was a garden, into the which he entered, and his disciples. 2 And Judas also, which betrayed him, knew the place: for Jesus ofttimes resorted thither with his disciples. 3 b Judas then, having received da band of men, and b Acts i. 16. officers from the chief priests and Pharisees, cometh thither with lanterns and torches and weapons. 4 Jesus therefore, knowing all things that should come upon him, went forth, and said unto them, Whom seek ye? 5 They answered him, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus saith unto them, I am he. And Judas also, which betrayed him, g stood with them. 6 As soon then as he had said unto them, I text, of the cedars, seems to furnish an instance of the common practice of changing foreign, or unmeaning names, into other words bearing sense in the new language: the Hebrew word Ce- or Ke-dron signifying" of cedars" in Greek. The ravine in the bottom of which flows the Kidron, is to the East of Jerusalem, between the city and the Mount of Olives. a garden] Lücke suggests that the owner of this garden may have been friendly to (or a disciple of ?) Jesus. It was called Gethsemane,-Matthew, Mark. Traditions as to its site are, as usual, various. A square plot of ground in the depth of the ravine is now usually pointed out, and seems to have been fixed on at the time when the empress Helena visited Jerusalem, A.D. 326. Eusebius says Gethsemane was at the Mount of Olives: Jerome, at the foot of the mount. The language of Luke xxi. 37 leads to a belief that it may have been higher up the mount. 2.] ofttimes,see Luke xxi. 37 [ch. viii. 1]. These accurate notices of our Evangelist are especially found in this last portion of his Gospel: cf. vv. 13, 24, 28; ch. xix. 14, 20, 41, &c. 3.] See, on this band of men, the note on Matthew ver. 47. Lanterns and torches were part of the utensils of military on a night march. The latter of these appear to be strictly torches,-some blazing substance held in the hand;-and the former, lights, fed with oil. weapons were swords and staves,-Matthew, Mark. The fact of its being full moon did not make the lights unnecessary, as, in searching for a prisoner, they might have to enter dark places. 4-11.] Matt. xxvi. 48-56. Luke xxii. 48-53. VOL. I. The Mark xiv. 44-52. 4.] On our Lord's foreknowledge of all that was to happen to Him, see Matt. xxvi. 45. went forth] probably, from the shade of the trees into the moonlight; hardly, as De Wette and Lücke suggest, from some building in the garden. Whom seek ye?] spoken,- : as was the question to Judas in Matt. xxvi. 50, "Friend, wherefore art thou come ?"to carry reproof to the conscience of those addressed and also to obtain for so solemn an act as the delivering Himself up to them, the formal declaration of their intention to take Him. 66 "When men sought Him to make Him a king, He fled now that they seek Him to put Him to death, He goes forth to meet them." Stier. 5.] Some among them knew Him (Matt. xxvi. 55), others probably not. This answer may have been given by some one in authority among the Roman soldiers, who had it in command 'to apprehend Jesus of Nazareth.' Judas .... was standing with them] I believe these words to be the description of an eye-witness;-St. John detected Judas standing among them, and notices the detail, as is his constant habit, by way of enhancing the tragic character of the history. The narrative common to the three Gospels related the kiss which presently took place; but this self-tradition of our Lord was not related in it. St. John therefore adds this touch of exactness, to shew that the answer, Jesus of Nazareth, was not given because they were ignorant of His Person, so as not to be able to say Thee;'-but because they feared to say it. 6.] The question on the miraculous nature of this incident is not whether it was a miracle at all (for it is evident that it must be regarded as one), SS am he, they went backward, and fell to the ground. 7 Then asked he them again, Whom seek ye? And they said, Jesus of Nazareth. 8 Jesus answered, I have told you that I am he: if therefore ye seek me, let these go their way: 9 that the saying might be fulfilled, which he ech. xvii. 12. spake, Of them which thou gavest me [have] I lost none. 10 Then Simon Peter having a sword drew it, and smote the high priest's servant, and cut off his right ear. The servant's name was Malchus. 11 Then said Jesus a Matt. xx. 22. unto Peter, Put up thy sword into the sheath: the cup which my Father hath given me, shall I not drink it? homit. but whether it were an act specially intended by our Lord, or a result of the superhuman dignity of His person, and the majestic calmness of His reply. I believe the latter alternative to be the right one. Commentators cite various instances of the confusion of the enemies of innocent men before the calmness and dignity of their victims: how much more was this likely to be the case when He in whom was no sin, and who spake as never man spake, came forth to meet His implacable foes as the self-sacrificing Lamb of God. So that I regard it rather as a miracle consequent upon that which Christ said and did, and the state of mind in which His enemies were, than as one, in the strict sense, wrought by Him: bearing however always in mind, that to Him nothing was unexpected, or a mere result, but every thing foreknown. With this view what follows is also consistent, rather than with the