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John xii. 29.

30.

31.

32.

33.

34.

35.

36.

37.

38.

The people therefore that stood by, and heard it, said Jerusalem. that it thundered: others said, An angel spake to him. Jesus answered and said, This voice came not because of me, but for your sakes.

Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out.

And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all

men unto me.

This he said, signifying what death he should die.

The people answered him, We have heard out of the law that Christ abideth for ever: and how sayest thou, The Son of man must be lifted up? who is this Son of man? Then Jesus said unto them, Yet a little while is the light with you. Walk while ye have the light, lest darkness come upon you: for he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth.

While ye have light, believe in the light, that ye may be the children of light. These things spake Jesus, and departed, and did hide himself from them.

But though he had done so many miracles before them, yet they believed not on him:

That the saying of Esaias the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spake, Lord, who hath believed our report? and to whom hath the arm of the Lord been revealed?

muel, &c. &c. but it is at variance with all the general inter-
pretations of the talmudical writers; and is vehemently objected
to by the learned Abarbanel, who asserts the ancient belief, that
the Bath Col was of supernatural origin; and he adduces,
among other instances, the voice to Samuel, and the law on
Sinai, which must be considered as miracles, worked upon the
air itself, so as to produce an audible and distinct sound, as of
a voice, which cannot possibly be resolved into a deception of
the imagination. Abrabanel likewise challenges the Christians
to produce in their favour this proof of the truth of their
religion.

The μerabaivõμev ivrevlev, “let us depart hence," of Jose-
phus, (in Hebrew, pɔ,) when he describes so eloquently
the prodigies at the siege of Jerusalem, appears to me to have
been the last sound of the Bath Col in the Jewish dispensation;
the last sigh of the spirit of prophecy in the Mosaic Church.

Whether we are justified in giving credence to the relations that Polycarp, Thecla, and St. Augustine, were favoured with this voice from heaven to strengthen their faith, cannot be now discussed.

(a) Observ. Sacræ, vol. ii. p. 341, &c. &c. (b) De legibus Hebræor. Dissert. vii. de Urim et Thummim, vol. ii. p. 923, (c) De inauguratione Christi, &c. &c. (d) Joan. Christoph. Harenburg De Miraculo Pentecostali, in the 13th volume of the Critici Sacri, p. 574. He has defined the Bath Col also from the Jerusalem Targum. Bath Col

Jerusalem Targum, in Num. xxi. 7. Pirke Tosaphot in Sanhedrim, c. i.

.prodiit ex terra, et auditum in celis מנו ארעא ואשתומע קלא במרומיא

quum כשקול יוצא מן השמים יוצא מתוכו קול אחד art. 29, defines it

egrederetur tonitru e coelo vox alia ex illo prodiens. (e) Apud. Vi-
tringam ut supra, p. 342.

John xii. 39.

40.

41.

42.

43.

Therefore they could not believe, because that Esaias Jerusalem. said again,

He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them. These things said Esaias, when he saw his glory, and spake of him.

Nevertheless, among the chief rulers also many believed on him; but because of the Pharisees they did not confess him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue: For they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.

John xii. 44.

45.

46.

47.

48.

49.

50.

Mark xi. 11.

SECTION VI.

Christ again declares the object of his Mission.

JOHN xii. 44. to the end.

Jesus cried and said, He that believeth on me, believeth not on me, but on him that sent me.

And he that seeth me seeth him that sent me.

I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness.

And if any man hear my words, and believe not, I judge him not: for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world.

He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.

For I have not spoken of myself; but the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak.

And I know that his commandment is life everlasting: whatsoever I speak therefore, even as the Father said unto me, so I speak.

SECTION VII.

Christ leaves the City in the evening, and goes to Bethany.
MATT. xxi. 17. MARK XI. 11.

And when he had looked round about upon all things,
and now the even-tide was come,

Mat. xxi. 17. he left them, and went out of the city, into Bethany;
Mark xi. 11. unto Bethany, with the twelve.

Mat. xxi.17. and he lodged there.

Mat.xxi.18.

SECTION VIII.

Monday-Fourth Day before the Passover-Christ enter-
ing Jerusalem, again curses the barren Fig Tree'.
MATT. xxi. 18, 19. MARK Xi. 12-14.

