V x^ ^t>( of Princ^ % ^ NOV 2 6 1887 ^ x^ Wq' 2330 .M32 1885 Saclear, G. F. 1833-1902 A class-book of New Testament history No, A CLASS-BOOK OF NEW TESTAMENT HISTORY. «9- A CLASS-BOOK OF NEW TESTAMENT HISTORY. BY THE REV. G. F. MACLEAR, D.D. WARDEN OF ST AUGUSTINE'S, CANTERBURY, AND LATE HEAD MASTER OF KING'S COLLEGE SCHOOL, LONDON. WITH MAPS. NEW EDITION. SontJOtt : MACMILLAN AND CO. 1885 [The Right of Translation is reserved.] PRINTED BY C. J. CLAY M.A. & SON AT THE UNIVERSITY PRESS NOTICE. The present Volume forms a sequel to the Author's Class-Book of Old Testament History, continuing the Narrative from the point at which it there ends, and carrying it on to the close of St Paul's second imprisonment at Rome. In its preparation, as in that of the former Volume, the most recent and trustworthy Autho- rities* have been consulted, notes subjoined, and references to larger "Works added. It is thus hoped that it may prove at once a useful Class- Book and a convenient Companion to the study of the Greek Testament. * The Edition of the Synopsis Evangeliea of Tischendorf referred to is the First Edition, 1854; that of Wieseler's Synopsis of the Four Gospels is the English Translation by Yenables, 1 864 ; that of Conybeare and Howson's Life and Travels of St PavZ is the People's Edition, 2 Vols. 1864; that of Dean Stanley's Sinai and Palestine, the 3rd, 1856. VI NOTICE. All questions relating to the Canonicity of the several Books of tlie NeAv Testament have been considered in another Volume of the Cambridge School Class-Boohs, viz. The Bible in the Chwrchy by the Rev. B. F. Westcott. SYNOPSIS OF CONTENTS BOOK I. The connection hetween the Old and New Testaments. Part I. The Jews under the Persians, and the Kings of Egypt. PAGE Chap. I. High Priesthood of Jaddua — Alex- ander at Jerusalem i — 7 Chap. 1 1. Ptolemy Soter, and Ptolemy Phila- delphus 8 — 1 1 Chap. III. Ptolemy Euergetes and Ptolemy Phi- lopator n — 15 Part II. The Jews under the Kings of Syria. Chap. I. Antiochus the Great — Seleucus Philo- pator 16 — 19 Chap. II. Reign of Antiochus Epiphanes 20 — 23 Chap. III. Persecution of the Jews under Epi- phanes 23 — 28 Vlll SYNOPSIS OF CONTENTS. Part III. Rise of the Asmonean Dynasty. PAGE Chap. I. Mattathias and Judas Maccabseus 28 — 32 Chap. II. Battle of Emmaus — Ke- dedication of the Temple 32 — 36 Chap. III. Exploits and Death of Judas Macca- bseus 3 7 — 4 1 Chap. IV. Jonathan Maccabaeus 42 — 47 Chap. V. Exploits and Death of Jonathan 47 — 51 Chap. VI. Simon Maccabaeus 51 — 57 Chap. VII. John Hyrcanus and Alexander Jan- nseus 5 7 — 64 Part IV. Decline of the Asmonean Dynasty ; Interference of the Romans, and rise of the Her odian family . Chap. I. Hyrcanus II. and Aristobulus ; Pom- peius and Crassus 65 — 72 Chap. II. Antipater and Herod; Julius Caesar and Antonius 72 — 79 Chap. III. Herod, King of Judaea 79 — 85 Chap. IV. Herod, King of Judsea 86 — 92 Chap. V. Herod, King of Judsea 93 — 97 Chap. VI. Herod, King of Judaea 97 — 105 Part V. Retrospect and Reflections. Chap. I. Dispersion of the Jews — Rise of Syna- gogues I 06 — 113 Chap. II. The Jewish Sects 113 — 123 Note. The Expectation of the Messiah 1 23 — 1 24 SYNOPSIS OF CONTENTS. IX BOOK II T7ie Gospel History. Part I. The Birth and Childhood of Christ. PAGE Chap. I. The Birth of John the Baptist 127 — 133 Chap. II. The Nativity of Christ 133 — 141 Chap. III. The Saviour's Early Life at Nazareth 142 — 152 Part II. From the beginning of the Ministry of the Baptist to the First Passover. Chap. I. The Preaching of John — the Bap- tism of Christ 153 — 158 Chap. II. Call of the First Disciples— The Marriage at Cana 158 — 162 Chap. III. The First Passover, and Cleansing of the Temple 162 — 166 Part III. From the first Passov&i^ to the Election of the Apostles. Chap. I. Imprisonment of the Baptist — The woman of Samaria 166 — 170 Chap. II. Second visit to Cana and Jerusalem 171 — 174 Chap. III. Miracles at Nazareth and Capernaum 174 — 170 Chap. IV. Call of Matthew— Hostility of the Pharisees 180 — 185 SYNOPSIS OF CONTENTS. Part IV. From the Election of the Apostles to the death of John the Bajytist. PAGE Chap. I. Call of the Apostles — Sermon on the Mount 185— 191 Chap. II. Teaching in Galilee 191— 199 Chap. III. Miracles at Capernaum — Death of the Baptist 199—205 Part V. From the Death of John the Baptist to the visit of the Saviour to Jerusalem, at the Feast of Tabernacles. Chap. I. The Feeding of the Five Tliousand, and the Walking on the Lake -205 — 209 Chap. II. The Discourse in the Synagogue of Capernaum 210 — 215 Chap. III. The Four Thousand Fed— The Con- fession of St Peter 215 — 220 Chap. IV. The Transfiguration — The Lunatic Child 221 — 225 Chap. V. The Coin in the Fish's mouth — Tour through Samaria 225 — 229 Part VI. From the Feast of Tahernacles to the Triuynphal Entry into Jerusalem. Chap. I. The Feast of Tabernacles — Hostility of the Sanhedrin 230 — 233 SYNOPSIS OF CONTENTS. XI PAGE Chap. IT. The opening of the eyes of one bom blind 234—238 Chap. III. Mission of the Seventy— Discourses and Miracles 238 — 243 Chap. IV. The Feast of Dedication — Tour in Peraea 243 — 248 Chap. V. Raising of Lazarus 248 — 252 Chap. VI. Kesolve of the Sanhedrin — Jesus re- tires to Ephraim 252 — 258 Part VII. From the Arrival at Bethany to the Ascension. Chap. I. The Anointing at Bethany — The Triumphal Entry 259—264 Chap. II. The Second Cleansing of the Temple 264 — 268 Chap. III. The Day of Questions -The En- quiring Greeks 268 — 277 Chap. IV. The Compact of Judas — The Last Supper 277 — 286 Chap, V. The Agony and Betrayal — Peter's Denial 286—292 Chap. VI. The Jewish Trial — Kemorse and Sui- cide of Judas 293 — 297 Chap. VII. The Trial before Pilate— The Con- demnation , 298 — 308 Chap. VIII. The Crucifixion 308 — 316 Chap. IX. The Burial and Resurrection 316 — 325 Chap. X. The Great Forty Days, and the As- cension 3^5—338 Xll SYNOPSIS OF CONTENTS. BOOK III. The Apostolic History, Part I. ITie Church of Jerusalem. PAGE Chap. I. The Election of Matthias— The Pen- tecostal Effusion 341 — 348 Chap. II. Acti^aty of the Apostles Peter and Jolm 349—356 Chap. III. Ananias and Sapphira — Renewed Hostility of the Sadducees 356 — 362 Chap. IV. The Institution of Deacons — Activity of Stephen 363 — 371 Part II. TTie Church of Palestine. Chap. I. Dispersion of the Christians — Activ- ity of Philip 372 — 378 Chap. II. The Conversion of St Paul 378—387 Chap, III, St Paul's First Visit to Jerusalem — Peter at Joppa 388 — 396 Chap, IV, The Conversion of Cornelius 396 — 404 Chap. V. Martyrdom of St James — Death of Herod, , , 404 — 409 SYNOPSIS OF CONTENTS. Xlll Part III. ITie Church of the Gentiles. Section I. First Missionary Tour of Paul and Barnabas. PAGE Chap. I. Cyprus — Perga — The Pisidian An- tioch 409 — 4 1 7 Chap. II. Visit to Lystra, Derbe — Disputes at Antioch 417 — 424 Chap. III. The Council at Jerusalem 424 — 431 Section II. St PauVs Second Missionary Journey. Chap. I. The Sharp Contest — Tour in Phrygia and Galatia 432 — 439 Chap. II. Paul and Silas at Philippi 440 — 445 Chap. III. Thessalonica, Beroea, Athens 445 — 453 Chap. IY. Arrival and Stay of St Paul at Co- rinth 453—459 Section III. St PauVs Third Missionary Journey and Imprisonment at CcEsarea. Chap. I. Visit to Ephesus 459 — 466 Chap. II. Letter to the Corinthians — Disturb- ance at Ephesus 466 — 472 Chap. III. Troas — Second Journey to Greece.... 472 — 480 Chap. IV. The Return to Jerusalem — The Tu- mult in the Temple 480 — 487 xiv SYNOPSIS OF CONTENTS. PAGE Chap. V. The Imprisonment at Csesarea 487 — 493 Chap. VI. Paul before Felix and Festus 494 — 502 Section IV. St PavVs Imprisonment at Rome. Chap. I. The Voyage from Csesarea 503 — 509 Chap. II. The Reception at Malta, and Arrival at Rome 509 — 5 14 Chap. Ill, The first Imprisonment at Rome 515 — 5-21 Chap. IV. St Paul's Second Imprisonment and Death 52 1 — 529 Appendix and Chronological Tables 530 — 535 Index 536—550 MAPS. 1. A Map of the Holy Land to illustrate the Asmonean Period to face ■^. 36 2. A Map of the Holy Land to illustrate the New Testament to face ^. 152 3. The Shores of the Sea of Galilee to face p. 1 76 4. Jerusalem in the time of Our Lord to face p. 258 5. A Map to illustrate the Apostolic History. .^0 /ace p. 408 ^ BOOK I. THE CONNECTIOX BETWEE.Y THE OLD A.ND NEW TESTAMENTS. N.T. PAUT I. THE JEWS UNDER THE PERSIAxNS, AND THE KINGS OF EGYPT. CHAPTER I. HIGH-PRIESTHOOD OF JADDUA— ALEXANDER AT JERUSALEM. B.C. 413-332. " AFTER the death of Nchemiah, about B.C. 413, a -^-^ thick curtain falls on the history of the Jews till the accession of Antiochus Epiphanes, b.g. i 75 ^" During upwards of 230 years, a period as long, to compare it with modern history, as from the death of Queen Eliza- beth to the accession of Queen Victoria, the record of events is of the scantiest description. It appears cer- tain, however, that Nchemiah was the last of the gover- nors sent from the court of Persia. Judsea itself was annexed to the satrapy of Coelesyria, and the admi- nistration of affairs was entrusted to the high-priest sub- ject to the control of the Syrian Governor. Thus the civil and spiritual functions were united in one person, and the pontifical office became an object of competition to the different members of the family of Aaron, and the cause of many violent and disgraceful contests. As subjects, however, of the Persian kings, the Jews were pre-eminent for their loyalty and good faith. While Egypt, Phoenicia, Cyprus, and other dependencies of the luemcia,, i^ypriis, anu ouiur utjpeuuuii ^ Milman's History of the Jaos, i. 443. 1— S -1 UIGU-PRIESTHOOD OF JADDUA- [Bk. I. Pt. I. Persian crown, were frequently the scenes of rebellions, which were with difficulty suppressed, the Jews remained steadfast in their allegiance to the " Great King," and increased rapidly alike in wealth and population. A single incident distinguishes the uneventful annals of this period. During the lifetime of Ezra and Nehe- miah, the high-priest was Eliashib. His successor, Joi- ada, had two sons, the one Jonathan or Johanan (Neh. xii. II, 22), the other Joshua. Joshua stood high in the favour of Bagoses, the general of the Persian army, and obtained from him the promise of the high-priesthood. Relying on this assurance, he ventured to quarrel openly with his brother in the Temple, and fell slain by his hand within the precincts of the sanctuary itself. So flagrant a crime roused the indignation of Bagoses. Advancing to Jerusalem he demanded admittance into the Temple, and when the Jews would have prevented his entrance, declared he was less unclean than the body of the murdered man, and not only polluted the sanctuary by entering it, but also levied a fine of 50 shekels on every lamb offered in sacrifice during the next seven years. Like his father, Johanan also had two sons, Jaddua (Nell. xii. 1 1) and Manasseh. Jaddua succeeded to the high-priesthood, B.C. 341, and distinguished himself by zealously maintaining the Mosaic institutions as restored by Ezra and Nehemiah. Manasseh, on the other hand, married the daughter of Sanballat the Horonite^ thus contracting one of those alliances, against which the Princes of the Captivity had so energetically protested. This roused the indignation of the elders in Jerusalem, and of Jaddua himself, who declared that Manasseh nuist put away his wife, or be no longer associated in the priesthood. This the other declined to do, and ^ Jos. Ant. xi. 8. 1. Corap. Article Jerusalem iu Smith's Bihl. Diet. I. 998, and note. Ch. I.] ALEXANDER AT JERUSALEM. 5 repaired to his father-in-law in Samaria, who suggested the building of a temple on Mount Gerizhu, where Ma- nasseh might continue to exercise his priestly functions. With the permission of the Persian court, this was ac- cordingly done, and Manasseh became the first priest of the Samaritans at their rival sanctuary, being joined from time to time by those Jews who had been guilty of criminal offences in their own country, or had any cause for dissatisfaction^. Though by these immigrations the Samaritans were more and more recalled from idolatry, the building of this temjile tended in no small degree to stimulate the animosity between the two nations. The Jews affirmed that sacrifice could only be offered at Jerusalem ; the Samaritans replied that on Gerizim Joshua had built his first altar, and that it was the true place of sacrifice. The controversy thus generated gradually extended, and produced that intense degree of illwill between the two peoples, to which there are several allusions in the New Testament (Lk. ix. 51 — 56; Jn. iv. 9, viii. 48). During the high-priesthood of Jaddua, the Persian empire, to which the Jews had so long been faithful, crumbled to pieces before the armies of Alexander the Great. Victorious over the Persian forces at the Grani- cus, B.C. 334, and again at Issus in the following year, the conqueror captured Damascus, and having taken Sidon, laid siege to Tyre, b.c. 332. Thence he sent a message to the high-priest at Jerusalem, demanding the transference of his allegiance, and auxiliaries and sup- plies for his army. This Jaddua declared was impossi- ble, on the ground of his oath of fidelity to the Persian monarch. Though incensed at this reply, Alexander delayed to execute his vengeance, till after the reduc- tion of Tyre, and then set out for the Holy City. Jad- ^ Jos. Ant. XI. 8. 7. 6 HIGH PRIESTHOOD OF JADDUA- [Bk. I. Pt. L dua and his people were in the utmost consternation. Sacrifices were oiOfered, prayers were put up to God, and the Divine aid sought to appease the wrath of the inva- der. At length the high-priest is said to have been warned in a dream how to act. He hung the city with garlands, threw open the gates, and as soon as he was informed that Alexander drew near, clad in his pontifi- cal robes, and followed by the priests in their ceremo- nial attire and the people in white garments, he went forth to meet him at Sapha, probably Mizpch, the watch- tower, on the high ridge to the north of the city. As soon as the Grecian conqueror beheld the venerable form of the high-priest, he fell prostrate, and adored the holy Name inscribed in golden letters on the frontal of his tiara. The Phoenicians and Chal- dxeans in his retinue, ancient enemies of the Jewish people, were only awaiting the signal to pillage the city and j)ut the high-priest to the torture. They could not, therefore, conceal their astonishment, while the S}Tian chiefs concluded that the great conqueror had lost his senses, and Parmenio addressing Mm enquired why he, whom all the world worshipped, should kneel before the high-priest. "It is not the high-priest," replied the other, "whom I worship, but his God, who has honoured him with the priesthood. In a vision at Dies in Mace- donia, I saw him arrayed precisely as he now stands, and when I was debating \\o\w I might obtain the domi- nion of Asia, he exhorted me to make no delay, but boldly cross over the sea, for he would conduct my army, and give me victory over the Persians." Then taking Jaddua by the right hand, he entered the city, and repairing to the Temple, offered sacrifice to God, and paid high honours to the whole priestly body. The prophecies of DanieP were now read in his hear- ^ Probably Dan. vii. 6; viii. ?>—^, '20, 21, 22 ; xi. 3. Ch. I.] ALEXANDER AT JERUSALEM, 7 ing, and overjoyed at the prediction there recorded that a Greek would overthrow the Persian Empire, he offered the Jews whatever privilege they might select. Thereupon they requested that the free enjoyment of their lives and liberties might be secured to them, as also to their brethren in Media and Babylonia, and that they might be exempted from tribute during the Sab- batical years. These privileges the conqueror Avillingly conceded. This famous visit is recorded only by Josephus, and has been discredited on the ground that it is not men- tioned by Arrian or Plutarch, Diodorus or Curtius. But it has been observed that, though probably incorrect in some of the details, there are several points which con- firm the truth of the main facts. Thus Curtius himself relates that, after the capture of Tyre, Alexander visited some of the cities which refused to submit to him, and that he personally executed vengeance on the Sama- ritans \ The Jews, moreover, certainly served in the army of Alexander, and were located by him in great numbers in his new city of Alexandria ; while the privi- leges he is said to have conferred upon them undoubt- edly existed in later times, and imply some such relation between them and the great conqueror. Moreover, from policy or conviction, Alexander delighted to represent himself as chosen by destiny for the great acts which he achieved, and his visit to Gordium before the battle of Issus, and his pilgrimage to the shrine of Jupiter Am- mon alike illustrate the force of religious feelings in connection with his campaigns 2. 1 Curtius, IV. 5. 13; IV. 8. 10. 2 See Thirlwall's Greece, vi. 265 ; Kaphall's Eistwy of the Jews, I. 42 — 50. 8 PTOLEMY SOTER AND [Bk. I. Ft. I. CHAPTER II. - PTOLEMY SOTER AND PTOLEMY PHILADELPHUS. B.C. 323-247. ON the death of Alexander, b.c. 323, the vast emph'o, which he had won by his arms, was divided amongst his generals, and Palestine, as a province of Syria, passed into the possession of Laomedon, while Egypt was as- signed to Ptolemy Soter. Between these two war soon broke out, and Ptolemy having conquered Cyrene, cast longing eyes on the kingdom of Syria, the harbours of Phoenicia, and the iron and timber, which abounded in Palestine and amongst the lofty ridges of Libanus and Anti-Libanus. Accordingly he invaded the realms of Laomedon, defeated him in a great battle, and gained possession of all Syria and Phoenicia, The Jews on this occasion manifested such unwillingf- ness to violate their engagements to the Syrian king, that Ptolemy advanced against Jerusalem, and besieged it with a large army. Entering the city B.C. 320, under pretence of offering sacrifice on the Sabbath-day, when the scruples of the inhabitants forbade their offering any defence, he easily succeeded in capturing it. In- stead, however, of folloNNing up his victory by an indis- criminate massacre, he contented himself with trans- porting a gi'eat number of the inhabitants to Egypt, where he distributed them as garrisons in different places, but especially in Alexandria, and conceded to them equal privileges with the Macedonians themselves. Eight years afterwards he transported another largo body of them to Libya and Cyrene, and thus by succes- sive deportations and voluntary immigrations on the part of the people themselves, Egypt became an import- ant centre of Jewish influence. Ch. II.] PTOLEMY PHILADELPHUS. 9. The king of Egypt, however, was not allowed to re- main long in undisturbed possession of his prize, and found it disputed with him by Antigonus, one of the most turbulent of the successors of Alexander. Twice the coveted province fell into the hands of his rival, twice Ptolemy managed to recover it, and it was finally adjudged to his share after the decisive battle of Ipsus in Phrygia, B.C. 301. Meanwliile Jaddua had been succeeded in the high- priesthood at Jerusalem by his son Onias I., and he again by Simon the Just, the last of the men of the ''Great Synagogue V' as he was called by the Jews. He superintended the repair of the sanctuary of the Temple, surrounded with brass the cistern or " sea " of the prin- cipal court, fortified the city-walls, and maintained the sacred ritual with much pomp and ceremony (Eccles. 1. I — 22). He is also said to have completed the Canon of the Old Testament, by adding to it the books of Ezra and Nehemiah, of Chronicles and Esther, as also the prophecies of Malachi^ He died B.C. 291. The battle of Ipsus, besides securing to Ptolemy Soter the dominion of Palestine, Phoenicia, and Coele- syria, elevated Seleucus to the command of an Empire greater than any other held by the successors of Alex- ander. He assumed the title of "king of Syria," and his ^ *'The Great Assembly or Synagogue, whose existence has been called in question on insufficient grounds, was the great council of the nation during the Persian period, in which the last substantive changes were made in the constitution of - Judaism. It was organized by Ezra, and, as commonly happens, the work of the whole body was transferred to its representative member. E;5ra probably formed a collection of the prophetic writmgs ; and the Assembly gathered together afterwards (as the Christian Church at a later period in corre- sponding circumstances) such books as were still left without the Canon, though proved to bear the stamp of the Spirit of God." Westcott's Bible in the Church, Appendix A. ^ Prideaux's Connection, I. 545. 10 PTOLEMY SOTJSR AND [Bk. I. Pt. I. domimoii, in the words of the prophet Daniel (Dan. xi. 5), was a great dominion, extending from the EuxiiLe to the confines of Arabia, and from the Hindokush to the Mediterranean. His Eastern capital he founded on the banks of the Tigris, and called Seleucia, after his own name. For his western metropolis he selected a spot admirably situated both for military and commercial purposes^, on the left bank of the river Orontes, just where " the chain of Lebanon running northwards, and the chain of Taurus running eastwards, are brought to an abrupt meeting-." Here he founded a city with much display in the year B.C. 300, and called it Antioch, after the name of his father Antiochus, Convinced, like the Egyptian monarchs, of the loyalty of the Jews, he began to invite many of them to his new capital and other cities in Asia Minor, assuring them of the same privileges which they enjoyed under Ptolemy in Alex- andria. This invitation was readily embraced by many of the Jews, who settled down in Antioch, were govern- ed by their own etlmarch, and were admitted to the same advantages as the Greeks ^ Ptolemy Philadelphus succeeded his father Ptolemy ^ " By its harbour of Seleucia it was in communication with all the trade of the Mediterranean ; and through the open country behind the Lebanon it was conveniently approached' by the caravans from Mesopotamia and Arabia. It united the inland advantages of Aleppo with the maritime opportu- nities of Smyrna." Conybeare and Hov.'^son, Life and Epi- stles of St Paul, I. 118; Smith's Diet. Gcog. Art. Antiochia. ^ " Few princes have ever lived with so great a passion for the building of cities as Seleucus. IJe is said to have built in all 9 Seleucias, 16 Antiochs, and 6 Laodiceas. This love of commemorating the members of his family was conspicuous in his works by the Orontes. Besides Seleucia and Antioch, he built, in the immediate neighbourhood, a Laodicea in ho- nour of his mother, and an Apamea in honour of his wife. Convbeare and Howson, I. 119; Merivale, ill. 368. ■* Jos. Ant. XII. 3. I ; Conlr. Apion. ii. 4. Ch. II.] PTOLEMY PIIILADELPHUS. 11 Soter, B.C. 283. In pursuance of the policy of the pre- vious reign, he distinguished himself by uniform kind- ness to the Jewish nation, ransoming many who Iiad been sold as slaves, and inviting many to settle in Egypt. A liberal patron of literature and science, he established a famous library at Alexandria, and spared no pains in procuring books to be deposited therein. He is also represented to have caused the Hebrew Scriptures to be translated into Greek, and thus to have originated the celebrated Version called the Septuagint, from the tradition that 72 persons were engaged in the transla- tion, which obtained a wide circulation, and was exten- sively read. The same monarch conferred costly pre- sents on the Temple at Jerusalem, consisting of a table for the shewbread of marvellous workmanship, cisterns of gold, bowls, and other vessels for the public and private use of the priests \ CHAPTER III. PTOLEMY EUERGETES AND PTOLEMY PHILOPATOR. B.C. 247-222. ON the death of Philadelphus, Ptolemy Euergetes succeeded to the Egyptian throne. The new king considerably extended the privileges of the Jews, and bestowed many presents upon their Temple. During his reign an incident occurred, which illustrates in a striking manner at once the condition of Judsea at this time, and the influence of individual members of the chosen nation. On the death of Simon " the Just," his brother Elea- zar became high-priest b.c. 291. He was succeeded in ^ Jos. Ant. XII, 2. 10. 12 PTOLEMY EUERGETES AND [Bk. I. Pr. I. B.C. 276, not by his own son Onias, but his uncle Ma- nasseh, the son of Jaddua. At his death, b. c. 250, the son of Simon, Onias II., became high-priest, but inhe- rited none of his father's virtues, being distinguished for nothing but meanness, and an inordinate love of money. The older he grew, the more avaricious he became, and neglected from year to year to remit to Ptolemy Euer- getes the customary tribute of 20 talents of silver. At length, about B.C. 226, that king sent his commissioner Athenion to Jerusalem to demand the arrears, and threatened violence, if his claims were not satisfied. The Jews were filled with dismay at the too probable consequences of continued disobedience, but Onias still persisted in his refusal. At length his nephew Joseph took upon him the task of appeasing the royal anger, and having ingratiated himself with Athenion persuaded him to return to Alex- andria, and promised that he himself would speedily follow, and satisfy every demand. Shortly afterwards he himself set out, and on his way fell in with several men of distinction belonging to Phoenicia and Coelesyria who were going up to the Egyptian capital to compete for the farming of the revenues, which were annually sold to the highest bidder. Not suspecting a compe- titor in the Jew, whose slender equipage contrasted unfavourably with their splendid cavalcade, they unwit- tingly revealed the amount at which the revenues had been farmed. Thereupon Joseph resolved to outbid them, and in an audience with the king contrived by his clever- ness and ready address completely to win the royal favour. When the day for the auction came, the nobles of Ph(enicia and Coelesyria bid 8000 talents for the farming of the revenues. But Joseph came forward and engaged to pay twice that sum, in addition to all the goods which should be confiscated for neglect of Ch. III.] PTOLEMY PHILOPATOR. 13 payment. Thereupon Ptolemy granted his request, and he became collector of the revenues from Judaea, Sama- ria, Coelesyria, and Phoenicia, and was furnished with a guard of 2000 soldiers to extort payment from the refractory. Having liquidated the arrears due from his uncle, Joseph returned to Palestine to carry out his instruc- tions. Excited by the disappointed collectors, Askelon at first refused payment, and treated his demands with insult. But Joseph was not to be trifled with. He slew 20 of the chief inhabitants, and sent 1000 talents of their confiscated property to the king, who highly commended his determination. A similar instance of severity at Scythopolis^ put down all further opposi- tion, and Joseph was at length universally acknow- ledged as the collector for the Egyptian king, and held the office upwards of 22 years. He now became the founder of a family, which vied with that of the high- priest in power and influence, and became the occasion of many serious quarrels between them. The reign of Ptolemy Euergetes came to a sudden and tragical close. In the year B.C. 222 he was assassi- nated by his own son Ptolemy IV., who in irony was called Philopator, the lover of his father. As soon as he ascended the throne, he murdered his mother Bere- nice, and his brother Magas, and gave himself up to luxury and dissipation. Taking advantage of his well- known effeminacy, Antiochus the Great welcomed the offer of Theodotus, governor of Coelesyria, to surrender that province, and after a brief campaign became master of Phoenicia, Tyre, Ptolemais, Damascus, and the greater part of Coelesyria. Roused at length from his lethargy, the Egyptian monarch confronted his rival at Raphia, 1 The Beth-shan of the Old Testament; see Class-BooIc of Old Testament History, p. 316, and 445 note, 2nd ed. 14 PTOLEMY EUERGETES AND [Bk. I. Pt. I. between Rhinocorura and Gaza, and defeated him with enormous loss, B.C. 217, tlie same year that Hannibal was victorious at Thrasymene. Meanwhile the Jews had remained steadfast in their allegiance to Ptolemy, and the conqueror visited Jeru- salem, offered sacrifices according to the Jewish law, and presented rich gifts to the Temple. Attracted by the beauty of the building, and the solemnity of the service, he desired to penetrate into the Holy of Holies. Simon II., who had succeeded Onias, together with the priests, entreated him to desist from his purpose, but this only increased his determination to view the inte- rior, and he pressed forward, amidst the dismay of the pontiff and the lamentation of the peojDle, towards the sanctuary. Here, however, he was seized with a sudden and supernatural terror, and was carried forth half-dead. Enraged at this repulse, he retired to A lexandria, and w reaked his vengeance on the numerous Jews who had settled there. Some he is said to have put to death, others he degraded from their high positions and con- signed to slavery, or reduced to the lowest class of citi- zens. Thirteen years afterwards, b. c. 204, he died a victim to his sensual habits, and ■\vas succeeded by his son Ptolemy Epiphanes, then pnly five years old. Meanwhile, since his disastrous defeat at Raphia, Antiochus had been gradually strengthening his position in Upper Asia, where he had won his title of "the Great" by his successes against the Parthians and Bactrians, as also on the banks of the Indus. Having thus re-esta- blished the supremacy of the Seleucidce he returned to Western Asia, to find his old rival dead, and the Egyp- tian throne in the possession of a child. He instantly embraced the opportunity of attacking the Egyptian do- minions, and in concert with Philip III. of Macedon resolved to avenge the defeat at Raphia. In the cam- paigns that ensued the Jews suffered severely, and be- Ch. III.] PTOLEMY PHILOPATOR. 15 came in turn the prey of each of the contending parties \ In B.C. 203, Antiochus succeeded in taking Jerusalem. In B.C. 199 it was retaken by Scopas, the general of the Egyptian forces. Next year Antiochus reappeared in the field, and at the foot of Mount Panium^, near the sources of the Jordan, gained a decisive victory over Scopas, capturing that general himself and the remnant of his forces, "which had fled for refuge to Sidon. Wearied of the struggle, and remembering the in- dignities offered to their sanctuary by Philopator, the Jews now threw off their subjection to Egypt, welcomed the conqueror as their deliverer, and furnished supplies for his army. Antiochus in his turn treated his new subjects with liberality and kindness. Ho not only guaranteed to them perfect freedom and protection in the exercise of their religion, but promised to restore their city to its ancient splendour, forbade the intrusion of strangers in their Temple, and contributed largely towards the regular celebration of its services. At the same time, imitating the examples of Alexander and Se- leucus, he issued orders to Zeuxis, the general of his forces, to remove 2000 Jewish families from Babylon into Lydia and Phrygia, where they were to be permitted to use their own laws, to have lands assigned them, and to be exempted from all tribute for ten years 3. ^ Jos. Ant. XII. 3. 3. ^ One of the branches of the Lebanon, containing a cave sacred to Pan, whence it derived its name. See below, p. •SI 8, n. ^ Jos. Ant, XII. 3. 3. PAET IT. THE JEWS UNDER THE KINGS OF SYRIA. CHAPTER I. ANTIOCHUS THE GREAT— SELEUCUS PHILO- PATOB. B.C. 198-175. THE battle of Mount Panium marks an era in the liir- tory of the Jews. For a century since the battle of Ipsus they had been steadfast in their allegiance to the Egyptian throne. They now transfei-red it from the descendants of the Ptolemies to those of Scleiicus Nica- tor, and their connection with the Syrian kings begins. Antiochus, who had bestowed upon them so many privileges, did not long enjoy the fruits of his victory. His chief ally in the late campaign had been Philip of Macedon, who, at the conclusion of the third war against Carthage, found himself attacked by the forces of the great Republic of the "West noAV commencing its con- quest of the world. Deserted by his friend Antiochus, whose aid he might reasonably have cxpecte:!, he was forced after three campaigns to sue for peace, and the Romans became supreme in Macedonia and Greece, B.C. 197. Five years afterwards Antiochus found his turn was come to feel the w eight of the same all-conquering arms. In the year b.c. 192 he crossed over into Greece on the invitation of the yEtolians, and under the expectation of a general rising of the Greeks ventured on a campaign Ch. I.] ANTIOCHUS THE GREAT, dec. 17 with Rome, entrenching himself at Thermopylae ^ But in the following year the consul M. Acilius Glabrio at- tacked him in his entrenchments, and speedily put his whole army to flight. Thereupon the Syrian king hastened back to Asia, and employed himself in collect- ing a vast host from all parts of his dominions, where- with to prosecute the campaign, which his friend Han- nibal truly warned him was close at hand. In b. c. 190 the Romans, under Scipio Africanus and his brother Scipio Asiaticus, crossed the Hellespont, and Antiochus confronted them in the neighbourhood of Magnesia^, at the foot of Mount Sipylus. His motley hosts, though aided by numerous elephants and the Macedonian pha- lanx, were utterly unable to resist the terrible Roman legions. Defeated with a loss of 50,000 men, the haughty Syrian was constrained to sue for peace. The conditions exacted by the conquerors were the death-blow of the Syrian empire. Antiochus was forced to cede all his dominions in Asia Minor west of Mount Taurus ; to sur- render all his ships of war, and retain no more than I o merchant vessels ; to keep no elephants ; to raise no mercenaries in any of the countries allied with Rome ; to pay down 2500 Euboic talents at once, and 12,000 more by instalments of 1000 a year; and to deliver up Hannibal and other enemies of Rome who had taken refuge in his dominions. Beaten, baffled, and disgraced, the Syrian monarch returned to his capital. The hard conditions of peace were approved by the senate b. c. i 88, and to raise the heavy tribute, which threatened to exhaust all the re- sources of his empire, he resolved to plunder the temples throughout his dominions. The first attack it was agreed should be made on that of Elymais, situated at the ^ See Mommsen's History of Rome, 11. 76ji,. 2 In the valley of the Hermus, not far from Smyrna. See Livy, XXXVII. 37, foil.; Tac. Ann 11. 47. N. T. 2 18 ANTIOCHUS TUB GREAT- [Bk. I. Pt. II. meeting-point of the caravan routes which connected Media with Persia and Siisiana. But the guards of the temple, aided by the hardy mountaineers of the district, made a vigorous defence of their shrine, and Antiochus was slain, B.C. 187' (Dan. xi. 19). On the news of his death, his son Seleucus ascended the throne, and assumed the title of Fhilopator. Dur- ing the early period of his reign, the new king carefully abstained from giving any offence to the Jewish nation, guaranteed to them the free exercise of their religion, and even contributed to the expenses of the Temple ser- vices (2 Mace. iii. 2, 3). Before long, however, his attention was directed to the riches deposited in the sanctuary at Jerusalem. At this time that city presented an appearance of much external prosperity. The high-priest Onias III, who succeeded Simon b. c. 195, was held in high respect, and ruled the people with firmness and vigour (2 Mace, iii. i). But an untoward cause of intestine dissension soon arose, and led to the interference of the Syrian king. Joseph, the collector of the revenues of Phoenicia and Ccelesyria, had left behind him an illegitimate son, named Hyrcanus. Between this son and his legitimate brothers a serious quarrel arose respecting their father's property. Onias espoused the cause of Hyrcanus, and on his death secured his property in the treasury of the Temple, the custody of which was now held by ono Simon, who is supposed by some to have been a son of Joseph (2 Mace, iii. 4). Filled with spite against the high-priest he gave information to Apollonius the governor of Phoenicia and Coilesyria respecting the amount of treasure contained in the Temple, and represented that it might without difliculty be applied to the king's use (2 Mace. iii. 4 — 6). 1 Strabo, xvi. 744; Justin, xxxil. 2. I. Ch. I.] SELEUCUS PHILOPATOR. 19 The governor reported this to Seleucus, and the Syrian king, straitened for means to pay the Roman tribute, directed his treasurer Hehodorus not only to penetrate into the Temple, but plunder it of its funds. Heliodorus arrived at Jenisalem, communicated his instructions, and demanded the surrender of the money. In vain the high-priest expostulated on the insult which would be offered to the national sanctuary, and declared that one half the treasures belonged to God, and the other to widows and orphans, who had placed it there for security. Heliodorus declared that his orders must be carried out, demolished the outer gates, and was on the point of entering the sanctuary, wiien, like Ptolemy Philopator, he too was struck with a panic terror, which prostrated him speechless on the ground, so that he had to be carried away insensible by his retinue (2 Mace. iii. 26 — 30), Restored, however, by the prayers of Onias, he gradually recovered, and returning to Antioch related all that had occurred, and declared to his Syrian lord that nothing would induce him to venture again on such an errand. On the death of Antiochus the Great, it had been agreed between the senate of Rome and Seleucus that he should send his son Demetrius to take the place, as a hostage, of his brother Antiochus, who was to be al- lowed to come back to Syria. Shortly after his return from Jerusalem, Demetrius departed for this purpose, and Heliodorus, in the absence of the two persons nearest in succession to the throne, poisoned his master and usurped the crown. News of this reached Antiochus as he was visiting Athens on his way to the Syrian capi- tal. He instantly invoked the aid of Eumenes king of Pergamus, at this time master of the greater part of the territories in Asia Minor wrested by the Romans from his father, and having quickly crushed the usurper, as- cended the Syrian throne, and assumed the title of Epi- 2—2 20 REIGN OF [Bk. I. Pr. II. phanes, or the Illustrious, while his nephew Demetrius remained a hostage at Rome ', b.c. 175. CHAPTER II. REIGN OF ANTIOCHUS EPIPHANES. B. C. 175-170. THE long-continued subjection of the Jews to Gre- cian monarchs had by this time exerted a very con- siderable influence on their habits and mode of life. Familiar not only with the language but the literature and philosophy of Greece, many had acquired a strong taste for Grecian studies, preferred the Grecian religion to their own, adopted Grecian manners, and practised Grecian arts. Amongst this Hellenizing party none was tliore active than Joshua the brother of the high-priest, "who even assumed the Grecian name of Jason. On the accession of Epiphanes he made his appear- ance amollg the princes who flocked to Antioch to assure the new monarch of their allegiance, and by his insinuat- ing manners rapidly rose into high favour. Knowing the depressed condition of the Syrian exchequer, in consequence of the annual tribute to Rome, he offered the king the tempting bribe of 440 talents of silver to secure the deposition of his elder brother, and his own appointment to the high-priesthood. Successful in this he caused Onias to be summoned to Antioch, and kept there as a prisoner at large, and then returning to Jeru- salem devoted himself to the work of introducing Gre- cian customs among the people. By a second bribe of 1 50 talents he obtained permis- sion from his patron to establish at Jerusalem a gymna- sium for athletic exercises, and with such success that even the priests despised the Temple and neglected the sacrifices to take part in the games (2 Mace. iv. 14). ^ Livy, XLT. 19, 20. Ch. II.] ANTIOCHUS EPIPHANES. 21 He next procured a license to establish an academy in which the Jewish youth might be brought up in the Grecian fashion, and was empowered to confer the citi- zenship of Antioch on many of his fellow-countrymen, who eagerly coveted the empty honour (2 Mace. iv. 9). Not content with this, in the year b. c. i 74 he went so far as to send a deputation with 300 drachmas of silver to Tyre, towards the celebration of the games in honour of the tutelary deity, Hercules. But even his own par- tizans shrunk from such open idolatry, and in place cf bestowing the money on the games, preferred to offer it towards the building of a fleet (2 Mace. iv. 20). For three years the high-priest continued his woik of corrupting the manners of his people, and then found the means he had used to acquire his ill-gotten dignity turned against himself. Having occasion to send his brother Onias IV., who had assumed the name of Mene- laus, to the Syrian court, his envoy embraced the oppor- tunity of offering Antiochus 300 talents a year more than his brother had paid for the office of high-priest, and succeeded in supplanting him in the royal favour (2 Mace. iv. 24). Escorted by a body of Syrian troops, he then expelled Jason, who fled into the country of the Ammonites, and assuming the position and title of high- priest, proved even more wicked than his predecessor. For some time, however, he delayed to make the stipulated payment to Antiochus, and when Sostratus, the commander of the Acra, had made several ineffec- tual demands for it, they were both summoned to the Syrian capital. At the time of their arrival Epiphanes was absent in Cilicia, and had left Andronicus in charge of affairs. Finding that in some way the money must be procured, Menelaus sent instructions to his brother Lysimachus to abstract some of the golden vessels of the Temple, and having secretly sold them at Tyre, obtained sufficient money to liquidate the debt and bribe over 22 REIGN OF [Bk. I. Pt. II. Andronicus to espouse liis cause. Tlie sacrilegious sule, however, transpired, and came to the ears of the vene- rable Onias III., the legitimate high-priest, who severely reproved the usurper for his conduct. Enraged at this reproof, Menelaus prevailed on the king's deputy to seize the aged priest and put him to death (2 Mace. iv. 27 — "^^X This atrocious deed roused the utmost indignation amongst the Jews at Antioch, and the Syrian king stripped Andronicus of the purple, and ordered him to be executed on the very spot, where the venerable priest, \\\\os,c sober and mod-est behaviour (2 Mace. iv. 27) lie always respected, had been murdered. At this time the thoughts of Antiochus were fixed on the reduction of Egypt. In B.C. 171 he led his forces through Palestine and defeated the Egyptians before Pelusium. In the following year he led a second expe- dition, and taking advantage of the occupation of the Romans wuth the war against Perseus, the last king of Macedonia, evaded the condition of the late treaty^, which restricted his fleet to 10 ships, and attacked Egypt by sea and land. Again he was successful, and reduced the whole country with the exception of Alex- andria, While he was before the walls of this city, a report reached Palestine that he was dead. On this Jason, taking advantage of the unpopularity of Menelaus, placed himself at the head of 1000 men, seized Jeru- salem, and, while his brother secured himself in the castle of Zion, put great numbers of the Jews to death (2 Mace. V. 5, 6). The first intelligence of these events received by Antiochus represented that all Judsea was in a state of rebellion, and that the Jews were rejoicing in his sup- loosed death. Enraged at these tidings he instantly made ^ See above, p. 17. Ch. II.] ANTIOCHUS EPIPHANES. 23 preparations for marching upon Jerusalem, whence Jason, hearing of his approach, fled into the country of the Ammonites. The city was taken by storm, and the late proceedings being considered as a revolt, it was resolved to inflict a proportionate punishment. Accord- ingly for three days Antiochus surrendered the capital to the fury and license of his soldiers, and during this i:)oriod 40,000 of the inhabitants were slain, and an equal number sold into captivity. Under the guidance of the imi^ious Menelaus, he then entered the Sanctuary, seized all the sacred vessels, and searching even the subter- ranean vaults, carried off treasure to the amount of 1800 talents of gold. He next ordered a great sow to be sacrificed on the brazen altar of burnt-ofl'ering, a portion of the flesh to be boiled, and the liquor poured over every part of the Temple; and having thus drained the capital of its treasure, drenched the streets with blood, and profaned its Sanctuary, handed it over once more to the administration of Menelaus, supported by Philip, a Phrygian, and for manners fnore barbarous than he that set him there (2 Mace. v. 1 5 — 23 ; i Mace, i. 20 — 28). CIIAPTEH III. PERSECUTION OF THE JEWS UNDER EPI- PHANES. B. C. 169-167. HIS exchequer recruited by this valuable plunder, Antiochus in the following year, B.C. 169, led a third expedition into Egypt, and once more laid siego to Alexandria. But his late proceedings at Jerusalem had raised against him fiercer enemies even than the Egyptians. The Jews, who formed a full half of the population, stung to the quick by the indignities ofibred to their fellow-countrymen and the desecration of the national Temple, assisted the Alexandrians with the 24 PERSECUTION OF THE JEWS [Bk. I. Pt. II. fiercest zeal in repelling his attacks, and once more forced the king to raise the siege. Undaunted, however, by this second repulse, he re- ai^pcared before the walls the next year, u.c. i68, and having a still larger force at his command, determined to reduce the city to subjection. But he was now con- fronted with a power it was impossible to resist. Having defeated Perseus at the decisive battle of Pydna, and re- duced Macedonia to the condition of a Roman province, the Romans had at length found themselves able to listen to the repeated entreaties of the Ptolemies for assistance. Accordingly Antiochus, on invading Egypt for the fourth time, found at Eleusis, about 4 miles from Alex- andria, Caius Popilius Loenas, Caius Decimius, and Caius Hostilius, ambassadors from Rome, who commanded him to abstain from all hostilities against the Ptolemies, or prepare for war against the haughty republic of the West. During his long residence at Rome ^, Antiochus had made the acquaintance of Popilius, and seeing him at the head of the embassy, stretched forth his arms to embrace him. But the Roman sternly repelled the salute, and handed to him the -svritten orders of his government. The Syrian monarch requested time to refer the matter to his council, but Popilius drew a circle on the sand with his staff round the king, and declared that he should not leave it, till he had given him an answer, which he could report to the senate. Confounded at this determined conduct, Antiochus was obliged to yield, and having, after a brief struggle, con- sented to bow to the senate's decree, was rewarded with the ambassador's hand ^. Accordingly the command was given to desist from any attack upon Alexandria, and the Syrian mercenaries prepared to evacuate the land of the Ptolemies. But the rage and disappointment of Antiochus knew no ^ See above^ p. 19, ^ Livy, XLV. 12. Ch. III.] UNDER EPIPHANES. 25 bounds. The imperious commands of the haughty Ro- mans roused him to positive phrenzy. His private life had long since procured for him the title of Ephnanes, " the madman," instead of Epiphanes, " the illustrious \" Uniting " the quick and versatile character of a Greek with the splendid voluptuousness of an Asiatic-/' he thought nothing of debasing the royal dignity by min- gling with the revels of his meanest subjects. He would scour the streets, visit the lowest places and the com- monest baths? or, like Peter of Russia, converse with the artizans in their shops respecting their various trades. Sometimes he would mingle with some drunken revellers, and amuse them by singing or playing on his flute. At other times he would array himself in a white robe like the candidates for office at Rome, and in this guise go about the streets of Antioch, saluting the citi- zens, taking them by the hand, and supplicating their votes for some Roman office, of which in all probability they had never heard the name. Having in this way obtained a sufficient number of votes he would, with all the solemnity of a tribune or an sedile, take his seat in the market-place after the Roman fashion, and deliver judgment with all the gravity of a Roman magistrate. Immoderately fond of wine, he became under its influ- ence a madman, and when thwarted in any design his fury knew no bounds. At the same time he was bigoted and intolerant to an extent almost incredible. His favourite deity was Zeus Olympius, and in his honour he was in the habit of celebrating games at Daphne, which exceeded in splendour anything that his predecessors had ever attempted, and erected a magnificent temple, at which he offered the most sumptuous and extrava- gant sacrifices. ^ Polyb. XXVI. ro; Livy, XLI. 19, 20. 2 Milman's History of the Jews, i. 457. 26 PERSECUTION OF THE JEWS [Bk. I. Pt. II. Such was the man, now goaded into even more than usual fury by the disappointments of his designs on Egypt, who was forced to bow before the power of Rome. As he returned to his own dominions, Jerusa- lem unfortunately lay in his way. Accordingly, he de- tached Apollonius, one of his generals, with a division of 22,000 men, and ordered him to wreak that ven- geance on the city which he could not inflict on Egj'pt. As he was the chief collector of the tribute throughout Judaea, Apollonius found no difficulty in eflfecting his way into the capital, and no suspicions were entertained of his designs. He then waited till the first sabbath after his arrival, when he knew no resistance was to be dreaded, and suddenly let loose his soldiers on the un- resisting multitude, instructing them to slay all the men they met, to make slaves of the women and children, plunder the houses, and throw down the city walls (2 Mace. V. 24 — 26). His orders were executed with relentless severity ; the streets of the city and the courts of the Temple ran with blood ; the houses were pillaged ; the dwellings near Mount Zion demolished ; and with the materials thus obtained the fortifications of that citadel were strengthened, and occupied with a Syrian garrison (i Mace. i. 2)3)- This fortress overlooked the Temple, and the Jews could no longer steal into the city, and offer sacrifice in the accustomed place. The daily sacrifice therefore ceased in the month of Sivan, b. c. 167 ; Jerusa- lem became deserted ; her inhabitants fled ; her sanc- tuary was laid icaste like a wilderness; her feasts were turned into mourning ; her sahhaths into reproach; her honour into contempt (i Mace. i. 39). But the persecution did UiOt end here. Like Nebu- chadnezzar before him, Antiochus resolved on obtaining a uniformity of worship throughout his dominions. A decree therefore was issued from the Syrian capital en- Cu. 111.] UNDER EPIPHANES. 27 joining his subjects to wovsliip the gods of the king, and jione other. Some of the Jews now fled from the land, or concealed themselves in caves or mountains. Others, long secretly attached to Grecian customs, consented to conform, sacrificed unto idols, and profaned the Sab- hath (i Mace. i. 43). Before long a royal commissioner, named Athenaeus, arrived with instructions to enforce a general compli- ance to the royal edict. He re-consecrated the Temple in honour of Zeus Olympius ; erected on the brazen altar of burnt-ofiering another in honour of that god ; offered swine's flesh upon it ; and introduced the hea- then ritual with all its lascivious accompaniments. Hav- ing thus set uj) the abomination of desolation iipon the altar (i Mace. i. 54; comp. Dan. xi. 31}, he made the observance of any portion of the law of Moses a capital off'ence. Circumcision, the keeping of the Sab- bath, the reading of the Law, were strictly forbidden. Every copy of the sacred books that could be found was seized and defaced, torn to pieces or burnt. Groves were at the same time consecrated, heathen altars set up in every city, and every month, on the birthday of the king, the people were ordered to ofler sacrifice and eat swine's flesh. Moreover, in place of the Feast of Tabernacles, they were compelled to observe the licen- tious festival of the Bacchanalia, to join in the proces- sion, and to appear crowned with the ivy wreaths sacred to the god of wine (2 Mace. vi. ^-^7). Proceedings equally tyrannical were enacted in other parts of the land. The Samaritans, on the occasion of the visit of Alexander the Great, had claimed relation- ship with the Jews. They now WTote to Antiochus, stating that they were Zidonians, and ofi"ering to dedi- cate their temple on Mount Gerizim to Zeus Xenios, the Defender of Strangers. With this proposal the Syrian monarch complied, and the temple was dedicated 28 MATTATHIAS AND [Bk. I. Pt. III. accordingly. Meanwhile all who refused to yield to tho orders of the persecutor suffered the most fearful tor- tures. Two women, who had dared to circumcise their children, were led round the streets of Jerusalem with their babes hanging round their necks, and were cast down the battlements into the deep valley below tho city-walls. Eleazar, an aged man, and one of the princi- pal of the scribes, for refusing to eat swine's flesh was beaten to death, while a mother and her seven sons for tho same offence w^ere executed after enduring the most revolting and horrible tortures (i Mace. 1. 6i; 2 Mace. vi. vii.). PART III. RISE OF THE ASMONEAN DYNASTY. CHAPTER 1. MATTATHIAS AND JUDAS MACCABEUS. B. C. 167-165. NEVER did the fortimes of the Chosen People look so dark and troubled as now ; never did the na- tion itself, never did the religion of Jehovah appear so near to total extermination. But it was at this very time, when the gradual prevalence of Grecian manners, Grecian idolatry, and Grecian corruption threatened to eradicate all real attachment to the Law of Moses, that God interposed in behalf of His people, and through the genius, bravery, and heroic devotion of one noble- minded family, raised them from tlieir prostrate misery to a height of power, which recalled the glory and the splendour even of the reign of David. Ch. I.] JUDAS MACCABEUS. 29 At Modiii^ a town situated on an eminence on the road between Jerusalem and Joppa, there lived a priest, named Mattathias, of the line of Joiarib, the first of the 24 courses (i Chron. xxiv. 7). The son of Jochanon, the son of Simon, the son of Asamonseus or Chasmon, from whom the family took its name, he could boast of noble blood. At this time he was advanced in years, but his sons were in the prime of life, and were five in number, Johanan, Simon, Judas, Eleazar, and Jona- than. The sad declension of the nation and the ruthless persecution of Antiochus had already roused his keenest indignation, when a royal commissioner, Apelles, arrived at Modin, charged to carry out the edict against the Jewish religion, and to require the people to offer idol- atrous sacrific-e. Know^ing his influence in the place, the commissioner used his utmost efforts to induce Mat- tathias to conform to heathen customs. But it was in vain. The aged priest not only declared his resolution to live and die in the faith of his fathers, but when an apostate Jew approached the altar which Apelles had erected to offer sacrifice, struck him down, and then, aided by his sons and the men of the town, rushed upon the commissioner himself, slew him and his retinue, and tore down the altar (i Mace. ii. 15 — 29). The first blow thus struck, he called upon all such of his fellow- townsmen as were zealous for the Law of Moses to follow him, and, unfurling the banner of the national Faith, fled to the dark and rugged mountains of Judsea, where he w^as soon joined by many who feared God, and hated idolatry. Tidings of these events quickly reached the ears of ^ Identified with the half-ruined village of Latron, the Castellum honi Latronis of the Medieval writers, from the tra- dition that it was the residence of the penitent thief Dysma. Porter's Handbook , i. 2^^. so MATTATHIAS AND [Bk. I. Ft. III. the Phrygian governor at Jerusalem, and he dispatched a large force, which attacked the patriots on the Sab- bath-day, when they were unlikely to offer any resistance, and slew upwards of looo, with their wives, children, and cattle ( I Mace. ii. 31 — 38). This untoward incident awoke the little army of Mattathias to the conviction that they would be rooted out of the earth (i Mace. ii. 40), if they persisted in their resolve not to act in self- defence on the Sabbath-day. With the sanction, there- fore, of their brave leader, they determined to break through this overscrupulous observance, and though they would not attack, they henceforth considered it lawful to defend themselves on this day. Before long, they were joined by the " Assideans," the zealots for the Law (i Mace. ii. 42), and by numbers flying from the persecution still going on throughout the country, and prepared to conduct the war of inde- pendence with prudence and discretion. For a time, therefore, they laid hid in their mountain fastnesses, and, as opportunity offered, poured down upon the towns, destroyed the heathen altars, enforced circum- cision, punished all apostates who fell into their hands, recovered many copies of the Law from the possession of their enemies, and re-established public worship. But the hardships of the campaign did not suit the advanced age of Mattathias. Sinking under the weight of years, he called together his follower.s, exhorted them ill noble words to constancy and devotion, and be- queathed the command of his little army to Judas, the third and most valiant of all his sons, associating with him Simon, his second son, as chief counsellor (i Mace, ii. 49 — 69). Having given them this prudent advice, he died, and was buried in the sepulchre of his fathers at Modin, amidst the universal lamentations of the people, B.C. i66\ ' Jo?. Ant. xiJc 6. 4. Ch. I.] JUDAS MACCAD^^ US. 31 Though Judas was young in years, ho lacked neither energy nor prudence, and succeeding to the designs of his aged fatlier, first unfolded the banner of tlie Macca- bees. This name is of uncertain meaning. Some derivo it from the concluding letters of a sentence in P'xod. xv. 1 1, Mi Camo Car Baalim Jehovah, i. e., JVho is like tmto Thee among the gods, O Jehovah ? Others, again, derive it from the banner of tlic tribe of Dan, which is said to have contained the three last letters of the names of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Others, with more probability, understand it to have been a personal appellation of Judas himself, meaning the Hammerer, like Martel, the surname of the famous Carlovingian chief, Charles. Whatever was the precise meaning of the name, the new leader girt his icarlike harness about him (i Mace, iii. 3), rallied his forces, and bent all his energies to the task of uniting in a compact body all who were zealous for the national faith. "By night attacks, by sudden surprises (2 Mace. viii. 6, 7), he taught his people how to fight and conquer. Alert of foot and quick of brain ; yesterday in the mountains, to-day in the plain ; now marching on a post, now storming a castle; in a few months of service he changed his rabble of zealots into an army of solid troops, capable of meeting and repelling the royal hosts commanded by generals trained in the Macedonian school of arms\" At length Apollonius, who had recently signalized himself by plundering Jerusalem and massacring its in- habitants, deemed it time to interfere. At the head of a large army, mostly composed of Samaritans and apo- state Jews, he marched against the patriot chief, but was totally defeated and slain (i Mace. iii. 10 — 12}. Tidings of this disaster roused Scron, the deputy-governor of ^ Hcpworth Dixon's Hohj Land, i. 64. 32 BATTLE OF EMMAUS— [Bk. I. Pt. III. Coelesyria, and he went forth at the head of a still larger force, determined to have his revenge. Judas did not decline the combat, which took place at Beth-horon, famous as the scene of Joshua's victory over the south- ern Canaanites ^, and resulted in the complete defeat of the Syrian general, whose troops w'ere driven in con- fusion down the rocky pass to tha western lowlands (i Mace. iii. 24). These two disasters moved the indignation of Anti- ochus beyond measure. He was himself, however, un- able to take the field, for his exchequer being exhausted by his prodigal munificence (i Mace. iii. 29), and his eastern provinces, Armenia and Persia, refusing to pay any further tribute, he deemed it expedient to lead an expedition thither in hopes of recruiting his treasury. Accordingly he entrusted the government of all that portion of his empire, which lay between the Euphrates and the borders of Egypt, to Lysias, one of his nobles and of the blood royal, and gave him the command of half his army, with instructions utterly to destroy and 7^oot out the strength of Israel and the remnant of Je- 7'usalem (i Mace. iii. 35). CHAPTER II. BATTLE OF EMMAUS-RE-DEDICATION OF THE TEMPLE. B. C. 165. ON the departure of Antiochus, the regent, who en- tered zealously into all his plans, began to concert measures with Ptolemy Macron, the governor of Coele- syria, and diligently collecting his forces, early the next year dispatched 40^00 troops into Judeea, under the ^ Class-BooTc of Old Testament Iltsiory, p. 212 and note. Ch. II.] RE-DEDICATION OF THE TEMPLE. 33 command of Gorgias and Nicanor, two generals of tried ability. While the Syrian troops, who were shortly joined by 7000 cavalry, encamped at Emmans, about a mile to the north-east of Modin, Judas had assembled his little army of 6000 devoted followers at Mizpeh, the Watch- tower, over against Jerusalem (i Mace. iii. 46), where Samuel, in one of the darkest periods of his nation's history, had erected the Stone of Eben-ezer, the rock of help, after the Lord had given victory to the people \ Here the Maccabsean chieftain kept a solemn fast, laid open the book of the Law, loherein the heathen had sought to x>aint the likeness of their images (i Mace. iii. 48), and made a public confession of the national sins. In strict conformity with the command of Moses (Deut. XX. 5 — 8), he then bade all, who in th"e course of the year had built a house, or betrothed a wife, or had planted a vineyard, or were fearful, to return every man to his home. Half of his little army obeyed the invita- tion, and with barely 3000 men, icho had neither ar- unour nor swords to their minds (i Mace. iv. 6), he was left to confront the vast hosts of the enemy. So certain did the Syrians deem themselves of a vic- tory in the approaching encounter, that Nicanor had proclaimed beforehand in all the cities and seaports round about (i Mace. iii. 41) a sale of Jewish captives, at the rate of 90 for a talent. This i^roclamation at- tracted numbers of slave-merchants to his camp, who with their servants made every preparation to carry off their anticipated booty. Hearing through his scouts of the reduction of the forces of Judas, he now dispatched Gorgias with 5000 infantry and 1000 cavalry, to surprise him by night, and cut off his retreat into the mountains. But equally well served by his spies, the Jewish wan'ior ^ See Class-Boole of Old Testament History, p. 275. K. T. 3 34 BATTLE OF EMMA US— [Bk. I. Pt. III. was no sooner made aware of his intention, than he in- stantly conceived the daring design of attacking the camp of jSTicanor, in the absence of his brother com- mander, and sallying forth early in the evening, fell upon it with the utmost fierceness at midnight. Fully believing in the certain success of Gorgias, Ni- canor had made no provision against such an attack, and was roused from sleep only to find liis camp in inextri- cable confusion. The terrible bravery of the Maccabees filled the Syrians with a sudden panic, and they were as little able to resist the fury of their attack as the Midi- anites to oppose the onset of Gideon's three hundred men. Without striking a blow, they fled precipitately to Gazara\ the plain of Idumasa^, Azotus^, and Janmia'*, ^ An important stronghold (comp. i Mace. ix. 52 ; xiii. 53 ; xvi. 1) in all probability the same astlie ancient Gezer or Gazer (Josh. x. 33; xii. 12), between the lower Beth-horon atul the sea. Thither we find David pursued the Philistines (2 Sam. v. 25 ; 1 Chr. xiv. 16), and the place was fortified by Solomon as commanding the communication between Egypt and Jerusalem. See Class- Book of Old Test. Hist. p. 361. ^ During the Captivity the Idumjseans advancing westwa7*d had occupied the whole territory of the ancient Amalekites {Jos. Ant. II. 1. 2), and even took possession of many towns in Southern Palestine, including Hebron (Jos. Ant. xil. 8. 6; B. J. IV. 9. 7). The name Edom, or rather its Greek form Jdumaea, was now given to the country lying between the valley of Arabah and the shores of the Mtditerranean; and Poman authors sometimes give the name Idumoea to all Pales- tine, and even call the Jews Idumseans. Virgil, Gcorg. ill. 1 2 ; Juvenal, VIII. 160. ^ The ancient Ashdod. See Class- Booh of Old Testament History, pp. 259, 263, 272. ^ The Greek form of the ancient Jabneel (Josh. xv. 11), the modern Yebna, 1 1 miles S. of Jaffa, 4 from Ekron. In tlie time of the INIaccabecs it was a strong place. After the fall of .Jerusalem it became one of the most populous places in Judaea, was the seat of a famous school, and according to an early Jewish tradition, the burial-place of the great Giimalicl. Ch. II.] RE-DEDICA TION OF THE TEMPLE. 35 and left their camp at the mercy of their foes, with all the wealth which it contained. Meanwhile Gorgias was wandering in the mountains, vainly searching for the little army of Judas, who having persuaded his men to restrain themselves from rifling the Syrian camp till their victory was complete, calmly awaited his return. The first sight that met the Syrians, when they came back, was the flame of their blazing tents; the first sound, the signal from the Maccabsean trumpets for the onset. Filled with alarm they too fied precipitately, nor attempted to lift a hand against the victorious Hebrews. After these two routs, in which the Syrians lost up wards of 9000 men, their camp could be plundered with impunity of its gold and silver, provisions, and rich mer- chandise (i Mace. iv. 23). The numerous slave-dealers who had followed the Syrians for the purpose of buying up the Jewish captives were themselves sold into bond- age, and the spoil w^as divided partly amongst the con- querors, and partly amongst the numerous widows and orphans of the late persecutions. Nicanor himself escaped from the field in the disguise of a slave, and flying to Antioch, openly acknowledged the power of that God who had so mightily avenged the wrongs of His people, and raised them up from their former prostrate condition. Thus closed the first campaign of the Maccabees. Furnished from the recent spoils with ample arms and ammunition, and joined by numerous fresh followers, Judas was now in a position to cope with the forces of Timotheus, governor of the country beyond the Jordan, as also of Bacchides, an experienced Syrian general, who next invaded Judoea with a large army. Defeating them in a pitched battle, he captured upwards of 20,000 stand of arms, and ample provisions. Next year he was called to confront Lysias himself, who with 60,000 infantry and 5000 cavalry marched through Idum^ea, and encamped 3—2 36 BATTLE OF EMMAUS, Jcc. [Bk. I. Pt. Ill- before Beth-sura \ or Beth-zur, a strong fortress in the mountains of Judsea, north-west of Hebron. Though the Maccaba3an chief had but 10,000 men, with whom to confront this formidable array, he did not scruple to meet them in the field, and again succeeded in obtaining decisive advantages (i Mace. iv. 29, 34). The Syrian regent now returned to Antioch, and Ju- das, successful on every side, turned his thoughts towards the capital of the recovered province of Judsea. On as- cending Mount Moriah, and entering the courts of the Temple, a sad scene of desolation met his eyes. The altar of burnt-offering was surmounted with that dedi- cated to Zeus Xenios ; the gates were in ashes ; the priests' chambers were in ruins ; shrubs grew in the courts as in a forest, or on one of the mountains {i Mace, iv". 38); while the sanctuary itself was empty and ex- posed to all eyes. Having taken the precaution to fill the avenues with his choicest troops to be on the watch against the Syrian garrison in the Acra, Judas at once cleared the sacred precincts, took away the jiolluted altar, constructed a new one, replaced the holy vessels, reinstated the priests, rekindled the sacred flame, and three years after its desecration by Apollonius celebrated the re-dedication of the Temple, on the 25th of the win- ter month Chisleu, in the year B.C. 165, with a festival which lasted 8 days (i Mace. iv. 45 — 59). ^ Beth-sura, or Beth-ziir, house of rocTc, is named between Halhul and Gedor in Josh. xv. 58, and was fortified by lleho- boam for the defence of his new kingdom (2 Chr. xi. 7). It occupied a strong position, and commanded a great road, the road from Beer-sheba and Hebron, which has always been the main approach to Jerusalem frolu the south. "'in iiiMh -ri Ch. III.] EXPLOITS, d:c. OF JUDAS MACCABEUS. 37 CHAPTER III. EXPLOITS AND DEATH OF JUDAS MACCABEUS. B. C. 165-161. THIS recovery of a powerful city by the skill and energy of one man, was regarded with no friendly feelings by the surrounding nations. But Judas, re- solving to be beforehand with any opposition they might oflfer, carried his victorious arms into the territories of the Idumseans and Amorites. Then, having strengthen- ed the outer wall of the Temple, and placed there a gar- rison to act against the Syrians in the Acra, and fortified the stronghold of Beth-zur, he divided his army into three parts. With 8000 men he himself crossed the Jordan into the land of Gilead ; his brother Simon with 3000 was stationed in Galilee; while Joseph and Aza- riah were posted with the remainder in Judsea, with ex- press orders not to venture on any attack before they were joined by the rest of the patriot forces. As before, the energy of the brothers was irresistible. Simon fought many battles in Galilee, chased the Sy- rians to the gates of Ptolemais^, and restored many Jewish captives to their own land (i Mace. v. 21 — 2^}. Judas with his brother Jonathan captured numerous cities in Gilead, ransomed many captives, and returned in triumph to Jerusalem to find that the captains he had left there, disregarding his instructions, had made an unsuccessful attack upon the sea-ports of Jamnia, and had been driven back with severe loss. Meanwhile Epiphanes, the teiTible oppressor of the Jews, had died. Repulsed in an attempt to capture the ^ The ancient Accho (Judg. i. 31). During the period that Ptolemy Soter was in possession of Coelesyria, it received the name of Ptolemais from him, by which it was long dis- tinguished. 38 BA TTLE OF EMMA US, dr. [Bk. I. Pt. III. rich Temple of Nanea, the Moon Goddess, at Elyniais, which was hung with the gifts of Alexander the Great (I Mace. vi. I, 2; 2 Mace. i. 13—16), he fell back upon Ecbatana, and there received intelligence of the disasters which had befallen his arms in Palestine. Filled with rage and vexation, he urged his troops westward, but, struck with an incurable disorder which preyed upon his vitals, he died, B.C. 164, at the village of Tabse near Mount Zagros, on the road to Babylon, having appointed his foster-brother Philip regent of Syria, and guardian of his son, Antiochus the Fifth. On receiving intelligence of his death, Lysias, who was himself of the blood royal (i Mace. iii. 32), assumed the government as guardian of Antiochus Eupator, an- other son of the deceased king, who was at this time but nine years old. His first act was to attempt the re- conquest of Judcea, to which he was urged at once by the representations of many apostate Jews, and by the Syrian garrison at Jerusalem, which Judas was now be- sieging with banks and engines (i Mace. vi. 18 — 27\ Accordingly assembling all his forces to the number of 180,000 infantry, 20,000 cavalry, and 32 elephants, he marched, accompanied by the young king, through Idu- msea, and once more laid siege to Beth-zur. The Jewish garrison posted there made a vigorous defence, and suc- ceeded for some time in keeping off the assailants. Resolved to succour them, Judas marched forth from Jerusalem, and encamped at Bcthzacharias, an almost impregnable position about nine miles north of Beth- zur. Thither Lysias also marched Mith all his elephants, each attended by a thousand of his troops, and bearing a strong tower of wood containing 32 men. Several obstinate contests took place, in one of which Eleazar covered himself with glory by rushing under an elephant, and stabbing it in the belly, to be himself crushed to death by its fall (i Mace. vi. 32—46). Ch. III.] EXPLOITS, d-c. OF JUDAS MACCAB^EUS. S3 Perceiving the strength of the foe^ Judas now fell back upon Jerusalem, and entrenched himself in the Temple-fortress. Thereupon the garrison at Beth-zur, pressed by famine, capitulated on honourable terms, and the Syrians^ advanced against the capital. But the stronghold of Zion resisted all their eflforts, and assault after assault vras delivered in vain. Soon however, for it was a Sabbatical year (i Mace. vi. S3)j the garrison began to be hard pressed by famine, and many effected their escape. At this juncture Lysias received informa- tion that Philip had been appointed regent by the late king, and had succeeded in taking Antioch. On this he hastily concluded a treaty with the Jews, guaranteeing to them the use of their own laws and religion, and re- tired to Syria, taking with him the apostate Menelaus, whom he persuaded Antiochus to smother in the Ash- tower at Beroea, as being the cause of all the late re- verses. Judas was now recognised as governor of Pa- lestine, and from this year, b.c. 163, his accession to the principality is usually dated. On reaching Antioch, Lysias defeated Philip, but ia the course of a year was himself put to death by an- other aspirant to the Syrian throne. It has been men- tioned, that in the year B.C. 175, Demetrius was sent as a hostage to Rome, in exchange for his uncle Antiochus Epiphanes. Secretly leaving Italy, he now landed with a small force at Tyre, and having given out that the Romans had recognised his claim to the Syrian throne, easily succeeded in putting Antiochus and Lysias to death, and seizing the crown (i Mace. vii. i — 14). At the same time that he put Menelaus to death at Beroea, Lysias had conferred the high-priesthood on one Jakim, or Joachin, who, according to the prevailing fashion of adopting Grecian names, was also known by that of Alcimus. One of the stock of Aaron, but not of the x^ontifical family, the new Ingh-pricst was a zealous 40 EXPLOITS AND DEATH OF [Bk. I. Pt. III. adherent of the Hellenizing party. In him, Demetrius saw a ready instrument for sowing discord among the Maccaboean patriots. Accordingly he confirmed him in the sacerdotal dignity, and sent him to Jerusalem, ac- companied by Bacchides, governor of Mesopotamia, and one of his most able generals. AVith a large force they appeared before Jerusalem, and the zealots for the Law', unwilling to reject a descendant of Aaron, admit- ted Alcimus within the walls, and acknowledged him as high-priest. So long as the Syrian general remained in the neighbourhood, Alcimus was able to assert his authority, and take a cruel revenge on his enemies. But no sooner had Bacchides withdrawn his troops, than Judas, quickly recovering his old influence, compelled the innovating high-priest to fly to Antioch. By dint, hoAvever, of large bribes, Alcimus again succeeded in persuading Demetrius to assist him in re- covering his authority, and crushing the Maccaboean chief. Accordingly a large army was entrusted to JS^icanor, with strict injunctions to cut off the partisans of Judas, and reinstate Alcimus in power. Nicanor, taught by past experience on the disastrous field of Emmaus to entertain a wholesomer dread of his ene- my's i)rowess, at first endeavoured to get him into his 130wer by treachery (i Mace. vii. 27 — 31). Unsuccessful in this, and urged on by the express orders of Deme- trius, he then ventured to attack him at Capharsalama, but was defeated with the loss of 5000 men. Shortly afterwards, with 40,000 men he again attacked him at Adasa, about 30 stadia from Beth-horon, where his whole army sustained a total rout, and he himself fell amongst the slain ( i Mace. vii. 40 — 47 ; 2 Mace. xv. 36). This signal victory restored peace for a short time to Judsea, and was deemed of suflBcient importance to justify an annual commemoration on the 13th of the month Adar. Fully aware Q.f the necessity of providing Ch. III.] JUDAS MACCABJSUS. 41 against the ceaseless animosity of Demetrius, j'udas re- solved to improve this interval by concluding an alliance with the Romans. He had heard much of the fame of this great nation, of their conquests in Gaul, Spain, and Greece, of their victories over Philip and Perseus, and the great Antiochus (i Mace. viii. i — 16). Accordingly he sent two ambassadors to the metropolis of the West, and the Roman senate, whose settled policy it was to weaken great states by forming alliances with smaller ones, readily passed a decree acknowledging the Jews as their friends and allies, and resolved to send a letter to Demetrius, commanding him, on pain of their heavy displeasure, to desist from any further attacks upon them (i Mace. viii. 17 — 32). Before, however, the ambassadors could return, the Syrian king keenly resenting the disaster which had be- fallen the army of Nicanor, had sent Alcimus and Bac- chides with the entire force of his realm into Palestine. Never were the Maccabsean patriots so ill prepared to meet this fresh invasion. The mass of the people were tired of constant fighting, and the late negociations with Rome had alienated a considerable number of the Jewish zealots from the councils of Judas. In conse- quence the brave Maccabee was unable to bring more than a very small force into the field, and of these, a large portion deserted him on the eve of battle (i Mace. ix. 6). With 800 men, however, he ventured to attack the Syrian host at Eleasa, not far from Ashdod, and actually succeeded in routing their right wing with enormous loss. But the odds were far too desperate, and the brave chief fell amongst a number of gallant followers, and was buried amidst universal lamentation in the ancestral tomb at Modin (i Mace. ix. 19—21). 42 JONATHAN MACCAB^EUS. [Bk. I. Pt. Ill, CHAPTER TV. JONATHAN MA CCA BJ^ US. B.C. 161-146. THE death of their great leader was a terrible blow to the hopes of the Jewish patriots, and for a short time their plans were totally disorganized. The Syrians regained their ascendancy everywhere, Alcimus was re- instated in the high-priesthood, and Bacchides wreaked his vengeance on the adherents of Judas with unrelent- ing cruelty. All the advantages which that brave chief- tain had gained during six years of incessant warfare, seemed to have been utterly thrown away, and the national cause to be on the verge of destruction. At length, however, the Maccabsean party rallied, and offered the command to Jonathan, surnamed Ap- phus {the wary)^ the youngest son of Mattathias. In view of the present desperate circumstances of the nation, the new leader did not attempt to operate in the open country, but retired to the wilderness of Tekoa, where the Syrian general in vain endeavoured to sur- prise and capture him. Thence, crossing the Jordan, he carried on a guerilla warfare, while Bacchides re- solving to keep the Jews in subjection, employed him- self in strengthening the fortifications of Emmaus, Beth- horon, Gazara, and Bcth-zur. At the same time he furnished the garrison in the Acra, which commanded the city and temple of Jerusalem, with fresh sup- plies of arras and provisions, and placed there the children of several of the chief Jewish families as hos- tages. Meanwhile Alcimus, bent on his plan of fusing Jew and Gentile, gave orders that the wall of the inner court of the sanctuary should be pulled down, and was in the act of seeing them carried out, when he was sud- denly struck with paralysis, and died in great misery. Ca. IV.] JON A THA N MA CCA BjE US. 43 Upon this, Bacchides returned to Antioch, and Jo- nathan re-appearing from his hiding-place, established himself in Judeea, where, for upwards of two years, he wa^ left unmolested by the Syrians, in accordance with orders from Demetrius, who by this time had received the commands of the Roman senate forbidding all hos- tilities towards their new allies. This condition, how- ever, of tranquillity by no means fell in with the views of the large Ilellenizing party in Judiea, and they in- vited Bacchides to return once more and crush their enemy. Accordingly the Syrian commander re-entered Judsea at the head of a considerable army, and Jona- than retiring as before into the wilderness, maintained a desultory warfare, while his brother Simon occupied the fortress of Beth-basi, in the Jordan valley, not far from Jericho. Though he attacked it with all his forces, Bacchides was utterly unable to reduce this strong- hold, and at length, v/earying of a campaign which brought little glory and less profit, he turned against those Avho had advised the expedition, and sought means to secure an honourable retreat. Informed of the altered feelings of his foe, Jonathan thereupon sent en- voys, and succeeded in concluding a peace, agreeing to acknowledge Bacchides as governor under the Syrian king, and obtaining a promise from that general that he would not enter the land again. On these terms, hostilities were suspended, and the authority of Jonathan as deputy governor of Judaea was publicly recognised. Establishing himself at Michmash (i Mace. ix. 73), he ruled the people according to the law of Moses, though Jerusalem and many of the stronger towns were still retained by garrisons of Sy- rians or apostate Jews. After the lapse, however, of a very few years, a revo- lution took place in Syria, vdiich produced a surprising change in his fortunes. About the year B.C. 153, Deme- 44 JONATHAN MACCABEUS. [Bk. I. Pt. III. trius retired to a new palace he had built at Antioch, and there gave himself up to pleasure, and various luxurious excesses \ This, added to other causes, made him extremely unpopular with his subjects, and gave rise to a conspiracy which was fostered by Ariarathes king of Cappadocia, Attains king of Pergamus, and espe- cially by Ptolemy Philoraetor king of Egypt, from whom Demetrius had taken the island of Cyprus. Ey their connivance, a young man named Balas'^ was persuaded to give himself out as the son of Antiochus Epiphanes, and to claim the Syrian throne. Through the intrigues of Heraclides, a former treasurer of Epiphanes, his claim was admitted by the Romans, and on his landing at Pto- lemais after a visit to Rome, the place was betrayed by the garrison, and his standard was joined by numerous disaffected subjects of Demetrius, B.C. 152. Roused at last from his lethargy, that monarch col- lected an army, and prepared to defend his crown. Both kings had an equal interest in securing the friendship of Jonathan, wlio could render essential service to which- ever side he joined. The promises of Demetrius were lavish even to desperation. He offered to make Jona- than commander-in-chief over Judsea, to allow him to levy soldiers, and also undertook to release the Jewish hostages held by the Syrian garrison in the Acra. Jo- nathan read the letter containing these offers to the soldiers in the citadel, and they straightway delivered up the hostages, while the garrisons retired from most of the stronger towns, save those of Beth-zur and Jeru- salem, which were chiefly composed of apostate Jews (i Mace. X. 3 — 9, 12 — 14), who dreaded to leave their ^ Jos. Ant. XIII. 2. I. ^ According to some, he was a natural son of Antiochus Epiphanes (Jos. Ant. Xiir. 2. i), but he was more generally looked upon as an impostor who falsely laid claim to the con- nection. Justin, XXXV. i; Polyb, xxxiii. 16. C H. I V. ] J ON A THA N MA CCA BjE US. 45 places of refuge. The power of the Maccabsean chief was thus greatly extended ; he levied troops, and sup- plied them with arms; he rebuilt and repaired the walls of Jerusalem, particularly around Mount Zion, which were strongly fortified, and took up his own abode in the capital (i Mace. x. lo, ii). It was now the turn of Balas to court the alliance of the Jewish prince, and he resolved to outdo Demetrius in the liberality of his promises. Accordingly, he wrote a letter in which he saluted Jonathan as his "brother" (i Mace. X. 1 8), conferred upon him the high-priesthood, which had now been vacant seven years, and sent him the purple robe, and the crown of an ethnarch, or inde- pendent prince of Judsea. Jonathan accepted all that the other conferred, and without openly espousing the cause of either king, assumed the pontifical robes at the Feast of Tabernacles (i Mace. x. 21), and with them the purple. Thus the high-priesthood, which had re- mained in the family of Jozadak ever since the time of Cyrus, was transferred to that of Joiarib, and the reign of the Priest-kings of the Asmonean line commenced, B.C. 153. As soon as Demetrius was informed of the off'ers of Balas, he wrote a second time to Jonathan, and made him the most extravagant promises if he would espouse his cause. But the Jews, remembering what tliey had suffered at his hands, could not be convinced of his sin- cerity, and threw all the weight of their influence into the cause of his rival. At first the efibrts of Balas were unsuccessful, but eventually, B.C. 150, he succeeded in completely routing the army of Demetrius, mounted the Syrian throne, and at Ptolemais was united in marriage with Cleopatra, the daughter of Philomctor, king of Egypt. On this occasion Jonathan also repaired to that city, where he was received by Balas with every mark of friendship and regard, raised to the rank of 46 JONATHAN MACCABEUS. [Bk. I. Pt. III. meridarch, or ruler of a part of the empire (i Mace. x. 65), and invested with regal honours. But the prosperity of the usurper of the Syrian throne was shorthved. So long as the contest with the late king continued, he evinced both energy and cou- rage, but no sooner was his power confirmed, than lie gave himself up without restraint to the indulgence of the Avorst passions, and became only an object of con- tempt to his subjects. At this time Demetrius, siir- nanied afterwards Nicator, was at Cnidus. Hearing of the feelings with which Balas was regarded, he landed in Cilicia at the head of a considerable force, and ra- pidly gained over a number of adherents, and amongst them Apollonius, governor of Coelesyria, who openly revolted and espoused his cause. Jonathan, however, still remained faithful in his allegiance, and attacking Apollonius near Azotus, completely defeated him, laid that city in ashes, and returned to Jerusalem with rich spoils. This complete suppression of the revolt in Coelesyria excited the warmest gratitude in the heart of Balas, who sent his faithful ally a rich gold chain, such as was worn by none but princes of the highest rank (i Mace. X. 88, 89), and bestowed upon him the city and territory of Ekron as a free gift. But though checked in CoelesjTia, the rebellion made such progress in other parts of his dominions, that he shut himself up in the city of Antioch, and appealed for aid to Philometor, the father of his wife Cleopatra. Accordingly, B.C. 146, that monarch set out attended by a fleet and a numerous army to assist his son-in-law. As he proceeded along the coast of Palestine, every city threw open its gates in token of friendship, and at Joppa he was met by Jonathan, who escorted him as far as the river Elcutherus (i Mace. xi. 1—7). No sooner, how- ever, had he reached Antioch, than he threw off the mask, and wrote to Demetrius offering to sui)port Ills Cz. IV.] JONATHAN MACCAB^^US. 47 claims, and to unite him in marriage with his daughter. Demetrius eagerly accepted his offer, and, though not without some difficulty, was acknowledged as king. Early in the following year Balas made a determined effort to recover his crown, but being defeated in battle, fled to Abse in Arabia, where five days after he was murdered by a native chief named Zabdiel, who sent his head to Pemetrius (i Mace. xi. 17). CHAPTER Y. EXPLOITS AND DEATH OF JONATHAN. B.C. 146-144. THE accession of the new Syrian monarch once more raised the hopes of the faction opposed to Jonathan, "who had gathered his forces and laid siege to the Syrian garrison in the Acra (i Mace. xi. 20), This was eagerly reported to Demetrius, and he instantly sent for the priest-king to meet him at Ptolemais. Great as was the risk, without suspending the siege, Jonathan forthwith set out thither with some of the elders of the Sanhedrim, and pleaded his cause with such effect that he not only succeeded in silencing the clamour of his enemies, but was confirmed in all the dignities he had received from Balas, and even secured for himself still further advantages. Three principalities, hitherto included in the district of Samaria, were added to his dominions, and all previous claims for tribute due from his kingdom were remitted (i Mace. xi. 23 — 2)7)- Successful beyond his utmost expectations, Jonathan returned to Jerusalem, and again pushed forward the siege of the Syrian garrison. But such was the energy of the defenders, and such the strength of the fortress, that all his efforts were frustrated, and he resolved oa making an application to Demetrius for an order direct- ing the evacuation of the stronghold, as also of Beth-zur, 48 EXPLOITS AND [Bk. I. Pt. III. At the time when tliis request reached him, Deme- trius himself was in the greatest straits. Young and inexperienced he had entrusted the entire management of his affairs to a Cretan officer, named Lasthenes, who had assisted him in obtaining his crown with a large body of mercenaries (i Mace. x. 6'j'^), and by his advice had disbanded the whole of the national troops. This, added to the ferocious conduct of his general, naturally roused the illwill of the citizens of Antioch, and they broke out into a furious revolt, which all the efforts of the king were unable to quell. At this juncture he re- ceived the message of Jonathan, and anxious for assist- ance from whatever quarter, professed his readiness to grant all liis demands, on condition of receiving help in putting down the rebellion of his own subjects. To this Jonathan readily assented. A force of 3000 Jews march- ed to Antioch, and, aided by the royal mercenaries, slew upwards of 100,000 of the rioters, and quenched the re- bellion in blood. But the priest-king soon found reason to regret the step he had taken. Once more secure upon his throne, Demetrius not only refused to order the evacuation of the fortress, but demanded the speedy payment of all the tribute, which he had agreed to remit at Ptolemais'. But in a very short time he learned to repent of his perfidy. Attached to the court of the late usurper Ba- las was a S}Tian Greek, named Diodotus, or, as he was afterwards called, Tryphon, tlte Luxurious. Perceiving the growing unpopularity of Demetrius, he repaired to the Arab chief Zabdiel, to whom Balas had entrusted the care of his young son Antiochus, and by dint of much importunity prevailed upon him to surrender the young prince into his charge. Then returning to Antioch he shewed him to the disaffected soldiers, whom Lasthenes ' Oomp. Jos. Ant. xiri. 4. 5. - Comp. I Mr.cc, xi. 53; Jos. Ant. Xlll. 5. 3. Ch. v.] death of jo X ATI! an. 49 had disbanded, and easily persuaded them to revolt against Demetrius. A battle was fought in which that king was defeated, and the young prince was crowned at Antioch, and assumed the title of Theos, tJie God. One of the first steps of the new monarch was to secure the co-operation of Jonathan and his people. Ac- cordingly he not only confirmed all former grants made to the Jewish nation, and remitted all arrears of tribute, but sent him a purple robe and gold chain, and invested his brother Simon with the command of all the royal forces between the "ladder of Tyre" and the frontiers of Egypt. Jonathan, who had every reason to resent the ingratitude of Demetrius, readily accepted his pro- posals, and at the head of a large army speedily subdued the entire country, as far as Damascus, to the power of Antiochus, while Simon captured the fortress of Betli- zur, and garrisoned it with Jewish soldiers ( i Mace. xi. 65, 66)\ Resolved to make the most of the present advan- tageous turn of events, the Jev/ish prince now sent ambassadors to Rome, renewed the previous treaty, and at the same time concluded another with the Lacedae- monians (i Mace. xii. i, 2) 2. Meanwhile Demetrius had assembled an army, with which he encamped at Hamatli on the extreme north of Palestine. Thither Jonathan quickly went forth to meet him, and gaining information that a night attack on his camp was meditated, made such a disposition of his troops that the enemy gave up their design, and retired beyond the river Eleutherus, Returning thence he fell upon the Nabathosan Arabs, who had espoused the cause of Demetrius, and defeated them, while Simon attacked and succeeded in taking Joppa (i Mace. xii. 25 — 35\ Never did the fortunes of the Jev/ish patriots appear ^ Jos, Ant. xiiT. 5. 6. 2 Jos. Ant. xiii. 5. 8. ¥.. T. -i 50 EXPLOITS AND [Lk. I. Pt. IH. brighter than at this period. Masters of the entire province of Jiuhea, strong in the confidence of the Syrian monarch, invested with the command of numerous trained warriors, the jNIaccabtiean brothers seemed on the verge of restoring- their country to a condition of complete in- dependence. Accordingly they convened an assembly of the elders, and consulted on the present state of affairs. The reduction of the garrison in the Acra was the great object of the national hopes. It was clear that this could never be accomplished so long as the garri- son was able to communicate, as had hitherto been the case, with the city and the country, and there buy pro- visions. While therefore Simon was sent to fortify seve- ral of the more important towns, Jonathan himself re- mained in the city, and superintended in person the erection of new defences. Accordingly the w^ all of the Temple was repaired, especially on the eastern side, to- wards the valley of the Kidron, while a new w'all was built between Mount Zion and the rest of the city, of such a height and strength as to cut oflf the hostile garrison from all communication with the city on the west, and the country on the east^ (i Mace. xii. 36, 37). It soon appeared that these precautions had not been unreasonable. Tryphon, though he had placed Antio- chus on the throne, now resolved to usurp the royal au- thority for himself. The only serious obstacle to his design was the faithfulness of Jonathan to the Syrian king. At all risks, therefore, he determined to get the Jewish prince into his power, and for this purpose ad- vanced into Palestine as far as Beth-shan or Scythopolis, with a considerable force. Here Jonathan met him with an army of 40,000 men. Afraid to confront so numer- ous a force, Tryphon resorted to treachery, and pre- tended that the sole object of his coming was to mark ' Jos. Ant, XIII. 5.11; Smith's Bill. Did., Art. Jerusalem. Ch. v.] death of JONATHAN. 51 his gratitude for Jonathan's services in tlie cause of Antiochus, by placing him in possession of Ptolemais\ Completely deceived, the Jewish prince disbanded all his forces, excepting 3000 men, and having left 2000 of these in Galilee, set out with the scanty remainder for Ptolemais. No sooner however had he entered the city, than the traitor Tryphon ordered the gates to be shut, butchered Jonathan's retinue to a man, and flung him loaded with chains into a dungeon (i Mace. xii. 37 — 52}. CHAPTER VI. SIMON MACCAB.EUS. B. C. 144-135. NEWS of these occurrences filled the Jews with the deepest sorrow and the utmost consternation. For 1 7 years their late leader had conducted the affairs of the country with prudence, vigour and success. Now all their fair hopes seemed destined to be crushed, if the perfidious Tryphon should succeed in following up the success he had already gained. In this emergency the eyes of all were turned towards Simon surnamed Thassi, the elder and only surviving brother of Jona- than, whom the aged Mattathias on his death-bed had commended for his prudence in council. He therefore assumed the command of the patriot forces, and was acknowledged as their leader. His first step was to finish the walls and fortifica- tions of Jerusalem and to place the country in a com- plete posture of defence (i Mace, xiii, 10, 11). He then went forth to meet Tryphon, who taking Jonathan with him, had moved up from Ptolemais with a large force, and encamped at Adida or Adithaim (Joshua xv. 36), a town on an eminence overlooking the low country 1 Jos. Ant. XIII. 6. I. 4—2 52 SIMON MACCAB.EUS. [Bk. I. Pt. III. of Juda3a. No sooner however did he find a Jewish army ready to oppose him, than he once more had re- course to treachery, and representing that Jonathan was merely held in custody on account of a debt of loo talents, offered to deliver him up on condition of receiv- ing the money and two of his children as hostages. Though he was certain this was nothing more than an artifice, Simon determined that it never should be said he had left any means untried for the release of his bro- ther (i Mace. xiii. 17 — 19}, and accordingly sent the money and the hostages. But, as he had expected, Try- phon failed to fulfil his word, and began to ravage the neighbouring country. Meanwhile the Syrian garrison in Jerusalem, sufier- ing severely from the long-continued blockade, sent messengers begging Tryphon to come to their aid. Thereupon the other ordered his cavalry to press for- ward instantly to their relief, but a heavy fall of snow rendered the roads impassable, and Tryphon finding it impossible to render the required assistance, retired across the Jordan into the land of Gilead. Here he put the heroic Jonathan to death at the city of Bascama, and hurrying into Syria, murdered the young king An- tiochus, and seized the supreme power, which he exer- cised with cruelty and violence (i Mace. xiii. 23). As soon as he retired Simon sent to Bascama, and brought thence the body of his brother to Modin, where he laid it with great pomp in the ancestral tomb, and erected over it a magnificent monument, consisting of seven pillars, and adorned with the beaks of ships, a con- spicuous sea-mark for all the vessels which sailed along the coast (i Mace. xiii. 27 — 30). The continued tyranny of Tryphon once more raised the hopes of Demetrius, and the Jews resolved to es- pouse his cause in preference to tliat of hi.-5 treacherous enemy. Accordingly Simon sent an embassy oflferinf^- Ch. VI.] SIMON MACCAB.EUS. 53 to acknowledge his supremacy, and to aid him against the usurper. Demetrius received the proposition with alacrity, and in a royal edict formally drawn up and ratified, agreed to recognize Simon as the high-priest and prince of Judnea, to renounce all claims on the Jew- ish nation for tribute, customs, and taxes, and to grant an amnesty for all past oflfences against himself. This amounted to a virtual recognition of the complete inde- pendence of the country, and the year e.g. 143, in which it was granted, was regarded as the first year of the "freedom of Jerusalem" (i Mace. xiii. 42). Secure from all immediate danger of foreign inter- ference, Simon now devoted his energies to provide for the internal security of his kingdom. He began by re- ducing the fortresses that still held out, and garrisoned Gaza, Jamnia, and Joppa. He then turned his atten- tion to the Syrian garrison in the Acra, and reduced it to such straits that the troops composing it were in im- minent danger of perishing by famine, and finally agreed to evacuate the fortress on condition that their lives were spared. These terms were accepted, and, to his inexpressible satisfaction, Simon entered the place on the 23rd day of the second month of the year B.C. 142, with thanksgivings, and tranches of palm-trees, and with harps and cymbals, and icith viols and hymns and songs (i Mace. xiii. 51). The fortress was then en- tirely demolished, and the eminence on which it had stood was lowered, until it was reduced below the height of the Temple-hill beside it. This operation cost incredi- ble labour, and occupied upwards of 3 years \ The for- tifications of the hill, on which the Temple stood, were next strengthened, and a fortress, called Baris^, was ^ Jos. Ant. XIII. 6. 