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00:23Let us pray.
00:43Let us pray.
01:04Let us pray.
01:24Declared that you were without any consolation.
01:29Grant that in all adversity and times of temptation and desolation, I may fly with faith to you, my most
01:37Holy Father, and putting no confidence in myself.
01:39Grant that I may place all my hopes in you alone, and entirely resign myself and trust in you.
01:48Wound my innermost soul with the remembrance of your wounds. Write and imprint them upon my heart.
01:55Satiate me wholly with your blood, that all my intentions may be fixed in you alone, and that I may
02:02seek and find and hold you fast, possessing you forever and ever.
02:09Praise, honour, and glory be to you, O Christ, who, when your body was exhausted from the loss of blood,
02:16gasped for breath, and cried out on the cross that you were tormented with thirst, while you burnt with unspeakable
02:23desire for our salvation.
02:27Give me grace to thirst most ardently after your honour and the salvation of souls, and be ready cheerfully to
02:35spend myself for them, according to your will.
02:40Grant that no love of any transitory object may possess my soul, that I may never attach myself to any
02:47creature, and that even when I am bound to love, I may love only in you.
02:53But give me grace to love you above all, and with my whole soul, and quietly to rest in you.
03:02Praise, honour, and glory be to you, O Christ, who, when you were thirsty, even at the point of death,
03:09permitted a sponge filled with vinegar to be offered to you, and that by tasting of this, you might make
03:16satisfaction for our gluttony, giving us an example of poverty.
03:22Grant me the grace to despise any unlawful pleasure and delight, and to avoid any excess in eating and drinking,
03:29and may I use with moderation and thanksgiving whatever you do give me for the support of my poor body.
03:38So cleanse, I beg you, the taste of my heart, that it may relish nothing except that which is pleasing
03:44to you, and may find nothing but bitterness in whatever displeases you.
03:51Praise, honour, and glory be to you, O Christ, you, the greatest lover of the human race, who, when you
03:58were bringing out the work of our redemption to a close, brought yourself as a holy victim upon the altar
04:05of the cross for the sin of all mankind.
04:09May this be the only end, I beg you, of all my thoughts, words and works, namely, to seek your
04:17honour with an upright and sincere heart, and to desire nothing save you alone.
04:24Grant that I may never grow weary or lukewarm in your service, but a fervent spirit always be ever renewed
04:31within me, that I may daily more be more and more inflamed to love and praise you.
04:38Praise, and honour, and glory be to you, O Christ, who willingly underwent death, when commending yourself to your Father,
04:46and bending your adorable head, you gave up the ghost, and thus, by laying down your life for your sheep,
04:54showed yourself to be the Good Shepherd.
05:00You are dead, only begotten Son of God, you are dead, my beloved one, that I may live for ever.
05:06What hope, what confidence is laid up for me in your death and in your blood, I glorify you, I
05:12give you thanks as far as in me lies.
05:15Give me grace to die entirely, to sin, and all evil desires, and to live to you alone.
05:23May I think of you alone, may my understanding exercise itself in nothing except you, that, clad in your grace
05:32and with holy charity, I may soon after the close of this life come to you, the true paradise.
05:39O good Jesus, O good Jesus, by your bitter passion and death, grant to me the living pardon and grace,
05:45and to the faithful departed rest and everlasting light.
05:50Praise, honour, and glory be to you, O Christ, at whose death the sun withdrew its light,
05:57And the veil of the temple was divided in two, the earth quaked, and the rocks were cut, and the
06:04graves opened.
06:07May the rays of your grace never leave me, I beg you, you son of righteousness, you that are my
06:15God,
06:16May they always lighten, even the very inmost recesses of my heart, that I may joyfully serve you for ever.
06:25Tear away from me the veil of hypocrisy, make the ground of my soul quake with saving penitence,
06:32Rend in tomb this heart of stone of mine, that, being wholly renewed within, I may despise anything perishable,
06:41and love only the things that are of heaven.
06:44Amen.
06:49O Lord, open our lips, and our mouths shall sing your praise.
07:24Amen.
07:26Amen.
07:28Amen.
07:50The Lord is gracious, his mercy is everlasting, and his good and pure from generation to generation.
08:14The Lord is gracious, his mercy is everlasting, and his good and pure from generation.
08:47Amen.
08:59Amen.
09:24Amen.
09:38Amen.
09:47Amen.
10:09Amen.
10:11Amen.
10:22Amen.
10:32Amen.
10:53been left unto thee ever since I was gone, thou art my God, even from my father's womb.
11:04Oh, go not to love me, for trouble is hard at hand, and there is none to help me.
11:15Many oxen are come about me, that close a face and close me in on every sky.
11:25They gave upon me with their blood, as it were a happy, but a holy blood.
11:36I am full of thy blood, and all thy wounds are out of joint.
11:43My heart, for so in the midst of my body, is even like melting plants.
11:52My strength is dried up like a fortune, and my tongue cleaveth to my ground,
12:02and thou shalt bring me to the dust of death.
12:07For many thoughts are come about me, and the council of the wicked lay and speech are meant to me.
