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clothes, and they set him thereon. 8 And a very great multitude spread their garments in the way; others cut down branches from the trees, and strewed them in the way.

9 And the multitudes that went before, and that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna to the Son of

the Passover, and many who came out of the city to see Him, and to see Lazarus whom He had raised from the dead. See John 12. 9.

the outer garments or mantles, which were thrown on the animal, and in the road, branches of trees were strewed all along the way. These were palm branches, which were symbols of joy (John 12. 13), and this was a mark of welcome and gladness often paid to Kings of the East on triumphal occasions.

4, 5. Spoken by the prophet. Zech. 9.9. Here Matthew again, writing for the Jews, points out the fulfilment of their prophecies. This passage was uniformly understood by the Branches from the trees. Besides Jews, as applying to the Messiah: though they would not acknowledge Christ. -Daughter of Sion.· Among the Jews, in their figurative mode of speech, the towns were often represented under the figure of a woman- and the population of any place was called the daughter of that place. (Isa. 37. 22. Ps. 45. 13; 137. 8. İsa. 10.30. Jer. 46. 19. Lam. 4. 22.) Here then is meant the people of Sion, or the inhabitants of Jerusalem. -T Thy King. Christ claimed to be the King of the Jews (Matt. 27.11).Meek. Not warlike-nor revengeful-but bringing peace and salvation. He came in the way of the ancient kings, who rode in the strength of God, like David.——¶ Sitting upon an ass, even (and) a colt, &c. This is the force of the conjunction and here, as elsewhere often in the New Testa

ment.

6, 7. And put on them their clothes. This was the custom of the people, as an acknowledgment of an appointed king. So when Jehu was anointed king by Elisha the prophet (2 Kings 9. 13), every man took his garment and spread it under him on the top of the steps and blew the trumpet, saying, Jehu is king.--¶ Thereon; literally, upon them, that is, properly, on one of them, as we say, "He sprang from the horses."-Winer's Idioms. Or it may refer to the garments. Mark tells us that He rode upon the colt (11.7). 8. A very great multitude. This was the crowd, that was going to

9. Cried-shouted.- -¶ Hosanna to the son of David. Hosanna is taken from two Hebrew words, meaning "save now." It was an acclamation specially used at the Feast of Tabernacles, when the palm branches were used also. This feast was mainly symbolical of Christ's advent to "tabernacle with men ;" and this feast was called "Hosanna,” as they sung Ps. 118. 25, 26, which prominently introduces this word. So it was well understood by the people. This was an ascription to Christ as the appointed Saviour, and as the son of David-for under this last title, they knew and spoke of the Messiah. So the next clause further imports; “Blessed be, &c. This was part of the Paschal Hymn, which in a few days they were about to recite. The words were used when the priests offered the victims. This refers also to the verses of the Psalm from which they sang at the feast of Tabernacles, Ps. 118. 26. To "come in the name of" or by the authority of, is expressed by Mark as "the kingdom of our Father David that cometh

David! Blessed is he that | Lord; Hosanna in the highest ! cometh in the name 10 And when he was come

d Ps.118.26. c. 23.39.

of the

in the name of the Lord." They recognized Him as the Messiah, of David's line, whose kingdom was to come of Divine authority.- -T Hosanna in the highest. Luke has it, "Peace in heaven, and glory in the highest." See also Luke 19. 38. Glory and salvation be ascribed to Him in the highest heavens. It was at this time, descending the Mount of Olives to Jerusalem, that He uttered His lamentation over the city. Luke 19. 41, 42. This actual entry into Jerusalem, was on the first day of the week. This was the tenth day of Nisan (or Abib, the first month), and on this day the PASCHAL LAMB WAS TO BE SELECTED. Exod. 12. 3. For the better understanding of the whole history, here, we insert Dr. Robinson's harmony and schedule of the days. The Jewish day, of twenty

Day of Nisan. Day of the week. 9....

10.

e Lu.2.14.

four hours, was reckoned from sunset to sunset, as is still the case in oriental countries. The Paschal Lamb was killed on the fourteenth day of Nisan, toward sunset; and was eaten the same evening, after the fifteenth day of Nisan had begun. Exod. 12. 6, 8. Our Lord was crucified on the day before the Jewish sabbath, that is, on Friday, Mark 15. 42; and as he had eaten the Passover on the preceding evening, it follows that the fourteenth of Nisan fell that year on Thursday, reckoning from the preceding sunset. Hence, the sixth day before the Passover, or as John reads, "Six days before the Passover" (John 12. 1), when Jesus came to Bethany, was the Jewish Sabbath, or Saturday --and the transactions of the following week are to be understood thus: See Appendix, p. 314.

