Gerizim, by John Hyrca'nus, the Samaritans erected on the spot an altar at which they offered sacrifices. To this Mount they

ascribed a special sanctity, under the conviction that on the destruction of the temple of Solomon, the sacred articles of the Holy of Holies were concealed on its summit, and that Moses gave a command for the erection there of an altar for sacrifices (Deut. xxvii. 4--8). In the passage it is Ebal, not Gerizim, that is mentioned. The former, say the Samaritans, was substituted by the Jews for the latter. Both hills are, however, celebrated from the fact that Moses commanded the blessings of the law to be proclaimed to the assembled Israelites from Gerizim, and its curses from Ebal (Josh. viii. 33).

These details of themselves explain several points in the very interesting and important conversation held by our Lord with the Samaritan woman. The valley runs from east-south-east to west-north-west. At the north-eastern foot of Gerizim is Nablous. At the south-eastern entrance of the vale, stands Jacob's well. Somewhat farther in, and over towards Ebal, is Joseph's tomb. Our Lord there, soon after entering the vale at its southeastern end, sat down on the raised parapet of the well, having at his back and on his left hand Gerizim, which, pointing to it with his hand, he appropriately speaks of as 'this mountain' (John iv. 21). Immediately under his feet stretched out the fertile fields that Jacob gave to his son Joseph,' now (in December) covered with the verdure of the coming harvest. In his front, on the right hand, stood the tomb, beyond which rose Mount Ebal. Farther up the vale, the town extended along the base of Gerizim. What a cluster of interesting and venerable objects! How full of the most affecting associations was the vale when Jesus taught there; but how much more affecting since it was

hallowed by his presence, and made the spot where he enunciated the grand truth, God is Spirit'! Worthy of observation is it that the spot which in all Palestine, Jerusalem scarcely excepted, was most fitted to fill the mind of Christ with the past, and dictate a religious teaching enjoining reverence for place, form, and ritual, should be the spot where the free mind of Christ gave utterance to a thought pure from all material restrictions whatever-a thought which produces a worship independent of locality, nation, priesthood, and creeds, and which in its final operations will break down every barrier, and make all the discordant religions and sects on earth into one universal loving church.

There is another liberal feature in the conversation. In the East, the intellect of women is held in disesteem. The genuine spirit of the Mosaic polity did something to raise women to their natural position. But the rabbins counteracted its tendencies. Among their maxims are these 'A man salutes not a woman;' 'He who instructs his daughter in the law, is like one that drives a fool.' Accordingly, in the time of Jesus, the education of women was disregarded. It was also, as unusual, so unbecoming, for a man to converse in public with a woman. Hence the surprise felt by Christ's disciples, the utterance of which seems to have been barely suppressed by their reverence towards him (John iv. 27). For high was the altitude at which he stood who to a woman, and that woman a Samaritan, communicated the most lofty spiritual instruction, and with a woman, and that woman a Samaritan, associated ideas and sympathies that will endure as long as truth endures. Thus did Jesus teach in act as well as in word. In his teaching, the act and the word are blended together-the highest word with the noblest act.

6

Availing himself, according to his custom, of the suggestions made by natural objects, the Saviour gave his disciples a memorable lesson. Arriving in the valley about noon, and having sat down to take rest, Jesus sent his disciples forward to procure food. After a time they returned. Meanwhile, he had become wholly absorbed in high spiritual concerns; and when pressed to eat, sought to communicate to his companions the earnestness in God's work which he himself felt. 'You are occupied with the wants of the body, and postpone the wants of the soul. Eat,' you say, 'eat now, and preach hereafter.' As in the natural world there are yet four months before the reaper puts in his sickle to reap that growing corn, so in spiritual things you look to distant days. But now is the time for labour, now is the day of salvation. Lift up your eyes and survey the fields of human life, for they are already white unto harvest' (27-38). How true this was, soon appeared. Men's minds in Samaria were in a measure ready to receive Christ. The woman acknowledged Jesus to be the Messiah, and brought many to the same avowal.

Many

more believed because of his own word' (41), when having, at the entreaty of the Samaritans, gone into Shechem, he abode there two days, dispensing the bread of life.

CHAPTER IV.

JESUS GOES FROM SHECHEM (Nablous) TO CANA, IN GALILEE, AND HEALS THE COURTIER'S SON.

Having laid in Samaria a solid foundation for his church, the Lord Jesus travelled from Shechem to Cana, in Galilee. In so doing, he came to the city of Samaria, passing up the narrow and beautiful vale formed by the continuation of Gerizim and Ebal. Wilson thus speaks respecting the locality: "We were greatly charmed with the appearance of the country as we proceeded, it being highly picturesque in its features, thoroughly irrigated, fertile, and well cultivated. The gardens and orchards near the town from which we had set out (Shechem), with their fig, and olive, and almond, and pomegranate, and other fruit and flowering trees, were truly pleasing. We noticed numerous birds among their branches, particularly the goldfinch' ('Lands of the Bible,' ii. 80). Dr. Wilson reports that the district is well watered. This, which is the cause of its luxuriance, is occasioned by numerous springs. The sides of the valley are clothed with villages, some of which are of a considerable size; and these human abodes are surrounded by broad, tilled fields and olivegroves, so that the whole journey offers a succession of gratifying sights. In the north-west, near its termination, it expands into a wide basin about two hours in diameter, in the middle of which rises the beautiful round, swelling hill of Samaria, standing alone and surrounded on all sides by loftier heights. The environs are far more beautiful and productive than those of Jerusalem; and did man here but perform his duty, nature would support a hundred-fold greater number of human beings with the most precious of her fruits. The whole hill is under cultivation. About midway, it is encircled by a small terrace like a girdle. Higher up are vestiges of lesser terraces, where, probably, ran streets of the ancient city. The village which represents that place-namely, Sebastijeh-lies on the east side of the girdle. This word is the Arabic form of Sebaste (Augusta), the name given to the city in honour of the emperor Augustus, by Herod the Great when he enlarged and adorned the place. Previously, it was termed Samaria, or Shomron, from Shemer, of whom Omri, tenth king of Israel, bought the hill, and

