In Luke it is written concerning Jesus, that "Beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, he expounded unto them (Cleopas and his companion) in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself." This exposition of the Old Testament must have been of stirring and absorbing interest to these disciples, or they would not have said, "Did not our heart burn within us while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the Scriptures?" An exposition of Moses and the Prophets set their heart on fire—a fire which continues to burn so long as the believing mind retains, or "keeps in memory," and dwells upon the things of the Spirit revealed to them. This is the philosophy of the spiritual frigidity and deaths all-pervading in this dark and cloudy day—Moses and the Prophets are not expounded. They have fallen into neglect as the annals of "an old Jewish almanac," of interest only to the student of Hebrew antiquities; all of whose attempted expositions evaporate in curious remarks upon Israelitish customs, and the fulfilment of a few types and predictions in the sufferings of Jesus. Such archaeological dissertations would have inflamed the heart of Cleopas as little as they enkindle those of our contemporaries. Setting the heart on fire by a narrative of facts unconnected with the scriptural exhibition of the glory that should follow, is impossible, being contrary to the nature of the human mind as God has constituted it. Cleopas was well acquainted with all the sufferings of Jesus, for he had witnessed them; yet did his Lord address him as a "Fool, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken." He "trusted that it had been he who should have redeemed Israel." The baptism of Jesus in suffering produced no glowing of his heart so long as he perceived no prospect of redemption for the nation through Jesus. His heart was perplexed. The disciples of Jesus looked to him as Jehovah’s representative, by whom "He would put down the mighty from their thrones, and exalt them of low degree," when he would "fill the hungry with good things, and send the rich empty away;" and "help his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy; as he spake to their fathers, to Abraham and his seed for ever." The father of John the Baptist expressed their hope in Christ when he said, "Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, . . . .for he hath raised up a Horn of Salvation for us (Israel) in the house of his servant David, . . . that we should be saved from our enemies and from the hand (power) of all that hate us; to perform the mercy promised to our fathers, and to remember his holy covenant; the oath which he sware to our father Abraham, that he would grant unto us, that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies might serve him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before him all the days of our life." But when Cleopas and the rest saw only the triumph of the Serpent power over the Woman’s seed, there was no burning of the heart, no "joy unspeakable and full of glory" through the crucified Nazarene. He had cast down no thrones of the mighty; he had failed to help Israel, who was still in the hand of the enemy; he had not accomplished the things promised to Abraham and his Seed; those of low degree were still in degradation, hungering after the good things denied to the rich; and he himself was to all appearance overcome. He had "drunk of the brook by the way," and had not as yet "lifted up the head," or been exalted. Could he be the king "of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets did write?"

To set the heart on fire we must have a comprehensive view of "all that the prophets have spoken" concerning Christ. The want of this was the weakness of Cleopas, and the cause of ours. Jesus strengthened him by showing that Moses and the prophets taught that the Christ’s path to glory was through suffering. The connection between suffering and glory was the point illustrated in the conversation. Had the Christ not suffered, Jehovah’s holy covenant confirmed to Abraham would have remained without force; and so no right to blessings, spiritual or political, by individuals or nations, could have been obtained. No exaltation without trial is a principle of the divine economy which cannot be evaded by those who would attain to glory. The disciples were slow of heart to perceive this until it was so strikingly illustrated in the sufferings of Christ. These were great, but greater still the glory which absorbs the less. Paul thought nothing of them, esteeming them as mere light afflictions that were but for a moment; because they worked out for him a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. In this, he followed Jesus; and exhorts us to do the same in imitating him. But, if we would be exalted to this indomitability of mind, we must familiarise ourselves with "the glory to be revealed." This will make us invincible. The darts of the enemy will fall ineffective from our shield; and though "a spectacle by reproaches," we shall be strengthened by the might of truth, which is God’s power, in the inner man, to obtain the crown of righteousness at last. Jesus "opened to them the Scriptures," that they might obtain a view of the glory to which they had been called. How inestimable a blessing is the Bible open to the understanding! Gold and silver cannot purchase it; therefore the world is destitute of it: to the wise and learned it is sealed. Money cannot repay our debt of obligation to him who opens to us the book. Cleopas and his companion could not have recompensed Jesus for setting their hearts on fire; for the understanding of "the word of the kingdom" is life, and honour, and glory for evermore.

EDITOR.

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