MAY THE SPIRIT OF GLORY AND OF GOD, WHO IS ALSO THE SPIRIT OF PEACE AND OF LOVE, DWELL WITHIN US AND REST UPON US. JOHN Xvii. 23-.6. 23 even-as we are one: I in them, and thou in me, that they-may-be made-perfect TETENetwμevol in one es ev; and that the world may-know that thou hast-sent me, and hast24 loved them, as thou-hast-loved me. Father, I-will eλw that they-also, whom thou-hastgiven me, be with me where I am; that they-may-behold @ewpwor my glory, which thou25 hast-given me: for thou-lovedst me before the-foundation of-the-world. O-righteous Father, the world hath-not-known thee: but I have-known thee, and these have26 known that thou hast-sent me. And I-have-declared unto-them thy name, and willSCRIPTURE ILLUSTRATIONS. Jno. xvii. 22. one, even as we are one-see on ver. 11 p. 401. 23. I in them, and thou in me-Col. i. 27, 'Christ in you, the hope of glory:'-The Son of man, in whom, fi. 9, dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. -Mt. xvi. 27, § 50, p. 43, Shall come in the glory of his Father-and fully manifest power in raising from the dead, &c., Jno. v. 25-.9, § 23, p. 178. perfect in one-Eph. i. 10, That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him:'-Ph. iii. 20, 1, For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.'-He. xi. 40, God having provided [marg. foreseen] some better thing for us, that they (the Old Testament saints) without us should not be made perfect.'-xii. 23, The spirits of just men made perfect,' that the world may know-Ps. cvii. 42, The righteous shall see it, and rejoice: and all iniquity shall stop her mouth.'-Is. xlix. 26, All flesh shall know that I the LORD am thy Saviour and thy Redeemer, the mighty One of Jacob.'-Mt. xxv. 31-46, § 86, pp. 351-..4, When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory and before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them,' &c. serve me, him will my Father honour.'-xiv. 2, 3, p. 380, supra, In my Father's house are many mansions:.... I go to prepare a place for you.... I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.'-Mt. xxv. 34, § 86, P. 352, Then shall the King say unto them on his 1 Th. iv. 17, And so shall we ever be with the Lord.' right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father,' &c.behold my glory-Rev. xxi. 10, .1, And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, having the glory of God: &c.-1 Co. ii. 7-10, We speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory:' &c. before the foundation of the world Before the world was,' ver. 5, p. 399, supra. 25. righteous Father - Jesus Christ hath been, righteousness, that he might be just, and the Rom. iii. 24-.6, 'set forth' to declare the Father's justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.' but I have known thee-ch. i. 18, § 7, p. 48, 'No Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten declared him.'-Comp. iii. 11, .3, § 12, p. 84. and these have known, &c.-see the prayer for this knowledge, Eph. i. 15-23-the supplanting power of the knowledge of Christ, iv. 17-32-in directing us teaching us how to act in the different relations of in our general conduct through life, v. 1-21-in nothing-yea, as less than nothing, in comparison of life, 22-33; vi. 1-9, &c.-The apostle counted all as the excellency of the knowledge of Christ,' which he was still most earnestly seeking to obtain, Ph. iii. 8-15-2 Pe. i. 3, All things that pertain unto life ledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:' and godliness, [are given unto us] through the know26. have declared unto them thy name-ver. 6, 11, .2, pp. 399, 401, supra-see the name, 1 Jno. iv. 8, God is love,'-Mt. v. 44-.8, § 19, p. 128, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you'.... That ye may be the children NOTES. they shall see the concord and agreement of the saints in doctrine, worship, and affection at the latter day. simply seeing. It means also to participate, to enjoy. 24. Behold. The word 'behold' implies more than 25. Righteous Father. The admission of believers to God through Christ, flows even from the justice of God. 26. I have declared unto them thy name. Thy new, best name of LOVE. and hast loved them, &c.