And (1) it came to pass, when Jesus had finished all these sayings, he
said unto his disciples,
(1) Christ witnesses by his going to death voluntarily, that he will
make full satisfaction for the sin of Adam by his obedience.... [ Continue Reading ]
(2) Ye know that after two days is [the feast of] the passover, and
the Son of man is betrayed to be crucified.
(2) God himself and not man appoints the time that Christ should be
crucified.... [ Continue Reading ]
But they said, Not on the (a) feast [day], lest there be an uproar
among the people.
(a) By the word "feast" is meant the whole feast of unleavened bread:
the first and eighth day of which were so holy that they were not
allowed to do any work on it, though the whole company of the
Sanhedrin determ... [ Continue Reading ]
(3) Now when Jesus was in Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper,
(3) By this sudden work of a sinful woman, Christ helps the guests to
understand about his death and burial which was near: the gracious
result of which will bring life to all sinners who flee unto him. But
Judas takes an occasion... [ Continue Reading ]
(b) There came unto him a woman having an alabaster (c) box of very
precious ointment, and poured it on his head, as he sat [at meat].
(b) For these things were done before Christ came to Jerusalem: and
yet some think that the evangelists have two differing accounts.
(c) These boxes were of alabas... [ Continue Reading ]
But when his (d) disciples saw [it], they had indignation, saying, To
what purpose [is] this (e) waste?
(d) This is a figure of speech called synecdoche: for it is said that
only Judas was moved at this; (John 12:4).
(e) Unprofitable spending.... [ Continue Reading ]
(4) When Jesus understood [it], he said unto them, Why trouble ye the
woman? for she hath wrought a good work upon me.
(4) We ought not to rashly condemn that which is not orderly done.... [ Continue Reading ]
(5) For ye have the poor always with you; but me ye have not always.
(5) Christ, who was once anointed in his own person, must always be
anointed in the poor.... [ Continue Reading ]
For (f) in that she hath poured this ointment on my body, she did [it]
for my burial.
(f) In that she poured this ointment upon my body, she did it to bury
me.... [ Continue Reading ]
(6) Now (g) the first [day] of the [feast of] unleavened bread the
disciples came to Jesus, saying unto him, Where wilt thou that we
prepare for thee to eat the passover?
(6) Christ purposing to bring us into our country without delay and
so, to pay the penalty of the law, truly fulfils the law, om... [ Continue Reading ]
Now when the even was come, he (h) sat down with the twelve.
(h) Because the Law appointed them to be wearing footwear, and to have
their staffs in their hands, as though they were is haste, therefore
it is to be gathered that they did not sit down when they ate the
Passover, but stood, for normall... [ Continue Reading ]
And he answered and said, He that (i) dippeth [his] hand with me in
the dish, the same shall betray me.
(i) That is to say, he whom I invited to come to my table, alluding in
this to (Psalms 41:9), which is not to be understood as though just as
the Lord spoke these words Judas had his hand in the... [ Continue Reading ]
Then Judas, (k) which betrayed him, answered and said, Master, is it
I? He said unto him, Thou hast said.
(k) Who was thinking of nothing else but to betray him.... [ Continue Reading ]
(7) And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and (l) blessed [it],
and brake [it], and gave [it] to the disciples, and said, Take, eat;
(m) this is my body.
(7) Christ who will without delay fulfil the promises of the old
covenant, institutes a new covenant with new signs.
(l) Mark says, "Had gi... [ Continue Reading ]
And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave [it] to them, saying,
Drink ye (n) all of it;
(n) Therefore they who took away the cup from the people, disobeyed
the instruction of Christ.... [ Continue Reading ]
(o) For this is my blood of the (p) new testament, which is shed for
many for the remission of sins.
(o) That is, this cup or wine is my blood sacramentally, as in See
Luke 22:20.
(p) Or covenant, that is to say, by which the new league and covenant
is made, for in the making of leagues they used... [ Continue Reading ]
And when they had sung (q) an hymn, they went out into the mount of
Olives.
(q) When they had made an end of their solemn singing, which some
think was six Psalms, (Psalms 112:1; Psalms 117:2).... [ Continue Reading ]
(8) Then saith Jesus unto them, All ye shall be offended because of me
this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the
sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad.