7 ; Smith's Blhl. Diet., Art. Jerusalem. - "Neheiniah mentions a palace, or rather fortress, which appertained to the Temple (Neh. ii. 8); and in the Hebrew Birah we have probably the origin of the Greek Baris, which 54 SIMON MACCABjEUS. [Bk. I. Pt. III. erected to command the site of the Acra, and here Simon and his immediate adherents took up their abode. The dominion of the priest- king was now confirmed en every side, and tlie land enjoyed profound quiet. His subjects tilled their ground in peace, and the earth gave her increase, and the trees of the field their fruit. The ancient men sat all in the streets, communing together of good things, and the young men put on glo- rious and warlike ap)par cl... every m,an sat under his 'Cine and his fig-tree, and th-ere was none to fray them (i Mace. xiv. 4 — 13). Taking advantage of these cir- cumstances Simon sent an ambassador to Rome bearing a golden shield weighing upwards of 1000 pounds. His present was accepted, and Lucius the consul (i Mace. XV. 16) sent letters recognizing his authority, and claim- ing protection for the Jews from the kings of SjTia, Pcrgamus, Cappadocia, and Pontus, from the inhabit- ants of Sparta, Delos, Sicyon, Gortyna in Crete, Samos, Cos, Rhodes, Myndus, Halicarnassus, Cnidus, Aradus, Cyprus, and Cyrene (i Mace. xv. 22, 23); "a singular illustration," it has been remarked, " of the widespread dispersion of the Jews, and of the all-commanding po- licy of Rome^." In the same year, e.g. 141, an assembly of the elders met at Jerusalem, and out of gratitude for the services rendered to the nation by the house of Mattathias, it was resolved that the high-priesthood and the dignity of regent should be henceforth heredi- tory in the family of Simon. This resolution was then engraven upon tables of brass, and set up in a con- spicuous place in the Temple, and cojjies of it were deposited in the treasury (i Mace. xiv. 41—49). Jose]ihu3 tells us was the name of the fortress subsequently ca led Antonia. It was the fortress of the Temple, as the Temple was of the city." Porter's ITandbk. I. 128, 129. 1 Milman's History of the Jcivs, II. 21. Ch. VI.] SIMON MACCAB.EUS. 55 During this period, taking advantage ot the disturbed condition of Syria, Arsaoes VI., king of Parthia, who was also called Mithridates, had extended his authority from the Euphrates to the confines of India. Wishing to collect forces, or in some way to strengthen his position against the usurper Tryphon (i Mace. xiv. i), Demetrius penetrated into the Parthian territory, and after several engagements was taken prisoner B.C. 139. The con- queror, however, treated his captive honourably, gave him his daughter Rodoguna in marriage, and permitted him to reside in Ilyrcania, with every indulgence due to his rank (i Mace. xiv. 3). News of this marriage, and of the improbability of her husband ever returning no sooner reached his wife Cleopatra, whom he had left regent, than she sent to his younger brother, who was then residing at Rhodes, and offered him her hand and kingdom. Antiochus entered into the project with all the eagerness of youthful am- bition, levied an army, and assuming the title of king of Syria, wrote to Simon begging his aid in recovering his father's dominions from the usurper Tryphon, and in turn confirming all his former privileges, and further conceding that of the right to coin money of his own. Then sailing to Syria, he married Cleopatra, and joining her forces to his own, commenced hostilities against Tryphon, who fled to Dora, on the coast of Samaria, where he straitly besieged him (i Mace. xv. 11 — 14) \ Thence, however, he managed to efiijct his escape to Apamea in Syria, and there was put to death, or, ac- cording to some authorities, committed suicide. Antiochus Sidetes^ had no sooner become undis- 1 Comp. Jos. Ant. xiii, 7. 2. 2 By this king the privilege of a national coinage wis granted to Simon, i Mace. kv. 6. "Numerous examples of them are extant, bearing the dates of the first, second, third and fourth years of the ' liberation of Jerusalem ;' and it is a 5G SIMON MACCABEUS. [Bk. I. Pt. III. turbed master of the Syrian kingdom, than, forgetting the promises ah-eady made to Simon, he sent Atheno- bius to Jerusalem to demand the surrender of Gazara and Joppa, of tlie fortress on Mount Zion, and other strongholds, or in lieu of these 500 talents of silver, and an additional 500 as a compensation for the injuries done to the Syrian dominions. Simon replied that he was willing to give 500 talents for Gazara and Joppa, but the other places were the inheritance of his fathers, and could not be given up or bartered. This answer greatly irritated Antiochus, and as soon as he had re- duced Dora, he sent Cendebeus, the governor of Phoe- nicia, to invade Jud«ja with a portion of his forces, and enforce the payment of his demands. Accordingly the Syrian general entered upon the expedition with a povrerful army of horse and foot, and capturing Cedron near Azotus and Jamnia, fortified it in order to command the road of Judaea (i Mace. xv. 39 ; xvi. 9), and ravaged the neighbouring country. Simon was at this time far too advanced in age to bear the fatigues of a campaign, and therefore entrusted the command of the Jewish forces to his two sons John Hyrcanus and Judas. The brothers forthwith set out, and bivouacking for the night at Modin, descended on the following day into the lower ground, and after a sharp engagement succeeded in defeating the Syrian general, and carried a portion of his forces into Cedron, remarkable fact confirming their genuineness, that in the first year the name Zion does not occur, as the citadel was not re- covered till the second year of Simon's supremacy, while after the second year Zion alone is found. The emblem which the coins bear have generally a connexion with Jewish history — a vine-leaf, a cluster of grapes, a vase (of manna?), a trifid flowering rod, a palm-branch, surrounded by a wreath of laurel, a lyre, a bunch of branches symbolical of the feast of Tabernacles." Smith's Bibl. Did., Art. Maccabees. Ch. VI.] SIMON MACCAB^iiUS. 57 and the remainder into Azotus, tlie tower of which they laid in ashes (i Mace, xvi. i — lo). This invasion repulsed, the Jews enjoyed during three years a season of peace, and the priest-king, though far advanced in age, devoted himself assiduously to the superintendence of the internal affairs of his people, while his three sons guarded the frontier. In the prosecution of his design of inspecting in person the national defences, he now visited Jericho where his son- in-law Ptolemy held the supreme command. A promi- nent leader of the Hellenizing faction, and a man of great wealth, Ptolemy bore no good-will towards the priest-king, and, in concert, it is probable, with Antio- chus Sidetes, had resolved to assassinate his father-in- law, and raise himself to supreme power. The visit of Simon, with his two younger sons Judas and Mattathias, presented a favourable opportunity for carrying out his designs, and he treacherously murdered the three at a banquet, B.C. 137. Then sending messengers to John Hyrcanus at Gazara he instructed them to stab him also, and would have succeeded, had not the latter received speedy tidings of what had occurred at Jericho. He therefore put the intended assassins to death, and hurrying to Jerusalem, was acknowledged as his father's successor, and afterwards besieged Ptolemy in his stronghold of Dok, whence he effected his escape to the court of the prince of Philadelphia, to be heard of afterwards no more (i Mace. xvi. 15 — 2i)\ CHAPTER YIT. JOHN HYRCANUS, AND ALEXANDER JANNjEUS. B. C. 135-79. rp HOUGH the confederacy between Ptolemy and An- • fi- tiochus was thus disconcerted by the rapid move- 1 Jos. Ant. XIII. 8. I. 58 JOHN HYRCANUS, AND [Bk. I. Pt. III. meiits of Hyrcanus, the Syrian monarch nevertheless led his forces into Palestine, overran the whole country, and laying siege to Jerusalem, reduced Ilyrcanus to the greatest extremities, So close, in fact, was the siege, that for fear of famine Hyrcanus was constrained to ex- pel from the city all such as were, from age or infirmity, unable to bear arms. As tlie Syrians refused them a passage through their ranks, the fugitives presented a miserable spectacle, wandering about between the two armies, and perishing in extreme wretchedness amidst the outworks \ At length the Feast of Tabernacles drew near, and Hyrcanus requested a week's respite to celebrate that time-honoured festival. With rare generosity, his ad- versary not only granted his request, but supplied the besieged with victims for the sacrifices, and gold and silver vessels for the Temple service. Such kindness induced Hyrcanus to send an embassy, and endeavour to obtain a suspension of hostilities. In this he suc- ceeded, and peace was concluded on far better terms than he had any right to expect. A portion of the fortifications of the city was dismantled, tribute was exacted for the fortresses held out of Judrea, but the conqueror was induced, by a present of 500 talents, to forego the rebuilding of the fortress on the Acra, and the introduction of a Syrian garrison ^ The unexpected forbearance of Antiochus on this occasion won for him not only the admiration, but the friendship of Hyrcanus, and when the Syrian king led an expedition against the Parthians, who were now ex- tending their dominions on every side, the Jewish prince resolved to accompany him. For this purpose he took into his pay a body of foreign mercenaries, and with these and a detachment of his Jewish forces followed ^ Jos. Ard. xni, 8. 2. ^ Jos. Ant. xiii. 8. 3, Ch. VII.] ALEXANDER JANX^EUS. 59 him across the Tigris. At first Antiochus was successful, but his army giving themselves up to luxury and dissi- pation, he was unexpectedly attacked, and lost his life, B.C. 128. Disorders of every kind, civil wars, murders, and mutinies of troops, now rapidly succeeded one another in the Syrian kingdom, and Hyrcanus, who had fortu- nately returned to Jerusalem before the overthrow of his late ally, now threw off the Syrian yoke altogether, and employed himself in extending his own kingdom. After reducing, therefore, various fortresses on the further side of the Jordan, he invaded Samaria, cap- tured Sychem, and levelled with the ground the temple on Mount Gerizim, which for 200 years had been a con- stant offence to his subjects. Then, b.c. 129, turning his arms against the Idumgeans, w^ho had made themselves masters of the southern part of Judsea, he vanquished them in battle, and offered them the choice of leaving the country, or adopting the Jewish religion. They chose the latter alternative, submitted to circumcision, and became so completely identified with their con- querors, that their name as an independent power hence- forth disappears. During the next 20 years Jud?ea enjoyed profound peace under the energetic government of Hyrcanus, who renewed the treaties with Rome, and secured his sub- jects from foreign aggression. At length, e.g. no, he resolved to overpower the province of Samaria, and en- trusted the command of the expedition to his two sons, Aristobidus and Antigonus. Twice the Samaritans ap- plied for aid to Antiochus Cyzicenus, prince of Damas- cus, who was twice defeated by the Jewish forces, and at length, after an obstinate defence which lasted an entire year, their capital fell, and with Scythopolis and other towns, passed into the hands of the conqueror \ ^ Samaria itself was now razed to the ground, the hill on CO JOHN UYRCANUS, AND [Bk. T. Pt. III. Daring his long and prosperous reign, Hyrcanus liad raised his nation to a height of greater i)Ower and dig- nity than it had ever enjoyed since the return from tiic Captivity. But while triumphant abroad, his domestic peace began to be troubled by serious dissensions be- tween two rival parties, now rapidly growing in power, the Pharisees and Sadducees. An examination of their respective tenets may be reserved for another place. For the present it will be sufficient to say that Hyrca- nus was an adherent of the Pharisaic party, till a cha- racteristic incident induced him to espouse the cause of their rivals. Towards the close of his administration he invited the chiefs of the Pharisees to a banquet, and re- quested them to inform him if he had been guilty of any dereliction of duty towards God or man. All the guests with one accord testified to his blameless integrity, and praised his government, save one, Eleazar, who affirmed that he ought to resign the high-priesthood, because his mother had once been a captive, and it was doubtful whether he was descended from Aaron, or from a heathen. Indignant at this calumnious charge, Hyrca- nus demanded the trial of Eleazar for aspersions upon his character. By the influence of the Pharisees the sentence was limited to scourging and imprisonment, and the priest-king, considering this a proof of hostility to himself, listened to the representations of Jonathan, a Sadducee, that the rival faction was bent on lowering liis sovereign power, and henceforth alienated himself entirely from the Pharisaic party, and deposed from their high offices many who had been the firmest sup- porters of his dynasty \ Escaping the fate of the older members of the Mac- wliich it had stood being fall of springs, was pierced with trenches, and the site of the city flooded and converted into a pool of water. Jos. Ant. xiii. lo. 3. ^ Jos. Ant. XIII. 10. 6. Ch. VIL] ALEXANDER JANN^US. 61 cabseaii family, Ilyrcaiiiis died in peace, B.C. io6, be- queathing the sovereignty to his wife. And now the decKneofthe Asmonean dynasty rapidly set in. Aristo- biilus, the son of the deceased king, seized the sui^reme power, flung his mother into prison, and starved her to death. He also imprisoned three of his four brothers, sparing but one, Antigonus, the next in age to himself. Assuming the diadem and the royal title, he hastened to take advantage of the distracted state of affairs in Syria, and turning his arms against Itursea, a district south of Anti-Libanus, forced the inhabitants, like the Idumseans, to conform to the Jewish religion, on pain of being expelled from their country. During this expe- dition he was seized with a dangerous illness, which compelled him to return to Jerusalem, and leave his brother Antigonus to complete the subjugation of the country. As he had no children, his queen Salome, according to the Jev/ish law, would, in the event of his death, be expected to marry Antigonus ; but such was her aversion to him, that she resolved to com- pass his death rather than be united with him in marringe^. An opportunity soon presented itself for carrying out her design. Successful in subjugating Iturtea, An- tigonus returned to Jerusalem, and at the Feast of Ta- bernacles hastened to the Temple, with his body-guard, to offer up his petitions for his brother's recovery. This cct was represented to Aristobulus as covering a sedi- tious design against his own life. Scarcely able to credit such a calumny, the king, who still lay sick in his chamber in the tower of Baris, desired that his brother should appear before him, but without arms, A dark under- ground passage led from the Temple to the tower, and here, by the queen's connivance, a company of soldiers 1 Eaphall's History of the Jens, it. 103. 62 JOHN HYRCANUS, AND [Bk. I. Pt.III. was stationed "vvith instructions to put Antigonus to death if he appeared clad in armour. She then caused it to be represented to the unfortunate prince that it ■\vas the royal will he should appear in a suit of splendid armour, which his brother wished to see. Thus deceived he entered the underground passage, and was instantly assassinated. "What had occurred was rei^orted to Ari- stobalus, and brought on a sudden paroxysm of his ma- lady followed by an excessive haemorrhage. A slave bore away the vessel into which the blood had flowed, and stumbling on the very sj)ot where Antigonus had been murdered, caused the blood of the two brothers to mingle on the floor. A cry of horror ran through the palace, and reaching the ears of the king, roused a wish to know the cause. For some time his attend- ants refused to tell the truth, but at length he forced them to declare what had occuiTed, and had no sooner heard it than he was seized with such an agony of remorse that he instantly expired. After tliis tragical event, Alexander Jannseus, the eldest of the imprisoned brothers, was placed upon the throne, B.C. 104. Taking advantage of the disordered condition of the Syrian kingdom, he turned his arms against Moab, Gilead, Amnion, and Arabia Petrsea, and after several successes laid siege to the port of Ptole- mais. The inhabitants called in the aid of Ptolemy Lathyi'us, who came to their aid with an army of 30,000 men. But no sooner did he appear before the gates, than the very party which had invoked his aid refused to admit him. On this he turned his arms against Gaza, and Jannoeus, while protending to negotiate Avith him for a friendly surrender of the place, secretly cor- responded with his mother Cleopatra, the queen of Egypt, and besought her aid in expelling him from the country. Discovering this, Ptolemy marched into Judaea, defeated Alexander with enormous loss, and to Ch. VII. ] ALEXANDER JANN.EUS. G3 spread the terror of his name, fell upon some villages, murdered the women and children, and cutting their bodies in pieces boiled their flesh. The kingdom of Judsea would now have been totally- lost, had it not been for the intervention of an Egyptian army led by two Jews of Alexandria. They drove La- thyrus into Coelesyria, and once more restored to Jan- nseus the sovereignty of the country, who now embarked on fresh expeditions east and west of the Jordan, cap- tured Gadara, Raphia, and Anthedon, and at length suc- ceeded in reducing Gaza. But the domestic discords, which had distracted the reign of Hyrcanus, broke out with tenfold violence in that of his son. The Pharisees had by this time gained an extraordinary degree of influence over the people. Detesting their turbulence and lofty j)retensions, Alex- ander attached himself to the Sadducaic faction, and thus brought down upon himself the concentrated hatred of the Pharisees, who lost no opportunity of aspersing his name and character. At length their opposition took a more violent turn, and at the Feast of Taber- nacles, when the priest-king, clad in his gorgeous robes, was officiating before the altar, they excited the people to fling at him the citrons, which it was the custom of the Jews to carry in their hands at this feast, and to deny his right to the high-priesthood. A fearful out- break ensued, in the midst of which Alexander ordered his body-guard to fall on the unarmed multitude, and slew upwards of 6000. To obviate a recurrence of such insults, he next caused a wooden partition to be erected between the court of the priests and that of the people, and sur- rounded himself with Pisidian and Cilician mercenaries. But a defeat he sustained, while carrying on an expe- dition in the country east of the Jordan, was the signal for a general rising, which resulted in civil war carried 64 JOHN JIYRCANUS, d-c. [Bk. I. Pt. III. on for upwards of six years, and marked by the most shocking barbarities on both sides. At first Jannreus met with much success, but on endeavouring to come to terms with his subjects, they declared that nothing woukl satisfy them short of his death, and even invoked the aid of Demetrius Euchse- nis, king of Syria, and in a battle near Shechem utterly routed the priest-king, Anth the loss of all his mercenaries. Thereupon he fled to the mountains, ralUed fresh troops, drove Demetrius from the country, and took the ma- jority of his rebellious subjects prisoners in the fortress of Bethone. lleturning to Jerusalem he crucified 8oc of them in one day, and seated at a banquet surrounded by his concubines, caused their wives and children to be slain before their eyes, and glutted his vengeance with the spectacle of their dying agonies. This shocking act, which won for him the title of " the Thracian," shews how terribly the Asmonean princes v/ere degenerating. Externally, indeed, the comitry appeared to be prosperous, for the realm of Janna^us extended over San] aria and Idumtea, the entire western seaboard from Strata's Toicer to llhinocorura, and a considerable district beyond the Jordan, but the temper neither of prince nor people was the same as in the times of Mattathias and Judas, and evil days were at hand. Four years after his triumph over his rebellious sub- jects, Alexander Jannfieus died, B.C. 79, having on his death-bed advised his queen Alexandra to ally herself closely with the Pharisaic fiiction, as being alone able to control the people. Acting on this advice, she convened the most eminent of that faction, and entrusted to them the entire management of affairs. Upon this their con- duct underwent an instant change ; the highest honours were paid to the memory of the late king, and the priesthood v/as conferred on his clde.st son Ilyrcanns lU Ch. I.] IIYRCANUS 11. d;c. 65= PART lY. DECLINE OF TPIB ASMONBAN DYNASTY; INTERFERENCE OF THE ROMANS, AND RISE OF THE HERODIAN FAMILY. CHAPTER I. HYRCANUS 11. AND ARISTOBULUS; POMPEIUS AND CRASS US. B. C. 79-53. BESIDES the new high-priest, Alexander had left another son named Aristobulus, a man of an ardent and impetuous temper, ^vho took no pains to conceal his dislike of his mother's proceedings. Placing himself at the head of the now offended and persecuted Sadducecs, lie encouraged thera in their opposition to the triumph- ant Pharisees, and so far prevailed with the queen, that the leaders of the Sadducaic faction were allowed to retire to the frontier fortresses of the kingdom. Shortly afterwards he himself was sent on an expedition to Damascus, to check the depredations of Ptolemy, who governed a small independent kingdom at Chalcis^ The young prince did not lose the opportunity thus afforded him of ingi-atiating himself with the soldiers, and began to form designs of usurping the kingdom. After a successful reign of 9 years, queen Alexandra died, B. c. 69, and the Pharisaic party immediately placed Hyrcanus II. on the throne. This was regarded as th3 signal for definite action by Aristobulus. Quickly sum- moning his adherents from the frontier cities, he marched towards Jerusalem, where the partisans of Hyrcanus seizing his wife and children, placed them as hostages in the Tower of Baris, and then prepared to meet the invader at Jerichol But so strongly did the feeling of ^ Jos. Ant. XIII. 16. 3. 2 J }S. Ant. xiv. i. 2. N. T. 5 66 HYRCANUSII. S'> dad in the gorgeous robes of his office, they could not restrain the expression of their admiration, and their shouts of acclamation r.nt the air. This scaled the doom of the unfortunate young man. Seeing in him a possible rival, and ruspecting the de- signs of Alexandra, Herod resolved to con)pas3 his de- struction, and an opportunity soon presented itself. At the close of the solemnities he repaired with the youth- ful hi^li-pricst to Jericho, where Alexandra had invited them to an entertainment. The day was close — sultry, even for that tropical region — and the tvro, with many of their retinue, betook themselves to the fish-ponds, for the purpose of bath:i:g. At first the attendants 6-2 84 HEROD, KING OF JUDjEA. [Bk. I. Pt. IV. alone plunged into the water, and Ilerod and the high- priest merely looked on. But as it grew dark, the king proposed that his companion should join the rest in the water, where several of the attendants, suborned for the purpose, plunged him under the water, and held him down till life was extinct ^ Next day it was announced at Jerusalem that Aristobulus had been accidentally drowned, and the spectacle of the dead body excited the wildest sorrow. Herod himself pretended the ut- most grief. But neither the tears he shed, nor the mag- nificent funeral with which he honoured the young man's remains, could divert the popular suspicion and indiofnation. Least of all could he deceive the bereaved mother. The grief of Alexandra was intense, and more than once she was on the j^oiut of laying violent hands upon herself. At length she resolved to appeal for the second time to the friendship of Cleopatra, and wrote her a full account of the treacherous deed. The Egyp- tian queen, herself a woman and a motlier, moved by her toudiing story, would not let Antonius have any rest till he had promised that the matter should be in- vestigated. On his arrival, therefore, at the Syrian Laodicea" B c 34, the triumvir sent to Ilerod, and demanded an cx'ilan;ition of the de.itU of Aristobulus. Thouuh Ilerod wiis well avarc of t\\2 ill-will of Cleopatra towards him- self, and of the risk ho ran, he dar.d not disobey this Bummons, and resolved to go in person and file.id his cau.-je. Before setting out he entrusted to his uncle J()seph not only the govennnent of Jerusalem, but the care also of the beuitiful Marianinc, strict' v enjoiniitg him, in the evcJit of liis own death, to slay her rather than let her fall into the iinnds of Antonius. Having thus provided for the worst he departed, and, on his arrival at Liiodicea, presented himself before the Roman and his 1 Jos. Ant. XV. 3. 4. 2 Jos. Ant. XV. 3. 5, Ch. III.] HEROD, KING OF JUDjEA. 85 Egyptian enchantress. Cleopatra, eager to add Jud£ea to her dommions, exhausted every expedient to ensure his ruin. But by his confidence, and still more by his lavish bribes, Herod succeeded in defeating her designs, and in clearing himself in the opinion of her paramour, so that Antonius not merely dismissed the charges against his favourite, but placed him by his side on his judicial throne, invited him to his luxurious banquets, and heaped upon him every mark of distinction. Meanwhile very different events had occurred at Jerusalem. In an evil hour Joseph had revealed his secret instructions respecting Mariamne, and uhile she and Alexandra were indulging in transports of rage, a sudden rumour reached the city that Herod had failed in his mission, and been put to death. Instantly both mother and daughter took measures for seizing the su- preme power, and Alexandra indulged the hope that the glorious beauty of her daughter might win the affections even of the paramour of Cleopatra. But in a moment all these schemes were dashed to the ground. Letters arrived announcing Herod's complete success, and soon he himself appeared. His sister Salome, jealous of the charms of Mariamne, filled his mind with suspicions against her, which at first he refused to credit. But unhappily one day, as he was protesting his undying love, she chanced to inquire how, if he really loved her, he could have given the order for her execution. Furi- ous at the discovery of his secret compact, he riLshed from her arms, and was on the point of putting her to death with his own hand. Her loveliness, however, in- duced him to spare her, and he contented himself with ordering the instant execution of his uncle Joseph, and flinging Alexandra into prison with every mark of insult. Sij HEllOI), KING OF Ji'D.EA. [Bk. I. Pt. 1Y. CHAPTER lY. HEROD, KING OF JUD.EA, B. C. 34—24. M' E AN WHILE the friendship between Octavius and Antonius had at length been broken, and tlie whole East rang with preparations for the coming contest be- tween the triumvirs for the su^Dremacy of the world. Herod raised a body of troops to assist Antonius, but the latter declined his aid, and being thus excused taking any prominent part in a doubtful struggle, he turned his arms against Malchiis, king of Arabia. The artful designs of Cleopatra had involved him m this war. Already mistress of Coelesyria, and of the palm-groves around Jericho by the concessions of her Roman lover, she cast longing eyes upon Judoea also. The Arabian king, emboldened by the rupture between the Roman triumvirs, had withheld the payment to her of Iiis an- nual tribute, an insult which Antonius directed Herod to avenge. Seeing her opportunity, she urged Herod to embark in the Avar, hoping if he was successful to be- come mistress of Arabia, if unsuccessful, of Judaea. But the Jews were exceedingly unwilling to under- take a war against a nation with whom they had no quar- rel, and Herod was defeated in the first campaign with great loss. His troops were still moi-e unwilling to en- gage a second time, but fortune came to his aid. A sud- den earthquake convulsed the cities of southern Pales- tine, and destroyed in one day upwards of 30,000 of the inhabitants. Taking advantage of the consternation thus caused, the Arabs slev/ the Jewish ambassadors who had come to treat of peace. News of this treachery roused once more the martial spirit of the nation, and enabled Herod to win a signal triumph over his foes, and to reduce the country to subjection. Cfi. IV.] HEROD, KING OF JUDJiA. 87 On his return from this expedition he received intel- ligence that his patron Antonius had. been defeated in the decisive battle of Actium, B.C. 31, and had left the supremacy of the world to his rival Octavius. His first impulse was to urge the triumvir to seize Egypt, and put to death Cleopatra, the faithless cause of his misfor- tunes. But the infatuated Roman, rejecting this ad- vice, followed his enchantress to Alexandria. There twelve months afterwards, deserted by his troops, and unable to come to any terms with Octavius, he fell upon his sword, and Cleopatra, rather than grace a Roman triumph, applied the fatal asp to her breast. Herod's fate once more seemed to tremble in the balance. But, equal to the emergency, he provided Avith characteristic energy and boldness an escape from his embarrassments. He first resolved to put Hyrcanus out of the way, as the last remnant of the Asmonean dynasty, and on a charge of a treasonable correspondence with the king of Arabia, dragged him before the Sanhe- drin, and caused him to be executed. He next resolved to make a personal appeal to Octavius, and before he left sent his mother, sister, and children to Masada, and placed Mariamne in the fortress of Alexandrium, under the custody of faithful adherents, Soemus the Itursean, and Joseph his steward, again enjoining that, in the event of his death, Mariamne should be instantly dispatched. Then setting out for Rhodes he appeared before Oc- tavius v/ithout the diadem, but with all the spirit and dignity of a king, and addressed him in a speech of the utmost freedom^. He did not in the least disguise his friendship for the late triumvir. He had given him, he said, the best advice in urging him to put Cleopatra to death, and prosecute the war with vigour. But Antonius had rejected his counsels, and pursued a course ruinous to himself and beneficial only to his rival. If Octavius, seeing the steadiness of the speaker's friendship towards ^ Jos. Ant. xv. 6, 6; B. J. i. 20. ;. 88 HEROD, KING OF JUD.'EA. [Bk. I. Pt. IY. his late foe, would honour him with his confidence, he might count on being served with the same steadiness and the same fidelity. His frankness completely won over the arbiter of the world, who restored to him the diadem, treated him with the greatest distinction, and assured him of his friendship and confidence^. Thus successful beyond his utmost expectations, Herod returned to Jerusalem. But the secret orders entrusted to the guardian of Mariamne had been again disclosed, and she met his greeting with coldness and aversion, and reproached him bitterly wuth the murder of her gi'andfather Hyrcanus. Herod's anger was deeply roused, but for the present other and more public duties demanded his attention. Bent on the invasicm and con- quest of Egypt, Octavius passed through Syria and ar- rived at Ptolemais. Thither Herod went to meet him, presented him with 800 talents, and supplied provisions in great abundance for his troops. This still further conciliated the Roman's favour, and on his return from Egj'pt, where the suicide of Antony and Cleopatra re- moved all obstructions to the reduction of the country to a Roman province, he not only conferred upon him the territory around Jericho, which had been ceded to the late Egyptian queen, but reannexed to his dominions the cities of Gadara, Hippo, and Samaria, together with the maritime towns Gaza, Joppa, and Strato's Tower*, B.C. 30. But these successes did little towards compensating the Jewish king for the loss of the affections of Mari- amne, who persisted in rejecting his caresses, and re- proaching him with his cruelty towards her family. At this juncture the envious Salome suborned the royal cupbearer to accuse the queen of having bribed him to poison his master. This new accusation filled Herod ^ Jos. B. J. I. ■20; Merivale, iii. 356. ^ He at the same time bestowed upon him the 400 Gauls, who had formed the bodyguard of Cleopatra. Jos. Ant, XV, :, i; B. /. I. 20. 3. C.T. IV.] HEROD, KING OF JUDAEA. 89 with such rage that he ordered Marianme's favourite eunuch to be put to the rack. The wretched man de- nied all knowledge of the plot, but confessed that the secret orders given to Soemus had excited the queen's hatred and disgust. Furious at what he deemed a second proof of her infidelity, Herod directed that Soe- mus should be instantly executed, and arraigned Mari- amne before a tribunal of judges on a charge of adultery. The judges, too terrified to do any thing but obey his bidding, pronounced her guilty, and sentenced her to death. But though he had procured her condemnation, the tyrant shrunk from proceeding to her execution. His mother and sister, however, suffered him to have no rest, and so worked upon his feelings that at length he signed the fatal order for her execution, and Mari- amne was led forth to die, B.C. 29. But now a reaction set in. The terrible reality of the deed, combined with a sense of his own loss, so wrought upon his feelings, that he became the victim of the most violent remorse. " Everywhere, day and night, he was haunted by the image of the murdered queen ; he called upon her by name ; he perpetually burst into passionate tears ; he ordered his servants to bring Ma- riamne to him, as though she were yet alivo. In vain he tried every diversion,— banquets, revels, the excite- ments of society. A sudden pestilence breaking out, to which many of the noblest of his court and of his own personal friends fell a sacrifice, he recognised and trembled beneath the hand of the avenging Deity. On pretence of hunting ho sought out the most melancholy solitude, till the disorder of his mind brought on a dis- order of body, and he was seized with violent inflamma- tion and pains in the back of his head, which led to temporary derangement \" 1 Milman's Hist, of the Jews, ii. 70; Jos. Ant. XV, T. "^l Merivale, iii. 386. 90 HE ROD, KING OF JUDJEA. [Bk. I. Pt. IV. After lying in this state for sonic time in his palace at Samaria, he was at length partially restored to health, and came forth gloomy, stern, revengeful, more ready than ever to resort to cruelty and bloodshed. Alexan- dra was his first victim. Taking advantage of his ma- lady she had again renewed her intrigues, and tried to gain possession of Jerusalem. She was now executed, together w ith Costobaras, governor of Idumsea and Gaza and husband of Salome, who was accused of harbouring some of the Asmonean dynasty, with many others of rank and influenced Meanwhile, B.C. 27^*, the senate of Rome had confer- red upon Octavius the title of Augustus^ the august^ the divine, and soon in every part of the empire temples began to rise in honour of the divinity of the Emperor. Herod resolved not to bo behindhand in adulation to- wards his patron, and, all being now dead who had any claims to the crown, he devoted himself to the intro- duction of foreign customs into the country. Though fully aware of the intensely national feelings of his subjects, he resolved to lose no opportunity of breaking down the wall of partition between them and the sur- rounding nations. He introduced, therefore, public exhibitions and spec- tacles of all kinds ; erected a theatre within, an amphi- theatre ^nthout, the walls of Jerusalem; instituted quin- quennial games, which were celebrated on a scale of the most lavish magnificence ; invited to his capital the pro- fessors of every kind of gymnastic exercises, iind did not even shrink from exhibiting in the city of David shows of gladiators and combats with wild beasts. The stricter Jews regarded with horror those inno- ^ Job. Ant. xv. 7. 9. 10. 2 Jan, 13, A.u.c. 727, B.C. 27. Dion Liii. 16; Liv. Epit. 134; Merivale's Romans under tlie Empire, ill. 417. Ch. IV.] HEROD, KING OF JUD.EA. 91 vatioTis, but their iiuli^iation knew no bounds when, for the purpose of celebrating the victories of Octavius, he set up in his theatre complete suits of armour captured during the imperial wars. Nothing could persuade them to believe that these trophies did not conceal heatiieu images, and it was only when they had been taken to pieces, and the bare peg of wood exposed underneath, that their suspicions were removed. This raised a laugh, but the deepfelt exasperation of the majority was not removed. At length ten men formed a conspiracy to assassinate the king as he entered the theatre. The plot w^as betrayed, and they were put to death with the most cruel tortures. The people, sympathising with their sufferings, seized the informer who had betrayed the secret to Herod, tore him to pieces, and flung his flesh to the dogs. This roused the king in his turn to retaliate, and seizing the ringleaders he put them to death, together with their families, b.c. 25. These risings, however, convinced him that his life was insecure, and he had recourse to various measures of precaution. He erected a palace on the impregnable hill of Sion ; restored and enhirged the Baris, and named it Anton ia, after his former patron. At the same time he rebuilt and founded various cities to serve as military ports and retreats on occasions of danger, such as Gaba in Galilee, and Heshbon in Persea. Sama- ria also, which had been destroyed by John Hyrcanus, once more rose from its ruins, was surrounded with a wall, strongly fortified, and peopled with 6000 veterans devoted to the king's interests. A temple also was erected within it, dedicated to the occupant of the im- perial throne, in whose honour the city also was now called Sebaste, the August^. But Herod^ further resolved that his kingdom should ^ Jos. Ant. XV. 8. 5; B. J. i. 11. 1, ^ la B.C. 22 he contracted another marriage, and united 92 HE ROD, KING OF JVD.EA. [Bk. I. Pt. IV. have a naval harbour and a maritime city, whereby he might communicate more securely with the western world. A convenient point along the inhospitable coast- line of Palestine offered itself at a spot called Strato's Tower, situated about 30 miles south of Mount Carmel, and 70 miles north-west of Jerusalem, on the line of the great road from Tyre to Egypt. To protect the shipping from the violent south-west winds, which blew along the coast, it was first necessary that a breakwater should be constructed. Accordingly enormous stones were sunk in deep water to form a mole 2000 feet in length. This supported a pier, 200 feet wide, defended by a wall and towers, and formed a sort of double harbour equal in size to the Pirseus at Athens, and surrounded ^\ith broad landing wharves. The entrance was from the north, so that a vast fleet could ride at anchor \\itli per- fect safety. Above the harbour rose the city, built on the Greek model with a forum and amphitheatre, and called, in honour of the king's friend on the imperial throne, Csesarea, Upwards of 12 years were spent in the erection of this important maritime city\ himself with a second Maj-lamne, the daughter of one Simon, an obscure priest of Jerusalem, whom he raised to the dig- nity of high- priest, after deposing Joshua, the son of Phaneus, thus again throwing discredit on an office which he persisted in depriving of all political weight and influence. ^ The full name was Cassarea Sebaste, Jos. Ant. xvi. 5. i, but jt was sometimes called Caesarea Stratonis, or Caesarea Palestinse, or the "City by the Sea," Jos. B. J. in, 9; vii. i. 3. Its modern name is Kaisariyeli. It became the official residence of the Herodian kings, as also of Festus, Felix, and other Roman procurators. Tacitus calls it "the head of Judaea," Hist. II. 79, In the centre of the city rose a vast temple, conspicuous from the sea, dedicated to Octavius, and adorned with two colossal statues, one of the Emperor, the other of the Imperial city. The foundations were laid in B.C. 21, and the work was completed in B.C. lO. Jos. Ant. XV. 9. 6 ; Lewin's Fasti Sacri, p. 89. Cii. v.] HEROD, KING OF JUDjEA. 93 CHAPTER V. HEROD, KING OF JUDJEA, B.C. 24-U. THUS Judoea seemed to be sinking more and more into the form of a Roman province, while Ilerod rivalled the other vassal kings of Home in subservience to the master of the world. It was a saying that Caesar assigned to him the next place in his favour to Agrippa, ■while Agrippa esteemed Ilerod higher than all his friends, except Augustus ^ The three vied with one another in mutual courtesies, and whenever either Caesar or Agrippa visited the Eastern provinces, the Jewish king was sure to be first to pay his homage, and to assist with his personal support and advice. In return for these attentions the Roman emperor was profuse in his concessions. When Herod sent his two elder sons by Mariamne, Alexander and Aristobulus, to Rome for their education, he received them into his p ilace and treated them v.iih the utmost care and dis- tinction^. Moreover, besides the large addition he had alreanth the language but the literature and philosophy of Greece, many acquired a strong taste for Grecian studies, preferred the Grecian religion to their own, adopted Grecian manners, and practised Grecian arts^ We have seon from time to time how it became the fashion even for many amongst the highest families to adopt Grecian names, and to recommend themselves in every conceivable way to Grecian rulers in the courts of Alexandria and Antioch. The Law, with its restraints and strict requirements, was re- garded by them as a heavy yoke, and they affected the gjmnasia, the theatres, and all the worldly pleasures of Grecian life. To such aspirants after freedom the principles of the Epicurean philosophy would naturally recommend them- selves, the more so as they found special acceptance in the Syrian courts. Amongst the scholars of Simon the Just^ Avas Antigonus of Socho, the first of the Jewish doctors who bears a Greek name. Antigonus was the master of one Sadoc^ (b.c. 291 — 260), the essence of whose teaching was that virtue is its own reward, that men ought not to serve the Lord for the sake of gain, but to do good because it is right. True as this doctrine was in itself, it was perverted by the disciples of Sadoc, who first attract our atten- tion under the name of Sadducees\ in the time of Jonathan the Asmonean'. While on the one hand ^ See .-ibove, p, 70. Comp. Merivale, III. 370. ^ See above, p. 9. •'' See Raphall's History oj the Jcivs, Vol, i. pp. 160, 162. 4 Others, however, derive their name from Tsadikira, 'the righteous,' but its origin appears uncertain. ^ See r.bove, p. 6c. Ch. II.] THE JEWISH SECTS. 115 especially after tlie Maccabsean period, they were far removed from any actual adoption of Grecian customs, or apostasy from the national faith, yet on the other, they betrayed evident marks of the influence on their opinions of Grecian philosophy. Hence they denied the doctrine of the Resurrection^ (Mtt. xxii. 23 ; Lk. xx. 27), any rewards or punishments after death, and the existence of angels or spirits (Acts xxiii. 8). Holding that the actions of men depended entirely on their own free will, they denied that there was such a thing as destiny, and while they admitted the creation, they removed the Deity as far as possible from any actual administration of the world. It has been thought that they recognised as Scripture only the five books of Moses, but the truth appears to be that while holding the Law in higher estimation than the prophe- tical and other books of Scripture, they acknowledged the authority of the Old Testament like the rest of the Jews, but refused to hold the authority of tradition. Aiming as they did at a philosophic elevation of sentiment they found little favour with the common people, and caring little about making proselytes numbered their followers chiefly among the rich and powerful^, and especially the young men of Judoea, and those who were in a position to live a life of ease and worldly enjoyment^. (6) The Pharisees. The tendency to adopt Grecian customs and modes of thought above alluded to was not, of course, shared by the entire nation. "When Mattathias unfurled the ^ Jos. Ant. xviii. T. 4. 2 Jos. Ant. XIII, 10. 6; xviii. i. 4, 3 The later sect of the Karaites, or Karcmns, ' Scriptu- rists,' succeeded to the Sadducees, h\xt chiefly in respect of the rejection of tradition, and their strict adherence to the letter of the law. 8—2 IIG TIJE JEWISH SECTS. [Bk. I. Pt. V. banner of revolt against tlie heathenizing policy of Antiochus Epiphanes, it will be remembered that he was joined before long by a class calling themselves Assidearis^ (i Mace. ii. 42), who seem to have been al- ready in existence as a distinct party, and bound by a vow to the strict observance of the Law. The name they assumed sufficiently indicates their views. Living in times when their countrymen were becoming more and more infected with heathen customs, they protested against such declension from the spirit of the law, and in opposition to the impious (i Mace. iii. 8 ; vi. 21 ; vii. 5), the lawless (i Mace. iii. 6 ; ix. 23), the transgressors (i Mace. i. 11), as they called the Hellenizing faction, adopted for themselves the title of the Assideans, the pious, and in these days of mining (2 Mace. xiv. 3, 38) maintained the strictest observance of the Law 2. Amongst a nation, which [)rided itself on its dis- tinction from all other people on the earth, such a party would naturally have great influence, and when the Maccabees triumphed over their Syi'ian tyrants, the tenets of the Assideans rapidly gained ground, and I'eceived their complete development in those of the Phar isees, frora Perashin, to separate, ^//robably belonged to the sect of the Pharisees, but not all, Gee Acts xxiii. 9. ^ Jos. Ant, XIII. 5. 9, and see above, p. 60. Ch. II.] THE JEWISH SECTS. 117 interpretation of its precepts and doctrines, they were mainly guided by Oral Tradition, the traditions of the Elders (Mtt. xv. 2 ; Mk. vii. 3). This Oral Tradition, which was regarded as supplementary to the written Law, was said to have been received by Moses on Sinai, to have been delivered by him to Joshua, by Joshua to the elders, by the elders to the prophets, by the prophets to the men of the Great Synagogue. Of this Law the Pharisees were regarded as the highest interpreters, and presided over various schools, the principal of which in the time of the New Testa- ment, were those of Hillel and Shamraai, the former a moderate, the latter the strictest sect. They held, (i) the existence of angels and spirits, good and bad ; (ii) the immortality of the soul ; (iii) a state of rewards and punishments after death ; (iv) a resurrection of the just and unjust^ (Comp. Acts xxiii. 8). As exponents of the Law, (i) they attached an midue importance to the outward act as compared with the inward spirit and motive ; (ii) they were rigorous in exacting every external ceremonial, espe- cially in reference to washings, fastings, tithes and alms ; and (iii) were noted for pride and austerity. Their political influence we have already seen was very great ^. Holding strongly that the nation ought to be independent of foreign rule, standing high in favour with the people, and especially Avith the wo- men^, pervading the entire country and forming the majority in the Sanhedrin, they wielded a very con- siderable power in the state, against which we have seen Hyrcanus, and Jannseus, vainly struggling^, and which Herod, with all his energy, was unable to control. 1 Jos. Ant. XVIII. I. 3. 2 Jos. Ant. XIII. 10. ^•, B. J. I. 5. 2, 3. ^ Comp. above, p. 63, and Luke xi. 43. * See above, pp. 60, 62, 118 TUE JEWISH SECTS. [Ek. I. Pt. V. The "\viiting3 of the New Testament illustrate, amongst many others, the following features of their character as a sect : their high repute, Jn, vii. 48 ; Acts xxii. 3 ; tJieir regard for externals, while they disregarded the weightier matters of the Law, Mtt. xxiii. 24; xii. 2, 7 ; Mk. vii. i ; Lk. vi. 7 ; Jn. ix. 16, &c.; their regard to tradition, Mtt. xv. 2 ; JVIk, vii. 3 ; their scru- 2)uloiis exactness of washings, tithes, alms, &c., Mtt. ix. 14; xxiii. 15, 23; -Lk. xi, 39 sq. ; xviii. 12; their excessive zeal in mahing proselytes^, Mtt. xxiii. 15 ; their lax morality, Mtt. v. 20; xv. 4, 8; xxiii. 3, 14, 23, 25; Jn. viii. 7. {c) The Essencs. Though nowhere mentioned in the New Testament, the Essenes were a numerous body, amounting, ac- cording to Philo, to upwards of 4000, Dating, like the other sects already mentioned, from about the mid- dle of the second century b. c, they formed a purely ascetic order, and dwelt far from the distractions of their asre in the villages along the vrestern shore of the ^ The Jews of later times were very zealous in making j^rosdytes (Comp. Horace, Sat. I. iv. 143), and succeeded to a great extent, especially among the women. They are said, though it does not appear absolutely certain, to have been divided into two classes ; (i) Proselytes of righteousness, who were admitted to all the privileges of Judaism after sub- mitting to circumcision, and baptism, and offering sacrifice : (ii) Proselytes of the gate, who were not circumcised, but cimply bound themselves to observe what were called *the seven precepts of Noah,' i.e. (i) to renounce idolatry, (2) to worship the one true God, (3) to abstain from bloodshed, (4) incest, (5) robbery, (6) to be obedient to the magistrates, (7) to abstain from eating flesh with the blood. Josephus calls such Proselytes ol ae^d/xepoi, the worshippers, and they are supposed to be meant by the same word, rendered in our 'Version devout men in such passages as Acts xiii. 50; xvi. 14 ; xvii. 4, 17; xviii. 7. Cu. II.] THE JEWISH SECTS. 119 Dead Sea^ where they led a life of labour, abstinence, and meditation \ They were divided into four orders, but permitted marriage only in one of them, maintained a community of goods, and inculcated a hatred of all riches and all luxury. Sacrifice they did not allow, and though they sent gifts to the Temple, never resorted to it, but held religious assemblies on the Sabbath, where they read the Scriptures, and listened to the expositions of their elders. Even in their intercourse with one another they ob- served the greatest secrecy, dreaded contact with all who were not circumcised, and would rather die than cat food which had not been prepared by themselves or those of their own order. (d) The Herodians. . This sect, which is twice mentioned in the Gospels (Mtt. xxii. 1 6 ; Mk. iii. 6 ; xii. 13), was rather a political than a religious body. Taking alike their names and their views from the family of Herod, the Herodians held that the hopes of the Jewish nation rested on the Herods as a bulwark against Roman ambition, and almost looked to them for a fulfilment of the prophecies of the Messiah 2. Hence many amongst them w^ould not regard with dissatisfaction that fusion of the national faith and heathen civilisation, which it was the great object of Herod the Great and his successors to bring about. It is not improbable that the Herodians in some re- spects approached very nearly to the Sadducees in their opinions (Comp. Mk. viii. 1 5 with Mtt. xvi. 6), for both ^ Analogous to the Essenes were the Therapeutce, who lived in Egypt, were bound by even stricter rules, and spent their time iu still greater seclusion, Godwyn's Moses and Aaron, i. 12. 2 Conybeare and Howson^ i- 33J Godwyn, Lib. I. 13. 120 TEE JEWISH SECTS. [Bk. I. Pt. V. would hold the duty of submission to the Romans, and join in supporting the throne of Herod. The hostility of the Pharisees to the teaching of our blessed Lord may be estimated by the fact that they joined their enemies the Herodians in attempting to ensnare Him ,Mtt. xxii. i6). (ii) Before concluding this Chapter, this seems the appropriate place for noticing the Samaritans, who are frequently mentioned in the New Testament. In the year B.C. 721 Sargon captured Samaria, and removed into captivity the remains of the ten tribes, al- ready decimated by Tiglath-Pileser\ and located them partly in Gozan or Mygdonia, and partly in cities re- cently captured from the Medes. This was not a par- tial but a complete evacuation of the country, which was wiped clean of its inhabitants as a man icipeth a dish (2 K. xxi. 13), in accordance with a not unusual custom of Oriental conquerors actually to exhaust a land of its inhabitants 2. In this desolate condition the country remained till about the year B.C. 677, when Esarhaddon during the invasion of Judah jierceived the impolicy of leaving it thus exposed, and resolved to gamson it with foreign- ers. Accordingly he gathered men from Babylon, and from Ciithah, and frorn Ava, and from Hamath, and from Se2?harvaim (2 K.xvii.24; comp. Ezra iv. 2,9, 10), and entrusting them to an officer of high rank, the great and noble Asnapper, had them conveyed to the coun- try formerly occupied by the Ten Tribes, and there set- tled them. These strangers (comp. Lk. xvii. 18) from the fur- ther East^ were of course idolaters, and worshipped ^ Class- Book of 0. T. Histoj'y, p. 427. ^ Compare for a notice of such a process, Herod, III. 149 ; VI. 21, quoted in Trench, Miracles, p. 311, note. 3 Comp. Jos. Ant. X. 9. 7 ; ix. 14. 3. Ch. II.] THE JEWISH SECTS. 121 various deities, and knowing not the God of the laud provoked Him by their heathenish rites to send lions among them, which slew some of them (2 K.xvii. 25). In their distress they applied to the king of Assyria, who sent one of the captive priests to instruct them how they should fear the Lord. Under his teaching they added the acknowledgment of Jehovah as the God of the land, to their ancient idolatries, and in course of time detached themselves more and more from heathen customs, and adopted a sort of worship of Jehovah. Refused permission, on the return from the Captiv- ity, to participate in the rebuilding of the Temple, they became the open enemies of the Jews^ and erected a rival temple on Mount Gerizim^ where they continued to worship till it was destroyed by John Hyrcanus, B.C. J30. After this they built another temple at Shechem, and there, under its modern name of Nahlus, they have a settlement, consisting of about 200 persons, at the present hour. Gradually detaching themselves from their ancient idolatries, the Samaritans adopted the Mosaic religion, but received as Scripture only the Pentateuch, rejecting every other book in the Jewish Canon. They celebrated the Passover (and celebrate it even now), on Mount Ge- rizim, and even after their temple had fallen, directed their worship towards that mountain. Holding the doc- trine of the coming of the Messiah (Jn. iv. 25), whom they called Hashah, "the ConvcrterV their conceptions ■• See above, p. 5. 2 'The Samaritans have a firm belief in the coming of Messiah. They found this upon the words of Moses (Deut. xviii. 15). They differ, however, with regard to the charac- ter of the Messiah, as well from Jews as from Christians. They ridicule the Jewish idea of his being a king and a great conqueror. His mission, they say, is not to shed blood, but to heal the nations ; not to make war, but to bring peace. He is to be, according to Moses' promise, a great 122 THE JEWISH SECTS. [Bk. I. Pt. V. of His functions and character were derived chiefly from the original promise of a Saviour (Gen. iii. 15), the Shiloh or Peace-maker predicted by Jacob (Gen, xlix. 10), and the Prophet promised to the Israelites like unto Moses (Num. xxiv. 17; Deut. xviii. 15), and they mainly ex- pected that He would teach all things (Jn. iv. 25), and restore the glory of the holy Law on Mount Gerizim\ The feud between the Jews and Samaritans, engen- dered by the refusal of the former to permit their parti- cipation in the rebuilding of the Temple, ripened into a mutual hostility of the most bitter description. The Jews were perpetually reminding the Samar- itans that they were " Cuthites," mere " strangers from Assyria." They loved to call them "proselytes of the lions" (2 K. xvii. 25^ and to accuse them of worshipping the idol-gods buried long age under the oak of Shechem (Gen. XXXV. 4). To such an extent did they carry their dislike, that they cursed them publicly in their syna- gogues ; declared their testimony was naught, and could not be received ; affirmed that any who entertained a Samaritan in his house was laying up judgments for his children ; that to eat a morsel of his fare was to eat swine's flesh ^; refused to receive him as a proselyte, and declared that he could have no part in the resur- rection of the dead. Moreover they would have no Teacher, a Restorer of the Law, one that will bring all the nations, by the illumination of his teaching, to unite in one service to one God. Therefore his common name with them is Taebah (nDnD), though the better known name is Hatah or Hccskah, the Restorer, or the Arabic equivalent, Al Mudy, because it is he whose mission it is to turn the ungodly and unbelieving unto the Lord.* Mill's Modern Samaritans, •215, 216. * Westcott's Introduction to the Study of the Gospels, 148, 9. 2 Godwyn's Moses and Aaron, Lib. i. p. 48; Trench, 3Il- racles, p. 311. Ch. II.] THE JEWISH SECTS. 123 dealings with them that they could possibly avoid, and in travelling from the South to the North preferred to take the long circuit through Persia rather than pass through their hated country. On the other hand, the Samaritans were not behindT hand in recriminations. They would refuse hospitality to the pilgrim companies going up to the feasts at Jeru- salem (Comp. Lk. ix. 53), and sometimes even waylay and murder them^ On one occasion certain of them are said to have entered the Temple at Jerusalem, and defiled it by scattering on the pavement human bones^. One special mode of annoyance was frequently prac- tised. The Jews were in the habit of communicating to their numerous brethren in Babylon, the exact day and hour of the rising of the Paschal moon, by means of a system of beacon fires, which telegraphed the welcome news from the Mount of Olives, through Auranitis, to those who sat ty the icaters of the Babylon. The Sa- maritans would, therefore, annoy the watchers on the mountain-tops by kindling a rival flame on the wrong day, and thus perplex them, and introduce confusion. ' Jos. Ant. XX. 6. i; B, J, li. I2. 3. 2 Jos. Ant. xviii. 2. 2. KOTE. The Expectation of the Messiah, From the earliest period of their national history the Jews had been pre-eminently "the people of the future," and at the period we have now reached they were filled with the expectation that an extraordinary Being would appear, and prove Himself the Messiah or Deliverer. But though in the Temple of Prophecy * there had from the beginning ever been heard two Voices mysteriously blended, one jubilant ''• See Class- Boole of Old Testament History, p. 483. 124 NOTE. [Bk. I. Pt. V. and glad, telling of victory and of triumph, the other sub- dued and mournful, whispering of shame and suffering, yet to one of these Voices only had attention been really paid. The characteristics attributed by the nation to the Messiah were (i) regal, and (ii) prophetic. i. Many looked for a great Conqueror, whom God would send, investing Him with the attributes of majesty and hu- manity, describing Him as the "Elect One," the "Anointed," the "Son of Man," who should "execute a terrible ven- geance on the enemies of His people," "cleanse Jerusalem," and exalt the Jews above all other nations*. These attributes, ascribed to the Messiah in early Jewish literature, receive illustration from the Gospel Narrative. It was the opinion of the national teachers that His coming would be heralded by Elias, and the belief was shared by the common people (Mtt. xvii. lo and the parallels ; Comp. also xvi. 14). There was considerable uncertainty, indeed, as to the precise manner of His appearance (Jn, vii. 27), but it was fully expected that He would be born at Bethlehem, the city of David (Mtt. ii. 5; Comp. Jn. vii. 41, 42); that He would be David's Son, and should sit on David's throne (Mtt. xxii. 42; xii. 23; ix. 27; XX. 30; XV. 22); that He would abide for ever and set up a kingdom in which He would dispense honoui's on His right hand and on His left (Mtt. xx. 2 1 ; Mk. X. 37). ii. With these regal attributes others combined prophetic functions, and looked for the Prophet that should come into the world (Comp. Jn. vi. 14 ; i. 21, 46; vii. 40; i Mace. xiv. 41), expecting that He would show " signs" not unlike the giving of the manna in the wilderness, and instruct the people in alt things (Jn. iv. 25), and instead of altering or abolishing any of the Mosaic ordinances, would enhance them to a greater glory, making the sacrifices, purifications. Sabbaths, festivals, and all other usages, far more resplendent and glorious than they had ever been before. That the Messiah would ever suffer or die was an idea, from which, to the last, even the Apostles shrank with horror and amazement (Mtt. xvi. 22, 23; Lk. xxiv. 21 ; Jn. xx. 9). * Ebrard's Gospel History, p. 487 ; W^stcott's /nfrociurtion to the Neio Testament, pp. 92, 95. BOOK 11. THE GOSPEL HISTORY. PART I. THE BIRTH AND CHILDHOOD OF CHRIST. CHAPTER I. THE BIRTH OF JOHN THE BAPTIST, A. U. C. 749, B. C. 5. A BOUT the year B.C. 5, when the bloodstained reign ■^^ of Herod was approaching its close, there lived in Judsea^ either at the little village of Juttah, or the time- honoured city of Hebron^, an aged priest named Zacha- RiAS. His wife Elisabeth was also of the priestly family (Lk. i. 5), and both enjoyed a high reputation for piety and uprightness of life, being alike righteous be- fore God., icalking in all the commandments and or- dinances of the Lord blameless (Lk. i. 6). One great sorrow, however, cast a deep shadow over their daily life. They were now old and well-stricken in age, but no child had ever gladdened their humble home. In the time of Solomon the priests were divided into twenty-four "courses," each of which served at the Temple in weekly rotation (i Chr. xxiv. i — 19). Of these, four only returned from the captivity, but they were ^ So Grotius, Liglifcfoot and others. Reland and Robin- son identify it with Juttali in the mountain-region of Judah, near Maon and Carmel (Josh. xv. 55), allotted to the priests (Josh. xxi. 16), now Yfdta. The traditions of the Greek and Latin Churches point on the other hand to Aln Karim, a village near Jerusalem. Thomson's L. and B. 664. 128 BIRTH OF JOHN THE BAPTIST. [Bk. II. Pt. I. again divided into twenty-four, and received the same names as the original courses. The course, to which Zacharias belonged, was the eighth, known as that of Abiah or Abijah (i Chr. xxiv. lo), and in process of time, in accordance with the prescribed arrangement, it de- volved on him to go up to the Holy City. Of all the services at the Temple (which to avoid contention were uniformly decided by lot), none was deemed more ho- nourable than that of entering into the Holy Place and offering incense on the Golden Altar\ This was done twice every day, before the morning and evening sacri- fice, i.e. at 9 in the morning and 3 in the afternoon. The sound of a small bell announced the priests' en- trance for this purpose, and on hearing it the Priests and Levites took up their position before the Altar of Burnt-offering, the space between the Porch and the Altar was cleared, and the people in the different courts stood and prayed in solemn silence (Rev. viii. i) so long as he remained within the Holy Place. As soon, how- ever, as he re-appeared, they laid the sacrifice on the altar, and the Levites, amidst the full burst of the Tem- ple music, commenced the sacred Psalmody 2. Such was the august office Avhich now fell to the lot of Zacharias. Bearing the incense in a large vessel of gold, he entered into the Holy Place, and was kindling it on the Golden Altar, when he was accosted by an Angel standing at the right side of the Altar. This sudden apparition startled and affrighted him. But the Angel calmed his fears, and announced that the prayers he had offered to God in secret were heard. Though Ehsabeth was stricken in years, she should yet become the mother of a son, who was to be named Jonu^, 1 See Class-Book of 0. T. History, p. 123. For the coin- position of the Incense, Ihid. p. 135. 2 See Smith's Bihl. Diet., Art. Incense. ** Hebrew Jochauan - God is (;racious. Ch. I.] BIRTH OF JOHN THE BAPTIST. 129 From the first hour of his existence this child should be filled with the Holy Ghost, and drinking neither wine nor strong drink, in accordance with the Nazarite's vow, should he great in the sight of the Lord. As the second Elijah, to whom the finger of prophecy had pointed (Isai. xl. 3 ; Mai. iii. i), he should be the immediate fore- runner of the long-expected Messiah, and niake ready a people prepared for him (Lk. i. 12 — 17). Astounded by so sudden an announcement, the aged priest sought some assurance of the promised blessing. On this the Angel, who announced himself as no other than he that had appeared many years before to the prophet Daniel under the name of Gabriel (Dan. viii. 16; ix. 21), replied, that such an assurance would be vouchsafed, but, because of his unbelief, it should be in the shape of a judgment. He should he dumh, and not able to speak^ till the day that these things should he performed (Lk. i. 20). "While Zacharias was receiving this mysterious inti- mation within the Sanctuary, the people^, who crowded the Temple-courts, were anxiously expecting his return, and marvelled at his unusual delay. At length he re- appeared. But his strange aspect shewed that some- thing had occurred. "When questioned he could not return any answer, and intimated by signs that he had seen a vision in the Sacred Place. Then at the close of his week of ministration he returned to his own house, where, in accordance with the announcement of the Angel, Elisabeth conceived, and hid herself for five inonths in quiet and peaceful retirement (Lk. i. 24). Six months after his appearance in the Temple, the same Angel was sent from God to Nazareth^, a 1 The number present appears to indicate that it was the Sabbath-day. 2 It is one peculiarity of the Galilgean hills, as distinct from ttiose of Ephraim or Judah, that they contain or sus- N.T. 9 130 BIRTH OF JOHN THE BA PTIST. [Bk. II. Pt, I. secluded village ^lnkno^^^l and unnamed in the Old Tes- tament, hidden away amongst the hills of Galilee, and within the limits of the ancient tribe of Zebulun. At this village there lived a lowly Virgin named Mary, or Miriam. She belonged to the royal tribe of Judah, and the lineage of David (Lk. 1. 32 ; Rom, i. 3), and was con- nected by marriage with Elisabeth (Lk. i. 27), who be- longed to the tribe of Levi. Moreover, she was at this time betrothed to Joseph, who occupied a humble posi- tion as a carpenter at Nazareth, but like herself was of the lineage of David (Lk. i. 27; ii. 4). To this lowly Virgin the Angel Gabriel now appear- ed, and announced that by virtue of the operation of the Holy Ghost, she should become the mother of a Son, whom she was to call Jesus ^ {God the Saviour). He tain green basins of table-land just below their topmost ritlges ; forming marked features in any view from the summit of Tabor, or further north from the slopes of Her- mon Such above all is Nazareth. Fifteen gently rounded liills ''seem as if they had met to form an enclosure" for this peaceful basin — "they rise round it like the edge of a shell to guard it from intrusion. It is a rich and beautiful field in the midst of t'hese green hills — abounding in gay liowers, in fig-trees, small gardens, hedges of the prickly pear; and the dense rich grass affords an abundant pasture. The expression of the old topographer, Quaresraius, was as happy as it is poetical: 'Nazareth is a rose, and, like a rose, has the same rounded form, enclosed by mountains as the flower by its leaves.'" Stanley's Sinai and Palestine, p. 365. ^ As the first leader of the hosts of Israel was called first Hoshea, a Saviour, and afterwards Jehoshua or Joshua, God the Saviour or God^s Salvation, in Greek, IHZ0T2, Jesus, and saved the Israelites from their enemies the Ca- naanites, so the second Joshua was to save His people from enemies no less real — even their sins (Matt. i. 21). Compare the title of Conqueror so often applied to our blessed Lord in the Book of llevelation, as ii. 7, 1 1 ; iii. 5, 12, 21 ; v. 5 ; vi. 2, &c., as also in St John's Gospel, xvi. 33, and in i Jn. ii. 13, 14; iv. 4. See Pearson On the Creed, Art. ll. • Class- Book of 0. T. Jlistory, pp. 173, 223. Ch. I.] BIRTH OF JOHN THE BAPTIST. 181 should be great, and should be called the Son of the Highest, should sit on tJie throne of His father David and reign over the house of Jacob for ever (Lk. i. -^o — 33). Though at first startled at the sudden address of an angelic visitant (Lk. i. 29), the Virgin received his announcement with implicit faith, and prayed that it might he icith her according to his word (Lk. i. 38), and being informed of what had occurred to her relative Elisabeth, arose with haste to seek out her home amidst the Judfiean hills. The journey of four or five days^ ac- complished, slie reached the humble abode, and had no sooner crossed the threshold, and saluted the aged wife cf Zacharias, than the other addressed her as the mother of her Lord, and fidly confirmed the words cf the angel. Thus assured of the certainty of the mighty event about to happen, the lowly virgin, like Hannah at the birth of Samuel, burst forth into words of holy praise and exul- tation, and gave utterance to the inspired hymn, which under the name of the Magnificat, remains one of the most precious treasures of the Church, and the most familiar of her hymns (Lk. i. 46 — 56). After a sojourn of about three months with Elisabeth, Mary returned to Nazareth, and Joseph perceived that she was with child. Being a just man, lie resolved on privately giving her a bill of divorcement, instead of ^ The distance from Nazareth to Jerusalem is about 80 miles, and if Zacharias lived at Hebron 17 miles south of Jerusalem, the whole journey would occupy four or five days, (i) The most direct route was by Nain and Endor, and through Samaria and southward by Bethel, (ii) If for any cause Samaria was to be avoided, the Jordan would be crossed near Scythopolis, and the way followed through Pe- rsea along its eastern bank. This was the common ruute with the Jews in their journeyings to the feasts, if they wished specially to avoid Samaria, (iii) Still a third way- was by Dor on the sea-coast, passing through Lydda, and thence over the mountains of Ephraim. Andrews, p. 64. o o 132 BIRTH OF JOHN THE BAPTIST. [Bk. II. Pt. I. making her B^j^ublic examjyle (Mtt. i. 1 9). But as in deep perplexity he pondered on these things, he too was visited by an Angel in a dream, and bidden not to be afraid to take to him Mary as his wife. That which was conceived in her was not of blood, nor of the icill of the flesh, nor of the icill of man, but of the Holy Ghost, and the Sox, to whom she would give birth, he was to name Jesus, for He should save His people from their sins (Mtt. i. 21). Meanwhile the event announced in the Temple to the aged Zacharias had taken place, and Elisabeth brought forth a son. Such an event in the East is always an occasion of unbounded joy. In the present instance it would be still more so, and the relatives and neighbours of Elisabeth came together with no ordinary feelings to rejoice Avith her. On the eighth day, the child was brought to the priest for circumcision, and the relatives proposed that it should be named after his father, but Elisabeth demurred^ and declared that it should be called John {the grace of God), Marvelling at her wishing for a name, which had no precedent in the family, they appealed by signs to the speechless Zacha- rias. The aged priest called for a writing tablet, and wrote His name is John, and then, while all were lost in astonishment, his mouth, which had been closed for nine months, Avas opened, and he too burst forth into an inspired Psalm of exultant thanksgiving, in which he acknowledged the faithfulness of God in the birth of his son, and foretold his future greatness as the forerunner of the Messiah (Lk. i. 61 — 79}. Born as one out of due time the child grew, waxed strong in spirit (Lk. i. 80), and, in accordance with the words of the Angel, adhered steadfastly to the Nazarite vow'. Like Samson, like Samuel, no razor was suffered ^ See Class- Book of 0. T, History, p. 158. Ch. I.] BIRTH OF JOHN THE BAPTIST. 133 to come near his head. Drinking neither wine nor strong drink, he systematically denied himself all the pleasures and indulgences of ordinary life. The son of a priest, he doubtless received a strict religious educa- tion, and at some period, though when we are not told, retired to the dreary deserts west of the Dead Sea. Here, like Moses in Midian, he prepared himself by soli- tary communion with God for his high emprise, assumed the garb of one of the old prophets, the robe of camel's hair fastened round the body by a leathern girdle (2 K. i. 8), and subsisted on such fare as the desert afforded, eating locusts'^ and icikl homy (Mtt. iii. 4). CHAPTER II. THE NATIVITY OF CHRIST. A.U.C. 750, B.C. 4. THE voice of Prophecy (Mic. v. 2) had declared that the Messiah should be born at Bethlehem of Judt^ea, a spot endeared to every Jew as the birth-place of the son of Jesse. Though Mary was now living at Nazareth, a circumstance apparently fortuitous, under the super- intending hand of Divine Providence, brought about a fulfilment of the prediction. At this particular period there was peace throughout the dominions of the Roman empire. The Temple of Janus was shut^. The fierce contests, which for so many ^ Locusts were frequently used as an article of food (comp. Levit. xi. 2r, 22), being sometimes ground and pounded and then mixed with flour and water and made into cakes, sometimes salted and then eaten, or prepared in many other ways. See Kitto's Bible Illustrations, vii. 191, 2 ; Kirby and Spence's Entomology ; Thomson's Land and the Booh, pp. 419, 20. ^ Merivale's Romans under the Empire, iii. 401, smaller edition. 134 TEE NATIVITY OF CHRIST. [Bk. II. Pt. 1. years had been carried on with such relentless persist- ence, which had drenched with blood the fairest fields in the dominions of Augustus, had ceased, and the din of battles was hushed. As that monarch revolved in his mind the most suitable means for the administration of his numerous dependencies, it occurred to him that it would be well to carry out a general registration ^ of all his subjects, with a view to some fixed scale of taxation. He issued, therefore, a decree tliat all the wo7^ld^ which owned his sway, should he taxed - (Lk. ii. i). Judi^a was ^ From Suetonius {Aug. Chap. xxVii.) we learn that Au- gustus three times held a census for Italy, A.U.c. 726, 746, and 767; and Strabo speaks of one in Gaul an-l another in Spain. Tacitus {Ann. I. 11) tells us that he had a little book written out in his own hand treating of the numbers of his soldiers, the taxes, imposts, &c., of his empire, which is also alluded to by Suetonius and Dion Cassius, and must have been based on surveys of all parts of the empire. It is also well established that he commenced, if he did not carry out, a complete geometrical survey of the empire (see Merivale's Itomans, lir. 4C4). Though these facts do not absolutely jirove the holding of a general census, they go far to confirm the Evangelist's statement. ^ St Luke relates that this taxing or enrolment tooh place as a first one, tvhen Cyrenius was governor of Syria (Lk. ii. i). But Josephus states that Cyrenius was .^ent as governor of Syria after the deposition of Arohelaus and the annexa- tion of Judaea as a Roman province to Syria, and that he then instituted a census. This could not be earlier than A.U.C. 758 or 760; but the Saviour was born before Uerod's death in A.U.c. 750. Various explanations have been offered of the Evangelist's words : i. Some would throw the emphasis on the iyhero, and translate, "This enrolment first tooh effect when Cyrenius Was governor of Syria," i.e. the enrolment, enumeration of persons, dcscriptio capitiim, was made at the time of our Lord's birth, but its actual execution was deferred some nine or ten years, tUl Judaea was made a Koman province, when (Acts V. 37) the rebellion took place against the actual levy- ing of the taxes, il Others would render irpuiTr] Ijcfore, as in the soniC' Cii. II.] TUE NATIVITY OF CHRIST. 135 not indeed at this time a Roman ''province," but its re- duction to tliat condition sooner or later was already determined \ The imperial edict, therefore, declaring the will of his master was placed in the hands of the Idumsean Herod as in those of other rulers, and he would naturally ordain that Avhile the Roman orders were obeyed, the customs and traditions of the country should not be entirely overridden^. Toilsome, therefore, as was the journey, and not alto- gether free from danger, the Virgin left the place of her usual abode, and set out for the village of Bethlehem what parallel passages in Jn. i. 15, 30, where ifc is used fts = 7r/30Te/)o?, and translate, "This enrolment took place before Cyrenlus teas governor of Si/ria.'" iii. It appears, however, almost certain, Merivale says demonstrated, that Publius Sulpicius Quirinus (Cyrenlus) was tivice governor of Syria, first from A U.C. 750 — 753, or B.C. 4 — I, and secondl}/ irom A.u.o. 760 — 765, or A.D. 6 — 11. It is true that Cyrenlus does not appear to have been governor till the autumn of A.u.c. 750, but the enumeration may have begun or been appointed under Varus the preceding gover- nor, and being suspended in consequence of Herod's death and the disturbances that followed it, was reserved for execu- tion to Cyrenius, with whose name it was connected. Merivale, IV. 4'57 ; Ellicott, p. 58 n. ; Andrews, 5 — 8 ; and see the reeox)le Israel (Lk. ii. 32). Then while Jo- seph and Mary were marvelling at his words, the a;^ed seer, already on the verge of the eternal world, blessed them also, and addressing the Virgin Mother declared that her Child was appointed for the fall and rising again of many in Israel, and that a sicord shoidd in days to come pjierce through her oicn ]teart. At the same time there came forv/ard an aged woman, a pro- phetess, Anna, the daughter of Phauuel. Seven years had she lived v\ith her husband after quitting her maiden state, and since his death had remained in widowhood upwards of 84 years. Though tlio territories of the tribe of Asher, to which she belonged (Lk. ii. 36^ were at a great distance from the Holy City, yet there she had taken up her abode, and was constant in every act of worship and in her attendance at every sacred eer- vico. She too drev*' r.eir while the Holy Child waa being Ch. II. J THE NATIVITY OF CHRIST. 139 brought into His Father's house, and, Hko the aged Symeon, gave tlianks to God, and spake of Hhn to all those that were looking for redemption in Jerusalem (Lk. ii. 38). But as she was thus proclaiming to the faithful in the Holy City the Advent of their King, pilgrims and worshippers were drawing near from far different and far distant lands. A short time after Joseph and Mary had returned to Bethlehem, there appeared certain travel- stained pilgrims, whose arrival stirred Jerusalem to its very centre. In their native home in Arabia or Persia, their attention had been directed to a luminous body in the sky, vrhich had guided them to Palestine, and they now enquired where was He that was horn King of the deles'^, and declared that they had seen His star in the East, and had come to worship Him. The arrival of these Magi", as they were called in their ovv^n land, was quickly announced to Herod, and the enquiry respecting an hereditary King of the Jews roused the alarm and suspicion of one so jealous for the integrity of his own dynasty^. Hastily convening a formal assembly of the Chief Priests and Scribes, he enquired where, according ^ It is not impossible that these Magi were acquainted with Balaam's prophecy respecting a star to rise out of Ja- cob (Num. xxiv, 17; Clciss-Booh of 0. T. History, 191, 192), and very probable that they were not ignorant of the Pro- phecies of Daniel. The general expectation in the East at this time that a king should arise in Judfea to rule the world, is mentioned in Suetonius, Vesp. c. IV., Tac, Hist. V. 13. ^ The Magi were a tribe, of the Medes, like that of Levi among the Jews, to whom were entrusted all the priestly functions connected with the practice of their religion, the chief feature of which was a worship of the elements, as also the study of astrology, and the interpretation of dreams. •^ Though the terrible disorder v/hich carried him off was already afflicting him, and it wanted probably but a tevf days of the period when he sought reUef in the baths of Caiiirhoe; see above, p. 104, E'.licott's Lectures, p. 75, n. 140 THE NATIVITY OF CHRIST. [Bk. II. Pt. I. to the prophetical books, the long-expected Messiah was to be born. Without the least hesitation they pointed to the words of the prophet Micah (v. 2), which declared Bethlehem in Judcea to be the favoured place. On this the monarch sought a private interview with the Magi (Mtt. ii. 7), and made diligent enquiries respecting the time of the appearance of the Star, and then bade them repair to Bethlehem and seek diligently for the young Child, declaring his intention, if they found Him, to come himself and lay his honours at the feet of the heir of David's throne. Thus advised the Magi set out, when lo ! the Star, which they had seen in their far-oflf eastern home ap- peared before them, and guided their feet to the lowly abode where lay the object of their search. With great joy (Mtt. ii. 10) they entered the house, and seeing the young child and Mary His mother fell down and wor- shipped Him, and opening their treasures brought forth costly gifts of gold., frankincense, and myrrh^. Then warned in a dream not to return to the perfidious tyrant, they made their way to their own land by another route. Thus He, who had been "manifested" to the shepherds, to the faithful Symeon and Anna, was manifested also to these His first Gentile worshippers from the distant East. But that same night Joseph was also warned in a dream, of peril awaiting the young Child. Herod was watching his opportunity to put Him to deaths and it was necessary that he should fly. So Joseph arose, and taking the Infant and His mother, went down into Egypt, where He and they were to remain till they re- ceived further intimations respecting their course. Their departure had not been too soon. Perceiving ^ The customary gifts of subject nations, see Gen. xliii. ir; Ps. Ixxii. 15; I Kings X. 2, 10; 2 Cliron. ix. 24; Cant, iii. 6; iv. 14. Ch. II.] THE NATIVITY OF CHRIST. 141 that the strange visitors to his capital had not returned, and that his design against the young Child's life had been frustrated, with a reckless ferocity, which, we have seen, he too often displayed, Herod sent and slew every male child in Bethlehem from tico years old and un- der^ to make sure that he had included the Object of his terrible vengeance. His cruel edict was carried out, and filled many a home in Bethlehem with sorrow and mourning \ The voice of lamentation and weeping arose in Ramah, of which an inspired Prophet (Jer. xxxi. 15) had spoken 400 years before, and which the Jewish historian Josephus does not record, even if he knew of it, as though it was a matter of little moment compared with other atrocities^ of the same monarch, who could butcher on one occasion well-nigh every member of the Sanhedrin^, and on the very eve of his death medi- tate the wholesale slaughter of the chiefs of the Jews in the Hippodrome^ at Jericho. 1 Under any circumstances the number of children thus ruthlessly murdered could not have been large. "In peace- ful times such an act as this, even if executed, as this pro- bably was, in secresy, would have excited general indigna- tion when it became known ; but now the Jewish people had so long 'supped with horroi^s,' and were so engrossed in the many perils that threatened their national existence, that this passed by comparatively unnoticed. Such a deed, from a man of whom Josephus says that 'he was brutish and a stranger to all humanity,'... could have awakened no surprise. It was wholly in keeping with his reckless and savage character, but one, and by no means the greatest of his crimes. It is therefore possible that it may never have come to the knowledge of the Jewish historian, writing so many years after the event." Andrews, p. 89, Rawlinson'a Bampton Lectures, pp. 352, 3 and note. ^ Compare the execution of the zealots for pulUng down, the Golden Eagle, above, p. 104. 3 See above, p. 82. ^ See above, p. 105. 142 THE SA riOL'R'S EARLY LIFE [Bk. II. Pi. I. CHAPTER III. THE SA VIOUR'S EARLY LIFE AT NAZARETH. B.C. 4- A.D. 27. ri^HIS ferocious action was one of the last crimes in J- the bloodthirsty career of this guilty monarch. Very shortly afterwards he died under circumstances already related^ at Jericho A.u.c. 750. This event was made known to Joseph by an Angel in a dream (Mtt. ii, 19), and he was bidden to arise and return with the young Child and His mother into the land of Israel. Accord- ingly he set out, but hearing that the tyrant's son Ar- chelaus^, who enjoyed a reputation worthy of his father, was reigning in his stead, he was afraid to continue his journey, and was only encouraged to proceed by another supernatural intimation. The place whither he was to go had not before been distinctly specified, and he might have supposed that Bethlehem, the city of David, was the proper place to rear the Son of David, so near to Jerusalem, the most religious, the most sacred part of Palestine ^ But now he was directed to repair to the safer obscurity of his former residence in Galilee, and accordingly went down from the highlands of Judoea to Nazareth, and there the Holy Child grew and waxed strong in spirit, filled icith u'isdum, and the grace of God was upon Him (Lk. ii. 40). From this time till the commencement of His publij ■• See above, p. 105. ^ He was the son of Herod by his Samaritan wife Mal- tliace (Jos. Ant. xvir. 8. i ; /?. /. i. 28. 4). He was guilty of great cruelty and ojipression. Not long after his accession he put to death in the Temple 3000 of the Jews, letting loose upon them his entire army during the Paschal Festival (Jos. Ant. XVII. 9. 3; B. J. II. I. 5). The Samaritans also suffered teriibly from his cruelties (Z^. /. II. 7. 3). 2 Andrews' Life of our Lord on Earth, p. 91 ; Ellicott, p. 81. Ch. III.] AT NAZARETH. 143 ministry a thick veil conceals from us all details of the Saviom*'s life. The Evangelists pass this period by with a solemn reserve. One event, and one only, emerges from the obscurity that enshrouds it. It was the custom of Joseph, and even of Mary^, to go up year after year to attend the celebration of the great festival of the Passover at Jerusalem (Lk. ii. 41). When He had attained the age of twelve years, a.u.c. 762, the Holy Child accompanied them, having attained to that period of life when Jewish children were re- quired to attend the feasts and began to be instructed iii the Law. At the close of the Festival, and probably on the eighth day, His parents, in company with other pilgrims (Lk. ii. 44), set out on their return to Galilee. On reaching, however, their resting-place on the first evening 2, they found their Son was missing, and, full of trouble and anxiety, returned a day's journey, and sought Him amovgst their kinsfolk and acquaintance, and the travelling companies hastening homewards from the Holy City. But they found Him not. Still another day was spent in searching for Him in the city itself, but with the same result. At length on the third day 3 tliey found Him in the precincts of the Temple, probably in one of the chambers where the Rabbis were ^ The attendance of women at the great feasts was not required by the Law. EUicott, p. 89. 2 ^' As is well known, the first day's journey of a company of eastern travellers is always short. On that day it is not customary to go more than six or eight miles, and the tents are pitched, for the first night's encampment, almost within sight of the place from which the journey commences." Hackett, Script. III. 12, quoted in Andrews, p. 96. ^ This we may compute in two ways ; either (i) the first, that of their departure from Jerusalem ; second, the day of their return ; third, the day when He was found ; or (ii) ex- cluding the day of departure ; first, the day of their return ; second, the day of search in Jerusalem ; third, the day when He was found. Ibid. 144 THE SA VIOURU EARLY LIFE [Bk. II. Pt. I. wont to give instruction during the festivals \ sitting in the midst of learned Masters of Israel, not only listen- ing to their words, but asking them questions. While all present were marvelling at the miderstanding He displayed, His parents drew near, and were amazed to find their Son in the midst of so august an assemblage, and the holy Mother expostulated with Him on the anxiety His absence had caused. To this He repHed in artless but mysterious words, Hoio is it that ye sought Me ? Wist ye not that I must he about My Father's husiness ? proving that even already He was aware of His heavenly origin. Then, while they understood not the saying, which nevertheless His Mother kept and treasured in her heart. He went down with them to the lowly home in despised Galilee. There in meek sub- jection He abode beneath their humble roof, and pro- bably shared^ in His reputed father's earthly labours, growing in icisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man (Lk. ii. 52 ; Mk. vi. 3). While thus in silence and seclusion the Holy One was advancing towards man's estate, great changes were taking place in the fortunes of the Jewish nation, which now demand our attention. After the death of Herod some considerable delay took place before the confirmation of his will by Au- gustus arrived from Rome, and Jerusalem was the scene of tumult and violence. At length that emjjeror was pleased to announce his approval, and Archelaus was appointed to the government of Judaea^, Idumsea, and ^ See above, p. 96 ; comp. Lightfoot Hor. Heb. on Lk. ii. 46. ^ This was the general opinion of the early Fathers ; ia in accordance with the settled custom of the Jews to bring up their sons to some trade ; and is implied in the question of the inhabitants of Nazareth, "/« not this the carpenter I^^ (Mtt. xiii. s,^, Mk. vi. 3). ^ The Roman province of Judcea Qxiended from the plain of Esdraelon southwards to the desert, and in our Lord 4 Cii. III.] AT NAZARETH. 145 Samaria, with the title of ethiiarcli ; Herod Autipas ob- tained Galilee^ and Persea'^; Ilerod Pliiiip, Aiiranitis\ Gaulanitis^, Traclionitis ^, Batansea^ and Itursea''; while time included Samaria, which had now no separate political existence. On Idumcea, see above, p. 32 and note. ^ Galilee, from the Hebrew form Galil or Galilah (comp. Jos. XX. 7; I Kings ix. 11 ; Is. ix. i), denoting "a circle" or "region," and "implying the separation of the district from the more re:i:ularly organized tribes or kingdoms of Samaria and Judaia," extended from the region of Lebanon to the southern border of the plain of Esdraelon. It thus com- prised the district formerly occupied by the tribes of Asher, Naphtali, Zebulun, Issachar, and part of Manasseh, and was divided into two sections : (i) Loicer Galilee, which in- cluded the rich plain of Esdraelon and the whole region from the plain of Akka to the shores of the Lake of Genne- saret. (For the fertility of this region, pee Class- Book of 0. T. History, pp. 219, -zao.) (ii) Upper Galilee, which '^embraced the whole mountain-range lying between the Upper Jordan and Phoenicia," and was also called Galilee of the Gentiles (Matt. iv. 15; I Mace. v. 15), for twenty of its towns were given by Solomon to Hiram king of Tyre (i K. ix. 11), and were then or afterwards colonised by strangers (Is. ix. i), who increased in nmnber during the Captivity and the times of the Maccabees (i Mace. v. 20 — 23), and chiefly consisted of Syrians, Phoenicians, Arabs, and Greeks. It was pro- bably from contact with this large body of foreigners th?.fc the pronunciation of the Jews residing in Galilee becaUiC peculiar (Mtt. xxvi. 73 ; Mk. xiv. 70). ^ A region extending from the Anion to the Hieromax. ^ Auranitis was the Greek form of the old name Hauran (Ezek. xlvii. 16), and was the name of the district in the upper valley of the Hieromax. ^ Gaidanitis derived its name from the ancient Levitical city of refuge (Jos. xx. 8; xxi. 27), Golan, in the territory of Manasseh (Deut. iv. 43), and included the district immedi- ately east of the lake of Gennesaret, and the Upper Jordan. Its principal cities v.-ere Golan, Hippos, Gamala, Bethsaida- Julias (Mark viii. 22) and Seleucia. ^ Trachonitis was the Greek form of the Hebrew Argob = stony. See Class- Booh of 0. T. History, p. 185. ^ Batancea, the Grascized form of the Hebrew Bashan, included, probably, the mountain-district east of Auranitis. '' Iturceu was a littie province Ijing between Gaulanitij A. r. 10 146 THE SA VIOUKS EARLY LIFE [Bk. II. Pt. I. Salome was declared mistress of Jamnia, Azotiis, and Phasaelis, with a palace at Askelon and a revenue of 60 talents^. The emperor promised to Archelaiis the title of king-, if he proved worthy of it. But his govern- ment was marked by such gross cruelty and injustice both towards the Jews and Samaritans that complaints were lodged against him before the emperor. After a reign, therefore, of nine years he was summoned to Rome, and his cause having been formally heard, sen- tenced to be banished to Vienne in Gaul 2, and to forfeit his estates^, a.d. 6. And now in truth the sceptre departed from Judah (Gen. xlix. 10), and the kingdom of David and Solomon, of the famous Asinonean house and of Herod, sank into the form of a Roman province^, and was annexed to the on the south, Trachonitis on the east, Hermon on the west, and the plain of Damascus on the north. It derived its name from Jetur, a son of Ishmael, who colonised it (Gen. XXV. 15, 16). His descendants were conquered by the half- tribe of Manasseh (i Chr. v. 19 — 23) but not annihilated, for, as we have seen, above, p. 61, Aristobolus re-conquered their colony, then called Itursea, and gave them their choice between Judaism or banishment (Jos. Ant. xiir. ir. 3), Remnants, however, still survived, and retiring to the neigh- bouring rocky fastnesses "became known as skilful archers and daring plunderers" (Virgil, Georg. ll. 448; Cic, Phil. ir. 24; VIII. 79; XLiv. T12; v. 18). When Pompeius came into Syria it was ceded to the Romans, and was heavily taxed by M. Antonius ; it then fell into the hands of a chief called Zenodorus, but about .B.C. 20 was bestowed by Augustus on Herod the Great (see above, p. 93), who bequeathed it to his son Philip. Jos. Ant. xvii. 8. i ; Smith's BibJ. Diet, and Diet. Gcofj. ^ Jos. B. J. 11. 6. 3. 2 According to Dion Cassius he was banished by Au- gustus to Vienne in Gaul, in the consulship of Marcus Mvca- lius Lepidus and L. Arruntius, after reigning from A.U.C. 750 to A.U.C. 759, "Wieseler, Chronol. Synop. p. 50. ■' .Tos. B. J. II. 7. 3; Lewin's Fasti Sacri, p. 146. ^ I'rom the time of Augustus (B.C. 27) the provinces Ch. III.] AT NAZARETH. 147 prefecture of Syria. This ofiBce was now conferred on P. Sulpicius Quirinus, but the immediate government of Judsea and Samaria was given to a procurator, Copo- nius^, a man of equestrian rank, who had a body^ of subject to the Koman sway were divided into two classes, (i) Senatorial, and (ii) Imperial. (i) Senatorial provinces were governed by a Proconsul, called in Greek 'Aj'^uTraros (Acts xiii. 7; xviii. 12; xix. 38), wlio was appointed by lot, held his author- ity for a year, carried with him the lictors and fasces, the insignia of a consul, but had no military power, (ii) Imperial provinces were governed by a Proprcetor, in Greek ' AvTiaTpdr-qyo^, or as he was sometimes termed "Legatus," or Tlpea^evrris, the representative or "Commissioner" of the emperor. He was ap- pointed by the emperor himself, held his authority as long as the latter wished, and went from Italy with all the pomp of a military commander. Syria was an imperial province, and therefore was go- verned by a Legatus, or "Commissioner" of the emperor, and Judsea, partly on account of its remoteness from An- tioch, partly from the peculiar character of its inhabitants, was ruled by a special procurator, subject to the governor of Syria, but vested wdthin his own province with the power of a Legatus. Hence we never find the title Proconsul ap- plied to Quirinus, Pilate, Festus, or Felix, but 'Hy^ixwv, a general term = the Latin prceses (Comp. Lk. ii. 2; iii. i; Acts xxiii. -24). The procurator of Judsea (a) had his head- quarters at Csesarea (Acts xxiii. 23) ; (6) was assisted by a coimcil consisting of assessors (Acts xxv, 12) ; (c) was at- tended by six lictors, wore the military dress, and had a cohort as a body-guard (Matt, xxvii. 27) ; (c?) came up to Jerusalem at the time of the great festivals, when, according to Josephus, he resided in the palace of Herod {B. J. ir. 14. 3); (e) had an audience-chamber (Acts xxv. 23), and a judgment-seat (Acts xxv. 6) ; (/) had the powder of life and death (Matt, xxvii. 26), and sent appeals to the emperor (Acts xxv. 12). ^ During his procuratorship occurred the pollution of the temple by the Samaritans, related above, p. 123. Up to this time they had been admitted to the temple, but were now excluded. ^ "Sebaste and Jerusalem being far from Antioch, the 10-2 148 THE SA VIOUR'S EARLY LIFE [Ek. II. Pt. I. troops at his command, and was entrusted in certain cases with the power of Hfc and deaths Quirinus, as we have seen above-, had in all proba- bility been already governor of Syria, and in this capa- city had conducted the preliminary enrolment of names preparatory to a general census. This census he was now entrusted to carry out^, and with it a levying of imposts and rates in money. This was regarded by the Jews as the last and most degrading mark of their subjection to a foreign power. The whole country was in a ferment, and though the energy of the high-priest Joazar"* repressed any actual outbreak at Jerusalem, the popular feeling could not be restrained in the provinces. At the head of the disaffected appeared one Judas of Gamala-^ in Gaulanitis. A man of energy, eloquence, and undaunted courage, he quickly gathered around him a body of adventurers, and aided by a confederate Sadoc, of the Pharisaic faction, unfurled the banner of resistance to foreign dominion, and especially to foreign tribute. For a time the country was at the mercy of the fierce and lawless throng, which flocked to his standard, but the effort was utterly fruitless. Nothing could withstand the terrible Roman legions; Judas himself was slain (Acts v. 37), and his followers were dispersed, but his work lived after him, and the Zealots and Sicarii or Assassins, who drank deeply of his fierce and independent spirit, long kept alive the popular discontent under a foreign sway. mountains difficult and the people turbulent, Quirinus was allowed to treat these new districts of the empire as a sub- province, placing them under a procurator of their own, with a provincial capital at Csesarea on the sea- coast." H. Dixon's Holy Land, 1. 236. 1 Jos. B. J. II. 8. I. ^ See above, p. 135, note. ^ Jos. Ant. XVI. 13. 