the desire of ages-第102章

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re；　and　waved　palm　branches　triumphantly　before　the　Saviour。　The　temple　echoed　and　re…echoed　with　their　acclamations；　〃Blessed　be　He　that　cometh　in　the　name　of　the　Lord！〃　〃Behold；　thy　King　cometh　unto　thee；　He　is　just；　and　having　salvation！〃　Ps。　118：26；　Zech。　9：9。　〃Hosanna　to　the　Son　of　David！〃

The　sound　of　these　happy；　unrestrained　voices　was　an　offense　to　the　rulers　of　the　temple。　They　set　about　putting　a　stop　to　such　demonstrations。　They　represented　to　the　people　that　the　house　of　God　was　desecrated　by　the　feet　of　the　children　and　the　shouts　of　rejoicing。　Finding　that　their　words　made　no　impression　on　the　people；　the　rulers　appealed　to　Christ：　〃Hearest　Thou　what　these　say？　And　Jesus　saith　unto　them；　Yea；　have　ye　never　read；　Out　of　the　mouth　of　babes　and　sucklings

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Thou　hast　perfected　praise？〃　Prophecy　had　foretold　that　Christ　should　be　proclaimed　as　king；　and　that　word　must　be　fulfilled。　The　priests　and　rulers　of　Israel　refused　to　herald　His　glory；　and　God　moved　upon　the　children　to　be　His　witnesses。　Had　the　voices　of　the　children　been　silent；　the　very　pillars　of　the　temple　would　have　sounded　the　Saviour's　praise。

The　Pharisees　were　utterly　perplexed　and　disconcerted。　One　whom　they　could　not　intimidate　was　in　command。　Jesus　had　taken　His　position　as　guardian　of　the　temple。　Never　before　had　He　assumed　such　kingly　authority。　Never　before　had　His　words　and　works　possessed　so　great　power。　He　had　done　marvelous　works　throughout　Jerusalem；　but　never　before　in　a　manner　so　solemn　and　impressive。　In　presence　of　the　people　who　had　witnessed　His　wonderful　works；　the　priests　and　rulers　dared　not　show　Him　open　hostility。　Though　enraged　and　confounded　by　His　answer；　they　were　unable　to　accomplish　anything　further　that　day。

The　next　morning　the　Sanhedrin　again　considered　what　course　to　pursue　toward　Jesus。　Three　years　before；　they　had　demanded　a　sign　of　His　Messiahship。　Since　that　time　He　had　wrought　mighty　works　throughout　the　land。　He　had　healed　the　sick；　miraculously　fed　thousands　of　people；　walked　upon　the　waves；　and　spoken　peace　to　the　troubled　sea。　He　had　repeatedly　read　the　hearts　of　men　as　an　open　book；　He　had　cast　out　demons；　and　raised　the　dead。　The　rulers　had　before　them　the　evidences　of　His　Messiahship。　They　now　decided　to　demand　no　sign　of　His　authority；　but　to　draw　out　some　admission　or　declaration　by　which　He　might　be　condemned。

Repairing　to　the　temple　where　He　was　teaching；　they　proceeded　to　question　Him：　〃By　what　authority　doest　Thou　these　things？　and　who　gave　Thee　this　authority？〃　They　expected　Him　to　claim　that　His　authority　was　from　God。　Such　an　assertion　they　intended　to　deny。　But　Jesus　met　them　with　a　question　apparently　pertaining　to　another　subject；　and　He　made　His　reply　to　them　conditional　on　their　answering　this　question。　〃The　baptism　of　John；〃　He　said；　〃whence　was　it？　from　heaven；　or　of　men？〃

The　priests　saw　that　they　were　in　a　dilemma　from　which　no　sophistry　could　extricate　them。　If　they　said　that　John's　baptism　was　from　heaven；　their　inconsistency　would　be　made　apparent。　Christ　would　say；　Why　have　ye　not　then　believed　on　him？　John　had　testified　of　Christ；　〃Behold

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the　Lamb　of　God；　which　taketh　away　the　sin　of　the　world。〃　John　1：29。　If　the　priests　believed　John's　testimony；　how　could　they　deny　the　Messiahship　of　Christ？　If　they　declared　their　real　belief；　that　John's　ministry　was　of　men；　they　would　bring　upon　themselves　a　storm　of　indignation；　for　the　people　believed　John　to　be　a　prophet。

