"And they that had laid hold on Jesus led him away to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were assembled."
Every verse in the concluding scene of Christ's life is momentous. But the limits of this "Poor Man's Commentary, " will not admit of our enlarging on the subject, as might be wished. Nevertheless, the apprehension of Christ, and the leading him away, are too important; as points, in the wonderful subject, to as to be hastily passed by. He, who at a word of his mouth, smote to the ground the band of armed men which came to take him, (John 18:6) cannot be supposed to have been bound and led away, but for the answering some important; purpose. It may well merit therefore our attention.
In entering into a proper apprehension of this subject, always preserving in view and never losing sight of the voluntary sufferings of Jesus; let us first attend to what is said of Christ, under the spirit; of prophecy. Jesus complains, of the bulls of Basan compassing him around; and the dogs and assembly of wicked men inclosing him; by which we plainly understand, that Jesus, as the hind of the morning was to be hunted, until he was brought into the dust of death. Psalms 22:1 title of the Psalm, and Psalms 22:12-15 verses.
Now the binding of Christ, was a part of the service of the sacrifice. Isaac his type was bound and put upon the altar. Genesis 22:9. And hence, all the sacrifices under the Jewish law were bound at the horns of the altar. Psalms 118:27. But these things were all figurative of the sins and iniquities of his people binding Christ. For as chains and fetters tye down the body: so sin and iniquity bend down the soul. Here Christ, cries out, Innumerable evils have compassed me about mine iniquities have taken hold of me, so that I am not able to look up: they are more than the hairs of my head; my heart hath failed me. Psalms 40:12. These are very precious views of Christ, when restoring that he took not away. Psalms 69:4. So that the binding of Christ, became a necessary part to set forth the binding of all the sins of his people on Christ, when Jehovah laid on him the iniquity of us all. And it is a very very precious thought, to the soul of every truly regenerated believer, that all the sins of his redeemed, without the omission of a single infirmity or sin; in thought, or word, or deed, were laid upon Christ, as the sacrifice was used to be bound on the altar. Hence, the High Priest, under the Jewish dispensation, was commanded to be thus particular, on the great day of atonement. And Aaron shall lay both his hands upon the head of the live goat, and confess over him all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgression in all their sins, putting them upon the head of the goat: and shall send him away by the hand of a fit man (a man of opportunity, as the margin hath it, and as Christ was) into the wilderness, as Christ was led away when bound. Leviticus 16:21
Reader! do not overlook this grand feature in the person, office, and character of Christ. When Christ was bound and led away, he then fulfilled all that this type and shadow represented of him; and the whole, and not a single sin, either of omission or commission, belonging to his redeemed was left out.