5. ^ lb. xvn. I. r. * Jos. A nt. xviii. I. i] B. J. II. 8. ], Ch. III.] AT NAZARETH. H9 Having completed the confiscation of the property of Archelaus, Quirinus deposed Joazar from the high- priesthood, and substituted in liis place Annas, the son of Seth^, the ablest friend of Rome. lie then re- turned to Syria, and Coponius having planted a small garrison on Zion and a guard at the Temple-gate, took up his abode at C?esarea on the sea. So long as Augustus filled the imperial throne the procurators in Judcea held their commands for a very limited number of years, and were rapidly changed. Thus Coponius, whose supremacy began in a. d. 6, was succeeded after four years, in a.d. io, by Marcus Ambi- vius^. In three years Marcus Ambivius handed over the reins of power to Annius Rufus, who in the follow- ing year made way for Valerius Gratus. But in A. d. 14 Augustus died, and Tiberius resolved that such rapid changes should be discontinued 3. Gratus, therefore, held his command till a.d. 26. He deposed the high- priest Annas, and set up Ishmael, son of Phabi, but a furious uproar ensuing he deposed Ishmael, and elevat- ed Eleazar, a son of Annas, to the pontificate, permit- ting the latter, under the name of Sagan, or deputy, to discharge the spiritual functions of his ofiice and con- duct the ceremonial rites. But this appointment was of no long duration. Deeming Annas to possess too much influence the procurator deposed Eleazar, and set up Simon, son of Kamith, who held the office for less than a year, and then made way for Joseph Caiaphas, the Sagan's son-in law ^ These rapid changes shew how 1 Jos, Ant. XVII. 2.1, 2 Jos. Ant. XVIII. 2. 2; Lewin's Fasti Sacri, p. 160, i. ^ Seeing that a rapid succession of governors only in- creased the oppressions and exactions of the provinces ; the governor, who anticipated but a short harvest, making the most of his time, and extorting as much as he was able in the shortest possible period. Jos. Ant. xvii. 7. 5; Mmvale, v, 281. * Jos. Ant. XVIII, 2. 2. Some think that Annas was now 150 TUE SAVIOURS EARLY LIFE [Bk. II. Pt. I. entirely the high-priesthood was at this time at the mercy of tlie Roman governors, Valerius Gratus was succeeded in a.d. 26^ by Pontius Pilate^ He brought with him his wife, and a Roman household, established himself at Csesarea, but repaired oftener than any of his predecessors to Jerusalem. Re- solved to keep on good terms with the noble families, and to unite with himself as many as possible who were likely to help him to preserve the public peace, he suf- fered the Jewish priests to manage their own affairs. So Annas remained Sagan, and Caiaphas high-priest. But one of his first acts roused the furious animosity of his new subjects. He resolved to transport the head- quarters of the army from Csesarea to Jerusalem. With the soldiers, followed, as a matter of course, the stand- ards, bearing the image of CiTesar ; but as they were in- troduced in the night-time they did not at first attract attention^. IS'o sooner, however, was the fact observed, than there were no bounds to the rage of the people. They resorted in crowds to his residence at Csesarea, and besought him to remove the obnoxious emblems. For five days they beset his palace, and at length he gave the signal to his troops to put them to death, unless they desisted from troubling him. Thereupon the petitioners flung themselves upon the ground, and declared their willingness to meet death in any shape. Nasi or President of the Sanhedrin, an office not always held by the high-priest. EUicott, 333, n. ^ The gens of the Pontii, with whom he may have been connected either by descent or adoption, is first conspicuous in Roman history in the person of C. Pontius Telesinus, the great Samnite general. Smith's Bihl. Diet. 2 By some (i) deemed to denote "armed with the pihan, or javelin ;" by others (ii) considered an abbreviation of pile- atus, trom pileus, "the cap or badge of manumitted slaves," indicating that he was either a libertus, i. e. "freedman," 01 flescended from one. Smith's Bibl. Diet. 3 Jos. Ant. XVIII. 3. I. Ch. III.] AT NAZARETH. 151 rather than see their city polluted with heathen symbols. Their undaunted bearing had its effect. The procurator deemed it best to concede the point, and the standards were brought back to Ciiesarea. In spite, however, of this warning, he on another occasion had a clear proof of the refractory spirit of the people. Anxious to signalise his reign in Judiea by erecting a noble aqueduct, which was to bring a supply of water to the city from a distance of twenty-five mi!es, and wanting funds, he aj)propriated the Corban\ or the money laid up in the Temple and dedicated to God. This act roused the Jews to madness. They gathered in thou- sands and tens of thousands before his palace-gates, ob- structed the works, and demanded that the sacred trea- sures should be restored". Resolved not to be thwarted, Pilate ordered a company of the legionaries, carrying daggers under their garments, to surround and disperse them. The soldiers carried out his orders with greater cruelty than he had intended, charged the rioters,, chased them into the Temple-courts, slew great num- bers, and wounded many more, so that their blood w^as mingled with the blood of the victims on the altar. Such was the man who now presided over the pro- vince of Juda3a. Under his rule, and that of his pre- decessors, the Roman yoke cut more and more deeply into the heart of the nation. Finding no hope from their own chiefs, who all sided with the Romans, the people prayed with increased earnestness that the Mes- siah, the Deliverer, would come. The Galilseans in the North, the Separatists in the South waxed hotter and hotter in their hatred of their heathen rulers^. Many ^ Comp. Mark vii, ir. 2 Jos. Ant. XVIII, 3. 2. * "With the Roman legions came the Roman fiscal system; harbour-dues, post-dues, town-dues, customs, ex- cise ; in the streets a house-tax, in the markets a fruit-tax, 152 THE SA VI OURS EARLY LIFE. [Bk. II. Ft. I. claiming the title of IMcssiah appeared, and gathered, numbers of excited follo\Yers. But their careers were soon cut short, and they were swept away before the Eoman legions. But before Pilate had been many months in power, all Jerusalem and Judnea was roused by the appearance of a strange Preacher on the banks of the Jordan^ an- nouncing the advent of a very different Messiah from that exj)ected by the nation, and the speedy establish- ment of a kingdom not of earth but of heaven. everywhere a poll-tax. The Jews began to groan under the weii^ht, and sicken under the names of these Roman im- posts...their nationality was gone, they were denied the grain of comfort which an Oriental finds in seeing and kiss- ing the foot that grinds him into dust. For many ycais after Archelaus left Jerusalem, the Jews rarely saw the faces of their lords. Augustus dwelt at Rome, Quirinus at Antioch, Coponius at Ctesarea. Jerusalem was garrisoned by a subaltern, governed by a priest." H. Dixon's Holy Land, i. 238. 1 The 15th year of Tiberius mentioned by St Luke iii. i. either (i) includes the two years during which Tiberius ap- pears to have been associated with Augustus, or (ii) coincides not with the first appearance, but the captivity of John the Baptist, "the epoch, from which, in accordance with ancient tradition, the narrative of the first three Gospels appears to date." Ellicott's Lectures, 104^ n,; Wieseler's Chronol. Syno]^, PART II. FROM THE BEGINNING OF THE MINISTRY OF THE BAPTIST TO THE FIRST PASSOVER. CHAPTER I. THE PREACHING OF JOHN— THE BAPTISM OP CHRIST. A.U.C. 780, A.C. 27. THE strange Preacher was none other than John, the son of Zacharias. Recalling in his garb and appearance one of the Prophets of the Old Testament, he now came forth from his retirement, and straightway com- menced his task of preparing the way for the Messiah. The wilderness of Jndsea (Mtt. iii. i), that is the dry and unpeopled region extending from the gates of Hebron and Jerusalem to the shores of the Dead Sea, was the first scene of his ministration. Thence he moved north- wards towards the Jordan, and at Bethabara, or rather Bethany^ administered the rite of baptism in its rushing waters to all who were willing to receive it. The news of his appearance quickly spread through- out the length and breadth of the land. From Jerusa- lem, the towns of Judsea, and the Jordan valley, multi- ^ Situated either tliirty miles north of Jericho, near Suc- coth,^ the northern ford, or nearly east of that city, the ordi- nary point of passage across the river. Ellicott's Lectures, io6, n. 134 THE PREACHING OF JOHX- [Lk. II. Ft. II. tudes flocked forth to hear him (Mtt. iii. 5 ; Mk. i. 5). The river's banks became like the streets of a crowded city. Pharisees and Saddiicees (Mtt. iii. 7), tax-gather- ers (Lk. iii. 12), and soldiers (Lk. iii. 14), rich and poor, gathered aromid him and listened to his burning words. No temporal Messiah did he proclaim, no king higher than the Caesars, no rising against the Roman yoke. Personal repentance, personal reformation, this was his message. To all alike his language was bold, severe, uncompromising. The chiefs of the great religious par- ties approached him, and were bidden to abjure all trust in mere descent from Abraham (Mtt. iii. 9), to bring forth fruits worthy of the repentance they professed, and to flee from the icrath to come. The multitudes groaning under the Roman dominion drew near, and enquired what they should do in view of the great crisis he proclaimed to be at hand, and were bidden to culti- vate mutual charity (Lk. iii. 11). The tax-gatherers of- fered themselves for baptism, and were told that there was room for them, if they would practise justice (Lk. iii. 12). Rough, and too often brutal, soldiers enquired what they should do, and they too were not rejected, but exhorted to abstain from violence and pillage, and to be content with their wages (Lk. iii. 14). "With a boldness hitherto unparalleled, save in the teaching of the sternest of the prophets of the Old Cove- nant, the son of Zacharias declared the ichole nation to be spiritually unclean. The baptism, which the Jewish teachers required of all who would be admitted as pros- elytes from heathenism^, he demanded of the elect na- tion itself, of high and low, rich and poor, learned and unlearned, if they would be prepared for the coming of the Messiah. The axe, he cried, lay at the root of the trees, and every tree which brought not forth good 1 See above, p. 118, note. Ch. I.] THE BAPTISM OF CHRIST. 155 fruit would he hewn down and cast into the fire (Mtt. iii. lo). Great were the searchings of heart caused by the appearance of this strange Preacher, and the utterances of this Voice crying in the icilderness (Lk. iii. 15). Some thought he was the Messiah, the hope of Israel ; otliers Elias ; others the Prophet of whom Moses had spoken. John rcpUed he was none of these. He was only preparing the way for Another. lie, indeed, bap- tized with water unto repentance, but One was at hand far mightier than himself, the latchet of ichose shoes he was not worthy to hear'^, He shoidd baptize with the Holy Ghost and icith fire. His icinnowing fan teas in His hand, and He would throughly purge His floor, gathering the icheat into His garner, hut hurning up the chaff with unquenchahle fire (Lk. iii. 16—18). The impression thus made upon the people was pro- found. How long the Baptist continued his work of preparation we are not told 2. But at length, even as he declared, the Messiah appeared, and commenced His public ministry. Leaving the home of Ilis childhood in retired Nazareth (Mtt. iii. 13 ; Mk. i. 9), probably about the close of the year a.d, 27, Jesus advanced southward towards the Jordan Valley. Either at the northern ford of Succoth or the more southern one east of Jericho, He found His great Forerunner, and desired to be bap- tized by him. The Baptist, who had hitherto rebuked without distinction the sins of all classes and all grades, was deeply moved by the request. With an instinctive conviction of the immaculate purity of Him, whose ad- ^ "Lightfoot shews that it was the token of a slave having become his master's property, to loose his sljoe, to tie the same, or to carry the necessary articles for him to the bath." Alford on Matt. iii. 11. ^ Probably about six months after his ministry had begun. Ellicott's Zec^wreS; 103, n. 15G THE PREACHING OF JOHN— [Bk. II. Pt. IL vent he had aiinounccd, he sought to prevent^ Him, say- ing, / have need to be haptized of Thee, and comest Thou to me? (Mtt.iii. 14). But his objection was oyerruled. Suffer it to he so noic, replied the Holy One ; for thus ithecomethus to fulfil all righteousness (Mtt. iii. 15). Then at length the Baptist consented, and when all the people had been baptized (Lk. iii. 21), descended with Him into the river, and administered the initiatory rite, affc.T which the Redeemer ascended from the water, and was engaged in solemn prayer (Lk. iii. 21), when the heavens vrerc opened, and in an embodied form, like unto a Dove, the Holy Spirit descended, and abode upon Him. But this was not all, for at the same time there came a Voice from heaven, saying, Thou art My be- loved Son, in tchom 1 am well j^leased (Mtt. iii. 16, 17 ; Lk. iii. 22; Mk. 1. 11). Thus in the presence of His Forerunner, the Divine nature of the Messiah w^as attested, and His work of Redemption inaugurated. He had come to destroy the tcorks of the devil (i Jn. iii. 8), His very first work, therefore, was to enter on a conflict with the great Ene- my of mankind. Full of the Holy Ghost, He was led up by the motions of tliat Spirit (Mtt. iv. i), either into the wilderness of Judsea, or the lonely desert mountains east of the Jordan^, to be tempted by the devil (Mtt. 1 ALeKiiXvef, Mtt. iii. 14, a much stronger •word than the simple eKoiXvev, and denoting earnestness and an active endeavour to prevent him. ^ Ellicott, p, 109. The traditional site is tiie mountain. Quarautania, "a high and precipitous wall of rock 12 or 1500 feet above the plain west of tlie Jordan near Jericho." The side facing the plain is as perpendicular and apparently as high as the rock of Gibraltar, and upon the summit are still visible the ruins of an ancient convent. Midway below are caverns liewn in the perpendicular rock, where hermits formerly retired to fast and pray in imitation of the *' Forty Days." Robinson's Pak^stlnc, i. 567; Thomson's Z. and B. 617; Tristram, pp. ■208, C09. Ch. I.] THE BAPTISM OF CHRIST. lo7 iv. I ; BIk. i. 1 2). For forty days and forty nights Ho remained amidst the thickets and caverns of that dreary region, abounding in fierce and savage beasts (Mk. i. 13), and during all this period He had nothing to eat. At length, when hunger had weakened the energies of the body, the Tempter approached, and suggested that if He was in truth the Son of God, He should com- mand the stones that lay around to become bread. But the Holy One detected at once the subtle insinuation to mistrust His heavenly Father's povv'cr, and in the words of Scripture (Deut. viii. 3) replied. It is u-ritten, Man shall not live hy bread alone, out by every icord that proceedeth out of the mouth of God (Mtt. iv. 4 ; Lk. iv. 4). Foiled in his attempt to induce the Itedeemer by a selfish display of power to satisfy the wants of the body, the Tempter now sought by another avenue to achieve a victory over Him. Taking Him up to an ex- ceeding high mountain, he displayed before His eyes in a moment of time all the kingdoms of the icorld and the glories of them, promising to place all in His power, if He would only fall down and worship him. But this temptation also the Holy One repelled. Failing back a second time on the revealed Word, and the same por- tion of it (Deut. vi. 13), He replied, It is tvritten, Thou shall worship the Lord thy God, and Him only shalt thou serve. But yet again the Evil One renewed his attack. Taking the Redeemer into the Holy City, he placed Him on the lofty pinnacle, the topmost ridge of the South side of the Temple, and bade Him, if He were the Son of God, vindicate His eternal nature, cast Him- self down, and thus display by one dazzling exhibition of power His relation to the Supreme, and confirm His Messianic claims. But he was no more successful than before. The Hedeemer saw through his wile.^, and the sophistry wherewith he sought to support his demand 1.58 THE PRE A CUING OF JOHN, Jsc. [Bx. II. Pt. IL by quoting the language of tlie Psalmist (Ps. xci. ii), He shall give His angels charge concerning Thee, and in their hands they shall hear Thee uj), lest at any time Thou dash Thy foot against a stone. For the third time He had recourse to the written Word, and for the third time referring to the same portion of it (Deut. vi. 1 6), made answer, Thou shall not tempt the Lord thy God. With this last assault the Temptation was ended. Where the first Adam had fallen, the second Adam had triumphed, nor swerved for a moment from the path of strictest obedience to the will of His Father in Heaven. The Devil now left Him /or a season (Lk. iv. 13), or rather till a more convenient occasion for renewing his attempt, and angels came and ministered unto Him, who had already proved Himself "more than conqueror" over the crafts and assaults of the Wicked One. CHAPTEE IL CALL OF THE FIRST DISCIPLES— THE MARRIAGE AT CAN A. A. D. 27. SUSTAINED by the ministries of these blessed spirits the Saviour returned towards the Jordan Valley, and drew near the ford of Bethabara or Bethany (Jn. i. 28). Here again He met the Baptist, who was still prosecut- ing his work, and baptizing the multitudes who flocked around him. Such was the effect j^roduced by his preaching, tliat the rulers at Jerusalem determined to interpose, and the day before a formal deputation had waited upon him to enquire whether he was the ]Mes- siah, or Elias, or the prophet predicted by Moses (Jn. i. 21). Again he declared that he had no pretensions to such a dignity, that he was but the Voice of one crying in the wilderness, and preparing the way of the Messiah, Ch. II.] CALL OF THE FIRST DLSCIPLES. 159 of One infinitely mightier than liimself, the very latchet of whose shoe he was unworthy to unloose. But now, Ufting up his eyes, he beheld Him to whom he had borne such faithful testimony (Jn. i. 29), and addressing Him as the Lamb of God^ who taketh away the sin of the icorld, repeated his solemn and assured conviction of His Divine nature (Jn. i. 30 — 34). Again, the day following, as he was standing in the company of two of His disciples, he beheld the Re- deemer, and in their hearing pointed Him out under the same impressive title. On this occasion his words were not without their effect. The two disciples, one of whom was Andrew, a native of Bethsaida (Jn. i. 41), and the other, in all probability, the Evangelist St John, were 80 powerfully affected by them, that, drawn as it were by 11 powerful magnet, they left the Baptist and foUoiced Jesus (Jn. i. 2)7)- The Eedeemer perceived them following Him, and enquired what they sought? Rahhi, where dwellest Thou? was their reply. He mercifully bade them come and see, and they went and abode with Him for the rest of that day (Jn. i. 39), and resolved to follow Him. Others soon followed their example. Andrew went in quest of his own brother Simon, and declaring that the true Messiah had been found brought him to Jesus, who named him Cephas or Peter, the Rock-man. The day following, the Saviour set out in the direction of Galilee, and finding Philip, a native, like Andrew and Peter, of Bethsaida, bade him join their company. Philip obeyed, and falling in with jS'athanael^ the son of Tolmai, a ^ The identity of Nathanael and Bartholomew appeara highly probable. a. St John twice (i. 45; xxi. 2) mentions Nathanael, never Bartholomew, 6. The other Evangelists (Mtt. x. 3; Mk. iii. 18; Lk. vi. 14) all speak of Bartholomew, never of Nathanael. c. Philip fii^st brought Nathanael to Jesus, and Bartho- IGO CALL OF THE FIRST DISCIPLES. [Bk. II. Pt. II. native of Cana in Galilee (Jn. xxi. 2), announced that He, of whom Moses and the Prophets had written, had been discovered in the person of Jesus of Nazareth, the Son of Joseph. Though a native of Galilee, Nathanael could not at first believe that any good could come out of a town which ci\joyed so low a reputation as Nazareth. But his friend bade him come and judge for himself. He obey- ed, and w^as drawing near the Holy One, when he heard His declaration that he was an Israelite indeed in ichom teas no guile (Jn. i. 48). So little was Nathanael pre- pared for such words of praise, that he could not refrain from enquiring how he had become known to Jesus. Before that Philip called thee, when thou icast under thefg-tree'^jimswGYcd the Holy One. The reply con- vinced the other that One from whom no secrets were hid could be no ordinary Being. Rahbi, said he. Thou art the Son of God, Thou art the King of Israel, and was enrolled in the number of his new Master's fol- lowers. On the third day after His departure towards Gali- lee, the Saviour with His five disciples reached the little village of Cana^, situated no great distance from Naza- lomew is mentioned by each of the first three Evangelists immediately after Philip. d. St Luke couples Philip with Bartholomew precisely in the same way as Simon witii his brother Andrew, and Josea with his brother John. ^ Perhaps for the purpose of pra3'^er and meditation. "The foliage of the fig-tree produces a thick shade, and the Jewish Rabbis were accustomed to rise early and study be- neath it." Wordswoi'th'rf Xotcs. ^ Identified either with (i) Kefr Kenna, a small village about 4^ miles N.E. of Nazareth, which "now contains only the ruins of a church, said to stand over the house in wliich the miracle was performed ;" or (ii) Kana el Jelil, about 5 miles north of Sepphoris, and 9 from Nazareth, near Jota- pata, the name of which is considered by some completely to represent the Hebrew original. Robinson, li. 346 — 349 ; Thomson, Land and Book, p. 425; Stanley, S, and P. 567. ch.ii.j tee marriage at can a. 161 retli. Here a marriage-feast was about to be celebrated, at which the Virgin was present, and the Holy One with His new found followers was invited as well. Their pre- sence appears to have increased beyond expectation the number of the guests, and to have rendered the provi- sion made for their entertainment insufficient. When, therefore, they wanted wine, the mother of the Saviour directed His attention to the fact. Whatever was the precise meaning she herself attached to her words, they drew down upon her a slight rebuke. Woman, was His reply, what have I to do with thee ? Mine hour is not yet come. But as though these words concealed a real granting of her request, she bade the servants execute any command He might give, and the issue jus- tified her expectations (Jn. ii. 2 — 5). In the apartment, where the feast was proceeding, were placed, for the sake of the frequent lustrations of the Jews, six large waterpots of water, containing as much as two or three firkins a-piece. These the Saviour commanded the servants to fill with water. And on their filling them up to the brim, bade them draw out and bear to the master of the feast, i.e. either one of the guests set over the banquet by general consent of the guests, or a chief attendant who ordered the course of the feast, and superintended the ministrations of the inferior servants. He tasted the water now converted into wine, and knowing not whence it was, remarked that men usually set forth good wine at the beginning of the feast, and afterwards that which was worse, but He had kept the good tcine until then (Jn. ii. 10). Unobtrusively, however, as it had been wrought, the reality of this first miracle could not escape the notice of the guests. The glory of the Saviour hitherto hidden was now manifested, and the faith of the disciples in their new-found Master was confirmed. The marriage festivities of the Jews usually lasted six or seven days, N. T. 11 162 THE FIRST PASSOVER, [Bk. II. Pt. II. and at the close of this period with His mother, His brethren, and His five disciples (Jn. ii. 12), the Saviour went down to Capernaum^ on the shore of the lake of Gennesaret. The Passover was now nigh at hand, and Capernaum would afford a convenient point for joining the pilgrim companies going up to Jenisalem^, and there He abode a few days (Jn. ii. 12), engaging, pro- bably, in private intercourse with His disciples, rather than any public ministrations in the city. CHAPTER III. THE FIRST PASSOVER, AND CLEANSING OF THE TEMPLE. A. D. 28. AFTER a stay of not many days at Capernaum ( Jn, ii. - 1 2) the Redeemer and His five disciples turned their steps southward towards Jerusalem, to celebrate the first Passover of His public ministry (Jn. ii. 13). Strange and full of deep significance was the scene which the Holy City presented at this season. The streets were filled with multitudes of Jews and pros- elytes, wlio had come up from all quarters of the world to celebrate the Feast. The hills around were whiten- ^ It is a striking confirmation of our Lord's words (Mtt. xi. 23) that the very site of Capernaum, then a flourishing and populous place, is now one of the most hotly-contested points connected with the geography of Palestine : (i) some would place it at Khan Minyeh, at the N,E. end of the Plain of Gennesaret : (ii) others place the Fountain of Ca- pernaum, mentioned by Josephus {B. J. ill. 10. 8) at Et- Tabiga, a little to the north of Khan Minyeh, and the town itself at Tell Hum, where there are the remains of a place of considerable extent, "consisting chiefly of the fallen walls of dwellings .and other buildings, all of unhewn stone." Robin- son, I. 540; Thomson, L. and B. ^ Lange's Life of Christ, ii. 298. Ch. III.] AND CLEANSING OF THE TEMPLE. 163 ed with countless flocks of lambs i and kids. The gates, especially the Sheep-gate, were choked with moving masses of helpless victims ready to be examined by the priests, and on being pronounced free from blemish, to be selected by each Paschal company for their Paschal meal. In the midst of a moving scene like this He, who had been already pointed out as the Lamb of God, en- tered the city. Repairing to the Temple, He was con- fronted, probably in the Court of the Gentiles, with a scene of desecration, which called forth the first ^ display of holy zeal for the dwelling-place of Him, whom He had already declared to be His Father (Lk. ii. 49). For the convenience of Jews and proselytes residing at a distance from the Holy City, a kind of market had been established in the outer court, and here sacrificial vic- tims, incense, oil, wine, and other things necessary for the service and the sacrifices, were to be obtained. The common money, moreover, circulated in foreign countries not being receivable within the Temple, the money- changers had set up their tables in the same locality, to exchange all common and foreign coins for the sacred shekel, alone current in the Temple precincts. But together with the money-changing other business had gradually crept in, and in place of the order and deco- rum that ought to have reigned there, the noisy huck- stering of merchants and traders disturbed the devo- tions of the worshippers, and converted the Sanctuary of the most High into the likeness of a wrangling mart. Such was the scene that presented itself to the Sa- viour in the courts of His Father's House. As soon as ^ Josephus {B. J. VI. 9. 3) estimates the number of lambs sacrificed at the Passover in the time of Nero at 256,500. 2 This cleansing of the Temple recorded by St John is clearly distinct from the later one mentioned by Mtt. xxi. 1 2, &c.; Mk. xi. 15, &c. ; Lk. xix. 15, &c, 11—2 164; THE FIRST PASSOVER, [Bk. II. Pt. 11. His eye had rested upon it, He i[i\2idiQ a scourge of small cords (Jii. ii. 15), and with this simple weaj^on, singly and alone, drove forth the sheep and oxen. Then over- throwing the tables of the money-changers, He j^oured ont their unholy gains, and with a voice of conscious authority bade even those who sold doves, to take those things thence, nor make His Father's house a house of merchandise. Awed by His words and His calm ma- jesty, the desecrators left the scene of their unholy traffic, while others wondering at an act, which legally could only be performed by one of the Sanhedrin or a prophet, approached Him and requested a sign, the performance of some miracle or prodigy, in attestation of His right to do these things^ (Jn. ii. 18). Thus challenged the Holy One did not withhold a " sign." With that majestic calmness, which ever dis- tinguished Him, but \\dthout a single word of comment or explanation, He said, Destroy this Temple, and in three days I will raise it up. Perplexed and con- founded the Jews replied, Forty and six years was this Temple in building, and wilt Thou raise it up in three days ? But to their enquiry no answer was vouch- safed. They had asked for a " sign," and a " sign" had been given, but in the shape of a "parable," a "dark saying," which they never forgot 2, and which, though not understood by the disciples at the time, was after- ^ "Any Jew might come forward as a zealot against illegal abuses in the national life (Num. xxv. 7), but the greatest zealots generally justified their proceedings as pro- phets and workers of miracles (i K. xviii. 23, 24). By His act the Lord had rebuked the whole nation, and the Sanhedrin itself; they demanded, therefore, a sign to legitunate His proceeding." Lange, ll. 300; Milman, I. 159 n. ^ How widely this mysterious saying, though misunder- stood, was circulated, and how deep was the impression it made, is clear from several subsequent incidents. See Mtt. xxvi. 61 ; Mk. xiv. 58; Mtt. xxvii. 39, 40; Mk. xv. 29. Ch. III.] AND CLEANSING OF THE TEMPLE. 165 wards revealed to them in all its deep meaning (Jn, ii. 21, 22). But another incident was to render this Passover for ever memorable. During His stay at Jerusalem ( Jn. ii. 23) the Saviour wrought signs and wonders, which stirred the hearts of those who witnessed them, and caused many to believe on His Name. But their faith sprang from imperfect motives, and He, who knew what was in man, would not entrust Himself to them, or un- veil the mysteries of His kingdom. Still even thus early there was one to whom He could more nearly reveal Himself. One of the members of the Sauhedrin^ at this time was a Pharisee, named Nicodemus, who had pro])ably heard of the marvellous incident, which had so lately occurred in the Temple-courts, and had witnessed one or more of the mighty works, which the Stranger from Nazareth had wrought. Convinced that He could be no ordinary person, that unassisted by Divine Power He could not perform such signs and wonders, he had re- solved, in spite of his position, in spite of the risk he ran, in spite of the natural prejudice against so obscure a teacher, to go himself and ascertain who and what He was. Under cover of night, therefore, he sought out the Saviour, who not only graciously received him, but un- folded to him the mystery of a birth, not of the icill of inan, nor of the vdill of the flesh, but of water and of the Holy Spirit (Jn. iii. 5 — 8). And when the wondering ruler enquired how could these things he, He went on to hint at a still deeper mystery, and to intimate the true purport of the coming of the Son of Man, the Messiah, whom he and the nation expected. As Moses, that Moses whose writings he studied and expounded, ^ Corap. Jn. iii. i ; vii. 26, 50; Lk. xxiv. 20. 166 IMPRISONMENT OF JOHN— [Bk. II. Pt. III. lified up the serpent in the wilderness'^, even so must the Son of Man he lifted up, that whosoever helieveth in Him should not 2)&'i^ish, hut have everlasting life (Jn. iii. 12 — 1 6). How far the Je^^ish ruler entered into tlie meaning of this mysterious intimation, so entirely opposed to all that was expected by his nation of their Messiah, and how far it served to stimulate him to still deeper enquiries into the Law and the Prophets, we are not told. Certain, however, it is that he was not en- tirely alienated from the new Teacher, and we shall find at a later period that he, who thus came to Jesus by night, lived to plead for Him in open day before the council of the nation (Jn. vii. 50, 51), and to do honour to His crucified body, when all the Apostles had for- saken Him and fled (Jn. xix. 39). PAET III. FROM THE FIRST PASSOVER TO THE ELECTION OF THE APOSTLES. CHAPTER I. IMPRISONMENT OF THE BAPTIST— THE WOMAN OF SAMARIA. A. D. 28. THE private interview with Nicodemus just related appears to have closed the occurrences at this first eventful Passover. When the pilgi-im-companies broke up each for their own homes, the Saviour repaired with His more immediate followers to the north-eastern parts ^ For the circumstances here alluded to see Class-Book of 0. T. History, pp. 182, 183. Ch. X.] THE W0MA:N of SAMARIA. 167 of Judaea near the Jordan. Here He too administered the rite of baptism by the hands of His disciples (Jn. iii, 22 ; iv. 2), and quickly drew around Him so great a number of followers, that the adherents of the Baptist began to find a sensible decrease in the multitude that flocked around their master. Repairing, therefore, to him at -^non^ near Salim^, where he was baptizing, they drew his attention to the fact that He, to whom he had borne witness, was also baptizing, and all men were flocking to Him. But John knew nothing of the mortification of his followers. With a true greatness of soul far exalted above their wounded feelings, he asserted in the most emphatic manner that his position was only secondary with that of the Prophet of Nazareth. He must decrease, but the Other would increase^ for He was the Bridegroom and had the Bride. He himself was but i^Q friend of the Bridegroom, and rejoiced to hear His voice, and was satisfied with that measure of joy (Jn. iii. 29 — 32). This was the last public testimony of the Baptist to the exalted nature of the Saviour's person and work. His own career was rapidly drawing to a close. The place where he was baptizing was close to the domi- nions of Herod- Antipas, the ruler of Galilee and Persea. This monarch had been married by his father to the daughter of Aretas, king of Arabia Petrsea, but becom- ing acquainted at Rome with Herodias, the wife of his ^ ^non means place of fountains, a Greek form of the Chaldee word denoting the same. 2 According to Eusebius and Jerome, Salim existed in their day near the Jordan, eight Roman miles south of Scy- thopolis. In exact accordance with this position the name SaMm has been lately discovered six English miles south of Beisan, and two miles west of the Jordan. Beside it there gushes out a splendid fountain, and rivulets wind about in all directions, so that of few places in Palestine could it be said so truly therQ was much water there. Van de Velde, 11.356. 168 IMPRISONMENT OF JOHN— [Bk, II. Pt. III. half-brother Herod- PhiHp, he made overtures of mar- riage to her, wliich were accepted, on condition that he divorced the daughter of Aretas^. But tlie facts be- coming known to the latter, she fled to her father's court, who forth^^'ith assembled an army to avenge her wrongs, and punish her guilty husband. The contest waxed hot on the frontier of Herod's dominions, and it was, not improbably, on his way to confront his father- in-law, when he first encountered the Baptist. If he had hoped to escape the censure of one, whose influence with all classes was unbounded, he was utterly deceived. The Baptist was no reed shaken hy the icind(Ijk. vii. 24). Boldly, straight-forwardly, he not only rebuked the king for his notorious offences (Lk. iii. 19), but denounced the royal incest, and declared the marriage unlawful (Mtt, xiv. 4 ; Mk. vi. 1 8). Such an outspoken reproof from one, whom all reverenced as a prophet, the monarch could not forgive, and therefore flung the bold preacher into prison, probably in the gloomy castle of Macheerus, which his father had built on the eastern shore of the Dead Sea to overawe the wild Arab tribes^. The imprisonment of His great forerunner was an- nounced to the Saviour at a time when He was also aware that the results of His ministry had roused the jealousy of the Pharisees (Jn. iv. i). Accordingly, He left Jud?ea, and prepared to return by the shortest route through Samaria to the hills of Galilee ( Jn. iv. 3, 4). It was now late in December, four months from the har- vest^ (Jn, iv. 35), when He thus set out with His disci- ples, and reaching the well near Shechem^, which Jacob had built in the parcel of ground he gave to his son ^ Jos. Ant. XVIII. 5. I. ^ Jos. Ant. xviii. 5. 2. ^ See the Calendar in Class-Booh of 0. T. Historij, p. 155. ■* At this time called Sychar by the Jews of the south, in studied contempt, as denoting either falsehood, i.e. idol- worship (Hab. ii. 1 8), or drunkard. Ch. I.] THE WOMAN OF SAMARIA. 169 Joseph, He sat upon it, weary with travel, for it was the sixth hour, the sultry hour of noon ^. As He sat there alone, for His disciples had gone to the neighbouring town to i^urchase provisions, a woman of Samaria approached with her pitcher on her head, and the Saviour requested of her water to quench His thirst. Astounded that such a request should be made to her by a Jew, she enquired how He could thus ad- dress a Samaritan, with whom it was not lawful to have any dealings ^ ? On this, drawing, as was ever His wont, similitudes from present circumstances, He excited her wonder by telling her of living waters at His com- mand springing up unto eoerlasting life (Jn. iv. lo, 14), and increased it by revealing His acquaintance with the secret of her life, for she was living in adultery (Jn. iv. 1 8). Roused by this proof of superhuman knowledge to the fact that she was in the presence of no ordinary Being, she instantly sought to change the subject, and pointing to the slopes of Gerizim^ near at hand, remarked that her fathers worshipped on that mountain, while the Jews affirmed that in Jerusalem was the place where ^ Jacob's well is a spot the identity of which has never been seriously questioned ; Jews and Samaritans, Christians and Mahommedans, unite in attesting it. It is situated "on the end of a low spur or swell, running out from the north- eastern base of Gerizim," the mouth being encumbered by the ruins of a Christian church once built over it. "The width of the bore is about nine feet, the upper portion built in with neatly dressed and squared stones like the masonry of the wells of Beersheba, the lower portion hewn, to all appearance, out of the solid rock." The well is still deep, about seventy-five or eighty feet, though evidently choked with many feet of rubbish, and oftentimes filled with much water. Eobinson, ill. 132; Tristram, 146; Stanley's S. and P. pp. 240, -241, ^ On the feeling of the Samaritans towards the Jews, see above, p. 122. 2 For the building and destruction of the temple there, see above, pp. 3, and 57. 170 THE WOMAN OF SAMARIA. [Bk. II. Pt. III. men ought to worship. Thereupon the Saviour assured her that an hour was at hand, when neither on Gerizitn nor yet at Jerusalem would men worship the Father; the Samaritans worshipped they knew not what ; the Jews worshipped that which they knew, for of them was salvation ; hut a time was coming when the true worshippers icould worship the Father in sjnrit and in truth. The astonished woman replied that this might be, when Messiah came, for He could teach them all things (Jn. iv. 25), and then heard from the Speaker's o^\n lips the first clear and distinct announcement that He was the long-expected Messiah (Jn. iv. 26) ^ At this juncture the disciples returned with the pro- visions they had bought, and marvelled that their Master talked with one of the hateful race, but ventured on no ojDcn expostulation. Meanwhile the woman herself had returned to the town, and bade the inhabitants come and see One, who had told her all that ever she did, and could be no other than the Messiah (Jn. iv. 28, 29). Ac- cordingly the townsfolk came forth to see the Saviour, and requested Him to abide with them, which He did, staying amongst them two days, during which period, the number, which had learned to believe on Him on account of the woman's testimony to His Omniscience, was increased by many others, who, listening to His own gracious words^ were convinced that He was indeed the Saviour of the world^ (Jn. iv. 42). Thus to a woman of Samaria He, whose meat it was to do the will of Him that sent Him and to finish His wot^k (Jn. iv. 34), revealed Himself as the true Messiah, and she became the first herald of the Gospel, the first- fruits of a harvest now sown and to be afterwards reaped by Philip the Deacon (Jn. iv. 38 ; Acts viii. 5 ; &c.). 1 On the Samaritan expectation of the Messiah, see above, pp. I?I, 122. Ch. II.] SECOND VISIT TO CAN A. 171 CHAPTER II. SECOND VISIT TO CAN A AND JERUSALEM. A.D. 29. AFTER this stay in Samaria the Saviour returned to - Galilee. Thither had gone before Him the fame of the miracles He had wrought at Jerusalem, reported by those Galilseans who had returned from the Passover (Jn. iv. 45), and this was now confirmed by a second miracle wrought at Cana. While staying in this little village, He was visited by a nobleman, or officer of state ^, not improbably in the service of Herod-Antipas, who besought him to go down to Capernaum, and heal his son who was lying at the point of death. Though he was clearly unable to con- ceive of any cure, save through the Lord's bodily pre- sence, and was urgent that He should come down to Capernaum, the Holy One sent him away with the assur- ance that his son was alive. Contented with this word, the father returned, and on the morrow was met by his servants, who announced his son's recovery, and in an- swer to his enquiries when the youth had begun to amend, informed him that the day before, at the seventh hour^, the fever not only began to abate, but left or sud- denly forsook him. This the other remembered was the very hour when the Lord had assured him of his son's recovery, and he became a believer with all his family (Jn.iv. 53). ^ Tts ^aaiKiKos (Jn. iv. 46). Some have supposed him to have been Chuza, Herod's steward, whose wife was among the holy women that ministered unto the Lord of their suh- stance (Lk. viii. 3). "This is not wholly improbable," writes Archbishop Trench, "for it would seem as if only some mighty and marvellous work of this kind would have drawn a steward of Herod's with his family into the net of the Gospel," On the Miracles, p. 119. '■^ One hour after noon. 172 SECOND VISIT TO CANA [Bk. II. Pt. III. After a brief stay in Galilee, the season approached for the celebration of the Feast of Purim\ and the Re- deemer went up to Jerusalem (Jn. v, i). At this time there was near the Sheep-gate, through which the vic- tims intended for sacrifice were usually brought into the city, a pool called in the Hebrew language Bethesda'*, or the House of Mercy, which at certain seasons pos- sessed remarkable healing properties, heralded it would seem by a violent commotion or bubbling of the waters. Around the pool, sheltered by five porticoes (Jn. v. 2), there was wont to assemble a multitude of diseased persons, lame, blind, withered, ^caiting for the troiv- hling of the waters (Jn. v. 3). Amongst these was one who for upwards of 38 years had been a helpless paralytic, and had long watched in vain for an opportunity to descend into the healing stream. As often as with slow and painful mo- tion he crawled towards the waters, another was certain to step in before him, and anticipate him in acquiring the welcome cure. Seeing this miserable sufferer, and knowing how long he had been thus afflicted, the Saviour drew near, and enquired whether he wished to be made whole. Deeming, probably, that he was only listening to words of casual sympathy, and little expecting a cm'e, the man contented himself with relating the sad story of his constant disappointments (Jn. v. 7). Great, then, must have been his astonishment, when the Saviour not ^ The true reading in Jn. v. i appears to be eofyr-fj without the article, and the feast spoken of is identified by "Wieseler, Tischendorf, Ellicott and others, with that of Purim ; for the institution of which see Class- Booh of 0. T. History, p. 475. ^ By some identified with a large reservoir called the Birket Israil within the walls of the city and close to St Stephen's Gate, under the N.E. wall of the haram area. Robinson, however, identifies it with the " Fountain of the Virgin," in the Kedron valley, a iittle above the pool of Siloam. Smith's Bibl. Diet. Ch. II.] AND JERUSALEM. 173 only bade him rise and take up the bed or pallet on which he had lain so long, but with the word gave him also the power to obey, so that he was instantly made whole, and taking up his bed bore it away with healthy tread. It was a Sabbath-day on which this marvellous cure was wrought, and the carrying of any burden was re- garded by the Pharisaic interpreters of the Law as a heinous violation of the sanctity of the day. The sight, therefore, of a man whose case must have been well known, thus openly and publicly violating a received rule, could not but excite much attention. Accordingly " the Jews," a term by which St John generally denotes the adherents of the Sanhedrin, summoned him before them, and questioned them closely concerning his con- duct. With artless simplicity, the man replied that he was only acting up to the command of his Healer, but when further questioned who He was, could not say, for Jesus had vanished from the crowd when the cure was wrought (Jn. v. 13). Shortly afterwards, however, he met his Healer in the Temple, and then returning informed the author- ities that Jesus was the author of his cure. On this the Saviour Himself was called to account for His conduct (Jn. V. 16, 17), and proceeded to avow before His asto- nished and indignant auditors His union in dignity and honour with the eternal Father. This avowal, added to the fact that He had shewn dishonour to the Sab- bath, roused the first symjitoms of hostility on the part of the authorities at Jerusalem, and they even sought to kill Him (Jn. v. 18). But, undeterred by their oppo- sition, the Holy One went on to claim plainly and unre- servedly, the character and functions of the Messiah, to reiterate the fact of His Divine Original, and to declare that He was invested with power as the future Judge of mankind (Jn. v. 22 — 30). In support of these claims, 174 MIRACLES AT NAZARETH [Bk. II. Pt. III. He appealed to the testimony which the Baptist had publicly borne to His exalted nature (Jn, v. 33 — 35), to the miracles which He had wrought (Jn. v. 36), to the authority of the sacred writings which testified of Him (Jn. V. 39), and to the great Lawgiver Moses, who, He declared, had written of Him (Jn. v. 46). This incident forms an important epoch in the Gospel history^. The degree of toleration, and even of accefttance, with which the preaching of the Saviour had been received in Judaea, was exchanged for hostility, which, though as yet it led to no attempt to seize His Person, manifested itself with increasing distinctness. Accordingly, He left Judsea, which had shewn itself unwilling to receive Him, and retired to Galilee, and there taught in the synagogues (Lk. iv. 15). CHAPTEH IIL MIRACLES AT NAZARETH AND CAPERNAUM. A. D. 29. A MONGST the places He now visited, the Redeemer -^^ repaired to Nazareth, where He hadheen brought up (Lk. iv. 16), and where many, if not all His kindred were residing. The Sabbath came round, and, as was His wont, He entered the Synagogue, and for the first time stood up to read in His native village. The wor- ship, which began with prayer, was followed by the reading of the Law and the Prophets, and the portion of the latter either appointed for the day, or selected by Hig own Divine wisdom and foreknowledge, was taken from the 6ist chapter of the prophet Isaiah. This por- tion was by universal consent appHed to the Messiah, and 1 Ellicott's Lectures, pp. 141, 142. Ch. III.] AND CAPERNAUM. T75 spoke of Him as anointed to preach the Gospel to the poor, as sent to heal tJie hroken-hearted, to preach deli- verance to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liherty them that were hound (Lk. iv. 1 8, 19). Accordingly the Saviour read the words in the ears of those assembled, and then folding up the scroll, returned it to the chazan or minister, and sat downi^ This last act was a sign that He intended to take upon Himself the office of interpreter, and the eyes of all were fastened upon Him, (Lk. iv. 20). This day. He began to say, is this Scrijyture fulfilled in your ears, and proceeded to pour forth the long-hidden treasures of wisdom and grace. The first effect upon His audience was one of signal approval. They all mar- velled at the gracious words which proceeded out of His lips (Lk. iv. 22). But other and very different feel- ings soon arose in their minds. They began to recall the fact of His lowly origin (Lk. iv. 22), and when the Holy One went on to intimate that no prophet was accepted in his own country, that, as was illustrated, even in Old Testament times, by the cases of the widow of Zare- phath and Naaman the Syrian, the mercies of God were not restricted to the Jews only (Lk. iv. 24 — 28), they were wrought up to such a pitch of fury, that they not only arose and thrust the Speaker out of their syna- gogue, but leading Him to the brow of the hill on which their city teas built^, would have cast Him down headlong, had He not, probably by an exercise of Di- ^ For the service of the Synagogue see above, pp. 1 1 1 — 113. ^ "They arose," it is said of the infuriated inhabitants, "and cast Him out of the city, and brought Him to a broto of the mountain (ews ocppvos rov 6/jovs) on which the city was built, so as to cast Him down the cliff (uiare KaTaKprj/xviffai avrdf). Most readers probably from tliese words imagine a town built on the summit of a mountain, from which sum- mit the intended precipitation was to take place. This is 176 MIRACLES AT NAZARETH [Bk. II. Pt. III. vine power, escaped from their hands, and disappeared (Lk. iv. 30). Thus rejected at Nazareth as He had been at Jeru- salem, the Saviour turned His steps towards the busy neighbourhood of the lake of Gennesaret, and took up His abode at Capernaum^ (Mtt. iv. 1 3 ; Lk. iv. 31), whence He could easily communicate, as well by land as by lake, with many important towns, and in the event of not the situation of Nazareth. Yet its position is still in accordance with the narrative. It is buUt 'upon,' that is, on the side of *a mountain,' but the 'brow' is not beneath but over the town, and such a cliff {KprjfxvSs), as is here im- plied, is to be found, as all modern travellers describe, in the abrupt face of the limestone rock, about thirty or forty feet high, overhanging the Maronite convent at the south-western corner of the town." Stanley's S. and P. p. 367; Robinson, II. 335; Tristram's Land of Israel, p. 121. ^ "The Saviour came down (Lk. iv. 31 ; Jn. iv. 47, 51) from the high country of Galilee, where He had hitherto dwelt, and from henceforth made His permanent home in the deep retreat of the sea of Galilee... It was no retired mountain-lake by whose shore He took up His abode, such as might have attracted the eastern sage or western hermit. It was to the Roman Palestine almost what the manufactur- ing districts are to England. Nowhere, except in the capital itself, could He have found such a sphere for His works and words of mercy; from no other centre could His fame have so gone tliroughout all Syria (Mtt. iv. 24)... Far removed from the capital, mingled with the Gentile races of Lebanon and Arabia, the dwellers by the sea of Galilee were free from most of the strong prejudices which in the south of Palestine raised a bar to His reception. The people in the land of Zahulon and Nephthalini, by the way of the sea, be- yond Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles, had sat in darhiess ; but from that very cause they saw more clearly the great Light when it came : to them which sat in the region and the shadow of death, for that very reason light sprang up the more readily. He came to preach the Gospel to the poor, to the weary and heavy laden; to seeh and to save that which loas lost. Where could He find work so readily as in the cease- less toil and turmoil of these teeming villages and busy waters? The heathen or half -heathen publicans or tax- Tar J^aclfors New Ti-^t'SLttcrv Sanfonls Uem^Eftah' Londim and NewYoi-k: MacrmUaii& Co. Ch. III.] AND CAPERNAUM. Ill any threatened persecution retire into a more secure region^. The recent cure of the son of the officer in Herod's court was not forgotten at Capernaum, and many press- ing upon the Saviour to hear the word of God (Lk. V. i), it became clear that an opportunity was now afforded for an active and systematic ministry among a people sitting in darkness and in the shadow of death (Mtt. iv. 1 6). The first act, therefore, of the Redeemer was permanently to attach to His Person, and invest with the authority of teachers, four of the number after- wards known as the "twelve Apostles." As He walked by the lake. He saw Simon and Andrew employed in fishing, and the sons of Zebedee^, James and John, in a vessel mending their nets (Mk. i. i6, 19; Mtt. iv. 18, 21 ; Lk. V. 2 — 6). They had already known Him for above a year, and now He would formally call them to leave their earthly occupations, and become fshers oftnen^. As the people, therefore, pressed upon Him, He gatherers would be there, sitting by the lake side at the receipt of custom. The women who were sinners would there have come, either from the neighbouring Gentile cities, or corrupted by the license of Gentile manners. The Roman soldiers would there be found quartered with their slaves (Luke vii. 2), to be near the palaces of the Herodian princes, or to repress the turbulence of the Galilaean peasantry. And the hardy boatmen, j&lled with the faithful and grateful spirit by which that peasantry was always distinguished, would supply the energy and docility which He needed for His followers." Stanley's S. and P. 375 — 377; comp. Jos. B. J. III. 3. 2. ^ Milman, i. 177; Andrews, p. 179. 2 The notice of the hired servants (Mark i, cjo), the two vessels employed (Luke v. 7), and the subsequent mention of St John's acquaintance with one in so high a position as the high priest (John xviii. 15), seem to indicate that Zebedee, if not a wealthy man, was at any rate of no mean position in Capernaum. See ElHcott, 169 n. 3 Trench, Miracles, 127, 128. N. T. 12 178 MIRACLES AT NAZARETH [Bk. II. Pt. III. requested Simon to push off his boat a little way from the shore, that He might teach the multitude, and at the close of His discourse, bade him thrust out into the deeper waters, and let down his net for a draught. The ill success that had attended his efforts the pre\4ous night, made Simon at first hesitate, but he had no sooner made the trial, than the net enclosed such a multitude of fishes, that it began to break (Lk. v. 6). On this he and Andrew beckoned to James and John, and their companions in the other boat, who had doubt- less watched all that had occurred, and they immedi- ately came to their help, and filled both the boats so that they began to sink (Lk. v. 7). So deep was the impression made by this unlooked-for success upon the mind of Peter, tlMit yielding as always to the impulse of the moment, he cried, Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, 0 LoirP. But the emblem of their future destinies, and the pledge of future success, having thus been given them, the Saviour bade him and the others leave their ships and hecome fshers of men. And thus Peter and Andrew, James and John, quitting their earthly occupations, henceforth became His regular at- tendants and disciples. The report of this miracle, and of the determination of the four to follow the Prophet of Nazareth, would soon be noised abroad among the populous villages along the lake. It is no wonder, then, that on the fol- lowing Sabbath the words of the Saviour were eagerly listened to in the synagogue of Capernaum (Mk. 1. 22 ; Lk. iv. 32), confirmed as they also were by a remarkable occurrence that now took place. A man was present in the synagogue possessed with an evil spirit, which, in the hearing of all, cried out, What have I to do with ^ Comp. Exod. XX. 18, 19; Judg. xiii. 22; Dan. x. 17; Isai. vi. 5. Ch. III.] AND CAPERNAUM. 179 Thee, Jesus of Nazareth ? art Thou come to destroy us ? I knoio Thee who Thou art, the Holy One of God. Thereupon the Redeemer rebuking him, and bidding him hold his peace, commanded the Evil Spirit to leave the suflferer he was tormenting, and the demon having thrown the man into strong convulsions (Mk. i. 26), and "uttering an inarticulate cry of rage and pain^" left him, amidst the awe and wonder of those assembled. This miracle — the first of the kind — over unclean spirits was speedily noised abroad throughout the whole region of Galilee, and excited a strong enthusiasm in favour of the Prophet of Nazareth. Leaving the synagogue, the Saviour repaired to the abode of Peter, whose wife's mother lay struck with a violent fever ■'^, and taking her by the hand lifted her up. Immediately the malady yielding before that Divine rebuke (Lk. iv. 39), left her, and in place of the exhausted energy and prostration usually following it, she found herself able not only to rise, but even to minister to the Healer and His disciples (Mk. i. 31). When, however, the sun began to set, the efi"ect of the miracle in the synagogue became still more apparent. The whole city seemed to have collected about the abode of the humble fisherman, bringing with them all who were sick, or afflicted with demons, and placed them before his Master. Nor did they come in vain, for laying His hands upon each of them, He, who Hinnself took our infirmities and hare our sicknesses (Is. liii. 4 ; Mtt, viii. 17), restored to them the blessing of health. ^ Trench, 232. 2 Or "great fever," one of the ejfpressions often cited as illustrating St Luke's professional acquaintance with dis- ease. The Greek medical writers recognised a marked dis- tinction between ** great" and *' small " fevers. 12—2 180 CALL OF MATTHEW— [Bk. II. Pt. III. CHAPTER IT. CA LL OF MA TTHEW— HOSTILITY OF THE PHARISEES. A. D. 28. EARLY on the following morning Peter and his com- panions found that their Master had left the city, and retired to a solitary place for the purpose of engag- ing in secret prayer. Having discovered the place of His retreat, they announced that the excitement of the previous evening was not subsided, that all were seeking Him (Mk. i. '}i'])\ and soon their words were confirmed by the coming of a crowd, who besought Him not to leave them. But this could not be. The Divine Pur- pose required that He should proclaim the Glad Tidings of His kingdom in other places also ; and He commenced a tour throughout Galilee, teaching in the synagogues, castmg forth demons, and healing all manner of sickness and disease (Mtt. iv. 23 ; Mk. i. 39). Among other recipients of His gracious bounty, was one afflicted with the awful malady of leprosy, which none ever hoped could be cured. Bearing about liim all the emblems of his sad condition, his clothes rent, his head bare (Comp. Num. vi. 9; Ezek. xxiv. 17), his lip covered (Ezek. xxiv. 17), he drew near the Saviour, and flinging himself on the ground before His feet, be- sought Him, if it was His will, to cleanse him. Though the Law forbade all contact mth one, afflicted with a disease, to which the Jews gave the significant name of the Stroke, the Holy One put forth His hand, and touched Him, saying, / will, he thou clean. Instantly his flesh returned to him as the flesh of a little child, and he was clean, and, at the command of his Healer, repaired to the priests at Jerusalem to present the Oh. IV.] HOSTILITY OF THE PHARISEES. 181 oflFering required of one so cleansed \ and thus in his own person bear witness against them'', and their un- belief. Obedient to this injunction of his Healer, the cleans- ed leper found it more difficult to remombcr His other command, and abstain from saying anything to any one of the way in which he had been healed (Mk. i. 44 ; Lk. V. 14). In the fulness of his exulting thankfulness he could not contain himself, but, wherever he went, began to Maze abroad the matter, so that crowds gathered romid the Saviour, and, miable to enter Capernaum (Mk. i. 45), He was fain to remain in secluded places, where He continued in prayer (Lk. v. 16) and ministered unto such as sought Him (Mk. i. 45). After the subsidence, however, of the first excite- ment, He returned to Capernaum (Mk. ii. i), and either in His own abode (Mk. ii, i), or possibly that of Peter, preached the word to the multitudes, who flocked thither. During His absence there had arrived not only from Galilee, but even from Judsea and Jerusalem (Lk. v. 17), Pharisees and lawyers, who insidiously watched all that He did. As, then, He was proclaiming the doctrines of the kingdom in their presence, an incident occurred, which roused in no small degree the ill-will of these doctors of the law. Four men approached the chamber where the Saviour was, bearing upon a litter a helpless paralytic, and finding an entrance in the usual way impracticable, they bore the man up the outside stair- case, and let him down through the roof into His presence. Perceiving their faith, the Saviour was ready to be- stow upon the object of so much solicitude the boon they craved. But, instead of assuring him of the cure ^ See Class- Booh of Old Testament History, p. 150. " Comp. Mk. vi. 11, for a testimony unto them, with Luke ix. 5, for a testimony against them. 182 CALL OF MATTHEW— [Bk. II. Pt. III. of his malady, He addressed the paralytic with the words Son, thy sins he forgiven thee. This expression, more startling than anything He had yet said, inasmuch as it implied a distinct equality with God in respect to one of His most incommunicable attributes, roused much disputing among the watchful emissaries from Jerusalem. "Was not this a blasphemous utterance, for who could forgive sins, save God only 1 But, unmoved by their dark suspicions, and knowing the secret thoughts of their hearts, the Holy One bade the man rise, take up his bed, and walk, which he straightway did, and so revealed the completeness of his restored powers to the astonishment of all the spectators, who confessed that they had seen strange things that day, and glorified God, who had given such poicer unto men (Lk. v. 26; Mtt. ix. 8). Overpowered by their wonder at this signal miracle, the Pharisees and Scribes did not give further vent to their indignation at this claim to exercise the VivdvX power of forgiving sins. But their national prejudices were soon to receive a still greater shock. As He walk- ed by the side of the lake of Gennesaret, the Saviour beheld sitting at the receipt of custom, probably at the port of Capernaum, a tax-gatherer named Levi or Mat- thew 1, the son of Alphseus. Though he belonged to a ^ The identity of Matthew and Levi seems to follow from (i) The perfect agreement in the narratives of the calling of the one (Matt. ix. 10), and of the other (Mark ii. 15 ; Luke v. 29); (ii) The absence from the lists of the Apostles of any trace of the name Levi, while that of Matthcio occurs in all. It is not improbable that the grateful '' publican" changed his name after and in memory of his call, so that he, who was before called Levi, was now known as Matthew, or Matthias, which is equivalent to Theodore, the "gift of God." See Ellicott's Lectures, 172 n. Ch. IV.] HOSTILITY OF THE PHARISEES. 183 class above all others hated and despised by Jews of all orders, the Lord did not hesitate to mvite him to be- come one of His immediate followers. The tax-gatherer, who may have had some prior acquaintance with the Prophet of Nazareth, straightway gave up his usual calling, and in honour of his new Master made a great feast (Lk. v. 29; Mk ii. 15), to which he invited many of his old associates. When the Scribes and Pharisees beheld Him thus openly associating with a degraded caste, they could not restrain themselves, and openly protested against such an infraction of custom and right behaviour. But they were speedily silenced by His wise reply. If those, amongst whom He sat, were sinners, then to them was it specially meet that He should vouchsafe His presence, for, as the Physician of souls. He had specially come to call not the righteous hut sinners to repentance (Mtt. ix. 13; Mk. ii. 17 ; Lk. v. 31, 32). Nor were they more successful in contrasting His apparent laxity and free- dom with the strictness and austerity of the Baptist. The very garments worn by those around, the very wine they were drinking, suggested similes that conveyed the true answer to their objections^. To seic a piece of new cloth on an old and ragged garment, to 2^oiir new wine into old bottles of skin, was not more foolish than to attempt to unite with the Dispensation He was inaugu- rating the dead formalities of one which was rapidly passing away for ever (Mtt. ix. 14 — 17; Mk. ii. 18 — 22; Lk. V. 33—39)- The day following was a Sabbath, the seoond-first SaWath^, as St Luke calls it (Lk. vi. i), and the Saviour 1 Ellicott's Lectures, p. 173. 2 By some explained as (i) The Sabbath that succeeded the second day of the Passo<^ss by that icay (Mtt. viii. 28). Such was the miserable being, who now in company with his companion, without any garment to cover him (Lk. viii. 27), issued from his lonely abode, and seeing the Saviour afar ofi" (Mk. v. 6) ran and fell down before Him crying out What have I to do icith Thee, Jesus, Thou Son of the most high God? I adjure TJiee by God that Thou torment me not (Mk. v, 7 ; Lk. viii. 28). Resolved in His infinite mercy to rid him of the ter- rible spirit that possessed him, the Great Physician en- quired his name. Thereupon he replied, My nam,e is Legion, for ice are many, comparing the cruel and inexorable powers that mastered him to the "thick and serried ranks of a Roman legion, that fearful instrument the opinion of Dr Thomson that St Matthew, '' writing for those intimately acquainted with the topography of the country in detail, names the obscure and exact locality Ger- gesa, while SS. Mark and Luke, writing for those at a dis- tance, simply name the country Gadara, as a place of im- portance, and acknowledged as the capita! of the district." Directly opposite Gennesaret this traveller visited some ruins called by his guide Kerza or Gersa, which he identifies with the Gergesa of St Matthew, Land and Book, p. 375. 198 TEACHING IN GALILEE. [Bk. II. Pt. IV. of oppression, that sign of terror and fear to the ccn- quered nations \" Sensible that they were in the presence of the Lord of the spirit-world, the demons possessing him besought the Holy One that He would not drive them out of the country (Mk. v. lo), or send them into the Abyss of HelP, the abode of the lost (Lk. viii. 31), but suffer them to enter into a herd of swine (Mk. v. 12 ; Mtt. viii. 31), which numbering nearly 2000 was feeding close at hand (Mk. V. 13). The Saviour gave the required permission, and the whole herd rushing wildly down the cliffy into the lake were choked and destroyed. Such a remarkable incident paralysed the keej^ers of the herd with fear, and straightway flying to the city, they recounted all that had occurred, as also the mar- vellous change, which had come over the terrible demo- niac. Their report brought out wellnigh all the in- habitants (Mtt. viii. 'i)^\), and though in the man, pro- bably a fellow-citizen ^ who sat at the feet of Jesus, clothed, and in his right mind (Mk. v. 15), they saw a proof of the superhuman power of his Deliverer, they yet besought Him to depart from their neighbourhood. Thereupon the Saviour, taking them at their word, ^ Trench, Miracles, p. 170. ^ El's Tr\v &j3v(raov (Lk. viii. 31), translated in the English version ike deep, which leads to a confusion of ideas. The word occurs here and in Rom. x. 7, where also Jlell would be the better translation, and several times in Revelation, as ix. I, 2, II ; xi. 7 ; xvii. 8; xx. i, 3 ; in which places it corresponds to TcLprapos Tartarus, and yievva. Gehenna (2 Pet. ii. 4), Trench, Miracles, p. 171, n. ^ At Kerza or Gersa, "while there is no precipice run- ning sheer to the sea, but a narrow belt of beach, the bluflF behind is so steep, and the shore so narrow, that a herd of swine, rushing frantically down, must certainly have been overwhelmed in the lake before they could recover them- selves," Tristram, p. 462. ^ Trench, Miracles, p. 176. Ch. II.] TEACHING IN GALILEE. 199 turned towards the lake, and was in the act of stejjping into the boat (Mk. v. 1 8), when the healed man prayed that he might be allowed to accompany Him. But this the Holy One did not see fit to concede, and bade the man return to his friends, and recount to them what great things the Lord had done to him. On which the other went his way, proclaiming throughout the re- gion of Decapolis^ the story of his wonderful deliver- ance, himself a witness and a standing monument of the Saviour's grace and power. CHAPTER Til. MIIiAOLES AT CAPERNAUM— DEATH OF TEE BAPTIST. A D. 29, IMMEDIATELY after this miracle the Lord crossed over to the western shore of the lake (Mk. v. 21), where a great multitude was awaiting Him, and amongst them one of the prefects of the synagogue, probably of Capernaum, whose name was Jairus. Falling do\\Ti be- fore His feet, he earnestly besought Him to come to his house, and lay His hands upon his little daughter, who was at the point of death. Thereupon the ever compassionate Redeemer arose and followed him, ac- ^ Dccapolis, "the ten cities" (Mtt. iv. 25 ; Mk. v. 20; vii. 31), all lay, with the exception of Scythopolis, East of the Jordan, and to the E. and S. E. of the sea of Galilee. They were, i. Scythopolis, 2. Hippos, 3. Gadara, 4. Pella, 5. Phil- adelphia, 6. Gerasa, 7. Dion, 8. Canatha, 9. Abila, 10. Ca- pitolias. They were rebuilt, partially colonized, and endowed with peculiar privileges immediately after the conquest of Syria by the Romans, B.C. 65. The limits of the territory of Decapohs were not very clearly defined, and the word was sometimes used to designate a large district extending along both sides of the Jordan : see Smith's Bibl. Diet. 200 MIRACLES AT CAPERNAUM— [Bk. II. Pt. IV. companied by His disciples, and a curious and eager crowd. Amongst the rest, who thus followed and pressed upon Him, was a woman, that had laboured for upwards of twelve years under an issue of blood, which all the efforts of many physicians had proved powerless to ass wage. Believing that, if she oould but touch His clothes, she would be made whole, she now came behind, and touched the hem or blue fringe on the border of His garment. No sooner had she done so, than she felt within herself that the long wished-for cure had at length been accomplished. The fountain of her b'ood was stanched, and she was healed. But she was not to bear away the boon thus totally unobserved. Per- ceiving that power had gone out of Him, and turning round amidst the crowd, the Saviour enquired who had touched Him 1 The Apostles, with Peter at their head, would have put the enquiry aside, but the Saviour re- peated it, and then the Avoman, trembling and alarmed, came and fell down before Him, confessed all that she had done, and w^as gladdened by the cheering words. Daughter, he of good cheer, thy faith hath saved thee, go in peace (Mk. v, 34 ; Lk. viii. 48). Meanwhile, though the delay must have been a sore trial to Jairus, ''now when every moment was precious, when death was shaking the last few sands in the hour- glass of his daughter's life\" he betrayed no signs of impatience at a boon so readily bestowed upon another. But at this juncture his faith was still more put to the proof. Messengers arrived informing him that the worst was over, and that his daughter was already dead, and suggesting that he should no further trouble the Master. Overhearing the announcement (Mk. v. 36), the Holy One bade him not be afraid, but only believe, and hast- ^ Trench, Miracles, p. 181. Ch. III.] DEATH OF THE BAPTIST. 201 ened towards his house. Entering it, accompanied only by Peter, James, and John, and the father and mother of the maiden, He advanced into the chamber of death, where lie found a number of hired mourners weeping and wailing with all the boisterous and turbulent sym- bols of Oriental grief. Putting them forth, while they laughed to scorn Ilis announcement that the damsel was not dead but only asleep, He went forward to the bed, and said, Talitha Cumi, "Maid, arise." Instantly His word was obeyed. The spirit of the maiden came to her again, and she arose straightway, and began to walk, while "at once to strengthen that life which was come back to her, and to prove that she was indeed no ghost, but had retunied to the realities of a mortal ex- istence, He conimandecl to give her meat ^ (Mk. v. 43)." Soon afterwards, accompanied by His discij^les. He left Capernaum, and for the second time appeared on a Sabbath in the synagogue of His own town of Nazareth (Mk. vi. 2 ; Mtt. xiii. 54). The conduct of His hearers on this occasion did not betray the frantic violence they exhibited during His previous visit. The miraculous works wrought by His hands^ of which they must have heard, could not be gainsaid, and the wondrous wisdom with which He spake filled them with astonishment (Mtt. xiii. 54; Mk. vi. 2). But again their minds recur- red to the thought of His lowly origin, to the fact that He was the son of a carpenter, that his family connec- tions were well known to them, and living in their midst (Mk. vi. 3; Mtt. xiii. 55). Stumbling at this rock of oflfence (Mtt. xiii. ^'j) they still refused to beheve in Him, and the Lord Himself marvelling at their unbe- lief (Mk. vi. 6), confined His designs of mercy to laying His hands on a few sick folk (Mk. vi. 5), who felt the influence of that Divine touch and were healed. 1 Trench, Miracles, p. 186. 202 MIRACLES AT CAPERNAUM— [Bk. II. Pt. IV. On the morrow lie and His disciples set out on another circuit amongst the towns and vill'igcs of Ga- lilee (Mtt. ix. 35 — 38; Mk. vi. 6), preaching the glad tidings of the Kingdom, and healing the sick. Great multitudes from that thickly-peopled district followed Him, and deeply moved to see them scattered like sheep without a shepherd (Mtt. ix. 36), He said to His disciples that the harvest truly was plenteous^ while the labourers were few, and calling the Apostles to Him (Mtt. X, I ; Mk. vi. 7 ; Lk. ix. i), formally bestowed on them power over unclean spirits, and the ability to heal diseases, and sent them forth two and two with instructions not to enter into any heathen or Samaritan city (Mtt. X. 5), but to proclaim to the lost sheep of the house of Israel the near approach of the Kingdom of Heaven. Accordingly they went forth and preached in the various towns and villages the message of repent- ance, casting out demons, and healing the sick, and at the conclusion of this trial of their powers, returned to their Master, probably at Capernaum (Mk. vi. 30 ; Lk. ix. 10). Meanwiiile important events occurred in the gloomy prison, where John the Baptist was confined. The anger he had excited in the breast of Herodias by his out- spoken denunciation of her sin, never slumbered or slept. She constantly kept her eye upon him, and would have put him out of the way without scruple, but Herod, though there was little from which he would shrink, dared not lay hands on one so venerated by the people, and whose exhortations he himself was not above listening to and in some respects obeying (Mk. vi. 20). At length an opportunity for gratifying her revenge presented itself, which she instantly embraced. Herod's birthday ^ came round, which, like a true Ilerod, con- ^ Such is the usual explanation of yeuiaia. Wieseler, however, and others, consider it refers to a feast kept in Ch. III.] DEATH OF THE BAPTIST. 203 forming in this as in other things to Roman customs, he kept probably at Macliceriis, with feasting and revelry, surrounded by the petty chiefs and grandees of Galilee, the lords of his court, and the officers of his camp (Mk. vi. 2i). During the feast the youthful Salome, the daugh- ter of Herodias, entered the banqueting hall, and danced before the riotous company. So delighted were the guests, and especially Herod, with the brilliancy of her movements, that in the delirium of his admiration, he promised her anything, everything even to the half of his kingdom, and ratified his word with the royal oath. The maiden departed, and consulted with her mo- ther. Herodias saw that at last her liour was come, that at length the long-desired vengeance was within her grasp. Ko jewelled trinket, uo royal palace, or splendid robe should be the reward of her daughter's feat; ^^l^^', said ^ho, for John Baptisf shead in a charger (Mtt. xiv. 8 ; Mk. vi. 24), i. e. on one of the dishes on w^hich the fruits and viands of the table had been served. Forthwith (Mk. vi. 25), as though not a moment was to be lost, Salome returned, and named her price to the assembled company. Herod's brow instantly fell. Even amidst the deli- rium of that riotous hour he was exceeding sorry (Mk. vi. 26) for the brave preacher, whose words he had so often listened to, and for whom he entertained much reverence. But he had promised, and ratified the pro- mise with an oath. The captains and great lords, who had heard him swear, sat round the festive board, and none in that riotous company would say a word for the friendless prophet. So the word was given, and an offi- cer was bidden to seek out the Baptist's dungeon and honour of his accession to the throne, and so make the date of the Baptist's execution April ir, a.u.c. 782, since Herod the Great died a few days before the Passover, A. U. C. 750. Wieseler's Synopsis, p. 265 ; Andrews, p, 254. 204^ MIRACLES AT CAPERNAUM— [Bk. II. Pt. IV. bring the reward wliich the maiden claimed. He went, and executed his command, and Salome bore the bleed- ing head to her mother (Mk. vi. 28). Before long the news of their master's death became known to the disciples of the Baptist, and having con- signed his headless body to the grave (Mtt. xiv. 1 2 ; Mk. vi. 29), they went and recounted all that had occurred to the Saviour (Mtt. xiv. 12), whom they appear to have found in or near Capernaum (Mtt. xiv. 13; Mk. vi. 30; Lk. ix. 10). On receiving these sad tidings re- specting His Forerunner, the Lord left the place with His Apostles, who had just returned from their tenta- tive mission, and crossing the lake of Gennesaret (Mtt. xiv. 13), sought the neighbourhood of Bethsaida- Julias^ (Lk. ix. 10). Meanwhile the news of the Baptist's death excited much consternation amongst the Jews ^, who all regarded him as a prophet (Mtt. xiv. 5), and Herod's conscience allowed him little rest after the cruel murder. Return- ing to Galilee ^, he received intelligence, probably from those who had witnessed the mission of the Twelve, of the wonderful works of the Prophet of Nazareth (Mtt. xiv. I ; Mk. vi. 14; Lk. ix. 7). Perplexed at theappear- ^ Bethsaida- Julias was at the N. E. extremity of the lake of Gennesaret. It had been a village, but was rebuilt and adorned by Herod Philip, who raised it to the dignity of a town, and called it Julias after the daughter of Augustus (Jos. Ant. xviiL 2. 1 ; B. J. 11. 9. i ; iii. 10. 7). ^ Jos. Ant. XVIII. 5. 2. •^ Greswell, Harm. iii. 428, thinks that during the earlier period of the Saviour's ministry Herod had either been en- gaged in hostilities with Aretas, or had been on a visit to Rome, whither he went about this time, and so had remained ignorant of what had already taken place. The late mission of the Twelve would be very likely to rouse attention, indi- cating, as it apparently did, a purpose to disseminate His doctrine more widely, and to make disciples in larger num- bers, Andrews, p. 256. Ch. 111.] DEATH OF THE BAPTIST. 205 auce of a new Teaclier he enquired who this could be, and received different answers. Some said He was the awful Elias, whose coming had been so often predicted ; others that He was a proyhet^ or as one of the prophets (Mk. vi. 15). But the uneasy and superstitious king could not be satisfied with these replies, and declared Him to be none other than the Baptist risen from the dead (Mk. vi. 16), come back to haunt his footsteps, and reproach him with his crimes. All that he heard awakened in him a desire to see the new Teacher, and destined he was to see Him, but not now (Lk. ix. 9). PART V. FROM THE DEATH OF JOHN THE BAPTIST TO THE VISIT OF THE SAVIOUR TO JERUSALEM AT THE FEAST OF TABERNACLES. CHAPTER L THE FEEDING OF THE FIVE THOUSAND, AND THE WALKING ON THE LAKE. A.D. 29. AT this time the Passover, the second Passover, as - seems most probable, during the Saviour's public ministry, drew nigh (Jn. vi. 4), but on this occasion He does not appear to have gone up to Jerusalem, Avhero the determined hostility of the ruling powers rendered any further activity dangerous, at least for the present. It was^ probably, to commune in retirement with the 206 FEEDING THE FIVE THOUSAND, [Bk. II. Pt. V. Twelve, and to afford them a season of comparative rest after their late labours, that the Lord now sought the neighbourhood of Bethsaida- Julias (Mk. vi. 31). But the numbers moving about the country in consequence of the near approach of the great Festival, who camo on foot from all the towns round about to see and hear Him (Mtt. xiv. 13; Mk. vi. 32; Lk. ix. 11), ren- dered the desired solitude impossible. The sight, more- over, of these multitudes scattered as sheep icithoiit a shepherd (Mk. vi. 34), again roused His deepest com- passion, and He not only taught them many tfiings concerning the Kingdom of God, and healed those amongst them that were afflicted with various diseases (Mtt. xiv. 14), but Avas moved on this occasion to minis- ter still further to their temporal necessities. Accordingly at a somewhat early period, as it would seem, in the afternoon \ He enquired of the Apostle Philip where bread might be bought to satisfy the hun- ger of the multitudes ( Jn. vi. 5). Though He Himself kneio ichat He icoidd do, He put this question to prove the trust of the Apostle. But Philip, thinking of no other supplies save such as natural means could pro- cure, replied that tico hundred px^nce (or rather de- narii) would not be sufficient to procure sustenance for such a number (Jn. vi. 7). Having thus obtained from his own mouth a confession of the inability of all human po\^er to satisfy the present need, the Holy One left " the diificulty and perplexity to work in liis mind and the minds of the Apostles^," and thus prepare them for what He was about to do. As the evening, however, drew on (Mtt. xiv. 15; Lk. ix. 12) the disciples approached Him, and drawing His attention to the desert"* character of the locality, pro- ^ Trench, Miracles, p. 262. ^ Trench, p. 262. 3 "There is now, and probably always was, one character- istic feature of the Eastern side of the Lake — its disert cka- Ch. I.] AND WALKING ON THE LAKE. 207 posed that He should send away the multitudes, in order that they might seek refreshment in the neigh- bouring towns and villages. To this He replied that they need not dejpart (Mtt. xiv. i6), and bade them sup- ply their needs, and when, reiterating the assertion^ of Philip, they declared how impossible it was to do such a thing, Ho sent them to see what supplies they had. Returning they informed Him that from a lad in their company they had been enabled to procure five tarley loaves and ttco small fishes ( Jn. vi. 9), and were there- upon bidden to marshal the multitudes in comj^anies'^ amid the green grass of the rich plain around. This done. He took the loaves and the two fishes and look- ing up to heaven He Messed, and brake, and gave of the food to the Apostles, who in their turn distributed to the different groups, till they did all eat and were filled. "When the wondrous meal v^\".s over, the Holy racter. Partly this arises from its near exposure to the Bedouin tribes, partly from its less abundance of springs and streams. There is no recess in the Eastern hills; no towns along its banks corresponding to those in the Plain of Gennesaret. Thus the wilder regions became a natural refuge from the active life of the Western shores." Stanley's >S^. and P. 379, 1 Compare Trench, Miracles, p. 264. 2 Consisting some of 50, some of 100, and, in the graphic words of St Mark, showing like so many garden 2>lots [irpa- aial irpaaLai), on the green turf. "Our English 'in ranks/ does not reproduce the picture to the eye, giving rather the notion of continuous Hnes. Wiclif 's was better, 'by parties.^ Perhaps '{71 groups' would be as near as we could get to it in Enghsh," Trench, Miracles, p. 265. "In the parts of the plain not cultivated by the hand of man would be found the much green grass (Mk. vi. 39; Jn, vi. 10) still fresh in the spring of the year, before it had faded away in the summer sun — the tall grass which, broken down by the feet of the thousands there gathered together, would make as it were couches (Mk. vi. 39, 40) for them to recline upon." Stanley's ^. and P. 381. 208 FEEDING THE FIVE THOUSAND, [Bk. TI. Pt. V. One, who, as the Lord of nature, ever "makes the most prodigal bounty go hand in hand with the nicest and truest economy," bade the disciples gather np the frag- ments that remained, that nothing might he lost, and though 5000 men hesides women and children (Mtt. xiv. 21} had eaten and been satisfied, yet they took up twelve baskets full of fragments that still remained over and above (Mtt. xiv. 20; Mk. vi. 43; Jn. vi. 13). The imj)ression made upon the people Iby this mi- racle was profound. It was the popular expectation that the Messiah would repeat the miracles of Moses \ and this "bread of wonder," of which they had par- taken, vividly recalled to the minds of the multitude their great Lawgiver, who had given their fathers manna in the wilderness. They were convinced, therefore, that the Holy One was none other than the Prophet, of whom ]\Ioses had spoken (Deut. xviii. 15), and in this conviction would have taken Him hy force and made Him a king (Jn. vi. 14, 15). To defeat this their intention, the Saviour bade His Apostles take ship and cross over to Bethsaida^ (Mk. vi. 45), on the other side of the lake, while He dismissed the multitudes. Having done so. He ascended to a point in the neighbouring mountain-range, and there continued in solitary communion with His Heavenly Father till near the fourth watch^ of the night (Mtt. xiv. 23 — 25 ; Mk. vi. 46). ^ Trench, Miracles, p. 271, and note. ^ The Western Bethsaida, the city of Philip, and An- drew, and Peter, is placed, by Robinson at the modern Et- Tahighah, by Kitter at Khan MinyeJi. Ellicott, 207, note. 3 The proper Jewish reckoning recognised only three such watches, entitled (i) the first or beginning of the watches (Lam. ii. 19), lasting from sunset to 10 P.M.; (ii) the middle watch (Judg. vii. 19), from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m.; (iii) the morn- ing watch (Ex. xiv. 24; I Sam. xi. 11), from 2 A.M. to sun- rise. After the Roman supi-emacy the number of watches Cii. I.J AND WALKING ON THE SEA. 209 Meaii'vvliile the Apostles had rowed about 25 or 30 furlongs 1 (Jn. vi. 19), when one of those sudden storms of wmd to which the lake is subject, rushed down from the western mountains, and lashing the usually placid surface into waves (Mtt. xiv. 24) prevented them mak- ing their way towards Capernaum, and exposed them to imminent peril. At this moment, to add to their fears, they discerned amidst the darkness (Mk. vi. 50) a Figure walking on the water and approaching their vessel. Thinking it could be nothing but a Phantom, they cried out in their terror, when a well-known Voice was heard saying It is /, he not afraid. Thereupon the ardent, impetuous Peter replied, Lord, if it he Thou, hid me come unto Thee on the water. The rejoinder w^as Come ; and so descending from the vessel (Mtt. xiv. 29) amidst the darkness and howling wind the Apostle made some little w^ay towards his Lord. But soon the wind roared (Mtt. xiv. 30 and the waters raged, and his heart failed him, and beginning to sink he cried, Lord, save tne. Thereupon Jesus stretched forth His hand and caught him, and gently rebuking him for his want of faith took him with Him into the ship, which amidst the calm that now stilled the waves, quickly reached the harbour of Capernaum, while the Apostles, amazed heyond measure (Mk. vi. 51), worshipped Him, saying, Truly Thou art the Son of God (Mtt. xiv. 33). was increased to four, sometimes described by their nurnerical order (as Mtt. xiv, 25), sometimes by the terms ^' even,'''' closing at 9 P.M.; ^' liiidnir/ht ;"" '■'■coch-croioing''' at 3 A.M.; *' morning"' at 6 a.m.; See Smith's Bihl. Did. ^ Scarcely, therefore, more than half the way, the lake being 40 or 45 furlongs in breadth. K.T. 14 210 THE DISCOURSE IN TUE [Bk. II. Pt. V. ' CHAPTER II. THE DISCOURSE IN THE SYNAGOGUE OF CAPERNAUM. A.D. 29. THE fact of the Saviour's presence on the westeni side of the lake was soon spread abroad amongst the people (Mk. vi. 54), and, as so often before, they brought their sick, who experienced the effects of the healing word (Mtt. xiv. 36). Meanwhile many of the five thousand, who on the previous evening had witnessed the marvellous multiplication of the loaves, not finding the Lord on the eastern side of the lake, had taken ship^ and crossed over to Capernaum seeking Him (Jn. vi. 24). Knowing that lie had not embarked with His disciples after the miracle, they wondered how He had crossed over, and finding Him in the Synagogue of Ca- pernaum (Jn. vi. 59) eagerly questioned Him on the subject. But, as in the case of Nicodemus, the Holy One was not pleased to vouchsafe a direct answer to their ques- tion. He knew the superficial character of their en- thusiasm, and the merely temporal objects that had brought them to Him ; Verily, verily, I say unto you, He replied, ye seek Me, not because ye saio the mira- des, but because ye did eat of the loaves and icere filled. Labour not for the nuat ichich j^erisheth, but for the ^ " The contrary wind, which, blowing up the lake from the south-west would prevent the boat of the Apostles from I'eturning to Capernaum, would also bring other boats (Jn. vi. 16 — 24) from Tiberias, the chief city on the south, to Julias, the chief city on the north, and so enable the multitudes, when the storm had subsided, to cross at once, without the long journey on foot which they had made the day before." Stanley's S. and P., p. 382. Ch. II. ] -S' Y.YA GOG UE OF CA PERJSA UM. 211 meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of Man shall give unto you, for Him hath God the Father sealed. Apparently understanding the Bread He spoke of in a literal sense, they replied by asking hoio they might work the works of God, whereupon the Holy One declared that the work acceptable to God was to believe on Him whom He had sent (Jn. vi. 29). To this they rejoined, with their usual craving for miracle after miracle, by asking for some sign to confirm their belief in Him, and then proceeded to suggest " a sign from heaven" such as they desired. The miracle of the preceding evening had convinced many of them that the Speaker was indeed the Prophet that should come into the world, and whose Advent had been pre- dicted by Moses. That Lawgiver had given them bread from heaven not once only, but during a space of forty years ; could He give them such a sign from heaven ? In condescension to the associations they had them- selves recalled, the Saviour replied that Moses had not given them the bread from heaven, but His Father was giving them the true Bread, even Him who cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world (Jn. vi. 33). Still understanding Him to speak of some miraculous life-sustaining food, the Jews begged that He would evermore give them that Bread, whereupon, passing from indirect to direct assertions, He replied in the ever-memorable words, / am the Bread of Life ; and in language majestic in its very simplicity proceeded to vindicate His Divine nature and His descent from heaven. This last assertion gave great offence to His hearers ; they called to mind the earthly parentage of the Speaker (Jn. vi. 42), and marvelled how lie could claim a Divine origin. But, unmoved, unruffled by their increasing discontent, whether " they would hear or whether they 14—2 212 TEE DISCOURSE IN THE [Bk. II. Pt. V. ■would forbear," He went on to repeat that He was the Bread from heaven, tliat the Bread He would give was Illsjlesh, which He was about to give for the life of the icorld ( Jn. vi. 47—5 1). These mysterious words provoked still greater oppo- sition on the part of the Jews ; they strove tcith one another, saying, Hoic can this man give us His flesh to eat ? But their opposition and questionings moved not His calm majesty. With the same formula of solemnity, which He had already thrice used^ (Jn. vi. 53), He re- sumed in language still more emphatic His assertion, tliat unless they ate the flesh of the Son of Man, and drank His blood, they could have no life in them — that His Flesh icas meat indeed, and His Blood drink in- deed— tJtat whoso ate His Flesh and drank His Blood had eternal life, and He would raise him up at the last day (Jn. vi. 53—58). These solemn words, so entirely in keeping with the associations of the Passover, now on the point of being' celebrated at Jerusalem, exerted a great influence on those who heard them. The Jews, as we have seen, were deeply offended. But many even of His disciples regarded what they had heard as a hard saying (Jn. vi. 60), and walked no more with Him (Jn. vi. 66). Turn- ing to the Twelve, the Sa\iour enquired whether they too were about to join the general defection, where- upon Peter replied, in the name of the rest, that there was no other Teacher to whom they could go, for He had the words of eternal life, and they believed and ^ Verily, rcrihj, I say unto you, Jn. \i. 26; vi. 3?; vi. 47; vi. 53- , ^ If it was not actually being celebrated. Many hold that the day on which this momentous discourse was deli- vered in the synagogue of Capernaum was the 1 5th of Nisan, tlie second day of the Paschal Feast. See Wieseler, p. ?8i ; Tischendorf, Synop. Evanrj. xxxiv. ; EUicott's Hulsean Lec- tures, p. ■210 and note. Ch. II.] SYNAGOGUE OF CAPERNAUM. 213 were assured that lie was the Holy One'^ of God (Jn. vi. 69). This declaration of faithful adherence their Omnipotent Master accepted, but with the sad remark that even now there was a traitor in their midst (Jn. vi. 70, 70. After this memorable day in the synagogue of Ca- pernaum, the Holy One appears to have continued a short time in the Plain of Gennesaret, during which period the excitement caused by His first landing was not diminished, His popularity was great in spite of the mysteriousness of His doctrines, and His mighty power continued to be marvellously displayed ^. But soon His labours of love were inteiTupted, Having kept the Feast at Jerusalem the Scribes and Pharisees returned (Mk. vii. i), and soon found matter for accusation against Him. In the social gatherings of the Saviour and His Apostles they noticed that He did not observe the strict and minute traditions of the elders, but ate bread with unwashen hands (Mtt. xv. 2 ; Mk. vii. 5). In reply the Holy One told them that by those commandments of men which they so studiously observed they were making of none effect the command- ments of God, whom, in the words of the prophet Isaiah, they honoured only with their lips, while their hearts were far from Him (Isai. xxix. 1 3\ The external de- filement they were so careful to avoid was. He declared in the hearing of the people (Mk. vii. 14), nothing com- pared with the defilement of the heart, out of which proceeded all manner of evil thoughts, which ripened into the worst crimes — these truly defiled a man (Mtt. XV. 13 — 22). ^ '0 d'yios Tov Qeov ( Jn. vi. 69) : such appears to be the preferable reading. See Scrivener's Greek Testament. ^ It is not necessary to regard the statements in Mk. vi. 54» 55 3.3 descriptive of an activity confined to that one day. Andrews, p. 269. 214 THE DISCOURSE IX THE [Bk. II. Pt. V. The severity with which He thus, in the presence of the people, rebuked the rulers of the nation for a hypo- critical observance of vain traditions, roused to a still greater height the animosity of the Pharisaic faction (Mtt. XV. 12). Knowing that He could not now shew Himself openly without being exposed to their machin- ations \ the Lord passed north-west through the moun- tains of upper Galilee, and thence into the border- land of Tyre and Sidon (Mtt. xv. 21; Mk. vii. 24). Here He entered into a house, and would have no man know it (Mk. vii. 24). But the rest and seclusion He sought were not to be found. A Syrophoenician^ woman crossed the frontier (Mk. vii. 25), and earnestly besought His aid in behalf of her daughter, who was grievously afflicted with a demon. At first it seemed as though she had come in vain. But in spite of silence (Mtt. xv. 23\ i-efusal (Mtt. xv. 24), and seeming rejiroach (Mtt. xv. 26), she persevered in her petition, and at length, Avhen the trial of her faith was ended, she obtained that which she had sought so earnestly, and with the encouraging as- surance that though a descendant of ancient idolaters, her faith was great (Mtt. xv. 28), and that her daughter was made whole, returned to the place whence she came forth. After a short stay iu this region, the Saviour pro- ^ Lange on Mtt. xv. 21. 2 A icoman of Canaan according to St Matthew (xv. 12), a Greek or Syrophcenician according to St Mark (vii. 26), The first term describes her religion, that it was not Jewish, but heathen ; the second, the stock of which she came, " which was even that accursed stock once doomed of God to a total excision, but of which some branches had been spared by those first generations of Israel that should have extirpated them root and branch. (See Class-Booh of Old Testament History, pp. 225 — 227.) Everything, therefore, was against this woman, yet she was not hindered by that every thing from drawing nigh, and craving the boon tliat her soul longed after," Trench, Parables, p. 339. Ch. II.] SYNAGOGUE OF CAPERNAUM. 215 ceeded nortliwards, still nearer, as it would seem, to pagan Sidon \ and thence passing round the sources of the Jordan and in a south-easterly circuit through De- capolis (Mk. vii. 31), to the further shore of the sea of Gennesaret. In this region His merciful aid was be- sought in behalf of a deaf and dumb ^ man (Mk. vii. 32}, Arhoni He withdrew from the throng of bystanders (Mk, vii, 33), and after using special outward signs ^ gra- dually restored to the full possession of his faculties, charging the multitudes to preserve a strict silence re- specting the miracle (Mk. vii. 36). This injunction, how- ever, v/as not obeyed, for the spectators spread abroad the news far and wide (Mk. vii. 36), and the effect was that many who were lame, hlincl, dumb, -maimed (Mtt. XV. 30), were brought to Him, and experienced the beneficent results of the healing word. CHAPTER III. THE FOUR THOUSAND FED— THE CONFESSION OF ST PETER. A. D. 20. THE effect of these miraculous cures on the inhabit- ants of the half-pagan district of Decapolis was ^ If not through Sidon, according to a reading, 5ta 2t- Swj/os, in Mk. vii. 31, found in several MSS,, in several an- cient Versions, and adopted by Tischendorf, Alford, Tre- gelles and others, and "which certainly appears to deserve the preference thus almost unanimously given to it." EJli- cott, 218, n. What part of the Decapolis the Lord visited is not mentioned. ^ Not, indeed, absolutely dumb, but unable to utter in- telligible sounds, having, as our Version renders the word, an impediment in his speech; Greek ixoyiX6.\os = ^pa^vyKua- aos. ^ He put His fingers into His ears, and spat, and touched His tongue, and looking up to heaven He sighed, and saith unto him, Ephphatha, that is, Be opened (Mk. vii. 34). 21 G THE FOUR TUOUSAND FED— [Bk. II. Pt. V. very great, and they confessed that the God who had chosen Israel was indeed above all gods^ (Mtt. xv. 31). Before long, therefore, a great multitude, amounting to upwards of four thousand besides wOmcn and children (Mtt. XV. 38), were collected from the neighbouring region, and continued "with the Lord three days (Mtt. XV. 32), beholding His works and listening to His words. They had not, like the multitude earlier in the year, assembled for the purpose of going up to Jerusalem to keep the Passover, and their scanty provisions failing them, could only retire to their mountain-homes through the passes by which they had followed the Lord^. The compassionate Redeemer had no wish that they should return only to faint hy the way (Mk. viii. 3), and enquired of the disciples how many loaves they had with them. To this they xa'^xQ^^i^Seven^and a few small fishes (Mtt. XV. 34), and were thereupon commanded to make the men sit down^, when their scanty supply in the hands of Him, who was the true Bread from heaven, proved sufficient for the hungry multitude: they did eat and were filled, and took up of the hroken meat that was left seven baskets^ fall (Mtt xv. 37). Having dismissed tlie recipients of His bounty, the Lord immediately entered with His disciples into a ^ Trench, Miracles, p. 353. ^ Lange on Mtt. xv. 32. ^ Where is not very disiinctly specified. All vre can cer- tainly gather is that it was on the Eastern side of the lake, and in a desert spot (Mtt. xv. 33), possibly about the middle or southern end of the Lake. ^ The baskets on this occasion are called (nrvplSe^ (comp. Acts ix. ^s), on the occasion of the feeding of the Five Tliou- sand, KocpLvos (Mtt. xiv. 20 and the parallels). When allud- ing to the two miracles subsequently (Matt. xvi. 9, 10 ; Mk. viii. 19, ^o), the Saviour preserves the distinction. For tha word k64>ivo$, compare Juvenal, ill. 13, Judieis, quorum cophinus foeuumque supellex. Ch. III.] TUB CONFESSION OF ST PETER. 