Expositions of Holy Scripture: Ezekiel, Daniel, and the Minor Prophets. St. Matthew Chapters I to VIIIMaclaren, Alexander
Religion
Expositions of Holy Scripture: Ezekiel, Daniel, and the Minor Prophets. St. Matthew Chapters I to VIII
Maclaren, Alexander
Bible -- Commentaries; Bible. Ezekiel -- Commentaries; Bible. Matthew I-VIII -- Commentaries; Bible. Minor Prophets -- Commentaries
This earliest page in the gospel history is a prophecy of the latest.
These are the first-fruits of the Gentiles unto Christ. They bear 'in
their hands a glass which showeth many more,' who at last will come like
them to the King of the whole earth. 'They shall bring gold and incense;
and they shall show forth the praises of the Lord.' There were Gentiles
at the cradle and at the cross. The Magi learned the lessons which the
East especially needed, of power in weakness, royalty in lowliness.
Incarnation not in monstrous forms or with destructive attributes, but
in feeble infancy which passes through the ordinary stages of
development. The Greeks who sought to see Jesus when near the hour of
His death, learned the lesson for want of which their nation's culture
rotted away, 'Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it
abideth alone' So these two groups, one at the beginning, the other at
the end, one from the mysterious East, the other from the progressive
and cultured West, received each a half of the completed truth, the
gospel of Incarnation and Sacrifice, and witness to the sufficiency of
Christ for all human needs, and to the coming of the time when all the
races of men shall gather round the throne to which cradle and cross
have exalted Him, and shall recognise in Him the Prince of all the kings
of the earth, and the Lamb slain for the sins of the world.
THE KING IN EXILE
'And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord
appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young
child and His mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until
I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy
Him. 14. When he arose, he took the young child and His mother by
night, and departed into Egypt; 15. And was there until the death
of Herod; that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord
by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called My son. 16. Then
Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was
exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that
were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years
old and under, according to the time which he had diligently
enquired of the wise men. 17. Then was fulfilled that which was
spoken by Jeremy the prophet, saying, 18. In Rama was there a voice
heard, lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping
for her children, and would not be comforted, because they are not.
19. But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeareth
to a dream to Joseph in Egypt, 20. Saying, Arise, and take the
young child and His mother, and go into the land of Israel; for
they are dead which sought the young child's life. 21. And he
arose, and took the young child and His mother, and came into the
land of Israel. 22. But when he heard that Archelaus did reign in
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