  and  so  vice  versa.  Glassins  was  wrong 
 when  he  said :  "  This  is  to  be  received  of  the  in- 
 crease (.f  the  fiifts  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  for  they  had 
 already  received  the  first  fruits.  When  he  used  a 
 new  symbol,  ho  bi)eak3  as  if  Ihcy  then  first  re- 
 ceived it." 
 
 ^  This  is  more  accurate   than  the  two  loose 
 
 For,  although  in  fact  the  power  from  on  high 
 came  upon  them  at  once,  the  susceptibility  for 
 it  must  have  been  gradually  prei)ared  in  the 
 depths  of  their  hearts;  and  in  this  sense  Braune 
 is  right:  "That  which  s'/chfenly  comes  is  always 
 gradually  prepared  for."  But  this  is  not  one 
 and  the  same  with  progressive  advancement: 
 as  according  to  2  Cor.  i.  22,  the  consummate 
 gift  of  the  Spirit  after  the  day  of  Pentecost 
 was  itself  only  a  pledge  of  future  fulness  ;  so 
 analogously  the  quickening  which  the  disciples 
 experienced  from  the  Risen  Lord,  was  only  the 
 pledfjje  of  the  Pentecostal  gift. 
 
 We  have  said  that  the  inbreathing  Receive 
 must  be  viewed  first  of  all  only  as  symbolical, 
 this  being  intended  with  relerence  to  the  per- 
 fect Pentecostal  reception  ;  that  being  the  case 
 it  is  no  contradiction  when  we  now,  on  the 
 other  hand,  maintnjn  that  it  bestowed  a  pre- 
 paratory power  and  experience.  The  disciples 
 received  in  the  breath  of  Jesus  the  "  Holy 
 Ghost,"  not,  however,  the  promiserl  Spirit,  the 
 Paraclete,  but  something  mediating  between 
 the  word  of  Jesus  upon  earth  and  the  Spirit  of 
 Pentecost,  an  aVar/a;^;/ and  so  far  an  anticipa- 
 tion of  the  promise.  In  this  view  Luthardt  is 
 sound. 
 
 On  the  other  hand,  inasmuch  as  the  Apostles 
 were  not  assembled  alone,  and  consequently 
 were  not  alone  breathed  upon  and  further  ad- 
 dressed, the  exclusive  reference  of  this  gitt  to 
 the  Apostles  alone  which  has  been  common 
 from  the  earliest  times,  is  altogether  inappro- 
 priate. Von  Gerlach  very  positively  advocates 
 that  view,  however :  "This  first  iwpartation 
 of  the  Holy  Spirit  has  regard  to  the  apostolical 
 office,  to  the  founding  and  government  of  the 
 Church  immediately  ;  and  the  Lord  here  com- 
 municates the  apostolical  official  gift."  Here 
 again  a  distinction  has  been  made,  as  by  Chrys., 
 Cyril,  and  others:  to  wit,  tiiat  now  at  first 
 the  power  and  gift  was  bestowed  for  '.he  for- 
 giveness of  sins  with  reference  to  the  internal, 
 spiritual  government  of  the  Church  ;  while  the 
 day  of  Pentecost  added  the  spiritual  endow- 
 ments which  worked  outwardly,  the  power  of 
 miracles,  the  gift  of  tongues,  etc.  But  we  are 
 not  permitted  to  understand  by  the  "  Holy 
 Spirit"  here  solely  the  former,  nor  at  the  day 
 of  Pentecost  solely  the  latter;  and  such  a  divis- 
 ion is  generally  untenable  (as  Liicke  rightly 
 says)  ;  nor  does  it  at  all  appear  why  that  one 
 portion  of  the  gift  should  have  been  bestowed 
 upon  the  Apostles  before  the  foundation  of  the 
 Church.  We  think  that  our  exposition  has 
 left  no  room  for  these  erroneous  thoughts. 
 
 The  ILhj  Spirit,  by  which  he  living  before 
 their  eyes,  not  a  "  spirit"  appearing  as  they 
 had  tho\ight,  who  had  been  dead  and  was  alivo 
 again,  whose  body  and  wounds  they  had  touch- 
 expressions  of  Steinmeyer's  otlierwise  benutiful 
 sermon  (ii,  114):  "Supposing  that  the  receivers 
 themselves  did  not  use  the  treasure,  that  they 
 scarcely  felt  it  as  a  liviiif;  gift,  and  tliat  it  Iny  un- 
 sealed in  their  hearls— yet  had  they  received  it  in 
 fact  and  truth." 
 
JOHN  XX.  23. 
 
 751 
 
 ed,  now  breatlies  tensibhj  upon  them — is  no 
 epirit  of  deception,  no  doubtful  matter  for 
 future  dia\oyi6i.iovi,  but  the  most  assured 
 experience.  This  also  is  typified  by  the  symbol 
 for  the  future,  as  it  is  also  sealed  to  them  al- 
 ready in  the  present.  So  also  it  is  typified, 
 that  the  influence  of  the  Holy  Spirit  must  be 
 received  by  an  independent  receptivity,  going 
 ont  to  meet  it.  But  this  last  less  in  the  symbol 
 of  the  breath  which  came  upon  them,  than  in 
 tho  explanatory  and  accompanying  word  re- 
 ceive, which  is  to  be  understood  just  as  we 
 understood  the  same  word  at  the  Lord's  Supper 
 as  pointing  to  that  truth.*  Yea  in  this  Ee- 
 ceive  ye  we  may  perceive  the  true  interpretation 
 of  the  whole  once  more  confirmed,  as  if  it 
 should  say — Be  ye,  become  ye,  from  this  time 
 forward,  through  this  demonstration  of  my  liv- 
 ing before  yoa,  susceptible  for  the  promised  Holy 
 Spirit. 
 
 This  brings  us  to  ver.  23,  the  words  of  which 
 describe  the  future  demonstration  of  the  power 
 of  the  Spirit  in  themselves — not,  however,  by 
 the  detailed  exhibition  of  prerogatives,  but  by 
 showing  their  kernel  and  centre,  around  which 
 a  periphery  of  various,  and  otherwise  evident, 
 demonstrations  would  revolve.  For  if  the 
 true  peace,  which  he  utters  and  gives  to  them, 
 is  in  its  ground  the  same  with  the  grace  of 
 God,  the  forgiveness  of  sins,  so  the  really  highest 
 authority  of  the  messengers  and  bringers  of 
 this  peace  is  no  other  than  the  impartation  of 
 this  forgiveness.  This  was  to  be  the  Spirit's 
 authority  in  them  over  hearts,  the  gift  of 
 higher  power  for  the  gathering,  the  consolida- 
 tiun,  the  furthering  of  the  Church  ;  but  since 
 in  the  world,  and  not  only  so  but  also  in  the 
 Church,  the  power  of  sin  would  continue  its 
 opposition,  and  all  would  not  be  capable  of  or 
 prepared  for  forgiveness,  the  correlative  au- 
 thority to  deny  grace  and  retain  sin  must  ne- 
 cessarily be  added.  Thus  Christ  himself  had  in 
 the  world,  as  also  in  the  apostolical  company, 
 done  both;  and  thushencelorward  his  disciples 
 were  to  act  in  his  place.  (The  ay  coming  first, 
 like  r'/y,  contracted  of  tdy,  which  is  Lach- 
 mann's  readmg.)  It  might  appear  that  dcpi'r.w 
 rai  (pret.  instead  of  dtpelyrat,  as  in  Acts 
 dqiswKa,  see  Winer,  I  xiv.  3)  should  be  pre- 
 ferred, according  to  Lachmann,  because  then  it 
 would  run  parallel  with  xEHpdzrjyzai.  Lucke 
 thinks  that  the  perfects  are  absolutely  neces- 
 sary, because  the  meaning  was  to  be — What  ye 
 remit  or  retain,  remains  thereby  remitted  or  re- 
 tained before  God.  But  there  "may  be  involved 
 a  prorjresi  in  the  strength  of  the  expression  : 
 first,  What  ye  retain  is  retained  ;  then,  stronger 
 still,  What  ye  remit  is  aircadi/  remitted.  The 
 sense,  however,  is  clear,  and  the  same  in  both. f 
 Kpareiy,  to  hold  fast  or  hold  back,  corresponds 
 
 *  "  The  Spirit  is  a  gift,  my  gift.  Ye  can  only 
 receive;  I  alono  impart.  Bat  receive,  and  neglect 
 not ;  for  ye  need  it "  (Diaseke). 
 
 t  Cut  the  remittentur  of  the  Vulg.  is  incorrect, 
 as  if  the  remittere  of  the  disciples  was  t\ie  preceding 
 cause  of  the  divine  remission. 
 
 to  the  Heb.  "IVJ^,  which  the  Sept.  expresses 
 now  by  xpaTEly,  now  by  dsslv ;  and  as  the 
 opposite  is  perfectly  plain.  Thus  much  for  the 
 words ;  and  now  for'the  matter  itself,  in  which 
 two  all-comprehending  questions  arise :  2b 
 whom  is  this  authority  committed?  and,  IIow  is 
 it  exercised? 
 
 As  to  the  first,  there  is  not  the  slightest  inti- 
 mation in  the  text  that  this  authority  was  to 
 be  an  exclusive  prerogative  of  the  Apostles ;  the 
 reference  back  to  Matt.  xvi.  19,  xviii.  18  (where 
 according  to  the  connection  the  forgiving  or 
 the  retaining  of  sins  must  be  included),  shows 
 very  plainly  that  those  who  were  here  present 
 received  it  as  the  representatives  of  the  whole, 
 and  also  as  the  representatives  of  the  future 
 Church  of  Christ.  That  afterwards,  in  fact,  the 
 specific  gift  of  the  discernment  of  spirits  (which 
 however,  according  to  1  Cor.  xii.  10,  was  not 
 their  exclusive  prerogative),  placed  the  Apostles 
 especially  in  a  condition  to  act,  as  respects 
 the  retaining  of  the  sins  of  individuals  more 
 particularly,  with  self-evidencing  authority  in 
 the  government  of  the  Church,  is  a  matter 
 apart,  and  not  lying  in  these  words,  any  more 
 than  they  speak  of  the  Apostles'  miraculous 
 authority  to  decree  punishment  and  doom. 
 Consequently  the  passage  knows  nothing  of  a 
 priesthood  of  successors  of  the  Apostles  elevated 
 above  the  Church,  such  as  the  Eomanist  expo- 
 sition finds  in  it,*  and  also  too  many  Lutherans 
 are  fast  coming  to  find.  It  is  easy  enough  to 
 confute  the  consequence  drawn  from  it  (see  ia 
 Sepp  that  the  institution  of  ecclesiastical  con- 
 fession  and  penance  must  be  pre-supposed, 
 since  "  without  this  the  authority  imparted  by 
 Cnrist  would  be  incapable  of  realization)."  For, 
 first,  how  is  it  said  by  this  £  d  v  and  r  i  r  c5  k, 
 ("  whosesoever"),  that  to  any  individual  mem- 
 ber of  the  Church  either  remission  or  retention 
 of  sin  must  b3  declared?  The  aulhority,  in- 
 deed, rather  extends  beyond  the  limits  of  the 
 Church  into  the  world  without  also.  He  who 
 has  received  the  Spirit  will  assuredly  remit  or 
 retain  the  sin  in  each  individual  case  only  ac- 
 cording to  the  truth  of  God's  Spirit,  only  when 
 he  is  rendered  capable  of  doing  so  either  by 
 confession  received  by  word  or  witnessed  in  the 
 life,  or  as  in  the  case  of  the  Apostles,  through  a 
 supernatural  insight  into  hearts  ;  but  when  he 
 has  no  certainty  the  Holy  Spirit  will  teach  hira 
 to  withhold  himself  from  any  individual  appli- 
 cation.f     We  must  not  rend  the  passage  from 
 
 *  In  the  Com.  Trident.  Scss.  xiv.  cap.  3,  the  insti- 
 tution of  the  .sacrament  of  penance  is  establislied 
 by  the  passage,  "as  declaring  in  plain  words  that 
 this  authority  was  given  to  the  Apostles  and  their 
 legitimate  successors."  The  appeal  made  to  the 
 universorum  consensus  Patniin  lias  no  lorce  for  us, 
 and  moreover  it  is  baseless, 
 
 t  Oetinger  (in  the  Wbrterb.  p.  251)  appropriates 
 the  binding  and  loosing  to  the  Church,  and  says  : 
 "  The  chief  thing  here  is  a  sure  judgment  :  that  we 
 know,  without  swelling  wordsof  vanity  (Jude  16), 
 without  youthful  precipitance,  that  as  we  judge 
 here  it  is  judged  in  heaven.    But  to  this  essential- 
 
752 
 
 FIRST  APPEARANCE  TO  THE  APOSTLES. 
 
 its  essential  connection  with  ver.  22,  which 
 makes  ver.  23  mean — If  ye,  after  ye  have  re- 
 ceived the  Spirit,  through  ray  Spirit  and  in  my 
 place  forg've  the  sins  of  any,  etc.  It  is  not, 
 therefore,  the  office  or  position  which  acts,  but 
 the  possession  of  the  Spirit.  That  which  had 
 never  before  been  ascribed  to  any  prophet 
 throughout  the  Scripture  is  now  given  to  every 
 disciple  of  Jesus  according  to  the  measure  of 
 his  participation  in  the  Spirit  of  Jesus.  "  The 
 Redeemer  commits  the  forgiveness  of  sins  to 
 sanct'ifieil  personalUies."  This  excellent  word  of 
 Braune  strikes  at  the  root  of  the  unscriptural 
 and  most  irrelevant  assertion  of  Klee  :  "  It 
 cannot  be  said  that  this  authority  is  in  any 
 sense  conditioned  by  the  life  of  the  successors 
 of  the  Apostles,  or  by  the  manifestation  of  the 
 Spirit  in  themselves  ;  for  the  Spirit  works  by 
 them  and  lives  in  their  dispensation  of  the 
 mysteries,  though  he  may  not  be  in  their 
 general  life.  As  this  holds  good  of  baptism,  so 
 must  it  hold  good  of  the  sacrament  of  absolu- 
 tion." There  is  absolutely  no  evidence  what- 
 ever for  any  such  "  sacrament  "  as  committed 
 to  any  such  "  successors."*  As  every  Christian 
 should  look  upon  himself  as  sent  by  Christ  into 
 the  world  to  bear  witness  to  his  truth,  and 
 carry  his  message  of  peace,  if  and  as  far  as  he 
 is  a  partaker  of  his  Spirit,  so  he  has  likewise 
 his  portion  in  the  prerogative  attached  to  that 
 privilege,  of  uttering  the  forgiveness  of  sins  or 
 pronouncing  his  repelling  testimony.  Where 
 there  is  forgiveness  of  sins  there  is  also  the 
 breathing  of  the  Holy  Spirit ;  and  where  he  is 
 there  is  always,  tliough  in  diverse  degrees,  the 
 authority,  power,  insight,  and  experience  which 
 are  requisite  in  order  to  declare  forgiveness  of 
 eins  to  others  in  the  name  of  the  Lord.  The 
 sure  knowledge  of  men  and  of  the  human 
 heart,  derived  from  deep  inward  experience  of 
 our  own  heart,  and  the  enlightenment  of  the 
 Holy  Spirit,  alone  qualifies  us  for  this  priest- 
 hood. He  who  has  that  is  as  much  a  "  spirit- 
 ual" man  as  any  other,  and  when  he  assumes 
 the  prerogative  which  is  here  bestowed  upon 
 him,  the  Lord  will  confirm  it,  however  much  it 
 
 ]y  belongs  deep  experience  in  the  fear  of  God  and 
 tlie  gravity  of  age.  Children  and  youths  should 
 not  dare  to  hazard  such  judgments. 
 
 *  In  this  way  Lutz  {Bthl.  Dogm.  p.  448)  speaks 
 well  on  this  matter:  "  The  Apostles  are  conceived 
 of  as  filled  with  the  Holy  Spirit,  wider  which  condi- 
 tion it  is  quite  true.  All  tlie-.e  representations 
 have  on  the  one  ^ide  the  actual  in  view,  the  sin  of 
 individual  persons  ;  on  the  other  side,  they  regard 
 the  ideal  (a  condition  which  should  be)  in  the 
 Church  and  the  bearers  of  the  declaration  of  the  word, 
 the  Apostles.  The  idea  of  the  Clinrch  is  through- 
 out kept  before  our  eyes,  and  it  cannot  therefore 
 be  rightly  regarded  as  an  external  ordinance.  We 
 shall  not  enter  more  largely  into  the  conflicting 
 theories  of  our  new  Lutherans  toucliing  the  niin- 
 istiy  and  its  prerogatives  ;  but  simply  refer  for  all 
 essentials  to  U>e  treatises  of  Krahnnr  in  the 
 Deulsch.  Zcitsch.—l\\a.i  concerning  the  office  cener- 
 ally  (1852  and  1 854 \  that  concerning  absolution 
 in  parUcalar  (1861,  No.  49-61)." 
 
 may  appear  to  be  a  nudum  minuterium,  as  op- 
 posed to  the  hierarchy.  Any  of  the  least  of 
 those  who  believe  on  Jesus  might  apply  to  me 
 the  consolation  of  grace  with  more  spiritual 
 power  than  one  of  the  greatest  of  unbelieving 
 priests  in  his  official  garments.  For  wca'led 
 spiritual  men,  who  are  puffed  out  with  the 
 spirit  of  the  world,  can  breathe  out  only  the 
 spirit  of  the  world  again — as  Gossner  says. 
 Most  evil  it  is  that  the  authority  of  the  ke'ys 
 should  be  committed  with  their  ordination  to 
 such  men  ;  and  far  better  than  such  usurpation, 
 that  those  who  are  personally  incapable  of  it, 
 because  unsanctified,  should  go  even  to  the  op- 
 posite extreme,  and  renouncing  the  solemn  com- 
 mission of  Christ,  leave  whatever  power  it  may 
 involve  to  the  Apostles  themselves — thinking 
 it  with  Hezel  "  most  unbecoming  that  this  pass- 
 age should  be  referred  to  our  present  minis- 
 ters." 
 
 All  this  has  led  us  slightly  to  anticipate  the 
 answer  to  the  second  of  the  questions  before 
 mentioned,  and  to  show  that  we  certainly  ac- 
 knowledge the  special  apylication  of  tlie  judg- 
 ment concerning  forgiven  or  retained  sins  to 
 individual  and  definite  persons.  The  Council 
 of  Trent  has,  indeed,  imposed  its  anathema 
 upon  any  man  who  shall  say  that  these  words 
 are  not  to  be  understood  of  the  "  sacrament  of 
 penance" — "but  shall  pervert  them,  contrary 
 to  the  institution  of  this  sacrament,  into  the 
 merQ  authority  to  preach  the  Qospel."  But  this 
 does  not  terrify  us,  and  we  say,  with  exegetical 
 consciousness,  in  Calvin's  words  :  "  Nor  is  this 
 power  of  remitting  sins  to  be  separated  from 
 that  office  of  teaching  with  which  it  is  united 
 in  the  context " — that  is,  in  the  gending  of  ver. 
 21,  which  primarily  meant  their  testimony.  Fur- 
 ther, does  not  its  application  to  the  person  pre- 
 suppose the  general  testimony  of 'preaching, 
 according  to  the  norm  of  which  this  preroga- 
 tive is  now  used  ?  Do  not  this  general  testi- 
 mony which  precedes,  and  this  specific  declara- 
 tion which  follows,  coincide  and  become  one 
 in  the  office  of  the  Spirit?  To  take  away  the 
 preaching,  and  assert  the  office  of  the  keys, 
 can  lead  only  to  unspiritual  and  blind  caprice. 
 What  is  absolution,  now  but  "  the  Gospel,  spo- 
 ken to  an  individual  man?"*  Thus  we  may 
 and  we  must  certainly  at  first  understand  it  as 
 if  it  ran  :  Qualibus — to  whomsoever  in  general 
 we  announce  the  remission  of  sins,  etc.  For 
 the  testimony  in  the  preaching — Those  who 
 thus  and  thus  believe  and  live  have  forgive- 
 ness, but  none  else — is  the  necessary  first  exer- 
 
 *  As  Luther  says',  Wirke,  xvi.  2174.  This  single 
 kernel-word  disposes  of  all  the  attempts  made  by 
 "  Lutherans  "  to  elevate  absolution  into  a  specific 
 prerogative  of  office.  MUnchmeyer  holds  to  such 
 a  prerogative,  and  laments  that  I  deny  it  to  the 
 sacred  ( ffice.  He  may  charge  me  with  being  nn- 
 Lutheran  if  he  will,  but  "unscriptural"  I  must 
 decVne  to  admit :  2  Cor.  v.  18,  and  Eph.  iv.  11, 
 speak  of  the  ministry  of  the  word  generally,  but 
 uotiiinff  of  any  tacrament  cf  absolution  restiug  upon 
 a  specific  prerugalivt)  of  office. 
 
JOHN  XX.  26-29. 
 
 '785 
 
 cise  of  the  sp'ri'-Dal  authority  here  entrusted, 
 without  &ny  applic3.tion  as  yet  to  individuals, 
 for  they  must  appropriate  it  for  themselves  to 
 their  own  consciences.*  But  then  it  is  not 
 right  to  go  no  further  than  this  ;  he  who  only 
 thus  understands  the  word  of  Christ  does  not 
 yield  it  its  full  rights.  The  direct  appeal — 
 Thou  art  the  man  !  must  not  be  wanting;  it  is 
 that  which  completes  the  power  of  preaching 
 to  the  individual"  heart.  Thus  it  is  also :  Qui- 
 hus,  to  those  to  whom  ye  remit,  or  retain,  etc., 
 in  the  specifically  so  termed  power  of  the  keys. 
 That  the  application  to  individuals  which  fol- 
 lows upon  the  universal  preaching  is  plainly 
 involved  in  the  rivo^y,  and  indeed  made  promi- 
 nent, we  have  already  acknowledged  in  Matt, 
 xvi.  But  let  this  be  well  understood.  The 
 divine  forgiveness  or  retaining  of  sins  is  not 
 made  so  altogether  dependent  upon  human 
 mediation  and  witness,  that  it  might  be  said — 
 Only  those  whom  ye  forgive  are  forgiven,  etc. 
 But  if  one  who  is  truly  authorized  in  the  Spirit 
 testifies  to  any  man  his  forgiveness,  that  word 
 shall  be  valid  though  ten  thousand  liars  con- 
 demn him;  if  such  a  one  retains  his  sin,  it 
 shall  be  retained,  though  ten  thousand  liars 
 should  acquit  him.  This  is  a  prerogative  of 
 the  Spirit  of  truth  which  our  Lord  has  impart- 
 ed to  his  disciples — a  prerogative  as  elevated  as 
 it  is  self-approving  through  all  ages  of  time. 
 But  that  which  belongs  to  the  whole  disciple- 
 ship  and  Church  together,  and  to  every  be- 
 liever and  possessor  of  the  Spirit,  is  indeed  to 
 be  exercised  as  a  rule,  in  the  ministry  of  an 
 office.  But  whatever  may  be  said  of  that,  the 
 authority  is  so  earnestly  and  solemnly  intended 
 that  the  Lord  calls  the  testimony  of  the  dis- 
 ciples themselves  an  actual  forgiving  and  re- 
 taining, the  validity  of  which  is  thus  as  it  were 
 self-understood:  idv  dcpiJTEy   dgjievrai   (or 
 
 with  the  reading  d(psa>vrett  ^hich  makes  the 
 full  parallel) — kdv  xpcxTTJre,  KSHpdrrjyrat.* 
 For  it  is  indeed  himself  who  by  the  Spirit  in 
 and  from  them  testifies  and  effects  this. 
 
 Finally,  in  this  is  included  as  a  final  conse- 
 quence that  which  many  have  strangely  made 
 the  sole  exposition — the  right  and  authority  of 
 the  Apostles  first,  and  then  of  all  rulers  and 
 officials,  in  the  Church's  name  and  the  Lord's 
 to  receive  into  the  Church  by  the  declaration  of 
 God's  grace  ;  or,  by  the  denial  of  it  (never  of 
 course  unconditionally  absolute)  to  exclude 
 from  the  fellowship  of  the  communion,  and  to 
 refuse  that  fellowship  in  baptism. t  But  it  ap- 
 pears further  from  this  that  the  words  do  not 
 speak  of  any  one-sided  government  with  its  ex- 
 communications, and  without  the  assembling 
 of  the  Church  ;  as  also  that  for  such  a  case  as  is 
 recorded  in  1  Cor.  xi.  29  the  distributor  himself 
 is  not  always  to  be  regarded  as  responsible. 
 
 Thus  we  trust  that  we  have,  with  as  much 
 conciseness  as  possible,  done  enough  in  the  ex- 
 position of  this  most  important  word  of  our 
 Lord  for  the  further  development  of  his  mean- 
 ing by  his  devout  people.  It  was  a  Spirit- word, 
 speaking  of  the  authority  and  power  of  the 
 Holy  Spirit  to  be  received  in  the  future  ;  and  as 
 it  were  a  continuous  breathing  forth  of  aspira- 
 tion toward  the  future  spiritual  dominion  of  the 
 Holy  Spirit  over  the  sin  which  opposes  the 
 kingdom  of  God  in  the  world.  With  this  word 
 concerning  the  8pirit,]ie  vanishes,  he  withdraws 
 his  bodily  appearance  into  invisibility  again. 
 It  is  thus  that  we  understand  and  interpret  the 
 sudden  breaking  off  of  John,  for  that  which  fol- 
 lows in  Mark  and  Lukc^  was  not  spoken  at  the 
 first  appearance ;  we  shall  find  that  it  is  only 
 their  summary  report  of  what  was  spoken 
 afterwards. 
 
 SECOND  APPEARANCE  TO  THE  APOSTLES,  THOMAS  BEING  PRESENT. 
 (John  xx.  26-29.) 
 
 Thomas,  one  of  the  twelve,  to  whom  the  mis- 
 eion  in  the  consecration  of  the  Spirit  assuredly 
 pertained,  received  it  not  yet,  and  appears  to  be 
 excluded ;  for  he  was  not  with  them  when 
 Jesus  came.  This  is  John's  simple  statement; 
 he  leaves  to  our  own  thoughts  the  investigation 
 of  the  reason.  But  may  we  at  once  say  ( with 
 many)  that  he  was  "  acidentally  "  absent,  or 
 (with  Grotius)  that  he  was  "  occupied  with 
 some  imaginable  business?"  That  would  tempt 
 us  to  speak  further  in  the  spirit  of  the  Berlen. 
 Bibel  of  "  the  misfortune  for  him  that  he  was 
 
 *  "  The  office  is  instiluLed  that  it  may  announce 
 by  divine  commission  what  brings  salvation,  and 
 delivers  and  makes  the  soul  happy ;  what  also 
 leads  to  perdition,  and  retains  the  soul  in  bondage 
 and  misery  "  (Bunsen,  Kirche  der  Zukunft,  p.  92.) 
 
 not  present,"  and  by  thus  lamenting  the  un- 
 happy accident  derange  the  proper  point  of  view 
 for  the  whole  narrative.  But  it  is  by  no  means 
 imaginable  that  on  this  day,  when  the  disciples 
 were  driven  together  by  all  events  in  the  in- 
 tensest  suspense  and  expectation,  any  kind  of 
 business  would  detain  one  of  the  twelve  from 
 this  most  important  assembly  ;  or,  if  we  can 
 
 *  There  is  no  ground  for  Lampe's  attempt  to 
 soften  the  words  by  distinguishing  between  "  re- 
 misso  piffiparatoria"  and  "remissio  peremtoria" 
 Ilollaz,  more  correctly  spoke  of  "  potestes  ai.  ro- 
 Hparoptw)  end  ^lanoviw),  so  jhat  even  the  lat- 
 ter x&zWv  forgives  sins  opyaviH^?. 
 
 t  For  without  the  sanction  of  the  power  of  the 
 keys  the  sacrament  could  not  be  administered— 
 as  Nitzsch  says  in  bis  Trak(.  Theol. 
 
754 
 
 SECOND  APPEARANCE  TO  THE  APOSTLES. 
 
 suppose,  this  to  have  been  the  case  for  a  few 
 moments,  that  the  Lord  would  strangely  come 
 at  that  very  time  when  one  was  wanting.  On 
 the  oAer  hand,  it  is  highly  natural,  and  John's 
 concise  words  seem  to  regard  it  as  self-evident, 
 that  the  cause  of  this  absence,  which  deserved 
 this  exclusion,  should  be  sought  in  the  personal 
 disposition  and  tone  of  feeling  of  Thomas  him- 
 self. Even  the  repetition  of  6  Xsyo/nEyoi  Ji- 
 6vuoi,  "called  Didymus"  (which  was  other- 
 wise needless),  seems  to  point  back  to  the  first 
 characterization  of  this  one  among  the  twelve 
 in  chap.  xi.  16.  The  three  passages  in  which 
 Thomas  appears  (chap.  xi.  16,  xiv.  5,  and  this 
 one)  exhibit  to  us,  in  connection  with  the  most 
 internal  love  to  Jesus,  a  certain  specific  tenden- 
 cy to  morbid  feeling  which  takes  thought  for  the 
 worst  contingency,  and  (as  the  ground  or  con- 
 comitant of  this)  a  harsh  and  critical  zeal  of  in- 
 vesitigation  and  doubt  in  things  which  concern 
 the  faith  of  the  feeling.  His  inward  feeling  was 
 not  a  filial  one,  we  must  say  ;  his  desire  to  know 
 was  too  rationalizing ;  his  profound  emotion  of 
 love  was  mingled  with  melancholy  doubt ;  and 
 with  all  this  combination  Thomas  was  a  highly 
 energetic  character,  holding  fast  his  peculiari- 
 ties, whose  way  in  all  things  was  the  hard  and 
 troubled  way.  Accordingly  it  is  probable  al- 
 most to  certainty  that  on  the  day  of  the  resurrec- 
 tion  he  least  of  all  believed  the  intelligence: 
 that  he  isolated  himself  in  the  sorrow  of  dea'h 
 with  strong  and  wilful  decision  of  woe;  and 
 consequently  that  by  his  own  fault  he  lost  the 
 first  word  of  peace  and  the  breathing  which  fol- 
 lowed it.*  Thus  it  was  that  the  same  man 
 who  once  would  die  with  Jesus  continues  reso- 
 lutely in  the  same  mind,  and,  as  much  as  in 
 him  lies,  will  not  rise  again  with  Jesus.  Thus 
 the  spirit  of  doubt,  of  dismay,  and  of  despond- 
 ency had  isolated  and  distracted  this  soul  so  far 
 that  Thomas  went  comfortless  his  own  way — 
 as  Lange  says,  and  as  the  Bsd.  Bihel  hints — 
 "  Distraction  of  mind  and  wilful  separation 
 find  little  blessing."  But,  finally,  this  caprice 
 and  self-will  of  the  disciple  was  subject  to  that 
 higher  guidance  which  subordinates  every  in- 
 dividual thing  to  the  good  of  each  and  of  all  ; 
 we  must  say  also  (with  Gregory  the  Great) 
 that  all  this  both  m  its  beginning  and  issue 
 was  not  fortuitous,  but  took  place  according 
 to  a  divine  and  overruling  providence  :  "  Su- 
 
 *  But  not  as  Augustine,  Bede,  and  others  as- 
 sumed, wrongly  ptessing  the  eleven  of  Luke  xxiv. 
 S3,  that  alter  the  Emmaus  intellisence  he  went 
 away  almost  in  scorn  because  of  these  deceptions  : 
 tiiis  is  not  conceivable  in  itself,  nor  is  it  to  be  recon- 
 ciled with  the  connection  in  Luke.  Nor  does  tlie 
 Evpov  of  Luke  relate,  as  Lampe  supposes,  that 
 Thomas  had  been  earlier  wiih  them,  but  was  no 
 longer  ihf  I e  when  the  di'^ciples  came  from  Eiu- 
 mins.  But  least  of  all  can  we  tolerate  the  notion 
 of  B  -Ciusius  that  the  isolating  incredulity  of  the 
 morbid  doubter  amounted  to  an  absolute  abandon- 
 ment of  the  cause  of  Christ :  "  lie  regarded  him- 
 self afier  the  death  of  Jesus  as  sundered  from  the 
 comiiany  of  the  disciples :  their  tociety  had  tw 
 longer  any  mtaning  for  him," 
 
 preme  mercy  so  wonderfully  ordered  it,  tliat 
 that  doubting  disciple,  when  he  touched  the 
 wounds  of  his  Master's  body,  healed  in  us  the 
 wounds  of  unbelief;  for  the  incredulity  of 
 Thomas  has  been  more  profitable  to  our  faith 
 than  the  faith  of  the  believing  disciples.'"'' 
 
 That  his  unbelief,  which  he  holds  fast  against 
 the  unanimous  testimony  of  all,  was  not  a  ma- 
 lignant and  damnable  unbelief,  is  proved  by 
 all  that  is  elsewhere  recorded  of  him,  and  es- 
 pecially by  the  immediate  sequel,  in  which  the 
 Lord  graciously  shames  him,  and  yet  shows 
 him  compassion.  He  was,  as  Tholuck  says, 
 "  a  critical  nature — one  of  those  prudent  and 
 incredulous  spirits  which  must  always  feel  the 
 ground  upon  which  they  are  called  to  walk, 
 and  who  dare  to  make  no  spring  over  the  pit 
 which  they  have  not  first  exactly  measured." 
 Yet  we  must  not,  with  Olshausen,  find  this 
 critical  nature  merely  in  a  "  preponderance  of 
 the  reflecting  reason,"  but  also  and  equally  in 
 the  strong  and  deep  feeling  which  bursts  forth 
 in  the  apostrophe  of  the  convinced  doubter. 
 Draseke :  "  Thomas  was  a  man  cf  power,  with 
 a  decision  bordering  on  self-will;  just  as  much 
 heart  as  head." 
 
 How  may  we  suppose  him  to  have  been  sur- 
 rounded by  all  the  disciples,  who  pierced  him 
 with  the  joy  of  their  faith !  John  simply 
 expresses  it  by  his  "  They  said  unto  him  ! "  but 
 we  must  expand  this,  and  by  no  means  limit 
 ourselves  to  the  single,  once-uttered,  "  We  have 
 seen."  Whether  (as  Bengel  thinks  with  less 
 probability)  he  had  come  to  them  not  long  af- 
 terwards, or  whether  they  had  sought  him  out 
 (as  Hess  represents  it)  in  order  to  tell  him,  is 
 not  settled  in  the  text ;  but  we  prefer  to  as- 
 sume the  latter,  which  is  slightly  intimated  by 
 the  contrast  of  i'Xeyov,  "said,"  with  ovk  j}y 
 f.iET  avrcav,  "  was  not  with  them."  They  say 
 again  merely  "  We  have  seen" — as  corresponding 
 with  the  higher  character  of  the  appearance  or 
 revelation,  but  they  include  in  John's  meaning 
 every  report  of  his  words,  and  their  own  hand- 
 ling which  had  not  been  declined.  Thomas, 
 therefore,  could  not  have  doubtfully  asked  (as 
 in  Pfenninger) :  "  Have  ye  seen  aright  in  the 
 evening  and  the  uncertain  lamplight  ?  Did 
 ye  touch  him  and  handle  him  ?  His  side, 
 too,  pierced  so  certainly  with  deadly  wounds?" 
 For  to  all  this  they  have  given  the  most  con- 
 fident answer  (see  John  ver.  20).  Neverthe- 
 less Thomas  cannot  and  will  not  believe;  he 
 has  questionings  and  doubts  in  abundance  re- 
 maining.    "  Why  did  he  not  come  before,  and 
 
 *  So  Driiseke  points  in  his  beautiful  sermon  to 
 "  the  traces  of  this  overruling  guidance."  But  he 
 can  at  the  same  time  excellently  paint  the  other 
 side  of  the  question  ;  that  Thomas,  whoso  happi- 
 ness was  now  a  heap  of  ashes,  because  ho  could 
 not  apprehend  the  idea  of  a  suffering  Messiah, 
 fled  from  men — how  foreign  to  his  feeling  was  th» 
 rumor  of  the  resurrection — how  that,  having  had 
 enough  of  scorn,  he  would  separate  himself  from 
 the  company  of  men  who  were  so  fearfully  de- 
 ceived. 
 
JOHN  XX.  26-29. 
 
 755 
 
 longer  remain  ?  How  long  did  the  manifes- 
 tation continue?  Where  then  is  he  now?" 
 Above  all,  the  great  doubt  of  his  heart,  con- 
 scious of  love  and  fidelity,  was  this:  Why  did 
 he  not  show  himself  to  me  !  Should  I  alone 
 of  the  eleven  have  been  excluded  from  the 
 mission  with  the  Holy  Spirit  ?  Should  he  who 
 denied*  receive  the  authority  to  remit  sins 
 from  him — and  his  faithful  Thomas,  whose 
 heart  he  knows,  not  receive  the  same,  not  re- 
 ceive a  special  consolation,  like  Peter  ?  Where- 
 fore should  this  be?  I  do  not  discern  the 
 Lord,  my  Lord,  in  what  ye  relate?  "  This  last 
 gives  proof  and  illustration,  that  the  contra- 
 diction of  his  understanding,  as  it  were,  sought 
 and  found  its  reason  in  the  adherence  of  his 
 heart  to  the  Lord.  Thus  while  the  other  dis- 
 ciples were  glad  because  they  had  seen  the 
 Lord,  Thomas  remained  sorrowful ;  and  was 
 still  more  sorrowful,  because  he  already  in  an- 
 ticipation would  feel  in  his  soul  the  impending 
 disenchantment  of  his  credulous  brethren. 
 
 John  gives  us  only  the  strongest  and  most 
 decisive  expression  of  his  contradiction  and 
 unbelieving  asservation  ;  probably  also  the 
 last,  cutting  short  all  further  remark.  We  see 
 that  the  sight  of  the  Lord's  death  had  sunk  too 
 deep  into  Thomas'  heart  for  any  thing  to  re- 
 move it  buta  perfectly  corresponding  testimony 
 of  his  sense ;  the  fixed  idea  and  image  had 
 fastened  too  securely  upon  his  doubting  reason 
 and  his  morbid  feeling:  If  Jesus,  though  the 
 raiser  of  Lazarus,  was — and  it  was  but  too 
 certain — put  to  death,  then  all  that  had  gone 
 before  went  for  nothing,  all  was  a  dark  riddle, 
 the  powers  of  the  world  and  death  and  hell  had 
 conquered  him.  Out  of  this  morbid  sadness — 
 a  feeling  to  which  we  are  too  apt  to  attribute 
 now-a-days  much  rejection  of  plain  testimonies 
 for  Jesus — out  of  this  gloomy  grief,  which  has 
 swallowed  up  all  his  other  feelings,  he  utters 
 his  intense  and  exaggerated  word.  He  says 
 nothing  about  seeing  Jesm  himself,  but  must 
 see  in  his  hand  the  print  of  the  nails.  But 
 then  seeing  is  no  longer  enough ;  he  must  touch 
 with  his  fingers,  and  be  as  certain  as  that  he 
 feels  this  hia  finger.  Finally,  he  goes  on  to 
 surpass  even  this — "  And  I  must  put  my  whole 
 hand  into  the  broad  and  deep  wound  in  his 
 side,  which  I  too  plainly  saw:  have  ye  all 
 done  this?  Ye  may  have  been  deceived  in 
 your  touching."!    That  he  does  not  expressly 
 
 say  this  is  to  be  explained  by  the  tenderness  of 
 his  love  to  them  ;  and,  moreover,  this  silence, 
 this  pausing  at  the  mere  assertion — "  I  must 
 also  myself  touch,  like  yourselves  at  least,  and 
 more  certainly  " — seems  an  involuntarv  add 
 mission  after  all  the  possihility  of  this.  Yet  he 
 consciously  and  designedly  abstains  from  say- 
 ing it  again,  as  Bengel  has  finely  and  truly 
 remarked  :  "  Nor  does  he  say — If  I  shall  see,  I 
 will  believe  ;  but  only — Unless  I  shall  see,  I 
 will  not  believe.  Nor  does  he  think  that  he 
 will  see,  though  others  said  that  they  had 
 seen."  He  closes  all  by  an  absolutely  express- 
 ed ov  /Jj}  Tti6TEv6a3,  "  I  will  not  [at  all]  be- 
 lieve."* This  is  a  "  professed  incredulity,"  in- 
 finitely more,  but  at  the  same  time  also  less 
 than  if  he  had  shared  the  resurrection  feast  of 
 the  Church,  and  yet  had  entertained  in  silence 
 these  perverse  thoughts.  For  this  asserted  and 
 stronglv  confronting  avowal  of  his  unbelief 
 proved  the  integrity  of  his  character. 
 
 May  it  then  be  said  that  it  appears  at  last  to 
 have  been  an  almost  praiseworthy  and  ber.uti- 
 ful  unbelief  of  a  sincere  character,  driven  by 
 the  excess  of  love,  conjoined  with  a  keen  and 
 anxious  reason,  to  fly  with  impetuosity  from 
 the  most  dismal  of  all  possible  deceptions  ?  Oh, 
 no;  it  is  not  this.  With  all  his  earnestness  and 
 zeal  there  is  united  a  self-will,  sinful  and  to  be 
 rejected  ;  there  is  the  exaggerated  assertion  of 
 the  individual  and  personal  against  the  united 
 testimony  of  the  whole  believing  brotherhood, 
 when  he  looks  upon  them  and  says— Unless  I 
 mvself  see  and  feel.  This  is  and  must  ever  be 
 a  great  error  and  wrong — to  will  to  touch  all 
 with  the  hands  of  self,  and  even,  for  it  comes  to 
 this,  to  determine  to  understand  all  by  his  own 
 self-sufficient  understanding,  and  to  recAce  no 
 testimony  apart  from  that.  Even  the  Spirit,  to 
 the  investigation  of  which  the  report  of  the 
 Emmaus  disciples  had  so  expressly  pointed, 
 avails  now  nothing  with  Thomas.  Just  as 
 little  the  unanimous  assurance  of  all  Avho  had 
 seen  the  Lord.  His  ten  fingers  shall  be  more 
 decisive  to  him  than  the  ten  other  Apostles.f 
 
 *  That  Peter  was  partaker  of  this  consecration 
 before  his  re-establishment  in  chap.  xxi.  15-17, 
 appears  further  to  prove  that  it  was  not  tlie  apos- 
 tolical vocation  which  was  here  involved. 
 
 f  It  is  foolish  to  demand  that  Thomas  should 
 have  here  mentioned  the  feet  also.  The  hands 
 lead  his  feeling  at  once  to  the  side  ;  but  that  feel- 
 ing would  not  permit  the  painful  detail  to  go  down 
 to  the  very  feet.  Another  question  is  suggested 
 by  the  reading  which  has  roitov  instead  of  rvnov 
 in  the  second  instance;  as  the  Vulg.  translates 
 first yfarwram  {fguram)  then  locum.  Grotius  thought 
 this  probably  correct :  "  tvnoi  is  seen,  rd;roS 
 is  occupied."     The   expressiou   would  then  ad- 
 
 vance: to  look  at  the  form  of  the  wound— to 
 place  the  finger  in  the  place  where  the  nails  passed 
 through.  But  rt's'oe  is  also  "  occupied  ;"  and  the 
 variation  in  the  expression  is  not  so  natural  as  the 
 repetition  would  be.  We  therefore  with  Ltlcke 
 regard  the  roTtov  as  an  error  of  transcription, 
 notwithstanding  Tischendorfs  Palimpsest.  As  to 
 the  latter's  "  internal  reasons,"  we  should  like  to 
 liear  them,  before  we  accept  the  reading. 
 
 *  Not  believe  what  f  Certainly  that  the  Lord  had 
 risen  indeed  (Mark  xvi.  11,  14;  Luke  xxiv.  11). 
 This  seems  so  perfectly  plain  that  we  cannot  un- 
 derstand how  the  short-sighted  Hasse  can  maintain : 
 "  Thomas  did  not  doubt  of  the  resurrection  of 
 Jesus,  but  could  not  reconcile  his  idea  of  a  resur- 
 rection-life with  an  appearance  of  the  Risen  One." 
 On  the  contrary,  his  conclusion  was :  If  he  ib 
 risen,  he  will  and  he  must  appear  also  to  me. 
 
 \  So  with  ingenious  simplicity  Valerius  Her- 
 berger  says,  whose  incomparably  profound  sermon 
 on  Thomas,  uniting  the  most  searching  applicatioo 
 
766 
 
 SECOND  APPEARANCE  TO  THE  APOSTLES. 
 
 "  He  does  not  distrust  their  honesty,  but  he 
 distrusts  their  understanding.  He  will  be  more 
 teise  than  they,  more  prudent,  and  more  unpre- 
 judiced." So  says  JDraseke,  and  terms  this 
 conduct,  in  which  he  "  sets  all  the  outgoings  of 
 his  feeling  against  faith  as  against  an  enemy," 
 very  properly  his  "  prejudice,  which  he  thought 
 candor."  Bengel  similarly  :  "  Without  doubt 
 he  thought  he  was  thinking  and  speaking  very 
 judiciously  ;  but  incredulity,  while  it  is  imput- 
 ing defect  of  judgment  to  others,  itself  often 
 nourishes  and  betrayj  hardness  and  slowness 
 of  mind."  Lavater,  with  all  his  tolerant  mild- 
 ness, says  :  "Nathanael  and  Thomas  were  two 
 extremes  among  the  good  and  believing.  He 
 who  said,  Unless  I  put  my  hand  into  the  print,  | 
 etc.,  may  indeed  have  been  a  very  sincere  soul,  i 
 but  he  cannot  have  been  an  ab.solntely  simple,  | 
 artless,  collected,  innocent,  and  Nathanaelite  ! 
 soul  as  such  ;  for  he  had  before  him  many  un-  | 
 impeachable  witnesses  whom  he  could  not  hold 
 to  be  deceivers,  and  to  whom  he  could  not  deny 
 the  possession  of  sound  senses  and  some  spirit- 
 ual sense  of  truth."*  Nor  can  we  regard  the 
 unbelief  of  Thomas  as  a  denial  or  doubt  spring- 
 ing merely  from  love  to  Jesus :  the  humble  love 
 of  such  as  John  would  not  have  thought  of 
 making  such  a  demand  of  the  Master  for  itself. 
 It  is  true  that  there  is  a  certain  softening  of 
 his  requirement  in  the  fact,  generally  uncon- 
 sidered, that  he  demanded  to  see  and  to  handle, 
 only  like  the  rest ;  but  even  this  demand  was  too 
 much,  and  we  must  say  with  Lange  that  "the 
 worst  was  his  venturing  to  impose  specific  con- 
 ditions on  the  Lord  himself."  We  behold  in 
 this  a  warning  type  of  all  such  making  conditions 
 as  preachers  constantly  denounce.  Thus  it  was 
 not  as  a  "  lover  "  of  the  Lord  that  he  demand- 
 ed this  evidence,  but  with  the  "wilfulness  and 
 self-will  of  a  sad  lover  "  (as  Braune  says)  who 
 will  have  this  evidence  in  the  dealh-ai(jns  upon 
 the  Risen  One.  "They  gave  him  his  anguish, 
 they  alone  can  take  it  away."  As  the  other 
 disciples  for  joy,  so  Thomas  for  grief  could  not 
 and  would  not  believe  ;  but  we  cannot  proceed 
 with  Braune — "  Love  to  the  Lord  was  the  sole 
 ground  of  that  joy  and  of  this  grief."  For  the 
 holding  fast  his  grief,  in  spite  ot  the  testimonies 
 which  appealed  so  strongly  to  his  love,  was  in 
 his  case,  as  in  the  case  of  many  others,  self-ioill. 
 Luther's  German  translation  gives  this  its 
 more  than  full  emphasis:  If  I  see  not — I  toill 
 not  believe.  But  something  of^  this  "will" 
 was  certainly  expressed  in  the  ov  ftj)  ■n:i6TEi')- 
 (JttJ.j  On  the  other  hand,  the  ground  of  his 
 heart  is  better  than  what  he  thinks  and  says. 
 Many  say  plainly  I  toill  not  believe ;  whose 
 words  are  estimated  by  the  Lord's  grace  as 
 
 with  the  simplest  expression,  we  would  recommend 
 to  all  readers  who  can  get  acceis  to  his  Jlencpos- 
 tile. 
 
 *  Nathanarl,  p.  27. 
 
 f  NieiTieyer  has  no  foundation  for  makinij 
 Thomas  cry,  "  full  of  joyful  uncertainty" — "Ah, 
 I  see  him  not,  so  can  I  not  bslieve  !  "  This  op- 
 poses the  inmost  meauiog  of  the  narratiro. 
 
 meaning  in  many  instances  that  they  cannot. 
 Thousands  of  others,  alas  1  Ivingly  say  that  they 
 cannot — but  the  Searcher  of  hearts  knows  that 
 thev  will  not. 
 
 Eight  long  days  is  the   unhappy  Thomas 
 punished  by  himself,  and  punished  by  his  Lord. 
 The  others  may  have  been  obliged  to  give  up 
 appealing  to  him;  but  still  they  pray  for  him. 
 For  what  does  he  himself  pray  ?     Possibly,  in 
 his  blindness — "0  God,  help  these  unhappy 
 men  out  of  their  blind  deception  I "  as  Pfen- 
 ninger  imagines.     The  unbelief  gf  their  fellow 
 would  be  a  test  even  to  the  ten ;    for   they 
 might  think — Will  our  testimony  in  the  world 
 be  no  better  treated  than  this  ?    At  the  same 
 time  it  is  a  requital  of  their  own  unbelief, 
 as  Larape  says  :  "  By  that  in  which  the  Apos- 
 tles sinned  they  are  punished."    The  wisdom 
 and  the  love  of  the  Lord  waits  with  super- 
 abounding  grace  until  the  right  hour  has  come 
 for  Thomas,  broken  down  in  his  grief,  perhaps 
 also  slightly  repenting  of  his  self-will,  and  ce*r- 
 tainly  prepared   by  the  internal  work  of  the 
 Spirit.    Then  he  who  was  still  unclean  by  rea- 
 son of  the  dead  body  of  Jesus,  and  afar  off  by 
 reason  of  his  sadness,  kept  his  joyful  after- 
 passover  unto  the  Lord  (Deut.   ix.    10,  11). 
 Olshausen    would   traiislate    this    appearance 
 into  Galilee,  as  did  Rupert  before  him  ;  but  we 
 agree  with  Liicke  that  there  is  no  trace  of  a 
 Galilean  locality,  and  that  the  i<Sa>  indicates 
 the   accustomed   place  of  meeting,    the   same 
 place  therefore  as  that  in  which  they  had  met 
 eight   days   before.      If   this   word  elsewhere 
 stands  for  ^y  oi'«qj  (comp.  Acts  v.  23;  Matt. 
 I  xxvi.  58;  Mark  xv.  16,  xiv.  54,  and  the  Sept. 
 I  at  Gen.  xxxi.x.  11;  Ezek.  xliv.  17;  2  Chron. 
 I  xxix.  16,  18),  yet  the  ndXiv  is  decisive  here, 
 especially  with  the  repetition  in  other  respects 
 I  of  the  whole  former  scene,  on  which  the  em- 
 {  phasis  lies.     The  feast  which  the  disciples  at- 
 tended in  Jerusalem  was  indeed  ended  by  the 
 I  Sabbath  ;  but  they  delayed  their  journey  to 
 I  Galilee,  they  were  not  in  haste  to  sever  them- 
 selves from  the  city  which  the  death  and  res- 
 I  urrection  of  Jesus  had  sanctified  anew  ;    and 
 j  the  weak  in  faith  whom  they  would  leave  be- 
 I  hind  were  another  argument  for  waiting.     We 
 I  think  that  Thomas  especially  was  the  object  of 
 I  their  hope,  and  that  they  expected  a  favorable 
 I  result  in  his  case.     Indeed,  the  Lord  had  prom- 
 ised to  show  himself  in  Galilee;  but  if  he  had 
 already  anticipated  that  fuliillraent,  having  ap- 
 peared five  times  en  the  first  day — might  he 
 not,  would  he  not,  come  back  once  more   to 
 justify  them  to  Thomas  before  they  must  set 
 forth?     This  was  their  hope,  not  confident  but 
 enough.     Finally,  as  Grotius  supposed,  a  feeling 
 of  which  they  were  half  conscious  might  have 
 '  prevented  them  from  journfving  on  the  new 
 '  Sabbath,  the   day  of  the  Lord,  on  which   they 
 would  celebrate   his  resurrection.     But   \i    is 
 more  correct  to  sav  that  tlie  Lord,  by  his   re- 
 turning on  that  day,  directed  them  and  us  to 
 sanctify  its  recurrence. 
 
 During  the  whole  intermediate  week  he  ap- 
 peared not ;  this  followfl  from  the  enumeration, 
 
JOHN  XX.  26-29. 
 
 767 
 
 chap,  xxi.  14.  Possibly  Thomas  may  have 
 been  asking  his  cutting  question — Are  ye  so 
 sure  of  your  account  ?  But  we  cannot  feel 
 positive  about  this;  he  may  have  been  silent, 
 and  all  the  more  eagerly  solicitous  ;  and  this 
 ■we  prefer  to  think.  So  much  is  ti'ue,  that  in 
 this  whole  time  "  they  are  serviceable  to  each 
 other:  he  to  confirm  their  faith,  they  to  shame 
 his  incredulity."  The  Lord  lets  them  so  long 
 wait  together  ;  for  (Krafft)  "  he  does  not  urge 
 his  people  too  fast."  Certainly,  the  fact  that 
 at  this  assembling  Thomas  is  present,  shows  a 
 softening  of  his  wilfulness,  an  approximation 
 towards" faith.  They  had  not  rejected  the  un- 
 believer— and  it  may  be  well  to  remind  some 
 ecclesiastic  zealots  of  that,  in  passing.  They 
 had  earnestly  prayed  him  to  return,  and  not 
 renounce  his  connection  with  their  fellowship 
 altogether.  In  the  fact  that  Thomas  (probably 
 now  with  a  slender  wish,  the  germ  of  a  hope 
 of  being  convinced)  unites  himself  with  them, 
 we  see  that  he  did  belong  inwardly  to  the  be- 
 lievers, and  therefore  that  so  far  he  submitted 
 to  the  rule  of  Christ,  though  he  had  made  so 
 irregular  a  demand.  Then  does  the  Good  Shep- 
 herd seek  and  find  his  refractory  sheep  in  the 
 fold,  and  soon  is  he  won.  For  the  sake  of  one 
 soul  he  appears  and  shows  hi?  wounds — a  ten- 
 derness which  Chrysostom  points  out  and  ex- 
 patiates upon.  Thus  may  Thomas  with  his 
 special  experience  of  the  goodness  of  Christ  be 
 an  example  und  encouragement  for  our  faith  in 
 all  ages;  just  as  Peter  was  elsev.-here,  though 
 in  a  difi'erei:^  way.  For  the  demonstrations  of 
 his  grace  are  ever  inexhaustibly  new ;  but  at 
 the  same  time  they  conform  to  strict  and  re- 
 vealed rules.  Thomas  had  sinned  against  the 
 testimony  of  the  brotherhood  ;  he  had  wilfully 
 separated  himself  from  their  communion  ;  there- 
 fore the  Lord  does  not  appear  to  him  alone,  but 
 justifies  and  asserts  the  duty  of  union  with  his 
 believers.  Peter  received  at  first  for  himself 
 the  general  authority,  which  he  then  almost 
 forfeited;  Thomas  at  first  appears  to  be  exclud- 
 ed, but  is  soon  added  to  the  rest. 
 
 The  Lord  enters  altogether  as  o-n  the  pre- 
 vious occasion,  eight  days  before:  this  of  it- 
 self was  a  most  decisive  confirmation  of  the 
 testimony  which  they  had  given,  and  which 
 they  would  probably  utter  again,  in  living  re- 
 membrance of  the  same  hour  a  week  previous 
 --Thus  did  he  then  come ;  thus  did  we  see 
 him — and  at  the  same  time  the  most  humbling 
 demonstration  to  the  doubter.  In  order  to 
 rnark  the  repetition  of  the  scene  John  men- 
 tions the  door  being  shut ;  but  he  does  not  now 
 add— /or  fear  of  the  Jeics*  A  third  time  the 
 same — Peace  be  unto  you  !  This  confirming 
 repetition  says  every  thing  at  once,  for  it  in- 
 cludes  Thomas,  then   present,   in   the   Peace. 
 
 *  Bengel :  "  They  had  not  yet  ceased  to  fear," 
 But  we  doubt  this,  and  would  rather  assume  that 
 the  motive  for  shutting  the  doors  was  now  the  ex- 
 clusion of  eve:y  unpleasant  interrupiiou. 
 
 The  gracious  Lord  comes  even  to  the  unbeliever 
 among  the  faithful,  not  that  he  may  cast  hira 
 out  in  judgment,  but  that  he  may  bless  him 
 with  the  same  peace  which  his  companior.s  had 
 received.     We  may  suppose  a  brief  pause  after 
 this  greeting  at  his  entrance.     What  a  sea  of 
 feeling  swelled  in  all  hearts  I     What  a  glance 
 of  the  Saviour  upon  Thomas,  and  what  an  in- 
 stantaneous  melting   followed   it  !     But   long 
 time  is  not  allowed  him  ;  his  profound  shame 
 and  confusion  are  cut  short  in  grace  :  and  the 
 !  Lord  presently  {Eita)  proceeded  to  his  milder 
 i  and  reconciling   humiliation.     He   gives   him 
 I  back  his  words,  for  he  knows  every  thing.     It 
 j  is  most  unthinking  folly  to  suppose  that  the 
 j  disciples  had  told  him  these  words;  but  at  the 
 'same  time  we  must   not   think  of  immediate 
 divine  omniscience  as  yet  before  the  ascension. 
 But  as  the  Lord   in    his  lower   estate  knew 
 through    the  Father's    revelation   Nathanael's 
 prayer  of  faith  and  longing  under  the  fig-tree, 
 so  now  the  Lord  had  actually  heard  the  words 
 of  Thomas'  unbelief — may  we  not  suppose  that 
 during    the    interval   he   "  invisibly    hovered 
 around  "  the  disciples  ?     To  point  this  out  to 
 them  all,  and  especially  to   Thomas,  he  thus 
 speaks:   Behold  I  was   around  thee  and  with 
 j  thee,  when  thou  deniedst  my  being  alive.     He 
 gives  him  back  his  words  almost  literally,  only  in 
 his  sacred  dignity  and  gentle  tenderness  he  says 
 nothing  expressly  concerning  the  vvTtoi  zcav 
 7/Ag5J',  "  print  of  the  nails  " — it  was  enough  to 
 offer  these  hands  with  these  tokens  to  ihQ  finger. 
 "Reach  hither  thy  finger" — thus  the  Living 
 j  One  in  dignified  silence   refers   to  the  all-holy 
 signs  of  his  suffering  and  death,  which  the  bold 
 word  of  the  doubter  had  as  it  were  desecrated. 
 I  (The  cpepEiv  is  at  first  somewhat  more  gentle 
 than  the  too  confident  ftdXXEtv,  the  repetition 
 of  which,  however,  in  the  second  clause  is  not 
 I  spared  to  him  who  had  dared  to  say  it.)  "  And 
 !  ie,'joW  my  hands  " — this  is   in   part  like  Luke 
 I  xxiv.  39,  spoken  in  the  general  sense  according 
 to  which  seeing  is  equivalent  to  investigating, 
 and  making  oneself  sensibly  sure  of  any  thing; 
 I  while  in  part  it  rests  upon  the  supposi1;ion  that 
 'i  Thomas  will  nevertheless  be  satisfied  with  look- 
 ing.    What  humiliation  to  Thomas  !     First  of 
 all,  in  the  necessary,  solemn  requital  before  the 
 face  of  all  ;  "  in  the  presence  of  the  disciples 
 he  had  spoken  the  words,  in  their  presence  he 
 must   blush   for   them,  and   solemnly    retract 
 ^hem"  (Draseke).     Yet,  how   gentle   too;  for 
 this  demand  that  he  should  do  according  to  the 
 word  of  his  unbelief,  in  order  to  his  believing, 
 says  at  the  same  time:  I  know  thy  heart,! 
 punish  thee  no  otherwise,   I   reject  thee  not. 
 Bengel:  "If  a  Pharisee   had  demanded   this, 
 he  would  have   obtained   nothing ;   but   to   a 
 di&ciple  already  teUed  nothing  is  denied."     Even 
 the  side  with    the  deep  death-wound   therein 
 the  Lord   vouchsafes  once   more   expressly — 
 himself  to  show  and  to  mention;  for  this  mys- 
 terious sign  is  hallowed   in   the  word  of  pro- 
 phecy ;  see  Zech,  xii,  10 ;  John  xix.  37 ;  Rev. 
 1.  7.     Not  merely — "  to  the  prints  of  the  nails, 
 to  the  side" — in  the  words   of   Thomas  and 
 
J5S 
 
 SECOND  APPEARANCE  TO  THE  APOSTLES. 
 
 the  Lord.  The  rvieot  referred  to  mucti  raore 
 than  "scars"  or  "cicatrized  wounds,"  as  we 
 often  hear  them  called  ;  and  the  f/5,  concern- 
 ing the  hand  ia  the  side,  indicates  a  wide  and 
 deen  opening. 
 
 But  the  whole,  with  all  the  corporeal  reality 
 of  the  narrative  itself,  is  at  the  same  time  a 
 symbol  for  future  doubters,  who  are  pointed  to 
 the  riglit  contemplation  of  the  C'ntcified  in  the 
 proof  of  his  resurrection.  So  far  Thomas  un- 
 consciously prophesied  in  his  arbitrary  words 
 of  the  true  sign  which  Christ  would  give  to  the 
 world,  and  which  he  continues  still  to  give. 
 MoU  writes  upon  this  with  significant  force, 
 that  there  are  so  many  unprofitable  investiga- 
 tions, so  many  criticisms  on  the  life  of  Jesus, 
 and  recensions  of  the  scriptural  canon,  which 
 are  driven  away  by  the  winds — "  because  they 
 will  not  set  out  with  Thomas'  criticism  on  the 
 identity  of  the  Risen  and  the  Crucified  Lord." 
 Yes,  indeed,  if  there  is  to  be  a  criticism  which 
 shall  lead  to  the  true  end.  Ah,  that  there 
 were  among  our  doubters  men  with  the  heart 
 ot  Thomas,  who  would  sink  in  low  sorrow  into 
 the  death  of  Jesus  in  order  to  be  convinced  by 
 grace  and  become  lovingly  conscious  of  the 
 identity  of  him  who  liveth  in  the  Spirit  with 
 liim  who  thus  died  ;  that  so  they  might  even 
 (as  Lange  further  says)  in  the  locly  of  the 
 Uhurch,  which  is  the  body  of  Christ,  feel  the 
 heavenly  light  in  its  marks  of  suffering  and 
 great  heart-wounds.* 
 
 And  be  not  faithless  lut  lelieving.  "Thus 
 the  Lord  (to  quote  Lange  once  more)  changes 
 the  hard  and  presumptuous  demand  of  Thomas 
 into  a  confession  of  his  poverty  and  helpless- 
 ness " — since  he  permits  him  to  use  his  finger 
 and  hand  that  he  may  attain  to  the  peace  of 
 faith.  For  this  unbeliever  has  experienced  for 
 eight  days,  among  the  believing  disciples,  all 
 the  disquietude  and  pain  of  unbelief;  and  so 
 bitter  has  been  the  experience  that  he  heartily 
 •welcomes  deliverance  from  it.  'ATti6ro';  and 
 Tci6T6i  do  not  define  merely  the  not  believ- 
 ing and  the  believing  as  regards  the  resur- 
 rection ;  but  here  as  always  refer  to  the  condi- 
 tion of  mind  generally,  the  habit  of  faith  or 
 unbelief  (according  to  Nonnus:  xai  rsov  7/0o5 
 aniCrov  dvaiyeo).  Gal.  iii.  9  may  be  adduced 
 as  further  proof.  The  Lord's  words  fully  con- 
 tradict the  foolish  defence  of  Thomas,  which 
 some,  after  the  manner  of  Niemeyer.f  have  set 
 up  ;  for  there  is  as  much  rebuke  as  encourage- 
 ment in  his  requiring  him  to  remain  no  longer 
 tinbe'icving,  and  not  to  become  more  so.  Ficker 
 has  fallen  into  the  same  strange  aberration 
 from  the  word  of  Christ :  "  The  occurrence  here 
 narrated  has  given   needless  occasioa  for  the 
 
 ♦  Conversely,  the  Lord  also  knows  his  disciples 
 by  the  marks  of  suflering — a  saying  of  Pascal,  if 
 we  re:nember  rightlj'. 
 
 \  In  the  CharaJcteri$tik,  p.  74,  we  read  :  "  We 
 shall  lose  nothing  if,  aftf-r  ages  have  been  preach- 
 inir  about  unbelievins  Thomas,  we  begin  now  to 
 preach  about  the  faithlul  and  inwardly  believing 
 Thomas." 
 
 name  of  unbelieving  Thomas."  He  even  so  far 
 forgets  himself  in  his  apologetical  zeal,  as  to 
 preach  :  "  The  other  disciples  had  seen  the 
 Lord  ;  why  should  he  not  also  desire  to  con- 
 vince himself  in  the  same  way  of  the  truth  of 
 his  resurrection  ?  Why  might  he  not  long  for 
 such  a  handle  for  faith  to  lay  hold  of?  His 
 whole  bearing  before  and  after  his  doubting 
 testifies  that  he  already  believed  with  half  his 
 heart,  and  that  the  grace  and  faithfulness  of  the 
 Redeemer  was  shown  to  one  Avell  able  to  profit 
 by  it."*  This  is  evidently  dealing  too  tenderly 
 with  Thomas.  Why  then  did  the  grace  and 
 faithfulness  of  the  Redeemer  leave  him  longing 
 (as  his  wilful  demand  is  called)  for  eight  long 
 days,  and  then  at  the  end  call  him  one  who  had 
 been  hitherto  nnhelieting  ?  We  must  interpret 
 the  saying  much  more  rigorously,  and  say  that 
 one  who  was  believing  with  half  his  heart 
 would,  through  persistent  unbelief  in  the  res- 
 vrrection  of  the  Lord,  the  great  essential  point 
 (1  Cor.  XV.  14),  either  prove  himself  an  unbe- 
 liever, or  be  in  very  great  danger  of  becoming 
 one.  Let  us  diminish  nothing  of  Thomas'  sin, 
 that  we  may  do  full  honor  to  the  grace  of 
 Christ.  *ATCi6Toi  has  in  the  Saviour's  lips  its 
 full  rebuking  and  hortatory  significance;  yivov 
 means  for  "unbelieving"  and  "believing" 
 rather  the  becoming  thanthe  being.  Bs  or  be- 
 come believing,  would  be  a  precious  imperative 
 indeed,  if  it  brought  with  it  its  own  fulfillment, 
 as  a  word  of  Christ's  absolute  authority,  like 
 his  "  Woman,  be  loosed  from  thine  infirmity," 
 and  the  like.  Then  would  unbelievers  be  easily 
 won ;  then,  indeed,  since  Jesus  would  not  fail 
 to  have  compassion  upon  all,  there  could  be  un- 
 believers no  more.  But  it  is  not  so  :  and  G. 
 K.  Rieger,  who  at  first  spoke  in  that  style, 
 afterwards  restricted  thus  the  word  of  authority  : 
 Be  believing,  thou  canst  if  thou  toilt.  There- 
 fore we  may  say,  in  better  terms,  that  the  be- 
 coming not  faithless  but  believing  is  matter  of 
 command.  Grotius:  "Incredulity  has  in  it  some- 
 thing voluntary  " — nay,  is  altogether  matter 
 of  the  will.  But,  on  Uie  other  hand,  as  the 
 Lord's  word  here  shows  :  One  may  even  see  and 
 touch  Christ,  have  the  most  convincing  demon- 
 stration and  experiences,  and  yet  not  become 
 believing.  On  this  point  we  may  compare 
 Acts.  xxvi.  19  with  Gal.  i.  16— and  ponder  it. 
 Did  Thomas  actually  thrust  his  finger  into 
 the  print  of  the  nails,  and  his  hand  into  his 
 side?  If  the  Lord  commanded  it,  he  must  of 
 course  have  obeyed.  Pfenninger  (in  this  agree- 
 ing with  Nonnus)  represents  the  matter  as  if 
 the  Lord,  while  he  was  speaking,  took  the  finger 
 and  hand  of  the  amazed  Thomas,  and  placed 
 them  upon  the  wounds.  But  the  simple  Af>fr»'* 
 ^ipE — /Sa'Af — records  nothing  of  the  sort,  but . 
 rather  excludes  it ;  and  in  ver."28  we  read  noth- 
 ing of  it.  We  confidently  maintain  that  the 
 word  of  Jesus  was  not  properly  a  command  ; 
 for  that  would  have  been  far  too  harsh  a  con- 
 demnation, pressing  to  its  utmost  consequences 
 
 *  Ficker,  "  The  Doubters  of  the  New  Testa, 
 ment." 
 
JOHN  XX.  26-29. 
 
 m 
 
 his  foolish  word.  In  its  tone  and  meaning  it 
 was  merely  a  permission  :  Thou  mayest  do  so — 
 if  thou  still  wilt — see  I  am  ready!  Au2;ns- 
 tine:  Although  it  may  be  said  that  the  disciple 
 dared  not  touch  him,  when  he  presented  him- 
 self to  be  touched  ;  for  it  is  not  written — And 
 Thomas  touched  him.*  For  cur  own  part,  we 
 regard  an  actual  touching  and  handling  as  al- 
 together irreconcilable  w)lh  the  feeling  which 
 changed  the  unbeliever  into  a  believer,  and 
 cried  i/y  Lord  and  my  God.  We  sav  with  Tho- 
 luck :  "At  this  point,  when  the  test  was  in  his 
 power,  all  test  and  proof  is  forgotten,  and  the 
 might  of  faith  maintains  its  right.  What  reeds 
 he  to  lay  hold  with  his  hands?  His  heart 
 feels  it  ail;"  and  with  Draseke:  "What  does 
 he  now?  Nothing  of  all  that  which  he  had 
 himself  specified  as  a  condition.  Hj  believes  ; 
 his  faith  came  to  his  aid  on  the  spot.  His 
 heart  overcomes  his  reasoning ;  therefore  he 
 uses  not  his  hand  and  his  fingers."  It  is  to  be 
 observed  that  partly  the  seeing,  a:?  our  Lord 
 says,  ver.  29,  yet  not  this  alone  (for  then  all 
 Israel  would  have  needed  only  to  see,  in  order 
 to  be  able  or  to  be  obliged  to  believe),  trans- 
 formed Thomas  into  a  believer;  it  was  es- 
 pecially the  heart-reproving,  heart-winning  love 
 of  Jesus,  in  which  Thomas  finds  him  again  and 
 spiritually  sees  him,  which  overcame  his  un- 
 belief. T.'ils  's  the  truth  of  his  faith,  which  our 
 Lord  acknowledges;  and  this,  as  Lange  says, 
 "  was  made  manifest  in  his  not  taking  the  last 
 step,  and  making  the  manual  experiment  upon 
 the  body  of  Jesus." 
 
 His  responding  exclamation  in  ver.  28  has 
 been  in  all  ages  perverted,  in  spite  of  its  clear 
 self-evidencing  truth,  so  as  to  evade  his  call- 
 ing Jesus  his  Lord  and  his  God.  Theod.  Mops, 
 referred  his  words  to  the  Father,  whom  Thomas 
 glorified  for  the  resurrection  of  Christ— '^  At  v  y- 
 6  ai  v6v  ^s6y  tyEipavra.  This  is  at  least 
 more  imaginable  than  the  subsequent  artifice 
 of  the  Socinians,  of  Crellius  (under  the  name 
 Artemonius)  and  others,  who  either  refer  the 
 double  exclamation  to  Jesus  and  the  Father 
 (who  was  now  altogether  in  Jesus),  or  make  it 
 the  cry  of  utmost  amazement — Ah,  my  Lord 
 and  my  God,  can  this  be  possible !  But 
 Socinus  himself  confuted  this  easily  refuta- 
 ble shift,  which  therefore  does  not  appear  in 
 the  Catech.  Racov.  Could  Thomas  at  this  mo- 
 mentous crisis  have  turned  away  from  the  per- 
 son of  Jesus  in  an  exclamation  to  God  above,  as 
 one  distinct  from  this  Jesus?  Furt-her,  it  cannot 
 be  proved,  yea,  it  is  false  rather,  that  the  Jews 
 had  our  wicked  habit  of  crying  out  in  amaze- 
 ment— My  God!  Therefore  we  must  at  least 
 understand  it  as  Theodore  does  above.  But 
 neither  will  that  endure  examination :  for 
 the  xvpios,  "  Lord,"  in   connection  with  the 
 
 ♦  Alter  having  explained  the  word,  ver.  29 — Be- 
 cause tlioii  hast  seen — after  ver.  27,  as  referring  to 
 sensible  exjierience  thioiigh  other  senses  than  the 
 sight.  But  we  Liiink  that  "  seen  me  "  is  not  the 
 same  as  ver.  27,  And  plainly  excludes  all  touch- 
 Ins. 
 
 Srso?,  "  God,"  as  in  ver.  25  and  always  in  the 
 Gospels,  meant  in  the  disciples'  lips  Jestis  ;  and 
 the  EiTtev  av  r  ^,  said  unto  him,  is  almost 
 absolute  evidence,  for  which  reason  Socinian 
 writers  have  always  been  anxious,  in  spite  of 
 the  fullest  authority  of  manuscripts,  to  expunge 
 it.  Thus  Thomas  utters  his  exclamation  in 
 adoring  reverence  (probably  sinking  before  the 
 Lord),  with  the  most  profound  and  mighty 
 feeling,  which  was  also  at  the  same  time  the 
 victorious  outburst  of  the  clearest  perception, 
 when  he  addressed  Jesus  and  said — My  Lord 
 and  my  God!*  He  calls  him  not  merely 
 Hvpioi,  like  lilagdalene,  and  as  the  disciples  at 
 last  spoke  of  him,  but  hecalls  him  God,'\n  per- 
 fect harmony  with  the  transcendent  influence 
 of  the  overpowering  crisis.  It  is  not  so  much 
 the  omniscience  discerned  in  the  echoing  of  his 
 own  words  that  moves  him  to  this  (for  comp. 
 John  i.  49),  as  the  awful  and  at  the  same  time 
 vivid  impression  which  the  open  bloodless 
 woundsf  makes  upon  him,  showing  him  one 
 who  was  ?is  it  were  dead  and  yet  living — in- 
 stantaneously confounding  the  unbelief  which 
 had  clung  to  the  certainty  of  his  death,  and 
 consequently  exhibiting  instantaneously  to  his 
 faith  the  dc'ath-dcslroying  divine prncer  and  God- 
 head which  livingly  dwelt  in  the  person  of 
 Jesus.  Thus  he  is,  as  Zinzendorf  said,  "  the 
 first  divine  who  ever  concluded  from  the 
 wounds  of  Jesus  that  he  was  God."  This  is 
 the  immediate  link  in  the  interpretation  ;  but 
 more  may  appear  in  it  when  we  consider  that 
 he  can  utter  such  a  word  (contrasting  and  yet 
 harmonious  with  Jesus'  own  word  to  Mary, 
 ver.  17)  :  all  those  earlier  sayings  and  testi- 
 monies of  Jesus  which  pointed  to  the  unity  of 
 the  Son  with  the  Father,  which  such  a  deep- 
 thinking  spirit  as  his  had  apprehended  and  re- 
 volved from  the  first,  now  all  seem  to  combine 
 into  clearness,  and  he  beholds  at  once  ex- 
 ternally  and  internally  their   perfect  truth.J 
 
 *  Lampe,  indeed,  regarded  the  vocative  as 
 doubilul,  and  preferred  artificially  to  supply — 
 T/mc  art  my  Lord  and  my  God !  But  such  a  plirase- 
 ology  was  common  among  the  Greeks,  and  also  in 
 tlie  New  Testament,  a<!  may  be  seen  in  Winer.  In 
 particular  we  have  Kvpioi  and  3edS  thus  in  the 
 Sept.,  e.  g.  Psa.  xxxv.  2t,  Psa.  xxii.  3,  comp. 
 Mark  xv.  34.  It  is  of  no  significance  to  the  con- 
 trary that  Jesu-i  is  elsewliere  in  the  New  Testa- 
 ment addressed  by  nvpts,  for  here  in  connection 
 with  the  Sc  JS  the  Oid-Tes.ament  aud  so.emn  for- 
 mula is  used. 
 
 f  According  to  the  natural  course  of  things  the 
 blood  again  circulating  would  have  issued  anew 
 from  the  wounds,  as  G.  Muller  observes.  Thus 
 these  ojien  wounds  are  at  the  same  time  testimony 
 to  the  bloodlosneis  of  the  resurrection-body. 
 
 ^  This  is  infinitely  more  than  Hofmann's  as- 
 sumption that  SeJs'here  is  only  to  be  understooil 
 as  it  might  have  applied  to  a  man — The  Lord  had 
 now  become  God  to  him,  and  therefore  he  gave 
 him  this  predicate.  By  no  means,  but  he  seeks  and 
 recognizes  God  in  Christ  in  the  unity  of  nature,  in 
 conformity  with  John  xiv.  7-10.  We  lament  to 
 have  Schmieder  also  {Eohc^rieilerl,  Gebet,  p.  14)  to 
 
760 
 
 SECOND  APPEARANCE  TO  THE  APOSTLES. 
 
 The  doubter  overcome  now  believes,  as  is  often  | 
 the  case,  all  the  more  swiftly,  readily,  deeply,  | 
 bedause  of  his  having  long  doubted.  What  no  i 
 Apostle  iiad  hitherto  said,  what  the  Lord  him-  j 
 self  had  never  said  directly,  he  utters  as  the  ; 
 first  witness  of  the  last  truth  ;  and  John  can  | 
 close  his  Gospel  with  his  confession  of  faith, 
 going  back  as  it  does  to  the  prologue  in  the 
 beginning.  Whether  in  the  excitement  of  the 
 moment,  he  "  uttered  prematurely  more  than 
 his  calm,  dispassionate  rellection  would  have 
 dictated  "  (as  Tholuck  thinks),  we  very  much 
 doubt ;  for  at  such  moments  the  might  of  the 
 Spirit  goes  far  beyond  all  mere  human  passion 
 and  excitement,  affording  the  clearest  and  the 
 surest  perceptions  of  truth.  We  must  rather 
 observe  that  the  "  Lord"  here  connected  with 
 the  "  God"  means  more  than  all  the  disciples 
 had  ever  intended  when  they  so  termed  Jesus; 
 it  here  really  takes  place,  as  laying  the  founda- 
 tion of  the  permanent  New-Testament  phrase 
 of  Jehovah  or  Adonai  ;  the  combination  of  the 
 two  words  is  essentially  parallel  with  the  ex- 
 clamation of  the  people,  when  the  fire  fell  from 
 heaven — The  Lord  he  is  God  (1  Kings  xviii.  39), 
 only  so  to  speak,  in  an  inverted  deduction  of 
 reasoning  from  below  upward,  as  there  it  was 
 from  abm-e  downward.  But  inasmuch  as  no 
 man  without  the  Holy  Ghost  can  call  Jesys  in 
 »!uch  a  sense  Lord,  and  know  hira  to  be  God  the 
 Ijord,  Adonai-Elohim  (1  Cor.  xii.  3) — we  see 
 tli&t  Thomas  in  the  same  great  crisis  has 
 abundantly  received  the *b'/)U7'J, opening  his  eyes. 
 Hence  it 'is  foolish  to  assume  that  the  Lord  at 
 the  close  of  this  manifestation  breathed  also 
 upon  Thomas  supplementarily,  and  said — All 
 that  I  have  spoken  to  the  ten  applies  also  to 
 the  eleven.  There  needed  no  repetition  of  the 
 breathing,  no  repeated  "  I  send  thee  also."  All 
 this  was  internally  and  really  accomplished  in 
 Thomas  without  symbol  and  word.  But,  finally, 
 the  most  gracious  and  touching  thing  in  his 
 word,  which  the  power  of  the  Lord's  love  put 
 into  his  heart  and  upon  his  lips,  is  the  two-fold 
 internal  "Mi/  Lord!  my  God!"  This  was 
 wanting  to  the  cry  of  the  people  upon  Carmel  ; 
 this  is  wanting  to  many  who  sound  with  the 
 trumpet — The  Lord  is  God.  This  discloses  the 
 kernel  o(  his  appropriating  and  self-consecrating 
 faith.  He  would  cry  in  the  fulness  of  his 
 heart — "  How  have  1  sinned  against  thee!  be 
 merciful  to  me ;  "  but  grace  has  anticipated 
 him.  He  would  testily — "  Yea,  I  believe,  love, 
 adore,  arn  thine  henceforth  forever;"  but  all 
 tins  is  merged  in  one,  and  is  poured  forth  in 
 the  only  address  of  which  his  feeling  is  capable. 
 
 The  Lord  accepts  the  God  added  to  the  Lo7'd 
 from  the  mouth  of  Thomas:   this  gives  the  say- 
 
 contradict,  who  finfls  in  (lie  pxclitniat'on  of  Thomns 
 "  fw  avowal  of  the  divinily  of  Ciirist,"  and  de- 
 grade.s  SecJs,  by  the  side  of  Hvfunc,  into  a  mere 
 "  relative  term  " — instead,  conversely,  of  givinir 
 Mvfiioi,  by  the  side  of  Sto'S,  a  hiyber  meanii)<; 
 than  belore.  The  Old-Testanietit  phrase,  which  is 
 8aid  to  npp'y  liere,  was  no  lonjjor  current  among 
 Ihe  Jews,  as  we  plainly  see  in  John  x.  ZZ, 
 
 ing  its  dogmatic  demonstrative  force,  for  it 
 shows  that  the  Spirit  of  truth  had  spoken  by 
 Thomas.*  "  Christ  termed  this  exclamation  of 
 Thomas,  who  in  amazement  and  ecstasy  (rather 
 in  adoration)  had  called  him  Lord  and  God, 
 faith  simply,  the  first  thing  and  the  last  which 
 he  required  from  man  ;  and  pronounced  hia 
 benediction  upon  those  who  should  possess  thia 
 faith,  though  they  saw  him  not  with  their 
 eyes  "  (Kleuker).  Yes,  verily,  as  we  have  al- 
 ready seen  in  the  faithless  and  believing  of  ver. 
 27,  it  is  now — Thou  hast  believed,  thou  hast  be- 
 come believing,  thou  believest  from  this  time. 
 Not  merely — Thou  doubtest  ray  resurrection 
 no  more ;  but  it  has  the  great  all-comprising 
 meaninjc  which  the  Evangelist  connects  with  it 
 in  ver.  31.  Thomas  did  not  simply  say — Thoa 
 hast  verily  risen  again  ;  but  at  once  deduces 
 every  thing  from  it  to  which  it  must  lead. 
 The  Lord  also  embraces  in  the  confirmation 
 and  sanction  which  he  gave  to  this  avowal  all 
 that  was  included  in  it — Thou  believest  that  1 
 am  the  Son  of  God,  and  myself  God  ;  yea,  more 
 — Thou  dost  altogether  yield  thyself  up  to  me 
 in  this  adoring  and  loving  faith,  thou  becomest 
 mine,  while  thou  callest  me  thine ;  thus  all  is 
 included  that  nidvEvsiVy  "believe,"  involves 
 in  its  fullest  meaning  when  used  by  Jesus,  by 
 his  Evangelist  John,  and  in  the  Scripture 
 thenceforward.  To  put  a  note  of  interrogation 
 here  (with  Lachmann  and  others,  and  the  Vulg. 
 also)  is  as  perverse  as  to  put  it  in  chap.  i.  50 
 (in  the  Greek  ver.  51)  or  xvi.  31;  see  what 
 was  said  especially  upon  the  latter  passage.  If 
 the  faith  of  Thomas  was  in  any  sense  made 
 matter  of  question,  the  Ttidtevdavrei  in  the 
 subsequent  parallel  clause  would  altogether 
 fail  to  correspond ;  and  Thomas,  whom  we  may 
 suppose  happy  in  his  faith  though  not  expressly 
 pronounced  blessed  by  the  Lord,  would  after 
 all,  contrary  to  tlie  gracious  character  of  the 
 whole  manifestation,  and  as  if  that  manifesta- 
 tion had  altogether  failed  of  its  gracious  objecf, 
 be  sharply  rebuked  and  rigidly  condemned  to 
 the  last.  Such  doubt  thrown  by  our  Lord 
 upon  the  genuineness  and  purity  of  the  faith 
 which  uttered  its  exclamation  in  ver.  28,  must, 
 so  to  speak,  have  plunged  him  again  into  new 
 and  deeper  doubt — and  the  Lord's  immeasur- 
 al)le  grace  would  have  been  utterly  in  vain. 
 Who  that  thinks  it  out  can  conceive  this  to 
 have  been  so?  Oh,  no;  but  as  Ijange  says, 
 "  Jesus  acknowledged  the  truth  of  his  faith,  and 
 thereby  the  blessedness  of  his  believing  is  also 
 expressed."  Thou  believest — that  remains  true 
 and  firm,  although  with  it  there  is  hlended  a 
 gentle  reproof  still — because  thou  hast  i^een 
 rae.t    The  seeing,  the  seeing  himsef,  is  all  that 
 
 *  B.-Crusius  s^ems  confident  that  it  ought  to  b« 
 very  plain  that  it  is  only  a  liistorioal  passage,  or 
 word  of  Thomas  reproduced  by  the  Evangelist  j 
 that  this  word  was  not  used  in  any  dogmaLical 
 sense,  but  only  as  it  occurs  in  the  0.  T.  concern- 
 ing angels,  etc.,  regarding  Christ  as  a  Thcophany. 
 
 f  The  personal  address  with  G)(»//a  (which  ia 
 wanting  also  iu  ver.  27,  when  it  would  have  beeo 
 
JOHN  XX.  26-29. 
 
 M 
 
 the  Lord  refers  to ;  he  says  nothing  further 
 about  the  touching  with  finger  and  hand,  as 
 Thomas  himself  wanted  nothing  more  of  that 
 kind.  One  might  be  well-nigh  tempted  to  re- 
 ceive this  as  a  keen  and  almost  reproachful 
 oxymoron — Is  it  actually  believing  if  one  is  con- 
 vinced by  seeing  ?  But  such  severity  of  allusion 
 would  pass  beyond  the  truth  ;  the  Lord  knew 
 better,  and  testified  even  by  this  that  seeing  still 
 leaves  room  for  believing.  We  have  onl}''  to 
 remember  that  even  the  other  ten  Apostles  (as 
 they  themselves  admitted  by  their  "  We  have 
 seen,"  ver.  25)  believed  after  thev  had  seen, 
 thus  taking  no  higher  place  than  Thomas,*  in 
 order  to  understand  that  the  Lord  certainly 
 does  not  hereby  deny  to  them  all  the  reality  of 
 their  believing.  There  are  here  gradations  of 
 feeling  and  position,  which,  while  they  are  re- 
 ferred to  by  like  expressions,  must  he  carefully 
 distinguished.  When  the  daring  mockers  under 
 the  cross,  Mark  xv.  32,  would  see  in  order  to 
 believe,  their  case  was  quite  difTerent ;  for  they 
 were  altogether  ignorant  what  believingis,  while 
 they  thus  spoke,  and  no  seeing  would  have 
 brought  them  to  faith.  When  the  Lord,  John 
 iv.  48,  condemns  the  Galileans  who  must  see 
 signs  and  wonders  before  they  would  believe, 
 he  nevertheless  recognizes  by  this  word  the 
 faith  itself  which  would  follow  and  which 
 would  receive  those  miracles  as  sigm:  more- 
 over our  Evangelist  tells  us  presently  after- 
 wards in  ver  31  that  the  signs  are  designed  to 
 assist  the  faith  of  all,  even  as  merely  recorded. 
 Finally,  in  the  first  creation  and  establishment 
 of  the  faith  in  the  divine-human  miraculous 
 person  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  which  was  itself  the 
 wonder  of  all  wonders,  in  the  resurrection  and 
 exaltation  of  him  who  had  been  crucified  in 
 disgrace,  the  seeing  was  indispensable  to  all, 
 especially  to  the  Apostles  whose  testimony 
 concerning  their  having  seen  him  was  in  future 
 to  be  believed  by  others — first,  the  seeing  of  his 
 glory  in  his  previous  life  full  of  the  works  of 
 bod  (hence  John  vi.  40)  ;  and  then  the  bodily 
 seeing  of  the  E,isen  Jesus.  The  Lord  is  conse- 
 quently very  far  from  singling  out  Thomas  for 
 blame  in  the  first  clause  of  ver.  29  (the  addition 
 ol'  "  Thomas"  has  sprung  from  such  a  miscon- 
 ception); he  includes  him  with  the  rest,  with 
 all  those  who  hitherto  had  been  able  to  believe 
 only  in  con.sequence  of  seeing ;  the  special 
 hardness  of  his  character  is  merged  into  the 
 common  attributes  cf  that  class  in  opposition 
 to  which  our  Lord  now  places  an  entirely  dif- 
 ferent class,  composed  of  those  who  in  future 
 would  believe  through  the  word  and  the  Spirit 
 (chap.  xvii.  20).  It  will  appear  significant 
 that  lie  does  not  praise  and  bless  this  believing 
 confessor,  and  ail  the  others  with  him,  as  he 
 
 more  in  place)  is  hirdly  genuine,  and  Griesbach 
 rejected  if.  It  would  la  this  passage  mark  too 
 emphatically  liis  being  one  example,  whereas  he 
 represented  a  class. 
 
 *  They  were  superior  to  Thomas  in  nothing  but 
 that  they  believed  earlier,  because  tliey  earlier 
 saw  the  Lord  (Niemeyer). 
 
 had  once  pronounced  Simon,  the  son  of  Jona, 
 blessed  whose  faith,  in  a  lower  stage  had  attain- 
 ed the  word  of  his  confession — Thou  art  the 
 Son  of  God — from  the  word  and  life  of  Jesus 
 For  the  Lord  now  looks  much  higher,  and 
 looks  far  beyond!  For  the  present,  all  those 
 who  still  needed  the  evidence  of  sight  must  be 
 reminded  of  their  own  weakness  and  hardness 
 of  heart,  in  order  that  they  might  all  the  more 
 humbly  look  forward  to  the  future  faith  of 
 many  in  the  word  of  their  mission. 
 
 But  now  there  is  an  altogether  new  pronun- 
 cialion  of  blessing  for  the  new  and  great  futu- 
 rity. A  final  benediction,  sealing  the  first  with 
 which  the  Sermon  on  the  Mount  had  com- 
 menced— one  that  embraces  all  that  was  there 
 set  forth  as  the  individual  conditions  of  bless- 
 ing, in  that  one  principle,  wiiich  was  even  there 
 pre-supposed  in  them  all — Blessed  are  thase 
 wliohelieva;  a  sentence  (his  which  remarkably 
 returns  to  that  first  testimony  of  the  Spirit  at 
 the  commencement  of  the  New  Testament, 
 that  word  of  Elizabeth  lo  Mary,  through  whose 
 faith  alone,  as  prepared  from  the  Old  Testa- 
 ment, Christ  could  be  born — Mcxuafiia  ij  -at- 
 6reL.6a6a.  But  what  then  is  the  spirit  and  sub- 
 stance of  the  faith  here  pronounced  blessed  and 
 magnified  at  the  close  of  John's  Gospel  ?  What 
 but  the  person  of  the  Lord,  our  Lord  and  our 
 God,  in  whom  all  revelations  of  God  addressed 
 to  our  faith  are  blended  and  consummated  into 
 one?  And  that  too  his  manifestation  in  tlve 
 flesh,  in  the  l!esh  of  true  humanity,  which, 
 even  in  the  resurrection  and  glorification  of 
 this  personal  life,  is  and  abides  a  real  and  tan- 
 gible body.  It  is  consequently  by  nothing  but 
 the  most  wilful  and  blind  perversion  of  this 
 passage  in  which  the  historical  corporeal  per- 
 son of  Jesus  is  so  distinctively  presented  to 
 faith,  that  Baur  can  make  John  testify  here, 
 "that  a  faith  resting  simply  upon  exl  rnals 
 must  bring  its  own  confusion  after  it.  for  all 
 this  seeing  and  touching  demonstrated  noth- 
 ing ;  and  therefore  that  John  quotes  the  Lord's 
 word  concerning  not  seeing  in  order  to  bring 
 back  his  readers'  thoughts  to  the  faith  in  the 
 Xoyoi  adapHo?  with  which  he  began  his  Gos- 
 pel." This  miserable  folly  has  already  been 
 amply  refuted  by  others ;  as  if  the  forme*" 
 clause  had  not  established  the  seeing  as  firmly 
 as  the  faith  which  was  to  spring  from  it  alone, 
 in  order  thereby  to  proceed  to  faith  in  the  Risen 
 Lord  who  had  been  seen. 
 
 It  is  well  known  that  other  and  still  more 
 malicious  mockers  in  Christendom  have  in  an- 
 other way  perverted  this  sublime  saying — 
 Blessed  are  they  who  not  seeing  will  believe  ; 
 commending  in  their  ridicule  all  unreasonable 
 credulity  in  earthly  things,  and  placing  on  the 
 same  level  a  supposed  irrational  faith  in  the 
 word  of  God.  But  it  may  be  remarked  that 
 this  saying  was  by  no  means  given  as  a  rule 
 for  earthly  things,  in  which  there  may  be  every 
 prudent  inquiry  before  fa:th;  but  for  the  king- 
 dom of  God,  and  divine  things,  and  the  way 
 of  salvation.  There  is  indeed  a  certain  unde- 
 niable truth  ia  its  applicatioa  even  to  the  lower 
 
762 
 
 SECOND  APPEARANCE  TO  THE  APOSTLEa 
 
 domain  of  earthly  life;  for  how  would  a  man 
 fare  on  the  principle  that  he  would  believe 
 nothing  which  he  saw  not  with  his  eyes  ?  But 
 its  essential  meaning;  refers  to  the  supersensible 
 world.  In  this  the  sayinq  is  so  universally 
 true,  that  it  actually  includes  (as  we  shall  see 
 on  a  nearer  contemplation  of  its  meaning)  in 
 some  degree  those  also  who  are  believers 
 through  seeing,  and  speaks  of  the  universal 
 and  most  intornal  nature  of  all  true  faith. 
 Tiierefure  the  Lord  does  not  speak  of "  those 
 who  see  not  me  and  yet  believe  in  me  ;"  but  he 
 continues  the  general  neiriarfVHai  in  a  yet 
 more  general  form.  IL7i<'e  the  aorist  form 
 (signifying  "wont")  of  both  these  verbs,  as 
 Liicke  rightly  mentions,  in  order  to  embrace 
 the  past  under  the  comprehending  rule  :  Blessed 
 are  all  who  have  not  seen  and  yet  have  been 
 believing.*  Bat  these  are  not  at  first  opposed 
 merely  to  Thomas,  but  to  all  who  liave  seen 
 Jesus  in  order  to  faith  ;  then  again  those  who 
 see  are  themselves,  in  as  far  as  they  actually  at 
 last  ielieve,  embraced  under  the  same  rule.  For, 
 according  to  Heb.  xi.  1,  a  not  seeing  belongs  to 
 the  nature  of  all  true  faith,  where  the  seeing 
 stands  for  the  testimony  of  sensible  experience 
 generallyl  (as  above,  ver.  27).  If  this  has  al- 
 ways held  good,  it  has  its  fullest  truth  in  the 
 New-Testament  economy,  which  begins  with 
 the  withdrawal  of  the  visible  appearance  of 
 Jesus  in  the  ascension,  and  continues  to  com- 
 mit to  the  faithj  which  overcometh  the  world 
 the  contest  with  the  whole  mighty  power  of  a 
 world  lying  under  God's  patience  in  wicked- 
 ness, yea,  finally,  clothed  in  anti-christian 
 strength.  During  this  period  the  believing 
 have  to  c«y  more  and  more  loudly — But  now 
 we  see  not  yet  that  all  things  are  put  under  our 
 exalted  Lord — though  they  themselves  are  sub- 
 ject to  him  in  the  Tiiomas-word  of  faith.  They 
 even  ice  too  in  the  mirror  of  the  word,  and  in 
 history  which  accords  with  it,  that  it  is  Jesus, 
 who  through  the  suffering  of  death  was  crown- 
 ed with  glory  and  honor  (Heb.  ii.  8,  9). 
 
 What  is  the pjwnise  connected  with  this  last 
 benediction,  beyond  which  nothing  further  is 
 given  even  in  Mark  xvi.  IG?  There  is  no 
 specific  expression  of  promise  connected  with 
 it;  for  as  believing  includes  every  thing,  so  all 
 is  already  said  in  the  llesned.  They  go  onward 
 and  believe  towards  blessedness,  when  all  will 
 be  fulfilled   that  has  been  spoken  of  by  the 
 
 *  Luthardt  thinks  it  needless  to  resort  to  this 
 "  improved  meanins  of  habit  and  wont,"  and  says 
 that  they  are  viewed  as  such  as  have  not  seen  .ind 
 yet  have  beheved  !  There  is  no  essential  (liflt>r- 
 ence ;  but  my  view,  wliich  is  erammatically  de- 
 fensible, lays  more  stress  upon  the  universal  rule 
 (ev.Mi  before  Christ). 
 
 f  In  tlip  Scripture  nXT  stands,  e.  g.,  concerning 
 hearing,  E.xod.  xx.  18 :  Jer.  ii.  31 ;  concerning 
 sniplliiig,  Gen.  xxvii.  27 — tasting,  Psa  xxxiv.  9, 
 etc. 
 
 X  1  John  V.  4.  It  is  a  mos*,  profound  spleclion 
 wliicii  lias  made  this  pericope  the  Ep.slle  tor  Qua- 
 iimodo  Sunday. 
 
 Lord.  But  they  have  already  in  faith,  anrf  a« 
 far  as  they  believe,  the  pledged  and  uttered 
 feace  of  victory  over  the  world  ;  and  this  they 
 retain  and  prove  through  the  continuance  of 
 faith.  The  believer  says:  I  know  in  ichnm  I 
 believe — whom  and  what  I  possess  in  my  iailh. 
 Even  his  Lord  himself  cannot  declare  to  him 
 in  terms  how  and  wherein  he  is  so  blessed  ;  but 
 he  knows  it  by  experience  and  utters  it  in  the 
 adoring,  responding  cry — Yea,  thou  art  my 
 Lord  and  God,  thou  makest  meh!esse.l. 
 
 This  deeper  view  of  the  transcendent  saying 
 will  help  U3  to  understand,  and  reply  to,  the 
 questions  which  various  exposition  has  en- 
 deavored to  solve — Whether  they  who  believe 
 because  they  have  seen  are  not  blessed,  and 
 how  far  those  who  have  not  seen  are  more 
 blessed.  It  is  faith  which  brincrs  blessedne.sa 
 always  and  every  where:  that  is  most  certain 
 at  the  outset.  In  as  far  as  those  who  saw  re- 
 tained not  their  privilege  of  seeing  in  continu- 
 ance (as  these  Apostles  only  saw  the  Lord  a 
 short  time,  and  then  pprmanently  believed) 
 this  seeing  had  only  led  them  to  faith,  and  thus 
 they  were  happy:  thus  the  second  clause  re- 
 moves the  contradiction  which  seems  to  be  in 
 the  first,  ascribing  as  it  does  a  believing  to  hiiu 
 who  sees. 
 
 He  again  who  would  believe  only  where,  be- 
 cause, and  as  long  as  he  sees — would  never 
 have  thus  attained  faith;  but  the  Lord  speaka 
 of  a  TrE7Ti(jT£V){a?y  having  believed,  which  is  no 
 other  than  the  having  become  believing  alter 
 the  having  seen.  Moreover,  as  Lange  says  very 
 truly  on  this  question,  even  in  the  moment  of 
 external  seeing  every  man  must  (like  Thomas 
 here,  hence  yivov  rrzcfro?)  "  at  last  come  to 
 the  leap  of  faith,"  ina«!much  as  no  man  can 
 ever  behold  the  essential  glory  of  Christ  with 
 the  eyes,  or  handle  it  with  hands.  Is  it  there- 
 fore altogether  without  significance  that  the 
 Lord  pronounces  his  Nessed  upon  those  alona 
 who  see  not,  thus  as  it  were  strongly  contrast- 
 ing them  in  this,  almost  as  if  with  "but?" 
 Fikenscher  gives  it  this  turn — They  shall  bo 
 equally  happy  with  thyself  in  thy  present  faith; 
 but  that  13  manifestly  against  the  feeling 
 which  must  apprehend  here  at  least  a  rela- 
 tive contrast.  Niemeyer,  on  the  other  hand, 
 makes  a  comparative  out  of  the  solemn  ftaxd^ 
 piot — "  It  is  still  more  blessed,  not  to  see  and 
 yet  to  believe" — as  Grotius  :  They  are  to  ba 
 preferred,*  for  which  he  groundlessly  comparea 
 Luke  xi.  27.  But  this,  so  nakedly  stated,  does 
 not  correspond  with  the  specific  and  delicato 
 intimations  of  the  whole.  Certainly,  an  earlier 
 and  relatively  greater  blessedness  was  enjoyed 
 by  those  Emmaus  disciples  (the  only  men  at 
 tiiat  time  who  already,  even  beyond  the  Apos- 
 tles, could  now  lookbeyond  into  the  economy 
 of  the  future)  while  their  hearts  were  burning 
 through  only  hearing  the  words  of  Scripture 
 which  were  spoken  to   them.     On  the  other 
 
 *  So  Nonnus  :    xsiyoi  tidXXoy  ratji  jjrtxno' 
 TFfioifOi  ft?)  iSoyTFf  uei^ova  itiQviv  i^^oudij 
 \Kai  ov  x'^ziovdiv  uTioomji* 
 
JOHN  XX.  26-29. 
 
 763 
 
 Iiand,  those  who  will  see  beforehand  (like 
 Thomas,  and  that  is  the  warning  of  the  first 
 clause)  have  no  promise,  and  are  not  really  yet 
 before  us  as  a  type.  It  is  grace  sujierabounding , 
 and  having  special  regard  to  human  infirmity, 
 which  leads  these  through  seeing  to  faith,  and 
 makes  them  blessed  :  so  Driiseke  preaches — 
 "  Was  not  Thomas  very  near  forfeiting  the 
 blessedness  of  faith  altogether?"  Thus  our 
 Lord's  word  declares  i:he  rule  and  order:  "  Thou, 
 O  Thomas,  with  all  who  like  thee  will  require 
 first  to  see  me,  art  an  exception  to  the  rule 
 which  has  ever  held  good,  and  will  be  now 
 more  fully  established  :  yea,  so  much  as  ye  all 
 become  blessed  in  iaith,  it  is  not  the  result  of 
 your  seeing,  but  of  your  believing."  This  pre- 
 rogative of  faith,  as  the  law,  is  confirmed  by 
 the  exception,  which  is  partly  a  real  exception, 
 but  partly  only  an  apparent  one.*  Through 
 Iaith  alone  is  the  salvation,  peace,  and  blessed- 
 ness of  man  restored.!  But,  on  the  other  side, 
 nothing  is  wanting  to  the  blessedness  of  those 
 believers  who  first  required  to  see,  if  they  hold 
 fast  and  reach  perfection  in  faith.  "Not  that 
 those  who  first  see  and  then  believe  are  less 
 blessed;  Paul  came  thus  to  faith,  but  who  was 
 ever  more  blessed  in  faith  than  he?"  (Lange). 
 
 Eichter's  llausbibel  suggestively  requires  us 
 on  these  words  to  distinguish  those  who,  l.see 
 and  believe  :  2,  who  see  not  and  yet  believe ; 
 3,  who  see  not  and  believe  not;  4,  who  see  and 
 do  not  believe.  Let  this  be  well  pondered. 
 Kot  only  is  condemnation  denounced  upon 
 those  who  even  see  and  still  do  not  believe 
 (and  on  the  contrary,  exceptional  grace  pro- 
 vided for  those  whose  seeing  is  alone  wanting 
 in  order  to  their  believing),  but  as  a  hidden 
 contrast,  5,  the  uiMessei  are  all  those  who  at 
 last  will  be  obliged  to  see  the  Lord  with  terror, 
 without  being  able  forever  to  believe  in  him  as 
 a  Saviour. 
 
 Further,  a  ftiture  seeing  is  not  by  any  means 
 denied  to  tho.se  who  believe  now  without  see- 
 ing ;  rather  as  Peter  has  said,  with  plain  allu- 
 sion to  this  word  (1  Pet.i .  8),  that  seeing  is  held 
 out  as  the  goal  and  recompense  of  believing, 
 and  as  consummate  blessedness.  Through  faith 
 to  sig/U — is  the  scriptural  law  of  progression. 
 Therefore  the  desire  to  see,  which  is  inseparable 
 from  the  love  and  longing  of  faith,  is  neither 
 lorbidden  nor  in  any  degree  blamed — provided 
 only  It  remains  within  the  limits  of  faith,  and 
 becomes  not  a  condition  of  that  faith.  We 
 may  lawfully,  with  Augustine,  wish  to  have 
 seen  Christ  in  the  flesu.  We  may  adopt  the 
 strain  of  the  song  with  which  Dnlseke  closes 
 
 I  his  sermon,  and  envy  Thomas'  happiness  which 
 I  we  would  go  a  thousand  miles  to  share  ;  pro- 
 I  vided  only  we  leave  faith  its  high  prerogative, 
 j  and  say  with  the  same  hymn,  "  If  mine  earthly 
 I  eyes  thou  bind,  thee  my  unbound  heart  shall 
 I  find."     Yea,  the  heart  can  feel  after  and  find 
 j  Jesus  (Acts  xvii.  27) ;  it  can  hear  his  voice  in 
 his  word  and  Spirit,  even  taste  his  love  and  his 
 life,  when  he  invisibly  conies  in  his  ordinances, 
 or  breaks  the  bread  to  us  in  his  supper.    "  Ah, 
 Lord  Jesus,  thy  being  near  fiUeth  my  soul  with 
 joy;  thou  canst  make  thyself  most  surely  felt, 
 though  thou  be  not  seen  f"     Neverthelsss,  our 
 I  Lord's  normal  word  concerning  the  pre-emi- 
 nence of  faith  alone  has  an  important  meaning 
 as  a  protest  against  all  such  Moravian  feeling 
 as  too  vehemently  longs  for  the  revelation  of 
 the  "  Prince  with  the  bloody  side"  to  the  feel- 
 ings of  his  people :  for  its  meaning  is  as  if  it 
 had  further  said — Blessed  are  they  who   feel 
 not  and  yet  believe.*     Hence  we  do  best  to 
 adopt  the  more  temperate  strains  which  hold 
 fast  the  word  of  Christ  in  the  Spirit  of  Christ, 
 and  say  with  Speratus  ;  "  Thus  let  the  devout 
 Christian  study  well  the  true  lineaments  of 
 faith.     Nothing  more  than — My  blessed  Lord, 
 thy  death  shall  be  my  life."     This  is  the  true 
 experience  of  the  salvation  which    has  come   to 
 us  through  the  wounds  of  Jesus.     Thus  also 
 we  understand  that  the  word  to  Thomas — a 
 word  for  the  commencement  of  the  establish- 
 ment of  his  kingdom — expresses,  in  connection 
 with  this  specific  example  of  the  Lord's  conde- 
 !  scension  to  the  demand  to  see  and  handle,  noth- 
 j  ing  but  the  general  truth  that  all  the  manifes- 
 ;  tations  of  the  forty  days  were  designed  to  form 
 i  a  transition  to  the  believing  without  seeing  at 
 all.    This  was  said  in  express  opposition  to  the 
 notions  of  all  the  Apostles  (John  alone,  it  may 
 be,  excepted),  who  might  have  expected  and 
 hoped  for  a  new  form  of  seeing  the  glorified 
 Lord  abiding  in  his  established  kingdom.     It 
 pointed  once  more  to  the  ascension  and  the 
 descent  of  the  Spirit,  but  gave  also  to  Thomas 
 with  them,  and  to  them  all  with  Thomas,  the 
 promise — Ye  shall  find   faith,  the  faith  which 
 bringeth  salvation,  in  the  world,  when  I  send 
 you  into  it. 
 
 The  Evangelist  himself  expounds  to  us  most 
 fully  in  his  concluding  saying,  vers.  30,  31, f 
 the  last  great  word  with  which  as  a  word  of 
 our  Lord's  own  he  would  include — the  word 
 believe  :X  for  he  testifies  of  the  ground,  the  sub- 
 
 *  "  Here  one  miaht  say :  How  gladly  would  I 
 believe  and  adore  my  Lord  and  my  God  if  he 
 showed  nie  such  love  as  he  showed  "Thomas,  and 
 would  appear  to  me  in  his  own  person  !  T/te  Lord 
 tees  this  from  afar,  and  therefore  provides  for  such  a 
 suggestion,  by  saying — Because  thou,"  etc.  So 
 Val.  Ilerber^er. 
 
 f  According  to  the  well-known  simile  of  Hess : 
 If  we  are  to  be-trained  on  the  Island  of  Test,  it 
 uusb  liave  no  bridge. 
 
 *  So  Zinzendorf  writes  with  reference  to  the 
 seeing  wished  for :  '■  Would  we  then  see  him  as 
 John  saw  him,  when  he  fell  down  as  a  dead  man  ? 
 What  would  be  the  result,  if  every  man  who 
 would  hold  communion  with  Chri-st  every  dny  tell 
 as  dead  1  We  should  have  ccnvulsionanes  and  uo 
 Church,  a  nest  of  enthusia.sts." 
 
 f  Where,  according  to  our  conviction,  he  in- 
 cludes the  TEHfii'jpicx  of  the  Risen  Lord  among 
 the  6rju£i(X  general'y ;  and  thus  makes  the  mirac- 
 ulous facts  the  basis  of  his  whole  Gospel. 
 
 X  "  The  last  word  of  Christ,  like  the  last  word 
 of  the  Evangelist,  speaks  not  of  yiycoGntirf  but 
 
764 
 
 SECOND  APPEARANCE  TO  THE  APOSTLES. 
 
 stance,  and  the  power  of  the  Christian's  faith. 
 On  what  basis  is  it  grounded,  or  why  do  we  be- 
 lieve ?  Not,  because  we  have  seen  the  Lord 
 ourselves  ;  that  would  not  be  pure  faith  ;  and 
 although  the  first  witnesses  must  see  him  in 
 order  to  the  establishment  of  faith  in  them,  it 
 was  not  so  meant  as  if  that  must  necessarily 
 continue.  We  receive  the  testimony  of  men, 
 of  these  sincere  though  slowly  believing  Apos- 
 tles, and  receive  therein  the  testimony  of  God. 
 The  history  has  become  a  word,  even  a  written 
 word.  But  all  is  not  written  ;  and  that  which 
 is  written  is  designedly,  in  order  to  leave  room 
 for  Jaitk,  written  "'in  such  a  form  as  to  give 
 occasion  for  manifold  doubts  to  the  understand- 
 ing which  inquires  independently  of  the  relig- 
 ious consciousness  and  sense  of  need"  (Nean- 
 der).  In  and  besides  this  word  the  living 
 Lord  himself  comes,  though  now  unseen,  in 
 the  water  and  in  the  blood  of  the  sacraments, 
 but  in  all  these  with  the  testimony  of  his 
 Spirit.  Thus  what  is  the  subdunce  of  our  faith, 
 or  what  do  we  believe  ?  Not  any  thing  in  doc- 
 trine, dogma,  or  formula  of  truth,  but  himself 
 personally,  to  whom,  all  the  signs  which  go  forth 
 from  him  point  back — is  the  object  and  great 
 matter  of  faith  :  thus  Jesus — in  his  humanity 
 the  Christ  who  was  the  promised  of  the  Old 
 Testament  and  whose  coming  is  its  fulfillment, 
 anointed  by  the  Holy  Spirit — in  his  divinity 
 the  Son  of  God,  who  himself  is  called  and  is 
 God.  Here  again  John  does  not  say  3fo's, 
 "  God,"  as  he  has  just  recorded  from  Thomas' 
 lips,  but  vioi  Tov  SeoC,  "  Son  of  God ;"  for  he 
 well  knew  that  the  former  ascription  was  ap- 
 propriate only  to  the  very  highest  moments  of 
 adoration,  and  that  the  giving  absolute  promi- 
 nence to  this  w.rd  would  lead  to  the  jeopardiz- 
 ing and  the  partial  forget I'ulness  of  the  true 
 humanity  of  Jesus.  But  we  understand  from 
 ver.  28  how  ver.  31  is  to  be  interpreted.  We 
 must,  like  the  Apostles,  believe  ourselves  up 
 to  that  knowledge;  as  it  here,  by  a  wonderful 
 exception,  breaks  upon  Thomas  mstantaneously 
 with  his  new  faith.  He  came  down  and  be- 
 came man  that  we  going  up  might  find  the  God- 
 head in  his  humanity.  Even  the  Apostles  did 
 not  find  this  until  the  last ;  the  whole  Church 
 long  struggled  towards  it,  and  our  knowledge  is 
 still  spelling  out  the  word  of  Thomas — My 
 Lord  and  my  God.  After  a  long  perioil  of  one- 
 sided, partial,  and  unintelligent  marvelling 
 merely  at  the  divinity,  it  is  now  the  great 
 question  rightly  to  understand  the  Humanity 
 of  the  Son  of  God,  which  has  gone  up  to  heaven 
 glorified  with  the  marks  of  his  wounds.  But 
 now  comes  the  great  question — For  what  do 
 ■we  believe  ?  what  is  the  power  and  fruit  of 
 faith?  That  we  may  have  life — in  his  name. 
 The  mere  name  indeed  avails  not  before  him, 
 and  saves  us  not ;  but  this  name  alone  secures 
 our  lile,  when  apprehended  and  invoked  in  faith. 
 
 of  TTtdzevEiy."  So  Luthardt  against  the  over- 
 valuation ot  yycodii,  and  against  tlie  progression 
 ot  Ttidrii  into  yyoo6ii  as  the  supposed  tendency 
 of  John's  Gospel. 
 
 Many  so-called  believers  are  unbelieving,  be- 
 cause their  hearts  say  not  in  living  truth — My 
 Lord  and  my  God.  He  who  can  in  all  ear- 
 nestness say,  Thou  art  mine  with  all  thy  life 
 and  all  thy  love,  says  also  in  the  same  word — 
 I  am  thine.  He  loveth  Christ  and  liveth  to 
 him.  Tliis  is  to  live,  and  to  have  this  life  is 
 to  have  himself.  We  have  it  thenceforward  in 
 proportion  as  we  believe  ;  but  the  faith  and  the 
 life  are  far  from  being  at  once  perfect.  It  still 
 remains  written  for  testimony  and  exhortation 
 in  order  that  ye  may  believe.  Who  is  he  thai 
 overcometh  the  world  but  he  who  believeth 
 that  Jesus  is  the  Son  of  God  ?  So  conversely . 
 Who  fully  believeth  this  but  he  who  perlectlj 
 overcometh  the  world,  within,  and  without  him- 
 self? 
 
 But  in  connection  with  thehistory  of  Thomas, 
 this  demand  oi  faith  becomes  at  the  same  tira( 
 an  exhortation  to  patience  with  those  who  be- 
 lieve not.  See  to  it  that  ye  believe.  But  knov\ 
 as  regards  others  that  there  are  two  kinds  of 
 unbelief,  having  the  same  ground  indeed  in  the 
 sinful  nature  of  man,  but  only  one  of  which 
 has  damnation  for  its  issue.  They  whose  office 
 was  to  preach — He  that  believeth  not  shall  be 
 damned  1  had  been  themselves  again  and  again 
 rebuked  for  their  unbelief.  How  many  amon^ 
 the  enemies  of  our  Lord,  to  whom  he  showed 
 not  himself,  afterwards  believed  the  preaching 
 without  having  seen — some  earlier,  some  later. 
 Yea,  a  Saul  persecutes  the  Church  of  God ;  yel 
 he  is  dealt  with  in  the  greatest  compassion,  sc 
 that  he  himself  can  term  his  unbelief  an  ig- 
 norance which  was  in  some  sense  excused 
 Assuredly,  when  the  Lord  appears  and  speaka, 
 no  man  can  he  guiltless  who  rejects  him.  VVher 
 he  says  :  "  Be  not  faithless,  but  believing  (anJ 
 does  he  not  say  this  in  his  word  loud  enough 
 to  us  all),  we  learn  that  unbelief  is  essentiallj 
 and  internally  a  matter  of  the  will  at  last 
 But  there  is  a  "not  able"  which  in  the  esti- 
 mate of  mercy  is  clearly  distinguished  from 
 that  wicked  "  not  willing  " — though  the  line  of 
 distinction  is  not  easily  discerned  by  man 
 Our  own  experience  teaches  us  how  subtle  u 
 the  intermingling  of  the  two,  and  bids  us  con- 
 fidently leave  to  the  Searcher  of  hearts  the  fins.1 
 abandonment  of  the  sinner — T/wu  woaldst  not* 
 
 *  "  Is  Jesus  and  is  his  doctrine  tdcrant  ?  C.in  thf 
 word,  lie  that  bsheveth  not  sh.ill  be  damned — 1)« 
 reconciled  with  perfect  pitieiice'!  Passing  by  i 
 thousand  tilings  wliicli  might  be  said  upon  ihit 
 .sulij  "Ct,  Luke  X.  30,  John  xiv.  1,  and  so  on,  let  us 
 dwell  upon  that  which  we  have  just  read.  One  oi 
 the  elected  disciples  of  Jesus  had  heard  liis  piedic- 
 tions,  and  had  heard  from  ten  to  thirteen  eye-wit- 
 nesses declaring  his  resurrection,  and  yet  sweara 
 — Except  I  shall  put  my  finger,  etc.  This  man  eigh( 
 days  afterwards  is  met  by  his  merciful  Master 
 with  the  words,  Reach  hither,  etc.  Now  let  any 
 man  say  whether  the  question  about  our  Lord'd 
 tolerance  is  not  quite  superfluous.  Is  not  Thomaa 
 a  pledge  to  all  who  like  him  are  slow  to  believo 
 that  every  severe  word  spoken  to  unbelief  rcfent 
 only  to  those  who  will  not  believe.  As  to  tliis  not 
 «i.«and  not  xcilling,  God  must  judge  "  (Pfenninger). 
 
JOHN  XXI.  5,  6,  10,12. 
 
 7es 
 
 We  must  do  the  duty  of  our  office,  that  for 
 which  he  sends  us:  testify  urgently,  rebuke 
 with  autliority,  and  threaten  faithfully — but  all 
 with  the  prudence  and  patience  of  love,  wait- 
 ing to  know  what  the  Lord  may  finally  do. 
 Every  Thomas  within  the  Church,  and  every 
 soul  without  it,  has  his  hour — after  eight  days 
 or  years— and  the  last  may  be  first.  It  is  no 
 where  written  that  if  Thomas  or  Saul  should 
 die  before  that  hour,  and  pass  into  the  other 
 world  as  Thomas  and  Saul,  the  living  Lord  is 
 not  there  the  Lord  of  the  dead  even  as  he  is 
 here  the  Lord  of  the  living.     But  as  to  thee, 
 
 whom  the  Lord's  words  through  the  Spirit  of 
 testimony  should  penetrate  and  convince  more 
 effectually  than  any  palpable  evidence,  whose 
 rebuking  appeal  should  touch  thy  heart  with 
 more  than  the  Emmaus  burning — i?='  not  faith- 
 lens,  consult  not  with  flesh  and  blood,  make  no 
 tarrying  to  obey.  For  be  assured  that  no  man 
 abides  long  in  his  present  state:  the  unbeliev- 
 ing becomes  ever  more  unhelieving  even  down  to 
 utter  hardening.  For  him  there  is  no  throne 
 of  grace,  where  Thomas'  benediction  or  Saul's 
 conversion  may  be  obtained. 
 
 THE  EARLY  MEAL  AT  THE  SEA-SHORE. 
 (John  xxi.  5,  6,  10,  12.) 
 
 Among  the  ten  appearances  of  the  Risen 
 Lord  which  are  certainly  recorded  in  Scrip- 
 ture,* the  seventh  in  itself,  the  third  to  the  col- 
 lective disciples,  is  now  recorded  by  the  same 
 Evangelist  John  who  has  recorded  three  mir- 
 acles of  the  Lord  in  Galilee  and  three  in  Judea. 
 For  although  we  perceive  in  John  xx.  30,  31, 
 an  evident  first  conclusion  of  the  Gospel,  this 
 does  not  prevent  our  holding  the  following 
 chapter  to  be  genuine,  and  most  firmly  regard- 
 ing it  as  a  necessary  supplement  to  the  whole. 
 We  know  the  objections  of  the  critics,  but  we 
 know  also  the  refutations  of  these  objections  ; 
 and  hope  to  increase  and  strengthen  the  latter 
 by  our  exposition  of  the  profound  and  self-as- 
 serting words  of  this  final  section.  Its  oppo- 
 nents and  its  defenders  are,  at  least  the  most 
 important  of  them,  mentioned  in  Liicke  and 
 Guerioke  :  the  former  have  been  recently  re- 
 inforced by  Schweizer,  Wieseler,  and  Reuss, 
 though  with  no  new  arguments  of  any  force. 
 All  the  manuscripts  and  versions  have  the 
 chapter ;  Clemens  and  Origen  refer  to  it ;  the 
 accidental  silence  of  Irenajus,  in  the  writings 
 which  we  possess,  is  no  argument  acainst  it,  as 
 even  Lucke,  its  most  decided  rejector,  admits. 
 No  one  in  the  whole  Church  doubted  of  its 
 genuineness  until  Grotius ;  ver.  25  alone  is 
 sometimes  wanting,  or  marked  as  an  addition. 
 Even  Credner  admits  that  there  is  not  the 
 slightest  external  evidence  against  this  chapter, 
 and  that  it  exhibits  almost  all  the  peculiarities 
 of  John's  style — a  point  which  Guericke  has 
 lately  established  most  fully.  Indeed,  its  con- 
 tents, as  well  as  the  manner  of  presenting 
 them,  have  been  appreciated  in  all  their  pathos 
 by  all  modern  preachers  with  one  consent ;  and 
 
 Hence  we  may  further  see  that  the  "  retaining  of 
 sin  "  is  not  at  once  a  dimnation  of  the  unbelieving 
 and  impeniient. 
 
 *  That  to  James  in  part,  1  Cor.  xv.  7,  included. 
 Whether  thei  e  were  two  distinct  appearances  in 
 Luke  xxiv.  wo  uiTOt  leave  undecldtd,  as  we  shall 
 
 the  narrative  of  the  former  part  of  the  chapter, 
 with  the  discourses  of  the  Lord  which  followed 
 it,  iiave  been  in  a  thousand  forms  applied,  re- 
 produced, and  elaborated  even  into  legends  and 
 poems.  But,  on  the  other  hand,  there  have 
 been  opposite  views  as  to  the  integrity  of  the 
 chapter  which  we  feel  ourselves  bound  to  al- 
 lude to  briefly,  in  order  that  every  reader  may 
 be  put  in  possession  of  the  certain  ground  on 
 which  our  faith  in  it  rests. 
 
 Grotius  with  his  first  arUtror  gave  littlo 
 other  reason  for  his  rejection  than  the  super- 
 fiical  and  premature  argument  from  the  con- 
 clusion with  which  chap.  xx.  ends.  As  in  the 
 Pentateuch  and  the  Book  of  Joshua,  so  here 
 after  John's  death  the  postscript  was  added  by 
 the  Ephesian  Church,  and  for  the  exclusive 
 reason  that  it  might  refute  the  saying  referred 
 to  in  ver.  23  by  the  authentic  word  of  the  Lord 
 concerning  this  disciple's  remaining  till  he 
 came.  All  else  he  violently  explains  as  "  added 
 to  show  the  time,  place,  and  occasion  of  this 
 oracular  saying  ;  "  save  that  he  draws  a  similar 
 hasty  conclusion  from  the  o'idausv  of  ver.  24 
 that  the  whole  chapter  was  drawn  up  by  those 
 who  thus  say  "we  know."  This  first  attack 
 was  of  no  great  moment ;  but  G.  Voss  soon 
 trode  in  his  steps,  and  referred  first  to  the 
 presbytor  John,  supposing  that  he  in  the  name 
 of  the  Church  added  the  supplement  which  he 
 had  heard  from  the  Apostle,  or  which  had 
 been  privately  written  by  him.  Clericus  fol- 
 lowed, then  PfafI,  and  the  long  series  of  critical 
 opponents,  seeking  with  more  and  more  bold- 
 ness their  arguments  in  the  contents  of  the 
 chapter,  which  they  would  not  apprehend  in 
 the  spirit  of  faith,  but  subjected  to  the  licen- 
 tious criticism  of  unhallowed  minds.  Paulus 
 was  the  most  notorious  example  of  these  :  and 
 his  notion  was  that  some  well-meaning  person- 
 age intended  the  postscript  to  show  that  the 
 death  of  the  Apostle  before  the  coming  of 
 Christ  ought  not  to  occasion  any  doubt  or  un- 
 belief. Liicke,  finally,  who  is  the  highest  au- 
 thority with  many,  entered  the  lists  with  hia 
 
766 
 
 THE  EARLY  MEAL  AT  THE  SEA-SHORE. 
 
 wonted  confidence  against  this  "  strange  com- 
 position "  whicli  sets  forth  "  the  strangest  of 
 all  manifestations  of  the  Lord,"  and  declares 
 with  those  who  went  before  (though  we  see 
 not  why)  that  the  authenticity  of  the  whole 
 chapter"  stands  or  falls  with  the  genuineness 
 and' authority  of  the  last  two  verses.  But  we 
 are  sorry  to  be  obliged  to  say  of  a  man  so  re- 
 nowned and  esteemed  as  tliis  commentator, 
 that  with  all  his  excellencies  he  was  utterly 
 deficient  in  perception  of  that  which  is  speci- 
 fically Jolmnnean  in  John — we  mean  the  sym- 
 lolicu  nii/s  i-al  deimnt  of  his  Gospel.  He  plainly 
 reveals  this  want  throughout  the  present  chap- 
 ter, and  then  much  more  glaringly  throughout 
 the  entire  Apocalypse.  From  one  who  can 
 find  here  a  "  debased  John,"  and  a  plain  bias 
 toward  apocryphal  hyperbole  and  adventure, 
 we  must  turn  av/ay,  and  with  a  very  different 
 spirit  and  taste  unite  ourselves  with  the  great- 
 e.'it  part  of  Christendom. 
 
 The  subscription,  ver.  24,  is  a  powerful  argu- 
 ment against  any  invention  of  the  narrative — 
 whether  the  Apostle  himself  speaks  in  the 
 oTdai-iEv  (as  he  uses  the  plural  in  the  Epistles, 
 see  especially  3  John  12),  in  the  name  of  the 
 apostolical  company,  as  in  chap.  i.  14 — or,  as 
 we  ourselves  prefer  to  interpret,  the  Church 
 speaks.  For,  such  a  solemn  attestation  would 
 not  have  been  so  early  and  so  firmly  attached 
 to  an  invented  or  even  a  disfigured  account; 
 and  the  divine  providence  which  watched  over 
 the  canon  could  never  have  permitted  such  a 
 deception  to  be  appended  to  the  greatest  of  all 
 the  Gospels,  or  the  whole  early  Church  to  re- 
 main in  blindness  concerning  it.  Where  are 
 those  plain  reasons  which  are  said  absolutely  to 
 demand  an  assumption  that  would  be  based 
 upon  a  far  greater  wonder  than  any  attributed 
 to  the  narrative  ?  To  us,  all  appears  periectly 
 consistent  with  the  phraseology  of  John  ;  the 
 specific  objections  are  easily  relutable,  as  many 
 very  great  names  admit.  Such  defenders  of 
 the  genuineness  of  the  chapter  as  R.  Simon, 
 Michaelis,  Eichliorn,and  Wegscheider  were  not 
 biassed  by  any  dogmatic  prejudice ;  but  on  this 
 point  were  periectly  sincere.  The  specialissima 
 of  the  most  minute  circumstantials  are  so 
 plain.'y  and  simply  exhibited,  that  even  Lucke 
 ]s  once  or  twice  constrained  to  say — This  has 
 the  ftemlilance  of  authenticity. 
 
 Why  might  not  then  John  have,  after  chap. 
 XX.  30,  written  in  his  book  yet  one  more  of  the 
 many  «/>/««  ?*  We  will  not  a.ssume,  because  a 
 conclusion  now  stands  between,  that  "  by  acci- 
 dent certain  tilings  were  moved  out  of  their 
 place,  or  that  John  himself  must  be  thought 
 not  to  have  accurately  preserved  the  order  of 
 liis  Gospel  " — but  reject  both  suppositions,  with 
 Lampe.     R.  Simon  spoke  with  confidence  of 
 
 *  The  reckoning,  chap.  xxi.  14  with  the  un- 
 doubted Ti5ff,  is  very  plainly  Joliannean  (comp. 
 chap.  iv.  54),  whether  the  httle  word  means — this 
 present  miracle,  or  as  better  suiting  chap.  xx.  80 — 
 now  a  ready  the  third  time.  (Understand — After- 
 wards still  ot'icuer.) 
 
 John's  slender  adherence  to  order — but  I  think 
 that  we  may  with  equal  confidence  assert  the 
 contrary.  Lucke  says,  indeed,  that  if  John 
 had  himself  written  the  supplement,  he  would 
 have  more  intelligently  retracted  the  conclusion 
 already  written  ;  but  we  have  a  very  dififerent 
 notion  of  the  intelligence  of  John,  and  think 
 that  there  may  have  been  many  reasons  not 
 lying  on  the  surface  which  might  induce  him 
 to  add  this  chapter  as  a  supplement,  after  the 
 profound  colloquy  between  Thomas  and  our 
 Lord  which  presented  itself  to  him  as  a 
 glorious  conclusion.  We  cannot  agree  with 
 Hug,  who  ascribes  the  whole  of  ver.  24  to 
 the  Apostle,  and  makes  it  prove  the  prudence 
 of  John,  who  took  this  method  of  obviating 
 scruple  concerning  this  appendage;  for  if  the 
 Evangelist  wrote  down  what  the  Holy  Spirit 
 had  suggested  to  him,  we  must  suppose  him  to 
 have  been  elevated  above  any  such  anxiety  to 
 repel,  in  any  such  manner  at  least,  the  attacks 
 of  future  lying  criticism  upon  his  details.  He 
 knew  well  that  his  testimony  would  be  re- 
 ceived; but  the  Church,  in  its  somewhat  lower 
 position  and  relations,' appended  this  assurance 
 of  its  own  knowledge  and  faith.  We  cannot 
 bring  ourselves  to  think  that  John  took  up  his 
 pen  again  at  a  later  time  only  on  account  of 
 his  own  and  Peter's  personality,  to  obviate  a 
 false  depreciation  of  the  denier  and  a  false  ex- 
 altation of  the  disciple  who  it  was  thought  was 
 not  to  die ;  lor  any  such  relative  appreciation 
 of  the  apostolical  personalities*  as  it  is  the 
 fashion  to  ascribe  to  this  earliest  period  of  the 
 Church's  history,  v/as  altogether  beneath  the 
 sublime  standing-point  of  John's  Gospel,  in 
 which  Christ's  person,  word,  and  life  are  all  in 
 all.  The  last  chapter  is  in  no  sense,  as  B.- 
 Crusius  thinks,"  a  personal  supplement,  which 
 would  record  something  specific  concerning 
 John  the  Apostle,  after  the  author  had  hitherto 
 so  studiously  kept  his  own  personality  in  the 
 background ;"  for  this  author  writes  down  to 
 the  last,  neither  from  nor  concerning  his  own 
 personality.  Nor  can  we  on  this  point  agree 
 with  Weitzel,  who  thinks  that  the  Apostle  is 
 brought  by  this  glance  over  the  histories  of  the 
 twelve  to  speak  finally  of  himself  as  the  last, 
 and  to  give  his  final  reference  to  himself  as  the 
 reporter  in  this  Gospel.  If  his  last  word  con- 
 cerning John  was  the  main  point  in  this  post- 
 script, why  is  the  whole  preceding  narrative 
 so  diffusely  introduced?!  Nor  can  we  adopt 
 the  suggestion  of  Lampe,  that  this  final  chapter 
 
 *  Quit3  otherwise  than  our  Lord  speaks  in  this 
 same  chapter  of  tlie  persons  of  his  witnesses  and 
 followers. 
 
 f  Or  was  Peter  the  chief  personage  in  it  ?  The 
 Catholic  Allioli  asks,  "  How  could  the  record  of 
 Christ's  work  upon  earth  better  end  than  by  the 
 institution  of  his  representatives  1  Matthew  end- 
 ed with  the  institution  of  the  Church."  Bellarmine 
 finds  even  in  the  first — I  go  a  fishing,  the  pre- 
 eminence of  this  ruler  of  the  Church.  The  sin- 
 cere and  unblinded  eye  of  Protestants  needs  no 
 argument  against  this. 
 
JOHN  XXI.  5.  6.  10,  12. 
 
 767 
 
 was  added  "  that  the  authority  of  the  Evangel- 
 ist himself  might  be  demonstrated."  God  did, 
 indeed,  order  it  so  that  this  supplement  evoked 
 the  witness  of  the  Church  in  the  subscription, 
 ver.  2-1 ;  but  John  had  not  that  in  view,  nor 
 did  the  Spirit  in  him  make  that  the  main 
 design.  As  he  had  begun  with  the  Auyoi,  so 
 he  cannot,  either  the  first  or  the  second  time, 
 conclude  with  iiimself ;  during  the  course  of  it 
 he  had  more  and  more  openly  and  plainly  re- 
 ferred to  himself  as  the  writer.  That  was 
 enough  for  him;  this  final  conclusion  cannot 
 possibly  refer  to  his  person  alone,  for  Peter  has 
 rather  the  prominent  part  in  it,  while  he  intro- 
 duces himself  modestly,  ver.  2,  only  as  one  of 
 the  sons  of  Zebedee. 
 
 After  all  this,  we  are  prepared  to  assent  to 
 the  clear  view  of  Lange,  and  proceed  with  it 
 to  the  further  development  of  our  e.xposition. 
 The  chapter  does  not  now  record  another  mani- 
 iestation  which,  in  the  same  sense  as  those 
 which  had  preceded,  should  evoke  faith  ;  hence 
 the  previous  conclusion,  which  was  not  so 
 much  introduced  by  John  according  to  any 
 particular  plan  of  his  own,  as  marked  by  the 
 Lord  himself  in  his  word  to  Thomas.  The  ap- 
 pearances after  this  first  consummation  oi  faith 
 in  the  Apostles,  even  the  most  slov/  to  believe, 
 have  in  themselves  another  meaning ;  John 
 has  no  designed  plan  according  to  which  he  in- 
 troduces this  explanatory  supplement,  but  he 
 only  discloses  by  what  he  writes  that  which 
 the  history  itself  furnished  in  conformity  with  a 
 higher  plan  and  purpose  than  his  own — as  we 
 have  often  had  to  maintain  throughout  his  en- 
 tire Gospel.  The  first  six  appearances  of  the 
 Lord  (two  especially  to  the  Apostles,  two  to 
 the  women,  one  in  preparatory  grace  to  Peter 
 personally,  and  one  pointing  to  faith  in  the 
 word)  had  a  predominant  backward  reference, 
 and  would  say — 1  was  dead  and  am  alive  ;  must 
 1  not  have  thus  suffered,  and  thus  enter  into  my 
 glory  ?  Enough  was  now  done  for  this ;  and 
 now  comes  more  clearly  forward  another  sig- 
 nificance in  them  (a  significance  indeed,  which 
 to  us  appears  already  involved  in  the  former, 
 and  the  background  of  all  of  them),  to  wit,  as 
 pointing  forward  to  the  future,  to  pledge  an  i 
 Joreshadoio  the  future  spiritual  fresence  and  work- 
 ing of  the  Lord  from  the  time  of  his  ascension 
 onwards  to  give  directions  and  promises  for 
 the  preaching  of  his  disciples  in  order  that  men 
 might  believe.  It  is  true  that  there  is  inter- 
 polated in  the  penultimate  place  the  gracious 
 conviction  of  James,  as  ic  were  a  second 
 Thomas  :*  yet  that  which  John  in  chap  xxi., 
 and  the  Synoptics  at  the  close  (Matt.  ver.  18- 
 20  ;  Mark  ver.  15-18  ;  Luke  ver.  44-49)  still 
 record,  points  most  assuredly  (though  in  Luke 
 with  one  more  glance  backwards)  to  the  future 
 of  the  called  and  consecrated  witnesses.     All 
 
 declare  unanimously — /  send  you  ;  go  ye  forth 
 (when  the  Spirit  shall  have  come)  ;  I  am  with 
 you;  and  co-operate  with  you!  Thus  we 
 establish  from  the  history  itself  that  which 
 Lange  prefers  to  regard  as  John's  plan,  and 
 with  reference  to  which  he  terms  this  supposed 
 supplementary  chapter  an  epilogue  correspond- 
 ing to  the  prologue  :  "  The  prologue  intended  to 
 exhibit  the  eternal  life  of  Christ  as  it  preceded 
 his  manifestation  in  the  world  ;  the  epilogue 
 appears  to  have  this  for  its  scope,  to  exhibit  his 
 spiritual  mony  in  the  world,  an  it  would  continue 
 after  hia  return  to  the  Father."*  This  is  indeed 
 the  great  antithesis  to  that  "  institution  of  his 
 representatives "  w\nc\\  the  Papists  force  upon 
 the  text,  expounded  assuredly  in  conformity 
 with  the  Johannean  mind  of  Christ. j  This  of 
 itself  gives  us  tlie  foundation  for  the  figurative 
 interpretation  of  the  early  meal  on  the  shore, 
 and  this  amply  satisfies  Lvicke's  demand  at  the 
 close  of  his  rejecting  decision,  showing  us  in 
 reality  the  "  peculiar  transition  of  John's  repre- 
 s^'ntation  into  the  region  of  universal  ideas." 
 Would  that  Lucke's  eye  had  been  capable  of 
 beholding  this  under  the  veil  of  the  externalities 
 of  this  chapter.  Even  in  the  colloquy  with 
 Peter  we  shall  contemplate  "the  entering  into 
 individual  relations  as  at  the  same  time  a  pro- 
 phetico-symbolical  setting  forth  of  such  uni- 
 versal ideas." 
 
 ♦  At  least  if  we  allow  any  truth  to  the  displaced 
 apocryphal  narrative.  Paul  distinguishes,  1  Cor. 
 XV.  7,  this  brother  of  the  Lord  from  all  the  Apos- 
 tles ;  but,  on  ths'other  hand,  in  ver.  5,  he  opposes 
 to  Cephas,  only  the  twelve. 
 
 Now  for  the  details.  But  we  cannot  at  onr^o 
 begin  with  the  first  word  of  Jesus,  ver.  5.  Hi 
 showed  him<ielf — this  is  at  the  outset  a  very 
 significant  description  of  the  whole  following 
 narrative  as  pre-eminently  testifying  concern- 
 ing the  Lord  himself  First,  in  as  far  as 
 t\\6  Eq)avEpa}6Ev  fauroV,  "  showed  himself," 
 has  the  same  meaning  as  kqxxvrjy  ecpai'spooOt^, 
 "appeared,"  there  is  involved  m  it — not,  in- 
 deed, the  now  habitual  natural  invisibility  of 
 the  (J&v/a  acpOcxprov,  as  only  to  be  exhibit- 
 ed Sid  6vyHaTdfja6iv  (according  (o  Chrys., 
 Euthym.,  Theoph.) — but  the  characteristic  of 
 these  appearances  generally  as  dependent  upon 
 the  will  of  Jesus.  Then,  there  is  truth  in  what 
 Bengel  says :  "  It  has  a  grander  tone  than 
 eq)dyri :"    that   is,    the   kavroVf    he   showed 
 
 *  In  the  third  book  L.anse  grows  bolder,  and 
 terms  the  prologue  and  epilogue  the  two  wings  of 
 tlie  eag'e.  He  tells  all  who  would  take  away  the 
 twenty-first  c'lapter  that  they  will  in  the  end  find 
 that  it  is  easier  to  wrench  ofi"  a  wing  from  a  aead 
 lark  than  from  a  living  eagle. 
 
 •f-  So  also  Rudelbach  :  "  John  recorded  the  last 
 and  the  first  miracle  of  our  Lord,  and  in  both  of 
 iLem,  with  apparent  insisniflcance  of  d?lail,  ti-.ere 
 is  the  profoundest  significance.  In  this  manifes- 
 tation there  is  the  reflection  of  a  higher  world  ;  no 
 individual,  isolated  sign,  but  a  figure  and  symbol 
 of  the  almighty  and  gracious  government  of  Jesus 
 Christ  in  his  C'.mrch  to  the  end."  Sa  Luthardt 
 speaks  of  the  glance  here  opened  into  the  future 
 of  the  vocation  and  work  of  the  Church,  etc. 
 
768 
 
 THE  EARLY  MEAL  AT  THE  SEA-SHORE. 
 
 himself,  points  to  his  inmost  personality  and  I 
 operation  ;  and  thus  the  tpavspovv  eavro^' 
 (certainly  a  Johannean  phrase,  though  not  oc- 
 curring literally,  comp.  also  Mark  xvi.  12,  14) 
 is  the  complement  and  consummation  of  thf 
 <pavEf3ovy  Tijv  S6^a%'  airov,  chap.  ii.  11, 
 concerning  the  signs  given  before  the  resurrec- 
 tion. The  kq)avef)oo6Ev  Si  ovru)i  emphati- 
 cally points,  as  Luthardt  observes,  to  the  sig- 
 nificance of  all  that  is  to  follow.  The  locality 
 was  on.  (he  sea.  for  certainly  tTti  is  thus  to  be 
 understood.  What  a  contrast  appears  in  this 
 record,  that  they  who  had  received  the  mission 
 of  cban.  XX.  21-23  are  now  once  more  occupied 
 with  their  nets.  But  it  is  perfectly  natural  ; 
 could  it  be  well  otherwise,  as  soon  as  thev  re- 
 turned back  to  Galilee,  according  to  the  Lord's 
 appointment  ?  In  fact  this  time  must  be  spent, 
 as  Driiseke  says,  "  in  arranging  their  earthly 
 affairs,  and  closing  with  the  world  ;*  but  to  do 
 that  they  must  for  a  short  time  return  to  it." 
 Let  us  try  to  set  plainly  before  our  minds  their 
 position  and  state.  It  was  certain  to  them 
 that  they  must  not  as  yet  preach  openly  ; 
 though  in  per.''ect  seclusion  they  might  carry 
 the  resurrection  tidings  to  many  of  tlie  Gali- 
 lean disciples.  Then  they  must  wait  upon 
 events  which  would  bring  about  the  final  de- 
 velopment.f  Christ  had  promised  a  manifes- 
 tation in  Galilee.  He  leaves  them  long  waiting 
 for  this,  as  was  necessary  and  salutary  for 
 them  ;  and  in  this  deep  sileiice  they  had  enough 
 to  do  to  arrange  and  firmly  to  "establish  the 
 revolution  which  the  resurrection  had  as  it 
 were  effected  in  all  their  notions,  feelings,  and 
 hopes.  We  can  hardly  think  that  after  the 
 lapse  of  another  eight  days  the  Lord  appeared  : 
 if  so  John  would  have  slated  it,  as  in  chap.  xx. 
 26,  instead  of  saying  only  "after  these  things." 
 The  sacred  narrative  gives  reason  to  assume 
 an  interval  of  more  than  eight  days  ;  although 
 it  would  most  probably  be  on  another  Sunday. 
 He  seeks  them  again  in  the  scene  of  his  acts  and 
 discourses,  in  the  place  of  his  most  dear  resort ; 
 ''  on  that  sea  where  every  thing  reminded  them 
 immediately  of  Jesus:  the  smiling  bank  of 
 ■which,  and  even  its  dark  waves,  had  borne  his 
 holy  footsteps"  (Jacobi).  In  confidential  fel- 
 lowship together  .-J  that  is,  probably  in  a  house 
 at  Capernaum,  Bethsaida,  or  wherever  else 
 there  might  be  sevai  disciples.  It  might  have 
 been  on  the  bank  itself,  "half  by  concert,  half 
 accidentally  "  (as  Ptenninger  says)  they  were 
 together;  certainly  they  were  habitually  as 
 much  together  as  circumstances  would  allow. 
 We  cannot  tell  whether  (as  Lighlfoot  thinks)  the 
 two  unnamed  disciples  were  Andrew  and  Philip 
 
 *  For  it  is  not  true — at  least  with  regard  to  Peter 
 — that  tliey  had  c'lven  up  their  property  and  occu- 
 pation on  iheir  first  calling. 
 
 f  For  if  notliing  further  had  occurred,  they 
 might  have  gone  back  to  their  nets  forever. 
 
 %'0/uo€' — whicli  John  only  of  the  Evangelists 
 nses  (>ee  cliap.  jv.  3G,  xx.  4) ;  it  occurs  afraiii 
 through  tiie  entire  N.  T.  only  in  Acts  ii.  1,  xx.  18, 
 among  various  readings. 
 
 (who  indeed  seem  necessarily  connected  with 
 Peter  and  Nathanael),  or  two  of  the  seventy, 
 belonging  to  the  number  of  the  Galilean  dis- 
 ciples.  That  John  does  not  mention  their 
 names  is  no  proof  that  they  were  not  Apo.?tles  ; 
 there  may  have  been  other  reasons  for  the  si- 
 lence ;  and  it  certainly  shows  that  the  persons 
 of  the  disciples  themselves  were  not  especially 
 concerned  in  the  history.  The  absent  ones 
 were,  it  may  be,  arranging  their  affairs  else- 
 where. But  the  manner  in  which  the  five 
 names  are  introduced  is  remarkable.  The  high- 
 ly favored  doubter  Thomas  comes  forward  by 
 the  side  of  Peter  (row  and  ever  the  first)'; 
 thus  the  two  who  had  severally  had  such  pe- 
 culiar experiences  are  united  lovingly  together. 
 To  them  is  added  Nathanael,  who  had  been 
 from  the  beginning  without  guile  ;  whose  home 
 in  Cana  would  suggest  the  first  miracle.  Fi- 
 nally, here  and  here  only  John  mentions  himself 
 with  his  brother  as  sons  of  Zebedee  ;  and,  in- 
 stead of  condemning  this  by  a  very  external 
 criticism  as  un-Johannean,  we  should  observe 
 that  he  thereby  marks  out  (he  fishers,  &nd  re- 
 minds the  reader  of  the  al'-ady"  known  synop- 
 tical account  of  Luke  v.  10. 
 
 We  suppose  that  on  the  Sahba'h  they  had 
 been  assembled  till  evening  for  pious  conver- 
 sation ;  and  therefore  that  the  morning  of  this 
 manifestation  was  a  Sunday  morning.  Peter 
 would  go  a  fishing  ;  and  the  others  are  ready 
 to  go  with  him.  Certainly  not  to  pass  the 
 time  away;  as  Klee,  too  readily  following  the 
 fathers,  says,  after  Chrys.  and  Euthym.* —  and 
 even  still  stronger,  "out  of  weariness."!  They 
 have  to  provide  for  their  sustenance;  they 
 must  eat,  and  sell  for  their  necessities;  and 
 Euthym.  needed  not  to  be  anxious  about  the 
 cpiXoHspSao?.  But  the  main  point  is  this  :  the 
 narrative  exhibits  them  to  us  as  actively  en- 
 gaged, thoughtful,  and  without  any  fanaticism 
 or  enthusiasm  (as,  in  a  sense,  afterwards  when 
 they  gazed  into  heaven.  Acts  i.  11),  applying 
 to  the  business  of  their  earthly  relations.  And 
 in  (his  is  symbolically  reflected  the  future;  for 
 this  going  to  fish,  as  Rieger  remarks,  "comes 
 under  that  farewell  word  of  Jesus — Now,  let 
 him  who  has  a  purse  take  it."  Peter — "  the 
 beginner  of  the  great  fishing  " — only  announces 
 what  was  his  own  purpose,  and  the  others  are 
 ready  in  their  fellowship:  xai  t'/zueli  dtv  dot, 
 "  we  also  with  thee" — the  subsequent  ci'Oi  ?, 
 "straightway,"  if  genuine,  only  confirms  their 
 alert  readiness  for  their  business.  Thus  would 
 the  Lord  find  all  his  disciples,  when  he  visits 
 them. 
 
 Jn  (he  evening  they  set  out  on  their  fishing, 
 according  to  the  custom  of  the  craft ;  and  (hi» 
 night  they  catch  nothing.     May  we  not  almost 
 
 *  The  latter :  "  Having  nothing  to  do,  they 
 would  fisli." 
 
 f  According  to  Gossner  Peter  had  thought  and 
 said :  "  Tiie  Lord  has  been  so  long  witlioui  .show- 
 ing himself,  who  knows  what  will  come  1  1  will 
 letake  my.self  to  my  calliug."  Cut  such  unbelief 
 has  uo  longer  place. 
 
JOHN  XXI.  5,  6,  10,  12. 
 
 769 
 
 confidently  assume  that  they  thought  of  that 
 other  night  in  Luke  v.  5?  "Then  when  he 
 called  us  first  it  was  just  so."  They  remem- 
 bered that  occasion,  and  so  was  it  intended. 
 Pfenninger  describes  the  fishermen  as  having 
 come  gradually  through  the  fruitlessness  of 
 their  labor  back  to  the  fj^irit  of  their  craft  ;  and 
 that  Nathanael,  Thomas  and  Philip  began  the 
 impatience  which  then  spread  among  and  mas- 
 tered the  others — but  this  is  much  too  human 
 for  the  Aporitli^s  afiei'  the  resurrection.  No,  it 
 was  not  thus  that  the  Lord  (who  was  the  cause 
 
 the  mist  which  lay  on  the  sea  ;  but  their  mia- 
 apprehension  was  similar  to  that  of  Luke  xxiv- 
 16 :  it  was  not  his  will  to  be  at  once  recognized. 
 When  they  afterwards  understood  it,  this  be- 
 ginning of  his  manifestation  would  appeal  to 
 ihera — Thus  am  I  every  day  with  you,  though 
 unseen.  After  every  night,  when  it  is  morning 
 and  the  day  breaks,  he  is  found  to  be  there,  he 
 stands  on  the  shore  on  the  other  side  of  the 
 sea  on  which  v/e  are  sailing  and  living — but  he 
 speaks  with  us.  Even  Grotius  thus  allegorizes, 
 "  Signifying  that  he  through  his   resurrection 
 
 of  their  want  of  success)  preparrd  them  lor  his  I  was  already  on  land,  while  they  were  still  upon 
 
 appearance;  the  penetrating    Pfenninger  goes  I  the  sea;"  and    gives   us  a  hint  not   to  be  de- 
 
 ■■        ■  '        '  .. r,,,    •  ,      spised,  which  points  to  that  distant  futurity 
 
 unusually  astray  when  he  says:  "Their  souls 
 lost  all  noble  sentiment,  weariness  and  vacuity 
 took  possession  of  their  hearts,  such  as  they 
 had  not  known  for  years ;  the  fishermen  were 
 absorbed  in  their  fishin*.  and  the  others  long- 
 ing for  the  land,  like  the  commonest  souls." 
 Tlie  Evangelist  records  nothing  of  weariness  or 
 dejection  of  mind  or  degradation  of  spirit.  He 
 does  not  indeed  mention  reminiscences  of  their 
 Lord,  and  converse  about  their  expectations  of 
 him  ;  but  only  because  all  that  was  to  be  un- 
 derstood of  itself.  The  Lord  would  thus  con- 
 nect his  new  revelation  with  that  earthly  busi- 
 ness from  which  he  had  called  them  away  ;  and 
 at  this  final  mission  bring  to  mind  that  first 
 call,  when  their  fishing  gave  him  the  significant 
 figure — see  our  observations  in  tlie  first  volume. 
 Pfenninger's  remark  on  this  is  better;  he  makes 
 Andrew  say  when  they  set  out — "And  we 
 must  not  iorget  that  we  are  to  bo  fishers  of 
 men."  His  manifestation  of  himself  in  connec- 
 tion with  their  fishing  engagement  put  a  con- 
 clusive end  to  the  earthly  and  past  of  their 
 history,  by  bringing  it  into  direct  comparison 
 with  their  future  and  heavenly  employment ; 
 and  thus  he  most  graciously  stUUd  all  "the  yet 
 remaining  hesitation  and  fear  of  their  thoughts 
 and  feelings.  This  is  the  inmost  character- 
 istic of  this  appearance,  over  which  there  is 
 diffused  an  inexpressible  glow  of  profoundest 
 peace,  in  the  meeting  of  heaven  and  earth ; 
 and  as  far  as  this  goes  it  is  the  luminous  point 
 of  the  forty  days.  The  Lord  "gives  his  final 
 benediction  to  their  earthly   employment  "  (as 
 
 with  which  this  typical  meal  corresponds,  "so 
 that  he  would  not  go  upon  the  sea  after  the 
 resurrection  ;  comp.  P>,ev.  xxi.  1."  At  least  it 
 is  a  significant  circumstance  that  he  does  not 
 now,  as  before,  come  to  them  in  the  night. 
 Who  could  imagine  a  manifestation  of  the 
 Pusen  Lord  in  the  night,  and  tipo)i  the  sea? 
 
 The  disciples  mark  nothing,  when  the  man 
 upon  the  shore  cried — Children,  have  ye  any 
 thing  to  eat?  It  was  nothing  new  that  one 
 should  buy  from  them  ;  and  it  only  appeared 
 that  an  early  traveller  wanted  his  early  meal, 
 and  was  waiting  for  the  landing  of  the  fishing- 
 boat  which  he  had  seen.  Ilpodipdyioy,  the 
 accompaniment  of  bread  (Attic  oipov  and 
 7tpo66tpif^a),  means  of  course,  as  spoken  to 
 fishermen,  fishes,  which  might  be  prepared  as 
 oTpdpiov,  ver.  9;  but  the  Lord  designedly 
 uses  the  more  general  expression,  which  al- 
 most sounds  like  fipooGij-iov^hvAiQ  xxiv.  41.* 
 He  speaks  familiarly  as  it  were  (absit  blas- 
 phemia  verbo),  to  his  still  earthly  brethren, 
 when  he  alludes  to  that  first  scene  in  which  he 
 ate  before  them  ;  and  therefore  he  calls  them 
 Ttaidia,  "  children,"  for  these  appointed  am- 
 bassadors of  his  kingdom  are  to  him  who  was 
 conversant  already  with  higher  regions,  like 
 little  children.  But  this  TtatSia  is  designedly 
 not  the  same  as  the  TEuvia  of  chap.  xiii.  33, 
 or  the  T£Hva  of  Mark  x.  2-4  ;  but  so  expressed 
 that  it  might  be  understood  as  the  ordinary 
 address  of  a  stranger  (to  laboring  men,  as 
 Euthym.  says) — possibly  also  with  a  similarity 
 
 Lange  says);  and  this  may  pass  as  included,  |  which  would  remind  them  of  Jesus,  as  Luth 
 
 though  not  as  the  only  meaning.  Lange  point 
 out  three  critical  points  ;  the  two  latter  being 
 the  re-establishment  of  Peter,  and  the  glance 
 forward  into  the  future  of  the  Church  through 
 the  future  of  Peter  and  John.  But  the  first 
 part  of  the  narrative  also  has  to  do  with  the 
 future ;  as  being  both  an  institution  and  a 
 revelation. 
 
 The  night  is  past — and  Jesvs  stood  on  the 
 shore*  But  they  knew  him  not,  even  when  he 
 spoke  his  first  words,  although  they  wpre  only 
 two  hundred  cubits  from  the  land.  This  was 
 not  owing  to  the  still  remaining  gloom,  nor  to 
 
 *  He  did  not  "  travel  "  out  of  Galilee — that  is  in 
 the  e6Trf.  'Etii  instead  of  ei?,  which  marks  the 
 drawing  near,  is-^n  unnecessary  conjecture  :  see 
 thap.  XX,  18, 
 
 ardt  almost  too  precisely  finds.f  Hence  in  this 
 place  the  use  of  the  word  (which,  however,  ac- 
 cording to  1  John  ii.  13,  18,  is  not  by  any 
 means  foreign  to  John's  style).  The  disciples 
 still  mark  nothing.  The  question  with  /n; 
 does  not  pre-suppole  a  negative  answer  (as  we 
 have  seen  before;,  which  would  give  it  thus— 
 Is  it  not  so,  that  ye  have  caught  nothing?     I 
 
 *  Hence  the  Pesh.  Dy^D^  DnO— fhe  Vulg.,  on 
 
 the  contrary,  the  quite  corvespondin^ pidmentarium 
 { like pulme>iiwn).  Whether  npodcpdytuv  meant 
 fish,  specially  in  ordinary  speech,  is  a  quastion. 
 
 t  It  is  very  questionable  whel.her  the  Lord 
 spoke  this  in  Greek  ;  in  such  delicacies  of  expres- 
 sion the  great  point  is  to  catch  the  exact  meaning 
 of  the  Apostle,  who  gives  the  authentic  sense.    , 
 
770 
 
 THE  EARLY  MEAL  AT  THE  SEA-SHORE. 
 
 will  aivise  and  help  you.  It  sounds  like 
 mockery  in  the  ears  of  the  disciples  that  one 
 should  "ask  them  in  the  morning  for  the  pro- 
 duce of  their  fishing  as  a  matter  of  course; 
 but  they  will  not  complain — Alas!  none;  we 
 have  toiled  all  night  for  nothing,  and  are  re- 
 turning empty — they  answer  characteristically, 
 with  as  much  brevity  as  possible,  an  abrupt 
 and  bare  Xo.  Now  probably  they  felt  some- 
 wiiat  ot  a  sense  of  vexation  and  weariness,  in 
 the  awakened  consciousness  of  their  absolute 
 poverty.  And  this  the  Lord  would  elicit,  in 
 order  to  the  full  significance  of  the  whole  scene. 
 It  was  not,  as  Lange  thinks,  looking  back  only 
 to  the  past,  that  they  were  once  more  to  ex- 
 perience the  night  side  of  their  employment 
 and  "  find  out  tliat  they  were  ruined  for  the 
 fisherman's  craft ;"  but  the  Lord  who  so  order- 
 ed it  will  extract  from  all,  especially  from  the 
 fishers  of  men,  the  confession  of  their  need  be- 
 fore he  gives  his  abundant  blessing.  This  Ifo 
 (we  have  nothing,  notwithstanding  all  our 
 pains)  must  first  be  confessed  and  declared. 
 
 Tne  second  word,  almost  like  Luke  v.  4 
 (only  they  are  not  now  to  go  out  to  the  deep, 
 but  to  cast  the  net  at  once,  and  that  specifical- 
 ly, according  to  their  direction,  on  the  right 
 side) — brings  more  strongly  to  their  remem- 
 hrauM  that  "former  sign,  of  which  they  must 
 certainly  have  thought  during  the  night.  Will 
 the  disciples  observe  or  suspect  now  who  the 
 man  upon  the  shore  is?  It  is  easy  enough 
 for  us  who  know  to  speak ;  but  we  should 
 hardly  perhaps  have  apprehended  at  once  the 
 unwonted  and  so  condescending  form  which  his 
 manifestation  assumed.  It  was  praiseworthy 
 in  tiiem  that  they  could  without  delay  or  con- 
 tradiction follow  the  counsel  of  a  good  adviser, 
 or  more  skilful  fisherman,  and — although  they 
 had  already  thrown  their  nets  both  to  the  right 
 and  the  left  with  all  industry — yet  be  ready  to 
 throw  them  once  more  on  the  moment.  Such 
 is  the  true  character  of  Christ's  disciples,  as  he 
 seeks  to  find  them.  The  old  man  is  almost 
 dead  within  them  already.  Even  if  we  say  with 
 Lampe,  concerning  this  docility,  "The  pow- 
 er of  the  Lord  was  bending  their  minds,"  the 
 matter  remains  the  same.  Their  susceptibil- 
 ity for  such  influence  exerted  by  the  Lord 
 under  anothci  lurm  is  the  good  thing  in  them. 
 "  Does  not  the  Lord  often  use  a  voice  which 
 we  do  not  at  once  know?"  (Driiseke). 
 
 Scarcely  is  it  thrown  out,  when  they  cannot 
 draw  it  in  again  through  the  multitude  of  the 
 fishes;  and  the  simple  "  ye  shall  find"  has  its 
 superabundant  accomplishment.  Then  finally 
 does  John  mark — It  is  the  Lord  !  The  tender- 
 est  love  has  the  first  and  surest  instinct  of  the 
 object  beloved.  It  is  not  that  he  sees  with 
 younger  and  keener  eyes,  or  any  thing  of  that 
 kind  ;*  he  already  had  a  presentiment  when 
 tiie  /jaXere,  "  cast  ye,"  was  uttered,  but  now 
 
 the  wonderful  blessing  makes  him  sure,  and  be 
 keeps  silence  no  longer.     Let  him  whose  privi- 
 lege it  is  to  be  first  conscious  of  the  Lord's  so 
 near  neighborhood,  tell  it  to  others  in  the  true 
 ministry  of  love.     But  let  him  tell  it  in  the 
 wisdom  and  tenderness  of  love  to  the  right 
 person,  to  him  that  is  nearest.     This  was  on 
 the   present   occasion  PcLer,  who   is   standing 
 here   once   more   in    confidential   nearness   to 
 John  ;  to  whom  the  beloved  disciple  still  leaves 
 his  place  of  pre-eminence,  after  the  denial  has 
 been  forgiven  ;  who  as  the  first  of  the  Apostles 
 and  the  head  of  this  fishing  company  ought  to 
 have  been  the  first  to  observe;  and  who  was 
 j  most  concerned  in  this  remembrancer  of  the 
 j  former  vocation  to  be  fishers  of  men,  prepara- 
 I  tory  to   his   own   restoration.     This   Peter  is 
 I  once  more  the  first  to  act,  as  John  had  been 
 I  the  first  to  discern  and  know,  the  same  as  ever ; 
 yet  not  the  same  as  when  he  cried — Depart 
 from  me,  for  I  am  a  sinful  man  !     He  is  not 
 "precipitate,"  as  if  his  act  was  blPiueworthy ; 
 but  his  fervent  love  to  him  who  bad  already 
 forgiven  his  denial  cannot  wait  until  the  ship 
 can  take  them  to  the  Lord ;  it  is  not  over  the 
 waves,   nor   wading    through    them,   but,   as 
 I  "casting  himself   into"  can   alone   mean,  he 
 swam  first   toward  the   shore.     Nevertheless, 
 I  we  must  observe  (with  Driiseke)  "the  rever- 
 I  ence  which  observes  even  at  such  a  moment  of 
 excited  feeling,  the  petty  proprieties  of  cloth- 
 ing."!    The  coilededness  of   his  excitement   is 
 observable — as  a  proof  of  advancement  in  the 
 spirit  of  Simon  refer.     Still  as  in  Matt  xiv. 
 28  he  will  and  must  be  first  to  reach  the  Lord  ; 
 but  all  superfluity  of  curiosity  is  gone. 
 
 Among  the  other  disciples  (although  John 
 may  have  spoken  softly  to  Peter)  no  man  any 
 longer  doubts  who  the  giver  of  the  great 
 draught  of  fishes  is.f  But  they  can  wait  with 
 John";  they  are  not  all  like  Peter.  That  they 
 j  are  all  so  calm  and  collected  in  the  matter  ia 
 proof  of  their  advancement  also,  as  Braune  ob- 
 serves (though  doing  injustice  to  Peter).  The 
 net  of  benediction,  which  Peter  had  altogether 
 forgotten  in  his  zeal  for  the  giver,  must  how- 
 ever be  preserved  and  brought  to  land ;  it  was 
 
 •  Weitzel  refers  this  to  the  general  typical 
 meaning  of  the  whole :  John  is  the  thoughttul 
 and  penetrating  eye,  th'»  light  of  the  circle  of  dis- 
 ciples— Peier,  the  working  and  strong  ami. 
 
 *  'E7t£vSvTr]iy  in   the   Sept.   twice  for    7'yD 
 
 (where  Symm.  and  Aquila  have  InevSvua,  and 
 which  pass.'d  into  the  Ileb.  m312S>  is  according 
 
 to  Stiidas  TO  vnsfxxvco  iudriov),  as  the  word 
 shows,  possibly  a  fi>liiiig-lrock  (Noniuis.-  novriov 
 (XHq)i(jK7]ua),  such  as  was  seen  by  Niebnhr 
 {liciseksckr.  i.  254  and  pi.  6G).  lie  was  naked; 
 liiat  is,  without  an  over-garment,  and  the  girdi>g 
 of  the  garment,  to  be  let  down  aga:n  on  the  land, 
 was  lor  the  sake  of  swimming. 
 
 t  Not  as  Jacobi  preaches :  "  The  other  disciples, 
 cool  and  slow,  seem  yet  to  doubt;  they  regard 
 the  draught  a.s  the  result  of  following  good  coun- 
 sel. Even  when  they  saw  the  coals,  with  fish  and 
 broad,  tliey  might  still  doubt  whether  John  was 
 right.  But  when  he  said — Come  and  dine!  they 
 knew  him  and  asked  no  more."  We  shall  other- 
 wise understand  ver.  12. 
 
JOHN  XXI.  5,  6,  10,  li 
 
 771 
 
 not  far,  and  they  came  sonn,  ■which  the  paren- 
 thesis, ver.  8,  with  its  y^P*  "  ^r,"  means  to 
 intimate.  There  is  a  6vpeiy,  or  "  dragging,"  of 
 their  united  power  now,  the  iXuveiy,  or 
 "  drawing,"  of  ver.  6  was  no  longer  enough. 
 "  It  is  the  Lord  !  "  That  fills  all  with  joy  and 
 peace — had  they  been  able  to  say  the  same  at 
 the  sepulchre  and  under  the  cross.     Let  it  be 
 
 merly  in  the  desert)  ;  his  eating  is  not  men- 
 tioned throughout  the  narrative. 
 
 'Oipcipiovy  "  fish,"  was  exp-lained  by  Gro- 
 tius  to  be  a  "word  of  a  singular  form  with  a 
 plural  signilication  ; "  and  most  take  it  col- 
 lectively. That  may  indeed  be  right,  and 
 Luther  so  translates^it ;  yet  we  find  in  ver.  13 
 -  V  apTov  and  to  oipdptoy  together,  and  •- 
 
 noted  that  it  is  the  Lord  from  now  forwards  ;  I  ver.  10  the  plural  aVci  tcSv  otpapiooy,  and 
 no  longer  Master,  which  Magdalene  the  first  and  j  moreover  in  chap.  vi.  9  Svo  oipapta.*  Conse- 
 kst  time  uttered.  2/ie  Lord — not  my  Lord,  not  (  quently,  it  must  not  be  said  that  in  ver.  13  the 
 our  Lord— thus  alone  wa'i  it  fit  to  say  after  |  article  simply  serves  to  refer  back  (Luthardt). 
 the  word  of  Thomas.  j  The  fishes  taken  by  the  disciples  were  nothing 
 
 Well  were  it  if  the  expositors  would  answer  '  but  great  ones  ;  not  so  that  which  was  already 
 the  question,  who  placed  there  the  coals  j  there,  since  oipocpiov  is  first  used  concerning 
 and  the  fish  thereon  and  the  bread,  by  the  it.  We  doubt  whether  the  disciples  were  re- 
 simple  word  of  John — It  is  the  Lord.  But '  quired  to  bring  forward  their  fishes  in  order 
 Chrysos.  and  Euthyra.  began  by  speaking  defi- 1  that  by  comparison  they  might  assure  them- 
 nitely  of  a  creation  out  of  nothing^vhich  ]  selves  of  the  equal  reality  of  the  miraculous 
 Olshausen  too  sharply  calls  "adventurous:"  on  ,  provision  ;t  for  such  an  inquiry  would  never 
 the  other  hand,  we  are  told  now-a-days  that  1  enter  their  thoughts,  or  both  provisions  would 
 the  fire  had  been  made  by  other  fishermen,  the  ;  be  to  them  equally  miraculous.  The  Lords 
 food  left  on  it,  and  Jesus  and  his  disciples  came  j  word  in  ver.  10  has  in  the  symbolism  of  the 
 just  at  the  right  time  to  the  place.  Our  ex-  j  whole  no  other  meaning  than  to  typify  the  fel- 
 cellent  Lange  (this  time  prosaically  enough)  j  lowship  with  him  in  work  and  enjovment  upon 
 savs  that  it  was  easy  enough  for  our  Lord  to  |  which  they  were  now  to  enter.  When  he  now 
 make  such  provision  on  the  banks  of  the  sea,  j  (for  so  may  we  almost  think)  requites  to  them 
 where  a  thousand  fishers'  hearts  glowed  at  the  i  their  recent  entertainment,  he  speaks  conde- 
 sound  of  his  name.  Let  those  who  can  content  |  scendingly  of  the  gift  which  had  come  from  his 
 tliemselves  with  thinking  that  Jesus  revealed  ,  own  band  as  if  it  was  their  own— which  ye 
 himself  first  to  some  other  of  his  fisher  depen-  i  have  taken — and  permits  them  to  add  their 
 dents  that  they  might  prepare  this  fire  andj^jar^.  But,  again,  inasmuch  as  that  word  would 
 this  food,  and  then  depart  again.  Or  did  Peter  ;  suffice  to  show  his  meaning,  and  it  would  have 
 at  the  Lord's  request  swiftly  prepare  it  all,  be-  i  been  contrary  to  propriety  that  they  should 
 fore  the  others  (two  hundred  cubits  off)  came  j  prepare  the  food  in  the  Lord's  presence  in 
 to  land— or  even  the  Lord  himself  in  the  ordi-  j  order  that  they  might  eat,  he  does  not  wait 
 nary  manner  ?  Had  Peter  been  so  employed,  I  for  that,  but  (as  Gerhard,  Bengel,  and  others 
 the"^ narrative  otherwise  so  exact  would  have  |  rightly  maintain)  he  satisfies  his  guests  as 
 mentioned  it;  but  whence  without  a  miracle  i  their  host  with  one  loaf  and  the  little  fish, 
 could  the  Lord  have  so  early  procured  fish  and  j  This  is  plainly  intimated  by  the  to  oipdptov, 
 bread  ?  If  we  must  add  any  thing  to  the  sim-  j  ver.  13  as  in  ver.  9.  Thus  they  do  not  partake 
 plicity  of  John's  "  they  see,"  we  would  con-  {  of  this  feast  of  love  with  "  their  combined  pro- 
 fidently  say  that  the  ministering  angels  pro-  |  visions  "  (as  Pvoos  says) ;  nor  does  the  Lord 
 vided  the  "coal  fire  and  its  appendages— for  1  eat  with  them  this  double-meal  (his  own  and 
 they  must  be  regarded  as  always  ready  for  the  ;  theirs?),  as  Luthardt  strangely  says,  assuming 
 
 service  of  Jesus.    (So  Nicephorus,  UUt.  Ecd.  i.  i -r 
 
 35.)  Lampe's  protest  is  both  needless  and  in-  j  if^Otpov,  orijrinallj-  prepared  food,  came  to  be 
 correct,  when  he  ^ays — No,  it  was  provided  i  ^^^(j  rspecially'of  fishes,  according  to  Athenaius 
 miraculously  by  the  Lord  himself:  as  if  it  ^  (2)(?()>«os.  vii.  p.  276.  sect.  4):  tt,tviKJ]6ev  6  {)(Ovi 
 •were  not  more  decorous  to  introduce  the  ser-  I  j^ia  Ti)y  i^aipETov  edaiSyv  novoi  oyTooi 
 vice  of  the  ever-ready  angels.  Whether  and  to  j  HaXEi6Qai.  Hence  Numb.  xi.  22,^  Sept.  ndv  to 
 what  extent  creation  from  nothing  enters  into  i  ot/)o5  r?)?  ^aXd66rj<;.  Hence,  oipotpayelv  or 
 the  question,  thus  viewed,  we  know  not,  and  j  dipocpdyoi  was  applied  to  love-sof  fish.  Athen. 
 -    ■ ^  .    ■  ix_  3g5_  386  plainly  admits  that  the  sin2.  and  the 
 
 must  refrain  from  all  idle  curiosity.  Better  is 
 it  to  fall  back  upon  practical  exposition,  and 
 fay  that  the  Lord  cares  not  only  for  the  great 
 biit  also  for  the  little  things.  To  spread  a  table 
 for  his  children  after  the  toil  of  the  night,  ac- 
 cording to  the  wont  of  his  former  Galilean  be- 
 nevolence ;  to  testify  to  them,  by  anticipating 
 as  of  old  their  wants,  that  he  can  and  that  he 
 will  provide  for  their  earthly  necessities;  and 
 tLUS  to  symbolize,  by  a  little  circumstance,  a 
 very  great  one — all  this  is  not  beneath  the  i  ixBvSta. 
 thought  of  Jesus.  For,  certainly,  it  was  not  i  f  Bengel :  "  Thus  the  disciples  perceived  that 
 himself,  who  tieeded  food  no  longer,  whom  the  that  fislTwas  as  really  such  as  those  which  they 
 angels  had  thus  provided  for  (as  it  may  be  for-  i  brought." 
 
 plur.  were  differently  applied.  Phavor.  is  very 
 dpcisive :  "  They  alterwards  limited  the  word 
 {oipov)  to  fish  alone— wlience  also  ojpapioy." 
 Suidas:  6^dpiov,ix^vdioy.  (Nonnus  g.ives  on 
 our  passage  only  ix.^t,y,  although  incorrectly  af- 
 terwards, ver.  13,  itepimJKKTOv.,  This  malies  it 
 plain  that  according  to  John's  phraseolosy  our 
 Lord  terms  even  ihc  great  fishes  dipdpia,  like  that 
 which  lay  upon  the  r,';'Opaw?a,  just  as  in  Matt. 
 \v.  34  ^comp.  Mark  viii.  1,  the  disciples  said  only 
 
772 
 
 THE  EARLY  MEAL  AT  THE  SEA-SHORE. 
 
 that  tlieir  Cslies  were  prepared  also  on  the  fire. 
 That  Peter  should  vigorously  obey  the  Lord's 
 "bring  hither,"  is  as  characteristic  as  his  pre- 
 vious conduct.  As  the  master  of  the  ship,  and 
 the  leader  of  the  little  company,  he  now  brings, 
 of  course  with  the  assistance  of  all  the  rest,  the 
 draught  of  benediction  to  land. 
 
 The  graciously  condescending  host  invites 
 them  at  once — Come,  and  dine,  dpidrrjdars.* 
 Bengel  translates  this  of  the  "  mid-day  meal," 
 and  in  the  Gnomon,  deduces  from  it  that  the 
 manifestation  had  continued  many  hours  since 
 ver.  1 ;  but  that  is  not  in  the  record.  For  al- 
 though the  phraseology  had  become  indefinite 
 (hence  Sept.  dpidrdv  simplv  for  eating, 
 strengthening  one's  self,  ^yo  1  Kings  xiii.  7) — 
 yet  Lticke  is  right  in  insisting  upon  the  original 
 signification  of  dptdrdv  and  dpidrov  as  the 
 early  meal,  and  the  whole  historical  connection 
 is  in  favor  of  this  interpretation.  Von  Gerlach 
 supposes  that  there  was  "something  mys- 
 terious" in  the  form  and  appearance  of  the 
 Lord  in  the  eyes  of  those  who  are  thus  sudden- 
 ly with  him  ;t  but  here  in  ver.  12  the  Evangel- 
 ist speaks  of  no  doubting  uncertainty,^  he 
 rather  says  decidedly  "hwwing  that  it  teas  the 
 Lord."  Either  it  v/as  reverence  which  prevent- 
 ed them  all  from  putting  the  question  which  in 
 the  joy  of  their  supreme  confidence  sprang  to 
 their  lips — Is  it  then  actually  thy&dlf?  or 
 eroX^ta  may  signify  that  no  man  was  able  to 
 ask,  being  so  fully  convinced.  Comp.  Rom.  v. 
 7.  The  question  itself,  which  though  it  was 
 presented  to  their  minds  was  nevertheless  sup- 
 pressed, is  reverently  conceived — Who  art 
 ihou?  instead  of  the  urgent — Is  it  thou,  0 
 Lord,  who  dost  so  condescendingly  come  to  us 
 this  day  ? 
 
 Wherefore  and  to  what  end  did  the  Lord 
 thus  act  toward  them?  Without  doubt  there 
 is  a  special  significance  in  this,  as  in  all  the 
 CyjiJ.Eta,  "signs,"  and  not  only  those  which  John 
 records;  but  especially,  as  we  have  already 
 found,  in  the  appearances  of  the  Risen  Lord. 
 J.Ialdonatus  observes  that  the  ourai,  ver.  1, 
 ftfter  this  manner,  points  at  once  to  the  mystery 
 of  the  external  procedure.  First  of  all  the 
 Lord  manifests  his  condescending  love  to  his 
 
 *  Alhontcus  {Dc'piws.  I.  p.  11.  sect.  19)  points 
 out  in  Homer  two  ))as'ages  which  mention  the 
 d/ncjrov  as  djipdridna:  the  fcrmPi  (erroneous- 
 ly quoted  in  Giolius)  kvrvvoyTo  dpi6rov  di.i 
 1/01,  7{£ia;t£i'cp  Ttvp  {Odtjss.  xvi.  2).  and  tlie 
 oilior  in  tlie  ll'ccl.  lis  c"?'^  on  to  esiablish  the 
 meaning  as  to  Ttpooivuv  f'i.tftpcoua  (as  Apol- 
 lonius  also  explains  it),  by  quotations  in  which 
 Q)cpcxTiZ,e6'iai  is  iiarallel  with  dpiCrdv. 
 
 t  lies  speaks  f  though  inap;iroi)riately)  of  a  de- 
 sijiiied  chiiige  in  tlio  voice  or  in  llio  countenance 
 diirins  tlie  several  appciranccs,  as  prep-irinj;  fo;- 
 liiS  iiivisih  c  state;  though  tills  is  strangely  at  va- 
 i  anco  with  his  general  repiesentalion  of  Iho  Risen 
 Lord. 
 
 X  Yet  Chrysos.,  Theoph.,  and  otlieis  so  under- 
 stood it.  Hence  the  Berlenh.  Bihel  says,  "  We  see 
 how  far  the  teudeucy  lo  doubt  may  follow  and 
 molest  men/* 
 
 own  in  the  most  gracious  aspect,  Dy  tnus  once 
 more  most  affectionately  entering  into  the  real- 
 ity of  his  former  life  with  his  disciples.     Here 
 is  much  more  than  the  visit  which  Abraham 
 received    in    Mamre.     He  abstains    indeed — 
 which  might  be  needful  to  obviate  misunder- 
 standing— from  himself  eating,*  but  he  comei 
 nevertheless  at  the   last  to   place  himself  by 
 their  side,  to  give  them  their  sustenance,  to  af- 
 ford them  his  society,  just  as  of  old.     Hess  car- 
 ries this  too  far,  however,  when  he  imagines 
 what  is  not  in  the  text:  "  A  joyous  tone  reigns 
 over  the  whole,  though  not  much  is  spoken 
 during  the  meal."     So  Reiger  also  is  inexact : 
 "  There  was  no  lack  of  profitable  discourse  at 
 this  repast."     Driiseke :  "  How  many  precious 
 words  may  have  flowed  from  the  lips  of  their 
 Risen  Master  I "     We  think  that  nothing  at  all 
 was  spoken  ;  ver.  12  implies  that  no  man  ven- 
 tured to  hazard  a  word  ;  and  the  Lord  kept  si- 
 lence also,  that  this  feast  might  speak  rightly 
 for  itself  to  all  futurity. f     In  solemn  silence,  as 
 vers.  12  and  13   describe,  they  eat   what  he 
 gives  them,  though  not  for  many  minutes ;  they 
 taste  and  see  how  gracious  the  Lord  is,  now 
 altogether  without  amazement  and  terror  ;  they 
 might  at  last  have  forgotten  that  death  and 
 the  resurrection  lay  betwixt  him  and  them,  if 
 in  ver.  15  solemn  earnest  had  not  followed  the 
 grace  of  his  dealing.     Even  if  nothing  more 
 had  been  recorded  than  the  fact  of  such  a  re- 
 past of  the  disciples  in  the  presence  of  their 
 condescending  Lord,  we  could  by  no  means  put 
 the  dry  question — 7s  there  nothing  more?     O's- 
 hausen's  zeal  carries  him  too  far  when  he  says 
 that  the  narrative  down  to  this  point,  if  only 
 externally  considered,  would  have  been  "  poor 
 and  meaningless;"  for  certainly  the  chief  thing 
 which  it  records  is  not  a  successful  draught  of 
 fishes,  but  the  most  heart-touching  and  confi- 
 dential approximation  of  the  Risen  Lord  ;  and 
 that  is   in   itself  nothing  (x'ernal.     But  it   is 
 most  certain  that  this  postscript  of  the  sCay- 
 yiXiov  TtysvjiiattKoy  (spiritual  Gospel)  has  a 
 yet  deeper  significance.      The  second  object  of 
 it,  springing  immediately  from  the  first  purely 
 historical  view,  was  the  presenting  a  type  of 
 that  nearness  and  fellowship  to  which  the  Lord 
 would  in  future  times  condescend,  in  his  invis- 
 ible relations  with  his  people.     We  must  in- 
 voluntarily ascribe  such  a  significance  to  the 
 
 *  Many  regard  it  as  certiin  that  he  ate  with 
 tliem,  but  we  must  dlfier.  He  said  only  to  ihcin — 
 "  Dine  ;"  and  in  ver.  13  "He  gave  to  them,"  does 
 not  mean  that  he  shared  with  them.  Hiiler  aiter 
 Benijel  says  :  "  Ho  serves  even  though  glorified  ; 
 yet  .sliows  the  g:eat  difTerence  there  was  between 
 ilicm,  for  he  has  no  need  lo  cat." 
 
 f  Wo  nny  doubt,  even,  whether  (he  thaulfffivwff 
 for  the  benediction  of  the  food  (which  Tlieoil. 
 Heryc.  forgets  not  to  mention)  is  to  bo  self  evi- 
 dent. The  expression  and  solemn  formula  was  not 
 always  and  essentially  requisite,  when  the  spirit 
 of  Iho  act  wr.s  necessarily  understood.  Yet  there 
 may  have  bceu  a  prophetic  reason  for  the  omis- 
 siuQ, 
 
JOHN  XXI.  5,  6,  10,  12. 
 
 773 
 
 Emmans  narrative  in  Luke ;  and  can  we  not 
 go  so  far  with  John  ?  But  thirdly,  we  hear  in 
 the  narrative  a  specific  promise  to  the  disciples, 
 and  to  us  all,  which  has  this  force — Nothing 
 shall  ever  be  wanting  to  you  in  the  service  of 
 the  Lord.  Specifically  for  their  earthly  need — 
 I  myself  will  and  shall  feed  you,  and  take  care 
 of  you.  From  the  tender  regard  which  at  first, 
 so  to  speak,  provided  at  once  for  their  morning 
 refreshment  after  the  labor  of  the  night,  before 
 he  said  any  thing  more  to  them,  down  to  the 
 abundant  draught  of  fishes  the  produce  of 
 which  would  supply  their  need  till  they  reached 
 Jerusalem — what  speaking  prophecy  and  pro- 
 mise of  care!  Thus,  as  was  appropriate  and 
 to  be  expected — though  without  this  narrative 
 it  would  be  lacking — among  the  last  manifes- 
 tations of  the  grace  of  the  Redeemer  the  whole 
 kingdum  of  nature  is  embraced  in,  and  made 
 one  with,  the  kingdom  of  grace.  Or  was  not 
 this  necessary  for  these  first  disciples  ?  Scarce- 
 ly, indeed,  were  they  at  this  time  concerned 
 about  their  temporal  sustentation ;  but  there 
 came  other  and  sterner  times  both  for  them  and 
 for  believers  following  them,  who  are  still  com- 
 forted and  encouraged  by  this  meal  at  Tiberias. 
 "  Love  to  Jesus  must  arm  us  with  contempt  for 
 all  temporal  things;  but  we  must  not  press 
 this  truth  so  far  as  to  think  that  neither  good 
 nor  evil  can  accrue  from  the  abundance  or  the 
 withdrawal  of  earthly  goods  :  else  we  should 
 not  feel  the  goodness  of  the  liberality  of  God's 
 supply  of  our  wants,  and  the  lesson  which  the 
 closing  of  his  hand  should  teach  would  be 
 lost." 
 
 Nevertheless,  when  all  this  is  admitted,  we 
 must  as  expositors  ask — Is  there  nothing  more? 
 If  this  di'aught  of  fishes  points  hack,  and  no 
 one  with  a  sound  mind  can  deny  it,  to  that  of 
 Luke  v.,  reminding  them  at  the  close  of  the 
 beginning  of  their  calling,  the  promise  also  to 
 the  fishers  of  men  must  be  meant  concerning 
 another  net  than  that  which  they  used  in  their 
 earthly  calling.  The  "  smgularis  consensus," 
 therefore,  of  the  fathers,  as  to  this  synibolico- 
 prophetic  meaning  of  the  transaction,  rests 
 upon  a  good  ioundation.*  If  there  have  been 
 many  fanciful  errors  developed  from  the  de- 
 tails, that  does  not  impeach  the  correctness  of 
 our  view  of  the  whole.  For  instance,  when 
 Augustine  refers  the  right  side,  on  which  the 
 disciples  were  to  cast  the  net,  to  the  elect  ;\ 
 
 *  Weiizel's  rennrk  is  a  good  one,  that,  as  the 
 second  half  of  this  final  chapter  deals  directly 
 and  specially  with  the  destiny  of  the  two  chief 
 disciples,  £0  ihe  first  half  points  generally  and  in- 
 directly to  the  discipleship  as  a  whole,  to  the  re- 
 sult of  apostolical  labor. 
 
 t  Gro;ius,  on  the  other  hand,  found  in  the  abun- 
 dant draught  vcar  ihes\ore,  where  it  was  not  to  be 
 expected,  the  ble  sing  of  the  Apostles  preaching 
 among  the  heathen.  Weitzel  sees  in  the  fruitless 
 toil  of  the  night  the  first  want  of  success  among 
 the  Jews,  in  the  cr.sting  the  net  on  the  other  side 
 the  entering  upon  the  mission  to  the  Gentiles.  All 
 this  we  may  leave  -itndeciiied,  though  it  is  much 
 moro   rational   tlian   Dj  Wet:e'a   noiioa  that  the 
 
 gives  his  strange  interpretation  of  the  number 
 seven  of  the  disciples;  and  even  finds  in  the 
 broiled  fish  a  symbol  of  Christ  (piscls  asam 
 Ckrisiys  est  pas&us) ;  we  may  leave  all  this  to 
 him.  But  we  are  willing  to  agree  with  him, 
 not  because  he  says  it,  but  because  it  proves 
 itself  to  our  own  mind,  when  he  makes  this 
 draught  of  fishes,  similar  to  the  first,  yet  with 
 so  many  differences,  refer  to  the  final  future  of 
 the  lingdom.  That  in  the  former  the  good  and 
 bad  were  taken  together,  while  in  this  the 
 good  only,  is  not  to  be  rejected,  if  it  be  pro- 
 foundly interpreted  ;  but  that  the  Lord  is  not 
 now  in  the  ship  but  on  the  thore,  that  he  ex- 
 pressly commands  that  the  net  be  brought  to 
 land,  that  the  net  does  not  now  break,  and, 
 finally,  that  the  revelation  of  the  Eiseii  Lord 
 of  its'elf  points  to  something  beyond  the  for- 
 mer— all  this  is  significant  and  most  evidently 
 true.*  The  number  of  the  fishes,  recorded  with 
 such  striking  precision,  and  which  may  be  re- 
 regarded  as  the  reason  of  their  counting,!  ap- 
 pears to  us  to  shadow  out  some  mystery. 
 Apart  from  the  marvellous  interpretations 
 which  carry  their  own  confutation  with  them,  J 
 we  cannot  but  think  that  it  signifies  the  num- 
 ber which  will  be  gathered  in  by  the  preaching 
 of  the  Gospel,  the  7zX?/pcona  rdy  tfivcov,  "  ful- 
 ness of  the  Gentiles,"  Pvom.  xi.  25— a  number 
 known  to  the  Lord,  but  not  to  be  counted  by 
 us  till  the  end.  The  net  not  breaking — a  most 
 evident  note  of  distinction  from  the  previous 
 draught  at  their  initiatory  call  (should  not 
 John  on  this  account  record  it  ?) — appears  less  a 
 "  presage  of  wonderful  unity  "  for  the  whole 
 Church  s  history  generally  (Grotius),  than  as  a 
 prophecy,  stretching  forward  to  the  future,  of 
 the  last  glorious  manifestation  of  the  net  never- 
 theless not  broken.  Gossner  :  "  That  which 
 men  call  the  Lord's  net  is,  alas  !  much  broken, 
 but  the  Lord  has  his  own  net,  which  is  not 
 rent."  The  former  actual  reading  in  its  exter- 
 nal manifestation  was  foreshadowed  in  Luke  v. 
 6  ;  and  it  took  place  not  because  "  men  arbi- 
 trarily and  by  their  own  despotic  w  U  pull  on 
 the  net,  some  to  the  right,  some  to  the  left" — 
 it  was  so  even  in  "  apostolical  hands,"  accord- 
 ing to  1  Cor.  i.  11,  xi.  19.  But,  "  when  Christ 
 will  be  glorified  in  his  glorious  net,  then  at  the 
 second  conversion  .of  the  Gentiles  the  net  of  the 
 
 right  side  was  mentioned  as  the  fortunate  one — ac- 
 cording to  popular  superstition. 
 
 ♦  See  the  passage  in  Olshausen,  from  Augus- 
 tine. 
 
 ■)•  Without  the  &5?or  cj^ei,  which  is  usual  in 
 the  reckoning  of  Scripture — even  the  three  above 
 the  round  sum  not  lorgo'ten.  Lilcke  speaks  of 
 the  hjperhoUeal  tone  of  this — but  we  have  nothing 
 to  say  to  that. 
 
 %  The  first  and  most  celebrated  was  that  of 
 Jerome,  ad  Ezech.  cap.  47,  that  these  were  just  so 
 many  species  of  fishes,  as  in  Matt  xiii.  47,  Ik 
 TtavToi  yivovi  (compared  also  by  Bengel). 
 The  typical  number  of  strangers  in  Israel,  2 
 Chron.  ii.  17,  has  bc^a  referred  to — and  much 
 else. 
 
774 
 
 RESTORATION  OF  PETER. 
 
 Church  will  no  longer  be  broken."  Then,  when 
 the  net  will  be  drawn  to  the  shore  out  of  the 
 sea  of  nations  (Matt.  xiii.  48) — the  great  Shep- 
 herd and  Lord  will  be  on  that  shore,  waiting, 
 receiving,  entertaining;  and  the  end  will  be  a 
 ftmi  of  most  gracious  fellowship  with  him — 
 but  it  will  be  the  antitype  of  the  Lord's  S  ;pper 
 (Abendmahl),  an  earli/  meal  {FrUhmnhl)  of  the 
 great  resurrection  morning  which  will  be  fol- 
 lowed by  a  permanent  eternal  day  of  joy  (Rom. 
 xi.  15).*  Not  then  the  bread  and  wine  as  the 
 body  and  blood  of  the  Lord,  but  the  Ircad  of 
 the  renewed  creation,  prepared  without  seed- 
 time, harvest,  and  making,  will  be  the  sancti- 
 fied food  of  the  righteous,  no  longer  needing 
 any  special  benediction  for  its  sanctification  ; 
 and  in  the  bringing  in  of  the  great  draught,  the 
 first  fruits  of  which  the  Lord  himself  had  pre- 
 pared as  representing  the  whole,  all  the  fisher- 
 men together  and  individually  will  spiritually 
 enjoy  ihe  result  of  their  toils  with  the  joy  of 
 eternal  life. 
 
 If  this  is  regarded  as  too  venturesome  and 
 
 far-fetched,  we  wi!I  return  back  with  the  ob- 
 jector to  the  dawning  and  instinct  presenti- 
 ment with  which  he  would  prefer  to  invest 
 this  typical  meal  on  the  shore  of  (he  preachhig- 
 sea.  He  must  not,  however,  reject  the  history 
 itself  while  dwelling  on  what  it  dimly  shadows ; 
 he  must  not  view  it  as  a  "  little  idyllic  figure ; " 
 but  must  at  least  say  with  John  :  It  is  (he  Lord 
 — he  must  assuredly  have  intended  something 
 in  this.  Thus  much,  however,  is  clear  to  our 
 view,  that  the  Lord  begins  aiiew,  in  his  ancient 
 manner  (Matt.  xiii.  35)  to  speak  in  parable, 
 to  turn  events  into  similitudes,  and  propheti- 
 cally to  pre-typify  the  far-distant  future.  By 
 this  he  not  only  demonstrated  his  abiding 
 humanity,  and  its  paternal,  condescending 
 power  and  love  to  bless — but  he  points  the 
 first  of  his  fishermen,  in  order  that  it  might  be 
 recorded  and  transmitted  to  us,  throu.^li  this 
 earthly  type,  to  the  great  joy  of  his  kingdom 
 reserved  for  the  end,*  when  all  nature  appears 
 renewed  around  the  pure  produce  of  his  great 
 1  fishing,  while  he  says — Come  ye  and  feast. 
 
 RESTORATION  OF  PETER. 
 
 (John  xxi.  15-22.) 
 
 The  immediate  purport  of  this  manifestation 
 of  our  Lord — which  in  connection  with  its  pro- 
 phetic symbol  pointed  also  far  into  the  future — 
 was  a  confirmation  of  the  calling  of  the  fishers 
 of  men,  and  a  re-establishment  of  them  all,  in 
 the  persons  of  those  who  were  present  in  their 
 office — a  more  direct  exhibition  of  chap.  xx. 
 21.  With  this  it  is  naturally  connected  that — 
 according  to  the  Lord's  purpose  from  the 
 beginning  in  this  manifestation — he  turns  es- 
 pecially to  Peter.f  He  receives  after  the 
 figurative  blessing  the  word  of  its  interpreta- 
 tion, being  still  as  heretofore  the  representative 
 of  all,  and  this  involves  in  itself  the  re-estab- 
 lishment of  him  who  had  fallen.  But,  in  the 
 next  placf^,*the  words  are  spoken  to  him  in  a 
 manner  which  points  them  directly  to  himself. 
 The  Lord  had  appeared  to  him  in  mercy  already 
 on  the  day  of  his  resurrection;  had  recognized 
 him  in  the  two  following  appearances  to  the 
 Apostles,  including  him  in  the  general  bless- 
 ing;  we  cannot  therefore  suppose  him  to  have 
 been  the  subject  of  such  profound  sorrow  as  is 
 
 *  We  do  not  mean  this  (as  Lutliardt's  objection 
 misunderstands  it)  of  the  "lime  alter  death" — 
 but  of  the  hislorical  concluding  period  of  all 
 propliPticil  pers7)ective  of  the  kingdom  of  God, 
 the  reference  to  which  is  surely  ap[)ropriale  liere. 
 
 t  Yet  we  may  not  say  that  all  before  ver.  13 
 (wherein  the  Evangelist  sees  the  real  manifestation 
 itself)  was  related  merely  on  account  of  what  fol- 
 lows. It  was  no  more  related,  than  it  happened,  on 
 that  account.  » 
 
 sometimes  attributed  to  him.  Nevertheless, 
 the  deep  impression  made  by  the  peculiar  cir- 
 cumstances of  his  denial  had  not  been  eflfaced. 
 We  must,  on  the  other  hand,  regard  Peter 
 therefore — for  such  deep  heart  wounds  are  not 
 soon  healed — as  retaining  enough  of  that  smit- 
 ten feeling  to  prevent  his  experiencing  his 
 former  joy  in  the  Lord;  and,  on  the  other,  we 
 must  remember  that  the  offence  which  was 
 given  to  all,  and  which  corresponded  with  the 
 public  warning  given  to  all,  could  be  properly 
 and  fully  forgiven  only  by  a  public  word  of  re- 
 conciliation. Certainly  it  must  have  been 
 Peter's  necemty  and  iciah  that  the  Lord  should 
 refer  to  the  matter  before  all  and  pronounce 
 his  forgiving  peace — quite  in  opposition  to 
 that  most  unworthy  notion  which  Niemeyer 
 thus  expressed:  "Jle  probably  was  fearing 
 every  moment  that  Jesus  would  speak  to  him 
 about  his  fall,  before  the  rest  of  the  disciples." 
 Such  a  fear  as  that  would  have  effectually  pre- 
 vented his  receiving  the  consolation  of  grace,  as 
 it  would  have  been^inconsistent  with  true  peni- 
 tence in  his  soul.  Thus  it  is  the  Lord's  love, us 
 we  shall  soon  observe,  which  now  turns  thus  to 
 Peter,  to  do  him  favor  ;  but  the  solemn  earnest- 
 ness of  truth,  ever  inseparable  from  such  love, 
 completes  in  the  presence  of  the  most  important, 
 of  the  disciples,  who  represented  the  whole, 
 his  perfect  re-estahUshment ;  thus  giving   him 
 
 ♦This  draught  of  fishes  was  "not  a  sp-cial 
 preparation  "  for  any  still  remaining  Jewish  and 
 impatient  ideas  about  his  kingdom. 
 
JOHN  XXL  15-22. 
 
 7T5 
 
 ©ppDrHiinty  to  assume  and  exhibit  a  becoming 
 tiumiliation,  and  to  utter  the  amending  confes- 
 tiion.  Tliere  was  x\o  Y>^'opev  rebuke  uttered,  lor 
 the  matter  was  already  forgiven  ;  this  asking 
 about  his  love  was  at  furthest  a  most  gentle 
 and  affectionate  reproof.  But  it  was  certauily 
 a  re-establishment  of  Peter  after  the  fall  which 
 it  thus  touchingly  brought  to  his  remembrance  ; 
 and  was  as  sofemn  and  formal  as  the  denial 
 had  been. 
 
 It  might  be  concluded,  from  vers.  19,  20  af- 
 terwards, tliat  Jesus,  leaving  the  others,  walked 
 along  the  shore  in  special  conversation  with 
 the  two,  Peter  and  John  ;  but  this  is  rather 
 connected  with  the  improbable  supposition  of 
 certain  omitted  converse  generally,  and  is  al- 
 most excluded  by  the  definite  words  of  ver. 
 lo — "  Wh'eii  they  had  dined,  he  said."  It  is 
 certain  that  Jesus  after  rising  from  the  meal 
 did  not  w-a-lk  alone  with  these  two  along  the 
 bank  ;  all  must  and  ought  to  hear  this  conver- 
 sation, ibr  the  reason  just  assigned.  The  mat- 
 ter had  already  been  spoken  of  with  Peter  in 
 secret ;  nor  is  the  trXelov  or  TrXeoy  t  o  v- 
 zoovs  "than  tkexe,"*  in  our  Lord's  question 
 a  reference  to  the  rest  of  the  disciples  at  a  dis- 
 tance. If  we  try  to  throw  ourselves  into  the 
 circumstances  of  the  case,  nothing  was  more 
 natural,  after  the  manifestation  of  such  confi- 
 dential and  condescending  love  on  the  part  of 
 Jesus,  than  that  the  general  question  should 
 have  been  pi-epared  for  in  the  minds  of  all,  as 
 the  opening  of  the  conversation — Do  ye  not  all 
 truly  love  me?  Althou<_'h  this  was  not  ex- 
 pressed, it  is  involved  in  the  TtXelov  rovrcov  : 
 and  here  we  think  we  see  the  point  of  connec- 
 tion for  the  direct,  address  to  one  of  the  num- 
 ber— Lovest  thou  me?  As  Hess  paraphrases: 
 "  Simon,  son  of  Jona,  thou  seest  that  all  love 
 me.  Can  I  rely  with  equal — with  more — con- 
 fidence upon  thy  fidelity  and  love  ?  "  But  that 
 the  Lord  ?L?ks  three  timea,  ».s,  a  retnembraucer  of 
 the  three-fold  denial  which  he  had  been  so 
 jsolemnly  warned  of,  we  shall  not  need  to  de- 
 monstrate ;  though  there  are  not  wanting  ex- 
 positors who  strangely  resist  the  clearest  evi- 
 dence of  what  lies  before  their  eyes,  and  inter- 
 pret it  otherwise.  De  Wette's  "'elwas spklewl ," 
 as  if  it  were  a  mere  passing  allusion,  is  repug- 
 nant to  every  sound  and  heartfelt  realization 
 of  the  whole. 
 
 Simon  J'(ywat— as  the  Lord  says  to  Simon 
 Peter  (mark  well)— was  in  no  case  "  the  usual 
 manner  in  which  the  Lord  addressed  Peter  " 
 (Lucke).  It  was  a  return  to  that  first  word  at 
 tiie  bestowment  of  his  name  of  honor  (chap.  i. 
 43)  which  is  not  now  indeed  taken  away  from 
 the  forgiven  disciple,  but  yet  is  placed  "^inten- 
 tionally in  seeming  question  ;  so  that,  when  he 
 
 j  was  thus  addressed  the  second  and  the  third 
 'time,  he  might  naturally  think — Is  the  name 
 \Pder,  then,  cone  entirely?  Comp.  however, 
 not  merely  Matt  xvi.  17  (where  the  "son  of. 
 I  Jona  "  was  named  in  suggestive  parallel  with 
 1  "  flesh  and  blood"),  but  in  Luke  xxii.  31  es- 
 pecially the  warning  »Siimo?i .'  Simon!  in  order 
 j  to  perceive  and  unilerstand  the  manifold  re- 
 membrancers which  this  address  would  in- 
 I  volve.*  He  would  remind  him  of  his  entire 
 I  past  from  birtii  upwards,  of  his  natural  ha- 
 I  inanity  (just  as  afterwards  in  ver  18),  but  es- 
 j  pecialiy  of  the  lamentable  fall  which  had  orig- 
 I  inated  in  the  Simon  and  not  in  the  Peter. 
 I  Nevertheless,  in  the  gentlest  tenderness  there 
 I  is  no  express  mention  of  what  was  past  and 
 I  forgiven — only  a  hint  of  his  earlier  self-exalta- 
 I  tion,  as  we  shall  presently  hear.  The  first 
 \d  X  aTt  a  5  he,  loved  thou  me,  expresses  only 
 !  the  tenderness  of  love  which  desires  only  to  be 
 j  loved,  which  prizes  the  return  of  love,  and  is 
 j  satisfied  with  it,  yea,  asks  for  it  not  in  doubt 
 ;  but  with  complacency.  This  gracious  demand 
 i  of  his  love,  which  honors  Peter  by  the  un- 
 I  troubled  expression  of  the  perfect  love  of i  his 
 I  Lord,  is  not  retracted,  nor  is  that  love  with- 
 I  drawn,  when  in  the  solemnity  of  earnest  truth 
 j  it  is  blended  with  the  reproof  of  reconciling 
 :  grace  in  the  addition — Lovest  thou  me  more 
 I  than  these?  . 
 
 I      nXelov  rovTGiv  (Vulg.  plus  his)  is  grara- 
 1  matically,  and   without    the   context,  an   amy 
 j  biguous  expression,  inasmuch  as  rovrwv  may 
 i  be  referred  either  to  the  objects  which  are  loved 
 I  or  the  subjects  which  love  ;  but  the  entire  cor\r 
 I  text,  and  especially  that   point  of  connection 
 j  which   has  been  referred  to  already,  makes   it 
 I  evident  that  it  must   be  understood  as  almost 
 I  all   Christendom   has  agreed  to  understand  it 
 (with    the   Pesh.)— more   than    these,   all   my 
 disciples  and   thy  brethren,  love   me.f     From 
 !  the  beginning,  most  expositors   have  seen  in 
 I  these  words   the  gentle   but  sufficiently  plain 
 remembrancer  of    that   self-exalting    word   of 
 j  the  disciple — And  if  all  men  should  be  offended, 
 yet  will  not  I  (xMatt.  xxvi.  33  ;   Mark  xiv.  29). 
 I  bishausen  strangely  lollows  a  very  few  in  de- 
 I  nying  this,  and  supfioses  the  Lord  here  actual,7 
 i  ly  to  admit  that   Peter  in  consequence  of  his 
 
 I  *  The  address  wit  i  Peter  occurs  indeed  as  if  in 
 irony,  Luke  xxii.  8i ;  but  even  as  such  pre-sup- 
 l)0sing  the  oidiiiary  use  of  it.  In  the  two  pas- 
 sages in  which,  besides  Lulie  xxii.  31,  Simon  alone 
 
 *  On  ihe  genuineness  of  this  there  is  no  con- 
 tention, although  it  is  wanting  in  a  few  manu- 
 scripts. 
 
 \  The  reading  'looolvov,  'looocwov — accord- 
 ing to  Evasmus  also  /ajaKj/a— chap.  i.  43.  and 
 here  (where  Vulg.  ^anms,  j'et  also  with  the  var. 
 /i)m)  is  of  no  significance  for  the  matter  in  band. 
 
 occurs,  !t  IS  very  sijiiifioiiiit  (_Matt.  xvii.  25;  Mark 
 xiv.  37) — and  not  mean  ng  the  same  as  the  lull 
 Simon  Baijona. 
 
 t  Lampe  quotes  from  Bernard  :  Amas  nif  plus 
 quani  tua,  p. us  cja.\m  tuos,  plus  qunni  te  ?  Whitby 
 and  Bolton  after  iiim  have  mucli  worse  interpreted 
 — Lovest  thou  me  more  than  these  things  ?  (what 
 a  collocation  I)  tliit  i^^,  more  than  the  fi.shes,  an.i 
 tlie  fiiliiiig  ap(>aratus,  the  nets,  etc.;  assuming 
 that  the  di'^ciples  mioht  have  wished  to  go  back 
 to  their  fishing.  This  is  not  merely  "  improb- 
 able," as  Hegel  says  coldly — or  "  almost  ridicu- 
 lous," as  Lucke  says  more  warmly— but  is  utterlj 
 irrational 
 
776 
 
 RESTORATION  OF  PETER. 
 
 spiritual  pre-eminence  in  relation  to  power 
 workins:  fxternaliy — as  if  lave  consisted  in  that 
 — loved  hini  more  s'rongly  than  all  the  others 
 {more  also  than  John  ?) ;  and  that  this  was  the 
 result  or  the  cause  of  the  Lord's  making  hinn 
 thesaephcrd,  although  he  may  not  be  supposed 
 to  liave  said — No,  1  love  thee  far  less,  lor  I  was 
 capable  of  denying  thee.  If  any  of  our  read- 
 ers tiiink  such  an  idea  deserving  of  refutation, 
 he  will  have  found  it  already  in  what  has  been 
 sajd  as  to  the  necessity  for  our  Lord's  once 
 more  publicly  returning  to  the  fact  of  the  de- 
 nial, and  he  will  find  it  still  further  in  the  suc- 
 ceeding exposition.  Liicke  disputes  this  refer- 
 ence back  to  something  unrecorded  in  John's 
 Gospel,  and  asks — Had  the  author  of  this  chap- 
 ter Matthew's  Gospel  before  him?  We  think 
 that  Jesus  who  thus  spoke,  accoixling  to  the 
 genuine  record  of  the  fourth  Evangelist,  very 
 well  knew  the  earlier  words  of  Jesus;  but  the 
 Spirit  in  the  Evangelists  reckons  in  many 
 things,  and  in  a  sense  every  where,  upon  our 
 own  collating  the  several  records.  The  thought, 
 further,  is  not  to  be  absolutely  rejected,  that 
 this  question  as  to  a  greater  love  than  that  of 
 the  others  refers  to  the  immediately  preceding 
 fact  of  Peter's  springing  first  into  the  water, 
 to  come  to  Jesus.  The  distinct  meaning  of 
 rovTGOv,  as  limited  to  those  present,  is  in 
 favor  of  this ;  as  also  the  fact  that  afterwards 
 in  ver.  18  there  is  a  similar  allusion  to  what 
 had  just  transpired,  in  the  girding,  etc.*  Yet 
 this  is  certainly  only  a  concomitant  meaning 
 and  not  (as  Olericus  supposed)  the  only  one. 
 Peter's  swimming  toward  the  Lord  had  just 
 shown  that  he  now  as  formerly  would  anticipate 
 t'lie  rest  in  his  fervid  zeal — -'after  the  most  pro- 
 found love  of  another  had  discerned  the  Lord. 
 But  there  was  nothing,  on  the  present  occasion, 
 presumptuous  or  blameworthy  in  his  act ;  and 
 therefore  the  gentle  reference  to  it,  which 
 might  have  been  discerned  in  our  Lord's 
 words,  was  rather  a  mild  softening-  of  his 
 vehemence;  it  was  a  recognition  of  the  pure 
 and  the  true  in  Peter's  character,  and  in  his 
 "  loving  moro" — even  at  the  same  time  that 
 the  expression  of  it  is  repioved  and  repelled,  to 
 3uch  extent,  that  is,  as  this  was  merited. 
 Tfien  alone,  when  Peter  would  make  himself 
 faithful  beyond  the  rest,  in  opposition  to  the 
 warning  of  his  Master,  there  lay  in  his  com- 
 parison— I  love  thee  more,  a  fal  e  strength,  and 
 Something  of  taint  in  his  love,  such  as  Alber- 
 tini  thus  preaches  of;  "  Our  many-formed  and 
 evil  self-love  is  the  alloy  which  debases  the 
 silver  of  our  love."  Tnus  the  Lord  would 
 awaken  the  purer  thought  of  Peter's  mind,  and 
 fan  within  him  the  fiame  of  his  love,  a  love  no 
 longer  now  unreflecting  and  carnally  measur- 
 
 ing itself  with  others  ;*  and  therefore  he  asks 
 him  the  well-understood  question,  gives  him 
 graciously  the  welcome  opportunity  to  retract 
 in  pure  simplicity  his  improper  comparison, 
 and  to  utter  anew  with  purer  confidence  and 
 joy  his  real  and  inward  love.  We  heartily 
 a^ree  with  Grotius  here:  "Wonderful  is  the 
 wisdom  of  Christ,  whose  words  as  so  ordered 
 that  Peter  is  satisfied  after  his  three-fold 
 denial,  and  his  colleagues  are  satisfied,  over 
 whom  he  had  exalted  himself;  and  this  example 
 he  gives  for  the  discipline  of  hii  Church."  An  ex- 
 ample this  which  has  l>een  too  often  neglected 
 by  the  stern  and  unrelenting  disciplinary  enact- 
 ments of  the  Church,  which  making  no  differ- 
 ence, have  often  kept  penitent  Peters  far  too 
 long  waiting  for  the  absolution  of  love. 
 
 The  answer  of  the  Apostle  is  in  its  kind  as 
 noteworthy  as  the  Lord's  question,  and  exhibits 
 him  to  us  now,  as  it  exhibited  him  to  the  disci- 
 ples then,  in  the  most  beautiful  light  of  his  new 
 nature  created  by  grace.     It  is  impossible  for 
 any  man  to  object  any  thing  to  his  perfect  re- 
 establishment,  or  to  regard  it  for  an  instant  as 
 opposed  by  the  strictest  laws  of  the  kingdom  of 
 grace.   We  may  almost  adopt  Albert ini's  words: 
 i  "  Doubtless  Peter  noio  loved  the  Lord  more  than 
 !  all  the  rest,  for  he  had  more,  much  more,  for- 
 I  given  " — although  the  rule  of  Luke  vii  47  (like 
 j  every  rule,  not  without  its  exceptions)  might  be 
 j  regarded  as  holding  good  rather  on  the  side  of 
 I  the  less  loving,  and  moreover  must  not  be  ap- 
 plied  merely  according  to  the  measure  of  actual 
 and    visible    sins.     Cyril,    Bucer,    and   others, 
 I  whom  Lampe  quotes  approvingly,  and  Olshaus- 
 i  en  follows,  take  away  all  rebuking  allusion  to 
 j  his  former  assertion  that  beloved  more;  bnt 
 j  they  think,  however,  that  the  more  love  which 
 j  the  Lord  demanded  pointed  to  the  sin  which 
 I  had  been  forgiven  to  him  beyond  all  the  others. 
 I  What  shall  \Ve  say  to  this?     Assuredly,  that 
 the  Lord  rather  pre-supposes  than  demands  that 
 internal  love  in  a  sense  surpassing  that  of  all 
 the  rest ;  he  knoics  and  recognizes  in  the  heart  of 
 the  forgiven  man  that  greater  love  which  it  was 
 befitting  that  he  should  feel — t'liis  seems  evi- 
 dently implied  in  his    being  singled    out   and 
 questioned  in  the^e  express  terms.    But  the  wocij 
 as  spoken  in  the  presence  of  the  others,  could 
 not  be  meant  by  him  as  demanding  from  Peter 
 that  he  should  testify  his  own  consciousness 
 of  a    love   beyond  that   of  the  others:    that 
 would  be  contrary  to  the  truth  and  sincerity 
 of  love;    as  we  must  feel  ourselves,  when  we 
 think    of  our  own  comparing  or   magnifying 
 beyond  that  of  others  the  love  of  which  we 
 are  conscious.f      How  aad   to  the  rest,  how 
 
 *  Grotins,  a  little  too  strong  :  "  All  thinr/t  which 
 our  Lord  liere  .says  have  allusion  (that  is  at  the 
 tame  time)  to  the  tacts  which  ])rpceded  ;"  for  in 
 addition  to  the  two  thinirs  mentioned  above  he 
 finds  a  leterence  of  the  miiidatum  e.ximium  apos- 
 lolici  nuneris  to  the  circumstance  quod  ret*  per- 
 traxerat. 
 
 *  Theodor.  Ileracl.  well  expresses  it :  "  To 
 raise  him  out  of  the  dejection  resulting  from 
 Irs  denial,  and  inflame  his  love  by  the  sama 
 means." 
 
 f  Olshau'^en  goes  too  far,  and  uses  very  doubt- 
 ful language  when  he  says  :  True  humility,  pov- 
 erty, and  release  from  se.f  does  not  consL-bt  in  our 
 sa.itig  that  w«  have  no  love  wlien  we  have  it, 
 but  iu   regardiug   the  operations   of  grace   "as 
 
JOHN  XXI.  15-22. 
 
 iH- 
 
 fiangerons  to  himself,  would  it  have  been  for 
 Peter  to  say — Yes,  verily,  0  Lord,  I  love  thee 
 more.  The  question  demanded  any  thing  rather 
 than  this  ;  his  answer  beautifully  shows  that  he 
 umlerstood  it  as  humbling  him  by  reference  to 
 his  former  elevation  of  himself — and  can  we 
 otherwise  understand  the  Lord?  He  had  de- 
 eignedly  uttered  no  word  which  should  make 
 prominent  the  great  change  between  formerly 
 and  now,  that  which  had  intervened;  it  it  7wt 
 — "  Lovest  thou  me  now  more  than  others?"* 
 although  the  whole  question  in  itself,  after  the 
 restoration  of  the  fallen  man,  was  no  other  than 
 such  an  appeal — "  Moio,  beloved  Simon  ?  How 
 stands  the  love  between  us  ?  "  But  Peter  right- 
 ly understood  all  that  the  Lord  had  omitted  to 
 say  ;  and  himself  likewise  omitting  it,  gives  as-  ! 
 surance  of  his  love  without  any  side  glance,  j 
 without  any  pre-eminent  /.  His  humbled  re- 
 membrance does  not  enter  upon  the  question 
 of  the  inor^e  ;  and  his  answer  is  thus  at  the  same 
 time  an  affecting  deprecation  to  the  other  dis- 
 ciples, whom  his  former  proud  words  had  in- 
 jured. 
 
 It  is  remarkable  here  that  he  does  not  an- 
 swer the  dyandi  with  dyaTCca,  but  with  (piXoi 
 [both  rendered  "love"  in  the  English  version], 
 and  that  even  the  second  time;  in  the  third 
 question  the  Lord  takes  up  his  word,  and  asks 
 /pike li  fit f  to  which  change  John  in  the  repe- 
 tition, ver.  17,  expressly  gives  prominence. 
 Tliis  cannot  possibly  be  altogether  without  sig- 
 nificance, though  Augustine  {de  Civ.  xiv.  7) 
 denied  the  distinction  between  amm  and  diligis 
 here,  and  Grotius  settled  the  point  very  quick- 
 ly, "  John  used  the  words  dyaitdv  and  qjiXEli/ 
 prom.scuously,  just  like  fiodneiv  and  Ttoi/uai- 
 e/fzr.t  We  must  not  make  over-subtle  dis- 
 tinctions here."  But  although  (he  distinction 
 may  not  have  been  preserved  in  ordinary 
 phraseology,  yet  here  where  the  change  is  de- 
 eignedly  introduced  it  must  have  its  signifi- 
 cance, and  point  to  the  fundamental  difference 
 in  the  respective  expressions.  But  what  is  the 
 difference?  We  touched  the  question  lightly 
 upon  John  v.  20,  compared  with  iii.  35  ;  but 
 me  must  now  enter  upon  it  more  closely.  Casau- 
 bon  (see  Lampe)  acknowledged  that  ayandy, 
 diligtre,  was  rather  the  mnor  perfeclus  which  be- 
 longs to  God,  and  therefore  that  throughout  the 
 
 transitory  gifts  which  the  Lord  who  gave  them 
 may  at  any  time  withdraw  if  he  will."  But  cer- 
 tainly in  loving  there  is  the  personal  decision  on 
 our  own  part,  and  a  possession  certainly  not  to  be 
 taken  from  us  of  which  we  are  surely  conscious. 
 
 *  And  indeed  not  merely  positive,  as  Gossner 
 paiaphra.ses :  "Thou  lovest  me  still  1  I  know 
 we'll  that  thou  hast  f^ome  great  evil — but  thou 
 lovest  me  after  all  ]  And  are  we  still  then  friends 
 together  f  "  But  tlie  question  as  to  the  nXeiov 
 was  a  test  whether  and  how  Peter  would  now  un- 
 derstand and  answer  this. 
 
 I  We  shall  find  with  regard  to  these,  as  also  the 
 dpvia  and  Tt(j6(iara,  thit  John  did  not  thus 
 merely  vary  the  expression,  but  historically  re- 
 porled  the  words  wilh  accuriicy^ 
 
 Scriptures  of  the  Old  and  New  Testaments  not 
 (piXelv  but  dyaitdv  is  used  for  love  to  God 
 (so  that  even  the  Hellenists  preserved  the  dis- 
 tinction). From  this  it  followed  that  Peter, 
 deeply  conscious  of  his  infirmity,  used  design- 
 edly "  a  certain  Syriac  expression  which  would 
 rather  correspond  with  the  Greek  q)iXe.1v." 
 That  might  be  the  more  intei-nal  Dm,  which  the 
 Syr.  used  also  in  chap.  v.  20.  But  as  we  are  in 
 ignorance  about  the  si/nonymoiiJi  relations  of  the 
 language  then  u.sed,  we  are  refprred  rather  to 
 the  Greek  again,  which  the  Evangelist  un- 
 doubtedly used  precisely  in  harmony  with  ilie 
 distinction.  We  quite  agree  with  Bengel  that 
 Peter's  feeling  could  not  have  intended  to  an- 
 swer the  Lord's  question  by  a  word  of  strength- 
 ened emphasis:  that  wouhi  have  been  alto- 
 gether alien  to  his  humbled  feeling.  But  when 
 Bengel  maintains  that  "  dyaitdv ,  amare,  est 
 necessitudinis  et  affedus  ;  cpiAalv,  diligpre,  j>i- 
 dicii" — we  must,  according  to  our  conviction, 
 just  invert  his  sentence.  For  it  may  be  estab- 
 lished, though  we  do  not  feel  ourselves  called 
 upon  to  enter  minutely  upon  the  philological 
 discussion,  that  q>iXeiv,  nmnre.  more  nearly  re- 
 lated to  £pa)i,  issues  rather  from  the  natural 
 human  feelimj  (the  love  of  kinship,  and  then 
 of  friendship);  while  dyaitdv,  diligtre,  po'mia 
 to  the  love  of  the  tcill,  exhibiting  at  once  the 
 loftiest  valuation  and  the  profoundest  subjec- 
 tion. It  is  not  altogether,  as  Tholuck  (on  John 
 xii.  25)  lays  down  the  distinction  too  sharply 
 — *'  The  natural  bias  and  the  intelligent  affec- 
 tion towards  " — his  meaning  is  fundamentally 
 right,  though  it  should  be  added  that  dydrtij 
 may  become  interchangeably  the  natural  per- 
 sonal (piXslv,  and  the  <ptXia  also  be  ennobled 
 as  it  were  into  the  dyanr},  and  yet  retain  its 
 own  character.  Con.sequently,  the  Lord  does 
 not  here  ask  simply  for  the  honoring,  adoring 
 love,  but  in  that  for  the  love  of  personal  affec- 
 tion also,  which  7ioic  would  be  added  to  it  in 
 Peter's  soul  ;  and  Peter  does  not  testify  only 
 the  personal  love  of  friendship* — though  there 
 is  some  truth  in  that.  Assuredly,  it  was  Pe- 
 ter's desire  to  descend  from  the  perfect,  etuico- 
 religious  meaning  of  the  dyartdv,  the  full 
 weight  of  which  he  feels  in  the  great  question, 
 to  the  personal  tpiXia  of  which  at  least  his 
 heart  was  certainly  conscious.!  As  if  he  v,'ould 
 say — Yes,  verily,  just  as  a  man  may  humanly 
 love  his  brother,  or  his  friend,  or  his  gracious 
 Lord.  (For  dyaitdv  and  qjiXelv  miuht  al- 
 most be  distinguished  in  German  as  luhen  and 
 liebhahcn.)  But  in  this  we  proceed  at  once  to 
 observe  a  new  element  which  qualifies  the  deli- 
 cate relation  of  the  two  expressions.  It  is  true 
 that  (ptXeiv,  as  the  personal  affection  of  the 
 natural  inclination,  is  so  far  less  than  that  love 
 of  the  knowledge  of  the  will  with  which  God  ia 
 to  be  loved,  who  is  himself  love ;  and  yet,  on  the 
 
 *  So  brefly  De  Wette :  "  Jesus  asks  first  for 
 the  love  of  reverence,  Peter  attests  his  personal 
 love." 
 
 t  The  Bed.  JBihel:  He  uses  a  word  of  less  ^em- 
 j;>hasi& 
 
T73- 
 
 KESTQRATION  OF  PETER. 
 
 other  hanil,  il,  is  in  a  rprtain  sense  more,  as  be- 
 ing more  imcnrd.  (Hence  in  John.  v.  20  the 
 Lord  gives  intensity  to  l)is  saying  by  the  cpiXel, 
 for  he  will  speak  antiiropomorpliica!iy  concern- 
 ing tiie  Father  and  the  Sjh  ;  while  the  Baptist, 
 not  venturing  on  such  an  expression,  adheres 
 to  the  'Tinre  becoming  ayana  in  chap.  iii.  35.) 
 Kiiw  first  shall  we  ttiorouglily  understand  our 
 text.  The  anti-climax,  in  which  Peter's  modesty 
 speaks,  is  turned  involuntarily  into  an  intenser 
 and  more  elevated  afSrmaiion  ;  ior  what  could 
 n  man  who  loves  his  Lord  testify  more  than 
 tiiut  the  ayaTt?/,  which  contradicts  the  flesh, 
 and  is  not  a  natural  emotion  even  to  a  John, 
 liie  oydmj  which  the  Lord  seeks,  has  become 
 in  him  a  tpiXia,^  human  personal  affection 
 ot  the  heart? 
 
 With  this  fundamentally  aerees  Fikenscher's 
 re-^ark  :  "The  former  (amplecti)  signifies  to re- 
 C..VC  gladly,  to  be  inwardly  satisfied  with,  to 
 hold  in  liighest  regard.  The  other  to  embrace 
 with  desire  {aman),  to  hang  upon  with  friend- 
 BJiip."  If  this  does  not  altogether  hit  the 
 point,  what  follows  is  better:  "  The  former  is, 
 in  all  divine  things  which  are  the  objects  of 
 faith,  necessary  (the  truth  in.  Bengel's  necessi- 
 tndo);  but  the  latter  pre-snpposes  an  actual 
 participation,  a  fidelity  and  dependence  which 
 13  fell  in  every  nerve.  He  who  has  the  former 
 will  come  to  have  the  latter  too."  Although 
 Peter,  by  his  present  (piXslv  i?  only  struggling 
 upwards  to  the  perfect  ayaTtdv,  yet  this 
 (TiXEiv  is  in  fact  derived  from  and  strengthened 
 by  his  ccyaTtLx^'  ;  it  therefore  pleases  the  Lord 
 ^as  Cicero  says,  "Non  diligi  solum  verum 
 ctiam  aman."  God's  commandment  cannot  at 
 once  run — Thou  shalt  q)i\tlv  me;  but  the 
 ayandv  is  required.  But  then,  the  divine 
 must  first  be  the  object  of  the  dyaitdv  before 
 it  can  be  the  object  of  the  tpiXsiy  ;  just  as  in 
 the  mttiiral  relation  to  man,  conversely,  the 
 ipiXia  should  be  altered  into  the  dyanr)  to- 
 wards God. 
 
 The  bles-'^ed  Apostle  utters  first  a  heartfelt 
 and  open  Nai,  xvpis,  "  Yea,  Lord,"  without 
 being  so  amazed  or  embarrassed  by  the  sudden 
 appeal  to  himself  by  name,  as  to  be  unat)le  to 
 answer  and  pour  out  his  heart;  it  would  al- 
 most appear  as  if  the  yea  would  at  first  afllirm 
 the  mnre,  in  response  to  the  supposition  in  the 
 question.  But.  because  he  has  also  well  under- 
 stood the  humbling  meaning  of  that  question, 
 he  not  only  restrains  himself  from  any  com- 
 parison of  self-exaltation,  and  corrects  and  re- 
 stricts as  it  were  the  yea  which  had  burst  from 
 his  full  heart  by  the  simple,  less  impetuous, 
 but  still  earnest  rpiXcu  6f.,  "  1  love  thee,"  but 
 ai.'5o  declines  to  testify  even  this  as  matter  of 
 Ins  own  knowledge,  leaving  it  entirely  to  the 
 Searcher  of  hearts.  This  "thou  knowest" 
 immediately  attached  to  the  "Lord"*  is  in- 
 comparably tender,  beautiful,  and  true.  Ac- 
 cording to  Liicke,  "it  appears  as  if  the  echo 
 
 *  Hence  we  cnn  hardly  sny  whether  Ki  pie  be 
 kags  rather  to.  Nat  or  to  &C\ 
 
 was — Is  there  then  still  question  of  ihisf  I^ot* 
 withstanding,  Peter  rejoiced  in  his  heart  that 
 the  Lord  did  put  the  question,  and  give  him 
 both  opportunity  and  permission  to  utter  this 
 long  suppressed  yea.  It  has  not  therefore  cer- 
 tainly any  such  stronger  meaning  as — "  Where- 
 fore then  askest  thoa  of  that  about  which  thou 
 knowest  best  I "  For  Peter  perfectly  under- 
 stands why  and  with  what  secret  design  the 
 Lord  put  the  question  to  him — else  indeed  he 
 would  have  renaarked  nothing  in  it,  which 
 however  is  incon.ceivabl&,  considering  that  he 
 could  not  have  approached  the  Lord  without  a 
 profound  sense  of  Ins  late  fall.  Thus,  "  Thou 
 knowest  it"  springs  from  the  deep  experience 
 which  he  now  had  of  the  facility  with  which 
 his  own  heart  might  deceive  him,  and  of  how 
 little  value  ia  testimony  concerning  self,  and 
 the  resolution  or  promise  which  springs  from 
 self.  "  Man  himself  connot  sound  the  depths 
 of  his  own  breast.  Had  not  Peter  found  this, 
 out  to  his  inexpressible  shame?"  (Driiseke). 
 Nevertheless — for  thus  must  we  turn  round  the 
 diamond  word,  to  see  its  brilliance — he  could 
 not  possibly  mean,  with  any  uncertainty, 
 "  Thou  knowest  whether  I  love  thee."  He 
 knows  the  Lord's  knowledge  of  his  love,  anJ 
 on  that  alone  he  rests — what  modesty  and 
 what  confidence  united,  in  this  perfect  solution 
 of  the  apparent  contradiction!  It  is  as  if  he 
 should  say — "  Thou  hast  known  me  throughout 
 and  from  the  beginning  as  the  soa  of  Jona, 
 hast  called  me'  Peter ;  hast  drawn  me  toward 
 thee  in  patience,,  hast  kindled  love  in  my  soul, 
 hast  warned  my  blindness,  forgiven  my  fore- 
 seen fall,  looked  both  before  and  since-  thy 
 death  into  my  heart  with  eyes  of  grace — and 
 how  shouldst  thou  not  know  all  ?■"'  And  thus 
 we  say  (better  than  Olshausen's  words,  before 
 quoted),  the  true  humility  and  modesty  con- 
 sists in  this,  that  we  should  be  more  anxious  to 
 receive  testimony  to  the  reality  of  that  deep 
 love  which  we  feel  from  the  Lord  himself,  than 
 to  bring  it  to  him.  "  What  /  know  concerning 
 my  love  is  this,  that  I  am  far  from  loving  thee 
 as  much  as  I  ought  and  thou  art  worthy  ;  but 
 thou,  0  Lord,  knowest  that  with  all  my  weak- 
 ness and  deficiencies  I  nevertheless  love  thee. 
 If  I  were  left  to  the  knowledge  and  testimony 
 of  my  own  feeling  concerning  it,  I  must  for- 
 ever (mindful  of  my  fall)  doubt  of  my  love; 
 but  thou,  who  hast  had  mercy  upon  me,  and 
 received  me  into  thy  favor,  and  couo'ted  me- 
 worthy  of  thy  manifestation — knowest  that  1 
 love"  (Wagner).  This  is  the-great, symbolical, 
 best  answer  forever  to  the  earnest  and  deep, 
 question  of  our  Lord,  as  Tlieremirv  prays  in  the- 
 spirit  of  this  reply  :  "  An>  I  to^  turn  away  from 
 tlieo  to  myself,  from  the  infinite  to  the  finite-, 
 from  the  Lord  of  heaven  to  a  poor,  sinful  man?" 
 Wherefore  dost  thou  ask  this  ?  Why  is  it  for 
 me  to  give  answer  for  myself?  Why  may  not 
 the  question  be  left  undecided  ?  Lord,  thoa 
 knowvst  all  things,  and  this  is  my  answer,  like 
 thy  servant  Peter's.  Thou  askest  what  I  should 
 ask.  Thou  knowest  whether  thou  lovest  thy- 
 self ia  me.    I  cannot  know  myself."     But  this 
 
JOHN  XXI.  15-22 
 
 779 
 
 last  goes  too  speculatively  beyond  the  simple 
 yea  ol'  Peter. 
 
 The  Lord  is  perfectly  contented  with  the  r,n- 
 8wer,  so  perfectly  that  he  admits  the  appeal 
 without  reply,  not  even  confirming;  it  by  a  word 
 —  Vcrihj  I dolcrmn  it.  ;  but  the  strongest  confir- 
 mation follows  by  the  commission  given  to  the 
 accepted  love.  It  is  the  commission  of  the] 
 apostolical  office  g.^nerally  ;  not  however  given  I 
 alone  to  Peter  and  the  Apostles  absolutely,  for  i 
 every  disciple  in  every  age  may  in  his  degree 
 take  his  part  in  it.  But  it  has  a  particular  j 
 significance  for  Peter;  it  solemnly  reinstates 
 him  in  his  full  honor  as  first  of  the  Apostles. 
 It  was  said  before — Upon  thee,  on  this  man  of 
 rock,  I  will  build  my  Church ;  but  in  this 
 deeper  crisis,  and  at  this  time  of  profounder 
 feeling,  that  gentle  and  more  penetrating  figure 
 is  employed  which  the  Lord's  discourses  had 
 long  ago  taught  the  disciples  to  understand. 
 Be  thou  henceforth,  in  thy  first  and  most  im- 
 portant place,  the  shepherd  of  my  flock,  as  I  am 
 ■myself.  "  He  himself  is  about  to  go  from  the 
 world;  and  therefore  needs  tinda--s/iephcj-ds:" 
 thus  much  is  true  as  to  the  deputyship  upon 
 earth,  which  the  Lord  hastening  to  his  ascen- 
 sion once  again  appoints.  After  he  had  already 
 confirmed  and  blessed  the  office  under  the 
 figure  of  the  taking  of  the  fish,  he  significantly 
 changes  the  figuTe,  and  makes  the  pastoral  fol- 
 low the  fishing  employment.  Thus  must  it  be: 
 for  it  is  not  enough  that  souls  be  caught  in  the 
 ne'  ;  the  kingdom  will  require  that  those  who 
 are  won  for  Christ  be  pastured,  taken  care  of, 
 and  defended,  as  sheep  and  lambs.  What  then 
 is  their  pasture?  Nothing  else  but  the  per- 
 sonal love  of  the  gr^at  Shepherd  himself;'yet 
 as  respects  the  under-shepherds  it  is  the 
 preaching  and  teaching  of  that  grace  and  love 
 of  the  great  Shepherd  which  they  have  them- 
 selves experienced,  and  which  has  entered  into 
 their  lives;  concerning  that  return  of  love  in 
 us  which  that  makes  us  capable  of  offering,  and 
 ■constrains  us  to  offer,  from  which  every  thing 
 else  follows.  Thus,  altogether  as  in  Luke  xxii. 
 32  (and  referring  to  that)  the  Lord  speaks: 
 "  Lead  them  back  from  their  fall,  as  I  have  led 
 thee;  strengthen  their  weakness,  as  I  have 
 strengthened  thine  ;  so  prove  thy  love  to  me, 
 to  v/liom  thou  canst  give  nothing,  and  repair 
 through  my  grace  the  evil  which  thou  hast 
 done." 
 
 B66'^8  rd  dpv  ia  uov,  "  Feed  my  lambs  " 
 — the  Lord  says  the  first  time,  changing  it 
 afterv/ards ;  and  there  is  the  same  relation  be- 
 tween the  two  words  as  between  dyaTtdv  and 
 (piXely.  Certainly  they  are  not  used  promis- 
 cuously ;  and  the  literal  repetition  would  have 
 been  more  emphatic,  if  some  distinct'on  had 
 not  been  here  intended.*     It"  only  npu/Jara, 
 
 *Lt\^ko  says  that  they  are  self-'-vidently  sy- 
 nonymous, and  that  the  view  which  would  distin- 
 guish them  carries  with  it  its  own  refutation.  But 
 suoh  do2:mntic  assertions  have  no  terror  for  us; 
 »nd  the  uncertainty  of  tho  readings  prores  only 
 
 "sheep,"  is  John's  word  elsewhere,  here  dpvi'a 
 also  is  used,  because  there  was  something  in 
 our  Lord's  own  expressions  with  which  John 
 would  make  his  own  word  correspond.  We 
 cannot  adtnit  that  it  is  merely  "  a  more  affec- 
 tionate expression"  (De  Wette  and  Meyer)  in 
 these  sayings  of  the  Risen  Lord,  which,  while 
 they  are  pervaded  with  deep  feeling,  are  most 
 profound  and  significant  in  every  word.  In 
 Luke  X.  3  we  found  some  meaning  in  the  inter- 
 change of  apvEi  and  npo/iara.  Even  the  con- 
 jectural reading  of  Bellarmine  for  ver.  16, 
 TCpofiaria  (which  is  actually  found  in  ver.  17, 
 though  probably  inserted)  deserves  remark  ;  as 
 also  that  the  Vulg.  has  twice  agnos,  and  finally 
 ovcs.  It  may  be  that  the  npofiazay  having 
 become  the  usual  expression,  was  thrust  into 
 the  place  of  the  Ttpoftavia  of  the  second : 
 while  this  again  was  incorrectly  restored  to  the 
 third  place.  So  we  should  hold  fast  the  plainest 
 progression  of  the  three  diverse  words,  dpvicc, 
 Tzpofiaria,  npofiara;  in  favor  of  which  (with 
 Bellarmine  against  Bengel,if  that  be  permit- 
 ted!) not  only  the  literal  Pesh.  declares  in  its 
 three-fold    npx— ""nny— 'niip3,   but   also  and 
 
 very  remarkably  the  passage  of  Ambrose  on 
 Luke  xxiv.,  who  has  agnoa,  oviculas,  and  oves,  as 
 well  as  that  of  Maximus,  who  distinguishes 
 oviculas  and  oves  (probably  after  itpofiaria  had 
 been  lost).  Did  Lucke  wilfully  omit  all  this? 
 Has  Luthardt  nothing  more  to  say  against  the 
 reading  than  his  mere  appeal  (by  no  means 
 decisive)  to  the  Cod.  Alexandrinus  and  Ephrae- 
 mi?  Finally,  1  John  ii.  13  gives  us  a  not  un- 
 important parallel,  after  we  have  found  the 
 beginning  of  such  trichotomy  in  the  Gospel.* 
 With  this  distinction  further  corresponds  the 
 interchange  oi  fiuOxE  and  7roiiitaty£,y  concern- 
 ing which  therefore  something  must  be  said  at 
 once.  Bengel  is  here  too  concise  and  inde- 
 finite:  "  B66H£iy  is  part  of  the  ttoiii aire iv," 
 ibr  it  may  be  asked  at  once — how?  BuOhgj, 
 related  to  ndonai,  is  certainly  the  proper 
 pasco  in  the  sense  of  t pi<p^c,  and  hence  ia 
 thus  metaphorically  used ;  comp.  also  fio^uE- 
 60ai,  to  be  nourished,  to  live.  On  the  other 
 hand,  Ttoinaivco,  belonging  definitely  to  noi- 
 l.n)v,  is  rather  parallel  with  vehoo,  and  used 
 metaphorically  of  governing.  This  is  a  dis- 
 tinction most  appropriate  to  our  passage, 
 which  the  revised  German  Bible  now  gives  by 
 the  terms  weiden  and  huten.  Thus,  first,  tho 
 care  of  the  lambs  is  entrusted  to  the  Apostle  ; 
 afterwards  he  is  appointed  to  be  the  proper 
 shepherd  and  guide  of  the  sheep  ;  thus  not 
 only  for  the  care,  but  also  for  the  guidance  of 
 the  flock.     But   that,  in    the   third   instance, 
 
 that,  as  the  words  are  not  understood  by  all  now' 
 so  was  it  in  early  times. 
 
 *  For  the  co-ordinate  reference,  at  least,  of  this 
 passa.'o  to  spiritual  a^e  we  will  not  surrender. 
 The  words  of  Je-us  and  John's  profound  refer- 
 ence mutually  illustrate  each  other. 
 
 \  This  the  Vulg.  could  not  well  express  in 
 Latin. 
 
780 
 
 RESTORATION  OF  PETER. 
 
 fic6KE  Tci  TtpoftaTa  recurs,  is  capable  of  a 
 very  valid  reason,  if  we  are  content  to  give  up 
 the'idea  of  a  vague  general  repetition,  and  seek 
 for  that  deeper  reason.  The  apvia  in  the 
 beginnings  of  the  spiritual  life  (comp.  Isa.  xl. 
 11,  the  prophetic  parallel,  which  makes  the  dii- 
 tingn.i><hing  expression  more  probable)  need 
 pre-eminently  nourishment,  that  they  may 
 grow  and  prosper  ;  the  growing  up  Ttpofiaria, 
 on  the  other  hand,*  doubtl.ess  most  need  care 
 and  guidance:  finally,  the  adults  need  to  be 
 nourished  with  strong  meat  (as  becoming  as 
 necessary),  and  this  may  be  regarded  as  the 
 last  stage,  and  the  most  important,  in  the 
 shepherd's  office  (see  2  Pet.  i.  12,  13,  how  soli- 
 cituous  the  Apostle  was  in  this).  Yet  it  must 
 always  be  borne  in  mind  that  they  are  not  so 
 much  individual  classes  which  are  here  designa- 
 ted in  a  three-fold  manner,  as  each  Christian  ac- 
 cordingtohis  three-foldage:  incach  therefore  the 
 wfwlejiock and  Church  in  this  stageof  its  develop- 
 ment. This  justifies  Draseke's  rendering  of  the 
 first,  "My  little  flock" — comp.  what  was  said 
 upon  Matt.  xxvi.  31,  32  concerning  the  DHyV 
 
 in  Zechariah.  x\gain,  with  Lange  :  First,  only 
 the  office  of  caring  for  the  juvenile  Church ; 
 then  the  ofSce  of  leading  the  adult  (more  pro- 
 perly, the  becoming  adult)  ;  lastly,  that  of 
 nourishing  with  spiritual  lood  the  whole  bulk 
 of  the  mature  Church.  Thus  it  is  not,  as 
 Lightfoot  interprets,  that  the  lambs  are  the 
 Church  from  out  of  the  Jews,  still  in  its  youth  ;t 
 although  (according  to  Bengel)  there  maybe 
 reference  on  a  large  .scale  to  three  ecclesiastical 
 periods,  which  were  already  represented  during 
 the  life  of  Peter  down  to  his  martyr-death,  and 
 •were  then  reproduced  in  wider  history — in  this, 
 further,  being  included  the  three  stages  or  classes 
 of  spiritual  age  co  existing  in  every  period. 
 There  is  no  relerence,  as  Gregory  the  Great  and 
 Bernard  thought,  to  three  stages  of  love  cor- 
 responding to  the  former  :  there  is  but  one  uni- 
 form love  which  qualifie.s  the  shepherd  to  pas- 
 ture, defend,  and  guide  the  lambs,  or  the 
 motiiers  of  the  flock. 
 
 That  the  Lord,  looking  at  the  commence- 
 ment and  first  state  of  his  flock,  should  Jint 
 commit  his  tender  lambs  to  bo  cared  for,  is  very 
 natural.  They  still  are  liable  to  fall,  like 
 Peter;  and  necdfii.t  to  be  fed  with  love  by 
 him  whom  love  had  cared  for  and  lifted  up. 
 He  who  had  so  much  reason  to  humble  himself 
 Bliould  even  on  that  account  condescend  to  the 
 little  ones  and  the  feeble  :  this  is  obviously  the 
 first   point  of   connection.     Although,   again, 
 
 *  Or  with  Boniel,  the  crpvire  given  over  to  the 
 iroi).taiyf.iv.  The  sense  would  he  tlie  same,  only 
 thai  on  account,  of  1  John  ii.  13  we  prefer  lluee 
 nouns. 
 
 \  Or,  with  Se[>p,  who  s-ys :  Doth  lambs  nnd 
 Flieep,  ».  e.,  youn^  and  old.  liiyh  and  low,  believer."*, 
 with  t!:eir  rulers  and  bishops,  are  all  alike  to  be 
 ruled  by  thy  staff;  and  then  (foigettins  himself, 
 as  is  very  common  with  him) :  The  lambs  being  the 
 proselyte's,  as  it  were  the  lambs  of  the  Jews  ! 
 
 spiritual  age  and  tlir»  beginning  of  the  Church 
 are  obviously  first  meant,  yet  we  are  justified  in 
 applying  this  text  to  children  (for  baptized  chil- 
 dren are  really  beginners  in  grace  and  the  spir- 
 itual life),  and  in  regarding  it  as  showing  that 
 the  school  is  a  church,  the  teacher  an  under- 
 shenherd  appointed  by  Christ  and  responsible 
 to  liim,  and  the  office  of  catechist  the  first 
 step  toward  the  apostolical  ;  and,  moreover,  as 
 hinting  that  practice  and  exercise  in  the  spir- 
 itual instruction  of  little  ones  is  the  best  path 
 to  the  pastoral  office.  For  with  the  same'^  far- 
 reaching  glance  onward  to  the  conversion  of  the 
 nations  which  we  shall  find  in  the  words  of 
 Christ,  Matt,  xxviii.  19,  20,  the  pcedeutic  and 
 pedagogic  function  of  the  pastor  takes  the 
 place  of  the  fishing  for  sotds.  Finally,  it  is  not 
 to  be  overlooked,  for  it  has  its  manifold  im- 
 portance, that  the  Lord  says  definitely  My 
 lambs,  my  young  sheep,  my  sheep.  Thereby 
 he  testifies  first  his  own  authority  and  right 
 as  giving  the  vocation,  when  he  appoints  the 
 shepherd  over  his  own  possession  ;  then,  "  as 
 he  commits  to  Peter  the  most  precious  thing 
 which  cost  his  blood,  he  gives  him  and  chal- 
 lenges from  him  at  once  the  greatest  expression 
 of  love"  {\  on  Gerlach).  lie  sets  before  him, 
 also  (as  in  Acts  xx.  28)  that  most  weighty  ar- 
 gument and  impulse  which  must  animate  all 
 pastors — to  love  all  that  are  his  out  of  love  to 
 himself ;  and  to  regard  them  with  reverence 
 as  the  Lord's  inheritance.  My  sheep,  not 
 thine* 
 
 Verse  16.  HaXtv  Sevtepov,  "again  a 
 second  time,"  is  generally  Johannean,  as  in 
 chap.  iv.  54 ;  but  here  with  emphasis,  like 
 7toc?^iy  tx  Sevrepov,  Matt.  xxvi.  42.  01s- 
 hausen  has  well  refuted  the  supposition  of 
 Tholuck  that  there  had  been  other  discourses 
 which  are  unrecorded:  "This  certainly  rests 
 upon  a  misunderstanding;  for  the  immediate 
 repetition  of  the  questions  one  after  another 
 produced  that  dee'p  impression  which  it  was 
 the  Lord's  purpose  to  produce."  We  think  it 
 in  harmony  neither  with  the  text  nor  the  na- 
 ture of  llie  case  that  more  than  one  short 
 pause  should  have  intervened.  The  repetition 
 was  most  impressive  ;  its  expression  at  once 
 affectionate  and  piercing;  De  \Y  die' a  "  spiel- 
 end,"  however,  is  utterly  repugnant  to  our 
 feeling  in  this  sublime  colloquy.  Assuredly, 
 Peter  was  surprised  at  the  une.-pected  repe- 
 tition of  the  question,  before  he  could  rightly 
 appropriate  to  himself  the  commission  given  to 
 him;  but  he  was  not  terrified  or  disturbed, 
 because  such  a  repetition  might  have  a  very 
 gracious  intention.  In  the  omission  of  the 
 "more  than  these  "on  our  Lord's  part  we  do 
 not  perceive,  with  Lange,  a  tone  of  increased 
 doubt  thrown  into  the  question,  as  if  the  Lord 
 would  ask  "  whether  he  loved  him  at  all  gener- 
 ally "  (for  such  doubt  thrown  upon  Peter's  an- 
 1  swer  would  have  required  the  Lord  to  use  his 
 j  qjiXeli)  ;  we  regard  it  rather  as  an  accepting 
 
 I      •  How  mmh  belter  sounds  in  t^-e  pulpit  "  Con- 
 I  gregaticn  of  Christ !  "  luan  "  TJy  dear  flock!  " 
 
JOHN  XXI.  15-22. 
 
 781 
 
 confirmation  of  that  answer.  "  Thou  hast  un- 
 derstood me;  thou  hast  abstained  from  any 
 comparison  of  thyself  with  others,  and  this  is 
 well."  But  yet  it  is  the  ssimefim'laincntal,  cen- 
 tral question  atked  once  more  ;  and  this,  before 
 we  perceive  in  the  third  repetition  the  refer- 
 ence to  the  denial,  has  its  inexhaustible  mean- 
 ing and  importance.  "  Ail  that  the  Saviour 
 has  lorever  to  ask  of  his  own,  all  his  dealings 
 with  their  souls  come  back  at  last  to  this  word : 
 this  is  the  root-question,  from  which  all  others 
 grow"  (Albertini).  Therefore  also  the  Lord, 
 as  Driiseke  says,  "deferred  this  conversation 
 until  the  meal  was  over,  that  it  might  form 
 the  concluding  point  of  their  intercourse  ;*  and 
 every  disciple,  deeply  convinced  that  it  is  the 
 Lord  wlio  gives  t/u  blessing,  must  come  to  the 
 personal  (question,  Is  his  love  in  my  heart?" 
 Whatever  may  have  passed  between  thee  and 
 thy  Lord,  it  must  issue  in  this  result;  what- 
 ever dealings  he  may  leave  in  store  with  thee, 
 he  suras  all  up  in  this  one  thing. 
 
 Peter,  with  all  his  surprise,  can  rejoice  that 
 the  Lord  thus  affectionately  pauses  upon  his 
 love;  but  a  third  time  somewhat  alters  the 
 case.  Driiseke  says  again  quite  rightly,  that 
 "  the  Lord  in  the  second  question,  seizing  the 
 answer  which  Peter  had  given,  points  to  the 
 fulness  of  that  which  the  answer  affirmed — 
 Dost  thou  indeed  Zopeme?"  He  would  say — 
 Understandest  thou  truly  all  that  this  means  ? 
 But  when  Driiseke  explains  the  meaning  of  t!ie 
 third  question,  "as  asking  whether  his  being 
 was  certainly  and  fully  pervaded  by  that  love, 
 in  the  essential  meaning  of  that  great  word — 
 Ilast  thou  such  love  to  me?"  he  seems  to 
 trifle  sin-.ply  with  the  German  translation. 
 But  it  only  seems  so  ;  for,  the  thought  is  quite 
 in  harmony  with  the  original,  in  which  the 
 versonal  vitei'nal  aflection  of  Peter  is  given 
 back  in  the  question  by  the  use  of  his  own 
 (piXEiv.  The  tenderly  piercing  word  of  our 
 Lord  could  not  have  been  intended  to  throw 
 doubt  upon  his  love,  and  thus  trouble  his  soul ; 
 for  it  was  designed  rather  to  confirm  his  confi- 
 dence and  reinstate  him  fully  in  his  office — 
 the  B66HS  and  Jloijuatye  are  sufficient  wit- 
 nesses for  this.  Consequently  Lange  also  is 
 not  correct :  "  He  makes  questionable  the  love 
 of  the  disciple  even  in  that  more  qualified 
 sense,  in  which  Peter  had  assured  him  of  it  ; 
 as  if  he  would  ask  him — Dost  thou  even  gen- 
 erally regard  me  so  highly,  as  thou  myestf" 
 But,  although  Peter  had  designed  to  qualify 
 his  expression  the  first  and  the  second  time 
 (he  could  do  no  more  than  repeat  the  words 
 the  second  time,  for  the  Lord  had  done  so) — 
 yet  the  Lord  intimates  by  his  final  q)iX£U  he 
 ihat  he  would  receive  this  internal  cpiXelv  as 
 an  intenser  assurance :  Art  thou  indeed  so  en- 
 tirely mine,  and  depending  on  me  as  the 
 branches  on  the  vine?  a.  first  question  with 
 <pi\Eli  fiE,  without   the  foundation  of  Peter's 
 
 *  For  ver,  18  is  immediately  connected ;  but 
 vers.  19-22  are  somewhat  further  removed  Iromihe 
 preceding,  and  spoken  in  specific  confidence. 
 
 assurance,  would  have  been  too  much,  and  too 
 anticipating. 
 
 Peter  is  by  no  means  "  hurt "  (as  Hug  ex- 
 presses it);  it  is  not  his  feeling  simply  which 
 is  touched,  but  he  is  sorrowful — and  the  dis- 
 tinction must  not  be  forgotten  here.  Driiseke 
 remarks  with  keen  psychological  propriety, 
 that  it  is  "a  deep  feeling  of  self "  in  which  he  now 
 answers  with  heightened  emphasis — "  for  this 
 basis  of  Peter's  whole  character  could  not  and 
 should  not  be  altogether  overturned."  After 
 the  "  proud  presumption"  with  which  he  had 
 overvalued  himself,  and  again  the  "  cowardly 
 debasement"  with  which  he  had  denied  his 
 Master,  we  see  now  the  "modest  firmness" 
 which  will  not  be  led  astray,  but  holds  fast  to 
 the  Lord's  knowledge  of  his  love.  But  his 
 sorrow  bears  witness  to  both  these  feelings  at 
 once — the  humility  which  remembers  the  fall, 
 and  the  firm  love  which  a  consciousness  of  par- 
 don produces.  Nor  is  it  as  if  he  now  first 
 marked  generally  that  the  Lord  would  remind 
 him  of  his  denial.  Oh,  no;  this  had  been  in  liis 
 mind  throughout  all,  when  the  Lord  thus  sin- 
 gled him  out  before  the  rest ;  the  allusion  in 
 the  "more  than  these"  he  had  perfectly  well 
 understood,  as  his  answer  showed.  But  this 
 keener,  and  long-delaying  direct  exhibition 
 of  the  thii'd  denial* — is  brought  keenly  to  his 
 mind  by  the  third,  question  ;  he  now  first  feels 
 with  the  deepest  grief  how  severely  the  Lord 
 deals,  even  after  forgiveness  and  while  rein- 
 stating him  in  his  office,  with  the  sin  which 
 was  past,  with  the  lack  which  he  had  formerly 
 shown  of  devotion,  love,  and  fidelity.  Wo 
 may  indeed  preach  upon  this,  calling  1  Cor. 
 .xvi.  22  to  mind — Let  nothing  give  thee  more 
 trouble  than  if  the  Lord  should  call  in  question 
 thy  love  to  him.  But  Peter  could  not  so  re- 
 gard it,  not  even  when  a  third  time  his  name 
 of  office  and  honor  was  denied  to  him;  for 
 the  flock  had  been  twice  already  given  into 
 his  keeping.  His  grief  therefore  is  not — 
 Does  not  the  Lord  believe  and  trust  me  any 
 longer?  but  his  sorrow  is  that  of  a  perfect 
 contrition,  awakened  by  the  superabounding 
 grace  which  nevertheless  fails  not  to  bring 
 his  fall  to  his  mind;  and  so  far  this  iXvTti',Orf, 
 "  was  grieved,"  penetrates  more  deeply  than 
 the  sorrow  of  the  bitter  tears  in  the  beginning. 
 But  he  also  observes  (as  the  fathers  beautifully 
 remark)  that  the  Lord's  benignity  gives  hira 
 an  opportunity  to  efface  his  triple  denial  by  a 
 triple  confession  ;  this  gives  him  in  the  midst 
 
 *  Ambro'-e  :  Some  have  said  that  the  Ihrop-fr  Id 
 question  was  put  because  his  denial  h  id  been 
 ihrice  u'.terert;  that  his  thrice  declared  avowal  of 
 laith  micht  obliterate  his  thrice  deep  f.,11  {Eiiarr.  in 
 Ps.  1.  with  which  "  some  "  he  agrees  in  de  Sjnrit.  S. 
 ii.  11).  Augustine:  The  triple  confession  lollcws 
 he  tiiple  denial,  that  his  tongue  should  not  spem 
 to  serve  love  less  heartily  than  it  had  served  fear, 
 etc.  Isid.  Pelusiota:  The  pood  physician  cured 
 the  three-fold  denial  by  the  three-lold  confession. 
 So  Apellin.,  Cyiil,  Chiys.,  Epiphan.,  and  other* 
 of  amiquiiy. 
 
782^ 
 
 RESTORATION  OF  PETER. 
 
 of  his  sorrow  his  joy  ac^ain,  and  enables  him 
 witli  boldness  to  maintain  once  more  the  avow- 
 al of  h;s  love,  and  even  to  utter  it  in  stronger 
 words.*  The  twice  commencing  Yea  he  now 
 omits  ;  but  he  strengthens  the  appeal  to  the 
 Searcher  of  licarts,  not  only  by  yiyG66xsiS 
 instead  of  oiSai,  but  by  adding  further — 
 T/iou  kihnoe&t  all  things.  There  is  no  promise — 
 I  wdl  from  this  time  faithfully  pasture  thy 
 sheep  ;  no  challenge  to  a  test  of  love  ;t  but 
 simply  and  alone — Thou  knowest.  But  by 
 these  words  his  whole,  full,  opened  soul  is  laid 
 at  the  Lonl's  feet,  or,  as  it  were,  placed  upon 
 his  heart.  Woe  to  the  man  who  cannot  say 
 this ;  who  can  only  say — /  Icnow,  I  am  con- 
 vinced, 1  think  of  myself  that  I  love  thee,  in- 
 stead of  this  sole  decisive — 27iow,  Lord,  Icnowest 
 it.  Did  Peter  in  these  words  think  literally 
 and  consciously  of  a  divine  omniscience  in  the 
 Risen  Son  of  Man,  about  to  ascend  to  heaven  ? 
 Did  "  this  confession  of  Christ's  omniscience  at- 
 test his  failh  in  Christ's  divinity?  "  (Von  Ger- 
 lach).  Lampe  says:  "  Thus  Peter  was  as  sure- 
 ly persuaded  of  the  true  divinity  of  the  Saviour 
 as  Thomas  was."  We  must  affirm,  in  historical 
 truth  and  dogmatic  exactitude,  although  con- 
 trary to  the  ordinary  theory  of  the  human  life 
 of  Jesus,  that  he  who  was  from  eternity  God, 
 and  had  been  properly  so  called,  even  in  his 
 humbled  immanity,  became  in  his  perfectly 
 glorifying  ascension  omniscient,  as  he  became 
 omnipresent  and  almighty. :t  -But,  notwith- 
 standing this,  we  may  safely  assume  that  Peter, 
 not  thinking  and  not  knowing  precisely  the 
 full  bearing  of  his  words,  spoke  in  the  warmth 
 of  his  adoring  feeling,  like  Thomas,  anticipat- 
 ingbj  of  the  actual  omniscience  of  the  Lord,  who 
 had  now  dealt  with  him  as  a  heavenly  being. 
 The  dogmatic  and  relative  indistinctness  of  his 
 word  was  abundantly  compensated  by  the  sub- 
 jective truth  of  his  iaith,  which  only  failed  to 
 distinguish  accurately  the  stages  by  which 
 Jesus  proceeded  to  the  full  use  and  manifesta- 
 tion of  every  divine  attribute — ^just  as  we  now 
 tolerate,  and  (more  than  that)  as  the  Lord  also 
 allows,  the  thoughts  of  believing  readers  who 
 cannot  but  perceive  in  his  miracles  one  who  is 
 
 *  So  should  it  he.  To  this  would  the  Lord 
 brirg  us  back  alter  every  fill.  Mark  here  tlie 
 perfection  ot  i)enitenco  in  llie  perfection  of  jusli- 
 ficaiion  ;  mark,  at  the  same  time,  the  law  of  grace 
 according  to  which  there  slioukl  be  on  our  part 
 a  direct  atonement  lor,  and  retraction  of,  the  sin 
 corresponding  with  its  forgiveness,  and  responding 
 to  that  grace. 
 
 \  "  The  tliird  qufstion  excites  him  out  of  his 
 cnhnncmt.  Atbreliiiie  he  would  have  been  full  of 
 tlie  velienionce  of  protestations.  Now  we  observe 
 only  the  expression  of  cairn  sorrow."  So  write.s 
 Niemcyer,  w.lh  some  propriety ;  though  W3  do 
 not  observe  merely  a  calm  sorrow,  but  a  pure  ve- 
 hemence still,  though  of  a  difTeicnt  kind. 
 
 X  Not,  therefore,  as  Bengel  {Harm.  <\  282)  enu- 
 merates on  this  passage  the  proofs  oi"  the  (.muis- 
 cience  of  Jesus  fi  om  the  beginning  of  the  Gospel  of 
 John,  Irom  chap.  i.  4u  to  chap.  xix.  58. 
 
 almighty  and  omniscient  in  their  performance. 
 Thus,  we  do  not  contend  against  this  meaning 
 of  Peter's  word ;  but  would  rather  allow  tha 
 full  application  of  the  great  "  Lord,  thou  hnow- 
 est  all  thing>i  "  as  a  general  symbolical  word.  But 
 in  our  exegelicul  feeling,  it  seems  more  appro- 
 priate, natural,  and  even  »ignijicant,  that  Peter's 
 ;raVra  should  not  mean  all  /Ai/iy^  absolutely, 
 but — Every  thing,  that  is,  all  that  concerns  me, 
 my  person,  rny  inmost  heart,  my  life  through- 
 out (comp.  chap.  ii.  24,  25).  And  so  more 
 concretely  and  internally — "  Lord,  thou  know- 
 est a// <  A  I'/i^s  in  me  and  about  me;  thou  saidst; 
 at  first  that  I,  this  Simon  son  of  Jona,  was 
 and  should  be  Cephas ;  thou  didst  foretell  my 
 fall;  thou  didst  look  upon  me  when  I  had  fall- 
 en ;  thou  didst  see,  and  accept,  and  requite  my 
 tears ;  thou  hioicest,  thou  dost  perceive  that  I 
 love  thee ;  yea,  that  even  in  my  denial  I  did 
 not  utterly  cease  to  love  thee,  but  my  false, 
 blind  love,  led  me  to  the  palace,"  etc. 
 
 Tliis  then  was  the  Lord's  examen  for  office, 
 the  second  and  practical  examination,  decisive 
 pro  licentid  not  only  conclonandi  but  also  pnscen- 
 di — after  the  first  dogmatical  examination,  so 
 to  speak,  which  had  taken  place  long  before 
 (Matt.  xvi.  15,  etc.).*  The  knowledge  of  the 
 faith  is  confirmed  and  consummated  only  in 
 the  full  experience  of  love,  but  letineen  these  lie 
 profound  personal  experiences  of  falls  and  of 
 establishing  grace.  Would  that  our  human  ex- 
 aminers would  direct  their  inquiries  that  way 
 — so  far  at  least  as  is  possible  without  the 
 glance  that  reads  the  heart.  Properly  speak- 
 ing this  examination  the  Lord  alone  can  hold  ; 
 and  it  is  often  late,  in  the  midst  of  the  office, 
 and  the  question,  it  may  be,  more  than  three 
 times  asked.  But  let  it  also  be  observed,  es- 
 pecially by  all  who  deal  too  rigorously  with 
 evangelical  love,  that  the  Lord  first  gave  his 
 blessing  and  then  demanded  gratitude.  "All 
 the  relreshing  communications  of  God  lead  us 
 to  love,  fidelity,  and  duty" — saysRieger;  thus 
 the  refreshment  and  invigoration  first,  then 
 afterwards  the  love,  fidelity,  and  work.j  "  In 
 the  school  of  Christ  the  examination,"  says  the 
 quaint  Be}-lenb.  Bibel,  "  comes  ai'ter  the  meal, 
 with  us  men  it  mostly  comes  before." 
 
 Must  we  then  turn  to  the  confutation  of  the 
 Papists,  with  their  primacy  of  Peter,  and  Papal- 
 Cidiphate?  Our  evangelical  readers  will  not 
 need  this.  But  there  may  be  an  occasional 
 Romanist  who  will  listen  to  my  words,  which 
 shall  begin  with  the  sharp  saying  of  Bengel: 
 "  The  7nofe  than  tliese  is  a  token  that  Peler  was 
 
 *  As  we  hare  already  said,  there  might  very 
 fittiniily  be  added  to  our  second  exnminatioa  the 
 vocation  to  the  catechist  office  for  the  lambs. 
 
 I  Feler  may  skilfully  draw  the  net,  lay  the  foun- 
 dation in  prenching,  etc.,  but  to  rai^e  th"se  living 
 stones  liarmoniously  in  Christ,  to  feed  and  takt 
 care  of  the  flock,  must  have  the  personal  loving 
 Simon  so'i  of  Joni,  with  his  own  personal  experi- 
 ence of  sin  forgiven.  Thus  we  see  that  the  seem- 
 ing denial  of  the  name  of  honor  m'aht  design  a 
 blessing  to  the  whole  perscnaliiy  of  Peler, 
 
JOHN  XXL  15-22. 
 
 783 
 
 restored  to  the  place  wliich  he  liad  Inst  by  the 
 denial ;  and  at  Ihf)  same  time  that  something 
 was  conCeri-ed  upon  him  beyond  the  remaining 
 disciples,  nothing  however  which  excluded 
 them.  For  they  likewise  loved  Jesus.  Let 
 him  thcrelore  cease  to  usurp  this  for  himself 
 alone,  who  neither  loves  nor  feeds  but  strips 
 the  flock,  under  the  pretence  of  being  the  suc- 
 cessor of  Peter."  Upon  this  conceded  so)ne- 
 thin(j,  which  however  means  no  dominion  given 
 to  Peter,  or  to  Rome  in  which  is  found  the 
 blood  of  the  saints  (Rev.  xviii.  20,  24),  we 
 have  already  spoken  on  Matt,  xvi.,  the  great 
 text.  This  passage  contains  nothing  addition- 
 al ;  for,  in  chap.  xx.  all  the  Apostles  had  al- 
 ready received  the  same  authority  and  mission, 
 and  "received  it  again  in  Matt,  xxviii.  19,  Luke 
 xxiv.  46-49.  Well  mav  we  ask  with  Nitzsch  : 
 "  If  Pelerwas  the  first  Pope,  the  first  oecumeni- 
 cal Primate,  what  then  was  Paul?  An  anti- 
 Pope?"  The  fanatical  Sepp  (whose  excellen- 
 cies and  whose  learning  we  thankfully  acknow- 
 ledge, but  whose  senseless  and  almost  insane 
 hatred  of  Protestantism  we  must  forgive  and 
 pass  by)  throws  around  the  text,  clear  to  him 
 as  the  sun,  an  infinite  confusion  of  myths,  and 
 after  thus  darkening  it  deliberately  imposes 
 his  meaning — "The  Lord  here  declares  this 
 Apostle  to  be  his  representative  and  successor." 
 But  the  whole  of  the  New  Testament  would 
 contradict  him  and  his  party  if  they  would 
 allow  themselves  to  hear  it.  According  to 
 Acts  XX.  28  all  the  eJdei-s  are  to  f.ecl  (notjitai- 
 VEiv)  the  flock  as  well  as  Peter  ;  and  1  Pet.  v. 
 1-4  this  exhorting  fe  low-elderknows  of  no  other 
 Chief  Shepherd  than  the  Lord  himself,  and 
 desires  no  other  crown  of  glory  than  that 
 which  is  to  be  shared  in  common  with  all — in 
 this  like  his  brother  Apostle  Paul,  2  Tirn.  iv.  8 
 He  then  makes  a  very  critical  distinction  and 
 antithesis  between  feeding  and  rtding.  As  the 
 Lord  here  commits  to  him  the  feeding  espe- 
 cially, he  appears  indeed  not  merely  as  the  re- 
 presentative of  all  the  under-shepherds  of  the 
 Chief  Shepherd,*  but  receives  something  beyond 
 them.  But  that  was  not  government,  and  has 
 no  succession.!     ^U  sheep — not  thine. 
 
 The  sayings  of  vers.  15-17,  while  giving  pro- 
 minence to  the  personality  of  Peter,  were 
 spoken  with  a  general  significance  for  all. 
 Now  the  Lord  turns  more  specifically  to  the 
 Apostle  in  his  own  person,  and  pre-announces 
 to  him  a  destin'y  in  life  and  death  which  was  to 
 be  at  last  literally  accomplished,  but  in  which 
 he  was  also  a  representative  type  of  the  whole.  J 
 
 Meyer's  note  gives  the  direct  cennection  be- 
 tween ver.  13  and  ver.  17  briefly  and  well : 
 "  Thy  assurance  in  relation  to  my  commission 
 is  n;ost  important ;  all  thy  firmness  is  needed  ; 
 it  will  involve  a  martyr's  death."  (This  trans- 
 ition is  expressed  by  the  "  Verily,  verily, 
 I  say  unto  thee,"  which  appears  here  once 
 more  to  be  affectionately  brought  forward  from 
 the  time  past  into  the  forty  days.)  Yet  we 
 would  not  say  (nor  does  Meyer's  note  mean  it) 
 that  Jesus  applies  the  last  test  to  the  fidelity  of 
 his  disciple  by  presenting  him  with  the  pros- 
 pect of  a  martyr's  death — \Yilt  thou  follow  me 
 even  unto  death?*  For  there  is  no  trace  in 
 these  futures  of  any  questioning  or  test  still 
 continued.  The  Lord's  word  may  indeed  be 
 used  as  a  profitable  test  to  ourselves,  even  as 
 it  afterwards  was  of  Simon  Peter ;  but  here  ori- 
 ginally (as  his  comforted  soul  must  have  dis-. 
 cerneii)  the  question  is  not  continued;  the 
 words  continue  the  honorable  commission,  and 
 are  a  confirming  and  rewarding  promise  for  the 
 confession.  For  thus— by  suffering  and  death 
 endured  in  the  imitation  and  following  of  himself 
 — does  the  heavenly  Lord  ever  wonderfully  re- 
 ward our  love  to  him.  We  have  found  gener- 
 ally that  in  these  manifestations  of  the  Risen 
 Lord  the  main  reference  was  to  the  great  ./«- 
 ture  ;  and  nothing  was  more  natural  now  than 
 a  prediction  for  the  Apostle  now  established  as 
 a  pastor.  "  However  obscure  these  words  may 
 seem,  we  must  have  perceived  in  them  the  an- 
 nouncement of  something  in  the  future,  even 
 if  the  Evangelists  had  said  nothing.  The  Re- 
 deemer thus  at  once  proved  that  Peter  was 
 riaht  when  he  said — Thou  knowest  all  things  " 
 (Jacobi).  This  prediction,  further,  still  con- 
 tinues a  certain  reference  to  the  denial;  for 
 Jesus  fortells  (Ebrard)  "that  Peter  would 
 once  more  be  placed  in  such  a  position  that  he 
 must  again  choose  between  denial  and  confes- 
 sion!' But  as  the  reward  and  encouragement 
 of  his  present  good  confession  he  is  promised 
 that  he  shall  confess  even  unto  death. 
 
 AVe  remark,  at  the  outset  that  this  word  had 
 its  specific  meaning  for  Peter;  and  for  him  a 
 two-lold  meaning,  inasmuch  as  its  conclusive 
 literal  fulfillment'through  bonds  and  the  cross 
 only,  consummated  the  bound  and  devoted 
 character  of  his  age  generally.  But  it  had  a 
 general  meaning  for  all  pastors,  and  finally  for 
 all  disciples.  Let  us  begin  with  the  former, 
 that  we  may  find  in  it  the  latter  included  and 
 foreshadowed.  John  brings  into  prominence, 
 ver.  19,  the  final  fulfillment,  because  v.-hen  he 
 wrote  it  had  become  a  historical  fact  ;t  but  this 
 
 *  Or  "  represents  the  Church  of  Christ  upon 
 earth  " — as  Fikenscher  indisincUy  says. 
 
 f  Tiie  slightest  trace  of  this  is  sought  in  vain 
 throuuhout  ihe  New-Testament  histoiy. 
 
 X  But  tlie  Pope  (to  whom  Peter  says  in  va'n — 
 Follow  me,  as  I  follow  Christ)  is  the  reverse  : 
 The  older  he  has  grown  the  more  arl)i:rarily  will 
 he  gird  and  lead  others,  whiLher  /«  will. 
 
 *  So  Liicke,  observing  that  Peter  in  fact,  ver.  21, 
 does  nntappeirso  pure  nnd  so  fi;m  as  he  had 
 said.  Faidelbach :  The  Lord  evidently  gives  an- 
 other turn  to  his  question,  and  opens  up  its  deep- 
 est meaning — Wilt  thou,  when  I  and  the  cause  of 
 salvation  demand  it,  seal  this  coufessioa  with  thy 
 blood  ? 
 
 t  Ltlcke  himself  says  at  first  thit  "  glorifyin? 
 God  ly  a  death  "  seems  to  be  Johannean  ;  hut  ha 
 afterwards  refers  it  to  later  ecclesiastical  phrase. 
 
784 
 
 RESTORATION  OF  PETER. 
 
 does  not  prevent  as,  as  we  have  found  elsewhere, 
 from  interpreting  the  word  in  its  fulness  of 
 spiritual  meaning  as  based  upon  the  actual 
 event. 
 
 NoiD,  in  the  Lord's  own  time,  Peter  should 
 and  would  go  with  his  Lord  into  prison  and  to 
 death  (as  he  had  declared  before,  without  being 
 ready  lor  it),  should  lay  down  his  life  for  him, 
 should  follow  him  in  the  way  which  he  himself 
 liad  gone.  Luke  xxii.  33;*  John  xiii.  36,  37. 
 Jesus  assuredly  reminds  him  of  these  sayings 
 in  vers.  18  and  19  ;  but  gives  him  at  the  same 
 time  a  most  important  and  instructive  declara- 
 tion as  to  that  maturity  and  age  which  would 
 be  requisite  in  order  to  such  following,  more  es- 
 pecially in  his  own  case.  He  speaks  profoundly, 
 and  as  in  all  prophecy  symbolically  too,  of 
 spiritual  age  (to  which  he  had  just  referred,  in 
 respect  to  "his  sheep)  under  the  figure  of  phys- 
 ical age :  both  will,  as  he  predicts,  coincide  in 
 the  life  of  Peter,  who  will  not  be  early  ripe  for 
 the  crown  of  martyrdom,  like  James  the  son  of 
 Zebedee.  When  thou  wast  young— when  thou 
 lecomeit  old  :  thus  strikingly  does  the  Lord  lay 
 down  the  antithesis,  seeming  to  say  nothing 
 about  the  middle  time  of  his  present  life  ;  yet 
 he  thereby  makes  it  plain  that  he  reckons  Peter, 
 albeit  no  "longer  J'oung,  as  a  vEoJrepoi*  _  This 
 is  as  if  he  should  say  :  Then  in  thy  age  it  will 
 be,  When  thou  wast  young — and  indeed,  more 
 exactly,  yaunger,  \\'\th.  the  comparative.  Thus, 
 let  it  be  oLiserved,  the  Lord  himself  constrains 
 us  to  think,  in  relation  to  Peter  himself,  of  a 
 youth  and  age  in  spiritual  growth.  How  may 
 we  suppose  the  fervid  and  vigorous  Simon  as  a 
 young  man,  to  have  girded  himself  after  his  own 
 ■will.  But  the  word  seems  only  to  hint  at 
 Buch  remembrances  as  that  would  call  up  ;  it 
 finds  its  immediate  figures  much  nearer  at 
 band.  Had  not  Peter  just  now  in  his  impetu- 
 osity, ver.  7,  girded  himself,  when  he  swam  to 
 the  Lfird  ?  Had  he  not  commenced  the  whole 
 transaction  by  the  expression  of  his  own  blame- 
 
 ology  concerninjj  the  death  of  a  mnrtyr  :  as  if  the 
 Cliuich  niiiilit  not  have  adopted  the  language  of 
 John.  B.-Crusius:  "  6 o^aZeiv  Be 6v  was  taken 
 from  this  passage  as  the  ecclesiastical  formula  for 
 the  death  of  martyrdom."  The  Spirit  taught 
 Peter  this  beautiful  phrase,  1  Peter  iv.  16  (comp. 
 Plill.  i.  20) ;  but  John  may  have  had  a  lower  anal- 
 ogy witli  cliap.  xvii.  1  in  his  mind.  It  is  certain 
 en  other  crounds  that  he  wrote  after  the  death  of 
 Peter;  Ihoiicrh  not  from  the  5o|a(?£i  instead  of 
 e/ieXXe  So^d^eiv. 
 
 •  Iless  paraphrases  :  "  Hear  !  thou  art  now  in 
 middle  age.  Thou  still  walkest  aliout,  r.s  in  ear- 
 lier years,  free,"  etc.  Lutliardi  thinks  on  the  con- 
 trary that  "it  is  inappropriate  to  include  the  pres- 
 ent lini''  in  the  vecJrepoi,  since  the  future  sub- 
 mission of  his  will  is  grounde<l  upon  his  firesent 
 love  to  the  Lord."  But  wou'd  not  tlie  Lord  .«ay 
 any  thins  at  all  about  the  j)retienl  and  the  near  fu- 
 ture (to  whicli  the  old  age  is  here  ojiposed  as  far 
 as  distant)  1  Would  not  Peter  for  a  considerable 
 time  be  able  to  say  in  his  apostolical  vexation, 
 without  sin— I  will  go  a-fishing  1  and  with  free 
 determinaLioa  gird  himself } 
 
 less  and  unfettered  resolution — I  go  a-fishing? 
 Let  it  be  here  once  more  observed  with  what 
 marvellous  comprehensiveness  of  meaning  the 
 Lord  chooses  his  every  word,  and  says  here — 
 tl^wyrveiCeavrov,  "  girdedst  thyself"  (which 
 would  give  him  afterwards  a  similitude  Jor  an- 
 other kind  of  girding),  and  then  in  addition — 
 nepiETtciTeii  Znov  j'/OcAc?,  "  walkedst  whither 
 thou  wouldest."  These  expressive  references  in 
 the  sacred  words  are  too  frequent  and  too  certain 
 to  allow  the  charge  to  be  urged  against  our  expo- 
 sition, of  finding  these  our  own  lusus  ingenii* 
 But  it  is  possible  to  go  too  far,  as  e.  g.  Fiken- 
 cher:  "  When  a  fisherman  hung  around  him  his 
 upper  garments,  and  girded  himselt,  he  was  free 
 for  the  work  of  his  vocation,  hecoxdd  do  lohat  he 
 woidd;"  for  the  reference  to  ver.  3  includes  this 
 working  according  to  his  own  will  in  the  nEpt- 
 nazEiv.  So  had  Peter  the  fisher  of  men  often- 
 times as  a  vecorEpoi,  without  any  seveiiy  im- 
 posed self-denial,  girded  himself  (or,  to  antici- 
 pate what  follows,  bound  himself),  and  went  on 
 his  labor  whithersoever  he  tcouUl,  under  the 
 impulse  of  love  to  Christ  and  to  souls.  But  in 
 his  age  it  would  be  otherwise,  more  and  more 
 otherwise  as  he  went  on  in  life,  and  finally  most 
 absolutely  and  corporeally  otherwise,  in  the 
 literal  fulfillment  of  the  Lord's  words.  The 
 word  of  prediction  contains  three  clauses  follow- 
 ing each  other  ;  but,  inasmuch  as  they  are  not 
 to  be  regarded  as  arranged  prophetically  in 
 strict  chronological  succession,  we  may  begin 
 with  the  middle  one,  the  direct  contrast  to  the 
 previous  girding  of  himself. 
 
 Another — not  thyself,  that  is  the  first  and 
 most  obvious  point — will  gird  thee.  It  is  evi- 
 dent that  "  will  gird  "  is  closely  connected  with 
 the  "  girdedst  thyself"  going  before  ;  and  if  one 
 must  be  clothed  by  others,  that  of  itself  is  a 
 want  of  freedom,  a  binding  of  one's  own  haruli, 
 the  purpose  of  which  is  not  to  be  themselves 
 stretched  out.  We  think  we  observe  that,  as 
 before  the  free  impetuous  spirit  of  youth  had 
 furnished  the  basis  of  the  figure,  so  now  help- 
 less age,  in  which  man  cannot  as  it  were  gird 
 himself,  is  the  basis  of  our  Lord's  view.  But 
 only  the  basis,  for  the  Lord  beholds  and  speaks 
 pro]iheticalli/,  that  is  (his  language  being  to  the 
 last  in  harmony  with  the  ancient  Scripture),  he 
 speaks  in  ii/pe  and  intimation.  The  Lord  ap- 
 pears to  mean  by  his  words — Another  shall 
 gird  thee  in  quite  a  difftrent  sense,  just  as  Aga- 
 bus.  Acts  xxi.  11,  bound  himself  with  the  gir- 
 dle of  Paul  in  order  to  symbolize  the  binding 
 with  fetters.  For  girding  naturally  enough 
 passes  into  binding;  although  Draseke  incor- 
 rectly assured  his  hearers  that  the  word  in  the 
 original  signifies  ambiguously  either  the  gird- 
 ing with  a  garment  or  the  binding  with  fetters. 
 This  is  not   the  case.    The  false  construction 
 
 ♦  Here  Grotius  acknowledges  thnt  "  nil  has  al- 
 lusion to  preceding  tacts  "  (see  our  former  q'lota- 
 tion) — "so  ihe^e  words  to  ids  having  come  tc 
 shore  fftrt.  Kai  TteptETCareti — and  walkedst — 
 as  now  from  the  ship  iuid  to  the  ship,  at  thy  own 
 Oi)tiou." 
 
JOHN  XXI.  15-22. 
 
 785 
 
 and  exegesis  of  Kimclii  upon  Psa.  Ixxvi.  10 
 (^adduced  by  Grotius)  is  no  argument;  Tholuck 
 is  quite  right  in  saying  tliat  ^ajyvvsiv  has  not 
 the  signification  of  '•  binding,"  but  that  the 
 girding  symbolically  signifies  binding.*  The 
 question,  iinally,  whether  this  prophetically  ex- 
 
 t)ressed  Zooyyveiy  refers  to  the  binding  of  the 
 lands.in  imprisonment,  or  to  the  binding  upon 
 the  cross,  we  may  (with  Olshausen)  salely 
 leave  undetermined;  but,  inasmuch  as  the  au- 
 thentic interpreter,  ver.  19,  refers  the  whole 
 saying,  ((/lis  he  said)  and  its  signification  (6T/iuai. 
 vsiy)  to  the  Mnd  of  death  {noico  SavccTGn^, 
 we  are  quite  free  to  take  tlie  collective  words 
 with  both  meanings.  The  stpartum  e  cmce  in 
 Piin.  11  N.  xxviii.  11,  as  generally  the  binding 
 of  crucified  criminals,  sometimes  with,  some- 
 times without  nails,  is  well  known  ;  and  it  was 
 anciently  understood  in  (he  sense  of  Tertullian 
 (Sc  rpioce,  cap.  xv.) — "  Peter  was  bound  by  an- 
 other when  he  was  fastened  to  the  cross."  This 
 appears  to  us  more  simple,  obvious,  and  de- 
 scriptive than  a  reference  to  the  subordinate 
 circumstance  of  the  girding  of  the  loins  at  cru- 
 cifixion with  a  napkin  (according  to  Ecang. 
 Nicod.  c.  10) — which  Bruckner  deemed  a  more 
 correct  interpretation  of  the  Z,c66ei.  Exegesis 
 has  nothing  to  say  about  any  distinction  to  the 
 efTect  that  the  Lord  was  not  crucified  with 
 nails  driven  through  his  hands  and  feet.  But 
 if  we  thus  clearly  apprehend  the  girding,  much 
 needless  contention  about  the  stretcJdng  out  of 
 the  hands  will  be  at  once  obviated.  It  is  only 
 ignorance  of  the  full  and  manifold  meaning  of 
 the  prophetic  word  which  has  led  to  so  much 
 wrangling  about  this  or  that  meaning;  all  the 
 views  of  the  various  expositors  are  true  in  va- 
 rious aspects.  What  Grotius,  however  (in  the 
 name  of  many  who  hold  the  same  error  still), 
 maintained — "  Thou  wilt  be  forced  to  stretch 
 out  thine  hands  by  another,"!  we  must  declare 
 against  as  absolutely  incorrct ;  for  the  predicted 
 s»/j^e?7;igr  begins  plainly  with  the  xaLa^.Xoi^ 
 another,  while  the  stretching  out  in  order  to  the 
 leing  girded  indicates  a  voluntary  activity  on 
 his  own  part.  This  act  forms  indeed  of  itself 
 the  antithesis  to  the  "girdedst  thyself,"  and 
 "walkedst;"  yet  only  as  indicating  a  deport- 
 ment of  another  kind.  Thus  is  it,  as  the  coun- 
 terpart of  his  previous  energetic  action — Feeble 
 and  defenceless  i\\o\x  wilt  stretch  out  thine  hands, 
 and  give  thyself  up  to  another's  pov,'er?t  or, 
 with  Lange— As  a  spent  old  man  must  help- 
 lessly stretch  out  his  hands,  and  let  himself  be 
 clothed,  defended  and  led  ?  Certainly,  all  this 
 is  the  first  meaning,  but  only  as  being  the 
 physical  figure.^     It  invclves  in  itself  the  sec- 
 
 *  The  three  places  where,  according  to  Klee,  the 
 Sept.  has  ^coy  yv/in  for  "IDX,  we  cannot  find.  In 
 the  first  two  there  is  another  word,  and  the  third 
 must  be  an  error  in  the  ty])ography.  See  on  the 
 other  hand  Neh.  iv.  18,  in  the  original  ")DX  for  gird- 
 ing, 
 
 f  Nonnus  also  introduced  an  dyaynp. 
 
 X  So  e.  g.  Jacot>;  paraphrases. 
 
 ^  We  must  not  therefore  say  with  C.  Weiss : 
 
 ond  meaning,  which  brings  out  its  spiritual 
 import:  Does  not  he  who  gives  himself  up  to 
 be  bound  by  another's  power  prove  himself  to 
 h&  willing  to  suffer?  As  an  old  man,  in  the 
 becoming  consciousness  that  he  cannot  do  oth- 
 erwise, alloios  himself  to  be  girded  and  guided 
 — "  So  Peter  will  one  day,  free  from  all  sinful 
 self,  stand  in  the  spirit  of  most  decided  self- 
 resignation  to  his  Lord."  (So  does  Lange  con- 
 tinue with  perfect  propriety.)  Fikenscher  al- 
 legorizes upon  this  in  a  one-sided  manner,  giv- 
 ing up  the  physical  basis  of  the  expression  al- 
 together, though  bringing  out  correctly  the 
 fundamental  thought:  "  Peter  ripened  towards 
 his  death  {yr}pd67;ii) — devoted  all  his  activity 
 {XElpai)  only  to  the  Lord  ;  and  in  his  work  for 
 the  kingdom  of  God.he  is  also  a  sufferer,  gives 
 himself  up  altogether  and  without  reserve  to 
 all  which  the  Lord  might  send  upon  him."  So 
 Weitzel  well  says:  "In  the  inreyeli  ra? 
 Xslpdi  6ov  Peter's  own  willingness  and  joy  in 
 dying  the  death  of  a  martyr  for  Christ  and  his 
 cause  is  beautifully  connected  with  the  physical 
 constraint  to  which  he  would  be  required  to 
 submit  himself;  perfectly  voluntary  resignation 
 seen  in  the  most  violent  physical  constraint." 
 Thus  we  explain  eHrevEli  ra's  x^'P^^  dov^ 
 "Thou  wilt  act  as  a  sufferer  and  as  a  willing 
 sufferer,  like  an  aged  man  who  by  necessity 
 and  yet  resignedly  stretches  out  his  hands  to 
 another's  act ;"  and  we  believe  with  Fikenscher 
 that  by  this  is  intimated  for  the  whole  period 
 of  his  y?jpd6HEiy  generally,  "  the  entire  pas- 
 sive demeanor  of  Peter  to  the  glory  of  God 
 down  to  his  dying  sacrifice."  Lange  maintains 
 that  the  stretching  out  of  tlie  hands  could  not  al- 
 ready contain  an  allusion  to  the  death  of  the 
 cross,  because  the  concomitant  girding  and 
 leading  does  not  follow  till  afterwards  ;  but  we 
 see  no  reason  for  agreeing  with  him  in  this, 
 since  the  one  does  not  exclude  the  other.  Does 
 not  the  propJietic  language  often  thus  speak, 
 taking  expressions  chosen  to  give  a  more  gen- 
 eral sense,  and  which  are  also  found  to  be  true 
 in  specific  fulfillment?  And  does  symbolical 
 prophecy  give  every  detail  always  in  strict 
 historical  sequence?*  We  regard  that  inter- 
 pretation as  correct  which  finds  in  this  stretch- 
 ing out  of  the  hands  a  reference  to  Peter's  cru- 
 cifixion ;  and  further  agree  with  Draseke  that 
 "  these  words  were  the  most  express  in  their  al- 
 lusion to  the  kind  of  death  which  Peter  should 
 die."  Can  we  find  in  Zoodsi  or  oi6st  any  thing 
 equally  specific  for  the  tto/oj  Sayocroj  ?  Wet- 
 stein  adduces  the  striking  passages  from  Ar- 
 rian  and  Artemidorus,  especially  that  of  Arri- 
 an:  iurEiyai  dEavroy  <»;  oi  Idravpcoftsyoz 
 — which  Litcke  also  cites  :  the  hysteron  jwoteron 
 in  the  prediction  is  of  no  moment;  indeed  it 
 
 "  When  thou  wilt  in  old  age  stretch  out  thine 
 hands  for  another's  help — it  will  be  very  different 
 with  thee." 
 
 *  This  historical  sequence  Luthardt  also  urjies 
 against  the  specific  reference  to  the  cross  :  lie  re- 
 gards the  prediction  as  that  of  "  a  violent  death  " 
 gene;  ally. 
 
^96 
 
 RESTORATION  OF  I^ETER. 
 
 is  tot  really  such,  Ibr  the  commamied  and 
 afjsrwards  lul filled  stretching  out  of  tlie  hands, 
 in  order  to  be  first  bound  and  then  nailed,  ac- 
 tually takes  precedence  in  time.  And  now  for 
 the  oiosi  (in  one  reading  oi'det  dE),  where  an- 
 other ambiguity  has  been  found  bv  thedifTering 
 interpreters.  Is  it  leading  or  carry  in  g  ?  In  his 
 2f.  T.  Bengel  translates  by  "  heben  ;"  but  in  his 
 Gnomon  he  admits  that  the  antithesis  is  neftt- 
 ndreii.  We  think  the  latter  correct,  and  in- 
 terpret accordingly— Thou  wilt  not  thyself  ?ca//t 
 whither  thou  wilt;  but  another  will' ^m^Z  thee 
 whither  thou  wouldst  not,  to  something  entirely 
 repugnant  to  thy  own  natural  will.  Bat  it 
 comes  to  this,  as  with  the  girding  and  binding— 
 the  expressly  cho-sen  (pe'petv  (certainly  stronger 
 than  ayeiy)  must  involve  something  specific 
 in  connection  with  the  lohither  thou  iconUst  not, 
 which  mysteriously  hints  at,  but  leaves  un- 
 spoken, the  last  word  of  the  dark  saying;  that 
 is,  this  leading  is  to  be  finally  fulfilled  as  a 
 bearing  or  lifting  up  to  or  with  the  cross.*  For 
 it  is  not  "oppo.sed  to  the  whole  archaeology  of 
 crucifixion,"  that  the  victim  bound  to  the 
 recumbent  cross  should  be  lifted  up  with  it,  no 
 bearing  forth  to  another  place  being  implied. 
 But  the  three  predictions  of  the  stretching,  the 
 girding,  and  the  leading  may  describe,  as  being 
 merely  generally  combined,  both  the  crucifixion 
 and  the  imprisonment  (and  even  also  the 
 internal,  spiritual  binding  or  crucifixion).! 
 
 This  would  now  be  enough,  were  there  not 
 an  ambiguity  to  be  set  right  which  has  been 
 wronglv  understood.  Who  is  that  other,  to 
 whom  Peter  would  stretch  out  his  hands,  who 
 would  gird  him  and  lead  him,  bind  him  and 
 carry  him  ?  Lange,  after  having  spoken  of  the 
 "  Apostle's  devotion  to  his  Lord,"  continues : 
 "And  then  will  he  gird  him,  determine  his 
 will  ;  he  will  decide  his  fate,  and  lead  him 
 whither  he  would  not,  to  an  exit  from  life  which 
 the  will  of  his  former  being  had  most  abso- 
 lutely resisted.  Matt.  xvi.  22."  This  reference 
 to  Peter's  former  recoil  from  the  cross  of  his 
 Lord  we  cordially  receive  as  a  very  suggestive 
 combination  ;  but  we  cannot  agree  witn  this 
 interpretation  of  the  aXXoi.  Bleek  also  has 
 independently  come  to  the  same  exegesis : 
 "  Peter  was  told  to  expect  that  in  his  latter 
 years  another  and  a  higher  authority  would 
 direct  his  activity,  and  his  preparation  for  it, 
 by  such  energies  as  should  be  necessary  " — 
 strange  interpretation  of  the  ^oodEi.  But  it  is 
 inconceivable  that  the  loving  Lord  should 
 speak  to  the  loving  disciple  concerning  himself 
 with  a  cold  and  distant  aWoi — and  thus  as 
 
 *  Hence  it  is  best  translated  by  an  ambiguous 
 expression,  as  in  the  JIo'.l.  Jhhel  "  brennen  "  {lier- 
 Inib.  "  brinsen  "V  and  in  the  English  "  carry." 
 Comp.  Mark  xv.  22. 
 
 +  Tlius  in  the  development  of  the  meaning  we 
 have  embraced  much,  but  only  becausp  all  is 
 really  combined.  On  the  other  hand,  the  being 
 firded  on  the  ero.is  (wilh  the  Xevtiov)  does  not  be- 
 long to  it.  _  Theojiliylacl  is  riabt:  Tt'>y  Ini  ToC 
 dravpov  iKzadiy  nai  ra  ded/ia  ^l/^.ui, 
 
 one  to  whom  the  disciple  would,  though  witli 
 a  certain  repugnance,  submit.  Nor  mu!;t  we 
 think  of  Ood,  apart  from  Christ ;  for  the  Lord 
 is  here  himself  the  immediate  disposer  of  his 
 servants'  destinies.  Thus  the  other  is,  first,  as 
 the  antithesis  with  the  previous  clause  neces- 
 sarily requires  every  "  other  "  to  whom  Peter, 
 instead  of  determining  for  himself,  will  be 
 obliged  to  submit  (here  Nonnus  is  right: 
 dtpetSsF?  dvsftEi  dWoi);  and  in  its  final 
 meaning  in  his  crucifixion  no  other  than  the 
 executioner — and  in  this  personified  the  Coesar, 
 or  even  the  prince  of  this  world,  who  in  the 
 deepei^t  sense  may  be  called  another.  It  is  true 
 that  Christ  is  he  who  wills  that  Peter  shoald 
 be  crucified — a  meaning  wdiich  the  well-known 
 saying  of  Ambro-e  expresses,  according  to 
 which  the  Lord  met  Peter  when  he  would 
 have  withdrawn,  and  said — I  come  hither  to  he 
 I  crucified  once  more.  But  Christ  is  not  that 
 other,  in  whose  act  it  was  the  task  of  the  Apos- 
 tle's faith  to  discern  and  submit  to  the  will  of 
 his  Lord. 
 
 In  all  this,  we  have  not,  as  our  readers  will 
 readily  admit,  denied  the  general  figurative 
 reference  of  this  predicted  suffering  submission 
 to  the  whole  later  life  of  the  Apostle.  What 
 crucifixions  of  his  own  will,  what  profound 
 and  penetrating  subjection,  had  not  long  be- 
 fore his  death  been  required  of  him  !  There- 
 fore it  is  that  in  his  Epistles  he  speaks  with 
 such  power  of  living  experience  concerning 
 the  manifold  trials  and  sufferings  which  are 
 borne  by  those  wlro  are  in  Christ,  the  being 
 subject  and  the  suffering  unrighteously,  the 
 fire  of  tribulation — and  the  patience  of  the 
 Lord.  Here  rises  the  application  of  the  word 
 in  its  spiritual  meaning  to  us  all.  Of  its  spe- 
 cial application  to  the  pastors  themselves,  and 
 its  connection  with  the  feeding  of  the  flock  by 
 those  who,  in  order  to  lead  others,  must  wil- 
 lingly consent  to  die  themselves,  we  shall  say 
 nothing  now.  But  we  would  endeavor  to  ex- 
 hibit its  general  significance  for  all  the  disci- 
 ples who  love  their  Lord  ;  though  they  only 
 who  have  spiritual  knowledge  and  experience 
 will  understand.  Is  it  not  perfectly  true  that 
 the  older  we  are  in  the  following  of  Christ,  the 
 more  deeply  we  enter  into  the  denial  of  our 
 own  will?  The  youth  of  our  Christianity  re- 
 tains its  similarity  with  natural  youth,  even 
 by  the  permission  and  api)ointnient  of  the  all- 
 wise  Educator.*  In  the  first  power  which  we 
 receive  we  are  required  to  walk — certainly  no 
 longer  whither  we  would  previously  have 
 willod,  but  yet  whither  wo  now  in  tlie  new 
 nature  will ;  murh  of  our  own  purpose,  will, 
 and  plans  is  permitted  to  us ;  the  girding\  is 
 
 *  Not,  however,  as  Von  Oerlach  exhibits  the 
 contrast :  "  As  a  rule  the  youni:  man  is  the  more 
 dejjendent,  the  older  attains  to  more  and  more  in- 
 dependence." Tiiis  holds  good  only  of  ezterml 
 relations;  but  tliese  are  not  referred  to  here — 
 only  the  will  and  the  disposition. 
 
 \  Th's,  according  to  Mayer's  note,  belongs  to 
 the  walking,  as  the  purpose  does  Lo  tiie  life. 
 
JOHN  XXI.  15-2: 
 
 7«7 
 
 actually  required  of  us,  in  general  and  in  par- 
 ticular, as  peculiarly  becoming  and  appropriate 
 in  that  age  (1  Pet.  i.  13-15).  We  love,  labor, 
 witness,  and  exert  our  influence  rather  as  those 
 who  are  Iree,  and  have  the  heavier  tasks  im- 
 posed upon  us  by  our  Lord — or  otherwise  we 
 do  not  rightly  discern  and  lake  upon  ourselves 
 the  work  assigned.  Tims  does  it  go  on  even 
 unto  old  age,  through  walking,  falling,  rising 
 up,  and  joylul  running  again — until  through 
 all  these  the  deeper  experiences  are  prepanid 
 for,  and  our  yr)pQ(3Heiv  draws  nmh.  I'tu- 
 more  energetic  the  basis  of  oar  natuic  i?,  the 
 more  surely  and  the  more  severely  will  the 
 crosH  come,  though  its  heaviest  pressure  may  be 
 in  a  multitude  of  little  crosses.  Then  comes 
 the  stretching  out  of  the  hands,  and  the  time 
 lor  standing  still !  Less  and  less  Irequent  are 
 the  demands  to  go  out  a  fishing.  Better  and 
 Letter  must  we  learn  to  feel — 1  can  myself 
 neither  plan  nor  do  any  thing.  All  special 
 purposes  and  projects  are  merged  in  the  one, 
 that  of  following  Christ,  as  he  himself  has  ap- 
 pointed and  shows  by  external  arrangements 
 ol  his  will.  This  he  requires  of  us  as  the  test 
 and  the  consummation  of  love,  not  merely  the 
 still  sweet  love  of  earlier  times.  Instead  o! 
 walking  is  the  being  led  by  others  ;  we  are 
 more  and  more  bound  in  the  lollowing  ot 
 Christ,  and  yet  more  and  more  free,  because 
 more  and  more  free-minded  to  lollow  him. 
 "Oiiov  ov  ^sXeii — Lampeincorrectly  refers  tins 
 to  the  present  time,  as  Peter  would  afterwards 
 have  no  ov  ^eXsiv  more,  no  longer  any  repug- 
 nancy in  his  will — for  it  is  the  ojtposite  cer- 
 tainty to  Znov  y'/OsXei.  The  iwf,  wUlinq  ol  the 
 weak  flesh  remains,  as  with  Christ  himself  in 
 Gethsemane ;  but  the  spirit  proves  itself  all 
 the  more  willing — Not  as  I  will  I  Whatever 
 specific  vocation  there  may  be  for  pastors  and 
 ministers,  the  general  meaning  is  the  same  for 
 all — Self-denial,  the  cross,  the  following  of 
 Christ  by  the  crucified.  This  word  most  spe- 
 cifically addressed  to  Peter  has  its  individual 
 application  to  each  of  us,  and  shows  to  each  of 
 us  his  personal  way;  for  none  of  his  words, 
 yea,  of  no  word  of  Scripture,  may  it  be  said-- 
 Whnt  IS  this  to  thee  ? 
 
 Thus  we  have  already  to  a  great  extent 
 expounded  the  immediately  following  "  Fol- 
 low me" — which  certainly  was  not  meant 
 merely  for  the  present  moment.  This  word 
 carries  back  the  prediction  of  the  Apostle's 
 specific  way  of  life  and  death  into  the  general 
 commandment  for  all  again.  Indeed,  Peter  had 
 .specially  asked— Tr/uV^erjio^;  thou?  and  now 
 he  knows  whither,  and  that  he  must  follow. 
 Eut  must  not  we  all  thus  follow,  each  one  under 
 the  same  guidance  ?  Follow  me  ly  the  icatj  of 
 the  aoss !  How  could  the  Risen  Crucified  mean 
 anything  but  this?  "When  before  his  death 
 the  Lord  had  uttered  the  requirement  to  follow 
 him,  he  had  been  wont  to  add  what  he  meant 
 thereby  (Matt.  xvi.  24).  But  the  Crucified  and 
 Risen  Lord  needed  to  make  this  addition  no 
 more"  (DraS^eke).  The  very  beginning  of 
 this  devotion  and  following  is  a  self-surrender 
 
 to  him,  who  says — Afterme.  But  the  end  must, 
 always  be,  though  in  a  difTerent  manner,  our 
 being  j^erftdly  crucified  in  order  to  ripe  prepara- 
 tion lot  his  glory.  The  more  lully  open  our 
 ears  are  to  these  words,  with  the  more  readi- 
 ness vvc  stretch  out  our  hands,  when  the  tirne 
 comes  a.nd  it  is  required  ot  us~so  ruuch  the 
 sooner  and  the  easier  shall  we  reach  the  goal. 
 Did  Peter  understand  ail  these  words,  and 
 tins  last  word  especially  ?  That  would  be 
 matter  ol  indiflerence  as  to  our  own  under- 
 .standmg,  but  we  need  the  answer  hero  in 
 Older  lo  the  exposition  o(  liis  question,  ver.  21, 
 on  which  liif!  ra(;aning  ot  the  word  in  vcr  2<i 
 again  depends.  Not  a  lew,  with  wliom  even 
 Meyer  classes  himself,  agree  with  Michieli.^ 
 that  Peter  understood  the  ofwoA  ,nOft  as  only 
 meaning — Com",  now  trithme,  I  have  something 
 to  say  lo  thee,  la  fact  we  learn  (rom  ver.  20 
 that  Jesus  when  he  spoke  Uiks  vvord  went  for- 
 ward and  beckoned  hiin  lo  lollow  ;  hence  John 
 diho foUoiced.  Hut  with  this  it  is  quite  con- 
 sistent, that  such  a  movement  and  imtimation 
 ol  Jesus  was  hut  ihe  symhohcal  expression  which 
 made  the  spiritual  meaning  more  clear.  The 
 opinion  that  the  Lord  himself  neither  thought 
 nor  designed  more  m  this  connection  than  their 
 accompanying  him  at  the  moment  is  altogether 
 too  insipid.*  if  every  thing  is  typical  here,  so 
 certainly  must  the '/Jxo-iouC/ii  be.  Grotius: 
 "As  he  had  made  the  things  which  had  been 
 done  before  signs  of  things  to  be  said  by  him, 
 so  now  he  expresses  fiy  a  plain  sign  that  which 
 he  had  already  said."  in  the  previous  words, 
 as  Draseke  clearly  puis  it,  all  stood  still  in  a 
 circle,  the  Lord  among  the  disciples;  at  the 
 words  Follow  me  I  Jesus  slowly  re"moved  him- 
 self. Quite  right,  and  then  Draseke  proceeds 
 — "To  the  conclusion  that  the  Lord  meant 
 nothing  more  than  this  accompanying,  and 
 that  Peter  discerned  nothing  more  in  it  than 
 this,  would  be  a  very  tame  interpretation."  If 
 Jesus  spoke  this  "  Follow  "  with  a  deep  mean- 
 ing, referring  directly  to  the  words  which  had 
 already  been  uttered,  that  does  not  require  us 
 to  assume  his  being  disposed  to  give  Peter  cer- 
 tain further  explanations  of  his  meaning.  The 
 symbolic  gesture  of  going  on  before,  in  order 
 lo  stamp  the  force  of  his  word,  was  sufficient; 
 he  had  said  quite  enough  to  the  Apostle  .  he  had 
 given  him,  indeed,  so  much  to  ponder  and 
 arrange  in  his  mind,  that  we  might  have  as- 
 sumed that  he  vanished  at  once,  were  it  not 
 that  the  probability  is  in  favor  of  his  having 
 made  some  further  appointments.  We  are  per- 
 fectly disposed  to  admit  that  this  call  to  Peter, 
 to  follow  Ihe  retreating,  removing  Lord,  had 
 some  such  tone  as  '-Come  with  me.  Follow 
 me  over  into  ray    new  home   beyond."     But 
 
 *  This  would  ihen  have  its  reference  also  lo  ver. 
 22,  and  the  last  words  and  colloquy  ot  the  Gos- 
 pel of  John  would  have  to  do,  merely,  as  Sepp 
 says  in  ndicule,  with  the  accompanying  of  the 
 Lord  a  few  pace*  We  feel  by  anticipation  that 
 (he  question  of  Peter  must  have  another  groucd 
 and  occasion. 
 