217 ship', and crossed over, according- to St Mattliew, into the coasts of Magdala"- (xv. 39), according to St Mark, into the parts of Dalmanutha^ (viii. 10), a village clos-3 by. Here, however, His stay was of no long duration, for certain Pharisees, now for the first time combined with the Saddncees, approached (Mtt. xvi. i) with a demand that He would shew them a sign from heacen. This request, already twice preferred^, and now urged in explicit terms, He, who knew the hearts of those who claimed it, would not gratify. Sighing deejyly in His spirit (Mk. viii. 12), and grieved at their continued mi- belief. He denounced them as hypocrites, who could discern the face of the sky, but not disceym the signs of the times (Mtt. xvi. 3), and refusing to give them any other sign than that of the prophet Jonah (Mtt. xvi. 4), straightway entered the vessel, in which He had come (Mk. viii. 13), and made for the other side. Warning His disciples during the voyage against the ^ Possibly the ship kept .«?pecially for His own use. ^ Now unanuuously identified with a miserable collection of hovels (Stanley's S. and P., p. 382) known as el-Mejdel, on the western side of the lake, and at the S. E, corner of the Plain of Gennesaret. Its name "is hardly altered from the ancient Magdala or Migdol, so called, probably, from an ancient watch-tower that guarded the entrance of the plain." Stanley, I. c. ; compare Tristram, p. 425 ; Thomson, L. and B. '^ "Just before reaching Mejdel we crossed a little open valley, the Ain-el-Baridah, with a few rich corn-fields and gardens straggling aixiong the ruins of a village, and some large and more ancient foundations by several copious foun- tain.s, and probably identified with the Dalmanutha of the New Testament." Tristram, I. c. "We conjecture that the Lord touched the shore somewhtre between these two vil- lages." Lange on Mtt. xv. 39. * Comp. Jn. ii. 18, above, p. 164 ; Jn. vi. 30, above, p. 2 11. A sio-n from heaven denoted either (i) some visible manifesta- tion of the Shechinah, or (ii) some change in the sun or moon, some meteor, or thunder and lightning. Comp. Lange on Mtt. xvi. I. 218 THE FOUR THOUSAND Z'^i)— [Bk. II. Pt. V. leaven of the Pharisees and the Sadducees (Mtt. xvi. ^ — 12; Mk. viii. 14 — 21), he reached the eastern shore of the lake and the neighbourhood of Bethsaida-Julias (Mk. viii. 22). Here a blind man was brought to Him, with a petition that He would touch him. Taking him, like the deaf and dumb man spoken of above, outside the village, the Lord anointed his eyes with the mois- ture from His own mouth, and laying His hands upon him enquired whether he saw aught 1 To this the suf- ferer looking up replied that he saio men, as trees, walking (Mk. viii. 24). Thereupon the Redeemer laid His hands again upon his eyes, and his sight was com- pletely restored. From Bethsaida, accompanied by His Apostles, He now set out in a northerly direction, and travelling along the eastern banks of the Jordan and beyond the waters of Merom, reached the confines or the villages (Mk, viii. 27) of C^esarea Philippi ^ In this neighbour- hood, on one occasion, the Apostles found their Master ^ A town, not Canaanite but Poman, "in its situation, in its exuberance of water, its olive -groves, and its view over the distant plain, almost a Syrian Tivoli," Stanley's S. and P., p. 398. (i) Its ancient name was Panixim or Pancas (Jos. Ant. XV. 10. 3, and see above, p. 13), so called from a cavern near the town, "abrupt, prodigiously deep, and full of still water," adopted by the Greeks of the Macedonian kingdom of Antioch as "the nearest likeness that SyTia affords of the beautiful limestone grottos which in their own country were inseparably associated with the worship of the sylvan Pan," and dedicated to that deity. Hence its modern appellation, JSanias. (ii) The town retained its old name under Herod the Great, who built here a splendid temple, of the whitest marble, which be dedicated to Augustus Caesar (see above, 0. 94). But Herod Philip made great additions to the town (Jos. Ant. xviir. 2. 1 ; B. J. ii. 9. i), and called it Caesarea Philippi, partly after his own name, and partly after that of the En)peror. Agrippa II. afterwards called it Neronias (Jos. Ant. XX. 9. 4), and here Titus exhibited gladiatorial shows at the close of the Jewish war (Jos. B. J. vii. 2. i). Ch. III.] THE CONFESSION OF ST PETER. 2ld engaged in solitary prayer (Lk. ix. i8), a solemn and significant action, the precursor of not a few important events ^, as now of a deeply momentous revelation. For as they resumed their journey, He addressed to them the formal enquiry, Whom do men say that I am ? This was not an ordinary question. He was speak- ing to those who had now for some time been His con- stant companions, hearers of His words, and spectators of the signs which accompanied them. He seems to have wished to ascertain from their own lips the results of those labours, which now, in one sense, were drawing to a close, and thence to pass on to other and more painful truths, which He had to communicate to them^. To this enquiry, then, the Apostles replied in words that reflected the various opinions then held amongst the people ; Some say John the Baytist^ others Elias, others Jeremias, or one of the j^'i'^ojjhets (Mtt. xvi. 14 ; Mk. viii. 28 ; Lk. ix. 19). But, continued the Holy One, whom say ye that I am? To this the Apostle Peter, speaking in the name of the rest, made the ever-memo- rable reply, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God (Mtt. xvi. 16). The object for which the question had been put was now partly achieved. By the mouth of one of their number the Apostles had expressed the conclusion, to which they had come after so long enjoying the society of their Master, that He was no other than the Messiah, the Son of God. This their testimony He accepted ; acknowledged the truth of the Apostle's confession; declared that it had not been revealed to him hy fiesh and hlood, hut hy His Father i?i heaven; and bestowed ^ i. The Baptism (Lk. iii. 21); ii. The Election of the Twelve (Lk. vi. 12, 13); iii. The Discourse in the Synagogue of Capernaum (Mtt. xiv. -23) ; iv. Now the Transfiguration (Lk. ix. 28) ; v. The Agony (Lk. xxii. 44). ^ Stier, II. 329 ; Lange's Life of Christ, iii. 229. 220 THE FOUR THOUSAND FED, etc [Bk. II. Pt. V. upon him the promise of peculiar dignity in the Church He was about to estabhsh (Mtt. xvi, 18, 19). But now, having, as three Evangehsts distinctly tell us (Mtt. xvi. 20; Mk. viii. 30; Lk. ix. 21), charged them strictly not to divulge the fact of His Messiahship to the world at large, He began to reveal to them strange and mournful tidings respecting Himself. The Son of Man, He declared, must go up to Jerusalem, and there suffer many things from the elders, chief priests, and scribes, and he put to death, and after three days rise again. This was the first announcement, clear, distinct, per- emptory of what lay before Him (Mk. viii. 32), revealing not only that He should suffer, but the agents in His sufferings, the form they would take, the place where He would undergo them, and their issue, a mysterious re- surrection after three days. To the Apostles the an- nouncement sounded utterly strange and inconceivable. The selfsame Peter, who, a moment before, had \r\t- nessed so noble and outspoken a confession to his Lord's Divinity, was utterly unable even to endure the thought of His suffering. That he far from Thee, Lord, was his indignant reply. But with a solemn rebuke the Holy One checked his untimely expostulations, which sa- voured of the weakness of flesh and blood, not of holy obedience to a heavenly Father's will. Nay more, as if to seal the words He had uttered in the presence of many witnesses. He called to Him some of the people that were standing near (Mk. viii. 34), and in their hearing, as well as that of the Apostles, bade any who would come after Him, take up his Cross and follow Him, for through the gate of suffering lay the road to Glory, not only for Himself, but for all His followers (Mtt. xvi. 24; Mk. viii. 34; Lk. ix. 23). Ch. IV.] THE TRANSFIGURATION, (Lc. 221 CHAPTER IV. TEB TRANSFIGURATION- THE LUNATIC CHILD. A. D. 29. AFTER the announcement ^ve have just considered, J^ the teaching of the Lord as addressed to His dis- ciples assumed a new character. The mysterious close of His life had been already ^ more than once hinted at in figures or parables, but now He began gradually, as they were able to bear it, to speak clearly and openly of His death and rejection by the Jews. So far from establishing any earthly kingdom such as they expected, in which they might occupy distinguished places, He proceeded from this time to intimate in precise and distinct language how very different was the end that really awaited Him, To the Apostles, who indulged to the close in dreams of a reign like that of earthly kings, these intimations of their Master sounded strange and unaccountable. To cheer, therefore, their wounded spirits, to enable them in some measure to comprehend the supernatural cha- racter of His kingdom, the Holy One was pleased to assure them that there were some standing there, who ^ Already by His very name the deepest purport of His mission had been declared to be the delivery of His people from their sin (Mtt. i. ^i) ; already the aged Symeon had fore- seen heart-piercing anguish in store for His mother (Lk. ii. 35) ; already the Baptist had twice pointed Him out as the Lanib of God destined to take aivay the sin of the %vorld ( Jn. i. 29) ; already at the first Passover He had spoken to the Jews of a Temple to he destroyed and, rebuilt in three days (Jn. ii. 19) ; and to Nicodemus of a lifting up of the Son of Man even as Moses had lifted up the serpent in the wilderness (Jn. ill. 12 — 16); already at the second Passover He had declared that He was about to give His flesh for the life of the ivorld, that His fiesh was meat indeed, and His blood drink indeed (Jn. vi. 47—51). 222 THE TRANSFIGURATION— [Bk. II. Pt. V. should not taste of death till they had seen, in spite of the sad announcement He had just made, the Son of Man coming in His kingdom (Mtt. xvi. 28 ; comp. Mk. ix. I ; Lk. ix. 27). Accordingly six days afterwards, \ni\\ three of the most privileged of their number, who had already in the chamber of Jairus witnessed their Master's power over deatli\ He retired to one of the numerous moun- tain-ranges in the neighbourhood, not improbably one of the summits of Hermon^. From St Luke's intimation that one object of His own withdrawal was that He might engage in solitary prayer (Lk. ix. 28), and that the three Apostles were wearied and oppressed by sleep (Lk. ix. 32), Ave infer that evening was the time of this retirement of the Holy One, the close, it may be, of a long day spent in going about doing good. While, then, they slept and He continued engaged in prayer, a marvellous change came over His person (Lk. ix. 29). His raiment suddenly became shining, exceeding white as snoic, the fashion also of His countenance was altered, and shone like the sun (Mtt. xvii. 2; Mk. ix. 3; Lk. ix. 29). Roused at length by the supernatural brightness around them, the Chosen Three awoke ^, and shaking off their slumbers, perceived not only the mysterious change that had come over their Master, but also that He was no longer alone! He was accompanied by two men, in whom they were enabled to recognize no others than the great pillars and representatives of the Old Testament ^ See above, p. 201. 2 Stanley, *S'. ayid P., 399 ; Lightfoot on Mk. ix. 2. ^ It is clear that the occurrence was no waking virion or "dream." Peter and they that were with him had ban xccighed by sleep (■^aav ^e^apyjyjuoi virvup), but they thorouffhly roused themselves {dtaypTjyop-naavTes 5e), and saw His glory and the two men standing with Him, Lk. ix. 32. See Alfoid in loc. Ch. IV.] THE LUNATIO CHILD. 223 dispensation, Moses and Elias. Nor did they only see their transfigured Lord attended by these strange visit- ants from the world of spirits, but they were privileged to overhear the subject of their mutual converse. They spake of, or described^, the decease He was about to accomplish at Jerusalem (hk.ix. 2^)- Upon the ardent, impulsive Peter it was the scene itself, and not the topic of mysterious converse he ovcv heard, that made the most impression. To him it seemed as though the kingdom of heaven was indeed "revealed in power." In the excitement of the moment he would have made three tabernacles, one for his Lord, one for Moses, and one for Elias, in order that from thence the laws of the kingdom might be promulgated, and all men might recognise the true Messiah attended by the Pillars of the old Economy. But it was not to be. While he was yet speaking there came a cloud overshadowing them, and out of it there came a Voice, saying, This is My Beloved Son, hear ye Hiyn. And then all was over. While the Apostles lay panic-stricken on their faces, their Master once more joined them, and bade them rise and not he afraid, and, as they descended from the Mount, He charged them to reveal to no man what they had seen, till (again the mysterious words recurred) He shoidd have risen from the dead (Mtt. xvii. 9 ; Mk. ix. 9). Rejoining the rest of their fellow- Apostles, the Chosen Three found them surrounded by a great crowd, amongst which were certain of the Lord's old adversaries, the Scribes, not unwilling witnesses of a defeat which His 1 "WKeyov rrjV ^^odou avrov, Lk. ix. 31, "An unusual construction of Xeyeiv,'^ it has been remarked, "though it occurs again in Rom. iv. 6, and in the earliest ecclesiastical writers, in the sense of recounting, relating the details of, de- scribing." Westcott's Introd. to the Study of the Gospels, p. 298, n. For thq word "E^oSos here used compare Wisdom vii. 6] 2 Pet. i. 5, 224 THE TRANSFIGURATION— [Bk. II. Pt. V. disciples had sustained. During tlie!r Master's absence a man had besought their aid in behalf of his son, who was possessed with an evil spirit of peculiar malignity. But he had besought their aid in vain. The Nine had been unable to expel the demon, and the Scribes, making the most of their discomfiture, were eagerly disputing with them (Mk. ix. 14), and doubtless "arguing from the impotence of the servants to the impotence of the Mas- ter'," when He suddenly appeared, bearing, it would seem, on His face and person traces of the celestial glory of the past night. Greatly amazed (Mk. ix. 15) at His appearance, the multitude no sooner saw Him, than they ran to Him and saluted Him (Mk. ix. 15), and as He was asking of the Scribes the reason of their disjjute with His disciples, the father drcAv near, related w^hat had occurred, and the terrible condition of his only son (Lk. ix. 38). Possessed he had been for a long time with a dumb spirit (Mk. ix. 17), but at times it seized him with such violence, that he foamed and gnashed with his teeth (Mk. ix. 18), or was driven ^vith almost in-esistible impulse into the water and into the fire (Mtt. xvii. 15). With a sad rebuke of the faithlessness of the genera- tion in which He lived, the Lord commanded the boy to be brouglit into His presence. He was brought, but no sooner did he see the Saviour (Mk. ix. 20), than he was seized with one of those sudden paroxysms, w^hich the father had described, and falling on the ground, he wallowed foaming at the mouth (Mk. ix. 20). On be- holding the miserable sufferer, the Lord enquired of his lather how long he had been in this case. To this the other rei^lied that it dated from his childhood (Mk. ix. 21), and described the terrible nature of the fits which came upon him, cndmg with a touching request, that if ^ Trench, Miracles, p. 361. Ch. IV.] THE LUNATIC CHILI). 225 He could do anything, He would have compassion on him, and help him. All things are possible, said the Holy One, to him that helieveth. Lord, I believe, re- plied the agonized father, help Thou mine unbelief (Mk. ix. 23, 24), and his faith, though but a little spark, was rewarded. Addressing the demon in words of so- lemn and conscious authority the Holy One commanded him to leave the child and enter him, 7io more (Mk. ix. 25), and the foul spirit, unable to resist the word of power, uttering a piercing cry and rending the suflferer with one last convulsive paroxysm (Mk. ix. 26), left him lying on the ground, to all appearance dead. But his merciful Healer took him by the hand, and, invigorated by that touch, he rose up, and was restored to his re- joicing father (Lk. ix. 42). CHAPTER V. THE COIN IN THE FISH'S MOUTH— TOUR THROUGH SAMARIA. A.D. 29. AFTER the incidents just related, the Redeemer -^^ appears to have again turned His steps southward through the northern parts of Galilee and in the dh-ec- tion of Capernaum (Mtt. xvii. 22; Mk. ix. 30). This journey He wished should be as private as possible (Mk. ix. 30), undisturbed by the presence of the large crowds that usually gathered about Him. For now that He had so plainly and unreservedly spoken to His Apostles of His approaching death and resurrection, He desired that these His words should sink deep into their ears (Lk. ix. 44), and that they should be more fully instructed respecting their reality and certainty. Once more, therefore, He began to tell them of His coming rejec- tion by the rulers of the nation, of His death, and resur- 2^.T. 15 226 COIN IN THE FISH'S MOUTH— [Bk. II. Pt. V. rection. But His words took no root in the minds of His hearers. His "thoughts were not their thoughts," nor His "ways tlieir ways;" they could not understand that whereof He spake, or how One, whom they believed to be the Messiah, could be called upon to suffer, and were afraid to ask Him personally what He meant (Mk. ix. 32; Lk. ix. 45). On their arrival at Capernaum, the collection of the lialf-shekeP due from every male Israelite, who had attained the age of 20 years, for the service of the sanctuary at Jerusalem, was going on. Approaching the Apostle Peter, the collectors enquired whether his Mas- ter did not pay this sum (Mtt. xvii. 24), to which he replied in the affirmative. Shortly afterwards on reach- ing the house where they were about to lodge (Mtt. xvii. 25), the Lord, aware of the incident, enquired of the Apostle whether earthly monarchs levied custom and tribute''' of their ovn\ children or of strangers. Of stranr/- erSy was the instant reply. Then, said the Holy One, alluding to His own relation to His heavenly Father, are the children free, and He as the Son of God was exempt from a payment which went to the support of His Father's house. Lest, however, it should be said that He and His Apostles despised the Temple, and so men should be offended. Ho bade him go down to the lake, cast in a hook, and take the first fish that came up, assuring him that, when he had opened its mouth, he ^ The Dklrachna (Matt. xvii. -24) was exactly the sum inentioned in Ex. xxx. 11 — 16, due for the current expenses of the tabernacle, and afterwards of the Temple. The shekels, half-shekels, and quarter-shekels, which the Jews were per- mitted in the time of the Maccabees to coin (see above, pp. 55, 56), becoming scarce, and not being coined any more, "it be- came the custom to estimate the Temple-dues as two drachmas (the didpax/Jiov here required)," Trench, Miracles, p. 373. ^ 1^771/(705 = the capitation -tax; tA??= customs or tolls on goods, Trench, Miracles, p. 380. Ch. v.] tour through SAMARIA. 227 Tv'ould find sufficient^ to pay both for the Apostle and his Master (Mtt. xvii. 27). In spite of His repeated intimations respecting His own coming sufferings, the thoughts of the Apostles were still running on the high places they believed in store for them in their Master's kingdom, and the late selection of three of their number to behold the glory of His trans- figuration, added to the prominence of Simon in the mi- raculous payment of the tribute-money, excited their jealousy and carnal aspirations. While their Master wap contemplating the cross, their imaginations were appor- tioning crowns, and the question which was the greatest amongst them excited much discussion (Mk. iv. 33 ; Lk. ix. 46, 47). Knowing their thoughts He replied to their question respecting the disputed point (Mtt. xviii. i) by a touching symbolical action. Taking a little child in His arms (Mk. ix. 36) He placed him in their midst, and solemnly (Mk. ix. 2,S) declared that unless they laid aside all their thoughts of dignity and place and power, and became like little children (Mtt. xviii. 3), they could not hope to enter into His Kingdom at all ; for in that King- dom he was greatest who could humble himself like the little child before them, and v/hoso received even one such little child in His Name, received Him. These last words reminded the Apostle John of a fault which he now confessed. On one occasion he and the rest of the Apostles had seen a man trying to cast out demons by pronouncing over the possessed the name of Jesus (Comp. Acts xix. 13), and they had forbidden him, on the ground that he was not one of their Master's avowed followers (Mk. ix. 38 ; Lk. ix 49). On being in- formed of this, the Holy One gently rebuked the spirit ^ The coin he was told he would find in the fish's mouth was a Stater {(TTaTrjp, Matt. xvii. 2 7) = a whole shekel, which amounted to about 3 shillings and 3 pence, or just the sura required, 15—2 228 COIN IN THE FllSirS MOUTH- [Bk. II. Pt. V. which liad prompted the Apostle thus to act. No man, He declared, who could work a miracle in His name, could lightly speak evil of Him ; he that was not against them was for them; and even a cup of cold water given to a disciple in His name should not lose its reward (Mk. ix. 41 ). Havmg thus urged upon them the duty of child- like humility, He proceeded to enforce that of avoiding oflFences (Mtt xviii. 10), and of cultivating a spirit of love towards their Lord's little ones. Then by the Parable of the Lost Sheep He taught them the joy that pervaded heaven at the repentance of a single sinner (Mtt. xviii. 10, &c.; Lk. XV. 3 — 7), and by that of the Debtor who owed ten thousand talents (Mtt. xviii. 23 — 3 5), how they were bound to forgive every one his brother their tres- passes. "While the Apostles were being thus gradually train- ed for the reception of other ideas than those of earthly glory, in respect to the establishment of their Master's Kingdom, the season for the celebration of the feast of Tabernacles drew near (Jn. vii. 2), The harvest being over, and the grapes trodden in the winepress, numerous caravans of Jewish pilgrims would be gathering to- gether to go up to the Holy City and keep the Feast. At this juncture, then, the Lord's brethren^ (Jn. vii. 3) who, though they did not believe in His Divinity (Jn. vii. 5), were yet not above cherishing feelings of pride and exultation at the mighty works which He wrought^ bade Him leave Galilee, and display proofs of His wonder-working power, no longer in obscure northern towns, but in the streets of Jerusalem itself (Jn. \^ii. 3 — 6). ^ From Mtt. xiii. 56 we learn that their names were James, Joses, Judas, and Simon. By some they are regarded as the actual brethren of our Lord; by others as his first cousins, being the sons of Alphaeus or Clopas and Mary the sister of the Virgin. 2 Ellicott; 246 n. Ch. v.] TOUR THROUGH SAMARIA. ^31 Though He intended to keep the feast, the Redeel.^ ^^ could not go up to it for such a manifestation of Himseli^ to the world as they desired (Jn. vii. 4). His Hour, the Hour for a very different exaltation, was not yet como (Jn. vii. 6), nor for the present could He take part in festal solemnities. They accordingly went their way to Jerusalem, and on their departure, amidst no open, avowed procession of a mere wonder-worker, but pri- vately and unobtrusively as became a lowly Redeemer (Jn. vii. 10), accompanied by His Apostles, He set His face to go up to the Holy City (Lk, ix. 51). Instead of taking the longer and more frequented route through Persea, for the sake, probably, of greater seclusion, the Saviour chose that through Samaria (Lk. ix. 52), and sent messengers before Him to prepare for His coming. Entering a certain village of the Samari- tans, the Apostles sought to do as He had bidden them. But the churlish inhabitants, perceiving the reason why He was passing through their land, usually so studiously avoided, refused to receive Him^ (Lk. ix. 53). Indignant at this rebuff, the impetuous " Sons of Thunder," James and John, would have had their Master act in the spirit of Elijah^, and call down fire from heaven on the inhos- pitable and churlish villagers. But the Holy One re- buked their intemperate zeal, and the forgetfulness they evinced of the true spirit that became them as His fol- lowers, and sought shelter in another village (Lk. ix. 56}. ^ Ellicott, 249. 2 See Class- BooTc of Old Testament History, p. 403. 228 CO/' PART yi. FEAST OF TABERNACLES TO THE HAL ENTRY INTO JERUSALEM. CHAPTER I. THE FEAST OF TABERNACLES—HOSTILITY OF THE SANHEDRIN, A.D. 29. MEANWHILE the excitement at Jerusalem respect- ing the Saviour was very great. The Festivals of Passover and Pentecost had alike passed away, and Ho liad not assumed publicly the title or functions of the Mes- siah. The question whether He would present Himself at the Feast of Tabernacles was eagerly discussed (Jn. vii. 1 1 ), and many were the opinions advanced con- cerning Him; some affirming Him to be a good man; others, a deceiver of the people ; Avhiie fear of the ruling powers in tlw) city prevented any open declaration in His favour (Jn. vii. 1 2). When, however, the Feast had reached its midst, He suddenly appeared in the Temple, and began to teach openly in its crowded courts. Such a step at a time when the Sanhedrin had pronounced Him guilty of a capital offence \ when they were even seeking to kill Him (Jn. vii. 25), excited the greatest astonishment. That One, who had been brought up at the feet of none of the recognised and celebrated. teachers (Jn. vii. 15), should venture thus openly to instruct the people, should claim for His doctrines a mysterious and exalted origin (Jn. vii, 16, 17), should justify His violation of the Sab- ^ Comp. Jn. V. 16 — 18, and see above, p. 173. Ch. I.] FEAST OF TABERNACLES. 231 bath by His works of mercy (Jn. vii. 21),— this, added to the hesitation and inactivity of the riiHng powers \ caused much perplexity. While, therefore, some could not recognise His claims to be regarded as the Messiah with His well-known GalilcTean origin, and the uncertainty which was popularly ascribed to the quarter whence the Messiah was to come (Jn. vii. 27), many could not resist the impression His wondrous works made upon their minds, and refused to believe that the long-expected Deliverer would perform any greater miracles than those they now witnessed (Jn. vii. 31). These murmurs of the multitude at length reached the ears of the Sanhedrin, and they resolved to take steps for securing His person (Jn. vii. 32). For this purpose they sent their ofiicers to seize Him on the first favourable opportunity. But their hostility, though now clearly avowed, did not stay the Lord from conti- nuing His teaching ; He knew He was to be but a little while longer with the multitude, who listened to Him gladly, before He returned to Him that had sent Him, and now for the first time publicly, though darkly, hinted at His speedy removal (Jn. vii. 33 — 36), and on the last, the great day of the Feast (Jn. vii. 37), takmg up His parable from the water brought in a golden vessel from the Pool of Siloam and poured before the Brazen Altar^, preached with peculiar appropriateness on the living waters of the Spirit, which should flow forth when Ha was glorified (Jn. vii. 39). This boldness, added to the solemnity of His words, exerted a still greater influence on the multitudes. Some declared He must be the Pro])het (Jn. vii. 40) ; others that He was the Messiah (Jn. vii. 41); others would have thought so too had He not risen out of Ga- ^ Milman, I. 244. 2 See CUiss-Book of 0. T. History, p. 154, and note. 232 FEAST OF TABERNACLES— [Bk. II. Pt. VI. lilee instead of Bethlehem of Judsea, as Prophecy had indicated (Jn. vii. 42; Mic. v. 2), while a fourth, but clearly a smaller party, ^Yished to apprehend Him, but dared not from fear of the people. Accordingly the Sanhedrin met a second time, and the officers they had deputed to effect His apprehension appeared before them (Jn. vii. 45), and in reply to the enquiry why they had not brought Him, declared it was impossible^wS'. and P., p. 429), yet if one special flower was more likely than another to catch the eye of the Lord as He spoke, no one familiar \ni\x the flora of Palestine in spring-time can hesitate in assigning the place to the anemone," Tristram's Land of Israel, p. 433. ^ See above, p. 151. ^ See above, p. 148. ^ This outrage very probably was, if not the cause, at least one of tlie causes of the quarrel between Herod and Pilate, alluded to in Lk. xxiii. 12. '^ Trench On the Parables, p. 343. ® Compare the same argument as addressed to the patri- arch Job, Class-Book of 0. T. Hidory, p. 24. N. T. 16 242 MISSION OF THE SE VENTY— [Bk. II. Pt. VI. on their part (Lk. xiii. i, 2). But such hasty and cruel judgments the Lord instantly rebuked, and declared that the terrible ends of these sufferers no more marked them out as sin?iers above all other of their fellow- countrymen than certain eighteen persons on whom a tower of Siloam^ had recently fallen and crushed them beneath its ruins (Lk. xiii. 4). In such swift calamities they were not to trace the evidence of a pre-eminence of guilt on the part of the sufferers^, but a call to re- member their own uncertain tenure of life, and to re- pentance ^ while as yet the day of grace lasted, which solemn considerations He still further enforced by the appropriate parable of the Bat^reji Fig-Tree (Lk. xiii. 6-9). On a subsequent occasion the Lord entered a syna- gogue on the Sabbath-day (Lk. xiii. 10), where there was a woman inwardly afflicted in her spirit* (Lk. xiii. 16), and outwardly ^vith a permanent and unnatural contraction of her body (Lk. xiii. 11). Without waiting till His aid was sought, He forthwith called her to Him, and laying His hands upon her, said, Woman, thou art loosed from thy infirmity, whereupon the affliction of eighteen long years (Lk. xiii. 11) instantly left her, she ^ Probably close to the fountain of Siloam : see above, p. 235. ^ Trench On the Parables, p. 346. ^ Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. "As the tower of Siloam fell and crushed 18 of the dwellers at Jeru- salem, exactly so multitudes of its inhabitants were crushed beneath the ruins of their temple and their city ; and during the last siege and assault of that city, there were numbers also who were pierced through by the Roman darts, or more miserably yet by those of their own frantic factions (Jos. B. J.y. 1. 3), in the courts of the temple, in the very act of preparing their sacrifices, so that literally their blood, like that of these Galilreans, was mingled with their sacrifices, one blood with another." Trench On the Parables, p. 346. * Trench On the Parables, p. 323. Ch. III.] DISCOURSES AND MIRACLES. 243 teas made straight, and glorified God. Such a cure, \vhich excited the wonder of all present, was more than the ruler of the synagogue could bear, and he openly expressed his indignation at this violation of the Sab- bath, remarking that there were six days in the week when such servile working as healing might be done, and bidding those who needed help come then, and not degrade the sanctity of the Sabbath-day (Lk. xiii. 14). Such hypocritical strictness on the part of one who sat in Moses' seat and was regarded as a teacher of the Law, moved the Saviour's righteous indignation. In words, the force of which was irresistible (Lk. xiii. 17), He justified that He had done by the "very relaxations of the Sabbath strictness V' which the ruler of the syna- gogue himself allowed. Would he not loose his ox or his ass from the stall and lead him aicay to icater on the Sabbath-day, and should he be blamed for merely speaking a word and releasing a daughter of Abraham from a bond with which Satan had enthralled her for so many years ? The question admitted of no reply ; even His adversaries were ashamed, while the multitude re- joiced for all the glorious things that had been done by Him (Lk. xiii. 17). CHAPTER IV. THE FEAST OF DEDICATION-TOUR IN PERuEA. A.D. 29. BY the time the incident recorded in the last Chapter took place, the season of winter had returned (Jn. X. 22), and the snow lay upon the mountains^ With the return of winter came also the celebration of the Feast ^ Trench On the Paralles, p. 3-26. ^ See the Calendar in Clas8-Book of 0. T. History, p. 155. 16—2 244j the feast of DEDICA TION— [Bk. II. Pt. VI. of Dedication \ on the 25th of the month Chisleu, which lasted eight days. On this occasion the Lord once more visited Jerusalem, and presented Himself in the Temple, and probably on account of the wintry state of the wea- ther sought shelter in "Solomon's Porch ^/' where Ho was speedily encircled by the Jews (Jn. x. 24), who began with eager impetuosity to enquire how long He intended to keep them in suspense, and to ask that if He was the Messiah He would tell them so plainly and distinctly (Jn. X. 24). The question appears to have been put neither in a hostile nor unfriendly tone, and indicates a wish on the part of the ruling powers to discover whether He might not be induced to set Himself forth as the Messiah they expected, and, like a second Judas Maccabseus, whoso exploits they were commemorating, deliver them from the hated yoke of the foreigner^. In reply, however, to their question, the Holy Ono contented Himself Tsith pointing to the wonderful works He had already wrought in their midst. This testimony they had refused to receive, for neither in their aims nor desires were they of His sheep (Jn, x. 26), His sheep heard His voice, and He knew them, and He would give them eternal life, nor should any ever snatch them out of His hand (Jn. x. 27, 28) ; for the Eternal Father in heaven had given them to Him, and He and the Father were one (Jn. x. 29). This solemn and mysterious language, this claim to 1 For its institution, see above, p. 36, and Class-Bodk of 0. T. History, p. 154. ^ See above, p. 96. "This cloister had its name from the circumstance that, according to the Jewish tradition, it was a relic of Solomon's temple, left standing when the Baby- lonians destroyed the rest of the sacred edifice." Lange's Life of Christ, iii. 432, n. E. T. 3 Lange's Life of Christ, iii. 432, E, T. Ch. IV.] TOUR IN PER^EA. 245 essential unity with the eternal Father, again''^ provoked the anger of His hearers. Their earthly and carnal hopes centered on some great earthly conqueror. The words of the Holy One sounded in their ears like blasphemy, and taking up some of the stones lying around for the repairs^ of the Temple which were almost always going on, they were on the point of stoning Him as He stood. But He calmed their fury by enquiring for which of His many works, that proved by their moral goodness no less than the power they displayed, His union with the Father, they wished to stone Him. In reply the Jews declared that it was His blasphemous words which made them act as they now did, for though a man, He claimed a union with God (Jn. x. 32, 33). This charge the Holy One repelled by reference to their own sacred books ^ Was not the title of God sometimes applied there to the judges and rulers of the nation (Ps. Ixxxii. 6)'*, and was it with less justice applicable to One, whoso wondrous works proved His intercommunion with the Father and His Divine mission to the world 1 (Jn. x. 34 — 38). This reply only excited a fresh burst of fury, and though the Jews gave up their design of stoning Him, they tried to apprehend Him and bring Him before their courts (Jn. x. 29). But His ''hour" was not yet come, and retiring from the capital, He crossed the Jordan, and sought the fords of Bethabara or Bethany, where His forerunner at Jirst ^ See above, p. 235, ^ For illustrations of this, see Joseplius, Ant. xx. 9. 7 ; XVII. 10. 2 ; XVII. 9. 3. ^ The Laio here alluded to is used in its widest accepta- tion for the whole Old Testament, as in Jn. xii. 34 ; xv. 25. * This Psalm is directed against the tyranny and injustice of judges in Israel, and the argument is, if in any sense they could be called gods (as in Ex. xxi. 6 ; xxii. 9, 28), how much more He, "the only One, sealed and hallowed by the Father, and the Son of God," Alford on Jn. x. 36, 216 THE FEAST OF DEDICATION— [Bk. II. Pt. VI. baptized (Jn. x. 40). In this region, where that eminent servant of God had closed his course^ it was proved that " tlioiigh dead he yet spake." Many remembered his burning words and faithful testimony to the Messiah, whom the Jews at Jerusalem had rejected, and acknow- ledging the truth of His words, gathered round the Saviour (Jn. x. 41), and avowed their behef in Him. Still even here He had to encounter hostile oppo- sition. His indefatigable enemies, the Pharisees, pene- trated His seclusion and represented that Herod Antipas, within whose dominions He now was, sought oppor- tunity to kill Him (Lk. xiii. 31). But He saw through their cunning and hypocrisy, no less than the fox-like (Lk. xiii. 32) craft of the Tetrarch, by whom they had been probably suborned^ He, doubtless, would bo glad to get out of his territory^ One, whose fame caused him so much pei*plcxity, and they would be no less anxious to drive Him from a quarter, where He was comparatively safe, to the hostile neighbourhood of Jerusalem*. But though it w^as impossible that a pro- phet could perish elsewhere than in a capital, which had slain so many who had been sent to it^, yet there was still time for the performance of works of mercy (Lk. xiii. 32, 33), for the healing of the sick, and the expul- sion of demons, before He went up to Jerusalem, whose children He would so often have gathered together as a hen gather eth her chickens under her wing^, hut they ' ^ See above, p. 153. 2 Lange's Life of Christ, III. 374, E.T.'; Alford on Lk. xiii. 3 1 ; Bengal in loc. 3 Ellicott, 263, and note. * Milman's History of Christianity, i. 162. * " Every murder of a prophet, perpetrated by the Jews, proceeded either mediately or immediately from the rulers of the people, whose residence was at Jerusalem," Oosterze on Jjk. xiii. 3T. ^ It seems not unreasonable to suppose that these words Ch. IV.] TOUR IN PERjEA. 247 would not, and ichose house was now left unto them desolate (Lk. xiii. 34, 35). Of the works of mercy here mentioned, apparently but one is actually recorded by the Evangelist. At the house of one of the leaders of the Pharisees, to which He had been invited (Lk. xiv. i) on the Sabbath-day, for a hostile purpose ^, the Holy One healed a man alBictotl with dropsy (Lk. xiv. 2 — 6), and taking occasion from the associations of the time and place, not only rebuked the haughty selfishness with which the Pharisees claim- ed the chief seats at feasts (Lk. xiv. 7 — 14), but also uttered the appropriate parable of the Great Supper (Lk. xiv. 15 — 24). In the same neighbourhood also, finding Himself surrounded by great crowds, amongst which some indi- cated a wish to follow Him, He addressed them solemnly on the self-denial required of all who would be His real disciples (Lk. xiv. 25 — 35), and the necessity for first counting the cost, and taking up the cross if they would truly follow Him. On another occasion a great number of tax-gatherers, who were very numerous near Jericho and the Jordan fords', gathered round Him, together with many regarded as profligate sinners. Their eager- ness to listen to His teaching, and His willingness to re- ceive and eat with them (Lk. xv. i), roused again the hostility of the Pharisees and Scribes, and provoked them to open murmuring. But, undeterred by their opposition, the Good Shepherd, with striking appix)pri- ateness now, gave utterance to the parables of the Lost were uttered on two different occasions, now and afterwards, as recorded in Mtt. xxiii. 37 sq. See Ellicott, 264, n. ; Alford on Lk. xiii, 34. ^ "^(xa-v Trapar7)povixevoi, Lk. xiv. I. Comp. \\. 7 ', xx. 20; Mk. iii. 2. See Trench On the Miracles, p. 328, n. 2 Where our Lord now probably was. See Lange's JJfe of Christ, III. 388. 248 FEAST OP DEDICATION, Jcc. [Bk. II. Pi. YI. Sheep (Lk. xv. i), the Lost Coin (Lk. xv. 8—10}, aud the Prodigal Son (Lk. xv. 11 — 32), and afterwards ad- dressed to His disciples, though in the hearing of the Pharisees, those of the Utij mt Steicard {Lk.xyi. 1—13}, and of Lazarus and the Rich Man (Lk. xvi 19 — 31). CHAPTER Y. THE RAISING OF LAZARUS. A.D. 30. "TT 7^111 LE the Lord was in Pcrsea. and apparently in T T the neighbourhood of Bethabara, a messenger reached Him from the sisters Martha and Man-', announcing that their brother Lazanis was sick (Jn. xi. 13). On ^ecei^'ing this intelligence. He replied in the hearing of His Apostles, but chiefly to the mes- senger, aud for him to bring back to those that had sent him-, This sickness is not unto death (Jn. xi. 4 , 'but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might he glorified thereby. Yrhatever amount of hope this announcement may have raised in the minds of the sisters was for the pre- sent at least dashed to the gi'ound. For He, to whom they had sent their simple message, and who had so often healed others at a distance by simply uttering a word, now neither spoke the word of power, nor came to them, but remained still two days in the same place ichere He wa^ (Jn. xi. 6), and in the meantime Lazarus died, and was laid in a rock-he\vn sepulchre. At the close, however, of the two days, the Holy One proposed to His disciples that they should go into Judaea again. But the trembling Apostles, recollecting the ex- treme danger He had so lately incuiTcd at Jerusalem, ^ See above, p. 239, and note. ^ Trench Oa the Miracles, p. 391. Ch. V.J THE RAISING OF LAZARUS. 249 ventured to expostulate : a short time back the Jews were seeking to stone Him (Jn. xi. 8), and for the sake of safety He had been constrained to seek the seclusion of the region where He now was, would He venture then, so soon to incur afresh the malice of His foes ? Thereupon He calmed their apprehensions, and an- nounced that their friend Lazarus was asleep, but He intended to icake him out of sleep (Jn. xi. 12). This announcement perplexed the Apostles still more. If Lazarus slept, it indicated a favourable crisis of his illness, and the perilous journey was unnecessary. Per- ceiving that they understood His words literally, He now told them plainly that Lazarus was dead, but still declared His intention of going to Bethany ( Jn. xi. 15), on which the Apostle Thomas, betraying the tendency to misgiving and despondency which distinguished him \ and convinced that his Master would fall into the hands of His deadly enemies, proposed to the rest that at least they should accompany Him, and share His end (Jn. xi. 16). "With these sad forebodings the Apostles accompa- nied their Lord, and on reaching Bethany found that Lazarus had been already dead four days 2, and as the village lay only three quarters of an hour's journey from ^ For other indications of the character of St Thomas, see Jn. xiv. 5 ; xx. 25. We gather that he was (i) deeply at- tached to his Master, (ii) prepared to die with Him, but (iii) ever ready to take the darker view of things, and (iv) unable to believe other and more than he saw. 2 "He had most likely died on the same day that the messenger announcing his illness had reached the Lord... the day of his arrival would be one day ; two our Lord abode in Persea after He had dismissed him, and one more He would have employed in the journey from thence to Bethany... dying upon that day, he had, according to the custom of the Jews, which made the burial immediately to follow on the death, been buried upon the same day" (of. Acts v. 6 — 10). Trench On the Miracles, p. 397. 250 THE RAISING OF LAZARUS. [Bk. II. Pt. YI. Jerusalem, many Jews (Jn. xi. 19) had come thither over the Mount of Olives, to pay the customary visit of condolence to the two sisters \ Tarrying Himself outside the village (Jn. xi. 30), the Lord suffered the tidings of His arrival to go before Him, and no sooner did Martha become aware of it, than she hurried forth to meet Him, while Mary re- mained in the house. In few and touching words Mar- tha revealed the anguish of her heart. Lord, said she, if Thou haclst been here, my brother had not died, but added, shewing that even now she had not abandoned every hope, / know that even now, whatsoever Thou wilt ask of God, God will give it Thee (Jn. xi. 22). In reply the Holy One assured her that her brother would rise again, and when she answered that she knew he would rise again at the last day (Jn. xi. 24), proceeded to declare Himself to be the Resurrection and the life, in whom whosoever believed should live though he died, and whosoever lived and believed should never die (Jn. xi. 25, 26). Having spoken of Himself in these solemn and mo- mentous words. He enquired whether Martha herself believed He was what He thus claimed to be. Yea, Lord, was her reply : / believe that Thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world (Jn. xi. 27), and with this assurance hastened away, and secretly called her sister. Informed of her Lord's arrival Mary also hurried to meet Him, and was quickly followed by a large number of the Jews, who took for granted that, according to the usual custom^, she was proceeding to the grave to weep there. Arrived at the spot where Jesus was, Mary could only fall down before His feet (Jn. xi. 32), and falter out the words her sister had already uttered, and then gave way to passionate 1 Compare Thomson's Land and the Book, pp. 102, 103. 2 See Ihid. pp. ici, 2. Ch. v.] the raising of LAZARUS. 251 grief. The spectacle of her deep sorrow deeply affected many of the Jews also, and they mingled their tears with hers, while the Lord Himself groaned in spirit and was troubled, and enquired where they had laid the dead (Jn. xi. 33). "With the words come and see, they conducted Him to the sepulchre, and on the road ^ He Himself, borne away by the "great tide of sorrow 2" around, joined His tears with theirs (Jn. xi. 35). On reaching the sepulchre, which, like the family vaults of the Jews, was a cave-^, with recesses in the sides, in which the bodies were laid. He commanded the stone, which closed the entrance, to be removed. On this Martha, shrinking from the exposure to the eyes of strangers of the body of one so dear, and already partially decomposed (Jn. xi. 39), ventured to expostulate; but Jesus reminded her of His promise that, if she believed, she should see the glory of God, and calmed her feelings. Accordingly the stone was removed, and then the Holy One, after a brief pause, during which He thanked the Eternal Father for hav- ing heard Him (Jn. xi. 41, 42, cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth. Instantly the word of Power was ^ The question of some of the spectators, Could not this Man, which opened the eyes of the blind, have caused that even this man should not have died ? ( Jn. xi, 47) is characteristic of the exact truth of the narrative... dwellers in Jerusalem, they refer to a miracle so well known amongst themselves, rather than to the former raisings of the dead, of which, occurring at an earlier period and in the remote Galilee, they had pro- bably heard by rumour only. Trench, p. 408 ; Lange's Life of Christ, III. 473, n. 2 Trench On the Miracles, p. 407. ^ " Sometimes natural (Gen. xxiii. 9), sometimes artificial, and hollowed out by man's labour from the rock (Isai. xxii. 16 ; Mtt. xxvii 60), in a garden (Jn. xix. 41), or in some field, the possession of the family (Gen. xxiii. 9, 1 7 — "20 ; xxxv. 18 ; 2 K. xxi. 18)." Trench On the Miracles, p. 409. 252 RESOLVE OF THE SANUEDRIN— [Bk. II. Pt. VI. obeyed. There was a stir in the sepulchre. The dead man rose, and came forth, hound hand and foot with grave clothes, and his face covered with a napkin^ while the Lord, who was never calmer than when during His greatest works, simply bade the bystanders loose him and let him go (Jn. xi. 44). CHAPTER YI. RESOLVE OF THE SANHEDRIN— JESUS RETIRES TO EPHRAIM. A.D. 30. THE remarkable miracle recorded at length in the preceding Chapter marks an important epoch in the life of our Lord. The effect it exerted upon those who witnessed it was twofold. Many of those, who had come to mourn with the sisters of Bethany, avowed their belief in the Saviour's claims (Jn. xi. 45), but others, with no friendly intentions, hurried to the Pharisees and recounted to them all that had taken place. Their report led to instant measures. The ruling powers, hitherto comparatively calm, be- came very uneasy. A meeting of the Sanhedrin was convened, at which Caiaphas presided, and the course to be followed was keenly debated. It was clear that the sentence of excommunication (Jn.. ix. 22), lately passed upon the followers of the Saviour, had not coun- teracted the impression made by His ministry on the minds of the people^. The notable miracle He had just wrought could not be gainsaid, and its effect upon the multitude was profound. If he was suffered to continue His ministry, all, it was argued, would believe on Him, and in all probability proclaim Him as their 1 Neander's Life of Christ, p. 378. Cu. YI.] JESUS RETIRES TO EPIIRAIM. 253 King-. Such a proclamation would inevitably lead to a riot, a riot to a visit from Pilate, the ruthlessness of whose character had been again and again experienced \ and this would be followed by a massacre, and the total deprivation of what remained of their national existence. Many measures were, probably, advocated by vari- ous members of the Council, but found no general acceptance. At length Caiaphas arose, and with un- concealed contempt declared that his weak and vacil- lating colleagues knew nothmg at all (Jn. xi. 49). The life and teaching of One Man threatened to imperil the whole nation, and to bring them into collision with their Roman masters. One effectual remedy alone existed. It was expedient that He should be put to death rather than the whole nation should be swept away. As a Sad- ducee^ (Acts v. 17) Caiaphas believed in the might of the Roman legions, though he denied the doctrine of the resurrection and the existence of spiritual powers, and rather than embroil the nation in fresh troubles with their unscrupulous masters, he advocated the death of the Holy One, all unconscious^ of the momentous results of the step he advised. Though there were some dissentients (Lk. xxiii. ^o^ 51), his words expressed the feelings of the majority of ^ See above, pp. 150, 15 r. 2 "Having much to risk, and nothing to gain by change, the Sadducees, or aristocratic party, were afixious to keep things safe, so as to prevent any action on the side of Rome." H. Dixon's Holy Land, ii. ■221. Josephus says of the Sad- ducees, elal irepl rds Kpiaeis (b/xol Trapa iravTas tovs 'lovoal- ovs, Ant. XX. 9. r, and the spirit of the family of Annas, whose son-in-law Caiaphas was, was haughty, bold, and cruel. See Jos. lb.; Bell. Jud. ii. 8. 14. ^ " Caiaphas was only consciously stating what he deemed politically advisable, but he was nevertheless, as the inspired Evangelist distinctly tells us (Jn. xi, 51), at the time actually prophesying." EUicott's Lectures, ■269, n. Alford on Jn. xi. 51. 254 RESOLVE OF THE SANHEDRIN^ [Bk. II. Pt.VI. the Council. The more decided and violent party tri- umphed. It was deliberately determined that Jesus should be put to death, and from that day forward con- tinual councils were held to decide how this should be brought about (Jn. xi. 53). But the Holy One, knowing that His "hour" was not yet come, retired with His disciples to Ephraim, a town situated^ in the wide desert country north-east of Jerusalem, not far from Bethel, and on the confines of Samaria. Here in quiet and seclusion He remained till the ap- proach of the Passover, and then commenced a farewell- journey along the border-line of Samaria and Galilee, in the direction of the Jordan (Lk. xvii. 11 ; Mtt. xix, i), and so to Persea (Mk. x. i). It was probably while yet on the confines of Samaria, that at the entrance of a village, the name and position of which are not recorded, He encountered Ten Lepers, one of whom was a Samaritan- (Lk. xvii. 16}. Standing afar off (Lk. xvii. 12), they all lifted up their voices^ and implored His aid, on which, filled with compassion for their miserable condition, He bade them go and shew themselves to the 2^riests at Jerusalem. Though they must have been aware that they could not expect healing from the priest, whose only ofiice it was either to pronounce the sufferer affected with this fearful malady, or to restore him with ceremonial washings to the society of his fellow-men^, the Lepers nevertheless ^ Robinson identifies Ophrah with Ephraim (comp. 2 Chr. xiii. 19), and with a village on a conspicuous conical hill, 4 or 5 miles east of Bethel, and 16 from Jerusalem. JBib. Res. I. 447. ^ ^ "In this border-land it was more natural than elsewhere that tbey should find themselves in one company, and thus a Samaritan had found admission into this forlorn assembly." Trench On the Miracles, p. 332 ; Alford on Lk. xvii. 1 1. ^ See Class-Booh of 0. T. History, p. 157. Ch. VI.] JESUS RETIRES TO EPHRAIM. 255 set out, and lo! as they went (Lk. xvii. 14), their flesh came back to them like unto the flesh of a little child (2 K. V. 14), and they were cleansed. But though they all experienced His unlooked-for blessing-, one only, and he a Samaritan, returned to give thanks to His Healer, who, accustomed as he was to man's ingratitude, yet marvelled at this striking proof of it (Lk. xvii. 17, 18), and dismissed the grateful man with a higher and a peculiar blessing^, saying, Go thy icay, thy faith hath made thee whole (Lk. xvii. 19). Continuing His journey towards the Jordan, the Saviour at some place, the name of which is not men- tioned, encountered certain Pharisees, who professed, probably in treachery or mockery, a question respecting the coming of the kingdom of God, to which He replied, that it would be with no such visible estabhshment as they expected (Lk. xvii. 20, 21), and proceeded to found upon the question a warning to His own disciples on the same subject (Lk. xvii. 23 — 2)7)- It was now also, in all probability, either before or just after He crossed into Persea^, that He delivered the parables of the Unjust Judge and the Pharisee and Piiblican (Lk. xvii. I — 14), and replied to a question respecting the lawfulness of divorce (Mtt. xix. 3 — 12; Mk. x. 2 — 12), on which the rival schools of Hillel and Shammai^ held opposite opinions. In striking contrast to the malice which prompted these questionings, certain parents, who probably ho- ^ Trench On the Miracles, p. 336. ^ Probably at Scythopolis, where there was a bridge. See Lightfoot, Hor. Heb. et Talm. on Lk. xvii. 11. ^ The former adopting the more lax, the latter the stricter view. Lightfoot, Hor. Heb. et Talm. on Mtt. xix. 3. The object of the question may also in some degree have been " to involve Him with the adulterous tetrarch in whose terri- tory He then was." Ellicott, p, -272. 25 G RESOL VE OF THE SANUEDRIX— [Bk. II. Px. VI. iionred Ilim, and valued His benediction, brought their children to Him, and begged that He would lay His bands upon them and offer up a prayer in their behalf (Mtt. xix. 13). To the disciples such an act appeared unfitting, and they would have kept back those that brought them (Mk. x. 13; Lk. xviii. 15), but with touch- ing condescension He not only rebuked their inter- ference (Mk. X. 14), and said. Suffer the little children to come unto Me, and forbid them not, for of such is the kingdom of heaven, but called them to Him (Lk. xviii. 16), took them up in His arms, laid His hands upon them, and blessed them (Mk. x. 16; Mtt. xix. 15). It was in this region also that a rich young ruler approached Him, desiring to know what he should do to inherit eternal life (Mtt. xix. 16; Mk. x. 17). The Holy One referred him to the commandments. These the other declared he had kept from his youth (Mk. x. 20), on which the Lord looked upon him with a glance of deep affection, informed him that he lacked yet one thing (Lk. x\4ii. 22), and bade him go and sell all that he had, and give to the poor, and take up his cross (Mk, X. 21) and follow Him. Such a demand, so totally opposed to the popular notions of the Idngdom of the Messiah, in which the Jews expected every form 01 temporal blessing, was too severe a test for the iniler's sincerity ; he had great possessions (Mtt. xix. 22 ; Mk. x. 22), which he could not part with, and in sorrow hc left the Saviour and went his way. But the same ideas of temporal blessings were still held by the Apostles themselves. They had left every- thing to follow their Master, might they not look for some great reward ? To Peter, who put the question (Mk. X. 28; Mtt. xix. 23) the Holy One replied, by assur- ing him and the rest that a reward they should have, though very different from what they expected, and taking them apart (Mtt. xx. 17 ; Mk. x. 32) began for the Ch. VL] JESUS RETIRES TO EPHRAIM. 257 third time\ and with greater particularity than before, to speak of the future that awaited Himself; liow at Jerusalem He should he delivered into the hands of the Gentiles, and be mocked, and scourged, and crucified (Mtt. xx. i8 — 24; Mk. x. 2)3 — 4°; Lk. xviii. 32—34). But though awed by the unusual solemnity of His manner (Mk. x. 32), and the dauntless resolu- tion with which He pressed on towards Jerusalem (Mk. X. 33), they could not enter into the meaning of His words. His predictions of suffering and death clashed with all their deeply-rooted ideas of the nature of the Messianic kingdom, and it was now that two of their number, James and John, encouraged by their mother, preferred the request ^ that in His kingdom they might sit the one on His right liand, and the other on His left. Even His reply that they should indeed drink of His cup, and be baptized with His baptism, sounded to the rest like the concession of some myste- rious dignity, and provoked a jealousy on their part, which the Holy One strove to check by reminding them once more of the true nature of His kingdom, that therein He is truly fit^st who is the servant of all; even as the Son of Man came not to he ministered unto, but to minister, and to give His life a ransojn, for many. With this final proof of the utter inabOlty -eyeii of His own chosen Twelve to lighten fey tlieir sympathy a particle of what lay before Himself, the Holy 0«e, having recrossed the Jordan, continued His way amidst the crowd of pilgrims setting forth towards Jerusalem ^ The two other occasions being (i) in the neighbourhood of Caesarea Philippi just alter St Peter's confession (see above, p, 219); (ii) shortly afterwards, duidng the return to Caper- naum (see above, p. 125). - Or perhaps the mother was the actual speaker, v/hile the two Apostles were the instigators. Ellicott, p. 374, note. N. T. 17 258 RESOLVE OF THE SAN HEDrdN. [Bk.II. Pt. YL Approaching Jericho lie healed tAvo blind men\ who sat by the wayside begging and implored Ilis aid ; He ac- cepted in the City of Palm Trees itself the hospitality of Zacchfcus'-, a superintendent of customs or tribute there (Lk. xix. i — lo); corrected, by delivering the Pa- rable of the Pounds^, the idea that the Kingdom of Hea- ven was about immedlateli/ to ajjpear, and at length, six days before the Passover, reached the safe seclusion of the mountain hamlet of Bethany (Mtt. xxvi. 6 — 13; Mk. xiv, 3 — 9 ; Jn. xii. -i — 1 1). ^ Perhaps, as in the case of the Gadarene demoniacs, the one, whom 8t Mark (x. 46) names as Bartimseus, was better known, and hence his case is more particularly rircorded; and "the one who is mentioned at our Lord's entry into Jericho as having learnt from the crowd who it was that was coming into the city (Lk. xviii.,37), -was not healed then, but in com- pany with another sufferer, when the Saviour was leaving the city." EUicott, p. 274, n. ; Trench On the Miracles,'^. 42S. 2 St Luke (xix. 2) calls him apxcreXdi'rjs, an unusual term, which probabJy denotes an administrator of taxes, who was entrusted with the superintendence of other publicans, and perhaps was the agent of one of the Roman knights, who often filled the oflBce of 2^^(bHcanus. "■ The collection of cus- toms at Jericho, which at this time produced and exported a considerable quantity of balsam, was undoubtedly an import- ant post, and would account for Zacchfeus being a rich man, Lk. xix. 2." On the palm-groves of Jericho and its balsam- trade, see above, p. 8C). 3 See Trench On the Parables, p. 513. J£HITSALEM in tie time of OUR LORD Londim and New York : MaamHaa & Co. PART VII. FROM THE ARRIVAL AT BETHANY TO THE ASCENSION. CHAPTER I. THE ANOINTING AT BETHANY— THE TRI- UMPHAL ENTRY. A. D. 30, IT was apparently on a Friday evening uhen the Saviour reached the hamlet of Bethany, where in quiet retirement He could spend His last earthly Sab- bath. At Bethany resided one Simon (Mtt. xxvi. 6; Mk. xiv. 3), who'had been a leper \ and possibly had been restored by the Lord Himself, and at his house the sis- ters of Lazarus provided a festal repast^, to welcome Him who had in so signal a manner restored happiness to their little circle (Jn. xii. 2). In keeping with her character Martha on this occa- sion busied h rself in ministering to the Lord (Jn. xii. 2), while Lazarus reclined at the table as one of the guests. As the feast proceeded, Mary approached with an ala- baster casket in her hand, containing a pound of pre- ^ It is the opinion of some that he vs^as a connection of the family of Lazarus. 2 For another feast upon a Sabbath, comp. Lk. xiv. I. *'The Salibath is still nmong the Jews p'e errtd for the enjoy- ment of feasts ; but the food was prei>ateil previous y, and even the tables must iiave been ajraii.td in order befure tiia Sabbath began," Htngstenberg ou fcit John xii. 2. 17-2 200 ANOINTING AT BETHANY- [Bk. II. Pt. Yll. clous spikenard 1 (Jn. xii. 3), and breaking off the closed top (Mk. xiv. 3), poured a portion on the head of the Saviour. Then kneeling down she anointed His feet also (Jn. xii. 3), while the sweet odour diffused itself through the whole room. But her act of beautiful affection did not win the approval of all the guests at the table. Judas Iscariot enquired why a caslvctof such precious unguent, which might have been sold for more than 300 denarii - and given to the poor, 'should be wasted in such a useless piece of extravagance"^ (Jn. xii. 5), and even others of the Apo- stles sympathised with his views, and had indignation and murmured against her (Mtt. xxvi. 8). He, how- ever, for whom she had thus manifested her affectionate adoration, suffered scarcely a moment to elapse before He signified His opinion of that she had done. Not only did He bid the murmurers desist from troubling her, but declared that she had wrought a beautiful and worthy deed. The poor, for whom they pretended so much anxiety, they had always icith them, but Him- self they would not have always (Mk. xiv. 7), thus re- minding them again of that speedy removal He had so ^ Of the costliness of a casket of spikenard some idea may be formed from the fact that it was among the gifts sent by Camby^ea to tlie Ethiopiatis (Herod. III. 20) ; compare also Honice's words, Carm, iv. xii. 16, 17: Nardo vina merebere, Nardi parvus onyx eliciet cadum. ^ TpiaKoaiojy or}vo.piu}v (Jn. xii. 5). On the denarius, see below, p. 269, note. ^ St John remarks that lie said this, net because he cared for the poor, but becmise he was athicf, and had t'le bag, and bare lohat teas put therein (Jn. xii. 6), From which observa- tion we gather (i) that tlie brotherhood of the Twelve had a common trea-ury, and received contiibutioiia for the poor; (ii) that Judas was their .steward or almoner; (iii^ that he had already proved unfaithful, and been guilty of embezzle- ment. Sec Lange's Life of Chrint, iv. 2.9. Cn. I.] TUE TRIUMPHAL ENTRY. 261 often predicted. Moreover, lie proceeded to declare that -what she had done had a special significance. la reference to the mysterious event so soon about to be- fall Him, wherein He should receive so little assistance or comfort from any human being, she at least }iad dune what she coidd (Mk. xiv. 8), she had come heforchaiid to anoint His Body, for thji'hury big ^ and wherever the Gospel should be preached throughout the whole world, there should also the deed which had moved their un- worthy indignation be told for a memorial of her (Mtt. xxvi. 13 ; Mk. xiv. 9). Thus by a prophetic word Ho elevated and interpreted her act of aftectionate adora- tion. Thus the eventful evening Avorc on. Meanv;hile the news of the Saviour s presence at Bethany had reached Jerusalem, and great crowds (Jn. xii. 9) resorted thither not only to see Him but Lazarus also, whoso resurrec- tion from the dead caused many to avow their belief in the Lord of life (Jn. xii. 11). This fact was well known to the chief-priests, and a council was convened to consider the propriety of putting him also to death (Jn. xii. 10). The next day dawned, the first day of the Holy week. Leaving Bethany, the Saviour proceeded towards Beth- phage^, and sending two of His disciples, desired them to bring an ass, and her colt Avith her, which they would find tied at the entrance of the village (Mtt. xxi. 2, 3 ; Lk. xix. 30 ; Mk. xi. 2). The disciples went, and in an- swer to the question of the owners (Lk.xix. 33), why they ^ Betliphage {house of unrij^e Jif/s), a place on the Mount of Olives, on the road between Jericho and Jerusalem. "Ifc was apparently close to Bethany, and from its behig named first of the two in the narrative of a jonrney from East to West, it may be presumed tliat it lay, if anything, to the eastward of Bethany." No remains answering to this posi- tion, according to Robinson, have been foundi, but see Bur- clay's Citij of the Great King, p. 65. 2G2 AXOI^^TING AT BETHANY— [Bk. 11. Pt. VII. thus loosed them, replied, as bidden, that the Lord had need of them, and returned to their master. The voice of ancient prophecy (Zech. ix. 9) had de- clared that her King would come to Zion 7neek, and sit- ting on an ass, and a colt the foal of an ass; and the hour for its fulfihncnt had now come. The road from Bethany to Jerusalem wound through rich plantations of palm-trees, and fruit- and olive-gardens \ and was now crowded with pilgrims making their way towards the Holy City, or the encampments on the declivity of the Mount of Olives'^. Amongst these would naturally be many who had -witnessed the Saviour's miracles in Galilee, and their enthusiasm would be much increased by the news of the wondrous event at Bethany. The heart of the people, tlierefore, was deeply stirred, and the disciples, filled with the general excitement, spread their garments on the animals they had brought to their Master (Mtt. xxi. 7}, and i)laced Him thereon. Soon the crowds began to express tlicir joy in a more lively manner. Some strewed their garments^ on thorough mountain-path, others cut down branches'* from the neighbouring gardens, and threw them on- the road before Him. ^ Lange, iv. 39; Stanley, S. and P. 191. In Mk. xi. 8 the Vatican and Cambridge MSS. read e/c tQv aypiov, "having cut the branches from the gardens. " Eastern gardens are not flower-gardens, nor private gard'^ns, but the orchards, vine- yards, and fig-enclosures round a town, ^ Lange's Life of Christ, iv. 41, n. ^ Ta lixdria, the "abba" or " hyke," the loose blanket orcloak worn over the tunic or shirt (xi-rcov). A striking in- stance of the practice is mentioned by Robinson, 11. 162, when the inhabitants of Bethlehem threw their garments under the feut of the horses of the English consul of Damascus, whose aid they were imploring. Stanley, S. and P. p. 191, n. * "The branches {KXd^oi.) cut from the trets as they went (Mtt. xxi. 8) are different from the mattings (Tro£/3aSes (Mk. xi. 8), which they had twisted out of the palm-branches as they came/' S. and P. 191, n. Ch. I.] TEE TRIUMPHAL ENTRY. 263 Meanwliile a second stream issuing from the Tloly City (Jn. xii. 12) came forth to meet the Conqueror of Death, and meeting the others coming from Bethany, turned round, and swelled the long procession towards Jerusalem. As they approached the descent of the Mount of Olives (Lk. xix. 37), their feelings found ex- pression in the prophetic language of the Psalms, and with loud Hosannas they gloritied God (Lk. xix. ^y), and proclaimed the approach of the Son of David to receive the kingdom of His Father, and to establish His Mes- sianic kingdom (Mtt. xxi.9; Mk. xi. 9). Certain of the Pharisees alone were found to murmur. They would have had the Saviour rebuke the zeal of the multitude, but pointing to the stones beneath their feet. He declared that they would immediately cry out if these icere to hold their peace. Thus amidst loud Hosannas the procession swept along, till on a nearer approach, the whole of the mag- nificent City, as if rising from an abyss, burst into view, "with its back-ground of gardens and suburbs V' and its glorious Temple-tower. The procession paused, and the hour of triumph became the hour of deepest sorrow. In strange contrast with the excited emotions of the crowds around Him, the Holy One wept over the de- voted city, foresaw the Ronmn legions gathered round its fated walls, its proud towers laid low in the dust, and its children within it, because tliey knew not the day of their visitation (Lk. xix. 41 — 44). Such things were hidden from the eyes of the eager throngs wliD were shouting "Hosanna," and believed ^ " Again the procession advanced. The road descends a slight declivity, and the glimpse of the city is again withdrawn behind the intervening ridge of Olivet. A few moments, and the path mounts it again, it climbs a rugged ascent, it reaches a ledge of smooth rock, and in an instan"; the whole city bursts into view.*' S. and P. 193; Tristram's Landof hrael, p. 196, 264) AXOIXTING AT BETHANY, l-c. [Bk. II. Pt. YII. that now at length the Messiah, welcomed and accepted, would claim the sceptre and ascend the throne. Pass- ing through the City the Holy One advanced towards the Temple. Jerusalem was stirred to its very centre. Who is this ? enquired many. This is the Prophet^ Jesus, of Nazareth of Galilee (Mtt. xxi. lo, ii), was the eager reply of lids believing followers, expecting, doubtless, that some unmistakeable sign would be given of His real character. They were doomed to disappointment. Entering the Courts of the Temple, He surveyed with a clear and searching glance (Mk. xi. ii) the scene of disorder and mercenary desecration which they again presented, and in the evening returned with the Twelve (Mk. xi. 1 1) to the seclusion of Bethany, and the great PrJni-Sunday was over. CHAPTER II. THE SECOND CLEANSING OF THE TEMPLE. A. D. 30. THE country between Bethany and Jerusalem, as has been observed in the previous Chapter, abound- ed in gardens of fig-trees, from wliich fact indeed Beth- pliage, or the- "House of Figs," derived its name. Early in the morning after the Triumphal Entry the Saviour set out once more for the Holy City, where, as the inspection of the previous evening had too clearly testified, a second \'indication of the sanctity of His Fa- ther's house was needed. Being a hungred, probably after a night of fasting, and perceiving afar of (Mtt. xi. 13) a fig-tree standing alone hy the icay side (Mtt. xxi. 19), which presented an unusual show of leaves for the season. He went up to it to see ifhaphj^ He might find 1 Et dpa, if, as was reasonable to expect under such cir- cumstances, fruit was to be found. Ellicott, 294, n. ; Lange on Mk. xi. 4. Ch. II.] SECOND CLEANSING OF THE TEMPLE, 265 fruit thereon (Mk. xi. 13), but on reaching it found no- thing but leaves. Though at this early period of tlio year neither leaves nor fruit were to be exjocct^d on a fig-tree, this tree by its ample foliage appeared to give promise of the fruit, which ordinarily appears before the leaves \ But a nearer approach proved that this pro- mise it fulfilled only in appearance, and in the hearing of His disciples the Holy One laid upon it the doom of utter barrenness, saying, Let no man eat fruit of thee hereafter for ever, and straightway it was dried up (Mtt. xxi. 19), and withered. Passing onwards to Jerusalem, He entered the Tem- ple. The nefarious scene He had rebuked at the first Passover of His public ministry was still enacted. The evil practices which had called forth that first display of holy zeal for the honour of His Father's house had by degrees returned. The fruit, the reality of righteousness, ■which He had como seeking then and sought in vain, He found not now. As before, therefore, so on this occa- sion, He drove forth the intruders, the buyers, the sellers, and the money-changers, upset their tables, and poured forth their unholy gains, and declared in words of consci- ous authority that His House was not for thievish trafiic, but for prayer and praise (Mk. xi. 17 ; Mtt. xxi. 13). Having thus once more vindicated the sanctity of ^ "This tree, so to speak, vaimtcd itself to be in advance of all the other trees, challenged the passer by that he should come and refresh himself with its fruit. Yet when the Loi d accepted its challenge, and drew near, it proved to be but as the otl.ers, without fruit as they; for indeed, as the Evange- list observes, the time of figs had not yet arrived, — its fault, if one may use the word, lying in its pretension, in its nuikiiig a show to run before the rest, when it did not so indeed."' Trench On the Miracles,, p. 440; Lange on Mtt. x.xi. iS. Thomson, The Land and the Book, p. 349, states that in sheltered spots figs of an early kind may occasionally be found ripe as soon as the beginning of April. 2C6 SECOND CLEANSING [Bk. II. Pt. VII. the Temple, He commenced teaching in its courts, and speedily gathered around Him manj' eager to listen, and astonished at His doctrine (iMk. xi. i8). But works of mercy were now to follow words of power. Those who needed His help sought Him in tlie Temple itself. The blind and the lame (Mtt. xxi. 14) came to Him, and ex- perienced the effects of the healing word. The marvels that He wrought (Mtt. xxi. 15) moved the youngest pil- grims at the festival, and children's voices cried IIo- sainia to the Son of David. This was more than the chief priests and scribes could endure. Eager as they were to put Him to death, they dared not lift a hand or show open violence, for tlie whole multitude hung upon Him to hear His words (Lk. xix. 48). In a tone of ex- postulation, however, they ventured to enquire whether He heard what these children were saying, to which He replied by asking whether they had never read the words of the Psalmist, Out of the mouth of babes and suck- lings Thou hast 2?erfected praise (Ps. viii. 2) ; with which rebuke He left them, and when even was come returned to Bethany (Mk. xi. 19; Mtt. xxi. 17). As He proceeded towards Jerusalem on the following day, the Apostles obs(5rved with surprise how rapidly the tree doomed the day before had withered away. The late hour at which they left tlie City the preceding evening had probably prevented their noticing it before, and now the Saviour took occasion by it to teach them a lesson respecting the nature and power of Faith (Mtt. xxi. 20—22 ; Mk. xi. 20 — 25)^ On entering the Temple and recommencing His gra- cious work of teaching those assembled there, He was interrupted by the arrival of a formal deputation from the Sanhedrin, which had resolved to discredit Him if possible with the people (Mtt. xxi. 23 ; Lk. xx. 1). They began by enquiring by what authority He acted as He was doing, and from whom He had received it Ch. II.] OF THE TEMPLE. 267 (Mk. xi. 28). This question the Holy One met by an- other. Two years before^ they had sent a deputation to the Baptist (Jn. i. 26), and he had borne a pubhc and emphatic testimony to His Messianic claims. The prophetic character of John was generally admitted (Mtt. xxi. 26), and bis bold rebuke of Herod had en- deared him to the hearts of many — Whence, then, teas his bapiism, from heaven or from men ? The ques- tion filled his hearers with embarrassment. If they replied that his was a divine commission, they exjwsed themselves to the obvious rejoinder,, why had they not received his testimony respecting the Messiah ? If they said of men, they would expose themselves to popular indignation (Mk. xi. 31, 32). Accordingly they preferred to own that they could not tell, whereupon He also declined to answer the question' they had put to Him respecting His mission (Mtt. xxi. 27; Lk. xx. 8). Though thus repulsed, His. enemies do not appear to have left the Temple-courts, and were condemned to liisten to still more humiliating language. In the para- bles of the Tico Sons (Mtt.xxd. 28—32), and the Wicked Husbandmen (Mtt. xxi. 33—44 ; Mk. xii. i— 1 1 ; Lk. xx. 9—18), the Redeemer set forth with the utmost dis- tinctness their neglect of their high vocation, the guilt of that outrage which they already meditated against Him in their hearts, their speedy rejection, and the bestowal of the privileges they had abused on other nations. The drift of these parables the Pharisees and chief priests clearly discerned, and sought earnestly to lay hands upon Him (Mk. xii. 12 ; Lk. xx. i9\ but feared to do so openly because of the multitude, who all regarded Him as a Prophet (Mtt. xxi. 46). Undeterred, however, by these manifestations of intended violence He warned them solemnly, for the last time, in the Parable of tho ^ See above, p. 158. 2G8 THE DAY OF QUESTIONS- [Bk. II. Ft. VII. Marriage of the King^s Son (Mtt. xxii. i — 14), that a day was at hand when the kingdom of God would bo taken away from the Jewisli people who had despised its privileges, and be bestowed upon the Gentiles ^ CHAPTER III. , THE DAY OF QUESTIONS- THE ENQUIRING GREEKS. A.D. 30. THUS far the efforts of the ruling powers had been of no avail. The authority of the Lord with the people remained unshaken, His career was unchecked, and they themselves had been humiliated in the very midst of the Temple-courts^. A formal council was therefore held (Mtt. xxii. 15), and it was resolved to organize some plan for ensnaring Him in His speech (Mtt. xxii. 15 ; Mk. xii. 13), and beguiling Him into statements which might afford a pretext for delivering Him up to the Roman procurator (Lk. xx. 20). United, therefore, in one formidable conspiracy, the Pharisees ^ Sadducees^, and Herodians^, suborned (Lk. xx. 20) men, to all appearance right-minded and thoroughly in earn- est, to propose various cases of conscience to Him as the Lord and Judge in the land^. i. First, then, approached the Herodians with cer- tain of the Pharisees (Mtt. xxii. 16) enquiring whether it was lawful to give tribute to Caesar, or not ? How keenly this question was debated in Palestine, and what disturbances it had caused, esjDccially in Galilee, the l^rovince of Herod, has been already noticed ^. To answer ^ Trench On the Miracles, 211, 212. - Lange's Life of Christ, iv, 69 ; Milman, I. 287. ^ For their distinctive tenets, see above, pp. 114 — iig. ^ Lange, iv. 69; Ellicott, 302. ^ See above^ p. 148. Ch. III.] THE ENQUIRING GREEKS. i^69 it now, and to avoid on the one hand giving ofFcnco to the excited crowds in the Temple-courts, and on the other supplying matter for accusation before the Roman governor in the Tower of Antonia, so close at hand, appeared impossible. No patriotic Jew would admit that tribute was due to Coesar, IS^o one claiming to be the Messiah could allow it for a moment, unless he ■would forfeit all his popularity with the people. And yet if the Redeemer denied this, a charge of treason, v/hich the Romans were always quick to hear, was clearly made out. But the Holy One, thrown off His guard neither by the affected courtesy nor adulation of their address (Mtt. xxii. i8; Lk. xx. 23), saw through their hypocrisy and the snare they had laid. With in- finite wisdom He called for the tribute-money. They brought Him a denarius'^. Whose imaga and super- scription is this ? He enquired. They answered, Ccssar's. Render, therefore, He replied, to Coosar the things that are Cwsar's, arid to God the things that are God's. The snare they had laid so cunningly was broken. A single word had rent the whole " web of craft and hypocrisy." The enquirers themselves acknowledged the wisdom of His answer. There was nothing they could take hold of (Lk. XX. 26). They tcere silent, and wejit their way (Lk. XX. 26). ii. The Herodians thus repulsed, the Sadducees ap- proached. "With their wonted^ philosophic pride they usually kept aloof from all popular religious movements. 1 "The little silver coin (in value about 'Jld.), bearing on its sutface the head encircled with a wreath of laurel, r.nd bound round v/ith the sacred fillet — the well known feature3, the most b(^autiful and the most wickei\ even in outward ex- pression, of all the Roman Emperors — ^wiih the superscrip- ti^hen not one of these enormous masses of stone should be left standing upon the other. With this mysterious announcement of a dreadful doom awaiting their national sanctuary ringing in their cars, the Apostles accompanied their Lord along the well-kno\ni road towards Bethany. But "when they reached the Mount of Olives, He sat down (Mtt. xxiv. 3 ; Mk. xiii, 3), as if to take one last look at the glorious ^ Compare the intimation made to Nicodemus two Pass- overs before, above, p. 165. 2 Their remarks were possibly called forth by His own words, Mtt. xxiii, 38, On the nature of the buildings, seo Jos, Ant. XI. z; B. J. v. 5. 6; and above, pp. 95, 96. lS-2 276 THE BA Y OF QUESTIONS— [Bk. II. Pt. VII. city and its still more glorious Temple. And as He sat there directly opposite to it in the evening twilight^, four of the Aj^ostles, Peter, James, John, and Andrew (Mk. xiii. 3), disquieted by the announcement of the com- ing destruction of their City, approached with an earnest enquiry when all these things shoidd come to pass, and what sh'mld he the sign of His coming, and of the end of the world (Mtt. xxiv. 3. ; Lk. xxi. 7). In reply to their enquiries the Holy One, with the utmost conceivable solemnity, proceeded to set forth the judgments destined to befall Jerusalem, and from these to lead up their thoughts to the contemplation of His own second coming to judge the world (Mtt. xxiv. 5 — 42), to describe the events that should precede it, and to enforce the necessity on their part of watchfulness and preparation by the striking parables of the Ten Virgins ^ "It is impossible to conceive a spectacle of greater natu- ral or moral sublimity than the Saviour seated on the slope of the Mount of Olives, and thus looking down, almost for the last time, on the Temple and City of Jerusalem, crowded as it then was with near three millions of worshippers. It was evening, and the whole irregular outline of the city, rising from the deep glens, which encircled it on all sides, might be distinctly traced. The sun, the significant emblem of the great Fountain of moral light, to which Jesus and His faith had been perpetually compared, may be imagined sinking be- hind the western hills, whilst its last rays might linger on the broad and many fortifications on Mount Zion, on the stately palace of Herod, on the square tower, the Antonia, at the corner of the Temple, and on the roof of the Temple, fretted all over with golden spikes, which glittered like hre ; while below, the colonnades and lofty gates would cast their broail shadows over the courts, and afford that striking contrast between vast masses of gloom and gleams of the richest light which only an evening scene, like the present, can display... The effect may have been heightened by the I'ising of the slow volumes of smoke from the evening sacrifices, while even at the distance of the slope of INlount Olivet the silence may liave been faintl}'^ broken by the hymns of tlio worshippors." Miliuuu's U'iUjry cf Chri6tia)v.tij, i. -2^.;., 2C5. Ch. III.] THE ENqUIRING GREEKS. 277 (Mtt. XXV. I — 13) and the Talents (Mtt. xxv. 14 — t,o\ closing His solemn revelations with a distinct declara- tion of the circumstances of the Awful Day, when the Sou of Man should come in His glory to ju-dge both the quick and dead (Mtt. xxv. 31 — 46). CHAPTER lY. THE COMPACT OF JUDAS— THE LAST SUPPER. A. D. 30. AT the close of these solemn prophecies the Redeemer -^^ reminded the Apostles that after two days the Passover would be celebrated, ajid the Son of Man would be betrayed to be crucified (Mtt. xxvi. i, 2). Having thus indicated the precise time, when the Hour so often spoken of before should come, He retired in all probability to Bethany \ and there, hidden in holy seclusion (Jn. xii. 36), spent the last day preceding His sufferings. Meanwhile the rulers of the nation were holding a formal and deliberate consultation as to the best means for putting Him to death. Humbled as they had been that day in the Temple in the eyes of the people, and disappointed in all their projects of ensnaring Him in a capital charge, they saw that their influence was lost unless they were wilHng to take extreme measures ^ The chief priests, therefore, the scribes, and the elders (Comp. Mtt. xxvi. 3 ; Mk. xiv. i) assembled not in their usual place of conclave, tJie hall Gazith^ on the Temple Mount, but in the court of the palace of Caiaphas, the high-priest (Mtt. xxvi. 3). He, as we have seen, had already advised that the Holy One should be put to death"*, and doubtless many of those present would havo ^ Wieseler, Chronol. Synop. p. 363. 2 Lange's Life of Christ, iv. 151. 2 See above, pp. 96, 108, n. * See above, p. 253, 278 THE COMPACT OF JUDAS— [Bk.II. Ft. VII. gladly resolved on scuing Ilim by force. But by de- grees they became alive to the difficulties of the case. The recent events on the day of the Triumphal Entry convinced them of the great influence which the Re- deemer wielded over many of the nation, and especially the bold and hardy mountaineers of Galilee. The only place where He appeared in public after the nights had been spent at Bethany was the Temple. But to seize Ilim there in the present excited state of popular feeling would certainly lead to a tumult (Mtt. xxvi. 5 ; Mk. xiv. 2 ; Lk. xxii. 2), and this to the interposition of the procurator in the fortress of Antonia. Forcible and hasty measures were therefore to be avoided, and it was formally resolved to take Ilim by craft, and there- fore secretly, and for this purpose to await a favourable opportunity ^. While, however, they were thus debating, a mode of apprehending Him suddenly presented itself which they had never anticipated 2. Judas Iscariot, whose chagrin at the discovery of Ilis real character^ and the rebuke 1 Lar.ge's Life of Christ, TV. 151 ; Mihnan, r. 301. 2 Keander's Life of Christ, 4T9 and note ; Milman, i. 303. ^ Amongst the motives which led him to the betrayal of his JMaster we may perhaps give prominence to three, (i) Avarice; (ii) Disappointment of his carmil hopes; (iii) A gradual growth of hostility to his Master. (i) Avarice. Tliis feature ia his character has been al- ready noticed above, p. 260, note. The germs of this vice probably unfolded themselves gradually (Slier, vii. 40 — 67), and in spite of many warnings which he must have heard from his Lord, as Mtt. vi. 19 — 34 ; xiii. 22, 23 ; Lk. xvi. 1 1 ; Mk. X. 25 (Article Judas in Smith's Bibl. Diet.) ; but ga- tliored strengtli and developed into unfaithfulness and embez- zlement as he became entrusted with larger sums. Hence when he presented himself before the Sanhediin, he probabli/ ex- pected more, hut tuas not umoillinrj to take ichat they offered. (ii) Disappointment of his carnal hopes. What were the Messianic expectations of the Apostles we have seen again and again— a visible kingdom, an earthly throne, high places, Ch, IV.] THE LAST SUPPER. 279 of His Master on the evening of the Anointing at Beth- any has been ah'eady described, approached with an enquiry as to the sum they were willing to give him in the event of his betraying the Holy One into their hands (Mtt. xxvi. 14). Thereupon with a joyous alacrity (Mk, xiv. 1 1 ; Lk. xxii. 5) they covenanted to give him thirty pieces of silver^, and he on his part began to watch for a seasonable occasion of delivering Him into their hands, without rousing the feelings of the multitude (Lk. xxii. 6j. Thus, then, the day of seclusion at Bethany, the Thursday of the Holy Week, passed away. Mean- while the hour for the celebration of the Passover drew near. The Saviour had already reminded His disci- ples of its approach, and connected it with His own death. Accordingly the Apostles now enquired of Him where He intended to celebrate it, and in reply He bade two of their number, Peter and John, go into the city (Lk. xxii. 8), and informed them that on entering it and temporal blessings ; these they looked forward to in com- mon with their nation. To one like Judas, then, tlie issue of the Triumphal Entry must have been a deep disappointment. (iii) A gradual groicth of hosiiliti/ towards his Master. His practical and administrative talents which caused liim to be made treasurer were closely allied with carnal selfish- ness (Neander's Life of Christ, 424) which was early rebuked (Jn. vi. 70), see above, p. 213, but still more sharply during the supper at Bethany (see above, p. 260). As he became aware that his real cliai-acter was known to the Lord, and found his earthly hopes more and more disappointed, his "attach- ment to his Master would turn more and more into aversion ; when the manifestation of Christ ceased to be attractive it became repulsive, and more and more so every da3^" (Nean- der, p. 424, and comp. Smith's Bibl. Diet. i. 1066.) •^ ''Thirty shekels = 120 denarii, and one denarius was at that time the ordinary wages for a day's labour (Mtt. xx. 2) ; so that the whole sum amoun4;ed to about 4 months' wages of a day-labourer. Tliirty shekels, it is to be noticed, was the value set upon a single slave, according to Exod. xxi. 32." Neander's Life of Christ, 42i,,n. 280 THE COMPACT OF JUDAS- [Bk. II. Pt.VII. they would meet a man bearing a pitcher of water, whom they were to follow to whatever house he should enter. On reaching it they were to address to the owner ^ of this house the significant words, The Master saith, My time is at hand ; u-here is the gucst-chamher ichere I may cat the Passover ic'ith My dlsciijles? and he would shew them a large ui>Y>er-room furnished and pirpared ; there they were to make ready'^ (Mtt. xxvi. i8 ; Mk. xiv. 14; Lk. xxii. 11). ^ Probably a believing follower : Discipulus, sed non ex cluodecim. Bengel. See also Stier, vii. 77; Ellicott's Lec- tures, 32 I, n. ^ At this point it may be well to try and realize the man- ner in which the Paschal Feast was at tliis time celebrated by the Jews. The company at the Table, which might not be less than 10 persons, usually included from 10 to 20, according to the family, or the number of strangers that might be present. They met in the evening and reclined on couches, this being the usual posture then, as standing had been originally. The rites of the Feast were regulated according to the suc- cession of 4, sometimes 5, cups of red wine mixed with water, Avhich were placed before the head of the house, or the most eminent guest, who was called the Celebrant, the President, or Proclaimer of the Feast. i. When they had reclined, he began by taking one of the four cups of wine in his right hand, and pronounced the bt-nediction over the wine and the feast, saying, Blessed be Thou, 0 Lord our God, the King of the universe, who hast a'eated the fruit of the Vine. He then drank tlie first cup, and the remainder of the houschohl followed his example. ii. Water was then brought in, and he blessed for the washing of hands, and washed, followed by the rest. iii. The table Avas next set out with the unleavened bread, the sauce called Charoseth, the Paschal Lamb, and the flesh of the Chagigali or feast-offt-rings. iv. Tlie Proclaimer of the Feast then blessed God for the fruits of tlie earth, and taking a portion of the bitter herbs dipped it in the sop, and ate it \Aith all who reclined at the table. V. The Haggadali or shouu'ng forth now commenced, and the Celebrant declared the circumstances of the delivery from Oh. IV.] THE LAST SUPPER. 281 Thus directed, the two Apostles went their way, and found everything as their Lonl had described with such striking minuteness. The large upper-room is represented as already furnished and prepared (Mk. xiv. 1 5 ; Lk. xxii. 1 2). Hence we may perhaps infer that the searching for and putting away of every particle of leaven (i Cor. v. 7), so important a preliminary to the Passover, had already been carried out, and that the preparation made by the Apostles included the pro- vision of the unleavened cakes, of the bitter herbs, and the cups of wine ; of everything, in short, that could be Egypt, as commanded in the law (Ex. xii. 27 ; xiil. 8). Then the second cup of wine was filled, and a child or proselyte enquire J, What mean ye by this service'? (Ex. xii. 26), to which reply was made according to a prescribed formula or liturgy, and the wondrous events of the Exodus were related, after which Psalms cxiii, cxiv. were repeated, followed by a solemn blessing and drinking of the second cup. vi. Then, after a second washing of hands, taking two of the unleavened cakes, the Celebrant broke one of them, pronouncing the consecration in these words; Blessed he Thou, 0 Lord our God, King of the Universe, who hringcst forth fruit out of the earth, and distributed a piece to each person around him, saying, This is the Bread of Affliction which our fathers did eat in th^ land of Egypt. All present then dipped their portions with the bitter herbs into the Charoseth and ate them. vii. The flesh of the Lamb was now eaten, and the Cele- brant, lifting up his hands, blessed the third cup of wine, specially known as the Cup of Blessing, and handed it round to each person. viii. After thanksgiving for the food of which they had partaken, for the delivery from Egypt, the covenant of cir- cumcision, and the Law, a fourth cup vvas filled and drunk, known as the Cup of Joy, for the remainder of the Hallel, Ps. cxv — ex viii. was now sung. ix. Occasionally a fifth cup was drunk, while Psalms cxx — cxxviii. were chanteil, but no more. See Buxtorf, de Caind Domini; Lightfoot's Temple Service; Pedalizur's Book of Jewish Ceremonies, 51 — 56; I'reeman's Prmdp^es 0/ i)mne Service, 11. 29 — 59. 282 THE COMPACT OF JUDAS— [Bk. II. Pt. VII. prcp;^rccl on the day before the sacrifice of the Paschal Lamb ^. This done, they probably returned to their Lord, who later in the evening, wlicn the hour icas come (Lk. xxii.14), left the little village of Bethany, crossed the Mount of Olives, and entering the city repaired with the Twelve to the upper-room. Tliere they sat down, or reclined, according to the usual custom, and the Re- deemer, taking the place of Celebrant or Proclaimcr of the Feast, said. With desire have I desired to eat this Passover v:ith you hefore I suffer; for I say unto you, I will no more eat thereof until it he fulfilled in the Kingdom oj God. "With these words He took a Cup, the first Cup we may beheve, usually devoted to the " announcement " of the Feast, and gave thanks, and said. Take ye this, and divide it amongst you; for I say unto you,Iicill not drink (f the fruit of the Vine, till the Kingdom of God shall come (Lk. xxii. 17, 18). But even now, even in this solemn hour, the old con- tention touching priority again broke out among the Apostles (Lk. xxii. 24). Thereupon the Holy One spake a few gentle but solemn words to repress so unseemly a dispute (Lk. xxii. 25 — 30);" and to teach them in the most striking manner possible a lesson of humility, took upon Ilim the form of a servant, and girding Himself with a towel washed His disciples' feet (Jn. xiii. i — 6). Simon Peter, with his wonted impetuosity, would have checked the loving designs of His Master, and when the Redeemer told him that, unless He washed his feet he had no part with Him ( Jn. xiii. 9), with that quick ro- ^ The view here taken, then, is that (i) the Supper, to wliich our Lord sat down, was, as the first three Evangelists (iMtt. xxvi. 17 ; Mk. xiv. 12 ; Lk. xxii. 7) clearly intimate, a Paschal Supper; (ii) that He ate it on the eve with which Nisan 14 coiuinenced ; (iii) and thus twenty-four hours ear- lier than the time when it was eaten by the chief priests and rest of the nation. See ElHcott, 322, and notes. Ch. IV.] TEE LAST SUPPEB. 283 vulsion so natural to him, he begged that He would wash not only his feet, but his hands and his head. He that hath bathed, replied his Master, needeth not save to wash his feet, hut is clean e\:cry ichit ; and ye are clean, hut not all (Jn. xiii. lo, ii). "With this sad intimation of treachery in their midst the Feast was resumed \ and probably the second Cup of Wine was drunk. But soon the consciousness of the Traitor's presence so wrought upon the Saviour, that His inmost soul was deeply moved and troubled, and He testified and said, Verily, verily, I say unto yoUy that one of you will hetray Me (Jn. xiii. 21). This an- nouncement excited great surprise and deep sorrow among the Apostles, and many were the earnest ques- tionings, Lord, is it I ? At length He gave a special and private indication to the disciple that reclined upon His bosom. He was the Traitor to whom He should give the soj)', ichen He had dipped it (Jn. xiii. 26). At this point Judas Iscariot, though he had already made his compact "s^ith the chief priests, dared to enquire, Lord, is it L ? (Mtt. xxvi. 25). Thou hast said, repHed the Redeemer, and gave him the sop, adding shortly afterwards. That thou doest do quickly (Jn, xiii. 27). The real import of these words remained unknown to the rest of the Apostles, and they imagined that they related only to the provision of something needed for the feast, or the bestowal of some charity on the poor. As soon, then, as he had received tlie sop, Judas arose and went forth to execute his awful purpose, and it was night (Jn. xiii. 30). ■"■ Even if belTrvov 'yevofxivou be the right reading in Jn. xiii. 2, the meaning must be ichcn supper was begun. A pre- ferable reading is 'yivofievov. ^ The portion of bread dipped into the sauce charoseth, and consisting according to some of vinegar and water, ac- cording to others of a "mixture of vinegar, figs, dates, al- monds, and spice." Smith's Bihl. Diet. Ii. 716. 284 THE COMPACT OF JUDAS— [Bk. II. Pt, VIL On Ins departure the Saviour was no more troubled in spirit, but brake forth into the same triumphant hm- gaage which fell from His hps when He heard of the request of the Greeks in the Temple Courts : Now, said He, is the Son of Man glorijied, and God is glorified in Him ; if God is glorified in Him, God will also glorify Him in Himself and icill straighticay glorify ///;;z (Jn. xiii. 31, 32). Again the Meal proceeded, and soon taking one of the unleavened cakes tliat had been placed before Him, and giving thanks, probably in the usual words, He brake it, and gave it to His Apostles, saying. Take, eat : this is My Body, which is given for you: do this in remembrance of 3Ie^. Afterwards He took a Cup of wine, in all probability the third Cup, and known as the "Cup of blessing," and having offered thanks, gave it unto them saying. Drink ye all of this ; for this Cup is My Blood of the New Covenant, which is shed for you and for many, for the remission of sins : this do ye, as oft as ye shall drink it, in remembrance ofMe^ The Holy Eucharist thus instituted, He conversed with the Apostles concerning the events that were soon to happen to Himself and tliem, how they would desert Him in His most critical and trying hour, how their faith would fail, how they would be dispersed each unto his own. These announcements of coming failure sound- ed unbearable to the Apostle Peter. Loirl, said he, / ^ Tovt6 icFTL TO ffiSfid fxov (Mtt., Mk., Lk., I Cor. xi. 24), TO vjrep vfj.(2v d.dofiei'ov (Lk.), to virkp v/iujv [KXw/xevou], (i C<.)r. xi. 24), TovTO TTOieiTe eis Trjv ifx-qv dvajj-urjaLV (i Cor. xi. 24). ^ Xlt'ere e^ avTov Travres (Mtt.), tovto yap eVri to alfid fxov Trjs Sia9riKr)S (Mtt., Mk.), tj kulvi^ diad-qKT] ev ry aifxaTi /nov (Lk., I Cor. xi, 25), to Trepi 7ro\\(3i> eKxvvduevov (Mtt.), to eKxvvofxeuov vwep ttoWwj' (Mk.), to virep vfxQv iKxi'vop-evov (Lk. ), ets d0e]y i/j-iif dyd/xyrjaiv (i Cor. xi. 25). Ch. IV.] THE LAST SUPPER. 