We ourselves have heard— It was customary for the Jews to suppress the word blasphemy in their discourses relating to it. St. Luke retains this custom; but St. Matthew and St. Mark have added the word, for the sake of perspicuity.
Inferences drawn from our Saviour's agony in the garden. Luke 22:39-46. What a preface do we here find to our Saviour's passion! a hymn, and an agony! a cheerful hymn, and an agony no less sorrowful. A hymn begins, both to raise and to testify the courageous resolution of his suffering; an agony follows, to shew that he was truly sensible of those extremities wherewith he was resolved to struggle.
All his disciples bore their part in that hymn; it was proper that they should all see his comfortable and divine magnanimity on entering those melancholy lists: only three of them shall be allowed to be the witnesses of his agony; only those three who had been the witnesses of his transfiguration. That sight should have well fore-armed and prepared them for this: how could they be dismayed at seeing his body now sweat, which they had then seen to shine? How could they be affrighted at seeing him now accosted by Judas and his train, whom they saw attended by Moses and Elijah? How could they be discouraged at hearing the reproaches of base men, when they had heard the voice of God to him, from that excellent glory,—This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased?
Now before these eyes the Sun of Righteousness begins to be overcast with clouds: He began to be sorrowful and very heavy. Many sad thoughts for mankind had he secretly indulged, yet smothered in his own breast:—now his grief is too great for restraint: My soul is exceeding sorrowful even unto death. O Saviour, what must thou needs feel, when thy tongue uttered such a sentence! Feeble minds are apt to bemoan themselves upon light occasions; the grief must be violent, which causes a strong heart to burst forth into a passionate complaint. O what an expression was that for the Son of God to utter? Where is that Comforter whom thou promisedst to others? Where is that Father of all mercies, and God of all comfort, in whose presence is the fulness of joy, and at whose right hand there are pleasures for evermore? Where are those constant, those cheerful resolutions of a fearless walking through the valley of the shadow of death?—Alas! if that face were not hid from thee, whose essence could not be disunited, these pangs could not have been. The sun was withdrawn for a while, that there might be night, as in the world around thee, so in thy breast; withdrawn, in respect not of being, but of sight;—it was the harshest portion of thy sufferings that thou wert thus disconsolate.
But to whom dost thou make this moan, O thou Saviour of men? What issue couldst thou expect? Thy disciples might be astonished with thy grief; but there is neither power in their hands to free thee from thy sorrows, nor efficacy in their compassion to mitigate them. What creature can help, when thou complainest?
What human soul is capable of conceiving the least of those sorrows which called forth this expression? Thou didst not only say, "My soul is troubled;" so it often was,—even to tears; but, My soul is sorrowful,—as if it had been before assaulted, but now possessed with grief,—and that not in any moderate way; it is exceeding sorrowful;—and yet there are with us degrees in the very extremities of evils: those that are most vehement, may still be capable of a remedy, at least of a relaxation; thine, however, was past all these hopes; exceeding sorrowful even unto death!
What was it, what could it be, O Saviour, that lay thus heavy upon thy divine soul?—Was it the fear of death?—Was it the anticipation of the pain, shame, torment of thy ensuing crucifixion?—O poor and base thoughts of the narrow hearts of cowardly and impotent mortals! How many thousands of thy blessed martyrs have welcomed no less tortures with smiles of gratulations? If their weakness was thus undaunted and prevalent, what was thy power? O no; it was the sad weight of the sins of mankind; it was the heavy burden of thy Father's wrath for our sins, which thus pressed down thy soul, and wrung from thee these bitter expressions of sorrow.
What can it avail thee, O Saviour, to tell thy grief to men?—Who can ease thee as man, but thy heavenly Father? Lo, to him thou turnest;—Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me!
Was not this that prayer, O blessed Lord, which in the days of thy flesh thou offeredst up with strong crying and tears, to him that was able to save thee from death?—Never was cry so strong; never was God thus solicited. How could heaven but shake at such a prayer from the power that made it? How can my heart but tremble to hear this suit from the Captain of our salvation?