T88 
 
 RESTORATION  OF  PETER. 
 
 when  Lange,  whose  expression  this  is,  goes  on 
 to  attribute  to  Peter  a  misunderstanding  which 
 vibrated  between  the  merely  external  and  the 
 true  internal  meaning  of  our  Lord's  word,  we 
 think  that  he  speaks  without  foundation.  It 
 was,  he  thinks,  to  him  "  as  if  Jesus  designed  to 
 make  him  familiar  in  sacred  solitude  with  the 
 terror  of  the  transition  to  the  other  world ;  " 
 he  expected  some  "  initiation  into  the  awful 
 mystery  of  the  great  passage  ;  and  his  following 
 the  Lord  nevertheless  in  confidence  was  his 
 atonement  for  having  once  stood  in  the  way  of 
 the  Lord's  cross."  But  all  this  may  be  classed 
 with  the  fantasies  of  this  poet-expositor,  who 
 mi-jes  so  much  wild  imagina'aon  with  his 
 beavutiful  gifts.  Nothing  of  this  kind  is  inti- 
 matvjd  here ;  the  question  concerning  John — 
 ovroi  6e  ri,  "But  what — this  man?"  con- 
 nected with  the  answer  given  to  it  obliges  us 
 to  infej:  that  Peter  understood  the  Lord's  word 
 much  more  fully  than  this. 
 
 Assuredly,  he  well  understood  all,  at  least 
 the  fundamental  point,  from  the  beginning,  and 
 as  soon  as  the  Lord  put  his  hrst  question. 
 "  The  days  of  foolish  misunderstanding  were 
 past,"  says  Driiseke  truly  and  decisively. 
 Therefore  he  had  understood  this  much  at 
 least  of  ver.  18,  that  a  later  life  of  suffering,  and 
 an  end  from  which  nature  recoils  with  horror, 
 were  appointed  to  him:  even  if  the  "Follow 
 me  "  which  was  added  did  not  directly  point 
 his  thoughts — tiiough  we  think  that  it  did — to 
 the  stern  necessity  of  his  finding  that  end  on 
 the  cross.*  This  understanding  alone  could 
 have  given  rise  to  his  question  concerning 
 John  ;  but  this  of  itself  needs  to  be  carefully 
 looked  at  on  all  sides.  John  would  go  too,  and 
 this  is  marked  by  Peter.  May  we  say  with 
 Von  Gerlach — "  That  he  was  also  called  by 
 Jesus?  "  We  read  nothing  of  this  ;  and  Liicke 
 takes  occasion  from  this  lack  of  clearness,  which 
 is  not  usual  in  John's  genuine  narratives,  to 
 complain  of  the  utter  impossibility  of  represent- 
 ing with  any  thing  like  clearness  the  grounds 
 and  the  connection  of  the  whole  scene."  We 
 think  that  nothing  is  wanting  but  a  willing 
 penetration,  deep  and  accurate  thought,  judi- 
 cious arrangement  of  all  which  we  find  record- 
 ed, and  a  little  waiting,  in  order  to  find  the 
 whole  scene  clear  enough.  Jesus,  while  he 
 humbled  Peter,  had  at  tlie  same  time  exalted 
 him  to  higher  honor,  and  to  him  once  more 
 especially  committed  his  Church.  What  this 
 meant,  and  what  it  did  not  mean,  John  had 
 at  once  understood  beyond  the  rest  of  the 
 hearer.^  ;  he  had,  so  to  speak,  sympathized 
 most  deeply  with  the  feeling  of  the  Apostle's, 
 as  well  as  of  the  Lord's,  heart.  He  also  knew 
 full  well  how  near  he  too  was  himself  to  that 
 
 heart.  And  now  comes  this  mysterious  and 
 confidential  prediction,  and  the  new  expression 
 of  perfect  confidence  which  calls  Peter  with  the 
 significant  follow  me.  John  cannot  remain  be- 
 hind ;  and  all  the  less  so  as  he  understands  full 
 well  that  no  exclusive  prerogative  of  Peter 
 was  implied.  Was  he  not  himself  the  disciple 
 icliom  Jesus  loved* — did  he  not,  formerly,  as  the 
 most  trusted  one,  lying  on  the  Lord's  bosom, 
 ask  the  Lord's  mind — and  should  not  he  also 
 now  follow  ?  Lange  thinks  that  on  this  ac- 
 count the  specific  reference  in  ver.  20  is  given  ; 
 since  John  would  thus  delicately  bespeak  that 
 he  had  understood  and  felt  in  his  heart  the 
 permission  or  the  requirement  to  follow  too. 
 So  in  Brandt's  Bibel  concisely  :  "  John  makes 
 this  remark  to  give  the  reason  why  he,  without 
 being  called  by  Jesus,  ventured  nevertheless  to 
 follow  him."  We  observe  this  too,  but  in  a 
 somewhat  different  sense.  It  would  have  been 
 enough  for  this  to  say  merely  "  whom  Jesus 
 loved :  "  but  the  rest  was  indispensable,  for 
 how  otherwise  could  he  have  indicated  his  own 
 person,  especially  here  ?  We  cannot  reconcile 
 it  with  our  feeling  that  this  express  reference  to 
 his  earlier  confidential  relation  to  Christ  was 
 intended  to  explain  his  affectionate  following 
 without  being  called.  The  addition  of  this 
 former  "asking"  has  a  significant  connection 
 with  Peter's  present  question.  Driiseke  misses 
 the  point  of  the  whole  when  he  represents  John 
 as  thinking — "  Do  I  then  receive  no  commis- 
 sion?"! and  speaks  of  a  "  holy  emulation  of 
 his  elevated  nature  which  led  the  beloved  dis- 
 ciple to  say,  Desirest  thou  proofs  of  love,  Rab- 
 boni?  Forget  not  John!"  This  is  going 
 too  far,  but  thus  much  is  true :  John  in  his 
 affectionate  simplicity  involuntarily  accompa- 
 nies, hence  there  is  no  trace  of  our  Lord's  blam- 
 ing this  only  apparently  uncalled  accompany- 
 ing. J  love  thee  also.  This  had  been  the  cry 
 of  his  heart  during  the  whole  colloquy  with 
 Peter,  in  the  full  consciousness  that  there  was 
 nothing  intended  exclusively  for  Peter,  at  least 
 nothing  which  would  exclude  himself  from  the 
 love  of  the  Lord  and  from  the  pasturing  of  his 
 flock.  Tlius  he  utters  this  "  I  love  thee  also, 
 and  follow  thee  "  with  inmost  modesty,  without 
 the  slightest  admixture  of  a  spirit  of  intrusion, 
 solely  from  the  impulse  of  his  heart's  feeling  to 
 go  with  liim.:t 
 
 And  Peter  f  He  does  not  so  tenderly  under- 
 stand all  this,  and  makes  a  stumbling-block  of 
 his  beloved  John,  who  had  no  intention  to 
 come  in  his  way  as  an  offence.  There  was 
 something  wrong  at  first  in  the  "  turning  him- 
 
 *  A  later  nndeistandina;  on  his  part  is  not  ex- 
 pressly implied  by  '1  Peter  i.  14.  For  "as  tiie 
 Lord  lialh  slio.ved  me,"  caimot  possibly  go  back 
 to  the  prediction  al  the  sea  of  Tiberias;  it  rasher 
 means  a  new  revelation  that  the  death  (of  which 
 the  Apiisile  here  spoaks  with  such  remarkable  a»- 
 BUrauce)  was  impending,  raxiyy  l6rir. 
 
 *  Hero  rises  a  delicate  parallel  betwe»n  the  dis- 
 ciple who  loved  Jesus,  and  the  disciple  Wiiom 
 Jesus  loved — on  which,  however,  Auiustino  went 
 astray,  because  he  minf;U'd  with  it  the  "more." 
 
 t  Whom  Braune,  as  often,  follows ;  adding — K 
 there  no  prediction  for  me  1 
 
 X  In  this  D.iiseko  is  right :  "  Not  another  word 
 falls  from  his  lips.  No  word  was  needed.  More 
 eloquent  than  any  language  was  b.s  sileut  acconi- 
 pauying." 
 
JOHN  XXI.  15-22. 
 
 789 
 
 self" — he  was  commanded  to  follow  and  not  to    stood  enough  to  know  that  it  was  a  prophecy 
 
 look  around.  Thus  there  was  certainly  an  un 
 called-for,  and  not  artless  looking  aside,  a  side- 
 glance  once  more  of  comparison  toith  others. 
 After  his  deep  humiliation  some  light  trace  still 
 ofthe  ancient  vSimon.  Tiiis  willnotlead  usastray 
 in  the  interpretation,  but  illustrate  to  us  the 
 loving  patience  of  the  Lord,  which  anticipates 
 such  disciples  in  blessing,  and  leads  them  into 
 the  depths  of  self-renunciation.  Chrys.  :  "  S;nce 
 Peter  was  always  in  haste  to  put  such  ques- 
 tions as  these."  Peterhas  too  much  advantage 
 given  him  (as  John  too  little)  by  Draseke  : 
 "  The  heavenly  bond  of  friendship  between  the 
 Master  and  this  disciple  passed  before  his  soul 
 as  he  thus  went  with  Jesus  :  hence  the  ques- 
 tion— But  thi'i  man.  Lord?  Didst  thou  not 
 also  mean  him?"  For  this  does  not  perfectly 
 correspond  with  the  words  of  the  question, 
 which  pre-supposes  something  else  for  this  dis- 
 ciple; and  further,  as  the  Lord  gives  a  rebuk- 
 ing and  repelling  answer,*  there  must  have 
 been  something  blameworthy  in  the  question. 
 Its  very  abruptness  shows  a  want  of  genuine 
 jtarrhesid,  a  certain  exuberance  of  precipitate 
 zeal.     What  then  does  he  a^ik?  "He  who  can 
 
 His  abruptly  ending  rz',  which  is  therefore  to 
 be  supplemented  by  the  whole  of  ver.  18,  dops 
 not  merely  say — Shall  this  man  also  suffer?  but 
 —  What  shall  this  man—?  What  hast  thou 
 appointed  for  him  ?  He  is  lar  from  thinking  his 
 foUmolng  also  an  impropriety,  or  blaming  it  ; 
 his  glance  falling  upon  John  raises  the  ques- 
 tion in  his  mind  concerning  John's  destiny,  and 
 this  prompts  the  unconsidered  and  inopportune 
 wish — Wilt  thou  not  reveal  something  to  me 
 and  to  him  concerning  the  future  of  our  lite 
 and  death  ?  But  what  was  the  inducement  to 
 this  question  ?  Many  reasons  might  have  con- 
 curred, but  we  have  only  to  do  with  the  pre- 
 dominant impulse,  which  the  answer  rebuked. 
 Driiseke  thinks  that  it  was  sympathy  which 
 dictated  this  question — What  hast  thou  des- 
 tined for  him  ?  Thou  knowest  his  love  !  What 
 lot  is  decreed  for  him?  But  this  was  not  the 
 sole,*  nor  was  it  the  predominant,  feeling  of 
 the  question.  Ebrard  concisely  says — "  Peter 
 asked  with  concern  what  should  befall  John." 
 So  Lange  :  "  With  a  feeling  of  sympathy  which 
 would  spare  to  John  the  experience  of  a  sharp 
 lestiny,  such  as  he  considered  the  lot  of  him- 
 
 thus  expound  the  words — Hast  thou  called  this  !  self  alone."     Thus — This  man,  will  he  not  have 
 
 man  also.  Lord?  Wiierefore  doth  he  follow  vs? 
 unders.ands  not  the  question,  nor  the  disciple, 
 nor  any  thing  in  the  matter."  In  this  Draseke 
 is  right.  If  the  ri  is  made  to  signify — Where- 
 fore, or  to  what  end  doth  this  ni'in  also  go  with 
 us?  the  answer  of  our  Lord  does  not  in  any- 
 wise suit;  although  that  answer  has  been 
 feebly  interpreted  as  referring  to  merely  the 
 present  going  or  remaining.!  Olshausen  has 
 mcontrovertibly  shown  this:  "Two  supposi- 
 tions only  are  conceivable.  Either  it  seemed 
 right  to  the  Lord  that  John  should  accompany 
 them,  and  he  intended  a  reproof  to  Peter : 
 then  the  words  must  have  run  thus — Let  him 
 come  with  us  unhindered,  he  may  hear  what 
 we  say  ;  or  the  like.  Or,  he  meant  to  blame 
 John's  ill-timed  following:  and  then  the  words 
 must  have  run — Follow  not,  tarry  where  thou 
 art.  We  cannot  possibly  discover  how  in  that 
 case  Christ  should  come  to  use  the  word 
 fxivEw,  for  the  disciple  didi  not  remain,  but 
 went  with  them;  moreover,  in  this  interpreta- 
 tion of  the  passage,  the  f  gjs  epxoncci  is  alto- 
 gether unintelligible.  For,  if  it  is  taken  to 
 mean — Until  I  come  back  again,  that  is,  from 
 the  walking  aside  with  Peter — this  would  not 
 have  been  in  opposition  to  Peter,  but  according 
 to  his  will ;  as  if  he  would  not  have  John  fol- 
 low them,  while  yet  his  word  appears  as  a  re- 
 buke only  to  Peter." 
 
 Thus  the  meaning  of  Peter's  question  must 
 refer  directly  to  that  ju-ojihecy  which  he  had 
 himself  just  received,  and  of  which  he  under- 
 
 an  easier  lot  than  mine?  But  Fikenscher  gives 
 it  an  opposite  turn — "He  hoped  to  share  with 
 John  the  glory  of  a  death  of  martyrdom  ;"  and 
 finds  in  the  question  "  a  proof  of  Peter's  humil- 
 ity, and  an  illustration  of  true  love  which  seek- 
 eth  not  its  own."  But  this  loving  sympathy 
 (whether  the  question  be — Shall  not  this   man 
 
 escape 
 
 ?   or — Shall  he    not  suffer, 
 
 well    as 
 
 myself?)  cannot  possibly  have  been  the  main 
 impulse  of  Peter's  inquiry — would  the  Searcher 
 of  hearts  have  repelled  it  with  the  sharp  ri 
 7tp6idE?\  It  is  true  that  Peter  would  now 
 ask  for  John,  as  John  had  in  chap.  xiii.  24  asked 
 by  his  own  desire  for  him  :  it  is  to  mark  this 
 parallel  of  requital  that  the  express  addition 
 IS  here  made  to  the  description  of  John's  per- 
 son ;  though  this  has  been  rarely  understood  at 
 all,  or  ofien  interpreted  in  a  manner  unworthy 
 the  Apostle  John  himself  It  is  not  (according 
 to  B.-Crusius)  "  to  intimate  that  Peter,  who  oix 
 that  occasion  requested  this  disciple  to  put  the 
 question,  knew  well  his  pre-eminence  ;"  but,  as 
 Chrys.  clearly  expressed  it,  to  show  that  now 
 John  was  the  silent  disciple,  Peter  asking  for 
 him — "  thus  making  requital :  thinking  that  he 
 wished  to  ask  concerning  himself,  but  was  not 
 bold  enough,  Peter  put  the  question  in  his 
 stead."  We  may  further  observe,  with  Chrys., 
 "  how  great  holiness  Peter  had  attained  to  alter 
 his  denial " — how  confidently  he  ventures  to 
 ask  such  questions  as  he  did  not  venture  upon 
 
 *  Chrys. :  "  Sriklng  down  his  undue  exuber- 
 ance, and  hindering  him  Irom  further  excess  of 
 inleimoddling." 
 
 f  If  I  will  that  he  abide  here  until  I  come 
 back  with  thee — -^-and  this  as  the  answer  to  the 
 question — May  or  should  this  man  go  with  us  1 
 
 *  So  in  Luthardt:  "Peter  cou  d  have  been 
 filled  with  nothing  but  loving  sympathy  with  his 
 fellow."     But  how  is  this  could  proved  l 
 
 \  According  to  Sepp,  Peter  was  amazed  at  his 
 own  exaltation — ^liis  kingly  dignity — and  asked 
 whether  the  disciple  of  love  miglit  not  be  some- 
 thing, his  coadjutor  or  Aaron.  But  the  answer, 
 the  tiTtpoi  0s  somewhat  abates  this  loftiness. 
 
790 
 
 EESTOPwATION  OF  PETER. 
 
 even  in  his  confidpnh  days.  We  may  also  think 
 how  graciously  the  Lord  must  have  spoken  his 
 severe  words,  when  Peter  could  thus  confident- 
 ]v  interpose  his  words.  But  this  is  not  all,  for 
 Peter's  boldness  was  not  pure  and  perfect,  as 
 the  answer  shows.  The  impurity  in  it  was  not, 
 however,  such  "acertain  envious  thought  about 
 the  milder  destiny  of  John,"  as  Olshausen  with- 
 out any  reason  attributes  to  the  blessed  Apos- 
 tle.* Nor  was  it  a  mere  "  idle  curiosity,"  as 
 Tholuck  explains;  but  it  was  (what  Lange  in 
 vain  denies,  since  the  answer  pre-supposes  it) 
 "  a  conscious  desire  to  receive  such  detinite  ex- 
 planation as  to  the  future  of  John" — in  short  a 
 kind  of  curiosity.!  Instead  of  pondering  in 
 silence  the  great'things  which  had  been  said  to 
 him,  and  following  in  obedience  as  he  was  bid- 
 den to  do  (hence  th;s  is  expressly  repeated  by 
 the  Lord),  he  supposes  that  John  (into  whose 
 mind  this  had  not  entered)  would  be  very  glad 
 to  know  something  about  himself,  and  once 
 more  unbidden  (differently  from  John's  asking 
 for  him)  asks  about  anotlier,  though  in  reality 
 Jor  himself — "curiositate  quadam  humani  in- 
 genii,"  as  Grotius  rightly  says.  So  Bengel : 
 "  Facilius  nos  ipsos  voluntati  divinas  impendi- 
 mus,  quam  curiositatem  circa  alios,  aquales 
 pra3sertim  aut  suppares  deponimus."  By  this, 
 at  the  same  time,  the  first  part  of  our  Lord's 
 answer  is  fundamentally  explained. 
 
 What  is  thai  to  thee?  This  rinpCide — al- 
 most like  an  humbling  echo  of  the  equally  brief 
 ovToi  8e  r:— indicates,  after  all  the  Lord's 
 kindness,  no  little  severity.  The  greater  the 
 grace  exhibited,  the  more  strictly  are  errors 
 marked.  The  whole  denial  was  not  so  severely 
 rebuked  as  this  new  expression  of  curiosity. 
 This  is  the  answer  we  receive,  whenever  our 
 "  prying  anxiety  about  others  "  comes  forward. 
 The  dealings  of  the  Lord  with  his  own  in  lile 
 and  death  are  very  diverse;  it  is  enough  for 
 every  one  that  he  do  not  himself  neglect  the 
 way  of  his  own  following  the  Lord.  There- 
 fore, also — Follow  thou  me  1  Nevertheless, 
 with  all  his  severity,  there  is  not  only  the  pro- 
 pitiating, acknowledging  "follow  me"  (confir- 
 mation of  the  former)  at  the  conclusion,  but 
 an  actual  reply  given  concerning  John's  destiny, 
 at  the  outset.  This  is  the  JCord's  manner,  to  give 
 almost  always  the  information  asked  under  the 
 
 *  Zinzer.dorf  also  in  an  inconsiderate  manner 
 sets  it  forth,  in  another  place  where  he  gives  an 
 exaggerated  view  of  sin  and  grace:  "Indeed, 
 when  Pt'ter  would  afterwards  expostulate  with 
 John,  and  was  envious  for  what  the  Saviour  did  to 
 John,  it  was  in  the  Saviour's  fidelity  to  the  be- 
 loved disciple  that  he  so  sternly  dealt  with  Peter, 
 lie  did  not  say  as  much  to  him  about  his  whole 
 denial,  as  he  said  about  this  single  word  of  envy 
 against  John." 
 
 t  Compare  the  somewhat  overbold  sketch  in 
 Nil  meycrs  Charakterisiik,  i.  365,  where,  however, 
 so  much  is  explained  with  gentleness.  'Weitzel 
 also  expresses  it  too  strongly :  Half-curiously, 
 half-emulously,  Peter  throws  this  side-glauce  upon 
 tlio  destiny  of  the  disciple  of  love. 
 
 veil  of  an  apparent  rejection.  Bengel  need- 
 lessly limits  his  note  ;  "  The  Lord  never  gave 
 his  j'nV?i</s,  however  foolishly  they  might  ask, 
 an  absolute  repulse" — for  there  are  examples 
 of  the  kind  even  in  the  case  of  enemies.  In- 
 deed, it  is  neither  necessary  nor  salutary  that 
 every  man  should  have  his  destiny  foretold  to 
 him— James,  the  brother  of  John,  received  no 
 intimation  of  his  early  martyrdom — but  to  the 
 beloved  Peter,  even  when  be  seems  in  danger 
 of  looking  and  falling  back,  the  Lord  does  not 
 altogether  refuse  an  answer.  Even  so  he  had 
 not  denied  it  earlier  to  John — or  may  we  here 
 say — For  the  sake  of  John  himself?  Suffice  it 
 that  the  mysterious  word,  introduced  with  a 
 seemingly  hypothetic  if,  contains  really  the 
 information  asked,  as  we  shall  plainly  see. 
 This  will  impart  a  new  meaning,  pointing  to  the 
 future,  to  the  ti  npui  6s  as  coming  after  this 
 edv :  that  is.  Then  this  distinction  in  yonr 
 several  ways  shall  not  lead  thee  astray  in  thy 
 following.* 
 
 That  the  Lord  had  predicted  an  absolute 
 "  not  dying,"  because  at  his  coming  at  the  last 
 day  there  would  be  no  more  death, f  is  contra- 
 dicted expressly  by  John,  ver.  23.  But  that  he 
 admits  a  certain  unexplained  application  of  the 
 mysterious  word  to  this  dtsciple,  is  the  inference 
 which  every  unbiassed  mind  must  draw  from 
 the  solemn  repetition  of  the  whole  sentence 
 (the  final  6v  for  Peter  beiiig  alone  omitted). 
 In  truth,  if  the  misunderstanding  which  the 
 Lord  would  obviate  consisted  in  this,  that  his 
 merely  hypothetical  lav  ^iXoo  would  betaken 
 as  a  prophecy  (so  Ebrard  translates  "  In  case 
 now  I  would,"  and  Erasmus  corrected  to/c  into 
 velim) — his  words  must  have  taken  another 
 form  altogether.  Thus  this  way  of  escape, 
 which  Cyril  resorted  to,  and  which  Cocceius, 
 Meyer,  and  others  have  adopted,  is  e.'fegetically 
 inadmissible. J  We  shall  at  once  proceed  to 
 attempt  our  humble  explanation,  after  having 
 made   two   introductory   observations.     First, 
 
 *  The  variations  in  the  Vu!g.,  which  has  tic  or»» 
 sic  (Aug.  and  Arabr.  read  the  former,  Jerome  the 
 latter;  and  in  the  Gr,  Mill  found  ovrcoi  in  some 
 Codd.),  are  of  no  moment,  as  they  only  indicat;^ 
 early  misconception.  Allioli,  however,  and  Ki.s- 
 temaker  translate  after  it ;  and  Mullet  has — That 
 he  should  thus  remain. 
 
 t  Observe  here  the  mystery  of  1.  Cor.  xv.  51 
 is  pre-supposedas  the  common  faith  of  the  Church. 
 
 X  Lilcke  understands  the  unknown  writer,  con- 
 trary to  all  sound  exegetical  feeling,  as  meaning 
 tiiat  the  Lord  had  spoken  with  an  if.  That  is  on 
 the  supposition  that  it  was  written  alter  the  death 
 of  John.  If  John  was  yet  alive,  it  would  mean 
 that  no  one  had  any  right  to  speak  of  his  not  dy- 
 ing, notwithstanding.  Thus  he  makes  all  obscure, 
 and  then  charges  the  h'pxouai  with  oliscurity  and 
 spuriousness.  For  our  own  part,  we  read  in  ver, 
 23  the  words  of  the  Evangelist  himself,  who  cer- 
 tainly, if  the  chapter  was  written  by  him,  could 
 not  have  broken  ofT  with  ver.  22,  but  with  ypd' 
 rpai  ravra,  ver.  2i.  Hasse  finds  in  the  "  breth- 
 ren "  a  later  word  for  "  disciples  " — but  how  will 
 this  consist  with  a  glance  at  John's  Epistles  1 
 
JOHN  XXI.  15-22. 
 
 791 
 
 the  Lord  in  his  dignity  corrects  the  zoCrov, 
 *'  this  man,"  into  his  own  express  avrov, 
 "him."  His  3£Aft3,  "I  will,"  also  (whatever 
 may  he  said  to  the  contrary)  is  evidently  a 
 majestic  declaration  that  he  himself  is  now  the 
 supreme  disposer  of  men's  life  and  death  ;  he 
 does  not  say — If  God  or  the  Father  wills  that 
 he  should  tarry.* 
 
 Thus  John  has  not  positively  told  us  what 
 the  Lord  meant  or  hinted  at  in  the  words 
 which  he  spoke  to  Peter.  Did  he  himself  alto- 
 gether understand  them  ?  The  question  may  be 
 asked,  and  every  one  is  free  to  entertain  his 
 own  thoughts;  it  is  probable,  however,  that 
 the  deep-contemplating  John,  trusted  as  he  was 
 with  the  mysteries  of  his  Lord,  understood, 
 more  than  we  can  now  discover — but  he  docs 
 not  tell  us,  because  the  matter  concerns  him- 
 self and  his  own  honor;  and  further,  as  we 
 shall  see,  that  he  may  thereby  tell  us  more. 
 The  Lord  spoke  designedly  in  an  enigmatical 
 tone,  as  it  became  the  reply  to  such  a  question  ; 
 nor  is  it  strictly  necessary  that  we  should  un- 
 derstand it  perfectly,  though  it  is  written  thus 
 asain  and  again  that  we  may  investigate  it. 
 We  do  not  therefore  exalt  ourselves  above  exe- 
 gesis when  we  humbly  attempt  to  understand 
 the  words.  First  of  all,  we  may  take  tlie  lib- 
 erty of  objecting  to  Bengel's  words,  who  finds 
 an  ambiguity  in  what  he  calls  an  "araphibolia 
 et  gravis  et  sauvis  :  conditio,  si,  non  affirmat  si 
 accipiatur  seruio  d^  adventus  complemento  ; 
 categories  etiam  valet  senno,  si  de  primordiis 
 adventus."  For,  while  the  Lord  speaks  ob- 
 scurely, he  cannot  in  such  v/ords  speak  am- 
 liguoudy ;  the  spxoiJai,  "  I  come."  must  have 
 its  own  definite  meaning ;  and  it  is  in  this,  not 
 in  the  perfect  omission  of  the  iaV,  that  the 
 rejected  misapprehension  had  its  root.  But  we 
 must  begin  with  the  fi  e  v  e  iv  ,  "remain."  As 
 it  is  here  opposed  to  the  death  intimated  in  ver. 
 19,  it  must  mean  primarily — to  remain  in  life, 
 not  to  die  or  not  to  die  before;  and  this  phrase- 
 ology is  not  only  established  by  Phil.  i.  24.  25 ; 
 1  Cor.  XV.  6,  but  occurs  also  in  John  himself, 
 chap.  xii.  3i.  Thus  this  expression  itself  was 
 an  explanation  to  Peter — The  words  refer  to 
 thy  luture  dying  or  living.  Or,  we  prefer  to 
 think,  it  implies  a  pre-supposition,  in  Jesus' 
 saying,  that  Peter  had  already  understood 
 wiiat  he  had  said  concerning  his  death.  Thus 
 he  is  not  to  die  until  the  Lord  comes.  There 
 is  a  very  widely  extended  interpretation  which 
 understands — Until  he  should  come  to  call  him, 
 to  take  him  to  himself  by  death. f     Augustine, 
 
 *  Hasse  introduces  here  the  distinction  between 
 ftovXouat  and  .S^Ao — which  has  nothing  to  do 
 liere,  and  is  cenerally  far  from  being  valid — and 
 makes  it  the  Lord's  wish  that  John  mioht  remain 
 Ions  without  a  violent  death  (and  as  if  in  opposi- 
 tion to  a  will  ot  God,  who  might  decree  otherwise). 
 But  all  tliis  is  maniteslly  wrong — nothing  can  be 
 mo-e  unliecominff  and  below  the  dignity  of  the 
 11  &en  Lord,  speakins;  ot  his  coming  again.  See, 
 too,  the  SfAcj  of  John  xvii.  24;  and  even  in  Matt, 
 v.ii.  3,  it  has  alieady  its  full  authority. 
 
 \  According  to  Theophylact  the  /xevEiv  refer- 
 
 Ptupert,  Beda,  Maldonatus,  support  this  view. 
 Grotius  :  "  As  if  the  commander  should  say — 
 What  if  I  will  that  he  remain  on  watch  until 
 I  call  him  away?'  and  he  then  refers  the 
 whole  to  a  death  which  should  not  be  violent, 
 like  that  of  Peter,  but  without  any  human  in- 
 tervention," when  Christ  should  decree  the  right 
 time  to  have  come."  Klee,  also:  "Until  I 
 come  to  take  him  away  by  a  gentle  death." 
 J.  von  Miiller :  "  By  a  natural  death,  like  that 
 of  Moses,  through  the  Lord's  kiss  of  love." 
 Olshansen  and  Lange  are  of  the  same  opinion  ; 
 our  Wurtemberg  Christ;ane  Kapplinger  also 
 decides:  "  This  is  to  be  understood — If  I  will 
 that  this  man  should  reach  the  term  of  life 
 through  my  own  will  alone,  and  not  according 
 to  the  will  of  your  enemies,  what  is  there  in 
 this  to  hinder  thine  obedience?  "  But  we  ad- 
 here to  the  difficulty  already  referred  to,  and 
 regard  this  exposition  (which  Hasse  has  also 
 lately  vindicated)  to  be  altogether  incorrect. 
 First,  does  it  bring  out  any  actual  contrast? 
 Did  not  the  Lord  in  this  sense  come  also  to 
 Peter,  to  take  him  away?  (For  all  that  is 
 said  about  violent  and  gentle  death  has  notiiing 
 to  do  with  the  £fJX£<i^J<x.t')  Indeed,  aiiotlit/r 
 was  the  agent  in  his  death,  but  certainly  only 
 according  to  the  pre-suppo-ed  will  of  the  Lord 
 can  we  suppose  an  ov  SfAcj  of  Christ  in  this 
 case.*  Here  we  are  at  one  with  Lticke  that 
 it  is  "  a  meaningless  thought,  that  the  disciple 
 should  live  until  he  died."  But,  secondly, 
 what  right  have  we  to  give  such  a  meaning  to 
 £'/jX£(jOai. .?  Pteference  has  been  made  to  John 
 xiv.  3,  where  we  have  acknowledged  "  the  com- 
 ing of  Christ  at  the  death  of  the  laithful  "  as 
 included  in  the  meaning  ;  but  that  was  only  a 
 part  of  the  full  meaning  of  the  word,  which 
 goes  onward  to  the  great  final  return  ;  and 
 here  in  the  lips  of  the  Risen  Lord,  who  ever 
 thinks  and  speaks  as  one  abov.t  to  ascend  to 
 heaven,  the  meaning  is  direct  and  obvious.  He 
 can  mean  nothing  but  the  promised  return  of 
 him  who  had  gone  to  heaven,  the  coming  back 
 again  which  is  always  expressed  by  this  abso- 
 lute word.  This  so  definite  expression  also 
 prevents  us  from  explaining,  with  Meyer,  the 
 "  more  direct  meaning  of  the  mystery  " — "  I 
 can  call  him  to  follow  and  remain."  For,  as 
 we  have  said,  the  /leveiv  is  not  so  much  op- 
 posed to  the  symbolically  expressed  duoXov- 
 heiv,  as  to  the  dying  which  was  intimated  to 
 Peter. 
 
 How  then  ?  John  has  long  been  dead  by  the 
 sure  testimony  of  history,  and  the  last  day  is 
 not  yet  come.  Or  are  we  to  believe  what  La- 
 vater  is  said  not  only  to  have  believed,  but  to 
 have  learned  like  G.  MiiUer  by  a  visitation,  and 
 
 red  to  a  tarrying   in  Galilee— and   "until  I  call 
 from  this  station,  from  this  land  !  " 
 
 *  The  same  Lange,  p.  1719,  strongly  under- 
 stands by  the  dXXoi  the  Lord  himself;  and  in  p. 
 1721  again—'-  Until  1  myself  come  to  fetth  h:m 
 home,  in  the  providential  arrangpuient  of  his  na- 
 tural death."  Is  not  violent  ueath  a  similar  provi- 
 dential arrangement  1 
 
792 
 
 RESTORATION  OF  PETER. 
 
 what  many  now  believe,  that  the  Apostle  is 
 really  still  alive?*  Then  the  final  coming  of 
 Jesus  is  not  meant.  Is  there  then  any  other 
 coming?  Assuredly,  according  to  the  Synop- 
 tics, the  Lord  speaks  of  a  first  coming  in  the 
 prelimmary  victory  of  his  kingdom  and  judg- 
 ment upon  his  enemies,  of  a  typical  manifesta- 
 tion in  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem;  and  in 
 J\I:ttt.  xvi.  2S  we  find  a  remarkable  parallel,  in 
 winch  it  is  promised  to  some,  as  it  is  promised 
 here,  that  they  should  not  die  until  they  had 
 seen  the  Son  of  Man  coming  in  his  kingdom 
 (comp.  Mark  ix.  1).  Let  it  not  be  said  that 
 this  IS  not  the  Johannenn  'Epx^fi^oci — John's 
 CPinlng  of  Christ.  This  would  be  as  if  this 
 Evangelist  had  his  own  peculiar  Chr'st ;  as  if 
 we  ought  not  to  look  in  him  for  a  perfect  agree- 
 ment with  the  words  of  the  same  Christ,  which 
 the  Synoptics  record.  Moreover,  and  as  far  as 
 I  know  this  has  never  been  sufficiently  no- 
 ticed, it  is  very  observable  that  that  promise 
 was  given  at  the  very  time  when  Peter  was 
 rebuked,  and  pointed  to  the  following  of  the 
 cross.  This  expressed  and  repeated  reminder 
 makes  in  fact  this  exposition  very  probable. 
 Thus  it  was  understood  in  antiquity,  as  may 
 be  seen  in  Theophylact;  Driiseke  rests  on  it 
 (whose  keenly  exegetical  sermons  we  have  so 
 often  cited),  and  so  also  does  Jacobi,  with  many 
 others  among  the  practical  expositors.  We  may 
 also  underlay,  if  so  disposed,  a  more  Johannean 
 and  general  meaning  still ;  with  Von  Gerlach  : 
 "  Even  to  the  consummation  of  the  Church." 
 But  this  exposition  is  altogether  too  indefinite 
 tor  such  a  meaning,  so  that  we  must  ask — 
 How  comes  it  here?  ."We  must  understand 
 and  establish  the  cl  -nological  element  in  this 
 i'p;ff<30a:i,  to  whica  the  eooi  points  special 
 attention,!  only  by  the  parallel  phraseology  of 
 the  Synoptics.  We  find  here,  finally,  a  very 
 plain  testimony  that  (to  adopt  the  old  canon 
 of  Muratori)  John,  with  the  other  Evangelists, 
 wrote  "  uno  ac  principal!  spiritu  de  gemino 
 adventu" — even  referring  also  to  the  two-fold 
 character  of  the  second  advent. t 
 
 *  The  legend  about  his  breathing  in  the  grave, 
 susceptible  of  a  beautiful  application,  is  this 
 Xoyoi  which  John  retutes,  re-produced  in  an- 
 other form.  See  J.  von  MuUer's  Lebcnsgcschichtc 
 (Werke,  vi.  34,  74,  106)  fur  his  appearances  and 
 the  expectation  that  he  would  come  a^ain  at  the 
 end  ot  the  days.  So  Banga  ( Wiedcraxfrichtwjg 
 Oc*  Reichs  Israel,  p.  83)  reckons  him  one  ol  the  two 
 witnesses,  llev.  xi.  3. 
 
 f  B.-Crusius  makes  all  too  indefinite — "  He  was 
 to  see  I  he  victory  of  Christ's  cause;"  and  again — 
 "  To  h.m,  iho  contemplative  Apostle,  an  insight 
 into  the  develoi)meiit  of  that  cause  is  promised." 
 Lmke,  admitting  the  manifest  refeienco  to  liis  fu- 
 ture coming  to  judgment,  would  understand  the 
 answer  of  Christ  in  the  light  of  the  notions  which 
 were  then  prevalent  as  to  Is  vmr  approach.  It 
 this  is  an  nc  ual  answer  of  Chiist  himself,  such  a 
 thought  is  absoiuteiy  out  of  the  question. 
 
 \  W.  Ilofmann  (Misiionsfragcn,  i.  215)  says : 
 •"Ihero  is  but  one  word  in  the  Gospel  of  John 
 (this  oue)  which  speak.--  ol  Chiiit's  leLuin,  uieauing 
 
 Finally,  although  we  TrillinsTy  actnowTecfgw, 
 on  account  of  the  parallel  in  Matt.  xvi.  23,  the 
 reference  to  the  catastrophe  of  Jerusalem, 
 which  John  survived,  and  therefore  saw  th* 
 Lord's  kingdom  come  with  power,  yet  the  mat- 
 ter does  not  seem  exhausted  or  definitely  settled 
 by  that  reference.  For — taking  this  very  par- 
 allel into  account — should  not  the  Anosna 
 John,  as  here  contradistinguished  from  Poter, 
 receive  a  promise  which  referred  peculiarly  to 
 himself?  Can  we  suppose  the  Lord  to  have 
 simply  numbered  him  with  those  certain  ones  to 
 whom  the  promise  had  already  been  given? 
 Thus  the  seeing  of  the  Lord  coming  in  his  judg- 
 ment (for  to  this  end  he  was  so  long  to  remain) 
 seems  still  to  indicate  something  exceptional 
 for  himself — and  who  that  holds  the  Apr/calppsa 
 to  be  John's  (as  it  truly  is)  would  not  think  of 
 (hat  ?  In  this  Apocalypse  John  "  beh^'ld  in 
 these  events  the  Lord's  coming" — and  can 
 we  think  that  "  it  was  not  meant  directly  or 
 subordinately?"  (Luthardt).  We  think  that 
 that  in  which  a  prediction  is  proved  to  be  so 
 perfectly  fulfilled,  must  have  been  itself  from 
 the  beginning  intended.  Shortly  before  the  de- 
 struction of  Jerusalem,  almost  contempora- 
 neously, but  anticipating  it,  "  came"  the  Lord 
 for  John  inasmuch  as  he  manifeded  to  him  his 
 coming,  and  made  him  the  witness  of  the  sub- 
 lime Behold,  J  come!  which  pervades  the  entire 
 Revelation.  We  will  not  extract  the  profound 
 and  exhaustive  note  of  Bengel  upon  the  ^&'J 
 epxofiai ;  but  we  will  refer  to  it,  and  without 
 hesitation  avow  that  we  perfectly  agree  with  it- 
 Nothing  but  this  last  reference  seems  to  us  to 
 correspond  perfectly  with  the  word  of  the  Lord 
 concerning  John,  because  it  alone  altogether 
 marks  out  his  personality  in  relation  to  that  of 
 Peter. 
 
 For  the  two  personalities  of  Peter  and  John 
 in  this  history  and  discourse  are  a  ty^ie  of  uni- 
 versal significance  :  this  sets  the  seal  upon  our 
 understanding  of  the  whole.  Every  thing  spe- 
 cial in  relation  to  these  two  disciples  "becomes 
 to  us  universal,  when  we  come  to  Christ,  and 
 thereby  enter  the  circle  of  the  disciples" — a3 
 Rudelbach  excellently  says.  The  historical 
 persons  of  these  two — in  this  narrative  and 
 every  where  to  the  end — how  sharply  defined 
 do  they  stand  before  us  !  The  common  saying 
 — in  part  justifiable,  especially  in  relation  to 
 John  xix.  26,  27 — which  makes  John  the  dis- 
 ciple of  love,  does  not  hold  good  in  any  sense  of 
 contrast  to  Peter.  Here  Peler  is  the  loving, 
 John  the  beloved,  disciple;  although  the  former 
 could  love  only  as  being  loved,  and  the  latter 
 be  loved  only  as  loving.  Peter  is  the  acting, 
 John  the  conieinjilalive  disciple — as  is  seen  in 
 vcr.  7  of  this  narrative.     Peter  is  energetic  ex- 
 
 tieither  the  final  judgment  nor  the  spiritual  coming 
 through  the  Holy  Spirit."  In  this  wo  rgtee,  but. 
 not  with  his  further  remark,  that  all  the  d:s- 
 cour.sos  of  the  Lord  taken  together  <:ive  us  no 
 clear  view  of  the  dis'Jnction  between  a  second  or 
 iiitei  mediate  coming  and  the  final  one.  The  dia* 
 tiuctiou  is  in  this  passage  clear  enough. 
 
JOHN  XXI.  15-22. 
 
 793 
 
 eernally,  John  internally  profound— therefore 
 the  former  is  restlessly  moved,  the  latter  in- 
 wardly still.  The  longer  Peter  lives,  the  more 
 conflict  and  trouble  is  there  in  his  work  (so  to 
 Paul  also,  who  stands  with  him  in  this)— and 
 finally  the  cross  But  to  John  is  the  waiting 
 promised  ;  that  is,  assuredly,  a  still  abiding  and 
 holding  out  in  the  bloodless  martyrdom  of  re- 
 nunciation of  the  world ;  less  affected  by  the 
 conflicts  and  tribulations  of  the  age,  he  wan- 
 ders calmly  through  all  toward  eternity.  Peter 
 is  the  beginning,  John  the  end,  of  the  Church 
 and  of  the  apostolical  office;  to  the  former 
 IS  the  cross,  to  the  latter  the  revelation,  pro- 
 raised  by  the  Lord.  What  Peter  founds  is 
 maintained  and  consummated  in  its  deepest 
 meaning  by  John.  And  according  to  this  are 
 developed,  as  Lange  says,  "  the  two  most  essen- 
 tial fundamental  characteristics  of  Christ's  gov- 
 ernment of  his  Church  in  this  world,  in  the  con- 
 trast of  ilie  Fetrine  and  the  Johannean  type  of  the 
 Church"*  The  Johannean  type,  that  is,  "  ex- 
 fcibits  the  Church  in  her  calm  depth,  in  her 
 eagle-like  hovering  above  the  world,  in  her 
 spiritual,  angelic  concealment;  as  she  suffers 
 indeed  tiie  deepest  sufferings  of  Christ  in  her 
 inmost  lile,  but  withdraws  from  the  e.\ternal 
 persecutions  of  a.  rude  world,  not  through 
 unfaithfulness  or  avoidance  of  suffering,  but 
 through  the  heavenly  purity  and  elevation  of 
 her  nature."  We  may  in  a  certain  sense  say 
 that  John  is  the  "  invisible  Church  "  (as  the 
 doubtful  word  now  runs)  concealed  still  in  the 
 bosom  of  her  Lord,  abiding  in  her  Patmos 
 while  the  storms  rage  around. f  But  we  must 
 rot,  like  Fikenscher,  give  up  entirely  the  his- 
 lorico-personal  reference  of  the  word  to  John 
 himseli,  and  give  it  a  merely  mystical  interpre- 
 tation ;  '•  This  John,  that  is,  the  invisible 
 Church  must  remain  until  the  Lord  comes,  that 
 is,  never  die  because  it  cannot  die."J  Against 
 all  such  hasty  and  superficial  interpretation 
 ver.  23  is  directed,  with  its  plain  and  direct  re- 
 ference to  the  word  spoken  for  this  disciple. 
 That,  on  the  other  hand,  is  true  in  itself  which 
 Lange  (Sttul.u.  Krit.  1839,  i.  59,  60)  intimates 
 conjerning  the  Johannean,  Church  which  will 
 become  prominent  at  the  end  of  the  days,  be- 
 fore the  Lord  properly  comes.  But  "this  is 
 nothing  more  than  what  many  have  from  the 
 
 *  Jn  this  there  is  something  much  more  deeply 
 and  essentially  true  than  iu  our  modern  exagger- 
 ated notion  of  the  Petriue  and  the  Pauline  in  the 
 history  of  the  Church. 
 
 ■f  For  the  Seer  teslifips  and  will  be  seen  and 
 known  ;  the  wait.ng  for  the  luture  is  present.  The 
 Johannean  element  in  the  Church  i- — in  opposi- 
 tion to  Lange's  v.ew  of  an  ideal,  free,  and  eter- 
 nal community — manifest  and  selt-appioving  from 
 the  beginning. 
 
 :|:  In  p.  208  Fikenscher  makes  the  misunder- 
 standing consist  expressly  in  the  assumption  that 
 Jesus  spoke  of  a  bodily  death.  John  left  it  for 
 the  spiritual  mind  to  perceive  the  spiritual  and 
 mystical  interpretation.  But  the  type  would  then 
 Le  baseless  without  historical  fouadatioa. 
 
 beginning  perceived,  and  the  mystically  deep 
 doctrine  and  words  of  John  belong  to  a  period 
 of  consummation  ;  that  his  Gospel,  and  still 
 more  his  Apocalypse,  was  written  for  full 
 understanding  in  the  future.  This  finally  justi- 
 fies the  typical  truth  of  the  significant  word  of 
 Jesus  for  the  continued  life  of  John  in  the 
 spirit,  and  for  his  breathing  in  his  seeming 
 grave.  Yea,  verily,  our  John  is  never  to  be 
 buried,  or  put  to  death,  or  bound;  he  continues 
 to  live— though  it  might  appear  in  our  ii me, 
 only  in  a  few  poor  books  and  minds — and  tes- 
 tifies for  the  Church  of  the  future,  silently  pre- 
 paring herself  for  her  revelation  and  work. 
 
 Let  every  man  think  this  out.  We  only  say 
 further — returning  to  the  practical  details — 
 Let  every  man  take  to  himself  the  word  which 
 suits  him  ;  either  that  which  was  given  to 
 Peter  concerning  the  crucifixion  of  self-will 
 which  must  be  perfect— or  the  other  promise  to 
 John,  who  was  as  willing  to  follow  as  Peter 
 was,  and  silently  prepared  to  do  so,  but  for 
 whom  the  Lord  appointed  another  way.*  If 
 any  Petev — as  is  often  repeated — is  tempted, 
 in  sympathizing  love  to  the  soul  of  his  brother 
 John,  blended  with  curiosity,  to  ask.  Lord  what 
 for  this  man?  let  him  learn  from  the  Lord'a 
 reply  to  meet  his  own  cross  in  labor  and  siiffer- 
 ing  obedience,  while  others  by  his  side  go  calm- 
 ly to  meet  their  revelation.  Whatever  the  Lord 
 may  have  said  during  this  manifestation  after 
 the  word  to  Peter,  is  passed  over  by  John,  who 
 thus  ends  the  apocalyptical  supplement,  and 
 the  Gospel  itself.  There  could  scarcely  have 
 been  much  more  said,  for  the  "until  I  come," 
 seems  to  be  spoken  just  belore  another  vanish- 
 ing, which  typified  the  final  disappearance  at 
 the  ascension.  Yet  we  admit  the  probability 
 of  that  which  Ebrard  confidently  concludes, 
 that  the  direction  to  meet  him  on  the  mountain, 
 of  which  we  hear  nothing  elsewhere,  was  given 
 here  at  the  sea  of  Tiberias,  j 
 
 The  Gospel  of  John  ends,  as  we  are  con- 
 vinced, with  the  subscription,  ver.  24,  down  to 
 ypd^jai  zavra,  "  wrote  these  things."  The 
 xai  oiSafiev,  "and  we  know,"  with  all  that 
 follows  we  do  not  ascribe  to  the  Evangelist 
 himself,  but  to  the,  as  it  were,  countersigning 
 Church.  The  seal  of  her  testimony  to  the  his- 
 torical truth  is  first  impressed  in  a  dignified 
 and  weighty  manner  by  the  fiaprvpia  avrov, 
 
 *  "  John  was  earlier  than  the  other  disciples 
 prepared  for  the  death  of  martyrdom,  as  the  most 
 perfect  sacrifice  of  obedience  to  God,  and  of  love 
 to  God  and  man ;  but  that  was  the  very  reason 
 why  he  was  not  to  taste  of  a  martyr's  de.ith. 
 John  consummated  in  his  lile  and  natural  death 
 what  the  martyrs  sealed  in  their  final  sacrifice, 
 namely,  the  victorious  manifestation  of  the  lov«; 
 of  God  and  man."  So  Christ.  Kiipplinger,  who 
 makes  this  also  the  reason  why  all  endeavors  to 
 put  him  to  a  violent  death  were  in  vain. 
 
 f  There  are  oiher  suppositions  possible,  but 
 not  what  Pl'enninger  imagines,  that  the  Lord  sev- 
 eral times  appeared  to  various  disciples  expressly 
 to  give  them  this  invitation. 
 
794 
 
 THE  COMMISSION  AND  PROMISES. 
 
 "his  witness,"  and  in  the  «/l7/0;;5  16tiv,  "is 
 true,"  the  seal  of  her  hiu:her  internal  assurance 
 of  truth  as  matter  of  faith.  But  then  (to  show 
 the  distinction)  the  artlesa  oi^cci  of  supposi- 
 tion (an  expression  impossible  to  John)  repro- 
 duces the  tirst  conclusion  of  chap.  xx.  30,  in 
 an  intensification  of  a  much  lower  character, 
 though  not  without  its  depth  of  meaning* 
 "  This  conclusion  does  not  speak  in  a  manner 
 so  altogether  unintelligently  exaggerated  " — in 
 this  Luthardt  is  riglit;  neverthelesi  the  au- 
 thentic conclusion  of  the  Evangelist  himself  is 
 in  much  purer  style,  and  in  a  higher  sense  preg- 
 nant in  meaning.  Lange  brings  out  only  the 
 lesser  and  negative  side  of  il  when  ho  says 
 how  characteristic  it  is  "that  John  should 
 close  his  Gospel  with  a  -word  which  removes 
 the  taint  of  tiie  dishonoring  legend  from  his 
 own  person  and  life,  in  order  to  exhibit  liis  own 
 image  in  that  simple  glorification  which  the 
 light  of  the  word  of  Ciirist  prepares  for  him." 
 "  The  disciple  who  wrote  these  things  "  stands, 
 
 rather,  in  the  shade  by  the  side  of  the  promi- 
 nent Peter,  in  order  that  this  retirement  into 
 the  background  may  become,  through  the  in- 
 terpreting word  of  Christ,  a  sacred  obscurity 
 out  of  which  the  voice  of  love  and  fellowship 
 may  resound  into  the  ears  of  all  such  souls  as 
 John's,  and  of  the  whole  Johannean  Churcli — 
 i  So  let  us  bear  witness,  faithfully  hold  fast  the 
 word  and  history  of  the  Lord,  tarrying  and 
 waiting  for  his  coming.  Compare  the  same  con- 
 clusion as  the  seal  of  the  whole  Scripture,  Pvev. 
 xxii.  20,  21.  John  knew  full  well  that  and  in 
 what  way  the  word  of  the  Lord  had  been  fal- 
 filled  in  his  own  person.  He  leaves  it,  how- 
 ever, in  sacred  obscurity,  that  he  may  not  .speak 
 more  concerning  himself,  but  point  on.vaid  by 
 this  word  of  further  applicatioa  tj  lis  own 
 progressive  and  continual  fulfiUraeut.  The  final 
 ri  Ttpoi  6s,  "  what  is  that  to  thoe?"  is  written 
 also  for  all  Petrine  one-sided  misunderstanding 
 of  the  Johannean  spirit  and  Lie. 
 
 THE  COMIillSSION  AND  PROMISES :  MISSION,  BAPTISM,  PEEACHING. 
 (Matt.xxyiii.  18-20;  Makk  xvi.  15-18.) 
 
 Here  we  have  two  more  Gospel  conclusions, 
 
 and  the  end  draws  near.  We  shall  alterwards 
 see  that  Mark  sums  up  the  final  AaAfZ^,  or 
 "speaking,"  of  the  Lord  in  a  manner  historic- 
 ally indefinite;  but  Matthew,  giving  only  a 
 hint  of  the  intervening  appearances  of  Jesus, 
 hastens  according  to  his  design  to  the  great 
 manifestation  upon  the  mountain  in  Galilee; 
 which,  although  not  the  last  at  his  ascension, 
 was  the  most  solemn  and  the  most  decisive  of 
 all,  inasmuch  as  it  included  the  final  commis- 
 sion and  promises  for  the  foundation  of  his 
 Church.  Ttiough  Mark  xvi.  15-18  is  most 
 probably  the  historical  parallel,  we  shall  for 
 the  sake  of  clearness  and  certainty  expound 
 the  text  of  Matthew,  and  then  supplement  it 
 by  reference  to  that  of  Mark. 
 
 In  vers.  7  and  10  "  the  mountain"  was  not 
 specihed,  as  it  is  in  ver.  16 ;  consequently  the 
 "appointed"  refers  to  an  intermediately  re- 
 ceived and  more  definite  commandment,  which 
 could  scarcely  have  been  a  mere  mediate  ap- 
 pointment tiirough  others.     Thus  here  we  have 
 
 "  Not  in  monstrous  hyperbole — as  Grimm  sppnks 
 in  unholy  hyperbole  himself.  According  to  lla- 
 maiin  John  here  sj>oke  the  trutli  of  his  heart — If 
 lie  had  written  only  as  a  mm,  he  micht  never 
 lijive  left  off  writing!  According  to  Weitzol — 
 Enough  now  !  tor  absolute  completeness  i.s  a  thing 
 hum.iily  impossible  to  be  achieved;  "with  some- 
 thing hke  an  indisposedne.ss  to  viiieh  u-riting,  as 
 l)pingnota  man  of  ielt"rs,  butof  Christian  deeds." 
 Thisls  a  matter  of  feeling  :  such  a  turn  a.s  this  i.s 
 most  ortensive  to  our  leeling  as  the  closing  word 
 of  an  IJvangel  st. 
 
 Matthew's  hint  that  he  does  not  record  all  the 
 appearances.  What  mountain  this  was  we 
 icnow  not.  Whether  the  probably  false  tradi- 
 tion, which  appropriates  the  earlier  transfigura- 
 tion to  Tabor,  was  derived,  as  Lange  thinks, 
 from  this  present  event  and  tiiis  mountain 
 being  confounded  with  that  former  one,  we  will 
 not  pause  to  inquire;  nothing  can  be  estab- 
 lished as  to  the  name  of  the  mountain,  nor  can 
 any  specific  connection  with  the  history  of  thft 
 transfiguration,  as  Hess  endeavors  to  trace  it,* 
 be  determined.  !More  important  is  the  ques- 
 tion whether,  as  Matthew  seems  to  say,  only 
 the  eleven  were  present;  and  we  are  fully  pet- 
 suaded  that  it  was  not  so,  but  that  the  ap- 
 pearance here  recorded  was  that  which  took 
 place  before  five  hundred  brethren  at  once,  1 
 Cor.  XV.  6.  Without  any  artifices!  of  expo- 
 sition, it  is  plain  at  the  outset  that  according 
 to  ver.  7  a  manifestation  of  Jesus  to  a  large 
 number  at  once  (as  again  in  ver.  10  quite  gen- 
 rally  to  the  Lord's  brethren,  see  on  John  xx. 
 17),  and  even  for  the  women,  was  expressly 
 promised.  As  by  the  mention  of  the  mountain 
 in  Galilee  the  Evangelist  himself  refers  us  now 
 to  these  directions    of  our   Lord,  the   promi- 
 
 *  He  thinks  that  both  occurrences  Mere  cer- 
 tainly on  the  same  mountain  ;  for  there  it  is  niTt- 
 reiy  ini  npoCconov,  here  npvCHvvEiv  ;  there 
 tear,  here  doubt;  iiiio6E\Qooy  jxirallel  in  both. 
 Matt.  xvii.  9  is  interpreted  in  such  a  way  as  to 
 make  it  probable  that  the  disciples  would  say — 
 We  saw  h.m  hero  thus  transfigured  before. 
 
 t  As  the  conjecturi*  of  Mchaelis  :  Oi  Si  evSs* 
 Ka  Kui  OL  fjiahtjrai. 
 
•MATTHEW  XXVIII.  18-20. 
 
 795 
 
 nonce  given  to  the  eleven — o£  Si  svSsHa — loses 
 in  its  connection  all  appearance  of  exclvisive- 
 ness  ;  and  we  must  at  least  supplement  it  thus 
 —They  went  to  the  place  which  Jesus  had  ap- 
 nointed  to  them  in  common  with  all  the  rest. 
 Thus  we  find  this  highest  and  central  manifes- 
 tation prepared  for  in  Matthew  :  by  the  pro- 
 mise of  Jesus  before  his  death,  chap.  xxvi.  32 
 — by  the  direction  of  the  angel,  chap,  xxviii.  7 
 — by  the  Lord's  confirmation,  chap,  xxviii.  10. 
 Now  follows  at  length  the  fulfillment.  Paul 
 most  expressly  attests  the  fact  of  such  a  gen- 
 eral assembly  ;  and  can  we  suppose  that  the 
 Evangelists  collectively  would  have  kept  si- 
 lence about  such  an  appearance  ?  Not  without 
 purpose  was  the  Lord's  specification  of  a  moun- 
 tain, as  a  scene  befitting  so  large  a  number. 
 Further,  the  evident  solemnity  of  the  dis- 
 course, vers.  18-20  (yea,  ver.  17  itself,  as  we 
 shall  see)  was  appropriate,  as  our  feeling  must 
 admit,  only  to  such  a  larger  assembly  as  would 
 represent  the  entire  discipleship.  It  is  for  this 
 reason  that  Matthew  gives  such  prominence  to 
 this  manifestation,  which  actually  possessed 
 that  character  of  finality  and  farewell  with 
 •which  it  is  here  at  the  close  of  all  invested. 
 That  he  gave  such  prominence  to  the  eleven  as 
 the  "  leaders  of  the  discipleship,"  as  the  Apos- 
 tles, whose  commission  and  promises  were  now 
 chiefly  concerned,  was  perfectly  natural ;  for 
 he  apprehended  no  misunderstanding  of  his  ac- 
 count, as  standing  in  such  connection,  and 
 being  the  matter  of  such  living  tradition.  We 
 agree  with  Olshausen,  that  this  great  assembly 
 of  those  who  were  gathered  together  by  the 
 Risen  Shepherd  from  their  dispersion,  this  sol- 
 emn assembly  announced  so  long  beforehand, 
 promised  in  such  various  ways,  and  at  last  ap- 
 pointed by  the  definition  of  the  precise  place, 
 "included,  it  may  be  supposed,  all  who  were 
 at  that  time  believers  in  the  Lord."  That  is  to 
 say,  so  far  as  it  was  possible  to  gaUier  them 
 together  in  one  place.  And  that  he  should 
 show  himself  to  this  little  existing  Church  as 
 risen,  was  a  grace  which  was  to  be  expected 
 from  the  Lord.  We  do  rot  indeed  say  with 
 Hess,  as  if  he  was  still  subject,  as  before,  to  the 
 conditions  of  time  and  space,  "  He  could  not 
 visit  them  all  individually."  But  we  regard 
 this  meeting  with  all  in  one  assembly,  instead 
 of  such  individual  visitations,  alone  worthy  of 
 our  Lord's  dignity,  and  suitable  to  the  nature 
 of  the  case. 
 
 Kinkel,  the  denier  of  our  Lord's  ascension 
 after  an  interval  of  forty  days,  regards  the 
 meeting  mentioned  by  Paul  to  have  been  com- 
 composed  of  too  large  a  number  for  times  pre- 
 ceding the  Pentecost,  and  would  therefore  place 
 it  as  far  forward  as  possible.  This  of  course  is 
 consistent  with  his  pre-conceived  views,  but  is 
 utterly  destitute  of  all  grounds. 
 
 In  this  view  the  doubling  of  ver.  17  (comp. 
 chap.  xiv.  31)  will  cause  us  no  difficulty.  We 
 need  neither  a.ssume,  v/ith  Beza,  o\.8e  instead 
 of  oL  Ss  ;  nor,  according  to  a  later  theory  {St. 
 u.  Kr.  1843,  i.  12i)  read  SudraSay  or  die- 
 6zTj6av,  as  if  the  saying  referred  to  an  amazed 
 
 separation  of  some  from  the  rest,  instead  of 
 joining  in  the  TtpodHwelv,  or  "  worshipping." 
 It  does,  indeed,  appear  unimaginable  that  any 
 of  the  eleven  Apostles  should  have  doubted, 
 especially  alter  all  that  Luke  and  John  have  so 
 expressly  recorded.  But  Matthew  is  not  thus 
 to  be  understood  ;  he  gives  us,  as  Ebrard 
 rightly  says,  an  intimation  in  this  circumstance 
 that  many  others  were  present  with  the  eleven. 
 The  Ird^aro  avroU,  "appointed  unto  them," 
 itself,  after  all  the  antecedents,  was  much  more 
 general,  and  meant  not  of  the  eleven  only  ; 
 connecting  his  words  with  this  he  continues  by 
 oi  ds,  "some,"  without  any  previous  ^wfV,  in- 
 stead of  TtvE?  ds,  as  we  confidently  assume, 
 with  Fritzsche  and  Winer — quite  similar  to 
 Matt.  xxvi.  67.  The  argument  which  had  been 
 brought  against  this  is  baseless;  particularly 
 is  that  one  baseless  which  is  derived  from  the 
 fact  that  "  TtpodhvvEly  is  to  be  understood 
 ordi/  of  bodily  prostration,"  and  that  that  alono 
 was  matter  of  scruple.  It  is  simply  thus: 
 The  eleven  especially  (and  many  with  them), 
 when  they  saw  him,  worshipped  (rtpo6EHt.vr]- 
 6av,  the  avr(^  may  be  spurious),  that  is,  they 
 fell  down  in  adoration  (since  it  certainly  in- 
 cludes mora  than  ver.  9  previously)  ;  but  sojne, 
 who  are  marked  as  relatively  few  by  the  oi  de, 
 douhted.  Doubted  ichai  f  We  say  with  Eb- 
 rard, "  not  whether  Christ  was  risen,  but  only 
 whether  this  was  the  Christ,  manifesting  him- 
 self." For  although  they  had  followed  the 
 summons  to  the  mountain,  and  had  been  in  the 
 company  of  the  Apostles  and  brethren  who 
 had  already  seen  the  Lord,  they  might  when 
 they  themselves  saw  him  first,  especially  if 
 standing  at  a  distance,  "  distrust  their  eyes  " 
 n  astonishment;  or  iail  to  believe  at  once, 
 simply  through  wonder  and  joy.*  This  is  in 
 the  highest  degree  natural,  and  a  trait  of  great 
 significance  in  the  very  short  account  of  Mat- 
 thew :  he  does  not  by  any  means  "  leave  a  sting 
 in  the  minds  of  his  readers  at  the  close  of  his 
 Gospel;"  but  testifies  the  glory  of  this  mani- 
 festation of  our  Lord,  and  the  benignity  with 
 which  he  condescended  to  glorify  himself  in 
 blessing  before  the  weaker,  nay,  the  weakest  of 
 his  disciples. t 
 
 *  Hasse:  "For  the  moment  (Aor.)  they  vi- 
 brated between  assurance  and  doubt  whether  it 
 was  he."  But  he  makes  this  the  re.sult  of  the 
 glorified  form  in  which  the  Risen  Lord  appeared. 
 
 t  Grotius  violates  the  text  when  he  translates — 
 They  had  (earlier,  hitherto)  doubted ;  and  even 
 Jul.  von  Muller  says — They  doubted  until  he  cnme, 
 not  afterwards.  But  if  they  had  come  as  doubt- 
 ers, where  would  be  the  antithesis  to  "worship- 
 ped ;"  why  did  not  these  convinced  doubters  at 
 once  fall  down  before  hira  like  Thomas  1  To 
 think  of  any  scruple  as  to  the  measure  of  honor 
 due  to  Clirist,  and  understand  the  8i6rd'^Eiy  as 
 meaning  a  doubt  whether  he  should  be  the  ol>ject  of 
 nfio6HvyEiv  (as  Lange  does,  finding  here  "  iho 
 first  elements  of  the  Ebionite  mind  "),  and  farther 
 to  regard  the  Lord  as  an.swering  that  doubt  in  ver. 
 18,  a'bsuring  them  that  the/  were  right  in  wor- 
 
796 
 
 THE  COMMISSION  AND  PROMISES. 
 
 Jesus  came  down,  tbat  is,  nearer  to  them, 
 more  close  to  the  circle  or  halt-circle  which 
 gathered  around  him:  this  and'his  great  words 
 were  sufficient  to  remove  all  doubt.  Pfennin- 
 ger  (whose  general  delicacy  of  feeling  is  not 
 without  its  exceptions)  very  improperly  imag- 
 ines that  "he  walked  graciously  around  among 
 the  multitude,  addressed  many  special  words  to 
 individuals,  approached  this  man  and  that  with 
 hints  and  words  of  love  which  suppressed  the 
 risings  of  involuntary  doubt."  Such  too  con- 
 fidential demeanor  towards  them  is  not  in 
 harmony  with  bis  appearances  generally,  and 
 certainly  not  with  this  one  in  particular ;  we 
 must  entirely  refrain  therefore  from  all  such 
 details.  npo6E\^oc)v—t\<xXr]6Ey—XEy  oa  v  , 
 "  came,"  "  spake,"  "  saying,"  are  inseparably 
 connected  in  the  majesty  of  this  appearance; 
 and  this  decisive  itfjodeXOaJv  forbids  us  to  find 
 here  in  the  following  words  of  Matthew  (as  in 
 Mark)  any  thing  like  a  compendious  summary 
 of  the  Lord's  discourses,  previously  and  sub- 
 sequently spoken.  This  confuses  the  whole 
 scene,  takes  away  from  the  word  which  was 
 delivered  its  immediate  historical  truth,  and 
 is  contrary  to  the  express  testimony  of  the 
 Evangelist.  Even  Mcu-k,  who  does  thus  com- 
 pendiously unite  chap.  xvi.  15  with  ver.  14, 
 only  gives  us  what  was  spoken  upon  the  moun- 
 tain in  Galilee,  at  this  great  manifestation  ;  we 
 must  not  so  misunderstand  ver.  19  in  his  ac- 
 count as  to  make  it  a  confusion  of  this  moun- 
 tain with  the  Mount  of  Olives.* 
 
 All  power  is  given  -dnto  me  in  heaven 
 AND  UPON  EAP.Tn.  What  a  word  is  this  ! 
 What  a  greeting  I  What  a  foundation  for  all 
 that  follows  I  This  is  far  more  than  a  govern- 
 ment of  teaching,  which  heaven  needs  not. 
 Upon  earth  he  is  King,  Lord,  Saviour;  hath 
 power  over  all  flesh  to  give  life  (John  xvii.  2) 
 — over  all  sinners  to  save  them — over  nature, 
 that  all  its  powers  may  serve  him  and  his 
 people  (see  Mark) — that  "this  earth,  upon  which 
 he  stands,  may  thus  become  heaven.  In  heaven, 
 whither  he  will  shortly  go,  all  things  are  simi- 
 larly subject  to  him  for  the  service  of  his  king- 
 dom upon  earth  ;  especially  has  he  power  to 
 Bend  down  from  above  his  Spirit  in  holy  influ- 
 ence and  government — hence  iy  ovijayGj,  "in 
 heaven,"  as  the  origin,  ground,  and  scat  of  his 
 domimon,  must  coTne  first.  As  to  his  govern- 
 ment over  all  the  nations  upon  earth  (which 
 
 shipping  him — all  this  is  altogether  alien  to  the 
 spirit  of  the  passase.  Thus  mnch  is  true,  that 
 the  iiubHmo  icords  which  followed  would  bo  Rufli- 
 cient  without  further  evidence  to  lake  away  all 
 doubt  as  to  tiie  identity  of  tliis  manifestation  with 
 the  Risen  Lord ;  as  Bengol  in  his  Germ.  N.  T. 
 remaiks,  "  Those  who  set  right  by  what  follows  " 
 — better  than  in  his  Gnomon,  "  Tlie  Peatecost  took 
 away  wiiatever  doubt  inig/tt  remain.' 
 
 •  In  th3  Gr.  Evatuj.  Nicod.  the  ascension  takes 
 place  on  this  Galileau  mouutaia. 
 
 are  presently  mentioned)  the  word  refers  back 
 to  Dan.  vii.  13,  14.  where   it  is  \chpy  Sept. 
 
 ^PXV — here,  more  comprehensively,  as  includ- 
 ing heaven,  tlov6ia.  (Otherwise  the  com- 
 mencement there  an'_  nfjl— waz  avrco  iSoQij 
 
 perfectly  corresponds  with  kSoOrj  /not.)  All 
 power  eveyi  in  heaven  :  that  goes  still  further 
 and  higher,  contains  literally  in  the  briefest 
 and  sublimest  words  what  apostolic:il  teaching 
 afterwards  developed  from  them,  Eph.  i.  20-22  ; 
 Col.  ii.  10 ;  1  Pet.  iii.  22,  etc.,  concerning  the  ex- 
 altation of  the  Son  of  Man,  grounded  upon  the 
 resurrection,  but  completed  in  the  ascension 
 which  necessarily  belonged  to  it.  All  the  angels 
 worship  him,  even  as  man  upon  earth  ;  the 
 Father  alone  is  excepted,  who  hath  given  to  the 
 Son  this  power,  in  the  unity  of  the  Holy  Spirit. 
 So  also  in  hell,  in  the  kingdom  of  death  under 
 the  earth,  whence  the  Risen  Lord  hath  come, 
 he  hath  all  power;  but  he  includes  this  latent- 
 ly in  the  ini  yi}?,  "on  earth"  (speaking  ac- 
 cording to  Gen.  i.  1),  because  he  is  going  on  to 
 speak  of  the  founding  of  his  kingdom  upon 
 earth  ;  because  he  leaves  out  hell  as,  although 
 still  existent,  yet  to  be  destroyed  in  his  victory: 
 and  because  he  is  about  to  proclaim  the  way 
 of  salvation  and  grace  only  for  those  upon  the 
 earth.  This  is  the  meek  and  lowly  Son  of  Man, 
 who  attributes  to  this  his  own  human  per.<on, 
 as  it  stands  humanly  before  the  eyes  of  the  dis- 
 ciples, divine  power  over  all  the  world,  and 
 therefore  divinity.*  "  The  mightiest  prince  of 
 earth  knows  well  that  he  only  for  a  short 
 space  has  a  piece  of  the  earth's  surface  under 
 his  swaj"- — and  this  Jesus  of  Nazareth,  who  had 
 not  where  to  lay  his  head,  says — To  me  is  given 
 all  power  in  heaven  and  upon  earth  "  (Scho- 
 naich).  For  the  time,  after  having  bowed  his 
 head  upon  the  cross  and  lifted  it  up  again, 
 he  only  walks  with  his  feet  upon  earth,  his 
 head  is  already  on  high. 
 
 Yet  be  qualifiers,  as  was  fit,  the  greatness  ol 
 this  word  in  a  human  mouth  by  the  'ESvOrj, 
 is  given,  which  in  the  humility  of  his  ma- 
 jesty is  necessarily  placed  first.  He  might  in- 
 deed, according  to  Jonn  x.  IS  and  xvii.  5,  have 
 said — I  now  take  back  my  divine  power  over 
 heaven  and  earth  ;  but  he  speaks  otherwise  in 
 order  to  express,  as  Draseke  says,  that  "  it  had 
 not  been  assumed,  enforced,  or  v.'rongly  ob- 
 tained " — The  Father  as  the  real  giver  hath 
 given  it  to  me.  He  gave  it  already  from  eter- 
 nity to  the  Eternal  Son,  as  we  have  read  also  in 
 Matt.  xi.  27.  But  now  also  in  his  humanity, 
 as  the  Ood-man,  which  scholastic  term,  though 
 it  was  beyond  Scripture,  is  nevertheless  almost 
 literally  contained  in  this  saying  (as  well  as  in 
 Col.  ii.  9).  This  kScQri  regards  the  ascension 
 as  already  come,  as  if  it  was  spoken  on  his  de- 
 parture; but  wo  must  not,  with  Kinkel,  press 
 
 *  In  connection  with  ver.  17,  as  Zinzendorf 
 paraphrases  :  "  It  must  l>o  so;  with  .^ll  my  lowli- 
 ness I  must  declare  it,  that  a  1  creatut^s  in.  heaven 
 and  earth  may  fall  down  before  mo,  that  ye  may 
 bow  your  knees:  It  must  be  so — I  -m  Le." 
 
MATTHEW  XXVIll.  18-20. 
 
 79T 
 
 the  word  too  far,  and  assume  that  it  must  al- 
 ready have  taken  place.  Nor  must  we,  like  Von 
 Gerlach,  contradict  the  •'^crlptu^e  and  say  that 
 "the  resurrection  of  Jesus,  and  not  his  ascen- 
 sion, was  his  entrance  into  the  new,  eternal, 
 divine,  and  heavenly  life,  as  in  it  all  power  in 
 heaven  and  upon  earth  was  already  given  to 
 him." 
 
 Luther's  translation  has  well  expressed  the 
 sense  by  the  therefore  ;  the  oZv*  is  not  genuine, 
 but  an  excellent  gloss,  as  expressing  the  real 
 connection  between  ver.  IS  and  ver.  19.  Yes, 
 verily,  therefore — because  I  am  the  Lord,  all 
 power  is  mine ;  go  forth  and  bring  all  into 
 subjection  to  me.  It  cannot  be  otherwise,  this 
 must  in  the  end  take  place.  (Meyer's  note: 
 "  I  am  the  ruler  of  the  world ;  therefore  faith 
 in  me  must  conquer.")  Pfenninger's  words 
 are  very  restrained:  "Thus  he  would  be  the 
 teacher  and  master  of  all  peoples,"  and  he 
 derives  this  from  the  Lord's  words  being  not 
 VII  or  d.%a.T  E,  subject — but  jttaOr/r  avGare, 
 teach;  but  we  understand  from  Mark's  plainer 
 words  that  he  is  more  than  a  teacher  and 
 master,  that  he  is  also  the  King  and  the  Judge. 
 Now  indeed,  it  is  his  will  that  the  word  of 
 faith  should  offer  all  men  salvation. f  There- 
 fore this  supreme  Potentate,  who  will  not  as 
 yet  otherwise  exert  his  power,  sends  su-h  mes- 
 sengers among  the  nations — "  he  attacnes  the 
 exercise  of  his  saving  authority  to  the  ministry 
 of  their  word"  ("as  some  one  has  said,  but  we 
 would  add :  He  does  not  altogether  attach  the 
 exercise  of  his  power  to  that  alone.) 
 
 UopevQavTEi,  Go  YE  !  This  has  here  in  its 
 wide  glance  overall  nations  a  mighty  emphasis, 
 and  says  to  the  Apostles  in  person  especially, 
 but  also  to  those  who  should  continue  their 
 uncompleted  mission  with  the  same  office  and 
 commission,  and  to  the  whole  missionary  Church 
 as  such,  that  there  must  be  no  pause  or  restric- 
 tion, no  rest  or  satisfaction  with  any  thing  that 
 is  won,  until  the  word  of  the  kingdom  is  car- 
 ried over  all  the  earth.  See  what  has  already 
 been  said  upon  the  preliminary  and  similar 
 Go  ye  and  -preach,  Matt.  x.  7 ;  this  holds  good 
 now  in  a  much  more  comprehensive  sense  of 
 the  progressing,  penetrating,  unresting,  un- 
 limited character  of  the  Christian  Church  and 
 its  messengers,  ministers,  representatives,  who 
 must  extend  it  every  where,  and  every  where 
 establish  its  new  foundations.^  Israel  never  in 
 the  Old  Testament  received  such  a  command- 
 ment to  go  forth;  not  till  its  last  dispersion  be- 
 fore Christ  was  a  kind  of  mission  among  the 
 Gentiles  pre-typified  and  prepared.  (But  see, 
 on  the  other  hand,  what  was  said  upon  Matt, 
 xxiii.  15,  of  self-originating,  arbitrary,  and  pre- 
 mature mission-work.) 
 
 *  Instead  of  this  we  must  not  put  vvv. 
 
 ■{•  To  ofTer  repentance  and  remission  of  sins 
 (Luke  xxiv.  47) — which  Lange  calls  the  "  calm, 
 gentle,  divine-human,  and  spiritual  character  of 
 his  power." 
 
 X  Travelling  preachers  means  more  than  preach- 
 ing travellers,  as  Lange  excellently  remarks. 
 
 Malce  disciples  (concerning  which  significant 
 juaOrfrevELv  we  must  speak  presently  at  length) 
 as  ye  now  are  my  disciples,  in  order  that 
 many  may  become  what  ye  have  become  (Acts 
 xxvi.  29).  By  this  it  is  proleptically  pre-sup- 
 posed  that  these  disciples  themselves  are  to  be 
 made  perfectly  such  through  the  Spirit  after 
 the  ascension  ;  it  is  not,  as  is  sometimes  said, 
 that  they  are  ideally  considered  to  be  so  al- 
 ready. And  now  this  word  implies  that  every 
 one  who  assumes  this  commission  to  himself,  is 
 imperatively  required  to  become  such  a  perfect 
 disciple.  And  whom  are  they  to  make  disciples 
 — whom  are  they  called  and  commissioned  to 
 endeavor  at  least,  with  all  their  might,  to  con- 
 vert, if  so  be  they  may  succeed  ?  All  peoples. 
 What  a  word  is  this  from  bis  mouth,  upon  this 
 Galilean  mountain,  and  spoken  to  this  little 
 company  surrounding  the  Lord  of  heaven  and 
 earth  !  What  a  task  !  We  cannot  say  at  once 
 with  Neander,  that  the  Lord  here  "  reminded 
 them  anew  of  their  calling  to  proclaim  the  Gos- 
 pel among  all  nations,  and  incorporate  men  of 
 
 I  all  races  into  his  fellowship  and  community  by 
 baptism  ;  "  for  where  had  he  said  this  so  plain- 
 ly anif  decisively  ?  By  hints  and  in  pre-supposi- 
 tions  this  had  been  many  times  spoken  of :  it 
 was  intended  in  the  mission  of  John  xx.  21 ; 
 but  how  first  does  he  openly  declare  it  as  the 
 commission  of  all  who  belong  to  him  and  are 
 his  dependents?  Mark — not  merely  the  Apos- 
 tles. But  we  say  once  more :  Even  if  ten  thou- 
 sand surrounded  him,  reckoning  among  them 
 the  best  of  the  world's  wise  and  great — what  a 
 task !  The  wisdom  and  power  of  the  whole 
 combined  world  is  far  too  weak  to  win  one 
 man  to  the  discipleship  of  our  Lord  Christ; 
 and  this  whole  world  is  itself  first  to  be  won. 
 Without  ver.  18  preceding,  ver.  19  would  be 
 an  inconceivable  thing;  therefore  he  placed  it 
 first — 2'o  me  is  the  power  given,  and  in  this 
 power  I  send  you  not  in  vain.  2h  me,  not  to 
 those  who  are  called  the  ap^ojTf  s  tov  k66,uov 
 in  any  sense,  who  pervert  their  physical  or 
 spiritual  power  against  my  kingdom,  who, 
 alas !  will  in  future  time  refuse  to  learn  of  me 
 what  is  the  true  l\ov6iay  and  what  its  proper 
 use.  Nevertheless  to  me  is  the  power  forever 
 given  over  and  against  them,  but  on  behalf  of 
 all  who  will  learn  and  submit.  Satan,  the  high- 
 est Ko6f.io}{p<xta}p  with  his  spirits,  tongues, 
 serpents,  poisons,  diseases,  shall  not  hurt  or 
 
 j  hinder  you,  because  ye  go  forth  in  the  power 
 which  I  promise  and  give  over  to  you. 
 
 How  are  we  then  more  strictly  to  understand 
 Ttdyza  td  eQvt/,  "all  [the]  nations?"  Cer- 
 tainly all  the  Gentiles  are  first  meant,  so  that 
 the  limitation  of  chap.  x.  5,  6  is  now  expressly 
 withdrawn.  This  contains,  therefore,  a  strong 
 and  absolute  protest  against  that  philosophy  of 
 nature  and  history  which  represents  that  the 
 races  of  mankitid  must  struggle  through  ages 
 of  progression  into  the  "  development  of  a  per- 
 fect religion,"  to  the  out-birth  of  the  "  God- 
 man."  The  measure  of  truth  which  is  in  all 
 these  speculations  (and  which  we  do  not  deny) 
 found  its  realization  when  the  fulncis  of  iimi 
 
79S 
 
 THE  COMMISSION  AND  PROMISES 
 
 tens  come,  after  heathenism  had  run  thron,2;h  its 
 paedagogic  course  before  the  appearance  of 
 Christ;  and  the  same  may  holds  good  in  the 
 dispensation  of  the  Gospel  as  a  pnsdagogic  and 
 long-forbearing  dispensation,  during  which  the 
 mission  among  the  heathen  only  by  degrees 
 reaches  its  consummation.  But  we  must  main- 
 tain and  hold  fast  that  all  nations  were  essen- 
 tially ripe  for  the  Gospel  when  the  Lord  uttered 
 his  "  Disciple  all  nations ;"  and  the  missionary 
 Church  has  never  since  had  authority  to  say 
 concerning  any  people  of  the  earth  that  it  must 
 wait,  or,  without  the  Lord's  own  prevention 
 (as  in  Acts  xvi.  6),  to  deny  to  it  the  Gospel. 
 This  great  and  decisive  word  impels  us  rather 
 to  perpetual  new  endeavors  ;  it  commands  us 
 to  announce  a  manifested  and  present  salvation 
 in  places  and  aniong  people  where  the  abomi- 
 nations of  fetish  superstition  have  assumed 
 developments  removed  to  the  very  utmost  from 
 the  spirit  of  the  Gospel.  Our  lofty  confidence 
 that  nations  may,  by  our  preaching,  make  the 
 one  leap  Irom  the  lowest  to  the  highest,  may 
 appear  in  the  eyes  of  that  speculation  sheer 
 folly  ;*  but  our  faith  knows  that  the  Lcyd  of 
 heaven  and  earth  has  the  right,  and  that  the 
 true  God-man,  come  down  from  above,  knows 
 the  races  of  men  which  are  prepared  for  him 
 and  are  his  possession.  There  has  been  an  echo 
 to  the  truth  ready  to  respond  in  every  human 
 heart  since  the  fall  ;  a  power  against  Satan, 
 who  holds  the  nations  in  fetters,  a  grace  and 
 gift  of  redemption,  which  can  outrun  all  natural 
 processes  of  development,  has  never  been  want- 
 irio;  since  the  Redeemer  has  gone  up  and  ob- 
 tained his  gifts  even  lor  the  rebellious.  He  is 
 now  himself  the  way,  and  the  end  of  the  way,  in 
 one. 
 
 So  much  concerning  the  Gentiles,  of  ^yhom 
 the  t^yri  leads  us  of  course  first  to  think.  But 
 as  to  hraell  We  find  a  very  incorrect  inter- 
 pretation of  the  word  current,  which  Helferich 
 has  reproduced  -.  "  The  loss  of  the  .Jews  was  to 
 be  the  good  of  the  Gentiles  ;  llie  unbelief  of  the 
 Jews  was  to  result  in  the  faith  of  the  Gentiles. 
 Israel  had  rejected  the  Saviour  altogether. 
 Jesus  had  said  to  the  house  of  Jacob — My 
 peace  be  with  you!  but  the  children  of  the 
 house  had  proved  unworthy  of  that  peace  ;  his 
 discipks  were  to  cast  the  dust  off  their  feet,  and 
 preach  the  Gospel  to  all  the  Gentiles  instead." 
 This  is  as  if  this  commandment  of  the  Lord 
 was  already  and  at  once  similar  to  that  after- 
 wards given  in  Acts  xxii.  18,  21,  which  itself  is 
 to  be  interpreted  only  in  harmony  with  Rom. 
 xi.  13,  14.  Although  many  from  the  bei^inning 
 have  thus  strangely  understood  the  wonl  i-^vrj, 
 it  is  nevertheless  absolutely  false.  That  would 
 be  as  \i  here  already ,  before  the  Pentecost,  before 
 
 *  Comp.  my  Kcnjktik.  2(1  ed.  p.  100.  Let  such 
 book.'s  as  Wultke's  masterly  Geschichte  des  Jleuhn- 
 thums  be  studied,  tliat  we  may  imdcrstand  how 
 the  divine  pmcrr  which  appoints  that  the  Gospel 
 shou'd  1)3  offered  at  once  to  all  nations  is  ojiposed 
 to  ths  theory  of  a  self-deve'oping  orgaoUra  of 
 Luman  seeking  and  striving  in  error. 
 
 their  judgment,  the  Lord  had  unconditionally 
 given  up  Israel.  In  fact,  Israel  is  now,  and 
 tor  all  the  future  included  among  the  nations, 
 as  Mark's  parallel  ".into  all  the  world"  shows, 
 and  here  also  the  preceding  "  and  in  earth." 
 According  to  Luke  xxiv.  47,  the  preaching 
 among  all  nations  was  to  begin  at  Jerusalem  ; 
 according  to  Acts  i.  8  they  were  to  be  hi3 
 witnesses  to  Jerusalem,  and  throughout  Ju- 
 d.iea  and  Samaria,  and  thence  to  the  ends 
 of  the  earth.  With  similar  comprehensive- 
 ness Simeon  had  spoken  in  the  beginning  of 
 the  New  Testament,  Luke  ii.  31,  32.  But 
 it  is  in  the  highest  degree  significant  that  in 
 this  wide  glance  Israel,  unclothed  of  his  pre- 
 rogative, is  no  longer  specificalljr  nameci,  is 
 merged  in  the  new  and  universal  aOvoi  which 
 is  the  election  of  God  (Acts  xv.  14),  and  in- 
 cluded among  all  the  i^iyrj  of  the  earth.  There 
 is  nothing  here  of  the  law  of  Moses,  in  the  place 
 of  which  is  now  all  that  Jesus  had  commanded, 
 ver.  20;  nothing  of  the  covenant  and  circum- 
 ciiion  as  its  sign,  the  place  of  which  (let  us  mark 
 it  well  beforehand,  we  shall  find  it  needful) 
 hap'ism  takes.*  The  disciples  did  not  indeed 
 enter  into  the  calling  of  the  Gentiles  ;  but  tho 
 argument  deduced  therefrom  by  the  recent 
 enemies  of  the  faith  that  Jesus  never  could 
 have  laid  such  a  command  upon  his  Apostles, 
 is  a  wilful  perversion.  For  (as  Ebrard  briefly 
 replies)  "  they  did  not  doubt  whether  Gentiles 
 genprally  were  to  be  received  into  the  Church, 
 but  only  whether  this  was  possible  without 
 previous  circumcision.  AVhat  their  thoughts 
 were  as  regards  the  Gentiles  generally,  see  Acts 
 viii.  26,  etc.,  and  xi.  20,"  etc.  As  respecti  the 
 Jacish  mission,  the  great  Apostle  of  the  Gentiles 
 has  most  expressly  witnessed  by  word  and 
 deed  that  it  must  go  on  parallel  with  that  to 
 the  Gentiles  to  the  end  of  the  age,  inasmuch  as 
 God  has  not  rejected  his  people  ;  and  not  only 
 so,  but  that  the  great  goal  exhibited  in  pro- 
 phecy, and  so  ardently  longed  for,  is  after  all 
 the  work  among  the  Gentiles,  finally  to  be  ex- 
 pftcted  (Rom.  xi.  13,  14). 
 
 Atvl  baptize  (hem.  This  brings  us  to  the  in- 
 stitution of  the  other  sacrament,  which  will 
 detain  \is  long;  but  before  we  go  further,  a 
 sound  exegesis  demands  that  we  rightly  trans- 
 late naOrjTEv6aTE,  disciple  ("  teach  "),  and 
 establish  its  true  connection  with  (Sanri'^ov' 
 r£5.  The  old  rendering  of  the  Vulg.  by  docete, 
 which  has  held  its  place  in  our  popular  trans- 
 lation, has  created  for  the  most  part  only  mis- 
 understanding and  obscurity  ;  although  noth- 
 ing can  be  more  plain  than  (hat  in  the  original 
 itself  the  naOrjrEvEiv  cannot  possibly  be  one 
 and  the  same  with  the  subsequent  SiSixGheiv  ; 
 and  that  (SiXzzi'^ovTEi  equally  with  8idd6Hoy- 
 TEi  must  be  an  clement  in  the  previous  com- 
 prehensive i.uxOrjTEi6aTE.    MaOrjrEva)  means 
 
 *  The  first  Gosp?l,  written  expressly  for  .Jews, 
 declares  in  wisdom  only  this  wo:d  ;  Luke,  on  tlie 
 other  hand,  i)resents  to  1  he  Gentile-!  llio  abiijin? 
 honor  of  Jerusalem,  the  kingdom  of  Israel  yet  tc 
 bo  expected. 
 
MATTHEW  XXVIII.  18-20. 
 
 799 
 
 first,discipulnss?<7nalicui,asin  Matt.  xxvu.  57; 
 and  then,  as  here,  I  make  another  a  dinciple,  see 
 Acta  xiv.  21,  and  Matt.  xiii.  52.  If  in  the  latter 
 passage  the  co-ordinate  idea  of  instruction,  ot  the  | 
 receivinc'  and  possession  of  knowledge,  ispro- 
 minent  ;*  and  if  in  Acts  xiv.  21  also  a  svay- 
 yeXzad/iitvot  ryy  TCuXiv  eHEivijyjtvecedes  the 
 /iaiijrsvdavzEi  iuavovi;  all  this  makes  the 
 two  things  clear— that  one  who  has  become 'a 
 Ha(^rjTi;<i"m  its  perfection  has  learned  from  the 
 Master;  and  that  a  general  Jirjpv6  6siv, 
 "  preaciiing,"  must  precede  as  a  condition  the 
 making  alT  nations  into  disciples.  But  this 
 MT/pn66£iy  is  b}'  no  means  on  that  account  the 
 subsequent  Si5<x6Keiv  for  those  who  are  re- 
 ceived as  beginning  and  actual  M^cOt^^ai ;  least 
 of  all  are  we  to  seek  merely  in  instruction  for 
 the  MaOrjreveiy  which  is  jireliminnry  and  intro- 
 ductory, and  so  translate — Teach  the  people,  all 
 the  individuals  of  all  nations,  each  one  for  him- 
 self, ttiat  and  in  what  manner  they  must  become 
 my  disciples.  The  English  Bible  has  retained 
 "  teach,"  but  says  more  accurately  in  the  mar- 
 gin— Make  discip!e8  or  Christians  of  all  nations; 
 and  Wesley  in  his  New  Testament  boldly  forms 
 the  new  word — Disciple  all  nations — as  it  has 
 been  similarly  expressed  by  our  old  expositors, 
 "quasi  discipulate."  Suffice  it  that  the  word 
 must  retain  its  full  and  comprehensive  mean- 
 ing, and  not  be  confounded  with  mere  preach- 
 ing or  mere  teaching  ;  that  exegesis  is  alone 
 right  which  construes  the  word  with  what 
 follows,  and  makes  the  following  participles 
 subordinate  to  the  one  imperative.  Nitzsch 
 (Pralt.  Theobg.  i.  214)  says  far  too  little 
 of  this  exposition — "  It  may  indeed  be  de- 
 fended " — lor,  in  fact,  every  other  may  be  surely 
 refuted.  Olshausen  says  with  good  reason 
 that  the  construction  admits  nothing  else 
 than  that  the  two  participles  are  the  constit- 
 uents of  the  nafjinevEiv.  So  Lange  :  "  Make 
 all  nations  into  disciples.  And  how  is  this  to 
 be  accomplished?  First,  by  baptizing  all  who 
 are  to  be  taught  in  infancy — and  then  by 
 teaching  the  sarae.j  The  first  general  direction 
 embraces  the  whole  ;  it  declares  their  whole 
 vocation."  This  exposition,  although  (it  ;,.ay 
 be,  by  accident)  we  do  not  find  it  in  antiquity, 
 is  not  properly  speaking  new,  for  it  is  perfect- 
 ly obvious.  It  has  long  been  urged,  as  we 
 shall  see,  in  favor  of  infant  baptism.  Bengel : 
 "  MaOt/T£v£iy  is  to  make  disciples,  and  embraces 
 baptism  and  teaching  in  this  place." 
 
 Olshausen,  consequently,  is   right  when  he 
 says :  "  The  passage  has  been  evidently  mis- 
 
 understood by  those  who  have  regarded  the 
 jitaOr;r£v6aTE  a.s  something  preceding  baptism 
 (and  necessary  in  every  individual  case),  and 
 who  therefore  take  the  meaning  to  be — First 
 instruct,  then  baptize  them."  This  perversion 
 of  the  word*  is  indeed  of  high  antiquity,  and 
 has  always  been  very  prevalent,  but  it  is  not 
 thereby  justified.  In  the  Clement.  Const,  wo 
 read :  ""  You  must  first  remove  from  them  all 
 their  ungodliness,  then  instruct  them  in  all 
 godliness,  and  so  make  them  worthy  of  bap- 
 tism " — and  that  may  contain  an  element  of 
 truth  as  respects  adults.  But  even  as  re- 
 spects these  it  borders  upon  an  unapostolical 
 delay  of  those  means  of  grace  which  give  the 
 power  to  comply  with  such  conditions  ;  and  in 
 any  case  it  is  not  the  true  exposition  of  that 
 wliich  the  Lord  lays  down  here  as  his  ap- 
 pointment. When  Abbot  Alcuin  {Epp.  xxviii. 
 xxxvii.)  gave  Charlemagne  his  counsel  against 
 the  baptism  of  the  Saxons,  and  spoke  of  "  the 
 external  rite  being  rendered  useless  unless  the 
 knowledge  of  the  faith  preceded  in  the  soul, 
 which  is  gifted  with  reason,"  his  scruple  was 
 very  proper;  but  he  missed  his  way  when  he 
 grounded  it  upon  the  common  exegesis  of  this 
 passage — "  The  Lord  himself  commanded  that 
 the  laith  should  first  be  taught,  then  baptism 
 administered."  However  true  this  may  be  of 
 adults,  and  it  is  well  understood  by  all  in  our 
 day  who  do  not  aim,  like  Charles,  at  wholesale 
 indiscriminate  baptism,  yet  the  Lord  did  not  in 
 this  place  denote  a  previous  Kr]ph66£iVy  iiume- 
 diafely  and  alone,  by  the  uaOr/r£v£iy. 
 
 Nor  is  Grotius  right  when  he,  to  retain  the 
 manifest  distinction  from  the  subsequent  6i9d- 
 6H£iy,  maintains  that  there  is  a  "  double  kind 
 of  teaching,  one  by  means  of  the  Ei^aycoyij; 
 rmy  eToixEiovjuevuoy ,  the  other  by  means  of 
 diSaduaiiai.  The  former  seems  'to  be  indi- 
 cated by  the  word  paOr/T£veiy,  that  is,  as  it 
 were,  D  initia'e  into  discipline,  and  is  placed  be- 
 fore baptism  ;  the  latter  by  the  word  8idd6H£iy, 
 which  is  here  placed  after  baptism  "  (as  if  the 
 locatio  jva  et  post  was  not  quite  difiTerent  in 
 the  construction).  'Y\iQ  luaOijrEVEiv  is  by  no 
 means  the  uariixiuy,  which  is  then  followed 
 by  the  £itiyyco6iiy  according  to  Luke  i.  4,  or 
 even  Acts  xviii.  25.  We  shall  not  mention  at 
 length  other  rash  and  arbitrary  interpretations 
 which  occur  from  the  earliest  times  ;  such  e.  g. 
 as  that  of  Greg.  Nyss.,  who,  when  he  would 
 
 *  MaiiTiT£V£iv  does  indeed  occur  with  this 
 specilic  meaning,  e.  g  ,  Ignatius  ad  Rom.  a  nodirj- 
 T£hoyr£i  IvreXXEOBs. 
 
 ■f  Heb.  vi.  2  speaks  possibly  of  the  /3anridu6i 
 SiSaxvi)  of  the  baptism  which  receives  and  dedi- 
 cates for  subsequent  teaching.  Yet  on  account 
 of  ttie  plural  (because  there  was  not  more  than 
 one  kind  of  such  baptism  of  instruction),  and  in 
 the  connection  of  the  whole  passage,  we  prefer — 
 Doctrine  of  the_(various)  baptisms.  To  discrimin- 
 ate the  two  words  as  two  stages,  ia  certainly  fa'se. 
 
 *  This  is  the  letter  of  Scripture  on  which  the 
 Baptists  rest,  as  if  the  law  of  the  kingdom  was 
 here  set  down — "  Preach  the  Gospel  to  every  crea- 
 ture. Some  will  believe,  some  will  not.  These 
 who  heliere  baptize  and  teach,"  or,  "The  preaching 
 for  all ;  baptism  for  those  who  believe  ;  doctrine 
 for  those  who  are  baptiz?d."  We  shall  sufflciently 
 refute  this,  and  give  all  reasonable  and  moderate 
 opponents  of  infant  baptism  evidence  that  we  do 
 not  violate  any  fundamental  law  of  Christ  in  bap- 
 tizing children.  We  shall  show  that  the  words  in 
 Mark,  which  seem  to  favor  their  order,  should  be 
 expounded  according  to  Matthew,  aad  not  con- 
 versely. 
 
'^ 
 
 THE  COiMMISSION  AND  PROMISES. 
 
 establish  the  distinction,  so  fruitful  in  danger 
 to  theolog}-,  between  the  IOikov  {t)fJiH6v)  uepoi 
 and  the  8oyf.i(y  rtnv  dnpifteia,  refers  {Ep.  vi.) 
 to  Matt,  xxvi-;  19,  where  ^.aOtj^c-jCiarF.  bp- 
 forehand  indicates  the  instruction  of  faith,  but 
 TTjpElv  TTaV rathe  instruction  of  morals.  How 
 is  this  to  be  derived  from  the  words?  We 
 should  rather  say  that  in  its  order  and  mean- 
 ing fjanri'^ity  stands  as  the  heginning  point  of 
 ihe-  naOr/revetv,  or  more  strictly  as  its  first 
 ])reliminary  fulfillment,  inasmuch  as  a  baptized 
 person  has  become  thereby  a  commencing  fia- 
 Orfn/i,  who  may  and  will  learn  more.  The 
 "teaching  to  observe  all  things"  brings  first 
 the  consummation  of  the  discipleship,  and  it  is 
 made  a  subordinate  member  of  the  sentence  as 
 parallel,  with  the  baptizing:  thus  the  great  and 
 comprehensive  ftaO?^r£veiv,  disciple,  embraces 
 the  whole  up  to  that  consummation  of  disciple- 
 ship. We  may  say  preparatorily  (before  we 
 come  to  infant  baptism),  and  with  exegetical 
 propriety,  that  it  must  depc-nd  upon  the  closer 
 relations  and  necessity  of  the  case  whether  the 
 baptizing  or  the  teaching  should  rather  take  the 
 precedence ;  the  word  here  decides  nothing  on 
 that  question.* 
 
 All  this  will  come  in  order,  but  now  first  for 
 the  word  Baptize.  None  of  our  readers  will 
 be  disposed  to  hold  with  the  Quakers  and  So- 
 cinians,  who  either  give  an  internal,  spiritual 
 meaning  to  (his  baptize,\  or  refuse  to  perceive 
 in  it  any  ordinance  lor  future  times. J  For 
 what  the  well-known  word  meant  from  the 
 tirrje  of  John  the  Baptist,  the  Apostles  must 
 have  understood  also  ;  and  in  that  sense  alone 
 could  ttiey  have  received  it.  If  the  general 
 commandment  in  Matt,  was  not  sufiicient  to 
 
 ♦  Not  therefore  so  decisively  on  the  other  side 
 as  many  old  defenders  of  infant  baptism  used  to 
 assert,  e.  g.  J.  Winkler:  "  Tlio  Lord  prescribes 
 two  means  for  the  juaOrfreveiv,  the  ftanziZEiv 
 in  respect  to  the  li;tle  ones,  the  dtSadhsiy  in 
 respect  to  tiie  adults."  Wiiere  then  would  be  the 
 institution  of  the  first  mission-baptism  for  adults. 
 
 f  Only  ihe  one  baptism  of  Christ,  Eph.  iv.  5,  re- 
 mainins  as  bcinu  valid,  but  not  being  a  baptism 
 with  water,  1  Pet.  iii.  21.  The  water  was  done 
 away  with  tlie  symbolical  baptism  of  John;  and 
 that  Matt,  xxviii.  19  must  be  understood  of  water 
 har)liim  is  ihe  pctitio  priiicipti  which  has  caused  the 
 universal  error  of  tiie  Ciiurch. 
 
 t  The  Lord  ajjpointed,  to  wit,  such  ordinances 
 for  tiie  Jake  <if  liiose  who  first  i)assed  from  hea- 
 thenism to  Christianity,  because  "  at  that  period 
 some  external  rite  was  necessary  for  their  initi- 
 ation," as  now  in  our  missions.  Accordingly  it  is 
 mide  a  question  whellier  Christ  did  not  mean  by 
 baptism  a  dipping  into  instruction,  a  mere  teach- 
 ins.  Sf)  Soonus,  dc  Bapt.  Hence,  in  Ihe  Macov. 
 Catcc\.  Qu.  o33:  "  Wiiat  is  thy  faith  touchins;  the 
 water  of  baptism  7  That  it  is  Ihe  external  rite  by 
 wliicli  men  comins  from  Judaism  or  heathenism  to 
 Cln-istianity  publicly  professed  that  they  acknow- 
 Icdfied  ChrisL  as  Lord."  And  Qu.  546  :  "  Are  in- 
 fants capable  of  this  rite  ?  By  no  means.  For 
 there  is  uo  command  or  example  in  Scripture." 
 etc. 
 
 establish  (he  permanent  obligation  of  (his  bap- 
 tism by  water,  indubitable  testimony  is  borna 
 by  Mark  xvi.  16.  God  had  from  the"  times  of 
 the  Gentile  and  Jewish  washings  prepared  the 
 way  gradually  for  the  expressive  symbol;  the 
 baptism  of  proselytes  (a  custom  existing  most 
 ceitainly,  as  Schneckenburger  shows,  at  that 
 time,  and  essential  to  the  consideration  of  the 
 question)  was  the  point  of  connection  fur  tlie 
 firit  express  commandment  of  God  to  John,  to 
 do  with  the  Jews  as  they  were  accustomed  to 
 do  with  the  Gentiles.*  This  commandment 
 of  God,  as  we  may  thus  establish,  did  not  be- 
 long to  the  transitory  ordinances  of  the  Old 
 Testament;  but  it  was  a  type  and  commence- 
 ment of  the  New-Testament  sacrament.  The 
 Lord  himself  had  submitted  to  baptism,  and 
 had  further  baptized  by  his  disciples.  When, 
 therefore,  he,  to  whom  "was  given  all  power  in 
 heaven  and  earth, appointed  in  divine  authority 
 a  baptism  of  the  future  Church  to  be  gathered 
 from  all  nations — who  can  otherwise  under- 
 stand it  than  as  we  find  it  immediately  after- 
 wards in  the  apostolical  history?  Ashe  had 
 formerly  prophesied  in  John  vi.  concerning  the 
 Supper,  so  also  he  had  prophesied  to  Nico- 
 demus,  chap.  iii.  5,  and  with  evident  reference 
 to  the  baptism  of  John,  concerning  the  water 
 which  he  would  retain,  establish,  and  conse- 
 crate as  the  medium  of  entrance  into  his  king- 
 dom— see  what  was  said  upon  that  passage.! 
 Thus  here  at  his  departure,  when  he  (as  even 
 Lutz  is  obliged  to  admit)  "  certainly  introduced 
 only  the  most  essential  ordinances,"  he  ap- 
 points thereby  once  more  an  external  "  Do  this;" 
 but  infuses  into  it  a  power  and  a  promise, 
 spii-itual,  divine,  and  proceeding  from  his  glori- 
 fied life.  Let  it  be  observed  in  all  simplicity 
 that  the  Supper  and  Baptism  are  the  onli/  two 
 commandments  and  ordinances  connected  at 
 the  same  lime  with  an  external  thing,  which 
 he  leaves  behind  to  his  Church.  As  those  who 
 already  belong  to  him,  being  his  disciples,  and 
 who  are  already  purified  by  a  first  washing 
 away  of  sin,  remember  him  and  partake  of  him 
 in  the  sacrament  of  the  Lord's  Supper,  and  at 
 the  same  time  in  confession  are  thereby  to 
 show  forth  him  and  his  death — so  was  it  neces- 
 sary that  the  young  diiciplcship  should  have  an 
 external  mark  of  their  acceptance  into  it.  Al- 
 though this  baptism  must  of  course,  according 
 to  the  power  and  reality  of  the  New  Testament, 
 
 •  Only  thus  can  we  understand  the  baptism  of 
 Jol  n  according  to  is  point  of  connection  and  sig- 
 nificance. A  later  introduced  baptism  of  prose* 
 ly;es,  wh'ch  would  have  been  partly  a  protest 
 against  John,  partly  a  mockery  of  the  Christians, 
 is  therefore  quite  inconceivable. 
 
 f  Socinus  asserts :  "  No  man,  though  the  most 
 bif.er  defender  of  water  baptism,  can  doubt  that, 
 such  bapt'sra  must  be  excluded  here,  wheie  water 
 is  required  as  essentially  necessary  to  salvation." 
 lie  then  explained  l^  vSaroS  of  repentuee, 
 though  inconsistently  admitting  the  validity  of  the 
 external  rite  in  the  two  Evangelists,  notwithstand* 
 iug  their  duOtjCerai. 
 
MATTHEW  XXVIII.  18-20. 
 
 801 
 
 bring  much  more  than  a  mere  nota  prqfemonis 
 or  sign  of  profession. 
 
 It  is  more  than  and  different  from  the  hap- 
 tismof  John,  which  indeed,  like  the  Baptist  and 
 preacher  of  repentance  himself,  stood  in  the 
 middle  transition  between  the  two  Testaments, 
 demanded  not  merely  a  s3'mbolical  but  a  real 
 repentance,  preporatonly  communicated  a  for- 
 giveness of  sins  through  the  Coming  One  to  the 
 penitent,  though  by  no  means  the  Holy  Spirit 
 unto  the  full  new  birth.*  Thus  that  was  no 
 pacrament ;  but  the  baptism  which  Christ  now 
 appoints,  is.  Calvin  zealously  defended,  though 
 by  specious  arguments  easily  refuted,  the  per- 
 fect similarity  between  the  Christian  baptism 
 and  that  of  John  the  Baptist  ;t  the  old  Luth- 
 eran divines,  also,  from  Gerhard  downwards, 
 were  of  the  same  opinion.  But  this  will  not 
 mislead  those  who  on  other  and  sufficient 
 grounds  understand  the  question  differently, 
 and  who  cannot  reconcile  themselves  to  such 
 an  unjustifiablo  blending  of  the  preparatory, 
 prophetic,  commencing  usage,  to  which  repent- 
 ance and  the  first  forgiveness  of  sins  belonged, 
 with  the  sacrament  of  the  new  birth  for  full 
 incorporation  into  the  Church  of  Christ,  which 
 brings  with  it  the  Holy  Spirit.  For,  as  Von 
 Meyer  writes  on  this  subject  •.  "  The  kingdom 
 of  heaven,  for  which  the  Baptist  dedicated  the 
 people,  lay  yet  in  the  obscure  future.  This 
 much  only  took  place,  that  the  sinner  longing 
 for  grace  obtained  a  more  definite  and  spiritual 
 conviction  of  that  for  which  his  heart  longed. 
 The  consolation  was  as  yet  always  prophetic  ;t 
 the  person  baptized  might  assure  himself  of  a 
 participation  in  the  coming  kingdom  of  the 
 Messiah;  but  the  true  purging  of  the  con- 
 science and  pacification  of  the  soul  was  not  yet 
 come.  We  are  not  baptized  with  the  baptism  of 
 John ;  for  that  into  which  John  baptized  as  future. 
 
 *  Tlius  the  distinction  is  certainly  not  as  repre- 
 sented in  Melancth.  Loc.  Com. — not,  recttsseme  but 
 contrary  to  Scripture :  "  Tiie  baptism  of  John 
 was  termed  a  baptism  of  repentance ;  Christ's 
 bapti.'^m — a  baptism  for  the  remission  of  sins  !  " 
 
 f  Listi't.  lib.  iv.  cap.  xv.  ()  7,  8.  lie  very  easily 
 dispatches  Matt.  iii.  11,  for  the  servants  of  the 
 Lord  evea  now  only  present  tho  water.  "  What 
 beyond  that  could  the  Apostles  do  1  and  those 
 who  baptize  now  1  They  are,  forsooth,  the  minis- 
 ters of  the  external  sign,  Christ  the  author  of  the 
 interior  "race."  For  he  knows  nothing  of  the  sac- 
 ramental connection  between  the  now  first  given 
 Spirit  of  regeneration  and  the  water.  Oetinger 
 al^o  striking. y  errs,  when  he  {Tkcol.  ex  idea  vitcB,  p. 
 828)  only  makes  a  distinction  according  to  "the 
 degree  "  though  "  th.^  grace  is  alike,"  and  even 
 says:  "John  baptized  into  the  Father  and  into 
 the  Spirit,  as  well  as  into  Christ:  because  he  bap- 
 tized into  the  remission  of  sins." 
 
 X  Assuredly  so,  rightly  understood.  For  even 
 that  forgiveness  of  sins  to  tliose  who  confessed 
 in  sincere  repentance,  which  we  miy  not  deny  ac- 
 cording to  iLuke  iii.  3,  was,  as  during  the  O.-T. 
 times,  not  such  a  perfect  forgiveness  r.s  that 
 which  the  Lfrmb  of  God  who  afterwards  took 
 *way  sin  could  give. 
 
 we  are  baptized  into  as  come."  The  passaga 
 most  decisive  for  the  essential  difference  of  the 
 two  baptisms,  notwithstanding  the  real  trans- 
 ition from  one  to  the  other,  is  the  account  in 
 Acts  xix.  1-7.  For  here  it  is  assuredly  re- 
 corded, as  the  Vulg.,  Syr.,  and  all  the  old  ver- 
 sions understood,  that  the  twelve  men  were 
 again  baptized  by  Paul  with  water;  that  is, 
 they  were  now  baptized  with  the  true,  sacra- 
 mental water.  The  usual  method  of  defending 
 this  text  against  the  doctrine  of  re-baptism" 
 (the  advocates  of  which,  according  to  Olshaus- 
 en,  have  always,  from  Cyprian  down  to  our 
 Anabaptists  {ind  Mennonites,  made  this  passage 
 very  prominent)  is  rightly  pronounced  artificial 
 and  forced.  It  makes  ver.  5  the  continuous 
 saying  of  the  Apostle  Paul,t  and  not  the  narra- 
 tive of  the  Evangelist.  In  favor  of  this,  much 
 emphasis  has  been  laid  upon  the  connection  of 
 the  //fV  and  ds,  in  vers.  4  and  5;  but  (apart 
 from  the  fact  that  later  criticism  of  the  text 
 has  removed  the  nsv)  this  assigns  to  ver.  5  a 
 meaning  which  is  as  utterly  inconceivable.  A 
 ^Ev  broken  off  without  8s  is  by  no  means 
 without  precedent  (see  e.  g.,  Acts  iii.  21)  ;  but, 
 on  the  other  hand,  the  Apostle  cannot  be  re- 
 garded as  having  said  that  those  who  had 
 obeyed  the  Baptist,  (XHov6avzei,  had  been 
 already  baptized  into  the  uttered  and  announc- 
 ed name  of  the  Lord  Jesus — just  as  the  Chris- 
 tian baptism  is  spoken  of  after  Pentecost.  Ben- 
 gel.  "For  John  at  the  end  of  his  baptism 
 pointed  to  Jesus,  chap.  xiii.  25;  wherefore  it 
 cannot  be  said  that  he  baptized  them  in  the 
 name  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  unless  it  is  asserted 
 that  he  baptized  the  people  twice,  the  first  lime 
 unto  repentance,  the  second  time  in  the  name 
 of  Jesus."  Either  the  /<£>  is  spurious,  and 
 introduced  on  account  of  the  8e  ;  or  this  latter 
 makes  a  profound  connection  with  the  former 
 in  the  Apostles'  teaching  and  act :  in  any  case 
 dHovoLXVTSi  refers  back  to  eiTts  te  yrpui  av- 
 rov?,  ver.  3,  and  IfiaTtTid^Jj/dav  stands  in 
 parallel  with  r.ai  intOevroi  avzoii,  h.t.X. 
 Those  wl.o  had  been  baptized  by  the  Baptist 
 were  not  at  the  beginning  of  the  evangelical 
 preaching  ordinarily  baptized  again  with  water 
 (on  which  Acts  i.  5  will  occasion  further  re- 
 mark) ;  but  here,  in  the  case  of  those  who 
 were  already  removed  and  estranged  from  the 
 proclamation  of  John,  it  was  needful  that  the 
 law  of  the  kingdom  should  be  maintained  and 
 attested  by  their  new  baptism. 
 
 The  baptism  appointed  by  Christ  manifestly 
 refers  back  to  the  symbolical  baptism  which 
 Christ  himself  received  in  the  Jordan;  for,  as 
 then  Fathee,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost  were  first 
 inWy  revealed  in  their  sacred  trinity,  so  now  dis- 
 ciples were  to  be  baptized  unto  or  into  the 
 name,  not  merely  of  the  Father  who  then  bore 
 
 *  Unnecessary,  since  there  is  nothing  here  said 
 about  such  re-baptism. 
 
 f  Thus  did  Calvin,  Insiitt.  iv.  15,  18,  establish 
 his  rebaptizatos  mgo.  Beza,  Calixtus,  Lightfoot, 
 even  Budde,  Uambach,  and  others,  agreed  with 
 i  him  in  this. 
 
802 
 
 BAPTISxM. 
 
 witness,  net  merely  of  the  Son  who  then  receiv- 
 ed the  witness  that  he  was  the  Son,  but  also 
 most  perfectly  into  the  name  of  that  Holy  Spirit 
 whom  the  Son  had  in  himself,  tcUh  him  (as  John 
 pre-announced  the  distinction)  tobaytue.  "  This 
 is  (as  Olshausen  says)  the  only  passage  in  the 
 Gospels  in  which  the  Lord  himself  named  the 
 three  persons  together" — that  is,  in  so  simple, 
 direct,  and  express  conjunction  ;  for,  otherwise, 
 the  readers  ol  our  earlier  exposition  have  been 
 Buhiciently  prepared  by  John  xiv.-xvi.  for  this 
 conjunction,  and  find  nothing  unexpected  or 
 new  in  this  summary,  after  so  many  plain  trin- 
 itarian  testimonies.  Name,  ovoi-ia  is  never  in 
 the  New  Testament  construed  with  a  genitive 
 rei,noii  jtenoria ;  it  is  in  other  passages  (as 
 Acts  i.  15 ;  Rev.  iii.  4,  xi.  13)  where  that 
 might  seem  the  case,  equivalent  to  person. 
 Thus  both  in  anthropomorphic,  and,  at  the 
 Bime  time,  most  metaphysical  essential  truth, 
 the  three  "persons"  of  tlie  one  divine  nature 
 stand  here  together;  their  unity  is  held  fast  and 
 witnessed  by  the  v6  uyo/.ta  not  to.  dvo/iiara, 
 iiame,  not  names.  All  that  would  rob  this 
 equal  juxtaposition  of  God  the  Father,  the 
 jSm,  and  the  Spirit,  is  arbitary  and  forced  in 
 opposition  to  the  plain  and  incontrovertible 
 word.  Thus,  the  triunity  of  the  divine  nature 
 must  be  a  most  important  and  fundamental 
 mystery,  both  for  the  knowledge  and  the  prac- 
 tice of  faith — why  otherwise  should  the  reve- 
 lation of  it  be  placed  here  in  so  prominent  a 
 position  at  the  outset,  just  where  the  Church  is 
 to  begin  to  exist,  and  so  firmly  bound  up  with 
 the  baptism  which  brings  grace  and  eternal 
 life?  Braune:  "  Here  is  the  mi.fs/ort  commanded, 
 baptism  appointed,  trinity  taught."  Here  have 
 wc-  the  most  primitive,  the  most  simple  founda- 
 tion of  the  Church's' confession  of  faith,  given 
 by  the  highest  authority.  Here  the  central 
 point,  from  which  all  the  doctrines  of  our  faith 
 issue,  into  which  they  all  converge,  and  in 
 which  they  all  must  end.  "  He  who  is  called  a 
 Christian  and  denies  the  triune  God,  does  dis- 
 honor to  the  word  in  which  he  was  baptiz- 
 ed " — so  writes  Von  Meyer ;  and  in  another 
 place :  "  Nothing  can  be  more  simple  than  this 
 utterance  of  our  Lord;  but  a  humble  mind  will 
 
 Eerceive  at  once  that  it  cannot  understand  this 
 y  its  own  resources.  The  unhumble  reason 
 has  recourse  to  dialectic  subtilties,  which  ra- 
 tionalize his  word,  that  is,  undeify  it.  In  har- 
 mony, therefore,  with  the  entire  theology  of  the 
 Gospel,  we  regard  it  a-j  saying — Into  the  name 
 of  the  three,  w/io  are  one,  into  the  three-one 
 God." 
 
 Thus  the  /laOt/rEvOs'yrEi  were  to  be  called 
 and  consecrated — and  this  is  the  general  and 
 Bure  meaning  without  any  reference  to  the  spe- 
 cial meaning  of  cli  ro  ovoua — to  the  know- 
 ledge and  confession  of  tlie  one  living  God, 
 whose  nature  ever  remains  a  mystery  tor  the 
 apprehension  of  laith  ;  the  profound  darkness  of 
 its  incomprehensibility  being  brought  to  light 
 in  the  place  where  it  is  first  clearly  revealed  to 
 laith.  Nevertheless,  the  triune  God,  whose 
 name  oi  Father,  Son,  and  Spirit  is  applied  to  tlie 
 
 Father,  the  Son,  the  Spirit,  is  as  such  fully  re- 
 vealed. The  Father  is  now  made  manifest  in 
 the  sending  of  the  Son  ;  the  Hon  in  his  resur- 
 rection, on  his  way  to  the  supreme  power  in 
 heaven  and  earth  (ver.  IS)  ;  the  Holy  Okost 
 was  soon  to  be  poured  out,  and  thus  to  manifest 
 himself  also — thus  in  the  mention  of  him  now 
 there  is  once  again  a  prolepsis.  This  baptism 
 into  the  Spirit,  come  also  like  the  Son,  and  of- 
 fering himself,  could  not  of  course  take  place 
 until  and  alter  the  Pentecost.  But  all  who  re- 
 ceive baptism  in  conformity  with  this  anticipa- 
 tory institution,  require  to  be  baptized  into  each 
 of  the  three  names  ;  here  there  is  no  distinction 
 and  no  division.  Even  the  great  Bengel  erred, 
 misled  by  his  keen  inquisition  into  special  refer- 
 ences, when  he  regarded  baptism  into  the  name 
 of  Jesus  as  alone  necessary  to  the  Jetcn,  who 
 were  already  in  God's  covenant,  in  order  to 
 their  reception  of  the  Holy  Spirit's  gift;  while 
 the  Gentiles  (whom  he  supposes  to  be  here  es- 
 pecially and  only  meant  by  the  tOvrj)  required 
 baptism  into  the  complete  name,  as  here.  For 
 even  to  the  Jews  God  was  revealed  as  a  Father 
 only  through  the  Son  ;  and  as  respects  the  ap- 
 parent deficiency  of  the  baptism  formula  in  the 
 later  New  Testament,  we  shall  explain  it  in 
 due  course. 
 
 What  means  then  into  ("  in  ")  the  name? 
 It  is  obvious  at  the  outset,  that  «/>  ro  uvojiia 
 cannot  be  simply  equivalent  to  ev  roJ  ovojiiocrt, 
 as  the  Vulg.  translated  m  nomine,  and  Luther 
 im  Namen*  This  would  then  only  have  refer- 
 ence to  the  baptizer ;  and  nothing  (contrary  to 
 Mark  xvi.  16)  would  be  promised  or  specified 
 for  the  baptized  ;  the  sublime  fJaitriZoyre'i,  to 
 which  such  new  and  great  promises  are  at- 
 tached, would  stand  as  it  were  enigmatically 
 alone ;  and  we  should  receive  here  at  least 
 (where  it  might  be  expected)  no  proper  answer 
 to  the  question — How  and  to  what  end  are 
 they  baptized?  We  may  indeed  say  in  the 
 words  of  Luther,  generally  :  "  To  be  baptized 
 in  the  name  of  God,  is  not  to  be  baptized  by 
 men  but  by  God  himself.  Wherefore,  although 
 it  is  administered  by  the  hand  of  man,  yet  it  is  to 
 be  regarded  as  the  proper  work  of  God  alone."t 
 But  ibis  is  not  the  true  and  full  exposition  of 
 this  f/S  ro  ovo/ua,  which  certainly  corresponds 
 to  DL;6  and  not  UV2,  and  in  its  deep  meaning 
 
 points  by  the  ci'i  only  foricards  to  the  now  es- 
 tablished communion  of  the  baptized  with  the 
 
 *  And  we,  alas  !  as  liaise  complains,  have  re- 
 tained to  our  own  day  this  easily  perverted  ex- 
 pression. 
 
 t  Ed.  Reehenb.  p.  536.  Similarly  Lulher  else- 
 where: 'This  is  what  tlie  words  show  where  the 
 mijiisler  says — I  bajjtize  thee,  etc.  lie  does  not 
 say — I  baptize  thee  in  my  name."  Previously : 
 "  Therefore  we  must  receive  baptism  from  the 
 hands  of  a  man  as  if  from  the  hands  of  no  other 
 than  Christ,  yea,  God  himself:  baptized  with  his 
 own  hands  ;  "  a  way  of  speaking  which  we  find 
 freq\ipnlly  occurring  in  the  theologians  from  Ale- 
 laucihou's  Loc.  Coin,  do  vuwards. 
 
MATTHEW  XXVIII.  18-20. 
 
 803 
 
 triune  God.*  The  current  and  superficial  in- 
 terpretations of  a  different  kind  have  some- 
 thing true  in  them  ;  but  they  are  not  its  direct 
 expo'sition,  and  most  assuredly  do  not  exhaust 
 the  word  here  spolcen  by  the  Lord.  We 
 shall  not  say  much  about  Storr's  exegesis,  "  in 
 honor  of  the  Father,"  etc.,  ovoua,  as  is  well 
 known,  being  often  used  in  the  New  Testa- 
 ment, e.  g.,  Heb.  i.  4,  and  also  in  the  Old  Tes- 
 tament, for  honor,  dignity.!  This  still  with- 
 holds all  reference  to  the  meaning  and  sub- 
 stance of  baptism  for  the  baptized  themselves; 
 just  as  in  the  commentary  of  Paulus,  where  we 
 read,  "  in  reference  to  the  naming  of  Father, 
 Son,  and  Spirit,"  and  again,  "dedicated,  that 
 they  might  remember,  what  these  denomina- 
 tions contain."  The  common  renderings  mean 
 much  more  than  this  when  they  say — Into  the 
 (previously  avowed  but  abandoned?)  tonfcs- 
 sion  ;  or — In  order  to  the  confession  of  faith  in 
 the  triune  God.  But  the  more  thoroughly  we 
 press  into  the  heart  of  this  great  word,  which 
 thus  for  the  first  time  so  simply  designates  the 
 nature  of  God,  and  accompanies  the  institution 
 of  the  sign  of  the  new  covenant,  the  less  can 
 we  be  satisfied  with  all  this  ;  Ave  desire  and  are 
 constrained  to  take  for  granted  a  meaning 
 which  shall  reach  efficaciously  to  this  nature  of 
 God,  as  well  as  express  the  fellowship  of  the 
 baptized  in  the  same.  Instead  of  this,  Bindseil 
 would  bring  us  back  to  the  most  external  pos- 
 sible interpretation  of  "this  phrase,  v/hich  still 
 needs  (yes,  verily)  a  more  exact  solution." 
 According  to  its  origin  and  natural  force,  he 
 says  that  "  to  baptize  in  the  name  of  any  one, 
 is,  through  baptism,  to  influence  a  person,  to 
 najne  himself  after  another."  Clericus  supports 
 this  view  ;  j  and  (instead  of  pressing  into  the 
 new  depth  of  Christian  terms)  adduces  the  ex- 
 ample of  Jewish  phrases  2y>^  7253 — e.  g.  Dcb 
 nnny,  to  be  called  a  servant,  jnin  p  Uvb  to 
 the  name  of  a  free-born,  nil'3  Dci'  of  proselyte- 
 ship — and  endeavors  to  establish  it  also  by  1 
 Cor.  i.  13.  But  in  this  passage,  to  which  1 
 Cor.  X.  2  should  be  added,  Paul  would  catachres- 
 tically  makes  it  plain  to  all  that  there  could  not 
 
 *  Acts  X.  48  is  the  only  instance  in  which  we 
 find  £»'  r&J  o»'o7<arr(for  chap.  ii.  38  ini'is  equiv. 
 to  auf,  zu);  buteither  it  is  in  that  passage  instead 
 of  £li,  or  it  designs  to  make  prominent  that  these 
 Gentiies,  who  already  had  the  Spirit,  had  been 
 baptized  in  the  lull  and  plenary  authority  and 
 will  of  Christ, 
 
 f  Even  the  expression  tii  Xpidrov,  he  main- 
 tains, means  no  more  than — to  the  honor  of  Jesus. 
 On  the  o'.her  hand  we  would  point  to  the  deeper 
 meaning  of  the  significant  Cvvtjyuivoi  eii  to 
 £/.tov  uvofiay  Matt  xviii.  20. 
 
 ^  We  may  say,  Grotius  also,  who  says  :  "  To  he 
 baptized  into  any  one,  or  into  his  name,  is  to  de- 
 vote oneself  to  him,  and  to  wish  to  be  called  by 
 his  name."  Sepp,  also,  under  the  false  supposi- 
 tion that  the  Gentiies  are  here  especially  meant, 
 supposes  that_the  heathen  were  to  be  baptized 
 into  the  name  of  God,  as  foundlings  gathered  in 
 the  way. 
 
 have  been  such  a  thing  as  a  baptism  into  his 
 name  in  the  sense  of  the  Christian  formula, 
 since  he  was  not  God  and  not  their  Redeemer, 
 and  therefore  could  give  them  nothing.  "  By 
 this  expression  lie  strongly  expresses  simply 
 his  revulsion  of  feeling,"  as  Heim  well  says 
 concerning  it.  But  in  chap.  x.  2  (here  it  is  not 
 — In  the  name  of  Moses ;  for  who  was  ever 
 named  in  the  name  of  Moses?)  the  baptism 
 unto  Moses  is,  in  its  typical  sense,  an  incorpora- 
 tion into  that  economy  of  God,  of  which  Moses 
 was  the  medium,  as  essential  and  real  as  the 
 incorporation  into  Christ  and  participation  of 
 his  grace,  of  which  baptism  makes  us  the  sub- 
 jects. "  The  cloud  and  the  sea  were  the  sym- 
 bolical, typical  baptism  into  the  law,  whicti  Is- 
 rael in  his  proselyte-baptism  copied  after  ;  but 
 the  grace  and  truth  ot  the  baptism  of  Christ 
 (who  through  his  baptism,  his  suffering  and 
 death,  fulfilled  for  us  unto  righteousness  the 
 baptism  of  the  Gentiles  into  the  law,  and  of  the 
 Jews  by  John  the  Baptist)  came  not  through 
 John,  but  through  Christ  himself  in  its  fulness 
 unto  us."  So  teaches  Von  Meyer,  the  great 
 theologian  whom  our  age  so  unwarrantably 
 neglects.  Bindseil  finds  his  own  peculiar  sig- 
 nificance in  the  being  named  alter  the  name  of 
 God  :  the  siihjeciion  to  the  Lord,  whose  name  is 
 assumed — the  new  dignity  which  it  confers; 
 but  all  this  is  far  from  the  truth  and  reality  of 
 the  power  and  energy  of  baptism.  His  illus- 
 tration of  the  way  into  which  the  naming  into 
 the  three  names  of  God  finds  its  application,  is 
 altogether  too  specific :  the  baptized  become 
 viui  Tov  Ssov,  SovXot  tov  Xpt6rov,  and 
 TtvevfiariKoi — sons  of  God,  servants  of 
 Christ,  and  spiritual. 
 
 In  the  revised  German  Bible  we  have  at 
 least  auf  den  Namen :  change  in  such  funda- 
 mental passages  is  very  perilous,  and  more  ex- 
 press literality  could  hardly  here  be  ventured 
 on.  But  the  change  admits  that  faith  in  the 
 salvation  which  comes  from  this  triune  God,  and 
 is  indeed  appropriated  in  baptism,  is  less  the 
 condition  and  pre-supposition  of  baptism,  than 
 its  end.*  Properly,  however,  in  the  same  dej)th 
 of  meaning,  as  we  so  often  find  eii  ^eov, 
 Xpidrov,  and  kv  Scoj,  we  are  to  be  baptized 
 into  the  name  of  the  Three-Oae.  Not,  indeed, 
 after  the  manner  Barclay  so  boldly  expresses, 
 while  rejecting  its  connection  with  water  ;  but 
 the  sign  and  the  substance  are  here  also  sacra- 
 mentally  bound  together,  and  this  most  inter- 
 nal Eii,  connected  with  the  external  fjanri- 
 ^Eiv,  as  used  by  the  Lord  himself,  and  thus 
 expressly  delivered  to  us  by  the  Spirit,  has  ac- 
 tually the  same  place  and  significance  as  the 
 rovTu  Idrt  in  the  Lord's  Supper.  Certainly 
 not,  however,  any  more  than  it  was  there,  by 
 
 *  So  Lutz  happily  expresses  it :  "  On  the  i>art 
 of  the  subject  the  acknowledgment  of  the  exclu- 
 sive significance  of  these  three  in  his  redemption ; 
 and  objectively  the  assurance  of  that  salvation 
 which  is  given  in  these  three."  The  acknowledg- 
 ment in  the  subject,  however,  must  not  necessarily 
 be  always  matter  of  personal  consciousness. 
 
804 
 
 BAPTISM. 
 
 any  absolute  necessity  of  the  letter  ;  for  a  sa- 
 crament i3  matter  of  faith,  not  of  demonstra- 
 tion. As  in  the  sacrament  of  the  Supper  we 
 find  that  a  deeper  meaning  is  attached  to  a 
 more  superficial  one,  the  mystico-real  commun- 
 ion of  the  body  in  the  bread  being  intended, 
 when  this  latter  is  given  with  the  words — This 
 is  the  body  ;  so  also  here  in  connection  with 
 dipping  into  the  water  there  is  the  wonderful 
 — Baptize  ye  (say — I  baptize  thee)  into  the 
 name  of  God,  the  triune  God.  Thus  this 
 NAME,  and  in  and  with  it  the  uttered,  attested, 
 revealed  nature  of  God  (is  not  this  always  the 
 meaning  when  the  name  of  God  is  concerned  ?) 
 is  actually  the  wonderful  virtue  of  the  water 
 of  baptism,  as  bound  up  in  the  institution  for 
 all  futurity,  the  true  water  of  the  tcord  (Eph. 
 V.  26),  in  which  the  Church  is  further  to  be 
 cleansed  and  sanctified  unto  perfection.  Be- 
 ginning, sum,  and  kernel  of  this  word  is  the 
 name  of  God,  in  which  life  and  power  are 
 communicated  by  means  of  the  Spirit.  It  is 
 not  the  accompanying  and  succeeding  preach- 
 ing of  salvation  or  the  verbinn  quod  accedit  ad 
 elementum  ;  but  this  very  formula  iiself — not, 
 however,  as  a  mere  formula,  but  as  carrying  in 
 it  the  essential  name  of  God,  preaching  itself, 
 and  pledging,  and  includmg  salvation.  Be- 
 cause the  Father  and  Son  work  upon  and  with- 
 in men,  and  enter  them  by  the  itoly  Spirit,  this 
 third  name  is  here  the  decisive  and  completing 
 name.  Therefore  the  first  promise  of  the  be^ 
 ginning  baptism  ran  quite  rightly — Ye  shall 
 receive  the  gift  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  But  we 
 also  know  in  what  way  apostolical  doctrine 
 interchangeably  supplements  the  words — The 
 baptized  are  incorporated  into  the  Son,  have 
 put  him  on  (1  Cor.  xii.  13  ;  Gal.  iii.  27  ;  Rom. 
 vi.),  that  is,  finally— as  the  children  of  God 
 the  Father.  Most  excellent  is  the  language  of 
 Luther's  smaller  catechism  on  this  point,  "  Not 
 mere  water  alone,"  etc.— excellent  in  this,  that 
 ■with  profound  truth  the  name  of  God,  with 
 which  the  water  is  bound  up,  is  at  once  named 
 in  full  distinctness  God's  zcord ;  for  this  name 
 in  such  an  institution  is  truly  no  mere  name, 
 but  the  living,  life-giving  word.  Thus  there  is 
 a  "  translation  into  communion  of  life  with  the 
 Father,  Son,  and  Spirit"  in  this  dipping  into 
 their  name  ;  the  baptized  become  "  translated 
 into  the  power  and  nature  of  God  " — that  is, 
 of  course,  as  is  self-evident,  in  a  beginning 
 which  springs  from  the  grace  of  God,  and  which 
 must  bo  continued  in  the  whole  life  of  the 
 baptized,  according  to  no  other  rule  than  that 
 laid  down  in  the  whole  revealed  way  of  sal- 
 vation. As  ho  who  devotes  himself  to  learn 
 and  follow  the  I\Iaster  becomes  thereby  his 
 IxaOtjTiji,  or  "disciple,"  and  yet  the  disciple- 
 ship  is  perfect  only  at  the  end  (Luke  vi.  40) — 
 even  so  the  baptism  of  the  word  and  Spirit 
 goes  on  through  the  entire  process  of  sanctifi- 
 calion  ;  although  this  whole  is  given  already, 
 by  prophecy  and  pledge,  in  the  comprehensive 
 fulness  of  the  commencing  symbol.  This  CiS 
 TO  ovoita  manifestly  indicates  a,  future,  points 
 onward  to  a  day  of  coxisummation,  as  if  it 
 
 should  say — Into  the  name  now  giving  itself 
 to  them,  and  to  be  henceforth  by  them  mor« 
 and  more  livingly  known  and  worshipped  iu 
 faith  into  the  power  and  grace  of  that'  name 
 which  now  begins  to  work  in  them.  And 
 what  is  the  thing  pre-supposed  for  the  reception 
 of  this  baptism?  Assuredly  a  faith,  which 
 knoweth  and  calleth  upon  the  name  of  God  ; 
 for  without  such  mediation  it  would  be  an 
 empty  word  and  not  the  name.*  But  now  is 
 it  a  faith  of  the  baptizing,  receiving  Church,  or 
 must  there  necessarily  be  a  faith  of  the  bap- 
 tized, in  this  baptism ;  must  there  be  a  con- 
 scious and  supplicating  faith  in  every  individ- 
 ual person  baptized?  The  words  of  institu- 
 tion, according  to  the  unprejudiced  exposition 
 which  we  have  given  in  harmony  with  the 
 analogy  of  all  sound  interpretation  of  Scrip- 
 ture, contain  upon  this  point  no  anticipatory 
 and  literal  decision,  but  leave  that  in  its 
 grand  profundity  to  the  expounding  directions 
 of  the  Spirit,  ruling  and  testifying  in  the 
 Church  when  the  true  baptism  should  have 
 really  come.  Relying  on  this  temperate  and 
 unprejudiced  apprehension  of  the  words,  which 
 is  not  derived  from  any  opinion  or  docjraa 
 previously  entertained,  we  may  conclude — Con- 
 sequently in  regard  to  the  children  of  Chris- 
 tians, their  faith  in  the  Church,  and  the  pros- 
 pect and  pledge  of  subsequent  Christian  in- 
 struction and  discipline  at  the  hands  of  their 
 parents  or  sponsors,  and  of  the  Church  which 
 takes  their  place  as  instructors,  i.«  certAinly 
 ground  and  justification  enough  for  their  re- 
 ceiving the  Sacrament  of  initiatory  grace  (sa- 
 crameutum  initiationin),  and  ample  reason  for 
 not  denying  to  them  at  the  outset  of  their  na- 
 tural life  the  pledge  of  their  fellowship  with 
 the  life  of  God. 
 
 Thus  we  hold  fast  infant  baptism,  concerning 
 which  Barclay  asserts  that  it  is  a  mere  ordi- 
 nance of  man,  of  which  there  is  to  be  found  in 
 Scripture  neither  commandment  nor  example  ; 
 which  has  been  rejected  by  so  many,  with  more 
 or  less  sincerity  of  faith  in  the  word  of  God; 
 and  about  which  so  much  new  agitation  has 
 lately  sprung  up.  It  may  be  said  that  only  a 
 few  theologians  in  our  day  are  firmly  and 
 clearly  decided  in  its  favor  ;  while  not  a  few 
 think'with  Barclay.  We  shall  endeavor  to  go 
 to  the  ground  of  the  matter,  as  far  as  that  is 
 possible  within  our  prescribed  limits.')" 
 
 Spangenberg's  Idea  fidei  Fratrum   contents 
 
 *  Hence  we  may  in  this  sense  wish  that  in 
 Luther's  third — Water  does  not  effect  tt — faitii  was 
 more  thorouglily  aitpended ;  especially  when  the 
 fail  regeneration  is  in  question. 
 
 f  In  order  to  avoid  such  a  diffuse  disquisition  as 
 that  into  wl\icli  we  were  led  upon  the  Lord's  Sup- 
 per, we  shall  abstain  almost  entirely  from  contro- 
 versy with  tlie  rapidly-increa.sing  monographic 
 Ba])tist  literature,  such  as  the  tracts  of  ^Lartensen, 
 Culnian,  Branns,  Wichelhaus,  etc.  But  W.  Hof- 
 mann's  Gesprikhe  iiber  Tattfe  und  Wiedertaufe  we 
 must  slishtly  notice,  for  there  is  something  in  the 
 kind  of  defence  which  wo  must  protest  against. 
 
MATTHEW  XXVIII.  18-20. 
 
 805 
 
 itself  with  a  view  which  is  in  part  exegetically 
 ,alse,  and  in  part  ecclesiastically  inadequate — 
 f  When  our  Kedeemer  sent  his  disciples  forth 
 into  all  the  world,  the  Christian  Church  was 
 yet  to  be  formed.  The  Lord  then  told  them 
 how  they  should  proceed  in  gathering  together 
 his  Church.  Thus  preaching  was  first,  after- 
 wards faith,  then  baptism.  But  when  churches 
 were  formed  in  this  manner — what  was  to 
 be  done  with  the  children?"  Then  follows 
 all  kinds  of  reasons  and  illustrations  to  show 
 — as  if  the  Lord  had  said  nothing  in  the 
 institution  about  it — "How  it  came  to  pass 
 that  infant  baptism  became  universal  in  the 
 Church."  It  then  concludes, "  We  may  believe 
 that  the  hand  of  God  itself  so  ordered  it,  and 
 that  the  Holy  Spirit,  who  did  not  cease  to  give 
 instructions  to  tne  disciples,  brought  in  it  as  a 
 necessity  that  children  should  be  baptized." 
 All  this  is  assuredly  saying  too  little.  The  ex- 
 tensively circulated  commentary  of  Olshansen, 
 which  expresses  the  views  of  a  large  number, 
 maintains  concisely  a  position  which  we  must 
 contest,  in  its  two  fundamental  points :  "  By 
 the  introduction  of  infant  baptism,  which  was 
 certainly  not  an  apostolical  usage,  but  became 
 necessary  in  the  Church  when  the  active  efflu- 
 ence of  the  Spirit's  energies  had  ceased,  the  re- 
 lation of  baptism  was  changed ;  the  external 
 rite  retrograded  back  to  the  position  of  John's 
 baptism,  and  received  its  necessary  internal 
 completeness  only  in  confirmation.''  Just  so 
 Neander  exhibits  the  ecclesiastical  position  of 
 the  question,  though  with  temperate  expres- 
 sion: "  The  data  which  we  possess  would  argue 
 anon-apostolical  origin  of  the  rite."  (This,  in- 
 deed, Thiersch  inverts.)  What  must  we  say 
 when  even  Von  Meyer  leaves  the  matter  in  the 
 following  uncertain  state  :  "  The  baptism  of 
 infants  is  very  old,  but  its  origin  cannot  be 
 traced  any  where."  (Not  in  the  Lord's  words 
 of  institution,  not  in  the  inmost  nature  of  bap- 
 tism itself,  not  in  the  New-Testament  history 
 of  the  Church,  and  the  history  that  followed 
 it?)  "  Meanwhile  it  is  no  more  forbidden  in 
 the  New  Testament  than  it  is  expressly  en- 
 joined " — but  this  we  must  contend  against,  as 
 it  cannot  satisfy  the  requirements  of  the  sub- 
 ject. This  we  shall  see  if  we  once  more  con- 
 sider what  the  essence  of  baptism  really  is ; 
 then  the  scriptural  teaching  concerning  infant 
 baptism  ;  and,  finally,  as  far  as  may  be  neces- 
 sary, what  the  earliest  Church  history  says  for 
 or  against  it. 
 
 Holy  baptism,*  as  instituted  by  God  through 
 Christ,  involves  indeed  much  more  than  that 
 which  Ebrard  (Vom  Ahendmald,  i.  55)  attri- 
 butes to  it :  "  Ho  who  submits  to  the  rite  of 
 baptism  as  the  confession  of  a  faith  which  is 
 already  in  him,  receives  in  that  baptism,  on  the 
 part  of  God,  au  assurance  that  he  is  saved  in 
 
 *  Would  that  all  .sincere  and  earnest  men  would 
 abstain  from  the  current  abiiae  of  the  word  "  bap- 
 tize," and  not  give  their  sanction  to  \U  profane 
 employment  iu  xelation  to  a  multitudo  of  other 
 thinss  ! 
 
 Christ."  Very  good  as  to  the  externals  for 
 the  adult ;  but  that  is  not  the  essential  of  our 
 avowal,  and  of  God's  assurance.  It  is  the 
 deeper  view  of  the  sacrament  which  gives  us 
 our  justification  for  administering  it  to  chil- 
 dren. The  twenty-sixth  article  oi  the  English 
 Church  goes  much  further  than  that  for  infant 
 baptism  :  "  Baptism  is  not  only  a  sign  of  pro- 
 fession and  mark  of  difference,  whereby  Chris- 
 tian men  are  discerned  from  others  that  be  not 
 christened,  but  it  is  also  a  sign  of  regeneration, 
 or  new  birth,  whereby,  as  by  an  instrument,  they 
 that  receive  baptism  rightly  are  grafted  into 
 the  Church."  But  this  is  not  enough ;  for  al- 
 though this  definition  prepares  the  way  for  the 
 tenableness  of  infant  baptism,  yet  it  must  it- 
 self be  made  more  definite  and  deep.  That  is, 
 this  grafting  and  planting  in  the  Church,  which 
 is  the  Lord's  body,  if  it  is  not  again  a  mere 
 phrase,  cannot  take  place  by  means  of  a  mere 
 empty  sign  of  regeneration.  The  discrctio  Chris- 
 tianorum  a  Gentdibus  is  only  the  finis  secunda- 
 rius  ;  the  adunitio  ad  carpus  ecclesim  {not  identi- 
 cal with  that)  is  merely  and  is  certainly  the 
 result  of  an  internal  operation.  The  Geneva 
 Catechism  is  better  (although  it  previously 
 specifies  with  subtle  care,  that  the  honor  of 
 washing  our  sins  away  must  not  be  taken  from 
 the  blood  of  Christ,  while  it  is  attributed  to  the 
 water) :  "  But  dost  thou  ascribe  to  the  water 
 nothing  more  than  that  it  is  a  symbol  of  the 
 washing  away  of  sin?  I  believe  that  it  is  a 
 symbol  in  which,  at  the  same  time,  there  is 
 reality  contained.  For  God  deceiveth  us  not, 
 when  he  promises  us  his  gifts."  On  the  other 
 hand,  Lutz  says  very  strangely,  with  design  to 
 remove  from  the  symbol  and  external  seal  of 
 assurance  all  magical  influence — "To  the  faith 
 manifested  by  the  recipient  in  baptism  it  says, 
 as  it  were,  in  Christ's  word — Kara  zfjv  nidziv 
 vjiioov  yevTfO}}rGo  v/^ilv  ;  it  testifies — As  thou 
 believest  it  loill  be  done."  But  is  it  only 
 "will"— and  not  already  "is  now  done  to 
 thee?"  This  gives  us  no  such  sacrament  as 
 realizes  grace  in  the  sign  ;  and  certainly  no 
 warrant  of  infant  baptism.  Ileim  rightly  pro- 
 tests against  the  words  of  Brenz's  Catechism — 
 "  A  divine  token,  by  means  of  which  God  the 
 Father,  through  Jesus  Christ  his  Son,  and  in 
 the  unity  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  testifies  to  the 
 baptized  that  he  wills  to  be  to  him  a  merciful 
 God  ;"  and  also  against  the  expression  of  the 
 Wiirtemberg  Confirmation-book,  "  Baptism  as- 
 sures us  of  the  grace  of  God,"  etc.  As  a  mere 
 assurance  and  seal  of  a  grace  already  present, 
 New-Testament  baptism  would  be  entirely 
 equivalent  to  circumcision;  see  Puom.  iv.  11.* 
 Far  be  it  from  us  to  think  so.     It  has  power 
 
 *  On  this  absolutely  false  notion,  which  in  its 
 inmost  principle,  and  in  the  highest  dejjree  opposes 
 Scripture,  the  whole  Baptist  theory,  at  least  as  re- 
 presented by  Ribbeck,  rests.  He  cails  baptism 
 only  the  external  sign  of  those  who  have  received 
 and  experienced  the  internal  work ;  the  uniform 
 of  worthy  recruits ;  a  prerogative  of  grace  for 
 tbose  who  have  already  entered  into  the  covenant. 
 
806 
 
 INFANT  BAPTISM. 
 
 "to  work  that  which  it  exhibits  " — as  is  perfect- 
 ly plain  from  the  mystical  sii  to  ovo/na  added 
 to  the  (pre-supposed)£>'  iiSart;  from  the  anal- 
 ogy of  the  only  other  institution  of  an  exter- 
 nal rite  ;  and  from  the  spirit  of  all  sound  scrip- 
 tural interpretation,  which  will  not  permit  in 
 the  New  Testament  any  empty  usage  to  be  re- 
 garded as  appointed  by  God.  It  is  itself,  as 
 Nitzsch  says,  "  the  pledge  and  external  security 
 of  regeneration  by  the  Spirit."  In  Rom.  vi. 
 when,  on  the  one  hand,  the  Apostle  is  explain- 
 ing the  symbolism  of  the  rite,*  and,  on  the 
 other,  emphatically  urging  the  consequent  ob- 
 ligation to  perfect  that  which  was  only  begun 
 in  baptism,  he  recognizes  and  asserts,  at  the 
 outset,  that  we  have  already  died  and  risen 
 again,  that  we  are  already  implanted,  because 
 we  are  baptized.  Comp.  Col.  ii.  12 ;  Gal.  iii. 
 27;  Tit.  iii.  5  in  its  right  exposition,  which  we 
 cannot  here  unfold.  Thus  the  Lord  did  really 
 ordain  Uco  sacraments.  It  is  by  no  means,  as 
 Lutz  asserts,  "  an  unhistorical  view,  that  Jesus 
 conceived  and  collocated  Baptism  and  the  Sup- 
 per as  the  two  sacraments  of  his  Church  in  any 
 such  manner  as  they  were  afterwards  united  in 
 one  design."  But,  as  certain  as  is  the  refer- 
 ence in  the  Supper  to  the  Passover,  so  surely, 
 as  we  have  already  seen,  may  we  gather  from 
 the  connection  of  the  words  of  its  institution 
 that  baptism  takes  the  place  of  circumcision — 
 and  the  entire  connection  between  the  Old  and 
 New  Testaments,  viewed  comprehensively,  per- 
 fectly confirms  this.  He  who  understands  the 
 meaning  and  position  of  the  two  similarly-re- 
 lated Old-Testament  observances,  will  have  no 
 doubt  on  this  subject ;  but  we  have  in  Col.  ii. 
 11,  12  an  almost  superfluous  dictum  probans, 
 which  brings  no  "  new  idea"  to  it,  but  springs 
 from  the  natural  view  of  the  whole  relation, 
 and  what  is  pre-supposed  in  it.  In  this  is  es- 
 tablished that  distinction  between  Baptism  and 
 
 *  "  The  sinner  is  uot  so  much  to  be  washed  as  to 
 die,"  writes  Luther,  The  latter  does  not  indeed 
 exclude  the  former;  but  it  brings  the  full  and 
 deeper  meaning  to  it.  This  follows  from  the  refer- 
 ence to  Clirist's  baptism  in  Jordan.  The  perfect 
 imtnersion  is  not  accidental  in  the  form,  but  mani- 
 festly intended  in  the  (iaitTiZ^iv  eii ;  neverthe- 
 less, the  Siiialkald  articles  require  it  too  rigorously, 
 and  therefore  have  never  been  obeyed.  Inasmuch 
 as  the  external  part  of  the  symbol  is  not  in  itself 
 the  essential,  the  immersion  might  again  be  hir- 
 ther  si/mboiized  by  a.  Hpr'mkVmf^  :  hence  /iaitrit,Eiv 
 occurs  frequoiitiy  in  tlie  sense  of  mere  washing, 
 and  it  is  probable  that  there  was  from  the  begin- 
 ning a  certain  freedom  of  action.  Where  water 
 was  at  hand  for  the  purpose,  the  dipping  might 
 take  place ;  where  otherwise,  baptism  would  be 
 administered  by  sjjfinkling,  as  probably  with  the 
 thousands  on  tlie  day  of  I'entecost.  Whether  in 
 Acts  ix.  18  Paul  "  came  up  out  of  the  flood  "  (as 
 Ribbeck  says)  is  uncertain.  We  do  not  hold  with 
 those  who  Isftnent  with  too  much  earnestness  the 
 disuse  of  immersion,  or  who  ascribe  to  our  using 
 too  little  water  tlie  too  little  influence  of  our  bap- 
 tisms. In  the  nature  of  the  case  the  clement  is  not 
 so  closely  connected  with  the  gift  in  the  first  sa- 
 crament as  in  the  second. 
 
 the  Supper  of  the  Lord  which  regards  tho  for- 
 mer as  the  hirth,  the  latter  as  the  nonrifihment 
 (nasci  et  jia^ici  in  Gerhard)  ;  the  one  a  consecra- 
 tion which  gives  entrance,  the  other  the  con- 
 tinual enjoyment  of  that  access  (comp.  a?  to 
 this  last  Ileb.  x.  22).  This  is  more  directly  to 
 the  point  than  the  remark  of  Hasse,  which, 
 however,  is  not  nntrne  in  itself:  "  Ye  in  me — 
 this  end  was  gained  in  baptism  ;  I  in  you — this 
 is  fulfilled  in  the  Supper." 
 
 Irenaeus,  our  important  witness  to  the  primi- 
 tive faith  of  the  Church  concerning  the  Euch- 
 arist, speaks  also,  concerning  baptism,  of  a 
 evojdii  Tipo^  <xq/^ap6iav ,  a  union  of  our  body 
 with  the  body  of  Christ  for  immortality;  and 
 he  is  perfectly  right  in  referring  to  the  germ  to 
 be  planted,  the  nature  and  the  kind  of  the 
 tree.  Tho  final  end  of  the  regeneration  of  the 
 whole  man  in  spirit,  soul,  and  hody,  must  be 
 represented  even  at  this  early  beginning  in  its 
 essential  elements.  But  when  he  goes  on  to 
 ascribe  to  the  water  the  supernatural  influence 
 upon  the  body,  as  to  the  spirit  that  upon  the 
 soul,  he  arbitrarily  divides  what  God  has  not 
 divided,  and  intrudes  his  desire  to  know  into  a 
 mystery  concerning  which  the  revealing  Scrip- 
 ture keeps  more  silence  than  even  concerning 
 the  sacrament  of  the  Lord's  Supper — after  the 
 analogy  of  nature  in  the  mystery  of  birth.'* 
 We  must,  indeed,  hold  fast  what  in  /iz/i(» 
 of  apostolical  doctrine  (1  Cor.  xii.  13  ;  Eph. 
 iv.  4.  5)  is  obscurely  intimated,  that  in  Bap- 
 tism as  in  the  Supper  there  is  "  a  heavenly 
 corporeity."!  For  how  can  we  understand 
 any  fellowship  with  the  Son,  independently  of 
 his  divine  human,  spiritual-bodily  personality, 
 in  which  alone  we  have  also  the  rather  and 
 the  Spirit?  How  else  would  baptism  as  a  sa- 
 crament be  distinguished  from  the  word  ?  How 
 can  we  suppose  the  ymsci  possible  without  the 
 previous  nasci  f  There  can  be  no  original  and 
 fundamental  "  universal  grace  of  Christ's  atone- 
 ment "  without  provision  for  the  renewed  per- 
 sonality of  the  new  man  ;  but  this  there  cannot 
 be  without  a  heavenly  corporeity,  and  tho 
 prima  stamina  thereof.  This  much  is  certainly 
 true.  But,  on  the  other  hand,  the  gift  in  bap- 
 tism (mysterious  like  every  thing  connected 
 with  birth)  which  in  its  fundamental  generality 
 is  consummated  only  by  the  second  sacrament,  is 
 distinguished  from  the  impartation  of  the  boay 
 and  blood  of  Christ.  For  it  contains  a  perfect 
 and  express  reference  to  the  triune  God,  that 
 is,  to  the  Father's  election,  and  the  Spirit's 
 first  operation  :  the  utmost  care  and  sobriety 
 arfi  requisite  therefore  in  speaking  of  its  essen- 
 tial  character.^     As    regards   the    influential 
 
 *  Comp.  also  what  we  have  said  upon  John 
 ii.  6. 
 
 t  Luther  says  in  one  place  :  "  We  are  not  only 
 baptized  as  to  the  soul,  but  the  body  also  is  bap- 
 tized " — and  utters  in  these  words  more  than  ho 
 himself  understood. 
 
 X  Comp.  what  Jul.  AlUller  (2)i«  «•.  Union,  p.  302) 
 .says  about  the  materia  caeiestis  connected  with  bap- 
 tism. 
 
MATTHEW  XXVIII.  18-20. 
 
 mi 
 
 presence  of  the  Ihod  of  Christ  with  and  in  the 
 water  (said  to  have  been  broached  by  Beza, 
 but  occurring  before  him,  and  in  Luther's 
 hymn),*  we  are  not  forbidden  to  conceive  of 
 that,  provided  we  do  not  make  it  a  point  of 
 definition,  or  allow  it  to  interfere  with  that  full 
 and  essential  truth  of  which  the  mention  of  the 
 name  of  the  triune  God  is  the  pledge.  Since 
 the  time  of  Gerhard  there  has  been  current  a 
 far  more  appropriate  reference,  viz.,  to  the  pres- 
 ence of  tlie  Trinity  in  baptism:  comp.  the  ^hsI 
 eifit  kv  /f£'(5cj,  which  in  Matt,  xviii.  20  follows 
 from  the  tii  to  kfiov  uvona.  So  even  Lange 
 unfolds  and  paraphrases  in  its  fulnsss  of  mean- 
 ing the  c^5  ry  vvofta:  "They  must  be  baptized 
 in  lus  presence,  by  his  authority,  into  fellowship 
 with  hira,  and  blessed  knowledge  of  his  nature. 
 They  must  be  plunged  into  the  name  of  the 
 Three-One."  And  in  the  sacrament  of  initia- 
 tion, which  the  Living  God  makes  the  begin- 
 ning alone  of  life,  the  man  who  is  to  be  baptiz- 
 ed lias  strictly  speaking  nothing  to  bring ; 
 he  has  simply  lo  receive  from  God.  Heim, 
 the  Wiirtemberg  pastor,  writes  truly  though 
 boldly  :t  "The  Reformers,  with  all  their  deep 
 convictions  of  the  internal  character  of  Chris- 
 tianity, were  yet,  in  respect  to  their  under- 
 standing of  truth,  too  much  bound  up  in  ex- 
 ternality of  thought,  and  in  discursive  reason- 
 ing. Hence  they  always  required,  in  order  to 
 the  participation  of  the  blessings  of  salvation, 
 faith  as  something  the  existence  of  which  must 
 necessarily  be  pre-supposed.  However  near 
 they  approached  it,  they  never  reached  and 
 firmly  held  the  truth  that  faith  itself,  the 
 internal  appropriation,  which  is  essentially  in 
 itself,  and  in  its  origin,  the  work  of  God,  might 
 be  given  at  the  same  time  with  the  objective 
 salvation,  and  wrought  by  God  in  the  hearts 
 of  men.  J  Hence  it  came  to  pass  that  the  ques- 
 tion was  agitated  with  so  much  asperity 
 whether  children  could  have  faith  ;  for  while 
 this  contradicts  the  natural  reason  of  man,  it 
 yet  could  not  be  denied,  according  to  the  no- 
 lions  of  the  old  theologians,  without  making 
 baptism  a  mere  empty  formality,  or  a  merely 
 conditional  assurance  as  to  the  future.  The 
 simple  answer  would  have  been  that  by  bap- 
 tism itself  the  germ,  from  which  the  tree  of  faith 
 would  grow,  was  placed  in  the  soul  as  the  seed 
 of  life  from  God."  The  preparatory  faith  in  the 
 name  announced,  which  is  required  in  the  case 
 of  the  adult — in  order  that  nothing  of  which  he 
 
 *  In  the  last  verse  of  Christ  tmser  Kerr  zum  Jor- 
 dan kam.  Gerhard  indeed  says :  "  The  best  the- 
 ologians determine  that  the  blood  of  Christ  cannot 
 appropriately  be  regarded  as  the  second  material 
 part  of  baptism." 
 
 f  In  his  small,  but  important  treatise,  Uebcr  Taufc 
 unci  Konjlrmatioii  (Stuttg.  1841). 
 
 \  Mark — In  its  origin.  For  the  decisive  free  ap- 
 propriation of  man  is  not  excluded.  God  comes 
 in  condescension  and  works  preveniently  (Col.  ii. 
 12) — but  all  is  developed  and  realized  in  our 
 Tti6vii,  to  whicli-the  kvEpyeia.  tov  ^eov  soli- 
 cits, and  of  which  it  makes  us  capable. 
 
 is  unconscious  may  be  effected  without  his 
 will  and  consciousness — is  not  in  his  case,  if  we 
 rightly  distinguish,  such  a  living  faith  as  is  re- 
 generating (for  we  are  not  regenerated  by 
 our  faith) — but  a  longing  desire  for  it,  in  the 
 Spirit  and  power  of  God.  In  one  who  is  adult 
 and  conscious  of  what  he  does,  unconsciousness 
 as  to  the  mystery  of  this  water  would  be  in  it- 
 self positive  unbelief,  and  therefore  the  putting 
 a  bar  to  the  work  of  God;  but  whether  in 
 every  case  a  positive  and  conscious  faith  is  the 
 absolute  condition  of  baptism  is  the  question 
 here  involved  ;  and  the  more  fully  we  appre- 
 ciate the  free  gift  in  the  sacrament,  the  moro 
 confidently  shall  we  deny  it. 
 
 The  defence  of  infant  baptism  by  no  means 
 involves  the  necessity  that  we  should  deny 
 this  giving  And  positive  energy  and  influence  ia 
 the  fundamental  sacrament  of  initiation.  Stein- 
 meyer's  attempt  to  meet  the  case  by  a  wonder- 
 ful new  theory  of  a  merely  negative  power  and 
 significance  in  baptism  needs  not  our  refutation, 
 here  ;  it  has  already  been  condemned  by  the 
 Kirchentag  (the  seventh,  in  Frankfort,  which 
 his  theory  very  much  embarrassed).  Sander 
 and  Hofmann  have  well  exposed  the  incon-. 
 ceivableness  of  a  mere  passive  suffering  of  the. 
 death  of  the  old  man,  without  a  planting  of  the 
 new  man  after,  or  rather  in  order  to  effect,  that 
 death.  Dorner  has  vigorously  shown  the  bap- 
 tism with  the  Holy  Ghost  to  be  the  specific  char- 
 acteristic of  the  sacramental  baptism  of  Christ: 
 comp.  Acts  ii.  38.  In  truth,  the  'iva,  Rom, 
 vi.  4,  belongs,  in  inseparable  connection,  ira-. 
 mediately  to  the  exposition  of  baptism  itself. 
 
 That  our  Lutheran  theology  has  failed  to 
 exhibit  clearly  and  establish  fundamentally 
 this  positive  effect  of  baptism  in  regard  to 
 children,  is  a  thing  that  cannot  be  denied. 
 Luther  himself,  firm  as  he  was  in  his  conviction 
 as  to  infant  baptism,  wavered  in  setting  fortk 
 its  grounds.  Sometimes  he  speaks  with  perfect; 
 correctness  about  it.  So  in  the  sermon  con- 
 cerning holy  baptism  (Walch,  x.  2518) :  "There 
 are  who  say  that  there  munt  he  (in  addition  to 
 water  and  word,  besides  the  divine  name,  and 
 the  ordinance  of  God)  something  over  and, 
 above,  that  is,  faith  ;  they  rest  this  upon  the 
 saying  in  Mark  xvi.  16,  and  bring  forward  the 
 sentence  of  Augustine,  which  stands  hard  by 
 that  other* — Non  quia  dicilur,  sel  quia  creditur. 
 They  think,  incorrectly  understanding  these 
 sayings,  that  the  word  and  water  are  a  sacra- 
 ment as  far  as  those  who  receive  them  have 
 faith ;  thus  they  ground  baptism  not  upon  God's 
 ordinance  but  upon  men's,  as  if  the  word  with 
 the  water  was  not  effectual  to  baptism  before 
 our  faith  is  added  (at  once,  in  the  administra- 
 tion) ;  and  thus  God's  word  and  work  must 
 receive  their  efficsicy  first  of  all  from  us."  But 
 he  does  not  hold  this  fast  in  its  true  meaning: 
 he  often  contradicts  himself;  so  that  all  his 
 writings  together,  and  indeed  all  the  writings, 
 of  the  first  v/itnesses  of  the  Reformation,  fail 
 
 *  Accedat  verbum  ad  elementum,  et  fit  sacramen* 
 turn. 
 
INFANT  BAPTISM. 
 
 to  give  U3  the  elements  of  a  sound  doctrine 
 concerning  baptism  and  infant  baptism.  But 
 what  we  have*  quoted  will  help  U3  to  under- 
 Btand  rightly  the  true  meaning  of  the  paradoxi- 
 cal questions  in  the  Cat.  Maj.  (p.  545)  :  "  We 
 say  that  the  virtue  of  the  sacrament  does  not 
 rest  upon  whether  the  baptized  has  faith  or 
 not;  baptism  itself  ia  not  affected  by  that.  The 
 baptism  is  to  be  held  valid,  though  there  should 
 not  be  (immediately — we  would  add)  faith  in 
 the  baptized.  My  faith  does  not  make  the 
 baptism,  but  it  apprehends  and  understands 
 the  sacrament."  but  when  this  is  referred  to 
 adults,  and  pushed  so  far  as  to  say  that  if  "a 
 Judas  fraudulently  and  maliciously  procured 
 baptism,"  it  would  be  true  baptism— just  as 
 unoelievers  may  receive  the  sacrament* — it  is 
 an  assertion  which  we  have  already  refuted, 
 and  must  still  denounce.  But  the  application 
 to  infants,  who  have  no  tinbelief,  is  well- 
 grounded  :  their  faith  quickened  by  God  from 
 baptism  onwards  may  gradually  apprehend 
 the  truth,  being  developed  from  the  germ  of 
 God's  free  gift  implanted  first.  As  strong  as  is 
 our  protest,  in  the  sacrament,  of  eating  and 
 drinking  for  adults,  against  any  reception  on 
 tJie  part  of  unbelievers,  must  be  our  assertion 
 — the  relations  of  the  matter  being  changed — 
 of  the  bestowment  of  the  baptismal  grace  upon 
 children  who  are  not  capable  of  conscious 
 faith,  as  the  beginning  and  foundation  of  their 
 spiritual  birth.  As  respects  all  further  bless- 
 ings received  from  God  we  hold,  with  John  i.  7, 
 the  indispensable  necessity  of  iaith  as  a  condi- 
 tion ;  but  the  first  beginning  of  grace  in  us, 
 without  which  faith  could  never  be  by  us  ex- 
 ercised, must  be  matter  of  pure  prevenient  gift 
 and  influence.  It  is  this  which  baptism  testi- 
 fies, symbolizes,  and  is  the  medium  of  imparting 
 — thus,  in  this  standing  opposed,  as  to  the 
 word,  80  also  to  the  other  sacrament.t  Ac- 
 cording to  Heb.  xi.  6,  no  man  can  draw  nigh 
 to  God  without  conscious  faith,  but  God  him- 
 self draws  near  to  little  children  just  that  they 
 may  be  able  to  believe  ;  and  we  may  well  ask, 
 in  the  analogy  of  Isa.  Ixvi.  9,  Shall  we  parents 
 
 *  This  improper  analogy  occurs  again  in  the  ex- 
 position of  John  i.  32  (Walch,  vii.  1658),  and  also 
 in  the  dogmatic  treatises.  Hafenretfer's  distinc- 
 tion between  the  substantia  bnptismi,  which  is  pres- 
 ent, and  the  snlutaris  fritcfus  et  effcctus,  which  is 
 wanting,  is  on  a  par  witii  the  unintelligible  Luth- 
 eran assertions  concerning  the  sacramental  parti- 
 cipation of  unbelievers. 
 
 t  Hence  W.  llofniann  is  perfectly  right  in  say- 
 ing :  "  The  Baptists  deal  with  baptism  as  some  are 
 said  to  deal  with  the  Lord's  Supper  :  they  make  as 
 it  were  out  of  the  two  sacraments  only  one." 
 Many  of  our  liypor-Lutheraiis  fall  into  tlio  same 
 01  Tor  :  they  exaggerate  bai)tism  in  such  a  manner 
 that  it  ceases  to  be  a  sncratnentitm  iiiitii,  and  carry- 
 ing this  e.xaggeration  into  infant  bajjtism  they  pro- 
 voke the  opj)osition  of  the  Baptists.  We  read  in 
 lhf>  Evatig.  Kirchenz.  (18-lG.  p.  187)  the  perilous  as- 
 sertion :  "  As  there  is  only  one  Church,  so  there 
 is  only  one  sacrament,  in  its  two  stages  and  divis- 
 ionii — tlje  Supper  \a  already  contained  in  bap- 
 tisui." 
 
 infuse  into  the  souls  of  our  children,  throngb 
 education,  and  even  in  their  conception,  spirit- 
 ual seed  which  springs  up,  and  shall  not  he 
 through  whom  and  for  whom  they  were  born  7 
 Can  It  be  that  (as  Ribbeck  says)  before  the 
 "  consciousness  of  the  personal  I  "  the  child  is 
 not  susceptible  of  any  operation  of  the  Holy 
 Spirit  ? 
 
 Thus  we  have  reached  the  second  question, 
 as  to  what  the  Scripture  more  or  less  expressly 
 declares  concerning  infant  baptism.  Bat  we 
 shall  limit  ourselves  now  to  two  points,  which 
 we  may  thus  express  :  Is  infant  baptism  in- 
 tended in  the  text,  in  the  words  of  in&titution  ? 
 and  how  did  the  Apostles  understand  them  ? 
 
 We  protest  at  the  outset  against  Aug.  Hahn's 
 representation  :  "  Baptism  was  in  the  appoint- 
 ment of  Christ  to  be  administered  to  all  those 
 who  penitently  confessed  their  sin,  and  believ- 
 ed in  the  Gospei  of  Jesus.  According  to  its 
 original  character  and  design  it  could  be  ad- 
 ministered only  to  adults,  who  alone  were  ca- 
 pable of  the  knowledge  of  sin,  and  repentance, 
 and  faith.  Neither  in  the  Scripture,  nor  in  the 
 history  of  the  first  century  and  a  half,  is  there 
 a  certain  example  of  infant  baptism  to  be 
 found,"  etc.,  whereupon  the  baptizing  of  uu- 
 conscious  children,  which  (strangely  enough) 
 the  growth  of  the  external  Church  demanded, 
 is  vindicated  and  a{x>logized  for  by  the  practice 
 of  confirmation,  which  (mark  it  well)  really 
 took  the  place  of  proper  Christian  baptism. 
 Finally,  at  the  close  :  "  But  if  we  would  hold 
 fast  to  evangelical  apostolical  principles,  chil- 
 dren should,  according  to  the  institution  of 
 Christ  and  his  Apostles,  be  consecrated  by 
 blessing  (but  what  half-thing  is  this  ?  and  when 
 did  the  Apostles  thus  bless  children?),  while 
 the  adult  alone  should  be  baptized,  ichen  they 
 (and  there  lies  the  difficulty !)  have  come  to  a 
 knowledge  of  their  need  and  of  the  way  of  sal- 
 vation, and  to  a  true  faith  in  the  Gospel."  To 
 all  these  positions  we  are  perfectly  opposed,  on 
 exegeticai  and  historical  grounds  whicli  cannot 
 be  reasoned  away.  Lutz  again  sets  out  by  say- 
 ing ;  "  Infant  baptism  is  est-entially  excluded  by 
 the  words  of  institution,  Matt  xxviii.  19  and 
 Mark  xvi.  16;  for  the  words  /uaQtjTsvtiv  and 
 ni6zEi:£iv  preceding  the  /JajtrO^eiy  shut  them 
 out  as  incapable  of  both  " — but  our  exposition 
 has  given  reason,  at  least  in  Matthew,  for 
 thinking  otherwise  ;  and  we  shall  see  the  same 
 in  our  consideration  of  Mark.  His  bold  con- 
 clusion is  groundless,  resting  upon  a  very 
 superlicial  expDsition :  "  Therelore  it  must 
 be  admitted  that  the  baptism  of  children 
 has  no  ground  in  Scripture."  It  is  admit- 
 ted afterwards  that  "it  was  not  only  (most 
 kind  admission!)  a  superstitious  noWon  of 
 the  magical  elluct  of  baptism  which  intro- 
 duced*- the  practice,  but  along  with  it  a  cmi- 
 
 *  Which  is  so  certainly  known  without  any  his- 
 torical proof.  Scheincrt  says  that  "  false  ideas 
 about  oi  iginal  sin,  and  a  supuistitious  notion  of  tlie 
 marvellous  ellect  of  the  opus  oprmtum  produced 
 the  jiractico  of  infant  baptism  "  (2>j«  ChnsU.  lUii- 
 gwn,  KOnJgsb.  1863,  ii.  U7). 
 
MATTHEW  XXVIII.  18-20. 
 
 809 
 
 mendable  Christian  feeling."  So  again  :  "  On 
 account  of  its  long  continuance  the  universal 
 Christian  feeling  would  be  most  grievously 
 wounded  if  the  baptism  of  infants  was  abolish- 
 ed. The  zeal  of  re-baptists  is  without  maturity 
 and  propriety,  a  zeal  about  the  word,  for  the 
 letter  without  the  spirit."  Bat  here  we  must  an- 
 swer: Is  there  then  on  this  point  a  contradiction 
 between  the  normal  letter  and  its  afterwards  de- 
 veloped spirit?  Thus  what  according  to  Hahn 
 oiight  to  be  done  must  not  be  done,  because  of 
 a  mere  feeling  which  finds  it  hard  to  shake  off 
 a  practice  which,  though  contrary  to  the  word 
 of  Scripture,  has  enlisted  for  many  ages  the 
 sympathies  of  the  Church.  For  ourselves,  we 
 cannot  understand  how  any  man  with  such 
 views  and  convictions  can  be  a  member  and  a 
 minister  of  a  p£edobaptist  community.  The 
 re-baptists  indeed  contend  for  the  falsely  under- 
 stood letter ;  but  the  letter  understood  in  the 
 spirit  is  itself  the  rightly  expounded  word,  and 
 with  that  alone  are  they  to  be  vanquished. 
 Scriptural  ground  must  be  given  for  every  usage 
 of  the  Church,  either  in  the  germ  or  in  express 
 appointment — and  this  is  all  the  more  neces- 
 sary lor  one  which  seems  to  oppose  the  word  of 
 Scripture :  in  such  a  case  no  custom  and  no 
 feeling  must  have  any  force.  But  there  is  no 
 want  of  scriptural  ground.  The  word  which 
 W.  Hofmann  once  spoke  to  a  Baptist  was  very 
 true,  and  touches  the  heart  of  the  matter — 
 Your  position  to  the  word  of  God  is  the  narrow 
 and  bound  one  of  English  Christians  ;  mine,  on 
 the  other  hand,  is  the  freer  and  deeper  one  of 
 German  theology.  We  must  undei'stand  the 
 letter  of  Scripture  in  connection  with  all  that 
 it  pre-supposes  and  all  its  consequences  ;  so 
 understanding  it,  there  will  be  no  difficulty 
 about  the  baptism  of  infants.  We  must  not 
 kold  to  the  "'  written  word  of  God  "  in  such  a 
 mechanical  and  foolishly  literal  spirit  as  tiiat  of 
 Ribbeek,  to  whom  historical  proof  that  the 
 Apostles  baptized  children,  and  decrees  of 
 general  councils,  would  avail  nothing,  if  there 
 were  no  literal  command  in  the  New  Testament. 
 We  have  already  given  our  preparatory  expla- 
 nation upon  the  Lord's  symbolical  blessing  of 
 the  children  ;  but  we  shall  endeavor  to  show 
 that,  in  the  actual  institution  of  baptism,  the 
 gathering -Gf  adults  to  the  Church  was  not  (as 
 Spangen berg  says)  the  only  thing  referred  to. 
 
 Calvin  nrges  first  against  the  Baptists,  that 
 if  they  appeal  so  £tiffly  to  the  first  "  disci- 
 pling  "  coming  lefore  the  "  baptizing,"  we  also, 
 on  the  other  hand  (si  tergiversari  libeat,  non 
 latebra,  sed  latissimus  campus  ad  eff"ugiendum 
 se  aperit),  may  appeal,  with  equal  positiveness, 
 to  the  second  arrangement  of  the  words  :  first 
 "  baptize,"  then  "  teach."*     But  he  gives  up 
 
 *  The  Lord  spoke  of  being  born  again  of  water 
 and  Spirit,  not  of  Spirit  and  of  water:  a  remark 
 that  must  be  carefully  noted.  We  would  not  how- 
 ever press  it  with  W.  Ilofmann  in  favor  of  the  pri- 
 ority of  baptism  ;  but,  against  such  exaggerations 
 as  represent  a  perfect  regeneration  in  baptism  itself, 
 the  segueme  aS.  !i!k<ii  words  .in  iiiis  £o-orfZ»«aiw«  is  era- 
 fhcLtic 
 
 the  sound  exposition  of  the  words:  and  sug- 
 gests as  the  right  answer  the  false  question, 
 "  Is  there  a  single  syllable  about  infants  in  all 
 thi«  discourse?"  To  turn  these  discourses  of 
 Christ  against  infant  baptism  is  as  foolish  as  it 
 would  be  to  deny  bread  to  the  children  be- 
 cause they  do  not  work,  according  to  2  Thess. 
 iii.  10.  "  What  every  body  must  see  to  refer  to 
 adults,  they  apply  to  children."  This  eomes 
 at  last  to  Spangenberg's  dictum,  that  "  infant 
 baptism  is  neither  expressly  commanded  nor 
 •expressly  forbidden  in  Scripture"  But  after 
 all,  at  the  solemn  consecration  of  a  sacrament 
 the  not  mentioning  would  be  equivalent  to  a 
 
 frohibition.  Let  us  think  carefully  of  this, 
 s  it  a  thing  in  itself  probable,  nay,  is  it  a 
 thing  conceivable,  that  at  the  time  when  he  is 
 -contemplating  the  ground,  procedure,  and 
 economy  of  his  whole  Church  dowji,  to  the  end 
 of  the  world,  and  giving  for  that  purpose  his 
 final  and  decisive  commissions  and  promises, 
 Christ  should  not  think  of  the  difficult  ques- 
 tion— What  must  be  done  with  the  children  of 
 the  converted  nations?  Is  it  possible  that 
 those  children  whom  he  some  time  blessed 
 should  now  be  so  entirely  forgotten  as  to  be 
 neither  excluded  from  nor  included  in  the 
 arrangements  of  that  great  benediction  which 
 he  is  now  establishing  ?  There  is  a  great  differ- 
 ence, moreover,  between  the  baptism  of  chil- 
 dren and  the  sacrament  of  the  women,  which 
 has  been  brought  into  comparison.  Proceed- 
 ing from  the  first  manifestation  of  baptism, 
 ai^ument  has  been  found  for  the  exclusion  of 
 inlants;  proceeding  from  the  typical  parallel 
 of  the  Old  Testament,  argument  has  been 
 found  for  their  inclusion.  Which,  then,  ie 
 right,  and  how  are  they  reconciled?  We  say 
 With  the  Apology  :  "  It  is  necessary  to  baptize 
 infants,  that  the  promise  of  salvation  may  be 
 applied  to  them,  according  to  the  command- 
 ment of  Christ-:  Baptize  all  nations,  where, 
 as  salvation  is  offered  to  all,  so  baptism  is  offered 
 to  all,  men,  women,  children,  infants;  it  there- 
 fore clearly  follows  that  infants  are  to  be  bap- 
 tized because  salvation  is  offered  with  bap- 
 tism." But  this  requires  the  aid  of  exposi- 
 tion.* 
 
 Olshausen  remarks  quite  correctly  that  in 
 apostolical  practice  instruction  never  preceded 
 baptism.  Lange  misunderstands  this  in  his 
 reply:  "Was  not  the  announcement  of  the 
 name  of  Christ,  which  was  the  means  of 
 bringing  men  to  confess  that  name,  an  in- 
 struction?" But  Olshausen  only  means  that 
 this  first  announcement  was  not' essential  in- 
 struction. See  Acts  ii.  42.  But,  it  will  be 
 asked.  Was  not  this  HT^pvOdeiy,  which  is  com- 
 manded previously  in  Mark,  before  baptism  ? 
 Certainly,  for  how  should  salvation  be  brought 
 to  the  nations  otherwise  than  by  the  word  of 
 preaching  at  the  very  beginning?  But,  not- 
 withstanding, it  was  to  be  carried  to  the  na- 
 tions  ;  the  beginning  with  adults  was  to  go  on 
 
 ^  Nitxseh :  Tliere  are  here  genuine  elements  of 
 apology,  but  the  jnaiu  question  .is  evaded. 
 
810 
 
 INFANT  BAPTISM. 
 
 until  the  nations  as  natiomwere  to  be  received 
 into  the  discipleship  of  Christ :  let  the  mean- 
 ing of  this  be  remembered  and  deeply  pon- 
 dered !*  II;re  lies  the  testing  point  for  the 
 right  understanding  of  the  whole,  the  connec- 
 tion of  its  development  with  the  letter  to  be 
 expounded.  As  already  in  Matt.  x.  12,  13 
 (see  our  exposition)  the  Lord  had  rrmltitmhs 
 &T)d  families  in  his  eye,  and  not  merely  indi- 
 vidual persons;  as  in  Luke  xi.x.  9  the  intima- 
 tion about  the  house  of  ZacchaBUS  pointed  the 
 same  way ;  so  now  he  contemplates  and  em- 
 braces the  peojAes  upon  earth  in  the  widest 
 sense  as  under  God's  appointment  extended 
 families,  each  in  its  several  integrity. t  For 
 this  totality  the  laptizing  is  tlien  distributed  ; 
 the  children  are  not  expressly  mentioned,  but 
 the  words  are  handed  down  to  future  under- 
 standing. Wesley:  "  Baptizing  and  teaching 
 are  the  two  great  branches  of  that  general 
 design,  and  these  were  to  be  determined  by 
 the  circumstances  of  things,  which  made  it 
 necessary,  in  baptizing  adult  Jews  or  heathens, 
 to  teach  them  before  they  were  baptized ; 
 in  discipling  their  children,  to  baptize  them 
 before  they  were  taught."  This  is  in  perfect 
 harmony  wiih  the  truth,  but  it  is  not  correct 
 exegesis,  inasmuch  as  the  teaching  does  not 
 express  i\\\s  preliminary  instruction  ;  but  Wes- 
 ley has  used  preaching  and  teacliing  inter- 
 changeably. Indeed,  we  do  not,  in  strict 
 exegesis,  obviate  the  difficulty  by  saying  with 
 Rambach  :  "Christ  ordains  that  ncivTa  zd 
 eQyri  should  be  baptized.  But  as  there  is  no 
 people  under  the  sun  which  is  composed  of 
 adults  alone,  it  cannot  be  contrary  to  the  com- 
 mandment of  Christ  that  little  chddren  should 
 be  baptized."  For  the  accus.  EQyr/  is  not 
 strictly  connected  with  fta7tTiC,eLV,  and  this 
 admits  of  a  good  reason  ;  the  inclusion  of  the 
 children  rests,  partly,  upon  the  indefini/c 
 avrovi,  which,  specifying  no  condition  or 
 limitation  whatever,  is  put  immediately  in  the 
 place  of  iOvTf ;  and,  partly,  in  the  parallel 
 ideas  of  naOrfCEveiv  and  lSa7triC,Eiv.  Hence 
 Buddeus  is  more  precise  and  correct :  "  The 
 word  uaOtfrEvScxTE  is  to  be  translated — Malce 
 disciples;  and  this,  if  infants  are  regarded, 
 could  be  done  by  baptism  alone."  lie  after- 
 wards says,  with  reference  to  the  M?jpv66Eiy  : 
 "  In  the  word  m/pv^aTE  there  is  including  the 
 preaching  concerning  baptism,  which  exerts 
 its  influence  in  a  different  manner  upon  adults 
 and  upon  infants."  This  is  seen  in  Acts  viii. 
 35,  36. 
 
 Alter  the  Lord  had  thus  strikingly  spoken, 
 in  a  great  prirphelic  contemplation  of  the  his- 
 
 *  "  The  commandment  of  the  Lord  to  the  Apos- 
 tles, lo  bring  the  peoples  as  nations  to  God,  sounds 
 precisely  like  the  promise  given  to  Abraham  in  the 
 beginning  "  (Baumgarten,  Die  Nac'itgcschiclitc  Sacha- 
 rjff*,  ii.  481).  Most  true.  It  is  a  question  how  far 
 our  modoru  missions  forgot  this. 
 
 t  Being  "  the  individuals  and  higher  personal- 
 ities of  the  world's  history" — as  liuuseu  terms 
 them. 
 
 tory  of  the  world  and  of  the  Church,  concern- 
 ing the  "discipling  of  all  nations  " — assuredly 
 with  the  meaning  that  the  household  and 
 family  bonds  should  not  continue  to  be  rent  as 
 at  the  beginning,  but  that  Christian  penplen 
 should  be  won,  and  translated  into  the  state 
 of  discipleship  as  peoples  ;  after  he  had  thus 
 connected  the  discipling,  which  might  seem  to 
 refer  only  to  individual  persons,  with  the  term  • 
 nations  {'tOvrf);  he  then  introduces,  but  not 
 till  then,  in  connection  with  the  ImpLizing,  the 
 element  of  the  personal  them  (avzoii).  For, 
 indeed,  it  must  always  be  necessary  that  the 
 baptism  to  be  personally  appropriated  should 
 be  administered  to  individuals;  although  in 
 process  of  time  what  may  be  termed  a  "  bap- 
 tism "  of  the  whole  national  life  and  spirit  was 
 to  follow,  and  the  baptized  were  to  grow  up 
 into  a  united  national  Church.  This  we  do 
 not  mean  altogether  in  the  sense  of  Driiseke, 
 who,  placing  suspiciously  in  abeyance  the  per- 
 sonal element  in  regeneration,  preaches  about 
 "  the  great  joeo/^^e-baptism  by  .Jesus" — for  it  is 
 only  the  discipling  which  belongs  to  the  word 
 nations.  But  still  there  is  some  truth  in  it, 
 and  he  goes  on  with  perfect  correctness : 
 "  Christianity  was  not  designed  to  be  a  thing 
 limited  to  individuals;  the  consecration  of 
 peoples  proceeds  from  the  families,  the  conse- 
 cration of  families  from  individuals,  and  thd 
 consecration  of  individuals  (again)  springs 
 from  the  Church."  So  also  he  speaks  very 
 sound  words  in  favor  of  the  preservation  of 
 the  characteristic  difTeiences  of  peoples  in  Chris- 
 tendom, in  opposition  to  a  perverted  cosmopo- 
 lite view  ol  Christianity — for  that  is  main- 
 tained most  evidently  in  our  text.  Nilzsch 
 points  in  a  very  impressive  manner  to  the 
 original  natural  foundations  of  life  in  the 
 family,  with  which  the  Church  must  ever  be 
 in  harmony  ;  this  of  it-self,  without  a  single 
 word  said  about  it  in  Scripture,  being  the 
 profoundest  warranty  of  infant  baptism.*  As 
 certainly  as  Christ  would  never  p'uck  up  and 
 outrage  these  roots  of  human  development  and 
 the  iormation  of  character  and  society ;  as 
 certainly  as  it  was  his  will  that  there  should 
 be  such  Churches  of  peoples  as  were  aimed  at 
 in  the  earliest  times,!  and  have  existed  through 
 the  greater  part  of  two  thousand  years ;  and 
 that  there  should  bo  the  concomitant  (but 
 carefully  defined)  connection  between  the 
 Church  and  the  State;  and  that  entire  races 
 should  bo  prevaded  with  the  elements  of  his 
 renewing  Spirit  (for  otherwise  the  result  as 
 seen  in  history  must  be  regarded  as  altogether 
 a  failure  and  pervei-sion  of  his  will) — so  really 
 and  assuredly  must  his  will  have  been  the 
 baptism  of  children.  The  one  stands  or  falb 
 in  reality  with  the  other;  both  must  therefore 
 
 *  For  this  I  may  refer  to  my  Auslegung  dct 
 EpIu'Heyhriffea,  ii.  311)  H'.,  es]>ecially  p.  327. 
 
 t  Comp.  my  Reden  der  Aposlcl,  ii.  115.  It  is  re- 
 markable that  just  at  the  transition  of  the  Go.s]>e) 
 into  Europe,  the  saving  and  baptizing  of  hooio- 
 hulds  comes  iulo  prominouce  ia  Urn  uarratjve. 
 
MATTHEW  XXVIII.  18-20. 
 
 811 
 
 have  concurred  in  the  design  and  ordinance  of 
 our  Lord,  whose  will  must,  if  anywhere,  have 
 been  uttered  here  in  Matt,  xxviii.  The  con- 
 troversy is  not  merely  whether  infants  should 
 be  baptized  or  not ;  but  the  inevitable  conse- 
 quence or  antecedent  of  the  denial  of  baptism 
 to  children  is  separatism,  and  the.  reduction  of 
 the  Church  back  to  its  beginnings,  to  the  col- 
 lection together  of  individual  converts  from 
 *  several  unrelated  families.  Can  we  suppose 
 the  Lord  to  have  purposed  that  the  community 
 of  the  baptized  should  continue  forever  that 
 which  it  must  necessarily  have  been  in  the 
 beginning,  an  outwardly-separated  status  in 
 statu,  a  confederation  altogether  distinct  from 
 the  life  of  the  nation?  Assuredly  not:  For 
 he  has  himself  declared  that  such  a  community 
 would  never,  under  any  circumstances,  escape 
 the  intrusion  of  members  merely  in  form  ; 
 and  consequently  would  never  in  the  end  be 
 essentially  better  in  principal  than  the  na- 
 tional Church.*  Moreover,  it  was  altogether 
 in  the  family,  the  foundation  of  the  nation, 
 that  humanity  was  ever  to  be  apprehended 
 and  laid  hold  of  by  the  Spirit  of  Christ. 
 
 Children  are  certainly  not  baptized  merely 
 for  the  reason  that  the  Geneva  Catechism  as- 
 signs, "Thereby  to  declare  that  they  are  the 
 heirs  of  the  promise  given  to  the  children  of 
 the  faithful;  and  that  they,  when  grown  to 
 mature  age,  and  capable  of 'understanding  the 
 real  design  of  their  baptism,  may  attain  to  and 
 increase  in  its  benefit."  Or,  as  the  words 
 which  precede:  "  Since  it  is  sufficiently  shown 
 that  the  substantial  virtue  of  baptism  is  the 
 portion  of  the  children,  it  would  be  doing  them 
 an  injustice  to  refuse  them  the  sign,  which  is 
 less  than  the  reality  itself."!  For  the  sign 
 and  its  reality  are  essentially  connected  to- 
 gether even  in  the  baptism  of  infants.  There- 
 fore we  may  adopt  the  better  expression  of  the 
 first  Helvetic  Confession  :  "  We  dip  our  infants 
 too  into  this  holy  bath  of  regeneration,  because 
 
 *  Comp.  the  picture  drawn  by  Hofmann  (p.  185, 
 186)  of  a  church  of  late  baptized  peo.)le.  The 
 Steinthal  treatise  before-mentioned  (the  author  of 
 which  we  are  not  allowed  publicly  to  announce), 
 one  of  the  best  exponents  of  that  class,  lays  down 
 the  following :  "  Througli  the  testimony  of  the 
 Church  (but  what  church  1)  there  is  ever  going  on 
 a  great  division  in  the  world ;  some  believe  and 
 enter  voluntarily  into  the  fellowship  of  the  Church  ; 
 others  refuse  to  believe,  and  absolutely  reject  that 
 fellowship."  But  we  protest  against  the  applica- 
 tion of  this  to  the  baptizing  or  not  baptizing  of 
 the  individuals  of  a  Christianized  people,  an  aOvoi 
 fxaBijTEvfJav.  See  also  Ribbeck  (p.  121);  but, 
 with  regard  to  his  remarks,  how  can  we  fundamen- 
 tally test  whether  those  who  have  witnessed  their 
 confession  are  all  sincere  and  the  children  of  God  1 
 We  would  ask,  moreover,  how  the  Baptist  commu- 
 nity, as  such,  can  be  organized,  and  retain  an  ab- 
 solute purity. 
 
 t  So  that  baptism  would  only  be  the  act  in  which 
 an  actual  existing  connection  with  Christ  is  ex- 
 pressly declared^  shown  forth,  and  confirmed  (Hof- 
 uana,  p.  85). 
 
 it  would  be  unrighteous  in  us,  who  are  the 
 people  of  God,  to  exclude  those  who  are  born 
 of  us,  as  such,  from  the  fellowship  of  the  peo- 
 ple of  God."  He  who  significantly  said,  con- 
 cerning the  children  who  were  brought  unto 
 him  by  others,  that  they  had  come  themselves, 
 imputing  it  to  them  as  their  own  coming,  will 
 admit  them  also  to  the  blessing  of  baptism  ;  for 
 he  did  not  then  in  the  days  of  his  flesh  let 
 them  go  away  empty,  without  an  essential  and 
 efficacious  blessing.  It  is  true,  as  my  Catechistn 
 says  (Quest.  346),  that  the  gift  and  grace  of 
 the  Holy  Ghost  is  symbolized  by  water,  is  pro- 
 mised by  the  word,  and  is  received  by  faith  ; 
 but  this  faith,  as  regards  children  in  the  ac- 
 tual reception  of  the  first  fruits,  may  be  the 
 representative,  imputed  faith  of  parents,  spon- 
 sors, and  of  the  whole  Church — which  will  go 
 on  to  be  imparted  more  and  more.*  Thus  it  is 
 at  the  first  in  allend  fide  (according  to  Chem- 
 nitz nequaquam  concedendum) — but  in  this,  as 
 to  children,  there  is  nothing  to  be  disputed 
 against ;  in  fact  the  alienum  ceases  to  be  such. 
 They  are  supposed  to  grow  up  in  the  grace  of 
 the  Church  given  to  the  whole  "people  of  God," 
 and  which  is  now  given  anew  as  the  grace  of 
 baptism  ;  in  that  faith  which  flows  to  them 
 from  the  beginning  as  a  spiritual  mother's  milk 
 — thus  they  are  already  nabTjrEvQevrsi,  al- 
 ready dimples  in  the  most  real  sense  of  the 
 word.  For  "  the  children  of  Christians  begin, 
 as  soon  as  ever  they  are  capable,  to  learn 
 and  receive  impressions  in  Christianity  "  (Hof- 
 mann). That  there  should  be  a  Church  which 
 receives  and  educates  them  ;  that  there  should 
 be  a  baptizer  (with  more  or  less  of  personal 
 sincerity  and  earnestness — that  is  not  the  es- 
 sential point),  acknowledging  and  represent- 
 ing the  laith  of  the  mother-church,  we  should 
 invoke  for  them  the  triune  God — is  necessary, 
 but  it  is  also  enough.  Thus  the  grace  of  him 
 tiiat  calleth  (that  the  fulfillment  n;ay  not  come 
 behind  the  type,  Rom.  ix.  11),  the  germ  out 
 of  which  the  tree  of  their  Christian  life  is  de- 
 veloped under  spiritual  culture,  is  the  neces- 
 sary foundation  of  Christian  education,  of  the 
 nai8ayooyia  kv  Xptdrc^,  and  not  merely  eii 
 Xfjidrov — their  nurture  in  Christ,  and  not 
 merely  into  Christ.f  As  a  Christian  lather  I 
 could  never  regard  one  of  my  children  as  still 
 standing  without  the  grace  of  regeneration, 
 and  as  not  yet  taken  into  the  covenant  and 
 promise  through  the  sacrament  appointed  to 
 that  end.  The  higher  my  estimation  of  this, 
 the  more  deeply  do  I  feel  its  need  for  my  chil- 
 dren, as  for  myself;  moreover,  I  have  no  no- 
 tion of  any  such  education  as  should,  apart 
 
 *  It  is  not  absolutely  wrong,  as  Hofmann  thinks, 
 to  regard  the  sponsors,  which  represent  the  Church, 
 as  also  representing  the  child:  for  this  last  follows 
 from  the  first,  and  in  that  lies  actually  the  justifi- 
 cation of  baptism. 
 
 t  In  Ephes.  vi.  4,  the  original  speaks  of  the 
 nurture  and  discipline  o/  theZoid,  which  Luther 
 has  incorrectly  translated  "  zum  Herrn  " — to  the 
 Lord. 
 
812 
 
 INFANT  BAPTISM, 
 
 from  the  divine  foundation,  prepare  them  for 
 and  lead  them  to  baptism.  The  more  stress 
 we  are  in  fact  obliged  to  lay  upon  the  blessing, 
 the  sanctification.  and  the  union  with  the 
 Church,  of  a  child  growing  up  in  strict  Chris- 
 tian culture,  the  more  must  his  subsequent 
 baptism  lose  its  importance :  it  must  in 
 fact  appear  to  be  a  mere  supplementary  cere- 
 mony of  water.  But  the  "  pedagogic  influ- 
 ence upon  the  nations"  which  Christ  ordains 
 and  promises,  and  which  he  in  fact  afterwards 
 approved,  is  not  merely  "represented  by  bap- 
 tism," as  Lange,  too  externally  looking  at  it, 
 says — but  the  internal-spiritual  discipUng  of 
 the  nations  with  their  progeny*  is  essentially 
 attached  to  the  baptism  of  children,  and  will  be 
 mediated  ly  it.  This  has  not  merely  furthered 
 the  growth  of  the  external  Church,  which 
 would  be  in  itself  no  blessing,  but  has  in  real- 
 ity in  this  way  continued  and  enlarged  the  in- 
 ternal Church.  Against  all  perverting  dese- 
 cration and  abuse  of  infant  baptism  stands  the 
 commandment  that  follows — which,  indeed, 
 like  all  the  ordinances  and  words  of  Christ, 
 has  not  been  universally  obeyed.  Teach,  them 
 to  observe,  etc.  This  first  of  all  applies  to  the 
 parents,  but  then,  as  we  shall  see,  to  the  offi- 
 cers of  the  Church. 
 
 It  is  true  that  the  Lord  did  not  here  "  ex- 
 pressly "  (as  they  say)  appoint  infant  baptism; 
 and  this  may  be  explained,  partly  by  the  large- 
 ness and  extent  ot  the  Lord's  contemplation, 
 and  partly  by  reasons  of  special  wisdom,  to 
 which  we  shall  presently  refer.  But  he  so  spoke 
 that  in  the  inmost  understanding  of  the  word 
 through  the  Spirit  it  must  appear  to  have 
 been  foreseen  and  included.  Have  we  not  al- 
 ready found,  apart  altogether  from  the  present 
 controversy,  that  baptism  in  its  present  con- 
 nection took  the  precise  place  of  circumcision  ?f 
 Is  not  this  analogy  an  important  argument  for 
 the  baptism  of  children?  The  analogy  was  so 
 direct  and  obvious,  that  our  Lord,  if  his  will 
 had  not  been  the  baptism  of  infants,  must  have 
 expressly  interdicted  it.  Or,  his  words  must 
 have  been  thus  expressed :  "  Disciple  those 
 who  repent  in  all  nations,  baptizing  all  who 
 believe  your  preaching,"  or  the  like.  For 
 the  proselytes  of  Judaism  were  baptized  in 
 families,  with  their  wives  and  children. J  We 
 cannot  .but   perceive  in  Acts  ii.  39,  "and  to 
 
 *  "  It  is  clear  that  the  great  idea  (of  the  univer- 
 sal priesthood  in  Christianity)  requires,  in  order  to 
 its  full,  natural,  and  healthy  development,  a  Chris- 
 tian people,  althouc;h  in  its  gorni  it  needs  only  the 
 Christian  family."  Buuscn,  Ktrche  der  Zukwift, 
 p.  71. 
 
 f  HfuMb.  Katechuiin.  Quest.  74,  and  80  most  of 
 the  Conlessions.  Theologians  bring  forward  this 
 a&  evidence ;  sometimes,  however,  in  a  ono-sidcd 
 manner,  and  without  seeing  that  deep  connection 
 of  the  whole  which  gives  its  chief  force  to  the  ar- 
 gument. 
 
 %  Tlio  rigorous  question,  "  Where  is  it  written 
 that  children  are  to  be  baptized  1  "  is  best  answered 
 by  tlie  counter-question,  "  Where  is  it  written  that 
 we  should  not  baptize  them  1 " 
 
 your  children,"  an  offer  of  the  new  cove.Tant  of 
 grace  which  refers  not  merely  to  their  descend- 
 ants in  the  future,  but,  under  the  Spirit's  in- 
 spiration, to  their  then  existing  children — tiiis 
 interpretation  is  rendered  obvious  by  the 
 analogy  of  the  old  covenant,  and  Peter's  words 
 may  therefore  be  regarded  as  "  paving  the  way 
 for  int'ant  baptism."  Comp.  Acts.  iii.  25.  If 
 the  children  of  the  people  of  Israel  were  thus 
 referred  to,  surely  the  same  would  hold  good  of 
 the  children  of  those  afar  off. 
 
 What  then  was  the  Apontles'  practice  with 
 regard  to  the  children  of  believers?  Even  if 
 Peter  did  not  himself  at  once  understand  the 
 words  which  the  Spirit  on  the  first  day  put 
 into  his  lips  concerning  the  children  near  (as 
 also  concerning  all  who  were  far),  the  true 
 understanding  of  them  could  not  possibly  have 
 been  long  wanting  when  the  faith  was  spread 
 abroad.  Although  Luther  himself  at  first  con- 
 ceded to  the  Anabaptists  that  the  Church  had 
 authority  not  to  baptize  children,  because  no 
 passage  of  Scripture  imperatively  enjoins  it 
 (and  in  a  certain  sense  he  was  right)— yet  it 
 may  be  argued  back  with  the  greate.st  confi- 
 dence from  the  nature  of  the  case  that  the  chil- 
 dren, as  soon  as  perfect  communities  were  con- 
 solidated, had  been  for  the  most  part  baptized ; 
 and  in  this  way  we  have  a  foundation  for  the 
 exposition  of  many  otlierwise  doubtful  passages. 
 Three  questions  must  be  answered  by  those 
 who  would  maintain  the  invalidity  ot  infant 
 baptism,  and  their  full  importance  must  aUvays 
 have  been  felt  by  those  who  duly  reflected 
 upon  their  consequences.  First :  With  what 
 age  or  year  does  the  susceptibility  to  receive 
 the  Holy  Ghost  begin  ?*  or — to  put  the  same 
 question  in  another  way — Who  that  honors 
 the  word  of  Scripture  can  unconditionally  deny 
 to  childhood  this  susceptibility,  after  Luke  i. 
 15  ?  Or — still  otherwise — Did  not  the  sacred 
 youth  of  Jesus,  holy  from  the  beginning  in  the 
 Spirit,  obtain  a  sanctification  for  human  nature 
 in  its  earliest  age?  But,  if  all  this  be  repelled, 
 we  would  ask,  secondly  :  Who  could  decide  the 
 question,  not  only  at  what  age,  but  under  what 
 circumstances  generally,  the  children  grown  up 
 should  be  baptized,  as  penitent  and  believing?! 
 For,  to  baptize  all  indiscriminately  afterwards, 
 just  as  we  confirm  all — as  Baptist  Cliurclies 
 are  very  much  tempted  to  do — is  that  prostitu- 
 
 *  Or,  with  Hofmann  :  "  Who  can  say  how  early 
 the  first  dawning  rays,  which  precede  the  morn- 
 ing light  of  the  spiritual  day,  enter  the  infant 
 soul  1  " 
 
 t  "  It  is  evident  that  by  this  there  would  bo  in- 
 troduced into  the  existing  communities  a  distinc- 
 tion between  internal  and  external  members,  and 
 a  judkuU  autlioriti/,  consequently,  to  be  exerci.sed 
 by  the  rulers  of  llie  Church,  which  would  not  be- 
 come Christ's  servants,  and  be  unprofitable  for 
 both  classes  in  the  community  "  (Ileim,  p.  2o).  And 
 it  also  entirely  forgets  the  secret  and  gradual  char- 
 acter of  our  early  religious  growth,  concerning 
 which  Ilofmann  rightly  asks — "  Wiiere  is  the  point 
 of  express  decision  at  which  the  place  of  baptism 
 may  be  determined  ] " 
 
MATTHEW  XXVIII.  18-20. 
 
 lU 
 
 tion  of  the  sacrament  which  they  so  much  com- 
 plain of.  But  to  baptize  children  in  depend- 
 ence upon  prevenient  grace  must  appear  to  be 
 most  expressly  in  harmony  with  the  idea  and 
 design  of  this  prevenient  sacrament  of  the 
 electing  grace  of  God ;  and  it  seldom  or  never 
 happens  that  a  baptized  adult  can  perfectly 
 "receive  the  kingdom  of  God  as  a  little  child."* 
 Finally,  if  all  this  could  be  disposed  of,  and  we 
 could  in  some  way  or  other  distinguish  those 
 who  are  unworthy  of  baptism,  we  would  ask, 
 thirdly :  How  and  in  what  way  are  we  to 
 organize  and  deal  with  this  sundered  portion, 
 the  un baptized  of  a  Christian  people  ?  "Will  not 
 the  rejected  appear  to  be  rejected  of  God,  to 
 their  embittering  ?  Who  gave  to  man  such  an 
 authority  as  this?  The  fact  that  in  all  these 
 things,  which  must  of  course  have  come  into 
 question  in  the  beginnings  of  the  establishment 
 of  the  Church,  there  is  no  ordinance,  no  direc- 
 tion, no  record,  no  single  word,  is  a  most  mighty 
 argumentum  a  sileniio  in  favor  of  a  designed 
 and  always  existing  baptism  of  infants.f  Can 
 we  suppose  the  Lord,  and  alter  him  the  Spirit 
 in  the  Apostles,  to  have  left  his  people  for  all 
 future  time  so  utterly  without  guidance  as  to 
 the  question  how  they  should  deal  with  Chris- 
 tian children,  which  are  evidently  no  longer 
 heathens,  and  cannot  be  regarded  as  brought 
 up  like  heathens  ?  How  would  that  harmonize 
 with  the  canonical  completeness  and  the  pro 
 
 literally  demonstrative  ;  but  all  that  has  been 
 already  said  will  shed  a  light  quite  sufficient 
 for  that  purpose  upon  those  passages  especially 
 which  record  the  baptizing  of  whole  houses  or 
 families.  We  would  not  go  so  far  in  conces- 
 sion as  W.  Hofmann,  and  speak  lightly  of  the 
 appeal  to  these  passages  ;  they  are  essentially 
 enough.  It  is  true  that  we  read  in  Acts  xvl. 
 32  of  the  word  having  been  declared  to  all  in 
 his  house  (that  is,  to  all  who  could,  and  as  far 
 as  they  could  receive,  it)  ;  but  why  is  it  said  in 
 vcr.  Si  that  /te  had  believed,  the  singular 
 itETtidzEVHODi  being  alone  used?  moreover  in 
 connection  Avith  the  strikingly  impersonal 
 n  av  otHi.  Ver.  32  may  show  that  there 
 were  no  "  sucklings  "  present ;  yet  ver.  34  again 
 proves  that  they  were  not  all  adults  and  inde- 
 pendent persons,  who  decided  in  their  own 
 personal  faith  to  undergo  baptism.  (Comp. 
 John  iv.  53  with  the  TtaiSiov,  ver.  49.)  Not, 
 indeed,  babes,  yet  jcaiSia,  children,  might  re- 
 joice with  their  parents  after  their  manner,  and 
 in  their  degree  ;  and  a  baptism  of  such  children 
 in  the  family  would  be  a  demonstrative  argu- 
 ment for  the  analogy  of  infant  baptism,  resting 
 upon  the  same  principle  with  it.  it  is  true  that 
 the  house  of  Lydia,  ver.  15,  could  not  contain 
 any  children* — but  why  do  we  find  the  reference 
 ,  once  more  to  her  having  believed  alone?  (in 
 i  which  the  siyai  is  not  altogether  in  favor  of 
 !  Hofmann's  "becoming  a  believer"  through  the 
 
 totypic  sufficiency  of  Scripture?  It  is  not  our  1  baptism).  Paul,  according  to  1  Cor.  i.  16,  bap- 
 "  magical  notion  of  inspiration,"  not  a  relapse  tized  the  home  of  Stephanas  ;  but  it  does  not 
 on  our  part  into  mechanical  dependence  on  the  follow  from  chap.  xvi.  15  of  the  same  Epistle^ 
 mere  letter  ot  Scripture,  when  we  insist  upon    as  Neander  prematurely  deduces — "  tliat  the 
 
 finding  in  the  Scripture,  in  the  word  of  the 
 Lord  himself,  not  indeed  the  entire  ecclesiasti- 
 cal development  of  every  practice,  but  its  pro- 
 totype and  authorization,  as  provided  before- 
 hand for  every  question  of  importance  by  the 
 Spirit  of  the  Lord.  Thus  was  our  Lord  under- 
 stood from  the  beginning,  and  children,  when 
 it  was  sought, J  were  baptized :  this  to  us  is  the 
 true  solution  of  the  enigma.  The  traces  of 
 this,  indeed,  in  the   New   Testament   are  not 
 
 *  In  the  excellent  account  of  the  ecclesiastical 
 state  of  North  America  which  Prof.  Schaff  pub- 
 lished in  the  Deutsch.  Zei'schr.  1854,  we  have,  p.  223, 
 his  authentic  testimony  that  the  Baptists,  having 
 no  sure  defence  against  the  profanation  of  the  sa- 
 crament, baptize  may  hypocrites  and  unworthy 
 persons  ;  and  that  they  no  more  succeed  in  erect- 
 ing pure  churches  than  did  the  Donatists  and  other 
 similar  sects. 
 
 f  Ribbeck  asks  the  strange  question,  Why  do 
 we  not  find  a  single  word  about  sponsorship — this 
 sM;5i;?>'(»-it(w  of  family  obligation,  wliich  the  later 
 circumstances  of  the  family  and  the  Church  ren- 
 dered necessary  1  But  our  counter-question  has 
 much  more  reason  and  force — Why  is  there  not  a 
 single  word  about  the  position  and  treatment  of 
 the  children  of  Christians,  which  do  not,  however, 
 belong  yet  to  the  Church  1 
 
 X  When  parents  brought  their  children  to  be 
 baptized,  as  they  fondly  brought  them  for  Christ's 
 blessing,  who  that  remembered  Ms  words  could 
 reject  them  ] 
 
 wliole  family,  which  received  baptism,  consisted 
 of  none  but  adult  members."  The  former  pass- 
 age appears  to  us,  rather,  when  placed  in  com- 
 parison with  the  history  in  the  Acts,  to  bear 
 testimony  generally  to  the  baptiziaj  of  Iwuses 
 and  families,  which  the  Apostles  adopted  as 
 expressly  in  harmony  with  the  Lord's  words 
 concerning  the  "  nations  "  and  the  "  houses." 
 Neander  regards  it  as  highly  improbable  that 
 Paul,  the  opponent  of  all  opus  operntum  without 
 personal  faith,  "  would  have  introduced,  or 
 permitted  to  be  introduced,  a  practice  wliica 
 might  so  easily  be  perverted  into  a  sanction 
 for  the  delusion  of  a  justification  to  be  obtain- 
 ed by  external  things,  and  which  would  trans- 
 fer the  external  righteousness  of  circumcision 
 to  Christian  baptism."  But  all  that  we  have 
 already  said  will  be  more  than  a  counterpoise 
 to  any  such  imagined  anxiety  on  the  Apostle's 
 part.  We  much  more  cl-^arly  see  to  what  the 
 living  children  of  Christian  parents  unbaptized 
 woufd  be  perverted,  and  to  what  that  would 
 give  occasion  ;  moreover  it  would  then  have 
 been  in  the  highest  degree  probable  that  the 
 
 *  "  Workmen,"  in  her  commerce,  have  been 
 mentioned.  Ribbeck,  again,  introduces  his  "jour- 
 ney of  business"  which  brought  the  dealer  in 
 purple,  and  of  course  without  her  family.  Pity 
 that  the  brief  and  distinct  narrative  knows  nothing 
 of  this ;  it  mentions  rather  a  house  in  the  place, 
 to  which  she  could  invite  others. 
 
814 
 
 INFANT  BAPTISM. 
 
 Apostles  would  have  given  some  direction  as  to 
 the  position  and  relations  of  these  numberless 
 catechumen-classes,  as  to  the  time  and  the  duty  of 
 their  V>aptism,  and  every  thing  connected  with 
 it.*  But  we  have  a  most  remarkable  and 
 direct  utterance  of  the  Apostle  concerning 
 children,  in  1  Cor.  vii.  14.  This  passage  has 
 been  strangely  used  both  for  and  against  infant 
 baptism  ;  its  defenders  certainly  make  it  too 
 directly  valid  on  their  side,  but  its  opponents 
 go  much  further  than  they  in  their  one-sided 
 arbitrariness.  Lutz,  for  instance,  following 
 Olshausen,  but  in  stronger  terms  says  :  "  If 
 Paul  had  oiili/  thought  of  infant  baptism,  he 
 could  not  possibly  have  spoken  thus  ! "  ( Where- 
 as Olshausen  had  merely  argued,  "  that  Paul 
 would  not  have  chosen  this  kind  of  demonstra- 
 tion, if  infant  baptism  had  been  already  the 
 practice.")  The  truth  of  this  passage  seems  to 
 us  to  lie,  as  it  were,  between  the  two,  but  cer- 
 tainly in  favor  of  infant  baptism.  What  is  it 
 that  13  pre-supposed  as  not  to  be  doubted  in 
 the  tTcei?  That  the  children  of  a  marriage  in 
 which  only  one  of  the  parties  was  a  believer, 
 were  no  longer  dndOapra,  unclean — but  dyia, 
 holif.-\  To  make  this  a  direct  proof  that  these 
 children  were  not  yet  baptized,  and  consequent- 
 ly that  in  the  time  of  the  Apostles  children 
 generally  were  not  yet  baptized,  is  a  strange 
 view  of  the  strong  expressions  of  Paul.  A 
 "certain  external  and  ecclesiaslical  sanctity," 
 parallel  with  Piora.  xi.  16  (as  some  one  has 
 said),  the  Apostle  can  scarcely  be  regarded  as 
 recognizing  in  the  New-Testament  Church,  es- 
 pecially when  this  aKoc^apra  (in  which  as  re- 
 
 *  Ribbeck  finds  in  the  0601,  Gal  iii.  27,  a  proof 
 that  there  were  among  the  readers  unbaptized 
 persons,  hecnme  they  had  not  yet  reached  a  state 
 of  faith !  This  would  be  the  class  of  catechumens. 
 But  why  is  there  no  reference  to  them  elsewhere, 
 and  no  direct  address  to  them  ?  Why,  in  ver.  26, 
 is  tliore  a  itdyxEi  without  restriction,  as  in  all  the 
 El)istles "? 
 
 f  De  Wette  understands  the  passage  of  all  chil- 
 dren of  Christians,  so  that  in  the  -vnmv  all  the 
 Corinthian  Christians  are  addressed.  This  would 
 bs  very  welcome  ;  but  it  is  baseless,  since  from  ver. 
 12  onwards  the  Apostles  is  telling  the  mixed  pairs 
 that  wliich  then  follows;  in  ver.  16  he  passes  on  to 
 an  actual  address  to  them  ;  and  consetiuently  the 
 t' ncov  ver.  14  belongs  already  to  this  address.  But 
 Ilofmann's  translation — "  Even  if  your  children  are 
 still  uncleansed,  that  is  unbaptized,  not  the  less  on 
 that  account  are  they  holy  " — we  cannot  reconcile 
 with  the  literal  words.  iiffCi' means  here  certain- 
 ly alias,  alioquin  :  and  the  asserted  dyia  neces- 
 sarily denies  the  axdOapra.  Hofmann  {Sclirf(b. 
 i.  453)  interprets  it  also  of  the  children  of  Chris- 
 tians generally,  but  only  of  a  sanctiflcation  of 
 these  cliildren  for  i/ie  paiott.i,  that  is,  of  the  moral 
 character  of  the  living  relation  between  parents 
 and  children,  by  which  analogy  the  relation  be- 
 tween the  married  parties  is  illustrated.  But 
 ■L/iiGjy  hero  means  only  the  mixed  married  pairs; 
 and,  moreover,  it  would  be  highly  improjjer  to 
 convert  it — Otherwise  would  your  children  be  for 
 you  unholy ;  not  to  mention  the  strange  use  of 
 dndfiapTQi  in  this  sense, 
 
 spects  children,  who  cannot  sin,  wo  must  ne- 
 cessarily think  of  natural  sinfulness,  the  original 
 sin  of  birth)  seems  to  be  almost  taken  away  by 
 this  dyia.  Expositors  have  generally  inverted 
 the  comparison,  instead  of  apprehending  it 
 rightly.  He  does  not  by  any  means  draw  the 
 conclusion  from  the  vyiaGzai^  applied  to  the 
 unbelieving  parent,  that  the  dyia  is  to  be  re- 
 duced to  its  level,  and  made  strictly  parallel 
 with  it ;  but  from  the  higher  dy  id  i6  riv  oi 
 the  children,  thus  taken  for  granted,  he  deduces 
 a  bolder  analogous  iiyia6zai.  li'  nurture  in 
 the  Lord,  though  on  the  part  of  the  father  or 
 the  mother  alone,  availed  to  sanctify  the  child, 
 should  not  the  unbelie'ving  parent,  who  did 
 nothing  to  oppose  (being  susceptible  of  being 
 pleased,  vers.  12,  13,  which  then  had  much  sig- 
 nificance) be  capable  also  of  similarly  being 
 won?  That  is  the  thought  of  the  Apostle, 
 The  dyid  e6riv,  from  which  he  proceeds,  is 
 therefore  to  be  taken  in  a  much  more  real  and 
 deep  sense  than  that  which  is  given  in  the 
 paraphrase  of  Nitzsch — "  They  have  a  historical 
 vocation  to  the  kingdom  of  God,  like  Israel."* 
 De  Wette  makes  it  no  less  than — "They  are 
 members  of  the  Christian  community."  But 
 such  were  generally,  and  as  the  rule,  none  who 
 were  unbaptized.  If  we  compare,  as  W3  are 
 justified  in  doing,  the  terminology  of  the 
 Apostle  in  Eph.  v.  26,  yea,  1  Cor.  vi.  11,  this 
 dyia  must  appear  closely  to  border  on  their 
 baptism,  and  means  at  least  as  much  as  this — 
 that  they  were  either  baptized  or  counted 
 worthy  of  heaven,  prepared  for  it,  to  be  bap- 
 tized "if  baptism  be  desired,  and  consequently 
 (this  desire  being  pre-supposed  as  a  rule)  as 
 good  as  haptized.  if  Paul  had  "  even  only 
 thought "  of  the  postponement  of  baptism,  then 
 he  could  not  have  called  them  "  holy,"  then 
 must  they  have  been  still  "  unclean."  For 
 otherwise  it  would  support  that  Anabaptist 
 and  unscriptural  position  which  the  Formula 
 Concordim  (p.  623)  rightly  condemns:  "That 
 the  children  of  Christians,  because  they  have 
 sprung  from  Christian  and  believing  parents, 
 and  independently  of  or  be.'"ore  the  reception  of 
 baptism,  are  truly  holy  and  to  be  numbered 
 among  the  children  of  God."t  However  much 
 the  inherited  and  family  blessing  of  grace  in 
 the  Church  may  signify — and  we  shall  hereafter 
 lay  sufficient  stress  upon  it ;  however  certainly 
 the  Spirit  may  bless  the  children  with  pre- 
 venient  grace,  where  the  baptism  with  water  is 
 unrighteously  denied,  in  order  thus  to  direct 
 them  to  bo  baptized — yet  we  cannot  suppose 
 the  Apostle  to  declare  in  \iQ\y  \vv\l,  without  any 
 thought  of  baptism  whatever,  that  this  hereditaiy 
 
 *  For  all  the  world  has  this,  according  to  the 
 express  words  of  Mntt.  xxviii.  and  Mark  xvi.  In 
 thai  sense  no  man  is  any  longer  unclean,  Ac:s  x. 
 28. 
 
 t  This  is  quite  a  diff>"rent  thing  from  the  gen- 
 eral conclusion  drawn  from  Lutheran  doctrine  by 
 J.  MUller — that  to  all  the  children  of  Christians 
 there  jiertains  a  pecnlinr  relation  to  the  grace  of 
 God  and  the  kingdom  of  heaven  set  up  in  Christ. 
 
MATTHEW  XXVIII.  lS-20. 
 
 815 
 
 blessing  alone  would  ('in  Christian  phraseology) 
 cleanse  and  sanctify  tlie  children,  j«.si  as  he  else- 
 tchere  says  of  baptism.  For  this  is  something 
 different  from,  and  very  much  more  than,  tliat 
 "  being  yicarer  the  kingdom  of  God,"  which  even 
 Ribbeck  allows  to  the  children  of  believing 
 parents.  If  the  Apostle's  thought  was  that 
 their  participation,  in  virtue  of  their  birth,  in 
 the  fellowship  and  blessing  of  the  Church,  stood 
 to  them  in  the  place  of  baptism — even  then  we 
 cannot  understand  why  they  were,  and  were  to 
 be  left,  unbaptized.  Thus  not  merely  does  the 
 idea  which  justifies  and  requires  infant  baptism 
 lie  in  this  passage  (as  Olshausen,  De  Wette, 
 and  many  others  agree)— but  much  more  than 
 that.  Ittakes  for  granted  that  the  children  of 
 Christians  were  worthy  of  baptism,  and  were 
 consequently  (wherefore  not,  on  that  supposi- 
 tion ?)  actually  baptized,  as  the  recognized  and 
 well-known  rule  and  fact  of  Christianity.  But 
 then  it  speaks  indistinctly,  and  indeed  some- 
 what undogmatically  (as  Scripture  with  pro- 
 priety often  does)  concerning  the  indistinct 
 question.  For  this  much  on  the  one  hand  is 
 true :  if  infant  baptism  had  been  at  that  time 
 already  a  universal  practice,  Paul  would  not 
 have  spoken  thus  paraphrastically  concerning 
 it.  He  does  not  indeed  say,  Else  would  your 
 children  not  be  baptized  ;  nor  is  there  a  word 
 •which  intimates,  Therefore  we  baptize  our  chil- 
 dren, and  such  as  yours  are — and  for  this  there 
 was  a  very  good  reason.  It  was  a  difficult 
 point,  and  the  question  depended  upon  the 
 faith  and  the  convictions  of  the  parents,  which 
 of  course  would  regulate  the  propriety  of  such 
 a  step,  in  families  which  in  such  numbers  ex- 
 hibited mixed  parentage.  An  absolute  and 
 universal  legal  prescription  would  have  been 
 out  of  harmony  with  the  character  which  ruled 
 the  apostolical  formation  of  Churches.  The 
 Apostles  did  not  introduce  the  early  baptism 
 of  infants  in  any  such  manner;  but  waited, 
 as  was  tit,  for  the  desire  expressed  by  the  pa- 
 rents. In  such  cases  baptism  might  be  some- 
 times long  delayed  (as  adults  often  deferred  it) ; 
 the  whole  matter  assumed  its  proper  relations, 
 and  obtained  its  rights,  only  by  degrees — just 
 as  to  this  day  it  is  not  expedient  that  state 
 Churches  should  legislate  absolutely  on  the 
 question.  This  is  the  reason  why  the  Apostle 
 spoke  as  he  did  -.  his  word  recognizes  and  takes 
 for  granted  the  existence  of  infant  baptism, 
 and  indeed  involves  a  getitle  (zhortation  %o  it; 
 but  he  had  good  reason  for  not  speaking  of  it 
 directly.  On  the  same  principle  the  Lord  did 
 not  institute  xard  to  pijrov  (expressly)  the 
 iaptizing  of  children  coming  to  him"  in  the  arms 
 of  others,  but  "left  it  to  the  free  development 
 of  the  Christian  spirit,"  that  is,  to  the  feeling 
 and  desire  of  converted  parents.  Understand- 
 ing this,  we  must  however  propose  to  our- 
 selves an  exposition  of  the  words  of  institution 
 Hard  vj/y  6idvoiJcv  (in  effect)  as  we  have 
 endeavored  to  give  it ;  and  assume  the  bap- 
 tism of  many  children,  at  least  by  the  hands  of 
 the  Apostles  themselves.  For  when  we  ob- 
 serve that  Paul,  Eph.   vi.  1,  ia  the  proper 
 
 Church  Epistle,  places  the  children  on  a  parity 
 with  every  other  class  in  the  Church,  speaks  to 
 them  as  belonging  to  the  community,  and  re- 
 quires of  them  that  ihey  obey  in  the  Lord 
 (corap.  Col.  iii.  18-22),  we  are  not  permitted 
 to  regard  these  children^  as  collectively  unbap- 
 tized,and  as  consequently  without  the  "  Caurch" 
 to  which  the  Epistle  is  sent. 
 
 But  what  as  to  the  Church  after  the  Apostles? 
 Its  history  says  not  a  word  of  an  introduction  of 
 the  practice  contrary  to  apostolical  usage — how 
 would  that  have  been  possible  in  a  matter  so 
 important  and  so  strange,  and  at  a  time  when 
 such  strife  and  contradiction  must  necessarily 
 have  been  excited?  In  the  passage  of  Ire- 
 nreus,  adv.  Ilcer.  ii.  22,  4,  which  asserts  a  sancti- 
 fication,  through  the  Redeemer,  of  infantes, 
 even  of  those  who  were  not  yet  capable  as  ]>ar- 
 vuli  of  receiving  an  example,  every  unbiassed 
 mind  must  confess  that  there  is  a  testimony, 
 not  only  to  the  idia  of  infant  baptism,  but  also 
 to  its  practice;  for  we  cannot  understand  the 
 existence  of  such  views  of  the  question  among 
 the  ancients  without  the  corresponding  observ- 
 ance o;  the  usage.!  TertuUian's  contradiction, 
 on  which  so  much  stress  has  been  laid,  never, 
 as  is  well  known,  says  expressly  in  any  one 
 place  tliat  infant  baptism  was  certainly  and 
 confessedly  of  new  and  recent  introduction, 
 and  therelore  unapostolical — he  finds  it,  rather, 
 already  existing  as  a  custom.  Consequently, 
 no  man  had  "introduced"  it,  as  the  custom  is 
 to  speak.  Origen,  not  only  in  Ihm.  14  in  Luc, 
 and  8  in  Levit.,  speaks  of  the  baptizing  of  cliil- 
 dren  according  to  the  custom  of  the  Church, 
 but  in  Ptom.  vi.  says  in  plain  hard  terms — Tiie 
 Church  received  tiie  custom  of  baptizing  ciiii- 
 dren  from  the  Apostles.  One  step  lunher 
 takes  us  to  Augustine  :  "  The  custom  of  mother 
 Church  in  baptizing  little  ones  is  not  to  be  made 
 light  of,  or  though':  a  superfluous  thing ;  but  it 
 is  to  be  regarded  as  an  apostolical,  tradition, 
 only  "  {De  Genes,  ad  lit.  x.  23;  comp.  Serin,  x. 
 de  Verbis  apostol.).  All  this  is  enough,  with  oar 
 pre-suppositions.  We  cannot  agree  with  Nean- 
 der  that  these  explanations  ai'e  of  little  signif- 
 
 *  Certainly  not  yet  grown  up  ;  indeed  so  far  in- 
 fant that  in  the  Epistle  to  tho  Colossians  it  is  re- 
 quired of  them  that  they  "  obey  xard  Ttdvra — • 
 in  all  things." 
 
 t  "  He  cannot  have  looked  much  into  the  an- 
 cient Church  who  can  suppose  that  it  would  have 
 held  a  reception  into  the  kingdom  of  heaven 
 possible  without  baptism.  This  makes  it  very 
 certain  that  the  sacred  observance  of  baptizing 
 the  children  of  Christians  was  complied  wiih  even 
 in  the  apostolic  age.  It  was  the  original  convic- 
 tion of  the  Church  that  children  were  not  trans- 
 lated into  the  kingdom  of  heaven  by  their  natural 
 birth,  but  that  their  regeneration  was  necessary. 
 From  this  the  custom  and  necessity  of  infant 
 baptism  necessai'iiy  followed.  Boih  the  practice 
 and  the  doctrine  of  Christian  antiquity  speak 
 strongly,  and  with  equal  strength,  for  its  apostol- 
 ical origin  "  (Thiersch,  i)te  Kvche  in  c^ostol.  Zei' 
 tail,  p.  300). 
 
816 
 
 INFANT  BAPTISM. 
 
 icance  ;*  but  conclude  with  th«  evidence  of  fact 
 given  hy  iJie  Lord's  confirmation  of  infant  baptism 
 down  to  the  present  day.  As  we  have  said 
 elsewhere — God  does  not  reject  and  repel  the 
 children  which  are  brought  unto  him  ;  he 
 blesses  them  from  the  beginning  with  the  first 
 fruits  of  h:s  Spirit  of  e;race.  Else  would  he 
 withhold  that  Spirit.  But  the  entire  Church 
 testifies,  by  its  accepted  members,  to  the  Bap- 
 tists, that  its  infant  Daptism  is  not  without  the 
 sanction  and  blessing  of  the  Spirit.f  Count- 
 kss  children  and  men  of  God  rise  up  from  this 
 baptism  as  witnesses.  Have  all  these  been,  in 
 continuous  opposition  to  the  institution  of  the 
 sacrament,  either  not  baptized  at  all,  or  er- 
 roneously baptized?  Has  God  given  to  so 
 many  of  them  his  Holy  Spirit  in  early  youth, 
 and  should  man  have  refused  the  water?  The 
 same  argument  is  pursued  in  the  Apology,  p. 
 157.  the  Greater  Cat.,  p.  5i-i. 
 
 We  entirely  agree  with  the  tolerably  com- 
 plete view  of  the  matter — embracing  almost 
 all  its  points — which  Guericke  gives  in  his 
 Kirdu-ngcsch.  i.  99,  100  (1st  edition  :  we  do  not 
 know  what  may  have  been  added  to  the  sec- 
 ond). Not  that  "  infant  baptism  became  ne- 
 cessary when  the  mighty  influx  of  the  Spirit's 
 power  was  lost  " — we  see  no  logical  ground  for 
 such  a  deduction  of  the  "  necessity  "  of  a  de- 
 cline from  the  original  institution  of  the  sacra- 
 ment. But  conversely,  as  we  think — when  the 
 profound  view  of  Irenteus  (and  that  of  the 
 Apostles)  began  to  be  lost,  the  practice  re- 
 treated for  a  while ;  it  yielded  to  the  spirit  of 
 Tertuliian's  doctrine,  before  his  time  ;  to  an 
 opposition  which,  however  on  some  grounds 
 relatively  justified,  recognized  the  principle 
 neither  of  the  idea  nor  of  the  tradition.  This 
 retrocession  of  the  principle  of  infant  baptism 
 went  hand  in  hand  with  the  unapostolical  per- 
 version and  lengthening  out  of  the  period  of 
 catechuraenship  :  in  the  apostolical  time  we 
 find  only  Churches  of  the  baptized;  even  in  1 
 Cor.  xiv.  16,  23  the  i5to5rat,  "unlearned," 
 must  not  be  interpreted,  in  contradistinction  to 
 aTtidrot,  "  unbelieving,"  as  a  middle  class  of  a 
 later  kind.  Thus  we  are  at  one  with  Hofmann 
 in  our  fundamental  ideas,  and  in  the  results  of 
 
 *  Ilii'fsbucftlcin  zum  Katechismus,  2d  ed.  p,  188, 
 where  nothing  is  said  but  what  Lullier  had  said 
 before;  "That  Uio  baptism  of  infants  is  well- 
 pleasing  to  Christ  is  siifTicientiy  proved  by  his 
 own  act;  lor  God  has  made  many  of  them  ho]y, 
 and  civen  tliem  tlie  Spirit,  wlio  have  been  thus 
 bap'ized  ;  and  there  are  many  to  be  found  in 
 whom,  boih  as  to  their  doctrine  and  their  life,  the 
 works  of  the  Spirit  are  to  be  discerned." 
 
 ■\  Nitzsch  speaks  of  the  "  fearful  nndertaking 
 to  arsuo  all  Christendom  out  of  the  fact  of  its 
 baptism."  Ribbeck,  on  the  other  eido,  s[)eaks  of 
 "  tlie  many  thousands  of  God's  children,  unhap- 
 tized  as  men  say,  who  are  saved"  (p.  71).  But 
 when  h«  speaks  of  an  unbroken  succession  of 
 blessed  B.ipti^t  communities  from  tlie  times  of 
 the  Apostles,  we  must  ask  in  astonishment  lor  his 
 new  revelation  of  Church  History. 
 
 our  inquiry ;  though  we  differ  from  him  con- 
 siderably in  isolated  aspects  and  points  of 
 view.  We  agree  with  him  in  this — that  only 
 in  infant  baptism  the  nature  of  baptism  is  ex- 
 hibited in  its  purity  and  integrity,  as  it  13  the 
 first  receiving  of  the  gift  of  grace  unto  a  new 
 life  ;  while  an  adult  must  necessarily  bring  to 
 it  something  of  the  old,  inrooted,  personal 
 character,  which  affects,  though  it  may  be  in  a 
 very  small  degree,  the  reception  of  the  grace. 
 But  we  deny  that  the  Church  "  went  beyond 
 the  point  attained  by  the  Apostles"  in  this 
 consummating  development  (albeit  in  t/ie&i 
 we  allow  the  right  to  this  as  respects  things 
 other  than  the  sacrament):  first,  because  the 
 demand  to  go  forward  in  this  development  ex- 
 isted in  the  apostolical  age  ;  and,  then,  because 
 the  time  which  immediately  followed  the  Apos- 
 tles cannot  be  supposed  to  have  been  bold  and 
 free  enough  to  go  beyond  the  apostolical  prac- 
 tice in  relation  to  one  of  the  sacraments. 
 Hofmann  seems,  moreover,  to  reduce  baptism  to 
 I  too  low  a  point,  and  to  separate  it  too  entirely 
 !  from  the  beginning  of  regeneration.  That  even 
 in  the  case  of  adults  baptism  has  its  place  6e- 
 fore  "faith,"  that  is,  before  living,  justifying, 
 and  progressively  sanctifying  faith,  has  been 
 by  us  maintained  already  in  its  right  meaning. 
 But  it  is  carrying  this  too  far,  when  he  says 
 that  only  a  mighty  excitement  through  the 
 testimony  of  the  word  would  have  challenged 
 the  Apostles  to  confer  baptism,  and  that  the 
 becoming -heWev'mg  would  be  opposed  to  such 
 an  excitement,  and  scarcely  possible  during  the 
 continuance  of  it.  Though  Acts  viii.  37  may 
 not  be  genuine,  it  expresses  only  the  genuine 
 truth  ;  indeed,  after  the  deception  practised  by 
 Simon,  "with  all  thine  heart"  seems  exceed- 
 ingly appropriate,  and  thus  speaks  for  its  gen- 
 uineness. Vers.  12,  13,  in  the  same  chapter, 
 and  chap,  xviii.  8,  give  us  the  scriptural  phrase- 
 ology so  plainly,  that  we  are  not  in  a  position 
 to  deny  the  "believing"  and  the  "  becoming- 
 believing  "  before  baptism,  and  assume  the  very 
 reverse.  In  Acts  xi.  17  the  I'/jui*'  rrKSretdadtv 
 must  certainly  not  be  expounded  as  in  co7i- 
 trast:  this  we  are  decisively  taught  by  chap. 
 XV.  7-11.  To  make  by  baptism  such  super- 
 ficial, merely  excited,  so-called  "disciples"  aa 
 the  Lord  himself  (John  vi.  GO-64)  in  the  pre- 
 paratory beginnings  had  tolerated,  was  never 
 his  command  and  intention.  The  too  hasty 
 procedure  of  Philip  in  Samaria,  which  over- 
 looked this,  was  rectified  again  by  apostolical 
 authority  ;  but  the  rule  holds  good  in  general 
 that  such  subsequent  rectification  should  not 
 be  necessary.  The  question  is  asked,  respect- 
 ing those  who  were  baptized  on  the  day  of  Pen- 
 tecost— "  Who  had  time  to  test  the  faith  of  so 
 many  multitudes?"  But  this  seems  to  forget 
 the  mighty  influence  of  the  Spirit,  who  on  that 
 \  day  suifered  no  evil  admixture,  as  well  as  the 
 Apostles'  subsequent  discernment  of  spirits, 
 it  is  also  urged  that  even  these  baptized  people 
 are  "commanded  first  to  repent;"  but  we  have 
 given,  as  we  hope,  the  right  exposition  of  the 
 answer  of  Acts  li.  3S,  in  our  Jieden  dcr  ApoUel 
 
MATTHEW  XXVIII.  18-20. 
 
 817 
 
 —Thus  ye  do  well,  continue  and  persevere  in 
 this  change  of  mind,  as  your  question  exhibits 
 it — for  in  ver.  37  there  is  a  genuine  repentance 
 expressed.  We  think  that  in  the  baptism  of 
 adults,  the  children  have  come  to  the  birth,  and 
 in  it  strength  is  given  for  the  bringing  forth 
 (Isa.  XXX vii.  3). 
 
 While  we  admit  all  this,  we  perceive  that  the 
 administration  of  baptism  in  our  missions  by 
 the  hands  of  men,  and  the  pure  realization  of 
 the  baptismal  idea  in  adults,  has  its  difBcul- 
 ties  and  its  imperfection;  while,  on  the  other 
 hand,  in  infant  baptism  the  "chasm  is  filled 
 up  between  the  natural  and  the  spiritual,"  and 
 only  in  this  application  of  it  is  the  doctrine 
 and  practice  of  baptism  seen  in  its  consumma- 
 tion and  perfect  character.*  Having  the  whole 
 course  of  the  history  of  Christianity  before  us, 
 we  must  not  overlook  or  fail  to  appreciate  the 
 counsel  of  God  for  the  conversion  of  the  peo- 
 ples of  the  earth,  which  was  to  take  its  begin- 
 ning in  the  family  life,  as  being  the  root  of  the 
 life  of  the  people.  As  the  renewing  grace  of 
 the  Gospel  recognizes  and  leaves  in  its  integrity 
 the  ground  of  nature  in  the  first  ordinances  of 
 creation,  pervading  them  like  leaven,  so  also 
 the  profoundly  laid  connection  of  nations  (Acts 
 xvii.  26:  Deut.  xxxii.  8)  must  not  be  broken 
 by  a  perpetual  selecting  out  and  isolation  in 
 the  baptizing ,  it  must  rather,  be  taken  up  into 
 and  confirmed  in  the  discipling.  The  State 
 Church  which  began  with  Constantine  is  some- 
 thing altogether  different  from  the  Church  of 
 the  people ;  however  difficult  it  may  be  to 
 make  the  distinction  between  them,  it  is  not 
 impossible  ;t  as  far  as  it  is  absolutely  neces- 
 sary, it  has  been  done,  at  least  approximately, 
 by  the  systems  of  the  Reformed  Churches.  No 
 good,  indeed,  can  come  from  arbitrary  enforce- 
 ment, and  prescription  of  periods  for  the  bap- 
 tism of  children ;  the  permission  of  delay  to 
 those  within  the  paedo-Baptist  Church  would 
 of  itself  lead  through  experience  to  a  right  de- 
 cision of  the  question.!  The  Church  in  Gene- 
 va has  done  well  to  recognize  by  its  recent  de- 
 cisions the  baptism  of  adults  by  the  side  of  its 
 infant  baptism. 
 
 We  feel  and  bewail,  as  much  as  any  secret  or 
 open  opponent  of  infant  baptism  can  do,  the 
 lowering  and  perversion  of  the  sacrament  in 
 the  present  state  of  things  (with  which  the 
 desecration  of  the  Lord's  Supper  is  quite  paral- 
 lel—the unnurtured  growing  up  of  baptized 
 children— the  groundless  reliance  upon  baptism 
 
 *  "  I  hold  tliat  the  surest  of  all  baptism  is  in- 
 fant baptism  "  (Luther). 
 
 t  Hence  Lnnge  ought  not  so  firmly  to  main- 
 tain th.it  tlie  separation  of  ihe  Church  from  the 
 state  must  at  the  same  time  involve  a  .separation 
 from  the  family,  from  the  people.  There  are 
 other  ways  of  escape  which  he  altogether  neg- 
 lects. 
 
 t  Hofmann  remarks  very  truly  that  guiltless 
 lack  of  baplism  would  not  condemn  ;  but  that 
 parents  constrainjed  by  the  Church  would  be  bad 
 educators  for  the  Church. 
 
 on  the  part  of  some,  the  undervaluation  of  the 
 mere  ceremony  on  the  part  of  others — in  short, 
 the  deplorable  condition  generally  into  which 
 the  Church  in  these  matters  has  fallen.  But 
 all  this  mi.schief  is  not,  as  its  opponents  assert, 
 to  be  imputed  to  infant  baptism  since  its  intro- 
 duction ;  it  has  rather  been  produced,  in  spite 
 of  it,  by  other  circumstances  which  we  cannot 
 now  stay  to  set  forth.  We  express  the  assur- 
 ance of  our  firmest  conviction,  that  the  remedy 
 for  these  evils  is  not  to  be  found  in  the  remo- 
 val of  the  foundation  of  grace  upon  which  this 
 fallen  Church  still  roets,  and  the  abolition  of 
 that  baptism  which  is  the  real  channel  for  the 
 communication  to  children  of  the  life  of  grace. 
 This  would  be  still  more  to  confuse  and  divide 
 and  break  up  communities  and  peoples  called 
 of  God  to  be  Christians,  by  introducing  a  sys- 
 tem of  elective  and  uncertain  later  baptism, 
 encumbered  with  all  those  inevitable  ditficiil- 
 ties  of  which  we  have  already  spoken.  In 
 every  reformation  we  must  take  care  to  carry 
 our  reform  into  the  entire  heart  of  the  people, 
 already  called  and  elected,  making  it  pervade 
 all — as  Luther  gives  us  a  universal  symbolical 
 example.  What  kind  of  baptisms  were,  ac- 
 cording to  all  appearance,  those  out  of  which 
 nevertheless  he  called  out  his  priests  and  cham- 
 pions of  God's  cause  ?  Ribbeck's  allegation, 
 that  the  Reformers  did  not  break  away  from 
 the  notion  of  the  Romish  Church  in  this  mat- 
 ter (p.  49) — may  be  changed  into  a  commen- 
 dation, that  they  held  fast  in  faith  the  principle 
 of  an  ecclesiastical  grace  of  Christ  within  the 
 Church.  We  must  accommodate  our  minds  to 
 the  desecration  and  crucifixion  of  the  body 
 of  Christ,  the  true  Church,  by  its  permanent 
 connection  and  confusion  with  the  masses 
 of  those  who  have  been  baptized  in  vain, 
 and  all  but  finally  dead — the  glorious  res- 
 urrection will  not  tarry  long.  Meanwhile, 
 let  us  never  forget  or  dishonor  the  patience 
 and  long-suff'ering  of  the  Lord,  the  sinners' 
 and  the  children's  friend,  the  unweariable 
 grace  which  begins  anew  with  every  new-born 
 child,  while  his  baptism  is  accepted.  If  the 
 evangelical  Church  would  begin  diligently  to 
 point  the  baptized  to  the  privileges  and  obliga- 
 tions of  their  baptism,  and  to  take  all  paina 
 with  the  fundamental  religious  education  of 
 those  who  are  growing  up ;  if  institutions  were 
 to  be  established  which  should  seek  and  strive 
 to  save  those  who  are  grovelling  in  sin  and 
 ignorance — then  the  original  stamp  would 
 shine  out  again  distinctively  in  many  who 
 hardly  exhibit  it  at  all — then  would  it  appear, 
 far  beyond  expectation,  how  much  of  the  germ 
 of  regeneration  is  still  present  among  the  peo- 
 ple, derived  irom  their  baptism,  and  only  wait- 
 ing for  discipline  and  nurture.  This  would  be 
 infinitely  better  and  more  correct,  than  to  blind 
 ourselves,  on  account  of  flagrant  and  general 
 perversion,  to  the  actual  grace  of  the  divine 
 institute. 
 
 In  the  Christian  family,  pure  and  entire  ac- 
 cording to  the  full  meaning  of  that  word,  chil- 
 dren do  grow  up  in  that  "blessing ;"  so  that, 
 
818 
 
 INFANT  BAPTISM. 
 
 at  hast  in  the  case  of  those  who  do  not  oppose 
 it,  the  whole  beginninff  of  the  life  of  grace, 
 which  alone  baptism  bring?,  may  be  seen  in 
 its  exhibition  from  the  beginning.  Would  that 
 be  the  case  also  without  baptism?  Assuredly, 
 in  the  most  favorable  cases,  where  yet  the  chil- 
 dren would  be  counted  common,  the  Spirit 
 would  impel,  as  in  the  house  of  Cornelius,  to 
 the  reception  of  baptism.  If  some  of  those 
 who  scruple  so  much  about  it  could  contem- 
 plate such  a  Christendom  as  their  scruples 
 would  make,  they  would  speedily  give  up  ail 
 their  doubts  about  the  propriety  of  infant 
 baptism.  The  fact  that  grievous  abuse  exists, 
 such  as  permits  Ribbeck,  for  instance,  to  draw 
 such  pictures  as  he  does  of  our  baptismal  feasts 
 and  confirmations,  does  not  at  all  affect  the 
 question  ;  for  it  is  not  God's  will  utterly  to 
 withdraw  his  perverted  benefits.  Moreover,  it 
 is  not  true  that  those  who  are  confirmed  among 
 us  are  ever  "as  thoroughly  children  of  hea- 
 tliens  as  the  children  of  Hottentots  and  Caffres." 
 We  think  that  the  ruin  of  those  who  ruin 
 themselves  would  he  still  more  fearful,  if  bap- 
 tism was  only  held  out  to  them  and  that  in 
 vain  as  a  h\i\iregoal*  But  to  surrender  up  the 
 masses — who  dares  do  that  but  the  Lord  alone, 
 plainly  declaring  his  own  will  by  judgment  and 
 reprobation?  The  spirit  of  these  sects,  a  spirit 
 that  rejects  so  much,  which  so  presumptuously 
 abandons  all  Churches  of  the  people,  all  State 
 Churches,  and  so  many  nations  in  which  Christ 
 assuredly  has  a  deep  foundation,  shows  of  it- 
 self that  it  has  not  the  mind  of  Christ,  and 
 that  it  fundamentally  misunderstands  and  per- 
 verts his  institutions,  laws,  and  government. 
 Indeed, /it^^  "  regeneration  " — a  term  which 
 has  been  very  erroneously  used  in  relation  to 
 this  subject,  as  if  Tit.  iii.  5,  6,  referred  directly 
 to  baptism,!  and  the  words  spoken  there  must 
 hold  good  of  every  baptism  of  every  child — 
 cannot  by  any  means  be  predicated  of  infant 
 baptism  ;  not,  indeed,  to  any  such  extent  as  it 
 may  coincide  in  the  case  of  adults  with  the  re- 
 ception of  the  water.  But  a  living  principle, 
 and  a  commencement  tending  to  that  full  regen- 
 eration, it  does  involve  in  spite  of  all  contra- 
 diction and  confusion  of  opinion  ;  for  the  name 
 of  the  Three-One  in  the  laith  of  the  believing 
 Church,  which  thus  believing  still  baptizes^ 
 cannot  be  an  empty  word.  We  are  quite  will- 
 ing to  admit,  with  Nitzsch,  a  certain  "  imper- 
 
 *  Ilofmanii :  "  Because  faith  does  not  arise 
 from  beiiijr  referred  to  a  grace  to  be  ho[)ed  for, 
 but  from  bein"  pointed  back  to  that  which  has 
 been  received;  becau.se  ihe  divine  compassion 
 can  find  entrance  only  where  it  has  already 
 proved  itself  present,  Tiie  Baptist  himself  can- 
 not do  without  this  method  of  teaching  ;  he 
 speaks  of  the  grace  of  vocation,  and  seeks  by 
 this  means  to  excite  tlie  catechumen  to  faith,  or 
 the  rcce[)tion  of  faith."  But  how  much  more  in- 
 fluential is  tliis  method  of  appeal  in  the  preaching 
 to  such  as  have  been  baptized  ! 
 
 f  But  a  true  exegesis  flnds  this  not  to  be  the 
 case  here,  any  more  than  in  £pb.  t.  26. 
 
 fection  and  need  of  consummation  "  in  infan* 
 baptism  ;  b«t  not  so  as  to  lose  the  "divine/ac? 
 in  and  upon  the  life  of  the  child,  by  rohich  'and 
 in  which  he  is  to  believe,"  which  Nitzsch  so 
 beautifully  attributes  to  genuine  baptism  ;  and 
 so  as  to  make  that  dependent  upon  the  subse- 
 quent knowledge  introduced  by  the  word.  We 
 certainly  will  not  degrade  infant  baptism  by 
 estimating  it  as  analogous  to  tiie  baptism  of 
 John,  and  therefore  as  no  sacrament  at  all. 
 This  simple  juxtaposition  of  the  two  is  uncon- 
 ditionally incorrect.*  They  who  adopt  it  for- 
 get that  John  demanded  repentance  of  adults, 
 and,  consequently,  that  the  application  of 
 John's  baptism  to  infants  (which  Ribbeck  in 
 his  folly  requires  as  according  to  analogy  neces- 
 sary) is  a  thing  impossible.  On  the  other 
 hand,  children  are  as  much  capable,  as  they  are 
 in  need,  of  being  baptized  with  the  baptism  of 
 Christ,  imparting  the  Spirit's  grace  of  a  regen- 
 erating life.  Further,  we  would  not  bind  the 
 consummation,  or  better  development,  or  evo- 
 lution into  the  consciomness  of  the  benefit  of  in- 
 fant baptism,  to  any  definite  ceremony  such  as 
 confirmation  ;  and  declare  this  to  be  "  neces- 
 sary "  as  the  internal  and  consummating  com- 
 plement or  second  part  of  baptism,  or,  so  to 
 speak,  as  the  essential  baptism  of  the  Spirit 
 without  water.  He  briefly  but  surely  confutes 
 the  superficial  and  very  prevalent  view  which 
 lays  all  the  stress  in  baptism  upon  the  divine 
 promise  and  assurance — this  could  be  given 
 only  in  word,  and  therefore  pre-supposes  the 
 understanding  of  the  word  and  conscious  faith. 
 Baptism  would  then  cease  to  be  a  work  of  God 
 in  the  child  ;  and  the  promise  for  the  future 
 would  still  require  a  later,  additional,  and  re- 
 newing vow  of  its  acceptance  on  the  part  of  the 
 receiver.  It  may  seem  that  in  these  expressions 
 he  presses  the  word  too  far :  "  The  current  no- 
 tion that  the  man,  the  person  confirmed,  renews 
 his  covenant  with  God,  is  a  notion  which  deeply 
 degrades  the  essence  of  baptism."  But  his 
 view  of  confirmation  as  a  whole,  as  it  "  is  much 
 less  connected  with  the  baptism  past  than  with 
 the  first  communion  to  come;  "his  testimony 
 for  the  gift  of  God  in  baptism  ;  his  refutation 
 of  the  false  idea  of  a  "  baptismal  covenant," 
 which  sprang  from  a  misunderstanding  of  1 
 Pet.  lii.  21 — are  all  essentially  sound. 
 
 We  may  be  allowed  a  brief  excursus  on  the 
 prc-mentioned  saying,  1  Peter  iii.  21.  In  this 
 passage  (which  gives  so  much  other  matter  of 
 consideration  concerning  the  water,  the  flood, 
 
 *  Yet  tliere  is  some  truth  in  this,  that,  with  re- 
 spect to  cliildren,  tiie  water  and  the  full  gift  of 
 I  he  Spirit  are  to  be  viewed  as  more  distinct ;  their 
 baptism  has  a  more  proplietic  character ;  and  in 
 the  case  of  a  later,  relatively  absolute,  renuncia^ 
 tion  of  the  baptismal  grace  we  may  in  some  sense 
 say  that  only  the  baptism  of  water  remained. 
 This,  and  nothing  more,  is  wliat  the  346tli  and 
 347th  questions  of  my  Catechism  mean;  but  I 
 confess  tiiat  that  treatise,  in  its  accommodation 
 to  catechetical  instruction,  does  not  deal  with 
 I  baptism  iu  a  btyle  of  dogmatic  precision. 
 
MATTHEW  XXVIII.  lS-20. 
 
 ftl9 
 
 flesh,  conscience,  resurrection,  etc.),  the  word 
 i.it£poJTrji.ia,  eoximination  ("answer"),  con- 
 fusedly translated  by  the  Vulg,  interrogatio  in 
 Deum,  is  the  main  question.  By  no  means  is 
 it,  as  Luther  renders,  and  the  jurist  Grotius 
 supports  by  evidence  of  juristical  phrases,  a 
 covenant  obligation,  stipulation,  or  legally  binding 
 confirmation  of  a  promise  per  solennern  inierro- 
 gationem  et  refipomionem,  like  stipulatio ;  as  in 
 this  sense  Tertuliian  spoke  of  the  sponsio  salufis, 
 and  Cyprian  of  the  interrogatio  haptismi.  The 
 word  may  occur  elsewhere  (as,  it  is  affirmed,  in 
 Herod,  and  Thucyd.)  "  non  de  simplici  interro- 
 gatione,  sed  de  forensi,  h.e.  de  pacto,  foedere, 
 sponsione ;  "  and  even  in  the  Sept.  Dan.  iv.  14, 
 iTCepoorijua  is  used,  as  a  a7C.  \ey.  for  XnpS'^S 
 as  synon.  with  NlpanSl  (according  to  Schultens 
 
 "qucBitio  res  de  qud  agitur ; "  according  to 
 Havernick  more  correctly,  the  requirement  in- 
 volved, the  thing  desired),  with  the  supposed 
 meaning  of  decretum — but  we  cannot  possibly 
 understand  any  thing  of  this  kind  here  in  Peter. 
 Meyer  prefers,  "The  pledge  (or  stipulation),  by 
 means  of  the  question  and  response  of  renuncia- 
 tion and  consecration  connected  with  baptism  " 
 — but  v/e  must  ask.  How  did  the  Apostle  come 
 to  use  here  this  juristical  terra  of  federal  com- 
 pact? How  can  we  suppose  him  to  make  an 
 essential  part  of  baptism  that  question  and 
 response  of  renunciation  and  consecration  which 
 was  not  till  afterwards  introduced  into  its  cele- 
 bration ?  The  word  does  not  appear  to  have  been 
 at  all  rightly  understood  by  the  ancients  ;  and 
 the  Pesh.  unliterally  and  paraphrastically  gives 
 to  it  something  of  the  notion  of  a  confessio 
 (pnJK  P'l.lip) — by   this,   however,   pointing  at 
 
 least  towards  the  more  correct  meaning.  Two 
 things  are  plain  at  the  outset :  that  mention  is 
 here  made  of  the  internal  essence  of  baptism  in 
 contrast  with  its  external  element,  and  there- 
 fore that  it  cannot  be  any  external  form  or  for- 
 mula which  is  intended ;  and  that  the  Apostle 
 means  the  result  and  infiaence  upon  the  inner 
 man  of  the  water  which  does  not  kill  but 
 saves,  and  does  more  than  merely  wash  away, 
 like  "  the  putting  away  of  the  filth  of  the  flesh." 
 It  is  perfectly  in  opposition  to  his  meaning  to 
 understand  it  oi  a,  promise ;  man  having  already 
 a  good  conscience  towards  God,  that  is,  the  joy- 
 ful persuasion  that  he  is  forgiven.  Winer 
 on  purely  philological  grounds  protest  against 
 this,  showing  that  only  kitEpoord60ai  could 
 have  the  meaning  of  promittere.  But  what  he 
 substitutes  is  also  essentially  wrong — "  The 
 inquiry  after  God  of  a  good  conscience  (that  is, 
 of  a  conscience  determined  to  good),  the  turn- 
 ing to  God,  and  seeking  him."  De  Wette 
 translates  it  in  the  same  way,  Nachfrage  an 
 Gott ;  and  many  agree  with  him,  laying  the 
 emphasis  upon  this  that  "  in  baptism  a  man 
 cannot  come  forward  as  one  who  may  enter 
 into  a  stipulation  with  God,  but  must  come  to 
 God,  as  desiring  and  seeking  a  grace  which  is 
 altogether  grajtuitous."  Von  Gerlacb,  admit- 
 ting this,  saya  :  "  The  words  then  indicate  that 
 
 which  saved  Noah  in  the  flood,  and  Christians  in 
 baptism."   But  that  which  saves  is  certainly  the 
 gift  and  grace  of  God  ;  not  our  asking  for  it, 
 our  turning  to  him,  and  seeking.     Can  we  sup- 
 pose the  Apostle   here  to  have  so  entirely  lost 
 the  objective  in  the  subjective?     Neander  re- 
 jects this  altogether;  but  he  unhappily  falls 
 back  upon  the  "  question  proposed  in  baptism." 
 "This  spiritual  character  might  be  pointed  out? 
 by  the  question  proposed  at  baptism,  which  re- 
 ferred  to  the  spiritual  religious  object  of  the 
 rite  ;  and  the  question  is  referred  to  instead  of 
 the  answer  (alluding  to  Winer's  objection),  be- 
 cause it  precedes  and  is  that  which  gives  occa- 
 sion to  the  answer."     But  v/hat  has  just  been 
 said   will   hold   good   against   this.     Buddeus 
 {Tlieol.  mor.  cap.  v.  I  18)  saw  quite  rightly  that 
 it  must  be  an  effect  of  baptism  which  is  here 
 referred  to,  instead  of  a  previously-desired  good 
 conscience  ;   but  his  interpretation  is  altogether 
 too   artificial— "That   we   may  sustain    God's 
 question   concerning   a  good   conscience,    and 
 may  be  able  readily  to  make  answer  to  him  : 
 for  it  is  the  characteristic  of  a  regenerate  man 
 that  he  can  bear   to  have  his  conscience  ex- 
 amined by  God."     Without  referring  to  other 
 confused  interpretations,  our  opinion  is  this : 
 The  good  conscience,  which  certainly  comes   first 
 from  baptism,  from  the  resurrection  of  him  who 
 died  for  us  (see  ver.  16  previously),  does  not 
 merely  suffer  to  be  questioned,  but  spea/cs  of  it- 
 self to  God  ;  and  this  opened  access  of  confidence 
 (Rom.  v.  1,  2),  is  that  which  the  Apostle  here 
 means.     We  hold  with  Bengel,  who  translates 
 Ansprache — an  appealing  to  God  in  good  con- 
 science ;  and  says  in  the  Gnomon,  "  It  is  the 
 privilege  of  the  pious  to  address,  and  appeal  to 
 God,  with  confidence,"  comparing  also  Heb.  x. 
 22.    Brandt,  following  this :  "  Because  baptism 
 inwardly  purifies,  so  that  we   call  upon  God 
 with  good  conscience."     Lutz,  on  the  contrary, 
 will  have  it  that  there  is  in  the  baptism  a  sup- 
 plication for  a  good  conscience,  in  order  to  an 
 acceptance  into  the  position  of  a  pardoned  sin- 
 ner— but  how  strange  is  itio  conceive  of  this 
 antecedens  alone  I     Hofmann  (Schrifib.  ii.  2-34) 
 similarly  finds  in  knepooviji-ta  the  thing  re- 
 quired (as  aiTijua  is  the  thing  asked),  and 
 makes  the  Apostle  say — The  water  of  baptism 
 helps  to  salvation,  inasmuch  as  by  it  the  bless- 
 edness of  a  good  conscience,  demanded  by  God, 
 is  given.   But  this,  to  our  apprehension,  never- 
 theless, is  too  little  ;  we  think,  rather,  that  the 
 approach  to  God  now  opened  to  us,  the  address 
 to  him  which  always  meets  with  an  answer, 
 this  right  of  supplication,  in  which  we  ever  "  ask 
 from  him  a  good  conscience,  and  have  a  ^ood 
 conscience  in  his  sight"— is  actually  a  claim  or 
 title  founded  upon  a  prerogative  of  grace  (as 
 the  Scholia  explain  knipoorifna  by  dppaficav, 
 £V£xvpoy,  dnoSei^ti),  and,  in  a  certain  sense, 
 our  rightful  prerogative,  as  the  B.'rlenb.  Bihel 
 translates  it.    (Only  translates  it,  however  ;  for 
 the  passage  is  unexpectedly  explained  as  the 
 question  about  conscience  in  baptism— He  who 
 would  be  truly  and  effectually  baptized  must 
 previously  have  a  good  conscience — in  perfect 
 
820 
 
 INFANT  BAPTISM. 
 
 opposition  to  Heb.  x.  22.)  Finally,  there  is  in 
 this  free  approach  to  God  and  claim  of  the 
 cleansed  conscience,  which  appropriates  every 
 thing  to  itself  through  the  blessing  received  in 
 baptism,  something  of  the  nature  of  a  covenant 
 relation.  Heim  admits  that  Luther  might  have 
 used  his  translation  "  Bund"  in  the  sense  of  a 
 sound  exposition;  and,  for  ourselves,  we  would 
 \\oi  only  leave  it  standing  (the  literal  word  can 
 scarcely  be  popularly  reproduced),  but  also 
 admit  that  the  idea,  connected  with  it,  of  a 
 baptismal  covenant  is  permissible  and  useful  in 
 popular  catechetical  instruction.  But,  withal, 
 we  must  not  surrender  the  prerogative  of  the 
 promise  and  institution  on  God's  part,  in  the 
 sense  of  the  New-Testament  diaOi'jKr; :  we 
 must  take  care  to  avoid  all  Pelagian  ideas 
 o{our  own  "  promising  and  vowing."  This  will 
 help  us  to  correct  what  Nagelbach  says  con- 
 cerning this  passage,  referring  the  t7tEpcDTT]i.ia, 
 according  to  the  predominant  tradition,  to  the 
 "required  baptismal  vow."  But  in  this  he  is 
 right,  that,  with  all  the  objectivity  of  baptism, 
 "  its  conscious  acceptance  on  the  part  of  man 
 introduces  a  mutual  relation  ;  it  is  his  assump- 
 tion of  all  obligations,  and  the  relation  may 
 therefore  be  named  a  covenant."  As  far  as  this 
 goes,  Hasse  is  right  with  his  consistent  trans- 
 lation—  The  consecration  of  a  good  conscience  to 
 God.  Finally,  this  saying  of  the  Apostle  may 
 serve  to  establish  the  "true  significance  and  rel- 
 ative necessity  of  an  ecclesiastical  ordinance  fol- 
 lowing after  infant  baptism,  and  connected 
 with  it,  like  our  confirmation.  It  is  the  sup- 
 plemental coming  to  God  with  conscious  decis- 
 ion of  purpose,  the  self-consecrating  appeal, 
 which  now  uses  its  privilege  of  access — Behold, 
 I  present  myself  before  thee,  my  God,  who  hast 
 entered  into  a  covenant  with  thy  servant :  let 
 it  now  be  confirmed  in  me  and  by  me. 
 
 So  much  for  infant  baptism,  together  with 
 confirmation.  But  all  this  does  not  exhaust 
 the  meaning  of  this  unique  ver.  19;  there 
 remains  the  not  unimportant  question — Did 
 Christ  intend  by  siz  t6  ovo/tta  to  give  a  form 
 of  words  which  must  nececsarily  be  used,  as  a 
 formula,  in  the  administration  of  baptism  ? 
 No  one,  it  might  be  supposed,  would  deny  that 
 certainly  the  reference  oj  baptism  to  the  three-one 
 Ood,  in  some  manner  expres.sed,  testified,  and 
 intended,  in  the  avowal  of  faith,  and  therefore 
 in  the  words  which  accompany  the  rite,  must 
 be  essential  to  its  celebration  ;  for  it  is  in  this 
 three-fold  name  that  the  Lord  comprehends  the 
 whole  of  revelation  now  made  perfect,  in  it  he 
 wraps  up  all  the  grace  of  the  Gospel,  all  talva- 
 tim  as  v/ell  as  all  the  confcMion  of  faith  in  it. 
 But  it  is  far  otherwise  :  there  are  many  among 
 tlio  really  orthodox  believeis  in  the  Father,  the 
 Son,  and  the  Spirit,  who  understand  this  ordi- 
 nance of  the  Lord  very  differently,  and  assert 
 that  it  was  never  intended  that  ^uVry  person  to 
 bn  baptized  should  bo  expre.ssly  baptized  into 
 this  three-foil  name.  Bengel  was  led  by  the 
 misunderstanding  Mrhich  we  have  mentioned 
 (namely,  that  cOytf  referred  only  to  the  Gen- 
 Ulea)  Ui  the  opinion,  which    wo  have  also  al-  I 
 
 ready  quoted  and  rejected,  that  the  Jews  es- 
 pecially were  to  be,  and  were,  baptized  into  the 
 name  of  Jesus  alone.  We  find  a  modern  writer 
 attempting,  as  "a  new  explanation  of  the  bap- 
 tismal formula,"  to  prove  tliat  the  one  baptism 
 must  be  distinguished  into  three  kinds  of  bap- 
 tism for  three  kinds  of  persons  to  be  baptizea  : 
 viz.,  that  the  Apostles  baptized  the  Gentiles 
 into  the  Father,  the  Jews  into  the  Son,  and 
 John's  disciples  (which,  however,  badly  agrees 
 with  Acts  xix.)  into  the  Holy  Spirit.  All 
 these  delusions  most  earnestly  drive  us  back 
 to  the  original  ordinance,  for  every  baptism — 
 generally  expressed,  but  simply  and  solemnly. 
 But  how  can  this  be,  when  we  find  in  the  New 
 Testament,  from  Acts  ii.  38  onwards,  only  a 
 baptizing  in  or  into  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ, 
 or  the  Lord  Jesus;  the  perfect  trinitarian  for- 
 mula never  being  once  mentioned?  See  the 
 further  passages.  Acts  viii.  16,  x.  48,  xix.  5, 
 (In  Rom.  vi.  3,  and  indeed  in  Gal.  iii.  27,  an- 
 other and  a  didactic  meaning  is  involved.)  We 
 will  not,  at  the  outset,  conclude  that  the  Apos- 
 tles never  and  no  where  baptized  into  the  name 
 of  the  Father,  Son,  and  Spirit;  and  infer,  there- 
 fore, the  improbability  that  Christ  ever  uttered 
 the  words  attributed  to  him — words  to  which 
 his  own  disciples  never  paid  any  attention. 
 But  just  as  little  are  we  satisfied  with  Zinzen- 
 dorfs  marvellous  device  (thus  to  bring  the  ex- 
 tremes together),  who  falling  back  into  the 
 identity  of  the  formula  with  Iv  rcu  ovofiarif 
 understands  it  to  mean  that  they  were  to  bap- 
 tize in  the  authority  of  the  Triune  God ;  and 
 further  asserts  that,  because  the  revelation  of 
 the  Trinity  and  the  mystery  of  the  Holy  Spirit 
 belonged  to  the  disciplina  arcani  among  tlie 
 Oenliles,  it  never  entered  the  Apostles'  minds 
 to  utter  the  three  names  at  once  in  their  bap- 
 tizing. He  supposes  that  they  baptized  merely 
 in  the  name  of  Jesus  and  into  Jesus  ;  and  that 
 the  outpouring  of  the  Spirit  upon  those  who 
 were  baptized  was  the  test  which  decided 
 whether  they  were  to  be  informed  about  the 
 Holy  Spirit.  But  in  Acts  x.  48  the  form  is 
 still  used,  even  immediately  after  their  recep- 
 tion of  the  Spirit.  The  Samaritans  in  chap, 
 viii.  16  were  not  heathens  ;  the  disciples  of 
 John  in  chap.  xix.  5  were  certainly  Jews;  and 
 in  chap.  ii.  38  the  baptism  announced  to  all 
 Israel  was  only  into  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ. 
 Thus  may  even  enlightened  men  go  astray,  and 
 their  wanderings  it  is  profitable  sometimes 
 to  remember.  As  regards  the  difliculty  of 
 which  we  are  speaking,  we  may  say»  iii  the 
 general  with  Lange,  against  Strauss,  that  the 
 expression  in  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles  is  not 
 properly  speaking  the  description  of  the  apos- 
 tolical act  in  baptism,  but  "  only  the  most  con- 
 cise historical  definition  of  the  Christian  bap- 
 tism, in  contradistinction  to  the  Jewish  bap- 
 tizing." Or,  with  Thiersch,  that  "the  sacred 
 administration  might  be  more  dogmaticall)'  or 
 more  liturgically  referred  to  in  the  several 
 ca.ses,  with  reference  rather  to  its  influence,  or 
 rather  to  its  rite"  (which,  however,  would  hold 
 good  only  tor  the  passage  Rom.  vi.  3).     Or,  as 
 
MATTHEW  XXVIII.  18-20. 
 
 8dl 
 
 Neander  expresses  himself :  "  It  cannot  at  least 
 be  proved  from  these  passages  that  the  perfect 
 forimila  was  not  in  use;  for  there  is  no  literal 
 baptismal  formula  described,  prominence  being 
 given  only  to  the  characteristic  aim  of  bap- 
 tism." Just  so  does  Olshausen  explain  his 
 view,  and  refers  further  to  Acts  xix.  2,  5;  Tit. 
 iii.  4  seq.,  as  "passages  in  which  the  Son  and 
 the  Holy  Ghost  are  placed  in  such  connection 
 with  baptism,  that  a  reference  to  the  formula 
 which  was  i;sed  in  baptizing  remains  in  the 
 highest  degree  probable."  Thus,  the  expres- 
 sion used  in  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles  might  be, 
 as  Storr  says,  no  other  than  a  mere  ahbreciation, 
 as  we  perceive  still  more  obviously  in  the 
 mention  of  "  baptizing"  without  any  addition 
 at  all.  But,  he  says,  for  such  an  abbreviation 
 the  first  word  of  the  formula  would  not  have 
 been  so  appropriate  as  the  second,  as  not  suf- 
 ficiently aistinguishing  Christian  baptism  from 
 that  of  the  Jews  (but  where  had  the  Jews  a 
 Qod  the  Father  f ) ;  while,  on  the  other  hand, 
 no  man  cmiLl  have  baptized  into  the  name  of 
 Jesus  who  did  not  strictly  adhere  to  his  own 
 commandment,  and  consequently  use  the  formula 
 which  he  had  prescribed.  Ail  this,  however, 
 dispatches  the  matter  rather  too  mechanically, 
 ana  inserts  as  a  matter  taken  for  granted  what 
 ought  to  be  proved.  More  closely  examined, 
 this  will  be  found  to  be  unsatisfactory.  It  is 
 remarkable  that  in  the  lour  collective  historical 
 passages  there  is  a  close  connection  with,  and 
 reference  to,  the  Holy  Spirit ;  while  in  the  de- 
 scription of  the  baptism  he  is  not  himself  di- 
 rectly named.  As  to  Acts  ii.  38,  the  deficiency 
 is  at  once  repaired  by  the  promise  which  im- 
 mediately follows;  and  it  is  evident  that  the 
 entire  formula  on  Peter's  lips  at  this  time  would 
 have  been  inappropriate  and  stiff,  putting  the 
 letter  harshly  first.  But  the  confession  that 
 the  crucified  Jesus  was  actually  the  Christ,  was 
 rightly  made  prominent  as  being  the  decisive 
 point;  this  being  established,  the  baptism  would 
 afterwards  be  scripturally  completed.  So  in  Acts 
 X.  48,  where  the  Holy  Ghost  had  already  fallen 
 upon  the  persons  to  be  baptized,  the" £>'  too 
 ovufxavt  Tov  Hvpiov  admits  at  the  same  time 
 (as  we  remarked  before)  of  another  meaning, 
 denoting  the  obligation  and  commission  of  the 
 Apostle.  In  the  historical  style  of  narrating 
 the  event  it  would  include — lie  commanded 
 them  to  be  baptized  precisely  as  the  Lord  had 
 commanded.  But  in  chap.  xix.  5  the  connection 
 would  seem  to  demand  the  most  exact  specifica- 
 tion of  the  true  baptism — of  that  baptism  in 
 which  the  Holy  Spirit  was  named  and  offered 
 as  present  and  immediately  operating;  it  is 
 strange  that  this  should  be  wanting,  if  the  full 
 formula  was  always  and  essentially  introduced. 
 Finally,  it  is  not  appropriate  to  interpret  chap, 
 viii.  16  as  meaning  that  they  were  expressly 
 baptized  into  the  name  of  the  Holy  Ghost, 
 whom,  nevertheless,  they  had  not  received. 
 The  novoy  /Js/JaTtviduEyoi  does  not  appear 
 actually  to  define  at  the  same  time  the  formula 
 which  was  used,  as-  not  mentioning  the  Holy 
 Ghost.     After  all,  Vosa  seems  to  ua  to  be  in  a 
 
 freat  measure  right,  who  (Disput.  ii.  de  iapt. 
 'hes.  5)  sought  to  demonstrate  by  the  authority 
 of  many  of  the  fatliers,  and  most  of  the  school- 
 men, that  the  meaning  of  Christ  was  very  far 
 from  unconditionally  binding  the  power  and 
 validity  of  baptism  to  the  express  utterance  of 
 these  three  names.  The  Lord  does  not  say — 
 and  upon  this  Voss  lays  emphasis — "  Dicenf.es, 
 baptizo  te;"  but  merely  ^anzi^ovTEZ :  his 
 word  is  noi—Siying,l  baptize  thee;  but— 
 Baptizing  them.  We  found  in  the  Lord's  Sup- 
 per that,  according  to  the  spiritual  interpreta- 
 tion which  alone  is  right  in  expounding  New- 
 Testament  ordinances,  the  blessing  of  the  ele- 
 ments with  the  actual  words  of  the  institution 
 — that  is,  the  witnessing  and  proffering  repe- 
 tition of  his  own  This  is — was  the  most  becom- 
 ing, and  therefore  had  been  rightly  continued 
 in  the  practice  of  the  Church  ;  while,  never- 
 theless, the  Lord  had  not  absolutely  confined 
 the  blessing  of  his  sacrament  to  such  a  literal 
 formula.  And  the  same  view  may  be  the  only 
 correct  one  in  relation  to  baptism  also.  On 
 the  one  hand,  nothing  is  more  natural  and,  in« 
 deed,  in  certain  circumstances,  more  necessary 
 for  the  defence  of  the  sacrament  from  all  un- 
 believing corruption,  than  the  use  of  the  very 
 words  which  the  Lord  uttered  when  he  insti- 
 tuted it  with  his  promise.  On  the  other  hand, 
 we  must  assume  the  freedom  of  the  Spirit,  in 
 relation  to  which  the  miraculous  energy  and 
 gift  in  the  water,  sanctified  to  (hat  end,  should 
 not  be  bound  to  the  nameoi  the  Tiiree-One,  as 
 an  external  and  orally  pronounced  form  (in  the 
 manner  of  a  B>ni33ri  DK>  in  Jewish  or  Gentile 
 
 incantation).  Thus  it  appears  to  us  best  to 
 explain  the  significant  change  of  the  expression 
 in  the  Scripture :  it  diverts  us  from  any  merely 
 superstitious  or  in  any  sense  unevangelical, 
 Old-Testament  clinging  to  the  mere  letter  of 
 the  formula.  That  which  seems  strange  if  not 
 harsh  becomes  a  testimony  for  a  new  and 
 weighty  truth.  There  is,  assuredly — and  this 
 remains  absolutely  fixed — no  other  real  and 
 essential  baptism  of  Christ  than  that  which  is, 
 according  to  its  meaning,  design,  and  power, 
 into  the  name  of  the  Three-One  :  this  is  the 
 sure  signification  of  the  word  of  institution, 
 and  this  word  we  must  all  the  more  rigidly 
 maintain,  when  heretics  would  cunningly  change 
 it ;  and  generally  in  times  and  places  when  the 
 full  meaning  of  the  faith  is  not  of  itself  under- 
 stood. Otherwise,  here  as  every  where  the  es- 
 sential point  is  not  the  letter,  but  the  spirit. 
 Hence  we  prefer  to  say  with  Calvin  :  "  We  see 
 that  the  complement  of  baptism  is  in  Christ, 
 whom  therefore  we  may  rightly  call  the  proper 
 object  of  baptism.  It  is  not  to  be  wondered  at 
 that  the  Apostles  are  .said  to  have  baptized 
 those  in  his  name,  who  had  been  appointed  to 
 be  baptized  into  the  name  of  the  Father  and 
 of  the  Holy  Ghost  likewise.  Wiiatever  bene- 
 fits and  gifts  may  be  the  result  of  baptism  are 
 all  found  in  the  name  of  Christ  alone.  Nor 
 could  one  who  baptized  into  the  name  of  Christ 
 fail  to  invoke  also  the  name  of  the  Father  and 
 
622 
 
 TEACHING. 
 
 of  the  Holy  Spirit."  But  as  Calvin  still  leaves 
 it  uncertain  whether  he  meant  this  of  an  inter- 
 nal unity  only  of  the  names,  or  of  the  utter- 
 ance of  those  names,  we  agree  with  the  still 
 plainer  declaration  of  Neander:  "  It  is  never- 
 theless probable  that  in  the  original  apostolical 
 formula  only  this  one  reference  was  made  pro- 
 minent." That  is  to  say,  sometimes,  or  at  tirst 
 predominantly  ;  for  we  cannot  hold  it  probable 
 that  the  Apostles  did  not  ako  use  the  solemn 
 and  perfect  formula  of  the  institution,  at  least 
 in  the  course  of  the  further  development 
 of  the  ecclesiastical  ceremony.  Thus,  by  the 
 process  of  a  free  spirit  the  subsequent  settle- 
 ment of  the  form  was  introduced,  though  that 
 freedom  continued  long  in  the  Church.  We 
 find,  indeed,  in  Justin's  Apology  a  plain  de- 
 scription of  baptism  :  "  We  bring  them  after- 
 wards where  there  is  water,  and  they  are  re- 
 generated with  the  regeneration  which  we  re- 
 ceived. For  in  the  name  of  the  Father  of  all, 
 the  Lord  God,  and  our  Saviour  Jesus  Christ, 
 and  the  Holy  Spirit,  they  receive  the  washing 
 in  the  water."*  It  was  very  early  acknow- 
 ledged, as  Lange  expresses  it,  "  tliat  the  pre- 
 cision of  the  form  in  baptism  was  to  be  traced 
 back  to  the  word  of  Jesus  himself;  this  also 
 being  obvious  from  the  essential  nature  of  bap- 
 tism." But  there  was  a  certain  freedom,  never- 
 theless, as  to  the  formula  in  the  act  of  baptiz- 
 ing, which  continued  long  in  the  Church  con- 
 currently with  a  firm  adherence  to  the  essence 
 of  the  baptism  into  the  Three-One  ;  until  at 
 length  we  find,  as  may  be  seen  in  TertuUian, 
 that  it  became  a  rule  to  sprinkle  or  immerse 
 not  once  only,  but  three  times,  in  connection 
 with  the  name  of  each  of  the  persona.  That  it 
 was  afterwards  matter  of  faith  "  that  the  ac- 
 tual words  of  Christ  must  be  used  as  a  baptis- 
 mal formula"  (as  Neander  says  in  his  Life  of 
 Christ)  may  be  explained  on  other  grounds 
 which  are  not  to  be  despised  ;t  and  this  we 
 would  assert  against  our  modern  "  free  commu- 
 nities," in  the  name  of  the  Church  which  ac- 
 knowledges the  Three-One.  But  not  uncon- 
 ditionally in  the  name  of  Christ,  who  certainly 
 did  not  ordain — When  ye  baptize,  Say,  etc. 
 So  Luther  rebukes  the  adherents  of  the  letter, 
 "  who  with  furious  zeal  pour  out  their  cou- 
 demnation  upon  those  who  should  say — I  bap- 
 tize thee  in  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ  (the  form  of 
 the  Apostles,  however,  as  we  read  in  the  Acts) ; 
 and  would  allow  no  validity  to  any  other  form 
 than   this — /  baptize  thee  in  the  name  of  the 
 
 *  So  according  to  the  Comt.  Clem.  (vii.  23)  bap- 
 tism is  into  the  name  "  of  tlie  Fatlier  who  sent, 
 of  the  Christ  who  liad  come,  of  the  Paraclete 
 who  beareth  witness."  As  to  the  suspicion  of 
 Hilgeiifeld  and  others,  that  the  trinitarian  form- 
 ula^was  interpolated  by  Justin,  it  admils  of  easy 
 relutation. 
 
 t  Gerhard  speaks  of  the  obligation  of  Christ's 
 disciples  "  with  pious  simplicity  to  adhere  to  the 
 word.s  of  Christ,"  but  adds,  "  not  that  we  ascribe 
 any  migical  and  occult  property  to  the  sound  of 
 the  words." 
 
 Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Hdy  Ohost. 
 Amen."*  We  would  let  the  Greeks  say  as  they 
 do — "  Let  this  servant  of  Christ  he  baptized;" 
 we  would  not  dishonor  the  holy  sacrament, 
 with  all  fidelity  of  faith  and  confession,  and 
 with  all  commendable  adherence  to  ecclesiasti- 
 cal appointment,  by  superstitious  adherence  to 
 words  and  names.f 
 
 Baptising  is  followed  by  teaching,  which  13 
 parallel  with  it.  That  is,  as  we  have  seen,  both 
 are  together  included  in  the  dhoipling ;  while, 
 strictly  speaking  baptizing  is  the  beginning  of 
 making  the  disciple,  and  not  teaching.  Even 
 adults  stand  in  need  after  their  baptism  of  this 
 teaching,  which  was  distinguished  by  its  spe- 
 cific purpose  from  the  preaching  which  preced- 
 ed it.  According  to  the  mind  of  the  Lord  it 
 may  indeed  be  said — Preach  first,  then  baptize  ; 
 but  never — Teach  first,  that  is,  those  whom  ye 
 may  then  baptize.  The  introduction,  the  right, 
 and  the  susceptibility  for  the  SiSaxf?,  or  "  doc- 
 trine," Acts  li.,  was  the  baptism  which  had 
 already  been  administered.  The  first  "  them  " 
 in  our  text  singled  out  the  individuals  of  the 
 nations,  whether  adults  or  children,  for  baptiz- 
 ing ;  the  secorui  "them,"  therefore  reiyeated, 
 means  plainly  the.  paOritEvOsyrai,  those  who 
 had  become  disciples,  and  were  baptized.  Because 
 they  are  now  disciples  like  yourselves,  therefore 
 all  that  I  have  commanded  you  is  incumbent 
 upon  them.  But  ye  must  teach  them  :  this  is, 
 again,  according  to  the  New-Testament/reetZo/n 
 in  the  Spirit,  a  government  and  direction  by 
 the  exhorting  word,  which  does  indeed  com- 
 mand, but  always  in  such  a  manner  that  it  ap- 
 peals to  the  judgment  and  tends  to  kwywUdge, 
 thereby  alone  laying  claim  to  the  free  faith  and 
 the  will  of  the  taught.  "  By  means  of  a  free 
 influence  of  the  Spirit  using  the  instrumentality 
 of  doctrine"  (as  Lange  says),  ye  shall  guide 
 them  onwards  into  perfect  discipleship.  No 
 heathen  constitution  of  religion  ever  had  an 
 institute  of  doctrine;  the  Old  Testament  knew 
 only  of  its  symbolical  germ  and  beginning. 
 The  TTj  peiv,  keep,  an  expression  used  here  at 
 the  close  in  John's  sense,  though  it  occurs  else- 
 where in  Matthew — is  neither  a  mere  perform- 
 ance in  aci,  nor  a  mere  maintenance  in  faith, 
 but  both  together  in  their  living  unity  :  for 
 the  ffaVra,""all  things,"  gives  of  itself  its 
 most  comprehensive  meaning  to  the  iyeretXd- 
 HTjVy  "  I  have  commanded."  Certainly,  and 
 this  it  is  most  impoitant  to  hold  fast,  it  is  not 
 a  mere  maintenance  of  these  things  as  articles 
 
 *  Olherwise,  therefore,  than  the  later  Lutheran 
 dogmatics,  wiiich  reckon  "the  recitation  of  the 
 words  of  institution  "  as  part  of  the  "  foi  ui  of 
 baptism." 
 
 t  Even  Tope  Zachary  confirmed  the  baptism 
 of  an  ignorant  priest,  who  baptized  m  nomine 
 patria  et  fiiia,  et  sptritua  lu'icia,  because  an  error 
 in  the  syllables  dia  not  affect  the  baptism.  See 
 in  J.  L.  llarimann,  Fa*torai,  p.  683,  very  different 
 examples  of  the  conduct  of  the  Loipzic  divines" 
 in  1614.  As  to  the  baptizing  with  anything  i*- 
 tidet  water,  the  quetilioa  iK  ueedleas. 
 
MATTHEW  XXVIII.  18-20. 
 
 m 
 
 io  bs  Lolieved,  as  if  the  teaching  was  only  the 
 communication  of  ideas,  the  stamping  upon  the 
 mind  ot  dogmas,  etc.  The  iyreXXedOai  is  too 
 strong  for  such  a  meaning;  it  defines  here, 
 where  the  great  characteristics  of  the  new 
 Church  are  traced  in  contradistinction  to  the 
 old  constitution  (Israel  receding  into  the 
 iBvri),  the  new  law  of  life  in  Christ  Jesus. 
 This,  as  we  think,  comes  here  into  express  pro- 
 minence— Instruct  them  in  and  unto  the  keep- 
 ing of  my  commandments,  as  my  perfect  and 
 true  disciples  (Matt.  vii.  21  [Luke  vi.  46]: 
 Matt,  xxiii.  3 ;  John  xiv.  15).  Not,  as  Greg, 
 l^yss.  distinguished  the  words,  that  the  HTfpu6- 
 €fty  or  Hart^X^i*^,  included  in  the/iUiOrireueiy, 
 referred  to  that  which  was  now  to  be  specifically 
 the  "doctrine"  concerning  the  truths  of  the 
 faith.  Nor,  as  Hofmann  incorrectly  defines 
 them,  that  the  former  liad  reference  to  facts, 
 the  latter  to  preeqtts.  For,  the  continuous 
 teaching,  like  the  leejdrig  which  it  demands, 
 embraces  announcements  and  promises  ad- 
 dressed to  faith  in  the  preached _/«</s  or  revela- 
 tions delivered — in  short,  all  that  the  first  dis- 
 ciples had  received  through  the  life  and  words 
 of  Jesus  as  the  great  IvtoA?'/,  or  command- 
 ment, to  be  handed  down.  (Corap.  in  the  Old 
 Testament  Lev.  x.  11.)  But  yet  the  goal  and 
 final  aim  of  all  is — as  proposed  here  in  the  con- 
 clusion—the  obedience  and  patience  of  faith  in 
 doivg  as  well  as  in  aufftring,  the  consummation 
 of  disci^ikship  in  tJie  lije  sanctified  to  Christ. 
 
 As  the  Apostles  themselves  were  not  in  their 
 short  life  to  convert  and  baptize  all  nations,  so 
 was  the  following  teaching  not  committed  to 
 them  alone.  They  receive  the  commission  as 
 the  first,  in  the  name  of  their  successors.  But 
 who  are  these  successors  ?  Tke  Lord  obviously 
 does  not  institute  a  specific  order  in  the  Church 
 (although  the  later  ecclesiastical  orders  natur- 
 ally enough  introduce  this) — but  an  office  he 
 does  institute,  to  be  executed  in  his  Spirit,  ac- 
 cording to  his  own  choice  and  calling?  Those 
 who  are  to  be  taught  are  taken  for  granted, 
 and  therefore  unmentioned,  while  tlwse  who 
 teach  are  made  specially  prominent  in  the  mass 
 of  the  people.  To  this  perpetually  self-renew- 
 ing and  self-extending  Church  as  a  whole  the 
 Lord  leaves  all  the  rest  ;*  He  allows  room  for 
 free  development  and  modifications  of  institute, 
 and  asserts  the  Church's  ri^ht  in  the  Spirit  to 
 regulate  all  ordinances.  He  sums  up  the 
 Church's  position  under  its  two  aspects  :  he 
 will  have  it  ever  learning,  as  well  as  ever  teach- 
 ing to  that  end.  Thus  we  may  adopt  the  cor- 
 rect words  of  Nitzsch  :  "  The  Church  has  not 
 only  been  established  by  means  of  a  relation  of 
 teaching  and  hearing,  but  has  been  established 
 in  order  to  that  relation — that  it  by  its  own  in- 
 structions might  ever  continue  to  build  itself 
 up.     Every  congregation  must  be  a  disciple 
 
 *  Not,  indeed,  according  to  the  bold  pseudo- 
 Cathohcism  which  says  upon  this  pa.SKage(Allioli) : 
 "  Remark  how  Jesus  here  commits  the  leaching 
 of  his  Cliurch  to-the  shepherds  gathered  together 
 under  Peter  "" 
 
 of  that  oflBce  of  teaching  which  was  sent  forth 
 to  instruct  the  nations;  and  those  who  are 
 born  into  it  by  baptism  are  baptized  to  this 
 end,  that  they  may  be  scholars  under  this 
 preaching  office  "  {Prakt.  Theol.  i.  213).  Thus 
 we  have,  in  this  "  teaching  them,"  the  institution 
 of  tJte  offi^  of  teaching  or  f  reaching  for  the  bap- 
 tized, as  essentially  belonging  to  the  institution 
 of  baptism,  which  cannot  consummate  of  itself 
 the  grace  of  God  in  the  adult,  and  can  only 
 begin  it  in  little  children  ;*  it  is  the  perfectly 
 sufficient,  while  it  is  the  necessary,  "comple- 
 ment" of  all  that  needs  complementing  in 
 every  fiocTCTi^eiv  or  first  na^JrfrevEiv — that  all 
 may  be  led  upwards  and  onwards,  to  grow  np 
 into  perfect  disciples.t  "  When,  through  mis- 
 sionary preaching,  part  of  a  nation,  or  by  de- 
 grees a  whole  nation,  become  disciples,  and  are 
 dedicated  to  the  Lord  by  holy  baptism,  the 
 members  of  this  Church  or  community  are,  ac- 
 cording to  the  command  of  Jesus,  pointed  to 
 the  observance  of  all  that  which  he  had  com- 
 manded to  his  first  disciples.  7'his  word  of 
 our  Lord  establishes  (he  ecclesiastical  office  of 
 preaching,  as  the  former  had  ordained  the  mis- 
 sionary preaching."  Thus  it  is  written  in  my 
 Keryhiyk  (g  61),  and  I  do  not  feel  myself  au- 
 thorized to  retract  the  words,  although  the 
 strangely  paradoxical  thesis  of  the  excellent 
 Harms  reluses  to  acknowledge  any  divine  in- 
 stitution of  preaching  ;  although  my  critics  are 
 very  severe  upon  my  principles,  the  most 
 friendly  of  them  declaring  that  they  cannot 
 stand  before  the  bar  of  criticism  ;  and  although 
 Palmer  deems  my  exposition  more  ingenious 
 than  demonstrable.J  I  cannot  see  what  can 
 be  soundly  urged  against  our  regarding  this 
 6idoc6Hety — which  manifestly  still  refers  to 
 those  loho  are  baptized,  on  account  of  the  great 
 end  set  before  them — as  establishing  by  our 
 Lord's  authority,  for  the  Church,  such  a  neces- 
 sary medium  of  self-edification  for  the  indi- 
 vidual, and  of  enlargement  for  the  Church.  It 
 might  not,  indeed,  have  needed  such  an  express 
 command,  but  it  was  given  as  a  "  provident 
 and  wise  precept "  for  the  future  ;  and  we  see 
 its  operation  in  apostolical  practice  afterwards, 
 as  in  Acts  ii.  42. 
 
 Indeed,  this  teaching  is  something  more  than 
 
 *  As  to  the  children,  we  must  certainly  regard 
 their  parents  or  sponsors  as  the  first  who  are  ap- 
 pointed to  teach  them.  He  who  performs  the 
 baptism,  or  he  who  brings  the  child  to  it,  is  ex- 
 pected by  the  Lord's  ordinance  to  instruct  it. 
 
 f  Compare  Rudelbach  in  the  Luth.  Zeitsrh.  18-18. 
 i.  p.  26;  who  says  indefinitely :  "  MaOz/reveiv  in- 
 cludes the  making  disciples,  and  preserving  as 
 .such."  But  this  "  Trjprjriuov  "  is  not,  properly 
 spe.iking,  included  in  the  word. 
 
 t  Similarly  Harnack  deems  my  argument 
 against  Harms,  drawn  from  Matt,  xxviii.  20, 
 equally  pa'.adoxical  with  Harms'  own  assertion. 
 But  let  the  matter  be  viewed  with  an  unbiassed 
 mind.  Is  not  the  /.laBrjzevEiv  continuously 
 carried  on  and  consummated  in  the  dida6Heiv  t 
 Is  not  this,  therefore,  preaching  1 
 
TEACHING. 
 
 and  different  from  the  preaching  which  founds 
 the  Church,  and  is  the  previous  condition  of  the 
 baptizing.  The  requirement  to  keep  all  the 
 commandments  of  Jesus  pre-supposes,  and  this 
 must  be  carefully  observe,  the  grace  of  baptism 
 
 rhich  has  imparted  the  power  to  keep  them* 
 may  be  premitted  to  speak  further  in  the  lan- 
 guage of  my  Keryktyk :  "  Missions  lay  the 
 foundation,  and  their  end  is  introduction  into 
 the  fellowship  of  grace;  but,  as  respects  the 
 ecclesiastical  office  of  preaching,  this  end  be- 
 comes again  a  beginning,  which  issues  in  a  con- 
 tinuous edification  unto  the  consummate  obe- 
 dience of  living  faith.  As  long  as — to  introduce 
 Mark  xvi.  15  in  addition — there  is  an  old  a-ea- 
 tion  present,  the  command  is  jrreach.  So  far 
 therefore,  the  second  is  shown  to  be  already 
 included  in  the  first ;  for  the  constant  instruc- 
 tion which  never  ceases  to  preach  until  the 
 disciples  actually  keep  and  fulfill  aU  the  full 
 commandment  delivered  to  their  obedience,  is 
 the  continuous  fulfillment  of  the  disciplinq,  as 
 the  baptism  was  the  beginning  of  it.  This  is 
 the  reason  why  the  Lord  expressly  commands 
 the  further  teaching  as  a  second  work  ;  just  as 
 he  instituted  the  Supper  in  addition  to  Baptism. 
 The  two  sacraments  correspond  to  mission 
 preaching  and  Church  preaching;  the  mission 
 prepares  for  baptism,  and  the  word  within  the 
 Church  prepares  the  baptized  for  the  Supper  of 
 the  Lord,  and  prepares  the  communicants  at 
 the  table  more  and  more  fully  for  the  perfect 
 fiotvooviix."  Thus  we  distinguish  and  sep- 
 arate the  two,  as  far  as  it  is  right  to  do  so; 
 and  yet  they  are  so  mutually  blended  that  as 
 soon  as  we  speak  of  a  Church  which  is  founded, 
 the  mission  preaching  says — Now  teach  those 
 who  are  baptized.  Does  not  this  interpretation 
 of  the  two  continue  in  the  Church  until  its 
 final  consummation  ?  The  ecclesiastical  preach- 
 ing within  the  community  we  have  included  in 
 the  Ht]f>-L66Eiy,  on  good  grounds  and  for  a 
 good  purpose  ■  thus  we  defend  the  "  kultus- 
 predigt,"  as  it  is  called,  from  the  prevalent  and 
 fatal  notion  of  a  "  self -exhibition  ami  self -develop- 
 ment of  the  community,"  and  the  Schleier- 
 raacherian  error  which  has  in  that  its  root.  Thus 
 we  assert  the  right  and  authority  of  that  ele- 
 ment in  the  diSddxeiy  which  brings  out  its 
 continual  exhortation,  and  its  progressive  mis- 
 tion  preaching  to  the  Church,  which  according 
 to  Acts  ix.  31  is  progressively  self-edifed.  The 
 accordance  of  ajiosfoUcal  phraseology  with  this 
 has  been  shown  in  the  Kenjklyk,  p.  5. 
 
 That  which  tlie  Lord  /a'?n*e//  commanded  and 
 committed  to  his  disciples,  is  further  to  be 
 taught  and  handed  down,  and  men  may  hold  it. 
 fa.'<t  and  act  according  to  it — Nothing  more,  and 
 nothing   different.     He   therefore    refuses   his 
 
 ♦  "  Yet  this  keepinn;  is  not  a  matter  of  our  own 
 atrenglh  :  baptism  establishes  the  covenant,  faith 
 gives  the  strength.  lie  who  will  not  keep  his 
 commar.dments,  as  he  h;;s  ordained,  is  regarded 
 by  Christ  as  unbaplized  and  without  faith."  So 
 lliller,  after  Bengel  s  note:  "  Ut  baptizatus  con- 
 reiiit,  fiJei  virtute,  noa  legaliter." 
 
 sanction  and  promise  to  all  ordioancBS  of  men 
 which  depart  from  his  precepts  ;  although  all 
 those  adminicula  docendi  et  cedificandi  eccksiam 
 which  might  be  pointed  out  by  his  Spirit  and 
 developed  from  his  word,  are  included  in  this 
 irToX?f,  or  command.  But,  again,  all  that 
 was  committed  to  the  first  disciples,  and  in  a 
 certain  sense  all  that  was  given  even  to  the 
 Apostles,  applies  at  the  same  time  to  ali  dis- 
 ciples— Nothing  less.  "  Whatever  we  may  think 
 of  certain  prerogatives  and  specific  teaching 
 for  his  then  present  disciples — can  we  suppose 
 him  to  regard  only  these,  when  he  said  at  his 
 solemn  departure.  Go  ye  forth  into  all  the 
 world,  and  make  disciples  of  all  nations? 
 (Disciples  are  disciples  :  he  never  spoke  in  his 
 Gospel  of  two  kinds  of  disciples.)  Whoever 
 in  all  nations  will  be,  let  him  be,  my  disciple, 
 like  yourselves.  Every  commission  from  my  Fa- 
 ther to  you  is  also  for  them  ;  ye  shall  not  keep 
 back  from  them  any  one  of  my  sayings  and 
 blessings.  Give  them  to  keep,  to  understand, 
 fo  believe,  to  do  all  that  I  have  given  to  yoa" 
 (Pfenninger).  Here,  therefore,  is,  as  we  have 
 every  where  found — an  apostolate,  and  yet  no 
 privilege,  only  the  Church  ;  an  office  of  teach- 
 ing, and  yet  the  equal  call  of  all  to  like  know- 
 ledge and  like  performance.* 
 
 Further,  it  remains  to  be  observed  and  made 
 prominent  that  to  this  all  belongs  especially 
 the  Lord's  Supper.  Baptism,  as  imparting  the 
 principle  of  grace  in  order  to  the  keeping  of  the 
 commandments,  is  already  pre-supposed  ;  and 
 so  also  is  the  perpetual  invigoration  of  the 
 Supper,  strengthening  in  that  obedience — even 
 as  it  is  afterwards  included  and  referred  to  in 
 the  great  T^rorahe,  I  am  with  you.  Finally,  it 
 was  obviously  intended  that  they  should  im- 
 pose the  commission  which  they  had  just  now 
 received,  as  also  binding  :  they  were  to  say  to 
 all  who  followed,  and  these  to  continue  the 
 word,  in  his  name — Oo  ye  forth,  convert  the 
 peoples,  baptize  and  teach  !  Every  man  must 
 in  his  degree  enter  into  the  great  work,  when 
 and  as  far  as  he  feels  his  own  interest  in  it. 
 (Hence  in  Mark  xvi.  17,  we  read — Those  who 
 believe ;  not,  by  any  means — Those  who  preach 
 or  teach.)  This  alone  enables  us  to  under- 
 stand how  the  Lord  could  say  to  these  first,  that 
 is,  through  them  to  all  in  the  tuture — I  am 
 with  you,  as  long  as  the  world's  generationa 
 continue.  Grotius:  "For  since  this  promise 
 extends  to  the  end  of  the  world,  but  the  Apos- 
 tles were  not  to  live  so  long,  Christ  must  be 
 regarded  as  having  addressed  the  successors  of 
 their  ofilce  in  their  persons."  Or  will  any  man 
 feel  inclined  to  attribute  to  our  Lord  himself 
 the  "expectation  of  a  speedy  return?" 
 
 His  paicer  preceded  as  the  ground  and  au- 
 thority of  all;  the  promised  aid  of  his  mighty 
 presence  closes  the  wiiole.  Would  he  send 
 them  forth  into  all  the  world,  and  not  himself 
 
 *  A  theocracy,  indeed  the  first  true  theocracy. 
 But,  on  that  very  account,  as  NiLz-ch  says,  "  Tlia 
 theoerccy  of  the  Spirit  is  mediated  by  a  theoHdat- 
 kalta." 
 
MATTHEW  XXVIII.  18-20. 
 
 fee -with  and  in  all  his  messengers,  in aU  places? 
 (Mark  xvi.  20).  Thus  they  were  no  more  in 
 the  future  to  expect  his  bodily  visible  presence 
 upon  any  mountain,  or  any  single  place  upon 
 earth  ;  but,  wherever  those  who  go  forth,  tho?e 
 who  baptize,  and  those  who  are  laptized,  are 
 found  in  all  the  earth,  there  is  he  at  the  same 
 time  and  in  every  place.  This  word,  conse- 
 ■quently,  announces  and  includes  the  ascension  ; 
 hence  Matthew,  instead  of  giving  the  external 
 narrative  of  the  ascension,  which  from  this 
 declaration  must  have  been  self-understood  to 
 all,  closes  with  this  word.*  He  says  more  to 
 our  faith  in  this  manner,  than  if  he  had  re- 
 corded the  circumstances  of  a  departure,  which 
 as  a  departure  might  have  been  misunderstood. 
 He  says  fundamentally  the  same  which  John 
 had  said  in  the  word  to  Thomas,  and  which 
 Luke,  Acts  i.  9,  had  said  by  his  significant 
 words — And  a  cloud  received  him  from  their  eyes. 
 Only  from  the  sight  of  their  eye«.  For  this  the 
 forty  days,  with  their  intervals  of  the  invisi- 
 bility of 'him  who  was  nevertheless  near,  had 
 paved  the  way, 
 
 As  before  divine  power,  so  now  divine  omni- 
 presence is  imputed  by  the  Lord  to  himself. 
 But  Meyer's  note,  well  meaning  though  not 
 prudently  expressed,  does  not  satisfy  us  here  : 
 ■"  Christ  according  to  his  humanity  is  gone  up 
 to  heaven,  but  according  to  his  divinity  is 
 every  where  present."!  For  the  glorified  hu- 
 manity, as  entirely  assumed  into  the  divinity, 
 penetrated  by  it,  and  inseparable  from  it,  par- 
 ticipates in  the  same  omnipresence.  When 
 the  Lord  says.  Behold,  /—he  means  his  person 
 indivisibly,  as  they  see  it  now  standing  before 
 them.  When  he  continues /a»i  wjVA  yow — he 
 speaks  now  as  man  the  language  of  God  from 
 all  antiq;uity.  Grotius :  "  For  it  is  to  be  noted 
 that  to  he  with  -any  one — cum  aliquo  esse — is  spo- 
 ken peculiarly  of  God."  J  How  highly  exalted 
 is  this  above  that  first  Nicodemus  view  of  his 
 person,  as  of  a  man  with  whom  God  was ! 
 But  h'e  is  with  his  disciples — for  their  strength, 
 their  defence,  their  assistance,  their  light,  and 
 their  life,  in  various  ways,  and  by  the  medium 
 of  manifold  instrumentalities  ;  yet  in  all  these, 
 and  every  where,  as  the  personal  /.     He   is 
 
 {jreseut  in  his  voord  ;  not  only  in  that  wliich  he 
 lad  himself  spoken,  but  also  in  that  which  is 
 epoken  and  recorded  concerning  him ;  in  tlie 
 whole  totality  of  his  life  and  testimony  in  the 
 flesh,. as  it  became  the  matter  of  preaching,  and 
 Scripture,  and  preaching  again,  down  to  the 
 iime  of  his  ascension.     In  addition   to   that 
 
 word,  and  in  thsft  word,  he  is  present  by  his 
 Spirit,  whom  he  had  promised  and  given  ;  who 
 is  one  with  himself,  and  who,  in  all  that  he 
 continued  to  show  and  to  impart  to  believers., 
 took  only  of  that  which  was  already  present 
 in  the  Son  (John  xvi.  14 — which  must  hold 
 good,  as  we  have  said  before,  of  infant  bap- 
 tism also).  By  his  word  and  Spirit  he  makes 
 the  collective  discipleship  of  his  true  disciples, 
 standing  in  the  true  faith,  and  even  every  in- 
 dividual among  them  so  far  as  he  is  such,  in- 
 fallible. This  infallibility  of  the  Church,  teach- 
 ing and  handing  down  his  will,  is  here  most 
 incontrovertibly  assumed  ;  though  we  do  well 
 to  be  on  our  guard  against  boasting  or  of  re- 
 lying upon  this  truth  in  any  fleshly  limitation 
 of  the  Spirit's  power.*  As  to  the  empirical 
 Church  of  this  or  that  age  or  place,  we  may 
 say  with  Nitzsch — its  greatest  error  is  the 
 opinion  that  it  is  infallible  ;  but  this  does  not 
 abolish  the  promise  of  the  Lord — he  is  pres- 
 ent with  his  truth.  He  is  present  with  his 
 mighty  defence  and  aid  against  the  gates  of  hell 
 which  would  oppose  and  hinder  his  Church  in 
 the  execution  of  his  commands.  But,  finally, 
 he  is  present  in  his  invisible  corporeity,  accord- 
 ing to  his  promise  and  institution  ;  present  in 
 hi^  body  and  bbod  in  the  Supper  for  all  his  dis- 
 ciples. 
 
