my expectation of that glorious event. These reasons satisfied John, and he acquiesced. — We are led here to contrast the readiness of our divine Master to fulfil all righteousness, with the backwardness of many persons to comply with the positively and divinely instituted ordinances of Christianity, Baptism and the Lord's Supper. His example teaches them to comply with all the commands of God, whether moral or ritual. Of the comparative importance of the two, moral and ritual, we may sum up all in his words: "These (the moral) ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other (the ritual) undone."

16. Straightway out of the water. He went up from the water. The original does not express the idea that they had been into the water, as would have been the case if the mode of baptism was by immersion, but they went down to the water, and then, when the rite had been performed, went up from the river's brink. The heavens, i. e. the visi

ble sky. Were opened. Some critics would transpose the word straightway from the foregoing clause, and insert it here. When it lightens, the clouds appear to open. The sky seems to be cleft asunder by the flash, for an instant, and then close up again. Such might have been the case now. The bright and sudden light might appear to make the firmament open. Acts vii. 56. This appearance is represented as taking place while he was praying. Luke iii. 21. The first act of his new office is, to acknowledge his dependence on God, and to supplicate his divine aid in the mighty enterprise before

are plainly told what the Holy Spirit, or the Holy Ghost, is. It is not a person. It is not a numerical distinction of the Godhead. It is not a third part, or quality, or substance, or person, of the All-Glorious Deity.

This

The human mind has originated these erroneous and mystifying notions; not the Bible. The Holy Spirit, or Ghost, is THE SPIRIT OF GOD. And as God is a Spirit, it is often, but not always, used for God himself. Here we may rest. We cannot understand the essence of the Deity. We can only say, that the Scriptures represent the Spirit of God as no more a distinct being from God, than the spirit of man is a distinct being from man. God is One, not Three. 1 Cor. ii. 11. Descending like a dove. Luke says, "in a bodily shape." may signify, either that there was a distinct, substantial appearance like a dove in form, or that the miraculous symbol of the divine spirit descended with a gentle, hovering, and dove-like motion. The innocence, gentleness, and meekness of Christ were fitly indicated by this reference to the dove. Matt. x. 16. This pure and gentle emblem was a fitting investiture of an office of love and good-will, of humility and holiness. Lighting upon him. This would serve to connect, in the view of all the spectators, the

are rather to construe this passage as a figurative narration of a real transaction, a series of real temptations in the mind of Jesus. The incidents were actual occurrences; but, in relating them to his disciples, Jesus employed the popular oriental imagery. Force and spirit is given to the circumstances, by throwing them into the form of a dialogue. The thoughts and feelings of the mind are introduced as interlocutors, speaking and quoting from the Bible. Jesus prefigured to himself the misemployment that might be made of his special gifts, but resisted the allurements to make such an abuse of them. He was faithful to his high trust. He told the spiritual experience to his followers, in order to instruct them in the use of their miraculous powers, in a manner fitted to impress the memory, and left it as a legacy of warning and encouragement to the world.

1. Then. After the baptism of Jesus, and the descent of the holy spirit. "The water of baptism is succeeded by the fire of temptation." - Led up of the spirit into the wilderness. Mark uses the strong language, "And immediately the spirit driveth him into the wilderness." Under the powerful influence of the divine spirit, which had just been poured upon him "without measure," he leaves the crowd, and withdraws to a wild region, away from the haunts of men, to the most sequestered parts of the desert or thinly peopled country, which were frequented by wild beasts. Mark i. 13. It was proably the desert of Jericho, lying not far from Bethabara, where he was baptized. The soul of Jesus was full of the great consecration of himself to the work of God, and the solemn duties pertaining to it.

He

His mind dilated and kindled with the grandeur of his mission. retired to meditate on its toils and trials, its responsibilities and joys. He was now to leave the humble shop of the carpenter, to assume the highest office ever known in the world. What wonder that he repaired to the deepest solitudes, to engage in the exercises of fasting, prayer, and self-communion? What wonder that there, too, he should be subject to the assault of temptations? To be tempted of the devil, i. e. by the devil. In the Bible, "certain and inevitable consequences are very often represented as the results specially intended." Jesus went not into the desert in order to be tempted. It would have been a practical violation of his prayer, "Lead us not into temptation." His object was to fast, to pray, and to meditate. Or, rather, perhaps he had no specified plan. He wandered almost unconsciously, while under the workings of his high contemplations, and the mighty promptings of God's spirit, farther and farther from men, into the deep fastnesses of the desert, mountainous country. There came the temptation, which was the effect, not the cause of his withdrawal. The words Satan and devil mean adversary and accuser. Human beings are called by these names. Matt. xvi. 23; John vi. 70; Tit. ii. 3. In the last case, the words false accusers are translated elsewhere devils. Where no person is alluded to by these terms, they are used as a personification of temptation, evil. James iv. 7. This rhetorical figure is frequent in the Old and New Testament. Solomon personifies Wisdom; Paul, Charity.

