joy' which issue from Israel 'are unto all people.' The Kingdom of David, which is the

Kingdom of God, is set up upon earth, and opened to all believers. We cannot help

noticing - though it almost seems to detract from it - how different from the Jewish i deas

of it is this Kingdom with its Shepherd-King, Who knows and Who lays down His Life for

the sheep, and Who leads the Gentiles not to subjection nor to inferiority, but to equality

of faith and privileges, taking the Jews out of their special fold and leading up the

Gentiles, and so making of both 'one flock.' Whence did Jesus of Nazareth obtain these

thoughts and views, towering so far aloft of all around?

But, on the other hand, they are utterly un -Gentile also - if by the term 'Gentile' we mean

the 'Gentile Churches,' in antagonism to the Jewish Christians, as a certain school of

critics would represent them, which traces the origin of this Gospel to this separation. A

Gospel written in that spirit would never have spoken on this wise of the mutual relation

of Jews and Gentiles towards Christ and in the Church. The sublime words of Jesus are

only compatible with one supposition: that He was indeed the Christ of God. Nay,

although men have studied or cavilled at these words for eighteen and a half centuries,

they have not yet reached unto this: 'They shall become one flock, one Shepherd.'

4. In the final Step of 'Ascent'21 the leading thoughts of the whole Discourse are taken

up and carried to the last and highest thought. The Good Shepherd that brings together

the One Flock! Yes - by laying down His Life, but also by taking it up again. Both are

necessary for the work of the Good Shepherd - nay, the life is laid down in the surrender

of sacrifice, in order that it may be taken up again, and much more fully, in the

Resurrection-Power. And, therefore, His Father loveth Him as the Messiah-Shepherd,

Who so fully does the work committed to Him, and so entirely surrenders Himself to it.

His Death, His Resurrection, let no one imagine that it comes from without! It is His own

act. He has 'power' in regard to both, and both are His own, voluntary, Sovereign, and

Divine acts.

And this, all this, in order to be the Shepherd-Saviour - to die, and rise for His Sheep,

and thus to gather them all, Jews and Gentiles, into one flock, and to be their Shepherd.

This, neither more nor less, was the Mission which God had given Him; this, 'the

commandment' which He had received of His Father - that which God had given Him to

do.22

It was a noble close of the series of those Discourses in the Temple, which had it for

their object to show, that He was truly sent of God.

And, in a measure, they attained that object. To some, indeed, it all seemed

unintelligible, incoherent, mad ness; and they fell back on the favourite explanation of all

this strange drama - He hath a demon! But others there were - let us hope, many, not