Matthew 26:53,54

DISCOURSE: 1402
CHRIST’S APPREHENSION

Matthew 26:53. Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels? But how then shall the Scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be?

THE Christian is by profession a soldier: he is to fight a good fight, and to war a good warfare: he is not for one moment to lay aside his armour, or to make a truce with his enemies: nor is he to be satisfied with defensive operations; he must carry the war into the heart of the enemy’s country, and attack his strong-holds: whenever he gains a victory, he must exercise no lenity; he must not spare one single foe; he must extirpate all without exception and without mercy: he must “hew Agag in pieces before the Lord.” But “the weapons of his warfare are not carnal:” his armour, whether for defence or assault, is all of heavenly temper; it is “the armour of God,” in which he is clothed; and “the sword of the Spirit,” with which he attacks his enemies. If he be combating with a persecuting world, then especially must he be armed with love and patience. These indeed are not arms suited to our sinful nature: the fierce and vindictive tempers of men would lead them rather to repel force by force, as Peter attempted to do in defence of his Master. But Christianity disclaims such aid: it is neither to be propagated nor maintained by such means. Our Lord has declared that “they who take the sword shall perish with the sword:” and has shewn us, by his own example, that we are rather to “possess our souls in patience;” and to conquer, not by shedding the blood of others, but by suffering our own to be poured forth with meekness and resignation.
These observations naturally arise from the reproof which our Lord gave to Peter, when, with well-meant, but unhallowed zeal, he had attempted to withstand his enemies with the sword. Our Lord tells him that such exertions were both unlawful and unnecessary: they were unlawful, because they were quite contrary to the spirit of his religion; and unnecessary, because, if he judged it expedient, he could in one moment have legions of angels sent to rescue him from their hands. But as, for the exemplifying of his religion, he forbade his disciples to fight; so, for the fulfilling of the Scriptures, he forbore to deliver himself, though he might have done it in a way that was both easy and legitimate.
We propose to shew you,

I. How easily our Lord could have rescued himself from their hands—

God has been pleased on many occasions to effect his purposes by the ministration of angels—
[Angels have been employed by him sometimes for the destruction of men, and sometimes for their preservation: and in either case they have always proved mighty and irresistible.
By the sword of an angel God destroyed the Egyptian firstborn both of man and beast [Note: Numbers 20:16. with Exodus 12:23. Where the Lord who protected Israel is distinguished from “the destroyer” who smote the Egyptians.]. By an angel he smote seventy thousand of David’s subjects, for the pride and creature-confidence which he manifested in numbering the people [Note: 2 Samuel 24:16.]. By an angel he slew an hundred and eighty-five thousand of Sennacherib’s army in one single night [Note: Isaiah 37:36.].

Nor have angels proved less mighty to save than to destroy. The Hebrew Youths were kept unhurt in the fiery furnace [Note: Daniel 3:28.]: Daniel was preserved in a den of hungry lions [Note: Daniel 6:22.]: the twelve Apostles were brought forth from a prison to which they had been committed [Note: Acts 5:19.]: and Peter, when chained and guarded in an inner prison with all imaginable care and safety, was, on the very night previous to his intended execution, liberated from his dungeon, and restored to the embraces of his praying friends [Note: Acts 12:8.]. These things are effected by the ministration of angels “who excel in strength.”]

Of these our blessed Lord might have had any number to deliver him—
[He had given abundant proof indeed that he could, if he pleased, deliver himself: for on former occasions he had repeatedly withdrawn himself from his enemies, when they thought they had him in their power [Note: Luke 4:29; John 8:59.]; and, but a few minutes before, he had beaten them all to the ground by a word [Note: John 18:6.], shewing thereby that he could as easily have struck them dead, after the manner in which the armed bands were smitten when they were sent to apprehend Elijah [Note: 2 Kings 1:10; 2 Kings 1:12.]. But, if he had needed assistance, he could have had legions of angels for his support. He needed only to ask of his Father, and it would be done: above seventy thousand of those powerful beings [Note: Computing a legion at six thousand, “twelve legions” would be seventy-two thousand.] would be with him in an instant: and if one single angel was sufficient to destroy a hundred and eighty-five thousand warriors in a single night, what could not such a host of them effect, if he chose to employ them in his service?]

