xxvii. 54.] Then what did Jesus mean by saying they were hid from their eyes? ["Notes."]

Ver. 43. What did Jesus foretell that the enemies of the Jews would do to Jerusalem? What is the meaning of the Greek word which is translated "trench"? ["Notes."] When was Christ's prophecy fulfilled? Who describes the misery endured by the inhabitants during the siege of their city? ["Notes."] What does Josephus relate on that point? ["Notes."] How many of the people of the city died by famine and the sword? ["Notes."] Who was the Roman general that laid siege to the city? ["Notes."] Prove that the prophecy of Christ was fulfilled in direct opposition to Titus's intention. ["Notes."] Is it true that ordinary persons may at times foretell the destruction of cities, and that their predictions may come to pass? ["Notes."] How may such persons learn to do so? ["Notes."] Prove, however, from Christ's prediction respecting Jerusalem, that He was different from chance-prophets. ["Notes."]

Ver. 44. Show that the words of Christ," And shall lay thee even with the ground," were exactly fulfilled. ["Notes."] Who was the Roman general that ordered the soldiers to draw a plough along the walls of Jerusalem? ["Notes."] What did Jesus mean by the words, "Because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation"? ["Notes."] Whose fault was it that the Jews were ignorant of the time of Christ's visitation? ["Notes."] Had Jesus done everything to show them that He was the Messiah? ["Notes."]

Ver. 45. You are told that Jesus went into the Temple; did He do this on the day of His triumphal entry? ["Notes."] Refer to the passage of Scripture which proves that He did this on the day after that entry. ["Notes."] What did Jesus do to those who were buying and selling in the Temple? Doves are mentioned; what were those for? Refer to texts of Scripture in which the offering of doves is alluded to. ["Notes."] Were the buyers and sellers found in the Holy Place of the Temple? [No.] Where were they found? [In the outer courts; probably the Court of the Gentiles.] How often did Christ cleanse the Temple during the course of His ministry? When did the former cleansing take place? ["Notes."] Which of the Evangelists mentions it? [ Notes."] Which of the cleansings is referred to in to-day's Gospel? [The second.] Is this second cleansing referred to by any of the other Evangelists? [St. Matt. xxi. 12.] What lesson does Christ's twofold cleansing of the Temple seem, to teach us? ["Notes."] Quote passages from the Old Testa

ment which show that buildings and places dedicated to and visited by God are to be considered sacred. [“Notes."]

Ver. 46. What words did Christ use after He had turned the buyers and sellers out of the Temple? He said, "It is written"; where are those words written? ["Notes."] State the exact words which He used at the former cleansing of the Temple, [John ii. 16.] So you see that what He formerly called His Father's house He now calls His house; what do you learn from that? ["Notes."] He terms the Temple "a den of thieves; why? ["Notes."] But was it on account of their fraud that He turned them out of the Temple? ["Notes."] On what account then?

Ver. 47. What does this verse teach us respecting Christ's custom when He was at Jerusalem? What meaning does Beza attach to the words, "He taught daily"? ["Notes."] Where did Christ often go in the evenings after He had finished His teaching in Jerusalem for the day? ["Notes."] How far was Bethany from Jerusalem? ["Notes."] What does the name "Bethany signify? ["Notes."] Whose home was at Bethany?

Application.-Who were the chosen people of God? [The Jews. Was Christ Himself a Jew or a Gentile? [A Jew.] Of what tribe was He? [Judah.] Did He preach to His countrymen? What wonderful works did He perform in their sight? But did they as a nation believe in Him? What does Scripture say about His coming to "His own"? [St. John i. 11.] And because they rejected Him, what punishment was sent upon them? [They were scattered in all lands.] Are they still scattered among all nations? Is Palestine their country? [No; it belongs to the Turks.] What happened to Jerusalem and the Temple? How many years after Christ foretold their destruction were they destroyed? [About forty years.] Who are now Christ's chosen people? [Christians.] When did you become one of His people? And if you disobey His law, what may you learn from the history of the Jews and Jerusalem that the consequence will be? [He will punish me.] When was Jerusalem said to have had its day? When Christ was teaching in it.] And which is your day? [The present.] Does Scripture teach you that the present is your day? Where? [2 Cor. vi. 2.] Cannot you repent and amend after death? And may death be

very near to you? Is there any place in your town or village which shows you that persons die young as well as old? [Yes, the churchyard.] Then while you have time, what ought you to do? Love and obey Christ.]

ELEVENTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY.

St. Luke xviii. 9-14.

9 And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others:

10 Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican.

11 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.

