True, He was “by wicked hands crucified and slain,” but He is slain here by the Centaur, _i.e._ by Himself! To make it perfectly clear that it was His own act (without which His death would lose all merit), He uttered those solemn words: “I lay down my life for the sheep.... No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again” (John x. 15‐18). He “offered Himself without spot to God.” “He put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself” (Heb. ix. 11, 26). In the ancient Zodiac of Denderah He is pictured as a little child with its finger on its lips, and He is called _Sura_, _a lamb_! In other pictures He has, besides, the horn of a goat on one side of His head. All this pointed to one and the same great fact, _viz._, the development and explanation of what was meant by _the bruising of His heel_! It meant that this Promised Seed of the woman should come as a child, that He should suffer, and die upon the Cross, for “He was brought as a lamb to the slaughter; And as a sheep before her shearers is dumb; SO HE opened not his mouth.” (Isa. liii. 7.) Hence, the constellation prefigures a silent, willing sacrifice—Christ Jesus, who, “being found in fashion as a man, humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the Cross” (Phil. ii. 5‐8). 3. CORONA (The Crown). _The Crown Bestowed._ “Wherefore God also hath highly exalted Him, and given Him a name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow.” This is what is foreshown by this concluding section of the second chapter. Each chapter ends with glory. As in the written Word of God, we frequently have the glory of the Second Coming mentioned without any allusions to the sufferings of the First Coming, but we never have the First Coming in humiliation mentioned without an immediate reference to the glory of the Second Coming. So here, the CROSS is closely followed by the CROWN! True, “we see not yet all things put under Him, but we see Jesus ... for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honour” (Heb. ii. 9). Yes, “the crowning day is coming,” and all heaven shall soon resound with the triumphant song, “Thou art worthy, ... for Thou wast slain and hast redeemed us to God by Thy blood” (Rev. v. 9). The shameful Cross will be followed by a glorious crown, and “every tongue shall confess that Jesus. Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” “Mighty Victor, reign for ever, Wear the crown so dearly won; Never shall Thy people, never Cease to sing what Thou hast done. Thou hast fought Thy people’s foes; Thou wilt heal Thy people’s woes!” The Hebrew name for the constellation is _Atarah_, _a royal crown_, and its stars are known to‐day in the East by the plural, _Ataroth!_ Its Arabic name is _Al Iclil_, _an ornament_, or _jewel_. [Illustration]