of the battle depends upon the rod of God; Mosesis Jehovah's representative, but he is susceptible of fatigue, and needs his brethren's help.

5. We should be willing both to give and receive help in God's work.-Moses was not so wishful to have all the credit himself as to refuse aid from Aaron and Hur. They were ready to aid him, were not glad to see him fail because he would have more honour than they. The scholar should uphold

the teacher's hands by punctual attendance, attention, trying to practice what he learns, etc.

QUESTIONS. Whither did the Israelites journey from the desert of Sin? What happened at Rephidim? What course did Moses take? the result! What was happening meanwhile? What charge did Moses give? to whom? Whither did Moses go? Whom did he take with him? What was done on the hill? When Moses was weary, what did his companions do? Who won the battle? What record was made? What does "Jehovahnissi " mean?

SUMMARY.-Jesus chooses seventy disciples, and sends them in pairs to every place that He Himself intended to visit. He delivers to them a charge very similar to that which He had previously given to the twelve apostles. The Seventy return, and report the result of their mission, rejoicing that the devils were subject to them in Christ's name. He directs them to the true source of highest joy, and points out the great blessedness of His disciples.

Go

THE SEVENTY CHOSEN AND CHARGED. —V. 1 — 16. After these things, reported in the previous chapter, specially ver. 1-6. Other,-besides the twelve. Seventy,-as the number of the Apostles corresponded to that of the tribes, so this to the elders, Exod. xxiv. 1, 4; Num. xi. 16. The harvest, -Matt. ix. 37, 38, and Note. your ways that city.-See Afternoon Lesson for January 21st. The chief differences between ver. 3-12, and Matt. x. 5-15, are the absence of the prohibition against visiting the Gentiles, (which, however, is implied in before His face into every city and place, whither He Himself would come,) and the injunction to extreme haste, salute no man by the way. Compare 2 Kings iv. 29. Woe unto thee, etc.,Matt. xi. 20-24. See Afternoon Lesson for November 5th, 1871. He that heareth, etc.,-Matt. x. 40.

THE RETURN.-V. 17-24. Returned. -Evidently Jesus had fixed the time and place of meeting before they left Him. Even the devils, etc.,-their surprise

and joy were the greater because this had not been promised them. I beheld ..heaven.-The reference is probably to Satan's original expulsion from heaven, as symbolical of subsequent and total defeat. The reasoning is, it is not surprising that inferior spirits should be subject to you in My name, after that their prince is conquered. It shows, too, that Christ could sympathize with the joy of the Seventy in defeating the wicked one. As lightning, because he was a bright spirit, and the rapidity of his fall. I give you power, confirming and increasing what they already possessed. Serpents and scorpions, are symbols of all that is evil and deadly, Ps. xci. 13. Hurt,-injure. Notwithstanding,-this gently checked the undue elation of the disciples, in which there was something of pride and selfishness. Rejoice not,-comparatively. Your names are written in heaven, -in the Lamb's Book of Life, Rev. xxi. 27. Contrast Jer. xvii. 13. In that hour, etc.-See Illustration. Wise and prudent,-in their own and the world's estimation. Babes,-" of every age and capacity who have become as little children, Matt. xviii. 3; xxi. 16.”Prophets and kings,-the great ones of God's kingdom and man's. Have desired,-1 Peter i. 10-12.

REFLECTIONS.-1. God keeps a record of His children's names.— -Just as when you were born into this world your

Moses, according to his custom, sat to judge causes; he was thus occupied from morning to evening. Jethro expostulated with him, and persuaded him to appoint subordinate judges, to whom all ordinary cases were committed, the most important only being referred to Moses himself. By and by, Jethro departed to his own land, but the arrangement he had advised continued for many years.

Many think that this visit of Jethro happened not at Rephidim, but in the desert of Sinai; it is recorded here that the narrative of the giving of the law might not be interrupted.

JETHRO'S VISIT.-V. 1-12. All that God had done,-from the first plague to the victory over Amalek. After he

had sent her back.-Moses did not take his wife with him into Egypt. Gershom,- -means "a stranger here.' Eliezer,-i.e., "My Godis my help." The Mount of God,-Horeb. And he said, -by messengers, ver. 7. Asked each other of their welfare.-Heb., "peace," Gen. xliii. 27. Travail, trouble, difficulty, pain. In the thing wherein they dealt proudly He was above them,-their pride was the instrument of their punishment; pursuing the Israelites, even after the tenth plague, the Egyptians were destroyed in the Red Sea. Jethro..took,- therefore Jethro was a priest of the true God, like Melchizedek and Job, Gen. xiv. 18; Job i. 5; xlii 8. Burnt offering and sacrifices, -the first was burnt whole upon the altar; of the second, part was burnt, part eaten. To eat bread,-signifies to partake of the sacrifice.

