Expository Thoughts on the Gospels

17. — [Sanctify them, etc.] In this verse our Lord proceeds to name the second thin<^ He asks for His disciples in prayer. Preservation was the first thing, and sanctification the secoad. Ho asks His Father to make the disciples more holy, to lead them on to higher degrees of holiness and purity. He asks Him to do it " through the truth," — by bringing truth to bear more effectually and powerfully on their hearts and consciences and inner man. And to prevent mistake as to what He meant by truth, lie adds, " Thy Word, Thy revealed Word, is the truth that I mean."

Some, as Maldonatus, maintain that the sentence only means " sanctify them truly," — in opposition to that legal sanctification of priests, of which we read in Exodus and Leviticus. This, however, seems a very cold, thin, shallow sense to put on the words.

Some, again, as Mede, Pearce, and Burgon, maintain that our Lord is only praying that His Apostles may be consecrated, fitted, and set apart for the great work of the ministry, and that this is all the meaning of " sanctify." This appears to me an imperfect and defective view of the sentence.

No doubt the word " sanctify " originally and primarily means " set apart, separate for religious uses; " and it might be used of a vessel, a house, or an animal. But inasmuch as in human beings this separation is principally evidenced by holi ness and godliness of life and character, the secondary sense of *' sanctify " is " to make holy," and holy and godly people are " sanctified." This I hold to be the meaning here most decidedly. It is a prayer for the increased holiness and practical godliness of Christ's people. In short, the petition comes to this: " Separate them more and more from sin and sinners, by making them more pure, more spiritual-minded, and more like Thyself." This is the view of Chrysostom and all the leading commentators.

a) The importance of sanctification and practical godliness. Our Lord specially asks it for His people. Those that despise Christian life and character, and think it of no importance so long as they are sound in doctrine, know very little of the mind of Christ. Our Christianity is worth nothing, if it does not make us value and seek practical sanctification.

(6) The wide difference between justification and sanctification. Justification is a perfect and complete work obtained for us by Christ, imputed to us, and external to us, as perfect and complete the moment we believe, as it can ever be, and admitting of no degrees. — Sanctification is an inward work wrought in our hearts by the Holy Spirit, and never quite perfect so long as we live in this body of sin. The disciples needed no prayer for justification; they were completely justified already. They did need prayer for their sanctification; for they were not completely sanctified,

(c) Sanctification is a thing that admits of growth; else why should our Lord pray, " Sanctify them"? The doctrine of imputed sanctification is one that I can find nowhere in the Word of God. Christ's imputed righteousness I see clearly, but not an imputed holiness. Holiness is a thing imparted and inwrought, but not imputed.

(d) The word is the great instrument by which the Holy Ghost carries forward the work of inward sanctification. By bringing that Word to bear more forcibly on mind and will, and conscience, and affection, we make the character grow more holy. Sanctification from without by bodily austerities and asceticism, and a round of forms, ceremonies, and outward means, is a delusion. True sanctification begins from within. Here lies the immense importance of regularly reading the written Word, and hearing the preached Word. It surely, though insensibly, promotes our sanctification. Believers who neglect the Word will not grow in holiness and victory over sin.

Calvin remarks, " As the apostles were not destitute of grace, we ought to infer from Christ's words that sanctification is not instantly completed in us on the first day, but that we make progress in it through the whole course of our life."

Hutcheson remarks, " It is not enough that men have a begun work of sanctification in them, unless they grow up in it daily more and more. Christ prayeth for those who were already converted and sanctified."

Augustine thinks that " Thy Word " in this place means the Personal Word, Christ Himself. But in this opinion I can find no one holding with him, except Rupertus.

18 — [As thou hast sent Me, etc.} The connection between this verse and the preceding one seems to me to be this: " I ask for the increased sanctification of my disciples, because of the position they have to occupy on earth. Just as Thou didst send Me to be Thy Messenger to this sinful world, so have I now sent them to be my messengers to the world. It is therefore of the utmost importance that they should be holy — the holy messengers of a holy Master, — and so stop the mouths of their accusers." Believers are Christ's witnesses, and the character of a witness should be spotless and blameless. For this reason our Lord specially prays that His disciples may be " sanctified.''

19, — [A7id for t/ieir sakes 1 sanctify myself] This is a rather hard passage. In one sense, of course, our Lord needed no sanctification. He was always perfectly holy and without sin.

I believe, with Clirysostom, the meaning- must be, " I consecrate myself, and ofter myself up as a sacrifice and a priest, for one special reason, to say nothing of others: in order that these my disciples may be sanctified by the truth, and made a holy people."— Is it not as good as saying, " The sanctification no less than the justification of my people is the end of my sacrifice? I want to have a people who are sanctified as well as justified. So much importance do I attach to this that this is one principal reason why I now ofier myself to die as a sacrifice." — The same idea seems to lie in the text; " He gave Himself for us that He might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people." And again: " Christ loved the Church, and gave Himself for it, that He might sanctify it." (Titus ii. 14; Eph. v. 26; 1 Pet. ii. 24.)

Melancthon remarks, " The word * I sanctify myself,' in this place, without doubt, is taken from priests and victims."

20. — \Neither pray 1 for these alone, etc.] In this and the three following verses our Lord proceeds to name another thing that He prays for His people. He asks that they may be " one." He had already named this on behalf of the eleven Apostles. But He takes occasion now to enlarge the prayer, and to include others beside the eleven, — the whole company of future believers. " I now pray also for all who shall believe on Me through the preaching of my disciples in all future time, and not for my eleven apostles only." All believers needed preservation and sanctification in every age; but none so much as the eleven, because they were the first to attack the world and bear the brunt of the battle. In some respects it was more easy to be " one " at the first beginnings of the Church, and harder to be kept and " sanctified." As the Church grew, it would be more difiicalt to keep unity.

Let us mark how wide was the scope of our Lord's interces-. sory prayer. He prayed not only for present, but for future believers. So should it be with our prayers. We may look forward and pray for believers yet to be born, though we may not look back and pray for believers who are dead.

George Newton observes what an encouragement it should be to us in praying for others, for a child or a friend, to remember that perhaps Christ is asking him or her of God too. He here prays for those who did not yet believe, but were to believe one day.

Let us mark how the " word " preached is mentioned as the means of making men believe. Faith cometh by hearing. The Church which places Sacraments above the preaching of the Word, will have no blessing of God, because it rejects God's order.

Hengstenberg thinks that the " word " here must include the writings of the Apostles as well as their sermons.

21. — [TJiat they all...one in us.] The meaning of this sentence 1 take to be, " I pray that both these my disciples, and those who hereafter shall become my disciples, may all be of one mind, one doctrine, one opinion, one heart, and one practice, closely united and joined together, even as Thou, Father, and I are of one mind and one will, in consequence of that ineffable union whereby Thou art in Me and I in Thee,"

Here, as in verse 11, we must carefully remember that the unity between the Father and the Son is one which the unity of believers cannot literally attain to. They must however imitate it.

The true secret of the unity of believers lies in the expression, " one in us." They can only be thoroughly " one " by being joined at the same time to one Father and to one Saviour. Then they will be one with one another.

Ferus thinks that one thing in our Lord's mind in this sentence was the union of Jew and Gentile into one Church, and the removal of the " wall of partition."

