thee.] He does not take the warning which his Lord gave him-he trusts in the warm sincere attachment to Christ which he now feels, not considering that this must speedily fail, unless supported by the power of God. Verse 36. A place called Gethsemane] A garden at the foot of the mount of Olives. The name seems to be formed from agath, a press, and 1 shemen, oil; probably the place where the produce of the mount of Olives was prepared for use. The garden of the oil-press, or olive-press. great drops of blood falling to the ground. How exquisite must this anguish have been, when it forced the very blood through the coats of the veins, and enlarged the pores in such a præternatural manner, as to cause them to empty it out in large successive drops! In my opinion, the principal part of the redemption price was paid in this unprecedented and indescribable agony. Bloody sweats are mentioned by many authors; but none was ever such as this-where a person in perfect health, (havSit ye here] Or, stay in this place, while I go and praying never had any predisposing sickness to induce a debility yonder and employ ye the time, as I shall employ it-in watching unto prayer. Verse 37. And he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee] That is, James and John; the same persons who had beheld his transfiguration on the mount-that they might contemplate this agony in the light of that glory which they had there seen; and so be kept from being stumbled by a view of his present humiliation. of the system) and in the full vigour of life, about thirty-three years of age, suddenly, through mental pressure, without any fear of death, sweat great drops of blood; and these continued, during his wrestling with God, to fall to the ground. To say that all this was occasioned by the fear he had of the ignominious death which he was about to die, confutes itself-for this would not only rob him of his divinity, for which purpose it is brought, but it deprives him of all excelBegan to be sorrowful] AvTuodai, from Avw, to dissolve-lency, and even of manhood itself. The prospect of death exquisite sorrow, such as dissolves the natural vigour, and could not cause him to suffer thus, when he knew that in less threatens to separate soul and body. And very heavy.] Overwhelmed with anguish-adnuova. This word is used by the Greeks to denote the most extreme anguish || which the soul can feel-excruciating anxiety and torture of spirit. Verse 38. Then saith he] Then saith―Jesus :--I have added the word Jesus, Ingevs, on the authority of a multitude of eminent MSS. See them in Griesbach. My soul is exceeding sorrowful, (or, is surrounded with exceeding sorrow) even unto death.] This latter word explains the two former: My soul is so dissolved in sorrow, my spirit is filled with such agony and anguish, that if speedy succour be not given to my body, death must be the immediate consequence. than three days he was to be restored to life, and be brought into an eternity of blessedness. His agony and distress can receive no consistent explication but on this ground—He SUFFERED, the JUST for the UNJUST, that he might BRING us to GOD. O glorious truth! O infinitely meritorious suffering! And O! above all, the eternul love, that caused him to undergo such sufferings for the sake of SINNERS! 44. Verse 39. Fell on his face] See the note on Luke xxii. This was the ordinary posture of the supplicant when the favour was great which was asked, and deep humiliation required. The head was put between the knees, and the forehead brought to touch the earth-this was not only a humiliating, but a very painful posture also. This cup] The word cup is frequently used in the Sacred Now, the grand expiatory sacrifice begins to be offered: Writings to point out sorrow, anguish, terror, death. It seems in this garden Jesus enters fully into the sacerdotal office; to be an allusion to a very ancient method of punishing criand now on the altar of his immaculate divinity, begins to minals. A cup of poison was put into their hands, and they offer his own body-his own life-a lamb without spot, for were obliged to drink it. Socrates was killed thus, being obthe sin of the world. St. Luke observes, chap. xxii. 43, 44.|| liged by the magistrates of Athens, to drink a cup of the that there appeared unto him an angel from heaven strength-juice of hemlock. To death, by the poisoned cup, there ening him; and that being in an agony, his sweat was like seems an allusion in Heb. ii. 9. Jesus Christ by the grace of Christ's agony A. D. 9. A. M. 4053 A. D. 29. A. M. 403. nevertheless not as I will, but as 43 And he came and found them An. Olymp. thou wilt. asleep again: for their eyes were An. Olymp heavy. CCII. 1. 