 I  am  with  you  Thus  does  he  speak  dis- 
 tinctively ;  although  he  will  also  be  in  the 
 midst  of  his  enemies  by  his  effectual  presence. 
 For  his  presence,  the  source  of  blessing  and 
 the  bond  of  union  with  himself,  is  of  a  special 
 and  distinctive  kind  to  his  disciples.  This 
 holds  good  of  every  believer,  in  his  own  indi- 
 vidual person.  It  is  more  strongly  guaranteed, 
 as  respects  the  perception  of  failh,  and  more 
 mightily  testified,  in  respect  to  the  operation 
 and  influence,  to  every  united  little  company 
 (as  he  had  said  already,  chap,  xviii.  20).  But 
 it  is  most  strongly,  certainly,  and  mightily  as- 
 sured to  his  whole  Church,  to  his  entire  people 
 among  the  nations,  as  essentially  fulfilling  the 
 Old-Testament  promise  of  Lev.  xxvi.  11,  12; 
 2  Cor.  VI.  16.  The  sublime  I  at  the  close  cor- 
 responds with  the  to  me  of  the  beginning : 
 the  Almighty  and  All-present  needs  no  repre- 
 sentative or  deputy.  Only  those  among  whom 
 and  with  whom  he  is  in  truth,  convert  and 
 teach  others  again,  that  they  may  become  such 
 like  themselves.  Thus  should  it  continue — 
 with  an  elui,  "am,"  which  to  him  was  equal 
 to  eternity,  the  simple  eternal  presence  of  time 
 
 *  "This  seems  bo  evident,  that  Maf.hew  always 
 appears  to  me  more  vividly  and  inipresiiively  to 
 have  recorded  the  ascent  into  heaven  than  Luke 
 liimself.  This  was  evideDti?  in  the  mind  of  the 
 Evangelist  himself  who  recorded  it,  and  therefore 
 iie  added  not  another  word  "  (Foglmann). 
 
 t  Corap.  Blatter  fur  libh.  Wahrheit,  iv.  169. 
 
 :f  A!  ford  says  here:  "So  that  the  mystery  of 
 tis  name  infiavovr/X  is  fulfilled — God  is  with 
 u»."  I  would  add^— the  name  with  which  Matthew 
 «et«u.t  in  hi£  jQu^td. 
 
 *  Allioli  perverts  the  sublime  truth :  "  The 
 hish'ps  assembled  under  their  head  (instead  of — 
 the  Church  gathered  in  the  name  of  Christ")  are 
 thus  infallible,  whether  assembled  in  one  place, 
 or  dispersed  over  all  the  earth.  Matthew  closes 
 his  Gospel  wi  h  the  teachirg  and  iufaUible  Church 
 (he  toeans— c/er^y) ;  for  in  her  the  teaching  and 
 sanctifying  Christ  continues  to  live  upon  earth ; 
 her  doctrine  is  his  doctrine,  her  spirit  is  his  spirit, 
 her  defence   is   his   defence.     Blessed   are   all   wlio 
 
 1  dwell  under  her  protection."    What  a  $JiU>  uior' 
 
 iicUeJ 
 
826 
 
 THE  COMMISSION  AND  PROMISES. 
 
 — through  all  the  days  which  are  yet  to  be,  as 
 long  as  the  days  of  heaven  continue  upon 
 earth  (Deut.  xi.  21);  as  long  as  heaven  and 
 earth,  over  which  he  has  all  authority,  continue 
 separate,  adid  the  earth  has  still  its  days  and 
 nights  ;*  until  his  own  great  day.  He  was 
 not  visibly  present  with  them  during  all  the 
 forty  days;  and  yet  it  was  plain  in  his  visits 
 that  he  had  meanwhile  been  always  with  them: 
 this  was  now  to  be  consummated  and  finally 
 illustrated.  Thus  various  days  and  timm  of 
 great  and  awful  things,  and  good  and  evil  day.=, 
 were  yet  to  come  ;  for  all  alike  he  promises — i 
 am  with  you.  To  the  end  of  the  world's  corirse 
 (chap.  xxiv.  3,  the  same  expression).  This 
 means,  first :  He  will  be  with  them  keeping, 
 defending,  perfecting,  so  long  as  they  shall  need 
 this,  and  the  assurance  of  it,  in  the  present 
 evil  world  ;  for  he  is  speaking  especially  of  this 
 bcinrj  with  them.  "  But  after  the  consummation 
 of  this  age  also,"  says  Glassius,  "there  can  be 
 no  doubt  that  Christ  will  be  with  his  Church." 
 We  prefer,  however,  to  say,  with  Bengel  and 
 others,  according  to  the  word  of  Christ  and  his 
 Apostles — that  after  the  end  of  the  world  we 
 shall  be  with  hi7n  forever,  where  he  is.  By  this 
 "  until  the  end  of  the  age  "  it  is  further  assured 
 to  etey-y  individual  believer  that  Christ  will  be 
 and  will  abide  with  him,  not  only  in  death, 
 bill  beyond  death,  through  all  intermediate  times, 
 whicii  still  may  be  called  days,  and  through 
 all  intermediate  circumstances  down  to  the  last 
 day. 
 
 There  is  an  end,  when  this  course  of  the  world 
 and  of  the  time  will  pass  over  into  eternity. 
 As  certainly  as  the  Lord  is  speaking  of  histori- 
 cal days,  so  certainly  does  he  testify  that  a  his- 
 torically impending  end,  a  last  day,  will  come. 
 Till  then  avails  his — /  am  with  you.  Thus  does 
 Matthew  close.  Mark  gives  us  some  more  pre- 
 cise words  concerning  it,  which  may  be  regard- 
 ed as  running  parallel  in  their  meaning  with 
 those  which  Matthew  records,  or  to  have  been 
 spoken  possibly  between  the  two  clauses  in 
 Matt.  ver.  20.  'For  the  "  Go  ye,  therefore,  and 
 preach,"  beginning  anew  in  Mark  witb  a 
 stronger  emphasis,  might  well  have  followed 
 the  "  I  liave  commanded  you"  in  Matthew. 
 The  promise  of  the  accompanying  signs  into 
 ■which  Mark's  discourse  flows,  can  scarcely  be 
 separated  Irom  the  "  I  am  with  you  "  which 
 followed  it;  so  that  the  word  concerning  the 
 end  may  well  have  been'  still  the  end  of  the 
 whole  discourse.  But  this  v/ill  require  more 
 specific  consideration. 
 
 The  words  of  Matthew,  which  we  have  ex- 
 pounded, are  only  a  comj>endious  statement,  in  a 
 summary  which  did  not  record  all  the  words 
 which  our  Lord  may  have  spoken.  But  we 
 must  not  suppose  thai;  another  place,  and  an- 
 other locality,  than  that  upon  the  mountain,  is 
 
 *  But  the  niffhts  were  to  become,  in  the  light  of 
 \lie  promibe,  <Z«y«. 
 
 here  to  be  understood.  Mark  n-ow  con»bme» 
 the  whole  still  more  compendiously,  from  ver. 
 9  downwards — the  genuineness  of  which,  and 
 its  character,  we  have  already  examined  and 
 settled.  It  might  appear  from  his  account  that 
 vers.  15-18  was  spoken  on  the  evening  of  the 
 first  day,  recorded  in  ver.  14.  (Compare  in 
 Acts  xxvi.  16  a;  similar  combination  of  a  later 
 manifestation  and  commission  with  the  first 
 oTtradi'a.)  But  the  donble  narrative  of  this 
 evening's  proceedings  in  Lirke  and  John  will 
 not  allow  any  room  for  such  an  antieipntory 
 discourse;  .ind  then  Mark,  vers.  15-18,  is  too 
 plainly  parallel  with  the  conclusion  of  Matthew 
 to  allow  any  doubt  as  to  its  having  been  spo- 
 ken in  the  same  mountain  appearance.  Wft 
 must  therefore  intelligently  notice  the  scarcely 
 hinting  note  which  Mark 'himself  gives  us  in 
 ver.  19  by  his  jusrd  to  XaXr/dat  avroi?, 
 "  after  he  had  spoken  unto  them  " — by  which 
 thewrti  siTTei'  avroii,  "and  he  said  r.ntothem," 
 ver.  15,  loses  (as  most  expositors  see)  all  specif- 
 ic chronological  connection  with  ver.  14.  After 
 he  has,  in  vers.  9-14,  given  prominence  to> 
 three  special  and  first  appearances,  Mark  gives 
 ns  continuously,  from  ver.  14  to  the  end  of  th» 
 dvt\}}(pSr;,  "  was  received  up,"  the  main  sub- 
 stance of  the  discourses  of  Jesus  to  the  dis- 
 ciples between  the  resurrection  and  the  ascen- 
 sion ;  and  that  according  to  a  view  of  theai 
 peculiar  to  himself,  and  with  a  specific  mean- 
 ing in  such  a  peculiar  combination.  Th© 
 preachers  upon  this  section,  the  Gospel  of  as- 
 cension day,  are  continually  required  to  trace 
 and  appreciate  this  unity  in  his  design.  Th& 
 simplest  view  is  to  divide  this  ?,.(xX7^6o:i  ai^roli 
 in  a  three-fold  way.  At  first,  he  still  rebakes  his 
 disciples'  unbelief ;  secondly,  he  institutes  thg 
 office  of  jnraching  and  baptism,  which  is  to  b» 
 exercised  by  them  notwithstanding  their  weak- 
 ness of  faith,  in  order  to  the  creation  of  the 
 faith  which  bringeth  salvation.  Or,  thrs  may- 
 be otherwise-  stated;  he  points  us  to  the  word 
 and  sacrament  which  lead  to  faith,  because  faith 
 or  unbelief  will  finally  decide  the  matter  of  sal- 
 vation. Thirdly,  he  promises  to  all  believers 
 his  aid,  exhibited  in  mighty  signs.  And  does 
 he  not  thus  continue  to  speak  from  age  to  age? 
 He  must  ever  begin  again  with  that  rebuke; 
 he  continues  the  same  direction  ;  but  he  ceases 
 to  bestow  the  same  Ttind  of  consolation.  The 
 upbraiding  belongs  still  to  the  Lord's  depar- 
 ture ;  but  not  to  the  "  testament"  left  unto  us^ 
 as  Helferich  very  inappropriately  says. 
 
 What  specific  kind  of  connection  there  is 
 between  the  two  accounts  of  what  our  Lord 
 spoke  on  the  Galilean  mountain — how  liitle  or 
 how  much  that  connection  extends  to  the 
 words — what  was  the  precise  order  of  the  ut- 
 terances— are  questions  which  it  would  not  be 
 prudent  to  answer  positively.  Though  for  our- 
 selves we  understand  Mark's  words  to  have 
 followed  the  others,  we  cannot  prove  that  it 
 was  80.  Through  the  Holy  Ghost,  who  haa 
 thus  re-produced  and  delivered  to  us  his  word, 
 the  Lord  speaks  to  us  now  both  the  one  anrf 
 the  other — and  both  are  imm«diately  authentic: ' 
 
MARK  XVI.  15-18. 
 
 827 
 
 But  the  divine  Spirit  rather  points  our  atten- 
 tion away  from  the  mere  historical  and  exter- 
 nal connection  of  the  individual  words.  The 
 great  object  with  us  should  be  to  appreciate 
 the  one  design  of  the  whole  discourse,  and  to 
 grasp  it  in^all  its  completeness  of  dogmatic 
 import.  The  discourses  of  the  Risen  Lord  per- 
 mit, and  indeed  demand  of  us,  beyond  all  that 
 preceded,  such  an  elevation  above  the  petty 
 consideration  of  the  historical  and  exact  words 
 —such  a  manifold,  and  yet  not  altering  ghrifi- 
 cation* 
 
 We  have,  when  we  collate  Matt,  and  Mark, 
 and  supplement  the  one  by  the  other,  three 
 critical  points:  the  authority  of  Jesus  Christ; 
 the  commission  following  from  it;  the  sealing  of 
 the  commission,  or  the  'promise  attached  to  it, 
 through  the  same  authority.  The  first  stands 
 in  Matt.  ver.  18.  The  second,  as  the  middle 
 part  of  the  whole,  may  be  thus  sub-divided 
 and  completed:  1.  The  general  declaration: 
 their  office  (Go  out — jitaQ?^rEij6are,  make  dis- 
 ciples through  the  preaching,  and  in  order  to 
 the  preaching,  of  the  Gospel);  the  range  of 
 their  office  (all  peoples — all  the  world — every 
 creature).  2.  The  specific  statement  of  the  two 
 means  by  which  this  is  to  be  accomplished — 
 Baptism  and  teaching,  as  in  Matt.  Finally, 
 the  sealing  promise  for  the  commission  is  again 
 two-fold.  1.  In  relation  to  those  to  whom  it  is 
 sent,  there  is  the  connection,  in  Mark,  ver.  16, 
 of  their  eternal  salvation  with  faith  and  bap- 
 tism. 2.  In  relation  to  those  who  are  sent  (but 
 including  all  who  should  believe,  and  there- 
 fore would  themselves  also  be  sent),  there  is  the 
 general  promise  of  being  with  them,  as  found  in 
 Matthew,  and  also  the  specific  declaration  con- 
 cerning the  signs  of  that  presence. 
 
 Go  ye  therefore  is  the  same  in  both.  All  the 
 world  in  Mark  is  plainly  synonymous  with  all 
 nations  in  Matthew.  But  now  the  Lord  ex- 
 pressly commands  the  HrjpviavEy  Preach, 
 which  must  also  be  included  of  course,  though 
 unexpressed,  in  Matthew :  preach,  that  is,  the 
 Gospel ;  see  the  same  expression  without  any 
 further  addition  in  Mark  as  early  as  chap.  i.  15, 
 and  then  chap.  xiii.  10,  xiv.  9.  The  Gospel,  the 
 original  Gospel,  with  all  it?  exclusiveness  and 
 all  its  universal  comprehensiveness  combined  ; 
 announcing  to  the  hearts  of  all  sinners,  without 
 long  delay  of  teaching — which  must  follow  in 
 due  course — the  comforting  tidings  of  salvation 
 in  the  comfortable  message  of  the  grace  of  God. 
 Not  teaching  instead  ot  preaching  ;  like  many 
 who  lay  too  much  and  too  premature  stress 
 upon  tlie  "  knowledge  of  the  truth."  The  Gos- 
 pel contains  and  brings  with  it  a  fulness  of 
 
 *  Yet  not  altering :  there  was  no  addition  of  tra- 
 dition on  the  part  of  the  Evangelists.  It  may  be 
 safely  afiinned  that  the  texts  of  Matthew  and 
 Mark  may  be  so  collated  as  to  show  that  the  Lord 
 verbally  spoke  the  words  of  both.  We  cannot  ap- 
 prove of  Lange's  opinion,  that  Mark  gives  us  the 
 same  in  a  move  developed  form ;  for  much  of 
 what  he  records  must  be  presupposed  in  Matthew, 
 in  order  to  understand  him  well. 
 
 truth  which  has  never  yet  been  exhausted  by 
 the  entire  Church,  much  less  by  any  individual 
 Churches  ;  the  living  and  vivifying  essence  of 
 the  whole,  the  condensed  sum  of  all  this  fulness, 
 must  ever  be  declared  first  in  the  form  of  a  joy- 
 ful message.  Preach  therefore,  whenever  the 
 call  and  conversion  of  sinners  is  concerned  (and 
 when  is  this  to  cease  even  in  the  Church?) 
 — not  dogmatics,  and  least  of  all  your  own. 
 Further,  as  Braune  very  reasonably  urges,  act 
 not  as  if  the  Lord  had  said — Preach  the  confes- 
 sion of  faith.  "  Confessions  are  distinctions  of 
 importance  in  the  Church  of  Christ  and  its 
 truth,  which  have  and  must  have  their  funda- 
 mental point  of  unity  in  the  Gospel."  Even, 
 the  E,oman  Catholics,  as  such,  with  all  tiieir 
 manifold  errors,  may  preach  the  Gospel  of  him 
 who  has  all  power  and  love  to  save  souls  ;  but; 
 in  so  doing  they  must  cease  to  be  rigid  and 
 zealous  Papists,  mass-priests,  and  servants  of 
 Mary.  Even  the  "  Lutheran  "  Church  which 
 so  loudly  boasts — though  not  in  her  purest 
 and  most  genuine  representatives — and  among 
 whose  errors  even  her  name  may  be  sometimes 
 included,  should  preach  the  Gospel  within  her 
 borders,  and  not  Lutheranism  ;  and  should 
 labor  to  found,  without  her  borders,  free  and 
 new  Churches  through  the  free  word,  formed 
 according  to  the  genius  and  spirit  of  the  peo- 
 ple, and  not  mere  affiliated  children  of  a  mother 
 Church. 
 
 Such  preaching  of  the  Gospel — in  the  spirit 
 of  our  Lord's  command — must  emphatically 
 begin  the  great  work  in  every  place  to  which' 
 his  sent  and  commissioned  servants  come; 
 wherever,  and  among  whatever  people,  the 
 salvation  of  the  Triune  God  has  not  boen  preach- 
 ed, to  whom  this  message  of  grace  has  not 
 been  openly  announced — neither  adults  nor 
 children  are  to  be  baptized.  Mark,  further, 
 that  the  Lord's  command  is  not — Write  down 
 and  record  my  words  and  my  history  ;  but — 
 Preach.  All  that  comes  in  supplementarily,  as 
 we  shall  presently  see  in  Luke  xxiv.  46,  47; 
 and  by  his  new  Scriptures  the  Lord  has — as 
 was  indispensably  necessary — given  the  cer- 
 tain and  all-sufficient  text  for  all  Gospel  preach- 
 ing. Yet  it  is  a  profound  truth,  which  we 
 should  ponder  well,  that  he  did  not  at  first  and 
 pi-eparatorily  speak  of  or  ordain  the  writing  of 
 the  Scripture — but  connect  all  with  the  oral 
 word.  Only  in  the  preaching  Church,  which 
 possesses  the  Spirit,  does  the  letter  of  the  Scrip- 
 ture live  as  a  living  word,  and  the  sacraments 
 have  their  influence  and  efficiency. 
 
 In  the  Church  which  possesses  the  preaching 
 and  teaching  in  addition — and  that  for  little 
 children  too  in  connection  with  essential  family 
 life — infant  baptism  has  its  validity  and  power. 
 Thus  much  is  true ;  but  it  is  harsh  and  incor- 
 rect, to  reckon  baptism  itself  as  part  of  the 
 preaching,  and  as  being  a  testimony  in  act :  this 
 gives  the  Baptists  an  advantage  in  their  oppo- 
 sition to  the  rite.  The  preaching  concerning 
 baptism  belongs  to  it,  but  not  baptism  itself. 
 We  can  preach  and  bear  witness  only  to  those 
 who  can  hear  and  accept  the  preached  word. 
 
128 
 
 TO  EVERY  CREATURE. 
 
 Preach  the  Gospel  to  every  creature. 
 What  does  this  mean  ?  The  expression  seems 
 at  the  first  glance,  however  striking  the  sound 
 of  universality  in  it  may  be,  only  parallel  with 
 "  into  all  the  world  "  (where  the  world  of  man- 
 kind is  of  course  meant),  and  thus  similar  to 
 the  "all  nations  "of  Matthew.  Most  expositors 
 have  been  content  to  dispatch  the  matter  thus, 
 in  the  style  of  Grotius'  observation  :  "  The 
 Hebrew  calls  men  ns^"l3,  the  creation,  pre-emi- 
 nently, because  they  are  the  most  excellent 
 work  of  God."  In  the  Rabbinical  writers 
 n^"ia"73  may  be  found  as  a  designation  of  the 
 
 whole  world  of  mankind;  but  this  we  believe 
 on  the  authority  of  others.  De  Wette  translates 
 accordingly,  here  as  often  following  his  prede- 
 cessors Stoiz  and  Seiler,  All  men ;  Van  Ess, 
 still  more  decisively.  All  nations.  Whatever 
 truth  there  may  be  in  this,  we  must  utterly  re- 
 ject (as  most  unsuitable  to  Matthew's  text, 
 and  to  the  matter  generally)  Lightfoot's  restric- 
 tion to  the  Oentiles,  whom  the  Rabbinical  writ- 
 ings sometimes  denominate  specifically  nn3— 
 
 as  being  men  in  the  state  of  nature  simply.  Bat, 
 we  would  ask,  why  and  to  what  end  is  this  un- 
 usual word  used,  which  in  itself  suggests  some- 
 thing beyond,  when  ko(J//oJ,  cOvrj,  ayOpusTtoi 
 offered  themselves  abundantly,  as  the  custom- 
 ary and  legitimate  expressions  ?  If  the  con- 
 trast of  the  natural  and  actual  condition  of  all 
 mankind,  as  thus  standing  in  need  of  the  Gos- 
 pel and  salvation,  was  to  be  strongly  brought 
 out,  why  was  not  the  well-known  expression 
 used,  which  would  best  express  this — alljlesh? 
 (as  the  London  Ueb.  N.  T.  scruples  not  to  "trans- 
 late, nb'3"i53^).    If  we  compare  the  similar  pas- 
 
 eage,  Col.  i.  23  (which  seems  almost  a  reminis- 
 cence of  the  Lord's  word),  we  may,  if  so  bent, 
 interpret  it  merely  according  to  Rom.  x. 
 18;  but  it  is  even  more  striking  than  here 
 that  in  that  passage  icdda  xri<Si?,  "  every 
 creature,"  had  preceded  in  ver.  15,  in  its  com- 
 mon and  comprehensive  meaning.  Finally,  we 
 have  in  Rom.  viii.  19-23  a  passage  which  so  in- 
 dubitably declares  the  connection  of  human 
 salvation,  of  the  redemption  of  mankind,  with 
 a  renewal  also  of  the  extra-human  earthly 
 "  creature,"  that  it  may  be  regarded  as  shed- 
 ding a  very  remarkable  light  upon  the  Lord's 
 word  lying  now  before  us,  as  well  as  upon  Col. 
 i.  2^.  We  shall  not  enter  afresh  upon  the  ex- 
 position of  Rom.  viii.,  and  prove  that  a  re- 
 demption and  restoration  is  promised  to  the 
 extra-human,  earthly  creature  corresponding 
 to  the  freedom  and  glory  of  the  children  of 
 God.  This  helps  us  to  understand  why  the 
 Lord  will  have  the  Gospel  of  salvation  lor  men 
 preached  at  the  same  time  rraG^  rjf  Hri6ti. 
 I^ot,  indeed,  as  in  the  fish  preaching  of  An- 
 tony, that  the  word  itself  is  to  be  carried  to 
 the  unheeding  creature — the  KTfpv66eiv  pre- 
 supposes thai  men  are  the  only  hearers.  !Nor 
 is  It  merely,  as  Luther's  presentiment  expressed 
 the  matter  in  his  peculiar  way.  "  And  in  this 
 commaadment  he  looks  very  widely  around. 
 
 His  preaching  is  to  be  as  public  as  heaven, 
 that  the  blessed  sun,  every  tree  and  stone 
 might  hear  it,  if  they  had  ears."*  But,  thougli 
 the  rest  of  the  creation  have  no  ears  to  hear 
 with  for  themselve-s,  man  is  their  ear;  and  by 
 means  of  its  connection  with  man,  creation 
 becomes  actually  partaker  of  a  redemption 
 springing  out  of  man's  redemption,  after  having 
 been  through  man's  fall  subjected  to  vanity 
 and  sin — just  as  Rom.  viii.  teaches.  Bengel's 
 profound  glance  had  slightly  perceived  the 
 meaning  of  Rom.  viii.,  and  he  remarks  here 
 upon  the  Lord's  word:  "To  men,  primarily, 
 ver.  16;  to  the  rest  of  the  creatures,  second- 
 arily :  As  the  curse,  so  the  Messing."  In  Christ 
 the  earth  and  all  that  is  in  it  is  again  blessed ; 
 as  all  was  laid  under  the  curse  in  the  fall 
 through  the  sin  of  Adam.  By  reason  of  the 
 internal  and  everlasting  connection  of  man,  and 
 his  old  or  new  creation,  with  nature  which 
 surrounds  him,  serves  him,  and  with  him  has 
 become  wretched  and  been  again  restored,  this 
 same  Gospel  applies  through  him  and  his  me- 
 diation to  this  irrational  and  lifeless  nature — 
 just  as  the  Lord  in  his  promise  to  Noah  and 
 his  sons  included  also  the  lower  animals  (Gen. 
 ix.  9,  10).  If  the  old  saying — The  righteous 
 man  is  merciful  to  his  beast — attains  in  the 
 economy  of  Christ,  and  under  t!ie  influence  of 
 his  Spirit,  its  full  and  pregnant  meaning ;  does 
 not  the  beast  also  share  in  some  way  the 
 blessing,  and  partake  of  a  deliverance  through 
 the  grace  that  renews  all  things?!  The  civil- 
 ization which  follows  in  the  track  of  our  mis- 
 sions makes  the  wilderness  blossom,  and  does 
 not  the  whole  earth  thus  share  in  the  blessings 
 of  the  Gospel  ?  Still  more,  tht^re  is  a  certain 
 confirmation  of  this  meaning  in  the  following 
 word  of  our  Lord,  ver.  18  ;  in  the  same  dis- 
 course which  speaks  of  the  supremacy  of  his 
 healing  power  over  those  noisome  and  deadly 
 elements  of  nature,  as  it  now  is,  which  certainly 
 did  not  have  their  origin  in  Paradise. 
 
 Or,  are  we  imposing  the  meaning  here?  Is 
 it  a  beautiful  and  true  thought,  imported  from 
 elsewhere,  that  we  unhappil)^  afii.x  to  the  «r/(JzS 
 in  this  passage?  We  admit  what  Bengel  es- 
 tablishes from  ver.  16,  that  the  Lord  also  ia 
 ver.  15  thought  especially  of  the  human  world 
 and  the  human  creation. J  We  will  without 
 controversy  allow  every  one  to  interpret  nada 
 Hzidii  according  to  the  analogy  of  nn3"^3  :^ 
 
 *  This  co-ordinate  idea  of  the  greatest  pub- 
 licity lies  already  in  the  xt]pv6(5eiy  of  itselt. 
 
 t  Compare  tlie  remarks  of  Steftl-ns  ( Von  d. 
 fahch.  Thcol.  u.  d.  xvahr.  Gl.  p.  101,  and  often  else- 
 where) about  the  deep-sealed  feeling  of  a  union 
 with  llie  whjle  animal  world. 
 
 X  Here,  asain,  enters  Hofmann's  correct  remark, 
 that  nd6a  Hri6i^  includes  of  course  the  children, 
 like  navTCc  roi  'iOyij.  Only  not  so  immediately 
 for  the  Hrjpv66eiv,  as  in  the  former  case  for  iha 
 naOrjTEveiv. 
 
 ^  For,  in  the  Old  Testament  HN^ia  '8  found 
 
 ones  cnly,  Numb,  xvi.  30,  construed  quite  differ- 
 enlly  with  K^2, 
 
MARK  XVI.  15-18. 
 
 829 
 
 because  this  is  in  fact  the  point  of  connection  I 
 for  tliat  deeper  intimation  whicli  net  every  one 
 has  ears  to  hear.  Nevertheless,  to  us  this  lat- 
 ter significance  secins  tolerably  certain;  and 
 for  this  plain  reason,  that  the  use  of^the  phrase 
 Htidii,  "  creation,"  in  the  sense  of  a  vO/joj^o?, 
 "  man,"  cannot  by  any  means  be  established.* 
 It  does  not  occur  in  the  Hebrew;  in  the  later 
 phraseology  there  is  no  evidence  that  it  was 
 used  in  such  a  general  sense,  or  in  any  such 
 manner  limited  to  humanity  ;  and  consequent- 
 ly, it  cannot  be  assumed  that  such  a  use  of  it 
 was  usual  or  intelligible  in  the  Lord's  time. 
 The  learned  and  exact  Buxtorf  has  not  a  syl- 
 lable about  it  in  the  article  of  his  Lexicon 
 ■which  embraces  this  subject.  But  it  is  in  vain 
 to  seek  in  the  New  Testament  a  single  passage 
 in  which  Ktidii  is  used  for  ^nen  ;  for  Rom.  viii. 
 must  be  rescued  from  a  similar  arbitrary  ex- 
 position. Heb.  iv.  13  cannot  be  made  an  argu- 
 ment to  the  contrary  ;  for  that  passage  speaks 
 of  a  man  as  a  ruined  creation,  which  its  Creator 
 and  Restorer  must  know  in  its  inmost  charac- 
 teristics and  impulses.  Col.  i.  23  must  be 
 strictly  connected  with  our  Lord's  words  here 
 in  Mark.  Finally,  in  Rev.  v.  13  (let  it  be  care- 
 fully noted) — which  brings  all  previous  hints 
 as  It  were,  to  a  definite  conclusion — it  is  pro- 
 mised that  every  thing  created,  ndv  kz  i6 n  a 
 (not  merely  nridti) — upon  and  in  the  sea  also 
 — will  give  honor  to  him  that  sitteth  on  the 
 throne  and  to  the  Lamb.  Much  might  be 
 further  said  with  reference  to  the  four  ^cJa,  or 
 living  creatures. 
 
 Thus  of  the  earthly  creation  or  nature  gener- 
 ally the  Lord  speaks— of  every  creature  under 
 heaven,  as  the  Epistle  to  the  Colossians  adds.t 
 "  If  nature  is  mentioned  simply,"  says  Meyer, 
 "it  must  be,  of  course,  the  present,  the  old,  un- 
 restored,  naXaid  xTi6ii."  Again:  "To  the 
 new  creature,  to  man  as  partaker  of  the  re- 
 generation, the  Gospel  or  the  message  of  salva- 
 tion needs  not  to  be  preached  ;  for  they  have 
 already  received  it,  and  are  partakers  of  its 
 blessings,  at  least  spiritually  and  in  hope. 
 Thus  that  creature  is,  first  of  all,  the  summary 
 of  all  unregenerated  men  ;  but  by  means  of  the 
 context,"  etc.  As  the  word  of  Matthew  is  in- 
 icnsijied  in  its  repetition  by  Mark,  it  may  teach 
 us  something  supplementarily  about  the  mean- 
 ing of  TCavra  rd  idyrj.  It  certainly  includes 
 the  Jewish  world ;  but,  spiritually  adopting 
 and  enlarging  the  phraseology  which  usually 
 thus  denominated  the  Gentiles  alone,  it  means 
 
 *  In  1  Pet.  ii.  13  drBpoanivj]  xridii  certain'y 
 means  arrangement  or  economy,  or  office  :  if  not 
 it  plainly  proves  that  xzidii  alone  does  not  signi- 
 fy man. 
 
 f  For,  the  application  to  ange"».  which,  e.  g.. 
 Molitor  {Fhilos.  der  Geschichte,  i,  109)  introduces 
 with  allusion  to  Col.  i.  20,  is  not  appropriate  on 
 ihia  passage,  though  in  itself  a  sound  thought. 
 Tiie  angels  sympathize  and  long  for  the  salvation 
 of  man ;  but  tjiey  have  not  lalleo  with  hia»  in 
 npy  sense. 
 
 pre-eminently  all  that  which  was  yet  the  nridii 
 TraXaid,  all  that  was  still  natural  and  heathen- 
 ish in  the  whole  world  of  men  and  nations.  Of 
 men,  therefore,  as  the  "  excellent mimwn  opus 
 Dei"  (most  excellent  work  of  God)  it  does  not 
 speak ;  but  for  all  that  which  needed  restora- 
 ration  as  being  a  fallen,  ruined  creation,  and 
 man  especially,  there  is  promised  a,6GjOijijEraif 
 "it  shall  be  seen"  The  word  >cri6ii  is  ex- 
 pressly used,  in  order  to  point  to  the  Creator, 
 who  renews  his  creation  in  its  original  and 
 deepest  nature,  and  proclaims  a  uaivrf  Hzidti, 
 a  new  creation.  Beiienb.  Blbel :  "  The  entire 
 Gospel  refers  to  the  relation  of  the  creature  to 
 God ;  helping  it  to  find  its  Creator  again,  and 
 its  eternal  good." 
 
 A  Oospel  of  redemption  and  restoration  is 
 thus  revealed  and  preached  now— and  yet  in 
 ver.  16  there  follows  a  xaraKpiOijdErca  by  the 
 side  of  the  da}Oij(j£tai,  condemnation  with  the 
 salvation.  This  is  the  final  and  unchc.ns;eable 
 declaration  which  the  Lord  gives  in  connection 
 with  his  commission  to  pre.ich  ;  thus  must  it 
 begin,  thus  must  it  end,  this  is  its  sura  and  its 
 seal.  The  promise  "shall  be  saved"  remains 
 open  and  free  as  long  as  there  is  one  creature 
 who  can  hear,  but  who  has  not  heard,  and 
 therefore  cannot  have  decided  to  reject  it.  But 
 the  great  distinction  between  salvation  and 
 perdition  remains  an  immovable  fact,  and  its 
 eternal  reality  will  be  made  manifest  at  the 
 end.  Luther:  "The  whole  world  is  thus  di- 
 vided into  two  portions,  and  they  are  separated 
 from  each  other  by  a  great  and  vast  ditference  : 
 one  goes  to  heaven,  the  other  to  hell ;  and  no 
 other  judgment  shall  pass  at  the  last  day  than 
 that  upon  him  who  hath  believed,  or  who  hath 
 not  believed."  What  will  be  preached  during  the 
 long  interval?  Most  assuredly  nothing  new  ; 
 nothing  even  in  hades  but  this  Ooapel.  At  the 
 outset,  in  order  that  no  man  afterwards  may 
 complain,  the  reason  of  the  decision  is  given. 
 It  is  as  if  the  Lord  had  commanded  them — 
 rather,  they  were  commanded — "  Whitherso- 
 ever ye  go,  make  this  judgment  known.  Say 
 every  where  and  to  all.  He  that  believeth  and 
 is  baptized,  shall  be  saved  ;  he  that  believeth 
 not  shall  be  condemned"  (Fresinius).  At  the 
 same  time,  as  he  goes  on  to  expound,  "  The 
 Lord  will  give  his  disciples  to  know  what  will 
 be  the  fruit  and  influence  of  their  preaching 
 of  the  Gospel  throughout  the  world.  Some, 
 he  would  say,  will  believe;  and  others  will 
 not  believe""  Thus,  "  Be  sure  that  unbelief 
 will  exhibit  itself ;  and  commit  the  judgment 
 which  I  have  decreed  to  the  last  day."  This 
 teaches  us,  therefore,  that  no  man,  not  even 
 the  Apostle  who  might  retain  sin  (as  Peter, 
 Acts  viii,  20,  appearing  eH  aTtajXeiav)  can 
 penetrate,  before  the  great  day,  the  Hpvnrd 
 T^v  dv^pooZGov,  or  "secrets  of  men  "  (Rom. 
 ii.  16),  and  with  irreversible  decision  give 
 judgment  upon  the  Tttdrstdai  or  drcidrndai, 
 their  belief  or  their  unbelief.  The  meaning  is, 
 as  it  is  connected  with  the  futures— Ke  who 
 shaU  then  have  believed,  or  the  reverse. 
 
 SoLiOijderai,  shallbeaaBid,  is  promised  through 
 
8SCP 
 
 THE  COMMISSION.  AND  PROMISES. 
 
 the  high-priestly  authority  to  blesa  and  save 
 (Heb.  vii.  24:,  25).  Heaven  is  opened  by  him 
 who  goes  up  to  heaven.  KaraHftiQ}j6Erai, 
 shall  he  damne»l,  is  predicted  and  announced  in 
 the  ij/ifz/y,  judicial  authority  of  the  same  Sa- 
 viour, who  will  now  continue  his  prophelic  of- 
 fice for  the  declaration  of  salvation  or  con- 
 demnation through  his  ambassadors.  "  lie 
 that  believelh  not,  saith  the  Lord,  shall  be  con- 
 condemned.  Let  the  world  think  otherwise  on 
 this  point;  that  changes  nothing.  Their  unbe- 
 lief makes  them  not  happy,  their  opinion  is  not 
 the  judge  over  heaven  and  earth,  the  dead  and 
 the  living.  If  it  is  to  thine  own  mind  incom- 
 prehensible that  all  should  be  made  to  depend 
 upon  faith,  take  heed  to  thyself;  and,  lest  an- 
 oLher  should  have  to  declare  it  to  thee  in  vain, 
 become  thyself  a  faithful  scholar  of  the  word 
 of  God,  and  the  light  will  arise  in  thy  own 
 soul"  (Beck).  It  might  be  said  with  scrip- 
 tural propriety,  that  he  who  believeth  not  will 
 be  judged — because  he  will  not  have  it  other- 
 wise, because  he  protests  against  the  standard 
 of  faith  which  grace  introduces  and  applies — 
 according  to  his  works,  and  therefore  righteous- 
 ly condemned.*  See,  e.  j7.,  John  v.  45.  But,  it  is 
 equally  true,  and  more  entirely  pertinent  to 
 the  question  (.John  viii.  24,  xii.  47,  48,  lii.  15, 
 18,  3d),  that  only  unbelief  condemns,  and  that 
 he  who  is  doomed  receives  his  sentence  only 
 upon  this  guilt,  that  he  believed  not.  In  this 
 clear  meaning,  the  second  clause,  with  all  its 
 frightful  threatening,  is  also  nevertheless  a 
 Gospel — yea,  it  is  the  strongest  and  most  at- 
 tractive assurance  to  faith.  It  is  indeed  "the 
 most  solemn  judgment  of  Jesus  Christ,  by 
 which  he  awfully  threatens  and  yet  mercifully 
 warns"  (G.  K.  Ilieger).  For,  dmvn  to  the  last 
 the  way  is  left  open — Yet  helicve,  believe  yd, 
 and  thou  shalt  be  saved.  On  the  other  hand, 
 unbelief  is  in  truth  the  worst,  the  most  essen- 
 tial and  the  most  damnable  sin,  as  the  same 
 preacher  declares  :  "  To  him  who  believeth  not 
 — all  that  he  does  is  sin  ;  and  sin,  not  only 
 against  the  law,  but  against  the  Gospel  and 
 against  grace,  which  is  worse  than  the  sins  of 
 the  devils."     For  this  he  adduces  the  too  bold 
 
 and  doubtful  words  of  Anselra  (  Tract. 
 Dlaholi)  :  "  For  the  devil  sins  against 
 
 ce  casu 
 a  God 
 
 *  Luther :  "  For,  as  the  former  word  opened 
 heaven,  and  shut  up  hell,  abolished  Moses  and  the 
 terrors  of  the  law,  to  those  who  believed  ;  so  here 
 another  word  shuts  he.iven,  opens  the  wrath  of 
 liell,  makes  death  omiiipoteiit,  and  Moses  an  intol- 
 erable tyrant,  to  all  who  Lelievo  not.  It  will  help 
 theo  noth'.ns  against  all  this,  if,  like  the  Jews, 
 thou  diest  in  thy  zeal  for  the  law,  or  shouUbt 
 perform  all  coo. I  wo!  ks  possible  :  for  hero  is  thy 
 doom — He  t  lat  believeth  not  i.s  condemned."  AVe 
 would  say,  moreover,  that  all  "  good  works  "  of 
 men  fill  to  the  ground  colIecUveiy  and  individu- 
 ally, if  without  failh  in  the  Gospel  no  man,  with 
 nil  his  works,  h  .s  any  thing  left  bu',  condemnation. 
 That  which  was  afterwards  taught  in  Horn.  iii.  20  ; 
 Gal.  ii.  16,  iii.  10,  e.c,  was  said  before  by  Christ 
 in  all  its  emphasis. 
 
 who  hath  cast  him  ont ;  man  sins  against  a 
 God  who  calls  him  back.  The  former  is  hard- 
 ened against  a  God  who  punishes  him;  the 
 latter  hardens  himself  against  a  God  who 
 meets  him  in  love.  The  devil  acts  in  oppo- 
 sition  to  a  God  who  seeketh  him  not ;  the  sin- 
 ner blasphemes  against  a  God  who  dieth  for 
 him." 
 
 He  that  ielieveth  not — that  is,  of  course,  the 
 Gospel  preached  by  you  under  my  commission — ■ 
 so  preached  that  I  may  prove  it  to  him  as 
 my  word.  That  means,  further,  when  com- 
 pared with  Matthew — he  that  believeth  not 
 that  to  me  is  given  all  power;  that  I,  Jesus 
 Christ,  am  the  alone  Saviour  and  Judge  appoint- 
 ed by  the  Father  for  men.  This  power  and  dig- 
 nity of  Jesus  Christ  is  therefore,  as  long  as 
 preaching  continues,  down  to  the  last  day,  a 
 matter  of  faith:  but,  indeed.  Acts  xvii.  31, 
 7ti6rtv  Ttapa'lxojv  nadzv,  "given  assurance 
 unto  all,"  13  inseparably  joined  with  this.  Fi- 
 nally, it  is  testified  and  sealed  in  this  utterance, 
 as  plainly  as  if  spoken  in  as  many  express 
 words,  that  without  the  preaching  of  the  Gos- 
 pel going  before  no  man  can  be  or  may  be  con- 
 clusively condemned  ;  that  it  may  and  that  it 
 must  be  preached  to  all ;  and  that  this,  if  it  do 
 not  take  place  in  the  present  life,  must  neces- 
 sarily take  place  after  death.  Thus,  the  whole 
 doctrine  concerning  an  intermediate  place,  and 
 its  economy  of  forbearance  and  salvation,  down 
 to  the  full  ripeness  of  unbelief  in  the  whole 
 word,  has  here  its  plain  demonstration.  It  is 
 incomprehensible  that  so  many  fail  to  perceive 
 this,  and  therefore  inveigh  against  it  as  doubt- 
 ful or  unscriptural.  That  this  unbelief,  which 
 is  to  be  finally  condemned,  is  something  very 
 diflerent  from  the  Apostles'  upbraided  unbe- 
 lief, which  grace  might  nevertheless  overcome, 
 and  v/hich  did  not  hinder  their  becoming  Apos- 
 tles— is  perfectly  plain  from  a  comparison  with 
 ver.  14.  Pfenninger:  "It  is  the  result  either 
 of  deep  malice  or  miserable  stupidity  when 
 such  a  liarsh  construction  is  put  upon  the  doc- 
 trine of  the  great  Teacher — He  that  believeth 
 not  is  condemned — in  a  section  wliich  has  set 
 m  so  wonderful  a  light  the  tolerance  of  his 
 Spirit  towards  the  weak  faith  of  his  nearest 
 disciples.  Whenever  I  meet  with  this  misap- 
 prehension and  mistake  in  adeistical  book,  I  am 
 amazed  ;  the  book  falls  from  my  hands  ;  and  I 
 cannot  but  think  that  it  deserves  the  same 
 condemnation — in  company  with  all  those  of 
 the  so-called  orthodox,  who  neglect  to  compare 
 with  our  Lord's  anathema  the  supreme  toler- 
 ance which  tlie  same  chapter  displays." 
 
 Let  us  now  further  note,  descending  from 
 the  general  to  the  more  particular,  the  relation 
 between  the  believing  and  the  hei?ig  laptizcd,  so 
 clearly  and  definitely  laid  down  in  the  two 
 clauses.  To  begin  with  the  latter  :  We  miss  the 
 corresponding  /xj)  (ianzioOfii  in  connection 
 with  the  xaTanpiOy'idFrai.  It  is  not  said  "  Ho 
 that  is  not  baptized  shall  bo  condemned.'-' 
 Baptized  or  not,  even  if  baptized,  the  unbe- 
 lieving shall  be  condemned.  This  must  le.ad 
 us  to  decide  that  in  the  former  clause  the  same 
 
MARK  XVI.  15-18. 
 
 831 
 
 holds  good :  The  believer  shall  be  saved,  even 
 though  he  bo  not  baptized.  For  certainly  after 
 the  "preach" — "faith  embraces  both  the  be- 
 ginnings before  baptism,  and  the  continuance 
 after  it."  All  anxious  misunderstanding  of  the 
 inseparable  conjunction  of  baptism  with  faith, 
 as  the  condition  of  salvation,  is  removed  by 
 the  plain  sequel  of  the  clause — But  he  that 
 beliveth  not,  and  on'y  he,  shall  be  condemned. 
 Indeed,  in  respect  to  those  who  already  believe, 
 and  who  may  receive  baptism,  this  obligation 
 of  obedience  and  confession  remains,  and  it  is 
 consequently  a  test  of  their  faith.  But  we  must 
 not  think  of  it  as  an  absolute  condition  of  salva- 
 tion, for  this  simplereason,  that  it  is  not  positive- 
 ly the  baptized  who  is  said  to  be  saved,  but  only 
 the  believingand  baptized.  Moreover,  this  order 
 of  the  words — as  we  might  perceive  by  the  con- 
 nection in  Mark  alone — does  not  indicate  the 
 order  of  time  for  every  individual  to  be  first  the 
 believing,  then  the  being  baptized ;  and  all 
 that  is  said  in  Matthew  makes  this  certain  and 
 incontestable.*  The  frecedence  given  to  be- 
 lieving has  another  and  more  essential  reason 
 than  Ihat  of  marking  the  time.  It  may  be 
 understood  thus,  in  any  case  :  He  that  believ- 
 eth  also,  even  as  he  has  been  baptized — not 
 the  mere  /3a7tri60Ei?,  but  the  7tt6rEi6ai  xai 
 ftanrieOEii  (this  is  made  perfectly  plain  when 
 we  connect  Matthew's  words,  which  had  been 
 spoken  before).  Faith  is  the  essential  matter, 
 and  "  water  availeth  not."  Yea,  even  that 
 true  baptism,  which  is  received  in  connection 
 with  the  earliest  faith,  availeth  not ;  but  only 
 the  faith  which  holds  fast  the  grace  of  baptism, 
 and  perseveres  to  the  end.  Such  a  faith  alone 
 is,  according  to  the  whole  economy  of  salva- 
 tion and  grace,  genuine  and  true.f     When  the 
 
 *  Lutz,  however,  reproduces  the  old  and  super- 
 ficial way  of  stating  it :  "  Baptism,  according  to 
 Mark  xvi.  16,  follotvs  upon  believing.''  On  the  other 
 hand  Hofmann  says :  "  Faith  is  the  end,  baptism 
 the  means :  therefore  the  former  comes  first,  and 
 the  latter  after  it." 
 
 +  Here  ws  may  add  the  emphatic  postscript — 
 "  Which  alone  decides,  whether  with  or  without 
 b.iptism."  Hofmann,  indeed,  speaks  too  stroiu  y  '■ 
 "  If  we  omit  this  additional  remark,  the  declara- 
 tion that  without  faith  there  is  no  salvation  would 
 be  a  strange  repetition,  at  the  solemn  moment  be- 
 fore the  ascension,  of  what  had  been  lonsf  so  well 
 known  to  the  Apostles !  "  Apart  jrom  the  error 
 as  to  the  time  when  it  was  spoken — would  not 
 such  a  filial  declaration  have  been  perfectly  ap- 
 propriate rnd  significant  1  But  thus  much  is  true, 
 that  the  words  here  in  Mark  plainly  pre-suppose 
 and  provide  for  the  circumstance  that  thrre  miy 
 be  baptized  nnhelievers.  These  mijht,  indeed,  be 
 such  on'y  as  had  lost  again  after  bnptisra  the 
 faith  which  thc>y  had  had ;  for  such  faith  might 
 really  have  b3en  living  faith,  which  does  i!ot  ef- 
 fectua'ly  secure  against  falling  :  it  is  not  neces- 
 sary, therefori^,  to  think  of  the  baptism  of  "  half- 
 believers."  It  mriy  thns  be  proved  in  argument 
 with  the  Baptists,  and  from  their  own  premises, 
 thit  the  Lord  means  such  also  (they  wou'd  say — 
 alone)  as  were  baptized  before  they  ari'ivcd  at  a 
 co.".sc;ou3  fatth,  that  is,  as  children. 
 
 preaching  of  Christ  runs  thus,  E'^ent  and  ba- 
 
 lievc  the  0:spel,  t!ie  first  test  of  faith  asks 
 whether  reliance  is  placed  upon  repentance. 
 Further,  it  is  only  a  living  faith  which  avails, 
 that  which  produces  and  exhibits  xcorh.  Never- 
 theless, it  is  in  the  highest  degree  right  that 
 faith  alone  should  have  been  mentioned  ;  and 
 they  are  only  falsely-taught  teachers  (as  Luther 
 says)  who  would  take  Christ  himself  to  school, 
 and  teach  what  he  ought  to  have  said,  namely — 
 He  that  believeth  and  performelh  good  works. 
 For  in  this  and  there  is  involved  the  whole 
 system  of  folly  which  is  ignorant  of  the  true 
 power  of  faitii  as  the  spring  of  good  works, 
 and  would  introduce  a  personal  merit  into  the 
 question ;  and,  moreover,  it  is  a  perversion 
 which  could  only  terrify  timid  consciences — 
 such  as  have  no  consciousness  of  good  works, 
 but  might  believe  and  receive  gratuitous  grace. 
 Therefore  should  we  carefully  keep  the  two 
 apart,  as  each  occupies  its  right  place  in  the 
 two  Evangelists :  those  v.-ho  believe  and  are 
 baptized  are  to  be  taught  to  hold  fast  and  to 
 perform  all  that  the  Lord  has  commanded;  but 
 when  salvation  and  acceptance  are  in  ques- 
 tion, faith  and  baptism  alone  are  required, 
 without  the  intermixtureof  good  works.  What 
 is  demanded  in  order  to  salvation?  Faith. 
 What  more?  Faith.  Nothing  further?  No, 
 noLhing  but  faith.  For  he  that  believeth  will 
 not  omit  to  seek  baptism,  if  he  has  not  already 
 received  it;  and  will  also,  if  he  does  not  cease 
 from  faith,  perform  a  thousand  times  more  and 
 better  good  works  (thus  to  speak  foolishly) 
 than  if  the  being  saved  had  been  made  depen- 
 dent on  works  as  a  condition. 
 
 But,  inasmuch  as  only  unbelief  condemns,  the 
 contempt  of  baptism  as  the  appointed  way 
 (Luke  vii.  30)  condemns  only  the  disobedient 
 and  the  unbelieving ;  the  want  of  baptism  on 
 the  part  of  believers,  whose  fault  it  is  not,*  and 
 on  the  part  of  little  children,  does  not  condemn 
 them.  The  opinions  as  to  the  perdition  of  un- 
 baptized  children  which  once  were  current,  but 
 are  scarcely  to  be  found  now  in  evangelical 
 Churches,  spring  from  the   utmost   confusion 
 
 *  Certainly  we  may  conceive  of  circumstances, 
 in  which  baptism  is  impossible — such  as  when  a 
 baptizer  is  not  at  hand — especially  in  the  mission- 
 ary work.  For  to  deny  this,  as  Axelsen  does,  as- 
 serting that  "  he  who  can  preach  can  bapLize 
 also  " — is  not  to  the  point.  There  are  coi. ver- 
 sions effected  through  the  Scripture  alone;  the 
 only  preacher  may  be  called  away,  or  die,  before 
 the  a  Iministration  of  baptism.  There  may  ba 
 such  a  thing  as  an  unjustifiable  postponement  of 
 the  rite,  so  that  a  believer  may  die  wi  hout  it. 
 Or,  is  there  supposable,  in  the  most  extreme  case, 
 a  right  to  baptize  cneseif,  and  is  there  any  mean- 
 ing in  this  1  I'istorius  is  hardy  enough  to  an- 
 swer in  the  affirmative,  and  defend  such  a  self- 
 baptism  (Lulh.  Zeds.  1848.  lii.  559).  But  the  no- 
 tions concerning  baptism  which  underlie  this,  are 
 not  merely  overstrrtched,  thej  are  p?rverted— 
 and  somewhat  similar  to  those  wliich  give  risa 
 to  the  "self-absolving"  of  whicli  we  read  pro- 
 viously, 
 
ii2 
 
 THE  COMMISSION  AND  PROMISES. 
 
 and  misapprehension  of  all  that  belongs  to  the 
 question.  It  is  scarcely  necessary,  therefore, 
 that  we  should  say  a  word  about  the  so-called 
 nothtaufe  (bapi'iam  in  emergency) — a  combina- 
 tion ot  words  which  to  one  rightly  instructed  in 
 the  nature  of  baptism,  is  altogether  meaning- 
 less.* Tertullian,  indeed,  refers  (de  Bapt.  c.  17) 
 to  a  ca.ws  necessitatis  in  which  even  the  laity 
 might  perform  the  sacred  office  ;  but  his  mean- 
 ing does  not  so  rigidly  refer  to  the  ecclesiastical 
 ceremony,  as  to  the  relative  necfssitas  that  any 
 one  should  exercise  the  rights  of  the  universal 
 priesthood.  "Baptism  (even  that  of  children) 
 IS  not  lightly  to  be  omitted  " — who  would  not 
 agree  with  this?  But  if  "nothtaufe" — private 
 baptism  in  ca.se  of  danger — is  made  the  subject 
 of  this  sentence,  what  meaning  does  that  give 
 us?  "Nevertheless,  a  child  is  not  lost,  if  it 
 departs  without  baptism,  in  opposition  to  the 
 will  of  the  parents."  How  then,  if  it  departs 
 ly  the  will  of  the  parents  unbaptized  ?  By  the 
 will  of  parents  whose  faith  and  conscience 
 would  not  allow  them  needlessly  and  unseason- 
 ably to  baptize  a  dying  c\\\\Al  A  long  expe- 
 rience in  practical  pastoral  life,  and  in  a  district 
 celebrated  for  Christian  knowledge  and  piety, 
 has  revealed  to  me  the  existence  of  so  much 
 confusion,  and  let  me  say  superstition,  in  the 
 minds  of  the  people  on  this  question  (connect- 
 ed, albeit,  with  much  deep  anxiety  to  comply 
 with  the  precepts  of  Christ,  that  I  could  not 
 consent  to  further  the  views  of  those  who  would 
 revive  the  discipline  of  private  baptism  for 
 times  of  danger.  It  rather  appears  to  me  more 
 and  more  clearly  the  duty  of  the  minister  to 
 defend  his  people  from  superstition,  and  even 
 under  certain  circumstances  to  deny  the  rite 
 which  is  demanded  with  an  unworthy  motive  ; 
 at  least  to  perform  no  so-called  haptism  of  need 
 without  a  plain  protest  against  the  notion  of 
 its  necessity.  I  think  we  may  better,  and  with 
 a  more  blessed  result,  uphold  the  true  apprecia- 
 tion of  the  sacrament,  than  by  furthering  an 
 improper  and  erroneous  value  for  it.  When 
 the  cermony  is  performed  upon  a  child  to  all 
 appearance  dying,  according  to  the  formulary 
 which  is  the  only  one  in  most  of  our  service 
 books,  that  is,  with  all  the  obligations  of  the 
 sponsors,  etc.,  just  as  if  the  child  were  destin- 
 ed to  live — what  is  this  but  trifling  with  holy 
 things  ?  In  infant  baptism  the  germ  is  im- 
 planted for  life  tipon  earth,  from  which  the  tree 
 should  spring  up  in  the  present  economy  of 
 things;  this  is  alone  its  peculiar  siguiflcance 
 and  justification.  But  the  little  children  whom 
 the  Lord  calls  to  die,  he  calls  by  their  death  (as 
 we  are  in  the  habit  of  saying)  most  surely  and 
 and  effectually  to  come  unto  himself. 
 
 John  t/ie  Baptist  said  merely — He  that  be- 
 li/velh  (John  iii.  36) ;  Christ,  on  the  other  hand, 
 fays — He  tliat  believeth  and  is  baptized  shall  be 
 
 *  Our  modern  Lutherans  seem  to  hive  a  feeling 
 of  this.  They  would  require  the  midwife  to  bap- 
 tize in  cases  of  emergency,  and  instruct  them  to 
 that  end  ;  but  still  prefer  the  old-fasioued  "  Jach- 
 
 saved.  That  we  may  set  this  former  half  of 
 the  verse  in  a  clear  light,  we  may  apply  to  it 
 two  questions  :  Where'ore  is  faith  required  in 
 order  to  baptism?  Wherefore  is  baptism  re- 
 quired as  following  the  faith?  The  former 
 question — Wherefore  is  faith  in  order  to  bap- 
 tism? is  of  course  easily  understood  and  an- 
 swered. For.  first — Water  has  nothing  to  do 
 with  the  matter,  but  regeneration.  That  little 
 children,  baptized  or  unbaptized,  will  have  in 
 the  other  world — as,  so  to  term  it,  in  a  lim^nis 
 infantum — a  way  oi faith  opened  to  their  dawn- 
 ing consciousness,  is  most  certain  ;  whether  a 
 harder  or  an  easier  way  than  here,  may  be  met 
 with  the  appropriate  reply.  Who  can  penetrate 
 into  these  hidden  mysteries?  But  the  sacra- 
 ments were  instituted  for  the  way  of  salvation 
 upon  earth,  and  not  for  hades.*  Secondly — 
 Even  the  Holy  Spirit,  the  internal  and  real 
 laver  of  regeneration,  doth  not  effect  it  ab- 
 solutely and  alone,  that  is,  with  unresisted 
 power ;  consequently,  an  accepting,  retaining 
 and  confirming  will  mu.st  concur  and  abide  to 
 the  end — and  this  is  faith.  The  other  question 
 — Why  baptism  with  water  after  the  faith  ?  is 
 a  harder  one,  but  the  answer  may  be  easily 
 and  scripturally  given.  First,  generally,  it  is 
 for  great  and  small  alike,  it  has  been  ordained 
 by  God  in  his  Church,  as  the  way  in  which  the 
 Spirit  puts  his  effect  in  the  word,  as  the  body 
 and  blood  of  Christ  in  the  Supper  (quite  sub- 
 ordinately  to  this,  and  apart  from  it — an  ex- 
 ternal sign  of  those  who  belong  to  the  Church). 
 Those  who  are  born  in  Christendom  and  for 
 Christianity  are  appointed  to  this  ordinance  at 
 once.  Thus,  secondly,  baptism  is  in  the  case  of 
 children:  1,  the  prevenient,  essential,  com- 
 mencement of  their  regeneration,  the  implanted 
 germ  of  the  new  life  ;  2,  a  firm  ground  and  an- 
 chor for  their  subsequent  faith — I  have  been 
 baptized,  the  grace  of  redemption  pertains  to 
 me  ;t  3,  to  their  parents  or  other  educators  a 
 
 *  Munchmeyer's  protest  does  not  atTect  this 
 plain  position  ;  we  would  ask  him  how  he  knows 
 the  contrarj'.  We  do  not  deny  that  the  inserted 
 germ  may  be  developed  in  hades  ;  but  we  declare 
 it  to  be  a  duty  to  implant  it  as  soon  as  possible, 
 thcush  so  many  children  die  afterwards.  As  to 
 the  absolute  necessity  of  baptism  for  deatii,  we 
 deny  it. 
 
 f  Ilofraann  his  laid  great  stress  upon  the  fact 
 that  infant  baptism  alone  conesponds  perfectly 
 to  this  desi<;n — that  of  giving  absolute  and  im- 
 movable assurance,  to  be  retained  thiough  all 
 the  future,  that  God  has  regarded  and  accepted 
 me  in  mercy.  He,  further,  insists  that  in  the  tase 
 of  adults  who  are  baptized,  their  genuine  baptism 
 may  be  matter  of  doubt,  even  with  their  fai  h 
 and  conversion.  But  wo  should  shrink  from  a 
 view  which  would  tend  to  lower  the  character  of 
 adult  baptism.  Moreover,  in  the  first  i>!ace,  the 
 tempted  soUl  may  certainly  be  led  to  doubt  about 
 tlie  prerogative  of  his  own  baptism  in  childhood. 
 Secondly,  it  is  twl  the  fnis  primarius,  the  ereat 
 point,  in  baptism,  to  afford  the  sure  ground  of 
 lutuie  faith  ;  its  first  and  raostessen.ial  character 
 is  to  be  the  means  of  regeneration.     A  vain  reli< 
 
MARK  XVI.  15-18. 
 
 833 
 
 Bimilar  ground  of  assurance  of  grace,  so  that 
 tliey  may  with  confidence  endeavor  to  train  up 
 the  tender  plant,  the  seed  of  which  is  sown. 
 Thirdly  and  finally,  in  the  case  of  adults,  who 
 believe  through  the  word  and  are  baptized,  it  is ; 
 1.  The  means  of  grace,  in  which  God  will  give 
 himself  to  their  desiring  faith,  to  make  it  living 
 and  fruitful  through  the  spirit  of  regeneration 
 and  renewal,  to  establish  their  fellowship  with 
 himself  as  the  Triune  God  ;*  2.  The  confirmation 
 at  the  same  time  of  this  initiatory  faith,  com- 
 ing thus  to  baptism,  as  the  confession  of  the 
 Crucified,  the  Risen,  and  the  Ascended  Lord, 
 who  will  thus  be  openly  avowed  by  his  dis- 
 ciples before  the  world,  even  as  he  was  and  still 
 is  openly  rejected  in  the  world  by  others.  It 
 was  perfectly  in  harmony  with  this,  that  the 
 early  Church  allowed  validity  to  the  death  of 
 unbaptized  martyrs,  as  a  baptismvs  sanguinis,  a 
 baptism  of  blood. f 
 
 But  after  these  many  words  of  our  weakness, 
 let  us  turn  to  a  new  utterance  of  our  Lord,  in 
 which  he  promises  iu  a  few  but  most  mighty 
 words — vers.  17,  18 — the  iigns  that  should  follow 
 believers.  The  nai  repara  (wonders)  which 
 is  usually  connected  with  6r/u£iOc  (signs),  and 
 which  IS  found  afterwards  at  the  first  fulfill- 
 ment of  the  promise  (Acts  iv.  30,  v.  12 ;  Rom. 
 XV.  19 ;  2  Cor.  xii.  12) — is  wanting  here  in  the 
 promise  itself  This  we  simply  mention  now; 
 it  will  be  referred  to  again  as  an  element  in  our 
 final  interpretation.  The  signs  which  should 
 point  to  something  else,  are  the  matter  of  real 
 importance;  to  give  such  signs  is  the  first  ob- 
 ject of  these  miraculous  endowments.  The 
 several  Svvd/ueii  (powers,  Acts  viii.  13,  7) 
 were  intended  to  show  that  the  dvvajini 
 rov  ^sov,  or  power  of  God,  which  is  all 
 the   one    true   power,  supreme  over   all,  and 
 
 ance  upon  baptism,  as  independent  of  this  regen- 
 eration, its  living  effect,  is  that  superstition  of 
 unbelief  in  the  living  God  which  le.uls  to  con- 
 demnation. But  thus  much  is  true  :  it  is  only  by 
 a  delusion  tliat  the  Baptists  aroue  how  much 
 more  influential  is  a  hortatory  reference  to  a  bap- 
 tism which  has  been  consciously  received  by  the 
 adult.  By  no  means,  for  a  grace  that  came 
 freely  at  the  first  in  baptism  rau-t  be  a  much 
 more  stimulatino;  and  encouraging  argument.  It 
 is  a  lamentable  thing  that  ministers  and  teachers 
 omit,  so  much  as  they  do,  all  afjpeal  to  that  early 
 baptism. 
 
 *  Accordingly,  we  are  not  sat'sfled  with  the 
 view  of  Gerh;ird,  which  stops  .short  of  the  truth  : 
 "To  adult  believers  baptism  serves  p^vwipalli/ 
 as  an  olsignation  and  attestation  of  the  grace  of 
 Ood ;  the  purpose  of  lurthering  their  renewal  it 
 serves  more  subordinateiy."  Oh,  no;  this  is  to 
 invert  tlie  order. 
 
 f  The  two  points  which  we  lay  down  upon  the 
 baptism  of  adults,  mean  much  more  than  what 
 Calvin  expresses  as  the  object  ot  their  baptism : 
 "  First,  that  it  m^.y  subserve  our  own  faith  ;  then, 
 as  a  confession  before  men."  For,  the  former  is 
 left  too  vague  and  unsubstantial ;  and  the  latter 
 would  seem  tQ_include  only  the  mere  nota  co>ifea- 
 sionis  exteitKB, 
 
 which  would  show  itself  to  be  great  (see 
 there,  vers.  9,  10)— was  with  these  messengers 
 and  witnesses  of  Jesm,  these  servants  of  the 
 Most  High  God  who  showed  unto  man  the  way 
 of  salvation  in  the  name  of  JeMis  (Acts  xvi. 
 17).  Thus  this  word  of  our  Lord  connect?  itself 
 very  closely  and  plainly  with  the  promise  lam 
 with  you  in  Matthew,  as  being  a  specific  vouch- 
 er, so  to  speak,  for  the  fulfillment  of  the  alto- 
 gether general,  and  all-comprehending  promise. 
 It  is  as  if  it  ran — Signs  of  my  being  with  you, 
 of  my  working  with  you  through  them  ;  tliat  is, 
 while  you  preach  according  to  my  commission 
 the  word  concerning  faith  and  unto  faith,  the 
 condition  of  eternal  salvation.  This  promise, 
 as  given  here  in  its  specializing  character,  refers 
 especially  to  the  Preach ;  as  the  Evangelist 
 himself,  ver.  20,  expounds  it  of  the  confirmation 
 of  the  word :  compare  Heb.  ii.  4.  The  itapa- 
 KoXovOsiv,  accompanying,  consequently  refers 
 to  the  TC  o  pEvQ  E  y  T  Ei,  their  going  forth,  as 
 ver.  20  again  establishes  :  the  signs  were  every 
 where  to  follow-  those  who  went  forth  ;  they 
 were  to  accompany  them  in  their  way  of  em- 
 bassy and  testimony  throughout  the  whole 
 world.  The  emphatic  itapaHoXov'^tlv,  equiva- 
 lent to  accompanying,  abiding  with  them,  alicui 
 prcBsto  esse  at  all  times,  is  exchanged  afterwards 
 by  the  Evangelist  for  the  equally,  though  in  a 
 different  sense,  emphatic  eTtanoXovOEiv — which 
 means  suhsequi,  to  follow  in  their  footsteps,  and 
 at  the  same  time  to  serve  and  obey  them.  We 
 can  say  only  in  a  very  limited  sense  that  the 
 signs — which  excite  attention,  astonishment, 
 and  a  bias  to  believe,  which  stimulate  to  ques- 
 tioning, and  earnest  diligence  in  hearing— .9<9 
 before  the  messengers  of  the  word,  as  it  were 
 paving  their  way.  For,  such  an  influence, 
 though  it  may  be  a  concomitant,  was  not  the 
 Lord's  design  ;  and  therefore  he  speaks  of  such 
 signs  as  following.  Who,  then,  and  what  goes 
 before  ?  The  believing  preacher,  with  the  word 
 of  the  Gospel.  This  is  Bengal's  meaning,  when 
 he  passes  by  the  more  obvious  sense,  and  right- 
 ly deduces  from  ver.  20,  by  a  penetrating  ex- 
 position— "  Verbum  et  fides  proecedit  signa  " 
 (The  word  and  faith  go  before  the  signs).  And 
 obviously  so  :  for  that  which  was  to  be  con- 
 firmed and  sealed  as  coming  from  God,  by 
 these  signacula,  must  have  been  spoken  before- 
 hand ;  the  mere  signa  could  have  a  preparatory 
 signification  only  through  the  symbolical  char- 
 acter of  their  operations.  Signs  and  wonders 
 without  the  word  have  no  value  attached  to 
 them  throughout  Scriptura;  every  where  among 
 men  the  testimony  must  be  uttered  in  word, 
 and  that  must  go  first.  So  also  must /ai?A; 
 for  although  we  have  already  said  that  the 
 sealing  promise  was  given  "in  reference  to 
 those  who  were  sent,"  yet  that  refers  only  to 
 the  promm  itself,  which  would  invigorate  them 
 tor  their  mission  by  making  more  specific  the 
 assurance — /  am  with  you.  The  s  gns  which 
 afterwards  follow,  are,  properly  speaking  (as  it 
 is  said  of  the  tongues  in  1  Cor.  xiv.  22),  not  for 
 those  who  believe,  but  for  those  who  believe 
 not.     It  would  be  a  great  perversion  to  suppose 
 
mi 
 
 THE  COMMISSION  AND  PROMISES. 
 
 a  missionary  first  to  strengthen  his  own  faith, 
 and  encourage  himself  for  the  work  of  preach- 
 ing, by  the  assurance  that  he  could  work  mira- 
 cles ;  indeed,  it  would  be  a  thing  impossible, 
 for  he  must  have  faith  in  order  to  work  those 
 miracles. 
 
 Til  us — to  those  irko  believe.  This  is  directly 
 taken  from  ver.  16 ;  and  it  appears  at  first  to 
 include  all  who  should  in  future  believe,  and 
 be  baptized  unto  salvation,  after  having  heard 
 the  preached  word.  In  this  there  is  a  certain 
 truth  ;  but  it  is  pre-supposed  (just  as  in  Matt.) 
 that  those  who  believe  in  the  future  will  also, 
 like  the  first,  go  forth  and  preach,  in  order  to 
 lead  continually  and  forever  souls  unto  salva- 
 tion, throughout  all  the  world.  Let  us  now 
 carefully  look  at  tliis  ni6TEv6a6i,  which  is 
 stated  with  the  same  generality  as  Tn6rev6a<;, 
 ver.  16 — to  those  who  have  thus  become  be- 
 lievers. Both  the  one  and  the  other  apply  to 
 ourselves  down  to  the  present  day,  and  indeed 
 for  all  future  time.  "  Every  one  applies  the 
 first  part  of  this  saying  to  ourselves;  teaching 
 every  where  that  faith  and  baptism  are  neces- 
 sary in  all  ages  to  salvation,  and  that  unbelief 
 in  all  ages  excludes  from  it.  But  what  right 
 has  any  one  to  separate  the  words  which  Jesus 
 immediately  added,  from  his  former  words? 
 Where  is  it  said  that  these  former  words  have 
 reference  to  all  men  and  all  Christians ;  but 
 that  the  promised  signs,  which  should  follow 
 those  who  believe,  referred  only  to  the  Chris- 
 tians of  the  first  age  ?  What  God  hath  joined 
 together  let  no  man  put  asunder"  (Salzmann). 
 If  later  history  shows,  as  it  does,  that  the  ful- 
 fillment, or  rather  the  first  kind  of  fulfillment 
 of  these  promises,  that  is  in  their  external  let- 
 ter, appertained  pre-eminently  to  the  first  es- 
 tablishment and  foundation  of  the  Church — 
 this  gives  us  no  authority  to  limit  the  word  of 
 Clirist  (certainly  not  spoken  to  the  Apostles 
 alone,  and,  by  the  testimony  of  history,  not 
 limited  in  its  I'ulfiUment  to  them)  to  any  long 
 past  and  ended  period  of  Christianity.  The 
 words,  as  they  run,  most  decidedly  oppose  this. 
 Thus  it  is  not,  as  the  otherwise  superstitious 
 Sepp  remarks,  that  "  the?e  things  referred  to 
 the  destinies  of  the  years  immediatelv  to  fol- 
 low, for  which  he  prepared  his  Apostles." 
 F>iith  has  from  the  beginning  (Heb.  xi.  33,  24) 
 demonstrated  its  power  by  miraculous  victories 
 over  nature  ;  and  can  we  suppose  that  it  would 
 lose  its  energy  in  the  New-Testament  economy, 
 or  alter  a  brief  interval  of  exertion,  lose  this 
 evidence  of  its  power?  Bengel  writes  here 
 with  great  truth  :  "  Non  fuit  habitus  alius,  quo 
 salvaliis  est  Paulas,  alius,  quo  miracvla  edidit " 
 (Paul  was  saved  and  wrought  miracles  by  one 
 and  the  same  attribute  of  faith.  So  al.so  in 
 our  day  the  faith  of  every  believer  has  a  latent 
 miraculous  power :  in  iact,  every  result  of 
 prayers  is  miraculous,  although  that  may  not 
 appear).*     This  remark   we    would   carefully 
 
 *  But.  let  it  be  carefully  noted  :  The  true  be- 
 liever jterloiTUb  the  wonders  iu  the  bame  laitb; 
 
 ponder,  while  we  supplement,  and,  in  some 
 degree,  correct  it  by  another.  The  only  limit- 
 ation, or  rather  condition,  which  the  Lord  at- 
 taches to  the  universal  promise  of  performing 
 miracles,  is  faUh.  That  is  not,  however,  in 
 this  connection,  simply  and  distinctively  the 
 faith  which  procures  salvation,  but  (as  we  else- 
 where abundantly  learn,  e.  g.,  MaVk  xi.  23 ; 
 Matt.  xvii.  20)  at  the  same  time  the  specific 
 faith  on  each  occasion,  that  such  miracle  will 
 be  done  in  the  power  of  God,  a  sure  confidence 
 that  one  may  do  it  according  to  God's  will,  and 
 shoiiLl  (',!)  it  lor  his  kingdom.  (Concerning  this 
 we  have  .«aid  enough  on  those  passages.) 
 
 Thus,  the  appropriation  and  use  of  this  pro- 
 mised miraculous  power  is  itself  made  suoor- 
 dinate  to  the  confidence,  knowledge,  and  wis- 
 dom of  a  faith  which,  whether  for  self  or  for 
 others,  seeks  only  salvation.  For  the  rest, 
 there  is  no  limitation  of  the  promise  to  per- 
 sons or  to  times.  Observe  the  uniform  and 
 simultaneous  mention  of  those  evil  things  in 
 which  the  blessed  power  that  accompanies  the 
 word  of  salvation  should  symbolically  display 
 its  power  in  expelling,  thwarting,  and  healing. 
 Powers  of  evil  are  mentioned  which  run  through 
 all  ages,  and  belong  necessarily  to  that  nature 
 which  is  to  be  delivered  from  its  tpOoftd,  its 
 ruin;  and,  preceding  the  mention  of  them,  a 
 phenomenon  which  to  refer  to  past  ages  alone, 
 simply  because  it  was  mentioned  first,  would 
 be  obviously  incorrect.  As  long  as  serpents' 
 poison,  and  things  deadly  may  be  drunk,  and 
 sicknesses  may  exist,  devils  also  are  to  be  cast 
 out;  and  all  the  more  (as  we  shall  see  present- 
 ly) because  all  that  is  named  in  ver.  18  pre- 
 serves its  connection  with  the  power  of  Satan. 
 Believers  in  the  word  and  in  the  authority  of 
 Jesus  may  certainly  hold  fast  the  faith  which 
 even  Grotius  held' :  "  Wherefore,  if  any  one 
 should  declare  Christ,  as  he  would  be  announc- 
 ed, to  nations  ignorant  of  his  nanis  (for  to 
 them*  miracles  were  strictly  speaking  to  be 
 subservient,  1  Cor.  xii.  22),  I  doubt  not  that 
 the  promise  would  hold  good.  For  the  gifts  of 
 Qod  are  dnErafiaXriTa,  '  without  repentance.' 
 But  we  are  too  much  in  the  habit  of  casting 
 upon  God  the  fault  of  our  own  sloth  and  un- 
 belief." We  have  been  taught  already  by 
 nd6^  rj7  Htidst,  to  every  creature,  that  the 
 Gospel  has  a  reference  to  all  nature;  conse- 
 quently, that  the  power  of  God  accompanying 
 its  preaching  will  and  must  demonstrate  its 
 miglit  upon  the  demoniac  energies  which  pene- 
 trate nature,  or  rule  over  it,  demonstrating 
 that  might  either  naturally  or  miraculously; 
 or,  to  speak  more  correctly,  through  the  slow 
 mediation  of  its  healing,  renewing  influence,  or 
 by  instantaneous  and  extraordinary  interven- 
 tions altering  its  course.  In  this  first  and 
 most  obvious  meaning  compare  1  Cor.  xii.  28, 
 the   dwdjiU'^,  ^apz'cj/iara  iai^aroovy  yivrf 
 
 but  the  converse  is   not   true,    for   the   wonder- 
 working fdilh  is  not  of  ttsef  tl.e  faith  that  saves. 
 
 *  But  this  liraitaiiuD  iu  the  exposition  is  cer* 
 lainly  too  restricted. 
 
MARK  XVI.  15-18. 
 
 835 
 
 yXco66<ivy  "miracles,  gifts  of  healing,  kinds 
 of  tongues."  Tiiis  will  further  show  the  force 
 of  the  remark  of  Grotius— iVb/i  omnibus  omnia, 
 according  to  1  Cor.  xii.  4.  The  Tavra  follow- 
 ing after  does  not  mean  simply  "  these  "  and 
 no  other  signs  ;  but,  these  ana  the  like,  in  the 
 sense  of  Tola,  zotavra,  the  individual  signs 
 being  mentioned  by  way  of  example,  and  for 
 concrete  assurance.  Although,  indeed,  the  idea 
 of  the  charismata  or  gifts  is  something  different 
 from  this,  and  includes  the  gift  of  miracles  as 
 the  las,  yet  there  is  even  in  respect  to  the  for- 
 mer an  analogous  diversity  of  operations. 
 
 In,  my  name.  With  this  the  individual  de- 
 tail begins  ;  and  it  does  not  mean  in  an  exter- 
 nal sense — Through  the  utterance  of  my  name 
 (as  the  sons  of  Sceva,  Acts  xix.  13,  misunder- 
 stood it).  May  we  suppose  the  utterance  of 
 the  name,  as  a  formula  of  help,  to  have  occurred 
 in  the  case  of  the  unhurtful,  and  probably  un- 
 conscious, drinking  of  the  deadly  thing?  Yet 
 the  expression  in  the  forefront  certainly  refers 
 to  all,  and  not  merely  to  the  first  promise, 
 where  indeed  the  naming  of  the  name  before 
 which  devils  fly  is  obviously  to  be  held  fast. 
 If  this  iy  T(S  oyo/iiari /uov  is  placed  in  con- 
 junction with  the  eii  to  ovo/ua  in  Matthew, 
 the  reader  will  observe  all  that  we  cannot 
 now  pause  to  develope.  Among  the  mir- 
 acles which  our  Lord  himself  performed,  the 
 casting  out  of  devils  was  the  first,  the  most 
 mighty,  and  the  most  convincing  sign  (Matt, 
 xii.  25  seq.):  the  Lord  therefore  places  it 
 now  first,  and  says  by  his  "  in  my  name " 
 no  less  than  this— Ye  shall  perform  the  same 
 works  which  I  myself  have  performed.  Sa- 
 tan's power  confronts  and  opposes  the  com- 
 ing kingdom  of  God  :  how  then  could  any 
 thing  but  this  promise  stand  in  the  forefront 
 — this  prominent  sign  of  the  stronger  than 
 he?  It  is  well  known  to  the  learned  that 
 from  the  time  of  Justin  and  Irenasus  onward, 
 and  down  to  the  fourth  century  (not  to  go 
 further),  the  fathers,  and  especially  the  apolo- 
 gists, referred  with  the  utmost  confidence  of 
 challenge  to  the  actual  fact  that  the  demons 
 were  constrained  to  retire  before  the  name  of 
 Christ.  But  something  of  the  same  kind  con- 
 tinues throughout  the  whole  course  of  history 
 down  to  the  present  day.  The  speaking  in 
 new  yXoo6<SaiS,  or  tongues,  languages,  expres- 
 sions, in  such  a  manner  as  to  evidence  a  higher 
 power  and  inspiration,  began  with  the  day  of 
 rentecost,  continued  for  a  while  in  Christian 
 baptism,  and  now  takes  various  and  other 
 forms.  We  take  it  for  granted  as  proved  that 
 the  Corinthian  glossoMy  was  not  of  the  same 
 kind  as  the  Pentecostal  miracle  ;  and  that  gen- 
 erally the  speaking  with  tongues,  or  in  a  tongue 
 {y\o666aii  and  y\oa66i;j  XaXelv)  occurs  in 
 very  different  manifestations,  though  with  a 
 unity  of  meaning  embracing  them  all  in  one. 
 We  must  be  excused,  however,  from  the  full 
 investigation  of  this  matter  in  this  place ;  it  is 
 one  of  the  most  difficult  of  all  subjects,  and 
 nothing  very  "satisfactory  could  be  said  upon  it 
 in  few  words.     But  we  must  reject  the  almost 
 
 obsolete  view — occurring  here  and  there  in  the 
 pages  of  orthodox  writers — which  Pfenninger, 
 for  instance,  so  confidently  maintained :  "  Speak- 
 ing with  new  tongues — how  otherwise  could 
 they  go  forth  into  all  the  nations?"  For,  al- 
 though on  the  day  of  Pentecost  languages  quite 
 strange  were  spoken,  or  heard  and  understood, 
 yet  we  have  no  indication  in  Scripture  that 
 even  one  Apostle  retained  the  permanent  power 
 of  speaking  among  barbarous  nations  their 
 own  tongue.  The  subsequent  glossolaly,  or 
 speaking  in  tongues,  had  a  quite  different  sig- 
 nificance :  this  at  least  has  been  surely  estab- 
 lished by  recent  investigation. 
 
 We  further  remark  preparatorily  that,  not 
 without  reason,  the  matter  of  speaJcing  with 
 tongues  follows  immediately  after  the  casting 
 out  of  devils:  how  both  are  inseparably  united 
 will  be  seen  when  we  look  into  the  subject 
 more  closely.  In  the  same  way  the  serpents 
 and  the  deadly  thing  drunk  are  united;  the 
 two  are  even  bound  together  in  one  by  and 
 (though  otherwise  the  clauses  follow  a6vv- 
 dercoS),  the  "shall  not  hurt  them"  {fiXdipij 
 or  fiXdipEi)  being  thus  the  complement  of  the 
 taking  up  of  serpents  also.  The  words,  that 
 is,  refer  now  to  the  noxious  things,  the  poisons, 
 the  deadly  elements  in  nature,  which,  like  the 
 serpents,  point  in  the  entire  symbolism  of 
 Scripture  to  the  Satixovia,  and  have  a  certain 
 connection  with  the  power  of  the  devil  which 
 has  penetrated  nature.  From  that  originates, 
 and  in  that  finds  its  root,  every  thing  which  is 
 called,  or  which  leads  to,  death  and  destruc- 
 tion ;  the  creature  at  the  beginning  was  very 
 differently  constituted  (Wisd.  i.  13,  14).  The 
 concentration  of  these  deadly  elements  is  life- 
 destroying  poison.  But  this  comes  upon  us 
 either  fro^n  without,  through  the  serpents,  as  it 
 were  the  living  personification  of  the  murder- 
 er ;  or  (through  the  cunning  and  violence  of 
 men,  through  the  agency  of  secret  enemies,  or 
 in  any  other  way)  is  conveyed  inwardly  as  an 
 ingredient  of  even  the  inanimate  creature.  We 
 thus  see  that  the  examples  are  not  fortuitously 
 given  ;  they  have  their  connection  and  pro- 
 gressive meaning,  including  every  thing  of  the 
 same  kind  which  may  befall  us;  and  this  must 
 dispose  our  minds  to  expect  some  deeper 
 meaning  than  that  which  is  merely  external. 
 But  we  must  hold  fast  this  external  one  also. 
 "Ocpeii  dpo€6i:  that  is,  they  should  take  up 
 serpents  (the  connection  explains  this  of  poison- 
 ous, life-destroying  serpents) ;  they  should  lay 
 hold  of  them,  and,  as  the  combination  with  the 
 following  clause  shows,  witJwut  hurt.  This  is 
 expressed  more  strongly  than  if  the  meaning 
 referred  to  their  not  biting,  or  to  the  unhurt- 
 fulness  of  their  bite  :  the  promise  is  that  they 
 should  not  merely  suffer  such  Bt^pia  to  come 
 near  them,  but  that  they  should  in  cases  of  ne- 
 cessity be  able  to  lay  hold  on  them,  cast  them 
 away,  destroy  them.  Thus  much  is  true  from 
 the  connection,  and  it  is  confirmed  by  the  re- 
 markable narrative  of  Acts  xxviii.  3-5.  But 
 the  simplicity  of  the  customary  expression  (in 
 which  the  laying  hold  demonstrates  of  itself 
 
THE  COMMISSION  AND  PEOMISES. 
 
 that  the  creature  is  overcome,  and  can  do  no 
 injury),  leads  us  to  doubt  whether  the  dpovdt 
 is  intended  to  mean  a  "  casting  out,"  or  throw- 
 ing away,  which  should  correspond  with  the 
 hx^aXovdi  before.  The  passive  ov  /uj)  fiXoctp^, 
 "  it  shall  not  hurt,"  appears  here  to  be  enough  ; 
 the  casting  away  would  enter  too  expressly 
 into  the  externality  of  the  sign,  and  (in  oppo- 
 sition to  the  parallel,  Luke  x.  19,  20)  involve  a 
 too  bold  antagonism  to  the  demoniac  and  hurtful 
 elements  of  nature  itself — in  the  manner  of  the 
 contest  which  the  religion  of  Parsism  exhibits 
 with  the  powers  of  evil  in  nature.  The  ^cxvd- 
 dt/uov,  deadly  thing,  reminds  the  reader  of 
 Scripture  of  2  Kings  iv.  40, 41 ;  but  that  drink- 
 ing and  not  eating  is  spoken  of  (though  the 
 latter  is  not  excluded),  is  accounted  for  by 
 the  circumstance  that  poison  is  more  easily, 
 and  therefore  is  more  generally,  intermixed 
 •with  the  drink  which  conceals  it  so  well.  Ac- 
 cordingly, we  cannot  but  think  of  poisons  de- 
 signedly used  by  enemies  in  stealth  ;  (or,  as 
 some  have  supposed)  of  the  so-called  "philtres" 
 and  deadly  portions  of  antiquity.  This  last  is 
 applicable  enough  to  the  JirsC  ages ;  but  such 
 special  interpretations  must  not  be  allowed  to 
 interfere  with  the  general  meaning  and  validity 
 of  the  sign.  Eusebius  (iii.  39)  gives  us  a  per- 
 tinent example  of  the  innoxious  drinking  of  a 
 deadly  liquid  ;  and  such  doubtless  often  occur- 
 red (and  still  occurs),  or  the  Lord  would  not 
 have  made  it  so  prominent.  (John's  cauldron 
 of  oil  in  the  so-called  "  legend"  is  something 
 very  ditferent  from  this.)  But  it  is  self-under- 
 stood in  all  this,  that  believers  should  expe- 
 rience the  fulfillment  of  the  promise  only  where 
 their  testimony  for  God  might  render  it  impera- 
 tive that  they  should  claim  that  promise;  they 
 must  never,  without  the  express  call  of  God, 
 venture  thus  to  take  up  the  serpent,  or  drink 
 the  potion.  (Wesley  :  But  not  by  their  own 
 choice.  God  never  calls  us  to  try  any  such  ex- 
 periments.) Finally,  the  series  closes  with 
 healing  of  diseases,  not  by  medicine,  but  by  the 
 name  of  the  Lord,  accompanied  by  the  usual 
 imposition  of  hands — which  our  Lord  Jesus 
 himself  employed — as  the  conductor  of  the 
 miraculous  power.*  This  last  sign  was  to  all 
 appearance  the  least.  At  the  same  time  it 
 was  that  one  which,  according  to  James  v.  14- 
 16,  was  to  be  most  ordinarily  realized  in  the 
 Church  itself;  and  thus  it  was  the  most  perma- 
 nent sign  even  for  literal  fulfillment.  Thus  it 
 is  in  contrast  with  the  casting  out  of  devils, 
 which  began  the  series  ;  nevertheless,  the  circle 
 returns  into  itself;  for  possession  and  sickness 
 are  strictly  connected,  and  the  healing  unites 
 them  in  one.  To  the  rightly  understanding 
 mind  it  will  need  no  proof  that  all  sickness  is 
 in  its  inmost  principle  connected  with  sin  and 
 
 *  See  Numb.  viii.  10,  xxvii.  23  ;  Dnit.  xxxiv. 
 9;  and  in  connection  wilh  the  sacrifices  of  Lev. 
 viii.  14,  etc.;  wilh  which  we  may  compare,  in 
 Heb.  vi.  2,  the  laying  on  of  bands  by  the  side  of 
 baptizing. 
 
 the  power  of  evil ;  and  how  many  forms  of 
 bodily  unsoundness  point  us  involuntarily,  by 
 their  tormenting  appearance  and  character,  to 
 their  aflnnity  with  the  demoniac  power  over 
 man.  James  associates  with  the  miglity  power 
 of  prayer  the  symbol  of  oil,  which  the  weaker 
 faith  of  the  disciples  had  once  employed  un- 
 bidden, Mark  vi.  13  ;  but  the  same  Mark,  who 
 recorded  that  circumstance,  has  not  added  the 
 word  here — he  simply  records  now  what  the 
 Lord  actually  said.  His  disciples  were  to  lay 
 on  their  hands,  as  he  had  done.  Their  hand» 
 also  should  have  a  miraculous  power  of  bless- 
 ing ;  even  as  their  mouths  should  speak  a  new 
 language. 
 
 Such  would  be  the  signs,  which  the  Lord 
 mentions  and  promises  as  examples  of  much 
 else  similar;  yea,  the  fulfillment  overpassed 
 the  promise,  as  Bengel  remarks,  in  their  rais- 
 ing  the  dead*  Yet,  the  selection  and  the  order 
 is  here,  as  every  where,  significant.  If  we 
 take,  as  before  observed,  the  unhurtfulness  of 
 the  two  hurtful  elements  in  one,  we  have  at 
 the  beginning  and  the  end  two  signs  of  helping 
 power,  as  exerted  upon  others.  Between  them 
 come  the  two  signs  which  should  have  their 
 demonstration  in  themselves — the  active  sign  of 
 their  miraculous  speaking,  the  more  passive 
 sign  of  their  not  coming  to  any  harm.  As 
 respects  others,  all  should  be  pure  benevolence 
 and  doing  good — as  in  Acts  x.  38  it  is  said  con- 
 cerning the  Lord's  works — no  miracles  of  con- 
 demnation and  judgment  are  referred  to.  In 
 certain  exceptional  cases  we  find  the  Apostles 
 acting  as  it  pleased  not  the  Lord  himself  to 
 act.  Peter,  in  spite  of  his  own  will,  doomed 
 by  his  word  of  power  to  a  fearful  death  the 
 liars  against  the  Holy  Ghost;  and  Paul  design- 
 edly blinded  Elymas,  and  imposed  sicknesses 
 as  the  discipline  of  the  Church  ;  but  those 
 actions  have  nothing  to  do  with  these  words 
 of  universal  application.  The  Church,  Acts 
 iv.  30,  in  their  supplications  to  God  against 
 the  threatening  of  all  their  enemies,  asked  only 
 for  the  divine  signs  oi  healing. 
 
 To  many  of  our  modern  critics  this  whole 
 discourse  of  our  Lord  appears  very  suspicious; 
 and  some  with  absolute  confidence  declare  it  to 
 be  a  later  interpolation  of  a  miracle-loving 
 age.f  But  we  adliere  to  the  testimony  that  he 
 did  thus  speak,  though  we  would  endeavor  to 
 understand  him  better  than  if  he  had  said 
 merely  repara.  His  d  r^  ft  si  a  refers  us  ne- 
 cessarily to  their  interpretation  and  meaning. 
 It  is  the  power  of  th£  Spirit  of  God  which 
 should,  and  which  did,  prove  itself  as  the 
 imwer  of  signs  and  wonders  (Rom.  xv.  19)  ;  and 
 
 *  For  this  addition  in  Matt.  x.  8  is  spurious. 
 
 f  See  for  instance,  the  remarks  of  the  nuthor  of 
 "  Jui  /.loi  nov  6r(S,"  etc.  (Berlin,  1811),  to  the 
 effect  tliat  Mark  here  Rives  a  "  harsh,  apocryphal, 
 and  most  unhappy  supplement  to  his*  Go.spel." 
 But  the  present  writer  looks  at  it  with  very  differ- 
 ent eyes  ;  and  sees  that  in  it  whicli  test-s  whether 
 a  man  Las  any  spiritual  sight  or  understanding  at 
 
MARK  XVI.  15-18. 
 
 837 
 
 in  these  signg  the  Holy  Spirit  syrriholically  \ 
 shojved  forth  his  spiritual  energy  and  opera- 
 tions (as  was  the  case  with  our  Lord's  mira- 
 cles)— those  spiritual  influences  and  operations 
 ■which  should  forever  be  the  best  demonstra- 
 tion of  his  presence.  AVhen  Paul  appealed  to 
 the  signs  of  an  Apostle,  he  placed  patience  first, 
 and  not  till  after  tliat  the  sigyis  and  loonders 
 and  mighty  deeds  (2  Cor.  xii.  12).  That  which 
 Christ  had  spoken  in  John  iv.  48  concerning 
 the  only  relative  value  of  external  miracles,  he 
 could  not  have  forgotten,  or  retracted,  in  these 
 his  final  words.  It  is  not  possible — however 
 it  may  seem — that  he  meant  only,  and  nothing 
 more  than,  those  wonders  which,  while  under 
 some  circumstances  they  might  lead  to  true 
 faith,  in  many  cases  might  be  used  only  to  he- 
 witch  the  people,  or  cause  the  performer  himself 
 only  to  be  tcondered  at  (Acts  viii.  9,  13),  and 
 which  certainly  were  not  intended  to  be  of 
 
 fermanent  necessity  to  the  Church.  Even  an 
 scariot  might  cast  out  devils,  and  heal  the 
 sick  ;  that  is,  through  a  certain  faith  in  Jesus 
 which  he  had  not  altogether  lost.  But  this 
 (not  isolated)  example  modifies  still  differently 
 our  observation  concerning  the  unity  of  the 
 saving  and  the  wonder-working  faith.  The 
 faith  which,  with  all  power  and  patience  of 
 waiting,  preaches  in  order  to  the  salvation  of 
 others,  needs  not  necessarily  any  external  per- 
 formance of  miracles.  Thus,  we  admit  that  the 
 Lord  named  the  external  miracles,  of  which  he 
 literally  spoke,  as  miracles  in  external  nature 
 which  should  actually  take  place,  and  continue 
 to  recur  according  to  the  need  of  the  kingdom 
 of  God — for  how  can  we  suppose  him  to  have 
 made  an  unreal  thing  the  type  of  a  reality? 
 But  a  deeper  understanding  of  his  words,  and 
 that  which  alone  is  correct,  must  regard  him 
 as  having  meant  and  promised,  under  this 
 figure,  those  mighty  influences  of  the  Spirit  espe- 
 cially which  correspond  to  these  signs,  and 
 should  ever  abide  in  the  Church,  as  being  much 
 more  important  and  essential  than  they.  Or, 
 can  we  suppose  that  the  lack  of  miracles  would 
 be  an  essential  deficiency  ?  Were  his  believers 
 to  look  for  such  miracles  as  were  performed 
 in  the  beginning,  as  being  essential  to  their 
 preaching  and  extending  everywhere  the  Gos- 
 pel of  grace  ?  Would  such  miracles  have  ab- 
 solutely helped  on  that  Gospel,  in  such  times 
 and  circumstances  as  ours  ?*  Is  it  not,  rather, 
 true — as  has  been  discerned  by  many  from  the 
 beginning— that  the  withdrawal  of  the  ex- 
 ternal workng  of  miracles  has  been  connected 
 with  a  progression  of  the  Church  and  her  mis- 
 sions into  the  domain  of  the  Spirit  alone?  We 
 may  refer  to  what  was  said  upon  John  xiv.  12 
 (and  with  specific  reference  to  this  parallel 
 passage),  and  deduce  once  more  from  the  fact 
 that  the  Lord  derives  his  expression  from  these 
 
 *  "  blven  while  the  assistance  of  rah-acles  re- 
 mained, most  (lather  all)  still  rested  upon  faith  in 
 the  word.  Believe  thou  the  word  confirmed  by 
 the  miracles,  andJJiou  wilt  have  the  blessing  of 
 previous  and  latter  times  in  one  "  (Rieger). 
 
 outward  demonstrations  of  power,  the  great 
 truth — "  Whatsoever  believers  shall  in  all  ages 
 do  in  ray  name  will  be  as  wonderful  as  these 
 things  are,  and  will  be  the  essential  realization 
 of  these  signs." 
 
 Thus  it  was  understood  in  very  early  times. 
 St.  Bernard  on  this  passage  encounters  the 
 doubt  whether  true  faith  can  be  present  where 
 these  signs  are  wanting  ;  and  he  introduces  the 
 spiritual  interpretation  with  good  effect.  We 
 have  already  made  some  quotations  from  an- 
 tiquity, in  our  remarks  upon  John  xiv.  Hel- 
 ferich  has  taken  pains  to  show  how  "  these 
 notes  of  the  working  and  influence  of  Jesus, 
 divested  of  their  miraculous  (that  is,  their  ex- 
 ternal) character,  are  valid  for  the  Church  of 
 all  ages  ;"  but  he  does  not  develope  the  detail.^ 
 with  sufiicient  precision,  Lange's  view  of  the 
 "  more  general  symbolical  meaning  of  those 
 promised  miraculous  signs"  is  much  more  ex- 
 cellent ;  though  with  that  we  cannot  altogether 
 agree.  Let  us  now  look  at  the  whole  in  this 
 light. 
 
 The  casting  out  of  devils — which,  as  itvEv- 
 nanxd  TiiTtovrjpiai,  "spiritual  wickedness  " 
 (Eph.  vi.  12),  are  every  where  present  in  the 
 world,  where  sin  and  death  reigns — is  and  must 
 be  the  first  thing.  Satan's  power,  exerted 
 through  the  agency  of  many  spirits  belonging 
 to  him  (all  the  more  mighty,  because  bodily 
 possession  has  receded),  must  be  broken,  and 
 his  powers  must  retire  before  the  Spirit  of  God. 
 Even  the  exorcism,  which  was  in  early  timea 
 connected  with  baptism,  contained  a  deep  truth 
 in  its  fundamental  idea.  But  the  devil,  as 
 James  teaches  us  (chap.  iii.  6-8),  has  especial- 
 ly the  tongue,  man's  words,  in  his  service — by 
 this  those  possessed  by  him  show  themselves. 
 Then  the  great  point  is,  that  those  who  believe 
 should  drive  first  out  of  themselves  all  evil, 
 and  all  the  devilish  nature.  Satan  must  be 
 overcome  by  the  word,  by  a  new  and  mighty 
 Spirit-iDord  ;  this  explains  the  conjunction  of 
 the  second  with  the  first  sign.  Here  comes  in 
 the  expression  "  new  tongues,"*  the  true  under- 
 standing of  which  required  to  be  deferred  till 
 ihis  point  was  reached.  It  is  not  merely  other 
 tongues,  which  would  correspond  rather  to  the 
 first  and  external  demonstration  given  by  the 
 sign.  The  profound  expression  is  used  only 
 here  ;  and  we  may  compare  with  it  Ecclus.  li. 
 29,  where  the  addition  neio  belongs  to  our 
 translation,  though  added  in  strict  conformity 
 with  the  Greek  text.  Olshausen  is  certainly  m 
 great  error  :  "  The  y\oo66^  XaXslv  had  been 
 sometimes  understood  as  a  language  of  angels  ; 
 therefore  it  is  here  called  a  new  tongue :"  for, 
 apart  from  the  strangeness  of  this  latter  ex- 
 pression, are  we  to  interpret  the  word  of  Christ 
 according  to  the  notions  which  were  after- 
 wards in  vogue  among  the  people?  The  Lord 
 sets  his  txew  tongues  in  opposition,  first,  to  the 
 tongues  with  which  sinners  had  spoken ;  and, 
 
 *  For  it  is  of  no  weiaht  that  it  is  wantins:  in  a 
 few  MSS.,  which  introduce  instead  the  iaappro- 
 priate  iv  Tai<i  x^P^i^  u<p£ii  dpoCdt. 
 
838 
 
 FURTHER  EXPLANATION  AND  PROMISE. 
 
 then,  to  human  tongues  generally;  but  as  the 
 new  Spirit-wjrd,  full  of  self-demonstrating  di- 
 vine power,  such  as  was  miraculously  impressed 
 upon  it,  though  only  at  the  first,  in  the  glosso- 
 laly  or  "  speaking  with  tongues."  The  taking 
 hold  of  serpents  he  means  also  in  the  same 
 profound  and  comprehensive  sense  which  we 
 have  already,  on  Luke  x.  19,  found  in  this 
 symbolical  word,  which  Old-Testament  use  had 
 already  sanctified.*  We  do  not  agree  with 
 Lange  in  thinking  that  in  the  drinking  of  cUad- 
 ly  things  the  more  general  symbolical  character 
 of  this  promise  comes  into  most  emphatic  pro- 
 minence. That  character  shows  itself  in  them 
 all ;  each  individual  sign  connects  the  internal 
 meaning  with  the  external,  as  is  plain  enough 
 even  with  regard  to  the  devih  and  the  serpents. 
 If  any  one  of  them  points  more  evidently  than 
 the  rest  to  a  spiritual  interpretation,  it  is  the 
 sneaking  with  jiew  tongues.  All  the  hurtful 
 elements  of  nature,  as  all  the  hurtful  elements 
 in  the  spiritual  kingdom,  are  derived  from  the 
 fall ;  and  the  power  of  Christ  arms  us  against 
 them  all  alike.  He  preserves  our  real  life  still 
 from  the  philtres  and  poisonous  potions  of  the 
 spirit  of  the  age  and  its  literature,  as  certainly 
 and  as  miraculously  as  preservation  from  bodily 
 harm  is  here  attributed  to  his  power.  Finally, 
 how  much  sickness,  and  how  many  hurts,  of  the 
 souls  of  men  are  still  healed  by  the  blessed 
 and  blessing  agency  of  the  hand  and  power  of 
 
 Christian  men.  True  it  is  (as  Lange  says), 
 that  the  saving  and  restoring  might  of  the 
 Spirit  of  Christ  exerts  his  power  insirumental- 
 ly — generally  and  in  specific  cases — "  in  the 
 sphere  of  human  bodily  life;"  but  how  much 
 greater  and  more  gloriously  miraculous  are  bis 
 influences  in  the  abolition  of  sin  and  its  sick- 
 nesses ! 
 
 Kai  }{a\(2i  e^ovdiv,  they  shall  he  healed,  all 
 to  whom  the  hands  of  believers  may  bring  the 
 benediction  of  cure.  Thus  Ilar/c  closes  his 
 Gospel — in  a  manner  seemingly  strange,  and 
 yet  quite  in  harmony  with  the  original  charac- 
 ter of  his  composition,  which  concisely  notes 
 individualities  every  where;  and,  moreover, 
 quite  consistently  with  the  brief  style  of  his 
 final  compendious  conclusion.  With  this  ter- 
 mination of  his  Gospel  he  connects  the  ascen- 
 sion. It  is  indeed  in  sharp  contrast  with  the 
 sublimely  comprehensive  final  word  of  Mat- 
 thew; but  if  we  receive  the  one  and  the  other 
 with  all  becoming  simplicity,  we  shall  under- 
 stand both  according  to  the  meaning  of  the 
 Spirit— the  Spirit  through  v.'hom  Jesus  spoke, 
 and  Mark  thus  closed  his  Gospel.  Then  shall 
 we  cry  to  the  Lord — Ah  !  strengthen  and  bless 
 thou  the  hands  of  thy  believing  messengers, 
 that  they  may  rigiitly  lay  them  upon  men  : 
 and  that,  before  thy  coming  again,  thy  promise 
 may  be  abundantly  fulfilled :  They  s/uiU  be 
 healed  :  il  shall  be  well  with  them.* 
 
 FURTHER  EXPLANATION  AND  PROMISK 
 (Luke  xxiv.  44-49.) 
 
 Luke  also  gives  us  a  compendious  selection  of 
 our  Lord's  words  before  the  ascension  ;  a  sum- 
 mary suitable  to  the  fundamental  design  of  his 
 Gospel,  before  he  speaks  further  of  it  in  the  Acts 
 of  the  Apostles  (see  Acts  i.  3).  Writing  in 
 the  Spirit  it  impressed  itself  obviously  upon 
 his  mind,  or  was  a  direct  suggestion  of  the 
 Holy  Spirit,  that  in  the  brief  and  epitomiz- 
 ing reference  to  these  discourses  of  our  Lord — 
 which,  as  his  resurrection  and  ascension  say- 
 ings, already  anticipated  his  pentecostal  pro- 
 mises— the  when  and  the  where  should  be  lost 
 eight  of,  as  comparatively  unimportant.  Thus 
 the  Risen  Lord  appears  throughout  as  already 
 ascending  before  our  eyes ;  and  the  ascended 
 Lord  appears  to  be  already  speaking  to  us 
 from  heaven.  We  find  this  characteristic  of 
 the  first  construction  of  the  Gospels  common 
 to  all  the  three  Synopi'cs,  differing  as  they  do 
 in  other  respects.  Matthew  has  given  us  only 
 the  beginning  and  end,  as  it  were,  of  Christ's 
 manifestation  after  the  resurrection ;  the  proper 
 
 *  Ilelferich  understands  here  also  a  casting  out 
 of  all  barbarity  and  wildness  of  nature,  etc. — the 
 true  cultivation  which  the  Gospel  introduces.  But 
 thia  is  far  below  the  meaning  of  the  saying. 
 
 conclusion  of  the  history,  the  visible  and  ^c- 
 i\x&\  ascension — which  the  Evangelists  who  were 
 not  Apostles  specifically  record  in  their  lower 
 standing  point — he  presents,  in  the  genuine 
 apostolical  style,  only  in  such  words  of  our 
 Lord  as  make  it  self-understood;  and  the 
 "  mountain  "  itself  on  which  those  words  were 
 spoken  he  leaves  altogether  indefinite.  In  this 
 (that  the  ascension  is  not  recorded)  John  is  one 
 with  him.  He  also  closes  with  the  following 
 or  remaining  until  the  ascended  Lord  sJiouUl  re- 
 
 *  The  significance  of  this  concluding  word, 
 which  with  all  its  specific  character  includes  a 
 universal  and  profound  meaning,  is  quite  .«ufli- 
 cient  reason  for  rejecting  tiie  customary  parallel- 
 izing of  those  clauses.  There  is  no  need  fo.-  re- 
 sorting to  Lange's  strange  expedient,  who  refers 
 the  HaXaDi  e^ovdiy  to  the  disciples  ihcmscives,  as  a 
 promise  that  they  should  always  enjoy  perfect 
 soundness  !  The  promise,  regarded  as  spoken  to 
 the  healers  themselves,  was  never  fully  lulfilied. 
 Timothy  was  often  sick;  Paul,  whose  hands  were 
 so  mighty  in  healing,  liimself  sufft-red  from  in- 
 firmity and  the  thorn  in  the  flesh.  In  the  lower 
 analogy  the  physician  is  not  always  himself  sound 
 io  health. 
 
LUKE  XXIV.  44^49. 
 
 839 
 
 tnrn  ;  tiltlrotigh  he  was  •directed  to  report  with 
 strict  historical  accuracy  the  place  and  time  of 
 many  other  signs,  appearances  and  revelations. 
 The  relation  of  the  whole  matter  which  we 
 have  thus  exhibited  is  not  understood  by  our 
 diplomatic  critics  ;  it  is  but  too  little  appre- 
 hended by  our  orthodox  expositors,  and  hence 
 their  misarrangement  of  many  of  these  par- 
 ticulars. 
 
 Although  ver.  44  in  Luke's  narrative  ap- 
 pears to  be  a  strict  continuation  of  ver.  43,  ver. 
 50  presently  afterwards  shows  us  the  impossi- 
 bility of  so  reading  it.  For,  apart  from  the  too 
 anticipatory  character  of  this  whole  discourse 
 as  located  "in  the  first  evening  (including,  to 
 wit,  not  only  the  glance  backwards,  and  the 
 enlicrhtenment  of  their  anderstandings,  vers. 
 44-46,  which  might  be  suitable;  but  also  such 
 instructions  and  promises  as  befitted  only  the 
 close  of  this  intermediate  period,  vers.  47-49) 
 — it  involves  too  great  a  hiatus,  and  a  too 
 violent  leap  in  the  record,  amounting  even  to 
 historical  untruthfulness,  if  we  make  the  *'  led 
 them  out"  follow  immediately  on  the  first 
 evening.  Moreover,  the  same  Luke  elsewhere 
 manifests  his  acquaintance  with  the  Lord's 
 manifold  discourses  concerning  the  kingdom 
 of  God  during  these  forty  days. 
 
 We  must,  therefore,  decline  to  read  the 
 EiTte  Si  avroi<;,  "  and  he  said  unto  them,"  of 
 ver.  44  in  strict  historical  connection  ;  Luke's 
 customary  use  of  the  6e,  "and,"  imposes  no 
 necessity  of  doing  so.  We  cannot — as  we  have 
 already  shown — make  the  other  account  of 
 the  appearance  of  this  evening,  in  John  xx., 
 agree  with  that  which  Luke  here  adds.  Oth- 
 ers, e.  g.,  Lange,  would  only  connect  ver.  44 
 with  what  precedes,  and  introduce  the  division 
 at  ver.  45  ;  thus  making  the  rare  duivoi^Ey 
 refer  to  the  "  tlieK,  of  a  continuous  presence  of 
 Christ,  who  began  to  speak  to  them  on  that 
 evening,  but  continued  throughout  the  whole 
 of  the  forty  days."  But  the  introductory 
 words  of  ver.  44  equally  well  suit  this  idea, 
 and  it  is  therefore  needless  to  separate  it  from 
 ver.  45  ;  while,  on  the  other  hand,  ver.  46  seems 
 to  be  connected  in  the  strictest  manner  with 
 ver.  44.  Finally,  the  supposition,  found  most 
 frequently  in  practical  and  uncritical  expo- 
 sition, which  makes  the  division  at  ver.  49 — 
 placing  all  that  precedes  in  the  first  evenins, 
 and  making  ver.  49,  on  account  of  ver.  50,"a 
 final  appearance  before  the  ascension — is  alto- 
 gether forced;  for,  the  jtai  iSov,  and,  behold, 
 of  ver  49  evidently  continues  the  discourse, 
 and  intimates,  as  we  shall  see,  a  strict  connec- 
 tion. 
 
 Schleiermacher  :  "  Ver.  44  begins  a  later  and 
 more  summary  postscript,  which  is  independ- 
 ent of  time  and  place,  and  reports  only  that 
 which  was  essential  in  the  conversations  of 
 the  Redeemer  with  his  disciples.  Thus  it  ap- 
 pends a  very  summary  notice  of  the  departure 
 •and  ascension  of  Christ."  In  the  fundamental 
 idea  he  is  right,  but  only  in  that.  We  cannot 
 Bee  any  reason  for  a  supplement  here.  Whether 
 Luke — who,  according  to  Acts.  i.  3,  knew  much 
 
 more  than  he  reported— was  not  accurately 
 acquainted  with  time  and  place  in  these  things, 
 or  whether  it  was  merely  his  design  as  a  writer 
 to  leave  all  undetermined,  is  a  question  which 
 may  very  reasonably  be  entertamed.  Finally, 
 the  summary  notice  is  again  resumed  and  com- 
 pleted in  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles  as  historically 
 exact.  Grotius  perceived  the  truth  clearly 
 enough  to  say  upon  ver.  44 :  "  The  sum  of  the 
 discourses  follows,  which  during  the  forty  days," 
 etc.  Ebrard  decides  also  for  such  a  resume,  un- 
 derstands the  Tore  as  "  then,"  adding  to  it  ver. 
 44,  and  asks  with  much  force  whether  on  this 
 etening,  which  began  before  the  two  returned 
 from  Emmaua  to  Jerusalem,  there  had  been 
 time  to  expound  the  Scriptures,  and — to  go  to 
 Bethany.  This  last,  that  is,  is  directed  against 
 the  criticism  which  first  arbitrarily  understands 
 th«  Evangelist  in  this  way,  and  then  quarrels 
 with  him  for  it.  Von  Gerlach  comes  to  the 
 right  conclusion,  that  there  is  here  a  combina- 
 tion of  our  Lord's  discourses ;  he  thinks  it 
 quite  nrt^/r«/(  though  not  for  Wi&deejyer  reason 
 which  we  have  given)  that  all  the  manifesta- 
 tions and  words  of  the  Risen  Lord  should  be 
 combined  together  "in  their  tradition:"  but 
 our  views  of  this  tradition  are  different  from 
 his.  We  would  rather  adhere  to  the  expres- 
 sion— in  (he  first  construction  of  the  Oospels  ;  for 
 we  assume  that  in  the  three  collective  Gospels, 
 which  do  not  follow  any  fixed  plan  of  tradition, 
 each  of  the  writers  had  a  specific  knowledge  of 
 all  particulars,  and  made  his  selection  according 
 to  a  conscious  and  designed  plan.  This  last 
 is  established,  as  respects  Luke,  the  most  re- 
 moved reporter,  by  his  own  statement  in  the 
 Acts  of  the  Apostles.  Consequently,  he  did 
 not  so  much  mark  prominently  the  "  essential 
 matter  "  generally,  as  that  which  he  proposed 
 to  give  according  to  the  plan  and  sphere  of  his 
 own  particular  Gospel.  But  the  Lord  did  ac- 
 tually sjjmk  v/ith  more  or  less  literality,  that 
 which  is  recorded  with  the  express  eiTce  ;  Luke 
 does  not  hand  down  a  merely  fabricated  or 
 "developed"  discourse  of  the  Lord  Jesus. 
 
 When,  then,  and  where  did  he  thus  speak? 
 Bengel,  followed  by  many,  supposes  that  the 
 whole,  including  ver.  44,"  was  spoken  on  the 
 day  of  the  ascension,  and  therefore  at  Jerusa- 
 lem (vers.  47,  49),  (rom  which  he  led  them  out, 
 ver.  50.  But  this  would  assign  too  late  a  pe- 
 riod lor  the  opening  of  the  Scriptures  to  the 
 disciples.  Moreover,  it  is  questionable  wheth- 
 er the  £c.r}yayE,  "  led  out,"  ver.  50,  is  in  direct 
 historical  connection  ;  indeed,  we  may  under- 
 stand this  hardly  conceivable  leading  out  as 
 merely  intimating  his  fixed  appointment  that 
 they  should  go   thither.*     Lange  refers  vers. 
 
 *  Even  Rie2;er,  who  is  senerally  so  tenacious  of 
 the  letter,  says :  "  The  leading  out  to  Bethany 
 meant  some  such  appointment  as  that  which  had 
 lately  taken  place  in  respect  to  the  mountain  in 
 Galile3."  That  he  led  them  out,  as  Lange  says, 
 "  in  the  manner  of  former  times,  to  the  Mount  of 
 Olives,"  has  its  difficulty,  on  account  of  surround- 
 ing beholders.    It  did  not  take  place  in  the  niffht. 
 
840 
 
 FURTHER  EXPLANATION  AND  PROMISK 
 
 45  seq.  to  the  appearance  on  the  mountain  in 
 Galilee  ;  and  regards  the  words  as  spoken  ex- 
 planatorily between  vers.  18  and  19  of  Matt. 
 xxviii.     Certainly,  Luke,  ver.  49,  does  very  ap- 
 
 f)ropriately  prepare  the  way  for  the  "  Go  ye 
 orth ;"  but,  on  the  other  hand,  we  must  not 
 consent  to  separate  vers.  18  and  19  in  Matt. ; 
 and,  finally,  the  f?c»  (which  there  is  no  sound 
 reason  for  omitting)  appears,  even  if  the  leading 
 forth  was  not  meant  literally,  to  indicate  that 
 the  place  of  our  Lord's  last  discourse  was  not 
 Galilee,  not  a  mountain,  but  the  city  of  Jera- 
 salem  and  a  house  within  it.*  Suffice  it,  that 
 we  cannot  and  must  not  arrange  with  confi- 
 dence the  external  when  and  where  of  this 
 matter ;  wo  must  receive  the  word  in  faith 
 which  the  Spirit  has  preserved  for  us  in  its  in- 
 disputable truth.  Only  on  account  of  the  em- 
 phatic farewell  character  of  the  whole  have  we 
 placed  it  by  the  side  of  the  record  of  Matthew 
 and  Mark,  as  a  repeated  explanation  and  pro- 
 mise before  the  ascension,  given  in  another 
 Gospel. 
 
 The  entire  section  combines  in  its  first  and 
 second  portions  the  two  fundamental  character- 
 istics 01  the  earlier  and  later  appearances,  as 
 they  are  seen  in  their  distinction  in  the  case  of 
 Thomas'  faith  (compare  the  remarks  made  on 
 John  xxi.).  It  points  backwards  first,  and  then 
 forwards,  both  references  being  strictly  con- 
 nected in  the  middle,  vers.  46,  47.  This  is  the 
 difficulty  which  leads  to  the  supposition  of 
 Luke's  account  being  a  summary;  though  it 
 might,  on  the  other  hand,  be  assumed  that 
 there  was  an  especial  appearance  (over  and 
 above  the  ten),  in  which  the  Lord  himself  thus 
 summed  up  the  whole.  However  that  may 
 be,  we  have  only  to  receive  and  expound  with 
 all  simplicity  what  is  recorded;  and  in  doing 
 so  it  is  our  duty  to  discover  both  unity  and 
 order  in  the  words.  By  way  of  preparing  the 
 way  for  the  detailed  exposition,  it  may  be  as- 
 serted that  the  Evangelist  Luke,  purposing  to 
 give  his  compendious  close,  gives  us,  from  ver. 
 36  onwards,  like  Mirk,  from  ver.  44  onwards, 
 his  resurrection  conclusion  of  our  Lord's  words, 
 M  they  lead  to  the  ascension  ;  and  that  he 
 gives  it  as  one  whole,  in  the  unity  of  the  fun- 
 damental thoughts  which  guide  him  in  his  se- 
 lection. As  a  perfect  appropriate  introduction 
 to  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles,  which  in  this 
 irpcjro;  Xoyoi  he  already  has  in  view,  he 
 sums  up  the  words  and  acts  of  the  Risen  Lord 
 afl  a  preparatory  encouragement,  instruction, 
 and  appointmanl  of  the  disciples,  and  especial- 
 ly the  Aj>odks,  for  their  npice  of  wilnois.  This 
 general  design  of  the  whole  is  made  prominent 
 in  ver.  48.  We  may  be  permitted  once  more 
 to  give  our  analysis;  which,  while  serviceable 
 to  the  preacher,  will  be  found,  it  is  hoped, 
 strictly  in  harmony  with  the  text. 
 
 I.  The  consolation  embraces,  1.  The  greet- 
 ing, ver.  36.  But,  because  this  did  not  lay 
 hold  on  them,  2.  The  demonstration  follows,  that 
 
 he  had  risen  and  now  stood  before  therm  in 
 bodily  presence.  And  this  in  three  ways: 
 a.  by  the  gracious,  well-known  word  of  vei, 
 33  (in  which  an  avro?  kyoo  tlni  is  under- 
 stood);  b.  by  the  evidence  of  his  visible  and 
 palpable  corporeity,  vers.  39,  40  ;  c.  by  that  of 
 uis  eating  before  them,  ver.  41-43.  '  II.  The 
 instruction  follows  (not  historically  in  imme- 
 diate sequence,  but  thus  connected  with  the 
 preceding)  ;  to  wit,  that  he  bad  been  thns  pro- 
 mised in  the  Scripture,  and  the  opening  of  their 
 understanding  gave  them  to  know  this.*  He 
 is  obliged  to  convince  his  weak  Apostles  by  his 
 encouraging  words,  before  he  can  give  thera 
 instruction — an  inversion  of  the  order  in  which 
 he  dealt  with  the  disciples  on  the  way  to  Em- 
 maus.-f  He  shows  them :  1.  The  accordance 
 of  his  previous  now-fulfilled  sayings  with  the 
 Scriptures,  ver.  44 ;  2.  He  thus  opens  their  un- 
 derstanding to  comprehend  these  Scriptures, 
 ver.  45;  and  3.,  draws  the  comprehensive  con- 
 cludon  ol  ver.  46.  It  is  the  actual  accomplish- 
 ment in  fact  of  the  whole  economy  of  salvation 
 through  Christ,  as  a  fulfillment  of  the  word  of 
 prophecy  ;  the  summary  of  all  that  had  hither- 
 to taken  place,  corresponding  to  Luke's  own 
 nEnXTjpoq>oprjtiEva  npdynocTa,  "  things  most 
 surely  believed,"  in  the  preface.  It  is  not  now 
 added — And  thus  it  behooved  hira  to  ascend 
 into  heaven ;  but  this  is  understood  in  the 
 transition  to  what  follows,  as  it  had  been  spo- 
 ken of  already  in  ver.  26.  III.  We  have  the 
 appointment  of  the  Apostles  to  preach  these 
 facts,  and  this  plan  of  salvation,  according  to 
 the  Scripture.  Here  conies,  1.  The  preachi7ig 
 of  this,  as  a  new  word  to  be  carried  to  all  the 
 nations,  ver.  47 ;  2.  The  office  of  the  Apostles, 
 as  called  to  be  the  first  and  most  special  wit- 
 nesses, ver.  48  ;  3.  The  reference  of  their  expec- 
 tation to  that  power  from  on  high,  the  Holy 
 Spirit  whom  they  were  commanded  to  wait 
 for,  ver.  49.  (This  is  the  point  of  connection 
 for  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles.) 
 
 Verse  44.  The  reader  will  remember  what 
 was  said  upon  ver.  37  concerning  supersti- 
 tion, unbelief,  and  a  true  faith.  Tiie  faith  in 
 his  resurrection  which  was  here  demanded  of 
 the  Apostles,  on  the  evidence  of  their  see- 
 ing and  touching,  would  have  itself  retain- 
 ed some  element  of  the  first  of  'these  three, 
 if   the  Lord's   instruction   had    not   followed. 
 
 *  Driiseke    thinks   it  was   the   house  of  John, 
 itompare  edoo,  John  xx.  26. 
 
 *  Olshausen's  remark,  that  the  manifestations 
 of  tlie  forty  days  had  not  for  tlieir  end  the  com- 
 munication of  new  instructions,  is  only  very  ;>ar- 
 tially  true.  If  the  emphasis  is  laid  upon  the 
 "  vew,"  there  is  some  truth  in  it ;  for  the  Lord 
 certainly  referred  back  to  his  former  discourses. 
 But  llie  opening  of  their  wtderstaiidin^  as  to  ilio 
 facts  which  had  occurred,  and  the  Scriptures,  and 
 his  former  discourses  in  their  unity,  was  certainly 
 new  walruction  ;  and  only  thus  can  we  understand 
 Acts  i.  3. 
 
 t  So  that  we  might  be  disposed  to  say — How 
 we:l  prepared  must  those  two  have  been,  to  de- 
 serve and  to  be  capable  of  this  !  Bat  tii^y  were 
 not  so  profoMidiy  cait  dowu — as  ibo  AjiottU*  were. 
 
LUKE  XXIV.  41 
 
 m 
 
 ;Batfbis  openiTig  of  fheir  understanding  makes 
 it  the  faith  of  knowledge,  grounded  upon  the 
 well-understood  accordance  between  the  living 
 ■words  and  acts  of  Christ  and  the  prophetic 
 Scripture.  This  last  was  the  decisive  element 
 of  their  instruction,  as  it  presented,  in  the 
 •wonderful  fulfillment  of  prophecy,  a  higher 
 reach  and  contemplation  to  their  faith.  As 
 the  angels  in  the  sepulchre  had  referred  back 
 to  the  words  of  Jesus,  vers.  6-8,  so  does  the 
 Lord  himself  here  refer  back  to  them :  it  was  a 
 •continued  conviction  of  the  identity  of  their 
 former  and  their  present  Lord — only  in  a  high- 
 er degree,  and  with  reference  to  his  spiritual 
 personality.  The  reading  koyci  jiov  may 
 very  well  be  genuine,  as  bringing  this  into 
 prominence;  and  also  as  in  contrast  with  the 
 words  of  Moses  and  the  Prophets  agreeing 
 with  them.  The  cSk  6vv  vulv^  "  while  with 
 you "  {other  than  the  promised  and  future 
 ^cS'  v/xooy  in  Matt.),  Grotius  well  explains  as 
 referring  to  daily  intercourse — "  Quotidiano 
 scil.  convictu,  nam  tunc  tantum  ^ar'  oIkovo- 
 4iiav  illis  aderat."  Bengel  lays  the  pointed 
 •emphasis  wpoa  the  in  (yet),  as  transposing 
 Ihem  into  the  time  when  his  departure  was  to 
 Ihem  an  impending  calamity,  when  he  was 
 ^till  as  yet  with  them.  His  m'eaning  would  be 
 tenderly  and  affectionately  to  say — "  Ye  do 
 aot  now  wish  my  former  being  with  you  back 
 «gain;  the  matter  is  different  now;  my  vic- 
 tory over  <ieath  is  your  greatest  joy."*  The 
 Lord  now  speaks,  also,  as  no  longer  being  with 
 ihem  (ovHeri),  ^.s  if  already  in  heaven,  and 
 united  to  them  in  spiritual  leilowBhip.  These 
 anticipations  of  that  slate,  which  pervade  the 
 whole  of  the  forty  days,  were  not  introduced 
 at  a  later  period,-  they  are  characteristic  evi- 
 dences of  genuineness  in  the  narrative:  thus 
 and  not  otherwise  must  the  Risen  Lord  have 
 spoken  before  the  ascension,  if  the  history  is 
 true.  *Dri  dti  is  translated  by  Luther  very 
 vaguely,  a,fter  the  example  of  the  Vulg.  quo7ii- 
 <ini  neceise  est  (see,  nevertheless,  also  in  ver.  46, 
 quoniam;  Erasmus  has  rightly  corrected  it  into 
 ^uod  neceise  foret — that  it  would  be  necessary). 
 The  Lord  has  constantly  told  his  disciples  that 
 ■all  mustle  fulfilled — beginning  to  tell  them  more 
 epecifically  in  Matt.  xvL  21,  Luke  xviii.  31, 
 and  -Continuing  it  down  to  Gethsemane.  Why 
 was  it  .then  that  they  did  not  believe  and  hold 
 iast  this  truth,  but  forgot  it?  Because  they 
 mnderstood  it  not;  nor  .could  they  understand 
 it,  as  being  utterly  inconsistent  with  all  their 
 •expectations  of  the  Messiah  and  his  kingdom. 
 That  which  man  understands  not,  he  believes 
 and  retains  not.  But  the  notions  which  pre- 
 vented thsm  sprang  from  a  false  understand- 
 ing, or  an  entire  ignorance  of  Scripture ;  the 
 4)ar  to  their  understanding  was,  as  John  xx.  9 
 «ays — They  knew  not  yet  the  Scripture.  Thus 
 they  also  must  hear  that  exposition  and  open- 
 
 *  So  do  we  understand  Bengal's  brief  hint : 
 IRas  tristis  erat~auditu,  anta^uam  fieretj  nunc 
 Iseiisjsima.  ll^  facta  £st. 
 
 ing  of  Scripture,  for  which  the  report  of  the 
 Emmaus  disciples  had  prepared  them.  Not  only 
 had  the  Lord  Jesus  said  all  this  before  it  came 
 to  pass  ;  but  all  was  the  counsel  of  God,  long 
 ages  before  written  concerning  him. 
 
 The  Lord  mentions  after  the  the  law  of 
 Moses,  not  only  the  prophets  (as  Luke,  ver.  27, 
 had  said),  but  expressly  in  addition,  the 
 Psalms:  this,  however,  was  not  intended  to 
 signify  that  the  historical  books,  not  named, 
 were  in  any  degree  excluded.*  But  it  is  true, 
 and  meant  here  also,  as  Lange  says,  "  that  the 
 promise  and  typifying  of  the  resurrection  of 
 Christ  (but  not  ihat  alone,  for  see  vers.  46,  47) 
 pervades  uniformly  all  parts  of  Holy  Scrip- 
 ture." If  in  ver.  25  "  the  prophets  "  signified 
 the  holy,  collective  body  of  prophetical  writers, 
 and  Moses  in  ver.  27  took  the  lead  as  the  first 
 prophet,  the  Lord  now  means  (as  raS  ypaqxxi 
 ver.  45  at  once  shows)  the  entire  body  of  Scrip- 
 ture, and  mentions  it  solemnly  and  formally 
 by   its    then    customary    title — D'S^3J    min 
 
 D^2*np5  (the  Law,  the  Prophets,  and  the  Writ- 
 ings). In  connection  with  the  law  of  Moses, 
 therefore,  the  term  "  prophets  "  includes  the 
 D'J!!>NT    D'N^2J  (Former  Prophets);  and  the 
 
 Psalms  are  set,  by  an  obvious  abbreviation,  as 
 being  the  commencement  of  the  Ilagiographa, 
 for  the  whole  of  the  third  section  of  Scripture.t 
 Compare  in  2  Mace  ii.  13  the  specific  nai  ra 
 rov  J  avid.  Nevertheless,  we  must  hold — 
 with  Bengel,  who  introduces  it  as  included  in 
 the  Lord's  meaning — that  the  Lord  significant- 
 ly referred  to  those  psalms  which  he  had  so 
 often  quoted  as  specially  prophetic  and  typical 
 of  himself;  those  psalms  which  he  understood 
 and  expounded,  and  will  have  us  also  under- 
 stand and  expound,  in  a  manner  so  different 
 from  that  of  our  modern  critics;  those  psalms 
 in  which  so  many,  like  De  Wette,  find,  not- 
 withstanding all  their  practical  and  devotional 
 exposition,  no  direct  prophecies  of  Christ.  These 
 exegetes  have  obviously  yet  to  wait  for  the 
 "  opening  of  the  understanding  to  perceive." 
 De  Wette  pushes  the  Jewish  distinction  be- 
 tween the  inspiration  of  the  prophets  and  that 
 of  the  psalms — a  distinction  which  they  in- 
 tended m  a  quite  different  sense — to  such  an 
 extreme  as  to  say  that  "  the  psalmists  bear  no 
 public  character,  but  utter  the  feelings  of  their 
 own  hearts,  and  o;ten  touching  circumstancca 
 in  their  own  personal  history."  Yet — as  if  lo 
 obviate  this  misunderstanding — our  Lord  ranks 
 these  psalms,  as  bearing  witness  for  him,  by 
 the  side  of  the  min,  or  law,  and  the  prophets. 
 
 David  (whom  we  must  not  place  merely  among 
 the  "psalmists")  was,  acccording  to  his  own 
 
 *  Wesley  here  for  once  errs  :  "  Little  being  said 
 directly  concerning  him  in  the  historical  books." 
 
 f  Compare  Hiivernick,  Einleitung,  i.  Whether, 
 however,  lii(iXo<i  tliaX/xcav  has  ihe  same  signifi- 
 cation in  chap.zs.  4wj  Actsi.  20^  is  another. gues* 
 tLoo. 
 
813 
 
 FURTHER  EXPLANATION  AND  PROMISE. 
 
 declaration,  2  Sam.  xxHi.,  and  the  assurances 
 of  the  Apostles  who  had  learned  it  from  the 
 Lord,  also  a  true  prophet;  his  psalms  were 
 for  the  most  part  used  m  the  service  of  God  in 
 their  "  public  character  "  as  the  "  psalms  of 
 Israel;"  and  what  Christ  asserted  concerning 
 him  in  Matt.  xxii.  43-45  we  have  considered 
 upon  that  passage.  If  Psa.  li.,  xvi.,  xl.,  Ixxii., 
 ex.  are  not,  with  all  their  adherence  lo  the 
 typical  characteristics  which  pervade  the  en- 
 tire Old  Testament,  to  be  called  direct  prophe- 
 cies, as  direct  as  any  other  part  of  the  prophet- 
 ic Scriptures,  we  understand  not  how  the 
 word  is  to  be  understood.  In  fact  the  broad 
 foundation  of  all  later  Messianic  prophecy  was 
 laid  in  the  psalms— to  wit,  on  the  ground  of 
 the  promise  given  by  Nathan  in  2  Sam.  vii. ; 
 and  it  is  from  the  psalms  that  we  can  best 
 understand  the  character  and  mission  and 
 glory  of  David's  Son.  We  contradict  Christ 
 and  his  Apostles,  vea,  the  dying  David  him- 
 self (2  Sam.  xxiii.  3),  if  we  say  that  this  David 
 had  not  yet  received  the  later  developed  "idea 
 of  the  Messiah."  That  idea  was  never  de- 
 veloped, in  the  sense  in  which  the  word  is  thus 
 currently  used ;  but  it  was  given  by  the  will 
 of  God  from  the  beginning,  and  comes  out  into 
 more  and  more  prominence  as  a  revelation  till 
 the  full  time  was  come.  As  regards  the  more 
 or  less  direct,  the  more  or  less  typical,  utter- 
 ances of  the  entirely  and  universally  typical 
 personality  of  Divid,*  the  solution  of  the  ques- 
 tion is  not  to  be  found  in  the  fact  that  "  the 
 poet  transposed  himself  into  any  specific  con- 
 dition— that  the  type  produced  in  himself 
 the  conception  of  the  prototype  or  antitype," 
 and  so  forth.  But  the  Spirit  of  God  chose 
 and  overruled  the  psalmist,  and  spoke  through 
 him. 
 
 Verse  45.  How  vast  the  wisdom  of  God  in 
 this  Scripture,  which  first  prepared  Israel  be- 
 fore the  manifestation  of  the  Lord  in  the  flesh, 
 and  then  accompanied  and  confirmed  the 
 Spirit's  preaching  concerning  him  ;  how  vast 
 the  wisdom  of  God  in  these  Scriptures.,  mani- 
 fold and  yet  one  !  Without  these  Scriptures, 
 even  the  way  of  faith  of  the  God-man  himself, 
 which  he  pursued  only  in  their  liglit,  would 
 not  be  conceivable.  Without  them  there 
 would  have  been  no  point  of  connection  for 
 his  coming  and  testimony — /  am  he.  Yea, 
 without  them  there  would  be  to  this  day  (as 
 our  theology  and  preaching  show,  in  their  re- 
 jection of  the  Old  Testament  as  the  ground  of 
 the  New)  no  perfectly  intelligent,  and  firm'.y 
 grounded,  faith,  either  for  preaching  or  hear- 
 ing. Israel  preserved  this  Scripture;!  but  its 
 kernel,  that  which  Jesus  was  the  first  fully  to 
 penetrate,  remained  hidden  from  them.     They 
 
 *  This  the  succeeding  prophets  themselves 
 understood  and  so  exhibited :  beo  O.shausen, 
 Udcr  liejern  Hchnftsinn,  p.  63,  54. 
 
 t  Thus  the  Masoretes  have  preserved  with  the 
 most  riaid  care,  and  with  Uie  most  spiritless  letter- 
 spirit,  the  exact  text  of  the  Scriptures  fur  us. 
 
 knew  they  recited  the  histories;  but  who 
 understood  their  meaning  and  their  end  t 
 They  were  exceedingly  zealous  for  the  law : 
 but  its  testimony  concerning  grace  and  redemp- 
 tion, and  its  secret  influence  tending  that  way, 
 was  concealed  from  most.  The  masters  in  Is- 
 rael knew  not  that  Moses  designed  to  awaken 
 that  deepest  and  iniaost  sense  of  need  lor  which 
 the  Lord  raised  up  would  bring  the-  grace  of 
 salvation.  Cleaving  to  the  idea,  of  the  King, 
 but  not  discerning  the  Saviour  and  Redeemer, 
 they  understood  the  prophets  only  so  far  as  to 
 hold  fast  this  truth,,  that  there  was  One  who 
 should  come.  And  yet  this  was  enough  at  the- 
 beginning  of  his  coming,  Itself:  when  he  had 
 now  died  and  risen  again,  he  could  interpret  in 
 the  light  of  fulfillment  what  had  been  predict- 
 ed concerning  him.  This  he  most  certainly 
 did  to  the  Apostles,  even  as  he  had  before  dona 
 to  the  two  ;  the  Apostles  would  afterwards  bo- 
 able  to  do  the  same  for  others.  It  is  recorded 
 in  Actsxvii.  3,  according  to  the  common  trans- 
 lation, that  l*aul,  who  (as  he  assures  us  in  1 
 Cor.  XV.  3,  comp.  xi.  23)  received  the  same  in- 
 struction from  the  Lord,  "  opened  "  the  Scrip- 
 tuies  themselves  to  the  Jews;  and  we  may 
 understand  that  literally — for  what  is  a  book, 
 and  a  word  without  understanding?  Comp. 
 Isa.  xxix.  11.  But  properly  speaking,  th» 
 8  lav  oiy  oav  xai  napaTiQenayuiy  in  that 
 passage  unitedly  refer  to  the  opened  su(»- 
 stance  of  the  Scripture,  the  matter  which  fol- 
 lows with  iJri.*  The  proper  opening  must, 
 be  jn  the  hearts  and  minds  of  men,,  that  they 
 may  be  able  to  read  the  book,  no  longer  sealed 
 (Isa.  xxix.  12).  Compare  and  ponder  Psa.. 
 cxix.  18,  130  (T;nnn.-nri3  and  n^vna),  Eph.  1. 
 
 18 ;  Acts  xvi.  14.  Therefore  we  have  her* 
 diyvoiqEy  avro5y  Toy  vovy,.  "  he  opened 
 their  understanding,"  which  certainly  refers  to 
 them  personally,  and  not  to  the  Scriptures  or 
 things  written  ;  for,  it  follows,  roC  Cvyuyai 
 ras  ypcxqxxiy  "that  they  might  understand 
 the  Scriptures."  The  opening  did  not  take 
 place  externally  in  the  Scripture,  but  inwardly 
 in  their  hearts,  as  on  the  v/ay  to  Emmaus. 
 It  was  partly  the  result  of  the  light  shed  upon 
 the  word,  and  its  now  intelligible  accordance 
 with  what  had  taken  place ;  partly  of  a  pre- 
 paratory, pre-Pentecostal  injlueace  oftlie  Spirit,. 
 which  proceeded  from  the  Risen  Lord. 
 
 But  this  was  very  different  from  that  which, 
 a  pious  man  describes  in  the  colloquy  with  tha- 
 Eiumaus  disciples  :  "  He  related  the  story  of 
 his  Passion,,  of  his  bloody  death  upon  the  cross, 
 (whicli  they  themselves  well  knew  already),, 
 and  illustrated  it  out  of  the  Scripture"  ( Alber- 
 tini,  with  his  customary  Moravian  coloring). 
 It  was  not  in  that  way  that  he  opened  their 
 understanding.  Ho  gave  the  reason  and  tho 
 explanation  of  the  dark  history ;  he  gava 
 proof  for  its  "  must  be"  from  the  iScripture  ;  ha 
 united  the  death  a.id  the  resurrection  together 
 
 *  Not   aCzdiy  as  Luther  supplies   it  twico>. 
 Ope:.ed  them  and  expounded  it. 
 
LUKE  XXIV.  46,  47. 
 
 843 
 
 in  liis  exposition.*  He  had  never,  even  to  the 
 Apostles,  pointed  out  the  great  connection  of 
 Scripture,  and  the  pei-fect  concert  of  the  de- 
 tails of  his  life,  death,  and  resurrection  with 
 the  prophecies ;  he  had  only  given  isolated 
 hints,  and  quoted  individual  passages.  It 
 must  of  course  be  understood  that  this  "  sharp- 
 ening of  their  intelligence  to  apprehend  the 
 great  whole  "  fas  Hess  says)  was  not  a  spe- 
 cific exegesis  of  all  the  individual  passages,  but 
 rather  the  placing  of  a  strong  light  in  the 
 centre,  revealing  the  one  object,  and  the  per- 
 fect harmony  of  the  entire  mass  of  Scriptures. 
 The  one  central  point  was  the  understanding 
 of  the  humiliation  and  exaltation,  the  suffer- 
 ings and  the  glory,  of  Christ,  in  their  unity, 
 their  foundation,  and  their  design. t  But,  not- 
 withstanding the  fundamental  clearness  of  the 
 view  which  they  now  received,  it  was  still  pos- 
 sible— until  the  day  of  Pentecost  perfected 
 their  knowledge,  or  at  least  made  it  infallible 
 in  their  office — that  they  should  have  questions 
 to  put,  such  as  that  in  Acts  i.  6  concerning 
 the  establishment  of  the  kingdom  for  Israel — 
 and  even  that  they  should  mistake  in  specific 
 circumstances,  as  Peter  did,  Acts  i.  20,  concern- 
 ing the  successor  of  Judas. 
 
 Verses  46,  47.  We  doubt,  as  has  already 
 been  said,  Avhether  these  specific  words  were 
 spoken  at  the  ascension,  and  therefore  belong 
 to  Acts  i.J  The  discourse  goes  on  so  uninter- 
 ruptedl}'-,  the  "  thus  it  is  written  "  points  so 
 directly  to  what  preceded,  that  we  are  con- 
 strained to  receive  all  as  spoken  at  one  and 
 the  same  time.  Thus  it  is  written — thus  has  it 
 come  to  pass.  This  declares  at  the  outset  the 
 clear  concordance  of  all  with  what  had  been 
 written.  But  then  this  emphatically  redou- 
 bled "  ovTooi " — thus  in  the  Scripture  corres- 
 ponding with  thus  in  the  event,  thus  in  the 
 event  corresponding  with  thus  in  the  Scripture 
 — brings  out  the  distinctive  meaning.  Thus  and 
 not  othenoise :  though  man's  understanding  may 
 not  be  able  to  apprehend  much  that  is  involv- 
 ed in  it ;  and  man's  wisdom  might  be  tempted 
 to  condemn,  or  his  prejudiced  mind  at  least 
 be  disposed  to  wish  some  things  in  it  other^ 
 
 *  "  To  say  that  Jesus  was  guided  by  Iho  Jewish 
 manner  of  exposition  darkens,  instead  of  illus- 
 trating, the  subject.  He  manifestly  understood 
 the  doctrine  of  the  Messiah,  and  the  scriptural 
 passages  which  referred  to  it,  in  an  altogether 
 different  way  Irom  that  in  which  the  Jews  of  his 
 own  time  interpreted  or  rather  misinterpreted  " 
 (Hess). 
 
 •j-  Thiersch  (Die  Kirche  im  apostol.  Zeitalter,  p.  48, 
 49)  seems  to  border  on  the  notion  of  an,  as  it 
 were,  esoteric  instruction  concerning  the  abun- 
 dant fulness  of  which  the  Evangelist  maintained 
 an  intentional  and  prudent  reserve.  According 
 to  Matt.  X.  27,  however,  we  tind  that  this  con- 
 cealed instruction  was  to  be  disclosed  in  all  the 
 preaching  and  instruction  of  the  Apostles, 
 
 X  We  cannot  on  this  occasion  agree  with  Ben- 
 gel,  who  remarEs — Quam  sapienter  Scripmras  pro- 
 duserit. 
 
 wise.  Out  of  the  "  It  is  written,"  as  the  sute 
 expression  of  the  divine  counsel,  follows  here, 
 for  the  last  time  in  the  lips  of  Jesus,  an  irre- 
 vocably decisive  and  final  eSsty  "it  behooved," 
 as  to  all  that  was  past,  and  consequently  also 
 a  8  Sly  must  for  all  that  was  yet  to  come.* 
 This  sacred  8e7,  this  must  of  the  divine  will, 
 and  of  the  divine  wisdom — and,  as  the  expres- 
 sion of  it,  this  sacred  yEypanrai  (it  is  writ- 
 ten)— is  and  must  ever  be  the  limit  of  under- 
 standing. Wherefore  was  all  thus?  Because 
 so  written.  Wherefore  was  it  thus,  and  thus 
 only,  written  ?  Was  it  thus  decreed?  This 
 Christ  does  not  say;  the  Spirit  gives  us  hints 
 and  fragmentary  declarations  concerning  it, 
 but  after  all  there  abides  forever  the  limit  of 
 the  impenetrable  Ssly  where  creature  know- 
 ledge ceases,  and  creature  desire  to  know 
 should  cease — in  that  mystery  concerning  sin 
 and  redemption,  where  faith  alone  is  to  avail. 
 "  This  holy  must  is  set  by  our  Lord  against  all 
 their  (and  our)  ambitious  and  staggering 
 thoughts"  (Rambach).  By  this  it  is  not 
 meant,  however,  that  every  single  yeypartrai 
 must  impose  a  limit  upon  our  reason;  for,  an 
 error  of  the  received  text,  condemned  by  all 
 the  rest  of  Scripture,  might  assume  that  form 
 and  authority  ;  nor  are  we  prevented  from  ad- 
 justing individual  points  in  it  by  means  of  a 
 thorough  understanding  of  the  whole.  But 
 this  much  is  forever  true,  that  the  sure  and 
 plain  Scripture  cannot  be  broken  ;  and  that  wo 
 may  humbly  hope  and  pray  for  and  expect  a 
 further  opening  of  our  minds  to  iindcrsiand, 
 wherever  there  yet  remains  obscurity  around 
 that  which  is  expressly  written.  The  believing 
 desire  of  humble  study  will  never  be  disap- 
 pointed. 
 
 Not  only  the  sufTerings  of  Christ,  but  also 
 the  ovrco?  and  raCra  itaOelVy  the  suffering 
 this  and  these  things,  are  found  in  Scripture. 
 Not  only  the  resurrection  generally,  but  also 
 the  resurrection  on  the  third  day  was  predicted 
 (and  this  may  be  an  example  which  should 
 confirm  to  us  other  such  instances) — whether 
 we  can  find  it  there  or  not.  But  the  ye- 
 ypaitrai  and  the  f'Scr  hold  good  also  of  the 
 •preaching  and  its  oCrcoi — to  which  the  Lord 
 now  passes  in  the  same  clause — it  includes  the 
 extension  and  the  snhstance  of  this  preaching 
 (Acts  xxvi.  23)  ;  for,  although  the  preaching 
 itself  was  then,  as  yet,  a  del  in  the  future,  the 
 Lord  nevertheless  embraced  evei-y  thing  under 
 the  same  iSai,  his  all-comprehending  glance 
 regarding  all  as  certainly  fulfilled.  He  passes 
 at  once,  in  ver.  47,  from  the  past  to  the  luture 
 which  should  immediately  follow  upon  it,  and 
 spring  out  of  it;  for  it  could  not  be  but  that 
 these  great  divine  events  should  be  announced, 
 the  accomplished  work  of  redemption  must 
 be  proclaimed  to  all  mankind  without  delay. 
 Rambach  shows  us  here  four  luture  character- 
 
 *  For  the  words  xai  oZrooi  eSet  are  certainly 
 genuine;  the  express  emphHsia  wiiicli  cliaructer- 
 fzes  the  whole  paas-.ge  would  not  allow  t^em  to  be 
 wanting. 
 
844 
 
 FURTHER  EXPLANATION  AND  PROMISE. 
 
 istics  of  the  preaching  of  his  kingdom  which 
 the  Lord  indicates.  It  should  now  be  preached  ; 
 the  substance  of  that  preaching  should  be  re- 
 pentance and  forgiveness  of  sins;  that  this 
 preaching  should  go  forth  to  all  nations  ;  and 
 that  it  should  begin  in  Jerusalem.  Salvation 
 must  be  preached,  announced,  and  offered  every 
 where,  though  it  may  not  every  where  find  ac- 
 ceptance. Further,  it  must  be  preached,  not 
 only  as  a  ovrcoi  eSai,  but  also  as  a  ovtcl> 
 yiypanrai — that  is,  it  must  be  preached  ac- 
 e&rding  to  the  Scriptures  (1  Cor.  xv.  3,  4)  ;  the 
 Scripture  must  be  carried  with  the  preaching 
 to  all  nations  and  to  the  Gentiles.  All  we  can 
 do  here  is  to  repeat— What  profound  wisdom 
 in  this  ordinance  of  God  !  and  how  great  the 
 power  of  the  Spirit,  through  whose  influence 
 the  faith  of  the  nations  would  be  won,  in  the 
 way  of  free  acceptance,  for  this  preaching  and 
 these  Scriptures  going  forth  to  them  from  Jeru- 
 salem and  the  Jews  !*  Jn  his  name,  by  ambas- 
 sadors in  his  place,  after  he  had  ascended  :  this, 
 therefore  says  once  more — Soon  shall  I  be  no 
 longer  with  you,  as  now.  Jn  his  name — this  is 
 also  connected  with  repentance  and  forgiveness; 
 as  if  it  would  say — Through  faith  in  him,  his 
 person,  his  salvation  ;  only  through  him  and 
 in  him.  The  one  only  name  stands  irremov- 
 ably  firm,  from  which  salvation  can  never  be 
 sundered,  besides  which  there  is  no  other  given. 
 "  The  name  of  Jesus  opens  the  door  for  repent- 
 ance and  remission  of  sins  " — says  Rieger.  In 
 Mark  xvi.  "  the  Gospel "  is  added  to  the 
 "  preach  ;"  it  is  here  silently  included  in  the 
 K>/ftvxO?/yat,  and  it  is  further  explained  and 
 paraphrased  by  the  two  great  words  which 
 point  back  to  chap.  i.  77,  and  iii.  3,  in  Luke's 
 own  Gospel.  All  the  prophets  until  John,  and 
 John  with  them,  preached  and  ofTered  to  man 
 both  ;  yet  the  end  of  the  Old  Testament  was 
 rather  repentance,  the  New  Testament  first 
 brought  in  the  reality  and  full  assurance  of  the 
 remission  of  sins.  We  may  say,  indeed,  that 
 repentance  itself  in  the  name  of  Jesus,  New- 
 Testament  repentance,  has  now  become  some- 
 thin"  new,  something  different  from  what  it 
 was  before.  By  the  passion  of  Christ  repent- 
 ance is  now  preached  in  its  evangelical  strength  ; 
 by  his  resiirrection  forgiveness  is  offered  and 
 pledged.  The  New-Testament  preaching  of  re- 
 pentance is  itself  a  Gospel.  For,  the  message 
 of  grace  does  not  merely  bring  "  the  incentive 
 to  repentance,  and  the  promise  of  forgiveness :" 
 God  gives  to  those  who  hear  and  believe  re- 
 pentance unto  life  (Acts  xi.  18).  The  union 
 of  these  two  words,  repentance  and  remission, 
 is  full  of  encouragement  to  the  weak  in  faith. 
 
 *  "  After  the  foundation  of  our  salvation  in  the 
 redenii)Uon  which  was  effecled  thus  by  Christ, 
 nothing  is  greater  and  more  gracious  tiian  tlic 
 way  and  the  terms  of  the  preach. ng  of  tiiat  re- 
 demption. In  bringing  the  world  to  faitli  through 
 sucli  preaching  he  has  shown  as  mucii  power  and 
 love,  as  in  his  sending  his  Son  into  the  world.' 
 So  says  Rieger,  in  lundametital  haimony  with 
 Eph.  i.  19,  20. 
 
 I  who  may  say :  As  certain  as  I  am  of  my  sin- 
 cere and  earnest  repentance,  so  certainly  mayl 
 appropriate  the  grace  which  the  Lord  has  thus 
 connected  with  it;  for  he  has  taught  hi^  ser- 
 vants to  preach  that  true  repentance  should 
 ever  avail  and  be  accepted.  It  is  full  also  of  en- 
 couragement and  attraction  even  to  the  uncon- 
 verted, as  long  as  they  hear  these  words ;  for 
 the  only  end  and  aim  of  repentance  is  to  pre- 
 pare the  way  for  the  forgiveness  of  sins.  If 
 we  examine  Acts  ii.  38,  v.  31,  xx.  21,  we  shall 
 perceive  ihut  faith  in  the  name  of  Jesus,  though 
 it  is  not  here,  as  in  ^lark  xvi.,  mentioned  and 
 made  prominent  as  all  decisive,  is  incUidedand 
 pre-supposed  as  the  condition  of  this  forgive- 
 ness (Acts  xiii.  38,  39).  Where  there  is  re- 
 mission of  siiis,  there  is  resurrection  peace  and 
 resurrection  power,  there  is  life  and  salvation. 
 To  seek  and  find  this  one  thing,  in  which  all 
 terminates,  through  the  one  means  of  penitent 
 faith,  is  the  living  fruit  of  all  right  understand- 
 ing of  Scripture,  even  in  the  case  of  the  preach- 
 ers of  salvation  taught  by  Jesus  himself,  who 
 themselves  need  and  enjoy  it.  And  this  one 
 thing  is  ever,  to  all  who  hear  their  preaching, 
 the  way  and  the  key  to  their  own  understand- 
 ing of  Scripture  also.* 
 
 Beginning  at  Jerusalem.  The  dplac/navov 
 (instead  of  which,  false  readings  correct  dp^a- 
 /usvot,  dp^aiueyccv — Vulg.  inajdentibus—'ZTAS- 
 mus,  mending  it,  iyiitio  facto)  belongs  as  ace. 
 abs.  to  xTjpvxO'/yi-xt,  as  it  were,  dplansvov 
 Tov  HTjpvyi.iaTo'i.  Or,  according  to  Winer, 
 as  an  absolute  and  impersonal  participle,  in- 
 stead of  the  whole  clause — When  and  so  as  it 
 was  begun.  Suffice  it  that  the  meaning  is  per- 
 fectly clear.  These  Apostles  (and  many  after 
 them)  can  only  begin  the  preaching  io'all  na- 
 tions generally;  but  not  only  must  they  in  tlu 
 first  age,  all  their  successors  also  must  in  everj 
 age,  as  far  as  it  may  be,  begin  from  Jerusalem 
 The  word  of  this  commandment  has  an  imme- 
 diate meaning,  and  a  meaning  also  which  ex- 
 tends very  wide.  The  first  and  obvious  mean- 
 ing was,  that  they  were  not  to  commence  theii 
 preaching  in  a  corner ;  but  that  "  tiie  victo- 
 rious power  of  truth  should  be  demonstrated 
 precisely  where  men  would  most  gladly  have 
 extinguished  it "  ( Braune).  Thus,  it  is  strictly 
 connected  with  the  direction  of  ver.  49  to  re- 
 main in  the  city,  until  the  Spirit  should  come; 
 a  direction  which,  as  Lange  rightly  observes, 
 plainly  proves  that  thi.s  discourse  of  the  Lord 
 must  be  placed  at  a  later  period  after  the  re- 
 turn of  the  disciples  from  Galilee,  and  conse- 
 quently not  upon  the  mountain.  But  then,  on 
 tlic  other  hand,  ver.  49  receives  from  ver.  47 
 an  intenser  meaning  than  the  literal  sense  that 
 they  were  to  remain  where  they  were :  Ye 
 must,  afterwards,  when  the  time  of  your  preach- 
 ing comes,  retain  your  place  in  the  holy  city, 
 
 ♦  "  The  ground  of  all  faith  in  Scrip'ure  is  sin- 
 cere repentance  of  the  lieart."  Tliis  was  tlie 
 axiom  wiiich  contained  our  earliest  testimon)-,  ia 
 the  preface  to  Hamuilung  1  of  the  AndcutungM, 
 
LUKE  XXIV.  48. 
 
 845 
 
 not  yet  given  up*  until  the  power  from  on 
 high  shall  lead  you  further  forth  into  all  the 
 world.  The  history  leaves  it  shrouded  in  ob- 
 scurity, how  and  wherefore  the  disciples,  whom 
 Matthew  and  John  represent  as  being  in  Gali- 
 lee, whither  they  had  been  appointed  to  go, 
 should  have  returned  to  Jerusalem,  where  they 
 heard  these  words,  and  in  the  neighborhood  of 
 which  the  ascension  certainly  took  place.  But 
 ■we  know  that  the  narrative  is  far  from  record- 
 ing all  things  that  transpired,  and  we  must 
 apply  what  is  wanting  by  our  own  suppo- 
 sitions. (Acts  i.  4,  6vvaXi^6nEyoi  gives  us  a 
 hint.)  Suffice  it  that  as  yet,  so  we  understand 
 it,  Jerusalem  was  not  rejected ;  the  missions 
 promised  in  Matt,  xxiii.  34  should  first  be  re- 
 ceived and  refused.  The  grace  and  mercy  of 
 Jesus  must  there  first,  and  now  in  the  pleni- 
 tude of  its  obtained  fulness,  be  offered  where 
 he  had  been  crucified.  Finally,  it  was  quite 
 in  harmony  with  the  theocratic  dispensation 
 and  the  typical  relation  of  the  city  to  the  fu- 
 ture, that  the  King  who  was  set  upon  Zioa 
 (Psa.  ii.  6)  siiould  also  stretch  out  the  sceptre 
 of  his  kingdom  for  the  first  time  from  this 
 Mount  Zion  over  all  the  nations  (Psa.  ex.  3) — 
 even  as  his  word  will  a  second  time,  and  in  the 
 last  days  (Isa.  ii.  2,  3)  go  forth  in  its  utmost 
 power  'from  restoi-ed  Jerusalem.  This  is  the 
 city  of  election,  the  everlasting  metropolis, 
 which  must  yet  give  its  name  to  the  heavenly 
 city.  The  theocratical  economy  of  the  old 
 covenant  remains  firm,  and  retains  its  high 
 dignity.  There  was,  indeed,  at  first,  an  ap- 
 pointment of  the  disciples  to  go  away  to  Gali- 
 lee, and  this  was  the  destruction  of  every  hope 
 of  a  kingdom  in  Jerusalem  such  as  their 
 thoughts  had  shaped  it.  But  then,  again,  and 
 with  another  meaning,  they  were  appointed  to 
 return  and  abide  in  Jerusalem  ;  and  this  inti- 
 mates to  ourselves  that  we  must  never  give  up 
 a  fallen  Christian  people,  which  is  not  yet 
 utterly  rejected.  They  must  continue  their 
 preaching  to  those  first  called,  paying  honor  to 
 the  desolate  sanctuary,  until  God  had  made  it 
 fully  desolate.  (See  ver.  53,  in  the  temple.) 
 This  is  the  most  far-reaching  sense  of  the  word, 
 including  an  internal  and  spiritual  truth  in  the 
 historical  and  actual  figure;  and  it  is  thus  ex- 
 pressed by  Schmieder  :  "  We  must  ever  begin 
 our  preaching  and  testimony  in  the  place  where 
 we  are,  to  which  God  has  appointed  us;"  even 
 if  the  name  which  we  preach  is  reviled,  and 
 the  salvation  which  we  offer  is  rejected. 
 
 Verse  48.  TueU,  "  ye,"  means  here,  ac- 
 cording to  the  teaching  of  Luke's  account,  and 
 consequently  according  to  our  Lord's  intention, 
 the  Apostlat  especially — though  a  wider  appli- 
 cation is  not  excluded.  The  avroli a.nd  avr(^y, 
 etc.,  "  them,"  goes  on  to  the  end  from  ver.  33, 
 where  not  alone  the  eleven  were,  but  yet  all  the 
 others  were  only  with  them.  (Comp.  the  pro- 
 minence given  them  by  oli,  Acts  i.  3 ;  while 
 
 *  Ebrard  understands  it  of  a  further  require- 
 ment that  they  should  continue  dwelling  m  Jerusa- 
 lem. 
 
 afterwards  it  is  in  ver.  6  ol  dweXOoyre?.) 
 
 Accordingly,  the  words  will  not  suit  the  great 
 Galilean  gathering.  "  Te  are  witnesses,"  is 
 generally  explained  as  being  instead  of  "ye 
 shall  be,"  in  Acts  i.  8.  But  while  the  future  is 
 peifectly  appropriate  in  the  Acts,  the  present 
 tense  is  properly  used  here ;  for  they  are  al- 
 ready the  witnesses,  who  had  been  long  called, 
 and  now  were  instructed,  and  during  the  forty 
 days  had  been  again  and  again  pointed  to  their 
 future  mission.  They  are  witnesses,  a  word 
 which  recurs  in  Acts.  i.  8  as  especially  applied 
 to  the  Apostles.  It  is  not  the  Lord's  will  to 
 appoint  and  send  forth  orators  or  enthusiasts, 
 or  even  simple  teachers — and  this  he  shows  at 
 the  very  outset  in  the  typical  character  of  his 
 first  Apostles — but,  before  all,  and  in  all,  wit- 
 nesses. The  word  is  further  explained  by  the 
 roiirooy — witnesses  of  these  facts,  primarily  ; 
 so  that  the  idea  contained  in  the  words  of  Luke 
 i.  2,  "  which,  from  the  beginning,  were  ei/e- 
 witnesses,  and  ministers  of  the  word,"  is  here 
 found  once  more.  Eye-witnesses  and  ear-wit- 
 nesses of  my  life,  of  my  discourses,  and  of  my 
 works,  while  I  was  with  you  (John  xv.  27),  of 
 my  sufferings  also,  and  now  especially  of  my 
 resurrection,  as  ye  shall  soon  be  of  my  ascen- 
 sion. The  resurrection  is  naturally  made  pro- 
 minent in  Acts  i.  22,  ii.  32  ;  and  afterwards,  in 
 chap.  X.  39,  their  calling  to  bear  their  testi- 
 mony, as  eye-witnesses,  to  his  former  life  is 
 added — compare  chap.  xiii.  31.  But  that  is 
 not  ail .  with  the  fact  of  the  resurrection,  and 
 all  that  was  surely  obtained  thereby,  is  con- 
 nected also  the  opening  of  their  understand- 
 ing. Consequently,  "  tfuse  things"  include  the 
 "  it  is  written,"  and  "  thus  it  should  be,"  that 
 is,  their  beholding  these  facts  .in  the  light  of 
 Scripture;  and  also  every  commandment  and 
 commission  which  they  had  received  (rovrayy, 
 of  these  things,  of  these  fulfilling  events,  of 
 these  prophesying  Scriptures,  and  of  these 
 commandments  which  point  to  a  yet  outstand- 
 ing fulfillment).  So  it  is  in  Acts.  v.  32 ;  and 
 in  chap.  iv.  20,  every  commandment  of  the 
 Holy  Spirit,  all  his  enlightenment,  appears  to 
 be  included  in  the  seeing  and  hearing.  In  this 
 last  sense,  every  man  is  analogously  a  witness, 
 in  whose  heart  the  Spirit  has  glorified  and 
 sealed  the  life  and  the  words  of  Jesus,  makmg 
 their  spiritual  perception  of  these  equivalent 
 to  an  eternal  seeing  and  hearing. 
 
 Teschendorf  represents  the  Apostles  as  here 
 crying  in  holy  fervor — "  We  are  witnesses  !  " 
 It  they  did  so,  which  is  not  probable,  the  com- 
 mandment that  they  should  wait  with  their 
 testimony  was  all  the  more  significant.  It  is 
 as  if  he  had  said — Ye  are  indeed  witnesses  ac- 
 cording to  the  Father's  counsel  and  mine  ;  but, 
 with  ail  your  present  experience  and  insight  into 
 So-ipture,  ye  are  not  3-et  fully  endued  and  pre- 
 pared for  your  actual  beginning  in  Jerusalem. 
 In  this  there  was  a  great  truth,  which  cannot 
 be  enough  pondered.  The  preaching  of  the 
 Christ  crucified  and  risen,  which  was  to  begin 
 with  the  word  and  testimony  of  the  Apostles, 
 was  based  :     1.  Upon  the  sensibly  certain  ex- 
 
84d 
 
 FURTHER  EXPLANATION  AND  PROMISE. 
 
 perience  of  these  first,  and  in  this  sense  most 
 proper,  witnesses  (who  could  say — We  have 
 seen  it,  and  handled)  ;  2.  Upon  the  sure  under- 
 standing of  the  Scriptures,  communicated  to 
 them  first,  and  by  them  to  be  communicated 
 to  others  (iov  they  might  say — I'hua  il  is  writ- 
 ten) ;  3.  finally,  upon  their  internal  reception 
 of  the  power  from  on  liigh,  through  which 
 alone  ttie  Spirit  most  essentially  testifies  that 
 the  life  and  the  words  are  truth.*  This  last 
 foundation  of  their  preaching  could  not  be  left 
 wanting.  The  Scrijjture  stands  in  the  middle  ; 
 for,  to  understand  its  word  is  more  than  the 
 seeing  and  hearing  of  sense  (hence  Christ  led 
 the  Apostles  omcard  to  this) ;  but  the  power  from 
 071  high  iriv^s  more  than  the  understanding  of 
 Scripture,  which  in  and  of  itself  is  not  suf- 
 ticient.f 
 
 Verse  49.  Now  first  is  added  the  power, 
 promised  with  an  express  and  emphatic — And, 
 leholU.  The  remaining  at  Jerusalem  has  al- 
 ready been  spoken  of;  HaOH^siv,  like2'j;Mn  its 
 familiar  meaning,  is  used  hevQ primarily  of  their 
 not  departing,  Acts  i.  4.  The  addition,  Jerusa- 
 lem, must  be  removed  from  the  text ;  in  the 
 city — the  whole  emphasis  lies  upon  that  word 
 itself.  This  was  communicated  by  the  Apos- 
 tles (and  whosoever  were  then  likewise  pres- 
 ent) to  all  the  disciples  ;  and  it  was  regarded  as 
 the  Lord's  direclion  that  all  who  believed  in 
 him  should  gather  together  in  the  city,  and 
 wait  there  till  the  Feast  of  Pentecost.  For 
 this  "tarry"  at  the  same  time  commanded 
 them  all  to  wait  and  expect  in  stillness ;  and 
 not  to  go  forth  with  the  great  mystery  of  sal- 
 vation wu^i  tiie  Spirit  should  come.J  It  was 
 remarked  by  Lange,  in  opposition  to  Strauss, 
 that  the  impatient  question  of  Acts  i.  6  may 
 be  referred  to  an  impulse  in  the  disciples'  minds 
 to  proclaim  at  once  the  great  and  mighty 
 things  which  were  committed  to  their  keeping  ; 
 and  he  went  on  to  say  :  "  It  is,  and  has  always 
 been,  a  notorious  evil  in  the  Church  of  Christ, 
 that  many  disciples  of  Jesus  are  disposed  to 
 hurry  out  into  the  world  before  they  have  re- 
 ceived in  waiting  prayerful  humility  the  equip- 
 ment of  the  Holy  Spirit."  Oh,  that  we  all 
 might  learn  to  wad  like  little  children  ;  and  lay 
 to  lieart  the  important  lesson  that,  after  all  the 
 teaching  and  diicipline  which  the  Apostles  had 
 gone  through,  the  last  school  of  preparation 
 before  the  day  of  Pentecost  was  a  lurther  wait- 
 ing of  ten  days  1     "  God  is  a  God  of  peace  and 
 
 *  See  the  remarks  upon  Jolin  xv.  26,  27. 
 
 ■j- 11  chter's  Jlausbibel  lemarks  ui)oa  it,  as  very 
 obbervable,  llial  "  the  Apostles,  who  saw  and 
 kne.v  tiio  Redeemer,  who  heard  him  speak  and 
 were  remiiuled  by  him  of  his  former  d.scourscs, 
 yot  were  thus  expressly  referred  to  their  Ji  b'.c' 
 liut  liie  Scriptures  alone  were  not  sufficient  evon 
 lor  them. 
 
 %  The  Berlcnbfrg.  Bihcl  says,  in  its  characteristic 
 way,  and  witti  internal  truth :  "  Sit  still,  and  re- 
 main sitting — ye  must  learn  to  s'.t  still,  before  ye 
 go  out  inio  all  the  world;"  even,  before  ye  com- 
 mence in  Jerusalem. 
 
 '  a  God  of  order ;    he  requires  patient  waiUng 
 as  much  as  swift  obedience  "  (Branne). 
 
 Behold  /  send:  this  d7to6T£\\a)  (var. 
 Ec,ano6rEXXoo) — used  only  o{  persons,  and  thus 
 here  of  the  personal  Paraclete  (although  h« 
 was  first  indicated  as  a  promise,  and  then 
 as  a  poicer),  and  therefore  well  translated  by 
 Hasse,  I  appoint — is,  in  connection  with  the 
 iSov,  hehoUl,  precisely  the  same  realization  of 
 the  future  in  the  present  which  we  found  in 
 the  "  I  ascend  "  spoken  to  Mary  Magdalene. 
 The  time  is  left  altogether  indefinite;  it  was 
 not  till  afterwards,  Acts  i.  5,  that  a  term  was 
 placed — nearer  or  more  distant,  as  it  may  be 
 understood — to  their  impatient  and  anxious 
 waiting.  The  "  until"  which  accompanies  the 
 promise  of  the  Spirit's  coming  and  baptism,* 
 forbids  us  to  suppose  any  thing  like  a  gradual 
 and  natural  increase  of  light  and  strength 
 in  their  minds,  which  reached  its  consum- 
 mation at  the  Feast  of  Pentecost.  The  Lord 
 speaks  here,  even  according  to  Luke,  as  if  ho 
 would  once  more  comprehensively  refer  to  his 
 discourses  concerning  the  Comforter  which 
 John  records.  There  can  be  no  doubt,  in  gen- 
 eral, that  hnayyeXia  (promise)  stands  fre- 
 quently for  the  promised  good  itself:  see 
 throughout  the  Epistle  to  the  Hebrews,  but 
 especially  a  direct  parallel  in  Gal.  iii.  14,  where 
 the  promise  of  the  Spirit  is,  as  it  were,  the  last, 
 the  greatest,  and  most  comprehen.sive  promise 
 of  all  that  had  been  promised  of  God  in  Christ 
 and  through  Christ  to  the  nations.  Compare, 
 further,  Eph.  i.  13  ;  1  John  ii.  25.  The  Lord 
 says  here — The  promise  of  my  Father;  because 
 he  had  said  at  first — I  send  :  thus,  as  in  John, 
 the  Trinity  is  included.  Hence  in  Acts  i.  4  it 
 is  once  more  changed — Which  ye  have  heard  of 
 me.f  This  resumption  must  not  be  understood 
 according  to  the  strange  interpretation  of  Gro- 
 tius:  "  'i'he  promise  of  the  Father  is  the  gift  of 
 the  Holy  Spirit  promised  of  the  Father  to 
 himself,  that  he  might  bestow  it  upon  his  dis- 
 ciples. "  Where  did  the  Lord  ever  say,  and 
 how  can  we  impute  the  saying  to  him,  that 
 the  Father  promised  the  Spirit  to  the  Sonf 
 Even  John  the  Baptist,  John  iii.  34,  35,  speaks 
 differently.  So  also  in  Acts  ii.  33,  where  Peter 
 at  the  great  fiiUillment  speaks  still  in  the  same 
 sanctified  expression,  we  must  understand  him 
 to  mean,  not  that  the  Risen  Lord,  exalted  by 
 the  right  hand  of   God,   received   the   Holy 
 
 •  Alas  !  even  Braune  exhibits  some  measure  of 
 participation  in  this  view  :  "  Their  internal  im- 
 pulse to  bear  witness  should  vicrease  (]) — until  all 
 uiicerlainty  in  the  inmost  of  their  minds  was  de- 
 stroyed ;  and  the  external  oppori unity  which  they 
 desired  would  not  be  wanting  when  the  necessary 
 degree  of  strength  from  on  high  had  been  obtain- 
 ed." This  is  not  ill  meant,  but  the  matter  is  not 
 rightly  viewed. 
 
 f  Even  Neander  says  hero  :  "  The  comparison 
 with  Acts  i.  4  leads  us  to  think  of  a  promise  given 
 by  Christ  in  the  name  of  his  Fattier;  and  this 
 would  refer  to  the  last  discourses  of  Jesus,  as  re- 
 corded by  Jolin." 
 
LUKE  XXIV. 
 
 847 
 
 Ghost  himself,  with  whom  his  humanity  had 
 already  been  anointed  at  his  baptism — but  that 
 he  received  authority  and  the  power  to  pour 
 out  the  Holy  Ghost'.  The  Spirit  was  given 
 into  his  hand  and  power  as  a  promise,  to  be 
 fulfilled,  which  had  been  given  to  mankind. 
 Fcr  if  he  himself  pours  out  the  Spirit — as  God 
 had  promised,  in  the  prophet  Joel,  I  will  pour 
 out  of  my  Spirit — certamly  the  same  Spirit 
 was  not  given  to  him  by  the  Father  as  he  was 
 afterwards  given  to  other  men.  The  Spirit  is 
 the  promise  of  the  Father ;  that  is,  most  as- 
 suredly, had  been  promised  by  the  Father 
 through  the  earlier  words  of  Christ  and  his 
 present  word— I  will  send  him  down  upon  you. 
 For  as,  according  to  John  xiv.  16,  26,  the  Fa- 
 ther sendeth  him  in  the  name  of  Jesus,  at  his 
 prayer  and  through  his  mediation,  so  in  John 
 XV.  26  we  hear  again — Whom  I  will  send  unto 
 you,  as  from  the  Father.  The  Lord  now  refers 
 to  that  earlier  word,  which  he  had  spoken  while 
 he  was  yet  with  them  (so  that  ver.  49  coin- 
 cides with  ver.  44)  ;  and  this  is  further  made 
 plain  by  the  kqt  v^idi,  which  belongs  to  the 
 ■v/nEli  of  ver.  48.  Consequently — upon  you  as 
 my  witnesses :  so  that  the  whole  discourse  of 
 John  XV.  26,  27,  is  brought  to  their  full  re- 
 membrance. But  all  this  does  not  exclude  (as 
 Neander  thinks)  the  reference  to  all  the  ancient 
 promises  of  God  in  the  Scriptures  (Gal.  iii.  14). 
 The  expression  eTtayysAia  is,  as  it  were,  the 
 summary  of  all  extant  and  not-yet-fulfilled 
 promises  ;  and  is  the  continuation  of  the  key- 
 note struck  in  vers.  46,  47.  That  which  God, 
 the  Father  of  Jesus  Christ,  had  promised  from 
 the  beginning  as  the  last  and  highest  gift  for 
 the  great  time  of  fulfillment,  is  the  same  prom- 
 ise which  the  Lord  gave  to  his  disciples  in 
 words  harmonizing  with  the  ancient  Scriptures. 
 This  great  promise  was  now  in  the  nai  iSov 
 (Behold)  to  become  living  and  real ;  it  was  to 
 be  sent  as  the  living  and  personal  Spirit  him- 
 self. 
 
 The  aTtodreWd),  "  I  send,"  was  plain 
 enough  ;  the  Lord  therefore  may  connect  with 
 it,  without  any  danger  of  misapprehension, 
 other  and  seemingly  impersonal  expres.'^ions 
 concerning  the  Spirit.  He  gives  to  him  tico 
 such  designations  :  the  one  looks  back  upon 
 the  former  promises,  as  was  most  appropriate 
 here ;  the  other,  with  equal  appropriateness, 
 indicates  his  influence,  or  the  need  which  was 
 to  be  supplied  in  the  disLjiplea.  They  were  to 
 be  endued  with  power  from  on  high.  If  the 
 Father,  the  Almighty,  Matt.  xxvi.  64,  is  him- 
 self called  7/  dvTafit?,  jxmer,  why  may  not 
 the  Spirit  be  so  termed,  who  is  specifically  his 
 active  energy.  See,  for  example,  Micah  iii.  8, 
 and  similarly  Ecclus.  xi.  21,  vnd  nvsv/.taro'; 
 Svyoc/uEGoi  6ov.  See  also  in  the  New  Testa- 
 ment, Acts  i.  8,  X.  38  ;  Rom.  xv.  19,  etc.  Fi- 
 nally, Eph.  iii.  20,  according  to  the  power  {Hard 
 Tj/v  Svvamv)  that  worheth  in  us  (chap,  i-  19), 
 where  we  have  a  like  designation  of  the  Holy 
 Ghost;  for  in__vers.  20,  21,  there  is  the  same 
 combination  of  the  Saored  Three  which  there 
 was  in  vers.  14-17.    So  in  Luke,  diap.  i.  17,  in 
 
 the  spirit  and  power  of  Elias;  and  in  ver.  35, 
 the  pimer  of  the  Highest,  dvvauii  vipidzov,  as 
 the  parallel  name  of  nvav/ua  dyiov,  the  Holy 
 Spirit,  who  came  upon  Mary.  So  here  it  ia, 
 still  further,  fmter  from  on  high  ;  partly,  it  may 
 be,  to  remind  them  of  the  ancient  "  promise," 
 Isa.  xxxii.  15  (compare  Ecclus.  ix.  17),  thus 
 speaking  in  a  prophetical  expression ;  and, 
 partly,  because  the  Lord  once  more  speaks  as  he 
 who  is  already  above  and  sendeth  downfrmn  on 
 high  what  should  be  necessary  for  earthly  in- 
 firmity, and  what  could  come  only  from  above 
 through  the  Spirit  of  God — that  is,  power. 
 Thus  here  we  have  once  more  the  prolepsis  of 
 the   ascension.      On   high,   vtpoi,    DiliO    and 
 
 D'piip — the  well-known  expression  for  heaven, 
 
 from  Job  xvi.  19  down  to  Luke  i.  78,  and  be- 
 yond. Presently,  he  will  ascend  above,  and 
 receive  gifts  as  man  for  men,  Psa.  Ixviii.  19. 
 It  is  further  and  finally  confirmed  that  he 
 speaks  in  echoes  of  the  Scripture,  by  the  re- 
 markable £ySv6T/60s,  "ye  shall  be  endued," 
 which  in  the  Old  Testament  was  the  constant 
 expression  for  a  sudden  and  temporary  afflatus 
 of  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  which  is  now  assumed 
 into  the  New  Testament  as  consummated  into 
 a  permanent  impartation.  As  t^a^,  to  clothe, 
 frequently  occurred  with  a  similar  meaning, 
 for  instance  in  Isa.  li.  9,  i]}"^t^2^;  as  in  Psa. 
 
 cxxxii.  9,  16  (2  Chron.  vi.  41)  the  priests  are 
 spoken  of  as  clothed  with  the  salvation  of 
 righteousness  (the  enemies,  in  ver.  18,  with 
 disgrace ;  and  Judas,  Psa.  cix.  18,  with  a 
 curse) ;  so  the  Spirit  (of  the  Lord)  came  upon 
 or  clothed  Gideon,  Amasai,  Zechariah  ;  Jude. 
 vi.  34,  1  Chron.  xiii.  18,  2  Chron.  xxiv.  20.  It 
 is  quite  needless  that  Gesenius  should  demon- 
 strate the  meaning  implere  (clothe  inwardiy) 
 for  these  passages  (and  for  Luke  xxiv.  49, 
 which  he  adds  Irom  the  New  Testament),  by 
 going  so  far  as  the  formula  St/ra  concerning 
 Satan,  "ST^'a^  N30D»  in  Ephraem.  It  is  much 
 more  obvious  to  refer  to  the  putting  on  of 
 Christ,  Rom.  xiii.  14,  Gal.  iii.  27,  with  which 
 the  being  clothed  with  the  Spirit  in  our  pres- 
 ent passage  is  strictly  parallel.  For  with 
 power  we  can  only  inwardly  be  clothed.  Ols- 
 hausen  says,  quite  correctly  :  "  It  is  to  be  un- 
 derstood of  the  entire,  internal  penetration  and 
 actual  possession" — ^just  as  the  baptising  of 
 Acts  i.  5  is  an  internal  reception  of  the  power 
 spoken  of  in  ver.  8.  Thus  it  is  not  merely  in- 
 adequate, to  resolve  the  figure,  so  called,  into 
 no  more  than  an  "equipment,  or  furnishing," 
 etc. ;  such  an  explanation  is  most  superficial, 
 and  robs  the  words  of  their  profound  meaning. 
 Bengel  gives  his  suggestive  interpretation  in 
 two  words — suhito,  prorsus  (suddenly  and  en- 
 tirely). In  the  sfuhito  lies  the  analogy  with  the 
 Old-Testament  formula — "  The  Sjdrit  came 
 upon  him  "  suddenly  and  for  the  time.  But 
 the  prorsus  intimates  the  distinction  which  is 
 also  found  in  the  turn  of  the  expression — Ye 
 shall  be  endued,  or  clothed.  Bengal  goes  on 
 to  say — "  We  are  naked  without  virtue  imm 
 
848 
 
 LAST  WORDS  AT  THE  ASCENSION. 
 
 heaven  ;"  and  this  is  the  profound  tru'h.  The 
 nakedness  of  the  fall  is  here  first  fully  re- 
 clothed;  the  last  need  of  our  weakness  is  here 
 provided  for  by  this  amiclus. 
 
 With  this  we  might  have  appropriately  con- 
 nected the  appointment  in  the  first  two  Evan- 
 gelists, Go  forth  (but  then  ye  shall  go  out  into 
 all  the  world),  were  it  not  that  the  observa- 
 tions we  made  at  the  outset  oppose  such  a 
 
 conjunction.  We  cannot  decide  upon  the  time 
 and  place  of  these  words,  because  nothing  is 
 specifically  recorded  (how  easily  might  a  sin- 
 gle sentence  have  explained  the  whole  !) — but 
 we  can  understand  why  LuTce  should  thus  close 
 his  Gospel,  as  a  preparation  for  the  Acts  of  the 
 Apostles.  We  may  also  close  with  the  prayer 
 — Endue  us  too  with  thy  power;  but  help  U8 
 to  wait,  until  thou  sendest  it  1 
 
 LAST  WORDS  AT  THE  ASCENSION. 
 (Acts  r.  4-8.) 
 
 At  the  Ascension!  Would  that  we  could  as- 
 sume that  all  our  readers  received  this  word 
 in  the  simplicity  of  the  understanding  of 
 faith  !  Must  we  still  pave  the  way,  and  once 
 more  remove  the  impediments  of  unbelief,  in 
 approaching  the  last  words  of  our  Lord?  We 
 will  not  concern  ourselves  with  the  superficial 
 and  barren  stupidity  which  has  not  yet  learned 
 the  alphabet  of  the  word  that  speaks  of  the 
 power  of  God,  and  which  therefore  cannot  free 
 itself  from  notions  of  gravitation  and  corpo- 
 real weight,  even  in  the  case  of  him  whom  the 
 winds  and  the  waves  had  obeyed,  and  who,  as 
 the  Conqueror  of  death,  had  effectually  burst 
 asunder  the  bonds  of  "  matter."  Nor  will  we 
 enter  into  discussion  with  that  wilful  criticism 
 of  Kinkel  which  would  escape  from  difficulty 
 by  imagining  an  essential  contrariety  between 
 the  ascensions  at  Bethany  and  at  the  Mount 
 of  Olives  recorded  by  the  same  Luke.*  Nor 
 shall  we  exhibit  its  shame  by  giving  promi- 
 nence to  the  wisdom  which  has  represented  the 
 Lord  of  glory  as  "  disappearing  Lycurguswise." 
 Nor  shall  we  drag  from  its  obscurity  the  "  Es- 
 sene  lodge."  All  these  are  faded  speculations, 
 which  only  haunt  the  regions  that  are  external 
 to  true  science.  Lutz  and  many  others  are 
 able  to  tell  us  of  the  origination  of  "a  notion 
 and  legend  of  a  removal  to  heaven  amid  the 
 circumstances  which  Luke  reports."  Such 
 readers  we  leave  to  their  speculations,  if  they 
 have  not  been  brought  by  our  whole  expo- 
 sition back  to  another  style  of  thinking,  until 
 the  Scripture  and  the  power  of  God  bring  them 
 to  a  higher  and  more  correct  intelligence.  Nor 
 will  we  enter  ii  to  controversy  with  those  who, 
 while  they  admit  an  assumption  of  the  Sa- 
 viour into  the  upper  world,  will  not  admit  it 
 to  have  been  tixible,  will  not  receive  it  as  re- 
 corded in  that  Scripture  from  which  alone  we 
 learn  all  that  we  surely  know  concerning  Jesus 
 and  the  heavens.  A  few  positive  words,  how- 
 ever, we  must  speak,  for  the  sake  of  many 
 whose  views  of  the  ascension  are  still  becloud- 
 
 *  Not  to  mention  his  ridiculous  perversion  of 
 the  text ;  according  to  the  Gospel  they  assembled 
 in  the  temple  alter  tiie  ascension,  in  the  Acts  they 
 tarried  (all  the  lea  days)  iu  a  vttepi^oy. 
 
 ed,  and  that  we  may,  as  heretofore,  exhibit 
 clearly  the  scene  of  the  words  which  we  ex- 
 pound. 
 
 The  ascension  of  our  Lord,  as  we  now  con- 
 template it  in  order  to  hear  the  words  spoken 
 in  connection  with  it,  is  inseparable  from  his 
 dignity,  his  work,  and  his  whole  manifestation  : 
 it  is  the  only  conceivable  and  befitting  con- 
 summation of  his  earthly  history  and  visible 
 appearance.  The  ascension  in  itself,  in  its 
 suDstance,  so  to  speak,  is,  on  the  one  liand,  the 
 goal  and  reward  of  his  personal  human  life,  as 
 being  a  glorification  and  exaltation;  and,  on 
 the  other,  it  is  the  condition  of  his  still  con- 
 tinuing divine-human  influence  and  govern- 
 ment (Eph.  iv.  10:  that  he  might  fill  all 
 things).  But  the  visible  ascension,  as  the  last 
 historical  circumstance  that  the  eyes  of  men 
 witnessed  in  connection  with  him,  is,  to  speak 
 briefly  :  1.  The  most  befitting,  and  naturally 
 to  be  expected  attestation  of  his  heavenly 
 origin  (John  iii.  13,  vi.  62,  xvi.  28) — for  what 
 could  more  clearly,  sensibly,  and  decisively 
 testify,  that  this  man  who  thus  miraculously 
 ascended  to  God,  was  also  miraculously  born 
 into  the  world?*  2.  It  was  the  final  and  most 
 evident — for  the  first  witnesses  indispensable 
 — exhibition  of  the  truth,  that  the  kingdom 
 of  Jesus  should  be  established  by  the  Spirit 
 
 *  Here  belongs  the  beautiful  conclusion,  by 
 which  Nean'ler  redeems  so  much  that  is  deplor- 
 able in  his  Lfe  of  Jesus :  "  We  make  the  same 
 remark  upon  the  ascension  of  Christ  as  was  be- 
 fore made  upon  his  miracu'ous  conception.  In 
 regard  to  neither  is  prominence  given  to  the  spe- 
 cial and  actual  fact  in  the  apostolic  writings;  in 
 regard  to  both  such  a  fact  is  pre-supposed  in  the 
 general  conviction  of  the  Apostles,  and  in  the 
 connection  of  Christian  consciousness.  Thus  the 
 end  of  Christ's  appearance  on  earth  corresponds 
 with  its  beginning — Christianity  rests  upon  super- 
 n..tural  facts ;  stands  or  falls  with  them.  By 
 faith  in  them  has  tlie  divine  life  been  gener.iteJ 
 from  the  beginning.  Were  this  faith  gone,  there 
 miaht,  indeed,  remain  many  of  the  fffects  of  what 
 Christianity  had  been  ;  but  as  for  Christianity  in 
 the  true  sense,  as  for  a  Christian  Church,  there 
 cuuld  be  Done." 
 
ACTS  I.  4-8. 
 
 from  heaven,  and  yet  through  this  same  Jesus* 
 3.  Finally,  it  ia  even  to  us  the  most  assuring 
 guarantee  and  pledge  of  his  heavenly  power, 
 of  his  heavenly  being,  and  of  the  certainty  of 
 his  return  to  consummate  ourselves,  and  estab- 
 lish his  kingdom  upon  earth.  For  he  who  as- 
 cended above  all  heavens  in  the  highest  power, 
 can,  when  it  pleaseth  him,  come  down  to  this 
 earth  again. 
 
 Peter  announces  the  ascension  by  a  nopev- 
 Bsii,  "  is  gnne  "  (as  the  historical  foundation  for 
 idrty  Iv  dF.^ia)  1  Pet.  iii.  22.  Paul  similarly, 
 if  we  read  him  aright,  diHertis  verbis,  Kom.  x. 
 6;  Eph.  iv.  8-10;  1  Tim  iii.  16;  Heb.  i.  3. 
 And  what  of  the  two  Evangelists  who  were 
 eye-witnesses  ?  Herder  said  formerly,  "  They 
 think  not  of  a  visible  ascension."  But  who  can 
 thoughtfully  read  their  Gospels  without  find- 
 ing the  exact  reverse?  Let  any  one  carefully 
 read  John,  chap.  iii.  13,  vi.  62,  viii.  21,  23,  xx. 
 17,  and  he  will  find  in  these  passages  the  fu- 
 ture visibility  and  historical  actuality  of  the 
 dvafiaivEiv  and  the  vTtdyeiv,  or  ascension 
 and  departure.  Luke,  however  (who  more 
 closely  explains  Mark's  dvEX})<pOtf),  relates  to 
 us  a  Ttpdyna  nenXrjpocpoptjuEvov,  "  thing 
 most  surely  believed,"  in  this,  as  in  all  things 
 which  took  place  before — a  fact  and  not  a 
 myth.  He  defines  in  Acts  i.  2  the  day,  the 
 fortieth  after  the  resurrection,  that  last  day 
 down  to  which  he  had  brought  his  Gospel,  as 
 the  day  of  the  dvEX-rjq)Qrf,  "  was  taken  up  " — 
 records,  that,  and  in  what  manner,  the  eidsX- 
 BeZv  f/5  rrjv  do'^av  avrov,  or  "  entering  into 
 his  glory  "  (Luke  xxiv.  26),  became  an  dyd- 
 \r/Tf>ii  (chap.  ix.  51).  He  defines  the  place 
 twice,  with  apparent  deviation,  but  with  real 
 agreement ;  for  it  is  otherwise  certain  that 
 Bethany  lay,  and  still  lies,  on  the  Mount  of 
 Oiives.f  We  have  already  given  our  opinion 
 as  to  where  the  words  in  the  Gospel,  chap. 
 xxiv.  44-49,  were  spoken  ;  and  have  prelimi- 
 narily shown  that  the  statement  of  ver.  50  is 
 altogether  independent  of  this  uncertainty. 
 But  are  we  to  interpret  si?  Bi/Oaviav,  "  to 
 Bethany,"  of  an  entrance  into  the  village,  as 
 Hess  did,  e.  g.,  who  thought  of  a  brief  visit 
 with  which  our  Lord  honored  Mary,  Martha, 
 and  Lazarus  ?  Certainly  not,  for  the  'iooi,  "  as 
 far  as,"  itself  gives  the  eH  a  somewhat  dif- 
 ferent tone:  it  was  not  altogether  into  the 
 place,  but  so  far  as  the  point  where  Bethany 
 
 *  Wesley  closes  Luke's  Gospel  with  the  words  : 
 "  It  was  much  more  proper  that  our  Lord  should 
 ascend  into  heaven,  than  that  he  should  rise  from 
 the  dead,  in  the  sight  of  the  Apostles.  For  his 
 resurrection  was  proved,  when  they  saw  him  alive 
 after  his  Passion  ;  but  they  could  not  see  him 
 heaven,  while  they  continued  on  earth." 
 
 I  Tischendorf  I  Eeise  in  dem  Orient)  has  lately 
 decided  lor  the  Mount  of  Olives  against  Robin 
 son  ;  since  Luke  xxiv.  only  gives  ihe  measured 
 distance  from  Je-usalera,  not  the  exact  locality  of 
 the  ascension.  Braune  expresses  it  well :  "At  the 
 point  wher  >  ihe-cuunlry  of  Bethany  was  divided 
 from  the  city." 
 
 came  into  sight ;  and  with  this  is  connected 
 the  interpretation  which  we  give  to  the  k  ?  d- 
 y  et  V,  or  "  leading  out,"  for  this  in  its  strict- 
 ly literal  sense  is  scarcely  supposable.  The 
 disciples,  going  to  Emmaus,  were' accompanied 
 by  the  Lord  in  another  form — but  are  we  now 
 to  suppose  that  he  journeyed  out  of  the  city  to 
 Bethany,  discernible  to  the  Apostles  and  those 
 who  were  with  them,  but  unknown  to  or  al- 
 together withdrawn  from,  every  other  eye  ? 
 This  would  certainly  not  harmonize  with  all 
 his  other  appearances  ;  and  we  shall  presently 
 find  in  Luke  a  hint  for  another  interpretation. 
 Should  we  even  grant  that  he  in  person  led 
 them  out — must  we  (with  Ebrard)  assume 
 that  "  a  few  minutes  before  entering  the  place 
 he  stood  still  and  began  to  ascend,"  or  "  if  not 
 in  a  public  road  yet  in  the  garden?"  All 
 this  has  so  strange  a  sound  that  we  must  take 
 refuge  in  Luke's  own  supplementary  inter- 
 pretation in  the  Acts,  especially  as  it  is  in 
 full  accordance  with  his  ^  *po5ro5  Ao;'o?,  or 
 "former  treatise."  For  eod?  i/J— if  genuine, 
 is  not  meant  otherwise  than  Lachmann's 
 substituted  ego?  jrpo'5 — toward  Bethany,  on 
 the  way  thither.*  The  mention  of  Bethany 
 has  its  own  affectionate  and  easily-under- 
 stood meaning  when  we  remember  the  sig- 
 nificance of  this  final  journey  to  our  Lord. 
 But  as  he  ever  selected  motintains  for  every 
 pre-eminently  sacred  transaction  ;  as  it  was 
 upon  a  mountain  that  he  contemplated  the 
 glory  of  earth,  and  yet  devoted  himself  wholly 
 to  heaven  ;  as  his  transfiguration  took  place 
 upon  a  mountain  ;  should  not  the  Mount  of 
 Olives  in  the  immediate  neighborhood,  in  the 
 very  region  of  Bethany,  be  the  selected  place 
 of  his  ascension  ?  Luke  expressly  declares 
 that  it  was.  How  significantly  symbolical 
 was  this,  according  to  the  analogy  which  has 
 been  seen  directing  all  these  events !  Von 
 Gerlach  says,  inappropriately,  "There,  in  the 
 precincts  of  the  holy  city,  within  sight  of  the 
 temple,  would  he  go  up  to  heaven  ;  "  for,  the 
 city  and  the  temple  had  sanctity  or  significance 
 now  only  for  the  testimony  of  the  Holy  Spirit 
 which  was  hereafter  to  commence  upon  earth. 
 The  ascension,  to  speak  more  precisely,  should 
 rather  take  place  where  the  humiliation  of  the 
 Passion  had  already  taken  place,  and  yet  not 
 upon  Golgotha — the  place  of  external  scorn 
 and  redeeming  death  must  retain  its  own  pecu- 
 liar sanctity.  But  Ge^hsemane  and  the  ascen- 
 sion are  most  harmoniously  related,  in  re- 
 gard to  the  j)srson  of  the  Redeemer  as  reaching 
 its  consummation  :  "  At  its  feet  he  had  wres- 
 tled in  the  bitterness  of  death,  at  its  head  he 
 now  stands  as  the  victorious  Prince  of  Peace  " 
 (Braune).      Yet  more  pertinently  Hofacker: 
 
 *  Baumgarten  has  correctly  rennrked  that 
 Bethany  in  the  Gospel  refers  back  to  the  earlier 
 life  of  Jesus,  while,  on  the  other  hand,  the  Mount 
 of  O.ives  points  propheically  towards  the  distant 
 future.  Bu'.  we  shall  find  a  reference  to  the  past 
 in  the  Mount  of  Olives  also. 
 
850 
 
 LAST  WORDS  AT  THE  ASCENSION. 
 
 "  In  the  self-same  place  where  his 
 abasement  had  taken  place  before  his  disciples, 
 should  his  glorious  exaltation  be  attained  in 
 their  presence.  With  this  another  aim  was 
 blended.  Tlie  disciples  must  see  exhibited  be- 
 fore their  eyes  the  nature  and  the  process  of 
 Jesus  Christ's  kingdom  of  the  cross — that 
 sufTerings  lead  to  glory."  Yes,  verily,  this 
 Mount  of  Olives  preaches  now  for  the  whole 
 earth,  and  ail  who  dwell  upon  it,  what  in  Acts 
 xiv.  22  is  declared  to  be  the  ordinance  for  all 
 the  followers  of  the  great  forerunner. 
 
 However  much  we  might  wish  to  know  the 
 thne  of  the  day,  this  is  not  indicated  to  us. 
 But,  since  every  thing  has  up  to  this  point 
 been  significant  and  subservient  to  a  pre-ar- 
 ranged whole,  we  may  conclude  that  the  prin- 
 ciple holds  good  here  too ;  and,  so  thinking, 
 we  have  already  referred  the  ascension  to  the 
 bright  noon,  the  culmination  of  the  day,  the 
 "  might  of  the  sun."  With  this  agrees  an  an- 
 cient tradition  ;  and  we  may  at  least  regard  it 
 as  unsuitable  to  refer  this  event  to  the  going 
 doiDii  of  the  liglit  of  the  world — more  appro- 
 priate to  the  Passion  ;  or  to  recur  to  the  early 
 morning  of  tlie  rising  day — already  appropri- 
 ated to  the  resurrection.  The  former  notion 
 belongs  to  the  fantasies  of  the  Koran  ;*  but 
 why  Teschendorf  should  so  unsyrabolically 
 assert  that  "  the  sun  was  near  to  his  going 
 down,"  we  cannot  tell.  Others  have  cliosen 
 the  obscurity  of  early  morning,  scarce  bright- 
 ened out  of  night,  in  order  that  the  Lord's 
 course  (he  led  them  out)  might  be  concealed 
 from  other  wilnesses.f  But  we  think  quite 
 differently  of  this  ;  and  have  far  other  notions 
 ol  the  propriety  of  the  whole. 
 
 Finally  :  Were  the  eleven  alone  witnesses 
 of  the  ascension,  or  are  we  to  suppose  others 
 present  with  them?  It  is  as  good  as  certain 
 that  Paul's  "  of  all  the  Apostles,"  1  Cor.  xv. 
 7,  refers  to  the  ascension  appearance,  but  that 
 decides  nothing.  Draseke  says  in  his  sermon  : 
 "  The  connection  leaves  it  to  be  inferred  that 
 the  eleven  only  were  there,"  citing  further 
 Mark  xvi.  14,  Luke  xxiv.  33,  44,  Acts  i.  2,  4, 
 6,  and  especially  ver.  13.  But  Mark  xvi.  14 
 signifies  nothing  for  the  closing  appearance, 
 and  even  as  to  the  appearance  on  the  first  even- 
 ing Luke  xxiv.  33  teaches  the  contrary.  It 
 was  very  natural  that  in  the  Acts  of  the  Apos- 
 tles i\\&  Apostles  should  be  made  promment; 
 but  even  here  chap.  i.  22  (just  as  ver.  2)  seems 
 to  pre-suppose  other  witnesses  of  his  assump- 
 
 *  See  in  Sepp,  v.  154,  where  there  is  mentioned 
 also  a  groat  feast  in  Bethany  preceding, 
 
 *  So  Pfenniiiger,  who  incorrectly  takes  the 
 word  Acts  i.  8  as  spoken  in  the  city.  So  Hess  : 
 "  Probably  in  the  niglit  or  early  niorninji ;  at  such 
 a  time  of  night  or  day  as  he  might  most  unob- 
 servediy  lead  them  fortii."  Draseke :  "  In  tlie 
 first  and  holiest  morning,  he  will  himself  lead 
 tiiem  out  to  his  oivn  triumph  which  is  also  theirs  ; 
 this  he  would  by  no  means  have  done  in  the  day- 
 time, and  before  the  eyes  of  the  people,  who  were 
 to  see  him  no  more." 
 
 tion.  Let  us  now  look  more  narrowly  at  the 
 statements  of  the  Acts.  The  Lord  had  assem- 
 bled together  the  Apostles  on  the  last  day  ;  he 
 had  told  them  previously  the  time  and  place 
 of  a  general  gathering — for  this  is  the  only 
 valid  meaning'of  (JU>'aAzCo>w£»'o?,  ver.  4.*  It 
 is  not  to  be  supposed,  as  Sepp  thinks,  that  they 
 would  of  themselves  have  assembled  so  early 
 for  the  Pentecost.  But  was  that  a  penulti- 
 mate assembly  in  Jerusalem,  or  actually  the 
 last  ?  The  answer  depends  upon  the  question 
 whether  the  word  of  Jesus  in  ver.  4  is  identi- 
 cal with  chap.  xxiv.  49  in  the  Gospel,  the 
 thread  being  taken  up  from  there,  and  ver.  5 
 being  recovered  and  appended  in  this  more  cir- 
 cumstantial report.  This  might  assuredly  be 
 the  case,  and  tliea  we  should  have  first  in 
 dvyeMuyre?,  ver.  6,  the  final  assembly  of  the 
 ascension.  But — and  this  might  import  much 
 — the  following  6vveX(JF.lv  is  manifestly  con- 
 nected by  the  ovy  with  the  preceding  GwaXi- 
 Z£60ai:  when  those  who  had  thus  been  sum- 
 moned together  had  obeyed  his  direction  and 
 were  met.  Certainly  we  cannot  admit  Ben- 
 gel's  idea  that  this  was  a  sudden  concourse  of 
 the  Apostles,  for  the  purpose  of  a  united  request 
 ("  Facilius  putabant  conjunctim  se  impetra- 
 turos  esse  responsum").  But  whether  it  be 
 taken  as  the  sequel  of  ver.  4,  or  as  a  separate 
 final  gathering,  in  any  case  it  seems  to  us  that 
 the  expression  dvyeXBeiv,  or  "  coming  to- 
 gether," throws  much  clear  light  upon  the 
 i^rjyayf,  "led  out,"  as  not  literally  to  be  in- 
 terpreted in  the  Gospel,  for  we  cannot  inter- 
 pose between  ver.  6  and  ver.  9  any  further 
 journey  ;  and  yet  oi  ^iv  ovv  dvyeXOoyrei, 
 "  when  they  therefore  were  come  together," 
 cannot  be  interpreted  of  any  going  with  him, 
 as  if  he  had  led  them  forth.  Suffice  it,  that  if 
 we  hold  firmly  to  the  ovy,  vers.  4  and  6  do  not 
 refer  to  the  two  different  assemblies  (which 
 Olshausen  thinks  he  plainly  detects).  Conse- 
 quently the  words  of  vers.  4,  5,  are  not  one 
 
 *  We  need  neither  the  correct  readings  dvyavXt- 
 Zo/ueyoi  or  6vyaXi6M6^tEyo5,  nor  Herasterhuis' 
 conjecture  (JfraAiCo-^foi  5.  But  the  Vulg.  con- 
 vcscem  (corrected  into  convivens)  is  ceitainlj'  false 
 (although  it  is  thus  in  the  Syr.  ^'Qvh  pHOy  iJ^X— 
 
 Arab.,  2E.t\\.,  Chrys.,  Tlieoph.,  fficumen. ;  comp. 
 Symm.  ai  Psa.  cxli.  4).  For  while  this  derivation 
 as  from  aAS  is  incorrect,  such  a  convesci  is  alto- 
 gether inappropriate,  llesych.  exp'ains — 6vy- 
 aXiCOeii,  dvyaxOsii,  dvycxOftoidOsii :  Ben- 
 gel  follows  him,  and  interprets — When  be  was  in 
 I  heir  assembly:  so  D<3  Wette — Assembled  with 
 them.  But  this  is  not  probable  or  befitting;  for 
 he  C(juld  not  here  be  thus  incorporated  with  the 
 Apostles,  and  we  naturally  expect  an  ira'^aro 
 ai'ro/?.  But  we  have  dXH^sdOai  Midd.  tor 
 dXii^fiy,  with  a  trans,  signification  coUigere,  eon- 
 f/rcffare  {ste  the  Lexx.) — hence  rightly  Era-^m,  con- 
 ffregam  in  '^ein  loci,  so  Grolius  and  others  down  U> 
 lleinrichs  and  KuiiiOl.  The  avtovi  is  wanting 
 only  because  avroli  occurs  immediately.  Wo 
 doubt  whether,  as  Hasse  thinks,  the  word  as  con- 
 nected with  ttArS,  aA;/?,  has  a  special  significa- 
 tion of  "  collecting  together  with  toil," 
 
ACTS  I.  4,  5. 
 
 851 
 
 vcith  th«  eiyings  in  the  Gospel,  but  constitute 
 a  reiterated  injunction  of  the  Lord  that  they 
 should  wait  in  Jerusalem  for  the  Holy  Ghost; 
 and  then  the  VHov6are  fxov,  "ye  have  heard 
 of  me,"  includes  that  penultimate  saying,  with 
 all  which  had  preceded  it.  Such  a  repetition 
 might  almost  be  necessary  to  the  disciples 
 under  their  impulse  to  depart  elsewhere,  and 
 in  no  case  v/as  it  unsuitatale.  This  fully  ex- 
 plains to  us,  further,  the  indirect  construction 
 which  now  occurs,  on  the  repetition  of  the 
 former  word — And  commanded  them  {once 
 more)  not  to  depart,  etc. ;  as  well  as  the  trans- 
 ition with  piov,  because  there  was  now  added 
 a  new  and  distinctive  word.  Luke  in  the  Gos- 
 pel, vers.  50,  51,  recorded  no  sayings  of  Jesus, 
 but  recalls  them  here,  as  if  he  had  reserved 
 them  for  this  place ;  and  he  thus  gives  us  a 
 new  intimation  that  he  does  not  relate  every 
 thing  in  detail,  but  in  every  case  that  which 
 was  appropriate  to  his  plan. 
 
 In  ver.  2  eKrci/la'/zero?,  "given  command- 
 ments," may  indeed  embrace  the  collective  ap- 
 pointments and  intimations  of  the  forty  days  ; 
 yet  the  axptiji  ijnepai  preceding  makes  it 
 belong  particularly  to  this  last  day  ;  and  thus 
 it  becomes  a  preparatory  indication  of  vers.  4, 
 5.  And  now  one  word  upon  this,  that  is,  on 
 the  Sia  TtvEvfiaroZ  dyiov.  Though  many 
 unite  these  words  with  ovi  i^eXe'$aro, 
 "  whom  he  had  chosen"  (Olshausen  goes  too 
 far  when  he  says  that  this  is  the  general  ac- 
 ceptation), such  a  transposition  is  intolerable 
 to  us.  We  say  nothing  of  the  impossible  con- 
 nection with  dy£\ij(p9fj,  "  he  was  taken  up.  " 
 But  apart  from  the  harshness  of  the  construc- 
 tion, it  may  be  said — Is  a  recurrence  to  the 
 first  election  of  the  Apostles,  by  t/ie  Holy  Spirit, 
 natural  at  the  beginning  of  this  book  ?  This 
 is  rather  pre-supposed  in  the  itp^zoi  Xoyoi, 
 and  sufficiently  indicated  in  the  aSeXe^aro  : 
 the  addition  that  it  took  place  then  by  the 
 Holy  Spirit  would  be  a  marvellous  one,  for  the 
 itvEviia  ayiov  belongs  to  the  immediate 
 2}rospect.  'EvrtiXdnevoi  might,  indeed,  stand 
 quite  absolutely,  as  Luther  has  it  in  the  margi- 
 nal gloss  (though  he  takes  it  with  did,  "  Had 
 commanded  what  he  would,  namely,  that  they 
 Bhould  be  his  Apostles  and  preach  to  all  the 
 world."  But  it  retains  this  sense  if  we  take 
 did  Ttv.  dy.,  "  through  the  Holy  Ghost,"  in 
 connection  with  it;  the  only  course  left  to  us. 
 What  does  this  mean  ?  Seller  and  Van  Ess 
 translate:  Instructions  for  their  conduct,  or 
 orders  in  connection  with  his  coming.  Gossner 
 (with  whom  Sepp  ignorantly  concurs) :  With 
 a  view  to  the  Holy  Spirit.  But  can  Sid, 
 "  through,"  with  a  genitive  have  this  mean- 
 ing? Grotius  explains  it  as  "compendiosa  locu- 
 tio :  mandavit,  qucB  agere  deherentper  Sp.  S.,  post- 
 quam  scil.  quuuiaccepissent."  But  is  not  this 
 ellipsis  too  artificial?  In  such  case  we  should 
 find  rd  did  nyevjuaroS.  Others  understand 
 the  previous  preparatory  impartation  of  the 
 Spirit  (John  xx.  22),  in  the  sense  of  Erasmus' 
 bold  paraphrase :  "  Postquara  irapartitus  in 
 hoc  ipsum  Sp.  S.  mandata  dedisset,"     Verbally 
 
 this  is  imaginable  ;  as  it  were,  in  imparting 
 the  Spirit,  with  the  Holy  Ghost.  But  this 
 meaning  will  not  suit  here,  where  in  vers.  4,  5, 
 the  Spirit  is  yet  to  be  waited  for.  Thus  it 
 must  be  referred,  as  by  the  per  of  the  Vulg.,  to 
 Jesus,  who  already  stood  replenished  with  the 
 Holy  Ghost,  and  spoke  and  gave  his  instruc- 
 tions through  or  out  of  the  Spirit.  Bengel  is 
 at  first  most  correct,  "He  himself,  who  gave 
 the  commandments,  had  the  Holy  Spirit ;  "  but 
 he  then  adds  that  "  He  gave  this  as  the  earnest 
 of  Pentecost ; "  we  would  prefer  to  say,  He  had 
 the  Holy  Spirit,  but  they  had  him  not. 
 
 Verse  4.  There  is  but  little  additional  to 
 be  observed  here;  the  words  are  merely  a  con- 
 nected repetition.  It  is  now  "  Ye  have  heard 
 of  me, "  in  order  to  refer  back  distinctly  to 
 Luke  xxiv.  49.  Instead  of  "  Tarry  ye  "  it  is 
 stronger — "  That  they  should  not  depart  " — in 
 order  to  render  precise  and  most  pointed  an 
 injunction  which  might  appear  startling  or 
 harsh.  "  Nothing  would  have  been  more  ob- 
 vious than  to  retreat  from  Jerusalem,  if  the 
 disciples  had  looked  only  at  themselves,  their 
 position  and  relations  to  the  enemies  of  Jesus." 
 In  this  we  agree  with  Richter  ;  for  their  expec- 
 tation of  the  coming  of  the  power  of  the  king- 
 dom, ver.  6,  attached  itself,  as  we  shall  see,  to  the 
 great  promise  once  more  given  with  "  not  many 
 days  after;"  but  their  precipitate  impulse  a^ 
 witnesses  might  have  soon  driven  them  away 
 from  the  hating  Jerusalem,  for  instance,  into 
 Galilee.  There  is  additional  strength  also  in 
 the  itepiuEVEiv,  which  gives  prominence  to 
 the  great  reason  of  the  injunction  :  they  were 
 to  remain  and  wait,  wait  out  the  promise. 
 CETtayyEXia  cannot  be  translated,  with  Eb- 
 rard,  that  they  were  to  "  receive  a  message  from 
 the  Father:"  this  is  an  unusual  signification 
 of  the  word,  and  foreign  to  scriptural  phrase- 
 ology, which  has  it  only  in  some  uncertain 
 readings  of  1  John  i.  5,  iii.  11.  On  this  we 
 have  already  said  enough.)  But  he  once  more, 
 and  for  the  last  time,  by  a  similar  expression 
 gives  to  the  Father  his  honor,  who  had  prom- 
 ised the  Spirit  from  the  beginning  and  through 
 himself  Thus  he  distinctly  brings  before 
 them  again  his  late  saying,  but  adds  a  very 
 distinctive  and  specially  significant  word, 
 which  goes  back  to  the  Baptist's  promise,  on 
 the  border  between  the  Old  and  New  Testa- 
 ments. 
 
 Verse  5.  The  promise  which  ye  have  heard 
 of  me:  and  now  John  the  Baptist  is  immediate- 
 ly referred  to — after  this  appeal  in  his  o\«n  last 
 word  to  the  words  which  he  had  spoken  just 
 before,  after  this  condensation  of  all  his  dis- 
 course (Luke  xxiv.  44)  into  that  one  word 
 which  was  the  end  of  them  all  It  might  be 
 said  that  this  was  not  unexpected  to  the  Apos- 
 tles ;  that  this  repeated  reference  to  the  not 
 yet  fulfilled  promise  of  the  Spirit  would  natur- 
 ally bring  to  their  minds  that  earliest  word  of 
 the  Baptist.  But  this  recollection  of  well  re- 
 tained words,  this  right  summing  up  of  past 
 promises,  is  not  so  obvious  and  usual  a  thing 
 even  among  us  ;  and  the  Apostles  themselves 
 
LAST  WORDS  AT  THE  ASCENSION. 
 
 were  most  probably  surprised  by  this  sudden  re- 
 membrancer. We  may  find  in  all  the  four 
 Evangelists,  Matt.  iii.  11,  Mark  i.  8,  Luke  iii. 
 16,  John  i.  26,  31-33,  this  first  and  fundamen- 
 tal word  which  pointed  to  Jesus,  by  which  the 
 fulfillment  of  the  conclusive  promise  of  the 
 Old  Testament  was  referred  to  the  agency  of 
 him  who  had  now  come.  Thus  the  Lord  leads 
 back  his  Apostles'  minds  to  the  beginnings  of 
 the  new  economy,  in  order  to  establish  firmly 
 in  their  understanding  the  waiting  which  he 
 had  commanded.  "  He  refers  them  back  to 
 the  original  ieelings  and  dispositions  with 
 which  they  had  entered  the  school  of  John  the 
 Baptist ;  and  the  anticipations  and  earnests  of 
 a  new  life  which  they  had  then  received." 
 Lange  says  the  same,  and  spiritualizes  the 
 word  of  the  Lord  thus  :  "  He  promised  them 
 a  new  experience,  which  should  be  as  sublime- 
 ly elevated  above  the  inspiration  of  their  first 
 spiritual  awakening,  as  heaven  is  above  earth  ; 
 they  should  now  be  immersed  into  the  full 
 flood  of  the  Spirit  of  God,"  etc.,  etc.  This  is 
 quite  correct ;  but  the  water,  the  mere  water 
 speaks  more  of  their  former  lack,  than  of  their 
 former  inspiration  ;*  the  baptizing,  which  was 
 still  in  arrear,  must  be  taken  ia  its  strict  and 
 proper  sense,  because  they  had  just  before 
 heard  from  the  Lord,  according  to  Matthew 
 and  Mark,  that  such  a  baptizm  there  should  be. 
 John  had  said  that  Jesus  would  baptize  with 
 (he  Holy  Ghost;  and  he  had  also  said — lyoa 
 (XTtodreXAoa  icp  vjua?,  "  I  send  upon  you:" 
 but  he  does  not  go  on  to  add — Ye  shall  be 
 baptized  of  me.  Nor  does  he  say — And  icith 
 fire:  he  leaves  this  to  be  demonstrated  by  the 
 Holy  Ghost  himself,  when  his  divine  life  of 
 love  should  bring  in  the  discipline  which  would 
 save  from  the  wrathful  fire  of  the  last  judg- 
 ment, in  the  power  of  sanctifying  and  glorify- 
 ing fire  (Isa.  iv.  4,  Ixvi.  24). 
 
 Concerning  the  baptizing  with  the  Holy 
 Ghost,  Theophylact  rightly  said — "  It  signifies 
 the  outpourmg  and  abundance  of  the  bestow- 
 ment;"  for  it  is  so  far  equivalent  to  the  shed- 
 ding forth.  But  we  must  be  on  our  guard 
 agamst  removing  entirely  from  the  fJaTtri^Etv 
 the  co-ordinate  idea  of  the  external  sign,  from 
 which  the  word  takes  its  rise ;  and  so,  regard- 
 ing it,  like  the  Quakers,  as  an  expression  which 
 abolished  the  baptism  of  water  in  the  Church 
 of  Christ.!  For  the  Lord  had,  not  long  before, 
 appointed  a  baptism  (certainly  with  water,  as 
 we  have  seen).  The  Apostles  thus  understood 
 him,  and  acted  accordingly  ;  they  offered  the 
 gift  of  the  Holy  Gbost  under  the  condition  of 
 
 *  Banmsarlen  urges  the  sense  to  be  that  the 
 entire  Old-Testaraent  hisioiy  ha  1  not  attained  its 
 end,  the  sanctific-ution  and  purifying  of  the  people ; 
 and  that  tiotv  first  what  had  been  then  a  sign 
 should  be  realized,  the  Holy  Ghost  would  come  in 
 the  pl.ice  of  water. 
 
 *  In  Birclay  this  passage  figures  as  the  proof 
 that  waier-bapti.sm  was  not  to  be  perpetuated,  and 
 that  Matt,  xxviii.  19  must  have  another  iuterpre- 
 tauoa. 
 
 the  baptism  with  water ;  and,  in  the  house  of 
 Cornelius,  they  even  required  the  water  in  ad- 
 dition, after  the  baptism  of  the  Spirit  had  taken 
 place.  Would  they  have  so  entirely  misunder- 
 stood and  perverted  the  Lord's  meaning,  at  the 
 very  time  when  the  Holy  Spirit  came?  Oh, 
 no ;  the  one  consists  well  with  the  other ;  and 
 the  Lord  here  defines  the  essence,  the  spiritual 
 power  of  his  men  appointed  baptism  of  water 
 for  all  futurity  (as  the  contrast  with  John's 
 implies):  that  it  should  be,  at  the  same  time, 
 essentially  and  internally  a  baptism  with  the 
 Holy  Ghost.*  From  this  nvEvna  dyiov  we 
 must  certainly  distinguish  the  special  gifts, 
 the  visible  and  miraculous  effects  or  signs  of 
 his  reception,  such  as  the  tongues  and  the  pro- 
 phesying which  accompanied  it  in  the  begin- 
 ning: the  universal  promise  embraces  all  bap- 
 tism in  the  name  of  the  Three-One  to  the  end 
 of  time.f  The  extraordinary giftsand  the  mirac- 
 ulous signs  retire  ;  the  power  from  on  high, 
 the  certain  internal  grace,  abides,  though  it 
 may  be  in  weaker  and  slower  operation.  The 
 Lord,  speaking  with  i3/if?s  Se  especially  to  his 
 Apostles,  to  those  who  were  then  assembled  in 
 his  presence,  promised  that  gift  not  many  day» 
 hence.  (No  more  after  many  of  these  last  days 
 of  preparation  and  waiting.  It  is  not  a  "  re- 
 markable change  of  expression  instead  of  ov 
 TtoXi)  ^lEzd  ravrai  7)i.i£pcx<i  or  ov  itoX\al<i 
 TJUEpaii  iJEzd  ravra.  Winer  very  properly 
 compares  the  Latin  "ante  hos  quinque  dies," 
 and  something  similar  in  the  Greek  classics; 
 but  he  does  not  bring  out  the  distinctive  mean- 
 ing in  which  these  passed  or  still  passing  days 
 are  thus  designedly  mentioned.)  That  the 
 promise,  however,  was  not  intended  merely  for 
 the  beginning  at  the  day  of  Pentecost,  but 
 stretches  onward  to  all  times,  is  plain  from  the 
 universal  promise  of  the  Baptist's  word,  which 
 the  Lord  re-echoes  ;  from  the  reference  to  this 
 present  "ye  shall  be  baptized"  to  the  appoint- 
 ment to  baptize  among  all  the  nations ;  and, 
 finally,  from  the  express  apostolical  assurance 
 of  Acts  xi.  16,  17.  We  may  be  sure,  there- 
 fore, that  all  we  who  have  been  baptized  with 
 the  true  baptisni  of  Christ  have  thereby  re- 
 ceived the  first  fruits  and  earliest  influences  of 
 the  Holy  Ghost :  we  have  only  to  stir  up,  to 
 use,  and  to  increase  the  gift  of  God  which  is 
 in  us.  The  simple  and  absolute  waiting  for 
 the  Holy  Ghost  cannot  be  predicated  of  those 
 who  are  thus  baptized  ;  the  children  of  the  new 
 
 *  This  exegesis  may  not  be  strictly  according 
 to  Lutheran  do<:m:.tics.  Miiiy  theologians  un- 
 derstand Matt.  iii.  11  and  Acts  i.  6  only  of  the 
 Pentecostal  outpouring  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  But 
 we  think  that  the  Baptist  unconsciously  prophe- 
 sied ;  and  tiiat  Christ,  explaiiii  ig  his  words,  spoke 
 expressly  of  a  parallel  and  actual  hnptizing. 
 
 \  Lutz  very  improperly  regards  the  baptism  of 
 Philip,  Acts  viii.,  as  a  fahe  baptism,  in  which  all 
 reference  to  the  Holy  Ghost  was  wanting.  We 
 understand  that  passage  quite  diffo'rently,  but  to 
 ex  )lain  our  meaning  would  require  a  long  note, 
 Philip  did  oot  baptize  S.iuoa  rashly. 
 
ACTS  1.  5. 
 
 853 
 
 covenant  and  of  the  great  fulfillment  have 
 nothing  to  wait  for  absolutely  but  the  con- 
 summation of  the  kingdom  of  God  (in  them- 
 selves and  upon  earth),  and  the  second  coming 
 of  the  Lord.  When,  in  John  x.  24,  the  Jews 
 in  their  hypocrisy  were  ofi"ended  at  Christ,  be- 
 cause he  kept  their  souls  so  long  in  uncertainty, 
 the  answer  might  have  been — Ye  keep  your 
 own  souls  in  suspense,  ye  repel  the  Spirit  who 
 has  been  with  you  and  in  you,  since  your  bap- 
 tism. We  may  with  confidence  preach  to 
 every  baptized  person — The  fire  from  heaven 
 has  long  been  present ;  only  prepare  the  sacri- 
 fice, and  it  will  be  kindled ;  the  fire  will  con- 
 sume it,  if  not  now  directly  from  heaven,  yet 
 it  will  begin  to  burn  from  within  after  thy  own 
 long  restraint. 
 
 But  the  question  arises — What  of  the  bap- 
 tism of  these  first  disciples,  if  water  was  a  ne- 
 cessary part  of  the  true  and  spiritual  baptism 
 of  Christ?  It  must  be  observed  that  the 
 Lord  does  not  say — To  you,  who  have  not  been 
 baptized  with  water,  the  Spirit  shall  be  a  bap- 
 tism. Could  he  have  so  spoken  to  them?  Is 
 it  not,  rather,  inversely  true  that  they  had  al- 
 ready received  the  water,  but  not  yet  the 
 Spirit?  Thus  we  have  here  a  very  simple 
 answer  to  the  idly  developed  questions  which 
 have  been  raised  about  the  character  of  the 
 sacramental  baptism  of  the  Apostles,  and  of 
 the  little  Pentecostal  company  generally.     A 
 
 f)erfectly  idle  question,  however,  it  is  not ;  at 
 east  for  those  who  hold  the  sign  in  some  honor, 
 when  they  deal  with  sacramental  institutions 
 The  Lord  commanded  them — Baptize.  And 
 were  not  they  themselves  baptized  ?  The  Lord 
 has  established  it  firmly — He  that  believeth  and 
 is  baptized  shall  be  saved;  and  could  the  second 
 of  these  two  be  wanting  in  their  own  case? 
 But  they  had  already  been  once  baptized  of 
 John,  with  the  water  which  God  himself  ap- 
 pointed at  the  first.  Assuredly,  no  believing 
 and  obedient  Israelite  would  have  neglected 
 that  ordinance,  or  despised  this  counsel  of 
 God  ;  and  certainly  the  Apostles,  who  bore 
 such  a  character  before  their'call  by  Christ,  did 
 not  contemn  it.*  Very  many,  the  greatest 
 part  of  Jerusalem,  had  already  been  thus  bap- 
 tized with  water ;  all  from  every  part  of  the 
 land  most  assuredly  who  had  entered  the  dis- 
 cipleship  of  Jesus,  not  out  of  a  state  of  abso- 
 lute indifference  or  rejection,  but  in  the  spirit 
 of  a  prepared  devoutnesx  Hence  it  has  been 
 thought  (and  the  opinion  is  now  and  then 
 found  among  the  ancients)  that  the  three  and 
 the  five  thousand  who  were  converted  at  the 
 
 *  Allioli's  Bibel  suggests,  even,  that  the  Apos- 
 tles had  received  the  Holy  Ghost  already  in  the 
 baptism  of  Christ,  John  iv.  1,  2,  only  not  yet  the 
 viH;')Ie  gifts  ;  but  that  baptizing  was  a  transitory 
 and  transitional  continuation  of  the  b.aptism  of 
 John.  He  who  had  received  this  was  not  again 
 baptized ;  certainly  the  Apostles  did  not  baptize 
 each  other  anew.  Such  are  the  strange  things 
 which  find  tlieir-Vvay  into  the  expositions  of  the 
 infallible  Church! 
 
 beginning  were  no  other  than  strangers,  foreign 
 Jews  who  had  come  up  to  the  feast ;  and  that 
 their  baptism  added  them,  not  so  much  to  the 
 one  hundred  and    twenty  of  Christ's  flock,  as 
 to  the  whole  community  of  those  believers  in 
 Jesus  who,  in  and  out  of  Jerusalem,  had  been 
 already  prepared  by  John's  baptism  of  water. 
 But   this  asserts   too  much;    for  there   were 
 many  unbaptized,  who  had  become  disciples 
 after  John  had  ceased  his  baptism,  and  when 
 Jesus    no   longer   baptized  ;    and   there   were 
 many  who  had  hitherto  been  despisers  in  Jeru- 
 salem, and  who.se  hearts  were  pierced  by  the 
 words  of  Peter.     They  must  have  been,  accord- 
 ing to  the  plain  commandment  of  Jesus,  bap- 
 tized for  the  first  time — not  only  the  newly 
 converted,  but  the  disciples  also  who  had  not 
 previously  received  the  rite,  the  divine  sanc- 
 tion of  which  it  was  necessary  to  maintain. 
 Those  who  had   already    been    baptized   with 
 icaler  received  at  once  the  Spirit   in  addition, 
 without  any  repetition  of  the  water  ordinance, 
 that  the  progressive  unity  of  the  command- 
 ments of  God  might  appear  in  living  connec- 
 tion.*    Thus  it  was  necessary,  here  at  the  be- 
 ginning, that  the  two  elements  of  the  sacra- 
 ment, which    were   henceforth   to    be  strictly 
 united,  should  be  separated ;  the  water  of  John 
 and  the  Spirit  of  Christ,  in  succession  and  in 
 connection,  was  and  should  ever  be  the  true 
 baptism.     "  For,  in  fact,"  says  Bengel  quite 
 truly,  in  this  sense,  though  otherwise  the  bap- 
 tisms of  John  and  of  Christ  are  not  to  be  con- 
 founded, "  it  was   one   baptism,  which    Matt, 
 iii.  and  Matt,  x.xviii.  refer  to.     Otherwise  v/e 
 should  not  have  in  John  the  beginning  of  the 
 Gospel ;  and  the  holy  Supper  in  Matt,  xxvi. 
 would  be  of  earlier  appointment  than  the  bap- 
 tism of  Matt,  xxviii."     Would  it   then  be  at 
 all  supposable,  that  at  the  first  descent  of  the 
 Spirit,  which  must  needs  take  place  in  a  man- 
 ner so  absolute  and  convincing,  the  Apostles 
 would  have  once  more  baptized  each  other  with 
 water?     We  may  therefore  say,  in  respect  to 
 none   of   these  first-fruits,   that  the  baptismus 
 flaminis  took  the  place  of  or  represented  the 
 baptismus  fiuminis.     But  the  last  word  of  Je.su3 
 concerning  baptizing,  which  also  contains  his 
 explanation  of  the  transitional  character  of  the 
 first  baptism,  must  be  understood  in  this  sense, 
 as  regards  them— John  had  already  baptized 
 you  with  water,  therefore  ye  need  to  wait  only 
 for  the  Holy  Ghost.     Strictly  considered,  there 
 is  here  no  abolition  of  the  water  (with  which, 
 by  God's  commandment,  John  had  baptized), 
 but  rather  a  confirmation  of  it :  its  absolute 
 connection  with  the  Holy  Ghost  in  the  rite  is 
 implied — the  water  will  no  more  be  wanting.f 
 That  the  scriptural  regulation  was  afterwards 
 
 *  Whether  the  re-baptizing,  or  rather  the  first 
 true  baptism  of  those  whom  John  had  baptized, 
 was  absolutely  necessary,  Chemnitz  leaves  unde- 
 cided. 
 
 f  In  comparing  infant  baptism,  it  is  wrong  to 
 say  that  the  Spirit  came  afterwards,  while  the 
 mere  water  went  before. 
 
854 
 
 LAST  WORDS  AT  THE  ASCENSION. 
 
 introduced  in  all  its  completeness — which  only 
 the  £rst  transition  did  not  tolerate — we  find 
 not  merely  in  Acts  xix.,  where  the  ignorant 
 men  are  re-baptized  who  had  forgotten  the 
 word  of  John  as  if  they  had  never  "heard" 
 it,  but  also  in  the  baptism  of  the  later-called 
 Apostle,  Acts  ix.  19,  xxii.  16.  Thus  all  seems 
 so  far  clear. 
 
 A  new  topic  now  claims  our  attention.  The 
 Apostles,  after  this  promise,  come  forward  with 
 a  striking  and  urgent  qiiestion* — the  last  which 
 they  could  now  put  to  the  Lord.  (The  read- 
 ing litripaiToov  seems  to  us  better  to  suit 
 their  penetrating  inquiry  than  the  mere  tjfioi- 
 Toov.)  It  was,  indeed,  free  to  them  to  put  the 
 modest  questions  which  sprang  from  a  desire 
 to  be  taught,  as  long  as  the  Lord  was  still 
 with  them,  although  we  cannot  suppose  them 
 to  have  put  many  questions  to  the  Risen  Lord 
 (this  one  and  that  of  John  xxi.  21  are  the  only 
 examples  we  find).  But  still  their  present 
 questioning  was  not  the  waiting  which  had 
 again  and  again  been  impressed  upon  them,  it 
 failed  somewhat  of  that  becoming  and  quiet 
 submission  to  the  great  word  which  they  had 
 received.  Here  once  more,  we  might  almost 
 say,  they  are  entangled  in  that  which  was 
 human.  But  we  can  understand  what  that 
 was,  and  what  it  was  not,  only  when  we  un- 
 derstand what  it  was  which  they  a^ked.  First 
 comes  the  reverential  uvpiE,  "  Lord,"  and  then 
 the  particle  of  interrogation  (el  like  DN  is  so 
 
 used  even  in  an  indirect  question)  :  Dost  thou 
 at  this  time  establish  (again)  the  kingdom  to 
 Israel  ?  But  here  we  must  reject  this  "  again ;" 
 and,  in  order  to  obviate  misconception,  must 
 rightly  understand  the  dTCOKaOi6frji.it-  The 
 word  is  indeed  used  elsewhere,  and  in  classical 
 Greek  commonly,  for  restiiuo  in  pristinura  lo- 
 cum et  statum  ;  hence  it  occurs  for  restoring  to 
 health— Matt.  xii.  13 ;  Mark  iii.  5,  viii.  25 ; 
 Luke  vi.  10.  Yet  this  is  not  its  only  or  orig- 
 inal signification;  certainly  not  in  the  Scrip- 
 ture. We  said  upon  Matt  xvii.  11,  and  repeat 
 it  now  more  plainly :  xaQidrdvat  or  xaOi- 
 drdveiv  means  to  establish — It^rsieUen  or  hin- 
 stellen — to  order,  arrange,  set  right,  as  the 
 proper  expression  of  organizing,  setting  up,  or 
 consummating  any  system  or  constitution,  and 
 therefore  specifically  a  kingdom  ;  the  and 
 which  is  added  does  not  by  any  means  intro- 
 duce the  again,  but  simply  signifies  'perfectly, 
 entirely  (as  ab — ,  am — ,  or  ver — ,  in  German 
 combination).  It  therefore  only  strengthens 
 the  idea  of  establishing  or  setting  up.  It  is 
 true  that  the  Sept.  employs  the  term  for  a't^n 
 
 (Jer.  xvi.  15,  xxiv.  6,  1.  19  ;  Ezek.  xvi.  55,  and 
 especially  Mai.  iv.  5,  where  Luke  translates 
 iTCidrp/rpat),  but  we  must  seek  our  parallels  in 
 the  New  Testament.  As  occurring  in  Matt, 
 xvii.  11,  with  TtftdoTov — before  the  Lord  him- 
 self   comes   and   consummates   all   things — it 
 
 ♦  On  the  way,  Ebrard  thinks ;  but  this  does  not 
 suit  the  GwekQayTeit  as  we  understand  iU 
 
 cannot  mean  the  proper  restitutio  in  integrum^ 
 but  the  preparing,  the  regulation,  and  th« 
 arrangement  of  all  that  pertained  to  the  office 
 of  Elias  the  forerunner.  In  Heb.  xiii.  19  it  is 
 very  questionable  whether  a  return,  or  restora- 
 tion back,  is  meant ;  and  not  rather  the  mere 
 — "  that  I  may  be  given  to  you."  As  to  Acta 
 iii.  21  (the  most  decisive  parallel  of  our  passage), 
 that  which  God  had  spoken  and  promised  may 
 indeed  be  established,  and  exhibited  in  its  ful- 
 fillment, but  certainly  not  be  restored  ;  and  to 
 force  upon  the  passage  a  "  restitution  of  all 
 things"  is  altogether  out  of  harmony  with  the 
 connection,  as  well  as  opposed  to  the  meaning 
 of  the  word.  Thus,  in  our  present  passage, 
 el  azoHaOi6rdyEii  is  not  a  question  concern- 
 ing the  restoring  again  .•*  in  that  case,  it  is 
 probable  that  rov  and  not  roj  'lopatjX  would 
 nave  been  used ;  comp.  Heb.  xiii.  19.  The 
 question  cannot  have  referred  to  such  a  king- 
 dom as  had  been  from  the  beginning ;  for,  the 
 explanations  of  the  Lord  had  certaiuly  taught 
 the  disciples  so  much  as  this,  that  the  Holy 
 Ghost  would  be  in  that  kingdom,  and  that  all 
 nations  would  be  added  unto  it.  They  must 
 have  contemplated  and  expected  r  i/  v  Iia6t- 
 Xeiav,  "  the  kingdom,"  in  a  very  different 
 sense  from  any  which  the  word  had  hitherto 
 borne.  'AixoHadidrdvEiy,  "restore,"  means  to 
 set  up  at  once,  in  the  sense  in  which  it  was 
 promised,  and  is  yet  in  the  future  :  compare 
 Acts  iii.  22,  vuiy  d  y  a6  r  y  6  e  i — ver.  26, 
 dya6Trj(}ai.  If  the  promise  is  fulfilled,  then 
 that  which  was  promised  is  seen  to  be  really 
 established  and  confirmed.  But  dTronaOidra- 
 yety  includes  also  the  idea  oi  fulfillment  ;  for, 
 when  the  kingdom  is  established,  the  goal  of 
 all  is  reached,  nothing  more  is  to  be  expect- 
 ed.t 
 
 After  this  preliminary  disquisition,  we  shall 
 be  able  to  do  justice  to  the  meaning  of  their 
 question.  The  Apostles  iioio,  after  all  that  they 
 had  heard  from  the  Lord,  could  not  possibly 
 have  retained  those  thoughts  about  his  king- 
 dom which  they  betrayed  in  Luke  xix.  11,  and 
 xxiv.  21 — indeed,  even  in  this  latter  passage, 
 their  hope  is  not  to  be  interpreted,  as  we  have 
 seen,  in  an  entirely  carnal  and  Jewish  sense. 
 But,  alas  I  almost  all  expositors  so  interpret  it, 
 as  with  one  consent.  Lightfoot  thought  it  ne- 
 cessary to  evade  such  an  improbable  assump- 
 tion of  error  on  the  part  of  the  Apostles,  by 
 the  ridiculous  perversion — Surely  thou  wilt 
 not  restore  to  wicked  hrael  their  kingdom  ! 
 But  in  other  writers  we  read  to  satiety  about 
 "  earthly  views  of  the  Messiah  " — "carnal  sense  " 
 — "  Jewish,  carnal,  and  false  expectations." 
 The  excellent  Hofacker  enters  so  fully  into  the 
 predominant  exposition  as  to  magnify  the 
 Lord's  patience  with  these  slow-hearted  Apos- 
 
 *  Vulg.  restitues  in  the  sense  of  appointing  again 
 to  Israel.  So  Stolz  :  Bring  back  the  kinsdom  to 
 Israel.  So,  unhappily,  in  the  Heb.  Nno  Testament 
 a't'n  instead  of  tlie  preferable  D'[?n, 
 
 t  See  our  Redcn  dcr  Apostd,  i.  93-96 
 
ACTS  L  5.  6. 
 
 ties,  who,  after  th«  teaching  of  three  years, 
 could  thu3  ia  the  last  hour  put  questions  sa- 
 voring so  entirely  of  their  old  Jewish  pre-pos- 
 sessions.  But  all  this  we  absolutely  deny.  It 
 is  true  that,  as  Ebrard  says,  this  questioning 
 of  the  Apostles  is  "of  moment  in  characteriz- 
 ing their  ttage  of  kimwleiige  at  that  period  " — 
 but  that  stage  was  at  that  time  an  elevated 
 one,  their  perception  about  the  matter  itself 
 was  correct.  Even  Herder  says  that  "  the 
 crucifixion  must  have  removed  the  scales  from 
 the  eyes  of  tlie  disciples ;  and  when  the  Lord 
 rose  again  they  must  have  felt  that  there  was 
 to  be  no  earthly  kingdom  there  and  then." 
 Very  true,  if  this  "earthly"  is  understood  to 
 mean  their  old  and  carnal  suppositions  ;  but  if 
 it  was  intended  to  deny  the  final  external  and 
 glorious  kingdom  of  the  Israel  of  God  in  this 
 world,  it  is  but  the  opposite  error  of  spiritual- 
 ism which  disbelieves  the  prophecies.  Such  a 
 misconception  of  the  disciples  would  certainly 
 have  been  repelled;  but  can  we  suppose  them 
 to  have  actually  erred  in  this  ?  They  had  re- 
 ceived the  instructions  of  the  forty  days,  by 
 means  of  which,  as  ver.  3  intimates,  the  true 
 and  real  kingdom  of  God  had  become  the  centre 
 and  focus  of  all  their  views,  of  all  their  insight 
 into  Scripture  and  the  great  economy  of  the 
 divine  counsel.  And  can  we  suppose  them, 
 after  this,  to  have  remained  in  ignorance  as  to 
 what  kind  of  kingdom  that  would  be?  In 
 that  case,  on  the  one  hand,  this  preparatory  in- 
 struction must  have  been  in  vain  and  super- 
 fluous, afid  the  Lord  would  have  done  better 
 to  begin  at  once  with  the  Pentecost ;  or,  on  the 
 other  hand,  even  the  IIolp  Spirit  could  scarcely 
 have  removed  such  thick  scales  from  their 
 eyes.  We  can  conceive  that  they  might  have 
 misapprehended  and  misinterpreted  isolated 
 passages  of  Scripture ;  but  such  a  total  mis- 
 understanding we  cannot  conceive.  Olshausen 
 lays  the  emphasis  very  correctly  upon  this, 
 tliat  the  Lord  had  told  them  rd  itspi  ri/i 
 /jadtXeia^y  that  is,  that  "  he  had  confided  to 
 his  disciples  all  that  remained  to  be  told  them 
 concerning  his  kingdom ;  "  but  this  does  not 
 admit  of  their  retaining  any  such  fundamental 
 error  as  to  the  relation  of  that  kingdom  to  Is- 
 rael as  would  be  inconsistent  with  its  spiritual 
 character.  Ebrard  supposes  that  "they  still 
 and  continually  thought  only  of  a  visible  king- 
 dom. " — but  did  the  Lord  ever,  in  his  interpre- 
 tation of  the  prophets,  speak  of  a  kingdom 
 which  should  not  be  "  visible,"  neither  now  nor 
 in  the  future?  Oh,  that  the  Lord's  rebuke  on 
 the  way  to  Emmaus  might  still  extricate  men 
 from  their  confusion  upon  this  subject  1  Did 
 he  not  lay  open  the  prophets,  and  confirm  their 
 predictions  ?  And  do  they  not  undeniably 
 every  where  speak  of  a  kingdom  of  Israel 
 which  should  finally  be  visible — do  not  all  their 
 visions  and  promises  end  with  the  plainest  as- 
 surances to  the  covenant  people  of  God,  the 
 seed  of  Abraham,  upon  this  earth — such  as 
 have  been  vainljc wrested  into  a  mere  "spirit- 
 ual "  application  by  an  incorrect  orthodoxy  ? 
 The  annunciation  to  Mary,  Luke  i.  33,  speaks 
 
 of  nothing  else  ;  Gabriel  had  not  carnal-Jewish 
 ideas,  nor  did  he  for  a  time  accommodate  his 
 expressions  to  any  such.  Limborch.  indeed  (in 
 the  Coinm.  upon  Acts),  makes  the  Risen  Lord 
 still  accommodate  his  words  to  prevalent  opin- 
 ions. He  clings  to  the  incorrect  notion  of  the 
 a7toKaOi6rdy£iy,  "  restore,"  and  thence  proves 
 (groundlessly,  as  we  have  seen)  that  "the 
 Apostles  did  not  understand  the  erection  of  a 
 heavenly  and  spiritual  kingdom.  When  they 
 ask  about  the  resiituiion  of  the  kingdom  of 
 Israel,  they  seem  to  mean  the  same  kingdom 
 which  had  been  broken  up.  But  it  was  the 
 external  kingdom  of  Israel  which  was  thus 
 broken  up."*  He  then  goes  on,  "  The  Lord 
 indulged  their  infirmity,  and  spoke  to  them  in 
 such  a  manner  that  he  might  not  altogether  cut 
 off  their  hopes" — "  the  disciples  received  in  a 
 carnal  sense  the  words  which  the  Lord  had 
 spoken  concerning  his  kingdom  in  accommoda- 
 tion to  their  expectation  of  a  Messiah  " — and 
 "  Jesus  thus  tempered  his  words,"  so  as  to  leave 
 them  still  in  possession  of  these  notions.  Oh, 
 no  ;  most  assuredly  no  !  For  a  long  time  past 
 he  had  spoken  to  them  openly  and  plainly  ;  he 
 now  answers  without  any  reservation ;  and 
 this  very  answer,  as  we  shall  see,  will  not 
 allow  us  to  find  in  the  question  of  the  disciples 
 any  fundamental  error  as  to  the  matter  of  tha 
 kingdom  in  itself. 
 
 The  Apostles  did  not  ask  as  "  patriots  long- 
 ing for  freedom  " — according  to  the  brief  re- 
 mark of  J.  Von  Miiller.  They  did  ask,  indeed, 
 as  patriots  filled  with  that  sacred  patriotism 
 for  Israel  which  the  prophets  justified,  which 
 the  Lord  himself  showed  to  the  end,  and  which 
 was  again  exhibited  in  Paul  the  Apostle  of  tha 
 Gentiles,  which  the  entire  Scripture  requires 
 from  all  the  faithful  of  all  nations  grafted  into 
 Israel.  They  were  not,  however,  longing  for 
 freedom,  but  for  the  dominion  of  God  and  his 
 Spirit  through  Christ ;  that  is,  for  the  kingdom 
 of  God  in  and  for  Israel.  It  is  better  said,  and 
 almost  with  perfect  correctness,  by  Rothmaler: 
 "  They  were  not  satisfied  with  the  renewal  of 
 their  own  hearts.  Their  wishes  and  longings 
 went  forth  after  the  promises  of  the  Lord  in 
 the  old  covenant."  We  would  add :  They 
 were  not  satisfied  with  the  conversion  of  the 
 nations  without ;  their  looks  and  desires  were 
 turned  toward  Israel,  and  rightly  so.  Bengel 
 says :  "  The  disciples  thought  no  longer  of  a 
 worldly  kingdom  in  such  a  Jewish  and  carnal 
 sense  as  many  expositors  unjustly  attribute  to 
 them  ;  for  Christ  had  given  them  by  this  time 
 ample  instruction  as  to  the  true  character  of 
 his  kingdom.  They  only  regarded  the  full 
 glory  of  that  kingdom,  as  depicted  by  the  pro- 
 phets, to  be  probably  very  near  at  hand."  Ia 
 truth,  they  understood  far  better,  when  they 
 put  this  question,  what  the  kingdom  promised 
 to  Israel  was,  than  these  condemning  expositors 
 
 *  Nor  is  this  absolutely  true ;  for  was  it  not 
 rather  the  spiritual  kingdom  of  God,  as  the  great 
 design  of  the  theocracy,  which  was  fallen  aud 
 I  must  be  restored  t 
 
LAST  WORDS  AT  THE  ASCENSION. 
 
 themselves,  who  do  rwrf  believe  all  that  the 
 prophets  have  spoken.  They  probably  think 
 of  the  thrones  promised  in  Luke  xxii.  30  ;  they 
 desire  not,  however,  the  establishment  of  the 
 kingdom  for  their  own  sakes,  or  for  the  sake  of 
 those  thrones,  but  for  the  sake  of  wretched, 
 fallen,  and  ruined  Israel.  Whatever  that  may 
 mean,  the  thing  itself  they  presuppose  (let  it 
 be  carefully  noted)  as  something  concerning 
 which  they  now,  quite  otherwise  than  before, 
 are  agreed  with  the  Lord,  and  the  Scripture 
 which  he  has  taught  them  to  understand — and 
 the  Lord's  answer  completely  confirms  their 
 view.  "  Their  question  is  not  a  sign  of  their 
 misunderstanding  ignorance,  but  a  proof  of 
 their  right  knowledge.  The  artificial  expe- 
 dients of  modern  exposition,  which  resolve 
 those  promises  concerning  the  kingdom  and  the 
 people  of  Israel  into  a  kingdom  of  the  Spirit 
 and  a  Church  of  the  saints,  were  quite  un- 
 known to  these  Apostles"  (Bauragarten). 
 "  That  they  desired  no  external  or  unspiritual 
 kingdom  of  Israel  is  made  evident  by  this,  that 
 they  dediiced  the  promise  of  the  kingdom  from 
 the  promise  of  the  Spirit."  In  this  Lange  is 
 incontestably  right  ;*  for  who  can  venture  to 
 detach  their  question  from  those  preceding 
 words,  and  make  it  an  abrupt  interjection  from 
 an  altogether  opposite  point  of  view?  They 
 do  not  ask  about  the  restoration,  but  only 
 about  the  time  (as  the  Lord's  answer  also 
 shows) ;  so  that  we  must  bring  Matt.  xxiv.  3 
 into  comparison.  Moreover,  they  connect  their 
 hasty  "  at  this  time  "  with  the  word  which  he 
 had  just  given  them — I^ot  many  days  hence. 
 "  Is  it  for  this  end  that  we  are  to  remain  in 
 Jerusalem?  Wilt  thou,  not  many  days  hence, 
 ah,  that  it  may  be  so  1 — establish  here  the 
 kiv^domf  Will  not  the  jyoicer  from  on  high 
 bring  also  the  kingdom  and  glory  of  God?" 
 Nor  is  it  to  be  overlooked,  that  they  do  not 
 arrogate  to  themselves  this  authority  of  the 
 Spirit  •.  they  do  not  s;iy — Shall  we  then  estab- 
 lish ?  but — Wilt  thou  set  up,  in  thy  power  over 
 heaven  and  earth,  the  kingdom  by  means  of 
 our  instrumentality,  thy  unworthy  instru- 
 ments? 
 
 If  there  was  curiosity  in  this,  it  was  not  a 
 very  blamablo  curiosity.  Was  it  inqyatience? 
 Scarcely  in  any  degree;  but  rather  a  holy 
 desire,  as  justifiable  as  it  was  natural.  The 
 only  misunderstanding,  the  only  failure  in 
 knowledge,  which  it  betrayed,  was  thLi,  that 
 while  they  regarded  this  "establishment"  as 
 possibly  to  take  place  in  a  very  sudden  man- 
 nfir,  they  could  not  have  been  as  yet  ac- 
 quainted with  the  spiritual,  internal  process  of 
 the  course  of  this  kingdom,  and  its  slow  and 
 gradual  preparation  in  the  spiritual  nature  of 
 men  through  the  ages  of  time.f     But  is  not 
 
 *  Thousih  not  in  his  other  roinnrk,  tliat,  the 
 I.onl's  public  and  confidential  walking  with  tlioin, 
 Mich  as  had  never  taken  place  before  since  the  re- 
 Burrection  (the  supposed  leading  them  out),  led 
 ibeir  thought  to  such  high  expectations. 
 
 f  "  Thus  their  disposition  of  mind  still  clung  to 
 
 this  more  or  less  the  case  with  all  who  prema- 
 turely long  for  the  bringing  in  of  the  accom- 
 plishment of  God's  work  ?  Will  not  the  final 
 consummation  be  a  sudden  interposition,  be- 
 fore the  eyes  of  all,  of  the  divine  power  unto 
 victory  ? 
 
 Concerning  the  time,  it  appears  the  Lord  had 
 very  little,  if  at  all,  spoken,  in  his  final  dis- 
 courses upon  the  kingdom  of  God  ;  nor  does 
 he  (any  more  than  the  other  Scriptures)  give 
 any  further  explanation  in  his  final  answer. 
 Thus,  the  question  of  the  Apostles  is — as  they 
 were  led  by  the  Holy  Spirit  to  put  it  to  the 
 Lord,  in  orcler  that  the  true  answer  for  all  ages 
 might  issue  from  his  lips — actually  the  last 
 qnestion  which  remains,  at  the  ascension  of 
 Jesus  :  it  is  the  last  great  question  of  longing 
 and  of  faith,  which  continually  urges  his  disci- 
 ples with  desire  to  know  the  tiTne  of  the  con- 
 summation of  his  kingdom.  The  ansioer  of 
 the  Lord  is  the  most  befitting  final  explanation 
 with  which  he  could  depart,  opening  to  them, 
 or  rather  closing,  the  mystery.  "  For  his  de- 
 parture declared  to  them,  as  an  actual  fact, 
 that  a  great  gulf  must  intervene  between  the 
 outpouring  of  his  Spirit  and  the  manifestation 
 of  his  kingdom"  ^Lange). 
 
 Verso  7.  "  With  thoughts  of  tenderness  and 
 mystery  "  he  replies.  His  answer  is  as  deci- 
 sive, in  its  plain  revelation  of  what  was  hid- 
 den, as  was  possible  in  this  most  gracious 
 farewell  word.  Far  be  it  from  us  to  interpret 
 this  word  as  Limborch  does  :  "The  Lord  made 
 use  of  a  declining  reply,  neither  afliirming  nor 
 denying  any  thing  with  certainty,  lest  he 
 should  trouble  their  minds  by  altogether  cut- 
 ting off  their  hopes."  They  who  entertain 
 such  an  opinion  of  the  Lord's  reply  altogether 
 forget  the  crisis  of  the  ascension,  and  do  not 
 rightly  appreciate  the  relation  between  the  in- 
 struction which  thoy  had  hitherto  received  and 
 the  power  of  the  Pentecostal  effusion.  This  is 
 the  case  with  Braune,  when  he  represents  the 
 matter  as  if  light  was  promised  from  on  high, 
 and  as  if  the  mistake  of  the  inquiring  disci- 
 ples involved  at  once  impatience  and  error. 
 But  why,  if  that  was  so,  was  there  not  a  word 
 of  light  given  to  oppose  the  error  which  re- 
 sulted in  such  impatience?  Instead  of  this, 
 we  are  required  to  assume  that  "  he  seizes 
 the  impatience  of  the  disciples  alone,  and  re- 
 pels it.  He  says  not  a  word  about  their  carnal 
 expectations."  For  ourselves,  we  prefer  to 
 draw  the  conclusion  that  nothing  was  said  con- 
 cerning it,  because  it  did  not  exist  in  their 
 minds.  "  But  the  promise,  that  they  should 
 receive  the  jtouier  of  the  Holy  Ghost  is  repeated 
 by  him  :  that  would  extricate  them  from  their 
 false  expectations.  Therefore  he  further  re- 
 presents to  them  that  they  should  be  his  wit- 
 nesses. While  they  were  making  him  known 
 the  scales  would  more  and  more  drop  from 
 
 the  thought  that  the  kingdom  of  God  would  \  • 
 set  up  at  first  with  crtertiai  victorious  power."  Thts 
 view  of  Von  Oerl.icli  is  correct,  and  the  reply  is 
 quite  consistent  with  iU 
 
ACTS  I.  7. 
 
 tbeir  eyes.    Their  love,  their  simplicity,  their 
 joyful  testimony  in  the  power  of  the  Spirit, 
 would  lead  them  onwards."     On  the  contrary, 
 we  think  that  such  a  docendo  discere,  such  a 
 learning  while  they  were  teaching,  is  a  very 
 doubtful   supposition    as    respects  the    Apos- 
 tles and  witnesses  of  the  kingdom  which  was 
 to  be  waited  for.   We  ask.  Did  not  the  Lord  in 
 Luke  xxiv.  48— after  vers.  44-47— attribute  to 
 them  by  the  ndorvpei  Tovrcsv,  "  \vitnesses 
 of  these  things,"   a  perfect  insight  into  the 
 manner,  the  process,  and  the  goal  of  the  king- 
 dom, at  least  in  all  essential  respects  ?     Was  it 
 not  power  merely  to  which  he  further  referred 
 their  expectations,  and  by  no  means  additional 
 illumination,   in  order  *to    their   testimony  ? 
 Must  not  the  beginning  at  Jerusalem  have  its 
 reason  in  the  permanent  vocation  of  this  Is- 
 rael, which  is  to  be  confirmed  ut   the   end? 
 Are  we  to  suppose  that  only  in  the  commence- 
 ment of  the  apostolical  testimony,  when  they 
 had  not  j-et  been  "  led  further, "  the  Jewish 
 element  still  crept  in  ;  and  interpret  according- 
 ly such  words  as  Acts  iii.  20,  21,  25  ;  xv.  15, 
 16;  xxviii.  20?     Was  Paul  imperfect  in  his 
 views,  and  only  revealing  his  own  delusion, 
 when  he  wrote  Rom.  xi.  25-29?     Such  ques- 
 tions we  may  ask,  as  based  upon  the  New  Tes- 
 tament alone,  and  without  appealing  at  all  to 
 the  prophets.     Assuredly,  if  there  was  no  "  es- 
 tablishing of  the  kingdom  of  Israel,"  as  the 
 Apostles  here  meant  it,  reserved  for  the  future, 
 then  there  would  have  been  necessary  here  a 
 final  protest — Ye  err,  and  have  not  yet  rightly 
 understood   the  Scriptures.     But,   instead   of 
 this,  what  does  the  Lord  answer  and  testify? 
 He  does  not  say  Wo;  he  confirms  that  which 
 the  question  took  for  granted.     He  does  not, 
 properly  speaking,  rebuke  or  blame  their  ques- 
 tioning at  all.     He  does  not  say — "  It  is  not 
 your  privilege  and  your  duty  to  ask" — and  so 
 lar  Bengel  is  right.     His  answer  refers  only  to 
 the  time;  but  he  confirms  what  they  took  for 
 granted,  that  there  was  in  the  future  such  a 
 final  aTtoHctOidrdvEiy.     He  replies  that  the 
 preparations  for  that  kingdom  would  continue 
 long,  and  that  it  was  not  needful  or  befitting 
 for  them  to  know  tke  times  of  this.     How  can 
 any  one  say,  after  this,  that  he  answered  de- 
 dinatorie,  nee  affirmaiido  nee  ti-  gando  ? 
 
 As  all  that  is  hidden  and  reserved  is  referred 
 every  where  to  the  Father  (comp..  Matt.  xx. 
 23),  so  it  is  here.  "EQeto,  "  hath  put,"  may 
 be  translated,  with  Erasmus,  by  cmstituit  (as 
 I'drtfdsv,  -chap.  xvii.  31);  and  this  makes 
 Bengel's  argument  all  the  more  forcible — 
 "  Therefore  the  thing  itself  must  be  firm,  else 
 there  would  be  no  tiTue  for  it."  The  same, 
 however,  is  established  by  the  ;i'po»'ot)?  t) 
 jiaipovi,  "  times  or  seasons,"  especially  if, 
 with  the  Vulg.,  we  understand  it  posuit  in  sua 
 fotestate  (Iv  for  eii)—he  has  placed  it  in  hia 
 own  power,  and  resei-ved  it  by  his  own  author- 
 ity. To  this  the  intensive  iSia,  "  his  own," 
 might  lead  us.  But,  further,  what  is  meant 
 by  these  times  nnd  seasons?  Must  it  be  pop- 
 Hl&rly  .espounded  as  ^xpres&ing  merely  the 
 
 superficial  sense  of  our  "  time  and  opportuni- 
 ty?" Certainly  not;  because,  at  the  very 
 outset,  the  intentional  plural  was  designed  to 
 correct  the  too  hasty  slngidar  of  the  question — 
 That  for  which  ye  ask  will  take  place  only 
 after  many  days  and  times.  Luke  xxi.  24  had 
 already  spoken  of  the  «az/)o?5  lOv^t^,  or  times 
 of  the  Gentiles,  which  must  first  be  accom- 
 plished; see  the  exposition  of  that  passage. 
 But  the  two-fold  word  (as  it  recurs  in  1  Thess. 
 V.  1,  certainly  with  allusion  to  this  intimation 
 of  our  Lord,  at  least  with  like  meaning  and 
 emphasis)  cannot  be  interpreted  as  a  double 
 expression  for  the  same  thing,  since  ?/  (or) 
 comes  between.  Such  a  phrase  is  not  used  of 
 mere  "  longer  or  shorter"  periods.  Xpovo?, 
 rather,  marks  the  proper  space  of  time  extend- 
 ing forwards ;  while  naipoi,  on  the  other 
 hand,  means  a  period  of  time  appointed  for 
 any  thing,  which,  indeed,  may  include  a  longer 
 time  with  all  its  circumstances.  The  Vulg. 
 translates  the  latter  by  momenta  ;  Erasmus  by 
 artieuli  tfmporum  ;  Van  Ess  by  Zeitumstande  ; 
 Bengel,  in  harsh  and  inappropriate  German 
 (which  was  not  his  forte),  by  Gelegenlieiten,. 
 It  is  fundamentally  the  same  which  we  call  in 
 history  periods  or  epochs;  the  first  D'ny  and 
 
 the  second  D^nyiD,  though  the  Ueb.  N.  T.  has 
 
 improperly  inverted  these  two  words.  Acta 
 vii.  17,  20,  does  not  apparently  distinguish  so 
 accurately ;  but  we  may,  even  there,  under- 
 stand the  first  time  the  issue  or  running  out  of 
 the  xpo'^'^''-  ^^^^  "'•  20,  21  most  plainly  co- 
 incides, where  the  xaipoi  a.va-4)u^EooZ,  "times 
 of  refreshing,"  are  shorter,  definite  2^oints  of 
 time  in  which  the  refreshing  breathings  of  the 
 Spirit  are  consciously  felt;  while  the  xfxJ^oi 
 aTCOHaTa6rn6E(J0i  are  longer  spaces  of  time, 
 which  the  full  realization  of  all  that  had  been 
 promised  alone  makes  manifest.*  Finally,  we 
 find  the  same  combination  of  the  phraseology 
 in  Wisd.  viii.  8,  with  which  we  may  compare 
 Dan.  ii.  21,  Sept.  (In  chap.  vii.  12  the  same 
 Chaldee  expressions  are  not  so  precisely  trans- 
 lated.) Thus,  the  Lord  means,  first,  the  spaces 
 of  distance  intervening  between  the  prorninent 
 epochs  which  would  exhibit  a  stage  in  the 
 consummation  of  the  kingdom  ;  and  then,  se- 
 condly, the  times  of  fulfillment  thus  in  each 
 instance  come.  Lange's  expression  very  aptly 
 the  sense — "Times  of  concealing   or   of 
 
 gives 
 
 fulfillment."  Concerning  these  ;f/3o)'oi;?  t/ 
 uaipovi  he  finally  and  absolutely  refuses  to 
 us  any  knowledge,  just  as  he  had  spoken  in 
 Matt.  xxiv.  36,  Alark  xiii.  32,  of  the  day  and 
 the  hour  of  his  return.  Moreover,  by  thus  re- 
 ferring back  to  his  former  declaration,  he  gives 
 us  to  understand  that  the  establishment  of  the 
 kingdom  for  Israel  would  be  connected  with 
 his  (first)  return. 
 
 Did  he  not  himself  yet  know  that  of  which 
 he  here  speaks?     Did  he  not  really  know  the 
 
 *  See  my  Reden  der  Apostel  \.  95 ;  and  in  p.  96 
 that  axpi  is  BOt  equivalent  to  £035,  Jjut — while,  aa 
 long  as. 
 
LAST  WORDS  AT  THE  ASCENSION. 
 
 times  and  the  periods  "in  his  present,  «/i^ 
 hu7nanli/hiimf4edconlem])\&i\on?"  Must  we, 
 because  he  speaks  of  the  Father,  think  that 
 even  now  he  knows  not  as  the  Son,  as  he  knew 
 not  in  Murk  xiii.  32?  Hase  scrupled  not  to 
 regard  it  as  jmsibly  intimated  here  that  "he 
 retracted,  on  a  clearer  view,  earlier  expressions 
 in  which  he  had  closely  connected  his  return 
 with  the  then  present  generation,  and  the  ap- 
 proaching destruction  of  Jerusalem"  This, 
 however,  he  also  is  good  enough  to  retract 
 afterwards  ;  and  we,  who  have  better  under- 
 stood the  Lord's  earlier  sayings,  need  not 
 spend  any  time  upon  it.  We  think  that  if  he 
 did  not  even  yet  know,  he  would  have  said  so, 
 as  on  that  former  occasion.  His  neymdii — his 
 state  of  humiliation,  as  having  emptied  himsdf 
 — is  now  at  an  end,  and  therefore  he  emphat- 
 ically begins  by  saying,  "  It  is  not  for  you 
 (ovx  t-iucDv)  to  know:  so,  though  he  knew  full 
 well  the  day  of  Pentecost,  he  consulted  their 
 good  by  leaving  it  unrevealed  for  thrtr  wait- 
 ing. But  new  questions  immediately  arise — 
 Does  this  declaration  hold  good  merely  as  re- 
 gards the  Apostles  and  first  disciples?*  May 
 we  therefore  expect  to  know  the  times?  Did 
 an  Apostle  know  at  a  later  period  ?  Is  not  the 
 Apocalypse  argument  for  this  ?  Was  not  the 
 Apocalytic  reckonmg  here  excluded?  Bengel 
 v/as  very  naturally  constrained  to  seek  this  re- 
 fuge ;  and  we  find  in  the  Giutmon :  " Not  for 
 you,  he  says ;  whence  we  must  not  infer  that  it 
 would  not  be  for  others  afterwards  to  know. 
 The  things  which  it  was  not  for  the  Apostles 
 to  know,  were  afterwards  disclosed  in  the 
 Apocalypse.  This  more  general  announcement 
 does  not  militate  against  a  subsequent  more 
 specific  revelation."  Similarly  in  the  O/yZo 
 temporum :  "  He  did  not  say  that  no  man 
 should  kruno,  but  that  no  man  knows.  He  him- 
 self was  about  to  know  (?) — and  when  he  had 
 obtained  the  knowledge  of  the  day  and  the 
 hour,  he  could  give  the  knowledge  of  it  to 
 whom  he  would  and  when  he  would."  This 
 Hengstenberg  in  his  Christology  quot-^s  with 
 approbation,  and  many  continually  follow  in 
 the  same  track.  Father  Lambert  even  para- 
 phrases (Meyer  says  "not  amiss,"  but  we  al- 
 together demur),  "  The  knowledge  of  which 
 the  Father  hath  reserved  till  he  shall  think  it 
 right  to  give  that  knowledge."!  Oetinger 
 maintained  boldly  :  "  If  we  hold  firmly  fast  the 
 directions  given  by  the  enlightened  Bengel, 
 and  interpret  the  Revelation  thereby,  we  are 
 in  the  great  point  (really  the  great  point?) 
 
 *  III  our  SehuVehrerhihel  we  find  it  written,  ns  if 
 the  leaciiers  likewise  must  not  he  preven'.ed  from 
 knowing  :  "  Because  the  disciples  wei-e  not  to 
 survive  to  the  time  when  tlie  kingdom  promised 
 by  the  piophels  should  take  its  beginning,  i/ifi/ 
 needed  not  to  knov/  the  time."  Was  it,  then,  that 
 tliey  mighi  hope  to  live  to  see  it  1 
 
 •f  2/ie  Wissayungen  und  Verbeitun/j^n  der  Kirche 
 Jesu  Vltr  six  auf  die  Mslen  Zeilen  der  Jleiden  gegehen, 
 nack  LaniWrt,  bearbeit  von  laiichem  (J.  T.  von 
 Meyer),  NUrnb.  1818, 
 
 more  enlightened  than  the  AposMes,  who  pos- 
 sessed not  the  Revelation  of  John."     Again: 
 "That  which  was  denied  to  the  Apostles  is  a 
 gift,  charisma  of  our  times."     Richter's  IJim- 
 hihel  says,    "  This   reserved   knowledge   Jesus 
 Christ  obtained  for  us,  Rev.  v."     We  shall  not 
 enter  into  this  great  subject  more  folly  now, 
 but  simply   avow  that    we  think    otherwise. 
 We  cannot  understand  the  promise  of  Dan.  xii. 
 4,  10,  as  having  reference  to  this  reckoning  of 
 the    seasons;  we  are   convinced  that    all   the 
 numbers  in  prophecy  are  either  symbolical,  or 
 so  uncertainly  set   forth  as  to  the  tenninos  a 
 quo,  etc. — and  this  even  in  the  Apocalypse — 
 that  no  proper  knowing  of  the  times  is  ever  to 
 be  supposed  possible.     We  admit  that  there 
 may  be  observations  of  them  in  general,  ami 
 approximating  marks  maybe  discerned ;  but 
 it  IS  very  remarkable  that  when  chronological 
 dates    for  the  future    have  been    determined 
 with  precision  by  even  learned  and  far-reach- 
 ing and  devout  men,  they   have  notoriously- 
 gone  astray.     We,  for  our  own  part   remain 
 fixed  in  the  humble  assurance  that  "It  is  not 
 for  yo'i  to  know,"  spoken  by  the  Lord  even  to  the- 
 Apostles,  was  still  more  expressly  spoken  to  al! 
 the  believers  of  a  later  age,  whom  he  here  as- 
 ever  regarded  as  represented  by  them  ;  that  it 
 was  spoken  to  all  whom  he  leaves  »till  upon 
 earth  until  his  coming  again,  and  with  whom  h& 
 places   himself  in    contrast   as   the  ascendin<^ 
 Lord    by   this   great   v/jwr,  "you''  (himself 
 therefore  most  certainly  knowing).     This  -not 
 knowing  oi  the  times,  thus  positively  declared, 
 is  the  end  and  the  limit  of  his  prophetic  ofiice, 
 beyond  which   the  Spirit   revealelh    nothing; 
 Paul  in  1  Thess.  v.  firmly  holds  fast  this.    The 
 Lord  might  have  said — This  1  reserve  to  my- 
 self ;  but  because  with  this  there  would  have 
 been  necessary — Eocn  the  Spirit  shall  not  reveal 
 it  to  you,  he  mentions  it  only  as  a  thing  reserv- 
 ed of  the  Father.     Here  we  must  quote  an  ex- 
 cellent remark  of  Allioli,  whom   we  so  o:ten 
 condemn:  "Only  the  Eternal  perfectly  knowetb 
 time,  for  it  is   the  development  of  eternity." 
 But  we  cannot  fail  to  discern  the  wisdom  of 
 God  in  thus  concealing  the  times  from  us  poor 
 children  of  men;  as  Hafeli  says  :  "Behold,  the 
 Lord  cuts  the  threads  of  our  curiosity,  what- 
 ever pure  and  affectionate  longing  may  enter 
 into     it;     he    knows    full    well     into    what 
 abysses  and  into  what  snares  of  error  it  may 
 lead.     Curiosity  is  a  flattering  serpent,  whicb 
 pi-omises    to    us    the    wisdom    of    God,    and 
 cheats  us  out  of  a  blessed  paradise  of  happier,, 
 childlike  •wniiing."     They  should  wait  for  the 
 promise  of  the  Father — lonit  for  the  promise* 
 made  by  tlie   prophets.     The   former  waiting 
 would  soon  come  to  an  end ;  the  other  would 
 have   no  end   until   the    specific   «a»/oJ?,   or 
 "  season,"  should  arrive   in  each    case  alter  ai 
 Xftovo'iy  or  "  time."     Thus  s[>oaks  he,  and  so 
 speaking  goes  hence.     The  kingdom  of  Israel 
 13  not  established  to  this  day  ;  yea,  the  kingdom 
 of  Ood  in  the  power  of  the  Spirit  seems  to 
 tarry  yet  with  it  for  the  final  demonstration 
 of.  divme   vicLorioua  iiiight.     We   stand,  auii 
 
ACTS  I.  8. 
 
 859 
 
 ask,  with  more  or  less  of  impatience  mingled 
 ■with  our  pure  and  justified  longings  of  faith 
 and  love— When  will  it  be,  O  Lord?  Will  it 
 be  riow?  The  promise  remains  firm  ;  the  pro- 
 phets cannot  deceive ;  their  testimony  has  been 
 confirmed  by  the  Lord  himself.  But  he  still 
 answers  the  question  concerning  the  times  as 
 he  answered  at  first,  in  the  words  which  we 
 have  just  heard,  and  in  those  which  we  shall 
 now  hear.  "  lie  puts  down  the  fingers  which 
 calculate  about  these  things ;  he  commands 
 them  to  be  still  who  says— It  is  not  for  you  to 
 know  the  times,  which  the  Father  hath  put  in  his 
 own  power"  (Augusline,  Civ.  Dei.  xviii.  53). 
 
 Verse  8.  These  words  introduce  a  consola- 
 tion which  should  compensate  for  the  repulsion 
 of  their  question.  They  are  even,  in  a  certain 
 sense,  an  answer,  so  far  as  we  are  ever  to  have 
 an  answer  to  it ;  at  any  rate  they  belong 
 necessarily  to  the  reply  \yhich  had  already  been 
 given,  and  help  to  interpret  it.  "  They  should 
 prepare  the  way  for  the  new  kingdom  by  their 
 testimony ;  and  as  far  as  lay  in  them,  hring  ever 
 nearer  the  time  and  the  hour"  (Rothmaler). 
 This  also  was  said  to  us  as  well  as  to  them. 
 At  first  the  kingdom  must  be  internally  ground- 
 ed and  fully  prepared  for,  through  the  patient 
 never-failing  testimony  preached  for  the  accep- 
 tance of  faith  throughout  all  the  world.  Be 
 that  enough  for  you.  By  this  the  Lord  plainly 
 intimates  that  the  kingdom  of  Lrael  will  come 
 ■when  the  testimony  has  run  its  course  through- 
 out the  nationn.  To  direct  the  Apostles  to  this, 
 he  uses  now  (repeating  the  promise  of  Luke 
 xxiv.  49,  as  he  liad  previously  repeated  the 
 commandment,  then  given)  the  more  simple,  and 
 yet  in  a  certain  sense  stronger,  expression 
 X}}ipe60s,"  ye  shall  receive;"  as  if  he  would 
 say.  This  receiving  should  sufDce  to  you.  We 
 might  take  "  Ye  shall  receive  power  "  alone, 
 and  regard  the  67tEX06yroi  as  a  genitive  abso- 
 lute. So  Bengel  translates — Ye  shall  receive 
 power,  when  the  Holy  Spirit  shall  come  upon 
 you.  Baumgarten,  in  like  manner — When 'the 
 Holy  Ghost  will  have  descended  upon  you. 
 But  this  "  receiving  power,"  standing  alone, 
 appears  to  us  too  feeble ;  nor  does  it  correspond 
 to  the  parallel  "  power  from  on  high."  'EtcsX- 
 Ooyroi  is  placed  emphatically  before  the  article, 
 as  the  ground  of  the  dvya/uti  ;  but  here,  as 
 in  Luke  xxiv.,  the  article  is  wanting  to  the 
 dvyajtitS  itself,  because  the  word  is  as  it  were 
 the  name  of  the  Holy  Spirit — The  powe7-o{  the 
 Holy  Ghost  who  will  come  upon  you.  It  is  not 
 without  emphasis  that  it  runs,  e'asoOe  ^oi  (or 
 fiov)  (loifiTvpE?,  Ye  shall  be  my  witnesses  ; 
 for  it  says,  with  majestic  condescension — Is  not 
 that  enough  for  you,  without  knowing  the 
 time?  Witnesses  of  the  present  (by  no  means 
 merely  of  the  departed,  as  Olshausen  says) — 
 but  not,  properly  speaking,  prophets  of  the 
 future ;  this  is  the  higher  honor  of  the  New- 
 Testament  vocation  of  the  Apostles,  which  does 
 not,  however,  exclude  a  certain  prophesying  of 
 the  yet  outstanding  future.  Thus,  as  wit- 
 nesses, the  servants  of  my  Icingdom — not  at  I 
 once  princes  upon  thrones :  instead  of  this,  yet  | 
 
 in  order  to  this,  they  must  be  the  strong,  joy- 
 ful, and  diligent  laborers  upon  the  building  ; 
 thus  helping  to  bring  in  the*longed-for,  and  in 
 in  its  time  certain,  goal  of  accomplishment. 
 Which  would  ye  prefer — to  behold  at  once  and 
 enjoy  the  ready  and  finished  consummation,  or 
 to  be  counted  worthy  of  the  honor  of  being 
 the  instruments  by  which  I  lay  the  foundation 
 of  the  great  edifice?  So  Lange  represents  his 
 meaning  :  "  This  word  appears  to  bring  down 
 their  expectations,  but  in  reality  it  carries  their 
 minds  tar  beyond  those  expectations.  They 
 must  not  regard  the  kingdom  as  an  object 
 standing  beyond  and  over  against  them  ;  but 
 they  themselves  have  the  Holy  Spirit,  the 
 fundamental  power  of  that  kingdom — thus  be- 
 ing themselves  in  the  midst  of  the  kingdom, 
 and  the  kingdom  in  them.  They  should  not 
 look  forward  to  it  simply,  with  enslaved  and 
 calculating  desires,  as  if  it  were  not  yet  in  real 
 existence ;  they  must  rather  help  to  lay  its 
 foundation,  by  becoming  witnesses  of  the  life, 
 death,  and  victory  of  their  Lord." 
 
 In  the  designation  of  their  wide  circle  of 
 mission  Jerusalem  once  more  comes  first — 
 Jerusalem,  not  given  up,  to  which  the  promises 
 of  the  kingdom  of  Israel  belong.  This  means 
 here  at  last :  If  your  desire  for  Israel  is  so 
 strong  and  sincere,  then  begin  ye,  as  I  have 
 more  than  once  said,  with  Jerusalem.  Though 
 that  may  be  too  strong  which  Braune  says — 
 "They  would  most  willingly  have  confined' 
 themselves  to  Galilee  ;"  yet  there  is  some  truth 
 in  it,  as  we  have  already  noticed  upon  ver.  4, 
 notwithstanding  their  longing  for  the  re-estab- 
 lishment of  Israel's  kingdom.  For  it  was  with 
 them  in  some  slight  degree  as  it  is  with  us  so 
 often  ;  we  ask  the  Lord  when  he  will  do  his 
 work,  but  are  not  willing  to  begin  where  we 
 wish  to  see  his  power  and  glory  manifested. 
 After  Jerusalem  and  Judea,  which  have  their 
 pre-eminence  in  his  faithful  love,  Samaria  is 
 mentioned:  Samaria,  which  at  first  was  inter- 
 dicted to  the  Apostles,  which  was  so  hateful  to 
 Jewish  pride,  but  which  had  lain  near  the 
 Lord's  heart  from  the  time  when  he  received 
 there  the  first  fruits  of  the  joy  of  his  great  har- 
 vest. Samaria,  in  accordance  with  its  position 
 and  character,  and  with  the  subsequent  history 
 of  the  spread  of  the  Gospel,  was  to  be  the  in- 
 termediate link  between  Jews  and  Gentiles, 
 thus  transitionally  abolishing  the  enmity  be- 
 tween them.'*  The  Lord  had  denied  to  them 
 all  explanation  as  to  the  distant  futurity  of  his 
 kingdom ;  but  he  graciously  gives  them  all 
 that  they  need  to  know  as  to  its  nearer  pro- 
 cess, and  their  own  official  duties  as  his  ambas- 
 sadors, marking  out  to  them  prophetically  the 
 course  of  their  testimony.  Kat  eu?  e6xocTov 
 ri/i  yfji,  "  and  unto  the' uttermost  part  of  the 
 earth" — is  this  final,  and  sudden,  and  all-com- 
 prehending station  of  their  way,  meant  con- 
 
 *  Hess :  "  We  hear  this  mention  of  Samaria 
 with  joy."  But  love  to  those  who  hated  him  was 
 not  the  only  reason  of  this  mention;  the  succes- 
 sion has  its  historical  significance. 
 
LAST  WORDS  AT  THE  ASCENSION. 
 
 cerning  the  Gentile  world?  Does  it  thus  (ac- 
 cording to  Ebrard)  correspond  to  Rome,  as  the 
 final  station  in  the  history  of  the  Acts  of  the 
 Apostles  ?*  Most  assuredly,  for  it  is  obvious 
 that  after  Samaria  the  nations  of  the  heathen 
 must  be  intended  ;  and  that  all  those  nations 
 must  be  included,  as  respects  the  successors  of 
 the  Apostles.  But,  nevertheless,  it  seems  to 
 us  quite  consistent  with  this  that  the  imme- 
 diate reference  of  the  expression  sdxccrov  rr/S 
 yiji,  like  the  equally  ambiguous  pS  ^D35?j 
 
 "  ends  of  the  earth,"  in  the  prophets,  is  to 
 the  horizon  of  the  limits  of  the  Holy  Land, 
 which  typico-prophetically  represents  the  whole 
 earth. t  For  Olshausen's  objection — "  Any  re- 
 ference  of  the  words  to  Palestine  is  altogether 
 inadmissible,  since  (he  divisions  of  the  land 
 had  already  been  mentioned  " — is  robbed  of  its 
 force  by  the  circumstance  that  Galilee,  which 
 would  60  obviously  occur  to  the  "  men  of 
 Galilee,"  which  had  been  so  pre-eminently  pre- 
 pared b^  the  personal  work  of  the  lledeemer, 
 and  which  had  been  indicated  by  the  prophet 
 (Matt.  iv.  14-16),  is  7iot  mentioned,  and  appears 
 to  be  forgotten  or  passed  by.  Moreover,  as 
 we  have  remarked  on  Matt  x.,  "  down  to  the 
 .destruction  of  Jerusalem,  Israel  was  more 
 especially  the  appointed  sphere  of  the  labors 
 ■of  the  Apostles  of  the  circumcision."  Accord- 
 ingly, we  may  interpret  the  last  prophetic 
 word  of  the  Lord  according  to  the  usual  phrase- 
 ology of  the  prophets.  The  more  immediate 
 meaning  points  to  the  three  divisions  of  the 
 land,  Judea,  Samaria,  Galilee — Samaria  not 
 being  to  be  swiftly  journeyed  through  for  the 
 Bake  of  reaching  Galilee.  But  the  wider  mean- 
 ing embraces  the  ends  of  the  earth,  the  circle 
 of  all  nations,  as  referred  to  in  the  former 
 commission— the  name  of  Galilee,  D\"''i3n  'p^bi,, 
 
 "  Galilee  of  the  Gentiles." 
 
 Thus  does  the  Lord  depart  and  the  Ads  of 
 the  Apostles  begin:  that  which  he  began,  and 
 finished  in  the  foundation,  proceeds  now  on- 
 wards in  its  development  toward  the  goal  of 
 the  kingdom — Israel,  however,  and  not  Rome.t 
 In  the  first  verse  of  our  chapter  we  must  not 
 briefly  say  that  T/p^aro  is  redundant;  but, 
 rather,  with  Olshausen— "  The  earthly  work  of 
 the  Lord  is  opposed  to  his  later  invisible  opera- 
 tion." Not,  as  Von  Gerlach  explains,  that  he 
 legan  is  to  be  supplemented  by  and  continued 
 
 •  So  Rome  was  the  final  point  in  the  plan  of 
 apostolical  history  ;  as  we  establislied  it  in  our 
 Reden  der  Apostcl.  So  Baumjjarten  gives  it  prom- 
 inence in  his  work. 
 
 •f  We  find  the  snme  in  Sepp:  ""Edxarov  rf/i 
 yiji,  as  here  standing  by  the  side  of  Judaia  and 
 Samaria,  is  the  literal  translation  of  Galilee;  that 
 is,  the  border  of  the  land,  with  the  further  univer- 
 sal reference."  But  this  etymology  may  bo  con- 
 tended aj^ainst. 
 
 I  Simeon,  Luke  ii.  32,  predicts  that  the  light  of 
 the  Gentiles,  and  the  salvation  of  the  ends  of  the 
 farlh,  Wi.i  be  (ujam  the  glory  of  Gods  peojiie  Is- 
 rael. 
 
 (as  Matt.  XX.  8).  But  the  apostolical  history 
 brings  in  a  devrspo?  XoyoZ  or  continuation  of 
 this  rfplaro,  "  began,"  of  our  Lord  upon  earth 
 until  he  ascended  to  heaven ;  compare  in 
 Luke's  Gospel,  cha,p.  iii.  23,  the  n'/3;fo>£j't>5. 
 As  it  is  in  the  apostolical  tcord  and  testimony 
 of  the  Spirit  that  we  have  the  developed,  and 
 so  far  consummated,  Ooipel  of  Christ,  which  he 
 himself  could  not  as  yet  preach — so  also  the 
 Church  after  Pentecost  is  the  first  continuation 
 of  his  work.  He  fulfilled  all,  and  yet  there  is 
 another  beginning.  The  ascension  stands  in  the 
 middle;  it  closes  the  first  and  begins  the  sec- 
 ond book  ;  but  the  second  again  is  continuous- 
 ly written  in  history  down  to  the  last  day.  As 
 to  himself  and  his  own  person,  the  end  was 
 now  attained ;  but  for  us,  in  order  that  the 
 consummation  might  be  consummated  in  us, 
 this  end  is  a  new  beginning.  Therefore  the 
 I  Lo7-d  at  Ills  ascension  points  to  the  Holy  Ghost. 
 He  does  not  speak  like  a  departing  teacher: 
 Keep  my  words,  remember  my  instruction,  and 
 so  forth.*  To  teach  words  without  power, 
 spirit,  and  life  accompanying — is  to  baptize 
 only  with  water.  He  does  not  speak  like  a 
 departing  man  :  Consecrate  my  image,  follow  my 
 example,  or  the  like ;  for  his  work  is  to  be  con- 
 tinued yet  further.  This  ho  means  not  as  a 
 man,  who  makes  a  beginning  to  which  others 
 afterwards  are  to  contribute  their  part — like 
 Luther,  for  example,  who  has  left  much  re- 
 formation for  others  to  accomplish  ;  but  his 
 yp^aro,  his  beginning,  has  been  a  creative  be- 
 ginning, and  all  that  followed  was  to  be  only 
 the  fruit  of  his  own  power,  already  obtained 
 and  to  be  from  him  abundantly  poured  forth. 
 (Gen.  ii.  3,  Sept.  xareTtavdev  dito  ndvTwv 
 zccv  tpyoav  avzox  cjy  i'/ploiro  u  3^65  noii}- 
 6ai.)  He  is  now  no  longer  among,  but  with 
 and  in,  us.  No  longer  in  one  place,  but  every 
 j  where.  His  ascent  into  heaven  becomes  a  de- 
 j  scent  into  our  hearts.  As  a  tree  grows  up  from 
 the  earth  towards  heaven,  so  his  kingdom,  his 
 temple,  his  spirit-pervaded  body  grows  down- 
 wards from  heaven  to  earth  (Eph.  i.  23,  iv.  IG). 
 Pentecost  is  come  and  ceases  no  more  :  it  goes 
 on  to  the  ends  of  the  world— as  Matthew  says  ; 
 till  he  comes  again — as  John  closes  all.  His 
 messengers  go  forth  and  preach ;  the  Lord 
 makes  the  word  mighty,  confirms  it,  as  Mark 
 says,  anticipating  the  Acts.  It  goes  on,  with 
 wonderful  slowness  to  the  waiting  and  inquiry 
 of  his  people,  but  with  unceasing  speed,  never- 
 theless, through  the  "  times  and  the  seasons  " 
 hidden  from  u.s,  from  seedtime  through  all  the 
 stages  to  the  final  harvest,  the  summer  of  tho 
 kingdom.  AV^hen  the  peoples  of  the  earth — 
 like  the  cities  of  Israel — have  been  gono 
 through — then  will  he  make  manifest  his  king- 
 dom, and  beginning  in  Jerusalem  again,  prepare 
 the  end. 
 
 "And  saying  th^se  tilings,"  we  read  in  ver.  9; 
 consequently  we  have  heard   his   last   words. 
 
 ♦  On  itotEiv  TF.  xai  SidddHEiv,  ver.  1.  Chrys 
 fistom  .says  :  Otdsy  didaGxdXov  i/uxporepo* 
 Iv  Xiyoii  <piX(j6ug}oCyroi  uova    . 
 
ACTS  I.  S. 
 
 According  to  the  Evangelist  he  lifted  up  his 
 hands  to  hless;  on  which  Bengel  exquisitely 
 says — "Jam  non  imposuii  manus  "(there  is  now 
 no  laying  on  of  hands).  Herberger  follows 
 the  fathers  in  their  ingenious  allusions  to  the 
 Redeemer's  opening  the  fortress  of  heaven  with 
 the  key  of  the  cross,  and  so  forth.  But  ab- 
 staining from  all  such  fancies,  let  us  rightly 
 consider  the  llessing  of  his  hands.  In  the 
 words  which  he  had  just  spoken  lie  had  spoken 
 as  a  firophet ;  as  a  Icing,  with  authority  over 
 heaven  and  earth,  whose  province  it  was  to 
 establish  the  heavenly  kingdom  upon  earth, 
 he  had  appointed  their  course  and  their  duty 
 to  the  servants  of  his  sway  ;  and  now  as  High 
 Priest — for  intercession  and  blessing  would  be 
 for  a  long  time  preponderant  over  his  kingly 
 sway — he  lifts  up  hin  hands,  as  the  typical  prac- 
 tice had  even  been,  and,  with  this  final  gesture, 
 after  the  word  thus  witnesses  the  fulfillment  of 
 the  Old  Testaynent  (Lev.  ix.  22  ;  Ecclus.  1.  20). 
 The  Epistle  to  the  Hebrews  is  the  commentary 
 upon  this.  The  marks  of  atoning  suffering  al- 
 ready begin  to  be  glorified  in  his  hands.  This 
 EilXoyElv  is  not  as  it  were  an  interim  or  de- 
 parting blessing,  with  a  specific  limitation  ;  but 
 it  is  the  interpreting  sign  and  pledge  of  that 
 power  from  on  high,  which  his  hands  would 
 soon  pour  out,  and  never  again  cease  to  pour 
 out.  He  continues  to  bless — a  departing  and 
 yet  remaining  Lord  :  "  And  it  came  to  pass 
 while  he  was  blessing  them,  ty  rc3  ELXovely — 
 not  jiiErd  TO  nvXoyelv,  after  he  had  blessed 
 them — he  was  taken  up  from  them."  We  can 
 think  of  no  tconh  in  connection  with  this,  as 
 Bome  have  imagined — How  could  the  disciples 
 retain  and  record  these  words  wliich  they  had 
 heard  ?  He  did  indeed  afterwards  speak  many 
 times — in  personal  manifestation  by  his  Spirit 
 — directly  from  heaven  ;*  but  here  we  have  the 
 end  of  his  words,  which  he  spoke  while  "yet  with 
 us."  And  with  them  ends  our  exposition — 
 though  there  is  still  one  afterword. 
 
 The  doud] — corresponds  still  prophetically  to 
 that  cloud  in  which  he  will  visibly  return 
 (Luke  xxi.  27,  ^y  yEcpiXtj).  Not  suddenly 
 vanishing,  as  at  the  close  of  his  previous  ap- 
 pearances, but  ftXETtovrcov  avr(ay  inripOtj, 
 he  was  taken  up  while  they  beheld  him :  thus  and 
 thus  alone  must  his  dyacpepEdOat,  or  "being 
 taken  up,"  and  his  going  into  heaven  take  place, 
 for  a  testimony.  It  brings  to  our  minds  the 
 words  which  he  had  spoken  before,  the  first 
 
 *  To  expound  these  "  Words  cf  the  Lord  Jesus 
 from  heaven  "  is  a  design  which,  if  it  please  God, 
 I  shall  yet  accomplish. 
 
 f  Accoi-dins:  to  many  (as  Sepp,  alas  !  can  quote 
 from  Siiskinds  Magazin)  the  final  residuum  of  cor- 
 poreity. Even  Driiseke  shrinks  not  from  sayins  : 
 "  Probably  it  was  this  cloud  into  which  the  earth- 
 ly matter  of  the  body,  demanded  again  by  the 
 earlh,  was  resolved  by  the  will  of  the  Almighty." 
 0  that  we  could  only  learn  to  leave  off  at  the  rijiht 
 place !  Von  Geriach  is  not  much  better :  "  It 
 concealed  the  invisible  consummation  of  the  glo- 
 rifying of  his  body." 
 
 word  which  we  have  from  his  lips — Wist  ye 
 not  that  I  must  be  in  that  which  is  my  Father's? 
 But  we  must  not  say  with  Dra3eke,'concerning 
 the  disciples,  "  This  they  had  not  expected  " — 
 lor  since  that  first  announcement  "  I  ascend," 
 every  successive  manifestation  must  have  taught 
 them  to  expect  and  anticipate  such  an  ascen- 
 sion before  their  eyes.  But  when  it  now  took 
 place — what  was  their  feeling,  their  thought, 
 and  their  act?  A  npo6KvyElv  avrov  and 
 d.rEviZ,Eiv  Eli  Toy  ovpayov  together,  wor- 
 shipping and  gazing  in  one ;  although  Luke 
 divides  them  in  his  two  accounts,  assigning  the 
 former  to  the  close  of  his  Gospel,  and  the  latter 
 to  the  more  exact  narrative'  which  gives  the 
 full  particulars.  De  Wette  can  here,  after  the 
 diEdrr;  and  the  dvEcpspsTo,  foolishly  trans- 
 late, like  Stolz — They  fell  down  before  him. 
 But  in  the  whole  Gospel  of  Luke  we  have  this 
 7Cpo6HvyEiv  only  on  one  other  occasion,  chap, 
 iv.  7,  8  (compare  in  Matt.  7CE6oJy  as  distin- 
 guished from  it),  and  then  used  concerning  the 
 honor  which  is  due  to  God  alone.  Similarly, 
 in  the  Acts  it  occurs  only,  and  in  the  same 
 sense,  chap.  viii.  27,  xxiv.  11,  vii.  43,  and  x.  25, 
 26,  where,  though  Cornelius  did  not  so  intend 
 it,  it  was  rejected  by  Peter  as  only  a  man. 
 What  was  his  worship  by  his  escort  on  the 
 way,  and  at  his  reception  above?  (Psa.  Ixviii. 
 18,"  19).  But  the  men  of  Galilee  below,  still 
 gazing  earnestly  as  the  form  was  taken  from 
 their  sight  by  the  clouds,  forgot  every  thing  at 
 that  moment  beside  him  and'heaven  :  and  they 
 might  long  like  statues  thus  have  stood.  Then 
 is  there  a  new  jiai  iSov,  "  and  behold,"  which 
 lighters  their  return  to  their  earthly  life:  two 
 men  in  white  raiment  become  visible  from 
 among  the  thousands  on  thousands  of  angels, 
 and,  it  may  be,  first  fruits  of  the  resurrection 
 which  were  there  invisible.*  They  speak  one 
 word  more  after  the  words  of  the  Lord,  to 
 which  we  may  Avell  give  ear  in  conclusion. 
 Not  now  again,  as  in  the  sepulchre — See  the 
 place,  where  the  Lord  hafh  ascended  who  once 
 lay  in  the  grave.  Nor  is  it — Look  up  to  the 
 place  which  he  has  gone  to  prepare  for  you. 
 But  they  dismiss  them  from  the  standing  still 
 and  the  upward  looking  of  all  idle  expectation 
 and  forbidden  questioning,  and  utter  their 
 word,  as  alone  became  them,  altogether  in  the 
 spirit  of  the  last  word  of  the  Lord — that  they 
 may  repeat,  and  stamp  that  upon  the  disciples' 
 minds,  and  seal  it  by  the  final  announcement 
 of  that  future  return  which  the  Lord  had  left 
 to  their  hopes.  As  the  men  of  heaven  they 
 speak  to  the  men  of  earth  :  they  remind  them 
 of  their  Galilee.f  and  point  them  back  from 
 
 *  Were  these  the  angels  of  the  resurrection 
 once  more  1  Or  Moses  and  Eiias,  the  witnesses 
 of  the  first  glorification  1  Or  the  future  two  wit- 
 nesses, who  speak  to  the  present  ones  1  Or  were 
 they  chosen  in  heaven  for  this  crisis  ]  It  is  not 
 revealed. 
 
 t  "  Of  Galilee  !  Faithful  angel  word,  remind- 
 ing them  of  the  low  place  of  their  testing  proba- 
 tion, from  which  to  the  city  of  God  the  pilgrim- 
 
862 
 
 LAST  WORDS  AT  THE  ASCENSION. 
 
 heaven  to  their  own  earth— There  lies  your 
 office  of  witness,  your  way  of  obedierice,  your 
 place  of  liope.  For  thither  will  this  Jesus  cojrie 
 back.  (But  they  do  not  say  once  more — Come 
 lack.)  "  0  earth,  thou  gram  of  sand  on  the 
 shore  of  the  great  ocean  of  the  universe  of 
 God,  thou  Bethlehem  among  the  princes  of  the 
 regions  of  heaven,  thou  art  and  thou  wilt  ever 
 be  among  ten  thousand  times  ten  thousand  suns 
 and  worlds  the  loved  one,  the  elect  of  the  Lord  ; 
 thee  will  he  visit  again,  thou  shalt  provide 
 him  a  throne,  even  as  thou  pavest  him  a  man- 
 ger; thou  shalt  rejoice  in  the  splendor  of  his 
 glory,  even  as  thou  drankcst  his  blood  and  his 
 tears,  and  mournedst  at  his  death.  On  thee 
 he  hath  a  great  work  yet  to  accomplish  "  (Ha- 
 feli). 
 
 They  say  not— Ye  shall  see  him  ;  but  yet— 
 This  Jesus  will  come  ;  and  ol  roj?,  Sv  rponov, 
 "  so  in  like  manner,"  altogether  as  ye  have  now 
 
 way  of  humanity  alone  conducts."     So  Lange,  in 
 Lis  beautiful  aod  suggestive  poem  on  the  ascen- 
 
 seen  him — as  ye  have  seen  niir  go  into 
 HEAVEN.  This  is  the  sealing  conclusion  of  all. 
 And  they  worship  him,  this  Jesus  :  the  word 
 "  Rabbi  "  or  "Teacher"  no  longer  is  heard 
 from  their  lips.  Even  that  which  he  had  said 
 retreats  for  a  while  before  the  new  word  which 
 the  Spirit  gives  to  these  witnesses.  But  wo 
 have  his  word  in  the  utterance  of  his  minister- 
 ing servants,  explained  and  unfolded  by  his 
 own  servants  in  whom  the  Spirit  witnesses ; 
 may  our  weak  exposition  of  that  word  be  also 
 a  testimony  to  the  Christianity  of  this  unhappy 
 day  I 
 
 Then  returned  they  to  Jerusalem — and  with 
 great  ;V)y.  They  were  always  in  the  temple, 
 joyfully  magnifying  and  blessing  God — God  in 
 Christ.  May  God  and  the  Father  of  our  Lord 
 Jesus  Christ  give  the  joyful  and  confident  Spirit 
 also  to  us,  as  witnesses  who  believingly  wait  for 
 the  kingdom  and  coming  of  Jesus;  that,  in  the 
 temple  of  Christendom  and  in  the  face  of  all 
 enemies,  we  may  praise  him,  to  whom  be  glory 
 in  the  Church  which  is  in  Christ  Jesus,  to  all 
 ages,  world  without  end  I    Amen. 
 
THE  WORDS  OF  THE  ASCENDED  LOED. 
 
 TO  SAUL  THE  PERSECUTOPw. 
 (Acts  ix.  4-6 ;  xxii.  7-10 ,  xxvi.  14-lG.) 
 
 Thrice  in  the  course  of  the  brief  Acts  of  the 
 Apostles  is  this  most  important  revelation  of 
 our  Lord  described ;  as  if  to  warn  our  igno- 
 rance not  too  swiftly  to  dispatch  it,  and  not 
 too  hastily  to  assume  its  right  interpretation 
 attained.  But,  instead  of  taking  this  hint,  the 
 fond  ignorance  of  too  many  has  occupied  itself 
 with  detecting  contradictions  in  the  three-fold 
 narrative,  and  with  drawing  its  own  foolish 
 conclusions  from  those  contradictions.  It  is  as 
 if  Luke  did  not  himself  best  know,  with  his 
 "perfect  understanding  of  all  things  from  the 
 very  first,"  what  he  recorded  in  different  parts 
 of  his  book,  with  a  designed  variation.  In 
 chap.  ix.  he  himself  relates  the  occurrence  as  a 
 historian,  but  obviously  with  the  same  regard 
 to  brevity  of  delineation,  seizing  only  and  giv- 
 ing prominence  to  the  critical  points,  which 
 the  necessity  of  his  work  imposed  upon  him 
 throughout;  and,  moreover,  with  the  intention 
 in  reserve  to  add  further  particulars  in  due 
 course.  For,  he  has  further  to  give  two  lead- 
 ing examples,  in  chaps,  xxii.  and  xxvi.,  of  the 
 manner  in  which  the  Apostle  himself,  never 
 weary  of  the  repetition,  was  wont  to  relate 
 this  experience,  as  the  ground,  again  and  again 
 to  be  made  valid,  of  his  whole  announcement 
 from  his  Master.  That  there  exists  some  va- 
 riety in  the  relation  and  expression  is  perfectly 
 natural — is  it  reasonable  to  require  that  the 
 Apostle  should  have  every  where  given  the 
 same  stereotyped  account?  Of  the  external 
 transaction  we  shall  speak  hereafter;  we  con- 
 fine ourselves  now  to  a  preliminary  view  of 
 the  words  of  our  Lord,  which,  in  their  measured 
 exactness,  were  thus  word  for  word  spoken, 
 but  the  literal  repetition  of  which  Luke  ap- 
 propriately leaves  to  the  relating  Apostle. 
 Before  the  exasperated  Jewish  people,  he  gives 
 prominence,  for  instance,  to  the  expression  by 
 which  the  Lord  described  himself,  and  which 
 was  peculiarly  appropriate  to  these  scorners 
 and  persecutors — I  am  Jesus  of  Nazareth! 
 Further,  he  makes  the  command  express — 
 "  Go  into  DamascuH,"  instead  of  "  into  the 
 city."  But  who  needs  to  know  which  of  these 
 two  was  actually  spoken  ?  He  proceeds,  "  It 
 shall  be  told  thee  of  all  things  which  are  ap- 
 pointed for  thee  to  do,"  instead  of  "  what  thou 
 shall  no."  Again  afterwards  before  the  lioman 
 Governor,  and- the  last  so-called  king  of  the 
 Jews,  the  Apostle   makes  it  significantly  em- 
 
 phatic that  the  Lord  spaTco  in  the  Hebrew 
 tongue.  On  the  former  occasion,  on  the  stairs 
 of  the  castle,  the  Apostle  himself  had  spoken 
 in  the  Hebrew;  but  now,  speaking  Greek,  ho 
 naturally  mentions  this  circumstance.  The 
 word  concerning  "  kicking  against  the  pricks" 
 (which  in  the  first  narrative  is  a  false  reading, 
 interpolated  from  chap,  xxvi.),  had  primary 
 reference  only  to  the  Apostle's  own  person  and 
 conscience  ;  )t  might,  therefore,  be  omitted  as 
 unnecessary,  when  speaking  to  the  mass  of  the 
 people.  But,  addressed  to  Agrippa,  pierced  in 
 conscience,  perplexed,  and  wavering,  as  he  was 
 (comp.  chap.  xxvi.  28),  it  had  a  peculiarly  ap- 
 propriate force.  Finally,  we  shall  see  that 
 Paul,  in  his  rapid  narrative,  chap.  xxvi.  16, 
 connects  with  the  Lord's  last  word  outside 
 Damascus  a  compendious  statement  of  a  sub- 
 sequent appearance  and  commission. 
 
 After  having  thus,  for  the  sake  of  those  to 
 whom  it  is  necessary,  paused  so  long  at  the 
 threshold,  let  us  now  enter  the  sanctuary  of 
 the_^/s^  word  of  Je.sus  from  heaven.  The  first 
 word  it  assuredly  is.  Stephen,  before  he  fell 
 under  the  stones  of  the  murderers  of  the  Just 
 One,  had  seen  heaven  opened  and  Jesus  at  the 
 right  hand  of  God  {standing,  too,  as  if  rising 
 to  greet  and  receive  him)  ;  but  his  words  the 
 Lord  had  reserved  for  Saul.  Ttiis,  well-con- 
 sidered, leads  to  some  important  reflections. 
 The  appeal  of  Jesus  to  his  persecutor  is,  as  the 
 first  word  from  heaven,  so  characteristically 
 significant,  and  so  full  of  symbolical  meaning, 
 that  we  cannot  bring  ourselves  to  think  of  it 
 as  other  than  the  first.  It  may,  indeed  be 
 suggested  that  our  Lord's  voice  had  probably 
 been  heard  in  the  answers  to  his  people's 
 prayers.  It  has  been  even  inferred  from  the 
 "  familiar  manner  in  which  Ananias,  as  one 
 not  unaccustomed  to  receive  communications 
 from  his  Lord,"  makes  objection  to  the  evil 
 reputation  of  Saul,  that  that  disciple  must 
 have  spoken  with  Jesus  before  this  occasion. 
 But  this  is  only  a  specious  argument ;  the 
 familiarity  of  prayer  would  have  begotten  this 
 confidence,  and  we  must  remember  the  "  vis- 
 ion," in  which  man  approaches  nearer  and  less 
 reservedly  to  God.  Suffice  it  that  we  may  just- 
 ly regard"  this  as  the  Lord's  first  opening  bis 
 mouth  in  audible  words  since  his  ascension. 
 
 The  narrative  thrice  begins  with  "light 
 shining  round  about  from  heaven  ;  "  in  chapi. 
 
 aea 
 
864 
 
 TO  PAUL  THE  PERSECUTOR. 
 
 xxii.  it  is  a  "  great  light ;  "*  and  in  chap,  xxvi., 
 still  more  empiiatical!}',  "  above  the  brightness 
 of  the  sun."  If  the  lace  of  Jesus  shone  as  the 
 sun  upon  the  Mount  of  Transfiguration,  must 
 not  the  first  beaming;  forth  of  his  heavenly 
 glory  be  still  more  dazzling?  This  in  broad 
 noon-day  was  something  more  than  the  glory 
 which  shone  round  the  shepherds  on  the  holy 
 night  of  the  incarnation  ;  it  was  a  shining 
 forth,  though  still  bedimmed  for  mortal  eye,  of 
 that  light  in  which  God  dwelleth,  and  in  which 
 the  God-man  now  dwelleth  also. 
 