[T7iat the world...'beUem...sent Me.] Here our Lord brings in one important reason why He prays for His people to be " one." It will help to make the world believe His Divine mission. *' When the world sees my people not quarrelling, not divided, but one in judgment, heart, and life, then the world will begin to believe that the Saviour, who has such a people, must really be a Saviour sent from God."

Let us carefully note how well our Lord foresaw the effect which the lives, ways, and opinions of professing Christians have on the world around them. The want of unity, and consequent strife among English Christians in the last 800 years, has been a miserable example of the enormous damage that believers may do their Master's cause by neglecting this subject. " How much," says George Newton, " Our blessed Saviour and His Gospel suffer by the hot contentions of those who call themselves saints."

22. — {And the glory, etc., etc.] In this verse our Lord repeats His deep desire for the unity of His people. He declares, " that in order that they may be one. He has given them the glory which the Father gave Him." This is a very difficult expression, and one which seems to puzzle all commentators. The whole question is, what did our Lord mean by " the glory " which He gave.

(a) Some, as Calvin, think that " glory " means the image and likeness of God, by which the disciples were renewed. (3 Cor. iii. 18.)

(6) Some, as Bengel, think that "glory" means that insensible power, influence, and authority, which accompanied all our Lord did and said during His earthly ministry. Thus Moses had

" glory " in liis countenance when coming down from the mount (2 Cor. iii. 7.) This same power and influence Christ gave to the Apostles. (See Acts iv. 38.)

(c) Some, as Zwingle, Brentius, Gualter, and Pearce, think that " o-lory " means tlie power of working miracles, which was the special and peculiar glory of our Lord while He was on. earth. Thus, we read, " Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father." (Rom. vi. 4.)

(d) Some, as Augustine, Ecolampadius, Bullinger, and Manton, think that " glory " means the heavenly glory and immortality which our Lord promised to His disciples, — a glory which they should have after faithfully serving Him on earth. (Horn, viii. 18.)

(e) Toletus makes the strange suggestion, that the " glory " means that which is communicated to us in the Lord's Supper 1 Burgon seems to take the same view.

(/) Stier and Hengstenberg hold that the " glory " means unity of mind and heart.

(g) Some, as Gregory Nyssen, Ammonius, Theophylact, and Bucer, think that " glory " means the Holy Ghost, who is else where called " the Spirit of glory." (1 Pet. iv. 14.)

The question will probably never be settled. If I must give an opinion, I prefer the last view to any other. It suits the end of the verse better than any other. Nothing was so likely to make the disciples " one " as the gift of the Holy Ghost.

23. — [1 in them and Thou in Me, etc.] In this verse our Lord simplifies His declarations about unity, and expands them more fully, in order to show emphatically how great importance He attached to unity. I take the meaning to be something of this kind: " I pray that my disciples may be so closely united — I dwelling in them, and Thou dwelling in Me, — that they may be compacted and perfected into one body, — having one mind, one will, one heart, and one judgment, though having many members,— and that then the world, seeing this unity, may be obliged to confess that Thou didst send Me to be the Messiah, and that Thou lovest my people even as Thou lovest Me."

In leaving this deep and difficult passage about unity, it is well to remember that the Church, whose unity the Lord desires and prays for, is not any particular or visible Church, but the Church which is His Body, the Church of the elect, the Church which is made up of true believers and saints alone.

Moreover, the unity which our Lord prays for is not unity of forms, discipline, government, and the like; but unity of heart, and will, and doctrine, and practice. Those who make uniformity the chief subject of this part of Christ's prayer, entire ly miss the mark. There may be uniformity without unity, as in many visible Churches on earth now. There may be unity without uniformity, as between godly Episcopalians and godly Presbyterians. Uniformity no doubt may be a great help to unity, but it is not unity itself.

The unity which our Lord prays about here is that true, substantial, spiritual, internal, heart unity, which undoubtedly exists among all members of Christ of every Church and denomination. It is the unity which results from one Holy Ghost having made the members of Christ what they are. It is unity which makes them feel more of one mind with one another than with mere professors of their own party. It is unity which is the truest freemasonry on earth. It is unity which shakes the world, and obliges it to confess the truth of Christianity.— For the continued maintenance of this unity, and an increase of it, our Lord seems to me in this prayer specially to pray. And we need not wonder. The divisions of mere worldly professors are of little moment. The divisions of real true believers are the greatest possible injury to the cause of the Gospel. If all believers at this moment were of one mind, and would work together, they might soon turn the world upside down. No wonder the Lord prayed for unity.

24. — [^Father, lwill...my glory...given Me] In this verse our Lord names the fourth and last thing which He desires for His disciples in His prayer. After preservation, sanctification, and unity, comes participation of His glory. He asks that they may be " with Him " in the glory yet to be revealed, and " behold," share, and take part in it.

" I will " is a remarkable phrase, though it must not be pressed and strained too far. (See Mark vi. 25; x. 35.) The daughter of Herodias asking the head of John the Baptist, said, " I will that thou give me." It may be nothing more than the expression of a strong " wish." Yet it is the wish of Him who is one with the Father, and only wills what the Father wills. It is probably used to assure the mind of the disciples. " I will," and it will be done.

Hutcheson says, " ' I will ' doth not import any imperious commanding way, repugnant to His former way of humble supplication; but it only imports that in this His supplication, He was making His last will and Testament, and leaving His legacies, which He was sure would be effectual, being purchased by His merits, and prosecuted by His affectionate and earnest requests and intercessions."

Traill remarks, " Christians, behold the amazing difference betwixt Christ's way of praying against His own hell (if I may so call it) and His praying for our heaven! When praying for Himself, it is, ' Father, if it be Thy will, let this cup pas» from Me.' But when Christ is praying for His people's heaven, it is, ' Father, I will that they may be with Me.' "

Stier maintains that " I will " " is no other tlian a testament ary word of the Son, who in the unity of the Father, is ap pointing what He mills, at the second limit of the prayer where petition ceases."

The expression, " Be with Me where I am," is one of those deeply interesting phrases which show the nature of the future dwelling-place of believers. Wherever it may be, whether before or after the resurrection, it will be in the company of Christ. It is like " with Me in Paradise," " depart and be with Christ," and " forever with the Lord." (Luke xxiii. 43; Phil. i. 23; 1 Thess. iv. 17.) The full nature of the future state is wisely hidden from us. It is enough for believers to know that they will be " with Christ." It is company, and not place, which makes up happiness.

Traill remarks, " Heaven consists in the perfect immediate presence of Christ. Perfect presence is, when all on both sides is present; all of Christ, and all of the Christian. But now all of Christ is not with us, and all of us is not with Him. On His part we have Christ's Spirit, word, and grace. On our part there is present with Him our hearts, and the workings of our faith and love and desire towards Him. But the presence is imperfect, and mixed with much distance and absence."

The expression, " Behold my glory," of course must not be confined to the idea of " looking on as spectators." It includes participation, sharing, and common enjoyment. (Compare John iii. 3 — 36; viii. 51; Rev. xviii. 7.)

