SECTION XV.

THE JOURNEY FROM JERICHO TO JERUSALEM.

(Mark x. 46-xi. 11.)

In the first instance, the Lord conducted His disciples to Jericho. From this city commenced the festive procession; for, besides His disciples, He was accompanied by a great concourse of people. On the way, however, by which He left the city, sat blind Bartimeus, (or) the son of Timeus, begging. And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth who passed by (the whole train was, in his eyes, Jesus of Nazareth), he began to cry out, '0 Jesus, thou son of David, have mercy upon me! 'And many charged him that he should hold his peace. But he cried out the more, 'Thou son of David, have mercy upon me! 'Jesus stood still, and commanded him to be called. And they called the blind man, and said unto him, 'Be of good comfort, rise; He calleth thee! 'Then casting off his upper garment, he rose and came to Jesus. And Jesus answered him — his cry for help — and said, 'What wilt thou that I should do unto thee? 'The blind man said unto Him, 'Eabboni '— addressing Him very emphatically with the title, my teacher — 'that I might receive my sight.' And Jesus said unto him, 'Go thy way; thy faith hath made thee whole.' And immediately he received his sight, and followed Him (forthwith) in the way.

When now they approach near to Jerusalem — in the first place thus — to Bethphage and Bethany, at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sendeth two of His disciples, and saith unto them, 'Go your way into the village over against you: and as soon as ye have entered into it, ye shall find a colt tied, whereon no man hath ever sat; loose him, and bring him hither. And if any man say unto you, Why do ye this? say ye that the Lord hath need of him; and straightway he will send him hither.' They went their way, and found the colt tied by the door without, on the public highway; and they loose him. And some of them that stood there said unto them, 'What do ye, loosing the colt'? 'And they said unto them even so — said to them the watchword — as Jesus had commanded. Then let they them go. And they brought the colt to Jesus, and laid their garments on him; and He sat thereon. And many spread their garments in the way, and others cut down branches off the trees, and strewed them in the way. And they that went before, and they that followed, cried, saying, 'Hosanna! Blessed is he that Cometh in the name of the Lord: Blessed be the coming of the kingdom of our father David: Hosanna in the highest! 'And Jesus made His entry into Jerusalem, and into the temple; and when He had looked round upon all things, and now the eventide was come, He went out unto Bethany with the Twelve.

This is the royal procession of Christ Jesus of Nazareth — so is the procession called. The blind beggar on the wayside knows the meaning of this name, and cries after the King; and all uncalled masters of ceremonies in this train cannot put down his cry. The ear of the King hears the lamentation of the blind beggar above the rejoicings of the host. The procession must halt for the blind beggar's sake. The beggar is healed, and the drawing of the Spirit of Christ carries him along in the train. The Church preserves his name. Thus does the royal train of Christ clear away the wretchedness on its path. A blind beggar can cause it to stop. A blind beggar, changed into a seeing and happy disciple, can enlarge it.

How poor, however, and yet at the same time how rich, does the Lord hold His entry into the holy city, — in what humility and in what majesty, — this is shown by His sending for the ass's colt! Already they are near to the holy city — and still He wanders thither with His fellow-travellers on foot. At length He thinks of a festive entry. For this a colt suffices,¹ which stands bound in the neighbouring village, on the public road. But how regal is the look, the tone, the confidence, with which He causes it to be fetched! He knows that the animal stands there at His disposal. His retinue goes through the holy city straight to the temple; and of high significance is here the eagle glance with which He silently regards it all — looks through its whole appointments.

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