other. The distinction is an important one, as the view which we take of our Lord's mind towards His captors must enter, as an element, into our understanding of the whole of this scene, and indeed of the solemn occurrences which follow. Such incidents as this are not related by the Evangelists, and least of all by St. John, as mere astounding facts, but as grounds on which we are to enquire, and determine for ourselves, as to the "glory, full of grace and truth," which was in Him, whom, not having seen, we love. 8.] Bengel strikingly says of this reply of our Lord, "He will say it once again hereafter." And Augustine, "What will He do when He cometh to judge, who did this when He was to be judged? What will be His power when about to reign, who I could do this when about to die ?" let these go their way] The band of soldiers, in their ignorance, appear to have been laying hands on the Apostles. This saying was sufficient to shew Peter and the rest what was the appointed course for them;-the command to let them go addressed to the band, is a command for them to go, when interpreted by the Apostles. 9.] See ch. xvii. 12. An unquestionable proof, if any were wanted, that the words of ch. xvii. are no mere description of the mind of our Lord at the time, nor free arrangement of His words, but His very words themselves. 10.] At this time On the application of the saying, we may remark that the words unques. tionably had a much deeper meaning than any belonging to this occasion; but that the remarks so often made in this commentary on the fulfilment of prophecies must be borne in mind;-that to "fulfil" a prophecy is not to exhaust its capability of being again and again fulfilled:-that the words of the Lord have many stages of unfolding;-and that the temporal deliverance of the Apostles now, doubtless was but a part in the great spiritual safe-keeping which the Lord asserted by anticipation in these words. took place the kiss of Judas, in accordance with the agreement entered into, and to assure the captors that the person thus offering himself was indeed Jesus of Nazareth, and no substitute for him: see note on Matt. ver. 49. The other view, that the kiss took place first, before the incidents of our verses 4-9, is to me me quite inconceivable. On Peter's act, see Matt. ver. 51. The names of Peter and Malchus are only found here:-the fact that it was the right ear, only here and in Luke. The (external) ear, though severed, was apparently still hanging on the cheek;-for our Lord is said in Luke xxii. 51, to have touched his ear in performing the healing. 11.] the sheath here is "his (its 12 i Then the band and the captain and officers of the Jews took Jesus, and bound him, 13 and led him away e see Matt. f xxvi. 57. to Annas first; for he was father in law to Caiaphas, f Luke iii. 2. which was [the] high priest that same year. 14 g Now gch. xi. 50. Caiaphas was he, which gave counsel to the Jews, that it was expedient that one man should die for the people. 15 And Simon Peter followed Jesus, and so did another disciple that disciple was known unto the high priest, and went in with Jesus into the palace of the high priest. 16 But Peter stood at the door without. Then went out that other disciple, which was known unto the high priest, and spake unto her that kept the door, and brought in Peter 17 Then saith the damsel that kept the door render, So. ii omit. i place" in Matt., where see notes. the cup] A striking allusion to the prayer in Gethsemane; for the image does not elsewhere occur in our Evangelist. See Matt. xx. 22, and the parallel places. shall I not drink it?] literally, Am I not to drink it? for this, as Bengel remarks, was the tendency of Peter's struggle against what was about to happen. 12-24.] Peculiar to John. Jesus before the Jewish High Priests :-see below. 12.] The officers of the Jews were those sent by the Sanhedrim. Luthardt remarks: "He before whose aspect, and whose declaration, I am he, the whole band had been terrified and cast to the ground, now suffers himself to be taken, bound, and led away. This contrast the Evangelist has in mind here. To apprehend and bind ONE, all gave their help: the cohort, the captain, and the Jewish officers. This the Evangelist brings prominently forward, to shew how deep the impression of that previous incident still was only by the help of all did they feel themselves secure. And thus it was ordered, that the disciples might escape with the more safety." 13.] On Annas, see note Luke iii. 2. The influence of Annas appears to have been very great, and Acts iv. 6, he is called the High Priest, in the year following this. The narrative evidently rests upon some arrangement with regard to the High Priesthood now unknown to us, but accountable enough by foreign influence and the deterioration of the priestly class through bribes and intrigues, to which Josephus and the Talmud sufficiently testify. This hearing is entirely distinct from that in the other Gospels. There, k render, the other. : no questions are asked of Jesus about His disciples or doctrine (ver. 19): there, witnesses are produced, and the whole proceedings are after a legal form. That hearing was in a public court of justice, before the assembled Sanhedrim; this was a private and informal questioning. That Annas should be so often called the High Priest,' is no objection to this view see on Luke as above: see also note on ver. 24. The two hearings are maintained to be one and the same by many, among whom are Grotius, Bengel, Tholuck, &c.: -the view here taken is maintained by Chrysostom, Augustine, Olshausen, Neander, and others. 