heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die." Then Jesus showed that the bread he spoke of was his flesh, which was to give life to the world. But this language was still a mystery to the Jews, and they strove among themselves, asking, "How can this man give us his flesh to eat?" Yet Jesus assures them that "Except they eat his flesh and drink his blood, they could have no life in them;" his flesh and blood were meat and drink indeed. And this eating and drinking brought Christ into them and they into him to dwell and live by him.

While Jesus talked on over these mysteries some of his believers also murmured at him. Jesus had many Judases. They said of the remark just uttered, "This is a hard saying; who can hear it?" Jesus asked them, "Doth this offend you? What and if ye shall see the Son of man ascend where he was before? It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit and they are life." Jesus gives here the spiritual understanding of his parabolic language. He had talked of the bread of life, and interpreted that as being his body; and said his body and blood must be eaten and drunk as sustenance of life; but this language gave such offense to his real enemies that some of his shaky followers were ready to join the enemy; but to retain the discipleship, he explained that the literal body and blood did not effect what he claimed, but the spirit and his words of eternal life were the spirit that quickens and saves.

Poor Judas was there to get his part and take his offense; but, as we said, there were others like him, or even worse, for Judas followed Jesus to the end, while some there went back on Jesus, never to follow again. When Jesus saw their breaking off discipleship, he turned to the twelve and asked, "Will ye also go away?" Peter replied for all, "Lord, to whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life. And we believe and are sure that thou art

that Christ, the Son of the living God." Then right on the heel of such a confession as Peter made, Jesus makes a most humiliating but true statement of one, yet unnamed, of those twelve for whom Peter made such a strong plea. Jesus asked, "Have not I chosen you twelve?" Then states without apology, "One of you is a devil." Judas at this time had no knowledge that Jesus meant him, nor a mind to do the atrocious deed, yet near a year off; but there was the devilish principle in him. Jesus said one of you is a devil, not will become one. This gave Judas a timely warning to guard his actions toward Jesus and all other men; hence his crime could have been avoided had he chosen it to be.

JESUS CONTINUES HIS DISCOURSE.

Matt. xv, 1-20; Mark vii, 1-23.

Whether the discourse of Jesus here treated was delivered in the synagogue as the above, and at the same time, we can not certainly determine. The Savior began to speak to the people who followed him for the loaves, and then to the Jews, and wound up with his disciples. John alone, however, gives us the above discourse. But this remaining discourse began with scribes and Pharisees from Jerusalem; and it would seem that it was not in connection with the above, neither in the synagogue, but perhaps on the street or in some private house. But the subject was traditional observances; and the remarks had their origin in the disciples failing to wash their hands before eating, as the ceremonial law and observances of the Jews required. Jesus did not indorse any moral uncleanness; but knowing there was no guilt or moral merit in hand and cup washing every time one turned around, did not require his disciples to keep the formal traditionary laws. So these Jerusalem spies asked Jesus, "Why walk not thy disciples according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashen hands?"

Then Jesus referred them to the Prophet Isaiah, who said, "This people honoreth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me." This was a true prophecy of them; pretending religious reverence by bodily washings, while their hearts and secret lives where wholly godless. They taught for doctrine of Divine instruction the commandments of men; and laid aside God's laws, to do what the elders said. Jesus then recited an instance. He said, "Moses said, Honor thy father and thy mother; and whosoever curseth father or mother, let him die the death. But ye say, If a man shall say to his father or mother, It is a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me, he shall be free. And ye suffer him no more to do aught for his father or mother." Here is a plain case of laying aside the Divine law through traditional teaching. And Jesus said they were guilty of many such errors; yet they complained of his disciples for minor offenses, and such as were not culpable at all.

Then Jesus called the people unto him and said openly to all, "There is nothing from without a man entering into him can defile him; but the things which come out of him, those are they that defile the man."

When Jesus had made this open statement he entered the house; and his disciples, represented by Peter, asked his explanation of the remark. Jesus simply called their attention to the fact that it is not meats, but evil that enters and defiles; that nothing defiles save that which enters the heart; that meats go into the belly only, and pass out into the draught. While on the other hand, the things which come out are what defile; for from the heart proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness. The most that can be said of the Pharisees is what Jesus said, "They be blind leaders of the blind." And all who follow them fall into the ditch.

SECTION 8.-JESUS HEALS THE DAUGHTER OF A SYROPHENICIAN WOMAN.

Matt. xv, 21-28; Mark vii, 24-30.

We have now reached early summer of this year. And this seventh move brings Jesus away from Capernaum, in a northwesterly direction, into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon, which were on the Mediterranean Sea. Whether Jesus really entered these cities, or either, is questionable. It is very probable he did not. He could go into their coasts or borders without entering them.

It would seem that Jesus only took this seemingly long trip to acquire rest for himself and his disciples. We have seen how they have always, on every attempt prior to this, failed to get any rest. We have just followed Jesus from Capernaum and the desert of Bethsaida, where he took his disciples for rest, but were engaged by the hungry thousands. And when he reached Capernaum they followed him; and also his enemies, as a deputation from Jerusalem, annoyed him. So as it was impossible to get rest and an opportunity for teaching his disciples anywhere he had been, Jesus decided to go to the regions about Tyre and Sidon. These two places are mentioned together, as Jesus must have fallen between them, and as they were near each other.

But did Jesus get the desired rest here? It seems that he met with a great opportunity, for he spent at least two months or three, during which we have but little record of activities. But while Jesus was in this region there was one case to tax his patience and seek his help. It was, Matthew says, a woman of Canaan; meaning that she was a descendant of the Canaanites referred to in Judges i, 32. But Mark calls her a Greek; this she was by race. He calls her a Syrophoenician, because of the country in which she dwelt. Anyway, this woman was a Gentile, and it was the condition of her daughter that distressed her. Her daughter, she said to Jesus, was grievously vexed with a devil. She

left her house and followed after Jesus, crying out loudly, "Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou Son of David!" For some while Jesus seemed to pay no attention to this woman's distress; and because he seemed so indifferent to the cries of this Gentile woman, his disciples grew vexed, and said, beseechingly, "Send her away, for she crieth after us."

Jesus had here a double opportunity, and he used it. The first was to test the faith and draw out the importunity of the woman. He makes it every man's duty to ask, seek, and knock for what is needed. Second, he had an opportunity to teach his Jewish disciples that he was not deaf to the cries of Gentiles, and had mercy and grace for them too, if they are but importunate. However, before he acts for a Gentile, to make his mission more impressive, he restates it thus, "I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel." But just here, where this mission is declared, the poor woman prays, "Lord, help me." This prayer is remarkable. First, it is sympathetic; it is for her child, whom she considers herself in whom was the devil. Her child's sufferings were hers. This points out the duty of mutual and sympathetic prayer. Second, this prayer is short and importunate. It strikes Jesus through and through, and teaches the value of earnest asking and seeking. Third, this prayer is made in the proper spirit. The woman is humble and feels helpless. She prays evidently upon her knees, or in prostration.

But while Jesus hears her prayer and considers her humility, he draws a little more upon the cords of her faith by saying, "It is not meet to take the children's bread and cast it to dogs." This remark was quite a test; yet the woman stood it. She knew the meaning of Jesus, that the Gentiles were the dogs and the Jews the children. But all for that she hesitated not, for she wanted her daughter healed; and she was willing to be considered anything for the sake of his favor. She replied with anxious heart: "Truth, Lord;