With　intense　interest　the　multitude　awaited　the　decision。　They　knew　that　the　priests　had　professed　to　accept　the　ministry　of　John；　and　they　expected　them　to　acknowledge　without　a　question　that　he　was　sent　from　God。　But　after　conferring　secretly　together；　the　priests　decided　not　to　commit　themselves。　Hypocritically　professing　ignorance；　they　said；　〃We　cannot　tell。〃　〃Neither　tell　I　you；〃　said　Christ；　〃by　what　authority　I　do　these　things。〃

Scribes；　priests；　and　rulers　were　all　silenced。　Baffled　and　disappointed；　they　stood　with　lowering　brows；　not　daring　to　press　further　questions　upon　Christ。　By　their　cowardice　and　indecision　they　had　in　a　great　measure　forfeited　the　respect　of　the　people；　who　now　stood　by；　amused　to　see　these　proud；　self…righteous　men　defeated。

All　these　sayings　and　doings　of　Christ　were　important；　and　their　influence　was　to　be　felt　in　an　ever…increasing　degree　after　His　crucifixion　and　ascension。　Many　of　those　who　had　anxiously　awaited　the　result　of　the　questioning　of　Jesus　were　finally　to　become　His　disciples；　first　drawn　toward　Him　by　His　words　on　that　eventful　day。　The　scene　in　the　temple　court　was　never　to　fade　from　their　minds。　The　contrast　between　Jesus　and　the　high　priest　as　they　talked　together　was　marked。　The　proud　dignitary　of　the　temple　was　clothed　in　rich　and　costly　garments。　Upon　his　head　was　a　glittering　tiara。　His　bearing　was　majestic；　his　hair　and　his　long　flowing　beard　were　silvered　by　age。　His　appearance　awed　the　beholders。　Before　this　august　personage　stood　the　Majesty　of　heaven；　without　adornment　or　display。　His　garments　were　travel　stained；　His　face　was　pale；　and　expressed　a　patient　sadness；　yet　written　there　were　dignity　and　benevolence　that　contrasted　strangely　with　the　proud；　self…confident；　and　angry　air　of　the　high　priest。　Many　of　those　who　witnessed　the　words　and　deeds　of　Jesus　in　the　temple　from　that　time　enshrined　Him　in　their　hearts　as　a　prophet　of　God。　But　as　the　popular　feeling　turned　in　His　favor；　the　hatred　of　the　priests　toward　Jesus　increased。　The　wisdom　by　which　He　escaped　the　snares　set　for　His　feet；　being　a　new　evidence　of　His　divinity；　added　fuel　to　their　wrath。

In　His　contest　with　the　rabbis；　it　was　not　Christ's　purpose　to　humiliate　His　opponents。　He　was　not　glad　to　see　them　in　a　hard　place。　He　had

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an　important　lesson　to　teach。　He　had　mortified　His　enemies　by　allowing　them　to　be　entangled　in　the　net　they　had　spread　for　Him。　Their　acknowledged　ignorance　in　regard　to　the　character　of　John's　baptism　gave　Him　an　opportunity　to　speak；　and　He　improved　the　opportunity　by　presenting　before　them　their　real　position；　adding　another　warning　to　the　many　already　given。

〃What　think　ye？〃　He　said。　〃A　certain　man　had　two　sons；　and　he　came　to　the　first；　and　said；　Son；　go　work　today　in　my　vineyard。　He　answered　and　said；　I　will　not：　but　afterward　he　repented；　and　went。　And　he　came　to　the　second；　and　said　likewise。　And　he　answered　and　said；　I　go；　sir：　and　went　not。　Whether　of　them　twain　did　the　will　of　his　father？〃

This　abrupt　question　threw　His　hearers　off　their　guard。　They　had　followed　the　parable　closely；　and　now　immediately　answered；　〃The　first。〃　Fixing　His　steady　eye　upon　them；　Jesus　responded　in　stern　and　solemn　tones：　〃Verily　I　say　unto　you；　That　the　publicans　and　the　harlots　go　into　the　kingdom　of　God　before　you。　For　John　came　unto　you　in　the　way　of　righteousness；　and　ye　believed　him　not：　but　the　publicans　and　the　harlots　believed　him：　and　ye；　when　ye　had　seen　it；　repented　not　afterward；　that　ye　might　believe　him。〃

The　priests　and　rulers　could　not　but　give　a　correct　answer　to　Christ's　question；　and　thus　He　obtained　their　opinion　in　favor　of　the　first　son。　This　son　represented　the　publicans；　those　who　were　despised　and　hated　by　the　Pharisees。　The　publicans　had　been　grossly　immoral。　They　had　indeed　been　transgressors　of　the　law　of　God；　showing　in　their　lives　an　absolute　resistance　to　His　requirements。　They　had　been　unthankful　and　unholy；　when　told　to　go　and　work　in　the　Lord's　vineyard；　they　had　given　a　contemptuous　refusal。　But　when　John　came；　preaching　repentance　and　baptism；　the　publicans　received　his　message　and　were　baptized。

