PART III.

THE EVENTS OF HOLY WEEK.

SUNDAY.

The first day of the week, the 10th of Nisan. A.D. 30.

SECT. CII. JESUS ENTERS JERUSALEM IN TRIUMPH.

THE next day, when Jesus was come nigh to Bethphage, at the mount called the Mount Bethphageof Olives, he sent two of his disciples, say

ing, Go into the village that is over against you, and immediately at your coming in thither ye shall find a colt tied whereon never man sat; loose him and bring him. And if any man shall say to you, What do ye? say ye that the Lord hath need of him; and straightway he will send him hither. And the disciples went and did as Jesus commanded them. they found the colt tied before the gate without, in the meeting of the two ways; and they loose him. And some of them that stood there said, What do ye loosing the colt? And they said, Because the Lord hath need of him. And they let him go.

And

And the disciples brought the colt to Jesus, and cast their garments on the colt and set him thereon.

All this was done that it might be fulfilled that was spoken by the prophet, saying, Tell ye the daughter of Zion, Behold thy King cometh unto thee

meek and sitting upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of her that is used to the yoke (Zech. ix. 9). These things the disciples understood not at the first; but when Jesus was glorified, then remembered they that these things were written of him, and that they had done these things unto him.

And much people that were come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, took branches of palm-trees, and went forth to meet him, and cried Hosanna! blessed is the king of Israel that cometh in the name of the Lord. And many spread their garments in the way, and others cut down branches off the trees and strewed them in the way.

And when he was come nigh even now at the descent of Mount Olivet, the whole multitude of his disciples began with joy to praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen, saying, Blessed be the King that cometh in the name of the Lord; peace in heaven and glory in the highest.

And the people that was with him when he called Lazarus out of his grave and raised him from the dead bare record. For this cause the people also met him, for that they heard that he had done this miracle. And they that went before, and they that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna, blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord. Blessed be the kingdom of our father David. Hosanna in the highest. And some of the Pharisees from amongst the multitude said to him, Master, rebuke thy disciples. But Jesus answered, I tell you, if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry

The Pharisees therefore said among themselves, Perceive ye how ye prevail nothing? Behold the whole world is gone after him.

And when he drew near and beheld the city, he wept over it, saying, If thou hadst known, even thou,

at least in this thy day, the things that are to thy peace, but now they are hidden from thine eyes. For the days shall come upon thee, and thy enemies shall cast a trench about thee, and compass thee round, and straiten thee on every side, and beat thee flat to the ground, and thy children who are in thee; and they shall not leave in thee a stone upon a stone, because thou hast not known the time of thy visitation.*

And they come into Jerusalem; and all the city was moved, saying, Who is this? And Jerusalem. the multitude said, This is Jesus, the

prophet of Nazareth of Galilee. And Jesus entered into the temple; and when he had looked round about upon all things (and now the even-tide was come), he went out unto Bethania with the twelve, and lodged there.

SECT. CIII. THE CURSING OF THE FRUITLESS FIG-TREE. JESUS CLEANSES THE TEMPLE FOR THE SECOND TIME.

The second day of the week, the 11th of Nisan.

And on the morrow, when they were come from Bethania, as he returned into the city, he On the way hungered; and seeing a fig-treef afar off from Bethany having leaves, he came to it, if haply he to Jerusalem, might find anything thereon; and he found nothing but leaves, for the time of figs was not yet. And the Lord said unto the fig-tree, Let no man eat fruit of thee hereafter for ever. And his disciples heard it. And presently the fig-tree withered away.

*The details of this prophecy were remarkably fulfilled in the taking of Jerusalem by the Romans. Titus built first a mound, and then a wall round the city. During the taking of the city the massacre was frightful; above a million of Jews perished. Jerusalem was levelled with the soil, and its walls, with the exception of a small portion to the west, were demolished.

The fig-tree typified the Jewish people. They had the leave

of a profession of godliness, but no fruit.

L

And they came to Jerusalem; and Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all Jerusalem. them that sold and bought therein, and overthrew the tables of the money-changers, and the seats of them that sold doves, and suffered not that any one should carry a vessel through the temple, saying to them, It is written, My house is the house of prayer for all nations (Isaias lvi. 7); but ye have made it a den of thieves.

And the blind and the lame came to him in the temple, and he healed them; and the chief priests and scribes seeing the wonderful things that he did, and the children crying in the temple, and saying, Hosanna to the son of David, were moved with indignation, and said to him, Hearest thou what these say? And Jesus said to them, Yea, have ye never read, Out of the mouth of infants and of sucklings thou hast perfected praise? (Ps. viii. 3.) And the scribes and chief priests sought how they might destroy him; for they feared him, and could not find what they might do, for all the people were astonished at his doctrine, and were very attentive to hear him. And when the even was come he went out of the city into Bethania, and lodged there.

SECT. CIV. THE NEXT MORNING JESUS RETURNS FROM BETHANIA TO JERUSALEM, AND DISCOURSES BY THE WAY.

The third day of the week, the 12th of Nisan.

from Bethany

And in the morning, as Jesus and his disciples passed by, they saw the fig-tree dried up On the way from the roots; and when the disciples to Jerusalem. saw it they marvelled, saying, How soon is the fig-tree withered away! And Peter remembering, said to him, Rabbi, behold the fig-tree which thou didst curse is withered away. And Jesus answered and said to them, Have faith in God. Amen I say to you, that whosoever shall say to this moun

tain, Be thou removed* and be cast into the sea, and shall not stagger in his heart, but believe that whatsoever he saith shall be done, it shall be done unto him. Therefore I say unto you, whatsoever ye ask when ye pray, believe that ye shall receive, and it shall come unto you. And when ye shall stand to pray, forgive, if ye have aught against any man, that your Father also, who is in heaven, may forgive you your sins; but if ye will not forgive, neither will your Father, that is in heaven, forgive you your sins.

SECT. CV. JESUS ENTERS THE TEMPLE. HIS AUTHORITY IS QUESTIONED.

And they come again to Jerusalem; and when he was walking in the temple, there come to Jerusalem. him the chief priests and the scribes and

the elders, and they say to him, By what authority doest thou these things? and who hath given thee this authority that thou shouldst do these things? And Jesus answered and said to them, I will also ask you one thing; answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things. The baptism of John, was it from heaven or from men? But they thought with themselves, saying, If we say from heaven, he will say, Why then did ye not believe him? If we say, From men, we fear the people that they will stone us; for they are persuaded that John was indeed a prophet. And they answered and said to Jesus, We cannot tell. And Jesus answered and said to them, Neither do I tell you by what authority I do these things.

*"Whosoever shall say to this mountain, Be thou removed," &c. A proverbial Eastern phrase expressing great power. "Have faith in God," i.e. Have firm confidence in God's power and faithfulness; and where God has promised his help, you will be able to overcome any difficulty. But observe how Christ points out that charity must accompany our faith. Compare 1 Cor. xiii. 2.