The expression, " Which Thou hast given Me," seems to point to that special glory which the Father, in everlasting covenant, has appointed for Christ as the reward of the work of redemption. (Philip, ii. 9.)

l^For Thou lovedst Me... foundation...icorld.'] This sentence seems specially inserted in order to show that the glory of Christ in the next world is a glory which had been prepared from all eternity, before time began, and before the creation of man, and that it was not only something which, like Moses or John the Baptist, He had obtained by His faithfulness on earth; but something which He had, as the eternal Son of the eternal Father, from everlasting. " Thou lovedst Me, and did assign Me this glory long before this world was made," that is, from all eternity. This is a very deep saying, and contains things far above our full comprehension.

25. — [0 righteous Father, etc.] In this verse our Lord begins the final winding up of His wonderful prayer. He does it by declaring the position of things in which He was about to leave the world and His disciples. I take the meaning to be this: " 1 come to Thee from a world wliicti knows Thee not, and has refused to know Thee throughout my ministry. But in the midst of this world I have known Thee and steadily adhered to Thee. And these my disciples have acknowledged and con fessed that Thou didst send Me to be the Messiah."

It is not clear why our Lord uses the expression, " Righteous Father." It is one which stands alone. It may possibly be intended to bring out in strong contrast the wickedness of a world which " knew not the Word,'' when the Word was in it (see John i. 10), and the justice of God in punishing this world, which refused to know Christ while the disciples received Him.

The expression, " I have known Thee," seems to point to the veil of humiliation which covered our Lord during the whole period of His incarnation. " Even then," He seems to say, " I never ceased to know and honor Thee."

The high testimony borne to the disciples once more deserves notice. With all their infirmity, " they have known my Divine mission."

26. — [Ajid I have declared...declare it.] In this sentence our Lord briefly sums up what He had done, and was still doing for the disciples: " I have made known to them Thy name and character and attributes, as the sender of salvation to a lost world, and will continue to declare it after my ascension, by the Holy Spirit."

Here, as elsewhere, our Lord again declares that to make known the Father was one great object of His ministry.

The expression, " I will declare it," says George Newton, is a proof that " Jesus Christ will be continually making further declarations of His Father's name to other nations and other persons, to the end of the world. He will be ever teaching new scholars to spell it and understand it, in every generation, while the world eudureth."

[That...in them...l in them.'] Our Lord ends His prayer by expressing His wish that the Father's love may dwell in the hearts of His disciples, and that He Himself may dwell in their hearts. " My great desire is that they may know and feel the love wherewith Thou dost love Me, and that I may ever dwell in their hearts by faith."

Let us not forget that one great wish of St. Paul in his Epistle to the Ephesians, was that " Christ might dwell in their hearts by faith." (Eph. iii. 15.) He also tells the Romans *' The love of God is shed abroad in our hearts." (Rom. v. 5.)

The expression, " I will declare my love," is a difficult one. It can only mean, *' I will declare it personally during the interval between my resurrection and my ascension," or " I will continue to declare it by my Spirit's continual teaching after

The expression, " Thy love may be in them," is another grave difficulty. It must either be " That Thy love, the same love wherewith Thou lovest Me, may be directed on and toward them; " or else, " That they may feel in their own hearts a sense of that same love toward them wherewith Thou lovest Me." I prefer the latter sense.

George Newton remarks on this verse, " If Christ is in you,

let me give you this caution: let Him live quiet in your hearts. Do not molest Him and disturb Him; do not make Him vex and fret. Let it not be a penance to Him to continue in you. But labor every way to please Him, and give Him satisfaction and content, that so the house He hath chosen may not be dark and doleful, but delightful to Him."

Manton remarks, " If an earthly King lie but one night in a house, what care there is taken that nothing be offensive to him, and that all be neat and sweet and clean. How much more careful ought you to be to keep your hearts clean, to perform service acceptable to Him, to be in the exercise of faith, love, and other graces, that so you may entertain, as you ought, your heavenly King, who comes to take up His continual abode in your hearts."

We may well feel humbled, as we leave this chapter, when we think of our ignorance of the true meaning of many of its phrases. How much of our exposition is nothing better than feeble conjecture! We seem only to scratch the surface of the field. Let us only remember that the four things prayed for by our Lord are things that every Christian should daily desire, — preservation, sanctification, unity, and final glory in Christ's company.

George Newton closes his Exposition of the whole chapter with these touching words: — " How earnest and importunate is

Christ with God the Father, that we may be one here, and that we may be in one place hereafter! Oh, let us search into the heart of Jesus Christ, laid open to us in this abridgment of His intercession for us, that we may know it and the workings of it more and more, until at length the precious prayer comes to its full elfect, and we be taken up to be for ever with the Lord, and where He is there we may be also 1 "

1 When Jesus had spoken these words, he went forth with his disciples over tlie brook Cedrou, where was a garden, into the which he entered, and his disciples.

2 And Judas also, which betrayed him, knew the place: for Jesus ofttimes resorted thither with his dis ciples.

band of men and officers from the chief priests and Pharisees, cometh thither with lanterns and torches and weapons.

4 Jesus therefore, knowing all things that should come upon him, went forth, and Bald unto them. Whom seek ye?

5 They answered him, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus said unto them, I am lie. And Judas also, which betrayed him, stood with them.

6 As soon then as he had said unto them, I am lie^ they went backward, and fell to the ground.

7 Then asked he them again,

Whom seek ye? And they said, Jesus of Nazareth.

8 Jesus answered, I have told yon that I am lie; if therefore ye seek me, let these go their way:

9 That the saying might be fulfilled which he spake, Of them which thou gavest me have I lost none.

10 Then Simon Peter having a sword drew it, and smote the high priest's servant, and cut off his right ear. The servant's name was Malchus.

11 Then said Jesus unto Peter, Put up thy sword into the sheath: the cup which my Father hath given me, shall I not drink it?

These verses begin St. John's account of Christ's sufferings and crucifixion. We now enter on the closing scene of our Lord's ministry, and pass at once from His intercession to His sacrifice. We shall find that, like the other Gospel-writers, the beloved disciple enters fully into the story of the cross. But we shall also find, if we read carefully, that he mentions several interesting points in the story, which Matthew, Mark, and Luke, for some wise reasons, have passed over.

We should notice, first, in these verses, the exceeding hardness of heart to which a backsUdiiig professor may attain. We are told that Judas, one of the twelve Apostles, became guide to them that took Jesus. We are told that he used his knowledge of the place of our Lord's retirement, in order to bring His deadly enemies upon Him; and we are told that when the band of men and ofiicers approached his Master, in order to make Him prisoner, Judas " stood with them." — Yet this was a man who for three years had been a constant companion of Christ, had seen His miracles, had heard His sermons, had enjoyed the benefit of His private instruction, had professed himself a believer, had even worked and preached in Christ's name! — " Lord," we may well say, " what is man? " From the highest degree of privilege down to the lowest depth of sin, there is but a succession of steps. Privileges misused seem to paralyze the conscience. The same fire that melts wax, will harden clay.

