16 thine eye evil, because I am good (c)? So the last fhall be firft, and the first laft: for many be called, but few chofen.

17

And Jefus going up to Jerufalem, took the twelve difciples apart in the way, and faid unto them, 18 Behold, we go up to Jerufalem, and the Son of fhall be betrayed unto the chief priests, and unto the fcribes, and they fhall condemn him to death (d), 19 And fhall deliver him to the Gentiles to mock, and to fcourge, and to crucify, him: and the third day he fhall rife again.

20

Then came to him the mother of Zebedee's children, with her fons (e), worshipping him, and defiring 21 a certain thing of him. And he faid unto her, What wilt thou? She faith unto him, Grant that these my two fons may fit, the one on thy right-hand, 22 and the other on thy left, in thy kingdom (ƒ). Bụt Jefus answered and faid, Ye know not what ye afk. Are ye able to drink of the cup (g) that I fhall drink of, and to be baptized with the baptifm that I am baptized with? They fay unto him, We are 23 able. And he faith unto them, Ye fhall drink indeed of my cup, and be baptized with the baptifm

(c) Do you look with anger and refentment on me, and with envy and malice on your fellow-labourers, becaufe of my goodness to them? What a wretched difpofition is this! let us enjoy our own lot with content, and adore God for his bounty, on whom foever he is pleased to beflow it. Riches and all good things come from him; and fhall we take upon us to direct him in the difpofal of them ?

(d) We are going to Jerufalem, and it is therefore proper that I fhould forewarn you what is to happen there.

(e) It is often the foolish ambition of parents to advance their ⚫ children's fortune, without thinking how to qualify them for the favour of God, on whom alone depends their happiness as well in this life as in the next.

(f) The notion that Chrift's kingdom was to be a temporal one was fo general, that even our Lord's difciples were under that miftake until after his refurrection.

(5) To drink of a cup fignifies to fuffer affliction, and to be baptized, is here used for being plunged into deep distress.

that

that I am baptized with (): but to fit on my righthand, and on my left, is not mine to give, but it fhall be given to them for whom it is prepared of my 24 Father. And when the ten heard it, they were moved with indignation against the two brethren. 25 But Jefus called them unto him, and faid, Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercife autho26 rity upon them. But it fhall not be fo among you: but whofoever will be great among you, let him be minister: And whofoever will be chief among 27 your 28 you, let him be your fervant (i). Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minifter, and to give his life a ransom for many. 29 And as they departed from Jericho, a great multi30 tude followed him. And behold, two blind men fit+

ting by the way-fide, when they heard that Jefus paff, ed by, cried out, faying, Have mercy on us, O Lord, 31 thou fon of David (k). And the multitude rebuked them, because they should hold their peace (7): but they cried the more, faying, Have mercy on us, O 32 Lord, thou Son of David. And Jefus ftood ftill, and

called them, and faid, What will ye that I fhall do 33 unto you? They fay unto him, Lord, that our eyes 34 may be opened. So Jefus had compaffion on them, and touched their eyes: and immediately their eyes received fight, and they followed him.

(h) See this fulfilled, Acts xii. 2.

(i) By minifter is here meant a perfon who voluntarily attends to the wants of others; by a fervant, one who is bound to do fo by the duty of his station: and he is the best Christian, and highest in God's favour, who labours moft to relieve the wants, and to promote the benefit, of others; and is ready to ferve them upon all occafions with condefcenfion and humility. See Mark ix. 35. x. 43.

(k) To call Jefus Son of David was an acknowledgment that he was the Chrift. See Chap. xxii. 42.

(1) In order that they might hold their peace.

CHA P.

3

CHA P. XXI.

AND when they drew nigh unto Jerufalem, and were

come to Bethphage, unto the mount of Olives, 2 then fent Jefus two difciples, Saying unto them, Go into the village over against you, and ftraightway ye fhall find an afs tied, and a colt with her : loofe them, and bring them unto me. And if any man fay ought unto you, ye fhall fay, The Lord hath need of them; and straightway he will fend them. 4 All this was done, that it might be fulfilled which 5 was fpoken by the prophet (a), faying, Teil ye the daughter of Sion, Behold, thy king cometh unto thee, meek, and fitting upon an afs, and a colt the 6 fole of an afs. And the difciples went, and did as 7 Jefus commanded them, And brought the ass, and

9

the colt, and put on them their clothes, and they`fet 8 bim thereon. And a very great multitude fpread their garments in the way; others cut down branches from the trees, and ftrawed them in the way. And the multitudes that went before, and that followed, cried, faying, Hofanna (b) to the Son of David : bleffed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord, 10 Hofanna in the higheft. And when he was come into Jerufalem, all the city was moved, faying, Who 11 is this? And the multitude faid, This is Jelus the prophet of Nazareth of Galilee.

