The tragedy of Calvary. Part 48.

The tragedy of Calvary: or the minute details of Christ's life from Palm Sunday morning till the resurrection and ascension taken prophecy, history, revelations and ancient writings by Meagher, Jas. L. (James Luke), 1848-1920

Memling, Hans: Schmerzenmutter mit totem Christus

Wonderful and most remarkable were the types of His coming and His death written by God Himself in the whole ceremonial Moses established. But they did not see them, and they do not see them in our day. And this was providential. For if He came to any other nation, to any other people, they would have received and worshiped Him as God, when they had seen His wondrous works, To this rite of the red heifer David alludes when he says:

"Thou shalt sprinkle me with hyssop, and I shall be cleansed. Thou shalt wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow." (Psalm. L. 9.)

Beautiful and striking in their conciseness are the words of St. Paul, writing to the Hebrews, telling his people that all the ceremonial of their Temple foretold the sacrifice of the cross. After describing the Temple, its utensils and ceremonial he says:

"But Christ being present, a high priest of the good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is, not of this creation, neither by the blood of goats or of calves, but by his own blood entered once into the sanctuary, having obtained an eternal redemption.

"For if the blood of goats, and of oxen, and the ashes of a heifer being sprinkled, sanctify such as are defiled to the cleansing of the flesh, how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the Holy Ghost offered himself without spot to God, cleanse our conscience from dead works to serve the living God ?

"And therefore he is the Mediator of the New Testament, that by means of his death, for the redemption of those transgressions, which were under the former Testament, they who are called may receive the promise of eternal inheritance.

"For where there is a testament, the death of the testator must of necessity intervene. For a testament is of force after men are dead, otherwise it is not of force 1 while the testator liveth. Whereupon neither was the first 2 indeed dedicated without blood. . . For Jesus hath not entered into the holy place made with hands, the patterns of the true, but into heaven itself, that he may appear now in the presence of God for us." (Hebrews ix. 11-24.)

1 That is a will bequeathing property.

2 The Old Testament.