this passover with you before I suffer. 16 For I say unto you, I will not any more eat thereof, until a it be fulfilled in the kingdom of God. 17 And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, Take this and divide it among yourselves: 18 For I say unto you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine, until the kingdom of God shall come. 19 And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body, which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me. 20 Likewise also the cup after a c.14.15. 1 Co.5.7,8. Re. 19.9. 16. 11.24,&c. supper, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you. 21 But, behold, the hand of him that betrayeth me is with me on the table. 22 And truly the Son of man goeth as it was determined: ⚫ but woe unto that man by whom he is betrayed! 23 And they began to inquire among themselves, which of them it was that should do this thing. 24 And there was also a strife among them, which of them should be accounted the greatest. d c.24.46. Ac 2.23. c Ps. 41.9. Jno.13.26. b 1 Co.10. 4.28. 1 Co.15.3. e Mar.9.34. c.9.46. reasons why he desired this we may suppose to have been, 1st. That as he was about to leave them, he was desirous once of seeing them together, and of partaking with them of one of the religious privileges of the Jewish dispensation. Jesus was man, as well as God; and he never undervalued the religious rites of his country, or the blessings of social and religious intercourse; and there is no impropriety in supposing that even he might feel that his human nature might be prepared by the service of religion for his great and terrible sufferings. 2d. He doubtless wished to take an opportunity to prepare them for his sufferings, and to impress upon them more fully the certainty that he was about to leave them, that they might be prepared for it. 3d. We may also suppose that he particularly desired it, that he might institute for their use, and for the edification of all Christians, the supper which is called by his name-the Lord's supper. All his sufferings were the expression of love to his people; and he was desirous of testifying always his regard for their comfort and welfare ¶ Before I suffer. Before I die. 13. Until it be fulfilled. See Matt. xxvi. 29. 17. And he took the cup and gave thanks. This was not the sacramental cup, for that was taken after supper. Ver 20. This was one of the cups which were usually taken during the celebration of the passover, and per. tained to that observance. After he had kept this in the usual manner, he instituted the supper which bears his name-using the bread and wine which had been prepared for the passover, and thus engrafted the Lord's Supper on the passover, or superseded the passover by another ordinance, which was intended to be perpetual. 19, 20. See Matt. xxvi. 26-28. 21-23. See Matt. xxvi. 21—25. 24. A strife. A contention, or de bate. Which of them should be the greatest. The apostles, in common with the Jews generally, had supposed that the Messiah would come as a temporal prince, and in the manner of other princes of the earth; of course, that he would have officers of his government ministers of state, &c. Their contention was founded on this expectation, and they were disputing which of them should be raised to the highest office. They had before had a similar contention. See Matt. xviii. 1, xx. 20-28. Nothing can be more humiliating than that the disciples should have had such contentions, and in such a time and place. That just as Jesus was contem plating his own death, and laboring to prepare them for it, they should strive and contend about offices and rank, shows how deeply seated is the love of power; how ambition will find its way into the most secret and sacred places; and how even the disciples of meat? But I am among you as he that serveth. 25 And he said unto them, The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and they that ex- 28 Ye are they which have conercise authority upon them are call-tinued with me in my temptaed Benefactors. tions: " 26 But b ye shall not be so: but he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger; and he that is chief, as he that doth serve. 27 For whether is greater, he that sitteth at meat, or he that serveth? Is not he that sitteth at 29 And I appoint unto you a kingdom, as my Father hath ap pointed unto me: 30 That ye may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and si on thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. d He.4.15. e Matt.25.34. c.12.32. 1 Co.9 f Re. 19.9. g Matt.19.28. } a Matt.20.25. Mar.10.42. b 1 Pe.5.3. 3 25. 