40 And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them asleep, and saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour? 41 Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. 42 He went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done. 2 John 5. 30. & 6. 38. Phil. 2. 8. CCII. 1. 44 And he left them, and went away again, and prayed the third time, saying the same words. 45 Then cometh he to his disciples, and saith unto them, Sleep on now, and take your rest: behold, the hour is at hand, and the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. 46 Rise, let us be going: behold, he is at hand that doth betray me. God, TASTED death for every man. The whole world are here Mark 13. 33. & 14. 38. Luke 22. 40, 46. Eph. 6. 18. Verse 42. O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from If it be not possible-to redeem fallen man, unless I drink this cup, unless I suffer death for them: thy will be done, I am content to suffer whatever may be requisite to accomplish the great design. In this address the humanity of Christ most evidently appears; for it was his humanity alone that could suffer and if it did not appear that he had felt these sufferings, it would have been a presumption that he had not suffered, and consequently made no atonement. And had he not appeared to have been perfectly resigned in these sufferings, his sacrifice could not have been a free-will but a conInstead of #gowy μingov going a little forward, many emi-strained offering, and therefore of no use to the salvation of nent MSS. have 9 coming a little forward--but the At the close of this verse scLuke xxii. 43. There appeared Pass from me] Perhaps there is an allusion here to several criminals standing in a row, who are all to drink of the same cup, but the judge extending favour to a certain one, the eup passes by him to the next. variation is of little moment. veral MSS. add the clause in an angel, &c. Verse 40. He-saith unto Peter] He addressed himself more particularly to this apostle, because of the profession he had made ver. 33. as if he had said, "Is this the way you testify your affectionate attachment to me? Ye all said you were ready to die with me; what then, cannot you watch ONE hour? Instead of oux xvoate could ve not; the Codex Alexandrimus, the later Syriac in the margin, three of the Itala, and Juvencus read oux saxvras, couldst THOυ not-referring the reproach immediately to Peter, who had made the promises mentioned before. Verse 41. That ye enter not into temptation] If ye cannot endure a little fatigue when there is no suffering, how will ye do when the temptation, the great trial of your fidelity and Courage, cometh? Watch-that ye be not taken unawares; and pray-that when it comes ye may be enabled to bear it. The spirit—is willing, but the flesh is weak.] Your inclinations are good-ye are truly sincere; but your good purposes will be overpowered by your timidity. Ye wish to continne stedfast in your adherence to your Master; but your fours will lead you to desert him. mankind. Verse 43. Their eyes were heavy.] That is, they could not keep them open. Was there nothing præternatural in this? Was there no influence here from the powers of darkness? Verse 44. Prayed the third time] So St. Paul-I besought the Lord THRICE that it might depart from me, 2 Cor. xii. 8. This thrice repeating the same petition argues deep earnestness of soul. Verse 45. Sleep on now, and take your rest] Perhaps it might be better to read these words interrogatively, and paraphrase them thus: Do ye sleep on still? Will no warnings avail? Will no danger excite you to watchfulness and prayer? My hour-in which I am to be delivered up, is at hand; therefore now think of your own personal safety. The Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.] Apagrwhwy, viz. the Gentiles or heathens, who were generally distinguished by this appellation, from the Jews. Here it probably means the Roman cohort that was stationed on festivals, for the defence of the temple. By the Romans he was adjudged to death; for the Jews acknowledged that they had no power in capital cases. Sce the note on chap. ix. 10. Verse 46. Rise, let us be going] That is, to meet them, giving thereby