12:17They pierced my hands and my feet, I may tell all my bones.
12:26They stand staring and looking upon me.
12:31They put my garments upon them, and cast loss upon my person.
12:40But be not thou far from evil, Lord.
12:45Thou art my son, her haste need your help.
12:51Thou art my soul from the sword, my darling, from above the dark.
13:00Save me from my lion's mouth.
13:05Thou hast held me also from above the heart of thy holy blood.
13:13I will declare thy name unto my brethren.
13:18In the midst of the congregation will I praise him.
13:24O praise the Lord, ye that fear him.
13:28Lamb he find him, O ye, of the seed of Jacob,
13:34And fear him, O ye see of his bear.
13:40For he hath not despised nor abhorred the lowest stage of the poor.
13:47He hath not hid his face from him,
13:50But when he've thrown unto him, he hired him.
13:55By praises of thee in the great congregation,
14:02I bowed till I perform in the sight of them and praying.
14:08The poor shall eat and be satisfied.
14:13They have seen after the Lord shall praise him.
14:18Your heart shall win forever.
14:22All the ends of the world shall remember themselves
14:27and return unto the Lord.
14:32And all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before him.
14:38For the kingdom is the Lord,
14:42and he is the governor among the people.
14:48All such as he's met upon her,
14:53and he is the end of the world.
14:57All they that go down into the dark shall be before him.
15:04And no man hath writhen his own soul.
15:09I see, Chancellor, they shall be counted up to the Lord for a generation.
15:21They shall come, and their end shall declare his righteousness,
15:27But to the people that shall be born whom the Lord hath made.
15:37Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.
15:46As it was in the beginning,
15:50Is now and ever shall be,
15:55Worldly and ever.
16:01Amen.
16:12The Gospel according to St. Matthew, Chapter 2
16:18After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea,
16:22in the time of King Herod,
16:25Wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, saying,
16:29Where is the one who is born to be king of the Jews?
16:34We saw his star when it rose, and have come to worship him.
16:40When King Herod heard this,
16:43he was alarmed at all of Jerusalem with him.
16:47After assembling all the chief priests and experts in the law,
16:51he asked them where the Christ was due to be born.
16:57In Bethlehem of Judea, they said,
17:00For it is written this way by the prophet,
17:03And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
17:05are in no way least among the rulers of Judah.
17:09For out of you will come a ruler
17:12who will shepherd my people Israel.
17:17Then Herod privately summoned the wise men,
17:20and determined from them when the star had appeared.
17:25He sent them to Jerusalem and said,
17:28Go, look carefully for the child.
17:31When you find him, inform me
17:33that I also may go and worship him.
17:38After listening to the king, they left,
17:40and once again the star they had seen when it rose
17:43led them until it stopped above the place
17:46where the child was.
17:48When they saw the star, they shouted with joy.
17:52And as they came into the house
17:54and saw the child with Mary his mother,
17:56they bowed down and worshipped him.
17:58They opened their treasure boxes
18:00and gave him gifts of gold,
18:04frankincense and myrrh.
18:08But after being warned in a dream
18:10not to return to Herod,
18:11they went back by another route
18:13to their own country.
18:18After they had gone,
18:19an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph
18:21in a dream and said,
18:23Get up.
18:24Take the child and his mother.
18:27Flee to Egypt and stay there
18:29until I tell you.
18:30For Herod is going to look for the child
18:33to kill him.
18:36Then he got up and took the child
18:38and his mother during the night
18:40and went to Egypt.
18:42He stayed there until Herod died.
18:45And in this way,
18:46what was spoken by the Lord
18:48through the prophet was fulfilled.
18:50I called my son out of Egypt.
18:55When Herod saw that he had been tricked
18:58by the wise men,
18:59he was enraged
19:01and he sent men to kill
19:03all the children in Bethlehem
19:05and throughout the surrounding region
19:07from the age of two and under,
19:11according to the time
19:12he had learned from the wise men.
19:16Then what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet
19:18was fulfilled.
19:20A voice was heard in Ramah
19:22weeping and loud wailing,
19:25Rachel weeping for her children
19:27and she did not want to be comforted
19:30because they were gone.
19:35After Herod had died,
19:36an angel of the Lord
19:38appeared in a dream to Joseph
19:40in Egypt saying,
19:42Get up and take the child
19:45and his mother.
19:46Go to the land of Israel
19:48for those who were seeking
19:49the child's life are dead.
19:53So he got up
19:54and took the child
19:55and his mother
19:55and returned to the land of Israel.
20:00But when he heard
20:01that Achalus was reigning
20:03over Judea in the place
20:04of his father Herod,
20:05he was afraid to go there.
20:08And being warned in a dream,
20:11he went to the region of Galilee.
20:13He came to a town called Nazareth
20:16and settled there.
20:18Then what had been spoken by the prophets
20:21was fulfilled,
20:22that Jesus would be called a Nazarene.
20:27This is the word of the Lord.
20:30Thanks be to God.
