ere
warned by the Jewish ecclesiastics that this dangerous man now
approaching the capital claimed to be the Jewish Messiah, and that His
aims were to overturn the Temple authorities first, and then establish
Himself as King of the Jews, and place Himself at the head of a
revolutionary army which would attempt to defy and defeat the rule of
mighty Rome herself.

And so all the machinery was set in motion, and the officers of the
law were all on the alert to take advantage of the first overt act of
Jesus and His followers, and to throw them into prison as enemies of
society, religion and of the state. The Roman authorities were
agitated at the reports coming to them from the highest Jewish
authorities, and were prepared to crush the rebellion at the first
sign. The Jewish priests were in solemn convocation and at the
instigation of Caiaphas, the high priest of the Jews, they determined
that nothing but the death of this false Messiah would put an end to
the agitation which threatened to drive them from power and authority.
And so the die was cast.

And meanwhile Jesus was resting in Bethany, surrounded by great
throngs who were pouring into the place to see Lazarus, and to renew
their allegiance to the Master whom they had so basely forsaken.
Time-servers ever, the latest miracles had revived their fading
interest and waning faith, and they flocked around the Master as
noisy, enthusiastic and as full of fulsome praise as ever. And
yesterday they had damned Him, and tomorrow they would cry "Crucify
Him!" For such is the nature of the multitude of men. Of the
multitudes of Jesus' followers, none remained to acknowledge
allegiance in His hour of arrest--even among the chosen twelve, one
betrayed Him, one denied Him, and _all_ fled away when He was taken
captive. And for _such_ the Son of Man lived and taught and suffered.
Surely His _life_ was the greatest miracle of all.

THE EIGHTH LESSON.

THE END OF THE LIFE WORK.

Resting for a short time before His formal entry into Jerusalem, the
Master sought the seclusion of the sparsely settled districts near the
wilderness. In and around the village of Ephraim, in Perea, in parts
of Galilee, He wandered with the Twelve. But even there He continued
His work of healing and teaching.

But even this temporary respite from the inevitable lasted but a short
time. Jesus determined to march direct to the seat of the
ecclesiastical and temporal authority which was array