the fullest proof that I know all their designs, and might have by flight, or otherwise, provided for my own k k safety: but I go willingly to meet that death which their mafice designs me; and through it, provide for the life of the world. Verse 47. Judas, one of the twelve] More deeply to mark his base ingratitude and desperate wickedness-HE was ONE of the TWELVE-and he is a TRAITOR, and one of the vilest too that ever disgraced human nature. A great multitude with swords and staves] They did not come as officers of justice, but as a desperate mob. Justice had nothing to do in this business. He who a little before had been one of the leaders of the flock of Christ, is now become the leader of ruffians and murderers! What a terrible fall! Verse 48. Gave them a sign] How coolly deliberate is this dire apostate! the man whom I shall kiss-how deeply hypocritical!—that is he, hold him fast, seize him-how diabolically malicious! Verse 49. Hail, Master] A usual compliment among the Jews. Judas pretends to wish our Lord continued health while he is meditating his destruction! How many compliments of this kind are there in the world! Judas had a pattern in Joab, who while he pretends to enquire tenderly for the health of Amasa, thrust bim through with his sword: but the disciple here vastly outdoes his Master, and through a motive, if possible, still more base. Let all those who use unmeaning or insidious compliments, rank for ever with Joab and Judas. And kissed him.] And tenderly kissed him—this is the proper meaning of the original word κατεφίλησεν, he kissed him again and again-still pretending the most affectionate attachment to him, though our Lord had before unmasked him. Verse 50. Jesus said-Friend] Rather companion, staige, (not FRIEND) wherefore, rather, against whom ('% the reading of all the best MSS.) art thou come? How must these words have cut his very soul, if he had had any sensibility left! Surely thou who hast so long been my companion, art not come against me, thy Lord, Teacher, and Friend! What is the human heart not capable of, when abandoned by God, and influenced by Satan, and the love of money! Laid hands on Jesus] But not before they had felt that proof of his sovereign power by which they had all been struck down to the earth, John xviii. 6. It is strange that after this, they should dare to approach him: but the scriptures must be fulfilled. Verse 51. One of them which were with Jesus] This was Peter-struck a servant of the high priest's, the servant's name was Malehus, John xviii. 10. and smote off his ear. In Luke xxii. 51. it is said, Jesus touched and healed it-Here was another miracle, and striking proof of the divinity of Christ. Peter did not cut the ear, merely, he cut it OFF, aλy. Now to heal it, Jesus must either take up the ear and put it on again, or else create a new one—either of these was a miracle, which nothing less than unlimited power could produce. See the note on John xviii. 10. Verse 52. Put up again thy sword into his place] Neither Christ nor his religion is to be defended by the secular arm. God is sufficiently able to support his ark, Uzzah need not stretch out his hand on the occasion. Even the shadow of public justice is not to be resisted by a private person, when coming from those in public authority. The cause of a Christian is the cause of God: sufferings belong to one, and vengeance to the other. Let the cause therefore rest in his hands, who will do it ample justice. Shall perish with the sword.] Instead of amoλovytas shall perish, many excellent MSS. Versions, and Fathers, have ɑ-favourras shall die. The general meaning of this verse is, they who contend in battle, are likely on both sides to become the sacrifices of their mutual animosities. But it is probably a prophetic declaration of the Jewish and Roman The Jews put our Lord to death under the sanction of the Romans-both took the sword against Christ, and both perished by it. The Jews by the sword of the Romans, and the Romans by that of the Goths, Vandals, &c. The event has verified the prediction-the Jewish government has been destroyed upwards of 1700 years, and the Roman upwards states. and led away to A. D. 29. A. D. 29. take the sword, shall perish with the tures of the prophets might be fulfill. AM. 40.3. An. Olymp. Sword. ed. Then all the disciples forsook An. Olymp. him, and fled. CCII. 1. 53 Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give с CCII. 1. 