Mat. xx. 10. 11. But when the first came, they supposed that they should on a tour. have received more; and they likewise received every man a penny. And when they had received it, they murmured against 12. Saying, These last have wrought but one hour, and John xi. I. 13. But he answered one of them, and said, Friend, I do 14. 15. Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? 16. So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be SECTION XLI. Christ is informed of the Sickness of Lazarus". Now a certain man was sick, named Lazarus, of Be- 30 The expression here used is supposed to refer to the manner in which the Romans selected men for recruiting their armies. The honour of being chosen to serve their country in a military capacity was esteemed the reward of superiority. The consuls summoned to the capitol, or the Campus Martius, all citizens capable of bearing arms, from the age of seventeen to forty-five. They drew up by tribes, and lots were drawn to determine in what order every tribe should present its soldiers. That which was the first order, chose the four citizens who were judged the most proper to serve in the war; and the six tribunes who commanded the first legion, selected one of these four, whom they liked best. The tribunes of the second and third legions likewise made their choice one after another; and he that remained entered into the fourth legion. A new tribe presented other four soldiers, and the second legion chose first. The third and fourth legions had the same advantage in their turns. In this manner, each tribe successively appointed four soldiers, till the legions were complete. They next proceeded to the creation of subaltern officers, whom the tribunes chose from among the soldiers of the greatest reputation. When the legions were thus completed, the citizens who had been called, but not chosen, returned to their respective employments, and served their country in other capacities.-Sec Clarke's Comment. in loc. 31 The resurrection of Lazarus is placed by Archbishop Newcome after John x. and after the supplementary chapters of St. Luke. Tatian, Gerson, and some others agree in the same arrangement. After the feast of the dedication our Lord went to Bethabara, beyond Jordan, the place where John baptized, John x. 40. Archbishop Newcome supposes, that as he remained there, and as John xi. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. (It was that Mary which anointed the Lord with oint- On a tour. ment, and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick.) Therefore his sisters sent unto him, saying, Lord, behold, he whom thou lovest is sick. When Jesus heard that, he said, This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby. Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus. Then after that saith he to his disciples, Let us go into 8. His disciples say unto him, Master, the Jews of late 9. 10. 11. 12. Jesus answered, Are there not twelve hours in the day? If any man walk in the day, he stumbleth not, because he seeth the light of this world. But if a man walk in the night, he stumbleth, because there is no light in him. These things said he and after that he saith unto them, Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep. Then said his disciples, Lord, if he sleep he shall do well. St. John proceeds immediately to the resurrection of Lazarus, Lightfoot further observes, that he remained in the place ever. Lightfoot's arrangement of the resurrection is the same as that of Bishop Richardson, and it is sanctioned by the learned Archbishop Usher, Lamy, Toinard, and others. Joha xi. 13. 14. 15. 16. Howbeit Jesus spake of his death; but they thought On a tour. that he had spoken of taking of rest in sleep. Then said Jesus unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead. And I am glad, for your sakes, that I was not there, to the intent that ye may believe: nevertheless let us go unto him. Then said Thomas, which is called Didymus, unto his fellow disciples, Let us also go, that we may die with him. Julian Pe riod, 4742. Vulgar Æra, 29. Mark x. 32. Mat. xx. 17. SECTION XLII. Christ again predicts his Sufferings and Death”. MATT. XX. 17-19. MARK X. 32-34. LUKE Xviii. 