HISTORY OF OUR SAVIOUR JESUS CHRIST.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume I, Issue 53, 2 May 1874, Page 13

HISTORY OF OUR SAVIOUR JESUS CHRIST.

By the Abbe J. E. Dakbas.

(Translated from the French for the ' New Zealand Tablet.') 25. — A Sedition in thb Tempx-e of Jerusalem dubino tkb Feast of the Passover.

The multitude accepted, aa the happy augury of a just reign, this discourse of Archelaus. Some among them demanded that he would ease them of their annual tributes ; others desired the immediate release of the prisoners who languished in the dungeons of the deceased king ~ r others required that he would abolish certain heavy taxes collected at the custom-houses. All these favors were granted. Archelaus stood 1 in need of the public favor, as a weight in the balance which was todetermine the imperial ratification. He bought, by the sacrifices made at Jerusalem — and for which he intended fully to indemnify himself hereafter— the all-powerful suffrage of Rome. But this self-interested' condescension served only to embolden the pretensions of his new subjects. The flames of the funeral-pile, whilst consuming, a short time previously, the illustrious doctors Judas of Sepphoris and Matthias, with a considerable number of youtbs of the first rank, had enk ; ndled in nil hearts an ardent desire of vengeance. The public mind grew every day more excited. The approaching feast of thff Passover, and the presence of an innumerable multitude of Jews from J all quarters, assembled to solemnize the feast, added to the importance of the situation. A deputation waited on Archelaus to beg that he would repair the past injustices, by putting to death the counsellors of Heiod, whom public animadversion pointed out as the auttors of thecondemnation of Judas of Sepphoris. The young prince used all hi* efforts to calm the seditious j he represented to them that euch a measure was beyond his power ; that until Caesar should have confirmed him in the possession of the throne of Judea, lie could not takeupon himself the responsibility of go important a decision. Later on,. when the sceptre should be conferred on him by Coeaar, he promised that he would consult with them as to the most prudent manner of judgit7g this affair — This answer was received with seditious clamours. The Pharisees, secret instigators of the riot, had set all in readiness for an insurrection. The days preceding the feast, several among them had kept together in the Temple, even during the night, begging a bit of bread from the passers to and fro, in order not to interrupt their furious declamations. A.n immense crowd wa« assembled within thesacred precincts ; Archelaus, frightened, sent one of his generals, at the head of a band of soldiers, to repress the insolence of the factious. The mob rushed on the soldiers, massacring all they could lay hold on, and the offi er, covered with wounds, was forced to fly, in order te escape certain death. Archelaus now deemed it necessary to take active measures. He sent out the whole army to surround the Temple, and gave orders to the cavalry to prevent those who were witbia from quitting it, and to repulse all those who from without should manifest an intention of entering the sacred precinct < to bring succour to the rebels. This measure converted the fary of the Jews into consternation. At the sight of the horsemen, who quickly took possession of every egress, the multitude rushed out of the Temple in disordered masses. Three thousand were cut to pieces by the soldiery, while the reet found a retreat in the neighbouring mountains. A proclamation was issued putting a stop to the celebration of the Passover for that year, and obliging all strangers and visitors to withdraw to their own homes, and the decree of Archelaus, notifying this decision was published that same night (1). 26. — Retubn of thk Holy Family to Nazabeth. Such was the situation of Jerusalem, when the Holy Family, quitting the hospitable soil of Egypt, reached the frontiers of Jud»» We can understand, therefore, why it was that St. Joseph " feared to pursue his journey thither." (2) Profane history, placed side by side with the evangelical text, forms to this latter, a lutrinous commentary. It was not because the new Kiug Archelaus was son of Herod, that SU Joseph dared not enter into his territory. Antipas, (3) tetrarch of Galilee, was also the son of Herod, nevertheless Joseph did not fear to take up his abode at Nazareth. " Those who sought the child, to put him to death, are dead," (4) had said the angel. This celestial message completely re-assured Mary with regard to the intentions of the new princes. In effect, Archelaus and Antipas- were not thinking of recommencing the bloody scenes of Bethlehem. These two brothers, secretly rivals, thought only of supplanting each other. Archelauswanted to gain the imperial ratification for the will whioh culled him to the throne. Antipas, following the counsels of Salome, his- aunt, hoped to turn the tide of popular opinion in his own favour, at the c )urt of Augustus, thereby to cause himself to be substituted King o£ Jerusalem, in the place of Archelaus. A former testament of Herodgave him this right. In order to secure the success of his pretensions, each competitor found it necessary to court the popular furor. This necessity inclined the two joung princes, for the moment, to acts of mildness and clemency. Nothing short of open and determined rebellion on the part of the factious, could have provoked tlie repression which had just stained the Temple of Jerusalem with blood. But this incident which Archelaus would have wished to prevent, and whose unforeseen explosion was so detrimental to his designs, proved to the Holy Funiily, a real danger. The strangers gathered together for the fuast of the Passover, thus abruptly driven away, and flying from the Holy City, conveyed the news of the massacre te all the frontiers. We can conceive then, how St. Joseph, being himself on the road to Jerusulem, must have shared in the general apprehension. Private fears, besides, were awakened in him, arising from the feeling of his responsibility v ith regard to the divine deposit entrusted to his care. The illustrious travellers, therefore, passing along the mariti ne coast of Palestiue, arrived at Galilee, and the Virgin Mary beheld once more her abode in Nazareth, to whose humble roof was reserved the ■ glory of sheltering the childhood and tlie youth of the IVlan-God.