vER. 9— 18. ST. LUKE. 057 ourLord most clearlyprovesthattheJewishrulerscrucified theSon ofGod notfrom ignorancebut forenvy. For they knew itwas IIe to whom itwas said,I willgiveThee thePs.2,8. heathenfor Thineinheritance.And theycasthim outofthe vineyard,and slewhim. BecauseJesus,thatHe might sane-Heb.13, tifythepeopleby His bloodsufferedwithoutthegate. THEOPHYL. Since we have alreadyassumed the people, notJerusalem,to be thevineyard,itmay perhapsbe more properlysaidthatthe peopleindeedslewHim withoutthe vineyard; thatis,ourLord sufferedwithoutthehandsofthe people,becausein truththe peopledid not with theirown handsinflictdeathupon Him, but deliveredHim up toPilate aud the Gentiles.But some by the vineyardhave under stoodthe Scripture,whichnot believingtheyslewtheLord. And sowithoutthevineyard,thatis,withoutScripture,our Lordissaidtohavesuffered. BEDE. Or was He castout of thevineyardand slain,be causeHe was firstdrivenoutoftheheartsoftheunbelievers, andthenfastenedtothecross? CHRYS. Now itwas not accidentallybut partofthepur poseof the divinedispensationthatChristcame afterthe prophets.For God doesnot pursueallthingsatonce,but accommodatesHimselftomankind throughHisgreatmercy; foriftheydespisedHis Son coming afterHis servants,much lesswould they have heardHim before.For theywho lis tenednot to the inferiorcommands, how would theyhave heardthegreater? AMBROSE.He rightlyputsa questionto them, thatthey may condemn themselvesby theirown words,as itfollows, WhatthenwilltheLord ofthevineyarddo tothem? BASIL. And thishappens as itwere to men who are condemned, havingnothingto answerto the plainevidenceofjustice. ButitisthepropertyofDivinemercy not to inflictpunish mentinsecret,buttoforetellitwiththreatenings,thatsoit mightrecallmen to repentance; and thusitfollowshere, He shallcome and destroythosehusbandmen. AMBROSE. He says,theLord ofthevineyardwillcome,becauseintheSon ispresentalsotheFather'smajesty; or becausein thelast timesHe willbe more graciouslypresentby His Spiritin theheartsofmen. vOL.in. 2 u