to the woman, or in words similar, "We believe not because of thy saying; for we ourselves have seen His glory manifested, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world." It was with John the commencement of a series of proofs that Jesus was the Messiah, which had their climax only when He rose in triumph from the dead.

From Cana, John went with Jesus, his mother, and his brethren, back to the Sea of Tiberias, to a city in the immediate vicinity of Bethsaida, Capernaum, situated near its north-western shore. This city subsequently became, after the rejection of our Lord at Nazareth, the principal place of His residence in Galilee, and was probably favoured with more of the works and words of Jesus than any other single place. The most eminent biblical geographers, however, cannot agree as to the precise location of the place, which derived its chief importance from having become the adopted home of the Saviour. Robinson has fixed its site at Khân Minyeh, in the northern end of the plain elGhuweir. But Dr. Wilson, Dr. Thomson, and Ritter fix it at Tell Hûm. It is gone! It has been effaced from the earth! "And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted to heaven, shalt be brought down to hell." Who or what can stand before the word of Him who did not strive, nor cry,—who would not break the bruised reed nor quench the smoking flax? The whole region, once filled with flourishing towns, has been swept and desolated by Arab hordes.

The occasion of this visit to Capernaum is not indicated in the inspired narrative; but the fact is mentioned that it continued but few days. There is no intimation that He taught, or that He performed any miracles at this time. As the passover was at hand, the first occurring after our Lord entered on His ministry, it is not improbable He went there for the convenience of joining one of the numerous parties of pilgrims coming down from Northern Palestine and Lebanon, and gathering, as a convenient centre, at Capernaum, to form a caravan for a journey to the capital. They came from different and distant cities and towns of Syria; from the coast of Tyre and Sidon; from Ba'albek or Heliopolis; and from beneath the palm-trees of Damascus; all men of one race, but of various languages and costumes. There are, doubtless, representatives here from the shores of the Caspian Sea, from within the boundaries of the ancient Persian empire, and from the banks of the Tigris and the Euphrates, and from all those northern and north-eastern countries to which Hebrews had either been carried in their captivities, or had emigrated in prosecution of their commercial enterprises. Companies increase as the pilgrims draw near the borders of the Holy Land, and are so multiplied

1 Matt. xi. 23.

2 John ii. 12.

E

as they arrive among the populous towns of the plain of Gennesaret, as to form a numerous caravan. It was to join one of these, as may be plausibly supposed, that Jesus went with His relatives and disciples to Capernaum.

The most direct route from Capernaum to Jerusalem, the route through the valley of the Jordan, would have been south, through Bethsaida, past Scythopolis, or Beth-shean, to Succoth; thence across the Jordan, and down the east side of the river to a point opposite Jericho, and thence to Jerusalem. If this was the route taken by our Lord and the company with which He and His friends joined themselves, then He retraced, in part at least, the course by which He had recently gone from the scene of John's baptism to Galilee. For the sake of a clear understanding of the influences to which our young disciple was now subjected from the scenes and associations through which he passed on this journey, let us endeavour to follow him, in its different stages, to his entrance into the holy city. On former similar occasions his mind had not received that spiritual quickening which came from recent intercourse with the forerunner, and from the companionship he now enjoyed with the Lord Himself.

The journey would require from three to four days. Great would be the change, as they left the shores of the lake, covered with an almost tropical vegetation, and entered on the wild scenery of the Jordan valley. Crossing the plain of Gennesaret, some five miles wide, at one spot on the western shore, where the mountains which hem in the lake suddenly recede, the verdure and fertility would reach their perfection. The barley-fields would be seen almost white to harvest, the wheat beginning to ear, and the fig-trees beautiful with blossom. Watered by living springs which pour forth copious streams, the richness of the soil is displayed in magnificent corn-fields; whilst along the shore rises a thick jungle of thorn and oleander, abounding in birds of brilliant colours and various forms. The whole impression is said to recall the image of the valley of the Nile.2 Josephus describes this plain as one of surpassing loveliness and fertility, possibly with some exaggeration, as one favourable alike to trees, plants, and fruits of every clime.

Marvellous must have been the change as the pilgrims descended into the Jordan valley. "The desert" is the ordinary name by which this valley has been known in all ages. Unlike most other rivers, the Jordan, from the point where it leaves the Sea of Galilee to its entrance into the Dead Sea, presents not a single feature of civilization. And with the one exception of Jericho, situated some 1 Coleman's Hist. and Bib. Geog., p. 374.