built thereon the city, making it, instead of Tirzah, his royal abode. Samaria thus became the capital of the kingdom of Israel (1 Kings xvi. 23, 24, xx. 43, xxi. 1, xxii. 10). As such, it stands in Scripture in opposition to Jerusalem (Jer. xxiii. 13, 14; Ezek. xvi. 44, seq.; Amos vi. 1; Micah i. 1). Here, according to tradition, was John the Baptist interred. After the death of Christ, a Christian church was founded (Acts viii.), and in time it came under the supervision of a bishop.

Four hours north-east of Samaria lay the ancient town of Jezreel (Esdrae'la, or Strade la), on a hill in the plain of the same name, and in the territory of Issachar. It was a considerable place in the province of Samaria. In it, king Ahab had a palace, out of a window of which queen Je'zabel, Ahab's wife, was thrown (2 Kings ix. 33). On the spot is still found a large village, called Zarahein.

North-west of Jezreel lay Shunem (Josh. xix. 18), south of Mount Tabor, near which was the camp of the Philistines when they fought against Saul and gained the victory after which that unhappy monarch put an end to himself (1 Sam. xxviii. 4). There Elisha found hospitality (2 Kings iv. 8, seq.). The place now has the name of Salem.

Below Cana, in Zebulon, lay Geth-hepher, the birth-place of 'Jonah, the son of Amittäi the prophet' (2 Kings xiv. 25). There the traveller may see a tomb, said to be that of the prophet, bearing the image of the fish which is believed to have swallowed Jonah. Near is a spring, bearing the name of Jonah's Well.

After Jesus had come into Galilee, his disciples probably left him for a time, in order to visit their homes and give some attention to their affairs. Mark what is the place to which Jesus first repaired. If there is in the country any town where he had already made friends, and where he had in consequence gained a foothold for his yet infant cause, it is to that place you would expect him to proceed. If, however, in his conduct while at that place on a former occasion there had been any thing of a questionable nature,-if, seeming to perform a miracle, he had committed a fraud, or indulged in a practical jest, that would be the last spot that he would visit. To Cana, however, where he wrought his first miracle, does he repair. There, as was natural, he met with a cordial reception, the rather because the Galileans had witnessed what he had done at the Passover in Jerusalem. His fame went forth through the land. It soon became known at Capernaum that Jesus was at Cana. It happened that a son of one of the courtiers of Herod Antipas lay dangerously ill in Capernaum. Remedies had been tried in vain. The father hastened up into the hills to entreat Jesus to descend into the basin of Gennesareth in order to heal his son, then at the point of death. In so doing, he may have been urged by a desire to learn whether or not Jesus possessed the alleged miraculous power.

Certainly Jesus reproved the demand thus made for supernatural evidence. The father, however, predominated over the doubter. The nobleman earnestly entreated Jesus to go down before his child was no more. Jesus, yielding to the father's wish, and desirous of removing the inquirer's doubt, did more than was asked, and, bidding him depart, announced that his son's restoration was ensured. The nobleman, overcome by this dignified and compassionate conduct, could do no other than believe the Master's word. While returning home, he was met by servants who announced his son's recovery. A comparison showed that the recovery began at the time when Jesus granted the father's request. One consequence was his conversion, and that of all his family (John iv. 46–54, comp. Matt. viii. 5, seq.).

In the course of the narrative, mention is incidentally made of the seventh hour. This circumstance, though slight, is not unimportant, since it is one of those tokens of reality which deserve our confidence. In the time of our Lord, the Jews divided the day from dawn to even into twelve hours, so that from six to seven in the morning was the first hour; from seven to eight the second, and so on; this would make the seventh hour to correspond with our one o'clock, p. m. (comp. Matt. xx. 3, 6).

The writer of the fourth Gospel states, that this was the second miracle Jesus did when he was come out of Judea into Galilee (iv. 54). The import of the terms is not very clear; and in this, as well as in the absence of other exact particulars touching the words and deeds of our Lord at this time, we are left to bewail a deficiency which we must not attempt to supplement by pictures of the imagination.

CHAPTER V.

JESUS RETURNS SOUTHWARD, AND ATTENDS IN JERUSALEM THE FESTIVAL OF PURIM.

March, U. C. 782; A. D. 29.

With Cana, probably, as his centre, Jesus preached the gospel in different parts of Galilee, postponing a visit to the town where he had been brought up, until he had obtained such influence in the country as would be likely to secure him a patient hearing among his former neighbours (Matt. iv. 17; Mark i. 14, 15; Luke iv. 14, 15).

In the ensuing March (782), however, Jesus went up to Jerusalem to attend a feast of the Jews. His reasons for this step