But, O thou that saidst, I and my Father are one,—dost thou suffer aught from thy Father, but what thou wouldst? Was this cup of thine or forced or casual? Far hence be these misraised thoughts of ignorance and frailty; thou camest to suffer, and thou wouldst do what thou camest for; yet since thou wouldst be a man, thou wouldst take all of man, but sin. Within this veil of thine thou wouldst exhibit what that nature of ours which thou hadst assumed, could incline to wish; but in thy resolution thou wouldst shew us what thy victorious thoughts, raised and assisted by thy divine power, had voluntarily submitted to;—nevertheless, not as I will, but as thou wilt. As man, thou hadst a will of thine own. No human mind can be perfect without that main faculty, that will, which naturally inclines towards an exemption from miseries. Those pains which in themselves are grievous, thou embracest, as agreeable to the divine will; so that thy fear gives place to thy love and obedience. How should we have known those evils to be so formidable, if thou hadst not in half a thought inclined to deprecate them? How could we have avoided evils so dreadful and deadly, hadst thou not willingly undergone them?
While the mind was in this fearful agitation, no wonder if thy feet were not fixed. One while thou walkest to thy drowsy attendants, and stirrest up their vigilancy; then thou returnest to thy passionate devotions. Thou fallest again upon thy face; thy prayers are so much more vehement than thy pangs, as thy soul is yet lower than thy humble body:—And being in an agony, he prayed more earnestly; and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.
O my Saviour! what an agony must every heart endure which thinks on thine? What pain, what fear, what strife, what horror was in thy sacred breast! How didst thou struggle under the weight of our sins, that thus thou didst sweat, that thus thou didst bleed!—All was peace with thee: thou wert one with thy co-eternal and co-equal Father;—all the angels worshipped thee; all the powers of heaven and earth awefully acknowledge thine infinity. It was our nature that enfeoffed and involved thee in this misery and torment; in that nature thou sustainedst thy Father's wrath, and the curse denounced on man. I wonder not if thou bleedest a sweat, if thou sweatest blood. If the moisture of that sweat be from the body, the tincture of it is from the soul.
But, O thou blessed angel, that camedst to comfort the afflicted Saviour, how didst thou look upon this Son of God, when thou sawest him labouring for life under these violent temptations? Luke 22:43. With what astonishment didst thou behold him bleeding, whom thou didst adore! Oh! the wise and marvellous dispensation of the Almighty! Whom God will afflict, an angel shall relieve. The God of angels droopeth; an angel of God strengthens him!
Blessed Jesu! if, as man, thou wouldst be made a little lower than the angels, how can it disparage thee to be attended and cheered by an angel? Thy humiliation would not disdain comfort from meaner hands. How free was it for thy Father to convey seasonable consolations to thy humbled soul, by whatever means! Behold, though thy cup shall not pass, yet shall it be sweetened. What though thou see not for a time thy Father's face, yet shalt thou feel his hand. What could that assistant spirit have done without the God of spirits? O Father of mercies, in the midst of the sorrows of my heart, thy comforts shall refresh my soul; and whatever be the means of my support, I know, and I adore the Author. Thou wilt not suffer us to be tried above what we are able; but wilt with the trial also make a way to escape, that we may be able to bear it.
REFLECTIONS.—1st, The aweful hour now approaches, when the great Redeemer must offer himself a sacrifice for the sins of the world. We have,
1. The chief priests and scribes consulting how to perpetrate the bloody deed, on which they had resolved. The fear of the people restrained them from open violence, and now they plotted how to take him off secretly.
2. Judas the traitor opportunely appeared to further their scheme. Satan now urged him on to the precipice of ruin; and going to the chief priests, in council assembled, who gladly embraced the offer he made, they soon struck up the bargain, and for thirty pieces of silver he engaged to betray his Master; and accordingly he watched for a secret opportunity, when, in the absence of the people, they might seize him without fear of a tumult. Note; (1.) All the malice of open enemies does not strike at the cause of Christ so deeply as the perfidy of false disciples. (2.) The devil watches the weak side of professors; and whether it be gold, or wine, or women, &c. he prepares the bait, and apostates readily catch at it.
