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day of vengeance (n) is in mine "heart, and the year of my re"deemed is come. And I looked, " and there was none to (o) help; " and I wondered that there was "none to uphold: therefore mine

own arm brought salvation un"to me; and my fury, it upheld 6. " me. And I (p) will tread down "the people in mine anger, and "make them drunk in my fury, " and I will bring down their

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strength to the earth." I will mention the loving-kindnesses of the Lord, and the praises of the Lord, according to all that the Lord hath bestowed on us, and the great goodness toward the house of Israel, which he hath bestowed on them according to his mercies, and according to the multitude of his loving-kindnesses. 8. For he (q) said, "Surely they are

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my people, children that will "not lie:" so he was their Sa9. viour. In all their affliction he was afflicted, and the (r) angel of

2.4.

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v.6.

v.8.

2.9.

(n) For " is," read "was," in both places.

(o)" To help," i. e. perhaps no chance of deliverance to my servants by human means.

(p)"Will tread," &c. The verbs should be in the past tense.

(q) "He said," i. e. there was a time when he so said; when he had so great a kindness towards them.

(r)"The angel of his presence." A strong expression, to signify the peculiar protection he afforded them; as if an angel of especial rank preserved them. In Matt. xviii. 9, 10. where our Saviour is speaking of the consideration God has of little children, he assigns as a reason why they should not be despised or lightly esteemed, "that in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my which is in heaven."

his presence saved them: in his love and in his pity he redeemed them; and he bare them, and carried them all the days of old. But they (s) rebelled, and vexed his holy Spirit: therefore he was turned to be their enemy, and he fought against them. Then he remembered the days of old, Moses and his people, saying, "Where (t) is he that brought "them up out of the sea with "the shepherd of his flock? "Where is he that put his holy

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Spirit within him? that led "them by the right hand of Mo"ses with his glorious arm, di"viding the water before them, "to make himself an everlasting "name? that led them through "the deep, as an horse in the "wilderness, that they should "not stumble ?" As a beast goeth down into the valley, the Spirit of the Lord caused him to rest; so didst thou lead thy people, to make thyself a glorious

(s)" Rebelled," &c. See P's. lxxviii. and cvi. an account of many of their re bellions and punishments, and of God's ultimate forbearance; when, according to Ps. lxxviii. 39. 66 many a time turned "he his wrath away, and would not "suffer his whole displeasure to arise."

(t)" Where is he," &e. These, to the end of v. 13. if not of v. 14. are put as the words of Moses and the people; as their expostulation with God. In Exod. xxxii. 11 to 13. and Numb. xiv. 13 to 19. there is a similar expostu lation from Moses, to induce God to spare the people, and it is often stated as a reason for God's forgiveness to the Israelites, or as a ground for imploring it, that his name should not be polluted among the heathen, and that the heathen should not have the power of saying, "where is now their God." See Ezek. XX. 9. 14. 22. and Ps. lxxix. 10. and ante 79, Joel ii. 17.

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15. name.

Look down from hea- || trodden down thy sanctuary. We 19.
are thine thou never barest rule
over them; they were not called
by thy name.

ven, and behold from the habitation of thy holiness and of thy glory: Where is thy zeal and thy strength, the sounding of thy bowels and of thy mercies toward 16. me? are they restrained? Doubtless thou art our Father, though Abraham be ignorant of us, and Israel acknowledge us not: thou, O Lord, art our Father, (u) our Redeemer; thy name is from 17. everlasting. O Lord, why hast thou made us to err from thy ways, and hardened our heart from thy fear? Return for thy servants' sake, the tribes of thine 18. inheritance. The (x) people of thy holiness have possessed it but a little while our adversaries have

v. 16.

v. 18.

19.

V. I.

(u) For "our Redeemer; thy name "is from everlasting," Bp. Lowth reads, "O deliver us, for thy name's sake."

(x) Bp. Lowth thinks there is a mistake in the text, and reads, "It is "not only that our enemies have taken "possession of Mount Sion, and trod"den down thy sanctuary, but what is worse, thou hast cast us off, we are "no longer thy people."

(y)The passover." This was the. first of the three great feasts, at which every male was to appear before the Lord at the place which he should choose. See Deutr. xvi. 1. 16. Jews, therefore, from all parts of the earth, would be at Jerusalem at the time of our Saviour's apprehension and crucifixion. It is remarkable too, that it was at the second of these feasts, the feast of weeks, that the gift of tongues, the power of speaking languages they had never learned, was conferred upon the apostles. The same persons, therefore, who had witnessed the crucifixion, would be witnesses of the miracle, the gift of tongues, and would naturally carry an account of both events to the countries from which they came. The passover was instituted to commemorate the preservation of their first-born, when all the first-born of the Egyptians were destroyed; and the feast of unleavened bread, which accompanied

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The Gospel. Mark xiv. 1. AFTER two days was the feast of the (y) passover, and of unleavened bread: and the chief priests and the scribes sought how they might take him by craft, and put him to death. But they said, 2. "Not on the feast-day, lest there "be an uproar of the people.' And being in Bethany, in the 3house of Simon the leper, as he sat at meat, there came a (z) woman having an alabaster-box of ointment of spikenard, very precious; and she brake the box,