 But  this  light  shines  only  that  it  may  call 
 light  out  of  the  darkness  of  a  rebellious  sin- 
 ner's heart ;  in  order  to  the  revelation  of  the 
 knowledge  of  the  glory  of  God  in  the  face,  that 
 is,  in  the  person  of  Jesus  Christ.  Who  is  it 
 that  first  encounters  this  light,  with  its  sudden 
 and  marvellous  conviction?  The  man  who  had 
 been  marked  out  to  that  end  by  God's  good 
 pleasure  from  his  mother's  womb,  tho  chosen 
 Paul.  This  single  name  sets  before  us  the 
 whole  man,  the  elect  instrument,  the  great 
 Apostles  of  the  Gentiles  (although  Samaria 
 and  the  Ethiopian  eunuch  had  already  heard 
 the  word,  and  Peter  in  the  house  of  Cornelius 
 will  make  the  first  evident  beginning) — the 
 mighty  champion  and  laborer,  who  labored 
 more  than  they  all.  We  cannot  agree  with  the 
 view — pushed  to  its  extreme  by  Baumgarten 
 — which  sets  the  Gentile  Aposlolate,  thus  in- 
 troduced, over  against  the  Israelite  Twelve. 
 For  this  we  find  no  sure  foundation  in  Scrip- 
 ture ;  but  it  was  undoubtedly  a  great  and  new 
 thing,  that  such  a  blasphemer  and  prosecutor 
 should  be  made  a  witness  for  the  Lord.  lie 
 was  not,  however,  a  thirteenth  Apostle  of  a 
 new  and  distinct  order  for  the  Church  of  the 
 Gentiles;  the  twelve  were  themselves  sent 
 forth  into  all  the  world,  and  unto  all  the  na- 
 tions; and  even  the  New  Jerusalem,  Rev.  xxi. 
 14,  knows  only  the  twelve  Apostles  of  the  Limb 
 (not  of  Israel).  But  he  was  that  other,  already 
 prophesied  of  in  Psa.  cix.  8.  whom  the  Lord 
 himself — in  opposition  to  the  premature, 
 uncommanded,  and  therefore  invalid  human 
 choice  (Gal.  i.  1)  of  Matthias — reserved  to  be 
 appointed  in  place  of  the  traitor  Judas.  The 
 latter  was  a  representative  and  forerunner  of 
 the  Jewish  people,  which  rejected  Jesus;  the 
 former  was  a  type  and  first-fruit  of  the  Jews 
 •who  were  to  be  converted,  and  many  of  whom 
 were  converted  even  in  his  missionary  labors 
 among  tho  Gentiles.  What  a  man,  and  what  a 
 position  in  the  kingdom  of  God  assigned  to  him 
 — condescended  to,  and  won,  and  prepared  in 
 60  wonderful  a  manner  I  First,  he  receives 
 this  revelation  as  the  representative  of  all  the 
 Jews  of  that  time  who,  under  all  their  disguise 
 of  enmity,  were  y&i  susceptUiU  of  grace.  Tiien, 
 as  the  witness  to  all  men  (Acts  xxii.  15  ;  Col. 
 i.  18),  who  should,  with  that  same  useful  human 
 learning  which  in  itself  ho  knew  how  to  despise 
 •and  reject,  abase  the  lofty  ones  of  this  world 
 
 *  In  the  Greek,  inavov,  au  expression  lamiliar 
 with  Luke. 
 
 before  the  knowledge  of  God  in  Christ  (2  Cor, 
 X.  5)  ;  who  should  be  a  founder  of  systematic 
 doctrine  in  the  Church,  so  far  as  the  Church 
 would  need  such  system — thus  standing  be- 
 tween the  practical  Peter,  and  the  mystical, 
 consummating  John.  Finally,  as  one  whose 
 immediate  call  from  above  should  vindicate, 
 for  all  futurity,  the  Lord's  supreme  right  to  es- 
 tablish new  beginnings  of  regimen  ;  to  raise  up 
 a  reforming  Apostolate  without  succession,  to 
 be  renewed  at  his  own  good  pleasure  when 
 circumstances  may  require. 
 
 But  the  first  point  which  here  offers  itself  to 
 our  attention  is  this,  that  it  is  an  enemy  and  a 
 persecutor  who  receives  {\ie  fint  condescending 
 iDonl  from  the  merciful  High  Priest  in  heaven. 
 Not  only  will  he  not  cast  out  any  that  come  to 
 him — but  he  himself  seeks  and  finds,  in  all 
 ages,  his  lost  and  wandering  sheep.  Thus  he 
 transforms  the  enemy  into  a  w^itness  and  fol- 
 lower, whose  personality,  beyond  that  of  any 
 other,  sets  before  us  the  idea  and  the  reality  of 
 the  discipleship  of  Christ  (1  Cor.  xi.  1).  Mil- 
 lions have  felt  and  are  feeling  that,  especially 
 through  the  life  of  this  Paul,  so  copiously  un- 
 folded in  Scripture,  life  in  Christ  and  Christ 
 himself  are  most  blessedly  and  mightily 
 brought  home  to  them.  The  Lord  prepared 
 him  for  himself  and  his  purposes,  out  of  a  Saul 
 "  breathing  out  threatenings  and  slaughters 
 against  his  saints."  Thus  his  first  personal 
 speaking  manifestation  gives  us  a  pledge  of 
 that  ruling  in  which  the  King's  sharp  arrows 
 pierce  the  hearts  of  his  enemies  (as  the  original 
 of  Psa.  xiv.  runs),  and  in  which  he  takes  the 
 strong  for  his  own  prey.  And  it  is  a  warning 
 against  that  premature  judgment  of  unbelievers 
 and  the  condemned,  into  which  our  harshness 
 or  our  despondency  may  mislead  us.  There 
 were  many  Judases  in  Israel;  but  only  upon 
 one  did  Jesus  pronounce  the  dciinitive  sentence. 
 So  there  were  many  Sauls  converted,  although 
 their  conversion  has  not  been  revealed  to  us. 
 The  Lord  reminds  us  here  of  Thomas,  but  a 
 greater  than  Thomas  is  here.  It  is  thus  that 
 the  great  Apostle  understands  the  significance 
 of  his  own  person  and  life,  when  he  says  at  the 
 end,  "  Therefore  1  obtained  mercy,  that  in  me 
 first  of  all,  Jesus  Christ  might  shew  forth  all 
 patience,  for  an  example  to  those  who  should 
 believe  on  hiin  unto  eternal  life,  "  1  Tim.  i.  16. 
 
 But  when  we  refer  the  words  to  our  Lord 
 himself,  something  much  higher  and  deeper 
 than  any  thing  we  have  yet  said  rises  out  of 
 them,  lie  has  testified  from  heaven  the  iden- 
 tity of  his  glorified  person  with  the  "Jesus  of 
 Nazareth,"  just  as  the  Risen  Lord  had  testified 
 on  earth,  "  It  is  I  myself!"  But  that  is  tho 
 lesser  testimony  ;  and  before  he  utters  the  ex- 
 alted "  I  am  Jesus,"  he  has  said  "  Why  perse- 
 cutest  thoiime?  "  that  is,  "Me  in  my  followers, 
 in  my  Church."  Thus  does  he,  even  in  his 
 glory,  identify  himself  with  his  persecuted 
 Church,  and  his  scorned  and  outraged  brethren  ; 
 sitting  already  upon  the  throne  as  King,  he  as 
 it  were  repeats,  confirms,  enlarges,  and  consum- 
 mates tho  word  spoken  in  his  final  prophecy  of 
 
ACTS  IX.  4-6;  XXII.  7-10;  XXVI.  14-16. 
 
 865 
 
 ihe  jadgment,  concerning  what  is  done  to  his 
 brethren,  Matt.  xxv.  40-45 ;  sealing,  even  for 
 his  sa.\nts  in,  persecution,  the  close  of  his  great 
 
 prayer. 
 
 which  he  uttered  while  vet  in  the  flesh 
 
 — "  I  in  them,"  John  xvii.  26.  That  is  the./irs' 
 word  from  heaven  ;  and  it  is  itself  like  a  flash 
 of  lightning  into  the  midst  of  the  world's  sin 
 and  confusion,  dividing  asunder,  in  the  most 
 effectual  manner,  the  persecutor  and  the  per- 
 secuted. 
 
 Suddenhj— 30  we  read  in  two  accounts.  Here 
 falls  the  corner-stone  from  heaven  into  the  per- 
 secutor's path,  but  crushes  him  not.  Saul  is 
 struck  and  held  back  in  the  mad  course  of  his 
 zeal.  Armed  with  the  authority  of  the  high 
 council,  he  would  push  the  persecution  of  the 
 Christians,  already  begun,  into  strange  cities. 
 Not  certain  that  he  might  find  any  of  "the 
 way"  (of  righteousness  and  of  salvation,  the 
 way  of  the  Lord;  see  chaps,  xvi.  17,  xviii.  25, 
 xix".  9 — but  which  he  thought  the  perishable 
 way  of  error),  he,  nevertheless,  sets  out  to  seek 
 them,  wherever  they  might  be,  and  bind  them. 
 Assuredly,  he  was  chosen  in  the  eternal  coun- 
 sel ;  to  this  end  he  was,  on  the  ground  of  his 
 personality,  as  created  of  God,  framed  and  pre- 
 pared ;  and  in  the  process  of  his  life  led  on- 
 ward to  meet  the  vocation  which  was  now  to 
 be  received.  Assuredly,  as  the  Lord  himself 
 says  here  to  him  and  to  us,  he  was  already 
 secretly  in  his  conscience  laid  hold  on  ;  he  was 
 generally  no  hypocrite,  like  the  whited  walls  in 
 opposition  to  whom  he  can  speak  of  himself,  in 
 chap,  xxiii.,  as  having  a  good  conscience  in  his 
 great  delusion.  But,  therefore,  now  he  is  sud- 
 denlj'  seized  from  above  with  more  urgent 
 might  by  grace;  for  7iow  there  is  certainly  in 
 him  no  conscious  preparation  or  suceplihility, 
 but  the  perfect  opposite.  There  is  no  doubt 
 of  conscience  moving  him  ;  it  is  simply  his 
 purpose  and  burning  desire  to  punish  the 
 heretics;  and  what  could,  in  this  career,  lay 
 him  low,  and  turn  him  round,  but  the  seeing 
 and  hearing  of  the  Just  One,  whom  he  was 
 persecuting?  His  powerful  nature  needed  a 
 powerful  assault ;  and,  behold,  for  such  a  na- 
 ture, the  Lord  has  such  dealings  in  store.  The 
 Risen  Lord  was  ready  to  suffer  himself  to  be 
 touched  by  Thomas;  and  the  exalted  Lord  is 
 not  too  high  to  condescend  to  Saul— and  make 
 of  him  a  Paul. 
 
 What  the  Apostle,  in  chap.  xxii.  6,  introduces 
 with  a  simple  and  sublime,  "  And  it  came  to 
 pass,"  was  not  an  internal  process,  perceptible 
 only  to  his  own  spirit  :  this  is  proved  by  what 
 his  companions  experienced.  According  to 
 chap.  ix.  7,  they  heard  a  voice,  but  saw  no  man  ; 
 according  to  chap.  xxii.  9,  they  saw  the  light, 
 but  heard  not  the  voice  oi  him  that  spalce.  This 
 variation  of  expression  implies  no  contradic- 
 tion ;  any  more  than  that,  according  to  chap.  ix. 
 7,  they  stood,  and  according  to  chap.  xxvi.  14, 
 fell  tothe  earth  also.  For,  to  clear  up  the  last 
 first,  chap.  xxvi.  relates  that  which  befell  all 
 before  the  voice  ;  but  chap.  ix.  records  that, 
 after  the  voice,  the  attendants  had  naturally 
 lifted  themselves  up  and  were  standing  before 
 
 Saul  did  so.  Similarly,  they  saw  and  heard 
 something,  but  with  only  half  perception  ;  they 
 received  the  indefinite  impression  of  a  light 
 and  a  sound  :  comp.  John  xii.  28,  29,  and  some- 
 thing similar,  though  in  a  different  order,  Dan. 
 X.  7.  The  whole,  if  we  combine  it  in  one, 
 means  this :  They  saw,  indeed,  the  dazzling 
 light,  but  no  man,  that  is,  no  form  and  mani- 
 fested person  ;  they  heard,  indeed,  the  sound  as 
 of  a  loud  voice,  but  they  heard  not  and  under- 
 stood not  what  was  said. 
 
 We  read  in  chap.  xxvi.  of  the  flash,  that  it 
 "shone  round  about,"  as  in  Luke  ii.  9,  con- 
 cerning the  shepherds  of  Bethlehem ;  but  in 
 chaps,  ix.  and  xxii.  there  is  a  stronger  word — 
 literally,  lightened  around — and  to  this  belongs 
 the  "  suddenly "  which  in  Luke  ii.  13  (it  is 
 the  same  Greek  word)  is  afterwards  added. 
 Saul  fell  down  immediately,  struck  by  the  awe 
 of  the  brilliance  above  the  light  of  the  sun  at 
 noonday,  with  the  others  to  the  earth.*  So  he 
 heard  the, words;  they  were  for  him  alone. 
 That  was  tha  fitting  place  for  the  proud  man  ; 
 there,  cast  down  in  his  prostrate  impotence 
 and  wretchedness,  unable  to  bear  the  glance 
 of  heaven,  the  voice  which  he  heard  seized  him 
 — that  is,  not  as  speaking  by  his  side  upon  the 
 earth,  but  as  f7-om  heaven,  like  the  light,  coming 
 in  its  direction  from  above.  And  even  so  he 
 had  seen  the  form  of  the  speaker  in  his  first 
 terror  as  above  him  ;  not  as  one  afterwards 
 standing  upon  the  earth. 
 
 Or  did  he  only  hear,  and  not  see  the  form  and 
 countenance  of  the  Lord?  So  many  think; 
 and  they  seemingly  have  the  superficially 
 understood  and  isolated  expression  in  their 
 favor.  Bat  the  contrast  with  the  attendants, 
 who  saw  no  man,  chap.  ix.  7,  itself  gives  us  to 
 understand  that  Saul  ha.d  seen  some  one.  An- 
 anias, however,  speaks  decisively — Jesus,  who 
 appeared  unto  thee  (Gr.  was  seen  of  thee)  ;  so 
 Barnabas,  ver.  27,  relates  to  the  Apostles  that 
 Saul  had  seen  the  Lord  in  the  way,  and  spoken 
 with  him;  finally,  chap.  xxii.  14  speaks  not  of 
 a  future  seeing  and  hearing,  but  of  what  had  al- 
 ready taken  place.  Consequently,  Luke  relates 
 partially,  at  the  first,  reserving  the  rest  for  his 
 future  account ;  he  conceals  the  mystery  of  the 
 seeing  and  hearing,  as  it  were,  in  this  place; 
 laying  the  emphasis  upon  the  words  of  the 
 Lord,  without  which  the  seeing  would  have 
 been  only  a  stunning  amazement.  But  it  is 
 obvious  that  suddenly — with  the  first  flash  of 
 light — Saul  had  also  seen  the  form  and  the 
 countenance  of  the  Lord.  Indeed,  the  over- 
 powered and  down-stricken  persecutor  did  not 
 look  up  again  at  the  speaker ;  but  he,  never- 
 theless (and  this  is  another  proof),  recognized, 
 in  his  subsequent  manifestations,  the  Lord 
 whom  he  had  first  seen. 
 
 Jesus  speaks  to  him  in  the  Hebrew  tongue :  but 
 this  does  more  than  merely  define  the  sensibly 
 
 *  Scarcely  from  his  horse,  as  the  painters  depict 
 it:  it  would'  rather  be  f.om  his  ass,  but  even  that 
 is  only  probable.  Such  ci.  cumstances  are  noi  re- 
 corded, as  having  uoihing  to  do  with  the  matter. 
 
TO  SAUL  THE  PERSECUTOR. 
 
 heard  speech,  in  opposition  to  the  inward  speak- 1 
 ingof  the  Spirit,  which  suggests  thoughts  with- 
 out -words.  The  Hebrew  tongue  belongs  to 
 the  identity  of  the  person,  who  used  this  lan- 
 guage upon  earth — but  neither  is  this  enough. 
 What  the  Hellenized  and  Ronfianized  Jewish 
 King  Agiippa — to  whom  Paul  expressly  men- 
 tioned it — may  have  thought  about  that  cir- 
 cumstance, puts  us  on  the  right  track  :  it  in- 
 volves the  abiding  recognition  of  the  first- 
 chosen  people  of  Israel,  and  the  prophetic  word 
 given  to  them  first  in  the  sacred  tongue;  the 
 prophecy  of  a  return  of  this  people,  and  of  a 
 final  full  solution  and  comprehension  of  the 
 ancient  Scriptures  ;  all  this  is  testified  to  us  in 
 the  Lord's  speaking  here  in  the  Hebrew  tongue. 
 For,  if  it  is  objected  that  this  "  Hebrew"  was 
 only  the  common  Jewish  tongue  then  spoken, 
 and  not  the  language  of  the  Old-Testament 
 Scripture — it  may  be  replied  that  the  two  are 
 inseparable  in  -their  significance  ;  as  vve  know 
 that  the  Saviour  upon  the  cross  uttered  I  he 
 language  of  the  psalm  in  the  Syro-Chaldaic 
 version  of  it.  And  now,  at  length,  after  all 
 this  introduction  and  preparation,  let  us  hear 
 the  words  themselves,  which  the  voice  of  him 
 who  was  seen  in  the  first  moment  of  his  amaze- 
 ment spake  to  the  persecutor  prostrate  upon 
 the  ground. 
 
 Saul !  Saul !  tchj  persecutest  thou  me  ? 
 The  mention  of  his  name  indicates  and  seizes 
 the  whole  inner  man,  as  he  was.  We  often 
 fail  to  understand,  through  all  our  life,  our  own 
 name,  especially  when  the  world  has  prefixed 
 all  kinds  of  titles  to  it;  but  when  God  calls  a 
 man  by  his  name,  the  true  form,  character,  and 
 spirit  of  the  man  is  laid  bare  before  the  light  of 
 his  countenance.  Here  the  Lord,  whom,  as 
 the  glorified  Son  of  God,  the  little  company  of 
 his  worshippers  addressed  already  before  the 
 Pentecost  as  "  knowing  all  hearts,"  utters  into 
 the  heart  and  conscience  of  Saul  a  word  of 
 thunder,  following  the  glance  of  lightning, 
 which  rent  all  the  vestments  of  his  disguise. 
 If  in  this  thunder,  which  began  his  awakening 
 by  fear,  there  was  a  prelude  of  the  final  judg- 
 ment, when  every  man  will  be  called  by  his 
 name,  there  was  also  something  more  than 
 that — a  transition  to  mourning  in  tlie  awful 
 accusation,  to  that  appeal  and  invitation  of 
 troubled  love  which  is  plainly  heard  in  the  fol- 
 lowing question.  This  calling  by  name  from 
 heaven  is  more  mighty  and  impressive  than 
 when  upon  earth  the  Lord,  who  knew  what  was 
 in  man,  uttered  his  "  Zaccheus  !  "  or  "  Simon, 
 Simon!"  or  "Martha,  Martha!"  Wo  do  not 
 read  of  any  other  enemy  or  unbeliever  ad- 
 dressed by  name,  excepting  the  Pharisee  Simon, 
 Luke  vii.  40,  whom  his  grace  was  by  that  very 
 address  really  approaching,  and  Judas,  still  re- 
 cognized as  a  former  "  friend  "  and  companion, 
 even  in  the  hour  of  his  betrayal.  There  may 
 be  a  very  little  of  this  same  judicial  tone  of 
 holy  love — which  endures  the  wrong,  but  as- 
 signs the  fearful  guilt  to  him  who  offers  it — in 
 this  appeal  to  Saul.  But,  at  the  same  time, 
 the  double  call — which  not  merely  deepens  its 
 
 emphasis,  but  as  we  prefer  to  think,  already 
 begins  to  descend  from  majesty  to  mildness, 
 from  accusation  to  lament — has  something  in 
 it,  though  of  a  higher,  order,  like  the  call  which 
 aroused  the  hostess  in  Bethany  from  her  house- 
 hold distraction  :  "  I  have  somewhat  to  say 
 unto  thee.  Awake  up  from  the  distracting 
 tumult  of  thy  persecution."  The  majesty  and 
 might  of  condescending  love  gains  its  end. 
 The  ,/?/•«<  open  word  of  the  liisea  Lord  (which 
 was  preceded  by  the  gentle  consolatory  prepa- 
 ration of  a  disguised  voice),  was  also  a  call  by 
 name — Mary!  Yet  how  different,  with  all  its 
 resemblance,  is  the  first  call  of  the  ascended 
 Lord  ! 
 
 Let  it  not  be  wondered  at  that  we  speak 
 here — upon  the  first  words  of  his  mouth — of 
 the  soul-affecting  tone  of  the  speech  of  the  ex- 
 alted Redeemer,  speaking  down  to  man  upon 
 earth.  That  he  still  has  a  mouth  to  speak, 
 and  may  make  his  words  heard,  though  no 
 longer  after  the  earthly  manner  of  the  organs 
 which  form  the  utterance  here ;  that  he  may 
 thus  communicate  his  will — at  least  as  certainly 
 as  Almighty  God  could  speak  from  heaven,  "  I 
 am  the  Lord  !  "  "  Thou  art  my  beloved  Son  1 " 
 — is  self-understood.  Or,  rather,  it  ought  to 
 be  rightly  understood  by  all  believers  who 
 .think  soundly  about  what  they  believe.  Gess 
 justly  complains  that  theology  speaks  almost 
 always  only  of  corporeity,  when  treating  of 
 the  permanent  humanity  of  the  glorified  Clirist; 
 and  says  that*  "  the  humanity  must  exist  as 
 certainly  in  the  inner  nature  of  the  exalted  Sa- 
 viour ;  even  as  upon  earth  his  was  not  merely 
 a  human  bndili/  life,  but  also  a  human  life  of 
 the  soul "  (Heb.  iv.  15  ;  John  v.  27).  Tliis  be- 
 longs, indeed,  to  the  least  understood  and 
 doubtless  most  difljcult  problems  of  knowledge  ; 
 but  it  is  indubitably  true,  nevertheless.  Con- 
 sequently, how  mysterious  soever  the  connec- 
 tion mediated  by  Almightiness,  between  the 
 audible  speaking  and  the  corporeity  of  Jesus, 
 may  be — there  is  a  profounder  connection  with 
 his  abiding  personality  in  this,  that  the  voice 
 proceeds  from  his  soul,  we  would  rather  say, 
 from  his  lieart ;  and  carries  with  it  "  in  the 
 manner  of  a  man  who  in  degree  is  the  Lord 
 God  "  (1  Chron.  xvii.  17),  the  most  living  and 
 impressive  expression. 
 
 But  now  for  the  more  plain  and  direct  ques- 
 tion, which  unfolds  the  charge  already  involved 
 in  the  invocation  by  name.  The  whole  inter- 
 nal contradiction  of  this  most  sincere  Pharisee 
 against  the  neglected  voice  of  God's  truth,  is 
 novv  condensed  and  condemned  in  one  short 
 word —  Why  jKrsccutest  tlu>u  me  f  As  it  was  the 
 Lord's  wont  upon  earth  to  pierce  the  hearts  of 
 the  people  by  qiientionji,  humbling  and  judging 
 them  by  asking  them  questions  which  would 
 lay  bare  their  conduct  to  themselves,  so  it  is 
 here — though  now  in  its  heavenly  eflfect  the 
 question  is  still  more  powerful.  He  utters  only 
 a  few  plain  words  (in  the  Hebrew  only  two) — 
 
 ♦  In  the  memnrablo  book,  Die  Lchre  von  der 
 Ferson  Chriati,  p.  266. 
 
ACTS  IX.  4-6;  XXII.  7-10;  XXVI.  14-16. 
 
 867 
 
 Buch  is  the  sublime  heavenly  majesty  of  his 
 style  from  the  throne.  To  every  lower  or 
 higher  questioner  who  might  have  asked — 
 Wherefore  persecutest  thou  the  Nazarenes? 
 Saul  would  have  been  ready  with  many  rea- 
 sons of  conscience  and  duty  to  justify  himself; 
 but  here  he  can  only  reply  by  an  humbled  and 
 amazed  question,  which  seems  alre.ady  almost 
 to  know  the  Lord — Who  art  thou?  Into  the 
 secret  depth  of  his  conscience,  where  man  is 
 found  guilty  even  in  his  sins  of  ignorance,  the 
 fearful  interrogatory  penetrates  and  sticks  fast 
 
 fore  all  the  people  in  Jerusalem.  But,  on  the 
 second  defence  before  Agrippa,  where  he  more 
 confidentially  and  fully  opens  the  mystery  of 
 his  conversion,  he  communicates  what  the  Lord 
 proceeded  to  add— Zi  is  hard  for  thee  to  kick 
 against  the  pricJcs.  This  expression  is  an  agri- 
 cultural proverb,  used  of  the  yoked  oxen 
 which,  in  their  stupidity,  kick  out  against  the 
 goad  furnished  with  a  sharp  point,  and  injure 
 themselves  the  more.  Thus  it  simply  means — 
 vainly  and  foolishly  to  oppose  a  superior  power 
 to  one's  own  injury.     The  proverb  occurs  in 
 
 —  What,  for  what,  or  wherefore  persecutest  thou  !  Latin  and  Greek  authors  ;  the  tragic  poets 
 
 me? 
 
 How  wonderful,  for  inexhaustible  contem- 
 plation of  the  detail  in  the  whole,  and  of  tlie 
 whole  in  the  detail,  is  every  thing  which  is  re- 
 corded in  Scripture  concerning  the  great  acts 
 and  words  of  God  I     The  individualities  are  so 
 concrete  and  historical,  the  words  are  so  sim- 
 ple in  their  immediate  place  and  connection, 
 that  a  hundred  expositors  may  fail  to  discern 
 in  them  any  thing  specific  to  expound ;  but,  in 
 the  comprehensive  view  of  the  wliole  in  Scrip- 
 ture, the  genuine  Sciijjture  expositor  finds  ever 
 something  new,  every  where  something  great 
 and  significant  even  in  the  lesser  matters.     So 
 is   it  with  this  first   word  of  the  Lord  from 
 heaven — the  first  word  since  the  farewell  words 
 before  the  ascension.     He,  the  same  who  testi- 
 fied that  to  him  was  given  all  power  in  heaven 
 and  on  earth,  testifies  here  in  the  first  testi- 
 mony that  he  bears  from  the  throne  of  his  om- 
 nipotence, that  he  will  not  use  this  power  in 
 judgment;  yea,  that  he  will  not  use  it  for  the 
 mere  external  defence  of  his  Church.     He  con- 
 fesses to  his  persecuted  members  and  brethren  ; 
 but  he  himself  endures  persecution  in  them,  and 
 will  win  the  persecutor,  whom  he  has  borne 
 with  in  long  suffering,  only  by  the  violence  of 
 love.     His  power  will  make  him  a  disciple  in 
 no  other  way   than   that  appointed  in  Matt. 
 xxviii.  19  for  all  people.     This  is  also  the  con- 
 solation for  all  the  persecuted,  in  all  the  future 
 of  the  kingdom  of  the  cross;  until  that  day 
 when  he  will  come  in  another  form  from  heaven, 
 and  speak  and  judge  in  another  style.     Where 
 the  Lord  cannot  turn  his  enemies,  and  when 
 he  does  not  restrain,  but  suffers  them  to   do 
 their  violence  to  himself  in  his  people — his  peo- 
 ple may  confidently  say,  "  He  beareth  it ;  let 
 us  bear  it  too."     As  the  Lord  in  his  humilia- 
 tion, at  the  beginning  of  his  bodily  indignities, 
 uttered  but  one  word,  as  suitable  for  the  whole 
 Passion — Why  smitest  thou  me  ?  (John  xviii. 
 23),  while   he   suffered   himself  to  be  beaten, 
 and  scourged,  and  put  to  death  ;  so  here  the 
 exalted  Lord  patiently,  and  with  the  chastise- 
 ment of  gracious  truth  alone,  cries,  with  refer- 
 ence to  all  his  future  enemies  to  the  end  of  the 
 world — Why  persecutest  thou  me?     Pre-emi- 
 nently and   first  of  all,  this  word  was  meant 
 for  blinded  Israel,  who  afterwards  received  the 
 same  words  from  the  Apostle  in  all  their  force, 
 Acts  xxii. 
 
 With  this  all-embracing  brevity  did  Luk 
 
 it  of  impotent  opposition  to  the  gods;  the 
 Syrians  appear  also  to  have  had  such  a  phrase, 
 and  probably  thus  it  became  known  to  the 
 Hebrews;  at  any  rate  it  was  known  to  Saul, 
 who  was  versed  in  foreign  literature  ;  but  we 
 would  not  go  so  far  as  to  say  that  the  Lord 
 had  this  in  mind,  speaking  to  Saul  as  a  learned 
 man.  For  the  Heorew  words  proceed  simply 
 onwards ;  they  only  lay  open  more  plainly, 
 and  more  condescendingly,  and  in  their  pro- 
 gression more  piercingly,  that  which  was  al- 
 ready contained  in  the  depths  of  the  previous 
 word,  and  its  sublime  antithesis — Why  perse- 
 cutest thou — ine?  That  which  the  question 
 had  pressed  upon  the  conscience  is  now  brought 
 out  into  full  prominence  for  the  understanding 
 — Far  too  powerful  for  thee.  Moreover,  the 
 folly  and  the  guilt  are  laid  bare,  which  would 
 proudly  defend  themselves  against  this  already 
 lelt  inferiority  of  power. 
 
 Wiiile  we  are  dwelling  upon  the  circum- 
 stance that  our  Lord  not  only  spoke  in  the 
 Hebrew  tongue,  but  also  condescended  to  speak 
 to  men  in  their  own  proverbial  expressions, 
 infusing  into  them  a  new  meaning,  it  is  impor- 
 tant that  we  should  penetrate  into  the  specific 
 and  new  meaning  which  the  present  proverb 
 derives  from  his  use  of  it.  The  scruple  might 
 be  raised — Did  Saul  already  kick  against  the 
 pricks  when  he  was  persecuting  Jesus,  whom 
 he  did  not  as  yet  know  as  the  Mighty  One  in 
 heaven?  But' it  may  be  answered  that  the 
 sinner  who  had  fought  in  his  blindness  against 
 the  power,  righteousness,  and  truth  of  God, 
 must  have  assuredly  marked  and  discerned  the 
 high  authority  against  which  he  in  his  vain 
 folly  was  struggling,  although  he  did  not  as 
 yet  plainly  see  who  wielded  the  sceptre  ;  that, 
 consequently,  warning  thrusts  must  have  al- 
 ready reached  the  conscience  of  Saul,  as  gen- 
 erally from  the  justice  of  God,  so  specifically 
 from  the  bright  self-attestation  of  the  angel- 
 countenance  of  Stephen,  and  the  undeniable 
 sanctity  of  the  persecuted  "  saints  "—warnings 
 which,  however  half-unconsciously,  must  yet 
 have  been  certainly /ei«.  Few  Nazarenes  had 
 blasphemed;  most  of  them  confessed,  even 
 amid  torments,  the  name  which  he  fought 
 against ;  yea,  this  hated  and  persecuted  name 
 proved  itself,  in  its  living  wonderful  power, 
 as  the  staff  of  a  superior  against  the  prick  of 
 which  he  vainly  kicked,  only  the  more  wound- 
 ing his  own  mind  and  conscience  thereby.  Tho 
 
 record  it  at  first,  and  similarly  the  Apostle  be- !  Lord  does  not  merely  "  testify  to  him  the  ob 
 
968 
 
 TO  SAUL  THE  PERSECUTOR. 
 
 jective  fruitlessness  of  his  opposition  to  the 
 Church"  (as  Schaff  thinks)— that  was  already 
 contained  in  the  revelation  of  his  heavenly 
 power  and  glory  ;  but  that  which  in  Saul's 
 person  (subjectively)  had  made  itself  felt  as 
 ftis  own  hurt,  felt  actually  as  the  rebuking 
 point  of  a  goad  nevertheless  urged  against 
 him — that  the  Lord  now  suddenly  reveals  to 
 him,  and  throws  light  at  once  upon  the  past : 
 "  Why  persecutest  thou  me,  and  thereby  es- 
 sentially only  thyiself?  "  But,  from  that  great 
 moment  when  this  rises  distinctly  before  his 
 consciousness,  it  receives  the  stronger  and 
 fuller  meaning  for  the  future  also:  "  Wouldst 
 thou  further  oppose — think  how  hard,  vain, 
 and  ruinous  it  will  be  to  thee."     Luther  has 
 
 fiven  rightly  the  sense  of  the  indefinite  word — 
 t  wiU  be  hard  to  thee.  "  Behold,  this  is  my 
 goad — dost  thou  feel  it?  Wilt  thou  further 
 deny  thyself  to  me?  or,  wilt  thou  obediently 
 draw  in  my  yoke,  yield  thyself  up  submis- 
 sively to  be  sent  in  my  service?  My  sacred 
 grace  hath  decreed  to  make  thee  obedient — 
 woe,  woe,  unto  thee,  if  thou  shouldst  not  fol- 
 low I  JIard  should  it  be  to  thee,  incomparably 
 harder  than  hitherto  " — this  and  this  only  the 
 Lord  says;  for  imp-ssible  Saul's  disobedience 
 was  not  even  now  ;  of  an  irresistible  grace  we 
 can  by  no  means  think.  (Comp.  chap.  xxvi. 
 19,  and  Gal.  i.  16  ) 
 
 Satisfied  with  this  exposition  of  the  words, 
 as  it  has  always  with  more  or  less  clearness 
 been  perceived,  we  do  not  think  it  necessary 
 to  turn  aside  to  any  profound  concomitant 
 meaning  ;  such  as  that,  for  instance,  of  Baum- 
 garten,  who  refers  the  whole  saying  only  to 
 the  Pharisee's,  afterwards  the  Apostle's,  war- 
 fare with  the  law*  Otherwise,  he  needlessly 
 objects,  the  figure,  when  applied  to  Saul's  past 
 and  future  relation  to  Jesus,  would  be  inappro- 
 priate, as  making  Jesus  the  driver  with  a 
 threatening  goad,  and  Paul  the  ox  performing 
 his  work  Irom  fear  alone !  For,  does  not  the 
 Lord  here  manifestly  ihow  himself — previously 
 to  all  else  that  would  afterwards  follow — as  the 
 Mighty  One,  wilh  the  staff  of  authority,  point- 
 ed with  the  prick  which  should  pierce  the  con- 
 science? And  does  not  the  figure  prove  ils 
 truth  in  this,  that  the  question  is  one  of  the 
 yoke  o{  obedience?  Thus  it  is,  quite  simply, 
 that  the  Lord  testifies  his  oicn  power,  the  oppo- 
 sition to  which  can  resulc  only  in  the  hurt  of 
 iiim  who  opposes  ;  but,  because  this  power, 
 before  as  hereafter,  is  the  power  of  patient 
 love,  he  testilies  further  that  the  goad  of  the 
 driver  is  the  staff  of  the  Good  Shepherd,  having 
 no  other  design  than  to  take  away  the  siii^ 
 through  prace  which  rigorously  and  zealously 
 seeks  to  effect  ils  purpose.  The  holy  Theresa 
 finely  said  (as  Gcssner  quotes)  :  ""  Lord,  I 
 sooner   became  weary  of  injuring  thee,  than 
 
 *  In  harmony  with  his  general  view  that  "all 
 the  llioushis  wli.ch  ar;it?iied  the  mind  of  Saul 
 in  consequence  of  the  Lord's  address  to  him, 
 must,  liave  centered  in  tl:e  law  " — against  which 
 Lecliler  rightly  protests. 
 
 thou  of  forgiving  my  injury" — but  it  might 
 have  been  substituted — "  than  thou  of  with- 
 standing, in  order  that  thou  mightest  be  able 
 to  forgive." 
 
 All  this  Paul  shortly  afterwards  well  under- 
 stood. But  in  the  first  shock  of  sudden  amaze- 
 ment, the  whole  saying,  despite  the  final  pene- 
 trating clause,  was  almost  unintelligible.  He 
 feels  and  suspects,  but  does  not  at  once  clearly 
 understand;  hence,  in  his  deep  presentiment, 
 he  utters  the  hasty  question.  Who  art  thou, 
 Lord?  For  he  had,  hitherto,  persecuted  Jesus 
 ignorantly  in  unbelief  (1  Tim.  i.  13)— it  had  not 
 been  his  purpose  to  fight  wilfully  against  God. 
 If,  on  the  instant  after  the  manifestation  (which 
 it  was  impossible  for  him  to  continue  gazing 
 at),  he  could  hardly  think  otherwise  than  that 
 it  was  Jehovah  himself  in  the  glory  of  his  reve- 
 lation (the  Shchinah,  according  to  the  Jewish 
 expression),  or  at  least  an  angel  in  human 
 form,  who,  in  the  name  and  authority  of  Jeho- 
 vah, called  him — yet  the  "me"  was,  for  the 
 moment,  incomprehensible ;  and  in  that  his 
 relative  innocence,  in  connection  with  his  guilt, 
 revealed  itself.  Had  the  Lord  appeared  to 
 any  of  those  who  said,  "  This  is  the  heir,  come 
 let  us  kill  him  I  "  it  would  have  fallen  upon 
 him  as  the  thunder  of  judgment ;  at  most,  he 
 would  have  been  able  to  cry  with  the  devils, 
 "  What  hast  thou  to  do  with  me,  Jesus,  thoa 
 Son  of  the  Most  High  God?  Art  thou  come 
 to  torment  me  before  the  time?"  But  Saul, 
 who  had  not  wilfully  or  consciously  persecuted 
 the  Messiah,  or  the  person  who  might  be  tlie 
 Messiah,  can,  lying  upon  the  ground  with 
 covered  face,  find  strength  to  utter  his  trem- 
 bling question,  "  Lord,  v/ho  sayest  that  I  perse- 
 cute thee,  wlio  art  thou?  Not  the  God  of  Is- 
 rael,/(;?-  whose  honor  I  thought  myself  zealous. 
 Who  art  thou,  0  heavenly  One,  who  thus  art 
 one  wilh  the  Naznrenes,  as  if  thou  sufferedst  in 
 their  sufferings?"  But  this  very  thought 
 leads  us  to  the  other  side  of  the  question — that 
 the  presentiment  oi  h']?.  qnesl'ionneeded  only  to  be 
 brought  out  and  fully  uttered,  in  order  to  find, 
 if  the  Lord  had  kept  silence,  its  own  answer — 
 "Thou  art  Jesus  of  Nazareth."  He  knew  so 
 much,  at  least,  of  "  this  sect,"  that  according  to 
 their  belief  Jesus  was  now  enthroned  in  heaven. 
 Therefore,  while  he  might  have  thought  and 
 said.  Who  art  thou,  Lord,  from  heaven,  whom 
 I  can  have  pe) scented  f  he  restrains  this  last,  be- 
 cause that  itself  would  instantly  give  him  the 
 answer,  before  the  Lord,  confirming  his  own 
 thoughts,  expressly  uttered  it.* 
 
 *  The  question  is  here  raised,  wliether  Saul  had 
 not  previously  known  Jesus,  whether  he  had  not 
 seen  him  in  Jerusalem  or  elsewhere.  This  is 
 quite  possible  in  itself;  but  his  ]vresent  form 
 would  not  at  once  recall  any  such  acquaintance 
 with  his  person.  That  in  li  Cor.  v.  16,  this  ac- 
 quaintance is  meant,  appears  to  U3  a  very  doubl- 
 lul,  indeed,  an  absolutely  wrons  exposition.  For, 
 first,  the  Aposlle  speaks  there  hypothet:ca"ly— . 
 only  putting  a  case  ;  and  then,  to  know  Chr  st,  i.  9.^ 
 the  Messiah  {/■ivaidHeiy),  is  someihing  verydif 
 
ACTS  IX.  4-6;  XXII.  7-10;  XXVI.  14-16. 
 
 ^9 
 
 I  am  Jesus  of  Nazareth,  whom  thou  perse- 
 cutest.  Who  other  than  he  whom  thou  hast 
 persecuted?  The  Lord  does  not  harshly  break 
 off—"  Tarry  thou  on  the  ground,  and  reflect ; 
 this  first  word  is  enough  for  thee  !  "  With 
 more  and  more  gracious  condescension,  he 
 enters  into  the  ordinary  colloquy  of  word  and 
 answer.  First  comes  the  specific  repetition  and 
 emphasis  of  his  own  word,  Whom  t/u?u  persecut- 
 est  I  although  this  comes  out  only  after,  in  the 
 first  part  of  the  sentence  it  had  been  hinted  at. 
 The  Lord  now  calls  himself  from  heaven  by  the 
 name  which  the  Spirit  since  the  day  of  Pente- 
 cost had  glorified,  and  by  which  the  angels  at 
 the  empty  sepulchre  had  called  him  (Mark 
 xvi.  6)  :  the  name  of  humiliation,  under  which 
 Saul  had  persecuted  him,  is  by  him  in  his 
 glory  retained  and  confirmed.  Jesus  of  N'aza- 
 reth  !  That  further  testifies,  in  the  most  solemn 
 manner,  the  identity  of  his  present  person  with 
 the  person  of  the  humbled  One,  even  to  the 
 years  of  childhood  at  Nazareth,  to  which  he 
 looks  back  from  the  throne  of  God  in  eternal 
 glory.  Not  "Jesus  the  Christ" — which  was 
 self-understood  from  the  glorious  appearance  ; 
 as  also  that  Saul  had  'persecuted  Jejus  only  as 
 the  Christ.  But  the  Lord  will  not  still  further 
 oppress  the  man  lying  in  the  dust,  by  the  name 
 of  his  might  and  dignity  ;  he  mildly  descends 
 to  him,  giving  him  courage  and  awakening  his 
 confidence  in  the  midst  of  his  punishment. 
 For  the  expression  must  have  recalled  to  him 
 that  this  "Jesus  of  Nazareth"  was  once  upon 
 earth  the  meek  and  lowly  One,  the  Benefactor 
 and  Healer  in  his  divine  power.  Moreover, 
 Jesus  means,  as  all  who  afterwards  heard  the 
 words  would  think  with  Saul,  Helper  and  Sa- 
 viour. Thus — "  WHiy  persecutest  thou,  poor 
 sinner,  the  only  Helper,  who  halh  helped  so 
 many  and  would  help  thee,  who  pierces  with 
 the  goad  only  so  long  as  he  is  opposed?  Why 
 wilt  thou  not  let  me  save  thee  and  others  ?  " 
 The  charge  changes  into  a  tender  and  sorrow- 
 ful lamentation  and  complaint,  once  more  just 
 as  in  John  x.  32.  Thus  the  sin  of  Saul  is  for- 
 given, in  the  utterance  of  this  holy  name  of 
 Jesus,  even  while  that  sin  is  a  second  time 
 mentioned.  That  name  comes  first — "/  am 
 Jesus  whom  thou  persecutest — only  behold 
 and  hear  me  now."  Thus  will  the  Lord  reveal 
 to  every  Saul,  who  has  denied  him  in  error  that 
 may  be  repaired,  his  Jesus  name,  which  is  still 
 
 ferent  from  having  seen,  and  personally  known, 
 the  human  person.  Paul  had  formerly  a  blind 
 Jewish  knoAvledge  and  expectation  of  the  (prom- 
 ised) Messiah,  after  the fiesh,  that  is,  "  as  the  letter 
 reveals  h.m  to  the  natural  understanding;'  this 
 he  renouncei  as  old  and  past,  because  hs  has 
 found  the  true  Ciirist  in  Jesus.  Not,  therefore, 
 as  G.  Miiiler  says,  "  ihe  form  of  his  hum  mity  has 
 vanished  from  my  mind  " — he  would  say  some- 
 thing very  different.  Assuredly,  in  conclusion,  he 
 •who  appeared  to  him  at  Damascus  connnects  his 
 quite  otherwise  meant  /  am  Jesus  not  with  any 
 former  knowledge  CT  his  per.sou  wJi:ch  Saul  might 
 have  had.  , 
 
 above  the  name  of  Christ,  and  in  which  every 
 knee  shall  bow. 
 
 Such  gracious  condescension  has  made  it 
 possible  that  Saul,  seized  and  rendered  obedient 
 by  this  second  appeal,  should  put  the  question, 
 Lord,  what  wilt  thou  that  I  a/ioidd  do  f  (chap. 
 XX.,  shorter,  What  must  I  do,  Lord?)  He  does 
 not  remain  terrified  and  amazed  by  the  thought 
 of  the  twice-proclaimed  persecution  of  this 
 Lord  now  appearing  to  him,  and  cry  in  anguish 
 — Alas !  what  have  1  doyie  !  For,  only  this 
 manifestation  was  wanting  to  make  him  turn 
 to  his  denied  Lord,  with  as  much  decision  as 
 had  been  shown  in  his  persecution,  and  ask 
 what  might  be  the  will  of  the  Lord  whom  he 
 now  knew.  Although  the  bitter  struggle  was 
 yet  to  come,  there  already  flowed  into  his 
 heart  a  first  breath  of  consolation  and  forgive- 
 ness ;  so  that  he  looks  forward,  forgetting  the 
 things  behind,  and  can  offer  himself  and  his 
 whole  life  to  him  whom  he  had  persecuted, 
 with  the  question,  almost  child-like  in  its  con- 
 fidence— What  is  thy  will  from  this  time,  0 
 Lord,  now  even  my  Lmxl  ?  From  this  time — • 
 this  has  to  him,  now,  the  first  and  most  press- 
 ing significance  ;  because  he  is  at  the  gate  of 
 Damascus,  as  a  persecutor  sent  by  the  council: 
 "  What  shall  I  do  now?  Shall  I  turn  back? 
 And  whither?  Shall  I  go  on?  And  what  to 
 do  then  ?  " 
 
 Entering  graciously  into  this,  and  bringing 
 the  affecting  conversation  nearer  to  its  end, 
 the  Lord  answers  him — Paul,  in  the  narrative 
 before  the  Jews,  chap,  xxii.,  first  acknowledges 
 him  by  this  name.  Arise  and  go  into  the  city, 
 and  it  shall  he  told  thee  what  thou  must  do 
 (chap,  xxii,,  into  Damascus — of  all  things 
 ivhich  are  appointed  for  thee  to  do.  Chap, 
 xxvi.,  rise  and  stand  upon  thy  feet).  The  first 
 word  Arise  (hence  quoted  more  emphatically 
 in  chap,  xxvi.;  comp.  Ezek.  ii.  1)  has  her© 
 great  significance,  much  more  than  when  it 
 lormerly  came  from  the  lips  of  Jesus.  Tho 
 voice  of  the  Lord  first  threw  him  to  the  earth, 
 it  now  lifts  him  up  again — both  in  this  extra- 
 ordinary revelation  of  his  power,  in  quick  suc- 
 cession. "  Go— the  same  way  which  thou 
 wast  going,  into  the  same  Damascus,  but  as 
 another  man  now,  who  hast  fallen  down  before 
 me,  and  art  risen  up  again.  Thou  shalt  at  once 
 do  something ;  I  take  thee  at  thy  word,  it  \3 
 my  will.  Much  is  appointed  to  thee,  yea,  ac- 
 cording to  eternal  counsel,  to  thee,  the  persecutor 
 and  blasphemer,  which  thou  shalt  do  in  thy 
 new  life,  in  thy  new  energy,  in  my  service — all 
 this  will  be  told  thee.  The  supreme  order  is 
 given  and  sealed ;  but  all  the  rest  my  ministers 
 will  care  for."  What  an  explanation  this, 
 leaving  so  much  to  be  supposed,  but  concealing 
 all  in  a  simple  word,  which  Saul  could  not  at 
 once  understand. 
 
 Damascus,  the  oldest  city  of  which  we  have 
 any  knowledge — mentioned  as  early  as  the  his- 
 tory of  Abraham,  afterwards  the  metropolis  of 
 the  enemies  of  Israel,  and  later,  of  the  fanatical 
 Mohammedan  power — was  pre-appointed  to 
 be  the  scene  of  a  mighty  testimony  of  Jesus 
 
870 
 
 ANANIAS'  COMMISSION. 
 
 Christ  (see  Acts  ix.  20,  21).  But  the  Lord  does 
 not  say,  as  atterwards  to  Ananias,  and  as  the 
 angel  to  Cornelius — Into  this  or  that  street, 
 into  this  or  that  house.  He  mentions  to  him 
 no  name.  He  begins  at  once  to  exercise  him 
 by  the  test  of  obedience  in  faith.  He  who  had 
 asked,  in  harmony  with  his  impetuous  char- 
 acter, what  new  thing  he  should  do,  is  requir- 
 ed, in  this  new  beginning,  to  tcait,  to  learn,  to 
 le  told.  He  does  not  know  that  the  fulfillment 
 will  take  place  as  soon  as  it  actually  did ;  he 
 must  first  in  silent  waiting  turn  to  account 
 that  which  had  already  occurred.  The  original 
 does  not  say,  One  will  tell  thee;  but  still  more 
 indefinitely.  It  shall  be  told  thee.  Bv  whom? 
 Might  it  be  by  the  Lord  himself?  'The  dis- 
 missing reference  to  some  one  in  the  city  gives 
 him  plainly  to  understand  that  that  cannot  be 
 meant.  Thus  it  was  by  men,  and  by  whom 
 but  by  some  of  those  disciples  of  the  Lord 
 whom  he  had  come  to  persecute?  Even  Christ 
 himself  points  to  his  witnesses,  as  the  angel  re- 
 ferred Cornelius  to  Peter.  Not  merely,  "  he 
 that  persecuteth  mine  persecuteth  me,"  but 
 also,  "  he  that  heareth  mine  heareth  me." 
 
 As  the  Lord  had  in  the  first  word  confessed 
 his  people,  so  he  confesses  them  now  in  the 
 closing  word.  This  expression  is  better  here, 
 and  less  easily  perverted,  than  the  too  favorite 
 word  Church;  tor  where  was  at  that  time  the 
 Church — as  the  term  is  now  used  distinctively 
 from  the  congregation — with  its  confirmed,  ap- 
 pointed, ruling  constitution?  The  convert  is 
 afterwards  directed  to  the  Scripture,  but  that 
 does  not  come  till  after :  first  he  must  have 
 living  intercourse  with  those  who  live  in  faith, 
 in  order  to  the  opening  of  his  eyes. 
 
 He  is  sent  to  one  or  to  some  of  the  disciples 
 in  Damascus — thus  much  he  understands — 
 whom  he  must  patiently  wait  for.  Let  it  be 
 observed,  not  to  the  Apostles  ;  for  he  is  imme- 
 diately called  to  be  an  Apostle  himself.  Never- 
 theless, he  must  subject  nimself  to  the  heretics 
 whom  he  had  before  ecorned;    he  must  bow 
 
 down  before  the  persecuted  congregation,  and 
 receive  from  them  the  further  communications 
 of  his  Lord's  will.  Thus  the  extraordinary 
 and  miraculously  begun  work  of  his  conversioa 
 must  have  a  regular  and  unmiraculous  issue  ; 
 the  miracle  is  reduced  back  to  ordinary  level 
 with  the  miraculous,  rather  it  is  confirmed 
 and  sanctified  in  its  place  above  it.  Thus, 
 finally,  the  special  honor  done,  as  it  were,  to 
 the  proud  Pliarisee,  is  compensated  or  parallel- 
 ed by  his  taking  his  place  below  the  despised 
 Nazarenes,  in  order  to  strengthen  and  maintain 
 his  humility.  For,  alas  I  not  every  one  who 
 has  bowed  down  before  the  Lord  himself,  sub- 
 mits to  bow  down  before  men  for  the  Lord's 
 sake,  and  before  the  Lord  in  the  person  of 
 men. 
 
 The  Lord  often  thus  makes  his  own  begin- 
 ning, while  he  leaves  the  prosecution  to  his 
 disciples.  Thus  he  still  greets  his  children 
 upon  earth  with  greeting  which  strengthens 
 their  failh,  while  he  commits  to  them  still 
 sometimes  a  captive  enemy— the  strong  and 
 learned  made  blind  and  praying,  for  their  fur- 
 ther care  and  nourishment. 
 
 Finally,  there  is  the  expression,  "  What  is 
 appointed  to  thee  " — as  we  find  it  in  the  exacter 
 record,  chap.  xxii. — a  reference  to  the  Father, 
 precisely  as  in  Matt.  xx.  23.  We  must  not 
 understand  merely  "appomted  by  me;"  but 
 the  glorified  Lord  gives  the  glory  to  the  Fa- 
 ther; and  the  word'of  Ananias,  chap.  xxii.  14, 
 coincides  with  this.  In  the  later  appearance, 
 chap.  xxvi.  16,  the  Lord  himself  gives  his 
 or/lers  to  his  servant  and  witness  ;  but  in  the 
 first  announcement  of  himself  as  "  Jesus  of 
 Nazareth,"  so  condescendingly  lowly  with  all 
 its  majesty,  he  refers  all  at  the  conclusion  to 
 his  God  and  Father — All  shall  be  said  to  iheo 
 by  men,  that  is  appointed  for  thee  by  God.  For 
 this  is  the  confirmed  and  everlasting  rule; 
 whosoever  asks  his  Lord  in  earnest  what  he 
 should  do,  shall  have  in  his  ways  a  sure  answer 
 given  him  even  through  men. 
 
 ANANIAS'  COMMISSION 
 
 (Acts  ix.  10-16.) 
 
 .  Among  the  multitudes  of  Jews  in  Damascus 
 (Luke,  in  vers.  2  and  20,  speaks  of  synagogues 
 in  the  plural)  there  were  disciples  of  Jesus  of 
 Nazareth  (vers.  19-25) — though  probably  an 
 insignificant  little  company.  'The  persecution 
 which  Saul  had  with  a  strong  hand  undertaken 
 in  Jerusalem  had  far  dispersed  and  persecuted, 
 and  sent  them  widely  forth  as  preachers  of  the 
 word.  But  we  must  not  think  of  any  orderly 
 ecclesiastical  relation  among  these  few  di.sciples 
 at  Damascus,  nor  of  any  separation  from  the 
 Jewish  people,  further  than  their  confession  of 
 Jesus  absolutely  required.  Thev  remained,  as 
 we  find,  for  a  long  time  within  Israel,  Jews  in 
 
 all  observance  of  the  law.  This  is  expressly 
 stated,  chap.  xxii.  12,  of  Ananias  ;  as  also  his 
 good  report,  the  consideration  paid  to  his  irre- 
 proachable, respectable  character  among  all  the 
 Jews  of  the  city,  and  which  his  faith  in  Jesus 
 had  not  yet  interrupted.  Consequently,  al- 
 though this  "  disciple  "  is  not  called  an  elder 
 of  the  community,  he  is  one  in  reality  ;  and  is 
 chosen,  as  the  worthiest  representative  of  tho 
 discipleship  in  the  place,  to  receive  and  admit 
 Saul  into  the  fellowship  of  Christians.  Bub 
 this  transition  from  the  miraculous  to  regular 
 order  requires  also  on  the  part  of  Ananias — in 
 order  that  his  mistrust  of  tho  persecutor  may 
 
ACTS  IX.  10-16. 
 
 «71 
 
 be  taketi  awav,  and  still  more  that  he  might 
 «nter  fully  into  the  Lord's  plan  and  comrais- 
 sion,  and  venture  to  approach  Saul — a  further 
 extraordinary  and  miraculous  intervention.  It 
 takes  placp,  "therefore,  though  in  a  lower  de- 
 gree ;  that  is,  by  an  appearance  and  communi- 
 Tsation  of  the  Lord  in  viw)n. 
 
 This  expression  has  hero,  as  is  obvious,  not 
 the  general  meaning  which  it  has  in  Acts  vii. 
 ■51,  Matt,  xvii,  9,*  where  it  refers  to  an  ftppmr- 
 ance  from  th«  other  world  in  opposition  to 
 "ordinary  perception — in  which  sense  Saul's 
 «eemg  and  hearing  before  Damascus  was  a  vis- 
 ion. But  it  connects  itself,  according  to  a  more 
 restricted  use  of  the  phrase,  with  the  Old-Tes- 
 tament manner  of  speech,  as  found  already  in 
 Acts  ii.  17,  in  which  the  word  of  the  Lord  to 
 Abraham  (Gen.  xv.  1)  was  heard  "in  a  vision" 
 in  the  night,  as  ver.  7  shows.  The  promise  in 
 the  prophet  Joel  (chap.  iii.  1)  mentions  pro- 
 phecy, dream,  and  vision  as  the  three  orders  of 
 oivine  revelation;  as  in  Num.  xii.  6  the  Lord 
 declares  that  he  will  make  himself  known  to 
 •other  prophets  in  vision,  or  dream,  but  express- 
 ly distinguishes  this  from  the  immediate  reve- 
 lation reserved  for  Moses — the  speaking  face 
 to  face,  the  being  seen  in  face  or  form.  What 
 the  stricter  relations  of  these  may  be  is  matter 
 of  higher  experience,  and  cannot  here  be 
 thoroughly  opened  up ;  we  merely  remark, 
 that  the  very  distinct  dream  might  pass  over 
 into  the  vision,  with  a  certain  removal  of  the 
 distinction,  but  that  this  distinction  must  be 
 maintained  in  the  case  of  a  vision  seen,  as 
 here,  during  the  day.  As  Cornelius  and  Peter 
 beheld  their  visions  in  the  day  and  waking — 
 although,  in  order  to  their  susceptibility  for 
 the  event,  raised  out  of  ordinary  wakefulness — 
 80  most  probably  did  Ananias  here.  It  is  not 
 said — In  a  vision  of  the  nighl  ;  and,  according 
 to  ver.  17,  when  he  received  the  commission 
 he  went  on  the  same  day,  without  interval  or 
 hesitation,  to  execute  it.  But,  finally,  it  must 
 not  be  overlooked  that  we  do  not  read  of  his 
 being  in  the  spirit;  this  is  a  further  distinction 
 between  these  "  visions  "  of  the  history  of  the 
 Acts,  and  the  later  more  profoundly  internal 
 intercourse  of  the  Lord  with  his  Apostles. 
 
 The  Lord  said  in  the  vision,  Ananias  !  Here 
 once  calling  by  name  is  enough ;  his  name,  ut- 
 tered in  so  wonderful  a  manner,  introduces  the 
 vision,  excites  and  places  him  in  a  state  in 
 which  there  was  certainly  some  kind  of  seeing 
 the  appearing  Lord.  For,  on  the  one  hand, 
 the  vision  of  Ananias  would  not  be  less  plain 
 than  that  of  Saul,  who  saw  this  man  coming 
 in  to  him  ;  and,  on  the  other,  Luke  relates  the 
 proceeding  with  the  supposition,  not  expressed, 
 that  Ananias  at  the  first  call  knew  the  Lord 
 Jesus,  and  afterwards  speaks  to  him  as  such — 
 "  Tliy  saints  who  call  on  thy  name."  We  can- 
 not perfectly  understand  all ;  but  this  much  is 
 plain,  that,  without  having  any  previous  expe- 
 
 ,  *  It  difF  rs  in  the  Greek  {oTtradia  for  upa/ua  , 
 3S  ill  Acts  XX.V1.  IS^,  yet  with  the  same  raeaumg  in 
 xxiv.  23. 
 
 rience  of  any  such  vision,  the  faithful  disciplo, 
 accustomed  to  the  communion  of  the  heart 
 with  his  Lord,  is  raised  from  the  sudden  shock 
 of  the  appearance  to  the  confident  beholding 
 of  him  who  appears,  and  can  reply.  Here  am  I, 
 Lord.  It  may  be  that  Ananias  was  one  of 
 those  who  had  seen  the  Lord  in  his  visits  to 
 Jerusalem  at  the  feasts — possible  that  he  was 
 one  of  his  original  disciples* — and  consequent- 
 ly that  the  voice  and  form  of  the  Lord  would 
 recall  him  to  his  remembrance.  Be  that  as  it 
 may,  this  vision  ?,nd  colloquy  rests  upon  the 
 same  foundation  as  the  revelation  to  Saul,  con- 
 firmed and  sealed  as  that  is  by  an  entire  apos- 
 tolical life. 
 
 In  the  "  Here  am  I  "—which  occurs  so  often 
 from  Abraham  in  Gen.  xx.  downwards,  as  the 
 reply  to  the  Lord's  summons  by  name,  and  the 
 immediate  use  of  which  sprang  from'  Ananias' 
 familiarity  with  Scripture — was  contained  the 
 questions,  "  What  is  thy  will  ?  What  am  I  to 
 do?  "  And  the  Lord  said  to  him,  "■Arise,  and 
 go  into  the  street  which  is  called  Straight,  and 
 inquire  in  the  house  of  Judas  for  one  Saul  of 
 Tarsus.'^  It  is  not  that  Ananias  also  had 
 fallen  down  ;  the  arise  simply  belongs,  in  the 
 familiar  speech,  to  the  going  and  executing  his 
 errand  at  once.f  The  Lord  assumes  the  tone 
 of  familiar  speech,  as  if  all  was  passing  in 
 common  life,  and  condescends  to  exact  specifi- 
 cation of  the  street  and  house  ;  for  this  was 
 now  necessary,  in  order  to  give  Ananias  a  dis- 
 tinct impression,  and  still  more  to  obviate  the 
 premature  comments  which  would  have  result- 
 ed from  any  particular  inquiries  in  the  city — 
 "  The  Christian  Ananias  has  sought  out  the 
 persecutor  Saul !  "  What  the  two  liave  to  do 
 together  requires  at  first  perfect  secrecy  ;  until, 
 after  certain  days  (ver.  19),  Saul  begins,  to  the 
 astonishment  of  all,  to  preach  concerning  Jesus 
 in  the  synagogues.  Alter  Luther's  inexact 
 translation — Die  richtige  Gasse — many  have 
 found  a  fanciful  allusion  to  him  who  was  now 
 brought  into  the  right  way  ;  but  this  disturbs 
 here  the  plain  simplicity  of  the  whole,  in  which 
 nothing  more  is  meant  than  the  great  street  of 
 the  city,  so  called  in  distinction  from  others 
 which  did  not  run  so  directly  through  it.  The 
 host  Jadas  was  not  also  a  Christian,  though 
 through  his  guest  he  may  have  become  one  ; 
 the  name  here  indicates  only  what  we  should 
 now  express  by  the  number  of  the  street.  Be- 
 cause, finally,  Saul,  like  Judas,\\as  an  ordinary 
 name,  the  usual  designation  of  Saul  of  Tarsus 
 marks  out  one  who  in  every  land,  and  by  Ana- 
 nias, was  known  as  the  notorious  enemy  of  the 
 Christians. 
 
 Hitherto  the  words  had  been  simple  and 
 plain,  as  when  a  man  is  introducing  with 
 accuracy  an  ordinary  commission  ;  but  now 
 comes  the  great  declaration — "For,  heliold,  he 
 
 *  Compare  tlie  expression,  probably  to  be  un- 
 derstood in  the  same  way,  concerning  Muason,  an 
 old  disciple,  apjt^'V  l^oc(ir]zxi,  Acts  xxi.  16. 
 
 t  In  the  Greek  they  are  closely  united,  dva6' 
 rdi  TCopevQijCL, 
 
ws 
 
 ANAKIAS'  COMMISSION. 
 
 prayeth  !  "  Here  tlie  for  ( which  has  been  soft- 
 ened away  by  most  expos;tors)  retains  its  full 
 meaning;  the  astonishment  and  affrip;ht  of 
 Ananias  at  the  mention  of  the  name  Saul  of 
 Tarsus  is  anticipated — "  Thou  shaU.  seek  him 
 without  fear  ;  thou  shalt  find  him  willing  to  be 
 told  my  will."  In  this  Bengel  is  at  fault,  who 
 refers  the  for  (which  obviously  ffives  a  reason) 
 to  the  whole  clause,  and  particularly  to  the  fol- 
 lowing sentence  about  his  having  seen  the  vis- 
 ion. Surely  the  first  words — he  prayeth,  ^ere 
 of  themselves  quite  enough  ground  to  estab- 
 lish the  confidence  of  Ananias.  The  behold 
 places  the  praying  man,  visible  to  the  Lord, 
 also,  as  it  were,  before  the  eyes  of  Ananias.  In 
 that  one  thing  every  thing  is  embraced  and 
 said.  A  praying  man  is  never  to  be  feared, 
 has  ceased  to  be  an  enemy  and  a  persecutor — 
 that  is  the  first  and  most  obvious  meaning  for 
 Ananias;  but  it  is  very  far  from  being  all  that 
 the  words  contained.  Instead  of  the  external 
 matter  which  Luke,  ver.  9,  faithfully  recorded 
 at  first — "  He  was  three  days  without  sight, 
 and  neither  ate  nor  drank" — the  Lord  men- 
 tions that  which  he  saw  in  the  inner  man,  and 
 which  was  only  imaged  and  expressed  in  the 
 blindness  and  fasting.  What  prayer  must  this 
 of  Saul  have  been,  through  these  three  days 
 and  nights !  We  cannot  agree  with  Baum- 
 garten,  who  maintains  (against  Bengel)  that 
 the  state  of  Saul  during  the  whole  of  the  three 
 days  is  not  described  as  being  that  of  prayer; 
 but  that  "  the  praying  put  an  end  to  the  agony 
 which  had  filled  the  three  days  !"  This  inter- 
 pretation presses  the  for  beyond  its  limits; 
 since,  in  that  case,  if  the  reason  for  the  Lord's 
 commission  to  Ananias  had  occurred  before, 
 Ananias  would  have  been  sent  eailier.  We 
 confess  that  we  cannot  understand  a  three 
 days'  "  wrestling  "  on  Saul's  part,  which  was 
 resolved  at  last  into  prayer — not  being  itself 
 
 Grayer  all  through.  "  Lord,  what  wouldst  thou 
 ave  me  to  do?"  That,  in  truth,  was  the 
 beginning  of  a  prayer  to  the  Lord,  which  never 
 could  cease  again  until  it  had  been  fully  an- 
 swered. The  other  remark  of  Baumgarten  is 
 both  obvious  and  true:  "This  was  of  course 
 not  the  first  time  that  Saul  had  prayed  ;  as 
 %n  irreproachable  Pharisee  he  had  never  ne- 
 glected the  hours  of  devotion  ;  but  all  his  pre- 
 vious praying  did  not  deserve  the  name."  Ah  1 
 how  olten  is  it  that,  after  much  fruitful  "  pray- 
 er" which  the  Lord  has  not  regarded,  he  him- 
 Belf  at  length  bears  his  testimony — Behold,  he 
 praye'h  now  ! 
 
 "  We  cannot  describe  the  whole  way  of  con- 
 version more  concisely,  and  at  the  same  time 
 more  comprehensively,  than  by  these  words — 
 '  Heboid,  he  prayeth.'  For  it  brin-is  the  two 
 things  together  :  that  conversion  is  God's  work  ; 
 but  that  it  must  have  our  co-operation.  In 
 jprayfr  we  lay  hold  on  God's  good  will,  which 
 had  before  laid  hold  upon  us  ;  and  yield  our- 
 selves up  to  his  mighty  drawings"  (Rieger). 
 Saul,  90  mightily  apprphended  of  Christ  Jesus, 
 bad  already  a  secret  sense  or  hope  of  forgive- 
 nesa ;    iicverlheless,  the   appropriation  of  this 
 
 pardon  in  faith  required  of  him,  now  whem  eafnl 
 reflection  followed  the  great  manifestation,  tho 
 most  vehement  wrestling — the  utmost  labor 
 of  prayer,  that  in  repentance  he  might  sorely 
 taste  the  full  knowledge  of  his  sin.  For,  not- 
 withstanding all  that  was  sudden  and  extraoT"- 
 dinary  in  bis  case,  there  was  no  remission  or 
 relaxation  to  him  of  the  universal  method  of 
 grace ;  and  tliia  is  emphatically  stated  in  the 
 mention  of  his  prayer.  The  means  of  grace 
 for  him,  as  for  all  others,  are  the  word  and  sa- 
 crament— but  deriving  their  energy  and  effect 
 from  praying  faith,  which  receives  in  order  to 
 further  seeking  and  finding. 
 
 "  Behold,  he  prayeth  " — that  is  the  fifrst  and 
 main  point,  as  the  verse  divides  itself;  then 
 follows,  "  And  hath  seen  in  a  vision  a  man 
 named  Ananias,  coming  in,  and  putting  his 
 hand  upon  him,  that  he  might  receive  his  sight." 
 This  corresponsive  "vision"  of  a  different  or- 
 der, similar  to  that  of  the  man  of  Macedonia 
 in  Troas  (chap.  xvi.  9),  the  personification  of 
 the  people  crying  for  their  only  help,  is,  strictly 
 speaking,  no  more  in  itself  than  that  seeing 
 from  afar,  or  anticipator)'  seeing,  what  will 
 afterwards  take  place,  of  which  there  are  plen- 
 tiful examples  in  all  times  ;  except  that  the 
 mention  of  the  name  (doubtless  by  a  voice)  is 
 an  unusual  addition,  for  the  purpose  of  direct- 
 ing both  men  certainly  to  each  other,  as  in  the 
 case  of  Peter  and  Cornelius.  One  might  say 
 that  the  name  would  bear  with  it  a  consoling 
 significance — Ananias  (like  Hananiah,  Johan- 
 an,  Johannes)  that  is,  "  The  Lord  is  gracious."* 
 Yet,  in  any  case,  the  vision  of  itself  was  with- 
 out any  concomitant  omen,  a  comforting  and 
 gracious  preparation  of  Saul  for  the  peaceful 
 consciousness  of  received  grace;  it  promised 
 him  very  much,  as  being  a  continuation  of  the 
 Lord's  intercourse  with  him — for  only  from 
 him  could  such  revelation  come  ;  it  was  to  him 
 j  the  beginning  of  the  answer  of  his  p.  aver, 
 I  pointing  to  the  future  appointed  for  him.  t'or, 
 if  he  should  sec  again,  it  could  only  be  that  he 
 might  be  restored  to  a  new  life  and  a  new  ac- 
 tivity:  that  the  same  man  Ananias  would  fur- 
 thermore tell  him  what  he  should  do,  was  taken 
 for  granted,  and  indeed  symbolically  declared 
 in  the  opening  of  his  eyes.f  It  is  the  manner 
 of  a  vision  to  exhibit  the  external,  from  which 
 the  rest  then  follows;  as  we  find  also  that  the 
 Lord  only  hints  to  Ananias  his  specific  com- 
 mission for  Saul — at  first  merely  by  this  laving 
 en  of  hands,  in  order  to  his  recovering  sfght. 
 That  which  follows  in  vers.  15,  16,  as  answer  to 
 
 *  On  tlie  oiher  hand  Job  v.  19,  is  to  be  inter- 
 preted otherwise — "  Cloud  of  God,"  as  Azarias — 
 Hc!2y  of  God. 
 
 f  "  We  may  well  suppose  that,  before  he  started 
 for  Taniascus,  Saul  had  informed  h.raself  of  the 
 foelings  of  the  Jews  in  that  city  towards  tho 
 Christiana,  and  had  already  heard  of  tliis  well- 
 known  and  universally  re>p°cted  j)er--on.''  So 
 Daumsarten ;  but  we  cannot  agree  with  him  in 
 this ;  it  is  almost  contradicted  by  ver.  2. 
 
ACTS  IX.  10-16. 
 
 fm 
 
 liiB  objection,  "was  not  spoken  to  be  directly 
 communicated  to  Saul.  What  Ananias  under- 
 stood of  his  commission,  and  afterwards  ac- 
 complished, was,  as  far  as  it  was  contained  in 
 the  first  communication  of  the  Lord,  simply 
 this;  "  Raise  him  out  of  the  deep  depression 
 of  his  penitence,  give  him  gracious  and  new 
 light  concerning  his  election,  take  him  as  a  be- 
 liever into  th«  fellowship  of  those  who  belong 
 to  me."  Up  to  this  time  the  Lord  had  said 
 nothing  to  Ananias  about  the  first  great  event 
 — "  He  beheld  me  in  the  way  to  Damascus, 
 where  I  appeared  to  him.  Thai'wa.s  the  cause 
 of  his  Uitnlnese."  We  shall  see  how  Ananias 
 came  to  know  that  fact ;  at  present  we  observe 
 only  this:  Dazzled  and  blinded  by  the  divine 
 glory,  he  must  by  human  hands,  and  human 
 words,  be  restored  to  sight,  which  is  itself 
 fivmboli^ail  of  the  c^-der  of  gra«e,  as  it  proceeds 
 in  every  such  case,  and  to  which  every  thing 
 in  the  history  now  leads. 
 
 But  Ananias,  with  increasing  confidence,  the 
 eecret  of  which  we  have  already  pointed  out, 
 naakes,  in  vers.  13,  14,  a  long  objection,  as  if 
 the   Lord  who  speaks  to   him,  and  whom  he 
 oiMse  again  replies  to,  did  not  know  and  had 
 not  heard  what  he  knew  concerning  this  evil 
 and  dangerous  man.     The  Lord  said — "  Behold 
 be  praj-eth  1 "  but   this  appears  to   Ananias 
 incredible;  and,  instead  of  himself  hearing,  he 
 adduces  what  he  had  heard  of  many  touching 
 this  man  to  wboni  he  was  to  go.     Past  all  in- 
 vention true,  to   every  right   feeling,  is  this 
 whole  account,  however  strange  it  may  appear ; 
 it  is  the  genuine  and  sincere  conversation  of  a 
 disciple  with   his   Lord.      Ananias    uses  two 
 pecBliar  designations  of  the  Christians:   not 
 "  disciples,"  nor  "  brethren,"  neither  of  which 
 would   have  been   in   place   here  :    but — Thy 
 «aitt<6  (eomp.  ver.  32-41) ;  and  who  call  on  thy 
 name.     The  former  is  derived  over  from  God 
 to  the  Lord   Jesus:    "  Thy,"  as  formerly   in 
 Scripture,  "God's"  saints  (Psa.  i.  5;  1  Sam.' 
 ii.  3).    The  latter  is  more  strictly  referred  to 
 Jesus:  "  Who  not  merely  call  on  the  name  of 
 Ood,  as  the  Jews  in  hypocrisy,  and  many  pious 
 Jews  ignorantly  to  this  day,  but  call  with  a 
 true  faith  on  thy  name  f  so,  since  Acts  i.  24, 
 Jesus  had  been  prayed  to,  and  thus  the  com- 
 mon designa,tion  arose  (ver.  21 ;  1  Cor.  i.  2). 
 "  And  can  such  a  one — this  man  well  known 
 to  me  as  a  blasphemer  of  thy  name — now  him- 
 fielf  call  upon  thy  name?     How  can   that  be 
 possible?  "  Standing  before  the  Lord  in  heaven 
 and  his  supreme  power,  he  says — This  man 
 hath   audwrily.     In  the  presence  of  the   one 
 true  High   Priest  he   makes  mention  of  the 
 high   priests   in  Jerusalem.     The  attendants 
 had  hardly  mentioned  the  letters  of  authority 
 during  the  three  days ;  rather,  we  may  sup- 
 pose  that   warning    had   come   from    distant 
 »retbren.     In  any  case  Ananias  received  this 
 evil  report  from  iiKviy,  as   generally   known. 
 But  surely  he  was  ashamed  of  his  open  and 
 inconsiderate  counter-plea,  as  soon  as   he  had 
 finished  it;  and -said  to  himself,  what  therefore 
 ihe  Lord  did  not  need  to  saj — "  But  the  Au- 
 
 thority of  Jesus  has  struck  down  this  fierce 
 enemy,  and  made  him  blind  and  prayerful." 
 
 Instead   of  any   reproof,    Dost   thou   know 
 better  than  I  ? — for  the  sincere  appeals  of  his 
 people  to  him,  however  weak,  inconsiderate,  or 
 perverted  they  may  be,  the  Lord  never  con- 
 demns ;  but  rather  takes  pleasure  in  them,  if 
 they  only  come  from  pure  hearts — instead  of 
 any  rebuking  word,  which   would  have    been 
 out  of  harmony  with  the  revelation  of  super- 
 abounding  grace,  the  Lord  said,  "  Go !  let  it 
 be  as  I  have  told  thee  before" — in  this  one 
 word  expressing  no  more  tiiau  a  gentle  re- 
 proving reference  back  to  his  men  first  word, 
 which  ought  to  have  had  more  weight  than  all 
 tliat  Ananias  might  have  heard  from  others. 
 And  then  follows  a  second /t>r,  opening  out  hia 
 own  secret  purpose  concerning  this  man,  this 
 Saul  of  Tarsus.     "  For  he  is  a  chosen  instru- 
 ment (or  vessel)  to  me,  to  carry  my  name  to 
 the  Gentiles,  and  before  kings,  and  the  children 
 of  Israel."     How  does  Ananias  hearken  now  to 
 the  lolty  words,  which  have  taken  so  different 
 a  turn,  no  longer  speaking  of  a  man  seeking 
 grace  who  simply  needed  to  be  comforted  and 
 healed  !     How  does  he  take  shame  to  himself, 
 and  think — Thou,  Lord,  in  very  deed  know- 
 est  best;    and  canst  choose  and   prepare  for 
 thyself    thine   instruments  ?      But   the    Lord 
 does  not  add — Tell  him  this.     The  Spirit  after- 
 wards taught  Ananias  how  much  of  this  pre- 
 paratorily to  announce  to  the  elect  Apostle, 
 and  how  much  it  was  necessary  as  yet  to  con- 
 ceal.    The  Lord  himself,  in  a  subsequent  ap- 
 pearance (chap.  xxvi.  16-18)  first  declared  tho 
 appointment  of  the  Apostle  of  the  Gentiles, 
 and  gave  hiin  the  fuller  words  of  instruction 
 in  his  ofBce  ;  on  the  other  hand,  Ananias,  chap, 
 xxii.  5,  speaks  only  in  more  indefinite  expres- 
 sions— "  A  witness  to  all  men,"  which  might 
 be  understood  as  meaning,  "  with  whom  thou 
 shall  have  to  do,  every  where  wherever  thou 
 raayest  go."     A  chosen  instrument,  literally, 
 a  vessel  of  ekciion — these  are  two  fundamental 
 words,  which  the  Apostle  learned  afterwards 
 in  the  school  of  the  Spirit  to  understand  and 
 teach  for  himself  and  others — almost  as  if  that 
 Spirit  had  literally  brought  to  his  mind  this 
 word  of  Jesus  concerning  his  own  vocation. 
 We  know  how  much  he  has  to  say  concerning 
 the  free  choice  or  election  of  God,  and  similarly 
 cf  the  vessels  or  instruments  of  mercy  or  of 
 wrath,  of  honor  or  of  dishonor  (with  the  samo 
 Greek  expression,  Ploiu.  ix.  21-23 ;  2  Cor.   iv. 
 7;    2  Tim.  i.  20,  21).     Even    the  man   most 
 richly  endowed  can  receive  in  himself  the  pow- 
 er of  divine  grace  only  as  a  vessel;  and  only 
 as  an  instrument  serve  him  who  here  says,  in 
 his   royal   authority    over   the    kingdom   and 
 house  of  God — a  vessel  unta  tne.     My  name — 
 that  is  the  great  matter ;  in  that  all  is  com- 
 prehended, as  in  chap.  xxvi.  18,  every  thing 
 has   its   similar  sublime   close— Through  the 
 faith  that  is  in  me.     This  man  shall  not  merely 
 call  upon  my  Jesus-name,  as  all  my  saints  do, 
 and  he  himself  also  now  does  ;  he  shall  hear  it, 
 that  is.  confess,  announce  and  diffuse  it  far  aad 
 
874 
 
 ANANIAS'  COMMISSION. 
 
 ^j(Je — wliereby  tRe  e-^pression  still  adheres  fo 
 the  figurative'"  vessel."  Truly  Paul  was  full 
 of  the  ointment  poured  forth  of  the  most  holy 
 name  (Cant.  i.  3)— a  good  savor  of  Christ 
 wherever  he  came.  The  Gentiles  now  come 
 first — to  Ananias  a  new  and  great  di.«closnre — 
 the  Icings  are  in  transition  meant  both  of  Jews 
 and  Gentiles,  as  Paul  testified  in  Jerusalem 
 before  the  last  Jewish  king,  and  in  Rome  be- 
 fore the  Cfc-sar ;  finally,  before  the  children  of 
 Israel  is,  notwithstanding  the  nnbelief  of  the 
 Jews  predicted  in  chap.  xxii.  IS,  the  term  and 
 goal  of  all  missions,  the  end  to  which  the  tes- 
 timony of  the  Apostle,  continued  by  the 
 Spirit,  will  yet  attain  with  glorious  results. 
 Compare  these  prophetic  words  of  the  Lord 
 from  heaven  with  the  first  rays  of  the  pro- 
 phetic light  which  shone  around  the  infant  in 
 the  words  of  Simeon,  Luke  ii.  82. 
 
 But  the  Lord  has  not  said  all ;  a  third  "  for" 
 gives  most  conclusively  the  ground  of  the 
 pre-announced  fitness  of  this  chosen  vessel : 
 "  For  I  tcill  shoio  Mm  how  much  he  must  suffer 
 for  mi/  name's  saJce.^'  The  Beiienb.  Bihel* 
 explains  this  incorrectly,  losing  the  connection 
 of  the  "for."  After  the  correct  thought  that 
 even  this  last  clause  would  perfectly  take  away 
 all  carnal  boasting,  it  goes  on  to  explain  :  "  Ask- 
 not— Shall  this  be  to  him?  (for  this  struck 
 Ananias  to  the  heart).  God  forgives  the  sin, 
 but  punishes  it  even  in  his  elect.  It  shall  not 
 be  forgotten  that  he  hath  injured  my  Church. 
 He  shall  have  something  to  endure  for  it.  As 
 he  hath  injured  my  saints,  he  shall  himself  be 
 persecuted."  Truly,  Psa.  xcix.  8  is  not  thus  to 
 be  interpreted.  Such  vindictive  thoughts  were 
 certainly  not  in  the  mind  of  Ananias;  much 
 less  did  the  Lord  confirm  them.  The  future 
 Paul,  when  he  is  not  ashamed  of  his  tribu- 
 lations, but  glories  in  them  (2  Cor.  i.  3-6  ;  2 
 Tim.  i.  11,  12;  2  Cor.  xi.  23,  xii.  10),  never 
 brings  them  into  any  such  connection  with  his 
 former  guilt :  he  has  a  very  different  meaning 
 in  his  deep  word — "  I  fill  up  that  Avhich  is  be- 
 hind of  the  afflictions  of  Christ  in  my  flesh,  for 
 his  bo<ly'3  sake,  which  is  the  Church"  (Col.  i. 
 24).  The  prophecy  which  goes  before  from  the 
 Lord's  own  mouth  on  him,  at  his  ordination, 
 means  rather  the  good  warfare  which  he  would 
 thenceforth  war,  in  faith  and  a  eood  conscience 
 (1  Tim.  i.  18,  19).  Thus  it  is  not—"  I  will 
 bear  in  mind,  although  he  is  forgiven,  that  he 
 has  been  a  persecutor  ! "  but — "  J\Iy  grace  will 
 60  convert  and  change  him  into  an  elect  bearer 
 of  my  name,  that  he  shall  himself  be  steadfastly 
 and  zealously  faithful  as  a  persecuted  sufferer 
 for  my  name's  sake."  The  apparent  threaten- 
 ing is  itself  the  highest  promise  of  grace:  "  He 
 shall,  as  an  elect  instrument,  be  counted  worthy 
 of  enduring  great  shame  for  my  sake"  (Matt. 
 
 •  Asaitist  the  unaltered  repnblicalion  of  this,  for 
 our  limes,  I  thirty  years  asjo  protested — becau.se 
 iioL  every  man  knows  how  to  sift  out  the  evil  from 
 the  {rood.  It  is  now.  however,  proposed  to  give 
 it  to  the  public,  and  1  wara  the  laity  against  read- 
 iog  it  cave-eiibljv 
 
 V.  10-12.  XX.  22;  Acts  r.  41 ;  1  V^i.  iV  ITf. 
 
 In  this  is  included — indeed  the  "  for  "  gives  it 
 prominence — the  deep  principle,  applicable  not 
 to  Paul  alone,  but  to  all,  that  to  every  vessel 
 of  grace,  and  especially  every  witness  of  the 
 Gospel,  sufl"ering  is  inevitable,  and  that  the 
 measure  of  afHiction  is  in  proportion  to  the  ' 
 height  and  dignity  of  the  vocation.  That 
 which  was  said  in  the  Old  Testament,  as  the 
 germ,  so  to  speak,  of  the  rule  for  all  God's  ways 
 with  the  children  of  men,  "He  who  will  learn* 
 much  must  sjiffer  much  "  (Eccles.  i.  18  ;  comp. 
 Prov.  XV.  33) — atfrains,  now  that  the  great 
 forerunner  hath  entered  through  sufTerings  into 
 his  glory,  its  highest  confirmation  for  all  who 
 enter  into  the  kingdom  of  God,  Acts  xiv.  22. 
 Thus,  the  great  forerunner  speaks  here  of  this, 
 of  the  grace  of  sanctifying,  confirming,  and  pre- 
 serving affliction  for  his  saints  ;  and  applies  a 
 general  truth  especially  to  this  specially  elect 
 servant.  "  /  will  show  him,  that  is,  give  him 
 to  experience  " — so  speaks  he  who  has  not  only 
 suffered  himself,  but  is  ever  suffering  in  his 
 members.  The  first  experience  of  its  truth 
 Saul  had,  according  to  vers.  23-25,  in  Damascus ; 
 hence  in  2  Cor.  xi.  he  mentions  i\\\i  first  suffer- 
 ing for  the  sake  of  Christ. 
 
 But  the  Lord's  last  word  had  io  Ananias  a 
 tone  of  dismissal — "  Do  thou  thy  part,  execute 
 thy  commission  ;  7  will  provide  for  all  the  rest 
 of  his  career!"  and  Ananias  went  his  way — 
 so  we  read  in  chap.  ix. ;  in  chap.  xxii.  more  is 
 added  which  was  said  to  him.  He  not  only 
 laid  his  hands  upon  "brother  Saul,"  that  h& 
 might  see  again ;  but  that  he  might  be  filled 
 with  the  Holy  Spirit,  exhorted  hira  to  be  bap- 
 tized, and  baptized  him.  Concerning  suffer- 
 ings appointed  to  him  he  says  nothing;  con- 
 cerning his  call  to  be  a  witness  of  the  Lord  he? 
 utters  a  very  general  expression  ;  but  nothing 
 concerning  his  pre-eminent  dignity  and  honor 
 as  an  elected  vessel.  But  when  he  goes  on — 
 Jesus,  who  ajijyeared  to  thee  in  the  way,  hath 
 sent  me — and  speaks  of  the  ordained  seeing 
 of  the  Just  One,  and  hearing  the  words  of  hi» 
 mouth — we  ask  whence  he  came  to  know  this. 
 The  Lord  had  not,  according  to  Luke's  detail- 
 ed account,  declared  it  to  him  ;  or,  did  tha 
 Lord  actually  say  more  than  we  have  in  that 
 narrative?  In  such  matters  every  man  is  fre» 
 to  hold  his  own  opinion.  For  our  own  part, 
 we  cannot  consent  to  adtl  any  thing  unwritten 
 to  the  measured  and  rounded  words  of  our 
 Lord  from  heaven,  as  we  find  them  here  re- 
 corded ;  certainly  not,  which  would  be  most 
 strange,  that  Jesus  himself  spoke  at  length 
 concerning  his  appearance  to  Saivl.  Thus,  if 
 Luke  records  nothing  of  the  kind,  and  yet  re- 
 lates what  we  further  read  concerning  Ananias, 
 the  thoughtful  reader  must  find  another  answer 
 to  the  question,  which  is  not  a  vaia  and  over- 
 curious  one.  Whence  did  Ananias  know  of 
 the  Lord's  appearance  to  Saul  in  the  way? 
 The  attendants,  certainly,  could  only  give  their 
 indefinite  impression  of  the  whole  event,  anti 
 
 *  Nel  teach,  as  wo  fijad  in  Luther,.  L'hrem. 
 
ACTS  XXII.  17-21. 
 
 875 
 
 Baul  bad  not,  during  the  three  days  given  them 
 any  further  information ;  moreover,  Ananias, 
 who  straightway  obeyed,  and  went  to  the 
 house  of  Saul,  previously  unknown  to  him, 
 had  nothing  to  do  with  them.  We  simply 
 explain  the  matter  thus.  After  the  words  of 
 the  Lord,  Ananias  knew  sufficiently  well  this, 
 that  he  should  go  to  Saul,  whom  the  Lord  had 
 in  some  wonderful  way  humbled  and  changed, 
 that  he  should  heal  him  and  establish  him. 
 What  he  should  say  in  connection  with  the  im- 
 position of  hands,  which  could  not  be  meant 
 as  a  mere  ceremonial  gesture,  is  left  to  himself, 
 that  he  may  with  wisdom  gather  it  from  what 
 was  disclosed  to  him — as  he  accordingly  did. 
 But  not  only  so ;  when  the  Holy  Ghost  taught 
 him  to  understand  and  to  say  that  Saul,  re- 
 stored to  sight,  should  be  filled  with  the  Holy 
 Ghost,  he  himself,  whose  hand  and  word  and 
 baptism  imparted  that  great  gift,  was  at  the 
 same  time  filed  loith  the  Holy  Ghost,  as  Luke 
 often  records  of  the  Apostles  and  all  believers 
 (Acts  iv.  8-31.  vi.  3-5,  vii.  55,  xi.  24,  xiii.  9, 
 62).  Thus,  the  solution  of  the  difficulty  is 
 this,  that  to  Ananias — possibly  on  the  way  to 
 
 Saul,  more  probably  at  the  moment  when  he 
 begins  to  speak — the  Spirit  imparts  all  that  he 
 now  proceeds  to  say.  (Just  so  Elizabeth  greet- 
 ed the  mother  of  our  Lord  with  a  sudden  reve- 
 lation— except  that  Ananias  was  more  fully 
 prepared.)  Here  we  have  at  the  same  time, 
 in  the  complement  of  the  Lord's  first  words 
 from  heaven,  the  significant  and  instructive 
 lesson — that  it  is  his  will  to  leave  to  the  Holy 
 Spirit  in  his  disciples  the  completing  of  his 
 immediate  word  :  both  go  together  in  harmony 
 from  the  very  beginning. 
 
 In  conclusion,  it  is  to  be  observed  that 
 Ananias  gave  Saul  no  further  instniction,  or  (as 
 Olshausen  expressed  himself)  "  teaching  as  to 
 the  way  of  eternal  life."  Of  this  we  read  noth- 
 ing in  these  two  chapters;  on  the  contrary, 
 we  are  more  than  once  given  to  understand 
 that  Paul,  as  he  was  not  called  of  men,  so  also 
 was  not  instructed  of  men,  but  through  the 
 revelation  of  Jesus  Christ,  who  reserved  for  his 
 own  teaching  more  than  the  mere  showing  of 
 his  sufferings.  This  carries  us  on  to  those 
 further  manifestations  and  directions  which  are 
 recorded  subscquentlv  in  this  book. 
 
 TO  SAUL  IN  THE  TEMPLE:  THE  MISSION  TO  THE  GENTILES  ANNOUNCED. 
 
 (Acts  xxii.  17-21.) 
 
 To  avoid  prolixity  we  shall  refrain  from  any 
 introductory  discussion  of  the  scene  and  the 
 hearers  of  this  speech  of  Paul ;  but  we  entreat 
 our  readers  to  strive  to  reproduce  the  whole 
 vividly  in  their  imagination.  He  stands  upon 
 the  steps  of  the  Castle  Antonia,  in  the  pres- 
 ence of  the  Jewish  people,  inflamed  against 
 him  on  account  of  his  supposed  desecration 
 of  the  temple;  and  testifies  now,  for  the  first 
 time,  in  great  publicity,  and  at  Jerusalem,  con- 
 cerning Christ.  They  were  reduced  to  silence 
 by  a  movement  of  his  hand.  From  ver.  1  to 
 16  he  has  narrated  the  manifestation  at  Da- 
 mascus, and  Ananias'  declaration  at  his  bap- 
 tism ;  he  now  goes  on  to  give,  in  all  simplicity, 
 as  it  occurred,  the  narrative  of  a  further  ap- 
 pearance of  the  Lord,  which  belongs  properly 
 to  this  place. 
 
 And  it  came  to  pass,  that,  as  I  made  my  per- 
 secuting journey  to  Damascus — that  was  his 
 sublime  and  simple  word  in  ver.  6.  With  the 
 same  word  he  here  makes  a  new  beginning, 
 having  something  most  important  to  announce : 
 And  it  came  to  pass,  that,  when  I  came  again  to 
 Jerusalem.  Consequently,  this  was  the  Jirst 
 return  alter  his  conversion,  as  it  is  recorded  in 
 chap.  ix.  26-30.  Further,  this  return  took 
 place,  as  we  find  in  Gal.  i.  17,  18,  not  till  after 
 a  three  years'  abode  in  Arabia,  the  solitude  of 
 which,  probably  having  for  its  object  the  calm 
 preparation  of  the  Apostle  for  his  work,*  is  con- 
 
 *  We  cannot  (with  Wieseler)  consent  to   say, 
 
 cealed  as  a  mystery.  Thus  much  is  certain 
 from  Scripture  ;  Luke,  chap,  ix.,  passes  over 
 these  three  years,  as  he  often  passes  over  long 
 intervals,  without  a  word.  Whether  this  is  to 
 be  interpolated  after  ver.  25  in  his  history,  or 
 before  that,  between  vers.  22  and  23,  as  toe 
 think,*  is  of  comparatively  little  moment. 
 Wieseler  declares  it  to  be  indubitable  that  the 
 "  trance  "  mentioned  by  Paul,  2  Cor.  xii.  2-4, 
 is  the  same  which  is  recorded  in  Acts  xxii. 
 17 ;  but  this  we  cannot  by  any  means  allow. 
 The  chronological  reckoning  is  not  decisive  in 
 his  favor;  for  the  vision  and  revelation  of  the 
 Lord,  2  Cor.  xii.  1,  were  certainly  not  so  un- 
 frequent  as  to  oblige  us  to  investigate  the  time 
 of  each.  If  the  Apostle  here  singles  out  one 
 of  them  only,  which  occurred  to  him  fourteen 
 years  before,  the  reason  lay  in  the  high  and 
 heavenly  matter  of  that  revelation,  as  in  ver. 
 7  he  speaks  of  its  abundance,  its  super-abun- 
 dance. The  unspeakable  words  heard  in  the 
 third  heaven  and  paradise  scarcely  harmonize 
 with  the  simple  matter  and  calm  procedure  of 
 
 without  qualification — "  Ke  preached  three  years  in 
 Arabia." 
 
 *  For  this  may  the  ijinspat  ixavai  be  under- 
 stood— the  complete  time  (that  is,  a  considerable 
 period  past).  The  narrative  is  thus  distributed, 
 from  ver.  23 — at  the  beginning  the  Jews  would 
 kill  him  in  Damascus  ;  at  the  end,  even  the  Greeks 
 (Hellenists),  in  Jeiusalem  :  in  tlie  interim,  ver.  26, 
 the  disciples  would  not  acknowledge  him. 
 
876 
 
 THE  MISSION  TO  THE  GENTILES  ANNOUNCED. 
 
 the  conversation  wif.li  the  Lord  in  the  temple, 
 which  he  relates  to  ihe  Jews.  We  cannot  un- 
 derstand how  both  could  have  concurred  in  one 
 revelation  ;  and  Avould  regard  the  trance  of 
 the  Epistle  to  the  Corinthians  as  rather  suit- 
 able to  the  sojourn  in  Arabia  (with  which  the 
 chronology  may  be  easily  conformed).  Nor, 
 after  all,  should  we  assume  that  the  manifes- 
 tation recorded  in  Acts  xxii.  was  actually  the 
 second  communication  of  the  Lord  to  the 
 Apostle  after  his  appearance  at  Damascus : 
 the  contrary  is  far  more  probable.  Suffice  it 
 that  to  know  the  time  and  order  is  no  more 
 necessary  here  than  it  is  in  relation  to  the 
 Lord's  words  generally,  and  to  the  appear- 
 ances of  the  Risen  Lord  in  particular. 
 
 Trance  is  certainly  more  indirect  than  bod- 
 ily appearance.  Near  Damascus  Saul  was 
 not  entranced ;  although  for  such  seeing  and 
 bearing  as  that,  it  was  necessary  that  a  sus- 
 ceptibility of  hearing  and  seeing;,  different  from 
 his  ordinary  condition,  should  be  excited.  The 
 stages  and  distinctions,  however  real  they  rnay 
 be,  nevertheless  shade  off  into  each  other. 
 Thus,  the  trance  may,  under  some  circum- 
 stances, as  we  have  just  seen  in  the  Corinthians, 
 go  far  beyond  other  visions  ;  while  on  the 
 other  hand,  it  may  be  only  the  medium  (as 
 with  Peter,  Acts  xi.  5)  for  the  witnessing  of  a 
 vision.  So  was  it  with  Paul,  who  while  pray- 
 ing was  entranced,  literally,  fell  into  a  trance  ; 
 comp.  Acts  X.  9,  the  praying  of  Peter.  But 
 that  he  was  in  the  body,  and  not  out  of  the 
 body,  he  here  knows  full  well ;  for  he  was 
 bodily  present  in  ihe  ^<;?n;^fc— probably  at  the 
 customary  hour  of  prayer,  like  Peter  and  John, 
 chap.  iii.  L  For,  as  long  as  the  desolate  tem- 
 ple, left  over  to  destruction,  stood  yet  under 
 the  patience  of  the  Lord,  so  long  was  it  honor- 
 ed even  by  the  Jewish  Christians.  Paul/>rays 
 in  the  temple,  not  indeed  with  the  prejudiced 
 mind  of  those  thousands  of  believers  spoken  of 
 in  chap.  xxi.  20  as  so  zealous  for  the  law,  but 
 yet  with  the  true  love  of  devotion  to  his  peo- 
 ple and  their  sanctuary  :  he  prays,  who  had 
 only  in  Damascus  learned  to  pray  aright.  He 
 had  certainly  long  ago  come  to  understand 
 Stephen's  doctrine,  how  much  or  how  little  the 
 holy  place  was  to  be  regarded — yet  he  can  here, 
 to  the  satisfaction  of  the  people,  relate  with  sin- 
 «;erity  that  he  had  prayed  in  the  temple. 
 
 "  That  I  was  in  a  trance,  and  saw  Jiim." 
 Thus,  still  more,  the  Lord  himself  counis  the 
 temple  worthy  to  be  the  scene  of  a  revelation 
 to  his  servant — though,  indeed,  only  to  com- 
 mand him,  Get  thee  out!  "  I  saw  him" — thus 
 does  the  Apostle  express  himself,  only  in  ver. 
 8  throughout  the  narrative  mentioning  "  Jesus 
 of  Nazareth "  as  the  name  spoken  by  the 
 Lord  himself:  in  all  the  rest  it  is  the  Lord,  the 
 Just  One,  the  great  he,  whose  unacknowledged 
 dignity  and  unrendered  honor  are  here  con- 
 cerned. "And  saw  him  saying  \tnto  me" — in 
 which  arrangement  of  the  words  is  expressed 
 the  near  and  continuous  seeing;  not  as  at 
 Damascus,  where  there  was  a  sudden  momen- 
 tary beholding,  before  the  hearing  of  the  voice. 
 
 Make  haute,  and  get  thee  quicJcly  out  of  JerU' 
 salem  ;  for  they  tviU  not  receive  thy  testimony 
 concerning  me.  This  word,  now  re])or(ed, 
 would  ve.K  and  offend  the  unbelieving  multi- 
 tude ;  but  scarcely  less  strange,  though  for  a 
 different  reason,  did  it  sound  to  the  Apostle 
 and  witness  himself,  when  he  heard  it  first. 
 He  had  returned  to  Jerusalem  with  the  firm 
 persuasion  that  of  course  the  Jews  in  Jerusalem 
 would  be  among  the  men  to  whom  he  should 
 be  a  witness  for  the  Lord  :  he  burns  with  de- 
 sire to  bear  his  mighty  tcitr.ess  in  this  place. 
 The  Lord  takes  it  for  granted  that  he  felt  it  to 
 be  the  strong  impulse  of  his  soul — provided 
 there  was  no  counter-command — at  once  to 
 preach  in  Jerusalem,  as  he  had  done  in  Damas- 
 cus, Jesus  as  the  Son  of  God ;  he  assumes  no 
 other  remaining  in  Jerusalem  than  that  which 
 had  a  testimony  concerning  himself  for  its  ob- 
 ject. Wherever  this  may  be,  and  before  whom- 
 soever he  may  stand,  there  he  does  bear  hia 
 Master's  name,  as  Jesus  had  said  at  the  first. 
 But  he  now  utters  a  counter-command.  He 
 enjoins  upon  him  to  cease,  and  restrain  the 
 preaching  which  had  already  boldly  com- 
 menced. Acts  ix.  21,  27-29.  He  even  com- 
 mands him — and  most  expressly  with  two- 
 fold injunction — to  go  quickly,  not  onlv  from 
 the  temple,  but  from  the  city  itself.  Where- 
 fore, then,  so  quickly?  Is  there  danger  in 
 delay  ?  There  was  danger,  and  this  is  the  un- 
 expressed undertone  of  this  remarkable  utter- 
 ance, the  Lord  will  save  him  from  the  people, 
 as  it  runs  afterwards,  chap.  xxvi.  17.  The 
 foreign,  Greek-speaking  Jews,  had  already  laid 
 plots  for  the  life  of  the  bold  preacher  of  the  name 
 of  Jesus  (chap.  ix.  29) — what,  then,  might  be 
 expected  from  the  rigorously  orthodox,  fanatical 
 Hebrews?  The  open  insurrection  which  had 
 been  excited  (now  as  afterwards  in  the  council, 
 chap,  xxiii.  10)  had,  on  this  his  almost  disobe- 
 dient return,  showed  that.  But  all  this  the 
 Lord  does  not  say  to  Paul :  because  he  held 
 not  his  life  dear  if  he  could  only  finish  his 
 course  with  joy,  and  testify  the  Gospel  of  the 
 grace  of  God  (chap.  xx.  24).  The  reason  of 
 this  interdict  upon  his  earnest  zeal,  which  the 
 Lord's  majesty  condescends  to  assign,  is  most 
 decidedly  this  only:  Because  they  would  not 
 receive  the  testimony,  that  is,  would  not  be- 
 lieve it,  therefore  the  life  of  his  valued  servant, 
 destined  to  the  benefit  of  many,  should  not  bo 
 uselessly  sacrificed.  Thus  the  Lord  speaks, 
 v,'ho  knows  all  things  beforehand,  the  faith  or 
 the  unbelief  of  all  men  ;  by  this  he  further  as- 
 sures us  that  he  reserves  or  takes  away  the 
 testimony  from  no  man  who  will  yet  receive 
 it,  but  rather  sends  back  again  for  their  con- 
 viction, if  it  may  be,  the  testimony  to  those 
 who  have  not  believed  it — as  now  bv  Paul 
 coming  once  more  to  Jerusalem,  "Not  re- 
 ceive"— spoken  gently  and  mildly,  instead  of 
 "cast  it  from  them  and  blaspheme"  (chap, 
 xiii.  45,  46).  For,  if  it  may  be  permitted  thui 
 to  speak  of  him  who  sitteth  at  the  right  hand 
 of  God,  he  here  utters  with  sorrowful  tender- 
 ness, and  not  ia  threatening  .wrath,  the  aad 
 
ACTS  XXII.  17-21. 
 
 877 
 
 confirmation  of  what  he  had  prophesied  upon 
 earth  in  the  anger  of  his  love,  Malt,  xxiii.  32, 
 etc.,  concerning  the  unbelief  of  this  people  and 
 generation.  He  anticipates  the  foreseen  objec- 
 tion in  the  heart  of  Paul :  Even  thy  testimony 
 (emphatically  first  in  the  original)  will  not 
 suffice,  though  it  be  irresistible  for  conviction  ; 
 because  that  testimony  is  concernirig  me — yea, 
 concerning  me,  upon  whom  the  decree  once 
 was,  Away  with  him  1  We  will  not  have  this 
 man  to  rule  over  us. 
 
 In  spite  of  this  plain  and  express  word,  the 
 Apostle  cannot  refrain  from  uttering  his  objec- 
 tion— "  But  my  testimony,  O  Lord,  will  not 
 that  be  received  by  them  ?  "  He  speaks  confi- 
 dently, like  Ananias,  with  his  Master  ;  and  in- 
 deed with  still  more  confidence  than  Ananias, 
 in  harmony  with  the  position  which  he  had 
 now  by  grace  assumed.  He  has  also,  in  a  cer- 
 tain sense,  more  reason  and  propriety  in  his 
 counter-appeal ;  for  certainly  he  might  think 
 and  hope  that,  humanly  speaking,  his  most 
 strong  and  self-evidencing  testimony — less  in 
 persuasive  words,  than  in  the  express  fact  of 
 his  so  wonderfully  changed  personal  character 
 — must  exert  some  influence,  and  win  some 
 good  results.  This  is  reinforced  by  the  impulse 
 of  his  burning  love  to  blinded  Israel,  his 
 brethren  according  to  the  flesh  who  were  rush- 
 ing to  destruction,  the  people  of  God's  election 
 — this  is  most  afTectinojly  attested  by  the 
 narrative  throughout,  which  seems  to  avow, 
 against  all  accusation — "  Not  through  enmity 
 against  my  people,  or  apostacy  from  them,  have 
 I  become  what  I  now  am  in  opposition  to  my 
 former  self."  Paul  would  have  desired  nothing 
 better  than  to  remain,  or  to  become,  a  mission- 
 ary to  the  Jews.  He  cannot  altogether  recon- 
 cile himself  to  the  Lord's  word — Get  thee  out ! 
 As  many  new  converts  who  have  been  quickly 
 and  marvellously  brought  in — however  other- 
 "wisenot  to  be  compared  with  Paul — think  they 
 will  carry  on  a  more  vigorous  and  successful 
 war  upon  the  world  than  others,  so  Paul,  whose 
 soul  might  well  be  filled  with  the  conviction — 
 "  If  I  go  forth  preaching  Jesus,  it  will  be  with 
 more  demonstrative  power  than  all  the  words 
 and  acts  of  Peter  or  John,  and  all  the  other 
 Apostles.  All  know  what  I  was,  what  I  did — 
 should  they  not  believe  when  I,  the  same  man, 
 preach  concerning  thee,  and  declare  thy  power 
 in  my  conversion  ?  "  He  refers  to  his  own  ap- 
 probation v/hen  the  blood  of  Stephen  was  shed, 
 and  even  to  his  actual  participation  in  that 
 act,*  in  order  to  declare  that  he  was  ready  for 
 the  same  destiny — even  as  in  the  second  jour- 
 ney, the  present  one,  he  had  remained  firm, 
 notwithstanding  all  prophecy  of  bonds  and  im- 
 prisonment (chap.  xix.  21 ;  xx.  23,  24  ;  xxi.  4, 
 11-13).  Thy  witness — as  if  to  say,  "  May  I  not 
 then  also  lay  down  my  testimony,  even  though 
 
 *  The  keeping  of  the  garments — not  to  preserve 
 them  from  theft ! — was  something  official  on  the 
 part  of  the  youna  man  ;  who,  however,  according 
 to  chap.  xxvi.-lO,  had  given  his  voice  against 
 Stephen  ia  the  council. 
 
 it  were  in  death ;  may  I  not  also  be  counted 
 worthy  of  the  martyr's  crown  ?*  Would  not 
 my  blood  similarily,  and  still  more,  be  followed 
 by  a  new  blessing  and  increase  of  faith  in  the 
 word  of  thy  testimony  ?  "  All  this  was  good 
 and  pleasing  to  the  Lord,  who  therefore  let  his 
 servant  give  vent  to  his  feeling  ;  but  it  showed 
 that  Paul  did  not  know,  as  his  Master  did,  the 
 depth  of  the  apostacy  of  the  world,  the  utter 
 blindness  of  unbelieving  Israel.  And  it  is, 
 further,  proof  of  the  lesser  guilt  of  his  own 
 earlier  unbelief,  since  he  has  no  experience  of 
 the  hardened  perserveness  of  the  rebellious 
 will ;  but,  on  the  other  hand,  as  was  said  be- 
 fore, there  is  something  of  evil  self  which  op- 
 poses the  Lord  in  these  words.  For,  he  has  in 
 some  degree  departed  from  that  first  question 
 of  unconditional  obedience — "Lord,  what  wilt 
 thou  have  me  to  do  ?  "  and  seems  to  question 
 his  Lord  touching  his  appointments;  he  has 
 his  own  thoughts  as  to  the  special  importance 
 of  his  own  converted  ferson  in  the  kingdom  of 
 God. 
 
 In  this,  again,  he  is  right,  only  not  as  he 
 thinks  with  respect  to  Israel;  the  kingdom  of 
 God  is  greater,  and  shall  extend  much  wider 
 and  further.  Depart :  for  I  will  send  thee  far 
 hence  unto  the  Gentiles.  As  in  the  case  of  An- 
 anias, the  Lord  refers  him,  too,  bade  to  his 
 first  commandment,  Depart!  and,  as  then, 
 gives  another  for,  with  a  new  reason  and  more 
 conclusive  explanation  of  what  he  does.  Not 
 merely.  The  Jews  will  not  believe,  but,  as  it  is 
 hinted.  Others  toiU  believe,  and  thou  art  re- 
 served and  appointed  to  testify  to  them.  The 
 Lord's  /answers  (he  (similarly  prominent  in 
 the  original)  /which  his  servant  had  laid  stress 
 upon.  Whither  the  Lord  would  send  (literally 
 more  strong — would  send  out,  send  away), 
 thither  must  his  servant  go,  without  demur; 
 even  though  it  he  far  hence,  to  those  among  the 
 Gentiles,  who  with  their  whole  heart  hung 
 upon  Israel.  This  is  probably  the  first  plain 
 announcement,  though  preliminarily  and  point- 
 ing to  the  future,  of  his  vocation  as  the  Apostle 
 of  the  Gentiles  :  "  I  will  to,  or  will,  send  thee." 
 In  this  calm  manifestation  Paul  was  already, 
 before  he  was  separated  by  the  prophets  in 
 Antioch,  called  to  his  labors  among  the  Gen- 
 tiles :  hence  the  Holy  Ghost  said,  chap.  xiii.  2 
 — "  To  which  I  have  already  called  them " 
 (Barnabas  also).  Yet  not  before  Peter  had 
 preached  to  Cornelius  (of  which  more  after- 
 wards)—so  that  the  transition  of  the  Gospel  to 
 the  Gentiles  was  not  here  indicated  to  Paul  as 
 something  in  itself  new  and  strange  ;  only  his 
 own  specific  vocation.  The  more  full  call  by 
 the  appearing  Lord,  which  is  related  in  chap. 
 xxvi.  16,  has  no  special  note  of  time  connected 
 with  it ;  but  we  place  it,  on  account  of  the 
 connection,  without  determining  the  order  ot 
 time,  after  the  present  announcement. 
 
 *  ToC  iidprvfjoi  dov — the  expression  begins 
 already  to  pass  over  into  the  latter  meaning  of 
 martyr,  ivitnesa  unto  blood,  as  la  Rev.  iii.  13, 
 
8tr= 
 
 FURTHER  APPEARANCE  TO  SAUL. 
 
 The  Lord  may  indeed  have  spoken  more 
 than  this ;  for  at  the  word  concerning  the 
 Oenlilea,  Paul  was  interrupted.  But  it  does 
 not  to  us  seem  probable  that  the  Lord's  words 
 communicated  in  chap.  xxvi.  followed  here  im- 
 mediately :  tliere  are  reasons  against  it  which 
 will  be  considered  in  the  proper  place.  Thus 
 we  may  suppose  that  he  by  degrees  prepared 
 Paul  for  the  full  announcement  of  his  vocation. 
 Rightly  understood,  we  adopt  Von  Gerlach's 
 note,  that  this  was  "  his  proper  vocation  as  an 
 Apostle"  by  the  Lord  himself,  after  the  prelim- 
 inary declaration  given  by  Ananias  ;  but  not 
 yet  his  actual  and  formal  institution  to  the 
 Apostleship  of  the  Gentiles.  Paul,  in  that  first 
 sojourn  in  Jerusalem,  had  consorted  only  with 
 the  Hellenists,  or  foreign  Jews  (chap.  ix.  29). 
 When  they  went  about  to  slay  him,  he  obe- 
 diently declined  the  death  of  martyrdom,  and 
 
 (after  tarrying  there  fourteen  days,  Gal.  i.  18) 
 was  brought  by  the  brethren  down  to  Csesarea 
 to  Tarsus,  his  paternal  home  (as  we  read  in 
 chap.  ix).  But,  after  he  had  accomplished 
 much  in  the  Gentile  mission,  he  purposes  in 
 spirit  to  go  once  more  up  to  Jerusalem,  from 
 which  indeed  the  Lord  had  sent  him  away  ; 
 and  it  pleased  the  Lord  to  accept  this  act  of 
 seeming  disobedience  (Paul  does  not  forget  his 
 special  call ;  he  does  not  purpose  to  remain  in 
 Jerusalem) — for  he  acknowledges  in  chap,  xxiii. 
 11,  as  it  were  with  approbation,  even  thifi  testi- 
 mony. But  he  orders  the  matter  so,  that  he 
 who  stood  as  a  witness  before  the  council,  and 
 before  the  king,  and  the  governor,  should  be 
 carried  to  Rome  as  a  prisoner — to  proclaim, 
 before  the  supreme  power  of  this  world,  the 
 kingdom  of  God  which  is  not  of  this  world. 
 
 FURTHER  APPEARANCE  TO  SAUL :  TO  WHOM  I  SEND  THEE. 
 Acts  xxvi.  16-18. 
 
 "  Rise  and  stand  upon  thy  feet!"  Thus,  in 
 these  more  emphatic  and  literally  recorded 
 words,  did  the  Lord  speak  near  Damascus. 
 But  it  is  certain  and  self-evident  that  he  could 
 not  have  spoken  then  what  Paul  here  adds  be- 
 fore Agrippa  ;  for,  that  twice-related,  definitive 
 mandate,  "  It  shall  be  told  thee  in  the  city," 
 does  not  harmonize  with  so  early  an  explana- 
 tion and  mission.  Consequently,  we  must  as- 
 sume that  the  Apostle  here  sums  up  com- 
 pendiously what  was  said  at  a  later  time  ;  and 
 connects  it  all  very  appropriately  with  the  ac- 
 count of  his  destination — expressed  in  the 
 simple  stand  vpoii  thy  feet! — to  a  n^w  service 
 of  activity  in  the  work  of  Jesus.  Thus  it  ap- 
 pears as  if  one  word — "  For  therefore  have  I 
 appeared  unto  thee,  that  thou  mayest  stand 
 before  me,  as  my  servant  and  witness,  through 
 my  help  and  salvation  "  (comp.  ver.  22).  If, 
 after  three  years,  the  Lord  himself  in  the 
 temple  at  Jerusalem  announced  as  something 
 new — "  I  will  send  thee  among  the  Gentiles" 
 — yet  what  we  read  here  in  chap.  xxvi.  was  not 
 spoken  till  afterwards. 
 
 Or,  was  it  not  spoken  by  the  Lord  at  all  ? 
 Most  expositors,  oven  among  the  orthodox,* 
 have  come  to  regard  it  as  quite  probable  that 
 Paul  set  down  as  the  Lord's  word  what  had 
 been  said  to  him  by  Ananias,  and  afterwards 
 had  been  revealed  to  his  own  spirit.  Against 
 this  we  protested  in  our  Jicden  lUr  Ajmtel 
 Alford  replies  that  he  does  not  see  the  neces- 
 sity of  regarding  all  these  words  as  hav- 
 ing  been   once  spoken   by  the  Lord ;  but  to 
 
 ♦  Baumsarten  included,  whose  general  fi  lei  it  y 
 to  the  miraculous  revelations  scarcely  prepared  us 
 to  expect  this  from  him. 
 
 us  it  is  not  merely  matter  of  seeing  or  insiglit, 
 but  of  still  more  decisive  feeling.  It  is  lament- 
 able that  orthodox  expositors  do  not  more  cor- 
 rectly feel,  in  cases  where  the  feeling  should 
 decide.  We  cannot  agree  with  Baumgarten 
 that  "  on  every  view,  it  is  of  no  moment  which 
 way  we  decide;"  we  think  that  it  may  here 
 be  decided  with  confidence  that,  though  the 
 words  "  were  not  spoken  by  the  Lord  in  im- 
 mediate sequence,"  yet  that  they  were  not 
 "  communicated  by  him  to  Paul  at  a  later 
 period  through  Ananias."  It  is  true  that  the 
 weight  of  the  matter  does  not  rest  upon  the 
 exact  order  of  time  or  literality  of  the  words; 
 but,  in  the  case  of  this  narrative,  and  the  very 
 important  words  of  the  Lord  to  his  servant, 
 the  difference  between  immediate  and  indirect 
 speaking  is  of  much  moment :  even  as  Paul 
 elsewhere,  and  on  other  occasions,  makes  this 
 distinction  prominent.  Would  he  forget  that 
 distinction  liere?  JIe?e,  when  the  Apostle 
 makes  the  Lord  speak  of  his  havmg  appeared, 
 and  having  appeared  again,  has  he  only  placed 
 the  words  in  the  Lord's  lips?  in  order  after- 
 wards, in  ver.  19,  to  include  it  in  the  "  heavenly 
 vision."  One  appearance  converted  the  Apostle 
 to  the  faith,  another  appointed  him  to  be  a 
 witness,  and  these  are  embraced  in  one — such 
 a  combination  alone  is  permissible — only  one 
 heavenly  appearance  of  the  Living  One,  to  which 
 he  was  now  not  disobedient.  On  the  other 
 hand,  the  Apostle  would  never  have  permitted 
 himself  to  unite  together  in  one,  as  spoken  by 
 the  Lord  at  his  appearance,  words  which  were 
 indirectly  communicated  to  him  :  he  could  not 
 have  done  this,  either  in  the  first  testimony 
 which  he  bore  before  the  Jewish  pf^ople,  ol 
 here  where  be  stands  before  the  Genlilea,  and 
 
ACTS  XXVI.  16-18. 
 
 879 
 
 (as  Bauragarten  remarks)  has  "  the  exhibition 
 of  the  wide  significance  of  the  Gentile  Aposto- 
 late  for  his  object." 
 
 Let  us,  however,  come  nearer  to  the  matter 
 in  hand.  If  these  words  were  not  spoken  on 
 his  first  appearance  by  the  Lord,  but  at  some 
 later  one,  are  they  to  be  inserted  after  what 
 is  related  in  chap.  xxii.  17-21,  where  the  con- 
 tinuation was  interrupted?  This,  for  evident 
 reasons,  cannot  be  assumed.  First,  the  pro- 
 mised sending  to  the  Gentiles  is  uttered  there 
 in  an  entirely  different,  but  internally  neces- 
 sary and  significant,  connection  :  there  is  no 
 harmony  between  "  I  will  send  thee"  first,  and 
 then  immediately,  "I  now  send  thee."  Then 
 it  was  indeed  said,  chap,  xxii.,  to  the  Apostle 
 — "  In  Jerusalem  they  will  not  receive  thy  tes- 
 timony ;"  but  it  was  only  hinted,  not  directly 
 spoken,  that  that  testimony  would  be  effectual 
 among  the  Gentiles.  Here,  on  the  contrary, 
 he  receives  a  great  promise  for  the  power  of  the 
 word  with  which  he  is  sent  forth,  as  he  in  chap. 
 XX.  32,  e.  g.,  holds  it  fast  and  repeats  it.  Con- 
 sequently, the  distinction  is  evident  between — 
 "I  will  it,  I  will  send  thee,"  in  the  former 
 case,  and — "  I  send  thee  now,"  in  the  latter.* 
 As  to  this  assertion,  that  chap.  xxvi.  records 
 an  appearance  subsequent  to  that  of  chap, 
 xxii.,  we  said,  in  a  former  work,  *'  Not  much 
 depends  upon  it,  and  it  may  be  left  to  others 
 to  decide."  But  now  we  think  differently ; 
 and  to  our  more  comprehensive  view,  after 
 twenty-eight  years,  what  we  have  now  insisted 
 upon  places  the  gradual  disclosure  of  the  Apos- 
 tle's great  calling  in  its  clearest  and  most  im- 
 pressive light. 
 
 The  immediateness  of  these  word.s — as  spo- 
 ken by  our  Lord  himself — is  of  the  utmost  im- 
 portance as  respects  the  instruction  for  Paul's 
 office,  and  the  plan  of  salvation,  which  are 
 contained  in  ver.  IS.  Even  if  the  Apostle  had 
 learned  this  through  the  Holy  Spirit  in  the 
 school  of  Christ,  it  would  still  have  been  truth 
 derived  from  the  Lord.  But  it  would  not  have 
 been  lawful  for  him  to  say — Thus  spake  the 
 Lord  to  me.  No  Apostle  ever  permitted  him- 
 self to  do  that;  least  of  all  the  Apostle  \v!io 
 several  times,  with  conscientious  rigor,  disiKi- 
 guishes  between  what  he  said  himself  (having 
 the  Spirit  of  God),  and  what  the  Lord  had  said 
 to  him — the  Apostle  who,  at  Miletus,  appends 
 to  his  long  discourse,  which  bad  contained  pro- 
 phecy, the  single  saying  of  the  words  of  the 
 Lord  Jesus,  which  he  had  spoken  in  his  humilia- 
 tion upon  earth,  giving  it  reverent  distinction 
 from  his  own  words  as  their  solemn  close  (chap. 
 XX.  35).  Let  it  be  as  it  may  with  respect  to 
 that  appearance,  which  he  here  before  Aprippa 
 combines  with  the  first — we  have  from  the  lips 
 of  the  Lord  himself,  given  from  heaven,  one 
 of  the  most  fundamental,  profound,  and  impor- 
 tant summaries  of  instruction  for  the  Aposto- 
 late  and  ministerial  office  generally. 
 
 For  I  have  appeared  unto  thee  for  this  pur- 
 pose, to  make  thee  a  minister  and  a  witness 
 both  of  those  things  tvhich  thou  hast  seen,  and 
 of  those  things  in  the  which  I  tvill  {yet)  appear 
 unto  thee.  Here  the  Lord  himself  combines  in 
 one  his  previous  and  future  manifestations; 
 with  reference  to  their  sole  object,  the  appoint- 
 ment and  destination  of  Paul  to  be  a  witness. 
 As  to  this,  all  the  various  visions  and  revela- 
 tions of  the  Lord,  of  which  Paul  was  counted 
 worthy,  are  condensed  into  the  one  revelation 
 of  the  Son,  whom  he  should  preach  (Gal.  i.  12, 
 16).  As  the  Apostle  writing  to  the  Galatiana 
 thus  appeals  to  it  as  one,  so  here  he  only  fol- 
 lows the  Lord  himself  when  he  speaks,  in  tha 
 spirit  of  his  words,  of  one  heavenly  appear- 
 ance. "To  appoint  thee" — here  we  have,  so 
 to  speak,  the  proper  ordination,  mission,  insti- 
 tution, and  appointment  of  him  who  was  called 
 and  prepared.*  Here  it  is  definitely  settled 
 who  was  the  twelfth  Apostle — as  chosen  by 
 him  wh«  alone  had  the  right  and  authority — 
 Matthias  or  Paul.  But  the  apostolical  office,  as 
 the  highest  rank — here  exactly  defined,  as  be- 
 fore by  Ananias  it  was  preparatorily  prophesied 
 of — embraces  in  itself  all  the  degrees  of  the  other 
 offices  ;  hence  this  super-episcopal  ordination 
 formulary,  with  profound  typical  meaning, 
 names  the  three  essential  degrees  of  the  ruling 
 office  in  the  Church.  Minister  is  the  first  and 
 most  general;  the  Apostles  so  term  them- 
 selves ;  and  yet  the  lowest  office  is  a  servant, 
 a  deaconship.f  Minister  and  witness — a  more 
 definite  and  higher  term,  referring  to  the  min- 
 istry of  the  word,  but  passing  here  over  into 
 the  more  restricted  idea  of  eye-witnesship.J 
 Finally,  the  "witness  of  that  which  he  had 
 seen  "  points  in  this  place  definitely  to  the  office 
 of  the  Apostle,  as  such.  This  first  having  seen 
 refers,  in  the  case  of  Paul,  chiefly,  though  not 
 exclusively,  to  the  first  great  appearance  ;  but 
 it  IS  then  declared  that  he  will  continue  to  see 
 the  Lord  thus  appearing,  and  by  his  appear- 
 ance communicating  further  revelations.  The 
 Lord  will  make  himself  visible;  for  it  is  said, 
 in  the  same  word  which  was  used  before — ap- 
 pear to  thee,  be  seen  of  thee.§  On  the  other 
 hand,  an  unusual  construction  follows:  "  T/te 
 things  which  thou  hast  seen — the  things  which, 
 or  lor  which,  in  relation  to  which,  I  will  ap- 
 
 *  The  reading  vvv  thus  receives  a  new  arwu- 
 ment  in  its  fever :  the  criticism  of  MS3.  often 
 thus  finds  iti  support  in  sound  exposition. 
 
 ♦  npoxsipi<}o:6Qat,  as  chap.  xxii.  14;  on  the 
 other  haLd,  chap.  iii.  20  (where  it  is  the  right 
 reading),  it  has  still  its  original  etymological 
 meaning. 
 
 \  Here,  however,  in  the  original,  vi(rifiirri<i,  not 
 biaKovui:  this  latter  was  originally  Hie  less  of 
 the  two,  equivalent  to  a  "  waller."  Comp.  Acts 
 xlii.  5,  but  also  1  Cor.  iv.  1. 
 
 X  So  in  Lnke  1.  2  we  have  together  avvoitTai 
 Hal  vnrjpstai  tov  Xuyov. 
 
 ^  On  account  of  this  very  repetition,  we  must 
 reject  the  causative  meaning  of  oq)0//&ojuai, 
 which  though  Winer  half  approves  it,  is  slrango 
 and  most  que.^tionable  in  itself.  So  S:olz  trans- 
 lates— "  Make  known." 
 
FURTHER  APPEARANCE  TO  SAUL. 
 
 pear  to  thee,  revealing  them  to  thee  myself."* 
 Thus,  there  is  a  further  advancement  alter  the 
 three  stages  already  remarked  upon  :  Paul  is 
 appointed"  not  only  to  be  an  Apostle,  but  to  be 
 an  Apostle  distinguished  by  successive  contin- 
 uous appearances  of  the  Lord ;  while,  on  the 
 other  hand,  the  remaining  Apostles  testified 
 only  the  things  which  they  had  seen  up  to  the 
 day  of  the  Lord's  ascension  (chap.  i.  22).  He 
 is  specifically  the  eye-witness  (in  which  the 
 hearing  is  included)  of  the  glory  of  Jesus  ;  on 
 the  other  hand,  Peter,  the  first  of  the  Apostles, 
 was  only  a  witness  of  the  suflerings  of  Christ, 
 a.nd  partaker  oi  the  glory  which  should  after- 
 wards be  revealed  (1  Pet.  v.  1). 
 
 If  we  may  apply  this  extraordinary  sym- 
 bolical procedure  to  the  usual  ordination  of 
 every  one  who  ministers  with  the  testimony  of 
 what  the  Lord  has  shown  him — every  ordina- 
 tion not  only  binds  a  man  to  faithful  ministry 
 according  to  his  pre.sent  knowledge,  but  in- 
 cludes the  promise  of  future  knowledge.  There 
 is  the  encouraging  promise  of  an  internal  help 
 against  dangers  and  darkness,  of  the  Spirit  of 
 revelation  who  shall  always  provide  a  new  tes- 
 timony. This  leads  us  to  the  further  promise 
 of  external  help. 
 
 Delivering  thee  from  the  people  and  from  the 
 Gentiles,  unto  ivhom  I  now  send  thee.  Instead 
 of  delivering  (according  to  strict  etymology, 
 plucking  out)  some  expositors  would  under- 
 stand, "Since  I  have  elected,  chosen,  sparated 
 thee,  taken  thee  out ;"  but  this  has  decisive 
 reasons  against  it.j  It  is  not  that  the  Apostle 
 here  paraphrases  and  re-produces  the  word 
 concerning  the  "  chosen  vessel"  which  Ananias 
 had  told  him  ;  but  the  Lord  speaks  in  evident 
 allusion  to  the  many  sufferings  which  av.-aited 
 him.  For,  where  saving  is  spoken  of,  there 
 must  be  danger  and  need;  which  Paul  well 
 understood,  and  therefore  rested  securely,  vcr. 
 22,  on  this  heavenly  promise  of  God's  help,  in 
 spite  of  all  plots  against  his  life.  Although  in 
 bonds  and  tribulation,  he  stands  and  bears  wit- 
 ness. The  twelfth  Apostle  also  has,  in  his 
 mission  into  the  world,  the  same  assurance  as 
 the  others — Behold  I  am  with  you! 
 
 Peojjle  and  Gentiles  (as  Paul  also  repeats,  ver. 
 23),  is  a  significant  phrase,  derived  from  the 
 Old  Testament,!  which  has  more  in  it  than  if 
 the  former  word  was  merely  a  strange  abbre- 
 viation for  Cod's  people.  Israel  was  through 
 the  election  of  God  a.  people,  with  the  essential 
 
 *  After  the  Vulgate  :  (cle)  quibus  apparebo  tibi 
 (porro). 
 
 f  So  Iless,  Ileinrichs,  and  KuinOl.  But  the 
 phiaseolojiy  of  the  Acts  is  consistent  throughout 
 — chap.  vii.  10,  Si;  xii.  11  ;  xxiii.  27  ;  comp.  Gal. 
 i.  4.  The  chooniiig  could  not  follow  ui)on  the  ap- 
 pointing ;  and  what  is  the  meaning  of  an  election 
 liom  anions  Jews  and  Gentiles  7  Is  it  that  he 
 WtS  tlie  elect  ot  Jiumatiity  %  But  Paul  was  chosen 
 from  Israel. 
 
 %  In  the  Hebrew  it  is  well  known  that  cy  and 
 Q>*i|  correspond. 
 
 I  characteristics  of  a  people  stamped  npon  them 
 I  in  a  manner  which  could  not  be  predicated  of 
 I  any  heathen  race  in  its  natural  condition. 
 Thus  they  were  called  the  people  simply  (al- 
 though the  passages  cited  in  proof  by  Baum- 
 garten,  Isa.  xl.  7;  xxvi.  11,  are  not  strictly 
 appropriate)  ;  the  heathens,  on  the  contrary, 
 were  called,  before  their  vocation,  not-peoples, 
 Deut  xxxii.  21,  while  Israel  was  the  ancient, 
 or  eternal  people,  Isa.  xliv.  7.  As  to  the  irre- 
 vocable pre-eminence  and  peculiar  dignity  of 
 Israel,  much  has  been  said  which  the  Scripture 
 does  not  support:  but  the  fundamental  idea  is 
 strictly  a  biblical  element,  the  full  establish- 
 ment of  which,  however,  does  not  belong  to 
 this  place. 
 
 An  important  question  now  arises,  whether 
 the  "amon^' whom  I  send  thee  "must  be  re- 
 ferred both  to  the  people  and  to  the  Gentiles, 
 or  only  to  the  Gentiles.  I  maintained  the  lat- 
 ter with  some  zeal  at  an  earlier  period ;  but 
 now  retract.  It  cannot  be  asserted  that  Paul 
 was  sent  exclusively  to  the  Gentiles,  and  not  to 
 the  Jews  as  a  people.  The  present  more  com- 
 prehensive mission  is  quite  consistent  with 
 chap.  xxii.  21,  notwithstanding  the  apparent 
 contradiction  ;  it  even  brings  the  necessary 
 defence  against  a  possible  misconception  of  that 
 former  word.  Paul  does  not  stand  before  king 
 I  Agrippa  as  exclusively  an  Apostle  to  the  Gen- 
 j  tiles ;  for  in  ver.  20  he  plainly  says  that,  being 
 I  obedient,  he  preached  repentance  both  to  the 
 j  Jews  and  to  the  Gentiles:  compare  chap.  xx. 
 I  21.  The  Lord's  direction  in  the  temple  did  not 
 j  command  him  to  preach  no  more  his  name  to 
 any  Jew  (which  would  have  contradicted  chap. 
 ;  ix.  15),  but  only  sent  him  at  once  away  from 
 j  Jerusalem,  from  the  hardened  capital,  in  which 
 the  election  of  those  capable  ol  faith  was  al- 
 ready complete.  But  in  the  dispersion  among 
 the  Gentiles  this  had  yet  to  be  gathered  in. 
 Wherever  the  Apostle  went  to  the  Gentiles, 
 he  found  the  jxople  among  the  peoples,  the 
 first-called,  first-elected  people;  and  turned,  as 
 we  always  read,  first  to  the  Je^vs.  The  way  to 
 the  Gentiles  led  through  the  synagogue  itself; 
 and  again  the  work  of  salvation  among  the 
 Gentiles  will  find  its  issue  in  the  conversion  of 
 Israel — as  the  order  is  in  chap.  ix.  15.  It  for- 
 merly appeared  to  me  that  another  reason 
 against  referring  this  sending  to  the  people 
 was  to  be  found  in  the  success  promised  in  ver. 
 18,  which  might  seem  to  contradict  chap.  xxii. 
 18,  and  further,  chap,  xxviii.  25-28.  But, 
 when  closely  examined,  all  contradiction  dis- 
 appears. There  is  no  direct  promise  in  ver. 
 18  of  universal  success  :  even  of  the  Gentiles 
 P-om.  X.  16  holds  good  ;  while  some  of  the 
 Jews  were  saved,  in  contradistinction  to  whom 
 the  unbelievers  are  termed  in  Rom.  iii.  3  only 
 some.  The  abiding  election  and  unrevoked 
 destination  of  Israel  will  not  allow  us  to  ad- 
 mit the  idea  of  an  exclusive  Apostle  to  the 
 Gentiles,  in  the  strict  sense  of  the  term  ;  that 
 Paul  was  not  intended  to  be  such,  wo  leara 
 here  from  the  lips  of  Jesus  himself,  and  it  i« 
 cuufirmed  by  the  whole  life  of  the  Apostle. 
 
ACTS  XXVI.  16-18. 
 
 881 
 
 The  direct  contrast  which  I  formerly  insisted 
 upon — "The  eyes  of  Israel  were  rather  more 
 fully  closed,  so  that  they  turned  from  light  to 
 darkness,  from  God  to  the  power  of  Satan,  so 
 that  they  lost  the  forgiveness  of  sins  and  for- 
 feited the  inheritance  of  the  saints  from  whom 
 they  were  cast  out,  and  all  through  their  un- 
 Mief  on  Jesus  " — is  true  only  of  the  great 
 mass,  and  even  of  them  true  only  in  part,  true 
 of  the  peo]>le  as  such  only  for  a  season,  as 
 Rom.  xi.  testifies.  The  immediate  and  obvi- 
 ous mission  to  both  Jews  and  Gentiles  is  fur- 
 ther established  by  the  words  which  precede; 
 to  wit,  that  the  delivery  of  the  Apostle  was  to 
 be  first  from  the  people,  and  the  Jews  were,  as 
 ver.  21  and  all  the  history  shows,  the  most  ve- 
 hement persecutors  of  the  Gospel.  If  Paul 
 had  not  been  sent  to  the  people,  he  would  not 
 have  needed  to  be  delivered  from  them. 
 
 After  observing  once  more  that,  as  the  noiD 
 sending  shows,  the  present  appearance  cannot 
 be  placed  after  chap,  xiii.,  and  at  furthest  only 
 simultaneous  with  it,  confirming  the  call  of 
 the  prophetic  Spirit — "  I  myself  give  thee  now 
 thy  commission,  with  its  full  authority  and  all 
 the  instruction  that  it  needs  " — we  now  turn 
 to  the  second  and  more  important  part  of  our 
 Lord's  words,  which  contains  their  full  and 
 higliest  significance. 
 
 For  what  is  the  Apostle  sent?  What  is  the 
 purport,  and  what  the  commission  of  this 
 sending — the  task,  duty,  and  power  of  his  office? 
 To  open  their  eyes,  that  they  may  he  converted 
 from  darkness  to  light,  and  from  the  poiccr  of 
 Satan  unto  God ;  that  they  may  receive  for- 
 giveness of  sins,  and  the  inheritance  among 
 them  that  are  sanctified  through  faith  that  is 
 in  me.  It  is  remarkable,  and  to  be  lamented, 
 that  this  verse,  one  of  the  most  important  and 
 comprehensive  in  the  Bible,  is  so  seldom  set 
 forth  in  its  grand  importance,  so  seldom  de- 
 veloped into  all  its  fulness  of  meaning.  We 
 have  here,  from  the  lips  of  the  Lord  in 
 heaven,  the  rule  of  the  pastoral  office,  and 
 the  plan  of  salvation.  Instruction  for  the  of- 
 fice of  preaching  the  word  generally,  not 
 merely  for  Paul's :  the  way  of  salvation  there- 
 in for  all  who  are,  through  all  ages,  sanctified 
 and  saved  through  faith  in  Jesus.  The  prize 
 and  goal  of  the  heavenly  calling  for  all  sin- 
 ners upon  earth ;  the  way  to  this  end,  its  be- 
 ginning and  continuance — the  stages  of  the 
 way  from  first  to  last ;  the  great  work  as  the 
 result  of  God's  power,  and  yet  thuough  human 
 faith,  being  carried  on  through  the  obedience 
 and  in  the  wills  of  the  called — all  this  is  set 
 forth  as  in  large  and  most  important  general 
 lines.  What  does  God  require  from  us  in  the 
 beginning,  when  he  sends  his  preached  word 
 by  his  ministers  and  witnesses?  That,  when 
 he  opens  our  eyes,  we  be  converted  and  turn. 
 What  will  the  grace  of  God  then  confer  upon 
 us?  At  the  outset,  and  so  continually,  for- 
 giveness of  sins — at  the  glorious  consumma- 
 tion, the  heavenly  inheritance,  eternal  life. 
 What  is  ever- the  certain  way  from  beginning 
 .to  end?     Sanctification  through  the  same  faith 
 
 in  Tiim,  appointed  to  be  our  Saviour,  through 
 whom  alone  all  is  accomplished  and  takes  ef- 
 fect. We  cannot  abstam  from  giving  the  an- 
 alysis, as  it  is  found  in  our  Reden  der  Apostel. 
 This  heavenly  designation  to  the  office  of  the 
 word  may  thus  be  resolved  : 
 
 I.  The  simple  preliminary  official  commis- 
 sion— to  open  their  eyes. 
 
 II.  The  more   detailed  process   which    ex- 
 plains that  commission. 
 
 I.  The  end  or  result  which  must  be  faith- 
 
 fully aimed  at. 
 
 1.  The  condition  on  the  side  of  men, 
 
 placed  in  their  own  freedom, 
 disclosing  the  ground  of  all,  and 
 hinting  at  the  end:  that  they  be 
 converted,  that  is,  may  turn, 
 
 A.  With  reference  to  their 
 
 condition  —  from  dark- 
 ness to  light. 
 
 B.  With    reference    to    the 
 
 ground  of  that  condi- 
 tion— from  the  power 
 of  Satan  unto  God. 
 
 2.  Consequence  and  promise  on  the 
 
 side  of  God,  flowing  from  his 
 grace  :  that  they  may  receive — 
 
 A.  What? 
 
 a.  The  first  gift-,  ground 
 
 of  all  that  follows — 
 forgiveness  of  sins. 
 
 b.  Final  gift,  goal  of  all 
 
 that  preceded — the 
 inheritance. 
 
 B.  lino  ?  The  way  and  con- 
 
 dition of  sanctification, 
 carrying  with  it  still 
 human  freedom.     For 
 
 II.  The  sole  means  for  the  accomplishment 
 
 of  all  is — Faith  in  me. 
 This  general  arrangement  will  exhibit  and 
 establish  the  true  meaning  of  the  several 
 clauses,  which,  taken  singly  and  isolated,  may 
 easily  be  misunderstood.  "The  one  thing  which 
 is,  properly  speaking,  committed  to  the  Apos- 
 tle, which  he  should  and  would  accomplish,  is 
 the  opening  of  the  eyes  by  the  word  of  testi- 
 mony. It  was  for  him  certainly  to  labor  with 
 all  diligence  for  all  that  should  follow  ;  but 
 that  conversion  is  far  from  always  following  to 
 which  the  gift  of  God's  grace  is  promised  and 
 can  be  given.  Who,  further,  opens  in  reality 
 the  eyes  of  the  blind?  Assuredl}',  as  an  in- 
 strument, he  who  is  sent  for  that  purpose ; 
 else  it  would  not  be  stated  iDhat  that  messen- 
 ger should  perform  and  accomplish.  When  it 
 was  first  said.  To  this  end  X  send  thee;  it 
 means,  I  give  thee  authority  and  power  to  this 
 end.  Consequently,  it  is  fundamentally  only 
 he,  the  Lord  himself,  given  of  God  to  be  a 
 covenant  of  the  people  and  a  light  to  the  Oen- 
 tlles,  who  openeth  the  eyes  of  the  blind,  and 
 delivereth  those  who  are  bound  of  Salan  out 
 of  the  prison-house  of  darkness  :  see  Isa.  xlii. 
 6,  7,  which  prophetic  passage  Jesus  here  out 
 of  heaven  calls  to  mind,  just  as  he  did  the 
 connected  passage,  Isa.  Ixi.  1,  2,  in  his  own  first 
 
^2 
 
 FURTHER  APPEARANCE  TO  SAUL. 
 
 preaching  in  Nazareth,  L\ike  iv.  What  a 
 glorious  concurrence  and  coincidence  of  the 
 abiding  fundamental  thoughts  of  the  exalted 
 and  the  humbled  Lord  I  He  alone,  the  Lord 
 himself,  makes  the  beginning,  in  toe  prevenient 
 power  of  the  Spirit  of  his  grace ;  but  it  is 
 through  the  word  of  his  witnesses.  Human- 
 ity lies  before  him,  when  he  looks  down  upon  it 
 from  heaven,  so  far  revolted  and  fallen  as  to 
 be  too  blinded  even  to  see  the  true  way  of  con- 
 version. Thus  has  Satan  smitten  it  with  dark- 
 ness, even  while  he  promised  to  open  its  eyes. 
 Then  cometh  into  the  world  the  light  of  God, 
 in  the  glory  of  which  Jesus  appeared  to  Saul, 
 and  shineth  so  bright  that,  while  the  darkness 
 where  it  remaineth  wM  not  apprehend  and 
 receive  it,  it  at  the  same  time  viay  receive 
 it  and  ought.  The  light  shineth  sovereignly 
 through  the  veil  of  the  eyes,  enforces  its  lirst 
 recognition — This  is  light !  from  every  man — 
 but,  alas  !  most  men  even  then  love  darkness 
 rather  than  light.  Who  then  are  they  of  whom 
 it  is  said,  their  eyes  ?  Manifestly,  no  other  than 
 those  "  among  whom  I  send  thee  ;"  that  is,  all 
 to  whom  it  is'jjreached.  He  to  whom  the  sav- 
 ing grace  of  God  hath  appeared  in  the  Gospel, 
 has  been  constrained  to  see  the  light  at  its  first 
 shining;  the  way  has  been  shown  to  him,  the 
 truth  has  been  spoken  to  him,  the  awakening 
 word  Arise!  hath  seized  him  in  order  to  the 
 opening  of  his  eyes. 
 
 But  that  which  now  follows  is  left  with  the 
 freedom  of  man.  As  the  Lord  sends  the 
 Apostle  to  this  end,  that  he  may  open  the  eyes 
 of  men,  so  their  eyes  are  opened  to  this  end,  that 
 they  may  be  converted  and  turn.  But  they 
 are  not  all  obedient  to  the  Gospel.  Many,  yea, 
 the  greater  part,  wilfully  shut  their  eyes  all  the 
 more  closely,  unto  the  worse  blindness  and 
 hardening  of  unbelief.  The  latter  part  of  the 
 clause  has  been  made  parallel  with  the  former, 
 and  thus  construed,  "  to  open  their  eyes  and 
 to  convert  (Jum  ;"  but  this  arrangement  cannot 
 in  any  way  be  justified.*  The  turning,  as  the 
 receiving,  lies  with  man  ;  the  former  being  the 
 condition  of  the  latter.  Where  otherwise  would 
 be  the  first  expression  of  that/ai7A,  which  is  at 
 the  last  laid  down  as  the  great  condition  re- 
 maining with  the  freedom  of  man  ?  The  first 
 thing  which  any  man  does,  or  can,  or  should 
 do,  whose  eyes  have  been  opened  to  see  his 
 error  and  wretchedness,  is  obviously  to  turn 
 Iiiniielf  kom  his  misery  for  help:  compare  the 
 same  connection  in  Luke  i.  79.  The  Apostle, 
 indeed,  whose  own  eyes  had  been  opened  by 
 the  light  of  the  Lord,  should  and  could  open 
 their  eyes  ;  he  was  to  carry  to  them  the  same 
 message  which  Ananias  brought  to  himself — 
 
 *  It  is  true  that  tyridrfjeipai  orcur.s  thus  transi- 
 tively. Luke  1.  16,  17,  J.imes  v.  19,  20  ;  and  in  Acts 
 xiv.  15,  and  iii.  20,  accordins;  to  the  right  exi)o- 
 sition.  On  the  other  hand,  it  is  more  usually 
 said,  and  especially  of  the  heathen,  that  men  con- 
 vert themselves  :  1  Thess.  i.  9,  Acts  xv.  3,  19  ;  and 
 in  ver.  20  of  our  chapter,  tJna  inierpreialion  of 
 what  went  before  is  g.vea. 
 
 "  Brethren,  the  Lord  Jesus  hath  sent  me  that 
 ye  may  receive  vour  sight."  But  more  than 
 that  he  cannot  effect,  in  opposition  to  the  will 
 of  those  who  hear  him.  T/i^y  may  and  should 
 turn  themselves  from  darkness  to  light,  be- 
 cause their  eyes  have  been  opened-,  if  they  do 
 so,  they  can  receive  the  gift  of  grace,  and  can 
 become  sanctified,  because  they  have  received 
 in  the  forgiveness  of  sins  the  ground  of  that 
 holiness,  and,  in  the  hope  of  the  promised  in- 
 heritance, invigoration  for  the  faithful  main- 
 tenance of  faith  unto  the  end.  This,  and  no 
 other,  is  the  true  order  of  salvation.  This  is 
 what  Paul  exhibits  to  Agrippa  and  the  whole 
 assembly  ;  for  he  preaches  also  to  them  that 
 they  should  be  converted  and  become  such  as 
 he  was  (ver.  29). 
 
 Hence  it  appears  that  this  first  opening  of 
 the  eyes  is  something  altogether  diflFerent  from 
 the  later  following,  rather  already  pre-supposed, 
 enlightenment.  Christ  can  give  light  only  to 
 him  who  has  not  only  been  awakened,  but  has 
 arisen  up  (in  conversion,  Eph.  v.  1-1).  That 
 produces  then  the  enlightened  eyes  oi  tlie  heart 
 (Eph.  i.  18,  in  the  right  reading)  in  those  who 
 have  already  tasted  the  heavenly  gift  (Heb. 
 vi.  14).  On  the  other  hand,  the  first  opening 
 does  not  give  a  man  clearly  to  knoio  the  hope 
 of  the  calling,  the  riches  of  the  glorious  in- 
 heritance, the  exceeding  greatness  of  the  power 
 of  God  in  those  who  believe :  he  only  dis- 
 tinguishes, at  first,  like  children  learning  to 
 see,  the  darkness  from  the  light;  he  can  only 
 say  this  one  thing — I  was  in  darkness  and 
 blindness,  but  now  I  see  the  light  (John  ix.  25). 
 The  old  state  Irom  which,  and  the  new  slate 
 to  which,  we  turn,  are  described  simply  as 
 states,  as  darkness  and  light,  according  to  the 
 general  language  of  Scripture,  and  1  Pet.  ii.  9, 
 10  particularly,  where  the  call  is  similarly  de- 
 fined. They  who  receive  the  call  in  faith,  con- 
 vert or  turn  themselves  (round,  back)  from  their 
 darkness  to  the  light  which  has  appeared ; 
 not  that  they  perfectly  come  out  of  the  dark- 
 ness, and  enter  the  perfect  condition  of  light 
 — which  would  be  regeneration  itself,  or,  in- 
 deed, the  finished  goal  of  sanctification — but 
 that  they  penitently  turn  themselves  from  their 
 old  character  inith  desire  towards  the  light  of 
 God,  towards  the  right  way  of  a  better  life  as 
 exhibited  by  the  lig'ht  of  truth.  This  turning 
 from  and  turning  towards  are  called  elsewhere 
 repentance  and  conversion  (ver.  20,  chap.  iii.  19) ; 
 but  because  both  are  inseparable  in  their 
 union,  each  expression  may  stand  alone,  in- 
 clusive of  the  other,  for  the  whole.  (So  hero 
 conversion,  as  in  chap.  xx.  21  repentance.) 
 
 As  soon,  then,  as  this  conversion  becomes 
 real  and  effectual,  there  follows  as  its  necessary 
 consequence,  not  indeed  that  full  and  complete 
 insight  into  Satan's  kingdom  and  power,  and 
 the  light  and  nature  of  God,  which  is  reserved 
 for  our  perfection,  but  at  least  a  commencing 
 insight  into  the  deeper  ground  of  that  two-fold 
 condition  ;  as  the  preaching  word  exhibits  it,  in 
 order  to  excite  the  profound  attention  of  the 
 soul.     It  ia  iiatan,  m   whose  power  are  not 
 
ACTS  XXVI.  16-18. 
 
 883 
 
 merely  the  healhens  (as  the  Jewish  maxim 
 ■was),  but  all  blind  sinners  in  common  ;  ior  the 
 darkness  is  from  Satan,  and  he  is  the  prince  of 
 the  power  of  darkness  upon  earth  (Col.  i.  13). 
 It  is  Satan  who  keeps  closed  the  eyes  which 
 would  otherwise  open  themselves  even  to  the 
 natural  light  which  visits  all.  It  is  God,  the 
 fountam  ol  light,  to  lead  back  sinners  to  whom, 
 from  their  deep  apostacy,  is  the  great  aim  of 
 the  whole  work  of  grace.  He  who  is  exalted 
 in  heaven  still  speaks  with  all  plainness— as  he 
 formerly  did  according  to  the  orthodox  faith  of 
 the  Jevvs— of  Satan  (comp.  five  times  in  the 
 Epistles  from  heaven,  Rev.  ii.  and  iii.);  this 
 doctrine  must  be  preached  to  the  Gentiles  also, 
 and  must  by  them  also  be  acknowledged  as  a 
 fundamental  truth.  It  may  be  said  that  "  from 
 darkness  to  light"  refers  rather  to  the  blinded 
 Jews,  and  "  from  Satan's  power  to  God  "  rather 
 to  the  Gentiles,  altogether  sundered  from  God 
 and  in  the  power  of  evil.*  But  this  has  only 
 a  relative  truth ;  for  both  in  their  deepest 
 principle  refer  to  all  sinners  who  are  to  be  con- 
 verted (sinners  of  the  Jews,  sinners  of  the 
 Gentiles,  Gal.  ii.  15). 
 
 All  darkness  is  a  prison  (Isa.  xlii.  7),  and  its 
 bonds  and  chains  are  the  bondage  of  hell  (2 
 Pet.  ii.  4  ;  Jude  6).  There  is  a  power  of  dark- 
 ness which  holds  and  enslaves  men.  However 
 easy  and  sudden  might  seem  the  first  conver- 
 sion at  the  beginning,  as  the  mere  turning  from 
 darkness  towards  light,  the  process  reveals  an 
 enchaining  power  which  will  not  let  man  go. 
 In  this  God  alone  can  help ;  to  him  therefore 
 alone  man  must  more  fully  turn.  It  is  not 
 said  "  to  the  power  of  God ;  "  the  name  of  God 
 is  enough,  and  its  might  is  placed  alone  in  op- 
 position to  all  other  power.  Nor  is  the  light, 
 again,  an  imprisonment ;  we  do  not  become 
 servants  of  God,  as  we  had  been  servants  of 
 Satan  and  of  sin.  The  kingdom  of  the  Son  of 
 his  love  is  opened,  in  blessed  freeness  and 
 liberty  (Col.  i.  13) — the  open  access  even  to  the 
 heart  of  God,  properly  to  God. 
 
 But  with  the  first  step  of  conversion  to  God 
 begins  the  receiving  ;  for  he  that  draws  nigh  to 
 God  receives  from  him.  The  first  full  gift  for 
 the  rebellious,  which  itself  was  secretly  in- 
 cluded when  he  gave  repentance  and  awakened 
 to  life  and  conversion,  and  which  must  then  be 
 consciously  received  with  joy,  is — forgiveness  of 
 sins.  "  The  recollection  of  one's  own  sins  is  the 
 real  centre  of  all  self-consciousness"  (Baum- 
 garten) — by  this  consciousness,  fully  awakened 
 in  conversion,  the  m^erciful  Lord  now  seizes  the 
 sinner,  who  in  his  first  penitent  coming  to  the 
 rebuking  light  of  grace  has  already  performed 
 a  work  in  God  ;  and  thus,  in  the  consciousness 
 of  received  forgiveness,  the  new  man  is  fully 
 born.  Thiit  is  now  light  instead  of  darkness, 
 fellowship  with  God  instead  of  servitude  to 
 Satan,  the  deceiver  and  accuser.  I'his  is  ever 
 the  first  pure  grace  ;  received  out  of  the  fulness 
 of  God  the  Saviour,  not  yet  as  grace  for  grace, 
 
 *  Similarly- in  ver.  20:  the  Jews  must  repent, 
 and  the  Gentiles  be  converted  to  God. 
 
 but  as  grace  solely  for  our  sin.  Observe,  that 
 we  were  under  the  power  of  Satan,  not  without 
 our  own  will  and  our  own  guilt;  notwithstand- 
 ing there  is  full  forgiveness  for  that  and  for  all 
 our  sins. 
 
 That  in  the  economy  of  salvation  the  Fame 
 forgiveness  of  sins,  the  great  grace  of  the  New 
 Testament,  must  ever  be  laid  throughout  the 
 whole  process  of  sanctification  as  the  foundation 
 of  a  continual  new  beginning,  even  as  thence 
 alone  power  cometh  to  the  faint  (Isa.  xxxiii. 
 24) — that  access  into  the  strengthening  fellow- 
 ship of  the  Lord,  whose  flesh  and  blood  we  eat 
 and  drink  that  he  may  live  in  us,  is  opened  to 
 us  only  through  the  continual  new  appropria- 
 tion of  forgiveness — of  all  this  we  speak  not 
 now  more  at  large ;  since  the  exposition  of  the 
 individual  sayings  would  thus  lead  us  into  the 
 whole  doctrinal  system,  and  ethical  relations, 
 of  the  plan  of  salvation.  We  go  on  to  observe 
 with  what  wonderful  suddenness  the  and  con- 
 nects the  inheritance  with  the  forgiveness,  the 
 end  with  the  beginning.*  For  God,  who  be- 
 gins, finishes  also  his  work  in  all  those  who 
 cease  not  to  receive  from  him.  It  might  be 
 said  here  also  that  the  forgiveness  of  sins  is  re- 
 ferred rather  to  Israel,  and  the  portion  in  God's 
 inheritance  rather  to  thft  Gentiles:  comp.  Eph. 
 i.  and  Col.  i.  But,  in  the  Apostle's  doctrine  ia 
 these  chapters,  and  still  more  fully  here,  both 
 are  connected  together  in  one.  The  peculiar 
 expression  used}  might  also  be  translated — a 
 lot,  a  portion  of  the  inheritance — and  that 
 would  be  perfectly  true  as  respects  the  in- 
 dividual appropriation  ;  but  the  comprehensive 
 saying  here  pre-eminently  refers  to  the  Lords 
 new  people  as  such,  gathered  from  the  people 
 and  the  Gentiles  alike.  It  is  "  the  inheritance 
 of  the  saints  in  light " — first  as  reserved  for  us 
 in  heaven  (1  Pet.  i.  4)  ;  and  then,  if  we  attam 
 unto  the  end  of  faith,  received  as  the  salvation 
 of  the  soul;  but  finally  as  consummate  glory 
 on  the  new  and  heavenly  earth,  of  which 
 Canaan  was  the  type. 
 
 But  what  is,  finally,  the  condition — which 
 again  assumes  our  freedom,  our  receiving,  re- 
 taining, and  using  the  gift  of  God — the  only 
 way  from  the  forgiveness  of  sins  to  the  inherit- 
 ance? The  inheritance  of  the  saints  in  light  is 
 only  for  them  that  are  sanctified.  This  sancti- 
 fication is  possible  only  on  the  ground  of  grace 
 received,  and  in  the  knowledge  of  the  goal  set 
 before  us  ;  but  we  reach  the  goal  only  as  per- 
 fect, when  sanctification  is  fully  accomplished 
 — and  this  is  plainly  spoken  in  the  carefully 
 chosen  word  "  sanctified."  J  The  entering  among 
 
 *  So  Col.  i.  12-14,  and  the  third  section  of  the 
 Apostles'  Creed. 
 
 +  KXiipoi,  derived  from  the  Old  Testament, 
 and  gloritied  in  the  New — on  which  a  whole  trea- 
 tise might  be  written. 
 
 X  "  For,  whereas  the  deficiency  of  Israel's  sanc- 
 tification was  proved  by  the  fact,  that  in  the  pos- 
 session of  their  irileiitance  ihey  became  proud, 
 and  in  the  gifts  of  the  earth  forgot  their  Maker 
 and  Redeemer  (Deut,  xxxii.  15),  the  New-Testa- 
 
m 
 
 TO  PETER  IN  THE  TRANCE  UPON  THE  HOUSE  TOP. 
 
 the  sanctified  is  reckoned  with  that  tchich  is  rc- 
 eeived,  as  the  last,  highest,  and  perfect  gift  of 
 God's  grace  (Rom.  vi.  23);  but  it  is  also,  on 
 the  other  hand,  regarded  as  the  condition  and 
 limitation  of  the  receiving — Only  among  those 
 that  are  sanctified.  Such  will  there  be  at  the 
 last,  and  they  shall  receive  the  inheritance. 
 Yet  not  with  all  that  'were  called  ;  for  many 
 of  them,  alas  !  will  forget  to  make  their  calling 
 and  election  sure  (2  Pet.  i.  9-11) — with  all  that 
 are  sanctified  we  shall  enter  the  everlasting 
 kingdom.  But  this  fellowship  with  all  saints 
 (chap.  XX,  32)  is  an  essential  elevation  of  final 
 blessedness,  although  God  himself  will  forever 
 be  the  ground  and  spring  of  that  blessedness. 
 There  only  remains  the  inexpressibly  impor- 
 tant and  sublime  cor)c\us'ion—27iroi/<^h  faith 
 tchich  is  in  me;  in  which  the  Son  of  God,  the 
 only  Saviour  of  all  the  world,  unites  poor  be- 
 lieving sinners  upon  earth  with  his  own  glory 
 in  heaven,  and  with  his  own  exalted  person. 
 It  has  been  needlessly  disputed  whether  this 
 "  by  faith  "  refers  more  narrowly  to  the  "  sanc- 
 tified by  faith,"  or  points  further  back  to  the 
 receiving*  We  have  already  given  our  decis- 
 ion that  faith  here  comes  last  as  the  only  means 
 of  the  whole;  it  is  not  merely  receiving,  but 
 also  persevering  faith,  faith  which  is  proved 
 and  confirmed  through  obedient  fidelity  even 
 to  the  end.  We  are  indeed  finally  sanctified 
 only  through  faith ;  but  only  through  faith 
 were  we  converted,  and  received  the  forgive- 
 ness of  sins.  And  this  faith  which  we  hold 
 fast  from  stage  to  stage  through  obedience  and 
 fidelity,  in  the  warring  of  the  good  warfare  for 
 the  fulfillment  of  our  course  (2  Tim.  iv.  7),  is 
 not  only  a  faith  in  God,  but  in  him  also  through 
 whom  alone  we  can  have  faith  and  hope  to- 
 wards God  (1  Pet.  i.  21)— in  the  Lord  Jesus, 
 who  here  saith  out  of  heaven.  Through  faith 
 that  is  in  me.  Faith  in  his  name,  his  word 
 generally,  draws  and  turns  us  round  from  Satan 
 to  God ;  faith  in  him  who  was  dead  gives  us 
 the  forgiveness  of  sins  ;  faith  in  the  risen  Lord 
 gives  us  power  unto  renewal  in  holiness;  faith 
 in  the  glorified  Lord  strengthens  in  us  the  hope 
 
 of  the  inheritance;  through  faith  in  the  whole 
 Christ  we  attain  to  our  whole  salvation.  Thus 
 majestically  does  this  Saviour  in  heaven,  with- 
 out whom  there  is  no  salvation  for  all  men 
 under  heaven  (Acts  iv.  12),  place  himself  in 
 the  stead  of  God,  on  whose  throne  he  sitteth 
 for  us. 
 
 Faith,  faith,  nothing  but  faith — this,  is  and 
 must  ever  be  the  simple,  and  nevertheless  not 
 easy,  way  to  the  end  of  glory.  It  is  the  voca- 
 tion of  all  the  Lord's  ambassadors  to  proclaim 
 the  obedience  of  faith  in  his  name,  iiere  be- 
 fore Agrippa  Paul  answers  for  himself — "Thus 
 did  he  speak  to  me,  and  how  should  I  not  be- 
 lieve in  him  ?  Thus  did  he  command  me — 
 Preach  the  faith  that  is  in  me.  How  should  I 
 not  testify  of  him?  "  Paul  had  see?i  him  ;  but 
 only  to  the  end  that  he  might  preach  faith  and 
 the  not  seeing.  Paul  is  in  a  certain  sense  pre- 
 eminently the  Apostle  of  faith,  yet  only  as  re- 
 gards his  doctrinal  system — for  what  Apostle 
 either^reaches  or  teaches  any  thing  but  faith? 
 Here  we  must  resist  the  strange  theory  of 
 Baumgarten,  and  not  allow  that  "  he  lays  on 
 the  shoulders  of  Paul  alone,  after  Peter  and 
 the  rest  of  the  original  Apostles  had  accom- 
 plished their  work,  by  which  the  first  founda- 
 tion of  the  Church  was  laid,  the  work  of  his 
 salvation  for  the  nations  of  the  earth — and 
 that,  for  the  immediate  subsequent  period, 
 Paul  is  introduced  as  being  exclusively  entrust- 
 ed with  the  guidance  and  extension  of  the 
 Church."  Where  in  all  the  Scripture  is  this 
 written  ?  Where  in  this  mission  and  instruc- 
 tion is  there  any  token  of  this  exclusiveness  ? 
 With  all  the  others  (1  Cor.  ix.  5,  xv.  9),  he 
 executed  his  office — as  the  least  of  them,  who 
 in  his  work  became  the  greatest;  but  it  is  the 
 same  office  which,  as  having  authority  to  call 
 sinners  through  faith  in  Jesus  to  salvation,  is 
 continued  even  in  every  vocation  to  preach  and 
 bear  witness.  That  which  we  have  expounded 
 upon  ver.  18  in  pju'ticular,  holds  good  of  every 
 preacher,  and  of  all  hearers,  without  any  de- 
 duction for  the  specific  authority  or  power 
 conferred  on  Paul. 
 
 TO  PETER  IN  THE  TRANCE  UPON  THE  HOUSE  TOP. 
 
 (Acts  x.  13-16;  xi.  7-10.) 
 
 It  is  not  consistent  with  the  opinion  which 
 
 mcut  3:.int.s  are  not  introduced  into  llie  jjossession 
 of  their  inheritance  uiilil  llu-y  Lave  i)roved  by 
 deeds  lliat  tlicy  jjrefer  iho  pure  and  lioly  com- 
 nmnion  of  tl;e  soul  with  God,  without  any  exter- 
 nal corporeal  addition,  to  all  and  every  pos.session 
 upon  earili,  and  tlieieby  accomj)lijh  tho  total  de- 
 liverance of  tlieir  souls  from  the  entire  kingdom 
 of  darkness  and  of  Satan  "  (Baumgarten,  Acts  of 
 the  AposUct,  iii.  167,  Clark's  edition). 
 
 ♦  For    certainly,    as    Bnumsartcn    lienutifully 
 though  rather  scholasticaliy  says,  "  Failh  is  the 
 
 elevates  Paul  high  above  the  first  Apostolate 
 of  the  twelve,  th'at  the  first  transition  of  tlie 
 Gospel  to  the  Gentiles,  properly  so-called,  was 
 not  reserved  for  the  Apostle  of  the  Gentiles, 
 but  that  Peter  was  in  this  respect  aI?o  chosen 
 to  be  firat  (chap.  xv.  7).  Thus,  as  Paul  was 
 not  exclusively  an  Apostle  to  the  heathen 
 world,  so  those  who  were  Apostles  before  him 
 did  not,  as  their  very  vocation  for  all  the  na- 
 
 ethical    consummation   of  the   receptive  capacity, 
 over  which  Satan  has  obtained  no  power." 
 
ACTS  X.  13-16;  XL  7-10. 
 
 885 
 
 tions  intimates,  confine  themselves  to  Israel. 
 After  Saul  liad  preached  to  the  Jews  in  the 
 synagogues  of  Damascus — probably  during  his 
 protracted  sojourn  in  Arabia,  and  still   more 
 
 Erobably  he/ore  the  Lord  had  announced  to 
 im  his  mission  to  the  Gentiles* — Peter  receives 
 the  revelation  which  constrained  him  to  preach 
 to  Cornelius.  We  have  not  arranged  these  ex- 
 positions strictly  in  chronological  order  (there 
 might  have  been  some  difficulty  in  determining 
 it,  if  we  had  so  purposed)  ;  for  it  was  our  ob- 
 ject to  give  the  stages  of  Paul's  calling  in  their 
 connection. 
 
 But  we  shall  at  the  same  time  observe  that, 
 although  Peter  was  acknowledged  as  the  first 
 in  preaching  to  the  Gentiles  (which,  however, 
 did  not  involve  any  other  pre-eminence,  and 
 make  him  a  "prince  of  the  Apostles"),  he 
 comes  hehind  Paul  in  his  personal  endowments, 
 and  in  his  capacity  for  special  revelations  and 
 gifts  of  the  Lord.  On  this  subject — how  this 
 is  to  be  understood,  and  how  not ;  how  Paul, 
 dignified  by  higher  revelations,  was  not  there- 
 fore before  the  Lord  of  higher  account — we 
 cannot  now  more  particularly  dwell:  it  may 
 be  enough  for  our  purpose  to  establish  the  fact 
 that. Peter  did  not  see  the  Lord  of  glory,  and 
 receive  immediate  revelations  from  him,  in  the 
 same  manner  as  Paul  did.j  An  angel  had  led 
 him,  with  all  the  Apostles,  out  of  the  prison 
 some  time  before,  and  afterwards  we  find  the 
 Spirit  speaking  to  him  (chap.  x.  19  ;  just  as  to 
 Philip,  chap.  viii.  29).  It  is  remarkable  that 
 the  Holy  Spirit,  who  in  the  Acts  of  the  Apos- 
 tles specially  guides  the  missionary  Church, 
 here  personally  savs — I  have  sent  the  men 
 (coinp.  chap.  xiii.  2] — yet  this  is  not  the  I  of  the 
 Lord  Jesus  himself,  which  had  spoken  to  Paul. 
 The  voice,  again,  which  Peter  receives  in  the 
 vision  of  a  trance,  could  be  no  other  than  that 
 of  the  Lord — this  seems  due  at  once  to  him 
 and  the  object  concerned.  Angels  speak  in  the 
 New  Testament  (not  now  to  speak  particularly 
 of  the  Old  Testament),  even  when  they  do  not 
 become  visible,  as  in  the  case  of  Cornelius,  in 
 dreams  and  visions  ;  but  we  never  read  of 
 trance  in  connection  with  them.  Nor  can  we 
 conceive  that  it  was  merely  an  indefinite  zoice, 
 merely  an  appendage  of  the  vision  which  ad- 
 mitted no  question  as  to  tiho  it  was  that  spoke ; 
 for  Peter  addresses  the  speaker  merely  as  Lord. 
 But,  finally,  the  voice  "of  God"  speaks  in  the 
 Ne.v  Testament  most  expressly  (as  in  the  Old 
 Testament  latently)  through  the  Son  alone,  and 
 
 *  For  Peter  was  then  again  in  Jerusalem ;  hav- 
 ing: returned  from  tlie  itinerary  wliieh  Luke  snp- 
 plementarily  records.  The  particulars  of  all  this 
 are  not  easily  arranged. 
 
 •f  Had  it  been  so,  wo  should  have  found  some 
 record  of  it  in  Scripture,  as  of  a  matter  hi<ilily 
 momentous.  On  the  other  hand,  Peter  ia  his 
 (genuine!)  Second  Ejiistla  appeals  rnly  to  this, 
 that  he  had  been  an  "  eye-wiiness  of  the  Lord's 
 glory"  upon  the  mount;  and  ih  chap.  iii.  18  he 
 with  boautitul  humility  admits  the  superior  v.ia- 
 dom  g  ven  to  his"  brother  Paul. 
 
 now  through  the  exalted  Jesus  Christ.  Al- 
 though Peter  afterwards,  ver.  28,  says  that 
 God  had  showed  him  the  truth,  he  speaks  thus 
 at  the  first  in  the  hearing  of  Cornelius,  only  in 
 order  that  he  might  not  inappropriately  antici- 
 pate his  preaching  concerning  Jesus  Christ,  the 
 Lord  ot  all  (ver.  o6). 
 
 Three  times  in  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles  the 
 great  manifestation  to  Saul  is  described  ;  and 
 at  least  twice  the  manifestation  to  Peter,  which 
 of  itself  was  of  great  importance  in  relation  to 
 this  great  crisis  and  turning  point  in  the  course 
 of  the  kingdom  of  God.  By  the  repeated  nar- 
 rative it  is  made  abundantly  plain  that  the 
 Apostle  did  not  see  and  hear  wliat  he  saw  and 
 heard,  for  himself  alone  ;  but  for  all  to  whom, 
 through  him,  it  was  spoken  and  delivered. 
 
 While  Peter  was  engaged  in  a  successful 
 mission  at  Joppa  among  the  Jews  (chap.  ix. 
 42,  43),  and  on  the  same  day  that  the  messen- 
 gers from  Cornelius  were  on  their  way  to  him, 
 he  went  up  at  noontide  to  the  house  top  to 
 pray.  For  his  practised  piety  had  added  to 
 the"  two  customary  hours  of  prayer  (at  the 
 morning  and  evening  sacrifice)  the  third  at 
 mid-day,  which  had  also  become  a  custom  (Psa. 
 Iv.  18  ;  Dan.  vi.  10).  The  flat  roofs  of  the 
 houses  had  ordinarily  an  upper  chamber,* 
 whither  men  were  accustomed  to  retreat  for 
 thought  or  devotion;  but  the  tanner's  house 
 may  be  supposed  to  have  had  an  open  roof, 
 since  the  vision  supposes  the  unobstructed 
 heavens  to  be  before  him.  It  is  in  prayer  that 
 the  revelation  comes  to  Peter,  as  also  to  Cor- 
 nelius. But  he,  who  had  a  work  to  do  in  Joppa 
 and  no  special  occasion  then  to  fast,  is  not,  like 
 Cornelius,  adding  fasting  to  prayer.  As  was 
 quite  possible  to  the  bodily  infirmity  even  of 
 an  Apostle,  he  became  hungry  in  his  prayer, 
 even  very  hungry  :  this  probably  was  the  result 
 of  an  extraordinary  influence  preparing  him 
 for  the  virion,  the  symbolical  language  of  which 
 connected  itself  with  his  hunger,  according  to 
 the  analogy  of  such  revelations  generally. 
 Peter  would  not  be  altogether  interrupted  m 
 his  intenser  and  deepening  devotion  by  taking; 
 the  mid-day  meal — he  desired  only  a  slight  re- 
 past.! While  this  was  being  prepared  lor  hira 
 he  fell  into  a  trance;  literally,  a  trance  fell 
 upon  him,  so  that  he  beheld  a  vision  and  heard 
 a  voice.  After  a  full  meal  this  would  not 
 have  taken  place. 
 
 From  the  heaven,  which  shines  upon  him  as 
 if  opened,  there  descends  to  hira  a  table  won- 
 drously  spread  for  his  hunger  :  a  structure  or 
 vessefof  a  peculiar  kind  and  amazing  great- 
 ness ;  as  it  were  a  great  sheet  bound  by  cords 
 at  the  four  corners,  and  so  let  down  to  the 
 earth,  that  is,  above  the  rcof,  and  immediately 
 before  him.     In  it  he  beheld  not  merely  "  all 
 
 *  In  Luke  vTtspc^ov,  called  in  the  Old  Testa- 
 ment n'^y ;  see  especially  2  Kings  iv.  10. 
 
 t  This  is  a  more  befitting  expression  than 
 Luther's  anbassen,  for  yev^acSf^az,  comp.  chap 
 XX.  11. 
 
886 
 
 TO  PETER  IN  THE  TRANCE  UPON  THE  HOUSE  TOP. 
 
 kinds  of,"  but  all  beasts,*  that  is,  one  of  every 
 species,  clean  and  unclean  united.  The  entire 
 animal  world,  not  excluding  the  birds  of 
 heaven,  great  and  small ;  even  creeping  things 
 — the  smaller  animals,  and  not  "  edible  in- 
 sects."f  The  names  of  the  three  main  genera, 
 besides  the  birds,  correspond  (though  not 
 literally)  to  the  account  in  the  creation,  Gen. 
 i.  24,  where  if  we  rightly  understand  it,  there 
 can  nothing  be  as  vet  said  about  insects  or 
 reptiles.  Well  may  "Peter  have  contemplated 
 all  this  with  profound  astonishment.!  But 
 scarcely  has  tne  question  arisen — What  is 
 this?  what  does  it  mean  to  me?  when  a  voice 
 (from  heaven,  as  chap  xii.  9  adds,  after  chap.  x. 
 had  made  it  obvious)  gives  him  an  answer  yet 
 more  strange  :  Rise  Ptter,  slay  and  eat  !  After 
 the  manner  of  a  dream,  the  killing  and  eating 
 are  combined  in  one  ;  and  there  is  no  distinc- 
 tion expressed  as  to  what  was  upon  the  im- 
 mense livingly-spread  table,  on  the  border  of 
 which,  as  we  may  suppose  from  the  Apostle's 
 words,  only  unclean  animals  were  to  be  seen. 
 
 We  pause  here  in  our  contemplation,  and 
 ask,  as  Peter  when  come  to  himself  asked  in 
 doubt,  ver.  17,  with  hope  of  a  certain  answer, 
 what  the  meaning  of  the  vision  was.  Indeed, 
 we  cannot  miss  its  meaning  if  we  thoughtfully 
 consider  it.  We  have  the  actual  solution  of  it 
 in  the  history  which  follows,  as  well  as  in  the 
 decisive  word  of  Peter — God  hath  showed  me 
 that  no  man  is  to  be  counted  common  or  un- 
 clean. But  through  what  process  do  we  reach 
 that  conclusion,  since  Ave  cannot  at  once  say 
 that  animals  signify  men?  First  of  all,  we 
 must  do  justice  to  the  obvious  reference  to  the 
 Mosiac  laws  of  distinction  in  food.  The  con- 
 nection is  plain  ;  since  it  was  the  prohibition 
 to  eat  unclean  animals  which  practically  con- 
 stituted the  most  rigorous  wall  of  partition 
 between  the  Israelites  and  the  Gentiles — espe- 
 cially at  this  time,  when  human  ordinances 
 had  rendered  those  laws  still  more  stringent. 
 Because  the  ceremonially  strict  Jew  might  not 
 eat  with  the  Gentile,  all  confidential  intercourse 
 and  all  perfect  communion  generally  was  cut 
 oflf  by  this  prohibition  of  the  table-fellowship; 
 as  in  chap.  xi.  we  read  that  in  Jerusalem  the 
 whole  Jewish  Christian  community  made  it  an 
 objection  to  the  first  Apostle  "  that  he  had 
 eaten  with  them  " — in  comparison  of  which  the 
 preaching  and  baptizing  comes  not  into  further 
 consideration.  Peter  could  not  have  paused  in 
 doubt  as  to  whether  the  divine  declaration  ex- 
 pressed the  abolition  of  this  Levitical  distinc- 
 tion between  clean  and  unclean  animals  as  to 
 killing  and  eating  ;  this  was  directly  declared, 
 and  he  would  immediately  think  of  the  words 
 
 *  The  article,  st^nndins  alone  in  chap,  xi.,  still 
 more  expressly  shows  iliis. 
 
 t  So  Neander  expresses  himself,  accordinc  to 
 the  too  prevalent  misunderstanding,  for  cprnTd, 
 Heb.  t«p-i — which  signifies  only  the  smaller  ani- 
 mals in  contradistinction  from  nons  and  n»n. 
 
 ^  Chap  xl.  6,  drevidat  xareyoovy. 
 
 of  Jesus  in  Mark  vii.  15-23.  But  that  from 
 this  very  much  would  follow,  and  that  the 
 vision  would  signify  much  more  than  this,  is  a 
 matter  wliich  he  thoughtfully  ponders.  We 
 hold  to  his  own  expression  when  all  was  mada 
 plain  to  him — No  man  is  any  longer  unclean. 
 As  in  visions,  and  the  symbolical  language  of 
 prophecy  generally,  more  than  one  interpreta- 
 tion is  commonly  involved,  the  animals  are 
 here  at  the  same  time  used  figuratively  for 
 men,  and  the  unclean  are  the  Gentiles,  whom 
 the  Jews  had  hitherto  so  regarded.  We  know 
 that  the  Jewish  phraseology  already  applied 
 the  names  of  unclean  beasts  to  those  who  ate 
 them  (Matt.  xv.  26;  vii.  6).  Thus  the  entire 
 animal  world,  which  was  here  shown  to  the 
 Apostle  in  itsma^iifold  variety  according  to  the 
 original  creation,  and  in  which  there  was  to  be 
 no  longer  a  distinction  of  clean  or  unclean,  is 
 the  race  of  mankind  upon  earth  in  all  its  peo- 
 ples and  kinds.  The  sheet  descends  from  heaven 
 to  earth ;  and  this  means,  according  to  the 
 place  and  occasion  of  the  vision,  in  general — 
 Here  heaven  and  earth  are  concerned  in  com- 
 mon ;  it  is  a  matter  upon  earth,  which  has 
 been  decided  in  heaven.  But  this  is  scarcely 
 the  whole  meaning,  for  it  is  not  merely  the 
 voice  which  comes  from  heaven.  Are  not  all 
 men  regarded  as  originally  coming  from  heaven 
 and  having  sprung  from  God,  according  to 
 their  first  creation?*  Thus,  this  comes  first — 
 All  men  upon  earth  (the  four  corners  are  the 
 four  quarters  of  heaven)  are  still  of  divine 
 origin  (chap.  xvii.  28).  But  this  of  itself  must 
 not  be  pressed  further,  since  they  have  become 
 universally  unclean  through  the'ir  sin.  Conse- 
 quently, we  must  advance  to  the  full  and  per- 
 fect interpretation — The  vessel  or  sheet  is  the 
 Church  of  the  Lord,  into  which  through  the 
 decree  and  grace  of  heaven,  are  to  be  received 
 for  heaven  men  of  all  nations ;  because  grace 
 renews  and  re-establishes  the  original  creation. 
 Both  the  heavenly  origin  and  the  heavenly  re- 
 newal of  mankind  are  embraced  in  one. 
 
 And  now  for  the  hilling  and  eating  which  is 
 required  of  the  Apostle.  It  is  scarcely  the 
 mere  intercourse  with  Gentiles  (eating  with 
 them,  the  unclean)  that  is  meant;  for  that  the 
 symbolic  figure  would  have  been  too  strangely 
 emphatic,  apart  from  the  consideration  that  an 
 Apostle  would  not  have  to  do  with  people 
 hitherto  avoided,  except  for  the  accomplish- 
 ment of  his  vocation,  the  preaching  of  the  Gos- 
 pel. Piieger  says,  more  correctly  :  "  In  this 
 figure  the  future  success  of  his  mission  was  set 
 before  Peter;  it  presented  to  his  hopes  thq 
 wished-for  satisfaction  of  all  his  spiritual  long- 
 ings, but  on  the  condition  of  his  resignation 
 and  denial  of  what  had  been  customary  and 
 pleasing  to  his  own  nature.  He  must  submit 
 to  God's  judgment  and  the  election  of  grace; 
 for  he  declares  what  is  acceptable  and  pure  in 
 his  sight,  and  to  his  j  udgment  all  the  repul- 
 sions of  our  own  nature  and  fleshly  mind  must 
 bow  down."     This  sets  us  at  least  upon  the 
 
 *  Are  acceptable,  as  Sexroi,  ver.  35,  raoan.s. 
 
ACTS  X.  13-16 ;  XI.  7-10. 
 
 887 
 
 right  track.  We  need  not  think  here  of  any 
 eacrificial  slaying  and  priestly  service  (as  Rom. 
 XV.  16)  ;*  for  it  is  very  obvious  that  Peter 
 feels,  besides  his  bodily  hunger,  another  hunger 
 of  th«  Spirit  to  which  the  symbolical  vision 
 responds.  What  can  we  suppose  him  to  have 
 60  earnestly  prayed  for  but  the  success  of  his 
 office,  and  his  soul's  satisfaction  in  its  success 
 — the  spread  of  the  Gospel  of  grace?  The 
 many  who  had  believed  in  Joppa  had  not  satis- 
 fied'that  desire;  while  he  tarries  with  them, 
 his  thoughts  are  away  in  his  missionary  jour- 
 neyings,  and  probably  far  beyond  the  Jewish 
 land.  But  because  he  supposes  that  the  Gen- 
 tiles could  be  accepted  only  on  the  hard  and 
 seldom -accepted  condition  of  circumcision  and 
 subjection  to  the  whole  law,  he  is  oppressed 
 and  disquieted.  Thus  his  secret  conflict  in 
 prayer  had  prepared  him,  more  than  lie  knew, 
 for  the  heavenly  revelation  which  now  grants 
 his  desires — Rise  Peter,  and  satisfy  thine  hun- 
 ger for  the  salvation  of  all  men.  under  heaven 
 (chap.  iv.  12). 
 
 But  he  does  not  on  the  instant  know  and 
 understand  this.  Conscientious  even  in  the 
 trance,  in  the  walking  dream,  he  draws  back 
 with  distaste  and  dread  from  the  unclean  food, 
 even  as  Saul  would  earlier  have  done.  No  (lit- 
 erally, by  no  means,  assuredly  not),  0  Lord  !  This 
 is  his  first  word  to  the  unknown  speaker — the 
 "Lord"  himself,  it  may  be,  tempting  him.  The 
 intenser  assurance,  I  have  never  eaten  any  thing 
 either  common  or  unclean,  he  quotes  probably 
 by  memory  from  the  words  of  Ezekiel  the  pro- 
 phet:  see  chap.  iv.  11  But  hereupon  the 
 voice  grows  more  strong  in  its  rebuke  of  that 
 which  was  not  right  in  his  supposed  vindica- 
 tion of  perfect  right.  It  proceeds  to  utter 
 words  which  already  pass  over  into  the  inter- 
 pretation of  the  mystery — What  God  hath 
 cleansed,  that  make  (call,  esteem)  thou  not  com- 
 mon. It  is  not  now  slaying  and  eating  that  is 
 spoken  of;  for  that  only  had  an  ulterior  mean- 
 ing. What  God  hath  cleansed — and  it  was  this 
 "  what"  that  Peter  afterwards  so  deeply  pon- 
 dered. First,  as  still  keeping  to  the  symbol : 
 "  That  which  God,  by  sending  down  for  thee 
 from  heaven  and  commanding  thee  to  eat,  has 
 declared  clean,  that  shouldst  IiAom  not  (contra- 
 dictory child  of  man)  any  longer  term  un- 
 clean, and  desecrate  again  by  treating  it  as 
 such."  But  this  has  literally  another  meaning, 
 at  the  same  time,  for  the  interpretation.  All 
 is  unclean  until  God  cleanses  it ;  this  is  indeed 
 true,  but  God  can  still  maintain  his  right. 
 The  natural,  animal  men  are  not  only  likened 
 to  brute  beasts,  made  to  be  taken  and  destroy- 
 ed (2  Pet.  ii.  12),  but  they  are  originally  un- 
 clean, like  all  animal  food  before  the  flood.  In 
 his  permission  to  Noah,  God  cleansed  all  ani- 
 mals for  the  food  of  man  (by  the  side  of  the 
 abiding  distinction  for  the  sacrifice  to  God, 
 Gen.  vii.) — in  the  prohibition  by  Moses  certain 
 Rniraals  were  again  made   common  by  God — 
 
 ♦The  Sv6oy  with   qxxye  stands  simply  for 
 slaying. 
 
 but  now  in  the  commandment  to  Pet«r  all  is 
 again  called  clean.  In  the  covenant  of  Noah 
 the  whole  human  race  was  accepted,  before  the 
 Gentiles  were  by  the  Jewish  law  (transitorily) 
 cast  out;  and  now  in  baptism  the  covenant  of 
 grace  is  established  again  with  all  flesh  (1 
 Pet.  iii.  21).  Through  Christ,  through  its 
 union  with  his  heaven  descending  in  Christ, 
 God  has  actually  cleansed  entire  humanity; 
 here  there  is  not  merely  a  return  to  a  former 
 covenant  of  grace ;  but,  going  still  further 
 back,  there  is  the  restoration  of  all  creatures  to 
 their  first  and  pure  creation.  Thus,  "  whom 
 God  hath  accepted,  and  will  go  on  to  accept  ia 
 grace,  let  no  man  despise,  and  cast  him  out  as 
 nevertheless  unclean."  This  most  emphatic 
 learning  is  here  uttered  for  the  whole  Church 
 of  the  Jews  believing  in  Christ,  to  whom  Peter 
 must  deliver  it ;  just  as  Paul  received  the  word 
 for  the  Jews  who  persecuted  Christ — Why  per- 
 secutest  thou  me?  In  the  most  immediate 
 application,  Cornelius  himself  is  seen  to  be 
 cleansed  by  preparatory  grace  unto  the  fear  of 
 God  and  the  working  of  righteousness  ;  and  to 
 this  first  application  Peter  afterwards  refers  in 
 vers.  35,  though  he  had  already,  ver.  28,  utter- 
 ed i(s  most  full  interpretation — No  man  is 
 henceforth  unclean  either  to  God  or  to  us,  not 
 even  the  most  outcast  heathen.  He  subse- 
 quently entered  more  deeply  into  the  profound- 
 est  meaning  of  the  fulfillment  of  the  word  in 
 chap.  XV.  9 — God  hath  put  no  difference  be- 
 tween us  and  them,  p«n/^irt^  their  hearts  by 
 faith. 
 
 While  Peter  at  first  keeps  silence,  in  aston- 
 ishment and  thought,  he  hears  once  more, 
 Rise,  Peter,  slay  and  eat!  Whether  he  actually 
 renews  his  objection,  and  thus  the  whole  hap- 
 pened thrice;  or  whether  only  the  repeated 
 command  to  eat  is  to  be  reckoned  as  a  third 
 voice — is  open  to  discussion.  According  to  the 
 simple  letter,  we  should  suppose  that,  after  the 
 fashion  of  a  dream,  the  whole  three  times  oc- 
 curred, in  order  that  it  might  be  confirmed  and 
 rendered  decisive  to'him:  comp.  Gen.  xli.  32. 
 Whether  the  triple  number  is  to  be  referred 
 to  the  three  men,  ver.  19  (as  to  many  the 
 connection,  chap.  xi.  10,  11,  seems  to  inti- 
 mate), we  doubt ;  noihing  would  be  gained  by 
 it,  for  there  was  no  particular  message  to 
 be  given  to  each  of  the  three.  That,  finally, 
 the  vessel  is  received  up  again  into  heaven, 
 does  not  (as  has  been  supposed)  introduce  the 
 other  side  of  the  interpretation — "  That  which 
 came  from  heaven  is  taken  up  and  acknowledg- 
 ed by  heaven"  (this  acknowledgment  was  con- 
 tained in  the  vision  itself) ;  but  it  is  only  the 
 appropriate  end  by  which  the  whole  is  stamp- 
 ed as  a  teaching  and  revealing  vision—"  Now 
 return  to  thyself,  and  jwnder  what  this  may 
 mean."  God's  further  guidance  in  facts,  and 
 our  own  subsequent  reflection  in  consequence, 
 opens  up  to  us  afterwards  the  meaning  of  his 
 revelations.  Peter,  who  was  too  deeply  en- 
 tangled with  the  Jewish  law,  required  the  new 
 and  direct  teaching  of  the  Holy  Spirit  to  de- 
 liver him;  but  we  see  that  the  method  taken. 
 
TO  PAUL  IN  CORmTH. 
 
 with  him  xras  to  make  him  first  ponder  and  ]  see  the  same  tnndamental  law  in  operation; 
 douU  about  his  former  prejudices,  before  the  the  miracle  leaves  something  still  in  the  rcve- 
 perfect  will  of  GoJ  was  declosed  to  him.  And  lation  for  man's  own  appropriation  in  the  nat- 
 thus,  notwithstanding  the  striking  difference  ural  way  ;  be  it  more  or  less,  there  is  ever  the 
 iu  the  Lord's  dealings  with  Paul  and  Peter,  we    personal  and  voluntary  appropriation. 
 
 TO  PAUL  IN  CORINTH. 
 (Acts  xviii.  9,  10.) 
 
 If  we  would  not,  with,  aTas  '  most  expositors, 
 hurry  over  these  simple  and  yet  sublime  words 
 to  Paul,  so  specially  significant  as  they  are, 
 we  must  assist  our  living  apprehension  of  the 
 whole  by  observing  the  entire  position  and 
 state  of  mind  in  which  these  words  of  the  Lord 
 found  him.  He  had  been  summoned,  by  the 
 visit  of  the  man  from  Macedonia,  chap.  xvi.  9, 
 to  Europe.  He  had  baptized  the  first-fruits  of 
 European  Christendom,  and  laid  the  foundation 
 of  what  we  must  regard  as  the  most  flourish- 
 ing and  interesting  of  the  apostolical  churches. 
 Driven  from  Thessalonica  and  Bertea,  after 
 brief  labors,  through  the  fury  of  the  Jews,  be 
 uttered  a  mighty  and  most  public  testimony  in 
 Athens — being  lor  a  considerable  space  without 
 his  companions — but  with  little  success  among 
 its  proud  disputants  and  babblers.  From 
 Athens  he  proceeded  to  Corinth.  Athens 
 aimed  rather  to  represent  the  past  of  Greece, 
 now  degraded  from  its  glory,  and  prostrate 
 under  the  Roman  power;  but  Corinth  was 
 content  to  be  the  capital  of  Roman  Greece,  the 
 residence  of  the  ruling  Proconsul  of  Achaia. 
 While  in  Athens  what  was  left  of  Greek  science 
 and  wisdom  still  sought  to  maintain  its  pre- 
 eminence, Corinth  had  abandoned  itself  to  all 
 the  vanity  and  debauchery  of  sensual  life. 
 After  its  sack  by  Mumraius,  it  had  been  re- 
 established in  all  its  former  glory,  as  the  so- 
 called  "  ornament  of  Greece."  Nor  was  she 
 wanting  in  art  and  science,  especially  in  that 
 of  rhetoric,  as  referred  to  in  the  Epistles  to  the 
 church  which  afterwards  arose  in  her ;  but  the 
 predominant  characteristics  of  the  city,  as  she 
 was  situated  on  the  isthmus  with  two  harbors, 
 were  commerce,  riches,  magnificence,  wanton- 
 ness, debauchery.  Not  the  goddess  of  wisdom, 
 as  in  Athens,  but  Aprodite,  the  goddess  ot 
 carnal  lust  (at  least,  as  she  had  now  become), 
 had  the  most  celebrated  temple  ;  statues  were 
 erected  to  eminent  prostitutes,  as  to  Lais  :  and 
 the  Greek  piirase,  "  tolivs  in  Corinthian  fashion," 
 was  expressive  of  all  extravagance  of  de- 
 bauchery and  riot. 
 
 This  was  the  place  to  v/hich  Paul  came  from 
 Athens,  and  where  at  first  he  consorted,  as  a 
 tentmaker,  with  a  Christian  Jew.  He  did  not 
 delay,  indeed,  to  open  his  mouth  on  the  Sub- 
 baths  to  the  Jews  in  the  Jewish  synagogues  ; 
 but  thi.s  seems,  as  in  the  case  of  the  discourse 
 adapted  to  tlic  Greeks  in  Athens,  to  have  borne 
 the  character  rather  oi  a  preparatory,  calm  ex- 
 
 position of  Scripture,  which  might  lead  the 
 way  to  the  true  Messiah.  It  was  not  until  his 
 companions,  Silas  and  Timothy,  who  had  been 
 left  behind,  had  returned  to  him  bv  his  own 
 desire  (chap.  xvii.  14,  15)  from  Macedonia, 
 that  he  was  pressed  in  spirit — urged  hy  the 
 tcord,  as  the  right  reading  has  it — to  testify  to 
 the  Jews  concerning  the  person  of  Jesus,  that 
 he  was  the  promised  Christ.  It  is  obvious,  ac- 
 cording to  the  account  of  Luke,  that  this  return 
 of  his  companions,  and  the  intelligence  which 
 they  brought  of  the  progress  of  the  Gospel, 
 stood  in  the  connection  of  a  cause  with  the 
 stronger  zeal  of  Paul;  and  this  is  directly 
 stated  also  in  the  Epistle  which  was  written 
 from  here  (1  Thess.  lii.  C-8).*  But  we  are 
 not  on  that  account  to  understand  the  "  word," 
 as  many  do,  of  the  narralivc  of  these  friends; 
 for  such  a  meaning  the  expression  "  ike  word  " 
 would  be  quite  unusual .  it  would  have  re- 
 quired, at  hast,  "by  their  word."!  But  we 
 must  understand  the  jvefaing,  just  as  in  2  Cor. 
 V.  14;  the  living,  indwelling  word  of  God  in- 
 wardly urges  the  Apostle  to  utter  all  its  ful- 
 ness of  exhortation  and  promise.  It  is  a  very 
 pregnant  form  of  speech,  which  may  be  inter- 
 preted by  Jer.  sx.  8,  9. 
 
 This  pressure  and  urgency  of  zeal  is  quite 
 consistent  (as  in  the  prophets,  it  is  the  over- 
 come opposite),  with  a  certain  weakness,  with  a 
 degree  of  fearfulness  and  anxiety,  such  as  the 
 Apostle,  di.spirited  by  want  of  success  in 
 Athens,  had  brought  to  Corinth,  1  Cor.  ii.  3. 
 After  he  had  in  Athens,  and  at  first  also  in 
 Corinth,  adopted  a  style  of  discourse  which 
 simply  paved  the  way  for  conviction,  by  enter- 
 ing into  the  thoughts  and  subjects  which  he 
 found  around  him,  he  now  begins,  simply  and 
 emphaticallv,  to  know  and  to  preach  only  Jesus 
 Christ  the  Crucified,  with  no  other  demonstra- 
 tion than  that  of  the  Spirit,  and  of  the  power 
 which  was  in  his  own  w -akness.  This  soon 
 brings  men  to  decision.  The  Jmvs  contradict 
 and  blaspheme;  so  that  he  shakes  the  dust 
 from  his  feet  and  his  garments,  and  turns,  pure 
 from  the  guilt  of  their  blood,  to  the  Gentiles. 
 
 *  Thus  tlip  exposition  is  incorrect,  which  is  ac- 
 cepted by  Alfonl :  When  Ihose  came,  f/ietj  found 
 him  (more  than  before)  earnest  and  vehement  in 
 preaching. 
 
 +  Ewn  M?nken  :  "  How  inviscoraling  was  the 
 influence)  of  his  friends'  wordj  !  " 
 
Acrrs  xviii.  9, 10. 
 
 Hard  by  tlie  synagogue,  for  a  strong  standing 
 testimony,  and,  as  it  were,  still  to  attract  the 
 Jews,*  he  set  up  his  school  of  instruction ;  the 
 chief  ruler  of  the  synagogue  (whom,  as  an  ex- 
 ception, the  Apostle  himself  baptized,  1  Cor.  i. 
 14),  with  many  other  Corinthians,  believed  and 
 were  baptized. 
 
 This  is  the  Apostle's  position  and  tone  of 
 mind,  when  another  direct  word  of  his  Lord 
 comes  to  him.  It  is  indeed  through  a  vision 
 of  the  night  (as  in  chap.  xvi.  9),  yet  immedi- 
 ately in  his  own  person,  that  Jesus  addresses 
 the  man  who  was  elected  to  this  pre-eminent 
 distinction  of  nearer  intercourse.  Afterwards 
 in  Jerusalem,  chap.  -xtAW.  11,  it  was  once  more 
 so ;  and,  finally,  an  angel  was  sent  to  Paul,  as 
 to  others.  That  which  in  the  beginning,  when 
 the  Apostles  were  in  prison,  was  the  office  of 
 an  angel — the  comforting  encouragement  to 
 speak  boldly  the  words  of  life  (chap.  v.  20)— 
 the  Lord  here  assumes  for  himself:  Fear  not, 
 lilt  (.peak  and  hep  not  ulence.  Still  coming  first 
 the  same  word  of  encouraging  grace — so  need- 
 ful to  us  poor  children  of  men — which  runs 
 through  the  whole  of  Scripture  from  beginning 
 to  end,  Wear  not  !  fiimon  Peter  heard  it  from 
 the  lips  of  the  Lord  Jesus  when  his  call  to  be 
 a  fisher  of  men  was  repeated,  Luke  v.  10. 
 Abraham  received  it  first  in  the  Old  Testa- 
 ment, Gen.  XV.  1 — after  a  victory,  too,  like 
 Paul  here ;  for  father  Adam  first  of  all  con- 
 fessed in  l>ehalf  of  us  all — I  was  afraid.  The 
 Lord  and  his  angels  often  say  it  in  the 
 Old  Testament;  the  New  begins  wi.h  it  to 
 Zacharias,  Mary,  Joseph,  the  shepherds.  The 
 Lord  often  utters  it  during  his  earthly  life, 
 down  to  John  xiv.  1  :  the  angels  at  the  sepul- 
 chre of  the  Risen  Jesus  give  it  new  strength. 
 The  ascended  and  glorified  Ptedeemer  inspires 
 vigor  into  the  soul  of  John  at  Patnms  by  the 
 ■earn e  word.  Fear  not!  Ptev.  i.  17.  How  need- 
 ful is  this  word  to  his  disciples  every  where 
 and  in  all  ages;  and  how  ready  he  ever  is  to 
 utter  it  to  them !  It  is  the  abiding  word  of 
 the  Divine  Majesty  and  mercy  for  human  pov- 
 erty, weakness,  and  guilt.  Paul  in  Corinth 
 needed  it  pre-eminently,  as  the  Lord  well  knew. 
 Without  were  fightings,  within  were  fears — 
 this  was  the  ordinary  condition  of  the  Lord's 
 ambassadors  in  the  world  :  2  Cor.  vii.  5  ;  John 
 xvi.  33.  But  they  must  continually  take  fresh 
 courage  for  their  duty,  that  they  may  ypeak  the 
 v/ord  without  fear  (2  Tim.  iv.  2).  "  But«;»ml-, 
 teach  and  preach,  testify  and  exhort  with  con- 
 fidence, with  more  and  more  confidence,  and 
 Iceep  not  dlence!"  is  the  Lord's  word  to  Paul. 
 This  latter  is  not  added  merely  as  the  emphatic 
 close  of  th-e  solemn  saying,  or  as  an  expressive 
 repetition  ;  but  it  has  the  meaning  of  the  Old- 
 Testament  phrase,  as  in  Isa.  Iviii.  1-  Ixii.  1,  6. 
 It  is  to  be  observed,  further,  that  the  Lord 
 here  (as  in  chap,  xxiii.  11)  graciously  acknow- 
 ledges and  confirms  Paul's  former  witness  in 
 Corinth ;  it  is  as  if  he  said  with  commendation 
 
 *  Not  so  entirely  separated  as  afterwards  in 
 Sphesiis,  chap.  sis.  a, 
 
 — "  What  thou  hast  already  spoken  has  been 
 well  spoken;  go  on  confidently,  and  change 
 uot." 
 
 What,  then,  could  cause  the  Apostle  to  err, 
 and  make  him  fear?  The  glance  at  opposition 
 and  the  host  of  persecutors.  Therefore,  fol- 
 lows, as  the  first  for  of  reason  for  not  fearing, 
 an  assurance  of  help  ;  and  then  a  secoml/b/'of 
 reason  for  speaking  boldlj' — a  positive  promise 
 of  great  success.  For  I  am  zvith  thee,  and  no 
 man  shall  set  upon  thee  to  hurt  thee,  or  to  in- 
 flict evil  upon  thee.  Sublime  repetition  of  the 
 farewell  left  in  Matt,  xxviii.  20,  which  yet  was 
 no  farewell.  Maje.«tic  words,  in  the  manner  of 
 the  Most  High  God,  who  has  said  from  the  be- 
 ginning so  many  times,  "/am  with  thee — / 
 am  with  you  !  "  Such  promises  did  not  insure 
 the  Apostles  generally  against  the  suffering  of 
 many  evils,  and  death  itself  (John  xvi.  2) — in 
 the  case  of  Paul  the  keenest  persecution,  even 
 unto  stoning,  was  not  excluded  ;  but  the  word 
 has  liere  a  more  specific  meaning  for  his  testi- 
 mony in  Corinth,  and  gives  a  pledge :  "  No 
 harm  shall  befall  thee,  in  life  and  person,  here  ; 
 no  hand  shall  be  laid  upon  thee  " — as  the  orig- 
 inal runs.  And  we  read  the  fulfillment.  The 
 mild  Proconsul  Gallio  (brother  of  the  philos- 
 opher Seneca)  calmed  the  people,  just  as  the 
 town-clerk  did  afterwards  in  Ephesus  ;  but  not 
 as  the  magistracy  in  Philippi,  who  yielded  to 
 the  clamors  of  the  mob  of  his  enemies.  Sos- 
 thenes  is  beaten  (ver.  17) — but  Paul  goes  free, 
 and  remains  as  long  as  he  will ;  preaching  un- 
 hindered and  unhurt  for  eighteen  months  in 
 this  city.  All  this  is  under  the  control  of  the 
 Lord  ;  he  suffers  to  set  upon,  or  restrains  from 
 setting  upon,  his  followers  as  he  will.  This  is 
 the  great  consolation  even  in  the  midst  of  the 
 evil  which  is  permitted. 
 
 Still  more.  Not  only  should  no  man  hurt 
 him,  which  to  the  Apostle  was  the  lesser  thing, 
 but  the  true  and  essential  encouragement  is 
 given  to  save  him  from  all  despondency — Thou 
 shalt  have  much  fruit  with  thy  protected  tes- 
 timony. For  I  have  much  (countless)  people 
 in  this  city.  Concerning  Jerusalem  the  Lord 
 said — Go  hence,  for  they  will  not  receive  thy 
 testi.mony  concerning  me.  But  concerning  this 
 city  he  saith,  I  have  much  people  in  it — and 
 that  city  is  Corinth.  We  must  consider  a  while 
 what  kind  of  a  city  Corinth  was,  to  discern  all 
 the  significance  of  these  words.  This  city — the 
 Lord  does  not  so  speak  as  if  he  merely  would 
 not  mention  the  name,  but  for  the  sake  of  em- 
 phasis— this  city,  not  only  heathenish,  but  sunk 
 deeper  than  others  into  the  deepest  abomina- 
 tions of  heathenism,  this  basest  and  most  no- 
 torious city  of  all  that  proudly  bear  the  name 
 in  this  dark  world.  He  who  in  his  humble 
 life  on  earth  limited  himself,  for  Israel's  sake, 
 to  one  small  corner  of  the  earth,  and  who  had 
 never  seen  any  fragment  of  the  wretched  glory 
 of  Greece  and  Rome — he,  the  same  Jesus, 
 knows  all  things,  and  is  every  where  present  in 
 his  energy.  Of  hira  it  is  true,  that  the  eyes 
 of  the  Lord  run  to  and  fro  throughout  tiie 
 whole  .earth,  and  through  all  .cities — ndt  only 
 
890 
 
 TO  PAUL  IN  BONDS  AT  JERUSALEM. 
 
 to  show  himself  strong  in  the  behalf  of  them 
 whose  heart  ia  perfect  towards  bira  (2  Chron. 
 xvi.  9),  but  also  that  he  may  seek  out  and 
 visit  in  his  grace,  for  their  salvation,  all  who 
 in  any  degree  turn  their  hearts  towards  him, 
 and,  whether  consciously  or  unconsciously,  are 
 prepared  to  receive  hini.  He  who  once  on  his 
 way  to  the  death  of  the  Good  Shepherd  pro- 
 phetically spoke,  in  his  authority  original  and 
 to  be  resumed,  of  the  other  sheep  not  of  this 
 fold — now  terms  from  heaven  "  the  children  of 
 God  scattered  abroad"  (John  xi.  52),  in  the 
 blasphemous  city  of  Corinth,  a  paypie  which 
 already  belonged  to  himself;  because  they  were 
 to  be  collected  together  and  united  with  his 
 one  great  people,  which  has  now  taken  the 
 place  of  the  ancient  revolted  people  of  God, 
 
 This  meant  for  Paul,  sent  to  the  people  and 
 to  the  Gentiles,  "Behold,  if  thou  must  go 
 from  the  Jews — shaking  the  dust  from  thy  feet, 
 and  leaving  their  blood  upon  their  own  head — 
 the  Gentiles,  to  whom  thou  hast  turned,  will 
 
 five  both  to  me  and  thee  the  rich  compensation, 
 lany  Corinthians  have  believed,  many  more 
 will  believe;  so  that  it  shall  become  a  great 
 Church :  I  shall  have  much  people  in  this  city." 
 This  says  to  all  his  messengers  and  disciples 
 every  where,  and  in  all  circumstances,  "  Be 
 comforted :  I  have  already  those  who  shall  be 
 mine  own ;  I  know  and  guard,  I  collect  and 
 feed,  as  the  Great  Shepherd,  all  who  will  be- 
 lieve on  me."  But  it  also  contains  its  conso- 
 latory warning  against  precipitate  judgment 
 upon  the  ruin  of  the  world.  Many  a  believing 
 Christian  might  have  beheld  reprobate  Corinth 
 with  eyes  very  different  from  the  Lord's,  and 
 might  have  thought  that  all  the  Apostle's  zeal. 
 
 labor,  and  patience  were  expended  in  vain — ^bnt 
 it  was  not  as  man's  estimate  might  think  :  the 
 Lord  looketh  at  the  hearts  of  men.  The  man 
 of  Macedonia  had  not  called  the  Apostle  over 
 to  Macedonia  alone.  In  all  Achaia,  and  in  re- 
 gions be3'ond,  souls  were  waiting  for  help. 
 Athens  had  for  the  present  proudly  rejected 
 the  Gospel — but  the  equally  proud  and  still 
 more  trifling  Corinth  concealed  within  her- 
 self a  great  multitude  of  people  of  the  Cru- 
 cified, soon  to  be  revealed  ;  lor  open  and  aban- 
 doned sinners  are  nearer  to  grace  than  the 
 darkly  wise  and  prudent.  A  foolish  sermon  of 
 the  tentmaker — a  man  of  the  despised  Jewish 
 people,  and  by  them  cast  out  and  persecuted — 
 finds  in  this  wicked  city  many  believers.  And 
 so  the  great  Church  still,  having  to  wage  in- 
 cessant war  with  surrounding  impurities  and 
 corruptions,  which  invade  her  and  more  or  less 
 cling  to  herself,  is  yet  a  Church  of  the  Lord, 
 concerning  which  and  to  which  the  Apostle 
 may  utter  the  words  with  which  he  begins  hia 
 first  Epistle,  1  Cor.  i.  2-9.  Because  among 
 them  the  power  of  the  Spirit  had  superabun- 
 dantly demonstrated  itself,  he  can  call  thii 
 Church  pre-eminently  the  seal  of  his  Apostle- 
 ship  (1  Cor.  ix.  2)  if  not,  like  that  of  the 
 Philippians,  his  joy  and  his  crown.  How 
 many  times  did  this  word  of  his  Lord  concern- 
 ing the  much  people  in  this  city  encourage  and 
 animate  him  in  his  real  for  the  betrothed  of 
 Christ,  that  it  might  be  presented  to  him  as 
 a  chaste  virgin  !  (2  Cor.  ii.  2).  For  the  great 
 prophecy  and  assurance  points  onwards,  be- 
 yond all  conflict  and  perversion,  to  the  glorious 
 consummation  1  iuioe  already  much  people. 
 
 TO  PAUL  IN  BONDS  AT  JERUSALEM. 
 
 Acts  xxiii.  11. 
 
 Again  a  fruitful  period  of  the  Apostle's  ac- 
 tivity— according  to  the  most  probable  reckon- 
 ing, a  space  of  about  six  years  since  the  arrival 
 in  Corinth  lies  behind  us.  After  a  short  abode 
 in  Ephesus,  he  went  up  at  Pentecost  to  greet 
 the  Mother  Church  in  Jerusalem  ;*  he  then 
 tarried  a  while  in  Antioch  (we  observe  that  he 
 retains  his  connection  with  the  chief  cities) ; 
 he  then  went  through  Galatia  and  Phrygia; 
 and  has  now  preached  for  two  years  in  Ephesus, 
 with  great  success,  against  all  kinds  of  idolatry 
 
 ♦  So  chap,  xviii.  22  must  be  understood  in  its 
 "  coingup  "  and  "  saluting  the  Church  " — ihis  last 
 always  referring  pre-eminently  to  Jerusalem.  This 
 is  a  louith  jou-iiey  to  Jerusalpm  ;  though  only  a 
 short  greeting  in  the  calm  circle  of  the  brethren. 
 Now  it  is  TenUcoat  instead  of  Easier  :  comp. 
 again  chap.  xx.  1&. 
 
 and  necromancy.  In  the  ancient  metropolis  of 
 all  the  black  arts  he  demonstrates  the  might 
 of  the  name  of  Jesus,  with  accompaniment  of 
 mighty  miracles.  Further,  travelling  through 
 Macedonia  and  Achaia,  the  Apostle,  urged  in 
 spirit,  contemplated  Jentmletn,  and  even  al- 
 ready liome,  as  the  goal  of  his  journey.  In  thfl 
 way,  hastening  to  Pentecost,  he  takes  his 
 farewell  in  Miletus  of  the  eldei-s  of  Ephesus, 
 for  he  knows  that  he  will  not  come  again  to 
 them.  Now  he  is  in  Jerusalem  ;  holds  friendly 
 colloquy  with  James  and  the  elders;  and, 
 yielding  to  counsel,  allays  the  mistrust  of  the 
 bigoted  Jewish  Christians  by  a  legal  compli- 
 ance in  the  temple.  But  this  very  circum- 
 stance excites,  through  a  probably  wilful  mis- 
 understanding, the  wrath  of  the  Jews:  he  i» 
 seized  in  the  insurrection  ;  and  thus — according 
 to  hi3  desire,  though  not  in  the  way  that  h* 
 
ACTS  XXIII.  11. 
 
 891 
 
 thought — an  opportunity  ia  given  him  for  a 
 final  testimony  to  Israel  in  the  metropolis.  It 
 is  the  last  most  important  condescension  of 
 the  abounding  grace  of  the  Lord,  which  ap- 
 peals yet  once  more  to  this  hardened  and  re- 
 jected" Jerusalem.  How  the  Apostle  narrated 
 his  history  and  bore  his  testimony  before  the 
 people,  we  have  already  seen.  When  he  came 
 to  the  word  concerning  his  being  sent  to  the 
 Oentiles,  all  hearing  was  over ;  their  rage  burst 
 forth  ;  and  only  the  Roman  power  could  rescue 
 him  from  the  wrath  of  the  Jews — bound  still, 
 however,  because  some  kind  of  guilt  seemed  to 
 fasten  upon  him.  The  next  day  he  is  brought 
 before  the  supreme  council  in  Jerusalem  ;  and 
 for  the  first  time,  though  he  has  been  in  Jeru- 
 salem four  times  before.  And  it  proceeds  as  if 
 the  council  must  give  an  account  of  the  insur- 
 rection against  this  man,  rather  than  as  if  he 
 had  to  make  his  defence.  They  had  this 
 notorious  and  most  hateful  leader  of  the  sect 
 of  the  Nazarenes,  this  man  who  was  once  their 
 Saul,  before  them,  and  under  the  protection  of 
 the  Romans.  After  the  Apostle,  in  conse- 
 quence of  their  embarrassment,  had  begun 
 the  discourse ;  after  he  had  reproved  in  the 
 high  priest  the  unrighteous  blow,  and  had 
 seemingly  retracted  in  keen  and  severe  irony 
 his  reproof;  after  he  had,  with  great  prudence 
 and  in  perfect  consistency  with  truth,  avowed 
 himself  to  belong  to  the  Pharisaic  orthodox 
 Judaism,  which  held  to  the  hope  of  a  resurrec- 
 tion— there  was  a  disgraceful  division  and  wild 
 uproar  in  the  council  itself,  so  that  the  Roman 
 captain  had  to  rescue  him  from  the  hands  of 
 these  most  honorable  men  to-day,  as  yesterday, 
 from  the  rabble. 
 
 This  was  the  day,  on  the  night  follomng  which 
 (as  it  runs  literaUy)  the  Lord  came  to  him 
 once  more  with  a  personal  address.  This  was 
 certainly  an  important  crisis  in  the  progress  of 
 the  kingdom  of  God.  The  last  fruitless  testi- 
 mony in  Jerusalem  before  the  people  and  the 
 council,  had  resulted  only  in  public  exaspera- 
 tion, in  the  secret  increase  of  their  hardening, 
 and  in  the  more  grievous  exhibition  of  the  un- 
 righteousness which  restrained  the  truth;  but 
 connected  with  this  was  the  delivering  up  of 
 the  greatest  witness  of  the  Gospel  to  the  au- 
 thority of  Rome,  which  for  a  while  shows  it- 
 self more  just  than  Pilate  formerly  was,  who 
 surrendered  to  all  the  clamors  of  the  people 
 (chap.  XXV.  16;  xxvi.  31,  32).  After  the 
 tumult,  w&rse  now  on  the  part  of  the  Jews, 
 there  is  miserable  disorder  and  dissolution  in 
 the  council  itself;  on  the  other  hand,  a  Roman 
 warrant  interferes  for  the  Apostle's  "full  protec- 
 tion. We  should  not  push  the  significance  of 
 these  occurrences  so  far  as  Baumgarten  does, 
 who  regards  them  as  marking  a  great  histori- 
 cal change  in  the  relations  oi  Jews  and  Gen- 
 tiles :  to  wit ;  that  Israel  was  from  this  time 
 dismissed  (saving  his  future),  and  that  a  Gen- 
 tile mission,  a  Gentile  Apostolate,  and  a  Gen- 
 tile Christendom,*  was  for  a  long  period  as  it 
 
 *  For,  even  at  the  end  of  the  Acta  of  the  Apos- 
 
 were  exclusively  to  enter  in.  Yet  they  do 
 indicate  a  turning  point,  at  which  it  was  most 
 appropriate  that  the  Lord's  specific  encourage- 
 ment should  be  given  to  Paul,  so  strangely 
 placed  as  he  now  was  between  the  two  powers 
 of  the  world. 
 
 Thus,  in  the  night  after  this  great  day,  in 
 which  the  Apostle  had  done  what  his  Lord  had 
 commanded  him  to  do  before  the  supreme  court 
 of  his  people,  still  dear  to  him  in  their  blind- 
 ness, had  rebuked  the  "  whited  wall"  with 
 prophecy  of  judgment,  and  then  in  this  last 
 term  of  the  Lord's  forbearance  conceded  to  the 
 people  their  "  high  pHest,"  and  made  a  final 
 attempt  to  lay  hold  on  what  was  still  good 
 among  them  by  appealing  to  the  "  Pharisees" 
 in  this  half-heretic  council  to  defend  his  doc- 
 trine of  the  resurrection — in  this  night,  when 
 all  the  mighty  feelings  and  thoughts  of  the 
 Apostle's  human  sonl  were  in  strong  agitation, 
 concurrently  with  and  amid  the  inspirations  of 
 the  Spirit,  and  he  was  doubtless  severely  tried 
 by  a  certain  anxiety  as  to  the  issue  of  his  com- 
 plicated position — the  Lord  st  od  once  more 
 by  him,  to  strengthen  him  by  his  recognition 
 and  promise.  The  brief  word  is  not  expressly 
 connected  with  any  mention  either  of  trance 
 or  vision ;  only  the  night  gives  us  a  hint  of  a 
 dream  or  vision.  But  the  Lord's  "  standing  by 
 him  "*  assures  us  of  an  actual  manifestation,  in 
 some  manner  visible  and  audible,  as  in  chap, 
 xxii.  17,  18.  Therefore  we  ought  not  and  will 
 not,  like  the  bulk  of  expositors,  rapidly  pass 
 over  the  words  of  the  Lord  Jesus  spoken  out 
 of  heaven,  but  give  them  their  especial  pro- 
 minence in  our  exposition. 
 
 Be  of  good  courage,  Paul!  For  as  thou 
 hast  testified  of  me  in  Jerusalem,  so  must  thou 
 also  bear  witness  in  Borne.  The  manner  and 
 substance  of  these  sayings  from  heaven,  after 
 the  first  at  Damascus  which  had  its  own  pecu- 
 liarity, are  much  the  same  throughout.  The 
 ground  of  the  command  or  encouragement  is 
 given  hy  for,  the  great  subject  is  ever  the  testi- 
 mony, the  course  appointed  for  it  is  the  same, 
 and  always  the  majestic  /,  of  me.  There  is 
 something  peculiar  here  in  the  mentioning  by 
 name,  the  first  time  since  Damascus,  and  that 
 the  now  prominent  name  of  Paul.  The  un- 
 favorable manuscript  criticism  will  not  per- 
 suade us  to  strike  out  the  appellation  ;  the 
 naked  "  Be  of  good  courage,"  so  curt  in  the 
 original  Greek,  does  not  seem  to  us  enough. f 
 This  appeal  was  always  connected  with  some- 
 
 ties,  in  Rome,  Paul  begins  again  with  the  J.  ws, 
 with  his  acknowledsment  of  ihe  hope  ot  Israel ; 
 nnd  it  was  to  the  Romans  he  wrote  that  Israel 
 should  never  be  given  up. 
 
 *  'Eirtdrai,  comp.  Luke  ii.  9 ;  Txiv.  4 ;  Acts 
 xii.  7,  of  angels;  as  in  Luke  xx.  1,  Acts  iv.  4,  and 
 xxiii.  27  (this  chaptei )  of  approaching  men. 
 
 f  All  the  critics,  from  Griesbach  downwards, 
 strike  out  the  addition  ;  Knapp  alone  leaves  it  un- 
 decided. The  testimonies  in  its  favor  are  not  in- 
 significant, and  to  our  leeiing  Bomelbing  i»  wanb- 
 ing  to  the  Qdpdet. 
 
892 
 
 TO  PAUL  IN  BONDS  AT  JERUSALEM. 
 
 thing  else  in  the  Lord's  lips,  either  with  direct 
 address  to  the  person  or  with  II  is  I.  It  is  not, 
 in  the  New  Testament,  altogether  the  same  as 
 Ftav  fiot!*  which  once  at  least  in  the  apocry- 
 phal book  of  Judith,  chap.  xi.  1,  is  connected 
 with  it  (Tobit  xii.  17,  only  in  Luther).  Thus 
 the  Apostle's  courage  is  rather  strengthened, 
 than  his  fear  expressly  taken  away.  His  soul 
 was  not,  indeed,  at  this  time  filled  with  pure 
 confidence  unalloyed  by  anxiety  ;  his  nature 
 might  well  feel  infirmity,  while  as  the  "  man  in 
 Christ"  he  was  uttering  his  testimony  in  the 
 light  and  strength  of  the  Spirit;  and,  that 
 being  over,  he  must  afterwards  have  felt  it  still 
 more.  His  position  was  now — beyond  any 
 thing  that  he  had  anticipated — so  confused  and 
 perplexed  between  the  Roman  authorities,  the 
 council,  and  the  people,  that  the  best  prospect 
 ■was  a  wearisome  imprisonment,  with  moreover 
 the  danger  of  all  kinds  of  malicious  plots  against 
 Lim.  How  stood  it  now  with  his  purpose, 
 after  Jerusalem  to  visit  Rome  also  ?  The  pru- 
 dent thought  of  appealing  to  Ciesar,  which 
 was  suggested  by  the  development  of  the 
 event,  he  had  certainly  not  as  yet  pondered 
 and  determined  on.  As  of  his  Roman  citizen- 
 ship, so  also  of  the  right  of  appeal  bound  up 
 with  it,  he  can  make  exceptional  use  only 
 ■when  the  Lord's  directing  guidance  suggested 
 and  required  it.  Thus  Paul  was  anxious, 
 prayed  probably  this  night  for  light  and 
 strength  from  his  Lord,  and  he  obtained  his 
 answer.  But,  on  the  other  hand,  we  must  not 
 regard  him  as  assailed  by  fear,  as  in  Corinth  ; 
 still  less  must  we  assume,  what  Schafi"  so 
 strongly  expresses,  that  "  exhausted  by  many 
 fatigiies,  overwhelmed  with  anxiety  and  des- 
 pondency, he  might  lose  sight  of  his  plan  to 
 preach  the  Gospel  in  Rome."  The  "  Be  of 
 good  courage  I "  does  not  seem  to  us  to  go  on 
 such  a  supposition  ;  but  rather  to  carry  with 
 it  a  commending  acknowledgment  of  the  faith- 
 ful servantt — So  far  all  is  iceU,  he  still,  of  good 
 courage !  And  the  rather,  as  the  reason  given 
 for  the  encouragement,  before  the  promise, 
 contains  in  itself  a  gracious  acknowledgment. 
 
 As  thou  Iiast  borne  witness  of  me  in  Jerusalem, 
 that  is,  speaking  after  our  common  manner,  a 
 testimony  of  the  satisfaction  of  his  Lord  and 
 King  with  his  conduct.  So — strange  that  the 
 force  of  this  is  almost  universally  overlooked 
 — gives  our  Lord's  own  favorable  judgment  in 
 confirmation  of  our  exposition  of  Paul's  de- 
 portment recently  before  the  council.  Paul 
 did  not  commit  himself  in  passion  and  precipi- 
 tation when  he  rebuked  the  high  priest,  so  that 
 it  was  necessary  for  him  to  retract  with  the  un- 
 imaginable and  almost  false  apology — I  knew 
 not,  or  rodected  not,  that  ho  was  the  high 
 priest.  We  cannot  think  that,  at  this  first 
 most  important  defence  of  the  great  witness 
 before  the  council,  that  grace  which  was  at 
 
 *  Yet  in  the  Sspt,  K"i^n"?K  tea  times  (accord- 
 iug  to  Kircher)  is  translated  by  Bccpdet. 
 f  Matt.  XV.  HI,  iu  the  Greek  tu  precedes. 
 
 other  times  so  abounding  within  him  failed  his 
 spirit,  and  that  the  Spirit  promised  for  such 
 emergencies  ceased  altogether  to  guide  him — 
 so  that  he  fell  to  the  level  of  Ananias,  whom 
 he  rebuked,  in  his  human  wrath.  In  truih 
 Paul  could  not  before  this  miserable  council 
 have  so  unworthily  exposed  the  cause  of  his 
 Lord,  which  was  in  the  estimation  of  his 
 enemies  one  with  his  own  person,  as  to  ask 
 forgiveness  for  a  judgment  perfectly  just. 
 That  would  have  been,  at  least  in  the  eyes 
 of  his  malignant  foes,  at  once  to  impeach 
 by  his  own  conduct  the  bold  avowal  with 
 which  he  had  commenced,  ver.  1.  No,  the 
 Lord  does  not  thus  abandon  his  saints  in  the 
 critical  time,  and  suffer  his  representatives  and 
 messengers  thus  to  fall.  The  Lord  had  stood 
 by  Paul  in  the  dav,  even  as  he  stood  before 
 him  in  the  night.  Thus  the  Apostle  had  right- 
 ly and  worthily  iotijied  in  Jerusalem,  as  the 
 Lord  says.  The  appeal  to  his  good  conscience 
 from  the  beginning  was  in  opposition  to  these 
 miscreants  and  knaves,  quite  right.  The  cry 
 that  he  was  a  Pharisee,  that  he  held  with 
 those  in  the  council  who  held  the  resurrection, 
 was  not  a  human  expedient  of  cra'"t  to  extri- 
 cate himself  from  difficulty  (against  which  the 
 Apostle  himself  had  befure  protested,  chap. 
 XX.  2-1),  but  it  was  the  last  condescension  of 
 merciful  love,  v/hich  the  Lord  himself  directed 
 him  to  exhibit.  The  appeal  to  this  party  feel- 
 ing within  the  council  itself  was  a  most  legiti- 
 mate and  solemn  protest  against  the  sitting  of 
 unbelieving  heretics  in  the  midst  of  it — a  pro- 
 test against  the  verdict  upon  the  word  of  the 
 resurrection  given  by  those  who  already  in 
 their  theory  had  rejected  it.  But  it  was  more 
 than  this,  it  was  a  demonstration  of  supreme 
 compassion  and  grace  ;  the  well-known  Gospel 
 of  Christ,  which  was  the  real  point  of  dispute 
 throughout  the  proceedings,  condescended  to 
 appeal  to  the  one  only  existing  feeling  in  the 
 council  of  which  it  could  take  advantage ; 
 Paul  in  this  last  great  testimony  at  Jerusalem, 
 cries  out  all  the  more  urgently  "the  more  vehe- 
 mently they  reject  him — The  "true  and  genuine 
 Judaism  is  nevertheless  on  my  side  (comp. 
 chap,  xxviii.  20).  Because  thej"- answered  him 
 only  by  blows,  ihe  Apostle's  prapherj  (not  rail- 
 ing) proceeded — God  will  smite  thee!  and  it 
 not  merely  fell  upon  Ananias  (who  according 
 to  Josephus  was  soon  afterwards  smitten),  but 
 was  a  general  denunciation  upon  all  who  lall 
 under  the  just  judgment  of  God.* 
 
 "  As  thou  hast  borne  witness  concerning  me 
 in  Jerusalem  "  means,  certainly,  "  As  praise- 
 worthily  and  as  rightly,  not  marring  the  in- 
 fluence of  thy  testimony  by  impropriety  and 
 defect.  So  must,  shall,  and  wilt,  thou  also  in 
 Jtoine  bear  witness."  That  which  the  Apostle 
 in  chilp.  xix.  21  had  proposed  to  himself  for 
 the  first  time  in  the  Spirit,  not   in  his  own 
 
 *  Thi"?  whole  scene  before  the  council  lias  been 
 most  lully,  and,  ns  tar  as  I  know,  more  distinctly 
 than  any  where  else,  depicied  iu  my  Mccien  dor 
 A^ostel, 
 
2  COR.  XII.  9. 
 
 Bpirit  but  through  divine  impulse,  is  here  con- 
 firmed by  the  Lord,  as  it  is  afterwards,  chap. 
 xxvii.  24,  once  more  by  the  angel,  when  in  the 
 peril  of  shipwreck  all  prospect  of  its  accom- 
 plishment might  seem  to  be  shut  out.  As 
 thou  hast  borne  witness,  thou  shalt  bear  wit- 
 ness :  the  former,  which  had  taken  pl.-xce,  is  the 
 pledge  of  the  latter,  which  should  take  place. 
 "  Thou  shalt  still  bear  witness  according  to 
 thy  vocation  " — this  is  the  powerful  and  essen- 
 tial encourafjement  which  the  Lord  addresses  to 
 his  servant,  who  in  all  his  infirmity  desired 
 only  to  testify  unto  death.  In  the  two  great 
 capitals  of  the  then  known  world,  the  city  of 
 God  and  the  city  of  CjBsar  (the  latter  the 
 goal  of  the  Acts),  he  should  bear  and  proclaim 
 the  name  of  Jesus.  The  city  of  Ctesar,  the 
 city  of  the  world,  had  also  its  high  calling  and 
 destination  for  the  kingdom  of  God — alas  1 
 she  fulfilled  it  but  a  short  time,  and  soon  base- 
 ly fell  from  it.  It  is  already  hinted  by  the  Lord 
 that  this  imprisonment  in  the  hands  of  the 
 Romans  was  to  be  the  means  to  that  end  ;  for 
 the  as  and  the  so  contain  in  this  concise  saying 
 more  than  one  meaning.  As  was  the  past,  so 
 surely  will  be  the  future — as  thou  hast  riffhtly 
 borne  witness — and  finally,  as  an  undertone 
 for  the  Apostle's  reflection,  as  hound  at  Jeru- 
 salem, so  also  with  these  bonds  in  Rome. 
 Thus  there  is  set  before  the  Apostle  new  labor 
 in  continuing  tribulation,  and  that  itself  was 
 real  encouragement  to  the  apostolical  spirit  of 
 testimony. 
 
 "  Bear  witno-ss  of  me — to  faith  in  me"  (chap. 
 xxvi.  18).  We  have  not  yet  remarked  that 
 this  is  not  strictly  according  to  the  original, 
 •which  means,  "  bear  witness  of  the  things  con- 
 cerning me,  my  cause."  It  is  not  merely  the 
 common  Greek  paraphrase  for  the  person,  but 
 indicates,  by  a  fine  and  striking  expression  as 
 ■well  the  narrated  account  before  the  people  as 
 the  maintenance  before  the  council  of  the  de- 
 cisive testimony  concerning  Jesus  in  the  doc- 
 
 trine of  the  resurrection  (compare  chap.  xxv. 
 19  with  chap.  i.  22,  iv.  2,  33).  From  the  fact 
 that  the  saying  contains  precise  delicacies  of 
 Greek  expression,*  we  might  suppose  (though 
 no  more)  that  the  Lord  did  not  on  this  occa- 
 sion speak  to  the  Apostle  in  Hebrew,  but  in 
 the  now  to  him  current  missionary  language, 
 Greek  ;  and  this  would  have  its  own  affecting 
 significance,  besides  confirming  the  genuine- 
 ness of  the  personal  address  by  the  name  Paul, 
 as  this  was  the  Greek  form  instead  of  Saul. 
 Be  that  as  it  may,  the  final  emphasis  of  the 
 whole  saying  rests  upon  the  disclosed  mii.%t  or 
 shall  (compare  chap.  ix.  6  and  16)  by  which 
 the  absolutely  certain  pre-ordained  future  is  in- 
 dicated. 
 
 This  was  not  yet  the  last  time  that  the  Lord 
 spoke  to  Paul.  Besides  the  words  preserved 
 in  2  Cor.  xii.  9,  we  read  elsewhere  of  visions, 
 manifestations,  and  revelations,  the  particu- 
 lars of  which  are  not  recorded.  Tiiese  repeat- 
 ed revelations  were  a  compensation  for  the 
 lack  of  that  intercourse  with  Jesus  in  the 
 flesh  which  was  the  foundation  upon  which 
 the  other  Apostles  stood ;  and  a  continual 
 strengthening  of  Paul's  confidence  in  the  inde- 
 pendent way  which  was  marked  out  for  him, 
 and  which  to  him  was  to  be  so  peculiarly  full 
 of  suffering.  There  was  a  considerable  inter- 
 val of  testfor  his  patience  and  faith  between 
 Jerusalem  and  Rome;  but  this  word  of  his 
 Lord  was  the  pole-star  to  him  in  all  the  dark- 
 ness of  his  way.  It  constantly  assured  him  in 
 every  crisis  of  peril  that  there  was  an  invio- 
 lable ordination  concerning  him — that  his  life 
 could  not  be  sacrificed  to  the  wrath  of  the 
 Jews;|  that  his  imprisonment  should  issue  in 
 public  testimony  ;  that  the  sea  should  not 
 swallow  him  up,  and  the  viper  not  do  him 
 harm.  Therefore  it  was  that,  during  this  im- 
 prisonment, the  Apostle  wrote  such  letters  of 
 energy  and  consolation. 
 
 TO  PAUL  IN  HIS  INFIRMITY. 
 
 (2  Cor.  XII.  9.) 
 
 In  the  Epistles  to  the  Corinthians — although 
 we  should  not,  humanly  speaking,  have  ex- 
 pected such  special  confidence  to  this  church — 
 the  Apostle  has  most  entirely  exposed  himself, 
 and  his  whole  personality,  to  intimate  inspec- 
 tion. He  so  fully  exhibits  his  official  voca- 
 tion and  work,  the  way  in  which  God's  power 
 wrought  in  his  words,  and  the  effectual  de- 
 monstration of  the  Holy  Ghost  as  it  was 
 proved  in  the  influence  which  he  was  able  to 
 exert  upon  others,  that  these  two  Epistles 
 Vr'ould  of  themselves  furnish  ample  material,  if 
 properly  drawn_out  and  arranged,  for  a  treatise 
 with  the  title,  "The  Apostle^ Va.nl,  delineated 
 by  himself."     Still  more,  he  lays  bare  to  these 
 
 Corinthians  the  inmost  merits  of  his  most  per- 
 sonal intercourse  with  the  Lord,  in  a  manner  of 
 which  we  find  no  other  example.  He  presents 
 his  entire  personality  so  fully  as  to  make  these 
 Corinthians  see  that  this  great  Apostle  was  by 
 
 *  Not  only  this  rd  itspi  kuov,  but  also  the  in- 
 tenser  word  diejuaforipoj,  as  also  both  times  eii 
 'Ispov6a\int,  eii  'P&ua/v  :  wliich  scarcely 
 st.mds  for  Iv,  but  is  used  in  the  latt  r  case  like 
 ei?  naxpnVf  chap.  ii.  39,  and  of  Jerusalem  also 
 for  the  sake  of  similarity. 
 
 f  Their  murderous  counsel,  in  ver.  12,  foMows 
 in  miserable  opposition  to  tlie  Lord's  appoint- 
 ment. 
 
TO  PAUL  IN  HIS  INFIRMITY. 
 
 nature  a  man  like  themselves  (James  v.  17)  ; 
 and  thus  gives  us  in  these  Epistles  an  impres- 
 sive and  most  important  example  of  the 
 proper  appreciation  of  the  personal  character, 
 in  opposition  to  the  absolute  authority  of  any 
 office  whatever,  even  the  apostolical,  which  it 
 is  sought  to  isolate  from  that  character,  and 
 make  independent  of  it.  All  this  is  perfectly 
 natural;  for  what  is  the  Apostle's  aim?  He 
 would  suppress  and  rectify  the  spiritual-carnal 
 pride  which  was  so  conspicuous  in  the  Cor- 
 inthians :  he  would  defend  the  authority  and 
 dignity  of  his  own  despised  office.  But  how 
 could  he  more  fitly  accomplish  this  than  by 
 revealing  to  them  the  power  of  God  in  his  own 
 weakness,  teaching  them  humility  by  his  own 
 lowliness,  rebuking  and  exhorting  them,  not 
 by  words  only,  but  by  setting  before  them  the 
 most  direct  and  living  example  of  his  own  life 
 and  experience? 
 
 In  this  we  find  the  key  for  the  interpretation 
 of  the  strain  and  peculiarity  of  the  Epistles  to 
 the  Corinthians  generally  ;  and  particularly  a 
 solution  of  the  reason  why  we  find  in  this 
 place  that  word  of  the  Lord  which  we  now  con- 
 sider, and  which  is  the  only  immediately 
 spoken  word  of  Christ  recorded  in  Scripture 
 between  the  Acts  and  the  Revelation.  Paul 
 must  speak  of  the  labors  and  successes  which 
 legitimated  bis  office ;  but  he  would  rather 
 speak,  in  addition,  of  his  afflictions.  It  is  ne- 
 cessary that  he  should  glory  against  them  as  a 
 fool ;  but  in  his  wisdom  he  glories  after  such  a 
 manner  that  God's  glory  alone  results,  and 
 his  own  is  brought  to  naught.  He  is  con- 
 strained to  tell  them  of  high  revelations  ;  but 
 he  places  beside  them  his  own  deep  infirmity  ; 
 and  distinguishes  so  affectingly  the  "man  in 
 Christ"  from  himself,  that  his  absolute  subjec- 
 tion and  nothingness  bofore  his  Master  is  the 
 only  result  of  all.  It  is  in  this  connection, 
 after  the  teaching  which  so  wonderfully  blends 
 together  in  his  own  example  humiliation  and 
 encouragement,  that  he  relates  for  all  Chris- 
 tians in  common  what  (among  other  things) 
 the  Lord  had  said  to  him  in  the  agony  of  his 
 uttermost  trials. 
 
 But — I  hear  the  reader  ask — have  we  really 
 any  right  to  place  this  word  also  among  the 
 proper  words  of  our  Lord  Jesus  from  heaven  ? 
 Very  many  expositors  look  at  it  otherwise, 
 and  regard  it  as  merely  an  expression  of  an 
 answer  of  the  Lord  through  his  Spirit  within 
 Paul — such  an  answer  as  any  petitioner  might 
 obtain.  But  is  it  this,  and  no  more?  May 
 we  resolve  the  expression,  "The  Lord  said 
 unto  roe,"  into  the  mere  suggestion  of  the 
 Lord's  Spirit,  as  if  it  meant,  "The  Lord  in- 
 spired me  with  the  conviction,  and  it  was  to 
 me  as  if  he  had  spoken  ? "  Assuredly  not, 
 dear  readers.  The  man  like  ourselves  was 
 also  jicadiarly  favored  above  other  men,  and 
 stood  in  a  nearer  relation  of  internal  fellow- 
 ship than  that  would  imply.  When  he  simply 
 relates  this  speaking  of  the  Lord  to  himself,  as 
 something  not  unusual,  he  gives  us  plainly  to 
 understand  that  he  had  more  than  once  re- 
 
 ceived express  and  audible  communications 
 of  this  kind.  Immediately  before  he  had 
 been  speaking  of  visions,  and  revelations,  and 
 trances.  When  he  new  gives  us  a  view  of  his 
 tribulations,  he  shows  that  his  Lord  had  not 
 been  less  near  to  him  m  them.  It  is  true  that 
 we  here  approach  the  boundary  where  the  per- 
 sonal direct  address  of  the  Lord,  this  time  cer- 
 tainly without  any  vision  or  appearance,  pass- 
 es over  into  the  Spirit's  ordinary  method  of 
 communing  with  our  spirits,  in  which  believers 
 are  continually  receiving  his  words;  and  many 
 childlike,  simple  souls  may  dare  to  say,  simi- 
 larly to  the  Apostle — Thus  did  the  Lord  Jesus 
 speak  to  me.  But  still  there  is  a  difference : 
 it  was  not  simply  thus  that  Paul  heard  what 
 is  here  recorded.  Here,  where  he  has  just  been 
 speaking  of  revelations  generally,  he  distin- 
 guishes plainly  and  expressly  the  Lord's,  to 
 him,  well-known  speaking ;  so  that  we  must 
 take  the  word  as  it  stands — it  was  an  audible 
 word  of  Jesus  to  the  Apostle. 
 
 In  the  severe  conflict  of  profound  suffering 
 — which,  at  any  rate,  the  thorn  in  the  flesh, 
 the  messenger  of  Satan,*  must  indicate — he 
 had  prayed  the  Lord  thrice  for  the  removal  of 
 the  distress  ;  that  is,  according  to  New-Testa- 
 ment and  apostolical  language,  not  to  "  the 
 Lord  God,"  but  to  the  Iy>rd  Jesus,  to  him  who 
 in  the  days  of  his  flesh  had  thrice  prayed  to 
 his  Father — Take  this  cup  from  me.  Not,  in- 
 deed, with  the  perfect  resignation  of  him  who 
 in  Gethsemane  learned  and  confirmed  his  obe- 
 dience in  suffering,  for  there  might  be  some 
 admixture  of  human  impatience;  but,  on  the 
 other  hand,  not  without  the  humility  of  im- 
 portunate .supplication,  in  which  nothing  more 
 13  required  of  us  weak  men  than  this — I  will 
 not  let  thee  go,  unless  thou  help  me.  Thrice — 
 this  we  Cannot  regard  as  a  mere  phrase  for 
 "  several  times,  repeatedly  ;"  the  Apostle  would 
 have  been  restrained  from  such  a  phrase  by 
 the  thought  that  it  might  be  understood  as  an 
 intentional  comparison  with  Gethsemane.  That 
 comparison  does  not  occur  to  him ;  he  simply 
 relates  what  actually  took  place :  thrice  I 
 prayed  to  the  Lord — not  to  be  understood  of 
 intervals  of  supplication,  days  or  nights  in 
 succession,  but  of  one  continuous  struggle  in 
 prayer,  TAe  Lord  did  not  suffer  him  to  cry  a 
 fourth  or  a  seventh  time  ;  but  he,  the  same  to 
 whom  Paul  addressed  his  supplication,  gave 
 him  at  the  third  time  the  sublime  answer. 
 That  answer  will  be  filled  with  a  richer 
 strength  and  emphasis  to  us  all,  for  whose 
 sake  the  Apostle  has  communicated  it,  if  we 
 regard  it  not  merely  as  a  divine  consolation 
 inspired  into  the  Apostle's  soul,  but  as  an 
 express  and  definite  word  of  the  Lord  from 
 heaven. 
 
 Literally,  according  to  the  original :  Suffi- 
 cient is  mrj  grace  to  thee,  for  my  strength  is  per- 
 fect in  (the)  weakness.     This  decisive  expres- 
 
 ♦  Tho  difficult  interpretation  of  llii?.  so  far  as 
 it  belongs  to  tlie  liuesiion  Leic,  we  shall  subse- 
 queull/  consider. 
 
2  COR.  XII.  9. 
 
 895 
 
 Bion,  the  saving  ordinance  and  mle  of  conduct, 
 as  it  were,  for  all  who  are  severely  tried  in  the 
 following  of  Christ,  has  first  its  special  mean- 
 ing for  Paul,  but  also  a  general  symbolical 
 meaning  and  design.  Indeed,  this  universal 
 significance  is  stamped  upon  the  form  of  it 
 (lor  the  second  clause  is  not  a  personal  ad- 
 dress) more  definitely  than  in  the  earlier  say- 
 ings of  the  glorified  Lord ;  so  that  here  also 
 ■we  disc&rn  a  trmisition  to  the  more  ordinary 
 communications  of  the  Saviour  to  his  people. 
 That  even  a  Paul  was  still  in  danger  of  being 
 exalted  by  the  superabundance  of  the  revela- 
 tions, and  of  preaching  to  others  through  the 
 still  remaining  gifts  of  grace,  while  himself  a 
 castaway  through  the  loss  of  grace  itself,  is  a 
 most  keen  and  earnest  warning,  which  Paul's 
 own  person — with  all  its  high  prerogative  of 
 election,  still  a  perfectly  typical  and  exemplary 
 person — impresses  upon  us  all.  The  Lord  se- 
 cures him  against  this  danger  by  sufferings, 
 which  must  so  bring  home  his  wfirmity  to  him 
 that  he  can  find  no  consolation  but  grace,  and 
 must  forever  give  up  all  glorying  in  that  he 
 had  received  from  God.  This  is  to  us  all  the 
 way  of  grace  and  the  method  of  our  salvation. 
 Are  there  sufferings  which  we  procure  for  our- 
 selves, and  which  we  may  avoid  by  avoiding 
 the  sins  which  occasion  them  and  which  they 
 punish? — so  there  are  also  sufferings  which 
 the  wisdom  and  mercy  of  the  Lord  imposes 
 upon  us  without  any  specific  guilt  of  our  own, 
 though  for  the  sake  of  the  universal  sin  of 
 our  corrupted  nature.  Are  there  tribulations 
 which  we  may  pray  against,  remove  by  fervent 
 and  persevering  appeals  to  the  Redeemer  and 
 Helper  of  our  souls? — so  there  are  also  ap- 
 pointed and  salutary  burdens  which  shall  not 
 and  must  not  be  taken  from  us ;  although 
 grace  wiJl  establish,  strengthen,  and  console 
 the  spirit  under  every  tribulation  of  the  fiesh. 
 For  even  the  most  keenly  penetrating  trial  of 
 the  human  spirit  is  essentially  only  a  thorn  in 
 the  flesh,  in  ihe  nature  which  is  flesh  born  of 
 flesh.  It  is  even  questionable  whether  that 
 which  Paul  found  so  hard  that  he  thought  he 
 could  no  longer  bear  it,  did  not  consist  in  buch 
 so-called  spiritual  assaults  of  satanic  tempta- 
 tion :  he  might,  in  harmony  with  his  phrase- 
 ology elsewhere,  name  them  a  thorn  in  the 
 flesh.  We  might,  indeed,  almost  say,  that  to 
 bear  the  most  painful  tribulation  in  the  body 
 Lad  become  a  light  thing  to  the  Apostle, 
 through  the  discipline  of  grace ;  and  that  the 
 counterpoise  to  high  revelations  would  be 
 trials  which  fell  upon  the  true  and  inner  flesh. 
 Be  that  as  it  may,  and  to  decide  this  is  not 
 of  moment,  Ciirist's  word  retains  its  universal 
 meaning  for  all  those  salutary  afflictions  which 
 may  seem  to  us  intolerable,  but  which  he  has 
 irrevocably  ordained.  He  infuses  his  grace — 
 80  that  we  can  bear  them;  and,  not  only  so, 
 the  bitterest  medicine  becomes  at  last  sweet  in 
 the  good  and  gracious  will  of  our  Lord.  My 
 grace — is  the  word  of  his  majesty  and  power, 
 as  well  as  of  his  love  and  consolation.  Luther 
 thought  to  bring  out  the  saying  better  when 
 
 he  translated — Let  it  he  svfficienl,  and  we  are 
 loath  to  correct  trifles  in  sentences  which  the 
 Holy  Spirit  has  made  precious  to  so  many. 
 Here,  however,  the  meaning  is  considerably 
 affected.*  The  immediate  assurance  is  more 
 needed  by  the  desponding  than  the  exhorta- 
 tion and  doctrine,  and  it  is  that  which  is  first 
 given.  As  the  answer  to  the  anxious  question 
 — "Am  I  then  abandoned,  cast  out,  rejected?" 
 comes  the  fact,  not  expressed,  but  graciously 
 taken  for  granted,  that  Christ's  grace  is  already 
 with  the  Apostle,  that  he  has  it,  testified  by 
 him  who  alone  is  perfectly  assured  of  it.  "  f 
 am  merciful  to  thee.  Thou  hast  my  grace. 
 What  wilt  thou  more  ?  "  Even  if  the  tempted 
 man  might  not  in  his  weakness  be  satisfied 
 with  that,  which  he  was  to  learn  and  would 
 learn,  his  merciful  Lord  declares  to  him  the 
 fact  against  all  his  doubt,  as  a  truth  beyond 
 all  his  consciousness  and  feeling.  It  is  so.  Thou 
 hast  sufficient  in  my  grace.  The  Lord  places 
 this  word,  as  it  were,  in  Paul's  lips,  that  he 
 may  utter  it  after  him  in  faith — "Yea,  Lord, 
 thy  grace  is  sufficient  for  me."  Zinzendorf 
 brings  out,  in  his  translation,  the  true  exhor- 
 tation— "  Be  content,  that  I  am  merciful  to 
 thee  ;"  but  the  exhortation  is  all  the  stronger 
 for  not  being  expressed. 
 
 Now,  as  in  almost  every  previous  instance, 
 the  Lord  speaking  from  heaven  gives  in  the 
 second  clause  the  ground  and  reason  of  the 
 first,  by  a  sublime  demonstrative  for.  That 
 which  he  thus  goes  on  to  say  and  testify  is  no 
 longer  directly  spoken  to  the  Apostle  ;  but  it 
 is  given  to  him  as  a  general  saying  applicable 
 to  himself,  and  placing  him  under  a  universal 
 ordinance.  What  a  saying — doctrine  and  fact 
 at  once  foe  Christ's  kingdom  of  grace,  in  in- 
 exhaustible depth  and  comprehensiveness  of 
 meaning.  For  my  strength — we  hold  fast  this 
 reading  against  Tischendorf  and  Lachmann, 
 and  this  time  even  against  Bengel.  The  latter 
 thinks  that  if  Paul  had  written  ''My  strength," 
 he  must  also  have  added  "  in  thy  weakness." 
 But  why?  That  question  is  not  so  much  what 
 Paul  might  have  written,  as  what  was  fitting 
 for  the  Lord  to  say,  and  what  he  actually  could 
 have  said.  "  My  strength  "  was  alone  appro- 
 priate; but  "thy  weakness"  could  not  follow, 
 for  the  reason  already  assigned,  that  the  saying 
 is  a  universal  one.  That  great  student  of  Scrip- 
 ture seems  to  have  afterwards  bethought  him- 
 self; for,  in  his  translation  of  the  New  Testa- 
 ment, the  "my"  remains.  Manuscripts  and 
 authorities  are  generally  not  decisive  of  them- 
 selves; here  certainly  not,  where  important 
 witnesses  are  on  both  sides.  The  decision  is 
 finally  a  matter  of  taste  and  feeling,  of  internal 
 reasons.  A  recent  English  criticf  says,  that 
 unless  he  errs,  the  word  was  added  for  distinct- 
 
 *  For,  that  dpuEi  must  be  translated  suj^ere 
 debet,  sufficiat — is  arbitrary  and  vapid,  after  the 
 style  ol  Rosenmiiller. 
 
 f  Alford,  who  sometimes  concedes  too  much  to 
 German  science. 
 
TO  PAUL  IN  HIS  INFIRMITY. 
 
 ness'  sake,  and  to  malce  the  sentence  coincide 
 with  the  Apostle's  subsequent  "  the  power  of 
 Christ."  We  think,  on  the  contran',  that  this 
 subsequent  word  of  the  Apostle,  which  appro- 
 priates to  himself  the  word  of  the  Lord,  and 
 repeats  its  emphatic  "  my,"  is  in  favor  of  the 
 ordinary  reading.  We  maintain  that  the  Lord 
 would  nave  spoken  not  merely  with  less  dig- 
 nity, but  with  an  obscurity  which  might  easily 
 be  misunderstood,  if  he  had  spoken  of  strength 
 generally  instead  of  his  own  strength.  The  re- 
 peated "  my  grace,  my  strength,"  is  altogether 
 in  harmony  with  the  throne  style  of  his  words 
 from  heaven,  as  we  have  heard  it  throughout. 
 If  he  had  said,  almost  descending  from  his 
 dignity  to  an  altogether  general  dogma,  "  For 
 strength,  is  made  perfect  in  the  weakness  (or  in 
 weakness)" — it  is  true,  we  admit,  that  the  Apos- 
 tle would  at  once  have  been  likely  to  under- 
 stand it  of  Christ's  strength  ;  but  to  all  others, 
 in  the  long  future  o£  his  kingdom  of  grace, 
 for  whom  this  word  was  to  be  preserved,  this 
 interpretation  of  it  would  not  have  been  suffi- 
 ciently obvious.  Does  not  the  saying  thus  run 
 altogether  in  the  form  of  a  common  proverb, 
 especially  with  its  striking  apparent  antithesis 
 of  opposite  words?  "  Strength  is  fully  proved, 
 made  perlect,  in  tccakness  "—-ia  this,  then,  com- 
 monly trite?  The  Romanist  expositor  Allioli, 
 who  clings  to  the  Vulgate,  "  first  of  all  "  refers 
 the  grace  and  the  strength  to  God,  but  then 
 goes  suspiciously  further :  "  Moral  strength, 
 the  higher  life  of  man,  is  also  meant,  so  that 
 the  words  include  the  meaning  that  the  higher 
 life  of  the  spirit,  virtue  in  man,  is  brought  to 
 perfection  by  such  tribulations  ;  through  the 
 weakening  of  the  old  nature  we  attain  to  the 
 perfect  power  of  the  new  life."  Rightly  under- 
 stood, this  is  true;  but  still  it  may  be  misappre- 
 hended, and  may  be  taken  in  that  meaning  for 
 which  Grotius  has  collected  several  passages 
 from  the  classics.*  This  indefinite  and  gen- 
 eral saying  concerning  strength  in  weakness 
 may  have,  under  the  discipline  of  concealed 
 preparatory  grace,  where  there  is  no  absolute 
 distinction  between  what  is  man's  and  what  is 
 God's,  a  certain  preliminary  prophetic  truth — 
 but  in  the  kingdom  of  Chnst,  where  nature 
 and  grace  are  distinctly  separated,  it  is  no 
 longer  applicable;  and  as  a  rule  in  his  king- 
 dom it  could  not  have  been  asserted  by  Christ. 
 It  would  have  been  necessary  that  he  should 
 add,  in  order  to  obviate  in  his  wisdom  all  mis- 
 understanding and  error — "  In  me,  and  only  in 
 me,  is  the  saying  true  concerning  strength  in 
 weakness."  The  opposite  is  true  of  ins  ser- 
 vants, in  their  conflicts  under  the  light  of  his 
 heart-seaichmg  countenance  ;  and  the  warning 
 must  have   been  given — "  Your  own  strength 
 
 *  Of  Pliny:  "  Optimos  nos  esse,  dum  infiimi 
 sr.mus."  Of  Seneca  :  "  CalaniiLas  virtutis  occasio 
 est."  Of  Quinlilian:  "  Tenierilas  omuis  nniino- 
 rum  cahiniiinte  cori)oium  frangitur."  That  a 
 "self-collected,  humble,  and  thus  confident,  bold- 
 ness of  sp  rit  is  strengthened  in  coiiQict  " — can 
 scarcely  Batisiy  liere. 
 
 is  weak  even  in  the  strong ;  it  comes  to  its 
 end  in  weakness,  passes  away,  and  comes  to 
 naught."  This  is  what  the  Lord  does  say  in 
 warning,  when  he  declares,  as  we  must  under- 
 stand the  expression — "Jf^  strength  is  made 
 perfect  in  weakness." 
 
 Now  at  length  we  have  made  full  provision  for 
 a  further  exposition  of  this  profound  thought. 
 Tiie  progress  into  the  second  clause  thus  tes- 
 tifies— My  grace,  the  grace  of  God  in  me  and 
 through  me  for  men,  is  power  in  them  (Ti^ph.  i. 
 19,  iii.  7  ;  Col.  i.  29).  What  a  truth  is  this  I 
 Who  is  sufficient  to  expound  it  fully  ?  We  can 
 now  only  give  prominence  to  its  protest  against 
 all  the  misunderstanding  and  perversion  which 
 is  too  lightly  satisfied  with  the  profound  word 
 "  grace,"  and  denies  it  all  its  meaning.  We  mean 
 all  such  idle  resting  in  the  consolation  of  "  the 
 forgiveness  of  sins^"  and  the  consciousness  of 
 justification,  as  forgets  that  this  grace  is  per- 
 fected in  the  power  of  sanctification.  Berlenh. 
 Bibel:  "  Grace  is  here  not  alone  forgiveness  of  sins, 
 butsomething  thatiror^sin  aman  and  overcomes 
 his  sins,  though  not  without  his  suffering." 
 This  is  according  to  the  ever-needful  word  of 
 James — "  And  not  by  faith  alone."  Assuredly, 
 not  the  beginning  alone,  but  the  abiding  ground 
 of  all  strength  of  grace,  is  the  firm  consolation — 
 I  obtained  mercy.  But  it  is  most  important  to 
 know  and  experience  that  this  consolation  is 
 itself,  and  works,  power  in  the  soul  ;  that  he 
 who  rejoices  in  the  grace  of  Christ,  has  re- 
 ceived it  to  that  end,  and  can  only  thus  find  it 
 sufficient. 
 
 Luther's  translation — "Heine  Kraft  ist  in 
 den  Schwaclien  machtig  "  (My  strength  is  mighty 
 in  the  weak) — is  very  far  from  bringing  out  the 
 weight  and  significance  of  this  word  of  our 
 Lord.  It  is  not  to  no  purpose  that  he  orders 
 the  expressions  with  a  three-fold  difference: 
 not  in  the  weak,  hnt  imceahie^s  ;  not  merely 
 m!>7^^7/(which  is  self-understood,  as  being  funda- 
 mentally the  same  with  strength),  but  perfect ; 
 not  merely  is  perfect,  but  is  made  so.  It  is  not 
 only  that  "the  phraseological  contrast"  strength 
 and  weakness"  must  be  retained;  the  expres- 
 sion gives  another  meaning,  since  it  speaks  not 
 so  much  of  the  xteak  in  common  (which  we  all 
 are,  and  always,  of  ourselves),  but  of  particular 
 circumstances  and  trials  in  which  the  weakness 
 makes  itself  especially  felt — precisely  in  the 
 same  sense  as  the  Apostle  presently,  and  fre- 
 quently elsewhere,  uses  the  word.  In  weaJoicss 
 (there  is  no  article  in  the  original),  as  in  the 
 element  and  domain  of  its  working,  the  strength 
 is  perfected,  proves  and  confirms  itself  perlect- 
 ly.  Zmzendorf:  "  It  first  becomes  absolutely 
 mighty."  But  this,  once  more,  is  not  spoken 
 (in  the  sense  of  chap.  iv.  7)  of  the  weak,  earth- 
 en vessel  of  human  nature  generally,  in  which 
 the  superabounding  grace  of  God  works,  but  of 
 the  perfecting  of  its^indwelling  and  penetrating 
 influence,  pre-supposed  even  at  the  beginning; 
 and  concerning  this  perfecting  it  is  said  for 
 consolation,  that  it  only,  but  also  certainly,  ia 
 brought  to  its  consummation  in  weakness,  in 
 the  path  of  trials  and  suffering.     The  power  it 
 
REV.  I.  11.  17-20. 
 
 897 
 
 made  perfect,  becomes  consummate — that  is, 
 obviously,  not  in  itself,  since  as  power  it  is  al- 
 ready perfect ;  but  it  absolutely  proves  itself, 
 expresses  its  perfect  energy  and  influence.* 
 As  Christ  himself  reached  the  It  is  finkhed  in 
 tlie  strength  of  God,  through  uttermost  weak- 
 ness upon  the  cross  (chap.  xiii.  4) — and  he  re- 
 members this,  now  sneaking  from  heaven — so 
 through  the  continual  energy  of  Am  strength  in 
 his  servants  a  victorious  perfection  is  wrought 
 out,  in  the  same  way  of  suffering  and  subjec- 
 tion in  weakness.  And  if  it  be  Satan,  or  his 
 angel,  who  causes  the  weakness  and  tribula- 
 tion, Christ's  pmoer  is  victorious  over  him  in  all 
 who  receive  Christ's  grace,  and  who  retain  it  in 
 faith;  that  is,  who  count  that  grace  sufficient, 
 trust  in  it  absolutely  and  humbly,  and  wait 
 confidently  for  the  full  demonstration  of  its 
 power. 
 
 Paul  himself  at  once  makes  the  ajyjMcaiion, 
 setting  himself  before  the  Corinthians  and  us 
 all  as  a  pattern  :  "  Because  it  is  so  as  the  Lord 
 said  vnto  me — and  that  is  sufficient  for  me: 
 therefore  I  will  rather  glory  in  my  infirmities, 
 that  the  power  of  Christ  may  dwell  in  me." 
 How  humbling  this  to  the  Corinthians,  who 
 gloried  in  the  gifts  which  dwell  among  them  ! 
 What  a  lesson  is  here  taught  by  supreme  au- 
 thority, through  the  person  of  Paul — that  to 
 have^race  is  sufficient,  and  infinitely  more  than 
 the  po-ssession  of  all  gifts  !  The  greatest  danger, 
 even  for  "  men  in  Christ"  (ver.  2),  is  ever  that 
 of  thinking  too  highly  of  themselves.  The 
 safest,  rather  the  only  safe,  way  for  the  most 
 sanctified  and  favored  with  special  dispen- 
 sation, is  to  humble  themselves  under  the 
 mighty  hand  of  God,  whose  salutary  discipline 
 will  never  cease;  to  place  themselves  among 
 the  chief  of  sinners,  that  they  may  receive  the 
 perfection  of  Chnst's  strength  in  their  own 
 weakness.  The  best  answer  for  the  natural 
 mind,  even  of  an  elect  Apostle,  inclined  to 
 pride,  and  therefore  exposed  to  despondency  in 
 the  time  of  oppressive  trial — given  to  him  for 
 the  sake  of  the  putFed-up  Corinthians,  and  of 
 all  the  downcast  every  where — and  v/hich,  in 
 
 the  most  gracious  form  of  an  almost  enforced 
 consolation,  "Thou  hast  grace,"  points  to  the 
 victorious  consummation  of  their  power,  as 
 found  only  in  the  sufTerings  which  crush  in 
 them  all  that  is  their  own.  It  is  a  most  tender 
 repulsion  of  the  urgent  prayer  that  the  salutary 
 rod  of  discipline  might  be  removed.*  The 
 supplication  of  his  faith  to  the  great  Helper, 
 in  the  time  of  his  distress,  was  good  and  right 
 — for  what  better  can  our  weakness  do  through 
 the  grace  of  God? — but  the  answer  comes  down 
 from  heaven  with  victorious  j)ower  into  the 
 depth  of  trial  and  discomfiture:  "Ask  not  so 
 vehemently  and  unconditionally  that  tJii/  will 
 may  be  done,  the  will  of  thy  flesh,  which  is  un- 
 willing to  sufTer  for  holiness  and  salvation." 
 iilbertini  (sometime  Bishop  of  the  Moravian 
 Brethren)  very  foolishly  charges  the  Apostle, 
 in  one  of  his  sermons,  with  falling  here,  in 
 Scripture,  into  foolish  self-exaltation  ;  but  his 
 own  experience  taught  him  to  speak  more  cor- 
 rectly in  what  follows:  "We  have  here  a 
 sample  of  the  spiritual  history  and  the  spiritual 
 discipline,  not  of  Paul  only,  but  of  all  pardoned 
 sinners.  Every  where  glorious  revelations, 
 and  rough  sufferings  to  qualify  them.  Always 
 all-sufficiency  in  the  grace  of  the  Saviour,  and 
 always  insufficiency  on  our  part ! "  Paul  knew 
 well  how  to  teach  the  fruit  and  the  necessity 
 of  afflictions;  but  when  they  come  in  ail  their 
 secret  force  upon  his  own  soul,  in  order  to  make 
 him  (according  to  what  had  been  predicted  for 
 him.  Acts  ix.  16)  perfect  as  an  elect  vessel  for 
 the  name  of  Jesus,  he  needs  once  more  direct 
 instruction  and  help  from  heaven.  This  he 
 received  :  the  Lord  uttered  to  him  these  words, 
 from  which  he  never  afterwards  ceased  to 
 derive  strength.  He  repeats  it  here  in  the 
 centre  of  his  teaching  to  the  Corinthians,  who 
 themselves  specially  needed  it ;  but  he  also 
 says  it  to  us  all,  and  leads  us  into  the  inmost 
 mystery  of  the  Lord's  spiritual  communion 
 wi'th  our  hearts  —  in  which  his  grace  and 
 strength  graciously  encourage  our  weakness,  in 
 Older  to  perfect  in  it  his  work. 
 
 TO  JOHN  IN  PATMOS,  AT  THE  BEGINNING  OF  HIS  VISION. 
 (Rev.  I.  11,  17-20.) 
 
 John — a  personality  gifted  and  called  in 
 another  manner  than  Paul.  All  that  may  be 
 established  as  to  the  difference  between  these 
 two,  both  in  their  natural  and  supernatural 
 birth  ;  as  to  their  several  historical  relations 
 in  their  apostolical  office,  with  all  the  impor- 
 tant consequences  which  resulted  from  these 
 several  relations — may  very  appropriately  be 
 
 *  Benuel :  "  Omnia  sua  p'^ragit :"  the  reading 
 TEXElzatov-rEXEiovTai  makes  scarcely  any  dif- 
 ference. 
 
 brought  into  view  here,  when  we  are  called  to 
 see  and  hear  how  the  Lord  comes  and  speaks 
 to  his  servant  John  in  Patmos.  Not  that  we 
 can  now  enter  at  large  upon  this  subject ;  it  is 
 enough  if  we  remind  our  readers— whom  we 
 suppose  to  be  thoughtful  students  of  Scripture 
 — of  its  importance,  as  exhibited,  for  instance, 
 in  our  observations  upon  the  last  chapter  of 
 John's  Gospel.     Paul,  although  not    without 
 
 *  So  Von  Gerlach  says,  after  Bengel  (Benignis. 
 sima  repulsa,  indicativo  modo  expressa). 
 
m 
 
 TO  JOHN  IN  PATMOS. 
 
 Btrong  points  of  dissimilarity  to  Peter,  stands 
 by  his  side  in  the  energy  of  external  influence; 
 and  both  are  thus  in  opposition  to  John, 
 whose  spirit  was  pre-eminently  inward  and 
 contemplative.  The  Apostles  who  were  mighty 
 in  action  and  teaching  founded  the  Church  in 
 the  beginning  from  among  the  Jews  and  the 
 Gentiles  ;  but  John,  living  himself  in  profound 
 heart-mysticism,  who  livingly  combmes  to- 
 gether all  that  has  been  dialectically  devel- 
 oped in  detail,  who  sinks  with  his  readers  into 
 the  inmost  centre  of  the  fundamental  prin- 
 ciples of  the  truth  (light,  life,  love),  speaking 
 from  the  Lord's  heart  to  our  hearts — he,  and 
 only  he,  among  the  elect,  could  have  been  the 
 Seer  of  the  New  Testament.  His  calm  and 
 tranguil  soul  was  the  purest  mirror  for  the 
 reflection  of  those  great  symboUcJigures,  in  which 
 the  Lord  would  close  his  words  from  heaven 
 for  all  futurity,  seal  and  subscribe  the  new 
 Huly  Scripture  at  its  close,  and  expound  what 
 was  still  in  arrear  of  Old-Testament  prophecy 
 for  his  Church  down  to  the  end  of  its  career- 
 most  plainly,  though  under  a  seven-fold  veil — 
 80  that,  in  the  process  of  fulfillment,  history 
 makes  all  his  meaning  clear  to  his  believing 
 people.  The  disciple,  who  gave  not  his  name 
 in  the  Gospel,  here,  on  the  contrary,  mentions 
 it  three  times  at  the  outset,  and  once  again,  at 
 the  end  (chap.  xxii.  8).*  Not  to  discern  the 
 Apostle  John  in  the  writer  of  the  Apocalypse, 
 as  well  as  in  the  Gospel,  is  a  pseudo-criticism, 
 the  worst  characteristics  of  which  condemn 
 themselves  to  every  simple  eye,  and  the  best, 
 most  plausible  characteristics  of  which  are 
 wanting  in  insight  into  the  divine  plan  both 
 of  Scripture  and  the  kingdom  of  grace.  For 
 this  plan,  according  to  which  the  whole  of 
 Scripture  must  correspond  to  the  whole  process 
 of  the  kingdom,  would  not  have  been  rounded 
 and  complete  without  the  revelation  given  to 
 John. 
 
 Once  more  the  Faithful  Witness  opens  his 
 mouth  in  a  confirming  conclusion  of  all ;  but 
 words  are  not  sufficient  for  this  great  close ;  it 
 must  be  shotcn  in  speaking  figures,  just  as  the 
 mysteries  of  God  had  been  declared  from  the 
 beginning  by  his  servants  the  prophets.  The 
 final  matter  of  all  these  final  visions  is  the 
 coming  of  the  Lord,  the  conqueror  in  all  the 
 conflicts  of  his  Church  ;  that  coming  which 
 typical  catastrophes  precede  (Matt.  xvi.  28). 
 Shortly  before  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem, 
 and  which  was  one  of  those  comings — almost 
 simultaneous  with  it,  and  yet  beholding  before- 
 hand what  he  afterwards  survived — John  re- 
 ceived the  Revelation,  in  which  the  Lord  says 
 — "  Behold,  I  come  I" 
 
 Not  under  Doraitian,  but  under  Nero,  was 
 the  Apostle  banished  to  desolate  Patmos,t  for 
 
 *  The  correct  reading  omits  the  name  in  chap. 
 xxi.2. 
 
 f  'Eyevofjttjv,  just  as  before,  "  I  u-a$  in  the 
 i.slc  ;"  where  we  must  not  expound — I  came,  or, 
 had  coiiiR,  like  yeyeCOactf  e.  g.,  2  Tim.  i.  17  ; 
 Luke  X.  82,  xxii.  40. 
 
 the  word  of  God  and  the  testimony  of  Jesus 
 Christ.  This  island,  as  Bengel  observes,  looked 
 towards  Asia,  where  were  the  seven  churches, 
 surrounded  by  the  three  divisions  of  the 
 world,  and  the  capitals  of  the  five  subse- 
 quent Patriarchates.  In  this  solitude,  sepa- 
 rated only  in  body  from  the  worshipping  com- 
 munity, and  on  that  account  only  the  more  firm- 
 ly united  with  it  in  spirit,  the  Apostle  celebrated 
 the  Lords  day,  the  birth  day  of  the  First-born 
 from  the  dead  (ver.  6);  his  devotion  had  al- 
 ready raised  him  into  ecstasy  in  the  spirit,  when 
 this  ecstasy  was  heightened,  and  this  Sunday 
 was  made  to  him  one  of  the  especial  days  of 
 the  Lord.  Let  us  not  forget  to  observe  the 
 confirmation  which  this  gives  to  the  Church's 
 Sabbath  :  John  does  not  fail  to  observe  it, 
 though  alone.  Jesus  comes  to  him  on  his  own 
 day,  just  as  in  the  beginning  he  had  returned 
 to  his  disciples  on  the  recurrence  of  the  day 
 of  his  resurrection. 
 
 He  hears  a  loud  voice  as  of  a  trumpet :  not 
 merely  like  the  voice  of  the  herald  proclaiming 
 the  coming  of  the  King,  as  the  word  has  been 
 used  in  Scripture  from  Sinai  downwards,  and 
 as,  before  this  revelation,  the  trumpets  of  the 
 day  of  judgment  are  spoken  of;  but  the  voice 
 sneaks  to  him  immediately  in  intelligible  words. 
 The  voice  sounds  f/ehind  him,  so  that  his  atten- 
 tion is  excited  to  hear  before  any  sight  has  too 
 much  amazed  him.  Affrighted  enough,  how- 
 ever, he  turns  and  looks  round  him,  and  beholds 
 a  manifestation  of  the  Lord.  Whether  the 
 first  voice  proceeded  from  the  Lord  himself, 
 may  admit  of  question  ;  Ebrard  denies  that  it 
 did,  and  thinks  that  a  heralding  angel  uttered 
 it,  who  is  also  referred  to  in  chap.  iv.  1.  But, 
 after  most  careful  consideration  of  the  text,  we 
 cannot  agree  with  him.  To  us  it  seems  that 
 John  in  the  Spirit  on  the  Lords  day  needed  not 
 the  mediation  of  any  such  herald :  he  needed 
 only  the  first  cry  that  he  should  see  and  write 
 his  visions ;  and  that  summons  must  have 
 been  the  Lord's  own  voice  on  the  day  of  the 
 Lord.  The  "  I  will  show  thee"  afterwards  in 
 chap.  iv.  1  is  appropriate,  as  we  think,  only  to 
 the  same  who  at  the  beginning  began  to  say 
 (chap.  i.  11) — "  What  thou  icest,  write."  The 
 distinction  of  the  "first  voice "  in  chap.  iv. 
 looks  forward  to  the  voices  which  were  after- 
 wards heard,  and  means,  the  same  first  voice 
 and  no  other;  it  marks  the  diflference  (for  so 
 much  is  true)  between  the  first  trumpet-like 
 cry  and  the  more  qualified  tone  of  the  voice 
 which  spoke  to  him  like  the  sound  of  many 
 waters.  Ver.  12  is  similarly  to  be  understood  : 
 John  turned  himself  round  to  see  the  voice 
 that  spake  with  him — that  is,  him  from  whom 
 it  came — and  he  saw  the  form  of  the  Son  of 
 Man,  not  of  an  angel;  and  that  Son  of  Man 
 continued  to  speak. 
 
 But  the  first  word  of  this  trumpet-u^tt^rance 
 of  the  Lord  was  not,  as  the  translation  gives 
 it,  "  I  am  Alpha  and  Omega,  the  first  and  tho 
 last."  This  is  one  of  the  many  false  readings 
 which  are  the  result  of  transposition  in  this 
 book.    How  could  this  "  I  am    of  the  supreme 
 
KEY  I.  11.  17-20. 
 
 majesty  of  the  God-man  have  been  uttered  be- 
 fore the  Apostle  had  become  collected  enough 
 to  see  the  Speaker,  and  had  become  really  a 
 seer  ?  The  first  words  are  plain  and  simple  as 
 possible,  though  spoken  with  loud  voice: 
 What  thou  seest,  write  in  a  hook,  and  send  it 
 unto  the  Seven  Churches  tchich  are  in  Asia  ; 
 vnto  Ephesus.  and  unto  Smyrna,  and  unto 
 Peraamos,  and  unto  Thyatira,  and  unto  Sar- 
 dis,  and  unto  Philadelphia,  and  unto  Laodi- 
 cea.  This  is  the  only  correct  commence- 
 ment: What  thou  seest,  that  is,  wilt  see  now 
 and  henceforth,  what  I  will  show  thee.  This 
 is  the  plainest  annunciation  and  beginning 
 of  the  visions  :  the  calling  of  John  to  be  the 
 last  seer  in  the  whole  series  of  the  canon  of 
 Holy  Scripture;  although  prophetic  revela- 
 tion of  a  lower  degree  may  have  con- 
 tinued in  the  Church  of  Christ.  He  should  see 
 and  write,  that  it  may  be  a  book  added  to 
 Scripture;  the  entire  book  being  dictated  by 
 the  Lord  himself,  in  the  manner  of  things  seen. 
 But  this  book,  without  disparagement  to  its 
 vast,  far-reaching  destination  for  the  whole 
 Church  to  the  end  of  time,  is,  according  to  the 
 law  of  prophecy,  typically  connected  with  the 
 present  time ;  it  was,  first  of  all,  to  be  sent  to 
 the  Seven  Churches,  which  were  specially 
 elected  to  become  types.  We  may  well  sup- 
 pose that  John  in  the  Spirit,  in  his  solitary 
 Sunday  solemnities  at  Patmos,  had  been  pres- 
 ent with  these  his  churches,  and  had  regarded 
 them  in  his  earnest  supplications  to  the  Lord ; 
 so  that  this  commission  would  graciously  meet 
 his  own  inmost  wish  and  impulse  to  have  some 
 apostolical  intercourse  with  them  from  the 
 place  of  his  banishment.  The  names  are  men- 
 tioned in  geographical  order  from  Patmos : 
 Ephesus,  the  nearest;  Smyrna,  to  the  north, 
 and  Pergamos  ;  bending  lower  into  Asia  Minor, 
 Thyatira  and  Sardis  nearer,  and  Philadelphia 
 and  Laodicea  farthest  removed.  That  with 
 this  geographical  order  there  marvellously 
 coincides  a  prophetic  symbolical  significance, 
 we  shall  see  hereafter,  upon  the  indications 
 given  by  our  Lord  himself  (ver.  20)  of  the 
 mystery  of  the  seven  stars,  candlesticks,  and 
 churches.  At  present  we  remark  only  that, 
 according  to  the  first  word  of  Christ,  the  seven 
 epistles  were  to  accompany  the  whole  hook  as 
 its  special  dedication ;  hence,  in  ver.  4,  John 
 designates  the  whole  book  an  epistle  from  his 
 own  hand,  in  which  the  seven  immediate 
 epistles  are  found  inserted.*  The  solemn  com- 
 mission to  tcrits  recurs  at  the  most  sublime 
 passages  of  the  book,  chap.  xiv.  13  and  xxi.  5  ; 
 comp.  the  final  conclusion,  chap.  xxii.  17.  As 
 the  first  place  in  Holy  Writ  where  the  word 
 "  write"  occurs,  E.^od.  xvii.  14,  contains  a  di- 
 vine commission  to  Moses  touching  the  destruc- 
 
 *  Guericke  observes,  upon  the  blending,  pecu- 
 liar to  this  book,  of  the  New-Testament  episto- 
 lary form  with  the  Old-Testament  prophetic  sym- 
 bolical representations,  The  Lord  himself  ad- 
 dresses epislles^to  the  churches — and  what  letters 
 are  they  I 
 
 tion  of  the  arch-enemy  of  Israel — "  write  this  for 
 a  memorial  in  a  book  "  (in  tlie  book,  the  great, 
 complete  book  of  God,  as  1  Sam.  x.  25,  Esther  ix. 
 32,  and  in  a  certain  sense.  Job  xix.  23) — so  here 
 we  have,  concerning  the  visions  of  victory,  in 
 the  highest  and  last  sense  of  the  word  (chap, 
 vi.  2,  xii.  7,  8),  the  command  of  him  who,  as 
 the  last,  stands  and  will  stand  above  the 
 dust  (Job  xix.  25,  in  the  right  translation)  to 
 his  servant,  for  his  people — Write.  Referring 
 to  all  that  had  been  already  written  by  divine 
 commission,  and  that  should  yet  be  written 
 (John's  Oospel),  the  Lord  speaks  of  the  whole 
 plan  of  a  Scripture  to  be  completed — now  from 
 heaven,  as  formerly  upon  earth,  when  he 
 pointed  always  to  the  existing  Scripture. 
 
 John  heard  a  voice,  which  said — That  which 
 thou  seest.  The  trumpet-sound  had  terrified 
 him ;  but  he  could  not  otherwise  than  obe- 
 diently listen,  as  long  as  the  voice  continued  to 
 speak.  When  the  words  ceased,  and  not  till 
 then,  he  turns  round,  not  from  his  oWn  impulse 
 but  in  obedience  still,  to  see  that  which  he  was 
 to  Bee — that  is,  of  course,  him  who  hads  poken. 
 He  sees  the  Lord,  his  Lord,  on  whose  breast  he 
 had  lain  ;  whom  his  more  penetrating  soul  had 
 discerned,  when  the  rest  discerned  him  not, 
 after  the  resurrection — It  is  the  Lord  (John  xxi. 
 7).  He  sees  him  in  his  actual  verity,  as  Ste- 
 phen and  Paul  had  seen  him,  and  not  a  vision 
 representing  him  ;  yet,  as  every  manifestation 
 of  the  Glorified  Redeemer  at  the  right  hand 
 of  the  Father  must  necessarily  involve  some 
 medium  of  softening  and  concealment  for  the 
 eyes  of  men,  this  manifestation  to  John  (pro- 
 bably the  first  to  him)  was  of  a  peculiar 
 character.  The  glorious  appearance  is  sur- 
 rounded with  all  kinds  of  figurative  investi- 
 ture, because  a  prophetic  series  of  symbols  is 
 to  be  disclosed.  Stephen  beheld — as  was  ap- 
 propriate in  his  circumstances — the  "  Son  of 
 Man  at  the  right  hand  of  God,"  in  direct  vision, 
 as  it  were,  almost  after  the  manner  of  the 
 future  beholding:  but  to  the  receiver  of  the 
 Apocalyptic  visions,  which  were  to  wind  up 
 the  book  of  Revelation  by  returning  back  to 
 Old-Testament  prophecy,  the  Lord  reveals 
 himself  as  he  did  to  Daniel :  hence  here  as 
 there  the  expression  like  to  the  Son  of  Mm.  As 
 in  the  midst  of  a  wonderful,  heavenly  temple  : 
 instead  of  the  one  seven-branched  cantZ^fs^/ci-  in 
 the  old  sanctuary,  there  are  seven  around  him- 
 self. These  candlesticks  are  first  beheld  by  the 
 seer,  or,  he  mentions  them  first,  because  all 
 that  was  to  be  beheld  and  recorded  should  find 
 its  goal  in  the  churches  which  they  signified. 
 In  an  assumed  symbolical  form  and  investiture, 
 the  particulars  of  which  are  afterwards  again 
 introduced  for  e.~planation,  the  first-born  from 
 the  dead  shows  himself  as  a  faithful  witness : 
 never  should  this,  and  what  else  is  exhibited 
 in  the  Revelation  to  be  writi^en,  have  been  un- 
 dertaken by  the  painter's  pencil !  The  high- 
 priestly  and  kingiy  raiment  indicates,  in  con- 
 descension to  human  view,  his  dignity ;  yet 
 the  talar,  which  clothes  him  round,  is  simpler 
 than  Aaron's  rich  variegated  vesture ;  and  iU 
 
f@0 
 
 TO  JOHN  IN  PATMOS. 
 
 color  is  not  described,  only  that  the  most  daz- 
 zling white  of  Lis  head  is  distinguished  from 
 it.  It  may  be  self-understood,  that  the  gar- 
 ment ^Yas  only  of  resplendent  white.  The 
 girding  with  the  golden  gmlle  around  the 
 breast  does  not  so  much  indicate  (as  even  Ben- 
 gel  supposes)  rest  after  labor,  as  generally  the 
 glorification  of  the  human  form,  which  is  thus 
 exhibited  in  a  nobler  and  more  dignified  man- 
 ner; for  (as  Ebrard  remarks),  the  distinction  be- 
 tween the  upper  and  lower  parts  of  the  body 
 is  thus  done  away  with.  The  head  also  and 
 feet  exhibit  the  glorification  of  the  human  ; 
 though  viewed  in  its  aspect  to  human  eyes. 
 The  head  and  hairs  (scarcely  put  for  the  hairs 
 of  the  head)  appear  here  in  the  Son  of  Man 
 like  as  in  the  Eternal,  Dan.  vii.  9,  the  Ancient 
 of  Days,  before  whom  the  Son  of  Man  was 
 brought.  In  his  eyes  burns  the  pure,  judicial 
 fire  of  the  holiness  of  God.  The  metallic 
 brightness  of  his  feei  does  not  refer  to  the  de- 
 structive approach  of  the  Mighty  One,  under 
 whose  footseps  the  mountains  melt ;  for,  it  is 
 not  the  bui'nmg  fire  (any  more  than  the  burn- 
 ing eyes)  which  is  here  involved,  but  the 
 brightness,  as  the  connection  in  chap.  x.  1  es- 
 tablishes. For  the  rest,  it  is  quite  consistent 
 with  this,  that  afterwards  in  chap.  ii.  IS,  the 
 feet,  as  snch,  indicate,  at  the  same  time,  the  j 
 approach  to  judgment.  The  peculiar  Greek  | 
 expression  here  is  as  much  controverted  by  the 
 learned,  as  the  mysterious  corresponding  word 
 in  the  Hebrew,  Ezek.  i.  4.  The  voice  (that  is, 
 in  which  what  followed  was  spoken  ;  as  John 
 must  anticipate  the  entire  description)  must 
 be  interpreted  according  to  the  precedent  of 
 Ezekiel  (chap.  i.  24,  xliii.  2  ;  comp.  Dan.  x.  6). 
 The  seven  itavs  in  his  right  hand,  correspond- 
 ing to  tiie  seven  candlesticks — scarcely  (as 
 Meyer  says)  like  precious  stones  in  rings  upon 
 his  fingers — are  freely  suspended  on  or  over  it, 
 as  held  and  borne  by  him,  probably  shining 
 rather  in  a  circle.  We  must  restrain  ourselves 
 from  any  speculations  which  go  beyond  the 
 test ;  it  is  enough  that  v.'e  have  afterwards  the 
 Lord's  own  interpretation  of  these  figures. 
 Thus  we  must  understand  the  two-edged  siconl, 
 not  only  of  the  retributive  judicial  might  of 
 his  word  (Isa.  si.  4),  but  at  the  same  time  and 
 generally,  as  m  Isa.  xlix.  2,  and  Heb.  iv.  12,  of 
 its  judging  and  saving  power  in  the  Spirit 
 (Eph.  vi.  17).  Finally,  his  countenance  shines 
 above  all  other  brightness,  v.-hether  of  his 
 snow-white  hair  or  of  his  darkly-glowing  feet, 
 like  the  snn  in  its  utmost  power.  Comp. 
 Judges  V.  31  ;  Psa.  six.  6.  The  whole  sym- 
 bolical manifestation  is  exhibited  in  human, 
 earthly  points  of  resemblance;  but  in  this 
 form,  it  is  the  Lord  himself,  the  Eternal  Liv- 
 ing One,  with  light  and  fire  beaming  forth 
 from  his  heavenly  glorification,  as  the  sequel 
 plainly  shows. 
 
 The" bosom  disciple,  who  had  boon  an  Apostle 
 for  forty  years,  the  most  confidential  and  famil- 
 iar friend  of  the  Lord  in  his  present  spiritual 
 revelation,  as  well  as  in  his  former  earthly 
 iialercoarde,  is  now,  when  he  beholds  tho  well- 
 
 known  countenance  of  Jesus  his  Lord,  crotbed 
 in  more  glory  than  the  sun,  cast  down,  in  tho 
 fear  of  nature,  recoiling  before  the  might  »nd 
 majesty  of  God,  at  his  feet — as  one  dead.  As- 
 suredly it  was  not  mere  fear  of  the  amazement 
 into  which  he  was  thrown  ;  but  John  in,  his 
 trance,  experienced,  at  the  same  time,  a  rapture 
 of  recognizing  love,  and  sank  in  adoration  at 
 his  feet,  with  the  perfect  consecration  of  his 
 whole  life,  passing  beyond  all  fleshly  limits. 
 Nevertheless,  the  fundamental  feeling — for  the 
 first  word  of  the  Lord's  encouragement  retains 
 its  truth — was  the /tar  which  must  overwhelm 
 the  saints,  even  the  most  favored  of  them, 
 when  the  divine  majesty  bursts  upon  and 
 around  thorn  from  the  dread  secrecy  of  the  other 
 world.  It  was  far  from  being  the  full  glory  of 
 the  Son  of  Man,  not  to  be  beheld  by  mortal 
 eye,  which  here  appeared — and  even  John, 
 still  having  sin  in  him,  must  fail  before  it.  It 
 was  far  from  being  the  full  power  of  the  Eter- 
 nal Spirit,  of  eternal  life  in  God,  which  breath- 
 ed upon  him— and  even  he,  who  was  in  the 
 Spirit,  and  lived  in  the  Spirit,  like  no  other 
 man,  must  after  the  flesh  die  when  it  moves 
 upon  him. 
 
 And  he  laid  his  right  hand  upon  me — thus 
 writes  the  seer  in  alter  times — and  said :  Fear 
 not  ;  I  am  the  first  and  the  last,  and  he  that 
 liveth.  And  I  ii-as  dead;  and  hchold  lam 
 alive  for  evermore,  and  have  the  Jcei/s  of  death 
 and  of  hell.-  This  is  here  to  be  otherwise 
 understood  than  in  tho  former  passage,  ver.  8, 
 where  John,  after  the  prophetic  manner,  fol- 
 lowed his  own  testimony — B.'hold,  he  comdh! 
 by  introducing  the  Lord  as  saying,  by  his  ser- 
 vant's mouth,  lam  Alpha  and  Ome,a.  It  is 
 now  tho  immediate  voice  of  the  Lord  from 
 heaven — from  which  the  Evangelist  had  de- 
 rived those  previous  words.  Let  each  of  us 
 also  fall  at  his  feet,  and  pray — Lord,  be  merci- 
 ful, and  reveal  thyself  to  me  !  who  does  not 
 yet,  with  tlie  contiile'.ice  of  faith,  for  his  own 
 encouragement  in  living  and  dying,  know  him, 
 the  Living  One,  who  was  dead  for  us  children 
 of  death  I  We  mourn  over  the  dry  and  unfeel- 
 ing souls  who  can  bring  their  sophistical  criti- 
 cisms to  such  words  as  these,  and  write  about 
 this  or  that  "  author,"  or  "  Apocalyptist," 
 having  here  glvon  a  specimen  of  his  high  style. 
 It  is  not  the  style  of  a  man  which  is  here  con- 
 cerned, but  the  most  sublime  utterance  of  the 
 divine-human  personal  Lord  Jesus — rising  to  a 
 higher  grandeur  than  they  have  ever  assumed 
 belore,  even  in  his  words  from  heaven.  The 
 sublimity  of  the  words,  taken  as  a  whole,  and 
 in  tlieir  inefifabie  combination,  using  clear  hu- 
 man language  concerning  time  and  eternity, 
 living  and  dying,  in  the  great  and  unparalleled 
 testimony  to  that  only  /which  has  not  its  fel- 
 low— can  scarcely  be  otherwise  than  marred  by 
 any  exposition  which  they  may  receive.     Yet, 
 
 *  Tlio  Aincn,  Ion?:  added  in  the  received  text,  is 
 I  not  auihenlic;  thou'.ih,  to  la^ny,  it  seems  coa- 
 i  lirmed  hy  chap.  iii.  14. 
 
EEV.  I.  11,  17-10. 
 
 many  may  require  a  finger-sign  to  point  the 
 wavfor  their  meditation. 
 
 Once  more,  the  last  time  in  Holy  Writ  (for 
 chap.  ii.  10  is  something  different),  the  primi- 
 tive and  ever  new  word  of  God  to  the  children 
 of  men— Fmr  not*  This  goes  beyond  that  of 
 Matt.  xvii.  7,  at  the  preliminary  vision  of  the 
 transfiguration.  He  who  now  speaks  had  Ions; 
 since  accomplished  his  exodus  through  death 
 unto  life  at  Jerusalem,  and  had  gone  up.  at  the 
 Mount  of  Olives,  to  the  right  hand  of  the  ma- 
 jesty on  high  ;  but  he  now  looks  down,  as  the 
 Lord  who  is  the  Spirit,  in  the  glorified,  divin- 
 ity-pervaded corporeity  of  his  human  being, 
 upon  those  who  still  have  the  gloomy  gates  of 
 death  before  them.  We  may  thus  separate  the 
 words  in  the  exposition  :  "  I  am  he,  the  first 
 and  the  last"— and  then  we  should  expect  the 
 words  of  the  Risen  Lord  to  be  repeated,  "  I  who 
 was  dead  and  now  live."  But,  before  he  thus 
 speaks,  he  utters  here  a  still  loftier  word,  which 
 testifies  his  eternal  God-head  before,  and  in  his 
 humanity.  He  who,  in  the  flesh,  said  to  the 
 blaspheming  Jews,  "  Before  Abraham  was,  I 
 am" — and  in  his  prayer  to  his  Father,  spake 
 of  the  glory  which'he  had  with  him  before  the 
 world  was,  yet  had  never  said,  "  I  am  God  " — 
 now  at  last  utters  that  great  word,  in  the  say- 
 ing of  God  by  the  prophet  Isaiah,  "  I  am  the 
 first,  and  I  am  the  last,  and  beside  me  there  is 
 no  God"  (chap.  xliv.  6,  xlviii.  12),  or,  "And 
 ■with  the  last  still  the  same"  (chap.  iv.  1-4) 
 For  the  speech  of  this  final  revelation  is  mostly 
 taken  from  the  old  prophets. 
 
 The  fir  at  and  the  last,  and  he  that  livcth.  This 
 once  mere  goes  beyond  the  prophetic  definition 
 of  the  sole  eternal  Godhead,  in  a  most  sublime, 
 most  profound,  and,  at  the  same  time,  most 
 intelligibly  consoling  expression.  "The  Living 
 God  "  often  occurs  in  the  Old  Testament;  only 
 in  Gen.  xvi.  14  (xxiv.  62,  xxv.  11)  does  it  ap- 
 proach, though  without  reaching,  the  absolute 
 solc-ness  of  the  idea  as  here  used  :  compare  its 
 expansion  in  Pi.ev.  iv.  9,  10,  x.  6.  "The  eter- 
 nity of  God  is  a  living  eternity.  He  is  not  the 
 absolute  because  he  is  the  most  abstract,  but 
 because  he  is  the  most  concrete — the  2}crsonal 
 God,  who  has  a  heart,  who  is  bve,  and,  there- 
 fore, the  life  and  the  source  of  life  to  all.  The 
 living  killeth  not  that  which  liveth :  therefore 
 John  need  not  fear."t  The  same  Living  One 
 here,  who,  incarnate  in  Christ,  was  dead,  and 
 had  risen  again  to  an  eternal  life  of  God,  is  in 
 this  /  which  here  speaks,  in  the  human  person 
 of  Jesus  Christ.  As  he  was  the  living  from 
 eternity,  before  the  incarnation,  so  now — Be- 
 hold, I  am  alive  forever,  to  all  eternity.  This 
 present  saying  reaches  higher,  and  has  a  more 
 God-like  distinctness,  than  that  former  one — 1 
 
 *  Twenty-one  times  (three  times  seven)  we  have 
 counted  it,  as  a  direct  address,  in  the  Old  Teita- 
 ment ;  and  nine  times  ;^three  times  three),  in  the 
 New. 
 
 f  AVe  gladly  nccept  this  beautiful  sentence  of 
 Ebrard,  more  especially  as  we  bo  oUen  liud  occa- 
 fiion  to  contradict  him. 
 
 am  the  resvrrcdion  and  the  life — although  the 
 former  was  involved  and  included  in  the  latter. 
 Behold,  behold,  Jesus  Christ  is  not  a  personage 
 who  has  existed,  who  has  gone  beyond  the  limits 
 of  humanity;  as.  alas!  many  think,  who  know 
 not  the  Living  God,  and  dare  to  speak  of  him 
 as  of  common  children  of  men.  The  personal 
 continuance  in  being  of  every  man  who  has 
 once  lived  and  is  dead,  is  taken  for  granted 
 here  as  the  least  thing;  and  then  the  sole 
 supremacy  of  this  first  one  before  the  creation 
 of  the  world,  who  was  dead  and  liveth,  his  in- 
 alienable divine  life,  is  fully  sealed.  But  he 
 also  liveth  it,  as  he  was  dead  according  to  the 
 flesh  of  his  human  nature,  in  glorified  flesh,  in 
 full  and  entire  human  personal  bodiliness ; 
 whereas,  even  the  saved,  who  live  with  God, 
 are  still  dead  till  the  resurrection  of  the  body 
 which  alone  will  restore  them  to  perfect  lifo 
 (chap.  xiv.  13,  xx.  5).  Rothe  misses  the  point 
 of  this  passage,  when,  at  the  end  of  his  other- 
 wise beautiful  sermons  upon  it,  he  asserts  of 
 Christ,  that  "  he  no  longer  works  by  the  in- 
 strument of  a  sensuous  nature,  but  by  the 
 energy  of  his  spiritual  nature  and  its  organs, 
 now  consummated  in  him  ;  by  the  energy  of 
 his  Holy  Spirit."  This  marvellous  doctrine  of 
 the  reduction  of  the  body  into  mere  spirit,  is 
 not  the  scriptural  doctrine  of  the  resurrection 
 and  the  Risen  Lord:  there  is  a  third  between 
 sensuous  nature  and  mere  spirit — the  spirit- 
 penetrating,  glorified  corporeity,  in  virtue  of 
 which  flesh  and  blood,  in  and  besides  the  sa- 
 crament, are  the  "  organs  "  of  the  operation  of 
 Jesus  ;  and  thus  the  Living  One  communicates 
 his  life,  even  to  their  incorporation  in  him,  to 
 those  who  otherwise  have  no  life  (John  vi.). 
 
 It  is  on  the  Lord's  day  that  the  self-manifest- 
 ing Lord  first  gives  his  testimony  to  his  resur- 
 rection from  the  dead.  The  Living  One  is  no 
 object  of  fear  to  his  disciple;  and  the  allusion 
 to  the  death  of  atonement  and  conquest  still 
 more  efifectually  dissipates  his  fear.  As  among 
 the  unbelievers,  they  speak  of  a  certain  dead 
 Jesus  whom  the  disciples  maintain  to  be  alive 
 (Acts  xxv.  19) — so  speaks  he  himself  in  this 
 final  testimony,  which  was  to  be  a  declaration 
 in  Scripture  to  all  unbelievers  forever,  first  of 
 all  of  his  having  been  dead  and  of  his  living. 
 I  was  dead — that  includes  not  merehj  the  body, 
 but  the  entire  human  person  ;  embraces  his 
 descent  into  the  kingdom  of  the  dead,  into 
 hell ;  and  to  this,  therefore,  is  attached  the 
 word  of  the  Conqueror — and  have  the  lej/s  of 
 death  and  of  hell.  What  death  and  what  hell 
 (compare  chap.  vi.  8,  xx.  13)  mean  in  Scrip- 
 ture, we  cannot  now,  upon  the  exposition  of 
 this  word,  fundamentally  and  from  the  begin- 
 ning expound.  Death,  as  the  personified  ruler 
 of  destruction,  comes  first ;  and  then  is  added 
 his  domain  and  kingdom  -.  both  in  their  com- 
 bination form  the  double  expression,  so  fright- 
 ful to  the  children  of  men,  for  the  final  and 
 really  existing  object  of  their  inmost  fear. 
 Christ  has  the  keys  of  the  kingdom  of  death, 
 the  might  of  which,  on  account  of  the  curse  of 
 sin,  shuts  in  and  holds  fast  all :  he  has  opened, 
 
902 
 
 TO  JOHN  IN  PATMOS. 
 
 and  can  open  ;  he  alone  can  deliver  thence  and 
 Bet  free  ;  as  he  now  is  the  Lord  over  the  dead 
 and  the  living,  and  seals  his  dominion  (Rom. 
 xiv.  9).  But  now  to  John  he  refers  only  to 
 his  Jinvinj  the  keys  ;  he  does  not  make  them 
 visible  in  his  harul,  which  rather  holds  in  it 
 those  who  have  been  won  from  death,  the 
 angels  of  the  churches,  victoriously  as  shining 
 stars. 
 
 In  this  mogt  essential  word  of  introduction 
 and  explanation  for  the  final  revelations,  before 
 the  command  to  write  recurs,  the  sum  of  the 
 whole  G'spd  for  mankind  is  condensed  in  the 
 person  of  Christ.  Oh  that  it  may  be  a  living 
 faith  in  us!  Behold,  a  man  like  thyself,  dead 
 like  thyself,  who  has  been  among  the  dead,  and 
 is  now  eternally  living  and  giving  life — behold, 
 he  it  is  in  whom  it  is  an  eternal  truth  and 
 reality,  though  a  boundless  mystery,  that  the 
 true  God  hath  given  himself  to  death  for  thee, 
 lost  man.  Say  to  him,  with  Thomas  and  John, 
 in  the  faith  which  he  himself  demands  and 
 offers — My  Lord  and  my  God  !  and  then  thou 
 shalt,  without  fear,  secure  from  death  and  hell, 
 become  partaker  of  his  life  and  of  his  glory, 
 even  to  all  eternity. 
 
 Now,  after  the  great  "  I  am  "  had  announced 
 him  as  the  utterer  of  that  first  voice,  the  first 
 commandment  is  resumed  from  it,  to  icrite  thai 
 which  teas  seen — the  writing  now  taking  the 
 first  place  in  tlie  sentence.  Write,  therefore,* 
 the  tJnnfjs  ichich  thou  hast  seen,  and  the  things 
 which  are,  and  the  things  ichich  shall  he  here- 
 after. This  triple  description,  which  first  of 
 all  excites  attention  to  the  comprehensive  per- 
 fectness,  and  most  certain  reality  of  the  con- 
 tents of  the  book  to  be  written,  may  be  under- 
 stood arcording  to  the  three  dimensions  of 
 time:  What  thou  hast  hitherto  seen  (the  glo- 
 rious manifestation  described  from  ver.  12 
 onwards) — the  things  which  nowrt;-^,  and  which 
 are  disclosed  with  an  "  I  know,  "  must  also  be 
 set  down  by  thee,  that  is,  the  condition  of 
 these  present  churches  as  exhibited  in  the 
 epistles,  chaps,  ii.  and  iii. — and  the  things 
 which  shall  be  hereafter,  as  they  are  typically 
 involved  in  these  epistles,  and  as  they  will  be 
 seen  in  all  the  following  visions,  down  to  the 
 new  Jerusalem,  on  the  new  earth,  under  the 
 new  heaven,  down  to  the  eternally  decisive, 
 "  Blessed  are  " — "  But  without  are."  This  would 
 give,  in  a  certain  sense,  three  divisions  of  the 
 book,  unequal,  indeed,  as  to  their  extent,  but 
 in  their  substance,  strictly  corresponding  to 
 each  other:  first,  the  appearance  of  the  Living 
 Lord — then  his  seven  epistles — then  the  con- 
 tinuous epistle  of  what  remained  to  be  shown 
 (with  which  chap.  iv.  1  might  agree).  This 
 would,  at  the  same  time,  involve  the  thought, 
 that  what  was  to  happen  would  go  on  in  the  im- 
 mediate processor  development  (shortly,  ver.  1), 
 from  the  then  circumstances  of  the  Church  as 
 Bvmbolically  exhibited  by  the  seven  churches. 
 We  will  not  reject  this  exposition,  but  rather 
 
 *  The  ovv,  which  Luther  omits,  thus  obtains 
 its  emphasis. 
 
 hold  it  fast,  as  demonstrative  against  every 
 false  view  which  would  discover  in  the  Revela- 
 tion of  John,  not  the  whole  of  progressive 
 history,  but  merely  the  things  in  the  far  future 
 which"  will  take  pla-e  immediately  before  the 
 Lord's  coming.  Still,  as  the  pregnant  language 
 of  prophecy  often  admits  more  than  one  in- 
 terpretation, we  would  also  more  simply  un- 
 derstand, by  the  triple  description  (as  probably 
 John  did,  before  his  deeper  penetration  into  the 
 word),  a  merely  parallel  description  of  the 
 same  thing.  "The  things  which  thou  hnst 
 seen" — may  comprehensively  mean  (in  har- 
 mony with  ver.  11)  only,  "What  thou  now, 
 and  "from  this  time  seest."  But  that  which  is 
 shown  to  the  seer  to  see,  is  no  phantasm  of  a 
 dream  or  poetical  invention.  It  is  most  ab- 
 solute reality  in  the  condition  and  process  of 
 things  upon  earth,  as  also  before  the  counsel 
 of  God  in  heaven,  especially  after  the  revelation 
 here  of  the  otherwise  secret  powers  and  ener- 
 gies which  operate  upon  this  world  from  the 
 other :  hence,  "  thou  shall  see  the  things  which 
 are!'  But,  finally,  this  that  was  seen  and  al- 
 ready existing,  refers  collectively,  not  so  much 
 to  the  then  present,  as  to  the  things  which 
 should  come  to  pass  from  that  time  onwards — so 
 that  "hereafter"  is  not  opposed  to  the  pre. 
 ceding  "  things  that  now  are,"  but  is  no  othei 
 than  merely  the  prophetic  expression  for  the 
 future.  Thus,  similarly,  the  third  is  only  a 
 designation  of  the  whole,  with  which  chap.  i.  1 
 and  IV.  1,  and  also  the  corresponding  conclusion, 
 would  better  agree.  It  is  easy  to  see  that  the 
 former  interpretation,  which  lays  stress  on  the 
 connection  with  the  present  and  development 
 from  it,  is  included  in  this:  the  reality  of  the 
 visions  of  the  future  (as  we  may  mo.st  briefly 
 combine  the  three  expressions  in  their  true 
 meaning),  indeed,  pre-supposes  the  develop- 
 ment of  the  future  from  the  present.  There  is  no 
 more  actual  future  than  that;  therefore,  there 
 is  no  other  prophecy  than  that  which  connects 
 itself  with,  developes,  and  typically  sets  out 
 from,  what  already  is — thus  showing  what, 
 though  it  has  yet  to  come  to  pass,  exists  noin 
 in  God's  counsel,  and  to  the  opened  eyes  of 
 the  seer,  who  beholds  internal  and  external 
 realities. 
 
 This  view  of  the  previous  sentence  most  ap- 
 propriately prepares  the  way  for  its  continua- 
 tion, which  at  once  sets  out  with  an  inter- 
 pretation of  the  figures  that  had  been  seen 
 in  their  reality,  with  an  explanation  of  the 
 tijpical  meaning  of  the  seven  churches  first- 
 named.  Wo  may  either  take  it  as  in  the  accu- 
 sative, following  the  sentence  before — "  Write 
 the  mystery,"  etc. ;  or  regard  it  as  a  new  S'»n- 
 tence — "The  mystery  of  what  thou  sawe.'^t  is 
 as  follows:  the  seven  stars  ar-e,"  etc.  The 
 sense,  in  both  cases,  is  the  same,  and  the  words 
 run  :  The  mystery  of  the  seven  stars  which  t!ion 
 saiccst  in  my  right  hand,  and  the  seren  go  den 
 candlesticks.*     The  sn-en  stars  are  the  angeh 
 
 *  Instead  of  "  and  of  tlie  seven  " — for  the  can- 
 dles'.icks  seeu  are  theaiselves  also  the  mystery. 
 
BEV.  L  11,  17-20 
 
 903 
 
 tfthi  seven  churches  ,•  and  the  seven  candlesticks 
 are  the  seven  churches. 
 