Let us beware of resting our hopes of salvation on religious knowledge, however great, or religious advantages, however many. We may know all doctrinal truth and be able to teach others, and yet prove rotten at heart, and go down to the pit with Judas. We may bask in the full sunshine of spiritual privileges, and hear the best of Christian teaching, and yet bear no fruit to God's glory, and be found withered branches of the vine, only fit to be burned. " Let him that thinketh he standeth, take heed lest he fall." (1 Cor. x. 12.) Above all, let us beware of cherishing within our hearts any secret besetting sin, such as love of money or love of the world. One faulty link in a chain-cable may cause a shipwreck. One little leak may sink a ship. One allowed and unmortified sin may ruin a professing Christian. Let him that is tempted to be a careless man in his religious life, consider these things, and take care. Let him remember Judas Iscariot. His history is meant to be a lesson.

We should notice, secondly, in these verses, the entire vohintariness of Chrises sufferings. We are told that the first time that our Lord said to the soldiers, " I am He, they went backward, and fell to the ground." A secret invisible power, no doubt, accompanied the words. In no other way can we account for a band of hardy Roman soldiers falling prostrate before a single unarmed man. The same miraculous influence which tied the priests and Pharisees powerless at the triumphant entry into Jerusalem, — which stopped all opposition when the temple was purged of buyers and sellers, — that same mysterious influence was present now. A real miracle was wrought, though few had eyes to see it. At the moment when our Lord seemed weak, He showed that He was strong.

Let us carefully remember that our blessed Lord suffered and died of His own free will. He did not die because He could not help it; He did not suffer because He could not escape. All the soldiers of Pilate's army could not have taken Him, if He had not been willing to be taken. They could not have hurt a hair of His head, if He had not given them permission. But here, as in all His earthly ministry, Jesus was a willing sufferer. He had set His heart on accomplishing our redemption. He loved us, and gave Himself for us, cheerfully, willingly, gladly, in order to make atonement for our sins. It was "the joy set before Him" which made Him endure the cross, and despise the shame, and yield Himself up without reluctance into the hands of His enemies. Let this thought abide in our hearts, and refresh our souls. "VVe have a Saviour who was far more willing to save us than we are willing to be saved. If we are not saved, the fault is all our own. Christ is just as willing to receive and pardon, as He was willing to be taken prisoner, to bleed, and to die.

We should notice, thirdly, in these verses, our LorcTs tender care for His disciples' safety. Even at this critical moment, when His own unspeakable sufferings were about to begin, He did not forget the little band of believers who stood around Him. He remembered their weakness. He knew how little fit they were to go into the fiery furnace of the High Priest's Palace, and Pilate's judgment-hall. He mercifully makes for them a way of escape. — " If ye seek Me, let these go their way." — It seems most probable that here also a miraculous influence accompanied his words. At any rate, not a hair of the disciples' heads was touched. While the

We need not hesitate to see in this incident an instructive type of all our Saviour's dealings with His people even at this day. He will not suffer them " to be tempted above that which they are able to bear." He will hold the winds and storms in His hands, and not allow believers, however sifted and buffeted, to be utterly destroyed. He watches tenderly over every one of His children, and, like a wise physician, measures out the right quantity of their trials with unerring skill. "They shall never perish, neither shall any one pluck them out of His hand." (John x. 28.) For ever let us lean our souls on this precious truth. In the darkest hour the eye of the Lord Jesus is upon us, and our final safety is sure.

We should notice, lastly, in these verses, our Lord^s perfect suhTnission to his Father'' s will. Once, in another place, we find Him saying, "If it be possible, let this cup pass from Me: nevertheless, not as I will, but as Thou wilt." Again, in another place, we find Him saying, " If this cup may not pass away from Me except I drink it, Thy will be done." Here, however, we find even a higher pitch of cheerful acquiescence: " The cup that my Father hath given Me, shall I not drink it? " (Matt, xxvi. 39—42.)

Let us see in this blessed frame of mind, a pattern for all who profess and call themselves Christians. Far as we may come short of the Master's standard, let this be the mark at which we continually aim. Determination to have our own way, and do only what we like, is one great source of unhappiness in the world. The habit of laying all our matters before God in prayer, and asking Him to choose our portion, is one chief secret of peace. He is the truly wise man who has learned to say at every stage of his journey, " Give me what thou wilt^ place me where Thou wilt, do with me as Thou wilt, but not my will, but Thine be done." This is the man who has the mind of Christ. By self-will Adam and Eve fell, and brought sin and misery into the world. Entire submission of will to the will of God is the best preparation for that heaven where God will be all.

1. — [Wlien Jesus...these words.'] This would have been more liitrally rendered, " Jesus having said these things." The " tilings " referred to, seem to me to include the discourse of the fifteenth and sixteenth chapters, as well as the prayer of the seventeenth.

Henry observes, " the office of the priest was to teach and pray and offer sacrifice. Christ, after teaching and praying, applies Himself to make atonement. He had said all He had to say as a prophet. He now addresses Himself to His work as priest."

[He went forth...disciples.'} The question arises, " From what place did He go forth? " and it receives very different answers.

Many, as Cyril, Ecolampadius, Maldonatus, Doddridge, and Ellicott, think that it only means He went forth from the room where He had held the Lord's Supper and delivered His part ing address and prayer. The advocates of this view hold that our Lord did not actually go out of the room, when He said, at the end of the fourteenth chapter, " Arise, let us go hence," and that He probably continued His discourse, and prayed standing. This, to say the least, seems a very unnatural view.

Some, as Burgon, think that our Lord spoke the latter part of His address and prayer within the precincts of the temple, and that the words before us mean that He moved away from the temple. This, however seems hardly probable. It was night, we know. There is no evidence that gatherings of people by night were held within the temple precincts.

The most probable view, in my opinion, seems to be that Jesus went forth out of the city, after concluding His discourse and prayer, and that after leaving the room where our Lord's Supper was held, at the end of the fourteenth chapter, He spoke and prayed near the gates, or within the city walls. He left the room when He said, " Arise, let us go hence." Then having reached some quiet spot near the walls. He continued His discourse and prayed. Then after that he went out of the city This seems to me the more natural account.

[Over the hrook Cedron.l The Cedron here mentioned, is the game as the Kidron named more than once in the Old Testament. The word " brook " means, literally, a " winter torrent," and this, according to all travellers, is precisely what the Kidron is. Excepting in winter, or after rains, it is merely the dry bed of a water-course. It lies on the east side of Jerusalem, between the city and the Mount of Olives. It is the same Kidron which David passed over weeping, when obliged to flee from Jerusalem by the rebellion of Absalom. (2 Sam. xv. 2o.) It is the same Kidron by the aide of which Asa burnt the idol of his mother Maachah (2 Chron. xv. 16), and into which Josiah cast the dust of the idolatrous altars which he destroyed. (2 Kings xxiii. 12.)

Lampe says that the way by which our Lord left the city, was the way by which the scape-goat, Azazel, was annually sent out into the wilderness on the great day of atonement.

Bishop Andrews says that " the first breach made by the Komans, when Titus took Jerusaltm, was at the brook Cedron, where they took Christ,"

[Where was a garden...disciples.] There can be little doubt that this garden is the same as the " place called Gethsemane." What kind of a garden it was we know not, unless a garden of olive trees. Probably it was neither a garden of flowers nor of herbs, but simply a place enclosed, where trees were sheltered and encouraged to grow, in order to provide a quiet shady retirement away from the bustle of the city. Whether it was a public garden, or private property, we know not. Hengstenberg conjectures that" the owner of the place must have stood in some special relation to Jesus," and that this accounts for His frequent and free resort to the place. He also conjectures that the '* young man" named in Mark xiv. 51, 52, must have belonged to the family of the owner. This however, is pure conjecture.