-1 Jno. iii. 1, 2, 'Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is." 24. be with me where I um-ch. xii. 26, § 82, p. 267, If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man great aim and plan, not pursuing different interests, or counteracting each other's purposes, or forming parties, but seeking the same ends, by the same means. This is the union between the Father and the Son. Always in the creation, preservation, and redemption of the world, they have sought the same object. And this is to be the model on which Christians should act Jno. xvii. 23. That the world may know, &c. When PRACTICAL REFLECTIONS. of the advantage that is thence to accrue to the world at large, with all parts of which we have so remarkably been brought into connection; and that as seeking to make all the races of mankind acquainted with the truth of the gospel of the grace of God. It remains that we concentrate and unite our efforts, and that our testimony be accompanied by that long-promised miracle, the scattered tribes of Israel gathered into that oneness for which our Saviour prays.] [We cannot expect the apostleship of Christ to be acknowledged by the world, until it is effectual in the case of those unto whom He was more especially sent, the lost sheep of the house of Israel'-the twelve tribes scattered abroad.' When in their case is seen the fulfilment of Old Testament prophecy, and the design of God in sending the gospel so directly north-westward; when the unity of the Divine purpose, as expressed in creation, providence, and re404] velation, is seen in the redemption of Israel; then LET MY SUPPLICATION COME BEFORE THEE:-Psa. cxix. 170. [VOL. II. LET US EARNESTLY PRAY FOR CHRIST'S PERFECTING HIS KINGDOM IN GRACE, THEN SOON WILL COME HIS KINGDOM IN GLORY, JOHN Xvii. 26. declare it that the love wherewith thou-hast-loved me may-be in them, and-I in them. (G. 92.)-Jesus departs from the supper chamber to the mount of Olives; he foretells a third time that Peter should thrice deny him; he promises to appear to the disciples in Galilee after his resurrection.* Jerusalem. MATT. xxvi. 30-.5. (Ver. 29, p. 379.) 30 And when-they had-sung-an-hymn, they-went-out into the mount of Olives. MARK XIV. 26-31. (Ver. 25, p. ib.) LUKE Xxii. 39. (Ver. 38, p. 377.) JOHN Xviii. 1. a When-Jesus-had- 1 spoken these words, he-went-forth HEAR MY VOICE ACCORDING UNTO THY LOVING KINDNESS: 0 LORD, QUICKEN ME ACCORDING TO THY JUDGMENT.-Psa. cxix. 149 with his disciples dover the brook Cedron, [For remainder of ver. 1, see p. 412.] SCRIPTURE ILLUSTRATIONS. of your Father which is in heaven: ... Be ye therefore perfect [perfect in love], even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.Jno. iii. 16, § 12, p. 86, For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son,' &c. Jno. xvii. 26. that the love, &c.-1 Pe. i. 22, Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently: This love, as contrasted with that of the flesh, is unfading, ver. 23-.5-and comp. with 1 Jno. ii. 15-.7. and I in them-Ga. ii. 20, Not I, but Christ liveth in me and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.'-See Jno. xv. 1-4, p. 387, Mt. xxvi. 30. And when they had sung an hymnProbably before leaving the apartment in which supra. they had celebrated the passover, and thus at the close of the address, Jno. xiv., p. 386, supra-If the hymn were the fourth of the six (Ps. cxiii.-exviii.) usually sung at the passover, it was both appropriate to the preceding discourse-comp. ver. xiv. Ps. cxvi., I love the LORD: -and it was also a fit 31, p. 386, supra, I love the Father,' &c., with introduction to the scene in the garden-comp. ver. 3, 4, with Mt. xxvi. 38, 9, § 88, p. 413- Hymns are referred to, Eph. v. 19; Col. iii. 16. Lu. xxii. 39. as he was wont-see Jno. viii. 1, § 55, p. 97; Mt. xxiv. 3, § 86, p. 324. mount of Olives where, while the multitude. rejoiced, ch. xix. 37, § 82, p. 263, Jesus 'beheld the city, and wept over it,' ver. 41-.4, § ib., p. 264. Jno. xviii. 1. over the brook Cedron- The brook Kidron,' 2 Sa. xv. 23; 1 Ki. xv. 13; 2 Ki. xxiii. 