 The  signilicance  of  the  number  seven  in 
 Scripture  is  well  known.  Although  stamped 
 cpon  -sound,  and  light,  and  other  patterns  of 
 things  heavenly  upon  earth,  it  belongs,  with  the 
 number  three,  essentially  to  the  upper  king- 
 dom ;  and  has  indicated,  ever  since  the  festival 
 of  the  seventh  day  ut  the  end  of  creation,  "  the 
 number  of  the  perfection  oidiviM  possibilities." 
 The  twelve,  the  forty,  or  thirty,  on  the  other 
 hand,  correspond  i-ather  to  the  creature  in 
 itself;  and  this  will  at  once  teach  us  why  the 
 j)cr/ect  mnnifoklnens  of  the  New-Testament 
 people  of  God,  the  Lord's  Church,  the  tweke- 
 number  of  which  is  also  found  afterwards  in  the 
 Apocalypse,  and  seen  in  the  New  Jerusalem, 
 is  here  at  first  exhibited  in  the  Lord's  own 
 presence  in  his  sacred  number  seven.  In  as 
 far  as  the  Lord's  feoi-k  is  derived,  and  grows, 
 and  becomes,  from  the  ground  of  the  creature, 
 it  is  unfolded  in  twelve  stems,  and  enters, 
 finally,  through  twelve  gates  into  the  Jeru- 
 salem of  the  new  creation.  But,  in  as  far  as 
 the  Lord's  Church,  lighted  by  liis  light,  shines 
 in  his  temple  and  sanctuary  from  the  begin- 
 ning before  him,  it  is  exhibited  in  the  seven 
 churches.  To  this  corresponds  a  historical  and 
 eternal  reality  ;  but  whether  the  twelve  and 
 seven  have,  in  any  sense,  a  literal  value,  or  are 
 only  symbolical  numbers  for  more  or  less  mani- 
 fokiness  in  unity,  will  be  easily  decided,  as 
 respects  at  least  the  seven,  by  the  specially 
 directed  epistles. 
 
 That  the  seven  en iidle.sticlg,  as  the  extension 
 and  unfolding  of  the  seven-branched  candle- 
 stick in  the  old  sanctuary,  and  mentioned  first 
 in  ver.  12,  are  the  foundation  of  the  whole  sym- 
 bolism in  this  place,  is  quite  clear.  Originally 
 corresponding  to  the  seven  spirits  of  God  (chap, 
 i.  4,  iii.  1,  iv.  5,  v.  6),  they  then  represent  those 
 which  are  enlightened  and  kindled  by  the  one 
 Spirit  in  his  manifoldness  ;  just  as  the  shew- 
 bread  represented  the  people  prepared  by  God's 
 nourishment,  and  placed  before  his  presence  as 
 acceptable.  Now,  because  these  candlesticks, 
 standing  before  the  Lord  in  his  light  (never- 
 theless, according  to  the  inwardness  of  the  New 
 Testament,  not  so  much  before  him  and  he  far 
 over  against  them,  but  he  being  in  their  midst), 
 are  alreadv,  in  some  degree,  intelligible  to  John 
 from  the  Old  Testament,  their  special  significa- 
 tion is  reserved  for  the  close;  first  comes  now 
 the  therewith  connected  seven  stars,  the  mys- 
 tery* of  which  previously  required  explana- 
 tion. We  learn  what  they  mean  from  the  fact 
 that,  elsewhere  in  the  Old  and  New  Scriptures, 
 the  kingdom  of  God  upon  earth,  the  heavenly 
 kingdom,  is  compared  with,  or  likened  to,  the 
 
 Such  incorrectness  of  language,  and  change  of 
 construciion.  are  designedly  and  significantly  fre- 
 frcquiMii  in  the  Apocalypse. 
 
 *  Mv^TT/piov,   in    apocalyptic    language,    is 
 rquiralen'„  to  y>nD — secret  sense  of  the  letter; 
 
 corap.  chap.  xvii.  5. 
 
 upper  heaven.  We  could  not,  and  would  not, 
 write  here  a  treatise  on  biblical  typology  and 
 symbolism,  and  must  content  our.selves  with 
 (he  most  concise  interpretation.  When  the 
 Lord,  in  Matt.  xxiv.  29,  speaks  in  the  language 
 of  the  Old  Testament  of  the  "  heaven-church," 
 the  stars  in  that  heaven  are  no  other  than  "  the 
 heads  of  the  congregation,  and  teachers" — fop 
 which  Dan.  viii.'lO,  11,  and  further  Rev.  vi. 
 13,  viii.  12,  xii.  1-1,  may  be  compareil.*  As, 
 in  the  above  passage  "  host  of  heaven  "  (which 
 expression  itself  thus  occurs  in  a  double  mean- 
 ing), the  stars  correspond  to  the  nyigels  (Job 
 xxxviii.  7),  as  their  domain  and  dwelling,  this 
 simply  of  itself  decides  who  the  angels  of  the 
 churches  in  our  lower,  reflected  church-heaven 
 must  be:  they  can  only  be  human  persons 
 typically  described  by  this  name.  It  is  not 
 necessary  to  have  recourse  to  learned  parallels 
 from  the  constitution  of  the  Jewish  svnaeogue.f 
 nor  to  think  of  messengers,  appointed  officials  of 
 the  then  existing  Asiatic  churches, J  But  no 
 more  must  we  spiritualize  in  a  manner  which 
 is  o'.it  of  harmony  with  the  entire  character  of 
 the  Apocalypse,  and  make  them  poetical  per- 
 sonifications of  the  Church  and  its  common 
 spirit.  The  important  question,  whether,  at 
 tliat  early  period,  one  of  the  presbyters  had  the 
 pre-eminent  place  as  bishop,  is  easily  settled 
 if  we  remember  that  the  angel,  or  president,  or 
 leader  of  the  Church  here  singled  out  by  the 
 Lord — that  is,  that  one  per.sonality  in  whom 
 the  spirit  and  temper  of  the  Church  was  repre- 
 sented and  most  perfectly  impressed — by  no 
 means  must  be  regarded  as  bearing  an  oificial 
 title  pre-eminent  over  the  rest.  Sutfice  it  that 
 every  congregation  had — so  far  as  it  is  here 
 viewed  as  one  whole,  characteristically  and 
 peculiarly  isolated — as  its  own  specific  char- 
 acter, so  also  some  one  personal  representative 
 of  that  character.  In  the  college  of  the  elders 
 there  was  certainly  every  where  one  who  was 
 prominent,  without  priority  of  rank,  and  who 
 
 *  See  our  exposition  of  tho  passage  of  Mat- 
 thew. 
 
 t  As  thnt  oyysXoi  etymologically  corres- 
 ponds to  ihe  official  who  led  the  prayers,  who  was 
 
 called  -|!i3V  ry^bv. 
 
 X  So  Ebrard,  from  ienorance  of  the  typical  re- 
 lation between  angels  and  stars,  has  erred.  It 
 seems  to  us  impossible  tliat  the  meaning  "  ambas- 
 sadors," wh'ch  oniy  first  occurs  elsewliere  in  the 
 New  Testament,  should  be  the  meaning  in  this 
 book,  which  speaks  so  much  of  dyysXoii  as  an- 
 gels. The  fiction  that  messengers  came  to  Jol-n 
 in  Patmos,  to  wliom  the  epistles  were  to  bo  com- 
 mitted, is  most  inappropriate  for  the  seeing  of 
 the  things  which  actually  arc.  and  introduces  some- 
 thing commonplace  for  tiie  explanation  of  the  mys- 
 tery. Fmally,  who  could  ever  say — Write  to  the 
 messengers  who  will  cany  (lie  epistle ;  instead  of — 
 to  those  to  whom  it  was  to  be  carried.  That  in 
 every  epistle  the  messenger  himself  is  addressed 
 instead  of  the  Church,  is  not  so  "natural"  as  it 
 is  assumed  to  1)e,  even  if  he  was  viewed  as  a  r©- 
 presemalive  of  the  presbytery. 
 
90* 
 
 TO  JOHN  IN  PATMOS 
 
 was  well  known  by  that  preponderance,  at  least 
 to  apostolical  eyes.  If  even  this  had  not  been 
 the  case,  the  Lord  might  have  shown  to  the 
 Apostle  whom  he  meant,  and  to  whom  the 
 letter  was  to  be  sent ;  though  this,  as  not  being 
 of  importance  to  futurity,  and  therefore  a  sub- 
 ordinate matter,  was  not  to  be  written  in  the 
 book,  any  more  than  the  names  of  these 
 "  angels "  generally.  Thus,  we  understand 
 these  angels  "  of  the  churches  to  be  persons  who 
 stood  before  the  Lord's  view  as  the  represen- 
 tative leaders  of  the  Church,  with  or  without 
 prominent  office,  but  in  prominent  spiritual 
 position,  and,  therefore,  assumed  to  be  the  re- 
 ceivers of  that  which  was  to  be  said  to  the 
 Church*  They  are  by  no  means  collectively 
 the  "  teaching  order,"  or,  "Ihe  eldership,"  or 
 any  thing  of  the  kind,  but  actual  individual 
 persons.  Not  therefore,  however,  "quasi- 
 guardian  angels"  of  the  churches,  since  their 
 typical  designation  as  angels  has  nothing  to  do 
 with  the  idea  of  guardianship  ;  but,  in  the  pro- 
 lound  and  yet  simple  allusion,  the  significance 
 of  the  spiritual  and  ecclesiastical  ruling  min- 
 isters of  the  Lord  in  his  congregation,  the  true 
 heads  and  princes  of  the  Church,  so  regarded 
 and  esteemed  by  himself,  was  to  be  shadowed 
 out  by  these  angels  of  the  churches,  which, 
 indeed,  is,  and  must  ever  be,  a  mystery. 
 
 Now,  finally,  for  the  seven  churches  them- 
 selves. It  is  certain  at  the  outset  that  the 
 interpretation  of  the  mystery  cannot  be  re- 
 stricied  to  those  seven  churches  then  existing 
 in  Asia  Minor.  Certainly  John,  according  to 
 vcr.  4,  sent  to  these  "  seven  churches  in  Asia" 
 the  whole  book,  with  the  seven  epistles  at  the 
 head  of  it.  This  was  according  to  the  com- 
 mand which  he  received,  ver.  11  ;  when,  how- 
 ever, as  a  kind  of  hint  of  another  signification 
 of  these  names  and  addresses,  the  geographical 
 note  "in  Asia"  is  not  found. t  But  here  in 
 ver.  20,  where  the  Lord  interprets  the  whole 
 typical  symbolism  of  his  first  manifestation, 
 even  the  article  is  wanting,  according  to  the 
 best  reading,  and  it  runs :  The  seven  candle- 
 sticks are  seven  churches.  Again,  afterwards  in 
 the  epistles,  the  seven-fold  appeal  calls  upon 
 him  that  hath  an  ear  to  hear  what  the  Spirit 
 »».\i\iunto  the  churches — the  seven-number  being 
 wanting,  and  "  the  churches"  signifying  simply 
 —the  entire  Church  of  the  Lord.  Accordingly, 
 we  must  admit  that  there  is  a  symbolical  prin- 
 ciple of  interpretation  underlying  the  wnole, 
 however  difficult  it  may  be  to  apply  that  prin- 
 ciple to  tiie  individual  cases.  The  book,  as 
 chap.  i.  1  in  its  superscription  says,  is  from  the 
 beginning  (and  not  merely  from  chap.  iv.  1  on- 
 
 "  In  this  we  quite  agree  with  Zellor  {Beitggm. 
 Monaishl.  i848):  "  That,  predominant  (single  or 
 collective)  teaching  or  ruling  personality,  whose 
 spirit,  example,  and  work  exerted  a  main  influ- 
 ence upon  the  spirilunl  condiiion  of  their  (Muirch 
 and  their  tira.?,  and  wh:ch  figured  iho  Churcli 
 either  in  a  good  or  evil  sense." 
 
 \  It  is  found  in  Luther's  translation,  following 
 aa  iucorrocl  i-ea>liug. 
 
 wards)  prophetic  for  the  future.  Ho\r  would 
 the  seven  churches  be  a  mystery,  if  nothing  was 
 prophesied  under  their  several  names?*  How 
 would  they  then  correspond  to  the  seven 
 candlesticks,  in  the  midst  of  which  the  Lord 
 walked  (which  presently  is  mentioned  again, 
 chap.  ii.  1),  and  their  angels  to  the  seven  stars  ? 
 For  the  Lord  dwells  in  the  midst  of  his  whole 
 Church,  and  holds  all  its  "  angels,"  in  all  lands 
 and  in  all  times,  in  his  hand.  Thus,  most  in- 
 controvertibly,  as  we  have  above  expounded, 
 this  number  seven  of  the  congregation  is  not 
 alone  a  typical  counterpart  to  the  twelve  of  the 
 tribes,  but  it  is  here  placed  first  in  ihe  prophet' 
 ical  perspective — a  prophetic  type  of  that 
 which  was  to  take  place  in  the  succession  of 
 time ;  while,  on  the  other  hand,  the  twelve 
 tribes  indicate  only  the  manifoldness  of  the 
 people  of  God  in  their  unity.  We  may  in  a 
 certain  sense  compare  Avith  this  the  seven 
 parables  in  Matt,  xiii.,  placed  in  a  similar  pro- 
 phetic background;  except  that  now,  in  thepres- 
 ent  much  more  perfect  development  of  the 
 Church,  containing  the  evident  germ  of  all  the 
 future,  the  prophecy  is  incomparably  more 
 special,  concrete,  and  plain. 
 
 The  historical  basis  is  the  actual  position 
 and  character  of  a  selected  number  of  the 
 churches  of  Asia  Minor,  that  district  where 
 John  had  followed  in  the  footsteps  of  the 
 Apostle  of  the  Gentiles,  the  preparer  of  the 
 way,  regulating  all  its  affairs  from  Ephesus  as 
 a  centre.!  Rich  life  was  there,  but  also  per- 
 version and  corruption  commencing  and  actual ; 
 war  of  the  Spirit  with  the  flesh  ;  conflict  of  the 
 Church  of  the  Lord  with  the  world  and  its 
 prince,  in  all  stages  of  victory  or  commencing 
 fall.  For  even  apostolical  power  and  vigilance 
 were  not  sufficient  to  release  the  Church  of  the 
 beginning  from  the  process  of  development  ia 
 human  freedom;  even  the  Apostolical  Church, 
 in  this  immediately  following  stage,  which  we 
 may  term  the  Johannean,  bore  in  it,  concur- 
 rently with  its  strength  of  faith  and  faithful- 
 ness of  love,  the  beginnings  and  types  of  all 
 future  apostacy  and  corruption,  down  to  the 
 Laodicean  lukewarmness  of  the  last  days.  For 
 this,  the  territory  of  the  Church  of  Asia  Minor, 
 so  variously  made  up  of  peculiar  characteristics, 
 was  a  most  apt  and  apjtropriate  emblem  ;  and 
 hence  it  was  the  historically  existing,  and  not 
 arbitrarily  chosen,  type  of  all  the  future. 
 
 It  follows  from  all  this,  as  indeed  from  the 
 fact  of  these  Epistles  being  sent  to  these 
 churches,  that  the  words  of  praise  and  censure, 
 of  consolation  and  exhortation,  which  were  ap- 
 propriately addressed  to  each  of  them,  will 
 prove  themselves  applicable  in  all  similar  cir- 
 
 *  Steinheil  {Blickc  in  die  Apokali/pse,  Basel,  1857) 
 observes  that  the  tpxt  does  not  say  so.  But  it 
 most  surely  does.  Bengel,  who  with  all  his  pene- 
 tration sometimes  striking  y  fails,  very  erroneous- 
 ly reters  the  "  mystery  "  oniy  to  the  siars. 
 
 f  Israel  retires  for  a  season  altogether  into  the 
 ground  of  Gentile  C.irislianily,  for  the  scope  and 
 aim  of  the  Apocalypse. 
 
EEV  I.  11, 17-20. 
 
 909 
 
 carastaTices  of  the  progressive  Church.  This  is 
 even  the  plain  and  obvious  meaning  which  the 
 Holy  Spirit,  in  this  relatively  very  compre- 
 hensible introduction  of  the  dark  book  of  pro- 
 phecy, suggests  to  all  individual  souls.  The 
 churches  which  rise  successively  are  in  some 
 sense  always  simultaneously  existent  also, 
 though  not  always  stamped  so  distinctively  as 
 in  these  seven  types, — even  as  "invisible heart- 
 churches,"  as  Meyer  expresses  it.  Neverthe- 
 less, this  does  not  exclude  the  fact,  that  these 
 characteristics  and  main  features  of  the  devel- 
 opment are  exhibited  in  the  periods  of  church 
 history,  and  that  to  point  to  this  in  the  back- 
 ground is  the  main  design  o[  ih^  prophetic  word 
 — as  in  the  case  of  the  seven  parables  it  was 
 but  involuntary,  so  to  speak,  and  subordinate. 
 For,  as  we  said  there,  the  history  of  the  Church 
 is  no  other  than  the  Church's  progressively- 
 developed  doctrine  concerning  itself,  its  own 
 revelation  ;  so  we  may  here  still  more  distinctly 
 assert  that  the  stages  and  forms  of  the  develop- 
 ment which  exhibit  to  us  in  miniature  its  con- 
 dition in  its  course  through  time,  are  stamped 
 with  historical  necessity  upon  that  course  on 
 the  greatest  scale. 
 
 The  Lord's  glance,  every  where  having  the 
 ground  and  the  final  consummation  in  view, 
 beheld  an  these  sevea  churches  of  Asia  Minor — 
 though  there  were  other  and  not  insignificant 
 churches  there — a  complete  and  self-contained 
 symbolical  circle.  There  were  many  various 
 elements  intermingled,  as  we  shall  see,  in  each 
 individual  example  ;  yet  in  each  there  is  most 
 evidently  a  fundamental  feature,  a  main  char- 
 acteristic. Ever}'  epistle  is  comprised  under 
 the  sam«  four-fold  arrangement :  "  Whatsaith," 
 with  a  title  of  the  Lord  coming  first — "  I  know 
 thy  works,"  with  a  disclosure  of  its  condition, 
 and  praise  or  blame ;  exhortation,  consolation, 
 threatening,  variously  expressed ;  finally,  in 
 each  case,  the  promise  for  hearing  ears  to  him 
 ikat otercometh :  and  this  uniformity  will  make 
 the  variety  all  the  more  intelligible.  Each 
 several  title  of  the  Lord  at  the  beginning  bor- 
 rows something  from  the  preceding  manifesta- 
 tion, though  not  following  the  precise  order  of 
 the  description;  even  the  "  keys"  of  chap.  iii. 
 7  looks  back  to  chap.  i.  18,  as  the  comprehen- 
 sive name  to  the  seventh,  chap.  iii.  14,  looks 
 back  in  its  meaning  to  the  whole.  Only  the 
 toice  and  the  face  are  appropriately  left  un- 
 mentioned  again  by  the  writer  of  the  epistles. 
 The  concluding  promises  point  back  directly, 
 dn  the  first  iour,  to  the  ancient  Scriptures,  and 
 in  order:  to  the  tree  of  life  in  Paradise  ;  death 
 ■^although  now  the  second  death);  the  manna 
 of  the  desert;  and  David's  typical  kingdom. 
 They  then  leave  this  course,  and  exhibit  an 
 ever  more  nearly  approximating  appearance  of 
 the  Lord  as  Judge.  From  the  beginning  it  was 
 jalmost  every  where — I  will  come  (chap,  ii  5, 
 16,  25)  ;  but  in  the  last  three  it  comes  strik- 
 ingly nearer  and  nearer:  read  together  chap, 
 iii.  vers.  3-5,  vers.  10-12,  vers.  20,  21.  This  last 
 (obseivation  rdiites  the  notion  of  Ebi'ard,  that 
 4)iily  .the  firat  .lour  "^huxchdoms"  jare  in  Jiis- 
 
 torical  sequence,  and  that  the  last  three  will 
 appear  at  once  in  the  end. 
 
 The  reader  may  expect,  after  this  necessary 
 exposition  of  chap.  i.  20,  as  an  inevitable  in- 
 troduction to  the  seven  epistles,  that  we 
 should  give  our  own  exclusively  prophetic  in- 
 terpretation ;  but  this  we  are  not  inclined  to 
 do.  This  book  is  intended  rather  for  edifica- 
 tion, than  for  the  assistance  of  a  few  to  find 
 the  depths  of  knowledge  which  are  attainable 
 only  to  a  few.  Moreover,  we  must  confess 
 that  we  have  not  attained  to  any  absolute  sure 
 understanding  ;  in  all  previous  interpretations, 
 not  excepting  those  which  have  been  thor- 
 oughly versed  in  Scripture  and  in  history,  we 
 have  found  some  coinciding  com«nencements 
 of  presentiment  indeed,  but  no  established 
 and  irrefragable  conclusions.  Bengel,  it  is  well 
 known,  maintained  that  the  seven  churches 
 have  no  prophetical  meaning,  and  llofmann 
 denies  any  such  meaning,  at  least  for  the  whole 
 of  church  history  ;  we  think  otherwise,  as  al- 
 ready hinted,  but  do  not  presume  to  expound 
 the  Spirit's  mystery  as  already  known.  It  is 
 not  our  vocation  to  add  one  more  to  the  abun- 
 dant chronological  tables  of  the  corresponding 
 periods  in  church  history,  certainly  not  to  con- 
 teri'l  on  such  a  question  as  this. 
 
 Thus  much,  however,  is  plain  to  our  appre- 
 hension on  a  general  view,  that  in  Ephem.s  and 
 Lxodicea  are  exhibited  the  first  and  the  last 
 ecclesiastical  period.  Ephesus,  the  central 
 church  of  the  Apostle  John,  in  his  consum- 
 mating period,  the  laboring,  enduring,  Apos- 
 tolical Church,  which  condemned  and  put  away 
 the  evil  and  the  false,  yet  already  in  a  transi- 
 tion to  the  leaving  of  her  first  love  ;  therefore 
 the  removing  of  the  candlestick  from  its  first 
 place  is  set  threateningly  in  view.  Laodicea 
 (the  name  appears  in  all  cases  significant,  and 
 here  means — where  the  people  rule  and  judge) 
 is,  with  equal  certainty,  the  Church  as  at  the 
 last  time  altogether  fallen  from  love,  lukewarm, 
 self-complacent,  blind;  the  vast  broad  state 
 Church,  blending  all  things  together  in  a  so- 
 called  Christendom,  before  the  presence  of  the 
 Lord  who,  standing  at  the  door,  as  the  Amen 
 yet  once  more  faithfully  testifies  and  exhorts, 
 and  can  save  and  preserve  those  who  sit  with 
 hinx  at  the  table,  and  are  to  sit  upon  his 
 throne,  only  by  chastisement  and  discipline. 
 What  lies  between  this  beginning  and  this  end, 
 admits  of  less  clear  demarcation  in  detail. 
 The  most  definitely  marked  are  Smyrna,  fol- 
 lowing the  first, and  Philadelphia,  preceding  the 
 last,  and  its  time  stretching  through  the 
 last.  The  former  signified  the  post-apos- 
 toiical  Church,  which  is  exhorted  to  fidelity 
 unto  death  in  the  midst  of  fearful  persecutions 
 of  the  Fdsen  Lord.  Philadelphia  (brotherly 
 love),  holding  fast  the  word  with  the  open 
 door  and  little  strength,  and  therefore  itself 
 protected  from  the  great  hour  of  temptation — 
 may  surely  exhibit  to  us  the  pure  united  evan- 
 gelical Church,  the  time  of  which,  whatever 
 others  may  say,  has  already  commenced;  and 
 to  which  the  "name  of  the  citj  of  God,  of  the 
 
96S^ 
 
 THE  SEVEN  EPISTLES  TO  THE  SEVEN  CHURCHES. 
 
 alone  true  and  pure  0hurch,.i9  held  out  at  least 
 in  promise.  Only  Smyrna  and  Philadelphia 
 are  not  rebuked,  as  ©nly  Laodicea  is  not  com- 
 mended. The  three  intermediate'  churches  are, 
 in  the  stronc;er  intermixture  of  their  charac- 
 ter (as  church  history  corresponds  to  it),  less 
 individually  discernible  in  their  demarcation. 
 Whether  actually  in  Pergamoa  (tower)  is 
 shadowed  out  the  witnessing  Church  dwell- 
 ing in  the  midst  of  pseudo-churchdom,  and 
 the  high  (CiBsardom  and)  Popedom,  which  alas! 
 was  not  untarnished — that  is,  the  beginnings 
 of  that  witnessing  Church — and  ■whether  in 
 Sardis  the  Reformed  Church,  fallen  down  to  a 
 name  without  truth,  and  to  only  a  small  rem- 
 nant of  faithful,  first  orthodox  and  then  ra- 
 
 tionalist— we  cannot  venture  positively  tcr  pro- 
 nounce: certainly  a  place  belongs  to  the  con,' 
 timious  old-catholic  churehes  (with  and  after 
 Pergamos).  These  find,  indeed,  their  type  in 
 Thyatira,  that  is,  the  believing,  serving,"work- 
 ing  Christians  among  them  ;  if,  namely,  we 
 rightly  consider  the  whore  Jezebel  and  her 
 idol  sacrifices,  the  threatened  judgment,  the 
 true  authority  to  feed  the  nations  promised  to 
 the  overcomer.  But  enough  :  wo  reserve  the 
 rest  for  the  exposition  of  the  details ;  and 
 leave  it  to  the  Lord  to  reveal,  in  his  own  time 
 and  way,  to  every  one  what  may  do  himself 
 and  others  service— being  for  our  own  part  far 
 from  asserting  that  what  we  have  to  say  ia  ia- 
 controvertibLy  true. 
 
 THE  SEVEN  EPISTLES  TO  THE  SEVEN  CHUKCHES. 
 
 (Kev.  II,  III.) 
 
 That  which  these  Epistles,  placed  thus  in 
 the  forefront,  demand  of  the  reader  of  this 
 prophetic  book  of  history  and  mystery — to 
 wit,  self-eimnina'ion  before  we  presume  to  hear 
 and  interpret  the  things  that  shall  be — we 
 earnestly  commend  to  every  student  of  this 
 Apocalypse  generally  ;  and  to  every  reader  of 
 this  little  book,  which  professes  to  expound 
 only  its  commencement  as  containing  the  im- 
 mediate words  of  our  Lord.  The  whole  Church 
 of  Christ,  every  particular  church,  and  every 
 individual  believer,  should  constantly  lay  bare 
 the  heart  to  the  word  of  this  great  Searcher  of 
 hearts  with  the  flaming  eyes,  of  this  Judge 
 who  Cometh  with  the  two-edged  sword  of  his 
 mouth — 1  know  thy  v/orks.  Every  one  must 
 receive  from  him  the  exhortation  and  appeal 
 which,  while  it  warns  and  even  threatens,  is 
 yet  full  of  the  strongest  encouragement.  Tlius 
 these  epistles  correspond  with  the  words  which 
 begin  and  end  the  great  prophecy  of  our 
 Lord  yet  upon  earth — See  that  ye  be  not  de- 
 ceived. Watch  always.  What  I  say  unto  you 
 I  say  unto  all,  Watch  (Matt.  xxiv.  4;  Luke 
 xxi.  06  ;  Mark  xiii.  37)-  Hence  Rev.  xxi.  11, 
 12,  returns  to  the  same  injunction. 
 
 That  is  an  incorrect  exposition — pervading 
 Bengel'a  school,  and  otherwise  common — 
 which  refers  the  address  to  the  angel  of  the 
 church  alone  and  as  an  individual.*  The  sig- 
 niticantly  running  "  Jle  tiiat  hath  oars  to  hear, 
 let  him  hear  what  the  Spirit  saith  vn'o  the 
 churches!  "  is  decisive  against  such  a  limitation,, 
 as  also  the  transition  to  the  more  comprehen- 
 sive ye  in  the  application,  chap.  ii.  10,  24. 
 Nevertheless,  so  much  is  true,  that  in  the 
 "angel"    the   position   and  consciousness  of 
 
 *  As,  e.  ff.,  in  Bengel's  iVVif  Ttgtainfnt;  we  read 
 on  ver.  2 :  "  Thus  ihis  man  must  huv^  liad  a  pene- 
 tiatiag  underatandiasJ' 
 
 the  Church  belongino:  to  him  is  essenfially  rep- 
 resented and  inwardly  concentrated;  there- 
 fore all  exhortation  was  to  touch  him  first,  and 
 then  in  him  and  further  through  him  tiio 
 Church.  Consequently,  every  such  president 
 or  ruling  person,  from  the  minister  of  the 
 smallest  cure  to  the  general  superintendent 
 of  the  whole  district,  every  one  who  is  thus 
 responsible  for  the  rest,  must  specifically  ex- 
 amine himself  whether  and  in  what  way 
 that  which  the  Spirit  saith  to  his  Church 
 afTects  himself  individually.  Consequent!}', 
 also,  every  theologian  who  would  be  an  ex- 
 positor of  the  Revelation  of  John  "  the  divine," 
 must  not  rapidly  hasten  over  this  commence- 
 ment, given  for  his  own  self-examination  ;  he 
 must  not  consider  it  all  his  duty  to  investi- 
 eate  and  treat  of  the  relation  which  the  epis- 
 tle had  to  the  angel  of  Ephesus,  or  Smyrna,  or 
 the  rest.  Let  us,  with  such  a  hearing  ear  as 
 this,  hear  the  words  of  the  heavenly-epistle 
 writer  through  the  Spirit. 
 
 Unto  the  anrjcl  of  ihe  church  of  Ephesus 
 write:  These  things  saith  he  that  holdeth  the- 
 seven  stars  in  ]iis  right  hand,  uho  icalkeih  i>i 
 ihe  midst  of  ihe  seven  golden  candlesticks.  The 
 metropolis,  and  central  church  of  lesser  Asia» 
 openstho  series  ;  where,  in  the  very  seat  of 
 idolatry,  superstition,  and  sorcery,  the  nour- 
 ishing plantation  of  the  great  Apostle  of  the 
 heathen  had  come  under  the  immediate  care 
 of  John.  The  name,  the  historical  derivatioa 
 of  which  is  obscure,  might  be  prophetically  in- 
 terpreted The  beloved,  the  dewed  ;  or  the  Sender, 
 which  would  more  aptly  note  the  di.-^tinctioa 
 of  the  great  "Apostolical  "  Church  of  the  be- 
 ginning. But  all  this  is  undefined,  and  has  no 
 bearing  upon  the  exposition.  Nor  are  we  to 
 refer  this  to  Timothy,  who  was  only  for  a  time 
 an  "  evangelist"  to  Ephesus  (2  Tim.  iv.  5,  9), 
 and  aa  it  were  au  apostolical  delegate  for  tha 
 
REV.  II.  1-7. 
 
 907 
 
 full  establishment  of  the  Church  ;  not  to  men- 
 tion other  reasons  which,  when  we  reflect  fur- 
 ther, turn  our  thoughts  away  from  him.  The 
 personalities  of  the  historical  basis  retreat 
 into  that  obscurity  in  which  it  has  pleased 
 the  wisdom  of  God  that  the  specialties  of  the 
 early  Church  should  be  wrapped,  in  order  that 
 the  permanent  canonical  word  written  for  us 
 might  more  clearly  shine  out.  Thus  it  rather 
 import?!  us  to  behold  and  hear  hiin  who  speaks 
 to  the  Ephesian  angel,  and  who  prefixes  to  the 
 epistle  \\\(i first  comprehensive  title — I,  the  su- 
 preme Pastor  of  all  the  churches.  After  the 
 manner  of  the  old  prophetical.  Thus  saith  the 
 Lord,  he  utters  his  majestic  I,  though  him- 
 self speaks  in  the  third  person  ;  yet  this  is  all 
 the  more  emphatic  after  the  preceding  mani- 
 festation. He  hohleth  the  seven  stars  in  his 
 right  hand,  and  this  in  the  original  has  a 
 strong  meaning;  who  by  the  might  of  his 
 right  hand  holds  them  fast*  ruling  and  defend- 
 ing them,  that  they  may  not  fall  from  his  hand, 
 and  that  no  man  may  pluck  them  thence. 
 Even  Sardis  and  Laodicea  are  still  in  his  hand  ; 
 with  all  their  severe  rebukes,  they  are  not  yet 
 cast  away.  A  candlestick  may  indeed  be  re- 
 moved out  of  its  place  (ver.  3) — yet  only  to 
 another;  the  seven  candlesticks  as  a  whole 
 cannot  be  extinguished  before  him.  But  that 
 comes  only  of  the  grace  in  which  he  walkcth 
 among  them  :  he  visits,  cares  for,  and  guards 
 all  in  particular — as  to  every  candlestick  there 
 might  appertain  many  lesser  lights,  scarcely 
 glimmering  in  their  feebleness.  He  who  walk- 
 eth  i?i  the  midst  of  the  seven  churches  is  the 
 same  who  promised  that  wherever  two  or  three 
 were  gathered  together  in  his  name,  he  would 
 be  iu  llie  midst  of  them.  In  this,  at  the  same 
 time,  consists  the  unity  of  all  believers  and  of 
 all  churches  in  the  one  Church  ;  as  this  unity, 
 testified  here  first  for  Ephesus,  was  acknow- 
 ledged in  the  Apostolical  Church.  Alas!  that 
 the  isolated  churches  of  later  times  have,  in 
 the  darkness  of  their  pride,  forgotten  that  the 
 Lord  walketh  among  all  the  candlesticks,  in 
 all  churches,  confessions,  and  sects  which  rest 
 upon  the  one  foundation  ! 
 
 I  hioio  thy  icorks,  mid  thij  labor,  and  thy 
 patience,  aid  how  thou  canst  not  hear  them 
 tvhich  are  evd ;  and  thou  hast  tried  them 
 which  say  then  «'■<?  Apostlea.  and  are  not,  and 
 hast  found  them  liars.  Thus  upon  the  one 
 sure  loundation  which  God  in  Christ  hath  laid, 
 this  seal  is  engraven — The  Lord  hnowelh  them 
 that  are  his.  The  first  prayer  of  his  little 
 company  addressed  to  him  ran — Thou,  Lord, 
 knowest  the  hearts  of  all  (Acts  i.  24).  How 
 ehould  not  he  know  them,  who  walks  among 
 them,  v,-ho  dwells  in  their  midst,  whose  light 
 alone  enkindled  the  stars  and  keeps  them  shin- 
 ing? But  because  the  Searcher  of  hearts 
 speaks  here  as  also  the  coming  and  warning 
 Judge,  he  mentions  only — while  he  means  the 
 
 ground  of  the  heart — the  worTci  with  their  ab- 
 solute evidence,  as  they  are  always  mentioned 
 in  connection  with  the  judgment;  the  fruits 
 for  which  he  will  ask,  the  gain  which  he  will 
 look  for.  There  are  works  seemingly  good,  but 
 he  means  not  these;  they  are  tlie  genuine, 
 substantial,  and  worthy  works,  to  which  are 
 opposed  the  mere  conceit  of  an  imaginary 
 faith.  Works,  which  are  valid  before  the 
 Lord,  are  found  only  where  there  is  lahor  or 
 diligence;  and  farther,  these  are  only  where 
 there  \?,  patience,  not  merely  in  suffering,  but  in 
 all  perseverance  generally  in  the  sense  of  this 
 scriptural  word.*  Parallels  in  matter  and 
 word  are  1  Cor.  xv.  58  ;  1  Thess.  i.  3  ;  Heb. 
 vi.  10.  How  many  would  fain  satisfy  and 
 appease  the  Lord  with  so-called  "  works," 
 who  must  hear  the  further  question  to  their 
 shame — But  where  is  the  toil  and  labor  of  love, 
 as  the  demonstration  of  the  genuineness  of  the 
 work  oi faith?  where  the  perseverance  in  fidel- 
 ity, the  patience  from  liope  ?  It  is  not  that  the 
 earnestness  of  this  persevering  maintenance  is 
 to  be  sought  in  the  latter  maturity  of  the 
 Christian  life;  we  see  rather  here,  that  this 
 test  is  applied  to  what  may  be  termed  youth- 
 ful Christianity,  to  the  Apostolical  Church — 
 as  generally  the  epistle  to  Ephesus  is  adapted 
 to  rightly  established  beginners.  For,  as  we 
 hear  again  in  the  conclusion,  it  is  the  fresh, 
 pure  beginning  of  separation  from  the  evil 
 world,  its  sin  and  lie,  that  is  threatened  with 
 the  warfare  with  opposers  and  seducers.  Then 
 comes  in  the  word — And  I  know  that  thou 
 canst  not  bear  those  that  are  evil,  although  thy 
 patience  hcareth  rauch.t  It  is  quite  a  differ- 
 ent thing  to  bear  evil  iu  the  sense  of  2  Tim.  ii. 
 4  :  as  the  necessary  corrective  of  a  patience 
 which  receives  all  suffering,  and  whicli  other- 
 wise might  degenerate  into  mere  unholy  weak- 
 ness, there  must  always  be  bound  up  with  all 
 true  love  a  hatred  against  evil  (Rom.  xii.  9), 
 and  consequently  a  holy  intolerance  so  far 
 against  all  the  doers  of  evil.  We  must  actu- 
 ally, for  the  sake  of  truth,  not  be  able  to  bear 
 the  least  imputation  of  such  bearing  with  sin- 
 ners as  tolerates  and  is  content  to  have  any 
 fellowship  with  their  sin.  IWat  inability  to 
 hear  is  a  high  commendation  in  the  sight  of 
 the  Lord,  and  stands  here  prominently  among 
 the  first-fruit  virtues  of  his  first  community. 
 Finally,  there  are  at  all  times,  and  there  were 
 in  the  Oeginning  also,  seducers  and  teachers  of 
 error  who  came  forward  with  verv  specious 
 pretensions  ;  but  they  were  to  be  tried,  tested 
 by  the  true  standard,  to  see  whether  they  were 
 what  they  pretended  to  be.     The  text  speaks, 
 
 *  Kfjarel'y  from  wpa'roS  is  elsewhere  used  in 
 tVie  sense  of  Ji(rtct  fast,  praerve  :  lor  example,  rer. 
 25  of  this  chapter. 
 
 *  In  conformity  with  this  order  of  the  thought, 
 each  of  the  three  words  has  the  pronoun.  We 
 would  not,  therefore,  with  many,  strike  out  the 
 dov,  that  labor  and  patience  might  be  brought 
 nearer  tosether. 
 
 t  'AvE^iHaHO?,  nccording  to  He«ychius,  vtto- 
 qjepcav  liCiHCc.  The  adversaries  must  be  really 
 withstood,  tlioiiCTli  it  mny  be  with  meekness:  ihey 
 are  not  to  b3  tolerated  and  borne  with  as  such. 
 
90S 
 
 THE  EPISTLE  TO  EPHESUS. 
 
 with  reference  to  the  time  in  which  there  were 
 Btill  true  Apostles,  of  the  false  ones  whom  the 
 New  Testament  o'.ten  sets  before  us ;  Paul, 
 who  was  greatly  beset  by  them,  prophesied  of 
 their  coming  to  Ephesus,  Acls  xx.  29.  The 
 testing;  of  these  false  Apostles,  so  that  they 
 might  be  found  to  be  liars  as  they  were,  is  by 
 no  means  only  a  "  matter  for  the  Bishop  " — as 
 the  simple  Ptomanist  Allioli  says,  in  his  "  ap- 
 proved "  exegesis;  but  it  is,  according  to  1 
 John  iv.  1,  the  duty  and  prerogative  of  every 
 Christian  man.  The  sheep  may  themselves 
 test  the  shepherd,  whether  lie  be  a  stranger  or 
 not. 
 
 Still  more  perfectly  exhibiting  his  meaning, 
 and  still    dwelling  on  the   good    fundamental 
 
 Principle  which  is  graciously  acknowledged,  the 
 ;ord  concludes  this  first  part  of  his  address  to 
 Ephesus:  And  hast  {ov rctainest)  patience,  and 
 hast  borne  for  mtj  name's  saJce,  and  hast  not 
 fainted.  Patience  has  the  honor  ot  being  twice 
 mentioned,  for  it  is  the  decisive  grace  (chap, 
 xiii.  10,  xiv.  12) ;  as  James  says,  she  must 
 have  her  work  perfected,  must  fully  prosecute 
 and  finish  the  good  work  of  faith  :  James  i.  4. 
 The  words  defend  themselves  on  both  sides 
 aga'nst  misunderstanding:  that  the  work,  the 
 work  of  love  in  patience,  may  not  be  inter- 
 preted in  a  sense  contrary  to  holy  truth  and 
 rigid  purity,  there  comes  first  the  not  bearing 
 with  the  evil,  the  testing  and  rejection  of  the 
 false;  but  then,  on  the  other  hand,  that  this 
 may  not  be  pressed  in  a  spirit  opposed  to  love, 
 there  is  the  hearing  of  the  evil  and  injustice 
 which  the  wicked  inflict,  and  that  in  its  onlv 
 genuine  spirit — For  my  name's  sake.  This 
 embraces  both  at  once  and  in  one,  as  well  the 
 love  of  Christ  which  impels  a  man  to  suffer,  as 
 the  truth  of  Christ  for  the  maintenance  and  pro- 
 fession of  which  a  man  is  ready  to  suffer.  Let 
 every  Christian  and  every  Christian  Church 
 look  in  the  glass  here  presented  to  him  by 
 Christ,  and  ask  whether  the  Lord  has  found 
 the  works  of  such  patience  accomplished?  As 
 the  seeming  antithesis — Thou  hast  borne,  al- 
 though thou  canst  not  bear — most  plainly  ex- 
 hibits how  it  is  rightly  to  be  understood,  so 
 also  in  the  still  more  untranslateable  words  of 
 the  original  which  follow — I  know  thy  labor, 
 but  thou  hast  not  labored.*  The  same  word  is 
 used  in  another  correlative  meaning,  in  the 
 Becond  clause:  but  it  is  not  so  much,  an  Zin- 
 zendorf  says,  "  Thy  labor  has  not  been  heavy 
 and  tedious,  thou  hast  done  it  willingly,"  as, 
 *'  Thou  hast  not  become  weary  in  thy  toil,  thou 
 hast  not  sunk  under  thy  work."!  As  nothing 
 so  much  tends  to  produce  dejection,  and  to  de- 
 stroy the  perseverance  of  patience,  as  the  con- 
 flict'wiih  lalso  Apostles  and  brethren,  so  it  is 
 certainly  the  highest  praise  of  tho  first  lovs  of 
 the  beginning  of  the  apostolical  time,  that  it 
 bad  preserved  its  fidelity  in  protesting  truth 
 and  in  sufleiting  love. 
 
 *  Tlv  hokov  dov — j<ai  ov  HEKoitiaxaZ. 
 ■)  Compnro  tho  sam;'  G-eek  word  in  Joha  iv.  G  ; 
 and  simi.arly  Gal.  vi.  9,  LxHaKeir. 
 
 Nevertkelesi — alas  !  this  nevertheless  follows, 
 "  Thou  hast  not  been  weary  ;  thou  hast  labor- 
 ed and  had  patience;  thou  hast  for  a  while  held 
 out  both  in  the  not  suffering  and  the  sufferint;: 
 but  now  thou  beginnest  to  be  weary  and  to 
 relax."  Alas  !  if  such  a  word  as  this  must  be 
 spoken  in  the  Lord's  first  address  to  his  first 
 Church — and  the  history  even  of  the  apostolical 
 age  shows  us  the  justification  for  it — who  is 
 there  that  can  repel  and  decline  the  same 
 heart-searching  declaration?  Who  among  us 
 has  remained  uncontaminated  and  blameless  :n 
 his  first  love  ?  "  Let  the  righteous  smite  me  in 
 kindness;  it  shall  be  balsam  upon  my  head," 
 spake  David,  the  type,  through  the  Holy  Spirit 
 (Psa.  cxli  5)  ;  and,  verily,  here  the  alone  right- 
 eous rebukes  and  smites  his  own  with  the  ex- 
 cellent oil  of  everlasting  love.  First  comes  the 
 full  and  unsparing  praise;  and  not  till  then  the 
 equally  just  blame.  When  that  censure  comes, 
 it  begins  in  the  gentlest,  mildest  expression — 
 which,  however,  on  that  very  account  is  keen- 
 ly penetrating — and  only  after  that  does  the 
 increasing  severity  of  the  inevitable  threaten- 
 ing follow. 
 
 Nevertheless,  I  have  against  thee,  that  thou 
 hast  left  thy  first  love.  As  the  Lord  directed  his 
 disciples  ttiat  the  brother  should  speak  to  the 
 brother,  if  he  have  aught  against  him,  so  does 
 he  condescend  himself,  in  all  the  greater  ma- 
 jesty and  conviction  to  say — I  have  somewhat 
 against  thee  !  Ha  that  hath  an  ear  to  hear,  let 
 him  hearken  when  the  Lord  has  any  thing 
 against  him — let  him  return  and  reconcile  him- 
 self with  his  Lord.  Do  we  not  perceive  that 
 it  is  his  lore  alone  which  seeks  and  finds  want- 
 ing the  love  in  us?  Can  any  one  more  touch- 
 ingly  rebuke  than  by  commencing  with  the 
 complaint — Thou  no  longer  lovest  me  enough? 
 Indeed,  from  the  lips  of  sinners  this  may  be  a 
 selfish  and  unrighteous  demand;  but  when  the 
 love  of  him  who  thus  rebukes  is  firm  and  cer- 
 tain, and  proves  itself  even  in  the  manner  of 
 the  rebuke,  he  has  verily  in  strict  right  this 
 charge  to  bring.  The  inmost,  deepest  root,  the 
 faith  pre-supposed  in  ver.  2,  which  is  the 
 source  and  impulse  of  works,  is  not  now  men- 
 tioned or  laid  bare,  because  it  is  self-understood 
 to  be  involved  in  the  charge.  The  necessity  of 
 the  doctrine  and  experience  of  faith  had  been 
 pre-eminently  set  forth  by  Paul;  the  Lord 
 himself,  after  he  had  spoken  in  the  same  strain 
 while  upon  earth,  now  that  he  speaks  from 
 heaven  lays  more  stress  in  his  phraseology — 
 like  John,  whose  pen  he  put  into  his  hand  else- 
 where for  the  same  purpose — upon  Ine,  the 
 power  and  fruit  of  faith  ;  in  order  that  no  man 
 in  his  Church  might  fall  into  tho  false  perver- 
 sion of  tho  doctrine  of  "  faith  a'one."  Twice 
 only  in  the  seven  epistles  (to  Pergamos,  ver. 
 13,  and  Thyatira,  ver.  19)  do  we  find  tho  word 
 faith  ;  and  in  tho  rest  of  the  Apocalypse  only 
 in  the  two  comprehensivo  ana  strictly  con- 
 nected fundamental  passage,  chap.  xiii.  10,  xiv. 
 12. 
 
 Ebrard  understands  by  the  "sacred  fire  of 
 first  love,"  which  had  declined,  "  not  their  lov« 
 
REV.  II.  1-7. 
 
 m^ 
 
 to  Christ,  but  their  love  to  one  another  " — but 
 in  our  opinion  incorrectly':  as  if  such  a  sepa- 
 ration were  conceivable;  as  if  love  to  Clirist 
 could  be  maintained  in  work  and  patience, 
 while  love  to  the  brethren  was  wanting.  As 
 we  have  understood  the  whole,  the  praise  of 
 vers.  2  and  3  was  not  deserved  simultaneously 
 with  the  condemnation  of  ver.  4  ;  bat  the  con- 
 mendation  speaks  of  a  leg'mning  which  had  not 
 been  sustained,  of  the  same  abandoned  firiit 
 love.  But  thus  much  is  true,  that  when  that 
 love  which  is  the  energy  and  living  power  of 
 faith,  and  which  in  its  profoundest  depth  unites 
 in  one  the  love  of  God  and  man,  of  the  I^ord 
 and  of  the  brethren,  begins  to  relax  and  de- 
 cline, its  coldness  is  first  seen  and  made  mani- 
 fest in  the  external  ofiBces  of  charity  (Matt. 
 xxiv.  12).  From  the  weakening  of  brotherly 
 love,  and  concurrently  of  that  love  to  all  men, 
 even  enemies,  which  "is  kindled  on  that  hearth, 
 and  is  ever  sustained  from  above,  flows  all 
 apostacy  and  backsliding:  therefore  the  Lord's 
 convincing  word  seizes  us  by  that  lack,  which 
 we  first  become  aware  of  ourselves — indeed 
 only  in  order  to  disclose  the  damage  and  defi- 
 ciency of  faith  which  that  very  lack  indicated. 
 If  we  do  not  love  the  brethren,  and  all  men, 
 
 f)erfect'y,Wt€«ceis  that  but  because  we  no  longer 
 ove  the  Lord  perfectly  ?  For,  it  is  only  the  one 
 loveof  CA?7A«.  poured  into  our  hearts  by  the  Holy 
 Ghost  in  order  to  our  love  in  return,  which  can 
 urge  us  to  show  love  to  our  brethren  and  fel- 
 lows in  pardoning  mercy,  or  at  least  in  redeem- 
 ing love.  It  is  not  in  vain  or  without  signifi- 
 cance that  "thy  first  love  "  is  spoken  of.  It 
 is  not  only  to  shame  them  by  reference  to  the 
 past — that  which  thou  formerly  hadst;  but  it 
 ]s  emphatically — iWy  love  hath  not  left  thee; 
 but  thou  hast  forsaken,  hast  let  go,  this  love 
 of  mine  which  had  become  thine. 
 
 The  history  of  the  Church  from  the  begin- 
 ning is  a  thou3and-fold  recurring  commentary 
 upon  this  unspeakably  significant  word — the 
 first  rebuke  of  the  Church  from  her  Lord  in 
 heaven,  and  penetrating  the  hearts  of  his  peo- 
 ple below.  The  special  individual  church  his- 
 tory of  all  hearts,  as  spread  before  the  Lord's 
 eye,  testifies  that  something  of  this  relaxation 
 of  the  first  love  has  befallen  every  man,  even 
 the  Apostles  in  some  degree,  and  multitudes  of 
 others  much  more  fully  and  miserably,  Sanc- 
 tification  does  not  in  any  soul  reach  its  perfec- 
 tion without  the  standing  still  and  sometimes 
 the  going  back  :  this  is,  alas !  a  law  in  the 
 kingdom  of  grace,  in  which  human  freedom  is 
 not  abolished.  But  the  ceasing  of  the  first  love 
 does  not,  properly  speaking,  consist  in  the 
 abatement  of  the  powerful  and  happy  feel- 
 ings of  the  commencing  period,  the  purifica- 
 tion and  softening  down  of  which,  rather,  be- 
 longs to  the  strengthening  and  deepening  of 
 grace  ;  but  in  the  weakening  and  growing  faint 
 of  the  energy  which  sustains  the  work  pro- 
 ceeding from  faith — as  ver.  3  preparatorily  in- 
 timated. Genuine  love  is  not  a  feeling,  but  a 
 willing  and  a  working.  When  that  grows  ex- 
 kausted,  there  may  indeed  be — as  was  the  case 
 
 in  the  apostolical  period — a  confinuance  of  tho 
 working  and  conflict  &5  against  the  world,  of 
 the  witness  and  maintenance  of  the  truth. 
 This  may  actually  seem  to  increase  and  becomcj 
 more  zealous  ;  but  it  will  no  longer  be  of  tho 
 genuine  character  ;  it  does  not  go  aflfectionately 
 into  the  world  to  win  its  victories,  because  it  no 
 longer  proceeds  from  the  brotherly  love  whit  '\ 
 burns  vigorously  upon  the  enclosed  hearth, 
 and  which  rests  unon  the  common  love  of  each 
 to  the  Lord.*  The  church  in  Ephesus  is  not 
 yet  wanting  in  pure  doctrine;  the  false  Apostles 
 are  repelled,  and  will  be  so;  nor  is  it  wanting 
 in  sharp  discipline,  the  wicked  are  not  borno 
 with,  but  are  handled  with  increasing  severity. f 
 Bui  all  these  manifestations  are  internally  con- 
 nected with  a  lack  of  truth  and  spiritual  vigor, 
 of  sacred  and  divine  life.  The  external  too 
 much  conceals  before  human  eyes  an  internal 
 too  little  ;  but  the  Lord  discloses  it,  and  keen- 
 ly pierces  the  heart  of  his  Church — Thou  hast 
 left  thy  first  love  ;  as  if  he  would  utter  the 
 words  once  spoken  to  Israel — /  remind  thee  of 
 the  kindness  of  thy  3-outh,  the  love  of  thino 
 espousals,  when  Israel  was  holiness  to  tho 
 Lord,  and  the  first-fruits  of  his  increase  (Jer. 
 ii.  2,  3).  Remember  thou  through  my  remind- 
 ing. 
 
 Remember,  therefore,  from  tchence  thou  art 
 fallen,  and  repent,  and  do  the  first  tvorks.  Call 
 to  mind  the  first  days  of  thy  good  beginning, 
 and  deeply  reflect.  For  Surdis,  which  repre- 
 sents a  new  commencement,  the  same  exhor- 
 tation is  repeated,  chap.  iii.  3.  IIov/  were  ye 
 then  so  blessed!  writes  Paul  to  the  Galatians 
 (chap.  iv.  15).  Even  with  the  increasing 
 severity,  which  speaks  of  an  actual  fall  and  a 
 new  repentance,  how  gracious  is  the  evangeli- 
 cal preaching  and  enforcement  of  this  repent- 
 ance— on  the  ground  of  grace  once  more  offered, 
 a  grace  which  had  already  been  received  and 
 experienced.  It  was  thy  first  love,  glowing 
 then  so  strongly  and  blessedly  from  my  love, 
 which  thou  hast  not  held  fast !  Herder  writes 
 too  much  in  the  modern  sentimental  tone, 
 though  not  without  truth  :  "  The  whole  epistle 
 comes,  as  it  were,  from  the  paradise  of  inno- 
 cence and  love.  The  mother  could  not  mora 
 tenderly  remind  the  child,  nor  the  bride  her 
 beloved,  of  happy  times  gone  by  which  have 
 not  returned."  He  then  goes  on,  with  less 
 justifiable  exaggeration  :  "As  if  this  voice  of 
 love  would  come  stealthily,  after  abounding 
 praise,  to  the  subject  of  that  which  was  yet; 
 wa;?ting;  and  that  is  spoken  of  as  what  might 
 soon  be  repaired — remember  how  it  was  with 
 thee.     And  is  it  better  now  ?     Then  new  praiso 
 
 *  Worse  in  later  times,  with  the  zeal  of  the  con- 
 fessions against  brethren  uni  ed  even  in  faith, 
 without  the  uniting  principle  of  a  livinc;  oneness 
 with  all  members  in  the  Lord's  one  body. 
 
 f  This  will  show,  in  comparison  with  Pergamoa 
 presently,  vers.  14,  15,  and  ihefollowins  churches, 
 that  the" first  epistle  was  not  t',o:ou2:hly  and  ex- 
 dusivehj  meant  of  the  Apostolical  Church,  as  a 
 one-sided  prophetical  inter^jretatioa  assumes. 
 
&1» 
 
 THE  EPISTLE  TO  EPHESUS. 
 
 for  more  abundant  encouragement."  No,  this 
 is  not  the  spirit  of  the  rebuke.  This  is  not  the 
 sweet  relish  which  the  bitter  medicine  of  the  in- 
 termingled lememher  leaves  upon  ourthoughts. 
 Its  solemn  and  searching  general  lone  has 
 made  it  a  piercing  word  of  thunder,  which  the 
 Holy  Spirit  has  used  among  all  fallen  churches 
 and  souls,  even  those  which  have  fallen  worse 
 than  Ephesus.  What  a  history  has  tim  text 
 ot  Scripture  had  in  the  secrets  of  men,  where 
 the  Lord  is  now  carrying  on  his  judgment  of 
 grace  !  Thou  art/c/Z/en— that  means  a  real  and 
 actual  fall,  though  only  at  first  in  the  ground 
 of  the  heart,  and  but  little  made  evident  in 
 external  things.  And  from  whence?  From 
 the  full,  rich  grace  of  the  new  life  in  the  love 
 of  God  ;  in  a  certain  sense,  therefore,  it  is  a 
 wprse  fall  and  more  perilous  than  the  first  fall 
 of  man,  of  which  the  Lord's  word  reminded  the 
 church  of  Ephesus.  There  is  something  true 
 in  the  doctrine  of  tlie  Irvingites  concerning  a 
 great  apostacy  of  the  original  Church,  the 
 "  catastrophe  of  a  second  fall ;  "  but  the  fanatical 
 error  which  has  caricatured  this  liisto:  ical  truth, 
 and  perverted  its  meaning  into  sad  extrava- 
 gances, is  plain  in  the  words  themselves. 
 Where  does  the  Lord  speak  of  the  loss  of  spir- 
 itual gifts,  of  the  disruption  of  ecclesiastical 
 order,  of  the  abandonment  of  obedience  to  of- 
 ficial dignities,  and  all  those  other  matters  in 
 which  these  strange  people  behold  at  once  the 
 guilt  and  the  punTshment  of  the  first  Church  ? 
 The  Lord  rests  his  charge  upon  very  different 
 grounds  :  he  rebukes  the  angel  with  the  Church  ; 
 he  does  not  merely  refer  the  congregation  back 
 to  the  discipline  and  form  of  a  forsaken  consti- 
 tution, but  to  their  first  love ;  he  does  not 
 teach,  in  the  Corinthian  manner,  the  distin- 
 guishing value  of  miraculous  gifts,  which  are 
 not  even  mentioned  here,  any  more  than  in 
 the  whole  epistle  to  the  Ephesians  (although 
 such  great  miracles  were  performed  there,  no 
 mention  is  made,  even  in  chap.  iv.  11,  of  workers 
 of  miracles) ;  he  preaches,  simply,  a  renewed 
 repentance,  as  in  the  beginning.  This  preach- 
 ing of  repentance,  indeed,  with  which  Christi- 
 anity began,  as  did  the  reformation,  and  which 
 is  evermore  preached  on  every  relapse  of 
 churches  or  souls,  is  something  very  different 
 from  Ihone  means  of  grace  which,  in  our  days, 
 even  Lutherans,  like  the  Irvingitey,  ap])oint  in 
 the  Church  as  false  physicians.  Not  from  with- 
 out inwards,  and  from  above  downwards,  but 
 from  within  outwards,  through  return  to  first 
 iove,  the  hurt  of  souls  is  healed:  this  cannot 
 be  too  diligently  remembered,  and  earnestly 
 enforced. 
 
 As  love  is  not  merely  a  delectable  feeling, 
 but  a  labor  of  the  dependent  and  devoted  will ; 
 03  taith  is  not  merely  a  thought,  but  an  im- 
 pulsive and  abundant  spring  of  good  works  ; 
 to  the  Lord  will  recognize  no  repentance  but 
 that  which  is  confirmed  in  the  doing  of  the 
 first  works.  In  this  he  requires,  as  Tlio- 
 iuck  says,  "  the  energy  and  strength  of  the 
 works  of  first  love."  2'hey  must  be  the 
 proof  of   thy   change   of    mind,  and   return 
 
 to  God.     These   thou  canst  present,  if  tlfou 
 dost  repent. 
 
 But  that  is  ever  left  with  human  freedoTn  ; 
 Christ's  wholesome,  disciplinary,  faithfully  in- 
 viting and  clia?f  ising  grace,  puts  force  on  none. 
 Or  else  I  uill  come  unto  thee  {quickly),  and 
 v:ill  remove  thy  candlestick  out  of  his  place,  ex- 
 cept thou  repent.  The  deepest  emphasis  falls 
 upon  the  rqietition  at  the  close  of  this  except.  It 
 seems  at  first  to  strengthen  the  threatening; 
 but  when  we  lay  it  to  heart,  it  rather  softens 
 the  rigor  of  the 'simply  conditional  threaten- 
 ing. It  goes  on  to  say — Only  if  thou  repentest 
 not,  will  this  judgment  befall  thee.  Wilt  thou 
 not  turn  it  away  ?  I  will  come  vnto  thee^ 
 thus,  with  evident  difference,  the  preliminary 
 judgment,  first  upon  Ephesus  alone,  is  indi- 
 cated ;  thus  the  Lord  cometh,  in  all  ages,  to 
 judgment  upon  men  individually,  as  well  as  to 
 hischurclies.  These  epistles  speak,  each  of  them, 
 of  this  ;  and,  as  we  have  remarked,  with  pro- 
 gressive distinctness  unto  the  last  and  per- 
 fect judgment.  The  "soon"  which  has  been 
 placed  here,  also  may  have  been  falsely  in- 
 serted from  later  passages  (ver.  16  and  chap, 
 iii.  11) — yet  we  would  not  positively  strike  it 
 out,  since  it  holds  good  of  every  such  threaten- 
 ing, and  is  true  even  of  the  slowly  coming 
 judgments.  We  would  further  remark  that, 
 as  our  Lord  announces  his  coming  as  a  first 
 typical  judgment  upon  Jeru.s6lem,  so  now,  in 
 these  epistles,  he  speaks  in  the  same  manner 
 of  his  coming  to  his  Church.  Threatening  of 
 judgment,  as  actual  threatening,  is  ever  and 
 absolutely  necessary,  and  from  the  beginning 
 could  not  be  spared.  The  revelation  and  ut- 
 terance of  such,  not  merely  threatened,  but 
 actually  accomplished,  judgments  of  the  Lord 
 — accomplished  upon  many  churches  of  the 
 great  Church — is  the  removal  of  the  candlestick. 
 Literally  taken,  it  does  not  mean  an  overturn- 
 ing or  extinction  of  the  light;  but  the  expres- 
 sion (which  is  moving  away,  as  in  chap.  vi.  14) 
 simply  purports  the  ditiplacing  from  where  it 
 stood — to  this  place  a  testimony  of  guilt  and 
 punishment — and  thus  the  grace  is  renewed  in 
 another  place.*  Ephesus  did,  indeed,  onco 
 repent,  even  if  not  with  all  her  might,  and, 
 therefore,  the  judgment  was  restrained.  But 
 then  "the  subsequent  desolation  of  the  city 
 of  Ephesus"  has  something  to  do  with  the 
 typico-prophetical  threatening;!  although  the 
 true  fulfiilraent  came  long  afterwards,  in  the 
 
 *  The  expositors  who  regard  the  epistles  as  di- 
 rected only  to  tiie  angels,  are  obliged  here — be- 
 cause the  h^lits  are  the  cliurclies  themselves — to 
 resort  to  stranee  shifts.  Bengel  :  The.e  will  be 
 an  an  an^el  wiihout  a  church.  R.eger ;  The 
 Church  is  the  ligiit  of  the  teacher. 
 
 t  This  is  not  (as  Ebrard  says)  a  confusion  of 
 the  historical  and  prophetic  mennintjs,  l)ecaiise 
 God's  government  does  lurther  exhibit  and  st;im[) 
 the  lyps  in  history  itself.  The  vil.a<;e  into  which 
 Ephesus  lias  .'-uiik  (Aja-Soluk,  ayia  Sfu'Ao/oS, 
 or  SeoXuyov)  stands  as  the  type  of  fallen  and 
 desolated  churches. 
 
REV.  II.  1-7. 
 
 911 
 
 destrnction  of  the  whole  of  the  first  oriental 
 churches  by  Mohammed.  Indeed,  this  threat- 
 ening of  the  removal  of  the  candlestick,  intelli- 
 gible without  much  exposition,  has  its  uni- 
 versal meaning,  and  is,  by  the  Spirit,  applied 
 in  many  ways  to  the  churches. 
 
 He  who  ihreateneth  hath  a  gracious  mean- 
 ing, and  turns  his  threatening  almost  immedi- 
 ately to  consolation.  For  Ephesus  the  name 
 is  preceded  and  lollowed  by,  is  wrapped  up  in, 
 praise.  At  the  first  glance  it  is  similar  to  the 
 words  of  the  prophet  Jehu  to  king  Jehoshaphal, 
 "Nevertheless  there  are  good  things  found  in 
 thee,  in  that  thou  hast  taken  away  the  groves 
 cut  of  the  land,  and  hast  prepared  thine  heart 
 to  seek  God"  (2  Chron.  xix.  3);  but  here 
 there  is  much  more  grace,  But  ihis  thou  hast, 
 that  thou  hatest  the  deeds  of  the  Nicolaitanes. 
 which  I  also  hate.  Their  fail  from  first  love 
 was  not  so  deep  and  incurable  but  that  their 
 concurrent  zeal  against  those  who  had  still 
 more  deeply  fallen  might  be  acknowledged. 
 Thus,  the  Lord  says  here,  the  Nicolaitanes — 
 them  indeed  thou  shouldst  not  love,  and  in  false 
 love  tolerate.  Thy  hatred  against  their  false 
 works  is  good;  it  is  itself  something  that  may 
 help  thee  to  improvement  and  conversion  ;  for 
 it  is  something  remaining  of  thy  first  strength 
 and  purity.  The  epistle  makes  mention  of 
 this  matter  as  a  prop,  leaning  upon  which  the 
 fallen  may  rise  and  re-establish  themselves. 
 Again,  it  carefully  speaks  (more  precisely  than 
 the  Old  Testament,  e.  g.,  Psa.  cxxxix.  21,  22)  of 
 merely  hating  the  works,  and  not  the  persons. 
 These  Nicolaitanes,  whose  evil  works  are  plainly 
 manifest,  need  no  temptation  to  reveal  them, 
 as  the  ialse  Apostles  previously.  What  con- 
 cerns their  historical  relations,  the  learned  may 
 decide  when  they  can  ;  to  us  all  such  matters 
 are  subordinate.  Certainly  they  were,  as  vers. 
 14,  15  show,  a  kind  of  undisciplined  Gnostics 
 or  false  Theosophists,  who,  under  the  proud 
 pretext  of  higher  knowledge,  gave  the  reins  to 
 the  flesh,  and  perverted  the  grace  of  God  into 
 licentiousness.  Whether  the  name,  as  the 
 fathers  thought,  was  derived  from  their  foun- 
 der Nicolas  (him  mentioned  in  Acts  vi,  5) 
 can  neither  be  maintained  nor  denied  with  con- 
 fidence ;  but  it  appears  to  us,  as  compared  with 
 Jezebel,  ver.  20,  much  more  probable  that 
 Nicolaus  is  only  a  translation  of  Balaam  (ver. 
 14),  and  theretore  no  other  than  a  symbolical 
 name.  Bat  this  would  not  permit  us  to  say, 
 "That  sect  bore  in  prosaic  reality  the  name 
 of  Nicolaitanes" — for  had  "Jezebel"  a  name 
 corresponding  in  actual  fact?  We  think  that, 
 in  the  every  where  mysterious,  symbolical  style 
 of  the  Apocalypse,  where  besides  the  names  of 
 the  churches  no  other  historical  names  occur, 
 actual  "  Nicolaitanes,"  can  hardly  be  assumed  to 
 have  existed.  Nicolaus  means  "conqueror  of 
 the  people ; "  Balaam  "  seducer  of  the  people  :  "* 
 
 ♦  We  cannot  see  why,  according  to  Ewald  r.nd 
 Gesenius,  another  etymology  (the  latter  gives  ^^ 
 vot,  not  of  the  people,  a  stranger)  must  be  sought. 
 
 this  is  plain  enough  aa  the  signature  of  such 
 people,  of  whom  ver.  14  will  speak  more  par- 
 ticularly. We  only  add,  for  practical  use  and 
 application  :  Hate  thou  only  with  true  earnest- 
 ness all  abominations  of  the  fleshly,  impure, 
 proud — and  be  thou,  through  such  opposition, 
 warned  back  into  pure  and  holy  love  of  the 
 Spirit.  Deep  repentance  of  those  who  for  their 
 internal  bacuslidings  are  punished,  goes  hand 
 in  hand  with  the  abhorrence  of  the  sins  which 
 show  themselves  in  others.  Thou  hatest  what 
 /  also  hate — the  Lord  acknowledges,  probably 
 not  without  reference  to  that  Old-Testament 
 passage,  already  quoted,  in  which  Jehoshaphat 
 was  rebuked — Shouldst  thou  help  the  ungodly 
 and  love  them  that  hate  the  Lord?  But  the 
 Lord  does  not  hate  those  who  hate  him;  but, 
 as  he  commands  us,  only  their  works. 
 
 The  promise  to  the  overcomer — so  suggestively 
 the  same  in  form  throughout,  yet  varying  in 
 each  case  the  matter — is  the  conclusion  of  all 
 the  epistles — to  give  assurance  that  it  is  the 
 purpose  of  grace  to  inflict  salutary  chastisement 
 and  by  its  severest  threatenings  to  encourage 
 and  strengthen  the  soul  to  overcome  in  the 
 great  warfare.  This  evangelical  character  of 
 the  epistles  is  to  be  all  the  more  clearly  appre- 
 hended and  impressed  upon  the  mind,  becp.use 
 the  predominant  judicial  rigor  which  reigns 
 througliout  the  book  of  Revelation  must  by  it 
 be  interpreted  and  understood.  In  these  pro- 
 mises the  thou  every  where  ceases  ;  and  its 
 place  is  taken  by  the  "  whosoever,"  so  specifically 
 characteristic  of  our  Lord's  earthly  prophetic 
 office.  We  know  well  the  attractive  words — 
 Whosoever  Cometh  to  me  ;  whosoever  believeth 
 on  me;  whosoever  believeth  and  is  baptized  : 
 compare  Rev.  xxii.  17.  Whoso  heareth  ;  who- 
 soever will  come;  this  is  the  consoling  little 
 word  of  promise,  which  keeps  open  the  door  of 
 grace  to  every  man  to  the  end  of  time.  But 
 with  this  we  must  connect  another  whosoever, 
 which  establishes  the  condition,  and  makes 
 room  for  the  promise — Whosoever  hath  ears  to 
 hear,  let  him  hear.  This  word — also  a  usual 
 expression  of  the  Lord — occurs  in  the  first 
 epistles  before  the  concluding  promise  ;  in  the 
 last  four  before  it. 
 
 He  that  hath  an  car,  let  him  hear  tvhat  the 
 Spirit  saitk  unto  the  churches :  To  him  that 
 ocercometh  icill  I  give  to  eat  of  the  tree  of  life, 
 which  is  in  the  Paradise  of  my  God. 
 
 As  formerly  Jesus  demanded  for  his  faraliles 
 hearing  ears  in  order  to  understand  them,  so 
 here  in  his  figurative  prophetical  addresses. 
 The  expression  is  now  condensed  and  strength- 
 ened thereby  :  the  ear  is  more  solemnly  and 
 spiritually  spoken  of;  and  "to  hear"  is  not 
 now  added.  Whosoever  hath  the  ear  of  the 
 inner  man  opened  and  attentive  to  the  words 
 
 Furst  rightly  remarks  that  even  tor  the  name  of  a 
 place,  DypS'j  the  connected  form  Di'73  occurs  in 
 
 1  Chron.  vi.  55.  The  exposition  in  Hoimann,  that 
 the  angel's  wife  was  Jezebel,  and  consequently 
 her  true  name  sufficiently  well  known  to  liim,  ap- 
 pears to  us  too  historical  and  unapocalypticaL 
 
dl2 
 
 THE  EPISTLE  TO  EPHESUS. 
 
 of  God — whosoever  has  it  still  open,  or  opens 
 it  again — shall  in  every  epistle  hear  some- 
 thing for  himself;  for  each  of  them,  apart  from 
 its  special  significance  for  the  churches,  is  ad- 
 dressed lo  all  men  generallj-  and  in  common. 
 Let  us  not  deny  or  forget  the  specific  pro- 
 phetic meaning  ;  but  let  us  not,  while  investi- 
 gating that,  neglect  their  general  lessons,  which 
 would  be  the  greater  evil.  We  must  not  point 
 the  sentence  as  if  the  prefatory  address  referred 
 only  to  the  following  promise  ;  this  is  opposed 
 by  the  change  of  the  form  in  the  last  epistles. 
 All  that  proceeds  and  all  that  follows  must  be 
 heard  by  each,  because  the  Spirit  saith  it  to 
 the  churches.  This  hearing  is  ever  the  way  to 
 the  attainment  of  the  promised  reward  of  vic- 
 tory. Tlie  Sjiirit  saith — hereby  this  Inst  per- 
 sonal utterance  of  our  Lord  Jesus  from  heaven 
 passes  over  into  speaking  through  the  medium 
 of  the  Spirit,  as  it  continues  tnroughout  the 
 booic  ;  it  must  be  understood,  that  here  par- 
 ticularly the  Spirit  is  meant  as  the  Spirit  of 
 prophecy.  Probably,  he  who  appeared  as  in 
 chap.  i.  did  not  continue  to  dictate  the  epistles, 
 Btanding  visible  still  as  he  did  at  the  first,  but 
 uttered  the  words  more  inwardly  to  the  seer; 
 notwithotanding,  there  is  a  distinction  in  this 
 book  between  the  immediate  speaking  or  dic- 
 tating and  the  prophetic  inspiration  elsewhere. 
 Assuredly,  even  John  would  not  dare,  other- 
 wise than  by  express  inspiration  of  the  words, 
 to  send  to  the  churches  epistles  of  such  a  form 
 and  of  such  contents,  clothed  in  such  a  style  of 
 supreme  majesty.  Thus  it  was  only  transitional 
 and  intermediate  between  the  speaking  of  the 
 Lord  and  the  speaking  of  the  Spirit;  and  at 
 the  same  time  immediately  personal  in  its  par- 
 ticular kind. 
 
 The  Lord  speaks  of  overcoming  absolutely, 
 without  saying  whom  or  what;  just  as  else- 
 where— Ask  and  it  shall  be  given  !  without 
 reeding  to  specify  lohom  the  petitioner  is  to 
 ask.  The  Lord's  sayings  from  heaven  do  not 
 begin  an  altogether  new  language;  but  pre- 
 suppose the  style  of  thought  and  words  which 
 had  been  prevalent  in  his  Churcli  from  the 
 beginning.  The  overcoming  which  he  refers  to 
 stretches  beyond  death  ;  it  is  perfected  in  death, 
 as  the  common  language  of  the  world  in  Chris- 
 tendom lias  learned  to  say  of  the  departed — 
 He  has  conquered  all.  If  we  would  begin  here 
 at  the  close  of  Scripture  to  develope  the  mean- 
 ing of  this  sublime  expression — reaching  from 
 the  height  of  heaven  to  (he  deepest  abyss  of 
 hell — it  would  open  up  the  whole  of  inspired 
 revelation.  John  speaks  elsewhere  (1  John  v. 
 4)  ol  a  faith  which  overcometh  the  world;  in 
 bis  revelation  (chap.  xii.  11)  we  read  of  an 
 overcoming  of  Satan  ;  comp.  1  John  xi.  14. 
 But  the  world  and  Satan  are  also  within  us 
 through  sin ;  we  overcome  them,  however, 
 through  the  might  of  him  who  hath  loved  us 
 and  overcome  for  us — thus  the  final  promise  in 
 the  seventh  epistle  holds  out  lo  the  Church 
 which  had  sunk  the  lowest  the  same  prize  of 
 the  highest  victory.  This  first  promise  does 
 not  extend  to  far  as  that  lost;  it  begins  with 
 
 that  first  thing  which  the  Lord  promised  to 
 the  thief  on  the  cross,  the  bliss  of  Paradise  re- 
 opened by  his  death,  that  is,  the  blessedness  of 
 an  uninterrupted  life  in  God's  presence.  The 
 expression  is  figurative  so  far  as  it  is  derived 
 from  the  primitive  history;  but  there  is  a 
 mysterious  reality  corresponding  to  it  in  the 
 heavenly  regions,  as  2  Cor.  xii.  4  gives  us  to 
 understand.  Who  will  venture  to  say  more, 
 when  Paul  could  not  utter  the  unspeakable 
 words?  "The  Paradise*  of  my  God"  (accord- 
 ing to  the  right  reading)  is  spoken  by  Carist  as 
 the  forerunner  and  first-born  according  to  his 
 humanity ;  compare  chap.  iii.  2,  12.  This 
 manner  of  speech  is — excepting  John  xx.  17 — 
 peculiar  to  the  Apocalypse,  in  which  it  is  re- 
 markable (as  Bengel  has  observed)  that,  while 
 sometimes  the  Father  of  Christ  is  mentioned, 
 God  is  never  called  "  Father"  as  addressed  by 
 men;  and  he  himself  promises  to  be  their  Ood, 
 chap.  xxi.  3,  only  as  the  fulfillment  of  the  Old- 
 Testament  word.  This  has  its  reason  in  the 
 profound  reverence  and  the  holy  rigor  of  the 
 spiritual  combatants  to  whom  this  book  is 
 written;  and  also  in  the  return  to  Old-Testa- 
 ment phraseology,  which  is  thus  made  to  coin- 
 cide with  the  New.  The  wood  or  the  treef  of  life 
 in  Paradise  glances  forward  by  anticipation  to 
 the  close  of  the  whole,  chap.  xxii.  2,  14-19;  as 
 almost  all  the  objects  of  the  promises  at  the 
 end  of  the  epistles  re-appear  later  in  the  book: 
 the  second  death,  chap.  xx.  6,  14,  xxi.  8  ;  the 
 new  name,  chap.  xiv.  1  ;  power  over  the  na- 
 tions, chap.  XX.  4  (xii.  5)  ;  the  white  garment, 
 chap.  vii.  9,  13;  the  book  of  life,  chap.  xiii. 
 8;  the  new  Jerusalem,  chap.  xxi.  ;  the  sit- 
 ting upon  the  throne,  chap.  v.  As  the 
 manna,  ver.  17,  is  termed  hidden,  so  the  sure 
 interpretation  of  all  these  glorious  realities 
 is  reserved  for  experience  ;  but  when  that  ex- 
 perience comes,  they  will  most  abundantly  re- 
 veal their  meaning.  We  have  only  one  more 
 remark  to  make,  that  the  promise  in  every 
 epistle  is  chosen  with  appropriate  reference  to 
 the  condition  and  conflict  of  the  church  ad- 
 dressed ;  so  here  the  paradisaical  fruit  of  the 
 tree  of  life  is  opposed  to  the  forbidden  fruits 
 of  fleshly  lust  with  which  the  Nicolaitanes 
 were  swollen.  That  in  these  epistles  the  clear- 
 est, most  penetrating  words  of  ordinary  preach- 
 ing and  teaching  are  bound  up  with  the  most 
 mysterious  enigmas,  sinking  deep  into  the  trea- 
 sures of  divine  revelation  Irom  the  beginning, 
 is  the  necessary  result  of  the  royal  style  which 
 is  impressed  upon  them  as  coming  from  the 
 throne.  The  Spirit  reveals  their  meaning,  ac- 
 cording to  our  capacity  and  our  need,  in  pre- 
 sentiments which  cannot  be  translated  into 
 plain  exposition,  and  are  not  the  prerogative 
 of  everv  man. 
 
 ♦  There  can  bo  no  reference  here  admitted  to 
 the /our/-  Paradise  in  Hades  (which  aljiie  the  thief 
 could  understand  at  fiist,  whatever  other  menning 
 was  in' hided.)  Compare  ray  exposition  of  Luk.o 
 xxiii.  43. 
 
 \  The  Sept  in  Genesis  has  ^iXov^ 
 
REV.  II.  8-11. 
 
 913 
 
 And  unto  the  angel  of  the  church  in  Smyrna 
 write  :  These  things  saith  the  first  and  the  last, 
 which  ivas  dead,  and  is  alive.* 
 
 This  IS  the  briffest  among  the  epistles,  as  that 
 to  Thyatira  is  the  longest.  So,  Smyrna  re- 
 ceives no  blame,  Philadelphia  alone  standing 
 Tvith  her  in  this.  To  the  persecuted  martyr 
 church,  suffering  unto  death,  it  is  enough  to 
 say— Be  thou  faithful.  For,  if  for  their  puri- 
 fication after  falling  from  the  first  love  tribula- 
 tion and  shame  canse  upon  them,  this  of  itself 
 was  punishment  enough,  and  the  Lord  has 
 nothing  but  consolation  to  give.  Smyrna  is 
 chosen  as  the  type  of  such  a  condition  of  the 
 Church  .  her  name  {myrrh)  speaking  of  the 
 bitterness  of  suffering,  but  also  of  balsam  and 
 costly  incense,  yea,  of  the  anointing  and  adorn- 
 ing of  the  bride,  according  to  the  Song  of  Solo- 
 mon (chap.  iii.  6,  v.  5).  Smyrna  was  in  John's 
 time  an  important  place,  though  not  equal  to 
 Ephesus  ;  she  is  the  only  one  of  the  seven  which 
 remains  to  this  day,  more  flourishing  and  larger 
 than  in  the  time  of  the  Apocalypse:  hence 
 there  is  no  removal  of  the  candlestick  prefigur- 
 ed in  her.  She  has  four  Christian  churches  ; 
 since  1759  has  had  the  labors  of  evangelical 
 missionaries,  and  is  now  a  central  mission  sta- 
 tion ;  as  if  this  new  blooming  in  the  midst  of 
 the  prostrate  East  would  speak  of  the  imperish- 
 able crown  of  victorious  life. 
 
 To  Ihe  church  thus  pointed  lo  suffering 
 and  death  the  Lord  exhibits  himself  as  the 
 Conqueror  who  pressed  through  death  into  life. 
 The  words  which  first  accompanied  the  "  Fear 
 not!"  to  the  seer  are  here  most  filly  repro- 
 duced ;  the  former  part  of  the  sublime  title  is 
 unchanged — The  first  and  the  last  (finally  re- 
 curring m  this  book,  chap.  xxi.  6,  xxii.  13) ; 
 the  second  part,  which  speaks  of  dying  and  liv- 
 ing, is  condensed  with  heightened  majesty  into 
 fewer  words.  He  who  in  his  divinity  was  the 
 first  before  the  foundation  of  the  world,  and  who 
 as  also  the  last  will  remain  the  same  with  and 
 after  the  last,  will  maintain  the  victory  through 
 bis  hand  and  power  for  his  people  ;  he  who  in 
 his  humanity,  assumed  for  all  eternity,  was  for 
 one  short  .space  dead,  and  now  liveth  again  as 
 the  God-7aan,  the  first  who  lived  again  from 
 death  for  all.  He  may  well  require  fidelity 
 unto  death  in  order  to  the  promised  crown  of 
 lif^.  Some  would  here  distinguish,  and  say 
 that  in  chap.  i.  17,  18  he  calls  himself  the  liv- 
 ing in  fjnle  of  death,  while  here  he  liveth  again 
 after  death.  But  this  is  artificial  ;  it  scarcely 
 harmonizes  with  the  original;  and  somewhat 
 disturbs  the  strong  emphasis  of  the  pregnant 
 reality — the  having  been  dead  of  the  Living 
 One.  He  ivas  dead:  this  retains  indeed  is 
 continuous  truth,  as  we  continually  celebrate 
 it  in  the  sacrament,  and  is  the  theme  of  the  new 
 Bong  to  the  Lamb  that  was  slain  ;  but,  at  the 
 Bame  time,  we  cannot  too  confidently  and  too 
 thankfully  mingle  with  our  Passion  thoughts  the 
 
 ♦The  xaidSov  ^c^v  £//a' appears  to  us  quite 
 the  same  as  the  xai  e^rfGev — in  both  cases  there 
 is  a  contrast  with  the  actual  yenpoi. 
 
 great  truth  that  the  limng  was  dead  and  is  alivs 
 again.  An  effeminate  and  sentimental  Mora- 
 vian dealing  with  the  suffering  and  dying 
 Lord  would  have  been  very  distasteful  to  the 
 Apostles  and  the  early  Church  ;  the  New-Tes- 
 tament Scriptures  give  it  neither  approbation 
 nor  nourishment. 
 
 I  know  thyworJcs,  and  tribulation,  and  pov- 
 erty (but  thou  art  rich)  ;  and  I  know  the 
 blasphemy  of  them  which  say  tJiey  are  Jews, 
 and  are  not,  but  are  the  synagogue  of  Satan. 
 
 This  recurring  testimony  I  know  is  so  beau- 
 tifully expounded  by  Bengel  that  we  must  here 
 at  least  quote  his  words.  "  We  go  from  one 
 hour  to  another,  from  one  day  and  year  to 
 another,  and  what  is  once  fairly  past  in  our 
 doing,  and  omitting,  and  suffering,  is  scarcely 
 regarded  by  us  any  more  :  it  is  like  water  that 
 has  flowed  away.  But  into  the  omniscience 
 of  Christ  all  things  are  taken  up."  Yes,  in- 
 deed, the  God-man  related  to  us  as  the  first 
 and  the  last  preserves  in  his  thought  the 
 works  which  are  forgotten  by  U3,  works 
 whether  of  first  love  or  of  unfaithfulness;  he 
 knows  beforehand  our  future  sufferings  as  well 
 as  our  past,  and  makes  concerning  all  things 
 his  gracious  appeal  to  our  souls.  In  this  second 
 epistle  there  is  a  strengthening  of  the  expres- 
 sion (which,  omitted  in  the  third,  continues 
 through  the  rest; — thy  icorks,  "  thy,"  that  is, 
 being  put  first  wiih  specific  emphasis.  The 
 criticism  of  Tischendorf,  so  rigidly  tied  to  the 
 manuscripts,  maintains  that  "the  words"  are 
 an  interpolation  here  and  at  ver.  13,  in  order 
 to  make  all  the  epistles  uniform.  Were  this 
 so,  there  would  indeed  be  a  very  significant 
 connection  with  the  preceding  words — I,  who 
 was  dead,  know  well  by  ray  own  experience 
 thy  tribulation.  Now,  as  respects  ver.  13,  our 
 internal  criticism  cannot  dispense  with  the 
 knowledge  of  the  works  coming  first  (for  the 
 mere  "where  thou  dwellest"  is  not  a  suffi- 
 ciently emphatic  object  of  the  knowledge;  nor 
 is  it  a  sharp  enough  antithesis  to  the  hut,  of 
 ver.  14)  ;  and  when  we  find  in  the  uncontested 
 text  of  ver.  19,  "  I  know  thy  works"  standing 
 before  four  other  words  ending  with  "works" 
 again,  we  cannot  but  conclude  that  our  Lord's 
 purpose  was  to  express  this  seven  times  con- 
 secutively with  unchanged  emphasis.  But  the 
 word  must  be  understood  after  the  analogy  of 
 scriptural  language,  and  not  as  we  might  speak 
 in  an  insolated  manner  of  "  works."  Smyrna 
 presented  her  works  to  the  Lord  in  sufferings: 
 this  is  here  the  pregnant  meaning.  If  her 
 angel  might  say  in  tribulation  and  poverty— 
 "  Fain  would  I  also  perform  good  works,  but, 
 alas  !  cannot ;"  the  Lord  testifies  on  the  con- 
 trary— "  Thou  art  rich  in  works  of  patience, 
 which  are  indeed  the  severest  and  the  best." 
 Poverty  must  here  be  understood  of  external 
 need  ;  and  we  have  record  elsewhere  of  the 
 poor  state  of  the  Christians  generally  in  Smyrna. 
 Moreover,  the  rich  among  them  took  joyluUy 
 the  spoiling  of  their  goods  in  the  persecution 
 (Heb.  X.  34) — and  the  Lord's  assurance  meets 
 them  in  love,  But  thou  art  rich.     For  the  better 
 
M 
 
 THE  EPISTLE  TO  SMYRNA. 
 
 and  enduring  substance  in  heaven,  which  the 
 poor  and  the  plundered  already  possessed, 
 niaketh  the  poor  rich  ;  so  we  read  2  Cor.  v.  10, 
 James  ii.  5  ;  and  the  Lord  himself  opposes  to 
 the  heaping  up  of  treasures  the  being  rich  to- 
 wards God.  But,  if  we  ask  further  whether 
 Smyrna  was  joyfully  conscious  of  these  riches, 
 theanswer  must,  we  think,  be  in  the  negative  ; 
 and  this  gives  occasion  to  remark,  tl)at  tlie 
 poverty  must  be  meant,  at  the  same  time,  of 
 spiritual  tribulation,  oppression,  and  abase- 
 ment. Those  persecuted  unto  death  have  not 
 been  hasty — with  all  their  faith  in  the  midst  of 
 the  fires — with  the  triumphant  note,  "But  we 
 are  the  heirs  of  the  kingdom,  the  elect  of  God." 
 So  far  Smyrna  exhibits  to  us  the  opposite 
 counterparL  of  Laodicea.  "  Thou  sayest,  I  am 
 rich,  and  knowest  not  how  poor  thou  art " — has 
 an  evil  soand.  But  "  I  know,  thy  poverty, 
 in  which  thou  art  rich" — is  precious  in  the 
 Lord's  lips  for  them  and  for  us. 
 
 Tribulation  and  poverty  are  followed  by 
 shame  ;  but  that  shame  is  an  honor.  For  the 
 adversaries  hlamheme  in  a  two-fold  manner: 
 they  scorn  the  Lord  himself  in  his  people  ;  and 
 they  wickedly  assume  to  be  his  true  people 
 themselves.  The  presuming  Jews  are  intro- 
 duced again,  chap.  iii.  9,  in  Philadelphia,  and 
 there,  more  evidently  than  here,  in  the  far- 
 reaching  meaning  of  the  symbolical  word.  In 
 the  first  history  they  were  actually  Jews  who 
 generally  appear  as  the  main  authors  of  perse- 
 cution (I  Thess.  ii.  15,16);  Eusebius,  when 
 he  relates  the  martyrdom  of  Polycarp  and  other 
 Christians,  tells  us  that  they  were  so  in  Smyrna 
 itself.  That  these  Jews  were  rather  Satan's 
 children  and  instruments,  the  Lord  himself  once 
 told  them,  John  viii.  4-1:  ;  here  they  are  called 
 the  congregation  or  church,  the  synagogue  of 
 Satan — instead  of  the  lost,  and  now  blasphe- 
 mously self-asserted,  title  of  "  the  congregation 
 of  the  Lord,"  which  they  had  in  the  Old  Testa- 
 ment fcomp.  Psa.  xxvi.  4,  xxii.  17).  Not  with- 
 out design  is  the  word  "synagogue"  chosen, 
 in  order  to  meet  the  Jwlaizing,  still  so  called, 
 of  all  futurity.*  But  the  words  point  still 
 further,  and  are  not  less  on  that  account  spoken 
 in  prophetic  type.  It  is  no  more  than  a  use- 
 less contention  of  the  expositors,  whether  they 
 were  properly  Jews  or  not,  the  former 
 holds  good  of  the  history  itself,  but  as  a  figure 
 the  latter.  Christianity  alone  was  from  that 
 lime  the  essential  fulfillment,  the  consummate 
 truth  of  Judaism;  the  abiding  perversion  of 
 which  blasphemously  still  terms  the  way,  to 
 which  the  law  and  the  prophets  pointed,  heresy 
 and  a  sect  (Acts  xxiv.  14).     The  Jew  in  his 
 
 •  In  the  0.  T.  we  have  InKXi/dia  for  nin'  JTiy 
 
 or  nin'  bnp  (in  Neh.  xiii.  1  D'H^NH  Snpj  and 
 
 Exod.  xii.  3  ^X"lt^^   bT^p)  especially  in  Cliron., 
 
 Ezra,  Nehemiali  (as  ea  lier  in  Deut.  xxiii.  1-3, 
 XXX.  1-10 ;  1  Kings,  viii.  14,  22).  On  the  otlier 
 hand,  in  such  most  ancient  passaues  as  Exfi<l. 
 xii.  3,  Numb.  xvi.  3,  xx  4,  ixvii.  17,  the  N.  T, 
 6vvayo3/t}. 
 
 inner  reality,  in  which  the  prophetic  signifi- 
 cance of  the  name  Judah  (Gen.  xlix.  8,  xxix. 
 35)  first  finds  its  full  propriety,  whose  2>/-aae  is 
 not  of  men,  but  of  God — the  same  Apostle  tells 
 us  in  the  Epistle  to  the  Romans  who  he  is 
 (chap.  ii.  28,  29).  Thus,  so  far  as  Smyrna 
 furnishes  the  type  of  a  condition  and  a  period 
 of  the  Church  in  which  the  Lord's  people,  in 
 poverty  and  lowliness,  without  power  and 
 authority  in  this  world,  without  the  help  of  a 
 fleshly  arm,  are  given  up  to  the  suffering  of 
 shame  and  persecution  even  unto  death — the 
 persecuting  false  Church  must  be  intended  by 
 the  false  Judaism,  as  far  as  regards  the  later 
 period  of  that  position  and  character.  For  the 
 Smyrna  period,  although  it  is  clearly  stamped 
 as  a  time  immediately  after  the  apostolical, 
 yet  both  stretches  backwards  into  this  latter, 
 and  simultaneously  goes  onwards  into  later 
 periods.  This  is  the  only  exposition  which  will 
 satisfy  the  whole  case. 
 
 Fear  none  of  those  things  which  thou  shalt 
 suffer  :  behold,  the  devil  shall  cast  some  of  yon 
 into  innson,  that  ye  may  be  tried ;  and  ye  shall 
 have  tribulation  ten  days :  be  thou  faithful 
 unto  death,  and  I  icill  give  thee  a  crown  of  life. 
 
 Smyrna,  ihe  church  of  the  martyrs,  receives 
 enough  in  that  one  word — Fear  not ;  be  faith- 
 ful !  because  he  who  utters  it  had  overcome 
 death  as  the  Forerunner,  and  brought  eternal 
 life  to  light.  Even  the  historical  Smyrna 
 shines  in  history  with  the  glory  of  her  crown- 
 ed martyrs,  among  whom  Polycarp  is  pre- 
 eminent, the  pupil  of  John,  who  was  executed 
 A.  D.  167.  But  to  regard  Polycarp  as  himself 
 the  "  angel "  is  an  error ;  for  he  had  scarcely 
 at  this  early  period  any  prominence  in  the 
 Church,  and  certainly  could  not  have  held  that 
 which  was  afterwards  called  the  otHceof  bishop. 
 Our  translation — Thou  shalt  suffer,  the  devil 
 shall  cast  into  prison — is  still  stronger  in  the 
 original ;  It  is  appointed,  it  must  be  so.  That 
 which  the  divine  counsel,  here  announced  be- 
 forehand, will  wisely  permit,  is  not  to  be  fear- 
 ed, for  it  will  issue  not  in  destruction  but  in  vic- 
 tory: therefore  the  first  strong  words — Fear 
 rtone  of  those  things  !  It  is  indeed  the  devil, 
 the  wicked  enemy  and  persecutor  in  his  instru- 
 ments, who  opposes  the  people  of  God  ;  but 
 there  is  already  a  consolation  in  this,  that 
 they  have  him  for  an  enemy  who  assaulted 
 their  Lord  and  Forerunner,  who  was  judged  by 
 him  on  behalf  of  his  people,  and  who  can 
 move  no  further  than  is  permitted  to  him. 
 Satan  and  Dtvil,  the  two  names  of  the  evil 
 one,  according  to  his  spirit  and  his  act: 
 "  Satan  "  signifies  enemy  and  opposer  in  prin- 
 ciple, according  to  the  Jewish  phrase,  and 
 hence  it  is  used  first  with  reference  to  the 
 Jews;  "devil,"  in  Greek  phrase,  indicates  his 
 blasphemy,  persecution,  accusation,  and  stands 
 here  in  connection  with  the  work  which  he 
 wrought  by  the  Gentiles  at  the  instigation  of 
 the  Jews,  lie  will  not  cast  all  together  into 
 prison,  but  many  from  among  you — we  have 
 already  obesrved  how  this  shows  that  the  an- 
 gel of  the  church,  as  such,  would  have  not 
 
REV.  11.  S-11. 
 
 915 
 
 been  in  harmony  with  the  heart-penetrating 
 ■style  of  these  epistles,  and  consequently  that 
 every  church  was  with  profound  propriety 
 viewed  as  exhibited  in  one  person.  Further, 
 the  suffering  and  the  test  affect  the  whole 
 Church,  if  some  of  her  members  are  impris- 
 oned and  slain.  That  ye  may  be  tried,  tested, 
 and  proved :  this  is  less  the  devil's  design, 
 that  they  may  be  ashamed  in  the  test  (Luke 
 xxii.  31) — than  the  design  of  God's  per- 
 mission and  appointment,  who  will  crov/n 
 those  who  are  proved  (1  Pet.  iv.  12).* 
 To  the  previous  tribulation,  already  men- 
 tioned in  ver.  9,  there  is  to  be  added  a 
 tribulation  of  imprisonment;  but  this  will 
 have  its  short  and  measured  period,  and  its 
 happy  issue.  Ten  daya  — this  we  must  not  in 
 the  ordinary  manner  take  as  a  round  num- 
 ber for  a  brief  space  ;  all  these  well-adjusted 
 words  have  something  below  the  surface. 
 Whether  any  portion  of  the  church  in  Smyr- 
 na suffered  ten  actual  days  of  imprisonment, 
 can  neither  be  proved  nor  contradicted  ;  but  a 
 ten  days'  tribulation  seems  to  us  too  slight  for 
 the  express  prediction,  accompanied  by  the 
 earnest  preface — Fear  none  of  these  things  I 
 To  endure  ten  days,  and  more  than  ten  days' 
 imprisonment,  was  at  that  time  a  very  fre- 
 quent calamity  of  the  Christians.  Thus  we 
 are  constrained,  in  this  strikingly  significant 
 term  for  Smyrna,  as  often  afterwards  in  this 
 book  of  prophecy,  to  observe  a  prophetic 
 meaning  underlying  the  number.  It  is  ob- 
 vious enough  to  think  of  the  ten  great  perse- 
 cutions which  have  been  reckoned,  from  the 
 earliest  time  downwards,  as  taking  place  be- 
 tween Nero  and  Diocletian,  whose  most  severe 
 persecution,  again,  lasted  ten  years  ;  and  this 
 would  give  us  incidental  evidence  that  the 
 book  was  written  under  Nero.  Yet,  whatever 
 may  be  the  fact  with  regard  to  these  uncertain 
 historical  circumstances,  the  general  meaning 
 of  this  word  will  assure  us  that  all  times 
 of  tribulation  are  measured  before  the  Lord, 
 and  that  they  will  be  cut  short  for  salvation 
 (Matt.  rxiv.  22). 
 
 Whether  this  deliverance  from  imprison- 
 ment, from  the  tribulation  of  the  ten  days, 
 should  issue  in  life  or  death,  was  not  to  be 
 matter  of  anxiety  to  them  ;  their  duty  was  to 
 fear  nothing  and  be  faithful.  "  In  the  words, 
 Be  faithful  unto  death  and  I  will  give  thee  the 
 crown  of  life,  there  is  so  gracious  and  sparing 
 a  pre-announcement  of  death,  that  death  is 
 not  seen ;  being  in  the  one  clause  covered  by 
 the  fidelity,  and  in  the  other  by  the  crown" 
 (Ricger).  It  may  indeed  be  said  that  death 
 is  included  in  this  "unto;"  but  in  death  itself 
 fidelity  is  no  more  wanted,  and  such  a  death 
 demonstrates  itself  to  be  death  no  more.  Thus 
 it  is  unto,  altogether  as  in  Matt.  xxtv.  13,  x. 
 22,  unto  the  end.  Smyrna  receives  the  an- 
 nouncement of  the  coming  of  the  Lord,  which 
 is  wanting  in  none  of  the  epistles,  only  in  this 
 
 ♦  Thus  the  iva  TtetpocSQijre  gives  the  ground 
 of  the  jueXXsii  and  MeXXei, 
 
 gracious  form  with  reference  to  every  indi- 
 vidual, to  every  one  of  whom  in  death  the 
 Lord  comes  with  the  crown  of  life  (compare  to 
 Thyatira,  ver.  25,  "until  I  come,"  connected 
 with  the  threatening  of  ver.  23,  "I  will  give 
 to  every  one  of  you  according  to  your  works  ") ; 
 Laodicea,  on  the  contrary,  receives  it  in  the 
 strongest  and  sharpest  form  of  the  expression 
 — "I  will  sjme  thee  out,"  which  is  then  again 
 softened  by  the  gentler  invitation—"  I  stand 
 at  the  door  and  knock."  Further,  it  is  only 
 for  Smyrna,  the  church  which  is  to  be  greatly 
 comforted,  that  the  promise  to  the  overcomer 
 begins  at  once  with  the  universal  anticipating 
 crown*  This  is,  indeed,  in  a  specific  sense  the 
 victor-crown  of  the  witnesses  unto  blood,  of 
 which  the  very  name  of  the  _first  martyr  of 
 Christ  (Stei'hanus  means  wreath  or  crown)  was, 
 as  it  were,  a  prophecy;  but  this  expression, 
 well-known  among  the  Christian  congregations 
 (1  Cor.  ix.  25,  pointing  to  the  figure  before;  1 
 Pet.  V.  4,  the  unfading  crown  of  glory  ;  James 
 i.  12,  as  here,  the  crown  of  life),  embraces,  at 
 the  same  time,  generally,  the  reward  of  all  ap- 
 proved conquerors,  as  Paul  speaks  in  2  Tim. 
 iv.  7,  8  with  due  humility  of  this  crown  oj 
 rigteousness :  the  righteous  Judge  will  give  'it 
 not  to  me  alone,  but  to  all  who  love  his  ap- 
 pearing. A  crown  of  life  he  gives  imme- 
 diately after  death  to  those  who  die  saved, 
 to  those  who  are  confirmed  in  victory;  but 
 only  as  the  pledge  of  that  crown  of  honor  or 
 glory  in  consummate  eternal  life  which  he  will 
 give  in  the  day  of  his  appearing,  according  to 
 both  Peter  and  Paul. 
 
 He  that  hath  an  ear,  let  him  hear  ichat  the 
 S2}irit  saitk  unto  the  churches :  He  titat  over- 
 cometh  shall  not  be  hurt  of  the  second  death. 
 What  "  ear  "  instead  of  "  ears  "  means  we  have 
 already  shown  ;  but  take  occasion  now  to  op- 
 pose Bengel's  erroneous  notion :  "  What  is 
 said  loudly  is  heard  with  both  ears  ;  what  is 
 spoken  into  the  ear  is  secret."  This  is  to  us 
 unsatisfactory  ;  for,  notwithstanding  the  mys- 
 teries which  are  intermixed,  the  Spirit  cries 
 aloud  in  these  epistles  to  the  churches  with  the 
 clearest,  most  awakening,  and  heart-searching 
 words ;  words  which  have  been  popularly  ap- 
 plied, and  universally  preached  about,  in  every 
 age  of  the  Church.  To  "have  an  ear"  for 
 what  the  Spirit  saith  is  rather  an  intensifica- 
 tion than  a  weakening  of  the  saying;  since  it 
 requires  the  same  spiritual  "  hearing"  for  the 
 understanding  and  acceptance  of  these  exhor- 
 tations, threatenings,  and  promises,  which  those 
 parables  of  our  Lord  required,  for  which  the 
 Lord  demanded  hearing  ears. 
 
 The  concluding  promise  for  Smyrna  not  only 
 is,  like  the  whole  letter,  of  the  shortest,  but  its 
 lowered  and  negative  form  seems  scarcely  in 
 harmony  with  the  gracious,  unraingled  com- 
 mendation. When,  however,  we  look  at  it 
 more  carefully,  the  negation  will  be  seen  to  be 
 
 *  It  is  something  different  when  the  while  gar- 
 ments are  appropriated  to  only  a  few,  in  the  epis- 
 I  tie  to  Sardis,  chap.  iii.  4. 
 
THF.  EPISTLE  TO  PERGAMOS. 
 
 most  positivs  and  full,  like  the  sublime  words 
 before  the  resurrection  of  Lazarus — He  that 
 liveth  and  believeth  in  meshaMmverdie.  As- 
 suredly, for  this  martyr  church  this  was  the 
 undertone  of  the  words — Though  ihQ  first  death 
 may  have  hurt  him,  yet  he  that  overcometh 
 shall  not  be  hurt  of  the  second.  But  must  we 
 not  all  die,  must  we  not  all  press  into  life  by 
 overcoming  death?  This,  therefore,  is  no  es- 
 pecial bitterness  for  Smyrna;  the  Lord  rather 
 means  the  same  comforting  and  stimulating 
 word  which  he  once  spoke  upon  earth  :  Fear 
 not  them  who  can  kill  the  body,  and  nftericards 
 have  Jio  more  that  they  can  do  (Luke  xii.  4). 
 That  is,  if  in  ver.  5  of  that  chapter  the  es- 
 sential enemy  who  is  behind  men — that  is, 
 Satan  himself — is  meant,  who  hath  power  and 
 authority  to  cast  into  his  own  hell,  that  worse 
 imprisonment,  and  therefore  is  to  be  feared ; 
 so  here  for  the  strong  encouragement  of  those 
 who  are  faithful  and  overcome  it  is  intimated 
 — This  Satan  shall  have  nothing  more  that  he 
 can  do  against  you.  The  serond  death  is  a  name 
 of  eternal  damnation  which  occurs  among  the 
 Chaldee  translators  and  the  Rabbins  ;*  but 
 throughout  the  Scripture  ordy  in  the  Apoca- 
 lypse. But  it  so  clearly  shuts  out  any  such 
 prospect  of  a  future  restoration,  as  has  been 
 found  in  this  "  hard  mystery,"  that  we  are 
 constrained  to  leave  it  in  all  its  horrors,  and 
 dare  not  seek  for  any  light  beyond  it.  This 
 glance  forward  to  the  terrific  end  of  the  second 
 death  is  the  antithesis  of  the  paradise  of  the 
 promise  of  Ephesus  ;  but  it  is  opened  only  for 
 the  gracious  excitement  and  invigoration  of 
 those  to  whom  it  is  said — To  them  that  over- 
 cometh no  harm  shall  happen  from  him  ;  he 
 shall  have  no  more  than  he  can  do  If  Whether 
 here  already  for  the  martyrs  the  lirst  resurrec 
 tion  is  indicated,  as  it  comes  forward  promi 
 nently  in  chap.  xx.  6,  we  much  doubt,  since 
 there,  as  here,  pre-eminence  cs.nnot  be  intimated 
 in  that  which  will  hold  good  of  all  the  saved — 
 the  second  death  (vers.  14,  15  in  chap,  xx.) 
 hath  no  power  over  them.  But  this  has  more 
 significance,  when  we  compare  the  other,  final 
 passage,  chap.  xxi.  8,  where,  in  contrast  with 
 this  fidelity  and  its  reward,  ihefcarful,  that  is, 
 those  who  hold  not  out  in  the  conflict,  are 
 threatened  with  the  second  death. 
 
 And  to  the  anr/el  of  the  church  in  Pcrcfamos 
 write:  These  things  sa.th  he  tchich  hath  the 
 sharp  sword  ivith  two  edges. 
 
 Of  this  then-existing  church  we  know  nothing 
 in  particular,  and  are  therefore  commended  to 
 a  consideration  of  the  character  assigned  to  it, 
 and  of  its  prophetic  significance.     Fergamos,  a 
 
 *  Lent,  xxxiii.  6.     Let  not  Reul)en  die  ;  Chald 
 
 N3n.     similarly,  Isa.  xxii.  14,  the  Clialdec  bring.s 
 
 iii  tlio  sani<»  ^yir\  NjIIO— ind  Rashi  says  upon 
 't-  K3n   C^iy^.     K.inclii  cites  still  more  plainly 
 
 Nan  oisiya  :^•DJ  nn'o- 
 
 t  Ou  fn)  aSiHr/Or/,  as  in  Luk"  x.  19,  ovdey 
 
 not  insignificant  city  in  Illyra,  formerly  the 
 metropolis  of  a  kingdom  so  called,  contains  in 
 its  name  a  hint  which,  more  significantly  than 
 in  most  of  the  others,  corresponds  with  the 
 contents  of  the  epistle.  Castle  or  tower — indi- 
 cates the  period  and  character  of  the  church 
 which  exhibits  her  as  possessing  earthly  power  ; 
 but  is  a  time  of  temptation  and  danger  to  the 
 true  kernel  of  the  Church,  so  that  there  springs 
 up  the  indolence  which  does  not  resist  the  en- 
 trance of  impure  morals,  and  the  false  doctrine 
 on  which  they  are  based.  Why  the  Lord  here 
 in  particular  represents  himself  as  possessing 
 the  sharp  two-edged  sword  (chap.  i.  16),  is 
 easily  seen,  as  afterwards  explained  in  ver.  16 ; 
 and  even  with  specific  reference  to  the  history 
 of  Balaam,  from  whom  the  typical  designation, 
 vers.  14,  15,  of  him  that  defiled  and  seduced 
 the  Church  was  derived.  Thus  it  is  against 
 this  intermixture,  with  the  spirit  of  apostacy 
 creeping  in,  that  the  Lord  draws  his  cutting, 
 judging,  and  punishing  sword ;  in  which  it  is 
 obvious  further  to  understand — "  Hadst  thou 
 in  my  name  rightly  used  my  sword,  the  sword 
 of  the  Spirit,  the  judgment  of  my  sword  would 
 not  have  been  summoned  against  thee. "  Tak- 
 ing a  general  view  of  the  epistle  at  the  outset, 
 its  fundamental  traits  come  out  with  great  dis- 
 tinctness; that  is,  if  we  refrain  from  drawing 
 those  specific  parallels  with  church  history  of 
 later  times  which  have  led  so  many  expositors 
 astray.  The  seat  or  throne  even  of  the  same 
 Satan  from  whom  th6  persecution  came  to 
 Smyrna,  is  here  set  up:  the  God-opposing 
 power  of  this  world  is  predominant;  and,  as  we 
 shall,  alas  !  see,  has  entered  into  an  alliance 
 with  the  Church.  The  congregation  of  the 
 faithful  has  no  longer  martyrdom  before  it; 
 but  is  only  reminded  thereof,  as  of  something 
 past.  Then  formerly  there  had  been  no  denial ; 
 there  were  to  the  last  faithful  witnesses  unto 
 death.  But  now  the  stumblingblock  of  fellow- 
 ship with  idolatry  and  whoredom,  in  deference 
 to  worldly  power,  is  not  cast  out,  but  rather 
 tolerated  even  unto  open  doctrine.  All  this 
 suits  generally  the  character  which  the  Church 
 assumed  alter  the  persecution  ended  with  Con- 
 stantine;  and  especially  the  Eastern  Christi- 
 anity with  its  corrupted  imperial  court  under 
 a  Christian  title,  the  influence  of  which  was  to 
 bind  the  Church  under  a  bondage  of  corruption 
 and  inertness.  Wiiether,  moreover,  as  many 
 would  have  it,  the  period  of  Pergamos  stretches 
 only  to  Charlemagne,  or  further  on  into  the 
 developed  Pa[)acy,  is  hard  to  say ;  we  hold  that 
 these  periods  generally  pass  one  into  another, 
 as  respects  both  the  mind  of  the  Spirit  and  the 
 corresponding  his'ory,  and  that  they  should 
 not  be  limited  to  any  distinct  epochs. 
 
 1  hnoiv  thij  works,  and  where  thou  dwellest, 
 cren  where  Satan's  scat  is  ;  and  thou  holdest 
 fast  my  name,  and  hast  not  denied  my  faith, 
 even  in  those  days  wherein  Antipas  was  my 
 faithful  martyr,  ivho  was  slain  among  you 
 ichcre  Satan  dweUeth.  We  have  already  given 
 our  judgment  that  here  also  the  uniform  com- 
 mencement, "I  know  thy  works,"  is  genuine, 
 
KEV.  II.  12-17. 
 
 m 
 
 as  a  general  introductory  testimony.  While 
 the  Lord  must  blame  the  evil  works  of  Perga- 
 mos,  especially  her  laxity  in  controversy  with 
 error,  and  even  her  positive  defilement  with 
 that  which  was  indolently  permitted,  he  never- 
 theless begins  most  graciously,  as  in  the  case 
 of  Ephesus,  with  calling  to  remembrance  the 
 good  and  honorable  past,  which  had  still  its 
 value  in  his  eyes.  Still  more,  he  himself  finds 
 a  gentle  apology  for  them  in  their  perilous, 
 strongly-tempted  position — "I  know  this  also, 
 how  hard  is  thy  situation  and  trial."  How  gra- 
 ciously encouraging  to  his  people  in  similar 
 circumstances  always,  to  hear  him  saying,  "  I 
 know  tchere  Vwu  dwelled  !  "  Not  as  if  this  was 
 meant  as  a  justification  of  their  evil  conduct, 
 because  they  were  under  persecution  and  op- 
 pression;  but  condemnation  fails  less  heavily 
 upon  the  stranger  sojourning  in  Mesech  and  the 
 tents  of  Kedar  (Psa.  cxx.  5),  than  upon  him 
 who  dwells  among  the  people  of  God,  in  God's 
 own  house,  amidst  blessings  and  peace.  We 
 must  here  once  for  all  remsmber  that  these 
 epistles  are  not  directed  to  the  great  mass  of 
 nominal  Christians,  which  is  ever  increasing  as 
 ages  roll  along,  or  to  the  so  called  churches  ; 
 but  only  to  the  faithful  among  the  many,  the 
 society  which  actually  n;ore  or  less  holds  to  and 
 depends  upon  the  Lord.  This  becomes  an  im- 
 portant consideration  in  the  third  epistle,  and 
 retains  that  importance  throughout  all  the 
 remainder.  Hence  it  will  appear  what  Satan's 
 scat  means  in  its  prophetical  sense.  First, 
 indeed,  as  regards  the  then  Pergamos,  which 
 furnished  the  basis  of  the  symbol,  it  may  have 
 been  a  public  heathen  power,  through  which 
 Pergamos  attained,  in  its  degree,  to  the  emi- 
 nence of  a  metropolis  of  heathenism.  The  learn- 
 ed refer  to  the  then  celebrated  temple  oi  ^xu- 
 laphis,  the  "  healer  and  saviour  " — and  to  the 
 symbol  of  the  serpent*  as  still  connected  with 
 the  physician's  art.  Ebrard,  on  the  other  hand, 
 thinks  that  this  would  not  have  made  Per- 
 gamos worse  than  Diana's  temple  in  Ephesus 
 (Acts  xix.  27);  and  prefers  finding  Satan's 
 throne  in  the  court  of  judicature  for  the 
 Eoman  province  of  Asia,  which,  according  to 
 Pliny,  was  established  there.  However  that 
 may  l)e— and  we  can  feel  no  certainty  about  it 
 — the  prophetic  meaning,  which  takes  that  only 
 as  its  point  of  connection,  plainly  refers,  as 
 respects  the  period  of  the  Church  designated  by 
 Pergamos,  to  a  7io  longer  public  heathen  power, 
 but  a  throne  of  Satan  having  a  Christian 
 semblance  and  pretension.  For  thus  much  we 
 regard  as  certain,  that  the  epistles  in  some 
 sense  proceed  onwards  chronologically.  Con- 
 sequently, if  first  to  Ephesus  false  Apostles  were 
 mentioned,  and  then   to   Smyrna  false  Jews, 
 
 *  To  refer  this  to  Satan  is  petty,  and  croundless 
 accordiiis  to  tlie  double  meaning  of  tliis  .'symbol, 
 pood  nnd  l)ad,  which  had  existed  in  all  times. 
 The  title  'AdnXt^nioi  Gooryp  seems  more  remark- 
 able, as  the  heathenish  counter-power;  nnd  an 
 anc^entwriter  acttrally  cnlLs  the  city  klxz££8qoX.ov 
 inip  irjv  'ACiay  ndOav. 
 
 that  is  (as  we  saw)  false  Christians,  a  syna- 
 (jogne  of  Satan;  so  now,  according  to  the  under- 
 tone of  meaning,  in  the  still  increasing  devel- 
 opment of  corruption,  ih^  throne  of  Sal  an  must 
 mean  something  in  Christendom,  and  only 
 something  present  in  it.  We  have  already,  in 
 our  general  summary,  given  to  be  understood 
 whither  that  points  :"  it  is  the  wordly  mUhority 
 of  the  external  church,  politically  victorious 
 and  predominant,  judging  spiritual  matters  in 
 worldly  wise,  which— although,  according  to 
 chap.  xiii.  2,  the  throne  of  the  dragon  is  to  be 
 long  afterwards  first  established— the  Lord 
 beholds  from  heaven  as  being,  in  its  evil  depth 
 of  reality,  the  dominion  of  the  prince  of  this 
 world.  Compare  the  profound  saying,  Psa. 
 xciv.  20:  Wilt  thou  then  have  fellowship  with 
 the  seat  of  shame  (throne  of  corruption),  which 
 establisheth  mischief  as  law  (or  against  the 
 commandment)  ? 
 
 Intelligent  readers  will  understand  this  ;  and 
 will  discern  the  mischief  which,  in  its  manifold 
 forms  as  slate  Church  and  Church  state,  clung 
 to  the  system  of  salvation  and  co-existed  with 
 it.  The  community  dwelling  in  this  condition 
 has  praise  enough  first  accorded  :  Thou  boldest 
 yet  fast  my  name  (comp.  chap.  iii.  8),  with  all 
 that  it  contains,  and  hast  not  denied  my  faith. 
 The  not  denying  is  here  already  counted 
 worthy  of  commendation.  "  My  faith,"  that 
 is,  faith  in  me — but  not  in  the  sense  of  any 
 doctrine  of  faith  or  dogmatics,  as  if  (according 
 to  many  expositors)  the  Lord  would  praise 
 the  doctrinal  elaborations  and  contests  of  a 
 corresponding  period,  especially  those  of  the 
 Oriental  Church  ;  vvliile  liis  eyes  are  looking 
 every  where  for  a  very  different /ai'cVt  (Jer.  v. 
 1-3).  But  the  genuine  and  sound  faith  which 
 he  means,  as  the  source  of  all  works  valid  in 
 his  sight,  is  one  vi'\\.\\  fidelity  :  thus  Antipas  is 
 presently  termed  the  faithful  witness,  and 
 Smyrna  was  before  bidden  to  he  faithful.'^  Was 
 Antipas  a  historical  person  of  this  name  in 
 Pergamos?  The  Ilischherger  Bibel  says  cor- 
 rectly, that  "no  trace  has  remained  of  him  in 
 history;"  for  that  which  is  found  (in  the 
 Menologies)  concerning  one  of  that  name  who 
 suffered  martyrdom  under  Domitian,  is  without 
 trustworthiness,  probably  being  an  invention 
 founded  upon  this  passage,  and  further  em- 
 bellished. The  grave  pointed  out  there  is 
 certainly  one  of  these  deceptions.  It  is  pos- 
 sible, however,  that  there  was  an  "Antipas" 
 who  was  slain  in  Pergamos  for  the  Lord's  name's 
 sake;  and  the  mention  of  him  would  be  only 
 an  affecting  condescending  example  for  all  his 
 witnesses,  whom  he  knows  and  remembers. 
 But  still  it  would  be  the  only  historical  name 
 in  all  the  epistles — since  the  Nicolaitanes  and 
 Jezebel  are  not  such — and  that  would  appear 
 an  improbability.  Probably,  therefore,  it  is 
 only  a  typical  name,  intended  to  signify  gen- 
 erally the  individual  witnesses  unto  death  (for 
 the  expression  "  witness"  has  already  here  the 
 
 *  In  Greek,  TtiCrii  and  niGzoi  are  from  one 
 and  the  same  root. 
 
918 
 
 THE  EPISTLE  TO  PERGAMOS. 
 
 specific  meaning  of  "  martyr  ;"  comp.  Acts 
 xxii.  20).  Holding  this  firmly,*  we  find  the 
 meaning  of  the  name  (if  it  was  originally  an 
 abbreviation  of  Antipater,  that  does  not  hinder 
 the  prophetic  use  of  the  changed  form)  very 
 significant — Against  all,  one  who  stood  out 
 a<iainst  the  multitude  as  an  individual  faithful 
 confessor.  Such  an  Antipas,  as  we  understand 
 it.  has  more  than  once  been  slain  among  you, 
 wlure  Satan  dwelleth.  The  praise  which  began 
 now  returns  :  "  I  know  and  remember  where 
 thou  must  dwell,  thou  oppressed  and  tempted 
 flock;  and  that  where  Satan  dwells  there  is 
 little  rocra  for  thee." 
 
 "  In  truth,  thypositioa  is  still  most  difficult, 
 and  thou  comest  not  unhurt  from  the  danger." 
 For  Pergamos  was  not — and  this  is  not  to  her 
 praise — aiiy  longer  persecuted  like  Smyrna. 
 The  whole  of  ver.  13  exhibits  the  past,  before 
 the  hut  follows,  as  to  Ephesus  in  vers.  2,  3. 
 "  In  the  days  of  Antipas  thou  didst  not  deny 
 — but  now  I  must  rebuke  thee,  that  thou  hast 
 reconciled  thy.self  too  easily  with  Satan's  throne, 
 that  ihou  hast  made  perilous  compromise  with 
 the  impure  element  of  worldly  power  in  the 
 Cliurch,  though  thou  hast  not  utterlv  fallen. 
 But  I  have  a  few  things  against  thee,  because 
 ihou  hast  there  tliem  t'lat  hold  the  doctrine  of 
 Balaam,  irho  tat<ght  Balak  to  cast  a  stumhling- 
 hlock  before  the  children  of  Israel,  to  eat  things 
 sacrificed  unto  idols,  and  to  commit  fornication. 
 So  hast  t':ou  also  them  that  hold  the  doctnne  of 
 the  Nicola  it' tnes."  Zinzendort,  in  his  transla- 
 lation  oi  the  New  Testament,  translates  as  if 
 it  were,  "  A  few  things,/^  example,  the  doctrine 
 of  Balaam."  But  what  the  Lord  has  to  say 
 against  his  churches,  he  ever  speaks  plainly 
 and  faithfully  out — not  merely  giving  e.xamples 
 of  his  meaning.  The  litt/ef  seems  at  first  difli- 
 cult ;  but  the  word  is  used,  on  the  one  hand,  to 
 mitigate  the  blame — Only  this  one  thing  ;  and; 
 on  the  other,  with  warning  severity  to  say — 
 Take  pood  heed.  Let  this  soon  cease ;  for  a 
 little  leaven  leaveneth  the  whole  lump. 
 
 While  the  omni-scient  Guardian  and  Warner 
 of  his  Church  shows  the  seer  in  Patmos  the 
 future  under  the  figures  of  the  present,  he  has 
 also,  after  the  prophetical  manner  (because  the 
 testimony  of  Jesus  is  the  Spirit  of  prophecy, 
 chap.  xix.  10),  the  past  from  the  beginning  be- 
 fore his  all-embracing  glance.  Beginning  with 
 the  epistle  to  Ephesus,  he  looked  back  to  the 
 fall  and  Paradise  ;  and  with  this  was  connected, 
 in  the  epistle  to  Smyrna,  perseverance  in  the 
 view  of  d.:ath,  the  first  and  the  second.  Now 
 the  backward  reference  of  the  type  proceeds 
 into  the  history  of  Israel;  and,  first  of  all,  to 
 the  time  of  Moses,  when  the  chosen  and  re- 
 deemed people  were  subjected  to  temptation  in 
 the  wilderness.  According  to  the  same  funda- 
 mental law  of  the  divine  guidance,  concurring 
 with  human  freedom,  the  Lord's  New-Testa- 
 ment people  proceed  in  the  same  way  ;  so  fully 
 
 corresponding  on  the  whole  and  at  large,  that 
 a  parallel  of  the  Old-Testament  times  and  his- 
 tory with  those  of  the  New  in  their  entire 
 development,  oflTers  us  much  most  important 
 instruction.*  Manifold  in  their  ample  appli- 
 cation are  the  types;  to  teach  us  this  tho 
 Lord  makes  prominent  here  a  person  and  a 
 history  which  Peter  (chap.  ii.  15),  and  Jude 
 after  him  (ver.  11),  have  used  in  the  same 
 way.  Balaam,  was  the  ambiguous  prophet  ex- 
 ternal to  Israel,  from  the  beginning  unfaith- 
 fully wavering  between  obedience  \t^  God's  re- 
 velation, and  the  lust  for  the  rewards  of  un- 
 righteouness.  He  was  warned,  and  yet  went 
 his  own  way  ;  but  must,  against  his  will,  bless 
 Israel.  But  this  vexed  him  all  the  more  ;  and 
 we  read  in  Numb.  xxv.  1,  2,  xxxi.  16  of  hia 
 cunning   and  revengeful  counsel  to  Balak,  in 
 
 *  Williout  needing  to  re.sort  to  Hengsteiiberg's 
 further  subtililies. 
 
 |-  'OXiya  U  neutral  for  uXiyov  tu 
 
 *  As  suggestive  hints  for  the  reflection  of  such 
 as  will  i)nrsue  them,  we  add  what  follows.  Seven 
 great  periods,  or  rather  six,  passing  over  into  a 
 seveath,  may  be  disclosed  as  corresponding,  part- 
 ly by  contrast,  and  partly  as  parallel.  The  prim- 
 itive world  under  divine  long-suifcTing,  the  con- 
 tini'.ons  fall  down  to  the  first  jiidgmetiL  of  the 
 world — primitive  Christendom  under  d.vine  pow- 
 er of  grace,  continuous  downtall  of  heathenism 
 down  to  the  first  jii  Igment  upon  it  (Noah — Con. 
 stantine).  The  preparation  of  God's  people  in  the 
 dark  period  of  tlie  other  peoples  ;  the  jirepara- 
 tion  of  the  European  peoples — Christendom  in  tho 
 unresting  time  of  the  wanderings  of  races  (Moses 
 — Charlem.igne).  The  kingdom  of  Israel  as  tho  . 
 appointed  type,  in  wliich  decline  and  perversion 
 is  developed  and  revealed;  the  Romish  Church 
 as  the  tolerated  transition,  in  which  we  see  ihe 
 STme  decline  (Nebuchadnezzar  —  Ilildebrand). 
 The  B  ibylonisli  period,  time  of  servitude,  the 
 lime  when  the  empires  of  heathenism  begin; 
 Paj)al  worl  ily  period,  only  a  waiting  seed  (like 
 the  two  tribes  of  Israel)  is  reserved,  tlie  separa- 
 tion of  the  European  states  begins  (Zerubbabel^ 
 Luther).  Persian-Greek  period,  building  of  the 
 second  temple,  the  first  bloom  of  heathen  culture 
 ceases — Protestant  political  age,  founding  of  the 
 new  Church,  the  first  reloimalion  of  national  life 
 lias  the  same  fate  (Alexander — Napoleon ).  Greek- 
 Roman  time,  advancing  power  of  the  world,  Israel 
 recedes  before  the  second  bloom  of  hea.henism, 
 general  decline,  and  most  proper  time  of  expectation 
 — missionary  ])eriod  and  period  of  development, 
 advancini  revelation  of  the  true  Church,  the 
 second  reformation  in  which  Christian.^  become 
 predominant,  finally  restoration  (even  for  Israel 
 after  the  flesh)  and  the  most  proper  time  of  fulfil- 
 ment. Lastly,  as  according  to  the  ancient  history 
 the  appearance  of  the  Lord  brings  its  end  (in- 
 stead of  judgment)  to  the.se  six  diys,  so  similarly, 
 at  the  end  of  the  new  period,  there  will  be  the  mil- 
 lennial kingdom,  the  final  appearance ;  and  with 
 it,  at  the  same  time,  the  judgment.  How  the 
 churches  of  these  epistles  coiTe>pond  to  these 
 periods  as  indicated  by  them,  must  be  left  to  the 
 individual  pondering  of  the  reader  ;  in  this  inter- 
 nal relation  there  are  other  points  which  must  be 
 brought  into  view  ;  but  Thyatira  may  refer  to  the 
 Pajial,  Sardis  to  the  Protestant  period,  while  Phil- 
 I  adelphia  and  Laodicea  go  in  concurrently  to  tho 
 I  coming  of  the  Lord, 
 
REV  II.  18-29. 
 
 m 
 
 orfcTtoroin  Israt^l  by  seduction,  that  he  should 
 set  a  stiimblingblock  in  the  way  of  the  people 
 of  God— timt  IS,  literally,  throw  an  offence  in 
 their  wav,  to  be  to  them  a  pitfall  or  a  snare. 
 With  this  the  Lord  now  compares  the  people 
 of  tire  church  in  Pergamos,  who,  favoring  the 
 lialmmoi  their  time  (for  that  is  the  right  read- 
 ing), that  is,  for  the  sake  of  the  worldly  power 
 before  mentioneci  as  the  throne  of  Satan,  seduce 
 the  spiritual  Israel  to  infidelity,  yea,  construct 
 a  lormal  theory  and  (hclrine  to  which  they  hold 
 — instead,  as  was  said  before,  of  holding  to  the 
 name  of  the  Lord.  The  point  of  comparison  is 
 first  exhibited,  even  in  external  reality;  while 
 yet  op'en  heathenism  still  predominated,  the 
 eating  of  tMngs  mcrificed  to  id/An  and  fornication 
 were  "the  sins  of  those  who  renounced  not  the 
 false  and  seducing  fellowship  with  him  ;  and 
 this  was  already  foreseen  in  Acts  xv.  29,  though 
 not  till  I  Cor.  x.  by  Paul  most  earnestly  de- 
 nounced. The  eating  at  the  table  of  devils  was 
 at  the  same  time  a  spiritual  tornication  and 
 idolatry.  Both  the  proper  and  the  figurative 
 meaning,  but  rather  the  latter,  apply  to  the 
 later  time  which  Pergamos  typified,  since  the 
 teaching  and  acting  after  the  manner  of 
 Balaam,  the  compromising  and  impurely  self- 
 justifying  fellowship  with  the  nominally 
 ■Christian  powers  of  the  world,  manifests  itself 
 both  in  actual  immorality  and  in  hyjwcritical 
 dogmatics  touching  the  seats  of  Gesars'and 
 Bishops,  the  establishment  of  idolatrous  images 
 in  the  place  of  God's  pure  worship,  and  so  forth. 
 But  we  will  abstain  from  the  special  ecclesias- 
 tical interpretation,  in  order  tliat  no  one  may 
 overlook  that  which  suits  his  own  time. 
 
 This,  however,  is  clear  and  certain  to  us  ; 
 ver.  15  does  not  distinguish  other  so-called 
 Mtcdaitanes  from  the  BaLaamites  (so  to  term 
 them) ;  but  both  are  evidently  tho  same.  All 
 things  tend  to  this,  when  carefully  considered. 
 So  tlioualiso  had — this  so  with  this  also  gives  us 
 the  interpretation  of  what  had  been  figuratively 
 expressed  :  "  Alas  !  thou  also,  a  Christian  com- 
 munity, h<ist  retained,  and  dost  not  cast  out, 
 such  '})eujde,  Nkolailanes,  as  I  have  already,  for 
 the  first  church,  plainly  translated  their  name." 
 "  Who  hold  to  the  doctrine" — the  same  formula 
 is  repeated.  Probably  the  definite  article  in 
 "doctrine  of  tlie  Nicolaitanes"  is  not  genuine; 
 in  the  original  it  would  be  the  mere  translation 
 of  "  Balaam  ;"  such  Balaam  doctrine,  Nicolai- 
 tan,  seductively  overcoming  the  people.  In 
 ver.  6  only  the  xoorks  were  mentioned  ;  but  now 
 there  has  a  doctrine  crept  in,  within  the  church 
 which  tolerated  those  works.  The  theory  has 
 never  been  long  wanting,  in  the  world  and 
 even  in  the  Church,  when  the  practice  has 
 gone  before.  Finally  (instead  of  the  "  which  1 
 hate,"  as  in  ver.  6)  stands,  according  to  the 
 more  correct  reading,  once  more  "in  like  man- 
 ner."*    The  "  so  "  at  first,  and  "  in  like  man- 
 
 *  This  vnoiooi,  which  many  (Grotius  and  Bf  n- 
 gel)  carry  on  to  the  following  word,  has  been 
 changed  into  o-pii6(a,  because  of  the  oi'rcas 
 going  before. 
 
 ner  "  at  last,  combine  very  strongly  to  assure 
 us  that  a  doctrine  of  Nicolaitanes  is  meant 
 which  perfectly  corre.-iponds  to  the  doctrine  of 
 Balaam. 
 
 Bepent  therefore.  If  not,  I  icill  come  unto 
 thee  quickly,  and  ivill  fijht  again4  them  with 
 the  stcord  of  my  mouth.  On  the  pertect  Ba- 
 laamites  or  Nicolaitanes  repentance  is  no  longer 
 enjoined,  but  judgment  is  denounced;  but 
 those  who  were  entangled  with  them  are  (with 
 the  same  "  noio"  as  in  ver.  5)  exhorted  to  con- 
 version in  penitent  change  of  mind.  iSo  far 
 the  denunciation  of  the  fighting  agains'.  (hem 
 applies  to  the  whole  church — so  tar,  that  is,  as 
 they  were  in  and  among  the  church  ;  but  it 
 is  something  different  from  saying,  "  I  will 
 fight  against  thee. "  We  must  understand  : 
 "  if  thou  dost  not  perform  thy  duty,  and  cast 
 them  out  from  thee,  I  will  undertake  it  myself." 
 The  sword  of  the  7nouth  is  spoken  of,  which 
 may,  indeed,  include  a  spiritual  judging  and 
 restoration  of  sinners  through  the  word ;  yet 
 we  see  plainly  in  chap.  xix.  15,  21,  that  con- 
 demning sentence  of  wrath  mav  proceed  from 
 the  mouth  of  the  Almiglity.  The  language  of 
 prophetic  symbols  is  ever  comprehensive  for 
 manifold  interpretation  and  reference  ;  and  it 
 sometimes  retains,  at  the  same  time,  the  most 
 specific  allusions,  as  here  the  threatening  Siwrti 
 certainly  refers  back  once  more  to  Balaam's 
 history.  Because  Balaam  did  not  yield  to  the 
 word  of  the  Lord,  which  came  in  his  way 
 (Num.  xxii.  23,  31)— for  his  "I  will  get  me 
 back  again"  was  not  sincere;  the  evil  desire 
 remained  in  him,  and  was  at  first  punished  by 
 being  permitted — we  read  afterwards,  in  Num. 
 xxxi,  8,  the  express  requital,  "  Balaam  also, 
 the  son  of  Beor,  they  slew  with  the  sword." 
 We  have  it  in  our  power,  through  penitence  or 
 the  reverse,  to  decide  how  gently  or  severely, 
 whether  in  wrath  or  mercy,  this  sword  of  his 
 mouth  shall  judge  us. 
 
 He  that  hath  an  ear,  let  him  he'^ir  what  the 
 Spirit  saith  unto  the  churches :  To  him  thnt 
 00  rcoineth  will  I  give*  of  the  hidden  manna, 
 and  will  give  him  a  tchite  stone,  and  in  the 
 stone  a  new  name  written,  which  no  man 
 knoweih  saving  he  that  receiveth  it.  The  op- 
 pression and  imprisonment  in  Egypt — the  per- 
 secutions and  plagues,  which  in  the  New  Tes- 
 tament fell  not  upon  Egypt,  but  upon  Israel — 
 are  now  passed  to  Pergamos  ;  but  to  her  the 
 way  through  the  wilderness  is  appointed  as  a 
 time  of  probationary  trial.  .  As  the  name  of 
 Balaam  was  taken  from  this  period,  so  also 
 are  the  figurative  expressions  of  promise.  The 
 antitype,  indeed,  often  corresponds  with  the 
 type 'in  the  way  of  contrast.  Israel's  manna, 
 not  yet  the  true  bread  from  heaven,  was  not 
 hidden;  but  that  which  Christ  gives  to  the 
 faithful,  as  the  compensation  of  the  renounced 
 idol-sacrifices  and  carnal  lusts— not  properly 
 the  same  as  the  fruit  of  the  tree  of  life,  ver.  7, 
 since  already  before  death  the  foretaste  of  that 
 
 *  The  cpayelv   dno  (to  eat  of),  brought  for- 
 ward from  ver.  7,  we  omit. 
 
920 
 
 THE  EPISTLE  TO  THYATIRA. 
 
 is  received — is  a  spiritual  nourishment,  known 
 only  by  experience  to  those  who  receive  it.* 
 The  white  stone  has  been  variously  interpreted. 
 The  ancients  used  such  stones  in  voting  and 
 electing,  as  the  Greek  verb  shows  ;  and  accord- 
 ingly Luther  understood  it  here  of  a  "  good  tes- 
 timony "of  absolution — it  might  be  said  also,  of 
 election.  Others  have  thought  of  the  little 
 tablets,  or  stone  counters,  which  were  given  to 
 the  conquerors  in  contests,  as  the  pledge  of  the 
 prize;  and  which  were  also  their  claim  to  public 
 support,  thus  connecting  them  with  the  manna 
 already  spoken  of.  We  would  not,  indeed, 
 assert  that  heathen  customs  could  not  be  used 
 in  Christian  symbols,  for  1  Cor.  ix.  24-27  gives 
 a  decisive  example  to  the  contrary;  on  the 
 other  hand,  it  might  be  regarded  as  not  inap- 
 propriate that,  in  the  letter  to  Pergamos,  the 
 Lord  should  set  his  own  in  opposition  to 
 wordly  and  political  marks  of  honor  and  care. 
 Nevertheless,  the  name  written  upon  the  stone, 
 in  connection  with  the  allusion  to  the  time  of 
 Moses  which  pervades  all,  decide  us,  in  common 
 with  mai>y  others,  to  interpret  it  differently. 
 But  not  as  Herder  does,  who  thinks  of  the  new 
 reckoning  of  the  people,  as  it  were  chosen 
 anew.  Num.  xxvi. ;  for  that  would  apply  to  all 
 the  rebuked,  and  not  merely  to  the  faithful. 
 The  tohite  stone,  that  is,  in  the  language  of  the 
 Apocalypse  (chap.  i.  14,  iii.  4,  vi.  2,  vii.  14),  the 
 shining  stone,  with  the  name  upon  it,  seems  to 
 be  most  correctly  understood  of  a  precious 
 stone, t  with  allusion  either  to  the  breatsplate, 
 or,  still  better,  to  the  frontlet,  of  the  high 
 priest,  and  thus  of  priestly  ornament.  The  book 
 ol  Revelation  mentions  and  promises  generally 
 much  that  is  neto  (chap.  v.  9,  xiv.  3,  xxi.  1,  2, 
 5)  out  of  the  transcendently  fulfilling  grace  of 
 the  New  Testament;  as  the  Evangelist  of  the 
 Old  Covenant,  Isaiah,  delighted  to  point  for- 
 ward to  it  from  the  far  distance,  chap.  xlii.  9, 
 xliii.  19,  xlviii.  6.  The  same  prophet,  chap. 
 Ixii.  2,  Ixv.  15,  Ixvi.  22,  promised  for  Jerusa- 
 lem generally,  and  all  her  justified  residue  of 
 citizens,  with  all  joined  unto  them  by  grace 
 (chap.  Ivi.  5),  a  new  name — new,  like  the  new 
 heaven  and  the  new  earth,  which  God  in  the 
 end  would  make;  and  our  book  brings  here 
 the  nearer  pledge  of  its  lullillmeiit.  To  give  a 
 new  name  liad  been  from  the  time  of  Abraham 
 and  Israel  a  symbolical  and  elective  act  of  God, 
 containing  in  its  meaning  some  new  gift  or 
 new  creation,  either  in  the  present  reality  or 
 in  prophecy.  The  new  name  for  him  that 
 overcometh,  is,  according  to  its  essential  signi- 
 ficance, one  with  tlie  name  of  the  new  city  of 
 God  :  and  this  again  is  one  with  the  new  name 
 of  the  Lord  himself,  who  buildelh,  and  who 
 alone  maketh  all  things  new  (chap.  lii.  12,  xxi. 
 2.  xix.  12,  comp.  Jer.  xxiii.  6,  xxiii,  16;  Ezek. 
 
 *  Tlie  Jewish  fable  concerning  the  hidins;  of  tlie 
 ark  of  the  covenant,  and  its  l)eing  found  in  the 
 time  of  tlie  Messiah,  has  nothing  to  do  with  this  ; 
 for  in  1  Kiiiiis  viii.  9  wo  are  told  that  the  manna 
 was  no  longer  in  it. 
 
 f  This  may  be  meant  by  ^r/g^Qi, 
 
 xlviii.  35).  This  still  concealed  name,  which 
 the  Lord's  mouth  will  utter  (Isa.  Ixii.  2),  as  i{ 
 is  termed  a  sign  and  seal  upon  the  foreheads  of 
 the  servants  of  God  (Rev.  vii.  3,  xiv.  1,  xxii. 
 4),  corresponds  to  the  golden  frontlet  of  the 
 high  priest,  with  the  inscription,  "Holiness  to 
 the  Lord."  It  is  not,  like  other  names,  a  mark 
 to  denote  their  person  to  others,  but  a  promise 
 and  fulfillment  of  that  blessed  and  glarious 
 state  and  experience  concerning  which,  as  con- 
 cerning the  being  and  glory  of  the  Lord  him- 
 self, it  can  only  be  said,  that  no  man  knows 
 that  name  but  he  that  has  it — he  that  has 
 received  it.  Thus  high  does  the  promise  to 
 those  who  overcome  in  J'ergamos  already 
 reach;  as  we  shall  see  that  throughout  the 
 epistles  the  promises  advance  higher  and 
 higher,  as  the  counterpoise  to  the  more  and 
 more  severe  conflict,  until  in  chap.  iii.  21  the 
 highest  that  can  be  said  is  said  to  Laodicea — 
 the  sitting  with  the  first  overcomer  upon  his 
 throne  being  the  sublime  conclusion. 
 
 And  unto  the  angel  of  the  church  in  Thi/- 
 atira  write:  These  things  saith  the  Son  of 
 God,  tvho  hath  his  eyes  like  utito  a  flame 
 of  fire,  and  his  feet  are  like  fine  brass.  The 
 same  who  in  chap.  i.  13  was  "  like  unto 
 the  Son  of  Man  " — which  recurs  in  the  still 
 more  indirect  and  vision-like  representation  of 
 his  coming  in  chap.  xiv.  14 — calls  himself, 
 here  alone  in  the  entire  book,  the  Son  of  God 
 (comp.  chap.  xix.  13.  This,  however,  only 
 brings  into  prominence  what  was  pre-sup- 
 posed  in  that  other  name).  Manifestly,  it  13 
 used  not  only  to  exhibit  his  own  despised  dig- 
 nity in  opposition  to  the  shameless  prophetess 
 Jezebel,  ver.  20,  but  at  the  same  time  to  op- 
 pose to  the  lyingly  so-called  "  depths  of  God," 
 ver.  24  (only  thus  to  be  explained),  his  own 
 perfect  interior  knowledge  of  those  divine-deep 
 things  (Matt.  xi.  27).  The  eyes  of  flame  ex- 
 hibit in  connection  with  this  his  omniscience 
 as  regards  the  secrets  of  men  (Rom.  li.  16), 
 the  Searcher  of  hearts  who  is  prominent  ui- 
 terwards  in  ver.  23.  That,  further,  precisely 
 here  the  feet  of  fine  brass  indicate  a  coming  to 
 judgment,  can  scarcely  be  rejected,  as  we  re- 
 marked upon  the  appearance  at  the  beginning  ; 
 but  in  that  former  passage  this  is  not  the  ouhj 
 interpretation,  and  in  this  one  it  is  not  to  be 
 pressed  too  far.  Treading  down  all  that  op- 
 poses, and  victoriously  pressing  onwards — so 
 tar  all  is  right ;  but  it  is  questionable  whether 
 "  s'ampinr/  doion  and  burning  all  that  thwarts 
 him,"*  and  that  with  allusion  to  Jezebel's  fate, 
 2  Kings  ix.  33,  is  so.j  The  casting  ii:t  >  a  bed 
 afterwards,  ver.  22,  is  not  a  treading  down  ;  nor 
 is  even  the  smiting  to  death,  ver.  23.  We  tiiink 
 that  in  chap.  i.  14,  15,  previously,  the  dark 
 glowing  brightness  of  the  feet  was  no  more 
 designed  to  indicate  hurning  than  the  glance 
 of  theeyos;  we  understand  generally  the  re- 
 splendent footsteps  of  his  advancing  and  irrp- 
 
 ♦  So  we  read  in  Von  Gerlach. 
 
 f  Herder,  contrary  to  his  wont,  tastelessly  ia 
 terpieted  it  thus. 
 
REV.  II.  18-29. 
 
 921 
 
 Bi-tible  might :  compare  for  Thyatira  afterwards, 
 ver.  26.  That  the  semblance  of  burning  is 
 mentioned  here,  may  be  regarded  as  leaving  in 
 its  sole  prominence  the  meaning  of  victorious 
 
 f)o\ver,  without  any  accessory  notion  of  tramp- 
 ing or  consuming  by  fire.  These  symbols 
 must  neither  be  exaggerated  nor  confused  :  the 
 treader  of  the  wine-press,  chap.  xix.  15,  comes 
 not  with  glowing,  burning  feet;  hence  while  in 
 ver.  12  of  that  chapter  the  eyes,  and  in  ver.  15 
 the  sword,  are  mentioned  again,  the  feet  of  the 
 previous  appearance  are  not  introduced. 
 
 The  prophetic  significance  of  the  church  of 
 Thyatira,  to  which  the  longest  epistle  was  sent, 
 appears  the  most  obscure  of  all,  as  it  stands  in 
 the  midst  of  the  seven  ;  as  obscure  as  the  mid- 
 dle ago  of  ecclesiastical  history  to  our  dim 
 «yes,  when  we  attempt  to  trace  the  Lord's 
 ways  and  dealings  with  his  never-failing 
 Church.  Certainly  there  existed  at  that  time 
 in  the  Lydian  Thyatira,  whence  the  first  fruits 
 of  the  rnission  in  Europe  came.  Acts  xvi.  14, 
 a  Christian  church,*  which,  under  the  pres- 
 sure of  fearful  apostacy,  nevertheless  had  yet 
 its  faithful  members,  vers.  24,  25.  And,  with 
 equal  certaint\%  the  stamp  upon  Thyatira  ex- 
 hibits to  us  a.  progression  of  corruption  even  be- 
 5'ond  Pergamos,  inasmuch  as  a  ruling  Jezebel 
 is  much  more  than  a  Balaam  giving  evil  coun- 
 sel. But  the  detail  will  follow  m  the  exposi- 
 tion. 
 
 The  original  cannot  be  exactly  translated  ; 
 for  it  gives  the  pronoun  thy  expressly  twice  to 
 the  works,  but  only  once  to  all  the  otlier  four 
 intermediate  words  together.  To  the  love  in- 
 deed corresponds  the  service,  as  to  the  faith 
 the  patience  or  continuance;  yet  the  preced- 
 ing two  designations  of  internal  sentiment  are 
 more  closely  connected  than  the  two  designa- 
 tions of  the  outward  act.!  Judging  from  the 
 filentitude  of  the  words  and  the  priority  of  the 
 ove,  which  in  Ephesus  had  grown  faint,  one 
 might  at  first  suppose  that  Thyatira  received 
 the  highest  praise ;  but  when  we  look  more 
 carefully,  that  appearance  is  removed.  We  see 
 rather  that  it  is  ouly  the  great  grace  of  the 
 Lord  which  will  at  tlie  outset  acknowledge  as 
 much  as  is  consistent  with  truth,  as  much  as 
 the  eyes  of  flame  piercing  through  the  evil 
 signs  may  yet  discern.  That  the  works,  here  as 
 «very  where  mentioned  first,  recur  again  at  the 
 end,  must,  when  we  connect  with  it  the  rest  of 
 the  epistle,  beintorpreted  as  somewhat  qualify- 
 ing and  diminishing  the  whole.  Assuredly,  Thy- 
 atira has  works  of  Jove  to  present  to  the  Lord  ; 
 and  where  this  low,  here  graciously  named  first, 
 exists,  there  must  most  certainly  be  also 
 J'aith :  this  inference  from  without  to  within 
 
 appears  to  be  denoted  by  the  succession  of  the 
 words.  That  this  faith,  working  by  love,  by 
 no  means  denotes  that  adherence  to  d^gma, 
 which  in  the  Lord's  sight  has  no  distinctive 
 value  and  praise,  we  have  already  shown  upon 
 ver.  13.*  The  faith  which  the  Lord  acknow- 
 ledges is  never  mere  doctrine,  mere  confession  : 
 in  the  connection  and  process  here,  it  is  no 
 less  than,  as  in  ver.  13,  the  Jhlelily  of  faith 
 holding  fast  to  him  ;  although  it  would  not  be 
 right  on  that  account  to  translate  "  fidelity  " 
 simply,  for  the  fundamental  idea  is  always  the 
 same  as  the  former.  Service  of  love  does  not 
 merely  indicate  in  the  most  specific  sense  be- 
 nevolence and  communication,  as  is  meant  in 
 2  Cor.  ix.  12,  13  (more  closely  translated,  "  the 
 presentation  of  this  service  ;"  in  Greek,  diako- 
 nia)  ;  but  it  means  what  we  generally  find  in 
 Heb.  vi.  10.  Thyatira  exhibited  her  perse- 
 verance in  works  of  serving  and  solicitous  love, 
 which  cannot  be  presented  in  their  genuineness 
 without  genuine  faith — hypocritical  works  the 
 Lord  never  could  praise — she  continues  in 
 them  so  diligently,  that  the  Lord  even  beholds 
 the  last  to  be  greater  than  the  first.  This, 
 taken  by  itself,  and  thus  compared  witii  ver. 
 6  preceding,  would  constitute  the  highest 
 praise  of  spiritual  growth:  but  how  does  this 
 consist  with  the  remaining  characteristics  of 
 that  church,  which  must  however  modify  its 
 meaning  ?  Is  Thyatira  on  that  account  better 
 than  Ephesus?  or,  can  there  be  a  general  and 
 real  advancement  in  the  energy  of  Christian 
 life  and  work,  even  while  a  Jezebel  is  guiltily 
 allowed  place  and  power?  An  unprejudiced 
 consideration  of  the  whole  context  constrains 
 us  to  adopt  an  exposition  which,  at  the  same 
 time,  opens  to  us  the  prophetical  meaning  of 
 the  whole.  It  is  obvious  that  the  Lord  ad- 
 dresses only  the  faithful  in  and  among  the  com- 
 munity of  Thyatira.  These,  partly  seduced, 
 partly  not  seduced,  thoogli  guilty  of  an  un- 
 holy compromise  with  evil,  may  be,  in  relation 
 to  the  predominant  corruption,  only  a  very 
 small  flock  :  but  they  are,  nevertheless,  and 
 they  are  called,  the  Lord's  Church.  Here  we 
 should  discern,  and  learn  to  imitate,  the  mild 
 judgment  of  him  who  did  not  absolutely  reject 
 the  legal  zeal  of  the  Jewish  Christians  who 
 believed  on  him,  with  all  its  slow  perception 
 of  faith,  and  even  mistrustful  enmity  to  his 
 Apostle  Paul  and  the  Gentile  brethren.  If  it  be 
 said  that  those  walked  uprightly  according  to 
 
 owledge 
 
 that  the 
 i\\Q  sauUs  in  the  finished  CaOwlic  Church  (for 
 thither  all  points  in  the  end),  practice  pre- 
 eminently worlcs  of  serving  love,  as  must  be  evi- 
 dent to  aX  and  in  such  a  manner  as  to  put 
 
 *  According  to  Epiphanius,  many  rejected  the 
 Apocalypse  on  accoant  of  its  historical  incorect- 
 r.ess  in  ll;is  particular.  Bengel  refers  to  the  fact 
 that  a  reading,  which  however  is  not  to  be  ap- 
 proved omiis,  lHHXt]6iai. 
 
 \  Tliere  is  a  reading  which  brings  these  two  more 
 closely  io^eihev-r SiaHoviav  xai  i.7toj.Loy7J.v^ 
 wiUiout  the  repeated  aiticle. 
 
 their  best  knowledge  and  ability  in  grace,  W( 
 may  also  say  that  the  Christians  in   Thyatira, 
 
 *  Ebrard,  therefore,  is  not  correct :  '•  Men  may 
 be  zealous  in  good  works,  and  even  (as  opposed 
 to  heaihenism)  in  orthodox  Christian  faith,  and 
 nevertheless  have  a  Jezel)el  for  queen  and  prophet- 
 ess." J^or  was  this  church  "  worse  th  n  aisy 
 other ;"  for  we  find  worse  in  chap.  ill.  1,  2,  and 
 again  iiu  15, 16. 
 
922 
 
 THE  EPISTLE  TO  THYATIRA. 
 
 evatiigelical  churehes  to  shame.  Shortly  be- 
 fore, and  again  alter  the  Relormalion,  we  see 
 the  last  works  more  and  better  than  the  first ; 
 faithful  strivings  after  amendment  of  the  head 
 and  the  members,  co-existing  with  deficient 
 knowledge,  and  a  labor  all  the  more  on  that 
 account  zealous.  Many  reformers  before  the 
 Relormation — those  especially  who  with  all 
 their  endeavors  never  broke  with  Rome,  and 
 many  earnest  and  most  honorable  laborers 
 aftej-  the  Reformation,  who  would  not  become 
 Protestants,  have  their  share  in  this  commen- 
 dation. But  we  would  not  reckon  among  the 
 last  works  the  testimonies  again^^t  the  Papacy, 
 and  make  "  the  Reformation  itself  the  crown 
 of  this  period  ;"  for  that  would  be  a  premature 
 antici})ation  here  at  the  beginning,  and  in  ver. 
 28  we  have  an  intimation  of  that  end  and  the 
 reicard  of  the  genuine  and  faithful  of  Thyatira. 
 At  first  the  vehement  condemnation  of  the 
 predominance  of  the  great  offence  breaks  out. 
 Notwithstanding  I  have  against  thee  that 
 thou  sufferest  that  woman  Jezehel,  tvhich 
 callcth  herself  a  prophetess,  and  teacheth  arul 
 seduceth  my  servants  to  commit  fornication, 
 and  to  eat  things  sao'ificed  unto  idols.  Here 
 we  must  not  introduce  a  reading  which  Lu- 
 ther received  and  so  translated — a  few  things, 
 or  a  little  thing.  For  Jezebel's  dominion  was, 
 as  has  been  observed  already,  more  than 
 Balaam's  counsel.  Thou  unfferest  her ;  that  is, 
 to  do  what  she  will,  unhindered  and  unpunish- 
 ed.* With  all  the  diligent  service  of  their 
 benevolent  and  practical  faith,  there  was  yet 
 no  practical  and  earnest  contradiction  of  god- 
 less power  and  predominant  sin  :  this  was  a 
 characteristic  which  we  see  historically  illus- 
 trated in  the  later  times  of  the  Church,  and 
 which  prevented  Thyatira  from  taking  a  place 
 on  a  level  with  apostolical  Ephesus  with  her 
 first  love,  and  enduring  Smyrna.  A  modern 
 expositor  makes  a  strange  mistake  when  he 
 says;  "The  longing  desire  for  the  consumma- 
 tion of  the  kingdom  of  God  in  the  present  state 
 of  things  is  a  sad  but  affecting  aberration  of 
 overflowing  love."  0,  no  ;  the  whore  Jezebel  in 
 Christendom  seduces  to  open  fornication,  and 
 the  sacrifices  of  idols:  she  springs  from  a  very 
 different  origin,  even  as  the  typical  Jezebel 
 was  the  heathenish  daughter  of  a  king.  Ebrard 
 has  correctly  observed  tiiat  (he  typical  expres- 
 sions of  the  epistles  are  chosen  in  historical 
 progression,  this  being  taken  from  the  time  of 
 the  kingdom  of  Israel  ;  and,  moreover,  the 
 miserable  period  of  Ahab  and  Jezebel  is  chosen, 
 as  opposed  to  the  flourishing  (though  not  ideal, 
 as  Ebrard  says)  period  of  David  and  Solomon. 
 He  perceives  also  (though  inconsistently,  alter 
 his  earlier  assertions  concerning  the  Nicolai- 
 tanes)  that  this  ruling  Jezebel  (whose  whore- 
 dom and  witchcraft  are  great,  2  Kings  ix.  22) 
 could  not  have  been  an  actual  historical  person- 
 age in  Thyatira.     How  could  a  woman  have  so 
 
 *  The  form  dq>f.H  has  I  een  defended  by  Ben- 
 gel,  as  from  the  lorm  dcpeo).  The  reading  liii  is 
 obviously  an  explanatory  gloss.. 
 
 taught  and  .seduced,  and  sudi  doctrfm?  a?  r* 
 described  afterwards  in  ver.  24?  We  read, 
 indeed,  in  Brandt's  SehuUehnr  Bibel :  "It 
 was  the  chief  minister's  own  wife — a  wicked 
 hypocrite,  who  donbtloss  deceived  her  own 
 husband;"  but  we  regard  it  as  out  of  the 
 question,  and  utterly  untenable,  that  the  wife 
 of  the  bishop  had  literally  in  Thyatira  setluced 
 the  community  to  debauchery,  and  that  the 
 bishop,  whose  last  works  were  better  than  the 
 first,  had  leniently  tolerated  it.  The  reading 
 "  thy  wife/'  which  Luther  retains,  thongh  it  is 
 not  in  the  ordinary  text,  is  undoubtedly  cor- 
 rect ;*  but  it  does  not  of  itself  mean  the  wife 
 of  the  "  angel,"  because  the  thou  of  these 
 epistles  does^  not  apply  to  the  representative 
 personally,  but  rather  to  the  chnrch  which  was 
 represented  by  him.  As  Ahab  formerly  sold 
 himself  to  his  wife,  to  do  evil  before  the  Lord 
 (1  Kings  xxi.  20,  25,  according  to  the  more 
 exact  translation;  compare  Rom.  vii.  14),  so 
 here  the  typical  expression  referring  back  to 
 him,  runs — I'hou  lettest  tht)  w/'<?rule  ;  that  is, 
 thou  art  a  king  Ahab,  actmg  as  he  aete^J.  This 
 Jcsete/,  whom  Rieger  not  unaptly  terms  "the 
 female  antichrist  of  the  Old  Testament,"  diJ 
 not  assume,  if  we  read  her  history  literally,  to 
 be  a  prophetess  while  she  was  a  prophet-mur- 
 deress;  but  it  is  in  harnaony  with  the  deeper 
 interpretation,  that  we  should  regnrd  her  as 
 inspired  and  urged  to  her  deeds  by  demoniac  or 
 Satanic  influence.  In  the  wider-reaching  mean- 
 ing of  this  mystico-propheticiil  parsonage,  we 
 shall  scarcely  err  if  we  think  of  the  great  whore- 
 of  chap.  xvii.  1,  2,  of  the  spiirions  and  lying 
 church  which  cherishes  an  apostate  fellowship 
 with  the  powers  of  this  world,  and  thereby 
 rules  over  nations  and  kings — the  full  reality 
 of  which  must  be  sought  in  a  later  futurity, 
 while  its  prelude  has  been  seen  in  the  Papacy, 
 but  not  in  that  alone.  For,  why  should  wo 
 think  only  of  Rome,  and  not  also  of  the  "  holy 
 .-synods"  of  the  "  orthodox  "  church  wliich  for- 
 bids all  missions,  and  encourages  the  worship 
 o>  saints  and  relics?  Are  there  not  others  that 
 might  be  included? 
 
 The  beginning  of  this  abomination  was  al- 
 ready indicated  in  Pergamos,  ver.  14  ;  but  now, 
 when  it  has  become  a  power  which  shamefully 
 veils  its  iniquity  by  the  name  ot  Gcx!  (as  pro- 
 phetess), whoredom  comes  first  with  intenser 
 expression.  Here,  as  there,  it  is  usetl  both  in 
 the  proper  and  in  the  figurative  sense  of  the 
 word  ;  for,  where  the  reins  are  gives  to  the  flesb 
 in  idolatrous  apostacy,  the  vilest  debauchery 
 and  uncleanness  must  be  a  eonaimitant.  Th© 
 pretension  to  splendid  sanctity  issues  often  in 
 this  miserable  opposite,  as  the  results  of  celib- 
 acy, and  monkery  too,  have  too  much  shown^ 
 But  the  principal  meaning  is  here  spiritual 
 adultery,  of  which  vi?r.  22  especially  sj)eaks. 
 
 All  this  sets  more  and  more  plainly  before 
 us  that  interpretation  of  Thyatira  in  the  his- 
 tory of  the  Church  which  we  avow  as  our  own. 
 
 *  Bengal  sajs,  without  reason,  "  Vidalur  ess* 
 giossaJ' 
 
REV.  II.  18-29. 
 
 though  without  contending  for  it  here ;  and 
 the  nmne  of  this  Lydian  town  might  seem  ex- 
 pressly chosen,  under  the  direction  of  Provi- 
 dence, to  this  end.  It  signifies  etymolcgically,* 
 "  zealous  in  sMcrifices  or  slaughter,"  which  may 
 be  taken  both  in  a  good  and  bad  sense  ;  though, 
 after  the  analogy  of  Pergamos  and  Laodicea, 
 we  might  make  the  bad  sense  alone  prominent. 
 First,  the  wicked  sacrifices  which  Jezebel,  per- 
 secuting and  slaughtering  the  prophets  and 
 witnesses  of  God  (and  this  name  is  sufficient  to 
 establish  the  point),  are  surely  no  acceptable 
 odor  before  the  Lord  ;  and  similarly  the  sac- 
 rifice of  the  mass,  with  all  that  it  presumes 
 and  all  its  results,  i.s,  and  must  ever  be,  as  the 
 Heidelberg  Catechism  rightly  affirms,  an  ac- 
 cursed idolatry.  To  unite  with  this  in  one 
 common  character  and  name  the  good  v.'orks 
 of  pious  service,  which  ver.  19  previously 
 praises,  as  if  they  were  merely  "  consecrations  " 
 and  "  offerings,"  seems  to  us  altogether  un- 
 worthy of  the  prophetical  typology  of  the 
 Lord's'  manner  of  speaking  here.  Thus  we  can- 
 not agree  witli  the  generally  enlightened  Von 
 Meyer,  who  describes  the  church  of  Thyatira 
 as  the  sacrificer  generally,  blending  the  good 
 and  the  laudable  with  the  superfluous  and  evil. 
 He  refutes  himself  afterwards,  when  he  shows 
 that  the  word  lying  at  the  root  of  "  Thj'atira" 
 was  used  specificallv  of  the  Bacchic  orgies  and 
 all  their  frenzy. f  This,  in  its  mildest  interpre- 
 tation, would  lead  us  to  no  other  than  enthu- 
 siastic fanaticism  and  fanatical  enthusiasm  ;  but 
 the  Lord  himself  gives  the  right  name — whorish 
 sacrifices  to  idol?.  Thus  it  is  the  pseudo- 
 sacrificial  church  ;  as  Pergamos  was  the  false 
 tower  and  elevation.  As  even  the  faithful  in 
 Pergamos  receive  their  name  from  dwelling 
 there,  where  this  falsely  e.xalted  seat  of  Satan 
 was,  so  we  need  not  be  astonished  that  simi- 
 larly Jezebel,  with  her  shameful  offerings,  must 
 give  her  name  to  the  church  held  fast  under 
 her  power.  Yet  the  Lord's  justice  distinguishes 
 this  church  from  Jezebel  herself;  and  condemns 
 her  only  for  this,  that  with  much  otherwise 
 praiseworthy,  she  tolerated  Jezebel. 
 
 And  I  gave  her  space  to  repent ;  and  she  tcill 
 not  repent  of  her  fornication.  This  is  the  ori- 
 ginal, and  not  as  in  our  translation.  The  limit 
 assigned  by  forbearance  is  very  distant,  as  his- 
 tory has  shown  us  ;  and  in  a  certain  sense  it 
 is  not  yet  reached,  though  Sardis  has  been  in 
 existence,  and  the  beginning  of  Philadelphia 
 has  appeared.  To  Pergamos  it  was  threaten- 
 ed, "  i  come  ^quickly  ;  "  but  here,  on  the  con- 
 trary, there  is  the  prediction  of  a  long  delay 
 of  judgment.;);     But  this   patience — the   Lord 
 
 *  Cer;ainly  from  S-ioi  and  dreiptjg,  inex- 
 haustible, unwearying  ;  though  with  considerable 
 chanse  of  ilie  torm. 
 
 t  Oteiv,  primarily  equivalent  to  raffing,  heiyig 
 inspired,  etc. ;  the  substantive  being  used  in  the 
 same  meaning,  and  then  incense,  offering. 
 
 \  For,  xftovoi  is  always  a  relatively  long 
 space ;  hence  it_is  equivalent  to  continuance,  or  de- 
 
 says  beforehand — will  by  the  ungodly  be  per- 
 verted to  license :  she  only  hardens  herself  in 
 consequence,  and  will  persistently  not  repent. 
 Is  it  not  as  if  this  was  a  prophecy  of  the 
 notorious  consistency  of  the  never  retrogressive 
 Papacy,  and  of  all  established  ecclesiastical 
 systems  like  her  in  secular  corruption  ?  But 
 the  punishment  will  not  fail  in  this  lengthened 
 delay;  it  is  already  announced  in  its  preludes. 
 "  Behold,  I  cast  her  into  a  bed,  and  those 
 that  commit  adultery  with  her  into  great 
 tribulation,  except  they  repent  of  her  deeds  ; 
 and  her  children  I  will  smite  with  death " 
 (litenJly,  in  the  death).  To  Thyatira  and 
 Laodicea  only,  the  exhortation — which  is  never 
 altogether  wanting — begins  in  connection  with 
 a  preliminary  threatening.  Indeed,  for  Jezebel, 
 supposed  to  be  impenitent,  and  therefore  not 
 exhorted  to  repentance,  the  judgment  here 
 spoken  ot  holds  good :  but  not  only  for  her,  for 
 them  also  who  by  their  own  fault  and  folly 
 have  been  perverted  with  her ;  although  for 
 them  it  follows  more  gently — If  they  repent 
 not.  The  bed  of  whoredom  shall  be  turned,  as 
 the  natural  consequences  of  debauchery  abun- 
 dantly typify,  into  a  bed  of  pains  and  plagues, 
 into  which  the  Lord  as  Judge  will  cast  them  in 
 his  time,  so  certainly  that  it  is  already  spoken 
 of  as  in  the  present  time — Behold,  I  cast  them.* 
 Job  xxxiii.  19  and  Isa.  xxviii.  20  are  parallel 
 for  the  figurative  expression.  The  SchuUehrer- 
 hlhel,  which  we  have  already  quoted,  says  here 
 most  strangely :  "  The  seducer  was  present 
 when  all  this  was  publicly  read  in  the  church, 
 and  may  well  have  been  smitten  with  sickness 
 on  hearing  it."  Whatever  calamity  may  have 
 befallen  the  historical  Thyatir?.,  qg  a  sudden 
 judgment,  the  chief  meaning  here  "efers  to  a 
 very  different  fulfillment  of  th"  vcrd.  Those 
 who  commit  adultery  with  Jezebel — .'lere  mani- 
 festly figurative — are  by  no  mec:  3  one  with 
 Jezebel  herself,  as  if  this  was  only  the  collec- 
 tive name  for  the  guilty.  For,  as  we  have  said, 
 the  provision  for  their  repentance,  in  order  to 
 the  turning  away  of  the  judgment,  distinguishes 
 them  from  the  esisential  evil  power  and  corrup- 
 tion itself;  and,  agiiin,  these  adulterers  are  to 
 repent  of  her  works,  that  is  of  Jezebel's,  which 
 indeed  have  become  their  own.  Once  more, 
 not  altogether  the  same  with  themselves  are 
 her  chiUiren,  begotten  of  adulterers  and  the 
 great  harlot  (so  that  here,  as  in  Isa.  Ivii.  3,  the 
 TwAher  is  the  stem) — that  is,  the  brood  of 
 Jezebel  growing  up  and  thriving  in  successive 
 and  progressive  corruption.  These  become 
 naturally  worse  than  their  fathers,  the  first 
 adulterers  ;  so  that  again  we  find  to  these, 
 without  any  "  if  they  repent  not,"  certain  death 
 pre-announced.f     The  righteous  Judge  leaves 
 
 *  The  needlessly  emphatic  eyonjs  spurious; 
 nor  is  it  to  be  corrected  into  fiaXc^,  either  here 
 or  ver.  24  although  the  epistles  do  every  where 
 promise  and  threaten  in  the  tuture,  and  a/To«- 
 TEvoo  lollows. 
 
 f  Meyer  understands  actual  child'en,  who 
 would  be  hidden  by  death  from  greater  evil ;  but 
 
THE  EPISTLE  TO  THYATIRA. 
 
 nothincf  unpunished  ;  but  measures  out  to  each 
 his  judgment  according  to  the  degree  of  guilt. 
 In  the  killing  we  are  scarcely  to  think  of  the 
 slaughter  of  the  seventy  sons  of  Ahab,  2  Kings 
 X.  7  ;  for,  these  were  not  all  the  sons  of  the  one 
 mother  Jezebel  (any  more  than  the  seventy 
 sons  of  Gideon,  Judg.  ix.  5,  were  the  fruit  of 
 one  marriage),  nor  were  they  adulterously  be- 
 gotten to  Ahab.  A  comparison  has  been  more 
 plausibly  instituted  with  the  vengeance  pre- 
 dicted on  children  in  the  Old  Testament,  such 
 a.s  Psa.  cxxxvii.  9;  2  Kings  viii.  12;  Isa.  xiii. 
 IG;  Nahnm  iii.  10;  though  it  is  merely  the 
 strong  expression  of  "killing"  which  has  oc- 
 casioned it.  The  words  are  plain  enough,  with- 
 out any  such  collation  of  other  passages :  the 
 bed  and  the  killing  belong  to  each  other ;  the 
 one  illustrates  the  other,  since  the  couch  of 
 pain  and  tribulation  ends  with  death  and  de- 
 struction, that  is,  for  the  children  as  well  as  for 
 the  mother.  As  to  the  fulfillment  of  all  this 
 in  the  history  of  the  Church,  we  can  only  say 
 that  the  further  into  the  distance  tiie  prophe- 
 cies recede,  the  more  difficult  it  is  to  point  to 
 the  d(*f:nite  fulfillment  in  facts.  We  agree 
 generally  with  Von  Meyer,  who,  without  fore- 
 closing whatever  else  the  future  may  bring,  re- 
 gards this  threatening  to  Thyatira  as  already 
 variously  fulfilled  in  preliminary  judgments, 
 both  in  the  Eastern  and  the  Western  Church  : 
 in  wars  and  divisions,  in  Mohammedan  vic- 
 tories, in  afflictions  and  losses  of  every  kind 
 which  have  befallen  the  dominant  "Church" 
 down  to  our  times.  The  final  bed  of  plagues, 
 indeed,  in  which  Jezebel  will  be  monj  closely 
 pressed  than  she  has  ever  yet  been,  and  have 
 no  longer  the  power  to  stretch  herself  out  and 
 turn,  the  future  has  yet  to  bring  :  for  Thyatira, 
 alas!  still  continues  ;  the  various  characteris- 
 tics of  this  midmost  form  of  the  Church,  as  they 
 are  developed  by  time,  run  together  through 
 history  more  evidently  than  those  of  any  of  the 
 others. 
 
 Very  aptly,  as  a  hint  for  this  interpretation, 
 meets  us  the  additional  clause,  here  alone  thus 
 enlarged:  And  all  the  churches  shall  knotv 
 that  I  am  he  which  searcheth  the  reins  and 
 hearts  :  and  I  u'ill  give  unto  every  one  of  you 
 according  to  your  ivorks. 
 
 Thyatira  lay  about  the  middle  of  the  typical 
 circle  of  the  seven  ;  what  befell  in  her  was 
 known  all  round.  So  the  approaching,  and  at 
 last  decisive  judgment  upon  the  ecclesiastical 
 economy  typified  by  Thyatira,  is  before  the 
 eyes  of  all  the  others,  as  it  were,  after  each  ol 
 the  seven  forms  of  the  Church.  Therefore  we 
 have  the  additional  clause  concerning  the  final 
 general  judgment,  of  which  this  will  be  a  tvpe 
 and  awtul  warning,  with  the  well-known  Old- 
 Testamcnt  formula,  which  recurs  in  chap.  xx. 
 12,  13,  xxii.  12— -jfb  every  man  according  to  his 
 iDorks.  To  every  man  among  you:  here  the 
 address  is  changed,  and  the  view  is  extended 
 beyond  the  individual  epistle  to  include  oZZ  the 
 
 this  mixes  up  too  much  the  literal  and  the  flgu- 
 rative. 
 
 churches;  ver.  24  returning  again  to  the  par- 
 ticular you  for  Thyatira.  According  to  chap 
 xix.  1-6,  the  hosts  and  elders  in  heaven  extol 
 the  judgments  of  God,  with  the  first  and  only 
 "Halleluiah"  of  the  Apocalypse  and  of  the 
 New  Testament,*  that  he  had"  condemned  the 
 great  whore.  But  in  the  judgment  is  revealed 
 the  Searcher  of  hearts  ,  and  Jesus  Christ  will  re- 
 veal himself  as  such.  In  the  Old  Testament 
 this  sublime  and  penetrating  title  (also  speak- 
 ing of  the  reins  and  hearts,  that  is,  the  desires 
 and  the  thoughts)  occurs,  of  course,  only  of 
 God  :  e.  g.,  Psa.  vii.  10;  Jer.  xi.  20,  xii.  3;  also, 
 in  connection  with  the  judgment,  and  just  as 
 here,  Jer.  xvii.  10;  Prov.  xxiv.  12.  All  thi 
 churches  have  indeed  long  known  that  he  whom 
 they  call  the  Lord,  this  Searcher  of  hearts  and 
 Judge,  is  one  and  equal  with  the  Father.  They 
 have  known  it,  but  have  not  sufficiently  under- 
 stood and  remembered  it ;  therefore  the  Lord, 
 who  had  named  himself  before,  ver.  IS,  the  Son 
 of  God,  significantly  says  here:  "They  shall 
 know  that  I  am  he."  This  threatening  of 
 judgment  once  more  combines  tenderness  with 
 its  severity :  "  I  will  assuredly  look  at  the 
 heart,  and  only  according  to  the  heart  estimate 
 the  deeds." 
 
 Of  this  he  gives  at  the  same  time  a  proof, 
 when  he  graciously  returns  to  the  oppressed 
 and  burdened  I'kyutira,  who  can  stand  tlirough 
 their  fidelity  to  him,  and  to  the  little  centre 
 of  believers  already  praised  in  ver.  19  as  exist- 
 ing even  under  the  Jezebel  government. 
 
 But  un'o  you  I  siy,  the  rest  in  T/n/a'ira,  as 
 many  as  hare  not  t'lis  doctrine,  and  have  not 
 known  the  d^^p'.lis  of  Satan,  as  they  speak:  I 
 will  put  upon  you  no  o'ltcr  burden.  The 
 reading  and  interpretation  "  unto  you  and 
 unto  the  rest"  is  correct;  for  who  could  be 
 referred  to  over  and  above  those  who  were  ad- 
 dressed ?  The  r-if.t  are  rather  all  who  stand  be- 
 fore the  gentlfc  yet  severe  juiigment  of  the 
 Lord,  whom  the  "Searcher  of  all  hearts  knows 
 to  be  his  own  iu  Thyatira,  and  whom  therefore 
 he  thus  terms,  as  in  the  case  of  Sard  is,  also, 
 chap.  iii.  2.  The  protesting  minority,  hidden 
 for  the  most  part  from  the  eyes  of  men,  was 
 the  saved  "  remnant  "  according  to  the  election 
 of  grace,  mighty  in  them,  corresiiondint:  to  the 
 seven  thousand  of  the  time  of  Elias  (Rom.  xi. 
 2-5).  To  these  belong  all,  exactly  numljered 
 in  the  Lord's  "  as  many  as,"  who  have  7wt  and 
 do  not  hold  that  doctrine  of  ruin  ;  although 
 even  they,  as  was  said  before,  too  generally 
 tolerate  it,  anil  there  is  no  zealous  prophet 
 Elijah  among  them.  And  how  was  that?  Be- 
 cause they  have  not  knoicn  that  which  the 
 Lord  alone  can  know  as  in  it3  depths  satanic. 
 Ebrard  unnaturally  refers  the  clause,  "  as  they 
 say,"  to  the  Christians  of  Thyatira  themselves, 
 while  he  condemns  the  common  exposition 
 ("  as  those  who  hold  the  doctrine  call  it  ")  as 
 unnatural.  But,  were  that  the  case,  we  should 
 certainly  expect,  after  the  address  with  "  but  I 
 
 *  Comi)ave  the  first  time  in  the  Old  Testameut, 
 in  Psa.  civ.  85. 
 
REV.  II.  lS-29. 
 
 eny  unto  yon,"  and  so  much  other  reference  to 
 the  persons  spoken  to,  that  the  recognition  of 
 their  right  senliment  would  also  be  introduced 
 by  a  personal  address,  "  as  ye  rightly  term  it." 
 Moreover,  the  entire  character  of  the  church 
 of  Thyatira  does  not  prepare  us  to  expect 
 among  them  any  such  decisive  testimony 
 against  Jezebel.  Assuredly,  these  "  remaining 
 ones  "  here,  that  is,  all,  as  many  as  do  not  hold 
 this  doctrine,  are  not  entirely  distinguished 
 from  that  "  main  bulk  of  the  church  which 
 tolerated  Jezebel's  evil  doings  " — they  are  the 
 same,  those  which  were  before  commended, 
 ver.  19,  though  certainly  the  best  portion  of 
 them.  Thus  these  were  not  they  who  "boldly 
 condemned  these  doings  as  sata?iic,  and  opposed 
 Jer.ebel  as  Eiijaha."  But  we  must  understand 
 them  to  be,  as  a  consideration  of  history  will 
 ehow,  those  men  (the  sympathizing  high  priest 
 calls  them  sei-vants  of  God,  and  in  ver.  20  his 
 servants,  embracing  the  seduced  in  common), 
 pious  Catholics,  before  and  a.ter  the  Reforma- 
 tion, who  nevertheless,  like  even  John  Huss, 
 ■were  so  blinded  by  Jezebel,  that  they  enter- 
 tained no  doubt  of  the  divine  institution  of  the 
 Papacy,  but  supposed  rather  that  such  an  in- 
 stitute was  necessary  for  the  unity  of  the 
 Church,  for  the  preservation  of  apostolical  tra- 
 dition, and  for  a  certain  interpretation  of  Scrip- 
 ture. The  Lord,  indeed,  plainly  declares,  that 
 ■while  they  are  not  seduced  by  this  doctrine,  and 
 have'xi  not  in  its  practical  consequences,  do  not 
 teach  the  essential  evil  which  was  connected 
 with  it,  yet  they  are  at  least  deceived  concern- 
 ing it,  since  they  do  not  know  its  evil  ground, 
 and  in  spite  of  all  that  obviously  might  have 
 taught  them,  have  not  discerned  its  essential  sin. 
 They  are  lho.se  who  have  not  been  initiated 
 into  the  abysmal  corruption  ;  and  therefore, 
 through  this  lack  of  insight,  have  been  pre- 
 served and  saved.  In  these  pregnant  words 
 the  emphasis  liea  upon  the  "depths:"  this  is 
 the  third  and  final  denomination,  after  the 
 synagogue  of  Satan  in  Smyrna,  and  the  seat 
 of  Satan  in  Pergamos  ;  now  first  is  the  perfect- 
 ly perverted  anti-Christianity  arisen  from  these 
 depths  as  a  doctrine  and  a  power.  The  expres- 
 sion connects  itself  with  manifestations  of  the 
 apostolical  age,  in  which  the  mystery  of  ini- 
 quity was  already  beginning  in  its  pre-intima- 
 tions  to  work  (2  Thess.  ii.  7).  Those  fleshly 
 Gnostics  built  their  adulterous  life  upon  high- 
 flown  theories  of  a  so-called  Tcnoidedge,  and 
 talked  about  "  the  deep  things  of  God,"  which 
 the  Spirit  had  revealed  unto  them  (1  Cor.  ii. 
 10).  To  us  it  is  by  no  means  unnatural,  in 
 the  concise  phrase  which  must  be  understood 
 by  the  whole  connection,  that  the  Lord  correct- 
 ingly  terms  their  so-called  deep  things  (which 
 ■word  alone,  as  we  have  said,  is  here  in  ques- 
 tion) the  depths  of  Satan  ;  and  thus  refers  the 
 clause  "  as  f^f^/ speak  "  only  to  the  former  word 
 of  the  two — As  they  babble  in  their  perversion 
 concerning  (but  he  will  not  take  into  his  lips 
 their  blasphemous  lie)  the  deep  things  "  of 
 God."  - 
 
 Suffice  it  that  the  rest  in  Thyatira  have  not, 
 
 on  the  one  hand — and  this  was  sufGcient  for 
 their  salvation — known  these  depths,  in  the 
 sense  of  the  falsely-vaunted  knowledge  of  the 
 prophets  and  instruments  of  Jezebel  ;  while, 
 on  the  other,  they  have  not,  in  another  sense, 
 understood  and  penetratingly  perceived  that 
 they  were  the  depths  of  Satan  and  not  the  deep 
 things  of  God.  They  have  indeed,  according 
 to  the  degree  of  their  knowledge  and  in  part, 
 withstood  the  influx  of  the  evil — so  much"  was 
 true  ;  but,  on  that  very  account,  because  they 
 regarded  the  error  of  doctrine,  and  the  wicked- 
 ness of  life,  as  no  more  than  evil  which  was 
 built  upon  a  good  foundation,  and  therefore 
 did  not  break  with  the  fundamental  power  and 
 the  fundamental  doctrine  itself — they  were 
 very  hard  put  to  it  in  such  a  conflict  with 
 Jezebel,  and  much  more  heavily  troubled  than 
 if  their  opposition  had  been  pure  and  perfect. 
 This  their  Lord  knows,  and  therefore  says  to 
 them  graciously :  "  I  put  not  upon  you  any  o'.her 
 burden.  That  it  is  not  ray  will  to  do — Thus 
 do  I  not  (in  the  correct  reading) ;  be  assured 
 that  I  do  not  so  deal  with  those  who  are  al- 
 ready plagued  and  oppressed."  We  must 
 understand  "  no  other  burden  "  (as  if  for  vis- 
 itation upon  your  failure  to  know  the  evil 
 depths)  "  besides  that  harassing  oppression 
 under  which  ye  are  held  by  Jezebel's  power."* 
 But  that  which  ye  have,  holdfast  fill  I  come. 
 Not  (though  there  is  such  an  exposition  cur- 
 rent)— "  The  burden  which  you  have,  and  be- 
 sides which  1  will  lay  upon  you  none  other." 
 Chap.  iii.  11  teaches  us  how  to  understand  it: 
 "  Tiiat  gift  of  grace  which  ye  have  received 
 from  me  hold  fast,  and  in  it  abide  faithful." 
 The  coming  of  the  Lord  is  not  only  death,  as 
 regards  every  individual  (ver.  10)  ;  but,  with 
 reference  to  the  whole,  also  the  judicial  coming 
 to  judgment  and  separation,  as  spoken  of  in 
 ver.  23.  The  Lord  here  speaks  of  that  coming 
 with  a  designed  indefiniteness,t  because  gen- 
 erally his  judgment  upon  Thyatira  was  being 
 variously  accomplished  in  preparatory  displays. 
 But  it  is  not  his  design  expressly  to  say  that 
 the  duration  of  this  church  would  extend  to 
 his  final  coming.  Let  it  be  observed  that  to 
 these  "  the  rest,"  not  repentance,  but  holding 
 fast,  is  spoken  of.  Thus  there  is  a  three-fold, 
 distinction  ;  Jezebel  herself  is  hardened,  and 
 will  not  repent,  as  was  already  said  ;  all  who 
 commit  adultery  with  her  are  yet,  ver.  22,  ex- 
 horted to  repentance;  finally,  this  residue, this 
 better    part,  this   small    minority,  needs   not 
 
 *  The  interpretation  found  in  Herder  is  niani- 
 fe.'stly  incorrect :  "  I  will  not  upon  you  cast  a 
 strange  burden,  not  reckon  to  you  others'  sins." 
 This  cannot  be  the  meaning  of  a'AAo  ,•  oomp.  1 
 Tim.  V.  22.  Nor  is  ftocpoi  a  commandment  or 
 prophetical  utterance,  as  if  the  Lord  used  a 
 phraseology  which  was  denounced  in  Jer.  xxiii. 
 33-38. 
 
 t  But  the  av  is  not  a  mark  of  indefinitenoss,  as 
 has  been  said;  it  is  only  a  strengthenins;  in  con- 
 nection with  axpt?  ov  or  'ioDi,  as  oltea  else- 
 where ;  see  1  Cor.  xv.  25. 
 
92ff 
 
 THE  EPISTLE  TO  THYATIRA. 
 
 that  exhortation.     With  these  last  is  connect- 
 ed the  promise  : 
 
 And  lie  that  overcome'h,  and  Tceepe'h  my 
 viorlcs  nn'o  the  end.  to  him  will  I  give  power  over 
 the  na'ions.  And  he  shnll  rule  (hem  with  a  rod 
 of  iron;  as  the  vessels  of  a  potter  shall  they  he 
 brokn  to  shivers ;  even  as  Irpceived  <fmy  Fa- 
 ther. And  I  will  give  him  the  morning  star. 
 He  that  hath  an  ear  let  him  hear  whtt  the 
 Spirit  s'lith  unto  the  Churches.  My  works, 
 saith  the  Lord,  instead  of  those  works  ol 
 darkness  .  "  The  works  which  are  well-pleas- 
 ing to  rr.e;  the  works  of  love  and  faith,  of 
 service  and  patience,  wrought  through  my 
 grace — as  before  said.  That  is  what  ye  must 
 have,  and  hold  fast;  these  are  your  works, 
 according  to  which  I,  the  Judge,  will  deal 
 with  you.  The  power  is  mine;  the  reward 
 is,  properly  speaking,  your  benefit:  yet  it  will 
 be  the  actual  reward  of  the  faith  which  re- 
 ceived, and  of  the  fidelity  which  held  fast  and 
 overcame."  Ifow,  the  "  unto  the  end,"  as  re- 
 spects the  individuals,  is  the  same  with 
 "  unto  death,"  ver.  10.  Because  Thyatira  had 
 wrongly  anticipated  the  kingdom  of"  the  Lord, 
 and  perverted  it  to  sinful  dominion,  the  reward 
 of  those  who  overcome  is  in  opposition  de- 
 scribed as  tiie  true  power  over  the  nations,  as 
 the  symbolical,  prophetical  word  promised  it 
 to  the  Son  of  God,  for  the  antitype  and  fulfill- 
 ment of  tiie  kingdom  of  David,  Psa.  ii.  6-9. 
 That  which  is  there  the  ictptre  of  the  kingdom, 
 is  here  translated  into  staff  ox  rod.  The  saying 
 of  the  Psalm  recurs  twice  more,  chap.  xii.  5, 
 six.  15,  and  as  here,  according  to  the  ancient 
 Greek  version,  "  he  will  pasture  them  with  it," 
 although  the  Hebrew  text  speaks  of  breaking 
 inj>iece!i,  even  in  the  first  member  of  the  sen- 
 tence. The  Hebrew  word  contains  in  its  root 
 &  double  allusion,  including  that  of  feeding; 
 and  the  translation  which  arose  out  of  that 
 fact  may  be  retained  in  order  to  indicate,  in  con- 
 formity wilh  the  meaning  here,  that  both  are 
 included— as  well  the  final  destroying  judg- 
 ment of  wrath  upon  the  evil-doers,  as  the 
 victory  of  tlie  power  of  grace  which  opposes  in 
 order  to  salvation,  and  thus  brings  into  the 
 fold  of  the  Good  Shepherd.  Both  are  referred 
 to  in  the  promise  of  this  passage,  but  especially 
 the  ruUmj  which  wins  and  saves,  as  it  is 
 abundantly  promised  to  the  partakers  of  the 
 first  resurrection,  in  a  final  kingdom  of  the 
 Lord  upon  earth,  chap.  xx.  4,  and  finally  in 
 chap.  xxii.  5.  Thatwiiich  Psa.  cxlix.  6-9  pre- 
 announces  concerning  the  honor  of  God's  saints, 
 that  they  shall  rule  and  bind  the  nations, 
 means  assuredly,  first  of  all,  as  ver.  6,  rightly 
 viewed,  gives  us  to  understand,  the  office  of 
 the  word  and  spirit  as  opposed  to  the  unbelief 
 of  the  world  ;  although  the  final  judgment  is 
 assuredly  not  excluded:  compare  Wisil.  iii.  8 
 and  Ecclus.  iv.  16  (more  strictly  translated, 
 "  who  shall  judge  the  Gentiles  ")  with  1  Cur. 
 vi.  2.  What  the  relation  of  these  promises  is 
 to  the  time  of  the  end,  and  before  tlie  end,  we 
 can  now  only  forecast  in  a  very  gf^neral  way, 
 ivnd  define  only  by  negations.     That  power 
 
 over  the  nations  is  here  held  out  to  those  who 
 overcome  as  a  reward,  and  in  contrast  with 
 the  false  power  which  had  been  arrogated,  is 
 very  plain.  But  we  cannot  see  that  there  is  in 
 it  a  special  severity  and  keenness,  in  conformitji 
 with  the  strain  of  the  whole  epistle  :  for,  first, 
 the  epistle  is  full  of  gracious  encouragement  to 
 the  believers ;  and,  secondly,  the  promised 
 power  is  by  no  means  intended  merely  of  de- 
 stroyingjudgment.  Herder,  therefore,  commits 
 a  two-!old  mistake,  when  he  says  that  "  even 
 the  reward  in  that  world  is  in  harmony  with 
 this  character,  quite  in  the  spirit  of  Elias, 
 rigorous  and  destructive."  For,  oi  thai  world, 
 in  which  there  will  be  nothing  to  destroy, 
 nothing  is  here  said  ;  and,  moreover,  our  Lord 
 obviates  all  such  misunderstanding  of  the  de- 
 structive power,  by  the  additional  clause, 
 "  Even  as  I  have  received  of  my  Father."  That 
 is  not  merely  a  formula  of  citation,  referring  to 
 the  second  Psalm ;  but  it  is  a  prelude  of  the 
 promise  in  the  final  epistle,  chap.  iii.  21.  The 
 as  has  the  same  protbund  meaning  which  it 
 had  when  the  Lord  in  his  humiliation  first 
 used  it,  Luke  xxii.  29. 
 
 But  what  is  the  morning  star?  Pious  read- 
 ers of  a  certain  kind  pass  over  this  with  devout 
 feelings,  as  something  undefined,  and  form  no 
 clear  impression  of  it  in  their  minds;  but  the  ex- 
 positor must  look  at  it  more  carefully,  according 
 to  his  best  ability.  It  is  dispatching  it  too  easily 
 to  compare  chap.  xxii.  16,  and  say  that  this  con- 
 cluding word  only  sums  up  the  whole  promise 
 from  ver.  26  onwards:  "  I  will  thus  give  myitei/ 
 to  him  as  the  true  ruler  and  king."  For,  Christ 
 is  not  called,  as  a  ruler,  the  bright  morning 
 star;  and,  moreover,  the  phraseology  would  be 
 strange  and  unexampled  ;  "  I  will  give  myself 
 to  him,"  and  as  the  "  morning  star,"  meaning 
 again  only  "  My  power,  the  true  Christocracy." 
 We  think  that  the  "  morning  star  "  to  be  given 
 is  something  different  from  the  Lord  himself 
 so  termed,  although  there  is  naturally  a  con- 
 nection between  the  two.  But  must  we  ad- 
 duce 2  Pet.  i.  19,  and  refer  it  only  to  the  rising 
 of  light  in  the  heart?*  This  again  is  saying 
 too  httle ;  it  goes  back  inappropriately  to  the 
 beginnings,  whereas  this  concluding  promise, 
 like  all  the  rest,  manifestly  stretches  forward 
 to  a  mysterious  future.  In  a  general  way,  it 
 would  be  sufficient  to  interpret:  "He  "that 
 overcometh  shall  be  present  at  the  first  en- 
 trance and  dawn  of  my  true  kingdom  over  the 
 nations,  and  share  it  with  me."  But  this  has 
 not  enough  personal  appropriation  of  the  pro- 
 mise; it  is  not  sufiaciently  concrete.  I  will 
 give  him — must  have  the  same  meaning  as  in 
 the  similar  lormulas,  vers.  7,  10, 17.  We  think 
 that  the  truth  of  this  undoubtedly  peculiar  ex- 
 pression lies  in  the  middle  between  the  future 
 and  the  mere  preparation  for  it,  as  the  morning 
 Atar  points  to  such  an  intermediate  position: 
 not  yet  the  day  itself,  but  the  messenger  pre- 
 ceding and  pre-announcing  it.     Thus,  ttie  over- 
 
 *  Zinzendorf  translates,  without   furlhor   ado, 
 I  will  give  him  in  hn  heart  the  morning  aiar." 
 
REV.  11.  18-29. 
 
 927 
 
 comer,  under  the  burden  and  darkness  of 
 Tbyatira,  receives  actually  already  in  his  heart 
 the  prospect  and  commencing  pledge  of  the 
 light  which  will  rise  :  this  is  included,  but  it  is 
 not  all  t'le  meaning.  He  has  not.  merely  "  the 
 living  hope  and  assurance  of  final  victory  "  (as 
 Von  Geriach  says);  but  is  really  a  participa- 
 tor and  receiver  of  a  beginning  of  the  king- 
 dom, of  that  victory  of  the  true  Shepherd  and 
 King  over  the  nations,  which  was  future  to 
 Thyatira,  and  would  come  in  the  end.  And 
 what  is  that  itself?  Assuredly  the  millennial 
 kingdom,  to  which,  in  a  certain  sense,  all  these 
 promises  point ;  but  before  that  full  fulfillment, 
 it  is  also  a  specific  prelude  of  it,  which  is 
 parallel  with  the  previously  threatened  judg- 
 ment upon  Sardis,  as  the  other  side  of  that 
 coming  of  the  Lord.  Thus,  to  speak  plainly  out, 
 the  so-called  reformation  of  the  Church  is 
 signified  by  the  promised  morning  star,  so  far 
 as  regards  the  jfirst  fulfillment;  but  this  as- 
 suredly 0.1  ly  as  the  type  and  earnest  of  an- 
 other much  moreglorious  victory  of  li^ht.  If,  as 
 we  shall  be  contrained  (though  to  the  offence 
 of  some)  to  admit,  Sirdis  is  the  church  suc- 
 ceeding the  commencement  of  the  Reformation, 
 which  brought  in  no  "Philadelphia"  (that  is, 
 biotherly  love),  but  fell  again  almost  into 
 death  with  its  cold  orthodoxy,  bearing  the 
 name  of  new  life  and  ])urified  doctrine;  and  if, 
 therefore,  the  work  of  the  Reformation  itself, 
 which  formed  so  wonderful  an  epoch,  would 
 otherwise  be  altogether  unmentioned,  which 
 we  cannot  imagine — it  will  appear  strikingly 
 harmonious  that  we  should  read  here,  by  way 
 of  close  and  transition  at  least,  of  a  morning 
 star  of  new  light  and  life  rising  upon  the  faith- 
 ful of  Thyatira,  as  a  victory  of  the  sceptre  of 
 Christ  over  the  power  of  the  ruling  harlot.  So 
 far  we  agree  generally  with  Von  Meyer,  whose 
 altogether  different  interpretation  of  Sardis  we 
 cannot  accept:  "The  true  evangelical  illumi- 
 nation which  broke  out  every  where  about  the 
 time  of  the  Reformation,  the  first  new  enlight- 
 enment was  the  reward  of  the  heroes  of  faith 
 in  Thyatira,  who  after  the  midnight  of  super- 
 stition received  the  light  of  Christ,  and  ex.-r- 
 cised  with  him  the  office  of  the  morning  t^tar 
 which  heralds  the  day."  Did  not  Luther  him- 
 self go  forth  from  Thyatira  as  one  who  broke 
 through  and  overcame  under  the  pressure  of 
 her  power  and  might?  Sander  expresses  this 
 even  more  strongly  than  we  should  be  inclined 
 to  do  :  "  Among  these  overcomers,  to  whom  the 
 iron  sceptre  and  the  morning  star  were  given, 
 the  reformers  in  common  are  not  to  be  mis- 
 taken."* Certainly  it  is  here  first,  at  the  close 
 and  not  already  in  the  midst  of  the  period  of 
 Thyatira,  that  we  find  the  true  "  Elijahs." 
 The  reader  must  now  adjust  for  himself  the 
 things  which  we  have  given  as  no  more  than 
 forecasting,  in  a  domain  where  strict  exposition 
 must   needs  be  at  fault.     If  he  cannot  agree 
 
 with  us.  let  him  find  something  better,  which 
 will  fairly  and  fully  coir-;spond  with  the  well- 
 weighed  letter  and  the  connection  of  the  pro- 
 phetical word. 
 
 And  unto  the  angel  of  the  church  in  Sardis 
 write:  These  things  saith  he  that  hath  the 
 Seven  Spirits  of  God,  and  the  seven  stars  ;  I 
 Icnow  thg  works,  that  thou  hast  a  name  that 
 thou  livest,  and  art  dead.  The  epistle  on 
 which  we  now  enter  presents  a  great  diffi- 
 culty, both  for  exposition  and  application. 
 With  reverent  awe  of  the  Spirit's  word  in 
 the  lips  of  .Jesus,  which  so  wonderfully  yields 
 its  own  self-demonstration,  we  proceed  to 
 give  the  best  interpretation  we  can  :  it  will 
 be  our  object  to  avoid  as  much  a?  possible  all 
 imposition  of  our  own  meaning,  while  shrink- 
 ing not  from  the  expression  of  what  seems  to 
 us  the  truth.  We  have  hitherto  found  a  chro- 
 nological progression  of  predominant  reference 
 to  successive  periods  in  the  history  of  the 
 Church — successive,  though  in  a  sense  running 
 into  each  other;  this  we  must  still  hold  fast, 
 unless  the  sense  of  the  words  absolutely  disal- 
 low it.  We  have  also  found,  with  tolerable 
 certainty,  a  prophetical  significance  even  in 
 the  names  of  these  churches;  and  tliis  will  be 
 still  more  plainly  seen  in  the  last  two.  Is 
 Sardis  to  be  the  sole  exception  ?  It  is  indeed 
 the  name  most  etymologioally  obscure  of  all, 
 inasmuch  as  the  Greek  language  affords  no 
 derivation.  The  Oriental  tongues  have  (since 
 Vitringa)  been  resorted  to  for  help;  and  the 
 first  meaning  given  is  "  the  rest  "* — which  will, 
 as  we  shall  see,  suit  well  enough.  But  later 
 learning  has  traced  the  name  of  the  ancient 
 metropolis  of  Lydia  (once  the  rich  residence 
 of  Croesus,  now  existing  only  in  a  miserable 
 village)  to  a  Lydian  root :  and,  moreover,  re- 
 fer to  it  the  mysterious  Shepherd  in  Obadiah 
 (ver.  20),  as  meaning  the  same  Sardis,  proper- 
 ly "  Sevarda  "  or  "Separda."  With  this  last 
 we  do  not  agree,  thinking  "  Sparta "  rather 
 probable  in  Obadiah  ;t  but  the  Sanscrit  deri- 
 vation of  the  Lydian  name  will  stand — it  be- 
 ing equivalent  to  "neio,  new-born  with  the 
 year,  renewed."  Thus  much  appears  to  us 
 clear  at  the  outset :  Thyatira  passes  over  into 
 Sardis,  and  that  which  in  the  former  was  "  the 
 rest,"  becomes  in  the  latter  a  "  new  "  form  and 
 constitution,  under  another  name  and  charac- 
 ter. Not  as  if  "  the  rest"  of  ver.  2  stood  in 
 connection  with  these  (for  there  the  meaning 
 is  quite  different)  ;  but  the  residue  of  Thyatira, 
 rewarded  with  the  morning  star  of  a  new  light 
 and  life,  form  the  transition  to  the  new,  whose 
 subsequent  and  speedy  declension  is  condemn- 
 ed in  Sardis.  Accordingly  we  should  find  a 
 consistent  meaning  for  both  interpretations  of 
 the  name  at  once ;  but,  declining  this  double 
 
 *  He  afterwards  incorrectty  interprets  the  morn- 
 ing star  to  hejhe  word  of  God — which  would,  ac- 
 cording to  his  view,  better  suit  the  sceptre. 
 
 *1>-)b'  frequently  in  the  Old  TesLamenl :  those 
 who  have  escaped  in  battle,  the  residue  after 
 fight,  like  I3'i53. 
 
 +  See  Delltzsch  in  Taidelbach's  Zcitschrift,  1851, 
 i.  100. 
 
'SSS 
 
 THE  EPISTLE  TO  SARDIS. 
 
 meaning,  we  accept  the  definition  of  a  new 
 form  of  the  Church,  as  being  etymologically 
 the  more  sure,  and  better  con-esponding  with 
 facts. 
 
 Ebrard  thinks  it  maybe  observed, that  after 
 this  filth  epistle  there  is  no  longer  any  histori- 
 cal progression  in  the  prophetical  interpreta- 
 tion; but  that  Sardis,  Philadelphia,  Laodicea, 
 are  to  be  sought  collectively  in  connection  tcith 
 the  abiding  Thyatira.  This  much  only  is  true, 
 that  Loneraliy  the  several  characteristics  of 
 the  churches  are  not  rigidly  defined  in  strict 
 succession  only;  but  that  those  which  follow 
 are  prepared  lor  in  those  which  precede,  while 
 those  which  precede  continue  on  in  those 
 which  follow.  So  also  Von  Meyer,  with  the 
 same  fundamental  view,  strangely  calls  Sardis 
 and  Philadelphia  the  two  daughters,  and  Lao- 
 dicea the  grand-daughter,  of  Thyatira;  but 
 we  regard  all  this  as  disturbing  the  clearness 
 and  simplicity  of  the  prophecy.  Is  Sardis, 
 then,  according  to  this  notion,  "  the  Catholic, 
 especially  the  komish,  church  after  the  time 
 of  the  Peformation  ?  "  In  that  case  we  cannot 
 fee  the  distinction  from  Thyatira,  since  the 
 Heformation  did  not  give  a  different  character 
 to  the  church  which  rejected  it ;  nor  can  we 
 understand  how  the  Relormed  church  is  to  be 
 first  introduced  under  the  name  of  Philadel- 
 phia. All  things  concur  to  lead  us  to  the  con- 
 clusion, that  Sardis,  with  her  new  name,  to 
 which,  nevertheless,  the  reality  does  not  cor- 
 respond, with  her  declension  from  a  first  re- 
 ceiving and  hearing  ("ver.  3),  must  mean  pre- 
 eminently the  church  which  arose  from  the 
 work  of  the  Reformation.  Some  commenta- 
 tors (lollowing  a  very  doubtful  derivation  of 
 the  name  Sardis)  understand  the  various  resi- 
 dues of  the  old  churches,  the  Greek,  Armenian, 
 Coptic,  Maronite,  Abyssinian,  etc.,  which  were 
 all  dead;  while  they  hold  that  the  interpre- 
 tation, or  the  restriction,  which  refers  the 
 whole  to  the  "  evangelical  church,"  to  be  in- 
 correct and  unhistoncal.  But  we  think  that, 
 without  excluding  these  side-glances,  the  suc- 
 cession of  the  seven  epistles  adheres  to  the 
 main  line  of  history  ;  and  to  us  it  seems  high- 
 ly artificial  to  refer  the  plural  form  "  Sardes  " 
 to  manifold  residues,  instead  of  giving  to  this, 
 as  to  every  other  church,  its  distinctive  char- 
 acter. The  historical  interpretation  must,  of 
 course,  be  in  harmony  with  real  history  ;  but 
 then  we  reasonably  ask,  Where  is  the  "evan- 
 gelical" church  not  long  after  the  Reforma- 
 tion ?  Alas  I  that  we  could  find  it  and  see  it ! 
 Was  the  old  Catholic  church  actually  at  that 
 time,  otherwise  than  before,  dead  and  dried  to 
 "a  mummy?"  Does  not  impartial  history 
 bear  witness,  alas  !  that  that  actually  befell  the 
 church  which  the  reformers  raised  up,  which 
 was  called  a  new  and  living  church,  but  was 
 not  in  reality  such  ?  In  one  of  the  seven  we 
 must  find  iUis  church,  on  account  of  ht  r  his- 
 torical importance:  where,  then,  shall  we  find 
 her,  if  not  in  Sardis  after  Thyatira?  We  can- 
 not see  her  true  image  in  J^hiladelfihia  ;  for  we 
 ask,  Whtre  is  then  the  open  door  for  the  little 
 
 strength?  (ver.  8).  Apart  from  missions  to 
 the  heathen — to  which,  however,  that  points 
 — was  not  rather  the  door  shut  again  in  the 
 Thirty  Years'  War,  and  the  peace  of  Westpha- 
 lia? Did  not  the  first,  preliminary  hour  of 
 temptation  (ver.  10)  miserably  overpower  her, 
 so  that  she  fell  into  rationalism?  When  \Ye 
 read  the  epistle  to  Sardis,  without  any  refer- 
 ence to  its  prophetic  interpretation,  we  see 
 that  the  lineaments  of  its  character  lament- 
 ably but  faithfully  suit  that  church  which 
 bore  the  name  of  being  new,  of  being  restored 
 to  new  life.  It  is  not  external  persecution 
 that  is  spoken  of,  nor  internal  heresy.  "  She 
 glories  in  being  alive,  but  is  dead  ;  because  the 
 truth,  which  she  once  embraced  with  subject- 
 ive heartfelt  zeal,  is  now  regarded  only  as  an 
 objective  treasure  for  the  head ;  because  an 
 awakened  Christianity  is  wanting  in  her,  she 
 makes  only  masses  of  Christians."  These  are 
 the  pregnant  words  of  the  thoughtful  Ebrard, 
 the  application  of  which  he  shrinks  from  ex- 
 pressing. We  will  also  let  some  others  speak 
 who  have  expounded  this  before  us.  Father 
 Von  Brunn,  "the  old  servant  who  waited  for 
 his  Lord,"  though  not  furnished  with  much 
 penetration  or  thorough  knowledge,  could  not 
 avoid  coming  to  the  conclusion  that  "  Sardis  is 
 the  type  of  the  purified  Western  church  after 
 the  Reformation,"  though  he  exaggerates  the 
 condemnation  of  her  beginning  and  origin. 
 Sander  wrote  thirty  years  ago:  "This  church 
 represents  to  us  a  time  when  a  dead  oriTwdoxy 
 restrained  and  bound  the  fresh  life  of  the  evan- 
 gelical churches — when  the  spirit  was  oppress- 
 ed by  forms — when  scholasticism  lifted  its 
 head  again,  and  fettered  the  living  word  of 
 God — when  life  and  doctrine  were  severed, 
 and  men  were  satisfied  with  a  dead  knowledge 
 of  the  truths  of  salvation  ;  the  Church  was 
 during  this  period,  from  the  end  of  the  six- 
 teeenlh  till  the  latter  half  of  the  eighteenth 
 century,  a  Sardis — men  were  proud  of  their 
 soundness  of  faith,  and  took  refuge  in  their 
 good  works,  their  sacraments  and  church- 
 going,  and  ielt  not  the  ban  which  burdened 
 the  churches,  and  the  judgments  which  were 
 at  the  door."  Finally,  even  Brandt,  who 
 deals  so  strangely  with  the  seven  epistles  gen- 
 erally, makes  almost  the  same  observations  in 
 his  comment  upon  Sardis. 
 
 After  this  anticipating  introduction — neces- 
 sary in  order  to  show  the  transition  from  Thya- 
 tira to  Sardis,  where  otherwise  there  might  ap- 
 pear to  be  a  sudden  spring  to  an  unconnected 
 new  beginning — we  shall  perhaps  be  able  better 
 to  understand  the  details  of  what  is  here  spoken. 
 That  the  Lord  describes  himself  here,  as  in  chap, 
 ii.  1,  as  holding  all  the  seven  stars,  corresponds 
 entirely  with  the  critical  period  of  this  new  be- 
 ginning of  the  Church.  But,  instead  of  tho 
 seven  candlcsticTcs,  he  now  mentions  the  light 
 and  life  itself  which  was  typified  in  them  and 
 imparted  to  them  ;  Jn  order,  as  it  were,  to  say 
 that  this  did  not  res'ult  from  the  mere  "  frame" 
 of  the  candlesticks.  Spirit  is  hie ;  therefore, 
 "  he  that  haLli  the  Spirit,  that  is,  the  Living 
 
EEV.  III.  1-6 
 
 929 
 
 One  with  whom  is  all  spirit  and  life,  and  "who 
 therefore  liath  no  pleasure  in  those  who  have 
 the  name  to  live  and  yet  are  dead."  It  is  not 
 so  much  in  Isa.  xi.  2  that  we  find  ihe  seven 
 Spirits  of  God*  (of  which  John  also  in  Eev.  i.  4 
 and  ver.  6  speaks),  as  in  Zech.  iv.  2,  10,  iii.  9, 
 where  they  correspond  to  the  seven-branched 
 candlestick  as  the  seven  all-penetrating  eyes  of 
 the  Lord.  These  seven  "living  Spirits"  are  a 
 typical  expression  for  the  reality  of  the  mani- 
 fold influences  of  the  one  Holy  Spirit.  The 
 glorified  Lord  of  glory  will  not  go  back,  as  it 
 were,  to  the  position  of  his  humble  humanity, 
 and  say,  "  I  am  ho  who  was  anointed  most 
 fully  with  the  Holy  Spirit;"  but  when  he 
 terms  himself  the  possessor  of  the  seven  Spirits 
 before  the  throne  of  God,  he  thereby  testifies  his 
 essential  divinity,  just  as  in  chap.  ii.  IS  for 
 Thyatira.  But  here  Sardis  is  referred  to  the 
 variety  of  the  churches  which  in  the  Lord's  pres- 
 ence are  regarded  as  a  unity,  because  she,  in 
 her  presumption,  misunderstood  that  truth ; 
 even  as  to  Lphesus  the  variety  was  rather  re- 
 garded as  a  unity.  The  Lutheran  church  es- 
 pecially, the  most  expressly  developed  stem  and 
 stock  of  the  evangelical,  needs  to  be  reminded 
 that  every  candlestick  receives  its  specific  light 
 only  from  the  entire  unity  and  fulness  of  the 
 divine  gifts  of  the  Spirit. 
 
 I  know  thy  works.  Thus  stands  here  also  at 
 the  outset  the  unaltered  formula  of  the  judicial 
 sentence  (as  again  in  vers.  8  and  15),  although 
 the  condemnation  proceeds  that  the  true  and 
 perfect  works  are  not  found  among  them.  "  I 
 know  how  it  is  with  thy  works ;  that  is,  thou 
 hast  the  name  that  thou  livest,  and  &xidead."^ 
 Judgment  could  scarcely  be  uttered  more  keenly 
 and  decisively  upon  any  church  than  this.  It 
 is  literally  still  more  rejecting  than  the  "  luhe- 
 warm"  of  Laodicea;  but  it  is  not  to  be  under- 
 stood in  its  most  literal  severity,  as  we  learn 
 from  vers.  2  and  4.  What  remained  was  not 
 yet  dead,  and  there  were  some  among  them  un- 
 defiled ;  yet  the  Faithful  One  speaks  thus  keenly 
 and  zealously,  we  might  say  thus  extremely,  at 
 the  beginning,  in  order  to  awaken  by  such 
 words  of  fear  those  who  were  almost  dead.  We 
 are  taught  every  where  by  the  language  of  these 
 epistles  to  interpret  their  expressions  according 
 to  their  relative  power  and  significance,  without 
 unduly  pressing  the  letter.  As  people  are 
 found,  and  the  words  suit  them,  they  are  ad- 
 dressed: thus  did  the  Lord  address  them  when 
 upon  earth,  and  thus  he  still  addresses  them 
 from  heaven.  Sardis  has  the  name — or  a  name, 
 which  is  equivalent! — that  she  lives;  but  the 
 Lord  tells  her  that  she  is  dead:  this  language 
 has  almost  as  condemnatory  a  tone  as  chap.  li. 
 9  concerning  the  Jews  who  were  not  Jews  ;  and 
 may,  according  to  the  analogy  of  Rom.  li.  17, 
 
 *  Yet  even  there  the  seven-number  is  not  acci- 
 dental. 
 
 f  The  first  Zrt  is  not  for,  but  dependent  e::plan- 
 atorily  upon  oida. 
 
 X  The  article  before  ovojj.a  is  not  in  the  cor- 
 recu  i(kxt. 
 
 etc.,  be  interpreted  of  the  so-called  church  of 
 the  simple  word  and  pure  doctrine.  False  doc- 
 trine is  not  objected  to  her;  the  name  has  con- 
 sequently a  half-true  ground:  all  the  worse  is 
 it,  that  that  name  should  be  made  the  occasion 
 of  vain-glorying  in  opposition  to  the  truth  of 
 life.  The  parallel  which  has  been  sought  in 
 Paul's  words,  1  Tim.  v.  6,*  concerning  an  in- 
 dividual person,  is  something  different;  for 
 here,  amid  predominant  death,  the  collectivs 
 whole  approaching  a  condition  of  death,  there  is 
 yet  remaining  a  germ  of  life  Avhich  may  be 
 awakened.  But  it  is  with  sufficient  earnest- 
 ness declared  to  us  "Protestants,"  glorying  as 
 such  in  opposition  to  the  Ptomish  church,  that 
 life  and  a  living  Christendom  is  no  mere  name, 
 not  any  thing  that  may  be  borne  in  the  mouth, 
 and  assuredly  not  matter  of  vain  self-glorying. 
 But,  on  the  other  hand,  the  exhortation,  based 
 upon  the  name  which  we  bear,  has  ever  been, 
 and  will  always  be,  a  very  piercing  and  con- 
 vincing exhortation.  The  beautiful  name  of 
 li!e,  which  is  here  held  up  in  condemnation,  is 
 indeed  not  the  ambiguous  appellation  "  Pro- 
 testant," in  use  against  Rationalism  as  well  as 
 fanaticism  in  its  two  extremes ;  but  the  name, 
 pre-supposed  with  a  secret  hint  which  the  course 
 of  history  will  solve,  of  the  new  and  renewed, 
 the  pure  and  the  purified.  Church,  the  Church 
 of  the  pure  word  and  uncorrupt  faith. 
 
 Oh  that  it  had  been  in  all  from  the  beginning 
 the  uncorrupt /aiiVA,  or  that  it  had  remained  so. 
 It  is  deeply  humbling  for  the  history  of  our 
 Church  and  Reformation,  that  the  Lord  does 
 not  say  for  Sardis  one  word  about  the  great 
 conjlict,  which  yei^first  was  carried  on  sincerely 
 and  not  without  victory  in  his  might:  he  says 
 not  here,  as  elsewhere,  any  thing  about  foye  and 
 patience;  yea,  he  does  not  expressly  mention 
 (nor  did  he,  indeed,  to  Ephesus)  faith,  the 
 great  critical  v/ord  of  the  Reformation,  in  the 
 urging  of  which  the  Reformation  was  sound. 
 And  wherefore?  Because  he  has  not  in  view, 
 and  does  not  address  his  epistle  to,  that  first 
 outset  of  a  revivification  of  Ctiristendom,  v/hich, 
 while  it  was  not  unworthy  of  praise,  did  not 
 need  to  be  praised ;  but  the  church  which 
 sprang  from  it,  and  which  both  deserved  and 
 needed  blame.  We  hear,  however,  in  the  fol- 
 lowing condescending  words,  that  he  does  not 
 reject  or  cast  away  this  church,  any  more  than 
 any  of  the  others  ;  but  that  he  so  severely  ad- 
 dresses her  on  account  of  her  high  vocation  and 
 name. 
 
 Be  tvatchfal,  and  strengthen  the  things  tvhich 
 remain,  that  are  readij  to  die:  for  I  have  not 
 found  thy  worlcs  perfect  before  God.  IS'ot 
 simply,  Awake,  thou  that  sleepest,  and  rise 
 up  from  death ;  nor,  as  Luther's  translation 
 might  be  misunderstood,  Be  from  this  time 
 more  watchful  than  hitherto;  but.  Become 
 watchful.  Become  what  befits  thy  name,  a 
 watcher,  a  truly  awakened  church,  lifting  up 
 
 •  Zc26a  rsOvT/HS  is  dead  in  connection  witli  a 
 living  body,  and  more  rigorously  exclusive  than 
 the  only  seemingly  equivalent  vsxpoi,  dead. 
 
^imo 
 
 THE  EPISTLE  TO  SARDIS. 
 
 aloud  the  awal^ening  voice  of  the  word  of  God. 
 The  morning  star  hath  called  thee  unto  life — 
 arise,  then,  and  become  light.  Thou  wast,  and 
 wouldsL  be,  a  watchman  who  should  herald  my 
 dawn — alas !  thou  thyself  art  not  enough 
 awake  !  This  word  of  the  Lord  to  Sardis  is  the 
 voice  of  (lie  true  "  Watchman  of  Zion  ;  "  and  it 
 gives  us  the  legitimate  superscription  of  that 
 chapter  in  the  history  of  his  Church  which  we 
 call  the  reformation  history:  there  was  to  the 
 waiting  Christians  of  Thyatira  a  breaking 
 morning,  though  the  day  as  yet  was  wanting. 
 It  was  a  wakening,  but  not  to  full  wakeful- 
 ness ;  sleep  soon  lollowed  again.  What  is  it 
 that  the  evangelical  Church  lacks  for  the  con- 
 summation of  her  good  beginning  ?  A  wakening 
 and  watchfubiess,  the  internal  spiritual  life  of 
 her  people,  who  have  received  and  admitted 
 the  pure  doctrine.  AVho  is  there  that  will  or 
 that  can  deny  this?  Who  dares  challenge 
 with  incorrectness  this  application  to  our  Sar- 
 dis ?  To  Peter,  who  denied  him,  the  Lord  once 
 said  upon  earth,  "  When  thou  art  converted, 
 itrengtken  thy  brethren."  To  the  church,  which 
 conftsscs  him,  he  now  speaks  from  heaven  the 
 same  word  ;  "  When,  thou,  by  repentance,  hast 
 risen  from  thy  weakness,  yea  rather  art  become 
 truly  alive,  watchful,  and  strong,  then  strength- 
 en the  remainder,  which  with  thy  confession  has 
 scarcely  received  lif«,  and  in  thy  continued  con- 
 fession has  drawn  near  to  utter  death  !  "  We 
 see  and  learn  that  the  mere  confession  even  of 
 bis  name  is  not  enough  ;  it  is  not  pure  doctrine 
 that  avails,  but  the  living  life.  The  remainder 
 — this  word  may  indeed  allude  to  chap.  ii.  24  ; 
 but  by  way  of  contrast — we  might  almost  say 
 ironical  contrast.  In  Thyatira  there  was  a 
 little  residue  of  faithful  ones,  out  of  whom  the 
 new  confessors  arose;  here,  on  the  contrary, 
 there  is  an  inert,  dead  mass  and  majority,  which 
 is  called,  in  opposition  to  the  addressed  and 
 awakened  kernel  of  the  Church,  and  for  its 
 rulers  and  guides,  the  rest — aud  in  the  neuter, 
 just  as  a  mass,  which  is  without  personal  life 
 in  the  individuals.  "  Which  tcould die"  (so  in 
 the  original) :  that  is,  was  in  the  act  of  dying, 
 over  which  death  impended,  and  which  will  al- 
 together die  «n/ess  thou  watchest  and  strength- 
 enest  it.  Here  we  are  told,  on  decisive  author- 
 ity, what  was  the  need,  and  what  the  neglect, 
 from  the  beginning  of  the  work  of  reformation ; 
 what  the  only  means  of  invigoration  and  life 
 for  the  dead  communities  over  which  we 
 mourn.  It  is  the  special  cure  of  souls,  which 
 our  fanatical  young  Lutheranism  declares  to  be 
 needless.*  Isot  the  people  into  the  Church, 
 but  the  Church  into  the  people.  JZome  mis- 
 tions,  rightly  understood,  and  rightly  conduct- 
 ed.!    More  correctly,  and  more  conformably  to 
 
 *  One.  Potel  in  Gnadau  savs :  "  A  particular 
 cure  of  souls  does  not  exist,  ottier  than  the  true 
 administration  of  tlie  office  of  the  keys  "  {Ei'attg. 
 Kucluuzcitung ,  1857,  No.  85). 
 
 +  "  Which  are  taking  the  place  of  the  Lutheran 
 ruitng  ojjicea  " — laments  the  same  Potel, 
 
 Scripture  and  fact — The  right  constitution  of 
 our  churches,  the  pastoral  and  diaconate  min- 
 istries in,  and  in  connection  with  the  office  of 
 the  word.  Exhortation,  edification,  and  com- 
 fort of  souls  ;  governing  them  not  by  ecclesias- 
 tical police,  but  by  true  spiritual  discipline. 
 These  are  the  things  which  are  wanting,  and 
 they  alone  will  repair  the  mischief  which  tha 
 Lord  here  rebukes,  not  without  a  glance  back 
 to  the  reproof  in  Ezekiel  :  "The  diseased  havo 
 ye  not  strengthened,  neither  have  ye  healed 
 that  which  was  sick,  neither  have  ye  bound  up 
 that  which  was  broken,  neither  have  ye  brought 
 again  that  which  was  driven  away,  neither 
 have  ye  sought  that  which  was  lost ;  but  with 
 force  and  with  cruelty  have  ye  ruled  them  " 
 (Ezek.  xxxiv.  4,  where  in  ver.  16  the  promiso 
 follows— I  myself  will  do  it). 
 
 Luther,  when  urged  to  establish  ecclesiasti- 
 cal discipline  and   the  pastoral  cure  of  souls, 
 said,  I  have  not  the  men  fit  for  it;  and  thia 
 littleness  of  faith  in  the  strong  believer  has 
 wrought  very  great  mischief.   Printarily  of  this 
 fundamental    deficiency    in  onr    ecclesiastical 
 constitution  as  Lutherans,  and  at  the  same  tima 
 of  others  in  the  Reformed,  the  Lord's  judgment; 
 speaks — I   have   not  found   thy  irirks  perfect. 
 The  works  are  rightly  objected  to  the  Church 
 of  faith ;  for  it  is  through  no  other  than  a  want 
 of  faith  that  the  works,  weighed  in  the  balance 
 of  the  sanctuary,  are  found  too  light  and  not 
 complete.     What  was  the  ecclesiastical  constitu- 
 tion  established  by  the   Reformation    but  a 
 foundation,  and  an  imperfect  one,  a  work  not 
 thoroughly  carried  out.     It  is  not  that,  accord- 
 ing to  the  foolish  notions,  now  prevalent,  wo 
 are  wanting  in  a  Romanist  ecclesiastical  autlior- 
 ity,  and    in    an   enforced    hypocritical   unity, 
 in  the  ofReial  prerogative  of  a  vain -glorious 
 church  system  ;  what  we  have  lacked  from  the 
 beginning,  is  the  prosecution  to  its  full  issue 
 of  preaching,  for  the  conversion  and  religious 
 life  of  a  Christian   people.     The  nearness  to 
 death  of  this  most  abundant  residue  should 
 teach  tis,  who  by  the  Lord  are  held  responsible, 
 to  mark  our  own  supineness   and  neglect,  in 
 order  that  we  may  arouse  ourselves  in  alarm, 
 instead  of  indulging  in  vain-gloryings.     How 
 can  we  make  the  works  perfect,  how  can  this 
 residue  be  strengthened,  but  by  ourselves  being 
 invigorated  in  the  might  of  the   Lord?     He 
 who  utters  with  /  his  decisive  judgment — "  I 
 have  not  found  perfect " — condescendingly  adds 
 for  confirmation,  as  if  we  would  not  receive  it 
 from  himself,  before  my  God.     As  all  things  are 
 before  God,  they  are  in  their  reality  before  him. 
 In  chap.  ii.  4  it  was  said,  "In  the  Paradise  of 
 my  God   (ver.  liS,  of  ray  Father,  and  so  in 
 chap.  iii.  5  ;  compare,  further,  ver.  12  with  ver. 
 21).     It  is  remarkable  that  in  the  Revelation 
 of  John  the  Lord  speaks  several  times  of  his 
 God  (as  Paul  often  speaks  of  the  God  and  Fa- 
 ther of  Christ),  pointing  back  to  the  first  words 
 of  the  Risen  Jesus  in  John  xx.  17 ;  for  now,  tes- 
 tifying from  heaven,  he  will  avow  himself  to  ue 
 properly  and  perfectly  in  all  things  the  glorified 
 Uod-man. 
 
REV.  III.  1-6. 
 
 931 
 
 r.emember  therefore  how  thou  hast  received  and 
 heard,  and  hold  fast  and  repent.  We  now 
 Lear,  what  our  exposition  has  taken  ior 
 granted,  as  it  is  here  confirmed,  that  the 
 churcli  of  Sardis  took  its  rise  from  a  new  begin- 
 ninjT,  from  the  laying  of  a  new  foundation  of 
 recnving  and  hearing— s.  receiving  of  grace,  a 
 hearing  of  the  word.  Thus  the  work  of  the 
 Reformation  itself,  and  in  itself,  so  far  as  it  re- 
 stored through  God's  grace  the  preaching  of 
 the  true  word  of  God,  is  not  rebuked  in  the 
 epistle  to  Sardis,*  but  is  rather  most  plainly 
 recognized.  It  is  not  blamed  as  a  breach  with 
 the  old  and  false  church  ;  it  is  not  condemned 
 as  a  self-originating  work  which  elevated  sub- 
 jective reason  against  tradition  and  authority, 
 or  any  thing  of  that  kind.  The  perfect  right  is 
 thus  conceded  :  Sardis  received  and  heard  from 
 the  Lord  that  upon  which  she  was  built.  The 
 Lord  addresses  her  as  Paul  addresses  Timo- 
 thy :  "  Hold  fast  the  form  of  sound  words, 
 which  thou  hast  heard  of  me;  keep  this  good 
 deposit"  (2  Tim.  i.  13,  14).  As  Ephesus  was 
 to  remember  the  life  of  her  first  love,  so  Sardis 
 is  to  remember  the  preaching  which  she 
 first  received.  She  has  not  fallen  from  the 
 truth  of  her  doctrine,  she  has  still  what  she 
 must  keep  and  maintain,  even  while  her  re- 
 pentance is  urged.  But  she  has  forgotten  how 
 she  received  and  heard  it  at  the  beginning: 
 this  h'm,  which  must  not  be  overlooked,  but 
 must  be  understood  as  equivalent  to  what,  gives 
 the  proper  key  for  the  whole.  She  had  once 
 receivid  it,  taken  it  to  herself  in  the  right  way, 
 "  with  holy  heartfelt  zeal,  but  now  only  with 
 the  head  ;  once  she  had  heard  it  in  the  inner 
 man,  now  only  with  the  outward  ear."t  In- 
 deed, this  first  good  beginning  of  the  right  how 
 does  not  extend  very  far,  certainly  not  to  the 
 "  final  close  of  the  confession  "  in  the  Formida 
 Concordim,  or  afterwards  in  that  of  Dort.  We 
 need  only  take  the  trouble  to  read  through 
 Planck's  "  Origin  of  Protestant  Doctrine,"  and 
 we  shall  find  (after  all  abatements  for  his  per- 
 versions, which  are  not  slight)  so  much  of  the 
 undeniably  human  and  false  in  the  "  how  "  of 
 the  reduction  of  the  word  of  God  to  ecclesias- 
 tical doctrine,  that  we  shall  be  constrained  to 
 remember  and  repent  of  this  "  how  "  itself.  It 
 is  not  concerning  that  frenh,  pwe  beginning  of 
 the  testimony  to  which  the  Lord  refers  us,  but 
 concerning  the  progress  of  it,  that  the  following 
 too  strong  expressions  of  Von  Brunn  hold  good : 
 "  We  shall  not  wonder  at  the  severe  declaration 
 of  the  Lord,  if  we  bear  in  mind  that  the  sum 
 of  all  doctrine  is  not  a  scientific  estimate  of 
 
 *  "  The  thing  itself  is  not  rejected.  That  which 
 is  Gods  work  must  endure.  But  there  are  people 
 who  tal:e  the  form  only.  This  is  the  age  of  Sar- 
 .dis,  and  we  may  weil  observe  whither  it  tends  " 
 (BcHenb.  Bihei). 
 
 f  This  we  once  more  gladly  quote  from 
 Ebrard.  Certainly  the  how  of  receiving  is  meant, 
 and  not  of  God's  giving  ;  hence  the  Berknh.  Bebel 
 is  wrong  :  "  How  mercifully,  richly,  mildly,  sea- 
 sonably," etc. 
 
 dogma,  but  love  out  of  a  pure  neart  and  a 
 good  conscience,  and  faith  unfeigned:  and  if 
 we  remember,  further,  that  in  the  time  of  the 
 Reformation  this  latter  was  not  the  character- 
 istic either  of  the  teachers  or  the  people,  but 
 that  they  were  actuated  by  a  general  disgust 
 at  the  secularity  of  the  Pope  and  the  assump- 
 tions of  the  prieshood,  combined  with  a  deep- 
 ening insight  into  the  oppressive  corruptions 
 which  had  insinuated  themselves  into  the 
 Church.  For  we  cannot  perceive  in  that  time 
 much  (?)  of  that  spiritual  life  which  the  Lord 
 requires  of  his  disciples.  AVhere  there  was 
 any  real  amendment  of  the  Church,  it  was  the 
 work  less  of  effective  sermons  than  of  learned 
 disputations,  which  proved  by  conclusions, 
 based  upon  Scripture,  that  the  charges  urged 
 against  the  Papacy  found  their  warrant  in  the 
 word  of  God."  From  this,  much  of  its  exag- 
 geration must  be  deducted;  but  the  truth  re- 
 mains, that  the  work  begun  in  the  Spirit  was 
 not  in  the  Spirit  entirely,  or  even  to  a  great 
 extent,  carried  out.*  Alas  !  how  soon  did  the 
 Church  of  the  Reformation  require  as  a  whole 
 that  other  exhortation,  "  O  Timothy,  keep  that 
 which  is  committed  to  thy  trust,  avoiding  pro- 
 fane and  vain  babblings,  and  oppositions  of 
 science  falsely  so-called,  which  some  professing, 
 have  erred  concerning  the  faith "  (1  Tim. 
 vi.  20,  21).  Repent  of  thy  human  perversion 
 of  the  treasure  of  grace  entrusted  to  thee.  Be 
 watchful,  that  thou  mayest  mark  it,  and  put  it 
 away. 
 
 If,  therefore,  thoit  shalt  not  icatch,  I  ivill 
 come  (upon  thee)  as  a  thief,  and  thou  shalt 
 not  know  ivhat  hour  I  tvill  come  tipon  thee/l 
 We  hear  in  these  words  the  echo  of  those 
 sayings  of  our  Lord  concerning  watching  and 
 the  coming  of  the  thief.  Matt.  xxiv.  42-51 ;  to 
 which  the  Apostles  also  refer,  1  Thess.  v.  2, 
 and  2  Pet.  iii.  10 ;  see  once  more  Rev.  xvi.  15. 
 In  this  expression  the  advancing  glance  draws 
 nearer  to  the  Jinal  day  of  judgment.  The 
 thief  does  not  say  beforehand  that  he  will 
 come;  but  the  Lord,  in  his  merciful  fidelity, 
 tells  us  so  abundantly.  When  he  so  comes  at 
 the  end,  he  will,  in  righteous  retribution,  en- 
 tirely take  away  all  that  had  been  received 
 from  him,  but  not  preserved  and  diligently 
 used.  If  he  comes  to  a  church,  it  will  be,  what 
 fundamentally  signifies  the  same  thing,  to  re- 
 move its  candlestick  from  its  place  ;  their  old 
 church  treasure,  which  they  have  hid  in  the 
 napkin  of  idleness  or  dissipated  in  proud  con- 
 tention, will  be  taken  away  from  those  who 
 hitherto  possessed  it.  When  the  final  remov- 
 ing judgment  will  come  upon  Sardis,  after  its 
 judgment  through  rationalism,  we  know  not  ; 
 it  may  be  much  nearer  than  we  think ;  and 
 possibly  hastened  by  our  present  unrighteous 
 
 *  The  same  writer  adds  afterwards :  "  Thus  we 
 cannot  be  astonished  that  in  most  of  the  religious 
 wars  of  that  time,  divine  help  was  withdrawn  from 
 the  Protestants." 
 
 ■f  The  first  "  upon  thee  "  is  probably,  though 
 not  certainly,  spurious. 
 
932 
 
 THE  EPISTLE  TO  SARDIS. 
 
 and  impure  zeal  for  tlie  re-eslablishrnent  o^  old 
 things  in  that  church  whose  good  name  speaks 
 of  that  which  is  livingly  new.  But  when  Sardis 
 falls,  the  time  will  follow,  as  we  perceive  al- 
 ready in  the  preparatory  beginning,  of  Phila- 
 delphia and  Laodicea  together.  As  in  the 
 faithful  of  Thyatira  the  Eeformation  was  be- 
 fore prepared  for,  so  the  pure  and  living  in 
 Sardis  form  the  secret  root  of  the  Philadelphian 
 church.  To  these  the  gracious  words  of  the 
 Lord  now  turn,  that  right  may  be  fittingly 
 done  to  the  other  side. 
 
 But  thou  hast  a  feic  names  in  Sardis  ichich 
 have  not  defiled  their  garments  ;  and  tliey  shall 
 tcalk  ivith  mc  in  white,  for  they  are  tcorthij. 
 Only  in  the  epistles  to  Thyatira  and  Sardis 
 are  the  names  mentioned  twice ;  and  in  each 
 case  when  the  faithful  are  referred  to.  The&wi; 
 coming  first  (wanting  in  the  translation)  has  a 
 tone  of  grace  after  the  threatening.  Here  it  is 
 said,  Thou  hast — and  the  presence  of  these 
 worthy  ones  in  the  church,  now  first  late  men- 
 tioned, is  represented  to  the  angel  of  the  church 
 as  a  treasure  in  his  possession  which  had  been 
 hitherto  as  it  were  unknown,  or  at  least  not 
 rightly  estimated,  and  by  the  use  of  which  he 
 might  come  to  true  repentance.*  They  arefeio, 
 but  in  them  thou  hast  many:  if  thou  only 
 knowest  how  to  value  them,  as  I  count  them 
 worthy  !  Names  are  spoken  of — not  as  belong- 
 ing to  celebrated  personages,  the  mention  of 
 whom  would  be  enough  to  mark  them  out ;  nor 
 as  meaning  that  "among  thy  names,  for  thou 
 hast  many  distinguished  iiT^n  of  name,  yet  only 
 a  few  which  have  any  value  before  me."  For, 
 assuredly,  those  who  are  meant  here  are  among 
 the  less  known,  manifest  only  to  the  Lord,  and 
 whom  v;e  must  seek  among  those  who  have 
 been  called  the  "silent  in  the  land."  Names 
 are  equivalent  to  persons,  in  chap.  xi.  13,  as  in 
 Acts  i.  15.  Nevertheless,  there  is  something 
 in  the  background,  when  the  e.xpression  is  used 
 as  here.  Before,  the  dead  mass,  which  together 
 bad  the  "  name"  that  it  lived,  was  called  the 
 remainder,  in  the  neuter  :  in  opposition  to  that, 
 we  have  now  the  names  or  the  persons  known 
 to  the  Lord,  and  mentioned  with  honor  before 
 his  God  ;  for  personal  sanctification  in  the  per- 
 sonal life,  sa\-Qi\  perso7ialiiies,  worthy  of  eternal 
 salvation,  arc  what  is  essential.  This  is  here 
 asserted  against  those  who,  like  their  modern 
 representatives,  decried  in  a  v.'rong  spirit  the 
 "  subjective  "  out  of  deference  to  an  ecclesiasti- 
 cal "objectivity" — as  if  the  blessed  God  could 
 take  any  pleasure  in  a  glorious  liturgy  ofi'ered 
 by  dead  souls ! 
 
 The  pure  and  undefiled  service  of  God,  is  to 
 keep  ourselves  unspotted  from  the  world  (James 
 i.  27).  Sinners  defile  their  garments,  their  in- 
 ner man,  by  the  lusts  of  the  flesh,  ns  the  un- 
 clean body  spots  a  garment  (Jude  23).  This 
 is  a  profound  symbol  of  an  essential  truth  ;  as, 
 
 t  The  rest  in  Thyatira,  and  tho  remainder  in 
 Saidis,  form  a  contrast.  Similarly,  to  Pergamos 
 — T'lon  hast  heretics;  but  here  only — Thou  hait 
 faithful. 
 
 '  according  to  the  same  fundamental  idea,  Isa. 
 l.xiv.  6  terms  all  our  own  natural  righteousness 
 a  filthy  garment  (Heb.  stained  with  the  specific 
 defilement  of  impure  flesh).  To  the  church  of 
 Sardis  there  is  now  promised,  and  magnified, 
 the  wedding-garment,  which  not  only  covers  but 
 in  a  wonderful  manner  takes  away,  our  shame 
 — the  righteousness  of  Christ  through  faith. 
 Concerning  this  garment,  too,  it  is  further  said, 
 that  only  a  few  of  those  who  actually  have  onco 
 put  it  on,  have  preserved  it  unspotted;  or, 
 without  figure,  that  only  on  and  in  few  has 
 justification  exerted  its  full  power  unto  that 
 sanctification  which  is  valid  before  God,  and 
 which  he  looks  for  as  the  fruit  of  that  tree. 
 Only  those  who  are  sanctified  receive  the  in- 
 heritance (Acts  xxvi.  18) — only  those  who  are 
 pure  in  heart  behold  the  face  of  the  pure  (Heb. 
 xii.  14;  Matt.  v.  8).  Their  reward  is— as  the 
 Lord  who  walketh  amid  the  candlesticks,  chap, 
 ii.  1,  promises — They  shall  walk  with  me,  that 
 is,  stand  before  me  in  confirmed  life,  and  shall 
 be  with  me  in  the  region  of  eternal  life  (chap. 
 xxii.  3,  4),  where  will  not  be  a  stationary  still- 
 ness, but  rather  the  abundance  of  holy  activity. 
 And  in  white,  resplendent  vestures  of  glorified 
 bodies,  which  will  then  be  given  to  the  right- 
 eous as  the  bright  manifestation  of  their  in- 
 ward purity  and  righteousness;  as  in  ver.  5 
 the  great  promise  is  resumed,  and  as  in  chap, 
 xix.  8,  14,  this  book,  throughout  so  wonder- 
 fully woven  into  the  unity  of  a  great  plan,  re- 
 peats and  explains  the  promise.  Not  that 
 "  walking  with  me  in  white  garments  "  means 
 "going  clothed  in  white  like  myself" — for  in 
 the  title,  ver.  1,  the  Lord's  bright  garments 
 were  not  made  prominent;  yet  there  is  a  simi- 
 larity (not  equality)  between  liis  vesture  and 
 that  of  his  people,  as  Phil.  iii.  21  declares, 
 liis  righteousness  in  the  beginning,  his  holi- 
 ness in  the  process,  his  glory  at  the  end,  all 
 are  to  become  ours.  But  glory  is  for  the 
 holy  alone ;  only  of  the  guests  found  thus 
 clothed  does  he  say — They  are  worthy  ;  they 
 are,  though  by  grace  alone,  yet  through  the  ac- 
 ceptance and  preservation  of  that  grace,  as 
 much  as  is  in  man,  worthy  of  the  reward.  (The 
 contrast  for  the  condemned  comes  after  in  chap, 
 xvi.  6:  compare  also  Matt.  xxii.  8). 
 
 He  that  overcometh,  the  same  shall  he  clothed 
 in  loJdte  raiment ;  and  I  will  not  blot  out  his 
 name  out  of  the  book  of  life,  but  I  will  confess 
 Jiis  name  before  my  Father,  and  before  his  an- 
 gels. He  t'lat  hnt'i  an  ear,  let  him  hear 
 tchat  the  Sjjirit  saith  unto  the  churches.  The 
 figure  of  white  or  bright  garments,  which 
 here  in  this  book  points  to  the  glorifica- 
 tion of  tho  body,  and  probably  also  to  a 
 previous  transitional  slate,  at  the  same  time 
 goes  back  to  the  putting  on  of  the  righteous- 
 ness which  is  the  gift  of  the  grace  of  God  : 
 thus  it  is  interpreted  expressly  in  chap.  xix.  8. 
 It  is  the  priestly  pure  garment,  first  of  all 
 (comp.  chap.  xv.  6),  in  which  Zech.  iii.  4,  5, 
 the  unclean  high  priest,  was  arrayed  when  his 
 sin  was  removed;  the  robe  of  righteousness, 
 Isa.  Ixi.  10.     But  this  festal  wedding-garment, 
 
REV.  III.  7-13 
 
 983 
 
 or  "imputed"  righteousneps,  not  being  per- 
 fectly valid  without  the  holiness  which  grows 
 out  of  it — which  the  Reformation  tiieor}',  and 
 the  subsequent  dogmatics  of  the  Church,  did 
 not  sufficiently  emphasize,  however  correctly 
 acknowledged — the  same  garment  is  finally 
 exhibited  as  resplendent  giory.  Thus,  in  the 
 meaning  of  the  promise,  the  bright  garments 
 are  something  other  and  greater  than  the  clean, 
 of  which  they  are  the  reward.  He  that  over- 
 cometh,  even  Ae,  only  he  and  no  other:  this 
 has  a  specific  emphasis  in  the  Greek,  which 
 cannot  well  be  translated.*  As  Sardis,  on  the 
 whole,  lias,  alas  I  only  the  name  to  live,  so,  on 
 the  contrary,  the  iiamesoi  those  who  overcome 
 in  the  conflict  with  this  death,  twice  mention- 
 ed and  acknowledged  v/ith  emphasis  by  the 
 Lord,  are  to  be  inscribed  in  the  book  of  life, 
 where  they  shall  remain  and  never  be  blotted 
 out  or  taken  away.  This  last  appears,  in  pass- 
 ing, to  be  directed  against  the  Reformed  pre- 
 destination dogmatics,  even  as  the  former  word 
 conceriiing  the  true  wedding-garment  was  di- 
 rected against  the  practical  perversion  of  the 
 Lutheran  doctrine  of  justification.  The  book 
 of  life — see  further  chap.  xiii.  8,  xx.  12,  xxi. 
 27 — occurs  a'so  Phil.  iv.  3  ;  as  also  in  the  Old 
 Testament,  P.sa.  Ixix.  28  ;  Isa.  iv.  3  ;  Dan.  xii. 
 1  (vii.  10).  It  is  of  most  weighty  significance 
 in  connection  with  this,  that,  in  the  fint  place 
 of  Holy  Writ  in  which  this  phrase  occurs, 
 Exod.  xxxii.  32,  we  read  of  a  blotting  oat  of  the 
 book  (like  Psa.  Ixix.  28)  ;  as  also  that  there  is 
 not  in  the  entire  Scripture,  not  even  in  the  book 
 of  Pvevelation,  any  mention  of  a  contrasted 
 "  book  of  death."  This  intimates  to  us  that 
 men  redeemed  by  Christ  are,  through  a  primary 
 gracious  will  of  God,  appointed  and  written 
 down  for  salvation  ;  while  the  lest  arc  them- 
 selves the  guilty  cause  that  they  must  be  re- 
 Ijected  and  blotted  out.  Even  this  last  prom- 
 ise for  Sardis  confirms  our  prophetic  interpre- 
 tation of  this  church,  which  unprejudiced  ex- 
 position suggests,  but  which  we  do  not  insist 
 upon  as  inlallible.  To  the  church  of  conftss- 
 sions  the  Lord  speaks  only  of  his  confessing 
 those  who  ove'-come  in  her ;  for  this  is  most 
 plainly  involved  in  the  concluding  word, 
 which  almost  literally  refers  to  Matt.  x.  32  and 
 Luke  xii.  8,  pointing  again,  like  ver.  3,  for- 
 ward to  the  last  day  of  judgment.!  Herder 
 goes  too  far  when  he  says  that  the  whole  epis- 
 tle is  written  in  the  words  of  Christ,  which  he 
 spoke  while  yet  upon  earth ;  but  certainly 
 there  are  many  such  allusions  to  his  own  word, 
 now  expressly  opened  up  anew  to  this  church. 
 We  may  refer,  in  conclusion,  to  Luke  xxii.  32  ; 
 Matt,  x'xiv.  42-4:i  (also  what  follows  there  in 
 
 *  Generally,  we  cannot  exactly  reproduce  tlie 
 interchanseable  forms  in  the  concludinf;  promises, 
 rqj  viHwyrt — 6  vikgov  ;  and  in  the  case  of 
 Sardis  the  additional  ovro?,  for  which  we  can- 
 not accept  the  ovujoi  of  the  critics,  which  yields 
 no  proper  morning. 
 
 t  But  the  Lord-K;annot  now  continue  to  say — 
 Before  my  Father  in  heaven. 
 
 its  impressive  adaptation  to  Sardis),  xxii.  8 
 11,  X.  32. 
 
 And  to  the  anr/cl  of  the  church  in  Phil- 
 adelphia write:  These  things  mith  he  that 
 is  hoi,/,  he  that  is  true,  he  that  h  dh  the 
 key  of  David ;  he  that  opencth,  and  no  man 
 shiitteth  ;  and  s'lnttefi,  and  no  man  openeth. 
 
 TheLydian  city  of  Philadelphia,  so  called 
 from  its  builder,  King  Attalus,  surnamed 
 Philadelphus,  or  lover  of  his  brother,  wa3 
 the  seat  of  a  small  church  in  the  time  of 
 John  ;  and  here  gives  its  beautiful  name,  in 
 the  prophetical  meaning  of  the  heavenly 
 writer,  as  the  symbol  of  a  period  and  charac- 
 ter of  the  Church  which  has  for  its  signature 
 brotherly  love.  This  is  of  all  the  names  the 
 most  obvious  in  its  prophetic  meaning,  so  that 
 the  confusion  which  has  been  fallen  into  by 
 some  expositors  seems  to  us  matter  of  won- 
 der. Even  the  circumstance  that  Philadelphia 
 lay  at  the  foot  of  Mount  Tmolus,  close  t)  Sar- 
 dis,* is  not  without  useful  application.  If  we 
 have  in  any  measure  found  the  interpretation 
 of  Sardis,  the  transition  now  to  the  next  pre- 
 sentation of  the  Church  suggests  itself  at  once  : 
 the  faithful  Thyatira  prepared  the  way  for  Sar- 
 dis, and  now  the  acknowledged  kernel  of  Sar- 
 dis comes  out  into  prominence  as  Philadelphia  ; 
 while,  on  the  other  hand,  only  out  of  the  re- 
 proved mass  could  Laodicea  spring.  Phila- 
 delphia, placed  in  the  midst  between  Sardis 
 and  Laodicea,  is  the  counterpart  of  both.  She 
 does  not  glory  in  her  name,  nor  does  she  think 
 herself  rich  and  satiated  ;  but  is  blessed  in  her 
 little  strength  and  faithful  patience,  and  com- 
 mended and  encouraged  far  beyond  all  the 
 other  churches.  Not  even  Ephesus  stands  so 
 entirely  in  the  Lord's  presence.  We  are  for- 
 bidden, by  the  sad  and  incontrovertible  history 
 of  the  church  which  sprang  from  the  so-called 
 Reformation,  to  interpret  Philadelphia  gener- 
 ally, and  without  qualification,  of  that  cliurch. 
 But  it  is  at  the  some  time  evident  that  a 
 Philadelphia  could  not  follow  Sardis,  and  an 
 evil  Laodicea  again  foUov/  her,  in  definite  and 
 exclusive  periods;  the  clear  meaning  of  the 
 word,  apart  from  mere  prophetic  interpreta- 
 tion, will  constrain  us  to  adopt  the  view  to 
 which  we  have  already  given  preliminary  ex- 
 pression. If,  generally,  the  interming  i;ig  pre- 
 sentations of  the  Church  from  the  beginning 
 exhibited  their  respective  characteristics  as 
 more  or  less  passing  into  each  other  and  co- 
 existing, it  is  obvious  that  this  will  be  still 
 more  tho  case  as  the  end  approaches :  Phila- 
 delphia, as  well  as  Laodicea,  are  prepared  for 
 in  Sardis,  and  reach  onwards  to  the  close  of  tho 
 Church's  history  in  the  coming  of  the  Lord. 
 
 We  cannot  say  (with  Meyer)  that  the  attri- 
 butes of  the  Lord's  first  manifestation  are  ex- 
 hausted, so  that  he  must  himself  give  new 
 names  for  this  new  church  ;  nor  (with  Ebrard) 
 maintain  that  the  title  here  given  is  no  longer 
 
 *  About  five  Roman  miles  nearer  than  Sardis  to 
 Thyatira,  wh.ca  are  the  least  two  distaucei  of  the 
 whole. 
 
934 
 
 THE  EPISTLE  TO  PHILADELPHIA. 
 
 derived  from  the  first  description  of  his  person, 
 but  chosen  with  strict  relation  to  the  condi- 
 tion of  the  church  addressed.  For,  the  key 
 certainly  does  look  back  to  the  final  saying  of 
 chap.  i.  IS;  and  what  precedes  is  only  an  ad- 
 dition similar  to  "  Son  ot  God,"  in  the  epistle 
 to  Thyatira,  and  already  prepares  the  way  for 
 the  concluding  summary  to  Laodicea  (ver.  14). 
 The  Amen,  the  True  and  Faithful  Witness,  co- 
 incides almost  exactly  with  "he  that  is  holy, 
 and  he  that  is  true."  Later,  in  chap.  vi.  10,  the 
 same  description  returns;  and  chap.  xix.  11 
 substitutes  very  evidently  "faUhftil  and  true." 
 The  Ilohj  One  reminds  us  of  the  phrase  wiiich 
 occurs  almost  only  in  Isaiah,  The  Holy  One  of 
 Israel.  Thus  is  termed  there  the  Lord,  in 
 whose  place  the  Son  of  God  appears  here,  not 
 only  as  being  beyond  all  comparison  (Isa.  xl. 
 25),  bmt  in  his  revelation  of  himself  as  love 
 ever  faithful  *  glorious,  and  to  be  praised  above 
 all  things  ;  love  true  to  itself  in  condescending 
 greatness,  and  in  the  greatness  of  its  conde- 
 scension. Both  united  in  one  here  are  t:ie  ex- 
 pression of  sublime,  rejoicing,  protecting  com- 
 placency in  that  church,  which  had  beyond 
 other.s  kept  his  word  without  denying  his  name 
 (vers.  8,  10),  and  derived  its  own  name  Irom 
 love.  He  that  is  holy  is  also  he  that  is  true, 
 who  never  denielh  himself,  never  changeth  ; 
 as  in  1  Sam.  xv.  29  was  said  of  the  Abiding 
 One  in  Israel. f 
 
 This  holy  and  true  One,  faithful  and  un- 
 changeable in  the  pure  love  which  is  his  es- 
 sence, has  now,  as  the  Son,  supreme  authority 
 for  the  government  of  the  house  and  kingdom 
 of  God  upon  earth;  in  his  hand  is  the  key  of 
 David.  These  words,  which  once  more  go 
 back  to  the  Old-Testament  types,  are  easily 
 understood ;  especially  if  we  connect  with 
 them  the  passage,  Isa.  xxii.  22,  which  is  almost 
 verbally  quoted  in  the  context.  Opening  and 
 Ehutting  are  suggested  by  the  key  :  first,  with 
 reference  to  the  inhabitants,  opening  \^  concern- 
 ed, and  this  in  the  Hebrew  gives  its  name  to 
 the  key  ;  but  shutting  also  is  involved,  and 
 this  gives  the  key  its  name  in  the  Greek,  as 
 also  in  the  German.  Reference  is  here  made 
 to  the  key  of  supreme  authority  in  both  re- 
 spects; and  that  holds  good  which  is  figura- 
 tively said  in  Job  xii.  14,  "  When  he  shutteth. 
 DO  man  can  open."  But  no  man  can  shut 
 when  he  in  lus  grace,  as  it  is  always  and 
 every  where  his  good  pleasure  to  do,  open- 
 cth.  Tlie  bya,  in  the  plural  (in  chap.  i.  IS 
 still  more  solemnly  and  expressly  used  of  /At- 
 gates,  the  entrance  and  exit  of  death  and  of 
 hell),  become  now — not  without  connection 
 witii  the  authority  of  the  keys  generally, 
 which  is  given  to  tiie  Conqueror  for  all  doors 
 
 *  Wo  would  request  those  who  have  the  oppor- 
 tunity to  consult  our  commentary  on  tliis  pas.s,ioe 
 in  Isaiah,  as  al.so  the  remarks  upon  Jolin  xvii.  11. 
 
 •)■  Luther  translates,  without  any  ffood  moaninn, 
 der  Held.     The   Hebrew  is  nVJ*  one  of  li.e  pro- 
 
 fcundest  words  of  the  Old  IV 8  ament. 
 
 of  every  kind — the  key  of  David.  Stilling 
 would  strangely  interpret  this  of  "  the  subter- 
 ranean regions;"  but  the  typical  David  had 
 nothing  to  do  with  the  opening  of  hades,  or 
 any  other  subterranean  and  hidden  region ; 
 and,  moreover,  there  was  not  any  necessity  for 
 the  threatening  (or  promising)  reference  to 
 death  and  hell,  in  the  case  of  this  faithful 
 church.  The  superscription  refers  at  the  out- 
 set, by  anticipation,  to  the  giving  of  an  open 
 door,  ver.  8.  In  the  liook  of  Isaiah,  where 
 chap.  xxii.  gives  us  a  representative  picture  of 
 the  whole  on  a  small  scale,  the  proud"  treasurer 
 Shebna  being  cast  out  of  his  office,  and  Eliakim 
 (that  is,  "the  Lord  will  set  up'')  being  put  in 
 his  place,  we  have  the  expression  in  the  fuller 
 historical  style— the  key  of  the  house  of  David. 
 But  here  the  same  meaning  is  given  in  a  more 
 condensed  form,  "  the  key  of  David,"  in  order 
 to  make  prominent  the  typical  phrase,  and  to 
 exhibit  Chriht  as  the  fulfiiler  of  the  type,  the 
 true  King  David  o\eT  the  house,  and  kingdom, 
 and  people  of  God.  When  we  penetrate  more 
 deeply  into  its  prophetic  significance  for  Phil- 
 adelphia, there  may  appear  to  be  another 
 meaning  in  the  background,  beside  the  open- 
 ing and  shutting  of  the  door,  in  the  success  of 
 the  word  for  the  spread  of  the  kingdom.  For 
 he  speaks  here,  who  also  in  ^latt.  xvi.  19 
 spoke  of  keys  in  his  house  and  kingdom  upon 
 earth,  which  were  to  be  given  to  his  disciples. 
 We  mark  that,  after  in  Thyatira  the  "  succes- 
 sors of  Peter,"  and  not  merely  they,  but  their 
 imitators  in  Sardis,*  had  carried  the  doctrine 
 of  the  keys  to  most  exaggerated  perversion, 
 the  Lord  comes  forward  himself  to  Philadel- 
 phia— I,  the  supreme  holder  of  all  authority 
 of  the  keys,  to  receive  and  to  reject  in  my 
 Church;  1  have  never  given  up  this  power, 
 but  use  it  myself  from  age  to  age,  I  alone  in 
 holiness  and  truth. t 
 
 /  know  thy  tcorks :  hehold  J  have  set  before 
 thee  an  open  door,  tchich  no  man  can  shut ;  for 
 thou  hast  a  little  strength,  and  hast  kept  my 
 woi'd.  and  hast  not  denied  my  name.  To 
 the  absolute  I  know  thy  works,  which  stands 
 here  alone  for  uniformity,  is  appended,  without 
 any  mention  of  faith  or  love,  the  encouraging 
 declaration  of  what  the  Lord  had  done  for  Phila- 
 delphia, which,  speaking  of  what  was  given, 
 promises  still  more;  and  then  first  follows,  as 
 the  commended  susceptibility  for  the  Lord's 
 gift,  their  little,  but  faithfully-used  strength. 
 "  Well  for  him,  whose  characterization  requires 
 nothing  more  to  be  said  than  what  the  Lord 
 has  done  in  him  I  A  sign  that  such  a  man  has 
 let  the  Lord  accomplish  his  work."  Thus  does 
 Ebrard  keenly  ami  truly  describe  the  "  noble 
 delineation  "  of  the  state  of  Philadelphia.  The 
 "  beh-old,"  so  frequent  in  the  ancient  prophets, 
 
 *  Accordinc  to  Luther's  well-known  saying: 
 There  is  no  little  priest  who  miglit  not  make  % 
 litlle  pope. 
 
 t  Philadelphia  is  the  symbol  of  a  cbv.rch  in 
 which  the  otlice  ot  the  keys  la  truly  administered 
 (Leyrer). 
 
EEV.  III.  7^13. 
 
 S3§ 
 
 'Rrhic^  -was  •spolcen  -only  once  to  Smyrna  as  not- 
 ing the  temptation,  and  only  cnee  to  Thyatira 
 as  conveying  a  threatening,  and  to  Laodicea 
 <once  more  in  connection  with  warning  and  ex- 
 hortation, ver.  20,  is  addressed  to  Philadelphia 
 €hrice  m  connection  with  the  highest  grace  and 
 honor*  The  liberal  Giver,  who  giveth  every 
 thing  out  of  his  all-governing  hand,  hath  given 
 liefore  this  chwrch  an  ojiCK  diwr^  which  shall  be 
 shut  by  no  man,  but  shall  be  more  and  more 
 open  m  spite  of  all  opposers.  This  is  not  a 
 door  of  access  or  entrance  into  his  ""temple" 
 {into  which  Philadelphia  does  not  need  ad- 
 mission) ;  but  it  corresponds  to  a  phrase  of  the 
 great  Apostle,  which  (he  Holy  Spirit  suggested 
 and  stamped  upon  more  than  one  passage  of 
 the  New  Testament  Paul  wrote  from  Ephemii 
 ■'—A  great  door  of  full  activity  is  opened  to  me, 
 afid  there  ai^e  many  enemies  (who  shall,  never- 
 theless, not  bs  able  to  -shut  it) :  1  Cor.  xvi.  9. 
 Similarly  agaia  m  2  Cor.  ii.  12;  and  most 
 plainly,  Col.  iv.  ■S :  Pray  for  us,  that  God  may 
 open  to  «s  a  door  of  the  'Wonl.'\  This  entrance, 
 which  the  messengers  of  the  Lord  find  for  their 
 preaching  (I  Thess.  i.  9),  includes  at  the  same 
 time,  as  is  said  before  t!ie  Churcli  to  the  glory 
 of  God  in  Acts  xiv.  27,  the  opening  of  the  door 
 of  faith  for  the  heathen,  as  an  earnest  of  that 
 time  when  the  gates  of  the  city  of  God  should 
 stand  open  day  and  night  for  the  Gentiles, 
 whereof  Isa.  Ix.  11,  and  Rev.  xxi.  25,  26,  pro- 
 phesy. Thus  the  Lord  promises  a  prosperous 
 and  unhindered  career  of  missions,  as  m  the 
 apostolical  time  to  Ephesus,  to  Philadelphia 
 the  final  and  most  favored  church,  the  plain 
 prophetic  name  of  which  speaks  of  entrance 
 into  the  union  of  brotherly  love.  Here  we 
 have  the  key  for  the  opening  of  the  mystery  of 
 this  chutxih,  this  most  brightly  shining  star  and 
 candlestick. 
 
 We  ask  whether  that  is  of  itself  appropriate 
 to  the  first  church  of  the  Reformation;  and  let 
 history  give  the  answer.  Even  the  entrance 
 into  the  rest  of  Christendom  was  presently  shut 
 again,  and  Jezebel  remained  enthroned  in  un- 
 changed Thyatira;  but  the  mission  to  the 
 heathen,  of  which  the  word  pre-eminently 
 speaks,  was  long  held  back.  Richter,  the  In- 
 spector of  Missions,  might  have  learned  in  his 
 official  capacity  something  better  than  what  he 
 writes  in  his  Bible  (with  much  else  that  is 
 confused  and  arbitrary)  :  "  Many  seek  Phila- 
 delphia merely  in  attempts  at  union  ;  but  the 
 evangelical  Church,  especially  the  Lutheran, 
 does  not  make  union,  but  is  union."  We  under- 
 stand this  self-contradicting  word  too  well  to 
 be  misled  by  it.  Certainly  we  do  not  seek  the 
 Philadelphian  community  in  ecclesiastico-polit- 
 ical  attempts  at  union;  nor  alone  or  pre-emi- 
 nently in  that  which  now,  under  the  beautiful 
 
 *  In  ver.  11  it  is  a  spur.ous  reading  from  chap. 
 xxii.  7. 
 
 f  Then  no  longer  defended  against  enemies,  as  a 
 castle  and  fortress.  Then  will  come  into  .t  those 
 who  peacefully  ffiter,  whereas  before  conquerors 
 went  forth  among  them  from  iU 
 
 name  of  union,  is  feebly  and  preparatorily 
 sought  after;  but  still  less  do  we  seek  it  in 
 that  Lutheran  church  which  recognizes  no 
 other  union  than  that  of  entering  like  good 
 Catholics  into  her  bosom.  The  very  name  of 
 Lut/iemn,  so  firmly  held  fast — we  hold  to  this, 
 let  men  say  what  they  will — plainly  denies 
 that  immediate  dependence  on  the  one  only 
 name  in  which  salvation  is  given  to  all  men 
 under  heaven,  and  does  not  acknowledge  the 
 walking  of  the  Lord  amid  the  seven  golden 
 candlesticks.  The  true  Pliiladelphia  mast  be 
 willing  to  abolish,  and  must  actually  in  repara- 
 tion abolish,  the  great  unjustifiable  division 
 and  controvers}'  through  which  Sardis  came  to 
 her  end;  she  must  not  hold  fast  the  funda- 
 mental error  which  has  crept  in,  and  which  has 
 been  so  lamentably  refuted  by  all  history,  that 
 Ufe  and  the  right  of  belonging  to  the  "  true 
 Church  "  depends  upon  a  mere  human  system 
 of  "pure  doctrine,"  going  beyond  the  funda- 
 mental doctrines  of  salvation.  As  respects,  on 
 the  other  hand,  the  aspirations  after  union, 
 which  have  in  earlier  and  later  times  proceeded 
 from  a  pure  Ph.iladelphian  mind,  we  agree  with 
 the  Derlenb.  Bibd,  which  says,  "  Who  will  de- 
 spise the  day  of  small  things?  (Zech.  iv.  10). 
 How  small  was  the  number  [better,  how  little 
 was  the  strength]  from  which  Philadelphia  was 
 to  arise  as  a  testimony  !  just  as  out  of  the  re- 
 mainder of  Sardis  Laodicea  was  to  spring." 
 
 It  is  a  position  of  sure  and  profound  truth, 
 both  for  theory  and  practice,  that  union  and 
 missions  stand  or  fall  together  in  the  Church ; 
 in  their  inmost  principle  the  two  are  one,  being 
 the  expression,  of  life  among  Christians,  under 
 two  several  but  mutually  confirming  aspects. 
 So  far  as  believers  are  perfected  into  one,  the 
 world  knoweth  the  power  and  glory  of  the  Lord 
 in  this  Church  (Job.  xvii.  23).  Richter  says, 
 that  "  the  work  of  missions  must  be  carried  on 
 through  the  union  of  all  true  Christians,  of  all 
 confessions,  in  common  fellowship  of  labor." 
 This  is  the  character  and  seal  of  Philadelphia. 
 Has  not  the  Lord,  since  the  beginning  of  this 
 century — without  despising  former  endeavors 
 —been  openly  illustrating  and  fulfilling  his 
 "Behold,  I  have  given  you  an  open  door"  in 
 the  fellowship  of  those  who  have  been  seeking 
 the  true  union?  Will  the  more  bigoted  Lu- 
 theran missions,  which  despise  or  know  nothing 
 of  this  blessing,  have  equal  success  ?  We  wait 
 a  while,  and  shall  see. 
 
 Philadelphia  was  first  most  clearly  illustrated 
 by  the  church  of  the  Brethren  ;  and  Luther 
 himself  long  before  might  have  been  admonish- 
 ed by  their  ancestors,  the  old  Bohemian  Breth- 
 ren, not  to  neglect  the  foundation,  the  lack  of 
 which  was  exhibited  in  the  words  to  Sardis, 
 ver.  2.  And,  notwithstanding  all  the  error 
 and  weakness  which  adhered  to  their  institu- 
 tion, they  were  actually  the  first  who  carried 
 forth  the  missionary  standard.  Not  that  we 
 would  interpret  (like  Erunn,  but  without  any 
 excuse  no«c)  Philadelphia  as  meaning  Herrnhut: 
 this  little  company,  and  its  little  strength,  was 
 always  from  the  beginning  too  small  lor  that. 
 
936 
 
 THE  EPISTLE  TO  PHILADELPHIA. 
 
 But  this  interpretation  was,  when  it  was  first 
 put  forwarJ,  based  upon  a  right  principle,  and 
 pointed  in  the  right  direction.  We  trust  tliat 
 the  Lord  will  raise  up,  out  of  all  the  naani- 
 fold  efforts  after  union,  the  pure  germ  of  a 
 much  larger  community  of  brethren  —  how 
 soon  or  how  late,  we  know  not ;  men,  alas ! 
 have  too  much  power  to  hinder  the  work  of 
 his  grace. 
 
 Thou  hast:  In  the  same  half-praising,  half- 
 blaming  formula,  beginning  in  chap  ii.  6,  it 
 was  said  to  Sardis,  Thou  hast  only  a  few  who 
 have  not  defiled  themselves.  Now,  to  the  col- 
 lected and  combining  Philadelphia,  on  the 
 other  hand,  Thou  hast'a  Utile  strength  (or  might, 
 to  war  and  conquer) — but  on  that  account  she 
 is  blessed  of  the  Lord,  who  doeth  great  things 
 from  beginning  to  end  by  little  means.  Rieger 
 remarks,  that  the  manner  in  which  this  men- 
 tion of  the  little  strength  is  woven  into  the 
 testimony  of  the  Faithful  One,  gives  us  to  sup- 
 pose that  "  the  angel  of  Philadelphia  has  the 
 words  given  back  to  him  which,  in  his  lamen- 
 tation before  the  Lord,  he  had  frequently  made 
 use  of."  He  who  knows  and  feels  his  own 
 weakness,  depends  all  the  more  faithfully  on 
 the  Lord's  grace  for  the  weak  :  only  in  this 
 spirit  will  the  Lord's  pure  and  really  evangeli- 
 cal Church — in  the  midst  of  Sardis  and  Laodi- 
 cea,  and  not  without  some  from  Thyatira  too, 
 standing  in  the  Lord's  might  upon  the  basis  oi 
 union — go  on  more  and  more  abundantly  to 
 conquer;  and  the  doors  at  the  threshold  of 
 Christendom  every  where  shall  no  more  be  shut 
 against  her.  "  God  is  more  quick  with  the 
 open  door  than  we  are — were  only  the  people 
 ready,  who  would  begin  with  a  feeble  few." 
 {Berlenh.  Bibel).  The  Lord  here  encourages 
 the  little  strength  by  pointing  to  a  blessing  al- 
 ready received,  and  would  have  it  more  earnest 
 in  its  endeavors  after  more ;  for  fidelity  in  that 
 which  is  least  has  its  own  appropriate  promise. 
 Only  to  the  Philadelphians  does  the  Faithful 
 Witness  give  the  perfect  testimony —  Thou  hast 
 kept  my  word.  Thou  hast  in  thy  sound  confes- 
 sions not  denied  my  name;  though  doubtless 
 Philadelphia  was  not  without  temptation 
 enough.  He  adds  for  the  faithful  a  further  and 
 higher  promise:  "  As  the  heathen  will  hear  thji 
 voice  in  my  word  spoken  by  thee,  so  shall 
 many  come  from  false  Christendom,  and  give 
 thee  thy  due  honor — that  is,  give  it  to  me  in 
 thee." 
 
 Behold,  I  ivill  make  them  of  the  synarjogue, 
 of  Satan,  tvhich  saj/  they  are  Jews,  and  are  not, 
 but  do  lie ;  behold  I  will  make  them  to  come 
 and  worship  before  thy  feet,  and  to  Icnoio  that  1 
 have  loved  thee.  As  the  exhortation  to  Thytira 
 began  with  t'lreatening  and  rebuke,  so  the  true 
 and  genuine  Philadelphia  receives  her  exhorta- 
 tion at  once  combined  with  promise  in  vers.  9, 
 10 — and  only  the  short  word,  vcr.  11,  follows 
 as  simple  exhortation.  For  the  fifth  and  last 
 time  in  these  epistles,  t'.ie  Lord  from  heaven 
 mentions  Satan,  and  without  any  Jewish 
 phraseology  or  fic;ure ;  as  we  remarked  upon 
 Acts  xxvi.  23.     iSmyrna's  position  and  trial. 
 
 chap.  ii.  9,  returns  ;  rather,  it  has  continued  on 
 since  then — which  is  another  hint  of  the  mutu- 
 ally interwoven  meaning  of  the  seven  descrip- 
 tions of  the  Church's  state.  The  expression  is 
 made  more  intense,  and  now  runs — They  are 
 not,  hut  do  lie.  It  is  obvious  of  itself,  that  only 
 presumptuous,  false  Christians  can  here  be 
 meant.*  That  which  was  promised  in  Isa. 
 xlix.  23,  Ix.  14,  to  the  true  Israel  of  Go. I,  and 
 the  genuine  "  Zion,"  should  be  fulfilleil  in  the 
 beloved  and  true  Church  of  Christ;  partly  in 
 typical  prelude,  as  in  1  Cor.  xiv.  25  (knowing  and 
 confessing  that  the  Lord  is  in  truth  among  this 
 people) ;  but  still  more  effectually  in  the  times 
 of  final  decision,  when  not  merely  some  among 
 them,  but  all  of  the  congregation  of  Satan  who 
 are  still  susceptible  of  knowledge,  shall  give 
 the  truth  its  honor,  and  say,  "This  is  the 
 Church,  and  here  is  the  Lord."  Obviously,  the 
 "  worshipping  at  thy  feet "  refers  to  the  Lord 
 himself  in  his  despised  people,  who  have  now, 
 as  the  antitype  of  Eliakim,  Isa.  xxii.,  received 
 the  place  of  honor  ;  thus  the  additional  clause 
 obviates  all  misconception — They  shall  know 
 that  J  have  loved  thee.  (Compare  Isa.  xliii. 
 4.)  They  had  before  bitterly  contested  this 
 against  the  Lord's  people,  but  they  shall  be 
 ashamed;  and,  humbling  themselves,  they  shall 
 confess  that  the  Lord  did  love  them,  and  more- 
 over "shall  know  that  /  am  he  on  whose  love 
 every  thing  depends."!  Thus,  the  greatest 
 honor  is  put  upon  Philadelphia  ;  and  in  this 
 love  of  the  Lord,  a  return  to  that  first  love 
 from  which  Ephesus  fell,  is  pre-supposed  in 
 gracious  confidence.  She  is  Iherelore  not 
 merely  a  penultimate  church,  which  would  yet 
 once  more  give  way  to  apostacy,  but  (as  ver. 
 10  continues)  a  community  kept  to  the  end, 
 which  the  coming  Lord  will  find  by  the  side  of 
 Laodicea.  This  was  what  we  had  in  view 
 when  we  said  that  Philadelphia  is  the  pure  and 
 genuine,^  \miicd-evnngelical  Church,  collected 
 around  the  true  and  defended  word,  in  living 
 unity. 
 
 Because  thou  hast  kept  the  tvord  of  my  jm 
 tience,  I  also  will  keep  thee  from  the  hour  of 
 temptation,  which  sliall  come  upon  all  the 
 world,  to  try  them  that  dwell  upon  tlie  earth. 
 As  the  Lord  loves  all  men  with  the  love  of 
 
 *  The  Apocalypse,  so  frequently  condemned  as 
 Jewish,  no  where  speaks  expressly  of  Israel's  res- 
 toration and  final  place  of  honor ;  only  in  cliap. 
 XX.  9  is  there  even  a  hidden  allusion  to  it.  Here 
 in  chap.  ill.  '.)  there  is  certainly  no  allusion  to  the 
 conversion  of  the  Jews,  and  missious  lo  tliat  peo- 
 ple. 
 
 \  So  Von  Gerlach  beautifully  says,  expressing 
 moic,  perhaps,  than  lie  understood  in  liis  own 
 words.  Oh  that  many  who  think  "hat  all  doppnd« 
 on  this,  or  that,  or  the  (.llier,  would  rememt  er  it ! 
 
 X  "  Philadelphia  exh'l)its  to  us  the  church  in 
 which  the  first  brottiei'ly  love  begins  to  burn  in 
 many  hearts ;  in  which  Ckri.stiam  out  of  many 
 conffs.iio)i8  approximate,  assembling  round  tho 
 word  of  the  c"o.ss  as  a  common  standard,  and 
 abounding  losolhor  iu  works  of  lovo  "  (Sander). 
 
EEV.  III.  7-13. 
 
 937 
 
 Bfeking  mercy,  wnTIe  lie  loves  only  those  -who 
 love  him  with  the  love  of  complacency  (John 
 xiv.  21,  xvi.  27),  so  he  will  and  can  Tcee'p  those 
 only  who  teep  his  word.  That  church  which 
 remains  taithful  to  the  last,  even  in  the  final 
 great  temptation,  remains  finally  before  him  as 
 kept  and  approved.  If  he  says,  the  word  of  my 
 f alienee,  he  does  not  mean  merely,  as  Zinzen- 
 dorf  says,  "the  point  of  ray  sufferings,"  or 
 what  the  Scripture  terms  "  the  word  of  the 
 cross."  Tiiis  last  is  indeed  at  the  foundation — 
 so  that  it  certainly  does  not  mean,  as  has  been 
 most  flatly  expounded,  "  My  commandment  to 
 be  patient."  John,  in  chap.  i.  9,  points  us  to 
 the  true  B^ense,  which  Ebrard  well  exhibits: 
 "The  word  of  Christ,  so  far  as,  being  the  word 
 concerning  the  cross,  it  is  not  a  word  of  tri- 
 umph, but  of  patience  and  waiting,  of  believ- 
 ing and  hoping."  Philadelphia  held  to  this 
 word,  "as  the  whole  word  of  God,  to  its  awak- 
 «ning  part  as  well  as  its  simply  dogmatic." 
 This  makes  (in  the  faith  and  ^wtaVrtce  of  the 
 saints,  chap.  xiv.  12,  xiii.  10)  of  the  pure  doc- 
 trines of  faith  a  matter  of  practice,  in  which 
 patience,  as  the  work  of  works,  proves  it- 
 self perfect  unto  the  end  (James  i.  4).  That 
 end  is  brought  very  near  in  this  penultimate 
 epistle,  while  the  great  hour  of  temptation, 
 ^Ynich  will  precede  it  is  made  prominent.  As 
 regards  the  immediate  historical  meaning  for 
 the  typical  Philadelphia,  this  might  refer  to 
 the  impending -severe  persecution  under  Dom- 
 itian  or  Trajan  ;  but  the  prophetic  meaning 
 shines  very  clearly  through  these  words  to  our 
 view.  That  we  may  not  limit  the  "whole 
 earth,"  according  to  the  phraseology  of  that 
 time,  to  the  Pioman  empire  (Luke  ii.  1  ; 
 Acts  xi.  28),  a  well-kown  expression  'is  added 
 from  the  ancient  prophets,  with  reference  to 
 the  comprehensive  prediction  of  the  end — "  All 
 that  dwell  upon  earth."  Paul,  2  Thess.  ii., 
 prophesies  of  the  antichristian  apostacyas  of 
 a  power  of  delusion  ;  the  Lord  gave  the  same 
 intimation,  Matt.  xxiv.  21-24  ;  and  further 
 particulars,  though  still  obscurely,  are  given  in 
 the  Revelation,  chap.  xvii.  12,  with  allusion  to 
 Dan.  vii.  24.  This  hour  of  temptation  will 
 correspond  to  that  "hour"  of  temptation 
 through  the  power  of  darkness  which  fell 
 upon  the  Forerunner  himself.  He  that  shall 
 be  found  in  watchfulness  and  prayer  keeping 
 his  word,  will  enjoy  the  protection  here  prom- 
 ised, and  will  conquer  in  the  Lord's  strength, 
 though  he  also  must  enter  into  the  great 
 temptation  or  trial.  That  our  commonly  call- 
 ed Lutherans,  or  even  Re.ormed,  have  not 
 a!l  been  trained  to  such  warfare  and  victory, 
 many  a  prelude  has  shown.  In  multitudes 
 ^vill  they  go  over  to  Antichrist;  while  only  the 
 Philadelphians,  with  those  saved  at  the"^  list 
 hour  out  of  Laodicea,  will  hear  the  voice  of 
 him  who  standeth  at  the  door,  and  become  the 
 guests  of  the  kingdom  that  shall  be  set  up 
 after  the  conflict  at  tho  resurrection  of  the 
 dead. 
 
 Concerning  thin  catastrophe  of  judicial  de- 
 cision,.this  iuto-mediate  coming  for  the  setting 
 
 up  of  the  kingdom,  the  gracious  ana  all-com- 
 prehending exhortation  speaks  to  every  one 
 who  is  numbered  among  those  "  who  have" — 
 /  come  quicMy.  Uoldfant  that  thou  hast,  that  no 
 man  take  thy  crown*  This  is,  as  it  hangs  on 
 the  promise  of  ver.  10,  rather  a  word  of  conso- 
 lation than  a  threatening;  yet  it  is  also  an  ex- 
 hortation the  only  one  of  which  Philadelphia 
 stood  in  need.  As  an  exhortation,  it  is  re- 
 markably like  that  to  the  faithful  in  Thyatira, 
 chap.  ii.  25;  it  speaks  of  no  other  crown  than 
 the  crown  of  life  (chap.  ii.  10)  for  all  who  shall 
 he  finally  found  confirmed  and  approved.  Be- 
 fore the  end  no  man  is  crowned;  although 
 fro.m  the  beginning,  and  throughout  all  the 
 conflict,  the  crown  is  held  out  and  exhibited  as 
 a  reserved  treasure.  What  then  must  the 
 church  of  Philadelphia  holdfast?  That  which 
 she  has.  But  what  has  she?  Not  yet  tho 
 crown.  What  then?  Her  little  strength  with 
 the  Lord's  great  help,  the  word  of  his  patience 
 and  her  persevering  continuance  therein.  From 
 this  we  may  gather  how  incorrect  is  that  appli- 
 cation (so  common  in  our  sermons  on  the  Re- 
 formation) of  this  saying,  which  makes  Phila- 
 delphia the  Reformed  Church  in  opposition  to 
 antichristian  Rome;  as  if  by  the  "crown" 
 was  to  be  understood  the  "  glory  "  or  "  especial 
 treasure"  of  the  evangelical,  or  Lutheran 
 church,  as  such.  The  original  speaks  with 
 quite  another  meaning  of  quite  another  crown 
 lor  quite  different  persons:  it  says  rather — 
 Hold  fast  thy  standing  in  grace  with  persever- 
 ing fidelity,  tihat  no  man  ms.y  receive  at  the  last 
 thy  crown  of  victory  ;  that  is,  instead  of  thy- 
 self. Zinzendorfs  pointed  note  hits  the  sense 
 here — "  As  the  place  was  to  be  taken  from  the 
 first  church." 
 
 Him  that  overcometh  trill  I  make  a  pillar  in 
 the  temple  of  my  God,  and  he  shall  go  no  more 
 out  7  and  I  will  tcrite  upon  him  ths  name  of  my 
 Gud,  and  ths  name  of  the  city  of  my  God,  which 
 is  new  Jeritscdcm,  u-hicli  cometh  down  out  of 
 heaven  from  my ;  God  and  I  icill  tvrite  vpon 
 him  my  nno  name.  He  that  hath  an  ear,  lei  him 
 hear  what  the  Sjjirit  saiih  unto  the  churches. 
 This  promise  once  more  rises  higher  than  the 
 preceding,  and  opens  up  the  vision  of  the 
 firm  and  glorious  foundation  of  the  city  of 
 God,  when  all  things  are  made  new.  Four 
 times  "  My  God,"  in  solemn  and  stately  ful- 
 ness— uttered  by  the  heavenly  Son  of  Man  and 
 Son  of  God.  Nevertheless,  in  this  lofty  and 
 sublime  glance  forward  to  the  last  things,  there 
 is  at  the  same  time  a  backward  allusion — for, 
 heavenly  wisdom  would  e.xercise  us,  as  the 
 epistles  have  shown,  in  the  art  of  discerning 
 the  shadowings  of  the  last  things  in  the  first, 
 throughout  the  histories  and  narratives  of 
 Scripture — to  the  records  of  David's  house 
 concerning  Shebna  and  Eliakim  (already  pre- 
 sented to  notice  in  ver.  7),  where  from  afar  tho 
 old  and  new  Jerusalem,  or   Israel,   are    very 
 
 •The  " Behold,"  -prefixed  to  these  words,  we 
 have  aireauy  shown  to  be  spurious. 
 
938 
 
 THE  EPISTLE  TO  LAODICEA. 
 
 stribinglj'  pretypified  in  historical  miniature.* 
 The  first  rel'erence  to  this  is  the  expression,  so 
 intensified  in  the  original,  "  shall  go  no  more 
 ouf't — that  is,  shalTnot  be  displaced  and  cast 
 out  as  Shfbna  was  there.  Assuredly  also — 
 Shall  not  be  broken  off  and  carried  away  like 
 the  pillars  in  the  old  temple,  Jer.  lii.  17; 
 thouf^h  tlie  former  allusion  pleases  us  better, 
 since  in  Isa.  xxii.  Shebna  was  to  be  cast  out  as 
 "  the  shame  of  his  Lord's  house,"  ver.  18, 
 while  Eliakira,  ver.  23,  was  to  be  fastened  as  a 
 nail  in  a  sure  place,  upon  which  the  glory  of 
 the  house  should  be  hung,  and  was  to  be  a 
 glorious  throne  to  his  Father's  house.  But 
 here  the  words  are  loftier  :  I  will  make  him  a 
 pillar  in  the  temple  of  God  ;  which  certainly 
 does  not  mean  merely,  as  Lisco  says,  that  he 
 should  remain  unchangeably  fixed  in  the  wor- 
 ship of  the  sanctuary,  like  a  shaft  which  moves 
 not  from  its  place.  The  Lord  speaks  here  in 
 the  same  sense  as  in  Gal.  ii.  9  apostolical  men 
 are  called  the  pillars  of  the  Church ;  though 
 not  here  of  the  church  still  in  contention,  but 
 of  the  consummate  temple  of  glory.  Compare 
 the  echo  of  the  passage  in  Isa.  Ivi.  5;  and 
 then  reflect  what  a  promise  is  here  given  to  the 
 faithful  possessors  oi  the  little  strength  of  God. 
 Yea,  then  shall  the  weak  be,  as  wo  read  in 
 Zech.  xii.  8,  like  David,  and  become  like  firm 
 and  stable  pillars  of  the  finished  building  ;  be- 
 cau.se  all  temptation  will  have  been  overcome, 
 and  all  danger  of  falling  done  away.  The  three 
 names  written  upon  the  pillar,  or  him  that 
 overcometh  (in  the  figure  they  coincide),  cor- 
 respond to  the  Triunity,  just  as  in  chap.  xiii.  6  ; 
 a  remarkable  passage,  where,  in  connection 
 with  God,  his  7ia7ne  (in  the  Son)  and  his  tahr- 
 7iacZe(  the  spiritual  building  in  the  Holy  Ghost) 
 are  mentioned.  J  We  now  understand,  it  may 
 be  hoped,  after  all  that  has  preceded,  why  the 
 perfected,  iiite,  and  eternal  Church,  the  new 
 Jerusalem  which  will  finally  come  down  oiU  of 
 heaven  (chap.  xxi.  2,  3) ;  consequently  not  a 
 church  of  temporal  manifestation,  is  opened  in 
 the  promise  to  Philadelphia,  the  only  church 
 which  is  fully  acknowledged.  We  may  say — 
 This  is  "  Philadelphia;"  the  unity  of  love  per- 
 fect, and  superabundantly  exceeding  that  ear- 
 nest oi  first  love  which  the  Pentecostal  church 
 exhibited  to  us.  The  three  names — of  God, 
 and  his  city  or  tabernacle,  and  his  Son,  who 
 speaketh — are  essentially  one.  The  name  of 
 him  who  speaketh  closes  in  solemn  confirma- 
 tion— And  mine,  the  new  name.  (Compare, 
 once  more,  chap.  xiv.  1,  xix.  12,  xxii.  4.)  The 
 new  name  of  glory,  of  victory,  never  yet  fully 
 revealed,  will,  when  the  kingdom  of  the  cross 
 ia  past,  shine  forth  in  the  eternal  city  of  Uod 
 upon  all  who  are   Luilt  there  as  pillars.     It 
 
 *  So  I  observed  in  my  "  Isaiah,"  without  then 
 thinking  of  the  Apocalypse. 
 
 \'Elai  ov  ).n)  l^e\0^  en. 
 
 X  According  to  Meyer's  profound  exposition  in 
 the  lii.  fur  h.  Walir/te'/t.  viii.  ^  .307.  ((Jump,  also  1 
 Cor.  vi.  11.  The  name  ol  Jebus  lu  cumiection 
 with  the  Spiril-X 
 
 seems  almost  a  marvellorrs  corncicTencs  fn  fhm 
 divine  providential  government,  that  the  his- 
 torical Philadelphia,  to  which  this  promise  was 
 symbolically  sent,  is  now  calle<.l  bv  the  Turks 
 "'Allah-Sehr,"  that  is,  the  cilij  of  God. 
 
 And  ttnto  tlwangcl  of  the  churdt  in  LawTicert 
 write  :  These  thivgs  saith  the  Amen,  the  Faith- 
 ful and  True  Witness,  the  heginniug  {the  orcf- 
 inal)  of  the  creation  of  God.  h\  the  final 
 epistle  the  title  of  the  Redeemer  at  once  rises 
 to  the  highest  grandeur,  for  the  suprpme 
 glory  and  authentication  of  Mm  who  »]>£akt(h. 
 For  in  Laodicea  we  find  a  church  which  is 
 least  of  all  disposed  to  hear  and  receive 
 counsel.  The  place  thus  named,  in  earlier 
 times  often  laid  waste  by  earth'juakes,  and  ut- 
 terly ruined  since  Timur(1402),  is  now  re- 
 placed by  a  Turkish  village  called  "Eskihis- 
 sar."  We  find  its  church  mentioned  elsewhere- 
 in  the  Kew  Testament,  Col.  ii.  1.  iv.  13,  16; 
 and  to  us  it  is  extremely  probable  that,  in  the 
 circle  of  churches  for  which  the  epistle  to  the- 
 Ephesians  was  designed  as  an  encyclical  letter,, 
 Ephesus  was  the  first  and  Laodicea  the  last.*" 
 The  designation  which  the  Lord  now  gives  to- 
 himself  is  no  longer  a  single  one,  and  definitely 
 derived  from  anything  in  his  earlier  manifesta- 
 tion ;  but  in  its  meaning  it  sums  up  that  entire- 
 manifestation,  and  in  a  certain  sense  may  be- 
 said  to  refer  to  the  commencement  o-f  his  worda 
 on  that  occasion — I  nm  the  first  and  the  last. 
 Here  we  have  first — 'i  lie  Amen,  in  which  with 
 sublime  boldness  the  "  verily  "  of  our  Lord's 
 preface  to  his  utterances  upon  earth — swearing- 
 by  himself— is  made  into  a  substantive  nam* 
 of  his  person  ;  at  the  same  time  with  allusion 
 to  a  word  of  the  prophet,  referring  to  the  lust 
 time,  concerning  the  finally  acknowledged  God 
 Amen,  Isa.  Ixv.  IG.f  This  Amen,  as  the  per- 
 sonal independent  truth,  is  now  the  True  and 
 Faithful  Witness,  he  being  immediately  such ; 
 while  all  who  before  or  after  him  testify  the 
 truth  of  God  are  only  himself,  who  speaks  and 
 bears  witness  through  them.  Thisexpression^ 
 again  allusive  to  Isa.  Iv.  4,  is  not,  as  has  been 
 inconsiderately  said,  "  derived  I'mm  Rev.  i.  5  ; '" 
 on  the  contrary,  John  takes  the  greeting  at  th» 
 beginning  of  his  book  from  the  before-received 
 word  of  the  Lord  himself.  Because  proud 
 Laodicea  is  wise  in  her  own  conceit,  and  must 
 be  sharply  rebuked,  the  Lord  himself  confronts, 
 her — Is  it  not  I,  who  speak  the  truth"?  Wilt 
 thou  contend,  and  maintain  thy  cause,  against 
 me?  To  raise  this  to  the  highest  pitch,  h& 
 terms  himself  finally  the  hcQinniny  of  the  crea- 
 tion or  creature  (all  creatures)  of  God  ;  that  is, 
 not  indeed  the  hrst  creation,^  but  rather  the 
 
 *  This  -n'ill  be  found  estabhshed  in  luy  Upheser- 
 Iricf,  i.  8-U. 
 
 f  Tliis  is  the  translation  of  th©  IIebrev_  uistead 
 of  Luther's  weakening  phrase. 
 
 :|:  It  is  melancholy  to  ;  ead  the  heretical  not©  of 
 Brandt's  HthtiUchrcrbibcl  :  "  Je^us  reckons  himself 
 with  the  creation  ot  God  " — to  e.\p  ain  Col.  i. 
 15..    \k'hat  dpx^'}  liii  n-zi^ecai  and.  n(2unoiuK.ai 
 
REV  III.  14-22. 
 
 originrtl  and  primal  ground  {pr!ncipmm  creandi), 
 as  in  John  i.  1-3  and  Col.  i.  15  (correcllv,  if 
 not  literally  after  the  original — the  lirst- 
 I'egotten  before  all  creatures),  is  meant.  In 
 Prov.  viii.  22,  23,  the  same  idea  evidently  shines 
 out  of  the  midst  of  the  Old  Testament.  If  we 
 compare  the  still  more  strictly  corresponding 
 passage,  Rev.  v.  8,  where  he  terms  himself, 
 after  the  "  Yea,  Ainen,"  the  Alpha  and  Omega,* 
 we  must  observe  what  he  would  here  say  to 
 Laodicea.  Since  the  Amen  specifically  refers  to 
 the  subsequent  confirmation  and  fulfillment  of 
 every  promise  and  every  threatening  (2  Cor.  i. 
 20),  and,  as  Meyer  excellently  says,  is  the  con- 
 firming end  of  all  prayers,  we  have  in  this  word 
 here  the  title  which  runs  back  from  the  Omega 
 to  the  Alpha;  he  is  the  fulfilling,  victoriously 
 self-approving  lad,  as  he  is  the  first  in  and  be- 
 fore all  creation — but  in  the  midst,  between  the 
 beginning  and  the  end,  he  is  the  faithful  wit- 
 ness, as  he  openly  proclaimed  himself  in  the 
 days  of  his  liesh.  As  the  beginning  of  the 
 creation  of  God,  he  inoics  every  creature 
 through  and  through;  he  knows  what  is  in  it, 
 in  order  that  he  may  bear  his  sure  testimony. 
 To  (his  he  at  ona3  points — Who  hath  the  truth 
 to  say  to  thee,  and  with  most  supreme  right 
 declareth  to  thee  in  thy  blindness,  /  Ivww — 
 what  thou  knowest  not!\ 
 
 I  know  thy  icorhf,  that  thou  art  neither  cold 
 nor  lot :  I  ivoiild  thou  ica-t  cold  or  hot.  So 
 then  because  thou  art  lulceicarm,  and  neither 
 cold  nor  hot,  I  ivill  spue  thee  {literally,  I 
 design  to  spue  thee)  out  of  my  mouth.  This 
 is,  verily,  a  keen  word,  the  most  fearfully 
 severe  in  all  (he  seven  epistles.  No  de- 
 nunciation of  judgment  elsewhere  cuts  so 
 sharply  and  bitterly.  Fearful  it  is  to  think 
 that  there  could  be  at  that  time  a  historical 
 Laodicea  deserving  such  a  denunciation  as 
 this.  In  this  last  epistle  the  second  and  third 
 parts,  the  "  I  know  "  and  the  resulting  appeal, 
 pass  one  into  the  other.  The  first  disclosure 
 of  their  lukewarmness  is  the  foundation  of  a 
 threatening ;  the  exhibition  of  their  proud 
 blindness,  and  the  "not  knowing"  of  ver.  17,  in- 
 troduces a  counsel  to  them  to  receive  help  ; 
 with  that  connects  itself,  vers.  19,  20,  the  exhor- 
 tation which  now  passes  into  gracious  promise. 
 But  even  here  the  rule  is  preserved,  and  first 
 comes  "  thy  icorks" — though  in  Laodicea  there 
 were  works  only  of  a  miserable  kind,  as  it  were 
 DO  works,  so  that  the  Lord  says  nothing  more 
 about  them  and  their  wretched  negation,  but 
 
 Sroceeds  to  the  exposure  of  their  inner  mind, 
 levertheless,  in  all  these  epistles  he  urges  the 
 uorlcs,  which  he  looks  for  every  where. 
 
 Neither  cold  nor  warm — has  become  in  Ger- 
 
 ira'dr;?  jcridsoai  properly  denote,  could  bo  made 
 clear  on  y  i:i  a  iheosophical  treatise. 
 
 *  With  a  dubious  additional — The  beginning  and 
 the  end — which  is  only  an  explanation. 
 
 j-  Ebrard  otherwise  :  He  hath  also  power  to  ex- 
 ecute his  threats.  But  this  epistle  to  L.iodicca — 
 which  is  almostrentiiely  a  revelation  of  themselves 
 — speaks  nothing  of  threatening  and  powei*. 
 
 man  a  proverb,  as  it  wa?  use.1  among  the  an- 
 cients, to  describe  those  miseraLily  negative, 
 characterless  people  who  hold  a  middle  place 
 between  two  parts  of  a  great  alternative.  Bat; 
 the  German  translation — which  cannot  now  he 
 altered — unhappily  enleebles  the  sense  of  the 
 original,  which  gives  the  contrast  more  severe- 
 ly, and  with  more  strict  truth — cold  or  hot  ; 
 Jor  the  fervent  burning  in  spirit*  in  love,  is 
 meant,  the  glow  of  which  is  as  "  coals  of  fire, 
 and  a  flame  of  the  Lord"  (Cant.  viii.  6).  Cold- 
 ness is  not  set  over  against  the  opposite  ex- 
 treme, "  fiery  fanaticism  "  (as  has  been  falsely 
 interpreted) ;  for  the  coldness  which  is  ours  by 
 nature  cannot  bo  absolutelv  changed  into  its 
 opposite  by  the  heavenly  fire.  When  now  a 
 sigh  of  love  bursts  from  the  mouth  of  the  Faith- 
 ful Witness,  who  cannot  constrain  the  creature 
 to  salvation — Ah,  that  thou  wert  cohl  or  hot ! 
 He  speaks  the  most  simple  truth.  Positively 
 raging  enmity,  vehement  opposition  to  his 
 grace,  he  cannot  desire  as  something  better, 
 cannot  even  relatively  or  in  any  manner  wish 
 for;  but  that  is  not  meant,  for  Saul  was  not 
 merely  cold,  bat  inflamed  by  another  fire,  whea 
 he  persecuted  the  Lord's  people.  Be  it  true 
 that  such  a  Saul  was  sooner  won  by  the  Lord 
 than  a  respectable  neutral  Gamaliel,  waiting 
 under  all  the  acts  of  God  ;  that  bad  its  reason 
 not  in  the  enmity  of  Saul  as  such,  but  in  other 
 principles  which  do  not  involve  the  question  of 
 "  hot  or  cold."  The  words  have  their  truth  in 
 this,  that  they  who  have  never  been  touched 
 by  the  power  and  love  of  God,  and  are  still  in 
 their  first  natural  condition,  are  in  a  stale  less 
 dangerous,  and  may  more  easily  be  brought  to 
 the  experience  of  the  truth,  than  those  who 
 have  lallen  away  from  experienced  grace  into 
 a  dying  and  dead  indifference.  For,  as  Lisco 
 preaches,  "  while  in  natural  things  transition  to 
 heat  is  easier  in  a  state  of  lukewarmness  than 
 in  a  state  of  coldness,  is  it  not  so  in  spiritual 
 things,  where  the  opposite  always  hold  good  ;" 
 but  he  improperly  reckons  decided  enmity  as  a 
 state  of  coldness.  Our  readers  well  understand 
 without  much  expounding,  the  Lord's  word, 
 which  says  fundamentally  the  same  thing  con- 
 cerning his  kingdom  which  we  are  in  the  habit 
 of  saying  concerning  our  own  human  affairs  : 
 we  prefer  decided  and  honest  reality  to  a 
 wavering,  indifl"erent,  negative  medium.  The 
 word,  John  ix.  41,  to  the  Pharisees — If  ye 
 were  blind — is  something  similar,  although  in 
 a  somewhat  different  relation.  We  can  now 
 observe  whither  Laodicea's  prophetical  inter- 
 pretation points:  it  is  the  great  residuum  of 
 dead  Christianity,  gathered  together  at  the 
 last  time,  which  has  not  yet  passed  over 
 into  the  camp  of  anti-Christendom,  enkindled 
 from  below,  only  not  yet  having  become  re- 
 leased from  all  connection  with  Christ ;  it  is 
 the  common  secular  Christianity  which,  in  its 
 melancholy  apathy  and  self-satisfied  blindness, 
 goes  on  its  respectable,  easy  way — the  wretch- 
 
 *  Rom.  xii.  11,  in  the  correct  reading :  ^iovzsi 
 -as  iiere  ^a6rui  :  comp.  Acts  iviii.  25. 
 
940 
 
 THE  EPISTLE  TO  LAODICEA. 
 
 ed  caricature  of  the  fervent  love  of  the  Phila- 
 delphian  union,  though  in  some  respects  hard 
 to  'be  distinguished  before  the  final  tests  are 
 applied  with  all  their  severity.  It  is  a  lifeless 
 and  impotent  combination  of  all  the  world 
 under  the  name  of  Christ,  with  some  slight  re- 
 mains of  real  connection  with  him. 
 
 The  judgment  upon  this  lukewarmness  is 
 expressed,  the  figure  of  lukewarm  water  being 
 continued,  in  a  tone  as  it  were  of  mockery  ; 
 yet  there  is  some  degree  of  encouragement 
 even  in  the  first  sharp  word.  Because  thou  art 
 lukewarm — is  more  rigorous  than  the  original: 
 there,  it  is — But  so  thou  art,  beirig  thou  art ; 
 in  which  the  because  seems  to  pass  over  into — 
 If  thou,  so  remainest.  Being  mch,  thou  art  an 
 offence  to  be  ,<<p)ied  out.  In  Lev.  xviii.  28,  xx. 
 22,  the  land  of  Canaan  is  spoken  of  as  spueing 
 out  her  inhabitants  on  account  of  their  abo- 
 minations, as  she  had  done  the  Cananites;  but 
 this  seemingly  more  rigorous  phrase  does  not 
 reach  the  severity  of  our  Lord's  word — Spue 
 thee  out  of  my  mouth.  For  he,  out  of  whose 
 lips  Cometh  the  decision  of  our  salvation  or 
 perdition,  takes  us  into  his  lips  first  when 
 ne  fraya  for  us  that  our  term  of  grace  may  be 
 lengthened  out,  and  then  when  \\Qcalbi  upon  us 
 to  be  saved,  and  finally  when  he  acknowledges 
 his  own  belore  the  Father.  This  last  ajjplies 
 here  pre-eminently,  as  in  ver.  5  such  confession 
 of  them  was  spoken  of.  Thus,  if  Laodicea 
 continue  lukewarm,  he  will  entirely  give  her 
 up  and  deny  her,  and  no  more  take  her  name 
 upon  his  lips,  as  Psa.  xvi.  4  is  threatened 
 to  the  idolaters.  In  the  original  the  expression 
 is  once  more  softened  ;  for  it  is  not  simply  in 
 the  future,  "  I  wilL  sjjue  thee,"  still  less  a  de- 
 cided "I  icill  spue  thee" — but  a  word  which 
 may  be  translated,  "  It  is  impending,  I  have  in 
 purpose" — by  which  the  accomplishment  of 
 the  threat  retains  its  undecided  and  conditional 
 character.* 
 
 Bee  ruse  thou  sayest,  I  am  rich,  and  in- 
 creased with  ff'M'ds,  and  have  need  (f  ndh- 
 ing ;  and  hvncest  not  that  thou  art  wretched, 
 and  miserable,  and  poor,  and  Mind,  and  naked. 
 The  devout  reflection  which  we  have  seen  here 
 — "  Thou  spcaJcest  of  thy  riches  ;  the  speaking 
 is  everything  with  thee,  and  nothing  else  ; 
 that  is  thy  Christianity  and  piety" — is  beside 
 the  meaning.  Speaking  is  here,  according  to 
 the  Old  Testament  phraseology,  equivalent  to 
 thinking,  speaking  inwardly  to  self.  Thus  it 
 is — Thou  thinkest,  imaginest  that  thou  art 
 rich  in  every  supply,  and  knowest  it  not  to  be 
 otherwise.  It  is  wrong,  again,  to  expound  this 
 glorifying  of  the  possession  of  the  external 
 riches  and  fortunate  outward  circumstances, 
 and  the  being  satisfied  with  early  things.  So 
 Lisco  preaches  that  "  the  Laodicean  Christian 
 draws  a  wron^  conclusion  ;  flattering  himself 
 on  account  oi  his  externally  favorable  condi- 
 
 *  Brnael  in  the  Gnomon:  "The  expression  is 
 gentler  ihan  if  it  had  been  lu£6a}  6e.  MeXXcc 
 makes  it  not  categorical,  but  modal."  Viilg., 
 also,  thoujih  wrongly,  "  Incipiam  te  evotuere." 
 
 tion,  that  I'e  has  the  approbation  of  God."  Nor 
 does  it  refer  to  the  imagination  that  it  was  in- 
 wardly as  well  with  them,  as  their  outward 
 condition  was  fortunate  and  enviable.  For  the 
 Lord  never  speaks  generally  of  external  circum- 
 stances in  these  epistles,  having  begun  with — I 
 know  thy  works.  The  words  refer  directly  to 
 their  internal  condition,  else  the  exact  opposi- 
 tion would  not  be  preserved  in  what  follows. 
 Indeed,  Laodicea's  blind,  satiated  self-glorying, 
 the  beginnings  of  which  were  here,  is  to  be  found 
 united  with  glorying  in  industry,  civilization, 
 science,  national  progress,  and  what  else  ;  yet 
 it  is  not  so  as  if  the  rebuking  Lord  could  mean 
 only  this,  as  Meyer  thinks  :  "  Thou,  secular 
 Laodicea,  sayest  tliat  thou  art  already  rich  by 
 nature,  through  reason,  genius,  and  temper  of 
 mind,  through  the  divine  in  man."  For  thus 
 to  speak  would  be  to  give  up  all  sense  of  need- 
 ing Christ,  to  renounce  him  altogether,  and  to 
 be  no  longer  even  luJceicarm.  A  mass  so  cor- 
 rupted in  unbelief  would  as  sxich  receive  no 
 pastoral  epistle,  it  would  be  no  longer  a  church. 
 On  the  other  hand,  those  who  would  still  be 
 Christians,  who  think  (however  much  they 
 err)  that  they  have  Christ  fully  and  sufficient- 
 ly, because  they  certainly  have  something 
 good  remaining  in  them  (which  they  regard  as 
 all  goodj — these  are  the  people  of  Laodicea. 
 This  something  good  remai.iing  may  take  tho 
 most  specious  form  in  its  exhibition — familiar- 
 ity with  his  word,  and  seemingly  spiritual 
 talking  about  it,  and  co-operation  in  Philadel- 
 phian  works;  all  being  done,  however,  without 
 power  and  life,  on  the  ground  of  self-pleas- r^ 
 lukewarmness  and  emptiness.  The  thive-lold 
 expression  of  the  vain-glorying  is  artificiall)'' 
 expounded  by  Bengel :  I  have  goLl  ;  have  be- 
 come rich  in  garments;  and  have  need  of  no 
 medicine  or  salve  for  my  well-being.  In  any 
 case,  this  specific  reference  to  the  several  coun- 
 sels which  follow  must  be  spirituaUy  interpret- 
 ed ;  but  Laodicea  did  not  as  yet  know  enough 
 to  be  able  thus  to  speak  concerning  her  pos- 
 sessions— I  am  wanting  neither  in  tliis  nor  in 
 that  of  the  divine  gift  and  help.  The  Lord 
 must  first  annihilate  her  general  and  indefinite 
 boast,  and  reveal  further — Behold  this,  and 
 further  that,  thou  hast  not,  or  no  longer  hast. 
 Thus  the  three-fold  prating  goes  on  like 
 prating  generally,  or  mere  tautology,  with  ex- 
 pressions growing  more  and  more  strong :  I  am 
 now  rich — I  have  made  myself  rich,  taken 
 good  care  of  myself — finally,  obviating  all 
 warning  of  need,  I  v.-ant  nothing  more.  Com- 
 pare in  the  New  Testament  the  apostolical 
 irony  addressed  to  the  satisfied  Corintliians  (1 
 Cor.  iv.  8),  and  in  the  Old  Testament  (Hos. 
 xii.  9)  the  still  more  similar  boast  of  Ephraira 
 — "  1  am  become  rich,  I  have  found  me  out 
 substance:  in  all  my  labors  they  shall  find 
 none  iniquity  in  me  that  were  sin."*   This  last 
 
 *  The  Lord  seems  evidently  to  refer  to  this  pas- 
 sage ;  for  the  second  clause,  >^  }ix  'riXV!3  {I 
 have  found  my  substance)  quite  corresponds  to 
 
REV.  III.  14-22. 
 