Almost all commentators notice the curious fact that the fall of Adam and Eve took place in a garden, and Christ's passion also began in a garden, and the sepulchre where Christ was laid was in a garden, and the place where He was crucified was in a garden. (John xix. 41.)

Augustine remarks, " It was fitting that the blood of the Physician should there be poured out, where the disease of the Bick man first commenced,"

Gualter remarks that the first Adam had everything that was pleasant in the Grarden of Eden, and yet fell. The second Adam had everything that was painful and trying in the Garden of Gethsemane, but was a glorious conqueror.

The agony in Gethsemane, we may observe, is entirely passed over by John in His Gospel; and for wise reasons, we need not doubt. But it is evident that it took place at this point of the narrative. The order of things is: first, the Lord's Supper,— then the long discourse recorded by John alone, — then the marvellous prayer, — then the going over Cedron into the garden, — then the agony, — and then the arrival of Judas and the capture of our Lord. It is plain therefore that there is a pause in the narrative of John's Gospel at this point, and that we must allow a little space of time for the agony, after our Lord " went out " of the city and crossed the Cedron. This would make the arrival of Judas and the soldiers far on in the night.

Lightfoot mentions a curious fact which he draws from a Jewish writer, — that the blood from the sacrifices in the temple ran down a drain into the brook Kidron, and was then sold to the gardeners for the purpose of dressing their gardens. The blood having been consecrated, could not be put to common uses without sin, and therefore the gardeners paid for it as much as would buy a trespass offering. This is curious, if true.

2. — [And Judas also, etc.] This verse is one of John's peculiar explanatory comments. He tells us that this garden was a place where our Lord and His disciples were in the habit of assembling together, when they went up to Jerusalem at the great Jewish feasts. At such seasons the crowd of worshippers was very great; and many had to content themselves with such shelter as they could find under trees, or rocks, in the open air. This is what Luke means when he says, "At night He went out and abode in the mount that is called the Mount of Olives." (Luke xxi. 37.) Excepting at the celebration of the first Lord's Supper, we have no mention of our Lord ever being in any 7ious6 in Jerusalem.

Chrysostom remarks, '* It is evident from this that Jesus generally passed the night out of doors."

Bucer thinks that Judas specially knew the place where our Lord used to pray. Our Lord's habits of prayer were as well known as those of Daniel.

The fact that the traitor Judas " knew the place," while our Lord deliberately went there, shows three things. One is, that our Lord went to His death willingly and voluntarily; He went to the " garden," knowing well that Judas was acquainted with the place. — Another thing is, that our Lord was in the habit of going to this garden so " often," that Judas felt sure He would be found there. — Another thing is, that the heart of Judas must have been desperately hard, when, after so many seasons of spiritual refreshment as he must have seen in tliis garden, he could use his knowledge for the purpose of betraying his Master. He "knew the place," because he had often heard hia Master teaching and praying there. He knew it from spiritual associations, and yet turned his knowledge to wicked ends!

May we not learn from this verse that there is nothing to be ashamed of, nothing wrong, in loving one place more than another, and choosing one place more than another, for communion with God? Even our blessed Lord had one special place, near Jerusalem, more than other places, to which He often resorted. The common idea of some, that it matters not where or in what place we worship, and that it is unspiritual and wrong to care for one seat in church more than another, can hardly be reconciled with this verse.

The Greek words rendered " resorted thither," are literally " were gathered together there."

S. — [Judas then having received, etc^ This verse begins John's circumstantial account of the taking and subsequent passion of our Lord Jesus Christ. A careful reader will not fail to observe that Jolin entirely passes over several points in this history which are mentioned by the three other Gospel writers, and not least tlie bargaining of Judas with the priests to betray our Lord for money. But it is evident that John assumes that his readers were acquainted with the other three Gospels, and purposely dwells on points which they had not mentioned.

The expression " a band of men," can only mean " the detachment of Koman soldiers " which had been lent by Pilate to the priests for the occasion. Some think that it means literally •' a cohort," which was the tenth part of a legion, and consisted of four or five hundred men. This, however, seems doubtful. Yet Matthew speaks of Judas coming, and " a great multitude with him." (Matt. xxvi. 47.)

The " officers " mean the Jewish servants of the priests and Pharisees, who accompanied the Roman soldiers. The party, therefore, which Judas led consisted of two distinct elements, — Romish soldiers detached from the garrison of Jerusalem, and Jewish servants got together by the leaders of the Jews. Gentiles and Jews were, therefore, equally concerned in the arrest. The number of the party was probably large, from the fear of an attempt at a rescue by the Galilean Jews, who were supposed to favor our Lord. They would be at Jerusalem in large numbers at the Passover, and after our Lord's recent triumphal entry into Jerusalem, the priests might well feel doubts whether they would allow Him to be made a prisoner without a struggle.

Chrysostom remarks that " these men had often, at other times, been sent to seize Him, but had not been able. Hence it is plain that at this time He voluntarily surrendered Himself."

The " lanterns and torches " at first sight may seem to have been needless, as the moon at Passover time was full. But they were doubtless intended to assist the party in searching for our Lord if he endeavored to hide Himself amonfj: the rocks and

The " weapons " most probably apply to the Jewish servants of the priests. It is unreasonable to suppose that Roman soldiers would ever move without their arms. For fear of resistance the Jewish portion of the party took arms also.

Burkitt remarks on the activity and energy of wicked men, " At the very time when Peter, James, and John were sleeping in the garden, Judas and his bloody followers were gathering, marching, and planning a murder."

The confidence of Judas that our Lord would be in the garden, shows plainly how familiar he was with our Lord's habits on the occasion of his visits to Jerusalem.

4. — [Jesus...knoioing... come iipon Him.] This sentence shows our Lord's perfect foreknowledge of everything that was about to happen to Him. Never was there a more willing, deliberate, and voluntary suflferer than our Lord. The words " things that should come" would be more literally rendered "the things coming," in the present tense.

The best of martyrs, like Ridley and Latimer, did not know for certain, up to the moment of their deaths, that something might not occur to alter the mind of their persecutors and save their lives. Our Lord knew perfectly well that His death was sure, by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God,

Ford quotes a saying of Pinart, that " what rendered Christ's suflFerings most terrible was the perfect foreknowledge He had of the torments He should endure. From the first moment of His life He had present to His mind the scourge, the thorns, the cross, and the agonizing death which awaited Him. Saw He a lamb in the meadow or a victim in the temple, the sight reminded Him that He was the lamb of God, and that He was to be offered up a sacrifice."

[Wejit forth.] This must mean that our Lord came forward from that part of the garden where He was, and did not wait for the party of Judas to find Him. On the contrary he suddenly showed Himself, and met them face to face. The effect of this action alone must have been startling to the soldiers. They would feel at once that they had to do with no common person.

Henry remarks, " When the people would have forced Him to take a crown and wished to make Him a king he withdrew and hid Himself. (John vi. 15.) Bat when they came to force Him to His cross He offered Himself. He came to this world to suffer, and went to the other world to reign."

