IT Chapter II A DIARY OF TWO DAYS T is the morning of Wednesday, the 29th March, A.D. 30, when Jesus with the twelve Apostles set out from the "city called Ephraim" in Peræa, on their journey to Jerusalem With them are a number of other disciples, some of them women, who have followed Him from Galilee, and joined the party here. As they proceed on their way they find themselves in the company of other travellers, who like themselves are going to the Temple to observe the Passover. Many of these are also from Galilee where they have often listened to the preaching of Jesus and seen His works; they are therefore friendly disposed towards Him and some are believers on Him. He As the Apostles mingle with these fellow pilgrims, exchanging greetings, and asking and answering questions about mutual acquaintance, the Master walks on in advance. Presently they observe something unusual in His manner. is hurrying on fast; He appears abstracted, and as it were set. upon some fixed purpose; and His bearing is such as to cause a vague feeling of surprise and painful apprehension in their hearts. After a while He stops and waits until they come up with Him; then, calling the Twelve apart from the other travellers, he discloses to them in plainer terms than He has done hitherto, the events that lie before Him during the next few days. He says : : "Behold, we go up to Jerusalem, and all the things that are written by the prophets shall be accomplished unto the Son of man. For he shall be delivered up to the chief priests and the scribes; and they shall condemn him to death, and shall deliver him unto the Gentiles; and he shall be mocked, and shamefully entreated, and spit upon; and they shall scourge and crucify and kill him; and the third day he shall rise again." Shortly after, as they proceed on their way, Salome, the mother of Zebedee's children, with her two sons, approaching Jesus, asks Him to promise that they may sit, the one on His right hand and the other on His left, in His Kingdon. To this request Jesus replies, "Ye know not what ye ask. Are ye able to drink the cup that I drink ? or to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with ?" They answer, "We are able." Jesus then says unto them: "The cup that I drink ye shall drink; and with the baptism that I am baptized withal shall ye be baptized: but to sit on my right hand and on my left hand is not mine to give, but it is for them for whom it hath been prepared of my Father." This request of James and John causes much indignation amongst the other ten disciples, who at the moment can see in it only a selfish desire for pre-eminence. But Jesus calls them all together, and speaks to them as follows:- "Ye know that they which are accounted to rule over the Gentiles lord it over them; and their great ones exercise authority over them. But it is not so among you: but whosoever would become great among you, shall be your minister: and whosoever would be first among you, shall be servant of all. For verily the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many. For whether is greater, he that sitteth at meat, or he that serveth? is not he that sitteth at meat? but I am in the midst of you as he that serveth. But ye are they which have continued with me in my temptations; and I appoint unto you a kingdom, even as my Father appointed unto me, that ye may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom; and ye shall sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel," ་ ་ ན Nothing further of unusual importance occurs on this day's journey. As evening approaches, after a walk of twenty or twenty-five miles, they arrive at Bethany "beyond Jordan." Here they have many friends; for near to this place John the Baptist, three or four years ago, preached and baptized. So there is no lack of hospitality, and the party stay here for the night. After rest and supper, the Apostles assemble in the principal room of the house where they are guests. Mats or thin cushions are laid upon the floor, and upon these they leisurely recline. The Lord is not in their midst: He probably has withdrawn, as is His wont, to meet with His Father in prayer. Three of the party, Matthew, Peter and James, have pen, ink and paper before them, and near them is a brightly burning lamp. And now they begin to talk over the leading events of the day. The first subject of conversation is the strange intimation that their Master has given them of the things that are shortly to happen to Him. They recall the feeling of amazement and fear with which they observed His demeanour as He walked in advance in the morning. Of these experiences Peter alone makes a note : "And they were in the way going up to Jerusalem; and Jesus was going before them and they were amazed, and they that followed were afraid." (Mark x. 32.) : They then speak of the intimation itself, and one and another repeat, as nearly as they can remember, the words that Jesus spoke. Following their recital, the three record His words respectively as shown in parallel columns on page 151. When these portions have been written, the question is asked by one, "What did the Lord mean by this ?" The question is repeated by others, but no answer is forthcoming, and they all express their inability to understand His allusions. On several former occasions they have taken the Master's figurative language literally; now that He has spoken literally they cannot realise that such is the case, but think He had some allegorical lesson to convey. James alone mentions their perplexity in the following terms :- "And they understood none of these things; and this saying was hid rom them and they perceived not the things that were said." (Luke xviii. 34.) And now they go on to recall the request which was made to Jesus, only some three or four hours ago, that He would grant to two of their number a place of special favour in His Kingdom. All feeling of anger has passed away; perhaps they see that they too harshly judged the motive of James and John; they try now to remember and repeat the words which Jesus spake to them and to all. As they do so the three continue to write, Matthew and Peter following closely the recital of those whose excellent memories enable them to repeat almost with verbal accuracy what Jesus said. James, however, depends more on his own recollection. He does not mention the application made by John and himself; in general terms he alludes to the occasion which called forth our Lord's admonition, and records some sentences thereof that appear to have escaped the notice of the rest. The three reports are presented on pages 152, 153. Bethany, where they are passing the night, is a town on the left bank of the Jordan, and close to the fords of that river. On the opposite side, some six or seven miles distant, is the important town of Jericho. The Jordan, at least on the lower part, as it widens out on its course towards the Dead Sea, (Matt. xx. 20-28). Then came to him the mother of the sons of Zebedee with her sons, worshipping him, and asking a certain thing of him. And he said unto her, What wouldest thou? She saith unto him, Command that these my two sons may sit, one on thy right hand, and one on thy left hand, in thy kingdom. But Jesus answered and said, Ye know not what ye ask. Are ye able to drink the cup that I am about to drink? They say unto him, We are able. He saith unto them, My cup indeed ye shall drink : but to sit on my right hand, and on my left hand, is not mine to give, but it is for them for whom it hath been prepared of my Father. And when the ten heard it, they were moved with indignation concerning the two brethren. But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Ye know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. Not so shall it be among you: but whosoever would (Mark x. 35-45). And there come near unto him James and John, the sons of Zebedee, saying unto him, Master, we would that thou shouldest do for us whatsoever we shall ask of thee. And he said unto them, What would ye that I should do for you? And they said unto him, Grant unto us that we may sit, one on thy right hand, and one on thy left hand, in thy glory. But Jesus said unto them, Ye know not what ye ask. Are ye able to drink the cup that I drink? or to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with? And they said unto him, We are able. And Jesus said unto them, The cup that I drink ye shall drink; and with the baptism that I am baptized withal shall ye be baptized but to sit on my right hand or on my left hand is not mine to give : but it is for them for whom it hath been prepared. And when the ten heard it, they began to be moved with indignation concerning James and John. And Jesus called them (Luke xxii. 24-30). And there arose also a contention |