the Persian host; and the same great act has been repeated again and again in wars both ancient and modern. But the heroic self sacrifice of the man who voluntarily devotes himself for a public good, does not justify the cool, selfish abandoning him to death by those who are to reap the advantage. He who even consents to the sacrifice of another ought to be ready, if it would answer the same end, to sacrifice himself. But far different from this was the spirit of Caiaphas. He announced a great truth unconsciously, but one which he would have been the last to obey. "And this spake he not of himself; but being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus should die for that nation: and not for that nation only, but that also He should gather together in one the children of God that were scattered abroad." In consideration of his office, which once had been so honourable, he was chosen, unconsciously to himself, to give expression to that great central fact of the Gospel-that the death of Jesus was necessary to the salvation and restoration of the world.*

The counsel of Caiaphas, in its wicked and shameless injustice, was adopted by these unprincipled rulers. "Then from that day forth they took counsel together for to put Him to death." The deed was now agreed upon; the only question was how best to arrange its quiet execution. But there was yet a short interval before the Passover, when the great sacrifice should be offered, and,

* See on the counsel of Caiaphas, a Sermon by the Rev. F. W. Robertson. Sermons, 2nd Series.

therefore, to prevent any premature attempts on His life, our Lord again withdrew to a distance. "Jesus therefore walked no more openly among the Jews; but went thence into a country near to the wilderness, into a city called Ephraim,* and there continued with His disciples," avoiding, it would seem, any intercourse with others.

"And the Jews' Passover was nigh at hand; and many went out of the country up to Jerusalem before the passover to purify"-prepare-" themselves. Then sought they for Jesus"-inquired after Him— "and spake among themselves, as they stood in the temple, 'What think ye, that He will not come to the feast?" They were aware, no doubt, that there were measures of some kind in agitation against His liberty, if not His life. "Now both the chief priests and the Pharisees had given a commandment❞— issued perhaps a further notice-" that, if any man knew where He were, he should show it, that they might take Him." It is probable that no one cared very much to move in the matter; there was a strong feeling of awe and admiration amongst the people, mingled no doubt in many cases with real attachment; and, after all, the rulers might have found it impossible to get possession of His person, if there had not been a traitor in the very innermost circle of disciples.

* See pp. 44, 45, note, for the probable site of Ephraim.

SECTION XXXIX.

THE LAST JOURNEY TO JERUSALEM-REQUEST OF THE SONS OF ZEBEDEE.

MATTHEW xix. 17-28; MARK X. 32-45; LUKE xviii. 31-34.

ND Jesus going up to Jerusalem took the

Atwelve disciples apart in the way, and said

unto them, 'Behold, we go up to Jerusalem; and the Son of Man shall be betrayed unto the chief priests and unto the scribes, and they shall condemn Him to death, and shall deliver Him to the Gentiles, to mock, and to scourge, and to crucify Him: and the third day He shall rise again.'

How long our Lord stayed in the town of Ephraim, we are not told, but it could scarcely have been long -perhaps not more than a week or two. The passover was now very near, the time so often seen afar off was at last come, and He set out on his last journey to Jerusalem. When He left Galilee, He had warned His disciples of what they had to expect for Him; but, perhaps, the frequent escapes, delays, respites, which had hitherto put off the threatened evil had generated in them a certain security, a sort of trust that after all they should be spared the realization of their fears. We know ourselves how our minds struggle against admitting a painful truth, and catch at any gleam of hope, however opposed to sober judgment. But now our Lord announces to them in the most explicit terms, with every detail of circumstance, the events which were about to happen. St. Mark tells us what was the state of

their minds; "they were amazed"—it was all incomprehensible to them-and "as they followed they were afraid,” a kind of indefinable dread took possession of them. St. Luke adds that " they understood none of these things; and this saying was hid from them, neither knew they the things which were spoken." They had a fixed idea in their minds; that of the earthly kingdom of the Messiah, and as they believed that our Lord was Messiah, they convinced themselves that, say what He would about humiliation and death, in some way or other, these circumstances would be found consistent with His speedy triumph and assumption of His throne. They were right in the basis of their belief, only their narrow conceptions had to be expanded into the sublime dimensions of a universal reign, and a glory attained not merely in spite of, but through suffering and death. Their actual confusion of mind is well exhibited by the next incident, related by two of the Evangelists.

"Then came to Him the mother of Zebedee's children with her sons" (James and John) "worshipping Him, and desiring a certain thing of Him."+

By a comparison of the following passages, Matthew xxviii. 35, Mark xv. 40, John xix. 25, we gather that the "mother of Zebedee's children" was named Salome, and that she was the sister of the Lord's mother. It has been often taken for granted that the words "His mother's sister," in John, describe "Mary the wife of Cleophas," mentioned immediately afterwards; but the construction does not require this (see Alford), and it is very improbable that two sisters should have been both named Mary. If Salome were, indeed, the sister of the Virgin, and James and John her sons, and so cousins-german to our Lord, there might seem a sort of propriety, in her estimation, that they should be promoted to the highest offices of His kingdom. + Matth. ver. 20.

St. Mark says the request was made in this form: "Master, we would that Thou shouldest do for us whatsoever we desire." An instance of that very improper practice of trying to surprise a person into binding himself by a promise to do something which in cool judgment he might not be willing to do. So Herod bound himself to do for the daughter of Herodias whatever she would, even to the half of his kingdom, and became involved in the murder of the greatest of God's prophets. Never let us make promises in this rash way. If what is sought is right, it will bear consideration. The Lord made the petitioners declare their wish; which perhaps they had rather not have done just then. And "He said unto her"-the mother seeming to have been the petitioner "What wilt thou?" She saith unto Him, 'Grant that these my two sons may sit, the one on Thy right hand, and the other on Thy left, in Thy kingdom.' The disciples were still then thinking of an earthly kingdom, and of the dignity of favourite courtiers seated in places of honour. And Jesus answered and said, 'Ye know not what ye ask.'" There was great selfishness in their petition, great want of generosity as regarded their fellow disciples, in trying thus to forestall their claims, but our Lord, without noticing this, takes them up on another ground. Are ye able to drink of the cup that I shall drink of, and to be baptized with the baptism that I shall be baptized with ?" Eminent places in Christ's kingdom must be won by eminent services

* Ver. 35.