285 mn ready to go with Thee unto prison and to death — / am ready to lay doini my life for Thee (MLt, xxvi. 33 ; Jn. xiii. 37). Verily, verily^ I say unto thee, re- plied the Master, in solemn v;ords, This night, before the cock croio ticice, thou shalt deny Me thrice (Mtt. xxvi. 34 ; Mk. xiv. 30; Jn. xMi. 38). But this sad announcement, so far from solemnising the Apostle's feelings, provoked him to fresh protestations of fidelity (Mk. xiv. 31). With still greater vehemence he declared, If I should die with Thee, I icill not deny Thee ; and in these well-meant but short-sighted declarations the rest of the Apostles joined also (Mtt. xxvi. 35 ; Mk. xiv. 31). And now, whereas at the usual Paschal Feast it had been customary to continue long in religious conversa- tion respecting the great events of the Exodus, and the national deliverance from Egypt, so on this occasion did the Saviour continue long in earnest conversation with His chosen ones. But He spake to them of other and still more exalted themes ; of His own departure to the Father and the coming of the Comforter (Jn. xiv. i — 31); of Himself as the true Vine and His disciples as the branches (Jn. xv. i — 6) ; of the hatred of the world and its sin against Him (Jn. xv. 18 — 25); of the trials which the Apostles must expect, and the assured aid of the Comforter (Jn. xvi. i — 16); of offering up prayer in His name (Jn. xvi. 23 — 27). And at the close of these solemn and affecting discourses, lifting up His eyes to heaven in rapt and solemn devotion, He committed the Apostles to the guardian care of the Eternal Father, and dedicated to Him His own completed work, con- templating it once more in its issues not only on these then present, but on all that should believe on His Kame (Jn. xvii.). The night was now far advanced. A hymn, probably the Hallol, was sur.g, and the Apostles went forth v/ith 2SG THE AGONY AND BETRA YAL— [Bk. II. Pt. YIL tlieir Lord through the quiet streets of the city tovvarda the Mount of OUves (Mtt. xxvi. 30 ; Mk. xiv. 26). CHAPTER Y. TEE AGONY AND BETRAYAL-PETER'S DENIAL. A.D. 30. ^T^IIE road, which the Ilcdeemer and His Apostles -i- now traversed, led across the Kidron, and thence to a garden at the foot of the Mount of Olives, which from the produce of the adjacent hills was called Geth- semane\ or the oil-]?ress^, and was a spot to which He often resorted with His disciples (Jn. xviii. 2), On reaching this garden, the Holy One left the greater number of Ilis Apostles at the outskirts (]\Itt. xxvi. 36), while with three chosen witnesses^, Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, He Himself advanced further into the shadow of the overhanging olives. Here He began to be sore amazed (Mk. xiv. 33) and veri/ heavy (Mtt. xxvi. 37; Mk. xiv. 33), and His soul exceeding sorrotcful even unto death, and as a last request He begged them to watch, while He proceeded about a stone's throw further (Lk. xxii. 41) and engaged in solitary prayer. And how had come the hour for tlie last and most terrible assault of the Prince of Darkness ^ The site of the modern Gethsemane lies somewhat to the East of the valley of Kedron, at a point where two paths meet, each leading over the Mount of Olives. Descending from St Stephen's gate and crossing a bridge it is easily reached. Within tlie enclosure are 8 venerable olive-trees, their trunks much decayed, but their branches flourishing. " The most venerable of their race on the face of the earth, their gnarled trunks and scant}- foliage will always be re- garded as the most affecting of the sacred memorials in or about Jerusalem." Stanley, S. and P., p. 455. ^ See EUicott, p. 327, and note. ^ Witnesses before (i) of the resurrection of the daughter of Jairus, see above, p. 20 r, and (ii) of the Transfiguration, see above, p. 222. Cii. v.] PETER'S DEN I A L. 287 (Comp. Lk. iv. 13). Kneeling down (Lk. xxii. 41), and falling forward on the earth (Mk. xiv. 35), He twice prayed that, if it wey^e j^ossihle, the cup of .suffering might pass from Him, and as often with infinite resig- nation added, Not as I ic'dl, hut as Thou icilt (Mtt. xxvi. 39). Soon the conflict deepened in intensity, and being in an '"agony" He pra3'ed yet more earnestly, wliilo drops of bloody sweat fell from Him, and testified to the terrible nature of His suff'erings (Lk. xxii. 44). Twice, as if to assure Himself of their sympathy and w^atch- fulness. He came to the three Apostles, who had pro- mised so eagerly even to die with Him, and twice Ho found them sleeping (Mtt. xxvi. 40, 43). The first time He awoke them, saying to Simon, Simon, sleepest thou? couldcst not thou icatch icith Me one hour ? Watch and pray, lest ye enter into temptation (Mk. xiv. 37, 38). But on the second occasion He uttered not a word. Alone He retired to renew once more the conflict, and to ofi'er for the third time the jDrayer of mingled entreaty and resignation to His Father in heaven ; and then, hav- ing been strengthened by an angelic being, He for the third time revisited the Apostles to find them still sleep- ing. On this occasion, however, He awoke tbem, and with words of sorrowful expostulation told them that the golden opportunity for watching and prayer was over : Rise, said He, let us he going ; behold he that hetrayeth Me is at hand (Mtt. xxvi. 46 ; Mk. xiv. 42). He had scarcely spoken, when the Garden was filled with armed men, and flashed with the light of numerous lanterns and torches \ At the head of a portion of the ■'■ Though the Paschal moon was at the full. On the rocky valley of the Kedron "there fell great deep shadows from the declivity of the mountain and projecting rocks ; there were there caverns and grottoes, into which a fugitive might re- treat; finally, there was probably a garden-house and towers, into whose gloom it might be necessary for a searcher to throw light around," Lange, Iv. 792, 288 THE AGONY AND BETRAYAL— [Bk.II. Pt. VII. Roman cohort^ with its captain (Jn, xviii. 12) in attend- ance on the procurator (Jn. xviii. 3\ and of the Levitical guards of the Temple, attendants and apparitors of the Sanhcdrin, the traitor'^ approached. Advancing he saKitcd his Master Avith a kiss, the signal which had been agreed upon, and received the reproachful reply, Friend, wherefore art thou come ? hetrayest thou the Son of man with a kiss ? (Mtt. xxvi. 50 ; Lk. xxii. 48). Having thus rebuked the traitor, the Lord j^roceeded towards the entrance of the garden^ (Jn. xviii. 4), and meeting the soldiers and officers enquired whom they sought. They replied, Jesus of Nazareth. I am He, answered the Holy One, and immediateiy, awed by His calm majesty and the sudden appearance of One whose name had so long had for them a mysterious signifi- cance, they recoiled backwards and fell to the ground (Jn. xviii. 6)^ Whom seek ye? the Redeemer again 1 Stationed during the Feast at the Tower of Antonia. ^ Of the movements of Judas, after he left the Supper, none of the Evaufjelists give us an account. It seems, hoAV- ever, most probable that going immediately to Caiaph-as, or some other leading members of the Sanhedrin, he informed them where Jesus was likely to be found (Jn. xviii. 2), and announced that he was ready to fulfil his agreement, and at once make the arrest. "It was not the intention to arrest Him during the Feast, lest there should be a popular tumult (Mtt. xxvi. 5), but now that an opportunity offered of seizing Him secretly at dead of night, and therefore without danger of interference or upro.ar, His enemies could not hesitate. Once in their hands, the rest was easy. A hasty trial, a pre- judged condemnation, an immediate execution, and the hated prophet of Galilee might be for ever removed out of their way." Andrews, p. 414. 2 Lange, iv. 293. * *' At this moment Judas was already back among the people. He must have ha^^tened back quickly upon the sharp rebuke of Christ. Probably by this hasty retreat he threw the first element of sympathetic terror into the mass, which now fully devol »peJ itself at the saying of Chritt." Lanj,'e, jv. 294. Ch. v.] PETER'S DENIAL. 289 enquired, and when they answered as before, again de- clared that He was the object of their search, and covenanting only for the safe dismissal of His followers, freely surrendered Himself into their hands (Jn, xviii. 7—9)- But one of His followers was not minded to yield thus willingly. Drawing his sword the impetuous son of Jonas cut off the ear of Malchus, a servant of the high-priest. The soldiers were just on the point of laying hands on the Holy One, and taking Him into custody, but seeing what His Apostle had done, He said to them, Suffer ye thus fm\ and touching the ear of the wounded man restored it whole as before (Lk. xxii. 51); then rebuking the disciple for his over-hasty zeal, and protesting^ meekly against the mode in which He had been arrested by His captors. He allowed Him- self to be bound and led towards the city; for it was their hour and thepoicer of darkness (Lk. xxii. 53). On the part of the Apostles all was now terror and confusion. Though they had all promised to die with Him, they now forsook their Master and fled (Mtt. xxvi. 56; Mk. xiv. 50). Their last hope of a temporal king- dom of the Messiah had crumbled to pieces^. Meanwhile the Roman guard and the officers (Jn. xviii. 12) led the Saviour over the Kidron, and up the road leading into the city, and either at the suggestion of some of the ruling powers, or in accordance vatli pre- vious concert, conducted Him to the palace of Annas", who as the father-in-law of Caiaphas, and as an able ^ From St Luke's account, xxii. 52, it is clear that not only the officers of the Temple, but some of the Sanhedriu had now joined the crowd. ^ Lange, iv. 301. ^ On the history of Annas, see above, p. 149, and notes. He obtained the high-priesthood not only for Caiaphas his son-in-law, but subsequently for four other sons. Jos. xx. 9. i, N.T. 19 290 AGONY AND BETRAYAL— [Ek. II. Pt. VII. and experienced counsellor, had great influence with the nation. It is not improbable that both Annas and his son-in- law occupied^ a common official residence, and that be- fore it or within the outer porch was a large square open court, in which public business was transacted. Into this court- or hall the Redeemer was led, and thither two of the Apostles, John and Peter (Jn. xviii. 15), recover- ing from their first alarm, ventured to follow. The former, as being acquainted with the high-prieit^, easily obtained admittance into the hall, but Peter appears to have been at first rejected by the porteress. After a while John missed his companion, and going back spake to the porteress, who thereupon immediately allowed him to enter (Jn. xviii. 16). The night was chilly, and the servants having made a fire of charcoal in the centre of the court, were warm- ing themselves before it (Jn. xviii. 18; Mk. xiv. 54), and thither Peter jDressed forwards, anxious to see the end (Mtt. xxvi. 58). As he sat there, the porteress, whose suspicions appear to have been aroused, approached the group, and fixing her eye steadfastly upon him (Lk. xxii. 1 Milman, I. 309. ^ "An Oriental house is usually built around a quadran- gular interior court, into which there is a passage (sometimes arched) through the front part of the house, closed next the street by a heavy folding-gate with a smaller wicket for single persons, kept by a porter. In the text, the interior court, often paved and flagged, and open to the sky, is the av\ri (translated imlace, hall, and cowt), where the attendants made a fire ; and the passage beneath the front of the house, from the street to this court, is the vpoavXiov or tvXup (both translated porch). The place where Jesus stood before the high -priest may have been an open room or place of audience on the ground-floor, in the rear or on one side of the court; such rooms open in front being customary." Kobinsou's Har- mony, p. 225. ^ See above, p. 177, n. Ch. v.] PETERS DENIAL. 291 56) said, Surely thou art one of this Man's disapies. Thrown off his guard, and perhaps disconcerted by the searching glances of the bystanders, the Apostle replied at first evasively \ / know not what thou say est (Mtt. xxvi. 70; Mk. xiv. 68), and then more strongly, / knoio Him not (Lk. xxii. 57; Jn. xviii. 17), Thus silenced the maid withdrew, and after a brief delay the Apostle, anxious probably for 2, favourable op- portunity of retiring, went back tcvards the porch (Mtt. xxvi. 71 ; Mk. xiv. 68). But here another maid ap- proached and said to the bystanders, TJiis fdlow icas also icith Jesus of Nazareth (Mtt. xxvi. 71). Thus a second time assailed, and not knowing what might hap- pen, his faith again failed him, and with an oath he declared / know not the Man (Mtt. xxvi. 72); and the cock creic. While this sad scene of moral cowardice was going on, Annas began to put several questions to the Saviour respecting His disciples and His doctrine (Jn. xviii. 19). Thus interrogated, the Redeemer appealed to the publi- city of His teaching, and referred His enquirer to His hearers, whom he had so often addressed in the wonted places of resort, the synagogue and the Temple (Jn. xvii. 20, 21): He had no secret doctrines, and no secret society of dependants^ for purposes either of tumult or sedition. This reply was the signal for the first begin- ning of a dreadful scene of insult and violence. An officer of the high-priest struck Him on the mouth, saying, Ansicerest thou the high-priest so? If I have spoken ill, hear tcitness of the ill, meekly replied the Holy One, but ificell, ichy smitest thou me? (Jn. xviii. 22 — 24). The day was now rapidly dawning, and the Sanlie- drin, which had been hastily summoned, had begun to 1 Lange, IV. 316. ^ Ih'id. IV. 305. TO T 292 AGONY AND BETRAYAL, d-c. [Bk. II. Pt. VII. assemble. Annas therefore sent the Saviour, who was still in bonds, to the official judginent-hall of Caiaphas (Jn. xviii. 24), and it was not improbably as He was crossing the courts that He turned and looked upon the Apostle, who now for the third time denied that he had ever kno^m Him. Recognised at the porch, Peter, it would seem, had returned again to the fire, and there mingling with the group of soldiers and servants (Jn. xviii. 25), conversed with them freely in his rough un- couth Galileean dialect 2. This excited suspicion, and an hour had scarcely elapsed (Lk. xxii. 59) before certain of the bystanders began to express their opinions. Surely, said one, this felloio was one of them. Thou art a GalilcBan, said another (Mk. xiv. 70). Tliy speech bewrayeth thee, added a third (Mtt. xxvi. 73). Bid I not see thee in the garden with Him? broke in a fourth, a kinsman of the servant whose ear the Apostle had cut off (Jn. xviii. 26). Thus attacked on all sides he fell deeper still. With oaths and curses (Mtt. xxvi. 74 ; Mk. xiv. 71) he declared, / know not the Man, and for the second time the cock crew (Mk. xiv. 72). It was this base denial that the Holy One now overheard. Turning round He' locked ujjon Peter (Lk. xxii. 61). The remembrance of all that He had said rushed to the Apostle's recollection. He could not linger a moment in that Presence. His faith indeed had not utterly'^ failed, but Satan had sifted him as icheat. He iccnt forth and icejJt hittcrly (Mtt. xxvi. 75; Lk. xxii. 62)^. ^ Lange, iv. 313; Ellicott's Lectures, 334. ^ See above, p. 145, n.; Lange, iv. 317. ^ Such is the full force of eKKdir-Q in Lk. xxii. 32: "I have prayed for thee that thy faith may not utterly fail, '^ or hQ totally extinguished. Comp. Heb. i. 12. ^ The order of the denials of the Apostle here given mainly coincides with that suggested in Lange's Life of Christ, iv. 314 — 319; Ellicott's Zertwres, 334, n.; Andrews, pp. 426, 4?.7. Ch. VI.] THE JEWISH TRIAL, d:c. 2i)3 CHAPTER VI. THE JEWISH TRIAL— REMORSE AND SUICIDE OF JUDAS. A.D. 30. BY this time the entire body of the Sanhedrin had assembled in the palace of Caiaphas, and the Re- deemer was placed before them. The first object was to secure the agreement of two witnesses on some specific charge (Mtt. xxvi. 59; Mk. xiv. 55). But this was found to be a matter of the ut- most difficulty. Many indeed were at hand suborned to utter any falsehood, but their testimony was so con- fused and contradictory (Mk. xiv. 56), that the council could not receive it. At length two were found who could testify to the words the Holy One had uttered on the occasion of His first visit to the Templet This felloic said, was their charge, Iicill destroy this Temple made icith hands, and in three days I will raise up another made without hands (Mk. xiv. 58). But be- sides the fact that their allegations Avere exaggerated, they themselves did not agree in their statements (Mk. xiv. 59), and though eager to pronounce the capital sen- tence, the council felt themselves unable with any de- cency to do so on such evidence. Meanwhile the Redeemer preserved a solemn and impressive silence, neither interrupting, nor replying to the questions of the high-priest or the statements of His accusers (Mtt. xxvi. 62 ; Mk. xiv. 60). He conde- scended not to any defence. Nothing therefore remained but, if possible, to make Him criminate Himself. Once more, then, the higli- ^ See above, p. 164. 294 THE JEWISH TRIAL— [Dk. IL Pt. VII. priest stood up in the midst (Mk. xiv. 60), and in the most solemn manner adjured Him in the name of Jeho- vah to declare ^Yhether He was the Messiah, the Son of God (Comp. Mtt. xxvi. 63; Mk. xiv. 61). Thus formally addressed, the Holy One at length broke the silence lie had hitherto maintained, saying, in reply to the question, / am; and hereafter ye shall see the Son of Man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming iii the clouds of heaven'^. He thus in the most solemn and explicit manner asserted that He was not only the Messiah, but the Son of God, and that in the sublimest sense of the words. All was now uproar and confusion. In token of his horror the high-priest rent his clothes, and pronounced the utterance of the Redeemer to be direct and trea- sonable blasphemy. What further need, he exclaimed, have ice of witnesses.^ Ye have heard His blasphemy : what think ye? (Mtt. xxvi. 65; Mk. xiv. 63, 64). Carried away by his vehement gestures and words, and his great influence, the court pronounced their opinion. He is guilty of death (Mtt. xxvi. 66). "Worse than false prophet, worse than false Messiah, He had declared Himself to be the So7i of God, and that in the presence of the high-priest and the great council of the nation. He had incurred the capital penalty. And now ensued a scene of fearfid violence. The bystanders were permitted to do their worst to One thus declared guilty of blasphemy. Some spat upon His face; others smote Him icith the palms of their hands; others blindfolded Him, and in derision of His Messianic claims bade Him detect the hand that had been raised against Him (Mtt. xxvi. 67, 68 ; Mk. xiv. 65 ; Lk. xxii. 63, 64). ^ Herein probably alluding to the prophecy of Daniel vii. IT,, 14, universally admitted to refer to the reign of the Messiah. Cii. YI.] REMORSE AND SUICIDE OF JUDAS. 295 But though the great council of the nation had thus passed sentence, there remained a serious obstacle be- fore they could carry it out. Cases punishable with death, such as false claims to prophetic inspiration, or blasphemy, they were fully competent to try^ (Comp. Acts iv. 5 — 21; V. 17—40; Yi. 12 — 15; xxiii. i — 10), but they could not execute the sentence of death, for the right had been taken from them ever since Judaea became a Roman province'^. Mistrusting, therefore, the people who might attempt to rescue the Holy One from the hands of their own officers, reluctant to incur the odium of profaning so sacred a day with a public ex- ecution, anxious to shift the responsibility from their own head upon that of the Romans, yet determined to insure the destruction of tlieir Victim, they again re- assembled their court (Mtt. xxvii. i ; Mk. xv. i), and resolved to send the Redeemer before the tribunal of Pilate, who, they might not unreasonably suppose, "would not hesitate, at once, and on their authority, on the first intimation of a dangerous and growing party, to act without further examination or inquiry, and without scruple add one victim more to the robbers and turbulent insm^ents, who, it appears, were kept in prison, in order to be executed, as a terrible example at that period of national concourse^." Pilate had, as usual, come up to Jerusalem to preserve order during the Passover, and was now residing either in a palace near the tower of Antonia^, or in the splendid and lux- urious structure which had been erected by Herod the Great ^. Thither, therefore, the Saviour, after He had ^ Andrews, p. 428; Alford's note on John xviii. 31. ^ See Lightfoot on Mtt. xxvi. 3. 2 Milman, i. 317. ^ Ewald's Life of Clirist; Lange, iv. 337, n. ^ Lange's Life of Christ, iv. 338, n. ; comp. Jos. B. J. 11. 14. 8: II. 15. 5; Ellicott, 339, n. 29 G THE JEWISH TRIAL— [Bk. II. Pt. VII. been again placed in bonds (Mtt. xxvii. 2), was led, attended by a deputation of the Sanliedrin to support and explain the cliargc^ Meanwhile the fact of His condemnation had be- come knoAvn^ to the traitor Judas (Mtt. xxvii. 3), and filled him with the deepest remorse. Hitherto he had been lured on by covetousness, and his eyes had been blinded by the Evil One. Now they were opened, and he saw what he had done. He had betrayed innocent Hood (Mtt. xxvii. 4). Filled with terror and anguish, he hurried to the chief priests and elders, and openly confessed his awful crime. But they received his con- fession w^ith gibes and taunts. What is that to us? said they; see thou to that (Mtt. xxvii. 4). In frantic despair the wretched man resolved to get rid of the reward of his treachery. Rushing into the sanctuary^ he flung down the thirty pieces of silver before the priests, and went and hanged himself^ (Mtt. xxvii. 5), but, probably in consequence of the rope breaking, he 1 Milman, I. 317. ^ ''He might readily learn that Jesus had been con- demned. But he also saw it, from the procession in which the Pharisees conducted Jesus to Pilate, which could have no other object than to procure His condemnation." Lange on Mtt. xxvii. 3 ; Life of Christ, iv. 335. ^ 'FixJ/a^ TO, dpyvpia ev rip va(3, the inner portion of the Temple, the sanctuary. See Lange on Mtt. xxxvii. 5, and Ellicott, 339, n. If while a deputation of the Sanhedrin at- tended the Saviour to the prcetorium of Pilate, the rest re- tired to their own council- chamber in the Temple, it is easy to understand how he could be near the sanctuary. ^ It is not improbable that Judas hanged himself over an abyss, perhaps the valley of Hinnom, and the rope giving way, or the branch to which he hung breaking, he fell down headlong (on his face, Trprjurjs, Acts i. 18), and was crushed and mangled on the rocky pavement below. See the quota- tion from Hackett's III. Script, in Andrews, p. 440 ; Ebrard's Gospel History, p. 427; Ellicott, 339; Lax.gti's Life of Christ, IV. 334' Cii. VI.] REMORSE AND SUICIDE OF JUDAS. 297 fell headlong, and hurst asunder in the midst (Acts i. 1 8), so that, when his body was found, all his hoicels had gushed out. With the blood-money he had left in the Temple the chief priests were at first perplexed what to do. Though they had not scrupled to pledge it as the reward of the basest treachery, yet they were un- Vv'illing' to return it to the Temple funds, and at length resolved to apply it to the purchase^ of a field for the burial of strangers, which was afterwards known as Aceldama^ (Acts 1. 19), or the Field of Blood (Mtt. xxvii. 6 — 10; Zech. xi. 13). ^ St Matthew (xxvii. 7, 8) states that the chief priests bought with the money the potter's field to bury strangers in, and that therefore that place was called the Field of Blood. St Peter (Acts i. 1 8) says that Judas purchased a field with the reward of iniquity. Perhaps the latter statement may be imderstood as meaning to say, that whereas Judas had with the rest of the Apostles obtained the glorious lot of the aposto- late (Acts i. 17), yet actually he had purchased for himself a mere corner of a field in the valley of Genhinnom, as the reward of unrighteousness. The field was bought not by himself in person, but with his money, the wages of his iniquity, and received the name of the Field of Blood, (i) as the spot on which his mangled body fell, and (ii) as purchased by the chief priests with the blood-money. See Lange's Life of Christ, IV. 333 — 336 ; Ebrard's Gospel Hi&tory, p. 427; Smith's Bibl. Diet. Art. Judas. 2 " The Field of Blood is now shewn on the steep southern face of the valley or ravine of Hinnom, near its eastern end on a narrow plateau, more than halfway up the hill-side." Smith's Blbl. Diet. 298 Tli: TRIAL BEFORE PILATE— [Bk. II. Pt. VII. CHAPTER VII. THE TRIAL BEFORE PILATE— THE CON- DEMNATION. A.D. 30. WHAT amount of knowledge Pilate already possess- ed of the Saviour's jDerson and character is not known. But he could not fail to have been surprised, on this occasion, at the earnest request so early in the morning to decide the question respecting the Teacher from Galilee. The deputation from the Sanhedrin would not enter his proetoriuni; lest they should incur pollution, and be unable to keep the Passover (Jn. xviii. 28), Yielding, therefore, to the popular custom^, with political tact he came forth from his palace (Jn. xviii. 29), and enquired the nature of the accusation against the Redeemer. At first tliey replied evasively, and as if they felt liurt at the question, If this fellow icere not a male- factor ice u'oiikl 7iot have delivered Him unto thee (Jn. xviii. 30). But this would not satisfy Pilate, and he replied ironically^, Then take ye Him, and judge Him according to your laic, as if anxious to refer the wliole matter back to themselves. To this the Jews re- plied that it was not lawful for them to put any one to death (Jn. xviii. 31), and having thus intimated that the Redeemer had committed a crime, for which the punishment of death was due, artfully put forward a charge, which, as a Roman procurator, Pilate could not ovwlook. We found this fdlow^ said they, perverting 1 Slier, VII. 339. 2 Stier, VII. 340; Lange, iv. 339. Ch. VII.] THE CONDEMNATION. 299 our nation, and forbidding to give trihute to Ccesar, saying that He is Christ a King (Lk. xxiii. 2), Thougli Pilate must have knov/n the Jews too -vvcll to imagine that the Sanhedrin would really hate and persecute One, whose sole crime was an anxiety to free them from the Roman power ^, he saw that the case could not be hastily put aside, involving as- it did three grave charges; (i) seditious agitation, (ii) attempted prohibition of the payment of the tribute-money, and (iii) the assumption of the suspicious title of " King of the Jews." It was clearly necessary that he should at least examine the Accused, and, as a procurator^, he was bound to conduct the examination himself. Withdrawing, accordingly, "vvith the Redeemer into the interior of the prcetorium (Jn. xviii. 33), he began by cnquu'ing, Art thou the King of the Jews? (Jn. xviii. 33; Mtt. xxvii. 11). To this the Holy One replied by asking the governor whether he put this question of himself, or at the suggestion of others (Jn. xviii. 34). Apparently offended at such a rejoinder, and disclaim- ing all communion with the prejudices of the Jews^, Pilate responded that he was not a Jew; His own countrymen, and the ruling powers of the nation, had brought Him before his tribunal, what had He done ? Thus interrogated the Saviour replied by an as- sertion of the real nature of His kingdom: My king- dom, said He, is not of this world; had my kingdom, been of this icorld, then icoidd my servants have con- 1 Stier, VII. 343. 2 "Pilate being only a Procurator, thougli a Procurator cum j^otestate, had no quaestor to conduct the examination, and thus, as the Gospels most accurately record, performs that office himself." Ellicott, 342, n. ; Smith's Classical Dic- tionary, Art. Provincia. 3 Milman, I. 322. 800 THE TRIAL BEFORE PILATE— [Bk. II. Pt. VII. tended that I should not he delivered to the Jews: My hlngdom is not from hence. Art Thoii^, then, a king ? enquired the wondering governor. Thou sayest it, answered the Redeemer ; for I am a King. For this purpose teas I born, and for this jncrpose came I into the icorld, that I might hear witness unto the truth' Eccry one that is of the truth heareth My Voice (Jn. xviii. 2,7, 38)- These mysterious words from the lips of One, whose life seemed to be entirely at his mercy; this denial that He was a king in a worldly sense, and the implication that in another sense He w^as^; this declaration that the object of His birth and of His life was to bear witness to the truth, increased the pro- curator's perplexity. What is truth ? he asked, partly in sadness, partly in irony, partly from a real inability to discern the connection of such an abstract matter with " the present question, with a question of life and death, with a capital charge brought by the national council before the supreme tribunaF." He could con- nect a kingdom with iioiccr, but not with truth. The only sect Pilate could have ever heard of that believed in such a kingdom was the Stoics^, and their opinions he would naturally regard as those of visionary enthusiasts. The Accused might be a dreamer, but certainly He was not one who had done anything de- serving of the sword of the civil power, and going out to the Jewish deputation standing before the gate (Jn. 1 2u is emplirvtic in Jn. xviii. 37. 2 Neander's Life of Christ, p. 460. 3 Milman, I. 323; Stier, vii. 370; EUicott, 342, n. ^ Compare Horace, Epist. ii. i. 106 : Ad summuiu sapiens uno minor est Jove, dives. Liber, honoratus, imlchcr. Rex denique regum. and Sat. i. iii. 125, and Ejnst. i. i. 59 : A t jyueri ludcntes, rex cris, inquit, Si rccte facias... quoted in Mihnan, i. 332. Ch. VII.] THE CONDEMNATION. 801 xviii. 38^ he declared his conviction of His innocence; he found no fault in Him (Lk. xxiii. 4). But this was the signal for a furious clamour on the part of the chief priests and the members of the San- hedrin. He stirreth up the jyeople, they cried, teacldng throughout all Judcea, beginning from Galilee even unto this place (Lk. xxiii. 5). Pilate thereupon turned once more to the Accused, and enquired what answer He had to give to these charges (Mtt. xxvii. 13). But the Holy One continued silent, and answered not a word. This increased still further the astonishment of the procurator (Mtt. xxvii. 14; Mk. xv. 5), but he fan- cied he had discovered an escape from the dilemma. The word Galilee had not escaped his ears (Lk. xxiii. 6). Galilee w^as in the jurisdiction of Herod-Antipas, who was now present in the city as a worshipper at the Feast (Lk. xxiii. 7), and by sending the case before him\ ho might at once rid himself of a troublesome re- sponsibility-, and conciliate one, with whom he had hitherto been on no friendly terms^ (Lk. xxiii. 12). Having assured himself, therefore, that the Accused was a Galiloean (Lk. xxiii. 6), he sent Him before Herod's tribunal. The tetrarch of Galilee ^, as we have seen before, had often heard of the Saviour, and had long desired to see Him^ (Lk. xxiii. 8). He was highly pleased, therefore, 1 It was not an unusual practice to refer the case of a criminal from the forum apprehensionis to i)iQ forum orlginis. Comp. Acts xxvi. 3. Lange, iv. 347. 2 Stier, VII. 378; Milman, i. 324. ^ The cause is not known. Some think it was the recent slaughter of the Galilaeans (Lk. xiii. i). * Where Herod was now residing is not known : some think he occupied his father's palace with Pilate; others, that while the Procurator resided in the fortress Antonia, Herod occupied his father's palace ; others would make his abode the old palace of the Maccabees. Jos. Ant. xx. 8. 11. ^ See above, p. 205. 802 THE TRIAL BEFORE PILATE— [Bk. IT. Pt. VIT. when informed who was awaiting an audience with him, and hoped his curiosity to see some sign of supernatural magical power might be gratified. "With tliis view ho 2?ut many questions to Him, but the Redeemer main- tained an imperturbable silence. Meanwhile the chief priests and scribes, who had followed into the presence of Herod, persisted in their furious accusations. But neither their charges nor the questions of the tetrarch could induce the Holy One to utter a word. Provoked at being thus disappointed of the object of his hopes, Herod's superstitious curiosity was exchanged for scorn. He did not venture indeed to condemn the Accused to death, and saw that there was nothing He had done which rendered Him liable to punishment, but he did not scruple to insult Him, and therefore handed Him over to his soldiers, amongst whom probably, as in his father's body-guard^, were Gaulish and Thracian barba- rians, who treated the Holy One with every kind of in- dignity (Lk. xxiii. ii). This done, he sent Him back to the Roman procurator, clad in a purple robe, and the ill-feeling between the two was from that day exchang- ed for friendship (Lk. xxiii. 12). Perplexed, as Pilate probably was, at finding the case thus thrown back upon his hands, he was more than ever convinced that the Holy One was entirely innocent of such grave charges as had been made against Him. He therefore summoned the chief priests and rulers of the people (Lk. xxiii. 13) together, and once more declared his conviction that their accusatitTH-g could not be sustained, and added that in this he was fortified by the judgment of Herod also. He ofi'ered, however, to scourge Him before letting Him go (Lk. xxiii. 16). This first sjmptom of weakness and irresolution was not lost upon the Jewish rulers, and their followers ^ See above, p. 88, n.; MilfUfin, I. 3?. 5. Ch. VII.] THE CONDEMNATION. 303 assembled before the prwtorlinn., and tlie proposition merely to scourge the meek Suflerer fomid little favour with them. Pilate therefore resolved to try another method of making the proposed acquittal more accept- able \ It appears to have been a custom, the origin of which is wholly unknown^, to release at the season of the Passover any prisoner whom the people might select. There was at this time in confinement a cele- brated (Mtt. xxvii. 1 6) bandit, named Barabbas''', who with others had committed murder in an insurrec- tionary tumult (Mk. XV. 7) in the city (Lk. xxiii. 18). The procurator therefore, in accoraance with this cus- tom, proposed to the Jews that they should select for release one of the two, either Barabbas, a condemned murderer and insurgent, or the Prophet of Nazareth. He saw clearly that it was envy of His fame and popu- larity (Mk. XV. 10) which had induced the ruling powers to accuse the Holy One, and he hoped by this appeal to the people to procure His release. Indeed so certain does he appear to have been that they w^ould select for release One, whom thousands had so lately welcomed with loud Hosannas as their Messiah, that he ascended and sat down upon the judgment-seat^ as if to ratify and formally accept their decision (Mtt. xxvii. 19). 1 Lange, ly. 353. 2 Possibly it was of Jewish origin, adopted and continued by the Roman governors from motives of policy. According to Lk. xxiii. 18 the request respecting Barabbas came first from the people; according to Mtt. xxvii. 17, from Pilate; Mark, however (ch. xv. 8), seems '"to represent the people as making the request in general terms, while Pilate availed himself of it in the present emergency of this particular case." Ellicott, 345, n. ^ A patronymic denoting Son of Ahha. Many of the later MSS. of Mtt. xxvii. 16 give his name as 'Irjaovs Ba/)a/3/3as. ^ The ^rjfxa vv^as a portable tribunal (see above, p. 147, n.) and stood, St John tells us (Jn. xix. 13), on a tesselated pave 304 THE TRIAL BEFORE PI LA TE~ [Bk. II. Pt. VII. But at this moment, as if to increase his perplexity, an attendant approached bearing a message from his wife^ imploring him to have nothing to do with the just person (Mtt. xxvii. 19) standing before his tribanal. During the night she had probabiy been routed by the messengers- of the high-i)riest requesting a Roman guard, and a fearful and harrowing morning (Mtt. xxvii. 19) dream concerning the righteous Prophet of Naza- reth had induced her thus to appeal to her husband in His behalf. Pilate's feelings of awe and amazement were now in- tensified, and his determination to release his Prisoner increased. But tire chief priests and the Sanhedrists had improved their opportunity while he was listening to his wife's message, and when ho composed himself afresh to receive their decision, he saw that malice and bitter, determined hatred had done their work. Per- suaded by their teachers, the multitude cried out, Not this Man., hut Barabhas. In vain the procurator tried to stem the torrent, in vain he expostulated (Mk. xv. 9), in vain he re-asserted his conviction of the innocencr of the Accused. Loud clamour, and furious faces, and up- lifted hands, told him that the feelings of the throng ment, called in Greek XLOoarpwrov, in Hebrew Gabbatha, which "perhaps formed the front of the Procurator's resi- dence," Ellicott, 346, n. So necessary was the tesselated pavement and the tribunal deemed to the forms of justic?, that CiBsar carried about with liim, en his expeditions, pieces of marble ready fitted and a tribunal. Suet. Jul. c. 46. ^ In early times the Roman magistrates had not been permitted to take their wives with them into the provinces. This rule, however, had gradually been relaxed, and lately a proposition of Csecina to enforce it had been rejected, Tac. Ann. III. 33, 34. According to tradition, the name of Pilate's wife was Procula, or Claudia Procula, and she is said to have belonged to the class of proselytes of the gate. Lange's Life of Christ, IV. 351. '^ Lange, iv. 351. Ch. VII.] THE CONDEMNATION. S05 "Were excited beyond such efforts. Equally powerless was a solemn and significant action, by which he strove to represent in the most striking manner possible, how strongly he was convinced of the perfect innocence of the Holy One. Calling for water, he washed his hands publickly (Mtt. xxvii. 24) before the whole multitude, saying, I am guiltless of the hlood of this Just Person: see ye to it. His hlood he upon us and upon our chil- dren., was the frantic reply, and Pilate saw that further opposition would only increase the tumult (Mtt. xxvii. 25). One hope, however, he still seems to have retained^. Perhaps that tossing clamorous throng would be satis- fied with the infliction of a punishment only less terrible than death. Perhaps the inhuman scourge of the Roman soldiers would be enough^, without the penalty of cruci- fixion, for which so many were already clamorous. He gave the order, therefore, that He should be scourged, and appears to have again sat down on the judgment- seat while the command was carried into effect. ^he soldiers executed his orders with their wonted severity, and then flung around the bleeding body of the Divine Sufferer a purple^ robe (Mtt. xxvii. 28; Jn. xix. ^ Lange, iv. 355. Heiigstenberg on Jn. xix. i. ^ " Generally the scourging before crucifixion (Jos. B. J. II. 14. 9; V. ir. I ; VII. 6. 4; Livy, xxxiii. 56) was inflicted by lictors. But Pilate, as sub-governor, had no lictors at his disposal, and therefore had it inflicted by soldiers." Lange, IV- 35^? "• The Roman scourging was so painful and horrible, nails and pieces of bone being stuck into the scourges, that the sufferer not unfrequently died under it. Compare the liorrihile flagellum of Hor. Sat. I. iii. 119; Smith's Diet, of A7itiquities, Art. Flagellum. ^ X\a/iiv5a KOKKLi'Tjv, Mtt. xxvii. 28 ; Trop de grace was, as a rule, combined with it. Lange, v. 2, n. ; Neander's Life of Christ, 473, n. 318 THE BURIAL [Bk. II. Pr. VII. prediction that men should look upon Him wJiom they 2nerced (Zech. xii. lo), they abstained from breaking His legs, but one of them, as if resolved to give a stroke of itself sufficient to cause death, thrust his spear^ into His side, whence immediately there flowed forth Blood and Water, a wondrous incident, of which the Evan- gelist St John was himself a spectator (Jn. xix. 35}. INIeanwhile, before the tidings of the Saviour's death could reach the ears of Pilate, Joseph of Arimatha^a^, a man of wealth (Mtt. xxvii. 57), a member of the San- hedrin (Lk. xxiii. 50), and a secret disciple of Jesus (Jn. xix. 38), w^ho had not consented to the cruel reso- lution of the rest to put Him to death (Lk. xxiii. 51), boldly went in to the Procurator, and requested that the Body of the Redeemer might be given up to him (Mk. XV. 43). Filled with astonishment that death had so speedily taken place, Pilate called in the centurion wdio had kept watch on Golgotha, and enquired whether tiiis was really the case (Mk. xv. 44). Assured that it was so, he freely granted the request, and Joseph hav- ing purchased fine linen (Mk. xv. 46) repaired to Golgo- tha, to take dowTi the Holy Body. Here he w^as joined by Nicodemus (Jn. xix. 39), who, probably informed of his successful petition to the procurator, had brought a 'mixture of myrrh and aloes, about a hundred pound'"^ ^ A 67x77, Jn. xix. 34, the only place wlierd it occurs in the New Testament. This was the ordinary Roman kasta, "a lighter weapon than the piluin, consisting of a long wooden shaft with an iron head, which was the width of a handbreadth and pointed at the end, and so was egg-shaped." Lange, v. 3, n. ^ Probably the same as Ramah, the birthplace of the pro- phet Samuel (i Sam. i. 19), called in the LXX. Armathaim (ApfxaOalfx), and by Joseplius {Ant. v. 10. 2), Armathia. ^ The Attic Litra of 12 ounces is here spoken of. Both the myrrh and aloes appear to have been pulveiized and strewn in the folds of the linen in which the body was wrap- ped, Lange, v. 13; Pearson On the Creed, Art. iv. note. Ch. IX.] AND RESURRECTION. 319 weight (Jn. xix. 39). Together, then, they took down the Body, wrapped it in the linen clothes, sprinkled the myrrh and aloes amongst them, and conveyed the Holy One to a tomb which was close at hand. It was a new tomb, wherein no man had ever yet been laid (Lk. xxiii. 53), and had been hewn by Joseph himself out of a rock in a garden, which he possessed hard by Golgotha (Jn. xix. 41). Hither they bore the Body, and in the presence of Mary Magdalene, Mary the Mother of Joses, and other women who had followed the Saviour during His lifetime from Galilee (Mtt. xxvii. 61 ; Mk, xv. 47; Lk. xxiii. 55\ laid it in the receptacle \ and with the ut- most despatch, ybr the Sahhath was draicing on (Lk. xxiii. 54), rolled a great stone to the entrance, and de- parted. Thus He, who all His life long had been the poorest of the poor, made Ills grace with the rich (Is. liii. 9), and received the anointing of the great ones of the earth. But though the outward temple of His body had been destroyed, the Pharisees and chief-priests could not forget the mysterious saying of His that in three days He woidd raise it up, and probably were not altogether unaware of the more direct assertions He had made to His Apostles respecting the same sub- ject^. These words now recurred to them Vv'ith such alarming force that on the morning after the Crucifixion, though it was their great Paschal Sabbath, they met together, and repairing to the residence of Pilate, in- formed liini of wliat that Deceiver had said, and re- quested that the sepulchre might be made secure till the third day, lest His disciples should come and steal ^ The Jewish tombs had then probably, as these have now, steps and a descent in a perpendicular direction, or an entry in a sloping or horizontal position. ^ Comp. Jn. ii. 19 with Mtt. xii. 40. 320 THE BURIAL [Bk. II. Pt. VII. Him away, and give out that He had risen (Mtt. xxvii, 63, 64\ "With the curtness of one, who felt himself fatigued and wearied out, the Procurator replied, Ye have, or rather, Take^ a ivatch, and make it secure as ye know how. Accordingly with the guard thus deputed they went their way, sealed^ the stone at the entrance of the sepulchre with their official seal in the presence of the soldiers, and then consigned to them the duty of watch- ing the tomb of the Holy One. Though both Joseph of Arimatlipea and Nicodemus had assisted in embalming the Body of the Saviour, it had necessarily been done in haste, and the women who had witnessed the entombment resolved to complete it, and on the evening of the Crucifixion had prepared spices and ointments for that purpose (Lk. xxiii. 56). AVith these, then, early in the morning of the first day of the week, while it was yet dark (Jn. xx. i), Mr.ry Magdalene^, Mary the Mother of James, and Salome (Mk. xvi. I), set out for the sepulchre, their thoughts occupied on the way with the natural question who woidd roll away the great stone* they had seen fitted into its appointed place (Mk. xvi. 3). ^ The only ^'0l'trTw5t« at the actual disposal of the San- hedrin would be, as Bp. El Hcott remarks, the temple-guards, but the watchers were Roman soldiers ; it seems more natural therefore to take tx^"^^ ^s an imperative in Mtt. xxvii. 65, though \d^€T€ might have been rather expected. See Alford in loc. ^ A stiing or cord was probably stretched across the stone and sealed at either end with sealing- clay. For the custom of using sealing-clay on tombs, see Smith's Bibl. Diet. Art. Seal. ^ Or Mary of Magdala (now called el-Mejdd), a iovrti near the lake of Tiberias. On the erroneousness of the idea of her character generally entertained, see Article in Smith's Bibl. Diet. * They did not know of the scaling of the stone, and the Ch. IX.] AND KESURRECTIOy. 321 While they were thus musing, and, as it would seem, were as yet some distance from the sepulchre, the earth quaked beneath their feet with a mighty convulsion (Mtt. xxviii. 2), and an angel descended and rolled away the stone and sat upon it ; his countenance was like lightning and his raiment white as snow, and before him the Roman sentinels fell prostrate for fear, and hecame as dead men (Mtt. xxviii. 3, 4). Bewildered by the sudden earthquake, the- women advanced nearer, and beheld the stone rolled away from the tomb (Mk. xvi. 4; Lk. xxiv. 2). Summoning cou- rage two of them thereupon entered in (Lk. xxiv. 3), and became assured of the fact that the tomb was empty, that the Holy Body they had seen securely placed therein, was there no longer. "While, however, they were standing bewildered at this unexpected discovery, one of their number, Mary Magdalene, had already hurried back to Jerusalem. The sight of the stone rolled away had roused her worst apprehensions, and she could think of nothing but that the Body of her Lord had been taken away and the tomb violated. Resolved, therefore, to seek more effectual aid than such as weak women could afford, she ran with all speed to Simon Peter \ and announced to him and the Apostle John, who was apparently with him, that the tomb was empty, and she and her companions- of the morning knew not whither the Body of their Lord had been conveyed (Jn. xx. 2). On receiving this start- ling intelligence the two apostles forthwith set out setting of the watch, which took place on the eve of the Sabbath. 1 It seems not impossible that St Peter, who must by this time have won back the respect of the rest by his deep repentance (Lange, v. 46), was in the same abode, to w^hich the Apostle John had conveyed the mother of the Redeemer, ^ Oi'/c o'idaixev, Jn. xx. 2, an incidental notice that she had not been the sole visitant of the tomb. Ellicott, 381. y. T. 21 *S'2'2 THE BURIAL [Bk. 11. Pt. VII. towiinls tlic tomb (Jn. xx, 3), followed by Mary Magda- lene herself (J n. xx. 1 1). Before, however, they reached the spot, the women who had remained behind, and who had ventured into the open sepulchre, had received other and still more startling tidings. As they were standing irresolute and bewildered by the sight of the empty tomb, there ap- peared to them two (Lk. xxiv. 4), or, as it seemed to others of their number, one of the lieavenly host (Mk. xvi. 5) in mortal guise indeed but clad in glistering ap- parel, who announced to them, while ready to fall pros- trate in alarm and terror, that their Lord was risen : there was no need for them to seek the living amongst the dead (Lk. xxiv. 5) ; lie had told them that on the third day He should rise again (Lk. xxiv. 7), and thus His Avords were fulfilled ; the spot, where they had seen Him laid, did not contain Him now (Mk. xvi. 6) ; let them, therefore, go to His Apostles, and announce tlie joyful tidings that their risen Lord was going before them into Galilee, and there they should see Him (Mtt. xxviii. 7). Without losing a moment (Mtt. xxviii, 8), agitated at once by mingled fear and joy (Mk. xvi. 8), which sealed their lips to any whom they chanced to meet upon the road (Mk. xvi. 8) ^, the women hurried with all speed to the Apostles, and recounted their cheering tidings (Lk. xxiv. 9\ But in their deep sorrow (Mk. xvi. 10) the Eleven regarded the w^ords of the women as no better th:,n an idle tale (Lk. xxiv. 11), and could not credit their announcement, on which the latter, sad- dened it may be by their refusal to believe, returned once more to the sepulchre. Meanwhile the two Apostles, Peter and John, had ^ Ov^evl cvHp ilirov iipo^oCivTO ydp, and see EJicott, 381, n. cu. IX.] AND resurrection: 32.3 been running thither with all speed, to ascertain the truth of what they had heard from Mary Magdalene. Outrunning his fellow Apostle, John first reached the tomb, ?a\(\. stoojnnff doioi saw^ the linen clothes lying there, but probably from feelings of awe entered not in. The characteristic energy of Peter overcame such feel- ings, and entering in he steadily contemplated the state of the sepulchre and the position of the grave-clothes ; there lay the swathing-bands in one place (Jn. xx. 6) ; there was the napkin which had been about His head, not lying with the rest of the clothes, but folded up in another spot by itself. There was nothing to indicate disorder or confusion, or any violation of the tomb. En- couraged by the other's boldness, the Apostle John also now ventured to enter in, and surveyed the condition of the sepulchre, and though as yet neither of them under- stood the announcements of the resurrection contained in the Scripture (Jn. xx. 9), yet he could not resist the evidence of his senses ^ The position of the grave- clothes preoluded the idea that the Holy Body had been removed by enemies : he believed that his Lord had risen, and turned back towards Jerusalem ^ with his fullow Apostle, who marvelled at what had taken place (Lk. xxiv. 12). But these signs did not carry conviction to the mind of Mary, who had followed them, but more slowly. Un- able to tear herself away from the sepulchre, she stood ^ Such appears to be the force of detopeT. in Jn. xx. 6. "Ipsius animi intentionem denotat qua quis intuetur quid- qiiara." Tittman, ^'ynon. N. T. cited by Eliicott, ■283, n. ^ Such appears to be the force of the word iTriaTevaeu ii\ Jn. XX. 8. See Lange, v. 46; Eliicott, 384, n. ■^ The airrjXdov irdXLV wpos avTovs (Jn. xx. 10) appears, as Bp. Eliicott remarks, to denote that they returned to the places, or perhaps rather place, where they were abiding, to meditate on the amazing miracle (Lk. xxiv. 12). 21—2 S24 THE BURIAL [Bk. IT. Pt. VII. outside weeping (Jn. xx. ii), and stooping down beheld two angels in white standing, the one at the head, the other at the feet, where the body of her Lord had lain, who said to her, Woman, why iceepest thou? She replied, They have taken aicay my Lord, and I knoio not ichcre they have laid Him; and tuniing away even from their sj'mpathy, beheld One standing near, in whom she did not recognise her Lord, but who repeated the r.ngels* question why she wept ? Thinking it was the keeper of the garden, and that he could give her further information, she replied. Sir, if thou hast home Him hence, tell me ichere thou hast laid Him, and I trill take him aicay {Jn.xx. 15). She had hardly spoken, when the Stranger addressing her in well-known intona- tions, said, Mary. Instant'y she knew who He was. Prostrating herself before Him, she called Him in the Hebrew dialect Rahhoni (Jn. xx. 16), and apparently in her bewildered joy sought to clasp the fcjet of His risen Body. But this might not be. The relations between lierself and the mighty Conqueror of death were changed. Touch Me 7«o^^, said He, /or lam not yet ascended unto My Father : hut rjo unto My hrethren, and tell them, I am ahout to ascend to My Father, and your Father, to My God, and your God (Jn. xx. 17). And Mary went, and thus she, out of whom the Lord had cast seven demons, became the first messenger of His resurrection to His discip^.cs^. Soon, however, the other women, who had brought the first tidings to the Apostles, and who appear to 1 Or rather, '*Do not continue to cling to Me." See Donaldson's Gh. Gram. 414. "AirreaOaL denotes the retain- ing of an object for some time, with perhaps hero a reference to clasping the knees as a suppliant or worshipper. Tlie Risen Saviour bad not entered into those relations in which He might truly thus be " touched." * Lange, v. 57. Cu. IX.] AND RESURRLCTIOX. 325 have also returned towards the sepulchre, were met by then- risen Lord (Mtt. xxviii. 9), who saluted them with the word Hail. Thereupon they drew near and worshipped Ilira, and, like Mary Magdalene, were bidden to announce to His brethren the joyous news that lie was going before them into Galilee (Mtt. xxviii. 10). As they departed to execute His commands, certain of the Roman sentinels entered into the city and recounted to the chief priests all that had occurred (Mtt. xxviii. 1 1). On the receipt of tliis startling intelligence, a meeting of the Sanhedrin was convened, and it was resolved that by some means the miraculous disappearance of the Body of the Redeemer must be concealed. Accordingly the soldiers w^ere called in, and by dint of heavy bribes (Mtt. xxviii. 14) persuaded to give out, that, while they were sleeping at their posts, the disciples had come and stolen away the Body of their Master, and this story obtained a very general circulation amongst the Jews. CHAPTEE X. THE GREAT FORTY DAYS AND THE ASCENSION. A.D. 30. THUS the morning of the world's first Easter- dny passed away, and the risen Saviour had revealed Himself to Mary Magdalene and the other ministering women. Early in the same afternoon two^ of the disciples, Cleopas^ and another, whose name is not recorded, set 1 Not of the Twelve, nor necessarily of the Seventy, but of the wider circle of the Redeemer's followers now assembled at Jerusalem. Lange on Lk. xxiv. 13. ^ Cleopas = K\eo7rdrpos, altogether different from KXwTras, Jn. xix. 25. According to Eusebius he was a native of Eai- 326 THE GREAT FORTY DA YS [Bk. II. Pr. VII. out from Jcrusiilcni in tlic tlircctio:i of tlic village of Kininaiis' (Lk. x.\iv. 13). As they went, they conversed earnestly abont the events that had so lately occurred in the Holy City, and that with heavy hearts, for every liopo Avas buried in their Master's grave. While they were thus engaged, He of Avlioni they sjmke drew near, and accompanying them along the road began to en- quire the meaning of their sorrowful looks, and of the earnest conversation they were holding with one an- other. Not recognising llim (Comp. Jjk. xxiv. 16; Mk. xvi. 12), and suri)rised that even a stranger at Jerusa- lem could be ignorant of the event which filled their hearts and had stirred their whole capital, they pro- ceeded to give full vent to their disappointed hopes, Jesus of Nazareth, they said, had appeared amongst them, and had proved Himself a Prophet^, mighty both in word and deed, before Clod and all the people; they had joined themselves to Him in the full belief that He was the long ])romised Redeemer of Israel, but their chief priests antl rulers had condemned and crucified mans. Nothing further is known of liim, or wlio the otlier disciple was: some liaVc conji-cturcd Nathanael; others bi- nioii ; others Luke himself. ' There were two places of the name of Emmaua ; (i) a town, afterwards called Nicopolis, 22 Koinan n)iles fiom Jerusalem, where .Judas Maccabieus defeated Gorgias, see above, p. 33; (ii) another is mentioned by Josej)hus, Ji.J. IV. I. 3, before the city Tiberias, and inter{)retcd the "warm baths." St Luke liowever states that this Eminaus was 60 Btadia (A. V. thrcci^core fi(vlonf/s), — about 7.] miles from Je- rusalem, and Josephus mentions a village at the same dis- tance, B. J. VII. 6. 6. Kobiiison, because two uncial M8.S. and a few cursives insert ^kutou in Lk. xxiv. 13 and thus make the distance 160 stadia, identifies it with the Emmaus = Nicopolis. ])ut the best critics do not accept this reading, and the site of Emmaus remains yet to be identified, thougti Home would place it at Kabcibch, about 3 miles west of the ancient Mizpeh, and 9 miles from Jerusalem. * Comp. Mtt. xxi. 1 1, 46. Ch. X] and the ASCENSfOX. 327 Ilim^, and three clays had now passed since Ilis death : some women, indeed, of their company had gone to His tomb early that morninS. and P., 374), and inquiring if Ihey had any irpoacpdyLOv, was conceived by the disciples to be that of one who wished to buy of them — cus fxiXkuiv tl uivdadai Trap avT<2v, Chrysost. in loc." ElHcott, p. 405, n. 2 See above, p. 178. For the contrast between the first and second miraculous draughts of fishes, see Trench, Mira- cles, 456 — 459. '■^ Top eirev^vTr]v hu^ooaaTo, Jn. xxi. 7: "resuming the dre^s, which, like Eastern boatmen, he had thrown off whilst struggling with the net." Stanley, *S'. «?2cZ P., p. 378; com- pare however Tristram, p. 43S, and see note in Trench, Mira- cles, p. 455. For the various nets and fish, see above, p. 195. " Each of the Apostles comes wonderfully out in his proper character: he of the eagle eye first detects the presence of the Beloved, and then Peter, the foremost ever in act, as John is pro roundest in speculation, unable to wait till the ship should be brought to laud, throws himself into th^ Ch. X.] AND THE ASCENSION. oSo swimming and wading reached the shore, followed by the rest in the boat dragging the net with the fish they had caught. On landing they not only found themselves in the presence of their risen Lord, but perceived mysterious provision made for their wants after the wearying night. On the smooth margin of the lake^ was a fire of char- coal^, and fish laid thereon and bread, and the Redeemer bade them add to these some of the fish they had just brought to land. In obedience to this command Peter drew the net to shore, and brought of the fish, which numbered a hundred and fifty and three (Jn. xxi. ii), and then all sat down to the early morning meal as in former days, when dwelling with Him by the shore of that same lake. And now too, as at Emmaus, the risen Sa\iour as Master of the family took of the bread and fish, and distributed unto them, while they, filled with reverential awe, though certain that it was He, did not venture to question-^ Him vi'ith regard to the exact *' state of His holy personality*." sea that he may find himself the nearer at his Saviour's feet." Trench, p. 455. ■*■ All round the lake (which is about 13 miles long, and in its broadest parts 6 miles wide) runs, " like a white line," "a level beach; at the southern end roughly strewn with the black and white stones peculiar to this district, and also connected with its volcanic structure ; but the central or northern part formed of smooth sand, or of a texture of shells and pebbles so minute as to resemble sand, like the substance of the beach on the banks of Akaba." Stanley's *S'. and P., 371. ^ 'AvdpaKia only occurs elsewhere in Jn. xviii. 18, when St Peter denied his Lord. ^ 'E^erdcrat, Jn. xxi. 12, is more than ask. It denotes studiose qiiarere (Bretschneider), to question, to jvore. The word only occurs in two other places in the New Testament, (i) Mtt. ii. 8, where Herod bids t!ie Magi enquire accurately {oLKpi^uis i^eTdaaTc) concerning the Child, and (ii) Mtt. x. i r, where accurate enquiry is also hinted at, ^ Eilicott, Lectures, p. 407.' 83 i THE GREAT FORTY DA YS [Bk. II. Pt. VII. "When the meal was over, turning to tho Apostle Peter the risen Saviour enquired, Simon, son of Jonas, lovesf^ thou Me inore than these? Yea, Lord, Thou hnoiccst that I love Tliee, replied the Apostle, but not as on the sad evening of the J3ctrayal, exalting himself on his own fiiithftilness above his fellow-disciples^ (Jn. xxi. 15). Feed My lambs, responded his Lord. A second and vet a third time was the question repeated, till the Apostle touched probably by this reminder of his three denials, and flinging himself on the Omni- science of the Holy One made answer, Lord, Thou knowest all things; Thou knoicest that I love Thee. Once more the command Feed My sheep was given, and thus the Apostle was restored to his old place in the circle of the Twelve (Jn. xxi, 16, 17). But this was not all. The Apostle was to learn what great things he must suffer for the Master, who had thus reinstated him in his Apostolic office. When thou wast young, the Lord continued, thou girdedst thyself, and walkedst ichither thou icouldest : hut when thou ^ ^1) The Saviour enquu-es d7a7ras jxe ; to which the Apo- stle replies, ...0iXaj ae ; (ii) He asks again ayairas fj.e ; and the Apostle answers, ...0tXw ae; (Jii) He asks, (piXels fie; and the Apostle replies, av ytvuiaKeis ore 0iXc5 ae. ''^'Kyairav — dili- fjcre (= deligere) has more of judgment and deliberate choice; (piXeTf = amare, has more of attachment and peculiar personal affection. Thus the d7a7ras on the lips of the Lord seems to Peter at this moment too cold a word ; as though his Lord were keeping him at a distance; or at least not inviting him to draw as near as in the passionate yearning of his heart he desired now to do. Therefore he puts hy the word and substitutes his own stronger 0i\w in its room. A second time he d les the same. And now he has conquered, for when the Lortl demands a third time whether he loves Him, He does it with the word which alone will satisfy Peter, which alone claims from him that personal attachment and affec- tion, with which indeed he knows that his heart is fulL" Trench, Miracles, p. 464, n. ; Synonyms, I. 48. * Comp. Mtt. xxvi. 33; Trench, Miracles, p. 463. C:j. X.] AND THE ASCENSION. 335 shalt he old, thou shall stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and eatery thee whither thou icouldest not (Jn. xxi. i8). And with this intimation of the death that awaited the Apostle, of a day when he shoukl be bound to the cross, and his hands be extended upon it^, He added, Follow Me, i. e. even unto tliat martyr's death for His name which He had just fore- told'-^. Apparently not understanding the meaning of the command, the Apostle interpreted it literally, and while advancing perceived the "loved disciple" also following, and filled with a desire to know what lot awaited him, enquired, Lord, and what shall this man do? (Jn. xxi. 21). But the question, whatever was its precise motive, was gently put by : If I will that he tarry till I come, replied the Saviour, luhat is that to thee ? Follow thou Me ; which intimation of long tarry- ing in store for St John, in contrast to the sharper dis- cipline for which his fellow Apostle was destined, origi- nated the mistaken idea that the "loved disciple" was to leave the world without undergoing the penalty of death (Jn. xxi. 23). This was the third occasion on which the Saviour appeared to His Apostles after His resurrection, and it was probably now that He gave them specific directions respecting a manifestation to a still larger assembly, which was not long delayed. For apparently a short time after this last appearance, the Eleven repaired to a mountain^ in Galilee which He Himself had indicated ^ At Home, and according to early writers, at or about the same time as St Paul, and in the Neronian persecution. According to Origen. (see Euseb. ill. i) he was crucified with his head downwards. Eor the legend found in St Ambrose touching his death^ see Article Pettr in Smith's Bibl, Diet. and the notes. 2 Ellicott, 408, n. ^ Possibly Tabor, or the Mount of the Beatitudes, or of the Transfiguration. Lange, v. 109; Ellicott, 409, n. 336 THE GREAT FORTY DA YS [Bk. II. Pt. VII. (Mtt. xxviii. 1 6), and there He appeared not only to them but in all probability to the Jive hundred hrethren of whom St Paul speaks^ (i Cor. xv. 6). Even now some doubted whether they were really beholding their Lord (Mtt. xxviii. 17), but the Eleven no sooner saw Him than they offered Him their reverent adoration (Mtt. xxviii. 1 7), which He accepted, and declared that now all power was given Him in heaven and in earthy and at the same time gave them His great commission ; Go ye into all the icorld, mid make disciples of all nations, haj^tizing them into the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost, teaching them to observe all things ichatsoever I have told you, and lo ! I am icith you alway, even unto the end of the tcorld {lltt. xxviii. 19, 20; Comp. Mk. xvi. 15 — 18). And now the great Forty Days (Acts i. 3) were ra- pidly drawing to a close-. Warned it may be by the Saviour Himself, or attracted by the near approach of ^ See Wieseler, Chronol. Sijnop. p. 396; Lange, V. to8. " During this period the risen Saviour had manifested Himself from time to time {6irTavo}xevos, Acts i. 3) to certain chosen witnesses, and these appearances according to the order followed in the text were (i) to Mary Magdalene ; (2) to the other ministering women ; (3) to the two disciples journeying to Emniaus ; (4) to St Peter ; (5) to the ten Apo- stles ; (6) to the eleven Apostles ; (7) to seven Apostles by the lake of Tiberias; (8) to the eleven Apostles, and proba- bly the 500 brethren (i Cor. xv. 6), on the appointed moun- tain; (9) to James (i Cor. xv. 7); (10) to the Apostles in or near Jerusalem just before the Ascension. See Wieseler, Chronol. Sjinopsis ; Tischendorf's Synojosis Evangclica ; Elli- cott's Lectures, p. 414, n. ''Thus," in the words of Paley, "it was not one person but many who saw Him: they saw Him not only separately but together; not by night only but by day; not at a distance but near; not once but seve- ral times ; they not only saw Him but touched Him, cou' versed with Him, ate with Him, examined His person to satisfy their doubts." See also Pearson On the Creeel, Ar- ticle V. Ch. X.] AND THE ASCENSION. 337 the festival of Pentecost^, the Apostles and their com- panions left Galilee and returned to Jerusalem. There once more amidst the scene of His late sufferings they saw their risen Lord, and for the last time received from His own Divine lips instruction in the things concerning the kingdom of God, and learned to trace in the pro- phetic Scriptures, in the Law, and in the Psalms, inti- mations of the sufferings and resurrection of the Mes- siah (Lk. xxiv. 44 — 48). There too tliey received His last command to remain in Jerusalem (Acts i. 4) till the promise of the Eternal Father should receive its accom- plishment, and they should be baptized with the Holy Ghost, and endued with poicer from on high (Acts i. 5 ; Lk. xxiv. 49). At last one day He bade them accompany Him along the road towards Bethany and the Mount of Olives (Lk. xxiv. 50), associated with so many me- mories of the risen Lazarus, of the Triumphal Entry, and the last sad days in His earthly life. Convinced that something mysterious was about to happen, and with their carnal hopes still set on the idea that He was about to commence His long-looked for reign, they began to enquire, Lord, wilt Thou at this time restore the kingdom to Israel (Acts i. 6) ? But their enquiries were solemnly silenced. It was not for them to know the times or the seasons, which the Father had put in His oicn poicer. A time was at hand when, on the descent of the Holy Spirit, they should receive power, and become witnesses to their Lord in Jerusalem, and all Judcca, in Samaria, and unto the uttermost parts of the earth (Acts i. 8). Thus conversing they followed Him even to the bor- ders of the district of Bethany, to one of the secluded ^ Ellicott, p. 41 1. For the Festival, see Class- Hook of Old Testament History, p. 152. x.T, 22 338 THE GREAT FORTY DA YS, d-c. [Bk. II. Pt. VII. hills which overhang the village of Bethany on the Eastern slope of Olivets There they received His last solemn and abiding blessing (Lk. xxiv. 50), and while His hands, bearing the marks of the wounds which man had inflicted, were yet uplifted in benediction (Lk. xxiv. 51), He began to he parted from them, and there came a cloud (Acts i. 9), in which slowly and gradually He rose from Olivet, till at length He was lost to sight, and ascended up to that highest heaven, where He was in the glory of the Father before the world was. Long time stood the Eleven looking wistfully up- wards, and watching Him as He receded more and more from view (Acts i. 10). At length two angelic beings clad in white apparel addressed them, saying, Ye men of Galilee, ichy stand ye gazing up into heaven ? This same Jesus, who hath been taken from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen Him go into heaven (Acts i. 11). And then all was over. With hearts subdued and solemnized the Apostles returned to the Upper Room at Jerusalem, and there continued icith one accord in prayer and supj^licatton, with the icomen, and Mary^ the mother of Jesus, andicith His brethren (Acts i. 14). ^ ''A more secluded spot could scarcely have been found so near the stir of a mighty city : the long ridge of Olivet screens the hills, and the hills themselves screen the village beneath from all sound or sight of the city behind." Stanley, S. and P., p. 454. "Not altogether into Bethany, but so far as the point where Bethany came into sight," Stier. - The last occasion on which she is mentioned in the New Testament. From the commencement of the Saviour's mi- nistry she is withdrawn almost altogether from sight. Four times only is the veil removed, (i) at the marriage at Cana (Jn. ii.); (ii) the attempt which she and His brethren made to s^Kak icith Him (Mtt. xii. 46; Mk. iii. 31 ; Lk. viii. 19); (iii) the Crucifixion; (iv) the present occasion. BOOK III. HE APOSTOLIC HISTORY. 22—2 PART T. THE CllURCir OF JERUSALEM. CilArTEll I. TUE ELECTION OF MATTHIAS— THE PENTE- COST A L EFFUSION. A.D. CO. IN .'iccordaiicc uitli tlic command of tlicir lately as- cended Lord, the Apostles remained in the Holy City, and there continued with one accord in prayer and suppJication (Acts i. 14) with the rest of the little company. This now amounted in all to about 120 (Acts i. 15), and consisted of 1 . The Eleven, 2. The Virgin, the Avonien, who had accompanied the Saviour from Galilee to Jerusalem, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, Sa- lome, Joanna, Susanna, and others, 3. The brethren'^ of the Lord, who though at an early period they were not for but against Ilim (Jn. vii. 5}, now undoubtedly believed on Ilim, 4. Tlie other disciples. ^ Sc;g note above, pp. :2S, 11., C29. 342 ELECTION OF MA TTIIIAS— [Bk. III. Tt.!. Though the duty enjoined upon them at this time, v>\as that of patient waiting for the bestowal of the promised gift of the Holy Ghost, one thing could be done by way of preparation for the Avork they were called to perform. They could restore their original number as it was com- posed by their Lord, and fill up the gap which the treachery of Judas had made in their body. Accordingly, the Apostle Peter, already beginning to take that lead for which his natural gifts no less than the prophetic words of the Saviour had destined him, stood up in their midst, and called attention to the deserted seat of the traitor. He had fallen, as they all knew, and after a terrible end^ had gone to his oicn jylace (Acts i. 25). The language of inspired prophecy liad not been silent respecting his shameful treacliery, but the same Psalms (Ps. Ixix. 25; cix. 8), which had foreshadowed his fall, had spoken also of the election of another to take his charge or ofiice of oversight (Acts i. 20). He advised, therefore, that they should proceed to choose a new Apostle, and suggested, as the conditions of his election, that he should be one who had compa- nied Avitli them from the beginning to the close of their Lord's official ministry, from the Baptism of John to the Ascension, and so be qualified in au especial degree to be a witness of His Resurrection (Acts i. 22). His suggestion found favour with the assembled body of the brethren, and they nominated two of their number, who eminently possessed their confidence, as also the special qualifications thus laid down. One was Joseph Bar-Sabas, surnamed Justus, and Matthias, of Avhom, however, nothing further is known in the New Testament^. These they put forward, and leaving to * See above, p. 297, and note. ^ According to Eusebius, //. E. i. 12, he, as also Joseph Bar-Sabas, was one of the Seventy, and is said to have preached and suflFered martyrdom in Ethiopia. Ch. I.] THE PENTECOSTAL EFFUSION. 343 the Lord the final determination, they prayed that, as the Searcher of hearts, He wouhl indicate whom Ho had selected for the ofiice, and then gave forth their lots'^, and the lot fell upon Matthias, and he teas num- bered with the Eleven Apostles (Acts i. 26). Thus quietly and without observation was the first seed sown of what was destined to grow into a great tree- [Wit. xiii. 31-^33). Never did it seem more un- likely that the religion of the crucified Redeemer could be revived. The City had been restored to peace, as though nothing extraordinary had taken place. The Eoman guard had been bribed to contradict any ru- mour that might be bruited about of the Resurrection ; in the popular estimation the death of Jesus had extin- guished all ideas that He w^as the Messiah ; and no leader of any weight appeared likely to rally the little band of His once attached followers^. The triumph of the Sanhedrin appeared complete. But this was the very hour when the new Faith was to achieve its first conquest. Ten days passed away after the Ascension. The Fiftieth, the day of Pentecost^, the ^ The use of lots occurs frequently in the Old Testament ; compare, among others, that at (i) the dhdsion of the land of Canaan (N"um. xxxiv. 13), (ii) at the detection of Achan (Josh. vii. 14, 18), (iii) the Election of Saul (1 Sam. x. 20, 21) ; (iv)over the two goats at the feast of the Atonement (Lev. xvi. 8) ; (v) the distribution of the priestly offices of the temple-service (r Oh. xxiv. 3, 5, 19, and comp. Lk. i. 9, above, p. 12S). "Tablets, on which the names of Joseph and Matthias were written, were probably placed in a vessel, and that lot which, on the shaking of the vessel, first fell out, gave the decision." Lechler. ^ See above, p. 195, and note. ^ Milman, History of Christianity, I. 352. 4 'El/ T(p avfXTrXtjpovadai. ttjv 'qixepa.v = " was now fully come, or rather, perhaps, was on the poird, or in the act, of being fulfilled ; juet dawning, we may suppose, for the day to rim its course;" Vaughan on the Acts, i. p. 42. 344^ ELECTION OF MA TTHIAS-^ [Bk. III. Pt. I. Feast of Weeks, was coined Tlie Holy City, crowded with strangers from every quarter of tlie then known world, presented a scene of unusual animation. There was scarcely a region but had its representative in its streets. Not only from Palestine^ itself, but from the lands beyond the Euphrates, whither the Israelites had been carried by the Assyrian and Babylonian captivi- ties^, Partliia and Media, Elam* and Mesopotamia^; from the various districts of Asia Minor, Cappadocia and Pontus^, Phrygia and Pamphylia, as well as those fring- ing the Western coast-line, Mysia, Lydia, and Caria, and now comprehended under one name, Roman Asia " ; from 1 See Class- Booh of 0. T. Historij, p. 152. This festival lasted one cla}^ and was distinguished by the offering of two leavened loaves, made from the new corn of the now com- pleted harvest. That it was likewise a memorial of the giv- ing of the Law from Sinai, is a supposition which rests C)nly on later Jewish traditions. Neander's Planting, I. 5, E. V. ^ The Catalogue (Acts ii. 9 — 11) proceeds from the North East to the West and South. •^ On the colonies of Jews in Babylonia, see above pp. 7, 107. "* In pure Greek the inhabitants were called ''KKv^oloi, from Elam or Elymais, a Semitic people, see Gen. x. 22. '* Elam is mentioned in connection with Babylon (Gen. xiv. i) ; with Media (Isai. xxi. 1 ; Jer. xxv. -25) ; with Assyria (Ezek. xxxii. 24), as a province of Persia (Ez. iv. 9)." Josephus {Ant. J. 6. 4) makes the Elj'maeans the progenitors of the Persians. ^ A name apparently not older than the Macedonian con- quests for the Hebrew Aram-Nalinraim, or Syria of the two rivers, Tigris and Eujihrates, of which we first hear in Gen. xxiv. 10. ^ The former kingdom of Mithridates, situated along the southern coast of the Euxine, now divided into pettj'^ princi- palities, subject to Roman protection, but under Nero made a Roman province. It is mentioned again in Acts xviii. 2 ; 1 Pot. i. I. '' Tt?!/ ^Xaiav, Acts ii. 9. This expression, which frequently occurs in the New Testament, denotes the Roman i^rovince of Asia, which embraced the western part of thi peninsula of Asia Minor, and had Ephesus for its capital. It included Oh. I.] THE PENTECOSTAL EFFUSION. 845 the islands of the IVIediterranean ^ ; from populous Alex- andria and the flourishing region of Gyrene ^^ from the capital of the West itself, Jews and Hellenists, "prose- lytes of righteousness ^" and "proselytes of the gate," had. flocked to take part in the great Festival (Acts ii. 9 — 11). All gathered together in one place, the disciples were awaiting any indications of the Divine will, when suddenly there arose out of heaven a sound as of a i^ush- ing tnlghty wind, which filled the whole house where they were sitting (Acts ii. 2), and simultaneously tongues as if of fire'* distributed^ themselves amongst and set- tled upon each one of them (Acts ii. 3). The Strength- ener, the Comforter, had come, the disciples were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and though poor, illiterate, and obscure men of Galilee, found themselves by the operation of the indwelling Spirit able to speak not only in their own rough unpolished language, but in as many dialects as were represented that day at Jerusalem® (Acts ii. 4). the territory anciently subdivided into ^olis, Ionia, and Doris, and afterwards into Lydia, Mysia, and Caria. Ori- ginally bequeathed to the Romans by Attains, king of Per- gamus, (Hor. Od. I. i, 12; ii. 18. 5), or king of Asia, (see I Mace. xi. 13), B, c. 133, it was, after some rectifications of the frontier, constituted a province, and placed by Augustus amongst those subject to the senate, and therefore governed by a procurator. Comp. Acts xix. 38, and see above, p. 147, n. Within its boundaries were the seven Churches of the Apo- calypse ; see Con. and Howson, Life, and Ep. of St Paul, chap. xiv. ; Spruner's Atlas Antiquus, Ed. 3. ^ On the Islands of the Mediterranean in connection with the dispersion of the Jews, see above, p. loS. ^ For notices of Jews in Egypt and Cyrene see above, pp. 8, 107. ^ On the proselytes, see above, p. 118, n. ^ They were not vvpos but coael rrvpos, not burning but luminous, in appearance like fire : see Lechler in loc. ^ Aiafj-epi^ofxeuai, in our version rendered cloven, but rather = disfributed or parting themselves among them, * See Neander's Pk?ieople (Deut. xviii. 15, 18). This Pro- phet hath appeared in the person of Jesus, and to you first ^ hath God sent Him forth, blessing you in turning away each one from your iniquities (Acts iii. 17 — 26)." This powerful address had a still greater effect than the previous discourse of the Apostle. Upwards of five thousand avowed themselves believers in the Crucified, and swelled the ranks of the Christian Church (Acts iv. 4). But it had other issues also. The Sanhedrin, which had hitherto stood aloof '•' from all notice of the move- ments of the Apostles, resolved to act with decision. As the evening of this eventful day closed in, the ^ "Ottws 0.V cannot mean wlicn, as in our Version, it can only denote hi order that. '■^ In accordance with the Saviour's command (Mtt. xxviii.). On the nature of the subsequent call of the Gentiles expected by the Apostle, see above, p. 348 and note. ^ Either from (i) awe, or (2) miscalculating contempt, or, (3) it is possible, internal dissersionj Milman, i. 357. Ch. IL] PETER AND JOHN. 353 priests, the captain of the Levitical guard ^, and the Sadducees^, naturally annoyed at tlie proclamation of the resurrection of the dead through the power of a risen Saviour, laid hands on the two Apostles and the healed cripple^ (Comp. Acts iv. 14), and committed them to prison, intending on the morrow to institute a formal trial (Acts iv. 3). Accordingly on the next day the rulers, the elders, and scribes, Annas'* the high-priest and Caiaphas, John^ and Alexander^, and others of the pontiff's family, as- ^ '0 (TTpaTTjyos Tov lepoO (Acts iv. i ; comp. Lk. xxii. 4) was not a Roman but a Jewish officer, and corresponded to the TrpoardTTjs too lepov spoken of in 2 Mace. iii. 4 ; comp. 2 K. xii. g. He was the captain of the Levitical guard, spoken of by Josephus, B. J. vr. 5. 3; Anl. xx. 6. 2, under the name of (TTpai'i]'/6s, whose duty it was to visit the sen- tries in the Temple duiing the night, and see that they did their duties. See Lightfoot in loc. ^ "It does not appear that the Pharisees, though they had takea the lead in the condemnation of Christ, were eager, after that event, to persecute His followers. They looked on the illiterate Galilaearis as worthy of no further Attention, especially since they observed the ceremonial law, and at first abstained from controverting the peculiar tenets of their party ; they allowed them to remain undisturbed, like some other sects by whom their own interests were not afi'ected...But the Sadducees were exasperated with the Apostles for so zealously advocating the doctrine of the resurrection." Neander's Planting, i. 41, 45; Milnian (i. 359) thinks the Sadducees " had gained a temporary ascendancy in the great council." 3 Neander's Planting, I. 43. ^ See above, pp. 150, 253, and note. ^ Identified by Lightfoot with Rabbi Johanan ben Z;ic- chai, who lived 40 years before the destruction of the Tem- ple, and was president of the great synagogue after its removal to Jamnia. ^ Apparently holding some high office, and identified by some with Alexander the Alabarch at Alexandria, the bro- ther of Philo-Judreus, whom Josephus mentions as a friend of the Etnpernr Claudius. Jos. Ant. xviii, 8. i ; xix. 5. i ; See Smith's Bibl. Diet. N. T. 23 354 A CTIVITY OF THE A POSTLES [Ek, III. Pt. I. scmblcd probably in their hall Gazith, and when the Apostles had been x>laced in the midst of the judieial circle, enquired by what authority and by virtue of what commission they had acted as they had done. Therenpon Peter, Jllled icith the Holy Ghost (Acts iv. 8\ again stood forward, and boldly declared that tlie miracle of the previous day was due entirely to the mighty working of Jesus of Nazareth, whom they had crucified, but whom God had raised from the dead. He was the Stone whom, in the language of the cxviiith Psalm, they the builders of the nation and its appointed teachers had rejected as worthless, but which had become the head (f the corner, nor was there in any other the Salvation, for which all hoped ; for there icas no other Name under heaven given among men, ijcherehy they could he saved (Acts iv. 8—12). Tlie boldness, power, and knowledge, which this speech betrayed, astonished tlie Sunhedrin beyond, measure, and the more so when they reflected that the speaker and his fellow Apostle w^ere of the com- mon class, unlearned and ignorant \ in whom they re- cognised^ the obscure followers of Jesus of Nazareth (Acts iv. 13). The miracle, indeed, which they had wrought could not be gainsaid, for the restored crip- ple, a man more than 40 years of age (Acts iv. 22), stood beside them (Acts iv. 14), ready to support by his testi- mony the power by which he had been so marvellously healed. It was deemed, therefore, inexpedient to go into the question of evidence, and after a secret con- ference (Acts iv. 15) it was resolved to prevent, if pos- sil)le, the spread of the report of the miracle amongst the people, and to forbid for the future any preaching or teaching in the name of Jesus. ^ That is, who had not been educated iu tlie Jewish Bchool.q. ^'^ireylvusffKov, Acts iv. 13. Ch. II.] PETER AND JOHN. 855 Accordingly the Apostles, who had been ordered to withdraw during the consultation, were recalled and informed of their decision. But they absolutely declined to act upon it. They could not, they said, refrain from proclaiming what their own eyes had seen and tlieir own ears had heard, or hearken to the council rather than to that God, whose commissioned witnesses they were. After further threats, therefore, they Avere dismissed; for the Sanhedrin saw plainly that they had done no- thing deserving punishment, and the popular feeling ron so strongly in their favour, that they dared not re- sort to violence (Acts iv. 21). Thus released they returned to the rest of the disci- ples, and recounted all that had occurred. Their tidings had not the effect of lessening the courage of their hearers. Lifting up their voices with one accord to the Lord and Maker of heaven and earth, they declared their conviction of the vanity of the machi- nations of their rulers against the Supreme and the Messiah whom He had sent. Herod, and Pontius Pilate, the nations and people of Israel, had gathered them- selves together against their Master, but only to do what His hand and counsel had foreordained should come to pass. The threats, therefore, of their foes they regarded not, and only prayed that, while ^ the Lord stretched forth His hand to heal, and caused signs and wonders to be performed through the Name of His, holy servant Jesus, they themselves might receive still greater strength to preach His Word (Acts iv. 23 — 30). Their petition received an immediate and sensible response. The place where they were assembled was shaken as by an earthquake, and a fresh and special communication of the Holy Ghost filled them with stilL ^ 'Ei' T^J rrjv x^'/oa <^ov eKTelveiv cretin the stretching Jortfi of Thij hand {lohile Thou stretchest forth Thy hand) for heal- ifif/, Acts iv. 30, 35G ANANIAS AND SAPPHIRA- [Bk. III. Pt. I. greater boldness to proclaim their message and deliver their testimony (Acts iv. 31). CHAPTEE III. ANANIAS AND SAPPHIRA— RENEWED HOSTILITY OF THE SADDUCEES, A. D. 30—34. THUS tcrn)inated the first collision of the Christian community with the ruling powers at Jerusalem. Within that community itself all as yet went well. While the Apostles with increased power gave forth their testimony to the resurrection of their Lord, the disciples proved the sincerity of their convictions by the self-denial of their lives. All being of one heart and of one soul (Acts iv. 32), they regarded their possessions as belonging to a common fund, and such as were possessed of lands or houses sold them, and brought the price and laid it at the Apostles' feet, who caused distribution to be made thereof according to the requirements of each (Acts iv. 35). Of this self-denying goodwill no one afforded a brighter example than a man of the tribe of Levi\ and a native of Cyprus, whose name was Joseph, or, as he was called by the Apostles, Barnabas 2, the Son of Con- ^ Though originally excluded fi-om the possession of land (see Class-Booh of Old Testament History, p. 220), this tribe had begun to possess land, as in Jerem. xxxii. 7, and this must have been generally the case after the captivity. See Lechltr in loc. ^ Tios TrapaK\r}(Tews = son of prophecy or exhortation. If a native of Cyprus, he would be a Hellenist, and "the schools of Tarsus, the birth-place of St Paul, may naturally have attracted him, for Cyprus was within a few hours' sail from Cii. III.] HOSTILITY OF THE SADDUCEES. So7 solation, or rather of Exhortation, on account of the extraordinary gifts of inspired discourse and exhorta- tion by which he was distinguished^ (Acts iv. 36). His estates, wliich were jDrobably considerable, he sold, and rejoiced in the distribution of the price amongst his poorer brethren. Before long, however, a sad incident occurred,which told of evil already at work within the Christian society. A certain man named Ananias, A\dth the privity of his wife Sapphira, sold a possession, and having appropri- ated a portion of the price, laid the remainder at the Apostles' feet, giving it to be understood that that was the whole sum he had received (Acts v. 1,2). But his aspiration after high honour amongst his brethren with so little cost to himself did not escape the detec- tion of the Apostle Peter. Fixing his eye upon him as lie brought the portion and laid it before liim, he en- quired how he had permitted Satan to tempt him to deceive the Holy Ghost. While it remained, said he, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? Thou hast 7iot lied unto men, hut unto God (Acts v. 4). At these words, so stern, so solemn, and yet so true, reading his heart to its lowest depths, the wretched man was utterly overwhelmed, and Jell down and gave up the ghost. When the awe of the assembly at this instant judgment on the sin of hypocrisy had somewhat subsided, the young men^ who were present rose up, and wrapping the body in the Cilicia, and there the friendship of the two may have begun.** See Con. and Howson, i. 10 1. ^ See Lechler and Alford in loc. 2 By some supposed to have been a class in the congre- gation accustomed to perform such services, but more pro- bably the j'ounger members of the church acting perhaps in accordance with Jewish custom, perhaps on some hint from the apostle. See Alford in loc. 3c8 ANANIAS AND SAPPHIRA— [Bk. III. Pt. I. usual burial clothes^ bore it forth to a tomb without the city 2 (Acts V. 6). Three hours had scarcely elapsed before his wifo Sapphira, not knowing what had occurred, entered the place where the disciples were met together, and was straightway asked by Peter whether she and Ananias had really sold the farm for the price which the latter had alleged. To this she replied in the affirmative, and thus made her husband's sin her own, and deli- berately confirmed the fraud. The Apostle had not denounced the awful judgment, which had befallen her husband, he had only denounced the offender. But now he not only denounced the sin, but declared its instant penalty, saying, Behold the feet of them which hurled thij husband are at the door, and shall carry thee out. Thus informed at one and the selfsame moment of her husband's fate and her own, she too dropped down a corpse, and was instantly conveyed to the grave by those who had just returned from luryhig Ananias (Acts v. 8 — lo). The eflFect of this terrible but just judgment was very gi-eat. Fear came upon all who saw and all who heard what had taken place, and the Apostles, by whose liands many signs and wonders continued to be wrought, acquired still greater reverence. Those who did not yet believe, forbore to join themselves to the Christian society rashly or from light motives, while the common people, impressed with a sense of the supernatural power possessed by the Apostles, brought forth their sick, and placed them on beds and couches in the streets, that they might have the benefit even of Peter's shadow ' Or their own mantles, taken off in preparing to carry him out. Alford ?n loc. 2 On the shortness of the time after death allowed in the east before burial, see above, p. 249, n. The practice was to bury before sunset of the same day. Ch. III.] HOSTILITY OF THE S ADDUCE ES. S59 passing by^ (Acts v. 15). Soon the populations of the towns round about Jerusalem imitated their example, and experienced the effects of the healing word as ad- di'essed either to the sick or those possessed by unclean spirits (Acts v. 16). Tlie excitement thus aroused could not escape tho notice of the Sanhcdrin. Annas and Caiaplias and the Sadducaic faction saw that they must make another eflFort to suppress the new sect so quickly gaining adhe- rents in their very midst. Accordingly they caused tho Apostles to be seized and cast into the common prison, and on the morrow calling together the whole Council, sent their officers to sunnnon them into their presence. When, however, they reached the prison, the officers found indeed the doors fast closed, but the prisoners had disappeared ! On receiving this intelligence the liigh- priestand the Sanhedrin"-^ were in the utmost perj)lexity, which was still further increased by the entrance of a messenger, announcing that the Apostles were in tho Temple, where indeed they had been since daybreak, having been released by an angel during the night (Acts V. 18 — 25). Thereupon the Captain of the Levi- tical guard was despatched to fetch them, and even he found himself obliged to act with caution and gentle- ness, for the feelings of the people were largely on the side of the Apostles, and stones were ever ready at hand in the precincts of the Temple, to furnish wea- pons for a tunmltuous resistance^. But the Twelve readily accompanied the officers, and presented themselves before the Sanhedrin, and ^ Now was fulfilled his Master's promise, Mtt. xvi. 18. 2 The d/)X'f/3"s mentioned in Acts v. 24 as members of the Council were the titular High-j^riests ; partly those who had served the office, partly the presidents of the ^4 courses, partly the kindred of the High-priest. Alford in loc, ^ Miluian, I. 361: see above, p. •235. SCO ^^V.lxV/^^ AXB SAPPUIRA— [Bk. III. Pt. T. in reply to the higli-pricst's complaint that they had not obeyed the injunctions of the council to forbear preaching in the Name of Jesus, evinced even more boldness and resolution than before. Peter, once more their spokesman, declared that obedience was due to God rather than to man, for lie had raised up from the dead that same Jesus, whom they had crucified and slain, and exalted Him to be a Prince and a Sa- viour, to (Jive repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. To the fact of His resurrection they were wit- nesses, and their testimony they were bound to deliver (Acts V. 29 — 32). These words, breathing such dauntless resolution, roused the Council to the utmost fury, and the majority, especially the Sadducaic party, were eager for the exe- cution of their prisoners. But the rising of one of their number was the signal for calmer measures. This was the famous Kabbi Gamaliel^, an illustrious teacher of the Law, who was held in the utmost rever- ence by the people, and according to Jewish tradition was the president of the Sanhedrin. lie advised that the Apostles should withdraw for a while, and then pro- ^ This eminent teacher was the son of Habbi Siraeon, and grandson of the celebrated Hillel, of the sect of the Pharisees, but untrammelled by their narrow bigotry, and dis- tinguished for candour and wisdom. "His learning was so eminent, and his character so revered, that he is one of the seven who alone among Jewish doctors have been honoured with the title of 'Eabban' (=the Rabhoni of Jn. xx. 16). As Aquinas, among the schoolmen, was called Doctor Anr/C' licus, and Lonaventura Doctor Scraphicus, so Gamaliel was called the BemUy of the Law, and it is a saying of the Talmud, that since Jiahhan Gamaliel died, the glory of the Lavj has ceased^ He was president of the Sanhedrin under Tiberius, Caligula, and Claudius, and died 18 years before the destruction of Jerusalem, or about the time of St Paul's shipwreck at Malta. Conybeare and Howson, I. 56, and notes. Cii. III.] HOSTILITY OF THE SADDUCEES. 361 ceeded to urge his brethren to moderation and cahn- ncss. There was no need, he said, for any apprehen- sion from such an obscure band of Gahlseans. Could not the Council recall how a few years before one Theu- das^ had arisen, boasting himself to be some great one, and had collected a body of 400 followers? But what ^ Because a Theudas is mentioned by Josephus {Ant. XX. 5. i) as havhig been an insurgent in the time of Clau- dius, or about a. d. 44, and St Luke places this Theudas be- fore the time of Judas of Galilee, he has been accused with the utmost inconsistency of historical inaccuracy. But there are two solutions of the apparent diflBculty, either of which meets all the requirements of the case : (i) St Luke repre- sents this Theudas as having appeared before the time of Judas the Galilcean, and therefore he cannot have appeared later than the close of the reign of Herod the Great. Now the yearof that monarch's death (as mentioned above, pp. 104, 144) was one of great turbulence, and Palestine was overrun by in- surrectionary chiefs and fanatics, of whom Josephus mentions but three by name, Judas the son of the bandit Hezekias, Simon a slave of Herod, and Athronges, and passes over the rest with a mere allusion (comp. Ant. xvii. 9. 3 ; xvii. 10. 4 — 8). Now of these Theudas might easily have been one, for the name was not uncommon, (ii) Others would identify him with Jvidas, the son of Hezekias mentioned above, or more probably with the second insurgent, Simon, one of Herod's slaves {Ant. xvil. 10. 6), a man C'f great personal strength and comeliness, who assumed the diadem and the title of king, "deeming himself more worthy of that dignity than any one else'' {Ant. loc. cit.; comp. Acts iv. 36, \eyij3v dual Tiva eavrov), gained a certain number of followers, chiefly from Persea, burned and plundered the palace of Jericho, and many other places, and was devastating in aU directions till he was attacked by Gratus the procuiator (see above, p. 149), who utterly defeated his followers and be- headed Simon himself. Being originally a slave he might easily have assumed the name of Theudas with the diadem, and have been mentioned by Gamaliel under one, by Jose- phus under the other appellation. See Neander's Planting, I. 47, n. ; Lightfoot, Hor. Hebr. iv. 54; Biscoe's History of the Acts, p. 4283 Rawlinson's Bamjpton Lectures, 261, and notes* 362 ANANIAS AND SAPPHIRA. [Bk. III. Pt. I. was the issue? Was lie not slain, and as iliany as fol- lowed him dispersed and annihilated ? And then again in the days of the taxing did there not rise up^ Judas of Galilee, who also drew away much people after him ? But was he a whit more successful I Did lie not perish with all his followers? Let these instances, he conti- nued, suffice, and let the assembly refrain from these men. If their work or counsel was of men, it would come to nought, but if it was of God, it would be impos- sible to overthrow it, and they ought to be on tlieir guard lest they should by any chance he found fighting against God- (Acts v. 34 — 39). The weight of the speakei^s name and his high repu- tation prevailed over the bitterness of faction. His prudent advice was adopted. The Apostles were re- called, and after being beaten with rods, were dismissed with strict injunctions to abstain from speaking any more in the name of Jesus (Acts v. 40). But threats and stripes were alike ineffectual to seal their mouths. They went forth from the council rejoicing that they had heen found worthy to suffer for the Name of their Master, and ceased not publicly in the Temple courts, and privately from house to house, to proclaim Jesus as the Messiah (Acts v. 41, 42). ^ This rising of Judas is described above, p. 148. 2 On the probable tone of Gamaliel's feeling towards Christianity see Neander's Planting, 1. 47. Ch. IV.] INSTITUTION OF DEACONS. 863 CHAPTER IV. THE INSTITUTION OF DEACONS— MARTYRDOM OF STEPHEN. A. D. 34-36. UP to this time, it will be observed, tlie attempts to put down the new Faith had come from the Sad- ducaic part}'. Separated in no respect from the nation, tlie members of the Christian society attended the fes- tivals, worshipped in the Temple and the Synagogue, and observed the ordinances of the Law side by side with tlie "breaking of the Bread" from house to housed Conforming, then, to national rites and usages, and agreeing with the Pharisees in opposition to the Sad- ducees respecting the resurrection of the dead, their relations Avith the more moderate portion at least of the former were of an amicable character ^ But they were now destined to incur the hostility of both sects alike. Their own numbers, so for from suf- fering any diminution in consequence of the recent per- secutions, steadily increased, and were swelled by the adhesion of multitudes of men and la/inen (Acts v. 14), both Hebrews or Jews proper, and Hellenists or Jews of the Grecian speech ^ For some time the same bro- therly love which had prevailed before, distinguished all alike, and out of the common fund daily distribution was made according to the requirements of each person and household. But before long in the midst of this general bene- volence arose suspicions that the distribution was not made with perfect fairness. Between the Jews who 1 See Liglitfoot's Commentary on the Galatians, pp. 2 78, 9; Stanley's Apostolical Age, p. 92 ; and above, p. 349. ■■^ Neander's Planting, l. 48. ^ See above, pp. 109, no. 864< INSTITUTION OF DEACONS— [Bk. III. Pt. I. spoke the sacred tongue of Palestine, and those scatter- ed hi different lands, ^vho had adopted the Greci;in lan- guage^; between the zealous Aramrean, who read the Scriptures in the Ilebrew, and the Hellenists, -who read the Scptuagint, and whose most learned teachers strove to "accommodate Jewish doctrines to the mind of the €reeks, and to make the Greek language express the mind of the Jews," there had long been a feeling of mutual jealousy and dislike. This now re-produced itself even within the Chris- tian community. There arose a murmuring between the "Hellenists" and the "Hebrews," on the ground that the widows of the former were overlooked in the daily dir>tribution- (Acts vi. i). Such complaints, if not check- ed, might lead to disastrous results. Accordingly the Apostles met together, and having assembled the ge- neral body of the disciples (Acts vi. 2), urged that it was not meet to expect them to leave the ministry of the ■SA-ord and serve tables, and advised that seven men of good report, full of the Holy Ghost and of practical wisdom, should be selected, who might devote them- selves to the superintendence of this distribution, while they confined themselves to the more spiritual functions • ■ ^ Conybeare and Howson, I. 85. Alexandria was the me- tropolis of Hellenistic theology, Philo their tjreat representa- tive. "The Greek learning was not more repugnant to the Roman Cato, than it was to the strict Hebrews. They liad a Baying, Cursed is he who teachcth his son the learning of the Greeks.''