"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."
I beg the Reader to attend very minutely, to the circumstances with which Matthew, the first Evangelist, in point of order, introduceth the subject of our Lord's sufferings. He saith, When Jesus had finished all these sayings. Perhaps he alluded to the finishing of his office in teaching. For as Christ in his character of Mediator; had three offices, prophet, priest, and king, he was uniformly carrying on one or other of these all the way through, during the whole of his ministry. He had therefore finished his teachings, as the Prophet of his people; and now he is about to enter more fully on his Priestly office, where he would be both the altar, sacrifice, and sacrificer. And when this was also finished, he would in a more open manner, than he had hitherto done, display his Kingly power in his ascension to glory, where the exercise of his sovereignty was to be shewn forth in ruling his Church, until he had accomplished the destruction of his enemies, and brought home his redeemed to everlasting happiness.
As the interesting subject in the concluding scenes of our Lord's life, form so momentous a part in Christ's history, and as it is most essential to every child of God, to have the clearest apprehension of it, I hope I may be indulged in this "Poor Man's Commentary, " to dwell upon each particular, with that attention it deserves; looking up to God the Holy Ghost, to be the teacher both of Writer and Reader. And yet at the same time, that I may not swell the pages beyond their proper limits, I shall adopt a method, which I hope will answer this purpose very fully. I mean, that as the four Evangelists have recorded those solemn transactions, which took place, at the death of Christ, it wilt not be necessary to repeat my observations in the same way and manner upon every one; but connect the whole as one history; and so divide the subject, that what I omit in my comment on one part, may be introduced into the other. This will prevent tediousness to the Reader, and yet allow of enlargement upon the whole, so as under the Lord's blessing, to make the subject complete.
I beg the Reader to observe, how Christ opens the subject himself, and immediately directs the minds of his disciples to it, in calling their attention to the Jewish Passover. This was the first public service in the appointment of the Lord, when the Church was first formed, in the memorable night of the people being delivered from Egyptian bondage. See Exodus 12:1 throughout. Now as God the Holy Ghost himself; by his servant Paul, explained this service in express terms of application to the Lord Jesus, when the Apostle said Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us, therefore let us keep the feast. 1 Corinthians 5:7-8. We cannot hesitate a moment in concluding that the first institution of this service in the old Church, together with every sacrifice which followed under the law, had no other object in view than to hold forth Christ. To him, everyone of them pointed. In him, the whole was compleated. He, and he alone, became the sum and substance of all; and all, as the Holy Ghost, by the same Apostle elsewhere saith in his writings, were a shadow of things to come, but the body is of Christ. Colossians 2:17; Hebrews 10:1
When the Reader therefore hath diligently read over the interesting account given by all the Evangelists concerning the Passover, and compared it, with what is said concerning it at the first institution; I would beg his closest attention to the whole subject, in the great points of doctrine connected with it, and which will minister under the Lord's teaching, to the proper apprehension of those grand features of character, in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ. See Mark 14:1; Luke 22:1, etc. John 13:1 compared with Exodus 12:1 throughout.
And here the first and most prominent feature of character in the Lord Jesus as our Passover, must be to consider him as our great head, and representative of his Church and people. Christ, becoming our Passover, and dying for his redeemed in time, pre-supposes an engagement for this purpose in eternity. And hence we find, he is called the lamb slain from the foundation of the world. Revelation 8:8. And to this amount the scriptures speak, when continually and in every part, informing the Church of the everlasting covenant made between the persons of the Godhead, before all worlds. By virtue of which, Christ, at the call of God the Father, as covenanted for in the great purposes of redemption, stood up the glorious head, representative, and high-priest of his people; taking their names and their nature; undertaking for them to fulfill all righteousness, and offering his soul an offering for sin.
On the part of Jehovah, it was agreed, that the whole persons of the Godhead would carry Christ, in his human nature, through the wonderful undertaking; and when accomplished, the glorious deliverer should see his seed with all the blessed effects of his salvation, and have a Church to serve him, where his praise should be sung, and his name adored, as long as the sun and moon should endure, from one generation to another. And, finally, bring home his chosen, to everlasting glory; when sin, Satan, death, and hell, should be brought under his feet. I stay not to quote at large the whole body of scripture, which, with one full voice come forth to confirm the great truth. I rather refer the Reader to look over those portions in his Bible for himself, which I have here referred to, and when he hath done, I will request him to follow me through those interesting records of our Lord's concluding scenes of his ministry and life, whose beauties will there from, I am persuaded, appear in their more plain and striking colors. Isaiah 42:1-8; Proverbs 8:22-31; Isaiah 49:1-9; Psalms 40:1-7 compared with Hebrews 10:1-22; John 10:18. On the part of Jehovah's covenant, see Psalms 89:19-37; Psalms 89:19-37; Isaiah 11:1-9; John 3:34 to the end. Psalms 110:1; Isaiah 53:10; Philippians 2:6-12; Hebrews 12:2, etc. Revelation 7:9 to the end.