.7. SAT..... Reckoned from preceding sunset. The Jewish Sabbath. Jesus arrives at Bethany. (John 12. 1.)

.1. SUND... From preceding sunset. Jesus makes his public entry into Jerusalem ( 112), and returns at night to Bethany. (Mark 11. 11.) On this day the paschal lamb was to be selected. (Exod. 12. 3.)

11 .......2. MOND... Jesus goes to Jerusalem. On His way the incident of the barren fig-tree occurs. He cleanses the tem

ple ( 113), and again returns to Bethany. (Mark 11. 19.)

12........3. TUES.... From preceding sunset. Jesus returns to the city. On the way the disciples see the fig-tree withered. (Mark 11. 20.) Our Lord discourses in the temple ( 115-126)-takes leave of it-and when on the Mount of Olives, on His way to Bethany, foretells His coming to destroy the city, and proceeds to speak also of His final coming to judgment (ÿÿ 127-130). ........4. WEDN...The rulers conspire against Christ on the eve of this day (i. e., the evening following Tuesday). Our Lord had partaken of the supper at Bethany, where Mary anointed Him, and where Judas laid his plan of treachery, which he made known to the chief priests in the course of this day. Jesus remained this day at Bethany.

14.

.5. THURS.. Jesus sends two disciples to the city to make ready the Passover. He Himself repairs thither in the afternoon, in order to eat the paschal supper at evening.

15........6. FRID.... At evening, in the very beginning of the fifteenth of Nisan, Jesus partakes of the paschal supper-is betrayed and apprehended (133–143). He is brought first before Caiaphas, and then, in the morning, before Pilate-is condemned, crucified, and before sunset laid in the sepulchre ( 144-158). 16........7. SAT.....The Jewish Sabbath. Our Lord rests in the sepul

chre.

17........1. SUND....Jesus RISES from the dead, at early dawn. ( 159.) 10. This wonderful sensation among such multitudes, created great excitement in the city, and led to an inquiry after the cause of it all. Who is this? Was moved. Was in commotion.

11. This description of Him by the multitude merely alludes to His fame, taking for granted that He had been heard of. "Art thou only a stranger in Jerusalem? (Luke 24. 18.)T Prophet of Nazareth. This was a common appellation. "He shall be called a Nazarene " (Matt. 2. 23).

12. Jesus went into the temple of God.

This, as we infer from Mark, was the next day after His reaching Jerusalem, having gone out to lodge at Bethany for the intervening night, and having cursed the fig-tree on His return to Jerusalem in the morning. At the first entrance into the temple, Marks speaks only of His "looking round about upon all things." His first work there, was to clear out the temple, as Matthew relates. (See Mark 11. 12-15.) He may have taken a first step towards this on the preceding day.

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Nazareth of Galilee.

into Jerusalem, all the city was | This is Jesus, the prophet of moved, saying, Who is this? 11 And the multitude said,

THE TEMPLE OF GOD. In Malachi 3. 1, it was prophesied, "The Lord whom ye seek shall suddenly come to HIS TEMPLE." This was the sacred structure at Jerusalem, set apart for the service of God, and recognized as His House. The temple of Solomon, or the first temple, was built about 1000 years before Christ, on Mount Moriah. It is described in 1 Kings chs. 6. and 7., and Chron. 3. and 4. This costly and magnificent edifice was destroyed by the Chaldeans, 584 years before Christ (2 Chron. 36. 6, 7).

THE SECOND TEMPLE. This structure, rebuilt by Zerubbabel, 70 years afterwards, at the close of the Babylonish captivity, was called the Second Temple. It was on the same site. The old men who had seen the first temple, were moved to tears on beholding this, which seemed so inferior (Ezra 3. 12. Haggai 2. 3); yet not really so much in dimensions, as in glory-not having the ark of the covenant, which had been burnt with the temple of Solomon. This building was desolated and profaned during the wars from B. C. 175, and was stormed by Herod, with the Roman troops, B. C. 37. This HEROD THE GREAT, being anxious to ingratiate himself with the Church and State party, undertook to repair and renew the temple. He commenced it in the eighteenth year of his reign, about twenty or twenty-one years before the Christian era. Priests and Levites finished the temple itself in a year and a half. The outbuildings and courts required eight years. However, building operations were long afterward in progress, under his successors, and it is in reference to these that the Jews said to Jesus, "Forty and six years was this temple in building." A Mohammedan mosque (of Omar) now occupies this site. (See plate of modern Jerusalem.)

