strengthening him. And being in an agony, he prayed more 44 earnestly and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground. And when he rose up from prayer, and 45 was come to his disciples, he found them sleeping for sorrow, and said unto them, Why sleep ye? rise and pray, lest ye enter 46 into temptation.

And while he yet spake, behold a multitude, and he that was 47 called Judas, one of the twelve, went before them, and drew near unto Jesus to kiss him. But Jesus said unto him, Judas, betray- 48 est thou the Son of man with a kiss? When they which were 49 about him, saw what would follow, they said unto him, Lord, shall we smite with the sword? And one of them smote the ser- 50 vant of the high-priest, and cut off his right ear. And Jesus 51 answered and said, Suffer ye thus far. And he touched his ear,

by Norton, both on account of external and internal reasons; but they have been accepted by most critics, as part of the text.-There appeared an angel, &c. It is evident, that if Jesus had been literally God, of almighty power, no angel or any other influence could strengthen him. But as a created and dependent being, he could be aided and supported by supplies from the Infinite Source of all.-Prayed more earnestly. See Heb. v. 7. His sweat was as it were great drops of blood. These words do not necessarily signify, that his sweat was blood or bloody, but became like drops of blood, so that he perspired as freely as if bleeding; which, of itself, was sufficient to indicate intense suffering, since the night was so cool as to require a fire. Verse 55. But there is nothing unreasonable, so far as physiology is concerned, in attaching to the words a literal sense; for many instances are recorded of persons perspiring with a bloody sweat, when in great distress of body or mind. Among other testimonies which have been given, is that of John Howard, the philanthropist, in his work on Lazarettos, in which he

says, that, "on taking notice of the rings, pulleys, &c., for the torture, the jailer told me that he had seen drops of blood, mixed with the sweat, on the breasts of some who had suffered the torture." Respecting the cause of the great anguish of Jesus, Archbishop Newcome remarks, "I cannot suppose that he was penetrated with a sense of God's indignation, nor that he was under the immediate power of Satan, nor that he was oppressed and overcome by the sense, that he was to bear the sins of mankind in his own body on the tree; but that he was impressed with a lively view of the immediate indignities and insults, of the disgrace, and horrid pains of death, which awaited him, and that he was overwhelmed by sorrow and anguish, proportioned to his exquisite sensibility, the consciousness of his wrongs, and his extensive foresight."

45. Sleeping for sorrow. It is well known, that excessive grief produces a stupefying effect, though not a tranquil and refreshing repose.

51, 52. Suffer ye thus far. Or, as Wakefield has it, "Hold! So far as this?" Campbell, “Let this suffice." Norton, "Refrain; have ye done even

52 and healed him.

Then Jesus said unto the chief-priests, and captains of the temple, and the elders which were come to him, Be ye come out as against a thief, with swords and staves? 53 When I was daily with you in the temple, ye stretched forth no hands against me: but this is your hour, and the power of darkness.

54

Then took they him, and led him, and brought him into the 55 high-priest's house. And Peter followed afar off. And when they had kindled a fire in the midst of the hall, and were set 56 down together, Peter sat down among them. But a certain maid beheld him as he sat by the fire, and earnestly looked upon him, 57 and said, This man was also with him. And he denied him, 58 saying, Woman, I know him not. And after a little while an

other saw him, and said, Thou art also of them. And Peter said, 59 Man, I am not. And about the space of one hour after, another

confidently affirmed, saying, Of a truth this fellow also was with 60 him; for he is a Galilean. And Peter said, Man, I know not what thou sayest. And immediately, while he yet spake, the 61 cock crew. And the Lord turned, and looked upon Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said unto 62 him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. Peter went out and wept bitterly.

And

63 And the men that held Jesus mocked him, and smote him. 64 And when they had blindfolded him, they struck him on the face, and asked him, saying, Prophesy, who is it that smote thee? 65 And many other things blasphemously spake they against him. 66 And as soon as it was day, the elders of the people, and the chief-priests, and the scribes came together, and led him into 67 their council, saying, Art thou the Christ? tell us. And he said

this?" It is plainly one of those exclamatory expressions, which are necessarily abrupt and elliptical, on account of the emotion, with which they are spoken.-Staves. Clubs.

53. Your hour, &c. A fit time for your deed of darkness. John xiii. 30.

61. And the Lord turned, and looked upon Peter, &c. This is one of those dramatic touches, which carries with it that indescribable air of reality, VOL. II. 15

with which the most consummate master of fiction in vain seeks to invest his tale.

"What language in that look! Swifter than
thought

The apostle's eye it caught,
And sank into his very soul!
Through every vein a thrilling tremor crept:
Away he stole,

And wept;
Bitterly he wept!"

unto them, If I tell you, ye will not believe. And if I also ask 68 you, ye will not answer me, nor let me go. Hereafter shall the 69 Son of man sit on the right hand of the power of God. Then said they all, Art thou then the Son of God? And he said 70 unto them, Ye say that I am. And they said, What need we any 71 further witness? for we ourselves have heard of his own mouth.

CHAPTER XXIII.

The Trial, Crucifixion, and Burial of Jesus.