JUDGES APPOINTED. - V. 13-26. Judge,-i.e., to administer justice. The people,-i.e., those who came for justice. To inquire of God, they accepted Moses' decisions as given by God; in difficult and important matters, he did inquire of God directly, Num. xv. 33-35. Both thou, and this people,the waiting was as wearisome to the people as the judging to Moses. Counsel, -Jethro's age and experience would add weight to his words. Be thou for the people to God-ward,-i.e., toward God;

be thou the mediator, the channel of communication between Him and them. And thou shalt teach, etc.,promulgate to them God's direction, both general principles and practical details. Able men,-competent to the office from their knowledge of the law, their judicial acumen, and the esteem they were held in by the people. Such as fear God, of established and acknowledged piety. Men of truth,-who would give honest judgments. Hating covetousness,-not to be bribed. Rulers of thousands, etc.,-as far as possible, these divisions were made to coincide with the division into families, tribes, etc. Every great matter,-intricate, difficult of decision, specially important. God command thee so,-Jethro did not desire Moses to act upon his advice without God's sanction. Evidently this sanction was given, ver. 24-26. Let his father-in-law depart,-Jethro's presence and advice would have been valuable, but Moses would not detain him against his will. Zipporah and the children remained in the camp.

REFLECTIONS. 1. Mark Moses' humility and courtesy; how he received Jethro, how he took counsel from him. His elevation had not rendered him proud, or destroyed his good manners.

2. Friendship should never be disjoined from religion.-Jethro and Moses talk of God's wondrous works, and sacrifice together. So we should speak of religion to our friends, and cement friendship by prayer.

3. The qualifications of rulers and judges.-If we desire positions of authority and responsibility, we should strive to be like the men whom Moses chose for judges.

QUESTIONS.-Who came to visit Moses ? where? Whom did he bring with him? What do "Gershom" and "Eliezer " mean? How did Moses receive Jethro ? What did he tell him? How did Jethro reply? What religious service did they engage in? How was Moses occupied on the morrow? What advice did Jethro give? was it followed? The qualifications of the judges!

inherit eternal life?" Jesus refers him to the law that he may answer his own

query. He rightly replies that the sum of the whole law is to love God with all our heart, and our neighbour as ourselves. He is commended for his answer. Immediately he asks, "Who is my neighbour ?" Whereupon Christ speaks the parable of the Good Samaritan. Notice that the parable is not a direct reply to the inquiry (though the inferential answer is unmistakable). It rather propounds the question, What is it to be neighbourly? Thus the speculative interrogation becomes personal and practical.

Afterwards Jesus is entertained in the house of Martha and Mary, and commends the choice of the younger sister.

He

THE LAWYER'S QUESTIONS.-V. 2529. Lawyer,-scribe; both a copyist and an expounder of the law. Tempted, -tried; curious to know how Christ would answer the question. The word does not necessarily bear a bad sense; the tone of Christ's reply shows that He gave the lawyer credit for some earnestness. Do..inherit.-He might have seen that these two ideas of doing in order to and inheriting are mutually exclusive. How readest thou ?-thou who art learned in the law. answering, said.-The reply he gave indicates no little spiritual perception; he understood the law well. Right,these are the two great commandments upon which both the law and the prophets hang. This do,-the "do" is emphatic. Thy principles are correct; is thy practice in strict conformity with them? Willing to justify himself,-yet no explicit accusation had been made; his conscience smote him. Had he confined his charity within too narrow limits? "willing," i.e., wishful, anxious. Whois my neighbour?-A question much discussed among the doctors, the almost universal decision being that neighbour meant Jew. The very asking such a question proved that he was prepared himself to give a wrong answer to it.

THE GOOD SAMARITAN.-V. 30-37. Down,-not because Jericho was some one thousand five hundred feet below Jerusalem, but because he was travelling from the capital. So with us, trains from London are "down" trains, to London "up" trains. Jerusalem to Jericho,-about nineteen miles. Thieves, -banditti; the road was in Christ's time, and is now, infested with robberbands. Stripped him of his raiment,—if of that, of course of all else that he had. Wounded him,-either because he