2nd, The day of the preparation of the passover being come, we have,
1. The solemnization of it according to the law. His disciples, Peter and John, had been sent to make ready, and directed whither to go; and having followed the orders of their Master, and prepared the paschal lamb, at even he came and sat down with the twelve, Judas being still of the number, his treachery not having yet openly appeared. Being seated, with warm affection he addressed them, saying, With desire I have desired to eat this passover with you before I suffer. He was happy to have this last meeting with them; he longed for the hour when the great work that he had undertaken should be accomplished, and that was now at hand. He welcomed those approaching sufferings which were to procure the salvation of all the faithful saints of God, and was now about to put a period to all the ceremonial institutions. Therefore, he adds, I will not any more eat thereof, until it be fulfilled in the kingdom of God: for when, as the Lamb of God, he should be offered, who was the true passover, this typical ordinance must cease of course. In the gospel kingdom, the supper that he was now about to institute, would supersede the other; and in the great day of his appearing and glory, they, his faithful apostles, should most eminently rejoice together in the final accomplishment of their glorious liberty; when departed from this world, the house of their prison, they should enter with him into the heavenly Canaan of eternal rest. Presenting therefore the passover-cup to the disciples, in which it was usual for the company to pledge the master, he takes a solemn farewel of the fruit of the vine, until the kingdom of God shall come; either, when, after his exaltation, his gospel should be spread through the earth, and his presence be manifested in the midst of his church, where his disciples should assemble to partake of his supper; or, when the heavenly kingdom should come, where his faithful people shall be for ever satisfied with the pleasures that are at his right hand.
2. The institution of the Lord's supper, which should be continually celebrated in his church, in memory of a greater redemption than that from Egypt, even the deliverance which he has obtained for us by the sacrifice of himself, from Satan, sin, death, and hell. The bread is broken in token of his body being broken on the cross; it is given us as spiritual food for our immortal souls, that, by faith feeding upon the great doctrine of his atonement, we may be comforted and strengthened with might in the inner man. And the wine represents to us that Blood which he shed for the remission of our sins, and which seals to us the promises of the gospel covenant, of which we are assured partakers, when faith realizes the signs, and makes Christ's flesh meat indeed, and his blood drink indeed.
3rdly, Christ, having finished the supper, addresses himself to his disciples.
1. He admonishes them, that, though strange the relation, yet one of them should betray him; and dreadful would be the guilt of that wretch who should perpetrate the horrid deed. Astonished at the information, the disciples, with anxious solicitude, began to inquire which of them he pointed at, shocked with the thought of being guilty of such enormous wickedness. Note; (1.) There are in every age traitors, who eat of Christ's bread and yet betray him. (2.) Though God foresees and permits the wickedness of sinners, yet will not this at all exculpate them from their guilt. (3.) Holy jealousy over ourselves, lest we should be faithless, is the surest way to preserve our fidelity inviolable.
2. He rebukes the sinful affectation of precedency, for which his apostles, whose heads were still full of his temporal kingdom, had been disputing among themselves. He corrects their vain imaginations, and assures them, that the kingdom which he was about to erect, was in no wise like the kingdoms of the Gentiles, where the princes and rulers exercised despotic sway over their subjects, affected the title of benefactors, and were flattered with it by their people: but they who bore his commission, must not imitate such examples, nor think of lording it over their brethren. The only way in which his ministers can hope to rise in eminence, is by condescending to every work and labour of love; to serve the meanest and least of his disciples; in honour preferring others to themselves, and being ever little and low in their own eyes. His own example was a powerful argument to enforce humility upon them. Though he was their Master, and they his servants, he submitted even to wash their feet, that they might learn of him. Hitherto they had continued with him, during all his trials and humiliations; they have only to persevere in the same way, expecting nothing on earth but sufferings, and looking for higher honours than the fading ones of this world; either in the kingdom of grace, in which they should fill the most important stations, be made eminent instruments of God for good to men's souls, and partake of the rich provision of gospel ordinances: or, in the kingdom of glory, where they should reign with their exalted Lord, filled with eternal consolations; and sit down on thrones prepared for them at his right hand, assessors with him in the judgment, judging the twelve tribes of Israel: as he himself was now about to take the mediatorial throne appointed to him by his Father, and should reign over his faithful people in glory everlasting. Note; (1.) In Christ's kingdom humility is the only way to honour; and our ambition must be, not to be admired as great, but to lay ourselves out in doing good. (2.) They who faithfully adhere to the Saviour in the midst of manifold temptations, shall find, that as their tribulations abound for Christ, their consolations, even in this world, shall abound also, and that they shall, in the world to come, obtain a throne of glory that fadeth not away. (3.) The saints of God are now usually despised and trampled upon; but shortly their revilers and persecutors shall see them exalted to a throne, and assessors with the great Judge, (see 1 Corinthians 6:2-3.) before whose bar his enemies and theirs must stand trembling, and be covered with everlasting shame and contempt.
