THE MORNING STAR IN THE GOSPELS. 



255 



is not true," John viii, 13, most likely because the Baptist was 

 no longer alive to give his witness. 



(i) Looking again at our diagram, we notice that the morning 

 star was still visible in the early winter, at the beginning of 

 December, a.d. 28, at the Feast of the Dedication of the Temple, 

 John X, 22 ; at that time there were still some echoes of the 

 old question to John, and doubtless remembrance of his 

 witness, when the Jews said to the Lord, " How long dost Thou 

 hold us in suspense ? If Thou art the Christ tell us plainly," 

 John X, 24. 



(j) Though the figure of the morning star is not mentioned,, 

 the dead Baptist still witnessed at a time of the shining of the 

 herald of the day, just after the Feast of Dedication, when the 

 Lord went to the place where John w^as at the first baptizing,, 

 when the people confessed " All things whatsoever John spake 

 of this man were true. And many believed on Him there," 

 John X, 41, 42. As Bishop Ellicott remarks on this passage, 

 " the enthusiasm wdiich John had kindled still burns." 



The arrival at Bethabara must most probably have been very 

 soon after the Feast of Dedication in order to allow time for 

 Christ to abide there, John x, 40, and also to tarry at Ephraim, 

 John xi, 54, before the approaching final Passover. 



(k) But when we come to the last Passover in the year a.d. 29, 

 the herald of dawn had just disappeared (see diagram). This- 

 harmonises with the following record of the complete isolation 

 of the Lord at His Crucifixion, which w^e reverently notice. 



(i) The disappearance of the witness John by death. 



Matt, xiv, 10. 



(ii) The forsaking of Him by all His disciples. Matt. 



xxvi, 56, Ps. xxxviii, 11. 



(iii) The absence of any record of a ministry of angels, as- 



after the temptation, Matt, iv, 11. 



(iv) The hiding of God's face, when Christ uttered the 



cry, " My God, My God, whv hast Thou forsaken 

 Me ? " Matt, xxvii, 46 ; Ps. xxii, 1. 

 (v) In nature, the sun's light failed, Luke xxiii, 45. 

 (vi) Being day time, the Paschal full moon was of course 

 below the horizon. 



We have thus seen that if we assume a three and a half 

 years' ministry beginning autumn a.d. 25, and consequently 

 necessitating Passover a.d. 29 as the date for the Crucifixion, 

 that all references to the Baptist as the morning star harmonise 

 with the actual shining or non-shining of the herald of dawn in 