1 Pe.5.4. Jno.9,10. c Jno.13.13,14. Ph.2.7. the meek and lowly Jesus, are sometimes actuated by this most base and wicked feeling. Co.6.2. Re.3.21. with his washing their feet. He showed them how they ought to feel and act toward each other. They ought, therefore, not to aim at office and power, but to be humble, and serve and aid one another. 28. My temptations. My trials, my humiliations, and my assaults from the power of Satan and a wicked world. 25. The kings of the Gentiles. The kings of the nations, or of the earth. They do this, and it is to be expected of them, and it is right. Our Lord does not mean to say that it was wrong that there should be such authority among them, but that his kingdom was And I appoint unto you a kingdom. to be of a different character, and they He assures them here that they should were not to expect it there. Over have a kingdom-their expectations them. That is, over the nations. T Are should be realized. They had con talled benefactors. The word benefac- tinued with him; they had seen how he tor is applied to one who bestows favor had lived, and to what trials he had on another. It was applied to kings by been subjected; they had all along exway of compliment or flattery. Some pected a kingdom, and he assures them of them might have been truly benefac- that they should not be disappointed. tors of their people, but this was by no¶ As my Father, &c. They had seen means true of all. Yet it was applied to all, and especially to the Roman emperors. It is found applied to them often in the writings of Josephus and Philo. 26, 27. But ye shall not be so. Christ here, takes occasion to explain the nature of his kingdom. He assures them that it is established on different principles from those of the world; that they were not to expect titles, and power, and offices of pomp, in his kingdom. He that would be most advanced in his kingdom, would be he that was most humble, and in order to show them this, he took a towel, and girded himself after the manner of a servant, and washed their feet, to show them what ought to be their feelings towards each other. See John xiii. 4-17. ¶ He that Bitteth at meat. The master of the feast, or one of his guests. But I am among you. &c. This was said in connexion how God had appointed a kingdom to him. It was not with pomp, and splendor, and external glory. But it was in poverty, want, persecution, and trial So would he appoint to them a kingdom. They should surely possess it; but it would be not with external splendor, but by poverty and toil.-The original word appoint has the force of a covenant or compact, and means that it should be surely or certainly done, or that he pledged himself to do it.-All Christians shall enter into the kingdom of heaven after the manner of their Lord, through much tribulation. But though it shall be, as it was with him, by many tears and sorrows, yet they shall surely reach the place of their rest and the reward of heaver for it is se cured to them by the covenant pledge and faithfulness of their Lord and King 30. See Matt. xix. 28. 31. Simon. Peter. Jesus, foresee a 1 Pe.5.8. b Am.9.9. e Jno.17.9,15. He.7.25. 1 Jno.2.1. ing the danger of Peter, and knowing that he was about to deny him, took occasion to forewarn him and put him on his guard, and also to furnish him with a solace when he should be brought to repentance. Satan hath desired. Satan is the prince of evil. One of his works is to try the faith of believers -to place temptations and trials in their way, that they may be tested. Thus God gave Job into his hands, that it might be seen whether he would be found faithful, or would apostatize. Job i. 7-12. So Satan desired to have Peter in his hands, that he might also try him. And our Saviour, by this, intimates that trials were about to come upon Peter. May sift you as wheat. Grain was agitated or shaken in a kind of fan or sieve. The grain remained in the fan, and the chaff and dust were thrown off. So Christ says, that Satan desired to try Peter, to place trials and temptauons before him, to agitate him, to see whether any thing of faith would remain, or whether all would not be found to be chaff-mere natural ardor and false professions. 32. That thy faith fail not. The word faith, here, seems to be used in the sense of religion, or attachment to Christ; and the words fail not mean utterly fail, or fail altogether; that is, apostatize. It is true that the courage of Peter failed. It is true that he had not that immediate confidence in Jesus, and reliance on him, which he had before had. But the prayer of Jesus was, hat he might not altogether apostatize from the faith. God heard Jesus always. John xi. 42. It follows, therefore, that every prayer which he ever offered was answered; and it follows that, as he asked here for a specific thing, that that thing was granted; and as he prayed hat Peter's faith might not utterly fail, so it follows that there was no time in which Peter was not really a pious man. 33 Ard he said unto him, Lord am ready to go with thee, both into prison and to death. 