^ For other illustrations, see Con. and Howson, i. 85, n. ; Biscoe On the Acts, p. 60; Lightfoot, Ilor. Hcbr. et Talm. IV. 60; and compare above, p. 116. The ill-feeling lasted at least down to the time of Justinian. ^ "The Jews of Palestine were relatively poor, compared with those of 'the dispei'sion.' We see this exemplified on later occasions, in the contributions which St Paul more than once anxiously promoted ; see Acts xi. 29, 30 ; Horn. xv. 25, 26; Acts xxiv. 17; I Cor. xvi. i — 4; 2 Cor. viii. i — 4." C. and H., i. 64. Ch. IV.] MARTYRDOM OF STEPHEN. 86o of their office (Acts vi. 3, 4). The proposal met 'svith universal acceptance, and the general body of the disci- ples submitted to the Apostles seven men, whose names appear to indicate that they were of Hellenistic, rather than Jewish extraction, Stephen^, Philip, Prochorus, Kicanor, Timon, Parmeuas, and Nicolas'^ a proselyte of Antioch (Acts vi. 5). The Twelve approved of the selec- tion, and after offering prayer they laid hands ui)on them 3, and thus solemnly consecrated them to their office'^. Thus a danger, which threatened a breach in the Christian community, was happily removed by a wise and liberal concession. The Hellenists were introduced into the actual ministry of the Church, and the admission of a body more free tlian their Hebrew brethren from local and national prejudices was doubtless divinely ordered to pave the way for still greater results. Mean- while the Word of God had free course and was glori- fied, the multitude of the disciples in Jerusalem was largely increased, and a great company even of the priests, whose antecedents and prepossessions would bo all strongly against such a step, hecame obedient to the faith (Acts vi. 7). ^ "His Hebrew (or ratlier Syriac) name is traclitionally said to have been Clielil, or C'heliel (a croion) ;" Smith's BibL. Diet. ^ By some supposed, by others denied, to have been the founder of the sect of the Nicolaitans mentioned in Rev. ii. 6, 15. See Smith's Bibl. Diet, sub voc; Lightfoot On the Gala- tians, 281 n. ^ An ancient and famihar practice in (i) pronouncing a blessing (Gen. xlviii. 14 — 20), (ii) appointing to an office (Num. xxvii. 18 — 21), transferring guilt (Lev. iii. 2). ^ It will be noticed that the term "deacons" is nowhere applied to them. They are called "the Seven" (Acts xxi. 8), and two of them perform the work of preachers and evange- lists. See Article in Smith's Bibl. Diet.; Stanley's Apostoli- cal Arje, p. 62. 8G6 INSTITUTION OF DEACONS— [Bk. III. Pt. I. One of the "Seven" now admitted into the ministry of the Church was destined to be the proximate cause of its first collision with the Pharisaic party, and to pre- pare the way for the admission of the Gentiles into the Christian fold. This was Stephen, a man full of faith and power, of irresistible spirit and wisdom. Though appointed to superintend the distribution of secular funds, he soon became eminent for other gifts, and not only wrought great wonders and signs amongst the peo- ple (Acts vi. 8), but proved himself able to argue with the Jews of Cyrene and Alexandria, of Cilicia^ and Koman Asia, as also the Libertini^ or enfranchised Jews, in their several synagogues in Jerusalem, and that with such wisdom and power that they were un- able to confute his arguments, or resist thi spirit hy ichich he spake (Acts vi. lo). Freed by the circumstances of his birth and educa- tion from mere local and national prejudices, he ap- ^ Among the conspicuous opponents of the great Hellen- ist in the synagogue of Cilicia was doubtless a young man (Acts vii. 58) a citizen of Tarsus, distinguished already by liis zeal and talents among the younger champions of the Pharisaic party; see Gal. i. 13, 14; Acts xxii. 3; xxiii. 7; xxvi. 5 ; Phil. iii. 5, 6. 2 Of the various explanations of the Ai^epriviov in Acts vi. 9, the most probable are (i) that they were the inha- bitants of Libertum, a town in the proconsular province of Africa, a bishop of which place is mentioned in the Council of Carthage, A.D. 411; (ii) that they were Jews, who having been taken prisoners by Pompeius and other Eoman generals during the Sj'^rian wars (see above, p. 109), were reduced to slavery, and being afterwards emancipated returned, either permanently or for a time, to Palestine, and had a synagogue at Jerusalem. Tacitus states {Ann. II. 85) that 4000 of the Hbertini generis (said by Josephus to have been Jews, Ant. XVlil. 3. 5) were banished by Tiberius, a.d. 19, to Sardinia, under an edict for the suppression of Egyptian and Jewish mysteries?, and they are thought to have found their way to Jerusalem. See Humphry On the Acts; Smitli's I^ibL Diet.; Urellius in Tac. Annul, ll. 85; Biscoe On the Acts, p. 69. Ch. IV.] MARTYRDOM OF STEPHEN. 867 pears to have spoken strongly of the fulfihnent of the Mosaic ordinances^ by the Founder of the Christian Church, and to have proclaimed that a time was at hand when, in the words of the Holy One to the woman of Samaria^, men should worship the Father in spirit and in truth, not in the Temple only, or in Jerusalem only, but everywhere throughout the world. This teaching roused a furious opposition, and unable to oppose the eloquent Hellenist by fair means, those whom he addressed had recourse to artifice. Having privily suborned^ men, who affirmed that they had heard him utter blasphemous words against the Temple and the Law ; that they had heard him say that Jesus of Nazareth would destroy the national sanctuary and change the rites which Moses had ordained; they suc- ceeded in stirring up the people, as also the ruling powers of the nation (Acts vi. 12). Accordingly an as- sembly of the Sanhedrin was convened, Stephen, who had in the meanwhile been apprehended, was placed before them, and the charges formally preferred against him, ■ Although the accusations made against Stephen "are r«. i'esented as the depositions of false witnesses, it does not follow that all they said was a fabrication, but only tliat they had, on many points, distorted his assertions, with an evil intention. Yet he must, by what he said, have given them some ground for their misrepresentations, for before this time nothing similar h:id been brought against the publishers of the Gospel ; hence we may make use of their allegations to find out what Stephen really said." Neander's Planting_ I. 51; compare Milman, i. 364. "Stephen is the acknow- ledged forerunner of the Apostle of the Gentiles. He v/as the first to luoh steadfastly to the end of that icliich is abolished, to sound the death-knell of the Mosaic ordinances and the temple-worship, and to claim for the Gospel unfettered liberty and universal rights." Lightfoot On the Galatians, p. 281, ^ See above, p. 169. ^ Gomp. above, p. 268. 868 INSTITUTION OF DEACONS— [Bk. III. Pt. I. As he stood in the midst of the council-hall, the members of the Council looked steadfastly upon him and observed his face as it had leen the face of an angel (Acts vi. 15) lighted up with supernatural radi- ance and serenity. At length, as in the case of the trial of his Lord\ the high-priest enquired what he had to say respecting the accusations brought against him, and Stephen commenced his reply, ''the frame- work of which was cast in a summary of the history of the Jewish Church "V and treated of all the great epochs ot the national existence, — from Abraham to Jo- seph,— from Joseph to Moses, — from Moses to David and Solomon^. Keeping in mind the charges, of which he was accused, he shewed that the Divine blessing had not been confined to the Jews solely as inhabitants of the sacred land of Palestine, or as partakers in the Temple- worship. The original cradle of their faith was not Palestine but Mesopotamia, and not only had the patriarch ^ See above, p. -293. ^ It is remarkable how completely St Stephen is the fore- runner of St Paul, both in the forra and the matter of his defence, (i) His securing the attention of the Jt^vvs by adopt- ing the historical method, is exactly what the Apostle did in the synagogue at Antioch in Pisidia (Acts xiii, 16 — 22); (ii) His assertion of his attachment to the true principles of the Mosaic religion is exactly what St Paul said to Agrippa (Acts xxvi. 22); (iii) The words used b}' Stephen of the Temple call to mind those which the Apostle used at Athens (Acts xvii. 24); (iv) When he speaks of the Law as received by the dis- position of angels he anticipates the language of Gal. iii. 19; (v) When he declares that the Jews had received the Law and had not kept it, he foreshadows the language of the great Apostle himself, Rom. ii. 17 — 29: Con, and Howson, i. pp. 69, 70: Mr Humphry also in his Commentary on the Ads 001 ipares (a) Acts vii. 44 with Heb. viii. 5 ; {h) Acts vii. 5-8 with Rom. iv. 10—19; (c) Acts vii. 60 \\ith 2 Tim. iv. 16. ^ Con. and Howson, i. 69. Ch. IV.] MARTYRDOM OF STEPHEN. 369 Abraham been called from the far distant land of the Chaldccans (Acts vii. 2 — 5), but whole centuries of the nation's existence had been spent in a strange country. In Egypt the Divine blessing had not failed to rest upon the piety of Joseph (Acts vii. 6 — 10), or upon the descendants of Jacob, when they all went down and sojourned there (Acts vii. 1 1 — 16). In Egypt God raised up Moses their great Deliverer, preserved his life from the machinations of Pharaoh, and so ordered events that he became learned in all tJie tclsdom, of the Egyptians, and 7nigJdy in words and in deeds'^ (Acts vii. 17 — 22). In Midian Ho revealed Himself to him in the vision of the Burning Bush, and sent him forth to lead the ransomed people towards the Promised Land ; but though by his hands their fathers had received the Law, it had not kept them from idolatry-; though he had set up the tabernacle of witness, it had not kept them from setting up the tent of Moloch, and the star of their god Remphan^ (Acts vii. 22 — 44): nay, when, on the subjugation of the Canaanitish nations, that Tabernacle had been brought into Canaan, and was there after a long delay exchanged for the Temple, on which the Jews threw the whole stress of their depend- ance, neither Solomon himself who built it, nor the pro- phets^ had ever regarded it as in the highest sense the dwelling-place of the Most High (Acts vii. 44—50). Thus far the great Hellenist was heard with patience. 1 On tliig period of the life of Moses, see Class-Book of O. T. History, pp. 8r, 82, and note. 2 On this period of Israel's history, see Class-Bool: of 0. T. History, pp. 178, 179. •^ Iveniphan (Acts vii. 43) and Cliiun (Amos v. 26) appear to be the names of two idols worshipped by the Israelites in the Avilderness, akin probably to Ken and Rempu, two Egyptian divinities ; see Article Remphan, ia Smith's BibL Diet. * Comp. Lsai. Ixvi. i, 2; Jer. xxiii. 24. K. T. 24 S70 INSTITUTION OF DEACONS— [Bk.III. Pt.I. " It was the story of the Chosen People, to which every Jew listened Avith interest and prided" But now, — per- haps perceiving tl.r.t hi>? hearers had caught the real drift of this review of their national history, — perhaps carried away by the retrospect of their naiTow and per- sistent opposition to the divine counsels which it sug- gested,— in a strain of holy indignation he rebuked the unbelieving hypocritical disposition of the Jews, whose conduct in reference to the divine communications had been the same from the time of Moses up to that very moment '-*; who had always resisted the Holy Ghost, pei'secuted the prophets, and slain those that had pre. dieted the coming of the Just One ; who had betrayed and murdered Him, and had not kept the LaAV which they had received by the disjyosition of angels (Acts vii. 50--53)- This severe though just rebuke was the signal for an outburst of wrath and fury on the part of his judges. They were sawn asunder^ in their hearts, and gtiashed npon him with their teeth. Perceiving what was com- ing, and unaffrighted by their tumultuous rage, he look- ed up to heaven, and exclaimed. Behold, I see the hea- vens o})ened, and the Son of Man^ standing^ on the right hand of God (Acts vii. 56). This last declaration w^as more than the Sanhedrin could bear. Breaking ^ Con. and Howson, I. 69. ^ Neander's Planiinrj, I. 54. ^ AieirpLovTo racs Kapoiais avT(2u (Acts vii. 54). •* One of the only three passages in the N. T. where the title Son of Man is applied to the Redeemer by any save Himself; the two others beinn: Rev. i. 13 ; xiv. 14. ^ "In other places (Eph. i. 20; Col. iii. i ; Heb. i. 3, viii. 1, X. 12, xii. z) He is represetited as sitting at tlie right hand of the Father — here alone he is said to be standing. It is as if (according to Chrysostom's beantiful thought) He had lisen from His throne, to succour His persecuted ser- vaut, and to receive Him unto Himself." Con. and Howson, I. 71. Cu. IV.] MARTYRDOM OF STEP II Ey. 371 forth into a loud yell (Acts vii. 57^ tlicy stopped their ears, as if to close them against any more words of blas- phemy, and rushing upon him with one accord led him forth outside the city gate to stone him^ (Lev. xxiv. i6\ The instruments of punishment w^ere collected, the wit- nesses threw off their loose outer garments (Deut. xvii. 7), laid them at the feet of a young Pharisee, a promi- nent member of the Cilician synagogue, named Saul, and hurled the first stones. As they fell, the martyr cried to Him whose form he had so lately seen standing at the right hand of God, Lord Jesus, receive iny spirit (Acts "vii. 59). Then falling on his knees, he exclaimed "with a loud voice, in the words of his Master on the Cross, Lord., lay not this sin to their charge, and — in the touching language of the narrator, " who now uses for the first time the word, since applied to the depar- ture of all Christians, but here the more remarkable from the bloody scenes in the midst of which the death took place — he fell asleep'^-' (,A.cts vii. 60)." ^ "It was sentence and execution all at once ; an act of violence without regular judicial examination," Neander's Planting, I. 55. " It vvas a savage and disorderly condemna- tion," Con. and Howson, I. 71- 2 Smith's BM. Diet. 24—2 PART II. THE CHURCH OF PALESTINE. CHAPTER I. mSPBESION OF THE CHRISTIANS-ACTIVITY OF PHILIP. A.D. 36. THE martyi'dom of the great Hellenist, who was con- veyed to his grave amidst much lamentation by devout lyien^ (Acts viii. 2), w^as the signal for a furious persecution of the Christians. The protection with which the prudence of Gamaliel had hitherto shielded them was now withdrawn. Pharisee and Sadducee alike ^, in the absence or with the connivance of the Roman pro- curator^, turned against the hated sect, and the young Cilician of Tarsus, who was consenting to the death of Stephen (Acts viii. i ), and probably was now or shortly afterwards a member of the Sanhedrin ■*, found himself able to give vent to the full fury of his zeal. ^ Probably the class of Hellenists anti proselytes to which he belonged, 01 eJcre^etj. Smith's B'lhl. Diet. 2 ''This persecution must have been more severe and ex- tensive thnn the former; for by the manner in which Stephen entered into conflict with Pliarisaism, he had roused to hos- tilities against the teachers of the new doctrine the sect of the Pharisees, who had the most credit with the common people (see above, p. 1 1 :), and were power-ful and active, and ready to leave no means untried to attain their object whatever it might be," Keander's Planting, I. 56. ^^ C. and H., I. 75. * Ibid. Ch. I.] DISPERSION OF CHRISTIANS, d:c. 873 Resolved to make havoc of the Church (Acts viii. 3), he invaded the dwelHngs of those who professed adlie- rence to the Christian faith, dragged forth their in- mates, whether men or women, and committed them to prison (Acts viii. 3, xxvi. 9, 10, xxii. 3). Some of these persecuted people he scourged, often, in mam/ syna- gogues (Acts xxvi. 11); some he strove to compel to blaspheme the Holy Name whereby they were called (Acts xxvi. 11); others he brought before the Sanhe- drin, and when it was decided that they should be put to death, gave his vote against theni^ (Acts xxvi. 10), so that his fame as an inquisitor spread beyond the boundaries of Palestine, and reached even the distant city of Damascus (Acts ix. 13). From a persecution instigated by such a zealous leader the disciples fled in different directions through- out Judsea and Samaria, and even further north still, to Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch (Acts xi. 19), but the Apostles remained firm at their posts, and for the pre- sent did not leave Jerusalem (Acts viii. i). Amongst those, who were thus dispersed abroad, was one of the " Seven" who had been elected with Ste- phen to superintend the distribution of the funds of the Christian society. Between Judsea and Galilee lay the district of Samaria, the inhabitants of which, though shunning and shunned by the Jew, " yet clung to the same promises and looked forward to the same hopes ^." Thither Philip now went down, and entering cue of its towns 3, began to proclaim the message of Glad Tidings ^ 'Avaipovfi^ucov re avrwp Kar'/jueyKa xprjcpov (Acts xxvi. 10), vote, not voice, as in our Version. ^ Lightfoot On the Galatians, p. 282. For the Jewish feeling respecting the Samaritans, see above, pp. 121, 122. ^ 'KareXdcbu ci's iroXtv ttjs Xafiapeias (Acts viii. 5) = ^^^ <* citi/ of Samaria, perhaps Sychar, corap. Jn. iv. 5, and if so, the readiness of tlie people to receive Philip is easily accounted for. i 87-i DISPERSIOX OF CHRISTIANS— [Bk. III. Pt. II. to its people, and performed many miracles, casting out demons, and healing many that were lame and para- lysed. He was received with no less readiness than the Holy One Himself, when sitting on Jacob's welP, He declared Himself the Messiah to the woman who was a sinner. "With one accord the Samaritans gai-e heed to his icords (Acts viii. 6). At this time there was present in the neighbour- hood a man, who made no small stir in his day, by name Simon 3. By his skill as a magician he had succeeded in astounding the people of Samaria to such a degree that he found votaries amongst all ranks and all ages, and was pronounced to be the Poicer of God ichich is called Great- (Acts viii. lo). But in Philip he found a rival whom he could not resist. He might astonish and per- plex, but Philip could do more. He could heal, and restore gladness to many a saddened home (Acts viii. 1 2). The magician, therefore, soon found himself deserted, and many, both men and women, left him, and believing * See above, p. i6g. 2 A native of Gittitn (Justin Martyr's Ajpol. i, 26), a village of Samaria. Educated probably at Alexandria, he had there become acquainted with the tenets of the Gnostic school (Clement, Horn. II. 2^), and had acquired a great re- putation as a magician. He was one of those who at this period, according both to Greek and Roman testimonies, tra- velled about in numbers, and partly as soothsayers, astro- logers, and interpreters of dreams, partly as jugglers, excited attention and received general regard. See Bollinger's Gentile and Jew, 11. 198, 199 ; C. and H., i. 140. ^ Our version omits the word KoXovfxevrj, and so renders the verse imperfectly. "The Samaritans describe the an- gels as dwajuLeU, i. e, uncreated influences proceeding from God. But to di.^tinguish Simon from such an order of beings they added the words ichich is called great, meaning thereby the source of all power, in other words, the Supreme Deity — according to Simon's own expression, quoted by Jerome on Mtt. xxiv. 5, Ego sum Sermo Dei, Ego sum Spcciosus, Em Varacktus, Ego omnia Dei.'' Smith's EiJjl. Diet. Ch. I.] ACTIVITY OF PHILIP. 375 the Glad Tidings announced by the Evangelist, were admitted into the Church by baptism (Acts viii. 12). These results made a deep impression on the mind of Simon, and he too professed himself a believer, and received baptism at the hands of Philip (Acts viii. 13). Meanwhile news that the desx^ised Samaria had re- ceived the word of God reached the ears of the Apostles at Jerusalem, and they dispatched Peter and John^ thither on a special mission of enquiry. They on their arrival prayed that some of those extraordinary gifts, which followed and attested the effasion of the Spirit on the Day of Pentecost, might be bestowed upon the Sa- maritan behevers, and laid their hands upon them (Acts viii. 17), "whereupon the endowments, for w^hicli they had prayed, were vouchsafed, and attested the planting of a Church in Samaria, standing in an equal rank with the first Church at Jerusalem I Astonished as Simon had been at the miracles of Philip, he was still more astonished at the results of the imposition of the hands of the two Apostles, and he tried to bribe them to bestow upon him the same pecu- liar power (Acts viii. 18, 19). This mercenary proposal opened their minds to the real character of the man, and wdth the same just severity with which he had re- buked Ananias, Peter now denounced the wickedness of the pretender, and declaring that his heart was not right in the sight of God, that ho had neither part nor lot in the matter, bade him pray that peradventure his evil hitentions might be forgiven (Acts viii. 20 — 22). Struck dumb by the plain-spoken truthfulness of the Galil^ean fisherman, and awakened rather to feelings of appre- ^ The last time this Apostle is mentioned in the Acts ; he is only once more mentioned (except in Revelation) as having been present in Jerusalem at St Paul's visit, Gal. ii. 9. ^ Neander's Planting, I, 03. S76 DISPEESION OF CHRISTIANS- [Bk. III. Pt. II. hension of tlic Divine vengeance than to repentance^, Simon implored the Apostles to intreat the Lord for him, that none of the things which they had threatened might come to pass (Acts viii. 24)^. After this encounter Peter and John extended their missionary labours to many other villages of the Sama- ritans^ (Acts viii. 25), and then returned to Jerusalem. But other work \^ as reserved for Philip, for a Divine intimation bade liim go toward the south, along the road leading from Jerusalem to Gaza. Of the roads leading to this well-knoA\ni city^, one by Ramleh passed through town and villages ; another, better adapted for carriages, through Hebron, and thence through a district comparatively little inhabited^, and exposed to the incur- sions of southern marauders, whence it was called desert^ (Acts viii. 26). The latter was the one which the hea;- venly Voice bade the EvangeHst take, and as he tra- ^ Neander's Planting, I. 63. 2 The subsequent history of Simon Magus is involved in much perplexity. Earl}'' ecclesiastical historians represent him as the pertinacious foe of the Apostle Peter, encountering him at Caesarea on the sea, and subsequently at Rome, which latter place he visited either (i) in the reign of Claudius (Jus- tin Martyr, Apol. i. a6. 56), or (ii) in the reign of Nero. His success in the imperial city is said to have been so great that he was deified, and a statue was erected in his honour, with the inscription Simoni Deo Sancto. For various accounts of his death, see Barton's Bamj'^ton Lectures, and Smith's Blbl. Diet. Some identify him with a Simon, a native of Cyprus, whom Josephus {Ant. XX. 7. 2) mentions as a friend of Felix, the Roman Procurator of Palestine, and as having persuaded Drusilla, sister of Herod Agrippa, to marry him : .see Ne- ander's Planting, I. 63, and note ; Alford on Acts viii. ^ Contrast this with Lk. ix. 52 ; see above, p. 229. ^ See Class-Booh of 0. T. History, pp. 259, 262. 5 See Robinson's Bill. lies. ii. 514. •^ Some apply this word to the city of Gaza, in the sense that it was destroyed and uninhabited, or that it was unforti- fied. But this is extremely improbable. Though often de- stroyed in the wars, the citv had been restored. Ch. I.j ACTIVITY OF PHILIP. 377 versed it, probably ignorant of the cause wherefore he was sent, he perceived a chariot, in which one sat read- ing as lie rode. This was a man of Ethiopia^, a eunuch the chief officer of Candace, queen of Meroe, and stew- ard of all her treasure, who had come up to worship at one of the Feasts at Jerusalem, and was now returning (Acts viii. 27, 28). Bidden by the heavenly Voice to join the Stranger, Philip quickened his steps, and pre- sently overheard him reading aloud^, probably in the Septuagint Version^, the words of the prophet Isaiah (chap. liii. 6, 7) : He was led as a sheep to the slaughter ; and like a lamb dumb before his shearer, so ojjened He not His mouth: in His humiliation His judgment was taken away: and who shall declare His generation.^ For His life is taken away from the earth. Understandest thou what thou readest? enquired Philip. Hoic can I, answered the other, unlci-s some man should guide me? and he besought him to get up and sit down by his side. Then the conversation began. / pray thee, said the eunuch, of whom is the prophet speaking this? of himself or of some other man f Thereupon Philip opened his mouth, and told him who that "Man" was, and preached the glad tidings of • Him, who died, and rose again, and ascended into hea- ven. As he went on, the eunuch was filled with an ^ That is from the high land to the south of Eg-ypt, and now comprehending Nubia, Cordofan, and Abyssinia, whose religious and commercial capital was the island of Meroe. Candace was not a personal name, but, like Pharaoh of the older and Ptolemy of the later Egyptian kings, the regular title of the queens of Ethiopia (Meroe). Lecbler in loc. The eunuch was probably a proselyte of the Gate. 2 The Easterns usually go on reading aloud, with a kind of singing voice, moving their heads and bodies in tune, and making a monotonous cadence at regular intervals. Kitto's Bihl. lllust. VIII. 95. ^ See above, p. 11. 378 THE CONVERSION OF [Bk. III. Pr. II. ardent desire to embrace the faith, and, being probably informed by Philip of the last command of his ascended Lord to the Apostles, on reaching a stream of water, enquired whether aught could hinder his being bap- tized ] Thereupon the chariot was stayed \ and the two went down to the water ^, and Philip baptized him, and then, either in consequence of some sudden inward sum- mons or by a miraculous withdrawal, was instantly caught away, so that the eunuch saw him no more, and went on his way rejoicing (Acts viii. 39). Meanwhile Philip had passed on to Azotus, the ancient Ashdod-*, and thence evangelizing all the towns ^ in his way, and following the coast-line, proceeded to Csesarca on the Sea^ (Acts viii. 40). CHAPTER II. THE CONVERSION OF ST PAUL. A. D. 36 or 37— A. D. 40. IN His parting charge to His Apostles the Saviour had declared that they should be His witnesses in ^ Verse 37 in the received Version is wanting in the Codd. A. B. C. G. H., the Sinaitic MS., more than 60 cursive MSS., and several versions. It is omitted by Lachmann, Tischendorf, Alford, and others. ^ Robinson would place the scene of the baptism at Wady-el-IIasy, between Eleuthero polls and Gaza, not far from the old sites of Lachish and Eglon. Bibl. Res. ll. 514. ^ See Class-Book of 0. T. Histortj, 254, 263, 272. Taken by Judas Maccabceus (i Mace. v. 68) and destroyed by Jona- than (r Mace. x. 84), it had been rebuilt by Gabinius (Jos. Ant. XIV. 5. 3; B. J. I. 7. 7), and bequeathed by Herod to his sister Salome : see above, p. I46. ■* Ekron, Jamnia, Joppa, Apollonia, perhaps Lydda. ^ For the foundation of which, see above, pp. 91, 92. On the undesigned coincidence between the mention of Philip here and afterwards in Acts xxi. 8, 9, see Birks' Horce Apo- uluLicx, pp. 322, 323. Ch. II.] ^T PA UL. 379 Jerusalem, and in all Judcea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost i^art of the earth (Acts i. 8). In exact accordance with tiiis order the Clmrch, as we have seen, was first founded in Jerusalem (Acts ii. i), then spread to the cities round about (Acts v. 1 6), and after the martyrdom of Stephen to Samaria (Acts viii. 5 — 25). Provision was now to be made for its extension to the Gentiles, and for this purpose a fitting instrument was raised up in tlie person of no other than t!ie young Cilician Pharisee, whom we have seen consenting to the death of the first Martyr, and inaking havjc of the Church. At this point, then, it will be well to group together such particulars of his early life as have come down to us. I. Saul, or as he was afterwards called Paul, was born at Tarsus (Acts ix. 11, xxi. 39, xxii. 3), the capital of Ciiicia, situated on the banks of the Cydnus, a river famous for the dangerous fever caught by Alexander while bathing, and for the meeting of Antonius and Cleo- patra. Even in early times it was a place of conse- quence^, and after belonging to the empire of the Seleu- cidse, and for a short time to that of the Ptolemies, espoused the cause of Coesar during the civil wars, was then named Juliopolis^ in honour of a visit from him, and made a free city^ by Augustus. Under the early Roman emperors it was famous as a seat of education, and in this respect could vie even with Athens and Alexandria, and could boast of several Stoics, such as Athenodorus, the tutor of Augustus, and Nestor, the tutor of Tiberius. As a place of commerce, it was 1 See Xen. Andh. i, 2. 23. 2 Caesar, Bell. Alex. Cap. LXVI. ^ The privileges of an tirhs libera consisted in (a) being governed by its own magistrates, (b) being exempted from the occupation of a Roman garrison, and fx-om taxes. It3 citizens did not necessarily possess the freedom of Rome. 380 THE CONVERSION OF [Be. III. Pt. II. a meeting-point for Syrians, Cilicians, Isaurians, and Cappadocians. 2. The family of Saul were strict Jews, though Hel- lenists in speech, and of the tribe of Benjamin (Phil. iii. 5). Neither his father's nor his mother's names are mentioned, but we have notices of his sister, and his sister's son (Acts xxiii. 16), and of some more distant relatives (Rom. xvi. 7, 11, 21). 3. Born probably during the later years of the reign of Herod, or the earlier of his son Archelaus^ as the son of a Pharisee (Acts xxiii. 6), he was circumcised on the eighth day (Phil. iii. 5), and received the name of Saul^ But from his earliest years he probably had two names, "Saul the name of his Hebrew home, PauP that by which he was knoAvn among the Gentiles." 4. From his father he inherited a great privilege, that of Roman citizenship. How his father acquired it is unknown. He may have obtained it for a large sum of money (Comp. Acts xxii. 28), or it may have descend- ed to him, or it may have been bestowed upon him in recognition of some service rendered during the civil wars to some influential Roman'*. ^ C. and H., I. 44. He was a young raan at the time of tl.e martyrdom of Stephen. 2 Either (i) after the name of his father, or (ii) as being a name of traditional celebrity in the tribe of Benjamin, or (iii) " as intended to denote (in conformity with the H>-brew derivation of the word) that he was a son who had long been desired, the firstborn of his parents, the child of prayer." C. and H., I. 41. ^ Pauliis, a diminutive of Pauxillus, is a Roman name, so are Junia and Lucius; those he calls his kinsmen, Rom. xvi. 7, II, 21 ; the others are Greek. * "Great numbers of Jews were made slaves during the . Civil Wars, and then manumitted. A slave manumitted with due formalities became a Roman citizen. Thus it is natural to suppose that the Apostle, with other Cilician Jews, may have been like Horace (-Sa^ I. vi. 45) libertino patre natus." C. and H., I. 45, n. ; Lewin's Life of Si Paul, i. 4, Ch. II.] ST PAUL. 381 5. Ill conformity with the usual custom of his na- tion, one of whose proverbs was that He who taught not his son a trade, taught him to he a thief, the youth- ful Saul was instructed in the art of making tents ^, of the hair-cloth known as Ciliclum, and supplied by the goats of his native province. 6. Carefully nurtured under his father's roof, speak- ing Greek, and acquainted with the Septuagint version"^ of the Old Testament, he was removed, probably between the age of 10 and 15, to Jerusalem'^, where he was brought up at the feet of Gamaliel^, and under the su- perintendence of this v/ise and candid teacher made progress in his knowledge of Jewish rites above many of liis contemporaries in his own nation, and became dis- tinguished for extraordinary zeal for the traditions handed down from his fathers^ (Gal. i, 14). Under the same teacher he probably added to that knowledge of Greek and of the Septuagint, as also of the elements of Gentile learning, which he had brought with liim from Tarsus, a more exact acquaintance with the original HebreWj as also with the hidden and mystical meaning ^ For alUisions to it, see Acts xviii. 3 ; sx. 34; i Cor. iv. 12; I Thess. ii. 9 ; 2 Thesa. iii. 8. 2 C. and H., i. 38. "It is observed that when St Paul quotea from the Old Testament, his quota,tion3 are from the LXX ; and that, not only when he cites its very words, but when (as is often the case) he quotes it from memory." ^ Probably during the supremacy of one of the four go- vernors who preceded Pontius Pilate, i.e. between A. D. 6 and A. D, 25. See above, pp. 149, 150. ■* For notices of Gamaliel, see above, p. 360, and note. ^ " St Paul seems to have belont^ed to the extreme party of the Pharisees (Acts xii. 3, xxiii. 7, xxvi. 5; Phil. iii. 5, 6) whose pride it was to call themselves * zealots of the law, zealots of Go.l.' To this party also had belonged Simon, one of the Twelve, thence surnamed the zealot, ^77- Xwry/?, or Kai/afatos." Lightfoot On the Gatatiam, ?. 14. See above, p. 187. 3S2 THE CONVERSION OP [Bk. III. Pt. II. of the Scriptures ; a knowledge of a])horisms, alleg-oriesS and the oinnions of the learned ; as also the facility of quick and apt quotation ; while the study of Greek au- thors^ would not be altogether discouraged. Such was the early life, and such was the training of the champion of the Pharisaic party, who was now to become the great Apostle of the Gentiles. In his determination to make havoc of the Church, Saul was not content to persecute its members at Je- rusalem. Breathing forth threatenings and slaughter against them, he determined to seek them out wherever they might be found, and with this intention requested letters of the high-priest ^ empowering him to seize any of " the Way," whom he might find in the city of Damascus, whether men or women, and convey them ^ Such as that of Hagar and Sarah in Gal. iv. ii, where see Lightfoot's notes. ^ Hence in his address to the Athenians (Acts xvii. 28) he could quote from the Cilician poet Aratus, Hod yap Kal yepos ifffi^f ; to the refined Corinthians (i Cor. xv. 33) from the Thais of Menander, ^dcipovatv rj9r} xpV<^&' o/ntXlaL KaKal ; he could rebuke the Cretans (Titus i. 12) fz-om the poet Epi- menides, V^pf,re<: ael \l/evcfore he entered upon his active labours. ^ "A veil of thick darkness hangs over St Paul's visit to Arabia, Of the scenes among which he moved, of the thoughts and occupations which engaged him while there, of all the circumstances of a crisis which must have shaped the whole tenour of his after life, absolutely nothing is known. Immediately, says St Paul, / went away into Arabia. The historian passes over the incident without a mention. It is a mysterious pause. A moment of suspaiise in the Apostle's history, a breathless calm which ushers in the tu- multuous storm of his active missionary life." Liglitfoot on Gal. i. 17. ^ See the words of Justin, Dial. c. Tryph. p. 305 A, quoted by Liglitfoot, and C. and H., i. pp.117, 118. This, however, appears improbable, for (i) it gives to the term Arabia an extension which does not seem to have been com- mon; (ii) it distinguishes the Arabia of the first chapters of Galatians from the Arabia of the fourth; (iii) it deprives this visit of a significance which, on a more probable hypothesis, it possesses in relation to this crisis of St Paul's life. But if it was the Sinaitic peninsula then his visit becomes full of meaning; here, "where Moses had received the tables of the Law amid fire and tempest and thick darkness, where Elijah, the typical prophet, listened to the voice of God, and sped forth refreshed on his mission of righteousness, in the fulness of time St Paul, the greatest preacher of Him of whom both the law and the prophets spoke, was strength- ened and sanctified for his great work, was taught the breadth as well as the depth of the riches of God's wisdom, and transformed from the champion of a bigoted and narrow tradition into the large-hearted Apostle of the Gentiles." Lightfoot, in loc. ^ Elhcott on Gal. i. 18. 25—2 388 ^T PA UL'S FIRST VISIT TO [Bk. III. Pt. II. CHAPTER III. ST PAUL'S FIRST VISIT TO JERUSALEM- PETER AT JOPPA. A. D. 40. WHATEVER was the precise object of this journey to Arabia, and wliatcver was its duration, certain it is that the Apostle returned thence to Damascus (Gal. i. 17), and ]})'eachcd boldly in the name of Jesus (Acts ix. 27). On this occasion, however, the Jews, un- able to confute his arguments, resolved to assassinate him, but their design reached his ears, and every pre- caution was taken by the Christians that night to secure liim from danger. This, however, was a matter of no little difficulty. In consequence either of hostilities between the Romans and Herod Antipas on the one side and Aretas king of Petra on the other^, or of the assignment of Damascus by Caligula, the successor of Tiberius, to Aretas, the city was held by the Ethnarch^ of this monarch (2 Cor. xi. ^ For tlie origin of the ill-feeling between Aretas and Herod Antipas, see above, p. 168. In the battle between them the army of Antipas was utterly routed (Jos. Ant. xviir. 5. 3), and Antipas appealed to Tiberius for assistance. On this Vitellius, the prefect of Syria, was commissioned to march against Aretas, and take him dead or alive. But on his march Vitellius heard of the death of Tiberius, March 16, A. D. 37, and abandoned the expedition. The position of affairs was now reversed. Antipas was banished to Lyons ; Herod Agrippa received his kingdom from Claudius ; and in A.D. 38 it appears probable that Caligula granted Da- mascus to Aretas. See C. and H., I. 97, 98; Art. in Smith's Bill. Dirt.; Milman, I. 372. - This word is used to denote (i) the governor of a de- pendent district (i Mace. xiv. 47; Jos. Aid. xvii. 1 r. 4); (ii) a magistrate or consul allowed to Jewish residents living under their own laws in Alexandi'ia and other cities (Jos. Ant. XIV. 7. 3). Ch. III. ] JERUSA LEM— PETER A T J OP PA . 389 32), and the Jews having won him and his soldiers over to their side, a strict watch was kept day and night to prevent the Apostle's escape, and deliver him over to execution (Acts ix. 24), In this emergency, therefore, the disciples taking advantage of an unguarded part of the wall and the darkness of the night, let him down in a basket from a window, which opened on the outer country^ (Acts ix. 25; 2 Cor. xi. 33). Thus delivered from circumstances of great peril, the Apostle turned his steps towards Jerusalem, being desirous, as he in- forms us, to become acquainted with Peter ^, and in the Holy City he arrived three years ^ after his conversion (Gal.i. 18). But his escape had been too hurried to allow him to bring with him letters of commendation; when, there- fore, he attempted to join himself to the disciples (Acts ix. 26), they were all afraid of him, and could not believe that he was united with them in the bonds of a common discipleship. But now it was that Barnabas, who, as we have seen^ may have become acquainted with him at Tarsus, took him by the hand and brought him to the Apostles, and told them how he had seen the Lord on the road to Damascus, and how in that city he had already spoken boldly in His Name (Acts ix, 27). There- upon Peter, and James the Lord s brother^ (Gal. i. 1 8, 19), 1 C. andH., I. 98. 2 To %'isit Cej^has: laToprja-aL is somewhat emphatic. A word XLsed, says Chrysostom, hy those h'Ilo go to see great and famous cities. It is generally said of things and places, less commonly, as here, of persons : Lightfoot, in loc. aad Ellicott on Gal. i. 18. 3 See Ligbtfoot's note in loc, and Excursus on St PauVs Jirst visit to Jerusalem. In Acts ix. -23 the time is said to have been many days, but compare i Kings ii. 38, 39, where many days is used to denote a space of three years : Paley's HorcB Paulirice. * See above, p. 356, n. ^ "The Apostle James is named three times in the Epi- 390 ST PAUL'S FIRST VISIT TO [Bk. III. Pt. II. in the absence of the other Apostles, probably on some mission to the churches of Judaea, Galilee, and Samaria (Acts ix. 31), gave him the right hand of fellowship, nnd for a period of 15 days^ (Gal. i. 18) he was with them coming in and going out of Jerusalem (Acts ix. 28). As might be expected, the chief sphere of his activ- ity was in the synngogiics of the Hellenists, where he liad before distinguished himself as a zealous opponent of Stephen. Novr, however, he disputed with the same energy and force in support of the very doctrines which he had then persecute! (Acts ix. 29), and brought down upon himself the same furious opposition which had caused the death of the first Martyr. A plot was form- ed to secure his assassination, and the disciples per- ceived that he must retire from the work he had commenced in Jerusalem. The Apostle, himself, was unwilling to quit a place, where his former zeal against the faith was so well-known, and his sincerity, as he hoped;, would be appreciated (Actsxxii. 19, 20). But as he was one day praying in the temple, he fell into a stle to the Galatians, but only here with this distinctive title. Tlie history supplies a full key. This visit is evidently the same as in Acts ix. 26 — 30, while the one in the next chap- ter was much later, at or near the time of the Council, Acts XV. Hence the first was before the death of James tlie son of Zebedee, and the other long after it. A distinctive addition to the name was thus as natural in the one case, as it would be superfluous and even suspicious in the other." The same distinction is observed in the book of Acts. In the earher part the two Apostles of this name are distin- guished, the hroiher of John, or the son of Alphceus. Uut after the elder James was martyred, the other is three times called Janes simply, without any addition. This minute propriety is too delicate and refined to be easily accounted for, except by the fact that Luke and Paul were contempo- rary with the events they recoid." Pirks' Ilorce Ajoostolirce, pp. 197, 198. 1 On the brevity of this visit, see Palcy s Ilune Pau- Uncv. Ch. III.] JERUSALEM— PETER AT JOPPA. 391 trance (Acts xxii, 17), and saw his Lord, who said to liim, Make haste, and get thee quicJdy out of Jeru- salem, for they will not receive thy testimony concern- ing Me; and when he hesitated to obey the command and pleaded his former zeal in persecuting the faith as a reason why he should stay, the injunction to leave the city was repeated, Depart, for I mill send thee far hence unto the Gentiles (Acts xxii. 21). Thus assured that Jerusalem was not to be the field of his labours, he allowed the bretln-en to convey him to C{3esarea-on-the-sea\ -wlience he took ship and sailed to Tarsus, his native city, and there probably devoted himself to preaching in its synagogue, and to missionary activity 2 in the regions of Syria and Cilicia^ (Gal. i. 21). His brief visit to Jerusalem had not been without some result. He had seen and was recognised by Peter and James, and though he remained for the present per- sonally unknown to the churches of Judosa^, yet the ^ Some have thonglit this was Csesarea Pbilippi (see above, p. 218), "but the w^ords KaTrjyayov, e^aTiareiXav, im- ply a sea-port and an embarcation, and Ccesarea, without any addition to distinguish it, is ahvays the principal city of the name." Lightfoot, in loc: see also Birks' Horce A post. 199, ^ Probably he now founded those churches greeted in the Apostolic decree, Acts xv. 23, 41. Perhaps "in his own family some of those Christian kinsmen (Rom. xvi.) whose names are handed down to us, possibly his sister and his sister^ s son (Acts xxiii. 16, 23) were by his exertions gathered into the fold of Christ." C. and H., I. 104. 2 St Paul's words here, Syria and Cilicia, are probably rot intended to describe the order in which he visited the two countries. Cilicia had geogi'aphically a greater affinity with Syria than with Asia Minor. The less important coun- try is here named after the more important. Lightfoot on Gal. i. 21 ; C. and H., i. 103. * As distinguished from that of Jerusalem, whence "he was hurried off to Cjesarea, and there embarking left the shores of Palestine. The other churches of Judasii therefore had no opportunity of knowing him. Judasa is here dis- 392 ST PA UUS FIRST VISIT TO [Bk. III. Pt. II. intelligence which reached them from time to time^ that their persecutor of former days was now preaching the Faith, filled them \rit\\ thankfulness, and they glorified God in him (Gal. i. 22 — 24). AVliile the Apostle was thus employed amidst the familiar scenes of his childhood, the churches through- out Judcea and Galilee and Samaria, lately disturbed by his unceasing animosity, had peace, increased in num- bers, and walked in the fear of the Lord (Acts ix. 31). The rest, however, which they thus enjoyed, may perhaps be ascribed to another cause besides the conversion of their late persecutor 2. In a.d. 36 Pontius Pilate, as we have already seen^, was sent to Rome by Yitellius. Thereupon Marcellus was sent out as procurator of Judtea in his place, but on his arrival at Cresarea was directed to make way for MaruUus^ In the following year, a.d. 37, Yitellius was recalled from Syria, and was succeeded in that prefecture by Petronius, while Theo- pliilus' succeeded his brother Jonathan in the ofiice of high-priest. But a still more important event in the same year was the death of Tiberius^, and the accession of Cali- gula. Releasing Herod Agrippa '', the grandson of Herod tingiiished from Jerusalem, as Italy is frequently distin- guished from Rome, e.g. probably Hebr. xiii. 24." Light- i'oot, in loc. ^ Note the force of aKOVovre^ rjaav in Gal. i. 22 = thcy kept hearing, just as tj/ultju dyvoovfievos — I continued person- alb/ xinTcnoiai. 2 Milman's History of Christianity, I. 373. ^ See above, p. 307, note. ^ Jos. Ant. XVIII. 6. 10. ^ See above, p. 383, note. ^ See above, p. 383, note. 7 Jos. Ant. XVIII. 6, 10. Herod Agrippa, the son of Aristobulus and Berenice, and grandson of Herod the Great, was bom A.u.c. 743, and was brought up at Rome with Claudius and Drusus, and on the death of the latter w-as banished by Tiberius, A.D. 31, as recalling his memory by his presence. Retiring to Malatha in Idnmsea (Jos. Ant. XVIII. 6. i), he was appointed oedile of Tiberias, and five years Ch. III.] JERUSA LEM— PETER A T JOPPA , 393 the Great, from bis prison at Rome, where Tiberius had confined him, he appointed him king of Trachonitis, which had belonged to Herod PhiHp's tetrarchy, and bestowed upon him also the tetrarchy of Lysanias ^ But the new emperor was scarcely seated on the throne, be- fore in his insane vanity he ordered divine honours to be paid to himself throughout the empire^, and directed that a golden colossal statue of himself should be placed in the Holy of Hohes at Jerusalem. The execution of this mandate was entrusted to Petronius, and having ordered Sidonian workmen to make the statue, he moved up with his troops to Ptolemais, prepared to set it up by force. But no sooner did intelligence of what was in- tended reach the Jews than one universal feeling of horror pervaded the nation, and thousands assembled from all quarters without distinction of rank or age or sex, imploring the prefect to desist from carrying out his instructions. Shrinking from the horrible task of com- mencing a war of massacre and extermination which he saw was inevitable, if the statue was set up, Petronius hesitated, wrote to expostulate with his master, and put off the execution of the order. At the same tiuio afterwards was readmitted to the court of the Emperor at Caprea?, and became the intimate friend of Caius (Caligula), but for an imprudent speech was thrown into prison. Meri- vale's Romans under the Empire, vi, 1 1 . 1 Jos. Ant. XVIII. 6; lo. His arrival in Palestine with royal pomp excited the bitterest jealousy of Herodias the wife of Herod Antipas, the tetrarch of Galilee. She would not rest till her husband also had obtained a royal title, and in an unlucky hour he repaired with her to Rome to solicit it from Caligula (Jos. Ant. xviii. 7. 2). But Agrippa was l)e- forehand with them, outbid his rival in bribery, and accused him of intrigues with Sejanus, and Caligula banished both the tetrarch and his wife to Lyons in Gaul, a.d. 39. '^ Merivale, vi. 45. For an account of the indignities en- dured by the Jews of Alexandria, see Jos. Ant. xviii. 8. i, 2; Milman, History of the Jeivs, 11. 133—139. o94< ST PA UL'S FIRST VISIT TO [Bk. III. Pt. II. IIcTod Agrippa, then at Rome, implored liis patron to pause, and a deputation from Alexandria, headed by the learned and venerable Philo, set forth the stern require- ments of the Je\\'ish Law. But Caligula was inexorable, and it is impossible to say what would have been the result^, had he not been assassinated'' on the 24th of January, a. d. 41. Thus the Jews were delivered from this terrible indignity. The rest, then, which the Christians now enjoyed, may not improbably be ascribed to the distractions of Caligula's reign, and to the fact that the Jewish autho- rities were wholly occupied with frustrating his mad designs. Taking advantage, therefore, of this period of repose the Apostle Peter made a visitation of the different churches founded in Palestine, and amongst other places went down to Lydda, anciently called Lod^ (i Ch. viii. 12; Nell. vii. ^^j), and afterwards Diospolis, situated about 9 miles from the sea-port of Joppa. Here finding a man afflicted with paralysis, who had kept his bed for upwards of 8 years, he addressed him in his Master's name, JEneas, Jesus Christ healeth thee, where- upon he rose immediately, restored to perfect sound- ness. The cure of such a man was quickly noised abroad ^ "Josephus, Ant xviii. 8. 9, states that Caligula at one moment jdelded to Agrippa, and rescinded his orders to Petronius; but on hearing of the resistance the Jews were prepared to make, repeated them more vehemently than ever. The last missive, hovrever, did not reach Petronius till after the news had arrived of the tyrant's death." Merivale, vi. ^ Jos. Ant. XIX. I. II. ^ The modern Lidd or Ludd stands in the great maritime plain of Sharon (see Class-Book of 0. T. History, p. 30), and when covered with its crops of corn, reminds the traveller of the rich wheat-fields of our own Lincohishire : Robinson, Bill. lies., III. 1 45. Thomson, The Land and the Book, It received its name Diospolis in tiie reign of Hadrian, in A.D. 136. Ch. III.] JERUSALEM- PETER AT JOPPA. 395 throughout his own town and the neighbouring plain of Sharon, and contributed in no small degree to the spread of the Church in those regions. While still at Lydda the Apostle received intelli- gence that the Christian society at Joppa had sustained a grievous loss by the death of a widow of substance, named Tabitha^ or Dorcas, who had been wont not only to minister with her own hands to the wants of the poor, but in providing clothing for them. The death of such a person caused great regret at Joppa, and the Apostle was no sooner informed of it by messengers, who intreated his presence, than he set out, and on his arrival was conducted to the upper chamber, where the body lay prepared for the burial (Acts ix. ^y — 39), sur- rounded by many widows, who stood by weeping, and shewed him the many proofs of the kindness of their benefactress. Like his Master before him in the chamber of the daughter of Jairus^ the Apostle thereupon put these mourners forth, and kneeling down ^ engaged in prayer. Then turning to the body he pronounced the words Ta- hitha, arise (Acts ix. 40), whereupon her eyes instantly were opened, and seeing Peter she sat up. Taking her by the hand the Apostle then raised her from the spot where she had lain prepared for burial, and calling in the widows presented her to them alive. The fame of this miracle, confirming as it did the impression already made at Lydda, quickly spread, and caused an acces- sion of many to the Christian Church ; and the Apostle perceiving an opportune field of usefulness thus opened ^ Tabitha is the Aramaic, Dorcas the Greek form, both meaning a gazelle: AopKas is used in the Lxx. as the render- ing of ''3V ill Deut. xii. 15, 22; 2 Sam. ii. 18; Prov. vi. 5. We find the name also in Jos. B. J. iv. 3. 5. ^ See above, p. 201. ^ Like Elisha, 2 Kings iv. .^5. 396 THE CONVERSION [Bk. III. Pt. II. to him, tarried many days in Jopim icith one Simon a tanner (Acts ix. 43). CHAPTER IV. THE CONVERSION OF CORNELIUS. A.D. 41-43. DURING the Apostle's stay at Joppa an event oc- curred destined to have no small influence on the spread of the Church. Csesarea, as has been already stated, was the head- quarters of the Roman government in Judsea^ Among the troops quartered there was a cohort of Italians-, possibly volunteers, and amongst its officers was a cen- turion named Cornelius, a devout man, who had learned to worship the one true God^, and was well known for his almsgiving and uprightness of hfe (Acts x. 2). One day, about the ninth hour, the hour of prayer, he be- held in a vision an angel who informed him that his prayers and alms were not forgotten before God, and bade him send for the Apostle, now lodging at Joppa, ^ See above, 147, n. 2 As distinct from the legionary soldiers, and hence called the Italian cohort. "As in the army of modern Austria, the soldiers were drawn from different countries and spoke diflfer- ent languages." C. and H., i. 113. "^ "There is scarcely any room to doubt that he belonged to the class of Proselytes of the Gate (see above, p. 118, n.). Nor can we infer the contrary from the circumstances that Peter and the stricter Jewish Christians looked on Cornelius as an unclean person, and in many respects the same as an heathen. The Proselytes of the Gate were certainly permitted to attend the synagogue worship... j^et the Jews who adopted the stricter maxims of the Pharisees, placed all the uncircumcised in the class of the unclean, and avoided living and eating with such persons as dffiling." Keander's Plantiny, I. 68. Ch. IV.] OF CORNELIUS. 397 who would tell him what he should do, and infonu him concerning that faith which had already excited much attention in the neighbourhood^ (Acts ix. 42). Obedient to the heavenly vision the centurion sum- moned two of his servants, and a devout soldier at- tached to his ov/n person, and sent them with the necessary instructions to Joppa. As the three drew near their destination, the Apostle Peter, w^ho had retired for devotion to the flat'^ housetop of his lodging by the seaside^ at the noontide hour of prayer (Acts x. 9), fell into a trance, and saw the heaven opened, and a great sheet-like vessel"*, let down by its four corners, till it rested upon the earth (Acts x. 11). As he observed it closely, he noticed that it contained all manner of four- footed beasts of the earth, and wild beasts, and creeping things, and folds of the air, and he heard a Yoico saying, Rise, Peter, kill and eat. But this the Apostle, who from earliest childhood had observed the strict pre- cepts of the Levitical Law^, stedfastly declined to do: he had never eaten anything common or imclcan. Then ^ Neander's Planting, i. 69. - Comp. the fla.t roof of the house of Rahab at Jericho, Class- Book of 0. T. History, p. 202; of the house of Samuel at Ramah, ibid, p, 280. ^ "Overlooking the waves of the Western Sea, the Sea of Greece and Rome — the sea of the isles of the Gentiles." See Keble's Christian Year, Monday in Easter Week. Stanley's A post Age,i[>.gs- ^ It appears doubtful whether Sede/xeuou Kal are genuine in Acts X. 1 1 : they are omitted by Lachniann and Tischen- dorf, retained but doubtfully by Alford : they are wanting' in the Vulgate, which translates quatuor initiis suhmitti de ccelo. At all events these four corners are not unimpor- tant. As they corresponded with the four quarters of the heavens, they conveyed an intimation that men from the north and south, the east and west (comp. Mtt. viii. it ; Lk. xiii. 29), would appear as clean before God, or be called to a participation of His kingdom." Neander's Planting, i. 72, n. ^ See Class- Book of 0. T. History, p. 156. 398 THE CONVERSION [Bk. III. Pt. II. tlic Voice .spoke again, saying, What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common, and when the strange scene had been repeated three times, probably with the same command, the same remonstrance, and the same reply^, tlie vessel was received up again into heaven (Acts X. 15, 16}. The Apostlo was deeply moved, and while meditat- mg on the possible meaning of what he had beheld and heard, the messengers of Cornelius had arrived, and were making enquiries for him, and at the same mo- ment the Spirit bade him go down and accompany them whithersoever they went, doubting notJnng (Acts X. 1 9, 20). Thereupon he descended from the housetop, and having learned from the men the purport of their errand, he brought them in and hospitably entertained them (Acts x. 21 — 23). The next day he set out with them towards Csesarea, attended by certain of the brethren from Joppa, and on entering the house of Cornelius found him in the midst of many of his relatives and intimate friends, whom he had assembled to listen to the Apostle's words. As he crossed the threshold (Acts x. 25), the centurion went . forth to meet him, and falling down at his feet would have worshipped him. But Peter raised him up, and reminded him that he also was a man, and then ad- dressed himself to the assembled company. They all knew, he said, that he was a Jew, and how unlawful it was for one of that nation to associate with or enter the house of a foreigner: but God had shewed him that he was not to call any man common or unclean, and there- fore he had come without delay, and now desired to know the reason for which he had been sent (Acts x. 28, 29). Then Cornelius recounted the particulars of his ^ Vaughan, ii. 66, Cii. IV.] OF CORNELIUS. 399 vision (Acts x. 3c — 33\ and requested the Apostle to announce to him and his assembled friends what he, as a messenger of God, had to say to them. Thus assured that all things had occurred under the Divine guidance, the Apostle opened his mouth, and having acknow- ledged that God urns indeed no respecter of persons, hut accepted out of every nation all that feared Him and worked righteousness, proceeded to proclaim the glad tidings of his risen Lord. He told them of His life of love ; of His victories over disease and the spirit- world (Acts X. 38) ; of His death by the hands of men (Acts X. 39); of His resurrection, and His appearances afterwards, not to all the people but to chosen mtnesses, even the Apostles, who had eaten and drunk with Him (Acts X. 40, 41); of His exaltation to heaven and His future coming to judge the world ; of the commission he and the rest of the Twelve had received to proclaim to all that believed in Him the remission of sins (Acts X. 42, 43). AVhile he was still speaking, the events of the day of Pentecost were repeated in the house of the Roman soldier. To the astonishment of the Jewish Christians who had accompanied the Apostle from Joppa, the gift of the Holy Ghost was poured out upon the Gentiles, and they heard them speaking in various dialects and magnifying and praising God (Acts x. 46). Now fully awakened to the meaning of the vision on the housetop, the Apostle enquired whether any could forbid that these, who had already evidently received the gift of the Holy Ghost, should be admitted to the rite of baptism, and then ordered that it should be administered; and thus he who had first preached the resurrection to the Jews, baptized the first converts at Jerusalem, and con- firmed the first-fruits of the church in Samaria, now, under direct communication from heaven, first threw down the barrier which separated proselytes of the gate 400 THE CONVERSION [Bk. III. Pt. II. from Israelites, and admitted them on an equal footing into the Christian Ciiurch\ The news of such an event was not long in reaching Jerusalem, and provoked not only enquiry and comment, but actual complaint, so that when the Apostle return- ed thither, he found himself warmly censured by not a fcAV of the more exclusive section of the "circumcision," who complained that he had consorted and eaten with men who were uncircumcised - (Acts xi. i — 3). Thereupon Peter recounted all the particulars of his visit to Csesarea from the beginning ; how he had seen a vision at Joppa, and how a Divine Voice had accompanied and inter- preted it ; how the messengers of Cornelius had arrived while he was pondering over the vision, and he had been bidden to accompany them nothing doubting^; how tak- ing \Aith him six impartial witnesses (Acts xi. 12), who 1 Smith's Bihl. Diet. Art. Peter. " "The more rigid Jews looked with jealousy even on the circumcised proselytes ; the terms of admission were made as difficult and repulsive as possible ; on the imperfect they looked with still greater suspicion, and were rather jealous of commimicating their exclusive privileges than eager to extend the influence of their opinions." Milraan, Hist. Christ. I, 382, n. "An opprobrious proverb coupled proselytes with the vilest profligates, as hindering the coming of the Messiah (Lightfoot, Hor. Heb. in Mtt. xxiii. 15). It became a recognised maxim that no wise man would trust a proselyte even to the twenty-fourth generation." Smith's Eibl. Did. The belief in the necessity of circumcision for the full admission of proselytes is illustrated by the compul- sory circumcision of the Idumaeans by John Hyrcanus and of the Itura?ans by Aristobulus (see above, pp. 59, 61, 146 n.). '^ "As a loyal and believing Hebrew Peter could not have contemplated the removal of Gentile disqualifications without a distinct assurance that the enactments of the law which concerned them were abrogated by the Divine legis- lator. The vision could not therefore have been the product of a subjective impression. It was, strictly speaking, objec- tive, presented to his mind by an external influence. Yet the intimation in the state of trance did not at once over- Ch. IV.] OF CORNELIUS. 401 were then present, he had proceeded to the house of Cornelius, and on his arrival was told of another vision which the good centurion had beheld, the "very coun- terpart and index of his own ;" how when he had only begun to speak and to touch upon the Gospel History, the infallible sign of the Divine Presence had been ma- nifested, and the Holy Ghost had fallen on his Gentile hearers as on the disciples in Jerusalem at the begin- ning; how this had recalled to his mind his Lord's words, John indeed 'baptized icith water, hut ye shall he haptlzed with the Holy Ghost, and he had admitted them to baj)tism; for who was he, after this visible proof of the Divine Presence, that he could withstand God? (Acts xi. 4 — 17). The question contained its own an- swer, and the Christians at Jerusalem not only held their peace, and desisted from further rei^rehension of the Apostle, but glorified God, saying, Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life (Acts xi. 18). Meanwhile events had occurred at other and more distant places than Csesarea, shewing that the Christian Church was no longer to be confined to the Jews only or to the sacred land of Palestine. The Christians, whom the persecution that followed after the stoning of Stephen ^ had driven from the Holy City, travelled in different directions, to Phoenicia, the neighbouring island of Cy- prus, and to Antioch^, the metropolis of Syria (Acts xi. 19). For some time they confined their ministrations to the Jews only, but at length some of them, men of come his reluctance. It was not till his consciousness was fully restored, and he had well considered the meaning of the vision, that he learned that the distinction between cleanness and uncleanness in outward things belonged to a temporary dispensation," Smith's Bibl. Diet., Art. Peter, 1 See above, p. 373. 2 For its foundation, see above, p. 10, and r.otes. N.T. 26 402 THE CONVERSION [Bk. III. Pt. 11. Cyprus'^ and Gyrene, on tlieir arrival at Antiocli, began to preach the word even to the Gentiles, and with such success that a great number became belicverSj and turn- ed unto the Lord (Acts xi. 21). Tidings of these events reaching the Church at Jerusalem, in accordance with the precedent already acted upon in Samaria (Acts viii. 14), it was resolved to send to Antioch one in whom they had entire confi- dence, and who might report on all that had occurred. The person selected for this important duty was no other than Barnabas, the son of exhortation, himself a Hellenist, a native of Cyprus, and in all probability well acquainted with Antioch, one known to be a good man, full of the Holy Ghost, and of faith (Acts xi. 24). Accordingly Barnabas set out, and on his arrival found much to approve in the ministrations of the Hellenistic teachers. They had evidently been blessed with great success, and he laboured earnestly to ad- vance it, exhorting all to cleate to the Lord icith fall 2m.rpose of heart. His own endeavours did not lose their reward, for the church at Antioch received many additions to its numbers (Acts xi. 24), but Barnabas saw th^it a icise master-bailder (i Cor, iii. 10) was re- quired for the work, and he therefore set out for Tarsus to fetch Saul. Once more, then, the two met, and Saul proceeded with his friend to the Syrian metropolis, and there side by side they continued to labour for a whole year, and so greatly were their exertions blessed, and so numerous were the additions made to the Church, that it was clear the disciples could no longer be con- founded with any sect or party of the Jews. Standing out, then, as a separate community, they acquired a distinctive title, and it was first at Antioch, whose in- habitants were notorious for inventing names of deri- ^ Perhaps Mnason was one of the number, see Acts xxi. 16. Ch. IV.] OF CORNELIUS. 403 sion^ that the honourable appellation of Christians was first apphed to them (Acts xi. 26). This name they were not likely to assume themselves 2, nor is it pro- bable that it was bestowed upon them by the Jews. They called them in hatred and contempt the sect of the Nazareneo^ (Acts xxiv. 5), and Christ being equi- valent to Messiah, they vrere not likely to apply to them a term they tliemselves held sacred'*. The name, there- fore, x^robably originated ^^Ith the Gentiles, and with the Romans rather than the Greeks. The disciples would often speak of Christ as their leader and chief, and the heathens^ would naturally call them in mockery and derision Christians, or the Folloicers of Christ, just as the partisans of Marius were called Mariani, of Pom- peius Pompeiani, of Otho Othouiani, of Yitellius Vitel- liani, of Ilerod Herodiani. While the two Apostles were thus employed, there arrived at Antioch, a. d. 42, certain prophets'^ from Jerusalem, one of whom named Agabus stood up and 1 C. andH., I. 118. 2 "In the Acts, and in their own letters, we find them designating themselves as hrethren, disciples, helievers, saints (Acts XV. •23, ix. 16, V. 14, ix. 32; Rom. xv. 25; Col. i. 2, &c.). Only in two places (Acts xxvi. 28, i Pet. iv. 16) do Ave find the term Christians; and in both instances it is im- plied to be a term used by those who are without." C. and H., I. 117, and notes; Humphry's Comm. on the Acts. ^ Or Galilaeans. This last w\as the contemptuous name by which the Emperor Julian afterwards enacted that they should be caUed. Humphry's Coram. ■* Neander's Planting, I. 99. ° Comp. Tac. Ann. XV. 44, quos vidgus Christianos ap- pellabat: they were sometimes miscalled Chrestlani; Ter- tuU. Apol. III. ** Their office did not always or necessarily inchide that of predicting future events. Compare the remarks on the O. T. Prophets, Class- Booh of 0. T. History, pp. 276, 277. More generally it indicated extraordinary powers of exposi- tion of the Divine Word. 40 i THE CON VERSION, Jcc. [Bk. III. Pt. II. annoiinccd that a great famine was at lianrl, which in fact came to pass during the reign of Claudius Cresar (Acts xi. 28), a reign distinguished for earthquakes, bad harvests, and general scarcity ^ Having full faith in his pro})hetic words the Christians in the Syrian me- tropolis^ determined to send relief, every man accord- ing to his ability, to their poorer brethren at Jeru- salem, and Saul and Barnabas were selected to convey their contributions to the Holy City (Acts xi. 29, 30)^. CHAPTER V. MARTYRDOM OF ST JAMES— DEATH OF HEROD. A.D. 44. ABOUT the time when these delegates from the j\. church at Antioch arrived on their errand of Christian love at Jerusalem, a severe calamity befell the Church there. On the accession of Claudius, a. d. 41, Herod Agrippa, who had taken an active part in securing his succession^, Avas rewarded by the addition of Judoea and Samaria to the tetrarchies of Philip and Antipas which he had already received, and ruled as king over a territory as widely extended as that go- verned by his grandfather^. ^ Tac. Ann. xii. 13; Jos. Ant. iii. 15. 3, xx. 7. 5. ^ Four local famines are meutioned during the reign of Claudius, (i) in his first and second year, A.D. 41, 4-2, at Korae; (2) in his fourth year, A.D. 44, in Judaea; (3) iu his n'nth year, a. D. 49, in Greece; (4) in liis eleventh year, A.D. 51, at Rome. ^ In this verse occurs the first mention of the Christian irpea^vrepoL, rendered in the Vulgate scyiiores, in the E. V. ciders. In Acts xx. 28 they are termed iTriaKowoi; the last expression pointing to their office, the former to their age and character. For the ancient Jewish Elders, see Numb, xi. 16, and Class- Book of Old Testament History, p. 170. ■* jNIcrivale's Romans under the Empire, vi. 102. ^ Jos. Ant. XIX. 5. i; B.J. 11. 11. 5. Merivale, VI. 115. Cn. Y.] MARTYRDOM OF ST JAMES, ped as its founder and protector. The inhabitants therefore rushed to the conclusion, that in the Apostle Barnabas, probably in consequence of Lis venerable appearance, they beheld none other than the "father of gods and men," while iu his companion, who was the chief speaker, they thought they recognised Hermes, or Mercury, the god of eloquence, and the fre- quent companion of Jupiter on his visits to earth^. The news that these deities had honoured Lystra with their presence quickly spread, and reached the ears of the priest of Jupiter. Accordingly he and his assistants soon appeared with oxen and garlands before the residence of the Apostles, prepared to offer sacri- fice in their honour. Perceiving for the first time the object of these proceedings, Paul and Barnabas rushed forth from their abode, and meeting the proces- sion approaching the vestibule^, exclaimed, Sirs, ichat ^ According to some a Syrian dialect, according to others a corrupt form of Greek. Lycaonia is one of those ethnolo- gical rather than political districts of Asia Minor mentioned in the N. T. ; politically it was sometimes in Cappadocia, sometimes in Galatia. 2 Compare tlie story of Baucis and Philemon in Ovid's Metam. viii. 6i r, &c, 3 Comp. Ovid, Fasti, v. 495. * 'Etti rous TTvXuuas in Acts xiv, 1 3, does not denote the 27—2 420 VISIT TO LYSTRA, DEIIBE— [Bk. III. Pt. 111. do ye? we also are men of like jjass Ions with you. And then they went on to declare the real purport of their coming, which was to persuade them to turn from the wor- ship of such false gods, to the living and life-giving God, the Iklakcr of lucaven, and earth, and the sea, and all things that are therein, who in the past generations had permitted all nations^ to walk in their own ways, inter- posing not by any visible judgment or by any world- wide revelation, but wiio had not left Himself Avithout witness, doing good to the creatures of His hand, giving rain from heaven and fruitful seasons, filling their hearts icithjoy and gladness (Acts xiv. 15 — 17). Even this appeal hardly prevailed upon the peo2:)le to abandon their intentions. At length they reluctantly retired, and led away the victims without offering them in sacrifice to the Apostles. The impression, however, thus made was on the surfaco only, and Avas soon to give place to an entire revulsion of feeling. It had become known at Antioch and Icouium, whither the Apostles had retired. From both places, therefore, cer- tain of the Jews made their way to Lystra, and stirred U13 the minds of the people against their newly-arrived visitors, representing, it is not imjDrobable, that they w^ere impostors, and practised mngical arts-. There- upon, with the fickleness for which they were proverbial, the Lycaonians turned upon the men they had so lately been willing to adore, and actually stoned PauP, and gates of the city, but the vestibule or gate which gave ad- mission from the public street into the court of the house. So it is used Mtt. xxvi. 71 (on which see note above, p. 290) ; Lk. xvi. 20; Acts X. 17; Acts xii. 13. C. and H., I. 182, n. ; Neander's Planting, 113, n. ^ Compare the Apostle's language in Rom. iii. 25. 2 Comp. Mtt. xii. 24. ' This is the occasion alluded to in 2 Cor. xi. 24, 25, "Once I was stoned." At Iconium the design had been formed of stoning him: "Had the assault been completed, Sec. I. Ch. II.] DISPUTES AT ANTIOCH. 421 supposing him to be dead dragged liim forth out of their town. • Some disciples^, however, had been made even in Lystra, and these did not now desert their teacher in the hour of peril. While they were standing around him, and probably using means for his restoration, the Apo- stle arose, and returned with them to his abode. A longer stay was clearly dangerous, and therefore on the morrow he and his companion left for the neighbouring town of Derbe, and thence, having preached the "Word and made several disciples (Acts xiv. 21), they returned through the several tow^ns they had visited, exhorting the disciples to abide constant in the faith, and remind- ing them that through much affliction they must enter the kingdom of God. Moreover in the several churches they had established they now appointed elders 2, and after prayer and fasting, solemnly presented them be- hacl the history related that a stone was thrown, as it relates that preparations were made both by Jews and Gentiles to stone Paul and his companions, or even had the account of this transaction stopped, without going on to inform, us that St Paul and his companions were aivare of the danger and fled, a contradiction between the history and the Epistle would have ensued. Truth is necessarily consistent ; but it is scarcely possible that independent accounts, not having truth to guide them, should tlius advance to the very brink of contradiction without falling into it." Paley's Hone PauUnce. ^ One was certainly Timothy, the son of a Jewess named Eunice, his father being a Greek (Acts xvi. 1), whom Paul afterwards found at Lystra, already a disciple, and of good report among the brethren (Acts xvi. 2). In i Tim. i. 2, i. 18; ■2 Tim. ii. I, he calls him Ms oion son in the faith, and in 2 Tim. iii. 10, II, reminds him of his intimate and personal knowledge of the sufferings he had endured at Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra (note the accurate order of the places). There is the strongest reason, therefore, for believing that he was now converted to the faith. See Birks' Ed. of Paley's Horcs PaU' lince, p. 153, and note on p. 155. " See above, p. ^04, n. 422 VISIT TO LYSTRA, DERBE— [Bk. III. Pt.IIL fore the Lord (Acts xiv. 23). Thence they proceeded to Terga, and after preaching the Word there, to the sea-port of Attalia. There they took ship, and sailing to Seleucia reached Antioch, and on their arrival sum- moned the brethren, and announced to them the success of their mission, and the many proofs they had witnessed that God had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles (Acts xiv. 27). Arrived at Antioch, the Apostles continued there for some time, a.d. 47— 5^5 strengthening and confirm- ing the faith of the Church, and during their stay began that contest with the Judaizing Christians with which St Paul was destined to be so largely occupied. It had by this time become clear that the Christian faith, instead of being the purest and highest form of Judaism, was to prove itself a world-wide universal religion, and that its Jewish elements were to be ab- sorbed and vanish away. In every nation and in every place, at Joppa, at Ceesarca, at Antioch, in rude vil- lage-towns like Lystra and Derbe, as well as populous cities like Perga and Iconium, it was seen that God ac- cepted witliout respect of persons those that feared Him and worked righteousness (Acts x. 34, 35). Such a revolution of feeling towards the Gentile world ^ could not be at once received with entire acqui- escence. At Jerusalem, in sight of the Temple, and in the midst of all the associations of his faith and national history, the exclusive feelings, which the Jew carried •with him w^herever he went, were concentrated and intensified^. Hitherto there had been no attempt to define the mutual relations of Jewish and Gentile con- verts. "All such questions, it would seem, had been tacitly passed over, neither side perhaps being desirous 1 On the Jewish feeling of jealousy and suspicion even towards proselytes, see above, p. 400, n. 1, '{ C. and IJ., I. 197. Sec. I. Cii. II.] DISPUTES AT ANTIOCH. 423 of provoking discussion^" Events, however, now oc- curred, which rendered necessary a sohition of the question. Certain false brethren^ (Gal. ii. 12) went down from Judaea to Antioch (Acts xv. i), and creeping in un- awares^, began to observe with no favourable ej'e the extent to which the Jewish Law was relaxed in favour of the Gentile Christians, and their liberty in Christ Jesus vindicated (Gal. ii. 4). Before long they began to insinuate, not that the observance of certain ceremonies in themselves indifferent was advisable for the sake of expediency, but that the rite of circumcision was essen- tial for salvation ; Except ye he ciixumcised, said they to the Gentile Christians, i/e cannot be saved {Acts xv. i). To such a doctrine no one was more opposed than the Apostle Paul. To the subjection which these teach- ers required, he "would not advise his Gentile converts to yield, no, not for an hour (Gal. ii. 5). The conse- quence was, that no small dissension and disputation arose between himself and Barnabas on the one hand, and the false teachers on the other, and no slight anx- iety and perplexity harassed the minds of the disciples. At length it was resolved that he and Barnabas with certain others should go up to Jerusalem, and seek an interview with the Apostles and Elders, with the ob- ject of settling the dispute^. Any hesitation the Apostle might have felt about the expediency of the course ^ Lightfoofc On the Galatians, p. 2S6. ^ They were converted Pharisees who had imported their dogmas into the Christian Church. ^ Compare the words TrapeicraKTous, irapeLO-fjXdou in Gal. ii. 4. " The metaphor is that of spies or traitors introducing themselves by stealth into the enemy's camp." See the pas« sages quoted by Lightfoot. ■* For an exhaustive note on the identity of the journey mentiYetstein in loc: and, the Sec. I. Ch. III.] Ar JERUSALEM. 429 recognise unreservedly his independent mission to the heathen as well as their own to the Jews (Gal. ii, 9). One condition only was annexed, that in his journeys among the Gentiles and the dispersed Jews he would not forget the wants and the sufferings of the poorer brethren at Jerusalem \ Thus the dispute was settled, and a circular letter (Acts XV. 23) was drawn up embodying the views of the Council. This was entrusted to Paul and Barna- bas, and they accompanied by certain chirfincn'^ among the brethren (Acts xv. 22), Judas surnamed Barsabas and Silas or Silvanus^, returned to Antioch, and the whole body of the disciples having been assembled, read it in their ears. Great was the joy manifested at the contents, and no less welcome the consolation after so much discussion and perplexity (Acts xv. 31), which was in no small degree increased by the fact that Judas and Silas, being both "prophets," exhorted and confirmed the brpthren in the enjoyment of that free and unfet- tered liberty now assured to tliem. After some days they returned to Jerusalem, but Paul and Barnabas prolonged their stay in the Syrian capital, and together Vvitli many others proclaimed the message of Redemp- tion, and employed themselves in the general work of Christian instruction (Acts xv. 2)S)' Church being regarded as the house or temple of God, in the New Testament to Christians; comp. Rev. iii. 12; i Tim. ill. 15. ^ This the Apostle had already done, see Acts xi. -29, 30, above, p. 404; this also he did on the occasion of his last journey to Jerusalem, Rom. xv. 26, 27; Acts xxiv. 17. ^ John Mark appears to have accompanied them. Comp. Acts XV. 37; 'i^ea.ndev''^ Planting, I. p. 1-25. 2 Derived from the Latin silva, a wood: this seems to hint that he was a Hellenistic Jew, and from. Acts xvi. 37 we gather that he was a Roman citizen ; by some he is ideu- tified with the Silvanus mentioned in i Pet. v. 12. 4:30 THE COUNCIL [Bk. III. Pt. III. During their stay, for some reason ■vvhicli is not spe- cified, Peter came down to Antioch (Gal. ii. ii). At first lie lived in free and social intercourse with the Gentile converts, met them on terms of equality, and ate with them at the Agapoe and on other occasions, in the true spirit of the recent decree, and as ho had done in the house of Cornelius (Gal. ii. 12) Before long, however, there arrived from Jerusalem certain brethren, either deputed by James on some special mission, " or in- vested with some powers from him, which they abused^" (Gal. ii. 12). They brought with them their old Phari- saic^ repugnance against intercourse with uncircumcised heathen, and awed by their presence the Apostle of the Circumcision began timidly to withdraw and separate himself^ from those whom he had lately met on free and equal terms. Such conduct roused the deepest indigr.ation in the heart of Paul. Through fear of the con\erts from Ju- daism^ Peter was violating the very princij)le of the late decree, and by his example causing others to vacillate. Not only the other Jewish converts resident at Antioch^ (Gal. ii. 13), who had mingled freely with the Gentiles, but even his friend and colleague Barnabas, who had de- fended their cause at Jerusalem, was carried away with ^ The refusal to eat meat with the impute was one of their leading principles: comp. Lk. xv. 2, and see above, p. 2 Lightfoot in he, who deems this not altogether impro- bable, and compares Acts xv. 24, xv. i. See also Ellicott's note. "^ 'TTr^aTeWef /cat dcpcopi^ei/ kavrov, Gal. ii. 12 : "the words describe forcibly the cautious withdrawal of a timid person who shrinks from observation, virlaTeWev denoting the par- tial, a(pupL^tv the complete and final separation." Lightfoot in loc. * Tois iK TrepiTOfirjs, Gal. ii. 12. Corap. Acts x. 45, xi. 2; Horn, iv. 12; Col. iv. 11; Tit. i. 10. ^ 01 XoiTTol 'lovdaioi. See Lit?htfoot"s note. Sec. I. Ch. III.] AT JERUSALEM. 431 the flood of their dissimulation^ (Gal. ii. 13). It was clearly necessary to interfere, and accordingly he with- stood his fellow Apostle to the face (Gal. ii. 11), and rebuked him before all. The dissimulation he had prac- tised carried with it its own condemnation. If he, born and bred a Jew, had made it his principle to discard Jewish customs and to live with the freedom of a Gen- tile, why did he practically^ coerce the Gentiles into Judaism. Both of them, though born to all the privi- leges of the elect nation, not smners^, as they used proudly to call the Gentiles, convinced that a man could not be justified by the works of the Law but by faith in Jesus Christ, had become believers in Him, that of that justification they might become partakers. How, then, could he seek to impose on others the yoke of conform- ity to the works of the Law ? What ensued upon this indignant rebuke is not re- corded. It is not probable that any actual quarrel took place between the two^. Though the character of Peter was impulsive and susceptible of quick and sud- den changes, it was loving, generous, and forgiving. Certain it is that afterwards he was not ashamed to allude to the Epistles of his heloved hrotlier Paul (2 Pet. iii. 15, 16), albeit that the censure upon himself finds a place in one of them, and though afterwards they sel- dom met, yet their lives were united in the propagation of one great cause, and in their deaths they tcere not dii'idecP. ^ Hy vtroKpla^i, their acting, assuminr/ a part, which veiled their genuine feelings, and made them appear otherwise than they were. 2 That is, his conduct, if persevered in, would have tLis effect. ^ Almost a synonym for Gentiles : see i Mace. ii. 44 ; and comp. Lk. vi. 32, 33 ; Mtt. v. 47 ; Mtt. xxvi. 45 ; Lk. xviii. ^2. ^ Con. and Howson, i. 215. 5 Ibid. See Smith's Bill. Diet., Art. Petej; 432 THE SHARP CONTEST- [Ek. III. Pt. IH. SECTION 11. St PauVs Second Ilissionao'y Journey. CHAPTEPv I. THE SHARP CONTEST— TOUR IN PHRYGIA AND GAL ATI A. A. D. 51. THE sphere of the labours of St Paul, as the Apostle of the Gentiles, having been publickly recognized at Jerusalem, he did not deem it right to linger at Antioch, and therefore proposed to Barnabas that they should revisit the jilaces where they had preached the AYord of God, and founded churches. To this his fellow Apostle assented, but Avas unwilling to undertake the journey unless his relative John Mark accompanied them (Acts xv. 37). St Paul, however, was by no means inclined to suffer one, who had withdrawn from them in Pamphylia, and Juid 7iot gone iciih them to the work^ to become again their companion on a journey requiring resolution and undaunted courage. Barnabas, on his side, was equally earnest in desiring that his kinsman should accompany them, and the consequence was no- thing less than a sharp contention between the two, which at last ended in a mutual separation^. They agreed to choose each a different path, and to labour independently. Barnabas, therefore, taking with him John Mark^ sailed to Cyprus, there, doubtless, tlwugh ^ The breach between them, however, appears to liave been but temporary. St Paul afterwards mentions his former friend with commendation, see i Cor. ix. 6. At Salamis the tomb of Barnabas is shewn. ^ Mark, too, though now the cause of this sharp conten- Sec. II. Ch. I.J TOUR IN PER TGI A, '0jjnet07's (comp. Hov.Srtt.J.v. 34 36 ; Cic. de Lege Ar/r. 11. 34), were governed by Roman laws, and had Latin inscriptions stamped upon their coins. See Art. Colonia in Smith's Diet, of Antiquities. ^ C. and H., p. 270. 2 "E^w TTJs 7r6Xr)s is the better reading in Acts xvi. f^. ^ See above, p. 440, n. ^ 1,e(3oiJ.ei'r, tov Qeou, Acts xvi. 14. ^ A city on the Lycus, founded by Seleucus Nicator, on the confines of Mysia and Ionia, about midway between Pergamus and Sardis; now called Ak-hissar. It is men- tioned in connection with the dyeing trade in Horn. II. iv. J 41, for which it has still a considerable reputation. ^ Comp. Acts xiii. 14 i Lk. iv. 20. Comp. above, p. 112. 442 PAUL AND SILAS [Bk. III. Pt.III. was admitted into the Church by baptism, probably in the waters of the stream that flowed by the Proseucha. Thus the Gospel found a lodgment in Europe, and Lydia, grateful for t]ie spiritual things, which the Apo- stle had ministered unto her, was anxious to minister to him and his companions of her temporal things. Since ye have deemed me a heliecer in the Lord, said she, come into my house, and there abide. She would take no refusal, and Paul and the rest accepted her offer of hospitality. At no great distance from Philippi^ was an oracle of Dionysus, the prophet-god of the Thracians. Thence, or from some similar establishment, there came a damsel 2)ossessed icith the sjyirit of divination'^, who had been hired by certain Philippian citizens, and brought much gain to her owners by her soothsaying (Acts xvi. 16). Meeting the little company of Christians as they went to and fro from the Proseucha, she followed Paul cry- ing out, Tliese men are the servants of the most High God, icho are come to announce unto you the icay of salvation. This continued many days. At length griev- ed that this testimony should be borne by one possessed with an evil sj^irit, Paul turned, and in the name of his Divine Master commanded the evil spirit to leave her, whereupon the word of power was instantly obeyed, and the damsel was restored to her right mind (Acts xvi. 18). Perceiving that now all hope of any future gain was ^ High up in Hpemiis, among the tribe of the Satrse. Comp. '0 Qpxi^l [xavTiSf Eurip. Hecuh. 1267. Smith's Bihl. Diet., Art, Philippi. ^ Acts xvi. 16, 'Exovaaj' vveOfxa U^duvos (the better read- ing is TLvdiova). tludu:v—-{i) the prophetic serpent at Delphi, (2) the Pythian Phoebus or Apollo, from whom all who claimed the powers of divination received their title, and were called Pythons, exercising their arts by means of in- ternal mutteriiigs and ventriloquism^ Sec. II. Ch. II.] AT PHILIPPI. 443 gone, the owners of the damsel, filled with ang'er, seized Paul and Silas, and dragged them into the forum (Acts xvi. 19) before the duumviri or authorities of the colony, charging them with creating a disturbance in the place, and introducing innovations in their religion \ Such an accusation quickly roused the feelings of the populace, and a furious mob beset the Apostle and his companion as they stood before the magistrates. To retain their popularity the latter saw that they must give in to the popular feeling, and ordered the lictors to strip off the clothes of the accused and scourge them^ (Acts xvi. 22). The order was forthwith executed, and faint and bleed- ing from the infliction of mayiy stripes (i Thess. ii. 2), they were thrust into prison, and the jailer was strictly enjoined to keep them safely. Anxious to fulfil his in- structions to the letter, he thrust them into the inner prison, probably a dark, cold, pestilential celP, and made their feet fast in the stocks^ (Acts xvi. 24). But though shamefully intreated (i Thess. ii. 2), and thrust under a false charge into a loathsome dun- ^ These men, said they, are throwmg the whole city into confusion, being Jeivs to begin with; and they are inculcating new customs, which it is not laioful for us to receive or adopt, being Roman citizens (Acts xvi. 21). The force of the accu- sation that they were Jeios to begin icith {'lovdahi virdpxoPTes) will be more fully apprehended by remembering (i) that Ju- daism was a religio licita for Jews, but that they were for- bidden to make proselytes among the Romans; (2) that the Jews had lately been driven out of Rome in consequence of an uproar, and that Philippi would naturally imitate the mother-city; Judceos imjmlsore Chresto assidue tumultuantes Jloma exjoulit ; Sueton. Claud, xxv. ^ 'Fa^di^€Lv=to beat with rods, as in 2 Cor. xi. 25. ^ Probably like the dungeon into which Jeremiah was let down(comp. Acts xvi. 34, duayayu>i>) with cords ( Jer. xxxviii. 6), or the Tidlianwu at Rome. C. and H., i. 280, n. "* To ^vXou, Acts xvi. 24. Comp. Aristoph. ^9'. 1049, ^37^; Herod, vr. 75, ix. 37; and the Latin nervus, Plant. Capt. 111. 5- 7^. 44r4< PAUL AND SILAS [Be. III. Pt. III. geon, the Apostle and his companion were not in de- spair. At midnight they were praying and singing hymns to God, while the rest of the prisoners hstcned with eager attention. But dehverance was near at liand. Suddenly a great earthquake shook the prison to its foundations, every door was opened, every fetter was loosed (Acts xvi. 26). Roused from sleep the jailer instantly concluded that his prisoners had escaped, and drawing his sword was on the point of laying violent hands upon himself, when the voice of the Apostle Paul was heard calling out loudly, Do thyself no harm, for ice are all here (Acts xvi. 28). On this the jailer called for lights, and leaped into the inner prison, and trembling with alarm fell dowii betore Paul and Silas, and then leading them forth said, Sirs, what must I do to he saved ? Believe, was their reply, in the Lord Jesus, and thou shalt he saved, and then they proceeded to explain to him and the members of his family, who probably crowded around, what belief in Jesus meant (Acts xvi. 32). The word fell upon good ground, and in the self-same hour, late as it was, the rough Roman officer washed the stripes of his prisoners, and was baptized together with all his house. Then taking them up into his house he set food before them, and as a believer rejoiced in his new-found faith (Acts xvi. 34;. By this time the morning had dawned, and messen- gers arrived from the magistrates. Either alarmed at the earthquake, or conscience-stricken with having acted with unnecessary harshness, they had come to a different decision respecting the Apostles, and the lictors now bore their orders that they should be re- leased. The jailer received these instructions with the utmost joy, and going with the messengers announced these commands to the Apostles. But St Paul declined to go in peace^ as he suggested (Acts xvi. 36). He and Sec. II. Ch. II.] AT PHILIPPI. 44^5 his companion, uncondemncd, and without any form of trial, had been openly scourged, and thrust into prison^ in direct violation of their rights as Roman citizens ^ He refused, therefore, to accept such a secret and ignominious release. Let them come themselves, said he, and lead us forth (Acts xvi. 37). Without delay the messengers conveyed the intel- ligence that the prisoners were Roman citizens to the magistrates, who were in no little alarm, when they dis- covered what an insult they had unwittingly offered to the Majesty of the imperial city. Hastening, there- fore, to the prison, they earnestly besought the Apostles to depart from the colony. Accordingly they came forth, and with quietness and dignity repaired to the house of Lydia, and having seen and bidden farewell to the Christian brethren departed (Acts xvi. 40). Timo- thy, however, and Luke, appear to have remained for the present behind, to water the seed sown, and to build up the newly-formed Philippian Church. CHAPTER III. TUESSALONICA, BERCEA, ATHENS. A.D. 52. LEAVING, then, their first Macedonian converts, Paul and Silas proceeded along the great Roman road, known as the Via Egnatia, to Amphipolis^, and ^ **Lex Porcia (a.U.C 306) virgaa ab omnium civium Tlomanorum corpore amovet." Cic. x>'>'<^ Eahirio, Chap. iii. "Facinus est vinciri civem Romanum, scelus . verberari." Cic. in Verr. v. 66. ^ Amphipolis stood on an eminence on tlie left bank of the Strymon, about 3 miles from the sea and 33 from Phi- lippi. Originally called "Nine Ways," from the number of Thracian and Macedonian roads meeting here, it was colo- 416 TIIESSALONICA, [Bk.III. Pt.III. thence througli Apollonia^ to Thessalouica^. In the latter city was the'* chief synagogue of the Jews in this part of Macedonia (Acts xvii. 2), and hither Paul re^^aired, and for three consecutive Sabbaths argued with those of his own nation from their own Scriptures, opening them up to them, and shewing that the Messiah there predicted was no temporal Prince or earthly Conqueror, but One who should suffer and rise from the dead, and that nisc'd by the Athenians, and named Amphipolis from being nearly surrounded by the Strymou. For the battle fought under its walls during the Peloponnesian war, in which Cleon and Brasidas were killed, see Thuc. V. 6 — 11. ^ Apollonia is laid down in the Itineraries as being 30 miles from Amphipolis. Its exact position is not known, but "it lay somewhere in the inland part of the journey, where the Via Egnatia crosses from the Gulf of the Strymon to that of Thessalonica," C. and H., I. 295. ^ Thessalonica, 37 miles distant from Apollonia, is still the most important town of European Turkey, next after Constantinople, and retains to this day the name of Saloniki. Originally named Therma (whence the Thermaic Gulf), it was rebuilt and enlarged by Cassander, son of Antipater, and named Thessalonica after his first wife, the sister of Alexander the Great. Under the Eomans, when Macedonia was divided into four governments by Paulus -^milius, it was made the capital of the second; when the whole was consolidated into one province, it became practically the metropolis of the whole. During the first civil war it was the head quarters of the Pompeian party and the senate, during the second it took the side of Octavius, by whom it was made a free city (see above, p. 379, n.), a privilege com- memorated on some of its coins. Situated on the Thermaic Gulf, and commanding the trade by sea, lying on the Via Egnatia, and connected with other important Roman roads, communicating inland with the wide plains of Macedonia, and possessing all the advantages of a busy commercial town, it formed one of the most appropriate starting points of the Gospel in Europe. Comp. 1 Thess. i. 8; C. and H., I. 295, 297; Smith's L'ibl. Diet. ^ 'H auvaywyr}, Acts xvii. I, fJie synagogue, net a syna- gogue, as in our E. V. Sec.II. Ch.IILJ BERCEA, ATHENS. 447 He had appeared in the person of that Jesus, whom he announced to them (Acts xvii. 3 ; Conip. i Thess. i. 10, iv. 14, V. 9, 10). His words were variously received. Some, inckidin^ a considerable number of tlie Greek proselytes and of the influential women, believed. But the Jews, furious at the spread of such obnoxious tenets, gathered toge- ther a mob of idlers from the markets and landing- places, threw the town into an uproar, and falling upon the house of Jason \ where the Apostle was lodging, sought to drag him and his companion before the demus, or assembly of the people^. Unsuccessful, however, in find- ing them, they hurried Jason and certain of the brethren before the magistrates, and charged them with violating the decrees of Csesar^ in asserting that there was an- other King, namely Jesus (Acts xvii. 7). This charge caused the magistrates considerable perplexity. In- stead, however, of visiting the Apostle with any punish- ment, they contented themselves with taking security* from Jason and the rest for their future good conduct, 1 A foi-m which the name Joshua seems sometimes to have taken: see i Mace. viii. 17; 2 Mace. ii. 23. He was perhaps a Hellenist, and may possibly be alluded to in Rom. xvi, 2r. ^ The general characteristics of a "free city'' have been described above, p. 379^ n. Their form of government was very various. In some the old magistracies and customs were maintained without any material alteration. In Thes- salonica we tind an assembly of the people, demus, and su- preme magistrates called 2'>olitarchs (Acts xvii. 8), a title still legible on an archway of the town "in an inscription in- forming us of the number of these magistrates, and mention- ing the very names of some who bore that office not long before the day of St Paul." C. and H., I. 308. ^ On the severity of the laws respecting treason, see above, p. 307, n. ^ Aa^oj'Tes to UavSu^ apparently a translation of the Latiu law-phrase satis accipere. 