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"tized with, but to sit on my right hand, and on my left, is not mine to give, but it shall "be given to them for whom it is prepared of my Father." And when the ten heard it, they were moved with indignation against the two brethren. But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Ye know that the princes of "the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, "and they that are great exercise authority upon them. them. But it shall not be so among 66 you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister; and whoso"ever will be chief among you, let him be 66 your servant; even as the Son of man came "not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many."

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108. Jesus restores sight to blind Bartimeus near Jericho.

AND they came to Jericho; and Place. as he went out of Jericho with his NearJericho. disciples, and a great number of people, blind Bartimeus, the son of Timeus, sat by the highway side begging. And hearing the multitude pass by, he asked what it meant, and they told him, That Jesus of Nazareth passeth by. And he began to cry out, and say, Jesus, thou son of David, have mercy on me. many charged him that he should hold his peace: but he cried the more a great deal,

? See this fulfilled. Acts xii. 2.

Christ here speaks as man.

And

The word many has here no exclusive sense. Christ died for all men.

Thou son of David have mercy on me. And Jesus stood still, and commanded him to bẹ called. And they call the blind man, saying unto him, Be of good comfort, rise; he calleth thee. And he, casting away his garment, rose, and came to Jesus. And Jesus answered and said unto him. "What wilt thou that I "should do unto thee?" The blind man said unto him, Lord, that I might receive my sight, So Jesus had compassion, and said unto him, "Receive thy sight: thy faith hath saved "thee." And immediately he received his sight, and followed him, glorifying God and all the people, when they saw it, gave praise unto God,

And Jesus entered and passed through Jericho.

109. Jesus visits Zaccheus a chief of the publicans.

salem.

AND, behold, there was a man Place. named Zaccheus, which was the Near Jeruchief among the publicans, and_he was rich. And he sought to see Jesus who he was; and could not for the press, because he was little of stature. And he ran before, and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him: for he was to pass that way. And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up, and saw him, and said unto him, "Zaccheus, make haste, and come down; for to day I must "abide at thy house." And he made haste,

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The upper garment of the Jews was loose, which Bartimeus threw off that he might run the faster.

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and came down, and received him joyfully. And when they saw it, they all murmured saying, That he was gone to be guest with a man that is a sinner. And Zaccheus stood, and said unto the Lord," Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold. And Jesus said unto him, "This day is salvation come to "this house, forasmuch as he also is a son of "Abraham. For the Son of man is come to "seek and to save that which was lost."

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And as they heard these things, he added and spake a parable, because he was nigh to Jerusalem, and because they thought that the kingdom of God should immediately appear. He said therefore, "A certain nobleman went "into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom, and to return. And he called "his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, Occupy till I "come. But his citizens hated him, and sent "a message after him, saying, We will not "have this man to reign over us. And it came "to pass, that when he was returned, having "received the kingdom, then he commanded "these servants to be called unto him, ta

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The Jews held the publicans or tax-gatherers in such abhorrence, that they deemed them the greatest of sinners. Zaccheus thus spoke, not through vain glory, but from a desire to be accepted by Christ.

This is in allusion to tributary kings, who went to Rome to be confirmed in their kingdoms by the Emperor, and afterwards return to their government. The design of this parable is to set forth the behaviour of the Jews in rejecting our blessed Saviour.

d Employ my money in trade. "

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"whom he had given the money, that he might know how much every man had gained by trading. Then came the first, "saying, Lord, thy pound hath gained ten pounds. And he said unto him, Well, thou good servant: because thou hast been faith"ful in a very little, have thou authority over "ten cities. And the second came, saying, Lord, thy pound hath gained five pounds. "And he said likewise to him, Be thou also "over five cities. And another came, saying, Lord, behold here is thy pound, which I have kept laid up in a napkin; for I feared thee, "because thou art an austere man: thou "takest up that thou layedst not down, and 66 reapest that thou didst not sow. And he "saith unto him, Out of thine own mouth "will I judge thee, thou wicked servant. Thou "knewest that I was an austere man, taking "up that I laid not down, and reaping that "did not sow: wherefore then gavest not "thou my money into the bank, that at my coming I might have required mine own with usury? And be said unto them that "stood by, Take from him the pound, and give it to him that hath ten pounds, (And

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they said unto him, Lord, he hath ten "pounds.) For I say unto you, That unto "every one which hath shall be given; and "from him that hath not, even that he hath "shall be taken away from him. But those

a With interest.

b Every one that makes a right use of divine grace shall be still farther assisted. But he who neglects it, shall lose the benefit he might have made of it, both in this world and the

next.

"mine enemies, which would not that I should "reign over them, bring hither, and slay "them before me." And when he had thus spoken, he went before, ascending up to Jerusalem.

110. Jesus arrives at Bethany six days before the Passover.

Time.

AND the Jews' passover was nigh A. D. 33. at hand: and many went out of the Near the 4th country up to Jerusalem before the Passover. passover, to purify themselves.' Then sought they for Jesus, and spake among themselves, as they stood in the temple, What think ye, that he will not come to the feast? Now both the chief Priests and the Pharisees had given a commandment, that, if any man knew where he were, he should shew it, that they might take him.

Time. THEN Jesus six days be- Place. A. D. 33. fore the passover, came to Bethany. Six days before the 4th Bethany, where Lazarus was which Passover. had been dead, whom he raised from the dead. Much people of the Jews therefore knew that he was there: and they came not, for Jesus' sake only, but that they might see Lazarus also, whom he had raised from the dead. But the chief Priests consulted, that they might put Lazarus also to death; because that by reason of him many of the Jews went away, and believed on Jesus.

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Either from some defilement, or by reason of some vow. See Acts xxi. 23.

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