34 And he said, I tell thee, Pe ter, the cock shall not crow this day, before that thou shalt thrice deny that thou knowest me. 35 And he said unto them, When d Ps.51.13. Jno.21.15-17. Far as he wandered, and grievously as he sinned, yet he well knew that Jesus was the Messiah; he did know the man; and though his fears overcame him, and led him to aggravated sin, yet the prayer of Christ was prevalent, and he was brought to true repentance. ¶ When thou art converted. The word convert ed means turned, changed, recovered. The meaning is, when thou art turned from this sin; when thou art recovered from this heinous offence, then use your experience to warn and strengthen those who are in danger of like sins. A man may be converted or turned from any sin or any evil course. He is regenerated but once-at the beginning of his Christian life; he may be con verted as often as he falls into sin. T Strengthen thy brethren. Confirm them, warn them, or encourage them. They are in continual danger also of sinning. Use your experience to warn them of their danger, and to comfort and sustain them in their trials. And from this we learn, 1st. That one design of permitting Christians to fall into sin is to show their weakness and dependence on God; and 2d. That they who have been overtaken in this manner should make use of their own experience to warn and preserve_others from the same path. The two Epistles of Peter, and his whole life, show that he was attentive to this command of Jesus; and in his death he manifested his deep abhorrence of this act of dreadful guilt in denying his blessed Lord, by requesting to be crucified with his head downwards, as unworthy to suffer in the same manner that Christ did. 33, 34. See Matt. xxvi. 33-35. 35. When I sent you, &c. See Matt. x. 9, 10. Lacked ye, &c. Did you want any thing? Did not God fully provide for you? He refers to this to convince them that his words were true; that their past experience shoule I sent you without purse, and scrip, | he that hath no sword, let him sell and shoes, lacked ye any thing? his garment and buy one. And they said, Nothing 36 Then said he unto them, But he that hath a purse, let him take it, and likewise his scrip: and now, a c.9.3. lead them to put confidence in him and 'n God. b 37 For I say unto you, That this that is written must yet be accomplished in me, And he was reckoned among the transgressors: for b Is.53. 12. It to that kind of life. The common pre paration for that manner of life was money, provisions, and arms. And he foretells them of that manner of life by giving them directions commonly un derstood to be appropriate to it. amounts, then, to a prediction that they would soon leave the places they had been accustomed to, and go into scenes of poverty, want, and danger, where they would feel the necessity of money, provisions, and the means of defence. All, therefore, that the passage justifies is, 1st. That it is proper for men to provide beforehand for their wants, and for ministers and missionaries as well as any other. 2d. That self-defence is lawful. Men, encompassed with dan gers, may lawfully defend their lives. It does not prove that it is lawful to make offensive war on a nation or an individual. T Let him sell his garment. His mantle, or his outer garment. See Matt. v. 40. The meaning is, let him procure one at any expense, even if he is obliged to sell his clothes for it-in timating that the dangers would be very great and pressing. 36. But now. The Saviour says the times are changed. Before, he sent them out only for a little time. They were in their own country. Their journeys would be short, and there was no need that they should make preparation for a long absence, nor for encountering great dangers. But now hey were to go into the wide world, among strangers, trials, dangers, and wants. And as the time was near; as he was about to die; and as these dangers pressed on; it was proper that they should make provision for what was before them. A purse. See Matt. x. 9. He intimates that they should now take money, as it would be necessary to provide for their wants in travelling. Scrip. See Matt. x. 10. And he that hath no sword. There has been much difficulty in understanding why Jesus directed his disciples to arm themselves, as if was his purpose to make a defence. It is certain that the spirit of his religion is against the use of the sword, and that it was not his purpose to defend himself against Judas. But