57 And they that had laid hold on Jesus led him away to Caiaphas the high priest, 54 But how then shall the scriptures be ful- where the scribes and the elders were assemfilled, that thus it must be? b 55 In that same hour said Jesus to the mul titudes, Are ye come out as against a thief with swords and staves for to take me? I sat daily with you teaching in the temple, and ye laid no hold on me. bled. 58 But Peter followed him, afar off, unto the high priest's palace, and went in, and sat with the servants, to see the end. 59 Now the chief priests, and elders, and all the council, sought false witness against Jesus, 56 But all this was done, that the scrip- to put him to death; ་་་ 2 Kings 6. 17. Dan. 7. 10.— Isai. 53. 7, &c. ver. 24. Luke 24. 25, 44, 46. < Lam. 4. 20. ver. 54. See John 18. 15. Mark 11. 53. Luke 22. 54. John 13. 12, 13, 24. of 1000. Confer with this passage, Psal. ii. 4, 9. and ex. 1, 5,6. But how came Peter to have a sword? Judea was at this time so infested with robbers and cut-throats, that it was not deemed safe for any person to go unarmed. He probably carried one for his mere personal safety. served by his scholars? Was ever parent so treated by his children? Is there not as much zeal and love among them all, as might make one martyr for God and truth? Alas! no. He had but twelve who professed inviolable attachment to him, one of these betrayed him, another denied him with oatl.s, and the rest run away and utterly abandon him to his ples still, 1st. Persons who betray him and his cause? 2dly. Persons who deny him and his people? 3dly. Persons who abandon him, his people, his cause, and his truth? Reader! dost thou belong to any of these classes? Verse 53. More than twelve legions of angels?] As if he had said, Instead of you twelve, one of whom is a traitor, my Fa-implacable enemies! Are there not found among his discither can give me more than twelve legions of angels to defend me. A legion at different times, contained different numbers; 4200, 5000, and frequently 6000 men; and from this saying, taking the latter number, which is the common rate, may we not safely believe that the angels of God amount to more than 72000? Verse 54. But how then] Had I such a defence-shall the scriptures be fulfilled, which say, that thus it must be? That is, that I am to suffer and die for the sin of the world. Probably the scriptures to which our Lord principally refers are Ps. xxii. Ixix. and especially Isa. liii. & Dan. ix. 24-27. Christ skews that they had no power against him but what he perwitted: and that he willingly gave up himself into their hands. Verse 55. Are ye come out as against a thief] At this time Judea was much infested by robbers, so that armed men were obliged to be employed against them-to this our Lord seems to allude. See on ver. 52. I sat daily with you] Why come in this hostile manner? Every day for four days past, ye might have met with me in the temple whither I went to teach you the way of salvation. See on chap. xxi. 17. Verse 57. They-led him away to Caiaphas] John says, chap. xviii. 13. that they led him first to Annas; but this appears to have been done merely to do him honour as the father-in-law of Caiaphas, and his colleague in the high priesthood. But as the Sanhedrin was assembled at the house of Caiaphas, it was there he must be brought to undergo his mock trial; but see on John xviii. 13. Verse 58. Peter followed him, afar of] Poor Peter! this is the beginning of his dreadful fall. His fear kept him from joining the company, and publicly acknowledging his Lord; and his affection obliged him to follow at a distance that he might see the end. And sat with the servants, to see the end.] When a man is weak in faith, and can as yet only follow Christ at a distance, he should avoid all dangerous places, and the company of those who are most likely to prove a snare to him. Had not Verse 56. But all this was done] This probably the ob- Peter got to the high priest's palace, and sat down with the servation of the Evangelist. See on chap. ii. 23. They procure false A. M. 4033. A. D. 29. An. Olymp. CCII. 1. a A. D. 29. CCHI. 1. An. Olymp. 60 But found none: yea, though priest answered and said unto him, I A.M. 4033. many false witnesses came, yet found adjure thee by the living God, that they none. At the last came two thou tell us whether thou be the Christ, false witnesses, the Son of God. 63 But Jesus held his peace. And the highing, He hath spoken blasphemy; what further * Ps. 27. 