alive, for in His sight all live, though they be hidden from our

senses.

See also the note on S. Mark xii. 26.

39 Then certain of the scribes answering said, Master, Thou hast well said.

40 And after that they durst not ask Him any question at all.

41 And He said unto them, How say they that CHRIST is David's Son ?

42 And David himself saith in the book of Psalms, The LORD said unto my LORD, Sit Thou on My right hand,

43 Till I make Thine enemies Thy footstool.'

44 David therefore calleth Him LORD, how is He then his Son?

It is very easy for us Christians to answer this question: the blessed JESUS is David's Son, in that He is man, and David's LORD in that He is GOD. GOD and man, yet not two, but one, CHRIST. The Jews who would not own Him as GOD, could not answer Him at all.

45 Then in the audience of all the people He said unto His disciples,

46 Beware of the scribes, which desire to walk in long robes, and love greetings in the markets, and the highest seats in the synagogues, and the chief rooms at feasts;

47 Which devour widows' houses, and for a show make long prayers: the same shall receive greater damnation.

Beware of the scribes. Beware of following their evil example, lest ye too become hardened, and make shipwreck of your faith, and so perish everlastingly.

1 Ps. cx. 1.

U

CHAPTER XXI.

1 And He looked up, and saw the rich men casting their gifts into the treasury.

2 And He saw also a certain poor widow casting in thither two mites.

3 And He said, Of a truth I say unto you, that this poor widow hath cast in more than they all:

4 For all these have of their abundance cast in unto the offerings of GOD: but she of her penury hath cast in all the living that she had.

The rich men gave a portion of their wealth to GOD: and doubtless if they gave in singleness of heart, they received a reward from Him, for He will be no man's debtor: but the widow in her poverty gave her all: and to human eyes that all may have seemed utterly valueless,-not so however in His eyes, Who "seeth not as man seeth," and when He comes again "in the glory of His FATHER and all the holy angels with Him," He will remember to the exceeding blessedness of this poor widow those "two mites which make a farthing."

Bring thine all, thy choicest treasure

Heap it high, and hide it deep :

Thou shalt win o'erflowing measure

Thou shalt climb, where skies are steep.

For, as Heaven's true only light
Quickens all those forms so bright,
So where bounty never faints,
There the LORD is with His Saints;
Mercy's sweet contagion spreading

Far and wide from heart to heart,
From His wounds atonement shedding
On the blessed widow's part.

5 And as some spake of the temple, how it was adorned with goodly stones and gifts, He said,

6 As for these things which ye behold, the days

will come, in the which there shall not be left one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.'

These words were fulfilled to the very letter, a few years after the ascension of our LORD: "Jerusalem which now is," is not the city in which our LORD was rejected: that Jerusalem has been utterly destroyed.

7 And they asked Him, saying, Master, but when shall these things be? and what sign will there be when these things shall come to pass?

The Apostles here ask two questions: the first, when His words were to be fulfilled; this the LORD JESUS does not answer: -the second, what signs should precede their fulfilment; these He does tell.

8 And He said, Take heed that ye be not deceived: for many shall come in My name, saying, I am Christ;

Before the destruction of Jerusalem there did arise, as our LORD here foretells, many who falsely said that they had been sent by GOD, pretending to be "the CHRIST." And as it was then,

before His judgment fell on the guilty city, so will it be also at the end of the world when He cometh to judge the quick and dead, but in returning and rest shall His children be saved, in returning with humble hearts to GOD, and calmly resting on Him, in the Catholic Church, which is His Body.

and the time draweth near: go ye not therefore after them.

These ministers of Satan, the LORD forewarns, will claim to be CHRIST; this will be false: they will also say, "The end is drawing near;" this will be true: but our LORD adds, "do not on this account go after them." It is very possible to be preachers of truth, yet not to be true ministers of GOD,-many such there

are now.

9 But when ye shall hear of wars and commotions, be not terrified:

1 Micah iii. 12.

When ye hear of wars without, and commotions or revolutions within, the kingdoms of this world, be not alarmed as though GOD's protection were failing you, or as though trials more than ye could bear were coming upon you, or as though the spirits of evil were gaining or could gain, the mastery.

for these things must first come to pass; but the end is not by and by.

"By and by," that is, will not follow immediately on these signs there will yet be time for those who have eyes to see these signs, to do as GOD had bidden them. See S. Mark xiii. 15, 16.

10 Then said He unto them, Nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom:

11 And great earthquakes shall be in divers places, and famines, and pestilences; and fearful sights and great signs shall there be from heaven.

:

Josephus, the Jewish historian, relates that before the destruction of Jerusalem a blazing star, in the shape of a sword, hung over the city that at the feast of the Passover a light shone round the altar as bright as day: that the brazen gate of the temple which twenty men could hardly move, opened at midnight of its own accord that there was in the clouds the appearance of armies fighting, and compassing the city, and that in the temple was heard the sound of a loud voice, saying, "Let us go hence:" these may be the "fearful sights and great signs" of which GOD spake.

:

12 But before all these, they shall lay their hands on you, and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues, and into prisons, being brought before kings and rulers for My name's sake.'

13 And it shall turn to you for a testimony.

These persecutions shall be to you a testimony of My truth: ye shall remember that I told you that such things should come to pass they will be to Me a testimony in your favour, a testi

1 S. Matt. v. 11, 12.

mony of your faithfulness: in the case of Mine enemies, they will also be a testimony, but against them. See S. Mark xiii. 9.

14 Settle it therefore in your hearts, not to meditate before what ye shall answer :'

15 For I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist.2

16 And ye shall be betrayed both by parents, and brethren, and kinsfolks, and friends; and some of you shall they cause to be put to death.

17 And ye shall be hated of all men for My name's sake.

18 But there shall not an hair of your head perish.

"Perish," that is, "perish everlastingly," "in the sight of the unwise," they doubtless would seem to perish, and "their end to be without honour;" but in the eyes of Him Who hath numbered even the hairs of our heads-with such exceeding carefulness does He care for His children-their sufferings and dying should be but the passing over into life, life eternal, life with Him.

19 In your patience possess ye your souls.

"Do ye bear meekly all these things, be not moved away from the hope of the Gospel by them, so will your souls be safe in My hand: these troubles are an appointed way whereby your salvation is to be put into your possession." LORD JESU, grant me patience here, and grace to wait for rest hereafter: yea, direct my heart into the love of GOD, and patient waiting for Thee, even into Thy patience.

20 And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh.

21 Then let them which are in Judæa flee to the mountains; and let them which are in the midst of it depart out; and let not them that are in the countries enter thereinto.

1 S. Matt. x. 19, 20.

2 Acts vi. 10.