The　second　son　represented　the　leading　men　of　the　Jewish　nation。　Some　of　the　Pharisees　had　repented　and　received　the　baptism　of　John；　but　the　leaders　would　not　acknowledge　that　he　came　from　God。　His　warnings　and　denunciations　did　not　lead　them　to　reformation。　They　〃rejected　the　counsel　of　God　against　themselves；　being　not　baptized　of　him。〃　Luke　7：30。　They　treated　his　message　with　disdain。　Like　the　second　son；　who；　when　called；　said；　〃I　go；　sir；〃　but　went　not；　the　priests　and　rulers　professed　obedience；　but　acted　disobedience。　They　made　great　professions　of　piety；　they　claimed　to　be　obeying　the　law　of　God；　but　they　rendered　only　a　false　obedience。　The　publicans　were　denounced　and　cursed　by　the　Pharisees　as　infidels；　but　they　showed　by　their　faith　and　works　that

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they　were　going　into　the　kingdom　of　heaven　before　those　self…righteous　men　who　had　been　given　great　light；　but　whose　works　did　not　correspond　to　their　profession　of　godliness。

The　priests　and　rulers　were　unwilling　to　bear　these　searching　truths；　they　remained　silent；　however；　hoping　that　Jesus　would　say　something　which　they　could　turn　against　Him；　but　they　had　still　more　to　bear。

〃Hear　another　parable；〃　Christ　said：　〃There　was　a　certain　householder；　which　planted　a　vineyard；　and　hedged　it　round　about；　and　digged　a　wine　press　in　it；　and　built　a　tower；　and　let　it　out　to　husbandmen；　and　went　into　a　far　country：　and　when　the　time　of　the　fruit　drew　near；　he　sent　his　servants　to　the　husbandmen；　that　they　might　receive　the　fruits　of　it。　And　the　husbandmen　took　his　servants；　and　beat　one；　and　killed　another；　and　stoned　another。　Again；　he　sent　other　servants　more　than　the　first：　and　they　did　unto　them　likewise。　But　last　of　all　he　sent　unto　them　his　son；　saying；　They　will　reverence　my　son。　But　when　the　husbandmen　saw　the　son；　they　said　among　themselves；　This　is　the　heir；　come；　let　us　kill　him；　and　let　us　seize　on　his　inheritance。　And　they　caught　him；　and　cast　him　out　of　the　vineyard；　and　slew　him。　When　the　lord　therefore　of　the　vineyard　cometh；　what　will　he　do　unto　those　husbandmen？〃

Jesus　addressed　all　the　people　present；　but　the　priests　and　rulers　answered。　〃He　will　miserably　destroy　those　wicked　men；〃　they　said；　〃and　will　let　out　his　vineyard　unto　other　husbandmen；　which　shall　render　him　the　fruits　in　their　seasons。〃　The　speakers　had　not　at　first　perceived　the　application　of　the　parable；　but　they　now　saw　that　they　had　pronounced　their　own　condemnation。　In　the　parable　the　householder　represented　God；　the　vineyard　the　Jewish　nation；　and　the　hedge　the　divine　law　which　was　their　protection。　The　tower　was　a　symbol　of　the　temple。　The　lord　of　the　vineyard　had　done　everything　needful　for　its　prosperity。　〃What　could　have　been　done　more　to　my　vineyard；〃　he　says；　〃that　I　have　not　done　in　it。〃　Isa。　5：4。　Thus　was　represented　God's　unwearied　care　for　Israel。　And　as　the　husbandmen　were　to　return　to　the　lord　a　due　proportion　of　the　fruits　of　the　vineyard；　so　God's　people　were　to　honor　Him　by　a　life　corresponding　to　their　sacred　privileges。　But　as　the　husbandmen　had　killed　the　servants　whom　the　master　sent　to　them　for　fruit；　so　the　Jews　had　put　to　death　the　prophets　whom　God　sent　to　call　them　to　repentance。　Messenger　after　messenger　had　been　slain。　Thus　far　the　application　of　the　parable　could　not　be　questioned；　and　in　what　followed　it　was　not　less　evident。　In　the　beloved　son　whom　the　lord　of　the　vineyard　finally　sent　to　his　disobedient　servants；　and　whom　they