Christ foretells the Coming Desertion of the Eleven, and promises to meet them in Galilee after the Resurrection: Peter and the others protest their fidelity: Christ, for the third time, foretells Peter's Denials.

(ON THE WAY TO GETHSEMANE.)

(c. xxvi. 31-35.)

"Then saith Jesus unto them, All ye shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad.

But after I am risen again, I will go before you into Galilee. Peter answered and said unto him, Though all men shall be offended because of thee, yet will I never be offended.

Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, That this night, before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. Peter said unto him, Though I should die with thee, yet will I not deny thee. Likewise also said all the disciples."

"It is written," &c.,-in Zech. xiii. 7,-" Awake, O sword! against my shepherd, and against the man that is my fellow, saith the Lord of Hosts; smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered: and I will turn my hand upon the little ones."

"Before the cock crow," &c.-Mark has, " Before the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny me thrice." The cock crows twice, at about the middle of the night, and at daybreak; the latter was called "the cock-crowing." It is to this one Matthew refers, while Mark, with greater definiteness, mentions both.

John records further lengthy discourse of Christ to His disciples, (followed by intercessory prayer) delivered at this time. Some think that it was spoken in the Supper Chamber; but, as John makes Christ say, at the conclusion of c. xiv. "Arise! let us go hence," it would appear rather that it was uttered on the way to the Garden.

are

The subjects of this Final Discourse, as recorded by John,

C. XV. -The Parable of the True Vine and its Branches.
Brotherly love enjoined.
Persecution foretold.

The Comforter promised, and His office de-
scribed.

c. xvi.-Persecution again foretold.

The Comforter again promised.

Declaration that He must leave them; but that they shall see Him again.

Promise that anything asked in His name shall be granted.

The disciples' faith strengthened to endure tribulation.

c. xvii.—Christ's Great Intercessory Prayer for all His followers.

FRIDAY.

Christ's Agony.

(IN THE GARDEN OF GETHSEMANE.)

(c. xxvi. 36-46.)

"Then cometh Jesus with them unto a place called Gethsemane, and saith unto the disciples, Sit ye here, while I go and pray yonder.

And he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful and very heavy.

Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me.

And he went a little farther, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.

And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth_them asleep, and saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour? Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.

He went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done.

And he came and found them asleep again: for their eyes were heavy.

And he left them, and went away again, and prayed the third time, saying the same words.

Then cometh he to his disciples, and saith unto them, Sleep on now, and take your rest: behold, the hour is at hand, and the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise, let us be going: behold, he is at hand that doth betray me.'

Matthew, Mark, and Luke, narrate the Agony,-the two former being identical, with the exception that

Mark, while recording Christ's third return, does not state that he went away a third time, and prayed.

Luke omits Christ's taking three of the apostles with Him; and mentions only one withdrawal, two acts of prayer, and one return,-viz., that to the main body of the Eleven. But he adds to the others' version, that, after Christ had prayed once, "there appeared an angel unto him from heaven strengthening him: and that He, then, "being in an agony, prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was, as it were, great drops of blood falling down to the ground."

John omits the Agony, merely stating that Christ entered, with His disciples, a garden which Judas knew to be one of His favourite resorts.

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66 Gethsemane" oil-press, because it, and the adjacent slopes abounded in olive-trees, whence great quantities of olive oil were obtained. The garden was at the foot of the Mount of Olives, and lay between it and the Brook Kedron, which John tells us Christ crossed to reach Geth

semane.

"The two sons of Zebedee,"-James and John.

66

Sorrowful," indicates in the original such violent sorrow as destroys all vital force, and threatens dissolution. Mark has, "amazed,"-indicating, in the original, "the most shocking amazement, mingled with grief."

"Very heavy,"-signifies, in the original, "overwhelmed with extremest anguish.'

66

Sorrowful, even unto death,"-experiencing sorrow such as of itself might be sufficient to cause death.

"Watch with me,"-i.e., " Be vigilant in prayer with me." The disciples needed to pray for fortitude under the trial of their faith and love which was so shortly to be made.

"Fell on his face," the usual posture in the East when a great favour was to be asked. The head was placed

between the knees, and the forehead made to touch the ground.

"This cup,"-Christ's approaching sufferings and death. There is here, perhaps, an allusion to the cup of poison which in ancient times was frequently given to condemned persons to drink.

"The disciples,"―i.e., the three.

"Could ye not watch with me one hour"?-This sadly reproachful utterance "Could you not resist sleep for so short a time, in order to pray for the strength you will presently need? How then will you be able to

the coming trial”?

66

"Enter into,"-should be, "yield to."

66 Temptation,"-i.e., to desert Him.

cope with

"The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak,"-i.e., You feel, in your hearts, while the temptation is not present, that you can resist it; but when it actually appears, and your fidelity to me threatens bodily sufferings to you, your "flesh" will shrink from the ordeal,-just as the desire of your spirits to pray has been overcome by the weariness of your bodies, and you have slept when you should have been supplicating strength for your approaching temptation."

The preceding rebuke was addressed more immediately "unto Peter,"-because he had been more vehement than the others in asserting his firmness.

"Them," the three.

"To his disciples,”—the three.

። Sleep on now, and take your rest,"-should be put as a question, "Are you asleep, and taking your rest now," ("when the hour of your temptation is at hand"?)

Mark adds, "It is enough,”—i.e., "You have slept sufficiently long; now you must be up and doing."

"Let us be going,"-not to escape, but boldly to meet His captors.

Luke tells us that Christ then joined the other eight apostles, (whom He had probably left at the gate of the Garden,) that "He found them sleeping for sorrow," (a strange, but not unfrequent, phenomenon), " and said unto them, Why sleep ye? Rise, and pray, lest ye enter into, (i.e., yield to), temptation."

Christ's Betrayal and Apprehension.

(IN GETHSEMANE.)

(c. xxvi. 47-56.)

"And while he yet spake, lo, Judas, one of the twelve, came, and with him a great multitude with swords and staves, from the chief priests and elders of the people.

Now he that betrayed him gave them a sign, saying, Whomsoever I shall kiss, that same is he: hold him fast. And forthwith he came to Jesus, and said, Hail, master; and kissed him.

And Jesus said unto him, Friend, wherefore art thou come? Then came they, and laid hands on Jesus, and took him.

And, behold, one of them which were with Jesus stretched out his hand, and drew his sword, and struck a servant of the high priest's, and smote off his ear. Then said Jesus unto him, Put up again thy sword into his place : for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword. Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels? But how then shall the scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be ?

In that same hour said Jesus to the multitudes, Are ye come out as against a thief with swords and staves for to take me? I sat daily with you teaching in the temple, and ye laid no hold on me.

But all this was done, that the scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled. Then all the disciples forsook him and fled."

All the Evangelists narrate this Incident.

Matthew, Mark, and Luke give much the same account. Matthew alone records Christ's question about the "legions of angels."

Mark omits Christ's answer to the kiss. He alone records the incident of a young man, having only a linen cloth on, following Jesus.