throughout the Old Testament, to describe the benefits derived from the Jewish sacrifices. What are some of the great types of our Lord's sacrificial death? The Paschal Lamb (Ex. xii. 3-14). The daily sacri- What did the Jewish sacrifices make? Atonement. It is the act of making people at one. Was there a real atonement through such sacrifices? "It is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins" (Heb. x. 4). What good did they do then? They restored the sinner to the congregation of Who alone has power to take away sin? Jesus "the Lamb of God" (John i. 29). What is the blood of Christ said to do for us? It is said to "cleanse us" (1 John i. 7), to "wash What is the meaning of all these ways of speaking? Yes; they signify that because of Christ's death we Have they any further meaning still? Yes; they mean that because of Christ's death we How was it that Jesus could shed blood of such power ? For whom did He shed His blood? For all men (1 John ii. 2). § 3. What We Should Do. How are we to show our gratitude for all this? How do we show our love? By keeping His commandments (John xiv. 15) and imitating Him in His life of self-sacrifice. Can we love Him if we do not strive to keep His commandments? No (John xiv. 23, 24). What commandment must we keep in particular commemoration of His death? "This do in remembrance of Me" (Luke xxii. 19). THE DAYS OF HOLY WEEK. This week is called Holy Week because it is the week of our Lord's great suffering and death. It should be kept with quietness and much prayer. SUNDAY. This day is commonly called Palm Sunday because it was on it that our Lord made His triumphal entry into Jerusalem and the people strewed branches of palm trees in His way (John xii. 12-20). MONDAY.-Jesus curses the barren fig-tree; drives the buyers and sellers out of the Temple. The Chief Priests and Scribes take counsel against Him (Mark xi. 12-20). TUESDAY.-Jesus teaches in the Temple; answers the questions of His enemies; speaks many parables; denounces woe on the Scribes and Pharisees; foretells the destruction of Jerusalem (Mark xi. 20 to end, xii. xiii.). WEDNESDAY.-Jesus foretells His betrayal. The Chief Priests agree with Judas for thirty pieces of silver (Luke xxii. 1-7). MAUNDY-THURSDAY.-The Last Supper. Jesus washes the Disciples' feet; gives the sop to Judas, and warns Peter. He institutes the Sacrament of the Holy Communion (Matt. xxvi. 17-31). He comforts the Disciples, promising the Holy Ghost. He prays to His Father (John xiv.-xvii.). In the Garden of Gethsemane He is in an agony; His bloody sweat. Judas betrays Him with a kiss. He is taken; forsaken by all the Disciples; led before the High Priest; denied by Peter; condemned to death (Matt. xxvi. 48 to end). This day is called Maundy-Thursday because our Lord then gave his great mandates or commandments that His Disciples should love one another as He had loved them, and that they should "do this" (that is, celebrate the Holy Eucharist) in remembrance of Him (John xiii. 34 and Luke xxii. 19). GOOD FRIDAY.-(6 A.M.)-Jesus is brought before Pilate and examined; sent to Herod, mocked, and sent back to Pilate; Barabbas is preferred before Him. The scourging; the purple robe; the crown of thorns; the reed; the spitting, smiting, and mockery. He is given over to death, and led to crucifixion bearing the Cross (Matt. xxvii. 1-34). (9A.M.) Jesus is crucified between two thieves. The soldiers part his garments and cast lots. He is reviled. The penitent thief. The seven sayings on the Cross. They give Him vinegar and gall. (12 noon.) The sun is darkened. (3 P. M.)-Jesus dies. The veil of the Temple is rent in twain. The graves are opened. His side is pierced. Blood and water flow from it (Luke xxiii. 33-50; John xix. 31-38). Joseph and Nicodemus take His body from the Cross, and lay it in a new tomb (Matt. xxvii. 57-61). SATURDAY-EASTER EVEN.-The rest of the Sabbath; the guard of soldiers; the Lord's body lies in the sepulchre; His soul is with the departed (Luke xxiii. 50 to end; 1 Peter iii. 18, 19). Thus the Church would have us follow Him day by day throughout this Holy Week, that being made like Him in life we may also be "buried with Him; and that through the grave and gate of death, we may pass to our joyful resurrection" (Collect for Easter-Even). § 1. Our Lord's Resurrection. What besides His death do you profess that you believe respecting the Lord Jesus? That the third day He rose again from the dead. Who rose again from the dead? The Son of God, Who had been crucified for us, and had died and been buried. In what body did He rise again? In the same Body which had been crucified. How was it known to be the same Body? Because it had all the marks which it had received when it was crucified. What were these? The prints of the nails in the hands and feet (Luke xxiv. 39), and the wound of the spear (John xx. 27). To whom did our Lord appear? To those who knew Him best before His cruci fixion. Did they expect His Resurrection? No. Ought they to have expected it? Yes: He distinctly told them that He would rise again. How many times did our Lord appear after His Resurrection and before His Ascension ? About eleven appearances are recorded (Mark xvi. 9; John xx. 14, 20, 26; xxi. 1, 2; Matt. xxviii. 9, 16; Luke xxiv. 31 to end; 1 Cor. xv. 6, 7). Were these all the appearances? No: in all probability there were many more, for "He was seen of the Apostles forty days," and nearly half of the appearances mentioned were on the first day. Did He appear to all the people? No: only "to witnesses chosen before of God" To what were the Apostles especially chosen to bear witness? Because only those who knew Him well in life What other reason can you give? Because it was necessary to have witnesses in whose character we could have entire confidence. § 2. Easter. On what day of the year did our Lord rise from the dead? On Easter-Day. How long has the feast of Easter been kept in the Church? Probably from the very beginning (1 Cor. v. 7, 8). On what day of the week did our Lord rise? On the first day, that is, the Lord's Day or Sunday, which is therefore a weekly Easter. Why has the Church always kept Easter Day? In order that it might bear continual witness to our How does it bear witness that Christ rose from the dead? the beginning, and if Christ had not really risen it would have been impossible to persuade men to keep it. Is there anything like this in every-day matters? Yes; if there had been no Declaration of Independence in 1776 it would have been impossible to get the whole Nation to keep the Fourth of July in memory of it. To what then does the constant keeping of Easter and of the Lord's Day testify? To the fact that Christ really rose from the dead. § 3. The Three Great Feasts of God's Ancient Church. Did God employ this method of yearly festivals to teach His ancient Church the great facts of their Religion? Yes; He commanded them to keep three great festivals every year just as we do (Ex. xxiii. 14–17). What were they? The Feast of Tabernacles, early in the winter. The Feast of Pentecost, fifty days afterwards. Christmas, Easter, and Whitsun-Day. To which does Easter correspond? To the Passover. When did Christ rise from the dead? During the feast of the Passover. Was this ordained of God? Yes; our Lord tells us the "hour" of His Death and Resurrection was fixed (John vii. 8, 30; viii. 20). § 4. The Passover. What great events did the Passover commemorate? It commemorated two events in the history of What were they? The first was their deliverance from the destroying angel who went forth to destroy the first-born of the Egyptians. How were the Israelites delivered from this angel of death? God commanded each family to sacrifice a lamb and to sprinkle the blood on the posts of their doors. |