If then to deliver himself would have been so easy, it will be proper to inquire,

II.

Why he forbore to do so—

The Scriptures had spoken much respecting the Messiah—
[They contained not only many predictions relative to his death in general, but some which referred to the very circumstances in which he was now placed. It had been foretold, that he should be assaulted by a tumultuous mob, composed of Jews and Gentiles [Note: Psalms 2:1.], rich and poor [Note: Psalms 22:12; Psalms 22:16.]: that he should be betrayed into their hands by one of his own Disciples [Note: Psalms 41:9; Psalms 55:12. with John 13:18.]: that he should give himself up to them, when he had power to deliver himself from them [Note: Isaiah 50:5.]: that, instead of resisting them in any respect, he should go like a lamb to the slaughter [Note: Isaiah 53:7.]: and that his Disciples, offended at his apparent weakness, should forsake him [Note: Zechariah 13:7. with Matthew 26:31.].

Now if these Scriptures were not fulfilled, one essential circumstance would be wanting to prove his divine mission — — — Moreover, if he should persist in withstanding the malice of his enemies, the eternal purposes of his Father would be frustrated; the very ends for which he had become incarnate would be defeated; and the whole world would be left to perish, notwithstanding all he had both done and suffered for their salvation — — — But these were evils greater in our Lord’s estimation than ten thousand deaths; and therefore he would not for one moment delay the accomplishment of these Scriptures, when once the proper season for it had arrived.]

On this subject we may ground some profitable observations:
1.

We can be in no trouble, from whence the voice of prayer cannot extricate us—

[Prayer, if it accord with the will and purpose of Jehovah, shall prevail as much for us, as ever it prevailed for any of the saints of old. However imminent our danger be, or however desperate our condition, the pursuing foe shall be diverted from his purpose [Note: 1 Peter 2:19.], or the voracious whale be forced to disgorge his prey upon the dry land [Note: John 2:10.]. Prayer should, if necessary, bring all the angels in heaven to our support. Prayer is, in a sense, omnipotent; for it interests the Almighty God in our behalf. O let us have worthy thoughts of the power and efficacy of prayer! And if Satan tempt us at any time to give up the contest, let us reprove him in the words of our Lord, “Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he will send me more than twelve legions of angels” to defeat thy malice?]

2. We should be contented to go to heaven in the way that God has marked out for us—

[Our frail nature is fond of ease. But soldiers are called to endure hardships: and this is the path marked out for us; it is “through much tribulation that we are to enter into the kingdom of heaven.” In this way our Lord himself walked: “though he was a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered,” and was at last “made perfect through sufferings.” In these things he was our example, whose steps we are to follow [Note: 1 Peter 2:21.]. Who are we then that we should be exempt from trials? If we were to consider them as punishments, they are infinitely lighter than what we deserve: but if we consider them as a furnace to purify us from our dross, and as an honour conferred upon us to render us conformed to our Saviour’s image, methinks we should not withdraw ourselves from them, even if we had it in our power; but be incomparably more desirous of acquiring benefit to our souls than of enjoying any present ease in our bodies.]

3. Our Lord’s solicitude about the fulfilment of the Scriptures in things relating to his sufferings, is a pledge to us, that he will be no less anxious about their accomplishment in what relates to the salvation of his people.

[There are “exceeding great and precious promises” given to the people of God. Our Lord himself has assured us that “none shall ever pluck us out of his hand;” that “no weapon formed against us shall ever prosper;” and that “Satan himself shall be bruised under our feet shortly.” Now these “Scriptures cannot be broken;” “nor can one jot or tittle of them fail.” We have a security for the accomplishment of them, not only in the veracity of God, but also in the government which Christ exercises over the world at large, and his Church in particular. “All things both in heaven and in earth are committed unto him;” and all the hosts of heaven are at his disposal. Will not he then be jealous for his own honour? Will not he who shuddered so at the thought of the Scriptures failing of their accomplishment in his own case, be equally anxious for the fulfilment of them in ours? Let us then humbly commit ourselves to him, assured that, however our enemies may appear to triumph for a time, they shall all be vanquished at last; and that, “having suffered with Christ, we shall also be glorified together.”]