6, 12; Je. xxxi. 40, &c. NOTES. Jno. xvii. 25, .6, may be paraphrased-And as, according to my commission, I have fully declared to them whatever was proper, and have savingly enlightened them in the knowledge of thyself, I will, after my resurrection, by personal visits; and after my ascension by the effusion of my Spirit, more clearly and fully acquaint them with thy glorious perfections and will, that the infinite love with which thou hast from eternity loved me, may extend to, and manifest itself in them; and that I may dwell in their hearts. by faith, till they arrive at that perfection of eternal blessedness which, in thy distinguishing love, thou hast prepared for them. Mt. xxvi. 30. Sung an hymn. The Jews usually sung, after their repasts, verses or pious songs. The psalms which our Saviour and his disciples sung or recited, immediately before their departure to the mount of Olives, were probably the cxv., cxvi., exvii., and exviii. The hymn, or Hallel, which was usually sung or recited at the passover, consisted of the six psalms from the cxiii., to exviii., inclusive. The first two were recited at an early part of the supper, the remaining four were recited at the conclusion. Lu. xxii. 39. As he was wont. Comp. ch. xxi. 37, § 86, p. 357. Jno. xviii. 1. Over the brook Cedron. This brook had its name probably from 77, Kadar, he was black; it being the place into which the blood of the sacrifices, and other filth of the city, ran. It was rather, says Lightfoot, the sink, or the common sewer, of the city, than a brook. Some copyists, mistaking Kidpav for Greek, have changed To into τῶν, and thus have written τῶν Κέδρων, of cedars, instead of rou Kéopov, the brook of Cedron: but this last is undoubtedly the genuine reading.-See GEOG. NOTICE, p. 407. PRACTICAL REFLECTIONS. [Jno. xvii. 26. The knowledge of God is increasingly revealed, not for our mere intellectual gratification, but that we may be more and more formed after the Divine image-that we may be able to say, I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me:' (Ga. ii. 20). Oh, that the prayer of Jesus may be answered in us ] Mt. xxvi 30. In that night Jesus had much to say, to do, and to suffer-but still he found opportunity to join in the customary hymn with his disciples. In this also, his ready obedience to his Father's will, let us follow his example; and rejoice in being counted worthy to suffer with him. * Our Lord would set out for the mount of Olives in the last hour of the second watch of the night, or between our eleven and twelve o'clock. The period of the year was the vernal equinox, and the day of the month about two days before the full of the moon in which case the moon would be now not very far past her meridian, and the night would be enlightened until a late hour towards the morning. The suburbs of Jerusalem were full of gardens (Jos. B. Jud. v. iii. 2. vi. i. 1), and Gethsemane, as the name implies (denoting the place of the winepresses), was one of these, or in the vicinity of one of these, to the east of Jerusalem, and five or six stades remote from the walls of the city, across the valley or torrent of Cedron.'-Greswell. VOL. II.] HIDE NOT THY COMMANDMENTS FROM ME.-Psa. cxix. 19. [405 THY WORD IS TRUE FROM THE BEGINNING: AND EVERY ONE OF THY RIGHTEOUS JUDGMENTS ENDURETH FOR EVER.-Psa. cxix. 160. WE ARE NEVER SO NEAR PROVING WEAK, AS WHEN WE BOAST OF OUR STRENGTH, DECEIVING OURSELVES, IN COMPARISON OF OUR FELLOW-DISCIPLES. Mt. Jesus said unto-him, Verily I-say Though I should die with thee, e Likewise also said all the disciples. And Jesus saith unto-him, Verily I-say 30 unto-thee, That this-day, even in this night, before the-cock crow twice, thou-shalt-deny me thrice. more vehemently εκ περισσου, SCRIPTURE ILLUSTRATIONS. xxvi. 31. offended-ch. xi. 6, § 29, p. 223, Blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me. It is as remembering and knowing in truth the words of Jesus, that the disciples are kept from being offended, Jno. xvi. 1, p. 392, supra. it is written, I will smile, &c.-Zec. 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 :' &c. 32. after I am risen again, &c.