20:38This one chapter contains all
20:41that St. Matthew records
20:43of the childhood of Christ.
20:47St. Mark and St. John tell us nothing
20:50and St. Luke very little.
20:53This singular reticence
20:55has often been remarked upon
20:57and it is certainly most noteworthy
20:59and is only a sign
21:02of its genuine and truthfulness.
21:07A token that what these men wrote
21:09was in the deepest sense
21:10not their own.
21:13For if they had been left to themselves
21:15in the performance
21:16of the task given to them,
21:18they surely would not have
21:20restrained themselves
21:21as they have done.
21:27The Jews of the time
21:28attached great importance
21:30to child life
21:32as is evident
21:33from the single fact
21:35that they had no less
21:36than seven different words
21:37to mark the successive ages
21:39of development
21:40from the newborn
21:41to the young man
21:43and to omit
21:44all reference to these stages
21:47except the slight notice
21:50of the infancy
21:51in this chapter
21:52was certainly not
21:54according to Matthew the Jew
21:56not what would have been
21:57expected of him
21:58had he been left
22:00to his own devices.
22:02The only explanation
22:04we can have
22:05is that
22:07he was moved
22:09or restrained
22:10by the Holy Spirit.
22:13This view is strikingly
22:14confirmed by comparison
22:16with the spurious gospels
22:17afterwards published
22:19by men who thought
22:20they might improve
22:21upon the original records
22:23with their childish stories
22:25as to what the boy
22:26Jesus said
22:27and did.
22:30These awkward fictions
22:31reflect the spirit
22:33of the age
22:34but the simple records
22:36of the four evangelists
22:38mirror for us
22:39the spirit of truth.
22:41To the vulgar mind
22:43they may seem
22:44bare and defective
22:46but all men
22:47of culture
22:48and mature judgment
22:49recognise in their
22:50simplicity
22:51and naturalness
22:52a note
22:53of manifest
22:55superiority.
23:00Much space
23:01could indeed
23:02be occupied
23:02in discussing
23:03the advantages
23:04of this reticence
23:05but a single
23:07illustration
23:08may suggest
23:09the main thought.
23:12Let us recall
23:13for one moment
23:14the well-known picture
23:15entitled
23:15The Shadow of the Cross
23:17designed and executed
23:19by a master
23:20who might surely
23:21be considered
23:22qualified to
23:23illustrate in detail
23:24the life in Nazareth.
23:28We have nothing
23:29to say
23:30as to the merit
23:31of the picture
23:31as a work of art
23:32let alone
23:33those
23:34specifically
23:35qualified
23:36to judge
23:37to speak of this.
23:39but it is not
23:40generally felt
23:41that the
23:41realism
23:42of the
23:43carpenter's shop
23:44is most painful.
23:46The eye
23:47is averted
23:48from the true
23:49obtrusive detail
23:50while the mind
23:52gladly returns
23:53to the starkly
23:54vividness
23:55of the picture
23:56of the vague
23:58impressions
23:58made on us
23:59by the hint
24:00in the scriptures.
24:03Was it not
24:04well that our
24:04blessed Saviour
24:05should grow
24:06in retirement
24:06and seclusion
24:08and if so
24:09why should
24:10that seclusion
24:10be invaded?
24:13If his family
24:14was withdrawn
24:15from the eyes
24:16of man
24:16at that time
24:17there remains
24:18the same reason
24:19why it should be
24:20withdrawn from
24:20the eyes
24:21of man
24:21for all time.
24:23And the more
24:24we think of it
24:25the more we realise
24:26that it is better
24:27in every way
24:28that the veil
24:28should have been dropped
24:29just where it has been.
24:32That all
24:32should remain
24:33just as it was
24:34when with
24:36unconscious skill
24:37the sacred
24:38artists finished
24:39their perfect
24:40sketches
24:40of the child
24:42Jesus.
24:47However
24:47let us turn
24:48the argument
24:49around
24:49and look at it
24:51from the opposite
24:52direction.
24:54If St Matthew
24:55would tell us
24:56so little
24:56why should he
24:58say anything
24:59at all?
25:01What was his
25:02purpose in relating
25:03what he sets out
25:04in his second
25:05chapter?
25:08We believe
25:09it must have been
25:10to show how
25:10Christ was
25:11received.
25:13In fact
25:14it seems
25:15to correspond
25:16to the single
25:17sentence in
25:17the fourth
25:18gospel
25:18he came into
25:20his own
25:20and his own
25:21received him
25:22not.
25:24Only St Matthew
25:25gives a slightly
25:26wider and
25:27brighter view.
25:29He shows us
25:30not only how
25:31Jerusalem rejected
25:32him but
25:33how the East
25:34welcomed him
25:35and Egypt
25:36sheltered him.
25:40Throughout the
25:41entire Old
25:41Testament our
25:42attention is
25:43often called
25:43not merely to
25:44Jerusalem
25:44which occupied
25:46the centre of
25:47the ancient
25:47world but to
25:49the kingdoms
25:49around the
25:50boat
25:51especially to
25:52the great
25:52empires of
25:53the East
25:53and the South.