12

And Jefus went into the temple of God, and caft out all them that fold and bought in the temple, and

(a) Events were fo admirably difpofed by the wife providence of God to fulfil his purposes, that the minuteft circumflances relating to Chrift were defcribed beforehand, in order to prepare men for his reception, and to afcertain him to be the Meffiah.

(b) See Luke xix. 40. God fave the Son of David! This is an application of Pfalm cxviii. 25, 26. which they used to fing at the Paflover, and is fuppofed to be the hymn fung by our blessed Saviour and the apostles before he went to the garden where he was betrayed.

overthrew the tables of the money-changers, and 13 the feats of them that fold doves, And faid unto them, It is written, My houfe fhall be called the houfe of prayer, but ye have made it a den of thieves. 14 And the blind and the lame came to him in the 15 temple, and he healed them. And when the chief priefts and scribes faw the wonderful things that he did, and the children crying in the temple, and faying, Hofanna to the fon of David, they were fore 16 difpleafed, And faid unto him, Heareft thou what these fay? And Jefus faith unto them, Yea; have ye never read, Out of the mouth of babes and fucklings thou haft perfected praise?

17

And he left them, and went out of the city into 18 Bethany, and he lodged there. Now in the morn19 ing as he returned into the city, he hungred. And when he faw a fig-tree (c) in the way, he came to it, and found nothing thereon, but leaves only, and faid unto it, Let no fruit grow on thee henceforward for ever. And presently the fig-tree withered away. 20 And when the difciples faw it, they marvelled, fay21 ing, How foon is the fig-tree withered away? Jefus anfwered and faid unto them, Verily I fay unto you, if ye have faith and doubt not (d), ye fhall not only do this which is done to the fig-tree, but also if ye

(c) This fig-tree growing by the road-fide, was probably no man's property; and if it were, being barren, no man was injured by the

miracle.

This miracle is generally confidered as an emblem of the rejection of the Jews, and ought to be a caution to us, not to be barren or unfruitful in the work of the Lord. Otherwife, if we have only the fhew and profeffion of Chriflianity, and bring forth only leaves, without producing the fruits of it in holiness of life, we shall be devoted to deftruction."

(d) This is a ftrong figurative expreffion, fignifying that, by a firm and lively truft in God, the difciples would be enabled to work the greatest miracles in confirmation of the divine truths they were to preach, fee Chap. xvii. 20. but no encouragement is hereby given to an enthufiaflic notion of the power of faith in ordinary cafes.

fhall

1

fhall fay unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and 22 be thou caft into the fea, it fhall be done. And all things whatfoever ye faall afk in prayer, believing, ye fhall receive.

23

And when he was come into the temple, the chief priests and elders of the people came unto him as he was teaching, and faid, By what authority doeft thou these things? and who gave thee this 24 authority? And Jefus anfwered and faid unto them, I also will ask you one thing; which if ye tell me, I in likewife will tell you by what authority I do thefe things. The baptism of John, whence was it? from heaven, or of men? And they reafoned with themselves, faying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will fay unto us, Why did ye not then believe him? 26 But if we fhall fay, Of men; we fear the people; for 27 all hold John as a prophet. And they answered Je

25

28

fus, and faid, We cannot tell. And he faid unto them, Neither tell I you by what authority I do these things.

But what think you? A certain man had two fons and he came to the firft, and faid, Sun, go work 29 to day in my vineyard. He answered and faid, I will not but afterward he repented, and went. 30 And he came to the second, and faid likewife, And he answered and faid, I go, Sir; and went not. 31 Whether of them twain did the will of his father? They fay unto him, The first. Jesus faith unto them, Verily I fay unto you, that the publicans and the harlots (e) go into the kingdom of God before you. 32 For John came upto you in the way of righteoufnefs, and ye believed him not: but the publicans and the harlots believed him. And ye, when ye had feen

(e) Even publicans and harlots, perfons whom you most hate and defpife, repent, and are earneft to become Chriftians, xix. 23. and are your guides, as it were, to fhew you the way; but you obftinately fet your felves against the gracious terms of the gofpel.