3. He warns Peter of his approaching fall; but foretels at the same time, that through his grace and intercession he will recover. Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, even all of you: and his purpose is, to sift you as wheat, hoping to destroy them by apostacy: but I have prayed for thee, in particular, against whom the fiercest attack will be made, that thy faith fail not; though it will be grievously shaken. And when thou art converted, recovered from this dreadful temptation and fall, strengthen thy brethren: taught by experience, admonish others of the rock of self-confidence on which thou hast struck, and to beware of temptation. Note; if we have fallen, we must not lie down in despair, but arise, and return with shame and humble confession to a pardoning God, that we may find mercy.
4. He silences Peter's boasts, by expressly foretelling him that he would certainly deny him thrice. Peter resolutely declared, that neither a prison nor death should ever make him be false to his Master, or induce him to forsake him for a moment: but Christ assures him, that that night he would have a dire conviction of the weakness of his resolutions, and the strength of the tempter's power over him, even so far as to make him deny that he ever knew his Master.
5. He appeals to his disciples for his past care over them; and they own, that in all their journeys, when they travelled without money or provisions, they wanted nothing. Note; (1.) The more we reflect on the divine Providence in the days that are past, the more we shall be compelled to acknowledge, that in innumerable instances God hath helped us. (2.) Past experience of the Lord's goodness should engage our present confidence in his mercy. (3.) Christ's disciples must be satisfied with a little, and their Master will take care that they shall not be destitute.
6. He bids them now prepare for and expect more perilous times, and days of greater distress. He was about to suffer among transgressors, in the greatest torment and ignominy, according to the ancient prophesies concerning him; all which now were ready to be accomplished: and they, for the testimony of his gospel, would be exposed to want and suffering. They must now take all that they have, and employ it in providing those necessaries for themselves which they will want; and must, though, at the expence of their garments, purchase a sword, as more needful for their own defence against the perils of robbers, whom they may be called to encounter in their travels. Or, figuratively, this may rather refer to the persecutions and violence of their enemies, against which it would require all their fortitude and courage to bear up. The disciples, supposing him to mean literally, that they should repel force by force, replied, Lord, here are two swords, as if they wished to know whether they should procure more; but he said unto them, It is enough; these were sufficient to answer the instructive design for which he mentioned them. It was not by those weapons of war that his kingdom was to be spread, or their safety secured; but by the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, and by the armour of righteousness on the right hand and the left.
4thly, We have Christ's agony in the garden, the account of which the former evangelists had given us in nearly the same words. See Matthew 26:36; Matthew 26:75.Mark 14:32; Mark 14:72. Three circumstances are particularly taken notice of by St. Luke:
1. That an angel appeared from heaven, strengthening him in his agony; probably suggesting to him, as man, some powerful inducements to encourage and support him under his unutterable distress; that the conflict would be short, the issue glorious, the victory sure, and the eternal salvation of the faithful be the great reward; So low did the son of God humble himself, as to need their services, who were the work of his own hands: and they who ministered to him, will not fail to perform the like kind offices for all believers. If the Lord lay upon us heavy burdens, he will send us help in the needful time of trouble.
2. That being in an agony, he prayed more earnestly. All the storms and billows of divine wrath were now going over him, and the great enemy of souls, with all his fury, hurled his fiery darts against him. With strong crying and tears he redoubled therefore his supplications, and was heard. Note; Prayer is at all times seasonable; but when we are under distress of body, or soul, we are peculiarly called to cry mightily to him, whose strength is made perfect in weakness; and every wrestling Jacob will be a prevailing Israel.
3. His sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground. The intenseness of his agony threw the humours of his body into so violent a fermentation, that though it was night, and he lay on the cold ground, the blood transuded with his sweat through the pores, and the reeking drops, trickling down, dyed the earth on which he lay. With what a bloody baptism was he baptized! My soul, behold, admire, and adore! It was love for thee, that brought thy Saviour thus low.