44!8 THESSALONICA, [Bk. III. Pt. III. and the maintenance of peace, and then set them at liberty. But though the city was thus quieted, the position of the Apostle was one of great danger. Without delay, therefore, the brethren bcnt him and Silas under cover of night in a south-westerly direction to Bercea\ Here also there was a synagogue, and here Paul found far more candid, generous, and willing hearers than he had met with at Thessalonica. The Beroeans not only ac- cepted the message he preached, but searched the Scriptures, and that daily, to see whether his arguments were well founded. The consequences were soon appa- rent. The promise seek, and ye shall Jind was fulfilled, and many, both Jews and Gentiles, men and women, and amongst the latter sex some of the highest rank, professed themselves Christians (Acts xvii. 12). But the work thus auspiciously commenced was not destined to go on unimpeded. After no long in- terval the Jews of Thessalonica, hearing that Paul was preaching with success at Bercea, followed in his track ^, and threw the town into commotion. The dan- ger was imminent, and perceiving that the ceaseless animosity of the Jews rendered any further labours in Macedonia useless for the jDresent, the brethren con- veyed the Apostle to the nearest sea-port^, probably ^ Beroea, 60 miles distant from Thessalonica, said to have derived its name from tbe abundance of its waters, now called Verria, or Kara- Verria, was situated on the eastern slope of the Olympian mountain -range south-west of Pella, and commanded an extensive view of the plain of the Axius and Haliacmon. It still contains 18 or 20,000 inhabitants, and stands second in importance of the cities of European Turkey. 2 As they had pursued him from Iconium to Lystra ; see above, p. 420. See Paley's Horce Paidincc, 1 Thess. No. 5. •* 'fis eTTt T-^p ddXaaaav, Acts xvii. 14, does not imply that any stratagem was used. The words simply "denote the Sec. IL Ch. III.] BERCEA, ATHENS. 449 Dium^ and thence by ship to Athens. Silas and Timo- theus, who probably had rejoined the Apostle at Beroea had meanwhile been left there, to strengthen the faith of the new converts, but on the return of those who had conducted Paul to Athens, received his injunctions to join him with all speed (Acts xvii. 15). Thus the disciple of Gamaliel, once a Pharisee, now a Christian and an Apostle, found himself in the far- famed centre of Grecian culture, the pride of the an- cient world, the patroness of Art, Science, and Litera- ture. While awaiting, alone and among strangers, the arrival of his companions, his spirit burned within him, as he beheld on every side proofs of the point to which the inhabitants of the glorious city carried their religi- ous instincts, and the idols and idol-temples with which it was crowded^ Even here, however, he commenced in his usual manner. On each Sabbath-day he repaired to the synagogue (Acts xvii. 17), and preached to the Jews and proselytes, and during the week he was to be found in the busy Agora at the foot of the Acropolis and the Areopagus, conversing with any who would listen to his words. In such a place and among such a people he was not likelihood that in the first instance they had no fixed plan of going to Athens, but merely to the sea: their further course was determined by providential circumstances." C. and H., 1. 315, n. ^ Dium, near the foot of mount Olympus, was ''the great bulwark of Macedonia on the south," and a Roman colony, like Philippi. 2 'KaTeibuiKov (Acts xvii. 16), not given up to idolatry, but full of idols, like Kard^ev^pot, full of trees, KaTdfiweXos, full of vines. "Replete as the whole of Greece was with objects of devotion, there were more Gods in Athens tban in all the rest of the country, and the Roman satirist hardly exaggerates, when he says that it was easier to find a god there than a man." See Wordsworth's Athens and Attica. N. T. 29 450 THESSALONICA, [Bk. III. Pt. III. likely to lack an audience. All the Athenians and the strangers that were tliere, writes St Luke, spent their time in yiothing else hut either to tell or to hear some new thing (Acts xvii. 21). To them, therefore, the coming of one like the Apostle, burning with zeal, and setting forth with learning and ability new and unheard- of doctrines respecting Jesus and the Resurrection (Acts xvii. 18), would be certain to awaken no little interest. Amongst others, who heard him and mar- velled at his words, were certain of the world-famous Epicurean and Stoic schools of philosophy. On them his preaching produced a varied eflfect. Some treated it with scorn, saying, What doth this babbler^ mean ? Others remarked that he appeared to be setting forth certain new divinities. At length they determined to ascertain the point more closely, and taking him to the Areopagus^, requested to know^ the meaning of what he preached (Acts xvii. 19, 20). So the Apostle took his stand, alone ^ and unaided, "his bodily aspect still showing what he had suffered from weakness, toil, and pain," on the summit of the hill of Areopagus (Acts xvii. 22) in the midst of temples, statues and altars dedicated to the gods many and lords many of the heathen world. Horror-struck as he ^ STrepyUoXoyoj^ (i) a bird that picks up seeds from the ground; (2) a pauper prowling about the market-place; (3) a parasite who lives by his wits, "a contemptible and worth- less person." See C. and H., T. 345, n. 2 For a description of the objects in full view of the Apo- stle from the summit of Mars' hill, see Con. and Howson, I. 348, &c.; Wordsworth's Athens and Attica, ch. XI. ^ It was no formal trial on a charge of introducing foreign religions. Something might have been founded upon it after- wards ; for the present it was a hearing only with a view to information. See Neander's Planting, i. 188, n. ^ On the Apostle's expectation of the arrival of Timothy, see Paley's Ilorce Paulince, i Thess. No. 4. Sec. II. Cii. III.J BERCEA, ATHENS. 451 must have been at the spectacle of idolatry which con- fronted him on every side, he yet with peculiar pru- dence did not begin by attacking in intemperate lan- guage the national worship of his hearers. During his brief sojourn in the city he had observed an altar with the inscription, To an unknown God^ (Acts xvii. 23). "Taking his stone," therefore, to use the expressive language of Chrysostom, "out of their own brook," he determined to make this inscription and the mournful testimony it bore to the vanity of heathenism his text, and from it to speak to them words of eternal life. This altar, he began, like all things else he had seen in their city, proved their carefulness in religion*, their earnest desire to worship, and at the same time their ignorance in worshipping. "The unknown God," whose power, by their own confession, they acknowledged, he would declare unto them. The Lord of heaven and earth, who had made the world and all things therein, dwelt not in temples made with hands ^. He was sub- ject to no exigencies, which made him need anything from his worshippers, seeing that He gave to all life, 1 'KyviicTijiQeQ. To the unknown god, however, "would be quite as near the sense of the inscription upon any particu- lar one of such altars," C. and H., I. 350, n. Altars were erected by the Athenians, not only to particular gods, but to Fame, to Modesty, to Energy, to Persuasion, and to Pity; and besides thus deifying abstractions, it was not unusual, cu the occurrence of great public calamities, such as the plague at Athens, when they sought aid in vain from their gods of wood and stone,, to erect altars to some unknown god, whom they deemed they had offended. ■^ AeLCTLdaifxavecTTepous v/Jids deupw, Acts xvii. 22. The word is here used not in any offensive sense. It points to the extreme carefulness of the Athenians in matters of religion. See deiaidalfxcju in Trench's Synonyms, Vol. i. pp. 187 — 197, and Alford in loc. 3 Comp. the language of Stephen, Acts vii. 48 ; above, p. 369. 29—2 452 THESSALONJCA, [Bk. III. Pt. III. and breath, and all things. For all the nations of man- kind, originally made by Ilim of one blood ^, He had assigned the seasons of their existence and the bounds of their habitation, to the end that they should feel after Him, if haply they might find Him, though in truth He was not far from any of them, as one of their own poets had said. For we are also His offspring'^. As the oflFspring, therefore, of God, and endowed with the faculty of knowing Him, they ought not to have imagined that the Godhead w^as like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by the art and device of man. Such imaginations they might have indulged in times past of ignorance. But these God had overlooked^, and now commanded all men everywhere to repent, for He had apxDointed a day, wherein He would judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He had ordained, and of this He had given to all a pledge and an as- surance, in that He had raised Him from the dead (Acts xvii. 30, 31). At this point the Apostle's address w^as suddenly interrupted. Some who heard him broke out into laughter, regarding the idea of the resurrection as ridi- culous. Others, in the spirit of Felix afterwards (Acts xxiv. 22, 25\ said they would hear him again on the subject; and thus amidst mingled indifference and divi- ^ In opposition to the well-known boast of the Athenians that they were avrbx^oves, and of a nobler origin than that of the "barbarians," as they ntyled the rest of the world. ^ The words occur (i) in a poem of Aratus, a native of Ci'icia, the Apostle's own country; (ii) in a hynm of Cleanthes, a Lycian poet. There is some doubt from which the Apostle quoted. See above, p. 382. ^ 'Tirepiduip, i. e. without inflicting punishment. Comp. Acts xiv. 16; Kom. iii. ■25. No such idea as is implied in the words tvinked at of our version belongs to the original word. See Wordsworth in loc. Sec. II. Ch. III.] BERCEA, ATHENS. 453 sion, the hearers of the Apostle dispersed, and he de- parted from among ilicm. The word spoken, however, did not fall utterly to the ground, Dionysius, a mem- ber of the Court of Areopagus, a woman named Da- maris\. and some others, professed themselves believers in that Redeemer and Judge of all mankind, whom he ht-i preached to them. CHAPTEE IV. ARRIVAL AND STAY OF ST PAUL AT CORINTIL A.D. 52, 53. AFTER a stay at Athens, the duration of which is not ./a. recorded, the Apostle Paul repaired to Corinth, a place eminently adapted to be the centre of missionary operations, being the capital of the province ^ of Achaia, a large mercantile city, and inhabited by a large number of Jews. At this time the number of the latter was unusually large, owing to a decree issued by the em- peror Claudius, in a.d. 50, directing their expulsion from Rome (Acts xviii. 2). The imperial edict here alluded to by St Luke is probably the same as that mentioned by Suetonius^, who relates that Claudius drove the Jews from the capital, "because they were incessantly raising tumults at the instigation of a certain Chrestus," a name used by mistake, there is little rea- son to doubt, for Christus, and pointing to mutual hos- 1 Of Damaris nothing further is known. Dionysius is said by some to have been the first bishop of Athens. 2 The city had the constitution of a colony, and was the metropolis of a province. At first it was proconsular, after- wards Tiberius placed it under a procurator of its own, but Claudius restored it to its place among the proconsular pro- vinces. Its full name was Colonia Laus Julia Corinthus. C. and H., I. 389; Smith's Bibl. Diet. ^ Suet. Claud, xxv. Judseus impulsore Chresto, assidub tumultuantes, Roma expulit. 454 ARRIVAL AND ST A Y OF [Bk. III. Pt. III. tilities between the Jews and Christians respecting the Messiah \ Among those thus banished were two natives of Pontus in Asia Minor, named Aquila and Priscilla, who on their way homewards by the ordinary maritime track across the isthmus of Corinth, had settled down there for the present, and engaged in the manufacture of tents, probably of the CUiclum", or hair-cloth, already mentioned as an important article of trade in the Levant. "Whether they were already converted to Christianity or not is doubtful, but as workers at a common trade the Apostle came and attached himself to them (Acts xviii. 3), and the intimacy now commenced lasted during the whole of St Paul's life, and his new, found friends became not only partakers of a common faith, but rendered him the most important services. While, however, he laboured working with his oicn hands (i Cor. iv. 12), he did not neglect his great work as an Apostle. According to his usual practice, he re- paired every Sabbath-day to the synagogue, and endea- voured to persuade both the Jews and Gentiles there present (Acts xviii. 4) to believe in Jesus as the pro- mised Messiah and Saviour of the world. Nor were his labours unsuccessful. Many, both Jews and Gentiles, professed themselves believers. Amongst these was the house of Stephanas, whom the Apostle calls the Jirst- fruits of Achaia (i Cor. xvi. 15). Another convert, and one of considerable note, was Crispus, a ruler of the synagogue (Acts xviii. 8); a third was Gains, or Caius, ^ See Milman's Hist. Christ, I, p. 443 ; Lewin's Life of St Paid, I. 294. The return of the Italian Jews from Rome after the day of Pentecost (see above, p. 345) would account for the spread of Christianity to Rome. ^ See above, p. 381. The name Priscilla appears in 2 Tim. iv. 19 under the form Prisca, a well-known Roman name. "Livia and Livilla, Drusa and Drusilla, are used by Latin authors of the same person." C. and H., i. 358, n. Sec. II. Ch. IV.] ST PAUL AT CORINTH. 455 Avith whom he afterwards lodged. All these he baptized with his 0W71 hand (i Cor. i. 14 — 17). After he had been thus labouring about two or three months, Silas and Timothy returned from Macedonia (Acts xviii. 5), and relieved the Apostle's intense anxiety respecting the churches he had planted there (i Thess. i. 2; ii. 13; iii. 6), informing him of the continuance of their faith and love, of their fond remembrance of liim- self, and their eager desire to see him again (i Thess. iii. 6). The effect of this welcome news seems to have been an instantaneous increase of the zeal and resolu- tion with which he prosecuted his labours. Already there were signs of opposition to the progress of the truth, and he had begun his work at Corinth in weak- ness, and in fear, and in tnuch tremhlmg (i Cor. ii. 3). But now a weight was taken off from his mind (i Thess. iii. I — 6), and he was jyressed in the sjjirit, or, accord- ing to a preferable reading, he was pressed by the word^ (Acts xviii. 5). His zeal was a positive pain to him. His anxieties removed, he felt he could not restrain the impulse to give utterance to the "Word of God, and to apply himself with redoubled energy to his work. Satisfactory, however, as had been in the main the tidings brought by Silas and Timothy from Thessalonica, some irregularities which had crept in, and some mis- taken notions the new converts entertained, required correction. Since the Apostle's visit several of their relatives and friends had died, and they feared that these departed Christians would lose the haj^piness of ^ Or he %oas engrossed with tTie word; Instabat verbo. Compare Lk. xii. 50. Hitherto he had been labouring day and night with his own hands, determined to be chargeable to no man. Now the pecuniary supplies brought from Thes- salonica (2 Cor. xi. 9; and comp. Phil. iv. 15) enabled him to devote himself still more earnestly to his Apostolic work. See Wordsworth's note in loc.; Lewin's Life of Si Paul, i. 298. 45G ARRIVAL AND STA Y OF [Bk. III. Pt. III. -witnessing their Lord's second coming, which they con- ceived to be close at hand (i Thess. iv. 13—18), Under the excitement of the same expectation others had abandoned their lawful callings, and fancying that they need not work claimed the support of the richer mem- bers of the church (i Thess. iv. 11, 12). Others, again, had not learned to subdue their carnal appetites (r Thess. iv. i — 8), and there were symptoms of a lack of order (i Thess. iv. 9, 10), and a tendency to despise the gift of prophesying, or inspired teaching, in comparison with other and more showy gifts (i Thess. v. 20; comp. I Cor. xiv.). For these reasons he addressed his first Epistle to the Thessalonians. Meanwhile the progress of the Church at Coiinth had awakened the determined opposition of the Jews, who not only obstinately opposed the truth, but poured forth coarse blasphemies on the name of Jesus (Acts xviii. 6). Accordingly the Apostle con- fronted them sternly, and declaring that their blood must rest upon their own heads, announced his inten- tion of turning to the Gentiles, and made the house of a Gentile convert named Justus, which was contiguous to the synagogue, the place of his public teaching (Acts xviii. 7). The difficulties of his position were thus much increased, and so greatly was he discouraged, that, though Crispus remained faithful, and many of the Corinthians had embraced the faith, he appears to have thought of withdrawing from the city^ But while he was thus hesitating, the Lord Jesus appeared in a vision of the night, and bade him be not afraid, but speak forth boldly, for He was with him, and He had much peo2)le in the city (Acts xviii. 8 — 10). Thus encouraged the Apostle resumed his labours, and continued them * For illustrations of the Apostle's feelings at this time, Bee 2 Thess. iii. 2 ; i Cor. ii. 3. Sec. II. Ch. IV.] ST PAUL AT CORIJSTJI, 457 without any apparent interruption for a space of eigh- teen months. During this period intelligence received from Thes- salonica induced him to address a second Epistle to the Church there. His previous letter had not abated the excitement connected with the expectation of the Sa- viour's speedy advent. A fanatical section had even laboured to increase it, claiming imaginary revelations from the Spirit (2 Thess. ii. 2), and the authority of a rumoured letter from the Apostle himself in support of their views (2 Thess. ii. 2). To discourage such ideas, and that neglect of daily employments (2 Thess. iii. 6 — 16) to which they led, the Apostle wrote again, a.d. 53, explaining more fully certain signs he had already told them must precede the Redeemer's second coming (2 Thess. ii. i — 12), and exhorting the Thessalonians to an orderly and diligent life after the example he had himself set when present in their city (2 Thess. iii. 8, 9). Thus while continuing to labour at Corinth, did he seek to promote the growth of the Churches he had planted in Macedonia. By this time a new pro-consul of Achaia had arrived in the person of Gallio^ the bro- ther of Seneca the philosopher, and of Mela, whose son Lucan was the author of the Pharsalia. The new governor had the reputation of being a man of remark- able sweetness of disposition and great popularity, whom "every one loved too little, even he who loved him most I" Accordingly the Jews thinking they might presume with impunity upon his easy temper, with one 1 His original name was Annseus Novatus, and he took the name of Gallio from having been adopted into the family of Junius Gallio. ' Solebam tibi dicere Galllonem fratrem meum (quern nemo non parum amat etiam qui amare plus non potest) alia vitia non nosse hoc etiam odisse...Nemo mortalium uni tarn dulcis est quam hie omnibus. Seneca, Nat. Quasi, iv. 458 A RRI VAL A ND ST A Y OF [Bk. III. Pt. III. accord set upon Paul and dragged him before his judg- ment-seatS alleging the old charge that he persuaded men to worskqy contrary to the law (Acts xviii. 13). When, hoAvevcr, the Apostle was on the point of enter- ing upon his defence, Gallio, probably acquainted with commotions of the same kind at Rome and with the nature of the Jewish opposition to Christianity, refused to listen to it. If the question brought before him had been some act of crime or wickedness, it would have been only reasonable that he should have heard it through. But if, as it appeared to him, it was merely a question of doctrine, of words and names and Jewish law, he would have nothing to do with it, they must see to it themselves; and he drove them from the judgment- seat (Acts xviii. 16). This decision had a reraai'kable result. The mob', always unfriendly to the Jews, seized Sosthenes, one of the rulers of the Synagogue^, or perhaps the successor of Crispus, and began to beat him in the very presence of the pro-consular tribunal. But Gallio left him to his fate, and cared for none of these things (Acts xviii. 17). Thus the assurance given to the Apostle in the late vision was fulfilled. Though bitter enemies had set upon him, none had "hurt'' him, and it had been proved that the Lord had inuch people in the city. Having tarried, therefore, at Corinth yet a good while, he took his leave of the brethren, and after ^ ter- ^ On the proconsular power and the tribunal, see above, p. 147, n. ^ The true reading in Acts xviii, 1 7 appears to be irdvTes, without specifying exactly who they were. It seems, pro- bable, however, that they were Greeks. ^ See above, p. iii. It is not certain that this is the fame Sosthenes mentioned in I Cor. i, i. ^ Some would understand this to have been done by Aquilla. The form of the sentence is somewhat ambiguous in the original, and the word Keipdfjieyos might be connected Sec. II. Ch. IV.] ST PAUL AT CORIXTIL 459 niinating a religious vow, taken for some unknown reason, by cutting his hair at Cenchreae^ sailed, accompanied by Silas and Timothy, Priscilla and Aquila, in the di- rection of Syria. A voyage of about 13 or 15 days brought them to the port of Ephesus. There Aquila and Priscilla remained, while the Apostle, after only staying long enough to hold one conference with the JoAvs in their synagogue, hastened on by sea with his other companions to Csesarea, and thence by land to Jerusalem, in time to keep the great national festival of Pentecost (Acts xviii. 20 — 22). His stay was very brief, and after saluting the Church there he returned to Antioch, from which he had been so long absent, and there continued some time (Acts xviii. 23). SECTION III. St Paul's Third Missionary Journey^ and Impri- sonment at Ccesarea. CHAPTER I. VISIT TO EPHESUS, A.D. 54-57. AFTER staying some time at Antioch, the Apostle -^^ resolved to enter upon his third missionary jour- ney. Accompanied, it is probable, by Timothy 2, he either with the nearer ''AKvKas or the more remote IlaOXos. On the Nazarite vow see Nam. vi. 3, 5, 13, 14, 18. — Class- Book of Old Testament History, p. 158. ^ Now Kichries, about 8 or 9 miles from Corinth across the Isthmian plain. ^ Silas would seem to have remained behind at Jerusa- lem. We do not meet with him again in connection with St Paul. He is next mentioned in i Pet. v. 12. It is not improbable that Titus also was now with the Apostle I'aul. 460 yisiT TO [Bk. III. Pt. III. began by a systematic visitation of the Churches he had planted in Galatia and Flirygia, establishing all the dis- ciples in the true principles of the Gospel (Acts xviii. 23), and exhorting them to evince their sympathy with their brethren in Judsea, by weekly collections in behalf of the poorer Christians (Comp. i Cor. xvi. i, 2). "While he w^is thus employed there arrived at Ephe- sns a certain Jew of Alexandria, named Apollos^ an eloquent man, and mighty in the Scriptures (Acts xviii. 24). He had been instructed in the way of the Lord, and was acquainted with the main facts of the Saviour's earthly history, but had received no other baptism than that of His forerunner. Aquila and Priscilla listened to his eloquent words in the synagogue of Ephesus, and having sought his acquaintance, did much to correct his imperfect conceptions of Christian doctrine, and to ex- plain to him more accurately the icay of God (Acts xviii. 26). Though trained in the schools of Alexandria, Apollos was not above receiving instruction from these humble natives of Pontus, and when made fully ac- quainted with the Christian doctrine was desirous of crossing over into Achaia. On communicating his wishes to the brethren at Ephesus, he received from them much encouragement ; and furnished with letters of introduction to the disciples in Achaia, set out for Corinth, where he contributed important aid to the establishment of the Christian Church, employing liis extensive acquaintance with Scripture to the confuta- tion of Jewish disputants, and proving incontestably that Jesus was the Messiah (Acts xviii. 28). Thus where Paul had planted, Apollos watered, and God gave an abundant increase (i Cor. iii. 6). Mean- while that Apostle's circuit through the Galatian dis- 1 An abbreviated form of ApoUonius. On the Jews of Alexandria and their theological influence, see above, p. 364, n. Sec. III. Ch. I.J EPHESUS. 461 trict being ended, in accordance with a promise he had made (Acts xviii. 21) he also came to Ephesus. Here Aquila and Priscilla were awaiting him ready to aid him in his work\ They had ah-eady dispatched to the Church of Corinth an eloquent teacher, and now there was present a company of about twelve men (Acts xix. 7), who, like Apollos, were acquainted only with John's baptism, and who were probably introduced to the Apo- stle by his friends from Pontus. Thereupon he en- quired of them, Did ye receive the Holy Ghost ichen ye tecmne heliei-ers"^? To this they replied that they had rot so much as heard of Him and of His great outpour- ing on the day of Pentecost. This led to further en- quiry on the part of the Apostle as to the nature of the baptism they had received, and becoming aware that they had only been made partakers of John's baptism of repentance and preparation, he proceeded to speak of a yet higher baptism to which it was intended to lead up. On this the men were baptized into the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and on the imposition of the Apo- stle's hands were endued with miraculous gifts and ena- bled to speak with tongues and to prophesy (Acts xix. 4-7). Ephesus now became the centre of St Paul's mission- ary labours. Repairing, according to his invariable prac- tice, to the synagogue, he was employed during three whole months (Acts xix. 8) in arguing with the Jews from their own Scriptures, and persuading them that the kingdom of God was truly come, and that Jesus was no other than the long promised Messiah. While some ^ It is not improbaltle that he again worked with them at the same trade: comp. Acts xx. 34, i Cor. iv. 11, 12. 2 That is, probably, the miraculous gifts of the Holy Ghost, such as were bestowed on Cornelius and his company, after their baptism, see above, p. 399. Note the force of the aorist here. 462 VISIT TO [Bk. III. Pt. III. believed and joined themselves to the Christian Church, others were hardened and disobedient, and began openly to calumniate the Apostle's doctrine before the people. Perceiving this, and resolved that their example should not contaminate the rest, he resolved to abandon his attendance at the synagogue, and separating the disci- ples transferred his instructions to the school of one Tyrannus, probably a teacher of rhetoric or philosophy to the young of Ephesus, and who may or may not have been himself a convert (Acts xix. 9). This continued for two years, a.d. 55 — 57, and during this period the labours of the Apostle were carried on with unceasing energy. Not only in the school of Tyrannus, but from house to house he went about amongst the brethren, instructing them in their most holy faith, and warning them with tears (Acts xx. 20 — 31) to hold fast that which they had been taught, re- pentance toicards God, and faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ (Acts xx. 21). The result of such labours, carried on by the Apostle himself, and probably by his immediate^ converts, was speedily perceptible. An im- portant church was founded at Ephesus itself, over which "presbyters" were appointed to preside (Acts XX. 28), and the Word was made known throughout the Roman province of Asia, and probably contributed to the foundation of the seven famous churches of that region (Acts xix. 10). Ephesus, it must be borne in mind, was no common city 2. The capital of the province, the principal empo- ^ Such as Epaphras, Archippus, and Philemon. See Col. i. 7; iv. 7, 12; Philem. 23. C. and H., ii. 13, and note. ^ It retained even under the Komans its old democratic constitution, and Josephus {Ant, Xiv. 10. 12; xvi. 6. 4. 7) mentions the ^ovX-Zj or y epovaia = the senate, the iKK\r}aia = assembly, the 5^jUos = the iKople. As Thessalonica had its poUtarchs (see above, p. 447, n), and Athens its archons, so Sec. III. Ch. I.] EPHESUS. 463 rium of trade on the nearer side of Mount Taurus, it claimed with Smyrna the honour of being one of the "eyes" of Asia. Though Greek in its origin it was half Oriental in the prevalent worship and the character of its inhabitants, and contained the famous temple of Diana, or Artemis, deemed by the ancients one of the wonders of the workP. The original temple, built at the expense of all the Greek cities in Asia, the erection of which was begun before the Persian, and lasted even through the Peloponnesian war, was set on fire by He- rostratus on the night that Alexander the Great was born. But in its place there soon arose a still more sumptuous structure, on which all that art and skill could achieve was freely lavished. The Temple-area was 425 ft. long by 220 in breadth, and was surrounded by 127 marble columns, 60 ft. high, each the gift of kings, and 36 of them beautifully ornamented. The roof was supported by columns of green jasper, eight of which may be seen in the mosque of St Sophia at Con- stantinople, whither they were removed by the emperor Justinian after the temple had been destroyed by the Goths. The altar, richly adorned, was the work of Praxiteles, and here and there were statues from the chisels of the most eminent sculptors. The walls were adorned with the finest paintings in the world, the master-pieces of Apelles and Parrhasius, while the sacred precincts, to the extent of a furlong from the building, offered an inviolable sanctuary to all who sought an asylum there. The presiding deity of this magnificent pile was an Ephesus had its own magistrates, amongst whom the ypafx- fiarevs (Acts xix. '>,^)=toioii- clerk or reeorder, held a high position. ■'■ See generally on Ephesus and its temple, Con. and Howson, I. 73 — 79; Smith's Bibl. Bid., and Diet, of Clas- sical Geor/raphy. 4134; VISIT TO [Bk. III. Pt. III. ancient, black, wooden idol, said to have fallen down from heaven, representing Artemis, not the huntress- goddess of the Greeks, but an Asiatic divinity \ the im- personation of nature, the prolific "mother of life," as shown by the many breasts represented on her image. Round this worship of Artemis there clustered a host of minor superstitions, and Ephesus was at this time the head-quarters of the magical arts. Here were to be bought charms and incantations of all kinds ; amulets to preserve men from bodily danger ; formulas to ward off the influence of demons ; mysterious symbols called "Ephesian letters," copied from the inscriptions on various parts of the idol, deemed a safeguard against all kinds of evil. These arts were not studied merely by strolhng vagabonds, for the purpose of imposing on idle women and ignorant men; they were believed by the educated, and studied by men of letters, who wrote many books on the subject, opening up the secrets of the art, which were highly valued and fetched great prices. Here, then, was a new field for the efforts of the Apostle, and in this stronghold of heathenism it pleased God to work special miracles by his hands (Acts xix. 1 1), so that napkins^ and aprons^ brought from his body ^ The head was a mural crown, each hand held a bar of metal, and the lower part ended in a rude block covered with figures of animals and mystic inscriptions. Her image resembled an Indian idol rather than the beautiful forms which crowded the Acropolis of Athens. "Like the Palla- dium of Troy — like the most ancient Minerva at Athens — like the Paphian Yenus and the Cybele of Pessinus (see above, p. 437, n.) — like the Ceres in Sicily mentioned by Cicero {in Verr. v. 187), it was believed to have fallen down from the sky'' (Acts xix. 35). C. and H., I. 78, The ceremonies of her worship were conducted by a troop of virgin priestesses called Melissse, and a number of priests, eunuchs from the interior of Asia Minor, called Megabizi. 2 Both the original words used here are Latin. The first. Sec. III. Ch. I.] EPIIESUS. 465 were enabled to communicate a healing power, to expel disease and deliver the possessed. Such miracles pro- duced a deep impression on those who witnessed them, and before long, as in the case of Moses in Egypt, cer- tain Jewish exorcists, who wandered about the Asiatic cities, strove to effect the same marvellous results by their enchantments. Fancying that the Name of Jesus was used by the Apostle as a kind of spell, and was in fact his secret, they also began to pronounce the same over the possessed saying, We adjure you in the name of Jesus, whom Paul preacheth (Acts xix. 13). One particular family, consisting of seven brothers, sons of one Sccva, a Jewish High-priest^, were especially addicted to this practice, and on one occasion while thus engaged the evil spirit ansv,'ered, Jesus I recog- nise'^, and Paul I know, hut who are ye? and there- upon the possessed flung himself upon them, and with the terrible strength of a madman and a demon drove them forth naked and wounded from the house. This incident was quickly noised abroad throughout all Ephesus, became known both to Jev/s and Gentiles, and proved that the power of the name of Jesus v>'a3 one "fatal to counterfeit and impossible to resist.'' Fear fell upon all. The magicians of Ephesus confessed that this was the finger of God, and many of the con- (Tovodpiov, sudarhun, occurs in Lk. xix. 10; Jn. xi. 44, xx. 7, and is translated naphin; the latter, aifxiKiudLOif, semi-cine- tium, appears to denote a shawl or handkerchief, or perhaps an apron used by workmen. Baumgarten would connect them with the Apostle's daily labour in his own support. See Wordsworth in loc. ^ Or perhaps the head of one of the 24 courses of Priests. 2 The Vulgate here has Jesum novi et Paulum scio. TivuxTKU} expresses knowledge of a stronger degree than €Trls deposited in the temple ; and when letters were sent to the peuple of Ephesus, they were officially addressed to him. Hence we can readily account for his name appearing so often on the coins of Ephesus (see C. and H., ir. 89, and p. 79). He seems sometime* to have given the name to the year, like the archons at Athens, or the consuls at Rome." (J. and H., 11. 8r. ^ New;<6/)oj', Acts xix. 35, Htevally Temple- siveepcr, was Sec. III. Ch. II.] DISTURBANCE AT EPIIESUS. 471 of the great goddess Diana and the image that came down from the sky. The statements of a few unknown foreigners could not contradict a fact so patent to all the world. Let them, therefore, avoid doing anything- rash or inconsiderate, especially as St Paul and his com- panions had neither profaned their temple nor uttered calumnious words against the goddess. If Demetrius and his friends had any just cause of complaint, it could be decided in the assize-courts^, then open, or by an appeal to the proconsul, or, if necessary, in the regular assembly. Above every thing, let the present tumul- tuous proceedings be discontinued, which could only bring down upon them the displeasure of the Romans, "who could not be expected to tolerate such causeless and disorderly doings, however willing to indulge an ancient and loyal city (Acts xix. 35 — 40). With these arguments the cautious man of authority tranquillized the assembly, and the crowd dispersed to their own homes. Thus by the intrepidity of his friends^ Aquila and Priscilla, and the interposition of a Greek magistrate, the Apostle's life was saved; and having assembled the disciples and given them his last fare- well, set out towards Macedonia (Acts xx. i), and accompanied, it is not improbable, by Tychicus and originally an expression of humility, and applied to the lowest menials engaged in the care of the Temple. Afterwards it became a title of high honour, and was applied not only to persons, but to cities and communities. Thus Ephesus was personified as the "devotee" of Diana, and boastifuliy stamped the name upon her coins. ^ Ephesus was an assize-town {forum or conventus), which the proconsul would visit at stated seasons, attended by his interpreter, for all legal business was conducted in Latin. C. and H., 11. 82. 2 See above, p. 461, n.; for the Apostle's own feelings in respect to the tumult, see 2 Cor. i. 8 — 11, on which s^e Paley's Ilorce Paulince, 2 Cor. No. iv. 472 TliOAS— SECOND JOURNEY [Bk. III. Pt. III. Trophimus, reached Alexandria Troas\ (Acts xx. 4,5-) CHAPTER III. TROAS— SECOND JOURNEY TO GREECE. A. D. 57. 58. ON the occasion of his former visit to Troas^ the Apostle had been able to stay but a Tcry short time. Now, however, though disturbed in mind by the late outbreak, he occupied himself for some time in preaching the "Word (2 Cor. ii. 12). But a cause of still deeper anxiety harassed him. He had sent Titus to Corinth, either with or soon after the first Epistle, to superintend the great collection now being made for the poorer Christians at Jerusalem, to enforce the in- structions contained in his Epistle, and to report the state of the Corinthian church; and he had directed him to return through Macedonia and rejoin him pro- bably at Troas^, where he hoped to have arrived shortly after Pentecost. But the late tumult had driven him sooner than he had intended from Ephesus, and he waited for Titus at Troas wuth a heart full of anxiety respecting the Church at Corinth. Day after day passed, and still Titus came not. At length the suspense be- came unbearable, his spirit had no rest (2 Cor. ii. 13) in the prolonged absence of his brother, and though at Troas a door was opened to him of the Lord, and he -was enabled to lay the foundation of a flourishing church, he resolved to sail to Macedonia, hoping the sooner to meet Titus on his return. ^ Probably by sea: cornp. Acts xx. 13, 14, though it is to be remembered that one of the great roads passed by Smyrna and Pergamus between Ephesus and Troas. ^ See above, pp. 438, 439. 3 See Birks' Uorce. ApostoliccB, p. 237; Neander's Plant- ing, I. 247. Sec. III. Ch. III.] TO GREECE. 47o Bidding farewell, therefore, to the disciples, he em- barked, and probably, as before \ landing at Neapolis, pressed on to Philippi. There he paused, and for a while was cheered by the zeal and warm affection of his Philippian converts (2 Cor. viii. i, 2). But still ho could think of nothing but Corinth. "Corinth, and Corinth only, was the word which would then have been found written on his heart 2." Timothy, indeed, appears to have met him at Philippi (comp. 2 Cor. i. i), but till Titus arrived his flesh could find no rest; he was troubled on every side, tclthout were fightings, within were fears (2 Cor. vii. 5). At last the long-expected messenger reached Phi- lippi, and bore with him tidings sufficiently cheering to relieve the Apostle of the chief load of his anxieties. His first Epistle had not only been received, but bore good fruit. The majority of the Corinthian church had submitted to his injunctions, and were deeply repentant for the sins they had committed (2 Cor. vii. 7 — 11); the incestuous person had been excommunicated (2 Cor. ii. 6), and afterwards forgiven (2 Cor. ii. 10); and the col- lection for the poor Christians at Jerusalem had made good progress (2 Cor. viii. 10). All, however, was not as it ought to be. The parties which claimed the authority of Christ, aided by an emissary from Palestine (2 Cor. xi. 4), who had brought letters of commendation from Jerusalem, had gro^\^l so powerful as to openly assail both the Apostle's authority and his character, charg- ing him with selfish motives, with fickleness, timidity, and self-distrust, and disparaging his inartificial speech, and the insignificance of his hodily py^esence (2 Cor. X. 10). The news that the Corinthians had generally sub- mitted to his injunctions, removed a load from the ^ See above, p. 440. ^ Stanley's Comm. on 2 Cor. ii. 13. 474 TROAS— SECOND JOURNEY [Bk. III. Pt. III. Apostle's mind, and filled him with overwhelming thank- fulness, but the insinuations of his adversaries roused in him the utmost indignation. Titus was, therefore, im- mediately directed to return to Corinth with instruc- tions to continue the collection, and bearing a second Epistle, in which the Apostle expressed his heartfelt satisfaction at the tidings brought by Titus (2 Cor. i. — vii.), urged the speedy completion of the contributions (2 Cor. viii. ix.), and vindicated his Apostolical cha- racter against the assertions of his Judaizing opponents (2 Cor. X. — xiii.). "With this Ej^istle, then, Titus accompanied by Luke (2 Cor. viii. 18) and Trophlmus, set out for Corinth, while St Paul, as yet unwilling to revisit that city, continued to prosecute his labours in the northern regions of Greece, and to accomplish those plans which he had been unable to complete during his previous visit to Macedonia. But not satisfied with preaching the word in the towns of that province bordering on the JEgean, he appears now to have penetrated into the interior, and even beyond them, to the shores of the Adriatic, fully preaching the Gospel round about unto Illyricum^ (Rom. xv. 19). This tour probably occupied the summer and autumn of A. D. 57, and then having no more place in those parts (Rom. xv. 23), he removed with the approach of winter to Achaia, and took up his abode at Corinth (Acts XX. 2). But while here in the house of Gains he could enjoy the society of Erastus and Stephanas, of Fortuuatus, Achaicus, and others of the brethren, his ^ See Paley's Horce Paulince on this passage. Illyricum was an extensive region lying along the Eastern coast of the Adriatic, and contiguous to Moesia and Macedonia on the East. It included Dahnatia (2 Tim. iv. 10), wliich was sometimes used for the whole of the district. Both terms are probably used by the Apostle in their most extended Berne. Sec. III. Ch. III.] TO GREECE, 475 heart was saddened^ by painful intelligence concerning the state of the Galatian Churches. The circumstances under which these churches^ were founded have been already noticed, as also the peculiar affection with which the Apostle had been received there. Now however he learned that his restless enemies the Judaizers, who had been thwarting him at Corinth, were busy also in Gala- tia, insisting on the necessity of circumcision (Gal, v. 2, II, vi. 12, 13), inculcating nothing less than submis- sion to the whole ceremonial law (Gal. iii. 2, iv. 21, V. 4, 18), impugning his own credit, representing him as no true Apostle, as having derived his knowledge of the Gospel at second hand, and as nothing in comparison with James, Peter, and John, the Pillars of the Church at Jerusalem (Gal. ii. 2, 9, &c.). Their teaching he heard with the deepest sadness, had completely fascinated} (Gal. iii. i) the easily impressible Galatians, and already many had embraced their doctrines with the same ala- crity that they had welcomed himself when he proclaimed Christ crucified amongst them. On receiving this in- telligence, the Apostle deemed it right to take instant measures for checking the evil before it became incur- able, and accordingly addressed them in an Epistle'*, in which he strenuously defended his own independent Apostolic authority (Gal. i. 11, ii. 21), showed that the doctrine of these Judaizers was calculated to destroy ^ See Con. and Howson, ir. pp. 141 — 143. ^ See above, pp. 436 — 4.^8. 3 'E^dcTKaveu =fasch2atcd, the metaphor being taken from the popular belief in the power of the evil eye. On the fickleness of the Galatian character, see above, p. 437 and note. * Professor Lightfoot, while placing the Epistle to the Galatians between the Second 10 the Corinthians and that to the Romans, and referring its date to the winter of a.d. 57 or the spring of A.D. 58, seems to think it may have been written during the journey between Macedonia^ and Achaia, See Prolerj. to the Comm,, pp. 48 — 54, 476 TROAS-SECOND JOURNEY [Bk.III. Pt. III. the very essence of Christianity, "to reduce it from an inward and spiritual life to an outward and ceremo- nial system" (Gal, iii. iv.), and exhorted them once more to walk in a manner worthy of that state of free- dom and not of bondage, into which they had been called (Gal. v. vi.}. The Apostle's present stay at Corinth continued up- wards of three months (Acts xx. 3), and he probably employed himself not only in convincing and silencing the gainsay ers who opposed him, as ho had declared he would (2 Cor. xiii. i — 6), and in visiting other churches in the province of Achaia, but also in super- intending the great collection for the j)Oorer Christians at Jerusalem, about which he felt so solicitous. This collection was now completed, and certain treasm'ers Avere nominated by the whole Church, with whom the Apostle was to carry it on his contemplated journey to Jerusalem (i Cor. xvi. 3). Meanwhile a Christian matron, named Phoebe \ of the port of Cenchrese, was about to sail in an opposite direction to Rome upon some private business. St Paul therefore availed himself of the opportunity thus aflforded of addressing an Epistle to the Church in that city, which he already intended to visit sjDeedily, and with the members of which, though they had not seen his face in the flesh, he yet appears, from the numerous salutations at the close of the Epistle, to have been well acquainted. AYhen this Church was founded is uncer- tain. Christianity may have been planted in Rome by some of the strangers from that city present on the day of Pentecost (Acts ii. 10), or by believing Jews attracted thither in the early days of Christianity, and who had been converted by St Paul's own preaching. AVhich- ^ She was probably a widow of consideration and wealth, acting as one of the deaconesses of the Churcli. See C. and H., II. 166; Smith's Bibl. Did. Sec. III. Ch. III.] TO GREECE. 477 ever is the correct opinion, the Church there appears to have been numerous, and though in the first instance its members were probably Jews, who had been converted in the eastern parts of the Empire, they had received large accessions from the Gentiles (Rom. i. 13). Be- tween these two parties disputes had arisen respect- ing the obligation of the Mosaic law, and while the one could not bring themselves to acknowledge their Gen- tile brethren as their equals in Christian privileges (Rom. iii. 9 — 29, xv. 7 — 11), the other could not make sufficient allowance for Jewish prejudices respecting the observation of days and the eating of meats (Rom. xiv.). Long desirous of visiting the Church at Rome, and pro- bably informed of its condition by Aquila and Priscilla, now resident there ^ (Rom. xvi. 3), he deemed it his duty, as the Apostle of the Gentiles, to compose the differ- ences between the two sections of the Roman Church, to lay down, in opposition to the Judaizers^, the great doctrine of justification by faith only (Rom. i. — viii.), to explain the mystery of the rejection of the Jews and the admission of the Gentiles into the Christian covenant (Rom. ix. — xi.), and to inculcate on all the duty of mutii-al forbearance respecting the matters in dispute, and the need of a holy and a Christian life (Rom. xii. — xv. 13). Anxious to visit Jerusalem before his projected 1 On the salutation in Rom. xvi. 3, and the return of Aquila and Piiscilla since the dispatch of the First Epistle to the Corinthians, see Paley's Horce PauUnce, No. ii. ^ The Epistles to the Romans and Galatians relate to the same general question. But the Apostle had founded the Church in Galatia, hence he puts the point in a great measure upon personal autliority (comp. Gal. i. 6, 1 1, 12, v. •2); but he had never been at Rome, hence in his Epistle to that Church he puts the same points upon argu- ment. ''This distinction between the two Epistles is suited to the relation in which the Apostle stood to his ditFt-rent correspondents." See Paley's Horce Paulince. 478 TROAS— SECOND JOURNEY [Bk. III. Pt. HI. journey to Rome, the Apostle at the close of his three mouths' stay in Corinth intended to go by sea to Syria and probably from the port of Cenchrese (Acts xx. 3). Though, however, his intended visit to the Holy City had for its object the supplying of the wants of the poorer Christians there by the great collection, which had been so long in progress, he could not look forward to it without grave misgiving, knowing as he did the inveterate hostility of the Judaizers towards himself (Rom. XV. 3c — 32). But even before he could set sail the enmity of the Jews at Corinth ripened into a plot against his life (Acts xx. 3). He resolved, therefore, to make a change in the proposed route, and instead of going to proconsular Asia by sea, he went by land through Macedonia, Beroea, Thessalonica, and Philippi, towards the spot where he had first landed on the shores of Europe. His companions on this occasion were Sopater, a native of Beroea, Aristarchus and Se- cundus of Thessalonica, Gains of Derbe, and Timotheus, and two Christians from proconsular Asia, Tychicus and Trophimus (Acts xx.4). The whole of this company did not at once cross over to Asia with St Paul, but while he and Luke remained at Philippi, preceded the rest to Troas. It was now the season of the Passover, and the Apostle and his companion remained at Philippi till the feast was ended, and then sailed from Neapolis, and after a voyage, which, probably from unfavourable wea- ther, occupied upwards of five days^ (Acts xx. 6), reach- ed Troas, and there joined the other disciples and abode seven days. We have no details respecting the Apostle's labours during the early part of this week, but on the evening of the Sabbath preceding the day appointed for the ship to sail, the Christians were assembled in an upper-room, lighted up by many lamps, celebrating that ^ Compare the time spent on the former voycage above, p. 440, and the note. Sec. III. Ch. III.] TO GREECE. 479 Breaking of the Bread which now formed so essential a part of their religious services (Acts xx. 7). Impressed with the feeling that the morrow was appointed for his departure, and that the present opportunity might not again recur, St Paul was prolonging his discourse till midnight, when overcome by weariness and the heat of the room, a young listener, named Eutychus, sank into a slumber, and suddenly falling from the balcony where he sat was dashed upon the floor below and taken up dead. Much confusion thereupon ensued and no little lamentation (Acts xx. 10), but St Paul went down and embracing the body said to the bystanders, Trouble not yourselves, for his life is in him. Thereupon he w\as taken up alive, and amidst joy and thankfulness the Eucharistic feast, combined then, as was usual, with a common meal, was resumed, and the Apostle continued his discourse till the dawn of day. The ship was now ready to sail, and the Apostle's companions went on board. It was arranged, however, that he himself should join the vessel at Assos, a little more than 20 miles distant, and thus secure a few more hours with the disciples at Troas. To Assos, therefore, he proceeded by land, and there embarking, sailed with the rest of his companions to Mitylene, the chief city of Lesbos, and separated from Assos by a narrow channel. Another day's sail brought them to Chios, whence hav- ing put in at Samos they lay to for the night at Tro- gyllium, a cape and town on the Ionian coast. The following morning they got as far as Miletus, the ancient capital of Ionia, about 50 miles south of Ephesus. Here they landed, and St Paul, who was hastening forward to reach Jerusalem, if possible, by Pentecost, sent a mes- senger to Ephesus to request the elders of the Church to meet him there. They quickly obeyed his summons, and the Apostle took leave of them in an affecting and impressive address, in which he reminded them of his 480 RETURN TO JERUSALEM— [Ck. III. Pt. III. past labours amongst them (Acts xx. i8 — 21), expressed his conviction that bonds and imprisonment awaited him at Jerusalem (Acts xx. 22 — 24), and in the most solemn manner warned them to tend the flock over which the Holy Spirit had made them overseers, and to defend the Church of God, which He had purchased with His own blood, against grievous wolves, which he too surely foreboded would enter in among them (Acts XX. 25—31). Having given them these warnings, and finally com- mended them to God and the word of His grace, he knelt down on the shore and prayed with them, and then with an outburst of natural grief they fell upon his neck and kissed him again and again \ sorrovnng most of all for the words ichich he spake, that they should see his face no more (Acts xx. 38). CHAPTER IV. THE RETURN TO JERUSALEM— THE TUMULT IN THE TEMPLE. A.D. 58. DEEP as was the grief of the brethren at the depar- ture of the Apostle, no long time could be devoted to its indulgence. The wind blew fair 2, and the vessel was ready to depart. AVith sorrowing hearts, therefore, they accompanied him to the water's edge, and there tore^ themselves away from him and his companions. The voyage was now resumed, and running before the wind the vessel soon reached Cos^, off the coast of ^ Note the force of the imperfect KaT€i\ovv, Acts xx. ^ C. and H , 11. 239: comp. Acts xxi. 1. ^ ^ AiroairaadivTas, Acts xxi. i. ^ Distant from Miletus about 40 nautical miles, a passage of about 6 hom-s: C. and H., n. ■239. Sec. III. Cu. IV.] TUMULT IN THE TEMPLE. 481 Caria, and on the following day the island of Rhodes. Tlience they proceeded to Patara^ in Lycia, where the vessel in which St Paul had been hitherto sailing ap- parently finished its voyage, or was bound for some place further east along the coast of Asia Minor. In the harbour, however, there lay a vessel just about to sail across the open sea to Phoenicia (Acts xxi. 2), and without a moment's delay they w^ent on board, and made sail. After sighting^ Cyprus and leaving it. on the left hand they made stra^ight for the port of Tyre, and reached it probably in two days. Here their vessel was bound to unlade her cargo, and the anxiety of the Apostle as to reaching Jerusalem in time for the Pentecostal festival being removed, he resolved to re- main at Tyre a few days (Acts xxi. 4). A church had been probably founded at Tyre soon after the death of Stephen^, and may have been already visited by St Paul during one of his missionary journeys in the region of Syria and Cilicia^. However this may have been, the Apostle now enjoyed a week of refresh- ing intercourse with the Tyrian disciples, and so v>'on their affections that on the day fixed for his departure, they all, with their wuves and children, accompanied him outside the city-gate to the sea-shore. There the scene at Miletus was repeated, and after prayer and mutual embraces the travellers proceeded on board, while the brethren of Tyre returned to their homes, their hearts filled with many forebodings, for prophets amongst them had intimated that danger awaited their beloved teacher at Jerusalem (Acts xxi. 4). ^ The sea-port of the city of Xanthus, 10 miles distanb, devoted to the worship of Apollo, and the seat of a famous oracle. Comp. Hor. Ocl. iii. iv. 64. 2 Or rising Cyprus, in English nautical phrase. The word, in reference to sea-voyages, means to see land, to hritig land into view, to make land. ** See above, p. 373. ■* See above, p. 391. N. T. 31 482 RETURN TO JERUSALE.V— [Bk. III. Pt. III. Before evening the Apostle and his companions had reached Ptolemais\ Here the sea- voyage terminated, and the little company spent a day with the disciples in the place, and then set out on foot for Csesarea, At Cpesarea Philip- the Evangelist had taken up his re- sidence, and in his house St Paul found a welcome shelter. The family of the Evangelist consisted of four virgin daughters, who all possessed the gift of prophecy. AVhether they gave the Apostle any intimations of com- ing danger is not recorded, but he was not destined to remain at Csesarea long without receiving even more explicit warnings than he had listened to at Tyre. At the time when news reached Jerusalem of the Apostle's arrival at Csesarea, the prophet Agabus^, who had pre- dicted the famine during the reign of Claudius, was in the city. Thereupon he straightway hastened to the coast, and entering Philip's house, took St Paul's girdle, and bmding^ with it his own hands and feet, declared in the name of the Holy Spirit that so the Jews at Jeru- salem should bind the owner of that girdle, and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles (Acts xxi. ii). This explicit intimation of coming trials made a deep impression on all present, and Luke, Trophimus, and Aristarchus, the Apostle's companions, with the Christians of Csesarea, burst into tears (Acts xxi. 13) and implored him not to go up to Jerusalem. Though deeply affected by their grief on his behalf, the Apostle w^as not to be moved from his deliberate purpose. He was ready, he declared, not only to be hound, hut to die at Jerusalem for the Name of the Lord Jesus, and finding his resolution not to be shaken, they desisted ^ The distance being but 28 miles from Tyre. For a notice of this sea-port, see above, p. 37, n. - See above, p. 378. ^ See above, p. 403, and note. * Compare for similar symbolic prophetical .actions Isai, sx. 2, 3; Jerem. xiii. i — 11. S::c. III. Ch. IV.J TUMULT IN THE TEMPLE. 483 from all further intreaties, saying, The will of the Lord he done (Acts xxi. 14). The Festival was now close at hand. The Holy City was already crowded^ with multitudes of pilgrims, and it was an important matter to obtain a lodging. This an early convert, Mnason of Cyprus 2, whose residence was at Jerusalem, undertook to supply ; and with him the Apostle, his companions, and certain of the brethren at Coesarea, having made arrangements respecting their baggage', proceeded to Jerusalem, On their arrival they were gladly welcomed by the brethren, and St Paul could not but have rejoiced in their sympathy. The day following they repaired to the abode of James, the Lord's brother^, and president of the church at Jerusalem, and there found all the Elders assembled to receive them (Acts xxi. 18). Mutual salu- tation followed, and then the Apostle recounted in a lengthened narrative all that God had wrought hy his ininistration among the Gentiles, and doubtless point- ed with pride and joy to the contributions which the delegates from the various churches he had planted had brought for the relief of the poorer Christians at Jenv salem. The narrative made a deep impression, and in united thanksgiving his hearers glorified God (Acts xxi. 20). In recounting, however, the progress of the churches in Galatia and Acliaia it would be scarcely possible for ^ Comp. above p. 344, and comp. pp. 162, 163. " See above, p 40 2, and note. ' For the wurd carriage of our Version here used see Judg. xviii. 21; 1 Sam. xvii. 22. 'E7ri(r/cet'ao-d/ie;'oi is the butter reading, and denotes having ■packed up, made ready for the journey. The Apostle, it is to be remarked, had with him the proceeds of the great collection. ■* On his character r.nd influence, see pp. 426, 427, antl the notes. 31—2 484 BETUEN TO JERUSALEM— [Bk, III. Pr. III. St Paul to fail touching on subjects which would excite pr.inful feelings, and rouse bitter prejudice in many of his hearers^, and the peculiar dangers he was liable to encounter in the Holy City soon became apparent. The assembly, which had just glorified God for his success in heathen lauds, began to call his attention to tho strength of the Judaizing faction in the city". They told him it was generally reported and believed in Je- rusalem, among the thousands of converted Jews who still remained zealous for the Law, that he forbade their brethren in foreign lands to circumcise their children or observe the Mosaic customs (Acts xxi. 20, 21). This being so, it was advisable to do something that might correct these erroneous ideas. It was impossible that the arrival of one so well known could be concealed, and his public appearance might lead to scenes of violence. They suggested, therefore, that he should fidopt the following course. There were four disciples, who had taken a Nazarite vow, of which seven days remained unexpired, who T/ould at the close of this period present the usual offer- ings^ in the Temple. Let the Apostle, then, join him- celf to them, and defray the necessary expenses of the whole party. This would prove in the most public man- ner his observance of Mosaic ceremonies, and contradict the calumnies of his enemies (Acts xxi. 21 — 25). This advice, in which James the Just apparently acquiesced, the Apostle wishing, if possible, to conciliate the church cf Palestine, was not unwilling to adopt. Accordingly 1 C. and II., ir. 259. ^ For notices of the excited and fanatical state of the Jews at this period, ses Milman, Hist, of the Jeivs, II. 166, 172. ^ For these, see Class- Booh of 0. T. History, pp. 158, 159. Agiippa I., it will be remembered, showed his sym- jiathy with Judaism by defraying the expenses of certain Kiizaiites; see above, p. 405, and the note. Sec. III. Ch. IV.] TUMULT IN THE TEMPLE. 485 on the following cUay, after first performing- tlio neses- sary purifications, he proceeded with the Christian Na- zarites to the Temple, and announced to the priests in the name of his friends, their intention of fulfilling- theii* time, and awaiting the moment of the proper offering. But the Apostle's object was frustrated by circum- stances that took place on the very eve of the complo- tion of the period of their vow. Amongst the thousands j)resent in Jerusalem were many Jews from proconsular Asia, who recognised the able disputant, whom they had so often been unable to confute in their synagogues, walking in the streets with Trophimus the Ephesian (Acts xxi. 29). On one occasion they saw him in the Temple-courts, and rushing to the conclusion that he had taken his companion also thither, instantly sprang upon him, shouting, Men of Israel, help. This is the inan that teacheth all men everywhere against the People, the Law, and this place, yea, who hath also Jjrought Gentiles into the Temple, and profaned this Holy Place (Acts xxi. 28). Roused to fury a mob quickly rushed towards tho spot, and St Paul would probably have been instantly put to death, had it not been for the unwillingness of his foes to pollute the Temple v>uth blood. They therefore dragged him down the steps from the Court of the Women ^ into the Outer Court, and had no sooner passed, than the Levitical guard closed behind them the Corinthian gates^ (Acts xxi. 30). Once in the Outer Court they began beating the Apostle violently, being ^ See above, p. 272, and note. It U clear from that pas- sage, that this Court contained the Treasure-Chests, but it also appears to have contained chambers, in one of which the Nazarites performed their vows. C. and H., ir. 269. ^ "Made of brass and very strong, shut at midnight with difficulty by twenty men." Jos. B. J. VI. 5. 3. Comp, ^'' 5- 3} cited in C. and H., 11. 269, n. 4S6 RETURN TO JERUSALEM— [Bk. III. Px. III. -clearly bent on putting him to death, and would have succeeded, had it not been for a providential interven- tion. The commotion in the Temple-courts had not failed to attract the notice of the Roman sentries in the tower ^ of Antonia, and they instantly informed Claudius Lysias, the commandant of the garrison, that all Jeru- salem icas ill an uproar (Acts xxi. 31). Thereupon, without a moment's delay, Lysias rushed doTNTi attended by some centurions and a strong body of troops. The sight of the dreaded arms of the Impe- rial forces brought the multitude to their senses, and they left off heating Paul The commandant then ap- proached, and apprehending the Apostle, ordered him to be chained by each hand to a soldier 2, suspecting that lie was an Egyptian pretender^, who had lately caused a revolt, and had hitherto baffled the pursuit of the sol- diers of Felix the governor (Acts xxi. 38). He then endeavoured to ascertain from the bystanders who his jirisoner was and what he had done, but some cried one thing, and some another ; and finding it impossible to gain any information amidst the tumult, he ordered him to be conveyed into the barracks wuthin the fortress. Accordingly the soldiers proceeded to remove the Apo- stle, but so furious was the crowd pressing behind them with yells and execrations, that they had to bear him ^ On this tower, see above, p. 53, 11. and p. 91. ^ Comp. Acts xii. 4, 6 ; see above, p. 406, n. ^ He bad come from Egypt into Judaea, and giving him- self out to be a prophet, collected in the desert upwax'ds of 30,000 men (4000 of whom were Sicarii or "murderers," Acts xxi. 38), whom he persuaded to follow him to the Mount of Olives, promising that the walls of Jerusalem would fall down at bis command, and they would be enabled to seize Jerusalem, and assume the government. Felix, how- ever, marched against liim, and easily dispersed his force, slaying 4000, and taking 200 prisoners, but the adventurer himself escaped. See Jos. B. J. ii. 1 3. 5 ; Milman's Hist, of the Jcus, II. 171. Sec. III. Ch. IV.] TUMULT IN THE TEMPLE. 487 up in their arms up the staircase. Just as they reached the barracks, St Paul, addressing the commandant in Greek, enquired respectfully whether he might speak to him. Startled at being addressed in the Grecian tongue, Lysias in his turn enquired whether he was mistaken in supposing him to be the Egyptian rebel. St Paul replied that he was no Egyptian, but a Jew, a native of Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no mean city., and re- quested permission to address the people. On which the commandant, influenced it may be by the aspect and manner of his prisoner, at once gave his consent (Acts xxi. 40). CHAPTER Y. THE IMPRISONMENT AT C^SAREA. A. B. 58. STANDING then on the stairs, and beckoning to the crowd with his chained hands to invite their atten- tion, the Apostle began to address them in the Hebrew language. Charmed by the accents of their own beloved tongue, the multitude listened with the deepest silence while he tried to dispel their prejudices against himself. Beginning with the well-known circumstances of his birth and education at Tarsus and Jerusalem, he de- clared that he was a Jew like themselves, that he had been brought up according to the strictest requirements of the Law, and had hated, persecuted, and endeavoured to extinguish the sect of the Christians (Acts xxii. 3 — 5). He then proceeded to recount the wonderful circum- stances of his conversion on the way to Damascus^, of his blindness, cure, and baptism (Acts xxii. 6 — 16), and how on his return to Jerusalem, as he was praying in ' For a comparison of the Apostle's words on this occa- Bion with the account given in Acts ix., see above, pp. 384, 385, and notes. 488 THE IMPRISONMENT [Bk. III. Pt. III. the Temple, he fell into a trance \ saw that Saviour who had appeared to him on his memorable journey, and was commanded by Him to leave Jerusalem, and preach the Gospel to the Gentiles (Acts xxii. 17 — 21). Up to this point the multitude listened to the Apo- stle with the deepest attention, but no sooner had he spoken of his mission to the Gentiles, than they broke out into such furious cries of rage and indignation that the previous clamour appeared as nothing in compa- rison. The thought of uncircumcised heathen being placed on an equality with the children of Abraham was unbearable. Away, they cried, tcith such a fellow from the earth, it is not Jit that he should live, and while some flung dust into the ah*, others cast off their clothes, as if they would stone him on the spot (comp. Acts vii. 58). This fresh outbreak of frantic violence filled the commandant with still greater perplexity. Unable to understand the language in which the Apo- stle spake, he could only infer from the results it pro- duced that his prisoner had been guilty of some enor- mous ofience. He therefore gave orders that he should be conveyed into the castle, and, since other means had failed, that the secret of his guilt should be ascertained by torture. As in the case of the Saviour's crucifixion^, a centurion was deputed to superintend the scourging, and like a common malefactor the Apostle was on the point of being stretched or fastened to the post to re- ceive the lashes, when he turned to the centurion and enquired whether it was lawful to scourge one who was a Roman citizen and uncondemned (Acts xxii. 25)? Astonished at such a question, the centurion ordered tho scourging to be suspended, and hurrying to the com- mandant, bade him take heed what he was doing, for the ^ Compare the account above, pp. 390, 391. ^ See above, p. 309, and the note. Sec. III. Ch. v.] AT C^ESAREA. 489 prisoner was a Roman citizen. Upon tliis Lysias himself hastened to the spot and enquired whether the news was true, and on his repjying in tlie affirmative, remarked that he had purchased this privilege for a large sum on which St Paul informed him that he was free-born (Acts xxii. 28). Thus assured of the true position of his prisoner, the commandant ordered the instruments of torture to be instantly removed, and was in no little alarm at the turn affairs had taken. For the present, indeed, he was obliged to keep him in the Tower, but on the morrow he determined to make a second effort to ascertain the nature of his prisoner's offence, and therefore summoned a meeting of the Sanhedrin, and bringing down the Apostle from the Tower to the hall Gazith ^ placed him before them. Casting a steadfast and scrutinizing glance (Acts xxiii. i) on the faces of those assembled, many of whom must have been familiar to him, St Paul began by proving that he had lived a conscientious^ life before God up to that very day. This assertion so offended the high- priest that he commanded those standing near to strike him on the mouth, whereupon the Apostle, filled with indignation at so brutal an insult, replied, God shall smite thee^, thou ichited wall^. For sittest thou to judge me according to the laic, and commandest me ^ See above, p. 96. Only a narrow space of the Great Tample-court intervened between the steps of the tower Antonia and this hall. But the Sanhedrin may have met in a place less sacred, into which soldiers might be admitted, C. and H., ir. 281. ^ Compare with this assertion 2 Tim. i. 3. ^ If this was a prophetic denunciation, it was terribly fulfilled when the hypocritical president of the Sanhedrin was murdered by the Sicarii during the Jewish war. See Jos. B. J. ir. 17. 9. * Comp. Mtt. xxiii, 27. He compares him to those walls, which composed of mud and other vile materials, made a lair show without, being plastered and whitewashed. 490 THE IMPRISONMENT [Bk. III. Pt. III. to he smitten contrary to the law? To this the by- standers rejoined, Rcvilest thou God's high-jjriest ? and St Paul, recovering liimself, answered that he did not know or consider that Ananias was high-priest, otherwise he would not so have spoken, for it was writ- ten in the Law, Thou shalt not revile the ruler of thy people (Ex. xxii. 28). By this time, however, the Apostle had seen only too clearly that there was little prospect of his obtaining an equitable decision from his judges. Knowing, therefore, that there were both Pharisees and Sadducees among them, and that however much they might be united in persecuting him, they were sundered from one another by a deep gulf on one important article of faith, he exclaimed, as indeed he could say with truth, that he was brought to trial, because he had testified of the \\o])Q of Israel, and of the resurrection of the dead (Acts xxiii. 6). He had scarcely pronounced these words, v»hen there Avas an instant division in the Council. The Pharisees present Avere united in his favour, and a hot debate ensued between them and the Sadducaic faction, who denied any Resurrection and the existence alike of angels and spirits ^ While the latter party were furious against him, the former declared they could find no fault in him, and if, as he had said in his speech on the stairs, an angel or a spirit had indeed spoken to him 2, they would not criminate him on this account. A scene of great confusion now ensued (Acts xxiii. 10), in the midst of which Claudius Lysias being afraid lest the Roman citizen should be torn in pieces by them, ordered a detachment to go down instantly, and bring him into the barracks. Thus the Apostle was ^ See above, p. 115. - The sentence is broken oflf. The words fx^ dcOfjLax<2fiev, Acts xxiii. 9, are wanting in the best MSS. See Neander s I'tanthg, i. 307, and note. Sec. III. Ch. v.] AT C.EISAIIEA. 491 delivered from the most imminent danger, and in the evening his anxieties were relieved by the appearance of his Divine Master in a vision of the night, bidding him be of good cheer, and declaring that, as he had testified unto Him in Jerusalem^ so he must testify also at Rome (Acts xxiii. 1 1). The following morning however had hardly dawned, before a fresh danger revealed itself. Disappointed on the previous day in their malicious designs, more than forty of the Jews bound themselves by a solemn vow that they would neither eat nor drink till they had put the Apostle to death. Accordingly they went to the chief members of the Sanhedrin, and proposed that they should present themselves before the commandant and request him to allow St Paul to be brought down and placed a second time before them, in order that they might resume the enquiry so tumultuously interrupted, and they, on their part, undertook that he should not reach the council-chamber alive, for they would murder him on his w^ay down from the fortress. But their design in some way reached the ears of the Apostle's nephew^, who was now present in Jeru- salem, and he no sooner heard of the danger which threatened his uncle, than he obtained admittance into the barracks, and imparted to him the intelligence. Thereupon St Paul called one of the centurions, and requested him to take the young man to Claudius Ly- sias, for he had something to tell him. The officer complied, and conducting him to the commandant told him of St Paul's message. Claudius Lysias received the young man kindly, and leading him cautiously aside enquired what he wished to say. The other thereupon acquainted him with the plot that had been laid, and was dismissed with strict injunctions not to divulge the fact that he had given this information. ^ See above, p. 380. 492 THE IMPRISONMENT [Bk. III. Pt. III. Thus assured of the danger that threatened his pri- soner, and knowing that he was responsible for his safety as a Roman citizen, Lysias resolved to send hhn away that very night under a strong escort to Coesarea, and there leave him in the hands of the governor Felix. Summoning therefore two of the centurions, he gave orders that 200 of the legionary soldiers, with 70 cavalry and 200 spearmen^, should be in readiness to proceed thither by nine'* in the evening. In the meantime he wrote to the governor a dispatch, giving a fair and clear account of the case, save in the statement that he had rescued St Paul in the first instance because he had discovered he was a Roman citizen, and in the sup- pression of all allusion to his intention to scourge him (Acts xxiii. 26 — 30). At the time appointed the escort was ready, and mounted on horseback ^ between the two Roman sol- diers, to whom he was chained, the Apostle was con- ducted from Jerusalem to Antipatris^ Here the sol- diers halted after their long night-march, and while the cavalry proceeded to Csesarea, the legionary troops, no longer necessary to the Apostle's safety ^ returned to the fortress of Antonia. It was probably during the 1 Ae^ioXa/Sous, E. V. spearmen, Vulg. lancearios. Wliat- ever is the precise meaning of this singular word, it distin- guishes here legionary soldiers from cavalry, and probably means liglit-armed troops. The word impHes the use of some weapon simply carried in the right hand. ^ 'Atto rpirrjs cSfas rijs pvktos, Acts xxiii. 23. ^ With a view to greater expedition Lysias ordered that more than one horse should be provided for the Apostle: comp. Acts xxiii. 14, kt'/)u7j re irapaaTTjaaL. * For the building of Antipatris, see above, p. 99, and note. ^ Lysias had probably sent so large and so mixed a force in view of a possible ambuscade. This was no longer to be feared after leaving Antipatris, but the legionaries might be needed in the fortress of Antonia. Sec. III. Ch. V.] AT C^SAREA, 493 afternoon of the day succeeding^ their departure that the cavah^ reached Coesarea, and the officer in charge immediately delivered up his prisoner to the governor, with the dispatch from Claudius Lysias. Felix- read it, and enquired to "what province the prisoner belonged^, and having ascertained that he was a native of Cilicia, replied that he would hear and decide his case as soon as his accusers had arrived, and ordered that for the present he should be kept la Herod's prcetorium^ (Acts xxiii. 35). ^ C. and H., ii. 290; Hobiiison, Bib. JRes. in. 46, C)o. ^ As mentioned above, p. 409, n., on the death of Herod Agrippal., a.d. 44, Cuspius Fadus was appointed procurator of Judaea. He was succeeded in a. d. 48 by Tiberius Alex- ander, who in his turn, in A.D. 48, made way for Ventidius Cumanus. During Lis sway a frightful tumult happened at the Passover, caused by the presence of the Koman soldiers in the Antonia, and resulting in the deaths of more than 10,000 persons (Jos. Arit. xx. 5. 3 ; ^. /. ii. 12. i). Cu- manus was recalled in A.D. 52, and succeeded by Felix, a freedman of the Emperor Claudius. From Tacitus {Arin. XII. 54) he would seem to have been joint procurator with Cumanus. He was the brother of the Emperor's poweiful friend Pallas, and is described by Tacitus as ruling his pro- vince with meanness, cruelt}', and profligacy, per omnem scevitlam et lihidinaii jus regium servili ingenio exercuit. Hist. V. 9: comp. Ann. xii. 54, and see Merivale, vii. 195. ^ Compare Pilate's conduct in reference to the Saviour, above, p. 301. ^ The word prcetorium properly denotes the residence of the Koman provincial governors, at which they administered justice. Here it seems to denote some palace built by Herod and now appropriated to pubhc uses. As in our old castles, there were prison-chambers in all such buildings. Kitlo's JSib. Illustrations, 494 PAVL BEFORE FELIX [Bk. III. Pt. III. CHAPTER YI. PAUL BEFORE FELIX AND FESTUS, A. D. 58-60. FIVE clays after the Apostle's arrival at Csesarea his accusers made their appearance, headed by the high-priest Ananias, certain of the elders, and an orator named Tcrtullus^, whose services had been engaged for this occasion. Accordingly, Felix took his seat on the tribunal^, and Paul having been sent for, TertuUus for- mally opened the case. After paying an adroit com- pliment to the procurator on the comiDarative quiet which the land enjoyed owing to his vigilance and energy 2, he brought three charges against the prisoner: First, that he was a pestilent mover of sedition among all the Jews throughout the world, which amounted to a charge Of treason'* against the emperor; secondly, that he was a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes ; and thirdly, that he had made an attempt to profane the Temple at Jerusalem, On these charges he declared the Jews had been about to judge him before their own tribunal, when Lysias forcibly took him away, and referred his accusers to the judgment-seat of Felix. ^ The name is Roman. He was probably an Italian, and pleaded in Latin. "The accuser and the accused could plead in person, as St Paul did here, but advocati (p-qropes) were often employed.'' C. and H., II. 302. ^ On this, see above, p. 303, n. 3 Felix during his period of office put down several false Messiahs (Jos. Ant. XX. 8; B. J. 11. 13. 4),- the followers of the Egyptian pretender (above, p. 486, and n.), riots between the Jews and Syrians in Ccesarea {Ant. xx. 8. 7; ^. /. II. 13. 7), and cleared various parts of the country of robbers (B. J. II. 13. 1), see Merivale, vii. 195. ^ On the severity of the laws against treason, see above, p. 307, n. Sec. III. Ch. VI.] AND FESTUS. 495 To these allegations the Jews present expressed their consent, hoping doubtless that the procurator would hand over the prisoner to their courts, where his fate would be soon decided. But Felix made a sign to the Apostle to proceed with his defence, and he, after expressing his satisfaction in pleading before one who had been so long familiar with the nation, commenced replying to the charges that had been brought against him, A disturber of the nation, he said, he was not, for on his recent visit to the Holy City but twelve days before, he had neither caused a disturbance, or even disputed in the temple, the synagogue, or the streets. AS" to his being a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes, he had never swerved from his belief in the Law and the Pro- phets ; like his accusers, he believed the doctrine of a resurrection, and strove to keep a conscience void of offence towards God and man. As to profaning the Temple, he had lately visited it as the bearer of offer- ings for his nation, and to observe some of the strictest ceremonies of the Law, not to gather together a multi- tude or cause a tumult. Certain Jews of Asia, indeed, had brought an accusation against him, but they ought now to have been present as witnesses, ready to bring forward a specific charge, if they had any (Acts xxiv. IC — 2l). Felix, who had listened attentively to the Apostle's address, was well acquainted with the character of the Christian religion, which had not only penetrated into Csesarea, but also numbered disciples even among the troops K He was, therefore, in a position fully to ap- preciate the weakness of the allegations against the prisoner, and the misrepresentations of his accusers, and must have felt that the only proper course was to pro- nounce his acquittal and set him free. But this he could ^ Acts X. See above, p. 399, and p. 482. 496 PAUL BEFOnE FELIX [Bk. III. Pr. III. not make up his mind to do, and chose to reserve his finaP decision till Lysias should arrive, and in the mean- time committed the Apostle to the charge of the centu- rion ^ who had brought him to Csesarea, with instructions to keep him safely, but at the same time to allow hij» friends^ to have free access to his apartments. A few days afterwards Felix entered the audience chamber ^^-ith his wife Drusilla'*, daughter of the late king Ilerod Agrippa. Her beauty is spoken of as sonic- tliing marvellous, and she had been induced by the pro- curator to leave her first husband, Azizus king of Eniessa, to become his paramour. The two now sent for St Paul, and desired to have the Christian doctrines explained to them. Accordingly before the Roman libertine and the profligate Jewish princess, the Apostle preached with his wonted faithfulness, and while ho discoursed concerning 7'ighteousness, and temperance^ and judgment to come, Felix trembled. But though he trembled, the profligate governor would not release his ^ Aiayvdi(xo/xai, Acts xxiv. 22. ^ There were three kinds of custody recognised by the Roman law: (i) cusfodla puhlica, or confinement in a public gaol, as at Philippi, see above, p. 443, and n. : this was the worst kind ; (2) ciistodia libera, or free custody, usual only in the cases of men of rank who were committed to the charge of some magistrate or senator, who made himself responsible for their appearance on the day of trial; (3) custodla militaris: in this species of custody, introduced at the commencement of the Empire, the prisoner's right hand was chained to the left hand of a soldier, who was respon- sible with his life for his safe detention, and kept him either in barracks or a private house. C. and H., II. 308. ^ This perhaj>s included Philip the Evangeli&t resident there with his family; perhaps Cornelius the centuiion; and almost certainly Luke and Aristarchus. ■* Her brother was Agrippa, the present king of Tracho- nitis. On the part Simon Magus is said to have played in persuading her to leave her husband, see above, p. 376. u. (She was at this time in the i8th year of her age. Sec. III. Ch. VI.] AND FESTUS. 497 prisoner from confinement. Go thy loay, said he, for this time; when I have a convenient season Iicill send for thee. He knew that the Apostle's relatives moved in a respectable sphere, and he had heard him speak of sums of money ^ intrusted to his care, and he wished it to be understood that his liberation was not hopeless, if bought with a suitable sum 2. Hence he frequently sent for the Apostle, and conversed with him. But St Paul was not one to stoop to such dishonourable means. He preferred to remain in confinement rather than purchase his freedom with a bribe, and at Csesarea he continued upwards of two years, or from a. d. 58 to a. d. 60. During this long period of suspense from active labour, it is not improbable that the Gospel of St Luke was composed under the Apostle's eye, and it is possible that "many messages, and even letters, of which we know nothing, may have been sent from Coesarea to brethren at a distance^." Meanwhile the government of Felix became more and more unpopular, and the disaffection of his subjects was increased by a serious quarrel between the Jewish and heathen population at Csesarea, in which the troops sided ^\\i\\ the latter, and committed gross acts of butchery and plunder*. This led to the recall of Felix, a. d. 60 ; and anxious to con- ciliate the Jews, who had complained of his administra- tion at Rome, he left Paul in bonds (Acts xxiv. 27). His successor was Porcius Festus, who like himself had probably been a slave, and was one of the emperor's freedmen. Three days after his landing at Cresarea he repaired to Jerusalem, and there was introduced to the 1 Acts xxiv. 17. See Birks' Horce ApostoUcce, p. 344. ^ Such practices were not unusual witla some procura- tors. See the instance of Albinus mentioned in Jos. A77t. XX. 9. -2. The Julian Law strictly forbade taking a bribe from a prisoner. 3 C. and H., II. 308. * See Milman's History of the Jews, Vol. 11. p. 173. N. T. 32 498 PA UL BEFORE FELIX [Bk. III. Pt. Ill, liigh-priest^ and leading members of the nation. They instantly embraced the opportunity of renewing their machinations against the Apostle, and requested the new governor to allow him to be removed to Jerusalem, intending to assassinate him on the road (Acts xxv. 3). Festus repiicd that St Paul was in custody at Ciesarea, whither he himself was on the point of returning : the P-omau Law did not allow an uncondemned person to be given up as a mere favour : he must have his accusers face to face, and be enabled to make his defence; if therefore they wished to bring any charges against him, they must come down to Ceesarca and there prefer them (Acts xxv. 4, 5, 16). After a stay, therefore, of 8 or 10 days in Jerusalem, he returned to Ctesarca, and the accusers apparently went down the same day. No time was lost in putting the Apostle on his trial. Tiie very next day Festus took his seat on the tribunal, and ordered St Paul to be put forward. Then the delegates from the Sanhedrin urged their accusations, which appear to have been much the same as those brought forward at the previous trial. But they were utterly unable to support their statements, and the Apostle contented himself with a brief but emphatic denial that he had done anything against the Law, the Temple, or Ciesar (Acts xxv. 8). The sincerity of his bearing appears to have told favourably with the procurator, and he quickly per- ceived that he was involved in no political movements (Acts xxv. 18, 19), that he had done nothing worthy of death (Acts xxv. 25), and that the charges against him related only to religious questions between him and his ^ At this time the high priest was Ishmael the son of Fabi, Jos. Ant. xx. 8. 8. He bad been appointed by Agrippa II., to whom the Emperor had entrusted all the ecclesias- tical arrangements in the Holy City. Milraan, Hist. Jews, II. 172. Sec. III. Ch. VI.] AND FESTUS. 499 nation. Unwilling, however, to allow a matter immedi- ately to drop, in which the Jews evidently took so deep an interest, he proposed that he should go up to Jeru- salem, and there submit to a formal trial in the presence of himself (Acts xxv. 9). But the Apostle knew full well the danger involved in such a journey. He replied, therefore, that he had done no wrong, as Festus himself knev/ well, and that if he w^as guilty he was willing to die, but that since the accusations preferred against him were really groundless, rather than go up to Jeru- salem, he would avail himself of his privilege as a Ro- man citizen; he appealed unto Ca^sar^ (Acts xxv. 11). According to the Roman law, it was sufficient that a Roman citizen should merely utter the words / a2)peal, and his case was instantly removed to the supreme tri- bunal of the Emperor. After a brief conversation, therefore, with his assessors, Festus merely enquired whether ho adhered to his detennination, and then made answer. Thou hast appealed unto Cwsar; to Caesar thoti shalt go (Acts xxv, 12). Though, however, the appeal had been allowed, Festus was in much perplexity to decide how he might describe the charge against the xipostlo to the Emperor. It seemed to him a foolish thing to send a prisoner to Rome, without at the same time specifying the charges against him, but how to do this after the vague and un- satisfactory information elicited at the trial appeared extremely difficult. It happened, however, at this time that Herod Agrippa 11.^, king of Ohalcis, with his sister ^ Under the Republic a Roman citizen could appeal to the tribunes. The power of the latter being absorbed by the Emperors, all appeals were transferred to them, and at this time the Imperial tribunal "was a supreme court of appeal from all interior courts either in Rome or in the pro» vinces." See Art. Appellatio in Smith's Diet. Antiq. ^ Herod Agrippa II. was the son of Agrippa I. and Cypres, a grand-niece of Herod the Great. After he had 32-2 500 PAUL BEFORE FELIX [Bk. III. Px. III. BerniceS arrived on a complimentary visit '' to the procu- rator, and stayed some time at Csesarea. Agrippa had long been acquainted with all that related to Jewish customs, and had, as we have seen, been invested by the Emperor with the power of nominating the high-priest. Festus, therefore, gladly embraced this opportunity of consulting one so much better informed than himself on the points in dispute, and related all the particulars concerning the Apostle so far as he was acquainted with them (Acts xxv. 14 — 21), and more especially his reiter- ated assertion concerning one Jesus tcho had died and teas alive again. Agrippa, who could not have heard now for the first time of the great doctrine of the Chris- tian faith expressed a desire to sec the prisoner. To this Festus readily assented, and fixed the follovdng day for the interview. Accordingly at the time appointed Agrippa and Bernice with much pomp entered the audience-chamber, accompanied by their suite and the chief men of Cse- sarea, and at the command of Festus, Paul was brought before them. As soon as the Apostle appeared, Festus in a set speech detailed the circumstances under which been educated at Pome, Claudius, about A. D. 49, appointed him king of Cbalcis (Jos. Ant. xx. 5. 2; 'B. J. ii. 12, i), and afterwards, A. D. 53, promoted him to the tetrarchies of Philip and Lysanias (Jos. Ant. xx. 7. i; B. J. II. 12. 8), with the title of Tcing (Acts xxv. 13). In A.D. 55 Nero added several cities to his dominions, and he displayed the lavish magnificence of his family. During the Jewish war he sided with the Romans, and at its conclusion retired to Pome, where he died in the third year of the reign of Tra- jan, A.D. 100. See Le win's Fasti Sacri; Smith's Bihl. Diet. ^ She was the eldest daughter of Herod Agrippa I. Her first husband was her uncle Herod, king of Cbalcis, on whose death she lived with her own brother Agrippa II. (Jos. Ant. XX. 7. 3). Afterwards she married Polemon, king of Cilicia, and ultimately became the mistress of Vespasian and of Titus. See Tac. Hist. 11. 81. 2 See Blunt's Scriptural Coincidences, pp. 358 — 360. Sec. III. Ch. VI.] AND FESTUS. 501 he had become acquainted with the prisoner, his appeal to Caesar, and his own anxiety to obtain some definite information which he might lay before his lord^ the em- peror concerning him (Acts xxv. 24 — 27). Upon this Agrippa signified to the Apostle that he was permitted to speak for himself, and St Paul stretch- ing forth his manacled hands proceeded to address his immerous and influential hearers. After expressing his satisfaction at the opportunity thus afforded him of speaking before one so well versed as Agrippa in all customs and questions amongst the Jews, he went on, much as he had done on the stairs leading up to the Castle of Antonia, to speak of his education according to the strictest requirements of the Jewish laAV (Acts xxvi. 4 — 8); of the zeal with which he formerly perse- cuted the believers in Christ ; of the vision vouchsafed to him on the road to Damascus, and the commission he had received to preach the Gospel amongst the Gen- tiles (Acts xxvi. 9 — 18); and lastly of his unceasing endeavours to carry out this commission, which had brought upon him the enmity of the Jews, though his teaching was in strict accordance with the Jewish Scrii> tures, and their predictions of the coming of a Messiah who should suffer and rise from the dead (Acts xxvi. 19—23). This address made no impression upon Festus. Re- garding the idea of a resurrection as foolishness, he ascribed the zeal of the Apostle to an excited imagi- nation, or the effect of over-study ^ Interrupting him, 1 T