Now,

Mark xi. 12. on the morrow,

7 All commentators are agreed in considering this miracle as typical of the destruction of the Jewish nation; and they have endeavoured, in various ways, to reconcile the curse pronounced upon the fig tree with that expression in the parable, "the time of figs was not yet." But if we regard this fig tree as a mere emblem, or type, we shall find a beautiful and perfect harmony throughout the whole. The religion of the Jews had now become merely external, it flourished only in appearance; it possessed the leaves, but not the fruits of holiness. The fig-tree, therefore, became the most apt representation of the state of the Jews at that time, and of their consequent destruction, or withering away. Had it been the season of figs, and the fruit already gathered, the tree would not have been so appropriately the object of a curse, or so expressively a type of the Jewish nation. In this, as in many other instances, our Saviour predicted the future by a significant action, or sign, before he judged it expedient to declare it publicly. The parable of the fruitless fig tree (Luke xiii. 7.) bears the same signification.

Another illustration is given of this parable, in reference to the first establishment of the Levitical Priesthood. When an opposition was made to the divine ordination of Aaron, the Levitical Priesthood was ratified and confirmed by the miracle of a dry rod, which in one night budded, blossomed, and brought forth fruits. Now, when it was about to be removed, because it had ceased to flourish, or to yield its appointed produce, its fate was prefigured by a contrary miracle; by an ap. parently flourishing tree reduced as it were, in one night, to a dry rod, for ever barren.

Witsius has discussed the subject of the curse of our Lord upon the fig tree at great length. He supposes that the leaves were emblematical of the vain boastings of the Jewish law-of their temple ceremonies and worship, &c.-that the fruits which it failed in were those of faith, repentance, and holiness.

In answer to the question, how it was that our Lord could be hungry, he justly replies, that his bunger was as natural as his sleep in the ship, or his thirst upon the cross. Witsius, with many others, supposes that the words of St. Mark, & yàp v Kaipos ouκwv, the time of figs was not yet, signify, that our Lord came to the tree intentionally, for the sole purpose of performing this significant action. He considers it more probable that our Lord was ignorant of the barrenness of the tree (a); but he observes, as a tree could not offend, the act must have been symbolical. Daniel Heinsius reads yàp v, kaιpòs σúкwv, "where he now was, it was the time of figs."

Michaelis, who is of the same opinion, has shewn at great
length that the accents, breathings, stops, &c. of the Greek
Testament, are of no authority; neither did the ancients re-
gard them. This reading of the passage can be supported on
no other grounds, and in the absence of other evidence cannot
be received (b).

Hammond interprets the expression καιρὸς as χρόνος, οι ένιαυτὸν
Ukapov, not a good year for figs.

Jerusalem.

Mat.xxi.18. in the morning,

Mark xi. 12. when they were come from Bethany.

Lightfoot's opinion is, that Christ expected figs which had stood the winter. Various kinds of this fruit being ripe once in two or three years.

Chrysostom (ap Wits. p. 297.) observes, in reference to the question why the fig-tree was cursed, that Christ wished to shew that a punishment would overtake those who crucified Him; but selected a tree, rather than a man, as the object on which to display his power, because His was the dispensation of mercy.

The choice of this tree, as an emblem, corresponds with other parts of Scripture, Jer. xxiv. 2. Luke xiii. 6. Micah vii. 1. Cant. xi. 11-13.

The Palestine fig tree, according to Dr. Hales, regularly bears two crops a year, and occasionally a third; the boccore, or early fig, (noticed by Isaiah xxviii. 4.) which comes to perfection in the middle or end of June; then the kermez, or summer fig, begins to be formed, though it rarely ripens before August. About the beginning of autumn the same tree not seldom throws out a third crop, of a longer shape, and darker complexion than the kermez, called the winter fig, which hangs upon the tree after the leaves are shed, and ripens, provided the winter proves mild; and is gathered as a delicious morsel in spring. The natural history of the fig tree in Judea, taken from the accurate Shaw's Travels, p. 370. happily removes the ambiguity in our English Bible, of the parable of the fig tree, by the parenthesis judiciously introduced by Archbishop Newcome. Jesus being hungry, and seeing leaves thereon, which shewed that the tree was alive, though it was not a regular fig season, either for early or for summer figs; yet went to it in a reasonable expectation of finding, perhaps, some winter fruit thereon; but when he came he was disappointed, for he found nothing thereon but leaves. Whereupon he doomed it to perpetual barrenness, in the hearing of his disciples. This curse instantly took place; for when they passed by again on Wednesday morning, they saw the fig tree not only stript of its leaves, "but withered from the roots? (c)."