 941 
 
 is  the  same  which  the  third  clause  in  our  pass- 
 age expresses — I  need  no  reproof  or  warning, 
 that  any  thing  is  wrong  in  me. 
 
 But  the  Lord  begins  at  once  with  awful  re- 
 buke :  Thou  who  thus  speakest  canst  thus 
 speak  only  because  thou  knowest  not  what  I 
 know  of  thee,  thy  misery  in  uttermost  pover- 
 ty and  blindess.  This  lelf-deception  clings  to, 
 or  roots  itself  in,  the  fact,  that  Laodicea  was 
 not  altogether  cold.  But  it  does  not  mean,  as 
 we  have  said,  "  not  hostile,  only  a  negative, 
 Christianity."  There  is  something  positive  in 
 the  lukewarmness;  and  in  this  consisted  their 
 wretchedness  and  misery,  that  that  minimum 
 of  good  left  was  regarded  by  them,  in  their 
 blind  perverseness,  as  amply  sufficient,  and 
 thus  turned  to  their  hurt  even  more  than  cold- 
 ness itself.  Our  translation  cannot  express 
 the  peculiar  force  of  the  orignal — That  even 
 thou  art  the  wretched  and  the  miserable,  that  is, 
 before  all  others  who  make  no  such  boast ;  thy 
 very  boasting  makes  thee  the  worst  among  all 
 the  seven  whom  I  must  rebuke  and  punish. 
 Wretched  or  unhappy  in  themselves,  as  near  to 
 judgment ;  V^ertiiove  miserable  or  intiahle,  to  be 
 commiserated  and  mourned  over.  These  two 
 come  first  with  the  strongest  emphasis  ;  then 
 follows  a  three-fold  evolution  of  the  pitiable 
 wretchedness — the  preparation  for  the  counsel 
 that  follows,  though  not  in  the  same  order. 
 Poor  in  true,  gold-precious  riches — bliiul  in  the 
 self-deception,  not  knowing  their  own  poverty — 
 naked,  without  shame  and  consciousness  thereof. 
 
 Now  we  ask,  whether  such  a  Laodicea  can 
 be  imagined  as  existing  again  at  the  end  of  the 
 thousand  years'  kingdom  of  peace.*  Indeed, 
 in  this  kingdom  itself  there  will  not  be  possi- 
 ble any  such  manner  of  lukewarmness,  if  our 
 notion  is  not  "  enthusiastically  extravaga.it ;" 
 the  nations  deceived  by  Satan,  under  Gog  and 
 Magog,  are,  according  to  Rev.  xx.  8,  Ezek. 
 xxxviii.  39,  to  be  sought  in  the  external  bor- 
 ders of  that  kingdom.  The  epistles  do  not 
 stretch  forward  to  this  final  stage  of  all.  But 
 there  will  be,  under  and  with  the  «/i<i-Chris- 
 tendom  which  will  be  developed,  before  the  en- 
 tering in  of  the  kingdom,  a  ^«a.si-Christendorn  to 
 be  found  ;  and  that  is  here  described.  Laodicea, 
 in  earlier  times  a  rich  commercial  place,  had 
 changed  its  first  name  Diof-polis  (the  city  of 
 Jupiter,  or  God)  into  the  opposite,  when  the 
 Syrian  king  Antiochus  Theos  (that  is,  God) 
 named  it  after  his  wife  Laodice.  This  name 
 does  not  lead,  as  has  been  said  in  despite  of 
 the  derivation,  to  "  the  time  when  God  will 
 judge  the  peoples  (or  his  people)  " — none  of 
 these  churches  is  prophetically  designated  with 
 reference  to  time.     But  a  condition  and  a  con- 
 
 the  itEn\ovTr)Ha,  which  is  the  very  word  used 
 by  the  Sept.,  but  in  the  wronjr  place  in  its  trans- 
 lation. Every  where  throughout  the  New  Testa- 
 ment— where  they  say  the  Septuagint  is  alone 
 used — we  find  passages  like  this  which  go  back  to 
 the  original. 
 
 ♦  Thus  Richtw's  Ilaiishcbel  says,  with  vehement 
 consistency  in  aa  erroneous  prophetic  sysleni. 
 
 slitution  is  intimated,  in  which  the  people  ]wA^p.s 
 and  rules,  tiie  multitude  has  the  govern- 
 ment and  authority.  Whether  this  points 
 formally  to  a  "  democratically  organized  " 
 church  establishment  in  states  similarly  demo- 
 cratical,  cannot  be  determined  ;  this  may  be 
 included  with  reference  to  its  final  form.  In 
 general,  Meyer's  remark  is  correct — "  Periods 
 of  Revolutions  in  Church  and  State" — tlie 
 meaning  expresses  authority  from  below  up- 
 wards, and  the  rule  of  arms,  which  is  in  fact 
 the  most  appropriate  ground  and  scene  of  rich, 
 satisfied,  lukewarm  quasi-Christianity. 
 
 I  counsel  thee  to  buy  of  me  gold  tried  in  the 
 fire,  that  thou  mayest  he  rich ;  and  ivhite  raiment, 
 thai  thou  mayest  he  clothed,  and  that  the  shame 
 of  thy  nakedness  do  not  appear  ;  and  eye-salve 
 to  anoint  thine  eyes,  that  thou  mayest  see. 
 There  is  counsel  and  help  even  for  Laodicea, 
 if  in  the  last  hour  Laodicea  will  receive  counsel 
 unto  repentance  and  conversion.  But  how 
 many  will  be  wilLng  to  receive  it,  the  alone- 
 helping  counsel  of  the  true  Witness  and  faith- 
 ful Shepherd?  In  \\\'i  last  pastoral  epistle  he 
 no  longer  commands  those  who  are  almost  es- 
 tranged from  his  voice ;  he  gives  only  good 
 counsel,  in  which,  on  the  one  hand,  we  cannot 
 fail  to  perceive  something  ironical — //'  thou 
 wilt  yet  hear  me;*  while,  on  the  other,  the 
 words  are  the  faithtiil,  earnest  purpose  of  the 
 love  of  this  great  Counsellor.  It  sounds  as 
 another  deep  sigh — Oh  that  thou  wouldst  yet 
 hear  me  !  The  series  which  follows  is  in  har- 
 mony, as  with  the  irony,  so  with  the  convinc- 
 ingness of  the  loving  reproof:  it  first  oflfers  the 
 needed  riches,  then  the  needed  covering,  and 
 finally  the  knowledge  of  their  need  ;  so  that  tho 
 good  counsel  must,  in  fact,  be  received  in  the 
 inverse  order.  "  Art  thou  poor,  I  can  help 
 thee  out  of  thy  poverty  ;  thy  nakednes  I  can 
 and  will  cover,  then  wilt  thou  attain  thy  riches  ; 
 but  before  all  it  is  necessary  that  thou  shouldst 
 see  thy  poverty  and  nakedness,  that  thou  mayest 
 look  for  and  stretch  out  thy  hands  to  receive 
 my  help."  Hence  we  observe  tiiat  the  gold,  in 
 its  connection  with  the  garments  of  righteous- 
 ness, of  a  holy  life,  must  not  be  too  specifically 
 interpreted  oi faith  (1  Pet.  i.  7) — nor  of  wisdom, 
 as  coming  from  the  word  and  revelation  of  God 
 (Prov.  viii.  10-18;  Job  xxviii.  15-19;  Psa. 
 xii.  7),  Vi'liich  coincides  rather  with  the  seeing 
 eyes — but  generally,  embracing  in  one  all  that 
 belongs  to  it,  of  the  genuine  riches  which  will 
 stand  the  test  of  the  fire  of  judement  (literally 
 — coming  confirmed  oj^iq/"  the  fire ).t  But  how 
 can  man  buy  gold,  which  buys  all  else?  And 
 what  price  must  the  poor  give  for  it  ?  Marvel- 
 lous buying  indeed  it  is,  without  gold  and 
 
 *  Even  Ebrard  dii>cerns  a  "  wonderful  touch 
 of  sacred  irony  " — not  like  many  who  arbitrarily 
 deny  the  possibility  of  irony  in  the  words  of 
 Jesus  Christ. 
 
 f  As  we  think  almost  with  allusion  to  Psa. 
 Ixxii.  15,  where,  rightly  interpreted,  the  Great 
 King,  who  livelh  ever,  will  give  to  the  poor  gen- 
 uine gold :  comp.  Job  xxii,  25. 
 
942 
 
 THE  EPISTLE  TO  LAODICEA. 
 
 without  price,  as  Isa.  Iv.  1  (where,  too,  in  ver. 
 4  the  fait liful  Witness  is  set  belore  us)  speaks 
 of  it ;  yet  it  is  a  buying  at  the  cost  of  all 
 imagined  riches,  by  the  offering  up  of  our  entire 
 poverty,  and  all  the  pride  that  clings  to  it 
 (Prov.  iv.  7,  in  the  original,  "  at  the  cost  of  all 
 thy  having").  Fireproof*  gold  and  posses- 
 sions buy  of  me,  the  Lord  says  with  emphasis  ; 
 not  false  treasure  from  others,  from  deceitful 
 traders  and  seducers.  The  way  to  obtain  it  is 
 by  the  putting  on  of  the  garments  which  hide 
 the  shame  of  our  nakedness  (Ezek.  xvi.  22; 
 Gen.  iii.  7),  garments  which  the  Lord  alone  can 
 and  will  give,  and  which  are  at  the  same  time 
 white  and  glorious.  But  before  all  there  must 
 be  the  true  opening  of  the  eyes,  self-knmclejge, 
 which  leads  to  the  knowledge  of  God  (Eph.  i. 
 18).  Probably  not  without  some  allusion  to 
 the  history  of  the  blind  man,  John  is.,  does  the 
 Lord  speak  here  from  heaven. t 
 
 As  many  as  I  love,  J  rebul-e  and  chasten :  he 
 zealous,  therefore,  and  repent.  Here  the  true 
 and  faithful  Witness  utters  a  principle  which, 
 throughout  the  whole  of  Scripture,  has  been 
 declared  to  be  fundamental  in  the  dealings 
 of  God  with  men.  The  "  reproof"  which  con- 
 vinces by  word,  and  reclaims  from  error  (as 
 the  Holy  Spirit  reproves  the  world,  and 
 Jesus  has  here  reproved  the  Laodiceans),  is 
 certainly  included  in  the  former  of  these  two 
 words;  but  this  word  itself,  as  connected  with 
 the  second,  means  also  actual  judgments;  pun- 
 ishments designed  by  grace  for  good,  whole- 
 some disciplinary  chastisement.  ^This  is  the 
 fundamental  meaning  of  the  old  saying,  which 
 is  found  in  Job  v.  17,  18  (not  meant  merely 
 as  in  Psa.  xciv.  12) ;  and  still  more  plainly  re"- 
 produced  in  the  New  Testament,  Heb.  xii.  5,  6, 
 Irom  Prov.  iii.  11,  12  (comp.  Prov.  xiii.  24  ; 
 Ecclus.  XXX.  1).  Ebrard  explains  that  "judi- 
 cial inflictions  are  not  here  threatened  to  the 
 Laodiceans,  the  fear  of  which  might  urge  them 
 to  repentance;  but  that  the  past  rebukes  and 
 threatenings  are,  as  it  were,  affectingly  apolo- 
 gized for,  as  having  proceeded  from  love."  I 
 confess  that  this  is  to  me  too  mild  and  affect- 
 ing. Can  we  suppose  that  for  Laodicea  alone 
 there  was  such  a  gentle  apology  reserved — as 
 it  were,  almost  retracting  the  tlireatening — in 
 manner  so  different  from  that  of  all  the  other 
 epistles?  In  that  case,  Laodicea — which  heard 
 at  the  outset  tho  piercing  denunciation,  I  will 
 spue  thee  of  my  mouth— would  receive  no 
 further  threatening  (which  Ephesus,  Pergamos, 
 Thyatira,  Sardis  received,  however),  but  only 
 a  deprecatory  apology.  Was  Laodicea  to  be 
 brought  back  to  rectitude  by  rebuking  words 
 alone ;  and  by  such  as,  commencing  with — 
 Thou  art  nanaeoui  to  me,  ending  with — These 
 things  I  say  because  I  love  iheeJ  We  think 
 that  the  whole  pas.sage,  Heb.  xii.  7-11,  sufli- 
 
 ciently  determines  the  meaning  of  (he  chastise* 
 ment,  of  which  the  saying  of  Solomon,  quoted 
 here  as  there,  speaks.*  To  Laodicea,  there- 
 fore, the  Lord  would  say:  "I  must  and  will 
 strengthen  my  rebuking  word,  in  order  that  it; 
 may  convict  and  recover  thee,  with  strokes  and 
 sharp  discipline  ;  for  thus  do  /  deal  (which  is 
 prominent  in  the  original) — as  ruling  in  the 
 place  of  the  paternal  God — with  all  whom  I  love,  f 
 according  to  that  ancient  and  true  word."  The 
 word  used  to  denote  this  love  is  the  mora 
 general  one  ;  less,  here  at  first,  than  the  intenser 
 love  of  acknowledgment  and  complacency  J 
 Thus,  this  conclusion  of  the  ^(i*<  pastoral  epistle, 
 which  is  the  severest  in  its  commencement, 
 gives  a  solution,  applicable  to  all  of  them,  of 
 the  gracious  design  of  all  the  threatenings  de- 
 nounced ;  but,  at  the  same  time,  holds  out  the 
 doom  of  eternal  condemnation — 7/"  thou  repent 
 not.  For  ver.  19  is  not  merely  connected  with 
 the  rebukes  and  counsel  which  precede  ;  but 
 (and  this  must  not  be  overlooked)  still  more 
 closely  with  what  follows  :  I  stand  before  the 
 door,  as  Judge  also,  as  we  shall  see.  The  second 
 clause  unites  itself  with  the  first  by  the  inter- 
 vening thought — "  Thus,  by  rebukes,  punish- 
 ments, chastisements,  wholesome  and  merciful 
 punishment,  I  call  to  thee  to  he  zealous  and  re- 
 pent." Luther's  "  fleissig  "  is  not  enough  :  tho 
 Greek  word  is  more  than  ddigent ;  it  refers  to 
 the  burning  zeal  wi'h  which  repentance  must 
 be  set  upon,  and  may  be  translated — Be  hot, 
 thou  htlcewarm  one ^ 
 
 Behold.  I  stand  at  the  door  and  knocJc :  if 
 any  man  hear  my  voice,  and  open  the  door,  I 
 tvill  come  in  to  him,  and  icill  sup  icifh  him,  and 
 he  with  me.  Strictly  translated  it  is — I  have 
 stood,  have  been  already  long  standing.  Cer- 
 tainly, the  first  thought  which  rises  out  of  this 
 word  is  that  of  the  announcement  of  the  Judge, 
 who  is  ever  drawing  nearer,  and  who  as  gra- 
 ciously as  solemnly  declares  his  coming :  we 
 have  seen  that  this  judgment  draws  nearer  and 
 nearer  as   the   epistles   proceed.  1|      Thus   an- 
 
 *  nETtvponnEvov,  as  in  Zccli.  xiii.  t),  Sept. 
 
 \  He  uses  a  peculiar  medical  word  for  eye-salve. 
 KoWoi  [itov  or  xoKXvptoyy  like  woAAupz?,  of 
 uncertain  origin;  j)repared,  according  to  a  pas- 
 sage 01  G.deu,  from  a  Phrygian  sloue. 
 
 *  Yet  in  both  cases  there  is  a  change  in  tho 
 word.  Tlie  Epistle  to  the  Hebrews  takes  the  word 
 naidsvei  liom  Prov,  iii.  12  (not  the  wronjj 
 reading,  Cod.  li.  EXeyxEt),  because  it  designs  to 
 bring  out  specifically  the  idea  of  the  latherly 
 naidsia:  the  jucxonyol,  connected  with  ir, 
 speaks  plainly  enough  of  the  rod  so  frequent  in 
 Solomon's  writings.  The  Lord,  speaking  to  Lao- 
 dicea, appropriating  the  saying  to  himself  in  the 
 first  person,  says,  iXeyx*^  ^«'  naiSEicD^ 
 wherein  tl;ero  is  apparently  nothing  said  of 
 stripes,  and  yet  he  certainly  means  the  same 
 chastizing  and  disciplinary  punishments  which 
 save,  by  wholesome  punishment  hero,  from  eter- 
 nal condemn  ition  hereafter,  1  Cor.  xi.  3J. 
 
 t  Again  strensthened  by  odoVi  lay  instead 
 of  uy  yap  in  Solomon. 
 
 X  Solomon  has  ay  an  a — instead  of  that  it  is 
 here  (piXsl.  Compare,  on  these  synonyms,  our 
 exposition  of  John  xx.  15-17. 
 
 ^  Z)'}Xm6 oy  (hiyc\\m.  P.tjXevE) — for  cJ/JAo?, /t-r- 
 vor,  comes  from  ^ego. 
 
 II  Bengel :  "  As  if  a  good  friend  should  let  ma 
 
EEV.  III.  14-22. 
 
 943 
 
 nouncing  himself,  he  stood  indeed  from  the  be- 
 ginning at  the  door ;  but  that  he  now  so  speaks 
 of  it,  as  he  had  not  yet  before  spoken — even 
 that  is  his  last  and  most  direct  knocking.  While 
 in  Laodicea  "  the  people  think  they  are  silting 
 in  judgment,  without  marking  Ihat  they  stand 
 before  the  awful  judgment-seat"* — he  an- 
 nounces himself  most  faithfully  as  a  Judge  and 
 Saviour,  either  as  each  will  receive  him.  Not 
 merely  distributively — "  as  a  Judge  to  some,  as 
 a  Saviour  to  others  "f — but  in  both  characters 
 to  every  man.  There  seems  to  us  to  be  a  plain 
 echo  of  the  words  of  our  Lord,  Luke  xii.  36-40, 
 when  this  great  alternative  is  exhibited  to  the 
 servants.  What,  then,  is  the  knocking  f  It  is, 
 as  we  have  said,  the  nearest  announcement  at 
 last  of  his  nearness,  with  reference  to  all  the 
 announcements  which  had  already  preceded. 
 Gossner  disturbs  the  sense  by  his  exposition — 
 "  And  if  thou  hearest  not  the  knocking,  I  will 
 speak  to  thee  ;"  for  the  voice,  mentioned  at  the 
 same  lime,  which  should  be  heard,  is  this 
 knocking  itself;  although,  thus  understood, 
 there  is  an  abundant  fulness  of  meaning  wrap- 
 ped up  in  this  comprehensive  kernel-word.  We 
 shall  not  do  justice  to  its  exposition,  if  we  wil- 
 fully neglect  the  manifold  application  which  the 
 Spirit  provided  for  in  this  saying.  All  his 
 chastising  visitations  were  knockings  with  his 
 voice ;  and  he  will  loudly  and  urgently  call 
 Laodicea,  while  still  chastising.  Nevertheless, 
 we  must  distinguish  from  this  the  proper  voice 
 of  the  inmost  calling  and  exhortation  ;  while,  on 
 the,  other  hand,  all  may  be  considered  as  one 
 voice  together.  Let  it  be  observed  that  he, 
 who  hath  the  keijs,  stands  icithout  on  account 
 of  human  freedom  ;  and  must  seek  entrance  into 
 his  own  possession.  Alas  !  he  would  fain  enter 
 to  the  supper,  and  not  come  to  the  judgment. 
 When  Pilate  asked  the  question,  what  is  truth  ? 
 the  Amen  himself  stood  before  the  door  of  his 
 heart.  All  his  testimonies,  all  his  threatenings 
 and  chastisements,  are  accompanied  by  the  in- 
 ward voice  of  the  faithful  Witness,  saying  in 
 his  love — Behold,  it  is  I,  and  my  heart  is  full 
 of  love ;  open  then  to  me  !  Few,  however, 
 have  ever  heard  the  voice  as  it  would  be  heard 
 — very  lew  in  Laodicea.  This  is  found  in  the 
 turn  of  expression — If  any  man,  in  the  same 
 significant  meaning  as  John  xiv.  23  (the  ori- 
 .ginal.  If  any  man.  loveth  me) ;  and  thus  the 
 distinction  is  made  between  believers  and 
 the  world,  comp.  John  viii.  51.  To  the  right 
 hearing  belongs,  and  from  it  follows,  the 
 opening  of  the  door,  as  obedience  meeting  the 
 call  and  the  knocking — Open  unto  me  !  Goss- 
 ner is  onco  more  much  mistaken,  when  he 
 says — ■'  He  will  make  it  easier  still,  and 
 himself  open."  Oh,  no;  that  he  cannot  do; 
 else  why  should  he  stand  without?  The  ex- 
 pression of  Acts  xvi.  14  which  also  has  its  true 
 
 know,  I  am  in  the  village— before  the  conrfyard- 
 door — at,  the  house-door — at  the  hall-door — on 
 U,e  steps — at  the  chamber-door." 
 
 *  Zeller,  3IomtsilaU,  1818,  No.  0. 
 
 t  Zeller,  ibid. 
 
 sense,  is  not  to  be  understood  as  abolishing 
 that  first  self-decision  of  men  which  thft  Lord 
 here  expressly  makes  the  condition  of  his  enter- 
 ing. 
 
 It  is  now  time,  after  having  considered  the 
 general  meaning  of  this  wonderful  word,  to 
 look  into  the  gracious  depth  which  the  second 
 part  of  it  opens  up  to  us,  below  its  judicial  an- 
 nouncement. He  that  heareth  the  graciously 
 correcting  voice  of  the  Saviour-Judge,  sum- 
 moning to  repentance;  he  that  voluntarily 
 opens  the  door  of  the  heart,  before  the  door  of 
 judgment  is  broken  in — with  him  will  he  hold 
 the  supper.  The  most  direct  reference  to  the 
 great  marriage  supper  (chap.  xix.  7,  9)  is  inter- 
 woven with  the  secret,  blessed  pre-festival 
 which  is  appointed  and  prepared  lor  his  dis- 
 ciples in  all  time — in  order  that  we  might  have 
 a  word  here,  which  the  Spirit  may  preach  to 
 the  churches  of  every  age.  As  the  knocking 
 of  the  Judge  is  combined  in  one  with  the 
 knocking  ot  the  friend  of  the  Beloved  (Cant.  v. 
 2) — so  the  final  feast  of  victory  and  joy  is  com- 
 bined with  "the  internal  supper,"  as  this  is  its 
 type,  and  earnest  and  foretaste.  Although  tha 
 German  "  das  Abendmahl,"  tha  Supper,  doea 
 not  literally  correspond  to  the  original,*  yet 
 the  reference  of  the  significance  to  the  sacra- 
 ment is  periectly  correct,  for  the  word  is  both 
 here  and  chap.  xix.  taken  from  it.  All  the 
 communion  and  confirmation  sermons  on  this 
 text  are  correct  which,  leaving  out  of  sight  the 
 special  prophetic  meaning  in  it,  speak  of  the 
 internal  truth  of  fellowship  between  those  wlio 
 open  the  door  and  their  Lord.  For,  in  oppo-i- 
 lion  to  the  external  sacrament,  specifically  des- 
 ecrated in  Laodicea  by  the  forgeifulness  of 
 this  truth,  the  Lord  speaks  of  its  internal 
 reality  here.  How  impressively  this  speaks 
 against  the  Lutheran  exaggeration  of  an  un- 
 thinking reception  on  the  part  of  unbelievers, 
 we  have  elsewhere  expressly  shown.!  Wo 
 may  gather,  even  from  this  text,  what  is  true 
 even  of  the  mere  external  sacrament,  as  cele- 
 brated in  fallen  Christendom — that  there  is  for 
 all  an  earnest,  repeated,  and  affectionate  knock- 
 ing at  the  door  of  the  heart ;  though  he  enters 
 only  to  those  who  open  to  him. 
 
 "  I  will  come  into  him,"  he  says,  "  and  hold 
 the  supper  with  him,  and  Jie  icilh  me."  En- 
 tirely in  harmony  with  the  discourses  of  the 
 Lord  in  John  ;  comp.  John  xiv.  20,  xv.  4,  vi. 
 66.  Only  when  a  man  opens  to  him,  does  he 
 enter  in;  again,  only  when  he  keeps  the  sup- 
 per with  us,  can  we  keep  it  with  him  ;  that  is, 
 only  when  he  spreads  the  table,  and  gives  him- 
 self to  our  participation,  do  we  eat.  Not  as 
 in  Zinzendorf's  loo  confident  paraplirase,  which 
 loses  the  true  meaning—"  Then  will  we  feast 
 together."  That,  to  speak  boldly,  the  Lord 
 himself  feasts,  in  the  satisfaction  of  the  desire 
 of  bis  love,  when  he  can  impart  himself  to  us, 
 is  a  sacred  truth  which  cannot  well  be  intro- 
 
 *  It  uses  a  verb — I  will  sup,  8Entvj}6ca. 
 \  See  our  exposition  of  John  vi.  53. 
 
Ui 
 
 THE  EPISTLE  TO  LAODICEA. 
 
 duced  into  tins  passage.*  He  keeps  the  feast 
 tcilk  vs  as  the  host ;  we  with  him  as  the  guests. 
 Finally,  we  may  quote  the  striking  word  of  Rie- 
 ger — "  What  a  contrast !  On  the  one  hand,  he 
 who  rejects  the  Lord  being  an  object  of  such 
 loathing  as  to  be  threatened  with  being  spued 
 out  of  his  mouth  ;  and  he  who  hears  the  voice 
 of  the  Lord  being  made  capable  of  being  his 
 companion  at  his  table." 
 
 To  him  that  cvercomeih  uiU  I  grant  <?  sit 
 tcith  me  in  my  throne,  even  as  I  also  overcame, 
 and  am  set  dotcn  icith  my  lather  in  his  throne. 
 The  words  now  reach  their  highest  point ;  so 
 that  the  severe  rebuke  may  be  superabundant- 
 ly counterpoised  by  the  most  attractive  pro- 
 mise. "  To  sit  tcith  me  " — thus  the  words  con- 
 nect themselves  with  what  precedes — "  not 
 merely  at  my  table,  but  on  my  throne."  "  The 
 crowns  become  loftier  and  more  beautiful  as 
 the  epistles  pi'oceed ;  this  is  the  highest  and 
 grandest  of  all"  (Herder).  To  the  first  church 
 Paradise  was  shown,  as  the  Lord  himself  after 
 the  victory  of  his  cross  entered  into  it;  to  the 
 last  church  the  view  is  opened  up  even  to  the 
 throne  on  which  he  finally,  as  it  Is  said,  seated 
 himself.  This  is  more  than  the  twelve  thrones 
 of  the  Apostles,  Matt.  xix.  28.  This  is  the 
 sitting  together  with  him  itpon  his  throne — for 
 every  one  that  overcometh.  He  overcame — 
 this  we  find  echoed  so  early  as  chap.  v.  5,  and 
 it  reminds  the  reader  of  Scripture  of  Heb.  xii. 
 2.  The  conflict  of  those  who  overcome  as  his 
 followers  is  severest  in  the  last  time  ;  therefore 
 the  highest  crown  of  victory  is  expressly  ex- 
 hibited to  all  in  Laodicea  who  should  rouse 
 themselves  Irom  their  lukewarmness — though 
 it  applies,  in  common  with  them,  to  all  who 
 overcome.  That  this  sitting  with  him  upon 
 the  throne — according  to  the  relative  meaning 
 of  the  expression,  as  already  shown — does  not 
 exclude  the  woishipping  service  oi  the  perfected 
 servants  hefore  the  throne  of  God  and  the  Lamb 
 (chap.  XXI.  3),  is  obvious;  but  there  remains, 
 nevertheless,  that  reigning  with  him  of  which 
 Paul  speaks,  2  Tim.  u.  12,  and  that  participa- 
 tion in  his  glory  of  which  the  Lord  himself 
 speaks,  John  xvii.  22,  24.  The  promise  of  this 
 royal  dominion  and  glory  appertains  to  the 
 silting  at  his  table,  of  which  he  had  already 
 spoken,  just  as  in  Luke  xxii.  29  the  appoint- 
 ment ot  the  kingdom  is  connected  with  the  in- 
 stitution of  the  sacrament. 
 
 He  that  hath  an  car,  let  Urn  hear  what  the 
 Spirit  sai'Ji  tino  the  churches.     That  which 
 
 *  Thus  6ei7tJ'T'/6(a  here,  because  required  by 
 the  wondenul  suljject — an  unusual  expresiioa  in- 
 stead of  de'iTtvov  zoiJJCoj. 
 
 the  Spirit  saith,  the  Lord  himself  saith  from 
 the  throne,  as  his  last  directly  personal  word, 
 chap.  xxi.  5-8,  will  sublimely  declare.  But, 
 again,  even  this  personal  speaking  of  the  Lord, 
 although  it  retains  its  distinction,  is  yet 
 through  the  Spirit,  as  that  of  the  Lord  who  is 
 the  Spirit  (2  Cor.  iii.  18).  Let  us  here  at  the 
 conclusion  once  more  make  this  seven-fold  cry 
 which,  as  the  sum  of  all  the  epistles  and  of  each, 
 urges  us  to  remember  that  all  depends  on  hear- 
 ing. On  hearing  hangs  all  faith,  all  repent- 
 ance, all  love,  all  patience  and  hope,  all  ap- 
 proval of  the  conquerors.  Whosoever  yet 
 shall  incline  his  ear — though  sunk  in  Laodi- 
 cean lukewarmness — may  yet  attain  to  the  sit- 
 ting with  him  in  his  throne.  Write,  said  the 
 Lord,  who  appeared  to  John.  That  which  he  dic- 
 tated, the  Spirit  of  his  mouth  now  saith  ;  and 
 we  hear — "  Blessed  is  he  that  readeth,  and  those 
 that  hear  the  words  of  the  prophecy  "  (chap.  i. 
 3).  What  is  said  applies  to  the  churches,  to  all 
 generally  in  all  places  and  in  all  times,  as  they 
 are  signified  by  these  seven — to  each  in  par- 
 ticular that  which  is  its  own,  and  to  all,  all 
 in  common — consequently,  also,  to  every  in- 
 dividual who  hath  an  ear,  and  will  open  it. 
 The  Spirit  who  writes  and  speaks  is  not  the 
 spirit  of  John — although  he  used  the  instru- 
 mentality of  John's  ear  and  hand — but  really 
 and  truly  the  spirit  of  prophecy  as  the  testi- 
 mony of  Jesus  (chap.  xix.  10).  This  is  prov- 
 ed and  certified  to  every  opened  ear  of  all  who 
 are  sincere  and  willing  to  understand — by 
 the  sublime  utterance  which  contains  sayings 
 the  simple  might  of  which  is  as  gloriously 
 convincing  as  the  great  "Let  there  be  light! 
 and  there  was  light,"  at  the  beginning  of  the 
 Book  of  God,  the  Book  of  books ;  by  the 
 heart-disclosing,  conscience-piercing  power  of 
 the  exhorting  word  ;  by  its  wonderful  typical 
 and  symbolical  language,  laying  hold  of  the 
 entire  ancient  Scripture,  glorifying  the  old  in 
 every  case  anew,  profoundly  connecting  every 
 individual  detail  with  the  great  whole  ;  by  its 
 paradoxes  themselves,  which  are  an  ofience 
 only  to  ignorance,  and  are  interwoven  for  the 
 purpose  ol  repelling  blind  presumption  ;  finally, 
 by  the  remarkable  prophetic  significance  of 
 the  historical  and  geographical  names  of  places, 
 before  provided  lor  in  the  divine  government. 
 Thus  the  seven  epistles,  with  their  "  He  that 
 hath  cars  to  hear,  let  him  hear!  "  are  placed 
 first,  as  an  introduction  to  the  entire,  still  more 
 mysterious  book.  And  with  this  book  itself 
 — though  many  dark  places  may  remain  unil- 
 lumined — every  one  will  be  more  at  ease,  in 
 proportion  as  he  understands  and  lays  to  hearl  . 
 those  epistles  which  preface  it. 
 
i  WILL  SHOW  THEE. 
 (Eev.  IV.  1.) 
 
 That  this  "first  "voice  is  the  voice  of  the 
 Lord  himself,  and  not  of  an  angel,  we  have  al- 
 ready considered,  and,  as  far  as  loe  may  under- 
 stand, established.  He  who  speaks  now  is  not 
 the  angel  who  in  chap.  i.  first  announced  the 
 manifestation  of  the  Son  of  Man;  nor  he  who 
 was  generally  the  instrument  of  communicat- 
 ing the  whole  Revelation  of  John,  and  of  whom 
 we  read  in  the  superscription,  chap,  i,  1 — as 
 respects  this  latter,  it  has  even  been  very 
 questionable  what  it  means.  This  expression, 
 which  does  not  occur  again  till  the  conclusion, 
 chap.  xxii.  6,  does  not  by  any  means  designate 
 the  various  angels  who  come  forward  in  this 
 book  of  visions ;  for  that  would  be  a  very 
 strange  manner  of  speech.*  But  it  might  be, 
 as  it  were,  the  "  body-angel  "  of  Jesus  Christ, 
 whom  he  specifically  terms  "  Ilii  angel ;" 
 Gabriel  (probably  since  the  annunciation  the 
 guardian  angel  of  the  holy  child)  most  natu- 
 rally having  the  prerogative  of  this  relation. 
 Even  this  supposition,  which  we  do  not  ab- 
 solutely reject,  admits  the  further  question, 
 whether  all,  even  the  personal  mani testation, 
 chap.  i.  13,  must  be  regarded  as  presented 
 through  this  an  ^el,  which  to  m  is  by  no  means 
 clear;  or,  whether  the  business  of  the  angel 
 commences  here  in  chap,  iv.,  where  the  slwicing 
 begins  (comp.  chap.  xxii.  6}.  Of  the  two  we 
 should  prefer  the  latter ;  which,  however,  must 
 be  consistent  with  chap.  iv.  1,  where  the  Lord 
 says — I  will  show  thee,  through  mine  angel. 
 But  there  remains  another  solution,  which, 
 with  all  becoming  diffidence  in  such  a  matter, 
 we  would  prefer  to  any.  When  we  read  in 
 Acts  xii.  15  that  the  believers  said  to  Ehoda, 
 who  persisted  that  it  was  Peter  himself  whose 
 voice  she  knew,  It  is  his  angel,  the  connection 
 necessarily  leads  us  to  that  meaning  of  the 
 word  to  which  Meyer  devoted  a  separate  es- 
 say.f  The  word,  namely,  may  signify  gener- 
 ally, without  involving  the  specific  personality 
 of  one  sent  as  distinct  from  the  sender,  a  send- 
 ing, message,  intimation  ;%  and  the  Ciiristians 
 who,  after  praying  for  Peter's  bodily  deliver- 
 ance, were  strangely  unable  to  believe  that  it 
 was  he,  declare  what  Pthoda  heard  to  be  a  spir- 
 itual manifestation,  similarly  to  Luke  xxiv.  37 
 — whether  Peter's  "  genius,"  so  to  speak,  was 
 thought  of  as  identical  with  himself,  or,  more 
 eimply,  his  sjAril  was  equivalent  to  his  '■  an- 
 
 *  Grotius  :  "  Modo  per  nunc,  modo  per  ilium 
 an_2elum." 
 
 t  In  the  Biheldentiwgen  (Frankf.  1812) — a  work 
 still  well  worth  reading. 
 
 X  So  TC^h'O  in  its  fir^t  meaning,  and  numiua  in 
 Latia.  " 
 
 nounceraent,  or  token  "—as  the  common  peo- 
 ple say  concerning  a  supposed  apparition  of 
 the  dead.  Suffice  it  that  this  gives  us  a 
 phrase  which  I  think  applicable  liere  in  the 
 Apocalypse:  His  appearance — "the  raying 
 forth  of  his  personality,"  which  is  not  itself 
 another  person,  but  yet  not  Christ  himself  fully 
 and  immediately.  Thus  we  are  to  understand 
 the  revelation  which  is  not  only  not  percepti- 
 ble to  our  senses,  but  not  fully  intelligible  to 
 our  spirit  here  below  ;  it  is,  however,  some- 
 thing much  more  intimate  than  when  the  law 
 was  given  upon  Sinai  by  the  ministration  of 
 actual  angels  (Col.  iii.  19).  This  "  by  his  an- 
 gel," and  "  1  have  sent  mine  angel,"  do  not 
 coincide  with  the  appearance  and  speaking  of 
 individual  angels;  it  is  the  foundation  upon 
 which  this  latter  rests,  the  revelation  itself 
 which  proceeds  from  the  person  of  Jesus. 
 
 AVe  thought  it  necessary  to  establish  this  be- 
 forehand, ,in  order  that  it  might  convey  our 
 most  distinct  protest  against  the  interpretation 
 which  would  introduce  in  chap.  iv.  1  a  personal 
 angel  distinct  from  Christ.  We  must  now 
 carefully  consider  the  short  utterance  of  our 
 Lord,  as  it  is  connected  with  what  precedes 
 and  what  follows. 
 
 After  this  I  saw — to  be  understood  simply 
 and  literally  as  meaning  ,  "  After  hearing  and 
 receiving  the  seven  epistles  dictated  to  me, 
 concering  which  it  had  been  seven  times  said, 
 Write!"  Many  assume  here,  and  often  be- 
 tween the  various  visions,  an  interval  dividing 
 them  ;  as  if  "after  this"  meant  "  alter  a  cer- 
 tain time,  yet  once  again."  AVe  see  no  reason 
 for  this,  but  regard  all  as  exhibited  at  once  and 
 in  direct  succession;  otherwise,  some  intima- 
 tion would  have  been  given  of  such  intervals. 
 That  John,  in  order  to  write  down  the  epistles 
 at  once,  lapsed  back  in  the  interval  to  his  or- 
 dinary consciousness,  and  then  anew  (accord- 
 ing to  ver.  2)  passed  into  trance,  we  cannot 
 believe,  since  the  seeing  and  hearing  of  ver.  1 
 supposes  him  to  be  still  "  in  the  spirit."  It  is 
 not  said — And  I  wrote  these  epistles  as  was 
 said  to  me,  and  afterwards  saw.  The  same 
 Spirit  who  elevated  the  seer  to  see,  gave  him 
 also  the  power  of  remembering  what  he  saw, 
 in  order  "afterwards  to  write  it  down:  this 
 alone  is  appropriate  in  itself  and  conform- 
 able with  chap.  i.  11.  Thus  after  this— that 
 is,  after  the  first  manifestation  of  the  Lord  had 
 vanished  from  siglit,  and  only  the  dictating 
 voice  through  the'Spirit  or  in  the  Spirit  pro- 
 I  ceeded — John  sem  again  other  things,  and  at 
 once  records  it  with  the  prophetic — Behold  a 
 door  in  heaven  opened  (was  before  me,  or 
 shown  to  me).  Not  "tens  opened  " — for  he  no 
 more  saw  the  opening  of  the  door  than  he  saw 
 
 yi5 
 
946 
 
 I  WILL  SHOW  THEE. 
 
 the  throne  set  be''ore  his  eyes*  Both  were  at 
 once  present,  visible  before  him.  The  open  door 
 according  to  tlie  appearance  in  the  visible 
 heaven,  according;  to  the  corresponding  real- 
 ity in  heaven,  is  here  not  altogether  the  same 
 which  Stephen,  Acts  vii.  55,  saw ;  but  it  may  an- 
 swer to  the  opening  of  heaven  to  Ezekiel,  who 
 records,  chap.  i.  1 — The  heavens  were  opened, 
 and  I  saw  visions  of  God.  We  may  profitably 
 refer  this  to  the  great  truth,  that  through 
 Christ  the  heavens  were  more  and  more  fully 
 opened  to  rs,  from  the  words  of  John  i.  51  up 
 to  their  full  opening  in  the  ascension.  But 
 this  general  interpretation  is  only  the  founda- 
 tion for  that  specific  opening  of  the  heaven 
 which  is  here  spoken  of,  for  beholding  in  the 
 spirit.  John  was  in  the  spirit,  chap.  i.  10; 
 and  then  through  the  manifestation  of  the 
 Lord  was  exalted  still  higher  in  the  spirit; 
 then  again  he  is  e::ulted  a  step  higher  (for 
 trance  and  inspiration  have  many  degrees)  by 
 the  repeated  cry  of  the  first  trumpet-voice,  in 
 which  the  Lord  here  speaks  to  him.f 
 
 Come  vp  hither.,  and  I  ivill  slioio  tliee  tuings 
 tridch  must  he  hereafter.  Tiiis  brief  word  is 
 the  majestic  and  most  significant  introduction 
 to  all  "that  follows.  What  preceded  had  been 
 shown  to  him,  and  had  passed,  as  still  upon 
 earth.  Now  he  must,  not  in  body,  but  in 
 spirit,  (JO  vp  to  the  opened  door  of  heaven  ;  that 
 is,  be  altogether  translated  and  exalted  to  the 
 contemplaiion  of  heavenly  things,  the  symbols 
 of  which,  apprehensible  by  him  and  the  Church, 
 the  Lord  will  show  him.  In  the  strength  of 
 this  word,  and  at  the  same  time  in  obedience  to 
 it,  he  immediately  rises;  so  that  we  read  in 
 ver.  2,  "And  inimediately  I  w&s in i/ies2nrit."X 
 This  is,  as  we  have  said,  a  highergrade  ;  as,  for 
 example,  in  the  case  of  Ezekiel,  chap.  xi.  1,  5. 
 The  Apostle  was  step  by  step  prepared  and 
 purified,  by  the  laying  of  the  right  liand  upon 
 Iiim  after  "the  terror  of  his  mortal  nature  unto 
 death,  by  the  heart-revealing  exhortations  and 
 sublime  promises  of  the  epistles,  into  a  perfect 
 capacity  for  beholding  all  that  follows  :  this 
 seems  far  more  appropriate  than  the  assumption 
 of  an  interval  oi'  ordinary  consciousness,  and 
 the  writing  of  the  epistles.  From  this  time  all 
 goes  on  in  one  connected  trance,  one  scene  re- 
 solving another,  imtil  the  new  Jerusalem,  the 
 new  heaven  and  the  new  earth.  With  the  ex- 
 ception of  one  word  from  the  throne,  chap.  xxi. 
 5-S,  which,  as  it  were,  breaks  in  to  interrupt, 
 there  is  no  more  personal  speaking  on  the 
 Lord's  part ;   but  a  sJivicing  in  the  manner  of 
 
 *  Gr.  sxetTo,  as  in  John  ii,  6,  xix.  29. 
 
 t  Chap,  i.   10-13.      Tlie  Pii-ya>v  (Ueb.  ibx^) 
 
 which  is  added  to  the  (poovn  and  Xa\ov6>??, 
 marks  tiie  new  begiuniny  ol'  the  abrupt  mumicr 
 of  speaking. 
 
 t  Lacliniann  wilhout  reason  removes'  liEzd 
 TaCra  from  ver.  1,  carrying  it  on  to  ver.  '2  ;  but 
 Tischendorf  does  not  follow  him,  tliougli  he  also 
 reads  EiOiooi  without  nai. 
 
 symbolical  visions  down  to  the  last  And  fie 
 shoiccd  me,  chap.  xxii.  1  (compare  witli  this 
 chap.  xvii.  3,  xxi.  10).  But  first  John  sees  the 
 tlirone  of  the  Father  and  of  the  Son  with  the 
 seven  Spirits,  of  which  the  last  promise,  chap, 
 iii.  21,  had  spoken  ;  now  without  a  veil,  corre- 
 sponding with  the  mercy-seat  in  the  earthly 
 temple.  Come  up  hither — saith  he  who  dwellelh 
 and  is  enthroned  in  heaven — who  by  his  as- 
 cending first  changed  the  closed  and  distant 
 "there"  of  the  children  of  men  into" hers;" 
 who  in  his  humiliation  himself  knew  not  the 
 time  and  hour  of  all  those  things  which  now 
 he  can  and  will  show  as  the  Lord  "  to  his 
 servants."  I  will,  I  shall  shoio  thee.  This 
 word  in  iJiis  place,  embracing  the  whole  reve- 
 lation, is  altogether  appropriate  only  to  Christ 
 himself.  In  due  time  particular  angels  may 
 show  what  was  particularly  committed  to  them  ; 
 but  now  he  summons  his  servant  upwards  with 
 the  promise.  "  What  shall  be  hereafter  " — this 
 connects  itself  with  the  first  words  in  chap.  i. 
 19.  Hereafter,  or  literally,  after  this,  proceeds 
 from  the  then  present  time,  and  teaches  us  that 
 the  visions  thus  referred  to,  relate  not  merely  to 
 far  distant  times,  but  that  their  fulfillment  em- 
 braces all  time  from  the  then  presput.  It  gives 
 us  the  right  interpretation  of  the  prophetic 
 formula  "  shortly,"  chap.  i.  1  and  chap.  xxii. 
 6.  In  those  first  words,  chap.  i.  19,  the  things 
 that  are  came  first.  This  is  wanting  here,  be- 
 because  it  is  self-understood  in  "I  will  show 
 thee;"  for  (according  to  the  meaning  which  we 
 there  established)  the  future  has  its'foundation 
 in  the  present.  That  which  shall  and  nmst  take 
 place  upon  earth,  in  the  evolution  of  time,  pro- 
 ceeds only  from  that  which,  as  a  higher  reality, 
 is  already  present  in  heaven,  and  can  be  shown. 
 Above  is  already  pre-typified  all  that  the  future 
 will  unfold  to  us ;  as  the  idea  of  the  world  and 
 its  history  was  present  in  God  before  the 
 foundation  of  the  world.  So  far  as  we  are  car- 
 ried np  thither,  through  the  revelation  and  tho 
 showing  which  removes  the  veil  and  reveals 
 the  events,  so  far  we  know  the  future  reserved 
 from  human  eye.  To  ascend  into  heaven,  is  m 
 its  nature  to  prophesy  for  earth. 
 
 Let  us  read  and  learn,  so  shall  we  also  see 
 and  hear  ;  then  will  to  us  also  the  heavens  be 
 opened,  and  thereby  "  all  things  in  the  invisible 
 world  will  be  shown  as  present,  living,  moving 
 action — as  far  as  it  belongs  to  the  collective 
 revelation  of  the  Lord  Jesus  in  glory"  (as 
 Ptieger  profoundly  and  trulj'  expresses  himself). 
 If  wc  open  the  door  of  our  hearts  to  the  Lord 
 Jesus,  as  the  last  epistle  requires,  at  the  close, 
 he  will  open  the  door  of  heaven  to  each  of  us 
 according  to  his  capacity  and  need,  and  accord- 
 ing to  the  measure  of  his  gift ;  so  that  we  shall 
 in  the  general,  if  not  with  the  specific  under- 
 standing of  him  to  whom  it  was  shown  in  Pat- 
 mos,  behold  and  understand  the  conflict  and 
 victory  of  the  kingdom  of  God  in  Christ,  and 
 what  shall  be  from'this  time  to  the  end.  Tlius 
 the  Lord's  word  gives  free  permission  to  the 
 desire  of  us  all  to  look  into  his  great  futurity. 
 
FINAL  WORD  FROM  THE  THRONE 
 
 (Rev.  XXI.  5-8.) 
 
 Iti  t!ie  introduction  we  explained  cjenerally 
 v.-liy  we  single  out  this  word  as  the  immediate 
 saymg  of  the  Lord  Jesus  from  heaven,  in  con- 
 tradistinction from  all  else  that  John  had  seen 
 and  heard.  Our  remarks  upon  chap.  iv.  1 
 hav^  made  h,  we  hope,  still  plainer;  and  now 
 our  final  exposition  of  the  last  word  will  re- 
 move any  remaining  obscurity. 
 
 I  tcill  ulioio  thee — said  the  Lord  to  John  ;  and 
 he  has  shown  him  all;  this  book  of  visions 
 comes  to  its  end.  The  seer  has  seen  and  heard 
 in  manifold  symbols  and  voices— with  clear  and 
 intelligible  words  intervening,  which  shine  as 
 lights  in  the  prophetic  darkness — all  that  upon 
 v/hich  the  n;ost  gifted  and  humble  exposition 
 can  do  no  more  than  spell  the  meaning  out, 
 until  one  day  the  fulfillment  glorifies  the  pro- 
 phecy, and  God's  Book  will  be  read  clearly 
 from  the  end  of  it  backwards.  There  has  been 
 shown  to  the  seer  the  future  already  present 
 before  God,  the  heavenly  and  the  earthly — the 
 upper,  with  its  mysteries  and  powers  for  the 
 lower,  with  its  gVatulations  of  victory  and 
 plagues  of  wrath  ;  the  powers  out  of  the  abyss, 
 the  great  conflict,  and  the  glorious  victory.  He 
 has  seen  the  throne  with  its  living  creatures 
 and  elders — the  Lamb  in  his  glory — the  blessed 
 with  their  palms  and  harps — the  seven  seals 
 with  their  judgments  before  the  great  day  of 
 wrath — the  seven  trumpets  with  their  plagues 
 and  woes — the  two  witnesses— the  temple  in 
 heaven — the  woman  in  the  wilderness — the 
 might  of  the  dragon  in  the  beast — the  angel 
 with  the  everlasting  Gospel — the  patience  of 
 the  saints,  and  the  smoke  of  torment — the  last 
 vials  of  wrath  below,  in  apposition  with  the 
 song  on  the  crystal  sea  above — the  great  whore 
 on  her  breast — Babylon's  fall  and  the  marriage 
 of  the  Lamb — the  victory  and  binding  of  Satan, 
 and  the  kingdom  of  the  first  resurrection — the 
 final  insurrection  afterwards,  and  the  last  judg- 
 ment— the  neir>  Jeruinlem  in  the  new  world. 
 All  has  hitherto  proceeded  upwards  in  grada- 
 tion ;  but  now  he  that  sitteth  upon  the  throne 
 speaks  above  all  the  angels,  and  above  all  other 
 voices  that  had  proceeded  from  him,  a  glorious 
 word.  Then,  with  a  description  more  lull  and 
 complete  of  the  new  Jerusalem,  and  the  con- 
 cluding sayings  of  the  Spirit,  the  whole  book  is 
 brought  to  a  close. 
 
 Stephen  saio  the  Lord  upon  the  throne;  but 
 at  that  crisis  any  word  would  have  been  inap- 
 propriate. John,  at  the  corresponding  end, 
 hears  the  voice  from  the  throne,  after  he  has 
 seen  and  heard  much  that  was  great  and  full 
 of  the  final  glory,  chap.  xxi.  1-4.  The  new 
 heaven  inclines  to  the  new  earth ;  the  heavenly- 
 earlhlv  new  Jerusalem  is  the  bond  of  connec- 
 947 
 
 tion.*  The  upper  congregation,  which  alrea^^y 
 keeps  the  marriage-feast,  begins  llie  govern- 
 ment for  the  healing  of  the  nations  who  had 
 not  fallen  in  the  judgment.  Nov/,  more  clearly 
 than  to  Ezekiel,  is  shown  to  him  the  c\[y  icith- 
 Old  a  temple,  with  the  name,  Here  is  the  Lord 
 with  his  people  (Ezek.  xlviii.  35).  The  blessed- 
 ness of  its  inhabitants  the  voice  to  John  could 
 only  negatively  describe :  There  is  no  more 
 death,  and  no  more  sorrow.  That  indeed  was 
 the  first ;  the  overcomers  have  all  come  out  of 
 much  tribulation,  as  the  Lamb,  the  Captain  of 
 their  salvation,  came  out  of  blood  and  death. 
 But  the  former  things  are  passed  away;  the 
 last  and  the  neio  is  come.  So  the  seer  beholds 
 it;  and  thus  does  the  Lord  speak  of  it. 
 
 And  he  that  sate  (or  sits)  upon  the  throne 
 said.  Behold,  I  make  all  things  new.  Here  the 
 "loud  voice  from  heaven "f  is  followed  and 
 surpassed  by  a  word  from  the  sitter  upon  the 
 throne  himself  (chap.  xx.  11)— which  we  may 
 justly  claim  as  a  word  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  the 
 Son  oi  God.  Manv,  indeed,  think  that  here  (for 
 the  first  and  only"time)  God  the  Father  speaks, 
 and  they  refer  to  chap.  iv.  2,  9,  10,  v.  1,  7,  13. 
 There,  certainly,  to  John  was  shown— alter  the 
 example  of  Daniel— the  eternal  Father  as  per- 
 sonally sitting  upon  the  throne,  to  whom  the 
 incarnate  Son,  the  Lamb,  was  brought;  but 
 since  even  there  (chap.  v.  13)  all  creatures 
 gave  like  adoration  to  him  that  sate  upon  the 
 throne  and  to  the  Lamh,  there  can  be  no  more 
 a  distinction  of  the  Father's  person  when  in 
 subsequent  visions  the  throne  is  concerned. 
 The  perfected  assumption  of  the  Lamb  to 
 conjoint  sitting  thereupon  recurs  soon,  in 
 chap.  vii.  10,  11 ;  where,  down  to  ver.  17,  the 
 "  Lamb  in  the  midst  of  the  throne"  is  inter- 
 woven with  all  worship  on  our  part,  and  with 
 all  the  promised  acts  of  God  towards  us.  So 
 we  must  understand  the  throne  of  light  in 
 chap.  XX.  11,  from  which  the  judgment  goes 
 forth  ;  for  the  Father  hath  committed  all  judg- 
 ment to  the  Son  (John  v.  22,  27).  The  Lord, 
 even  in  his  humiliation,  had  spoken  of  this, 
 Matt.  XXV.,  Then  will  the  Son  of  Man  sit  upon 
 the  throne  of  his  glory  ;  and  how  could  John 
 behold  any  other  vision  than  that?  Si^milarly, 
 in  conclusion,  we  read,  chap.  xxii.  1,  3,  of  the 
 throne  of  God  and  the  Lamb ;  and  when  the 
 "  seeing  of  his  face"  is  spoken  of,  we  know  full 
 
 *  So  in  JIatt.  v.  ?A,  85,  the  symbolical  city 
 stands  thus  inteimediately. 
 
 f  According  to  a  re.iding  now  aocepted;  to 
 which,  however,  we  would  i)refer  another  :  From 
 the  Uu-one;  literally,  out  of  the  throne,  as  is  meant 
 in  chap.  vi.  6,  xix.  5,  xvi.  1. 
 
913 
 
 FINAL  WORD  FROM  THE  THP.ON; 
 
 well  that  the  Son  is  "the  face  and  visible  image  " 
 of  the  Father.  To  suppose  that,  in  this  inter- 
 mediate chap.  Tix'i.  5,  he  that  speahth  is  not  the 
 Son,  is  to  contradict  the  fundamental  tone  of 
 this  whole  revelation.  It  is  -without  doubt  he 
 whom  John  elsewhere  calls  the  Eternal  Word 
 with  Gcd — who  terms  himself  at  the  end  of  the 
 book.  chap.  xxii.  13,  once  more  "  the  Alpha  and 
 the  Omega,"  just  as  here,  ver.  6,  from  the  throne 
 — so  that  the  beginning  too,  chap.  i.  8,  must 
 be  understood  accordingly.  That  for  the  rest, 
 when  Christ  speaks,  it  is  God  in  Christ  who 
 speaks,  God  throuc,h  Christ,  is  perfectly  self- 
 understood. 
 
 How  runs  the  £rst  word  of  the  last  saying 
 from  the  throne?  With  the  simplest  expres- 
 sion which  human  language  could  furnish  for 
 the  most  sublime  and  comprehensive  of  all 
 thoughts — with  a  Behold,  which  points  to  the 
 «ec;inew  heaven  and  new  earth,  a  behold  which 
 surpasses  all  the  many  "  beholds  "  of  this  book 
 and  of  the  whole  of  Scripture — Imalce  all  things 
 neiB ;  and  in  the  original,  in  this  expressive, 
 untranslatable  order:  Neio — all  things  onalce  I. 
 Not  only  the  city  which  thou  beholdest ; 
 heaven  also,  and  earth,  aZ^  things  nG\7.  This  is 
 immeasurably  moi-e  than  the  early  and  distant 
 prelude  in  Isa.  xliii,  18, 19,  when  the  New- 
 Testament  economy  generally  v/as  compre- 
 hended in  one  antithesis  to  the  previous  typi- 
 cal dispensation — although  even  there  the  end 
 (new  heavens  and  new  earth,  Isa.  Ixv.  17)  was 
 included  in  that  glance  forward  from  the  begin- 
 ning, just  as  here  the  last  words  from  the  throne 
 concerning  the  end,  looking  back,  embraced 
 also  the  beginnings.*  The  new  creation  in 
 the  individual  regenerate,  2  Cor.  v.  17,  is  the 
 fundamental  beginning,  and  is  the  slow  con- 
 tinuation which  v/ins  the  victory  ;  for  a  human 
 heart  is  harder  to  change  than  the  heavens  and 
 earth.  When  the  whole  company  of  the  saved, 
 the  collective  "bride"  (previously,  ver.  2), hath 
 been  made  ready  with  her  adornments,  then  is 
 all  this  v,'ork  of  preparation  complete — then 
 will  one  mighty  word  of  her  husband  be  suffi- 
 cient to  make  heaven  and  earth  new. 
 
 But  those  who  would  gather  from  this  iso- 
 lated "all  things  new"  the  so-called  restitution 
 of  all  things,  the  final  salvation  of  all,  even  of 
 the  devil  and  his  angels,  the  conversion  even 
 of  hell  into  a  heaven  of  the  glory  of  God — a 
 doctrine  contradicted  by  the  whole  of  Scripture 
 — have  no  ground  here  to  rest  upon  ;  for  very 
 soon,  in  ver.  8,  we  hear  the  fearfully  protesting 
 word  concerning  the  lake  of  brimstone  and 
 fire,  the  second  death,  as  actually  the  conclu- 
 sion of  all.  As  in  Eph.  i.  23  we  read  only  "  all 
 in  all"  (not  in  all  thinga),  that  is,  in  a'U  the 
 Ecetubers  of  the  body — and  1  Cor.  xv.  28  must 
 
 *  Only  in  the  apocrvpTial  words  of  the  book  of 
 Wisdom,  chap.  vii.  27,  do  wo  find  an  aj)proxima- 
 tion  to  this  expression  :  The  cvorlastinii  Wisdom, 
 who  can  do  all  things,  the  brightness  of  the  ever- 
 lasting Light,  maJceth  all  thwrjs  vcw,  rrf  Ttn'vra 
 Maivi^Ei — but  the  idea  is  there  very  waveiing, 
 and  ind:sUr.cJy  conceived. 
 
 be  understood  in  the  same  way — so  here  we 
 find  it  not  written,  "  alt  creatures  new,"  or  "  all 
 things  saved."  The  new-created  all  things  refer 
 not  to  the  universe* — as  if  nothing  would  re- 
 main unglorified ;  for  in  ver.  8,  and  again  ver. 
 27,  and  lurther,  cliap.  xxii,  15,  there  is  a  fear- 
 ful without,  beyond  the  limits  of  the  new  world 
 and  the  city  of  God.  There  will  be  no  more 
 death — in  the  new  Jerusalem.  There  will  be 
 no  more  sea — as  sea  upon  the  new  earth.  On 
 the  other  hand,  in  the  abyss  there  is  and  will 
 ever  be  the  second  death.  We  might  indeed, 
 say,  if  this  also  must  be  added  to  the  "all 
 things,"  that  in  a  certain  sense  the  lake  of 
 damnation  is  a  final  and  new  revelation  and 
 confirmation  of  eternal  righteousness  and  judg- 
 ment ;  but  we  prefer  the  undisturbed  reference 
 of  the  expression  to  the  new  revelations  of 
 glory. 
 
 Hereupon,  once  more,  Andhesaith  (unto  me) 
 then,  again.  And  he  said  unto  me.  Is  al!  this 
 the  one  continuous  word  of  the  Lord  from  the 
 throne,  as  many  understand?  If  so,  why  the 
 repetition  T\  W''e  are  convinced  rather,  that 
 another  voice  speaks  in  the  interim  ;  and  only 
 in  ver.  6  the  Lord's  own  word  continues.  J  The 
 intervening  angel  it  is  who  once  more,  lor  the 
 third  time,  adiiiiS,  Write!  as  this  voice  occurred 
 before  in  chap.  six.  9,  in  opposition  to  Write 
 not !  chap.  x.  4.  Thus,  with  a  designed  dis- 
 tinction, the  high  word  from  the  throne  is 
 made  prominent ;  iov  the  Amen,  who  here  sit- 
 tethon  the  throne,  it  would  have  been  here  un- 
 befitting to  declare  again  the  truth  and  cer- 
 tainty of  his  words.  The  assurance,  2'hese 
 tcords  are  faithful  and  true  (Gr.,  true  and  to  be 
 relied  on),  recurs  in  chap.  xxii.  6,  and  had  its 
 more  simple  prelude  in  chao.  xix.  9.  To  our 
 feeling,  at  least,  however  appropriate  as  the 
 exclamation  of  the  angel,  it  is  not  in  harmony 
 with  the  throne-style  of  him  who  Jiere  at  once 
 follows  the  short  and  sublime  word  which  we 
 have  heard  by  one  still  shorter  and  er^ually  sub- 
 lime. 
 
 It  is  donc.%  Lot  us  not  frigidly  paraphrase 
 it,  as  exposition — It  is  done  as  certainly  as  if 
 it  had  already  come  to  pass.  This  is  not 
 enough,  and  does  not  reach  the  presentation  of 
 the  future  before  the  Eternal  who  here  speaks, 
 and  at  once  continues — 1  am  the  Alpha  and  the 
 Omega,  the  h:ginning  awl  the  end.  Once  before, 
 at  the  seventh  vial  of  wrath,  a  voice  had  said, 
 It  is  done  (chap.  xvi.  17).  That  was  spoken 
 of  the  fall  of  Babylon  and  the  judgment  of 
 
 *  IlavTa,  not  rd  itcivxay  as  the  took  of 
 Wisdom  ir.coiTecLly  writes. 
 
 t  For,  to  refer  it  to  the  Tiini:y  is  altogether  too 
 far-fetched. 
 
 %  The  \iyzi  intovvenin!?  is  distinsushcd  from 
 tlie  ropetitioa  cf  the  first  r.iXL  iiitEv. 
 
 \  We  hold  to  this  reading,  and  c.inrot  rr-concile 
 ourselves  lo  the  yiyovav,  which  probably  came 
 from  the  incorrect  VfyoJ'a.  "  The.sa  words  artf 
 ah'cady  accomplished,  as  good  as  luifilled,"  would 
 be  a  most  inaiipropriate  continuntioa,  oa  the  part 
 of  our  Lord,  oi'  the  angel's  word. 
 
REV.  XXI.  5-8. 
 
 949 
 
 God.  Concerning  what  does  the  Lord  here  use 
 the  same  word?  Manifestly  concerning  the 
 completion  of  redemption  and  salvation,  the 
 new  creation  unto  glory,  as  the  third  and 
 greatest  It  is  finished,  which  points  back  to  the 
 finished  upon  the  cross,  and  through  that  to 
 the  finishing  of  the  first  creation.  Between 
 the  Alpha  and  Omega  lies  all  the  successively 
 evolved  and  yet  united  alphabet  of  all  letters, 
 in  all  the  tongues  of  the  words  and  works  of 
 God  ;  that  is,  the  whole  development  of  history, 
 written  in  the  seven-fold  sealed  book  of  chap. 
 V.  By  the  Son  was  in  the  beginning  the  cre- 
 ation, in  the  middle  the  redemption,  and  at  the 
 end  will  be  the  glorification,  of  the  redeemed  ; 
 through  him  and  in  him  all  history  is  accom- 
 flished,  for  the  solution  of  the  mysteries  of 
 which  he  alone  is  the  key. 
 
 Now  once  more — what  a  combination  !  His 
 all-embracing  word  and  testimony  goes  back 
 from  that  which  is  last  to  that  which  is  first  ; 
 that  is  to  the  first  beginning  of  the  new  cre- 
 ation in  every  one  who  thirsts  for  salvation. 
 The  I,  twice  in  the  original  made  prominent — 
 I  am,  /will  give — is  certainly  no  other  than 
 the  I  of  the  Son  who  thus  speaks  throughout 
 this  book.  1  will  give  unio  him  that  is  athirst  of 
 the  fountain  of  the  water  of  life  freely.  The  things 
 which  are  here  spoken  together,  are  spoken 
 separately  in  chap.  xxii.  13,  17 ;  for  this  book 
 abounds  in  the  repetition  of  great  fundamen- 
 tal testimonies.  In  chap.  vii.  17  we  read  of 
 living  fountains  of  life  (which  are  now  united 
 in  one  fountain  and  stream,  as  in  chap.  xxii.  1) 
 — there  following  the  prophetic  word,  Isa.  xlix. 
 10,  yet  adding  the  interpretation  "  of  life," 
 with  allusion  to  John  iv.  14,  we  shall  avoid 
 any  useless  attempt  to  disturb  the  "figure" 
 (as  it  is  termed)  by  so-called  explanation. 
 He  to  whom,  as  athirst,  his  thirst  itself  does 
 not  expound  it,  will  not  understand  it  even 
 only  in  the  beginning ;  he  to  whom  the  fulfill- 
 ment does  not  bring  it  at  the  end,  will  never 
 understand  this  giving  to  drink  with  eternal 
 life,  for  here  to  understand  is  to  experience. 
 Thus  much,  however,  we  may  say  for  the  ex- 
 position of  the  connection :  Although  the 
 f)romising  word  from  the  throne  promises  the 
 ast,  full  refreshment  of  those  who  have  con- 
 quered in  the  conflict,  yet  it  connects  this  prof- 
 lered  reward  with  the  first  decisive  beginning 
 of  thirsting,  as  an  indispensable  condition. 
 With  the  thirsting  the  giving  begins  and  goes 
 on  increasingly,  as  the  thirsting  is  the  living 
 impulse  throughout  the  whole  conflict,  becom- 
 ing more  and  more  internally  vehement  in  its 
 ardor  for  the  crown  of  victory.  But  all,  it 
 must  be  carefully  observed,  is,  though  not 
 without  our  desiring  and  receiving,  yet  ih&free 
 gift  of  the  Lord,  his  pure  grace  without  any 
 merit  of  ours.  To  hira  that  is  athirst — this 
 looks  forward  from  the  verj'  beginning  to 
 the  utmost  end.  He  that  overcometh — this 
 looks  back  from  the  end  to  the  beginning ; 
 which  simple  remark  of  itself  overturns 
 the  strange  opinion  of  some  expositors,  that 
 in  the  iollowing  ver.  7  God  the   Father  be- 
 
 gins anew  to  speak  of  Christ,  the  Overcomer 
 for  us  all. 
 
 He  that  overcometh  shall  inherit  all  things  ; 
 and  I  tvill  be  his  God,  and  he  shall  be  my  son. 
 Here  once  more,  and  the  only  time  since  the 
 seven  epistles,  is  this  siimulating,  attracting, 
 and  more  elevated  he  that  overcometh.  (In  the 
 middle  of  the  book,  chap.  xii.  11,  we  have 
 once  mention  of  those  who  have  overcome.) 
 This  similar  phraseology  shows  most  certainly 
 that  Christ  is  speaking  here,  although  the 
 promise  afterwards  strikingly  runs — He  shall 
 be  my  (literally,  to  me  a)  son.  We  shall  see 
 and  understand  why  this  is  said,  here  at  the 
 end  of  Revelation,  where  the  co-enthroned 
 Son,  delivering  up  all  to  the  Father  (1  Cor. 
 XV.  24) — giving  back  himself  and  his  king- 
 dom won,  as  it  were  his  inheritance,  absolutely 
 to  God — on  that  very  account  speaks  as  God 
 sitting  upon  the  throne,  while  he  nevertheless 
 remains  the  Son,  the  Lamb  in  the  midst  of  the 
 throne,*  He  himself,  who  first  overcame, 
 speaks  thus  here  in  the  name  of  the  Father 
 (who  forever  speaks  only  through  him)  of  the 
 inheriting,  which  in  the  Old-Testament  type 
 was  used  mostly  of  the  people  as  a  whole, 
 though  sometimes,  in  anticipation  of  its  final 
 fulfillment,  it  was  used  (e.  g.  Psa.  xxxvii.  9,  11, 
 comp.  Matt.  v.  5),  as  here,  of  the  individuals. 
 The  translation— ^He  shall  inherit  all  things — 
 is  not  wrong,  though  springing  from  an  incor- 
 rect reading.  The  right  reading  says— He 
 shall  inherit  this,  these  things  ;  that  is,  all  the 
 blessedness  and  glory  of  the  city  that  was 
 shown,  the  water  of  life  from  the  inexhaustible 
 fountain  of  my  eternal  being  communicated  to 
 him,  the  new  world  (Rom.  iv.  13) — the  new- 
 created  all  things.  Consequently,  the  transla- 
 tion may  be  clearly  expressed  by  both — all 
 these  things. 
 
 I  will  be  his  God — this  goes  back  once  more 
 to  the  first  great  promise  of  the  typical  begin- 
 ning (Exod.  xix.  6,  XX.  2;  Lev.' xxxvii.  27), 
 just  as  we  said  in  ver.  3.  The  "God  with 
 them  "  (as  it  is  there,  not  without  signification) 
 IS  fulfilled  only  in  him  who  is  called  Immanuel 
 or  "  God  with  us."  But  here  we  have — in  a 
 specific  application,  the  misunderstanding  of 
 which  has  misled  the  expositors — the  promin- 
 ent promise  of  2  Sam.  vii.  14,  given  indeed  to 
 Christ,  but  to  hira  also  as  connected  with  his 
 people  ;  for  in  the  Apocalypse  all  the  lines  of 
 all  the  types  and  prophecies  run  together  to 
 one  great  all-comprehending  end.  If,  as  the 
 misunderstanding  which  we  have  referred  to 
 expounds,  the  Overcomer  here  is  Christ  alone, 
 of  whom,  the  Father  (strangely  enough,  now 
 
 *  On  chap.  v.  6,  7,  ^feyer  snys,  correctly,  as  to 
 its  deep  meaning  :  "  Here  we  see  a  double  angel, 
 that  is,  manifestation  of  the  Son.  He  sitteth  upon 
 the  throne  according  to  his  divinity  or  glorifica- 
 tion ;  he  is  the  Lamb  according  to  his  suflfering 
 humanity.  The  Father  is  not  manifested  save 
 through  the  Son,  or  by  means  of  the  Son,  in 
 whom  is  thf»  ground  of  all  manifestation,  and  who 
 is  the  appearance  of  the  Father." 
 
950 
 
 FINAL  WORD  FROM  THE  THRONE. 
 
 after  the  overcoming)  spoke  these  words,  the 
 quotation  would  have  remained  unaltered — I 
 ■will  be  to  him  a  Father.  But  this  is  not  its 
 form  here;  it  is  changed  in  order  to  show 
 (more  plainly  than  when  both  were  originally 
 interwoven)  that  here  the  promise  to  Christ  is 
 expressly  extended  to  all  his  saints,  precisely 
 in  the  sense  of  the  last  promise  to  those  who 
 overcome,  chap.  iii.  21.  This  is  the  truth 
 which  lies  at  the  bottom  of  the  misunder- 
 standing of  that  exposition:  Of  every  one 
 who  overcomes  that  holds  good,  which  holds 
 good  of  me.  Thus  wonderlully  are  both  in- 
 terwoven in  the  fulfilled  reality  of  the  typical 
 expression  ;  Christ  becomes  our  God,  as  the 
 Father,  touching  his  humanity,  is  hh  God — 
 every  one  of  us  becomes  Christ's  son  both  ac- 
 cording to  his  divinity  and  his  humanity,  be- 
 cause the  second  Adam,  the  mighty  God  {Im- 
 manuel — El-gibbor),  becomes,  in  the  consumma- 
 tion of  his  kingdom  of  peace,  the  everlasting 
 Father  of  all  who  derive  their  life  from  hira.* 
 
 Now  the  words  suddenly  descend  from  this 
 height  of  consummated  victory,  from  this 
 brightness  of  highest  glory,  to  a  terrific  warn- 
 ing glance  at  the  last ;  which  may  affright  all 
 still  capable  of  being  affrighted  into  the  desire 
 of  yet  overcoming.  This  was  necessary  to 
 complete  the  salutary  teaching  of  the  grace 
 that  disciplines  us  ;  however  much  a  perverted 
 habit  of  tnought,  or  effeminate  habit  of  feeling, 
 may  rebel  against  it. 
 
 But  the  fearful  and  uribeUcving  and  sinners, 
 the  abominable  and  murderers  and  tvhoremon- 
 gers,  and  sorcerers  and  idolaters  and  all  liars, 
 shall  have  their  part  in  the  lalce  which  burneth 
 n-ith  fire  and  brimstone;  tvhich  is  the  second 
 death.\  He  that  overcometh  shall  inJierit  what 
 is  prepared  for  him  by  grace ;  on  the  other  hand, 
 the  sinners  receive  iheir  meet  portion  in  strict 
 justice.  The  words  proceed  with  three  times 
 three  significant  descriptions,  not  of  sinners 
 generally  in  the  world  as  yet  untouched  by  the 
 Gospel,  and  therefore  not  yet  ripe  for  the  deciS' 
 ion  of  eternal  judgment ;  but  of  those  same 
 unbelievers,  refusers  of  grace,  and  apostates 
 whom  the  Lord's  word  at  the  ascension,  Mark 
 xvi.  15, 16,  leaves  in  conclusive  damnation,  the 
 preaching  of  the  Gospel  to  them  being  pre-sup- 
 posed.  But  he  that  believeth  not — this  is  the 
 fundamental  note  of  all,  and  all  else  follows 
 only  from  that.  In  opposition  to  the  promised 
 eternal  inheritance,  and  testified  by  the  like 
 Bure  and  certain  words,  there  is  the  dark 
 threatening  of  the  second  death — never  liter- 
 ally, indeed,  termed  in  Scrii>ture  eternal  death; 
 yet  everywhere,  when  the  same  sad  mystery  is 
 spoken  of  in  other  words,  most  plainly  without 
 
 *  Isa.  ix.  6,  in  its  right  translation  :  Wonderful- 
 Counsel;  God-hero  (Ileb.  as  in  chap.  x.  HI);  Ever- 
 lastinfj-Father ;  Peace-Piince. 
 
 t  Wo  follow  here  a  reading  recommended  by 
 Griesbach  and  Scholz — xai  auaprcoXoli — a 
 reading  which  strikingly  brines  out  the  measured 
 arrangement  of  the  clauses,  aud  which  we  cannot 
 therelore  avoid  acceptiug. 
 
 hope  or  prospect  of  any  further  second  aahation 
 — so  that  for  the  unbelieving  (as  Harms 
 preaches)  "  there  is  not  only  a  great  salvation 
 to  be  lost,  but  a  great  damnation  threatened." 
 Even  in  this  terrific  threatening  there  re- 
 mains a  blessed  testimony  to  the  grace  which 
 is  reserved  in  the  redemption  of  all  prepared 
 for  it;  for  salvation  is  sure  to  persevering 
 faith.  First  comes  the  fearful — all  hangs  upon 
 this  personal  fault  on  the  part  of  the  lost. 
 These  are  obviously  not  the  weak  and  dis- 
 pirited, who  rather,  rc^cording  to  Isa.  xxxv.  4, 
 10,  shall  be  comforted  ;  but  they  are  the  faint- 
 hearted who  throw  away  their  confidence,  con- 
 cerning whom  Heb.  x.  35-39  speaks,  according 
 to  the  fundamental  meaning  of  another  pro- 
 phetic passage.*  This  first  word  already  con- 
 tains the  rigorous  antithesis  to  the  overcomers; 
 and  it  is  then  explained  by  the  two  following 
 words  (since  the  triplets  must  be  taken  togeth- 
 er throughout  the  verse) :  The  fearful  despair 
 and  remain  without,  because  they  are  unbelieV' 
 ers;  thus  they  remain  in  spite  of  redemption, 
 becoming  again  sinners,  having  fallen  back  en- 
 tirely into  sin  after  the  first  beginning  of  sanc- 
 tification.  Thus  ceases  the  thirsting  which 
 savingly  impels  to  seek  invigoration,  and  its 
 place  is  taken  by  the  deceitfulness  of  sin,  which 
 hurries  away  to  disgraceful  and  abominabla 
 transgressions,  in  many,  if  not  in  all,  exhibit- 
 ed according  to  the  descriptions  which  follow. 
 The  preceding  word,  "  sinners,"  is  further  de- 
 veloped: aiomtnaWef  (who  work  the  abomi- 
 nation, ver.  27)  means  those  who  sink  into  un- 
 natural lusts  of  the  flesh,  probably  the  "  dogs," 
 chap.  xxii.  15,  and  corresponding  to  those  men- 
 tioned in  1  Cor.  vi.  9  ;  1  Tim.  i.  10— imirderera 
 and  whoremongers  include  generally,  in  addition, 
 all  works  of  hatred  and  impurity.  This  second 
 triplet  of  sins  which,  more  or  less  foully,  yet 
 with  equal  guilt  before  the  judgment  of  God, 
 express  the  wicked  spirit  disclosed  in  the  first 
 triplet,  is  followed  by  a  third  which  finally 
 names  the  transgressions  exclusively  commit- 
 ted against  God,  as  the  second  referred  more 
 especially  to  sins  against  the  neighbor;  and 
 the  close  returns  back  to  the  beginning  by  a 
 final  definition  of  the  devilish  element  into 
 which  these  wretched  souls  had  fallen.  Sorcer- 
 ersX  and  idolaters — together  express  all  apostacy 
 from  God,  the  going  into  forbidden  Avays,  hav- 
 ing recourse  to  strange  and  wicked  powers ; 
 and  its  profound  meaning  suggests  reference  to 
 1  Sam.  XV.  23.    In  the  Apocalypse  itself,  chap. 
 
 ♦  JeiXoiy  eotvard,  is  used  generally  of  those 
 who  fail  to  stand  fast  in  battle. 
 
 t  'E/38e\vyiu£yot  is  more  specific  than  the 
 general  (iSsKvuToi,  Tit.  i.  16.  In  the  Sept, 
 /JdeXvyjLia  occurs  for  nayin.  Lev.  xviii.,  as  also 
 
 for  nQTO>  Jer.  xi.  15,  coiup.  /JSeXvhto?,  Tiov. 
 xvii,  15. 
 
 ^  Not  specifically  poisonous,  According  to  the 
 derivation  of  the  word  ;  but  cpapjitaxoi  accord- 
 ing to  the  phrabeology  of  ciiap.  ii.  21,  xviii.  23  ; 
 Gal.  v.  20. 
 
EEV.  XXI.  5-3. 
 
 S51 
 
 IX.  20,  21  is  connected  with  this ;  but  also 
 chap.  xiii.  15,  xvii.  4,  xviii.  23.  Again,  in  its 
 profoundest  and  most  universal  meaning,  John 
 in  his  first  epistle,  chap.  v.  21,  enforces  the 
 •warning  against  idolatry  and  idolaters.  Finally, 
 there  is  the  strengthening  addition — all  liars, 
 who  have  fallen  into  the  lie  against  God's 
 wrath  in  whatever  way,  every  lie  springing 
 from  the  same  principle  and  leading  to  the 
 same  condemnation.  In  chap.  xxii.  15  it  is  yet 
 plainer :  who  loveth  and  maketh  a  lie,  which  may 
 be  sufficiently  explained  without  many  words 
 by  simply  referring  to  2  Thess.  ii.  11,  12  and 
 John  viii.  44,  45,  This  is  then  the  compre- 
 hensive sura  of  all:  the  fearful  and  unbe- 
 lievers make  God  a  liar  (1  John  v.  10,  i.  10), 
 and  thereby  give  themselves  up  (that  is,  if 
 they  so  continue,  involved  and  hardened  in  it 
 to  the  end)  to  the  devilish  lie,  which  is  the 
 alone  unpardonable  sin  of  blasphemy  against 
 God's  truth. 
 
 The  lake  or  fOol  (wrongly  translated  by 
 many,  sea)  is  here,  aceording  to  the  valid, 
 fundamental  meaning  of  the  Greek  word,*  the 
 residuum  and  caput  mortuitm,  the  remaining 
 ruined  residue  which  is  incapable  of  renewal. 
 By  no  means  is  it  merely  a  "  sensible  figurative 
 representation"  of  eternal  torment,  but  as 
 physically  real  as  the  new  Jerusalem.  This 
 lake,  which  has  already  been  three  times  men- 
 tioned, chap.  xix.  20  and  again  chap.  xx.  10, 
 14, 15,  comes  after  the  great  conflagration  in 
 the  place  of  the  sea,  which  till  then  stood  in 
 close  connection  with  the  depth  of  the  abyss ; 
 and  it  was  certainly  pretypified  by  the  Dead 
 Sea  after  Sodom's  subversion,  although  then 
 "fire  and  brimstone"  were  only  rained  down 
 from  heaven  as  a  sign,  and  did  not  continue  to 
 burn.  What  kind  of  fire  and  brimstone  (pre- 
 intimated  in  chap.  xiv.  10)  it  will  be  we  know 
 not,  any  more  than  the  locality  of  the  lake 
 (chap.  xxii.  15,  comp.  Isa.  Ixvi.  24,  called  a 
 without) ;  but  our  presentient  exposition  should 
 receive  what  is  said  of  these  things  as  a  de- 
 scription of  what  is  to  come  by  the  likeness  of 
 things  that  now  are.  It  is  the  Tophet  or  place 
 of  burning,  Isa.  Ixvi.  24  xxx.  33;  Dan.  vii.  11 
 calls  it  literally  the  burning  flame. 
 
 The  Lord,  in  the  first  section  of  his  teaching 
 upon  earth.  Matt.  xxv.  46  (comp.  chap.  xxvi. 
 1),  placed  first  eternal  torment,  and  closed  with 
 
 eternal  life;  but  now  the  order  is  inverted,  for 
 the  stronger  warning  of  his  Church  ;  the  wis- 
 dom of  his  love  knows  that  it  is,  and  why  it 
 is,  necessary  thus  to  change.  How  significant- 
 ly the^Apocalypse,  attesting  the  "wrath  of  the 
 Lamb  "(chap.  vi.  16),  returns  back  to  the  judi- 
 cial severity  of  the  Old  Testament,  we  have  al- 
 ready observed.*  The  Lord  speaks  of  eternal 
 torment  in  the  same  manner  as  of  eternal  life ;  as- 
 suredly, therefore,  the  second  death  can  be  only 
 eternal  death,  though  the  word  is  not  expressly 
 used.  Elsewhere,  as  in  chap.  xiv.  11  (after 
 Isa.  xxxiv.  10),  we  read  of  the  endless  smoke 
 of  torment,  as  similarly  of  the  undying  worm 
 and  the  fire  unquenchable.  Many,  like~'Mever, 
 repose  upon  the  thought,  "  It  ia'noi  said  that 
 it  13  the  last  of  all,"  and  hope  that  "  the  fire  of 
 Gehenna  may  finally  dry  up  the  pride  of  the 
 twice  dead,  and  kindle  their  thirst  for  the 
 water  of  life."  We  cannot  see  (even  if  it  were 
 lawful  to  go  beyond  the  letter  of  Scripture) 
 how  that  were  possible  in  "  the  infinite  eterni- 
 ties." We  bow  with  fearfal  awe  before  the 
 word  of  the  Lord,  as  we  find  it  written  ;  and 
 could  more  easily  think  that  from  the  saints 
 will  be  taken  away,  not  only  all  their  suffer- 
 ing, but  also  all  sympathy  with  the  lost. 
 (Halleluiah  !  chap.  xix.  1-4). 
 
 Let  no  one  irreverently  wonder  that  the 
 Lord's  last  word  from  the  throne  was — Which 
 is  the  second  death.  His  words  of  promise, 
 invitation,  and  encouragement  had  been  abun- 
 dant— from  the  word  outside  Damascus  down 
 to  the  word  addressed  to  Paul's  infirmity ;  and 
 so  throughout  in  this  book.  Nor  is  this  sad 
 word  the  actual  close  of  the  Apocalypse  •.  it  is 
 followed  by  the  description  of  the  glory  of 
 God  in  the  heavenly  city ;  and  there  is  once 
 more  the  great  invitation,  chap.  xxii.  17 — 
 Whosoever  will,  let  him  take  the  water  of  life 
 freely.  "  The  grace  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ 
 with  all  the  saints,"  is,  in  ver.  22,  the  gra- 
 cious end.  But  we  close  our  book,  and  let 
 every  reader  close  it,  with  the  prayer :  Even 
 so,  come,  Lord  Jesus ;  abide  with  me  and 
 strengthen  my  faith,  that  I  become  not  fearful 
 — defend  me  from  sin  and  shame — cleanse  and 
 sanctify  me,  that  I  may  in  lowly  adoration 
 abide  faithful  to  thy  truth,  that  I  may  over- 
 come and  not  be  hurt  of  the  second  death. 
 Amen. 
 
 *  Ai/.ivrjt  cast  out  and  standing  water. 
 
 I  on  Luke  is.  55. 
 
HARMONY  OF  PASSAGES. 
 
 953 
 
 HARMONY  OF  PASSAGES  SELECTED  FROM  MATTHEW. 
 
 Matthhw. 
 
 1              Mark. 
 
 Luke. 
 
 JOUN. 
 
 Vol.  Page. 
 
 Hi   15     
 
 vi.  5,  10-12 
 
 vi.  20 
 
 i     ..        5 
 
 iv.4,  7,  10 
 
 iv.4  8.  12 
 
 i 8 
 
 iv   17 
 
 i    15  
 
 i             ''7 
 
 iv.  19  
 
 i.  17 
 
 V.  4,  10 
 
 vi.  20-49 
 
 i . .          28 
 
 i 31 
 
 vi.  9-13 
 
 i.  41-44 
 
 ^-.13,14 
 
 vii   9            
 
 i 83 
 
 viii.  3,  4 
 
 viii  7  10  13 
 
 i 133 
 
 i           135 
 
 viii  20  22     
 
 ix.  58  60 
 
 i.     .     138 
 
 viii   26     
 
 iv.  35-39,  40 
 
 viii.  22-25 
 
 viii.  30,  39 
 
 V.  20,  22-24 
 
 i 142 
 
 V.  8,  9,  19 
 
 i 144 
 
 ix   2  4-6       
 
 ii  5  8-11      
 
 i 147 
 
 ix.  9   12   13 
 
 ii.  14-17 
 
 ii. 19-22 
 
 V.  27,  31,  32 
 
 V.  35-39 
 
 i l.jo 
 
 ix.  15  17 
 
 i 154 
 
 jx  22            
 
 V  30-34           
 
 viii.  45  46-48  
 
 i 1(50 
 
 ix  24     
 
 V.  36  39  41 
 
 viii.  50,  52,  55,  56.., . . . 
 
 i 162 
 
 ix. 28  30 
 
 i 164 
 
 ix.  36,  38 
 
 X  5  42              
 
 vi.34 
 
 vi.  8-11 
 
 X.  2 
 
 ix.  3-5 
 
 i 165 
 
 i 167 
 
 xi.4  30     
 
 vii.  22-35 
 
 i 191 
 
 xii    3  8 
 
 ii.  25-28 
 
 vi.  3-52 
 
 i JIS 
 
 xii   11   13 
 
 vi.  8  10 
 
 i 223 
 
 xii  25  45      
 
 jii.  23  29 
 
 xi.  17-36 
 
 i 224 
 
 xii.  48  50 
 
 iii.  33-35 
 
 viii.  21 
 
 i 241 
 
 xiii  11  17 
 
 iv.  11,  12,  21-25 
 
 iv  3-9  13-20 
 
 viii.  10  16-18 
 
 i -^49 
 
 xiii  3  9  18  "^ 
 
 viii.  5-8,  11-15........ 
 
 i 2')4 
 
 xiii  -'4  30  37-43 
 
 i 261 
 
 xiii  31  33 
 
 jv    30  32       
 
 xiii  18-21 
 
 i 269 
 
 xiii  44  50 
 
 i 273 
 
 xiii  51  52                   . . 
 
 .■■**.*■.".!"!' 
 
 i 276 
 
 X  V.  16  19     
 
 vi.  31,  37-41 
 
 ,x.  13-16 
 
 i 278 
 
 xiv  27   29  31 
 
 vi    50            
 
 i 281 
 
 XV  3  20 
 
 vii  6  23     ............ 
 
 
 
 i 283 
 
 XV  24  2o  28  
 
 vii.  27,  29 
 
 i 291 
 
 XV  32  34 
 
 viii  2  3  6 
 
 i 295 
 
 xvi  2  4 
 
 i 297 
 
 xvi.6,8,  11 
 
 viii    15  17  21 
 
 i 299 
 
 ix.  18-27 
 
 i 302 
 
 xvii  7   9   11   12 
 
 ix  9   12    13 
 
 i 316 
 
 xvii.  17,20,22 
 
 xvii.  22,  23 
 
 xvii    25  27     
 
 ix.  16,  19,  21-29 
 
 X.  31 
 
 ix.41 
 
 ix.44 
 
 i 321 
 
 i 326 
 
 i 327 
 
 xviii    3  20 
 
 IX.  33-50 
 
 X  316 '. 
 
 ix.  48-50 
 
 i 330 
 
 xviii.  22-35 
 
 xix  4-14 
 
 xvii.  3,  4 
 
 xviii   16    17 
 
 i 345 
 
 i 349 
 
 xix  17-xx   16    
 
 X    18-31      ..       .      . 
 
 xviii.   18-30..... 
 
 i 358 
 
 XX  18  28  
 
 X.  33  45 
 
 xviii.  31-33 
 
 xviii    41   42 
 
 i 375 
 
 X  51   52 
 
 i 333 
 
 XX!   2  3     
 
 .xi.  2,  3 
 
 N:i.  17 
 
 x;ix  30    31 
 
 i 384 
 
 xxi  13-16 
 
 xix.  46 
 
 i 387 
 
 xxi   19-22 
 
 xi.  14,  22,26 
 
 i 39i) 
 
 xxi  22-44     
 
 xi.  29-xii.ll 
 
 XX  3  18    
 
 i 393 
 
 XX  i  2  14      
 
 i 403 
 
 xxi    18  '^l 
 
 xii    15  17      . 
 
 x-i   23  '>5              
 
 1 409 
 
 xxli   29  32 
 
 vii    24-27   
 
 XX   31-38 
 
 i 414 
 
 xxti.  37-45 
 
 xxiii.  2-39_ 
 
 xxiv.  2,  4-28 
 
 xxiv.  29-44 
 
 xii.  29-37 
 
 xii.  38-40 
 
 x,ii.  2.5-23 
 
 xiii.  24-33 
 
 XX  41  44            
 
 i 4:!i 
 
 XX.  46,  47 
 
 xxi   6    8  '^4            
 
 i 4:;4 
 
 i 454 
 
 xxi.  25-36....,, 
 
 i 4tj5 
 
954 
 
 HARMONY  OF  PASSAGES. 
 
 Matthew. 
 
 Mark. 
 
 LCKE. 
 
 John. 
 
 Vol 
 
 Page. 
 
 i.' 
 
 xiii.  34-37 
 
 xiv.  4.-46 
 
 xiii.  21*.*.*.*. 
 
 I  Cor.  xi.  24-25. 
 
 xvii.  iV.*.*. 
 
 xvii.  34-37 
 
 i. . 
 
 i.'." 
 ii. 
 ii. 
 ii. 
 ii. 
 ii. 
 ii. 
 ii. 
 ii. 
 ii. 
 ii. 
 ii. 
 ii. 
 ii. 
 ii. 
 ii. 
 li. 
 
 ...474 
 
 . . . 476 
 
 XXV   14   GO 
 
 xix.  12-27 
 
 ...481 
 
 . . . 487 
 
 xxvi.  2 
 
 xxvi.  18 
 
 xxvi.  21-25 
 
 XXVI  26-28 
 
 xxvi.  2'J 
 
 xxvi.  31-34 
 
 xxvi.  36-42 
 
 xxvi.  45-46 
 
 
 
 '^'s'.'\C\h'.\\\\\\.\\'. 
 
 xiv.  18-21 
 
 xiv.  22-24 
 
 xiv.  25 
 
 x.v.  27-30 
 
 xiv.  32-30 
 
 xiv.  41,  42 
 
 xxii".8-V2.V.V.!!  !!*.!!! 
 
 xxii.  22 
 
 xxii.  10,  20 
 
 xxii".  40-42,  46 
 
 xxii.  46 
 
 xxii.  48 
 
 ...481 
 . . . 484 
 
 . .  .407 
 . . . 5U8 
 . . . 547 
 . . . 555 
 . . . 560 
 . . . 580 
 
 xxvi.  50 
 
 . . . 503 
 . . . 508 
 
 xxvi.  55-54 
 
 .xiv.  48,49 
 
 ^jv  62     
 
 . . . 602 
 
 ...611 
 
 xxvii.ll 
 
 XV.  2 
 
 XV.  34 
 
 xxii:.C 
 
 ...610 
 
 . . . 672 
 
 ...718 
 
 xxviii.  18-20 
 
 .^vi.  15-18 
 
 ...704 
 
 HARMONY  OF  PASSAGES  SELECTED  FROM   MARK. 
 
 Mark. 
 
 Matthew. 
 
 Luke. 
 
 Jou.v.           iVol. 
 
 Paso, 
 
 •     .- 
 
 .... 
 
 i. . 
 
 !•• 
 i- 
 
 i..' ." 
 
 4"U 
 
 i    3S 
 
 ,v.  43 
 
 ...402 
 
 . .  Am 
 
 ...405 
 
 ▼ii.  34.  36 
 
 .  ..r.t8 
 
 vii'.  23,  25,  2C 
 
 ix.  33.  50 
 
 x.i.43  44 
 
 XV, ii.  3-20 
 
 ixV48-5d  .'.".*.*.'.*  .".'.*!!!! 
 
 x.xi.  3,4 
 
 . .  500 
 ..501 
 ..511 
 
 HARMONY  OF  PASSAGES  SELECTED  FROM  LUKE. 
 
 Luke. 
 
 Matthew,            |               Mark. 
 
 John. 
 
 Vol.  Pa^e. 
 
 ii    40 
 
 1 
 
 .... 
 
 i 1 
 
 iv.  17-27 
 
 xiii.  57 ^'i-  4 
 
 ,v    10  i.  17 
 
 i 514 
 
 i 522 
 
 vi    r>  14 
 
 i 524 
 
 vii   40  50 
 
 i 526 
 
 i 582 
 
 
 
 
 
 535 
 
 T    "   16 
 
 
 
 i 536 
 
 i 539 
 
 X  "6  37     .        ... 
 
 1           
 
 i 513 
 
 »   41    4"' 
 
 i 550 
 
 •«•;    •>    1" 
 
 vi   9  n-   vii    7   11 
 
 i 5.J4 
 
 x;    og 
 
 i 559 
 
 X    30-5'' 
 
 xxiii   "^  39 
 
 i 560 
 
 xii.  1-12 '; 
 
 xii.  14-59 • 
 
 xiii   "9 
 
 (xvi.  6  ;    X,    26-33  ;  ) 
 xii.  31,  32;  X.  19,^ 
 20) ) 
 
 (vi,    25-53,    19-21;] 
 xxiv,    42-51 ;      x.  1 
 34-36  ;    xvi.   2,  3  ;  [ 
 T.  25,  26) J 
 
 i 603 
 
 i 564 
 
 i 574 
 
 Xiii    I"   1,3   IC        
 
 
 
 i 578 
 
 xiii.  21-30 \ 
 
 xii!.  .S2-3o 
 
 XIV.3-:5 
 
 (vii.    13,   14,  21-23;) 
 viii.  11,  12;     XX.  V 
 16) ) 
 
 xxiii    37  39 
 
 i 580 
 
 i .583 
 
 xii.  10,  11 
 
 (xxiii.  12;   xxii.  2-9;  \ 
 X.  37,38 ) 
 
 i 586 
 
 i 587 
 
 ( 
 
HARMONY  OF  PASSAGES. 
 
 955 
 
 Luke. 
 
 Matthkw. 
 
 Mark.                [          John. 
 
 v'ul.  Pa-e. 
 
 XV.  4-10 
 
 XV    11  32 
 
 (xv.ii  12  13)   
 
 (xiii.  36-3*8).... 
 xiii.  23-2'J 
 
 i.. 
 
 i.. 
 
 i.. 
 
 i*.' 
 
 ii. 
 
 {.'. 
 i.. 
 ii. 
 ii. 
 ii. 
 ii. 
 
 ii. 
 ii. 
 ii. 
 ii. 
 ii. 
 ii. 
 ii. 
 ii. 
 ii. 
 
 . .  600 
 
 .  .601 
 
 XV:      1      13                        
 
 .  .608 
 
 xv;   1.5  31 
 
 ..625 
 
 xvii.  1-10 
 
 xvii.  14   17   10... 
 
 ■■{ 
 
 ^xviii.  6,  7,  16,  21,  22 
 xvii.  20) 
 
 \ 
 
 ..610 
 ..CGvJ 
 
 xvii.  20-37 
 
 ■■\ 
 
 (xxiv.  23-28;    37-41 
 17,  18) 
 
 ! 
 
 ...6CG 
 . .  .675 
 
 XV. ii    10  14 
 
 . .  080 
 
 xix  5   9   10     ..    , 
 
 . . .68 J 
 
 six.  r'    '7     
 
 
 
 (xxv.  14-30) 
 
 .  ..Cs9 
 
 xix.  40,  42  44... 
 
 , . .090 
 
 X\ii    i5   18       .     . 
 
 ...494 
 
 xxii.  21-22..." 
 
 xxii  25-30 
 
 
 
 ...487 
 549 
 
 xxii.  31-34 
 
 . . .550 
 
 xxii.  3::-b8 
 
 xxii.  51 
 
 
 
 XX.  19-23'. 
 
 ...•'■-62 
 . . .596 
 
 xxii    67-70 
 
 617 
 
 xxiii    '^S-31   
 
 617 
 
 Tcciii.  43 
 
 .  ..6G0 
 
 xxiii.  46 
 
 ...692 
 
 xxiv.  17-27  
 
 xxiv.  3,0-41 
 
 xxiv.  44-1'.) 
 
 xvi.  14 
 
 . .  .738 
 ...838 
 
 ARMONY  OF  PASSAGES  SELECTED  FROM  JOHN. 
 
 Matthew. 
 
 Mark. 
 
 \\o\.    l'il-0. 
 
 38,  39-'i:', 
 48-50,  51, 
 4,7,8.... 
 
 ii.  16-19. 
 iii.  3-21. 
 
 IV.  t-J.*3 
 
 iv.  32-38 
 
 iv.  48-50 
 
 V.6,  8,  14 
 
 V.  17,  19-47 
 
 vi.  26-58 
 
 Ti.  61-65 
 
 vi.  67-70 
 
 vii.  6-8 
 
 Tii.  16-29 
 
 vii.  33,  34 
 
 vii.  37.  38 
 
 Tiii.  7.  10,  11 
 
 viii.  12-19 
 
 viii.  21-58 
 
 ix.  3-7,  35-37 
 
 ix.  39-x.  18 
 
 X.  25-30 
 
 X.  32-38 
 
 X.4,  7,9-11,  14-15. 
 
 xi.  23,  25.  26 
 
 X. 34,  39-44 
 
 xi'i.  23-36 
 
 xii.  44-50 
 
 xiii.  7-20 
 
 xi,i.  26,27 
 
 xiii.  31-35 
 
 xiii.  36.38 
 
 xiv.  1-31... -5-. 
 XV.  1-6 
 
 xxvi.  10-13. 
 
 xiv.  6-9. 
 
 (xxii.  34). 
 
 in 
 
 i 50 
 
 i. .  . .    7  . 
 
 1 i  1 
 
 i 8] 
 
 i 85 
 
 ii. 
 
 . . . 238 
 
 11. 
 
 . . . 254 
 
 ii. 
 
 . . . 258 
 
 . 
 
 11. 
 ii. 
 
 . . . 264 
 . . . 272 
 
 , 
 
 ii. 
 
 . .  288 
 
 . 
 
 11. 
 
 . .  295 
 
 , 
 
 ii. 
 
 ..306 
 
 , 
 
 II. 
 
 ..310 
 
 . 
 
 11. 
 
 . .  323 
 
 
 
 ii. 
 
 ii. 
 
 ..327 
 . .  336 
 
 , 
 
 11. 
 
 ..338 
 
 . 
 
 ii. 
 
 ..374 
 
HAEMONY  OF  PASSAGES. 
 
 John. 
 
 Matthew.             |                Makk. 
 
 Luke. 
 
 Vol.  Page. 
 
 XV  7  17      
 
 xxIy.  36-41 
 
 ii 882 
 
 -vtr      IS     •'>\ 
 
 ii          339 
 
 ■TV       ''R       Tvi       d. 
 
 ■ •• 
 
 ii          396 
 
 ii 403 
 
 xvi   16  24  
 
 ii 418 
 
 ii....428 
 
 ii 439 
 
 ii,...588 
 
 xvi.i   20  21    23 
 
 ii....634 
 
 xix.  11  '  . .' 
 
 ii 635 
 
 xix.  26  27 
 
 ii....668 
 
 xix    28 
 
 ii 681 
 
 xix    30             ... 
 
 
 
 ... 
 
 ii 688 
 
 XX  15-17      
 
 ii....702 
 
 XX.  19-23 
 
 ii....738 
 
 ii         755 
 
 xxi.  6,  6,  10,  12 
 
 ii....765 
 
 xxi.  15-22 
 
 , 
 
 U....774 
 
 ACTS. 
 
 i.4-8. 
 
ge:^ekal  ikdex  to  passages 
 
 TREATED  OF  IN  BOTH  VOLUMES  OF 
 "WORDS  OF  THE  LORD  JESUa" 
 
 Page. 
 
 Matt.  iii.  15 Vol.  i.      5 
 
 "      iv.  10 i.      8 
 
 -     iv.  17 1.    27 
 
 •'      iv.  19 i.  28  and  523 
 
 "      iv.  19-21 i,  564 
 
 "      v.-vii i.     31 
 
 "      v.1-48 i.     34 
 
 "      V.  25  20 i.  564 
 
 "      vi.  1-8 i.    81 
 
 "      vi.  9-13 i.  83  and  554 
 
 "      vi.  14-54 i.     95 
 
 «      vi.  19-21 i.  564 
 
 "      vi.  25-CO i.  5G4 
 
 "      v.i.  1-29 i.  106 
 
 "      vii.  7-11 i.  554 
 
 "      vii.  13,  14,  21-23 i.  580 
 
 "      viii.3,4 i.  1.33 
 
 "      viii.  7-13 i.  135 
 
 "      viii.  11,  12 i.  580 
 
 "      viii.  20-22 i.  138 
 
 "      Viii.  26 i.  142 
 
 "      viii. 32 i.  144 
 
 "      ix.2-G i.  147 
 
 "      ix.  9-13 i,-150 
 
 "      ix.  15-17 i.  154 
 
 "      ix.  22 i.  160 
 
 "      ix.  24 i.  162 
 
 "      ix.  28-30 i.  164 
 
 "      ix.36-38 i,  165 
 
 "      x.5-42 167 
 
 "      X.  19,20 i.  563 
 
 "      X.  26-33 i.  56-3 
 
 "      X.  34-36 i,  564 
 
 "      x.37,38 i,  587 
 
 "      xi.4-30 i.  191 
 
 "      x.i.3-8 i.  218 
 
 "      xi.  10,  11 i.  586 
 
 '•      xii.  11-13 i.  223 
 
 "      x.i.  25-45 i.  224 
 
 "      xii.  31,  32 i.  563 
 
 "      xii.  48-50 i.  244 
 
 "      xiii i.  246 
 
 "      x.ii.  11-17 i.  249 
 
 "      xiii.  3-9,  18-23 i.  254 
 
 "      xiii. 12 i.  587 
 
 "      xiii.  24-30,  37-43 i.  261 
 
 "      xiii.  31-33 i.  269 
 
 •'      xiii.  44-50 i.  273 
 
 "      xiii.  51-52 i.  276 
 
 "      xiii.  57 i.  514 
 
 "      xiv.  16-19 i.  278 
 
 *♦      xiv.  27,  29,  31 1.281 
 
 «      XV.  3-20 i.  283 
 
 "      XV.  24,  26,  28 i.  291 
 
 "      XV.  32=34 i.  295 
 
 "      xvi.  2-4 i.  297  and  564 
 
 Page. 
 
 Matt.  xvi.  6,8,  11 Vol,  i.  299  and  563 
 
 "      xvi.  13-28 i.  302 
 
 "      xvii.7,9  11,12 i.  316 
 
 "      xvii.  17-21 i.  sii 
 
 "      xvii.  20 i.  660 
 
 "      xvii.  22,  23 i.  326 
 
 "      xvii.  25-27 i.  327 
 
 "      xviii.  3-20 i.  330  and  501 
 
 "      xviii.  6,  7,  15,21,22 i.  660 
 
 "      xviii.12,13 5,  602 
 
 "      xviii.22-35 i.  345 
 
 ••      xix.  4-14 i,  349 
 
 "      iix.  17-xx.  16 i,  358 
 
 "      XX.16 i,  680 
 
 «      xx.18-28 i.  875 
 
 "      XX.  32 i.  383 
 
 "      xxi.  2,  3 i.  384 
 
 "      xxi.  13-16 i.  387 
 
 "      xxi.  19-22 i.  390 
 
 "     xxi.  24-44 i.  392 
 
 "     xxii.  2-14 i.403and587 
 
 "      xxii.  18-21 i.  409 
 
 ♦»      xxii.  29-32 i.  414 
 
 «'      xxii.  37-45 i.  422 
 
 "      xxiii.  2-39 i.  434  and  560 
 
 "      xxiii.  12 i.  587 
 
 "      xxiii.  37-39 i.  583 
 
 "      xxlv.  and  xxv i.  451 
 
 •«      xxiv.  2,  4-28 i.  454 
 
 ••     xxiv.  42-51 i.  564 
 
 «'      xxiv.  17,  18,  28-28,  37-41 i.  668 
 
 "      xxiv.  29-44 i.  465 
 
 "      xxiv.  45-51 i.  474  and  56 1 
 
 "      xxv.  1-13 i.  476 
 
 •«      xxv.  14-30 i.  4S1  and  689 
 
 «      xxv.  31-46 i.  486 
 
 "      xxvi.  2 ii.  481 
 
 «»     xxvi.  10-13 ii.  288 
 
 •«      xxvi.  18 ii.  484 
 
 ««      xxvi.  21-25 ^ ii.  497 
 
 «•      xxvi.  26-28 ii.  508 
 
 "      xxvi.  29 ii.  547 
 
 «      xxvi.  31-34 ii.  555 
 
 "      xxvi.  36-42 ii.  569 
 
 «      xxvi.  45,  46 ii.  58o 
 
 "      xxvi.  60 ii.  693 
 
 "      xxvi.  52-54 ii.  598 
 
 "      xxvi.  55,  56... ii.  602 
 
 "      xxvi.  64 ii.  611 
 
 "      xxvii.  11 ii.  619 
 
 "      xxvii.  46 ii.  672 
 
 •'      xxviii.  9,  10 ii.  718 
 
 "      xxviii.  18-20 ii.  794 
 
 Mark  i.  15 i.  27 
 
 "      i.  17 i.  28  and  523 
 
 "      125 i.  491 
 
GENERAL  INDEX  TO  PASSAGES- 
 
 P 
 
 i.38 Vol.i. 
 
 i.  41-44 i. 
 
 ii.  5,  8.  8-11 i. 
 
 ii.  14-17 i. 
 
 ii.  19-22 i. 
 
 ii.  23-28 i. 
 
 iii.  3-5 i. 
 
 iii.9,  17 i. 
 
 iii.  2o-'J9 i. 
 
 iii. 33-35 i. 
 
 iv.  3-9,  13-20 i. 
 
 iv.  11,  12,  21-25 J. 
 
 iv.  26-29 i. 
 
 iv.  30-32 i. 
 
 iv.  35-39,  40 i. 
 
 V.8,  9,19 i. 
 
 V.  30-34 i. 
 
 V.  36-41  (43; i. 
 
 vi.4 i. 
 
 vi.8-11 i. 
 
 vi. 31, 37-41 i. 
 
 vi.  34 i. 
 
 vi.50 i. 
 
 vii.  6-23 i. 
 
 vii.27,  29 i. 
 
 vii.  34-36 i. 
 
 viii.  2,  3,  5 i. 
 
 viii.  12 i. 
 
 viii.  15,  17-21 i. 
 
 Viii.  23,  25,  26 i. 
 
 viii.  27-ix.  1 i. 
 
 ix.9,12,  13 i, 
 
 ix.  16,  19,21,29 i. 
 
 ix.  31 i. 
 
 ix.  33-50. 
 x.3-16.. 
 X. 18-31. 
 X.  33-45. 
 x.51,52. 
 xi.  2,  3.. 
 
 330  and 
 
 Luke 
 
 xi.  14,22,26 i 
 
 xi.l7 i 
 
 xi.  29;  xii.  11 i 
 
 xii.  15-17 i 
 
 xii.  24-27 i 
 
 xii.  29-37 i 
 
 xii.  38-40 i, 
 
 xii.  43,44 i 
 
 xiii.2,5-23 i, 
 
 xiii.  24-33 i 
 
 xiii.  34-37 i 
 
 xiv.  6-9 ii 
 
 xiv.  13-15 ii 
 
 xiv.18-21 ii 
 
 xiv.  22-24 ii, 
 
 xiv.25 ii 
 
 X  v.  27-30 ii, 
 
 xiv.  32-39 ii, 
 
 xiv.  41,  42 ii, 
 
 xiv.  48,  49 ii, 
 
 xiv.  62 ii, 
 
 XV.  2 ii 
 
 xv.34 ii, 
 
 xvi.14 ii, 
 
 xvi.  15-18 ii, 
 
 ii.49 i. 
 
 iv.  4.  8,  12 i. 
 
 iv.  17--.:7 i. 
 
 ase. 
 492 
 133 
 147 
 150 
 154 
 218 
 223 
 493 
 224 
 244 
 254 
 249 
 495 
 269 
 142 
 144 
 160 
 162 
 514 
 167 
 278 
 167 
 281 
 283 
 291 
 498 
 295 
 297 
 299 
 500 
 302 
 316 
 312 
 326 
 501 
 349 
 358 
 375 
 383 
 384 
 390 
 387 
 393 
 409 
 414 
 422 
 434 
 511 
 454 
 465 
 474 
 288 
 484 
 497 
 508 
 547 
 555 
 569 
 586 
 602 
 611 
 619 
 672 
 738 
 794 
 1 
 
 i.  514 
 
 iv.  35 i.  491 
 
 iv   43 i.  492 
 
 T.  4-lU ii.  28  and  523 
 
 Pa  JO. 
 
 LuKK  v.13,14 Vol.i.  133 
 
 "      v.20,22-24 i.  147 
 
 "      V.  27-32 i.  150 
 
 "      V.  35-39 i.  154 
 
 "      Ti.3-5 i.  218 
 
 "      vi.8-10 i.  223 
 
 "      vi.  10-49 i.  31  and  127 
 
 "      vii.  9 i.  135 
 
 ♦'      vii.  13,14 i.  544 
 
 "      vii.  22-35 i.  191 
 
 •*      vii.  40-50 i.  526 
 
 "      viii.  5-8,  n-15 i.  254 
 
 "     viii.  10,  10,  1 i.  249 
 
 "      viii.  21 i.  244 
 
 "      viii. 22-25 i.  142 
 
 "      viii.  80-39 i.  144 
 
 "      viii.  45-48 i.  160 
 
 "      viii.  50-54,  (55,  56) i.  162 
 
 "      ix.  3-5 i.  167 
 
 "      ix.13-16 i.  278 
 
 "      ix.  18-27 i.  302 
 
 "      ix.  41 i.  312 
 
 "      ix.44 i.  326 
 
 "      ix.  48-50 i.  330  and  501 
 
 "      ix.  55.  56 i.  532 
 
 "      ix.  58-60 i.  138 
 
 "      ix.  62 i.  5  5 
 
 "      X.  2 i.  616 
 
 "      x.2-16 i.  53G 
 
 "      X.  18-24 i.  5J0 
 
 "      X.  26-37 i.  543 
 
 "      X.  41,  42 i.  505 
 
 "      xi.  2-13 i.  554 
 
 '•      xi.  17-36 i.  224 
 
 "      xi.  28 i.  559 
 
 "      *.  39-52 i.  434  and  560 
 
 '♦      xii.  1-12 i.  566 
 
 "      xii.14-59 i.  564 
 
 '«      xii.  42-46 i.  474 
 
 "      xiii.2-9 i-  574 
 
 "      xiii.  12,15,  16 i.  578 
 
 "      xiii,  18-21 i.  269 
 
 '•      xiii.  24-30 i.  580 
 
 "      xiii.  32-35 i.  434  and  583 
 
 "      xiv.  3-5 i.  58G 
 
 "      i;v.8-35 i.  587 
 
 •*      xv.4-xvi.31 i.  600 
 
 "      XV.  4-10 i.  602 
 
 "      XV.  11-32 i.  608 
 
 «      xvi.  1-13  i.  625 
 
 «      xvi.  15-31 i.  640 
 
 "      xvii.  1-10 i.  660 
 
 "      xvii.  3,  4 i.  345 
 
 "      xvii.  14,17-19 i.  666 
 
 "      xvii.  20-27 i.  668 
 
 "      xviii.  2-8  i.  675 
 
 "      xviii.  10-14 i.  680 
 
 '"      xviii.  16,  17 i.  319 
 
 "      xviii.  18-30 '.  358 
 
 '•      xviii.  20-37 i.  668 
 
 "      xviii.  31-33 '•  375 
 
 "      xviii.  41,42 i.  383 
 
 "   xix.  5,  9,  10 i.  686 
 
 "   xix.  12-27 i.  481  and  689 
 
 "   x.x.  30.31 i.  383 
 
 "   xix.  40,  42-44 i.  692 
 
 "   xix.  46 i.  387 
 
 "   XX.  3-18 i.  393 
 
 "   XX.  23-25 i.  409 
 
 "   XX.  34-38 i-  -114 
 
 "   xx.41-44 i.  422 
 
GENEKAL.  INDEX  TO  PASSAGES. 
 
 959 
 
 Pa-o. 
 
 LritE  xxAC  47 Vol.  i.  4^)4 
 
 "      XX  .::,  4 i.  511 
 
 "      xxi.  C.  8-::4 i.  454 
 
 "      XXI.  2.3-nC i.  465 
 
 "      xxii.  S-12 ii.  484 
 
 "      xxii.l.'.-18 ii.  494 
 
 «      xx;i.  19  20 ii.  608 
 
 •'      xxii.  21,  22 ii.  549 
 
 ««      xxii.22 ii.  497 
 
 •«      xxii.  25-30 ii.  487 
 
 «      xxii.  31-34 ii.  550 
 
 «      xxii.  34 ii.  S36 
 
 «      xxii.  3j-3S ii.  562 
 
 «      xxii.  40-42,  46 ii.  669 
 
 "      xxii.46 ii.  586 
 
 "      xxii.  48 ii.  693 
 
 "      XX  1.51 ii.  596 
 
 "      xxii.  52.  53 ii.  602 
 
 ♦'      XX  i.  G7-70 ii.  617 
 
 «      xxiii.  3 ii.  619 
 
 "      xxii'.  28-31 ii.  C47 
 
 "      xxiii.  34 ii.  655 
 
 «'      xxiii.  43 ii.  660 
 
 "      xxiii.  46 ii.  692 
 
 "      xxiv.  17-27 ii.  722 
 
 "      xxiv.  36-41 ii.  738 
 
 «      XX  V.  44-49 ii.  838 
 
 John   i.  38-51 i.     13 
 
 "      ii.4-8 i.     19 
 
 "      ii.  16-19 i.    21 
 
 "      iii.3-21 ii.      1 
 
 "      iv.  7-26 ii.    60 
 
 «      iv.  32-38 ii.     71 
 
 «•      iv.  48-50 ii.    77 
 
 "      v.6.8,14 ii.    81 
 
 "      V.  7,  19-47 ii.    85 
 
 "      vi.  5,  10-12 i.  278 
 
 "      vi.  20 i.  281 
 
 "      vi.  26-58 ii.  112 
 
 "      vi. 61-65 ii.  135 
 
 ««      vi.  67-70 ii.  144 
 
 "      vii.  6-8 ii.  148 
 
 "      vii.  16-29 ii.  152 
 
 "      v,i.  33,  34 ii.  164 
 
 "      vii. 37, 38 ii.  166 
 
 "      viii.7,10,11 ii.  173 
 
 "      viii.  12-19 ii.  182 
 
 •«      viii.  21-58 ii.  189 
 
 «      ix.3-7,  35-37 ii.  227 
 
 "      ix.  .39-x.  18 ii.  238 
 
 •♦      X.  25-30 ii.  254 
 
 "      X.  32-38 ii.  258 
 
 -      xi.4,  7,  9-11,  14, 15 ii.  264 
 
 Pa  26. 
 
 John   x1.  23,  25,  26 ii.  272 
 
 ••      xi.34,  39-44 ii.  277 
 
 «      xii.7,8 ii.  288 
 
 "      xii.  23-36 ii.  295 
 
 «      xii.44-50 ii.  306 
 
 "      xiii.7-20 ii.  310 
 
 «      xiii.21 ii.  497 
 
 "      xiii.  23-29 ii.  540 
 
 "      xiii.  26,27 ii.  323 
 
 "      xiii.31-35 ii.  327 
 
 "      xiii.  36-38 ii.  336  and  550 
 
 "      xiv.  1-31 ii.  338 
 
 "      iiv.1-10 ii.  340 
 
 "      x;v.  11-24 ii.  351 
 
 "      xiv.  25-31 ii.  305 
 
 "      XV.  1-6 ii.  374 
 
 "      XV.  7-17 ii.  382 
 
 "      xv.  18-25 ii.  389 
 
 "      XV.  26-xvi.  4 ii.  396 
 
 "      xvi.5-15 ii.  403 
 
 "      xvi.16-24 ii.  418 
 
 "      xvi.  25-33 ii.  428 
 
 "      xvii ii.  439 
 
 "      xviii.  4,  7,  8 ii.  588 
 
 "      xviii.  11 ii.  598 
 
 "      xviii.  20,  21,  23 ii.  604 
 
 '•      xviii.  34-37 ii.  619 
 
 "      six.  11 ii.  635 
 
 "      xix.  26,  27 ii.  6G8 
 
 "      xix.28 ii.  681 
 
 "      xix.30 ii.  688 
 
 "      XX.  16-17 - ii.  702 
 
 "      xx.19-23 ii.  738 
 
 '«      XX.  26-29 ii.  703 
 
 "      xxK  5,6.  10,  12 ii.  765 
 
 "      xxi.15-22 ii.  774 
 
 Acts  i.  4-8 ii.  843 
 
 "      ix.  4-6 ii.  863 
 
 "      ix.  10-16 ii.  870 
 
 "      X.  13-16 ii.  884 
 
 "      xi.  7-10 ii.  884 
 
 '*      xvi,  16-18 ii.  878 
 
 "      xviii.  9,  10 ii.  888 
 
 "      xxii.  7-10 ii.  863 
 
 •»      xxii.17-21 ii.  875 
 
 "      xxiii.  11 ii.  890 
 
 "      xxvi.  14-16 ii.  863 
 
 1  Cob.  xi.  24,  26 ii.  508 
 
 2  "      xii.9 it.  893 
 
 Rev.    i.  11,  17-20 ii.  897 
 
 "      ii.,iii ii.  906 
 
 «      iv.  1 ii.  945 
 
 «     xxi.5-8 ii.  947 
 
EXEGETIOAL  INDEX 
 
 OP  PASSAGES  IN  THE  BIBLE  (AND  APOCRYPHA)  EXPLAINED  IN  THIS  WORK,  WITH 
 THE  EXCEPTION  OF  SUCH  AS  ARE  EXPRESSLY  QUOTED  BY  OUR  LORD  OR  THE 
 EVANGELISTS. 
 
 Gek 
 
 i.2 
 
 ii  2     
 
 Page. 
 
 Vol.  i.  424 
 
 ii.  85,  86 
 
 i< 
 
 ii.7 
 
 ii.  748 
 
 ^ 
 
 iii   12 
 
 ii.  211 
 
 u 
 
 iii.  16 
 
 iv  1           
 
 ii.  422 
 
 ii.  422 
 
 " 
 
 iv.  19,  23 
 
 iv.  24 
 
 i.  56  and    72 
 
 i.  346 
 
 " 
 
 ix.  20 
 
 xviii.  13. 
 
 xxxix   9     
 
 i.  473 
 
 ii.     24 
 
 ii.  466 
 
 .t 
 
 xlix    11   
 
 ii.  376 
 
 „ 
 
 xlix  18  
 
 ii.     66 
 
 EXOD 
 
 xlix.  22 
 
 iii.  5 
 
 iii   12                  .    .. 
 
 ii.     53 
 
 ii.  460 
 
 ii.  352 
 
 „ 
 
 iii   14                
 
 ii,  191 
 
 l< 
 
 iv.  25 
 
 xi  2     
 
 ii.  160 
 
 i.  546 
 
 :: 
 
 xii. 6 
 
 xii.  11 
 
 ii.  313  and  512 
 
 ii.  497 
 
 „ 
 
 xii    13 
 
 ji.  610 
 
 « 
 
 xii.  33 
 
 xix.  10,11 
 
 XX.  2 
 
 x\.  3   
 
 i.  166 
 
 ii.  406 
 
 .i.  So  ;  ii.  201  and  247 
 i.  102 
 
 „ 
 
 xK  5  6 
 
 ii    305 
 
 „ 
 
 XX  '>0 
 
 i    544 
 
 „ 
 
 ■^x  "4       
 
 ii.  527 
 
 „ 
 
 xxi  6            
 
 ii.  261 
 
 « 
 
 i  i    883 
 
 ;'_ 
 
 xxii.  1,4 
 
 xxi.  8 
 
 i.  689 
 
 ii.  261 
 
 ,, 
 
 xxix  37 
 
 i.  463 
 
 „ 
 
 xxx   18   19     
 
 ii.  318 
 
 (, 
 
 xxxii   32 
 
 i.  541 
 
 u 
 
 ii.  349 
 
 Lbv 
 
 :;    19 
 
 i    (^no 
 
 ii.  529 
 
 ;; 
 
 xix.  18 
 
 XX   10     
 
 i.76;  ii.  334 
 
 (, 
 
 xxi.  10 
 
 ii.  016 
 
 NoMi 
 
 XV  38  40 
 
 i.  426 
 
 xviii   19             .... 
 
 i.  509 
 
 ,, 
 
 xxi   6  9 
 
 ii      3  J 
 
 " 
 
 xxii.2'> 
 
 xxix.  35 
 
 .   viii.  3 
 
 XV.  4.  11 
 
 xvi   2         
 
 ii.  3J5 
 
 ii    ]t;7 
 
 Dri-T 
 
 ii.  511 
 
 ii.  292 
 
 ii.  311 
 
 „ 
 
 ii.  511 
 
 ^, 
 
 xviii.  18,  19 
 
 xix.  21 
 
 ii.     51 
 
 i.    71 
 
 Pa2<». 
 
 Dettt.    xxii.22 i'-  177 
 
 "        xxiv.  1-4 i.  65,  350  and  352 
 
 "        XXV.2 '•  571 
 
 "        xxviii.  48-52 ••  46:i 
 
 "        xxix.23 i-  60S 
 
 "        XXX.20 ii-  275 
 
 «'        xxxii.  20 i. : 
 
 "        xxxviii.  2,  3 
 
 "        xx.xiii.  28 
 
 JosnuA   xxii.  4 
 
 $21  ;  ii.  214 
 i      32 
 
 53 
 C37 
 503 
 
 Judges 
 
 1  S.\MUEI 
 
 2  Samuei 
 
 xxni.  14 
 
 iii.  20 
 
 .ii.  600 
 
 .  -i.  220 
 
 vii   19           
 
 .  .i.  434 
 
 xviii.  23 
 
 .ii.  325 
 
 11 
 
 1  Kings 
 
 xx'ii.  1-3 
 
 ii.2 
 
 xiii  28  
 
 .ii.  842 
 .ii.  503 
 .ii.  525 
 
 II 
 
 xvii  1 
 
 .,5.  52J 
 
 M 
 
 xviii  12              ... 
 
 .  .ii.     21 
 
 11 
 
 xviii.  30 
 
 xxii  22       
 
 ..i.  319 
 
 .  .ii.  325 
 
 2  Kings 
 1  Chhon. 
 2CnR0N. 
 
 iv  27  
 
 ..ii.  711 
 
 X   13     
 
 ..ii.  190 
 
 XXX   '''^ 
 
 ..ii.  311 
 
 XXXV  7  9 
 
 .  .ii.  311 
 
 Ezra 
 
 vii   11 
 
 .  .ii.      7 
 
 entile 
 
 ..ii.  422 
 
 vii  4  ■  viii.  1 
 
 .  .ii.  148 
 
 Job 
 
 i  21       
 
 ..ii     16 
 
 ix.  5-8 
 
 ..i.  324 
 
 II 
 
 xi.7-12 
 
 xix.  29 
 
 XX  V  13  16      .     . 
 
 ..ii.     20 
 .  .ii.  558 
 .  .iJ.    48 
 
 II 
 Ii 
 
 M 
 
 II 
 II 
 
 Psalms 
 II 
 
 II 
 
 II 
 (1 
 
 xxvii.  8 
 
 xxxii   19 
 
 ..i.  567 
 ..i.  158 
 
 xxxiii.  4 
 
 ..ii.  748 
 
 xxxviii.  28,  29. ... 
 
 ..ii.     22 
 
 ..ii.    20 
 
 xlii.6 
 
 ..ii.    21 
 
 ii  12     
 
 ..ii.     32 
 
 viii  4           
 
 .  .ii.  678 
 
 ix  14   15 
 
 i    300 
 
 xvi.  3,  4 
 
 ....ii.  458  and  529 
 ii.  421 
 
 .  .ii.  674 
 
 xxii.  4-7 
 
 xxii   10  11 
 
 ii.  460 
 
 and  479 
 .  .ii.  679 
 
 xxii.  17 
 
 i.  39J 
 
 and  433 
 
 xxii  21 
 
 .  .ii.  558 
 
 xxii  23                 i  '. 
 
 246  ;  ii.  455 
 ....ii.  424 
 
 and  715 
 
 xxii.  27 
 
 xxii.  32 
 
 xxiii.  4-C 
 
 ai.d  736 
 ..ii.  640 
 ..ii.  204 
 
 9G0 
 
EXEGETICAL  INDEX. 
 
 9C1 
 
 Pa  26. 
 
 Psalms   xxiv.  2 i.  310 
 
 "         ixvii.  4 i.  114 
 
 •♦         xxxi.  entile ii.  693,  694 
 
 «         xxxi.  10 ii.  170 
 
 ••        xl.8,9 i.48;  ii.  170 
 
 "         xl.  13 ii.  678 
 
 "         xlv.  6 ii.  629 
 
 «<■       Ixiii.  2 ii.  582 
 
 Ix.ii.  12 i.     70 
 
 "         Ixix.  entire ii.  684,  685 
 
 "        lxix.6 ii.  690 
 
 Ixix.  9 i.  246;  ii.  149 
 
 "         Ixix.  21 ii.  572 
 
 Ixxii.  14 ii.  199 
 
 ]x.xviii.  2 i.  250 
 
 "        Ixxviii.  24,  25 ii.  117,  118 
 
 "        Ixxx.  15-18 ii.  375 
 
 «        Ixxxvi.  11 i.  423 
 
 «        Ixxxix.  16-19 ii.  460 
 
 «         lxxxix.51 ii.  424 
 
 "         xcx.  entire ii.  460 
 
 cii.  20,21 ii.  460 
 
 «        c;ii.  1 ii.  460 
 
 «'        civ.  4 ii.    22 
 
 «         civ.  23 i.  103 
 
 «*        cix.  28 i.    77 
 
 "        cxvi.  12,13 i.  378 
 
 "         cxviii.  entire i.  401 
 
 «         cxix.  160 ii.  467 
 
 ««        cxxiii.  2 i.  666 
 
 "         cxxxv.  7 ii.     22 
 
 '«        cxxxvii.  8,  9 ii.  422 
 
 «*        cxxxix.  15 ii.     16 
 
 cxliii.2 ii.     94 
 
 "        cxlv.  17 ii.  461 
 
 «        cxlv.l8 ii.    66 
 
 cxlix.  6-9 i.  692 
 
 Prov.     i.  19 i.  636 
 
 viii.17 ii-  363 
 
 "        XX.27 ii.  170 
 
 "         xxvii.  19,  20 i.  240 
 
 "        XXX.4 ii.     32 
 
 EccLES.  xi.  1 i-  636 
 
 xi.9 ii.    94 
 
 Caxt.     entire ij.  134 
 
 Isaiah    iv.  2 i.  253 
 
 "        iv.  3,  4 ii.  406  and  852 
 
 «        V.  1-7 i.  397 
 
 «        vi.  3 ii.  460 
 
 «        vii.  14 i.  246 
 
 "        viii.  19,20 i.  656 
 
 -        ix.3 ii.     77 
 
 «        xi.3,4 ii.     98 
 
 "        xiv.  12 i.  540 
 
 «         XXV.  7 ii.  695 
 
 xxvi.  9 ii.  582 
 
 xxviii.  9-14 ii.  208 
 
 "         xxviii.  16 i.  403 
 
 "         xxix.  3 i.  695 
 
 ««        XXX.  12 ii.  842 
 
 "        XXX.  20,  21 ii.  367 
 
 «         xxxi.  3 ii.     17 
 
 xxxiv.  14 i.  242 
 
 X        xl.lO i.  228 
 
 "         xli    U ii.  460 
 
 ««         X  iv.  2.'5 ii.  191 
 
 "        xlviii.  IC ii.  608 
 
 xlx.  24,  25 i.  229 
 
 "         li  3   ii.  663 
 
 Ii.  17 i.  378 
 
 «        i.i,6....T ii.  I'Ji 
 
 .ii.  663 
 
 Page. 
 
 IsAiAn   liii.  5 ii.  369  ami  525 
 
 liii.lO ii.  ^49 
 
 "        liii.  12 i.  228 
 
 ««         liv.  6 i.  156 
 
 ««         liv.  13 ii.  124 
 
 «         Ivii.  15,  16 ii.  460 
 
 "         Ixi.l i.  229 
 
 '•         lxvi.5 i.  130 
 
 "        lxvi.2l i.  507 
 
 Jeb.      xvi.  16 i.     29 
 
 xvii.  13 ii.  179 
 
 "        xvii. 16 ii.  248 
 
 "        xxxi. 3 ii.  123 
 
 "        xxxi.  34 ii.  533 
 
 EzEKiEL  i.  entire ii.     22 
 
 iii.l9 ii.  190 
 
 "        xii.25 )>.  194 
 
 «        xvi.38,40 ii.  177 
 
 "         xvii.  22-24 i.  422  ;  ii.  G53 
 
 "         xviii.  26 ....ii.  I'JO 
 
 "        XX.12 i.     85 
 
 "        XX.  47. ii.  653 
 
 •'        xxiii.  47 li.  177 
 
 «        xxviii.  13.  ) 
 
 '«        xxxi.  8,  9.^ 
 
 «        xxxiii.9,  18 i'.  190 
 
 "         xxx:v.29 ii.  299 
 
 "         xxxvi.  25-27 ...ii.     16 
 
 "         xxxv.i.  entire i.  324;  ii.     95 
 
 ««        xxxvii.  6-8 li.  743 
 
 ««        x.xxvii.  9 ii.  748 
 
 "        xxxvii.  24 ii.  252 
 
 "        xxxix.  19,  20 ii.  5-t* 
 
 **        xlvii.1-12 ii.  168 
 
 "        xlvii.lO i.     29 
 
 Daniel  ii.  34 i.  408 
 
 ««        iv.  14 ii.  819 
 
 «        vii,  13,  14, i,  K9  and4C8;  ii.     96 
 
 «        ix,24.  .    ii.  601 
 
 "        ix.  26,  27 i.  407 
 
 **        xii.2 ii.     97 
 
 "        xii.3 i.  2G9 
 
 "        xii.4,10 ii.  858 
 
 Rosea   ii,  19,  20 i.  156 
 
 "        iii.  5 ii.     92 
 
 «        V.  15-vi.  6 i.  167;  ii.  361 
 
 "        ix.l4 ii.  652 
 
 ««        xi.  8,  9 ii.  461 
 
 «        xii.2 ii.     97 
 
 «        xiii.  13,.... ii.     26 
 
 Ajios     viii.  9, 10 ii.  673 
 
 "        ix,  9 ii.  552 
 
 Jonah   ii.  entire i.  240 
 
 iii.5 i.  241 
 
 MicAH   iv.  14 ii.  609 
 
 V.  1 i.     13 
 
 "        vii.&,6 i.  187 
 
 Hab.     ii.5-13 i,  694 
 
 Zeph.     i.8 .i.  4C8 
 
 Zecu.    entire i,  S86  ;  ii.  556 
 
 vii,  10 i.     76 
 
 «         ix.  9 i.  386 
 
 '•         xi,  entire ii.  557 
 
 «        xi.  12 ii.  325 
 
 "         xiii.  6,  7 ii.  557 
 
 MAtAcm  i.6 i-  426 
 
 ii.  14-16 i.     65 
 
 M        iii.  1 i.  200 
 
 ♦«         iv.  4.  5 i.  205,  316  ai.d  819 
 
 Wisdom  vi.  17-20 ii.  384 
 
 "        vii- 3 ii.     18 
 
962 
 
 EXEGETICAL  INDEX. 
 
 Wisi>OM  Tiii.  19,  20... 
 
 "        XV.  8 .... 
 
 "         xix.  6 
 
 xii.  9;  X  V.  9. 
 xix.  12 
 
 TOBIT 
 BiBACH 
 
 Page. 
 
 ii.  229 
 
 i.  567 
 
 ii.     11 
 
 i.     81 
 
 ii.  170 
 
 .11. 
 
 XXIV.  Zl 
 
 "         xxviii.  1-5 i.  -'6 
 
 **        Ixvi.  1 ii.  453 
 
 -        xlviii.  1 ii-  101 
 
 "        li.lO i.  428 
 
 IMac.   i.36 ii-  146 
 
 2iMAC.   ii.  13 ii.  841 
 
 iv  2     ii.  490 
 
 "        xii.  43 i.  418 
 
 Matt.    i.  liO ii-  18 
 
 viii.  17 ii.  592 
 
 xiJ.20 ii.  307 
 
 •'        xxvi.  15 ii-  550 
 
 "        xxviii.  5,  6 
 
 Mark    vi. 
 
 703 
 477 
 472 
 477 
 
 ix.24 
 
 "        X.35 
 
 xiv.l2 ii-  313 
 
 "         xiv.23 ii.  324 
 
 Luke     i.  1-4 
 
 i.  33 
 
 «        1.35 
 
 "        i.  49,  50 ii-  460 
 
 «•        ii.  31,  32 ii.  798  and  860 
 
 "        ii.52 i.  103 
 
 "        iii.1,2 ii.  204 
 
 «        iii.  3 
 
 ••        iii.  23 
 
 ••         vii.  44 
 
 ««         viii.  14 ii.  38 
 
 "         ix.  16 ii-  51 
 
 "        ix.51 i.534;  ii 
 
 27 
 .ii.  855 
 .ii.     18 
 
 ....11.   «ui 
 
 ii.  860 
 
 ....ii.  315 
 
 Jons 
 
 xxn.  6   
 
 xxii.  7 
 
 xxii.  21 
 
 xxii.  53 
 
 xxiii.  22,  24 
 
 xxiv.  5 
 
 i.l7 , 
 
 i.  18 
 
 .11. 
 
 356 
 325 
 313 
 324 
 373 
 646 
 719 
 69 
 
 Acts 
 
 iii.  27-36 
 
 iii.  35 
 
 . . .  .ii.  29  and    50 
 ii.  777 
 
 iii.  36 
 
 iv  44            .      ... 
 
 ii.  8;2 
 
 i.  515 
 
 vii  50              .     .  . 
 
 ii.      4 
 
 xviii.  28;  xix.  14.. 
 
 ii.  311 
 
 ii.      4 
 
 xxi.24,  25 
 
 ii.  793 
 
 j      28 
 
 i   1               
 
 <j{  and  860 
 
 i  2     
 
 ii.  849 
 
 i  3 
 
 li.  736,  839  and  840 
 
 i.8  
 
 i.  181) 
 
 i.l6 
 
 j  20             
 
 ii.  750 
 
 ii.  843 
 
 ii.  850 
 
 j;     8        
 
 ii.  208 
 
 ii   19 
 
 ii.     79 
 
 ii  '>0 
 
 ii    .308 
 
 ii.  24 
 
 ii.  33 
 
 ii.  38 
 
 ii.  39 
 
 ....ii.  3J9and  678 
 
 ii.  143  and  846 
 
 ii.  817  and  820 
 
 ii.  812 
 
 17.... 
 20. . . . 
 
 i.40O;  ii. 
 
 il.  45  aud 
 
 604 
 
 Acts     iii.  21 i.  320;  ii.  539,  854  nnd  8-57 
 
 iv.6 ii.  604 
 
 H        iT.  20 il.  860 
 
 ••         iv.  30 il.  836 
 
 •«         vii.  8 ii-  1-59 
 
 ••         vii.  17,  20 ii.  8-57 
 
 ••        Tii.  38 ii.  467 
 
 "         Tii.  53 ii.  157 
 
 "        Tiii.  12 ii.  852 
 
 "        Tiii.  16 ii.  520 
 
 "        viii.  26 ii-  214 
 
 M         Tiii.  37 ii.  81o 
 
 •'        X.38 ii.      7 
 
 ««         X.  41 ii.  548  iind  745 
 
 ««        3  4-3 ii.  803  and  8.'0 
 
 «        xi.l7 ii-  816 
 
 «         xii.  15 i-  3;;8 
 
 "         xiii.  13 ii.  272 
 
 «        xiii.27 i.  4U0 
 
 "        xiii.  48 i.  172  and  260 
 
 *•        xiv.l7 ii.    55 
 
 **        XV.  3 « ii.  5-54 
 
 M        XV.  14 ii.  789 
 
 -        XV.  25.28 i.  344 
 
 "        xvi.  15,  32 i..  733  and  812 
 
 "        xvii.3 ii.  842 
 
 «•        xix.  1-7 ii.  805 
 
 **        xix.6 ii.  820 
 
 M        XX.  28 ii.  248  and  783 
 
 "         xxi.  11 'i.  784 
 
 «        xxii.  18,21 ii.  798 
 
 "         xxiii.  3 ii.  &•<> 
 
 ••        xxiii.  8 i.  414;  ii.  C95  and  741 
 
 "        x.xvi.  16 ii.  826 
 
 "         xxvi.  22 ii.  196  and  215 
 
 "         xxvi.  24 ii-  154 
 
 RoMAHS  i.  9 ii.     ^6 
 
 1.18 ii.  632 
 
 ••        ii.l6 ii-  632 
 
 ««         iii. 19 ii-  395 
 
 •«         iv.l7 ii-     91 
 
 T.  15,  18.... 
 
 Ti.  2-11 
 
 vi.  3-11 
 
 Ti.  3 
 
 vi.  4 
 
 vii.  14 
 
 vii.  18 
 
 Tiii.  3 
 
 Tiii.  15 
 
 Tiii.  19-23.. 
 Tiii.  26. . .. 
 
 Tiii.  32 
 
 X.17 
 
 X.  ir 
 
 .ii.  534 
 .ii.  806 
 and  472 
 
 .ii.  820 
 
 .11. 
 
 .  .11 
 
 11. 
 
 2.35  and 
 
 201 
 584 
 471 
 42G 
 828 
 358 
 44 
 23 
 458 
 
 Xll 
 
 16 ii.  468 
 
 i.  154:  ii.  301 
 
 1  Cor. 
 
 xvi.  18,  19 
 
 i.  13 
 
 i   16 
 
 i.  176 
 
 ii.  80.0 
 
 ii.  813 
 
 i.  30 
 
 ii.  472 
 
 ii.8 
 
 iii.  6,7 
 
 ii.  65;> 
 
 i.  406 
 
 T  7            ........ 
 
 ii    526 
 
 ..      ..i.  565 
 
 Ti.  2.  3 
 
 Ti.7 
 
 Tii.l 
 
 Tii.   10,   11 
 
 i.  638 
 
 i.     7;! 
 
 i.  ."•'):> 
 
 i.  «54 
 
EXEGETICAL  INDEX. 
 
 963 
 
 Pasp. 
 
 1  Cor.    vii.  14 ii.  468  and  814 
 
 •viii.  6 n.  ;J48 
 
 ix.  13,  14 i.  17U 
 
 X   2 ii.  803 
 
 X.  16 ii.  516,  517,  525,  542  and  544 
 
 X.  17 ii.  521  and  534 
 
 xi.  16 i.  381 
 
 "         TI.23 ii.  737 
 
 xi.24 ii.  525 
 
 xi.27   29 ii.  541 
 
 "         xii.l3 ii.  52'J  and  806 
 
 "         xiii.  12 ii.  332 
 
 "         X  V.  7 ii.  307 
 
 "         xiv.  16 ii.  816 
 
 "         XV.  4 i.  15! 
 
 "         XV.  5,  7 ii.  738,  767  and  850 
 
 XV.  24 ii.  481 
 
 XV.  45 ii.  143  and  749 
 
 "         XV.  50 ii.  14  J 
 
 2Cou.    i.  22 ii.  750 
 
 "         iii.  2,  3 ii.     51 
 
 "         iv.  4 ii.  47  and  313 
 
 "         iv.  6 ii.  323 
 
 V.  4 ii.  741 
 
 vi.  9 i.  162 
 
 X.5 i.  641 
 
 "         xii.  4 ii.  664 
 
 Gal.      1.  enlire i.  306 
 
 "         ii.  15 ii.  588 
 
 "         iii.  1 ii.  216 
 
 "         iii.  14 ii.  846 
 
 "         iii.  15 ii.  307 
 
 iii.  20 i.  424 
 
 "         iii.  27 ii.  814  and  820 
 
 "         iv.  9 ii.     11 
 
 vi.  2 ii.  334 
 
 Epii.      ii.  8 ii.  116 
 
 iii.  20.  21 ii.  847 
 
 iv.  1,  2 i.     37 
 
 "         iv.  4,  5 ii.  806 
 
 iv.  9 ii.  191 
 
 "         iv.  10 ii.  143  and  848 
 
 iv.  13 i.  103 
 
 iv.  27 ii.  146 
 
 V.  26 ii.  804  and  818 
 
 "         vi.  1 li.  815 
 
 vi.  2 i.  285 
 
 vi.4 ii.  812 
 
 "         vi.  15 ii.  747 
 
 Phil.     i.  16-18 i.  503 
 
 i.  18 i.  233 
 
 "         ii.  6 ii.  355 
 
 '•         ii.  15 i.     44 
 
 iii.  12, 15 i.  79  and  584 
 
 iv.  12 i.  114 
 
 Col.      i.23 ii.  828 
 
 ii.9 ii.  143 
 
 "         ii.  10 i.     79 
 
 ii.  11,  12 ii.  806  and  807 
 
 "         ii.  15 i.  229 
 
 ii.  22 i.  288 
 
 1  Thess.  ii.  5 ii.  394 
 
 "         ii.  16 i.  407 
 
 "         iv.16 i.  444 
 
 "         V.  1 ii.  857  and  858 
 
 v.  7 ii.     48 
 
 2  Thess.  ii.  3 ii.  147  and  464 
 
 iii.  2 ii.  411 
 
 1  Tim.    ii.  15.^ i.  496 
 
 "         iii.  2 i.  356  ;  ii.  667 
 
 "        iii.  6,  11 ii.  146 
 
 P.12P. 
 
 1  Tim.    iii.  16 h.  475 
 
 V.  10 ii.  320 
 
 "         V.  18 1.  171 
 
 "         vi.8 i.  li:3 
 
 "         vi.  13 ii.  616 
 
 "         vi.  15 i  .  6  .;; 
 
 "         vi.  17-19 i.  636 
 
 2Tim.    ii.7 i.  ■.■.[}, 
 
 ii.  16 i.  52i 
 
 ii.  19 i.  Ii5 
 
 "         iii.  3 ii.  146 
 
 "         iii.  8 i.  237 
 
 "         iii.  15 i.  357 
 
 "         iv.  7 ii.  93  and  473 
 
 iv.  17,  18 i.  28,  93  and  458 
 
 Titps     ii.  3 i'.  146 
 
 iii.  5,  6 ii.  11,  16  and  818 
 
 Hebrews  ii.  10 i.  6  ;  ii.  690 
 
 ii.  16 ii.  452 
 
 ii.l7 i.  49 
 
 "         iv.  9 i.  223;  ii.  690 
 
 "         iv,  10 ii.  JS6 
 
 "         iv.  13 ii.  829 
 
 "         iv.  15 ii.  494 
 
 "         v.  7 ii.  574 
 
 "         v.  9 ii.  690 
 
 "         v.  14 ii.  135 
 
 "         vi.  2 ii.  799  and  836 
 
 "         vi.  7,  8 i.  260 
 
 "         vi.  10 ii.  481 
 
 "         vii.  24,  25 i.  490  ;  ii.  458 
 
 "        ix.  7 ii.  659 
 
 "        ix.  14 ii.  425 
 
 "         ix.  15-18 ii.  533 
 
 "         ix.20 ii.  532 
 
 ««         X.  19  20 ii.  354  and  695 
 
 "        X    22... ii.  16 
 
 "         X.  24,25 i.  342 
 
 "         X.34 i.  '.'8 
 
 "        xi.  11 ii.  451 
 
 "         xii.  5-10 ii.  462 
 
 •'         xii.  18-25 ii.  40S 
 
 "         xii.  22-24 ii.  14::: 
 
 xiii.  19 li.  834 
 
 1  Peter  i.  11,12 ii.  406 
 
 i.  13 ii.  787 
 
 i.21 ii.  312 
 
 "         ii.  13 ii.  829 
 
 "         iii.  18 ii.  253  and  694 
 
 "         iii.  20 i.  659 
 
 "         iii.  21 ii.  819 
 
 "         iv.  17,18 ii.  6.')3 
 
 V.  8-10 ii.  5.'>4 
 
 2  Peter  i.  4 ii.  415 
 
 i.  7 i.  78;  ii.  333 
 
 i.l4 ii  788 
 
 "         i.  19 ii.  100  and  22.1 
 
 «         i.  21 i.  430 
 
 ii.22 i.  112 
 
 "         iii. 5 ii.  16 
 
 iii.  9 i.  339 
 
 1  John   i.  1 i-  744 
 
 i.  4 ii.  468 
 
 ii.l ii.  357 
 
 "         ii.7,  8 ii.  332  and  339 
 
 "         ii.  13 ii.  779 
 
 "        iii,2 ii.  479 
 
 iii.  3 ii.  427 
 
 "         iii.  8 ii.  210  and  212 
 
 "         iii.  10 i.  622 
 
 "        iii.  10-12 ii.  210 
 
964 
 
 EXEGETICAL  I^'DEX. 
 
 1  John 
 
 2  Jon.N 
 James 
 
 Page. 
 
 .  IG ii.  386 
 
 5  ii.  8'j2 
 
 e" ii.  216 
 
 .9 ii.  43 
 
 .  11 ii.  44 
 
 .  17 ii.  299 
 
 3 i.  424 
 
 6 ii.  470 
 
 8 ii.  fi39 
 
 1(J ii.  660 
 
 19 ii.  424  and  427 
 
 20 ii.  401 
 
 ii.  197 
 
 > ii.  467 
 
 25 ii.  116 
 
 7 i.  130 
 
 ,  8 li.  333 
 
 :.  6 i.  210;  ii.  837 
 
 .  11 ii.  333 
 
 ,2,3 i  98  and  130 
 
 .7 i.  260 
 
 ,12 i.  68  and  70 
 
 JUDE 
 
 Rev. 
 
 4  25  
 
 Page. 
 ii.  447 
 
 8  9 
 
 ).  227 
 
 ii.  581 
 
 ii.  417 
 
 i  1             
 
 ii.  304 
 
 i  5     
 
 ii.  719 
 
 17     
 
 ii.  C15 
 
 i   17   18 
 
 ii.  7 17 
 
 iii    9 
 
 ii.  475 
 
 iii   20            
 
 ii.  132 
 
 iv  8             
 
 ii.     86 
 
 V  13     
 
 ii.  829 
 
 vi.  16 
 
 i.  464 
 
 ix.  11 
 
 xii  7    12 
 
 i.  540 
 
 xxi   4 
 
 1.  490 
 
 xx\.  6 
 
 ii.  69i> 
 
 xxii.  11,12 
 
 xxii.  17 
 
 ii.  407 
 
 ii.  J68 
 
 xx.i.  20,  21 
 
 i.  2C3  i  ii.  7  '<i4 
 
ALPHABETICAL  mDEX  TO  YOLS.  L  Al^D  IL 
 
 Aliandonm?nt,  of  Jesus  on  the  Cross,  predicted,  ii. 
 674  ;  severity  of,  ii.  678  ;  d;d  not  invoie  despair, 
 ii.  679 ;  the  Scripture  was  the  sustaining  i)ow- 
 er  under,  ii.  6B0. 
 
 Abraham,  saw  the  d-yof  Christ,  ii.  222 ;  Jesu-^ 
 exiNteil  before,  ii.  225  ;  Jews  claim  him  as  iheir 
 father,  ii.  200. 
 
 Abnihiim,  bosom  of,  explained,  i.  619. 
 
 Abraham  dau^lUer  of,  meaning  of  the  ph'ase,  i. 
 579. 
 
 Absolution,  no  Scripture  warrant  for  Popish  doc- 
 trine of,  i'.  751. 
 
 Adultery,  close  connection  between,  and  mu-dpr, 
 i.  62 ;  forbidden,  i.  66  ;  woman  taken  in  tin-, 
 ii.  173. 
 
 Adversary,  agreement  with,  i.  62,  573. 
 
 Agony  of  J.-.SUS,  as  histoiical  truth,  ii.  569;  is  re- 
 ferre  I  to  in  lleb.  v.  7,  8,  i.570  ;  agreement  be- 
 tween the  Miree  records  of,  ii.  571 ;  Christ's 
 presevm  "nt  of,  ii.  571  ;  its  i)rpliminary  sorrows, 
 ii.  572;  its  cu<ps,  ii.  573;  prayer  ot  Jesus  in, 
 ii.  571,  584,  586,  587  ;  its  objects,  ii.  577,  584  ; 
 Christ's  desire  for  sympathy  in,  ii.  576  ;  Christ's 
 subuiiss  on  in,  ii.  579.     See  sufferings  of  Jesus. 
 
 Almsgiving,  Clirist's  teacliin'j  concerning,  i.  83. 
 
 Ananias,  comni'ss.on  of,  li.  870. 
 
 An'.',e!s,  ascending,  etc.,  on  the  Son  of  Man,  i.  19; 
 are  reapers  of  the  fin:il  harvest,  i.  273;  minis- 
 ter to  men,  i.  350  ;  saints  will  be  equal  to,  in 
 the  future  world,  i.  419  ;  shall  gnther  the  elect, 
 i.  468  ;  come  with  Christ  to  judj;ment,  i.  487  ; 
 receive  the  spirit  of  the  righteous  at  death,  i. 
 567,  617  ;  comforts  Jesus  in  his  agony,  ii.  575  ; 
 are  the  hosts  of  Jehovnh,  ii.  6  )1  ;  roll  the  st  'ne 
 from  the  sei)ulc:ire,  ii.  702 ;  two  appear  to  Mary 
 Magdalene,  ii.  705. 
 
 A'lger,  causeless,  ih?  doom  of,  i.  60. 
 
 Annus,  Je^us  arraigned  before,  ii.  605. 
 
 Ai.tichrist,  doom  of,  foreshadowed  in  doom  of 
 Jif  a-,,  ii.  507. 
 
 Apostles,  were  itinerant  preachers,  i.  170;  perse- 
 cution of,  i.  178  ;  were  not  to  fear  those  who 
 kill  the  body,  i.  182  ;  piuck^d  corn  on  Sibbath, 
 i.  221 ;  kingdom  and  thrones  promised  to,  i. 
 365  ;  ii.  492  ;  chosen,  ii.  145  ;  inspire  I  by  thr 
 Spirit,  ii.  413;  testily  of  Jesus,  ii.  398 ;  their 
 per[)le.\ity  at  prospect  of  Christ's  departure,  ii. 
 404,  418 ;  could  not  bear  all  Christ's  sayinss, 
 ii.413;  their  sorrow  turned  into  joy,  ii.  421  ; 
 their  faith  in  Jesus,  ii.  433,  434,  456;  scit- 
 tering  of,  nnnounced,  ii.  437  ;  found  pence  in 
 Christ,  ii.  437  ;  given  to  Chr:st,  by  the  Father, 
 ii.  455  ;  Jesus  prays  for,  ii.  457  ;  Chv  st  idorified 
 in,  ii.  458;  their  sanctification,  ii.  466;  coi.ten- 
 t  on  amonsj,  rebuked,  ii.  487  :  their  fiileli  y  with 
 Jesus  in  his  temptations,  ii  491;  iheir  assoc'ation 
 with  Christ  inHiis  kingdom,  li.  492  ;  their  sor- 
 row when  to'd  one  ot  them  .-hould  betray  Jesu-i, 
 ii.  499  j  offended,  when  told  one  of  them  would 
 9GJ 
 
 betray  Jesus,  ii.  556  ;  scattering  of  announced,  if, 
 _^  559 ;  were  to  make  suitable  provision  for  thi-ir 
 great  mission,  ii.  563  ;  reproved  forsleeping  dur- 
 ing the  agony,  ii.  581,  586;  were  the  brethren  of 
 Jesus,  ii.  715  ;  Jesus  appears  to,  in  the  room,  ii. 
 738;  believed  not  Mary's  report  concerning  the 
 Rc-surrection,  ii.  739;  suppose  Jesus  to  have  been 
 a  spir.t,  ii.  741 ;  Jesus  shows  them  his  hands 
 and  side,  ii.  743  ;  their  gladness  when  they  saw 
 Jesu=i,  ii.  745;  Jesus  ap;  ears  to,  at  the  sea 
 shore,  ii.  765;  go  a  lishing.on  the  Lake  of 
 Gihlee,  ii.  768;  care  of  Jesus  for  their  tem- 
 poral welfare,  ii.  770 ;  Jesus  dines  with  them 
 after  his  resurrection,  ii.  768;  Je.sus  opens 
 their  understanding,  to  know  the  Scriptures,  ii. 
 840;  weie  witnesses  of  the  things  concerning 
 Cia-.st,  ii.  815;  their  question  as  to  the  re.s- 
 toraiion  of  the  kingdom  to  Israel  explained,  ii. 
 854 ;  kn?w  not  the  time  and  the  seasons,  ii. 
 854  ;  are  Christ's  witnesses,  ii.  859. 
 
 Apostles,  fir.^t  mission  of,  i.  167;  to  be  confined 
 to  Israel,  i.  169;  aitcided  and  attested  by 
 miracles,  1.  170;  no  temporal  provision  made 
 for,  i.  171;  a  mission  of  peace,  i.  172;  conse- 
 quences of  neglecting,  i.  173;  dangers  of,  i. 
 175;  referred  to,  ii.  563;  contrasted  with  their 
 future   ii.  561. 
 
 Apostles'  filial  mission  of,  intimation  of,  received 
 on  the'  day  of  the  Resurrection,  ii.  746;  resem- 
 bled the  mission  of  Jesus,  ii.  747  ;  Holy  Spirit 
 anointed  them  (or,  ii.  747  ;  was  founded  on 
 medintorial  power,  ii.  796;  its  obj  ct  was  to 
 disciple  all  nations,  ii.  798  ;  i)erpetual  presence 
 of  Cluist  with  them  in,  ii.  825;  was  lo  eveiy 
 creature,  ii.  828. 
 
 Apostles,  final  mission  of,  as  recorded  by  Luke, 
 its  connection  in  the  Evangelical  narratives,  ii. 
 798 ;  time  and  p'ace  of  its  delivery,  ii.  839 ; 
 analysis  of,  ii.  840 ;  exposition  of  ii.  811 ;  its 
 great  theme  was  repentance  and  remission  of 
 sins,  ii.  844  ;  was  to  begin  at  Jerusalem,  ii.  844  ; 
 the  Spirit  was  to  anoint  them  for,  ii.  816. 
 
 Ascension  of  Jesus,  announced,  i'.  137 ;  Mary 
 c  mmissioned  to  announce  to  the  apostles,  ii. 
 715 ;  did  not  take  place  imniedialeiy  afier  his 
 resurrection,  ii.  716;  was  in  bodily  form,  ii. 
 849;  insei)arab'y  connected  with  his  dignity 
 and  mediation,  ii.  849  ;  occurred  near  Bethany, 
 ii.  850;  was  from  Mount  Olivet,  ii.  850 ;  time 
 of  the  day  of,  not  known,  ii.  850;  the  witnesses 
 of,  ii.  850 ;  took  place  in  the  act  of  blessing,  ii. 
 861 ;  was  to  heaven,  ii.  8G1. 
 
 Assemblies  of  worshij),  Jesus  present  in,  i.  354 ; 
 ii.  827. 
 
 Atonement.     See  Death  and  SufT'rings  of  Jesus. 
 
 Baptism,  meaning  of  the  term,  ii.  800  ;  an  ex'ernal 
 
 mark  of  discipleship,  ii.  800 ;  d  ffrtrs  from  John's 
 
 baptism,  ii.  801  ;    to  bo   administered   in  name 
 
 I     of  the  Trinity,  ii.  802;   the  failh  necessary.  la 
 
ALPHABETICAL  INDEX. 
 
 966 
 
 order  to,  ii.  804;  different  exposition  of  nature  I 
 of,  ii.  8Uo ;  took  the  place  tif  circumcision,  ii.  | 
 80C  i  positive  eflect  ot,  on  children,  ii.  807  ;  in-  '■ 
 liuits  proper  suhjects  of,  ii.  808;  Peter's  refer- I 
 eiice  to,  in  1  Peter  iii.  21,  explained,  ii.  819; 
 the  wo  ds  of  Christ  to  be  used  as  the  formu'a 
 of,  ii.  820  ;  to  be  followed  by  teachinjr,  ii.  822  ; 
 is  no  pirt  of  preaching,  ii.  827;    rela.ion  be- 
 tween la.th  and,  ii.  831 ;  effects  of,  upon  chil- 
 dren, ii.  832;    effects  of,  upon  adults,  ii.  833 ; 
 wns  it  adniinislered  to  the  apostles,  ii.  854. 
 
 Baptism,  cliildien  proper  subjects  of.  Scriptural 
 argument  for,  ii.  808 ;  apostolic  practice  in 
 favor  of,  ii.  812;  practice  of  early  church  in 
 favor  ot,  ii.  816  ;  duty  of  the  cliuicli  to  baptize 
 infants,  ii.  817  ;  involve  the  communication  of 
 grace  to,  ii.  818;  not  essential  to  their  final 
 salvation,  ii.  832  ;  positive  effects  of,  ii.  833. 
 
 Baptism  of  Jesus,  i.  5;  time  of,  i.  23. 
 
 Bapti>m  of  John,  was  a  baptism  of  repentance,  5. 
 6;  whence  was  it,  i.  394;  difTerence  between, 
 and  Christian,  ii.  801. 
 
 B  iptism  of  fire,  i.  572. 
 
 Baptism  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  John  predicted  the 
 ii.  852 ;  niture  of,  ii.  852 ;  its  counectiou  with 
 b)i)ti>m  by  waiter,  ii.  853. 
 
 Beatitudes,  exposition  of,  i.  32,  134. 
 
 Beelzebub,  Ciirist  called,  i.  182. 
 
 Beiieveis,  given  to  Jesus  by  the  Father,  ii.  120, 
 257,  457  ;  their  safely,  ii.  121,  257  ;  are  tau2ht 
 of  God,  ii.  124;  shall  not  see  death,  ii.  219,276; 
 do  works  greater  than  Jesus,  ii.  352 ;  know  the 
 Father  and  the  Son,  ii.  361 ;  are  to  abide  in 
 Christ,  ii.  380;  to  iibide  in  Christ's  love,  ii. 
 383  ;  are  friends  of  Jesus,  ii.  386  ;  are  ordained 
 to  bring  forth  fruit,  ii.  387  ;  hated  of  the  world, 
 ii.  384;  testify  of  Christ,  ii.  398;  union  of, 
 prayed  for,  ii.  462,  472,  474  ;  Jesus  prays  that 
 they  may  be  kept  from  evil,  ii.  464,  465;  their 
 snntification,  ii.  468-471  ;  their  glorification 
 prayed  for,  ii.  474 ;  tempted  by  Sitan,  ii. 
 551  ;  are  called  the  brethren  of  Christ,  ii.  715  ; 
 when  they  may  coiciml*  that  Je>us  is  near 
 them,  ii.  736;  their  different  attaii.ments,  ii. 
 780 ;  signs  which  follow  their  faith,  ii.  834. 
 
 Benevolence,  reward  of,  i.  191,  591  ;  enjoined,  i. 
 590. 
 
 Betrayal  of  Jesus,  announced,  i.  337  ;  accom- 
 plished, ii.  482,  588 ;  was  to  be  by  one  of  the 
 disciples,  ii.  497. 
 
 Bethesda,  pool  of,  ii.  81. 
 
 Bethsaida,  doom  of,  i.  213. 
 
 Bigotry  rebuked,  i.  503. 
 
 Binding  and  loosing,  explained,  i.  343.  See  Keys, 
 power  of. 
 
 Birth,  new,  nature  of,  ii.  10 ;  work  of  the  Spirit 
 in,ii.  16. 
 
 Bl  spliemy,  against  the  Holy  Ghost,  i.  237 ;  na- 
 ture of,  i.  237  ;  is  greater  than  if  ng  linst  Jesus, 
 i.  238 ;  is  an  individual  act,  i.  238 ;  is  a  Sa- 
 tanic sin,  i.  239;  no  forgiveness  for,  i.  239;  is 
 the  only  unpardonable  sin,  i.  240. 
 
 Blasphemy,  Jesus  charged  with,  ii.  616. 
 
 Blessing  of  Jesus  at  the  ascension,  ii,  861. 
 
 Blind  min,  at  Bethsaida,  liealed,  i.  500. 
 
 Blind  men,  two,  healed,  i.  164  ;  at  Jericho,  healed, 
 i.  384. 
 
 Blind,  man  horn,  cured,  ii.  227 ;  sin  not  the  cause 
 of  his  blindness,  ii,  228;  questioned  by  the 
 Pharisees,  ii.  235 ;  acknowledaes  Jesus  as  the 
 Mi^ssiah,  ii.  236  ;  believes  in  Christ,  ii.  237. 
 
 Blood  of  Christ,  sacramental  wiue  au  emblem  of, 
 
 ii.  529  ;  in  what  sense  dr^nk  in  the  stcrament, 
 ii.  530  ;  is  the  blood  of  atonement  and  coven- 
 ant, i.  531  ;  blood  of  the  passover  a  type  of,  ii. 
 532;  shed  for  many,  ii.  534;  shed  for  the  re- 
 mission of  sins,  ii.  535. 
 
 Body,  the  resu;rec!ion,  constitu  ion  of,  i.  419; 
 eating  and  drinking  not  inconsistent  with,  ii, 
 549.     See  Resurrection. 
 
 Body  of  Christ,  compared  to  the  Temple,  i,  25; 
 bread  of  the  sacrament  an  emblem  of,  ii.  519  ; 
 how  received  in  the  sacrament,  ii.  618,  5J3  ; 
 pretended  exhibition  of,  by  Papists,  censured, 
 ii.  521 ;  how  given  for  us,  ii.  522 ;  in  what 
 sense  broken,  ii.  525 ;  difTerent  views  concern- 
 ing ubiquity  of,  ii.  537  ;  its  presence  in  the 
 sacrament,  ii.  539 ;  a  real  human,  ii  584  ;  not 
 altered  in  its  appearance  after  the  resurrection, 
 ii.  722  ;  characters  of,  between  resurrectim  and 
 ascension,  ii.  740 ;  supposed  ubiquity  of,  ii. 
 741 ;  retains  the  marks  of  sufferin:;s,  ii.  744 ; 
 resurrec'ion,  partook  of  food,  ii.  745, 
 
 Born  anain,  meaning  of,  ii.  10. 
 
 Born  of  the  flesh,  ii.  17. 
 
 Born  of  tfie  Spirit,  ii.  16. 
 
 Born  of  water,  ii.  14. 
 
 Borrowins,  Christ's  teaching  concerning,  i.  77. 
 
 Bottles,  old  and  new,  parable  of,  i.  164. 
 
 Brethren,  differences  amoni,  how  to  be  settled,  L 
 62,  348 ;  love  to — see  Love  to  the  brethren. 
 
 Brethren  of  Jesus,  rebukrd  for  their  unbelief,  ii. 
 148 ;  apostles  and  Christians  are  the,  ii.  715. 
 See  Kin.sfolk  of  Jesus. 
 
 Biidegoom,  Christ  the,  i.  479. 
 
 Burden  of  Christ,  i.  219. 
 
 Bread,  men  do  not  live  by,  alone,  i.  19. 
 
 Bread,  from  Heaven,  siven  by  the  Father,  ii.  118  ; 
 Jesus  the  true,  ii.  119,  126. 
 
 Bread,  of  the  sacrament,  ii.  616  ;  Jesus  b'essed, 
 ii.  516;  breaking  of,  ii.  517,524;  eaiing  of, 
 what  signified  by,  ii.  518  ;  an  emblem  of  Clirisi's 
 body,  ii.  624. 
 I  Caiapha*,  prophecy  of,  if.  287  ;  Jesus  tri°d  before, 
 ii.  611 ;  his  sin  greater  than  Pilate's,  i.  645. 
 
 Called  and  chosen,  meaning  of,  i.  375. 
 
 Capernaum,  doom  of,  i.  213. 
 
 Care,  worldly,  nature  of,  106,  56 i ;  arguments 
 against,  i.  107  ;  riches  a  source  of,  i.  666. 
 
 Celibacy,  Christ's  teaching  concerning,  i.  356. 
 
 Censoriousness,  rebuked,  i.  112. 
 
 Centurion  at  Capernaum,  his  servant  raised  from 
 the  dead,  i.  140 ;  his  faith  commended,  i.  141. 
 
 Centurion  at  the  Crucifixion,  acknowiedges  the 
 innocence  and  divinity  of  Jesus,  ii.  696. 
 
 Cheek,  smiting  on,  explained,  i.  74. 
 
 Childien,  little,  an  emblem  of  humility,  i.  344 ; 
 to  be  received  in  Christ's  name,  i.  345  ;  not  to 
 offend  against,  i.  347  ;  members  of  the  king- 
 dom of  heaven,  i.  357  ;  Jesus  kisses  and  blesses, 
 i.  358 ;  sing  praises  to  Jesus,  i.  389 ;  proper 
 subjects  of  baptism,  ii.  808. 
 
 Chora/.in,  doom  of,  i.  213. 
 
 Christ — see  Jesus. 
 
 Christians — see  Believers. 
 
 Christs,  false,  foretold,  i.  455,  462. 
 
 Church,  perpetual  presence  of  ChriNt  in,  ii.  826. 
 
 Church,  the,  compared  to  salt  and  liaht,  i.  44  ; 
 built  upon  Peter,  i.  316;  safely  of,  i.  318;  to 
 settle  differences  between  brethren,  i.  854 ; 
 proper  idea  of,  i.  355;  practice  of  the  early,  in 
 favor  of  infant  baptism,  ii.  815  ;  duty  of,  to 
 baptize  children,  ii.  817. 
 
 Cloak,  let  him  t&ke  thy,  explained,  i.  75. 
 
ALPHABETICAL  INDEX. 
 
 967 
 
 Closet.     See  Prayer,  secret^ 
 
 Cloih,  old  and  new.  paiable  of,  i.  1C3. 
 
 Cock,  crowins  of,  lessons  irorai  the,  ii.  5C0. 
 
 Coaitorter.     See  Si)irit,  Holy. 
 
 Coniint:  of  Christ,  lo  desiroy  Jeiusalem,  prophecy 
 concerning,  i.  457. 
 
 Com  iia  in  the  middle  advent,  i.  465;  the  signs  of, 
 i.  400 ;  sliall  be  as  a  thief,  i.  474,  570. 
 
 Cominu  to  leceive  his  people,  ii.  344. 
 
 Coining  to  judge  ihe  world.     See  Judgment,  final. 
 
 Comniimdment,  t!ie  Saviour's  new.  ii.  331 ;  not 
 opposed  to  the  law,  ii.  332  ;  different  exposi- 
 tions of,  ii.  333  ;   its  true  meanias,  ii.  335. 
 
 Commandments  of  God,  <:iiilt  ot  breaking  the,  1. 
 54;  contrasied  with  tradilions  of  Phaii.-,ees,  i. 
 291  ;  the  first  and  t':e  grentest  of  the,  i.  422; 
 the  second  of  the,  i.  425  ;  blessedness  ot  kee.p- 
 ing,  i.559;  obeJienc*  to,  an  evidence  of  love,  ii. 
 355,  303. 
 
 Confessing  Christ,  duty  of.  i.  186. 
 
 Conversion,  ii.  554. 
 
 Consubstantiatioa,  doctrine  of,  ii.  53i.. 
 
 Corban,  meaning  of,  i.  294. 
 
 Corner-.-tone,  Christ  the,  i.  401. 
 
 Covenant,  meaning  of,  ii.  532. 
 
 Covetousness,  wainiag  against,  i.  505. 
 
 Creature,  every,  the  [jhra-e  explained,  ii.  8:8. 
 
 Criticism,  of  Gospels,  has  been  too  much  occupied 
 with  traditions,  i.  viii. ;  licentious,  protesied 
 against,  i.  ix. :  principles  of,  adopted  in  this 
 wo.k,  vindicated,  ii.  xiv. 
 
 Cross,  to  be  borne,  i.  189,  324. 
 
 Crucifixion,  announced,  i.  377  ;  ii.  483  ;  darkness 
 at,  ii.  673  ;  vail  of  (he  temple  rent  at,  ii.  695  ; 
 earthquake  at,  ii.  090. 
 
 Cup,  an  emblem  of  Christ's  sufferings,  i.  378  ;  ii. 
 578 ;  of  the  passover,  drunk  by  Jesus,  ii.  497. 
 
 Darkness,  men  love,  ii.  40 ;  at  the  crucifixion,  il. 
 673. 
 
 D  vid  eating  the  shew-bread,  i.  222  ;  Jesus  the 
 Son  and  Lord  of,  i.  427 ;  his  knowledge  of 
 Christ,  i.  433  ;  predicts  the  rejection  and  exalta- 
 tion of  Christ,  i.  407 ;  foretells  our  Lord's 
 abandonment  on  the  Cross,  ii.  674. 
 
 Day  of  Christ,  seen  by  Abraham,  ii.  222 ;  filial 
 up,  ii.  266. 
 
 Dead,  let  the,  bury  their  dead,  meaning  of,  i.  145. 
 
 Deaf  and  dumb  man  healed,  i.  498, 
 
 Dea;h,  compared  to  sleep,  1.108;  ii.  2G9;  be- 
 lievers shall  not  see,  ii.  219. 
 
 Death  of  Jesus,  was  sacrificial,  i.  383 ;  God  glori- 
 fied by,  ii,  227 ;  represent  d  as  a  lifting  up,  ii. 
 88,  304;  compared  to  corn  of  wheat  dying,  ii. 
 297  ;  comprehended  in,  "  It  is  finished,"  i.  690  ; 
 not  like  the  passive  death  of  man,  ii.  C94,  See 
 Sufferings  of  Jesus. 
 
 Debtors,  parable  of  the  two,  i.  523, 
 
 D  Mlication,  feasts  of,  ii.  255. 
 
 Defileth  a  man,  wh  it,  i.  296. 
 
 Demoniacs,  cured,  i.  492 
 
 Devil.     See  S  itan. 
 
 Disciples,  many,  offended  at  Jesus,  ii.  136  ;  great- 
 ness of  true,  i.  341,  50.  See  Apostles  and  Be- 
 lievers. 
 
 Discourse  of  Jesus  to  the  Apostles  when  first  se.nt 
 out  to  preach,  i.  107  ;  order  of,  i.  167;  exposi- 
 tion of.  i.  168  ;  analysis  of,  i.  180. 
 
 Discourse,  his  fHrewell,  to  the  Apostles,  ii.  338- 
 338;  iniroductiou  to,  ii,  338;  analysis  of,  ii. 
 438;  exposition  of,  ii.  340. 
 
 D.vinity  of  ChrNt,  ii,  86,  260,  447;  acknowledged 
 by  Thomas,  ii.  759. 
 
 I  Divorce,  Mosaic  precepts  concerning,  i.  67;  Clirlst's 
 leacliing    concerning,    i.   67,    642;     Pharisees 
 tempt  Jesus  concerning,  i.  349. 
 Doctors,  Christ's  interview  with,   in  the  temple, 
 
 Doctrine,  known  by  doing  the  will  of  God,  ii. 
 155. 
 
 Door  of  the  sheepfold,  Christ  is  the,  ii.  247. 
 
 E  irthquake  at  the  crucifixion,  ii.  690, 
 
 Elias,  coming  of,  in  John  Baptist,  i.  330;  Jews 
 supposed  Jesus  to  call  for,  on  the  cross,  ii.  687. 
 
 Emmaus,  the  two  disciples  who  went  to,  knew  not 
 Jesus,  ii.  723;  were  not  of  the  twelve,  ii,  724; 
 th^ir  conversation,  ii.  724  ;  Jesus  appears  to,  ii. 
 725 ;  their  surprise  at  the  Lord's  question,  ii. 
 725  ;  their  expectation  of  a  tem[)oral  kin::;dom, 
 ii.  726;  express  astonishment  at  the  tidings  of 
 the  women,  ii.  727  ;  their  ignorance  and  slosv- 
 ne.ss  of  belief  rebuked,  ii.  728  ;  their  anxiety  to 
 retain  Jesus,  ii.  734 ;  Jesus  made  known  lo 
 them  in  break. ng  of  bread,  ii.  735  ;  their  hearts 
 burned  within  them,  ii,  735 ;  predicted  signifi- 
 c.wice  of  the  Lord's  interview  with,  ii,  736  ;  their 
 hasty  return  to  Jeru-alera,  ii.  738. 
 
 Enemies,  love  to,  i.  79,  136 ;  Christ  prays  for  his. 
 ii.  656. 
 
 Ephesus,  epistle  to,  in  Revelation,  ii.  906. 
 
 Eucharist,  Lord's  Sujiper  called  the,  ii.  514. 
 
 Evil,  resist  not,  meaning  of,  i.  74, 
 
 Evil,  moral,  origin  of,  i.  269;  Jesus  prays  his  dis- 
 c'p'.es  miy  be  kept  fiom,  ii.  342. 
 
 Example,  Jesiis  an,  of  humility,  ii.  319,  491. 
 
 Excu^es  for  rejecting  the  Gospel,  i.  591. 
 
 Exegesis,  Biblical,  follows  ciiticism,  i.  xi. ;  proper 
 stand-point  of,  i.  x'. ;  general  deficiency  ot,  i.  xii. 
 
 Eye,  p'uck  out,  meaning  of,  i.  65;  single  and  evil, 
 explained,  i.  103. 
 
 Faith,  its  nature,  i.  25;  commended,  i.  141;  the 
 co:tdilion  of  salvation,  i.  142;  little,  rebuked,  i. 
 148;  healing  efficacy  of,  i.  167  ;  strong,  i.  335; 
 power  of,  i.  392 ;  overcom  -th  offences,  i.  663  ; 
 lationalily  of,  ii.  30;  necessity  of,  ii.  39,  45; 
 want  of,  rebuked,  ii.  74;  pride  a  hindrance  to, 
 ii.  108  ;  is  Ihe  work  of  God,  ii,  116  ;  in  God  and 
 Christ,  urged,  ii.  341 ;  in  wiiat  is  written  con- 
 cerning Christ  urged,  ii.  728  ;  its  blessedness. 
 ii.  760  ;  its  relations  to  sight,  ii.  762 ;  essential 
 to  salvation,  ii.  829 ;  connection  of,  with  bap- 
 tism, ii.  831 ;  wonder-working  power  of,  ii. 
 833. 
 
 Fasting,  Christ's  teaching  concerning,  1.  94; 
 Christ's  answer  concerning,  to  the  disciples,  i. 
 160;  its  connecdon  with  miracles,  i.  337. 
 
 Father,  God  the,  worship  to  be  paid  to,  ii.  63 ; 
 Jesus  claims,  as  his,  ii.  86  ;  his  love  to  the  Son, 
 ii.  89,  252;  works  of,  ii.  88;  raiseth  the  dead, 
 ii.  91 ;  faith  in,  ii.  93 ;  hath  life  in  himself, 
 ii.  90  ;  bears  testimony  to  Christ,  ii.  99,  187  ; 
 not  seen  hymen,  ii.  103,  125;  word  of,  ii.  104; 
 draweth  men,  ii.  123;  Jesus  equal  to,  ii.  257; 
 Jesus  came  from,  ii.  163,  164,  434;  Jesus  goes 
 to,  ii.  165,  166,  434 ;  Jesus  the  way  to  the,  ii. 
 347  ;  Philip  asks  to  be  shown  the,  ii.  349  ;  is  in 
 the  Son,  ii.  350;  sends  the  Holy  Si)irit,  ii.  366; 
 is  greater  tlian  the  Son,  ii.  371 ;  Jesus  prays  to, 
 ii.  442;  called  the  true  God,  ii.  446 ;  is  glori- 
 fied by  Jesus,  ii.  448  ;  called  "  Holy  Father," 
 ii.  460 ;  called  "  Righteous  Father,"  ii.  477  ; 
 world  do!h  not  know,  ii.  478 ;  promise  of,  ex- 
 plained, ii.  846  ;  reserves  the  time  and  seasons 
 in  his  owu  hand,  ii.  857.  See  God,  and  Sou  of 
 God. 
 
ALPHABETICAL  INDEX. 
 
 Fear  of  man  forbidrlen,  i.  182  563. 
 Fear  of  Satan  enjoined,  i.  184. 
 Feasts,  soci.il,  directioBS  for  observing,  i.  588, 
 "  Few  that  lie  .^aved,"  are  there  1  i.  580. 
 "  Finished,  it  is,"  as  used  by  Jesus  on  the  cross, 
 ii.  68S;  its  comprehensiveness,  ii.  688  ;  includes 
 tlie  fulfillment  of  Scripture,  ii.  689;    refers  lo 
 the  close  of  liis  sufferings  and   death,  ii.  689 ; 
 was  a  cry  of  victory  and  joy,  ii.  691. 
 Fidelity  in  teni[)oral  and  spirituil  tliin<?s,  i.  638. 
 Fiil-t'-ee,   the   barren,   cursed,  i,  390 ;  parable  of, 
 in  Matt.  xxiv.  SI,  exp.ained,  i.  469,  parable  of, 
 in  Luke  xiii.  6-9,  explained,  i.  376. 
 Pile,  baptiNm  of,  i.  571. 
 Fire,  salted  with,  explained,  i.  408. 
 Fire,  hell,  i.  66. 
 
 Fisheis  of  men,  the  Apostles  wore,  i.  29,  524. 
 Fishes,  miracles   of  the   loaves  and,  i.  285,  304 ; 
 miraculous,  drautjht  of,  i.  533;  second  miracu- 
 lous draught   of,  ii.  770j  its  predictive  mean- 
 inz,  ii.  772. 
 Flesh  ot  Je.>us,  in  what  sense  to  be  eaten,  ii.  126. 
 Flesh,  born  of,  ii.  17. 
 Following   Jesus,  sacrifices   required  by,  i.   363, 
 
 365. 
 Forsiveness.     See  Enemies  and  Sins,  forgireness 
 
 of. 
 Fowls  of  the  air,  God's  care  for,  i.  107,  186. 
 Freedom,  spiritual,  ii.  198. 
 Friends,  believers  are  the,  of  Jesus,  ii.  386. 
 Fruit,  tree  known  by  its,  i.  127. 
 Fruit,  .spiritual,  ii.  378;    much,  glorifies  God,  ii. 
 
 382;  believers  ordained  to  bring  forth,  ii.  387. 
 Ga;ment,  the  weildmg,  explained,  i.  498. 
 Gate,  strait  and  wide,  the,  i.  121,  580. 
 Gtlileans  slain  by  Pilate,  i.  574. 
 Gililee,  Jeus  promises  lo  meet  the  disciples  in, 
 ii.  721  ;    meets    the   Apo.sllt^-^.  <>n   t'p-     i      <>  of 
 the  Lake  of,  ii.  769. 
 Galilee,  Lake  of.     See  S  'a  of  G.i  i.t  •, 
 Gentiles,  calling  ot,  ii.  551. 
 Gc't!L>emaiie,   the    place    of    ago.y,   i.   o6S),      See 
 
 Agony. 
 Glorified,  Qod  ii,  by  Christ,  ii.  449. 
 Glorified,  Jesus  prays  to  be,  ii.  442. 
 Glorified,  the  Son  of  Man  is,  ii.  297. 
 God,  tempting,  i.  11  ;  Lord  of  heaven  and  earth, 
 i.  216;  revealed  by  Christ,  i.  217 ;  his  relation 
 to  the  saints  in  a  fuiure   life,  i.  420;  unity   of, 
 i.  423  ;    love  of,  gift  of  Christ,  ii.  43  ;  spiritual- 
 ity of,  ii.  67  ;    glorified    by  denth  of  Christ,  ii. 
 328;  c.illed  the  "True  God,"  ii.  446;  his  holi- 
 ness, ii.  460 ;  his  righteousness,  ii.  477  ;  his  love 
 manifested  by  Jesus,  ii.  479.     See  Father,  God 
 the. 
 Gods,  "  I  said  ye  are,"  explained,  ii.  260-263. 
 Going,  of  the  Son  of  Man,  predicted,  ii.  502.     Sec 
 
 Son  of  Mm,  Jesus  the. 
 Goigollia,  the  place  of  crucifixion,  ii.  655. 
 Gi»spel,  nature  of,  i.  29;    invitations   of,   i.  405, 
 594 ;     excuses    for    rejecting,   i.   591 ;     to   be 
 preached   to  all   nations,  ii.  798 ;  is   the  great 
 theme  of  all  preaching,  ii.  827  ;  to  be  preaclieil 
 to  every  creaiure,  ii.828;  neglect  of,  leads  to 
 damnation,  ii.  829  ;  belief  of,  leads  to  salvation, 
 ii.  829;  is   preached   in    Hides,   to   those  who 
 have  not  heard    it   on    earth,    ii.   829;    to  be 
 preached  in  the  name  of  Christ,  ii.  814;  to  be 
 l)reachnd  to  the  uit/^rmost  parts  of  the  earth,  ii. 
 859.     See  Kingiom  of  heaven. 
 Giispels,  i()P  Four,  written   under  the   inspiration 
 of  the  Spirit,  i.  x.  ii. ;  charucl  'lislics  of  each,  i. 
 
 xiv. ;  a  tubular  Harmony  of,  and  remarks  ujoo 
 
 it,  i.xx.;  chronology  of  their  events,  i.xxiv.;  each 
 
 has  its  own  particular  plan,  i.  xxv. 
 Greatest  dispute  among  the  twelve  who   should 
 
 be,  i.  341. 
 Greatness   of  Christ's   disciples,  i.  S41,  501 ;    of 
 
 humility,  i.  344. 
 Greeks,  certain,   would  see  Jesus,  ii.  296  ;  deep 
 
 significance  of  their  words,  ii.  296 ;  Jesus  did 
 
 not  refuse  their  request,  ii.  297, 
 Gulf,  areat,  the,  i.  654. 
 
 Habakkuk,  general  scope  of  his  prophecj',  i.  591. 
 Hades,  general  view  of,   i.  648;  ii.  451;  Gospel 
 
 preached  in,  ii.  829. 
 Hand,  cut  off  the,  meaning  of,  i.  65  j  man  with  a 
 
 withered,  healed,  i.  226. 
 Harvest,  the  plentiful,  i.  170 ;  fields  white  unto, 
 
 ii.  73. 
 Harmony,  of  the  Gospels,  difficulties  of  a,  i.  x., 
 
 xix. ;    principles  of,  adopted  in  this  woik,  vjn- 
 
 dlcated,  ii.  xv,;  a  tabular,  and  remarks  upon  it, 
 
 i.  XX. ;  ii.  xviii. 
 Hearers,  d.fferent  cV  ss  s  of,  i.  260;  the  wayside, 
 
 i.  260;    the   stony    g  ouiul,  i.  202;  the  tliorny 
 
 ground,  i.  263  ;  the  good  ground,  i.  264  ;  d.ffer- 
 
 ei,t  hindrances  of  i.  265. 
 Ileal  t,  purity  of,  i.  41 ;  grossuess  of,  i.  257  ;  is  the 
 
 fountain  of  evil,  i.  299. 
 Heaven,  exclusion  from,  i.  129,  142,  581  ;    social 
 
 character  of  its  happiness,  i.  141  ;  a  house  of 
 
 many  man-ions,  ii.  3j3;  Je^us  goes  to  prepare, 
 
 ii.   313;    shadowed   forth   in   tl:e   passover,  ii. 
 
 496;  Jesus  did  not  ascend  to,  immediately  after 
 
 his  resurrection,  ii.  716. 
 Her,  gates  of,  i.  318  ;  torments  of,  i.  66,  406.  619  , 
 
 meaning   of,   i.''^618 ;    did   the  soul    of    Jesus 
 
 descend   unto?  ii.    664;    its   deep   d.^spair,   ii. 
 
 680. 
 Herod,   craftiness   of,  i.  583 ;   Jesus   sent  to.    ii. 
 
 638. 
 Holiness,  nature  of  ii.  400. 
 Holy  Ghost.     See  Spirit,  Holy. 
 Hour  of  Jesus,  not  yet  come,  i.  21  ;  arrival  of,  ii. 
 
 604. 
 Humility,  greatness  of,   i.  344  ;    enforced,  i.  381  ; 
 
 ii.  491 ;  Jvsus  an  e.ximple  of,  ii.  319,  491. 
 Ilimgor,  spiritual,  nature  and  blessedi.ess  of,  J. 
 
 40. 
 Ignorance,  of  Jews,  in  crucifying  Jesus,  ii.  659. 
 lin[iotont   nnn,   lieali'ig   of,    ii.  81  ;    his   anxious 
 
 wailing,  ii.  83;  his  despondency,  ii.  S3;  i)erfec- 
 
 lion  of  his  cuie,  ii.  83;  Jews  complain  that  he 
 
 was  healed  on  the  Sabhith,  ii.  84 ;  he  is  ex- 
 
 hortc<l  to  sin  no  move,  ii.  84. 
 Inspiration,  of  the  Old  Test.,  i.  429;  true  idea  of- 
 
 i.  4''.0;  of  prophecy,  i.  431  ;  source  of,   i.  431  ; 
 
 Cliiist    the    great   theme    of,    i.    433;    different 
 
 theories  of,  i.  433  ;  of  the  Apostles,  if.  414. 
 Isaiah,  announces  the  impenitence  of  the  Jews,  i. 
 
 257;  predicts  the  b-^nevolence   of  Christ's  mi.s- 
 
 sion,  i.  518;  foretells  the  suflerings  of  Christ,  i. 
 
 566. 
 Israel,  mission  of  the  Seventy  confined  to,  i.  169; 
 
 Christ's   personal  mission   coiifliieil  to,   i.  307 ; 
 
 apo-tolic  inquiry  concerning  restoration  of  ihi> 
 
 kingdom  to,  explainel,  ii.  851. 
 Jairus,  his  dau2ihtor  raised,  i.  162. 
 James  the  brother  of  John,  requests  to  sit  at  the 
 
 right  hand  of  Jesus  i.  877  ;    called  a  .son  of 
 
 thunder,  i.  491 ;  wish-s  to  call  fire  fiom  he.iven, 
 
 i.  533;    accompanies  Jesus  to  Gcth&enuiie,  ii. 
 
 672. 
 
ALPHABETICAL  INDEX. 
 
 Jemsalem,  Jesus  enters  in  tnuniph,  i.  885,  692; 
 llie  Lor^Ts  comiiassion  for,  i.  449,  585  ;  Jesus 
 weeps  oTer,  i.  693  ;  guilt  of,  i,  69i  ;  destruc- 
 tion of,  announced,  i.  457,  695  ;  ii.  16,  650  ;  to 
 have  the  first  off^r  of  mercy,  ii.  845. 
 
 Je-us  first  words  of,  i.  1 ;  goes  up  to  the  lemn'e, 
 i.  1  ;  his  interview  vv.tli  the  Doctors,  i.  1 ;  re- 
 proved by  his  motlier,  i.  4  ;  calis  Go  i  Father,  i. 
 4 ;  ii.  86 ;  is  about  his  Fatlier's  business,  i.  3  ; 
 taught  of  the  Fath.er,  i.  4 ;  grows  in  wisdom  and 
 stature,  i.  5  ;  fulfills  all  righteousness,  i.  6  ;  is 
 perfect  man,  i.  10 ;  how  he  is  to  be  sought,  i. 
 15  ;  his  first  miracle.'i.  19 ;  rebukes  his  mother, 
 i.  20 ;  his  respect  for  ordinary  customs  of  life, 
 1.22;  purifies  the  temple,  i.  23  ;  olten  taught 
 the  same  thing",  i.  33  ;  came  to  fu  fill  the  liw, 
 3.  47  ;  his  testimony  of  himself,  i.  47  ;  ii.  185  ; 
 heals  a  leper,  i,  138;  raises  centurion's  servant 
 i.  140;  stills  the  tempest,  i.  148;  raises  Jaiiu--' 
 daughter,  i.  162;  greater  than  the  temple,  i. 
 223  ;  greater  than  Jonas,  i.  244  ;  greater  than 
 Solomon,  i,  245 ;  walks  on  the  sea,  i.  288 ; 
 various  opinions  about,  i.  312  ;  his  transfigura- 
 tion, i.  302 ;  heals  a  lunatic,  i.  321 ;  his  tri- 
 umphant entrance  into  Jerusalem,  i.  385,  692  ; 
 is  David's  Son  and  Lord,  i.  427  ;  his  compassion 
 for  Jerusalem,  i.  449,  585;  his  first  sermon  nt 
 Nazareth,  i.  514  ;  raises  the  widow's  son.  i.  524; 
 his  visit  to  Dethany,  i.  550;  design  of  his  mis- 
 sion, ii.  44;  is  weary  at  the  well,  ii.  53 ;  pro- 
 claims himself  the  IMessiah,  ii.  71 ;  his  know- 
 ledge of  men,  ii.  60 ;  nuses  a  nobleman's  son, 
 ii.  77  ;  heals  the  impotent  man,  ii.  81 ;  receives 
 not  honor  from  men,  ii.  107;  was  free  from  sin 
 ii.  215;  had  not  a  devil,  ii.  217  ;  honored  his 
 Father,  ii.  217  ;  his  unceasing  activity,  ii.  231 ; 
 heais  man  born  blind,  ii.  227  ;  his  works  are 
 good,  ii.  258 ;  rai.ses  Lazarus,  ii.  264  ;  is  anoint- 
 ed at  Bethany,  ii.  288  ;  washes  his  disciples' 
 feet,  ii.  310;  is  the  true  vine,  ii.  374;  his  joy, 
 ii.  384 ;  his  great  love,  ii.  385 ;  eats  the  last 
 passGver  with  his  disciples,  ii.  482;  his  pre- 
 science, ii.  486  ;  his  agony,  ii.  559  ;  his  appre- 
 hension, ii.  588;  heals  the  ear  of  M,i'.':hus,  ii. 
 696  ;  arraigned  before  Annas,  ii.  604;  tiied  be- 
 fore Caiaphas,  ii.  611;  examined  before  the 
 Sanhediim,  ii.  617;  tr.ed  by  Pilate,  ii.  619 ;  is 
 sent  to  Herod,  ii.  635 ;  did  his  soul  dei-cend 
 into  hell  ?  ii.  664 ;  commends  his  mother  to 
 John,  ii.  668 ;  iiis  cry  of  abandonment  on  the 
 cross,  ii.  674  ;  commas  his  spirit  to  the  Father, 
 ii.  692;  resurrecti<m  of,  ii.  702;  appears  lo 
 Mary  Magdalene,  ii.  706  ;  his  appearance  to  the 
 women  in  the  gardea,  ii.  718  ;  accompanies  the 
 disciples  to  Emmaus,  ii.  722;  mirarulously  ap- 
 pears to  the  Ai)osdes  when  the  doors  are  shut, 
 ii.  738;  meets  the  Apostles  on  the  Lake  of 
 Galilee,  ii,  769;  appears  to  many  disciples,  ii. 
 794;  his  perpetual  prcsenca  Wu  h  Apostles  and 
 ministers,  ii.  825;  opens  the  Scrifitures  to  the 
 disciples,  ii.  841;  ascension  of,  ii.  848.  860.  See 
 body,  divinity,  death,  scfleilngs,  soul,  and  re- 
 surrection of  Jesu*^ 
 
 Jesus,  parents  of,  understood  him  not,  i.  5 ;  re- 
 prove him  for  his  absence,  i.  -5  ;  he  is  subject, 
 to,  i.  5.  See  Biethren,  and  Kinsfold  of  Jesus; 
 and  Mary,  mother  of  Jesus. 
 
 Jews,  required  signs  in  order  to  faith,  ii.  77;  con- 
 derane  1  by  the  writ  nas  of  Moses,  ii.  109;  did 
 not  believe  Moses,  ii.  110;  murmur  at  Jesus,  ii. 
 123;  accuse-Jesus  of  not  hiving  learned,  ii. 
 152;  kept  not  the  law,  ii.  157;  .sougUl  to  kill 
 
 Jesus,  ii.  158,  205 ;  seek  Christ  and  not  find 
 him,  ii.  164;  claim  to  be  Abraham's  seed,  ii. 
 199 ;  understood  not  the  words  of  Jesus,  ii. 
 208;  call  Jesus  a  Simaritan,  ii.  215 ;  called 
 God  Father,  ii.  220  ;  attempt  to  stone  Jesus,  ii. 
 226,  246 ;  division  among,  on  account  of  words 
 of  Jesus,  ii.  254;  their  dispersion  and  recovery 
 announced,  ii.  554  ;  iguonnce  of,  in  crucitymg 
 Jesus,  ii.  657 ;  rulers  of,  mock  Jesus  on  the 
 cross,  ii.  660. 
 
 John,  the  Baptist,  knew  not  Jesus,  i.  5:  "rcond 
 interview  with  Jesus,  i.  14;  his  impritour.xei.t, 
 i.  192;  did  not  doubt  Messiahship  of  Jesus,  i. 
 19 J;  his  message  to  Jesus,  and  the  reply,  i. 
 194;  our  Lord's  testimony  to,  i.  199;  was  a 
 prophet,  i.  200  ;  his  steadfastness,  i.  201 ;  the 
 forerunner  of  Jesus,  i.  201  ;  his  greatness,  i. 
 203  ;  the  Elias,  i.  207,  208,  285;  his  abstinence, 
 !.  210;  bore  witness  to  Jesus,  ii.  99 ;  \wis  a 
 burning  and  a  shining  light,  ii.  101;  predicts 
 the  baptism  of  the  Sprit,  ii.  852. 
 
 John  the  Evangelist,  reque>ts  to  sit  at  the  right 
 hand  of  Jesus,  i.  377  ;  called  a  son  of  thunder, 
 i.  494  ;  forbids  one  casting  out  d-vils,  i.  502; 
 wishes  to  call  fiie  from  heaven,  i.  .533 ;  lay  in 
 Jesus'  bosom,  ii.  323 ;  sent  to  prejjare  the 
 Passover  feast,  ii.  485 ;  accompanies  Jesus  to 
 Gethsemane,  ii.  572 ;  Jesus  commends  his  moth- 
 er to,  ii.  670;  visits  the  se;)ulchre,  ii.  704;  the 
 disciple  whom  Jesus  loved,  ii.  788 ;  the  pro- 
 l)hecy  that  he  should  continue  till  Christ  came, 
 ii.  790;  contrasted  with  Peter,  ii.  793. 
 
 John,  Gospel  according  to,  charac; eristics  of,  i. 
 xxiii.  ;  preface  to,  ii.  v. ;  false  theories  of  ex- 
 posit  on  of,  ii.  vi.  ;  validity  of  cli.  xxi.  vindicate  i, 
 ii.  765;  validity  of  conclusion  of,  vindicated,  ii. 
 791. 
 
 John,  in  Patmos,  ii.  897 ;  shown  the  future,  ii. 
 945;  final  word  to,  ii.  947. 
 
 Jonas,  the  sign  of,  i.  243. 
 
 Joy  of  Je^us,  ii.  385.  * 
 
 Judas  Iscariot,  his  betray  d  of  Jesus  announced, 
 ii.  146 ;  is  a  devil,  ii.  146 ;  complnins  of  wa-te, 
 ii.  289;  is  a  thief,  ii.  29J ;  Satan  tempos,  ii. 
 314  ;  his  crime  predicted,  ii.  322;  marked  out 
 as  the  traitor,  ii.  323;Satnn  enters  into,  li. 
 325  ;  is  the  son  of  perdition,  ii.  463 ;  the  instru- 
 ment of  Satan  and  executor  of  Divine  ])urpose, 
 ii.  482;  marked  out  as  the  traitor,  ii.  501,  549; 
 woe  pronounced  agaiast,  ii.  503;  his  act 
 not  necessitated  by  Divine  counsels,  ii.  505 ; 
 his  guilt,  ii.  506;  l;is  insensibiHty  to  his  posi- 
 tion, ii.  507 ;  a  sore  temptation  to  Je*ius,  ii. 
 502  ;  doom  of,  foreshadows  doom  of  Antichrist, 
 iL  507  ;  the  worst  of  all  sinners,  ii.  588;  did 
 not  kiss  Jesus  at  the  betrayal,  ii.  593  ;  his  .salu- 
 tation in  the  garden,  ii.  595  ;  greatness  of  his 
 sin,  ii.  694. 
 
 Judging,  censorious,  L  112;  after  the  flash,  ii, 
 186. 
 
 Jud;.>ment,  final,  the  coming  of  Christ  to,  d<»scrib- 
 ed,  i.  486 ;  ii.  615;  committed  to  the  Son,  ii. 
 92 ;  terrors  of,  ii.  653. 
 
 Judgment  of  Jesus,  true,  ii.  187. 
 
 Judge,  unjust,  the,  parable  of,  i.  676. 
 
 Justification,  doctrine  of,  i.  685.  See  Sins,  for- 
 giveness of. 
 
 Kedron,  brook,  Jesus  passes  over,  ii.  571. 
 
 Keys,  power  of  the,  i.  319,  313.  iS"**  Sins,  remis- 
 sion of,  by  ministerial  power. 
 
 King.  Jesus  acknowledges  himself  to  be  a,  ii. 
 623. 
 
910 
 
 ALPHABETICAL  INDEX. 
 
 King  going  out  to  battle,  parable  of,  i.  598. 
 
 Kings  of  the  Gentiles,  th'?ir  luidsliij)  not  to  be 
 followed  in  the  Cluircli,  i.  381  ;  ii.  400. 
 
 Kingdom  of  heaven,  of  God,  its  nature,  i.  28;  ii. 
 11 ;  is  at  hitnd,  i.  28 ;  suffereth  violence,  i.  204  ; 
 ii.  642;  myt.teries  of,  i.  255  ;  kn-s  of,  319,  343  ; 
 liitie  cliidrn  m°niber.>»  of,  i.  357  ;  liow  to  be 
 received,  i.  357  ;  likened  to  ten  virgins,  i.  477  ; 
 compared  to  .seed,  i.  495 ;  cometh  not  wiih  ob- 
 servation, i.  669. 
 
 K  nudom  of  Cliri.-t,  i.  690;  nature  of,  ii.  624;  not 
 of  this  world,  ii.  625 ;  is  a  kinadom  tf  truth,  ii. 
 630;  its  restoration  to  Israel  explained,  ii. 
 855. 
 
 Kingdom  and  throne.s,  promised  to  Apostle.s,  i. 
 365 ;  ii.  492. 
 
 Kinsfolk  of  Christ,  i.  248;  his  spiritual,  i,  249. 
 See  Brethren,  Parents,  and  M.uy,  the  mother, 
 of  Jesus. 
 
 Knowledge  of  God  and  of  Christ,  ii.  445. 
 
 Laborers  in  the  vineyard,  parable  of,  i.  368  ;  its 
 ol)ject,  i.  371 ;  ex|iosiiion  of,  i.  372. 
 
 Lamps,  of  the  wise  and  foolish  virgins,  meaning 
 of,  i.  478;  signify  tlie  heart,  i.  478;  conse- 
 quenco  of  thoir  becoming  extinguished,  i. 
 479. 
 
 Laouica;,  epistle  to,  ii.  938. 
 
 Law,  the,  fulfilled  by  Jesus,  i.  47,  49;  division  of, 
 i.  57;  not  opposed  to  Sermon  on  the  Mount,  i. 
 58 ;  love  the  the  fulfilling  of  the,  i.  71. 
 
 Lawyer,  a,  tempts  Jesus,  i.  68 ;  inquires  for  eter- 
 nal life,  i.  543. 
 
 Lazarus,  parable  of  rich  man  and,  i.  640 ;  his 
 poverty  and  wretchedness,  i.  645 ;  his  death  and 
 jiappiness,  i.  647. 
 
 Lazarus,  :e'<urreclion  of,  ii.  2G4 ;  his  sickness  for 
 glory  ot  Go  l,ii.  265. 
 
 Learning,  human,  not  necessary  to  spiritual  re- 
 ligion, ii.  155. 
 
 L;'aven,  parable  of  the,  i.  277  ;  of  the  Pharisees, 
 i.  308. 
 
 Leper,  the,  healed,  i.  133. 
 
 Lepers,  the  ten,  cleansed,  i.  666;  their  faith  in 
 Je  us,  i.  667;  the  araleful  one,  i.  6G7;  the  un- 
 thankful nine,  i.  667. 
 
 Lite,  to  be  sacrificed  for  Christ,  i.  189,  324. 
 
 L  fe,  spiritual,  comes  from  Christ,  ii.l06. 
 
 Life  eternal,  the  gift  of  Christ,  ii.  256;  flows  from 
 a  knowledge  ot  God  ;in  1  of  Christ,  ii.  445. 
 
 Light,  an  emblem  of  piely,  i.  45;  the  body  fidl  of, 
 explained,  i.  102.  104  ;  men  love  darkness  rath- 
 er than,  ii.  46  ;  John  Baptist  was  a  burning  and 
 shilling,  ii.  101. 
 
 Light  of  the  Christian,  not  to  be  h'd,  i.  45. 
 
 Liijht  of  the  world,  Christ  the,  ii.  183,  233  ;  Chris- 
 ti  ins,  the,  i.  45. 
 
 Lilies,  God's  care  for,  an  argument  for  tru!>t,  i. 
 107. 
 
 Loave's  and  fishes,  miracle  of  feeding  the  five 
 thousand  wth,  i.  285;  ot  feeding  the  four 
 thousand  with,  i.  304  ;  people  followed  Christ 
 for,  ii.  113. 
 
 Looking  back,  reproved,  i.  535. 
 
 Love,  the  fulfilhng  of  llie  law,  i.  426. 
 
 Love  to  the  brethren,  ii.  331 ;  commandid,  ii. 
 388. 
 
 Love  to  Christ,  demanded,  i.  188;  to  be  supreme, 
 i.  546;  prompts  to  obedience,  ii  35-'>,  364; 
 want  of,  criminal,  ii.  365  ;  believers  to  ab.de  in, 
 ii.  384  ;  evidences  of,  increasing,  ii.  787. 
 
 Love  to  enemies,  i.  79,  136. 
 
 Love  to  God.  i.  424. 
 
 Love  to  neighbor,  i.  78,  425. 
 
 Love  ot  God,  in  the  gift  of  his  son,  ii.  43. 
 
 Lord's  Supper,  not  referred  to  in  John  vi.,  ii.  ISO; 
 its  institution,  ii.  508:  symbolized  by  the  Pass- 
 over,  ii.  511 ;  diffdrence  in  the  words  of  insti- 
 tution, ii.  514;  bread  used  in,  significince  of, 
 ii.  516 — see  Bread;  is  called  the  Eucharist,  ii. 
 514  ;  how  the  Body  of  Christ  is  received  in,  ii. 
 518,  523 ;  observance  of,  enjoined,  ii.  525 ; 
 Ciirist  to  be  remembered  in,  ii.  527  ;  shows 
 forth  death  of  Christ,  ii.  528;  the  wine  use.l  in 
 the,  ii.  528;  controversies  concerning,  noticed, 
 ii.  536 ;  worthy  and  unworthy  reception  of,  ii. 
 540 ;  is  significant  of  union  among  Christians, 
 ii.  542 ;  consecration  of  the  elements  in,  ii.  544  j 
 si)iritual  discernment  necessary  to  the  recep- 
 tion of,  ii.  545  ;  has  anticipative  reference,  ii. 
 549;  not  celebrated  at  Emmaus,  ii.  734. 
 
 Lost  sheep,  parable  of,  in  Matt,  xviii,  12-14,  i. 
 339;  parable  of,  in  Luke,  xv.,  i.  604. 
 
 Lost  piece  of  money,  parable  of,  i.  606. 
 
 Lot,  days  of,  i.  472,  675. 
 
 Lot's  wife,  i.  675. 
 
 Luke,  Gospel  according  to,  its  characteristics,  i. 
 xvii.;  chronology  of  is  narrative,  i.  xxvii. 
 
 Lunatic,  the,  cured,  i.  321. 
 
 Malchus,  his  ear  hea'ed,  ii.  596. 
 
 Mammon,  cannot  seive  God  and,  i.  106,  568;  un- 
 riirhtf  ous,  i.  634  ;  making  frieuds  of,  i.  637. 
 
 Mark,  Gospel  according  to,  i.  xvi.  ;  characteristics 
 of,  i.  xvii.,  491 ;  chronology  of  its  narrative,  i. 
 xxvi.;  validity  of  ch.  xvi.  14,  ii.  738. 
 
 Marriage,  exists  not  in  a  future  state,  i.  420 ;  a 
 .'ymbol  of  the  union  between  Christ  and  the 
 Church,  i.  156.     See  Adultery  and  Divorce. 
 
 Marriage  Supper,  parable  of,  i.  404,  591  ;  the  con- 
 nection of,  as  related  by  Matthew  and  Luke,  i. 
 408 ;  the  invited  guests  and  their  excuses,  i. 
 405,  594. 
 
 Mai  tha,  sister  of  Lazarus,  receives  Jesas  at  Beth- 
 any, i.  550;  is  rebuked  for  overcare,  i.  551 ; 
 of  whom  she  is  a  type,  i.  552;  family  of,  at 
 Bethany,  ii.  264  ;  love  of  Jesus  to,  ii.  266;  her 
 interview  with  Jem,  ii.  272;  her  belief  in  the 
 resuirection,  ii.  274 ;  her  laitli  in  t'le  Messiah, 
 ii.  278 ;  her  unbelief  rebuked,  ii.  283 ;  serves  at 
 supper,  ii.  289. 
 
 Mary,  the  Mo' her  of  Jesus,  reproves  Jesus,  i.  5; 
 is  reproved  by  him,  i.  19;  not  to  be  worshipped, 
 i.  20;  benediction  on,  i.  559;  committed  to  the 
 care  of  John,  ii.  668;  why  Jesus  called  her 
 woman,  ii.  669 ;  Romish  homage  to,  rebuked,  ii. 
 669. 
 
 Mary,  sister  of  Lazarus,  sat  at  Je.sus'  feet,  i.  551 ; 
 of  whom  she  is  a  type,  i.  553 ;  goes  to  meet 
 J.^su-i,  ii.  278;  anoints  Jesus  at  Bethany,  ii. 
 288 ;  her  commendation,  ii.  204. 
 
 Miry  Magdalene,  visits  the  sepulchre,  ii.  703;  tella 
 the  disciples  of  resurrection  of  Jesus,  ii.  703; 
 h?r  love  to  the  Saviour,  ii.  705  ;  sees  two  angels, 
 ii.  705 ;  her  sorrow  at  the  empty  sepuKhre,  ii. 
 705 ;  first  appeamnce  of  Jesus  to,  ii.  706;  calla 
 Jesus  Rabboni,  ii.  709;  her  desire  to  touoh 
 Jesus,  explained,  ii.  709. 
 
 Master,  Christ  the  good,  i.  359;  Lord  and,  ii. 
 321. 
 
 Masters,  man  cannot  serve  two,  i.  105,  639. 
 
 Mitlhcw,  cill  of,  i.  156. 
 
 .Miuhew,  Go-pel  according  to,  characteristics  of, 
 i.  xvi. ;  chronology  of  its  narrative,  i.  xxv. 
 
 Meat,  spiritual,  ii.  71  ;  to  be  souaht  above  tein« 
 poral,  ii.  114  ;  fljsh  ol  Jesas  the  irue^  ii.  12tL 
 
ALPHABETICAL  INDEX. 
 
 971 
 
 Meekness,  ifs  nature  and  blessedness,  i.  38. 
 
 Mercilul,  true  character  and  blessedness  of  the,  i. 
 41. 
 
 Mercy  and  not  sacrifice,  meaning  of,  i.  158,  224. 
 
 Ministers.     See  Apostles. 
 
 Miracles,  jower  of  working,  conferred  on  the 
 Apostles,  i.  170;  on  the  Seventy  disciples,  ii. 
 540;   to  be  wronght  in  name  ot  Jesus,  ii.  835. 
 
 Miracles  ot  Christ,  evidences  of  his  Divine  Mis- 
 sion, i.  197. 
 
 Mission,  of  the  Apostles — tec  Apostles,  mission  of; 
 of  the  Seventy — see  Seventy,  mission  of. 
 
 Missions  to  the  heathen,  instructions  concerning, 
 in  the  commission  of  the  Apostles,  i.  171. 
 
 Mite,  the  widow's,  i.  511. 
 
 Money — see  Tribute  ;  lost  pirce,  parable  of,  i.  606. 
 
 Morning,  sfiiritual,  its  natu  e  and  blessedness,  i. 
 37;  lor  sin  urged,  ii.  649;  for  sufl'erings  of 
 Christ,  ii.  650. 
 
 Moses,  and  propltets,  meaning  of,  i.  656. 
 
 Moses,  writings  of,  condemned  the  Jews,  ii.  109  ; 
 Jews  believed  not  the,  ii.  110;  spoke  of  Jesus, 
 ii.  731. 
 
 Murder,  close  connection  of,  with  adultery,  i. 
 57. 
 
 Name,  change  of,  i.  16 ;  written  in  heaven,  i. 
 541. 
 
 Name  of  God,  ii.  454 ;  manifested  to  men,  ii,  455  ; 
 declared  by  Christ,  ii.  479. 
 
 Name  of  Jesus,  prayer  to  be  offered  in,  ii.  354; 
 miracles  to  be  wrought  in,  ii.  835 ;  Gospel  to 
 be  preached  in,  ii.  844 ;  salvation  only  in,  ii. 
 844. 
 
 Name  of  the  Trinity,  explained,  ii.  802. 
 
 Nain,  young  man  raised  at  the  gate  of,  i.  524. 
 
 N.ithanael,  his  first  interview  wilii  Jesr.s,  i.  17. 
 
 Nazareth,  Christ's  first  .sermon  at,  i.  514. 
 
 Neighbor,  love  to,  i.  78,  425 ;  duty  to,  i.  120, 
 545. 
 
 Net,  parable  of  the,  i.  275. 
 
 Neutrality  between  Chr.st  and  Satan  criminal,  i. 
 233. 
 
 Nicodemu.s,  his  interview  with  Jesus,  ii.  2;  was  a 
 Pharisee,  ii.  3  ;  his  character,  ii.  4;  spirit  in 
 which  he  sought  Jesus,  Ii.  6:  his  ignorance,  ii. 
 12,  25. 
 
 Nineveh,  men  of,  i.  245. 
 
 Noah,  days  of,  i.  473,  679. 
 
 Nobleman,  a  certain,  and  his  servants,  parable  of, 
 i.  689  ;  son  of  a,  raised  to  life,  ii.  77. 
 
 Oaths,  Clirist's  leaching  concerning,  i.  70;  doc- 
 trine of  Scribes  and  Pharisees  concerning,  i. 
 443;  method  of  taking,  amono^  the  Jews,  ii. 
 613  ;  Christ  jiut  upon  his,  by  Caiaplias,  ii.  614. 
 
 Offences,  woe  unto,  i.  348,  662;  the  <aith  which 
 overcometh,  i.  663. 
 
 Olivet,  the  place  of  Christ's  retirement,  ?j.  571. 
 
 Omnipresence  of  Jesus,  ii.  825. 
 
 Parables  of  Jesus,  the  seven,  in  Matt,  xiii.,  i.  250; 
 their  general  character,  i.  250 ;  why  Jesus  spake 
 in,  i.  256  ;  the  three,  in  Luke  xv.,  their  charac- 
 ter and  scope,  i.  600. 
 
 Paradise,  meaning  of  the  term,  ii.  664 ;  is  a 
 region  of  joy  in  Hades,  ii.  664. 
 
 Paralytic  healed,  i.  147. 
 
 Paxsovor,  Jesus  eats,  for  the  last  time,  ii.  484, 
 494;  solemnity  of,  ii.  495;  heaven  shadowed 
 forth  in  the,  ii.  496  ;  ceremonies  of,  ii.496  ;  the 
 cup  of,  drank  by  Jesus,  ii.  496;  nature  and  ob- 
 jects of  its  institution,  ii.  510;  a  symbol  of  the 
 Lord's  Suppfr,  ii.  512. 
 Paul,  Christ's  word;  to,  as  a  persecutor,  Ii.  863; 
 
 his  mission,  ii.  875;  his  commission,  ii.  878;  in 
 Corinth,  ii   888;  in  bonds  at  Jerusalem,  ii.  890; 
 in  his  ii.flnity,  ii.  893. 
 Pt-ace-makeis,  their  character  and  blessedness  i. 
 
 41. 
 Peace,  of  Jesus,  contrasted  with  that  of  the  world, 
 ii.  368;    in  Jesus,  ii.  438;    bestowed   on  the 
 Aposili's,  ii.  740;  wounds  of  Je.NUs,  the  ground 
 of,  ii.  744. 
 Pearls,  goodly,  par.ible  of,  i.  273. 
 Pergamos,  epistle  to,  ii.  916. 
 
 Persecution,  the  blessedness  aTid  reward  of  en- 
 during, i.  42;  foretold,  i.  457  ;  Ai)o^tles  were 
 to  flee  from,  i.  460;  days  of,  to  be  shortened,  i. 
 461 ;  j)redicted,  ii.  39'.*. 
 Peier,  his  first  interview  with  Jesus,  i.  16  ;  leaves 
 his  worldly  calling,  i.  31 ;  is  convinced  of  his 
 sinfulness,  i.  31 ;  walks  on  the  sea,  i.  281  ;  his 
 noble  confession,  i.  304  ;  his  blessing  and  <  ora- 
 mendation,  i.  305;  church  built  upon,  i.  307 ; 
 reproves  Jesus  and  is  rebuked,  i.  312;  obtains 
 tiie  tribute  money,  i.  321  ;  his  miraculous 
 draught  of  fihes,  i.  523 ;  protests  his  deter- 
 mination not  to  leave  Jesus,  ii.  145;  Jesus 
 washes  feet  of,  ii.  316;  his  denial  of  Jesus  pro- 
 I)hesied,  ii.  336 ;  sent  to  pre[)are  the  Passover 
 feast,  ii.  485;  Satan  tempts,  ii.  550  ;  Je>  us  prays 
 his  faith  may  not  fail ;  ii.  553 ;  conversion  of, 
 ii.  554  ;  goes  with  Jesus  to  Gi  h^emane,  ii. 
 572;  reproved  for  slee;)ing  duiug  tlie' agony, 
 ii.  581  ;  smites  Malciius,  ii.  59iJ ;  rebuked  for 
 using  the  sword,  ii.  599 ;  visits  the  sepulchre, 
 ii.  704  ;  to  be  specially  inlbrmed  of  the  Lord's 
 resurrection,  ii.  721 ;  leads  the  Apostles  a-fi^h- 
 ing  on  the  lake,  ii.  768  ;  throws  himself  into  the 
 sea  to  meet  Jesus,  ii.  770;  hia  love  to  Jesus 
 questioned,  ii.  774  ;  why  Jesus  calls  him  son 
 of  Jonas,  ii.  775;  stiength  of  his  love  to  Christ, 
 ii.  776 ;  commissioned  to  feed  Christ's  lambs 
 and  sheeji,  ii.  779  ;  his  sorrow  at  being  ques- 
 tioned three  tim^s,  ii.  781  ;  acknowledges  the 
 omniscierce  of  Christ,  ii.  782;  his  piimacy  as 
 held  by  Papists,  not  scriptural,  ii.  782;"  his 
 martyrdom  announced,  ii.  783 ;  contrast  be- 
 tween his  youth  and  age,  ii.  784;  conminnded 
 to  follow  Jesus,  ii.  787;  asks  whether  John 
 shall  follow,  ii.  788  ;  his  prying  curiosity  abnut 
 John  rebuked,  ii.  790 ;  contrast  between,  and 
 John,  ii.  791  ;  and  John,  a  type  of  the  Chnrch, 
 ii.  792 ;  his  trance  on  the  In  use-to  ,  ii.  884. 
 Pharisees.  See  Scribes  and  Pharisees. 
 Pharisee  and  publican,  parable  of,  i.  680, 
 Philadelphia,  epistle  to,  ii.  933. 
 Philip,  his  first  interview  with  Jesus,  i.  17  :  de- 
 sires Jesus  to  show  him  the  Father,  ii.  349. 
 Physician,  Christ  a,  i.  157;  heal  thyself  e.xplained, 
 
 i.  521. 
 Pilate,  Jesus  tried  by,  ii.  619;  is  representativo  of 
 the  world-power,  ii.  619;  his  office,  ii.  619  ;  his 
 insincerity,  ii.  623  ;  his  pride,  ii.  021 ;  ask-«, 
 What  is  truth]  ii.  631;  declares  Christ  itu.o- 
 cent,  ii.  634;  sends  Jesus  to  Herod,  ii.  635; 
 offers  the  Jews  a  choice  between  Jo^us  and 
 Barrab,is,ii.  636;  declines  to  execute  Jpmi>:,  ii. 
 637;  his  fear,  ii.  638;  is  offended  at  Christ's 
 silence,  ii.  639 ;  h.-^s  no  power  again-t  Jesus, 
 except  permitted  from  above,  ii.  642  ;  tries  to 
 •release  Jesus,  ii.  646;  delivers  Jesus  to  be  cru- 
 cified, ii.  647. 
 Poor,  Gospel  preached  to  the,  i.  199;  benevo- 
 lence to,  i.  590;  are  always  with  the  chu.ch,  ii. 
 292. 
 
972 
 
 ALPHABETICAL  INDEX. 
 
 Poverty,  spiritual,  its  nature  and  blessedness,  i. 
 
 36. 
 Power,  mediatorial,  of  Christ,  its  universality,  ii. 
 
 796 ;  is  given  to  liim,  ii.  796  ;  is  the  foundation 
 
 of  tiie  universal  mission   to  preach  the  Gospel 
 
 everywhere,  ii.  796. 
 Power,   ministerial.      See   Keys,   power    of,   and 
 
 Sins,  remission  of. 
 Power  from  on  high,  Spirit  is,  ii.  847. 
 Prayer,  encourajiemenl  to,  i.   118;     answers   to, 
 
 promised,  i.  345  ;    ii.  384 ;    its  connection  with 
 
 miracles,  i.  337  ;    Cnrist's  teaching  concerning, 
 
 i.  554  ;  im|)onunity  in,  urged,  i.  556,  677  ;  to  be 
 
 offered  in   the  name  of  Jesus,  ii.  354,425;  its 
 
 connection  with  walchfulne.ss,  ii.  582. 
 P;ayi?r,  secret,  to  be  strictly  private  and  without 
 
 oslentation,  i.  84. 
 Prayer,   Lord's,  the,   i.  85.  555 ;    comprt»liensive- 
 
 ness  ot.  i.  85  ;  a  form  or  a  model  1  i.  86  ;  com- 
 
 l)ared  with  the  law,  i.  87  ;    analysis  of,  i.  88 ; 
 
 doxology  of,  i.  94  ;  indicates  the  progress  of 
 
 human  life,  i.  95. 
 Prayer,  of  Jesus,  at  the  grave  of  Lazarus,  ii.  283  ; 
 
 for  the  Comforter,  li.  356 ;    in  Gethsemane,  ii. 
 
 577,  585 ;    on  the  cross  for  his  murderers,  ii. 
 
 655. 
 Prayer,  of  Jesus,  his  intercessory,  ii.  439 ;  sim- 
 
 pliciiy  and  sublimily  of,  ii.  440;  analysis  of,  ii. 
 
 441 ;  exposition  of,  ii.  442-480. 
 Prayer  6f  the  Pliarisee  in  the  temple,  was  offered 
 
 standing,  i.  681  ;    its  haughtiness  and  pride,  i. 
 
 682  ;  its  self-laudation,  i.  683. 
 Prayer  of  the  publican  in  the  temple,  arose  from 
 
 deep  repentance,  i.  684  ;    its  humilily,   i.  684  : 
 
 so  icils  mercy,  i.  685;    obtains  justification,  i. 
 
 685 ;    contrasted  with  thai  of  the  Pharisee,  i. 
 
 686. 
 Preaching,  its  distinc'ion  from  teaching,  ii.  824  ; 
 
 the  Gospel  the  great  Ihems   of,   ii.  827 ;  is  the 
 
 first  step  in   bringing   men  to  repentance,  ii. 
 
 827 ;  baptism  no  p  irt  of,  ii.  827  ;  must  be  to 
 
 every  creiture,  ii.  828. 
 Preaching  of  Jesus,  i.  492;  its  openness,  ii.  607. 
 Pride  a  hindrance  to  faith,  ii.  168. 
 Prodigal  son,  parable  of,  i.  608  ;  demands  his  ])or- 
 
 lion,  i.  609 ;    squanders  his  substance,  i.  611  ; 
 
 his   misery,  i.  612 ;    his  penitence,  i.  612;    his 
 
 reception,   i.   616;    haughtiness   of    his   eldest 
 
 brother,  i.  619. 
 Promise  of  the  Father,  the  Spirit  is  the,  ii.  816, 
 
 852. 
 Prophecy,  inspiration  of,  i.  431 ;  Christ  the  great 
 
 theme  of,  i.  432. 
 Prophecy  of  Caiaphas  concerning  the  necessity  of 
 
 Christ's  death,  ii.  287. 
 Pro[)h  -cy  of  David  concerning  Jesus,  as  his  Son 
 
 and  Lord,  i.  427  ;  as  ihe  "  ci)rnt*r-stone,"  i.  401 ; 
 
 as  abandoned  on  the  cross,  ii.  674. 
 Propliecy  of  Habakkuk,  general  character  of,  i. 
 
 693. 
 Prophecy  of  Isaiah,  geneial  scope  of  his  early,  i. 
 
 257  ;    concerning   the  benevolence  of  Christ's 
 
 mission,  i.  517;    general  scope   of  his   later,  i. 
 
 518;    concerning  the   sufferings  of  Christ,   ii. 
 
 567. 
 Pr.iphecy  of  Jesus,   concerning    destruction    of 
 Jerusalem,  i.  45;  the  occasion  of  its  utterance, 
 i.  45 ;  ii.  454  ;  exposition  of,  ii.  455. 
 Proplifcy  of  Jesus,  concerning  his  middle  advent, 
 i.  465;  introduction  to,  i.  465;  esposiiion  of,  i. 
 466. 
 Propliecy  of  Zechariah,  concerning  Christ's  entry 
 
 into  Jerusalem,  i.  385  ;  general  scope  of,  ii.  557, 
 (iind  note);  foretells  sufferings  of  Christ,  ii. 
 557. 
 
 Prophet,  Christ  a,  ii.  236. 
 
 Prophets,  warning  against  false,  i.  123;  blood  of, 
 avenged,  i.  447  ;  false,  not  to  be  lielieved,  i. 
 462,  674. 
 
 Provei  bs,  Jesus  sp.ike  in.  ii.  429. 
 
 Provideiice,  s[)ecial,  i.  186. 
 
 Psalm  viii.,  lu:fillodin  the  children  singing  praises 
 ot  Christ  in  ihe  temple,  i.  389. 
 
 Psalm  xxii.,  Messianic  character  of,  ii.  675. 
 
 Psalm  ex.,  its  Messianic  character,  i.  427. 
 
 Psalm  cxviii.,  announces  the  rejection  and  exalUi- 
 tion  of  Jesus,  i.  401. 
 
 Psalms,  Messiiuiic  character  of,  ii.  841. 
 
 Piiblican  and  Pharisee,  parable  of,  i^s  occasion,  i. 
 680;  its  exposition,  i.  681. 
 
 Purity  of  heart,  its  nature  and  ble.ssedness,  i.  41. 
 
 Reaper,  spiiitual,  his  joy  and  rew.ird,  ii.  75. 
 
 Receiving  Christ,  nature  of,  i.  191. 
 
 Reconciliation  between  brethren,  how  to  be  effect- 
 ed, i,  62,  342. 
 
 Regeneration.     See  Birth,  new. 
 
 Regeneration  of  all  things  at  the  last  day,  i.  366. 
 
 Repentance,  i.  28  ;  insufficiency  of.  alone,  i.  657 ; 
 to  be  preached  to  ah  naiions,  ii.  844. 
 
 Repentance  of  a  sinner,  deswib.ed,  i.  631,  612;  re- 
 joicing pioduced  by,  i.  605,  607,  612. 
 
 Repetitions,  vain,  in  prayer,  i.  84. 
 
 R.'proof,  brotherly,  Giirist's  teaching  concerning, 
 i.  113. 
 
 Resurrection,  Sadducees  tempt  Je  us  concerning, 
 i.  414  ;  was  known  to  the  patriarchs,  i.  417, 
 421 ;  announced  by  Je.  us,  ii.  91,  91,  97  ;  is  the 
 work  of  the  Failier,  ii.  91 ;  work  ot  the  Son, 
 ii.  122  ;  compared  to  awaking,  ii.  269;  Jesu.> 
 the,  ii.  275.     See  Body,  resurrection  of. 
 
 Retaliation,  Cin'ist's  teaciiing  concerning,  i.  74. 
 
 Reward  of  sacrifices  for  Christ's  .sake,  i.  367. 
 
 Rich,  woe  pronounced  against  the,  i.  135;  t'leir 
 scant  liberality  as  compaied  with  the  poor,  i. 
 512. 
 
 Rich  man,  and  Lazarus,  parable  of,  i.  610;  his 
 wealtn  and  splendor,  i.  644  ;  liis  death,  i.  617  ; 
 his  punishment,  i.  618 ;  his  |>rayer  and  its  an- 
 swer, i.  651 ;  his  request  for  his  brethren,  i. 
 651. 
 
 Rich  worlding,  parable  of,  i.  566 ;  his  foolish 
 security  and  anxiety,  i.  56J  ;  his  end,  i.  567  ; 
 lessons  from,  i.  567. 
 
 Riches,  to  what  extent  religion  demands  sacri- 
 fice of,  i.  364 ;  a  cau-e  of  uisquietude,  i.  566. 
 See  Treasure. 
 
 Righteousness  of  Christians,  its  nature  and  extent, 
 i.  55. 
 
 Righteousness  of  Scrib's  and  Pharisees,  i.  55. 
 
 Sabbath,  the,  i)rt>fined  by  the  priests,  i.  223; 
 Christ  Lord  of  tiie,  i.  224  ;  lawful  to  do  good 
 on,  i.  227  ;  healing  on,  lawful,  i.  518,  579,  586  ; 
 ii.  158;  Jesus  accused  of  healing  m,  ii.  84; 
 Jesus  vindicates,  ii.  85 ;  circumcision  on,  law- 
 ful, ii.  158. 
 
 Sacrament,  meaning  of  the  term,  ii.  509. 
 
 Sacraments,     See  Baptism  and  Lord's  Supper. 
 
 Salt,  Christians  are  the,  of  the  earth,  i.  44,  599; 
 an  emblem  of  grace,  i.  510,  599. 
 
 Salvation,  revealed  to  babes,  i.  215;    diffi  ulties 
 
 of,  i.  364;    received  by   faith,  ii.  829;    only  in 
 
 the  name  of  Je  us,  ii.  844. 
 
 Samaritan,  good,  paribe  of,   i.  514  ;   ocrn'=ion  of, 
 
 L  545  J    ex|.osiliou  of,  i.  546  \    the  ^loor   mau 
 
ALPHABETICAL  INDEX. 
 
 973 
 
 mentioned  in,  was  probably  a  Jew,  i.  546  ;  evil 
 conduct  of  t'le  priest  aii(l  Leviie,  i.  546  ;  the 
 charity  of  the  Samaritan,  i.  547  ;  its  great  les- 
 sons, i.  549. 
 
 Samaritan  worship.     See  Worship,  Sarairitan. 
 
 Sanctification,  its  nalure  and  me. ins,  ii.  466. 
 
 Sanhedrim,  Jesus  tried  before  the,  ii.  617 ;  their 
 accusations  against  Jesus,  ii.  621. 
 
 Sardis,  epistle  to,  ii.  927. 
 
 Satan,  tempts  Jesus,  i.  8  ;  enters  into  the  swine, 
 i.  151  ;  his  power  to  kill  the  soul,  i.  184;  Jesr.s 
 not  in  leaaue  with,  i.  227  ;  his  kinsdom,  i.  229  ; 
 sows  tares  among  the  wheat,  i.  267;  falls  from 
 .  heaven  as  lightning,  i.  534 ;  a  liar  and  mu 
 derer,  ii.  209;  tempts  Judas,  ii.  314;  was  a 
 great  agent  in  the  sufferings  of  Jesus,  ii.  373  ; 
 his  general  temptations,  ii.  551. 
 
 Saul.     -Sf^Paul. 
 
 S.yings  of  Jesus,  to  be  kept,  i.  130;  their  quali- 
 ties i.  228.     See  Words  of  Jesus. 
 
 Scribe,  ihe  young,  ofters  to  follow  Jesus,  i,  143; 
 the  we  l-in>tiucted,  i.  284. 
 
 Sc.ibes  and  Pharisees,  woes  pronounced  against, 
 i.  435,  560  ;  s.t  in  Moses'  seat,  i.  437  ;  ostenta- 
 tion of,  i.  439;  their  love  of  tii-les,  i.  441  ;  tiieir 
 doctrine  conceriiing  oaths,  i.  443  ;  paid  tithes, 
 i.  444  ;  their  hypocrisy,  i.  44-3  ;  ilK'ir  supersti- 
 tious reverence  lor  tombs  of  prophets,  i.  446  ; 
 their  zeal  tor  ceremonial  i)iirity,  i.  561 ;  tiieir 
 a!msgi\ing  condemnrd,  i.  56'2  ;  warning  against, 
 i.  563  ;  warn  Jesus  again- 1  Heio  1,  i.  583. 
 
 Scriptuies,  use  of,  in  temptation,  i.  8  ;  tiie  great 
 antidote  to  error,  i.  415;  iiiS[)i:aiion  of,  i.  429; 
 testify  of  Ciuist,  ii.  104;  how  quoted  by  J  stis, 
 ii.  556  ;  lu  filled  in  tlie  siifFeiings  of  Christ,  ii 
 601,  603,  689,  730 ;  predicted  the  thirst  of  Je- 
 sus on  tlie  cross,  ii.  682;  Jesus  expounds  tho  e 
 concern  ng  himself,  ii.  731 ;  Christ  ilie  tiiem  ^  ol 
 ail,  ii.  732;  their  liarmony  with  inwad  e.xpeii- 
 ence,  ii.  737  ;  Jesus  opens  the  understanding, 
 to  understand  the,  ii.  841  ;  Jews  uiidersiooil 
 not  liow  ihey  related  to  Messiah,  ii.  842 ;  Cliri-t 
 expounds  the,  to  his  Apoatles,  ii.  841.  See  Word 
 of  God. 
 
 Sea  of  Galilee.  Chrift  wa'ks  on,  i.  288-  Petor 
 walks  on,  i.  289 ;  Jesus  dines  with  the  Apostles 
 on  the  shore  of,  ii.  769. 
 
 Sealed,  Jesus,  of  tlie  Father,  ii.  115. 
 
 Seasons.     See  T.mes  and. 
 
 Seed,  word  of  God  compared  to,  i.  259  ;  kingdom 
 of  God  comi)arcd  to,  i.  495. 
 
 Seed,  mustard,  parable  of,  i.275;  represents  the 
 development  of  the  kingdom  ot  Christ,  i.  276. 
 
 Seeking  Christ,  false  motives  in,  rebuked,  ii.  113. 
 
 Self-deception,  danger  and  conseauences  of,  i. 
 129 
 
 Self  deniil,  enforced,  i.  65,  824,  348. 
 
 Self-exaltation,  reproved,  i.  589. 
 
 Self-justification,  i,  641. 
 
 Sepu'chre,  stone  rolled  away  from,  ii,  702  ;  visits 
 of  the  disciples  to,  harmonized,  ii.  703 ;  Peter 
 and  John  visit  the,  ii.  704  ;  visits  of  the  women 
 to,  harmoj.ized,  il.  718. 
 
 Sermon  on  the  Mount,  the  introduction  to,  i.  32 ; 
 teaches  wiierein  consists  the  kingdom  of  God,  i. 
 33  ;  analysis  of,  i.  34  ;  exposition  of,  i.  35 ;  tes- 
 tified to  Jesus,  i.  47  ;  not  opposed  to  the  law,  i. 
 57 ;  the  impression  wliich  it  produced,  i.  131  ; 
 as  given  by  Luke,  i   132. 
 
 Serpent,  brazen,  a  symbol  of  Christ's  death,  ii. 
 34.  _- 
 
 Servants  of  Christ,  i.  481,  691. 
 
 Servant,  good,  parable  of,  i.  474,  570;  reward  of, 
 i.  484,  691. 
 
 Servant,  evil,  i.  483 ;  imnisliment  of,  i.  484,  672. 
 
 Servant,  wicked,  i)arahle  of,  i.  345. 
 
 Service  rendered  to  God,  not  raenu.rious,  i.  664. 
 
 Seven  Cliurciies,  ei.isiles  to,  ii.  906. 
 
 Seventy,  the  mission  of  the,  i.  536  ;  not  the  same 
 as  tliat  of  the  Twelve  in  Mriii.  x.,  i.  537;  Iheir 
 retui^n  from,  witli  joy,  i.  539. 
 
 Sheba,  Queen  of,  1.  245. 
 
 Sh^ep  of  Christ,  Christians  are  the,  i.  568:  ii.  250; 
 m.ni'ters  are  to  feed  the,  ii.  779. 
 
 Shee|),  lost,  parable  of,  in  Matt,  xviii.  12.  ex- 
 plained, i.  339  ;  in  Luke  xv.  4,  i.  6l)4. 
 
 Sht-pherd,  Jesus  the,  i.  604 ;  lus  gr.iciousi.ess,  i. 
 605  ;  is  the  good,  ii.  245  ;  smitten  as  the,  ii. 
 557. 
 
 Shepherd,  the  good,  parable  ( f ,  ii.  240;  analysis 
 of,  ii.  241  ;  exposition  of,  ii.  241. 
 
 Shepheids,  false  and  hireling,  are  ihieves  and  rob- 
 bers, ii.  246,  248 ;  care  not,  for  the  sheep,  ii. 
 249. 
 
 Sign  of  the  prophet  Jonah,  i.  213;  Jews  required 
 a,  in  order  to  faith,  ii.  78. 
 
 Signs  of  tiie  times  referred  to,  i.  306,  572. 
 
 Signs,  which  lollow  those  that  beiieve,  explained, 
 ii.  833. 
 
 Silence  of  Jesus  at  his  trial,  ii.  612  ;  before  Pilate, 
 ii.  640. 
 
 Siloam,  brook  of,  i.  234 ;  tower  of,  f.dl  on  eigh- 
 teen men,  i.  575. 
 
 Simon  the  Pharisee,  inv!t?d  Jesus  to  dinp,  i.  526  ; 
 h.s  annoyance  at  our  Lord  conversing  with  a 
 sinful  woman,  i.  527;  is  rebuked  and  put  to 
 shame,  i.  528. 
 
 Sin,  Spirit  convinces  the  world  of,  ii.  406  ;  differ- 
 ent degrees  of,  ii.  645;  Christ  sulic-red  for,  ii. 
 6J1. 
 
 S.ns,  forgiveness  of,  Jesus  best<)ws,  i.  153;  doc- 
 trine of,  i.  530;  blood  of  Christ  shea  for,  ii.  536  ; 
 forgi.eness  of,  to  be  preached  to  idl  nations,  ii, 
 844. 
 
 S.ns,  remission  of,  by  ministerial  power,  explained, 
 ii.  751  ;  not  exclusively  given  to  the  Ajiostles, 
 ii.  751  :  is  held  in  connection  with  the  posses- 
 sion of  the  Holy  Spirit,  ii.  752 ;  c&mprehen  Is 
 the  right  of  Apostles  and  mini  ters  to  admit 
 into  and  remove  from  Cliurch  of  Christ,  ii.  753  ; 
 Sec  Keys,  power  of. 
 
 Shivery,  ot  sin,  ii.  2Jl. 
 
 Sleep,  deaih  compared  to,  i.  169;  ii.  2G9. 
 
 Smyrna,  epistle  to,  ii.  913 
 
 Solomon,  glory  of,  i.  108;    wisdom   of,  i.  245; 
 
 Christ  iiieater  than,  i.  245. 
 Son  of  God.  Jesus  the,  i.  314  ;  ii.  44,  87  ;  design 
 of  his  mission,  ii.  45;  equal  wiih  the  F..ther,  ii. 
 88;  judgment  committed  lo,  ii.  92  ;  to  be  hon- 
 ored equihy  with  the  Father,  ii.  92;  his  works 
 bear  witness  to,  ii.  88 ;  will  raise  the  dead,  ii. 
 122;  came  from  the  Father,  ii.  163,  435;  re- 
 turns to  the  Father,  ii.  165;  his  conscous 
 knowledge  of  the  Father,  ii.  221  ;  his  pre-exist- 
 ence,  ii.  2-'5,  450;  is  in  the  Father,  ii.  350;  his 
 r<*lation  to  the  Father,  ii.  403 ;  prays  lo  t'  e 
 Father,  ii.  443  ;  his  power  over  all  fk*sli,  ii.  444  ; 
 prays  to  be  glorified,  ii.  451 ;  Jesus  is  condemn- 
 ed as  the,  ii.  638  ;  centurion  acknowledges,  at  the 
 crucifixion,  ii.  696.  See  Father,  God  the. 
 Son  of  man,  Jesus  ihe,  i.  145;  ii.  32;  his  comins, 
 i.  325  ;  ii.  615  ;  days  of,  i.  674  ;  glorification  of, 
 i:.  297  ;  his  goins,  ii.  503. 
 Soul,  imiuateiial,  i.  184 ;  va'ue  and  loss  of,  i.  325  : 
 
»74 
 
 ALPHABETICAL  INDEX. 
 
 conscious  existence  of,  between  death  and  re- 
 Burrectim),  ii.  C65. 
 
 Soul  of  Je.sus,  (li.1  it  descend  into  hell  ?  ii.  664; 
 coniin.ned  into  tlie  han  is  of  tlie  Father,  ii.  69-  ; 
 I)l;)ce  of,  If iNveeii  his  deatii  and  lesunection,  li. 
 695. 
 
 Sower,  parable  of  the,  i.  258  ;  the  seed,  i.  259 ;  the 
 sower,  i.  '260;  iliediffr-rt-nt  kindsof  aroiUKi,  i.  260. 
 
 Spirit,  Holy,  telected  wl.ai  words  of  Jesus  were 
 to  be  writlen,  i.  22;  ;ind  b; ought  them  to  the 
 nnienihrance  of  the  disciples,  i.  32;  devils  cast 
 out  by,  i.  232;  blasphemy  against,  i.  237: 
 anoinleii  Jesu>  for  his  mission,  i.  518  ;  born  of 
 the,  ii.  17;  his  work  in  regenerat.'on,  ii.  17  ;  his 
 operations  mysterious  and  sovereign,  ii.  20 ; 
 liis  infliiei  ces  coni[)areiI  to  ilie  wind,  ii.  20; 
 quickens  nnd  gives  Jile,  ii.  138;  his  Divin- 
 ity and  Personality,  ii.  356;  is  the  Comfor- 
 ter, ii.  357;  is  the  Spirit  of  truth,  ii.  358; 
 world  cannot  receive,  ii.  359  ;  called  the  Holy 
 Ghost,  ii.  867 ;  sent  by  the  Father  in  Chri.^t's 
 Uiime,  ii.  3G6;  is  a  Teacher  and  Remembrancer, 
 ii.  367;  his  procession,  ii.  398;  sent  as  the 
 result  of  Christ's  departure,  ii.  406 ;  convinces 
 the  world  of  sin,  ii.  410;  insisted  the  Apostles, 
 ii.  414;  glorifies  Christ,  ii.  416;  api)lies  the 
 words  of  Christ,  ii.  481  ;  anoints  the  A[)Ostles, 
 ii.  748 ;  relation  which  the  gift  of,  to  the  Apos- 
 t  es,  immediately  after  the  re^u^rection,  sus- 
 tained to  the  outpouritig  of,  on  the  day  of 
 Pentecost,  ii.  748  ;  breathing  on,  a  sign  of  com- 
 municating tlie,  ii.  749;  apostolical  power  of 
 remitiing  sins  he'd  only  in  connection  with,  ii. 
 751 ;  power  of,  wrouglit  signs  and  wonders,  ii. 
 836;  is  the  promise  of  the  Father,  ii.  846,  851  ; 
 is  the  power  from  on  high,  ii.  847  ;  baptism  of, 
 ii.  852. 
 
 Sjirit,  Apostles  supjiosed  Jesus  to  be  a,  ii.  741  ; 
 man's  natural  liorror  at  tho  ajjpear.ince  of  a, 
 ii.  741  ;  Jesus  affi;ms  the  existence  of,  ii.  743. 
 
 Stewaid,  the  unjust,  patable  of,  i.  625;  various 
 exiiositions  of,  i.  025;  his  guilt,  i.  028;  his 
 cunning,  i.  629;  his  coinmendation,  i.  632. 
 
 S  rong  man  cast  out,  parable  of,  i.  231. 
 
 Sufferings  of  Christ,  made  kHown  to  his  disciples, 
 i.  321,  337,  370 ;  cup  an  emblem  of,  i.  378 ; 
 baptism  an  emb:em  of,  i.  378;  were  sicrificiai, 
 i.  383  ;  Sonpluies  fuTilled  in,  ii.  602,  089,  730; 
 mourning  lor,  ii.  630;  Scriptures  predict,  ii. 
 814 ;  necessity  of,  ii.  844.  See  Agony  and 
 D.ath  of  Jesus. 
 
 Suii|ier  of  the  Loid.     See  Lord's  Supper. 
 
 Sword,  Jesus  came  to  seu'l,  i.  187  ;  Shejiherd, 
 Christ  the,  smitten  by,  ii.  558  ;  Apostles  were  to 
 provide  a,  ii.  563 ;  the  two  possessed  by  the 
 Apostles,  ii.  568 ;  Peter  rebuked  for  using,  ii. 
 598  ;  lawful  and  unlawlul  use  of,  ii.  599. 
 
 Sychar,  city  of,  ii.  53. 
 
 Talents,  p^.ral>le  ot  the,  i.  481.  689. 
 
 Tares  and  wheat,  pnrable  of,  i.  266 ;  illustrates  the 
 origin  of  evil,  i.  260. 
 
 Tabeinacles,  feast  of,  ii.  166,  182. 
 
 Teaching  is  to  follow  baptism,  ii.  822;  to  be  per- 
 pf^ttial,  ii.  823;  its  did'erence  from  preaching,  ii. 
 823  ;  offica  of,  to  be  handed  down,  ii.  324. 
 
 Tenipe.-t,  the,  stilled,  i.  148. 
 
 '!'<  niple,  the,  a  house  of  merchandise,  i.  24  ;  puri- 
 fi  d  by  Jesus,  i.  23;  Jesus  greater  than  the,  i. 
 223;  made  a  den  of  thieves,  i.  40;  its  destiuc- 
 tioii  announced,  i.  434  ;  aVioinination  of  desola- 
 tion standing  in,  i.  458;  the  place  of  j)rayer,  i. 
 681 ;  veil  of,  rent  at  the  crncifixion,  ii.  695. 
 
 Temple,  the  body  of  Christ  a,  i.  25. 
 
 Temptation,  prayer  against,  i.  95 ;    described,  ii. 
 
 652  ;  disciples  warned  against,  ii.  582. 
 Temptation  of  Christ,  in  the  Wilderness,  i.  17;  the 
 
 time  of.  i.  xxiii. ;  his  life  was  full  of,  ii.  491  ;   by 
 
 Judas,  ii.  502. 
 Theolooy,  connection  and  distinction  between  the 
 
 Old  Testament  and  the  New  Testament,  ii.  220. 
 Thief,  impenitent,  rails  on  Christ,  ii.  061. 
 Thief,  penitent,  testified  of  Jesus,  ii.  662;  acknow- 
 ledges his  fault,  ii.  662 ;   his  prayer,  ii.  t;62 ;  hhe 
 
 Lord's  promise  to,  ii.  662  j  his  faith,  ii.  063  ;  his 
 
 charity,  ii.  60  ?. 
 ThintTS,  heavenly  and  earthly,  conlra.sted,  ii.  30. 
 Thirst,   sj)iritual — ace  hunger — of    Jesus   on    tlie 
 
 cross,  ii.  081  ;  announced  in  Scripture,  ii.  082  ;  its 
 
 nature  and  causes,  ii.  684;  its  sjnritual  signifi- 
 cance, ii.  685;  how  the  Jews  attempted  to  a.lay 
 
 it,  ii.  080. 
 Thomas,   wishes   to   die  with   Lazarus,   ii.    271 ; 
 
 absent  when  Jesus  appeared  to  Apostles,  ii.  75  \ ; 
 
 unbelief  of,  ii.  754  ;  want  of  faith  rebul-ed,  ii. 
 
 757  ;  acknowledges  Jesus  as  his  Lord  and  God, 
 
 ii.  759;  his  ftilh,  ii.  700. 
 Thought  for  the  morrow,  Christ's  teaching  con- 
 
 cerninof,  i.  100,  568. 
 Throne,  final  word  from,  ii.  947. 
 Tin-ones,  promised  to   tlie   Apostles,  i.  365  ;    ii. 
 
 492. 
 Thyaiira,  epistle  to,  ii.  920. 
 Times  and  Seasons,  are  reserved  in  the  Father's 
 
 hand,  ii.  856;  meaning  of,  ii.  857  ;    aie  known 
 
 to   Christ,  ii.  858,  860;    unknown  to  men,  ii. 
 
 853  ;  wisdom  of  God  in  concealng,  ii.  859. 
 Tower  of  Siloam,  fall  of,  i.  575. 
 To.ver,  building  a,  parable  of,  i.  597. 
 Toniiues,  spe.iking  wltli,  promised,  li.  491. 
 TradiiioiiR,  of  Pliaiisees,   contrasted   with   cotn- 
 
 mandments  ot  God,  i.  291. 
 Transfiguiation,  of  Je.'us,  i.  317. 
 Treasure,  Christ's  teaching  concerning  laying  up, 
 
 i.  101,  669. 
 Treasu'.e,  parable  of  the  hiilden,  i.  280. 
 Trespasses,  steps  to  be  taken  lor  settlement  of,  i. 
 
 352  ;  to  be  forgiven,  i.  356. 
 Tribute  money,  miracle  of  the,  i.  338  ;  lawiulness 
 
 of,  i.  409. 
 Trinity,   doctrine  of,   ii.  802 ;    name  of,  various 
 
 theories  concerning,  ii.  802  ;    true   meaning  of, 
 
 ii.  803;    baptism  to  be  administered   in  name 
 
 of,  ii.  802. 
 Truth,  the  word  of  God  is,  ii.  467;  Jesu"  testifies 
 
 of  the,  ii.  028;  Pilate  asks.  What  is  1  ii.  031. 
 Unbelief,  its  criminality  and  iienalty,  ii.  190  ;  le..d3 
 
 to  final  inmishm.^nt,  ii.  829. 
 Unclean  spirit,  parable  of,  i.  246. 
 Union,    Chiistian,   ii.  402,  472;    Lord's   Supper, 
 
 significant  of,  ii.  542. 
 Unity  of  God,  i.  423. 
 Unjust  judge,  the  parable  of,  i.  075. 
 Unjust  steward.     See  S:eward,  unjust,  the. 
 Veil  of  temple,  rent  at  the  crucifixion,  ii.  695. 
 Vine,  Jesus  the  true,  ii.  374. 
 Vinegar  mix'^d  with  gall,  given  to  Jesus  on  iha 
 
 cross,  Ji.  686. 
 Vineyaid,  the  two  sons  sent  into,  parable  of,  i. 
 
 395  ;  and  the  householder,  parable  of,  i.  397. 
 Virgitis,  wise  and  foolish,  parable  of,  i.  476.     S't 
 
 Lamp. 
 Watchfulness,  enforced,  i.  569  ;   ii.  5S1  j    its  con- 
 nection with  prayer,  ii.  582. 
 Water,  made  wine,  i.  22. 
 
ALPHABETICAL  INDEX. 
 
 975 
 
 Water,  bom  of,  ii.  14. 
 
 Water,  living,  emblem  of  spiritual  tilings,  ii.  55; 
 flows  from  Ciirist,  ii.  168. 
 
 Way,  broad  and  narrow,  the,  i.  121;  Jesus  the,  to 
 I  he  Father,  ii.  347. 
 
 Weary  and  heavy  laden,  invited  to  Christ,  i.  217. 
 
 Wlieal  and  tares,  parable  of  the,  i.  26G. 
 
 Widow,  importunate,  parable  of,  i.  676. 
 
 Wind,  an  emblem  of  the  Spirit's  influsnces,  ii. 
 20. 
 
 Wisdom,  justified  of  lier  children,  i.  211. 
 
 Weeping,  of  Jesus  at  the  death  of  Lnzarus,  ii. 
 279 ;  of  Jesus  over  Jerusalem,  i.  694 ;  of  the 
 dauahters  of  Jerusalem  for  Jesus,  ii.  647. 
 
 Well,  Jacob's,  ii.  53. 
 
 Wine,  used  in  the  Sacrament,  ii.  528;  an  emblem 
 of  the  blcod  of  Christ,  ii.  529;  all  are  to  drink 
 of,  in  the  Sacrament,  ii.  530;  of  the  kingdom  of 
 heaven,  ii.  548. 
 
 Witnesses,  Apostles  were,  of  the  things  concern- 
 ing Christ,  ii.  846,  859. 
 
 Woman,  Canaanitish,  her  faith  and  perseverance, 
 i.  300. 
 
 Woman,  with  the  issue  of  blood,  healed,  i.  166. 
 
 Woman,  Samaritan,  her  interview  with  Jesus,  ii. 
 50;  her  curiosity,  ii,  55;  her  ignorance,  ii.  56  ; 
 her  anxiety  to  know  our  Lord's  meaning,  ii.  59  ; 
 her  five  husbands,  ii.  61 ;  her  conviction,  ii.  62  ; 
 acknowledges  Jesus  as  the  Messiah,  ii.  70;  calls 
 1  er  friends  to  Jesus,  ii.  71. 
 
 WonitU!,  chat  was  a  sinner,  anoints  the  feet  of  Je- 
 sus i.  526 ;  was  not  Mary  nor  Magdalene,!. 
 527  ;  her  deep  sorrow,  i.  527  ;  her  love  to  Jesus, 
 i.  529 ;  her  forgiveness,  i.  530. 
 
 Womau,  with  spirit  of  iiifluuity,  healed,  i.  578. 
 
 Words,  idle,  criniiralify  of,  i.  241. 
 
 Wnids  of  Jesus,  their  deep  significance,  !,  Tiii. ; 
 Evangelis'.s  record  the  true,  i.  viii. ;  collect  and 
 l>lpnd  all  the  rays  of  truth,  i.  xi. ;  permanency 
 of  i.  53,  612;  Jews  understood  not,  ii.  208 ; 
 division  amorg  Jews  on  account  of,  ii.  254. 
 
 Woids,  Seven,  the,  on  the  Cross,  exjiosition  of,  ii. 
 655,  696  ;  why  Seven,  ii.  696,  697  ;  their  si2nifi- 
 cance,  ii.  697 ;  significance  of  their  order,  ii. 
 698;  symbolical  chaiacter  of,  ii.  699;  their 
 l>redictive  intimations,  ii.  699. 
 
 Word  of  God,  compared  to  seed,  i.  259 ;  hearers 
 of,  different  classes,  i.  260 ;  is  truth,  ii.  468.  See 
 Scriptures. 
 
 World,  receives  not  the  Spirit,  ii.  359;  hate.s 
 believers,  ii.  389  ;  sin  of,  in  rejecting  Ciirist,  ii. 
 394;  persecutes  the  disciples,  ii.  401;  con- 
 vinced by  the  Spirit,  ii.  406;  dolh  not  know  the 
 Father,  ii.  478. 
 
 Worldliness,  rebuked,  i.  564. 
 
 Worldling,  the  rich,  parable,  i.  566.     Which  see. 
 
 Worship,  to  be  paid  to  God  only,  i.  13;  to  bo 
 rendered  to  the  Faiher.  ii.  63  ;  to  be  offered  in 
 spirit  and  in  trntli,  ii.  65  ;  Jesus  present  in  the 
 assemblies  of,  i.  345  ;  ii.  826  ;  the  disciples  of- 
 fered, to  Jesus  at  his  ascension,  ii.  861. 
 
 Worship,  Samaritan,  ii.  63 ;  ignorance  of,  ii.  64 ; 
 difference  between,  and  Jewish,  ii.  64. 
 
 Works,  believers  do  greater,  than  Jesus,  ii.  352. 
 
 Yea  and  nay,  meaning  of,  i.  72. 
 
 Yoke  of  Cliiisf,  i.  219. 
 
 Zaccheus,  entertains  Jesus,  i.  686. 
 
 Zei  harian,  j)rophecies  of,  illustrated,  ii.  557  (and 
 votes)  ;  i>redicts  Christ's  entry  into  Jerusalem,  i. 
 385  ;  foielells  the  sufferings  of  Christ,  ii.  657, 
 
PHILOLOGICAL    INDEX. 
 
 Vol.    Page. 
 
 D^nbs II-  261  rm. 
 
 y^a  "^z^^ II-    60 
 
 ■^3  CSS. II.  292 
 
 yC2i..'. II.  170 
 
 13. II.  46.3 
 
 ns^na,  n^na II.  828 
 
 n^n3.....V. II.  53.3 
 
 n3- I.  9 
 
 nil I.  470 
 
 Cn-r; II.  92 
 
 N^n II.  191 
 
 nisTGn  yn II.  511 
 
 ci3.... I.  378 
 
 r3b II.  847 
 
 •7S5Ta I.    424 
 
 rsi^ II.     79 
 
 C^:5T2 II.    170 
 
 c: II.    35 
 
 nCD I.   463 
 
 t2^T:3? I.    693 
 
 liny II.  692 
 
 Vo..  Page?. 
 
 II.  558 
 
 ■^2^ I.  386;  II.  559 
 
 *i:y  —  ny  onb II.  511 
 
 rns?.......!! II.  167 
 
 n^an? II.  313 
 
 ncs. II.  311,446,511 
 
 niprij^D I.  51,    19 
 
 y^-is I.  388 
 
 np-is I.  81 
 
 m?? II,  298 
 
 TlJi-p II.  459 
 
 "isnp I.   286,  509 
 
 -sn II.  762 
 
 -?-i I.  76 
 
 D?n. I  494 
 
 ^nDir IT.  20 
 
 biso I.  648 
 
 iJPbsc II.  819 
 
 nibir II.  868 
 
 nbip II.  234 
 
 I'nsn  ni^nfin II.  191 
 
 aya'^/ts II. 
 
 ayaTTuv II.  89, 
 
 kytd^fiv II. 
 
 Eyios 
 aSrifjiOViiu 
 
 a5)js 
 
 teT(Jy.  .  .  . 
 
 oWia. 
 
 II. 
 
 I. 
 
 a.K(paio^ I. 
 
 a\a.$a(TTpoy ■ 1 1. 
 
 aKfKTopo(p(iivia II. 
 
 oAfKTtop II. 
 
 a\r,bivos II.  75,  134,  168, 
 
 aWd II. 
 
 auaprld 11.  215, 
 
 &y II. 
 
 avaPXtTreif I.  500 
 
 iii'iyaioi' II.  487 
 
 ofaAiji/zij I.  533,  716 
 
 avduvr)<Tts II.  527 
 
 avivSeKTOs I.  C61 
 
 avo-nros II.  728 
 
 ai'TilSdWfiv  \6yovs II.  724 
 
 aurinapfpxeff^at II.  647 
 
 iixc^fv II.  10 
 
 airfXiri^fiv I.  131 
 
 aTTf'xf II.  587 
 
 OTIO-TOS II.  758 
 
 airn!^v>)(TK(ti> I.  162 
 
 avoKa^tcrrdvci,  -dvfiv I.  319  ;  II.  8.14 
 
 a-KOffiraabai II.  670 
 
 07ro(TT(AA(<i' II.  747 
 
 oTTOTafffftffSai I.  536 
 
PHILOLOaiCAL    IKDEX, 
 
 Vol.    Page. 
 
 airrea-^ai II.  709 
 
 &ji(TToi/,   apiffray I.  405  ;  II.  772 
 
 &pves I.  638 
 
 apvia II.  779 
 
 apxaloi I.  67 
 
 T^v  apxv'^ II'  194 
 
 apx'T€\a>v7}t I.  686 
 
 apxiTpiKKivos I.  21 
 
 aadei/fli/ II.  264 
 
 airci)Tos I  610 
 
 arifid^etv II.  217 
 
 &TO-KOS II.  666 
 
 av\i) )I.  241 
 
 avTOv II.  571 
 
 Selects II.  535 
 
 axpe'ios I.  665 
 
 Pdaavos 1.  64  8 
 
 fiaaiKi  a  riv  ovpaviv I.  27 
 
 /SaoraCefv II.  290,  413 
 
 $ee\(f0ov\ I.  22.^ 
 
 fiidCiffS^ai I.  203 
 
 ^\aff(l>-r]ula I.  291 
 
 P-io-Kety II.  779 
 
 fipiffts I.  98  ;   II.  72 
 
 ya^o(pv\aKiov I.  512 
 
 yaaoi I.  404 
 
 yttwa I.  60 
 
 yevea 1.  470  ;  II.   p.  vii 
 
 ytvyav II.  422 
 
 yiwpyhs II.  376 
 
 7\w(7<roiy,  yKdffnr],  Xa\f7y II.  S3o 
 
 ypdufiara II.  154 
 
 ypafj./xaTi7i I.  54 
 
 yvyai II.  669 
 
 Sauumoy  ex^iy II.   1  58,  254 
 
 SeiKvvfty II.  90 
 
 SstAuiy II.  370 
 
 SiTiryoy I.  405 
 
 SevTep6irp<iiTos I.  218 
 
 Sid II.  135 
 
 dta^dWciy I.  628 
 
 Sia^jAoy II.  146 
 
 SiayyeWeiy I.  141 
 
 Staypijyop^'iy 1.  318 
 
 SiaAiiKr, II.  533 
 
 5ia\oyia;u6s II.  742 
 
 oidi/oia I.  424 
 
 5:aJTpayixoTeve(T^ai I.  691 
 
 Siaaxopiri^eiy 1.  484 
 
 Siacrwapd II.  166 
 
 Siao-reAAf  o-S-ai I.  299 
 
 Sta(TTpi(f>eiu I.  322 
 
 ■  Siarii^ia^ai II.  492 
 
 Sif|o5oy I.  4o7 
 
 SiKaioffvyn I.  81 ;  II,  410 
 
 SiH-aLoiu I.  209 
 
 5ix'''^o"f '^'' I-  475 
 
 SoKe7v I.  381 
 
 a^ya/xt^ II.  347 
 
 Swpidy II.  395 
 
 e^a. I.  492 
 
 iy('ip€<T!^ai I.  2i » 1 
 
 lyKpvTrreiv I.  271 
 
 ina.<pi(^iy I-  695 
 
 ilp4)vrt T. II.  ■'^68,  740 
 
 iKPlWety I.  160 ;   II.  243 
 
 Vol.    Page. 
 
 ^HKaKtTy I.        676 
 
 fKK\rt<Tia I.  308,  341 
 
 iK\eiireiy I.        637 
 
 iXtyxety II.       4ti7 
 
 "■'EWnvts II.  166,  29o 
 
 ilu0p'fJ-aa-^ai I.  164  ;    II.       279 
 
 tV.. II.  268,  305 
 
 iy^vyea-^ai II.       847 
 
 eyraX/xa I.       288 
 
 ivTos I.       669 
 
 iyTpeireaS)ai I.       676 
 
 i^aiTetff^ai II.       652 
 
 fiiardyai.^ II.       727 
 
 t^oixo\oyelffdat I.       214 
 
 firayyeXia II.  847,  851 
 
 iiravTO^Jopw II.       177 
 
 (TTiyhvTris II.        770 
 
 iirepJoTTJIiia II.       819 
 
 fnripedCeiy I.         77 
 
 fiTiKpiyfiy II.       646 
 
 (TnopKeTy I.  68,  70 
 
 eirtovcrioi I.  85,  89 
 
 firt(rTpe<lmy,  -effbat II.       554 
 
 epydCeff^at I.  482  ;  II.       114 
 
 fpydrat I.       582 
 
 ipevyay II.       105 
 
 f!i7)^toy I.  339,  450 
 
 epxf(T^ai 11.       791 
 
 ipwray II.  356,  457 
 
 C0-T7JKO II.  213 
 
 iaxi^Toy  rris  yris II.  860 
 
 etrco II.  756 
 
 eruj^oj II.  594 
 
 evayyiXioy I.  28 
 
 €vepyeT7]^ !1.  490 
 
 eudfws I.  465,  491 
 
 fvXdffeia II.  575 
 
 fiiXoyeiy II.  516 
 
 evtppaiyfff^at 1 .  618 
 
 (uxaptcrTe7y II.  516 
 
 Ci'i>"a   I-       263 
 
 Co^ypi7y I.       524 
 
 Coyyvety II.      781 
 
 r,X:K'ta I.        103 
 
 iip^aTo II.       860 
 
 SfeXeiy II.  476,  791 
 
 ^fX-nua II.  580 
 
 ^eds  Vocrtt II.  759 
 
 dpf/jL/xaTa II.  57 
 
 ^pr/ve^y,  Sipriyos. II.  421 
 
 Stveiy I.  406 
 
 dipa I.  581 
 
 ISiiirai II.  816 
 
 •irjo-oCs II.  448 
 
 Ixdaiceff^ai I.  685 
 
 'iXf<as I-  312 
 
 ■iy?. I.  253  ;   II.  73,  223,  334,  382 
 
 "icros II.  6  1 2 
 
 iffrdyai H.  550 
 
 Kabaipeiv II.       37''> 
 
 KoJ^yririis I.       4!t> 
 
 Kx^iCe^y II.  571,  846 
 
 Ka^iiTTdyai I.  319  ;   II.       t-T)4 
 
 Ka^cis If.       443 
 
 Katpis II.       857 
 
978 
 
 PHILOLOGICAL    IXDEX. 
 
 Vol.     Page. 
 
 Kara^oKri 11.  451 
 
 KariXvfia II.  486 
 
 Karavofiv I.  HO 
 
 KaraffK-nvaxTts I.  139 
 
 KaTa(piK(Ty II.  694 
 
 Ke/fpafojuoi I.  692 
 
 K«pa\aiovy  .  .  ^ I.  398 
 
 Kripvfffffiv II.  824,  827 
 
 KKrfToi I.  376 
 
 KoiXla II.  170 
 
 Kotj.i.a.<Tbai II.  286 
 
 Koiutiivia II.  644 
 
 KoKo^ovvdai I.  461 
 
 KOTTtWV I.  216 
 
 Kop^ay I.  286 
 
 Kpardv,  -tlo-^ai .II.  723,  751 
 
 KpavydCfii' II.  28.5 
 
 Kpfij.a<Tbai I.  4  2.5 
 
 /t/)i>a II.  239 
 
 KTl<rtT II.  828 
 
 Kvptos  Vocat II.  5? 
 
 Xa\t?j/,  Kfyeiy II.  141,  194,  309 
 
 \aKla II.  77,  2(18 
 
 Aaju/Samc II.  100,  107,  108 
 
 Ka/xnas I.       478 
 
 Xarpfia II.       401 
 
 KvSs I.       397 
 
 K6yoi I.  p.  xviii 
 
 \6yos II.  390,  395 
 
 \oiir6y 11.       586 
 
 Kovfiv II.       318 
 
 \vTpov I.       382 
 
 \vrpova^a.i H.       727 
 
 ti.a.br\r(v(iv II.       798 
 
 fiauoivai .1.       102 
 
 fifyetv II.  305,  791 
 
 IxepiijLv'iv I.        103 
 
 Hiri I.       504 
 
 ^l.erewpi^ia^al I.       103 
 
 ^TJTI II.       500 
 
 Hoyi\i\os I.       498 
 
 fiov-h..    'I.       342 
 
 fjLoyoyevns II.  41,  44 
 
 Hop(l>-n II.       722 
 
 yfuTfpoi II.  491 
 
 yflirtoi I.  214 
 
 yo(7y I.  301 
 
 yun(pwy,  viol  tov  yuiJ,(puyos I.  156 
 
 vfi/iara I.  500 
 
 o/*<Bj II.  306 
 
 6yiK6s I.  835 
 
 vyoua II.  802 
 
 i^os II.  686 
 
 iirrfty II.  420 
 
 iipafxa I.  317 
 
 St. I.  530;  II.  104,  214 
 
 b.riKal II.  193 
 
 ovffia !•  610 
 
 o'vTwi II.  63 
 
 o^dpioy n.  771 
 
 i^ts II.  102,  286 
 
 iratS.oy. . II.  422,  769 
 
 vdKiv  StvTfpoy II.        780 
 
 Tayo,Ki.^ II.       8i;i 
 
 rapapiii^iff^ai II.       734 
 
 Vol.    I'aire. 
 
 Tapa$o\-n I.  521  ;  II.  244 
 
 napdieicros II.  603 
 
 irapaKK-nros    II.  356,  429 
 
 irapaKoXov^tiv 11.  833 
 
 vapaTTopivtcrbai I.  292 
 
 irapacKfvi) II.  311 
 
 itapaTibia^ai I(.  693 
 
 irapOLKe'iv II.  725 
 
 Tapoifi'ia II.  244,  429 
 
 irapprjaiif II.  430 
 
 irierxa  . '. II.  311 
 
 iroTpis I.  515 
 
 viKuyos I.  836 
 
 Vffnrdy II.  747 
 
 oiirepi II.  272 
 
 vfpiKviTOs II.  574 
 
 irKTTfVfiy  iiri II.  729 
 
 irio-TjKo'j II.  289 
 
 irv(Zp.a I.  534  ;  II.  21,  67,  695,  741 
 
 irotiiv I.  482,  561  ;  II.  49 
 
 irotfialvfty 11.  779 
 
 iroyrjpSy I.  72,  93  ;  II.  465 
 
 TTOpfiieff^at II.  508 
 
 TTpaynarevetrdai I.  691 
 
 Trpd<Tffftv II.  49 
 
 Trpavs,  irpao'! I.  37 
 
 1Tpe<TfiVTfpOl II.  181 
 
 irp6 II.  245-247 
 
 irpodyeiy I.  396;  II.  660 
 
 vpS^vfioi II.  584 
 
 vpSffKaipos I.  257 
 
 ■irpoaKvv(7y II.  861 
 
 Tpoffiroielff^at II.  179,  733 
 
 vpoffpdyiov II.  769 
 
 irp6<(>a<ns H-  393 
 
 vpo<pT]rai II.  731,  841 
 
 W», I.  581 
 
 triipyos I.  675 
 
 Pa^Bovyl II.  V09 
 
 bairiCety,  pdiri(rua II.  fi09 
 
 l,rifxa..... 1.9;  II.  141 
 
 pvfxrj !•  594 
 
 era\iri((iv 1-  ^1 
 
 adp^ II.  17,  1 38,  443,  684 
 
 ffr)fiaivfiv II.  304 
 
 <rrifi€toy II.  '8 
 
 aKKrjpoKapBia I.  364 
 
 (TK\tip6s II.  1 36 
 
 ffKvWfiy I.  1 66 
 
 (Tirupa II.  689 
 
 ffrvyv6s,  ffTuyya^fiy I.  288 
 
 ffv(riT(7v II.  724 
 
 (ruKa/jLiyoi I.  C63 
 
 <rvK0(payTf7y I.  688« 
 
 ffvyaKiCfff^ai H-  850 
 
 cruff'xfo'i^'" !•  ^  *  ^ 
 
 2uxt£p n.  63 
 
 ff(ppayi(fty H-  116 
 
 Tav(ty6s,  Tair(iyo<ppoffvyr] I-  332 
 
 TfKvoyoyia •    I.  496 
 
 '.                                                                                                   T  '7Q 
 
 TtAeior •  ••  1^ 
 
 Tt\uovy II-  681,  683 
 
 T(\(iovff^at I.  684 
 
 ripas II.  78 
 
 rripuy H-  218,  361,  391 
 
 ribfvai  ylivYV'' '^'  " 
 
 riKTuy. II.  422 
 
PniLOi^OGICAL    INDEX. 
 
 979 
 
 tSkos.  . , 
 r6nos. . . 
 roffavra . 
 Tovro. . . 
 
 Vol. 
 
 ..I. 
 ..11. 
 ..II. 
 ..II. 
 
 Tviros 11.  755, 
 
 Page. 
 485 
 287 
 800 
 519 
 r58 
 
 Us II.      463 
 
 ihs  Tov  av^p<iTrov I.  221,  303  ;  II.  96,  305,  615 
 
 virdyttv II.  387,  503 
 
 5f.5 
 504 
 
 virapxovra I. 
 
 virip I. 
 
 vvoKafi&avuv I. 
 
 biro\4]vtov I. 
 
 virofi.itJi.vi\ffK(iv II. 
 
 VOTtpOV II. 
 
 ui^ot  abai II. 
 
 Vol.    Page. 
 
 (pfpeiv II. 
 
 tpStdvetv I. 
 
 <f>i\(1v II.  8.9, 
 
 <pipos I. 
 
 tppivifios I. 
 
 <pv\aKT^pia I. 
 
 tpvffis II. 
 
 <t>vrfia,  <pvr6v I. 
 
 Xaipere 
 
 .II. 
 
 529  i  x<i-pis I. 
 
 397     x^'^M" I. 
 
 367     Xpio-TiJs II.  448,  614, 
 
 738  xp^*">^ II- 
 
 38  x'^P^^*' II- 
 
 228 
 777 
 410 
 633 
 439 
 22 
 289 
 
 720 
 520 
 654 
 616 
 857 
 205 
 
 (pay(7v  rh  irdcTxa II.       311     wSTves II.       423 
 
 <t>av\os II.      310    utIov II.       597 
 
TEXTUAL   TN^DEX  TO   YOLUME  II. 
 
 Matthew  xtv!.  2 
 
 XXV.  10-13. . 
 
 xxvi.  18 
 
 xxvi.  21-25. , 
 xxvi.  20-28.. 
 
 xxvi.  29 
 
 xxvi.  31-34. 
 '•  xxvi.  £6-42.. 
 
 «•  xxvi.  45,46.. 
 
 ••  xxvi.  50 
 
 •«  xxvi.  52-54. . 
 
 "  xxvi.  55,  56. . 
 
 '•  xxvi.  64 
 
 -  xxvii.  11.... 
 
 «  xxvii.  46.... 
 
 "  xxviii.  9, 10. . 
 
 "  xxviii.  18-20. 
 
 IIauk   xiv.  6-9 
 
 "       xiv.  13-15 
 
 "       XV.  18-21 
 
 "       xiv.  22-24 
 
 "       xiv.  25 
 
 "       xiv.  27-30 
 
 "       xiv.  32-39 
 
 "       xiv.  41,42 
 
 "       XV.  48,  49 
 
 "       xiv.  62 
 
 "       XV.  2 
 
 "       XV.  34 
 
 "       xvi.  14 
 
 "       xvi.  15-18 
 
 Luke 
 
 XX  i.  34 
 
 xxii.8-lJ 
 
 xxii.  15-18 
 
 xxii.  19,20.... 
 
 xxii.  21,  22 
 
 xxii.  22 
 
 xxi'.  25-30. . . . 
 
 xxii.  31-34 
 
 xxii.  35-8 
 
 xxi.  40-42,  46. 
 
 xxii.  46 
 
 xxii.  48 
 
 xxii.  51 
 
 xxii.  52,  53 
 
 XX  i.  67-70 
 
 xxiii.  3 
 
 xxiii.  28-31... 
 xxiii.  34 
 
 XX 
 
 "  xxiii.  46.  .. 
 
 "  xxiv.  17-27. 
 
 "  XX.  v.  36-41. 
 
 *'  xxiv.  44-49. 
 
 John  iii.  3-21 
 
 "      iv.  7--6 
 
 "  i v.  32-38... 
 
 "  iv.  48-5(1. .. 
 
 "  V.  6   S    14.. 
 
 "  v. 17. 19-47. 
 vi.  26-58.  .  . 
 
 "  vi.  61-(;5.  .. 
 
 "  vi.  67-';o... 
 
 PAGR. 
 
 481 
 
 John 
 
 288 
 
 " 
 
 484 
 
 " 
 
 497 
 
 " 
 
 5(J8 
 
 «« 
 
 547 
 
 «i 
 
 555 
 
 <( 
 
 569 
 
 II 
 
 586 
 
 II 
 
 593 
 
 M 
 
 598 
 
 M 
 
 602 
 
 II 
 
 611 
 
 K 
 
 619 
 
 « 
 
 718 
 794 
 288 
 484 
 497 
 508 
 517 
 555 
 569 
 586 
 602 
 611 
 619 
 672 
 738 
 794 
 336 
 484 
 494 
 508 
 549 
 497 
 487 
 550 
 562 
 569 
 586 
 593 
 596 
 602 
 617 
 619 
 617 
 6  •■.5 
 660 
 692 
 
 PAGE. 
 
 vii.  6-8 148 
 
 vii.  16-.9 1-.2 
 
 vii.  33.  34 164 
 
 vii.  37   38 166 
 
 viii.7,  10,  11 173 
 
 viii.  12-19 182 
 
 viii.  21-58 189 
 
 is.  3-7,35-37 227 
 
 ix.  39-x.  18 238 
 
 X.  25-30 254 
 
 X.  32-38 258 
 
 xi.  4  7,  9-11,  14-15 264 
 
 xi.  23,  25,  26 272 
 
 xi.  34,  39-44 277 
 
 "      xii.7,8 288 
 
 "      xii.  23-36 295 
 
 "      xii.  44-50 3U6 
 
 "      xiii.7-20 310 
 
 "      xiii.21 497 
 
 "      xiii.  23-29 bV.) 
 
 "      xiii.26,27 323 
 
 "      xiii.  31-35 327 
 
 "      xiii.  36,  38 336.  550 
 
 "      xiv.  1-31 o38 
 
 "      xiv.  1-10 310 
 
 "      xiv.  11-24 3-)l 
 
 "      xiv.  25-31 365 
 
 "      XV.  1-6 3i4 
 
 "      XV.  7-17 382 
 
 "      XV.  18-25 3i-9 
 
 "      XV.  26-xvi.  4 396 
 
 "      xvi.  6-15 403 
 
 "      xvi.  16-24 418 
 
 «      xvi.  25-33 428 
 
 "      xvii 439 
 
 «      xviii.  4,  7,  8 588 
 
 "      xviii.  11 598 
 
 «      xviii.  20,  21,  23 6  i4 
 
 "      xv:i.  31-37 619 
 
 «      xix.  11 635 
 
 "      x:x.  26,  27   668 
 
 "      xix.  18 681 
 
 "      xix.  30 888 
 
 "      XX.  15-17 702 
 
 "      x.x.  19-23 738 
 
 "      XX.  26-29 753 
 
 "      xxi.  5,  6,  10,  12 765 
 
 "      xxi.  15-22 774 
 
 Acts  i.  4-8 818 
 
 "      ix.  4-6,  xxii.  7-10,  xxvi.  14-16.  . ...  863 
 
 "      ix. 10-16 870 
 
 "      xxii.  17-21 875 
 
 "      xvi.  16-18 878 
 
 "      X.  13-16,  xi.  7-10 884 
 
 "      xviii.  9,  10.... 888 
 
 "      xxiii.  11 890 
 
 1  ConixTiiiA.Ns  xi.  24,  25 508 
 
 2  CoRixTitiAxs   xii.  9 893 
 
 Ukvki.ation  i.  11,  17-20 897 
 
 ii.,  iii 906 
 
 "           iv.  1 945 
 
 "          xxi.  6-8 947 
 
THE 
 
 ¥O^DS  OF  THE  ANGELS; 
 
 OB, 
 
 THEIR  VISITS  TO  THE  EARTH,  AND  THE  MESSAGES  THEY 
 
 DELIVERED. 
 
 RUDOLF   STIER,   D.  D., 
 
 ADTHOS  OF  "  IHE  WOEDS  OF  THE  LOBD  JESUB,"  ETC. 
 
 NEW  YORK: 
 
 N.    TIBBALS    &    CO.,    37    PAEK    EOW 
 
co^te:xts. 
 
 Introduction v. 
 
 CHAPTER  I. 
 Gabriel's  Announcement  lo  Zacliarias—  Luk  •  i 1 
 
 CHAPTER  II, 
 Gabriel's  Announcement  to  Mary — Luke  i C 
 
 CHAPTER  III. 
 Appearance  of  the  Angel  to  Joseph  in  a  Dream — Matthew  i 11 
 
 CHAPTER  IV. 
 The  Angels  that  announce  the  Birth  of  Christ  at  Bethlehem — Luke  ii IJ 
 
 CHAPTER  V. 
 The  Angel  returns  to  Joseph  in  D.eams — MaUhew  ii 18 
 
 CHAPTER  VL 
 The  Angels  at  the  Sepulchre — Matt,  xxviii.,  Mark  xvi.,  Luke  xxiv 21 
 
 CHAPTER  A'll. 
 The  Angel's  Question  to  Magdalene — John  xx 27 
 
 CHAPTER  YIII. 
 The  Angels  at  the  Ascension — Acts  i 28 
 
 CHAPTER  IX. 
 The  Angel  opening  the  Prison  Doors — Acts  v 30 
 
 CHAPTER  X. 
 The  Angel  directing  Philip — Acts  viii C2 
 
 CHAPTER  XI. 
 The  Angel  sent  to  Cornelius — Acts  x S-1 
 
 CHAPTER  XIL 
 The  Angel  delivering  Peter — Acts  xii C7 
 
 CHAPTER  XIII. 
 Tlie  Angel  to  Paul  at  Sea — Acts  xxvii 40 
 
 CHAPTER  XIV. 
 The  Praise  of  the  Four  Living  Creatures — Revelation  iv 42 
 
 CHAPTER  XV. 
 
 Who  is  worthy  to  open  the  Book  I— Revelation  v 4-1 
 
 '  CHAPTER  XVI. 
 
 The  Praise  of  maiiy  Angels,  and  the  Amen  of  ihe  Four  Living  Creatures — Revelation  v 46 
 
 lU 
 
iv'  CONTE^sTh'.  '^ 
 
 CHAPTER  XVII.                                                               PA'?E. 
 The  Fourfold  Call— Come  and  See— Revelation  vi 47 
 
 CHAPTER  XVIII. 
 
 The  Angel  having  the  Seal  for  the  Servants  of  God— B  evelation  vii 48 
 
 CHAPTER  XIX. 
 
 The  Worship  of  all  the  Angels — Revelation  vii 50 
 
 CHAPTER  XX. 
 
 The  Threefold  Woe — Revelation  viii 60 
 
 CHAPTER  XXI. 
 The  Angel  with  the  Little  Book  open— Revelation  x, 52 
 
 CHAPTER  XXII. 
 The  Three  Angels  that  herald  the  Fall  of  Babylon— Revelation  xiv ; 54 
 
 CHAPTER  XXIII. 
 The  Two  Angels  at  the  Thrusting  in  of  the  Sickles— Revelation  xiv 58 
 
 CHAPTER   XXIV. 
 The  Angel  of  the  AVaters  praises  God's  Justice — Revelation  xvi 59 
 
 CHAPTER  XXV. 
 The  Angel  who  shows  the  Mystic  Babylon— Revelation  xvii CO 
 
 CHAPTER  XXVI. 
 The  Two  Angels  at  the  Fall  of  Babylon— Revelation  xviii G4 
 
 CHAPTER  XXVII. 
 
 The  Angel  refusing  to  be  Worshipped — Revelation  xix C6 
 
 CHAPTER  XXVIII. 
 The  Angel  in  the  Sun  summoning  the  Birds  to  the  Great  Supper — Revelation  xix 69 
 
 CHAPTER  XXIX. 
 
 The  Great  Voice  out  of  Heaven — Revelation  xxi 69 
 
 CHAPTER  XXX. 
 The  Interposing  Voice — Revelation  xxi 71 
 
 CHAPTER  XXXI. 
 The  Angel  showing  the  Bride — Revelation  xxi 7i 
 
 CHAPTER  XXXII. 
 The  last  Angelic  Speech— Revelation  xxii 72 
 
Il!TTRODXJOTIOIvr. 
 
 It  is  a  striking  fact,  that  neither  in  ancient  nor  modern  literature  have  -we  any 
 work  of  precisely  the  same  character  as  that  which  I  now  undertake — a  work  deal- 
 ing exclusively  with  the  authentic  words  addressed  by  angels  to  men,  and  recorded 
 by  the  inspiration  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  Indeed,  no  monograph  even  on  the  Biblical 
 doctrine  respecting  angels  has  ever  come  before  me.  We  have  treatises  and  disser- 
 tations, it  is  true,  but  no  exhaustive  book  ;  and  even  these  are  exceedingly  meagre  in 
 their  notices  of  the  intercourse  of  holy  angels  with  the  human  race.  They  are 
 rather  to  be  classed  under  the  head  of  demonology,  and  historice  diahoU ;  whereas, 
 in  the  Scripture,  especially  in  the  Old  Testament,  we  have  more  told  us  of  good  than 
 of  evil  spirits.  Indeed,  to  say  nothing  of  unbelieving  and  half-believing  indifference, 
 we  constantly  find,  even  in  orthodox  believers,  an  actual  ignoring,  as  it  were,  of 
 angelic  agency.  Now,  we  hold  that  it  would  much  add,  both  to  the  full  understand- 
 ing and  joy  of  faith,  if  the  testimony  of  Scripture  on  the  subject  were  properly 
 received.  For  throughout  its  pages  the  existence  and  intervention  of  angels  is  dwelt 
 upon  with  as  much  clearness  and  precision  as  is  compatible  with  the  necessarily 
 mysterious  natui-e  of  the  subject. 
 
 Our  Lord  and  Master  Jesus  Christ,  as  we  are  well  aware,  repeatedly  brought  the 
 intervention  of  holy  angels  before  the  minds  of  his  hearers.  In  parables,  the  inter- 
 pretation of  which  must  at  all  events  point  at  realities,  we  find  angels  described  as 
 the  reapers  at  the  last  harvest,  the  executors  of  the  last  sentence,  the  devoted 
 servants  of  the  heavenly  Master;  nay,  in  the  latest  prophecy  (Matt,  xxv.),  their 
 accompanying  the  coming-in  glory  of  the  Judges  (ver.  31),  can  no  more  be  under- 
 stood as  a  metaphor  than  the  mention,  in  ver.  41,  of  the  devil  and  his  angels. 
 
 We  may  here  quote  with  advantage  a  striking  remark  of  Nitzsch  on  the  subject  in 
 question  :  ''If,"  writes  he,  "  we  consider  the  origin  of  the  Old-Testament  representa- 
 tion of  angels,  we  shall  certainly  not  be  able  to  hold  the  opinion  that  the  angels  were 
 nothing  more  than  the  gods  of  Polytheism,  subordinated  by  the  growth  of  Monotheism 
 to  this  inferior  position.  For  if  this  were  so,  we  should  find  the  angelic  world  most 
 prominent  at  the  time  of  transition  from  the  polytheistic  to  the  monotheistic  creed ; 
 whereas  it  is  at  a  later  period,  just  when  Polytheism  is  completely  overcome,  that 
 we  find  the  existence  of  angels  reduced  to  a  dogma  by  the  Je■\^'s,  and  their  appearance 
 most  freqviently  recorded."  Most  certainly  this  is  the  case.  The  angels  by  no 
 means  recede  into  comparative  obscurity  as  clear  light  breaks  sin  ;  but,  on  the  contrary, 
 it  is  on  the  occasion  of  the  full  revelation  of  God  in  Christ,  that  they  appear  with 
 increased  distinctness.  And  in  the  same  manner  with  regard  to  the  objective,  per- 
 sonal devil,  his  image,  instead  of  waxing  fainter,  is  dwelt  on  and  defined  far  more 
 than  heretofore,  both  in  the  parables  and  the  doctrinal  teaching  of  Christ. 
 
 No  sooner,  indeed,  had  our  Lord  appeared  in  his  public  character  of  teacher,  and 
 gathered  around  him  his  earliest  disciples,  than  we  find  him  spontaneously  alluding 
 to  the  far-off  vision  of  the  patriarch  Jacob  (John  i.  51),  and  personally  applying  it. 
 He  points  to  his  own  divine  humanity  as  the  centre  of  this  spiritual  intercourse 
 continually  carried  on  between  earth  and  heaven ;  and  on  one  occasion,  previous  to 
 his  last  prophecy  (Matt.  xxiv.  30 ;  xxv.  31),  speaks  openly  of  the  coming  of  the  Son 
 of  Man  with  his  angels  (Matt.  xvi.  27  ;  Mark  viii.  38). 
 
 In  short,  neither  the  inquiries  of  science,  nor  the  inductions  of  reason  tend  to 
 disprove  the  great  fact,  equally  transcending  the  telescope  of  the  one,  and  the  specu- 
 lations of  the  other — the  fact  of  the  universe  being  peopled  with  intermediate  spirits 
 between  GodTand  man.     It  is  only  a  meagre  pseudo-pliilosophical  Pantheism,  which 
 
vi  INTRODUCTION. 
 
 would  contract  the  starry  heaven  to  a  great  light-eruption  (according  to  Hegel's 
 notorious  words,  Licht  Amchlag),  and  render  God  conscious  only  in  man  !  which 
 must  needs  protest  against  a  doctrine  so  essentially  conservative  of  Monotheism  as 
 this  of  worsliipping  and  ministering  angels. 
 
 Even  in  Von  Meyer's  works  we  meet  with  a  most  inaccurate  observation  on  this 
 Bubject.  i.  e.,  that  no  time  is  assigned  in  Scripture  to  the  creation  of  angels,  whi<;h 
 leaves  it  to  he  inferred  that  they  have  existed  from  the  beginning.  Now,  that,  in  the 
 beginning,  God,  together  with  heaven  itself,  created  the  whole  of  the  host  of  heaven, 
 is  most  clearly'  stated.  Gen.  i.  1,  ii.  1,  compared  with  Psa.  xxxiii.  G  ;  Neh.  ix,  (). 
 
 But  the  manner  of  creation  of  the  invisible  world  (Col.  i.  10),  must  remain  liidden 
 from  us,  because  we  are  not  at  present  capable  of  understanding  any  revelation  of 
 it.  One  bright  glance,  indeed,  is  allowed  us  of  the  singing  and  shouting  for  jo}'  of 
 the  earliest  existing  sons  of  God,  the  morning  stars  of  primeval  creation,  over  the 
 laying  the  foundations  of  this  present  world  of  ours  (Job  xxxviii.  7). 
 
 Again,  in  Gen.  vi.  1—1,  we  liave  a  most  mysterious,  yet,  no  doubt,  literally  true 
 account  given  us  of  a  second  fall  in  the  world  of  angels ;  of  which,  however,  we  will 
 not  speak  any  further  here,  since  it  is  with  the  holy  angels  that  we  have  to  dp,  and 
 with  their  sayings  to  men,  which  sayings  are  far  more  rare  in  Scripture  tluin  the 
 general  mention  of  their  existence  and  services.  Now,  human  tradition  and  human 
 poetry  Avould  have  reversed  this. 
 
 The  primal  belief  that  angels  were  wont  to  help  and  serve  mankind,  and  to  do  so, 
 be  it  well  observed,  by  the  command  and  sending  of  God,  we  find  in  Gen.  xxiv.  7, 
 40,  simply  alluded  to  by  Abi'aham,  as  a  self-evident  fact;  and  in  like  manner  in  the 
 book  of  Tobit  we  see  that  the  popular  belief  among  the  Jews  lies  at  the  foundation 
 of  that  apocryphal  narrative.  Again,  Jacob  beholds  the  heavenly  company  at  the 
 beginning  of  his  prilgrimage,  and  at  the  end  of  his  exile,  both  dreaming  at  Bethel 
 and  waking  at  Mahanaim  (Gen.  xxviii.  12 ;  xxxii.  1,  2).  That  the  angels  of  the 
 Lord  encamp  around  them  that  fear  him,  to  keep  them  in  all  their  ways,  seems  to  bo 
 a  well-known  truth,  not  taught  as  any  thing  new,  but  comfortingly  alluded  to  as  a 
 certain  fact  (Psa.  xxxiv.  8  ;  xci.  11).  The  Avatchers  around  the  lofty  throne  of  the 
 Divine  Governor,  Avho  receive  and  execute  his  behests,  as  Nebuchadnezzar  saw  in  his 
 dream  (Dan.  iv.  13-17),  are  not  merely  a  specimen  of  Chaldean  imagery,  incorporated 
 in  Holy  AVrit,  but  are  akin  to  tliose  chariots  of  God  before  mentioned  (Psa.  Ixviii.  17). 
 Micaiuh  the  son  of  Imlah  (1  Kings  xxii.  19),  sees  just  the  same  vision  of  the  Lonl 
 on  his  tlirone,  surrounded  by  the  hosts  of  heaven,  that  Daniel  beheld  at  a  later  period 
 (Dan.  vii.  10).  The  saints  in  Dan.  viii.  13  (Zech.  xiv.  5  compared  with  Deut.  xxxiii. 
 2)  we  find  spoken  of  in  the  same  way  in  Psa.  Ixxxix.  5,  7  and  Job  xv.  15,  v.  1 ;  in 
 which  last  place  we  have  a  very  significant  allusion  to  the  prohibited  invocation  of 
 angels  as  being  idolati'ous  and  useless.  If  sometimes  these  angels  are  called  Elohim, 
 or  children  of  God,  this  is,  according  to  the  Hebrew  idiom,  God-like  ;  this  is  intended 
 to  express  their  exalted  dignity  as  the  ofRcial  representatives  of  God,  certainly  not  to 
 attribute  to  them  a  share  in  the  divine  nature  or  independent  power.  Such  a  misun- 
 derstanding as  this  is  guarded  against  by  the  name  most  generally  applied  to  them. 
 Angels,  i.  e.,  messengers  and  ministers,  or  in  their  oldest  and  most  comprehensive 
 designation,  God's  army,  God's  hosts  (Gen.  xxxii.  2 ;  Psa.  ciu.  20,  21  ;  c.xlviii.  2). 
 And  even  God  the  Lord  adds  to  his  name  this  most  solemn  and  impressive  title  of 
 Sabaolh,  in  other  words,  the  God  andGovernor  of  these  hosts  of  heaven.  Finally, 
 we  have  the  definition  of  the  name  of  angel  given  to  us  in  Hob.  i.  14,  with  refereuco 
 to  their  especial  work  as  messengers  from  heaven  to  earth. 
 
 Now,  we  must  bo  careful  to  distinguish  between  these  commissioned  and  also 
 created  spirits  and  tlio  angel  of  the  Lord,  whom  wo  find  in  the  Gld  Testament 
 appearing  as  the  personal  manifestation  of  the  Triime  God,  the  God  of  God,  tlio 
 visible  image  of  the  Invisible,  the  Ca])taln  of  the  Lord's  host  (Josh.  v.  14),  and  thus 
 himself  tho  God  of  Sabaoth.  That  this  angel  of  the  Lord  is  no  created  angel, 
 remains  an  incontrovertible  truth,  although,  strange  to  say,  even  behevers  luive 
 sometimes  questioned  it.  To  insist  upon  the  word  angel  in  this  case,  overlooking  tlio 
 divine  clement,  to  see  here  only  a  created  representative  of  the  Deity,  appears  to  mo 
 unauthorized,  such  an  interpretation  entirely  doing  away  with  ho  partition-wall 
 between  tho  created  and  the  Creator.  Again,  lleb.  i.  1,  2,  by  no  means  authorizes 
 the  belief  held  by  some  that  God  did  not,  in  the  Old  Testament,  speak  by  his  Sou  aa 
 
INTRODUCTION.,  vii 
 
 well  as  by  angels.  In  tlie  first  place,  he  can  speak  in  no  other  -way  than  through 
 the  Eternal  Word  ;  and  next,  we  have  apostolic  expressions  like  those  in  John  xii.  41 
 {his  gloi'y,  Christ's,  ver.  42) ;  and  1  Cor.  x.  4,  9,  which  prove  that  he  did.  From 
 Gen.  xvi.  and  Job  down  to  Malachi,  we  find  scattered  throughout  the  whole  Old  Tes- 
 tament isolated  yet  harmonizing  descriptions,  which,  at  once  in  their  mystery  and  their 
 clearness,  testify  of  him  who  condescended  indeed  to  appear  in  the  form  of  an  angel, 
 and  to  be  called  one,  yet  who  was  no  angel,  but  God  himself  sent,  proceeding  from 
 God  concealed.  Let  the  following  passages  be  read  very  attentively :  Gen.  xvi.  13  ; 
 xxii.  12  ;  Exod.  iii.  6,  7;  and  let  Exod.  xiii.  21  be  compared  with  xiv.  19;  xxiii.  21. 
 Remark  also  how  the  prophet  Hosea  (xii.  5,  G)  names  Jehovah  the  God  of  Sabaoth, 
 him  Vi^hom  we  find  (Gen.  xxxii.)  spoken  of  as  a  man  (ver.  24),  and  again  as  God  (ver. 
 30) ;  how  in  Hosea  (xii.  5)  the  expression  is  the  (well-known,  so-called)  angel  (again, 
 see  how  the  two  expressions  stand  side  by  side  in  Gen.  xlviii.  15,  IG ;  the  God  before 
 whom  my  fathers  did  walk,  the  angel  avIio  redeemed  me  from  evil),  the  angel, 
 namely,  in  whom  God's  name  is  (Exod.  xxiii.  21)  ;  the  angel  of  God's  presence  (Isa. 
 Ixiii.  9),  t.  e.,  God's  own  presence  (Ex.  xxxiii.  14).  We  can  now  understand  the 
 majestic  tone  in  which  the  Angel  of  the  Lord  speaks  on  the  occasion  of  his  very 
 remarkable  appearance  recorded  in  Judges  ii.  1,  "I  made  you  to  go  up  out  of 
 Egypt !  "  And  we  have  similar  instances  in  the  history  of  Gideon  and  Manoah,  as 
 also  in  that  of  Elijah  (2  Kings  i.  3-15). 
 
 The  Angel  of  the  Lord  referred  to  in  all  these  cases  is  spoken  of  in  Job  as  the 
 mediating  angel  (in  the  English  Bible,  a  messenger,  an  interpreter)  who  has  found 
 a  ransom.  Finally,  in  Mai.  iii.  1,  he  is  spoken  of  as  the  Angel  of  the  covenant,  one 
 with  the  Lord  himself,  who  is  to  come  to  his  temple. 
 
 Thus  the  sayings  of  this  Angel  of  the  Lord  have  no  place  in  our  present  book.  In 
 many  passages  of  Scripture  it  seems  somewhat  doubtful  at  the  first  glance,  whether 
 he,  or  a  created  angel  be  alluded  to,  but,  on  reflection,  the  context  or  parallel  pass- 
 ages will  enable  us  to  decide,  as,  for  example,  in  Gen.  xxi.  17,  compared  with  xxxi. 
 11,  13.  In  Numb,  xxii.,  let  especial  attention  be  paid  to  the  use  of  the  word  /,  in 
 vers.  32,  33,  35. 
 
 According  to  the  repeated  and  imvarying  testimony  of  Scripture,  numbers  of 
 created  angels  are  busily  employed  in  the  affairs  of  humanity,  not  only  in  the  Hfetime 
 of  our  Lord  (the  centre  of  the  history  of  salvation,  but  also  before  and  after ).  The 
 Old  Testament  appears,  indeed,  in  a  special  manner  the  dispensation  of  angels,  as 
 we  have  three  times  stated  in  Gal.  iii.  19  ;  Acts  vii.  53 ;  Heb.  ii.  2.  But  this  inter- 
 vention of  theirs,  tliis  their  character  of  servants,  appointed  to  execute  the  diA-ine 
 will  and  plans,  is  taught  us  alike  in  the  oldest  and  latest  of  the  sacred  writings  in 
 their  own  characteristic  way ;  not,  indeed,  by  positive  doctrinal  statement,  so  much 
 as  by  illustration  and  context.  Thus  we  learn  that  the  whole  of  nature  is  not 
 merely  governed  by  natural  forces  and  laws,  but  that  the  immanent  Creator  acts 
 upon  all  these  by  intermediate  agents.  It  is  in  this  especial  sense  that  these  spirits 
 who  direct  the  course  of  nature,  receive  the  appellation  of  powers.  The  angel  at 
 the  pool  of  Bethesda  is  no  myth,  for,  in  Rev.  xvi.  5,  we  have  the  positive  mention  of 
 an  angel  of  the  water,  as  well  as  angels  of  the  wind  (vii.  1,  compared  with  ix.  14). 
 Lastly,  in  Dan.  x.  18,  20,  21,  xii.  1,  we  read  of  other  angels  who  are  commissioned  to 
 guide  the  affairs  of  individual  nations,  for  whom  they  light,  a  fact  which,  unintelli- 
 gible as  it  is  to  us,  we  are  bound  to  receive  together  with  all  other  words  of 
 inspiration  respecting  the  mysteries  of  God's  wonderfully  ordered  creation. 
 
 That  in  this  great  world  of  spirits  there  should  be  degrees,  differences  of  rank,  as 
 well  as  of  administration,  we  might  naturally  have  concluded,  even  if  the  Scriptures 
 had  not  revealed  it,  not,  indeed,  by  laying  it  down  as  a  fact,  in  so  many  words,  but 
 by  numerous  allusions  and  slight  touches,  which  it  isour  part  to  search  out  diligently, 
 and  draw  our  own  inferences  from ;  but  yet  with  caution  and  humility,  lest  we 
 intrude  into  those  things  that  we  have  not  seen  (Col.  ii.  18).  The  clearest  allusions 
 that  we  find  are  the  passages  that  simply  enumerate  thrones,  principalities,  powers, 
 dominions  (Eph.  i.  21;  iii.  10;  Col  i.  IG  ;  ii.  10;  of  authorities  and  powers,  1  Pet. 
 iii.  22;  Dan.  iv.  32).  As  to  the  comparative  nature  and  rank  of  archangels  (1  Thess. 
 iv.  16  ;  Jude_9),  and  that  of  the  seven  in  Rev.  viii.  2,  it  is  not  easy  to  decide,  though, 
 with  respect  to  the  latter,  a  careful  comparing  Avith  Tob.  xii.  15,  may  teach  us  some 
 respect  for  apocryphal  tradition.     Some  recent  commentators  have,  on  very  doubtful 
 
viii  INTKUDUCTiON. 
 
 aiitliority,  soug-Kt  to  distinp^uish.  between  the  strong  angels  and  the  ministering'  angels 
 (P.sa.  ciii.  20,  21),  as  though  they  were  two  separate  classes,  but  in  Psa.  Ixxviii.  '25 
 (in  the  original),  all  angels  are  alike  designated  as  strong.  We  may  here  take 
 Of'casion  to  protest  against  the  popular  error,  which  would  divide  the  whole  angelic 
 Avorld  into  the  two  orders  of  cherubim  and  sera'phim,  for  which  there  is  no  authoi-ity 
 in  Holy  Writ;  as  well  as  against  the  unworthy  idea  put  forth,  by  some,  that'  the 
 cherubim  are  mere  creatures  of  the  imagination,  intended  to  convey  a  figurative 
 impression  of  the  greatness  and  majesty  of  God.  We  hope  to  present  to  our  readers 
 a  more  true  and  lofty  theory  than  this. 
 
 Others  would  have  us  distinguish  between  angels  of  might  and  angela  of  know- 
 ledge, but  it  is  by  no  means  easy  to  lay  down  any  positive  line  of  demarcation 
 between  these.  For  in  several  passages  we  find  that  a  knowledge  far  exceeding  the 
 pi'esent  knowledge  or  wisdom  of  men,  is  attributed  to  all  angels  Avhatsoever  (2  Sam. 
 xiv.  17,  20 ;  xix.  27 :  1  Sam.  xxix  9).  Indeed  this  had  become  an  expression 
 proverbial  in  Israel,  and  we  find  it  confirmed,  Avhile  also  limited  in  the  New  Testa- 
 ment. Our  Lord  himself  in  Matt.  xxiv.  36  ;  Mark  xiii.  32,  confirms  the  general 
 pre-supposition  of  the  angels  in  heaven  having  a  widely  extended  knowledge,  yet 
 adds  this  limitation,  tliat  they  do  not  know  the  day  nor  the  hour  of  judgment.  And 
 again,  both  Paul  and  Peter  agree  in  giving  us  to  understand  that  the  angels,  holy 
 and  wise  though  they  be,  have  not  so  deep  an  insight  into  the  mysteries  of  salvation 
 as  those  children  of  men  whose  destiny  these  more  especially  concern  ;  that  the  less 
 complex  existence  of  the  former  continually  finds  an  interest  in  watching  the  history 
 of  the  Church  on  earth  ;  and  that  they  worshipped  before  the  throne  of  grace  w'ith 
 something  of  an  unappeased  thirst  for  more  intimate  knowledge  (Eph.  iii.  10; 
 1  Peter  i.  12).  Amongst  their  orders  there  is  very  possibly  an  ascending  scale  from 
 those,  who  although  happy,  and  after  their  kind  perfect  spirits,  are  yet  simply  serving 
 agencies  or  powers,  to  those  who  are  called  to  and  fitted  for  the  deepest  insight  and 
 the  fullest  knowledge.  Thus  perhaps,  for  it  does  not  become  vis  to  speak  positively 
 here,  the  four  living  creatures  whose  spirit  was  in  the  wheels  (Ezek.  i.),  really  denote 
 four  primal  forces  of  created  life,  nature-spirits  in  creation,  free,  personal,  self-con- 
 scious intermediate  agents,  to  whom  the  divine  power  was  delegated  for  the  govern- 
 ment of  the  material  Avorld.  If  so,  these  may  certainly  be  divided  into  angels  of 
 grace  and  angels  of  truth,  of  mercy,  and  of  judgment ;  that  is,  they  may  be  viewed 
 as  representatives  in  action  of  all  these  alike  (Psa.  Ixxxix.  15),  though  it  is  no  less 
 true  that  angels  of  evil  (Psa.  Ixxviii.  49),  must  in  wrath  remember  mercy,  while,  on 
 tlie  other  hand,  the  messengers  of  grace  and  peace  are  conversant  with  the  stern 
 exercise  of  justice,  as  we  see  from  the  story  of  Mamre  and  Sodom. 
 
