wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God?  Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid.  And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me.  And I knew that thou hearest me always:  but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me.  And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth.  And he that was dead came forth.—­St. John xi:  14., 15,38-44.

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NOTE BY THE ARTIST

The painting illustrates a form of rock-cut tomb which, though not so common as others in the neighborhood of Jerusalem, is nevertheless selected as being in accordance with the description of what took place in the present instance.  It is obviously the type of tomb which is referred to on a subsequent occasion, and explains the meaning of “the stone rolled away from the sepulchre” The entrance of the tomb is at the bottom of a flight of steps, and is covered by a disc-shaped stone, like a mill-stone, which can be rolled back into a slot cut in the rock for its reception. (The kneeling man in the background has apparently just performed this duty?) The entrance is closed by rolling the stone forward, dropping a small block behind it to prevent its recession, and finally by covering the before-mentioned slot with a slab, which, being cemented down, the tomb is “sealed."

CONVERSION OF ZACCHAEUS, A PUBLICAN

And Jesus entered and passed through Jericho.  And, behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus, which was the chief among the publicans, and he was rich.  And he sought to see Jesus who he was; and could not for the press, because he was little of stature.  And he ran before, and climbed up into a sycomore tree to see him:  for he was to pass that way.  And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up, and saw him, and said unto him, Zacchaeus, make haste, and come down; for to day I must abide at thy house.  And he made haste, and came down, and received him joyfully.  And when they saw it, they all murmured, saying, That he was gone to be guest with a man that is a sinner.  And Zacchaeus stood, and said unto the Lord:  Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold.  And Jesus said unto him, This day is salvation come to this house, forsomuch as he also is a son of Abraham.  For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.—­St. Luke xix:  1-10.

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NOTE BY THE ARTIST

The sycomore tree referred to in the text is a species of fig bearing small, coarse fruit, which is used as food only in cases of necessity.  Although occasionally of great size, the tree is easily climbed, as the trunk is short, and the branches are numerous and wide spreading.  Jericho, rebuilt by Herod, was a somewhat fashionable town.  To signalize the despised tax-gatherer in such a way was to teach a permanent lesson of absolute unworldliness.