All the premises occupied half a

12 And Jesus went into the

f Mar. 11.11. Lu. 19.45,&c. Jno.2.15,&c. Roman mile in circumference. This temple hill was terraced by means of massive walls thrown up; and the ground for the courts was made and laid out by this artificial means, each rising above the other, reached by a staircase, and the temple at the top, showing in all its splendour from every point of view.

COURTS. The outermost enclosure walled in, nearly square, was called the Court of the Gentiles, and also "the Mountain of the House." None but Jews could go beyond this court. On its east side was the Beautiful Gate (Acts 3. 2 and 10). Around the outer wall were halls, or covered porches, for the Levites' residence, and a synagogue, in which the Talmudic doctors might be asked questions (Luke 2. 46). Here Jesus had various opportunities for addressing the people and refuting cavillers. Here also the first Christians could assemble daily, with one accord (Acts 2. 46). One of these porches, called Solomon's (Acts 3. 11), was noted. It probably stood near that celebrated part of the outer wall, where the immense stones (some of them 45 cubits long, six wide and five high) are thought to have remained since Solomon's time. They form the base of that part of the wall whose eastern angle rests on the rocky precipice of Jehoshaphat. From the pinnacle or summit of the building that surmounts this point, our Lord was dared by the tempter to cast Himself down, a height of seven hundred feet in all, to the ravine below. Within this Court of the Gentiles were the tables of the money-changers, and the seats of them that sold doves, &c., for sacrifice, which our Lord cast outcleansing the temple premises of these traffickers.

The Court of the Women was the next enclosure, reached by a staircase from the Court of the Gentiles. This

temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the money-changers,

was not devoted to the women, but they might advance thus far, with others, yet no further, save when they brought a sacrifice. Lest the Gentiles should advance so far, there was a stone balustrade, some ten hands high, erected on a terrace; and still within this, were columns, having Greek and Latin inscriptions, warning off all heathens under penalty of death to enter farther (Eph. 2. 13, 14). Compare Acts 21. 28, where Paul is accused of having brought Greeks into the temple. In this court was the ordinary worship of the Jews (Luke 18. 10-14. Acts 21. 26-30). Here was the treasury, consisting of small chests along the wall (Mark 12. 41), where the gifts of worshippers were cast for the temple service. It contained the sums annually paid in by the Israelites (half a shekel each), besides donations, great and small, of rich men and poor widows.

Beyond this court, and on a still higher level, was the Court of Israel-i. e., of the males- whither all the men might come up, except such as were ceremonially unclean, &c. Our Saviour, being of the tribe of Judah, entered no farther than any common Israelite. Within this space, as a kind of inner half of the court, and surrounded by a stone balustrade, was the Court of the Priests, where they performed the daily temple service. Here was the altar of burnt offering and the brazen laver. This court directly surrounded the Sanctuary, or temple proper, which stood on still higher ground, and was reached by a staircase of twelve steps. A stately porch rose in front of the temple, at the highest point, to 180 feet. Within were two grand apartments-the Holy Place, with the altar of incense, golden candlestick, and table of show-bread; and the Most Holy Place, or Holy of

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and the seats of them that sold doves;

13 And said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called

g Is.56.7.

Holies, separated from it by a rich veil, or curtain (Matt. 27. 51).

This immense and costly structure was the pride and glory of the Jew. Built of white marble, and overlaid with silver and gold, it was an object of dazzling splendour. Yet it was utterly destroyed in the siege of Titus (Sept. 7, A. D. 70), as our Lord foretold (ch. 24. 2). The apostate emperor Julian undertook (A. D. 363) to rebuild it, defying the Divine purpose; but after much preparation and expense, he was compelled to desist by flames, which burst forth from the foundations, as historians abundantly testify.

12. Drove out them that sold and

bought. Such an expelling of traders is recorded in John, 2d chapter. It was symbolical of his work in purifying the covenant people. This was done in the outer court (of the Gentiles), the least sacred. Animals for sacrifice were sold here, and all that was necessary for the worshippers, many of whom being strangers in the city, would find this an accommodation. There were stands, or "seats" of them that sold doves. But this business was afterward a mere matter of gain and exaction. The buying and selling became a sad profanation of the sacred place. The house of God should not be devoted to secular purposes.- -T Tables of the money-changers. As the worshippers came up from all quarters-and especially as in Judea, now a Roman province, the money in use was a Roman currency, it needed to be exchanged for the Jewish coin which they were required to present for the sanctuary service. This made a business for Jewish brokers. It was often quite extensive, and was made a source of gain. The term here for money-changers is from a small coin, change." These brokers sat in the outer court.

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