it should be remembered that these directions about the purse, the scrip, and the sword, were not made with reference to his being taken in the garden, but with reference to their future life. The time of the trial in Gethsemane was just at hand. Nor was there time then, if no other reason existed, to go and make the purchase. It altogether efers to their future life. They were going into the midst of dangers. The country was infested with robbers and wild beasts. It was customary to go armed. And he tells them of those dangers of the necessity of being pre-cordingly. Have an end pared in the usual way to meet them. This, then, is not to be considered as a specific positive command to procure a sword, but an intimation that great dan gers were before them; their manner of life would be changed, and they would need the provisions appropriate VOL. II. - 14 37. This that is written. Isa. liii. 12. Was reckoned among the transgressors. Not reckoned as a transgressor, but among or with them. That is, he was treated as transgressors are. He was put to death in their company, and as he would have been if he had been a transgressor. He was innocent, holy, harmless, and undefiled. Heb. vii. 26 God knew this always, and could not think of him, or make him to be, other wise than he was. Yet it pleased him to bruise him, and to give him into the hands of men who did reckon him as a transgressor, and who treated him ac l'his may either mean, shall be surely accomplished,' or 'they are about to be fu! filled,' or 'are now fulfilled.' The former is probably the meaning, denoting that every prophecy in regard to him should certainly be accomplished. 38. Are two swords. The Galileans the things concerning me have an end. 38 And they said, Lord, behold, here are two swords: and he said unto them, It is enough. 39 And he came out, and went, as he was wont, to the mount of Olives: and his disciples also followed him. 40 And when he was at the place, he said unto them, Pray that ye enter not into temptation. 41 And he was withdrawn from them about a stone's cast, and kneeled down, and prayed, 42 Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless, not my will, but thine be done. 43 And there appeared an angel a Matt.26.36. Mar.14.32, &c. Jno.18.1,&c. willing to remove. b Matt 4.11. it is said, often went armed. The Essenes did so also. The reason was that the country was full of robbers and wild beasts, and it was necessary to carry in their travels some means of defence. It seems that the disciples followed the customs of the country, and had with them some means of defence, though they had but two swords among the twelve. It is enough. It is difficult to understand this. Some suppose that it is spoken ironically. As if he had said, "You are bravely armed indeed; with two swords among twelve men, and to meet such a host. Others, that he meant to reprove them for understanding him literally, as if he meant that they were then to procure swords for immediate battle. As if he had said, 'This is absurd, or a perversion of my meaning. I did not intend this, but merely to foretell you of impending dangers after my death.' It is to be observed that he did not say 'the two swords are enough,' but "it is enough;" perhaps meaning simply, enough has been said. Other matters press on, and You will yet understand what I mean. 39-46. See Matt xxvi. 30-46; Mark xiv 26-42. 43. Strengthening him. His human nature, to sustain the great burden that was upon his soul. Some have supposed from this that he was not divine as well as human; for if he was God, how could an angel give any strength or comfort, and why did not the divine nature alone sustain the human? But the fact that he was divine does not af fect the case at all. It might be asked with the same propriety, if he was, as all admit, the friend of God, and beloved of God, and holy, why, if he was a mere man, did not God sustain him alone, without an angel's intervening? But the objection in neither case would have any force. The man, Christ Jesus, was suffering. His human nature was in agony; and it is the manner of God to sustain the afflicted by the intervention of others. Nor was there any more unfitness in sustaining the human nature of his Son in this manner, than any other sufferer. 44. In an agony. See this verse explained in the Notes on Matthew xxvI. 42-44. 45. Sleeping for sorrow. On account of the greatness of their sorrow. Sea Matt. xxvi. 40. 47-53. See this explained in Matt. xxvi. 48-56. 48. Betrayest thou the Son of man with a kiss? By the Son of man was evidently meant there the Messiah. Judas had had the most satisfactory evidence of that, and did not doubt it A kiss was the sign of affection. By |