should expect One who knew all that was in man, and needed no information respecting him, to be able to adapt all His questions as well as His answers unerringly to his nature. This Jesus invariably did. Never man questioned like this man. His questions were flashes of lightning, beams of sunshine, and distilling of dew, according to the men and the occasion which called them forth. Sometimes, just as the steel draws sparks of fire from the cold hard flint, so His questions, entering into the soul, drew out its secret consciousness, and kindled in it emotions of love and devotion.

The power of questioning is beneficent or malignant, according to the disposition which wields it. Many a witness in the box dreads the counsel at the bar as a questioner, not because he fears honest investigation, not because he wishes to conceal truth, but because he fears the malevolent purpose and power which his questioner may wield. Many of the questions of the Jews to Jesus were simply instruments of torture, and many were artfully designed to transfix Him with the sword of Moses or of Cæsar, and to one less Divine than Himself must have often proved fatally embarrasing. But it is to be carefully noted that Christ's questions were never governed by & malevolent purpose; they were all formed and put in the spirit of truth and kindness, often of tenderest solicitude; many of them seem intended to afford His enemies an opportunity for reflection and repentance, while yet sometimes they covered them with confusion. It may be claimed that the history of Christ's questions is a history of benevolence towards men. Himself “ The Truth," the questions of his enemies turned back from Him like broken arrows from the rock of adamant, like the edge of an untempered blade against the diamond. Himself “ The Trutb,” full of love, His questions never crushed the bruised reed, nor quenched the smoking flax.

Perhaps there may be something in some sense immature in the first recorded questions of Jesus. In His youthful life He grew and “ increased in wisdom.” It was at this period of immaturity that He questioned His mother when she found Him sitting with the doctors. Did He at that time know and understand all the vastness of truth involved in His questions? “How is it that ye sought me? Know yo not that I must be about my Father's business ? " " Words so touching in their innocent simplicity, so unfathomable in their depth of consciousness!” (Farrar.) In these youthful and child-like questions He gently reminds her of what, perhaps, she had almost forgotten. She said, “ Thy father and I have sought thee sorrowing." Could it be that she had forgotten, and that in His “ My Father's" business He would interrogatively lift up her memory and her faith to His Divine and Eternal Father? And when in that same question He said, “I must” be about my Father's business, was He seeking by a gentle interrogative hint to lead her mind out to the great object of His birth--the life of obedient self-sacrifice, which would ultimately lead up to the cross itself ? And does not the second question turn

back upon the first, and seem to say, “Why did you yield to sorrow and anxious care about me? Surely the path of duty is the path of safety, and He who is doing and learning God's will cannot be lost, nor come to any harm." But His questions were too deep for them; they understood not His sayings. It is not a little remarkable that His first recorded questions, and His first recorded expression, “Suffer it to be so now, for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness," both have special reference to daty. Christ came into the world with a purpose, and He was inexpressibly straitened, distressed, hemmed in by His sense of duty till it was accomplished. His words in that youthful question were the blossoms, in a while to set into the maturer forms, " My meat and my drink is to do the will of Him that sent me, and to finish his work. I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how am I straitened till it be accomplished.” And, as His first question anticipated this work and baptism, His last words proclaimed its completion. He began in the temple, He finished on the cross.

We are not told what were the questions He was putting to the learned doctors, but we can imagine something of the spirit in which He put them. Perhaps an intense desire, even a passion, to know and understand the law of the Lord had been kindled in His soul by the Passover scenes which He had witnessed during the provious week. Perhaps this eager desire to know had led Him to linger behind, that He might seek that knowledge from the great teachers. Doubtless among all the eager questioners then present He was the most sincere, and the most attentive listener. “ Rightly to question is the highest wisdom which the learner, as such, can possess." The themes of many of His questions probably arose out of the Passover itself, out of the prophecies concerning the Messiah, and the varied interpretations put upon them. He was yet a learner evidently, a truth-seeker, and possibly His pure spirit would recoil from some of the rabbinical answers that were given to Him. He did not come to them ignorant of the Scriptures, for He would have learned much of them in His home at Nazareth ; but His questions would penetrate to the foundations of things, and may afford us an example of truth-seeking which we shall do well to follow.

