court, and offer them for sale to the people as they passed in to the sacrifice; and for the accommodation of this traffic, money-changers set up their tables by their side.

Such was the scene which met the view of Jesus on his arrival at the sacred place. The people were so accustomed to the sight, that they did not perceive anything wrong in it. But he felt the profanation; and, as if the spirit of the old prophets had risen up within him, he took a whip of small cords, and drove the sheep and the oxen out of the court, and commanded the sellers of doves to take them away, and overset the tables of the money-changers. This bold act of religious zeal created, of course, no little excitement. His disciples, who were longing to see him take the character which belonged to him, were gratified at this spirited assumption of authority, and they applied to him the words used of the Psalmist, "The zeal of thy house hath consumed me.' The people were amazed at an act which implied such consciousness of right and authority, and thought it possible that he might be the expected prophet. They accordingly came to him, and asked him to show them some sign in proof of his authority. As he knew what was in man and did not choose to commit himself to them, he answered them in a figurative expression, which could be perfectly understood only after his resurrection.

He pointed to that great event as the proof that he was from God. "Destroy this temple," said he, meaning the temple of his body, "and in three days I will raise it again." At that time his words were not understood; but after his crucifixion they were remembered, and served to confirm the truth of his pretensions to divine knowledge.

While he remained at Jerusalem, he wrought many miracles, which drew attention to him, and augmented the number of those who believed in him. He did not however disclose himself to them, for he knew that the time had not yet arrived when he could advantageously do so. He knew the nature of their expectations from him ; therefore he would not trust them, nor commit himself to them.

The most remarkable circumstance which occurred during this period was the visit which he received from one of the rulers, whose name was Nicodemus. This man, a person of some consequence in the nation, had become strongly interested in what he had seen and heard of the wonderful young stranger from Galilee, and desired to ascertain, by means of a personal interview, whether he were the Messiah or not. Accordingly he came to Jesus; but by night, when he would be least liable to be observed. For he

John iii.

66

chose to satisfy himself fully, before he would attract attention to his movements. He saluted our Lord respectfully, and assured him that he believed he came from God; for, said he, no man can do these miracles which thou dost, except God were with him." He thus evidently expressed a readiness to join himself to the Saviour; but as our Lord knew that his views were not right, that he was looking for a worldly Messiah and hoping an earthly reward, he did not encourage his advances, but immediately began to show him his mistake, and explain the true nature of the kingdom of the Messiah. He taught him that it was not of this world, not temporal, but spiritual; that, in order to enter it, one must give up all his worldly views and temporal expectations, and fit himself, by spiritual-mindedness, for a spiritual kingdom. These great truths he clothed, according to his manner, in bold and strong, but natural figures. But it was not easy for the Jewish ruler to understand them. They were not consonant to his prejudices or his desires. And he went away without openly attaching himself to the cause of Jesus. Yet such an impression did the conversation make on his mind, that he appears ever to have regarded our Lord with reverence and attachment. We find him, some time afterward, one of the few who dared to speak in his defence and who honored him in his death.

We may trust that the memorable interview of that night produced its true effects on his soul; that the solemn words of Jesus taught him, as they have taught multitudes since, the superiority and necessity of a spiritual life, and roused him from his vain passions and worldly ambition to the sense of a higher existence.

The Passover being ended, Jesus and his disciples left Jerusalem, and took up their abode for a time somewhere near the river Jordan, in Judæa. Here he gained many followers, who were baptized into his faith; not however by his own hand, but by that of the disciples. John also was still baptizing, but had removed from Bethabara to non, near Salim, in Samaria. This circumstance of two prophets being engaged in collecting and baptizing followers at the same time naturally excited some speculation among the people. Some of John's disciples fell into an argument respecting it with a Jew, and they referred the question to John himself for his decision. These disciples appear to have been jealous for their master's honor, and could not well bear that another should attract more followers than he. But John had nothing of this feeling, and he endeavored to remove it from the mind of his disciples. He reminded them that he had always asserted that he was not himself the Christ, but greatly inferior to him. He now repeated his assertions,

and went on to declare to them, in the strongest terms, the necessity of believing in the Son of God. In this way John quieted the minds of his disciples.

But there were others who were not so easily satisfied, and who loudly expressed their displeasure. These were the Pharisees, the leading sect amongst the Jews, the sect which comprised probably the principal part of the learned and influential men. The Pharisees professed to be more strictly and zealously devoted to the law than any others, and by their severe external sanctity and punctilious attention to the forms of religion, they secured the veneration of the multitude. They were scrupulous observers of the Sabbath, they kept frequent fasts, were exact in all washings, ostentatious in paying tithes, in repeating prayers, and in giving alms, professed great abhorrence at sinners, and even carried the show of sanctity into the phylacteries and fringes of their garments. Thus their appearance corresponded with their name, which meant separated, or set apart, from other men in holiness and piety; and their haughty treatment of all whom they considered sinners was of a piece with their high pretensions.

Such was the popular and predominant sect. Of course they were jealous to maintain their influence, and unfriendly to all persons and parties