LECTURE LXXXVIII.

JESUS, GOING TO HIS CRUCIFIXION, LAMENTS OVER THE DESTINY OF JERUSALEM.—THE CONDUCT OF THE TWO MALE

DIFFERENT

FACTORS.

LUKE Xxiii. 26-43.

(Matt. xxviii. 32-43. Mark xv. 21-32. John xix. 17-30.)

26. And as they led him away, they laid hold upon one Simon, a Cyrenian, coming out of the country, and on him they laid the cross, that he might bear it after Jesus.

27. And there followed him a great company of people, and of women, which also bewailed and lamented him.

28. But Jesus turning unto them, said, Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for me, but weep for yourselves, and for your children.

29. For, behold, the days are coming, in the which they shall say, Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bare, and the paps which never gave suck.

30. Then shall they begin to say to the mountains, Fall on us; and to the hills, Cover us.

31. For if they do these things in a green tree, what shall be done in the dry?

A proverbial expression. If these things are done, and permitted to be done, towards one who is no more fit to suffer them than a green tree is fit for burning, what must those expect who are as

dry wood ready to be "hewn down and cast into the fire?" Therefore the women of Jerusalem, who through a natural tenderness, or through the affection which they had for Jesus, were now bewailing and lamenting him, and whose tears would not fall unnoticed before God, these had still more reason to weep for themselves, and for their children, upon whom the consequences of national wickedness should descend. Jesus was foreseeing the time, when the Romans, the instruments of God's righteous vengance, should come and take away the sinful place in which these things were done, and the sinful nation which was guilty of them. The sorrows were present to his mind, of which the historians who witnessed them relates, that if all the miseries which the world had known could be summed up, they would not equal those which were endured at Jerusalem. And thus, even to the last, we perceive the same compassionate and loving spirit, which forgets itself, and thinks only of the pain of others. Weep not for me, but for yourselves, and for your children!

32. And there were also two other malefactors led with him to be put to death.

33. And when they were come to the place, which is called Calvary, there they crucified him, and the malefac tors, one on the right hand, and the other on the left.

34. Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.

35. And the people stood beholding. And the rulers so with them derided him, saying, He saved others; let him save himself, if he be Christ, the chosen of God.

36. And the soldiers also mocked him, coming to him, and offering him vinegar.

37. And saying, If thou be the king of the Jews, save thyself.

38. And a superscription also was written over him in letters of Greek, and Latin, and Hebrew, THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.

39. And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and

us.

This is an awful picture of human depravity. It is commonly supposed that the approach of death subdues a man, and softens the evil passions which have before prevailed within him. But here we find the same evil passions embittering even the agonies of death: the same feeling of enmity, the same expression of mockery. If thou be Christ, save thyself and us. There can be no stronger proof that something more is needful to affect man's heart, than the circumstances in which the man is placed. Circumstances give him the opportunity of showing what is there; but the heart is not changed by outward circumstances; and he that has been an enemy of God, and a hater of goodness, through life, will be a hater of goodness when his life is come to an end: a hater of goodness as goodness, though he may have a juster sense of its value than this hardened malefactor, and a greater dread of the consequences of sinning against it. There may be more of natural dread upon him, than will permit him to rail at Christ he may even cry out, Save me, in a very

different sense from this malefactor: but whatever his fears or his words may be, his heart too often remains ungodly, unjust, unsanctified. We see it by the event, when space is given for the proof: when restoration from expected death brings no recovery from sin.

If the one man shows, thus awfully, what pain and death cannot do, the other shows the power of the Spirit of God. He gives evidence of a tender conscience, and a subdued mind.

40. But the other answering, rebuked him, saying, Dost thou not fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation?

41. And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss. 42. And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom.

43. And Jesus said unto him, Verily, I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.

We know nothing of what this man had been, nothing of the offences which had brought him to this sad end. But whatever he had been, he now exhibits the features of that altered character to which Scripture uniformly promises forgiveness.

The language of the prophet was, "Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts, and return unto the Lord; for he will have mercy upon him." And the language of the gospel is, "Repent, and believe in the Lord

1 Isa. lv. 7.

Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and thou shalt be saved." "

And such is the case of this malefactor. He forsakes his unrighteous thoughts, and rebukes his hardened companion. Dost not thou fear God,

who art in the same condemnation with him whom thou art mocking and reviling, but whose state before God is very different? He has done nothing amiss whilst we are justly suffering: are receiving the due reward of our deeds. This is the very spirit and language of penitence: which fears God: which feels the difference between obedience and disobedience which acknowledges transgression: which receives the chastisement of transgression humbly.

Joined to this penitence, is faith, of which it might be truly observed, "I have not found so great faith, no, not in not in Israel." He turns to Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. Others had thought that his submission to his enemies must disprove his divinity. He saved others; let him save himself, if he be the Christ, the chosen of God. But this man perceived that Jesus had never claimed "a kingdom of this world." His death, therefore, was no disparagement of his authority, no confutation of his words. And he looks to him in that hour of extremity; Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom.

It was fitting that the cross of Christ should be distinguished by a signal exhibition of its atoning

2 Compare Acts ii. 38 with xvi. 31.