Sivut kuvina
PDF
ePub

to it and to kindred objects; it would have been altogether opposed to the character of Him who was to be "The Prince of Peace," and who should "speak peace unto the heathens," to have been mounted on that animal in his formal appearance as the King of Zion: and He would have been following the example of those princes, who, so far from delivering their people, led them into manifold calamities, and at length saw them carried away captive. For though David retained, as we have said, a small number of horses, probably for state; he does not appear to have used them himself".

:

Again to have used the forbidden animal, and thus to have set an example to his followers that they should be similarly provided, would have been an indubitable. mark of indifference to the honour of God, and of distrust in Him; and would at once have betokened that "the weapons of" his "warfare" were "carnal," instead of being "mighty through God to the pulling

' Isa. ix. 6.

Zech. ix. 10.

h

1 Kings i. 33.

down of strong holds." Nor must we omit to observe, that in the verse following the text, the Almighty proclaims, "I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim, and the horse from Jerusalem, and the battle bow shall be cut off;" and that in the following chapter it is said, "the riders on horses shall be confounded.'

[ocr errors]

The King of Zion was now about to commence his reign. He had, but a few days before, raised up Lazarus from the dead and being now on his way to Jerusalem, great multitudes, having heard of this miracle, went forth to meet Him, when his approach was announced. To have walked on foot, which had been his ordinary, and, indeed, constant, mode of travelling by land, would, for this reason, have been insufficient to arrest attention, or to intimate his claims. But these purposes were fully attained by the action foretold of Him in the text, and related of Him in the Gospel for this day. " And when they drew nigh unto Jerusalem," "and were come to

says the Evangelist,

[blocks in formation]

Bethphage, unto the mount of Olives, then sent Jesus two disciples, saying unto them, Go into the village over against you, and straightway ye shall find an ass tied, and a colt with her loose them, and bring them unto me. And if any man say ought unto you, ye shall say, The Lord hath need of them; and straightway he will send them.” "And Jesus," says St. John," when He had found a young ass, sat thereon'."

The same miraculous power by which He procured this animal, could have called forth the stateliest equipage and the most imposing pomp. But how then could the Scripture have been fulfilled? He was perfectly just and righteous; and how then could He have transgressed the law? He was to bring salvation to his people and how then could He have employed means, which had always hitherto provoked the Divine displeasure, and brought down ruin instead of deliverance. He was lowly : and how then could He have assumed any of the ensigns of worldly state? The King

'John xii. 14.

of Israel, therefore, came, " riding on an ass, and a colt the foal of an ass :" thus signifying his justice; his rigid observance of the law; his trust in Him who alone "giveth victory unto kings," and, thence, his ability to save. Thus also He signified the peaceful and spiritual nature of his kingdom; and withal the lowliness and meekness of his character.

To impress these things still more strongly on the spectators, He selected a young ass not yet weaned, nor subdued to man's use, and which was therefore still more strikingly unfit, than one of a full age, for the purposes of war, or even of the humblest pomp. And it is not the least engaging feature in the transaction, that He would not have the dam separated from her young; though the power by which He so readily obtained them might, for the time, have overruled or suspended their natural affections: and thus again did He intimate the gentle and benevolent intentions of his reign.

What wonder then, that the multitude "took branches of palm trees, and went

forth to meet Him;" that they "spread their garments in the way, and cut down branches from the trees, and strawed them in the way?" and that "the multitudes that went before, and that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna to the Son of David": blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord": peace in heaven, and glory in the highest"."

Such then was the meaning of this action of our blessed Saviour.

It was

It

a sign that He was just and lowly. was a sign that He came in the name of the Lord. It intimated those qualifications for the Messiahship, and above all, his ability to save, which some of the circumstances attending his birth did. It was used to announce that which the sight of" the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in the manger," signified to the shepherds that there was " that day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord"." And thus it is at once apparent, how applicable our text is in spirit not

[ocr errors]

Matt. xxi. 8, 9. " John xii. 13. • Luke xix. 38. › Luke ii. 11, 12.

« EdellinenJatka »