14.] See ch. xi. 49— 52 and notes; also on the words, that year, ver. 13. 15.] the other disciple is here mentioned for the first time. There is no reason to doubt the universal persuasion that by this name John intends himself, and refers to the mention in ch. xiii. 23 of a disciple whom Jesus loved. The idea that it was Judas Iscariot, is surely too absurd to need confutation. The details mentioned concerning him, that he followed Jesus, that he was known to the High Priest (as a matter of individual notice), and the whole character of the incident, will prevent any real student of St. John's style and manner from entertaining such a supposition for a moment. How John was known to the High Priest, we have no means of forming a conjecture. The palace of the High Priest was probably the dwelling of both Annas and Caiaphas. 16. her that kept the door] It was not unexampled to have female porters among the Jews. See Acts xii. 13. 17.] See the whole subject of Peter's denials discussed in notes on Matt. unto Peter, Art [not] thou also one of this man's disciples? He saith, I am not. 18 m And the servants and officers stood there, who had made a fire of coals; for it was cold and they Pwarmed themselves and Peter I stood with them, and warmed himself. 19 The high priest then asked Jesus of his disciples, and of his doctrine. h Luke iv. 15. 20 Jesus answered him, h I ¶¶ spake r openly to the world; I ever taught in the synagogue, and in the temple, whither ch. vii. 14, 26, 28: viii. 2. i Jer. xx. 2. Acts xxiii. 2. : the Jews always resort; and in secret t have I said nothing. 21 Why askest thou me? ask them which heard me, what I have said unto them: behold, & they know what I said. 22 And when he had thus spoken, one of the officers which stood by i struck Jesus with the palm of his hand, saying, Answerest thou the high priest so? 23 Jesus answered him, If I have spoken evil, bear witness of the m render, Now. n better, were standing. P render, were warming. 1 omit. a render, also was with them, standing and warming himself. vv. 69-75. y render, these. This first denial was to all appearance rashly and almost inadvertently made, from a mere feeling of shame. Lücke suggests that Peter may have set himself among the servants of the High Priest to bear out his denial. The question, "Art thou also one of this man's disciples ?" (ver. 25,) as Luthardt remarks, implies that the other disciple had already been recognized as a follower of Jesus, and had escaped annoyance. 19.] This preliminary enquiry seems to have had for its object to induce the prisoner to criminate himself, and furnish matter of accusation before the Sanhedrim. of his disciples] His party, or adherents, as the High Priest would understand His disciples to be; how many, and who they were, and with what object gathered together;-and what His customary teaching of them had been. Of these, Jesus says nothing: compare vv. 8, 9. But He substitutes for them "the world," to which He had spoken plainly. 20.] I, emphatic: as if it had been said, I am one, who. plainly (referring to the character of the things said): not openly (referring to the outward circumstances under which they were said), which the word will not rrender, plainly. trender, spake I. bear. the world here is equivalent to "all the Jews," or perhaps rather, "all who were there to hear." in secret spake I nothing] Stier thinks there was an allusion in these words to Isa. xlv. 19; xlviii. 16,-in the last of which places the Messiah is speaking. 21.] See ch. v. 31, which appears to have been a legal but z evil: but if well, why smitest thou me? 24 Now Annas [a had] sent him bound unto Caiaphas the high priest. с 25 And Simon Peter b stood and warmed himself. They said therefore unto him, Art [bb not] thou also one of his disciples? He denied it, and said, I am not. 26 One of the servants of the high priest, being his kinsman whose ear Peter cut off, saith, Did not I see thee in the garden with him? 27 Peter then denied again and imme- kch. xiii. 38. diately the cock crew. : 1 Acts x. 28: xi. 3. 28 1 Then d led they Jesus from Caiaphas unto the hall of 1 Acts iii. 15. judgment and it was early; m and they themselves went not into the judgment hall, ɛ lest they should be defiled; but z render, So. a omit: not according to the original: see note. b render, was standing and warming. bb omit. d render, they lead. f render, palace. c better, a kinsman of him. render, the palace of the governor. grender, that they might not be defiled, but might eat the pass over. our Lord here gives us the best interpre- been above said, it will be seen that I xxvi. 71-74. Mark xiv. 69-72. "The Luke xxii. 58-61-see note on Matt. xxvi. 28-CHAP. XIX. 16.] Jesus before the Gentile Governor. Matt. xxvii. 2, 11-30. Mark xv. 1-19. Luke xxiii. 1-25. Before this comes in the section of Luke, ch. xxii. 66-71, containing the close of the examination before the Sanhedrim, which did not happen till the morning. This undesigned agreement between St. Luke and St. John further confirms the justice of the view respecting the two hearings maintained above: see note on Luke, as above. 28-40.] Pilate's "The first attempt to deliver Him. 28. |