-These words would naturally lead the minds of the disciples back to the mountain on which the transfiguration had taken place, Mk. ix. 9, 10, § 51, p. 57-It was immediately before that event, viii. 31, § 50, p. 40, and after it, ix. 31, § 52, p. 71, that he most pointedly predicted his death and resurrection. 31 into Galilee-see Lu. xxiv. 6, 7, § 93, p. 488. 33. Though all men shall be offended, &c.—see the warning to all the disciples, ver. 31, supra-Peter had before been particularly warned, Jno. xiii. 36-.8, p. 374, supra; Lu. xxii. 31-.4, p. 376. Mk. xiv. 31. vehemently-As vehemently does he appear to have expressed his third denial, ch. xiv. 71, § 89, p. 432. Mt. xxvi. 35. Likewise also said all the disciples-And yet very shortly after, even that very night, ver. 56, $88, p. 421, All the disciples forsook him, and fled.' -1 Co. x. 12, Let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.'-Mk. xiii. 37, § 86, p. 342, And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch.' NOTES. Mt. xxvi. 32. Will go before, &c. poá vμãs eis T. T. Here there is a continuation of the pastoral metaphor of the preceding verse; and the force of the figure becomes clear by bearing in mind the oriental custom of the shepherd not following but preceding and leading the sheep.-See Jno. x. 4, § 55, p. 114. 33. Peter answered... Though all, &c. The word men is improperly inserted here by the translators. Peter meant only to affirm this of the disciples. Though all the disciples, &c. This confidence of Peter was entirely characteristic. He was ardent, sincere, and really attached to his Master. This declaration was made evidently-1. From true love to Jesus. 2. From too much reliance on his own strength. 3. From ignorance of himself, and of the trials which he was soon to pass through. And it most impressively teaches us-1. That no strength of attachment to Jesus can justify such confident promises of fidelity, made without dependence on him. 2. That all promises to adhere to him, should be made relying on him for aid. 3. That we little know how feeble we are, till we are tried. 34. Before the cock crow. During the time of our Saviour, the night was divided into four watches, a fourth watch having been introduced among the Jews from the Romans, who derived it from the | Greeks. The second and third watches are men- PRACTICAL REFLECTIONS. [Mt. xxvi. 31. It is well to be forewarned of the dangers that lie before us the evil may not thereby be altogether prevented; but it is something if we are convinced of our own weakness, and are led into a fuller view of the truthfulness of God. We know that we are in the circumstances contemplated by the Redeemer of Israel, and out of which He hath promised to redeem; and that He will gather together into one the children of God that were scattered abroad.] [That man is not to be regarded as an outcast who BE NOT YE THE SERVANTS OF MEN.-1 Cor. vii. 23. is severely and even frequently rebuked by his Lord. Peter, after being fully convinced of his own need of forgiveness, was soon to have the honour of being the most zealous and successful in proclaiming the grace of God to others.] 406] 35 ver. Let us beware of vowing, in our own strength; but let us pray earnestly that we may not be allowed by our Lord to deny him in any wise. His warnings are invitations to seek in Him all we need. [VOL. II. LET US NOT TRUST IN WHAT WE HAVE, BUT IN HIM WHO GIVETH MORK GRACE; WHO RESISTETH THE PROUD, BUT GIVETH GRACK UNTO THE HUMBLE." CAST AWAY FROM YOU ALL YOUR TRANSGRESSIONS, WHEREBY YE HAVE TRANSGRESSED; GEOGRAPHICAL NOTICE. KIDRON, the turbid; Sept., xéopov), the brook or winter torrent, which flows through the valley of Jehoshaphat (as it is now called), on the east side of Jerusalem. "The brook Kidron" is the only name by which "the valley" itself is known in scripture; for it is by no means certain, nor even probable, that the name "valley of Jehoshaphat," in Joel iii. 12, was intended to apply to this valley. The word rendered "brook," 2 Sa. xv. 23; 1 Ki. ii. 37, &c., is , nachal, which may be taken as equivalent to the Arabic, wady, meaning a stream, and its bed or valley, or properly the valley of a stream, even when the stream is dry. The Septuagint, Josephus, and the evangelist, Jno. xviii. 