lieve, that, as the ambition of the disciples had been raised to the highest pitch by the declaration that Jesus was the Messiah, it was his intention to suppress all the expectations of reward and glory which they would indulge, as followers of the great Leader. He, therefore, from that time, more clearly declared, what he had already hinted, Matt. xii. 40, that he was to be put to death at Jerusalem; he would thus prepare their minds beforehand for the coming event.. Hence his discourse, as the solemn tragedy draws near, is more and more occupied with allusions to it.

"O, suffering friend of human kind!

How, as the fatal hour drew near,
Came thronging on thy holy mind
The images of grief and fear!
"Gethsemane's sad midnight scene,

The faithless friends, the exulting foes, The thorny crown, the insult keen, The scourge, the cross, before thee rose." Must go. Must is often used to signify, not necessity, but that a thing will come to pass. The prediction here made was fulfilled to the letter, as we shall see in the conclusion of this history. The elders, chief priests, and Scribes, or Jewish Sanhedrim, were chiefly instrumental in effecting this awful catastrophe.

22. Then Peter took him. Took him aside, or took him by the hand, as some think; but, as others suppose, took him up, or interrupted him, without allowing him to complete his declaration. Nothing can be more true to nature than this burst of a sanguine temper, after the mind had been teeming with visions

of splendor and power. Peter is a representative of the world, that shudders at sufferings and trials, and sees not in them the accomplishment of a more than heroic destiny. Be it far from thee. Literally, God be merciful to thee, which is equivalent to God forbid, 1 Chron. xi. 19, where the Septuagint has the same words as here.

23. He turned. Mark has it, "turned about and looked on his disciples." Every page of the Evangelists has some inimitable touches of nature. Jesus turned suddenly round, as if started out of his usual equanimity by this untimely familiarity of his disciple, and ready to show how aware he was of the temptation, and how firm and resolved he was to overcome it. Satan. Here is an instance of the freedom with which this word was used among the Jews. It means an adversary, or evil adviser. Such Peter had become to Jesus, by declaring that the lot that he had predicted would not fall upon him. The thoughts which tempted Jesus after his baptism in the wilderness were said to come from Satan, i. e. were evil. - An offence unto me. A cause of offence, a snare, a stumbling-block, namely, "by nurturing that natural horror of his painful and ignominious death, which occasionally harassed our Saviour." "How soon is Peter, the rock, turned to an adversary!"— Thou savorest not the things, &c., or approvest or regardest not the things which please God, but those which please men. The views of Peter savored of

worldliness and ambition, and were inconsistent with the purposes of Heaven; though he was misled by his affection for his Master, as well as by the earthliness of his mind, for he was shocked at the thought of one whom he so loved being put to death. But Jesus would rend away the veil, and show them the certainly coming reality. He would teach them, that "the infant doctrine which was to go through the world, consoling the sorrows of the mourners, and pouring balm into wounded bosoms, was itself first to be nurtured with tears, and baptized in blood."

24. Will come after me, i. e. will be my disciple. Let him deny himself. Let him forget himself. Let him be ready to incur the most dreadful sufferings. My disciples must be of such hardihood as to look danger and death, the most dreadful death, in the face. See note on Matt. x. 38. Take up his cross. Crucifixion was a Roman mode of punishment, introduced among the Jews, and was inconceivably agonizing and disgraceful. To add new horrors to it, those who were thus executed were compelled to bear the instrument of their own death to the place of punishment. Hence the imagery of the text, so crushing to the hopes of his followers. How perfectly is the truthfulness of Jesus manifested in his dealing thus frankly with his discíples!

25. See note on Matt. x. 39. The word life is here used with a twofold meaning, which fact explains

the paradox. He who desires to save his earthly life, at the expense of conscience and fidelity to me, shall lose his spiritual, heavenly life; and he who loses his earthly life, and dies rather than swerve from his rectitude, shall find his true life.

26. Soul. This is the same word which in the previous verse is translated life, and such should be its rendering here. The sense is: What would a man be profited, if he should gain the whole world, its riches, honors, and pleasures, and lose his life, the essential condition on which he would possess and enjoy them all? Or as Luke has it, ix. 25, "lose himself." Or what equivalent could one find for his life? But the original word, in a secondary sense, means soul, and refers to the future and spiritual existence. That the word is susceptible of both meanings is, according to Campbell, beyond a question. The value of an immortal soul is indicated indeed by the world itself, which, with all its wonders, and riches, and glories, seems to exist chiefly for the sublime purpose of educating human spirits, and preparing them for immortality. How senseless and mad must he be, who confounds the instrument with the end, and barters away himself for the world, or for an insignificant portion of its fleeting possessions or indulgences! Know, O man, that thou art of so great a price, that the world is too poor to buy thee, though its crowns and treasures and mines of gold were put into the balance. Thine im