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it, was to commemorate their deliverance from the land of Egypt. At the institution of the passover, each family was directed to take a male lamb, without blemish, and to kill, dress, and eat it ; and they were to take of the blood, and strike it on the side posts and the upper door posts of their houses, and God promised, that "when he passed through "the land, to destroy the first-born of "the Egyptians, he would pass over "the houses of the children of Israel." See Exod. xii. 3 to 28. One of the directions as to the lamb was, that they "should not break a bone thereof." See Exod. xii. 46.-Numb. ix. 12. The paschal lamb is considered a type of our Saviour; he was crucified at the time prescribed for killing the paschal lamb, and as the blood of the paschal lamb protected the Israelites from temporal death, so does the blood of Christ protect all real Christians from death eternal. The paschal lamb was to be killed on the fourteenth day of the first month, in the evening. Exod. xii. 2. 6. -Numb. ix. 1. 3.-Levit. xxiii. 5, 6.

(x) "A woman." According to v.3. John xii. 3. this was Mary, the sister of Lazarus, and she might have been induced to incur this expence, out of gratitude for his having raised Lazarus from the dead.

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and poured it on his head. And 4. there were (a) some that had indignation within themselves, and said, "Why was this waste of "the ointment made? for it "might have been sold for more "than three hundred pence, and "have been given to the poor." And they murmured against her. 6. And Jesus said, "Let her alone; "why trouble ye her? she hath "wrought a good work on me. "For ye have the poor with you always, and whensoever ye will ye may do them good: but me ye have not always. She hath "done what she could she is "come aforehand to anoint my 9. body to the burying. Verily "I say unto you, Wheresoever "this gospel shall be preached "throughout the whole world, "this also that she hath done "shall be spoken of for a me10. "morial of her." And Judas

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Iscariot, one of the twelve, went unto the chief priests, to betray 11. him unto them. And when they heard it, they were glad, and promised to give him money. And he sought how he might conve12. niently betray him. And the first day of unleavened bread, when they killed the passover,

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(a) "Some." According to John xii. 4. Judas Iscariot was the person who expressed his indignation. 0.13. (b) "Go," &c. These instances of foreknowledge would naturally tend to confirm in the apostles the belief that God was with him. How could he foresee, but through the power of God, that they would meet a man, bearing a pitcher of water, or that the master of the house should furnish them with a guest-chamber, and that it should be an upper room, and prepared; and yet within a very few hours they were so disconcerted and alarmed by his appre.

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ye into the city, and there "shall meet you a man bearing

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a pitcher of water: follow him. "And wheresoever he shall go "in, say ye to the good man of "the house, The Master saith, "Where is the guest-chamber, "where I shall eat the passover "with my disciples? And he "will shew you a large upper "room furnished and prepared: "there make ready for us." And his disciples went forth, and came into the city, and found as he had said unto them: and they made ready the (c) passover. And in the evening he cometh with the twelve. And as they sat and did eat, Jesus said, "Verily I say "unto you, One of you which "eateth with me shall (d) betray "me." And they began to be 1 sorrowful, and to say unto him one by one," Is it I?" and ano-2 ther said, "Is it I?" And he answered and said unto them, "It "is one of the twelve, that dip"peth with me in the dish. The

hension, that they all forsook him and fled.

(c) "The passover." See post 109. note on Luke xxii. 14.

(d) "Shall betray me." This was another strong instance of fore-knowledge. Peter, who is supposed to have overlooked St. Mark's gospel, must have heard it, and so must St. Matthew and St. John, who have also recorded it. Matt. xxvi. 21.-John xiii. 21. And the recollection of these instances after the resurrection would have a tendency to strengthen their faith, had it required any additional support,

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"Son of man indeed goeth, as it " is written of him: but woe to "that man by whom the Son of "man is betrayed! good were it "for that man if he had never 22. been born." And as they did eat, Jesus took bread, and blessed, and brake it, and gave to them, and said, "Take (e), eat; this is 23. my body." And he took the cup; and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them and 24. they all drank of it. And he said unto them, "This is "This is my blood "of the new (f) testament, which 25. “ is shed for (g) many. Verily

v. 22.

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(e) "Take," &c. This was perhaps substituted for the paschal form at the feast of the passover, which was, "This "is the bread of affliction, which our "fathers did eat in Egypt," &c. Hamm. 131.

(f) "Testament," i. e. covenant. (g) "For many." He does not say indiscriminately for all mankind, but for many, that is, the real Christians, the pure in heart, &c. So post, Matt. xx. a ransom for many." St. Matthew adds here," for the remission of sins." Matt. xxvi. 28.

28. "

0.27. (b) Offended," i.e. fall off from me, desert me.

