sit on my right hand and on my left is not mine to give. It is for them for whom God reserves it."

Did Jesus himself believe that one would rank above another in the kingdom of God? Was he so inconsistent with himself? Certainly not. He would have no outward, extraneous, arbitrary elevation of individuals, no distinctions such as the world recognizes; but he knew very well that God has divided the gifts of the spirit diversely, and that one has increased his talents more and another less. Not only did he say, "The more humble, the more exalted; the more selfdenying, the more to be honored!" but he also saw that the Father had given one clearer light and more savory salt of the spirit than another. Perhaps at this very time the possibility rose before his mind, which was afterwards realized by Stephen and Paul, that he might yet find disciples less prejudiced and intractable than the Twelve, or even the chosen three, - disciples who would penetrate further into his meaning, would exert a more powerful influence than they, and would become the first after himself in the kingdom of God!

However this may be, he was soon compelled to intercede among the disciples themselves; for when the other ten heard how James and John had tried to steal a march upon them, they were exceedingly angry, for they were all of them equally worldly and ambitious. But Jesus, in order to restore a good understanding, called them all to him, and without at all excusing the conduct of the two brothers, gently reproved the rest: " You know how things go among the heathen, - how princes govern the peoples and great men control the masses? But it must not be so with you! If any one of you would be great, let him serve the rest; and whichever of you would be first, let him be the servant of all.1 Even so the Son of Man has come not to be served, but to serve all others [and to give his life as a ransom for many]."

That was and is and will ever be the motto of the kingdom of God. How many of its professed servants understand and apply it as Jesus did himself, and required others to do?

The caravan passed by the stately groves to which Jericho owes its name of the "City of Palms;" by the precious balsam-bushes that, according to the ancient authorities, grew nowhere else but here; by the rose and flower-gardens, which

1 Compare Luke xxii. 25-27.

filled the air with their perfume, and which strangers vied with the people of the place in praising. At last they came to the beautiful, flourishing, active city of Jericho itself, where they intended to stay and find quarters for the night, to recover from the fatigues of the journey and prepare themselves for the last and hardest part of their pilgrimage, the barren reach from Jericho to Jerusalem. Their fame had preceded them to Jericho, and a great crowd came out to meet the celebrated Rabbi or Prophet of Nazareth, who had succeeded John in preaching the approach of the kingdom of God. Curiosity and friendly interest on the one hand, and hatred of the seducer of the people on the other, as well as the deeper longing for the salvation of the Lord, brought out the citizens of Jericho in crowds; and as the company entered the city and passed slowly through it, the varying sentiments of the bystanders were from time to time distinctly enough proclaimed.

Now among the crowd a man, whose wealth was shown by his rich apparel, might have been observed pressing forward to get a sight of Jesus as he drew near the far end of the town where this man lived. He was the chief of the great tax-office at Jericho, which was a very important one, and his name was Zacchæus. We can well believe, therefore, that not a creature stirred a step to make way for him! This grieved him beyond measure, for he was a short man and could not see over the shoulders and heads of the crowd; but he was determined not to be thwarted, so he extricated himself from the crush and ran forward till he came to a place where a sycamore-tree grew beside the way. The caravan would pass by it; so, regardless of his own dignity and the jeering of the lookers-on, he clambered up among the spreading branches of this tree, whence he could narrowly watch the man of whom he had heard so much that was good, and could observe him at his ease. Little did he think what was in store for him!

The crowd soon reached the spot, and many eyes were involuntarily raised to the sycamore-tree. Jesus himself looked up, stood still, and cried to the publican, "Zacchæus, come down quickly! for I would gladly be your guest to-day." Zacchæus could hardly believe his ears. In a moment he was on the

ground again, and, after doing obeisance to his guest, he conducted him to his house, while his heart overflowed with joy. But we can easily see what a bad impression this would make on the public. Just look! He actually prefers to be the

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guest of such a sinner rather than of any of the respectable and virtuous people who would have been glad to entertain him!" Such comments were freely uttered; so freely, indeed, that as Zacchæus and Jesus were about to enter the house they could not help hearing them. The former perhaps feared that the unexpected honor, the great privilege, of receiving the prophet might even yet be snatched away from him, and that Jesus might choose another host; but at any rate he felt that he ought to show not only his gratitude, but also his perfect readiness to make full amends for his past life; so he took a brave resolve, and, standing before Jesus with a certain solemnity of manner, he uttered this spontaneous vow before the prophet crossed his threshold: "The half of my possessions, Lord, I hereby give to the poor; and if I have exacted any undue payments, I will restore them fourfold." Jesus was pleased by the man's passionate longing for salvation, and at once to set him at peace, to restore him to honor before the people, and to defend his own conduct, said: “Today is salvation come into this house, since he too is a son of Abraham; for the Son of Man is come to seek and to save that which was lost."

