Lord, shall we smite with the sword ?" At the word, Peter having a sword, with his usual forwardness, actually drew it in his Master's defence, and wounded the High Priest's servant*. Jesus seems, upon this, to have, as it were, apologized for this rash act to the officers and soldiers who came to apprehend Him, "and said, "Suffer ye thus far;" for it is related, immediately after, that He healed the man's wound. Thus showing that, possessed of the miraculous power to restore, He could not lack the power to preserve Himself and He rebukes Peter, by using a proverbial expression, which is also found employed in the Revelation: "He that killeth with the sword, must be killed with the sword;" by which our Saviour meant again to signify to His disciples, that such weapons as the sword are not those by which the Messiah's cause is to be protected or extended.

Christ now yielded Himself up to them: and the captain and officers of the Jews took Jesus, and bound Him, and led Him away to Annas." And He says to the Chief Priests, and elders, who probably then met Him, Why did ye come out to take Me up as a thief, and treat Me in such a manner? I sat daily in the Temple with you, " and ye laid no hold upon Me:" And they asked "Jesus of His disciples, and of His doctrine;" and He answered, Dr. Campbell.

Dr. Robinson.

Dr. Whitby.

"I spake openly to the world; in secret have I said nothing. Why askest thou Me? ask them which heard Me: and they struck Him with the palm of the hand."

SECT. CXLVI.—Christ forsaken by all His Apostles and Disciples.-Matt. xxvi. 56; Mark xiv. 50-52.

THEN His disciples, seeing that He thus gave Himself without further resistance to His enemies, "all forsook Him and fled "." Here we have the exact completion of that prophecy, which He had just before delivered, that they

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all should be offended because of Him that night,” that is, that they should desert Him. By recording this event, then, the Evangelists have recorded their own weakness and pusillanimity and we may rest perfectly assured it was no falsehood; for they would not invent what would only perpetuate their own disgrace. We have, therefore, in this incident, a demonstrative proof, that the Evangelists were men of the strictest veracity and integrity, who were determined to sacrifice every thing, even their own reputation, to the cause of truth 3.

SECT. CXLVII.—Christ denied by Peter.-Matt. xxvi. 69— 75; Mark xiv. 66-72; Luke xxii. 54-62; John xviii. 15-18; 25-27.

PETER and John seemed indeed to have stayed their flight, and "followed Him afar off to see

'Dean Howard.

8

Bishop Porteus.

the end." The fall of St. Peter is related by every one of the Evangelists; but none have described it in a more heinous light than St. Mark; and if, as is generally supposed, that Gospel was reviewed by St. Peter himself, or written even under his direction, this circumstance may be considered as an evidence of his sincerity and sincere contrition'.

The story of Peter's fall need not be related in detail; for they are clearly given in our ordinary version: but it is a most interesting episode, and highly instructive to all. St. Peter was not only an Apostle, but one amongst them who was singled out as a companion of our Lord's privacies, and admitted to the honour of His most intimate friendship; and who, on all occasions, had expressed his sense of this preference, by all possible instances of gratitude, love, and more than ordinary zeal; yet such an one now disowned and denied his Master; repeated that denial thrice; repeated it after time allowed him for recollection; and, at last, bound the lie upon his soul, with solemn oaths and dreadful imprecations. What two men ever differed more from one another, than this man in an hour or two differed from himself? But this fall of St. Peter, as it ought to be applied for a necessary mortification of our vanity and selflove, so may it likewise serve us for a support

" Dr. Robinson.

under our frailties and temptations; for, as his fault was sudden and surprising, so was his recovery speedy and effectual. Immediately after reflection, he forsook the guilty scene of his foul offence; sought a convenient place for retired thoughts; melted away in tears for the horror of his crime; and from henceforward became the most undaunted and energetic of the Apostles and we read in the Acts how vigorous and bold he was in preaching, how forward and joyful in suffering for, the Gospel of his once-denied Lord ".

A slight occurrence, perfectly incidental to the main narrative, is noticed only by St. Mark: That "there followed Him a certain young man having a linen cloth cast about his body and the : young men laid hold on him." It is impossible to ascertain who this young man was. Christ had come to the garden with the Apostles only. Some have supposed he was a disciple, and that the linen cloth was his ordinary dress. The poorer sort in Arabia only wear a blanket or sheet wrapped round them'. Some think that he was the proprietor of the garden, sleeping within hearing, who was roused from his sleep by the tumult, and induced from curiosity to follow Him2. This circumstance seems to be recorded, to show the consternation of our Lord's disciples: the young man choosing to quit his only covering in cold 1 Bishop Pocock. 2 Dr. Macknight.

10 Dean Stanhope.

weather, rather than be detained by those officers3; for that it was cold, we are assured by St. John, who notices a fire of coals, at which Peter stood and warmed himself, and adds, "It was cold." Even snow and frost have been known to take place in Judæa about the season of the Passover*. SECT. CXLVIII.-Christ is led away bound to Annas.John xviii. 12, 13. 24.

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THEN they which took Jesus, led Him bound to Annas, who is mentioned as having been formerly High Priest, but who had been removed from that office by the Romans. He was the Nasi, or chief of the Sanhedrim, at this time; called elsewhere, "Ruler of my People and therefore, probably, the chief of those who had directed the apprehension of Christ: so that it was reasonable for the soldiers to carry Him to the place from whence they had received their orders. But Annas was "fatherin-law to Caiaphas, which was the High Priest that same year." Annas was, undoubtedly, a man of the first consideration and influence in the Jewish state at this time, from his age, rank, and intelligence. He did not, however, interfere in any degree with his prisoner; but sent Him bound as He was to Caiaphas, where He must have remained all night before "the Chief Priests and the Scribes and elders assembled, and came together, and led Him to the council."

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3

Bp. Mann. Dr. Lightfoot. Bp. Pearce.

Pict. Bible.