Why not?

But they

Because if

death, they continued to dwell on the prophecies respecting his kingdom, as if that kingdom were to be a temporal one. His declaration to them was so plain and circumstantial, that it was impossible, we might suppose, for them to misunderstand or doubt it. He told them, that he was to be betrayed, to be put to death, and to rise again the third day. understood not that saying.' this were so, what was to become of his kingdom, and its glory, and its power? and what was to become of them and their share in that power and glory? They might easily have had their doubts resolved by asking him to explain his words; but they were afraid to ask him.' Why were they afraid? Conscious of the unworthy motives which made them desire to have his words, not explained, but explained away, they durst not put the question to one, to whom, as they had learned by experience, the very secrets of their hearts were known. Is this Scripture no rebuke to any of us? Is there no truth as plainly set forth in God's word, which we are afraid to face and search into, because, unless the words admit of being explained away, it would oblige us, in the strong language of the Lord Jesus, to pluck out the right eye, and cut off the right hand, which are our offence -the stumbling block in the way of our faith or our obedience?

JESUS CURES A CHILD POSSESSED BY A DUMB SPIRIT.

Ver. 14—29.

And when he came to his disciples, he saw a great multitude about them, and the scribes questioning with them. And straightway all the people, when they beheld him, were greatly amazed, and running to him saluted him. And he asked the scribes, What question ye with them? And one of the multitude answered and said, Master, I have brought unto thee my son, which hath a dumb spirit; and wheresoever he taketh him, he teareth him: and he foameth, and gnasheth with his teeth, and pineth away: and I spake to thy disciples that they should cast him out; and they could not. He answereth him, and saith, O faithless generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? bring him unto me. And they brought him unto him: and when he saw him, straightway the spirit tare him; and he fell on the ground, and wallowed foaming. And he asked his father, How long is it ago since this came unto him? And he said, Of a child. And ofttimes it hath cast him into the fire, and into the waters, to destroy him: but if thou canst do any thing, have compassion on us, and help us. Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth. And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief. When Jesus saw that the people came running together, he rebuked the foul spirit, saying unto him, Thou dumb and deaf spirit, I charge thee, come out of him, and enter no more into him. And the spirit cried, and rent him sore, and came out of him: and he was as one dead; insomuch that many said, He is dead. But Jesus took him by the hand, and lifted him up; and he arose. And when he was come into the house, his disciples asked him privately, Why could not we cast him out? And he saith unto them, This kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting.

Other similar miracles are recorded of our Saviour, and have been already sufficiently the subject of

remark, for us to omit all that applies to this in common with them: as, for instance, that it may be classed among those which were typical of a moral cure of the heart, when labouring under a dumbness and a deafness, worse than the bodily infirmity inflicted by Satan; or again, that it was performed in a way to denote the real agency of the Devil, and to prove that Jesus, by expelling him from his dominion over men's bodies, was both willing and able to save to the uttermost, even from his dominion over the soul, those who came unto him.

What I should select as the peculiar and characteristic feature in this, is contained in the assertion, 'this kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting.' These words seem to convey a hint of the essential difference between our Lord and his apostles and followers, even when both were performing similar miracles. And indeed, as the multitudes soon saw his followers performing the same mighty works as himself, both during his lifetime, and after his death, and (if the promise he made was fulfilled) even greater than these;* some such caution might have been continually requisite, and might have been given from time to time, although not left on record. In the present instance, the failure of the apostles in an attempt to do that, which they might have effected had they used the prescribed form of prayer and fasting, shewed that the gift of the Spirit was in their

*John xiv. 12.

case circumscribed, and its efficacy made to depend on their observance of these requisite conditions. Our Lord forthwith, without prayer, without fasting, without these preparatory conditions which he declared to be requisite, performs the miracle. What was the natural inference? That God gave not the Spirit to him (as to others) by measure,'* and subject to limitations. Their miraculous power was given conditionally. 'What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.'t He had only to say the word, and the sick man was healed, the devils were cast out, and the dead were raised.

THE TWELVE DISCUSS THE QUESTION, WHO WAS TO BE FIRST AMONG THEM, AND HAVE THEIR NOTIONS OF PRIORITY CORRECTED BY JESUS.

Ver. 33-37.

And he came to Capernaum: and being in the house he asked them, What was it that ye disputed among yourselves by the way? But they held their peace: for by the way they had disputed among themselves, who should be the greatest. And he sat down, and called the twelve, and said unto them, If any man desire to be first, the same shall be last of all, and servant of all. And he took a child, and set him in the midst of them and when he had taken him in his arms, he said unto them, Whosoever shall receive one of such children in my name, receiveth me: and whosoever shall receive me, receiveth not me, but him that sent me.

:

This discussion of the question, who was to be first amongst the apostles, appears to have been occasioned by our Lord's preceding declarations respecting the

* John iii. 34.

† See chap. xi. 24.

speedy establishment of his kingdom, and, connected with it in their view, by the Transfiguration, which three of them had witnessed. Although assured that that glorious scene was not the commencement of his promised reign, they regarded it, probably, as denoting the near approach of it. It is worthy of remark, that our Lord did not wait for any expression to fall from them on this occasion, which might give him a clue for correcting their erroneous expectations; but, contrary to his usual method, himself extorts from them the working of their minds, and by a beautiful and expressive symbol, and one which long formed a favourite image in his language, checked their ambitious notions.

THE CASE OF ONE NOT CHRIST'S DISCIPLE WHO CAST OUT DEVILS IN HIS NAME.

Ver. 38-50.

And John answered him, saying, Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name, and he followeth not us: and we forbad him, because he followeth not us. But Jesus said, Forbid him not: for there is no man which shall do a miracle in my name, that can lightly speak evil of me. For he that is not against us is on our part. For whosoever shall give you a cup of water to drink in my name, because ye belong to Christ, verily I say unto you, he shall not lose his reward. And whosoever shall offend one of these little ones that believe in me, it is better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he were cast into the sea. And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off; it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched: where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. And if thy foot offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter halt into life, than having