AND the whole multitude of them arose, and led him unto Pilate. And they began to accuse him, saying, We found this 2 fellow perverting the nation, and forbidding to give tribute to Cesar, saying, That he himself is Christ, a king. And Pilate 3 asked him, saying, Art thou the King of the Jews? And he answered him and said, Thou sayest it. Then said Pilate to the 4 chief-priests, and to the people, I find no fault in this man. And 5 they were the more fierce, saying, He stirreth up the people, teaching throughout all Jewry, beginning from Galilee to this place. When Pilate heard of Galilee, he asked whether the man 6 were a Galilean. And as soon as he knew that he belonged unto 7 Herod's jurisdiction, he sent him to Herod, who himself was also at Jerusalem at that time. And when Herod saw Jesus, he 8

was exceeding glad: for he was desirous to see him of a long season, because he had heard many things of him; and he hoped to have seen some miracle done by him. Then he questioned 9 with him in many words; but he answered him nothing. And 10 the chief-priests and scribes stood and vehemently accused him.

of accusation is wholly changed, and the false charges of the text are alleged against Jesus.

7. At that time. Or, in those days of the passover, which festival had brought Herod to Jerusalem. This was Herod Antipas, tetrarch of Galilee, who had put John the Baptist to death, and whose crafty and cruel character our Saviour described, by calling him a fox.

9. But he answered him nothing. The reasons of his silence, here and elsewhere, are given, chap. xxii. 67, 68.

11 And Herod with his men of war set him at nought, and mocked him, and arrayed him in a gorgeous robe, and sent him again to 12 Pilate. And the same day Pilate and Herod were made friends together; for before they were at enmity between themselves. 13 And Pilate, when he had called together the chief-priests, 14 and the rulers, and the people, said unto them, Ye have brought this man unto me, as one that perverteth the people: and behold, I, having examined him before you, have found no fault in this 15 man, touching those things whereof ye accuse him; no, nor yet Herod for I sent you to him; and lo, nothing worthy of death 16 is done unto him: I will therefore chastise him, and release him. (For of necessity he must release one unto them at the 18 feast.) And they cried out all at once, saying, Away with this and release unto us Barabbas: (who, for a certain sedition 20 made in the city, and for murder, was cast into prison.) Pilate 21 therefore, willing to release Jesus, spake again to them. But 22 they cried, saying, Crucify him, crucify him. And he said unto them the third time, Why, what evil hath he done? I have found no cause of death in him; I will therefore chastise him, 23 and let him go. And they were instant with loud voices, requiring that he might be crucified: and the voices of them, and

17

19 man,

11, 12. Set him at nought. Herod would represent, by his treatment of Jesus, that his royal pretensions were too ridiculous to merit serious attention. Pilate and Herod were made friends. This mark of deference on Pilate's part, though really occasioned by his desire to relieve himself from the dilemma of putting an innocent man to death, or incurring the popular odium, had the effect to conciliate the good-will of Herod. Upon what a poor foundation do the friendships of the worldly and wicked often rest! -Enmity. Caused, as has been conjectured, by Pilate putting some Galileans, Herod's subjects, to death. Luke xiii. 1.

himself, is thus set forth by Gerhard: "Be consistent with thyself, Pilate; for, if Christ is innocent, why dost thou not send him away acquitted? And if thou believest him deserving of chastisement with rods, why dost thou proclaim him to be innocent?"

23. The clamor grew more and more threatening; until Pilate yielded against his better judgment, and his conscience. Many causes had combined to excite the enemies of Jesus to this frenzy of hatred. His severe rebukes of the scribes and Pharisees inflamed their revenge; his declarations, respecting angels, and a future life, left him no friends among the Sadducees; while the common people, though for a time they heard him gladly, and rejoiced in the prospect of making him their king and conqueror, were yet disap

of the chief-priests prevailed. And Pilate gave sentence that it 24 should be as they required. And he released unto them him that 25 for sedition and murder was cast into prison, whom they had desired; but he delivered Jesus to their will.

And as they led him away, they laid hold upon one Simon a 26 Cyrenian, coming out of the country, and on him they laid the cross, that he might bear it after Jesus. And there followed him 27 a great company of people, and of women, which also bewailed and lamented him. But Jesus turning unto them, said, Daughters 28 of Jerusalem, weep not for me, but weep for yourselves, and for your children. For behold, the days are coming, in the which 29 they shall say, Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bare, and the paps which never gave suck. Then shall they be- 30 gin to say to the mountains, Fall on us; and to the hills, Cover us. For if they do these things in a green tree, what shall be 31 done in the dry? And there were also two others, malefac- 32

tors, led with him to be put to death.

And when they were come to the place which is called Cal- 33 vary, there they crucified him, and the malefactors; one on the

27. Bewailed, &c. There were, however, many true friends of Jesus among the people, especially females; and they lamented his awful fate with the deepest sorrow and tears.

28-31. Weep not for me. "Weep not so much for me, as for yourselves." This passage, filled with inimitable pathos and sublimity, is found only in Luke. Our Saviour evidently refers here to the impending calamities of Jerusalem. - Fall on us, &c. Rev. vi. 16. Vivid imagery, to express that death would be preferable to life.For if they do these things in a green tree. This phrase has been usually interpreted to mean, that if such indignities are heaped upon me, a just person, represented by the green tree, Ps. i. 3, lii. 8, what will

be the end of a wicked nation, like the Jews, imaged by the dry tree! Ez. xx. 47, compared with xxi. 3. If the good suffer thus, what will befall the bad, who are as ripe for punishment, as a dry tree is fitted for the flames? But the passage has been construed by some, with reference to the existing and subsequent condition of the Jewish commonwealth. If such enormities be perpetrated by a professedly religious people, what will be the state of things, when anarchy breaks loose, and the holy city perishes by her intestine, as well as her foreign, foes! 1 Pet. iv. 17.

32. Two others. There should always be a comma_placed after these words, before malefactors; else the impropriety is committed of representing Jesus as one of the malefactors.

33. Calvary. The location of this place was probably on the north or west of the city, but cannot now, in