Page images
PDF
EPUB

And except that the Lord had shortened those days, no flesh should be saved: but for the elect's sake, whom he hath chosen, he hath shortened the days.

And then if any man shall say to you, Lo, here is Christ; or, lo, he is there; believe him not:

For false Christs and false prophets shall rise, and shall show signs and wonders, to seduce, if it were possible, even the elect.

But take ye heed: behold, I have foretold you all things.

But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light,

And the stars of heaven shall fall, and the powers that are in heaven shall be shaken.

And then shall they see the Son of man coming in the clouds with great power and glory.

And then shall he send his angels, and shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from the uttermost part of the earth to the uttermost part of heaven.

Now learn a parable of the fig-tree; When her branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is near:

So ye in like manner, when ye shall see these things come to pass, know that it is nigh, even at the doors.

Verily I say unto you, that this generation shall not pass, till all these things be done.

Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away.

But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father.

Take ye heed, watch and pray for ye know not when the time is.

For the Son of man is as a man taking a far journey, who left his house, and gave authority to his servants, and to every man his work, and commanded the porter to watch.

Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at

even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning:

Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping.

And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch.

After two days was the feast of the Mark xiv. passover, and of unleavened bread: and the chief priests and the scribes sought how they might take him by craft, and put him to death.

But they said, Not on the feast day, lest there be an uproar of the people."

"And Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve, Ib. 10, 11. went unto the chief priests, to betray him unto them.

And when they heard it, they were glad, and promised to give him money. And he sought how he might conveniently betray him."

See also Matt. xxi. 23; xxvi. 5, 14-16.

Luke xx. 1-xxii. 6.

John xii. 37-50.

LECTURE IV.

THE WARNING OF THE FIG TREE.

MARK XI. 21.

"And Peter calling to remembrance saith unto him, Master, behold, the fig tree which thou cursedst is withered away."

THE narrative of the Evangelists becomes more full and copious as we approach the period of our Lord's crucifixion. Thus the events of the Wednesday occupy a part of four consecutive chapters in St. Mark's Gospel. The Supper at Bethany, which occurred on the Sunday, is introduced among them, probably, as I have said, from its connexion with the treacherous purpose of Judas, which he appears

« PreviousContinue »