Bible Commentaries

Matthew 26:1 ; Mark 14:1 .

Then entered Satan - Who is never wanting to assist those whose heart is bent upon mischief.

Captains - Called captains of the temple, Luke 22:52 . They were Jewish officers, who presided over the guards which kept watch every night in the temple.

Matthew 26:17 ; Mark 14:12 .

Matthew 26:20 ; Mark 14:17 .

With desire have I desired - That is, I have earnestly desired it. He desired it, both for the sake of his disciples, to whom he desired to manifest himself farther, at this solemn parting: and for the sake of his whole Church, that he might institute the grand memorial of his death.

For I will not eat thereof any more - That is, it will be the last I shall eat with you before I die. The kingdom of God did not properly commence till his resurrection. Then was fulfilled what was typified by the passover.

And he took the cup - That cup which used to be brought at the beginning of the paschal solemnity, and said, Take this and divide it among yourselves; for I will not drink - As if he had said, Do not expect me to drink of it: I will drink no more before I die.

And he took bread - Namely, some time after, when supper was ended, wherein they had eaten the paschal lamb. This is my body - As he had just now celebrated the paschal supper, which was called the passover, so in like figurative language, he calls this bread his body. And this circumstance of itself was sufficient to prevent any mistake, as if this bread was his real body, any more than the paschal lamb was really the passover.

This cup is the New Testament - Here is an undeniable figure, whereby the cup is put for the wine in the cup. And this is called, The New Testament in Christ's blood, which could not possibly mean, that it was the New Testament itself, but only the seal of it, and the sign of that blood which was shed to confirm it.

The hand of him that betrayeth me is with me on the table - It is evident Christ spake these words before he instituted the Lord's Supper: for all the other evangelists mention the sop, immediately after receiving which he went out: John 13:30 . Nor did he return any more, till he came into the garden to betray his Master. Now this could not be dipped or given, but while the meat was on the table. But this was all removed before that bread and cup were brought.

There was also a contention among them - It is highly probable, this was the same dispute which is mentioned by St. Matthew and St. Mark: and consequently, though it is related here, it happened some time before.

They that exercise the most arbitrary authority over them, have from their flatterers the vain title of benefactors.

But ye are to be benefactors to mankind, not by governing, but by serving.

For - This he proves by his own example. I am in the midst of you - Just now: see with your eyes. I take no state upon me, but sit in the midst, on a level with the lowest of you.

Ye have continued with me in my temptations - And all his life was nothing else, particularly from his entering on his public ministry.

And I - Will preserve you in all your temptations, till ye enter into the kingdom of glory: appoint to you - By these very words. Not a primacy to one, but a kingdom to every one: on the same terms: as my Father hath appointed to me - Who have fought and conquered.

That ye may eat and drink at my table - That is, that ye may enjoy the highest happiness, as guests, not as servants. These expressions seem to be primarily applicable to the twelve apostles, and secondarily, to all Christ's servants and disciples, whose spiritual powers, honours, and delights, are here represented in figurative terms, with respect to their advancement both in the kingdom of grace and of glory.

Satan hath desired to have you - My apostles, that he might sift you as wheat - Try you to the uttermost.

But I have prayed for thee - Who wilt be in the greatest danger of all: that thy faith fail not - Altogether: and when thou art returned - From thy flight, strengthen thy brethren - All that are weak in faith; perhaps scandalized at thy fall.

It shall not be the time of cock crowing this day - The common time of cock crowing (which is usually about three in the morning) probably did not come till after the cock which Peter heard had crowed twice, if not oftener.

When I sent you - lacked ye any thing - Were ye not borne above all want and danger?

But now - You will be quite in another situation. You will want every thing. He that hath no sword, let him sell his garment and buy one - It is plain, this is not to be taken literally. It only means, This will be a time of extreme danger.

The things which are written concerning me have an end - Are now drawing to a period; are upon the point of being accomplished. Isaiah 53:12 .

Here are two swords - Many of Galilee carried them when they travelled, to defend themselves against robbers and assassins, who much infested their roads. But did the apostles need to seek such defence? And he said; It is enough - I did not mean literally, that every one of you must have a sword.

Matthew 26:30 .

The place - The garden of Gethsemane.

Strengthening him - Lest his body should sink and die before the time.

And being in an agony - Probably just now grappling with the powers of darkness: feeling the weight of the wrath of God, and at the same time surrounded with a mighty host of devils, who exercised all their force and malice to persecute and distract his wounded spirit. He prayed more earnestly - Even with stronger cries and tars: and his sweat - As cold as the weather was, was as it were great drops of blood - Which, by the vehement distress of his soul, were forced out of the pores, in so great a quantity as afterward united in large, thick, grumous drops, and even fell to the ground.

Betrayest thou the Son of man - He whom thou knowest to be the Son of man, the Christ?

Seeing what would follow - That they were just going to seize him. Matthew 26:51 ; Mark 14:47 .

Suffer me at least to have my hands at liberty thus far, while I do one more act of mercy.

Jesus said to the chief priests, and captains, and the elders who were come - And all these came of their own accord: the soldiers and servants were sent.

This is your hour - Before which ye could not take me: and the power of darkness - The time when Satan has power.

Matthew 26:57 ; Mark 14:53 ; John 18:12 .

Another man saw him and said - Observe here, in order to reconcile the four evangelists, that divers persons concurred in charging Peter with belonging to Christ. The maid that led him in, afterward seeing him at the fire, first put the question to him, and then positively affirmed, that he was with Christ. Another maid accused him to the standers by, and gave occasion to the man here mentioned, to renew the charge against him, which caused the second denial. Others of the company took notice of his being a Galilean, and were seconded by the kinsman of Malchus, who affirmed he had seen him in the garden. And this drew on the third denial.

And about one hour after - So he did not recollect himself in all that time.

Matthew 26:67 ; Mark 14:65 .

And having blindfolded him, they struck him on the face - This is placed by St. Matthew and Mark, after the council's condemning him. Probably he was abused in the same manner, both before and after his condemnation.

Many other things blasphemously spake they against him - The expression is remarkable. They charged him with blasphemy, because he said he was the Son of God: but the evangelist fixes that charge on them, because he really was so.

Matthew 26:63 ; Mark 14:61 .

They all said, Art thou then the Son of God? - Both these, the Son of God, and the Son of man, were known titles of the Messiah; the one taken from his Divine, and the other from his human nature.