 But  how  little  of  all  the  treasures  of  this  angelic  Avorld  is  revealed  in  Scripture 
 history.  How  seldom,  it  we  consider  it  as  a  wlio!o,  have  Ave  any  details  afforded  us 
 of  angel  nature  or  angel  Avork.  Hoav  few  angel  Avords  are  recorded.  We  are  told 
 indeed  in  Liike  xv.  7,  10,  by  our  Lord  himself,  that  the  angels  rejoice  in  each  sinner's 
 repentance,  feel  a  sympathizing  delight  in  the  recovery  of  every  single  human  soul: 
 this  great  truth  flashes  out  in  these  words  ;  is  apparent  no  Avhere  else.  In  Matt. 
 XA'iii.  10,  we  are  positively  told  that  the  children  of  Adam  have  guardian  angels 
 specially  appointed,  but  in  no  other  passage  of  Scripture  have  we  any  further  allu- 
 sion to  this  most  comforting,  most  edifying  mystery.  (For  Acts  xii.  15  is  to  be 
 differently  understood.)  The  seor  of  Patmos  beheld  iudeod  the  prayers  of  the  saints 
 being  presented  by  an  angel ;  but  Ave  only  once  road  elsewhere  of  this  interposition, 
 in  Han.  ix.  23 ;  x.  12,  thougli  Ave  find  an  allusion  made  to  the  universal  belief  in  tho 
 fact,  in  the  apocryphal  story  of  Tobit  (Tob.  xii,  12).  That  angels  have  their 
 app:)inted  offices,  both  at  the  doatii  of  the  righteous  and  tho  ungodly,  avo  learn  from 
 Luke  xvi.  22,  taken  in  connection  with  chap.  xii.  20,  Avhcro  tho  literal  meaning  is, 
 "  tliey  shall  require  thy  soul  ;"  but  it  is  only  in  the  case  of  Herod  (Acts  xii.  23),  in 
 that  of  the  Assyrian  host  (2  Kings  xix.  35),  in  tho  plagues  of  Egypt,  Exod.  xii.  23 
 llleh.  xi.  28),  and  the  story  of  the  pestilence  in  Israel  (2  Sam.  xxiv.  10,  17),  that  wo 
 read  expressly  of  their  being  the  exocutit)nors  of  the  divine  judgment.  And  it  is 
 Jude  alone  Avho  gives  us  any  hint  of  tho  contention  of  Michael  AAdth  Satan  for  the 
 bixly  of  Mo.ses. 
 
 Again,  it  Avas  long  after  Mahanaim  that  the  cami)ing  of  the  heavenly  hosts,  under 
 the  aspect  of  horses  and  chariots  of  lii-o,  was  oaco   more   revealed   to   one   of  tUo 
 
INTRODUCTION.  i^c 
 
 young  men  of  the  prophets  (2  Kings  vi.  17).  It  is  only  in  Dan.  iii.  25,  that  the  son 
 of  the  gods  shoAvs  himself  in  the  furnace  with  the  faithful  three,  to  which  cases  may 
 be  addecl  the  two  instances  of  celestial  intervention  of  liberation  from  prison  by 
 angelic  agency  in  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles.  What  a  reticence,  what  a  paucity  in 
 Holy  Scripture  of  what  skepticism  would  ascribe  merely  to  human  imao-ination. 
 Had  tlie  angels  indeed  been  mere  myths,  forms  originating  in  poetry  and  preserved 
 by  tradition,  why  was  there  not  in  tlie  Bible  the  same  prominence  given  to  them  tliat 
 we  find  in  apocryphal  literature  ;  for  example,  in  the  book  of  Tobit  and  the  fourth 
 book  of  Ezra.  The  book  of  Tobit  is  full  of  beauty  and  significance,  but  the  episode 
 of  the  angel  who  makes  journeys  here  and  there,  and  utters  lengthy  discourses,  at 
 once  proves  its  apocryphal  origin.  In  our  OAvn  days,  when  fictitious  spirits  are  so 
 singularly  garrulous,  we  cannot  lay  too  much  stress  upon  biblcal  reserve. 
 
 And,  lastly,  when  Ave  consider  the  Avords  of  angels,  how  short  they  are,  how 
 adapted  to  human  comprehension  in  their  simplicity,  and  yet  always  with  a  deeper 
 meaning  concealed  beneath  the-primary  one.  Alas  !  commentators  for  the  most  part 
 have  passed  over  these  very  words  lightly,  noticing  them  merely  as  angelic  Avords,  not 
 pausing  to  Aveigh  their  inherent  value,  so  that  our  exposition  has  had  the  benefit  of 
 very  little  previous  labor  in  this  department. 
 
 Again,  all  the  accounts  given  of  the  appearance  of  angels,  are  characterized  by 
 the  same  directness  and  simplicity.  It  is  only  in  the  matter  of  dreams  and  visions 
 that  we  meet  Avith  apocalyptic  imagery;  as,  Jor  instance,. in  tJie  accounts  of  the 
 seraphim  and  cherubim,  as  Avell  as  in  that  of  Jacob's  ladder ;  but  Avhere  angels  are 
 introduced,  to  the  normal,  Avaking  consciousness  of  men,  Ave  do  not  find  that  they  are 
 seen  flying  doAvn  from  heaven,  or  that  there  is  any  thing  marvellous  in  their  de'port- 
 meut.  It  is  true  that  before  the  eyes  of  Manoah  and  his  wife,  the  angel  ascended  in 
 the  "flame  of  tlie  altar,  but  then  this  was  the  uncreated  angel  of  the  Lord,  and  his 
 doing  Avondrously  Avas  necessary  to  bring  about  tlieir  entire  conviction  of  the  truth 
 of  his  message.  Compare  Avith  this  the  sublime  Christmas  celebration  recorded  in 
 Luke  ii.  ;  the  beginning  in  ver.  9,  with  its  conclusion,  ver.  15.  Again,  Ave  usually 
 read  of  a  man,  two  men,  of  a  young  man  (Mark  xvi.) ;  we  hear  nothing  of  AAdngs, 
 or  of  flying,  or  of  any  of  the  adjuncts  by  which  the  imagination  of  artists  is  Avont  to 
 mar  the  simple  Bible  narratives. 
 
 If  it  be  inquired  Avhether  angels  have  a  corporeal  nature,  we  may  reply  that  it  is 
 almost  certain  that  no  created  and  finite  being  (including  those  intelligences  that  in 
 contradistinction  to  our  humanity  Ave  call  pitrely  spiritual)  can  exist  Avithout  some 
 material  substance,  Avhich,  indeed,  is  the  condition  of  form,  and  form  is  implied  in 
 the  words,  "their  own  habitation"  (see  Jude  6).  The  often  misunderstood  passage 
 in  Psa.  civ.  4,  is  peculiarly  fraught  Avith  veiled  meaning.  In  the  first  place,  it  speaks 
 of  actual  wind  and  flame  as  ministers  of  the  Lord ;  thus  illustrating  the  angelic 
 poAver  and  swiftness,  and  also  mysteriously  conveying  by  these  types  some  idea  of 
 the  higher  corporeal  nature  of  these  exalted  angelic  beings.  That  they  are  not 
 created  out  of  tlie  dust,  like  the  children  of  Adam,  we  read,  moreover,  in  Job  iv.  18, 
 19.  But  how  are  they  created  and  fornied  ?  Here  all  our  knoAvledge  is  at  fault ; 
 only  there  are  two  hints  in  God's  word,  which  lead  us  to  suppose  that  the  human 
 shape,  as  the  form  of  forms,  the  original  type  of  the  rational  creation,  may  be  pecu- 
 liar to  the  angels  also.  We  read  of  the  children  of  the  resurrection  being  made  like 
 unto  the  angels,  Luke  xx.  36  ;  (Matt.  xxil.  30  ;  Mark  xii.  25),  and  this,  from  the 
 nature  of  the  context,  eA'idently  refers  to  the  body;  while  Rev.  xxi.  17  harmonize* 
 therewith,  it  beiig  there  said  of  "the  measure  of  a  man  (a  risen  glorified  man),  thpv 
 is,  of  the  angel." 
 
 It  is  also  noticeable  that  in  the  Old  Testament,  angels,  if  they  do  not  simply  reA-oal 
 themselA'es  in  the  human  form,  have  a  fiery  appearance,  Avhile  in  the  New  Testament, 
 on  the  contrary,  from  the  scene  of  the  resurrection  of  the  Saviour  (for  in  Luke  ii.  9 
 there  is  a  verblal  difference  in  the  description)  they  appear  in  shining  raiment,  or  in 
 bright  light  (Acts  xii.  7).  And  this  may  have  some  connection  with  the  reconciling 
 of  all  things  through  Christ,  both  things  in  earth  and  things  in  heaven  (Ccl.  i.  20). 
 
 That  angels  actually  spoke  to  men,  we  find  to  have  been  a  popular  belief  in 
 Christ's  time,  recognized  in  John  xii.  29,  as  also  in  Acts  xxlii.  9,  with  AvhIch  we  may 
 compare  1  Ivings  xlii.  18,  and  in  a  manner  Gal.  i.  8  as  Avell.  It  is  evident  that,  in 
 order  to  have  been  understood  by  men,  they  must  necessarily  have  used   huinan 
 
X  INTRODUCTION. 
 
 language,  and  not  spolcen  in  tlieir  own  peculiar  tongues,  wliicli  vro  find  alluded  to 
 (1  Cor.  xiii.  1).  This  remark  applies  also  to  the  two  angelic  names,  translated  for 
 our  comprehension  into  those  of  Gabriel  and  Michael,  to  which  the  Apocrypha  adds 
 the  two  other  names,  formed  on  the  same  plan,  of  Eaphael  and  Uriel.  But,  once 
 ■more,  let  us  ask  where,  throughout  the  mythology  and  poetry  of  Taganism,  Judaism, 
 or  Christendom,  we  find  any  thing  comparable  in  simplicity  and  dignity  to  the  Bible 
 narratives  of  the  appearance  and  sayings  of  angels  ?  Poets  and  painters  have 
 indeed  their  artistic  right  to  ideahzo  and  adorn,  but  they  ought  only  to  fill  up  the 
 Bible  outline,  instead  of,  as  is  too  often  the  case,  altogether  departing  from  it. 
 
 Our  purpose,  in  the  work  wo  now  lay  before  our  readers,  is  to  bring  to  light  the 
 deep  meaning  which  we  believe  the  simplest  angelic  sayings  to  contain,  the  treasures 
 that  lie  beneath  the  seeming  commonplace  surface.  In  order  to  do  this,  we  shall 
 sometimes  have  to  rectify  the  common  version  of  the  sacred  text.  We  hope  thus  to 
 be  able  to  present  the  collective  words  of  the  angels  under  a  neT^  aspect,  and  to 
 afford  another  proof  that  the  Holy  Scriptures,  despite  the  variety  of  their  inspired 
 ■writers,  are  in  point  of  fact  one  organic  whole,  one  revelation. 
 
THE  WORDS  OF  THE  ANGELS. 
 
 CHAPTER  I. 
 
 GaBBIEL's  AnN0U^;C£MENT  to  ZACnAHIAS. 
 
 Luke   I. 
 
 The  Lord  himself  is  about  to  come;  tlie 
 Lord  of  eternal  glory  in  the  bosom  of  the  Fa- 
 ther, before  the  fouiulalion  of  the  world,  is  to 
 come  into  the  world,  clothed  in  the  flesh  of 
 Adam's  fallen  race,  with  a  coming  essentially 
 different  from  any  other  of  which  we  have 
 hitherto  heard.  A  work  has  now  to  be  accom- 
 plished wondrous  above  all  wonders ;  events 
 are  to  take  place  whose  inexhaustible  interest 
 will  forever  claim  and  repay  the  eternal  "  look- 
 ing into  "  of  men  and  angels,  earth  and  heaven. 
 What  marvel,  then,  that  those  heavenly  ser- 
 vants, who  continuallv  wait  his  pleasure  (see 
 how  the  Lord,  then  a  King  in  bonds,  speaks  of 
 them,  John  xviii.  36),  should  make  themselves 
 known  to  the  children  of  men  more  palpably, 
 frequently,  intimately  than  heretofore  ?  There 
 is  no  need  of  laborious  argument  or  elaborate 
 proof  to  establish  this;  every  heart  susceptible 
 of  the  impressions  adevotedstudentof  Scripture 
 receives,  will  at  once  own  the  difTerence,  will 
 recognize  and  feel  the  increased  tenderness  and 
 dignity  combined,  which  the  heavenly  messen- 
 gers henceforth  manifest  to  the  sons  of  men. 
 Nor  is  it  possible  for  a  godly  simplicity  to  pro- 
 test too  strongly  against  all  well-meaning  but 
 unbecoming  criticism,  all  fanciful  interpreta- 
 tion, that  may  detract  from  the  literal,  plain, 
 but  profound  historical  character  of  the  narra- 
 tive before  us.  It  is  not  with  shapes  projected 
 by  the  inherent  force  of  the  human  intellect — 
 art-creations  resulting  from  sense  experience — 
 that  we  have  to  deal ;  nor  yet  is  it  with  images 
 and  sounds  evoked  within  the  human  con- 
 sciousness by  supernatural  influence,  and 
 thrown  into  a  simple  historical  form,  that  the 
 grand  history  of  salvation  opens.  It  is  with 
 the  words  and  deeds  of  angels  themselves  ;  of 
 separate  and  independent  beings,  in  a  marvel- 
 lous and  miraculous  manner  no  doubt,  but  yet 
 in  very  deed  and  truth  manifesting  themselves 
 as  objective  realities  to  man.  As  the  human 
 race  was  originally  created  to  carry  out  God's 
 gracious  purpose  concerning  it,  against  the 
 powers  of  a  fallen  spirit  world,  so  good  spirits, 
 m  their  several  vocations,  were  appointed  to 
 Borve  mankind  with  a  most  intimate  and  spe- 
 cial interest.  And  to  the  Godman  was  from 
 all  eu  rnity  ordained  Mediator  in  the  work  of 
 salvation,  the  human  form  (as  it  was  in  its 
 pristine  and  wi-H-  be  in  its  restored  ^lory)  is 
 
 permanently  worthy  to  be  assumed  by  angeh 
 when  they  appear  to  men;  nay,  more,  as  the 
 original  and  typical  form  of  all  corporeity,  it  is 
 in  all  probability  already  their  own,  or  will 
 ultimately  become  so,  in  order  to  fit  them  for 
 our  eternal  companionship. 
 
 In  tlve  collective  historical  books  of  the  Old 
 Testament,  we  only  find  the  appearance  of 
 speaking  angels  recorded  thrice,  while  in  the 
 Gospel  narrative  we  read  of  at  least  eight  dis- 
 tinct angelic  addresses,  and  in  the  Acts  of  the 
 Apostles  five.  The  birth  of  the  Saviour  is 
 both  predicted  and  proclaimed;  his  first  jour- 
 neys are  prescribed  ;  his  resurrection  and  his 
 ascension  are  alike  declared.  During  the 
 course  of  Christ's  ministry,  however,  we  have 
 no  angelic  communications  made  to  us  ;  for 
 although  the  Lord  asserts  that  a  constant  as- 
 cending and  descending  of  angels  between  him 
 and  the  opened  heaven  is  being  carried  on 
 (John  i.  51),  and  we  feel  that  this  is  so 
 throughout  the  heavenly  career  of  the  Son  of 
 Man — since  we  hear  of  ministering  angels  in 
 the  desert,  strengthening  angels  at  Gethsemane, 
 and  are  well  entitled  to  imagine  how  angels 
 watched  over  and  waited  on  his  childhood,  as 
 it  silently  matured  into  the  consciousness  of 
 his  divine  humanity — yet  of  all  this  increased 
 and  exalted  angelic  intercourse  little  compara- 
 tively is  directly  granted  to  man. 
 
 Gabriel,  the  prince  who  had  already  once  ap- 
 peared towards  the  end  of  the  Old  Testament, 
 stands  out  foremost  as  annunciator  at  the 
 beginning  of  the  New  ;  and  it  is  the  birth  of 
 the  Forerunner  that  he  first  announces,  that, 
 agreeably  to  the  order  of  nature,  the  dawn 
 should  precede  the  sunrising.  The  pre-natal 
 history  of  Jesus,  as  well  as  the  preparatory 
 events  we  are  now  considering,  are  given  us 
 with  greatest  minuteness  by  Luke,  whose  pur- 
 pose it  was  to  set  all  things  in  order  from  the  be- 
 ginning. His  Gospel,  addressed  toTheophilus, 
 has  a  certain  private  character  about  it,  and 
 brings  out  many  details  passed  over  by  the 
 first  public  witnesses  to  Christ.  And  how  self- 
 evidencing,  how  unparalleled  by  the  most  cun- 
 ningly-devisetl  fables  (2  Pet.  i.  16)  of  man,  la 
 the'historical  truth  of  the  record.  We  adopt 
 the  words  of  Pfenninger  :  "  How  solemnly,  how 
 divinely,  the  holy  drama  of  a  new  iwelation 
 opens.  An  angel  from  heaven,  a  mau  on  earth 
 — these  are  invariably  the  two  chief  characters 
 in  the  sacred  story;  heaven  acting  uponeanh, 
 man  brought  into  contact  with  the  beings 
 of  the  invisible  world.  On  one  hand,  an 
 Israelite,  one  ol  the  peculiar  people  to  whom 
 the  pioiuises  belong;    more,  one  of  its  priests 
 
GABRIEL'S  ANNOUNCEMENT  TO  ZACHAPJAS, 
 
 appointpfl  lo  pload  for  God  to  man,  and  for 
 mun  to  God  ;  ohr  specially  chosen  out  of  the 
 chosen  nation.  On  the  other,  '  I,  Gabriel,  that 
 stand  before  the  presence  of  God.'  The  scene 
 is  tlie  most  sacred  spot  of  the  whole  earth,  of 
 the  Land  of  Promise,  of  the  city  of  the  Great 
 Kin,2;,  namely,  the  sanctuary  of  God's  house; 
 and  here,  in  the  most  holy  retirement,  an  an- 
 nouncement is  made,  a  dialogue  held  between 
 the  two,  by  the  altar  of  incense — type  of  the 
 worship  of  the  saints— in  the  hour  of  public 
 prayer,  while  Israel  is  imploring  the  blessing 
 of  Jehovah.  Could  the  opening  of  the  divine 
 New-Testament  drama  be  more  solemn,  more 
 appropriate,  more  Israelitish,  more  sacred, 
 either  as  regards  person,  place,  time,  or  ac- 
 tion?" 
 
 Zacharias  is  the  representative  of  the  priest- 
 hood of  Israel  as  Simeon  of  its  prophets.  No 
 priest  could  be  found  mor6  worthy  to  receive 
 the  earliest  message.  The  marvellously  late 
 birth  of  the  forerunner  serves  as  a  transition 
 to  the  miraculous  birth  of  the  Son  of  God  ; 
 sn-ves  as  a  sign  to  confirm  the  faith  of  the  Vir- 
 gin Mother  (ver.  So).  The  pious  sacredotal 
 pair  unconsciously  prophecy  by  the  very  names 
 they  bear:  Zacharias,  i.  e.,  the  Lord  remem- 
 lers,  happily  combines  with  Elizabeth  (or 
 Elisheba,  as  in  Exodns  vi.  23,  the  wife  of  Aaron, 
 the  ancestress  of  the  whole  priesthood),  i.  e., 
 God  of  the  oath,  the  covenant.  In  both  the 
 songs  of  praise  contained  in  this  opening  chap- 
 ter, we  may  observe  the  allusion  made  by  the 
 Holy  Spirit  to  these  two  names. 
 
 It  is  probable  that  this  first  appearance  took 
 place  at  the  time  of  the  evening  sacrifice,  for  it 
 was  at  that  hour,  five  hundred  years  before, 
 that  the  same  Gabriel  announced  ifrom  afar  the 
 coming  of  Messiah  to  Daniel  the  prophet.  At 
 all  events,  commentators  have  no  ground  for 
 supposing  that  on  account  of  the  sudden  dumb- 
 ness of  Zacharias,  the  people  waiting  without 
 were  deprived  of  the  priestly  benediction,  for 
 it  is  highly  probable  that  this  was  bestowed 
 only  in  the  morning.*  Otherwise  Luke  would 
 surely  have,  alluded  to  this  benediction,  where- 
 as he  gives  us  to  understand  that  the  priest's 
 speechl'.-ssness  only  prevented  his  explaining 
 the  reason  of  the  long  tarrying  in  the  temple 
 that  had  surprised  the  people.  Again,  whellicr 
 it  were  morning  or  evening,  surely  the  omis- 
 sion of  the  blessing  would  have  been  peculiarly 
 inappropriate  at  such  a  juncture,  so  that  every- 
 thing leads  us  to  assume  both  that  the  an- 
 nouncement was  made  in  the  evening,  and  that 
 it  was  not  customary  then  to  bestow  it.  '  The 
 offering  of  incense  was  the  symbol  that  accom- 
 panied prayer,  so  that  it  was  in  the  sacred 
 exercise  of  his  regular  official  duties,  not  in 
 sleep,  in  a  dream,  or  ecstatic  trance,  but  with 
 mind  upraised  to  God,  and,  at  the  same  time, 
 colIw;led  and  calm,  that  Zacharias  saw  and 
 heard  the  angel.     Tiiere  aj)peared  to  him  an 
 
 48. 
 
 ?e  Lunds  Jcwisli  S  .nctuaiie.s,  DuoL  iii.  cha; 
 
 angel  of  the  Lord  standing  on  the  right  hand 
 of  the  altar  of  incense. 
 
 This  very  first  fact  already  promises  "  good 
 tidings,"  with  whiih  expression  the  angel's 
 second  address  closes  (ver.  19).  His  first  (vers. 
 13-17)  begins  with  these  words,  so  frequenily 
 made  use  of  in  the  Old  Testament,  "  Fear  no/,," 
 words  that  here,  on  the  very  threshold  of  the 
 New,  obtain  even  stronger  significance.  For 
 even  the  pious  Zacharias  was  alraid,  when, 
 through  the  cloud  of  incense  he  saw  the  majts- 
 tic  form,  and  at  once  knew  that  it  was  no  man 
 who  stood  there,  but  an  angel  of  the  Lord. 
 
 And  now,  let  us  consider  the  exquisite  con- 
 nection of  the  whole,  the  gradually  attained 
 climax  of  the  divine  message  from  the  lips  of 
 the  angel  from  before  the  throne.*  The  messen- 
 ger of  joy  begins  with  the  mention  of  the  ac- 
 cepted prayer,  promises  a  son,  gives  him  a  high 
 name,  foretells  for  him  a  distinguished  otiice. 
 But  the  greatest  tidings  are  yet  to  come  :  the 
 longed-for  coming  of  the  Messiah,  whose  fore- 
 runner this  child  is  to  be.  Again  we  quote 
 Pfenninger:  "How  tenderly  inter\y,oven,  hovr 
 intimately  connected  the  divine  with  the  human 
 story.  It  is  one  of  the  chief  perfections  of  a 
 drama  that  all  its  occurrences  should  essen- 
 tially hang  together  ;  that  none  of  them  should 
 appear  extraneous  or  isolated  ;  and  where  are 
 these  conditions  better  observed  than  in  the 
 divine  narratives  of  Holy  Writ?  Tlie  grand- 
 est, divinest  story  in  the  world  blends  at  its 
 first  most  human  commencement,  with  the 
 human  heart  history  of  a  childless  wedded 
 1  pair,  who  pray  to  God  for  a  son."  This  is  cer- 
 1  tainly  true,  although  the  prayer  here  alluded 
 I  to  can  hardly  have  been  confined  to  such  a 
 petition.  The  heavenly  message,  however  ret- 
 respectively,  includes  former  prayers,  and  has 
 three  separate  clauses — first,  the  birth  of  a  son 
 to  Zacharias;  last,  the  coining  of  the  Lord 
 himself;  and  as  a  connecting  link  between  the 
 two,  the  announcement  that  this  soa  shall 
 make  ready  the  way  of  this  very  Lord. 
 
 "  Fdiir  not,  Z-tcharias ;  for  thy  frar/er  i$ 
 heard;  and  Ih'j  xoife  EUziihelh  shall  hear  thee  a 
 son,  and  thou  shtU  call  his  name  John."  It  was 
 thus  that  the  message  to  Cornelius  the  cen- 
 turion began  with  the  same  mention  of  jirayer 
 heard  (Acts  x.  31)  ;  and  the  passage  in  Daniel 
 (ix.  22,  23)  leads  us  to  associate  this  with 
 angelic  interposition.  But  those  vvho  imagine 
 that  the  prayer  of  Zacharias  here  alluded  to 
 had  reference  only  to  the  birth  of  a  son,  are 
 probably  mistaken.  We  are  inclined  rather  to 
 conclude,  from  the  doubting  expression  em- 
 ployed in  verse  IS,  that  this  wish  was  well- 
 nigh  given  up  in  his  old  age.  Just  as  the 
 Gent.le,  in  the  midst  of  his  God-fearing  and 
 righteous  career,  prayed  earnestly  for  peace  of 
 conscience  and  forgiveness  of  sins,  so  now,  in 
 the  holy  place,  the  priest  of  Israel,  in  his  charac- 
 
 *  Josephus  relates  a  snp'^rnntiir.il  v'sifatx^n 
 male  to  tlie  lii^hjir  e.sf,.Jo!in  Ilyroaiuis,  <lur."n2  ths 
 tiir.'iinD;  up  of  incense;  bui,  it  was  only  a  vo.c  •, 
 nut  a  vijiun. 
 
GABRIEL'S  ANNOUNCEMENT  TO  ZACHARIAS. 
 
 ter  of  intercessor  for  the  people  prayed  for  the 
 coming  of  the  promised  Deliverer,  and  he  would 
 hardly  have  mingled  his  own  private  petition 
 wiih  this  exercise  of  his  priestly  otBce.  If  it 
 found  any  place  in  his  heart  at  such  a  time,  it 
 could  only  have  been  in  some  form  like  this  : 
 "  Oh,  if  my  sigh  might  rise  like  this  incense,  a 
 perfume  acceptable  to  the  Lord,  and  that  he 
 would  come  down  to  visit  his  people,  how 
 gladly  would  I  give  up  all  other  wishes  of  my 
 own!"  Neverthf-less  the  overflow,  of  the 
 divine  grace  grants  his  former  and  sulDordinat- 
 ed  private  desire  as  well  ;  nay,  gives  it  the 
 first  place  on  the  list  of  blessings  implored  by 
 and  granted  to  the  priest's  prayer.  This  pro- 
 mised son  is  added  to  a  series  whose  birth 
 lias  already  been  miraculously  foretold — Isaac, 
 Samson,  Samuel.  The  significant  names  of 
 both  Zacharias  and  Elizabeth  his  wife  are 
 mentioned  by  the  angel,  to  point  out  the  rich 
 fulfillment  of  their  prophetic  meaning,  but 
 the  appointed  name  of  this  promised  son  trans- 
 cends theirs.  An  era  of  new  and  fuller  grace 
 begins  wilh  him.  Later,  the  name  receives  its 
 special  explanation,  in  that  the  stern  preacher 
 of  repentance  is  found  only  to  lead  from  grace 
 to  grace.  John  is  the  last  but  one  of  the  seven 
 names  given  by  God  in  Holy  Scripture  to  those 
 still  unborn,  and  the  seventh  name  is  Jesus* 
 
 "And  he  (this  John)  sliall  he  ^oy  and  glad- 
 ness to  thee  ;  and  many  shall  rejoice  at  his  birth. 
 For  he  shall  be  great  in  the  sight  of  the  Lord,  and 
 shall  drink  neither  wine  nor  strong  drink  ;  and  he 
 shall  he  filled  with  the  Holy  Glwst  even  from  his 
 mother's  womb."  We  at  once  see  in  this  pass- 
 ag*^,  taken  in  connection  with  verses  16,  17,  the 
 difference  between  the  limited  and  immediate 
 character  of  the  angelic  message,  and  that  of  a 
 broad  prophetic  announcement  embracing  and 
 expressing  the  whole  future  consequences  of 
 the  event.  Such  a  prophecy  of  the  person  and 
 ofTices  of  the  Baptist  could  not  have  spoken 
 only  of  joy  and  success  ;  it  must  needs  have 
 dwelt  upon  the  fruitlessness  of  his  mission  to 
 the  majority,  and  his  own  cruel  death  ;  while 
 the  angel,  on  the  contrary,  was  appointed  to 
 deliver,  in  the  first  instance,  only  glad  tidings, 
 to  announce  the  purpose,  and  means  employed 
 by  the  grace  of  God.  In  the  same  manner, 
 this  very  Gabriel  speaks  on  a  later  occasion  to 
 Mary,  only  of  the  person  and  the  kingdom  of 
 the  Lord  Jesus  ;  he  says  nothing  of  the  cross, 
 or  the  world  at  large.  And  yet  it  remains  not 
 the  less  true, nor  less  exactly  fulfilled,  that  not 
 only  father,  mother,  friends,  and  neighbors  did 
 'rejoice  over  John  (ver.  5S),  but  many,  who 
 recognized  his  prophetic  character,  and,  in  a 
 measure,  the  whole  nation,  although,  alas  I  it 
 was  willing  only  "  for  a  season  to  rejoice  in  his 
 light"  (John  V.  35),  instead  of  being  perma- 
 nently kindled  by  his  Elias-like  zeal.  Truly  he 
 was  and  is  great  as  the  last  and  greatest  pro- 
 phet (]\Iatt.  xi.  11),  only  not  great  in  a  worldly 
 eense  (as,  for  example,  was  Herod).     No  ;  we 
 
 *  Ishmiel,  I^anc.  Solomon,  Josiah  (I  Kiiiss  xiii. 
 i),  Cyrus  (Isaiah  xiiv,  28  ;  xlv.  1),  John,  Jesus. 
 
 have  a  hint  given  us  of  an  ofTice  and  a  Vmc'. 
 dom  of  quite  another  character.  He  was  great 
 before  the  Lord.  The  word  thus  taken  by  t  ho 
 sagacious  priest,  not  in  its  literal  sense,  but 
 fraught  with  mysterious  import,  would  recall 
 the  men  of  faiih  and  spiritual  power  of  Is- 
 rael's good  old  times,  more  especially  the 
 wondrous  champion  Samson  (Judges  xiii),  a 
 rude  type,  finding  an  honorable  antitype  here; 
 for  this  child  too  is  to  be  vowed  and  dedicated 
 to  God.  Although  the  angel  makes  special 
 allusion  to  Judges  xiii.  4,  5  •"  yet  in  his  subse- 
 quent hymn  of  praise,  Zacharias  shows  that  he 
 had  clear  insight  enough  not  to  look  for  a 
 temporal  deliverer  from  the  Roman  yoke  after 
 the  lashion  of  Samson  or  Gideon  (vers.  77-79). 
 It  was  as  the  most  severe  upholder  and  preacher 
 of  the  law  at  the  close  of  the  Old  Covenant, 
 whose  office  it  was  to  prepare  the  people  by 
 repentance  for  the  grace  of  the  New,  that  John 
 received  a  life-long  consecration  to  God,  the 
 "separation  of  a  Nazarite"  (Numb.  iv). 
 Wine  and  other  strong  drinks  are  here  placed, 
 as  in  Eph.  v.  18,  in  opposition  to  the  spirit  of 
 which  this  strenuously  active  servant  of  the 
 Lord  was  to  be  full :  not,  indeed,  that  "  Holy 
 Spirit"  with  which  only  a  mightier  than  John 
 had  power  to  baptize,  but  an  abundant  mea- 
 sure of  what,  up  to  this  time,  had  been  called, 
 and  actually  was,  a  holy  spirit  in  the  men  of 
 God. 
 
 "And  many  of  the  children  of  Israel  shall  he 
 turn  to  the  Lord  their  God.  And  he  shall  go  be- 
 fu,e  him  in  the  spirit  and  power  of  Elias,  to  turn 
 the  hearts  of  the  fathers  to  the  children,  and  the 
 diso'iedient  to  the  wisdom  of  the  just ;  to  make 
 ready  a  people  prepared  for  the  Lord."  Not  only, 
 as  before  stated,  many  shall  rejoice  at  his  birtii, 
 but,  still  further,  still  better,  many  shall  be 
 really  converted  by  him,  turned  back  from  the 
 apostacyso  deeply  felt  and  lamented  by  Zacha- 
 rias and  all  pious  souls.  It  is  not  indeed  said 
 that  he  should  turn  all  the  children  of  Israel, 
 convert  the  whole  nation;  and  this  limitation 
 of  the  promise  may  have  occasioned  some 
 anxiety  on  after  reflection.  But  at  first,  at 
 least,  it  sounded  full  of  comfort,  as  when  in  a 
 shipwreck,  or  the  falling  in  of  a  bridge,  out  of 
 the  multitude  destroyed,  a  certain  number, 
 thankfully  designated  as  many,  are  known  to 
 be  saved.  It  is  true,  that  taken  on  a  great 
 scale,  as  regards  the  result  which  Gabriel  goes 
 on  more  precisely  to  indicate  as  the  end  and 
 aim  of  his  office,  the  Baptist's  labor  was  vain; 
 but,  neverthele.ss,  a  considerable  number — per- 
 haps, with  a  few  exceptions,  all  those  who  were 
 struck  by  the  first  apostolic  sermon  and  who 
 joined  themselves  to  the  Church — had  been 
 prepared  by  John.  Nay,  more,  there  was  a 
 beginning  of  conversion  in  the  multitudes  who 
 listened  to  his  doctrine  of  repentance,  only 
 that  they,  alas  I  were  not  steadlast  in  their  re- 
 solve to  turn  to  the  Lord  their  God.  AH  thia 
 is  in  a  manner  implied  in  the  indefinite  sen- 
 tence which  soon  passes  on  from  the  result  to 
 the  character  of  the  Baptist's  office.  He  will 
 begin  to  point  many  back  to  God,  for  his  mis- 
 
GABRIEL'S  ANNOUNCEMENT  TO  ZACHAPJAS. 
 
 aion  is  to  prepare  aU  the  people  of  Israel  (or, 
 at  least,  out  of  them  a  people  of  the  Lord)  lor 
 the  coining  Messiah,  whose  forerunner  he  is. 
 
 We  notice  an  especial  emphasis  laid  in  the 
 original  upon  the  word  he.  He,  thy  son,  it  is 
 of  wiiom  the  prophet  writes  at  the  clo'^c  of  the 
 OM  Testament,  that  he  is  to  come  as  tor.^runner 
 before  the  coining  of  the  Lord.  We  m&.y  ques- 
 tion whether,  before  the  time  of  the  l>aptist, 
 any  one  had  attached  so  special  a  meaning  to 
 tlie  more  general  expression  in  Isaiah  xl.  3  ; 
 but  this  positive  declaration  of  Malachi's  was 
 well  known  to  Zacharias  and  to  all  doctors  of 
 the  law.  And,  therefore,  it  is  with  this  pro- 
 phecy of  the  last  prophet,  that  the  annunciator 
 at  once  connects  his  own  declaration,  not  only 
 lor  the  sake  of  "  clothing  it  in  a  familiar  and 
 intelligible  form  of  speech,"  as  Olshausen  has 
 it,  but  because  for  the  angel  himself,  who  has 
 for  centuries  attentively  watched  God's  ways 
 and  words  with  regard  to  Israel  and  humanity 
 at  large,  there  attaches  now  that,  after  so  long 
 a  pause,  the  fulfillment  of  the  prophecy  draws 
 near,  a  deeper  solemnity  to  the  last  word 
 spoken  for  four  hundred  years.  Accordingly, 
 he  does  not  dwell  on  the  still  more  known,  or, 
 at  least,  clearer  expression  in  Mai.  iii.  1,  but 
 merely  glances  passingly  at  it,  to  combine  it 
 ■with  the  very  last  prophetic  utterance.  And 
 thus  he,  as  the  first  commentator  on  the  pass- 
 age, teaches  what  at  that  time  can  hardly  have 
 been  clear  to  any,  that  the  messenger  or  anrrel 
 preparing  the  way  of  the  Lord,  himself  the 
 Angel  ol  the  Covenant,  is  at  the  same  time  the 
 Elias,  that  is  to  say,  is  a  type  of  the  latest  and 
 proper  fulfiller  of  the  prophecy.  And  he  shall 
 go  he/ore  J  Ini.  Here  we  have  a  most  important 
 testimony  borne  on  the  very  threshold  of  the 
 New  Testament,  by  the  archangel's  lips,  to  the 
 Godhead  of  the  Saviour  about  to  cohie  in  the 
 form  of  man,  for  the  pronoun  expressly  relates 
 to  the  foregoing  words— the  Dml  their  God. 
 
 Again  it  is  before  Ilnn  whom  thou  hast  so 
 anxiously  expected,  for  whose  coming  thou 
 hast  prayed  ;  and  we  see  clearly  in  vers.  76,  77, 
 how  Zacharias  on  farther  reflection,  and  still 
 more  by  the  relation  of  the  Spirit,  understood 
 this  going  before  the  face  of  the  Lord.  Indeed, 
 it  was  already  openly  stated  to  Malachi  that 
 the  Lord  himself  was  to  come  to  his  temple,  in 
 the  person  of  the  desired  Messenger  of  the 
 Covenant.  Before  him  John  is  to  go,  as  (we 
 use  Augustine's  words)  "  the  voice  before  the 
 Word,  the  light  before  the  Sun,  the  herald 
 before  the  Judge,  the  servant  before  the  Lord, 
 the  friend  before  the  Bridegroom."  This  going 
 before  implies  preparation.  In  tfte  ffjurU 
 and  power  of  Elia^,  the  great  reformer,  great 
 rocaller  of  Israel  to  God  ;  thus  Gabriel  solves 
 the  question  put  by  the  disciples  to  Jesus 
 alter  the  transfiguration  (Malt.  xvii.  10) 
 111  the  same  way  that  it  was  then  answered 
 by  our  Lor.l.  The  actual  Elias,  the  prophet 
 literally  s-poken  of  in  Malachi,  will  doubtless 
 come  in  his  time,  beiore  the  second  advent; 
 meanwhile  he  is  already  typically  come  in 
 John,  to  whom  was  i^raultd  the  same  spirit  of 
 
 power  in  his  own  days  formerly  exercised  by 
 the  Tishbite  in  his. 
 
 The  passage  that  follows — "to  turnthehearts 
 of  the  fathers  to  the  children" — taken  word 
 for  word  from  one  clause  of  the  prophetic  text, 
 and  sup[>lemented  by  a  new  explanatory  sen- 
 j  tence,  is  at  first  sight  rather  more  ambiguous, 
 and  consequently  often  misunderstood.  For 
 instance,  Meyer's  note  is  plainly  inadequate, 
 giving  as  the  direct  meaning,  "  the  old  shall  be 
 converted  to  childish  innocence  (Matt,  xviii. 
 3),  and  to  faith  in  the  New  Covenant,  the 
 childishly  frivolous  and  perverse  to  the  wisdom 
 of  age."  Again  we  find  it  rendered  in  Berlen- 
 hurff's  Bihel':  "  Tlie  children  shall  consider 
 their  parents,  and  the  parents  their  children, 
 and  both  shall  feel  that  they  must  be  mutually 
 converted."  This  only  amounts  to  saying  that 
 John  was  to  bring  both  old  and  young  to  re- 
 pentance, to  make  ready  the  righteous  and  un- 
 righteous, men  of  every  stamp,  in  short,  for  the 
 Lord. 
 
 One  of  our  latest  commentators.  Van  Ooster- 
 zee,  gives  the  passage  a  more  special  meaning  : 
 "  Owing  to  the  moral  degradation  of  the  peo- 
 ple, the  sense  of  filial  dnty  had  grown  cold  in 
 many  hearts  ;  when  the  forerunner  should  lift 
 up  his  voic3,  the  ties  of  family  love  would  be 
 drawn  closer."  If  this  were  so,  we  might  ex- 
 pect to  find  the  turning  of  the  heart  of  the 
 children  to  their  fathers  mentioned,  as  it  is  in 
 Malachi,  and,  accordingly,  another  commenta- 
 tor suggests,  on  the  other  hand  :  "  The  love  of 
 parents  to  children  which  in  this  corrupt  time 
 was  nearly  extinct,  as  we  see  in  the  case  of 
 Herod,  would  be  reawakened  by  the  Baptist, 
 and  thus  family  peace  restored  would  form  a 
 foundation  for  the  fear  of  God."  But  what 
 reason  have  we  for  believing  that  tlie  solitary 
 of  the  desert  had  special  reference  in  his  preach- 
 ing to  family  alTection  and  domestic  ties?  On 
 the  contrary,  he  seems  to  ad<lres3  those  who 
 come  to  him  in  a  strictly  individual  manner, 
 each  one  for  himself.  We  do  not  see  any  con- 
 gruity  in  such  a  theory,  but  the  chief  objection 
 is  this  :  such  is  not  the  meaning  of  the  pro- 
 phetic text  in  the  Old  Testament — the  neglect 
 of  which  has  led  the  latest  commentators  astray 
 here  as  elsewhere. 
 
 What,  then,  do  we  read  in  the  prophet? 
 We  must  keep  this  in  view,  for  the  funda- 
 mental iilea  must  be  the  same  in_  both  pass- 
 ages. 
 
 It  is  true  that  the  Septuagint  does  afford  a 
 ground  for  this  recent  interpretation,  but  this 
 is  by  an  evident  departure  from  the  Hebrew  " 
 text  and  context.  A  mere  restoration  of  family 
 ties,  a  reconciliation  brought  about  between 
 fathers  and  children  cannot  possibly  be  the 
 meaning  of  the  profound  far-reaching  prophecy 
 (one  only  to  be  entirely  fulfilled  at  the  second 
 advent)  with  which  the  Old  Testament  con- 
 cludes; such  a  meaning  were  far  too  special, 
 too  weak  and  insignificant  altogether.  Al- 
 though it  is  strikingly  put,  that  the  children 
 and  the  parents  must  be  turned  to  each  other, 
 yet  the  turning  of  them  both  to  the  Lord  theu 
 
GABRIEL'S  ANNOUNCEMENT  TO  ZACHAPJA5 
 
 God  (as  Gabriel  had  previously  said)  must  be 
 the  principal  thing  implied  in  "this.  The  solu- 
 tion of  the  difBculty  is  to  be  found  in  a  passage 
 of  Scripture,  to  which  the  prophet  ]\Ia]achi  un- 
 doubtedly refers,  when  he  foretells  the  return  of 
 Elijah,  in  whose  history  that  passage  occurs. 
 That  prophet  prayed  on  Carme),  as  we  read  in 
 the  literal  translation  of  1  Kings  xviii.  37, 
 "  Hear  me,  0  Lord,  that  this  people  may  know 
 that  thou.  Lord,  art  God,  and  that  thou  turn- 
 est  their  heart  back  again."  Here  we  have  the 
 original  passage,  agreeably  to  which  the  ex- 
 pression of  Malachi  is  to  be  understood. 
 Malachi  has  previously  spoken  of  the  fathers 
 in  the  sense  oiforefatliers  (lii.  7  and  ii.  10),  and 
 evidently  this  is  his  meaning  still.  Thus  the 
 leading  idea,  the  one  fundamental  sense,  which 
 aome  have  erroneously  introduced  as  a  mere 
 adjunct,  is  really  this  :  "The  unbelieving  de- 
 scendants are  to  be  turned  back  to  the  Messianic 
 faith  of  iixQW  forefathers,  so  that  the  latter  may 
 be  at  one  with  them."  We  have  seen  that  the 
 emphasis  is  primarily  laid  upon  the  heart  or 
 the  sympathies  of  the  pious  fathers  being 
 being  brought  back  to  their  descendants,  and 
 this  is  because  the  heart  of  the  children  has 
 already  been  turned  to  that  of  the  fathers. 
 Thus  the  ancient  and  modern  spirit  of  the  chil- 
 dren of  Israel  will  once  more  be  reconciled  and 
 reunited,  because  the  believing  fathers  will  again 
 acknowledge  and  incline  to  the  once  apostate 
 but  now  restored  children.  This  had  been 
 formerly  tolerably  well  expressed  by  Jahn  : 
 "  The  Baptist  was  to  make  the  last  attempt  to 
 bring  about  a  resemblance  between  the  Jews 
 and  their  ancestors,"  or  in  other  words,  as  a 
 reformer  in  the  original  meaning  of  the  word, 
 he  was  to  restore  and  re-establish  a  people  of 
 Israel. 
 
 Thus  Gabriel  begins  in  the  words  of  Malachi, 
 but  he  goes  on  to  make  a  new  and  explanatory 
 addition  to  the  passage.  With  the  believing 
 fathers,  whom  the  prophet  had  in  view,  the 
 angel  contrasts  the  unbelieving*  namely,  their 
 children,  their  descendants  of  the  present  day  ; 
 and  because  unbelief  is  essentially  folly,  they 
 are,  he  declares,  to  be  converted,  turned, 
 brought  back  to  the  wisdom  of  the  just. 
 
 And  here  we  may  observe  that  the  word  J!«^ 
 is  used  as  a  comprehensive  term  for  such  as  are 
 justified  by  laith.  He  only  is  wise  who  seeks 
 and  finds  righteousness  through  faith  ;  such 
 wisdom  is  in  itself  righteousness,  while  the  un- 
 believing are  at  the  same  time  the  disobedient, 
 the  rebellious,  this  being  also  included  in  the 
 Greek  word.  That  Zacharias  perfectly  under- 
 stood this  is  proved  by  his  eloquent  song  of 
 praise,  the  conclusion  of  which  resembles  that  of 
 the  angel's  first  announcement.  Knowledge  of 
 salvation  (the  true  wisdom)  receives,  in  the 
 first  place,  i'orgiveness  of  sins  from  God's 
 mercy,  then  guides  the  feet  into  the  way  of 
 peace.  Both  together  constitute  righteousness. 
 Had  Israel  been  willing  to  receive  andacknow- 
 
 *  lu  our   Eu^IisU    version    the  word   is    dis 
 olidicnt. 
 
 ledge  that  this  was  the  true  salvation,  the  real 
 deliverance,  then  had  it  been  indeed  a  people 
 prepared  for  the  Lord,  for  the  visit  of  the  Day- 
 spring  from  on  high.  Then  would  salvation 
 have  soon  extended  from  this  elect,  this  earliest 
 prepared  nation,  to  them  that  still  sat  in  dark- 
 ness, and  in  the  shadow  of  death.  This  was  God's 
 purpose,  God's  offer  to  them,  it  was  for  this 
 that  John  came  and  labored.  And  that  this 
 was  not  to  happen,  formed  no  part  of  the  glad 
 message  the  angel  had  to  unfold  ;  it  was  only 
 necessary  that  he  should  carefully  guard 
 against  saying  (as  we  have  already  pointed 
 out  in  commenting  on  ver.  16)  that  John  was 
 to  convert  the  whole  people.  Preparation  for 
 the  Lord,  that  is  his  last  word.  The  message 
 has  two  prominent  clauses.  The  one  about  to 
 be  born  to  thee,  is  ordained  thus  to  prepare  the 
 people.  And  a  people  is  to  be  so  prepared  by 
 him. 
 
 It  would  have  been  neither  human  nor  na- 
 tural in  Zacharias  to  forget  the  first  clause  of, 
 the  angelic  message,  that  which  most  nearly 
 concerned  himself  in  the  contemplation  of  the 
 Messiah's  coming,  "  Thy  wife  Elizabeth  shall 
 bear  thee  a  son  ! "  These  glad  words  must 
 have  echoed  throughout  all  that  was  subse- 
 quently said.  Accordingly,  he  puts  a  question 
 that  others  had  put  before  him,  "  Whereby 
 shall  I^know  this?"  Even  Abraham  (Gen. 
 XV.  8)  had  used  these  very  words.  Only  we 
 find  it  written  in  a  former  verse  that  Abraham 
 believed  God.  Therefore  there  must  have  been 
 a  difference  between  the  words  as  used  by  the 
 father  of  the  faithful,  who  considered  no't  his 
 own  body  then  dead,  neither  the  deadness  of 
 Sarah's  womb  (Rom.  iv.  19),  and  by  the  weak- 
 ly believing,  nay,  the  unbelieving'  Zacharias, 
 who  goes  on  expressly  to  oppose  the  angel's 
 declaration,  with  the  fact  that  he  is  old,  and 
 his  wife  well  stricken  in  years,  i.  e.,  past  the 
 time  of  child-bearing.  Mary's  question,  on 
 the  contrary,  "  How  shall  this  be  ?  "  implies 
 no  unbelief,  and  requires  no  sign. 
 
 In  his  answer  and  second  address,  the  angel 
 first  reiterates  the  assurance,  nay,  even  en- 
 hances its  value,  and  then  proceeds  to  inflict 
 the  punishment  of  unbelief  by  the  very  sign 
 given. 
 
 "  /  am  Gabriel,  that  stand  in  the  presence  of 
 Ood ;  and  am  sent  to  speak  unto  thee,  and  to 
 bring  thee  glad  tidings."  He  who  introduces 
 himself  in  this  majestic  manner,  as  one  stand- 
 ing before  God,  is  a  real  objective  being.  We 
 are  not  to  believe  with  Lange,  for  instance,  in 
 "  an  ecstatic  trance,  in  which  the  creative 
 energy  of  God's  mighty  grace  assumed  the  form 
 of  an  angel  to  both  these  elect  spirits  "  (Zacha- 
 rias and  Mary),  and  thus  give  the  name  of 
 Gabriel  to  what  had  only  a  subjective  reality. 
 Such  interpretations  as  these  must  be  repelled 
 as  diametrically  opposed  to  the  simple  Biblical 
 truth.  This  actually  existing  angelic  being — • 
 servant  before  the  throne,  whose  name  was  not 
 only  familiar  to  the  priest,  but  to  Mary,  and 
 indeed  to  all  Israel — now  proceeds  to  remind 
 the   doubting    Zacharias  of  the   prophecy  in 
 
GABRIEL'S  ANNOUNCEMENT  TO  MAHY. 
 
 Daniel,  as  he  had  before  done  of  that  of  Mala- 
 chi.  In  the  days  of  Herod  (ver.  5)  all  those 
 ■who  waited  for  salvation  in  Israel  were  under 
 the  impression  that  the  time  was  drawing 
 rear.  Thus  we  see  Zacharias  had  no  objection 
 to  offer  when  the  coming  of  the  E,edeemer  was 
 announced  to  him  ;  it  was  only  the  birth  of  a 
 son  in  his  old  age  which  was  a  stumbling-block 
 to  his  faith.  But  both  were  intimately  con- 
 nected, as  he  had  before  heard  ;  therefore  Ga- 
 briel, ratifying  both  at  once,  simply  says,  "  I, 
 Gabriel,  am  sent  to  speak  with  thee ;  hast  thou, 
 then,  not  heard  and  understood  me?  These 
 are  the  glad  tidings  I  have  to  bring  thee;  wilt 
 thou  reluse  to  believe  them  on  account  of  their 
 very  gladness  ?  " 
 
 "  And,  behold,  thou  shall  le  silent,  and  not  able 
 to  speak,  until  tlie  day  that  Uiese  things  shall  he 
 ^performed,  because  tliou  believest  not  my  woi'ds, 
 wliirh  sJiidl  be  fid  filled  in  their  sf.ason."  Silent, 
 not  able  to  speak ;  this  sign,  given  in  answer 
 to  Zacharias'  desire  for  one,  is  highly  signi- 
 ficant. Many  divine  revelations,  indeed,  had 
 previously  been  found  to  occasion  and  leave 
 behind  bodily  infirmity.  But  there  is  this 
 peculiarity  here  ;  the  sign  given  is  at  once  the 
 confirmation  of  faith,  and  the  punishment  of 
 unbelief;  chiefly,  indeed,  the  latter,  for  it  is 
 expressly  declared,  "  because  i\\o\x  believest  not 
 my  word."  Finally,  it  was  a  means  ordained 
 by  divine  wisdom  to  conceal  for  a  while  the 
 revelation  given.  Of  course  to  Elizabeth  the 
 marvellous  promise  would  be  imparted  without 
 words  ;  but  the  humbled,  miraculously  silenced 
 man  would  certainly  not  dare  to  spread  it  any 
 further.  Thus,  he  was  to  be  led  to  deeper 
 meditation  in  sacred  silence  before  his  mouth 
 should  break  forth  in  praise  to  God.  "  He 
 who  does  not  believe  should  not  speak  : "  such 
 must  have  been  the  admission  of  his  con- 
 science, and  it  is  a  symbolical  lesson  to  us  all. 
 Some  have  assumed  that  only  thus  could  the 
 sacred  mystery  be  kept  safe  from  the  profana- 
 tion of  unbelieving  brethren ;  but  this  is  not 
 quite  a  just  remark,  because  Zacharias  could 
 hardly  have  been  unwise  enough  to  disclose  it 
 to  the  profane,  while,  again,  the  news  of  his 
 sudden  dumbness  in  the  temple  was  in  itself 
 calculated  to  excite  the  attention  of  all.  We 
 may  rather  conclude,  that  while  the  nature  of 
 this  first  revelation  was  wisely  and  befittingly 
 withheld  irom  the  public,  yet,  at  the  same 
 time,  there  was  enough  generally  known  to  ex- 
 cite attention,  and  give  hints  of  the  truth  ;  for 
 the  dumbness  must  have  been  patent  to  all, 
 the  news  of  Elizabeth's  pregnancy  would  soon 
 spread,  the  name  John,  given  contrary  to  cus- 
 tom, would  occasion  surprise,  the  song  of 
 praise  that  instantly  burst  from  the  lips  of  the 
 father  when  speech  was  restored,  was  uttered 
 ■  in  a  large  assembly  of  people,  and  would  be 
 furllier  disseminated  by  them.  This  opening 
 of  the  closed  lips  to  spread  the  glad  tidings  is 
 involved  in  the  word  until,  whicli  makes  the 
 chastisement  less.  The  mighty  angel  now 
 concludes  with  a  further  as.surance :  "  Mv 
 words,  which  thou  hast  not  believed,  thall  be 
 
 faJfdled ;  yea,  all  of  them  ;  first  of  all  t.h<? 
 birth  of  thy  son,  and  next  wliat  has  been  fur- 
 ther spoken  ;  word  after  word  will  come  to 
 pass  in  their  season." 
 
 Heiicefortli,  faith  must  be  stronger,  more 
 unqualified  than  heretofore  ;  this,  too,  is  taught 
 by  the  sign  given  to  the  pious  priest  at  the 
 opening  of  the  new  dispensation.  In  this 
 sense,  we  may  say  with  Hiller  :  "His  dumb- 
 ness teaches  more  than  all  he  spoke  before." 
 If  to  Gideon  and  to  others  the  requiring  of  a 
 sign  was  a  permitted  thing,  a  stricter  rule  was 
 now  about  to  begin,  agreeably  to  which  even 
 the  highly-favored  priest,  blameless  before 
 God  as  he  was,  according  to  the  Old  Testa- 
 ment standard  (ver.  6),  appears  blamable  and 
 punishment-worthy  compared  to  her  who  re- 
 ceived Christ  with  full  faith,  her  of  whom  alone 
 Elizabeth  could  exclaim,  "  Blessed  is  sh*  that 
 believed  1 " 
 
 CHAPTER  II. 
 Gabriel's  Announcement  to  Map.t. 
 
 Still  more  solemn,  more  mysterious,  is  the 
 announcement  of  the  woniler  of  wonders^  by 
 the  prince  of  the  angels,  to  the  handmaid  of 
 the  Lord,  whose  lowliness  he  had  regarded 
 and  chosen.  God's  ways,  in  nature  and  in 
 grace,  differ  from  those  of  the  proud,  perverse 
 sons  of  men,  who  often  begin  with  much  show 
 and  noise  what  in  its  execution  dwindles  and 
 falls  short.  The  greatest  things  begin  in 
 silence  and  obscurity;  this  is  generally  God's 
 stamp  on  his  wondrous  works.  But  in  the 
 lowliness  of  Mary  there  was  also  the  truest 
 dignity.  This  lily  of  the  valley  who,  by  faith 
 in  the  divine  grace,  had  attained  to  the  ten- 
 derest,  purest  susceptibility  for  the  greatest 
 miracle  of  grace  ;  this  virgin  in  soul  and  spirit, 
 is  the  culminating  blossom  of  the  garden  of  the 
 old  dispensation,  fit  and  worthy  that  the  seed 
 from  heaven  should,  in  a  manner  transcending 
 nature's  laws,  mature  to  wondrous  fruit  within 
 her  pure  chalice.  The  sanctuary  of  her  virgin 
 chamber  at  Nazareth  is  holier  than  the  temple 
 at  Jerusalem.  Gabriel's  words  here  are  grand- 
 er, more  mysterious,  and,  at  the  same  time, 
 fraught  with  fuller  revelation  than  the  Christ- 
 mas angel's  announcement  respecting  tlie  babe 
 in  the  manger,  or  the  lieavenly  host's  song  of 
 praise  over  the  fields  of  Bethlehem.  All  that 
 artists  and  painters  have  imagined  and  exe- 
 cuted to  illustrate  and  adorn,  all  wings,  rays 
 of  light,  lily-stems,  and  the  rest,  do  but  de- 
 tract, to  our  mind,  from  the  beauty  of  the 
 simple  narrative.  Such  additions  desecrate 
 Bible  stories  by  au  approximation  to  legend 
 and  fable. 
 
 Tliat  which  Mary  herself,  perhaps,  person- 
 ally communicated  to  the  Evangelist,  or  that 
 which  she  noted  down,  or  caused  to  be  noted 
 down,  with  au  inspired  accuracy,  that,  and 
 nothing  more,  is  open  to  our  reading  in  Scrip- 
 ture.   Kot  one  syllable  too  much  is  given,  not 
 
GABRIEL'S  ANNOUNCEMENT  TO  MARY. 
 
 one  snperfliiong  detail  to  feoii  our  curiosity  on 
 this  or  tliai  matter.  Mary  remains  the  mother 
 of  the  Lord,  that  is  enough  ;  her  personality 
 must  retreat  before  that  of  the  Lord  liimself. 
 We  enter  ihis  protest  aorainst  the  blasphemy 
 that  exalts  her  into  the  Queen  of  Heaven  and 
 the  virtual  Saviour,  and  reduces  her  mighty 
 Son  upon  the  throne  to  a  ciiild  within  her 
 arms.  We  have  no  authentic  information  re- 
 spectinrg  her  outward  circumstances,  her  pa- 
 rents, her  career,  the  age  at  which  she  gave 
 birth  to  the  Redeemer,  that  at  which  she  died. 
 or  any  other  kindred  fact.  Tlie  last  mention 
 made  "of  her  in  Holy  Writ  is  before  the  day  of 
 Pentecost  (Acts  i.  14). 
 
 She  was  a  virgin,  betrothed,  but  not  yet 
 taken  home  by  her  husband.  Thus  was  it 
 wisely  ordained  in  the  counsel  of  God,  so  that 
 the  at  first  inconceivable  secret  being  kept,  and 
 Jesus  passing  for  a  son  of  Josepli,  both  child 
 and  mother  might  have  a  protector,  a  foster- 
 father.  Although  the  connection  in  which  the 
 words  stand  is  somewhat  ambiguous,  yet  it 
 seems  that  it  is  only  Joseph  whom  Luke  in 
 ver.  27,  states  to  have  been  a  descendant  of 
 David  ;  but  that  Mary  was  of  the  same  royal 
 descent,  is  to  be  inferred,  not  only  from  her 
 being  taken  with  him  to  Bethlehem,  but  from 
 the  angel's  mention  of  the  throne  of  hit  fa' her 
 Dav'ul ;  for  how  could  Jesus  have  called  David 
 his  father  after  the  flesh,  but  through  his 
 mother? 
 
 No  less  high  angel  than  Gabriel  could  be 
 sent  to  Mary,  and  for  this  reason  he  was  the 
 one  appointed  to  visit  Zacharias  also.  Now, 
 we  read  that  he  came  in  unlo  the  Virgin,  who 
 was  probably  at  that  time  engaged  in  lonely 
 devotion,  and  peculiarly  fitted  to  receive  such 
 a  visitation.  We  are  not  told  at  what  hour  of 
 the  day  it  took  place.  It  is  said  only  that  he, 
 the  angel  came  in,  i.  e.,  appeared  to  her  in  the 
 visible  customary  form  of  a  man,  and  at  once 
 greeted  her:  II<iil,  thmi  highly-favm-ed !  The 
 Lord  loith  thee :  blessed  art  thou  among  women. 
 Instead  of  the  more  general  form  of  salutation 
 used  in  Israel,  Peace  icilh  thee,  which  would 
 have  been  too  weak  here,  we  have  this  new, 
 this  loitier  greeting,  to  the  highly-favored,  the 
 letter  and  spirit  of  which  must  both  have  had 
 reference  to  tlie  inner,  the  divinely-given  char- 
 acter and  worth  of  this  chosen  vessel,  not  to 
 her  external  appearance.  The  phrase  made 
 use  of  in  the  old  Latin  version  of  the  Catholic 
 Cliurch,  fall  of  javor  or  grace,  appears  to  us 
 even  preferable  to  our  own,  as  more  positively 
 expressing  this. 
 
 But,  indeed,  the  angel  himself  proceeds  to 
 explain  his  own  salutation,  when  he  says  in 
 ver.  oO,  "  Thou  hast  found  favor  with  God." 
 Thus  Mary  is  not  a  dispenser  of  favor  but  a 
 recipient  of  it,  with  and  for  the  rest  of  u:-  ;  the 
 type  and  germ  of  the  Church.  In  the  only 
 other  passage  of  tl;e  New  Testament  in  which 
 the  word  occurs  (Eph.  i.  6),  we  find  it  applied 
 to  the  whole  company  of  the  elect,  believing 
 and  sanctified — "  Through  the  glory  of  his 
 grace  he  hath  made  us  accepted  in  the  beloved," 
 
 made  us  full  of  favtr.  No  doubt  that  the  ex- 
 pression in  its  comprehensiveness  includes 
 here,  as  with  regard  to  Mary,  the  being  made 
 fair  and  well-pleasing  in  the  sight  of  God.  In- 
 dwelling grace  has  a  gracious  semblance,  and 
 makes  its  recipients  fair.  And  such  must  have 
 been  eminently  the  case  with  the  highly-favored 
 Mary,  in  the  sight  of  God  and  angel.%  adorned 
 from  the  hidden  man  of  the  Jieart  (1.  Pet.  iii 
 4). 
 
 "  TTie  Lord  with  thee."  The  intermediate  form 
 of  this  simple  and  ancient  salutation  ( Judg.  vl 
 12  ;  Ruth  ii.  4)  needs  not  the  intercalated  2S  or 
 be  with  thee.  It  tloats,  as  it  were,  between  a 
 wish  and  a  promise,  as  is  still  more  clearly 
 proved  by  the  context,  Blessed  t'lou.  Th^se 
 words,  taken  in  connection  with  highly  favo) el, 
 have  a  double  significance,  and  attach  a  fuller 
 meaning  to  an  expression  which  had  already 
 been  used  in  the  Old  Testament.  No  doubt, 
 as  the  consequence  of  being  highly- favored  was 
 to  be  fair  and  pleasing,  so  that  of  being  hissed 
 of  God  was  the  being  blessed  or  praised  by 
 men  also.  But  this  is  only  the  secondary 
 sense;  the  real  force  of  the  salutation  lies  in 
 the  word  blessed  (see  ver.  48).  Grace  removes 
 sin  and  guilt,  therefore  a  bles^ng  is  now  sub- 
 stituted for  the  primeval  curse,  which,  in  its 
 physical  aspect,  pressed  most  heavily  upon 
 woman.  Tlie  word  thoii,  v/hich  designates  the 
 blessed  Virgin,  stands  with  greater  emphasis  in 
 the  original :  Thou,  amongst  (all)  women  the 
 most  blessed  ;  thou,  destined  to  conC''ive  him 
 who  is  to  be  the  new.  the  full  blessing  for  all. 
 Here  again  the  announcement  of  the  loftiest, 
 the  most  unparalleled  mystery,  clothes  itself  in 
 the  familiar  language  of  13oly  Writ,  in  order  to 
 be  equally  intelligible  and  sacred  to  this  pious 
 Israelitish  maiden.  Deborah  had  already  sung 
 of  Jael,  "Blessed  among  women"  (Judg.  v. 
 24).  The  Judith  of  the  Apocrypha— probably 
 only  a  type  of  the  Jewisli  people,  as  Mary  is 
 the  representative  of  the  Church — is,  in  chap, 
 xiii.  42,  blessed  of  God  as  high  above  all  women 
 on  earth.  But  this  last,  this  apocryphally  ex- 
 aggerated expression  is  now  evidently  reproved 
 by  the  more  measured  expression  of  Gabriel, 
 which  is  again  repeated  through  the  inspiration 
 of  the  Holy  Spirit  from  the  lips  of  Elizabeth  : 
 "  Blessed  thou  among  v/omen."  Thus  Mary 
 even,  to  whom  alone  this  appellation  could 
 correctly  apply,  is  not  the  exalted,  the  praised 
 over  all  women,  for  all  her  grace,  as  well  as  all 
 her  blessing,  is  the  portion  of  us  all — the  angel 
 greeting  the  Churcii,  nay,  the  whole  of  human- 
 ity, through  her— The  'Lord  is  with  you  ;  ye 
 once  more  blessed  ones-!  And  thus,  while  the 
 Church,  with  fullest  right  and  deepest  truth, 
 authorizes  the  appropriation  of  Mary's  song  of 
 praise  by  each  individual  saint,  she,  in  so  doing, 
 condemns  and  refutes  the  ialse  honor  paid  to 
 the  holy  Virgin  Mother. 
 
 Lastly,  we  may  observe  that  the  whole  of 
 Gabriel's  first  speech,  as  Mary  evidently  under- 
 stood it,  and  as  we  shall  accordingly  read  it,^  is 
 by  its  very  form,  specially  a  salutation.  The 
 promise   and   the   announcement    are  indeed 
 
GABRIEL'S  ANNOUNCEMENT  TO  MARY, 
 
 latent  therein,  but  they  are  not  actually  ex- 
 pressed. 
 
 "  And  tcheii  she  saw  him."  The  word  him  is 
 not  in  the  original,  and  the  reading  whicli  spe- 
 cifically gives  us  the  verb  to  see  is  a  doubtful 
 (.no  If  we  examine  more  closely  into  the 
 passage,  we  shall  find  it  to  mean  that  Mary 
 was  not  so  much  troubled  at  the  sudden  ap- 
 pearance and  lofty  aspect  of  her  visitant,  as  at 
 liis  Mii/iiiff.  This  trouble  of  hers  is  indeed  a 
 deep  inward  vne,throt(gh  and  through  (such  the 
 peculiar  iorce  of  the  original);  but  the  thonght- 
 lul,  rellective  Virgin,  even  in  the  midst  of  this 
 trouble,  at  once  observed  and  weighed  the  char- 
 acter ot  the  greeting.  Her  luimility  at  once 
 casts  in  her  mind  what  manner  of  salutation 
 this  might  be.  "Whence  this  to  me?"  as 
 Elizabeth  afterwards  expresses  it,  in  holy 
 emulation  of  this  humility.  Alas  !  how  differ- 
 ent, liow  darkened,  would  have  been  Mary's 
 trouble,  if  she  could  have  foreseen  the  future 
 idolatrous  repetition  of  the  holy  angel's  words, 
 "Hail,  Mary!"  She  cast  in  her  mind,  with 
 the  natural  wonder  of  a  lowly  heart,  but  with 
 no  doubt  or  unbelief:  "  Why  should  a  heaven- 
 ly messenger  so  greet  me,  a  poor  maiden? 
 Whence  is  this?  Wliat  does  it  portend?" 
 But  she  does  not  say  this  out,  which  would 
 have  been  unmaidenly.  She  does  not  ask, 
 "  Who  art  thou  ?  "  but  she  waits  thoughtfully 
 for  the  continuation  of  the  speech,  whose  pause 
 has  left  her  a  moment  for  reflection.  It  is  self- 
 evident  to  her  that  she  sees  and  hears  an 
 angel.  To  her  Gabriel  did  not  announce  his 
 lofty  name  and  office  as  he  had  done  to  the 
 priest ;  this  was  not  necessary  to  the  lowly 
 maiden,  so  soon  simply  receiving,  as  she  did, 
 each  word  by  this  messenger  as  from  God  him- 
 self, and  at  last  concluding  with  iullest  sub- 
 mission and  confidence,  "  Be  it  imto  me  as  thou 
 (servant  of  the  Lord,  thou  also  art)  hast 
 siioken." 
 
 The  angel  now  resumed  answering  her 
 thoughts  :  "  Fca?'  not  Mary,  for  thou  hastfoxnid 
 favor  (or  grace)  with  God."  This  expression, 
 Fear  not,  together  with  the  word  grace,  proves 
 to  us  that  even  the  holy  Virgin  belonged  to  a 
 sinful  race.  Yes,  the  irremissible  thrill  of 
 trouble  or  terror  that  passed  through  the 
 silently  praying  soul,  and  for  a  moment  cloud- 
 ed the  gracious  visage,  tells  of  the  hereditary 
 taint  of  humanity,  and  accordingly  Gabriel's 
 condescending  kindness  proceeds  to  remove 
 this  terror,  and  to  pour  increased  light  upon 
 lier  mind.  He  now  names  the  favored  and 
 blessed  one  by  her  name  Mary,  in  order  to  cer- 
 tify her  that  the  message  was  indeed  rightly 
 addressed  to  her.  This  name  Mary,  that  sounds 
 so  sweetly  in  our  ears,  that  has  been,  and  ever 
 will  be,  borne  by  thousands  of  women  through- 
 out Christendom,  nay,  that  in  Catholic  coun- 
 tries is  even  added  to  the  names  of  men,  must 
 have  been  a  customary  and  favorite  appella- 
 tion among  the  Jews,  since  in  the  New  Testa- 
 ment alone  we  find  six  or  seven  who  were  so 
 called  :  and  it  wns  in  all  probability  dfrived 
 Iroiu  the  name  of  the  eloi^uent  prophetess,  the 
 
 sisier  of  Moses  and  Aaron.  In  its  original 
 form,  the  word,  Miriam*  spoke  strikingly  of 
 the  bitterness  and  the  affliction  of  Egypt,  pe>'- 
 haps  even  of  rebellion  and  apostacy.  Singular 
 that  this  name  should  be  so  transformed  and 
 glorified  !  j\Iary  has  found  favor  icith  Ood. 
 This  is  a  very  common  expression  applied  ti 
 sinful  men,  irom  the  days  of  Noah  downwards 
 (Gen.  vi.  8  ;  compare  Gen.  xviii.  3,  and  xix. 
 19;  Exod.  xxxiii.  12;  Judges  vi.  17;  2  S.im. 
 XV.  25),  that  is  to  say,  it  is  very  often  invoked 
 in  prayer;  but  as  a  greeting  to  man  from  on 
 high,  it  is  no  where  to  be  found  in  the  whole 
 Old  Testament,  and  thus  it  has,  when  here  ap- 
 plied to  Mary,  a  quite  special  sense.  It  does 
 not  convey,  "  Thou  hast  Ibund,  as  the  result  of 
 thy  seeking  ;  "  but,  according  to  the  meaning 
 of  the  Hebrew  word  to  find,  "  Thou  hast  re- 
 ceived, obtained  Ireely." 
 
 Up  to  this  moment  all  has  been  vague,  pre- 
 paratory, awaking  intense  expectation  an>l  sus- 
 pense. Now,  for  the  first  time,  prefaced  by 
 the  familiar  Behold,  the  actual  promise  appears, 
 and  at  once  refers  Mary  to  the  Virgin's  son  of 
 prophecy,  "  And  behold,  tlion  shaft  conceive  in  thy 
 womb,  and  hear  a  son,  and  sludt  call  his  nanm 
 Jesus."* 
 
 There  can  be  no  doubt  that  Mary,  the  chosen 
 instructress  of  the  most  holy  child,  the  Jew- 
 ish maiden  learned  in  the  Scriptures,  the 
 pious  virgin  waiting  with  special  longing  tor 
 the  coming  of  Messiah,  the  daughter  ot  David's 
 house,  the  relation  of  a  priestly  family  (ver. 
 36),  was  intimately  acquainted  with  the  lead- 
 ing prophecy  in  Isaiah  vii.  14,  of  which  the 
 angel  reminds  her,  by  framing  his  speech  on 
 the  very  same  plan.  To  conceive,  to  bear,  to 
 call  his  name — the  sequence  is  in  both  passages 
 the  same;  the  revelation  must  have  come  with 
 power.  Thou,  Mary,  art  this  virgin  ;  thon 
 shalt  conceive  in  thy  loomb.  Tiiis  addition  only 
 gives  the  Greek  rendering  of  the  more  simple 
 Hebrew  expression  (see  Gen.  xvi.  11;  Judges 
 xiii.  3).  We  may  not,  as  many  have  done, 
 dogmatically  deduce  hence  the  otherwise  cer- 
 tain truth  that  Jesus  actually  took  flesh  and 
 blood  from  Mary,  and  was  born  of  her.  More 
 importance  is  to  be  attached  to  the  divinely 
 prescribed  name,  Jesus,  here  substituted  for 
 the  prophetic  Immanuel,  which  even  Hebrew 
 scholars  have  strangely  chosen  to  interpret, 
 God  is  help,  or  God's  help,  God's  salvation,  al- 
 though this  is  grammatically  incorrect.  The 
 kindred  form  ot  Joshua  (ttie  name  given  tp  two 
 typical  men,  the  leader  into  Canaan,  and  the 
 high  nriest,  Ezra  ii.  2;  Zech.  iii.  8),  in  no  way 
 incluues  the  divine  name  by  its  literal  con- 
 struction, but  simply  signifies  a  promne,  H& 
 will  deliver,  will  help,  i.  e.,  Helper  or  Deliverer, 
 as  the  angel  exjiounds  it  to  Joseph  (Mitt.  i. 
 21).  It  would  ue  unbecoming  that  he  who  is 
 himself  (j'wZ  icitk  us,  or  the  redeeming  (.iod  in 
 human  nature,  in  the  flesh,  should  bear,  as  a 
 "  name  above  every  name,"  one  which  only 
 
 *  Besides  the  sister  of  Moses,  ;li3  name  is  only 
 found  iu  1  Chron.  iv,  17. 
 
GABRIEL'S  ANNOUNCEMENT  TO  MARY. 
 
 Tiromised  and  confirmed  to  his  forerunner  the 
 lielj)  of  God.  Rather  was  the  name  thus  coa- 
 st rucled  beforeliand  out  of  the  material  of  low- 
 ly types,  that  it  might  now,  for  the  first  time, 
 become  a  trutli  in  the  fullest  sense.  The  nam- 
 ing of  ikk  chihi  could  not  possibly  be  tfusted 
 to  a  liuman  decision  ;  a  literal  prophecy  was 
 equally  unsuitable;  the  concealment  of  tlie 
 mystery  by  an  already  customary  name  was 
 essential.  All  these  requirements  were  met  by 
 the  at  once  common  and  exalted  name  which 
 tlie  angel  appoints. 
 
 "  Ue  shall  he  great,  and  shall  he  called  the  San 
 of  the  Ilighesl ;  and  tlie  Lurd  God  shall  give  unto 
 him  the  thrnne  of  his  father  Da  old  ;  and  he  shall 
 reign  over  the  house  of  Jarjih  forever  ;  and  of  his 
 klfigdom  there  shall  be  no  end."  Here  are  evident 
 relerences  to  .the  prophecies  concerning  Mes- 
 siah's person  and  reign,  especially  to  those  in 
 2Sam.vii.  12-16;  Psa.  Ixxxix.  27-30;  Isaiah 
 ix.  7;  Dan.  vii.  14.  In  all  these,  as  here,  the 
 Son  of  the  Uighest  is  alluded  to,  of  which  we 
 sb.all  say  more  when  we  come  to  the  angel's 
 explanation,  ver.  35.  Ha  shall  he  called  ;  this 
 ;s  equivalent  to  he  shall  be,  as  ver.  35  sets 
 !orth,  rightly  called,  and,  at  the  same  time,  con- 
 tains the  sure  promise  that  he  shall  be  recog- 
 nized as  such,  shall  receive  the  glory  and 
 honor  due  to  his  name.  With  respect  to  John, 
 it  was  said.  Great  before  the  Lird ;  here  the 
 simple  but  absolute  words  rise  higher, //e  shall 
 he  great!  True,  if  in  connection  with  them  we 
 think  only  of  his  earthly  career  from  birth  to 
 death,  we  may  well  say  ;  "  That  was  a  singular 
 greatness,  which  began  in  a  manger  and  ended 
 on  a  cross,  and,  in  the  interval,  was  filled  with 
 pain,  humiliation,  and  weariness."     Yet,  not 
 
 •only  was  this  humiliation  more  than  out- 
 weighed by  his  resurrection  and  ascension,  but 
 this  Jesus  is  truly  great  already  ;  incomparably 
 great  even  in  his  humility,  his  obedience,  his 
 
 ■  patience.  We  feel  this  with  regard  to  faint 
 human  types  ;  we  call  him  a  great  man  who  is 
 capable  of  self-abnegation,  and  deep  humility  ; 
 we  honor  the  monarch  willing  to  enter  a  beg- 
 gar's cottage,  rather  than  the  despot  who 
 proudly  looks  down  on  all  from  his  throne. 
 Jesus  is  never  greater  than  in  his  immeasurable 
 and  unparalleled  humiliation  for  oursakes,  and 
 while  with  the  eye  of  faith,  we  contemplate  the 
 infant  still  in  Mary's  womb  as  the  eternal  Son 
 of  God,  we  are  forced  even  then  to  exclaim,  He 
 ia  great;  greater  than  all  the  great  ones  of 
 earllil .  Again,  we  call  him  great  who,  for  the 
 sake  of  some  high  aim,  is  willing  to  give  up 
 and  subdue  even  his  own  lawful  will,  rather 
 than  the  hero  or  the  tyrant  who  bends  and 
 compels  millions  by  his  arbitrary  sway.  And 
 once  more,  the  man  Jesus  is  great  in  his  unex- 
 ampled and  perfect  obedience.  Who  worthier 
 than  he  to  rule  and  to  be  worshipped  from 
 childhood  upwards  ?  and  yet  he  quietly  obeyed 
 and  ministered  both  as  child,  youth,  man,  up 
 to  his  baptism  at  the  hands  of  John,  up  to  his 
 suffering  upon  the  cross.  He  was  obedient 
 even  uiiio  deathrand  in  his  patience  showed 
 himself  greater  iuui  greater  to  the  end.     He 
 
 who  can  suffer  is  greater  than  he  who  rules. 
 Even  among  men,  he  who  can  only  command 
 and  refuses  to  obey,  can  only  enjoy  and  is  in- 
 capable of  enduring,  is  acknowledged  the  least 
 and  meanest  of  human  beings.  Thus  Jesus  is 
 great,  and  a  Son  of  the  Highest  even  in  hia 
 suffering  !  Nay,  it  is  these  that  reveal  to  us 
 the  secret  of  his  special  greatnes.'*,  L'w  ;  the 
 love  which  led  him  to  humble  himself,  to  obey, 
 to  endure.  Love  is  the  greatest  attribute  of 
 God  himself.  Yes,  this  is  the  godlike  greats 
 ness  of  the  humanity  of  Jesus,  far  transcend- 
 ing the  greatness  of  the  consecrated  forerunner 
 John,  and,  therefore,  as  the  angel  goes  on  to 
 say,  God  gives  him  the  throne  of  his  father 
 David. 
 
 Gabriel's  message  naturally  relates  only  to 
 the  humanity  of  the  promised  Son,  dwells  only 
 on  this;  though  the  substitution  of  the  name 
 Jesus  for  Immanuel  gives  a  hint  of  the  as  yet 
 veiled  divinity,  and  there  is  evident  de.sign  in 
 the  omission  of  the  word  his:  "  The  Lord  God," 
 not  the  Lord  his  God,  shall  give  h;m  the  throne 
 of  his  father  David."  Yet  it  was  impossible 
 that  Mary  should  at  the  first  understand  this 
 occult  meaning,  as  it  lias  been  very  happily 
 observed  :  "  It  is  worthy  of  remark,  that  the 
 divinity  of  her  son  was  not  definitely  announc- 
 ed to  Mary,  otherwise  she,  as  well  as  Joseph, 
 would  have  been  unable  to  educa*e  the  child." 
 That  which  was  signified  to  Zacharias  in  vers. 
 16,  17,  is  here  left  completely  unspoken.  And 
 although  the  Holy  Ghost  put  the  trutli  into 
 the  priest's  mouth,  vers.  76,  77,  to  Mary  at 
 least  it  must  have  remained  unintelligible. 
 Again,  though  we  now  recognize  the  greatness 
 in  the  very  humiliation,  and  Mary,  too,  must 
 have  fully  understood  this  at  a  later  period, 
 yet  the  angel  being  commissioned  to  carry  glad 
 tidings  says  nothing  explicit  about  the  cross 
 and  the  shame  Nor  yet  does  he  foretell  the 
 reign  over  the  heathen,  though  in  the  phrase, 
 "  the  house  of  Jacob,"  the  sti:  ^^e  nations  are 
 virtually  included  (Isaiah  xiv.  1;  xliv.  5). 
 But  as  it  was,  Mary's  faith  in  the  promise- 
 must  often  have  been  severely  tried  ;  and  when 
 at  last  she  stood  on  Golgotha — the  sword 
 piercing  her  soul,  and  her  dying  son,  mocked 
 with  the  title  of  King  as  he  hung  on  the  ac- 
 cursed tree,  with  his  last  breath  gave  her  into 
 the  charge  of  his  favored  disciple— oh,  where,i 
 she  might  have  asked,  was  then  the  throne  of 
 David  "his  father,  and  the  rule  over  the  house 
 of  Jacob  forever  ?  And  yet,  even  at  that  mo- 
 ment, all  was  fulfilled,  and  the  King  had,  with 
 almighty  triumph,  won  the  kingdom  to  which 
 he  was  hereafter  to  welcome  all  who  called 
 upon  him,  and  the  throne  of  glory  at  the  right 
 hand  of  power  I  But  the  beginning  of  the 
 angel's  speech  is  fraught  with  a  still  more 
 glorious  truth  ;  He  shall  be  great,  yea  great; 
 till  the  end  of  time,  and  to  all  eternity.  Unlike 
 all  earthly  kingdoms  in  their  decline  and  fall, 
 his  kingdom  is"  to  have  no  end  !  This  is  evi- 
 dently quoted  from  Dan.  vii.  14,  and  serves  at 
 the  beginning  of  the  New  Testament  not  only 
 to  coufirm  all'the  promise  in  the  Old  regarding 
 
GABRIEL'S  ANNOUNCEMENT  TO  MARY. 
 
 tho  kin2;i1om  of  Iprnpl,  but  fo  perpetnate  iliis 
 last  kingdom  elprnally.  Tiiis  everlasting  king- 
 dom gives  an  in'ense  significance  to  the  name, 
 •'.Son  of  the  Highest."  That  an  everlasting 
 kingilom  sboiiLi  be  infinite  in  extent  (see  Dan. 
 11.  44)  is  self-evident,  is  therefore  left  unex- 
 pre.^scd.  And  here  we  are  taught  that  while 
 tiie  onice  of  oropliet  and  ])riest  comes  to  an 
 end,  that  of  King  remains,  so  (hat  the  passage 
 ill  1  Cor.  XV.  24-28  is  not  to  be  explained  as 
 contradicting  the  eternal  reign  of  the  Son. 
 
 Mary  rightly  comprehended  that  that  which 
 "A'as  announced  to  her  was  immediately  to  come 
 to  pass,  namely,  the  conceiving  of  the  son  she 
 ■was  to  bear.  And  either  because  the  appoint- 
 ed time  for  her  being  taken  home  by  Joseph 
 ■was  not  sufficiently  near,  or  that  after  the 
 ■words  spoken,  "Son  of  the  Highest,"  she  was 
 unable  to  think  of  Joseph  as  the  destined  fa- 
 ther, she  asks  plainly  and  freely,  out  of  the  in- 
 most depths  of  her  pure  consciousness,  How 
 eliall  this  be,  seeing  that  1  know  not  a  man  ? 
 This  is  not  the  language  of  unbelief,  but  of  the 
 most  chaste  maidenhood,  which,  at  once  bash- 
 ful and  submissive,  could  find  no  other  expres- 
 sion. The  angel,  who  was  fully  prepared  for 
 this  most  natural  question,  now  goes  on  to 
 reply  to  it.  "  I'he  ILthj  Qho»t  ihaU  come  vpon 
 thee,  and  the  power  of  the  Ili/jhest  shall  overshadow 
 thee  :  therefore  aho  that  holy  thing,  ichich  shall  be 
 lorn  of  thee,  shall  be  called  the  Son  of  God." 
 
 "  That  Iioly  thing,  horn  of  thee''  i.  e.,  that  shall 
 be  born  of  thee,  implies  the  immediate  nature 
 of  the  promise;  compare  Matt.  i.  20;  the  ex- 
 pression "  of  thee,"  or  literally,  "out  of  thee," 
 we  hold,  upon  the  valid  ground  of  ancient  au- 
 thority, both  as  a  genuine  and  conclusive  proof 
 that  the  humanity  of  Jesus  was  derived  from 
 that  of  Mary.  Her  offspring  is  spoken  of  in 
 the  neuter  (Matt.  i.  20),  that  which  is  conceived, 
 that  holy  thing  ;  partly  because  of  its  then  un- 
 developed state,  ii.id  partly  because  this  thing 
 conceived  and  born  is  really,  acording  to  our  in- 
 terpretation, the  righteousness  spoken  of  in  Dan. 
 ix.  24.  It  was  not  because  he  was  born  of  a  per- 
 fect, immaculately-conceived  mother,  that  the 
 child  was  holy,  but  because  he  was  conceived 
 by  the  Holy  Ghost.  Mary  herself,  indeed,  was 
 first  sanctified  by  Christ.  So  far  we  agree 
 with  Bengel ;  but  when  he,  with  many  old  au- 
 thorities, proceeds  to  construe,  the  thing  born 
 ,  .  .  shall  be  holy,  and  called  the  Son  of  God,  we 
 protest,  out  of  mere  love  of  grammatical  accu- 
 racy. The  originally  pure  human  person  born 
 of  Mary  is  obviously  the  subject  of  the  pre- 
 dicate "  Son  of  God."  For  this  much  is  clearly 
 intelligible,  though  often  overlooked  or  vaguely 
 apprehended  ;  here  it  is  the  humanity  of  Jesus 
 T.'liich  is  to  be,  and  to  be  called  the  Son  of 
 God  ;  not  only  thy  son — that,  the  angel  now 
 throws  into  the  background,  being  already 
 establi.^lied  by  the  words,  "  thou  shalt  conceive, 
 born  of  thee" — but  God's  Son,  through  a  new 
 creative  beginning,  even  as  Adam  was  (chap. 
 iii.  38).  Neither  in  the  "theocratic"  sense 
 which  man  has  invented,  nor  vet  in  tlie  so- 
 called  rufctaphysicul,  which  could  ooly  be  un- 
 
 folded at  a  later  period,  but  in  a  physical  senM 
 does  Gabriel  now  say.  Son  of  God,  Son  of  the 
 Highest.  And  having  had  reference  through- 
 out his  second  address  to  this  miraculous  birlii, 
 he  now  goes  on  to  give  a  positive  assurance  of 
 the  possibility  and  certainty  of  the  wondrons 
 event,  to  the  announcement  of  which  his  com- 
 mission was  limited. 
 
 "  A?id,  behold,  thy  cousin  Elizabeth,  she  hath  alsc 
 conceived  a  son  in  her  old  age;  and  this  is  the 
 sixth  month  with  her,  who  was  called  barren." 
 That  which  was  incredible  to  Zacharias,  and 
 yet  is  now  in  process  ot  fulfillment,  was  for 
 Mary  a  confirmation  of  a  still  more  incredible 
 event.  With  considerate  precision  the  angel 
 specifies  the  sixth  month,  after  ■which  time 
 pregnancy  is  no  longer  uncertain,  but  becomes 
 obvious  (ver.  24).  The  Virgin,  indeed,  asks 
 for  no  sign,  she  has  met  the  announcement  in 
 faith;  but  for  the  strengthening  and  preserving 
 of  this  faith,  and  in  order  that  she  might  re- 
 main during  the  whole  time  of  her  pregnancy 
 free  from  all  weakness  and  perfectly  sanctified, 
 such  a  sign,  such  a  kindred  miracle  as  she 
 could  rest  upon,  ■was,  we  may  believe,  essen- 
 tial. It  is  true,  nevertheless,  that  her  relation- 
 ship with  Elizabeth  was  by  marriage  only,  not 
 one  of  blood ;  for  that  Mary  was  descended 
 from  the  tribe  of  Levi  (as  from  ver.  5  we  know 
 Elizabeth  to  have  been),  and  thus  that  the  de- 
 scent of  the  Lord  Jesus  from  the  tribe  of  Judah 
 (Heb.  vii.  14),  and  the  house  of  David  should 
 be  merely  nominal,  hingeing  upon  his  supposed 
 relationship  to  Joseph,  is  a  very  foolish  opinion 
 of  a  few  old  writers.  But  it  is  remarkable  that 
 the  two  women  should  have  been  referred  to 
 each  other,  by  a  hint  that,  judging  from  vers. 
 39,  40,  Mary  at  once  obediently  acted  upon.' 
 All  the  rest,  the  ordaining  and  the  appointing 
 of  the  forerunner  of  her  son,  she  was  to  learn 
 from  Elizabeth. 
 
 But  because  even  the  pregnancy  in  old  age 
 of  one  hitherto  barren  could  not  parallel  the 
 wonder  of  a  maiden's  maternity,  Gabriel  before 
 he  closes  his  reply  to  Mary's  question  adds  the 
 strong  confirmation  which  the  most  univer- 
 sally admitted  of  truths  lend  to  this  incompar- 
 able mystery,  For  with  God  no  word  shall  be  im- 
 possible. Certainly  we  may  render  the  passage 
 with  equal  grammatical  propriety  "no  thing," 
 only  Mary  uses  the  former  expression  in  her 
 reply  :  "  Be  it  unto  me  according  to  thy  word," 
 so  that  the  real  meaning  seems  to  be — No 
 word  of  divine  promise,  statement,  or  announce- 
 ment, is  impossible.  All  that  God  says  and 
 wills  he  can  also  perform.  These  words  of  the 
 angel  sound  in  Greek  like  those  words  of  the 
 Lord  to  Sarah  (Gen.  xviii.  14),  and  of  these 
 they  must  finally  have  reminded  Mary.  And 
 now,  such  the  childlike  faith  in  which  she  has 
 I'een  nurtured  and  lives,  in  the  Almighty  God, 
 and  in  all  the  wonders  of  his  might,  from  an- 
 cient times  till  now  ;  Mary  has  nothing  more 
 to  ask  I  O  that  we  might  resemble  her  in  (his, 
 and  learn  experimentally  to  understand  what 
 Hamann  says  :  "  Philosophical  curiosity  :$ 
 silenced  by  the  most  overy-dny  commonplace." 
 
APPEARANCE  OF  THE  ANQEL  IN  A  DREAM  TO  JOSEPH. 
 
 11 
 
 "  How  shall  this  be?"  Mary  had  at  first  asked. 
 Doi-s  slie  nnlcrslaad  any  better  now,  in  the 
 lower  sense  of  the  word  undersianding,  Aoic  the 
 Holy  Gho.st  is  to  come  upon  her,  and  the 
 power  of  the  Higliest  to  overshadow  her?  By 
 no  means  ;  the  mystery  only  deepens,  but  her 
 faith  is  also  perfected. 
 
 The  first  woman  was  taken  from  man  ;  the 
 new  Adam's  humanity  is  to  be  born  of  woman  ; 
 woman  in  her  pure  womanhood  has  conceived, 
 borne,  and  given  birth  to  this  new  creature, 
 even  as  it  was  enigmatically  prophesied  in 
 Jeremiah,  "  The  woman  shall  compass  the 
 man." 
 
 "  Behold  the  handmaid  of  the  Lord;  he  it  unto 
 me  according  to  thy  word."  So  speaks  the  chaste 
 Virgin,  not  merely  silently  submissive,  but  at 
 once  desiring  and  expecting.  Her  timid  bash- 
 iulness  changes  into  a  tender  and  yet  fervent 
 longing  which  speaks,  exclaims,  prays :  Be  it 
 unto  me  as  my  Lord  speaks  and  wills.  And 
 that  very  moment  it  is  done.  "The  moment 
 that  Mary  gave  her  assent  was  that  in  which 
 she  I.egan  to  be  great  with  the  holy  child," 
 writes  Luther  ;  and  such  has  been  the  opinion 
 of  many  early  writers  since  Irenaeus.  As  Dean 
 Aiford  very  truly  observes,  Mary  was  no  un- 
 conscious vessel  chosen  by  the  divine  will,  but 
 (compare  ver.  45)  in  faith  and  humility  a  fel- 
 low-worker with  God."  But  we  know  not 
 wliere  Lange  finds  reason  for  supposing,  con- 
 trary to  all  probability,  that  this  expression  of 
 hers  implied  a  voluntary  submission  to  the 
 disgrace  and  humiliation  she  forosaw  as  the 
 consequence  of  her  altered  condition  ;  we  for 
 our  parts,  believe  that  such  a  thought  was  far 
 from  Mary's  mind  at  the  time,  and  could  only 
 have  been  felt  to  be  disturbing  and  incongruous 
 had  it  occurred.  The  last  fact  that  we  read  of 
 satisfies  us  completely  as  to  the  character  of 
 the  whole  transaction  being  simple,  encourag- 
 ing, and  free  from  any  shadow  cast  by  conflict- 
 ing feelings.  The  angel  departed  from  her  as 
 he  had  entered  in.  This  was  very  different  to 
 his  sudden  appearing  to  and  vanishing  from 
 Z  icharias.  Mary  was  left  glad  and  blessed,  as 
 her  song  of  praise  soon  tells  us.  What  after- 
 wards followed  with  regard  to  Joseph  brought 
 indeed  the  first  sorrow,  the  first  distress,  but 
 doubtless  failed  to  disturb  or  weaken  the  light 
 and  strength  of  faith  in  the  depths  of  the  Vir- 
 gin's soul. 
 
 CHAPTER  III, 
 
 Appearance  of  the  Angel  in  a  Deeam  to 
 Joseph. 
 
 Matthew  i. 
 
 The  lirth  of  Jesus  Christ  was  (or  came  to  pass) 
 thus.  Grand  simplicity  of  the  brief  authentic 
 narrative,  written  evidently  without  the  least 
 idea  that  its  historical  truth  could  ever  come 
 to  be  doubted.  "\Vliat  a  thus  this  is.  Contrary 
 lo  all  human,  all  Jewish  expectation,  yet  ex.- 
 
 actly  according  with  the  whole  of  prophecy, 
 even  fnltiiliiig  its  very  letter  respecting  liio 
 Virgin  more  completely  than  could  have  been 
 comprehended  beforehand.  Matthew  confinea 
 himself  to  this  one  main  point;  that  is  enough 
 for  the  beginning  ol  his  Gospel.  He  tells  U8 
 nothing  more  of  the  persons  or  their  circum- 
 stances. ]\Iary  is  the  mother,  Joseph  her 
 betrothed  husband;  we  only  hear  of  Beihleliena 
 and  Nazareth  in  the  next  chapter,  and  they  are 
 briefly  mentioned.  Much  that  seems  essential 
 to  our  understanding  the  difficulties  that 
 divided  the  betrothed  pair  before  the  angel 
 smoothed  them  away  (especially  when  we  take 
 the  narrative  of  L'-.ke  in  connection  with  that 
 of  ^latthew),  is  left  by  this  last  Evangelist  to 
 be  filled  up  by  our  own  reflection  and  surmise, 
 leaching  us  thereby  that  the  true  value  of  his 
 testimony  to  the  faith  by  no  means  lies  in 
 minute  historical  details. 
 
 There  can  be  no  doubt  that  believers — we 
 speak  not  of  profane  misunderstandings — have 
 explained  to  themselves  the  progress  of  these 
 events  in  very  different  ways.  We  now  pro- 
 ceed to  give  our  own  view,  and  our  reasons  for 
 it.  We  cannot  possibly  assume,  as  some  have 
 done,  that  all  that  is  here  related  by  Matthew, 
 up  to  the  taking  of  his  wife  by  Joseph,  hap- 
 pened before  Mary's  visit  to  Elizabeth.  For 
 Luke's  expression  (i.  39)  is  certainly  to  be 
 understood  as  implying  a  short  interval  be- 
 tween the  arising  of  Mary  and  going  into  the 
 hill  country,  and  the  hint  that  the  augel  had 
 given  her  in  the  36th  verse  (of  course  allowing 
 time  for  preparation  for  a  long  journey)  *  The 
 question  that  oilers  so  much  difficulty,  and  has 
 been  so  contradictorily  solved  is  this:  Did 
 Mary  impart  the  angel's  annunciation  to 
 Joseph  or  not?  We  refer  to  the  text  for  an 
 answer.  When  we  see  Matthew  writing  (ver. 
 18)  S/w  was  found,  icith  child,  and  connect  with 
 the  expression  all  Joseph's  plans  and  perpleX7 
 ity,  we  cannot  withhold  our  conviction  that 
 Mary  had  not  spoken  at  all  on  the  subject  with 
 him.  Still  less  had  she  done  so  before  her 
 journey  to  the  city  of  Zacharias.  Not  only 
 may  we  say  with  Olshausen,  "The  narrative 
 of  Matthew  leaves  the  impression  that  Mary 
 had  not  disclosed  her  state  to  Joseph  ;  "  but 
 this  inference  follows  unavoidably  from  the 
 text. 
 
 No  one  speaking  of  a  fact  communicated  by 
 the  very  person  most  intimately  concerned 
 therein  would  have  used  the  expressisn,  "  she 
 was  found  (was  discovered  to  be)  with  child." 
 We  may  even  say  further,  Mary  could  not, 
 dared  not  have  spoken  of  herself  except  in  the 
 tone  of  her  song  of  praise,  and  for  this  very 
 reason  we  may  conclude  that  she  had  not  as 
 yet  done  so  to  Joseph.  It  was  a  mystery  too 
 marvellously  tender,  high,  deep  to  touch  upon. 
 No  doubt  the  betrothed  had  often  met,  often 
 conversed  in  Nazareth,  belore  Joseph   took  his 
 
 *  The  .Jewish  cnsti  m  prpcludinsj  an  unmarried 
 womar  Irom  travolling  had  probably  I'al.eu  at  thiH 
 lime  luto  desuetu.ie. 
 
12 
 
 APPEARANCE  OF  THE  ANGEL  IN  A  DREAM  TO  JOSEPH. 
 
 wife  nnto  him,  but  Mary  kept  nilence,  and  this 
 w.'  find  most  natural.  Our  conviction  differs 
 from  tliat  of  the  commentators  who  beliere  her 
 to  have  imparled  the  fact  to  Joseph,  and  he  to 
 have  incredulously  rejected  her  account  of  it. 
 We  hold  rather  that  Joseph  woidd  have  be- 
 lieved, would  not  have  been  able  to  resist  the 
 evident  stamp  of  truth  upon  the  words  that 
 fell  from  ins  Mary's  lips.  Would  she  not,  as 
 the  Evangelist  does  us,  have  referred  Joseph 
 to  the  Virgin  foretold  in  I.saiah  ?  Would  she 
 not  have  so  spoken  and  n  asoned  as  to  leave 
 without  a  shadow  of  doubt  the  pious  bride- 
 groom who  so  thoroughly  knew  her  character? 
 But,  on  the  other  hand,  we  believe  that  Mary 
 did  not  choose  to  do  this,  not  only  because  she 
 left  every  thing  to  the  Lord,  but  because  she 
 could  not  feel  peifectly  certain  that  Joseph 
 would  believe  her  statement,  and  dared  not 
 tiierefore  mention  it  to  him.  Thus  our  view 
 takes  a  middle  conrse  between  two  extremes. 
 We  hold  that  in  all  probability,  not  only  from 
 his  knowledge  of  what  Mary  was,  but  from  the 
 self-evident  truth  of  her  statement,  Joseph 
 would  have  been  convinced.  He  would  not 
 have  been  likely  to  suppose  her  an  "entliu- 
 piasf  or  "  deluded  ;"  that  was  not  the  tone  of 
 thinking  in  those  days.  And  as  to  her  being 
 a  deceiver,  seeking  to  conceal  her  sin  against 
 h  nisei f,  under  cover  of  an  angel's  promise  of 
 the  highest  deliverer  Israel  had  to  expect,  nay, 
 he  never  could  have  believed  her  at  once  so 
 impious  and  so  foolish.  His  plans  (ver.  19)  by 
 no  means  imply  a  previous  communication 
 from  her.  Thus  much  seems  almost  indubit- 
 able ;  Joseph  would  have  believed,  but  Mary 
 did  not  speak  ;  and  this  was  most  fitting  and 
 congruous.  Mary's  delicate,  correct  feeling, 
 confidently  expected  and  implored  that  the 
 discovery  miyht  be  made  to  him  from  above. 
 
 "  Before  tliey  come  together."  This  expression 
 of  the  Evangelist  raean^i :  Before  he  took  her 
 home.  And  as  this  taking  home  usually  im- 
 plied the  consummation  of  the  marriage  (Deut. 
 XX.  7),  we  have  the  positive  assurance  of  the 
 2oth  verse.  But  a  pregnancy  of  three  months 
 (Luke  i.  56)  must  soon  liave  betrayed  itself 
 after  Mary's  return,  must  have  gradually  be- 
 come more  and  more  apparent;  and  then  the 
 long  journey,  the  reason  for  its  being  unex- 
 plained ;  the  long  visit,  and  it  is  thus  she  re- 
 turns. And  she  says  nothing  about  it  to  me  ! 
 Jo.seph  must  have  been  more  than  Joseph, 
 must  have  been  even  more  than  l\Iary  herself,  if, 
 without  the  aid  of  revelation,  ho  could  have 
 discovered  the  only  solution  to  liis  paiiilnl 
 doubts  :  "that  which  is  conceived  in  her  is  of  the 
 Ilohj  Ghost."  For  as  to  speaking  on  the  sub- 
 ject to  her,  openly  questioning  her,  he  could 
 not  find  it  in  his  heart  to  do  that. 
 
 What,  then,  was  to  be  done  ?  As  far  as  lay 
 in  hi-s  power  he  decided  upon  the  best  and 
 rnoHt  righteous  course.  He  was  a  yist  man. 
 He  was  free  from  the  spirit  of  jealousy  which 
 the  law  tacitly  condemns,  even  while  legislat- 
 ing for  it  (Numb.  v.  14).  His  justice  is  of 
 the  yenuiaekmd;  it  is  even  because  he  is  just, 
 
 that  he  will  not  be  harsh  and  severe  to  the 
 woman  he  has  loved,  and  whose  whole  previous 
 conduct  and  character,  yea,  even  whose  present 
 demeanor,  perplexing  though  it  be,  seem  to 
 contradict  the  appearances  against  her.  At  first 
 sight  Matthew  appears  to  give  the  justice  ot 
 Joseph  as  a  reason  for  his  sparing  Mary,  but 
 this  was  not  its  only  consequence  ;  it  was  the 
 same  conscientious  spirit  that  led  him  to  fear, 
 to  shrink  from  taking  her  to  himself,  as  the 
 angel  goes  on  to  say.  Accordingly  he  hits  upon 
 the  one  just  middle  course,  audi  certainly  no 
 blame  could  attach  to  him. 
 
 "  Bi  cause  lie  teas  a  just  man,  and  not  willing  to 
 make  her  a  ptiblic  example,  he  was  minded  to  put. 
 her  away  privily."  According  to  the  law  of 
 Moses,  betrothal  counted  as  n»M-riage,  as  Deut. 
 xxii.  26,  24,  sufficiently  proves,  the  betrothed 
 damsel  being  called  the  "  neighbor's  wife." 
 Thus  a  letter  of  divorcement  was  necessary  to 
 the  putting  away  ;  nay,  if  once  the  case  were 
 publicly  brought  forward,  the  adulteress  would 
 be  liable  to  thepunishment  of  stoning  to  death, 
 though  we  may  infer  from  John  viii.  that  it- 
 was  no  longer  rigidly  enforced.  But  Joseph 
 means  to  put  away  Mary  privily,  quietly, 
 merely  by  means  of  a  letter  of  divorcement, 
 properly  witnessed  by  two,  without  assigning 
 any  cause  for  such  a  step,  preferring,  with 
 touching  afTection  and  self-denial,  that  the 
 blame  of  inconstancy  and  unkindness  should 
 attach  to  himself;  for  it  would  be  left  un- 
 certain whether  the  child  were  not  really  his, 
 and  yet  the  mother  rejected  by  him.  Except 
 that,  indeed,  as  has  been  sensibly  observed,  re- 
 flective people  might  well  surmise  "  that  so 
 right-minded  and  kind-hearted  a  man  must 
 have  been  moved  by  some  strong  reason  to 
 take  such  a  step." 
 
 So  much  indeed  is  true:  "Jesus  bore  the 
 sliame  that  attaches  to  all  illegitimate  children 
 while  in  his  mother's  womb,  and  Mary  must 
 have  had  her  portion  in  that  sliame."  But  a3 
 to  what  is  usually  said  of  the  trial  to  faith,  the 
 distress  and  sorrow  of  Mary,  is  for  the  most 
 part  erroneous.  It  is  not  in  keeping  with  her 
 character,  nor  would  it,  during  these  months 
 of  pregnancy,  have  i)een  desirable  or  fitting 
 with  reference  to  the  holy  child.  No,  Mary 
 patiently  waited  and  prayed,  unshaken  in 
 her  comfortable  conviction  that  God  himself 
 would  solve  all  difficulties.  Nor  was  this  her 
 faith  confounded.  Even  while  Joseph  was 
 Ihinlcing  on  these  things,  the  divine  "vean". 
 came  to  remove  his  perplexity.  Wo  learii  from 
 this  expression  of  the  Evangelist,  that  Joseph 
 had  not  spoken  of  his  intentions  to  Mary,  but 
 only  matured  them  in  his  own  mind.  The  case 
 has  been  well  put  thus:  "  Mary  said  nolhing, 
 and  accordingly  Joseph  said  nothing  either, 
 though  he  had  fully  maile  up  his  mind  what  to 
 say."  But  when  the  commenti'or  goes  on  to 
 finil  fault  with  Ihi.?  silence  of  Joseph,  and  to 
 call  upon  us  to  dislinL'iiish  "  the  diiference  be- 
 tween the  pure,  childlike  spirit  of  the  Virgin, 
 wlio«e  womb  God  had  chosen  for  the  dwelling 
 of  iiii  »Sun,  and  the  ri^|,hleuui>iius3  and  jusuca 
 
APPEARANCE  OF  THE  ANGEL  IN  A  DKEAM  TO  JOSEPH. 
 
 13 
 
 of  a  man  under  the  law,"  this  is  an  uncalled- 
 for  criticism.  Both  did  right;  no  pious  man 
 in  Israel  could  have  behaved  more  gently  and 
 justly  than  Joseph  purposed  doing  in  this 
 unique  and  complicated  case. 
 
 We  must  endeavor  still  further  to  realize 
 the  whole  of  its  complication,  in  order  thor- 
 oughly to  understand  the  angel's  words.  An 
 angel  of  the  Lord — whether  this  was  Gabriel 
 or  not  is  doubtful — appeared  to  Joseph  in  a 
 dream,  which  was  a  lower  form  of  revelation, 
 fitted  for  one  who  personally  was  of  inferior 
 importance.  Olshausen,  however,  goes  too  far, 
 when  he  says  of  Joseph,  "  The  Gospel  narrative 
 does  not  define  his  character  at  all ;"  for  surely 
 in  ver.  19  we  have  a  very  significant  sketch  of 
 the  disposition  of  the  man.  To  have  inter- 
 course with  angels  in  a  dream  is  of  itself  a 
 high  distinction,  although  it  cannot  compare 
 with  the  actual  appearance  in  broad  daylight 
 of  angelic  messengers  to  chosen  souls ;  and 
 though  conveyed  to  hitn  in  a  comparatively 
 natural  manner,  still  the  message  ot  the  angel 
 was  something  Joseph  never  could  have  im- 
 agined himself,  something  quite  distinct  from 
 tho.se  thoughts  or  dream-visions  that  occupied 
 his  sleeping  mind,  connected  as  these  were  with 
 the  decision  it  was  laboriously  working  out  in 
 his  waking  hours. 
 
 "  Josejih,  thon  son  of  David,  fear  not  to  talce 
 unto  thee  Mary  thy  wife :  for  that  ichich  is  con- 
 ceived in  her  is  of  the  Ho^y  Ghost."  Not  only  is 
 his  name  given  in  full,  because  this  is  usual  in 
 such  messages,  but  in  order  that  the  honorable 
 title  "  son  of  David  "  should  recall  to  him  the 
 great  promise  given  to  the  house  of  David. 
 Fear  not,  as  though  thou  wert  wrong  in  so  do- 
 ing (compare  Doubt  nothing,  Acts  x.  20).  Jo- 
 seph's betrothed  is  here  spoken  of  to  him  as 
 already  his  wife,  according  to  the  customary 
 language  of  the  ^Mosaic  law  (see  Deut.  xxii. 
 24) ;  just  as  the  Evangelist  had  before  called 
 him  Mary's  husband  (ver.  19) ;  and  thus  the 
 angel  shows  that  he  considers  the  marriage  tie 
 as  still  retaining  all  its  original  sacredness  and 
 rights,  and  Joseph  as  authorized  to  take  Mary 
 home  in  the  characLf-r  of  wife  (see  Gen.  xxix. 
 21).  And  further,  in  ver.  24,  the  Evangelist 
 positively  shows  to  all  who  are  not  bent  upon 
 escaping  from  the  natural  inference,  that  after 
 the  birth  of  Jesus  Christ,  Joseph  became 
 Mary's  husband  in  reality.  Lange  treats  this 
 matter  very  arbitrarily.  He  maintains  that 
 the  question,  whether  Mary  and  Joseph  lived 
 together  as  man  and  wife  (which  he  himself 
 cannot  avoid  owning  to  be  affirmed  by  the 
 text),  and  the  question  whether  Mary  had 
 other  children,  are  distinct,  and  to  be  kept  so. 
 But  we  maintain  both  that  Joseph  did  really 
 consummai>>  the  marriage,  aud  that  it  did  not 
 remain  untdessed,  for  we  find  later  a  casual 
 mention  maue  of  brothers  and  sisters,  together 
 with  the  mother  of  Jesus,  and  the  words  are  to 
 be  simply  unoerstood  in  their  primary  meaning. 
 Many,  indeeTt,  deny  this,  who  yet  feel  them- 
 selves obliged  to  give  up  the  f  eqjetual  virgin- 
 
 ity of  j\Iary,  but  we  see  no  manner  of  reason 
 for  their  doing  so. 
 
 "  That  which  is  conceived  /?i  her."  Compare 
 Luke  i.  35  :  "  th'U  lo'iich  is  horn  of  ihee."  The 
 message  goes  on  to  specify  more  distinctly  that 
 this  is  a  son  ;  is  of  the  ll'ly  Ghost,  the  same 
 enigma  as  for  Mary.  If  Joseph  had  any  ilis- 
 position  left  to  inquire  how  this  could  be,  lie 
 would  receive  from  Mary  the  only  possible 
 answer  :  God  said  it,  and  it  has  come  to  pass. 
 But  he  believed  at  once,  and  took  comfort  fiorti 
 the  angel's  saying,  as  was  proved  by  his  ready 
 obedience,  ver.  24.  Truly  this  obedience  also 
 deserves  to  be  called  great. 
 
 "  She  shall  bring  forth  a  son,  and  thou  shalt 
 call  his  name  Jesus;  for  he  shall  save  his  j>eo]ile 
 from  their  sins."  At  first  we  have  almost  the 
 identical  words  used  to  Mary,  from  whence, 
 however,  we  need  not  conclude,  what  is  other- 
 wise improbable,  that  Gabriel  was  the  angel 
 speaking.  Not,  she  shall  bear  thee  (as  in  Luke 
 i.  13),  as  most  commentators  have  almost  un- 
 necessarily pointed  out.  In  Isaiah  vii.  14,  we 
 find,  according  to  the  best  translation,  she  shall 
 call  his  name  Immanuel,  in  order  to  bring  into 
 full  prominence  the  Virgin  as  only  parent  of 
 the  child.  On  the  other  hand,  we  see  in  Luke 
 i.  62,  as  well  as  in  Gen.  xxi.  3,  that,  generally 
 speaking,  the  right  of  naming  the  child  be- 
 longed to  the  father.  Thus  the  angel,  by  not 
 only  conceding  to  Joseph  the  right  publicly  to 
 bestow  this  divinely-appointed  name  on  the 
 child,  but  enjoining  on  him  the  doing  so  as  a 
 duty,  shows  that  this  son  of  David  was,  as 
 husband  to  Mary,  to  stand  in  the  legal  position 
 of  fath'^r  lo  the  child,  to  adopt  him  before  tlie 
 world,  and  to  accept  the  charge  of  bringing 
 him  up. 
 
 The  interpretation  of  the  name  that  follows 
 is  strikingly  more  full  and  clear  than  that  given 
 in  the  annunciation  to  Mary ;  speaks  out  more 
 plainly  that  this  Saviour  is  to  accomplish  a 
 spiritual,  a  real  deliverance;  more  absolutely 
 does  away  with  all  political  expectation  than 
 even  the  inspired  song  of  Zacharias.  We 
 would  recall  what  we  have  already  said  re- 
 specting the  almost  universal  error  as  to  the 
 etymology  of  the  name  of  Jesus,  because  here 
 we  have  fuller  light  upon  the  subject,  The 
 angel,  in  interpreting  this  name,  does  not  say, 
 God's  or  the  Lord's  salvation  will  come  through 
 him,  God  will  save  through  him,  but  merely 
 and  emphatically,  he  himself,  who  bears  this 
 name,  will  save,  will  bless;  he  himself  will  be 
 in  his  own  person  what  he  is  called,  and  so 
 this  ancient  name,  borne  by  so  many,  will,  for 
 the  first  time,  be  thoroughly  fulfilled  in  him. 
 The  same  meaning  is  to  be  found  in  Luke  ii. 
 11,  and  is  repeated  in  the  Acts  of  Apostles  iv. 
 12. 
 
 But  what  is  this  full  deliverance,  this  per- 
 fect help,  this  salvation  without  which  all  else 
 so  called  is  unavailing  at  last?  "  Sais,"  the 
 many  that  have  sprung  from  the  first  original 
 sin,  these  are  our  enemies.  Not  only  is  pun- 
 ishment here  meant,  but,  most  especially,  our 
 siiii  themselves,  which  be  is  come  into   the 
 
14 
 
 ANNOUNCEMENT  OF  CHRIST'S  BIRTH. 
 
 world  to  lake  away  (1  John  iii.  5).  He  does 
 not  save  us  loiik,  but  irom  our  sina.  This  can- 
 not be  sulRciently  preached. 
 
 That  this  child  already  conceived,  this  Jesus 
 or  Saviour,  to  Lie  born,  should  save  alt  men,  all 
 sinners,  the  angel  does  not  indeed  say  ;  the 
 niy.-;tery  of  the  salvation  of  all  nations  (Eph. 
 111.  5)  is  not  yet  to  be  clearly  revealed,  the  first 
 brnjld  ray  of  this  new  light  is  to  proceed  from 
 the  prophet  Simeon.  But,  at  least,  he  design- 
 edly avoids  the  word  Israel,  giving,  in  its  stead, 
 h\6  pto/ilf,  which  expression  will  come  to  in- 
 clude all  men  under  heaven  (Acts  iv.  12). 
 His  people  ;  this  emphatically  confers  the  same 
 position  formerly  expressed  by  the  appellation, 
 "  God's  people."  We  may  affirm  that  all  sin- 
 ners who  desire  to  be  free  from  their  sins,  and 
 to  submit  themselves  to  Jesus  in  faith,  have  by 
 this  very  desire  become  his  people,  and  all  bis 
 people  he  saves   from   their  sins.     This   glad 
 
 Erophetic  import  of  his  most  holy  name,  Jesus 
 as  fulfilled  ever  since,  and  will  go  on  fulfilling 
 even  more  and  more,  so  that  the  words  of  the 
 prophet  are  peculiarly  applicable  here  :  "  There 
 is  none  like  unto  thee,  0  Lord  ;  thou  art  great, 
 and  thy  name  is  great  in  might,"  (Jer.  x.  6). 
 
 The  verses  22,  23  are  not  a  continuation  of 
 the  angel's  speech,  as  might  at  first  be  supposed, 
 but  the  Evangelist's  own  quotation  of  a  ful- 
 filled prophecy,  as  the  expression,  "All  this  was 
 done,"  unmistakably  proves.  The  closing  par- 
 agraph tells  of  Joseph's  immediate  obedience 
 to,  and  full  faith  in,  the  command  he  had  re- 
 ceived in  sleep,  and  authorizes  us  to  imagine 
 the  joy  with  which  the  betrothed  pair  would 
 exchange  the  recital  of  the  special  revlations 
 made  to  them.  Matthew  concludes  his  first 
 chapter  with  the  impressively  repealed  name 
 Jtsus,  sets  it  as  a  seal  to  the  close  of  this  his 
 first  narrative;  the  second  closing  with  the 
 once  despised,  now  honored  affix,  of  JS'azarelh. 
 
 CHAPTER   IV. 
 
 The  Angels  that  Announce  the  Birth 
 OP  Christ  at  Bethlehem. 
 
 Lui 
 
 In  treating  of  the  familiar  but  inexhaustible 
 Christmas  text  contained  in  this  chapter,  we 
 have  no  intention  of  preaching  a  sermon  ;  we 
 only  wish  to  present  the  radiant  words  in  their 
 simple  profundity  and  natural  sequence  to  the 
 Christian  reader,  and  witli  exegetical  precision 
 to  place  in  its  true  light  whatever  has  been 
 imperfectly  understood  and  preached,  or  er- 
 roneonsly  translated. 
 
 "  Tiiere  tcere  in  the  same  coiintri/  shepherdx," — 
 sij^'nilies  the  environs,  or  a  di.'^tnct  near  to 
 Bethlehem  ;  shepherds  dwelling  with  their 
 flocks  in  the  plains  or  open  country.  Their 
 number  is  not  given  to  us  any  more  than  that 
 of  tiie  wise  men  of  the  East,  "with  reference  to 
 whom  tradition  will  not  be  satisfied  to  receive 
 
 the  simple  Bible  narrative.  These  shepherds, 
 humble,  if  not  poor,  were  more  favored  than 
 all  the  great  and  wise  in  Israel,  nay,  than  all 
 men  then  upon  the  earth.  Not  to  the  high- 
 [iriest  and  doctors  of  the  law,  not  even  to  Mary 
 and  Joseph,  does  the  glory  of  the  heavenly  pa- 
 geant  appear. 
 
 This  inacli  we  may  assert  of  these  shepherds, 
 they  were  evidently  pious  men,  waiting  intel- 
 ligently and  anxiously  for  the  redemption  of 
 Israel.  On  this  subject  Schleiermacher  has 
 justly  and  beautifully  observed,  as  Neander 
 acknowledges:  "  This  satisfaction  of  individu- 
 al desire,  not  infrequent  at  great  eras  such 
 as  this,  is  truly  impressive  and  divine."  A 
 thought  that  is  still  more  admirably  elabor- 
 ated by  Van  Oo.sterzee :  "In  this  satisfaction 
 of  the  private  and  concealed  desire  of  a  few 
 individuals  at  the  very  moment  that  the  eter- 
 nal salvation  of  millions  was  being  provided 
 for,  there  is  something  indescribably  touching 
 and  divine.  We  overlook  the  masses  in  the 
 individual,  or  the  individual  in  the  masses; 
 God  regards  both  at  once,  and  both  alike." 
 Indeed  it  is  generally  the  manner  of  all  divine 
 manifestations  as  unfolded  to  us  from  the  ear- 
 liest times,  to  make  known  to  a  few  elect 
 persons,  in  the  first  instance,  what  is  intended 
 for  all;  so  that  the  facts  that  are  to  become 
 most  universally  known  have  a  silent  and 
 unnoticeable  origin.  "The  secret  of  the  Lord 
 is  with  them  that  fear  him,  and  he  shall  show 
 them  his  covenant"  (Psa.  xxv.  14),  and  accord- 
 ing to  this  ancient  rule  the  first  recipients  of 
 the  new  announcement  here  stand  in  the  place 
 of  or  represent  the  whole  people  of  the  Lord. 
 
 In  the  neighborhood  of  Bethlehem  there 
 was  in  olden  times  a  fortified  place  for  flocks, 
 a  toicer  of  shepherds,  as  already  appears  in  Gen. 
 XXXV.  21.  This  is  spoken  of  by  the  prophet 
 Micah,  the  proper  rendering  of  chap.  iv.  8 
 being:  "And  tiiou  toicer  of  the  Jlock,  thou 
 strong  hold  (hill)  of  the  daughter  of  Zion, 
 unto  thee  shall  it  come,  even  the  former  do- 
 minion, the  kingdom  of  the  daugliter  of  Jeru- 
 salem." Now,  this  hill  of  the  daughter  of 
 Zion,  i.  e.,  the  tower  of  Ophel  at  Jerusalem,* 
 may  represent  the  house  of  David,  and  be  at 
 the  same  time  named  a  tower  of  the  flock  in 
 remembrance  of  David's  original  character  of 
 shepherd  of  the  sheep,  and  afterwards  shepherd 
 of  Israel.  In  either  case,  since  the  prophecy 
 concerning  iiethlehem  coines  from  Micah,  our 
 thoughts  revert  not  only  to  the  tower  of  the 
 flocks  that  stood  there,  but  discern  in  the  pas- 
 sage an  allusion  to  the  future  announcement 
 of  the  coming  kingdom  to  the  shephc-nls  near 
 Bethlehem.  These  shepherds,  not  incorrectly 
 viewed  as  types  of  the  shepherds  of  God'a 
 flock,  were  found  faithful  to  their  calling  even 
 in  the  hours  usnnlly  devoted  to  rest;  they 
 were  keeping  watch  over  their  sheep  by  night. 
 Then  tiiere  came  to  them,  or  rather  suddenly 
 ■stood  before  them  ("not  having  been  seen  either 
 
 *2  Chron.  xxvii.  n-   xxvi  i.  14  j  Neh.  iii.  26, 
 ii.  21  i  i>a.  xx\ii.  11  ;,lii.-b.). 
 
ANNOUNCEMENT  OF  CHRISTS  BIRTH. 
 
 15 
 
 to  walk  or  fly")  an  angel  of  ihe  Lord. 
 Whether  this  was  again  Gabriel  we  are  not 
 told,  and  do  not  therefore  venture  to  decide, 
 though  it  seems  most  prooable,  from  chap.  i. 
 19-26,  that  this  angel,  not  being  named  here, 
 was  not  the  same  as  on  the  two  former  occa- 
 sions. But  it  was  a  real  individual  angel,  and 
 no  doubt  one  exalted  above  others,  as  he  was 
 chosen  for  the  honor  of  bringing  such  a  mes- 
 sage. We  know  not  why  Lange,  in  opposition 
 to  the  literal  truth  of  the  narrative,  should 
 persist  in  speaking  of  the  shepherds  having 
 "a  vision  of  the  angel  of  the  covenant." 
 
 The  birth  of  the  Lord  is  announced  and  cele- 
 brated, we  observe,  in  a  manner  quite  different 
 from  that  of  the  forerunner;  the  child  register- 
 ed on  earth  as  a  subject  of  the  Roman  Empire, 
 is  proclaimed  by  the  heavenly  hosts  as  the  Sav- 
 iour of  all  mankind.  No  glory  streams  round 
 his  manger,  but  the  shepherds  are  shone  round 
 about  (as  in  Acts  xxvi.  13)  at  the  appearing  of 
 the  angel  with  the  glory  of  the  Lord,  the  light 
 of  God  referred  to  in  Psa.  civ.  2.  Not  like  to 
 a  fire  as  in  Exod.  xxvi.  7,  but  in  mild  splen- 
 dor shines  this  light  in  the  night  that  tells  of 
 the  holy  birth  of  the  wondrous  child.  And 
 yet  the  shepherds  were  "sere  afraid,"  till  the 
 one  angel  commissioned  to  speak  first  of  all 
 the  heavenly  host,  addresses  them  in  these  gra- 
 cious words : 
 
 "  Fear  not  /for,  hehold,  I  bring  you  good  tidings 
 of  (,reat  jn/,  which  shall  be  to  the  whole  peojile." 
 Of  all  the  exhortations,  "  Fear  thou  not,"  "  fear 
 ye*  not,"  which  the  Holy  Scriptures  contain 
 for  the  comfort  of  the  children  of  men,  surely 
 this  is  the  most  significant,  the  most  glorious. 
 Even  passages  like  that  in  Rev.  i.  17,  have  not 
 quite  so  close,  so  full  a  relation  to  that  first  "/ 
 was  afraid,"  in  the  mouth  of  fallen  Adam.  In 
 the  same  way  the  noteworthy  prelude,  "be- 
 hold," has  an  unparalleled  strength  of  emphasis 
 laid  upon  it  here  ;  for  even  the  last  fiehold  in 
 Rev.  xxi.  3,  5,  is  included  in  and  developes  it- 
 self as  a  consequence  of  this.  The  message 
 of  the  resurrection  even,  as  Bengel  observes, 
 does  not  positively  express  the  joy  which  it  is 
 destined  to  convey ;  but  here  the  child  in  the 
 manger  is  from  the  first  designated,  as  we  par- 
 ents delight  to  hear  our  children  call  him  in 
 their  Christmas  games,  a  child  of  great  joy. 
 Truly  the  word  joy  is  one  that  must  at  all 
 times  be  welcome  to  the  fearful,  care-worn,  sor- 
 rowful heart  of  humanity.  Here,  too,  it 
 sounds  forth  as  the  real  fulfillment  of  the  pro- 
 phetic words  (Isa.  ix.  3,  6).  No  doubt  the  Old 
 Testament  often  gives  us  the  reassuring /ear 
 not,  but  henceforth  more  than  the  joy  in  har- 
 vest, more  than  the  joy  of  dividing  the  spoil, 
 is  conveyed  by  the  great  joy  with  which  the 
 Ciospel  begins,  when,  for  the  first  time,  it  is 
 preached  to  the  poor.  Great  is  the  joy  Christ 
 brings  to  all  those  who  sorrow  for  sin  ;  great  in 
 its  height,  breadth,  depth  ;  so  great  that  to  all 
 eternity  it  will  remain  unexhausted.  Yea, 
 this  joy  not  only  removes  all  grief,  but  alone 
 makes  earthly  "joy  to  be  joy  indeed.  The 
 anj^el,  in  using  the  words  "  /  bring  to  you,"  re- 
 
 fers primarily  to  the  shephenls  to  whom  ha 
 speaks,  but  he  immediately  adds,  that  the  glad 
 tiding  are  to  be  made  known  by  them  to  the 
 wiiole  people,  or,  as  it  is  more  generally  ren- 
 dered, to  aU]>enple.  And  not  incorrectly,  since 
 the  message,  taken  as  a  whole,  borders  very 
 closely  upon  the  disclosure  of  the  mystery 
 (soon  to  be  revealed  by  Simeon,  vers.  31,  32). 
 "Rejoice,  ye  Gentiles,  with  his  people"  (Rom. 
 XV.  10).  Nay,  perhaps,  the  second  clause  (ver. 
 11),  to  you  is  born,  may  be  understood  in  the 
 same  comprehensive  sense  as  the  close  of  the 
 angelic  song  of  praise — "  Peace  on  earth,  good- 
 will to  men."  But  literally  the  angel's  speech 
 begins  with  Israel,  as  it  was  meet ;  the  gra- 
 cious offers  of  salvation  being  in  very  deed  first 
 mad*  to  the  chosen  people.  The  fact,  how- 
 ever, that  the  Lord's  people  would  subse- 
 quently reject  the  one  now  Lorn  to  them,  and 
 accordingly  come  short  of  the  great  joy,  is  not 
 at  this  juncture  to  cloud  and  mar  the  glad 
 tidings  brought. 
 
 "For  there  is  born-  to  you  to-day  a  Saviour, 
 lohich  is  Christ  the  Lord,  in  ihe  city  of  David." 
 We  observe  a  harmony  with  the  order  of 
 the  prophetic  words,  "For  unto  u«  a  child  is 
 born  ;"  and  the  yet  more  profoundly  significant 
 clause  that  immediately  follows,  "  unto  us  a 
 son  is  given"  (given  to  us  all  as  our  own). 
 But  Bi  our  text  the  word  born  stands  out  first 
 with  a  stronger  emphasis;  the  ?m  of  the  prophet 
 changes  to 2/ou,  applied  by  angel  lips  to  men;  (he 
 great  to-day  is  come  which  divides  the  history 
 of  the  world  into  two  mighty  epochs  before 
 and  after  Christ.  To  the  angel  the  child  born 
 is  already  the  Lord  whom  he  worships,  as  in 
 Matt,  xxviii.  6,  where  the  same  words,  but 
 still  more  simple,  without  any  affix  whalsover, 
 are  spoken  by  an  angel  of  him  who  had  been 
 laid  in  the  grave.  To  us  the  children  of  men 
 he  is  born  a  Saviour,  which  expression  hitherto 
 had  sometimes  in  its  lowest  sense  been,  as  we 
 have  before  seen,  applied  to  sundry  human 
 helpers,  deliverers,  redeemers;  sometimes  in  its 
 highest  sense  had  been  used  as  one  means 
 of  God  himself,  from  1  Sam.  xiv.  39;  2  Sam. 
 xxii.  3  ;  Isa.  xlv.  15  ;  down  to  Luke  i.  47.  But 
 here  the  name  of  Jesus  is  pointed  at,  and  to  it 
 is  added,  "which  is  Christ."  Not,  however, 
 specially  the  Saviour,  but  as  the  English  Bible 
 correctly  renders  it,  «  Saviour,  a  born  child  of 
 Adam's  race,  a  person,  a  man  to  whom  this 
 name  belongs,  fully,  absolutely,  as  it  never  did 
 to  any  other.  First  we  have  the  fact  itself, 
 the  cause  of  the  great  joy,  salvation  for  the  sin- 
 ner ;  then  the  person  in  whom  the  salvation  is 
 contained.  He,  who  as  a  man  is  the  long- 
 promised,  newly-born  Christ;  as  God  is  for  all 
 angels  the  Lord.  This  is  the  only  place  where 
 both  names,  Christ— the  Lord,  occur  in  this  ex- 
 act connection,  which  essentially  distinguishes 
 them  from  "  the  Lord's  Christ "  in  ver.  26.  We 
 should  be  careful  therefore  in  no  way  to  di- 
 minish or  obscure  the  lofty  meaning  of  the 
 expression,  as  they  do  who  explain  it,  "  The 
 great  deliverer,  the  God-consecrated  king." 
 Whether  the  pious  shepherds  understood  the 
 
16 
 
 ANNOUNCEMENT  OF  CHRIST'S  BIRTH. 
 
 •fn1l  bearinc;  of  the  words  i?  anotlier  question 
 which  lias  nothing  to  do  with  their  proper  ex- 
 position ;  for  these  (xrd  the  words  which  have 
 come  down  from  the  first  hearers,  and  have 
 Bfiread  over  the  worUl.  At  all  events,  they 
 nn.it  have  had  more  correct  ideas  concerning 
 tlieexnected  Christ  than  the  Samaritan  woman 
 had  (John  iv.  25),  and  they  would  probably 
 (h-iiw  a  lolly  inlerence  from  the  expression, ^Ae 
 
 Lastly,  we  have  the  specific  inl'ormation  con- 
 reeled  with  the  directions  given  for  the  finding 
 of  the  chdd  ( ver.  12),  "in  the  city  of  David." 
 The  time  of  the  holy  birth,  to-day,  burst  forth 
 in  the  angelic  message  first,  then  comes  the 
 flace  which,  according  to  prophecy  could  in- 
 deed be  no  other.  Not  only  were  the  chief 
 priests  and  scribes  familiar  with  those  words 
 of  the  prophet  ^Micah  (Matt.  ii.  4,  6),  but  some 
 knowledge  of  them  had  even  spread  abroad 
 among  the  people,  as  we  see  from  John  vii.  42. 
 Accordingly  we  find  that  the  earliest  disciples 
 were  in  no  way  scandalized  by  the  Messiah  be- 
 ing of  Nazareth. 
 
 it  appears  most  probable  from  the  angel's 
 address  that  the  shepherds  were  well  acquaint 
 ed  with  the  prophecy.  And  besides,  pious 
 shepherds  in  Bethlehem  had  just  now  peculiar 
 reason  to  remember  the  honor  and  dignity 
 ascribed  in  Scripture  to  their  little  town.  No 
 doubt  the  la.un(]  ]\.\^t  decreed,  reminding  per- 
 sons so  vividly  of  tiieir  house  and  lineage,  had 
 given  them  and  others  occasion  to  sigh:  Alas, 
 how  lowly  and  obscure  are  the  descendants  of 
 David  become !  0  that  the  son  of  David 
 would  soon  come  to  his  kingdom  ! 
 
 And,  lo  I  he  is  come  ;  he  is  born  in  his  own 
 city!  That  the  shepherds,  as  soon  as  this  was 
 made  known  to  them,  should  at  once  prepare 
 to  go  to  Bethlehem,  to  see  that  which  was 
 come  to  pass,  is  taken  for  granted;  they  are 
 not  told  to  go.  But  their  first  impulse  would 
 naturally  have  been  to  inquire  aloud  for  the 
 new-born  king,  supposing  that  his  birth  was 
 generally  known,  as  did  the  wise  men  in  Jeru- 
 ealem.  To  prevent  them  from  doing  this,  the 
 ■angel  gives  them  a  sign  unasked,  not  as  confir- 
 mation of  their  faith,  for  these  shepherds  had 
 simply  believed  each  word  that  fell  from  his 
 ]i[m:  but  to  help  them  in  their  silent  seeking 
 and  finding,  in  which,  indeed,  it  is  probable 
 Ihey  were  still  further  assisted  by  a  divine 
 leading. 
 
 "And  </i/s  (shall  be)  to  yon  the  sign ,-  you  »?iaU 
 find  a  chdd  wrajiped  in  mcaddling  clothes,  (and) 
 lying  in  a  mango:"  Hero  only  one  sign  is 
 specifically  given  to  them,  and  that  is;  in  a 
 manger!  The  word  and  is  in  all  probability 
 not  authentic;  the  passage  runs,  a.  swaddled 
 child,  lying  (as  all  new-born  children  do,  but 
 not  in  such  comfort  as  even  the  poorest  have  ; 
 no,  but)  in  a  manger!  That  is  tlie  sign,  that 
 is  t:ie  extraordinary  circumstance,  whereas  the 
 swaddling  clothes  are  proverbial,  are  univer- 
 eal.  Without  resi.fct  of  persons,  as  we  road  in 
 the  r.o-.k  of  Wisdom  (vii.  3-6).  Neverthe- 
 less, We  are  authorized   to   take  not  only  the 
 
 swaddling  clothes  as  well,  but  more  especially 
 the  child,  as  for  us  the  lovely  sign  of  our  Lord 
 and  Saviour.  A  child*  thus  is  Christ  the  Lord 
 as  our  Saviour,  to  be  made  like  unto  us;  to 
 take  our  poor  flesh  and  blood  on  him,  that  is 
 his  first  sign.  Akin  to  this  are  the  swaddling 
 clothes,  typical  of  helplessness  and  weakness 
 (see,  in  addition  to  the  passage  of  Wisdom, 
 Ezek.  xvi.  4),  and  common  to  all;  but  the 
 unusual  circumstance  is  the  manger,  the  un- 
 clean manger,  fitted  only  for  cattle,  a  sign  of 
 poverty  and  humiliation  indeed.  But  as  shep- 
 herds were  familiar  with  the  stali  and  the 
 manger,  this  sign  was  one  peculiarly  calculated 
 to  encourage  them  :  "  You  may  approach  this 
 king;  he  is  not  come  in  worldly  pomp  and 
 splendor."  Again,  there  would  certainly  be 
 no  other  child  at  that  time  in  Bethlehem  lying 
 in  a  manger,  they  would  not  therefore  make 
 any  mistake  as  to  his  identity.  Some  have, 
 indeed,  read  in  the  manger  (but  erroneously, 
 see  ver.  7),  and  have  thence  concluded  that 
 the  angel  referred  to  one  in  a  stable  belonging 
 to  these  very  shepherds,  but  the  tone  of  the 
 whole  narrative,  especially  of  ver.  8,  is  opposed 
 to  such  an  idea. 
 
 We  pass  onward  from  the  touching  picture 
 of  the  swaddled  and  manger-laid  baby,  con- 
 descendingly aflTorded  us  by  the  angel,  to  the 
 lofty  hymn  which  followed  upon  the  lowly  de- 
 tails just  given.  "  Heaven  alone  then  knew 
 of  the  treasure  bestowed  on  earth,"  as  it  has 
 been  well  and  truly  said.  Nay  more,  all  the 
 angels  of  heaven  were  powerless  to  effect  what 
 this  new-born  infant  brought  and  fulfilled; 
 and  for  this  reason  the  "  heavenly  hosts  sing 
 to  the  child  born  in  Bethlehem  such  a  cradle- 
 song  as  never  was  sung  to  monarch's  son,  for 
 in  tliose  swaddling  clothes  is  wrapped  a  mys- 
 tery into  which  even  angels  desire  to  look." 
 To  which  we  add,  that  for  men  and  angels,  the 
 understanding  of  this  mystery  is  from  first  to 
 last  limited  to  adoration,  "  Glory  be  to  God  in 
 the  highest!" 
 
 And  suddenly,  quite  unexpectedly,  there  loas 
 (there  became  visible  with  the  angel  who  had 
 just  spoken)  a  (great,  or,  it  may  be  rendered, 
 the  whole)  multitude  of  the  heavenly  host.  If 
 over  the  repentance  of  one  sinner  there  is 
 joy  among  the  angels  of  God,  joy  throagh- 
 out  heaven,  how  should  not  ali  the  angels 
 have  rejoiced  with  and  over  us  in  this  great 
 joy?  Certainly  we  do  not  find  it  so  specified 
 in  the  original,  but  it  is  hardly  to  he  conceived 
 that  the  whole  multitude  of  the  angels  was  not 
 present;  how  should  any  of  them  have  tailed, 
 as  though  unconcerned  in  this  great  event? 
 If  at  the  first  creation  of  the  earth  the  morn- 
 ing stars  sang  praise,  and  all  the  sons  of  God 
 shouled  for  joy,  how  much  more  now  ? 
 
 "  Glory  (be  now)  in  the  height  to  God,  and  on 
 earth  peace,  to  men  (a)  good- will."  Th.is  is  the 
 proper  construction  of  the  passage.  There  is 
 indeed  a  different  reading,  authorized  by  the 
 Catholic  Church,  which  gives  us,  to  men  of  good - 
 
 '  Not,  as  geuerally  reudeied,  "  the  chilU, 
 
ANNOUNCEMENT  OF  CHRIST'S  BIRTH. 
 
 17 
 
 will,  but  tliore  are  positive  and  we'I-foun(]ed 
 objections  to  it.  Ni'itlier  the  critical  investiga- 
 tion of  ancient  MSS.,  nor  customary  idiom,  still 
 less  the  general  meaning  of  the  passage,  au- 
 thorizes such  a  limitation  of  this  full  Gospel 
 and  comprehensive  song  of  praise,  such  an 
 allusion  to  the  co-operating  good-will  of  men. 
 Luther,  indeed,  while  still  fettered  by  the  tradi- 
 tional interpretation,  understands  the  passage, 
 gnad-wiU  of  men,  i.  e.,  their  praise  and  thanks- 
 giving to  God,  and  their  entire  resignation  of 
 themselves  to  his  will.  But  we,  for  our  parts, 
 unbiassed  by  human  authority  however  high, 
 determine  with  the  angel  only  to  give  glory  to 
 God,  and  to  proclaim  and  celebrate  his  good- 
 will to  man,  and  that  only. 
 
 From  the  nature  of  the  three  clauses,  we 
 may  infer  that  two  choruses  answered  each 
 other,  alternately  speaking  of  heaven  and  earth, 
 then  joined  in  one  common  song  to  express 
 the  ground  of  the  union  of  heaven  with  earth, 
 of  God  with  men.  The  very  words,  indeed, 
 are  rightly  called,  not  so  much  a  song,  as  an 
 ascription  of  i^raiae  to  God,  as  the  Evangelist 
 says  in  ver.  13,  for  the  first  clause  is  the  main 
 one,  which  iheothersonly  confirm  and  complete. 
 The  best  and  clearest  illustration  of  its  mean- 
 ing as  a  whole  is  given  by  Nitzsch,  when  he 
 says  ;  "  This  song  rises  up  to  the  glory  of  God, 
 comes  down  again  to  proffer  peace  to  earth, 
 rests  with  good-will  on  men  ;"  and  proceeds  to 
 paraphrase  its  contents  :  "  How  is  the  glory  of 
 God  manifested  in  the  making  earth  peaceful, 
 by  mercy  and  good-will  shown  to  sinful  man  ;" 
 to  which  we  may  add  Beck's  beautiful  thought, 
 "  The  angels'  song  soars  to  heaven,  then  stoops 
 to  earth,  and  concludes  with  men,  as  though  it 
 would  forever  echo  in  the  human  heart." 
 
 Further,  we  may  remark  that  the  three-fold 
 division,  as  is  almost  always  the  case,  assumes 
 a  trinitarian  form  :  Glory  to  the  Father,  peace 
 through  the  Spirit,  God's  good-will  manifested 
 by  his  Incarnate  Son  ;  with  which  may  be 
 compared  the  similar  sequence  in  Tit.  iii. 
 4-6. 
 
 Well  might  we  be  content  to  sing  after  <lie 
 example  of  the  angels,  "  Glory  he  to  God  in  the 
 highest,"  but  we  must  not  forget  that  the 
 words  imply  not  merely  an  aspiration,  but,  at 
 the  same  time,  an  announcemenl  of  what  actu- 
 ally is  ;  how,  because  the  Saviour  is  born,  there 
 does,  indeed,  arise  new  glory  to  God.  For  a 
 prophecy  and  assurance  that  this  glory  will  be 
 given  to  him  more  and  more,  is  contained  in 
 the  fact  itself.  God's  glory,  the  foundation 
 and  aim  of  all  things — what  is  it  else  than 
 (according  to  the  closely  resembling  Greek 
 and  Hebrew  words)  the  image  of  the  divine 
 glory  in  the  creature?  But  the  full  glory  of 
 his  love  stooping  to  the  lost,  now  first  appears 
 in  all  its  completeness  in  Christ.  In  creation, 
 indeed,  he  has  prominently  displayed  his  om- 
 nipotence, wisdom  and  love;  but  here  he  has 
 made  known  his  mercy,  his  everlai^ting  mercy; 
 in  this  transaction  he  has  opened  out  to  the 
 hosts  of  hearren,  a  new  infinity  of  his  perfec- 
 tions 1    Accordingly  the  Church  sings  :  To  God 
 
 I  in  the  highest  alone  be  praise,  and  thanks  be 
 to  his  grace  ! 
 
 But  the  position  of  the  words  is  not  quite 
 correctly  given.  According  to  the  order  of  the 
 original,  the  words,  in  the  hnght,  or  the  highest, 
 belong  not  to  God,  but  to  the  glory  to  be 
 given  ;  for  even  in  heaven  itself  sin  had 
 troubled  and  disturbed  the  glory  of  God  (Col. 
 i.  20),  which  was  now  to  be  restored  by  Christ. 
 Thus  there  was  now  a  new  honor,  a  new  praise 
 to  God,  that  broke  out  in  heaven  from  the  an- 
 gels, just  as  there  was  a  new  peace  on  earth 
 among  men.  Thus  it  is  not  here  meant  (al- 
 though this  also  is  true)  that  God  dwells  and 
 reigns  in  a  highest  height  to  which  the  angels 
 can  only  look  up.  It  is  not  this  that  is  alluded 
 to,  but  the  heavens  generally,  spoken  of  in  a 
 plural  form,  and  in  opposition  to  the  earth. 
 That  we  should  once  more  be  able  rightly  to 
 honor  God,  is  the  subject  taken  up  by  the  sec- 
 ond chorus,  after  the  first  chorus  has  sung  the 
 praise  of  God  from  the  height;  the  angels 
 giving  him  glory  for  his  omnipotence,  truth, 
 faithfulness,  justice,  but,  above  all,  and  in  all, 
 for  his  mercy. 
 
 And  peace  on  earth  l  That  sounds  more  intel- 
 ligible than  the  somewhat  obscure  cry  of  the 
 people,  "  Peace  in  heaven"  (Luke  xix.  38). 
 In  heaven  there  has  never  been  discord,  but 
 the  ungodly  on  earth  have  no  peace,  no  well 
 being.  The  earth  is  the  abyss  to  which  the 
 peace-bringing  grace  descends  from  above.  In 
 the  original,  it  is  true,  and  especially  in  the 
 Old  Testament,  the  word  feace,  in  its  primitive 
 meaning,  stands  for  salvation,  restoration, 
 though  it  also  expresses  that  which  we  call 
 peace.  But  here  it  is  more  than  peace  between 
 man  and  man  that  is  meant ;  the  great  recon- 
 ciler of  our  strifes,  puts  an  end  to  our  divisions 
 by  first  of  all  reconciling  us  to  God.  Both  go 
 together  ;  the  cause  is  seen  and  glorified  in  the 
 efl'ect.  This  peace  on  earth  sounds  like  a  far- 
 reaching  prophecy  ;  certainly  its  fulfillment  is 
 still  distant,  and  advances  slowly,  but  it  will 
 grow  and  increase  more  and  more.  The  angels 
 themselves  have  made  the  first  beginning  of 
 that  great  peace-preaching  of  the  peace-bringer, 
 prophesied  in  Isa.  Ivii.  19,  and  referred  to  in 
 Eph.  ii.  17.  the  angels  see,  in  the  new-born 
 child,  the  prince  of  peace, at  whose  birth,  events 
 being  so  overruled  and  rendered  typical  and 
 prophetic  by  God's  providence,  the  Roman  em- 
 pire had  peace  under  Cajsar  Augustus.*  And 
 now,  throughout  Christendom,  and  in  missions 
 to  the  heathen,  progress  is  being  made,  glory 
 is  given  to  God  by  increasing  peacefulness,  till 
 at  last  the  whole  perfect  good-will  of  God  shall 
 be  fulfilled  toward  us  and  in  us ! 
 
 And  so  gazing  onward  to  this  ultimate  goal, 
 the  holy  angels  sing  at  the  birth  of  him  in 
 whom  alone  we  are  well  pleasing  and  accept- 
 able: To  men  a  good-will.  Thus  we  see  the 
 three  clauses  are  closely  connected.  Wherelore 
 is  this  glory  and  praise  to  God?   For  the  peace- 
 
 *  Hence  the  coin  with  the  inscription  :  Fci£  orhii 
 terrarum — iSW«s  ffencris  humam. 
 
18 
 
 THE  ANGEL  RETURNS  TO  JOSEPH  IN  DREAMS. 
 
 making  on  earfii.  But  wlience  this  peace? 
 ThrDUgli  the  child  born,  in  whom  and  for 
 wliose  sake  God's  good-will,  good-pleasure  is 
 towards  men  (Eph.  i.  5,6;  Luke  iii.  22.), 
 This  is  not,  indeed,  actually  said,  because  it  is 
 &?lt-evident  when  we  turn  back  to  the  first 
 clause  :  His,  or  God's,  good-will,  as  well  as  the 
 restoration  of  men,  once  lost  through  their 
 sin  ;  all  this  is  comprehended  in  the  many-sided 
 whole.  Thus,  "  the  angels'  lips  blend  together 
 God  and  t^le  highest  with  men  and  earth  in  one 
 song  of  praise,  as  though  they  were  all  one 
 whole,  one  holy  family"  (Beck).  Or,  to  be 
 more  precise  still,  both  that  which  is  in  hea- 
 ven and  on  earth,  really  is,  and  will  he  gathered 
 together  in  Christ  (Eph.  i.  10).  Only  we  must 
 cot,  with  over-subtlety,  interpret  the  word 
 good-icill  as  Lange  would  have  us  to  do  when 
 he  says,  "Amongst  men  the  good-will,  in  which 
 God  accepts  and  blesses  humanity,  has  person- 
 ally appeared."  Yet  there  is  a  certain  truth  in 
 the  idea,  and  Bengel  says  very  truly,  "Until 
 now  men  have  had  a  bad  name  among  the 
 angels  ;  now  they  in  amazement  proclaim  the 
 paradox,  the  seeming  contradiction  as  one  that 
 is  solved,  'To  men  a  good-will ! '"  Or  as  Roos, 
 in  his  naive  style,  carries  on  the  thought :  "  Sc 
 cheerfully,  then,  do  angels  think  of  men,  and  it 
 is  a  sin  that  men  themselves,  even  believing 
 men,  should  not,  cannot,  always  think  alike 
 cheerfully  of  themselves  and  others." 
 
 Yea,  verily,  this  is  the  great  sin  which  can 
 only  be  healed  by  the  repeated  going  in  faith 
 to  Christ,  of  which  we  have  an  example  given 
 by  the  shepherds.  The  Evangelist  writes : 
 "  And  it  came  to  pass,  as  the  angels  were  gone 
 away  from  them  into  heaven,  the  men,  the 
 shepherds  said  one  to  another."  This  signifi- 
 cant form  of  speech,  thus  linked  with  the  third 
 clause  of  the  song  of  praise,  constitutes  these 
 shepherds  the  representatives  of  all  men  for 
 whom  Christ  is  born,  and  brings  their  words, 
 "Let  m  now  go,"  into  prominence,  as  the  "  first 
 words  spoken  by  men  in  Scripture  after  the 
 birth  of  Christ."  They  came  with  haste  to 
 the  spot,  to  the  manger  indicated, /t»u/i(/,  soon, 
 ■without  much  seeking  (this  is  almost  implied 
 in  the  ex[)ression),  found  Mary,  Joseph,  and 
 the  child  lying  in  the  manger.  For  a  moment 
 they  forgot,  in  that  blessed  sight,  even  the 
 angels  and  the  open  heaven,  and  then  they  re- 
 lated, for  the  strengthening  of  Mary's  and 
 Joseph's  laith — but  alas  !  only  for  the  wonder  of 
 some  that  heard  them — the  sayings  which, 
 had  been  so  miraculously  told  them  concerning 
 the  holy  child. 
 
 CHAPTER  V. 
 
 Tee  Angel  Returns  to  JosErn  in  Dreams. 
 
 Matthew  ii. 
 
 Few  attentive  students  of  Scripture  will  be 
 Bati.-fied  wiih  the  hypothesis  that  the  wise 
 men  irom  the  East  arrived  at  Bethlehem  on 
 
 lone  of  the  first  nights  after  the  birth  of  the 
 '  holy  child  ;  and  that  both  the  flight  into 
 Egypt,  and  the  return  thence,  took  place  he- 
 Joic  the  presentation  in  the  Tem})le.  In 
 "harmonizing  the  narratives  of  Matlhew  and 
 Luke,  it  is  far  more  natural  to  receive  Luke's 
 statement  (chap.  ii.  39)  as  a  rapid  gen- 
 eral summary  of  events,  then  to  insist,  con- 
 trary to  the  literal  meaning  of  ver.  22,  upon 
 intercalating  there  the  whole  of  Matthew's  re- 
 cord. That  so  diligent  an  inquirer  as  Luke 
 should  have  been  unaware  of  the  visit  of  the 
 wise  men,  and  the  flight  into  Eijypt  conse- 
 quent thereon,  we  hold  to  be  most  improbable. 
 But  according  to  the  plan  he  proposed  to  him- 
 self in  writing  his  Gospel,  he  might  very  well 
 pass  over  these  facts.  That  Joseph  and  Mary, 
 with  the  child  born  to  them  in  the  city  of 
 David,  should  remain  there  a  while,  seems  very 
 natural  ;  but,  upon  closer  consideration,  we  see 
 many  reasons  that  explain  the  purpose  of  God 
 in  preventing  the  growing  up  of  the  child  at 
 Bethlehem,  in  the  immediate  proximity  of 
 Jerusalem.  And  the  manner  in  which  this 
 purpose  was  fulfilled,  as  well  as  the  chain  of 
 events  that  led  to  the  return  of  the  holy  fam- 
 ily to  Nazareth,  are  given  us  only  by  the  first 
 Evangelist  in  the  chapter  now  under  consider- 
 ation. 
 
 We  may  observe  that  it  was  in  a  house,  no 
 longer  in  a  manger,  that  the  wise  men  toand 
 him  they  sought  for.  The  first  divino  com- 
 munication made  to  them  is  spoken  of  (ver. 
 12)  in  precisely  the  same  manner  as  that  to 
 Joseph,  ver.  22.  A  divine  injunction,  of  which 
 the  words  are  not  given,  warned  the  strangers 
 against  returning  to  Herod;  a  similarly  divine 
 injunction  is  given  three  times  to  Joseph,  and 
 twice  the  actual  words  of  the  angel  are  re- 
 corded. After  the  miraculous  testimony  to  his 
 birth,  it  was  decreed  that  every  thing  connected 
 wiih  the  wondrous  child,  born  as  he  was  to 
 suffering,  not  to  splendor,  should  proceed  in 
 the  most  simple  and  natural  manner,  with  this 
 exception,  that  an  angelic  voice  was  twice 
 more  to  point  and  mark  out  his  way.  The 
 words  spoken  by  the  angel  apparently  confine 
 themselves  merely  to  the  external  measures  he 
 enjoined,  but  there  is  in  them  a  latent  reference 
 to  much  that  is  prophetic,  pre-ordained,  and 
 highly  signific.mt. 
 
 it  is  not  said  whether  the  wise  men  were 
 two,  three,  or  more,  but  merely,  with  a  grand 
 indefinitcness,  careless  of  all  but  the  main 
 point,  that  a  divine  command  was  given  to 
 them  in  a  dream.  Hardly,  as  ]\Ienken  would 
 have  us  over-literally  read  :  "  What  one  dreamt 
 the  others  dreamt  also,  and  thus  it  was  impos- 
 sible for  them  to  doubt  that  the  dream  and  the 
 injunction  were  a  revelation  from  the  invisible 
 world."  It  is  equally  satrsfactory  to  assume 
 that  one  received  the  injuntion  for  the  rest.* 
 Whether  they  were  themselves  suspicious  of 
 Herod,  and  had  prayed  for  divine  guidance,  is 
 
 ♦Certainly  there  were  more  liieii  two,  or  tlio 
 iudcliuiie  piural  could  not  correctly  be  used. 
 
THE  ANGEL  RETURNS  TO  JOSEPH  IN  DREAMS. 
 
 19 
 
 an  open  qnestion  ;  but  this  is  not  implied  in 
 the  words  of  the  text,  and  to  us,  indeed,  it  ap- 
 pears more  probable  that  it  was  their  simple- 
 hearted  confidingness  in  the  tyrant  that  ren- 
 dered the  divine  admonition  necessary.  If 
 it  be  argued  that  an  angel  appeared  to  them 
 also,  because  ver.  22  is  to  be  understood  like 
 vers.  13,  19,  we  might,  on  the  other  hayd, 
 with  belter  renson,  say  that  both  in  vers.  12 
 and  22,  mere  twices  are  carefully  distinguished 
 from  the  ajipcurance  of  the  speaker.  To  judge 
 from  the  precision  with  which  the  different  de- 
 grees of  spiritual  manifestations  have  hitherto 
 been  indicated  by  the  Evengelist,  we  should 
 say  that,  in  all  probability,  the  last  theory 
 is  correct. 
 
 It  was  to  Joseph,  not  to  Mary,  tliat  the  di- 
 vine command  now  carae,  and  again  in  a  dream, 
 as  in  chap.  i.  20.  His  paternal  and  guardian 
 relation  to  the  child  was  established  ;  Mary, 
 according  to  the  law  of  marriage,  was  now  in 
 subjection  to  her  husband,  however  contrary 
 to  all  the  human  imaginings  with  regard  to 
 the  "  Holy  Virgin,"  the  "  Mother  of  God"  this 
 may  seem. 
 
 If,  as  is  probable,  the  wise  men  had  imparted 
 the  divine  warning  they  had  received,  by  way 
 of  explaining  their  return  home  by  another 
 way,  contrary  to  Herod's  will,  Joseph  must 
 have  surmised  some  threatened  danger  from 
 Herod,  which  would  have  prepared  him  for  the 
 angel's  injunction.  One  may  indeed  say  with 
 Lange  :  "  He  saw  the  deep  seriousness  with 
 which  the  wise  men  resolved  upon  the  other 
 homeward  way.  The  consequent  excitement 
 of  his  spirit  was  the  element  m  which  the  ray 
 of  divine  revelation  kindled  into  flame."  But 
 too  much  stress  is  not  to  be  laid  upon  these 
 assumptions  of  peculiar  mood  and  suscepti- 
 bility, especially  with  regard  to  so  simple  a 
 character  as  Joseph's,  so  far  as  the  Scripture 
 reveals  it  to  us.  Certainly  a  sincere  devotion 
 on  his  part  to  the  child  must  be  pre-supposed 
 as  the  very  condition  of  his  being  thus  teach- 
 able by  visions  of  the  night.  But  to  go  with 
 Lange  to  speak  of  Joseph's  four  prophetic 
 dreams,  as  the  consequence  of  an  exalted  de- 
 velopment of  his  sleeping  consciousness,  "and 
 of  the  reciprocal  action  of  Joseph's  iidelity 
 and  Mary's  anxious  spirit,"  does  appear  to  us 
 simple-minded  ones  to  have  a  dangerous  ten- 
 dency to  convert  the  fact  of  divine  revelation 
 into  a  result  of  mere  human  moods,  evolutions, 
 and  circumstances.  Rather  would  we  humbly 
 hold  to  Scripture,  which,  for  the  most  part, 
 does  not  speak  at  all  of  this  human  substratum, 
 and  seldom  explains  any  thing  thereby. 
 
 The  angel  now  appearing  in  a  dream  spoke 
 in  the  following  words  :  "Uprisen  (or  uprising) 
 take  to  thee  the  young  child,  and  his  mother,  and 
 flee  into  Egypt,  and  remain  there  till  I  tell  thee 
 (tell  thee  something  else),  for  Ilerod  intends  to 
 seek  the  young  child  that  he  may  destmy  him." 
 The  very  first  v/ord  enjoins  haste  ;  so  soon  as 
 thou  hast  awaked  and  ari.sen  from  this  sleep, 
 this  dream,  ■d^osoph,  no  doubt,  v/ould  wake 
 iustantlv  to  rise  and  prepare  for  flight,  so  near 
 
 ana  so  great  is  the  danger  threatened  to  that 
 holy  life.  According  to  ver.  14,  it  was  thus 
 that  Joseph  understood  and  acted  upon  the 
 direction  given.  "  In  the  same  night,"  no  de- 
 lay, not  even  that  of  a  single  day," but  imme- 
 diately, he  prepares  to  obey,  to  flee  as  he  was 
 commanded. 
 
 In  their  humble  circumstances,  Mary  and  he 
 would  have  but  little  to  lake  with  them  on 
 their  journey;  they  would  willingly  leave  be- 
 hind what  they  did  not  want.  Joseph  had 
 already,  according  to  the  angel's  first  bidding, 
 as  her  husband  and  her  guide,  taken  to  him 
 the  mother ;  now  he  is  especially  to  take  the 
 child.  Every  one  must  have  observed  how 
 significant  the  prominence  given  by  the  Evan- 
 gelist to  the  young  child  here,  and  in  ver.  11, 
 differing,  as  it  does,  from  Luke  ii.  16.  The 
 angel  neither  says  "  thy  child,"  nor  "  thy  son," 
 nor  even,  on  this  occasion,  "  thv  wife,"  as  he 
 had  done  before  (chap.  i.  20).  He  who  is  now 
 immediately  concerned  is  Jesus,  the  new-born 
 Saviour  of  men  and  the  King  of  the  Jews. 
 For  such  a  flight  as  this,  Joseph,  though  he 
 may  have  had  some  vague  fear  of  Herod's 
 cruelty  and  cunning,  could  not  possibly  have 
 been  prepared.  After  what  the  heavenly  host 
 had  announced  and  sung,  after  Simeon's  pro- 
 phecy and  the  wise  men's  worship,  after  all  this 
 honor  done  him,  must  he,  whose  very  name 
 is  "  God  with  us,"  flee  secretly  and  hurriedly  by 
 night  into  a  place  of  safety,  that  he  may  not 
 be  destroyed  in  his  infancy  ?  First  there  was 
 no  room  for  him  in  the  inn  ;  now  there  is  no 
 room  for  Immanuel  in  his  own  land  (Isa.  viii. 
 8). 
 
 "  But  wherefore  flee  ?"  As  Menken  observes  : 
 "  Might  not  the  angel  who  brought  the  com- 
 mand have  encamped  like  a  wall  of  fire  around 
 the  child,  and  rendered  him  unapproachable? 
 Could  he  not  have  overthrown  all  the  weapons 
 of  human  and  devilish  malice,  like  that  angel 
 who  wrought  such  destruction  in  the  Assyrian 
 host?  Or  might  he  not  have  smitten  with 
 blindness  the  men  commissioned  to  take  Jesus, 
 like  those  who  came  to  take  the  prophet  Eli- 
 sha?  Might  not  this  Herod  have  been  sud- 
 denly smitten  by  an  angel  before  he  could  give 
 his  murderous  behest,  as  was  the  case  with  his 
 descendant  who  slew  James  with  the  sword?" 
 Oh,  we  know  wqU  why  none  of  these  events 
 happened.  It  was  that  Jesus,  from  beginning 
 to  end  of  his  sufft-ring  career,  should  walk  in 
 our  likeness,  and  be  at  once  our  atonement  and 
 our  example.  As  at  his  life's  close  one  out  of 
 the  legions  who  were  not  permitted  to  fight  for 
 his  kingdom,  strengthened  him  for  the  death- 
 agony,  so  now,  out  of  the  host  of  guardian 
 and  guiding  angels,  one  is  appointed  not  open- 
 ly to  wage  war  in  his  defence,  but  only  to  direct 
 the  foster-father,  before  the  child  can  even  un- 
 derstand the  direction,  "  Flee  with  him." 
 
 And  not  only  flee  from  the  neighborhood 
 of  Jerusalem  into  Judea  or  Galilee,  but  flee  to 
 Egvpt.  That  had  been  once  before  a  land  of 
 refuge  to  Israel,  and  was  now  the  most  con- 
 venient place  for  the  holy  family  in  their  biiU- 
 
20 
 
 THE  ANGEL  RETURNS  TO  JOSEPH  IN  DREAMS. 
 
 isliment.  Herod's  jurisdiction  did  not  extend 
 thither;  many  Jews  lived  there  in  civil  and 
 religious  libertj\  Joseph  might  find  there  ac- 
 quaintances whom  he  had  previously  made  at 
 the  (east  of  the  Passover,  or,  at  all  events,  he 
 wiiulil  easily  make  friends  among  his  country- 
 ni"n  in  Egypt..  Thus  the  absence  from  the  land 
 oi  israel  would  be  as  much  softened  as  possible, 
 lint  under  cover  of  all  this,  we  discern  in  this 
 11  ihtto  Egypt  aspecial  significance,  which  the 
 iluly  Spirit,  speaking  through  the  Evangelist, 
 discloses  in  ver.  15. 
 
 It  is  worthy  of  remark  that  this  passage, 
 from  Hos.  xi.  1,  where  it  applies  historically  to 
 Jsmd,  is  not  quoted  Irom  the  Greek  translation, 
 then  ill  common  use,  which  here  obscures  and 
 mutilates  the  prophetic  text,  but,  agreeably  to 
 tiie  original  Hebrew,  where  it  may  be  para- 
 phrased thus:  "  I  called  this  my  chosen  people 
 (chosen  in  their  forefathers),  after  it  had  been 
 hidden  in  Egypt  from  the  destroying  Canaanites, 
 in  due  time  out  of  this  very  Egypt,  and  with 
 a  special  calling,  it  being  first  in  Egypt  that  I 
 named  the  people  of  Israel  7ny  so/i"  (Exod. 
 iv.  22).  Thus  Israel,  out  of  which  the  prom- 
 ised I\Iessiah  was  to  spring,  is  here,  at  its  very 
 outset,  as  well  as  throughout  its  subsequent 
 career,  a  type  of  Christ,  who,  in  Isaiah  xlix.  3, 
 is  called  the  true  servant  Israel.  This  typical 
 parallel  is  also  implied  in  the  choice  of  the 
 texts  wherewith  Christ  answered  the  tempter 
 in  the  wilderness.  Not  only  are  we  shown  in 
 a  general  way  that  the  same  grief  and  tempta- 
 tion-fraught way  which  Israel,  his  type,  had 
 traversed  before,  was  now  to  be  trodden  by 
 Christ  Jiimself,  as  forerunner,  as  pioneer,  of 
 that  new  people  of  God,  who  were  to  be  ran- 
 somed by  him  out  of  humanity  at  large,  and 
 of  which  the  old  Israel  was  but  a  shadow — 
 not  only  is  this  clearly  expressed,  but  the  land 
 of  Egypt  has  a  peculiar  significance  liere.  The 
 ransomed  people,  the  young  child,  are  both  to 
 come  forth  Irom  the  house  of  bondage,  are  to 
 be  prepared  under  the  yoke  of  affliction  for 
 becoming  glorious  though  their  God.  Thus  it 
 is,  too,  that  Israel's  God  still  calls  all  his  chil- 
 dren out  of  Egypt;  and  thus  it  behooved  his 
 own  Son,  in  so  tar  as  he  was  the  son  of  man, 
 to  be  actually  called  thence  too.  Short  as  was 
 the  stay  of  the  child  in  that  land,  it  testified 
 to,  !ind,  as  it  were,  incorporated  this  truth. 
 
 No  doubt  the  dwelling  in  Egypt  of  the  pa- 
 rents with  the  chil.l  was  short,  vet  not  so  short 
 as  (according  to  Wieseler)  to  "amount  to  lit- 
 tle more  than  acoming  and  a  going."  The  chron- 
 ological researches  of  learned  men  with  regard 
 10  this  sulject  are  very  complicated,  and  lead 
 to  various  deductions.  We  judge  it  safest  to 
 hold  simply  to  what  is  made  certain  to  us  in 
 Scripture,  winch  amounts  to  this  at  least,  that 
 the  young  child  was  still  a  young  child  at  the 
 time  of  his  return  ;  but  as  "to  limiting  the  pe- 
 riod to  a  fortnight,  or  a  few  days,  that  again 
 we  hold  to  be  incongruous  with  the  important 
 nature  of  the  whole  transaction.  "  Remain, 
 dwell,  be  there;"  surely  this  sentence  of  the 
 angel's,  with  its  "1111111  I  tell   thee"  (bring 
 
 thee  word),  conveys  the  idea  of  a  longer  space 
 of  time. 
 
 In  what  place  in  Egypt,  Joseph,  with  the 
 mother  and  child,  was  to  dwell,  and  how  he 
 was  to  support  them  there,  the  angel  does  not 
 say;  but  in  his  very  command  there  to  stay 
 till  another  command  be  given,  a  promise  and 
 a  security  are  contained — in  the  land  to  which 
 he  was  supernaturally  directed,  Joseph  would 
 be  certain  that  he  might  safely  dwell.  Neither 
 his  nor  Mary's  faith  could  doubt  that,  warned 
 and  delivered  as  they  had  been,  they  would  be 
 further  helped  and  guided. 
 
 Certainly  without  such  a  revelation  a  compul- 
 sory flight  like  this  with  the  child  would  have 
 been  almost  too  painful  and  mysterious  for 
 them  to  bear ;  for  we  can  hardly  suppose  that 
 up  to  this  time  they  were  quite  free  from  other 
 and  worldly  expectations  for  the  Messiah. 
 But  now,  both  knew  with  certainty  from  the 
 angel's  words,  that  though  the  way  lay  through 
 humiliation  and  distress,  yet  that  it  was  lore- 
 ordained  by  God's  wisdom,  and  guarded  by  his 
 care.  When  Pfenninger  imagines  that  in  the 
 first  inn  reached,  on  the  confines  of  Egypt,  Jo- 
 seph saw  another  angel  who  told  him  whereto 
 go,  and  to  whom  to  apply,  he  overlooks  the 
 text,  "till  I  tell  thee"  (to  return  to  thy  coun- 
 try). In  the  interim,  therefore,  there  was  evi- 
 dently no  manifestation  to  be  expected.  But 
 such  a  special  direction  would  not  be  needed 
 amongst  the  Egyptians,  at  that  time  so  hospi- 
 table to  Jews  ;  especially  by  those  who  were 
 calmed  and  secured  by  the  first  behest,  and  indi- 
 rectly under  divine  guidance,  as  were  the  shep- 
 herds when  seeking  the  child  in  the  manger. 
 While  Joseph  and  Mary  sleep  together  with 
 the  young  child,  God  watches  over  that  child, 
 and  for  his  sake  over  them  too.  Doubtless  till 
 this  moment  no  one  knew  the  secret  purpose 
 of  the  tyrant,  but  the  messenger  of  God  reveals 
 it :  "  Herod  will  seek  the  young  child  in  order 
 to  destroy  him."  This  aim  will  be  frustrated  ; 
 but  the  search  for  the  child,  with  its  terrible 
 consequences,  the  murder  of  the  innocents,  will 
 be  permitted.  Thus  watches  the  providence  of 
 God  over  the  children  of  men,  especially  over 
 his  own  children  in  Christ  :  what  is  ordained 
 by  him  comes  to  pass  ;  all  else  is  frustrated, 
 and  the  course  of  events  invariably  fulfills  the 
 settled  purpose  of  his  will,  let  man  struggle 
 against  it  as  he  may  (Isa.  viii.  9,  10). 
 
 Joseph  rises  up  and  obeys.  Mary  believes, 
 and  obeys  also.  The  young  child  is  borne 
 away,  sweetly  sleeping  perhaps  the  while  in 
 that  unconscious  reliance  upon  his  God  pro- 
 phesied of  in  Psa.  xxii.  10,  11.  For  the  ex- 
 pense of  this  first  journey,  perhaps  for  other 
 purposes  besides,  the  presents  offered  by  tiie 
 wise  men  would  suffice.  The  road  through 
 the  wilderness,  a  rough  one  indeed,  but  well 
 known,  practicable,  and  much  used,  led  from 
 Bethlehem  to  the  confines  of  Egypt  in  the 
 course  of  a  few  days. 
 
 "  B'lt  it/ien  Herod  loan  dead,  behold."  Tlip 
 second  and  promised  announcement  is  made  in 
 exactly  the  came  way  as  the  first,  which  the 
 
THE  ANGELS  AT  THE  SEPULCHRE. 
 
 21 
 
 Evangelist  indicates  by  using  the  very  same 
 words.  Probably  it  was  made  by  the  same  an- 
 gel, for  his  address  begins  with  the  identical 
 words  before  used,  only  that  from  the  nature 
 of  the  case,  the  arise,  and  take,  and  go,  do  not 
 now  imply  the  same  immediate  and  imperative 
 haste.  Then  it  was  a  warning  cry,  "Flee!" 
 Now  it  is  a  gracious  permission,  go,  travel, 
 as  conveniently  and  leisurely  as  thou  wilt ! 
 Now  it  is  a  homeward  journey  "  inlo  the  land  of 
 Israel."  Tiiere  is  something  solemn  in  this  giv- 
 ing of  the  old  name,  that  no  longer  politically 
 appertained  to  it,  to  the  beloved  country  from 
 which  Joseph  and  Mary  had  mourned  their 
 banishment,  and  to  which  the  holy  child  by 
 right  belonged.  The  expression  has  also  refer- 
 ence, no  doubt,  to  the  typical  passage  quoted  by 
 the  Evangelist  (ver.  iS),  as  the  context  still 
 more  plainly  shows.  "  For  they  are  dead  who 
 »night  the  young  child's  life."  But  why  have 
 we  the  plural  pronoun  they,  when  Herod  only 
 is  spoken  of?  Commentators  have  very  un- 
 necessarily (disregarding  the  close  connection  of 
 the  angel's  second  speech  with  his  first)  im- 
 agined that  another  personage  was  here  point- 
 ed out  besides  the  king,*  probable  his  son 
 Antipater,  who  died  a  few  days  before  him. 
 But  evidently  we  have  in  this  expression  a 
 quotation  from  Exod.  iv.  9,  where  the  pas- 
 sage occurs  in  close  proximity  to  that  which 
 speaks  of  Israel  as  God's  first-born  son. 
 Thus  Moses  in  his  own  person,  as  Israel  col- 
 lectively, appears  as  a  type  of  Christ,  a  fact 
 which  ihe  angel  brings  into  notice  by  using 
 the  same  words  now  as  were  used  of  old.  He 
 gives  the  well-known  proverbial  expression 
 literally,  with  the  one  omission  of  the  word  all, 
 an  omission  intended  to  show  that  the  history 
 was  only  a  type  in  its  main  features,  not  in 
 every  detail.  But  it  must  have  been  full  of 
 comfortable  promise  to  Joseph  and  Mary  :  Je- 
 sus delivered  as  Moses  was,  both  as  child  and 
 man;  Herod  dead  like  Pharaoh.  The  reticent 
 angel  says  nothing  of  the  horrible  disease  of 
 which  Herod  died;  and  the  concise  Evangelist, 
 too,  leaves  us  to  learn  it  from  the  secular 
 historian,  Josephus.  Neither  does  the  angel 
 vouchsafe  any  more  special  direction  as  to 
 whither  in  the  land  of  Israel  the  holy  family 
 must  betake  themselves;  except,  indeed,  that 
 the  more  general  name  land  of  Liuel,  instead, 
 of  land  of  Judea  (ver.  1)  might  have  seemed 
 to  point  at  Galilee.  But  Joseph,  to  whom  not 
 only  child  but  mother  were  entirely  subject, 
 might  liave  thought,  on  the  contrary,  that  the 
 holy  child  ought  not  to  belong  to  the  despised 
 Galilee  of  the  Gentiles  (Isa.  ix.  1).  It  never 
 ;ould  have  occurred  to  his  unassisted  reason 
 that  Nazareth  could  be  a  fitting  home  for  the 
 Son  of  God. 
 
 In  ver.  22  we  read  what  ought  not  to  sur- 
 prise us,  that  on  hearing  of  the  succes-^ion  of 
 
 *  Namely,  Herod's  son  An  ipater,  who,  afer  hav- 
 ing removed  Uvo  of  tiis  bio. he' s  out  of  iiis  way, 
 was  himself  executed  tive  days  before  his  talher  s 
 den  ui. 
 
 Archelaus  to  the  throne,  some  degree  of  fear 
 again  mingled  with  Joseph's  faith,  not  in- 
 deed on  his  own  account,  but,  arising  from  his 
 tender,  and  by  late  events  intensified  anxiety, 
 respecting  the  child  confided  to  his  care.  Shall 
 they  return  to  Bethlehem,  near  as  it  is  to  Jeru- 
 salem ?  That  does  not  seem  to  him  judicious, 
 though,  perhaps,  Mary  may  have  urged  it ;  for 
 we  find  Joseph  in  uncertainty,  waiting  no 
 doubt  and  praying  for  guidance,  till  for  the 
 third  time,  recorded  in  this  chapter,  the  divine 
 will  is  made  known  to  him.  At  first  only  in  a 
 general  way  ;  he  is  fearlessly  to  turn  aside  into 
 the  farts  of  Galilee,  more  accurately  the  bor- 
 ders, the  confines.  And  now,  as  we  see,  it  be- 
 comes the  most  natural  thing  in  the  world  that 
 he  should  return  to  his  former  home,  Nazareth. 
 This  small  and  despised  town  becomes  the 
 dwelling-place  of  him  whose  lowliness  and 
 humiliation  the  prophets  had  in  many  different 
 ways  foretold,  and  accordingly  he  must  be  call- 
 ed Jesus  of  Nazareth.  In  this  Nazarelh  he 
 grows  up,  lives  in  holy  mysterious  seclusion 
 till  his  thirtieth  year,  without  any  further 
 words  of  angels,  without  the  occurrence  of  any 
 miraculous  events,  till  the  day  appointed  cornea 
 for  his  showing  unto  Israel. 
 
 CHAPTER  VI. 
 
 The  Angels  at  the  SEPULcnKS. 
 
 Matt,  xxviii.  ;  Mark  xvi.  ;  Luke  xxiv. 
 
 "  Henceforth  ye  shall  see  heaven  open,  and 
 the  angels  of  God  ascending  and  descending 
 upon  the  Son  of  Alan,"  such  had  been  our 
 Lord's  words  to  his  disciples,  nor  can  we  sun- 
 pose  they  were  merely  metaphorical.  But  they 
 were  not  fulfilled  by  visible  appearances  of 
 angels  to  men  ;  no  angel  during  the  whole  life 
 of  Jesus  having  ever  in  his  presence  spoken  to 
 man.  The  Master  being  by,  it  behooved  the 
 servants  to  keep  silence.  When  on  the  Mount 
 of  Transfiguration,  as  once  before  at  Christ's 
 bapti.*m,  we  catch  a  glimpse  of  an  open  heaven, 
 and  Moses  and  Elias  ia.[k  with  him  of  his  de- 
 cease, the  voice  that  comes  down  from  the  ex- 
 cellent glory  of  the  Father  directs  our  exclusive 
 attention  to  the  words  of  Jesus:  "This  is  my 
 beloved  Son,  hear  ye  him!" 
 
 It  is  at  the  resurrection  that  we  meet  once 
 more  with  the  angel  voices  that  proclaimed  the 
 birth  of  the  Saviour.  When  the  time  came 
 that  the  disciples,  cast  down  and  despairing, 
 were  to  have  their  sorrow  turned  into  joy,  the 
 heavenly  messengers  were  commissioned  to 
 bring  the  glad  tidings  before  the  Lord  himself 
 appears  to  them.  Once  the  words  "He  w  linrn  " 
 were  joy  sutRcient  to  the  shepherds  to  incite 
 them  to'  arise  in  haste,  to  seek,  to  find,  to  make 
 known  to  all  around  the  saying  concerning  the 
 child.  How  much  more,  then,  should  the 
 words  "II'  in  linen,"  spoken  of  the  Crurifi-nl, 
 1  have  puwur  Lu  change  uiouraiug  into  rapluie  1 
 
THE  ANGELS  AT  THE  SEPULCHnE. 
 
 Yet  wp  fincl  tlif^ir  first  f^fTpct  to  be  "fear  and 
 great  joy"  (M;xtt.  xwui.  8);  nay,  even  more 
 tlian  fear,  doubt  also  (Marie  xvi.  8);  for  that 
 which  they  are  called  upon  to  believe  is  too 
 prpat,  too  good  for  their  belief,  and  would 
 never  have  been  preached  abroad  throughout 
 th<-  world  had  not  the  Lord  by  so  many  in- 
 fa'hble  proofs  showed  himself  alive  after  his 
 J)  i-siun. 
 
 To  what  purpose,  then,  were  the  angelic 
 messages  to  the  women?  We  answer,  in  the 
 lirst  instance,  that  much  as  the  Lord's  heart 
 yearned  towards  his  (bsciples,  it  was  necessary 
 ihat  he  should  withhold  his  presence  from  them 
 till  they  had  been  graduiilly  prepared,  else  the 
 sudden  revulsion  would  have  been  more  than 
 they  could  have  borne.  Again,  it  was  most 
 desirable  that  the  future  Apostles  should  learn 
 a  lesson  of  faith  without  sight;  both  to  humble 
 them  now,  and  to  strengthen  their  patience 
 hereafter.  And  also  there  were  reasons  in  the 
 very  tenderness  of  woman's  nature  tliat  led  to 
 women  first  receiving  the  tidings  from  the  an- 
 gels, and  first  seeing  the  Lord.  They  were  the 
 first  to  visit  the  sepulchre,  and  were  thus  re- 
 warded. 
 
 After  the  Sabbath  was  over,  it  was  natural 
 that  all  who  were  not  too  completely  distracted 
 and  overwhelmed,  as  Thomas,  for  instance,  and 
 olhers  with  him,  should  proceed  to  visit  their 
 Master's  grave.  And  we  may,  perhaps,  safely 
 a.ssume  that  Peler  and  John  would  have  done 
 t'us  even  without  the  summons  from  Mary 
 jMagdaleiie.  At  all  events,  the  loving  women 
 could  not  refrain  from  seeking  the  Crucified 
 there  where  he  no  longer  was;  even  had  they 
 not  ]iurposed  to  comnlete  the  burial  rites,  they 
 Avould  still  have  gone  unto  the  grave  to  weep 
 thr-re  (John  xi.  32).  In  order  to  escape  obser- 
 vation they  neither  came  singly,  or  all  together, 
 but  in  little  groups  of  two  and  three,  one  after 
 the  other.  This  very  circumstance  helps  us  to 
 harmonize  the  various  and  apparently  contra- 
 dictory mnratives  of  the  Easter  morning.  In- 
 deed, both  in  the  diversity  and  the  unity  of  the 
 evidence  we  find  equal  proof  of  its  authenticity. 
 The  Evangelists  did  not  copy  from  each  other. 
 Each  of  lliem  narrated  according  to  a  system 
 and  to  inl'ormation  of  his  own.  Neither  had 
 they  any  intention  of  registering  every  thing 
 that  happeneil,  and  how  exactly  every  thing 
 happened  in  the  first  twilight  confusion  of  the 
 Easter  dawn.  The  main  point  of  the  resur- 
 rection, on  which  the  Cliurch  is  built,  was 
 moreover  so  certain  a  fact  to  them  that  it  did 
 not  even  occur  to  their  minds  to  lay  much  stress 
 upon  the  details  of  its  announcement.  And 
 ii,  indeed,  we  had  more  precise  information  as 
 to  the  order  in  which  every  thing  connected 
 with  the  angelic  announcement  was  said  and 
 done,  what  would  it  avail  us?  Tiie  narrative, 
 as  it  stands,  is  amply  suinoient  to  make  upon 
 us  the  same  impression  the  actual  occurrence 
 did  upon  the  women — to  point  ua  to  the  Lord 
 himself 
 
 Another  Icey  to  the  proper  harmony  of  the 
 Gospel  accouuts  is  this  :  Tho  angels  were  not 
 
 corporeally  objective,  in  the  sam'"  sen^^e  that 
 our  fellow-men  are,  were  not  se(!n  ami  heard 
 in  the  same  natural  way,  but  through  the  me- 
 dium of  some  special  infiuence  upon  those  who 
 saw  and  heard  them.  Thus  it  was  only  natu- 
 ral that  on  this  occasion,  among  a  number  of 
 persons  of  different  idiosyncrasies,  different 
 impressions  should  be  received,  that  one  should 
 see  what  another  saw  not, as  we  find  Magdalene, 
 for  instance,  as  well  as  Peter  and  John,  seeing 
 at  first  nothing  but  the  empty  sepulchre,  though 
 afterwards  we  read  of  one  angel,  two  angels 
 visible  there.  Perhaps,  as  Lessing  suggests, "  the 
 whole  sepulchre  ;  the  whole  space  surrounding 
 the  sepulchre  was  filled  by  invisible  angels." 
 And  certainly  the  folding  of  the  linen  clothes, 
 and  the  napkin  that  was  about  the  head,  not 
 only  suggests  invisible  servants,  but  the  multi- 
 tude of  the  heavenly  host  that  appeared  at 
 Christ's  birth,  leads  us  to  infer  aa  equal  number 
 present  at  his  resurrection. 
 
 Lastly,  let  any  one  try  to  place  himself  in 
 the  circumstances  of  these  women  at  the  sep- 
 ulchre. The  shepherds  of  Bethlehem  received 
 their  angelic  communication  in  silent,  calm  ex- 
 pectation, but  how  different  the  case  is  here  ! 
 After  the  first  hurried,  imperfect  burial  given 
 to  the  sacred  body  by  Joseph  and  Nicodemus, 
 these  loving,  sorrowing  women  are  come  to 
 anoint  it ;  they  have  not  one  thought  of  the 
 resurrection,  they  are  in  the  deepest  grief, 
 occupied  only  with  the  idea  of  doing  honor 
 to  their  Lord's  body;  what  a  tumult  of  ex- 
 citement must  they  have  been  thrown  into 
 by  what  they  found,  saw,  heard  !  Well  may 
 Mark  speak  of  their  trembling  amazement! 
 If  we  find  that  the  words  by  which  Christ 
 stilled  the  storm  upon  the  water  are  given 
 to  us  with  some  variation,  owing  to  the  ex- 
 citement of  terror  under  which  they  were 
 heard  interfering  with  their  literal  recollection, 
 how  much  more  so  here  ?  but  yet  there  is  a 
 close  agreement  between  the  angel's  speech,  as 
 given  by  JMatthew  and  Mark  ;  Luke  records  a 
 different  one,  as  we  shall  presently  see. 
 
 Matthew  expressly  names  two  of  the  Marys, 
 Mark  adds  Salome  to  them;  Luke  (xxiii.  49, 
 55)  only  speaks  generally  of  "  the  women," 
 and  again  refers  to  them  (xxiv.  1),  with  the 
 addition  of  "certain  others,"  specifying  in  ver. 
 10  Joanna  as  well  as  the  two  Marys.  That 
 not  only  his  brief  summary  of  what  the  women 
 told  the  disciples  should  be  vague  as  it  is  but 
 that  the  two  earlier  Evangelists,  aiming  as 
 they  did  at  the  greatest  conciseness  possible, 
 should  relinquish  all  idea  of  a  complete  narra- 
 tive is  just  what  we  might  expect.*  The  Holy 
 Ghost  allowed  them  to  speak  and  write  in 
 their  own  human  fashion  ;  did  not  interfere 
 with  their  customary  style  of  narrative. 
 
 The  following  is  the  view  we,  for  our  parts, 
 take  of  the  course  of  events.  No  human  eye 
 witnessed  the  resurrection  itself;  nay,  no  angel 
 dared  to  intrude  upon  its  first  solemnity. 
 Not  one  of  the  four  Evangelists  tells  us  one 
 word  ot  iiow  and  when  the  Lord  rose,  or  how 
 he  lull  the  sepulchre;  the  first  intelligeace  v/e 
 
THE  ANGELS  AT  THE  SEPULCHRE. 
 
 23 
 
 have  is,  the  I/trd  is  risen,  spoken  by  the  ang.>l. 
 If  I  he  stone  were  rolled  away  from  the  rnoutli 
 of  the  S('pul"hre  for  the  Lord's  egress,  we 
 rniglit  expect  tc)  find  this  stated  in  Matt,  xxviii. 
 2,  3,  which  ueems  the  natural  place  for  the 
 mention  of  such  a  fact.  It  appears  to  us  to 
 have  been  a  well-grounded  belief  of  >he  early 
 fathers,  that  Christ  had  already  passed  through 
 the  stone  (as  afterwards  through  the  closed 
 doors)  in  ins  own  strength,  and  that  the  roll- 
 ing away  of  the  stone  was  only  to  reveal  the 
 opened  and  untenanted  sepulchre,  itself  the 
 most  convincing  proof  of  the  resurrection. 
 Then  came  Mary  Magdalene  first,  hurrying  on 
 before  the  rest,  and,  not  being  in  a  proper  state 
 to  discern  the  angelic  vision,  a  higher  one 
 being  reserved  for  her,  she  sees  nothing,  no- 
 tices nothing,  casts  one  glance  at  the  open  sep- 
 ulchre, and  then  runs  back  in  dismay  to  the 
 two  disciples,  Peter  and  John  (John  xx.  2). 
 Then  came  the  other  women,  who  (as  the  close 
 i-'intK^ction  in  Matthew  leads  us  to  believe)  had 
 ;ilready  heard  some  rumor  of  the  earthquake, 
 perhaps  saw  some  traces  of  it,  as  well  as  wit- 
 nessed the  terror  of  the  keepers,  who  do  not  ap- 
 pear (ver.  4)  to  have  at  once  fled  avvay.  If 
 the  angel  of  the  earthquake,  in  the  suddenness 
 of  his  appearing,  had  re.sembled  a  flash  of 
 lightning  to  the  eyes  of  these  keepers,  so  that 
 they  could  not  look  at  him,  or  gain  any  dis- 
 tinct idea  of  his  form  ;  to  the  women,  on  the 
 other  hand,  he  showed  himself,  as  he  spoke  to 
 them,  in  raiment  white  as  snow,  brighter  than 
 the  rising  sun.  In  the  Oid  Testament,  the 
 angels  resembled  flames  of  fire  (Dan.  x.  5,  6), 
 but  after  the  resurrection  we  read  of  their 
 milder  radiance,  and  their  being  clothed  in 
 brightly-shining  garments,  white  as  the  light. 
 This  angel  having  come  down  from  heaven, 
 and  in  the  divine  might  triumphed  overall  ob- 
 Ktacles  and  all  adversaries — the  triumph  of  life 
 over  death — now  seats  himself  solemnly  and 
 (^almly  upon  the  roUed-away  stone  and  the 
 broken  seals,  an  emblem  of  conquest  hence- 
 lorth  to  all  humanity,  but  primarily  to  the 
 keepers,  and  through  their  report  to  the  frus- 
 trated Jewish  and  Gentile  foes  of  the  risen  Lord. 
 1-^ut  to  the  women  he  did  not  appear  thus,  for 
 they  only  noticed  that  the  stone  was  rolled 
 away  (Mark  xvi.  4).  Whether  he  had,  before 
 he  spoke,  entered  into  the  sepulchre,  according 
 to  Mark's  account,  or  whether  he  led  the 
 women  in,  as  seems  probable  from  Matthew's, 
 who  shall  say?  We  must  leave  this  and  other 
 points  unsettled,  but  to  us  it  appears  most 
 natural  to  suppose  that  this  angel  was  actually 
 fitting  in  the  sepulchre  as  he  spoke,  near  the 
 p. ace  where  the  body  had  lain,  just  as  the  two 
 angels  mentioned  by  Luke  were  seen  stand- 
 ing there.  At  all  events,  the  words  given  by 
 Miitthew  and  Mark  are  the  same;  the  angel 
 calls  the  v/omen  to  come,  and  see  the  place 
 where  Christ  had  lain. 
 
 These  women,  to  whom  this  first  speech  had 
 been  addressed,  were  met  on  their  way  back 
 l)y  the  Lord  himself,  but  not  till  after  the  ex- 
 amination of  The  sepulchre  had  been  made  by 
 
 Peter  and  John,  and  Mary  Magdalene,  linger- 
 ing behind  them  when  they  went  their  wa.y, 
 had  been  favored  with  the'first  siglit  of  tha 
 risen  Saviour.  She,  on  this  occasion,  saw  tho 
 other  angel  sitting  at  the  other  side,  though  he 
 was  not  remarked  by  the  former  women,  pro- 
 bably because  only  one  angel  spoke.  Lastiv, 
 we  have  the,  "other  women"  mentioned  by 
 Luke,  who  either  arrived  later,  or  returned,  or 
 remained  behind,  to  whom  the  same  angel, 
 now  in  a  standing  position,  or  two  others  stand- 
 ing, addressed  other  words.  These  last  women, 
 who  only  saw  angels,  but  did  not  see  the  Lord, 
 were  those  specially  mentioned  in  Luke  xxiv. 
 22,  as  we  see  from  ver.  9.  The  statement  in 
 ver.  10  is  a  more  general  one. 
 
 So  much  we  must  premise  to  clear  our  way ; 
 having  done  so,  let  us  turn  in  all  security  to 
 the  words  spoken  by  the  angels,  and  first  to 
 those  recorded  by  Matthew  and  Mark. 
 
 "  The  angel  answered."  This  does  not  mean 
 here  merely,  as  in  some  other  places,  began  to 
 speak  ;  but  we  have  it  implied  that  he  answer- 
 ed the  terror,  amazement,  and  questions  put 
 by  the  women,  when  they  saw  the  stone  rolled 
 away.  "Fear  not  ye:  for  I  know  that  ye  seek 
 ,/e-ifS,  the  crucified."  In  this  emphatic  ye, 
 which  Matthew  gives,  we  may  discern  a  mark- 
 ed allusion  to  the  terror  that  the  tidings  of 
 the  resurrection  would  occasion  the  Lord's  ad- 
 versaries, and  adivsion  made  from  that  very 
 hour  of  all  cognizant  of  the  event  into  two  par- 
 ties, the  friends  and  the  foes  of  the  Crucified, 
 parties  that  soon  developed  themselves  more 
 fully,  and  openly  both  in  Jerusalem  and 
 throughout  the  country.  "Fear  not  ye  (in 
 Mark,  Be  not  afTrighted),  like  these  keepers, 
 who  have  become  like  dead  men,  fit  representa- 
 tives of  the  impotence  of  the  Lord's  enemies, 
 and  who  will  soon  spread  abroad  these  tidings 
 in  another  form,  as  to  them  tidings  of  terror. 
 Fear  not  ye  as  they  do.  For  you  there  are 
 good  tidings  prepared  ;  for  I  know  your  hearts, 
 know  what  brings  you  here."  Thus  graciously 
 and  soothingly  does  he  address  them,  and  by 
 his  knowledge  of  their  purpose  and  their  feel- 
 ings he  reveals  himself  to  them  as  an  angel : 
 "  Ye  know  me  not,  but  I  know  you  !  Sor- 
 rowing love  brings  you  hither  to  seek,  in  the 
 sepulchre,  for  the  same  Lord  whom  we  angela 
 worship  ;  we  are  friends  and  brethren  in  him  !" 
 It  is  only  at  the  close  of  his  address  that  the 
 angel  introduces  the  majestic  title,  "  the  Lord  ;" 
 at  first,  as  if  by  way  of  transition  from  death 
 to  life,  he  uses  the  more  familiar  name  of  Jesus, 
 "  Jesus  the  crucified  !  "  The  contemptuous  ex- 
 pression is  changed  to  a  title  of  honor,  will 
 henceforth  sound  in  heaven  and  earth  as  the 
 one  name  that  brings  this  Saviour's  salvation 
 to  the  children  of  men  ;  so  angels'  lips  teach  us 
 now  ;  so  Paul  will  hereafter  believe  and  confess 
 (1  Cor.  i.  2).  Mark  gives  us  in  addition  the 
 despised  name  the  Crucified  bore  throughout 
 his  earthly  career,  "  Jesus  of  Nazareth  ;"  thus 
 also  ran  the  writing  on  the  cross  ;  thus  the 
 glorified  Lord  named  himself  when  speaking 
 from  heaven  (  Acts  xxii.  8)  ;  thus    the  Holy 
 
24 
 
 THE  ANGELS  AT  THE  SEPULCHRE. 
 
 Glio=t  ppol;e  of  him  hy  the  month  of  Peter  in 
 Lis  fir-t  seriiKMi  on  the  day  of  Pentecost! 
 
 "  You.  faiUilul  and  lovin^  souls" — so  might 
 we  paraphrase  the  angel's  words — "you  seek 
 the  despised,  the  Crucified,  with  an  enduring 
 love,  stronger  tlian  disjrace  and  death;  the 
 cross  has  only  bound  you  more  closely,  more 
 ten(i('rly  to  your  Master,  True,  it  is  a  seeking 
 in  thf  wrong  place,  but  you  are  not,  therefore, 
 to  be  blamed  ;  nay,  there  is  a  sense  in  which  this 
 may  be  commen<lcd  as  the  proper  way  to  in- 
 Bi'.re  the  finding  of  him  who  is  risen.  With 
 love  and  longing  to  seek  the  Crucified! — this 
 is  liencet'orth  the  distinguishing  mark  of  those 
 who  need  not  be  affrighted!  He  who  seeks  the 
 Crucified  finds  the  risen  Saviour;  and  he  who 
 would  find  the  risen  Saviour  must  still  seek 
 the  Crucified."  Such  is  the  truth  the  angel 
 proclaims. 
 
 "  lie  is  not  here  ;  for  he  is  risen,  as  he  said." 
 We  are  not,  indeed,  able  to  realize  the  whole  of 
 the  impression  these  tidings  must  liave  made 
 upon  the  women  ;  but  something  of  it  is  re- 
 iiewei]  in  our  own  experience  whenever,  in  our 
 fi^litot  faith,  we,  through  fellowship  in  Christ's 
 sufferings,  attain  to  fellowship  in  his  life.  The 
 words  not  here  are  placed  first  by  Matthew,  which 
 seems  more  natural  and  appropriate  than  the 
 transposition  in  Mark.  As  the  open  and  empty 
 grave  was  to  bear  witness  before  all  Jerusalem 
 — though,  alas!  this  witness  was  soon  covered 
 up  by  fraud  and  unbelief— so  the  sight  of  it 
 and  of  the  stone  rolled  away  were  the  first 
 glad  signs  to  the  faithful  women,  seeking,  as 
 they  were,  in  tlie  wrong  place  indeed,  but  ac- 
 cording to  the  best  of  their  knowledge,  and 
 soon  to  have  their  search  rewarded  in  a  way 
 they  knew  not.  "  IL  is  nnt  ftere."  For  the  first 
 and  only  time  Christ's  absence  a  source  of  un- 
 speakable joy  ! 
 
 How  can  this  be?  Because  in  very  deed  he 
 was  not  absent.  No  doubt,  from  the  moment 
 of  the  resurrection,  the  Lord  was  invisibly 
 present  at  the  sepulchre,  and  amidst  his  faith- 
 lul  ones  there,  their  eyes  being  hidden  the 
 while  ;  only  he  was  not  there  as  thay  had  ex- 
 pected to  find  him. 
 
 "  Come,  see  the  p/trre  where  the  Lord  lay."  We 
 may  remark  how  the  angel's  address  becomes 
 even  more  and  more  convincing  to  the 
 timid  and  faintly  believing  women,  referring 
 them  not  only  to  Chn.it's  disregarded  and  hitli^ 
 erto  forgotten  words,  but  to  the  evidence  of 
 their  own  eyesight.  True,  that  evidence  was 
 not  in  itself  decisive.  Peler  and  John  Iiad 
 seen  the  empty  grave,  and  drawn  the  same  in- 
 ference over  which  Mary  Magdalene  wept, 
 namely  that  Christ's  enemies,  grudging  him 
 the  riles  his  friends  desired  to  perform,  had 
 carried  their  persecution  even  into  the  grave 
 itself,  and  removed  his  body  elsewhere.  But 
 when  an  angel  speaks ;  when  he  says,  Coine, 
 tee;  then  the  words  n>t  /ier«  become"  positive 
 proof  of  tlie  resurrection.  lie  is  not  here — 
 that  you  see;  he  w  n^en— that  you  are  to  be- 
 lieve ;  ashestiid — ye  now  recall  his  declaration 
 and  understand  its  meaning.     Come  here — here 
 
 wliere  I  am  sitting  (Mark  xvi.  5);  so  ran  llie 
 encouraging  words:  come  nearer;  cast  away 
 all  fear.  See;  see  for  yourselves,  not  him«elt', 
 indeed,  but  the  proof  that  he  lives.  See  the 
 empty  space  where,  for  a  while,  lay  the  lifeless 
 body  of  him  whom  the  angels  also  worship  as 
 Lord.  Magdalene  indeed  said,  speaking  of 
 Jesus,  "  My  Lord,"  with  a  special  personal  ap- 
 propriation, result  ever  of  a  true  faith,  as  evi- 
 denced by  Thomas  on  a  later  occasion.  But 
 here  the  angel  cannot  speak  to  the  women  of 
 their  Lord.  Ue  also  must  acknowledge  and  do 
 hiin  honor;  and  while  speaking  of  the  risen, 
 living  Jesus,  as  the  Lord  of  men  and  angels,  he 
 uses  the  cuslomary  expression  of  mankind 
 (and  by  using  confirms  it)  which  attaches  per- 
 sonality to  the  body  even  after  death.  He 
 does  not  say  where  the  body  (only)  of  the 
 Lord  lay.  Christ  is  still  a  son  of  man  in  his 
 resurrection  as  well  as  his  death,  and  has  now 
 risen  boddy  from  the  place  whers  he  lay. 
 
 But  finally,  the  women  are  not  to  content 
 themselves  with  seeing  and  looking,  the  angel 
 commissions  them  at  once  to  make  known  tlie 
 glad  tidings  to  others  :  "  Go  qnid-'y  and  teV^is 
 disciples  (hat  he  is  risen  from  (he  dead."  iCe- 
 main  not  here;  cling  not'tu  this  spot !  Thean- 
 gel  in  no  way  makes  a  sanctuary  of  the  grave  ; 
 nor  is  there  any  thing  in  tlie  New  Testament  to 
 lead  us  to  suppose  that  any  thought  was  taken 
 by  the  disciple  of  the  "  holy  places,"  as  they 
 afterwards  came  to  be  called.  The  true  lite 
 is  continued  unbroken,  all  the  external,  the 
 dead,  may  be  put  away  ;  it  has  done  its  work. 
 We  seek  the  living  amidst  it  no  longer, 
 Apostolic  Christianity  and  the  worship  of  rel- 
 ics are  wide  as  the  poles  asunder.  The  living 
 won!,  the  going  and  stii.ing,  is  not  to  be  post- 
 poned to  the  wooden  cross  and  stone  sepulchre  ; 
 any  superstitious  value  for  these  is  a  mere  in- 
 firmity of  faith. 
 
 These  first  tidings  are  not  destined  for  tire 
 high  priest  or  for  Pilate.  The  time  for  that 
 will  come  later.  At  present,  the  consoling 
 message  is  to  be  privately  carrie<l  to  the  disci- 
 ples, that  (hiy  may  believe  and  be  prepared  to 
 witness  the  truth  to  the  world.  When  the 
 season  for  their  bearing  witness  should  come, 
 another  angel  would  give  another  com  man.), 
 Oo,  stand  in  the  (emj>le  (Acts  v.  20).  No  doubt, 
 the  expression,  his  disciples,  included  all  who 
 had  believed  in  Christ.  To  all  who  had  loved 
 and  trusted  in  him,  the  women  were  to  give 
 this  mes.sage  secretly,  to  comfort  therewith 
 the  hearts  of  tlie  whole  troubled  and  dispersed 
 little  flock  ;  but  more  especially  is  it  sent  to 
 the  Apostles,  whose  faith  in  the  word  and  tes- 
 timony of  others  is  demanded  now,  as  they 
 afterwards  would  have  to  demand  the  faith 
 of  others  in  their  preaclied  word,  and  upon  the 
 authority  of  their  own  testimony.  The  official 
 n.ime  "  Apostles"  was  no  doubt  fivmiliarto  the 
 foresiglit  of  the  angel,  though  he  does  not  use 
 it;  it  is  latent  in  the  more  general  term  "dis- 
 ciples ;"  but  it  is  evident  that  the  future  Apos- 
 tles were  to  receive  the  communicalion  first 
 and  foremost  amongst  the  disciples.     This  wt 
 
THE  ANGELS  AT  THE  SEPULCHRE. 
 
 25 
 
 Way  morcespfcially  gather  from  the  important 
 Riiii  remarkable  aiidilion  given  to  us  b}'  Mark, 
 who  probably  wrote  under  Peter's  dictation. 
 
 "  Oo  gimr  way,  teU  hin  disciples  and  Piter." 
 IF,  indeed,  this  mention  had  been  intended 
 especially  to  do  honor  to  Peter  as  the  first  of 
 the  Apostles,  as  some  have  erroneously  inferred, 
 his  name  would  have  been  placed  first.  But, 
 no  !  It  was  because  Peter,  the  denier  of  his 
 Lord,  in  iiis  deep  sorrow  feared  not  only  to  have 
 lost  his  office  of  Apostle,  but  even  his  very  char- 
 acter of  disciple,  that  he  was  here  graciously 
 restored  to  the  latter,  as  he  was  afterwards  in- 
 vested with  the  Apostleship  by  the  Lord  iiim- 
 self.  The  same  Lord,  wlrose  look  in  the  Judg- 
 ment-hall had  brought  Peter  to  repentance, 
 now  graciously  sends  him  this  greeting,  that 
 he  may  not  despair.  But  what  must  not  Peter 
 have  suffered  between  this  greeting  and  that 
 look  I  Never,  indeed,  could  he  even  fully 
 cfedit  the  greeting  till  the  Lord  himself  ap- 
 peared to  him. 
 
 But  the  angel's  message  is  not  yet  over: 
 "  And,  behold,  lie  gndh  before  yon  into  Galilee  ; 
 there  shall  ye  see  him."  In  Mark  we  have  no 
 special  instructions  given  to  announce  the  res- 
 urrection SPi)arati,'ly ;  but  the  passage  runs: 
 TeU  his  dii>cij>les  and  Peter  that  he  goefh  before 
 you  into  Galilee.  In  Matthew,  the  "  behold  •"' 
 ushers  in  a  more  prominent  mention  of  the 
 seeing  the  Lord  himself,  tor  which  the  hearts  of 
 his  hearers  pined  more  and  more  as  the  angel 
 went  on  speaking.  Many,  indeed,  we  know, 
 saw  him  in  Jerusalem  on  the  very  day  of  the 
 resurrection  ;  but  this  message  to  the  disciples 
 collectively  does  not  allude  to  the  special  favor 
 to  be  bestowed  first  on  a  few  individuals,  but 
 to  a  general  promise  which  the  Lord  had  pre- 
 viously made.  The  place  for  this  public  man- 
 ifestation to  the  re-assembled  flock  was  to  be 
 the  more  remote,  the  more  secluded  Galilee. 
 Galilee,  sanctified  and  blessed  as  it  had  been 
 by  the  life  and  teaching  of  the  Lord,  and  pecu- 
 liarly fitted  to  insure  the  safety  of  the  Apostles, 
 was  to  be  the  place  where,  with  many  others, 
 they  should  behold  their  Lord. 
 
 There  is,  besides,  a  deeper  meaning,  a  spirit- 
 ual meaning  in  the  promise  with  which  the  first 
 Easter  message  of  the  angel  in  the  sepulchre 
 concludes.  It  tells  of  a  direction,  nay,  a  going 
 before  of  the  Lord,  for  the  disciples,  and  for  us 
 all.  The  risen  Saviour  will  be  both  our  guide 
 and  our  forerunner,  will  show  us  the  way  and 
 lead  us  on  in  it  while  vve  walk  on  earth,  and, 
 at  its  close,  will  gather  us  around  him  in 
 heaven. 
 
 But,  on  the  whole,  the  text  of  these  two 
 Evangelists  does  not  diverge  so  much  as  to  lead 
 us  to  suppose  that  they  treat  of  d liferent  ad- 
 dresses by  the  angel.  Where  Mark  more 
 expressly  alludes  to  the  precious  promise 
 of  the  "Lord  (Matt.  xxvi.  32;  Mark  xiv. 
 28),  we  have  in  Matthew  the  conclusion 
 by  the  angel:  " Lo,  1  luim  told  you."  Now, 
 both  sentences  may  have  been  spoken,  but 
 the  first  may"  have  been  heard  and  special- 
 ly noted  by  one  of  the  women,  the  last  by 
 
 another.  What  we  said  of  Vwe^  appearance,  is 
 also  trne  of  the  8|)epch  of  angels  ;  both  are 
 dependent  upon  the  peculiar  condition  of  those 
 seeing  or  hearing.  And  there  is  a  special 
 meaning  in  both  sayings.  The  ly),  I haoe  told, 
 you,  harmonizes  well  with  the  gracious  ar-d 
 familiar  I  know  at  the  beginning  of  the  angel's 
 speech,  as  given  by  Matthew.  It  is  as  though 
 he  said,  "  All  this  it  is  my  glorious  commission 
 to  make  known  to  you.  I,  the  angel  of  the 
 Lr)rd,  have  told  you  ;  that  is  enough,  believe,  go 
 quickly,  and  make  known  my  words,  till  you 
 see  for  yourselves  that  the  Crucified  is  risen 
 indeed."  The  other  conclusion  in  Mark's  Gos- 
 pel, ^8  he  said  unto  yo>i,  we  also  gladly  accept, 
 as  first  weighty  proof  that  not  only  what  he 
 said  touching  the  resurrection,  but  that  all 
 ever  spoken  by  Jesus  shall  surely  come  to  pass. 
 
 This  last  thought  leads  us  naturally  to  the 
 narrative  in  Luke,  where  a  similar  allusion  to 
 the  Lord's  words  is  even  more  emphatically 
 made.  We  have  before  stated  that  we,  for  our 
 part,  consider  the  angel's  speech,  given  by 
 Luke,  to  be  quite  a  different  address  from  the 
 others,  and  to  have  been  delivered  either  to 
 other  women  who  came  a  little  later,  or  to  the 
 first,  who  had  returned,  or  to  such  of  them  as 
 lingered  behind.  Their  return,  however,  is 
 the  most  probable  hypothesis.  The  only  words 
 that  this  speech  of  the.se  two  angels  has  in 
 common  with  that  of  the  former,  are  the 
 words  that  must  necessarily  have  been  spoken. 
 "  He  is  not  here :  he  is  risen."  All  the  rest  are 
 different.  We  have  not  six  different  angels 
 speaking,  as  some  have  maintained,  but  perhaps 
 three,  or,  with  equal  probability,  only  two. 
 The  first  angel  of  the  earthquake  may  have 
 been  alone,  in  which  case  the  two  men  in  shin- 
 ing garments,  spoken  of  by  Luke,  were  other 
 two,  and  the  same  that  Mary  Magdalene  saw. 
 Or  the  second  angel  may  have  been  invisible 
 or  unnoticed  at  first ;  now  he  may  have  be- 
 come manifest,  and  have  risen  up,  together 
 with  the  first,  to  deliver  this  second  address. 
 
 More  solemn,  more  dignified  than  the  first 
 simple  announcement  of  the  resurrection,  more 
 teeming  still  with  hidden  meaning,  somewhat 
 more  severe  in  its  direct  application  than  the 
 first  soothing  address,  sound  out  the  solemn, 
 spirit-stirring  words,  "  Why  seek  ye  the  living 
 among  the  dead?"  We  are  tempted,  on  our 
 part,  to  exclaim  to  commentators,  "  Wliy  do  ye 
 not  on  your  part  notice  the  difference  be- 
 tween the  tone  of  reproof  and  that  of  conso- 
 lation ?  "  No  doubt,  it  is  friendly  reproof,  and 
 fraught  with  consolation  as  well,  but  how  dif- 
 ferent the  effect  of  this  question  to  that  of  the 
 gracious  admission, "  I  know  that  ye  seek  Jesus." 
 If  the  first  .seeking  were  praised,  here  the  seek- 
 ing is  blamed.  Is  not  such  a  difference  as  this 
 significant'?  We  can  only  understand  the 
 words  as  an  expression  of  holy  impatience  on 
 the  part  of  the  angel,  occasioned  by  a  later 
 coming  of  women,  who  seemed  again  about  to 
 seek  lor  the  risen  Lord  in  the  grave  they  knew 
 to  be  empty.  But  whether  these  last  women, 
 to  whom  the  angel^spoke,  came  after  the  others,. 
 
26 
 
 THE  ANGELS  AT  THE  SEPULCHRE. 
 
 or  came  back  after  Marj  Magdalene  in  the  gar- ' 
 den,  and  the  women  on  their  way  to  the  city, 
 had  actually  seen  the  Lord,  we  will  not  ven- 
 ture to  decide. 
 
 There  are  some,  indeed,  who  would  limit 
 tliese  glorious  words  tc  the  lowest  sense,  one 
 they  might  bear  if  spoken  by  the  grave  of  any 
 child  of  man  ;  would  interpret  them  as  saying, 
 The  dead  still  lives  ;  nay,  the  real  man  is  not 
 dead,  it  is  only  the  corpse  that  lies  here.  But 
 the  "  mt  here  "  of  the  angel  has  a  very  different 
 meaning,  and  is  to  be  understood  in  the  scrip- 
 tural sense  of  the  words,  </OTiA  and  ^j/e.  Now, 
 we  find  in  Scripture  that  even  immortal,  undy- 
 ing, glorified  spirits  are  always  spoken  of  as 
 the  dead,  before  the  resfirrection  of  their  body 
 (Rev.  xiv.  13;  xx.  5).  The  allusion  to  the 
 prophetic  words,/or  the  living  to  the  dead  (Isa. 
 viii.  19),  which  many  have  pointed  out,  is 
 rather  apparent  than  real,  for  the  angel  speaks 
 here  of  the  living,  in  a  far  higher  sense  than 
 could  apply  to  mere  mortals  who  had  not  yet 
 died.  The  Crucified  is  still  the  living.  It  is 
 not  merely  that  he  lives  again,  that  he  is  risen  ; 
 this  is  mentioned  later,  and  is,  indeed,  but  a 
 consequence  of  the  first  assertion  ;  but  that,  as 
 ho  himself  says  (Rev.  i.  17,  18),  "  1  am  the 
 firfit,  and  the  Inst,  and  the  hving  one.  I  was  d^ad, 
 and,  behold,  I  am  alive  for  evermore."  They 
 had  killed  the  Prince  of  Life,  but  he  who  is  the 
 resurrection  and  the  life  could  not  be  holden 
 bv  death,  and  he  is  risen.  That  Eternal  Life 
 which  was  with  the  Father,  and  was  manifested 
 unto  us  (1  John  i.  2),  stooped  indeed  to  death 
 for  us,  but,  in  so  doing,  annihilated  death.  Of 
 us  sinful  mortals,  the  term  dead  may  truly  be 
 used.  He  ever  liveth  to  give  us  life.  The  an- 
 gels' words  may  be  under^^tood  thus:  Had  you 
 known  him  in  his  life  and  death,  as  he  revealed 
 himself  to  you,  had  you  recognized  the  differ- 
 ence that  separated  him  living,  speaking,  suffer- 
 ing, and  dying,  from  all  others,  you  would  have 
 distinguished  between  the  dead  Christ  and  all 
 other  dead  whatsoever.  He  who  v/as  unlike 
 you  in  your  sins,  errors,  failings,  was  unlike 
 you  in  your  mortality.  He  who  was  free  from 
 all  taint  of  human  vanif.y  or  selfishness,  was 
 exempted  also  from  the  universal  yoke  of  death. 
 The  Saviour  wa';  not  to  be  sought  for  among.st 
 sinful  men,  neiilier  the  conqueror  of  death 
 amidst  death's  victims.  Mary  the  mother  of 
 the  Lord,  deeply  as  the  sword  had  gone  through 
 her  heart  as  slie  stood  beneath  the  cross,  did  not, 
 with  the  other  Mary's,  thus  seek  the  living 
 among  the  dead.  Slie  (and  probably  Mary  of 
 Beliiany  too)  awaited  the  resurrection  in  secret 
 faith,  instead  of  running  to  the  sepulchre. 
 
 True,  even  as  during  his  whole  life  of  humil- 
 iation, Jesus  had,  in  a  certain  sense,  been  num- 
 bered with  the  dead,  so  his  body  yielded  to  the 
 power  of  death  while  it  lay  in  the  grave,  his 
 B^iril,  while  it  descended  into  hades.  But 
 now  tiif  bringing  again  from  the  dead  had  be- 
 gun (H<'b.  xiii.  20),  It  was  completed  in  the 
 asrension  (John  xx.  17).  Henceforth  his  word 
 i«  ,>ccomplishi-d,  "  Because  I  live,  ye  shall  live 
 »l9i>,"     This  saying  had  noL  been  a'a  yet  rightly 
 
 understood  by  bis  disciples,  nor  did  the  women 
 who  came  to  the  sepulchre  remember  these 
 words  and  others  of  like  import.  But  "  God 
 will  not  have  us  seek  and  anoint  a  dead  Sa- 
 viour." This  quotation  from  Rieger  points  to 
 a  comprehensive  application  of  this  profoun.l 
 angelic  saying,  superior  as  it  i-s,  indeed,  in  df*|Hh 
 and  fulness  of  meaning  to  all  other  angelic  say- 
 ings whatsoever,  which  are,  for  the  most  part, 
 plain,  simple  and  human.  It  was  fit  that  such 
 words  as  these  should  be  uttered  at  the  miracu- 
 lously opened  sepulchre.  Even  Hegel  seems 
 to  have  been  struck  by  them,  for  he  says  that 
 in  the  Crusades,  this  answer  of  the  angels 
 was  given  once  more  to  Christendom  at  Christ's 
 sepulchre.  But  this  only  applies  to  the  actual 
 sepulchre,  whereas  we  both  may  and  ought  to 
 give  a  far  wider  application  to  this  solemn 
 question,  in  order  fully  to  penetrate  its  mean- 
 ing. Amongst  the  dead  of  all  ages  who  have 
 bequeathed  their  memory,  their  words,  their 
 works  to  mankind,  he  is  not  to  be  sought  and 
 found  as  one  who  is  only  their  equal,  ior  he  is 
 essentially  other  than  they;  in  himself  and  far 
 humanity,  for  the  Church  especially,  he  is  the 
 Living  One  !  We  have  an  actually  existing,  a 
 present  Christ,  not  merely  a  historical  one. 
 Neither  must  we  seek  for  him  in  the  wrong 
 place,  least  of  all  in  our  own  natural  unre- 
 newed selves.  No,  nor  yet  in  the  world,  or  the 
 men  of  the  world,  who,  as  the  dead,  bury  their 
 dead  (Matt.  viii.  22).  Nor  again,  in  dead 
 Christians  or  a  dead  Christianity,  although  it 
 possess  all  the  outward  semblance  of  truth. 
 Nor  yet  in  the  dead  letter  of  traditional  teach- 
 ing, nor  in  church-membership,  nay,  not  even 
 in  the  literal  words  of  Scripture  itself.  He 
 himself,  and  he  alone,  is  the  Living  One,  and 
 will  be  sought  as  such.  He  is  in  nowise  to  be 
 found  in  any  dead  thing,  though  he  may  once 
 have  been  contained  therein  as  in  the  empty 
 sepulchre. 
 
 At  that  time,  indeed,  the  angel  had  not  pow- 
 er to  say,  "  Seek  him  among  the  living !  "  But 
 this  has  been  possible  for  us  ever  since  the  day 
 of  Pentecost.  There  are  now  Easter-day  mes- 
 sengers who,  though  they  do  not  wear  shining 
 raiment,  yet  carry  about  within  them,  and 
 bring  to  us  the  life  of  Christ.  Each  <rue 
 Christian  is  in  his  measure  one  of  these.  Yea, 
 those  who  seek  the  Crucified  have  been  secretly 
 drawn  to  do  so  by  the  life  of  the  Living  One, 
 though  they  themselves  have  been  unconscious 
 of  it.  Thus  the  second  severer  address  of  the 
 angel  is,  after  all,  reconcilible  with  the  first 
 more  gracious  one.  To  seek,  that  is  the  main 
 point.  Let  us,  thirsting  for  life,  seek  him,  the 
 Living  One,  and  we  shall  find  him  as  for  us 
 crucified,  for  us  risen  I 
 
 "  He  is  not  here,  hut  he  is  risen  !  "  This  res- 
 urrection fulfills  all  he  ever  testified  of  himself 
 The  first-begotten  from  the  dead  is  also  reveal- 
 ed as  the  faithful  witness  (Rev.  i.  5).  If  the 
 first  address  of  the  angel  reverts  to  what  Ad 
 siiid  to  the  women,  the  second  does  this  slili 
 more,  in  order  gfntly  to  reprove  and  chasten 
 the  foryclful,  dull  of  ucdcn-atauding,  unbeliev- 
 
THE  ANGEL'S  QUESTION  TO  MAGDALENE. 
 
 27 
 
 itig  hearers  of  these  encouraging  words.  "  0 
 fools,  and  slow  of  heart  to  understand  all  this 
 prophet  who  was  more  than  prophet,  said 
 to  you  ! "  The  women  who  followed  Christ 
 believed  indeed,  as  did  the  disciples,  that 
 Jesus  was  a  great  prophet ;  consequently  the 
 angel  refers  them  to  the  past,  tells  them 
 why  they  ought  to  have  known  enough  not 
 now  to  seek  the  living  among  the  dead : 
 "  Reinemher  how  he  spake  unto  you  when  he 
 was  yet  in  Galilee,  saying,  Tlie  Son  of  Man 
 must  be  delivered  into  the  hands  of  sinful  men, 
 and  be  crucified^  and  tlw  third  day  rise  again." 
 In  the  two  "former  Gospels,  we  had  a  prophetic 
 intimation  of  Christ's  going  before  them  into 
 Galilee.  Here  we  have  a  retrospective  allu- 
 sion to  his  saying  when  in  Galilee.  This  is 
 another  harmonious  difference  between  the  two 
 angelic  addresses.  The  very  words  of  the  Lord 
 are  reverently  given  by  the  angel,  who  had  lis- 
 tened to  them,  and  faithfully  treasured,  while 
 the  women  had  forgotten  them,  till  now,  when 
 we  read  "  They  rememhered  his  words;"  reflected 
 upon  them,  understood  them.  "  They  told  all 
 these  things  unto  the  eleven,  and  to  all  the  rest." 
 In  this  rapid  general  summary  with  which 
 Luke  concludes,  we  have  included  what  the 
 two  disciples  on  the  way  to  Emmaus  alluded 
 to  when  they  spoke  of  the  vision  of  angels  seen 
 by  certain  women  (Luke  xxiv.  22,  23).  These 
 women  had  said  that  he  was  alive.  This  harmon- 
 izes well  with  the  expression  tJie  living — who 
 was  not  to  be  sought  for  among  the  dead  ;  nay 
 perhaps,  but  for  the  fact  of  the  third  day  being 
 brought  by  the  angel  to  the  recoUeclion  of  the 
 women,  neither  these  men,  nor  those  still  more 
 incredulous  disciples  who  had  treated  the  wo- 
 men's vision  as  idle  tales,  would  have  called  to 
 remembrance  that  the  day  on  which  all  this 
 occurred  was  that  very  third  day  of  which  the 
 Lord  had  spoken. 
 
 CHAPTER  Vn. 
 
 The  Angel's  Question  to  Magdalene. 
 
 John  xx. 
 
 We  have  here  but  a  few  short  simple  words 
 that  seem  scarcely  susceptible  of  further  eluci- 
 dation ;  and  yet,  taken  in  connection  with  their 
 context,  they  will  be  found  to  repay  our  medit- 
 ation. This  Mary  Magdalene,  delivered  by  the 
 miraculous  power  of  Jesus  from  a  condition  the 
 most  abject  and  appalling  (Mark  xvi.  9),  and 
 in  the  deep  devofedness  of  grateful  love,  per- 
 haps, exceeding  all  the  rest  of  his  female  dis- 
 ciples, was  on  this  Eiister  morning  the  sorrow- 
 fulest  of  the  sorrowful,  and  for  this  reason 
 was  chosen  to  receive  the  first  manifestation  of 
 the  Lord.  She  had  come  earliest  of  all,  come 
 ■while  it  was  yet  dark,  to  the  opened  grave  ; 
 and  at  the  very  first  sight  of  it,  the  only 
 thought  thatrrose  in  her  grief-clouded  mind 
 was  that  the    body   had   beea  taken  away, 
 
 and  certainly  not  by  friends.  She  ran  to  fetch 
 the  two  leading  disciples,  that  I  hey  too  might 
 see  what  so  dismayed  her.  They  had  come, 
 had  convinced  themselves  that  it  wa.s  even  as 
 she  said,  and  had  gone  away  again.  Yes,  even 
 the  loving  and  beloved  disciple  himself  had  re- 
 turned home  with  only  a  deepened  sadness  in 
 his  heart.  But  Mary  cannot  go  with  him. 
 She  cannot  depart  from  this  mysteriously 
 empty  grave.  In  the  depths  of  her  anguish 
 there  is  an  unconscious  presentiment  that 
 something  e!se  will  surely  occur  in  connection 
 with  this  terrible  fact.  She  seeks  the  CrucifiHd 
 with  all  the  intensity  of  a  nature  alike  earnest 
 and  tender. 
 
 And  so  "  s7ie  stands  without  at  the  sepulchre, 
 weeping"  bitterly  weeping;  but  as  it  is  natural 
 to  us  all  in  our  deepest  sorrow,  she  must  needs 
 look  and  look  again  at  the  very  cause  of  her 
 grief.  She  stooped  down  and  looked  into  the 
 empty  grave,  as  Peter  had  done  before  (ver. 
 5).  And  noio  she  sees  what  the  seeking  disci- 
 ples had  not  seen.  In  the  increased  suscepti- 
 bility of  her  ever-growing  sorrow,  she  sees  two 
 angels  in  white,  sitting,  probably  the  two  of 
 whom  Luke  writes;  but  this  we  cannot  pos- 
 itively say.  Their  bright  shining  garments 
 showed  them  to  be  angels;  and  John  de- 
 scribes their  exact  position,  the  one  at  the  feet, 
 the  other  at  the  head;  but  Mary  Magdalene, 
 intent  only  on  the  body  of  Jesus,  pays  no  heed 
 to  them,  though  she  clearly  discerns  them  :  for, 
 alas  !  the  beloved  head,  "the  beloved  feet  are 
 not  there.  And  now  both  shining  ones  speak 
 at  once  to  the  weeping  woman  ;  and  their 
 words,  short  as  they  are,  are  one  of  the  most 
 beautiful  of  all  angelic  addresses;  the  most 
 tender,  the  most  sympathizing  with  our  hu- 
 manity. 
 
 "  Woman,  why  weepest  thou?  "  In  this  ques- 
 tion there  is  something  implied,  though  more 
 gently  expressed,  akin  to  the  reproachful  ques- 
 tion recorded  by  Luke,  "  Why  seek  ye  the 
 living  among  the  dead?"  But  here  the  holy 
 impatience  merely  shows  itself  in  an  anxiety  to 
 comfort !  "  Why  weepest  thou  so  continuously 
 and  so  causelessly?"  The  sentence  seems  to 
 have  been  cut  short,  because  Mary  heeded  it 
 so  little,  and  because  the  Lord  himself  appeared, 
 repeating  the  very  question  of  his  angelic  ser- 
 vants. We  might  almost  infer  that  on  this 
 occasion  the  latter  had  had  no  commission 
 given  them  to  speak,  but  that  they  followed 
 their  own  kindly  impulse  to  address  the  sor- 
 rowing woman.  For  angels  are  ever  willing 
 to  succor  weeping  mortals;  and  these  might 
 perhaps  have  proceeded  to  accost  the  woman 
 still  more  graciously  by  name,  but  that  this 
 was  to  be  their  Lord's  part,  and  they  therefore 
 refrained. 
 
 Mary  Magdalene  returned  a  hasty  answer, 
 without  showing  any  fear  of  the  shining  forms 
 in  the  sepulchre  ;  nay,  she  hardly  seems  to 
 have  noticed  that  there  was  anything  superhu- 
 man about  them,  for  she  is  reckless  in  her  grief. 
 The  one  lamentation — her  first  (ver.  2)  lamen- 
 tation— which   heaven   and  earth   shall  hear, 
 
'iHK  A  NOELS  AT  THE  ASCENSION. 
 
 which  fills  hpr  bfart — tlie  only  tliiiij;!  which  she 
 knows  and  cares  aboul,  cun^iiliiies  iier  reply 
 to  the  angel.  It  is  as  though  s;,e  said,  "  How 
 Bhould  1  nat  weep,  wreloh<-d  woman  that  I  am  ? 
 They  have  taken  away  (not, only  the  Lord,  as 
 slie'had  said  to  her  brother  discijjles,  she 
 speaks  more  strongly  to  these  bright  stran- 
 gers), they  have  taken  away  my  Lord,  and  1 
 know  nol  where  tiiey  have  laid  him  ;  let  me 
 weep."  And  she  turns  away  from  the  .'^neak-er.s 
 like  a  Rachel  who  will  not  be  comforted.  But 
 there  is  comfort  in  store  for  her,  sorrow  as  she 
 may.  We  have  an  example  given  us  here  of 
 bow  only  the  Lord  himself  can  sullice  to  spirits 
 like  that  of  Magrlalene.  The  Lord  sees  the 
 heart,  and  none  shall  weep  for  bim  in  vain  ; 
 but  even  the  angels,  gracious  though  their 
 sympathy  be,  must  leave  the  task  of  comfort- 
 ing the  deepest  sorrow  to  the  Lord. 
 
 CHAPTER  VI IL 
 
 The  Angels  at  the  Ascension. 
 
 Acts  i. 
 
 It  was  on  the  fortieth  day  after  his  resurrec- 
 tion, that  the  Lord,  with  his  Apostles  and  the 
 rest  of  bis  disciples,  assembled  by  appointment 
 for  the  last  time  on  the  Mount  of  Olivet. 
 When  they  were  come  togetiier,  the  disci [)les 
 put  one  last  question,  prompted  by  the  Lord's 
 discourse  on  the  things  pertaining  to  the  king- 
 dom of  God,  and  expressive  of  a  holy,  thougii 
 rot  a  well-in'ormed  longing  on  their  part  for 
 its  arrival.  This  question  was  to  the  following 
 eiTi'Cl :  "Will  wha.  is  writ  ten  in  the  prophets 
 concerning  thy  divine  king(h-)m,  under  the 
 name  of  the  kingdom  of  Israel,  be  speedily  ac- 
 cotujilished,  or  is  tins  accomplishment  still  lar 
 off  ?"  And  the  Lord's  answer  to  this  question 
 is  the  last  of  all  his  sayings  on  earth.  On  the 
 point  of  ascending  from  them  into  heaven,  he 
 refuses  to  his  disciples  any  further  information 
 respecting  the  times  and  seasons  of  the  devel- 
 opment and  fulfillment  of  the  kingdom  of 
 God  ;  withholds  all  dates,  all  numerical  state- 
 ments as  to  epochs  or  persons.  But  instead 
 of  these  he  gives  them  the  promise  of  soon  re- 
 ceiving the  Holy  Ghost.  As  the  Gospels  have 
 l^d  us  onward  from  the  first  to  the  second  ar- 
 ticle of  our  belief,  and  the  whole  of  that  which 
 Jesus  began  to  do  and  teach  may  be  summed 
 ti[)  in  the  words,  "Ye  believe  in  God,  believe 
 also  in  me  ;"  so  now  we  are  about  to  be  led 
 nnwiird  by  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles  (or,  as  we 
 night  rather  call  the  book,  the  history  of  the 
 "'lurch),  from  the  second  to  the  third  article 
 "^  our  Christian  I'aith.  But  in  thus  referring 
 ^"'  the  Holy  Ghost,  the  Saviour,  though  he 
 viMs  about  to  asend  into  heaven,  directs  theal- 
 '.enl;on  of  his  disciples  from  heaven  to  earth; 
 to  earth,  where  bis  witnesses  were  to  begin  to 
 found  and  establish  bis  kingdom,  by  building 
 up    the   Church,   through   the  diviue  power 
 
 working  v/ithin  them.  The  Lord  a>cpnd3  io 
 heaven,  that  henceforth  he  may  live,  work  and 
 reign  on  earth  through  his  people  and  in  his 
 people. 
 
 Such  is  the  meaning  of  his  la-t  words  ;  and 
 as  he  sfioke  these  things  he  was  taken  up  be- 
 Ibre  their  eyes,  with  lifted  hands  ;  hands  rai-;ed 
 in  priestly  benediction  over  these  bis  disciplf-s 
 — over  the  holy  city  and  the  chosen  land 
 — over  the  whole  earth  "Wl>il.e  Iheij  hi-.lh'ld" 
 he  was  taken  up.  Visibly  and  gradually  he 
 began  to  ascend  towards  heaven  ;  not  sudden- 
 ly vanishing  from  before  them,  as  he  bad  done 
 several  times  since  his  resurrection,  but  nsing 
 in  a  way  that  they  could  watch  ;  not  like  the 
 prophet  Elijah,  swept  away  by  a  whirlwind 
 and  in  a  chariot  of  fire.  For,  as  has  been 
 very  well  observed  by  Baumgarten,"  The  in- 
 terval of  space  betwixt  eartli  and  heaven  was 
 not  overleapt  by  a  sudden  act,  but  measureii 
 out  by  a  calm  and  continued  progress,  and  s-o 
 the  past  earthly  career  of  Jesus  in  no  way 
 cut  olFor  obscured,  but  retained  as  an  eternally- 
 enduring  foundation,  and  glorified  by  a  heaven- 
 ly light.  If  the  translation  of  Elijah  may  be 
 likened  to  the  flight  of  a  bird  which  no  human 
 eye  can  trace,  the  ascension  of  Jesus  is  like  a 
 bridge  spanning  earth  and  heaven  for  tlie  ben- 
 fit  of  all  who  have  been  led  to  bim  by  tlie 
 beauty  of  his  earthly  life."  His  ascending 
 form  was  first  concealed  by  a  cloud,  and  this 
 cloud  only  gradually  and  slowly  rose  and  niejt- 
 ed  out  of  their  sight.  "Ltwking  dtad/ndh/  «/> 
 inlo  the  heavens"  that  had  received  him,  p-i  ri- 
 fled, immovable,  the  Apostles  gazed  on,.'ind  on. 
 as  thoii<;!i  they  could  still  see  their  vainshid 
 Lord  ;  they  could  not  turn  their  eyes  or  tliou;jli!s 
 back  to  earth  again!  Surely  the  conjfort  and 
 guidance  of  .an  angel's  voice  was  never  nuro 
 needed  than  at  a  moment  like  this. 
 
 Whether  the  "  two  men  in  while  apparel."  that 
 suddenly  ap]ieared  standing  beside  tliern,  were 
 the  angels  that  announced  the  resurrect  ion, 
 may  well  be  doubted,  when  we  consider  the 
 multitude  of  the  heavenly  host,  ready  and  will- 
 ing ever  to  minister  to  man.  In  Ijt'.lce  .xxiv.  -i, 
 we  find  the  expression  used  slightlj  different, 
 perhaps  designedly  so.  But  from  a  comparisoi) 
 with  that  ]>assago,  as  well  as  with  Acts  x.  30, 
 and  Dan.  ix.  21  ;  viii.  15 ;  x.  5,  we  feel  persuad- 
 ed that  at  the  ascension  we  have  the  actual 
 presence  of  angels  recordeil,  and  not  that  of 
 (ilorified  saints,  like  those  who  appeared  on  the 
 Mount  of  Transfiguration. 
 
 i  But  not  only  did  tliey  appearand  stand  by, 
 but  they  spoke  ;  they  " alw  mid"  as  Luke  en'j- 
 phatically  writes,  in  order  to  bespeak  our  at- 
 tention to  tho  words  of  the  men  from  he.'iven 
 to  the  men  of  Galilee  on  earth.  This  angelic 
 appearance  to  the  disciples  must  have  been, 
 as  Lange  observes,  "  a  merely  secondary  wonder, 
 ■^  '-^mmonplace  occurrence,  compared  to  their 
 lust  siglit  of  their  glorified  Lord  ;  it  seems  us 
 tauugh  angels  themselves  were  destined,  on 
 this  occasion,  not  to  excite  their  astonishment. 
 but  to  recall  them  to  tho  sphere  of  their  ordi- 
 
 I  nary  cousciousuess^  sooutranceJ  and  abauioovl 
 
THE  ANGELS  AT  THE  ASCENSION. 
 
 29 
 
 were  they  in  j;azing  after  their  Lord."  Yea, 
 verily,  alter  the  last  word  from  Jesus,  these 
 heavenly  speakers  served  to  make  I  lie  transi- 
 tion back  from  the  heaven,  where  they  would 
 be,  to  their  continued  living  and  working  upon 
 earth,  easier  and  more  intelligible  to  tlie  dis- 
 ciples. Accordingly  the  angelic  words  run  as 
 toliows:  "  Ye  men  of  Galilee,  why  s!niiii  ye  gaz- 
 ing up  into  heaven  ?  this  same  Jems,  who  is  taken 
 i/j>  from  you  into  heaven,  nhall  so  come  in  like 
 manner  as  ye  have  seen  him  go  into  heaven." 
 
 Three  times  in  succe-ision  the  word  heaven, 
 and  this  in  order  to  recall  to  earth  !  Yet  this 
 recalling  from  their  raptured  gazing  to  earthly 
 consciousness  and  earthly  activity,  is  implied 
 in  the  very  first  words  of  this  rousing  appeal, 
 Ye  men  of  OaliJee  ;  for  certainly  most  of  those 
 present  were  Galileans;  indeed,  we  may  almost 
 infer  that  all  were  so,  Judas  of  Kerioth  (Josh. 
 XV.  25),  the  traitor,  having  been  the  only  dis- 
 ciple belonging  to  Judea.  This  calling  up  of 
 all  their  Galilean  recollections,  graciously  re- 
 minded them  of  the  low  commencement  of  their 
 earthly  career,  of  their  being  found  and  called 
 by  the  Lord,  of  the  time  when  they  became 
 his  disciples  and  lived  with  him  ;  all  this  would 
 be  comprehended  in  one  far-reaching,  retrospec- 
 tive, glance,  like,  in  a  measure,  to  that  which 
 Jesus  cast  upon  the  earth  that  he  left.  But 
 these  men  are  to  remain  on  earth  as  the  Lord's 
 Apostles,  chosen  out  of  that  highly-favored 
 Galilee,  that  hitherto  had  had,  not  aa  the  doc- 
 tors of  the  law  mistakenly  believed,  "no  pro- 
 phet" (John  vii.  22),  but  only  Jonah  (2  Kings 
 xiv.  25)  and  Nahum.  The  name  Galilean,  no\v 
 a  term  of  ridicule  and  contempt,  should  be 
 rendered  honorable  by  them,  as  the  name  of 
 Jesus  of  Nazareth  had  been  glorified  by  the  re- 
 surrection. 
 
 And  now  again,  as  before  at  the  sepulchre, 
 we  have  a  reproof  implied  in  the  question  put  : 
 Why  stand  ye  gazing  thus  into  heaven  ?  Be- 
 fore, the  women  were  admonished  to  look  away 
 from  the  sepulchre,  and  now  the  disciples  must 
 be  content  to  part  with  all  trace  of  their  Lord's 
 visible  presence.  Since  Jesus  had  actually 
 gone  away  from  them  into  heaven,  it  was  vain  to 
 stand  and  gaze.  Enough  that  he  was  gone  to 
 prepare  a  place  for  them  ;  while  for  them  there 
 remained  a  walking  in  and  working  according 
 to  his  commandments,  as  well  as  in  his  strength 
 and  fellowship,  upon  this  earth  of  ours.  I'his 
 pregnant  speech,  universally  applicable  to  dis- 
 ciples as  it  still  is,  dissuades  from  and  chides 
 all  idle  waiting,  all  inactive  longing  and  dream- 
 ing, all  presumptuous  inquiries  that  transcend 
 the  limits  of  our  world ;  and  constantly  enjoins, 
 and  encourages  us  to  the  faithful  discharge  of 
 our  appointed  duties  in  the  life  that  now  is. 
 Thus  tlie  very  first  words  of  the  angels  are  a 
 continuation,  as  it  were,  of  the  last  words  of 
 the  Lord,  and  deeply  imbued  with  the  same 
 spirit.  "  Why  stand  ye?  Remember  the  last 
 question  ye  put  to  your  Lord.  You  know 
 your  duty  already.  It  is  to  go  forth  out  of 
 your  Galilee  into' all  the  world,  and  to  preach 
 the  Gospel  to  every  creature.    Look  below  you; 
 
 there  is  Jerusalem,  there  is  the  appointed  place 
 tor  your  first  witnessing  of  Jesus,  for  the  exer- 
 cise of  your  faith  and  obedience  ;  tarry  there, 
 and  tarry  in  sure  and  certain  hope." 
 
 And  now  comes  a  second  intimation,  which 
 the  Lord  had  left  to  be  delivered,  on  this  nora- 
 sion,  by  these  angelic  ministers  of  his.  Hf  had 
 spoken  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  of  the  building 
 up  of  the  Church;  they  point  to  the  end  of  all 
 times  and  seasons,  to  his  second  coming  to 
 judgment.  "  2'/as  same  Jesus  shall  so  come." 
 Ye  men  of  Q alike  ;  this  same  Jtsus  ;  the  two 
 are  bought  into  close  contract,  no  intervening 
 mention  of  the  heavenly  messengers  them- 
 selves. The  single  name  Jesus,  which  Gabriel 
 announced  at  the  first,  is  here  emphasized,  in 
 token  that,  although  withdrawn  from  their 
 sight,  the  now  exalted  and  glorified  personality 
 of  the  God-man  would  still  remain  unchanged 
 in  its  essential  character.  He  is,  he  ever  will 
 be,  the  same  Jesus  ;  there  \,s  here  a  profound 
 truth,  an  infinite  source  of  consolation  and 
 strength,  the  lull  appreciation  of  which  led 
 Peter,  on  the  day  of  Pentecost,  to  use  these 
 very  words:  "Jesus  of  Nazareth;  him  ye 
 have  crucified;  whom  God  raised  up;"  this 
 Jesus ;  yea,  the  same  Jesus  still !  (ii.  22, 24—32, 
 36).  "All  the  humanity,  and  all  the  divine 
 power;  all  the  humiliation,  and  all  the  won- 
 drous works  ;  all  the  truth  witnessed,  and  all 
 the  love  shown,  by  this  same  Jesus,  would  rush 
 back  upon  their  memories  at  once  at  the  words, 
 and  they  are  spoken  now  in  connection  with  a 
 new  fact,  "who  is  taken  up  from  you  into  heaven." 
 From  you  men  upon  earth;  just  as  the  first 
 words  to  the  sheplierds  were,  "  There  is  born  to 
 you  a  Saviour"  (Luke  ii.  11).  There  is,  in- 
 deed, a  taking  up,  a  taking  a,via,yfrom  m,  from 
 earth;  the  heaven  into  which  our  Lord  has  en- 
 tered being  not  merely  a  state  but  a  place,  but 
 there  is  no  real  separation  from  him,  he  being 
 by  his  spirit  still  present  with  us. 
 
 He  will  "  so  come"  as  ye  have  seen  him  "  go" 
 Both  events  are  equally  real,  and  between  them 
 lies  the  whole  history  of  the  Christian  Church, 
 the  first  part  of  which  Luke  was  now  about  to 
 write.  The  passage  is  often  mistakenly  ren- 
 dered, "  he  will  con.-)  again."  Eut  that  word 
 "a^ain"  would  be  misplaced  here.  It  is  not 
 lhe%nti  thesis  of  taken  tip  like  the  shall  descend 
 in  1  Thess.  iv.  16.  And  also  we  find  that  hence- 
 forth it  is  customary  with  the  writers  of  I  lis 
 New  Testament  to  speak  emphatically  of  the 
 coming  (not  coming  again)  of  the  Lord  in  glory 
 to  judgment,  because  this  will  really  be  his 
 first  perfect  coming,  the  fulfillment  and  proof 
 of  his  lowly  coming  in  the  flesh.  It  was  thus 
 the  Lord  himself  always  spoke  of  it  even  in 
 the  parable  of  the  talents  (Luke  xix.  13-23). 
 It  is  only  in  John  xiv.  3  that  a  co77ilng  again  \a 
 definitely  expressed;  in  ver.  18  of  the  same 
 chapter  the  word  again  is  omitted.  This  last, 
 this  all-fulfilling  coming  of  the  Lord;  alas' 
 how  sadly  have  many  Christians,  in  the  presetit 
 day,  lost  sight  of  it  altogether  ;  and  yet,  it  is 
 not  only  the  very  key-stone  of  all  nv.'n!pd 
 truth,  but  faith  and  hope  therein  are  the  very 
 
so 
 
 THE  ANGEL  OPENING  THE  PRISON  DOORS. 
 
 life  of  all  Christian  character  and  activity. 
 There  is  a  fictitious  looking  up  into  heaven,  in- 
 deed, which  is  reproved;  but  the  true,  the 
 right  looking  up  of  the  Christian  is  ever  com- 
 mended ;  the  wailing  for  God's  Son  from  heav- 
 en ( L  Thess.  i.  10).  But  now  as  to  the  question 
 of  how  soG-n  or  how  late  he  will  corae  ?  Nat- 
 urally the  angel  does  not  affix  any  time  after 
 what  the  Loni  himself  had  said  (ver.  7).  So 
 much  the  more  strongly  in  its  simplicity  runs 
 the  promise,  "  He  will  come."  It  is  not  neces- 
 sary that  the  angel  should,  on  this  occasion, 
 add,  as  he  said,  for  now  the  disciples  vividly 
 remember  the  Lord's  words,  spoken  to  them  so 
 often,  both  openly  and  in  the  form'Sf  parable, 
 np  to  the  very  last  (John  xxi.  22  ;  Malt.  xxvi. 
 24). 
 
 But  though  we  are  not  told  when  he  virill 
 come,  we  are  told  how :  "  In  lihx  manner  as 
 ye  have  seen  him  go."  As  the  Son  of  Man, 
 visible  to  human  sight,  as  the  same  Jesus, 
 and  in  a  doud  (Luke  xxi.  27).  And  it  is  also 
 probable  that  the  expression,  in  the  same  way, 
 may  have  a  mysterious  reference  to  the  very 
 place,  the  Mount  of  Olives,  as  certain  passages 
 in  the  prophets,  agreeably  to  an  ancient  and 
 well-grounded  exegesis,  might  lead  us  to  infer 
 (Zech.  xiv.  4,5;  Joel  iii.  7).  Still  this  last 
 point  remains  open  to  dispute,  but  one  thing  is 
 certain  ;  the  coming  of  Jesus  will  be  visible  as 
 was  his  departure,  and  incomparably  more  glori- 
 ous, though  this  the  angel  leaves  unsaid,  because 
 the  Lord's  own  words  had  established  the  fact 
 (Luke  xxi.  27;  Matt.  xxiv.  30;  xxv.  31,  to 
 which  we  may  add  1  Thess.  iv.  16).  Now,  of 
 all  the  thousands  of  thousands  who  welcome 
 him  to  his  throne  in  heaven  with  joy  and  rap- 
 ture, only  these  two  men  in  shining  raiment  are 
 visible.  Then  he  shall  come  with  all  the  holy 
 angels  (Mark  viii.  38;   Matt.  xvi.  27). 
 
 Another  clause  in  the  angel's  comforting,  re- 
 assuring speech  deserves  our  special  attention. 
 Pointing  as  it  does  from  heaven  back  to  earth, 
 it  appeals  on  beiialf  of  all  other  men,  to  the 
 experience  and  the  testimony  of  those  whom 
 it  addresses  ;  "  As  ye  have  seen  him  !  "  Indeed, 
 how  do  we  know  of  this  very  speech  of  the 
 angel,  save  from  the  testimony  of  these  trust- 
 worthy men  of  Galilee  who  here  record  what 
 they  saw  and  heard?  If  there  be  any  who  se- 
 riously incline  to  doubt  this  statement,  behold 
 its  proof  in  the  whole  history  of  the  Acts  of 
 the  Apostles,  and  the  history  of  the  Church  up 
 to  this  very  day,  up  to  the  last  day  of  all.  Ye 
 tJiall  be  viy  witiie.sses,  thus  said  the  Lord,  and 
 they  were  and  are  so.  He  has  budt  up  his 
 Church  before  our  eyes.  In  it  we  already  see 
 him  coming  in  his  kingdom.  The  existence  of 
 Christianity  proves  the  divinity  of  its  origin. 
 Ami  not  only  the  history  of  the  Church,  but 
 the  hi.-^tory  ot  the  universe,  of  heaven  and  earth 
 ItutI),  is  ino'u  led  between  the  first  and  second 
 coming  of  the  Lord,  of  (hi*  Jcnus,  the  God-man, 
 in  whom  the  earth  is  exalted  to  the  mercy-seat 
 of  the  Highest.  Yea,  when  he  who  is  taken 
 up  into  heaven,  he  whom  the  Apostles  saw  go 
 iulu  h^aveu.  shall  coiue  down  from  heaven,  un- 
 
 belief itself  will  be  forced  to  own  that  bis  first 
 coming  was  from  heaven  also.  The  angels  do 
 not  say  to  these  early  disciples  and  Apostles,  ye 
 shall  so  see  him  come.  Yet,  doubtless,  though 
 after  another  fashion,  they  shall  be  there,  and 
 their  eyes  shall  see. 
 
 And"  now,  what  do  we  learn  from  all  this? 
 Are  the  words  of  these  angels  intended  to  pre- 
 vent our  looking  up  into  heaven  ?  Far  other- 
 wise; man,  in  the  obscurity  and  oppression  of 
 his  present  limited  existence,  never  can  cease 
 to  do  so  ;  nay,  an  earnest,  thoughtful,  upward 
 glance  such  as  the  prophet  Isaiah  enjoins  (xl. 
 26),  is  the  very  thing  to  awake  man's  belief  in 
 the  existence  of  God.  But  faith  in  Christ,  in 
 the  revelation,  comfort,  and  power  of  the  Holy 
 Spirit,  is  itself  the  real,  the  true  looking  into 
 heaven  ;  faith  in  Christ,  as  having  entered  into 
 heaven's  glory,  as  being  the  dispenser  of  the 
 Spirit  to  his  kingdom  on  earth ;  as  the  all- 
 accomplisher,  redeemer,  and  judge,  who  shall 
 come  from  heaven  at  the  end  of  this  dispensa- 
 tion. He  who  thus  looks  into  heaven  does  not 
 remain  idly  standing  as  he  gazes.  His  glance 
 will  not  remain  fixed  thereon  in  blank  aston- 
 ishment, or  even  ardent  desire  such  as  that  of 
 the  disciples,  still  less  will  it  sink  incredulously 
 back  to  earth  to  fix  itself  there  like  that  of  the 
 worldly-minded  ;  no,  it  will  be  the  heaven- 
 strengthened  glance  of  the  witness  of  the  Lord 
 on  earth,  who  lives  and  works  in  the  good  hope 
 of  faith,  looking  for  the  time  when  this  same 
 Jesus  will  re-un'te  earth  and  heaven.  Now, 
 indeed,  the  throne  is  above,  the  kingdom 
 below  ;  but  then  the  king  shall  dwell  with  his 
 people,  in  the  new  heaven  and  the  new  earth 
 which  we  look  for  according  to  his  promise. 
 
 All  this,  then,  is  included  in  the  angelic  ad- 
 dress at  the  ascension,  in  these  last  words  which 
 angels  add  to  the  last  words  of  Christ.  And, 
 as  answer  to  them,  there  arises  in  our  hearts 
 and  to  our  lips  the  oft-repeated  cry  of  believers 
 and  saints  from  that  time  to  this,  "  Even  so, 
 come,  Lord  Jesus!"  For  this  is  in  no  way 
 forbidden  us;  nay,  we  are  encouraged  so  to 
 pray,  both  by  the  Lord's  parting  words  and 
 those  of  his  angels. 
 
 CHAPTER   IX. 
 
 The  Angel  OrENixo  tue  Pki.son  Doors, 
 
 Acts  v. 
 
 Since  the  day  of  Pentecost,  the  witness  of  the 
 Apostles  to  the  resurrection  of  the  Lord  Jesus 
 had  been  given  with  great  power,  the  Church 
 began  to  count  its  numbers  by  thousands,  the 
 gift  of  the  Holy  Ghost  was  oifered  (o  all  who 
 believed  and  were  baptized.  It  was  openly 
 preached  that  the  Messiah,  (he  S-iviour  n-jected 
 by  the  Jews,  although  ascended  into  heaven, 
 was  sent  to  them  once  more  in  the  Spirit  to 
 bestow  a  time  of  refreshing,  to  turn  away  every 
 one  Irom  his  inicjuities  (in.  20-25).     This  i)ro- 
 
THE  ANGEL  OPENING  THE  PRISON  DOORS. 
 
 3t 
 
 voked  a  slight  persecution  which,  gathering 
 strength,  began  openly  to  oppose  the  one  name 
 through  which  men  can  be  saved  (iv.  12).  But 
 the  unworthy  threats  to  which  this  opposition 
 condescended  only  awakened  a  fresh  spirit  of 
 prayer  in  the  Church,  an  increased  zeal  in 
 speaking  and  teaching  the  word  of  God.  Such, 
 indeed,  was  the  great  power  of  the  apostolic 
 testimony,  and  the  great  grace  upon  all,  that 
 the  multitude  of  them  that  believed  had  all 
 things  in  common :  the  rich  not  esteeming 
 what  they  possessed  their  own  ;  the  poor  lack- 
 ing nothing. 
 
 But  judgment  must  begin  first  at  the  house 
 of  God  (1  Pet.  iv.  17).  The  Achan  of  the  New 
 Testament,  with  his  wife,  had  to  be  cast  out 
 and  sentenced  to  death,  so  that  great  fear  fell 
 upon  all.  After  this  many  signs  and  won- 
 ders continued  to  be  wrought  among  the  peo- 
 ple, even  by  the  very  shadow  of  Peter  falling 
 upon  the  believing  sick.  The  prayer  of  the 
 Church  (iv.  30)  was  abundantly  fulfilled.  No 
 emeny  nor  hypocrite  dared  to  join  himself 
 to  the  congregation  ;  but  the  majority  of  the 
 people  magnified  them,  and  believers  were 
 more  and  more  added  to  the  Lord  (ver.  14). 
 
 But  now  for  the  second  time  the  enmity  ex- 
 cited bursts  with  redoubled  strength  though 
 all  the  restraints  of  wonder  and  fear.  The 
 high  priest  Ananias,  and  all  the  rest  of  the 
 Sadducees  which  were  with  him  (iv.  1,  2),  could 
 endure  it  no  longer;  they  rose  up,  and  were 
 filled  with  indignation.  They  were  not  per- 
 haps, actually  authorized  in  so  doing,  by  a  de- 
 cree of  a  regular  assembly  (ver.  17  does  not 
 seem  to  imply  this)  ;  but  at  all  events,  they 
 must  have  been  aware  that  the  council  was  on 
 their  side  (ver.  27),  when  they  ventured  to 
 lay  hands  on  the  two  Apostles  now  recognized 
 as  the  leaders  of  the  party,  and  to  put  them 
 in  the  common  prison.  For  on  this  occasion 
 we  find  that  they  were  no  longer  put  in  hold 
 till  the  next  day,  as  in  chap.  iv.  3,  but  thrown 
 into  the  public  jail  for  malefactors  of  every 
 kind.  This  the  high  priest  and  they  that  were 
 with  him  ventured  to  do  in  spite  of  the  rever- 
 ence of  the  people  (ver.  13),  though  later  we 
 find  that  they  dreaded  lest  they  should  have 
 been  stoned  of  them  in  the  event  of  their 
 using  further  violence  against  the  Apostles. 
 
 But  God's  time  was  now  come  for  adding 
 another  sign  to  the  miracles  of  judgment  and 
 of  healing  hitherto  recorded.  These  daring 
 adversaries  with  whom  the  divine  patience 
 had  so  marvellously  borne  were  not  indeed  to 
 be  given  over  to  destruction,  but  to  receive  a 
 most  emphatic  warning  to  refrain  from  these 
 men,  and  let  them  alone,  lest  haply  they  be 
 found  fighting  even  against  God.  The  inter- 
 vention which  could  not,  agreeably  to  the 
 counsel  of  God,  shield  the  Lord  Jesus  himself, 
 since  his  death  was  to  procure  life  for  us,  now 
 avails  in  the  case  of  his  witnesses  and  ambassa- 
 dors. Out  of  the  willing  legions  of  angels  one  is 
 permitted  to  stand  forth  and  rescue  the  Apos- 
 iles  from  tlxfi.  false-hearted  rulers  of  Isreal. 
 True,  he  does  not  fight  for  the  kingdom  of  grace 
 
 and  mercy  with  aggressive  and  overwhelm, 
 ing  migiit:  he  merely  protests  in  action,  simply 
 and  quietly,  against  the  imprisonment  of  the 
 servants  ot'  the  word. 
 
 No  angel  interfered  on  behalf  of  Peter  and 
 John  the  first  time  hands  were  laid  on  them  ; 
 a  little  later,  too,  we  shall  see  Stephen  fall  be- 
 neath the  stones  of  his  jealous  enemies,  as  well 
 as  the  Apostle  James  by  the  sword  of  Herod, 
 for  the  kingdom  of  Jesus  is  still  and  eve-r  the 
 kingdom  of  the  cross.  But  at  intervals  tokena 
 of  the  divine  power  will  be  made  manifest ; 
 on  this  occasion  to  insure  to  all  the  Apostles  a 
 further  period  of  undisturbed  preaching  ;  here- 
 after to  insure  Peter's  flight. 
 
 "Bid  the  angel  of  the  Ijord  hy  night  opened  tha 
 prison  doors,  and  brougfit  (hem  forth,  and  said. 
 Go  stand  and  speak  in  the  temple  to  the  peo])le  all 
 the  words  of  this  life."  This  miracle  happened 
 in  the  night,  that  its  nature  might  be  known 
 to  the  faithful  alone;  its  efi'ects  merely  to 
 others.  Probably  the  keepers  on  this  oc- 
 casion neither  saw  nor  heard  any  thing  un- 
 usual, at  least  this  is  the  impression  that 
 vers.  22,  23,  makes  upon  the  mind.  The  an- 
 gel had  invisibly  opened  and  closed  the  pri- 
 son doors  "  with  all  safety,"  and  infringed 
 no  further  upon  human  law  and  prison  disci- 
 pline than  his  commission  positively  required. 
 We  have  no  details  given  us  here  of  the 
 manner  of  egress,  as  in  chap.  xii.  7,  8.  The 
 stress  is  laid  upon  the  renewed  preaching. 
 Later,  in  Philippi  (xvi.  26),  we  read  of  an 
 earthquake,  and  of  all  the  prisoners'  bands  be- 
 ing loosed.  Now,  there  is  nothing  recorded 
 l)ut  the  quiet  bringing  the  Apostles  forth. 
 Every  thing  has  its  due  season  in  the  ways 
 and  works  of  the  Lord. 
 
 There  is,  in  the  sacred  history,  a  close  con- 
 nection between  one  stage  of  development  and 
 another.  It  reveals  itself  as  a  well-ordered  and 
 progressive  whole,  and,  accordingly,  the  same 
 law  is  observable  thoughout  (he  smallest  details 
 of  its  miraculous  events.  Thus  the  words  of 
 the  angels  recorded  iri  I  be  Acts  of  the  Apostles 
 seem  to  be  links  of  one  and  the  same  chain,  so 
 (hat  each  suf^oeeding  address  appears  in  con- 
 tinuation of  the  last.  That  which  in  the  ad- 
 dress of  the  angels  at  the  ascension  (that  ad- 
 dress being  itself  closely  linked  with  the  last 
 words  of  Jesus),  was  left  unspoken  though  im- 
 plied throughout,  now  shapes  itself  into  the 
 general  command.  Go  and  bear  witness  on 
 earth  to  him  who  is  in  heaven.  In  connection, 
 again,  with  this,  we  have  (viii.  26)  the  angel 
 pointing  out  to  Philip  a  special  occasion  for 
 preaching  Christ  beyond  fhe  walls  of  Jerusalem, 
 a  silent  perparation  this  for  spre;iding  the 
 Gospel  among  the  Gentiles  also.  Then,  just 
 as  Philip  was  expressly  sent  to  the  Ethiopian 
 eunuch,  we  next  find  Cornelius  directed  by  an 
 angel  to  the  Apostle  Peter.  Afterwards"^,  in 
 chap,  xii.,  comes  a  second  deliverance  of  Peter 
 from  prison  after  the  death  of  James,  that 
 men  might  know  that  the  Lord's  witnesses 
 were  rescued,  or  permitted  to  sutler  death  and 
 bonds   according   to  his    own   good   pleasure. 
 
32 
 
 THE  ANGEL  DIRECTING  PHILIP. 
 
 Finally,  in  the  thoroughly  typical  narrative  of 
 the  slnpwreck  of  the  other  great  Apostle,  Paul, 
 an  angel  appears  for  the  last  time  recorded  in 
 the  historical  books,  not  only  to  certify  that 
 Paul  must  stand  before  Caesar,  but  to  show 
 that  in  tiiis  hour  of  great  peril,  God's  protect- 
 ing mercy  extends  to  all  the  companions  of 
 his  servants  as  well. 
 
 Thus,  then,  we  can  now  the  better  ander- 
 etand  the  position  occupied  by  the  first  prison- 
 opening  angel  in  the  record  of  Holy  Writ, 
 taken  as  a  whole.  Thus  his  first  words  are  felt 
 to  be  fraught  with  a  deeper  meaning  than  their 
 simplicity  at  first  suggested  :  "  Go."  Spite  of 
 all  the  threats  of  men,  the  angel  repeats  that 
 command  given  by  the  Lord  just  before  his 
 ascension,  Go  ye  therefore  (Matt,  xxviii.  19; 
 Mark  xvi.  15);  refers  expressly  to  it,  as  Peter 
 himself  does,  when  he  declares,  "  We  ought  to 
 obey  God  rather  than  men  ;  we  are  his  wit- 
 nesses of  these  things."  The  angel  does  not 
 add,  "  Fear  not"  (as  in  xxvii.  24,  in  the  im- 
 minent peril  of  shipwreck),  but  the  expression 
 he  uses  has  something  of  the  same  spirit.  The 
 Apostles  are  to  go  and  stand  ;  to  occupy  their 
 former  place  boldly  and  confidently.  Stand 
 forth  and  speak  out,  as  your  office  is.  We  find 
 that,  in  the  united  prayer  of  the  Church  (iv. 
 29),  "  all  boldness  to  speak  thy  word  "  was  the 
 only  result  implored,  not  protection  aganst  its 
 threatening  adversaries.  But  now  that  the 
 Bough  t-for  signs  and  wonders  have  been  abund- 
 antly granted,  boldness  and  freedom  in  speak- 
 ing are  to  be  still  further  increased.  On  a 
 future  occasion,  after  the  Apostles  have  been 
 beaten,  and  received  further  fruitless  injunc- 
 tions to  refrain  from  preaching,  we  find  no 
 such  angelic  interposition  on  their  behalf,  nor 
 do  they  then  need  it.  They  only  rejoice  that 
 they  are  counted  worthy  to  suffer  shame  for  the 
 name  of  Jesus,  and  utterly  disregard  the  bodily 
 pain  inflicted, 
 
 "  In  the  iem]>\e  to  the  feojUe,"  so  the  angel's 
 short,  rapid  injunction  runs.  In  despite  of  the 
 rulers,  who  will  not  hear,  and  unto  the  people, 
 •who  will,  are  the  words  of  salvation  to  be 
 preached.  The  builders,  who  have  set  at 
 nought  the  true  corner-stone,  are  now  rightfully 
 deposed  from  authority.  Their  command  is 
 nothing  worth ;  therefore  the  preaching  is,  in 
 spite  of  all  the  policy  of  the  rulers  of^Israel, 
 to  take  place  publicly  in  the  temple  as  before ; 
 in  that  same  porch  of  Solomon,  in  which  once 
 the  Lord  himself  had  gathered  around  him  the 
 sheep  who  heard  his  voice  (ver.  12 ;  John  x. 
 23).  "  All  the  words  of  this  life."  This  is  the 
 main  as  well  as  the  final  point.  And  what  is 
 this  life?  Plainly  the  new  life  brought  to 
 hght  and  tiiumphant  in  the  resurrection  of  the 
 liord  (iv.  33),  which  the  poor  etlorts  of  the 
 feadducees  would  vainly  seek  to  bind,  and 
 quench,  and  bury.  Compare  the  "  word  of  life  " 
 (  Phil.  li.  16),  and  "  the  word  of  this  salvation  " 
 (Acts  xiii.  2G).  Thh\\[Q;  the  expression  re- 
 minds us  of  the  one  so  recently  used  by  an 
 angel,  this  Jesus.  But  again,  this  great  word 
 of  life  is  to  be  set  forth  now  m  many  words  ;  I 
 
 of  all  the  words  of  this  life  tl  e  Apostles  are  nci 
 to  keep  back  or  omit  one.  Such  was  the  decree 
 from  above.  God's  word  is  not  bound  (2  Tim. 
 ii.  9).  "Even  as  Jesus,  by  the  very  naming 
 of  his  name,  cast  his  enemies  down  to  the 
 ground  before  they  could  lay  hands  upon  him, 
 thereby  giving  positive  and  palpable  proof  that 
 he  submitted  to  their  power  of  his  own  free 
 will,  so  now,  by  the  sending  of  his  angel,  the 
 whole  council  in  their  utter  perplexity  (ver. 
 24)  are  taught  that  they  could  have  no  power 
 at  all  over  these  witnesses  of  Jesus,  except  it 
 were  given  them  from  above."  Thus  Baum- 
 garten  justly  interprets  this  sign  of  deliver- 
 ance, which,  like  the  signs  of  healing,  was  ap- 
 pointed to  give  free  course  to  the  words  of  the 
 witnesses. 
 
 "  Go  and  speaJc."  Obedient  to  the  command, 
 the  Apostles  straightway  enter  early  into  the 
 temple  and  teach  there.  The  fact  of  a  miracle 
 having  been  wrought  is  so  proved  by  this  result, 
 that  the  enemies  of  the  Gospel  take  good  care 
 not  to  ask  the  Apostles  how  they  got  back  to 
 the  temple,  through  prison  doors  shut  with  all 
 safety,  and  keepers  standing  without.  The 
 Pharisees  could  not  but  own  that  it  was  God's 
 work;  the  Sadducees,  spite  of  their  skepticism, 
 may  have  suggested,  "  An  angel  has  done  this." 
 But  Peter,  however,  says  nothing  about  the 
 angel ;  only  insists  positively  on  the  main  point 
 which  the  council  have  reluctantly  to  hear  for 
 the  second  time:  "Jesus,  whom  ye  slew,  is 
 risen,  is  exalted  on  God's  right  hand,  to  give 
 repentance  to  Israel,  and  remission  of  sins." 
 And  when  the  council  reject  this  testimony, 
 the  witnesses,  disregarding  threats  and  stripes, 
 turn  obediently  to  the  people,  "and  daily  in 
 the  temple,  and  in  every  house,  cease  not  to 
 teach  and  preach  Jesus  Chirst." 
 
 CHAPTER  X. 
 
 The  Angel  Dip.ectino  Philip. 
 
 Acts  viii. 
 
 We  consider  th's  to  be  a  proper  place  and 
 time  openly  to  express  our  opinion,  that  the 
 angelic  appearancps,  services,  and  speeches  re- 
 corded in  Holy  Writ  are  by  no  means  to  be 
 considered  the  only  ones  ever  vouchsafed  to 
 man.  How,  for  instance,  can  we  believe  that, 
 during  the  long  period  of  time  comprehended  in 
 the  Old  Testament  history,  angels  so  rarely  in- 
 terposed on  the  behalf  of  God's  servants,  when 
 we  find  so  many  passages  in  the  Psalms,  and 
 80  many  more  expressious  useu  by  our  Lord, 
 and  interspersed  tlirougliout  the  whole  New 
 Testament,  that  tell  of  the  frequent,  nay,  the 
 regular  and  persistent  interest  felt,  and  part 
 taken,  by  them  in  the  destiny  and  history  of 
 man  ?  On  the  contrary,  we  are  persuaded  i(i>it 
 by  far  the  greater  portion  of  occurrences  oi  me 
 kind  have  be"n  left  by  Holy  Scriptur*^  in  the 
 background,  left  to  private   tradition   among 
 
THE  ANGEL  DIRECTING  PHILIP. 
 
 ■S3 
 
 believers.  For  it  is  far  from  being  the  inten- 
 tion of  Scripture  to  givelo  what  we  mortals 
 call  "the  marvellor/s"  (which  skeptics  reject, 
 and  the  superstitious  distort)  any  such  prom- 
 inence as  might  obscure  the  moral  wonders 
 wrought  by  the  Spirit  in  tlie  heart  and  minds 
 of  the  children  of  men.  The  Apocrypha  in- 
 vents much  that  is  contrary  to  historical  truth  ; 
 the  Bible  keeps  back  much  that  actually  hap- 
 pened ;  Raphael,  in  the  book  of  Tobias,  speaks 
 more  then  all  the  angels  recorded  in  Scripture 
 put  together. 
 
 But  such  instances  of  angelic  interposition  as 
 Scripture  does  select  for  our  instruction,  we 
 shall  find  to  be  all  significant  and  representa- 
 tive. In  how  many  judgments  may  not  God's 
 angelic  servants  be  still  the  actors,  whether  to 
 destroy  or  to  save  !  How  many  a  despairing 
 man  of  God  may,  like  Elias,  have  been  roused 
 and  admonished  by  an  angel,  more  or  less  evi- 
 dently !  To  how  many  parents  and  guardians 
 may  God's  will  concerning  those  committed  to 
 their  care,  be  revealed  now  as  it  was  to  Joseph  ! 
 And,  lastly  (as  in  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles), 
 how  often  may  the  Lord's  witnesses  have  been 
 
 Preserved  from  persecution  and  imprisonment; 
 ave  had  a  way  opened  out  to  their  activity  ; 
 have  been  comforted  and  upheld  by  these  hea- 
 venly messengers — sometimes  openly,  as  in  the 
 history  of  the  Church  here  recorded,  but  far  of- 
 tener  secretly,  and  after  a  manner  of  which 
 these  visible  instances  in  early  times  were 
 but  the  type. 
 
 After  the  contest  between  the  preaching  of 
 the  Gospel  of  lile  and  the  opposition  of  the 
 Jews  had  reached  a  climax,  a  new  way  had  to 
 be  made  for  spreading  the  word  to  all  lands  and 
 among  all  nations.  The  irresistible  wisdom 
 and  spirit  by  which  Stephen  spoke,  having  been 
 silenced  by  stoning,  the  persecution  broke 
 forth  with  renewed  vigor,  its  results  being  only, 
 by  scattering  abroad  the  Apostles,  to  diffuse 
 their  doctrines  the  more  widely.  Jerusalem 
 had  rejected  the  words  of  salvation,  according- 
 ly they  were  now  to  be  sent  to  the  Gentiles. 
 But  this  first  turning  from  the  uncircumci«pd 
 in  heart  and  ears  to  the  uncircumcised  alter 
 the  flesh,  which  caused  the  latter  to  rejoice  and 
 filorify  God,  had  to  be  gradually  brought  about. 
 The  offer  of  salvation  was  next  to  be  made  to 
 the  Samaritans,  as  our  Lord  himself  appointed 
 (i.  8),  then  to  the  proselytes.  The  Gospel  was 
 to  be  openly  proclaimed  to  Cornelius,  but  pre- 
 viously to  be  privately  preached  to  the  Ethio- 
 pian eunuch. 
 
 Thus  we  have  again  two  turning  poinls, 
 which  required  the  aid  of  angels.  Cornelius 
 and  Peter  were  mutually  directed  the  one  to 
 the  other  :  the  Gentile  by  an  angelic  message  ; 
 the  Apostle  by  a  vision,  and  a  voice  from  the 
 Lord  himself  In  the  case  of  Philip,  we  find 
 that  nothing  was  needed  but  a  mere  direction 
 as  to  the  way  he  should  take  in  ordf-r  to  find 
 the  ready  recipient  of  his  message.  The  public 
 announcement  of  God's  purpose  respecting  the 
 Gentiles  wa3_to  be  made  first  by  Peter  (xv.  7- 
 II),  but  before  this  event,  a  less  distinguished 
 
 servant  of  God  was  appointed  secretly  to  con- 
 vert and  baptize  the  Ethiopian.  The  seven 
 deacons,  of  whom  we  read  in  the  sixth  chapter, 
 were  originally  chosen  not  merely  to  "  serve  ta- 
 bles," but  had  other  gifts,  pnvileaes,  and  du- 
 ties, and  were  entitled  by  their  office  to  speak 
 the  word.  Accordingly,  we  find  Philip  taking 
 the  place  of  the  martyred  Stephen  ;  preaching 
 Christ,  however,  in  Samaria,  since  the  disper- 
 sion of  the  Church  had  made  his  ministration 
 in  Jerusalem  unnecessary.  Nor  was  he  preach- 
 ing merely  under  the  control  of  the  Apostles, 
 but  as  a  chosen  and  appointed  Evangelist,  un- 
 der which  name  we  meet  with  him  later  in  Ces- 
 area  (xxi.  8 ;  compare  viii.  40).  Yet  it  agrees 
 perfectly  with  this  that  the  rite  of  baptism 
 performed  by  him,  should  need  to  be  confirmed 
 and  completed  by  the  laying  on  of  hands  of 
 the  Apostles  before  the  Samaritan  converts 
 could  receive  the  Holy  Ghost.  Nor  was  Philip 
 humbled  thereby,  but  rather  comforted  and 
 honored  by  such  a  seal  set  to  the  success  of  his 
 mission,  though  it  appears  reasonable  to  sup- 
 pose that  the  lamentable  fall  from  the  faith,  of 
 Simon  the  sorcerer,  whom  perhaps  Philip  had 
 been  rather  premature  in  baptizin<?,  must  have 
 deeply  afilicted  the  Evangelist.  We  think  we 
 can  discern  traces  of  his  having  somewhat  lost 
 heart.  While  the  Apostles,  on  their  return  to 
 Jerusalem,  preached  the  Gospel  in  m.any  vil- 
 lages of  the  Samaritans,  he  seems  to  have  lin- 
 gered in  Samaria,  not  rightly  knowing  whither 
 he  should  go  next,  or  what  he  should  do. 
 While  in  this  condition,  the  angel  points  out 
 the  way  he  is  to  take,  in  order,  according  to 
 the  loving  purpose  of  God,  to  meet  with  a  rich 
 compensation  lor  Simon's  defection  ;  the  Ethi- 
 opian's humble,  teachable  spirit,  and  willing- 
 ness to  believe,  affording  a  most  complete  con- 
 trast to  the  insincerity  and  subtility  of  the 
 sorcerer. 
 
 Although  it  is  not  expressly  stated,  \ta  in- 
 cline to  believe  that  the  angel  who  spoke  to 
 Philip  at  the  same  time  visibly  appeared  to  him, 
 the  intimation  he  afterwards  received  (ver.  29) 
 being  spoken  of  in  different  terms.  The  first 
 summons  to  preach  the  Gospel  to  one  wholly 
 unknown,  was  doubtless  given  by  the  angel  in 
 a  voice  from  without;  afterwards,  when  Philip 
 saw  the  traveller  sitting  in  his  chariot  and 
 reading  the  Prophet  Isaiah,  the  voice  of  the 
 Spirit  within  him,  by  which  he  was  habitually 
 guided,  would  be  sufficient  to  impel  him  to 
 join  himself  to  that  chariot  and  to  help  the 
 Ethiopian  to  an  understanding  of  what  he  read. 
 
 "Arise,  and  go  along  toward  the  south,  on 
 the  way  that  goeth  down  from  Jemmlcm  unto 
 G'iza,  which  is  desirt."  Tiius,  we  take  the  an- 
 gel's speech  as  a  whole,  and  believe  we  can  pen- 
 etrate its  whole  meaning,  even  the  unexpressed 
 hint  that  lies  beneath  the  simplicity  of  the  lit- 
 eral words.  This  call  to  arise  and  go  along 
 was  intended  to  rouse  and  cheer  the  downcast 
 and  irresolute  spirit  of  the  Evangelist,  not 
 merely  to  prefiice  the  angel's  further  directions. 
 It  was  equivalent  to  saying  :  "Thoa  shalt  not 
 return  to  Jerusalem  with  the  Apostles,  neither 
 
u 
 
 THE  ANGEL  SENT  TO  CORNELIUS. 
 
 ehnU  tbou  rpmain  in  tlie  city  of  Sninaria. 
 Tliere  is  a  witiev  (ield  lie'^oie  ihee.  Arise  clieer- 
 full}'  and  connigeoii.sly,  and  go  unto  tlie  place 
 that  I  siiall  tell  thee."  Then  tlie  angel  pro- 
 ceoils  lo  indicate  the  way  Philip  is  to  take  so 
 precisely  that  he  cannot  possible  go  wrong; 
 just  as  we  shall  presently  find  the  house  of 
 Simon  the  tanner,  by  the  sea-side,  minutely 
 de.sciibed  to  Cornelius. 
 
 The  Evanizelist's  next  station  was  to  be  in 
 •A'hat  was  formerly  the  land  of  the  Philistine.?, 
 ■..)r  we  read  that  he  was  found  in  Azotus  (the 
 Ashdod  of  old).  But,  in  the  first  instance,  he 
 Tiinst  bclake  himself,  not  indeed  to  Gaza,  but 
 only  to  the  way  leading  down  to  it,  which  is 
 cxprossly  specified  as  desert,  little  frequented. 
 At  first  this  seems  to  be  a  mere  topographical 
 description,  but  there  is  a  deeper  meaning  be- 
 liind.  The  angel  is  not  here  commissioned  to 
 speak  of  Gaza  and  its  desolation,  but  he  de- 
 sciibes  the  road  thither  as  desert  compared  to 
 the  populous  Samaritan  villages  (ver.  25);  des- 
 ert beyond  all  other  roads  in  the  district.  There 
 were  several  ways  from  Jerusalem  to  Egypt, 
 and  this  was  used  the  least  of  any,  the  most 
 golilary,  forsaken,  desert.  Baumgarten  rightly 
 oliserves,  that  tiie  description  of  silent  desert- 
 cil  road  by  the  angel  has  special  reference  to 
 Piiilip's  appointed  office,  such  a  place  being 
 wcl!  suited  for  his  undisturbed  ministerial  work. 
 For  to  what  purpose  could  the  command  to 
 arise  and  to  go  be  given  to  Philip  but  to  point 
 out  to  him  a  way  of  fulfilling  hisoffice?  This 
 is  srU-cvident.  Whenever  the  order  of  march 
 is  given  to  a  soldier,  it  is  with  some  reference  to 
 liis  S[>ecial  military  duties.  Thus  the  angel's 
 Winds  might  be  understood  as  meaning, 
 "  L'^ave  this  Samaritan  city ;  here  thy  task  is 
 ended.  Go  down  to  the  desert  way ;  it  is  there 
 that  thou  wilt  find  a  willing  hearer  who  is  re- 
 turning from  worship|)ing  at  Jerusalem.  A 
 secret  silent  (ask  lies  before  thee."  This  is  the 
 lalent  meaning  of  the  angel's  words,  and  the 
 v.-linle  ciiaracter  of  th.e  interview  with  the 
 Eiliio]iian  is  conformable  thereto. 
 
 Tims  how  exquisitely  every  thing  harmon- 
 izes !  The  eunuch  has  chosen  this  solitary  road 
 just  that  he  may  read  his  newly-acquired 
 trea-ure,  a  chapter  of  Holy  Writ,  undisturbed, 
 and  the  Lord  sends  him  the  very  expounder 
 and  preacher  that  he  requires.  Thus  the  ways 
 of  God  and  man  are  made  to  meet  together, 
 whenever  salvation  hns  to  be  brought  within 
 t!ie  reacli  of  a  soul  that  earnestly  seeks  for  it. 
 Philip,  if  left  to  iiimself,  would  certainly  not 
 have  set  out  on  his  journey  just  then,  or  he 
 would  in  all  probability  have  betaken  himself 
 el-ewhere.  But  now  he  has  his  definite  com- 
 nii.ssion  given  him,  and  his  way  marked  out. 
 Tiie  rest  is  all  clear.  The  moment  he  sees  the 
 chariot,  he  runs  thitiier  ;  without  previous 
 jiiveling  or  pieface  of  any  kind,  lie  has  c;)urage 
 at  once  to  introduce  himself  to  the  distinguish- 
 ed traveller  in  the  character  of  a  teacher. 
 Thus,  nuil'-r  God's  special  guidance,  alter  the 
 harvest  reatied  in  Samaria,  where  Jesus  him- 
 eeli'  bad  ouce  sowu,  the  ilrst  seed  is  silently 
 
 dropped  which  is   to  bring  forth  blessed  fruit 
 in  Ethiopia. 
 
 CHAPTER  XI. 
 
 TuE  Angel  Sent  to  Cornelius. 
 
 Acts  x. 
 
 The  time  had  now  arrived  when  the  Gospel 
 was  to  be  openly  proclaimed  to  the  Genii  Id 
 world  ;  no  longer  preached  in  secret  to  one 
 individual  convert  on  the  desert  way  ;  but  when 
 it  was  to  come,  so  far  as  this  is  ever  true  of 
 the  kingdom  of  God,  "with  ob.-ervation." 
 
 The  chosen  scene  was  the  city  next  in  im- 
 portance to  Jerusalem  itself,  the  customary 
 residence  of  the  governor  whenever  he  was  nut 
 in  Jerusalem  (xxiii.  23,  33;  xxv.  1,  6,  13),  a 
 city  named,  as  was  Cesarea  Philippi,  in  honor 
 of  the  Roman  emperor.  This  city  was  known, 
 in  contradistinction,  as  Cesarea  Siratoiiis,  Pal- 
 ajstinre,  or  Pala;stina,  and  was  situated  on  the 
 Mediterranean,  on  the  site  of  a  fortress  calh^d 
 Strato's  Tower.  Tacitus  cursorily  mentions 
 it  as  the  capital  of  Judea,  so  that  we  now  .see 
 the  Gospel  gradually  making  its  way  to  all  the 
 chief  cities  of  the  empire,  Antioch,  Philippi 
 (xvi.  13  ),  Athens,  Corinth,  Ephesns,  Rome. 
 At  this  time,  Cesarea  was  garrisoned  by  the 
 Italian  band  or  cohort,  a  captain  (centurion) 
 of  which  as  representative  of  the  warlike, 
 world-wide  sway  of  Rome,  was  to  stand  at 
 the  head  of  the  Gentile  converts.  For  this  he 
 had  been  partially  prepared,  being  certainly  a 
 proselyte  of  the  g'ate  (ver.  22)  ;  but,  neverthe- 
 less he  was  still  an  uncircumcised  Gputile,  cut 
 off  by  the  severe  restrictions  of  the  Mosaic  lav/ 
 from  close  fellowship  with  the  Jewish  people. 
 In  proof  of  the  earnest  piety  of  this  f)rose- 
 Ivte,  Luke  adduces  some  further  particulars. 
 He  served  the  true  God  according  to  his  know- 
 ledge, tcilh  all  his  house,  as  we  may  see  proved 
 in  ver.  7,  which  tells  of  the  beautiful  spirit  of 
 confidence  that  existed  between  him  and  his 
 servant.  He  gave  much  alms  to  the  }>o>ye, 
 whom  he  recognized,  even  in  their  fallen  estate, 
 to  be  God's  chosen  people,  like  that  other  cen- 
 turion of  whom  Luke  tells  us  in  his  Gos]iel 
 (vii.  5),  and  this  partly  in  token  of  submis- 
 sion, Roman  as  ho  was,  to  the  God  of  Isri-al, 
 and  parlly  from  the  dictates  of  true  bcnevcj- 
 lence.  He  who  fears  God,  and  seeks  mercy  at 
 his  liand,  is  sure  to  show  mercy  to  his  neigh- 
 bors. Next,  Luke  gives  us  the  clue  to  the 
 centurion's  excellence  in  the  all-expressive, 
 and  all-revealing  fact,  "he  jirai/ed  to  «j'o<l  al- 
 ways." It  might  Iiave  been  said  of  him,  lar 
 more  truly  then  of  any  of  the  Phari-^et-s,  that 
 he  abounded  in  works,  and  follov/rd  the  ad- 
 vice given  by  Daniel  to  Nebuchadnezzar  (Dan. 
 iv.  27).  And  yet  these  works,  which  did  not 
 as  yet  deserve  the  appellalion  of  </"'>/  tcilrs, 
 like  tiiose  of  the  female  disciple  Tabilha  (ix. 
 36),  did  not  quiet  the  longing  of  his  iieiirt  l^r 
 peace  and  forgiveness  of  sius  (chap.  x.  36-13), 
 
THE  ANGEL  SENT  TO  CORNELIUS. 
 
 33 
 
 nnd  IhereTore  he  continued  earnest  in  prayer, 
 not  only  at  llie  hou?-3  appointed  to  the  Jews, 
 wliicli  we  may  be  sure,  lie  reverently  observed, 
 but  always,  at  all  times,  as  it  is  strongly  ex- 
 pressed. Tlie  fact  of  the  preaching  of  salva- 
 tion and  peace  through  the  Crucified  can  no 
 more  have  been  unknown  to  him  than  the  his- 
 tory on  which  it  was  based.  Of  both  alike  it 
 was  true  that  this  thing  was  not  done  in  a  cor- 
 ner (xxvi.  2G),  but  still  the  message  had  never 
 been  addresst-d  to  him  personally.  Ho  must, 
 indeed,  have  been  in  some  measure  acquainted 
 with  the  prophets,  and  the  promises  contained 
 in  them,  for  we  find  Peter,  in  his  subsequent 
 discourse,  referring  to  the  testimony  of  the 
 propheis  in  corroboration  of  his  doctrine.  But 
 probably  he  was  less  intimately  grounded  m 
 the  Old  Testament  then  the  Ethiopian  of  whom 
 we  iiave  just  read.  Again,  whatever  the  in- 
 clination of  his  heart  towards  the  God  of  Israel, 
 lie  had  not  entirely  thrown  off  the  Roman. 
 He  was  only  half  a  Jew.  The  severe  line  of 
 demarcation  that  still  existed  between  the 
 chosen  people  and  the  devout  heathen  must 
 have  perplexed  him  considerably,  and  in  spite 
 of  all  his  religious  anxiety  and  his  prayers,  we 
 do  not  find  that  he  had  hitherto  taken  any  steps 
 towards  embracing  a  Gospel  of  salvation  which 
 was  destined  apparently  as  yet  for  the  Jews  ex- 
 clusively. 
 
 Such  seems  to  U3  to  have  been  the  real  posi- 
 t'on  of  Cornelius.  Like  the  rest  of  the  prose- 
 lytes, he  was  better  prepared  to  receive  Clirist- 
 itnity  then  the  pharisaical  Jews  ;  but  this  was 
 only  through  the  preparing  grace  of  the  God 
 of  Israel,  and  companionship  with  that  people 
 "  of  whom,"  fallen  as  they  were,  "  as  concern- 
 ing the  flesh,  Christ  came."  To  sucii  Godfear- 
 ing  and  God-seeking  men  as  he,  the  Gospel  had 
 now  to  be  offered,  unincumbered  by  all  legal 
 riLes  whatsoever,  previously  to  its  final  uni- 
 versal extension  to  those  that  were  afar  off, 
 even  to  the  most  idolatrous  and  most  unright- 
 eous among  the  hoathen  world. 
 
 Cornelius  was  favored  with  a  vision  even 
 before  Peter  saw  his ;  and  it  is  worthy  of  re- 
 mark that  the  account  of  each  of  their  visions 
 ia  given  to  us  three  times  over  in  the  Acts, 
 just  as  we  have  three  separate  narratives  of 
 the  conversion  of  the  great  Apostle  of  the 
 Gentiles  himself.  God  surely  is  the  God  of  the 
 Gentiles  also;  God's  angels  do  not  merely  ap- 
 pear in  Israel,  they  are  ministering  servants  to 
 all  who  shall  be  heirs  of  salvation  (lieb.  i.  14). 
 The  heavenly  message  to  Cornelius  came  neither 
 in  a  dieam  by  night  nor  in  a  trance,  as  in  the 
 case  of  Peter  ;  and,  indeed,  there  are  some  per- 
 leotly  new  features  in  this  instance,  which  we 
 oi'glit  not  to  overlook.  At  three  o'clock  in 
 Iho  day,  in  broad  daylight,  the  angel  ajijiears 
 in  a  vision,  evidently.  It  is  most;  prolialije, 
 though  not  positively  stated,  that  Cornelius 
 having  chosen  this  particular  hour  for  prayer, 
 out  of  reverence  for  the  ordinances  of  Israel, 
 iliis  being  the  time  of  the  evening  sacrifice(iii. 
 1),  the  angeLalso  chose  this  holy  season  for 
 iii,-*  appearance,  as  ia  the  case  of  Daniel  and 
 
 Zacharias.  Cornelius  was  fasling  at  the  time, 
 as  he  mentions  in  ver.  '60,  so  that  three  worka 
 on  which  the  Pharisees  laid  special  stress  were 
 (xMatt.  vi.  2,5-16)  performed  by  him  without 
 being  tainted  by  tlie  pharisaical  spirit;  but 
 this  third  work,  fasting,  is  named  neither  by 
 Luke  in  his  account  of  the  centurion's  char- 
 acter, nor  in  the  angel's  assurance  of  accept- 
 ance ;  that  it  may  be  recognized  in  its  true 
 character  as  not  obligatory.  It  is  also  only 
 from  Cornelius  himself  that  we  have  the  ac- 
 count of  the  angel  standing  before  him  as  a 
 man  in  bright  clothing  ;  whereas  the  inspired 
 historian  begins  at  once  by  saying  that  it  w:i3 
 an  angel  of  God  and  also  that  he  was  seen  by  the 
 centurion  coming  in  to  him;  while  from  tan 
 30th  verse,  we  might  almost  have  concluded 
 that  the  vision  burst  upon  him  suddenly.  Wa3 
 it  his  guardian  angel,  and  the  bearer  of  his 
 prayer?  we  are  tempted  to  ask.  But  the 
 Scripture  does  not  vouchsafe  any  specific  in- 
 formation on  the  subject  ;  nor  does  the  angel 
 say,  I  have  borne  thy  prayer  up  to  God  ; 
 though  he  certainly  does  imply  that  he  was 
 one  who  had  certain  knowledge  both  of  the 
 nature  and  frequency,  as  well  as  of  the  result 
 that  had  attended  the  centurion's  prayers. 
 
 In  the  very  calling  of  him  by  his  namo 
 Cornelius,  the  fact  of  his  acceptance  with  God 
 was  in  a  measure  implied.  We  know  how 
 significantly  in  Scripture  the  Lord  God  is  wont; 
 to  call  those  that  are  his  by  their  name  (Isa. 
 xliii.).  The  first  time  that  we  met  with  this 
 form  of  address  from  the  mouth  of  his  angil.s 
 was  on  the  occasion  of  the  consolatory  messiii;^ 
 brought  to  Daniel  (Dan.  ix.  22).  Till  then  liie 
 prophet  had  been  spoken  to  merely  as  son  of 
 man  (viii.  17);  but  afterwards  still  more  em- 
 phatically, as  "  0  Daniel,  greatly  beloved  "  (x. 
 11);  and  again  in  chap.  x.  12;  xii.  4,  9.  Zecii- 
 ariah  the  prophet  was  never  called  by  his 
 name  ;  but  on  the  contrary,  at  the  very  begiu- 
 ingof  the  New  Testament,  Zucharias  is  so  ad- 
 dressed and  so  are  Mary  and  Joseph.  Piiilio 
 and  i'eler,  on  the  other  hand,  are  not  called 
 by  their  names  (Acts  xii.  7).  But  Paul  in  the 
 shipwreck  ia  comfortingly  named  by  the  angel 
 (xxvii.  24).  Prom  this  glance  at  parallel  pass- 
 ages we  at  once  see  that  the  very  word  dirne- 
 lius  implies,  "Fear  not,  be  of  good  courage;" 
 luiy,  that  in  it  is  latent  what  Peter  afterwards 
 dfdared  (ver.  35),  "  Thou  art  chosen  by  God, 
 and  acceptable  to  him." 
 
 And  yet  this  pious  centurion,  readily  as  he 
 was  wont  to  answer  to  his  name  when  com- 
 manded by  Ilia  superiors,  or  applied  to  by  his 
 subalterns,  does  naturally  feel  some  terror 
 when  thus  addressed  by  the  vinii  inhright  clulh- 
 iitj,  whom  he  at  once  forebodes  to  be  a  mes- 
 senger of  God.  But  only  one  ready  answer 
 sii'-";est  itself  to  the  weli-disciplined  soldier. 
 "W/t<U  is  if..  Lord?"  i.  e..  What  are  thy  cotr.- 
 mands  ?  Wnat  shall  I  do?  as  it  a[)pears  Ironi 
 ver.  6,  that  the  angel  understood  the  words 
 to  mean. 
 
 "  Thy  iiraye.r  and  thine  nitm  are  come  vp  (ris  en  ) 
 for  a  memorial  before   God,"     This  is   spukca 
 
86 
 
 THE  ANGEL  SENT  TO  CORNELIUS. 
 
 graciously  to  comfort  and  encourage,  before  the 
 actual  command  is  given  ;  and  it  is  equivalent 
 to  saying,  That  wliicli  I  am  commissioned  to 
 bring  thee  is  good  news  from  God.  Wiiat  an 
 assurance  for  a  seeking  and  praying  chdd  of 
 man  !  and  how  often,  without  any  visible  ap- 
 pearance, do  angels  secretly  and  inwardly  bring 
 such  assurance  home  to  our  hearts  !  Indeed, 
 we  may  boldly  say  that  this  very  assuring  us 
 that  our  prayers  are  heard,  is  one  of  the  chief 
 ofhees  of  these  ministering  spirits  ;  and  this 
 not  merely  in  a  general  way — God  knows, 
 names,  calls,  remembers  thee — but  they  give 
 the  definite  corxifort  of  an  assurance  that  all 
 o'lr  seeking  and  aiming  after  God  shall  be 
 crowned  with  finding.  No  doubt,  Corneliu.s 
 mu.sit  have  had,  ere  this,  reason  to  believe  that 
 lie  was  heard,  else  he  would  not  have  con- 
 tinued to  pray;  but  never  had  he  received 
 such  bright,  positive  confirmation  as  now. 
 Thy  2^1'ayerii  and  thine  alms.  The  angel  names 
 both  together,  though  in  a  did'erent  order  to 
 that  in  which  they  are  mentioned  by  Luke 
 (ver.  2)  ;  for  here  was  no  question  of  mere  ex- 
 ternal acts,  such  as  were  seen  of  men,  but  of 
 the  state  of  the  heart  (manilested  in  conduct) 
 before  God.  The  fasting,  as  we  before  observed, 
 is  not  alluded  to;  it  is  a  mere  adjunct  of 
 prayer,  proving  the  earnestness  with  which  it 
 was  undertaken  ;  even  the  alms  are  only  of 
 value  as  prayer  in  action,  as  a  proof  of  the  zeal 
 with  which  Cornelius  sought  to  the  best  of  his 
 power  to  follow  after  righteousness  be;ore  the 
 Lord  That  the  motive  of  these  his  prayers 
 and  alms  was  not  however  the  establishing  his 
 own  righteousness,  but  the  obtaining  the  for- 
 giveness of  sins,  is  evident  from  the  Apostle's 
 discourse  (ver.  43j,  as  also  from  the  expression 
 made  u.se  of  by  him  in  relating  the  circum- 
 stances (xi.  14).  The  whole  history  affords  a 
 striking  testimony  to  the  truth  of  the  words 
 uttered  by  the  man  born  blind  to  the  proud 
 Pharisees:  "If  any  man  be  a  worshipper  of 
 God,  and  doeth  his  will,  him  God  heareth " 
 (John  ix.  31);  or  as  John  himself  authori- 
 tatively states  :  "And  whatsoever  we  ask  we 
 receive  of  him,  because  we  keep  his  command- 
 ments, and  do  those  things  that  are  pleasing  in 
 his  sight"  (1  John  iii.  22).  Without  humble 
 and  earnest  prayer,  indeed,  no  works  can  be  ac- 
 ceptable to  God,  but  neither  can  prayer  without 
 a  corresponding  earnestness  and  perseverance 
 in  good  works. 
 
 In  Luther'3  version,  we  have  the  passage  a 
 little  weakened  by  his  rendering  the  words  in 
 the  singular,  "thy  prayer;"  fur  in  truth  the 
 angel  sums  up  each  sigh  and  each  separate 
 deed  of  charity  in  the  phrase,  thy  prayen  and 
 thine  ahm.  Both  these,  the  alms  as  well  as  the 
 prayers,  are  come  up  he/ore  GihI.  This  lofty  lan- 
 guage is  used  only  by  the  ministering  servant, 
 who  is  now  commissioned  by  God  to  answer  the 
 centurion's  prayer.  Cornelius  himself,  iniieed, 
 though  he  had  never  questioned,  as  the  ungodly 
 do.  Does  God  know?  is  there  knowledge  with  the 
 Most  High  ?  or  whether  it  was  in  vain  for  him 
 to  cleanse  hii  heart  by  prayer,  or  to  wash  his 
 
 hands  by  alms-giving  (Psa.lxxiii.  11-13);  yet 
 relates  with  delight  the  positive  assurance  that 
 had  been  given  to  him,  somewhat  dilTerently, 
 as,  "  Thy  prayer  is  heard,  and  thine  alms  are 
 had  in  remembrance  in  the  sight  of  God"  (ver. 
 31).  These  differing  texts  in  the  same  chapter 
 prove  to  us  that  we  must  not  lay  too  much 
 stress  upon  tlie  mere  letter ;  and  yet  we  can 
 hardly  refrain  from  asking  which  of  these  two 
 versions  was  actually  used  by  the  angel.  We 
 for  our  part  hold  that  the  account  given  by 
 Cornelius  is  rather  to  be  understood  as  a  sub- 
 jective paraphrase,  an  explanation,  as  it  were, 
 of  his  own  ;  and  that  the  more  solemn  expres- 
 sion come  vp  for  a  memorial  was  really  the  one 
 used  by  the  angel.  True,  if  we  inquire  in  what 
 way  Luke  could  have  known  what  the  angel's 
 words  really  were,  except  directly  or  indirectly 
 through  Cornelius  himself,  the  question  be- 
 comes a  little  perplexing.  But  on  the  other 
 hand,  we  might  just  as  well  ask  why  Luke 
 should  himself  have  varied  the  words  without 
 a  reason  for  doing  so.  According  to  our  theory, 
 we  find  in  this  remarkable  deviation  a  slight 
 trace  of  the  Spirit  of  inspiration  by  which  the 
 inquiring  historian  was  led  ;  and  "believe  that 
 when  Peter  (from  whom  Luke  |irobablv  derived 
 his  information)  came  to  question  Cornelius 
 more  closely,  and  repeatedly  to  discuss  the  t  c- 
 currence  with  him,  as  it  was  most  natural  he 
 should,  he  heard  from  Cornelius  the  original 
 words,  and  at  once  recognized  them  as  such. 
 Agreeably  to  such  a  supposition,  all  the  slight 
 variations  of  the  angelic  address  may  easily  be 
 explained.     Compare  ver.  32  and  chap.  xi.  14. 
 
 And,  indeed,  m  whatever  way  we  explain 
 these  variations,  we  shall  find  thai  each  expres- 
 sion deserves  to  be  specially  noted.  In  the 
 words,  "  come  up /or  a  memorial  hi  fore  QrA  '(as 
 in  Mai.  iii.  16),  we  cannot  fail  to  be  struck 
 with  an  allusion  to  Lev.  ii.  2,  9,  16;  Num.  iv. 
 5,  26.  'i'his  phrase  comes  from  the  lips  of  the 
 angel  with  peculiar  filness  and  beauty,  and  in- 
 timates to  the  Gentile  that  henreforward  he 
 stands  on  a  level  with  the  Israelite,  that  his 
 prayers  are  as  incense  before  God  (Psa.  cxli.  2; 
 Rev.  V.  8;  viii.  4),  and  that  his  alms  also  are 
 a  sacrifice  with  which  God  is  well  pleased 
 (Ileb.  xiii.  15,  16). 
 
 "And  now  send  men  to  Jirjipa,  and  call  (to  thee) 
 (a  certain)  Simon,  who  is  surtmmed  Peter;  he 
 Uklgelh  with  one  Simon  a  tanner,  wJiose  house  is 
 fiy  the  sea-side."  And  now  ;  these  words  com- 
 ing after  the  first  clause  must  have  prepared 
 Cornelius  to  expect  some  special  favor,  and 
 with  good  reason  ;  but  it  was  now  to  come  in 
 the  natural  order  of  God's  kingdom  on  earth. 
 The  extraordinary  appearance  of  the  angel  is 
 only  to  point  Cornelius  to  the  ordained  Apostle; 
 ju.st  as  the  Lord  hiniselt",  speaking  in  glory 
 irom  heaven,  directs  Paul  to  Ananias,  and  the 
 angels  leave  it  to  the  shepherds  of  Bethlehem 
 to  make  known  abroad  the  good-tidings  of  the 
 Saviour's  birth.  W^e  find,  indeed,  angels  an- 
 nouncing that  the  Lord  is  born,  is  risen,  will 
 return,  but  the  Gospel  itself,  the  actual  tidings 
 of  forgiveness  of  sins  by  faith  in  his  name,  tha 
 
THE  ANGEL  DELIVERING  PETER. 
 
 37 
 
 preaching  of  the  cross  in  short,  is  never  en- 
 trusted to  them;  that  office  belongs  to  sinliil 
 men,  who  can  speak  out  of  their  own  personal 
 faith  and  experience  (compare  ver.  26  with  xiv. 
 15).  These  ambassadors,  beseeching  men  in 
 Christ's  stead,  are  also  angels,  messengers  of 
 God  (Haggai  i.  U ;  Mai.  li.  7;  iii.  1).  Yea, 
 this  office  is  higher  than  that  of  angels.  The 
 angel  speaks  reverently  of  the  Apostle,  before 
 whose  presence  he  retires  after  having  twice 
 emphatically  referred  to  him  as  the  one  from 
 whom  the  necessary  information  was  to  be 
 sought  and  received.  " Ue  lodgeth  ;  he  shall 
 tell  thee."  Cornelius  is  to  send  to  the  city  of 
 Joppa,  eight  miles  from  Cesarea,  and  call 
 Simon,  tchoae  surname  is  Peter.  This  distin- 
 guishing surname,  the  orgin  and  meaning  of 
 which  the  centurion  will  know  hereafter,  must 
 not  be  omitted,  Simon  being  a  very  common 
 name,  and  the  Apostle  living  at  that  very  time 
 with  a  namesake,  Simon  the  tanner.  Again, 
 the  position  of  the  house,  "  by  the  sea-side,"  is 
 accurately  described.  And  this,  perhaps,  not 
 so  much  to  insure  the  safety  of  the  message 
 which  had  to  be  sent;  for  in  Joppa  we  cannot 
 doubt  that  Peter,  who  had  so  recently  raised  the 
 dead  (ix.  36-43),  was  universally  known,  and 
 could  easily  have  been  found  ;  the  motive  was 
 rather  to  give  Cornelius  a  correct  idea  of  the 
 kind  of  man  he  was  to  send  for — "  He  is  only 
 a  guest  in  Joppa,  waiting  for  further  directions, 
 as  to  whither  he  is  to  carry  the  word  that  he  is 
 appointed  to  preach;  he  will  at  once  recognize 
 in  thy  summons  a  higher  voice  than  thine;" 
 all  this  the  angel  would  signify  to  the  centu- 
 rion. Yes  ;  the  dignified  Roman  is  to  receive 
 God's  word  from  the  Galilean  fisherman.  No 
 mention  is  made  of  the  apostolic  office  of  the 
 latter;  he  is  simply  spoken  of  as  one  Simon 
 Peter,  lodging  with  one  Simon  a  tanner  ;  but 
 yet,  the  man  who  is  to  speak  the  word  must  be 
 summoned  more  respectfully  and  solemnly 
 than  merely  by  one  messenger,  consequently 
 men  are  to  be  sent,  which  Cornelius  rightly  in- 
 terpets  to  mean  the  number  three,  and  chooses 
 two  of  his  household  servants  and  a  devout 
 soldier. 
 