suscitation of the ruler's daughter, Mark v. 37, and accompanied Jesus in his temptation in the garden of Gethsemane, Matt. xxvi. 37. They were a sufficient number, according to the law, to bear witness to any fact. Perhaps the tender sensibility of Jesus shrank from having a greater number accompany him to his retirement and devotions, for his tears upon more than one occasion betokened a susceptible heart. An high mountain apart. Early tradition designated Mount Tabor as the scene of the Transfiguration, though many have supposed that it was Mount Hermon, or Mount Paneus. No data now exist to decide the question. Luke states that his object in going up was to pray, and the mind of Jesus appears not to have been independent of those elevating influences which came from the loneliness and sublimity of such a place. The mountain was his favorite oratory, and the sea his frequent resort.

2. Was transfigured. Or changed in the external appearance, not in shape or size. In Luke, it is said, "the fashion of his countenance was altered." His face shone with a peculiar lustre, and his garments became white and glistering. These phenomena, though outward, must have conveyed to the disciples a powerful spiritual impression; for such an appearance was indicative of the Divine presence and favor. It was an ancient opinion, that he designed here to give his disciples a glimpse of that glory promised in Matt. xvi. 27, to fortify their minds against the scandal of the cross.

3. Moses and Elias. Elijah. The one, the great Lawgiver of Israel,

the other, the great Reformer and Prophet. To see their Master conversing with these most venerable men of Jewish history would exalt him, in the eyes of his companions, to a height he had not before occupied in their minds. This scene was peculiarly fitted, as undoubtedly it was intended, to show the harmonious connexion between the old and new dispensations, since their great Leaders were seen holding a friendly interview. It afforded new evidence of Jesus' Messiahship; served therefore to encourage the disciples, whose hearts had failed them at the prospect of their Master's death, and their own exposure to persecution, which he had predicted. From a lowly individual, he now rose before their conceptions into the highest glory conceivable by a Jewish mind. But more than this. The transfiguration may have taken place for the sake of Jesus as well as his disciples. This is indicated by the subject of the conversation, as given by Luke, who says, they

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spake of his decease, which he should accomplish at Jerusalem." They appeared to encourage and strengthen him by their sympathy, for a fate which was so dreadful to contemplate, that in the garden he prayed, that if it were possible the cup might pass from him. If an angel then appeared to succour him, why is it not likely that this scene, with its glory, and heavenly visitants, and voice from the cloud, was designed to sustain the Master, as well as impress his followers? We are not informed in what way the disciples identified Moses and Elijah, but not unlikely they ascertained the fact from Jesus himself.

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4. Answered Peter. Rather, proceeded to say, for it does not appear that his remark was any reply to what had been said before. We are elsewhere told that the disciples were heavy with sleep, but awoke and beheld the glorious appearance, and that, as the two men were departing, Peter, with his characteristic forwardness, although participating in the fear common to all three, and hardly knowing what he uttered, said to Jesus, 'Lord, it is good for us to be here," &c.. Three tabernacles. Or, booths, such as could be formed of the boughs of trees common in that place. This speech, whilst it revealed the wild rapture of Peter, disclosed also his earthly savor of mind. He seems to have supposed that this scene could, from its nature, be long perpetuated; or that these distinguished individuals would remain as assistants to Christ in founding a temporal kingdom; or, as has been suggested, he wished to dwell apart from the cares of life, in this sweet solitude and celestial society, nor again return to encounter those terrible evils that had lately formed the unwelcome subject of his Master's conversation.

save Jesus only. And as they

Overshadowed. Better, surrounded them, as a cloud of light could not from its nature overshadow any thing.

A voice out of the cloud, &c. The same audible Divine sanction of Jesus had been before given at his baptism, and was afterwards at Jerusalem, in the presence of the multitude. Matt. iii. 17, and John xii. 28. Some suppose that reference is particularly made to Deut. xviii. 15. Peter long after, 2 Pet. i. 16-18, referred to this scene and to the Voice, as a proof of his Master's authority and truth. Some suppose that John, i. 14, also refers to it, but not upon any strong grounds. Though no articulate voice now speaks from the sky to bid us hear him, who is the beloved Son of God, yet his bloody cross, his empty sepulchre, and his benign Gospel, with all its sweet and thrilling tones, are ever sounding the solemn command in our ears, and in the depths of our spiritual nature. See note on Matt. iii. 17.

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6. Sore. An old English word for very, exceedingly. Full of consternation, they fall prostrate upon the earth. Acts ix. 4. From a notion prevalent among the Jews, that one who saw God should die, they were perhaps afraid to look up. Ex. iii. 6; Dan. viii. 17. In Luke, they are said to have "feared, as they entered into the cloud."