No sooner had our dear Lord ended his divine prayer, recorded in the foregoing chapter, but he goes forth to meet his sufferings with. willing cheerfulness. He retires with his disciples into. garden, not to hide and shelter himself from his enemies; for, if so, it had been the most improper place h... [ Continue Reading ]
Observe here, 1. How our Lord's sufferings were all foreknown to himself, before they came upon himself, before they came upon him, and yet how willingly and cheerfully did he go forth to meet them. Should our sufferings be known unto us before they come upon us, how would it disquiet and disturb u... [ Continue Reading ]
Here note, 1. How voluntarily and freely Christ laid down his life! When his enemies were fallen to the ground, he suffered them to rise again, and offers himself to them to take him and carry him away. Note, 2. How the sight of this glorious miracle of the soldiers falling to the ground did not de... [ Continue Reading ]
Observe here, St. Peter's love unto, and zeal for, his Lord and Master, in defence of whom he now draws his sword: but why did he not rather draw upon Judas than upon Malchus? Possibly, because though Judas was most faulty, yet Malchus might be most forward to carry off our Saviour. O, how doth. pi... [ Continue Reading ]
Judas having made good his promise to the chief priests, and delivered Jesus. prisoner bound into their hands, those evening wolves no sooner seize the Lamb of God, but they thirst and long to suck his innocent blood; yet, lest it should look like. downright murder, they allow him. mock-trial, and a... [ Continue Reading ]
All the four evangelists give us an account of Peter's fall in denying his Master. And therein we have observable, 1. The sin itself which he fell into, the denial of Christ, and this backed with an oath; he sware that he knew not the man. Lord! how may the slavish fear of suffering drive the holi... [ Continue Reading ]
Our Saviour being brought before Caiaphas the high-priest, he examines him concerning his doctrine, and his disciples, pretending him to be guilty of heresy in doctrine, and sedition in gathering disciples and followers. Our Saviour answers, that as to his doctrine, he had not delivered it in holes... [ Continue Reading ]
Observe here, 1. How insolently and injuriously an officer strikes our Saviour in this court of judiacature: ONE OF THE OFFICERS STRUCK JESUS WITH THE PALM OF HIS HAND. What had the holy and innocent Jesus done, to deserve these buffetings? He only made use of the liberty which their law did allow... [ Continue Reading ]
There were two courts of judicature which our blessed Saviour was brought before, and condemned by. 1. The ecclesiastical court or sanhedrin, in which the high-priest sat as judge; here he was condemned to death for blasphemy. 2. The civil court or judgment-hall, where Pontius Pilate, the Roman go... [ Continue Reading ]
Observe here, 1. How Pilate humours these Jews in their superstition. They scruple to go into the judgment-hall to him; he therefore goes out to them,and demands what accusation they had against Christ. They charge him here only for being. malefactor, or an evil-doer in the general; but elsewhere... [ Continue Reading ]
The Jews being now under the power of the Romans, though they had. power of judging and censuring criminals in smaller matters, yet not in capital cases; they could not pronounce. sentence of death upon any person, say some; they might, and did, say others, punish blasphemers by stoning them to deat... [ Continue Reading ]
Observe here, 1. Pilate's ensnaring question, ART THOU THE KING OF THE JEWS? How jealous are great men of Jesus Christ, and how afraid are they of his kingdom, power, and authority, as if it would be prejudicial to their authority and power in the world; which was far enough from Christ's thoughts!... [ Continue Reading ]
Pilate asks him again directly and expressly, ART THOU. KING OR NOT? Our Saviour answers, " THOU SAYEST THAT. AM. KING, and so it is indeed as thou sayest,. am. king, and the king of the Jews too; but not. temporal king, to rule over them after the manner of earthly kings with temporal power, and w... [ Continue Reading ]
Observe here, 1. The question Pilate put to Christ, WHAT IS TRUTH?. most noble and important question, had it been put forth with an honest heart, with. mind fairly disposed for information and satisfaction: but it is evident, Pilate's enquiry was not serious; nay, it is generally thought, that Pila... [ Continue Reading ]