Schoetgen professes himself unable to reconcile the accounts respecting the fig-tree, by St. Matthew and St. Mark. He observes, with an admirable honesty, which is well worthy of imitation by all who would venture to explain the apparent difficulties of Scripture, and are unwilling to confess their ignorance-Quod vero Marcus dicit, non fuisse tunc tempus ficuum, illud hactenus interpretari aut conciliare non possum. Malo enim hic ignorantium profiteri, quam nugas effutiendo me aliis deridiculum exhibere (d).

(a) Quatenus est Mediator, Deitas ipsius, humanitate arctissimo nexu juncta, earum rerum omnium scientiam humanæ etiam naturæ impertiit, quarum cognitio ad tam eximii muneris functionem requirebatur. Atque huc pertinet abundantia illa sapientiæ, intelligentiæ, ac prudentiæ, quam ex unctione Spiritus Sancti consecutus est; adeo que et illa in dignoscendis mentium humanarum arcanis cogitationibus perspicacia, quam ex Deitatis suæ revelatione habebat. Cæterum ad eam classem referendæ non sunt omnes vitæ hujus animalis res, quarum usus Christo ut homini duntaxat fuit. In iis aliquid ignorare, neque Mediatori nocet, et humanæ naturæ, nobis in omnibus, demto peccato, similis, argumentum est.-Witsii Melet. Leiden, Dissert. de ficu Maledicta, sect. iv. p. 294. (b) Novam autem lectionem pro arbitrio sibi fingere, quantumvis plausibili pretextu, ab hominis theologi modestia alienum esse arbitror.-Witsii Meletem. Leidens. p. 295. See also Elsley in loc. (c) Analysis of Chronology, vol. ii. part ii. p. 835. (d) Schoetgen. Hor. Hebraica, vol. i. p. 171.

Jerusalem.

Mat. xxi.18. as he returned into the city, he hungered.

19.

And when he saw a fig-tree in the way,

Mark xi. 13. afar off, having leaves,

Mat. xxi.19. he came to it,

Mark xi. 13. if haply he might find any thing thereon: and when he

came to it,

Mat. xxi.19. and found nothing thereon, but leaves only,

Mark xi. 13. for the time of figs was not yet,

14.

Jesus answered and said unto it, No man eat fruit of thee hereafter,

Mat. xxi.19. and he said unto it, Let no fruit grow on thee henceforwards for ever.

Mark xi. 14. And his disciples heard it.

Mat. xxi.19. And presently the fig tree withered away.

Mark xi. 15.

MARK Xi. part of ver. 12, 13, 14.

12 And he was hungry:

13 And seeing a fig tree-he came-he found nothing but leaves

14 And-for ever-disciples heard it.

SECTION IX.

Christ again casts the Buyers and Sellers out of the

Temple.

MARK XI. 15-17.

And they come to Jerusalem and Jesus went into the temple, and began to cast out them that sold and bought

8 Dr. Hales having taken for granted that the temple was cleansed on the Tuesday, and not on the Monday, has preferred the order of St. Mark, and made some minor alterations in the position of these events. The foundation of his reasoning is removed by the arguments of Pilkington, which are inserted in the note to section 3. p. 389.

In Matt. xxi. 13. when our Saviour drove the buyers and sellers out of the temple, he said to them, "It is written, my house shall be called an house (not the house) of prayer, but ye have made it a den of thieves;" or, if it be read with an interrogation, And have ye made it a den of thieves? 'Yues dè αὐτὸν ἐποιήσατε ΣΠΗΛΑΙΟΝ ΛΗΣΤΩΝ, then the indignation will be increased, from the opposition between God and ye. The same is related by Mark xi. 17. with the same two words, orýλaιov Xyswv, and so by Luke xix. 46. It may be asked, why the temple should be said by our Saviour to be made oñýλalov λyswv, a cave of robbers; was it because there were some who bought and sold in it? or because the moneychangers, or those who sold doves, sat there? None of these persons could be called Aysai, latrones, or public robbers: nor did their business lie in onλaia, speluncæ, dens or caves, so as to cause the temple, in which they were, to be called orýλalov. St. John, however, in his account of this matter, mentions a circumstance, without the knowledge of which, the reason of this expression, σπήλαιον λητῶν, in the other three Evangelists, and in Jer. vii. 11. whence it is taken, could not have been understood, and very probably that

Jerusalem.

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