SUMMARY.--The Rulers Take Steps to Slay the Lord.
Judas Bargains to Betray Christ.
The Passover Prepared.
The Lord's Supper Instituted.
The Traitor Pointed Out.
Exhortation to the Apostles.
1, 2. The feast of unleavened bread. The Passover, so called
because no leavened bread was eaten during the passover week.
The chief priests . . . sought how they might put him to
death. Tried to devise means to accomplish this without exciting
the multitude. See
Matt. 26:1-5
[307].
3-6. And Satan entered into Judas. He gave himself up to do the
work of Satan. See notes on
Matt. 26:14-16.
7, 8. And the day of unleavened bread came. Josephus calls both
the fourteenth and fifteenth of Nisan, "the day of unleavened bread." I
have followed Neander, Tischendorf, Winer, Alford, Ellicott, Erasmus,
Grotius, Calvin and others in the view that the Lord's passover was
eaten one day before the Jews ate theirs, and that he died about the
time that the paschal lambs were slain for the Jews' passover. See
notes on
John 18:28
and
19:31.
9-13. Where wilt thou that we make ready? On the preparation
for the Passover, see notes on
Matt. 26:17-19.
A large upper room furnished. The upper room was usually the
guest chamber.
21-23. The incident concerning the betrayal mentioned in these
verses occurred before the Lord's Supper was eaten
(Matt. 26:21).
It seems probable, from
John 13:21-35,
that Judas left before the supper. On this passage, see notes on
Matt. 26:21-25.
24-30. There arose a contention among them. This contention
probably arose while they were taking seats for the paschal meal, each
seeking the chief place. It was rebuked by the Lord washing their feet
(John 13:3-5).
See notes on
Matt. 18:1-4.
Benefactors. This very title has often been conferred on Gentile
rulers, as Ptolemy Euergetes, "Ptolemy, the Benefactor," one of
the kings of Egypt.
Ye shall not be so. Greatness shall be sought by serving. He is
greatest who serves the world best.
I appoint unto you a kingdom. A kingdom to be secured, not by
conquering and ruling, but humility, self-denial, and service. "He
that humbleth himself shall be exalted."
Thus shall the apostles be entitled to eat at the Lord's table in the
kingdom, and to
sit on thrones, etc. They attained these thrones, but they are
spiritual, rather than temporal. See notes on
Matt. 19:28.
31-34. Simon, Simon. For the warning to Peter of his Denial of
the Lord, see
Matt. 26:31-35.
Compare
Mark 14:27-31.
[309]
36. But now. Now has come a time of trial when all will be
against you.
Let him . . . buy a sword. Not to be taken literally, but a
striking way of saying that enemies upon every side will assail
them.
37. He was reckoned with transgressors. This, quoted from
Isa. 53:12,
was about to be fulfilled in him.
38. Here are two swords. How they come to be in their possession is
not told.
It is enough. This is a dismissal of the subject, not a warrant
for their use. That was rebuked when Peter resorted to one
(Matt. 26:52-54).
39-46. He went . . . unto the mount of Olives. See notes on
Matt. 26:36-46,
for the Agony in Gethsemane. Compare
Mark 14:32-42.
Luke
alone mentions that his sweat became as great drops of blood
a fact that portrays, as language could not, the agony of our Lord's
struggle. [310]
66. As soon as it was day. The Lord had already been examined by
Annas, and tried and condemned before Caiaphas in the night. To make it
legal a meeting had to be held after daylight. See notes on
Matt. 26:57-68.
The assembly of the elders. The Sanhedrim.
Led him into their council. Before the formal meeting of the
body. This is the second time Jesus was before it and the second
condemnation.
67. Art thou the Christ? He had already answered in the night
and been condemned
(Matt. 26:63, 64).
His reply here is a protest.
68-71. Art thou then the Son of God? To this he answered
directly, and on this they condemned him. The charge was blasphemy in
saying that he was the Son of God.