1, designate it xeμappos, a storm brook, or winter torrent. The BROOK KIDRON derives all its importance from its vicinity to the holy city, being nothing more than the dry bed of a winter torrent, bearing marks of being occasionally swept over by a large volume of water. No stream flows through it, except during the heavy rains of winter, when the waters descend into it from the neighbouring hills. But even in winter there is no constant flow, and the resident missionaries assured Dr. Robinson that they had not, during several years, seen a stream running through the valley. The ravine in which the stream is collected takes its origin above a mile to the northeast of the city. This ravine deepens as it proceeds, and forms an angle opposite the temple. It then takes a south-east direction, and passing between the village of Siloam and the city, runs off in the direction of the Dead Sea, through a singularly wild gorge, the course of which few travellers have traced (Pictorial Palestine, Introd. p. cxciv.). It is in this ravine that the celebrated monastery of Santa Saba is situated.'-Kitto's Cyclopædia of Biblical Literature. In A Narrative of Journeyings in the Land of Israel,' by Robert Willan, Feb. 1848, the author says, From thence (the pool of Siloam) I descended to the bottom of the hill, and turned up the road leading northward to the valley of Jehoshaphat. This is marked in many maps as a stream of water-the BROOK KIDRON; but the road in which I walked was in the very centre of the valley, and there were no traces of water having run over it. As a great quantity of rain had previously fallen, I had expected to see some traces of the "wintry torrent," spoken of by Dr. Robinson, but saw none. On my right, frightful high rocks rose precipitously; above which, on the very edge of the precipice, was the village of Siloam. A considerable quantity of rain fell after this, during my stay at Jerusalem, but never sufficient to cause any flow down the valley.'Pp. 106, ..7. In A Pastor's Memorial of.... Jerusalem,' &c., the author, in describing his journey to the Dead Sea, says, p. 298, after leaving Jerusalem, The route lay south-east between a rapid succession of hills of a beautiful form and considerable magnitude, some of them partially covered with short grass and other herbage, and the others rugged and bare. The fantastically winding course of the brook Kidron was at our feet on the right; and beyond it, at about an hour and a half distant from Jerusalem, we found a rather large Arab encampment under the brow of a hill, and near it numerous flocks of sheep and goats grazing. We were too distant to exchange salutations with the shepherds. An Arab encampment is unlike what many would suppose. The tents are very low, not sufficiently high to admit of an adult person standing upright in them. They are pitched together in rows, and made of camel's hair, stained or dyed black. Altogether they are as unpicturesque as their inhabitants are the reverse. The bridle ways in these mountain passes not being wide enough for even two persons to ride abreast, except now and then for a few yards, we continued our route in lengthened procession, enlivening it as we might by snatches of conversation. Every part of the scene was extremely wild and beautiful; and it was quite surprising to see how our little compact Arab palfreys climbed and scrambled over the most difficult places which lay in our way, more like cats or monkeys than anything else. Let them but have their heads, and take their own course, and they carry you through wonderfully. But if you try to shew yourself wiser than your horse, it is ten to one but he may chance to stumble with you. I have tried the experiment. 