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5 They mentioned Galilee, maliciously; to excite Pilate's suspicions: the Galileans being very impatient of the Roman yoke, and especially prone to sedition.

this fellow perverting the nation, and forbidding to give tribute to Cæsar, saying that he himself is Christ a King. And Pilate asked him, saying, Art thou the King of the Jews? And he answered him and said, Thou sayest it. Then said Pilate to the chief priests and to the people, I find no fault in this man. And they were the more fierce, saying, He stirreth up the people, teaching throughout all Jewry, beginning from Galilee to this place. When Pilate heard of Galilee, he asked whether the man were a Galilæan. And as soon as he knew that he belonged to Herod's jurisdiction, he sent him to Herod, who himself also was at Jerusalem at that time. And when Herod saw Jesus, he was exceeding glad: for he was desirous to see him of a long season, because he had heard many things of him; and he hoped to have seen some miracle done by him. Then he questioned with him in many words; but he answered him nothing. And the chief priests and scribes stood and vehemently accused him. And Herod with his men of war set him at nought, and mocked him, and arrayed him in a gorgeous robe, and sent him again to Pilate. And the same day Pilate and Herod were made friends together for before they were at enmity between themselves. And Pilate, when he had called together the chief priests and the rulers and the people, said unto them, Ye have brought this man unto me, as one that perverteth the people: and, behold, I, having examined him before you, have found no fault in this man touching those things whereof ye accuse him: no, nor yet Herod: for I sent you to him; and, lo, nothing worthy of death is done unto him. I will therefore chastise him, and release him. (For of necessity he must release one unto them at the feast.) And they cried out all at once, saying, Away with this man, and release unto us Barabbas: (who for a certain sedition made in the city, and for murder, was cast into prison.) Pilate therefore, willing to release Jesus, spake again to them. But they cried, saying, Crucify him, crucify him. And he said unto them the third time, Why, what evil hath he done? I have found no cause of death in him I will there

9 To Pilate, the appointed judge, our Lord had replied courteously. Before Herod, whose questions flowed from mere curiosity, he preserves a dignified silence.

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22 Pilate at once saw and felt what the strictness of Roman justice required; but basely yielding to popular clamour, he laid upon his conscience the dreadful guilt of con

fore chastise him, and let him demning the innocent, and letting go. And they were instant the guilty go free.

with loud voices, requiring that he might be crucified. And the voices of them and of the chief priests prevailed. And Pilate gave sentence that it should be as they required. And he released unto them him that for sedition and murder was cast into prison, whom they had desired; but he delivered Jesus to their will. And as they led him away, they laid hold upon one Simon, a Cyrenian, coming out of the country, and on him they laid the cross, that he might bear it after Jesus. And there followed him a great company of people, and of women, which also bewailed` 28 Jesus ever sympathized with and lamented him. 28 But others' sufferings. Will He not care Jesus turning unto them said, for us in our sorrows now ?

us.

31 "If thus they treat me in my innocence, how shall the wicked escape them?" In Scripture-language good men are compared to trees, and flourishing-evil men to an oak, whose leaf fadeth." (Is. i. 30.)

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Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for me, but weep for yourselves, and for your children. For, behold, the days are coming, in the which they shall say, Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bare, and the paps which never gave suck. Then shall they begin to say to the mountains, Fall on us; and to the hills, Cover 31 For if they do these things in a green tree, what shall be done in the dry? And there were also two other, malefactors, led with him to be put to death. And when they were come to the place, which is called Calvary, there they crucified him, and the malefactors, one on the right hand, and the other on the left. 34 Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. and cast lots. 35 And the people stood beholding. And the rulers also with them derided him, saying, He saved others; let him save himself, if he be Christ, the chosen of God. And the soldiers also mocked him, coming to him, and offering him vinegar, and saying, If thou be the king of the Jews, save thyself. And a superscription also was written over him in letters of Greek, and Latin, and Hebrew, THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS. And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us. But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the

54 Thus fulfilling a wondrous prophecy. (Ps. xxii. 18.) And they parted his raiment,

35 To this day, derision is a favourite mode adopted by wicked men to show their hatred of religion and its followers.

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43 This example checks despair, but does not encourage delay. Paradise is the place of departed spirits, where the just rest in peace, before the

resurrection.

same condemnation * ? And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss. And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. 43 And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise. And it was about the sixth hour, and there was a darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour. And the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was rent in the midst. And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost. Now when the centurion saw what was done, he glorified God, saying, Certainly this was a righteous man. And all the people that came together to that sight, beholding the things which were done, smote their breasts, and returned. And all his acquaintance, and the women that followed him from Galilee, stood afar off, beholding these things.

