charity, nor had a reward been looked for, theirs had been the service of love: as they had loved their Saviour, so had they loved their neighbour also. To those on his left hand, the king says, Depart from me ye cursed, into everlasting fire. Without love to Christ, so without love to man; they had neglected every duty of charity, and thus stood condemned: for every man shall be judged according to his works. What more awakening lessons can we have than those contained in this chapter. To have our lamps trimmed, our talents improved, and our love to Christ shown by our love to our neighbour: these are our present duties, to what the fulfilling or the neglecting of them leads, is put before us in the future, with a clearness none can mistake. CHAPTER 26. VERSES 1-16. AND it came to pass, when Jesus had finished all these sayings, he said unto his disciples, 2 Ye know that after two days is the feast of the passover, and the Son of man is betrayed to be crucified, 3 Then assembled together the chief priests, and the scribes, and the elders of the people, unto the palace of the high priest, who was called Caiaphas. 4 And they consulted that they might take Jesus by subtilty and kill him. 5 But they said, Not on the feast day, lest there be an uproar among the people. 6 Now when Jesus was in Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper, 7 There came unto him a woman having an alabaster box of very precious ointment, and poured it on his head as he sat at meat. 8 But when his disciples saw it, they had indignation, saying, To what purpose is this waste? 9 For this ointment might have been sold for much and given to the poor. 10 When Jesus understood it, he said unto them, Why trouble ye the woman? for she hath wrought a good work upon me. 11 For ye have the poor always with you; but me ye have not always. 12 For in that she hath poured this ointment on my body, she did it for my burial. 13 Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached in the whole world, there shall also this, that this woman hath done, be told for a memorial of her. 14 Then one of the twelve called Judas Iscariot, went unto the chief priests, 15 And said unto them, What will ye give me, and I will deliver him unto you? And they covenanted with him for thirty pieces of silver, 16 And from that time he sought opportunity to betray him. Not a word is given us as to the effect of this communication from the Lord to his disciples. Probably not knowing clearly why he was to die, astonishment rather than deep sorrow, overpowered them. Those who were plotting Christ's death, foresaw what the uproar of the people might be, and probably feared their victim might be rescued. We are not ignorant why Christ's blood was shed, let us therefore see that like the woman, we pour forth our choicest gifts, the best affections of our hearts, and remembering the great event she was anticipating, let us also offer him the sacrifice of a broken and a contrite spirit which he will not despise. VERSES 17-26. sorrowful, and began every one of them to say unto him, Lord, Is it I? 23 And he answered and said, He that dippeth his hand with me in the dish, the same shall betray me. 24 The Son of man goeth as it is written of him: but woe unto that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! it had been good for that man, if he had not been born. 25 Then Judas which betrayed him, answered and said, Master, it is I? He said unto him, Thou hast said. 26 And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body. No one hesitates to condemn Judas, and probably think for what a small sum he committed so great a crime, especially as covetousness was his besetting sin. It would be good for each of us to look into our own hearts and see for what trifles we neglect Christ, and lose our own souls, whilst professing, like Judas, to be his disciples, sitting down even with him at his table. We shall do well to ask, "Lord, is it I." VERSES 27—75. 27 And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it; 28 For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for the remission of sins. 29 But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom. 30 And when they had sung an hymn, they went out into the mount of Olives. 31 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. 32 But after I am risen again, I will go before you into Galilee. 33 Peter answered and said unto him, Though all men shall be offended because of thee, yet will I never be offended. 34 Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, That this night, before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. 35 Peter said unto him, Though I should die with thee, yet will I not deny thee. Likewise also said all the disciples. 36 Then cometh Jesus with them unto a place called Gethsemane, and saith unto the disciples, Sit ye here, while I go and pray yonder. 37 And he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful and very heavy. 38 Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me. 39 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. 40 And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them asleep, and saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour? 41 Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. 