25:55The Empire
25:56of the East
25:57represented in
25:58succession by
25:58Chaldea,
26:00Assyria,
26:02Babylonia,
26:03Media and
26:04Persia and
26:05that of the
26:06South, the
26:07mighty monarchy
26:08of Egypt
26:08which under
26:10its thirty
26:10dynasties held
26:12a steady
26:12course alongside
26:13these.
26:16How natural
26:17then for the
26:17evangelist whose
26:18special mission
26:19it was to
26:20connect the
26:21old with the
26:22new, to
26:23take the
26:23opportunity to
26:24show that while
26:25his own
26:25Jerusalem rejected
26:27the Messiah, the
26:29old rivals of
26:30the East and
26:30the South
26:30welcomed him.
26:33In the first
26:34chapter the
26:34child Jesus was
26:35set out as the
26:36heir of the
26:37promise made
26:38to Abraham and
26:39his seed and
26:40the fulfilment of
26:41a prophecy given
26:42to the chosen
26:43people.
26:45Now he is
26:45further set forth
26:46as the one who
26:47satisfied the
26:48longing of those
26:49they had been
26:51taught to regard
26:52as their natural
26:53enemies.
26:54but now who
26:55should be looked
26:56upon as their
26:57fellow heirs with
26:58them of God's
26:59heritage and
27:00share us in his
27:01promise in Christ
27:02by the gospel.
27:06We can see
27:07then how the
27:07second chapter
27:08needed to
27:09complete the
27:10first and how
27:11the two together
27:12give us a much
27:13more complete
27:14view of the
27:15advent as was
27:16most needed by
27:17the Jews of
27:17the period.
27:19And while it
27:20is instructive
27:20and suggestive to
27:22men of all
27:22countries and of
27:23all time.
27:25As then the
27:26last paragraph
27:27began with
27:28Now the birth
27:30of Jesus Christ
27:31was in this
27:32way.
27:34We may regard
27:35this as
27:35beginning with
27:36Now the
27:37reception of
27:38Christ was
27:39on this
27:40way.
27:47According to
27:48this plan
27:49of argument
27:50we must
27:52we must
27:52disregard the
27:53detail and
27:53many interesting
27:54questions for
27:56the consideration
27:56of which is
27:57surely enough to
27:58refer many
27:59well-known and
28:00widely read books
28:01on the life of
28:02Christ.
28:03Let us instead
28:04confine ourselves to
28:05the general thoughts
28:06and suggestions
28:07which seem best
28:08fitted to bring
28:09out the spirit of
28:10today's passage as
28:11a whole.
28:13Let us then look
28:15first at the
28:15manner of his
28:16reception in
28:17Jerusalem.
28:19The city which
28:21as the son of
28:22David he could
28:23claim as his
28:24own.
28:25It was the very
28:27centre of the
28:27circle of Old
28:28Testament
28:28illumination.
28:30It had all
28:31possible advantages
28:33over any other
28:34place in the
28:35world for knowing
28:37when and how the
28:38Christ would
28:38come.
28:40And yet when he
28:41did come the
28:42people of
28:42Jerusalem knew
28:43nothing about
28:44it.
28:45They had their
28:46first intimation
28:47from strangers
28:49who had come
28:49from the far
28:50east to seek
28:51him.
28:53Not only did
28:54they know nothing
28:54about it until
28:55they were told
28:56but when told
28:58they were troubled.
29:01Indifference
29:02where we would
29:03otherwise have
29:03expected excitement
29:05and eagerness.
29:06Trouble where
29:08we should have
29:08looked for joy.
29:14We have only
29:15to examine the
29:17contemporary records
29:18of the state of
29:19Jerusalem to
29:21understand it
29:22thoroughly and to
29:24see how exceedingly
29:25natural this
29:26reaction would
29:27have been.
29:29Those unacquainted
29:31with these records
29:31can have no idea
29:33of the gaiety and
29:35frivolity of the
29:35Jewish capital at
29:36that time.
29:39We all know of
29:40course something of
29:41the style and
29:41magnificence of
29:42which Herod the
29:43Great lived.
29:45But one is not
29:46apt to suppose
29:47that luxurious
29:48living was the
29:49rule amongst
29:50the people of
29:51the town.
29:52And yet it
29:53seems to have
29:54been so.
29:57How much
29:58there was to
29:59be seen and
30:00heard in these
30:00luxuriously
30:01furnished houses
30:02and these
30:04sumptuous
30:04entertainments.
30:06In the
30:07women's
30:07apartments we
30:08read from
30:09accounts
30:10contemporary
30:11that friends
30:12from the
30:12country would
30:13see every
30:14novelty in
30:14dress,
30:15adornment
30:16and jewellery
30:17and have
30:18the benefit
30:19of examining
30:20themselves
30:21in mirrors.
30:25Female
30:26visitors could
30:27buy anything
30:28in Jerusalem
30:29from a false
30:30tooth to an
30:31Arabian veil
30:32of Persian
30:33shore all
30:34an Indian
30:35dress.