One of the earliest questions of Jesus after entering on His ministry was again addressed to His mother. From Luke we gather that He was about thirty years of age when He began that ministry. Eighteen of those years He had passed in seclusion with His mother in her home at Nazareth-doubtless in the most willing obedience and deference. By invitation she has accompanied Him, with some of His disciples, to & wedding feast in Cana. Perceiving that the wine was running short, she gently hinted the fact to Him. Why? Perhaps she had some presentiment of His miracle-working power; and not having yet seen it, and perhaps anxious for His honour as her son, and thinking this a good and fitting opportunity, she was a little impatient that He

should put it forth. Jesus never used His power to gratify human curiosity, and perhaps He perceived that His mother's motive, though

purely womanly, motherly anxiety," was yet intensely human, and too carnal for His recognition and approval. Dr. Godet seems to see in her words to Him a reproduction of one of the temptations in the wilderness, in which He was invited to make a use of His miraculous power beyond the measure indicated by the call of Providence. Quaint Bishop Hall says: “She might not so remember herself to be a mother that she should forget she was a woman; nor so look upon Him as a son that she should not regard Him as a God. That part which He took from her shall observe her; she must observe that nature which came from above, and made her both a woman and a mother. Matter of miracle concerned the Godhead only ; supernatural things were above this sphere of earthly relation.” Yes, perhaps even then she had forgotten the lesson of the temple given eighteen years ago, and understood not His nearer relation to God than to herself in all that higher nature to which she was then appealing. From this standpoint, His apswer, in the form of a question, seems quite natural. He gently reminds her once more of that great truth. " Woman, what have I to do with thee?” The expression must not be taken as harsh, or rude, as among as it might be. The Author of the fifth commandment could not be its breaker. If Mary wished for a splendid signal of His glorious character before the assembly, Jesus, by His question, pierced her inmost thought to her own consciousness, and gave her a boundary over which she must not attempt to pass. Yet His answer was in perfect accord with the most proper and courteous conduct towards her of the time and country. Indeed, yúval-woman" was a form of address used even to the most dignified persons.” It was by the same word, “woman,” that He last spoke to her in tenderest solicitude from the cross : 66 Woman, behold thy son," directing her to John as her future protector and friend. For the word “ mother" He had a higher and more spiritual use. “Who is my mother?” She who obeys my Father's will, she is my mother. Nor does the question itself intend dishonour, but the most vital in. struction. If she was overlooking the vast disparity between the Son of God and the son of Mary; if she was presuming upon her relationship to call forth an extraordinary display of His power, then His question- What have I to do with thee ? " or " What have I in common with thee ? "-would involve to her the lesson, as Stier says: " When my office and its ministry is concerned, is it not for thee to retire, and forget that thou art my mother ? " That which in me worketh miracles was not born of thee" (Augustine). The words, “My hour is not yet come," seem intended to soothe her heart under the lesson, and so evidently she understood them.

But what if in Mary’s hint to Jesus there lay concealed, and all unknown to herself, the seed of that Mariolatry wbich has been so destructively developed by Popery? Doubtless, to His Divine eye tha

futare of His Church and kingdom was perfectly open. “Roman expositors bave been very anxious to rid this answer of every shadow of rebuke or blame. Entire treatises have been written with this single parpose" (Trench). We may regard this question of Jesus Christ to His mother as His anticipatory protest against, and rebuke of, that soul.destroying idolatry which He doubtless foresaw in the Church of Rome, when she exalted Mary above her Son in heaven, and invested her with power to plead with Him, and authority to command Him as her son, Christ is the King of heaven, but if Mary, as called the queen of heaven by the Papists, could even think of queening over Him, we should expect her to be rebuked in some sterner words than " Woman, what have I to do with thee ?" Christ is the one Mediator whom God has exalted at His own right band: but if Mary be thrust upon us as the Mediatrix above Him, we question ber in Christ's own words, “ Woman, what have we to do with thee?" Christ Himself is our anointed Advocate with the Father, but His mother never was designed to be our advocate with Him. His own question to her pierces the foul pretensions and wicked Mariolatry of Rome as with a spear of fire, which must ultimately destroy it for ever,

Long Buckly.

THE MASTER-KEY.