12 I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.

13 And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.

14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

Notes.-A Parable is "a comparison drawn between earthly and heavenly things," so far as such things can be compared. Strictly speaking, Christ's account of the Pharisee and the Publican in to-day's Gospel is not a parable, for it is not a comparison between "earthly and heavenly things." In this respect it is like the so-called Parable of the rich man and Lazarus. The Pharisee and the Publican are types of two classes of men in the world -the_spiritually proud, and the spiritually humble. Dean Trench agrees with Mr. Greswell in supposing that the parable was intended by Jesus to rebuke those among His own disciples who had shown evidences of their spiritual pride; and not to rebuke the Jewish people in general, whose pride led them to despise the Gentiles. Is it not likely, however, that Jesus did mean to reproach the whole Jewish nation for their spiritual pride, and their scorn of the Gentiles, as well as to rebuke His own disciples, and, through them, Christians in all future ages, for self-righteousness and pride of heart? We know that some of the other parables of Christ, and also His discourses, have a twofold application. Why, then, should not this parable be like them?

We

Ver. 10. Two men went up into the temple to pray. are not told whether these men went up into the Temple to be present at the daily sacrifices which were offered morning and evening (Num. xxviii. 3, 4) or whether they

went thither on the Sabbath, when a double number of sacrifices was offered (Num. xxviii. 9, 10); but undoubtedly it was for prayer, and not for the sacrifices, that they visited the Temple, and stood either in the Court of the Israelites, or in that portion of the building which was fifteen steps higher than the Court of the Israelites, and called the Temple. The one a Pharisee. The Pharisees

were very punctual in attending to the outward forms of their religion. (For an account of the Pharisees see p. 23, "Notes on ver. 24). And the other a Publican. The word "publican" signifies a person who collected, or rather farmed, the taxes levied by the Romans. The inferior class of publicans, or under-collectors, were generally Jews. The superior publicans were usually Romans (see "Notes" on ver. 1, p. 159). This man was no doubt à Jew, or he would not have gone up to the Temple to pray, and, in that case, he must have been one of the inferior order of publicans.

To pray

Ver. 11. The Pharisee stood and prayed. standing was a common custom among the Jews (1 Kings viii. 22; 2 Chron. vi. 12; St. Matt. vi. 5; St. Mark xi. 25). The Publican also prayed standing. The early Christians were in the habit of standing to pray on the Lord's Day. With himself. Beza supposes that the Pharisee was in the same court as the Publican, but that he stood apart from him as being, in his own estimation, more holy than his fellow-worshipper. Grotius, however, thinks that this separation was the usual custom; that is to say, the Pharisee stood in the Court of the Israelites, and the Publican in that of the Gentiles. Beza's interpretation is perhaps the correct one. That I am not as other men are. This address made by the Pharisee is a proof of his pride of heart and self-righteousness. He does not feel convinced of his sin: on the contrary, he takes credit to himself for his fancied holiness. As God knew the state of his heart before he opened his lips, he would have been condemned, even if he had not thus addressed his Maker. We see in this Pharisee's behaviour a sin of which many Christians are guilty, namely, that of comparing their spiritual state with the state of others, for the purpose either of taking credit to themselves or of excusing their

own shortcomings. This sin is expressly condemned in Holy Scripture: "For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves; but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise" (2 Cor. x. 12). Or even as this Publican. The publicans were disliked by the Jews, on account of their office; but the Pharisee's contempt of the Publican extends beyond his office. He presumes to judge the state of the Publican's heart, and thus takes to himself the office of God. He places the Publican below "the extortioners, unjust, and adulterers," by mentioning him after those persons, and scornfully saying, or even as this Publican." Compare his conduct with that of the Syrophoenician woman mentioned in the Gospel for the Second Sunday in Lent (St. Matt. xv. 26, 27), who is humbly content to be called a dog: "Truth, Lord," she said, "yet the dogs eat of the crumbs," &c.

66

Ver. 12. I fast twice in the week. The Jews fasted on the second and fifth days of the week-our Monday and Thursday. The Christians changed the fasts to Wednesday and Friday, after they separated themselves from the Jews.

I give tithes of all that I possess. It was his duty to give tithe (Num. xviii. 21; Deut. xiv. 22), but not of mint, anise, and cummin, and-in this minute attention to the command-to overlook the weightier matters of the Law, as he and others of his sect did (St. Matt. xxiii. 23).

Ver. 13. Would not lift up so much as his eyes. Grotius shows that the more devout among the Jews prayed with their eyes directed upwards (see 1 Kings viii. 54; Lam. iii. 41). The Publican prayed with downcast eyes, feeling his unworthiness to look up to God, in whose sight, as Job says, "the stars are not pure" (xxv. 5). But smote upon his breast. Paxton says, "Oriental mourners often proceeded to great excesses, beating their breasts and thighs, tearing their flesh, and making furrows in their faces with their nails." Smiting upon the breast was, in the East, a usual mode of expressing sorrow (see St. Luke xxiii. 48). Saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. Herein