he treachery of Judas. (1-6) The passover. (7-18) The Lord's
supper instituted. (19,20) Christ admonishes the disciples.
(21-38) Christ's agony in the garden. (39-46) Christ betrayed.
(47-53) The fall of Peter. (54-62) Christ confesses himself to
be the Son of God. (63-71)
Verses 1-6: Christ knew all men, and had wise and holy ends in taking
Judas to be a disciple. How he who knew Christ so well, came to
betray him, we are here told; Satan entered into Judas. It is
hard to say whether more mischief is done to Christ's kingdom,
by the power of its open enemies, or by the treachery of its
pretended friends; but without the latter, its enemies could not
do so much evil as they do.
Verses 7-18: Christ kept the ordinances of the law, particularly that
of the passover, to teach us to observe his gospel institutions,
and most of all that of the Lord's supper. Those who go upon
Christ's word, need not fear disappointment. According to the
orders given them, the disciples got all ready for the passover.
Jesus bids this passover welcome. He desired it, though he knew
his sufferings would follow, because it was in order to his
Father's glory and man's redemption. He takes his leave of all
passovers, signifying thereby his doing away all the ordinances
of the ceremonial law, of which the passover was one of the
earliest and chief. That type was laid aside, because now in the
kingdom of God the substance was come.
Verse 19,20: The Lord's supper is a sign or memorial of Christ already
come, who by dying delivered us; his death is in special manner
set before us in that ordinance, by which we are reminded of it.
The breaking of Christ's body as a sacrifice for us, is therein
brought to our remembrance by the breaking of bread. Nothing can
be more nourishing and satisfying to the soul, than the doctrine
of Christ's making atonement for sin, and the assurance of an
interest in that atonement. Therefore we do this in rememberance
of what He did for us, when he died for us; and for a memorial
of what we do, in joining ourselves to him in an everlasting
covenant. The shedding of Christ's blood, by which the atonement
was made, is represented by the wine in the cup.
Verses 21-38: How unbecoming is the worldly ambition of being the
greatest, to the character of a follower of Jesus, who took upon
him the form of a servant, and humbled himself to the death of
the cross! In the way to eternal happiness, we must expect to be
assaulted and sifted by Satan. If he cannot destroy, he will try
to disgrace or distress us. Nothing more certainly forebodes a
fall, in a professed follower of Christ, than self-confidence,
with disregard to warnings, and contempt of danger. Unless we
watch and pray always, we may be drawn in the course of the day
into those sins which we were in the morning most resolved
against. If believers were left to themselves, they would fall;
but they are kept by the power of God, and the prayer of Christ.
Our Lord gave notice of a very great change of circumstances now
approaching. The disciples must not expect that their friends
would be kind to them as they had been. Therefore, he that has a
purse, let him take it, for he may need it. They must now expect
that their enemies would be more fierce than they had been, and
they would need weapons. At the time the apostles understood
Christ to mean real weapons, but he spake only of the weapons of
the spiritual warfare. The sword of the Spirit is the sword with
which the disciples of Christ must furnish themselves.
Verses 39-46: Every description which the evangelists give of the state
of mind in which our Lord entered upon this conflict, proves the
tremendous nature of the assault, and the perfect foreknowledge
of its terrors possessed by the meek and lowly Jesus. Here are
three things not in the other evangelists. 1. When Christ was in
his agony, there appeared to him an angel from heaven,
strengthening him. It was a part of his humiliation that he was
thus strengthened by a ministering spirit. 2. Being in agony, he
prayed more earnestly. Prayer, though never out of season, is in
a special manner seasonable when we are in an agony. 3. In this
agony his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling
down. This showed the travail of his soul. We should pray also
to be enabled to resist unto the shedding of our blood, striving
against sin, if ever called to it. When next you dwell in
imagination upon the delights of some favourite sin, think of
its effects as you behold them here! See its fearful effects in
the garden of Gethsemane, and desire, by the help of God, deeply
to hate and to forsake that enemy, to ransom sinners from whom
the Redeemer prayed, agonized, and bled.
Verses 47-53: Nothing can be a greater affront or grief to the Lord
Jesus, than to be betrayed by those who profess to be his
followers, and say that they love him. Many instances there are,
of Christ's being betrayed by those who, under the form of
godliness, fight against the power of it. Jesus here gave an
illustrious example of his own rule of doing good to those that
hate us, as afterwards he did of praying for those that
despitefully use us. Corrupt nature warps our conduct to
extremes; we should seek for the Lord's direction before we act
in difficult circumstances. Christ was willing to wait for his
triumphs till his warfare was accomplished, and we must be so
too. But the hour and the power of darkness were short, and such
the triumphs of the wicked always will be.
Verses 54-62: Peter's fall was his denying that he knew Christ, and was
his disciple; disowning him because of distress and danger. He
that has once told a lie, is strongly tempted to persist: the
beginning of that sin, like strife, is as the letting forth of
water. The Lord turned and looked upon Peter. 1. It was a
convincing look. Jesus turned and looked upon him, as if he
should say, Dost thou not know me, Peter? 2. It was a chiding
look. Let us think with what a rebuking countenance Christ may
justly look upon us when we have sinned. 3. It was an
expostulating look. Thou who wast the most forward to confess me
to be the Son of God, and didst solemnly promise thou wouldest
never disown me! 4. It was a compassionate look. Peter, how art
thou fallen and undone if I do not help thee! 5. It was a
directing look, to go and bethink himself. 6. It was a
significant look; it signified the conveying of grace to Peter's
heart, to enable him to repent. The grace of God works in and by
the word of God, brings that to mind, and sets that home upon
the conscience, and so gives the soul the happy turn. Christ
looked upon the chief priests, and made no impression upon them
as he did on Peter. It was not the mere look from Christ, but
the Divine grace with it, that restored Peter.
Verses 63-71: Those that condemned Jesus for a blasphemer, were the
vilest blasphemers. He referred them to his second coming, for
the full proof of his being the Christ, to their confusion,
since they would not admit the proof of it to their conviction.
He owns himself to be the Son of God, though he knew he should
suffer for it. Upon this they ground his condemnation. Their
eyes being blinded, they rush on. Let us meditate on this
amazing transaction, and consider Him who endured such
contradiction of sinners against himself.
he treachery of Judas. (1-6) The passover. (7-18) The Lord's
supper instituted. (19,20) Christ admonishes the disciples.
(21-38) Christ's agony in the garden. (39-46) Christ betrayed.
(47-53) The fall of Peter. (54-62) Christ confesses himself to
be the Son of God. (63-71)