12. Other men have been the recipients of great gifts and extensive powers, and they have been buffetted by Satan according to these powers. Some who were raised in point of privilege to the morning stars, have been thrust down to hell. Jesus must be an example to all these. 13. God led him to the wilderness where the severe ordeal of temptation should be met alone. The divinity rested upon him in conscious power and wisdom. His angelic protectors were withdrawn. His prophetic power seemed obscured, beholding facts in a human light, but not in the divine. 14. He stood up, the man Jesus, to meet the same suggestions that would be presented to other men with similar power. In proportion as this power excelled what had been borne by others, so did his temptation. It took forty days to pass this fearful ordeal, and the angels came near to congratulate him in his victory, and he "returned in the power of the spirit." to his native land. 15. This is only one of the many ordeals that he must pass, to be enabled at last, to say, "I have set you an example, follow me." That he might be a Saviour, his life must aggregate in God's ideal of a Christian life. 16. The first year of Christ's ministry was subject to fearful fluctuations of praise and censure, of friendship and hate. The second was a triumphal march, as of a king in his own right. The fame and applause, heaped upon him, were such as to try the metal of the purest; but the long nights of prayer, spent by him in the mountains, attest his fidelity to his work. 17. Just before his crucifixion, and while upon the mount of transfiguration, God again pronounced his life such, as to be well pleasing in his sight. 18. Six days before the passover upon which he would be crucified, Christ came to Judea. These days appear to be an epitome of his six years of labor. The anointing took place at the house of Simon. The second day was his triumphal march to the temple, the remaining days are more obscure, until he was again forsaken by his friends, while his foes gained upon him. 19. At last, conscious that he must be left alone, he cried out, "Lord, save me from this hour, but for this hour, came I into the world. Thy will be done, not mine." QUESTIONS. 1. What is said of Christ? What as a sacrifice? What as a man? How should we first view these relations? 2. What is said of Jesus' conception? To what does this amount? Does this show him divine? As our example, what was he? 3. To be a man, what must he possess ? What do the circumstances show? What are some of these? 4. What is farther said? 5. What is probable? What follows? 6. What appears at twelve? Of what was this the result? What will this gift do? 7. What does his answer show? What his going back with his parents? What farther? 8. How many years were spent in Jesus' minority? What is said of the particulars of his early life? What of the aggregate? 9. At thirty, what did he do? What resulted ? 10. How was Christ anointed? Is not this the place and time he partook of the divine nature ?* 11. What is farther said of his manhood? Of his former trials? What now? 12. What is said of others? 13. What must Jesus be? Where did God lead him? For what purpose? What rested upon him? Where were the angels? What of his prophetic powers? 14. How was he to meet Satan? What is said of the strength of his temptation? How long was it? What was the result? 15. What is farther said? What must his life aggregate in? 16. What is said of his first year's labor? Of the second? What did he meet with? What would it do? How did he show his fidelity? 17. What happened at the transfiguration ? 18. What, six days before crucifixion? 19. What are these days? Who anointed him?* What happened upon the second day? Of what was he conscious? What did he express as a strong desire? THE PRIESTHOOD OF CHRIST. LESSON XLVII. “Thou art a priest forever after the order of Melchisedec." Heb. 7: 21, 1. God The office of priest was intermediate between and the worshiper. He was a divinely All the great truths were to be graphically illustrated. appointed object teacher. of worship 2. Paul Those especially which pertained to the New covenant of pardon were sealed by blood. says, And without the shedding of blood there was no remission." 3. Those priests were best fitted for their office who united the prophetic gift with their priestly office. was In the absence of this gift, a prophet engaged, to assist at the altar. He was especially to announce when the offering was |