31-34. And they were in the way going up to Jerusalem; Lu. xviii.31. took unto him the twelve, and said unto them, Behold, Mark x.32. and Jesus went before them: and they were amazed; and as they followed, they were afraid. And he took again the twelve, Mat. xx. 17. disciples apart in the way, Mark x. 32. and began to tell them what things should happen unto him, Mat. xx. 17. and said unto them, 18. Behold, we go up to Jerusalem, and the Son of man shall be betrayed Mark x. 33. and delivered unto the Chief Priests, and unto the Scribes ; and they shall condemn him to death, and shall deliver him to the Gentiles : Mat. xx. 19. to mock, and to scourge, and to crucify him: Lu. xviii.32. For he shall be delivered to the Gentiles, and shall be mocked, and spitefully intreated, and spitted on: 32 During our Lord's final journey to Jerusalem, he forewarns his disciples of his approaching sufferings and death, in the fullest manner. He explicitly unfolds to the twelve disciples the spiritual nature of his kingdom; but their understandings were so blinded by their own preconceived ideas of Messiah's power, that they knew not the things that were spoken. He was now about to perform one of the most convincing and stupendous of his miracles: and he embraces the opportunity to predict all that awaited him to his disciples. He declares that he was going up to Jerusalem, not to assume the pomp and robes of royalty, as they but too fondly expected, but to be betrayed, to be insulted, to be scourged, and to be put to death. His disciples at this very moment, as is evident from the conduct of the sons of Zebedee in the next section, were ambitiously anticipating their temporal honours. Lu.xviii.33. 34. And they shall scourge him, and put him to death: and On a tour. the third day he shall rise again. And they understood none of these things: and this saying was hid from them, neither knew they the things which were spoken. 18 unto the chief priests and unto the scribes, and they shall condemn him to death, 19 And shall deliver him to the Gentiles-and the third day he shall rise again. MARK X. part of ver. 33. and ver. 34. 33 the Son of man shall be 34 And they shall mock him, and shall scourge him, and shall spit upon him, and shall kill him; and the third day he shall rise again. Mat. xx. 20. SECTION XLIII. Ambition of the Sons of Zebedee. MATT. XX. 20-28. MARK X. 35-45. Then came to him the mother of Zebedee's children, On the way with her sons, Mark x. 35. James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Mat. xx. 20. worshipping him, and desiring a certain thing of him. 36. 37. And he said unto them, What would ye that I should do for you? They said unto him, Grant unto us that we may sit, one on thy right hand, and the other on thy left hand, in thy glory. Mat. xx. 21. She saith unto him, Grant that these my two sons may sit, the one on thy right hand, and the other on thy left, in thy kingdom. 22. Mark x. 38. 39. But Jesus answered, But Jesus said unto them, Ye know not what ye ask: can ye drink of the cup that I drink of? and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with? And they say unto him, We can. And Jesus said unto 40. But to sit on my right hand and on my left hand, is not Mat. xx. 23. of Mark x. 41. my Father. And when the ten heard it, they began to be much displeased with James and John. to Bethany. Mat. xx. 21. and they were moved with indignation against the two On the way to Bethany. Mark x. 42. 43. 44. 45. Lu.xviii.35. brethren. But Jesus called them to him, and saith unto them, Ye know that they which are accounted to rule over the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and their great ones exercise authority upon them. But so shall it not be among you: but whosoever will be great among you, shall be your minister: And whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be servant of all. For even the Son of man came not to be ministered MATT. XX. part of ver. 21, 22, 23, 24, and ver. 25, 26, 27, 28. 22 and said, Ye know not what ye ask. Are ye able to 23 And he saith unto them, Ye shall drink indeed of my cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with; but to sit on my right hand, and on my left, is not mine to give, but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared 24 when the ten heard it 25 But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them. 26 But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister; 27 And whomsoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant : 28 Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many. SECTION XLIV. Two Blind Men healed at Jericho 33. MATT. XX. 29. to the end. MARK X. 46. to the end. And it came to pass, that as he was come nigh unto Jericho. 33 Pilkington remarks on this passage. Three Evangelists make mention of Jesus' giving sight to a blind man near Jericho; but there are such different expressions, in their several accounts of this matter, as have induced several harmonists to conclude that different cures are related by them. 1. St. Matthew saith, As they departed from Jericho, two blind men cried out, &c. 2. St. Mark, As he went out of Jericho, blind Bartimæus began to cry out, &c. 3. St. Luke, As he was come nigh unto Jericho, a certain blind man cried out, &c. The most general conclusion from hence is, that the miracle |