 It  has  been  well  observed  that  the  centurion 
 was  not  sent  to  the  Apostle,  but  that,  on  the 
 con'trary,  the  Apostle's  office  was  to  carry  the 
 Gospel  from  place  to  place.  Again,  Cornelius 
 is  not  directed  to  go  and  join  himself  to  Israel, 
 or  to  become  a  convert  to  Judaism,  but  the 
 kingdom  of  God  through  the  Gospel  now  comes 
 to  the  Gentiles.  Accordingly,  this  first  typical 
 instance  required  that  the  whole  of  the  centu- 
 rion's household,  and  his  near  friends,  should 
 hear  it  as  well  as  he.  No  doubt  Cornelius,  in 
 his  zeal,  would  naturally  have  wished  to  go  to 
 Joppa  himself;  this  being  denied  him,  the 
 same  zeal  makes  him  assemble  kinsmen  and 
 friends  to  hear  the  promised  good-tidings  from 
 the  servant  of  God. 
 
 'He  will  tell  thee"  (will  speak  to  thee  accord- 
 ing to  his  office,  which  is  to  teach  and  preach 
 the  word;  -will  make  known  to  thee)  "what 
 tlwu  oughtcd  Lo  do."     The  whole  life  of  the  cen- 
 
 turion is  bound  up  in  this  question  that  he  has 
 put  to  the  angel,  "  What  shall  I  do?"  (a  ques- 
 tion we  heard  put  before,  on  the  day  of  Pente- 
 cost, chap.  ii.  37).  His  messengers,  to  whom 
 he  has  related  every  thing,  when  they  reach 
 Joppa,  express  the  matter  a  little  vaguely,  b\it 
 very  well  in  their  way  ;  "he  is  to  hear  words  of 
 thee"  (ver.  22).  He  himself  in  his  impatience 
 both  tor  himself  and  his  friends,  to  hear  all 
 things  that  have  been  commanded  of  God  to 
 Peter,  rather  hurries  over  the  angel's  direction, 
 quotes  it  thus  :  "  who,  whfn  he  coineth,  shall  speak 
 unto  thee"  (ver.  32).  But  throughout  we  see 
 great  stress  laid  upon  the  speaking,  the  preach- 
 ed word.  Later,  Cornelius  must  either  have 
 better  understood  the  full  meaning  oi  the  words 
 of  the  angel,  or  recalled  them  more  precisely, 
 and  imparted  them  to  Peter,  lor  we  find  the 
 complete  sentence  given  (xi.  14),  "  who  shall 
 tell  thee  words,  whereby  thou  and  all  thy  house 
 shall  be  saved."  Hero  we  have  the  same  com- 
 prehensive promise  which  was  repeated  in  the 
 case  of  the  Philippian  jailer  (xvi.  31),  and 
 contained  in  the  word  spoken  on  the  day  of 
 Pentecost  (ii.  39),  "you  and  your  children,"  as 
 well  as  implied  in  the  salutation  prescribed  by 
 Jesus  himself  (Malt.  x.  12;  Luke  x.  5  ;  xix. 
 9),  ("  Peace  be  to  this  house"),  and  prefigured 
 from  afar  in  the  spiritual  declaration  of  Joshua, 
 "As  for  me  and  my  house,  we  will  serve  the 
 Lord." 
 
 And  now  the  angel's  message  to  Cornelius  is 
 over,  and  he  "  dejiarts  from  him"  in  human 
 fashion,  as  probably  he  had  entered.  The  cen- 
 turion at  once  prepares  to  obey,  and  gather.«, 
 as  we  have  seen,  not  only  his  household  and 
 soldiers,  to  whom  he  had  declared  all  these 
 things,  but  also  his  kinsmen,  and  all  friends 
 like-minded  with  himself.  The  resist  justifies 
 his  believing  confidence;  the  Holy  Ghost  comes 
 upon  all  these  hearers  of  the  word,  and  being 
 baptized,  they  constitute  the  Lord's  first 
 Church  gathered  out  of  the  Gentile  world. 
 
 CHAPTER  XII 
 
 The  Anqel  Delivering  Peteb. 
 
 Acts  xii. 
 
 At  the  time  of  the  second  persecution,  the 
 churches,  as  they  were  called,  had  in  the  sight 
 of  all  their  adversaries  firmly  planted  them- 
 selves throughoutallJudea,  and  Galilee,  and  Sa- 
 maria (ix.  13) ;  nay,  more,  the  Gentiles  had  been 
 gathered  into  a  considerable  church  at  Antioch 
 (xi.  22-27),  the  Apostles,  however,  still  having 
 their  headquarters  at  Jerusalem.  About  this 
 time  (compare  xii.  1  with  xi.  27-30)  the  Em- 
 peror Claudius  at  length  gave  back  Judea  and 
 Samaria  to  Herod  Agrippa  (the  elder),  so  that 
 he  now  once  more  possessed  all  the  power  and 
 authority  of  his  grandfather,  including  the 
 power  of  life  and  death.  This  prince,  not  in- 
 herently of  a  cruel  disposition,  had  no  higher 
 
THE  ANGEL  DELIVERING  PETER. 
 
 aim  than  to  malce  him?clf  popular  both  with 
 the  Romans  and  the  Jews  (compare  ver.  3  with 
 22,  23),  an.i  the  favor  with  which  the  popu- 
 lace had  at  first  regarded  the  Christains  (v,  13, 
 26),  having  now  turned  to  a  fanatical  hah-ed, 
 the  unhappy  king  thought  he  could  do  nothing 
 BO  politic  as  to  become  the  minister  and  execu- 
 tor of  tlio  popular  feeling.  Accordingly,  he 
 "  sirclchcd  fi/rth  his  hands  to  vex  certain  of  the 
 Church,"  and  naturally  chose  the  more  promi- 
 nent characters  in  it,  going  so  far  as  to  pass 
 sentence  of  death  without  even  the  formality 
 o!  trial !  With  what  impressive  brevity  Luke 
 announces  the  first  martydom  among  the 
 poslles-.  James,  the  brother  of  John,  Herod 
 lulled  with  the  sword  !  for  James  was  one  of 
 the  leading  three  among  the  twelve,  and  was 
 doubtless,  not  unknown  to  the  people  at  large. 
 The  more  retiring  character  of  John,  perhaps, 
 excited  less  enmity,  while  the  powerful  preach- 
 er and  miracle-worker,  Peter  (whose  very 
 shadow  healeU  the  sick),  may  have  inspired  a 
 salutary  awe.  Thus,  then,  James  became  the 
 mark  for  popular  hatred,  was  the  one  of  the 
 sons  of  thunder  destined  first  to  share  the 
 Lord's  cup  and  baptism,  as  predicted  by  the 
 same  Lord  (Matt.  xx.  23) ;  while  John,  on  the 
 other  hand,  agreeably  to  other  words  of  his 
 Master  (John  xxi.  22),  lived  longer  than  any 
 of  the  Apostles. 
 
 '1  he  pleasure  shown  by  the  Jews  at  the  bloody 
 deed  so  encouraged  the  king  to  proceed  in  his 
 course  that  Peter  was  next  taken  ;  but  accord- 
 ing to  the  newly-established  custom  among 
 the  Jews,  his  execution  was  to  be  delayed  till 
 alter  Easier,  was  not  to  be  hurried  on  as  that 
 of  his  Lord  had  been.  Another  opportunity 
 was  now  granted  to  him  for  making  good  his 
 promise  ( i^uke  xxii.  33).  As  he  had  once  slip- 
 ped away  from  prison  in  a  miraculous  manner 
 the  Jews  required  that  this  time  he  should  be 
 kept  safe  indeed  ;  and,  accordingly,  the  custom- 
 ary watch  of  four  men  was  quadrupled,  one 
 party  of  four  probably  relieving  the  other  at 
 stated  times  (ver.  6),  to  being  always  inside 
 with  the  prisoner,  and  two  before  the  door 
 keeping  the  prison. 
 
 James  was  put  to  death,  as  we  have  seen, 
 suddenly.  Peter,  on  the  contrary,  was  impris- 
 oneil  during  the  days  of  unleavened  bread, 
 that  his  execution  might  afford  the  excitement 
 of  a  public  spectacle  to  the  people  This  is 
 reason  enough  why  we  should  read  only  in  his 
 case  and  not  in  that  of  Jaines,  of  instant  and 
 earnest  prayer  being  made  without  ceasing  of 
 the  Church  unto  God  lor  him.  We  do  not 
 need  to  suppose,  like  the  Catholics,  by  way 
 of  lurther  explanation,  that  Peter  was  of  high- 
 er value,  as  being  now  the  acknowledged  head 
 of  the  Church.  We  read  merely  that  prayer 
 was  made  for  him,  which  implies,  no  doubt, 
 petitions  for  the  preservation  of  his  life  and 
 lurther  witnessing  for  the  truth.  (Refer  to 
 the  prayer  in  chap.  iv.  24.  30.)  Dut  prayer 
 was  made  ;  a  little,  yet  here,  significant  word, 
 implying  that  the  murderous  counsel  of  men 
 bad  to  come  into  colhsioa  with  this  strong  ob- 
 
 stacle. And  yet  we  would  not  lay,  as  do 
 some  commentators,  a  quite  exclusive  stress 
 upon  this  prayer  as  the  turning  point  in  the 
 case,  for  we  must  not  overlook  the  fact  that  it 
 was  God's  pre-determining  counsel  which  ex- 
 cited this  fervent  prayer  for  what  he  intended 
 to  grant,  and  who  ordered  the  whole  course  of 
 events  according  to  his  will.  It  was  just  when 
 James  had  succumbed  to  the  tyrant  that  God's 
 power  was  to  be  effectually  displayed,  as  if  to 
 sa.y,  "  Hitherto  shalt  thou  come,  and  not  fur- 
 ther. Peter  shall  not  be  thy  victim  as  well  i  " 
 And  this  was  the  very  moment  for  a  fresh  an- 
 gelic interference. 
 
 We  for  our  part  are  almost  convinced,  from 
 the  tone  of  the  whole  narrative,  that  the  Apos- 
 tle was  kept  in  prison  duing  all  the  days  of  un- 
 leavened bread.  So  long  up  even  to  the  eve  of 
 the  execution  perhaps,  did  the  Lord  keep  silence 
 and  hold  his  hand.  The  next  day  Herod's  sen- 
 tence would  have  been  passed  and  executed  ; 
 but  in  the  night  the  miraculous  deliverance  oc- 
 curred. The  doomed  prisoner,  to  whom  very 
 probably  the  hour  of  his  death  had  been  an- 
 nounced, had  no  positive  reason  to  expect  a  dif- 
 ferent fate  from  that  of  James  ;  did  not  indeed 
 in  any  way  anticipate  the  divine  interposition 
 on  his  behalf,  as  we  may  gather  from  iiis  sound 
 sleep,  and  irorn  his  supposing  the  whole  trans- 
 action to  have  been  a  dream.  He  slept  calmly 
 and  courageously  in  the  near  prospect  of  mar- 
 tyrdom; did  not  watch  the  night  through  in 
 vague  and  anxious  suspense? ;  but,  as  it  would 
 appear,  quietly,  perhaps  joyfully,  resigned  him- 
 ssif  to  God's  will.  AccorJicg  to  the  custom  of 
 the  Roman  Custodia,  with  even  more  than  the 
 usual  precautions,  we  find  that  the  prisoner 
 was  bound  with  two  chains  fastened  to  the 
 arms  of  two  soldiers,  one  on  each  side  of  him, 
 besides  the  watch  set  before  the  door,  "  the 
 first  and  the  second  ward"  (ver.  10).  And 
 thus  he  slept  between  his  keepers,  while  a  large 
 portion  of  the  Church  was  assembled  in  the 
 house  of  Mary  the  mother  of  Mark,  praying 
 for  him  (ver.  12).  But  behold  an  angel  of  the 
 Lord  suddenly  flashed  into  sight,  and  a  light 
 shined  in  the  prison,  as  Peter  saw  in  waking, 
 and  afterv.'ards  related.  Very  sound  must  his 
 sleep  have  been,  since  this  light  did  not  disturb 
 him  ;  so  sound,  indeed,  that  the  angel  had  to 
 smite  him  upon  his  side. 
 
 And  now  follow  three  separate  sentences 
 spoken  by  the  angel,  plain  and  natural  sen- 
 tences, relating  only  to  what  had  to  bo  done 
 at  once— as  it  is  the  manner  of  these  exalted 
 beings  to  speak,  in  the  course  of  their  faithful 
 services  rendered  to  man,  but  yet,  as  we  gen- 
 erally find  the  case,  these  sentences  have  a 
 deeper  meaning  latent  in  them.  Grid's  mes- 
 sengers to  men  deal  in  no  pious  prolix'ty,  such 
 as  we  olten  hear  from  each  other;  use  no 
 trong  language  regarding  what  is  in  no  way 
 extraordinary  or  miraculous  to  them.  The 
 angel  does  not  even  say,  "  Behold,  the  Lord 
 will  not  have  thee  die;  the  prayer  of  the 
 Church  13  heard  ;  I  am  sent  to  save  thco" — or 
 any  thing  of  the  kind.     Neither  is  Peter  to  bo 
 
THE  ANGEL  DELIVERING  PETER. 
 
 39 
 
 wakened  up  on  this  occasion  by  the  naming  of 
 his  name;  but  by  a  stroke  on  lua  side,  accom- 
 panied by  the  most  simple,  and  yet  in  the 
 mouth  of  the  shining  angel,  the  most  lofty,  the 
 most  encouraging  command,  "  Rise  up  quick- 
 ly." And  at  the  very  same  moment  the  words 
 exert  a  miraculous  power,  the  chains  fall  from 
 the  prisoner's  hands,  so  that  he  can  move  with- 
 out waking  his  sleeping  keepers.  To  this  suc- 
 ceeds another  command,  which  middle  clause 
 of  the  divine  message  is  the  most  significant 
 of  all,  "  Gird  thyself,  and  bind  on  thy  sandals." 
 Thus  we  not  only  see  how  that  Peter,  expecting 
 no  extraordinary  interposition  in  his  favor, 
 had  calmly  and  comfortably  prepared  himself 
 for  his  night's  rest;  but  also  that  now  that  he 
 was  free,  and  risen  up  from  slumber,  he  was 
 to  prepare  for  his  departure  in  the  same  leis- 
 urely way.  If  the  first  words,  "  Rise  up,"  con- 
 tained a  promise  'jf  deliverance  from  prison  and 
 from  bonds,  tbis  was  still  more  strongly  ex- 
 ■  pressed  in  this  second  command.  We  do  not 
 wonder  to  find  here  interpolated  by  the  Evan- 
 gelist, and  so  he  did.  Possibly  at  the  moment 
 Peter's  mind  took  in  little  more  than  the  im- 
 mediate fact,  that  he  was  to  arise  and  go  out 
 of  the  prison.  But  on  looking  back  and  re- 
 flecting upon  the  whole  circumstances,  he  must 
 haveijeen  struck  by  what  he  then  saw  to  be  an 
 unmistakable  reference  to  those  prophetic  words 
 of  his  Lord  by  the  Lake  of  Gennesareth,  re- 
 garding his  being  girded  and  carried  by  others, 
 previous  to  his  appointed  death  by  crucifixion 
 (John  xxi.  18,  19).  The  angel  knew  of  that 
 speech,  and  now  by  his  allusion  to  it  gives  the 
 Apostle  to  understand  that  the  time  was  not 
 yet  come  when  he  was  to  glorify  God  by  his 
 martyrdom,  that  he  was  now  free  to  gird  him- 
 self lor  a  return  to  the  duties  of  his  apostolic  of- 
 fice. It  is  true  that  Peter  was  no  longer  required 
 to  remain  and  preach  in  Jerusalem,  as  on  the 
 occasion  of  his  former  deliverance  (ver.  20), 
 but  rather  to  depart  and  go  into  another  place, 
 as  we  learn  from  ver.  17.  Therefore,  he  is  not 
 to  leave  half  apparelled,  as  one  escaping  for 
 bis  life  might  be  expected  to  do.  No,  his  de- 
 parture in  the  power  of  the  Lord  is  to  be  calm, 
 dignified,  and  orderly.  lie  is  not  only  to  put 
 on  his  sandals,  but  he  is  to  take  iiis  cloak  with 
 him  that  the  night  air  may  not  chill  him,  sud- 
 denly waked  out  of  sleep  as  he  has  been. 
 What  a  gracious  condescension  we  have  here 
 to  human  infirmity  ;  what  a  significant  atten- 
 tion to  the  ordinary  in  the  midst  of  the  ex- 
 traordinary ;  what  a  sense  of  perfect  deliver- 
 ance, in  short,  there  is  in  this  third  direction, 
 simple  as  the  words  are  :  Cast  thy  garment  about 
 thee,  and  follow  me."  Peter  might  well  have 
 thought.  Let  my  garment  lie  there,  so  only  I 
 escape  with  life  and  limb.  And  in  spite  of  the 
 rapid  succession  of  the  three  concise  commands, 
 the  angel  allows  him  time  eno;igh  to  put  on  all 
 his  apparel.  Finally,  the  words  "fdlow  me," 
 though  immediately  referring  to  their  present 
 passage  through  guards  and  bolts  and  bars,  and 
 doors  and  gales,  seem  to  us  to  have  a  hilent 
 reference  to  ttlat  "JolLw  me,"  spukcn  by  the 
 
 Lord  to  his  servant  on  the  occasion  before  re- 
 ferred to  (John  xxi.  22).  The  messenger  says 
 so  here,  in  the  name  of  the  Lord,  wlio  has  com- 
 missioned him,  not  merely  to  lead  the  Apostle 
 out  into  the  street,  and  to  the  hou^e  where  the 
 Church  was  praying  for  him,  but  to  send  him 
 back  with  fresh  zeal  and  energy  to  tread  in  the 
 footsteps  of  his  Master. 
 
 Meanwhile,  the  four  keepers  have  heard  and 
 seen  nothing,  as  ver.  18  proves.  This,  in- 
 deed, does  not  surprise  us ;  but  we  find  that 
 Peter  himself  does  not  at  first  know  that  his 
 deliverance  is  actually  accomplished  by  angelic 
 intervention ;  and  how  are  we  to  interpret 
 this?  We  cannot  think  the  observation  made 
 by  some  commentators,  that  every  ceh^itial 
 apparition  leaves  men  beside  them.selves,  is  ap- 
 plicable to  a  case  like  this,  where  so  much  pos- 
 itive activity  was  required.  But  that,  in- 
 stead of  a  vision  seeming  real,  we  meet  here 
 with  a  reality  appearing  to  be  a  mere  vision 
 of  sleep  to  Peter,  is,  we  think,  easily  explica- 
 ble. We  find  in  this  very  fact  of  its  seeming 
 unreality  the  strongest  proof  that  the  Apostle, 
 although  once  before  delivered  by  an  angel  out 
 of  prison,  had  not,  on  this  occasion,  the  slight- 
 est expectation  of  divine  aid,  but  had  laid  him- 
 self down  in  perfect  resignation  to  the  doom 
 that  awaited  him,  since  otherwise  he  would 
 have  kept_  awake  to  see  whether  the  Lord 
 would  send'  his  angel  once  more.  Indeed,  we 
 think  that  Luke  details  the  mood  of  the  Apos- 
 tle with  so  much  distinctness,  in  order  to  lead 
 us  to  this  conclusion.  At  all  events,  it  was 
 \AiQone  that  dreams  (Psa.  cxxvi.),  one  who  can 
 only  believe  in  the  reality  of  his  rescue  when 
 it  is  fairly  accomplished,  that  the  newly-wak- 
 ed Apostle  followed  his  heavenly  guide  (per- 
 haps, like  him,  invisible  toother  eyes)  through 
 the  first  and  second  doubled  watch,  till  they 
 reached  the  iron  gate  that  led  out  of  the  prison 
 into  the  city.  This  heavy  gate  opened  before 
 them  of  its  own  accord,  it  was  not  bnrst  by 
 an  earthquake,  like  the  gates  of  Philippi ;  it 
 was  not  even  visibly  touched  by  the  angel's 
 hand;  God's  own  liberating  might  being  most 
 clearly  revealed  at  this  last  juncture.  After 
 the  heavenly  leader,  and  the  Apostle  in  his 
 train,  had  traversed  one  street,  silent  amidst 
 the  darkness  of  the  night  (the  light  no  longer 
 streaming  from  the  angel's  form),  his  celestial 
 guide  vanishes  from  belore  Peter's  eyes.  Then, 
 for  the  first  time,  the  Apostle  is  thoroughly 
 conscious  of  the  nature  of  the  whole  transac- 
 tion, and  at  once  bursts  out  into  a  joyous  ex- 
 clamation, "  Now  I  know  that  the  Lord  has 
 sent  an  angel,"  not  merely  that  it  was  an  an- 
 gel, but  that  he  had  been  sent ;  for  how  can 
 Peter  help  looking  upward  from  the  servant  to 
 the  Master?  Indeed,  in  ver.  17,  we  see  that 
 he  overlooks  the  angelic  instrumentality  alto- 
 gether. The  Lord,  he  said,  had  brought  him 
 out  of  prison  I  The  hand,  or  the  might,  of 
 Herod  is  the  next  thought  that  occurs  to  his 
 mind;  from  that  he  is  delivered;  but  the  sad- 
 dest refiection  to  his  faithful  apo:,lolic  spirit, 
 13  on   the   expectation    of  the   people   of   the 
 
40 
 
 THE  ANGEL  TO  PAUL  AT  SEA.' 
 
 Jews;  tlieir  glad  expectation  of  his  death! 
 Thus  we  discern,  througli  this  spontaneous 
 burst  of  Peler,  as  soon  as  he  is  fully  come  to 
 himself,  the  state  of  iiis  inward  feelings;  and 
 6ee  that  he,  like  his  Master,  mourns  over  the 
 sins  of  his  enemies  moi'e  ihua  over  hia  own 
 liiisfortunes. 
 
 We  will  not  follow  the  narrative  any  fur- 
 ther, but  merely  glance,  in  conclusion,  at  the 
 expression  used  by  those  gathered  together 
 praying  in  Mary's  house,  when  they  heard  the 
 voice  of  Peier  at  the  door:  "It  is  his  angel," 
 said  they;  it  cannot  be  the  living  man,  it  is 
 his  s/iiric ;  this  must  have  been  the  meaning 
 of  this  remarkable  and  isolated  expression, 
 which  shows  that  the  word  n?igel  was  used 
 amongst  the  community  of  believers  in  more 
 than  one  sense  ;  and  there  is  reason  to  sup- 
 pose that  Pi.ev.  i.  1,  xxii.  6,  16,  affords  an  illus- 
 tration of  this. 
 
 CHAPTER   XIIL 
 
 TuE  Angel  to  Paul  at  Sea. 
 
 Acts  xxvii. 
 
 Before  we  proceed  to  lay  down  indubitably, 
 the  fact  that  there  is  no  record,  in  the  Acts,  of 
 any  angelic  appearance  or  speech  between  chap, 
 xii.  and  xxvii.,  which  last  we  are  about  now  to 
 consider ;  it  will  be  necessary  to  say  a  few 
 words  in  explanation  of  the  Apostle  Paul's  vis- 
 ion related  in  chap.  xvi.  9.  For  there  have 
 been  commentators  who  think  that  in  this  sin- 
 gular apparition,  which  preceded  and  brought 
 about  the  first  preaching  of  the  word  in  Europe, 
 they  detect  the  presence  of  an  angel  ;  nay,  we 
 ourselves  were  formerly  of  the  opinion  that  the 
 guardian  spirit  of  Macedonia,  in  the  attire  and 
 speech  of  a  Macedonian  representing  the  Mace- 
 donian people,  had  proffered  the  petition  to  the 
 Apostle.*  But  when  we  came  to  give  the  sub- 
 ject a  closer  consideration,  this  seemed  not  only 
 doubtful,  but  positively  erroneous.  That  the 
 Apostle  should  (probably  not  in  a  dream,  but 
 as  an  answer  to  his  fervent  prayer)  have  seen 
 Buch  a  vi.sion,  is  a  fact  to  be  classed  in  the  same 
 category  with  the  supernaturally-imparted  in- 
 junctions, or  (more  frequently  still)  prohibi- 
 tions, which  had  throughout  attended  hia  mis- 
 sionary career,  and  been,  in  chap.  xvi.  10, 
 attributed  to  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  in  ver.  7,  if 
 the  original  be  properly  rendered,  to  the  Spirit 
 of  Christ,  with  which  compare  again  "the 
 Lord,"  as  the  words  stand  in  ver.  10.  If,  how- 
 ever, in  spite  of  these  passages,  we  were  still 
 intended  to  receive  the  impre.ssion  of  a  speak- 
 ing angi'l,  it  would  be  difiicult  to  explain  the 
 use  of  so  perfectly  unusual  a  form  of  speech  as 
 we  here  hnd,  the  vision  being  mentioned  as 
 though  it  had  only  a  subjective  reality — there 
 ai'pcnrcil  (a  him  a  vision.  This  sounds  perfect  ly 
 unlike  chap.  ix.  10;  x.  10,  13;  xviii.  9;  and  is 
 
 So  GruL.us;  "  Aii^ili:s  JluicJv. 
 
 much  more  in  keeping  with  chap,  ix,  12.  Just 
 as,  there,  Saul  has  a  vision  granted  him  of  the 
 very  man,  Ananias,  who  afterwards  really  came 
 to  him  ;  so  here  we  have  a  visionary  represen- 
 tation of  the  figure  and  voice  of  a  certain 
 Macedonian,  and  we  may  reasonably  enough 
 conclude  that  at  a  later  period  Paul  actually 
 did  see  this  vory  man  also  in  the  flesh,  and 
 recognized  him.  But  leaving  such  speculations, 
 the  man  was  speaking  as  the  representative  of 
 many  ;  either  of  the  whole  of  his  people,  or,  at 
 all  events,  of  those  among  them  who  desired 
 help  and  the  knowledge  of  salvation,  when  he 
 said,  "  Jlf'i'p  us."  Now,  this  expression  alone 
 is  sufTicient  to  show  that  even  if  there  were 
 any  angelic  agency  in  the  case,  the  angel  here 
 did  not  speak  as  an  angel,  and,  therefore,  the 
 words  have  no  place  in  our  book.  Angels  need 
 and  require  no  help  form  men  ;  and  if  we  were 
 to  suppose  that  the  speaker  in  the  vision  was 
 preaching  the  Gospel  in  Macedonia,  and  asked 
 the  Apostle's  co-operation,  that  would  still  less 
 support  the  theory  of  an  angelic  appearance, 
 for  angels  do  not  preach  the  Gospel.  But  we 
 turn  from  this  obscure  subject  to  dwell  upon 
 the  last  actual  address  of  an  angel  to  man,  re- 
 corded for  us  in  New-Testament  history. 
 
 Luke  narrates  the  Apostle  Paul's  voyage  to 
 Rome  (chaps,  xxvii.  and  xxviii.)  with  a  cir- 
 cumstantiality amounting  even  to  minuteness 
 of  detail,  which  is  unparalleled  in  the  Scrip- 
 tures of  the  New  Testament,  and  which  only 
 the  history  of  Joseph,  and  certain  portions  of 
 the  life  of  David,  are  at  all  akin  to  in  the  Old 
 This  is  accounted  for  by  the  fact  of  this  voyage 
 being  most  inportant  as  a  historical  event,  to 
 say  nothing  of  its  evident  and  instructive 
 spiritual,  we  might  almost  say  its  allegorical 
 character.  For,  although  the  sacred  historian 
 appears,  at  first  sight,  to  be  simply  narrating, 
 in  a  quite  human  way,  that  which  he  had  him- 
 self experienced,  the  iloly  Spirit  was  in  reality 
 so  overruling  his  choice  both  of  incidents  and 
 expressions,  that  to  discerning  eyes  the  whole 
 story  seems  to  be  an  almost  transparent  repre- 
 sentation of  the  Christian's  voyage  across  the 
 sea  of  this  earthly  life.  Danger,  discomfort, 
 opposition  from  without,  and  yet  the  servant 
 of  God  collected  and  calm,  while  wisely  deal- 
 ing with  earthly  events,  in  full  confidence  of 
 faith,  both  as  to  means  and  end  ;  the  whole 
 being  so  overruled  as  to  fulfill  God's  promises 
 and  purposes  concerning  him.  Paul's  journey 
 may  be  very  profitably  spiritualized  thus,  and, 
 indeed  often  has  been.  And  we  may  also  re- 
 mark that,  according  to  the  wondrous  scheme 
 by  which  the  whole  of  Scripture  is  connected, 
 and  each  part  calculated  to  illustrate  some 
 other,  this  narrative  of  Paul's  shipwreck  is  a 
 striking  and  significant  contrast  to  that  of  Jo- 
 nah's stormy  voyage,  a  contrast  well  worthy  of 
 the  reader's  further  attention. 
 
 Thtre  was  fear  and  anguish,  distress  and 
 confusion,  utter  hopelessness  of  life  in  the 
 h'-arts  of  all  on  board,  crew  and  passmgnrs 
 ;il;ki'  (for  even  Luke  numbers  himself  .iininig 
 iiic   dc-paiiiii^,  Ver,   20).     Paul   alone  could 
 
THE  ANGEL  TO  PAUL  AT  SEA. 
 
 it 
 
 stand  firm  upon  the  reeling  ship,  had  light  and 
 cood  cheer  in  the  darkness,  strength  to  come 
 Ibrvvard  as  comforter,  counsellor,  deliverer. 
 With  him,  too,  fiesh  and  blood  would  have 
 given  away,  had  not  his  God  made  known  to 
 him  by  an  arg^lic  messenger,  what  the  event 
 ■was  to  be,  which  he  is  now  about  to  announce. 
 He  begins  in  ver.  21  with  all  humility,  but 
 with  exquisite  wisdom  and  discretion,  to  put 
 himself  forward,  in  a  favorable  light,  to  the 
 worn-out  and  hungry  men  around  him,  so  that 
 they  might  be  disposed  to  believe  his  words, 
 and  be  strengthened  by  them. 
 
 "  Sas,  ye  ahouhl  hate  hearkened  unto  me." 
 It  is  thus  he  addresses  the  men  who  had  des- 
 pised his  counsel,  and  brought  his  life  into  dan- 
 ger by  their  perverseness.  Now,  in  their  time 
 of  need  he  may  well  assume  this  dignified  tone, 
 he,  hitherto  tiie  despised  prisoner,  one  of  sev- 
 eral prisoners  who  were  malefactors  as  well  ; 
 he,  accused  before  the  council  of  his  people,  as 
 one  worthy  of  death  !  Having  thus  remiiuled 
 them  of  the  correctness  of  his  previous  judg- 
 ment, in  order  to  predispose  them  to  receive 
 what  further  he  might  have  to  say,  he  goes  on 
 to  express  a  hope,  a  bold  one  under  such  cir- 
 cumstances ;  nay,  more  than  a  hope,  a  perfect 
 confidence,  as  though  he  were  conversant  with 
 the  decrees  of  destiny  :  "  Tkere  ahali  be  no  loss 
 of  any  man's  life  among  you,  hut  only  of  the  ship." 
 What,  then,  is  the  ship,  helplessly  driven  by 
 the  waves,  to  sink  before  their  eyes,  and  yet 
 are  they  to  be  saved?  This  seeming  impossi- 
 bility is  now  to  be  confirmed  by  an  impressive 
 word,  as  it  stands  here  :  For,  a  word  that 
 ushers  in  the  account  of  the  revelation,  on  the 
 strength  of  which  Paul  speaks, — "  P'oR  there 
 stood  by  me  this  night  the  angel  of  Ood,  wltase  I 
 am,  and  whom  I  serve."  How  different  to  this 
 the  extorted  confession  of  the  prophet  Jonah, 
 flying  rebelliously  from  the  behest  of  his  God  : 
 "  I  am  an  Hebrew,  and  I  fear  the  Lord  the 
 God  of  heaven,  who  has  made  the  sea  and  the, 
 dry  land  "  (Jonah  i.  9).  On  the  other  hand, 
 however,  we  may  observe  that  the  heathen 
 mariners,  when  the  mighty  tempest  broke  on 
 them  daing  their  way  to  Tarshish,  did  after 
 their  fashion  evince  some  religious  sense,  did 
 cry  every  man  unto  his  god  ;  here  we  read  of 
 nothing  of  the  sort.  Glorious  the  trust  and  re- 
 liance of  the  Apostle  amidst  the  horrors  of  the 
 storm  !  "  My  Ood,  whose  I  am,  whom  I  serve  !  " 
 Thus  in  the  presence  of  Jewish  and  Gentile 
 sailors  both,  he  gives  praise  and  honor  to  the 
 only  true  God,  of  whom  he  goes  on  to  speak 
 (ver.  25)  in  all  simplicity,  as  the  God  whose 
 creatures,  whose  property,  those  who  heard  h 
 were,  as  well  as  he,  though,  alas  !  they  did  not 
 serve  him.  He  proclaims  that  this  living  God, 
 the  God  of  Israel,  is  able  to  deliver  those  who 
 serve  him  form  every  danger  (Dan.  vi.  16,  20), 
 and  appeals  to  coming  events  in  confirmation 
 of  his  words.  He  also  gives  them  to  under- 
 stand the  true  nature  of  his  office,  for  the 
 faithful  discharge  of  which  he  is  now  a  prisoner 
 in  bonds  ■  tacitly  appeals  to  their  acquaintance 
 with  his  open  avowal  of  his  religion  through- 
 
 out the  voyage.  He  does  not  shrink  from 
 ipeaking  to  the  Gentiles,  however  incredulous 
 hey  may  be,  of  the  angelic  beings  well  known 
 n  Jewish  theology,  of  those  heavenly  servants 
 of  the  Lord  of  heaven  and  eartii,  one  of  whom 
 had  that  very  night  spoken  with  him,  Paul^ 
 their  prisoner,  standing  belore  them  now  with 
 all  boldness,  in  the  midst  of  the  darkness  and 
 storm. 
 
 This  angel  had  said,  "  Fear  not,  Paul  ;  thou 
 must  be  brorght  before  Cwmr  ;  and,  !o,  Ood  hath 
 given  thee  all  them  that  sail  with  thee."  It  ia 
 even  thus  from  the  beginning  to  the  end  of  Holy 
 Writ ;  from  Gen.  xv.  1,  to  Rev.  i.  17  ;  xi.  10; 
 we  have  these  gracious  words,  "Fear  not," 
 spoken  by  the  Lord  himself  to  his  people; 
 spoken,  too,  so  readily  by  holy  angels  in  his 
 name.  In  Corinth  (Acts  xviii.  9),  the  Lord 
 spoke  thus  to  Paul  ;  in  Jerusalem  (chap,  xxiii. 
 11),  the  same  meaning  is  conveyed  still  more 
 gently.  Here,  on  the  stormy  sea,  the  words 
 of  comfort  sound  from  angelic  lips — because 
 on  this  occasion  the  appearance  of  the  heavenly 
 servant  was  all  that  was  needed  by  him  who, 
 on  other  occasions,  had  had  immediate  com- 
 munications from  the  Lord  himself — and  sound 
 out  definite  and  strong,  because  in  the  Apostle 
 flesh  and  blood  had  really  been  alarmed,  not, 
 of  course,  with  the  abject  fear  of  the  heathen, 
 and  probably  in  a  less  degree  than  the  rest  of 
 his  Christian  companions.  And  this  he  pub- 
 licly avows,  both  that  no  one  may  think  of  him 
 more  highly  than  he  deserves,  and  aho  by  this 
 very  avowal  to  bring  himself  into  closer  fellow- 
 ship with  the  men  whom  he  is  desirous  to 
 comfort.  It  is  as  if  he  had  said,  I  also  am  a 
 man  I  But  he  is  a  man  for  whom  God  has 
 work  to  do,  with  which  no  storm  must  inter- 
 fere. The  sailors,  for  whom  the  message  of  the 
 angel  was  as  important  as  for  the  Ajiostle  him- 
 self, must  have  learnt  from  it,  not  only  that  the 
 prisoner  was  one  who,  in  his  conscious  inno- 
 cence of  any  crime,  had  appealed  to  the 
 highest  of  all  earthly  tribunals;  but  also  that 
 he  was  one  who  had  a  lofty  part  to  play  before 
 the  imperial  throne.  And  to  the  Apostle  him- 
 self these  words  must  have  been  a  most  im- 
 pressive confirmation  of  his  being  in  the  way 
 of  God's  appointment.  His  words  in  chap. 
 XXV.  10,  11,  spoken  under  strong  pressure,  and 
 at  a  decisive  moment,  were  only  a  sudden  rec- 
 ognition of  the  way  open  out  to  the  goal  which 
 he  had,  in  chap.  xix.  21,  proposed  to  his  zeal ; 
 and  that  bold  declaration  of  his,  I  must  alao  see 
 Rome,  had  already  received  the  seal  of  God's 
 approbation  in  chap,  xxiii.  11  :  "  Thnu  must 
 also  bear  witness  at  Rome."  AH  this  and  more  ; 
 his  very  first  calling ;  the  first  question  and 
 answer  between  him  and  the  Lord  :  "  What 
 wilt  thou  have  me  to  do?  " — "  It  shall  be  told 
 thee  what  thou  must  do" — must  have  been 
 recalled  to  his  mind  by  this,  probably  the  last 
 supernatural  intimation  of  things  to  come, 
 vouchsafed  to  Paul.  And  so  for  attentive  read- 
 ers of  Holy  Writ,  these  words  throw  a  prophetic 
 light  over  the  close  of  the  Acts  of  the  Apostlea. 
 "  Thau  must  sta}id  before  Cmarl"    These  are 
 
42 
 
 THE  FOUR  LIVING  CREATURES. 
 
 humble- sounding  words,  compared  to  those 
 once  spoken  to  the  steersman  of  his  ship,  by 
 one  in  like  peril  of  shipwreck  :  "  Remember 
 that  thou  bearcst  CiBsar  and  his  fortunes  ! " 
 But  if  we  consider  them  closely,  how  incom- 
 parably more  sublime  they  seem,  taken  in  con- 
 nection with  what  lollows.  The  lives  of  all  on 
 board  are  linked  with  the  life  of  this  servant 
 of  (jod,  and  saved  for  his  sake !  He  who,  in 
 the  dignity  of  his  conscious  innocence,  had  said, 
 when  standing  before  the  Governor;  "If  I  be 
 an  offender,  or  have  committed  any  thing  wor- 
 thy of  death,  I  refuse  not  to  die  ;  but  if  there 
 be  none  of  these  things  whereof  these  accuse 
 me,  no  man  may  deliver  (give)  me  unto  them" 
 (xxv.  11),  13  the  same  to  whom  the  deliverance 
 of  these  two  hundred  and  seventy-five  trem- 
 bling souls  (ver.  37),  is  now  to  be  given.  In 
 the  original,  the  word  is  the  same  on  both  oc- 
 casions, and  no  doubt  the  Apostle  must  have 
 been  struck  with  this  coincidence. 
 
 The  angel  about  to  announce  this  marvellous 
 gift  to  be  made  to  Paul,  prefaces  it  by  the  usual 
 word  in  all  such  cases,  "  Behold,"  or  "  Lo !  " 
 The  heathen  are  to  remark  the  infinite  love  and 
 pity  for  all  poor  children  of  men — yea,  even 
 lor  those  who  know  him  not — of  the  God  of 
 Paul.  They  shall  understand  how  this  Paul 
 has  borne  them,  even  them,  in  his  heart ;  has 
 prayed  for  them — prayed  for  their  deliverance  ; 
 lor  this  was  a  conclusion  they  could  not  fail  to 
 draw.  Paul  would  never  have  cared  simply  to 
 save  his  own  life,  while  sinners  were  swept  to 
 destruction  before  his  eyes.  He  had  prayed  for 
 himself  and  for  all  on  board  ;  and  consequently 
 the  angel  has  brought  hiin  the  assurance  of  his 
 piayer  being  accepted,  and  announced  to  him, 
 with  a  subhme  certainty,  such  as  became  one 
 conversant  with,  and  appointed  to  carry  out, 
 the  counsel  of  the  Highest :  "  God  has  given  thee 
 all."  To  thee,  the  Apostle,  and  with  what  pur- 
 pose ?  Evidently,  "  that  thou  mightest  preach 
 to  them  when  they  are  once  convinced  of  the  di- 
 vine nature  of  thy  mission."  We  may,  therefore, 
 assume  that  many  were  not  only  saved  from 
 present  death,  but  that  their  souls,  too,  were 
 given  to  the  Apostle  to  be  converted  and  saved. 
 At  all  events,  Luke  in  ver.  44  narrates  the  es- 
 cape af  all,  as  well  as  that  of  himself  and  Aris- 
 tarchus,  as  the  immediate  consequence  of  the 
 promise,  and  we  may  infer  that  the  divine  pur- 
 pose here,  as  in  every  case  of  temporal  deliver- 
 ance, had  a  further  reference  to  eternal  life. 
 
 Tlie  speech  of  the  angel  is  thus  calculated,  as 
 we  have  already  seen,  not  only  to  comfort  Paul, 
 but  to  serve  as  encouragement  to  the  whole 
 ship's  crew,  and  to  fix  their  reverent  attention 
 on  tlie  honored  servant  of  God  from  whose  lips 
 it  was  transmitted  to  them.  And,  accordingly, 
 its  last  words  emphatically  honor  this  man  or- 
 dained to  stand  before  Ca;sar,  this  man  whose 
 nautical  counsels  they  had  indeed  despised,  yet 
 who  was  now  ready  a^ain  to  give  them  counsel 
 whereby  not  only  their  lives  but  their  souls 
 might  be  saved  ;  those  on  board  are  spoken 
 of  as,  "  All  wlw  mil  with  thee."  In  God's  sigiit 
 Faul  IS  the  captaiu  and  steersman  ol  the  vessel ; 
 
 all  the  others  are  mere  subordinates,  only  sail 
 with  him.  Thus  pious  souls  are  ever  the  sup- 
 port, the  pillars  of  the  world,  for  the  sake  of 
 whom  alone  it  is  spared  and  preserved.  Again, 
 spiritual  and  temporal  deliverance  both,  are 
 invariably  linked  with  human  will  and  human 
 obedience.  God's  purpose  is  never  an  uncon- 
 ditional one.  If  the  sailors,  instead  of  listen- 
 ing obediently  to  their  real  captain,  Paul  the 
 prisoner,  are  determined  wilfully  to  let  down 
 the  boat  and  flee  out  of  the  ship,  despite  the 
 gift  of  which  we  read  in  ver.  31,  they  cannot 
 be  saved.  The  murderous  purpose  of  the  sol- 
 diers (ver.  42),  appears  only  to  have  been  pre- 
 vented by  the  centurion's  well-grounded  un- 
 willingness to  injure  Paul. 
 
 It  is  in  perfect  accordance  with  this  state  of 
 things  that  Paul,  in  ver.  25,  should  be  of  good 
 cheer  himself,  and  exhort  the  rest  to  be  so  too, 
 expressing  thus  his  own  confident  expectation, 
 "  I  believe  God  that  it  shall  be  eveti  as  it  was  toUl 
 me."  And,  in  order  that  those  who  heard  hira 
 should  be  able  to  reconcile  the  apparent  contra- 
 diction between  the  predicted  fate  of  the  ship 
 and  of  the  men,  he  adds,  "  Hoiobeit,  we  must  be 
 cast  vpon  a  certain  island."  Some  have  read 
 these  words  as  a  prophecy  of  the  Apostle's,  but 
 to  us  it  seems  that  he  accounts  for  this  know- 
 ledge of  his  by  the  words  "even  as  it  teas  told 
 me,"  and  that  the  mention  of  this  method  of 
 deliverance  had  formed  part  of  the  angelic  com- 
 munication. 
 
 Let  us  also,  although  nothing  special  has 
 been  predicted  to  us,  be  constant  in  our  com- 
 fortable faith  in  our  God.  Without  an  angel's 
 message  to  tell  us  so,  let  us  feel  assured  that 
 on  the  stormy  sea  of  this  world  nothing, 
 whether  in  life  or  death,  can  happen  to  us  but 
 what  is  according  to  God's  purpose,  and  reveal- 
 ed in  its  general  features  in  Gud's  word.  This 
 will  be  enough  to  enable  us  not  only  to  be  free 
 ourselves,  but  to  comfort  others,  with  the  com- 
 fort wherewith  we  are  comforted  of  God. 
 
 CHAPTER  XIV. 
 The  Peaise  of  the  Four  Living  Creatures. 
 
 KeVELATIOM  IV. 
 
 We  have  already,  in  a  former  work,  given 
 our  reasons  for  believing,  that  the  voice  spoken 
 of  in  the  first  verse  of  this  chapter  is  not  that 
 of  an  angel,  but  of  the  Lord  himself.  To  the 
 Seer  of  Palmos,  who  is  henceforth  in  the  Spirit 
 in  a  still  higher  degree  than  that  referred  to 
 (i.  10),  the  Lord  is  about  to  vouchsafe  wonder- 
 lul  and  mysterious  visions  of  Deity,  such  a.< 
 Ezekiel  in  his  day,  heaven  being  in  like  man- 
 ner opened  to  him,  had  been  permitted  to  be- 
 hold ;  and  we  shall  find  that  the  symbolism  of 
 these  later  visions  both  repeats  and  completes 
 that  manifcFted  to  Ezekiel  and  to  Daniel  also. 
 This  lourth  chapter  may  be  considered  as,  strict- 
 ly speaking,  the  begiuuing  of  the  Apocalypse  or 
 
THE  FOUR  LIVING  CREATURES. 
 
 43 
 
 Revelation,  after  the  introductory  epistles  to 
 the  seven  churches  have  been  dictated  by  the 
 Lord  in  person.  We  are  now  entering  upon  a 
 spiritual  domain  where  the  profoundest  and 
 humblest  cautioa  is  requisite,  and  where  most 
 commentators  have  erred  by  too  positive  ex- 
 planations of  mysterious  images.  Our  part  be- 
 ing; only  to  expound  the  voices  and  words  of 
 angels,  we  do  not  purpose  to  write  any  com- 
 mentary upon  the  Apocalypse  as  a  whole ;  we 
 aim  only  at  expounding  so  much  of  the  context 
 as  may  be  absolutely  necessary  to  a  right  un- 
 derstanding of  the  passages  that  lie  within  our 
 especial  province. 
 
 The  throne  shown  to  John,  and  the  on«  that 
 sat  in  glory  on  that  throne,  are  essentially  the 
 same  that'Ezekiel  saw,  and  described  in  the 
 first  and  tenth  chapters;  but  yet  we  have 
 here — how  should  we  not? — a  New-Testaineut 
 element  introduced — we  discern  more  distinct- 
 ly the  new  creation  in  redeemed  humanity. 
 If  that  which  Ezekiel  saw  (i.  28),  and  which 
 we  also  find  alluded  to  in  Isaiah  Iv.  9,  10,  and 
 Psa.  Ixxxix.  37,  was  the  rainbow,  the  sign  of 
 the  covenant  of  grace,  round  about  the  throne 
 of  glory,  we  can  still  less  doubt  that  we  have 
 the  same  image  presented  to  us  here,  although 
 the  lovely  emerald  green  now  predominates 
 over  all  other  colors,  or  even  absorbs  them. 
 And  it  is  in  strict  accordance  with  this  original 
 symbol  of  grace,  that  here,  in  the  New  Testa- 
 ment, the  throne  should  appear  surrounded  by 
 men  sitting  upon  seats  or  thrones  with  crowns 
 on  their  heads,  whom  Ezekiel  did  not  see,  but 
 who  are  now  introduced  before  the  living  crea- 
 tures (comp.  xix.  4).  These  elders,  or  ancients, 
 in  the  council  of  heaven,  once  named  by  Isaiah 
 in  a  moment  of  prophetic  inspiration  (xxiv. 
 23),  represent  by  a  symbolical  number  the 
 Church,  or  ransomed  humanity,  and  their  white 
 garments  evidently  reter  to  iii.  4,  5,  18.  The 
 lightnings,  thunderings,  and  voices  that  proceed 
 out  of  ttie  throne,  are  the  revelations  and  the 
 judgments  of  the  power  of  God.  The  Holy 
 ISpirit  is  represented  in  his  manifold  offices  by 
 tiie  seven  lamps  (compare  i.  4,  5,  6,  and  Zech. 
 iv.  10).  The  sea  of  glass  like  unto  crystal  is 
 a  very  comprehensive  symbol,  about  the  va- 
 rious meanings  of  which  there  has  been  a  great 
 deal  of  needless  controversy.  In  Ezekiel  i.  22, 
 it  appeared  as  an  arch  of  crystal  overhead; 
 here  it  is  significantly  represented  as  a  solid, 
 sleadlast,  transparent  ocean  :  as  it  were  the 
 glorified  (red)  sea  of  tribulation,  on  whose 
 liappy  shores  the  ransomed  may  sing  Moses' 
 song  ot  deliverance  as  a  new  song,  the  song  of 
 the  Lamb  also  (xv.  2,  3)  ;  and  it  also  recalls  the 
 sea  of  brass  in  the  temple,  that  replaced  the 
 lavers  of  brass  m  the  tabernacle,  in  which  the 
 priests  of  God  were  to  wash  ;  while  in  its  crys- 
 tal clearness  heaven  is  now  mirrored,  the  sea 
 of  tribulation  overpast,  the  cleansing  waters 
 needed  no  longer  being  changed  into  beauty 
 and  brightness.  The  image  is  a  more  complex 
 one  than  that  in  Ezekiel,  through  it  has  much 
 in  common  with  it. 
 
 Amidst  the  many  added  or  further  developed 
 
 symbols,  towards  the  expounding  of  which  we 
 would  in  all  humility  offer  some  suggestions, 
 we  may  specially  instance  the  living  creatures, 
 whom  we  met  with  in  Ezekiel,  and  now  find 
 again  here,  in  close  connection  with  the  elders, 
 or  represtatives  of  humanity.  These  living 
 creatures  are  one  with  the  cherubim.  They 
 have  the  same  human  form,  though  not  human 
 faces;  they  have  human  gestures;  they  fall 
 down  (v.  8)  ;  they  use  their  hands  (xv.  7,  com- 
 pared with  Ezek.  i.  5,  6,  8)  ;  they  are,  in  the 
 same  way,  full  of  eyes  (Ezek.  x.  12);  they  are 
 intimately  and  inextricably  united  with  the 
 forces  of  nature,  and,  at  the  same  time,  they 
 have  a  conscious  personality,  and  are  invaria- 
 bly subordinated  to  the  angels.  In  chap.  xv. 
 7  we  find  them  ministering  to  the  angels  hav- 
 ing the  seven  plagues.  It  may,  indeed,  be  in 
 a  measure  true  that  they  represent  the  elemen- 
 tary forces  and  forms  of  spiritual  and  material 
 nature,  so  to  speak,  the  creative  energies  of 
 God  (in  verse  11  of  the  chapter  we  are  now 
 considering,  we  have  an  especial  reference  to 
 all  created  things)  ;  but,  on  the  other  hand, 
 these  beasts,  or  Living  ones,  speak  just  as  the 
 cherubim  do  in  Ezekiel,  and  must,  under  this 
 symbolic  appearance,  be  understood  as  personal 
 beings,  having  an  actual  existence. 
 
 What  they  say,  and  speak,  and  cry  is  not  de- 
 scribed by  the  seer,  as  being  merely  said  once, 
 or  even  repeated  over  and  over  again  ;  but  m 
 his  state  of  rapture  he  was  miraculously  ena- 
 bled, in  some  manner  of  which  we  can  have  no 
 conception,  to  be  made  aware  of  eternal  dura- 
 tion, eternal  continuance  in  the  heaven  opened 
 to  his  gaze,  and  in  the  song  around  the  throne 
 of  God.  "  They  rtst  not  (hiy  and  night!'  This  is 
 equivalent  to  saying,  in  our  human  language, 
 Taere  is  no  night  there  ;  no  need  of  the  alterna- 
 tion of  a  season  of  rest.  We  poor  children  of 
 men,  whose  mortal  bodies  are  doomed  to  the 
 fatigue  of  waking  hours  and  the  inaction  of 
 sleep,  may  well  sigh  and  vearn  to  enter  into 
 tluit  rest,  that  blesse(^  unrcsL  of  ceaseless  adora- 
 tion. How  that  wondrous  song  sounds  in  the 
 language  of  angels  and  redeemed  spirits,  no 
 human  being  in  our  present  state  can  properly 
 express.  Even  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord  could 
 only  convey  some  approximation  to  John  by 
 means  of  the  time-consecrated  phrase  man  owes 
 to  the  condescending  revelation  of  God.  It  is 
 the  same  "  Holy,  holy,  holy,"  which  the 
 prophet  Isaiah  had  heard  from  the  seraphim, 
 which  is  now  employed  by  the  cherubim; 
 "  Holy,  holy,  holy,  is  the  Lord  God  the  Almighty, 
 he  who  teas,  and  lie  who  is,  and  he  who  is  to  come." 
 Here,  as  in  Isaiah  vi.  and  Psa.  xcix.  3,  5,  9, 
 we  have  the  doctrine  of  the  Trinity  very  clearly 
 referred  to.  Tlie  Lord  is  evidently  the  transla- 
 tion of  "  Jehovah,"  and  the  added  expression, 
 (Jod  the  Almighty,  is  generally  used  in  the  Sep- 
 tuagint  for  "  the  Lord  (the  God)  of  Sabaoth  " 
 or  "  of  hosts."  But  in  order  to  shed  a  tuUer,  a 
 New-Testament  light  upon  the  name,  we  have 
 in  addition  tiie  etymological  restitution  of  the 
 Hebrew  Jehovah,  in  three  tenses  of  (he  eter- 
 nal self-existence.     And  although,  in  chap.  i.  8, 
 
41 
 
 WHO  IS  WORTHY  TO  OPEN  THE  BOOK? 
 
 the  same  words  are  with  perfect  fitness  nsed  in 
 epeaking  of  tlieeleinul  Son — he  who  cmidh  to 
 judgment — yet  in  the  passage  we  are  now  con- 
 sidering we  must  consider  tins  adoration  of  the 
 Trinity  as  more  immediately  addressed  to  the 
 Father,  since,  in  tiie  tilth  chapter,  the  Lnmb  is 
 first  introduced  as  appf^aring  before  him  who 
 sitteth  on  the  throne;  as  in  Dan.  vii.  the  Son 
 of  Man  had  been  broiiglit  before  the  Ancient  of 
 Days  (comp.  Rev.  vii.  10).  Indeed,  the  fourth 
 and  lillh  chapters  of  the  Apocalypse,  as  first 
 and  second  parts,  form  together  a'special  intro- 
 duction to  the  visions  that  follow,  of  God  and 
 the  Lamb.  We  may  further  remark,  that  the 
 added  clause  in  Isaiah,  "  The  whole  earth  is  full 
 of  thy  glory,"  which  the  seraphim  proclaimed, 
 is  not  given  here  by  the  cherubim,  because  it 
 is  to  be  kept  back  till  the  further  fulfillment 
 Jolin  is  to  witness  (xi.  15-18 ;  xii.  10). 
 
 That  which  follows  in  the  narrative  of  John 
 (ver.  9),  the  "  glory,  honor,  and  thanks  "  of  the 
 living  creatures,  refers  to  no  new  ascription  of 
 praise  by  them,  but  manifestly  only  points  to 
 the  one  before  given  in  ver.  8.  And  we  read 
 that  when  they  thus  give  t'hanks,  the  elders  fall 
 down.  In  this  harmony  of  praise  rendered  by 
 the  angel-world  and  by  humanity  before  the 
 eternal  throne,  there  is,  nevertheless,  one  very 
 significant  difference,  which  Von  Gerlach  educes 
 from  the  simple,  and,  alas  !  easily  overlooked 
 letter  of  the  sacred  text—"  The  four  living 
 creatures  (or  beasts)  turn  from  God,  the  el- 
 ders turn  to  God,  and  say.  Lord  thou  art  wor- 
 thy." The  primitive  creation  still  manifests 
 God's  glory  and  speaks  to  man,  but  man  is 
 God's  restored  image;  and  while  he  gazes  upon 
 the  divine  glory  m  creation,  he  reflects  the 
 radiance  that  beams  upon  him,  and  speaks  to 
 God  in  his  praise,  "  Yea,  verily,  cherubim  and 
 seraphim  hide  their  faces,  redeemed  sinners  f>e- 
 hold  tcith  open  ft  tee  the  g!ory  aj  the  Lord  "  (see  2 
 Cor.  iii.  18).  We  shall  find  the  same  instanced 
 in  chap.  XI.  17,  as  well  as  chap.  v.  9.  This  lat- 
 ter chapter  (vers.  9,  10)  describes  the  praise 
 given  in  the  new  »ong  to  the  Lamb  for  the  re- 
 demption wrought  by  him,  and  we  must  be 
 carefid  to  observe,  what  has  been  often  over- 
 looked, that  there  the  living  creatures  do  not 
 fiing  and  give  praise  with  the  elders.  No ;  the 
 words  thr)a  hnd  redeemed  lis  belong  exclusively 
 to  those  redeemed  out  of  mankind,  though  the 
 four  beasts  also  fall  down  before  the  Lamb. 
 This  is  the  reason  why  here,  and  here  only,  the 
 usual  order  is  reversed,  and  the  beasts  are 
 mentioned  first.  The  angels  give  praise  togtVur 
 Vith  us  for  our  redemption,  yea,  even  the  ciieru- 
 bim  of  nature  sing  the  Holy,  holy,  holy  of  the 
 kingdom  of  grace;  but  men  lead  that  strain, 
 while  in  chap.  iv.  11,  we  have  man  joining 
 with  the  angels  to  sing  the  praise  of  the  Creii- 
 tor,  for  the  everlasting  Gospel  itself  is  intended 
 to  re-proclaim  the  glory  of  him  who  created 
 all  things  (xiv.  6,  7).  Praise  lor  our  redemp- 
 tion leads  us  back  to  praise  for  creation,  ami 
 includes  praise  for  our  preservation  as  well,  as 
 we  have  before  said  elsewhere  :  and  hero  we  have 
 an  instance  of  this,  since  we  find  the  neio  crea- 
 
 ture, together  with  all  God's  praise-giviner  crea- 
 tures (v.  lo),  praising  wilh  one  accord  at  oace 
 the  Creator  and  the  Redeemer. 
 
 CHAPTER   XV. 
 
 Vv^no  13  Wor.THT  to  Open  the  Book? 
 
 Revelation  v. 
 
 The  remarks  we  have  made,  concerning  an- 
 gels and  men,  in  commenting  on  chap,  iv.,  ap- 
 ply very  closely  to  the  following  chapter  also. 
 An  angel  proclaims  aloud  the  question,  but  one 
 of  the  elders  replies  in  the  name  of  humanity ; 
 it  is  these  elders  alone  who  sing  the  neio  H/ng ! 
 Thus,  in  ver.  12,  the  angels  join  in  their  degree ; 
 in  ver.  13,  every  creature  has  part ;  afterwards, 
 in  ver.  14,  the  four  beasts  say  a  mighty  Amen  ; 
 but  the  last,  the  deepest  worship  is  that  of  the 
 elders.  Such  is  the  alternate  song  of  heaven 
 and  earth  to  the  glory  of  the  Lamb.  He  who 
 knows  that  Lambslaiii  by  living  faith,  and  Ims 
 been  redeemed  by  his  blood,  will  understand  the 
 sweet  inmost  meaning  of  this  without  much 
 interpretation,  will  not  venture  to  doubt  the 
 divine  truth,  nor  to  resist  the  heavenly  author- 
 ity with  which  John  here  speaks ;  no,  he,  too, 
 will  fall  down  and  join  in  the  elders'  worship. 
 They  who,  on  the  contrary,  do  not  possess  this 
 key  to  the  right  understanding  of  the  marvel- 
 lous words,  wiil  more  or  less  be  ollended  at 
 them,  and  will  never  attain  to  their  full  mean- 
 ing, be  their  erudition  or  their  science  what  it 
 may. 
 
 The  book  which  the  seer  beholds  in  the  right 
 hand  of  him  that  sitteth  on  the  throne,  carries 
 us  back  once  more  to  the  visions  of  the  prophet 
 Ezekiel.  There,  too,  we  read  of  the  roll  of  a 
 book  likewise  held  in  a  hand  (ii.  10),  which 
 contained  the  substance  of  his  prophecies.  It 
 is  true  that  Rev.  x.  first  offers  the  lull,  the  ex- 
 act counterpart  of  that  vision,  but,  nevertheless, 
 the  first  book  described  in  chap.  v.  also  con- 
 tains a  sublime  explanatory  reference  to  it. 
 This  we  trace  in  the  very  first  descriptive  de- 
 tails given,  the  book  in  the  present  case  being, 
 as  well  as  that  Ezekiel  saw,  written  within  and 
 on  the  back  side.  This  scroll  (Rev.  vi.  14), 
 rolled  round  a  stick  after  the  manner  of  anti- 
 quity, appeared  (a  thing  quite  unusual)  to  be 
 written  on  both  sides,  and  was  sealed  with 
 seven  seals.  We  can  easily  figure  to  ourselves 
 its  outward  semblance,  but  the  important  point 
 is  to  attain  to  a  right  view  of  the  meaning  and 
 nature  of  this  book  with  its  sealed  scrolls.  In 
 its  jirimary  sense,  we  believe  it  to  be  the  book 
 of  the  futni-e.  which  is  mercifully  hidden  from 
 us  men.  Tiius  in  Psa.  cxxxix.  IG,  we  read  of  a 
 hook  of  God,  in  which  whatever  related  to  the 
 luture  condition  of  each  individual  human  be- 
 ing was  entered;  and  also  in  Dan.  xii.  1,  as 
 well  as  in  x.  21  of  the  same  prophet,  we  liave 
 mention  made  of  i\\e  Scripture  of'  (ruth,  which 
 U  uadoubtedly  the  record  of  iaturQ  sveuLs. 
 
WHO  IS  WORTHY  TO  OPEN  THE  BOOK  ? 
 
 This,  however,  agr-^es  still  more  closely  with 
 the  tenth  chapter  of  Revelation,  where  we  read, 
 in  ver.  7,  of  the  myitery  of  God  declared  to  his 
 servants  the  prophets.  Tliis  b"nlc  of  God  in  the 
 right  hand  of  hini  who  sat  on  'lie  throne,  the 
 boolc  oi  the  future,  or  the  eal  I  up  among  his 
 trmtiiires  (Deut.  xxxii.  34),  was  indeed  aheady 
 in  some  measure  i<nown  on  earth  as  the  boolt  of 
 prophec}'.  Therefore  Schmieder  is  correct  in  re- 
 ferring here  to  Jesus  as  the  expounder,  or  opener 
 out  of  the  prophecies:  "Wuo  could  be  better 
 fitted  than  he  to  interpet  the  dark  prophecies 
 of  the  early  ages,  which  are,  indeed,  nothing 
 else  than  single  leaves  out  of  the  great  world- 
 book,  the  book  of  the  future?"  But  there  is 
 more  still  contained  in  the  symbol,  and  we 
 should  be  very  wrong  to  content  ourselves  with 
 this  primary  interpretation  of  it.  Therefore, 
 pointing  out,  the  analogy  which  it  has  with  Isa. 
 xxix.  11,  12,  and  Dan.  xii.  9,  we  go  on  to  ob- 
 serve that  this  sealed  book,  in  order  to  the  lofty, 
 profound,  comprehensive  meaning  John  in- 
 tends it  to  convey,  must  further  stand  as  the 
 look  ofunivei-sal  history,  as  well  as  of  the  whole 
 series  of  events  in  which  God's  purposes  are 
 first  hidden,  then  manifested — the  book  of  des- 
 tiny, dark,  indeed,  to  the  blind  eyes  of  the  chil- 
 dren of  men  ;  nay,  baffling  the  brighter  eyes  of 
 angels  also.  Truly,  there  is  written  therein,  as 
 Ezekiel  tells  us,  mourning,  lamentations  and 
 woe  for  God-estranged  creatures,  with  their 
 seeming  confused  and  unintelligible  ways.  Who 
 shall  solve  the  riddles  of  this  book  for  us;  who 
 can  still  the  lamentation  of  the  woes  it  con- 
 tains?— the  equally  bitter  lamentations  of  the 
 fruitless  search  after  the  plan,  the  meaning, 
 and  purpose  of  the  whole.  Wlio  but  he  who 
 has  made  known  to  us  the  eternal  counsel  of 
 the  eternal  love  of  the  Father? 
 
 If  it  be  going  somewhat  too  far  to  say  that 
 "  but  for  Christ  the  idea  of  a  universal  scheme 
 (according  to  which  the  whole  of  history  ap- 
 pears as  the  progressive  work  towards  a  defi- 
 nite aim  of  the  Lord  of  Fate  and  R,uler  of  the 
 world)  would  have  been  unknown  among  men," 
 since  this  were  to  overlook  the  Old  Testament ; 
 yet,  on  the  other  hand,  it  is  certainly  true  that 
 the  Old  Testament  itself  without  Christ  would 
 be  an  unfinished  sketch,  an  unsolved  problem. 
 Just  as  the  external  creation,  together  with  its 
 history,  appears  a  defective  and  illegible  book, 
 without  the  aid  of  the  revealed  word,  so  this 
 revealed  word  itself  is  only  fulfilled  and  ex- 
 plained by  the  salvation  brought  about  by  the 
 incarnation.  And  finally,  we  would  point  out 
 that  the  opening  of  this  sealed  book  not  only 
 implies  foreknowing  and  understanding,  not 
 merely  that  "  Christ  holds  the  faith  of  the 
 world  in  his  hand,"  as  Tholuck  preaches  on  this 
 text,  but  this  book  is  also  the  book  of  Provi- 
 dence ;  it  includes  the  execution  of  God's  coun- 
 sel, the  solving  all  difficulties,  the  reducing  to 
 order  of  all  contusion  ;  the  actual  breaking  the 
 seals,  in  the  sense  of  that  last  word,  from  the 
 throne,  when  the  Lamb  is  seated  there,  "De- 
 hold  I  make-all  things  new  "  (xxi.  5).  Facia  lo- 
 jivuntur.    The  opening  of  this  book  is  the  tri- 
 
 umph of  a  conqueror  who  has  already  con- 
 quered, and  who  still  goes  forth  criii']iiering 
 and  to  conquer  (vi.  2).  Throughout  the  whole 
 of  history,  up  to  its  close,  one  seal  after  the 
 other  will  be  opened,  the  mystery  contained 
 beneath  them  all  being  the  mighty  work  of  the 
 redemption  and  restoration  of  the  lost.  It  is 
 this  alone  that  can  unravel  all  confusion,  clear 
 away  all  darkness,  reveal  the  hidden  and  eter- 
 nal purpose  that  has  run  throughout  the  ages. 
 It  is  to  all  this  that  the  question  of  the  angel 
 refers  when  he  demands  who  is  capable  ( because 
 worthy)  to  open  this  book.  And  thus  we  are 
 taught  that  the  history  of  humanity,  written 
 on  the  outer  side  of  the  scroll,  is  to  be  gradually 
 explained  by  the  writing  on  the  inner  side.  For 
 we  cannot  possibly  suppose  that  the  book  was 
 only  written  on  both  sides  merely  because  of 
 the  amount  of  writing,  the  over-abundance  of 
 its  contents.  God  had  no  need  to  use  his  ma- 
 terials so  sparingly ;  and,  moreover,  both  ia 
 Ezekiel  and  here  we  find  a  difference,  an  oppo- 
 sition verbally  implied,  between  the  nature  of 
 the  writing  within  (on  the  face  of  she  docu- 
 ment) and  without  (on  the  back  side).  As  it 
 has  been  well  and  simply  expressed,  "  The 
 causes  of  the  external  events  of  history  lie  in 
 the  writing  within  the  book." 
 
 It  was  necessary  that  we  should  thus  nar- 
 rowly scrutinize  the  nature  of  this  book  with 
 the  seven  seals,  in  order  to  be  prepared  for  the 
 proper  understanding  of  the  angel's  procla- 
 mation. The  book  being  plainly  visible  in  the 
 right  hand  of  him  who  sat  on  the  throne,  this 
 question  amounted  to  an  open  challenge — was 
 equivalent  to  saying,  If  there  be  any  present 
 capable  of  opening  this  book,  let  him  appear. 
 Thus  the  angel  gives  expression  to  God's  un- 
 spoken will.  We  may  observe  that  John  ia 
 now  said  to  have  see7i  his  proclamation,  as  we 
 have  often  read  of  visions  being  heard.  And 
 we  are  also  familiar  with  questions  such  as 
 these,  put  by  the  angels,  merely  to  wake  a  re- 
 sponse. The  angel  here  mentioned  is  a  strong 
 angel,  as  in  chaps,  xi.,  xviii.  21,  that  with  a 
 loud  and  mighty  voice  he  may  cry  throughout 
 all  heights  and  depths  of  the  universe.  And 
 yet  no  strength  of  his  may  avail  to  open  the 
 book:  in  the  work  of  redemption,  patience 
 takes  precedence  of  strength.  It  is  in  the  tried 
 and  enduring  patience,  that  of  obedience,  that 
 omnipotence  must  find  grounds  for  reconcilia- 
 tion. "  Who  is  worthy  to  open  tlie  book,  and  to 
 loose  the  seals  thereof?  "  Most  significant  the 
 testimony  borne  in  these  words !  With  God 
 the  question  is  ever.  Who  is  worthy?  With 
 him  every  thing  is  ordered  according  to  the  ho- 
 liest laws  of  justice.  The  emphatic  significance 
 of  this  question  about  worthiness  includfs  the 
 whole  scriptural  doctrine  of  the  close  connection 
 between  Christ's  person  and  work  (too  olten, 
 alas  !  forgotten  in  our  theology),  upon  which 
 we  cannot  insist  further  at  present.  We  would 
 simply  point  out  thr.t  the  answer  speaks  of  the 
 frevading  of  the  Lion  of  the  tribe  of  Judah,  to 
 do  that  which  we  shall  see  performed  by  the 
 Lamb.     This  reminds  us  that  certainly  the  an- 
 
46 
 
 THE  PRAISE  OF  MANY  ANGELS. 
 
 gel  did  not  proclaim  this  question  as  one  who 
 was  himself  ignorant  of  who  this  prevailer 
 •would  be  lound  to  be.  For  we  find,  in  1  Pet. 
 i.  12,  that  it  is  a  joy  to  angels  (the  cherubim 
 ever  remain  before  the  mercy-seat)  to  look  into 
 the  mysteries  of  grace. 
 
 John  weeps  even  though  he  has  been  caught 
 op  into  heaven  (iv.  1),  because  the  mighty 
 proclaiming  is  followed  (ver.  3)  by  the  silence, 
 the  utter  silence  of  all  creatures  in  earth  and 
 in  heaven,  and  thus  his  yearning  desire  for  fur- 
 ther knowledge  seems  about  to  be  frustrated. 
 But  now  comes  the  answer  from  the  mouth  of 
 one  of  the  elders,  truly  one  of  the  sublimest 
 passages  this  in  Holy  Writ!  It  is  finished,  it 
 IS  done !  Thus  witness  the  redeemed  of  earth, 
 in  heaven  itself,  nearest  to  the  throne!  Weep 
 not,  behoU,  yea,  behold,  that  which  stands  be- 
 fore thee.  He  has  prevailed  (overcome);  here 
 we  have  the  first  significant  utterance  of  the 
 actual  Apocalypse  linking  itself  impressively 
 with  the  close  of  the  introductory  epistles,  as 
 J  aUo  have  overcome  (in.  21).  We  know  that 
 on  the  banner  of  the  tribe  of  Judah  the  lion 
 was  to  be  seen  (Gen.  xlix  ).  This  is  the  lion 
 who  has  risen  up  in  his  miyht ;  the  rod  out  of  the 
 stem  of  Jesse  (Isa.  XI.  1,  10,  liii.  2),  which  has 
 sprouted  and  grown  up  even  to  the  throne  of 
 God.  Jesus  had  shortly  before  revealed  him- 
 eelf  in  glorious  majesty  on  earth  (i.  13) ;  in 
 heaven  he  shows  himself  as  a  Lamb  as  it  had 
 hf-ea  slain,  but  who  lives  and  reigns  with  God. 
 This  i.-5  another  form  of  expression  for  the  fact 
 before  conveyed:  "I  am  he  who  was  dead; 
 and,  behold,  I  live."  In  the  humiliation  of 
 Lis  conllict  unto  death,  the  holy  decrees  of  God's 
 will  were  not  entirely  unlolded  to  him,  the 
 times  and  seasons  of  the  kingdom  that  was  to 
 succeed  his  season  of  sutlering  were  hidden 
 from  him.  But  now  that  the  Father  has  given 
 to  the  glorified  Son  all  power  in  heaven  and 
 earth,  the  book  with  seven  seals  is  delivered  to 
 him  also.  This  signifies  that  he  takes  in  his 
 own  right,  and  receives  as  a  gift  from  the  Fa- 
 ther, the  book  whose  seals  he  through  his  vic- 
 tory iias  already  unloosed.  And  now  there 
 sounds  ouu  before  the  throne  of  God  and  the 
 Lamb  (xxii.  1)  the  eternally  new  song  of  the 
 redeemed,  with  whom  also  the  cherubim  fall 
 down,  yea,  each  brings  his  own  harp,  and  sings 
 Lis  own  special  song  of  praise.  Ay,  and  each 
 too  sees  his  own  name,  and  his  everlastingly 
 Lappy  destiny,  written  in  the  opened  book. 
 We  cannot  tail  to  observe  how  fully  our  inter- 
 pretation of  the  elders,  as  the  representatives 
 of  the  whole  of  redeemed  hunianily,  is  borne 
 out  by  the  exi)ressions  in  vers.  9,  10,  especially 
 in  the  original,  where,  in  ver.  10,  the  toe  passes 
 into  the  third  person,  the  passage  running  thus, 
 "and  had  >/i«fie  Tiiic.M  (all  with  us,  and  like  us) 
 unto  our  God  kin/js  awL  priestH  ;  ami  tlurj  shall 
 reign  on  Uie  e<irth."  Thus  the  four-and-twenty 
 lo.se  their  personality,  being  merged,  as  it  were, 
 in  the  great  multitude  of  redeemed  souls  out 
 ol'  every  kiudred  and  every  tongue. 
 
 CHAPTER  XVr. 
 
 The  Praise    op   Many  Angels,  akd  the 
 Amen  of  the  Four  Living  Creatures. 
 
 RkVEIiATIOS  v. 
 
 In  verse  11  of  this  chapter  we  have  not  the 
 expression  "all  the  angels,"  as  in  chap.  vii.  11, 
 but  merely  many  angels,  although  the  number 
 of  the  living  creatures  still  significantly  re- 
 mains the  same.  There  is,  indeed,  some  quite 
 mysterious  peculiarity  about  these  living  ones, 
 since  they  alone  stand  between  the  throne  and 
 the  elders,  and  then  come  (let  this  be  especially 
 noted)  all  the  other  angels.  That  the  number 
 of  these  last  given  here,  as  in  Dan.  vii.  9,  10, 
 represents  the  innumerable,  or,  at  all  events, 
 numbers  far  transcending  human  calculation, 
 we  for  our  part  willingly  believe.  The  pass- 
 age in  chap.  ix.  16,  with  its  definite  duplica- 
 tion, differs  from  the  indefinite  plural  used 
 here,  and  thus  we  are  taught  not  even  to  at- 
 tempt to  reckon  these  countless  hosts.  Again, 
 we  are  not  told  why  all  the  angels  do  not  give 
 praise  and  worship  here  as  well  as  in  chap.  vii. 
 11,  although  all  creatures  are  mentioned  as  so 
 doing.  It  is  as  though  the  seer  gave  us,  in 
 this  first  passage,  the  first  impression  he  receiv- 
 ed ol  the  multitude  ;  it  was  so  great  that  he  in 
 his  language  could  only  describe  it  first  by  the 
 large  number,  ten  times  ten  thousand,  and  then 
 by  indefinite  thousands  ;  in  chap.  vii.  his  more 
 positive  expression  is  intended  to  convey  the 
 assemblage  of  the  whole  hosts  of  heaven. 
 
 "  Worthy  is  the  Lamb  that  was  slain  to  receive 
 power,  and  riches,  and  wisdom,  and  strength,  and 
 honor,  and  glory,  and  blessing."  Here,  as  before, 
 it  is  evident  that  the  angels  comparatively 
 worship  from  afar,  do  not  address  the  Diety  as 
 do  the  redeemed  of  Adam's  race.  They  have, 
 indeed,  their  own  share  ;  it  is  not  only  by  sym- 
 pathy with  us  that  they  claim  their  portion  in 
 the  blessings  of  salvation  (see  Eph.  i.  10;  Col. 
 i.  20),  but  they  have  not  the  same  near  and  im- 
 mediate right  of  access  behind  the  veil  as  we. 
 Wherever  the  creature  gives,  or,  in  other  words, 
 acknowledges,  the  glory  of  the  Lord  its  God,  he 
 is  proclaimed  worthy  to  receive  that  which  in 
 fact  inherently  belongs  to  him  ;  we  find  this 
 significant  expression  throughout  Scripture 
 (especially  in  Psa.  xxix.  1,  2 ;  Ixvii.  35 ;  1 
 Chron.  xxii.  28).  For  since  created  beings 
 have  no  otlier  words  to  employ  but  such  as 
 they  derive  from  themselves,  their  attributes 
 and  their  possessions,  they  must  needs  give 
 back  to  their  Creator,  in  the  form  of  thanks- 
 giving and  praise,  what  he  has  given  to  them, 
 just  as  in  Rev.  iv.  the  elders  cast  down  their 
 crowns  before  the  throne  of  him  who  is  King 
 of  all.  In  the  same  way  all  the  strength,  tha 
 riches,  the  treasures  of  every  kind,  all  the  wis- 
 dom, etc.,  that  exist  in  the  world,  all  spring 
 Irom  him,  all  revert  to  him,  all  belong  to  him. 
 Every  where  in  such  heartfelt  praise  as  God 
 will  accept,  we  find  the  same  fulness  of  lan- 
 guage that  we  have  eminently  here.    The  dox« 
 
THE  FOUR-FOLD  CALL-COME  AND  SEE. 
 
 47 
 
 ology  in  1  Cliron.  xxx.  11,  contains  five  words  ; 
 in  Rev.  iv.  11,  all  possible  ascriptions  of  praise 
 are  included  under  a  three-lold  heading  ;  here, 
 in  this  filth  chapter,  we  have  the  mystic  num- 
 ber seven,  as  in  the  case  of  the  lamps,  the  seals, 
 the  horns,  the  eyes;  and  in  chap.  vii.  12,  wo 
 find  the  same  number  repeated  in  blessing  God 
 that  is  here  used  in  blessing  the  Lamb.  We 
 will  not  attempt  any  closer  analysis  of  each 
 separate  word  ;  this  has  been  often  attempted, 
 but  never  with  success. 
 
 And  now  every  creature — not  merely  that 
 which  has  breath  or  spirit,  but  even  the  inor- 
 ganic creation  (see  Psa.  cxlviii.),  each  after  its 
 kind,  and  by  its  own  actual  service  (its  fulfill- 
 ing God's  purpose)— joins  in  proclaiming  the 
 glory  of  the  Lamb,  the  divine  majesty  of  the 
 Conqueror.  The  division  into  three  of  the 
 whole  range  of  created  existences,  which  we 
 find  in  Phil.  ii.  19,  as  well  as  here  in  ver.  1  and 
 ver.  3,  may  be  traced  back  to  the  beginning  of 
 Holy  Writ,  and  appears  first  on  the  tables  of 
 the  law  (Exod.  xx.  4).  There  in  its  original 
 position  we  at  once  discern  that  the  water  un- 
 der the  earth  has  the  same  significance  as  these 
 words,  added  in  Revelation,  "  and  such  as  are 
 in  the  sea  ;"  and  that  these  latter  in  no  way 
 imply  an  additional  division,  a  different  order 
 of  existence,  but  that  the  sea,  as  being  a  visible 
 contrast  to  the  habitable  earth,  is  used  as  an 
 illustration  for  the  depths  of  the  underworld. 
 It  is  true  that  the  whole  of  creation  ascribes  a 
 four-fold  praise,  but  this,  as  not  being  especially 
 the  utterance  of  angels,  does  not  come  within 
 our  province. 
 
 And  now  to  the  praise  of  the  whole  creation 
 is  added  the  Amen  of  the  lour  living  creatures. 
 What  a  celestial  liturgy  we  have  here  I  How 
 striking  and  simple  the  adoption  of  the  long- 
 consecrated  form  of  worship  among  the  Jewish 
 people  (as  now  of  the  Christian  Church),  in 
 order  to  enable  us  more  clearly  to  conceive  of 
 the  glorious  reality.  The  most  exalted  ser- 
 vants of  the  heavenly  kingdom,  add  their 
 Amen  to  the  hymn  of  the  redeemed  and  of  the 
 restored  creation,  as  if  congratulating  them  on 
 their  perlect  joy.  Can  any  thing  be  more  sub- 
 lime than  this  Amen?  Yes,  one  thing,  the 
 silent  worship  that  succeeds,  of  the  four-and- 
 twenty  elders,  representatives  of  that  ransomed 
 humanity  which  has  a  fuller  portion  in  this  joy 
 than  even  cherubim  or  seraphim,  a  worship 
 tliat  recalls  the  words  written  in  Psa.  Ixv.  1, 
 concerning  the  earthly  Zion,  "Praise  is  silent 
 for  thee."  With  this  silence  of  the  prostrated 
 and  adoring  elders  the  chapter  concludes,  the 
 genuine  text  running  thus,  "  And  the  elders  fell 
 d/wn  and  wornhijqjed  ;"  in  profoundest  silence 
 worship,  as  before,  in  chapter  iv.  10,  11,  they 
 had  joined  with  the  angels  in  praising  the  Cre- 
 ator. What  an  exquisite  order  we  find  every 
 where  observed  in  this  book  !  What  an  oratorio 
 this  filth  chapter  would  afford,  with  its  angelic 
 proclamation  and  its  human  tears,  its  com- 
 lorting  Behold,  and  its  triumphant  song,  its 
 solemn  Amen  .echoing  on  throughout  the  still 
 moreeolema  silence.     But  who  could  worthily 
 
 set  it  to  music?  Better,  too,  it  should  not  be 
 so  set,  for  then  it  might  be  desecrated  by  pro- 
 fane singers  ;  better,  far,  that  it  should  remain 
 as  it  is,  a  subject  for  earthly  aspiration  and 
 heavenly  performance. 
 
 CHAPTER  XVn. 
 
 TnB  Four-fold  Call — Come  and  See. 
 
 Revelation  vi. 
 
 The  contents  of  the  sealed  book  appear  at  its 
 opening  in  the  form  of  successive  visions,  pass- 
 ing before  John's  eyes  as  prophetic  pictures  of 
 things  to  come,  representations  acted.  The 
 seven  seals,  opened  one  after  the  other  by  the 
 Lamb,  are  divided,  as  is  often  the  case  with 
 this  mystic  number,  into  four  and  three.  It 
 has  been  almost  universally  and  very  properly 
 remarked,  that  these  four  first  seals  deal  with 
 visible  events  passing  upon  the  earth  ;  the 
 three  last  relate  to  the  region  of  the  invisible 
 world,  pointing  to  the  worship  of  sainted  spir- 
 its, the  ju(igment  of  sinners,  and  the  service 
 of  angels  in  heaven. 
 
 The  rider  upon  the  white  horse  (foreshadow- 
 ing chap.  xiv.  14;  xix.  11),  we,  with  many 
 other  commentators,  hold  to  be  Christ,  who 
 very  significantly  himself  appears  as  the  first 
 seal.  The  riders  generally,  and  their  horses, 
 seem  to  be  modelled  upon  those  in  Zech.  i.  6, 
 yet  not  to  have  any  special  resemblance  of 
 meaning.  The  conqueror  on  the  white  horse 
 stands  out  in  beautilul  contrast  to  the  second, 
 third,  and  fourth,  e.  g.,  war,  famine,  and  pesti- 
 lence, which  not  only  succeed  but  spring  from 
 one  another.  Further,  he  who  is  their  leader 
 and  ruler  in  chap,  v.,  has  already  been  named 
 the  Lion  of  the  tribe  of  Judah,  and  according- 
 ly he  is  appropriately  ushered  in  by  the  thun- 
 der-tones of  ths  first  cherub — "  The  first  beast 
 like  a  lion."  He  is  already  crowned  with  the 
 crown  of  triumph  of  his  former  overcoming, 
 and  yet  he  slowly  and  progressively  carries  out 
 this  victory.  Tnis  is  the  plan  upon  which  the 
 whole  Apocalypse  is  constructed.  This,  its 
 first  part,  which  we  are  now  considering,  does 
 not  foretell  certain  isolated  and  definite  histori- 
 cal events  :  rather  it  delineates  a  course  of  his- 
 tory duing  which  such  general  events  will  be 
 frequently  repeated.  The  seals,  according  to 
 Von  Meyer,  "  prefigure  the  general  tenor  of 
 events  during  the  centuries  of  the  Christian 
 era;  the  good  and  evil  that  awaits  Christen- 
 dom, and  has  to  be  gradually  evolved,  in  order 
 that  they  who  wait  for  the  glorious  close  of 
 the  dispensation,  may  not  expect  it  too  soon, 
 and  so  be  disappointed,  and  make  shipwreck 
 of  their  faith."  And  since  Christ  precedes, 
 nay,  as  conquering  warrior  is  himself  included 
 in  the  number  of  the  seals,  and  especially  be- 
 longs to  the  first  four,  we  are  not  justified,  by 
 the  connection  in  which  this  image  appears,  in 
 explaining  it  as  the  spiritual  triumph  of  the 
 
48 
 
 THE  ANGEL  HAVING  THE  SEAL  FOR  THE  SEPwVANTS  OF  GOD. 
 
 word  of  truth  (Psa.  xlv.  4-6),  or  even  more 
 especially  the  first  success  of  the  apostolic 
 ])reaching.  Rather  find  it  prefigured  and  cer- 
 tified that  all  the  succeeding  plagues — all  war, 
 all  human  conquests  and  triumphs  whatsoever 
 (as  for  example,  those  of  Trajan  in  the  first  in- 
 stance, but  also  all  others  to  come  to  pass 
 throughout  the  course  of  history) — only  sub- 
 serve his  triumphs  who  is  the  one  true  warrior 
 and  conqueror,  in  and  through  all. 
 
 Now,  then,  we  shall  be  able,  without  further 
 exposition  of  the  words,  simple  in  themselves, 
 to  understand  the  meaning  of  the  four-l'old  call 
 of  the  four  living  creatures.  In  our  Bibles,  we 
 have  in  all  four  passages  the  very  same  words 
 used,  "  Come  and  see."  But  there  are  various 
 readings  of  the  original,  and  the  latest  criticism 
 gives  simply  the  word  come  in  all  the  verses 
 alike,  whereas  other  authorities  would  read  it 
 in  this  abbreviated  form  only  with  regard  to 
 the  second  seal,  while  others,  again,  would  do 
 so  in  connection  with  the  three  last  seals.  But, 
 at  all  events,  the  meaning  remains  much  the 
 same.  We  hold  that  the  first  call  is  decidedly 
 Come  and  see,  and  the  last  only  repetitions, 
 perhaps  abbreviated  repetitions  of  the  complete 
 sentence.  In  chap.  iv.  1,  the  first  voice  had 
 already  called,  in  the  name  of  all  the  rest,  Co7ne  ; 
 and  since  now  we  have  another,  a  separate 
 summons,  it  can  only  imply  a  coming,  nearer  in 
 order  more  plainly  and  distinctly  to  see  the  im- 
 ages now  about  to  appear :  an  almost  necessary 
 turning  away  of  the  seer's  eye  trom  the  throne 
 of  glory  to  the  series  of  pictures  about  to  un- 
 fold themselves  before  it.  The  same  imperative 
 see  is  still  more  strongly  emphasized  (xvii.  1  ; 
 xxi.  9),  "  I  will  show  thee."  It  is  the  very 
 same  invitation  wliich  the  Divine  I\Iajesty  in 
 the  days  of  humiliation  gave  (John  i.  39)  ;  a 
 simple  phrase,  available  lor  the  common  pur- 
 poses of  life,  and,  at  the  same  time,  a  sacred 
 form  of  speech  applied  in  Holy  Writ  to  the 
 loftiest  subjects,  as  we  see  in  Psa.  xlvi.  8 ; 
 Ixvi.  5;  and  Joel  iii.  11.  We  would  derive 
 from  it,  and  from  the  voice  of  thunder  form 
 out  the  throne,  the  impressive  warning:  Let 
 no  one  seek  to  see  heavenly  visions  orfuture 
 events  without  the  right  vo'ice  calling  to  him, 
 "  Come  and  see." 
 
 But  that  we  may  overlook  nothing  on  the 
 way,  there  is  that  voice  rising  from  (he  midd 
 of  the  four  living  creatures,  which  graciously 
 interferes  to  set  limits  to  the  horrors  of  famine. 
 In  this  wonderful  book  are  many  voices  which 
 prompt  our  questionings,  but  permit  of  no 
 confident  answer.  Here,  however,  it  appears 
 to  us  (I hough  we  would  not  dogmatize  on  the 
 point)  that  it  is  neither  that  of  Jesus  himself 
 — as  many  think,  who  compare  the  passage  with 
 chap.  v.  (3— nor  yet  some  special  angel,  but 
 merely  a  visioaary  voice  interposed  as  accom- 
 paniment ami  explanatiun  to  the  appearance 
 of  the  third  rider.  It  is  sometimes  (iifficuit  to 
 determine  exactly  where  the  voices  of  angels 
 occur,  but  we  prel'er  to  keep  always  within  the 
 limits  of  certainty  so  far  as  we  are  able  to  ap- 
 prehend tiiem. 
 
 CHAPTER  XVIII. 
 
 The  Angj:l   H.wino-  the   Seal   fob    the 
 Sehvants  of  God. 
 
 Revelatios  vn. 
 
 After  the  appalling  prospective  glance  at  the 
 •  liy  of  wrath,  the  wratn  of  the  Lamb,  the  open- 
 ing of  the  seventh  seal,  with  its  seven  trum- 
 pets, docs  not  immediately  follow.  We  have 
 an  interlude,  as  in  the  case  of  the  seven  trum- 
 pets, only  less  long;  an  interlude  which  pre- 
 pares us  for  the  plagues.  The  holding  of  the 
 winds  previous  to  the  impending  storm  of 
 judgments,  is  something  different  indeed,  from 
 the  solemn  silence  in  heaven  which  accompa- 
 nied the  opening  of  the  seventh  seal,  and  yet  it 
 has  a  certain  connection  with  it.  There  has 
 been  a  good  deal  of  very  unnecessary  contro- 
 versy as  to  whether  a  time  of  refreshing  rest  or 
 of  distressing  sultriness  is  hereby  intended,  lor 
 in  the  nature  of  things,  the  one  must  inevitably 
 pass  over  into  the  other,  and  we  have  unmis- 
 takable evidence  of  the  latter  condition.  The 
 period  of  rest,  viewed  under  one  aspect,  ap- 
 pears certainly  favorable  for  the  sealing  or 
 securing  from  hurt  of  God's  servants;  but,  on 
 the  other  hand,  such  a  preternatural  stillness 
 always  contains,  for  understanding  minds,  a 
 prophecy  and  threat  of  woe  to  come.  Experi- 
 enced sailors  tremble  when  the  wind  goes  en- 
 tirely down,  and  in  the  garden  of  the  King, 
 mentioned  in  the  Song  of  Solomon  (iv.  16), 
 the  living  water  and  tlie  sunshine  are  not  more 
 necessary  than  the  blowing  of  the  north  and 
 south  wind  in  order  that  the  spices  may  flow 
 out. 
 
 The  four  winds  from  the  four  corners  or  ends 
 of  the  earth  (the  four  quarters  of  the  earth,  ilk. 
 8),  or,  as  in  Zech.  vi.  5,  of  heaven  (compare 
 also  Dan.  viii.  8 ;  xi.  4).  appear,  in  their  pri- 
 mary sense,  to  be  a  natural  image,  like  the 
 winds  that  scatter  the  people  of  Isreal  (Jer. 
 xlix.  36),  or  the  four  striving  winds,  in  Dan. 
 vii.  2.  But  in  the  Apocalypse,  such  images 
 have  always  a  latent  reference  to  the  powers 
 of  the  spiritual  world  ;  we  see  this  exemplified 
 in  the  four  angels  who  hold  or  loose  the  winds 
 (for  we  find  in  the  second  ver.  that  this  latter 
 office  is  equally  theirs)  ;  and  the  comparison 
 of  this,  their  restraining  of  the  hurling  influ- 
 ences, with  the  fact  of  the  four  angels  bound 
 ( ix.  14),  seems  actually  to  point  not  certainly  to 
 firnl  angels  having  some  immediate  sway  over 
 the  forces  of  nature  and  the  events  of  history, 
 but  to  that  agency  of  angels  of  wrath  and  woe, 
 ministering  servants  to  the  Lord's  displeasure, 
 which  this  book  so  often  reveals  to  us.  If  this 
 be  so,  then  the  four  winds  held  by  the  four  an- 
 gels, are,  in  point  of  fact,  four  other  angels  not 
 bound  as  being  in  themselves  had,  only  prohib- 
 ited for  a  time  from  exercising  the  power  to 
 hurt,  which  they  had  previously  received  from 
 God  as  a  general  commission.  Tlie  earth,  or 
 land,  may  perhaps  signify  Christendom,  as  the 
 more  immediate  object  of  iaterest ;  V^  sea,  the. 
 
THE  ANGEL  HAVING  THE  SEAL  FOR  THE  SERVANTS  OF  GOD. 
 
 49 
 
 heathen  and  distant  nations  ;  and  to  these  are 
 added  the  trees,  which,  according  to  the  sym- 
 bolical language  of  prophecy,  may  here  stand 
 •for  kingdoms  or  kings. 
 
 Every  where  in  the  Apocalypse  we  have 
 abundant  illustration  of  difference  of  rank  in 
 the  spirit  and  angel  world.  In  this  particular 
 passage,  we  have  the  command  (enforced  in 
 action),  by  some  angels  to  others,  not  to  begin 
 their  work,  further  enforced  by  a  loud  voice 
 heard  by  the  seer,  the  voice  of  another  angel, 
 one  still  higher  in  nature  and  office.  He  now 
 ascends  in  visible  majesty,  shining  from  the 
 east,  as  one  of  the  four  corners  of  the  heaven  ; 
 from  the  east,  out  of  which  the  Sun  of  salva- 
 t.jn  has  shone  out  upon  the  earth,  and  utters 
 his  express  command  by  a  loud  cry,  "  Hold ! 
 not  yet."  He  it  is  who,  before  the  activity  of 
 those  subordinate  angels  begins,  has  work  of 
 his  own  given  him  to  do  ;  he  it  is  who  holds 
 in  his  hands  the  seal  of  the  living  God.  Not 
 indetid  that  it  is  necessary  to  suppose  that  in 
 reality  an  individual  angel  did  accomplish  this 
 sealing:  but  he  was  appointed;  and  this  re- 
 mark applies  to  all  the  similar  features  of  the 
 vision — appointed  to  afford  John  a  visible  rep- 
 resentation of  a  spiritual  reality.* 
 
 "  And  the  angel  said,  Hart  noi  the  earth,  neither 
 the  sea,  nor  the  trees,  till  icehave  sealed  the  ser- 
 vants of  our  God  in  their  foreheads!"  This 
 sealing,  which  is  also  in  a  certain  degree  a  se- 
 curing or  defending  against  hurt,  a  sealing  up, 
 signities  primarily  a  seal  of  confirmation,  a 
 mark,  a  distinction,  such  as  it  was  customary 
 in  the  East  in  days  of  old  to  confer;  and  here 
 the  seal  of  the  living  God  is  placed  in  holy  con- 
 trast to  the  idolatrous  and  blasphemous  mark 
 ot  l.ie  beast;  and,  as  in  chap.  xui.  17,  this 
 mark  is  interpreted  as  the  name  of  the  b^ast, 
 or  ihe  numLier  of  his  name,  so  in  chap,  xiv  1, 
 (lii.  12),  and  again  in  chap.  xxii.  4,  we  read  of 
 the  name  of  the  Lamb,  and  of  his  Father, 
 written  on  the  foreheads  of  the  saints.  And, 
 as  in  Ezekiel  ix.  4,  we  read  of  a  mark  set  upon 
 the  foreheads  of  the  men  that  sigh  and  cry  for 
 all  the  abominations  of  Jerusalem  ;  and  in 
 Eph.  iv.  30,  find  that  believers  generally  are 
 spoken  of  as  sealed  unto  tiie  day  of  redemp- 
 tion ;  so  here  we  have  a  more  special  and  re- 
 stricted sealing  for  a  certain  number  of  the 
 elect  before  the  impending  judgment.  Com- 
 pare Matt.  xxiv.  31  ;  Psa.  cvii.  3.  Whether 
 and  how  this  was  to  be  historically  fultilled, 
 will  come  later  under  consideration.  The 
 words  of  the  angel  are  at  first  quite  general, 
 being  applicable  tj  all  the  servants  of  God,  to 
 those  who  are  faithful,  submissive,  active  in 
 their  obedience — as  this  honorable  Old-Testa- 
 ment appellation  implies  in  the  Book  of  Reve- 
 lation, lioin  tir.<t  to  last,  from  chaps,  i.  1,  ii.  20, 
 to  xxii.  36  ;  and  there  is  a  remark  of  Harms, 
 when  preaching  on  the  prophecies  of  Daniel, 
 which  we  may  very  prolitably  apply  to  this 
 passage :  "  They  that  are  sealed  are  not  future 
 
 *  We  read-in  ver.  1,  not  "  After  tliese  things  it 
 eaine  to  pass,"  but  "  After  these  things  J  saw." 
 
 servants  of  the  Lord,  not  those  who  will  after- 
 wards become  so,  but  who  actually  are  so  now- 
 Let  this  sink  into  our  own  hearts.  L«t  us  ask 
 ourselves,  '  Am  I,  are  we  sealed?'  " 
 
 We  go  on  to  read  :  "  TiU  we  seai."  Thus 
 speaks  the  mighty  angel,  like  to  a  prince  hav- 
 ing many  servants  and  helpers  at  command, 
 yet  humbly  numbering  himself  among  them, 
 which  is  an  image  of  much  holy  signiticance. 
 T/ie  sei'vants  of  our  God,  for  the  angels,  from 
 the  highest  to  the  lowest,  are  all  fellow-servants 
 with  us  of  the  God  whom  we  alike  adore.  On 
 their  foreheads  (as  in  Ezekiel),  the  mark  and 
 seal  of  God  is  to  be  thus  stamped  on  the  chil- 
 dren of  men,  because  it  is  the  face,  especially 
 the  brow,  on  which  individual  character  is  most 
 clearly  read  by  the  beholder,  so  that  the  ex- 
 pression written  on  his  forehead  is  become  cur- 
 rent in  our  daily  speech.  The  beast  indeed 
 has  his  servants  "marked  in  their  right  hand-?, 
 as  well  denoting  thus  their  outward  conduct; 
 but  the  living  God  distinguishes  his  own,  as 
 formerly  the  high  priests  ot  Israel  were  distin- 
 guished by  the  golden  inscription  upon  the 
 brow,  "  Holiness  to  the  Lord."  True,  it  often 
 remains  unknown  and  unread  by  men,  a  secret 
 they  do  not  share.  "The  Lord"  (and  the 
 Lord  only)  "  knoweth  them  that  are  his."  But, 
 on  the  other  hand,  in  the  case  of  many  and 
 many  an  elect  soul,  the  departing  from  iniqui- 
 ty, because  they  name  the  name  of  Clirist  in 
 sincerity  and  truth,  is  open  and  manifest  to 
 the  world.  And  thus  the  holy  seal  is  still  seen 
 shining  out  of  the  East,  preserving  from  hurt, 
 and  commanding  reverence. 
 
 But  all  this  is  merely  a  general  application 
 of  the  angel's  speech.  The  thorough  exposition 
 of  its  special  meaning  now  demands  a  few  words 
 regarding  the  sealed  ones  enumerated  in  Vers. 
 4-8,  the  number  of  whom  h^  heard,  as  well  as 
 their  names  called  over  to  him,  in  all  probabili- 
 ty by  the  same  angel.  And  first  of  all  we  protest 
 against  exegetical  subtleties  which  would  con- 
 tradict the  evident  meaning  of  the  text,  by  con- 
 founding the  hundred  andtorty  and  four  thou- 
 sand, who  are  represented  as  still  living  on  the 
 earth,  and  sealed  against  the  impending  plagues 
 that  are  to  desolate  it,  with  the  worshippers 
 before  the  throne  spoken  of  in  ver.  9  ;  and  the 
 more  that  whereas  the  first  are  "  of  all  (he  tribes 
 of  (he  children  of  Israel,"  the  second  are  gath- 
 ered out  of  all  nations  and  kindreds  and 
 tongues.  Nor  ia  it  possible  to  amalgamate  the 
 two  passages  by  supposing  that  tribes  only 
 typfied  the  spiritual  Israel,  since,  in  the  former 
 case,  John  gives  a  definite  number  to  the  sealed; 
 m  the  latter  he  speaks  of  the  worshippers  asi  a 
 multitude  which  no  man  could  number.  And 
 although,  indeed,  the  Rt-velation  of  John  makes 
 no  distinct  mention  of  the  restoration  of  tiie 
 Jews,  and  their  latter-day  glory  in  their  own 
 land,  yet  a  distinction  between  Israel  and  the 
 others  nations  is  recognized  as  enduring,  as  by 
 no  means  utterly  abolished  in  the  kingdom  of 
 Christ.  Certainly,  it  is  not  in  their  cliaracter 
 of  Israelites,  but  as  the  servants  of  Goi  that 
 these  chosen  ones  are  sealed;  but  still  they  ara 
 
50 
 
 THE  WORSHIP  OF  ALL  THE  ANGELS— THE  THREE-FOLD  WOE. 
 
 clearly  dpscribed  as  being  of  Israel  after  the 
 flesh.  We,  (or  our  part,  maintain — although 
 fully  to  substantiate  our  views  would  require  a 
 commentary  on  the  whole  of  the  Apocalypse — 
 tliat  it  is  not  only  the  plagues  of  the  latter 
 times  that  are  here  spoken  of,  and  that  the 
 sealed  are  not  those  exclusively  who  are  to 
 survive  the  "end  of  days,"  but  that  we  are 
 simply  to  understand  by  these  sealed  ones  the 
 remnant  of  Israel  (Rom.  xi.  5),  which  the 
 ^even  thousand  reserved  in  the  days  of  Elijah 
 typified.  According  to  Bengel,  "Soon  after 
 the  time  of  John,  great  calamities  fell  upon  the 
 earth,  especially  upon  the  Jewish  people  ;  but 
 there  was  a  remnant  chosen  out  of  them,  which 
 was  to  endure,  and  to  be  preserved  through 
 those  and  through  all  succeeding  calamities 
 unto  now."  In  the  same  spirit  Von  Meyer  ob- 
 serves, "  This  sealing  has  a  prophetic  reference 
 to  all  future  time  of  earthly  storm  and  tribu- 
 lation, such  scenes  being  present  to  the  seer  in 
 his  visions."  Yes,  we  are  here  assured,  in  a 
 marvellous  manner,  and  one  that  abases  our 
 presumptuous  conjectures,  that  the  Lord  has 
 not  only  watched  over  and  led  his  people 
 Israel  throughout  all  ages — of  which,  indeed, 
 we  have  historical  evidence  before  our  eyes — 
 but  that  he  also  recognizes  and  registers  the 
 posterity  of  those  still  existing  ten  tribes, 
 which  are  so  mixed  up  with  other  nation  as  to 
 be  undiscoverable  by  us.  The  order  in  which 
 the  twelve  tribes  here  stand  differs  from  that 
 elsewhere  observed  in  Scripture,  which  leads  us 
 to  infer  some  special  reason  for  this  particular 
 arrangement.  First,  we  have  the  two  brothers, 
 L'.-ah's  sons,  Judah  the  prince  taking  prece- 
 dence of  Reuben,  the  first-born  ;  then  the  two 
 Ki>ns  of  Leah's  maid  ;  then  Naphtali,  son  ot 
 Rachel's  maid,  Bilhah,  with  Manasseh  put  in 
 the  place  of  Dan  ;  then,  again,  two  of  Leah's 
 fhier,  and  her  two  younger  sons;  lastly,  the 
 brotliers  borne  to  Jacob  by  his  beloved  Rachel, 
 Joseph  standing  in  the  place  of  Ephraim,  as  in 
 Amos  vi.  G,  and  Psa.  Ixxx.  1. 
 
 That  Levi,  after  the  removal  of  his  priest- 
 hood, should  appear  in  the  list  of  the  tribes, 
 was  necessary.  But  the  reason  why  Dan 
 should  be  the  one  omitted,  in  order  that  the 
 r umber  be  kept  to  twelve,  and  yet  Joseph's 
 d'.)ul)le  claim  preserved,  is  as  yet  a  mystery. 
 Finally,  we  would  just  state  here  our  convic- 
 tion that  (he  hundred  and  forty-four  thousand 
 virgin  souls  who  appear  following  the  Lamb 
 in  chap,  xiv.,  are  not  to  be  identified  with  the 
 fame  number  of  sealed  out  of  the  tribes  of 
 Israel. 
 
 CHAPTER  XIX. 
 
 The  Worship  of   all   the   Angels. 
 
 Revelation  vii. 
 
 One  of  the  most  intelligible,  yet  plorious 
 passages  of  th;8  book,  one  that  requires  com- 
 mentary less  than  any  other,  is  this,  which 
 
 relates  to  the  countless  hosts  of  the  blessed  be- 
 fore the  throne,  to  their  glorious  apparel,  and 
 their  songs  of  praise.  The  Christian  Church 
 has  always  appropriated  this  lofty  .strain  to  it3 
 most  sacred  uses.  As  in  chap.  iv.  10  we  saw 
 the  crowned  elders  cast  their  crowns  of  gold 
 down  before  the  throne, so  here  the  great  mul- 
 titude of  the  saved  and  redeemed  ascribed 
 their  salvation,  their  redemption  out  of  great 
 tribulation,  to  God  and  to  the  Lamb. 
 
 It  is  true  that  all  theangeU  cannot  praise  and 
 thank  God  in  quite  the  same  way  as  this,  but 
 they,  too,  after  their  manner,  do  thank  and 
 praise  him  with  us  and  for  us,  do  take  delight 
 in  and  return  thanks  for  our  blessedness  here, 
 as  before,  in  chap.  v.  11,  12.  There  they  wor- 
 ship the  Lamb  ;  here,  on  the  other  hand,  we 
 read  God,  our  God.  But  both  are  one;  the 
 worship  and  its  objects  are  essentially  the  same. 
 Still,  that  we  may  not  imagine  the  fulness  of 
 celestial  liturgies  to  be  adequately  represented 
 by  an  unvarying  formula,  we  here  find  some 
 differences  in  the  order  of  the  seven-fold  ascrip- 
 tion of  praise.  In  the  fifth  chapter,  the  hymn 
 concluded  with  "  honor,  and  glory,  and  bless- 
 ing;" here  it  begins  with  "  blessing  and  glory." 
 Wisdom,  power,  and  might  we  have  in  both, 
 but  here  honor  precedes  power  and  might. 
 And  here,  too  (instead  of  riches),  we  have  a 
 new  word  of  praise  in  the  middle  of  the  sen- 
 tence, thanksgiving  precedes  honor.  Also  the 
 solemn  "  Amen"  of  the  four  living  creatures  in 
 chap.  V.  is  here  spoken  by  all  the  angels,  and 
 the  elders  as  well;  and  it  is  also  doubled,  used 
 at  the  beginning,  as  well  as  at  the  close  of  the 
 doxology,  or  in  all  probability,  according  to 
 the  most  correct  reading  of  the  original,  at  the 
 beginning  only,  thus  leaving  the  strongest  em- 
 phasis to  dwell  on  the  closing  words,  "Jorecer 
 and  ever." 
 
 CHAPTER  XX. 
 
 The  Three-fold  Woe. 
 
 Revelation  viii. 
 
 In  heaven  itsrlf,  so  full  of  the  melody  of 
 praise  and  the  activity  of  immortal  life,  silence 
 prevails  for  a  while,  the  silence  of  expectation, 
 while  the  Lamb  opens  the  seventh  seal — the 
 last.  Whether  (here  was,  or  ever  will  be,  a 
 corresponding  period  of  repose  upon  earth  we 
 may  indeed  ask.  but  the  text  affords  us  no  cer- 
 tain answer.  We  merely  n  ad  of  what  further 
 happened  in  heaven,  not  certainly,  as  many 
 have  supposed,  during  the  silence,  but  after 
 this  preparatory  pause,  and  as  the  beginning 
 of  the  events  consequent  upon  the  opening  ot 
 the  last  seal.  "  The  ntven  angelswhirh  dand  lie.fvrt 
 G(mI  "  (possibly  archangelsj,  are  seen  by  John, 
 and  to  these  exalted  angels  seven  trumpets  ore 
 given,  with  whose  contents  or  consequences  the 
 whole  remainder  of  his  revelation  is  more  or 
 less  concerned. 
 
 These  trumpets  are  not  to  be  understood,  as 
 
THE  THREE-FOLD  WOE. 
 
 51 
 
 iome  have  supposed,  to  be  merfly  an  image  of 
 the  far-sounding  and  world-wide  notoriety  of 
 the  impending  events,  akin  to  the  trumpet  at- 
 tributed to  lame  in  classical  language.  The 
 angels  are  not  to  be  employed  in  making  known 
 on  earth  what  has  already  taken  place,  but  in 
 giving  the  signal  for  what  is  yet  to  happen. 
 The  signal  is  derived  from  the  sacred  imagery 
 of  the  Old  Testament,  where  we  find  that  the 
 trumpets  of  Israel  were  alike  sounded  to  gather 
 together  the  congregation  of  the  Lord,  and  to 
 give  the  signal  for  battle.  In  the  New  Testa- 
 ment, we  find  both  these  applications  of  the 
 image.  In  Matt.  xxiv.  Si,  our  Lord  uses  it  in 
 the  first  sense  when  he  speaks  of  the  gathering 
 of  the  elect;  Paul,  again,  applies  it  to  illustrate 
 the  preparation  for  conflict  at  the  call  of  the 
 word,  while  in  chap.  xv.  22,  and  1  Thess.  iv. 
 16,  we  read  of  the  last  trumpet  that  heralds 
 the  resurrection.  John,  in  the  Revelatioi., 
 however,  generally  employs  the  symbol  as  the 
 signal  to  battle  and  distess,  woe  and  judg- 
 ment. 
 
 And  now  all  proceeds  with  slow  and  solemn 
 deliberation,  between  the  giving  of  the 
 trumpets,  and  the  preparing  of  the  angels  to 
 sound  them,  we  have  an  interlude,  during 
 which  aiioLher  angel  appears  in  heaven,  which 
 continues  to  open  out  more  and  more  widely  to 
 the  gaze  of  the  seer.  A  golden  altar  before 
 the  throne,  an  altar  of  incen-seand  burnt-offer- 
 ing, resembling  the  earthly  types  in  the  origin- 
 al temple,  now  becomes  visible. 
 
 The  office  of  this  other  angel,  is  fi:  st  of  all  to 
 add  the  offering  of  much  incenae  to  the  prayers 
 of  the  saints  (v.  8),  which  accompany  the 
 divine  judgments,  thus  lending  them  new 
 strength  out  of  the  sanctuary.  Next,  he  takes 
 fire  Irom  tlie  altar,  fills  the  c&nser  with  it,  and 
 casts  it  upon  the  earth,  thus  symbolizing  the 
 burning  fire  of  the  zeal  of  the  Lord  of  hosts, 
 as  well  as  the  praying  zeal  of  his  people,  and 
 thus  solemnly  announcing — accompanied  by 
 voices,  thunderings,  lightnings,  and  an  earth- 
 quake— the  divine  judgments  about  to  fall 
 upon  the  earth. 
 
 Tlie  first  four  trumpets,  like  the  first  four 
 seals,  are  the  most  intimately  connected,  and 
 they  rapidly  succeed  each  other.  Between 
 these  four,  and  the  last  three,  the  terrors  and 
 horrors  that  take  place  are  brought  to  a  mighty 
 climax  by  the  dread  interlude  of  a  special  an- 
 gelic cry,  which  we  now  proceed  to  comment 
 upon.  This  cry  is  that  of  an  angel,  for 
 although  the  literal  words  of  the  seer,  in  the 
 original,  imply  that  what  he  saw  and  heard 
 was,  in  point  of  fact,  an  eagle,  yet  on  conipar- 
 inu'  the  passage  with  chap.  xiv.  6,  and,  indeed, 
 from  the  very  nature  of  the  case,  we  cannot 
 suppose  that  between  visions  so  solemn  as 
 these  the  image  of  merely  a  speaking  animal 
 would  be  introduced.  No  ;  it  is  an  angel  of 
 jndginent  represented  under  this  figure,  with 
 relerence  to  the  significant  mention  ot  the  eagle 
 Ihrougliout  Holy  Writ  (the  vulture  being  in- 
 cluded under  that  name),  as  the  appointed 
 devourer  oPall  that  is  vile  and  refuse.     See 
 
 Job  ix.  26;  xxxix.  30;  Hab.  i.  8;  and  even 
 Deut.  xxviii.  49.  Compare  with  these  passages 
 that  in  Matt,  xxiv.,  where  the  Lord  himself 
 reveals  the  meaning  of  the  emblem  by  the  fun- 
 damental law  of  all  God's  judgments,  which 
 only  strike  at  what  is  already  corrupt,  and 
 remove  that  which  is  ready  to  vanish  away. 
 Perhaps  there  may  also  be  in  these  words  of 
 our  Lord  some  allusion  to  the  influence  of 
 avenging  angels,  exerted  under  cover  of  the 
 Roman  legions,  against  Jerusalem,  as  well  as 
 against  a  corrupt  Christendom,  under  cover  of 
 other  human  instruments ;  whereas,  in  Rev. 
 xix.  17,  48,  on  the  contrary,  the  flesii-devour- 
 ing  birds  gathered  to  the  great  supper,  are  to 
 be  understood  as  human  executors  of  the  dread 
 judgments  of  God. 
 
 Through  the  midst,  or  in  the  height  of 
 heaven,  fp.r  above  the  doomed  earth,  with  his 
 keen  glance  ranging  over  it  far  and  wide,  the 
 awful  angel  flies,  and  utters  his  hoarse  cry, 
 which  sounds  like  that  of  some  ominous  bird 
 of  prey,  "  Woe,  woe,  woe,  to  the  inhabilers  of  the 
 tnrth,  by  reason  of  the  other  voices  of  the  trum])et 
 of  the  three  angels,  which  are  yet  to  sound." 
 
 The  loving  and  gracious  Lord  himself  had 
 oftentimes  denounced  woe  to  the  rebellious,  a 
 seven-fold  woe  to  the  Pharisees,  a  more  em- 
 phatic sentence  still  against  Judas  his  betray- 
 er ;  how,  then,  shall  we  dare  to  wonder  that  we 
 find  an  angel  doing  likewise?  We  are  here 
 taught  to  lay  aside  all  that  sentimental  tender- 
 ness which,  in  defiance  of  the  plainest  state- 
 ments of  Holy  Writ,  would  endue  our  Father 
 in  heaven  with  no  other  attribute  than  that  of 
 mercy. 
 
 Further,  this  eagle-like  angel  does  not  speak 
 in  the  language  of  exhortation,  like  the  one  in 
 chap.  xiv.  6,  7,  having  the  everlasting  Gospel 
 to  preach  before  the  hour  of  judgment  come; 
 he  only  cries  out.  Woe  to  the  earth — woe  to 
 \he  inhaJntcrs  oi  the  earth,  having  their  home 
 there,  minding  earthly  things,  without  care  or 
 interest  for  the  better,  the  heavenly  country. 
 Woe  to  them  as  being  the  enemies  to  the  saints 
 (vi.  10;,  they  shall  perish  with  the  earth  ;  they 
 are  men  who  have  not  God's  seal  upon  their 
 foreheads  (ix.  4);  whose  names  are  not  writ- 
 ten in  the  book  of  life  (xiii.  8).  Again,  the 
 expression  inhaUters  of  earth  is  used  (xiii.  12, 
 14;  xii.  12)  in  direct  opposition  to  the  dwell- 
 ers in  heaven.  This  three-fold  woe  proclaimed 
 by  the  angel,  precedes  the  three  last  trumpets 
 which  herald  more  dreadful  judgments  still 
 than  those  which  came  before,  judgments  which 
 themselves  have  the  name  of  wues :  chap.  ix. 
 12,  "  One  tnoo  is  jaat,"  after  which  come  two 
 others  :  chap.  xi.  14,  "the  second  woe  is  fast,  the 
 third  Cometh  qiiickly  ;"  hsily ,  \n  chap.  xii.  12, 
 "  Woe  to  the  earth  and  to  the  sea,"  as  well  as  in 
 chap,  xviii.  10,  16,  19,  the  thrice-repeated  woo 
 over  the  fallen  Babylon,  so  that  we  have  a 
 seven-fold  woe  in  all.  And  as  we  find  that 
 these  three  last  woes  follow  one  upon  another, 
 and  that  one  prepares  and  announces  1  he  other, 
 we  are  forced  to  conclude  that  these  trumpets, 
 at  all  events,  signify  closely-linked  historical 
 
52 
 
 THE  ANGEL  WITH  THE  LITTLE  BOOK  OPEN. 
 
 events,  whether  the  first  four  do  so  or  not. 
 From  this  tinie  we  find  a  marking  ot  time  by 
 mystic  dates  (see  ix.  5,  15;  xii.  14;  xiv.  5), 
 and  yet  I  Irankly  confess  that  not  one  of  the 
 commejEtftries  written  up  to  the  present  hour 
 commends  itself  to  me  as  altogether  satisfactory 
 or  conclusive,  and  I  am  almost  ready  to  main- 
 tain that  it  is  best  to  postpone  our  systematic 
 exposition  of  this  mysterious  book  till  the 
 Lord  himself,  by  his  coming,  open  out  the 
 ■whole  course  of  history  to  our  retrospective 
 glance.  Meanwhile,  we  have  enough  for  our 
 edification  and  our  strengthening.  The  funda- 
 mental idea  of  the  whole  book,  and  the  grand 
 previsions  it  awakens  in  us,  are  fraught  with 
 practical  inslruction,  even  though  we  relin- 
 quish the  attempt  to  arrive  at  any  chronologi- 
 cal order,  or  to  make  the  visions  fit  in  with 
 any  definite  series  of  historical  events. 
 
 CHAPTER  XXL     . 
 The  Angel  with  the  Little  Book  Open. 
 Revelation  x. 
 
 We  have  seen  that  before  the  opening  of  the 
 eeventh  seal,  which  contained  the  seven  trum- 
 pets, there  was  a  preparatory  interlude,  and 
 we  now  find  that  the  sounding  of  the  last 
 trumpet  is  in  like  manner  preceded  by  a  still 
 fuller  episode.  "  Another  mighty  angd."  The 
 combination  in  this  expression  has  something 
 in  common  both  with  the  strong  angel  with  the 
 book  (v.  2),  and  the  other  angel  (vii.  2) ;  which 
 may  also  be  compared  with  chap,  xviii.  1  : 
 "  another  angel  having  great  jmcer."  The  pres- 
 ent angel  comes  down  from  heaven,  descending  out 
 of  the  sphere  of  God's  hidden  counsels  to  bring 
 a  little  book — part,  no  doubt,  of  the  contents  of 
 the  former  book  which  we  saw  opened,  and  call- 
 ed little  in  contradistinction  to  it.  This  book, 
 as  might  indeed  almost  have  been  inferred  after 
 the  opening  of  the  seventh  seal — had  we  not 
 an  express  statement  of  the  fact  given — is  an 
 <yi)en  lx)ok,  which  means  that  hencelorth  the  rev- 
 elation will  be  comparatively  less  mysterious. 
 Heaven  (with  its  archetypal  temple,  xi.  1), 
 more  widely  opened,  is  the  scene  of  visions 
 more  sublime  in  their  heaven  and  earth  em- 
 bracing scope,  while  events  hurry  on  more  and 
 more  rapidly  to  the  appointed  end. 
 
 This  angel's  visible  form  and  clothing  bor- 
 ders, indeed,  upun  the  majesty  of  the  Lord's 
 own  appearance  in  chap,  i.,  but  yet  he  is  only 
 what  he  is  called,  an  angel.  "  He  w  clothed  with 
 a  cloud,"  and  thus  all  his  briahtness  is  not  per- 
 mitted to  appear,  as  later,  in  chap,  xviii.,  we 
 ehall  find  to  be  the  case  with  regard  to  another 
 angel  ;  for  as  yet  the  plagues  and  dread  judg- 
 ments still  in  part  obscure  the  glory;  but  yet 
 <he  rainbow — type  of  reconciliation  (which  in 
 <;]iap.  iv.  3,  we  first  saw  encircling  the  thorne  of 
 --'d) — and  the  sun-like  lustre  of  his  face,  tes- 
 *'iy  to  the  breaking  forth  of  grace  through  all. 
 
 We  are  told  that  the  righteous  shall  &].ine  like 
 the  sun  in  their  Father's  kingdom,  and  there- 
 fore do  not  wonder  that  an  angel's  face  should 
 have  an  equal  brightness,  liis  feet  also  are 
 described,  as  in  chap.  i.  15,  as  glowing  with  a 
 less  radiant  light,  "  his  feet  are  a»  pillars  of  fire." 
 Tiius  the  angel  may  be  said  to  appear  abov*, 
 like  the  sun  ;  below,  like  the  heavy,  lightning- 
 rent  storm  cloud — fit  semblance  of  his  office, 
 as  annunciator  of  the  last  fearful  judgments. 
 Akin  to  this  is  the  meaning  of  this  mighty  one 
 being  represented  with  "  his  right  foot  upon  the 
 sea  and  his  left  the  upon  earth,"  as  we  find  it  writ- 
 ten in  Pea.  Ixxxix.  25,  of  the  great  King,  that 
 his  hand  or  might  shall  be  set  in  the  sea  and  in 
 the  rivers.  In  a  general  way  this  means  the 
 whole  globe,  but  it  has  also  a  special  reference 
 to  the  triumphant  spread  of  God's  kingdom 
 throughout  the  t«/a/icZ«  of  prophetic  speech,  those 
 coasts  most  remote  from  the  land  of  Asia. 
 Perhaps  the  expression  also  may  secretly  have 
 some  slight  connection  with  the  two  beasts,  the 
 one  rising  out  of  the  sea,  the  other  out  of  the 
 earth  (xiii.  1,  4),  which  are  to  be  overcome  by 
 the  divine  might.  The  angel  further  asserts,  by 
 this  setting  of  his  feet  on  land  and  sea,  that 
 both  are  God's  territory,  however  his  enemies 
 may  for  a  season  occupy  them. 
 
 For  the  rest,  we  think  it  advisable  here  to 
 remind  our  readers,  in  connection  with  these 
 symbolic  forms  assumed  by  angels  in  prophetic 
 visions,  that  the  difference  between  this  mode 
 of  manifestation,  and  that  of  the  angels  we 
 read  of  in  the  historical  books  of  Scripture,  is 
 not  to  mislead  ua  into  supposing  the  historical 
 angels  to  be  mere  symbols.  On  the  contrary, 
 they  throw  light  upon  these  later  appearances, 
 and  we  are  to  learn  to  recognize  a  real  per- 
 sonal existence  under  the  symbolic  representa- 
 tion, else  the  word  angel  would  not  be  applied 
 in  the  Scriptures  of  truth  to  such.  When  we 
 consider  the  infinite  number  and  infinite  varie- 
 ty of  angelic  life  and  agency,  and  that,  accord- 
 ing to  Bible  teaching,  heaven  and  earth  are 
 full  of  these,  and  when  we  reflect  how  spar- 
 ingly their  appearance,  whether  in  fact  or  in 
 vision,  is  recorded  throughout  the  whole  of  the 
 sacred  volume,  with  the  exception  of  this  its 
 last  book,  we  shall  feel  no  surprise  at  the  prom- 
 inence into  which,  from  the  very  nature  of  the 
 Apocalypse,  they  are  brought  before  us  in  its 
 pages. 
 
 "  The  mighty  angel  cries  icith  a  loud  voice,  as 
 when  a  lion  roareth"  (Isa.  xxi.  8  ;  Amos  iii.  8). 
 We  are  led  by  these  words  back  to  the  mention, 
 in  a  former  passage,  of  the  Lion  of  Judah, 
 who  had  already  conquered,  and  was  further  to 
 conquer.  This  cannot  have  been  a  mere  cry  or 
 scream  without  articulate  words,  though  ichai 
 it  was  tliat  he  cried  to  the  seven  thunders  is 
 no  more  actually  recorded  than  in  the  case  of 
 the  voices  of  the  thunders.  The  definite  article, 
 the  seven  thunders,  implies  some  definite  refer- 
 ence, and  we  find  this  reference  made  to  Psr.. 
 xxix.,  that  hymn  of  praise  to  God  in  the 
 storm,  which  recfives  its  full  prophetic  and 
 symbolic   commentary  lu  this  passage  of  the 
 
THE  ANGEL  WITH  THE  LITTLE  BOOK  OPEN. 
 
 53 
 
 Apocalypse.  All  mighty  things  praise  the 
 Mightier;  nay,  the  alone  Mighty,  who  mani- 
 fests himself  m  these  tremendous  world-con- 
 vulsing judgments,  with  this  one  and  only  pur- 
 pose, that  in  his  temple  every  one  shall  speak  of 
 his  glory,  and  that  after  the  flood  of  sin  his  re- 
 gal throne  may  be  the  more  firmly  established, 
 the  happy  result  of  which  will  be  his  giving 
 strength  to  his  people,  yea,  his  giving  to  them 
 the  blessing  of  peace.  According  to  this  view, 
 it  will  be  evident  that  the  seven  thunders  which 
 John  heard,  are  not  to  be  interpreted  as  mys- 
 teriously marking  seven  periods  of  time,  still 
 less  as  mere  curses,  as  Herder  has  very  mis- 
 takenly supposed ;  but  are  rather  celestial 
 ascriptions  of  praise  to  the  mighty  God  latent 
 even  in  the  chastening  and  destroying  exhibi- 
 tions of  his  power.  To  which  we  would  add 
 Von  Meyer's  beautiful  remark:  "These  thunder 
 voices  have  not  each  special  words  of  their  own, 
 they  speak  with  one  sound,  one  comprehensive 
 harmony,  into  the  ear  of  the  Spirit." 
 
 John,  in  accordance  with  the  general  instruc- 
 tions he  had  received  (i.  11,  19),  was  about  to 
 write  what  he  had  heard,  but  the  command- 
 ment now  came  :  "Seal  vp"  those  things  which 
 the  seven  thunders  uttered,  and  write  them 
 not.  In  connection  with  this  sealing  up,  which 
 implies  a  forbidden  unsealing  (see  Dart.  xii.  4, 
 9),  we  would  only  here  observe,  that  this  voice 
 from  heaven  is  certainly  not  that  of  the  angel 
 who  stands  on  sea  and  land,  and  neither  is  the 
 command  given  in  ver.  8  his,  but  (as  we  .also 
 find  in  chap.  xi.  12)  the  very  voice  of  the  Lord 
 himself. 
 
 Finally,  however,  we  have  a  speech  of  the 
 mighty  angel  written  down  for  our  instruction. 
 It  is  an  oalh  by  him  who  liveth  forever,  as  in 
 Dan.  xii.  7  ;  and  as  we  find  there  it  is  intended 
 to  mark  out  the  duration  of  the  time  before 
 the  final  fulfillment,  with  this  difference,  that 
 here  only  the  right  hand  is  lifted  up  to  heaven, 
 the  left  holding  the  little  book.  Again,  John 
 only  gives  us  the  former  part  of  the  speech  in- 
 directly, quoting  the  direct  words  of  the  angel 
 only  in  the  7th  verse :  "And  sware  by  him  thai 
 liveth  in  the  eternities  of  eternities,  who  has  created 
 heaven,  and  the  things  that  tfierein  are,  a)id  the 
 earth,  and  the  things  that  thei  ein  are,  and  the  sea, 
 and  the  things  tchich  are  therein,  that  a  time 
 shall  no  more  be."  Here  we  have  an  already 
 familiar  formula;  and  on  the  phrase  "heaven, 
 earth,  and  sea  "  (as  also  xiv.  7),  we  have  al- 
 ready commented  (v.  13).  Nor  does  the  sub- 
 limely-solemn expression,  "in  the  eternities  of 
 eternities,"  require  any  explanation  either; 
 nay,  it  even  delies  it.  The  proper  translation, 
 however,  is  the  one  we  have  given,  though  the 
 nature  of  these  seons  or  eternities,  spoken  of  as 
 periods  of  time  in  unending  time,  transcends 
 our  present  powers  of  comprehension.  To  these 
 vinending  eternities  is  opposed  the  contrast  of 
 a  time,  which  is,  indeed,  the  most  important 
 feature  in  the  angel's  speech,  a  time  slowly 
 passing  away,  according  to  the  laws  of  time, 
 and  bringin_g  about  the  end.  In  mysterious 
 words,  to  be  uudcrtitood  according  to  the  mea- 
 
 sure of  eternity,  the  oath  of  the  angel  certifies,  ".4 
 time  shall  be  no  more,  but  in  the  days  of  the  voice  of 
 tlie  seventh  angel,  when  he  shall  sound,  the  mystery 
 of  God  isfinitiked,  as  he  hath  declared  lo  his  servants 
 the  prophets."  That  this  passage  does  not  lit- 
 erally mean  the  final  cessation  of  time,  is  evi- 
 dent from  the  expression  in  the  days  of  the  voice 
 of  the  seventh  trumpet.  Consequently,  the 
 phrase  must  have  some  special  sense  of  its  own, 
 nor  is  it  difficult  for  us  to  discover  it  in  a  book 
 so  abounding  in  parallel  passages,  and  therefore 
 so  self-explanatory,  as  that  of  Revelation.  The 
 Greek  word  chronos  applies  equally  to  a  long 
 interval,  a  respite,  a  delay,  a  postponement, 
 and  we  have  already  had  several  instances  in 
 which  it  has  been  so  used,  as,  for  instance,  in 
 chap.  xi.  21,  where  we  find  it  rendered  ".space 
 to  repent,"  and  chap.  vi.  11,  where  it  stands  for 
 a  further  period  of  rest  and  expectation.  There- 
 fore the  meaning  is  simply  this,  that  whereas 
 the  angel  with  the  seal  demands  an  interval  of 
 time  before  the  opening  of  the  seventh  seal, 
 which  interval  is  to  be  employed  in  sealing  the 
 servants  of  God,  so  this  angel,  on  the  contrary, 
 denies  any  further  space  for  repentance,  any 
 respite  for  the  ungodly  before  the  sounding  of 
 the  seventh  trumpet.  He  afSnns  that  stroke  is 
 to  succeed  stroke,  and  that  in  a  certain  limited 
 period  all  will  be  finished.  This  period,  how- 
 ever, may  still  seem  a  long  one  measured  by 
 our  human  standard ;  but  in  relation  to  that 
 season  of  waiting  in  which  God  has  spoken 
 through  the  mouth  of  his  holy  prophets  sinca 
 the  world  began  (Acts  iii.  21),  it  is  so  sliort 
 that  it  can  hardly  be  called  any  time  at  all. 
 Accordingly,  in  chap,  xiv.,  the  warning  angels 
 are  quickly  succeeded  by  the  reaping  angels. 
 But  all  attempts  at  exact  reckoning  are  wor^e 
 than  useless  here. 
 
 The  angel'a  expression,  the  mystery  of  God, 
 has  a  verbal  reference  to  one  of  the  most 
 striking  passages  in  Old-Testament  prophecy  : 
 "'The  Lord  God  will  do  nothing,  but  he  reveal- 
 eth  his  secrets  unto  his  servants  the  prophets  " 
 (Amos  iii.  7).  All  that  God  has  spoken  must 
 and  shall  he  finished;  the  restitution  will  be  com- 
 plete (Act  iii.  21):  the  words  of  God  in  pro- 
 phecy will  all  be  fulfilled  (xvii.  17).  Here,  in 
 the  passage  immediately  under  consideration, 
 however,  we  have  not  tlie  future  tense,  shall  be 
 finished,  but  the  positive  and  present,  is  fin- 
 ished. And  it  is  luther  said,  with  a  signifi- 
 cance we  should  err  in  passing  over,  that  it  is 
 to  be  finished  as  God  had  declared  the  mystery 
 of  his  holy  will  and  counsel ;  declared,  or  liter- 
 ally evangelized,  made  known  as  good  tidings  to 
 his  servants.  For  even  the  final  judgment — 
 the  goal,  the  very  essence,  so  to  speak,  of  the 
 divine  purpose  and  prevision — will  secure  for- 
 ever the  salvation  of  his  redeemed  people,  and 
 the  glory  of  God's  triumphant  justice  and  holi- 
 ness. Not  only  are  we  here  assured,  from  the 
 lofty  lips  of  an  angel,  how  far-reaching,  even  to 
 the  final  fulfillment,  and  how  comprehensive 
 are  the  words  of  the  prophets  of  old,  but  we 
 also  learn  here  that  these  prophets  (more  or 
 less  clearly  indeed)  had  already  themselves  re- 
 
64 
 
 THE  FALL  OF  BABYLON. 
 
 ceived  a  Oospd,  as  the  very  essence  of  the  pro- 
 
 fhecies  they  were  coinmissioneil  to  deliver  (see 
 Pet.  i.  11,  12,  where  the  Apostle  says  the  very 
 same  thing  in  other  words). 
 
 We  may  observe  that  the  Revelation  of  John, 
 which  we  have  found,  and  shall  further  find, 
 r>^''ti;:g  almost  throughout  on  ancient  prophecy, 
 and  evolved  thence  ;  for  that  very  reason  avoids 
 individual  quolations,buthere,in  itsmidst.gives 
 us  a  general  and  comprehensive  quotation  once 
 tor  all,  thus,  as  it  were,  endorsing  and  com- 
 pleting all  loregoing  prophetic  utterances  what- 
 ever, though  unable  evidently  to  refer  specially 
 to  ihem  ail.  Thus,  for  example,  the  return  of 
 the  Jews  to  the  Holy  Land,  and  many  other 
 prophecies  of  specific  facts  which  John  does  not 
 particularly  touch  upon,  are  yet  included  in 
 this  mystery  of  God  which  shall  be  finished. 
 It  is  ours  to  seek  out  the  instances  in  which 
 this  last  prophetic  book  coincides  with  forme: 
 prophecies,  and  where  we  fail  to  discover  llif 
 coinciilence,  patiently  to  wait  for  the  fulfill 
 ment,  which  will  make  clear  the  whole. 
 
 In  verse  8,  we  read  that  the  voice  from  hea- 
 ven is  again  heard  by  John,  but  we  find  thai 
 although  he  is  commanded  by  it  to  take  th(- 
 little  book  out  of  the  angel's  hand,  he  timidly 
 approaches,  and  prays  the  angel  to  give  it  him. 
 And  the  angel  mid  unto  him,  perhaps  not  quite 
 unexpectedly,  since  John  must  have  been  re- 
 minded of  a  like  occurrence  in  the  history  of 
 Ezekiel  :  "Tike,  and  eat  it  vp ;  and  it  shall 
 viake  thy  belly  hitter,  hut  it  shall  he  sicecl  as  honey 
 in  thy  mont'i."  Thus  Ezekiel  had  also  been 
 commanded  in  a  vision  to  eat,  yea,  io  fill  him- 
 telf  with  a  certain  book,  in  order  that  he  might 
 prophesy  its  contents;  and  this  is  one  of  the 
 most  com.plete  images  of  the  personal  effects 
 of  inspiration,  %\w\s\\\'-;l.  it  to  be  a  very  difTerent 
 matter  from  mere  dictation,  or  mere  sh-owing, 
 such  as  we  find  mentioned  elsewhere. 
 
 We  know,  indeed,  that  inspiration  is  some- 
 thing different  from  actual  personal  experience; 
 nay,  does  not  even  imply  a  perfect  understand- 
 ing of  the  very  inspired  words  themselves,  but 
 it  does  point  to  a  degree  of  sympathy  in  the 
 prophets, upon  which  we  are  apt  nol  to  lay  suffi- 
 cient stress.  Though  Ezekiel  merely  tells  us 
 that  the  book,  written  within  and  without  with 
 mourning,  lamentation,  and  woe,  was  sweet  as 
 honey  in  his  mouth,  we  cannot  doubt  that  he 
 too  had.  like  the  seer,  his  share  of  after  bitter- 
 ness. Here  we  find  that  John,  who  is  by  this 
 eating  of  the  book  expressly  as.sociated  with  the 
 old  prophets,  also  experiences  at  first  a  sen^e 
 of  sweetness  and  joy  in  receiving  divine  com- 
 munications, but  soon  sorrow,  on  account  of 
 their  mourn:ul  nature,  succeeds.  And,  indeed, 
 the  evangcliz'ng,  to  the  pro|)liets,  must  alwnys 
 have  been  fraught  with  a  certain  degree  of  bit- 
 terness to  human  nature.  "  For  in  mucii  wis 
 dom  there  is  much  grief,  and  he  that  in- 
 creaseth  knowledge  increasclh  sorrow  "  (Eccles. 
 i.  IS).  The  angel  had  announced  this  bitter- 
 ness fir.^t,  that  John  might  neither  wonder 
 nor  Iwir.  but  the  seer  himself  luvti is  ihi.'-  order. 
 
 and  names  first  the  sweetness  of  honey  in  the 
 mouth. 
 
 Once  more  the  same  angel  speaks  (ver.  11). 
 and  declares  the  meaning  of  the  eating  of  the 
 little  open  book.  It  implies  fresh  preparation 
 and  in.spi ration  for  further  prophecy  :  "  Thou 
 must  pro}ihesy  again  l^efore  many  peoples  and  na- 
 tions, and  tongues,  and  kings." 
 
 .Ezekiel,  we  are  expressly  told,  was  not  sent 
 to  strange  nations  of  hard  languac:e  (Ezek.  iii. 
 5),  but  to  the  house  of  Israel.  John,  on  the 
 contrary,  has  no  immediate  commission  for  Is- 
 rael after  the  flesh  ;  rather  he  is  again  (begin- 
 ning, as  it  were,  anew)  to  receive  and  write  as 
 before,  prophecies  for  all  manner  of  people  and 
 nations  whatever.  He  is  to  announce  wrath  and 
 punishment  to  the  enemies  of  God,  salvation 
 and  triumph  to  believers  who,  during  the  space 
 of  time  to  which  his  future  prophecies  particu- 
 larly refer,  are  the  people  of  God  contained  in 
 the  midst  of,  and  to  be  assembled  and  delivered 
 from,  every  nation  and  kindred,  and  people  and 
 tongue,  as  we  have  already  read  in  chap.  vii. 
 9.  But  here  we  have  ki^igs  added  to  the  list, 
 not  in  the  sense  of  kingdoms,  but  rather  (see 
 the  mention  of  them,  chap.  vi.  15)  the  hostile 
 kings  of  whom  we  hear  so  much  from  chaps, 
 xvi.  to  xix.,  till,  in  chap.  xxi.  24,  we  read  of 
 their  final  submission  to  the  King  of  kings. 
 
 That  thoughout  the  eleventh  chapter  we 
 have  not  the  continued  address  of  the  angel, 
 but  the  voice  of  the  Lord  himself  (already 
 beard,  chap.  x.  4,  8),  is  unmistakable,  from  the 
 expression  made  use  of  in  verse  3,  "  Iwdl  give 
 my  two  witnessfs."  But  that  the  angel  who 
 swore  by  him  who  was  greater  than  himself,  is 
 to  be  understood  as  meaning  Christ,  we  posi- 
 tively deny.  There  are  marvellous  transforma- 
 tions in  the  vision,  manifold  diflerences  of  kind 
 and  degree.  There  are  alternations  of  appear- 
 ances and  voices,  perhaps  in  order  that  John 
 should  not  be  weaned  by  uniformity,  and  so  iiis 
 mind  be  unable  to  grasp  and  retain  the  whole. 
 Thus,  for  instance,  in  chap,  xi.,  we  may  observe 
 — and  the  remark  is  applicable  to  many  other 
 passages — that  in  verse  11,  the  hearing  of  what 
 is  spoken,  evidently  changes  into  a  beholding  of 
 what  is  announced,  as  though  it  were  nctually 
 happening  before  the  seer's  eyes;  and  thus  the 
 interlude  "leads  again  to  the  visions  of  the 
 seventh  trumpet. 
 
 CHAPTER  XXn. 
 
 Tub  Three    Angels    that    Heeald    the 
 Fall  of  Babylon. 
 
 Revelation  xiv. 
 
 New  thanks  and  praise  resounding  through 
 h.-aven,  the  mysteries  of  whose  sanctuaries  are 
 more  and  more  revealed  to  the  seer.  Tiie  great 
 wonder  of  liie  woman  clothed  with  the  sun, 
 nnl  cnuvnej  witli  stars,  and  having  tlie  moon 
 uiiili-i  lii'r  ;eet;  thee.imiLy  of  the  dragon  against 
 
THE  FALL  OF  BABYLON. 
 
 55 
 
 this  woman  and  hor  unborn  son  :  the  victory 
 ot  Michael  over  the  old  serpent,;  the  women's 
 flight  and  rescue  ;  the  two  beasts  to  whom  the 
 dragon  gave  power  and  cunning  ;  their  blas- 
 phemy and  cruel  tyranny  exercised  on  the 
 earth; — such  have  been  the  contents  of  the  in- 
 tervening chapters,  in  which  no  words  ot"  the 
 angels  hav«  demanded  oar  notice  ;  the  voices 
 in  chaps,  xi.  15,  xii.  10,  evidently  not  being 
 angelic  voices.  All  that  is  said  in  these  chap- 
 ters on  this  mysterious,  atheistical,  and  anti- 
 theistical  power,  especially  its  climax  as  an 
 actual  kingdom,  under  tlie  first  and  second 
 beasts  (the  last  of  whom  we  shall  later  find 
 designated  as  the  false  prophot,  chap.  xvi.  12) 
 — reminds  us  strongly  of  the  visions  of  Daniel 
 the  prophet.  In  strong  contrast  to  the  horrors 
 taking  place  on  the  earth,  and  comfortably  pre- 
 figuring the  certainty  of  eventual  victory,  we 
 have  now  the  repeated  appearance  ot  Lh-a  Lamb, 
 as  the  text  ought  to  be  rendered,  the  true 
 Lamb  (in  contradistinction  to  xiii.  11),  who 
 stands  in  triumph  upon  the  heavenly  Mount 
 Zion  (Heb.  xii.  22),  with  another  great  mulli- 
 Uide  of  elect  and  undeliled,  who,  instead  of  the 
 name  of  the  beast,  have  the  seal  of  the  divine 
 name  on  their  foreheads,  first-fruits  of  the 
 saints,  whose  eternally  new  song  sounds  at 
 first  in  the  ears  of  John  like  the  sound  of  many 
 waters;  then  being  heard  more  nearly  and  dis- 
 tinctly is  as  the  voice  of  a  great  thunder ;  and 
 lastly,  as  a  heavenly  song  of  harpers  harping 
 with  their  harps. 
 
 According  to  the  system  of  alternation  pur- 
 sued in  the  book  of  Revelation,  we  are  allowed 
 this  intermediate  consolatory  glance  at  the 
 glory  of  heaven,  between  the  dark  records  of 
 earthly  rebellion,  "as  when,  round  the  base  of 
 a  mountain,  lightnings  flash  and  thunders  roar, 
 and  pestilential  vapors  gather  thickly,  while 
 above  its  far  peak  shines  out  a  very  paradise, 
 full  of  light  and  song,  and  blessed  peace  and 
 harmony"  (Herder).  The  exquisite  vision 
 in  the  beginning  of  chapter  xiv.  succeeds  to 
 the  account  of  earthly  conflict  and  war,  and 
 prefaces  the  terrible  events  of  that  portion  of 
 the  Apocalypse  which  we  are  now  about  to 
 consider.  The  seventh  trumpet  of  the  seventh 
 seal  introduces  the  seven  vials  of  the  last 
 plagues ;  but  these  are  in  like  manner  preceded 
 oy  an  announcement  and  warning,  on  the  part 
 of  three  angels,  of  a  different  character  to  the 
 proclamation  of  the  one  angel  with  the  three 
 woes;  but  parallel  in  some  measure  to  the  two 
 reaping  angels  of  tne  double  harvest  who  fol- 
 low, and  whose  cry  and  actions  alike  contain  a 
 forewarning  and  probably  an"  image  also  of  the 
 end,  history  having  run  its  complete  course. 
 Lideed,  the  whole  of  chap,  xiv.,  let  commen- 
 tators adix  to  it  whatever  special  historical 
 meaning  they  will,  is  rather  to  be  understood 
 an  a  general  outline  of  the  near  approaching 
 and  all-deciding  future  ;  a  comprelieiisive  out- 
 line in  the  first  place,  followed  by  a  more  precise 
 progressive  development ;  being  the  plan  upon 
 which  all  the  visions  in  this  bo»k  proceed. 
 The  first  three   angels  here  meutioaed  are 
 
 connected  with  the  fall  and  judgment  of  Baby- 
 lo.i.  One  of  these  brings  salvation  once  more 
 within  the  reach  of  all  who  give  glory  to  God 
 and  fear  him  ;  the  second  announces  the  fall  of 
 the  great  ''ity  ;  and  the  third  the  terrible  pun- 
 ishment of  those  who  would  not  let  themselves 
 be  redeemed. 
 
 As  for  interpreting  the  first  angel  to  mean 
 any  one  celebrated  man  in  the  annals  of  Church 
 history,  whether  Wycliffe,  Huss,  or  Luther,  we 
 might  almost  call  the  idea  absurd,  but  for  our 
 respect  for  the  godly  men  who  have  entertained 
 it.  If  the  first  angel  be  indeed  to  be  under- 
 stood in  such  a  way,  whom  may  the  second  and 
 the  third  angels  be  supposed  to  represent? 
 This  is  an  instance  of  the  difficulties  attending 
 that  minute  and  positive  system  of  exegeMs 
 which  we  have  throughout  treated  as  a  mistak- 
 en one.  How,  when,  or  through  whose  agency 
 any  historical  lact  answering  to  this  vision  has 
 been  brought  about,  or  may  be  brought  aV-out, 
 are  questions  we  can  safely  deal  with  in  very 
 general  terms. 
 
 We  hold  that  such  magnificent  symbols  as 
 those  seen  by  John,  can  in  no  way'be  under- 
 stood to  represent  any  individual  human  be- 
 ings, but  that  a  great  succession  of  events  was 
 thus  prengured  to  him,  and  in  every  case  (aa 
 we  have  before  stated  in  our  exposition  of  the 
 little  book)  by  actual  and  by  different  angels. 
 
 "  An.l  I  saw  another  angel  (not  the  angel 
 of  the  last  trumpet,  nor  any  of  the  former)  ;?y 
 in  the  midst  of  luaven  (or  high  up  in  heaven, 
 like  the  eagle,  viii.  13,  only  this  angel  wears  a 
 human  form),  having  an  everlnsting  Goftpel  to 
 preach  to  them  that  sit  and  dwell  in  earth,  and 
 over  all  nations,  and  kindred,  and  torgxLes,  and 
 fieoyle."  These  words  of  John  do  not  indeed 
 directly  contain  the  very  speech  of  the  nngel, 
 that  follows  in  the  next  verse  ;  but  yet  they 
 require  our  consideration  as  in  a  measure  es- 
 sential to  it,  for  it  is  probable  that  this  explan- 
 atory introduction  to  his  loud  cry  was  given  by 
 the  angel  himself  to  the  seer.  This  preaching 
 IS  to  all  men  alike,  though  the  heathen  seem  to 
 be  more  peculiarly  pointed  out,  as  those  for 
 whom  this  old,  unchangeable,  everlasting  Gos- 
 pel would  be  new;  so  that  we  may  here  have 
 some  special  reference  to  the  era  which  began 
 at  the  Reformation,  an  era  to  which  belong  the 
 activity  of  missionary  enterprise  and  the  spread 
 of  the  Bible  in  all  portions  of  the  earth.  It 
 may  also  have  a  reference  to  that  preaching  of 
 the' Gospel  of  the  kingdom  foretold  by  Jesus 
 (Matt.  xxiv.  14)  before  the  end.  But  it  is 
 quite  evident  that  Christendom  cannot  be  ex- 
 cluded from  the  advantages  of  this  universal 
 preaching. 
 
 "  FMr  God,  and  give  glory  to  him,  for  the  h'^ur 
 of  his  judgment  is  come.  And  worship  him  thai 
 made  heaven  and  earth,  and  the  sea,  and  tlic  fo'in- 
 tains  of  water."  This  hardly  sounds  like  the 
 message  ot  salvation,  the  glad  tidings,  or  Go.9- 
 pel.  Nevertheless,  the  proffered  salvation  is 
 the  very  ground  of  the  accejilanr.e  by  God  of  tho 
 fear,  glory,  and  worship  of  sinners,  and  the  in- 
 truduolory  passage  is  intended  to  teach  us  thia. 
 
56 
 
 THE  FALL  OF  BABYLON. 
 
 "  Qlury  to  him," — this  is  the  beginning  and  end 
 of  all  preaching  of  the  Gospel  to  every  fresh 
 hearer,  and  this  truth  was  the  fundamental  idea 
 o!  the  Reformation.  The  doctrine  of  the  crea- 
 tion iind  the  judgment,  the  first  and  the  last, 
 are  here  connected,  as  in  the  speech  of  the 
 Apostle  Paul  at  Athens  (Acts  xvii.  24-31). 
 For  tliese  are  the  two  fundamental  truths  that 
 constitute  the  knowledge  of  the  true  living  and 
 holy  God,  and  between  these  stands  the  Gospel 
 of  grace,  to  save  fallen  creatures  from  the  ter- 
 rors of  the  judgment.  To  the  heathen,  this 
 primary  knowledge  of  God,  forgotten,  obscured, 
 wholly  lost,  as  it  often  is,  in  their  case,  is  to  be 
 brought  forward  once  more.  They  are  to  fear 
 the  God  who  created  them;  and  that  they  may 
 do  this,  they  are  to  know  that  this  God  will 
 judge  them.  But,  alas  !  even  in  Christendom 
 Itself,  these  two  fundamental  truths  are  often 
 denied  or  ignored,  and  thus  is  is  necessary,  in 
 times  of  ut.belief,  that  the  preaching  of  the 
 Gospel  should  return  to  first  principles,  and 
 emphatically  represent  God  under  the  character 
 of  Creator  and  Judge,  in  order  that  the  ever- 
 lasting Gospel  may  protest  with  fresh  earnest- 
 ness against  a  prevalent  apostacy.  In  opposi- 
 tion to  the  false  philosophy  of  nature,  God  is 
 here  prominently  set  forth  as  the  Creator  of  all 
 things;  not  only  is  the  sea  the  work  of  his  hands, 
 but  also  the  fountains  of  water,  "  fountains  ot 
 the  great  deep,"  whence  once  already  judgment 
 has  sprung.  And  again,  this  God  asserts  himsel! 
 as  judge,  not  merely  though  the  agency  of  tiie 
 human  conscience,  but  through  temporary  con- 
 sequences as  well.  That,  as  regards  Babylon, 
 the  hour  of  his  judgments  is  nearly  come,  is 
 evident  from  the  pride  that  goeth  before  a  fall. 
 Babylon's  haughty  defiance  prophesies  her  ap- 
 proaching ruin.  For  the  era  of  missions  and 
 revivals  is  also  the  era  of  Rome's  renewed 
 energy,  and  the  revolutionary  eflbrts  of  anti- 
 Christianity. 
 
 "  And  another  (a  second,  this  is  implied  in  the 
 original)  angel  followed,  mying,  Babybn  the  great 
 is  fallen,  is  fallen,  because  she  made  ail  nation 
 diunk  with  the  wine  of  t/ie  wrath  of  her  fornica 
 lion."  To  state  what  in  our  opinion  Babylon, 
 or  Babel,  signifies  from  beginning  to  end  of  the 
 Apocalypse,  and  to  assign  all  our  reasons  for 
 that  opinion,  would  be  a  longer  task  then  we 
 have  at  present  undertaken.  We  will  merely 
 Eay  that  the  typical  name  of  Babel  may  be 
 found  given  throughout  tlie  whole  Bible  to  va- 
 rious powers  inimical  to  the  people  of  God,  from 
 the  time  of  the  first  presumptuous  attempt  to 
 build  the  heaven-scaling  tower  on  the  plain  of 
 Slunar,  down  through  the  historical  career  of 
 Babylon,  which  the  prophets  and  the  Psalmist 
 alike  treat  of  as  symbolizing  the  future,  to  the 
 very  last  vision  seen  by  John. 
 
 Doubtless,  the  Roman  empire  (1  Pet.  v.  13), 
 and  the  ecclesiastical  dominion  that  succeeded 
 to  its  fall,  is  to  be  understood  as  being  this 
 Bahylon,  but  it  has  not  yet  completely  fulfilled 
 the  type,  nor  will  it  do  this  standing  alone.  The 
 perfect  antitype  is  yet  to  come,  and  will  be  pre- 
 sented by  a  tremendous  union  of  the  powers 
 
 of  the  Church  and  State.  The  woman — the 
 great  whore — is  to  ride  upon  the  beast ;  and 
 after  a  long  course  ot  hypocrisy  the  beast  will 
 at  length  openly  conclude  the  last  alliance  with 
 her  against  God.  I  have  already  said  in  my 
 sermon  on  the  occasion  of  the  tri-centenary  of 
 the  Reformation,  "  Look  to  Rome  and  Paris 
 both,  if  you  seek  for  Babylon."  The  impending 
 and  near-approaching  fall  of  this  Babylon  is 
 now  assumed  by  the  warning  of  the  angel  in 
 hi:?  cry,  which  is  a  summary,  as  it  were,  of  the 
 history  contained  in  the  eighteenth  chapter. 
 Babylon  is  said  to  befallen — an  expression  of 
 which  we  have  already  had  examples  in  Isa, 
 xxi.  and  Jor.  li.  8.  "  Oreat  Bibylon."  Thus  it  is 
 called  literally,  according  to  the  proud  boast 
 of  Nebuchadnezzar  (Dan.  iv.  27).  That  this 
 mother  of  harlots  and  abominations  of  the 
 earth,  in  her  latest  phase  of  development,  will, 
 not  so  much  by  external  violence,  as  by  the  be- 
 wildering influence  of  her  lying  wonders,  se- 
 duce to  spiritual  fornication,  i.  e.,  apostacy,  had 
 been  already  signified  by  the  way  in  which  the 
 old  jirophets  had  spoken  of  her  toitchcraft,  and 
 we  find  the  .'■ame  fact  here  expressed  by  her 
 making  the  nations  drunk  with  her  intoxicat- 
 ing wine  (chap.  xvii.  4),  which  wine  we  have 
 alterwards  characterized  as  the  wine  of  the  wrath 
 of  Ood  (ver.  10).  And  hence  we  have  in  thb 
 word  hecame  the  connection  marked  out  be- 
 tween her  sin  and  her  fall. 
 
 Such  is  the  preaching  of  the  second  angel, 
 from  which  we  may  deduce  for  our  edification 
 the  eternal  truth  of  God's  word  applicable  to  all 
 Limes  alike.  The  world  and  the  lust  thereof 
 passes  away,  the  world  and  its  might  will  be 
 overthrown,  the  apostacy  indeed  is  virtually  a.\- 
 reSidy  fullen. 
 
 As  we  have  already  seen,  the  beast  is  allied 
 with  Babylon  ;  and  it  is  only  after  her  fall  that 
 his  last  display  of  strength  is  made,  and  that 
 his  final  doom  takes  place  (chap.  xix.  19,  20), 
 The  second  of  the  three  angels,  whose  words 
 we  are  now  considering,  dwells  upon  the  fate 
 of  the  great  city  ;  the  third  testifies  to  the 
 fearful  and  everlasting  punishment  that  is  to 
 belall  the  adherents  of  the  beast.  His  words 
 are  as  follows  :  "  If  any  maji  worship  the  beast 
 and  his  image,  and  receive  the  mark  in  his  fore- 
 head, or  in  his  hand,  the  same  shall  drink  of  the 
 wine  of  God's  tcralh,  which  is  poured  out  without 
 mixture  in  the  cup  of  his  icrath,  and  he  shall  he 
 tormented  wiih  fire  and  brimstone  in  the  presence 
 of  tlie  holy  angels,  ami  in  t/te  presence  of  the 
 Lamb."  Ihis  spef'ch,  which  we  do  not  give  en- 
 tire as  yet,  may  well  be  considered  the  most 
 .severe,  the  most  awful  threat  in  the  whole  of 
 Scripture  ;  but  we  must  not  forget  that  the 
 purpose  of  its  very  terror  is  to  warn  and  save. 
 Great  as  we  find  (in  chap.  xiii.  14-17)  the  num- 
 ber of  the  worshippers  of  the  beast  to  be,  who 
 accept  his  mark  on  their  brow  and  hand  ;  yet 
 to  each  and  all  individually  these  words  of 
 warning  are  addressed,  with  the  ancient  and 
 lamiliar  formula,  //'  any  man.  "  If  any  man  ;" 
 these  words  were  customarily  used  by  the  Sa- 
 viour himself  as  a  prelude  to  a  merciful  prom- 
 
THE  FALL  OF  BABYLON. 
 
 57 
 
 ise ;  now,  they  are  applied  to  threaten,  the  word 
 of  truth  being  a  two-edged  sword,  a  savor  of 
 life  unto  life  indeed,  but  a  savor  of  death  unto 
 death  also. 
 
 "  If  any  man  worship" — not  the  living  God, 
 as  the  first  angel  has  exhorted  them  to  do — 
 but  the  bead :  mere  man,  in  his  degeneracy  and 
 apostacy,  on  account  of  his  lying  wonders  of 
 power  and  pleasure ;  why,  this  is  a  horrible 
 sin,  and  will  bringdown  a  like  horrible  punish- 
 ment. So  we  are  here  told.  Cup  for  cap, 
 wrath  for  wrath ! 
 
 The  impious  rage  of  intoxicating  rebellion — 
 the  wine  of  the  wrath  of  her  fornication,  as  the 
 second  angel  says — contains  within  itself  the 
 wine  of  God's  wrath.  This  image  of  a  cup  is 
 very  frequently  used  throughout  Scripture. 
 There  is  a  wholesome  cup  of  affliction,  which 
 is  even  in  Psa.  cxvi.  called  the  cup  of  salvation. 
 There  is  the  cup  of  wrath  of  severe  chastise- 
 ment, with  a  view  to  reformation  (Isa.  li.  17  ; 
 Jer.  viii.  14  ;  Psa.  Ix.  5,  15)  ;  and  there  is  a  cup 
 of  unmitigated  temporal  destruction  (Psa.  Ixxv, 
 9;  Jer.  xxv.  15).  But,  whereas  in  the  cup  of 
 salvation  there  is  a  flavor,  so  to  speak,  of  dis- 
 pleasure and  judgment,  and  ttie  cup  of  heaviest 
 temporal  visitation  is  invariably  mingled  with 
 some  proffer  of  grace,  some  remnant  of  mercy 
 — this  cup  on  the  contrary  is  called  the  cup  of 
 eternal  indignation,  the  wine  of  the  wrath  of 
 God  poured  oid  witfwut  mixture;  a  cup  of  deadly 
 wine  (compare  the  kindred  image  in  Deut. 
 xxxii.  33).  This  final  sentence,  tins  unending 
 anger,  dooms  the  irrevocably  lost  to  the  lake 
 of  fire  (chap.  xix.  20,  xxi.  8)— (literally,  in 
 the  original,  the  permanent  swamp  or  slough 
 of  the  world),  which  is  at  the  same  tinxe  the 
 Tophet,  or  place  of  burning  (Isa.  Ixvi.  24,  xxx. 
 33  ;  Dan.  vii.  11),  and  will  retain  a  place  in  lieu 
 of  1-he  depths  of  the  sea,  and  of  hades,  in  the 
 central  abyss  of  the  glorified  earth.  This  lake, 
 with  its  fire  and  brimstone  (prefigured  by  the 
 doom  of  Sodom),  will  resemble  the  element 
 and  the  substance  which  we  now  know  by  these 
 names,  in  the  same  manner  as  the  jewelled 
 foundations  of  the  New  Jerusalem  do  our  pres- 
 ent precious  stones.  The  torments  there  in- 
 flicted will  be  in  the  presence  of  all  the  holy  an- 
 gels, who,  with  the  saints  and  all  other  blessed 
 intelligences,  will  exclaim  at  the  sight:  "Even 
 80,  Lord  God  Almighty,  just  and  true  are  thy 
 wavs"  (chap.  xvi.  7  compared  with  chap.  xix. 
 1,  2).  But  lastly  comes  the  fact  which  more 
 than  any  other  denotes  the  utter  hopelessness 
 of  this  condition — they  shall  be  tormented  in 
 the  presence  of  the  Lamb! — of  him  whose  aspect 
 will  ever  remind  the  doomed  that  they  might, 
 that  they  ought  to  have  been  saved  !  In  pres- 
 ence of  the  same  Lamb  whose  wrath  (chap, 
 vi.  16)  must  bring  with  it  the  torturing  recol- 
 lection of  his  wasted  patience  and  his  despised 
 love. 
 
 But  the  fearful  words  are  not  ended  ;  they 
 reach  their  climax  in  the  positive  statement 
 that  these  torments  are  of  endless  duration,  let 
 the  theories  ofjiipn  upon  this  subject  be  whn' 
 they  may.     "  And  the  smoke  of  tluir  tonncni  as- 
 
 eendeth  up  forever  and  ever  (in  the  eternities  of 
 eternities),  and  they  have  no  rest  day  nor  night, 
 who  worship  the  beast  and  his  image  (s*il  do  so, 
 persist  in  doing  so  despite  this  solemn  warning), 
 and  whosoever  receiveth  the  mark  of  his  natne." 
 This  scripturally  characteristic  whosoever,  set- 
 ting forth  as  it  does  the  perfect  freedom  of  each 
 individual  to  receive  or  not  to  receive  the  fatal 
 mark,  closes  the  sentence  as  its  equivalent  "  It 
 any  man"  began  it.  "  The  smoke,"  in  the  last 
 of  the  historical  images,  implies  the  conflagra- 
 tion of  the  city  (xvni.  18,  xix.  3)  ;  but  here, 
 where  eternity  i-s  treated  of,  it  is  the  myste- 
 rious symbol  to  all  creation  of  the  unquench- 
 able fire  of  which  the  Lord  Jesus  himself  as 
 well  as  the  Baptist  had  before  spoken.  Even 
 in  Isaiah  xxxiv.  10  we  have  a  hint  given  of 
 the  abiding  nature  of  the  doom  there  presaged. 
 In  chap.  IV.  8  the  worshippers  around  the 
 throne  are  represented  as  nesting  not  day  nor 
 night;  here  we  have,  in  fearful  contrast,  the 
 very  same  words  used  for  the  tormented.  There, 
 ceaseless  day,  unclouded  light,  in  the  presence 
 and  glory  of  God ;  here,  the  blackness  of  dark- 
 ness and  the  fiery  torture. 
 
 Proceeding  to  verse  12  we  find  it  written, 
 "  Here  is  the  patience  of  the  saints  ;  here  are  they 
 that  keep  the  commandments  of  God  and  Vie  faith, 
 of  Jesus."  We  might  indeed  here  plausibly 
 enough  observe,  that  the  warning  angel  had  a 
 solemn  but  encouraging  and  gracious  final  word 
 to  address  to  the  saints,  so  that  the  fearful  threat 
 he  had  just  uttered  might  not  be  the  last  word 
 to  fall  from  his  lips.  But  when  we  come  to 
 compare  chaps,  xii.  17  and  xiii.  10,  it  does  not 
 appear  very  likely  that  the  angel  should  only 
 repeat  here  what  John  had  already  received  to 
 be  written  down  as  a  comment  upon  hi-j  former 
 visions;  and  we  are  ready  to  believe  that  this 
 was  an  expression  intercalated  by  the  holy  seer 
 himself,  a  deduction  of  his  own  from  the  words 
 just  spoken  by  the  angel.  And  yet,  again,  such 
 an  intercalated  remark  of  John's  would  be  ex- 
 ceedingly remarkable,  just  between  the  im- 
 Eressive  angelic  sentence  and  the  voice  from 
 eaven,  ver.  13,  with  nothing  to  divide  it  from 
 the  former,  nothing  to  specify  its  real  character. 
 I  confess,  for  my  own  part,  that  I  cannot  decide 
 whether  the  passage  forms  part  of  the  angel's 
 words  or  of  the  seer's;  but  be  this  as  it  may, 
 it  contains  a  most  profound  meaning,  a  divinely 
 given  message  to  us.  The  keeping  the  com- 
 mandments (xii.  17)  is  identified  with  patience 
 and  faith  in  chap.  xiii.  10,  and  finally,  in  chap, 
 xxii.  14  (where  the  expression  his  (Je&us')  com- 
 mandments  occurs  between  verses  13  and  16,  in 
 both  of  which  verses  he  speaks  in  his  own  per-^ 
 son  as  /),  this  keeping  the  commandments  ia 
 given  as  the  only  distinctive  mark,  and  decisive 
 proof  of  the  actual,  the  practical,  sanctification 
 of  the  saints.  What,  indeed,  is  the  use  of  pure 
 doctrine,  and  an  orthodox  belief,  unless  these 
 be  accompanied  by  the  doing  the  will  of  God 
 also  ?  Here,  indeed,  in  chap,  xiv.,  the  words 
 (whether  of  the  angel  or  of  John  himself)  lead 
 us  back  to  the  ground  of  external  obedience 
 1  and  Chuatian  activity  ;  they  specially  contrast 
 
58 
 
 THE  TWO  ANGELS  THRUSTING  IN  THE  SICKLES. 
 
 with  the  yielding  To  the  power  of  the  beast, 
 and  the  persecuting  in  his  name,  the  patience  or 
 endurance  of  the  saints  (i.  9),  as  their  distin- 
 guishing mark.  For  in  what,  indeed,  was  this 
 endurance  displayed  but  in  keeping  the  com- 
 mandments of  God  against  all  the  opposition  of 
 man — the  worshipping  of  God  alone  in  sincerity 
 and  truth  ;  while  this  again  was  only  rendered 
 possible  by  the  strength  that  springs  irom  faith 
 III  Jesus,  as  we  see  explicitly  stated  in  Acts 
 xxvi.  17.  In  conclusion  we  may  remark,  that 
 ia  the  original  the  word  "  faith  of  Jesus  "  seems 
 here  to  have  some  meaning  beyond  that  of 
 "  faith  in  Jesus  " — to  be  akin  to  the  expression 
 in  chap.  i.  9,  "  the  patience  of  Jesas  Christ." 
 It  is  indeed  our  great  Forerunner's  own  faith 
 (Heb.  xii.  2),  v/hich  (unless  we  resist  it)  awak- 
 ens ours,  and,  according  to  the  measure  of  our 
 faith,  lives,  works,  and  perfects  itself  therein  ; 
 and  for  further  meditation  on  this  truth  we 
 refer  our  thoughtful  leaders  to  Gal.  ii.  20,  iii. 
 23,  and  to  Eph.  iv.  13.  The  whole  passage, 
 with  its  introductory  here,  may  be  understood 
 to  say,  Here,  where  so  iearful  a  doom  is  threat- 
 ened to  the  worshippers  of  the  beast,  is  scope 
 for  the  exercise  of  the  "  patience  of  the  saints." 
 The  voice  from  heaven  (ver.  13),  which,  by  its 
 sublime  and  universally  applicable  declarati*on, 
 strengthens  the  holy  and  believing  for  further 
 patience,  ay,  even  unto  martyrdom — forms,  if 
 we  suppose  the  angel  to  have  spoken  ver.  12,  a 
 grand  and  completing  sequel  to  his  words. 
 Here,  however,  it  is  more  than  an  angel,  it  is 
 the  Spirit  himself  who  speaks. 
 
 CHAPTER  XXIII. 
 
 The  Two  Angels  at  toe  Tn rusting  in  of 
 THE  Sickles. 
 
 Rkvelatioh  XIV.  15-18, 
 
 TKat  these  two  angels,  with  the  two  holders 
 of  the  sickles,  to  whom  they  call,  constitute 
 one  four-fold  symbol,  just  as  the  three  angels, 
 in  the  preceding  verses,  give  in  different  ways 
 one  warning  of  tlie  impending  judgments,  we 
 have  already  indicated.  For  we,  for  our  part, 
 cannot  look  upon  the  first  (ver.  14) — whose 
 white  cloud  recalls  the  white  horse  (vi.  2,  xix. 
 11),  but  is  not  identical  with  it— to  be  other 
 than  a  symholicat  representation  of  the  Lord  of 
 the  harvest  himselt  (liJce  un'o  the  Son  of  Man, 
 but  not  he),  to  whom  the  angel,  representing 
 the  servant  of  that  Lord,  points  out  the  ripe- 
 ness of  the  harvest  and  summons  liim  to  reap. 
 For  us  not  only  is  the  expression  another  angel 
 in  ver.  15  decisive,  although  some  have  en- 
 deavored to  explain  it  as  meaning  anothe/  who 
 was  an  angel,  &a  in  Luke  xxiii.  32;  but  still 
 more  so  the  exact  parallel  of  the  other  sickle- 
 kolder  in  ver.  17.  Thus  the  first  here  men- 
 tioned does  not  in  our  estimation  in  any  way 
 occupy  the  same  place  relatively  to  the  three 
 who  succeed  him,  which  the  rider  on  the  white 
 
 horse  (vi.  2)  holds  relatively  to  the  three  other  ri« 
 ders  who  follow  him.  Nor  would  it  be  easy  to  un- 
 derstand why  Christ  should  himself,  personally, 
 here  undertake  the  reaping  of  the  corn  harvest, 
 while  he  left  the  gathering  of  the  vintage  to 
 an  angel,  whereas  we  have  in  other  passagoa 
 the  contrary  declaration  that  the  Lord  senda 
 his  reapers,  the  angels,  but  that  he  treads  tho 
 wine-press  of  God's  furv  alone.  Rather,  ho 
 does  both  here  equally  through  bis  servants. 
 As  Hofmann  very  truly  observes,  we  have 
 seven  angels  in  this  chapter,  three  who  foretell, 
 and  four  who  fulfill.  But  still  so  much  is  true, 
 the  first  angel,  here  described  as  gathering  hia 
 servants  to  hira,  o?i  that  account,  specially  rep- 
 resent the  Lord  himself. 
 
 And  for  the  same  reason  we  have  to  declare 
 our  belief  that  this  harvest,  generally  speaking 
 a  figure  of  judgment  and  final  separation  of 
 good  and  bad,  for  garnering  and  rejecting,  is  a 
 judgment  that  precedes  and  typifies  the  last 
 judgment,  and  that  because  it  does  this,  we 
 have  the  comprehensive  expression  twice  used, 
 harvest  of  the  (whole)  earth,  vine  of  the  (whole) 
 earth.  As  to  the  further  meaning  of  the  wine- 
 press of  blood  without  the  city,  we  shall  have 
 to  discover  it  by  a  reference  to  other  passages. 
 We  find  that  while  in  the  parable,  Matt,  xiii., 
 the  harvest  is  described  as  a  two-fold  one,  wheat 
 and  tares  being  alike  reaped  and  gathered, 
 though  for  different  purpo.ses  (in  Mark  iv.  29, 
 on  the  contrary,  the  reaping  with  the  sickle  is 
 spoken  of  only  in  relation  to  the  wheat),  so  we 
 have  here,  too,  a  double  harvest;  first  the 
 reaping  of  the  wheat,  then  of  the  vintage,  and 
 the  fundamental  idea  of  this  second  reaping, 
 that  of  the  vines,  originates  (as  isso  constantly 
 the  case  in  this  book  of  Revelation)  in  the  pro- 
 phecies of  Joel  (iii.  13),  while  that  of  the 
 treading  of  the  wine-pres?  is  to  be  found  in 
 Isaiah  (Ixiii.) 
 
 It  is  out  of  tlio  leir^pte  in  heaven,  which  was 
 first  implied  in  chap.  vi.  9  viii.  S,  and  has 
 since  (xi.  19)  been  repeatedly  spoken  of,  re- 
 maining visible  in  nil  probability  till  chap.  xvi. 
 17,  that  the  angel  comes  whose  cry  to  the 
 reriper  is  as  follows  :  "  Thrust  in  thy  sickle  and 
 r-'aji ;  fur  the  time  to  reap  is  come,  for  the  harvest. 
 Of  th^  earth  is  ripe."  Literally,  send  thy  sickle, 
 but  this  Hebraism  is  well  rendered  by  the 
 words  "  thrust  in."  Men  do  not  lay  hand  on 
 the  sickle  or  scythe  till  the  time  be  come,  till 
 the  harvest,  till  that  which  is  to  be  reaped  has 
 grown  ripe,  an  expression  we  also  find  in  Joel. 
 Those  who  hold  the  first  angel  to  be  Chirst, 
 understand  this  cry  in  the  light  of  a  prayer. 
 Come  sooii  to  judgment ;  or  else,  since  it  is  not 
 very  easy  thu.^  to  distort  simple  words,  they 
 read  them  as  inlormation  given  to  the  Lord  in 
 heaven — highly  improbabl-e  this  I  the  hour  ap- 
 pointed by  the  Father's  counsel  and  will  beinq 
 now  come  !  But  as  we  have  already  stated, 
 our  interpretation  of  the  symbolic  vision  di- 
 vides the  angels  into  two  separate  classes,  thoso 
 who  announce  the  ripeness  (  f  the  harvest,  and 
 those  who  reap  it.  And  this  preparatory  ful- 
 fillment may  bo  justly  understood  as  the  fre- 
 
THE  ANGEL  OF  THE  WATERS  PRAISES  GOD'S  JUSTICE. 
 
 59 
 
 qnont  gathering  or  removal  of  the  righteous  I 
 before  the  breaking  out  of  further  judgment, 
 they  having  become  already  ripe  by  previous 
 tribulation.  Compare  with  a  reference  to  this 
 V.  view  Isa.  Ivii.  1,  as  well  as  Isa.  xvii.  5,  and  Job 
 23.  Perhaps,  too,  Jcr.  li.  33  may  also  be  alluded 
 to  (as  well  as  Isa.  xxi.  10,  though  Micah  iv. 
 12  seems  opposed  to  it),  as  indicating  that  even 
 in  the  fallen  Babylon  itself  a  small  harvest 
 mav  have  remained  for  this  gracious  reaping. 
 
 The  other  angel  next  seen  coming  out  of  the 
 temple  had,  we  read,  also  (the  original  word  is 
 even  more  emphatic)  a  sharp  sickle  or  vine- 
 cutter's  pruning-knife,  as  it  might  be  equally 
 well  rendered.  To  him  there  comes  another 
 announcing  or  summoning  angel  out  from  the 
 altar,  namely,  the  altar  of  bumt-offering,  where 
 we  have  seen  the  souls  of  martyrs  crying  for 
 judgment  and  avenging  (vi.  9),  whence  also 
 praise  is  ascribed  to  the  just  judgments  of  the 
 Almighty  (xvi.  7)  ;  where,  again,  the  prayers 
 of  all  saints  on  earth,  ascendmg  blended  (viii. 
 3,  4)  with  the  incense  from  the  altar,  implore 
 the  completion  of  God's  judgments.  This  an- 
 gel has  power  otxrfire  (just  as  we  read  in  chap. 
 xvi.  5,  of  another  who  has  power  over  water), 
 because  the  judgments  are  to  be  executed  by 
 the  fire  of  wrath  (viii.  5). 
 
 The  vintage  which  is  to  follow  the  corn  har- 
 vest succeeds  in  like  immediate  manner  to  the 
 loud  cry  of  the  angel.  "  Thrust  in  thy  sharp 
 sickle  and  reap  the  dusters  of  the  vine  of  the  earth, 
 for  the  grapes  are  fully  ripe."  This  time,  how- 
 ever, there  is  a  difference  of  phrase  ;  the  sickle 
 is  characterized  a.s  sharp,  and  the  grapes  a.s  fully 
 ripe.  It  is  nothing  new  in  Holy  Scripture  to 
 find  the  vine  and  its  fruit  spoken  of  in  a  bad 
 sense  as  well  as  a  good,  but  only,  let  this  be 
 well  observed,  with  a  reference  to  the  degeneracy 
 of  the  once  noble  plant,  see  Deut.  xxx.  32  ;  Jer. 
 li.  21 ;  Isa.  v.  1,  2  (as  also  xviii.  5  rightly  ren- 
 dered). We  are  to  understand  by  the  expres- 
 sion vim  of  the  earth,  that  neither  Israel  nor 
 Christendom  is  exclusively  meant  by  this  vint- 
 age, the  results  of  which  are  so  fearful.  In 
 Joel  we  have  the  expression,  "  the  press  is  full, 
 the  fats  overflow,  for  their  wicJced/iess  is  great." 
 In  the  same  manner  we  have  the  great  wine- 
 pivss  spoken  of  here  (vers.  19,  20),  and  men- 
 tion made  of  its  being  troilden,  according  to  the 
 custom  of  antiquity.  But  here  the  juice  is 
 llood  (Gen.  xlix.  11;  Deut.  xxxii.  14),  as  in 
 that  most  significant  and  impressive  prophecy 
 of  the  great  wine-press  treader  in  Isa,  Ixiii. 
 
 1-4 
 
 "Without  the  city."  Perhaps  this  also  may 
 have  reference  to  Joel  iii.  17,  19,  so  that  on  this 
 occasion  (unlike  chap.  xi.  13)  Jerusalem  may 
 be  intended,  but  even  if  so,  only  (compare  chap, 
 xi.  8)  in  a  typical  sense.  For  ver.  20  here  ap- 
 pears to  have  some  connection  with  the  great 
 wine -press,  when  the  Lord  prepares  a  ghastly 
 supper  of  wrath,  and  a  great  sacrificial  slaugh- 
 ter (xix.  9,  15,  17).  Further,  let  the  manner 
 — which  Isaiah  (xxxiv.  6)  seems  already  to 
 have  in  view  (Ixiii  ) — be  considered  as  an  ex- 
 ample of  the  way  in  which  the  threads  of  pro- 
 
 phecy blend  towards  the  close  of  the  Rerela- 
 tiou  of  John. 
 
 CHAPTER   XXIV. 
 
 The  Angel  of  the  Waters  Praises  Gor  b 
 
 Justice. 
 
 Revelation  xvi. 
 
 The  gi-eat  voice  heard  out  of  the  temple  (ver. 
 1)  is  the  voice  of  God,  as  chap.  xv.  8,  and  chap, 
 xvi  7,  prove  beyond  a  doubt.  After  the  pre- 
 paration of  which  we  read  in  chap.  xv.  1,  6-8, 
 Ihe  command  is  positively  given  for  the  out- 
 pouring  the  vials  of  God's  wrath,  and  this  must 
 have  been  done  in  quick  succession,  if  not 
 simultaneously,  since,  in  ver.  11,  the  noisome 
 sores  are  spoken  of  as  enduring  from  the  first 
 to  the  fifth  plague.  These  seven  last  plagues 
 appear  to  have  some  reference  to  the  plagues 
 of  Egypt,  but  they  are  not,  for  this  reason,  to 
 be  merely  understood  literally,  as  several  com- 
 mentators suggest.  They  precede  the  deliver- 
 ance of  the  people  of  God,  as  the  plagues  of 
 Egypt  preceded  the  Exodus,  but  they  e3peciai}y 
 affect  the  beast  and  his  worshippers,  his  throne 
 and  his  city,  not  merely  natural  objects  in 
 themselves.  We  find  it  difficult  to  decide  how 
 far  these  viaJs  of  wrath  are  to  be  understood 
 physically  (that  is,  literally)  or  figuratively,  or 
 as  both  together,  but  we  incline  to  think  that 
 they  have  a  double  significance.  For  while 
 their  reference  to  the  history  of  Egypt,  and, 
 still  more,  the  actual  retribution  of  blood  for 
 blood,  would  lead  us  to  believe  in  a  literal  ful- 
 fillment ;  yet,  on  the  other  hand,  we  have  ia 
 ver.  13  the  frogs  used  evidently  as  a  figure, 
 being  explained  as  meaning  unclean  spirits,  and 
 the  sea  referred  to  would  appear  to  be  the  same 
 out  of  which  the  beast  was  seen  to  rise  (xiii. 
 1).  The  mere  fact  of  the  parallel  passages  of 
 the  sign  in  heaven,  in  chap.  xv.  1,  and  the  great 
 wonder  in  heaven  of  the  woman,  in  chap.  xii.  1, 
 is  not  sufficient  evidence  to  make  us  pronounce 
 in  favor  of  a  merely  figurative  interpretation. 
 So  much  we  must  premise,  in  order  to  sub- 
 stantiate our  view  of  the  angel  of  the  waters.  If, 
 indeed,  with  regard  to  this  passage  especially, 
 we  are  sometimes  tempted  to  doubt  whether 
 all  the  angels  of  the  Apocalypse  may  not  be 
 merely  prophetic  images,  we  must  at  the  same 
 time  remember  that  in  the  case  of  the  similar 
 visions  of  Daniel  and  Zechariah,  sur'i  a  theory 
 is  untenable,  since  there  the  actual  personal 
 appearance  of  Gabriel  was  repeatedly  recorded. 
 And  if  we  have  hitherto  been  right  in  inter- 
 preting John's  visions  as  we  did  those  of  these 
 older  prophets,  and  assuming  the  real  speech 
 of  real  angels  to  be  contained  therein,  we  shall 
 find  that  the  angel  of  the  waters  may  claim  an 
 actual  and  individual  existence,  as  well  as  the 
 seven  angels  with  the  trumpet?,  who,  in  chap, 
 viii.  2,  are  very  precisely  described  as  standing 
 before  God,  and  the  other  seveu  with  the  seven 
 
60 
 
 THE  ANGEL  WHO  SHOWS  THE  MYSTIC  BABYLON. 
 
 golden  vials.  The  question  is  thus  reduced  to 
 one  point  only,  namely,  whether,  in  the  passage 
 we  are  now  considering,  we  are,  as  many  do 
 (Grotius,  lor  instance),  to  understand  the  lliird 
 angel  (ver.  4)  to  be  the  one  described  in  ver. 
 5,  to  whom  God  had  committed  the  e.xecution 
 of  his  sentence  upon  the  waters.  Now,  there 
 are  many  objections  to  such  a  theory.  In  the 
 first  place,  it  would  lead  us  to  see  in  ver.  3,  as 
 well  as  ver.  12,  other  angels  of  tiie  water,  three 
 in  all,  whereas  one  only  is  expressly  mentioned, 
 the  other  seven  being  rapidly  enumerated  in 
 the  original,  as  the  first,  second,  third,  the  word 
 angtl  being  implied,  not  expressed.  Again,  we 
 have,  in  chap.  xiv.  18,  the  analogous  .position 
 of  the  angel  of  the  fire,  and,  in  chap,  vii.,  of 
 the  angels  of  the  winds.  Thus  the  angel  of  the 
 waters  in  John's  vision  may  have  as  real  an 
 existence  as  the  angel  who  troubled  the  Beth- 
 esda  pool,  as  recorded  in  John's  Gospel.  But 
 further,  this  comparison  of  one  passage  with 
 another  leads  us  in  no  way  to  conclude  that  we 
 have  here  the  one  only  angel  set  over  all  the 
 waters  in  the  world,  but  rather  one  of  many  ; 
 one  who,  on  this  occasion,  speaks  in  the  name 
 of  theae  waters  which  have  been  turned  into 
 blood,  as  being  appointed  to  have  power  over 
 them,  as  an  intermediate  agent,  in  the  same 
 way  that  in  chap.  xiv.  we  read  of  the  angel 
 having  power  over  the  fire  of  wrath  and  judg- 
 ment. And  we  may  be  very  sure  that  if  there 
 were  not,  in  point  of  fact,  and  in  accordance 
 with  the  very  nature  of  our  world,  angels  set 
 over  the  winds,  the  fire,  the  water,  John  would 
 not  have  adopted  such  as  symbols.  The  only 
 sense  in  which  v/e  can  accept  a  figurative  in- 
 terpretation must  always  be  one  which  assumes 
 a  fact  as  foundation  for  the  figure,  a  reality  be- 
 neath the  type.  Thus,  under  whatever  sym- 
 bolic disguse,  we  cannot  doubt  that  it  is  a  real 
 angel  who  is  speaking  in  this  passage,  and  that 
 bf^  is  in  some  way  connected  with  the  waters. 
 Clore  narrowly  considered,  this  angel  seems  to 
 be  one  set  over  the  rivers  and  fountains  of 
 water  named  in  ver.  4,  and  hence  the  plural, 
 angel  oj  the  waters,  in  contradistinction  to  the 
 8c-a,  in  ver.  3.  Thus  this  usually  beneficent 
 ministering  spirit,  the  angel  of  liie-sustaining 
 and  salubrious  fountains  (as  representative  or 
 director  of  luany  other  such),  benda  low  in 
 acknowledgment  of  the  justice  of  the  Highest 
 which  devastates  his  originally  healthful  do- 
 main. And  we  see,  further,  that  these  last 
 plagues  exceed  in  terror  tho-e  Egyptian  ones| 
 they  so  much  resemble,  insomuch  as  now  nuij 
 only  the  river,  but  i\\Q  fountains,  are  corrupted, 
 so  that  pure  water  can  no  longer  be  dug  for,  asl 
 in  Exo(i.  vii.  24. 
 
 "  Rghteous  art  thou,  which  art  ami  wast,  thel 
 JI>hf  One  (or,  thou  Ilobj  One),  that  thou  ha^b 
 j  edged  thus."  Thus  the  saying  of  the  angel 
 s:ii)uld  stand,  if  correctly  rendered.  It  is  not 
 here  necessary  to  add,  "  ichich  art  to  come,"  be- 
 cause the  time  of  this  coming  in  the  last  judg- 
 lu'^uts  is  here  anticipated;  the  words  are 
 snol;en,  as  it  were,  in  their  very  midst.  "  Holy" 
 is  hero  the  chosen  epithet  of  praise,  aa  elsewhere, 
 
 but  yet  in  a  slightly  varied  sense,  and  the  wiioTe 
 passage  may  be  paraphrased  thus:  "Equally 
 righteous  in  thy  fierce  judgment  art  thou,  tha 
 same  in  all  time,  thou  whose  nature  and  prop- 
 erty is  first  of  all  to  be  holt/,  i.  e.,  gracious." 
 
 Thus  we  discern  here  a  very  important  and 
 significant  assurance  of  the  close  connection, 
 nay,  the  essential  oneness  of  love  and  wrath  in 
 the  holiness  of  God. 
 
 "  Fur  theij  hate  shed  the  blood  of  saints  and  pro- 
 phets,  and  bhod  hast  tliou  given  them  to  drink  ; 
 they  are  tcorthtj  of  it!"  In  God's  judgments 
 there  ever  prevails,  but  sometimes  more  evi- 
 dently known  and  seen  of  all  men,  the  great 
 law  of  Retribution.  As  in  chap,  xviii.  6,  we 
 have  cup  for  cup,  so  now,  blood  for  blood  (com- 
 pare chap.  xvii.  6;  xviii.  24).  As  at  the  pour- 
 ing out  of  the  first  vial  of  wrath,  the  noisome 
 and  grievous  sore  (perhaps  inflicted  on  the  very 
 same  place)  answers  to  the  brand  of  the  mark 
 of  the  beast,  so  in  the  case  of  the  woman,  as 
 well  as  the  beast,  we  have  repealed  what  the 
 Book  of  Wisdom  (chap.  xi.  5,  6)  had  already 
 found  true  with  respect  to  the  plagues  of  Egypt. 
 The  pouring  out  of  the  blood  of  \he  saints  like 
 water  had  been  prophetically  described  in  Psa. 
 Ixxix. ;  now  the  image  is  to  be  reversed  ;  now 
 the  water  is  not  only  to  be  like  blood,  but,  ac- 
 cording to  the  precise  text  in  ver.  4,  we  find 
 that  they  {ihQ  rivers  and  fountains)  l/ecame  blood. 
 But  it  IS  not  added  here  :  as  the  blood  of  a  dead 
 man,  not  clotted  decomposed  blood,  for  the 
 transformed  water  spoken  of  in  the  present 
 case  is  icatei'  to  f>e  drunk.  And  yet  one  might 
 be  justified  in  regarding  ver.  4  as  identical  in 
 meaning  with  ver.  3,  and  this  giving  them  blood 
 to  drink  an  ironical  way  of  expressing  that 
 what  was  wont  to  quench  their  thirst  was  now 
 undrinkable — a  figurative  illustration  of  the 
 horror  of  the  pouring  out  of  such  a  vial,  which 
 we,  for  our  part,  prefer.  Finally,  we  have  the 
 abrupt,  brief  conclusion  (without  the /yr) — 
 they  are  worthy  of  it,  they  deserve  it — a  strik- 
 ing contrast  to  the  same  words  (blessed  words) 
 used  by  Christ  with  regard  to  the  faithful  (iii.  4.) 
 
 This  exclamation  of  the  angel  has  (as  we  con- 
 stantly find  in  this  book,  both  with  regard  to 
 the  words  of  angels  and  men)  its  confirmatory 
 counterpart  or  echo  in  the  words  which  John 
 now  hears  proceed  out  of  the  altar  (ver.  7): 
 "Even  so,  Lord  God  Almighty,  true  and  right- 
 eous are  thy  judgments."  Thi.s,  the  voice  evi- 
 dently of  the  martyred  saints  under  the  altar 
 (vi.  9,  10),  is  (being  a  voice  of  the  sanctuary) 
 attributed  to  the  altar  itself. 
 
 CHAPTER  XXV. 
 
 The  Angel  who  Snows  the  Mystio 
 Babylox. 
 
 Revelatios  xvii. 
 
 For  the  first  tim  ■  in  the  course  of  the  Reve- 
 lation of  John,  we    meet  wuh  a  contmuoua 
 
THE  ANGEL  WHO  SHOWS  THE  MYSTIC  BABYLON. 
 
 61 
 
 speech  of  the  angel  whose  office  it  is  to  show 
 and  to  explain  ;  a  speech  containing  the  whole 
 prophecy  with  which  the  prophet  was  inspired, 
 as  in  the  case'of  Daniel  and  Zechariah.  This 
 seventeenth  chapter  is  perhaps  the  most  im- 
 portant, certainly  the  most  conclusive  as  to  the 
 character  of  the  whole,  that  the  Apocalypse 
 contains,  and  we  must  limit  ourselves  to  the 
 consideration  of  its  main  features. 
 
 The  judgments  of  Babylon,  positively  fore- 
 (old  in  chap.  xvi.  19,  as  well  as  warningly  an- 
 nouxrced  by  the  an^-el's  cry  in  chap.  xiv.  8,  was 
 only  presented  as  fully  accomplished  to  the 
 seer  in  chap,  xviii. ;  meanwhile,  in  conformity 
 with  the  plan  invariably  maintained  in  this 
 book,  we  have  a  vision  intercalated  in  this  pre- 
 ceding chapter,  which  he  tranquilly  beholds; 
 only  that  on  this  occassion  the  accompanying 
 speech  of  the  angel  enters  specially  into  histo- 
 rical details,  alluding  retrospectively  to  certain 
 events,  as  well  as  anticipating  the  details  of  the 
 final  evolution  of  others. 
 
 One  of  the  seven  angels  which  had  the  seven 
 vials — the  passage  runs  as  that  in  chap.  x.xi.  9. 
 It  is  purposely  left  unspecified  which  angel  it 
 was,  aa  tLat  we  must  be  content  not  to  attempt 
 to  dPOide  with  any  certainty  whether  it  was 
 the  first  or  the  last,  or  the  chief  among  them. 
 But  the  probable  tiieory  really  seems  to  be, 
 that  it  was  the  seventh  as^gel  who  now  drew  near, 
 and  detailed  more  lull;  what  ho  had  announc- 
 ed in  ch3.p.  xvi.  19.  However,  the  vague  ex- 
 pression, *' (yiie  of  the  angeh,"  leaves  this,  as  we 
 have  said  before,  quite  an  open  question,  that 
 the  main  point  may  alone  occupy  all  our  at- 
 tention. For  Vaejact  that  the  seer  announces, 
 namely,  that  one  of  these  mighty  angels  of  the 
 fierce  wrath  of  God  talked  with  him — confi- 
 dentially, and  as  a  friend,  one  favored  and  con- 
 secrated, and  deemed  worthy  to  receive  suoh 
 revelation — is  far  more  important  than  the  ex- 
 act description  of  the  angel.  The  text  goes  on : 
 "  Snymg  to  me,  Come  hither  ;  I  will  show  unto  thee 
 the  judgment  of  the  great  whore  that  si'Mh  on  many 
 waters;  with  whom  the  Mngs  of  the  earth  have  com- 
 mitted fornication,  and  the  inhabitants  of  the  earth 
 have  been  made  drunk  with  the  wine  of  her  forni- 
 cation." The  closer  description  of  this  de- 
 graded woman  will  come  later,  but  we  have  a 
 remark  to  make  on  the  introductory  sentence. 
 The  angel  speaks  this  invitation  "Come,"  with 
 even  stronger  emphasis  than  the  living  creat- 
 ures from  the  throne  (chap,  vi.)  ;  for  he  says, 
 •■'  .orae  hither,"  and  also  adds,  with  greater 
 olemnity  and  fulness  ^instead  of  the  mere 
 ,;ord  "see"  ),  I  will  show  thee,  which  was  the 
 language  of  the  first  voice  (chap.  iv.  1),  with 
 ni%?iice  to  the  whole  series  of  these  visions. 
 Thas  we  have,  as  it  were,  a  fresh  commence- 
 ment made  ;  and  with  this  showing,  an  explain- 
 ing and  expounding  is  bv  implication  promised. 
 T/ie  many  watei's  which  John,  accordmg  to  ver. 
 15,  appears  to  have  seen  without  vnderslanding 
 their  nature,  evidently  refer  to  the  sea  in  a 
 former  vision  (chap.  xiii.  1),  in  which,  as  yet, 
 only  the  beast  and  not  the  woman  associated 
 with  bim,  was  mentioned.    That  this  sea  means 
 
 peoples  the  angel  himself  declares  ;  and,  indeed, 
 throughout  Scripture  this  symbol  has  run,  and 
 the  restless  raging  and  tossing  of  rebellions  and 
 sinful  humanity  been  described  under  the  image 
 of  the  great  deep,  the  outburst  of  which  was 
 the  cause  of  the  first  destruction  of  a  degen- 
 erate race.  (See  Isa.  Ivii.  20 ;  Psa.  lxv.8  ;  Ixxxix. 
 10,  etc.)  Even  in  the  description  of  the  typ- 
 ical Babylon  the  "  many  waters "  are  men- 
 tioned by  Jeremiah  (li.  13),  with  a  hint  at 
 their  real  meaning. 
 
 "  So  he  carried  me  (away)  in  the  spirit  into  a 
 wilderness,  and  I  saw."  This  follows  upon  the 
 promised  showing.  "  In  the  spirit,"  as  in  chap. 
 1.  10,  and  iv.  2,  only  in  a  renewed  and  exalted 
 sense.  But  wherefore,  we  may  ask,  into  a 
 wilderness  ?  Why  not,  as  in  chap.  xxi.  10,  on 
 a  great  and  high  mountain?  It  maybe  sug- 
 gested that  we  have  here,  as  in  Isa.  xxi.  1 
 (corap.  xiv.  23),  the  effect  of  the  desolating 
 judgment  (ver.  16)  prefigured.  But  yet  this 
 can  hardly  be,  since  the  woman,  as  we  shall 
 presently  see,  is  shown  in  all  her  might  and 
 splendor.  A  more  simple  reason  seems  more 
 correct :  it  was  in  order  that  this  vision  might 
 appear  quite  detached  from  chap,  xvi.,  and  also 
 that  it  might  be  more  distinctly  seen  ;  for  as  to 
 the  explanation  that  the  woman,  representing 
 the  Church  of  God,  being  left  in  the  wilderness 
 (xii.  14),  this  degenerate  Church  was  also  to  be 
 found  there,  will  not  satisfy  us  at  all,  since  we 
 cannot  possibly  assume  the  identity  of  these 
 two  women. 
 
 No  doubt,  is  it  true  that  the  woman,  with 
 sun,  moon,  and  stars,  is  the  invisible ;  the  har- 
 lot, the  visible  Church  ;  or,  to  state  the  case 
 more  plainly  and  severely,  the  one  is  the  true, 
 the  other  the  apostate  Church,  Still,  the 
 simplest  explanation  is  best.  John  was  placed 
 in  a  desert,  or  empty  space,  thence  to  contem- 
 plate from  afar  the  woman  shown  to  him;  lor 
 he  who  would  rightly  judge  of  any  object,  must 
 himself  stand  without  it,  and  even  in  oppo- 
 sition to  it. 
 
 That  which  John  now  saw,  he  described  in  a 
 very  graphic  manner,  before  the  angel  spoke 
 further  in  explanation,  for  the  visions  them- 
 selves speak  "  in  the  spirit "  to  the  prophet, 
 and  expound  themselves,  so  that,  according  1o 
 ver.  6,  the  seer  actually  saio  that  the  woman 
 was  drunk  with  the  blood  of  the  saints.  We 
 shall  proceed  to  explain  the  purport  of  his  vis- 
 ion, in  so  far  as  we  comprehend  it,  with  all 
 brevity,  before  we  apply  ourselves  to  our  spe- 
 cial subject,  the  speech  of  the  angel. 
 
 In  chap.  xxi.  9, 10,  thehride,  the  Lamb's  wife, 
 is  shown  under  the  similitude  of  a  city  ;  here, 
 on  the  contrary,  where,  from  chap.  xvi.  19,  wa 
 are  prepared  to  meet  with  a  city,  we  have  a 
 woman,  and  she  is  a  whore  !  Nay,  on  account 
 of  her  many  adulteries,  she  is  called  the  great 
 whore  {'\n  the  same  way  we  have  great  Babylon), 
 in  the  most  emphatic  sense  of  the  word.  This 
 adulteress  is  here  placed  in  opposition  to  the 
 bride  of  the  Lamb,  the  woman  clothed  with  the 
 sun,  who  is  the  true  Church — ^^just  as  we  have 
 the  beast  contrasted  with  the  Lamb — and  sha 
 
THE     AXGEL  WHO  SHOWS  THE  MYSTIC  BABYLON. 
 
 is  to  be  understood  in  a  quite  general  sense,  as 
 the  apos'nte  and  secularized  Church,  otherwise 
 she  could  not  be  also  spoken  of  as  woman.  It 
 is  very  true  that  in  the  Old  Testament  Israel 
 and  Jerusalem  appear  most  prominently  as  an 
 adulterous  wile — three  of  the  greater  prophets, 
 and  one  of  the  lesser,  beginning  their  books 
 with  a  declaration  of  the  whoredoms  of  Israel 
 (Isa.  i. ;  Jer.  i.  ii.  iii. ;  Ezek.  li.  ;  Hos.  i.  ii.  iii., 
 to  which  we  may  add,  Isa.  Ivii. ;  Esek.  xvi. 
 xxiii.,  where  Samaria  is  included,  and  many 
 other  passages).  But  Babylon,  Nineveh,  and 
 Tyre  appear  under  the  same  character,  with 
 this  addition,  that  they  are  like  the  woman 
 here  mentioned,  specially  charged  with  seduc- 
 ing the  nations  bv  their  encliantments  (Isa. 
 xlvii.  23  ;  xvi.  17  ;  Nah.  iii.  4) ;  and,  indeed,  all 
 these  are  alike  included  in  the  woman  of  the 
 Apocalypse,  the  Jahe  city  of  God  is  become  a 
 Babylon.  This  woman  sits  on  the  least,  i.  e., 
 the  apostate  Church  has  united  itself  with,  and 
 Becularized  itself  by  its  union  with  the  tempo- 
 ral power,  which  temporal  power  at  first  sus- 
 tains and  serves  her,  while  she,  for  her  part, 
 wears  the  color  of  the  beast,  till  finally,  in  chap, 
 xviii.,  we  find  only  Babylon,  and,  in  chap,  xix., 
 only  the  beast  remains.  No  doubt,  this  beast 
 "  is  the  very  same  temporal  power  described 
 by  the  seer  in  chap,  xiii.,  but'he  wears  now  a 
 difTerent  color,  and  is,  according  to  chap.  xii.  3, 
 more  dragon-like  in  form "  (Zeller).  And 
 whereas  the  woman  enchants,  intoxicates,  and 
 befools  to  the  end  with  blasphemous  hypocrisy, 
 the  beast  finally  makes  a  display  of  his  brute 
 lorce  in  open  rebellion  against  Gad. 
 
 And  now  who  is  it,  uho  is  revealed  in  the 
 vision,  and  still  more  accurately  in  the  course 
 of  history,  as  this  great  whore  ?  There  is  noth- 
 ing that  we  hold  more  certain  than  that  Rome 
 is  primarily  meant,  and  certainly  not  heathen 
 Eoine,  but  the  nominally  Christian  Eome  in 
 her  decline  and  fall.  And  it  is  equally  certain 
 that  the  beast,  according  to  the  precedent  in 
 Daniel,  can  only  be  understood  as  a  temporal 
 power  and  kingdom.  The  seven  hills  (ver.  9), 
 as  well  as  the  description  in  ver,  18,  make  the 
 first  conclusion  inevitable. 
 
 But,  on  the  other  hand,  it  is  no  less  certain 
 that  "  the  line  of  demarcation  between  the  true 
 and  false  Church  is  not  a  local  one  ;  no,  nor  one 
 of  mere  confession  of  faith,  that,  in  fact,  there 
 is  no  outward  and  visible  line  to  be  drawn  ;  the 
 difference  is  a  spiritual  one,  and  must  be  spirit- 
 tally  judged  of."  Such  is  Auberlen's  view,  to 
 which  we  would  add  a  quotation  from  a  difler- 
 enl  source:  "  We  ought  not  too  exclusively  to 
 look  without  and  around  our  own  selves  in 
 considering  this  subject.  For  within  our  hearts 
 there  may  also  be  seated  a  like  deluding  influ- 
 cnc<',  a  mystic  Babylon."  Alas!  an  undue 
 conl'ormity  to  the  world,  a  disloyal  alliance 
 nju.ie  wilh  the  power  and  the  deceitfulness  of 
 the  prince  of  this  world,  is  to  be  found  in  some 
 f'<'f;ree  in  the  majority  even  of  those  people  of 
 God,  not  mf-rely  without,  but  actually  inifhin 
 the  visible  Babylon,  who  are  here  exhorted  in 
 cbap.  xviii.,  as  well  as  in  Isaiah  and  Jeremiah, 
 
 and  also  by  the  Apostle  Paul  in  2  Cor.  vi., 
 "  Come  out  of  her,  my  people." 
 
 Scarlet  color  is  that  now  assumed  by  the  sec- 
 ond beast  in  his  full  development  (like  that 
 of  the  dragon,  xii.  3),  and  he  has  also  his  seven 
 heads  and  ten  horns  as  the  first  beast  had. 
 But  while  we  only  read  with  regard  to  the  first, 
 that  he  had  on  his  heads  the  name  of  blas- 
 phemy, the  present  beast,  on  the  contrary,  was 
 full  of  the  names  of  blasphemy,  i.  e.,  full  of  blood- 
 guiltiness  and  impiety.  In  conformity  with 
 him,  the  woman  also  is  here  represented  as  ar- 
 rayed in  purple  and  scarlet  color,  which,  taken 
 in  connection  with  her  being  decked  with  gold, 
 and  precious  stones,  and  2-)earh,  represents  no 
 doubt  in  mortal  eyes  a  haughty  pomp  and 
 splendor:  but  to  the  all-seeing,  all-discerning 
 eye  of  God,  stands  rather  for  guilt,  the  guilt 
 of  blood  (Isa.  i.  18).  Under  a  similarity  of 
 outward  appearance,  what  can  be  more  unlike 
 than  the  royal  pomp  of  the  sanctuary  and 
 Satan's  fiery  red  ?  What  further  removed  than 
 the  papal  scarlet  and  the  red  Republic,  the 
 bloody  Revolution?  What,  again,  can  seem 
 in  stronger  contrast  than  this  revolution,  and 
 the  despotism  of  a  Napoleon?  Nevertheless, 
 all  hang  together,  the  one  contains  within  it- 
 self the  germ  of  the  other,  and  in  due  time 
 makes  way  for  it. 
 
 The  golden  cup  full  of  (idolatrous)  abomina- 
 tions and  filthiness  had  already  been  pointed 
 at  (xiv.  8).  and  leads  us  back  to  Jer.  li.  7.  The 
 strong  delusions  that  seduce  and  inflame  all 
 who  do  not  hold  fast  the  love  of  the  truth,  are 
 at  the  same  time  the  intoxicating  cup  in  the 
 hand  of  Babylon,  and  the  cup  of  wrath  and 
 judgment  in"the  hand  of  God,  who  punishes 
 sin  by  sin  ;  yea,  by  giving  men  over  to  their 
 sins.  If,  in  2  Thess.  ii.  9,  we  read  of  a  mystery 
 of  iniquity  (in  contradistinction  to  the  mystery 
 of  godliness,  1  Tim.  iii.  16,  or  of  the  faith,  ver. 
 9),  here  we  have  it  unveiled  for  the  warning 
 of  believers.  The  name  that  in  lieu  of  the 
 seal  of  God  is  written  on  the  forehead  of  the 
 bold  adulteress  (of  which  she  is  herself  uncon- 
 scious, but  which  was  shown  to  the  eye  of  the 
 seer),  is  in  another  sense  a  secret  name,  i.  e.,  a 
 symbolical,  a  typically  prophetic  name,  not  to 
 be  understood  as  the  ancient  Babylon.  For 
 this  woman  is  the  real,  the  peculiar  great  Baby- 
 lon, above  all  former  ones,  the  very  climax  of 
 apostacy  and  arrogance,  and,  therefore,  she  is 
 called  the  mother  of  harlots  and  abomination  of 
 the  earth.  There  is  a  special  reference  here,  no 
 doubt,  to  the  Catholic  Chuich.  sunk  as  it  is  in 
 the  elenents  of  this  world  ;  idolatrous  not  only 
 in  her  practice  but  her  principles,  she  has  the 
 unenviable  distinction  of  being  the  nearest 
 realization  of  this  scarlet  woman,  the  metropo- 
 lis of  all  such  apostate  and  adulterous  churcnes 
 or  communities. 
 
 This  fearful  form,  riding  upon  the  equally 
 fearful  beast,  John  saw,  and  the  vision  revealed 
 its  own  nature  to  him,  for  he  saw  her  drunken 
 with  t/ie  blood  of  the  saints,  tcith  the  blood  qfth« 
 mnrtj^rs  of  Ji sus  !  Drinking  is  in  itself  a  griev- 
 ous sin,  but  it  is  infinitely  increased  by  the 
 
THE  ANGEL  WHO  SHOWS  THE  MYSTIC  BABYLON. 
 
 63 
 
 hellish  nature  cf  the  intoxication  in  this  ca=e, 
 the  enmity  against  the  saints,  ihe  persecuting 
 of  them  even  unto  death.  "  What  a  disgust- 
 ing spectacle  is  a  drunken  woman  at  any  time  ! 
 But  how  horrible  if  the  drunkenness  proceeds 
 from  human  blood  ;  how  appalling  if  this  blood 
 be  that  of  saints,  and  of  the  witnesses  of 
 Jesus!"  (Zeller.)  Therefore  John  wondered 
 (was  horrified,  aghast),  wondered  with  great 
 admiration,  even  though  he  was  in  the  Spirit. 
 This  is  the  only  occasion  throughout  the  whole 
 series  of  his  revelations  on  which  he  manifests 
 any  wonder.  But  behind  the  hideous  spectacle 
 lay  a  thought  that  made  it  more  awful  still. 
 How  fallen,  how  degenerate!  Sunk  to  this 
 depth — this  woman  now  in  the  place  of  her 
 ■who  was  clothed  with  the  sun  ! 
 
 At  this  evident  wonder  of  John's  the  angel 
 ■who  has  shown  him  the  sight,  begins  to  utter 
 his  prophetic  speech  respecting  the  woman's 
 further  career,  and  the  judgment  that  was  to 
 overtake  her,which  pre-supposes  that  John  was 
 already  aware  of  as  much  as  we  have  hitherto 
 said  on  the  subject,  that  is,  he  understood  in  a 
 general  way  who  this  woman  riding  on  the  beast 
 was.  To  which  the  angel  now  adds  certain 
 special,  positively  defining  details,  after  the 
 manner  of  those  earlier  prophecies  in  Daniel, 
 to  which  these  form  the  key. 
 
 We  would  here  remind  the  reader  of  two 
 things  which  appear  throughout  the  Old  Tes- 
 tament ;  finst,  that  angels  are  conversant  with 
 future  historical  events,  in  so  far  as  they  are 
 appointed  in  God's  name  to  communicate 
 them  to  us  ;  and  secondly,  that  they  willingly 
 condescend  to  adopt  earthly  symbols  and  figures 
 of  speech,  which,  indeed,  are  the  only  ones  in 
 ■which  prophecy  could  be  clothed,  and  the  most 
 many-sided  medium  of  communication  possible 
 in  the  case. 
 
 "Wherefore  didst  thou  marvel?  "  This  is  not 
 a  question  that  requires  an  answer,  neither  is 
 it  a  reproach  or  censure,  but  merely  a  custom- 
 ary form  of  human  speech,  intended  to  intro- 
 duce Kie  further  details  still  to  be  given  ;  it  is 
 tantamount  to  saying,  "Yea,  verily,  there  is 
 more  to  marvel  at  yet."  First  of  all  we  had, 
 "I  will  show  thee;"  now  comes,  " I  will  tell 
 thee,"  only,  in  the  original  the  /is  further  em- 
 phasized. But  that  which  the  angel  proceeds 
 to  say  is,  and  must  remain  until  the  time  of  its 
 accomplishment,  in  great  part  a  mystery  for 
 us ;  we  can  only  speak  positively  as  to  some  of 
 its  more  general  features,  which  the  progress 
 of  events  has  thrown  some  light  upon ;  we 
 even  doubt  whether  the  seer  himself  fully 
 understood  the  meaning  of  the  words  he  wrote 
 down.  The  passage  that  occurs  between  ver. 
 8-11  has  been  truly  named  the  most  perplex- 
 ing, most  obscure  in  the  whole  Apocalypse ;  we 
 can  only  venture,  in  deep  reverence  for  the 
 mysterious  words  of  the  lofty  angel,  to  indi- 
 cate some  of  their  comparatively  intelligible 
 clauses. 
 
 With  a  very  different  wonder  to  that  of  John 
 — such  is  evidently  the  train  of  thought  here 
 expressed — wiFT  those  that  dwell  on  the  earth 
 
 tconder,  whose  names  were  not  wrlW'n  in  th« 
 Lamb's  look  of  life  from  the  foundation  of  the 
 worll,  wlien  they  behold  the  bcasf,  in  the  lullesfc 
 display  of  his  lust  greatness.  Thus  we  are  re- 
 ferred back  to  chap.  xiii.  3,  8;  the  angel's 
 speech,  although  intended  to  reveal  the  mysery 
 of  the  woman  and  the  beast,  yet  beginning  with 
 the  beast,  because  he  is  to  be  the  agent  in  her 
 final  judgment.  We  have  repeatedly,  in  the 
 course  of  this  book,  met  with  this  lolty  name 
 of  "  He  that  is,  and  that  was,  and  that  will  be," 
 applied  to  God  and  to  Christ;  and  here  we 
 have  as  it  were  a  parody  of  it,  applied  in  fear- 
 ful irony  to  the  false  pretender,  the  Antichrist. 
 For  those  who  are  misled  by  mere  first  ap- 
 pearances, the  lofty  title  given  might  even 
 seem  to  transcend  the  divine,  the  words  being, 
 "  ichen  they  behold  the  beast  that  was,  and  is  7iot, 
 and  (nevertheless)  will  be."  (Such  is  the  cor- 
 rect rsndering,  not  yet  is,  as  in  the  English 
 Bible.)  But  the  angel  himself  had  already  re- 
 vealed the  truth  ;  "  he  was,  and  is  not ;  and 
 will  ascend  out  of  tlie  bottomless  pit,  and  go  into 
 perdition."  Thus  the  appellation  is  rather  the 
 antithesis  than  the  counterpart  to  Jehovah's 
 name.  The  true  distinguishing  mark  of  the 
 devil  and  all  devilish  things  being,  lie  teas,  and 
 is  not  ;  he  will  indeed  tome  again,  but  he  will 
 also  (JO.  Out  of  the  bottomless  pit  into  prydi- 
 tion  !  The  fundamental  idea  is  fearfully  evi- 
 dent, but  hoio  this  diabolical  characteristic  is  to 
 be  disclosed  by  special  historical  events,  re- 
 mains as  yet  veiltd  in  obscurity.  We  can,  in- 
 deed, understand  that  the  beast  may  already 
 have  had  an  actual  existence,  in  pagan  Home 
 with  her  world-wide  sway;  nay,  long  before 
 her,  in  all  the  despotic  empires  and  barbarous 
 powers  of  antiquity.  This  suits  well,  on  the 
 whole,  with  the  general  description  of  the 
 beast,  and  runs  parallel  with  his  having  been, 
 and  \\\?,  future  return,  which  latter  fact  we  shall 
 find  (ver.  11)  predicated  of  one  individual  king. 
 At  all  events,  this  re-ascending  out  of  the  bot- 
 tomless pit,  of  which  we  read  in  this  chapter, 
 is  no  way  to  be  confounded  with  the  rising  out 
 of  the  sea  (i.  e.,  peoples,  ver.  15),  and  in  order  to 
 prove  this,  let  chap.  xi.  7  be  compared  with 
 the  healing  of  his  deadly  wound,  chap.  xiii.  3. 
 
 "  I'he  mind  which  hath  wisdom"  (ver.  9)  is, 
 according  to  chap.  xiii.  18,  to  be  understood  as 
 an  exhortation  to  consideration  and  inquiry, 
 contained  in  this  assurance  that  beneath  the 
 literal  words  there  is  something  mysterious  and 
 important  concealed.  The  seven  heads  have  a 
 double  meaning  ;  this  is  a  very  notable  feature 
 in  biblical  images;  the  seven  hills  on  which 
 the  woman  (the  great  city,  ver.  18)  sitteth, 
 signify  also  seven  kings,  kingdoms,  powers,  so 
 that  these  seven  hills  of  the  harlot,  these  kings, 
 resemble  the  seven  heads  of  the  beast. 
 
 On  the  whole,  the  onl"  interpretation  of  the 
 mystery  that  harmonizes  with  the  rest  of  the 
 prophetic  Scriptures  (chap.  x.  7),  appears  to  us 
 as  well  as  to  some  other  eminent  commentators, 
 to  be  the  following:  The  five  fallen  powers, 
 (ver.  10),  are  the  Assyrian,  Chaldean,  Persian, 
 Grecian,   and  that  of  Antiochus   Epiphanes. 
 
64 
 
 THE  TWO  ANGELS  AT  THE  FALL  OF  BABYLON. 
 
 The  Roman  Emperor  is  the  om  that  is  (the 
 sixth  whom  John  enumerates) ;  the  seventh, 
 he  writes,  h(u  not  yd  came.  To  bring  about  the 
 final  and  special  fulfillment,  however,  which 
 ver.  8  anticipates,  we  seem  to  have  a  repetition 
 of  this  series  of  seven  kinqs.  So  long  as  the 
 beast  still  carries  the  woman,  so  long  as  the 
 temporal  power  still  serves  the  false  Church,  the 
 nature  of  the  beast  does  not  fully  display  itself, 
 as  it  will  do  when  Ihehcad  himt^lf,  as  the  eighth, 
 appears  with  the  seven,  as  the  actual  Anti- 
 christ, of  whom  Daniel  (chap,  xi.)  and  Paul 
 (2  Thess.  ii.)  prophesy.  This  is  to  be  a  last 
 undi.sguised,  complete  display  of  Atheistic 
 power,  imaged  by  the  same  daring  wickedness, 
 without  idolatry,  tliat  preceded  the  deluge. 
 We,  as  well  as  many  others,  are  fully  con- 
 vinced that  both  here  and  elsewhere  an  indi- 
 vidual, a  personal  Antichrist,  as  the  final  incar- 
 nation of  anti-Christianity,  is  pointed  at ;  but 
 ■whether,  as  has  been  supposed,  an  actual  arising 
 of  this  per.'on  from  the  chad  is  meant,  we  for 
 our  part  think  very  doubtful,  especially  from 
 chap.  xiii.  3,  where  it  is  said,  that  one  of  his 
 heads  was,  as  it  ictre,  wounded  to  death,  which 
 is  quite  compatible  with  the  further  announce- 
 ment, that  tins  deadly  wound  was  healed.  But 
 as  to  who  it  is  in  the  eleventh  verse  of  whom  it 
 is  written,  that  he  is  the  eighth,  or  an  eighth  and 
 of  the  seven,  this  we  acknowledge  to  be  the 
 very  climax  of  the  mystery,  and  beyond  our 
 power  to  solve. 
 
 The  ten  kings  that  appear  in  ver.  12,  under 
 the  image  of  the  ten  horns,  being  expressly 
 stated  to  have  received  no  kingdom  as  yet,  would 
 seem  to  prefigure  only  vice-kings,  and  indeed, 
 it  is  very  probable  that  after  the  last  great 
 revolution,  and  the  political  changes  to  be 
 brought  about  by  the  alliance  of  the  woman 
 and  the  beast,  there  may  be  a  kind  of  confed- 
 eration of  ten  powers,  over  which  the  beast 
 •will  rule  in  his  character  of  Antichrist.  In  ver. 
 16,  correctly  rendered,  we  read  the  ten  horn^ 
 which  thou  saweit  and  the  head,  for  tlie  horns  are 
 not  like  the  heads,  which  could  not  be  thus 
 spoken  of  as  apart  fiom  him.  The  horns  are 
 powers  subordinate  to  the  beast  (ver.  17),  of 
 ■which  he  will  make  use.  In  ver.  14,  we  have 
 separate  mention  made  of  the  called,  and  chosen, 
 and  faith/id,  for  these  are  indeed  three  different 
 degrees,  first  comes  the  call,  then  the  preserva- 
 tion, then  the  reward  of  the  fidelity  unto  death. 
 (See  chap.  ii.  10.)  Zeller  says  beautifully,  in 
 speaking  of  the  triumph  of  the  Lamb,  and  here 
 ■we  have  a  fulfillment  of  the  saying:  "The 
 Christian  triumphs  in  succumbing;  the  anti- 
 Christian  succumbs  in  its  very  triumph." 
 
 Next  we  see,  that  even  as  Jerusalem  and 
 Samaria  were  destroyed  by  those  with  whom 
 in  the  language ,of  Scripture  they  had  commit- 
 ted 8|.iritual  adultery  ;  even  so  the  beast  with 
 his  ten  horns  at  length  turns  against  the  wo- 
 man he  had  carried,  hates  and  destroys  her. 
 "  Each  has  used  the  other  as  a  means  to  his  or 
 her  own  ends,  and  so  they  have  come  to  ruin. 
 In  God's  just  ju('-gnu'nts  the  one  is  ordained  to 
 punish  tlie  other,  the  seeming  holy  Church, 
 
 through  the  seeming  holy  temporal  power' 
 (Zeller). 
 
 "  They  shall  make  her  desolate  and  naked,"  i. 
 e.f  they  shall  deprive  her  of  the  j^eoples  and  mul- 
 titudes, those  tliat  streamed  in  and  out  of  the 
 city,  they  shall  strip  her  of  the  pomp  of  her 
 pride  and  the  adornment  of  her  hypocrisy. 
 Will  eat  her  Jltsh  (in  the  original  here,  as  in 
 chap.  xix.  18,  the  word  is  given  in  the  plural, 
 her  imich  or  whole  Jhsh),  i.  e.,  they  will  take 
 possession  of  her  rank  and  her  property,  attack 
 all  her  ecclesiastical  wealth,  and  finally  burn 
 the  dry  bones  of  the  still  living  victims  with 
 fire,  i.  e.,  give  her  over  to  a  shameful  and  well- 
 deserved  death,  such  as,  according  to  Lev.  xxi. 
 9,  was  the  doom  of  the  priest's  daughter,  who 
 profaned  herself  by  unchastity.  Since,  how- 
 ever, the  scarlet  ■woman  does  not  denote  any 
 individual,  it  is  evident  that  this  language  is 
 merely  figurative,  intended  to  convey  a  general 
 idea  of  absolute  ruin  and  extermination,  al- 
 though it  is  very  possible,  that  in  many  partic- 
 ulars there  may  be  an  actual  fulfillment  of  the 
 very  letter. 
 
 According  to  ver.  17,  it  is  God  who  puts  into 
 the  hearts  of  these  ten  last  powers,  this  singu- 
 lar unity  of  purpose  already  alluded  to  in  ver. 
 13,  with  which  they  accomplish  the  destruction 
 of  the  apostate  Church,  for  although  the  spirit 
 of  hatred  is  not  from  God,  yet  he  overrules  its 
 direction  and  manifestation,  so  as  to  bring  about 
 the  events  pre-determined  by  his  will.  The 
 following  sentence,  until  the  words  oj'  Ood  he 
 fuljilltd — that  is,  according  to  chap.  x.  7,  the 
 Scripture  prophecies  accomplished — reminds 
 us  tiiat  this  judgment  executed  by  the  beast 
 upon  Babylonian  Rume,  as  described  in  chap, 
 xviii.,  is  not  actually  the  end.  Chapters  xix. 
 and  XX.  have  still  much  more  to  reveal  before 
 the  new  heaven  and  the  the  new  earth  are  for- 
 ever established.  But  the  last  verse  in  chap, 
 xvii.  sets  a  final  seal  to  that  interpretation  of 
 the  woman,  wiiich  we  have  already  spoken  of, 
 as,  in  our  opinion,  incontrovertible  in  the  main, 
 i  e.,  that  John  referred  to  the  world-wide  em- 
 pire* of  the  Rome  of  his  age ;  in  later  times  to 
 develope  into  a  despotism  of  another  character, 
 which  should  claim  all  the  privileges  of  pagan 
 Rome,  nay  more,  and  loftier,  for  the  pseudo- 
 Christian. 
 
 CHAPTER  XXVI. 
 
 The  Two  Angels  at  the  Fall  of  Babtlo^i 
 
 Eevelation  xviii. 
 
 When  we  speak  of  the  actual  fall  of  Babylon, 
 it  must  be  evident  that  we  understand  by  this 
 the  representation  of  it,  as  the  la.st  of  a  series 
 of  future  events  that  had  already  been  beheld 
 by  John  in  his  vision — events  revealed  to  him 
 
 *  Tako  for  instance  the  !nsori[ition  on  ilio  Go'den 
 Bull :  Rutna  caput  mundi  regtt  orbit  frmt  lutundi. 
 
THE  TWO  ANGELS  AT  THE  FALL  OF  BABYLON. 
 
 65 
 
 as  present  by  anticipation.  We  find  in  ver.  4, 
 that  the  voice  which  summons  the  people  of 
 God  out  of  Babylon,  that  they  be  not  partakers 
 of  her  sins,  follows  upon  the  repeated  cry  in 
 ver.  2,  Babylon  is  fallen,  is  fallen  ;  and  indeed 
 throughout,  we  have  the  consciousness  that, 
 vivid  as  is  the  description,  and  apparently  real 
 and  present  the  circumstances  to  the  speaker's 
 mind,  yet  that  the  whole  chapter,  from  ver.  8, 
 is  in  fact  a  prophecy  of  far-distant  events. 
 
 The  other  angel  wlio  now  appears  in  ver.  1, 
 resembles  the  angels  spoken  of  in  chap.  x.  1 ; 
 but  in  conformity  with  the  more  immediate 
 nature  of  his  communication — dealing  as  it 
 does  more  with  outward  events,  and  with  these 
 as  more  nearly  impending — he  is  no  more 
 clothed  with  a  cloud,  but  the  earth  is  lightened 
 with  his  glory,  an  expression  almost  literally 
 resembling  the  passage  in  Ezek.  xliii.  2,  where 
 the  glory  of  the  God  of  Israel  on  its  way  from 
 the  east  is  spoken  of.  On  this  occasion,  how- 
 ever, we  have  not  merely  the  words,  "another 
 mighty  angel,"  as  in  chap,  x.,  but  the  same  idea 
 amplified — another  angel,  having  great  power. 
 And  he  cried  mightily  with  a  strong  voice;  or  as 
 it  might  be  even  belter  rendered,  "  he  cried  in 
 (his)  strength,  with  a  great  voice."  The  pur- 
 port of  his  cry  very  closely  resembles  those 
 two  clause  in  chap,  xi.,  telling  of  sin  and  pun- 
 ishment, which  are  now  to  be  more  fully 
 opened  out  In  connection  with  the  latter,  we 
 are  to  have  additional  particulars  of  the  deso- 
 late and  desert  state  of  Babylon  after  her  fall ; 
 in  connection  with  the  former,  a  more  minute 
 description  is  to  be  given  of  "  all  nations,"  as 
 kings  and  merchants. 
 
 The  increased  light  that  accompanies  this  an- 
 gel brings  out  not  only  the  fact  of  the/«//,  it- 
 self the  token  of  judgment  and  tiie  proof  of 
 guilt,  but  reveals  what  had  before  existed  con- 
 cealed in  the  fallen  city,  shows  her  openly  as 
 the  ghastly  hold  of  foul  spirits.  Thus,  in  this 
 last  comprehensive  announcement  we  have  the 
 key  to  the  meaning  of  the  old  prophets  in  in- 
 variably particularizing,  when  speaking  of  the 
 destruction  and  desolation  of  Babylon,  Ednm^ 
 Nineveh,  the  wild  beasts  and  doleiul  creatures 
 that  would  inhabit  its  ruins.  "  Fallen,  fa. Itn 
 is  Babylon  the  grtat!  "  Thus  runs  the  terrible 
 angelic  cry,  "  And  slie  is  become  the  habitation  of 
 devds,  and  the  hold  of  every  foul  spirit,  and  a  cage 
 of  every  vnclean  and  hateful  bird."  If,  in  the 
 prophetic  pictures  to  which  we  allude,  there 
 are  mingled  with  the  names  of  birds  and  beasts 
 other  words,  whose  two-fold  meaning  points  at 
 spiritual  existence,  this  is  not  to  be  expounded, 
 as  some  commentators  would  suggest,  as  mere- 
 ly the  result  of  Jewish  superstition.  We  have 
 high  authority,  in  the  chapter  we  are  now  con- 
 sidering, for  recognizing  a  reality  beneath  this 
 so-called  superstition.  Plere  we  have  unclean 
 and  baleful  or  predatory  birds,  such  as  owls, 
 ravens,  vultures  spoken  of,  as  well  as  still 
 darker  inhabitants.  In  their  company,  perhaps 
 under  their  form,  demons  and  sjnrits  are  also 
 found  inhab,iting  the  desolate  site,  the  heap  of 
 utter  ruins  ;  parily  perhaps  because  of  the  pre- 
 
 ference of  their  reprobate  nature,  partly  be- 
 cause the  sentence  passed  upon  them  dooms 
 them  thereto  (Matt.  xii.  43).  Whether,  under 
 this  expression  demons,  there  may  also  be  pre- 
 figured the  departed  spirits  of  unclean  men,  we 
 leave  to  the  consideration  of  the  reflective 
 reader,  but  for  our  own  part,  consider  it  im- 
 probable. We  may  further  observe,  that  in  all 
 such  imagery  as  this,  fraught,  as  it  invariably 
 is,  with  many-sided  meanings  and  reterences, 
 we  may  always  trace  a  literal  fulfillment,  by 
 the  facts  of  earthly  history,  of  the  truths  of  a 
 spiritual  and  invisible  world;  of  which  these 
 facts  are,  as  it  were,  the  outward  and  visible 
 sign.  Here,  for  instance,  we  have  the  city  de- 
 scribed to  us  (ver.  2);  then  in  ver.  3  there  is  a 
 return  to  the  metaphor  of  the  degraded  woman. 
 
 "  For  all  nations  have  drunk  of  the  wine  of  the 
 wrath  of  htr  fornication,  and  the  kings  of  the 
 earth  have  committed  fornication  icithher,  and  the 
 merchants  of  the  tarlh  have  waxed  rich  through  the 
 abundance  of  her  dtlicacies."  The  three-fold  guilt 
 of  Babylon,  in  which  she  has  involved  the  na- 
 tions, may  be  described  as  apostacy  (ir  idolatry, 
 the  foundation  of  all  the  rest — worldliness,  taken 
 in  connection  with  its  kindred  iufiuences — 
 pride,  gluttony,  luxury,  in  the  mi.sused  posses- 
 sions she  has  made  instruments  of  sin.  x\.n  in- 
 ordinate delight  in  these  perverted  things  is 
 implied  in  the  charge  of  fornication,  as  cov- 
 etous and  over-reaching  in  the  pursuit  of 
 selfish  ends  are  implied  in  ihe  allusion  to  tiie 
 arrogance  of  the  nierchant.s.  Ebraid  is  right: 
 "It  is  not  only  the  position  of  nierchanis,  as 
 such,  which  is  now  indicated,  but  all  that  lit-lps 
 to  promote  tlie<4iowth  of  luxury,  and  tooccuj/y 
 the  heart  entirely  with  earthly  trulhc  and 
 earthly  gain. 
 
 The  voice  that  in  the  following  verse  is  heard 
 from  heaven,  and  which  speaks  from  ver.  4  to 
 ver.  20,  does  not  proceed  trom  an  angel,  what- 
 ever interpreters  may  have  atlvanced  on  the 
 subject.  We  are  convinced  that  we  have  been 
 right  hitherto  in  receiving  such  voices  as  this, 
 spoken  of  in  the  Kevelation,  as  the  voice  of 
 God  himself;  and  here  we  have,  in  confirmation 
 of  our  views,  "rny  people,"  as  in  chap.  xi.  3  we 
 had  "  my  witnesses."  Nor  is  this  view  weakened 
 by  the  fact,  that  in  the  long  speech  (as  often 
 occurs  in  the  prophets),  God  is  sometimes 
 spoken  of  in  the  third  person  (vers.  5,  8),  while 
 sometimes  the  passage  appears  to  be  the  de- 
 scription of  a  mere  prophetic  vision,  for  in 
 John's  mouth  such  expressions  as  those  in  vers. 
 6,  7,  20,  would  be  quite  out  of  place.  Neither 
 can  we  adopt  Von  Gerlach's  suggestion,  that 
 under  ihe  image  of  the  overthrow  and  desolation 
 of  a  great,  overgrown,  rich,  and  proud  city,  at 
 once  capital  and  chief  seat  of  trade,  wh  are 
 simply  to  understand  the  fall  of  the  Aniichnst- 
 ian  spiritual  power;  Ibr,  as  we  have  already 
 explained,  this  spiritual  power  is  represented 
 as  actually  incorporated  with  a  real  cily.  Nor 
 can  we  refrain  from  briefly  pointing  out  here, 
 how,  according  to  vers.  6,  7,  the  children  of  God 
 are  to  take  nart  in  her  chastisement,  if  only  by  I 
 approving  lue  sentence  gone  forth  against  her; 
 
€6 
 
 THE  ANGEL  REFUSING  TO  BE  WORSHIPPED. 
 
 or,  perhaps,  by  actually  invoking  it,  as  in  V^a. 
 cxxxvii.  7-9.  "  The  closing  words  (ver.  20)  are 
 again  taken  from  Jer.  li.  48,  so  specially  does 
 tiie  Spirit  of  prophecy  delight  to  refer  to  its 
 former  utterances. 
 
 "  And  a  mighty  angel"  (as  in  chap.  v.  2)  em- 
 phazises  his  saying,  by  accompanying  it  with  a 
 visible  action.  *  He  "  took  up  a  stone  like  a  great 
 luilUlone,  and  cad  it  into  the  sea,  saying,  Thus 
 tri/h  violence  *A  til  that  great  city  Babylon  be  throicn 
 down,  and  shall  be  found  no  more."  Hence  we 
 see  that  even  this  is  not  the  actual  fall,  but 
 only  the  most  precise  and  last  announcement 
 «n(i  representation  of  it  that  the  eeer  is  to  re- 
 ceive, a  concluding  sign  vouchsafed  in  confir- 
 niation  of  the  truth  of  all  that  has  gone  before, 
 euch  as  was  once  given  with  regard  to  the  de- 
 struction of  the  Chaldean  Babylon  (Jer.li.  43), 
 bv  the  throwing  of  a  stone  into  the  Euphrates. 
 On  the  present  occasion  the  symbol  is  more 
 majestic;  the  stone  is  thrown  into  the  sea  (the 
 fluod  of  nations),  and  the  fact  of  its  being  a 
 m'dldone  may  have  reference  to  the  custom  of 
 drowning,  by  means  of  this  weight,  to  which 
 cur  Lord  alludes  (Matt,  xviii.6);  thus  remind- 
 ing us  of  this  threatened  punishment  to  those 
 who  cause  others  to  offend.  Whether  the  fall 
 ol  tliii  stone  into  the  sea  denotes  an  earthquake, 
 as  in  chap.  xvi.  18,  19,  cannot  be  positively 
 Icnuwn,  but  the  still  existent  ruins  of  the  city 
 (ver.  2)  would  seem  to  argue  that  it  does  not. 
 Enough,  the  great  city  s^tall  no  mm-e  be  found, 
 wliicli  means  even  more  thaa  the  parallel  pass- 
 age in  Detit.  xrii.  16. 
 
 "And  the  voice  of  harpers,  and  musicians,  ami 
 of  ]iptrs,  and  of  trum)ieters,  shall  l)e  heard  no 
 vinre  at  all  in  thee  ;  and  no  craftsman,  of  what- 
 soivir  craft  he  be,  shall  be  found  any  mm-e  in  thee  ; 
 and  /lie  huund  of  a  millstone  shall  be  heard  no  more 
 at  all  in  thee  ;  and  the  light  of  a  candle  shall  shine 
 iio  mo  eat  ail  in  thee  ;  and  (he  to:ce  of  tlie  bride- 
 fji-min  and  of  (he  bride  shall  be  heard  no  more  at 
 all  in  thee."  Most  simple,  most  sublime,  most 
 poetical  this  rendering  of  the  actual  fact,  in  the 
 tone  and  in  the  words  of  ancient  prophecy.  The 
 Apostle  John,  in  his  own  human  personality, 
 liud  indeed  no  gilt  of  eloquence  equal  to  thi.i, 
 but  the  Spirit  now  takes  possession  of  his  mind 
 as  a  vessel  o[ien  and  ready  to  receive  it.  The 
 ang'l  .=eenis  etiU  to  see  and  hear,  while  the 
 tlone  is  falling,  the  many-sounding  capital  of 
 the  world  ;  addresses  once  more  the  city  no  more 
 found  in  words  of  terrible  wailing,  as  we  might 
 address  a  corpse,  whose  life  and  activity  were 
 over;  rcneats  the  cry  no  more  in  five  separate 
 forms.  Let  this  passage  be  compared  with  Isa. 
 xxiv.  8;  Jer.  vii.  34 ;  xvi.  9;  xxv.  10;  Ezek. 
 xxvi.  13.  Not  only  the  sound  of  harp  and 
 Bong,  flute  and  trumpet,  but  even  the  low  grind- 
 ing of  the  millstone  (hand-mills  were  at  that 
 time  used)  would  be  over,  as  well  as  the  light 
 of  a  candle,  necessary  for  the  lowest  domestic 
 avocation,  put  out !  All  is  silent,  all  is  extinct ! 
 From  the  loudest  tone  of  pleasure,  to  the  low- 
 est, all  are  included.  Even  the  silent  work  of 
 the  craft.sniun  mu.-^t  end,  the  little  ray  of  his 
 fciiiglo  candle  be  quenched.     lu  Jeremiah  the 
 
 voice  of  the  bridegroom  and  of  the  bride  seems 
 associated  with  festal  voices  of  mirth  and  glad- 
 ness, but  here  it  seems  to  die  down  to  a  mourn- 
 ful murmur.  All  other  sounds  are  over;  now 
 there  is  no  little  spot  left,  no  spot  however  dark 
 (for  all  lights  are  quenched),  where  one  loving 
 pair  even  may  whisper  their  farewell  any  more; 
 that  faint  sound,  as  well  as  the  voice  of  musi- 
 cians, shall  be  heard  in  her  no  more ;  a  fit  close 
 to  the  sorrowful  beginning  ! 
 
 And  now  we  have  the  guilt  that  has  called 
 down  such  a  sentence  again  introduced,  as  in 
 ver.  5,  by  the  significant /or.  "  For  thy  mer- 
 chants were  the  princes  of  the  earth  ;  for  by  tliy 
 sorceries  (oh,  great  hall  of  enchantment)  jr<;re  all 
 nations  deceived!"  The  Romish  Babylon  in 
 her  early  state,  still  more  in  her  latest,  is  full 
 of  art,  pleasure,  trade,  and  traffic  !  There  may 
 be  an  allusion  here  to  the  spiritual  traffickers 
 
 I  in  church  wares  of  every  kind  (relics,  indulg- 
 ences), but  there  is  also  a  literal  exactness. 
 According  to  Isa.  xxii.  8,  the  merchants  of  Tyre 
 
 '  were  princes,  and  her  traders  nobles  of  the  land, 
 and  with  a  kind  of  play  on  that  fact,  it  is  here 
 even  more  strongly  stated,  the  princes  of  the 
 earth  were  at  the  same  time  thy  merchants. 
 Thus  kings  and  merchants  are  classed  together 
 as  in  ver.  3;  whereas  in  vers.  9  and  11,  they 
 are  only  named  in  close  succession.  Finally, 
 the  spiritual  unchastity  is  here  spoken  of  as 
 sorcery,  sorceries  (compare  chap.  ix.  21)  in  re- 
 membrance of  Jezebel,  that  early  type  (chap, 
 ii.  20),  of  who.se  great  enchantments  and  whore- 
 doms we  read  in  2  Kings  ix.  22. 
 
 "  And  in  her  was  found  the  blood  of  prophets, 
 and  of  saints,  and  of  all  llutt  were  slain  vpon  the 
 earth."  This  is  the  last,  the  most  fearful  por- 
 tion of  the  funeral  song  over  the  condemned  and 
 annihilated  city!  The  angel  addresses  her  no 
 more  ;  his  words  now  resounds  over  her  !  Som* 
 she  misled  and  intoxicated,  others  she  perse- 
 cuted and  slew.  We  read  of  the  blood  of  the 
 saints  in  chap.  xvii.  6,  Now  it  is,  found  in  her 
 as  blood-guiltiness,  discovered,  fearfully  aveng- 
 ed;  as  it  was  written  in  Ezek.  xxiv.  8,  of  Je- 
 rusalem ;  Jer.  ii.  34,  of  Israel ;  Jer.  !i.  35,  of 
 Babylon.  Yea,  in  like  manner,  as  the  Lord 
 spoke  of  Jerusalem  (Malt,  xxiii.  35),  so  in  this 
 case  all  the  murders,  all  blood-guiltiness  what- 
 ever on  earth,  shall  be  required  of  this  great 
 Babylon. 
 
 CHAPTER  XXVII. 
 The  Angel  Refusing  to  be  WoKsnirPED. 
 
 i     ReVELATIOM    XIX. 
 
 There  is  a  good  deal  of  apparent  difficulty  in 
 distinguishing  to  whom  the  different  voices,  in 
 this  chapter,  belong,  whether  to  angels,  or  to 
 spirits  of  just  men  made  perfect,  or  to  a  still 
 higher  source;  but  with  careful  consideration 
 we  shall  be  able  to  solve  this  difficulty.  The 
 connection  between  it  and  the  preceding  chapter 
 
THE  ANGEL  REFUSING  TO  BE  WORSHIPPED. 
 
 67 
 
 is  especially  clear.  As  Herder  has  obesrved, 
 after  tlie  very  last  and  lightest  sound  in  great 
 Babylon  has  been  hushed :  "  All  around  and 
 above  her  there  is  a  silence  like  that  of  the 
 grave,  she  has  sunk  out  of  sight  and  is  no  more 
 found,  though  her  smoke  ascends  forever ;  the 
 song  of  lamentation  dies  away,  a  heavenly 
 strain  of  triumph  is  heard."  According  to  the 
 behest  of  the  angel  (xviii.  20),  heaven  rejoices 
 over  her,  that  is  to  say,  the  avenged  saints  in 
 heaven.  Thus  the  much  people  whose  great  voice 
 we  hear  (xix.  1-3),  are  (as,  indeed,  ver.  2  fur- 
 ther proves)  the  same  who  cried  for  judgment 
 in  chap.  vi.  9,  10;  and,  finally,  the  same  who 
 are  named  (xviii.  24)  as  those  whose  blood  was 
 found  in  Babylon  ;  with  which  accords  also,  in 
 a  general  way,  chap.  xi.  15.  This  is  the  only 
 place  in  the  whole  New  Testament  where  the 
 solemn  hallelujah  occurs  (but  here  it  occurs 
 four  times),  which  we  hear  for  the  first  time  in 
 the  Old  Testament,  Psa.  civ.  35,  after  the  dec- 
 laration of  the  wicked  being  consumed.  Now 
 comes  the  fulfillment  of  chap.  vi.  10,  after 
 the  Church  in  heaven,  as  well  as  the  Church 
 on  earth,  has  long  cried  in  the  language  of 
 Psa.  xciv.,  "  Lord  God,  to  whom  vengeance 
 belongeth,  show  thyself  1  "  Now  he  has 
 avenged  the  blood  of  his  servants,  according  to 
 his  promise  of  old  (Deut.  xxxii.  43).  Another 
 hallelujah  rises  from  the  same  multitude  over  the 
 just  e/d/7ii7?/of  the  sentence  passed,  the  smoke  of 
 the  torment  of  the  ungodly  honoring  God  after 
 its  kind,  as  does  the  incense  of  the  praises  of 
 the  blest;  nay,  more,  only  they  who  can  sing 
 hallelujah  over  it  are  worthy  of  eternal  bless- 
 edness !  In  ver.  4,  this  is  confirmed  by  an 
 Amen  added  to  the  hallelujah,  spoken  by  the 
 four-and-twenty  elders,  and  the  four  beasts, 
 who  fall  down  and  worship  togetJier  on  this  oc- 
 casion, so  that  tiiese  words  are  not  peculiarly 
 the  language  of  angels.  We  have,  indeed,  seen 
 the  elders  fall  down  thus  on  two  former  occa- 
 ions,  but  is  is  only  here,  and  in  chap.  v.  8,  that 
 the  living  ones,  living  creaturus,  or  beasts,  fall 
 down  with  them. 
 
 But  whose  is  the  voice  we  meet  with  in  ver. 
 5,  the  voice  coming  out  of  the  throne ?  Is  it  that 
 of  the  Spirit  piercing  through  the  very  seat  of 
 Deity  ?  We,  for  our  part,  do  not  think  so ;  we 
 liold,  rather,  that  verses  1-4  contain  the  words 
 of  the  blessed  dead,  i.  e.,  the  elders,  together 
 with  those  of  the  beasts,  v/hereas  ver.  5  is 
 spoken  only  by  the  four  living  creatures  that 
 bear  up  the  throne  ;  and  lastly,  tliat  ver.  6  in- 
 cludes the  whole  multitude  of  all  God's  servants 
 in  heaven,  answering  the  call  made  upon  them 
 by  ver.  5  to  praise  God,  by  a  voice  like  that  of 
 the  many  waters  of  earth  and  the  thunders  of 
 heaven,  bursting  out  into  a  fourth  grand  and 
 united  JLillebijah!  To  which  is  immediately 
 joined  (ver.  7)  the  further  announcement  that 
 the  marriage  of  the  Lamb  is  come,  another 
 cause  for  the  universal  gladness  and  rejoicing 
 ot  heaven.  Tiie  mystic  Babylon  thus  made 
 place  for  tiie  true  bride,  the  wife  who  has  made 
 lirt-self  ready  !  And  now  we  have  in  ver.  8 
 John's  ovvifwords,  describing  what,  he  actually 
 
 himself  saw  and  understood,  ana  could  explain 
 to  his  readers,  the  fine  linen,  white  and  clean, 
 the  pure,  shining,  priestly  apparel,  in  contrast 
 to  the  blood-red  vesture  of  the  condemmed 
 harlot. 
 
 Thus,  then,  all  appears  to  be  intelligible,  and 
 we  come  to  the  ninth  verse,  where,  for  the  first 
 time  in  this  chapter,  we  have  the  voice  of  an 
 angel,  whose  words  are  introduced  by  the  inde- 
 finite but  frequently  occurring  phrase,  "and  he 
 saith  unto  me."  Many  have  considered  that 
 this  was  the  same  angel  whom  we  saw  come 
 down  from  heaven  (xviii.  1),  but  his  office  evi- 
 dently ended  with  the  judgment  of  Babylon, 
 and  we  hold  it  more  probably  that  it  is  the  one 
 described  in  chap.  xvii.  as  one  of  the  seven, 
 who  now  proceeds  to  say,  "  Write,  Blessed  (are) 
 tliey  who  are  called  to  the  marriage  supper  of  the 
 Lamb."  And  with  the  emphasis  of  a  fresh  be- 
 ginning, "he  saith  unto"  John  again,  "  These 
 are  the  true  sayings  of  0>d."  The  repeated  in- 
 struction to  write  was  necessary  for  the  wholly 
 entranced  seer,  wholly  participating  and  ab- 
 sorbed as  he  must  have  been  in  the  marriage 
 gladness  of  heaven.  Accordingly,  the  dictation 
 of  a  lofty  speech  is  prefaced  by  this  Write,  just 
 as  in  chap.  xiv.  13  the  same  ascription  of  bless- 
 edness to  those  who  die  in  the  Lord  was  to  bo 
 written  down.  But  we  cannot  think  that  this 
 passage  is  to  be  understood  as  the  antithesis  to 
 the  other,  as  referring  to  the  blessedness  of 
 those  who  are  found  alive  at  Christ's  coming, 
 in  contradistinction  to  that  of  the  dead  who 
 died  before  it,  for  hath  are  alike  called  to  the 
 marriage  (1  Thess.  iv.  15),  both  are  to  be  tlvie. 
 The  called  mean  the  invited,  that  is,  the  wed- 
 ding-guests, so  that  we  see  the  guests  and  iho 
 bride  are  one.  Here,  as  in  chap.  xvii.  14,  wo 
 have  it  implied  that  these  called  were  not  called 
 in  vain,  but  that  they  obeyed  the  call,  were 
 called  and  chosen  and /aithful.  But  we  have 
 also  a  general  encouragement  and  exhortation 
 contained  in  this  reference  to  the  univer.sality 
 of  this  call.  The  wedding  proclaimed  in  ver. 
 7  is  indeed  only  actually  to  take  place,  chap, 
 xxi.  2,  but  after  the  decisive  victory  over  Baby- 
 lon, the  glad  event  is  so  much  nearer  that  it  is 
 spoken  of  as  at  hand,  as  already  come,  for  so, 
 indeed,  in  a  certain  sense,  it  is  brought  before 
 the  eyes  of  those  invited  by  the  very  first  call 
 they  hear.  0  that  we  had  more  faith  in  tho 
 truth  of  God's  words,  so  that  we  might  by 
 anticipation  enjoy  their  certain  fulfillment  more 
 than  we  do  !  To  this  the  angel  exhorts  us  ex- 
 pressly, by  this  assertion,  "  These  are  the  Irm 
 sayings  of  Ood."  We  have  here  an  almost  cer- 
 tain proof  that  it  is  the  angel  of  chap.  xvii.  who 
 is  speaking  here,  for  these  words  sound  like  an 
 echo  of  those  he  made  use  of  in  ver.  l7,  "  until 
 the  tcords  of  God  ihall  he  fulfilled,"  with  which 
 we  may  compare  the  alter  assertion  of  the  in- 
 termediate speaker  in  chap.  xxi.  5.  These  say- 
 ings of  God  which  are  to  be  fulfilled,  mean  hero 
 (as  in  chap,  xvii.,  though  witli  a  slight  difi'er- 
 ence)  not  only,  though  primarily,  the  proinisei 
 through  which  we  are  called,  invited,  and  en- 
 couraged.    The  judgment  and  coudeumat/on 
 
THE  ANGEL  KEFUSING  TO  BE  WORSHIPPED 
 
 of  nnblest  souls  are  also  inevitably  included, 
 but  llie  tiue  end  and  aim  of  the  whole  purpose 
 of  God  is  joy,  holiness,  happiness  forever. 
 
 John  now  falls  down  at  the  feet  of  the  angel 
 to  worship  him.  Some  commentators  have 
 singularly  enough  supposed  that  John  was 
 under  tlie  impression  that  this  was  the  close  of 
 the  Revelation,  and  thus  desired  reverentially 
 to  return  thanks  and  take  his  departure.  But 
 no  ;  he  must  have  known  how  much  of  judg- 
 ment and  glory  still  lay  behind.  Auberlen's 
 suggestion  deserves  more  attention  when  he 
 attributes  to  the  seer  at  this  juncture  a  quite 
 overwhelming  emotion.  "This  outward  ex- 
 pression of  a  spirit  deeply  moved,  is  a  charac- 
 teristic contrast  to  the  great  wonder  that  John 
 had  evinced  (xvii.  6).  When  the  destiny  of 
 God's  Church  is  concerned,  the  seer  cannot 
 withhold  his  intense  sympathy,  he  wonders 
 with  profound  amazement  at  her  deep  fall,  he 
 worships  at  the  tidings  of  her  future  glory."  To 
 which  we  might  add,  with  somewhat  more  pre- 
 cision, that  the  childlike  spirit  of  John  must 
 have  been  even  more  penetrated  with  joy,  by 
 the  certainty  that  he  himself  was  one  of  the 
 called,  than  by  the  announcement  of  the  glory 
 of  the  Church  as  a  whole.  As  though  the 
 blessed  fact — though  indeed  known  long  ago — 
 now  burst  upon  him  for  the  first  time  in  all  its 
 magnitude,  he  is  ready  to  worship  the  angel 
 who  confirms  it;  in  the  same  way — let  us^be 
 permitted  the  homely  simile — as  a  child  long 
 absent  from  his  father's  house,  might  kiss  the 
 hands  of  one  of  his  father's  servants  who  came 
 commissioned  to  convoy  him  home. 
 
 But  the  angel  rejects  his  worship,  and  says, 
 *' See  (thou  do  it)  not!  lam  thy  fdlow-servant, 
 and  of  Lhy  brethren  that  have  the  testimony  of  Je- 
 im :  wm-ship  God."  In  the  same  manner  that 
 we  find  Peter  refusing  to  allow  in  Cornelius  the 
 prostration  which  had  been  customary  in  east- 
 ern countries,  because  it  was  no  longer  in  ac- 
 cordance with  the  new  dignity  and  liberty  of 
 Christianity  conferred,  we  find  the  angel  who 
 converses  with  John  twice  reminding  him 
 (here  and  in  chap,  xxii.)  that  in  the  presence 
 of  angels,  man,  the  worshipper  of  God  alone, 
 was  to  be  conscious  of  his  own  dignity  as  their 
 fellow-creature  and  fellow-servant.  Nay,  the 
 actual  wording  of  the  passage  implies  even 
 more;  not  thou  art  my  lellow-servant,  but/ 
 am  thine.  This  reminds  us  of  ver.  5,  "Praise 
 our  God,  all  ye  his  servants."  Let  it  be  ob- 
 served that  the  angel  very  wisely  avoids  say- 
 ing, I  am  thy  brother,  for  these  heavenly  ser- 
 vants are  not  the  children  of  God  in  the  same 
 full  sense  that  we  men  are,  and  also  their  dif- 
 ference of  nature  forbids  that  fraternal  relation- 
 ship which  one  human  being  bears  to  the  other. 
 The  precision  of  this  scriptural  language  is 
 otten  improperly  overlooked  and  passed  over. 
 "Thy  fellow  servant,  and  of  thy  brethren;" 
 this,  no  doubt,  means  all  human  beings  that 
 Berve  and  worship  God,  but  refers  here  more 
 especially  to  believers  in  Jesus,  disciples  such 
 as  John  himself.  We  shall  see  [)resently  what 
 ia  meant  by  the  testimony  of  Jesus;  but  we 
 
 must  here  observe  that  the  angel's  address  is 
 equivalent  to  saying,  "  I  also,  as  thou  and  all 
 those  like-minded  with  thee,  only  testify  of  Je- 
 sus," which  was  indeed  the  especial  office  of  the 
 heavenly  fellow-servant  on  this  occasion.  Wor- 
 ship Ood  alone  I  And  truly  this  fundamental, 
 this  earliest  lesson  that  we  learn  as  children  in 
 our  catechism,  is  one  that  we  need  to  have  re- 
 peatedly recalled  to  us  all  our  lives  long,  lest 
 in  our  thoughtlessness  or  precipitation  we 
 practically  forget  it.  More  especially  in  the 
 last  times,  when  the  last  assembling  of  the 
 guests  called  to  the  wedding  takes  place,  there 
 is  need  for  peculiar  stress  being  laid  on  this 
 great  truth  (as  in  chap.  xiv.  7,  at  the  proclaim- 
 ing of  the  everlasting  Gospel)  in  opposition  to 
 the  teaching  of  them  who  worship  the  beast 
 and  demons,  and  the  work  of  men  s  hands  (ix. 
 20).  This  warning  to  the  seer  is  given  for  our 
 learning. 
 
 The  additional  explanatory  clause  that  fol- 
 lows is  written  by  John,  not  spoken  by  the  an- 
 gel :  For  the  testimony  of  Jesus  is  the  spirit  of 
 prophecy,  which  is  a  parallel  passage  to  the  in- 
 tercalation by  hiiu  in  ver.  8.  According  to 
 chap.  vi.  9,  and  xii.  17  (a  similar  idea  being 
 also  conveyed,  chap.  xx.  4),  this  testimony  of 
 Jesus  is  by  no  means  confined  to  the  prophets, 
 but  equally  attributed  to  all  believers  who  have 
 borne  witness  to  Jesus  by  suffering  and  death 
 for  his  sake.  And  now  here  we  have  the  tes- 
 timony defined  as  the  spirit  of  prophecy! 
 How  can  this  be?  Are  all  evangelists,  wit- 
 nesss,  and  confessors  prophets  too  ?  The  in- 
 quiry is  natural,  but  the  answer  too  is  evident 
 enough,  and  has  been  given  long  ago  by  our 
 best  commentators.  Von  Meyer,  for  instance, 
 writes:  "  In  order  that  we  may  not  doubt  that 
 all  true  Christians  are  granted  some  share  of  a 
 holy  and  divine  insight,  be  it  ever  so  weak  and 
 clouded,  we  are  expressly  told  that  the  testi- 
 mony of  Jesus  is  (in  itself)  the  spirit  of  pro- 
 phecy." This  does  not,  indeed,  mean  that  we  are 
 all  actual  prophets,  gifted  with  an  unerring 
 faculty  of  prediction,  but  that  the  Spirit  will 
 open  out  for  us  the  meaning  of  already  exist- 
 ing prophecies,  in  so  lar  as  we  require  to  know 
 it ;  always,  at  all  events,  with  regard  to  their 
 fundamental  idea  and  main  application,  with- 
 out which  degree  of  understanding  there  can 
 be  no  faith,  properly  so  called,  in  God's  word. 
 And  in  the  latter  days,  this  is  to  hold  good, 
 especially  with  regard  to  the  prophecies  of  the 
 Apocalypse.  "The  spirit  of  understanding  of 
 these  will  afford  the  children  of  God  a  comfort- 
 able evidence  of  their  belonging  to  Jesus" 
 (Ebrard).  But  more  than  this,  it  may  be  said, 
 that  he  who  can  understand  and  expound  pro- 
 phecy virtually  prophesies  himself;  having  the 
 indwelling  light  of  God's  word  in  his  heart,  and 
 seeing  alike  present  and  future  things  in  this 
 light.  The  testimony  of  Jesus  is,  as  Hamann 
 well  observes,  "  the  Holy  Spirit,  with  his 
 heavenly  faculty  of  vision,  not  the  polity  of 
 the  beast  and  the  scarlet  woman,  nor  mero 
 scholastic  and  critical  learning."  And  thus  we 
 are  not  only  fellow-workers,  but  on  an  equal- 
 
THE  GREAT  VOICE  OUT  OF  HEAVEN. 
 
 69 
 
 tty  with  angels,  who  have  a  commission  to  un- 
 fold the  future  things  of  the  kingdom  of  God, 
 inasmuch  as  we,  through  our  Lord  Jesus,  by 
 means  of  faith,  regeneration,  and  heavenly  illu- 
 mination of  the  Spirit,  have  positively  a  cer- 
 tain spirit  of  prophecy  with  regard  to  these 
 subjects.  Lastly,  in  order  thoroughly  to  ap- 
 preciate the  truth  of  this  saying,  in  which  John 
 modestly  enrolls  himself  amidst  the  rest  of  the 
 brethren,  we  must  invert  it,  and  read,  "  The 
 spirit  of  pro))hei-y  is  the  witness  of  Jesas."  This 
 is  what  Harnann  does,  and  he  then  proceeds  to 
 observe  :  "  This  rule  serves  as  corner-stone  to 
 the  whole  of  Scripture,  and  must  be  the  touch- 
 stone of  all  expositors."  Yea,  verily,  the  whole 
 mystery  of  God,  which  he  has  made  known  to 
 his  servants  the  prophets,  is  grounded  on,  and 
 fulfilled  in  the  person  and  kingdom  of  Jesus,  it 
 has  for  its  final  goal  the  marriage  of  the  Lamb  ; 
 and,  accordingly,  the  very  least  Christian,  to 
 whose  heart  witness  is  so  borne  to  Jesus  by  the 
 Holy  Ghost,  that  he,  on  his  part,  can  also  bear 
 witness  to  hira,  has  more  of  the  understanding, 
 light,  power,  and  spirit  of  prophecy  in  him, 
 than  all  those  learned  ones,  who  are  learned 
 merely  in  the  letter  of  the  Bible. 
 
 CHAPTER  XXVIIL 
 
 The  Angel  in    the  Sun   SuMMONiNa  the 
 Birds  to  the  Great  Supper. 
 
 Revelation  xix. 
 
 The  book  of  Revelation  unfolds  to  us  a 
 three-fold  judgment — that  of  Babylon,  of  the 
 beast  with  the  false  prophet,  and  of  Satan.  The 
 second  of  these  judgments  will  be  executed,  ac- 
 cording to  2  Thess.  ii.  8,  by  the  immediate  power 
 of  the  Lord  himself  coming  as  conqueror,  which 
 appearance  (vers.  11-16) — his  so-called  second 
 coming — will  occupy  a  middle  position  between 
 his  first  coming  as  the  man  of  sorrows  and  his 
 last  coming  to  judgment — a  truth  that  we  have 
 now  more  plainly  revealed  than  heretofore,  but 
 on  which  the  plan  of  our  present  book  does  not 
 permit  us  to  dwell.  Visible  in  his  majesty, 
 and  accompanied  by  all  the  armies  of  heaven, 
 the  Lord  iiimself  now  actually  appears  to  John, 
 in  token  that  this  vision  approaches  more  ex- 
 actly to  reality  than  has  hitherto  been  the  case. 
 The  final  defeat  of  Antichrist  and  his  armies 
 is,  no  doubt,  in  a  measure  effected  by  both  heav- 
 enly and  earthly  instruments  of  the  divine 
 will;  but  it  is  mainly  to  be  ascribed  to  the 
 Lord's  appearing,  to  the  sharp  sword  that  goeth 
 out  of  his  mouth,  i.  e.,  to  the  rapidly  executed 
 word  of  his  power. 
 
 Hut  before  the  groat  slaughter  that  lays  the 
 hosts  of  Antichrist  low,  we  have,  in  a  typical 
 vision,  an  invitation  to  supper  given  to  a 
 strange  and  ghastly  company  of  guests,  in  ver- 
 bal conformity  with  the  prophecy  in  Zeph.  i.  7  : 
 "  The  Lord  Jaath  prepared  a  Facrifice  ;  he  hath 
 bid  his  gaesta."     John  now  sees  an  angel  stand- 
 
 ing in  the  sun  ;  that  is,  with  the  brightest  glory 
 imaginable  (greater  even  than  the  glory  de- 
 scribed in  xviii.  1),  proclaiming  his  great  mess- 
 age all  over  heaven,  and  crying  to  all  the  fowls 
 that  fly  in  its  midst :  "  Come  and  gather  your' 
 selves  together  unto  the  tupper  of  the  great  God  ; 
 that  ye  may  eat  the  flesh  of  kings  and  tliefcsh  of 
 captains,  and  the  fksh  of  mighty  men  and  the 
 fiesh  of  hQrses,  and  of  them  that  sit  on  them,  and 
 the  flesh  of  all  men,  free  and  bound,  both  small 
 and  great."  The  giving  the  flesh  of  the  con- 
 quered to  the  fowls  of  the  air  and  the  beasts  of 
 the  land,  is  an  ancient  form  of  speech  that  very 
 often  occurs  in  Scripture.  (See  Deut.  xxviii. 
 26  ;  1  Sam.  xvii.  44  ;  Jer.  vii.  33  ;  also  Jer.  xii. 
 9,  properly  rendered.)  But  the  angel's  cry 
 resembles  more  especially  the  expression  used 
 by  Ezek.  xxxix.  4,  17-20,  from  which  we  have 
 another  quotation  in  Rev.  xx.  8.  The  whole 
 passage  in  the  old  prophet,  no  doubt,  has  an 
 ultimate  reference  to  Antichrist,  inasmuch  as 
 all  judgments  prophetically  mirror  each  other ; 
 but  it  is  here  much  abbreviated,  and  yet  there 
 is  an  addition  made  to  it,  i.  e.,  the  enumeration 
 of  free  and  bond,  small  and  great,  in  allusion 
 to  chap,  xiii,  16,  as  well  as  vi.  15. 
 
 But  the  most  striking  new  feature  here,  is 
 the  appalling  expression,  the  great  supper  of 
 God,  in  fearful  contrast  to  the  marriage  supper 
 of  the  Lamb.  "  It  is  a  sad  necessity,"  says 
 Herder;  "  first  an  impure  feast  of  birds,  before 
 the  pure  and  glad  least  of  the  bride  of  the 
 Lamb  can  take  place."  This  is  the  treading 
 out  of  the  vine  of  the  earth,  this  is  the  great 
 battle  of  Armageddon  (xvi.  16).  The  birds 
 may  typify  the  angels  of  wrath  and  judgment 
 like  that  eagle  which  we  have  before  heard 
 croak  out  his  three-fold  woe,  or  perhaps  swarms 
 of  barbarians,  or  more  probably  the  expression 
 has  an  actual  reference  to  birds  of  prey  as  well, 
 who  will  here  eat  flesh  for  the  last  time  before 
 the  thousand  years  come,  when  all  creation 
 shall  be  made  new.  Thus  the  kings  of  the 
 earth  and  their  armies,  great  as  their  gathering 
 round  the  beast  have  been,  to  make  war  with 
 him  against  the  King  of  kings  and  Lord  of  lords, 
 against  the  Lamb  whose  supper  and  whose  love 
 they  have  despised,  will  now  experience  the 
 wrath  of  that  same  Lamb,  will  form  a  supper 
 or  banquet  to  vultures  and  other  carnivorous 
 birds,  who  will  sate  themselves  with  their  flesh, 
 "  while  their  souls  are  the  sport  and  prey  of 
 evil  spirits."  For  although  this  last  fact  is  not 
 expressly  declared,  it  looms  darkly  in  the  back- 
 ground of  this  terribly  significant  picture. 
 
 CHAPTER  XXIX. 
 
 The  Great  Voice  out  op  Heaven  • 
 
 Revelation  xxi. 
 
 Throughout  the  twentieth  chapter  the  pro- 
 phetic vision  of  future  events  is  seen,  described, 
 and  written  down  by  the  seer  himself.     No 
 
70 
 
 THE  GREAT  VOICE  OUT  OF  HEAVEN. 
 
 other  voice,  no  words  of  the  angels  are  heard  ; 
 it  is  true  that  an  angel  does  come  down  from 
 heaven,  having  the  key  of  the  bottomless  pit, 
 and  a  great  chain  destined  for  Satan  in  his 
 hand ;  but  Salan  is  bound  before  the  eyes  of 
 Jolin,  and  cast  into  the  abyss  without  an  au- 
 dible word.  The  earthly  instruments  of  the 
 vvoat  adversary  having  all  been  done  away 
 with,  the  last  triumph  over  the  devil, alone  and 
 powerless  now,  is  easier  than  any  former,  as  is 
 very  evident.  After  the  thousand  years  are 
 over,  he  is  to  be  loosed  out  of  prison  again  to 
 deceive  the  nations,  but  there  are  no  explana- 
 tory details  vouchsafed  respecting  the  last  con- 
 flict and  last  victory.  Only  we  read  at  its 
 close,  of  eternal  torment  for  Satan  and  all  his 
 angels ;  of  the  last  judgment  of  all  the  dead ;  of 
 the  new  heaven  and  the  new  earth.  The  mil- 
 lennial reign,  and  the  final  and  eternal  glory, 
 which,  in  the  last  chapters,  are  treated  of  to- 
 pether,  are  here  spoken  of  as  separate  epochs. 
 Chapters  xxi.,  xxii.  speak  only  of  the  completely 
 new  and  eternal  lad  dispensation  ;  of  all  that 
 went  belore  it  is  said,  Jt  is  done  !  The  new  earth, 
 one  with  the  new  heaven,  has  instead  of  its  van- 
 ished sea,  the  stream  of  living  water  that  pro- 
 ceedeth  out  of  the  throne  of  God  and  of  the 
 Lamb. 
 
 Here  then  our  feeble  exposition  would  will- 
 ingly give  place  altogether  to  the  simple  sub- 
 limity and  unfathomable  profundity  of  the 
 words  of  the  holy  text  itself,  but  still  we  are 
 bound,  in  so  far  as  we  are  able,  to  continue  it 
 to  the  end.  After  John's  vision,  and  vision 
 only,  in  chap.  xxi.  3,  we  once  more  hear  a  great 
 vuice  out  uj  heaven,  or  as  it  might  perhaps  be 
 even  more  correctly  rendered,  out  of  the  throne 
 ^as  in  vi.  6  ;  xvi.  1  ;  xix.  5).  That  it  cannot 
 be  the  voice  of  the  Lord  Jesus  himself  is  made 
 clear  by  ver.  5,  which  introduces  him  that  sat 
 oil  the  throne  as  beginning  to  speak.  Neither 
 can  it  be  the  voice  of  the  blessed  dead,  who  are 
 now  inhabitants  of  the  holy  city,  for  there  is 
 reference  made  as  from  above  to  the  tabernacle 
 of  God  with  men,  and  also  it  is  said,  "  God  shall 
 be  toith  them,  shall  be  their  God."  Shall  we 
 abstain  entirely  from  pronouncing  on  the  na- 
 ture of  this  voice,  as  we  did  with  reference  to 
 those  in  chap.  vi.  6?  Not  so,  for  we  believe 
 that  wo  have  here  another  angelic  utterance 
 though  whether  it  be  that  of  one  or  more 
 angels  we  must  not  venture  to  decide.  The 
 voice  utters  most  inexpressibly  glorious  words, 
 rising  even  higher  than  vers.  1,  2;  discovering 
 proiouiKlcr  depths  ;  still  more  clearly  connect- 
 ing the  end  ot  God's  ways  with  the  beginning 
 of  his  gracious  purpose.  Here  is  their  first 
 clause  :  "  Bjhold,  the  tabcrnac'e  oj  Ood  sluiU  he 
 irith  men,  and  lie  will  dicell  with  them,  and  Ood 
 hiiii'ielf  Khali  lie  icilh  tliem,  their  God." 
 
 This  is  the  last  (with  its  eternal  emphasis 
 surviving  all  the  rest),  the  last  "Behold"  we 
 bear  from  angels'  lips.  As  the  New  Jerusalem 
 borrows  its  eternal  name  from  its  earthly  and 
 typical,  as  a  memorial  of  the  beginning,  so 
 also  the  actual  fulfillment,  the  true  tuhernadc, 
 the  perfect  temple,  is  hero  not  once  culled  a 
 
 temple ;  nay,  in  ver.  22  it  is  expressly  said, 
 that  there  is  no  temple  in  the  city,  because  she 
 herself  ia  become  the  tabernacle,  the  Almighty 
 God  in  the  person  of  the  Lamb  being  its  Holy 
 of  Holies,  to  whom  there  is  constant  access. 
 As  early  as  chap.  xiii.  6,  we  meet  with  a  deeply 
 significant  sentence  respecting  the  tabernacle 
 of  God,  or  his  indwelling  through  the  Holy 
 Spirit.  This  one  perfected  tabernacle  and  city 
 is  something  more  than  the  temple  that  we 
 have  hitherto  seen  opened  in  heaven  to  the 
 gaze  of  the  seer  as  the  archetype  and  antitype 
 of  Israel's  earllily  sanctuary  (Heb.  viii.  2;  ix. 
 11-24).  It  is  the  continuing  city  spoken  of 
 in  Heb.  xiii.  14 ;  xi.  10-16),  and  more,  the 
 habitation  of  God  as  described  under  the  New 
 Testament.  Von  Meyer  observes  in  connec- 
 tion with  this  subject :  "  Only  when  the  inner 
 and  outer  life  perfectly  correspond  will  a  third 
 and  complete  dispensation  be  entered  upon. 
 In  the  second  dispensation  (the  present  or  New 
 Testament  dispensation)  there  is  only  a  spirit- 
 ual temple  without  any  external  form  or  come- 
 liness, while  on  the  other  hand  that  of  the  Old 
 Testament  was  incomparably  costly.  For  its 
 external  aspect  typified  the  splendor  of  the 
 glorified  temple,  and  its  sacred  services,  the 
 spirituality,  grace,  and  truth  of  both  succeeding 
 dispensations,  which  are  indeed  essentially  one, 
 the  spiritual  influence  of  the  former  being  the 
 type  of  the  full  perfection  of  the  latter." 
 
 It  is  to  this  goal  that  all  tends  from  the  very 
 beginning.  The  indelible  yearning  for  fellow- 
 ship with  God  which  existed  in  man  from  the 
 hour  of  his  creation,  and  even  survived  his  fall 
 — that  tendency  which  the  lost  criminally  ex- 
 tirpated from  their  nature — finds  here  its  satis- 
 faction, its  rest,  its  accomplishment.  This  is 
 the  spiritual  sense  of  the  measure  of  a  man 
 (ver.  17).  Redeemed  humanity  is  not  merely 
 a  people — the  one  people  gathered  out  of  all  na- 
 tions; but  it  resembles  one  glorified  man  in 
 whom  God  dwells.  At  the  same  time,  though 
 this  is  meant,  the  expression  used  is  not  in 
 them,  but  with  them,  in  order  that  the  last  may 
 be  linked  with  the  earlier  prophecies.  How 
 many  a  time  throughout  the  whole  Old  Testa- 
 ment have  the  words  that  sound  out  here  been 
 applied  to  the  dwelling  of  God  with  man  :  he 
 their  God  ;  they  his  people  (refer  especially  to 
 I'Jxod.  xix.  6  ;  xx.  24  ;  Lev.  xxvi.  12  ;  Jer.  xxiv. 
 7;  XXX.  23,  xxxi.  1,  33),  But  it  is  in  the 
 prophet  Ezekiel,  above  all,  that  such  expres- 
 sions are  found.  Compare  chap,  xxxvii.  27, 
 with  xlviii.  35.  AVe  must  not  overlook  the 
 New  Testament  echo  (2  Cor.  vi.  16),  which 
 refers  to  the  spiritual  fulfillment  of  these  pre- 
 cious promises.  But  now,  observe  how  free 
 from  all  envy  is  the  joy  in  heaven  over  all  the 
 saved,  all  the  found  again,  the  joy  with  which 
 the  holy  angles  humbly  proclaim  the  prefer- 
 ence given  to  77jen.  It  is  they  who  are  God's 
 people,  who  are  God's  dwelling.  In  Rev.  vii. 
 15,  we  had  the  expression  (rightly  rendered) 
 "  dwell  over  them  ;"  now,  it  is  "  with  them  ;" 
 it  is  a  complete  indwelling,  in  which  body  and 
 soul  share.     The  glorified  earth  is  the  home  of 
 
THE  INTERPOSING  VOICE. 
 
 71 
 
 the  great  body  of  saints  who  alone  are  called 
 men  now.  The  lost  are  put  out  of  sight,  have 
 lost  the  very  name  of  men,  are  in  the  lake  of 
 fire  with  devils.  Now  the  holy  name  of  Im- 
 manuel  is  indeed  fulfilled.  He  who  bore  it 
 will  be  God  with  them,  as  their  God  in  the  full- 
 est sense  of  the  word. 
 
 As  yet,  it  has  been  truly  said  by  Zeller, 
 "  there  is  no  where  on  earth  a  perfect  people 
 of  God,  no  where  on  earth  a  perfect  Church  of 
 God  ;  yea,  not  one  single  perfect  man  of  God 
 to  be  found  on  the  earth."  Moreover,  we  so 
 little  apprehend  the  positive  nature  of  full  com- 
 munion with  God,  of  perfect  blessedness  and 
 glory,  that  the  heavenly  voice  proceeds  nega- 
 tively to  describe  it,  making  it  in  some  meas- 
 ure intelligible  to  us  under  the  aspect  of  an 
 immunity  from  earthly  woes.  "And  Ood 
 ihall  wipe  aicay  all  tears  from  their  eyes ;  and 
 there  shall  he  no  more  death,  neither  sorrow,  nor 
 crying  ;  for  the  former  things  have  passed  away." 
 In  chap.  vii.  17,  we  had  the  same  melodious 
 strain.  The  passage  in  the  old  prophets  most 
 closely  resembling  it  are  Isa.  xxv.  8  ;  xxxv.  10  ; 
 Ixv.  19.  We  are  also  reminded  of  Psa.  cxxvi. 
 5 ;  1  Cor.  xv.  55.  Alas  !  how  many  tears  which 
 we  have  no  power  to  wipe  away  for  ourselves 
 must  still  be  wept,  before  the  former  things  are 
 thus  completely  done  away  with.  Sin  has 
 brought  in  death  as  climax  of  all  sorrow ;  grace 
 has  conquered  death,  and  swallowed  it  up  in  the 
 triumph  of  an  eternal  existence.  If  all  tears 
 (literally  and  emphatically  each  tear)  is  to  be  en- 
 tirely wiped  away,  the  promise  at  the  same  time 
 conveys  a  satisfactory  future  conviction  of  their 
 necessity,  their  utility  in  ripening  the  good 
 seed  for  the  harvest.  Were  it  not  so,  there 
 would  remain  some  sting  of  sadness  in  the  very 
 memory  of  sorrow.  But  all  tears  are  to  be 
 wiped  away  ;  the  often  spoken  tceep  not  at  length 
 has  all  its  divine  power  and  efficiency,  includes 
 even  all  tears  of  melancholy  and  of  yearning 
 — those  "  tenderest  buds  of  the  tree  of  sorrow." 
 The  memory  indeed  remains,  of  the  way  through 
 much  tribulation  to  glory ;  but  there  is  no 
 longer  any  pain  in  the  memory,  only  the  thanks- 
 giving and  praise  and  joy  of  salvation,  only  a 
 looking  back  to  the  way,  as  what  indeed  it  ever 
 was,  "  a  way  through  a  sea  of  mercies." 
 
 Are  we,  however,  in  opposition  to  the  testi- 
 mony of  the  word  of  God  on  the  subject,  still 
 anxiously  to  surmise  that  at  least  compassion 
 and  sorrow  for  the  lost  must  trouble  the  bless- 
 edness of  the  blest,  so  long  as  there  still  is  a 
 lost  condition  ?  Or  shall  we  be  wise  above 
 that  which  is  written,  and  comfort  ourselves 
 with  the  idea  of  a  universal  restoration,  as 
 many  dear  children  of  God  have  done.  Von 
 Meyer,  for  instance,  who  persists  in  that  opin- 
 ion, and  writes  with  respect  to  this  passage  ■. 
 "  It  is  no  where  said  that  this  lost  estate  is 
 the  very  last  of  all."  Rather,  we  hold  that 
 throughout  Holy  Scripture  it  is  so  said,  that 
 the  actual  end  is  described,  as  well  as  the  act- 
 ual beginning.  Even  in  the  Revelation  of 
 John  everlasting  misery  is  incontroverlibly  es- 
 tablished, especially  in  the  two  last  chapters 
 
 (see  chap.  xxi.  8;  xxii.  15).  But  the  savpj 
 will  learn  to  say,  "  Amen,  hallelujah,"  over  the 
 judgments  of  God,  when  God  himself  in  al'. 
 his  holiness  and  justice  dwells  within  them,  and 
 this  great  truth  is  implied  in  the  very  worda 
 we  have  beeu  considering. 
 
 CHAPTER  XXX. 
 The  Inteeposinq  Voice. 
 
 KeVELATIOS  XXI. 
 
 Here  I  nave  only  to  insert  what  I  have  al- 
 ready written  elsewhere,  respecting  the  closing 
 speech  from  the  throne  (vers.  5-8),  in  order  to 
 distinguish  from  ii  the  interposing  voice,  which 
 comes  within  my  present  province.  He  who  sit- 
 teth  on  the  great  white  throne,  before  whom  the 
 earth  and  the  heavens  fled  away  (xx.  11),  the 
 Lord  of  glory  himself,  has  begun  to  speak,  his 
 words  being  introduced  by  another  6<rAtf/iZ,  which 
 explains  the  hehold  of  the  foregoing  great  voice  : 
 "  i  have  done  it,  I  do,  I  make,  I  work  all  things 
 new."  All!  not  only  the  city,  but  heaven  and 
 earth  as  well.  Now,  why  should  John  inter- 
 rupt the  high  sayings  of  the  Highest,  mutilate 
 them  by  a  twice  recurring  "  Arid  he  said  wito 
 me,"  if  the  speech  were  all  one?  We  cannot 
 suppose  that  he  would  have  done  this ;  nay, 
 the  very  words  themselves  that  form  the  second 
 clause  in  ver.  5,  and  which  we  are  about  to 
 consider,  do  not  seem  appropriate,  coming  from 
 Ilim  who  is  himself  yea  and  amen,  and  who 
 has  just  announced  the  final  accomplishment 
 of  ail.  Does  it  appear  probable  that  having 
 done  this,  he  would  intercalate  here  the  assur- 
 ance that  his  words  are  true?  Now,  we  have 
 once  before  received  a  similar  assurance  from 
 the  mouth  of  an  angel  (xix.  9),  and  we  shall 
 again  hear  the  same  for  the  third  time  from  the 
 last  angelic  speaker,  in  chap.  xxii.  6.  Nothing 
 more  natural,  therefore,  than  that  we  should, 
 on  the  present  occasion,  read  and  understand, 
 And  he  said  -unto  me  (interposing,  as  it  were), 
 he  being  the  angel  whom  we  read  of  in  chap, 
 xix.  9,  whom  we  assume  to  have  been  present 
 with  John  ever  since,  his  words  being  succeeded 
 by  another  utterance  from  the  speaker  on  the 
 throne ;  to  whom  John  refers,  when,  in  ver.  6, 
 he  writes,  "  And  he  said  unto  me." 
 
 "  Write  !  for  these  words  are  true  and  faith' 
 fill;  "  not,  as  some  have  proposed  to  render  it, 
 write  that  these  words  are  true  and  faithful,  an 
 indeed  the  comparison  of  the  three  parallel  pas- 
 sages shows.  And  also  the  repeated  injunction. 
 Write  (uttered  by  the  Spirit,  chap.  xiv.  13  ;  and 
 by  the  angel,  xix.  9)  stands  out  here  for  the 
 third  and  last  time,  with  a  difference  of  expres- 
 sion. Whereas  in  chap.  xix.  9  it  was  simply 
 said,  "  These  are  the  true  saying  of  God  ;  "  both 
 here  and  in  chap.  xxii.  6  we  have  the  phrase  in- 
 tensified with  respect  to  the  last  and  highest 
 promises  ;  they  are  said  to  be  faithful  (certain, 
 worthy  of  all  confidence  and  acceptance)  and 
 
THE  LAST  ANGELIC  SPEECH, 
 
 true.  0  that  the  faith  of  all  of  us  might  so  lay 
 hold  on  their  trulli  as  to  have  ex^erieuce  of 
 their  reaiily  1 
 
 CHAPTER  XXXL 
 
 The  Angel  Showing  the  Bbids. 
 
 Revelation  xxi. 
 
 As  an  additional  proof  that  we  have  been 
 correct  in  believing  the  saying  in  chap.  xix.  9 
 to  be  that  of  the  angel  who  first  appeared  in 
 chap.  xvii.  1,  and  has  been  present  ever  since, 
 we  nave  the  repeated  description,  "  One  of  the 
 seven ;"  and  not  only  so,  but  to  make  it  still 
 more  plain  to  our  comprehension,  it  is  added, 
 "  Who  had  the  seven  vials /mW  of  the  lait  seven 
 plagues."  This  reference  to  the  former  passage 
 proves  plainly  that  it  was  the  same  angel,  and 
 his  words  are  in  perfect  harmony  with  the  as- 
 Bumption. 
 
 "  Come  hither,  I  will  »hote  fhee  the  Bride,  the 
 Lamb's  uife" — "I  will  show  her  thee  more 
 closely  and  more  precisely  than  thou  hast  yet 
 seen  her;"  for  already,  in  ver.  2,  John  had  not 
 only  seen  the  city,  but  recognized  her  as  a  bride 
 adorned  for  her  husband.  The  very  same  an- 
 gel of  wrath  and  judgment  who  showed  the 
 great  whore  of  Babylon  now  shows  the  bride. 
 As  it  has  been  well  observed,  "The  minister 
 of  wrath  is  to  be  a  minister  of  grace  as  well. 
 But  eveiy  thing  must  take  place  in  due  order. 
 The  bride  cannot  appear  till  the  vials  of  wrath 
 have  first  been  poured  out.  The  angel  who 
 showed  the  mystic  Babylon  is  also  to  show  the 
 bride  ;  the  mystery  of  Christ  cannot  be  known 
 unless  the  mystery  of  Antichrist  is  known  also. 
 We  must  be  equally  ready  to  receive  truth  of 
 every  kind." 
 
 If  the  mystic  Babylon  was  spoken  of  as  a 
 woman,  the  woman — with  reference  to  that  cov- 
 enant with  the  Lord,  which  she  had  adulter- 
 ously  broken— so  now  the  hide,  the  adorned 
 and  prepared,  is  already  spoken  of  as  a  wife, 
 because  the  marriage  of  the  Lamb  was  come 
 (xix.  7),  and  also  according  to  the  custom  of 
 the  Jewish  law,  which  considered  the  betrothed 
 as  actually  married  (Matt.  i.  19,  20  ;  Gen.  xxix. 
 21).  In  the  case  of  the  great  harlot,  we  had 
 the  vision  of  a  woman  explained  as  a  city ; 
 here,  however,  we  have  no  female  semblance 
 of  the  bride,  for  the  holy  eity  is  a  brigiit  and 
 certain  reality,  which  can  and  ought  to  be  more 
 openly  prophesied  than  the  dark  mystery  of 
 Babylon.  It  was  in  a  desert  that  the  seer  be- 
 held the  latter ;  it  is  from  the  top  of  a  great 
 and  high  mountain  that  his  eye  now  rests  upon 
 the  New  Jerusalem.  It  has  been  asked  wheth- 
 er the  city  of  God  was  actually  itself  on  the 
 mountain,  or  whether  it  was  only  beheld  from 
 thence;  while  others,  again,  have  chided  the 
 question  as  irrelevant  to  such  a  subject,  and  as 
 removing  it  out  of  its  holy  and  supernatural, 
 to  our  e  very-day  sphere.     As  though  the  prom- 
 
 ised, the  revealed  city  for  which  we  wait,  had 
 not  as  actual  an  existence  as  that  of  the  Qev 
 heavens  and  new  earth  ! 
 
 We  must  not  merely  spiritualize  the  text, 
 ■jse  it  as  an  illustration,  say,  as  it  has  been  said, 
 "  In  order  to  behold  the  city  of  God  you  must 
 elevate  yourself;  you  must  leave  the  mists  of 
 the  valley  ;  the  mountain  that  you  must  ascend 
 is  that  of  faith."  No  doubt  this  is  a  truth, 
 but  to  such  a  question  as  that  proposed  we  pre- 
 fer to  answer  that  the  primary  meaning  of  the 
 passage  seems  indeed  to  be  that  John  was  raised 
 on  the  great  mountain  in  order  to  look  into  the 
 holy  city,  not  merely  to  have  it  spread  out  be- 
 fore him  ;  but  beneath  this  statement  there  is 
 also  another  fact — which  w^e  cannot  indeed  de- 
 duce solely  from  the  use  of  the  word  mountain 
 in  this  place,  but  from  many  other  passages  in 
 Scripture,  as  well  as  from  the  cubic  measure- 
 ment, in  ver.  16,  of  the  city — the  fact,  namely 
 that  the  city,  rising  as  it  does  from  earth  given 
 to  heaven,  uniting  both,  must  be  a  city  set  on  a 
 hill,  resembling  its  type,  the  hill  of  Zion.  And 
 indeed,  in  Ezekiel  xl.  2,  of  which  we  are  here  re- 
 minded, not  only  by  the  mention  of  the  moun- 
 tain but  the  measuring-reed,  we  have  it  very 
 positively  stated  that  the  "  frame  of  the  city  " 
 was  set  upon  a  very  high  mountain.  All  that 
 follows  however — regarding  which  it  is  only 
 once  said  in  ver.  22,  I  saw,  and  in  chap  xxii.  1, 
 /le showed  me,  &s  well  as  the  hint  in  chap.  xxi.  15, 
 that  the  angel  who  showed  &ho  talked  wUh  John, 
 explaining  or  visibly  bringing  before  him — all 
 this  refers  to  the  last,  the  eternal  tabernacle  of 
 God  with  men,  and  no  longer  to  the  Jerusalem 
 of  the  millennial  reign  (chap.  xx.  9  having 
 quite  a  different  meaning  fro.m  chap.  xxi.  2). 
 But  it  is  quite  consistent  with  this  view  to  sup- 
 pose that  the  earthly  New  Jerusalem,  as  the  last 
 type,  may  have,  though  in  a  less  degree,  many 
 of  the  distinguishing  features  of  the  Eternal 
 City. 
 
 CHAPTER  XXXII 
 
 The  Last  Angelic  SpEEcn. 
 
 Revelation  xxii. 
 
 Properly  speaking,  this  closing  chapter 
 should  begin  with  ver.  6.  The  angel  who  now 
 addresses  John  is  the  one  who  had,  in  the 
 former  chapter,  and  in  chap.  xix.  9,  asserted 
 the  truth  and  faithfulness  of  the  words  of  God. 
 This  assertion  he  here  repeats  for  the  third 
 time.  To  what  words,  it  may  be  inquired, 
 does  this  angel  refer?  In  the  first  place,  no 
 doubt,  the  reference  is  to  what  John  has  seen, 
 and  been  commanded  to  write,  concerning  the 
 marriage  of  the  Lamb,  the  new  heaven  and 
 the  new  earth,  and  the  glory  of  the  eternal 
 city.  But  this  is  not  all ;  we  have  a  final  dec- 
 laration made  here  of  the  truth  and  faithful- 
 ness of  the  whoh  look,  of  all  the  Revelation  of 
 John,  which,  in  spite  of  the  dotibt  and  oppo- 
 sition that  of  late  have  increasingly  assailed 
 
THE  LAST  ANGELIC  SPEECH. 
 
 73 
 
 the  Christian's  faith  on  this  head,  certifies  to 
 Qs  its  divine  origin.  Harms,  preaching  on  the 
 ilose  of  this  book,  observes,  "  Here  and  there 
 it  always  has  been  and  still  is  the  means  of 
 awaking  some  hitherto  careless  soul,  who,  be- 
 ing attracted  by  certain  words  of  incontestable 
 value  and  beauty,  says  to  himself,  "  Since  I  find 
 this  there,  all  the  rest,  proceeding  as  it  does 
 form  the  same  source,  must  also  be  true,  for 
 truth  and  falsehood  cannot  go  together.'  " 
 
 The  general  nature  of  the  expression  here 
 used  by  the  angel,  "  these  sayings,"  is  in  harmo- 
 ny with  his  first  assertion  (xix.  9,  "the  true 
 sayings  of  God  "),  and  further  enforced  by  his 
 now  going  on  to  say  :  "  And  the  Lord  God  of 
 the  holy  prophets  sent  his  angel  to  show  unto  his 
 servants  the  things  tchich  must  shoi  tly  he  done." 
 We  find  Moses  describing  the  Almighty  as  the 
 Lord,  the  God  of  the  spirits  of  all  flesh  (Numb, 
 xxvii.  16;  xvi.  22;  compare  Job  xii.  10). 
 Here  we  have  a  more  restricted  and  exalted 
 description,  referring  to  the  manifestation  of 
 the  Spirit  of  God  in  the  prophets.  For  al- 
 though the  same  Spirit  dwells  and  works  in 
 them  all  (1  Pet.  i.  II ;  2  Pet.  i.  21),  yet  in  the 
 same  way  as  the  breath  of  God  individualizes 
 itself  in  "the  persons  and  spirits  of  humanity 
 at  I,arge,  so  we  read  of  separate  and  various 
 spirits  of  the  prophets  (1  Cor.  xiv.  32).  Again, 
 in  this  comprehensive  conclusion  of  the  whole 
 book,  we  have  another  and  clearer  proof  af- 
 forded us  of  what  had  already  been  brought 
 forward,  in  what  we  called  the  general  quota 
 tion,  in  chap.  x.  7.  We  are  taught  that  in 
 these  words,  "  the  words  of  the  prophecy  of  this 
 ■  look"  (vers.  7,  10),  God  has  comprehended  all 
 former  prophecies,  has  united  all  l^e  spirits  of 
 the  old  prophets  in  this  latest,  this  final  utter- 
 ance. In  testifying  this  great  truth,  the  angel 
 verbally  refers  to  the  expression  at  the  com- 
 mencement (chap.  i.  1),  or  rather  John,  who 
 only  began  to  write  after  the  conclusion  of  the 
 vision  seen  and  voices  heard,  borrowed  that 
 expression  from  these  last  angelic  words.  Nor 
 does  it  necessarily  follow  that  the  angel  sent  by 
 God  was  actually  the  angel  speaking  at  the 
 time  (one  of  the  seven),  who,  in  this  case, 
 would  be  speaking  of  himself.  Had  this  been 
 the  case,  it  is  most  natural  to  conclude  that  he 
 would  have  simply  said,  "  The  Lord  God  sent 
 me."  The  other  explanation  which  we  would 
 attach  to  the  angel  especially  named  the  angel 
 of  the  Lord  Jesus,  i.  e.,  the  message,  the  an- 
 nouncement, appearance,  and  revelation  of  the 
 Lord,  agree?  well  with  the  tenor  of  the  sen- 
 tence. One  of  the  personal  angeXs,  in  speaking, 
 designedly  uses  this  distinguishing  word,  his, 
 to  teach  us  the  difference  between  himself  and 
 "  this  angel  "  of  the  Lord  God.  "  To  show  unto 
 his  servanls."  In  a  general  sense,  these  are  all 
 the  brothers  and  fellow-prophets  with  John,  who 
 are  enlighented  by  means  of  this  prophecy,  and 
 themselves  prophesying,  or  having  a  clear  in- 
 sight into  what  is  shortly  to  come  to  pass, 
 shortly  to  be  dotie,  as  we  read  in  the  very  first 
 verse  of  this  book. 
 "  Shortly^'  this  isto  be  understood  like  the 
 
 words,  "  I  come  quieMy,"  and  that  ofhf r  expres- 
 sion, "  The  time  is  a<  Aan'i,"  according  to  the 
 prophetic  standard,  and  the  prophetic  sight. 
 All  that  is  to  come,  will  come—all  events  or- 
 dained to  come  to  pass  will  rapidly  follow  each 
 other  in  their  necessary  sequence  of  cause  and 
 eflfeci;.  Very  rapid  indeed  is  the  course  of  time 
 to  the  mind  of  the  seer,  fixed,  as  it  is,  on  the 
 revealed  horizon  of  eternity. 
 
 In  the  opinion  of  many,  it  is  the  same  angel 
 who  goes  on  speaking  in  ver.  7,  i.  e.,  says  in 
 the  name  of  Jcsus,  "Behold,  I  come  quickly." 
 But  we  must  repeat  our  former  explanation, 
 and  point  to  the  frequent  change  of  persons  and 
 of  voices  thoughout  the  whole  of  this  closing 
 chapter.  Nor  can  we  find,  as  some  think  they 
 do  here,  a  "gradual  return  from  a  state  of 
 trance  or  rapture  to  the  normal  waking  condi- 
 tion." On  the  contrary,  the  tone  is  increased 
 in  sublimity  at  the  very  last,  by  "  the  final 
 harmonies  of  a  general  utterance  ;  "  as  it  has 
 been  well  said,  "  The  Spirit  and  the  Bride  unite 
 their  voices  there  for  the  first  time  "  (ver.  17). 
 And  in  the  closing  verse  we  have  a  most  inti- 
 mate dialogue  between  the  Lord  and  all  his 
 saints — his  whole  Church,  afler  which  John  in- 
 deed closes  this  book,  with  the  simple  custom- 
 ary benediction  which  closes  other  books  and 
 epistles. 
 
 But  we  must  express  our  conviction  that  the 
 7th  verse  does  not  rank  amongst  the  express 
 utterances  of  the  Lord  Jesus  from  heaven. 
 Rather  we  hold  that  the  Lord  is  speaking  to 
 John,  by  the  spirit  of  inspiration,  both  in  ver. 
 7,  12,  16-20 ;  and  thus  sets  again  a  three-fold 
 seal  to  those  former  words,  so  often  resounding 
 thoughout  his  epistles  to  the  Churches,  "Behold, 
 I  come  quickly"  (iii.  11).  It  is  only  in  ver.  8 
 that  John,  in  a  simple,  touching  alternation, 
 names  himself,  as  he  did  at  the  beginning  (i. 
 19)  :  "  And  I  John  saw  these  things  and  heard 
 them."  Further,  he  has  to  own  his  repeated 
 human  weakness  :  He  fell  down  before  the 
 feet  of  the  angel  who  showed  him  these  things 
 — showed  him  the  mystic  Babylon,  as  well  as 
 the  bride,  the  heavenly  city  ;  who  thus,  we  see, 
 as  the  last  of  the  seven  last  angels,  remained 
 with  him  to  the  end  ;  so  that,  according  to  the 
 plan  of  the  book,  it  is  actually  out  of  the  last 
 vial  of  wrath,  or  rather  (as  we  saw  in  chap, 
 xvii.  l)out  of  the  vials  collectively,  that  the 
 glory  has  sprung.  And  now  we  proceed  to  the 
 last  angelic  address,  which  includes  vers.  9,  10, 
 and  possibly  ver.  11  also. 
 
 Again,  John  is  ready  to  worship  ;  again  the 
 angel  forbids  it,  repeating  his  former  words, 
 though,  as  we  shall  see,  with  some  alteration. 
 Let  it  be  duly  observed  how  impressively  this 
 second  refusal  to  be  worshipped  occurs  here. 
 In  the  last  words  uttered  by  an  angel  in  Holy 
 Writ,  he  places  himself  on  a  perfect  equality 
 with  us,  in  the  sight  of  that  God  whom  he  and 
 we  alike  worship. 
 
 "  See  thni  do  it  not  ;  for  I  am  thy  fellow-ser- 
 vant, and  of  thy  brethren  the  jiroj^hets,  and  of 
 them  which  keep  the  sayings  of  this  l)ook  ;  worship 
 God."     instead  of  those  who  have  the  testi- 
 
74 
 
 THE  LAST  ANGELIC  SPEECH. 
 
 mony  of  Jcsn?.  we  liave  here  the  more  brief 
 expression,  akin  to  ver.  9,  tlie  prophets,  whereby 
 this  future-revealing  angel  modestly  intimates 
 that  he  also  may  be  classed  among  the  prophets, 
 among  those  whom  John  calls  his  brethren  the 
 prophets.  But,  in  order  to  extend  as  widely 
 as  possible  this  fellowship  and  equality  in  the 
 siglit  of  God,  he  adds,  and  of  those  tcho  keep, 
 hold  fast,  and  more  (as  a  consequence),  obfy, 
 put  into  practice  the  words  of  this  book,  which 
 again  reminds  us  of  the  interpolated  words  of 
 the  Lord  in  ver.  7.  Thus  the  whole  chapter  is 
 one  chain,  with  alternate  voices  as  its  sei)arate 
 links.  We  now  see  how  correctly  we  inter- 
 preted the  angel's  speech  in  chap.  xix.  10,  as 
 including  the  understanding  of  the  prophecies 
 in  the  testimony  to  Jesus.  But,  finally,  we 
 have  also  to  learn  that  this  prophetic  under- 
 standing must  spring  from  the  keeping,  the 
 keeping  close,  the  cherishing  the  words  which 
 are  written  here  ;  or  to  speak  with  still  greater 
 precision,  that  this  book  of  the  Revelation  of 
 John  is  the  key  to  all  the  prophets,  and  that 
 thus  they  who  read  it  correctly  are  made  hrotho-s 
 to  those  former  prophets,  and  to  John  also. 
 
 Again  we  have,  "And  he  saith  unto  me;" 
 because  each  word  is  now  a  special  termina- 
 tion. If  in  chap.  x.  4  we  heard  the  voice  from 
 heaven  command  the  exceptional  sealing  up  ; 
 the  angel,  on  the  other  hand,  has  twice  remind- 
 ed John  not  to  seal  up,  i.  e.,  to  write.  It  is 
 announced  with  regard  to  this  book,  that  all 
 seeing  and  hearing  is  now  at  an  end,  that,  ac- 
 cording to  the  injunction  given  at  first,  and 
 often  repeated,  the  writing  down  may  begin. 
 But  to  the  three-fold  command  already  given 
 (see  chap.  xiv.  13;  xix.  9;  xxi.  5),  the  angel 
 will  not  add  the  same  word — icrite.  Rather, 
 he  will  express  the  same  meaning  by  a  reference 
 to  the  end  of  that  prophetic  book  of  the  Old 
 Testament,  which  is  more  closely  related  to  this 
 book  of  Revelation  than  any  other,  i.  e.,  the 
 book  of  Daniel,  As  we  find  there,  in  chap.  xii. 
 4,  9,  that  the  angel  commanded  the  prophet 
 to  seal  up  the  words  till  the  time  of  the  end, 
 so  here,  on  the  contrary,  this  New-Testament 
 end  of  time  being  come,  the  angel  now  says  : 
 "  Seal  7iot  the  sayings  of  tlie  projihecyof  this  hook, 
 for  the  time  is  at  ?iand."  To  Daniel  it  is  said, 
 "  Shut  thou  up  the  vision,  for  it  shall  be  for 
 many  days"  (viii.  26);  but  here  we  read,  the 
 time  is  at  hand — in  what  sense  we  have  already 
 explained. 
 
 There  remains  now  the  following  verse,  re- 
 specting which  it  is  not  easy  to  decide  very 
 positively  whether  if  is  a  continuation  of  the 
 angel's  speech,  or  whether  it  belongs  to  that  of 
 the  Lord  Jesus  in  the  twelfth  verse.     If  the 
 •word  and  which  we  find  both  in  the  German 
 aiid  English  translations  were   correct,  there 
 could  be  no  doubt  upon  the  subject,  but  we  I 
 believe  it  to  be  an  erroneous  reading,  and  tlrnt ! 
 in  point  of  fact,  ver.  12  begins  with  "Behold,"  j 
 in  the  same  way  as  ver.  7 ;  to  which  it  may 
 be  added,  that  ver.  11  as  well  as  ver.  6,  both 
 appear   to  accoid  with   Daniel,  whereas  ver. 
 
 12  seems  to  have  its  origin  in  Tsa.  xl.  10; 
 Ix.  11. 
 
 According  then  to  thisexposition,  wehaveaa 
 theZasi  words  recorded  in  Holy  Writ  as  spoken 
 by  an  angel  to  the  sons  of  men  :  He  that  is  un- 
 just, let  him  do  injustice  still;  and  he  that  is 
 filthy,  let  him  he  filthy  still ;  and  he  that  is 
 righteous,  let  him  do  righteousness  still ;  and  he 
 that  i»  holy,  let  him  le  holy  still.  This  in  its 
 fundamental  idea  resembles  Dan.  xii.  10,  and 
 although  its  close  connection  with  the  following 
 verse,  which  has  led  to  the  introduction  of  the 
 word  and,  is  such  as  to  occasion  some  perplex- 
 ity, we  believe,  as  we  have  before  said,  that 
 the  angel  is  permitted  to  go  on  speaking  these 
 words  till  the  Lord  himself  finally  breaks  in 
 with  might  in  the  twelfth  verse.  The  wicked 
 who  will  not  be  converted  will  wax  worse  and 
 worse  (2  Tim.  iii.  13),  in  like  manner  as  the 
 righteous  and  the  holy  will  become  increasingly 
 so  by  doing  righteousness. 
 
 In  this  last  expression  we  have  an  idiom  pe- 
 culiarly characteristic  of  John's  own  style  (1 
 John  ii.  29;  iii.  7).  That  the  pure  angel  should 
 speak  of  sinful  men  as  impure,  filthy,  seems  to 
 be  exceedingly  natural,  and  in  so  doing,  he 
 probably  intends  to  contrast  them  with  the 
 cleanliness,  the  purity  which  we  find  specially 
 dwelt  on  in  chap.  iii.  4,  5;  vii.  14.  The  un- 
 righteousness, which  at  fii*st  appears  to  refer 
 more  especially  to  offences  against  others,  is  at 
 the  same  time  impurity  with  regard  to  its  in- 
 fluence on  a  man's  own  character ;  lie  who 
 doeth  unrighteousness  stains  and  defiles  himself 
 reflectively,  just  as  he  who  doeth  righteousness 
 purifies  himself,  sanctifies  himself  still  further 
 tlrereby.  The  meaning  of  the  whole  passage 
 may  be  summed  up  in  the  words  of  the  parable 
 (Matt.  xiii.  30),  "Let  both  grow  together  until 
 the  harvest! "  Not  indeed,  that  it  is  to  be  re- 
 garded merely  in  the  light  of  a  prophecy,  for 
 the  two  last  clauses  doubtless  contain  both  ex- 
 hortation and  encouragement  for  the  righteous. 
 Yet,  on  the  other  hand,  the  sinner  is  not  to 
 suppose  that  he  is  any  way  here  exhorted  to  go 
 on  sinning,  although  the  words  contain  an  in- 
 timation that  the  unrighteous  and  impure,  who 
 will  not  turn,  will  be  suffered  to  go  on  in  their 
 own  way,  left  to  reap  the  punishment  which  is 
 the  inevitable  consequence  of  sin. 
 
 In  like  manner  we  find  the  Apostle  Paul 
 writing  (1  Cor.  xiv.  3S),  "  If  any  man  be  igno- 
 rant, let  him  be  ignorant  I  "  That  John  him- 
 self uses  this  language  ironically,  we  cannot 
 for  a  moment  suppose.  Bat  the  holy  severity, 
 the  uncompromising  truth  of  the  words  in  the 
 mouth  of  the  gracious  and  condescending  angel, 
 afford  us  a  most  decisive  testimony  to  the 
 freedom  of  the  human  will,  and  so  to  the  right- 
 eousness of  God's  judgment.  This  is  also  illus- 
 trated on  its  brighter  side  by  the  appeal  in  the 
 seventeenth  verse,  where  the  loving  invitation 
 of  Jesus  given  at  the  last  to  all,  whosoever 
 they  be,  who  will  come  and  take  freely,  harmon- 
 izes with,  and  completes  the  significance  of  the 
 solemn  worda  that  close  the  angelic  sayings. 
 
I 
 
BS2555  .S85  1864  v.3 
 
 The  word  of  the  Lord  Jesus  :  the  risen 
 
 Princeton  Theological  Semmary-Speer  Library 
 
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