3, Acts XV. 26. Note the title. Augustus and Tiberius had declined it, but their successors had sanctioned its use. See Suetou. Aug. Liii; Tiber, xxvii. 2 Ta TToXXo, ypd/xfxara, Acts xxvi. 24. The Apostle had alluded to "writings" (vv. 22, 23), "and it is reasonable to suppose that in his imprisonment such books and parchments as he wrote for in 2 Tim. iv. 13 were brought to him by hia friends." C. and H,, ir. 318, n. 502 PA UL BEFORE FELIX, d-c. [Bk. III. Pt. III. therefore, he cried out in a loud voice (Acts xxvi. 24^ Paul, thou art mad ; inuch learning dolh make thee mad. I am not mad, most noble Festus, replied the Apostle with dignified courtesy, hut speak forth the words of truth and soherness; and turning to Agrippa, who had knowledge of these matters, and before whom he could speak freely, he solemnly enquired whether he did not believe the prophets. But the persuasive ap- l^eal glanced off from the heart of the profligate prince to whom it was addressed. In playful banter or scorn- ful sarcasm he replied, Lightly'^ thou persuadest me to becotne a Christ lati. On which the Apostle, lifting up his chained hands, made answer, / zcould to God that, ichether lightly or icith difficulty^, not only thou, hut also all that hear me this day, might become such as I am, excep)t these bonds (Acts xxvi. 29). With these words this memorable conference ended. Agrippa had no wish to hear more. He rose up with Festus, Ber- nice, and their suite, and retired from the audience- chamber. The case of the prisoner was then discussed, and it was agreed that he was guilty of nothing deserv- ing of death or even of imprisonment, and Agrippa re- marked that he might have been released had he not appealed to Csesar. But the appeal had been made, and to the imperial tribunal the Apostle must go. ^ 'El' 6\lyio fxe ireiOeis, Acts xxvi. 28. Our version almost cannot stand. The expression might mean, (1) in a little space, or (2) in few words, or (3) in a small measure. Perhaps lightly — "with few words, little pain, as though it were a light thing to take up with so despised a sect," as suggested by Dean Alford iyi loc., best suits the text: see also 0. and il., II. 319, n. ; Neander's Planting, i, 310, n. ^ The better reading here is eV /.te7dXy. g£C. IV. Ch. I.] VOYAGE FROM C^SAREA, 503 SECTION IV. St PauVs Imprisonment at Borne. CHAPTER I. THE VOYAGE FROM CJSSAREA. A. D. 60. AS soon, then, as it was actually decided that St Paul - should be sent to Rome, he was delivered over with certain other prisoners to a centurion, named Ju- lius, belonging to the "Augustan cohort," or the body- guard of the Emperor, Avho always treated the Apostle with kindness and consideration. The ship selected was a vessel of Adramyttium, a sea-port of Mysia, opposite Lesbos, which had probably touched at Ciiesarea on a return voyage from Egypt, and was now bound for her own port. In her the Apostle embarked with Aristarchus of Thessalonica, the Evangelist St Luke, the prisoners, and their guard. The wind was fair^, and on the next day they put into Sidon, probably for the purposes of trade, and here the centurion allowed the Apostle to go on shore and re- ceive the kind attentions of his friends^. Loosing from Sidon they were constrained, by reason of adverse winds, to run under the lee of Cyprus, that is, probably, along the north side of the island, and thence, keeping nearer the main-land than the isle, to 1 "From the distance accomplished, 67 geographical miles, we must infer that they had a fair, or at least a lead- ing wind, probably westerly, which is the wind that prevails in this part of the Mediterranean." Smith's Voyage and Shipwreck of St Paul, p. 22. ^ See above, p. 481. 504! VOYAGE FROM C^SAREA, [Bk. III. Pt. III. catcli the favouring land-breezes^, sailed through the open sea of Cilicia and Pamphylia to Myi-a of Lycia, now a desolate -svaste, but then a flourishing sea-port. Here the centurion found a ship of Alexandria laden with wheat, Avhich though bound for Italy had been carried to Myra by the same westerly winds which had forced the vessel of Adramyttiuni to keep to the cast of Cyprus. To her, therefore, he transferred his charge, and she set sail, laden with a heavy cargo and upwards of 276 passengers (Acts xxvii. 37). After loading at Myra, their progress was extremely slow, and in consequence of unfavourable winds it w^as Qiiany days {Ads xxvii. 7) before they came over against Cnidus^, at the extreme S. W. of the peninsula of Asia Minor. From this point their natui-al course would have been by the north side of Crete and westward through the Archipelago. But with a north-west wind blowing, it was deemed most prudent to run down to the south- ward, and after rounding Cape Salmone to pursue their voyage under the lee of Crete. Accordingly having worked up with difficulty along the southern coast, tliey reached the harbour of Fair Havens ^, about 5 miles to the east of which was the town of Lassea. Here they were detained a considerable time wait- ^ "In pursuing this route they acted precisely as the most accomplished seaman in the present day would have done under similar circumstances ; by standing to the north till they reached the coast of Cilicia, they might expect when they did so to be favoured by the land-breeze, which prevails here during the summer-months, as well as by the current, which constantly runs to the westward, along the south coast of Asia Minor." Smith, p. 28. 2 A distance of 130 geographical miles, which with a fair wind might have been accomplished in one day. Ibidi p. 34. ^ Still retaining the same name. The site of Lasaea, also retaining its old name, was discovered Jan. 18, 1856, aliout two houi's to the eastward of "Fair Havens." Smith's Voi/ar/c, d-c. Ed. i86r; C. and H., 11. 341, n. Sec. IV. Ch. I.] VOYAGE FROM CjESAREA. 505 ing for a favourable change of the v.ind. But none oc- curred, and the Fast of the Atonement \ which took place about the period of the autumnal equinox, having passed, the navigation had become very dangerous. It now became a grave question whether they should re- main at Fair Havens for the winter, or seek some other anchorage, St Paul advised that they should re- main where they were, and declared his conviction that any attempt to pursue the voyage would be attended with loss, not only of the ship and cargo, but also of the lives of those on board. But the owner and master of the ship were of a different opinion, and the harbour of Fair Havens being incommodious for wintering in 2, the majority decided for leaving at the first opportunity, and, if possible, making for a harbour called Phoenix, on the south coast of the island, and somewhat further to the west^. Influenced by the words of the mariners the centurion resolved to adopt this course, and all waited anxiously for a change of the wind (Acts xxvii. 9—12). At length the long-looked for change took place. A light breeze sprang up from the south, and the mariners thought their purpose was already accomplished. Weigh- ing anchor, therefore, they set sail, hoping to reach ^ Levit. xvi. ^g; xxiii. 27, celebrated on the loth of Tisri, corresponding to the close of September or beginning of October. See Class- Booh of 0. T. History, p. 155. This was exactly the time when seafaring is pronounced most dangerous by Greek and Roman writers. ^ It was a good harbour in some seasons, but, being an open roadstead, or rather two open roadsteads, was not com- modious to winter in. Smith, p. 45. "* Literally ^Xiirovra Kara Aifia Kal Kara x'^po}'= Pooling tou-ard the S. W. icind, and the N. W. wind. The harbour was probably the modem Lutro, sheltered from the above- mentioned winc?s, and looking from the icater toicards the land which encloses it in the direction of these winds. C. and H., 11. pp. 343, 344, and notes. 50C VO YA GE FROM CjESAREA . [Bk. III. Pt. III. Phoenix in a few hours. Keeping close to the coast they doubled Cape Matala, and were proceeding "with the boat towing astern (Acts xxvii. i6), forgetful of past difficulties, and blind to impending dangers V' when suddenly a violent wind, called Euroclydon^, came down from the heights of Ida^ on the Cretan shores, and striking the ship whirled her round with such force that it was impossible for the helmsman to make her keep her course (Acts xxvii. 15). Consequently they were obliged to scud before the wind to the south-west about 28 miles, when they neared the little island of Clauda, and running under the lee of it, with much difficulty succeeded in hoisting the boat on board, which was probably full of water. They then proceeded to undergird^ the vessel, that is, passed strong cables several times round her hull to prevent the starting of her planks and timbers, and being afraid lest they should drift in to the Syrtis^ on the African coast, lowered the gear, either reefing the mainsail or lov.er- ing the great yard upon deck. Having taken these precautions they proceeded, steering as close to the wind as the gale would permit, and on the following day lightened the ship by flinging overboard all that could be most easily spared. This, however, reheved but little the strain upon her, and ^ C. and H., ii. 345, and notes. 2 Rather perhaps E(}pa/cj;\wi' = the Latin Euro-Aquilo, an E. N. E. wind. 2 Kar' avTrj% scil, KprjTr^s. Comp. Mtt. viii. 32, /caret tov Kpr]fxvov, and see above, p. 196 and note. ^ BorjOeiais exp^^fTo, vwo^wvpvvTes rh Tr\o7ov (Acts xxvii. i'j) = they 2^'>'oceeded to use stays or braces undcrgirding the vessel. This was lest she should leak and founder. Eor in- stances of this procedure, see C. and H., li. 348, n.; Smith's Voyage and ShijnvrecJc, p. 106. ^ A notoriously dangerous bay between Tunis and the Eastern part of Tripoli. Sec.'IV. Ch. I.] VOYAGE FROM CuESAREA. 507 on the third day both passengers and crew assisted in tin-owing out her tackling, including probably the main- yards. Several days of the utmost anxiety and incessant labour then ensued, during which neither sun nor stars appeared in the sky, and the mariners having lost their reckoning, knew neither where they were nor in what direction to steer, and gave up all hopes of safety. But besides being wearied and dispirited, they were suflfer- ing also from hunger, owing to the loss of provi- sions, and the impossibility of preparing any food. On the 14th day, therefore, of the voyage, the Apostle deemed it right to stand forward in their midst (Acts xxvii. 21) with words of encouragement and hope. After gently reminding them that all this harm and loss might have been avoided had they taken his ad- vice, he bade them be of good cheer, for though the vessel could not be saved, not one of their lives should be lost. Of this he was fully assured, for an Angel of that God, whose he was and whom he served, had ap- peared to him in the night, and told him that he should appear before Coesar, and that God had given him the lives of all on board ; he, for his part, had no doubt that this would prove true, and added that they must be cast upon a certain island. What eflfect these words had upon the hungry and exhausted mariners is not recorded, but we cannot doubt that it contributed not a little to nerve them with fresh courage to meet the difficulties before them. The storm, indeed, still continued with unabated fury, but on the midnight of the fourteenth day as they were drifting through the sea of Adda ^, the sailors suspected ^ Meaning then not merely that portion of the Mediter- ranean, to which it is now applied, but all that which lay between Sicily and Malta on the west, and Greece and Crete on the east. See Smith's Voyage and Shipwreck. 508 VOYAGE FROM C^ESAREA. [Bk. III. Pt. III. from the roar of the breakers that they were nearing land. On this they sounded, and found the depth of water to be 20 fathoms. After a brief interval they sounded, again, and found it was 15 fathoms. Filled with fear lest the ship should strike and break up, they thereupon let go four anchors^ by the stern, and waited anxiously for the day (Acts xxvii. 29). During these weary hours, the sailors, aware that the vessel might founder before dawn, lowered the boat under pretence of laying out anchors from the bow for the purpose of steadying the ship, but really to effect their own escape, and leave the passengers to their fate. But the Apostle penetrated their design, and addressing himself to the centurion and the soldiers, declared that unless these remained on board they could not hope to be saved. Thereupon the soldiers, with characteristic decision, cut the ropes, and the boat fell off (Acts xxvii. 32). Another proof of the ascendency which St Paul had acquired over all on board was soon afforded. But a short space now remained before daylight, and then fresh exertions would be needed. He advised, there- fore, that during the interval they should recruit their exhausted energies by partaking of food. Then setting an example himself, he took bread, gave thanks to God before them all, and began to eat. Encouraged by his calmness, the rest did the same, and, strengthened by the meal, made a final effort to lighten the ship by flinging overboard the cargo, which by this time must have been spoilt by the salt water. While they were thus employed, the long-looked for day at length dawned, ^ "They can now adopt the last resource for a sinking ship, and run her ashore ; but to do it before it was day would have been to have rushed on certain destruction : they must bring the ship, if it be possible, to anchor, and hold on till daybreak." Smith's Shijnvreck, p. 88. For similar instancts of anchoring by the stern, see C. and H., II. 357. Sec. IV. Ch. I.] VO YA GE FROM C^SAREA . 509 and revealed to the sailors a coast, which, however, they did not recognise. But the sight of a small bay, with a sandy or pebbly beach ^, revived their determi- nation, if possible, to run the vessel aground. Every precaution was therefore taken. The cables were cut and the anchors cast adrift; the lashings of the rud- ders^ were unloosed; the foresail^ hoisted (Acts xxvii. 40), and the vessel was run on shore at a spot between two seas (Acts xxvii. 41). Here the bow stuck fast on a bank of tenacious clay, while the stern began to break up under the violence of the waves. Certain that the ship must very speedily go to pieces, the soldiers, who were responsible with their lives for the safe custody of their prisoners, afraid that some might swim off and so escape, formed the cruel design of putting them all to death. This, however, the centurion, resolved at all risks to save St Paul, resolutely forbade, and ordered such as were able to swim to cast themselves into the sea first, while the rest, some on spars, and some on broken pieces of the ship, made their way to land ; and thus, as the Apostle had said, the whole company escaped safely (Acts xxvii. 44). CHAPTER II. THE RECEPTION AT MALTA, AND ARRIVAL AT ROME, T A. D. 60, 61. HUS flung upon the shore, the exhausted voyagers ascertained that the island was none other than 1 C. and H., ir, 362. ^ ^Avivres ras ^evKTtjpias rQv TrrjSaKicav (Acts xxxvli. 40) = unloosing the lashings of the paddle rudders, which had doubtless been hoisted up and lashed fast when they anchored. C. and H., 11, 362, n. ** See Smith's ShipivrccJ:, d:c., p. 153. 510 TEE RECEPTION AT MALTA, [Bk. III. Pt. III. Melita\ at that time much uncultivated and overnm vrith wood, and inhabited by a population of Phoenician origin, who not being of Greek or Roman descent were designated harharians (Acts xxviii. 2). But the rece[> tion they gave to the shipwrecked crew proved that they were no savages, for hurrying doAvn to the beach, they eagerly afforded all possible relief to their wants. The rain was falling in torrents, and the weather was extremely cold. Lighting a fire therefore on the shore, they welcomed them all to its genial warmth. Fore- most amongst those gathering the sticks to increase the much-needed blaze was the Apostle himself, and as he did so, a viper came out of the heat and fastened on his hand. The incident did not escape the notice of the islanders. This man, said they, must he a murderer: he has escaped from the sea, but vengeance suffer eth him not to live. But the Apostle no sooner flung off the creature without suffering any injury, than their feelings underwent an instant change^, and they said that he was a god. Near the place where the vessel had been lost, Publius, the Roman governor ^ of the island, had some possessions. For three days he enter- tained the shipwrecked strangers with much hospitality, and the Apostle was enabled to requite his attentions by miraculously healing his father, who lay afflicted with fever and dysentery (Acts xxviii. 8). The fame of this cure soon spread abroad, and others afflicted with dis- ease repaired to the Apostle and experienced similar healing effects. ^ For a summary of the arguments for Malta, and not Melita in the gulf of Venice, as the scene of St Paul's ship- wreck, see Smith's Voyage and Shipwreclc, and Smith's Bihl. Diet. ^ Compare the conduct of the Lystrians, above, p. 420. ^ The chief officer of Malta under the governor of Sicily was called irpwros MeXira/wi', or Primus Melitmsium, the very title used by St Luke. Sec. I V. Ch. II . J A NB A RRI VAL AT R OME. 511 After a stay of three months on the island, the time when the ancients deemed navigation practicable again came round, and Julius secured a passage for himself and his charge in another corn-ship of Alexandria, which, had wintered in the island, and was called the Castor and Pollux. Laden with many presents from the grate- ful islanders the Apostle and his party went on board, and setting sail put into the harbour of Syracuse, where they remained three days. Thence they shaped a course northwards towards the straits of Messina. But the wind was not favom-able, and they were constrained, after beating about (Acts xxviii. 13), to put into Rhe- gium at the entrance of the straits, where they remained one day. On the following morning a south wind sprang up, and they were enabled to reach Puteoli\ the most sheltered part of the bay of Naples, and the great em- porium for the Alexandrian corn-ships^, and here they were rejoiced to find certain of the brethren, and abode with them seven days (Acts xxviii. 14). At the end of this period the party commenced their journey towards Rome, distant 150 miles. The first part of their route was probably from Puteoli by a cross-road to Capua, thence along the Via Appia by Sinuessa on the sea, Minturnse, and Formise to Terracina^. The ^ Formei-Iy called DiccearcTiia, then from its strong mi- neral springs {a puteis or 'putendo) Puteoli, close to Baise, and now called Pozzuoli. It was the great landing-place for all travellers to Italy from the Levant. ^ "All ships, on rounding into the bay, were obliged to strike their topsails, with the exception of the Alexandrian corn-vessels, which were thus easily recognised, as soon as they hove in sight." See the quotation from Seneca in C. and H., II. 371. Puteoli from its trade with Alexandria and the East would naturally contain a colony of Jews. ^ C. and H., 11, pp. 376 — 379. "The foundation of the Via Appia, which was 13 or 14 ft. broad, was of concrete or cemented rubble-work, and the surface was laid with large 51:^ THE RECEPTION A T MALTA, [Bk. III. Pt. III. next stage brought tlicm to Appii Forum ^, whither the Christians from Rome who had heard of the Apostle's arrival at Puteoli, had come forth a distance of 43 miles to meet him. Deeply moved by this proof of their affectionate zeal, he thanked God and took courage (Acts xxviii. 15). Ten miles further on, at a place called the "Three Taverns," a second company was waiting to gi'cet him, and thus in the society of numer- ous friends whom he had probably known during his labours in the East, the AjDOstle proceeded through the town of Aricia to the imperial city. There Julius the centurion delivered up his prisoners to the prefect of the praetorian guard ^, an office held at this time by Bur- rhus, one of the chief advisers of Nero (Acts xx\aii. 16), Either influenced by the favourable report of the centu- rion, or the tone of the letter from Festus, the prefect allowed the Apostle to be kept separate from the rest of the prisoners, and to take up his abode in a hired house polygonal blocks of the hardest stone, and so nicely fitted to each other that the whole seemed the work rather of nature than of art. The distances were marked by milestones, and at intervals of 20 miles were post-stations, where vehicles, horses, and mules were provided for the convenience of tra- vellers and the transmission of government dispatches." Kitto's Bihl. Illust. viii. 501. 1 Comp. Hor. Sat. i. v. 3, 4 : Inde Forum Appl Differtum nautis cauponibus atque malignis. On Anxur or Terraeina, see the same Satire, line 26: a few miles beyond it was the fountain of Feronia (Hor, Sat. I. v. 24), the termination of the canal which Augustus had formed to drain the Pomptine marshes, and which continued for 20 n)iles along the side of the road. Over this distance travel- lers had their choice, whether to proceed in barges dragged by mules, or on the pavement of the way itself." C. and H., n. 379- ^ T(p (TTparoTrebapxri ; Burro, prsefecto prgetorio, Bp Pear- eon. Tac. Ann. xii. 43; Merivale, VI. 189. Sec. IV. Ch. II.] AND ARRIVAL AT ROME. 513 (Acts xxviii. ■;^o), with the soldier to whom he was chained \ Three days after his arrival the Apostle sent for the leading men among the Jews, and sought to remove any prejudices they might have formed against him from the circumstances under which he had entered the capital of the West. Though, he said, he had committed no offence against his nation or the customs of his fjxthers, he had yet been delivered a prisoner into the hands of the Homans. They had. examined him, but could discover nothing he had done that was worthy of death, and would have liberated him, had it not been for the opposition of his Jewish enemies. Under these circumstances, not with any intention of accusing his nation before the emperor, he had aj^pealed to Csesar. His only crime had been his firm conviction of the reality of the promise of the Messiah, and for the hope of Israel he w^as bound with the chains he then wore (Acts xxviii. 17 — 20). In reply to this address the Jews assured him that they had received no information^ to his disadvantage ^ On the cusfodia militaris see above, p. 496, 11, ^ The ignorance of the influential Jews concerning the Christian Church which existed in the same city as them- selves, "is not inconceivable, if we only consider the im- mense size of the metropolis, and the vast confluence of hu- man beings it contained, and if to this we add that the main body of the Roman Church consisted of Gentiles, and that these wealthy Jews busied themselves far more about other objects than about the concerns of religion." Neander's Planting, i. 311. ''With regard to Paul himself, it might well be true that they had little information concerning him. Though he had been imprisoned long at Csesarea, his appeal had only been made a short time before winter. After that time (to use the popular expression) the sea teas shut; and the winter had been a stormy one; so that it was natural enough that his case should be first made known to the Jews by himself." C. and H., II. 392. ly \ T. 33 514 RECEPTION A T MA L TA , dc. [Bk. III. Pt. II I. from Jiidi«.a, and noiio of the brethren had arrived alleging anything against him. The Christian sect they knew -svell was everywhere spoken against, and they would be glad to hear from him any statement concern- ing its doctrines which he might bo willing to make. A day was accordingly fixed for the desired hearing, and a considerable number repaired to the Apostle's own private lodging (Acts xxviii. 23), and from morning till evening he continued to plead with them, delivering his testimony concerning the kingdom of God, and opening lip, both from the Law and the Prophets, the things relating to Jesus Christ. The result was a division amongst his hearers. Some believed the things which were spoken, and some believed not (Acts xxviii. 24), and after much discussion the unbelieving portion de- parted, but not before they had been Avarned by St Paul that they were incurring the penalty of that judicial blindness of which the prophet Isaiah^ had spoken (Is. vi. 9, 10), and that the inheritance they renounced would be bestowed upon the Gentiles (Acts xxviii. 28). After this address the Jews departed. The ways of the great Apostle were not their w^ays, neither were his thoughts their thoughts. AVhile they retired to dispute concerning the Christian sect, he remained in his own hired house, and there resided upwards of two years, still indeed a prisoner under military custody, but per- mitted to receive all who came to him, and to preach boldly the kingdom of God, and those things ichich concerned the Lord Jesus Christ (Acts xxviii. 30, 31)^ 1 See Mtt. xiii. 1 5 ; Jn. xii. 40t iSEC. IV. Ch. III.J FIRST IMPRISONMENT, d:c. 515 CHAPTER III. ' THE FIRST IMPRISONMENT AT ROME. A.D. 61-63. BEYOND the point where the last Chapter ends, the sacred narrative, contained in the Acts of the Apostles, does not conduct us. The incidents connect- ed with St Paul's imprisonment at Rome, and his sub- sequent history, must be gathered from various allusions in several letters he wrote during this period. His trial it would seem, then, was for a considerable time postponed. His accusers, whoso arrival was not even expected by the Roman Jews (Acts xxviii. 21), do not ai)pear to have reached Rome before the summer or autumn of the year^ a.d. 61, and the necessity of obtaining evidence as to the charges against him from Judaea, Syria, Cilicia, Pisidia, and Macedonia, added to the fact that according to the Roman law the wit- nesses both cf the prosecutors and the accused must be examined on eacli of the charges separately^, would necessitate an adjournment of the case from time to time to suit the convenience of the Emperor. During, however, this long period of delay the Apostle was not obliged to remain inactive. Allowed to live in a house by himself, and to receive any who wished to visit him, he had many opportunities of preaching the word, and the glad tidings of the King- dom (Acts xxviii. 31). Nor were his efforts fruitless. To use his own language, he hegat many children even in his bonds (Philem. 10), and through the numerous and deeply attached friends, by whom he was surround- ed, he was enabled to communicate with many of the ^ C. and H., II. 395. ^ On the three separate heads of the indictment against the Apostle, see above, p. 494. 33—2 516 THE FIRST IMPRISONMENT [Bk. III. Pt. III. Clmrclies which he had planted. Thus there were with him at this time Luke, the beloved physician, and his old companion (Col. iv. 14; Philem. 24); Timothy his favourite disciple (Philem. i; Col. i. i; Phil. i. i); Tychicus^ (Col. iv. 7 ; Eph. vi. 21); John Mai-k, whom he had once 2 been obliged to reject as having abandoned the ministry, but who, he now allowed, was profitable to him (comp. Col. iv. 10, 2 Tim. iv. 11); Demas, now, indeed, a faithful felloic-lahourer (Philem. 24); Col. iv. 14), though soon, alas, to be drawn away by love of this present world (2 Tim. iv. 10); Aristarchus of Mace- donia (Col. iv. 10) ; and Epaphras^ of Colossse (Col. i. 7). But amongst these, thus ministering unto him, was one in whom he felt a peculiar interest. This was a slave, named Oucsimus, who had run away from his master Phi- lemon*, a Christian^ of Colossoe, and had fled to Rome, where, amidst the vast population of the metropolis, he probably hoped to escape the notice of his pursuers. Through circumstances which have not been recorded, the fugitive slave became acquainted with the impri- soned Apostle, and was converted to the faith of Christ. There appears to have been something peculiarly attrac- tive in his character, and so useful did he prove in various private ways, that St Paul would have kept him at Rome and employed him in the service of the ^ See Acts xx. 4; and above, p. 471. ^ See above, p. 414, and the note. 2 Though the name is probably an abbreviation of Epa- phroditus, it seems doubtful whether he is to be identified with the Epaphroditus of Philip, ii. 25. * Whether he had also robbed his master or not appears somewhat uncertain, and depends on the meaning of the word rjdiKTjae in Philem. 1 8. ^ It is evident from Philem. 19 that he had been con- verted by the Apostle himself, possibly (i^ during his journey through Phrygia (Acts xvi. 6) ; possibly (ii) during his long ptay at Ephesus (Acts xix. 10), when it is recorded that all thci/ tcho dvxlt in Asia heard the v'ord of the Lord Jesus. Sec. IV. Ch. III.] A T ROME. 517 Gospel (Phil cm. 13), but, with his habitual regard for tlie rights of others, he decided that he must first re- turn and be reconciled to his master; and to make this duty less painful, he sent Avith him a letter^ to Phile- mon, in which he requested his master to forgive him, and offered to reimburse any loss he might have sus- tained by his running away (Philem. 19), and at the same time expressed his thankfulness to God for the account which he had heard of Pliilemon's faith and love (Philem. 4 — 7). But Onesimus was not to return to the East alone. Tychicus was on the point of setting out thither also, and it was the Apostle's wish that he should be tlie bearer of a letter to the church of Colosste^. Of the condition of this church he had heard through Epaphras, now present in Rome, and who is regarded by some as its probable founder^ (Col. i. 7), and the news was such as to give him serious concern. Through the coming of some teacher, probably from Alexandria, the Colossians had become imbued with a spirit of a half-Jewish and half- Oriental philosophy, tending to corrupt the simpli- city of their faith, and to obscure the dignity of Christ by a spurious union of Jewish observances with a wor- shipping of angels, and an extravagant asceticism. These growing evils St Paul deemed his duty to counteract, and in the Epistle, of which Epaphras was the bearer, set forth with special prominence the eternal glory and inherent dignity of Christ (Col. i. 15 — 23), and after ^ Paley in his Horce PauUnce notices that St Paul bids Philemon prepare a lodging for him in expectation of his speedy deliverance, M'^hich agrees with Phil. ii. 24. The letter itself is often referred to as a model of delicacy and tact. 2 Or Colassce according to the reading of the best MSS., a city on the Lycus close to Ilierapolis and Laodicea. Eth- iiologically it belonged to Phrygia, but politically was in« eluded in the province of Asia. 2 See Alford's Prolegom. to the Greek Test., iii. 35. 518 THE FIRST IMPRISONMENT [Bk. HI. Pt. III. cautioning the Colossians ag-ainst false philosophy, legal observances, angel-worship, and asceticism (Col. ii.>, exhorted them to various Christian virtues (Col. iii. — iv. 6), referred them to Tychicus and Onesimus for in- formation respecting his condition (Col. iv. 7 — 9), and requested them to forward the Epistle to Laodicea, and to read that from the same place (Col. iv. 16). As bearers of these letters Tychicus and Onesimu3 set out for Asia Minor. But Tychicus was charged with another letter, the Epistle to the Ephesians, cither addressed to the Christians in the capital of pro- consular Asia, or intended as a circular letter for the use of the various churches in that province ^ In this Epistle, the thoughts and language of which betray a very considerable resemblance to those employed in that to the Colossians, the Apostle, after a summary (chiefly in the form of thanksgiving) of the Christian doctrines (Eph. i. — iii. 19), exhorted the Ephesians to unity (Eph. iv. i — 16), the abstinence from heathen vices (Eph. iv. 17 — V. 21), the faithful discharge of their do- 1 The doubt about the persons for whom this Epistle was intended arises (i) from the omission of the words €v'E(p^(TO) from the opening verse in the Sinai and Vatican MSS.; (ii) from the fact that, though St Paul spent nearly three years at Ephesus, it does not contain a single personal greeting; (iii) from the apparent intimation in Eph. i. 15 that he knew only by report of the conversion of those he was addressing, and in iii. 2 that they knew only of his Apostleship by hear- say. Hence some (see C. and H., 11. 417—420) consider it was addressed to the Church of Laodicea, On the other hand, the testimony of all the versions and "the universal designation of this Epistle by the ancient Church (except in the case of Marcion) as that to the Ephesians, warrants the retention of the words, and the explanation of tlie peculia- ri'.ies in Eph. i. 15 and iii. 2, above alluded to, may probably be explained on the supposition mentioned in the text that it was also intended for other Churches dependent on Ephe- sus in proconsular Asia." See Alford's Prolegom. in Ep.y and EUicott's Commentary on the Ephesians. Sec. IV. Ch. III.] AT ROME. 519 mestic duties as wives and husbands, children and parents, servants and masters (Eph. v. 22^ — vi. 9;, and urged them, amidst surrounding dangers and tempta- tions, to be vigiknt, and to array themselves in the whole panoply^ of God (Eph. vi. 10 — 20). After the dispatch of these three letters in the spring of a. d. 62, the Apostle's heart was cheered by the arrival of a contribution from the Philippians, brought by Epaphroditiis, a leading presbyter in that church. Though apparently in ill-health when he set out, he had, in the face of some unusual danger, persevered in his journey (Phil. ii. 30), in order that he might present to the Apostle this fresh proof of the noble liberaUty of the church over which he presided. Till the close of the year a. d. 62, or the commence- ment of A.D. 63, Epaphroditus continued at Rome, and while tendering his services to the Apostle fell dan- gerously ill. Subsequently, however, he fully recovered, and was filled with anxiety to return to his friends at Philippi, who he learnt were in much distress on receiv- ing intelligence of his sickness (Phil. ii. 26). St Paul was also himself anxious that he should return (Phil. ii. 25, 28), and resolved to make him the bearer of a letter to the Philippian church in acknowledgment of the kindness he had experienced from its members. His own circumstances were somewhat changed since he wrote to the Colossians and Ephesians. Though what had befallen him had tended rather to the furtherance than hindrance of the message he proclaimed, and his chains had become icell-known throughout the whole prcetoi'ium^ (Phil. i. 12, 13); though also by the energy ^ The various pieces of the Christian armour here alluded to receive vivid illustration from the circumstances of the Apostle at this time, and the fact that he was chained to a Roman soldier. - By some this has been identified with tlie palace of 520 THE FIRST IMPRISONMENT [Bk.III. Pt.III. of the Apostle himself and of many of the brethren no little impression lipd been made on the masses of hea- thendom in the city (Phil. i. 14—18); yet the com*se of political events was sufficient to excite considerable ap- prehension. The virtuous Burrhus was dead^, and had been succeeded in the command of the praetorian guards by Fenius Rufus and Sofonius Tio^ellinus, the former a man of no capacity, the latter notorious for determined wickedness. About the same time also Nero contracted an alliance with the infamous Poppsea"^, a Jewish prose- lytess, whose influence over the emperor was strongly exerted in flivour of the Jews, and in furtherance of their cause. The horizon, therefore, of the Apostle was dark and lowering, and he could not look forward with the same confidence as before to his speedy release (comp. Philem. 22 with Phil. ii. 17, iii. 11), but he could write to the church he had planted at Philippi, and though the time might be at hand for his blood to be poured forth as a libation (Phil. ii. 17) over the sacrifice of his conti- nued zeal in his Master's cause, he could rejoice in their progress and the tidings he had received of their welfare (Phil. i. 3 — 5). In the Epistle, therefore, of which Epa- Csesar on the Palatine Hill (consp. Phil. i. 13 with iv. 22). But though the word Prcctorium is applied in the N. T. to the residence of Pilate at Jerusalem (see above, p. 298), and of Herod at Csesarea (see above, p. 493 n.), it is never applied to the Imperial Palace at Rome. It rather seems to denote the quai'ters of the Imperial guards, who were in immediate attendance on the Einperor, who was jprcetor or commander- in-chief of the troops, and whose immediate body-guard would naturally be in a prostorium near at hand. See C. and H., 11. pp. 438, 439. ^ See Tac. Ann. xiv. 51. At his death the influence of Seneca was broken, and under the guidance of Tigellinus, Nero's public life rivalled the infamy of his private charac- ter. On Fenius Rufus, see Tac. A nn. xv. 66, 68 ; Merivale's Romans tinder the Empire, vi. p. 333. '^ See Joseplius, Ant. XX. 8. 11 ; Tac. Ann. xv. -23. Sec. IY. Ch. III.] AT ROME. 521 pliroditus was the bearer, he expressed his heartfelt thankfuhiess for all he had heard of their constancy under persecution (Phil. i. 29, 30), and liberality, which distinguished them above all other churches (Phil. iv. 15); exhorted them to continued unity and fortitude, to humility and earnestness (Phil ii. i — 16); expressed his intention of shortly sending Timothy to them (Phil. ii. 17 — 24) ; warned them against Judaizing teachers (Phil, iii. I — 8), and urged two female converts of distinction, Euodias and Syntyche, who had been guilty of strife and altercation, to love and reconciliation (Phil. iv. 2, 3), and all to a holy and a Christian life (Phil. iv. 4 — 9). With this Epistle, which concludes with a significant salutation from the Christians in Caesar's household (Phil. iv. 22), and points to the progress of the Gospel there, even amidst the scenes of terrible wickedness^ now enacted in the imperial household, Epaphroditus set out for Ma- cedonia. CHAPTER TV. ST PAUL'S SECOND IMPRISONMENT AND DEATH. . A. D. 63-68. THE Apostle's trial, as we have seen in the preced- ing Chapter, was long delayed. At length, however, a time was fixed for hearting his case, and aftei' a trial in all probability before the Emperor Nero himself, he was, according to the universal testimony ^ of the ancient Church, acquitted of the charges that had been brought ^ See C, and H., ii. 457 — 459; Merivale's Romans tinder the Envpire, Vol. vi. pp. 343, 344. ^ See the quotations from Clement of Rome, Muratori's Canon, Eusebius, //. E. ii. 22, Chrysostom, and Jerome, in C. and H., ii. 462, 463; Alford's Gk. Test, iii. Prolegom. pp. 9^; 93- 522 ,n' PAUL'S SECOND [Bk. III. Pt. III. against liiin. Tims liberated he would be naturally anxious to fulfil the intentions he had expressed in his Epistles to Philemon and the Philippians^ of revisiting the Churches he had planted in Macedonia and Asia Minor, and others, Avhich had not as yet seen his face in thejlesh. Setting out, therefore, from Rome to Brundnsium, it is probable that he crossed thence to Dyrrachium or Apollonia, and so travelled by the great Egnatian road to Philippi. "We cannot doubt that the joy of the Chris- tians there would be great at being thus able to welcome once more their revered teacher, but his stay there was not likely to have been protracted ; and proceeding to Asia, in accordance with his former designs and inten- tions, he most probably fixed his head-quarters at Ephesus, and thence visited Colossge, Laodicea, Hiera- polis and other Churches^. What time he now spent amongst the brethren of proconsular Asia is not known, but it is not altogether improbable that in the year a. d. 64 he carried out his long-intended visit to Spain (Rom. xv. 24, 28), and spent two years in planting churches amongst the numerous Jewish proselytes in all the towns along the Spanish coast from Gades to Tarraco^. Thence we may believe 1 Philem, 22 ; Phil. ii. 24. It was probably about tliis time, if he was its autlior, that St Paul wrote the Epistle to the Jlebretcs. For a synopsis of the various opinions respect- ing its authorship see Alford's Prolegom. Vol. IV. Pt. 1, Westcott's Bible in the Church. 2 See Alford's Prolegomena to the Pastoral Epp. Vol. iii. p. 93. 3 See C. and H., 11. 471. Clement of Rome (i Ep. ad Cor. c. v.), declares that he went iwi to ripixa rijs dvaeus, which some would extend not only to Spain but even to Britain. Dean Alford expresses an opinion that if not spent in Spain, the interval between A.D. 64 and 66 "may have been spent in Greece and Asia and the interjacent islands:" Prolegom. p. 94. Sec. IV. Ch. IV.] IMPRISONMENT AND DEATH. 523 lie returned about a. d. 66 to Ephesus, and found to his great sorrow that what he had long- ago predicted to the presbyters of that city, when they bade him farewell on the sea-shore of Miletus (Acts xx. 28 — 31), had been too truly fulfilled. Grievous wolves had indeed entered in amongst them, not sparing the flock ; nay, from the very bosom of the Church itself men had arisen, s]ycahing perverse things^ to draw away disciples after them (Acts XX. 30). Leaders of rival sects, Hymenseus, Phi- letus, Alexander (i Tim. i. 20; 2 Tim. ii. 17, iv. 14, 15), had appeared, perverting the minds of the disciples from the simplicity of the faith, and blending with it the subtilties of Greek philosophy, Jewish superstition, and wild Oriental speculation. Other duties, indeed, prevented the continuance of the Apostle's personal supervision of the Asiatic churches, and leaving Timothy at Ephesus, he returned to Macedonia (i Tim. i. 3). There, however, he appears to have feared he might be detained longer than he had anticipated (i Tim. iii. 14, 15), and, well acquainted with the peculiar diflSculties connected with the position of his beloved disciple, he addressed to him what is known as "the first Epistle to Timothy." The main objects of this Epistle were two-fold, first, to encourage him in the superintendence of the Ephe- sian church, and to aid him in his struggle with the heretical teachers spoken of above (i Tim. 1. 3 — 20). The second was to give him various personal directions respecting the government of the Church itself, such as the manner of conducting public w^orship (i Tim. ii. i — 8); the dress and behaviour of w^omen (i Tim. ii, 9 — 15) ; the qualifications of bishops and deacons (i Tim. iii.) ; the selection of widows to receive the charity of the Church (i Tim. v. 3 — 16); the punishment of ofienders (i Tim. V. 20, 21); and his own life and conversation (i Tim. vi. II — 19). 524 ST PA ur:s second [Bk. hi. pt. iit. In this letter lie also expressed liis design of shortly returning to Kphcsus (i Tim. iii, 14), and this inten- tion he appears to have carried out. Repairing from Macedonia to the capital of proconsular Asia, he made an expedition thence to the island of Crete, accompa- nied by Titus (Tit. i. 5). The churches there do not Kccni to have been now for the first time founded, but to have already been some considerable period in existence. Jjikc those, however, in proconsular Asia, they were "troubled by false teacher.s, and [)ro- ])ably had never yet been properly organised, having originated, perhaps, in the private efforts of individual Christians, who would have been supplied with a centre of opcriitions and nucleus of churches by the numerous colonies of Jews established in the island ^" Unable, however, himself to remain long, the Apostle left Titus there, as he had loft Timothy at Ephesus, to complete what he had been obliged to leave unfinished, and to organise the Church by the appointment of presbyters in every city (Tit. i. 5). But shortly after his return to Asia Minor, he deemed that a letter from liimsclf might encourage him to confront the opposition lie was likely to encounter in carrying out his wishes, and with this he resolved to send general directions re- specting the organisation of the Church. From Ephe- sus, therefore, he dispatched an Epistle to Titus, in which he laid down certain instructions concerning the ordination of elders (Tit. 1. 5 — 9); cautioned him against false teachers (Tit. i. 9 — 16); described the sound and practical Christianity which he was to inculcate on old ^ C. and II., II. 487 ; and see the Articles Crete and Titus in Smith's Bibl. Diet. Jews are mentioned as dispersed in Crete in i Mace. xv. 23 (see above p. 54), and in Acts ii. 1 1 (see above, ]). 345, and n.). See also Alford's Gk. Test., Vol. III. Prolcffom. p. loS. On the quotation respecting the Cretann, see above, p. 38 2, n. Sec. IV. Cii. IV.] IMPRISONMENT AND I)EA TIL 525 and young, on masters and slaves, and to exemplify in his own life (Tit. ii. i — 15); and enjoined obedience to rulers, gentleness and forbearance towards all men, and an avoidance of all idle speculations (Tit. iii. i — 11). At the time of writing this Epistle it was not St Paul's intention that Titus should remain long in Crete, lie liimself was on the point of leaving Asia for Nicopolis^, intending to Avinter there (Tit. iii. 12). On the arrival, therefore of Artemas or Tychicus, whom he intended to send to him, Titus was to endeavour to join him. Accordingly setting out from Ephesus the Apostle re- paired to Miletit« (2 Tim. iv. 20), and there left his old companion Trophimus^, who was overtaken with sick- ness. Thence he sailed to Corinth, and leaving tliero Erastus, the former chamberlain of that city, passed on to Nicopolis^*, where he would seem to have laboured for a space during the winter. At this time however the Christians had become distinguished from the Jews, and the objects of suspi- cion and hostility, and the Apostle's labours at Nico- polis were brought to an abrupt conclusion. Arrested it is not improbable, before the middle of the winter 4, through the restless activity of some of his many enemies, he was sent to Rome to be tried a second time for his life. The terror of his arrest scattered many of his friends. Demas from love of this present world forsook him ^ Most probably the Nicopolis in Macedonia, on a penin- sula west of the bay of Actiiim, erected by Augustus in memory of the battle of Actium, and on the ground which his army occupied before the engagement. ^ Sec above, p. 472. ^ It was conveniently situated for apostolic journeys in the Eastern parts of Achaia and Macedonia, and also to the north where churches perhaps were founded. On St Paul's previous preaching on the confines of Illyricum, see p. 474, and n. ; and Birks' Ilorce Apostolicce, pp. ■296—304. * C. and H., 11, p. 494. b'2Q ST PAUL'S SECOND [Bk. III. Pt. III. and departed to Thcssalonica, Crescens to Galatia, and Titus himself, Avho had joined his master at Nicopolis, possibly by his desire, repaired to the neighbouring- Dahnatia (2 Thn. iv. 10). Luke alone remained in con- stant attendance on the Apostle, and shared with him the perils of his second imprisonment at Rome. This was evidently far more severe than the previous one. Not only was he chained to a soldier, but he was treated as a malefactor (2 Tim. ii. 9), and so perilous was it to visit him that few were willing to seek out his dungeon or to stand by him (2 Tim. i. 16, iv. 16), while he him- self could look forward to nothing but certaia martyr- dom (2 Tim. iv. 6— S). The course of political events sufficiently accounts for the change in the Apostle's circumstances. Anx- ious to avert from himself the charge of having set the capital on fire, Nero had let loose the rage of the popu- lace upon the Christians, now very numerous and objects of intense hatred. A familiar passage in the AATitings of Tacitus^ tells us how some of them were crucified, some hunted to death with dogs, some wrapped in robes smeared with pitch and set on fire at night before the eyes of the Emperor, who watched their dying ago- nies arrayed in the costume of a charioteer. Since then the fury of the first excitement had passed away, but so prominent a ringleader of a hated sect as the Apostle would be certain to be treated with much severity. On the evidence therefore of certain informers, of whom Alejcander the coppersmith apparently was one (2 Tim. iv. 14), he was put upon his trial, probably before the city prefect", in one of the numerous basilicas that stood in the Forum. No friend, no adviser, stood by liim (2 Tim. iv. 16}, to cheer or to encourage. Alone and ■" Tac. Ana. xv. 44. See Merivale, vi. 351. 2 C. and H., ii. 499. ate. IV. Ch. IV. ] IMPRISONMENT A ND DEA TU. 527 unaided, save by an Almighty though Invisible Friend (2 Tim. iv. 17), he pleaded the cause of the Gospel be- fore a numerous audience, and all the Gentiles heard his testimony, and the result was that of the first of the charges brought against him he was acquitted, and icas ddlccred out of the mouth of the lion (2 Tim. iv. 17). Remanded back to his dungeon to await the second hearing of his case, and not anticipating anything but an ultimate conviction, ready to he offered and convinced that the time of his departure was at hand (2 Tim. iv. 6); the Apostle, though cheered by the society of Luke and Onesiphorus (2 Tim. i. 16, 17), yearned towards the friend of his earlier days, his own son Timothy. He longed to sec him once more, and though he was far away in Ephe- sus, discharging the duties of his difficult position, he resolved to dictate an Epistle to him, bidding him come with all speed to Rome, and receive his parting injunc- tions. Accordingly, it was now that the "Second Epistle to Timothy" was written, in which the aged Apostle, with the utmost tenderness and solemnity exhorted his o^Ti son to diligence and stedfastness, to patience under persecution (2 Tim. i. 6 — 15), and a willingness to share in the sufferings of saints (2 Tim. ii. i — 16). In the event moreover of his not arriving in time to receive his last injunction, he charged him, with all the solemnity of one about to appear before the Judge of quick and dead, to be faithful in all the duties of his office (2 Tim. iv. i — 5), and cautioned him against the false teaching which now threatened the very foundation of the Faith (2 Tim. iii.\ Whether Timothy did rejoin the Apostle, as he so earnestly requested, and bring the cloak for which with touching simplicity he made request amid the rigours of the winter (2 Tim. iv. 13), is not recorded. Some are willing to hazard the conjecture that he did^; but how- 1 C. and II., II. 514; Smith's Blhl, Diet., Art. Timothj, 528 SECOXD IMPRISONMEyT, di-c. [Bk. III. Pt. III. ever it >vas, the Apostle's second trial and condemna- tion were not long delayed. As a Roman citizen, he could not be compelled to endure the lingering tor- tures, which so many who shared with liim the name of "Christians" had lately undergone. But beyond the city-walls, along the road to Ostia, the port of Rome, he was led forth under military escort, to the place of exe- cution; there the sword of the headsman fell flashing- down, and he obtained that Crown, which He, whose faithful witness he was, had promised to all thern, that hve Him (2 Tim. iv. 8). Note. Beside the Apostle, whose glorious career was thus closed by the sword of the executioner, three and three only of the immediate followers of our Lord hold a prominent place in tlie Apostolic records — James the LorcVs brother, Peter and Johni. 1. The main facts in the history of James, who was sur- named the Jusf, have been ah'eady related, and we have seen how prominent was the part he took at the Council held at Jerusalem^, a.d. 50. He^ was the author of the first of the Seven so-called "CathoUc or General Epistles," w^hich he addressed, apparently from Jerusalem, to the Jewish Chris- tians residing in Palestine, or scattered among the Gentiles, according to some as early as A.D. 45, according to others as late as A.D. 62. 2. Our last notice of St Peter referred to the time when St Paul withstood him to the face at Antioch, because he teas to he llamcd*. Subsequently to this date we have no notices in Scrip tm"e of his place of abode or of his work. It is pro- bable, however, that after completing the organisation of the Churches in Palestine, and some parts of Asia Minor (i Pet. i. 1, 2), he resided fur some time at Babylon (1 Pet. v. 13), where had been settled from very early times an important ^ See Lightfoot on St Paid and the Three in his Commen- tary on the Galatians, p. 276. ^ See above, pp. 425, 426. ^ It could not have been written by James, the son of Zebedee, for he was beheaded A.D. 44 by Herod Agrippa, and the notes of time in the Epistle itself point to a later datei *■ See above, p. 431. NOTE. ■ 529 community of Jews^ Hence, at some period between the years A.D. ^}, and 67^ he addressed his first Epistle to the Jewish converts scattered throughout Asia Minor, for the purpose of confirming them in the Christian faith, encouraging them to endure the persecutions to which they were exposed, and exhorting them to refute the calumnies of their enemies by leading a holy life. The time and place of the composition of his Second Epistle are alike surrounded with difficulties. The most reasonable conjecture appears to be that the A po- stle wrote it in his old age, about the year A.D. 68, either from Rome, where he is said to have suffered martyrdom^, or somewhere on the journey thither from the East. 3. St John, we saw, was at Jerusalem, when St Paul paid his third visit to that city*, and was then regarded as one of the Chief ** Pillars" of the Church. His movements after this date are shrouded in much obscurity. It seems most probable, however, that after remaining for a season in Palestine, he repaired to Ephesus, and laboured amongst the seven Churches of Asia Minor. Thence on the authority of Irenaeus and Eusebius we gather that he wrote his three Epistles, according to some as early as A. D. 68, according to others as late as the close of the first century. During the reign of Domitian, A. D. 94 or 95, he was banished to the isle of Patmos, and there wrote his Apocalypse, and afterwards returned to Ephesus, where he died. 4. The writer of one other "Catholic" Epistle remains to be noticed — Jude, called also LebbiBus and Thaddssus'^, the brother of James the Less, and must probably one of the so- called brethren of our Lord. We find his name in the lists of the Apostles (Lk. vi. Acts i.), but the only incident relating to him recorded in the Gospel narrative is the question he put to the Saviour on the eve of his crucifixion, Lord, hoiv is it that thou wilt manifest thyself to us, and not unto the world? (Jn. xiv. 22). The place where the Epistle was written is not known. Various dates have been assigned to it, some referring it to A.D. 64 or 65, others to A.D. 75 or even later. The readers are nowhere expressly defined ; but the reference to Jewish traditions (Jude 9 — 14) seems to hint that the Christians of Palestine were the objects of his warnings against false teachers, and of his exhortations to steadfastness in the faith. ^ See above, p. 7. ^ See Alford's Prolegomena, Greek Test. Vol. iv. Part i. 2 See above, p. 431. 4 See above, p. 425. ^ See above, p. 1S7. N.T. 3t APPENDIX. CHRONOLOGICAL TABLES. I. THE JEWS UNDER THE PERSIANS. PALESTINE. B.C. PERSIA. Death of Nehemiah Jaddua, high-priest Alexander visits Jerusalem 413 341 334 333 332 331 323 Vidlory of Alexander on the Granicus. Battle of Issus. Battle of Arbela. Death of Alexander. H. THE ERA OF THE PTOLEMIES AND SELEUCID/E. PALESTINE. Ptolemy Soter captures J e- rusalem, plants colonies in Alexandria & Cyrene I 320 Simon the Just, high-priest j 300 Kleazar, high-priest 291 OniasII. high-priest 250 Ptolemy Philopator, pre- vented from entering the Holy of Holies, attempts to destroy the Jews in Alexandria 216 Antiochus Magnus ob- tains Palestine 203 Scopas recovers Judsea . . 199 Antiochus regains Judaea iqS Onias III. high-priest .. i95 AntiochusEpiphanestakes Jerusalem 17° Persecution of the Jews. . 167 Rise of the fliaccabees . . 167 I Battle of Emmaus, re-de- dication of the Temple 165 Death of Judas Macca- baeus 161 Jonathan Maccabasus murdered by Tryphon, and Accession of Simon 144 First Year of t\\eFreedo}ii of Jerjisaletn ^43 Murder of Simon: John Hyroanus succeeds him 137 John Hyrcanus throws off the Syrian yoke, and Ptolemy Soter P. Philadelphus P. Euergetesl. P. Philopator. P. Epiphanes. P. Philometor P. Physcon.. P. Lathyrus . . P. Alexander and Cleopatra joint rulers . . :P. Auletes 323 312 283 280 261 247 246 226 223 222 205 187 181 175 164 162 150 146 137 n6 113 107 95 83 80 69 65 Seleucus Nicator. Antiochus Soter. Antiochus Theos. Seleucus Callinicus. Seleucus Ceraunus. Antiochus Magnus. Seleucus Philopator. Antiochus Epiphanes, Antiochus Eupator. Demetrius Soter. Alexander Balas. Demetrius Nicator (ist reign). Antiochus Sidetes. Demetrius Nicator (2nd reign\ Antiochus Grypus. Antiochus Cyzicenus Antiochus Eusebes and Philippus. Tigranes. Antiochus Asiaticus. Pompeius makes Syria a Roman province APPENDIX. 1 1 . — co}t tin Kcd. 531 PALESTINE. B.C. EGYPT. B.C. SVKIA. destroys the Temple on Gerizim 130 106 106 79 70 P. Auletes dri- ven from Egypt Restored by Gabinius. . . . Accession of P. Dionysus and Cleo- 58 55 51 Accession of Aristobulus. Accession of Alexander Jannseus Death of Jannaeus ; acces- sion of his wife Alexan- dra Death of Alexandra, ac- cession of Hyrcanus . . patra III. RISE OF THE HERODIAN FAMILY. Gabinius remodels the government Crassus plunders the Temple . . Julius Caesar appoints Antipater procurator of Judsea . . . . JUD^A. Conflift between Hyrcanus and Aristobulus — Pompeius takes Je- rusalem Death of Antipater Herod marries Mariam.ne . . . The Parthians take Jerusalem: Herod flies to Rome . . . . Herod takes Jerusalem, and be- comes king of Judaea . . . . Murder of Aristobulus . . . . Herod summoned before Antonius His kingdom increased by Ocflavius Murder of Mariamne Plot to assassinate Herod — He re- builds Samaria ...... Foundations laid of Caesarea . Herod proposes to rebuild the Temple Eredlion begun Herod goes to Rome to bring back Alexander and Aristobulus . . Salome's schemes against them Completion of Caesarea .... Execution of Alexander and Ari- stobulus 60 57 54 53 47 44 43 42 40 37 35 34 33 31 30 29 27 25 20 18 15 14 Catiline's conspiracy. First Triumvirate : Pompey, Cae sar, and Crassus. The Parthian War. Death of Crassus at the battle of Carrha;. Battle of Pharsalia ; death of Pom Julius Caesar in Egypt. Death of Caesar. March 15. SecondTriumvirate— Octavius,An tonius, and Lepidus; death of Cicero. Battle of Philippi. Antonius captivated with Cleo- patra. Warbe tween Antonius and Odlavius Battle of A<5lium. Death of Antony and Cleopatra ; E- gypt becomes a Roman province. Temple of Janus shut. Odlavius assumes the title of Au- gustus; division of the pro- vinces (see p. 147, n./. The standards taken from Cras- sus restored. Tiberius retires to Rhodes 34—2 532 APPENDIX. IV. THE GOSPEL HISTORY. PALESTINE. B.C. PREFECTSOFSYRIA. Birth of John the Baptist The Nativity of Christ — Death of Herod . . Reign of Archelaus, He- rod Antipas, and Herod PhiHp (see pp. 144-146) Disturbances at Jerusalem Archelaus banished to Vi- enne in Gaul. Judaea becomes a Roman pro- vince and is annexed to the prefedlure of Syria. Coponuts the first pro- curator The Census aftually car- ried out (see above, p. 148). Rising of Judas the Caulonite. Quirinus appoints Annas high- priest Visit of the Saviour to the Temple | 8 Marcus Ambivins, 2nd| procurator 10 Afinius Rii/tts, 3rd pro- curator '13 Vulefhts Gratus, 4th pro- curator [14 Joseph Caiaphas appoint-: ed high-priest (seeabove, ' p- 149) •. ! 17 Pontuis Pilate, 5th pro-^ curator 26 Riots at Jerusalem (seej pp. 150, 151). The! Preaching of John, and Baptism of Christ . .'27 Herod Antipas marries Herod ias. War breaks out with Aretas. Im-[ prisonment of John the Baptist ' 2S Death of the Baptist . . 29 I'he Crucifixion of Christ 30 Tiberius adopted by Augustus as a.d. his son .... I 4 Augustus dies at Nola. Accession of Tiberius . . Death of Ovid . . Jews expelled from Italy . .' . . Influence of Seja- nus Tiberius retires to Caprese . . Herod Antipas in Italy, and there becomes acquain- ted with Herodi- as (see p. 168) . . Era of Seneca 19 26 27 Pub. Sulp. Quirinus isttime (Lk. ii. i) Pub. Snip. Quirinus (2nd time] M. Calpurnius Piso Cn. Sentius Satur- ninus L. Pomponius Flac- cus APPENDIX. 533 V. THE APOSTOLIC HISTORY. PALESTINE. A. D. ROME. The Pentecostal Effusion (May) . 30 Banishment of Agrippina. 31 Death of Sejanus. Martyrdom of Stephen, Pilate de- posed by Vitellius 36 Dispersion of the Christians. Con- version of Saul, who spends 3 years in Damascus and Arabia . 37 Death of Tiberius, !March cession of Caligula. 16, nc- Herod Agrippa appointed king of Birth of Nero. Trachonitis 38 Caligula orders his Statue set up at Jerusalem. to be Great disturbances at Jerusalem owing to Caligula's order re- spedling his statue (see p. 393). Herod Antipas banished with He- rodias to Lyons in Gaul . . . 39 St Peter's visitation of the Churches (see pp. 395, 396). Conversion of Cornelius , . , . 41 Death of Caligula, Jan. 24, sion of Claudius. acccs- Spread of the Gospel to Antioch . 42 Herod Agrippa I. receives Judsea and Samaria in addition to the tetrarchies of Philip and Antipas, and the title of 'king.' Martyrdom of James 44 Return of Claudius from Britain. ) Death of Herod Agrippa at Cse- sarea ......... 44 Cuspius Fndus appointed procu- rator of Judaea. Saul and Barnabas sent to Jerusa- lem with contributions from An- . tioch 44 Return to, and sojourn at, Antioch 45-48 (i) First Missionary Journey oj Saul and Barnabas to Cyprus, Perga, Antioch in Pisidia, Ico- nium, Lystra, Derbe .... 48,49 Cianafius procurator of Judaea . 49 The Council at Jerusalem . . . 50 Birth of Domitian. (ii) St PauVs Second Missionary Journey: he visits Lycaonia, Galatia, Troas . . ' 51 Caradlacus brought before Clau- Philippi, Thessalonica, Bercea, dius. Athens, Corinth 52 First Epistle to the Thes- SALONIANS 52 At Corinth 53 534 APPENDIX, V. — continued. PALESTINE. A. d. ROME. Second Epistle to the Thes- SALONIANS 53 FelLv procurator of Judaea. St Paul sails from Corinth. Fourth visit to Jerusalem. . . 54 Death of Claudius, accession Nero. of (iii) St PauFs Third Missionary Jottrney : Second circuit of Galatia. Reaches Ephesus . . . . . 55 Britannicus poisoned. At Ephesus 56 First Epistle to the Co- rinthians (Spring) . . . . 57 Leaves Ephesus for Macedonia. Second Epistle to the Co- rinthians (Autumn) . , . 57 At Corinth. Epistle to the Galatians. Epistle to the Romans . . 58 Return to Jerusalem. (iv) St Paid arrested, and sent to Ccesarea 59 Nero murders Agrippina. Felix succeeded by Fcstiis . . . 60 St Paul sent to Rome by Festus. 60 Agricola in Britain. Shipwrecked at Malta (Winter). Reaches Rome 61 Tacitus born. Epistle to Philemon (Spring) 62 Death of Burrhus. Epistle to the Colossians. Nero marries Poppaea. Epistle to the Ephesians. Epistle to the Philippians (Autumn). Albinus succeeds Festus .... 63 Tigellinus, praetorian prefedl. Epistle to the Hebrews (?) (v) St Paui's acqnittal; journey to Philippi and Asia Minor . 63 Journey to Spain (?).... 64 Great Fire at Rome. Persecution! of the Christians. Returns to Asia Minor (?) • . 66 Vespasian commands in Judaea. Journey to Macedonia. First Epistle to Timothy. 67 Voyage to Crete with Titus. Epistle to Titus from Asia Minor (Autumn) At Nicopolis (Winter) .... Second Imprisonment at Rome . 63 Second Epistle to Timothy. Martyrdom (May or June) . . . 68 Death of Nero, June 9 or 11. APPENDIX. 535 >- hJ t-c % < f-( [IH <; W ^ « <1 O 1— 1 P c H w Q O Pi w W tt ffi Cleopatra. Philip, Tetrarch of Trachonitis and Itursea. 9. Herod Antipas, Tetrarch of Galilee and ''^.5:; l-S-H ^ I ) is rt rt E••-■ ; c ™ 1- =3 *j . ^ 3 p 1— I nS .5-- -o- £0 ■5 ?! L-b/ip 2< S INDEX. Aceldama, conjecflures upon, 297 Acra, fortress in Jerusalem, 21, 36, 37, 42 ; besieged by Jonathan ^laccabaeus, 47 : demolished by Simon Maccabaeus, 53 Adida, position of, 51 ^neas healed by St Peter, 394 ^non, St John Baptist at, 167 Agabus, famine prophesied by, 403 : his interview with St Paul at Csesarea, 482 Agony of Christ, the, 2S6 Agrippa. See Herod Alcimus, the High-priest, 39; op- poses Judas IMaccabseiis, 40 ; flies to Antioch, 40; his rein- statement and death, 42 Alexander Jannaeus succeeds Ari- stobulus, 62 ; defeated by Lathy- rus, 62 ; opposed by the Phari- sees, 63 ; civil war under, 64 ; his cruelties and death, 64 Alexander the coppersmith, con- jcdtures concerning, 470, 526 Alexander the Great, his victories over the Persians, 5 ; visit to Je- rusalem, 6; historic grounds for this, 7 ; grants privileges to the Jews, 7 ; division of his empire at his death, 8 Alexandra succeeds Alexander Jan- na;us, 64; her death, 65 Alexandra mother-in-law of Ma- riamne, 83 ; imprisoned by He- rod the Great, 85; put to death, Qo Alexandria, Jews established at, 7, 8 ; besieged by Antiochus Epi- phanes, 2;^ Alexandria Troas, account of, 438 ; St Paul there, 472 Amphipolis, situation of, 445 Ananias, death of, 357 Ananias of Damascus, 385 ; his mission to St Paul, 386 Andrew, St, call of, 159, 177, 187: with Christ on Mount Olivet, 276 Andronicus, deputy of Syria, kills Onias III., 22 ; his execution, 22 Angel releases the Twelve from prison, 359; delivers St Peter, 406 Angels at the sepulchre, 321, 322, 324 , . Anna, her testimony concernmg Christ, 138 Annas appointed High-priest and Sagan, 149 ; Christ at his house, 2S9; his hostility to the Chris- tians, 353, 359 Antigonus defeated by Ptolemy Soter, 9 Antigonus, son of Aristobulus, 73 ; attempts to gain the throne, 78; his success, 79 ; overcome by Herod the Great, 81 ; his death, 82 Antigonus, son of Hyrcanus, 59 ; his assassination, 61 Antioch founded by Seleucus, 10; settlement of Jews at, 10, 107; early Christian church at, 401 ; teaching of St Paul and Barna- bas at, 402, 422, 429 ; the term Christians first applied there, 403 ; disputes at, 423, 430 Antioch in Pisidia, St Paul's ser- mon at, 414; the Apostles ex- pelled from, 416 Antiochus Epiphanes, accession of, 3, 19 ; reduces Egypt, 22 ; takes Jerusalem, 22; profanes and plun- ders the Temple, 23; his attacks on Alexandria, 23, 24 ; his cha- radler, 25 ; his persecution of the Jews, 26; his death, 37 Antiochus Eupator, 38 Antiochus Sidetes, King of S^'rla, 55 ; besieges Jerusalem, 58 ; his death, 59 Antiochus the Great defeated at Raphia, 13; captures Jerusalem, INDEX. 587 14 ; the Jews submit to him, 15 ; his reverses, 17; and death, 18 Antiochus Theos, king of Syria, 48 ; murdered by Tryphon, 52 Antipater, governor of Idumaea, 66, 70, 71 ; his exertions for Ju- lius Caesar, 73 ; appointed pro- curator of Judaea, 74; poisoned, 76 Antipater, son of Herod the Great, 98, 100; plots against his father, 102 ; his condemnation 103 ; and death, 105 Antipatris, situation of, 99 Antonia, the Temple fortress, erec5led by Herod the Great, 91 ; St Paul's address from the steps of, 487 Apollonia, account of, 446 Apollonius, Syrian general, his cruelties at Jerusalem, 26 ; his defeat and death, 31 Apollos at Ephesus and Corinth, 460 Apostles, call of the first four, 177; the Twelve selected, 187; powers conferred upon them, 202 ; com- mitted to prison, and released by an angel, 359 ; tried before the Sanhedrin, 360; their dismissal 362 _ _ Apostolic history, the, chronologi- cal table ot, 533 Aquila, St Paul's friend, at Co- rinth 454; accompanies him to Ephesus, 459; her conneclion with St Paul, 461, 469, 471; re- sidence at Rome, 476 Arabia, conjectures on St Paul's visit to, 387 Aramaean Jews, origin of, log A rchelaus, accession and character of, 142; his dominions, 144; his cruelty and banishment, 146 Aretas, king of Arabia, besieges Jerusalem, 66; his hostilities with Herod Antipas, 388 Arimathaea, conjectures upon, 318 Aristobulus, son of Alexander J an- nseus, 65 ; usurps the throne, 66 ; besieged in Jerusalem, 66, 69 ; taken captive to Rome, 69, 71 ; his death, 72 Aristobulus, son of Hyrcanus, 59 ; seizes the supreme power, 61 ; his tragical death, 62 Aristobulus, brother-in-law of He- rod the Great, made High-priest by him, 83; who causes his death, Artemis. See Diana Ascension, the, site of, 338 Ashdod or Azotus, 34; Philip the deacon at, 378 Asia, Roman province of, 344 Asiarchs, the officers so called, 460 Asmona&an dynasty, commence- ment of, 45 ; its decline, 61 ; its extindlion, 82 Assideans, the, 30, tt6 Athens, settlement of Jews there, 108 ; St Paul at, 449 Attaleia, position of, 413 Augustus, emperor of Rome, 90; his decree of taxation, 134 ; his death, 149 Auranitis, situation of, 145 Azotus. See Ashdod B. Bacchides, Syrian general, 35, 40, 42, 43 Bagoses, Persian general, advances on Jerusalem, 4 Balas opposes Demetrius, 44 ; his success, 45 ; confers the High- priesthood on Jonathan Macca- baeus, 45 ; his defeat and death, 47 Barabbas, the robber, 303 Baris, the Temple fortress, 53, 61, 65, 91 Barnabas, St, his liberality, 356; first recognises St Paul, 389 ; his mission to Antioch, 402 ; accom- panies St Paul, 411 ; with him at Cyprus, 411; Pamphylia, 413; Pisidian Antioch, 414 ; Iconi- um, 417; Ljrstra, 418; at the disputes at Antioch, 422 ; at- tends the Council at Jerusalem, 425 ; separates from St Paul, 432 Barsabas, Joseph, nominated for the Apostleship, 342 Barsabas, Judas, at Antioch, 429 Bartholomew, or Nathanael, call of,_ 159, 187 Bartimaeus, the healing of, 258 Batanaea, situation of, 145 Batlanim, their duties, in Beautiful Gate, the, of the Temple, 96 ; the cripple healed there, 350 Beroea, settleinent of Jews there, 108; its position, 448 Bcthabara. See Bethany 538 INDEX, Ucihanj', St John Bapti.-^t at, 153; sojourn of Christ at, 239; its situation, 239; death and raising of Lazarus at, 248 ; Christ's last Sabbath at, 259; His anoint- ment there by iMary, 260; the Ascension near, 337 Bethesda, pool of, 172; the para- lytic healed there, 172 Beth-horon, defeat of the Syrians at, 32 Bethlehem, Christ born there, 136; the shepherds at, 137; the de- clared birthplace of the Messiah, 140; murder of children there, 141 Bethphage, supposed position of, Teth^aida Julias, situation of, 204 ; the blind man restored at, 218 Bethsaida, Western, situation of, 208 Beth-sura or Beth-zur, fortress of, 36 ; besieged by Lysias, 38 Betrayal, the, of Christ, 287 Brethren, the, of the Lord, name:; of, 228 C. Ctsarea on the sea, founded by Herod the Great, 92 ; description of, 92; its completion, 99; the residence of the procurator, 147; Pilate r&sides there, 150: Philip the Deacon at, 378; St Paul at, 391 ; St Peter's visit to Cornelius there, 398; St Paul entertained tliere by Philip the Deacon, 482 ; St Paul imprisoned at, 493, 502 Ca;sarea Philippi, its situation and history, 218 Caiaphas appointed High-priest, 149; his counsel to the Sanhe- drin, 253 ; the conclave at his palace, 277 ; his hostility to the Christians, 353, 359 Calvary, its meaning, and site, 309 . ^ , Cana, supposed site of, 160; the first miracle at, 161 ; the second miracle at, 171 Canon, the, of the Old Testament, completed by Simon the Just, 9 Capernaum, doubts as to its site, 162; nobleman's son of, healed, 171 ; Christ takes up His abode there, 76 — 181 ; call of the Apo- stles there, 177; its advantages for His work, 176; His discourse in the synagogue there, 210 Captain, the, of the Levitical guard, duties of, 353, 359 Cenchrese, situation of, 459 Census of the Roman Empire un- der Augustus, 134; of Palestine under Herod, 135 Centurion's slave healed, 188 Chaldee language used by the Jews, 109 Chazzan. the, duties of, iii Chian, the idol of the Israelites, 369 Children, the, murder of, by He- rod, 141 Christian, origin of the term, 403 Church, the, its first ordinances, 349, 3*^3 Chuza, Herod's steward, 171, 192 Circumcision, Christian disputes concerning, 423, 425; their set- tlement, 428 Cleopas, CO njedlures regarding, 326 Coinage, the, of Simon Macca- breus, 55 Colossse, account of, 517 Colossians, object of the Epistle to, 517 Coponius, procurator of Judaea, 147 Corinth, settlement of Jews in, 108; St Paul there, 453, 474; A polios there, 460 ; parties in the Church there, 466 ; St Paul's anxiety about the Church there, 473 . . ^ , ^ . Corinthians, object of the ist Epi- stle to, 468; of the 2nd Epistle, 474 . . . Cornelius the Centurion, conjec- tures concerning, 396 ; sends for St Peter, 397 ; events of his visit, 398. Cos, situation of, 480 Courts, the various, in Herod's Temple, 96 Crassus, prefedl of Syria, enters Jerusalem, 71 ; plunders the Temple, 72 Crete, Titus placed at, 524 Cripple, the, at the Beautiful Gate, healed by SS. Peter and John, 350 Crosses, various kinds of, 311 INDEX. 539 Crown of Thorns, the, conjedlures upon, 306 Crucifixion, Roman customs re- garding, 317 Custody, various kinds of under the Roman law, 496 Cyprus, position of, 356 ; its ad- vantages for a Christian mission, 411 Cyrenius, or Quirinus, governor of Syria, explanation of, 134 D. Dalmanutha, position of, 217 Damascus, seized by the Romans, 67 ; St Paul there, 3S4, 388 Darkness, the, at the Crucifixion, 3^4 ... Deacons, institution of, 365 Decapolis, cities in the region of. Dedication, Feast of, institution 96; attended by Christ, 244 Demas with St Paul at Rome, 516; forsakes him, 525 Demetrius, hostage at Rome, 19; seizes the Syrian crown, 39; op- poses the Maccabees, 40; con- spiracy against him, 44; routed by Balas, 45 Demetrius Nicator, opposes Balas, 46; becomes king of Syria, 47; deposed, 49 Denarius, the, description of, 269 ; its value, 279 Derbe, conjectures upon, 418; St Paul and Barnabas at, 421 ; St Paul and Silas at, 433 Devil, his temptation of Christ, 157 Dia-na, or Artemis, the temple of, at Ephesus, 463 ; account of her image and worship there, 464 Didrachma, the coin, 226 Disciples, call of the first five, 159; their number after the Ascension, 341 Dispersion, of the Jews, 107 Dorcas, raised from the dead by St Peter, 395 Drachma, value of the coin, 466 Drusilla wife of Felix, 376, 496 Egypt, transportation of Jews to, 7, 8, ID, 107 ; flight of Mary and Joseph into, 140 Elam, position of, 344 Eleazar, brother of Simon the Just, High-priest, 11 Eleazar, son of Annas, 149 Eliashib, High-priest, 4 Elisabeth, wife of Zacharias, 127; her retirement, 129; visited by the Virgin, 131; becomes the mother of St John Baptist, 132 Elymas the Sorcerer, struck blind, Emmaus, battle of, 33 ; position of, 326 ; Christ with the two disci- ples there, 327 Epaphroditus, bearer of the Epistle to the Philippians, 519 Ephesians, the. Epistle to, doubts about, 518 Ephesus, settlement of Jews there, 108 ; St Paul at, 459 — 461 ; im- portance of the city, 462 ; the conversion of the magicians there, 464; great disturbance at, 470; Timothy placed there by St Paul, 523 Ephraim, Christ retires to, 254 Essenes, the, account of, 118 Ethnarch, the, office of, 388 Eucharist, the Holy, institution of, 284; the first pradtice of, 349 Eumenes, King of Pcrganius, 19 Eunuch, the Ethiopian, accosted by Philip, 377; baptized, 378 Eutychus, restored by St Paul, 479 Felix the governor, characler of, 493 ; St Paul before him, 494, 496 ; is recalled, 497 Festus, succeeds Felix, 497 ; St Paul brought before him, 498, 501 Field of blood, the, site of, 297 Fig-tree, the barren, cursed, 265 Gabbatha, meaning of, 304 Gabinius, prefedl of Syria, 70 Gabriel, the angel, appears to Zachariah, 129; to the Virgin Mary, 130 Gadarenes, the, country of, conjec- tures upon, ig6; the works of Christ there, 197 540 INDEX. Galatia, the dibtricl so called, 435: churches founded there, 436 — 438. Galatians, their fickleness, 437 ; origin of the Epistle to, 475 CJalilee, geographical account of, 145; 'of the Gentiles,' why so called, 145 ; Christ's teaching in, 192, 202 ; prophets arisen from, 232 Galilee, sea of. See Gennesaret, lake of Gallio, character of, 458 Gamaliel, account of, 360 ; his ad- vice to the Sanhedrin, 361 Garment, Christ's seamless, ac- count of, 312 Gaulanitis, situation of, 145 Gauls, the, early invasions of, 435 ; character of the race, 437 Gaza of the New Testament, no- tice of, 376 Gazara, position of, 34 (iehenna, meaning of, 198, 347 Gennesaret, lake of, 176; miracu- lous draught of fishes from, 178 ; St Matthew at, 182 ; parables delivered from, and scenerj- sug- gestive of them, 194, 195 ; Christ stills the storm on, 196 ; cause of the violent tempests there, 196; desert chara6ter of its east- ern side, 206 ; Christ walks on its waters, 209 ; His appearance there after His Resurredlion, 331; description of the beach, 333 Gentile Greeks enquire for Christ, 272 Gentiles, the, receive the Holy Ghost, 399 ; admitted into the Christian Church, 400 Gerizim, Mount, the rival temple built on, 5, 121 ; its destruction by John Hyrcanus, 59 Gethsemane, the site of, 2S6 ; the Betrayal there, 287 Golgotha, its meaning and site, 309 Gospel history, the, chronological table of, 532 Grecian influence, its effect on the Jews, 20, 114 Greek Gentiles enquire for Christ, 272 Crreek language, the general use of, 109; adopted by the Jews, no H. Hades, meaning of, 347 Hamath, Demetrius at, 49 Hebrew Jews, their disputes with the Hellenists, 363 ; their po- verty, 364 Heliodorus, treasurer to Seleucus, 18 ; baffled in his attempt on the Temple, 19; his usurpation and defeat, 19 Hell, meaning of, 347 Helleni;:ts, the, why so called, no; their disputes with the Hebrew Jews, 364 ; introduced into the ministry as deacons, 365 Herod Agrippa I., account of, 392 ; appointed king of Judaea, 404 ; slays St James, 405 ; ar- rests St Peter, 406; his miser- able death, 407 Herod Agrippa II., account of, 499 ; St Paul brought before him, 500 Herod Antipas, his dominions, 145 ; imprisons St John Baptist, 168 ; causes his death, 203 ; his desire to see Christ, 205 ; his hostility to Him, 246 ; Christ brought before him, 301 ; his hostilities with Aretas, 388 Herod Philip, his dominions, 145 Herod the Great, appointed te- trarch of Galilee, 74 ; hi^s energy and successes, 74 ; betrothed to Mariamne, 77 ; escapes from Je- rusalem, 78 : goes to Rome, 79 ; nominated King of Judaea, 80; his marriage, 81; captures Je- rusalem, 81 ; his cruelties to the Jews, 82 ; causes the death of Aristobulus, 84 ; his policy with Odlavius, 87 ; his anger against Mariamne, 88 ; orders her death, 89; his policy to the Jews, 90; founds Caesarea, 92 ; his unpo- pularity, 94 ; rebuilds the tem- ple, 95; discords in his family, 97, 100 ; causes his sons to be strangled, 101 ; his jealousy of Christ, 139; his interview with the Magi, 140; orders the mas- sacre of the Innocents, 141 ; his severe illness, 103, 104 ; his cruelties and agonizing death, 105 Herodian family, tlie, chronolo- INDEX. 5U gical table of, 531 ; genealogy of, 535 Herodians, the, account of, 119; they question Christ, 268 Herodias, wife of Herod Antipas, 168; her anger against St John Baptist, 202 ; causes his murder, 203 High-priest, the, subject to the civil governor, 3 Hillel, a sect of the Pharisees, "7> 255 Holy Ghost, the, descent of, 345 ; the second descent of, 355 ; de- scends on the Gentiles, 399 Hyrcanus, John, defeats the Sy- rians, 56; succeeds Simon Mac- cabasus, 57; besieged in Jerusa- lem, 58 ; his prosperous reign, 60; his death, 61 Hyrcanus II., the succession of, as High-priest, 64; as King, 65 ; his deposition, 66 ; nomi- nated by Pompeius to the High- priesthood, 69; confirmed by Julius Ca;sar, 73 ; imprisoned by the Parthians, 78 ; mutilated by hi? nephew, 79 ; executed by Herod the Great, 87 I. Iconium, situation of, 417 Idumaea, plain of, 34 lllyricum, position of, 474 Imperial provinces, the govern- ment of, 147 Inscription, the, placed over Christ, 309. 311 Ipsus, battle of, g Italy, settlements of the Jews in, 109 Itursea, situation of, 145 J- Jacob's well, situation of, 169 Jaddua, High-priesthood of, 4 ; refuses allegiance to Alexander the Great, 5 ; the meeting be- tween them, 6 Jairus' daughter restored to life, ^99 ^ . . . Jakim, or Joachin, High-priest, 39. See Alcimus James, St, the Great, call of, 177; named with his brother Boaner- ges, 187; present at the raising of Jairus" daughter, 201 ; at the Transfiguration, 222 ; his request to Christ, 257 ; with Christ on Mount Olivet, 276; at Gethse- mane, 286 ; slain by Herod, 405 James, St, the Less, call of, 187 ; his recognition of St Paul, 389 ; notices of him in the A(5ls, 390; head of the Church in Jerusalem, 410, 483 ; his chara<5ter, 426 ; his address at the Council of Jeru- salem, 427 ; receives St Paul at Jerusalem, 483 ; date of his Epi- stle, 528 Jamnia, position of, 34 Jannseus. See Alexander Jason, or Joshua, brother of Onias II I., usurps the High-priesthood, 20; deposed by Onias IV., 21; favours idolatry, 21; seizes Je- rusalem, 22 Jericho, Simon Maccabaeus mur- dered at, 57; Pompeius at, 69; death of Herod the Great at, 705, 142; blind man restored at, 257; sources of its wealth, 258 ; Christ entertained there by Zaccheus, 258 Jerusalem, Bagoses at, 4 ; visited by Alexander the Great, 6 ; cap- tured by Ptolemy Soter, 8; by Antiochus Scopas, 14 ; by An- tiochus Epiphanes, 22 ; by his general Apollonius, 26 ; deserted by the Jews, 26 ; the walls re- paired by Jonathan Maccabaeus, 45, 50, and by Simon Macca- baeus, 51 ; its freedom achieved under Simon Maccabaeus, 53 ; taken by Pompeius, and its walls demolished, 69 ; entered by Cras- sus, 71 ; taken by the Parthians, 79; by Herod the Great, 81; number of Synagogues there, 113 ; routes to it from Nazareth, 131 ; scenes in, during the Pass- over, 162 ; Christ attends the Feast of Tabernacles there, 230, and the Feast of Dedication, 244; His triumphal entry into it, 262; His view of it from the Mount of Olives, 276; the assembly at the Feast of Pentecost, 344; St Paul's first visit to, 389 ; the proceedings at the Council of, Jesus, His birth announced, 130; meaning of the Name, 130; is born in Bethlehem, 136; cir- 542 INDEX. ciimcised, 137 ; testimony of Sy- ineonand Anna concerning Him, 138; Herod's jealousy of Him, 139; adored by the RIagi, 140; His flight into Egypt, 140 ; re- turns to Nazareth, 142 ; with the Rabbis in the Temple, 144 ; bap- tized by John, 156; His temp- tation. 157; calls His disciples, 159; His first miracle at Cana, 161 ; celebrates His first Pass- over, 162 ; cleanses the Temple, 163 : His interview with Nico- demus, 165; with the woman of Samaria, 169; announces Him- self the Messiah, 170, 173, 219; heals the nobleman's son, 171; the paralytic at Bethesda, 172; is forcibly rejected from Naza- reth, 175; abides at Capernaum, 176; the miraculous draught of fishes, 178; heals the man with an evil spirit, and St Peter's wife's mother, 179; the leper, 180, and the paralytic, 181 ; his declara- tions regarding the Sabbath, 184, 243 ; restores the withered hand, 185 ; seledls His twelve Apostles, 186; delivers the Sermon on the Mount, 188 ; heals the centii- rion's slave, 188; raises the wi- dow's son, 189; His testimony to St John Baptist, 191 ; anointed by the sinful woman, 192 ; cures the deaf and dumb demoniac, 193 ; stills the storm on Genne- saret, 196; His works among the Gadarenes, 197 ; cures the woman with an issue, 200 ; raises Jairus' daughter, 201 ; feeds five thousand, 206 ; walks on the sea, 209 ; discourses in the synagogue of Capernaum, 210; cures the daughter of the Syro-Phoenician, 214; the deaf and dumb man, 215; feeds four thousand, 216; restores the blind man, 218 ; fore- tells His death, 220, 221^ 225, 234, 257 ; His transfiguration, 222 ; cures the lunatic child, 224 ; at- tends the Feast of Tabernacles, 230; hostility of the Sanhedrin to Him, 231, 236; dismisses the woman taken in adultery, 233 ; restores the man born blind, 235 ; sends forth the seventy, 238 ; His sojourn at Bethany, 239; His various discourses and miracles, 239; raises Lazarus from the dead, 251 ; efFe(5t of this on the ruling powers, 252; His death determined upon, 254 ; retires to Ephraim, 254; cleanses the ten lepers, 255 ; His reply to the sons of Zebedee, 257 ; entertained by Zacchaeus, 258 ; retires to Beth- any, 259; anointed by Mary, 260; His triumphal entry into Jeru- lem, 262 ; curses the barren fig- tree, 265 ; second cleansing of the Temple, 265 ; questioned by the Herodians, 268 ; by the Sad- ducees 269; by the Pharisees, 270 ; interrogates the Pharisees, 271 ; enquired for by the Gentile Greeks, 272 ; foretells the de- strudlion of the Temple, 275; and the judgments upon Jerusalem, 276 ; celebrates the Last Supper, 282 ; washes His disciples' feet, 282 ; gives the sop to Judas, 283; institutes the Eucharist, 284 ; His agony in Gethsemane, 2S6 ; Betrayal, 288 ; in the house of Annas, 290; before the Sanhe- drin, 293 ; sent before Pilate, 296; His trial before him, 298 ; be- fore Herod, 301 ; the clamours for His death, 304 ; is scourged, 305; His condemnation, 308; Crucifixion, 311 ; His death, 315; His side pierced, 318; His en- tombment, 319; His resurrection, 322, appears to ISIary Magda- lene and the other women, 324; • to the two disciples at Emmaus, 326 ; to Peter, 328 ; to the ten disciples, 329 ; to the eleven, 330; reproves Thomas, 330; appears to disciples at Lake of Genne- saret, 332 ; His charge to Peter there, 334 ; His appearance on the mountain to five hundred, 336; his manifestations during the great forty daj's, 336; His As- cension, 338 Jews, the, scanty records of for 250 years, 3; their loyalty as Per- sian subje6ts, 3; privileges grant- ed to them by Alexander the Great, 5, 107; their feuds with the Samaritans, 5, 122; transported to Egypt by Ptolemy Soter, 8, 107 ; oppressed there by Ptolemy Phi- lopator, 14 ; submit to Antio- chus the Great, 15 ; become sub- INDEX. 54.3 jecfl: to the S^'rian kings, i6 ; effedls of Grecian influence on them, 20, 114; their persecution under Antiochus Epiphanes, 26 ; their revived fortunes under the Maccabees, 49 ; their wide dis- persion, 107; gradual changes in their language, 109 ; the three Greek words signifying them, no ; the sects among them, 113 ; their expe6lations of the Mes- siah, 123 ; they revolt against the census of Augustus, 148 ; dis- putes between the Hebrew and Hellenist 56(^5,364; chronological table of, under the Persians, 530 Joazer, High-priest, 148 Johanan, or Jonathan, slays his brother in the Temple, 4 John, St, the Baptist, his birth an- - nounced, 128 ; and mission, 129; events attending his birth, 132 ; becomes a Nazarite, 132; his mode of life, 133; begins his ministry, 153 ; his preaching, 154; its effect, 155 — 158; bap- tizes Christ, 156; at ^non, 167; his testimony to Christ there, 167; imprisoned by Herod An- tipas, 168; sends two disciples to Christ, 190; Christ's testi- mony to him, 191 ; events caus- ing his death, 202 John, St, the Evangelist, call of, 159, 177; named with his bro- ther Boanerges, 187; present at the raising of Jairus' daughter, 201 ; at the Transfiguration, 222 ; his request to Christ, 257; with Christ on Mount Olivet, 276 ; sent to prepare the Passover, 279; with Christ at Gethse- mane, 286; at the Cross of Christ, 312 ; takes charge of the Virgin Mary, 313; at the sepul- chre, 321, 323; recognises Christ at Gennesaret, 332 ; Christ's an- nouncement to him t'nere, 335 ; beals the cripple at the Beauti- ful Gate, 350; his mission to Samaria, 375 ; his subsequent history, 529 John, surnamed Mark. See Mark Joiada, the High-priest, 4 Joppa, taken by Simon Macca- baeus, 49 ; St Peter's visit there, 395 Jordan, the, St John Baptist at, 153 Joseph Barsabas, put forward for the Apostleship, 342 Joseph, nephew of Onias II., col- ledlor for the king of Egypt, 12 ; his powerful family, 13; the quarrel between his sons, 18 Joseph, the husband of Mary, his lineage, 130, 136; an angel ap- pears to him, 132; a,ccompanies Mary to Bethlehem, 136; his flight into Egypt, 140 Joseph of Arimathasa, buries Christ, 318 Joshua, slain by his brother in the temple, 4 Judsea, a Persian dependence of Coelesyria, 3; conquered by Ale.x- ander the Great, 5 ; its inde- pendence recognised under Si- mon Maccabaus, 53 ; its pro- sperity, 54, 60; its decline under Jannaeus, 63 ; its position at the birth of Christ, 134 ; its extent as a Roman province, 144 ; its form of government, 147 ; op- pressiveness of the Roman yoke, 151 ; the wilderness of, 153 Judas Iscariot, the call of, 188; his complaints at Christ's anoint- ment by Mary, 260; inferences as to his character, 260; his mo- tives for the betrayal of Christ, 278 ; his compact with the rulers, 279; receives the sop from Christ, 283 ; his movements af- ter, 288 ; betrays Christ, 288 ; his remorse, 296; probable mode of his death, 296; his suicide, 297; his place filled by Mat- thias, 342 Judas of Galilee, the rising of, 148, 36a Jude, St, the call of, 1S7; conjec- tures as to his Epistle, 529 Julius Csesar, confirms Hyrcanus II. in the High-priesthood, 73 K. Karaites, or Karseans, sedt of, 115 L. Language, Jewish, gradual changes in, 109 Laomedon, defeated by Ptolemy Soter, 8 Lazarus, position of the family of, 239; his death, 248; is raised 5U IXDEX. from the dead, 251; at the house of Simon the leper, 259 Levi, identity of, with Matthew, 182 Libertini, the, conjedlures upon, 366 Lilies of tlie field, conjedlures upon, 241 Locusts as an article of food, 133 Lots, choosing by, the mode of, 343 Lucius of Cyrene, notice of, 410 Luke, St, an instance of his pro- fessional knowledge, 179; be- comes the companion of St Paul, | 439 ; with him at Caesarea, 496 ; his Gospel probably composed there, 497 ; with St Paul during his first imprisonment at Rome, 516 ; and at his second impri- sonment, 526 Lydda, the position of, 394 I>ydia, settlement of Jews there, 15, 108 1^3'dia, converted by St Paul, 441 Lysias, Syrian regent, 32 ; de- feated by Judas Maccabaeus, 35; besieges Beth-Zur, 38; his death, 39; Lysias, Claudius, rescues St Paul from the Jews, 486, 490; sends him to Caesarea, 492 Lystra, St Paul and Barnabas at, 418, the cripple healed there, 418 ; St Paul and Silas at, 433 M. Maccabseus, Jonathan, succeeds Judas, 42 ; deputy governor of Judaea, 43; becomes High-priest, 45 ; his loyalty to Balas, 46 ; his dignities confirmed by Deme- trius, 47; his exploits, 47; over- thrown by the treachery of Try- phon, 51 ; his death and burial, ^laccabaeus, Judas, 30; his ex- ploits, 31, 35, 37 ; his successes at Emmaus, 33; re-dedicates the Temple, 36 ; becomes governor of Palestine, 39; his death, 41 Maccabaeus, Simon, 30, 37 ; com- mands the royal forces, 49 : suc- ceeds Jonathan, 51 ; confirmed in the High-priesthood, 53 ; ac- complishes the freedom of Ju- dae.t, 53; his dominion confirm- ed, 54; his coinage, 55 ; mur^ dered at Jericho, 57 Maccabees, supposed meanings of, Magdala, position of, 217, 320 Magi, the, conjedlures concerning them, 139; they arrive at Jeru- salem, 139; their interview with Herod, 140 ; their adoration of Christ, 140 Magnificat, the, origin of, 131 Malachus, adherent of Hyrcanus II., 75 ; the murder of, 76 Malchus, his ear cut off by St Pe- ter, 289 Manaen, foster-brother of Herod, conjectures upon, 410 Manasseh, brother of Jaddua, 4 ; becomes first High-priest of Sa- maria, 5 Manasseh, son of Jaddua, High- priest, II Mariamne, betrothed to Herod the Great, 77 ; married to him, 81; her anger against him, 85, 88 ; put to death by his order, 89 Mark, John, account of, 410; ac- companies St Paul and Barna- bas, 411; returns to Jerusalem, 414; again to Antioch, 429; cause of dissension between St Paul and Barnabas, 432 ; accom- panies Barnabas, 432; with St Paul at Rome, 516 Marriage, the, at Cana, 161 Martha, sister of Lazarus, 239, 848 ; her condu6l on the death of her brother, 250, 251 ; at the house of Simon the leper, 259 Mary Magdalene at the Cross of Christ, 312 ; at the entombment, 319; at the sepulchre, 320, 321, 323 ; Christ appears to her, 324 Mary, St, the Virgin, her lineage, 130, 136; the birth of Jesus an- nounced to her, 130: visits Eli- sabeth, 131 ; her journey to Bethlehem, 135 ; gives birth to Christ, 136; her purification, 137; her flight into Egypt, 140; finds Christ in the Temple, 143; at the Cross of Christ, 312; St John takes charge of her, 313; the last mention of her in the New Testament, 338 Mary, sister of Barnabas, 406 Mary, sister of Lazarus, 239, 248 ; her condu(5l on the death of her INDEX. 545 brother, 250; anoints Christ, 260; His declaration, 261 Mary, wife of Clopas, at the Cross of Christ, 312, 320; at the en- tombment, 319; at the sepulchre, 320 Masada, fortress of, its position, 78 ; besieged by Antigonus, 80 Mattathias, his family and descent, 29; revolts against Antiochus, 29; his_ last counsels and death, 30 Matthew, St, call of, 182, 187; his identity with Levi, 182 Matthias, St, chosen an Apostle, 342 Melita, St Paul at, 510 Mesopotamia, position of, 344 Messiah, the, expectation of a- mongst the Jews, 123, 151 ; His supposed attributes, 124; fore- told by St John Baptist, 155, 158; Christ announces Himself as such to the woman of Sama- ria, 170; to the Jews, 173; to the Apostles, 219 Michmash, Jonathan Maccabasus at, 43 Miletus, settlement of the Jews there, 108; St Paul's farewell there, 479 Miracle, four Greek words signi- fying it in the New Testament, 347 Miraculous draught of fishes, the first, 178 ; the second, 332 Mite, the coin so called, 272 Mithridates, king of Parthia, 55 Mizpeh, the watch-tower near Je- rusalem, 6, 33 Mnason of Cyprus, 402, 483 Modin, the position of, 29; the bu- rial-place of the Maccabees, 30, 41. 52 Mount of the Beatitudes, the, 188 N. Nain, position of, 189 ; the widow's son restored to life there, 190 Nathanael, or Bartholomew, call of, 159, 187 Nazareth, its position and aspecfl, 129, 176 ; routes to it from Jeru- salem, 131; Christ in the Syna- gogue there, 174, 201; His for- cible rejedtion from, 175 Nicodemus, his visit to Jesus, 165 ; N.T. pleads for Him in the Sanhe- drin, 232; at the entombment, Nicopolis, situation of, 525 Nobleman of Capernaum, suppo- sition concerning, 171 ; his son healed, 171 O. Officers of the Synagogues, in Olives, Mount of, Christ views Je- rusalem from, 276 Onesimus, account of, 516; St Paul's letter to Philemon on his behalf, 517; bearer of the Epistle to the Colossians, 518 Onesiphorus, with Paul at Rome, 527 Onias I., High-priest, 9 Onias II., High-priest, his avarice, 11; refuses tribute to Egypt, 12 Onias III., High-priest, 18; de- posed by his brother, 20; his death, 22 Onias IV., orMenelaus, usurps the High-priesthood, 21 ; his sacri- lege, 21; his impiety, 23; his death, 39 Oriental house, description of, 290 Palestine, census of, under Herod, 134 Panium, Mount, battle of, 15 ; its results, 16 Paphos, account of, 412 Parables, suggested by the scenery of the Lake of Gennesaret, 194, 195. Parthians, the, capture Jerusalem, 79 Passover, the first attended by Christ, 162 ; the ceremonies at its celebration, 280 Patara, situation of, 481 Paul, St, at the martyrdom of St Stephen, 371 ; his persecution of the Christians, 372, 382 ; his birthplace and education, 379.; his conversion, 383 ; baptized by Ananias, 386 ; his teaching at Damascus, 386, 388 ; withdraws to Arabia, 387; his escape from Damascus, 389; his first recep- tion at Jerusalem, 389 ; his teach- ing there, 390; his teaching at 35 546 INDEX. Antioch, 402, 410; joined by Barnabas, 411 ; strikes Elymas blind, 412; conjecftures on the change of his name, 413; his sermon at Pisidian Antioch, 414; his proceedings at Iconium, 417; at Lystra, 418; is stoned there, 420; proceedings at Derbe, 421 ; disputes at Antioch, 422; attends the Council of Jerusalem, 425; withstands St Peter at Antioch, 430 ; his contention with Barna- bas, 432 ; accompanied by Silas, 433; ordains Timothy, 435; his tour in Galatia, &c. 435; his "thorn in the flesh, "436 ; joined by St Luke, 439; his proceedings at Philippi, 440; atThessalonica, 446; Beroea, 448; Athens, 449; Corinth, 453; Ephesus, 459,461; his work there, 462 — 47-: his anxiety at Troas and Philippi, 473; his second visit to Greece, 473 — 480; hisfarewell at Miletus, 479 ; his visit to Tyre, 481 ; with St Philip the Evangelist at Cae- sarea, 482 ; arrives at Jerusalem, 483 ; the tumult in the Temple, 486; his address to the crowd, 487; ordered to be scourged, 488; claims the right of a Roman, 489; brought before the Sanhe- drin, 489 ; sent to Ca;sarea, 492 ; his defence before Felix, 495 ; brought before Festus, 498, 501; appeals to Caesar, 499; his de- fence before Agrippa, 501 ; sets out for Rome, 503 ; his ship- wreck, 508 • reception at RIelita, 510; arrival at Rome, 512; ad- dress to the Jews there, 513; adls during his first imprison- ment, 515, trial and acquittal, 521 ; subsequent travels, 522 — 525 ; his second imprisonment at Rome, 525 ; writes for Timo- thy, 527 ; his condemnation and death, 527 Pavement, the, its use in forms of justice, 303 Pentecost, tlie Feast of, strangers assembled at, 343 ; descent of the Holy Ghost on, 345 Peraea, situation of, 145; Christ's tour in, 245 Perga, i»osition of, 443 Pergamus, settlement of Jews there, 108 Persian Empire, the, downfall of, 5 Peter, St, call of, 159, 177, 187; his wife's mother healed, 179; present at the raising of jairus' daughter, 201 ; sinks in the sea, 208 ; his declaration to Christ, 212; his confession, 219; pre- sent at the Transfiguration, 222; with Christ on Mount Olivet, 276; sent to prepare the Pass- ver, 279; his denial foretold, 285; cuts off Malchus's ear, 289; his denial of Christ, 290 ; at the Se- pulchre, 321, 323; Christ reveals Himself to him after the resur- re<5lion, 328 ; his zeal at the Lake of Gennesaret, 333; Christ's charge to him there, 334; ad- vises the eledlion of an Apostle, 342 ; his discourse on the Day of Pentecost, 346 ; heals the lame man at the Beautiful Gate, 350; his discourse afterwards, 351; his defence before the Sanhedrin, 354, 360; reproves Ananias and Sapphira, 357 ; his mission to Samaria, 375 ; reproves Simon Magus, 375 ; recognizes St Paul, 389; restores yEneas at Lydda, 394 ; raises Dorcas at Joppa, 395 ; his vision there, 397 ; his visit to Cornelius, 398 ; arrested . by Herod, 406 ; delivered by an Angel, 406 ; his address at the Council of Jerusalem, 425 ; his difference with St Paul, 430; his subsequent history', 528 Pharisees, the rise of, 60 ; their op- position to Jannaeus, 63; account of their dodlrines, 115; their hostility to Christ, 181 — 186, 193, 213, 232, 240, 246, 267; try to ensnare Christ, 270 ; He inter- rogates them, 271; their conduct to the early Christians, 353, 363, 372 Phasael, governor of Judaea, 74; his imprisonment, 78 ; death, 79 Philemon, account of, 516; cause of St Paul's Epistle to, 517 Philip of Macedon, ally of Antio- chus the Great, 14 ; his reverses, 16 Philip, St, the Evangelist, conse- crated a deacon, 365 ; preaches in Samaria, 373 ; baptizes Simon Magus, 375; his meeting with the Ethiopian eunuch, 377 ; takes INDEX, 547 up his abode at Caesarea, 378; receives St Paul there, 482 Philip, St, the Apostle, call of, i59> 187; Christ's enquiry of him about feeding the five thousand, 206 Philippi, settlement of Jews in, 108 ; description of, 440 ; St Paul and Silas there, 441; St Paul's second visit to, 473 Philippians, obje<5l of St Paul's Epistle to, 519: its contents, 521 Phoebe, account of, 476 Phrygia, settlement of Jews in, 15, 108; geographical meaning T,.°^' ^^35 Pilate, Pontius, his despotic go- vernment of Judsea, 150; mean- ing of his names, 150; ruthless- ness of his character, 150, 151 ; his outrage on the Galatians, 241 ; Christ sent to him by the Sanhedrin, 296 ; His trial before him, 298 ; his efforts for Christ, 302, 307 ; the message from his wife, 304 ; condemns Christ to be crucified, 307 ; his ultimate fate, 308 ; his inscription on the cross, 309, 311 ; sets a watch over the sepulchre, 320 Pilate's wife, traditions concern- ing, 304 Place of prayer, the, or Proseucha, 113 Pompeius at Damascus, 68 ; in the Temple at Jerusalem, 69 Pontus, situation of, 344 Potion, the, offered to Christ, com- position of, 310 Praetorium, meaning of, 493 Priscilla, friend of St Paul, at Co- rinth, 454; accompanies him to Ephesus, 459; her connedlion with him, 461, 469, 471 ; with him at Rome, 476 Proconsul, the office of, 147, 412 Propraetor, the office of, 147, 412 Proselytes, the various classes of, 118 Proseucha, the, or place of prayer, Ptolemais, the position of, 37 ; St Paul there, 482 Ptolemies, the, era of, chronolo- gical table of, 530 Ptolemy, son-in-law of Simon Mac- cabaeus, 57 Ptolemy Epiphanes, accession of, 14 Ptolemy Euergetes, the policy of, 12 Ptolemy Philadelphus, his pohcy to the Jews, 10, 107 ; originates the Septuagint, 11 Ptolemy Philopator, reign of, 13; visits the Temple, 13 ; his death, 14 Ptolemy Soter captures Jerusalem, 8 ; transports the Jews to Egypt, 8 ; defeats Antigonus, 9 Purple robe, the, of Christ, conjec- tures upon, 305 Quirinus or Cyrenius, dates of his government of Syria, 134; carries out the Census, 148 R. Raphia, battle of, 13 Remphan, the Israelites' idol, 366 Roman Asia, extent of, 344 Roman yoke in Judaea, the op- pressiveness of, 151 Romans, origin of the Epistle to, 476 Rome, settlement of Jews in, 109; St Paul arrives at, 512; his first imprisonment there, 515 — 522; his second imprisonment, 525 ; martyred there, 528 Ruler of the Synagogue, office of, III S. Sabbath, the, Christ's declarations concerning it, 184, 243 Sabbath^easts among the Jews, 259 Sadducees, the, rise of, 60; their dodlrines, 114, 270; causes of their pacific feeling towards the Romans, 253 ; try to ensnare Christ, 269 ; their bitterness against the Apostles, 353, 360, 363 ; their hostility to the Chris- tians, 372 Sagan, the office of, 149 Salamis, account of, 412 Salim, position of, 167 Salome at the sepulchre, 320 Salome, daughter of Herodias, asks for St John Baptist's head, 203 Salome, queen of Aristobulus, 61 ; causes the assassination of An- tigonus, 62 548 INDEX Salome, sister of Herod, 85 ; plots against Mariamne, 88 ; against Herod's sons, 98; her dominions, 146 Samaria, the distri(5l of, the rival temple established there, 5; con- quered by Hyrcanus, 59: the his- tory of, 120; Christ's tour through, 229; Philip's preaching there, 373 ; Mission of Peter and John to> 375 Samaria, the city of, destroyed by Hyrcanus, 59; rebuilt under Herod the Great, 91; Christ stays there, 170 Samaritans, their controversy with the Jews, 5, 122, 169; their re- ligious belief, 121 Samothrace, situation of, 440 Sanhedrin, the, Herod's vengeance on, 82 ; account of its constitu- tion, 108 ; Nicodemus a member of it, 165 ; its hostility to Christ, 231, 236; effed^ upon it of the raising of Lazarus, 252 ; counsel of Caiaphas to, 253 ; it resolves ■on Christ's death, 254; a depu- tation from, questions Christ, 266 ; assembles at the palace of Caiaphas to try Christ, 291 ; the trial, 293 ; sends Christ to Pilate, 295; policy of, regarding Christ's Re£urre6lion, 325 ; its trial of Peter and John, 352 ; of the Twelve Apostles, 359; Gamaliel's advice to, 360; its trial of Stephen, 367 ; and of Paul, 489 Sapha or Mizpeh, the watch-tower near Jerusalem, 6, 33 Sapphira, the death of, 358 Sardis, settlement of Jews in, 108 Saul, reason of the change in his name, 413. See Paul Scopas, retakes Jerusalem, 14 ; defeated by Antiochus the Great, 15 Scourging by the Romans, its tor- ture, 305 Scribes, the, account of, 116 Scythopolis, the ancient Beth- shan, 13, 50; captured by Hyr- canus, 59 Se(5ls among the Jews, 113 Seleucia founded by Seleucus, 9; advantages of its position, 10, 411 Seleucidze, the, era of, chronolo- gical table of, 430 Seleucus, king of Syria, the empire ' of, 9; numerous cities founded by him, 10 Seleucus Philopator, accession of, 18 Senatorial provinces, the Govern- ment of, 147 Septuagint, the, originated by Pto- lemy Philadelphus, 11 Sepulchral caves among the Jews, 251 Sepulchre, the, of Christ, 319 Sergius Paulus, the conversion of, 413 Sermon on the Mount, the, tradi- tional scene of its delivery, 188 ; differences in the narrative of, 188 Seventy, the, mission of, 238 ; meaning of the number, 238 Shammai, a sedl of the Pharisees, 117. 255 Shechem, Samaritan temple at, 121 ; Jacob's well at, 168 Shekel, the coin, description of, 55 ; its scarcity at the time of Christ, 225; its value, 279 Sheliach, officer of the Synagogue, III ; duties of, 112 Silas, derivation of his name, 429; accompanies St Paul, 433 ; im- prisoned at Philippi, 443 ; re- mains at Beroea, 449; rejoins Paul at Corinth, 445; remains at Jerusalem, 459 Siloam pool, the blind man sent to wash in, 235 Siloam, tower of, the fall of, 242 Simon, surnamed Niger, notice of, 410 Simon II., High-pnest, 14 Simon Magus, account of, 374; baptized by St Philip, 375; re- buked by St Peter, 375 ; his sub- sequent history, 376 Simon of Cyrene, account of, 310 Simon Peter. See Peter Simon, St, call of, 187 Simon the Just, High-priest, 9; completes the canon of the Old Testament, 9; his death, 11 Simon the leper entertains Christ at Bethany, 259 Simon the Pharisee entertains Christ, 192 Simon the tanner, St Luke's visit to, 396 INDEX. 549 Solomon's porch in the temple, 96; why so called, 244 Spikenard, costliness of, 260 Stater, the coin, 227 Stephen, St, consecrated a dea- con, 365 ; his teaching, 366 ; brought before the Sanhedrin, 367 ; his defence, 368 ; the fore- runner of St Paul, 368 ; his mar- tyrdom, 371 Strato's tower, its position, 92; Caesarea built there, 92 Sychar, Jacob's well at, 168 Sychem, captured by Hyrcanus, Symeon, his testimony to Christ, 138 Synagogues, origin of, no; their arrangement, no ; their chief of- ficers, III ; the form of worship in them, 112; their wide disper- sion, 113 Syrian tongue used by the Jews, 109 Syrophoenician woman, the, 214 Tabernacles, the feast of, attended by Christ, 230 Tabitha raised by St Peter, 395 Tarsus, position of, 379 Taxation of Roman empire under Augustus, 134 Temple, the, profaned by Ba- goses, 4 ; Alexander's sacrifice in, 6; enriched by Simon the Just, 9 ; attempted profanity of Ptolemy Philopator, 14 ; attempt on by Heliodorus, 19; profaned by Antiochus Epiphanes, 23 ; cessation of the daily sacrifice in, 26 ; heathen abominations in, 27 ; re-dedicated by Judas Mac- cabseus, 36; its fortifications strengthened by Simon Macca- baeus, 53 ; captured by Pom- peius, 69; plundered by Cras- sus, 72; rebuilt by Herod the Great, 95 ; description of it, 96 ; Christ with the Rabbis in, 143 ; its profanation by merchandize, 363 ; cleansed by Christ, 164 ; second cleansing of, 265 ; the heavenly voice in, 274 ; Christ foretells its destrudtion, 275 ; the veil rent at the death of Christ, 315; the cripple healed at the Beautiful Gate, 350; the tumult against St Paul in, 485 Temple, the rival, on Mount Geri- zim, 5 ; heathen dedication of, 27; its destrudlion by Hyrcanus, 59 Temptation, the, of Christ, its tra- ditional site, 156 Therapeutae, the, account of, iig Thessalonians, reasons for St Paul's epistles to, 456 Thessalonica, settlement of Jews in, 108 ; description of, 446 Theudas, conjedlures concerning, 361 Thief, the penitent, 313 Thirty pieces of silver, value of, 279 Thomas, St, call of, 187 ; his charac- ter, 249 ; his doubts concerning the Resurredlion, 330 ; their re- moval, 331 Thyatira, situation of, 441 Tiberias, Sea of See Gennesaret Tiberius, the Emperor, 149, 152 Timothy, conversion of, 421; con- jecftures concerning him, 433 ; ordained by St Paul, 435 ; re- mains at Philippi, 445 ; rejoins Paul at Corinth, 455 ; accompa- nies him to Ephesus, 459 ; meets him at Philippi, 473 ; with him at Rome, 516; placed at Ephe- sus, 523 ; causes of St Paul's first Epistle to him, 523; of the second, 527 Title, the, placed by Pilate, on the Cross, 309, 311 Titus, accompanies Paul and Bar- nabas to Jerusalem, 424, 428 ; the probable companion of Paul to Ephesus, 459 ; his mission to Corinth, 472, 474 ; placed at Crete, 524; obje<5ls of Paul's epistle to, 524 Tongues of fire, the, at the Pen- tecostal effusion, 345 Town-clerk of Ephesus, office of, 470 .. . Trachonitis, situation of, 145 Transfiguration, the, of Christ, 222 Treasure-chests in the Temple, 234 Tribute-money, the purpose of, 95; Peter takes it from the fish's mouth, 226 Tribute to Caesar, Christ ques- tioned on, 269 Troas, account of, 438; St Paul at, 472 550 INDEX. Trophimus accompanies Paul to Troas, 471 ; remains at Miletus, 525 Tryphon revolts against Deme- trius, 48 : his treachery to Jona- than Maccabseus, 50; and to • Simon, 52; murdirs Antiochus, 52 ; his, reverses and death, 55 Tychicus accompanies Paul to Troas, 471 ; with him at Rome, 516; bearer of the Epistle to the Colossians, 517; to the Ephe- sians, 518 Tyre, St Paul at, 481 V. Via Appia, the account of, 511 Voice, the heavenly, at the Jordan, 156; at the Transfiguration, 223; in the Temple, 274 W. 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