4, for ex.), that such was the common practice. Indeed, it was a joyous time for all Israel.

From all parts of the land and from foreign countries the festive pilgrims had come up in

bands, singing their pilgrim psalms, and bringing with them burnt- and peace-offerings,

according as the Lord had blessed them; for none might appear empty before Him (Exo

23:15; Deut 16:16,17). How large the number of worshippers was, may be gathered from

Josephus, who records that, when Cestius requested the high-priest to make a census,

in order to convince Nero of the importance of Jerusalem and of the Jewish nation, the

number of lambs slain was found to be 256,500, which, at the lowest computation of ten

persons to every sacrificial lamb, would give a population of 2,565,000, or, as Josephus

himself puts it, 2,700,200 persons, while on an earlier occasion (AD 65) he computes the

number present at not fewer than three millions (Jew. Wars, vi. 9, 3; ii. 14, 3).119

Of course, many of these pilgrims must have camped outside the city walls.120

Those who lodged within the walls were gratuitously accommodated, and in return left

to their hosts the skins of the Passover lambs and the vessels which they had used in

their sacred services. In such festive 'company' the parents of Jesus went to, and

returned from this feast 'every year,' taking their 'holy child' with them, after He had

attained the age of twelve--strictly in accordance with Rabbinical law (Yoma, 82a)--

when He remained behind, 'sitting in the midst of the doctors, both hearing them and

askin g them questions' (Luke 2:41-49). We know that the Lord Himself afterwards

attended the Paschal feast, and that on the last occasion He was hospitably entertained

in Jerusalem, apparently by a disciple (Matt 26:18; Mark 14:12-16; Luke 22:7-13),

although he seems to have intended spending the night outside the city walls (Matt

26:30,36; Mark 14:26,32: Luke 22:39; John 18:1).

But the preparations for the Passover had begun long before the 14th of Nisan. Already

a month pre viously (on the 15th of Adar), bridges and roads had been repaired for the

use of the pilgrims. That was also the time for administering the testing draught to

women suspected of adultery, for burning the red heifer, and for boring the ears of those

who wished to remain in servitude--in short, for making all kinds of preliminary

arrangements before the festive season began. One of these is specially interesting as

recalling the words of the Saviour. In general, cemeteries were outside the cities; but any

dead body found in the field was (according to an ordinance which tradition traces up to

Joshua) to be buried on the spot where it had been discovered. Now, as the festive

pilgrims might have contracted 'uncleanness' by unwitting contact with such graves, it

was ordered that all 'sepulchres' should be 'whitened' a month before the Passover. It

was, therefore, evidently in reference to what He actually saw going on around Him at

the time He spoke, that Jesus compared the Pharisees 'unto whited sepulchres, which

indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all

uncleanness' (Matt 23:27). Then, two weeks before Pesach, and at the corresponding

time before the other two great festivals, the flocks and herds were to be tithed, and also

the Temple treasury -chests publicly opened and emptied. Lastly, we know that 'many

went out of the country up to Jerusalem before the Passover to purify themselves' (John

11:55). It is this practice which finds its spiritual application in regard to the better

Passover, when, in the words of St. Paul (1 Cor 11:27,28), 'whosoever shall eat this bread,

and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the

Lord. But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that