in exchange for his homage, dominion over the wide lands which he surveyed; but receiving a signal and final rebuff, he departed, leaving Jesus still in the mountainous wilderness beyond the Jordan, where angels came and ministered unto him.

Returning from thence towards Galilee, Jesus had to cross the Jordan at the ford of Bethabara, where John was still baptizing,

and made some pause in the neighbourhood. He was probably present at the interview already mentioned between John and the commission from Jerusalem; for John said then, "There is one standing among you whom ye know not: he it is who, coming after me, is preferred before me." At all events, it was the very day after that interview, that John, seeing Jesus coming towards him, publicly pointed him out as the Messiah to all who were then present, in the emphatic words, "Behold the

CALLING OF ANDREW AND PETER.

Lamb of God, who taketh away the sin of the world. This is he of whom I said, After me cometh a man who is preferred before me." The next day John again pointed out Jesus as "the Lamb of God," when he observed him walking by. Two of John's own

disciples who heard this, then went and followed Jesus. One of these was John and the other Andrew, both of them fishermen of the Lake of Tiberias. Jesus, observing that they were following his steps, turned and asked, "What seek ye?" Which they answered by another question, indicative of their desire to attach themselves to him, and to know him better-" Master, where dwellest thou?" He answered, "Come and see." They accordingly attended him to the place where he lodged, and remained with him the rest of that day, which was then near its close.

Andrew, after quitting Jesus for the day, rested not till he had found his brother Simon, to whom he imparted the glad tidings-"We have found the Messias!" and the next day he

took him to Jesus. On his approach, and before he had been. announced, Jesus saluted him with "Thou art Simon the son of Jona: thou shalt be called Cephas!" This word means "a stone," and is accordingly rendered in Greek by PETER, which has the same meaning. It was not unusual in those times for chiefs, masters, and teachers, to impose new and significant names, after this manner, upon those who became their servants or disciples. (John i. 41, 42.)

The next day Jesus proceeded into Galilee on his return to Nazareth, and on the way met with Philip of Bethsaida, and said to him, "Follow me." Philip was of the same town as Andrew and Peter, and, having been probably apprised by them that Jesus was the Messiah, he unhesitatingly obeyed the call. This was the first case in which Christ employed this form of summon, which he used in making choice of those whom he intended to follow him as his disciples.

PHILIP AND NATHANIEL.

CHAPTER VI.

OUR LORD'S CONVERSATION WITH NATHANIEL THE MARRIAGE FEAST OF CANA-CUSTOMS OF THE JEWS ON SUCH OCCASIONS-FIRST MIRACLE OF CHRIST-ITS PARTICULAR SIGNIFICANCEAPPROACH OF THE PASSOVER-JESUS GOES UP TO JERUSALEM-FINDS THE TEMPLE PROFANEDHE EXPELS THE MONEY-CHANGERS, AND THOSE WHO HOLD A MARKET IN THE SACRED COURTS.

NDREW and Peter, although they had in a certain sense attached themselves to our Lord, had not yet been called in that peculiar manner which required them to be in constant attendance upon his person: it is, therefore, to Philip that we may assign the honour of being the first "called " disciple of Christ. In this, as

in the former case, the discovery of the Christ so long expected, and so earnestly desired, was a matter of too high interest and importance to be kept secret. Accordingly, no sooner did Philip meet with an old acquaintance called Nathaniel than he cried out, "We have found him of whom Moses in the Law, and the Prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph." Nazareth, being a mean place, and the inhabitants of indifferent character, was despised even among the Galileans, who were themselves contemned by the people of Judea. Knowing this, and being aware that the Christ was expected to come from Bethlehem, Nathaniel caught at the word Nazareth, and asked, "Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth ?" Philip gave the best possible answer, "Come and see." They accordingly went to Jesus, who no sooner saw Nathaniel approach than he said, "Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!" Surprised

beyond measure, Nathaniel asked, "Whence knowest thou me ?" Jesus answered, "Before that Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig-tree, I saw thee." It was not unusual for educated men among the Jews to study the law under fig-trees, and sometimes, although more rarely, to pray there. This may indicate the act which Jesus had in view. This answer implied our Lord's knowledge of the private conversation between Philip and himself, and also of acts performed by him in the secrecy of his own house or garden. Overcome by this, he at once burst out into the free and full confession-" Rabbi, thou art the Son of God, thou art the King of Israel!" This gave occasion for what may be regarded as the first prophecy of our Saviour, “Because I said unto thee, I saw thee under the fig-tree, believest thou? Thou shalt see greater things than these. Verily, verily, I say unto you, hereafter ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man." Many think from this that Nathaniel had been studying under the figtree Jacob's vision at Bethel, of the ladder reaching unto heaven, and the angels of God ascending and descending thereon; and that Christ designed to strengthen his conviction by disclosing his knowledge of this fact. But this is what we cannot know. (John i. 43-51.)

Jesus had scarcely arrived at Nazareth when he was called with his disciples to a marriage-feast at Cana, to which his mother had, it seems, already gone; we find him there on the third day after leaving Bethabara. That Joseph was not also present, has led to the notion that he was already dead; and this is more than probable, as he is not once mentioned as living, nor does he on any occasion appear throughout the period of our Lord's ministry. Cana was a small place about five miles to the north of Nazareth, and was called Cana of Galilee, to distinguish it from another