garden into which Christ went. Grotius. As no gardens were allowed in the holy city, on account of the pollution of the weeds and dung, Bava Kama. c. 7. hal. ult. numbers were formed near the walls, and the mount of Olives. Lightfoot. V. 38. sorrowful even to death.] From Ps. cxvi. 3. See also Ps. xlii. xliii. Grotius. Of the excess of Christ's sorrow, and the cause, see Whitby ad loc. V. 39.-let this cup pass from me!] This cup is his death, not the present sorrow; as it is thus consistent with the correspondent passage in Mark, that "the hour might pass from him;" and with the request, John xii. 27. "Save me from this hour!" which evidently denotes the hour of death. This he wished to decline; yet submitted freely to the divine will. Phil. ii. 8. Heb. x. 7. Grotius. Grotius. The Jewish phrase, of a cup, expresses his death; (yet also any affliction, see note on c. xx. 22.) V. 39-if it be possible,] not repugnant to thy decrees; if no method of salvation be equally just and suitable. Otherwise, Mark xiv. 36. all things are possible to thee. Grotius. Whitby. V. 39. not as I will-] Here 670 in the Hebrew idiom, which has no potential or optative mood, is put for exo vellem quidem; but be it, not as I might wish, but as Thou wilt. Thus, contrary to the natural love of life, his will became the same as the divine. Rev. xii. 11. Acts xxi. 13. See Origen, lib. vii. adv. Celsum. Grotius. V. 41. that ye enter not-] Pray; not that they might not be tempted, of which see Luke xxii. 31, 32. but that they might not give place to it. Εισερχεσθαι here is in the sense of TITTE, immergi et succumbere. 1 Tim. vi. 9. The following words are a motive to this prayer and vigilance: when persecu tion and death impend, the spirit will be willing to undergo it, but the flesh may be weak and fail you. Whitby. Thus Grotius. V. 45. Sleep on now-] You can show no farther kindness to me, I am to be delivered to the Gentiles. (So Grotius.) Gal. ii. 15. Or, xabeυdaтe тo 201750Y, sleep hereafter and take your rest; now is no time for sleeping." So Phavorin. and Stephan. deinceps. So it may be rendered, Acts xxvii. 20. 1 Cor. i. 16. 2 Cor. xiii. 11. 2 Tim. iv. 8. Heb. x. 13. It is added in St. Mark, deye, it is enough that you have slept already. Or, with the Vulg. Gloss. and Bois, make it an interrogation: Do you sleep now? It is enough that you have slept already: arise now, let us be going. Whitby, see note on Mark xiv. 42. V. 45. of sinners.] As, sinners of the Gentiles, Gal. ii. 15. Or dvouous, Acts ii. 23. 1 Cor. ix. 21. Here, the Roman soldiers. Grotius. Or, generally, into the hands afterwards of Pilate and his officers. See note on Luke xxii. 52. infra. V. 49. -kissed him.] The Jews were accustomed to salute each other, not only after a long absence, or on taking leave, but usually on other occasions, from regard; as fully appears from Luke vii. 45. Hence the custom descended to the Christians. See Tertullian ad. Ux. lib. ii. et aliàs passim. This is the φιλημα αγαπης and άγιον of St. Paul. Thus Justin Apol. and Tertull. de Oratione. The custom yet prevails in the Eastern Church. Grotius. V. 51. one of them-] The three first Evangelists conceal his name. John, xviii. 10. acquaints us, it was Peter. It is possible, if Peter's name had been published whilst alive and in Judea, he might have VOL. I. 2 I been brought into danger for opposing the magistrates. Le Clerc. V. 52. all they that take the sword,] all that take the sword unlawfully, shall deservedly perish by it. Thus St. Augustin ad loc.; and it was a common proverbial expression with the Jews. But the import of the words here is, "Put up thy sword;-you need not attempt to use it in my defence. God will revenge my cause, in a distinguished manner, by the destruction of the Jewish nation." So Rev. xiii. 10. Rom. xii. 19. Grotius; and thus Whitby. Or t may possibly mean, that all those, who now come armed to seize me, shall hereafter fall by the sword, in the approaching seditions and conflicts. Le Clerc. V. 53. legions of angels-] See Dan. vii. 10. 2 Kings vi. 17. Grotius. V. 56. But all this was done-] This may refer to all our Lord's sufferings: but rather perhaps to Isa. liii. 12. "He was numbered with the transgressors ;' as respecting his speech just before-" Are ye come out as against a thief?" Le Clerc. V. 57.-to Caiaphas,] the high-priest-First to Annas, John xviii. 13. But this is not mentioned by the other Evangelists; as he appears only to have been brought there till a council was summoned at the house of Caiaphas. (So Whitby on Mark.) We see here the high-priest summoning the council, as Ananus the high-priest also in Josephus. Hence it is evident that the office of Nasi, or ruler of the people, did not then exist; whose peculiar business it would have been, zabite σuvedρiov, or, to summon, or form the council. Grotius. V. 59. —sought false witness-] Amongst the Jews, in prosecuting false prophets or seducers of the people, it was so far lawful to say any thing, true or false, that no man was permitted to appear in their defence. See P. Fagius, in his notes on Chald. Paraph. on Deut. xiii. 8. and Maimonides in Hilcoth Sanhedr. c. ii. So it is said, Acts vi. 11, 13. in the history of Stephen, that "they suborned men." The Jews' present treatment of Christ is an antitype or further completion of their conduct towards Jeremiah, xxvi. 8, 9. Hammond. On false witnesses, see Lightfoot ad loc. V. 61. I will destroy-] Our Lord had said, "Destroy ye this temple," pointing to his body. The false witnesses testified that he said, "I am able," duvaμar in Mark, "I will destroy this temple." But to speak disrespectfully or even to prophesy against the temple, was deemed a capital offence; as Jer. xxvi. 11.; and Stephen, Acts vi. 13. “ against this holy place." Grotius. -; an hellenism; Thus δι' ἑπτα ἐτων. V. 61. in three days,] dia for διαγενομένων τριων ήμερων. Deut. xv. 1. Acts xxiv. 17. Grotius. V. 62. The high-priest arose-] See note on Mark xiv. 56. infra. V. 62. What is it which these-] T is frequently put for diari, why; as Matt. viii. 26. Luke ii. 48. John i. 25. Mark ii. 16. Then the sense may be: Why do these thus witness against you, if it were not true? or, To what end do men witness against thee, if thou wilt answer nothing? Whitby. But it seems imaginary. V. 63.-held his peace-] Thus, IWOTY TOIS GOCOLS ἀποκρισις. Eurip.—and Philo de Legatione: ἐστι γαρ V. 63. I adjure thee] Εξορκίζειν, or, ὁρκίζειν, nya. Josh. vii. 19. This form, or voice of V. 63. the Christ, the Son of God.] Synonymous 1 |