Ver. 1. Now the feast of unleavened bread, &c.] It is good to bring Bibles to church. Socrates relates of one Sabbatius, a Novatian bishop, that, reading this text, added such things of his own as carried away many simple people from the faith.
Ver. 2. How they might kill him] Not put him to death as judges, but kill him as cutthroats, ανελωσι. So Acts 2:23.
Ver. 3. Then entered Satan] He stood but at the door till now, that the business was concluded on.
Ver. 4. And communed with the chief priests] Suopte ingenio, ut reprobi angeli, saith an interpreter.
Ver. 5. And covenanted] Judas sold his salvation, and they bought their damnation, saith one. He made a match with mischief, and soon had enough of it.
Ver. 6. And he promised] εξωμολογησε, by mutual stipulation (saith Beza), wherein the one asketh, Dost thou promise to do such a thing the other answereth, I do promise. Like as of old it was, Credis? Credo. Abrenuncias? Abrenuncio. Believest thou? I do believe. Forsakest thou? I do forsake.
Ver. 7. The day of unleavened bread, when, &c.] It must be our care to cast out all filthiness of flesh and spirit (that old leaven) before we communicate, 1 Corinthians 5:7. First throw the baggage into the brook Kidron (the town ditch), and then “kill the Passover,” 2 Chronicles 30:14.
Ver. 8. See Matthew 26:17,18, &c.; Mark 14:12.
Ver. 9. See Matthew 26:17,18, &c.; Mark 14:12.
Ver. 10. See Matthew 26:17,18, &c.; Mark 14:12.
Ver. 15. With desire have I desired] How much more should we come with strong affections and lusty appetites to this holy supper! It is a virtue here to be a holy glutton, and to drink hearty draughts; that we may go from the table, as Christ from Jordan, full of the Holy Ghost. For this end consider what is before thee, as Proverbs 23:1, not to restrain appetite, but to provoke it. And the rather because Christ thus earnestly thirsted after our salvation, though he knew it should cost him so dear. See Luke 12:50.
Ver. 16. Until it be fulfilled] Until the old passover he abolished, and the new brought in place by my death and resurrection.
Ver. 17. And he took the cup] The cup of the common supper, John 13:2,3.
Ver. 18. See Matthew 26:29 Mr 14:25.
Ver. 19. See Matthew 26:26 Mr 14:22.
Ver. 23. And they began to inquire] Therefore the Lord had not perfectly pointed out the traitor to them; or if he did, they either heard not, or heeded not.
Ver. 24. There was also a strife] This was so much the worse in them, because immediately after the sacrament, and before the passion, which our Saviour had told them should fall out within two days after. Neither was this the first time that they had thus faulted, and were reproved for it.
Ver. 25. The kings of the Gentiles, &c.] In striving for precedence, the disciples showed themselves but Gentiles, who stand upon their birth and privileges. Exercise lordship over them] As he did with a witness (of whom Melancthon writeth) that wrung money from his miserable subjects, by knocking out their teeth, one by one, till he had what he would. (Joh. Maulii, loc. com.) Are called benefactors] Nedibim, bountiful princes, Psalms 47:9 83:12. Such a one was Titus, son of Vespasian, who never sent away any suitor sorrowful; and was the author of this brave speech, Hodie non regnavimus, quia neminem affecimus beneficio: We seem not to have reigned this day, because we have done no man a good turn today.
Ver. 26. See Matthew 20:25 Mr 10:42.
Ver. 27. I am among you as he that serveth] i.e. Not as a master, but rather as your fellow disciple. The prophets had their scholars to wait upon them, and to minister to them. God’s Levite had one man to ride with him, Judges 19:11; Balaam had two, Numbers 22:22.
Ver. 28. Ye are they which have continued, &c.] Agrippa having suffered imprisonment for wishing Gaius emperor, the first thing Gaius did after he came to the empire, was to prefer Agrippa to a kingdom. He gave him also a chain of gold as heavy as the chain of iron that was upon him in prison. And shall not Christ richly reward all those his suffering servants?
Ver. 29. And I appoint] Gr. διατιθεμαι, I bequeath as by my last will and testament. See Hebrews 9:17.
Ver. 30. That ye may eat and drink, &c.] As Mephibosheth and Chimham at David’s table which was a high favour.
Ver. 31. Simon, Simon] q.d. Mi charissimo Simon. Piscat. Satan hath desired, &c.] As a challenger desireth to have one of the other side to combat with, as Goliath did. He cannot harm us without leave. So he desired to have Job, and had him. That he may sift you] Cribratione Satanae non perditur, sed purgatur frumentum, saith Zanchy [See Trapp on “Mt 3:12”]
Ver. 32. But I have prayed] So the plaster is ready made before the wound be given; for else the patient might perish, as those do that are stung with scorpions, if not presently anointed with oil of scorpions. That thy faith fail not] It is our faith that Satan chiefly assaulteth: he knows that nihil retinct qui fidem perdidit. (Seneca.) Strengthen thy brethren] So he doth notably, in both his Epistles, dooming apostates most severely, 2 Peter 2.
Ver. 33. Lord, I am ready] Thus Peter overweened his own abilities; being melius semper animatus quam armatus, better affected than appointed.
Ver. 34. See Matthew 26:34 Mr 14:30 Joh 13:38.
Ver. 35. See Matthew 10:9 Lu 10:4.
Ver. 36. But now he that hath, &c.] Here the Captain of our salvation cries, Arm, arm; and under the name and notion of corporal weapons he intends all manner of spiritual preparations.
Ver. 37. For the things concerning me] i.e. Concerning my state of humiliation.
Ver. 38. It is enough] q.d. You speak absurdly: I mean not such kind of swords; let me hear no more of them.