Probably the stay at Jericho was not a long one, but neither was it without results. The Pharisees may have been prevented from visiting Jesus by his staying in a sinner's house; but others would no doubt be only too glad of any opportunity of seeing and hearing him. And whoever came he doubtless taught them that the kingdom of God was at hand, and urged them with all his power to repent. Nor can we help imagining that his disciples scattered up and down among the people of Jericho must, in spite of themselves, have given utterance to their great expectations and set many a heart a-glow. We must also remember that the scene of John's appearance and activity was not far from Jericho, so that the impression he had made would be more lasting here than elsewhere, and the sound of his voice must still have been echoing in many a bosom. We can therefore well believe the statement that when the caravan left Jericho a great number of the citizens went with it. Most of these would only escort Jesus a little way, but some would attach themselves to him more permanently. In connection with this circumstance the following story of a miraculous cure is given : —

Just outside the city a certain blind`man, Bartimæus, sat 1 Compare Exodus xxii. 1, 4, 7; Numbers v. 6, 7; and p. 135.

by the road-side begging. Hearing the approach of a number of people in no small commotion he asked what it was all about, and was told that Jesus of Nazareth was coming past. Then a ray of hope shot through his night of misery, and he cried at the top of his voice, "Jesus, son of David, take pity on me!" In vain did the foremost of the crowd command him to be silent and rebuke him for disturbing the Master. He only cried all the more earnestly, "Son of David, have pity!" Jesus heard him, stood still, and said to the people round about him, "Let him come to me!" Then they said to the blind man, "Be of good cheer! he is calling you." In a moment Bartimæus had thrown off his cloak and stood up to be led to Jesus. "What would you have from me?" said the Master kindly. "Rabboni! [my Master] I would receive my sight again," answered the other in a suppliant voice. With deep compassion Jesus laid his hand upon his eyes and said, "Receive your sight! your faith has saved you.” On the spot the blind man gained his sight again, and he followed his benefactor, rendering fervent thanks to God.

Mark (and he alone) gives the blind man's name as Bartimæus, having already said that he was "the son of Timæus," which is the same thing; but we must not be misled by the fact of the name being given (a circumstance to which the re is no parallel in other stories of healing) into supposing that any actual individual was meant; for in all probability this name is symbolical, and means "son of the blind." It is of small importance that Matthew speaks of two blind men on this as on a previous occasion, or that Luke makes the event occur as Jesus enters Jericho instead of as he leaves it. He does so in order to provide a more suitable introduction to the meeting with Zaccheus which he alone relates. It is possible that this symbolic narrative designedly places us at the point when Jesus turns directly towards Jerusalem, as an indication that he was ready to open the eyes of his people, -the blind sons of blind fathers.2 But originally it was most likely a picture of Jesus as the sinners' friend. need not stay to ask whether any special event which really took place at Jericho lies at the bottom of the story, nor whether the cure of the blind man (or men) in the first two Gospels corresponds properly to the rescue of Zaccheus in the third, while Luke has preserved both the historical and the symbolical form of the event side by side.3 Again, cer

We

1 See p. 208. 2 Compare Matthew xv. 14, xxiii. 16, 17, 19, 24, 26; John ix. 8 See p. 202.

tain difficulties have been urged against the visit to the chief publican itself; for instance, that Luke alone records it, that Jesus could not have known the man's name, and that Zacchæus has the symbolical meaning of "clean. "1 But these objections do not appear to us conclusive; and in any case we need not discuss them, for both the story of Zacchæus and that of the blind man give a true picture, each in in its way, of the character of the work of Jesus. But the point that strikes us most, and upon which we would lay the fullest stress, is the position which these stories occupy. Who does not feel the significance of the fact that here, in Judæa itself, at the very gates as it were of the City of the Temple, here as he enters upon the last stage of his career, a stage in many respects so dark and gloomy, — Jesus meets us yet again as the redeemer of the lost ones, loving and gentle, spontaneous and delicate in his advances, pitiful, self-denying, and lovable as ever!

Under every change that we have observed, even under this last great revolution in his prospects, his feelings, and the tone of his preaching, he remains the same in his divine pity for every one who has gone astray. His heart was as warm as ever; his faith in human nature and his reverence for man were not shaken for a moment by his melancholy experience. The preacher of God's judgment drawing near to the capital of his country is still, even there, even to the end, the friend of sinners, the inspired advocate of the new and immortal principle of man's worth and God's love. It was in this spirit of redeeming love, it was to seek and to save, that he plunged into the midst of dangers that none foresaw more clearly than himself.

1 Compare Luke xi. 41 with xix. 8.