30:38Then after
30:39furnishing such
30:41painful evidence
30:43of Jerusalem
30:43and the moral
30:45corruption to
30:47which it led
30:47we can
30:48conclude by
30:51looking at one
30:51of the sacred
30:52books at the
30:53time which
30:54describes the
30:55dignity of the
30:57Jerusalemites.
30:59Mentioning the
31:00wealth in which
31:02they lavished of
31:03their marriages,
31:04the ceremonies
31:05which insisted on
31:06repeated invitations
31:08to the guests for
31:09the banquet,
31:10that men inferior
31:12should not be
31:12bidden,
31:13the dress in which
31:14they appeared,
31:15the manner in which
31:16the dishes should be
31:17served,
31:18the wine in white
31:19crystal vases,
31:21the punishment of
31:22the cook who
31:23failed in his
31:24duty and so
31:26on, from
31:28which we may
31:30place in
31:30context many
31:32of the
31:33gospel stories
31:34that we will
31:35go on to
31:36read.
31:39If things of
31:40this kind
31:41represented the
31:42dignity of the
31:42people of
31:43Jerusalem, we
31:44need not
31:45inquire further
31:46as to why
31:46they were
31:47troubled when
31:48they heard that
31:48to them had
31:49been born in
31:49Jerusalem as
31:50saviour, who
31:51was Christ
31:52the Lord.
31:54A saviour who
31:55would have
31:55saved them from
31:56their sins was
31:57the very last
31:58thing that people
31:59of that kind
32:00would have
32:01wanted.
32:02Herod suited
32:03them far better,
32:04for it was he
32:05and his court
32:06that set the
32:07example of the
32:08luxury and
32:11profligacy which
32:12characterised the
32:13capital.
32:15Do not all
32:16these revelations
32:19as to the
32:20state of things
32:21in the capital
32:21of Israel
32:22set off more
32:24vividly than
32:25ever the
32:26pure lustre
32:27of the quiet,
32:28simple,
32:29humble,
32:29peaceful
32:30surroundings of
32:32the babe of
32:33Bethlehem and
32:34the boy of
32:35Nazareth.
32:36Put the
32:37dignity and the
32:38trouble of
32:38Jerusalem over
32:40against the
32:40humility and
32:41peace of
32:41Bethlehem and
32:43say which is
32:44the more
32:44dignified and
32:45desirable.
32:47when we look
32:48at the contrast
32:49we cease to
32:50wonder that
32:51with the
32:51exception of
32:52a very few
32:53devout
32:53Simeons and
32:54Annas waiting
32:56for the
32:57consolation of
32:57Israel,
32:58Jerusalem as
33:00a whole was
33:01deeply troubled
33:02to hear the
33:03rumour of the
33:04advent of her
33:05saviour king.
33:10Herod's
33:10trouble we
33:11can so
33:12readily
33:12understand that
33:13we did not
33:14need to spend
33:15much more
33:15time over
33:16it or
33:17over what
33:18he did to
33:18try and get
33:19rid of it
33:20so thoroughly
33:21in keeping
33:21as it was
33:23with all that
33:23history tells
33:24us of his
33:25character and
33:26conduct.
33:28No wonder
33:29that his one
33:29thought on his
33:30mind was
33:31dispose of
33:32him.
33:33But who
33:34were these
33:35truly dignified
33:36men who
33:37were now
33:37turning their
33:38backs on
33:38rich and
33:39gay Jerusalem
33:40and setting
33:41their faces
33:42to the
33:43obscurity and
33:44poverty of
33:45the village
33:45of Bethlehem.
33:48They were
33:49men of
33:50wealth and
33:50rank and
33:52learning from
33:52the Far
33:53East,
33:53representative
33:54of all that
33:55is best in
33:56the old
33:56civilisations of
33:57the world.
33:59They had
34:00only the
34:00scantest
34:01opportunities
34:02of learning
34:02what was
34:03the hope
34:04of Israel.
34:05how it
34:06should be
34:06realised.
34:07But they
34:08were earnest
34:08men and
34:09their minds
34:10were not
34:10taken up
34:11with gaiety
34:11and frivolity.
34:13They had
34:14studied the
34:15works of
34:15nature until
34:16their souls
34:17were full of
34:18the thoughts
34:18of God in
34:19his glory and
34:20majesty.
34:21But their
34:22hearts yearned
34:23for knowledge
34:24of it.
34:29whose glory
34:30was in
34:30heavens,
34:31who could
34:32stoop to
34:32cure the
34:33ills that
34:34flesh is
34:34heir to.
34:36They had
34:37heard through
34:38of Israel's
34:39hope,
34:40the hope of
34:41a child to
34:41be born of
34:42David's race,
34:43who would
34:44bring divine
34:45mercy near to
34:46human need.
34:47They had a
34:48vague idea
34:49that the time
34:49for fulfilment
34:50of that hope
34:51was coming
34:52near.
34:53And as they
34:53mused,
34:54they behold
34:55a marvellous
34:56appearance in
34:57the heavens,
34:57which called
34:58them away to
34:59seek him
34:59whom their
35:01souls desired.