Lampe remarks that the first Adam hid himself in the garden. The second Adam went forth to meet His enemies. The first felt guilty, the second innocent.

[And said... Whom seek ye?] Jesus Himself was tlie first to epeak, and did not wait to be challenged or commanded to surrender. This sudden question no doubt would take the party of Judas by surprise, and prepare the way for the mighty miracle which followed. The soldiers must needs have felt, " this is not the language or manner of a malefactor or a guilty man."

5. — \_They answered... Jesus...Nazareth.l This would be more literally rendered " Jesus the Nazarene." It is certainly hard to suppose that those who said this could have known that Jesus Himself was speaking to them. It looks as if they did not know our Lord by sight, or could not believe that the bold speaker before them could be the prisoner they came to apprehend. That many of the party did not know our Lord by sight, is clear from the fact mentioned by Matthew and Mark, that Judas had given them a sign: " Whomsoever 1 kiss, that same is He: hold Him fast," This sign, therefore, had not yet been given. Probably there was no time for it. The coming forward and question of our Lord had taken place so suddenly that they took the whole party by surprise.

Chrysostom, Cyril, Theophylact, Gualter, Brentius, Gerhard, and Ferus, think that our Lord miraculously blinded the eyes of the party, so that they did not recognize him, as Elisha blinded the Syrians. (2 Kings vi. 18.) They had lights, and they must have known his voice. But they seem to have been unable to know him. Musculus thinks they did not recognize Him, and thought Him a disciple.

{Jesus saith...l am He.] Our Lord here makes a plain, bold, full avowal that He is the very person whom they seek. It must have been a most startling announcement.

The words in the Greek are literally " I am." Some have thought that there was an intentional reference to the famous passage in Exodus, where the Lord says, " I AM hath sent you." (Exodus iii. 14), to which also our Lord certainly did refer in John viii. 58. But it seems very doubtful whether such a reference would have been used in speaking to such a party as those who came to seize our Lord.

[And Judas...stood with them.] It is not quite clear why this little sentence is put in here. It may be meant to show the desperate wickedness of Judas. He stood side by side with the enemies of Jesus. — It may be meant to show that even Judas himself was staggered and confounded by our Lord's boldness, and did not give his companions the promised sign, not recognizing him any more than the others. The false apostle stood there like one struck dumb. — It may be meant to show that Judas himself was a witness and a subject of one of the last great miracles our Lord wrought. He himself was once more to feel, and experience proof, that the Master he betrayed had

6 — [As soon then as He had said, etc.] I cannot doubt tliat tbe thing here related was a great miracle. I have not the slightest sympathy with Alford and others, who try to explain it away partially, by reminding us of the awe and reverence which a great and good man sometimes inspires in inferior minds. Such an explanation will never account for the fact here recorded, — that the band of Homan soldiers and the servants of the priests, in fact the whole body of armed men who came to seize on our Lord, " went backward and fell on the earth," on hearing our Lord say, " I am He." The Roman soldiers, especially, knew nothing about our Lord, and had no cause to fear Him. The only reasonable account of the event is that it was a miracle. It was an exercise for the last time of that same Divine power by which our Lord calmed the waves, stilled the winds, cast out devils, healed the sick, and raised the dead. And it was a miracle purposely wrought at this juncture, in order to show the disciples and their enemies that our Lord was not taken because He could not help it, or crucified because He could not prevent it; but because He was willing to suffer and die for sinners. He came to be a willing sufferer for our sins, that the Scriptures might be fulfilled. (Comp, Matt, xxvi, 53.) The effect of the miraculous influence put forth by our Lord, seems to have been that the party who came to seize Him were for a little time struck down to the ground, like men struck down, but not killed, by lightning, and rendered so helpless that our Lord and His disciples might easily have escaped. How long they lay on the ground we are not told, but there certainly seems to be some pause at the end of the verse. It seems clear to me that the miracle saved the disciples from being taken prisoners, and so far awed the party of Judas that they were satisfied to seize our Lord only, and either intentionally let the eleven go, or in their fear of some further display of miraculous power, neglected them, and gave them time to escape. That it also made the whole party of Judas without excuse, is equally clear. They could never say they had no evidence of our Lord's divine power. They had felt it in their own persons.

Burgon sees in this incident something which recalls to mind the prophetic words of the Psalmist: " When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell." (Psal. xxvii. 2.)

Augustine remarks, " What shall He do when He comes to judge, who did this when about to be judged? Wliat shall be His might when He comes to reign, who had this might when He was at the point to die? "

The effort of some to lessen the miraculous character of this circumstance, by quoting such a case as the classical story of the soldier being daunted by the appearance of the Eoman General Caius Marius, is weak and evasive. A whole cohort of Roman soldiers would not fall down without miraculous interference. If not a miracle, the event is utterly inexplicable and contrary to experience.

7. — [Then asked He them again, etc.] Our Lord repeats His question, as if to test the effect of the miraculous exhibition of power which He had just given to His enemies. But they were hardened, like Pharaoh and the Egyptians under the miraculous plagues of Egypt. As soon as they rose from the ground, they proved, that though frightened, they were not turned from tlieir purpose. They still seek to take Jesus of Nazareth.

8. — [Jesus answered...! am He.] The dignity and calmness of our Lord at this point are very striking. Knowing full well all the insults and barbarous usage about to begin in a few minutes, He repeats His declaration. " I am He whom you seek. Behold Me; here I am, ready to surrender myself into your hands."

[// therefore...Me...let them...way.] The tender thoughtfulness of our Lord for His weak disciples is strikmgly shown in this sentence. Even at this trying moment He thought more of others than of Himself. " If I alone am the person you seek to make prisoner, if your commission is to seize Me only, then let these my followers go away, and do not harm them." Once more, we need not doubt tliat the miraculous power accompanied these words, and that insensibly a restraint was laid upon our Lord's enemies, so that they felt obhged to let the disciples escape.

The tender sympathy and consideration of our great High Priest for His people come out very beautifully in this place, and would doubtless be remembered by the eleven long afterwards. They would remember that the very last thought of their Master, before He was nmde a prisoner, was for them and their safety.

Christ's protecting power over all His believing people is plainly taught in this passage.

Jansenius remarks, that to this saying we may attribute the safety of Peter, though he smote with the sword and got inside the high priest's palace, and of John, though he stood by the cross.

Besser quotes a saying of Luther, that this was as great a miracle as that of casting the party to the ground. To tie the hands of the party of Judas and prevent them touching His disciples, was a mighty exercise of Divine power.

9. — [That the. sayinrj might he fuljilled, etc.] In this verse we have one of tliose parenthetical comments or explanations

"svhicTi are so often found in John's Gospel. He reminds us that our Lord's interference to secure the safety of His disciples at this crisis was a fulfilment in fact of His expression in prayer, " none of them is lost."

