The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1886-10-23

1
were employed in the crucifxion. The gar
ments Of q criminal were their perquisite.
They divided up the articles Of his raiment
among them Ono piece, coat or tunic,
possibly Of superior quality, the gift perhaps
Of women who ministered unto him luke viii,
-, they did not like to rend or tear up to
divide it. Hence the plan of casting lots, a
fulfillment of prophecy by those who never
read it and ,oud not read it (Ps xxi, 49,
Both steps in ,he process are indcated-the
parting of the garments and the casting lots
Oh the wrought vesture. We have no evil
dence that any usage of the kind existed when
the psalm was written. The heather soldiers,
| without hints from any one, carried out a
| prediction whose existence before Hebrews
| had heard of Romans can only be explained
| by inspiration.
| Here it is that the insults to Christ came in
| from the passers by, from the chief priests,
| from the soldiers, who-while the chief priests
revile him for calling himself the son of God
| and testify to his trust III God--take their
own ground naturally and mock the claim Of
king. So, too one of his companions reviled
him. c'The thieves" does not necessarily
mean that both reviled. The classes whence
the mockery came are named, including this
for the like use of the plural where only one
is nameCD. We now come to another touch
ing fact in the last scenes. BY the cross
a. 25.) stood, among other women, the
mother of Jesus. THE three Marys' is
frequent phrase, They We're near while he
was still able to speak They would move
farther Off when he was dead and the soldiers
were doing their work. Sister is some
times used in a general sense. Clopas, as it
really is is thought to be the father of James
the less. When Jesus saw his mother SO
standing, all the human tenderness of a son
found expression. She was probably younger
than Joseph, widow now, and from her re-
lation to Jesus would lose friends among the
Jews dis "brethren" did not recognize his
real Character), and so need care. He directed
her to John (See John xiii, 2}l rs her son-to
be as a son to her from that time on, and
John, as we learn from V. 81, accepted tho
trust made by his Masters words, Behold
thy mother" The woman" is word with
no harshness in it, but probably here and at
the marriage i'll Cana he meant to show that
the mere earthly relations was not the main
thing to be thought of, but rather his great
redeeming work. Yet he does not forget
this relationship Christianity binds kindred
together. John had a home in Jerusalem.
He took Mary to his home. She was with
the company at prayer, as We see in Acts
/, IA.
The plea is sometimes set up that our Lord
here pointed out Mary as mother to all the
disciples, that all might revere her. No
wonder that the church of Rome does not
favor general bible reading, for one has only
to see the context to he satisfied that only
John was there, that he Christ was think
ing of Marys welfare, not theirs, and with
good reason, for now was being fulfilled the
word of Luke ii, 35. That Mary has been
given the place once occupied by Grecian
and Roman goddeSses is one of the worst
features in Rome. "From that hour
possibly taking her away then, So as to
escape the heartrending scenes, and then
coming back himself ". 35)-John acted to
her as SON. Salome his mother, was pres
ent and heard the charge. We now come to
the end-the actual death of our Saviour.
V. %. Jesus knew that all was accom-
plished--the same word as finished" in V. so
that his work was done that prophecy was
all but completely fulfilled as far as this
event was concerned He said, II thirst" not
in the hope that his heartless enemies would
might be fulfilled (See Ps. Xix, 81, and
compare Ps. xxi, l5) Vinegar or sour wine
was the soldiers drink, and vessel of it was
there The three hours darkness had passed. ,
His deepest misery had been endured. The
cry had doubtless been uttered as recorded in
other evangelsts), MY God! my God" etc. |
"They" that is, as in Matt. xvii, IS, one of
them filled a sponge with vinegar, put it on
a stalk of hyssop, which being about eighteen
inches long would reach his lips, and gave it
to him. Others, as we see from Matthew, OPP
posed this humane act
" 80 The loud voice" of our Lord at the |
close of his sutferings has been taken by some |
as evidence that not bodily but mental strain |
brought on the end Possibly the clear view |
of the end realized, the work now being com |
pleted, and the results to be secured brought |
a momentary strength. The sentence is brief. |
1t is expressive. None can tell all it means.
He has drained the cup his father gave him
to drink Revelation of God has been made.
Holiness has been exemplitied, The law of
God has been honored Its penalty has been
borne The blood that cleanseth from all sin
will have been shed when he expires, 1T is
finished" If the words of the loud voice" he
those of Luke xiii, 4G, we can understand
the tone of rejoicing in them Then he bowed
his head and gave up the spirit or soul.
Ghost is the old word FOX splr.9.
u We may learn how interesting and I'M
poltant is the death of Christ, from the
minuteneSs with which the evangeists set the
details before us, and from the prophecies
that went before regarding it,
C?l We may learn the evil of human naturs
in the hard, unjust and mfeeling way IN
which the innocent sufferer was treated. Let
us beware of crucifying the Son of God afresh
by evil doing, while counted of his people
81 We may see how truly human he was
and how good in the relations Of life, from
his words regarding his mother, Boys and
girls should treasure up these things and be
good to fathers and mothers.
A How firm foundation is laid for our
faith Prophecy is fulfilled, atonement is
made See 1t in Dan. tx, 2t.-Sunday School
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