12. & - ch. 27. 40. 12, 14. 35. 11. Mark 14. 55. So Acts 6. 13. Deut. 19. 15. f Lev. 5. 1. 1 Sam. 14. 24, 26. — Dan. 7. 13. ch. 16. 27. & 24. 30. Luke 21. 27. & 25. 31. John 1. 51. Rom. 14. 10. 1 Thess. 4. 16. Rev. 1. 7. Ps. 110. 1. Acts 7. 55.—— 2 Kings 18. 57. & 19. 1. seek the proper means of effecting it: they declare him criminal, and after that do all they can to fix some crime upon him, that they may appear to have some shadow of justice on their side, when they put him to death. It seems to have been a common custom of this vile court, to employ false witness on any occasion, to answer their own ends. See this exemplified in the case of Stephen, Acts vi. 11–13. knew that they were determined to put him to death; and that his hour was now come, and that therefore remonstrance or defence would be of no use: he had often before borne sufficient testimony to the truth. Verse 63. I adjure thee by the living God] I put thee to thy oath. To this solemn adjuration Christ immediately replies; because he is now called on in the name of God, to bear anoVerse 60. Though many false witnesses came] There is an ther testimony to the truth. The authority of God in the unaccountable confusion in the MSS. in this verse: without most worthless magistrate should be properly respected. stating the variations which may be seen in Griesbach, I shall || However necessary our Lord saw it to be silent, when the acgive that which I believe to be the genuine sense of the Evan-cusations were frivolous, and the evidence contradictory, he gelist. Then the chief priests and elders, and all the council, sought felt no disposition to continue this silence, when questioned false witness against Jesus, to put him to death; but they found concerning a truth, for which he came into the world to shed it not, though many false witnesses came up. At last two false his blood. witnesses came up, saying; This man said, &c. It is the proVerse 64. Thou hast said] That is, I am the Christ, the property of falsity to be ever inconsistent, and to contradict it-mised Messiah: (see on ver. 25.) and you and this whole naself-therefore they could not find two consistent testimonies,||tion shall shortly have the fullest proof of it: for hereafter, in without which the Jewish law did not permit any person to a few years, ye shall see the Son of man sitting on the right be put to death. However, the hand of God was in this busi-hand of power, fully invested with absolute dominion, and ness; for the credit of Jesus, and the honour of the Christian coming in the clouds of heaven, to execute judgment upon this religion, he would not permit him to be condemned on a false || wicked race. See chap. xxiv. 30. Our Lord appears to refer accusation: and therefore, at last they are obliged to change to Dan. vii. 13. One like the Son of man came with the clouds their ground, and to the eternal confusion of the unrighteous of heaven, &c. This may also refer to the final judgment. council, he is condemned on the very evidence of his own in- Verse 65. The high priest rent his clothes] This rending of nocence, purity, and truth! the high priest's garments, was expressly contrary to the law, Verse 61. I am able to destroy the temple of God] 1st, these Lev. x. 6. and xxi. 10. But it was a common method of exwords were not fairly quoted. Jesus had said, John ii. 19. pressing violent grief, Gen. xxxvii. 29, 34. Job i. 20. and Destroy this temple, and I will build it again in three days.horror at what was deemed blasphemous or impious. 2 Kings 2dly, the inuendo which they produce, applying these words to a pretended design to destroy the temple at Jerusalem, was utterly unfair: for these words he spoke of the temple of his body. It is very easy, by means of a few small alterations, to render the most holy things and innocent persons odious to the world; and even to take away the life of the innocent. Verse 62. Answerest thou nothing?] The accusation was so completely frivolous, that it merited no notice: besides, Jesus xviii. 37. xix. 1. Acts xiv. 14. All that heard a blasphemous speech were obliged to rend their clothes, and never to sew them up again. See Lightfoot. He hath spoken blasphemy] Quesnel's note on this is worthy of notice. "See here a false zeal, a mask of religion, and a passionate and seditious way of proceeding, tending only to incense and stir up others, all which are common to those who would oppress truth by cabal, and without proof. By crying |