resisted, or in sheer cruelty. Departed, -careless what became of their victim. Half-dead-from his wounds, certain to die unless help were at hand. By chance, rather, coincidence: Wesley translates, "it came to pass that." "By that wonderful falling in of one event with another, which often indeed seems to men but chance, yet is indeed of the fine weaving in, by God's providence, of the threads of different men's lives into one common woof." Trench. Priest,-probably a resident in Jericho; many priests lodged there, so that it was called the "city of priests." Saw him, he did not leave him because he was ignorant of his situation. Passed by, -yet he need not have hurried, he was going home, his period of service at the Temple was over, Luke i. 5, and Note. On the other side,-as far from the dying man as possible. Levite,— whose training in the external service of the Temple would have stood him in good stead, had he been disposed to help. Came and looked,-moved by curiosity or by a momentary feeling of compassion. Passed by,-doubtless both priest and Levite excused themselves, the man was too far gone for effectual assistance; the robbers might return; any one standing by the sufferer might be accused of the murder. Perhaps they thanked God they were not in such an evil case. Yet the law they professed to obey forbade them to leave even a neighbour's ass in danger, Exod. xxiii. 4, 5 ; Deut. xxii. 1-4. Samaritan,-doubtless the wounded man was a Jew, who would have scorned to help the Samaritan in similar circumstances. As he journeyed, he had reason for haste. Compassion,-here is the great difference between the Samaritan and the other two, this it is that made his conduct worthy of imitation. If the priest or Levite had aided the victim to be seen of men, their characters would have been no less heartless and blameworthy. Bound up his wounds,-using his own garments for bandages. Oil and wine-were the remedies for wounds most in repute at that time. Set him

on his own beast,-himself walking. Inn, -the only place of entertainment open to both. Took care of him,— nursed him, attended to his wants tenderly. Morrow, he had other duties which he could not neglect.

Two pence,-two days' wages for a labouring man, (Matt. xx. 2,) sufficient for the sick man's support during the short absence of the Samaritan. Possibly the smallness of the sum is an indication that the giver was poor, obliged to economize money. Yet mark how generously he adds, "Whatsoever thou spendest more, I will repay thee." Take care of him,-himself had set the example how. These three,-so Christ comprehends the Jewish dignities and the despised Samaritan in one word. He that showed mercy on him.-He cannot bring himself to reply "the Samaritan," but his answer points the moral even more clearly than that reply would have done. Go, and do thou, etc., -be neighbour thyself to every man with whom Providence brings thee into contact. Striving to obey Christ's injunction, he would find the need of that perfect love to God, without which he could not love his neighbour as himself.

MARTHA AND MARY.-V. 38-42. A certain village,-some think that this was Bethany, and that the occurrence is narrated out of its chronological order, and that it is placed immediately after the parable of the Good Samaritan, that Christians may not be inclined to imagine that religion is all works of mercy. Others (among whom is Mimpriss, whose "Harmony" our Lessons follow) hold that Martha and Mary had a residence somewhere in Galilee, as well as at Bethany. Martha received Him into her house,-it is conjectured that the house belonged to her, and that Mary was a younger sister living with her. Sat,-the posture of submission, attention, obedience. Cumbered about much serving, anxious to do her Guest all possible honour, she had grown troubled and flurried. Lord, dost Thou not care ?thus she rudely interrupted the Lord in His conversation with Mary, and brings a sort of half-complaint against Christ Himself. Hath left me,-80 Mary had been helping Martha, perhaps before Jesus came. To serve alone,she thought Mary was wronging her by her quietness. Martha, Martha,there is both reproof and kindness in the repetition of the name. Careful,full of cares in her mind. Troubled,

the actions by which the carefulness was manifested. Many things,-many preparations for the feast. It was not

So much the service as the being cumbered and troubled, that Christ reproved. One thing is needful. — At first Martha might understand her Guest to mean one dish is sufficient for My wants, but the reference to the choice of Mary would show her that the one thing needful was true religion, Christ Himself. Part,-a metaphor taken from the feast; whatever was given to each guest was often called a part." Not be taken away,-by thee or by Me; in this life or the next.

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REFLECTIONS.-1. We cannot love our neighbour as ourselves till we love God above ourselves.

2. Nothing ever happens by chance: coincidences are providential.

3. All who need our compassion have a claim upon it.-But compassion must show itself in acts.

4. Read James iv. 17; Prov. xxiv. 11, 12. The priest and the Levite wronged the wounded man by refusing to help him.

5. Jesus is the Good Samaritan."Jesus is come down from heaven; He sees sinners lying in their blood, helpless, and desperate; His compassions are kindled towards them; He binds up the wounds of the guilty sinner's soul, even of all who will believe; His own blood is the healing balm that He pours into them; He brings them into His Church, where they are fed with provision of His ordinances; He revives them with the cordials of His love, and bears their charges through the inn of this world, supporting them with the riches of His grace; He commends them to the care of His ministers, whose diligence, if they be faithful to the end, He will not fail at His second coming to reward."-Dr. Coke.

6. We should try to combine Martha's activity and Mary's quietness and love. -See Wesley's Hymn, 325.