2. Fasted. We are not to understand by this that he absolutely went without food during this long

period; but that he had no regular supply. He lived sparingly. He had no sustenance except the scanty products of the desert, consisting, perhaps, of wild berries, fruits, and roots. Luke, iv. 2, says, indeed, that "he did eat nothing," but that is a general expression, which is probably to be taken with some limitation. So Jesus says, Matt. xi. 18, that "John came neither eating nor drinking," when we are told that "his meat was locusts and wild honey." Matt. iii. 4. Forty days. Moses, the Founder, and Elijah, the Restorer of the Jewish system, fasted the same length of time. Exod. xxxiv. 28; Deut. ix. 9, 18; 1 Kings xix. 8. This is probably merely an undesigned coincidence. An hungered, i. e. hungry. The meagre food of the desert was not sufficient. His body was worn down by fasting. If, as some suppose, he had been during all this time miraculously supported, and had literally tasted nothing, we may rationally ask, Why should that aid be suddenly withdrawn? It would throw him into that conflict with temptation, into which we are told God directly leads no man. James i. 13. Miracles are not to be unnecessarily supposed. The facts in this account do not demand a miraculous interposition, but are more naturally explained without it. 3. When the tempter came to him. What tempter? A being in bodily shape, of horrid aspect, or a design ing man, or a wily Jewish priest? This is inconceivable; for their personal appearance, and known design, would have completely broken the spell of the temptation. What came was the tempting thought, the evil suggestion, that rose up in the mind, in his state of hunger

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and weariness. We are told in the Epistle to the Hebrews, that Jesus was tempted in all points like as we are, yet without sin." And that 'being tempted he is able to succor them that are tempted." And that "he learned obedience by the things he suffered." How then are we tempted? For when that question is answered, we can understand how Jesus was tempted. We are tempted by the concurrence of some external object with our inward desire, or by some spontaneous imagining, leading us, if followed, or even indulged, into sin. The wrong consists not in the thought, or imagination, but in its being cherished, kept before the mind's eye, and acted out. Milton says truly,

"Evil into the mind of God or man

May come and go, so unapproved, and leave No spot or blame behind. Jesus was thus tempted, or tried, or put to a moral proof. If it was in any different way, then he is no example for us in temptation; we can derive no strength, courage, or hope, from his signal victory. But if he "was tempted in all points like as we are," then "he is able to succor them that are tempted." He, as well as we, had at times to resist intruding thoughts of evil, whispers, and imaginings of wrong. But he resisted at once and entirely, and "no spot or blame" left behind, any more than by the shadow of a cloud flying over the landscape. He was without sin. He said: If thou be the Son of God. This was the specious, plausible air, the temptation wore. "If," as he thought with himself, "I am indeed the beloved Son of God, as I have been just declared to be by a voice from heaven, then why endure this weariness and painful hunger? Why

was

-

may not my wonderful power be exerted for so important an end as my own comfort and self-preservation?" To his pure nature bad thoughts were foreign; but this tempting idea came in a robe of light.Command that these stones be made bread. Or, more correctly, that these stones be made loaves. "Here is an opportunity to try my power, and determine whether I am really the Son of God. The stones I see lying around me in the desert can, by a word, be turned into loaves of bread, to relieve my pressing hunger. Thus Jesus was tempted by the nature of the circumstances in which he was placed, as we are every day of our lives. He was tempted to use his power of working miracles in order to change stones into loaves, and thus silence the sharp cravings of hunger. The first temptation was that of appetite. - Blessed be Heaven, we have not in our Saviour a "high priest that cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin." Heb. iv. 15.

4. He answered. His good principles, his holy spirit, shrank from the idea with abhorrence. The words of Scripture rose to his lips: It is written, in Deut. viii. 3, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. Man's life, including reason, will, affection, and hope, is sustained by all the diversified manifestations of God, by whatever he appoints. For word, thing might be properly substituted. These words refer to the case of the Israelites, who were supported, not by bread, or any ordinary food, but by manna miraculously sent.

As

applied by Jesus to himself, their sense is this: "Animal Life may be sustained by any means God shall think proper. I will not therefore distrust him so far as to undertake to supply my own wants by the use of those gifts allotted me by Him for the most important moral end." The tempting thought fled. The quotation may have also a spiritual import; Wisd. of Solomon xvi. 26; as is beautifully set forth in a late author, Furness.

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If so,' we may suppose the blessed Saviour to have communed with himself—if I am the Son of God, then a mere animal life is not the end of my being, to which I am to devote my powers. The divine faculties and gifts of the Son of God are destined not for private and finite uses, but for vast and comprehensive purposes correspondent to gifts so great and rare. They have not been bestowed on me merely to support this perishing clay, and to exercise them for an object comparatively so worthless would be sacrilege. The life of the Son of God is not in the life of the body, but in the life of the godlike soul, and that is sustained by the consciousness of being true to the Divine Will, the word written on the heart. No, I will not desecrate my power by putting it to a mean use. Better were it for me to perish than to forget my true destiny. My dependence is not on bread alone, or principally, but on the consciousness of being true to God.'" -"How often do we see men, who possess powers fitting them to be the reformers and benefactors of thousands, sacrificing every thing for bread, or for the wealth and place which will secure bread enough and to spare!"