42 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. 43 And he came and found them asleep again: for their eyes were heavy. 44 And he left them, and went away again, and prayed the third time, saying the same words. 45 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. 46 Rise, let us be going: behold, he is at hand that doth betray me. 47 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. 48 Now he that betrayed him gave them a sign, saying, Whomsoever I shall kiss, that same is he hold him fast. 49 And forthwith he came to Jesus, and said, Hail, master; and kissed him. 50 And Jesus said unto him, Friend wherefore art thou come? Then came they, and laid hands on Jesus, and took him. 51 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. 52 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. 53 Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels? 54 But how then shall the scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be ? 55 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. 56 But all this was done, that the scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled. Then all the disciples forsook him, and fled. 57 And they that had laid hold on Jesus led him away to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were assembled. 58 But Peter followed him afar off unto the high priest's palace, and went in, and sat with the servants to see the end. 59 Now the chief priests, and elders, and all the council, sought false witness against Jesus to put him to death; 60 But found none: yea, though many false witnesses came, yet found they none. At the last came two false witnesses, 61 And said, This fellow said, I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to build it in three days. 62 And the high priest arose, and said unto him, Answerest thou nothing? what is it which these witness against thee? 63 But Jesus held his peace. And the high priest answered and said unto him, I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us whether thou be the Christ, the Son of God. 64 Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said; nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven, 65 Then the high priest rent his clothes, saying, He hath spoken blasphemy; what further need have we of witnesses ? behold now ye have heard his blasphemy. 66 What think ye? They answered and said, He is guilty of death. 67 Then did they spit in his face, and buffetted him; and others smote him with the palms of their hands. 68 Saying, Prophesy unto us, thou Christ, Who is he that smote thee? 69 Now Peter sat without in the palace; and a damsel came unto him, saying, Thou also wast with Jesus of Galilee. 70 But he denied before them all, saying, I know not what thou sayest. 71 And when he was gone out into the porch, another maid saw him, and said unto them that were there, This fellow was also with Jesus of Nazareth. 72 And again he denied with an oath, I do not know the man. 73 And after a while came unto him they that stood by, and said to Peter, Surely thou also art one of them; for thy speech bewrayeth thee. 74 Then began he to curse and to swear, saying, I know not the man. And immediately the cock crew. 75 And Peter remembered the word of Jesus, which said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. And he went out, and wept bitterly. After the last supper of our Lord with his disciples before his death, when he instituted the sacrament, we have the prediction which our Lord quoted fulfilled in a way we could little have expected. Peter, after asserting his willingness to die rather than deny his Lord, and who, with two other disciples, Jesus selected to go with him to Gethsemane, and there to witness his agonizing sorrow, even he slept instead of watching, and when the betrayal took place, and insults were heaped on his blessed master, he, with all the other disciples, forsook him and fled, and worst of all shewed an extremity of cowardice in denying him, adding sin to sin by cursing and swearing. What a refutation to the misapprehension of many as to the nature of the Lord's supper! It plainly shews that there is no power in itself to keep the partakers of it from sin, and that it can be no passport to heaven. Judas the traitor, Peter the denier of the Lord, and all the rest of his disciples too timid to confess and remain with him, are humiliating examples of the weakness of human nature when left to itself, and prove, that till the spirit of their Lord was bestowed, no outward association with him, or privilege availed for their security from sin. "Let him that thinketh he standeth, take heed lest he fall." May the Lord look on those who now deny him as he looked on Peter, and bring to their remembrance some word, some warning or promise long unheeded, and break their hearts with godly sorrow. We cannot but weep with, and for Peter-tears more bitter could not have been shed-though probably they were the last that fell from his eyes for sin. They that sow in tears, shall reap in joy." 66 CHAPTER 27. VERSES 1-2. WHEN the morning was come, all the chief priests and elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put him to death: 2 And when they had bound him, they led him away, and delivered him to Pontius Pilate the governor. |