44 From noon to three o'clock there was a supernatural darkness. Nature herself mourned, as it were, when the Lord of nature did die.

Ver. 50. And, behold, there was a man named Joseph, a counsellor; and he was a good man, and a just: (the same had not consented to the counsel and deed of them ;) he was of Arimathæa, a city of the Jews: who also himself waited for the kingdom of God. This man went unto Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus. And he took it down, and wrapped it in linen, and laid it in a sepulchre that was hewn in stone, wherein never

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contradictory prophecy, that He 53 Thus was fulfilled the apparently should make his grave "with the wicked, and with the rich in his death."

56 How does a fulfilment of these

man before was laid. And that day was the preparation, and the sabbath drew on. And the women also, which came with him from Galilee, followed after, and beheld the sepulchre, and how his body was laid. " And they returned, and prepared spices and ointments; and rested the sabbath day according to the commandment.

pious offices on this occasion sanctify

the observance of them in our own case, where they aid in alleviating, in some degree, the mourner's sorrow.

* How marvellous a faith! In one breath he testifies both to the divine and human nature of the crucified Redeemer. Having declared "This man hath done nothing amiss ;" he instantly adds" Lord! remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom."

CHAPTER XXIV.

MARCH 13, JULY 12, Nov. 8.

TUESDAY IN EASTER-WEEK, morning, to ver. 13.
ASCENSION-DAY, morning, from ver. 44.

1 Warm affection never delays its pious offices.

5 Their appearance was transcendently glorious-as angels.

'Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them. And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre. And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus. And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed thereabout, behold, two men stood by them in shining garments: 'and as they were afraid, and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said unto them, Why seek ye the living among the dead? he is not here, but is risen remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee, saying, The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again. And they remembered 9 Eleven apostles only were lefthis words, and returned from Judas having gone to his own place. the sepulchre, and told all these things unto the eleven, and to all the rest. It was Mary Magdalene, and Joanna, and Mary the mother of James, and other women that were with them, which told these things unto the apostles. And their words seemed to them as idle tales, and they believed them not. Then arose Peter, and ran unto the sepulchre; and stooping down, he beheld the linen clothes laid by themselves, and departed, wondering in himself at that which was come to pass.

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Ver. 13. And, behold, two of them went that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was from Jerusalem about threescore furlongs. And they talked together of all these things. which had happened. 15 And it came to pass, that, while they communed together and reasoned, Jesus himself drew near, and went with them. But their eyes were holden that they should not know him. What manner of communications are

15 We are encouraged to cultivate a holy turn of mind and conversation, by reflecting, that Jesus is still at hand to open the eyes of our understanding, and teach us the wonders

of his law.

And he said unto them, these that ye have one

to another, as ye walk, and are sad? And one of them, whose

21 The disciples had remembered the prophecy, that He would rise from the dead the third day.

name was Cleopas, answering said unto him, Art thou only a stranger in Jerusalem, and hast not known the things which are come to pass there in these days? And he said unto them, What things? And they said unto him, Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, which was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people and how the chief priests and our rulers delivered him to be condemned to death, and have crucified him. 21 But we trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel and beside all this, to day is the third day since these things were done. Yea, and certain women also of our company made us astonished, which were early at the sepulchre; and when they found not his body, they came, saying, that they had also seen a vision of angels, which said that he was alive. And certain of them which were with us went to the sepulchre, and found it even so as the women had said: but him they saw not. Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken: ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory? And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself. And they drew nigh unto the village, whither they went: and he made as though he would have gone 29 further. But

they constrained him, saying,
Abide with us: for it is to-
ward evening, and the day is

far spent.
And he went in
to tarry with them. And it
with them, he took bread, and
to them. 31 And their eyes
were opened, and they knew.
him; and he vanished out
of their sight. 32 And they
said one to another, Did not
our heart burn within us,
while he talked with us by

29 Their prayer for his presence was answered. He did abide with them -so He will with you, if you, from your heart, adopt the disciples'

prayer.

came to pass, as he sat at meat blessed it, and brake, and gave

31 And is it not always so? Did ever sincere and humble communicant not find his mind more opened thereby to the solemn truths of the word of God?

32 Reader! your heart now burns within you as you listen to the word of your God.

the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures? And they rose up the same hour, and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven gathered together, and them that were with them, "saying, The Lord is risen

indeed, and hath appeared to
Simon.
35 And they told

34 Tender and compassionate Master ! Thou appearest first, not to John, thy beloved friend, but to

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