Arrest.

second time, he prayed saying, "My Father, if this cup cannot pass away from me, unless I drink it, thy will be done."

43 And coming he found them again sleeping, for their 44 eyes were weighed down. ." And leaving them, he again went away, and prayed a third time, saying the same thing. 45 Then he came to the disciples, and said to them," Sleep hereafter, and take rest. Lo, the hour has come; and the Son of Man is given up into the hands of wicked men. 46 Arise! Let us go. Lo, he is near who betrays me."

II.

47 And while he was still speaking, lo, Judas, one of the twelve, came; and with him a great multitude, with swords and staffs, from the Chief-priests and Elders of the people. 48 Now he who betrayed him, gave them a sign, saying, "He whom I shall kiss is he: seize him." 49 And coming directly to Jesus he said, "Hail, Rabbi!" and kissed him. 50 But Jesus said to him, "Companion, wherefore art thou here?" Then coming forward, they laid hands on Jesus and seized him.

51 And lo, one of those with Jesus, stretching out the hand, drew forth his sword; and striking the servant of the High-priest, cut off his ear. 52 Then

45. He had asked the disciples to watch with him an hour. He now intimates his willingness that they should leave him, and take some repose during the remainder of the night: though for himself there could be no rest.

49. What is related by St. John probably preceded what is mentioned by the other Evangelists. The sign given by Judas seems intended for two purposes, to indicate to the officers the person of Jesus; and to profess still some allegiance.

51. Simon Peter thus wounded Malchus, probably misunderstanding the direction mentioned, Luke xxii. 36: and not knowing yet the nature of the kingdom of Heaven. John xviii. 10; xix. 36.

Jesus said to him, "Return thy sword to its place; for all who take the sword, perish by the sword. 53 Or thinkest thou that I cannot now request my Father, and he will grant me more than twelve legions of angels? 54 How then would the Scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must come to pass?"

55 In that hour Jesus said to the multitudes, "Did you come out as against a robber, with swords and staffs to apprehend me? I was sitting daily with you in the temple teaching, and you did not seize me. 56 But all this has come to pass, that there should be a fulfilment of the writings of the Prophets." Then the disciples all forsaking him fled.

III.

ment of

drim.

57 But they who seized Jesus led him away to the Judg house of Caiaphas, the High-priest, where the Scribes Sanheand the Elders assembled. 58 And Peter followed him from a distance, unto the court of the Highpriest; and entering within, he sat down with the officers, to see the end.

59 Now the Chief-priests and the Elders and the whole Sanhedrim were seeking false testimony against

55. This would show to the people that their rulers were acting unjustly.

56. The same form of expression is used, i. 22; xxi. 4, where events are mentioned, and in all these places there is the declaration of a Divine purpose. But where human actions are previously mentioned, there may be no reference to the purpose of the agent. The words then denote result, and not intention. ii. 15; ii. 23; iv. 14; viii. 17; xii. 17; xiii. 35. In these cases, too, a Divine purpose may be implied, but it is not expressed, and may be only subordinate.

57. Jesus was brought before Annas first, and then before Caiaphas.* He was subsequently brought before Pilate, and also before Herod. The first examination was preparatory, without witnesses, or legal authority. The questions and answers on these two occasions are different. The former is related by St. John, xviii. 12.

58. St John accompanied him. The account of St. Peter's conduct is reserved for the next section.

Jesus, that they might put him to death; 60 and they did not find it; many false-witnesses, too, coming forward. And afterwards two false-witnesses coming forward 61 said, "This man declared, I am able to pull down the sanctuary of God, and in three days to build it up." 62 And the High-priest rising, said to him, "Dost thou answer nothing? What do these testify against thee?" 63 But Jesus was silent. And again the High-priest spoke and said to him, "I adjure thee by the Living God, that thou speak to us,-Thou art the Christ, the Son of God?" 64 Jesus said to him, "Thou hast spoken the truth. Moreover I declare to you, hereafter you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power, and coming on the clouds of heaven."

65 Then the High-priest rent his garments saying, "He spoke blasphemy. What further need have we of witnesses? Lo, now you heard his blasphemy. 66 What is your judgment?" And they answering said, "He deserves death." 67 Then they spat upon his face, and buffeted him. And some struck him, 68 saying, "Prophesy to us, O Christ! Who is he that smote thee?”

61. There was no true witness. The false testimony may have been a perversion of his words. John ii. 19. The charge is similar to that afterwards brought against Stephen. Acts vi. 14.

63. St. Luke mentions first a refusal to answer, and then a reply; not distinguishing between what was spoken by others, and what was spoken by the High-priest. He also notices the conduct of the officers before the trial. Insults were received from many, at various times.

66. Our Lord was condemned by the Sanhedrim on his own confession and claim,-that he was the Christ, the Son of God. But under the Roman government they had no authority to pass on any the sentence of death. The judgment was given on the morning of Friday. Luke xxii. 66.

IV.

69 Now Peter was sitting without, in the court. Denial of And one came to him, a maid-servant, saying, "Thou,

too, wast with Jesus of Galilee."

70 But he denied before them all, saying, "I know nothing of what thou sayest.'

71 And when he went out to the porch, another woman saw him, and said to those who were there, "This man, too, was with Jesus, the Nazarene." 72 And again he denied with an oath, saying, "I do not know the man."

73 And after a little while, they who were standing by came and said to Peter, "Certainly thou also art of them; for thy speech, too, makes thee manifest." 74 Then he began to curse and swear, saying, "I do not know the man." And immediately a cock crew. 75 And Peter remembered the words which Jesus had spoken to him, "Before cock-crow thou wilt thrice deny me." And going forth without, he wept bitterly.

69. The account of St. Peter's conduct follows the account of the trial in the narratives of St. Matthew and St. Mark; but precedes it in that of St. Luke. There were two series of events in some parts contemporaneous. The indications of time are most definite in the narrative of St. Luke. St. John gives the first denial of St. Peter before the examination by Annas, the second and third after. The narratives differ, and show the independence of the writers, and that they did not aim at verbal accuracy. But they are perfectly consistent. Three denials are mentioned by all the Evangelists, and three occasions are distinguished; but on some of these there was more than one speaker, and probably more than one answer.

73. The language of the Galileans had provincial peculiarities.

Peter.

Delivery to Pilate.

I.

2

'Now when morning came, all the Chief-priests and the Elders of the people took counsel against Jesus, to put him to death. And binding him, they led him away, and delivered him to Pontius Pilate, the Governor.

Despair of Judas.

II.

3 Then Judas, who betrayed him, seeing that he was condemned, regretting it returned the thirty pieces of silver to the Chief-priests and the Elders, saying, "I sinned, delivering up the blood of the innocent." But they said, "What is that to us, thou shouldest see to it." 5 And throwing the pieces of silver in the sanctuary, he went out; and going away he hanged himself.

6

And the Chief-priests taking the pieces of silver,

1. Sixth day of the week. The Sanhedrim not having power to take away life, sought the help of the Governor: and as the ground on which sentence had been pronounced in the Jewish court, would not avail in the Roman, other charges were made. Our Lord was accused of promoting popular disturbances, and of opposing the authority of Cæsar; and subsequently of impiety, in claiming to be the Son of God. The first of these charges was declared by the Governor to be without foundation; and he at last pronounced the sentence of condemnation, to avoid a disturbance among the people, and to escape the imputation of disloyalty.