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(i) "Written," &c. The passage is Zech.xiii. 7. "Awake, O sword, against

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my shepherd, and against the man that " is my fellow, saith the Lord of Hosts: "smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall "be scattered: and I will turn my "hand upon the little ones: and it shall 66 come to pass, that in all the land, "saith the Lord, two parts thereof "shall be cut off and die; but the third

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part shall be left therein: and I will bring the third part through the fire, "and will refine them as silver is re"fined, and will try them as gold is tried: "they shall call on my name, and I will "hear them; I will say it is my people, " and they shall say, the Lord is my "God." This is an important prophecy, not only as it purports that the Messiah, that God's shepherd," the

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man who was his fellow," should be smitten, and his followers scattered, but

"I say unto you, I will drink no "more of the fruit of the vine, "until that day that I drink it "new in the kingdom of God." And when they had sung an 26. hymn, they went out into the mount of Olives. And Jesus 27. saith unto them, "All ye shall "be (b) offended because of me "this night: for it is (i) written, "I will smite the shepherd, and "the sheep shall be scattered. "But after that I (k) am risen, 28. "I will go before you into (1) Ga"lilee." But (m) Peter said un- 29. to him, Although all shall be

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as it intimates that that event should be followed by the destruction of great part of the land, and that those who should escape should be those only who could bear the strictest trials, the being brought through the fire, and being refined as silver is refined; &c. our Saviour might wish at this time to bring this prophecy under their consideration.

(k) "After I am risen," &c. This v.28. imports that he was to rise; and though they might not exactly understand at the time what he meant (See ante 77, note on Luke xviii. 34.) they could not fail of bringing the saying to their recollection, and understanding its full force after the resurrection.

(1)Into Galilee." Our Saviour v.28. accordingly appeared to them there after his resurrection. Saint Matthew says, the eleven went "into Galilee, into a "mountain where Jesus had appointed "them; and when they saw him" (which implies that they did see him) "they "worshipped him; but some doubted;" Matt. xxviii. 16, 17. and St. John gives a detailed account of his shewing himself to seven of the disciples at the sea of Tiberias, which is in Galilee. John xxi.

(m) "Peter." Though Mark was v.29. peculiarly Peter's friend, and though Peter is supposed to have overlooked this gospel, this instance of Peter's cowardice is fully detailed: the apostles never shrunk from acknowledging their own failings. This timidity of St. Peter before the crucifixion, and his subsequent intrepidity, and the conduct of the other

30. "offended, yet will not I." And Jesus saith unto him, " Verily I say unto thee, That this day, " even in this night, before the "cock crow twice, thou shalt 31. "deny me thrice." But he

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spake the more vehemently, "If "I should die with thee, I will "not deny thee in any wise." 32. Likewise also said they all. And

they came to a place which was named Gethsemane: and he saith to his disciples,, "Sit ye here, 33. "while I shall pray." And he taketh with him Peter and James

and John, and began to be sore amazed, and to be very heavy; 34. and saith unto them, "My soul

"is exceeding sorrowful unto "death tarry ye here, and 35. "watch." And he went for

ward a little, and fell on the ground, and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might 36. pass from him. And he said, "Abba, Father, all things are "possible unto thee; take away

37.

38.

this cup from me: neverthe"less not what I will, but what "thou wilt." And he cometh, and findeth them sleeping, and saith unto Peter, "Simon, sleep"est thou? couldest not thou "watch one hour? watch ye and

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apostles, who, according to v. 50. forsook him and fled, and yet, after his crucifixion, gave up their whole lives to the preaching his gospel and asserting his pretensions, in defiance of the severest persecutions, may be reconciled upon this supposition, that they had afterwards a certain knowledge that he had risen from the dead, that he had ascended into heaven, and had conferred on them the gift of the Holy Ghost. Is there any other ground upon which these contrarieties in their conduct can be explained? See Maltby, 137. 145.

"tation. The spirit truly is "ready, but the flesh is weak." And again he went away, and prayed, and spake the same words. And when he returned, he found them asleep again: for their eyes were heavy neither wist they what to answer him. And he cometh the third time, and saith unto them, "(n) Sleep)

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on now, and take your rest: "it is enough, the hour is come: "behold, the Son of man is be"trayed into the hands of sin66 ners. Rise up, let us go; 4 "lo, he that betrayeth me is "at hand." And immediately, 4 while he yet spake, cometh Judas, one of the twelve, and with him a great multitude with swords and staves, from the chief priests and the scribes and the elders. And he that betrayed him had 4 given them a token, saying, "Whomsoever I shall kiss, that "same is he: take him, and lead "him away safely." And as soon as he was come, he goeth straightway to him, and saith, "Master, master; " and kissed him. And they laid their hands on him, and took him. And one (0) of them that stood by drew a sword, and smote a servant of the high priest, and cut

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(n) For" sleep on now," the reading should perhaps be, interrogatively, “Do ye still sleep," &c. even now, when the son of man is on the point of being betrayed?

(0)" One of them," viz. Peter. See John xviii. X. St. John alone names Peter as the person who did this, and the reason may be this, that all the gospels but St. John's were published in Peter's life-time, and it might have exposed him unnecessarily to persecution, had they named him. Peter perhaps expected that our Saviour would now

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