5thly, The traitor with an armed band now appears; and we have,
1. Christ betrayed. The signal given by Judas was a kiss. Adding hypocrisy to his treachery, he approached him; and Jesus, who well knew his design, with one kind word of expostulation on his baseness, readily surrendered himself into the hands of his enemies. Note; The Lord is privy to the secret thoughts of apostates in heart, and sees the traitor under all the specious profession that he makes.
2. The disciples, who instantly would have stood on their defence, and rescued him, asked his leave to unsheathe their swords; but Peter, too impatient to wait for an answer, drew, and aiming a blow at one of those who were active in seizing on his Master, a servant of the high priest's the sword glanced down the side of his head, and took off his right ear. But Christ rebuked Peter for his rashness, and desires his enemies not to resent the blow which Peter had struck, the damage of which he immediately repairs, and on the spot gave them an evidence of his power and grace, by healing the servant, and restoring his lost ear; which, if their hearts had not been hardened as the nether millstone, could not fail to have convinced them both of the wickedness and ingratitude of their conduct. May we learn of our Lord thus ever to render good for evil!
3. He expostulates with the chief priests, and the captains of the temple, and elders; some of whom, even at that unseasonable hour, forgetting their dignity, and instigated by their malice, now mingled with the soldiers, and came to make sure of their prey. Christ reasons with them on the inutility of such a military force, when he never would have attempted resistance, nor ever meant to abscond, since he appeared daily in public at the temple: But, says he, this is your hour, and the power of darkness. Till that hour came, all the powers of earth and hell could not prevail against him.
6thly, We have,
1. Peter's sad fall. Willing to see what would be the end of his Master's trials, he stole into the palace, and hoped to pass unperceived among the crowd; but his look, his behaviour, his speech, discovered him, and excited repeated charges from the by-standers, which he solemnly disowned, declaring that he did not know the man Jesus whom they spoke of, and confirming the horrid lie with the most profane oaths and perjury. One wilful lie has often led men to the most dreadful lengths. None know where they shall stop, when for a moment they deviate from the path of truth.
2. His gracious recovery. The cock crew to warn him of his guilt, and rung in Peter's ears a peal of loudest thunder; and one look of Jesus broke his heart with anguish. He turned, and looked upon Peter; and that glance spoke more than words could utter. It shewed him, that, though now on his trial, Christ was apprised of all that passed: it conveyed the deepest conviction, the tenderest expostulation, the kindest compassion, to his heart. Peter's guilt now rose in blackest colours to his view; his baseness, his ingratitude, every aggravating circumstance returned to his memory; and, overwhelmed with grief, anguish, horror, and shame, he went out, and wept bitterly.
7thly, Behold with horror and indignation,
1. The insults put on this innocent sufferer by the abjects who gathered themselves against him. The servants who kept Jesus in custody till the council met, mocked him, buffetted him; and blindfolding him, in derision of his prophetical character, struck him on the face, and bid him tell who smote him; with other blasphemies, which he silently and patiently endured. See the Annotations.
2. The injustice and cruel oppression which his judges, the chief priests and scribes, shewed at his trial. Early they arose, at break of day, eager to hasten his condemnation; and having brought him before them, demanded a direct answer whether he were the Messiah, or not. Christ knew that their wicked design was to employ his own words as the ground of his condemnation, and therefore expostulates with them on their unfair and unreasonable proceedings. If I tell you, ye will not believe; they were resolved at all events, in hardened obstinacy, to reject his pretensions; and if I ask you what you can object to the evidences of my divine mission which I have given, ye will not answer me, unable to refute them, yet determined not to be convinced by them, though reduced to silence: nor will you let me go, though not able to prove a single charge against me. Therefore he refers them for conviction to his coming with vengeance on the throne of judgment; when they should know, to their cost, whether he really was possessed of that character which he assumed. With indignation they tumultuously asked, whether he dared arrogate the title of the Son of God? he boldly replied in the affirmative—so they said, and so indeed he was. With one voice they instantly condemned him as a blasphemer, counting any farther witness unnecessary; when his own confession proved, as they concluded, the blasphemy of his pretensions. So were they given up to a reprobate mind, and, blind to the clearest evidence of truth, rushed on their eternal ruin, filling up the measure of their iniquities.