Some persons see a difiiculty here, and object that in the prayer our Lord speaks of eternal salvation, while here He is only speaking of temporal safety. Yet there seems no solid ground for the objection. Our Lord's preservation of His disciples included the means as well as the end. One means of preserving them from making shipwreck of the faith altogether, was to keep them from being tempted above what they could bear. Our Lord knew that they would be so tempted, and that their souls were not strong enough to bear tlie trial. If they had been taken prisoners and. brought before Caiaphas and Pilate, with Himself, their faith would have failed entirely. He therefore provides for their escape, and overrules the plans of His enemies, so that the eleven were " let go." And thus He literally carried out what he had mentioned in prayer. He prevented any of them being lost. They would have Ijeen lost so far as man's eye can judge, if He had not provided a way of escape, and prevented them being tempted beyond their strength- The care of Jesus over His people provides the means of perseverance and continuance in the faith, as well as the great end of eternal salvation.

Chrysostom remarks, " By loss He doth not here mean temporal death, but eternal.

Calvin remarks, " The Evangelist does not speak merely of their bodily life, but means that Christ, sparing them for a time, provided for their eternal salvation. Consider how great their weakness was. What do we think they would have done alone, if brought to the test? Christ did not choose they should be tried beyond the strength He had given, and rescued them from eternal destruction."

It seems to me most probable that at this point of the history the " kiss " of Judas and His " Hail Master " come in. At any rate it is diflScult to suppose that Judas could have kissed our Lord, when he first " went forth," and surprised the band by meeting them. There does not seem time for the salutation, nor does it seem probable that Judas would first kiss our Lord and then fall to the ground. Nor does the repeated answer of the band to the question " Whom seek ye? " give the idea that they had as yet recognized our Lord, or had any sign from Judas. I give this as my own conjecture, and admit that the maiter is doubtful. But I must think that as soon as the band of soldiers recovered their presence of mind, Judas came forward and kissed our Lord, and then the capture took place. This is the order of events maintained by Chrysostom, Cyril, Theophylact, Gerhard, Jansenius, Lightfoot, Stier, and Alford.

mentioned is recorded by all the four Gospel- writers, but John alone gives tiie name of Peter as the striker, and of Malchus as the person struck. The reason commonly assigned for this is prol^ably correct. John's Gospel was written long after the other three, when Peter and Malchus were both dead, and their names could, therefore, be safely mentioned.

Peter's impetuous temperament comes out in the action before us. Impulsive, earnest, zealous, and inconsiderate of consequences, he acted hastily, and his zeal soon cooled down and was changed into fear. It is not those who are for a time most demonstrative and fervent, whose religion is deepest. John never smote with the sword; but John never denied his Lord, and was at the foot of the cross when Christ died.

The use of the article " the" before " servant " would seem to indicate that Malchus was some person well known as an at tendant of Caiaphas.

Whether the ear was cut olBF entirely, or only so cut as to hang down by the skin, may be left to conjecture. In any case we know that it gave occasion for the last miracle of bodily cure which our Lord ever wrought. Luke tells us that He " touched " the ear, and it was instantaneously healed. To the very end of His ministry our Lord did good to His enemies, and gave proof of His divine power. But His hardened enemies gave no heed. Miracles alone convert no one. As in the case of Pharaoh, they only seem to make some men harder and more wicked.

We cannot doubt that Peter meant to kill Malchus with this blow, which was probably aimed at his head. His own agitation probably, and the special interposition of God, alone prevented him taking away the life of another, and endangering his own life and that of his fellow-disciples. What might have happened if Malchus had been killed, no one can tell.

Musculus remarks how entirely Peter seems to have forgotten all His Master's frequent predictions that He would be delivered to the Gentiles and be condemned to death, and acts as if he could prevent what was coming. It was clearly an impulsive act, done without reflection. Zeal not according to knowledge often drives a man into foolish actions, and makes work for repentance.

11.— [Then said Jesus..Me sheath.] This was the language of firm and decided rebuke. It was meant to teach Peter, and all Christians in every age. that the Gospel is not to be propagated or maintained by carnal weapons, or by smiting and violence. Matthew adds the solemn words "All they that take the sword phall perish with the sword." How needful the rebuke, and how true the comment, have often been proved by the history of the Church of Christ. The appeal to the sword can rarely be justified, and has often recoiled on the lieadof its promoters.

The wars of the Protestants on the Continent after the Reformation, and the American war between North and South, furnished melancholy proofs of this. Some of the best Christians have died on battle fields. Taking the sword, they perished by the sword.

St. John, for wise reasons, does not mention the miraculous healing of Malchus. Burgon takes occasion to remark that even in the hour of our Lord's apparent weakness He gave His enemies a miracle of power and a miracle of mercy, — power in striking them to the ground, mercy in healing.

[The cup... Father...given...drink it.] This beautiful saying is peculiar to St. John's Gospel. It was meant to show our Lord's perfect willingness and readiness to drink the bitter cup of suffering which was before Him. It should always be read in connection with the two other expressions about "the cup" which our Lord had very shortly before used in the garden of Gethsemane. First came the prayer, " If it be possible lettliis cup pass from Me." Then came the resigned declaration, " If this cup may not pass from Me except I drink it, Thy will be done." And last of all comes the firm and composed assertion of perfect readiness for anything: *' Shall I not drink the cup given to Me by my Father? " The three expressions taken together are deeply instructive. They show that our Lord in His agony prayed for relief. They show that His prayer was first answered by His being able to submit entirely to His Father's will. They show that His prayer was finally answered by His being able to show complete willingness to sufibr. What an example this is for all believers in the time of trouble! Like our Master we may pray about it, and hope that like Him we shall obtain help by prayer. What a proof this is of our Lord's power to sympathize with suffering believers. He knows their conflicts by experience.

The absolute voluntariness of Jesus Christ's suifering for us is nowhere perhaps more remarkably brought out than in this passage. He resents and rebukes the effort of a zealous disciple to repel force by force. He speaks of His sufferings as "a cup" given to Him by His Father, and appointed in the everlasting counsels of the Trinity, and as one which He cheerfully and willingly drinks. " Shall I not drink it? Would you have me refuse it? Would you prevent my dying for sinners? " It is the more marvellous when we reflect that He who thus willingly suffered was God Almighty as well as man. Nothing can account for the whole scene but the doctrine of atonement and substitution.

To the eye of some, our Lord's sufferings were forced on Him by the Jews. Yet when He speaks of them here. He looks far above second causes. He says. His sufferings were " the cup given to Him by the Father." Are not all the sufferings of God's children to be regarded in the same light?

Calvin warns us here that while we ought to be ready to drink any cup appointed by our Father, " we must not listen to those

fanatics who tell us that we may not seek remedies for diseases and any other kind of distresses, lest we reject the cup presented to us by our heavenly Father."

Henry observes on the word " cup " as applied to affliction:

" It is but a cup, a small matter comparatively, be it what it will. — It is not a sea, a Red sea, or a Dead sea, for it is not hell; it is light, and but for a moment. — It is a cup that is given us: suflferings are gifts. — It is given us by a Father, by one who has a Father's authority, and does us no wrong, — a Father's affection, and means us no hurt."

Bengel remarks that John here evidently pre-supposes the particulars detailed by Matthew about " the cup," named by our Lord in prayer, to be things known by his readers. Paley also notices the expression as one of the undesigned coincidences of Scripture.

12 Then the band and the captain and officers of the Jews took Jesus, and bound him,

13 And led him away to Annas first; for he was father in law to Caiaphas, which was the high priest that satne year.

14 Now Caiaphas was he, which gave counsel to the Jews, that it was expedient that one man should die for the people.

15 And Simon Peter followed Jesus, and so did another disciple: that disciple was known nnto the high priest, and went in Math Jesus ^uto the palace of the h'irh priest.

