Mark 15

REFLECTIONS UPON CHAP. XV.—What shocking wickedness is it for men, for the professed people of God, to calumniate, to persecute, to deride, to murder, the meek, the innocent, the divine Jesus, the Saviour of mankind! It was strange that the HOSANNAS of the mob should be so quickly turned into murderous clamours and cruel derisions!—That, contrary to reason, contrary to proof, contrary to convictions, almost every one should concur to abuse our gracious Redeemer! Inexpressible were his sufferings from men, from devils, and from his offended Father! Alas, how vilified was his character, how tormented his body, while his soul was deserted and distressed. And yet with astonishing and silent resignation he bore all for the salvation of his betrayers and murderers. What honourable attestations Providence procured for him in the deepest debasement! Prodigies attended his death; Pilate, his judge, repeatedly declared him innocent, and the Jewish Messiah: and the centurion acknowledged him to be the Son of God. Joseph of Arimathea boldly begged, and honourably buried, his corpse. The women attended, in order to embalm him. And shall not my soul love and honour him, who so loved me and gave himself for me! 4 Luke was a physician; Col. iv. 14: and attended Paul about seventeen years after his coming into Macedonia; Acts xvi. 10: probably till his death; 2 Tim. iv. 11. He wrote this history of the life of Christ, perhaps about twenty-two or rather thirty years after his ascension; and includes therein a multitude of things, not mentioned by Matthew nor Mark, concerning the birth and private life of John the Baptist and Jesus Christ; chap. i. ii.: Christ’s genealogy; chap. iii.: his preaching and persecution at Nazareth; chap. iv.: his sermon on the plain; chap. vi.: his raising the widow’s son, and parable of the debtors; vii.: his mission of the seventy; direction of the lawyer as to the way of eternal life; parable of the Samaritan, and reproof of Martha; x.: his directions to pray; parable of the importunate friend; xi.: and of the rich fool; xii.: his alarm to repentance, &c.; his parable of the barren fig tree; his healing the deformed woman; xiii.: his cure of the dropsy; parables of the supper; builder; and king intending to make war; xiv.: his parables of the lost sheep, piece of silver, prodigal son, unjust steward, and of Lazarus; xv. xvi.; his parable of the servant; his healing ten lepers; his warning as to the awful manner of setting up his kingdom; xvii.: his parable of the importunate widow; and of the Pharisee and publican; xviii.: the conversion of Zaccheus; parable of the pounds; mournful prediction of Jerusalem’s ruin; xix.: his abuse by Herod; xxiii.: and conversation with the disciples going to Emmaus; and with the eleven, &c. xxiv. wise unto salvation; and, by conviction of sin, prepare them to receive the divine Saviour. 51-53. He has marvellously exerted his power in helping and showing mercy to his people, in casting down self-righteous and self-sufficient sinners, and in putting high honours upon the poor and debased. He has granted the desire of such as were earnestly inquiring after a Saviour, and enriched them with his favour; but has denied the blessings of his kingdom to such as are rich in this world, or abound in self-confidence and self-conceit. 68. Let all praise, honour, and blessing, be ascribed to that God, who after a long apparent neglect of his people, is now, in infinite kindness, sending his Son to save and redeem them, and who is now raising up his long-promised Messiah, to exalt and protect his elect ones, and to cast down their enemies, spiritual or temporal; 74, 75: that being, by his merit, power, and grace, redeemed from sin, Satan, and the world, we may while we live constantly serve God, without slavish fear of him, or tormenting fear of our enemies, in all the duties of piety, righteousness, and sobriety, as in his sight, and depending on him for assistance and gracious reward. 76—79. Thou shalt be the prophetic forerunner of the incarnate God, the Messiah, to publish his appearance, and to direct and excite man to receive him;—to show them that they must be saved, not by 3 their own legal righteousness, but by the remission of their sins through Jesus’ blood, according to the mere undeserved and compassionate kindness of God, by which Christ, the heavenly Sun of Righteousness, comes into our world, to enlighten, revive, and save, not only us Jews, but also the Gentiles, who have been long destitute of the means of grace, and enveloped with ignorance, error, and wickedness; and to direct us to the true methods of enjoying peace with God, with our own consciences, and our neighbours, till we arrive at perfect and everlasting happiness