'After about three hours, the bed of the Kidron assumes a remarkably bold and peculiar aspect. It is, in fact, a vast and terrible chasm. I cannot venture to compute its depth. It appears as if ocean and made the stubborn rocks submissive. It winds streams had once forced their wilful way through it, rapidly and abruptly, and presents the appearance of a vast amphitheatre at every bend, in which the seats, regularity, consist of the natural, horizontal strata of or rather rows of seats, lying along in the greatest the dark rocks. In the thousands of fissures on either side, numberless birds had their nests, and possible to describe the grandeur and stupendous were skimming about in the depth below. It is immagnificence of this ravine, at the very edge of which lay our narrow path-the path trodden for ages-the only path. It looks like a scene of tremendous natural convulsions. While riveted to the enjoyment of this extraordinary picture (upon about a mile of which I could look back as already passed), I gazed eagerly forward towards a new turn in the road, and immediately before us-built up from the very bed of the ravine, and ascending to the level on which we were passing, stood the most wonderful structure of its kind I have ever seen a place of immense strength, castellated, and unassailable except by a heavy cannonade. It was the convent of Mar Saba, to the superior of which we had obtained a letter of recommendation from the Greek convent of Jerusalem, Mar Saba itself belonging to the same community. Here we had resolved to make a claim of hospitality, and to pass the night.' 'Mr. Madden, who went through the valley to the Dead Sea, thus speaks of the character which it asversing for the last hour a wild ravine, formed by sumes as it approaches the monastery:-"After tratwo rugged perpendicular mountains, the sides of which contained innumerable caverns, which once formed a sort of troglodyte city, in which the early Christians resided, the sight of the convent in this desolate place was like glimpse of paradise." On leaving the convent the next day, he says that he marched through the bed of the KIDRON, along the horrible ravine which he entered the day before;" but he gives no account of its outlet into the Dead Sea. This defect is supplied by Dr. Robinson (Biblical Researches, Vol. II. p. 249), who, on passing along the western borders of the lake, came "to the deep and almost impassable ravine of the KIDRON, running down by Mar Saba, and thence called Wady-erRahib,Monk's Valley,' but here also bearing the name of Wady-en-Nar, Fire Valley.' At this place it was running E.S. E., in a deep narrow channel, between perpendicular walls of rock, as if worn away by the rushing waters between these desolate chalky hills. There was, however, no water in it now; nor had there apparently been any for a long time."'— Kitto's Cyclopædia of Biblical Literature." *Most travellers who take this journey from Jerusalem, proceed direct to Jericho on the first day, and pitch their tents for the night. On the following morning they visit the northern shore of the Dead Sea, which is somewhere about two hours distant in a direct route; then the river Jordan, distant about an hour and a half from the Dead Sea, and return to their tents worn and exhausted by the almrost intolerable heat. On the third day they commonly return to Jerusalem by the way they came, or by way of Mar Saba; in which latter case they visit the Jordan first, and then the Dead Sea. We made our journey in a manner quite the reverse of this, and though it was performed on the thirtieth of June, and the two first days of July, yet we suffered no real inconvenience. Indeed, the severity of the heat was in a great degree avoided. Having made the experiment so successfully, I would strongly recommend all travellers to do as we did, and make a condition about it while bargaining with their shiekh for the escort.'-Ibid. VOL. II.] ARE NOT YOUR WAYS UNEQUAL ?-Ezek. xviii. 29. [407 AND MAKE YOU A NEW HEART AND A NEW SPIRIT: FOR WHY WILL YE DIE, O HOUSE OF ISRAEL?-Ezek. xviii. 31. REPENT, AND TURN. . . . FROM ALL YOUR TRANSGRESSIONS; SO INIQUITY SHALL NOT BE YOUR RUIN.-Ezek. xviii. 