V. the coming in humiliation. (Chap. 20:29-23:)
I. The final presentation of the King (chap. 20:29-21:17). At Jericho we find the Lord once more as Son of David, a title we do not find on the lips of Israelites from chap. 12:till now; and it is as this He gives sight to two blind men, the witnesses of His power and goodness. The willing hearts of His people answering His claim upon them, He rides into Jerusalem in fulfillment of Zechariah's prophecy, " Meek, and sitting upon an ass." The evangelist omits in his quotation "just, and having salvation," as in fact the unbelief of the nation prevents the manifestation of this power in their behalf. All the city is moved; but although the words of the hundred and eighteenth psalm are upon their lips,-words with which, in a future day, they will welcome their Deliverer,-as yet, there is no real recognition of Him. He cleanses the temple, become now a place of robbery instead of prayer, and there heals the blind and the lame; but the leaders of the people reject Him, and out of the mouth of babes and sucklings only is His praise perfected. He leaves the city, and going out to Bethany, (for the first time mentioned in this gospel, linked so abidingly with the well-known glorifying of the Son of God by resurrection out of death,) He lodges there.

2. Rejection of the people for their fruitless profession (chap. 21:18-46). It was significantly from Bethphage-the " house of unripe figs,"-that the Lord had entered the city. On His return to it in the morning, a fig-tree whose promise of fruit is not fulfilled is made the type of a judgment for similar fruitlessness coming upon the guilty nation. In the temple, the chief priests question Him as to His authority, but He refuses answer till they have settled the prior question of the baptism of John. In fact repentance-the burden of John's testimony -must be the way to salvation by Christ. For a repentant sinner there is but one Saviour, and no babel of discordant teaching can drown for such the voice of Christ. But despite their seeming respect for divine authority, the publicans and harlots went into the kingdom of God before the Pharisees. The parable of the vineyard is the history of the nation which God had cared for and blessed, and admonished by a long succession of prophets. Now, after having rejected one after another the servants He sent to them, they were about to consummate their guilt by slaying His Son.

3. Rejection of the people for their rejection of the offers of grace (chap. 22:1-14). Yet patient mercy would not stop even here, as the following parable of the kingdom shows. The very death of Christ would furnish forth a table where the King could invite guests to the marriage of His Son,-guests already bidden by the voice of prophecy. But the Jews (these bidden ones) still reject, persecuting to death the messengers of grace. Then the limit of divine forbearance is reached, and the city burned up, while to supply the place of the rejecters a general call goes out to all men. This gathers many, among whom, however, when the King comes in to see the guests, some are found whose type is the man who has not on the wedding-garment,-the covering, that is, which grace provides. And indeed out of all whom grace invites the few only are chosen, not the many.

4. The trial and exposure of the leaders of the people (chap. 22:15-46). After this, the various parties among the Jews come-up before Him, seeking to entangle Him in their talk, but in fact out of their own mouths to be judged. The Pharisees and Herodians are condemned by Caesar's image on the tribute-money. They had subjected themselves to Caesar for their own gain; they must therefore accept the position in which their sin had placed them. The Sadducees are convicted of ignorance of Scripture and of the power of God. The lawyers are made to recognize as the great commandment of the law that which proved them most of all guilty. Finally, the Lord puts before them the fundamental question which convicts them of ignorance of the true dignity of their Messiah,-of David's Son,-whose enemies would yet be made His footstool.

5. Their judgment (chap, 23:). Then the Lord turns upon the convicted and silenced leaders, and denounces them as the hypocritical destroyers of the people. Jerusalem, refusing the love which would so often have gathered her children under its secure shelter, is left desolate without Him until they shall say, as yet out of their distress and misery they shall be made to say, " Blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord." Then, even after so long resistance, divine grace shall save them.