said, his chosen disciples would be offended, and on that very night. He who should become the Head-stone of the corner would be for a time even to them a stone of stumbling and a rock of offence. It must be so, the Lord said, for so it had been written, applying to himself that prophecy of Zechariah which has so many mysterious allusions to the Passion, “I will smite the Shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad.” The disciples would remember afterwards that that Shepherd in