30. ADDEND A. ON THE TIME OF THE CELEBRATION OF THE LAST SUPPER. See Greswell, Vol. III. Diss. xli. pp. 133-.72, and Diss. xlii. pp. 173-.83. That the supper, which our Lord celebrated with the apostles the night before he suffered, is called and is to be considered, in some sense, as a Passover, appears indisputably from Mt. xxvi. 17-20; Mk. xiv. 12-7, and Lu. xxii. 7-14 (p. 362): but especially from Lu. xxii. 15 (p. 364), when the celebration was actually begun. That this was the same supper as that which begins to be related Jno. xiii. 1 (p. 365), and continues to be related until ch. xviii. 1 (p. 405), is equally certain both from many common circumstances belonging to each, and because the event of the supper was the same in each; viz., that Jesus, the same night and after the celebration of this supper, was betrayed. Yet this supper, at the very commencement of the thirteenth chapter, is declared to be po Ts ops TOU Táoxa: during its celebration the feast is supposed to be still to come, ch. xiii. 29, p. 372: the morning after the supper is called the таρаσkeun TOU Táoxa, ch. xix. 14, § 90 (p. 445); the Jews, who brought our Lord that morning to Pilate, would not enter the prætorium, lest they should be defiled, but va paywas To ráoxa, ch. xviii. 28, § ib. (p. 440); and in the course of the deliberations, respecting the disposal of Jesus, Pilate speaks of the passover as either at hand or only just begun that morning, but not yet past, ver. 39, § ib. (p. 443). establish The import of all these testimonies is clearly to the conclusion that, at the time of the supper the night before, the feast of the passover was not yet come: and to this effect the first of the number, perhaps, is the most important, and the most decisive of any. It is possible to distinguish between the paschal sacrifice as such, and the feast of unleavened bread. The proper name of the former is rò ráoxa-the proper name of the latter rà avua; the proper time of the former was the fourteenth of the month Nisan-the proper time of the latter from the fifteenth to the twenty-first inclusive. The sacrifice, however, of the passover was so intimately the prelude to the feast of unleavened bread, and the absence of leaven was so essential a condition to the ceremonial of the passover itself, that neither the phrase τὰ ἄζυμα, οι ἡ ἑορτὴ τῶν atuur, can be employed anλs, without including the paschal supper, nor the phrase τὸ πάσχα, οι ή Soprη TOυ Tȧoxa, without including the feast of unleavened bread. Much less is it possible that the phrase, oprn Tou náoxa, should be so employed for the feast of unleavened bread in the complex, and not include the feast of the paschal sacrifice in particular. Such at least is not the usage of St. John, nor of any other of the writers of the New Testament; for examples, see p. 136, Vol. III. "We have no option except to assume that our Lord in particular antedated, by one day, the true time of the passover: and if it can be made to appear that he had special reasons for so doing-reasons, which rendered it absolutely impossible that he could keep the passover at its usual time on the occasion before he suffered-the truth of the alternative may be considered as sufficiently established. I take it for granted that the legal period, at which only the passover could be duly celebrated, was the fourteenth of the month Abib, Nisan, or Xanthicus, xarà oeλnny (Ex. xii.; xiii. 4-8; xxiii. 15; xxxiv. 18; Le. xxiii. 5-8; Nu. ix. 2, 3; xxviii. 16-25; xxxiii. 3; De. xvi. 1-8; Jos. v. 10, .1; 2 Chr. xxix.; xxx. 1-3, 15, 21; xxxv. 1-19; Ezra vi. 19)and consequently, that the question is, whether our Lord celebrated it on this day or on the day before it; on the fourteenth, or on the thirteenth, of the month prescribed. As to the day of the week there can be no uncertainty. It was the day before he suffered and that day was Friday: his passover therefore was kept on the night of the Thursday. 