prayer for safety, the sacred "viva" for the heir to the Messianic throne about to be established. “Blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord." "The coming age" had dawned, and "He that should come" had now appeared in His kingdom, and this was their recognition that prophecy had been fulfilled. "Hosanna in the highest." It expressed the belief of the enthusiastic crowds that heaven would join with earth in the recognition of His claims. And amidst such loud acclamations the King of the Jews entered Jerusalem. The protests of the Pharisees fell on ears that heard not, or were ignored with a righteous disdain, for nothing could stay the stream of popular enthusiasm. And He Who came as King into His capital, in fulfilment of what had been written, would show Mal. iii. 1. Himself also as Priest, and, as Malachi had foretold, "come suddenly to His temple." He was unrecognised by those who should have been the first to welcome Him, but when priests and Levites held their peace, His praise was perfected "out of the mouth of babes and sucklings," for the children, hardly knowing perhaps what they were doing, took up the cry which they had heard in the streets, and shouted aloud, "Hosanna to the Son of David."

S. Matt. xxi. 15.

S. Luke

xix. 41.

S. Mark, contrary to expectation, has passed over unnoticed an incident which must have left an ineffaceable mark upon the memory of an eye-witness. We should have expected that it would occupy a prominent place in the narrative wherever the story of the Triumphal Entry would be told; but neither he nor S. Matthew have given us the picture of the most touching scene in sacred history,—the Saviour of the world weeping over the city in which He was going to suffer and to die. We are indebted for this to S. Luke alone, but it is noticed here, if only to point the moral of the strange and wonderful scene we have been witnessing. "And when He was come near, He beheld the city, and wept over it."

Their King

How was it that in the midst of all that homage, that worship and honour to the King of kings, He had thoughts of trouble and sadness? It was because He could see into futurity. That enthusiasm was all hollow and evanescent. in glory to-day-their Victim in shame to-morrow! But five days more, and all would be changed. The palm-branches of Sunday would be turned into thorns on Good Friday. Now they were eager to spread their garments before Him, then they would strip Him even of His Own. Now it is

"Hosanna to the Son of David," when four more suns have set it will be "Crucify Him, crucify Him;" "not this man, but Barabbas."

And He saw the vengeance that would overtake them. He saw them outcast from their home, wanderers upon the face of the earth, a byword in every land, an undying monument of the punishment that will come upon those who neglect the warnings of God and refuse to receive His Only Begotten Son.

NOTES.

1 This had taken place about midway between the Feast of Dedication in the month Kislev (December) and the Passover. After that, Jesus retired to Ephraim, where He continued till His last journey to Jerusalem.-S. John xiii. 54.

2 In the crowded state of Jerusalem it was a common practice for those who came up to the Feasts to lodge in the neighbouring villages, and to camp out on the Mount of Olives.

3 In all probability it was Bethphage, which, according to general belief, was about three-quarters of a mile nearer Jerusalem than Bethany. But Lightfoot supposes that it was the name of a district.

4 The common translation is from the Vulg. bivium.

5 Cf. i. 3.

6 καὶ εὐθέως αὐτὸν ἀποστέλλει (NABCD) πάλιν ᾧδε (NBCD). It makes it part of the message which they were charged to deliver. So Origen understood it in his Commentary.

7 It is found in the closing Psalm of the Hallel, cxviii., which was sung at the Feast of Tabernacles. It means "Save now," or "Save, we pray:" LXX. σŵσov dý.

8 To add to the festive character of the gathering every one wore the lulava spray of palm or willow or myrtle by day, and carried a torch by night.

LI.

The Withered Fig-tree.

S. MARK XI. 12-14, 20-26.

12. And on the morrow, when they were come from Bethany, He was hungry: 13. and seeing a fig tree afar off having leaves, He came, if haply He might find any thing thereon: and when He came to it, He found nothing but leaves; for the time of figs was not yet. 14. And Jesus answered and said unto it, No man eat fruit of thee hereafter for ever. And His disciples heard it.

20. And in the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots. 21. And Peter calling to remembrance saith unto Him, Master, behold, the fig tree which Thou cursedst is withered away. 22. And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God.

23. For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith. 24. Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them. 25. And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any that your Father also Which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. 26. But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father Which is in heaven forgive your trespasses.

AFTER our Lord had gone into the Temple at the close of His Triumphant Entry, the crowds must have dispersed, for He returned with the Twelve alone when the evening drew on. The night, we may well believe, was spent in prayer and fasting, perhaps as was His wont on the mountainside in the open air. When the day broke His first