Ver. 39. ] See Matthew 26:36 Mr 14:32 Joh 14:4.
Ver. 40. See Matthew 26:41 Mr 14:38.
Ver. 41. And he was withdrawn] For privacy’ sake to pray, though loth to leave their company, through extreme perplexity, which made him return so often to them, calling upon them to watch with him.
Ver. 42. lf thou be willing] He was so astonished with the greatness of his present pressures, that he seems for a time to suffer some kind of forgetfulness of his office.
Ver. 43. And there appeared] To show that he had made himself lower than the angels, Hebrews 2:7, he received comfort from an angel that was his servant. So in his agony he was glad of his apostles’ company, and the help of their poor prayers.
Ver. 44. And being in an agony] Μη δια τουτο ατιμος, οτι δια σε ταπεινονος, saith a Greek father. Alphonsus is honoured in histories for this, that he abased himself so far as to help one of his subjects out of a ditch. Shall not Christ much more be honoured that helped all his out of the ditch of damnation. He prayed more earnestly] εκτενεστερον, he bent, as it were, all his nerves, he intended the utmost activity of his spirit and of his speech; to make atonement for our dull and drowsy devotions. Great drops of blood] Clotty blood (θρομβους αιματος) issuing thr ough flesh and skin in great abundance. Oecolampadius tells of a certain poor man, who being kept hanging in the truss of the cord (which is a certain hanging by the hands behind, having a weighty stone fastened at their feet) the space of six hours, the sweat that dropped from his body for very pain and anguish, was almost blood. But here was no “almost” in our Saviour’s bloody sweat: while without any external violence, merely by the force of his own saddest thoughts working upon him, sanguinem congelatum quasi extruserit. (Bucholcer.) So great was Scanderbeg’s ardour in battle, that the blood burst out of his lips. But from oar Champion’s, not lips only, but whole body burst out a bloody sweat. Not his eyes only were fountains of tears, or his head waters, as Jeremiah wished, Jeremiah 9:1, but his whole body was turned, as it were, into rivers of blood: a sweet comfort to such as are cast down for that, that their sorrow for sin is not so deep and soaking as they could desire. Falling down to the ground] Through clothes and all, in a cold night; so great was the pressure of his passion here begun. He wept with his members; a strange kind of watering of a garden, as one saith.
Ver. 45. He found them sleeping] Who should have waked, and wiped off his sweat (as the angel did Theodorus the martyr’s), but they rather added to it by their security. (Socrates, Theodoret.)
Ver. 46. See Matthew 26:47 Mr 14:43 Joh 18:3.
Ver. 47. See Matthew 26:47 Mr 14:43 Joh 18:3.
Ver. 48. Judas, betrayest thou, &c.] Sic Iudaei, sub praetextu pietatis maxime delinquebant; et Deo osculum sine amore praebebant. (Bucholcer.) Julian the Apostate was no friend to Basil, though he wrote to him, φιλος φιλω και αδελφος αδελοω. Nor was Libanius the more to be believed for saying (in Epist. ad Basilium), βασιλειου με επαινησαντος κατα παντων εχω τα νικητηρια. If Basil commend me, I despise other men’s worse censures.
Ver. 49. Lord, shall we smite?] But before he could answer, Peter smote, which might easily have cost him his life. Quod dubites, ne feceris, is a safe rule.
Ver. 50. See Matthew 26:51 Mr 14:47 Joh 18:10.
Ver. 51. And he touched his ear, &c.] After he had laid them flat on the ground. So he tried them both ways; but nothing would do.
Ver. 52. Captain of the temple] [See Trapp on “Ac 4:1”]
Ver. 53. And the power of darkness] The “dark places of the earth are full of the habitations of cruelty,” Psalms 74:20. Creatures kept in the dark are fierce and furious. Had they known, they would never have crucified the Lord of glory, 1 Corinthians 2:8 “I did it ignorantly,” saith Paul concerning his persecuting the saints, 1 Timothy 1:13.
Ver. 54. See Matthew 26:57.
Ver. 55. See Matthew 26:69 Joh 18:25.
Ver. 56. Vide ibidem eum notis.
Ver. 57. Vide ibidem eum notis.
Ver. 58. Vide ibidem eum notis.
Ver. 59. Vide ibidem eum notis.
Ver. 60. Vide ibidem eum notis.
Ver. 61. And looked upon Peter] A stroke from guilt broke Judas’ heart into despair: but a look from Christ broke Peter’s heart into tears.
Ver. 62. See Matthew 26:75. Titubatio Petri, omnium petra.
Ver. 63. See Matthew 26:27 Mr 14:65 Joh 18:22 Isa 50:6. They scoffed him, not so much with their tongues as hands; plucking his beard, and pulling away hair and skin too, as the word δερειν importeth.
Ver. 65. And many other things] Shooting their sharpest arrows at him, even bearded arrows, which being once got into the flesh, cannot easily be pulled out but by tearing the flesh round about: and far worse than those shot by the Turks at the crucifix, when they sacked Constantinople, railing also, and spitting at it, and calling it the God of the Christians.
Ver. 66. See Matthew 27:1.
Ver. 67. Here the president of the council examineth him, as Luke 22:70 the assessors.
Ver. 68. Christ’s answer is partly reprehensory, partly concessory and comminatory; for it is a confession of the truth mixed with menaces of condign punishment.
Ver. 69. Christ’s answer is partly reprehensory, partly concessory and comminatory; for it is a confession of the truth mixed with menaces of condign punishment.
Ver. 70. Ye say that I am] Or, as Mark hath it more plainly, “I am,” Mark 14:62. Christ here useth a common kind of speech, to consent to what another saith.
Ver. 71. See Matthew 26:65.