■•6 But Peter stood.-vt the door wi^ lOut. Then went out that other disciple, which was known unto the high priest, and spake unto her that kept the door, and brought in Peter.

17 Then saith the damsel that kept the door unto Peter, Art not thou •Iso one of this man's disciples? He saith I am not.

18 And tke servants and officers #tood there, who had made a fire of "toals; for it was cold: and they warmed themselves: and Peter stood ivith them, and warmed himself.

19 The high priest then asked

20 Jesus answered him, I spake openly to the world; I ever taught in the synagogue, and in the temple, whither the Jews always resort; and in secret have I said nothing.

21 Why ask est thou me? ask their which heard me, what I have said unto them: behold, they know what I said.

22 And when he had thus spoken, one of the officers which stood by struck Jesus with the palm of his hand, saying, Answerest thou the high priest so?

23 Jesus answered him, if I have spoken evil, bear witness of the evil: but if well, why smitest thou me?

24 Now Annas had sent him bound unto Caiaphas the high priest.

25 And Simon Peter stood ana warmed himself They said there fore unto him. Art thoii not also onti of his disciples? He d<jni>-d it, and said, I am not.

26 One of the servants of the high priest, being his kinsman whose ear Peter cut off, saith, Did not I see thee in t^-e garden with him 1

27 Peier then denied again: an 1 immediately the cock crew.

In this part of St. John's history of Christ's suiferingg, three wonderful things stand out upon the surface of the narrative, lo these three let us confine our attention.

We should mark, for one thing, the amazing hardness of unconverted men. We see this in the conduct of the men by whom our Lord was taken prisoner. Some of them most probably were Roman soldiers, and some of them were Jewish servants of the priests and Pharisees. But in one respect they were all alike. Both parties saw our Lord's divine power exhibited, when they " went backward, and fell to the ground." Both saw a miracle, according to St. Luke's Gospel, when Jesus touched the ear of Malchus and healed him. Yet both remained unmoved, cold, indifferent and insensible, as if they had seen nothing out of tie common way. They went on coolly with their odious business. " They took Jesus, bound Him, and led Him away."

The degree of hardness and insensibility of conscience to which men may attain, when they live twenty or thirty years without the slightest contact with religion, is something awful and appalling. God and the things of God seem to sink out of sight and disappear from the mind's eye. The world and the things of the world seem to absorb the whole attention. In such jases we may well believe miracles would produce little or no effect, as in the case before us. The eye would gaze on them, like the eye of a beast looking at a romantic landscape, without any impression being made on the heart. He who thinks that seeing a miracle would convert him into a thorough Christian has got much to learn.

Let us not wonder if we see cases of hardness and unbelief in our own day and generation. Such cases will continually be found among tho^se classes cf mankind, who from their profession or position are completely cut off from means of grace. Twenty or thirty years of total irreligion, without the influence of Sunday, Bible, or Christian teaching, will make a man's heart hard as the nether mill-stone. His conscience at latt will seem dead, buried, and gone. He will appear past feeling. Painful as these cases are, we must not think them peculiar to our own times. They existed under Christ's own eyes, and they will exist until Christ returns. The Church which allows any portion of a population to grow up in practical heathenism, must never be surprised to see a rank crop of practical infidelity.

We should mark, for another thing, the amazing condescension of our Lord Jesus Christ. We see the Son of God taken prisoner and led away bound like a inalefactor, — arraigned before wicked and unjust judges, — insulted and treated with contempt. And yet this unresisting prisoner had only to will His deliverance, and He would at once have been free. He had only to command the confusion of His enemies, and they would at once have been confounded. Above all He was One who knew full well that Annas and Caiaphas, and all their companions, would one day stand before His judgment seat and receive an eternal sentence. He knew all these things, and yet condescended to be treated as a malefactor without resisting.

One thing at any rate is very clear. The love of Christ to sinners is " a love that passeth knowledge." To suffer for those whom we love, and who are in some sense worthy of our affections, is suffering that we can understand. To submit t6 ill-treatment quietly, when we have no power to resist, is submission that is both gracf^ful and wise. But to suffer voluntarily, when we have the power to prevent it, and to suffer for a world of unbelieving ana ungodly sinners, unasked and unhanked, — this is a line of conduct which passes man's understanding. Never let us forget that this is the peculiar beauty of Christ's sufferings, when we read the wondrous story of His cross and passion. He was led away captive, and dragged before the High Priest's bar, not because He could not help Himself, but because He had set His whole heart on saving sinners, — by bearing their sins, by being treated as a sinner, and by being punished in their stead. He was a willing prisoner, that we might be set free. He was willingly arraigned and condemned, that we might be absolved and declared innocent. — "He suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us unto God." — " Though He was rich, yet for our sakes He became poor, that we through His poverty might be rich." — " He was made sin for us who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him." (1 Peter iii. 18; 2 Cor. viii. 9; v. 21.) Surely if there is any doctrine of the Gospel which needs to be clearly known, it is the doctrine of Christ's voluntary substitution. He suffered and died willingly and unresistingly, because He knew that He had come to be our substitute, and by substitution to purchase our salvation.

We should mark, lastly, the amazmg degree of weakness that may he found in a real Christian,. We see this exemplified in a most striking manner, in the conduct of the Apostle Peter. We see that famous disciple forsaking his Master, and acting like a coward, — running away when he ought to have stood by His side, — ashamed to own Him when he ought to have confessed Him, — and finally denying three times that He knew Him. And this takes place immediately after receiving the Lord's Supper — after hearing the most touching address and prayer that mortal ear ever heard — after the plainest possible warnings — under ihe pressure of no very serious temptation. " Lord," we may well say, " what is man that Thou art mindful of him? " " Let him that thinketh he standeth, take heed lest he fall." (1 Cor. X. 12.)

This fall of Peter is doubtless intended to be a lessor to the whole Church of Christ. It is recorded for our learning, that we be kept from like sorrowful overthrow. It is a beacon mercifully set up in Scripture, to prevent others making shipwreck. It shows us the danger of pride and self-confidence. If Peter had not been so sure that although all denied Christ, he never would, he would probably never have fallen. — It shows us the dan ger of laziness. If Peter had watched and prayed, when our Lord advised him to do so, he would have found grace to help him in the time of need. — It shows us, not least, the painful influence of the fear of man. Few are aware, perhaps, how much more they fear the face of man whom they can see, than the eye of God whom they cannot see. These things are written for our admonition. Let us remember Peter and be wise.

After all let us leave the passage with the comfortable reflection that we have a merciful and pitiful High Priest, who can be touched with the feeling of our infirmities, and will not break the bruised reed. Peter no doubt fell shamefully, and only rose again after heartfelt repentance and bitter tears. But he did rise again. He was not left to reap the consequence of his sin, and cast off" for evermore. The same pitiful hand that saved him from drowning, when his faith failed him on the waters, was once more stretched out to raise him when he fell in the High Priest's hall. Can we doubt that he rose a wiser and better man? If Peter's fall has made Christians see more clearly their own great weakness and Christ's great compassion, then Peter's fall has not been recorded in vain.