'In St. Matthew's account of our Saviour's message to the man in the city, the particular stress which is laid upon the circumstance ὁ καιρός μου ἐγγὺς ἐστι, ch. xxvi. 18, may justly be considered to imply that the passover, about to be celebrated, was something out of course. The man, to whom the message was sent, was probably a believer in Christ; or our 408] TURN.. AND LIVE Saviour would not address him in such terms as the Master saith. Now the injunction of the law, and the invariable practice of the Jews, both required that the passover should be kept within Jerusalem; and our Lord manifestly complies with each so far as to send his disciples to make ready for him in the city. But when it is considered that the resort of strangers, at the seasons of the feasts and in peaceful times, was such as many times to double its ordinary population, it will be evident that, for the accommodation of so great an influx of visitors, the houses of the regular inhabitants must all have been thrown open to their reception. Mépio yap ¿zò μυρίων ὅσων πόλεων, οἱ μὲν διὰ γῆς οἱ δὲ διὰ θαλάττης, ἐξ any dopThy is to lepov Karaipove (Philo. Jud. ii. ἀνατολῆς καὶ δύσεως, καὶ ἄρκτου καὶ μεσημβρίας, καθ' 223, 1. 15-8, De Monar. ii.). And that this is no exaggerated description appears from the numbers assembled at the passovers U.C. 819, and U.C. 823, respectively. Vide Appendix. The former of which amounted to two or three millions, and the latter to more than one million. It was an ἔθος πάτριον, says Josephus, b. iv. iii. 3, to receive into Jerusalem, war of admission, at such times as those of the passovers, τὸ ὁμόφυλον ἀπαρατηρήτως. Nor was even this facility sufficient for the reception and entertainment of all parties, without the further necessity of forming themselves into parpía, sodalitia, companies, or households; varying from ten to twenty in number. The message of our Lord, then, though sent to an householder in Jerusalem, announcing in his own name, and in that of his twelve disciples, that he meant to keep the passover at his house, if sent at the regular time, would have been nothing extraordinary. It was what any one, under such circumstances, might have undertaken to send; the right of admission into some house within the city belonged to every stranger, whether from Judæa, from Galilee, or from abroad, who came up to attend the feast. What necessity, then, for an especial reason-or even for any reason at all-in claiming it now? and why should not the simple notification of our Lord's wish, if made at the regular season and in the regular manner, have been sufficient, particularly for a disciple?.... If we are to believe the testimony of Philo Judæus, the master of every household, or some one fit person in the name and on the behalf of a particular paschal company, which in the present instance would be Peter and John, without having recourse to the ministry of the regular priesthood, was empowered to act as his own priest: and consequently, as we may presume, at home, not in the temple, for the immolation of their peculiar paschal victim.... The circumstances of the first passover, Ex. xii. 6, must evidently have been such as Philo describes; and if we consider the vast multitude of victims which were required to be sacrificed on such occasions, a multitude which Josephus computed at 256,500, and the short space of time within which they must all have been sacrificed, which he states likewise at merely two hours, ἀπὸ ἐννάτης ὥρας, μέχρι vdanárns, it is utterly impossible that so many could have been offered within such a time, unless all had been offered at once, that is, unless every master of a family was sacrificing and preparing his own victim at the sanie moment with another. I have been the more diffuse on this subject, with a view to anticipate a possible objection; viz., how our Lord could have celebrated his paschal supper, out of the usual course, without attracting any particular notice. Though the sanhedrim, in their consultation on the evening of Wednesday, Mt. xxvi. 3-5; Mk. xiv. 1,2 (p. 355), came to the resolution indeed of putting Jesus to death, yet they had concluded also not to effect the resolution, at least during the feast; Tra μh óprßos yéVOLTO Ev To λag. The feast, as it would be useless to deny, must have been begun when the passover day was arrived and past: hence if Jesus was apprehended on the day after that, he must have been apprehended in the midst of the feast. Where, however, is the proof of any change in the YE.-Ezek. xviii. 32. [VOL. II. I HAVE NO PLEASURE IN THE DEATH OF HIM THAT DIETH, SAITH THE LORD GOD:-Ezek. xviii. 32. |