35:04Hence
35:04their long
35:05journey to
35:05Jerusalem and
35:07their eager
35:07entrance into
35:08Bethlehem.
35:10Had their
35:11dignity been
35:12the kind of
35:12dignity which
35:13was boasted
35:14of in
35:14Jerusalem,
35:15they would
35:16no doubt
35:16have been
35:17offended by
35:17the poverty
35:18of the
35:18surroundings.
35:20The poor
35:21house with
35:22its scanty
35:22furniture and
35:23its humble
35:24occupiers.
35:27But theirs
35:27was a true
35:28dignity of
35:29mind and
35:29soul, and
35:30so they were
35:31not offended
35:31by their
35:32surroundings.
35:32They recognised
35:33in them the
35:35humble child
35:35as the object
35:36of their
35:36search, and
35:38bowed before
35:39him, paying
35:40homage, presenting
35:41to him gifts
35:42as a tribute
35:43from the
35:44east to the
35:45coming king
35:45of righteousness
35:46and love.
35:50And what a
35:51beautiful picture,
35:52how striking
35:52the contrast
35:53to the
35:55magnificence
35:55of Herod
35:56the Great
35:56in Jerusalem,
35:59surrounding
35:59by his
36:00wealthy and
36:01luxurious
36:01court.
36:03Verily,
36:04these were
36:05wise men
36:05from the
36:06east,
36:07wise with
36:07the wisdom
36:08not of
36:08this world,
36:10wise to
36:10recognise
36:11the hope
36:11of the
36:12future,
36:12not in
36:13a monarch
36:13called
36:14the Great,
36:15surrounded by
36:16pomp and
36:16luxury,
36:17but in
36:18the fresh
36:18young life
36:19of the
36:20holy
36:20heaven-born
36:20child.
36:23Learned as
36:23they were,
36:24they had
36:25simple hearts,
36:26they had
36:26some glimpse
36:27of the
36:27great truth
36:28that it
36:29is not
36:29learning the
36:30world needs
36:30so much
36:31as life,
36:32new life.
36:33Would that
36:34all the
36:35wise men
36:35of today
36:36be equally
36:37wise in
36:38heart?
36:41We can
36:42rejoice that
36:42many of
36:43them are,
36:44but if
36:44only all
36:45of them
36:45had true
36:46wisdom,
36:47they were
36:47considered
36:47that even
36:48those who
36:48stand as
36:49high in
36:49the learning
36:50of the
36:50new west
36:51as the
36:52men did
36:52in the
36:52learning
36:53of the
36:53old east
36:54would do
36:55themselves
36:55an honour
36:56in bowing
36:57low in
36:58the presence
36:58of the
36:59holy child
37:00and acknowledge
37:01that by
37:02no effort
37:02of the
37:03greatest
37:03intellect
37:04is it
37:05possible
37:05to reach
37:06that truth
37:07which can
37:08alone meet
37:09the deepest
37:09want of
37:10man.
37:12That there
37:12is no
37:13other hope
37:13for man
37:14than the
37:15new birth
37:15the fresh
37:16pure
37:17holy life
37:17which came
37:18into the
37:18world when
37:19Christ was
37:20born and
37:21which comes
37:22into every
37:22heart that
37:24in the
37:24simple
37:24trustfulness
37:26gives him
37:27a welcome
37:27as did
37:28these wise
37:29men of
37:30old.
37:31There at
37:32the threshold
37:33of the
37:33gospel we
37:34see the
37:34true relation
37:35of science
37:36and religion.
37:38let knowledge
37:39grow from
37:40more to
37:41more
37:41but more
37:42of reverence
37:43in us
37:43dwell
37:44that mind
37:45and soul
37:46according
37:47well
37:47may make
37:48one music
37:49as before.
37:53all honour
37:54to these
37:54wise men
37:55for bending
37:56low in
37:57the presence
37:57of the
37:58holy
37:58child
37:58and thanks
37:59be to
38:00God for
38:00allowing
38:01his servant
38:01Matthew
38:02to give
38:03us a glimpse
38:03of a scene
38:04so beautiful
38:05so touching
38:06so suggestive
38:08of pure
38:08high and
38:10holy
38:10thought
38:10and feeling.
38:15the gifts
38:16of the
38:16east
38:17no doubt
38:17provided the
38:18means of
38:19securing a
38:19refuge in
38:20the south
38:21and the
38:21west.
38:23That Egypt
38:24gave the
38:25fugitives
38:25a friendly
38:26welcome
38:26a safe
38:28retreat so
38:28long as
38:29the danger
38:29remained
38:30is obvious
38:32but here
38:33again
38:34we are
38:35left
38:35without
38:35detail.
38:37The one
38:38thing which
38:38the evangelist
38:39wishes to
38:40impress upon
38:41us
38:41is the
38:42parallel
38:42between
38:42the
38:43experience
38:43of
38:43Israel
38:44and
38:44Israel's
38:45holy
38:45one.
