CHAPTER VII.

CONVERSATION OF OUR LORD WITH NICODEMUS-JESUS BAPTIZES IN THE LAND OF JUDEA-JEALOUSY OF JOHN'S DISCIPLES CONDUCT OF JOHN THE BAPTIST-HIS IMPRISONMENT-ITS CAUSE-JESUS PASSES THROUGH SAMARIA-ORIGIN OF THE SAMARITANS-MOUNT GERIZIM-VALLEY OF SHECHEM -JACOB'S WELL-JESUS AND THE WOMAN OF SAMARIA.

MONG the persons in Jerusalem whose attention had been drawn to Jesus, was a member of the great council called the Sanhedrim, named Nicodemus, who felt desirous of privately conversing with so remarkable a personage. As a member of that ruling body, and on account of the rank which he thence held, he was

reluctant to visit Jesus openly in the day-time, and he therefore came to him in the night.

The manner in which he began the conversation seems to show that there were other members of the council as much impressed as himself with what they had seen and heard of Jesus, but who were not bold enough to come to him even by night. "Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God; for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him." This clear conviction, so heartily avowed, points out a man seeking instruction in a candid and open spirit. Jesus, therefore, sought by one word to turn the current of his thoughts from those notions respecting the temporal nature of the Messiah's kingdom which he and all other Jews entertained, and answered with more of apparent than of real abruptness, "Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born again he cannot see the kingdom of God"

NICODEMUS.

(that is, cannot become my disciple). Nicodemus, full of earthly notions, was unable to grasp the idea of this second birth; and after having been made to comprehend that it was of a spiritual nature, he still inquired, "How can these things be ?" And then the Saviour, in a discourse full of divine instructions, and more suited to the understanding of his hearer, developed to him the holiness and final ends of his mission, so little in accordance with the notions of the Jews, who supposed the Messiah's kingdom was

of this present world. This instruction had due effect on Nicodemus, who persevered in the faith imparted to him; but did not publicly avow his discipleship until after Christ had been crucified, when he openly joined Joseph of Arimathea in providing for the body an honourable burial. John xix. 39.

Soon after Jesus quitted Jerusalem with his disciples; but, instead of at once returning to Galilee, he remained some time in "the land of Judea" (as distinguished from Jerusalem, the metropolis), and began to baptize, through his disciples. John

the Baptist was at the same time baptizing at Ænon, near Salim, a place near the Jordan, not far from that where Christ had been baptized by him. In general the disciples of John had more of the strict character of Judaism: they also fasted much. For this reason the Pharisees were displeased that Jesus was more followed and baptized more disciples than John, and by their representations, probably, did much to foment in John's disciples a spirit of discontent at the apparent rivalry of Jesus, and to excite a jealousy of his superior claims.

Some of John's disciples came and reported these matters to him, expecting, doubtless, that he would feel aggrieved at such proceedings of one who had received baptism from his hands. But the truly humble Baptist, who felt satisfied with his own divine calling as a harbinger, and was ever mindful of his true position, reminded them that from the first he had declared the coming of one mightier than himself, to whom now their attention should be turned.

It was not long after this that the Baptist was put in prison by Herod Antipas, the tetrarch of Galilee. The occasion was this:—

Herod Antipas had at first married the daughter of Aretas, king of Arabia. On a journey to Rome he visited his brother Herod, surnamed Philip, whose wife was Herodias, daughter of another brother, Aristobulus, and consequently niece both to her husband and to Herod Antipas. With this lady the tetrarch formed a criminal attachment, and induced her to engage that, on his return, she would quit her own husband and live with him, on his undertaking to divorce the daughter of Aretas. She accordingly divorced herself from Philip, and was then married to Herod, whose own wife had retired to her father as soon as she heard of this atrocious engagement. This affair of course made a strong impression in the country. Few, however, ventured to say all

THE SAMARITANS.

they thought of the matter. But the Baptist, with the honesty and boldness which belonged to his character, publicly condemned the conduct of the tetrarch, and plainly told him that it was not lawful for him to live with his brother's wife. For this Herod put him into prison, not, it would appear, with any view of further punishment, but to stop him from speaking in this manner to the people of a transaction which would not bear the light. Herodias herself, indeed, wished to have him put to death; but the fear of the people, who regarded John as a prophet, hindered him from yielding to her barbarous desire.

It was not until John had been cast into prison, that Jesus returned from Judea to Galilee. In doing this he must needs go through Samaria. The inhabitants of that country, the Samaritans, were descended from a mixture of Jews with the heathen colonists whom the kings of Assyria had settled in the country after the native Israelites had been removed. They had adopted the religion and manners of the Jews, but with some variation, which, with the character of their origin, rendered them odious to the Jews, who regarded them as an unclean and inferior people, and were quite as strongly disliked by the Samaritans in return. One chief ground of difference was, that the Samaritans had formed for themselves a religious establishment and temple upon Mount Gerizim, which they held to be the true seat of worship, as indicated by God himself. The Jews, on the contrary, who believed the same of their own establishment at Jerusalem, looked upon this Samaritan temple with such abhorrence, that they deemed the land in which it stood, as well as the worshippers, to be polluted; and the more strict among them, rather than travel through it in going to or returning from the festivals, were wont to cross the Jordan, and travel through the country beyond that river, without setting foot in Samaria. Those who

travelled on foot, however, naturally preferred the direct road through Samaria, which in three days' journey brought them from Jerusalem to Galilee.

In the valley below the mountain on which their temple stood, lay the chief city of the Samaritans. It was the ancient Shechem;

but at this time bore among the Jews the name of Sychar, which seems in its origin to have been a by-name, imposed upon the city in contempt. On the approach to the town was a well, which being on the spot of ground which was the private property of Jacob, and which he bestowed upon his son Joseph, bore the name of Jacob's well. The well which at present passes under this name, and which is in all probability the same, is situated at the foot of Mount Gerizim, near the entrance of the valley towards Jerusalem. It is above a mile from the present town, which accounts for its