(8) Christ, here taking more care of his disciples than of himself,
forewarns them of their falling away, and provid... [ Continue Reading ]
(9) Then cometh Jesus with them unto a place called Gethsemane, and
saith unto the disciples, Sit ye here, while I go and pray yonder.
(9) Christ having regard to the weakness of his disciples, leaves all
the rest in safety, and takes with him but three to be witnesses of
his anguish, and goes on p... [ Continue Reading ]
And he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to
be sorrowful and (r) very heavy.
(r) The word which he uses signifies great sorrow, and tremendous and
deadly grief: this thing, as it indicates man's true nature, which
shuns death as a thing that entered in against nature, shows... [ Continue Reading ]
(10) Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even
unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me.
(10) Christ, a true man, who is about to suffer the punishment which
we should have suffered for forsaking God, is forsaken by his own: he
has a terrible conflict with the horror and fea... [ Continue Reading ]
And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed,
saying, O my Father, if it be possible, (s) let this (t) cup pass from
me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou [wilt].
(s) Let it pass me, and not touch me.
(t) That is, which is at hand, and is offered and prepared for me: an
idi... [ Continue Reading ]
(11) And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them asleep, and
saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour?
(11) An example of the carelessness of man.... [ Continue Reading ]
(12) Rise, let us be going: behold, he is at hand that doth betray me.
(12) Christ offers himself willingly to be taken, that in so obeying
willingly he might make satisfaction for the wilful fall of man.... [ Continue Reading ]
And while he yet spake, lo, Judas, one of the twelve, came, and with
him a great multitude with swords and staves, (u) from the chief
priests and elders of the people.
(u) Sent from the high Priests.... [ Continue Reading ]
(13) And Jesus said unto him, (x) Friend, wherefore art thou come?
Then came they, and laid hands on Jesus, and took him.
(13) Christ is taken, that we might be delivered.
(x) Christ reprehends Judas tauntingly, and rebukes him sharply, for
he knew well enough why he came.... [ Continue Reading ]
(14) Then said Jesus unto him, Put up again thy sword into his place:
for all they that (y) take the sword shall perish with the sword.
(14) Our vocation must govern our zeal.
(y) They take the sword to whom the Lord has not given it, that is to
say, they who use the sword and are not called to it... [ Continue Reading ]
(15) Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall
presently give me more than twelve legions of angels?
(15) Christ was taken because he was willing to be taken.... [ Continue Reading ]
(z) But how then shall the scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must
be?
(z) By this questioning he answers a sly objection, for they might
have asked him why he did not in this his great extremity of danger
call to his Father for aid: but to this objection he answers by this
question.... [ Continue Reading ]
(16) And they that had laid hold on Jesus led [him] away to (a)
Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were
assembled.
(16) Christ being innocent is condemned by the high Priest for that
wickedness of which we are guilty.
(a) From Annas to Caiaphas, before whom the multitude wa... [ Continue Reading ]
But Peter followed him afar off unto the high priest's (b) palace, and
went in, and sat with the servants, to see the end.
(b) The word used here properly denotes an open large room in the
front of a house, as we see in kings' palaces and noblemen's houses:
we call it a court, for it is open to the... [ Continue Reading ]
And the high priest arose, and said unto him, Answerest thou nothing?
(c) what [is it which] these witness against thee?
(c) How does it come to pass that these men witness against thee?... [ Continue Reading ]
Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, (d)
Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting (e) on the right hand of
power, and coming in the (f) clouds of heaven.
(d) This word distinguishes his first coming from the latter.
(e) Sitting with God in like and equal honour a... [ Continue Reading ]
Then the high priest (g) rent his clothes, saying, He hath spoken
blasphemy; what further need have we of witnesses? behold, now ye have
heard his blasphemy.
(g) This was a peculiar custom among the Jews: for so were they bound
to do when they heard any Israelite blaspheme God, and it was a
traditi... [ Continue Reading ]
(17) Now Peter (h) sat without in the palace: and a damsel came unto
him, saying, Thou also wast with Jesus of Galilee.
(17) Peter by the wonderful providence of God, in being appointed to
be a witness of all these things, is prepared to be an example of
outstanding faithfulness through this experi... [ Continue Reading ]
Then began he to (i) curse and to swear, [saying], I know not the man.
And immediately the cock crew.
(i) He swore and cursed himself.... [ Continue Reading ]