FOR SUNDAY-SCHOOL TEACHERS. “MAMMA, I feel as if I must give / who bade us use the means, desigps up my work in the ragged school. the end. Think, Ellen, if the Lord I never shall do any good there,” Jesus had given up His work when said Ellen F- on the day ap- He was rejected and despised, when pointed for her usual visit.

He came to His own and they re“Your work, Ellen,or the Lord's?” ceived Him not, you and I must asked her mother. “If it is your have been at this moment as work, you must do as you please ; utterly heathen and ignorant as tho but if it is the Lord's work, should worst of those children who come you not consult Him about it? You to the ragged school; for no glad thought when you began it was His gospel would ever have shone on good pleasure to employ you." the shores of Britain.”

“Yes, mamma; but He has not “ Yes, dear mother, I know it; given me any encouragement to but they do not improve, they are feel that He blesses me in it, and I fearfully trying, and I think I canhave gone now for nearly a year.” not be fitted for a teacher of sucli

“And you are already weary in children.” well-doing? My dear child, let it “You can easily decide that for not be so; for in due season you yourself. If you feel in your heart shall reap, if you faint not; only be love to the Lord Jesus Christ, and content to walk by faith, and not love for perishing souls; if you go by sight. Sow the seed, cast the in faith and prayer, I should say bread; the fields and the waters you are a chosen vessel to bear a are not yours, but God's, and He blessing with you, as fit as any

there ; for there are not many who / impudence; yet Ellen felt no anger. are willing at all, and those who " Poor forlorn thing!” thought she are can ill be spared from the little to herself; “yes, I do love your band of Christ's volunteers. But, soul; I love it with the love of if you have not love, nor faith, compassion; and it will not be un. nor "

true to tell you so." “Oh, mamma, I have been im- As she went on with her chapter patient! I will try yet longer be- she dwelt on the compassion of fore I dare to give up; and you Jesus, and the invitations of His will pray for me and my poor grace, and the happy results of ragged ones, whom I do long to see being made to trust and love Him. clothed and seated at the feet of Silence had been kept for a little, Jesus. But there is one most awful and the children were gazing earchild among them; I believe she nestly in her face, listening with in. comes only to disturb and annoy terest, when the young tyrant of me, and make the rest of them the class, as if stirred up by the worse than they would be. If I spirit of evil, in fear lest some good could get rid of her, perhaps we should be done, burst out angrily might do better."

and loudly, “I don't care for what That awful child ! yes, such she you say, I don't care for God, or certainly was, a very child of dark Jesus, or you either. I don't love ness, with a daring impudent face, any of you. I don't care for you, I a bold manner, a rough voice; a say.” A murmur rose among the hardened creature, whom it seemed other children. “For shame! ob, impossible to tame or rule; insolent for shame!” said several. “She's in speech, and full of mischief; very kind; we do love her.” And and yet she caine from her street one little creature slid close up to life of theft to turn into the ragged Ellen, and looked in her face, with school in the evening and join a eyes full of tears. “Yes, teacher," class of girls, for no reason she said she, softly; " I love you and could give except that she chose to care for what you say; and if I had do so.

bread and you hadn't, I'd give you " She does indeed look bad," some.” said Mrs. F- , after gazing for a Ellen's heart bounded with joy, few moments on the class where and she smiled her thanks to the her daughter was about to take her little pleasure-giver, and, looking seat, and where the girl in question towards the wretched girl whose had been pointed out, or rather had speech had called forth this gratifymade herself known without intro- ing token, " And you, dear girl, you duction. “ Yes; but Ellen, beware would do the same. You do not how you drive that child away ; really mean what you say. You the very grasp of Satan is upon her. feel kind, sometimes, don't you?” Oh, try what power and love can “No, I do mean it. I wouldn't do; try to have the mind of Christ, I give you a bit,” boldly replied she. when publicans and sinners and “ Well," said Ellen, with a little those possessed with devils came sigh, and wiping away the tear around Him."

which had started at the unexThe gentle Christian girl, com- pected expression of feeling; “ well, forted and encouraged, sat down to I am very sorry, for it is not like her task, and was observed often to what I feel for you. I would gladly cast a look of tender compassion on share my bread with you; and, if the creature by her side, who went you don't love me, I love you; for over her usual pranks with greatI come a long way to meet you