38:47Israel
38:47of the
38:48old
38:48testament
38:48born in
38:49Palestine
38:49fled to
38:51Egypt.
38:52When the
38:52time was
38:53right for
38:54return
38:54the way
38:55was opened
38:56for it
38:56and the
38:56prophet
38:57speaks of
38:57it in
38:57the name
38:58of the
38:58Lord.
38:59When
38:59Israel
39:00was a
39:00child
39:01then I
39:01loved
39:01him
39:02and I
39:02called
39:02my
39:03son
39:03out of
39:03Egypt.
39:05Now
39:06that the
39:06holy
39:06one of
39:06Israel
39:07has
39:07come to
39:07fulfill
39:08old
39:08Israel's
39:09destiny
39:10the
39:11prophetic
39:11word
39:12which had
39:12only been
39:13partially
39:13realized in
39:14the history
39:15of the
39:15nation
39:15is
39:16fulfilled
39:17in the
39:17history
39:17of the
39:18anointed
39:18one.
39:20So
39:20just as
39:22it
39:22had
39:22happened
39:22with
39:23the
39:23nation
39:23so
39:24it
39:24happens
39:25with
39:25the
39:25nation's
39:25representative
39:26and
39:27true
39:27king
39:27born
39:28in
39:29his
39:29own
39:29land
39:30he
39:30fled
39:30to
39:31Egypt
39:31remaining
39:32there
39:32until
39:33God
39:33brought
39:33him
39:34out
39:34and
39:35set
39:35him
39:35in
39:35his
39:36land
39:36once
39:37more.
39:40Other
39:41points of
39:41agreement
39:42with the
39:42prophetic
39:43word
39:43are
39:43mentioned
39:43and
39:44is
39:45worthy
39:45of
39:45note
39:45that
39:46they
39:46are
39:46all
39:46connected
39:47with
39:47the
39:47dark
39:47side
39:48of
39:48the
39:48prophecy
39:49concerning
39:49the
39:49Messiah
39:51but
39:52the
39:52reason
39:52for
39:52this
39:53will
39:53surely
39:54appear
39:54to us
39:54on
39:55reflection
39:56the
39:57scribes
39:57and the
39:58Pharisees
39:58were
39:58insistent
39:59enough
39:59on
39:59the
39:59bright
40:00side
40:00the
40:01side
40:01that
40:01favoured
40:01their
40:02ideas
40:02of
40:02a
40:02great
40:03king
40:03who
40:04had
40:04rescued
40:04the
40:04people
40:05from
40:05the
40:05Roman
40:05yoke
40:06and
40:06found
40:07a
40:07great
40:07worldwide
40:08kingdom
40:09after
40:10the
40:10manner
40:10of
40:11Herod
40:11the
40:11great
40:11or
40:12of
40:12Caesar
40:12the
40:13mighty
40:14so
40:15there
40:15was
40:15no
40:15need
40:16to
40:16bring
40:16strongly
40:17out
40:17that
40:17side
40:17of
40:18the
40:18prophecy
40:18which
40:19foretold
40:20of
40:20the
40:20glories
40:20of
40:21the
40:21coming
40:21king
40:22but
40:23the
40:23sad
40:23side
40:23had
40:24been
40:24entirely
40:25neglected
40:25it
40:26is
40:26this
40:27accordingly
40:27which
40:28our
40:28evangelist
40:29today
40:30is
40:30prompted
40:31to
40:31illustrate
40:37it
40:37it
40:37was
40:38indeed
40:38in
40:38itself
40:39an
40:39occasion
40:39of
40:40stumbling
40:40that
40:41the
40:41king
40:41of
40:41Israel
40:42should
40:42have
40:42to
40:42flee
40:43to
40:43Egypt
40:44but
40:45why
40:45should
40:45one
40:46stumble
40:46at
40:46it
40:46who
40:47looked
40:47at
40:47the
40:48course
40:48of
40:48Israel's
40:49history
40:49as
40:49a
40:49nation
40:50in
40:51the
40:51light
40:51the
40:51prophets
40:51threw
40:52upon
40:52it
40:54it
40:55was
40:55an
40:55occasion
40:55of
40:55stumbling
40:56that
40:56his
40:56birth
40:57in
40:57Bethlehem
40:58should
40:58bring
40:58with
40:59it
40:59such
40:59sorrow
40:59and
41:00anguish
41:00but
41:02why
41:02wonder
41:02at
41:02it
41:03when
41:03so
41:03great
41:03a
41:03prophet
41:04as
41:04Jeremiah
41:04so
41:05touchingly
41:06speaks
41:06of the
41:07voice
41:07heard
41:07in
41:07Brahma
41:09Rachel
41:10weeping
41:10for her
41:11children
41:11and would
41:13not
41:13be
41:13comforted
41:16a
41:16thought
41:17of
41:17exquisite
41:17beauty
41:18and
41:18pathos
41:19as
41:19Jeremiah
41:20used
41:20it
41:21in
41:21reference
41:21to
41:22the
41:22banished
41:22ones
41:22of
41:23his
41:23day
41:24but
41:25of
41:25still
41:25deeper
41:26pathos
41:26as
41:27is
