$9 what things were done in the way, and how he was known of them in breaking of bread. And as they thus spake, Jesus himself stood in the midst of them, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you. But they were terrified and affrighted, and supposed that said unto them, Why are ye arise in your hearts? Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have. And when he had thus spoken, he shewed them his hands and his feet. And while they yet believed not for joy, and wondered, he said unto them, Have ye here any meat? And they gave him a piece of a broiled fish and of an honeycomb. 43 And he took it, and did eat before them. Peter-the penitent, the subdued of spirit, the broken of heart! lest otherwise "the smoking flax be quenched, and the bruised reed broken." 35 Thus the communicant rejoices to testify to others the sure blessing of Christ's spiritual presence to those engaged in the holy service of “breaking of bread and of prayers." they had seen a spirit. And he troubled? and why do thoughts Ver. 44. And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, 45 39 God, who wills that our faith be a reasonable conviction upon evidence, affords ample testimony for such conviction. 43 Adorable mystery! In the risen body-in the very body which was to ascend into heaven Jesus did partake of food for the body. 44 Under these three heads were included the whole of the Jewish scriptures, which are thus evidenced as truth. while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concern- 45 Pray we to Him, to open our uIing me. Then opened he derstanding also-even now, as we their understanding, that they are hearing and reading his word. might understand the scriptures, and said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And ye are witnesses of these things. And he led them out as far 49 And, behold, I send the 49 This power was granted on the promise of my Father upon day of Pentecost, when the promise you: but tarry ye in the city of the Father was fulfilled by the of Jerusalem, until ye be en- coming of the Holy Ghost. dued with power from on high. as to Bethany, and he lifted up his hands, and blessed them. 31 And it came to pass, while he blessed them, he was parted from them, and carried up 51 And to heaven he did bear the same body in which he had lived and died. into heaven. And they worshipped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy: and were continually in the temple, praising and blessing God. Amen. O Almighty God! grant "that we may also in heart and mind thither ascend, and with Him continually dwell; who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, one God, world without end." Amen! The Gospel according to St. John. CHAPTER I. MARCH 14, JULY 13, Nov. 9. ST. PHILIP AND ST. JAMES, morning, from ver. 43. As the former evangelists had faithfully detailed the lowliness and humiliation, the sufferings and death of Christ, many of the unbelievers cavilled at the doctrine of his divinity. St. John, about to confirm the previous histories by his own record of those events, sets out with a decided declaration, that Jesus the crucified, was yet the everlasting God -the Creator of all things. 1 1 In the beginning was the By the Word is meant Jesus Christ. Word, and the Word was It is not unusual in Scripture lanwith God, and the Word was guage to express a person by a quality. God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. 6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 4 Jesus is the author of our second creation by grace. Sin is the darkness of ignorance and woe: Jesus is the light of wisdom and joy. • John the Baptist. The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe. He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. 9 Christ is a light to Gentile as well 'That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. world was made by him, and the world knew him not. "He came unto his own, and his own received him not. But as many as received him, as to Jew-else, O my reader! you and I had never known the Gospel. He was in the world, and the 11 How painful an instance of ingratitude-scorned by his own countrymen *. to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to Having been born anew of water and the spirit in our baptism, let us devote ourselves to his service, through whom alone we are made children of God, and inheritors of his kingdom. We are now, his own. them that believe on his name: which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. 14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, 14 His glory was displayed in his miracles-his truth, in his doctrine and example. the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grac and truth. 15 John bare wit- 15 As God, Jesus was from ever ness of him, and cried, say- lasting to everlasting. ing, This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me for he 16 He giveth power to exercis was before me. 16 And of every appointed grace. his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace. For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. No man hath seen 18 In Jesus Christ we behold our incarnate God. 18 God at any time; the only 21 And 21 John, though not in person Eliasor Elijah,- -was to be so considered as to his office. "This is Elias, which was for to come." (Matt. xi. 14) Then said they unto answer to them that begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him. And this is the record of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, Who ar thou? And he confessed, and denied not; but confessed, I am not the Christ. they asked him, What then? Art thou Elias? And he saith, I am not. Art thou that prophet? And he answered, No. him, Who art thou? that we may give an sent us. What