THE MORNING STAR IN THE GOSPELS. 



251 



must also have been long before the following Passover, for 

 several events in the Lord's ministry, including the forty days' 

 temptation, occurred before that date. Further, Christ most 

 likely began his public ministry before November, because it is 

 probable that there were leaves on the fig-tree when Nathaniel 

 came from under it, John i, 48. 



Consequently our choice of years for the beginning of the 

 two ministries is again narrowed, and we must reject A.D. 24, 

 for the morning star was certainly not shining in August of 

 that year ; A.D. 27 may fulfil this condition, but we shall find 

 it cast out a little later on, see note on {(j), p. 254. There 

 remains only a.d. 25, which, however, answers admirably, and 

 we therefore assume this year as the beginning of Christ's 

 ministry. We shall find this assumption confirmed by further 

 inferences as we proceed. 



(c) The next reference to the Baptist under the figure we are 

 considering is, "He must increase, but I must, decrease," 

 John iii, 30. These words were uttered after the Passover, 

 which took place in a.d. 26, most probably on 22nd March, but 

 before John was cast into prison, John iii, 24 (they may have 

 foreshadowed his imprisonment) ; we may consequently assume 

 that John spoke them about the beginning of April. The figure 

 may allude to — 



(1) The increasing powder of the sun as the days lengthen, 



and the heat becomes greater between mid-winter and 

 mid-summer ; the increase of both combined being 

 most rapid shortly after the e(|uinox ; and the 

 decreasing of the morning star may refer to its non- 

 appearance in the sky at the end of each night. 



(2) Or the figure may describe the daily appearance when 



the morning star is shining, when the increasing 

 brilliancy of the rising sim causes the light of its 

 herald to decrease and fade away, as is suggested by 

 Mimpriss.* 



Which of these two allusions is more probable ? The 

 seeming destruction of the stars caused by the rising of the sun 

 was an ancient figure of speech which was generally employed, 

 and it is probably used in 2 Thess. ii, 8. " The lawless one 

 . . . whom the Lord . . .shall . . . bring to nought with 

 the manifestation (forth shining [Gk.]) of His coming." The 

 same idea seems to be carried out in jSTahum iii, 16-17 : " the 



* Mimpriss' Gospel Treasury^ Section xii, p. 132. John iii, 30. 