2 Stanley's Sin. and Pal., p. 374.

six or eight miles west of the river, in the plain, this has been true of it from the beginning of history. Hardly a single city or village has ever adorned its banks. Leaving Succoth, the pilgrims would enter on this desert region. Arriving at some ford to which the road leads, they cross the river, and pursue their journey, thus avoiding the territory of the hostile Samaritans and the pagan cities of the Decapolis. It is the land which, in the partition of the country, had been assigned to the two tribes, Gad and Reuben. It is well adapted to flocks and herds. They moved along between the river and Mount Gilead, which cut them off from the great Arabian plateau to the east. It was here that Laban overtook Jacob; and when they separated, Jacob went on his way to Mahanaim, where the angels of God met him.' The Gilead range is everywhere covered with luxuriant herbage. The rich pasture-land presents a striking contrast to the nakedness of Western Palestine; and nowhere except among the hills of Galilee and the heights of Carmel, is there anything to be compared with it. Here the two tribes, Reuben and Gad, rich in flocks and herds, and with a country so suited to their pursuits, retained almost unchanged the nomad pastoral habits of their patriarchal ancestors. Here the sons of Saul were refugees, and found protection, while vainly endeavouring to re-establish the authority of their house. Here Elijah the Tishbite, the great prophet of Ahab's time, had his home. He has been well described as "the grandest and most romantic character that Israel ever produced." Here David found a sanctuary during the rebellion of Absalom. All these incidents would now have a significance to John they never had before.

They journey on till the northern extremity of the mountain range which overhangs the eastern shore of the Dead Sea comes in sight. Here, from the top of Nebo, the summit of Pisgah, to Moses had been granted a view of the promised land; and somewhere among the gorges of this spur of Abarim, this eminent servant of God had his burial. Some belonging to the tribes of Gad and Reuben join the caravan as it advances. To the left they see Heshbon, where Herod the Great had erected one of his citadels, or strong military posts, as a place of retreat from the disaffected metropolis, whose resentment he had so much cause, on account of his continual crimes, to dread. The whole scene through which they were passing abounded with reminiscences of the most sacred character, belonging both to the earlier and later periods of Hebrew history. We cannot suppose that the great Teacher could on 1 Gen. xxxii. 1, 2, 22.

4

2 2 Sam. ii. 8, seq.

3 Stanley's Sin. and Pal., p. 327.

4 Milman, Hist. of the Jews, ii., p. 81.

such an occasion, in such a company, pass through it without uttering many things for the instruction of His disciples. But no record is found in the evangelists of any of His words or works. He performed many works which John has emphatically told us there had been no attempt to report.1

They have now arrived near that point, so celebrated in Jewish history, where the passage of the Jordan was effected by the tribes, under the leadership of Joshua, on taking possession of the promised land. A city celebrated in the history of Palestine lies to the west of the river, built upon an oasis in the desert, watered by living springs that break out of the limestone ranges above it, and a copious stream whose course through the deep defile may be traced by a line of verdure along the valley. From the mountain sides of Gilead, as they approach the ford, the forest gardens and verdant fields of Jericho must have been a most interesting and welcome feature in the otherwise forbidding landscape. This city stood at the right of the main pass or road from the Jordan to the south-west towards Olivet and Jerusalem. Beautiful as the spot is now, it must have been far more so in the days of its prosperity and grandeur. It was here that one of the great miracles which attended the first settlement of the Israelites in Palestine occurred.3 It was here that the prophet Elisha healed the fountain of waters. It was the water which served to convert this barren plain almost into a paradise. The stream of the Kelt, issuing from a ravine, flowed across it; and besides the large fountain of Elisha, there was still another further north. Within the range of these waters the soil was exuberant in its fertility. The fruits, spices, and perfumes of tropical climes could be produced there in great abundance. Its palmgroves yielded the choicest of indigenous fruits; its balsam-groves that fragrant balsam, or balm of Gilead, which in ancient times was so highly esteemed, both as a perfume and a medicine. The revenue of these balsam-gardens had been presented by Antony to Cleopatra; and there is a tradition that she caused slips of the balsam-shrub to be taken to Egypt, and planted at Heliopolis. It was at Jericho that Herod the Great and this famous queen met, and where he seriously meditated putting her to death. Here he built another of those strong citadels for refuge from an exasperated people, of whose vengeance he had so much reason to stand in dread. He built towers and palaces; and it was evidently his favourite place of residence. It was here he died, and in the amphitheatre the news of his death was announced to the assembled soldiers and people. Such as Herod the Great and