sayest thou of thyself? He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Esaias. And they which were sent were of the Pharisees. And they asked him, and said unto him, Why baptizest thou then, if thou be not that Christ, nor Elias, neither that prophet? John answered them, saying, I baptize with water: but there standeth one among you, whom ye know not; he it is, who coming after me is preferred before me, whose shoe's latchet I am not worthy to unloose. These things were done in Bethabara beyond Jordan, where John was baptizing. next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold, the Lamb of God, 29 The 29 The sacrifice of the paschal lamb blessed Israel only-the sacrifice of the Lamb of God blesseth all men; and taketh away the sin of the world. which taketh away the sin of the world. This is he of whom I said, After me cometh a man which is preferred before me: for he was before me. 31And I knew him not: but that he should be made manifest 31 "I knew him not as the Messiah till, at his baptism, a voice from heaven declared his Messiahship." And to Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water. John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him. And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost. And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God. Again the next day after John stood, and two of his disciples: and looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, Behold, the Lamb of God! And the two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus. Then Jesus turned, and saw them following, and saith unto them, What seek ye? They said unto him, Rabbi, (which is to say, being interpreted, Master,) where dwellest thou? He saith unto them, Come and see. They came and saw where he dwelt, and abode with him that day: for it was about the tenth hour. One of the two which heard John speak, and followed him, was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother. He first findeth his own brother Simon, and saith unto him, We have found the Messias, which is, being inter- 42 The name Cephas, like Peter, means a rock. preted, the Christ. 42 And he brought him to Jesus. And when Jesus beheld him, he said, Thou art Simon the son of Jona: thou shalt be called Cephas, which is by interpretation, A stone. Ver. 43. The day following Jesus would go forth into Galilee, and findeth Philip, and saith unto him, Follow me, Now Philip was of Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. 45 Philip findeth Nathanael, 45 These faithful ones had kept alive, by mutual communion, their holy expectation of the promised Messiah. and saith unto him, We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph. 46 And Nathanael said unto him, Can there anygood thing come out of Nazareth? Philip saith unto him, Come and see. Jesus 46 So if any now doubt the truth and excellency of Jesus and his Gospel, all we ask of them is-" Come and see." Search the Scriptures ; examine them; judge for yourselves. saw Nathanael coming to him, and saith of him, Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile! Nathanael saith unto him, Whence knowest thou me? Jesus answered and said unto him, Before that Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee. Nathanael answered and saith unto him, Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art the King of Israel. Jesus answered and said unto him, Because I said unto thee, I saw thee under the fig tree, believest thou? thou shalt see greater things than these. 51 And he saith unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Hereafter ye shall 51 This was accomplished, when, on various occasions, angels ministered to Him, both before and at his resurrection. see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man. 1 CHAPTER II. MARCH 15, JULY 14, Nov. 10. AND the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee; and the mother of Jesus was there: 2 and both Jesus was called, and his disciples, to the marriage. And when they wanted wine, 4 1 The third day from Simon's com ing to Christ. 2 The religion of Jesus promotes a happy cheerfulness; and is very far from requiring that austerity and gloom, which some mistaken Chris tians consider essential to piety. 4 This mode of addressing his mo ther conveyed no disrespect. He addressed her in the same terms, when at his solemn death-hour He bequeathed her to the care of his beloved St. John *. the mother of Jesus saith unto him, They have no wine. Jesus saith unto her, Woman, what have I to do with thee? mine hour is not yet come. His mother saith unto the servants, Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it. And there were set there six waterpots of stone, after the manner of the purifying of the Jews, containing two or three firkins apiece. Jesus saith unto them, Fill the waterpots with water. And they filled them up to the brim. And he saith unto them, Draw out now, and bear unto the governor of the feast. And they bare it. When the ruler of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and knew not whence it was; (but the servants which drew the water knew ;) the governor of the feast called the bridegroom, and saith unto him, Every man at the beginning doth set forth good wine; and when men have well drunk, then that which is worse: but thou hast kept the good wine until now. 11 This beginning of miracles did. Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and 11 Two circumstances specially characterise this first miracle. Not only was it performed to promote cheer God's hour to help is our hour of utmost need. On the present occasion, He did not prevent the want of wine, but He supplied it. He may not prevent trouble, but He will relieve it; and that, when our hour is the darkest. |