41:27fulfilled
41:28in
41:29the
41:29sorrow
41:29at
41:30Brahma
41:30over
41:31the
41:31massacre
41:31of
41:32her
41:32innocence
41:34when
41:34not
41:34Israel
41:35but
41:36Israel's
41:37holy
41:37one
41:37is
41:38banished
41:39from
41:39the
41:39land
41:39of
41:39his
41:40birth
41:42again
41:42it
41:43was
41:43an
41:44occasion
41:44of
41:44stumbling
41:45that
41:45the
41:45king
41:46of
41:46Israel
41:46instead
41:47of
41:47growing
41:47up
41:47in
41:48majesty
41:48in
41:48the
41:48midst
41:49of
41:49the
41:49court
41:49in
41:49the
41:49capital
41:51should
41:51retire
41:52into
41:52obscurity
41:53in
41:54the
41:54little
41:54village
41:54of
41:55Nazareth
41:55and
41:56for
41:56many
41:57years
41:57be
41:57unheard
41:58of
41:58by the
41:59great
41:59ones
41:59of
42:00the
42:00land
42:02but
42:02why
42:02wonder
42:03at it
42:03when the
42:04prophets
42:04again and
42:05again
42:05represent him
42:06as growing up
42:07in this
42:08very way
42:08as a
42:09root
42:10out of the
42:11dry ground
42:11or as a
42:12twig
42:13to shoot
42:14from the
42:15stem of
42:15Jesse
42:15growing up
42:17out of
42:18his place
42:18and attracting
42:20no attention
42:20while he
42:21grew
42:23such
42:24is the
42:24meaning
42:24of the
42:25words
42:25translated
42:26he
42:26shall
42:27be
42:27called
42:27a
42:28Nazarene
42:30this
42:30does
42:30not
42:31appear
42:31in
42:31our
42:32language
42:33hence
42:33the
42:34difficulty
42:34which
42:35many
42:35have
42:35found
42:35in
42:36this
42:36reference
42:37there
42:37being
42:38no
42:38passage
42:38in
42:39any
42:39of
42:39the
42:39prophets
42:39where
42:40Christ
42:40is
42:40spoken
42:40of
42:41as
42:41a
42:41Nazarene
42:44but
42:45the
42:45word
42:45in
42:45Hebrew
42:46ears
42:46at
42:47once
42:47suggests
42:48the
42:48Hebrew
42:48for
42:49brunch
42:51continually
42:52applied
42:52to him
42:53by the
42:54prophets
42:54and especially
42:55connected
42:56with the
42:56idea of
42:57his quiet
42:57and silent
42:58growth
42:59aloof
43:00from the
43:01throng
43:01and
43:02unnoticed
43:03by the
43:03great
43:06and so
43:07appropriately
43:08this completes
43:09the sketch
43:10of his
43:10reception
43:11unthought
43:12of by his
43:13own
43:13until
43:14strangers
43:15sought
43:15him
43:15a
43:16source
43:17of
43:17trouble
43:17to
43:18them
43:18when
43:19they
43:19heard
43:19of
43:19him
43:19his
43:21life
43:21threatened
43:22by the
43:22occupant
43:23for the
43:24time
43:24of
43:24David's
43:25throne
43:25he
43:27is saved
43:27only
43:27by
43:28exile
43:28and
43:29on
43:29return
43:30to
43:30his
43:30people
43:30passes
43:31out
43:31of
43:32notice
43:32and
43:33the
43:33great
43:33world
43:34moved
43:34on
43:35unconscious
43:36and
43:37unconcerned
43:38while
43:38its
43:39saviour
43:39king
43:39prepares
43:41in
43:41the
43:41obscurity
43:43of
43:43his
43:43small
43:44village
43:44home
43:44for the
43:46great
43:46work
43:46of
43:47winning
43:47a
43:47lost
43:48world
43:48back
43:49to
43:49God
43:54let us
43:55pray
43:57almighty
43:58and
43:59everlasting
43:59God
43:59who has
44:00given
44:01us
44:01your
44:02servants
44:02grace
44:03by the
44:04confession
44:04of a
44:04true faith
44:05to acknowledge
44:06the glory
44:07of the
44:07eternal
44:08trinity
44:08in the
44:10power
44:10of your
44:10divine
44:11majesty
44:11to
44:12worship
44:12the
44:12unity
44:14we
44:14beseech
44:15you
44:15that
44:16you
44:16keep us
44:16steadfast
44:17in
44:17this
44:18faith
44:18and
44:19evermore
44:19defend
44:20us
44:20from
44:20all
44:21adversities
44:22who
44:23lives
44:23and
44:23reigns
44:24one
44:25God
44:25world
44:25without
44:26end
44:26amen
44:33may
44:33the
44:34Lord
44:34bless
44:34us
44:34and
44:35keep
44:35us
44:35from
44:36all
44:36evil
44:36bringing
44:38us
44:38to
44:38everlasting
44:39life
44:41amen
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