10 And unto them in the absence of the multitude. 7 Then or, : ↑ better (see on ver. 3), Now the day of unleavened bread came. homitted by some of the oldest authorities. The concluding words of the verse may bear either the meaning in the text or that in the margin. 7- 14.] PREPARATION BRATING THE PASSOVer. 17-19. Mark xiv. 12-16. FOR CELE- is the fullest of the three, related however when 8.] 10.] It was a solemn message, and for it were See Mark xiv. 25. 11.] The "goodman of the house" was a was evening; see above on ver. 10, and 15-18.] Peculiar to Luke. The desire of our Lord to eat this His last Passover may be explained from ch. xii. 50: not merely from his depth of love for His disciples, though this formed an element in it, -see John xiii. 1 sq. The for in ver. 16 gives us the leading reason. This is the only instance in the Gospels, of the absolute use of suffer, as in the Creed, 'He suffered. We have several times "suffer many things," ch. ix. 22; xvii. 25; Matt. xvi. 21 al.; "suffer these things," ch. xxiv. 26, and "thus to suffer," ditto ver. 46. 16.] The full meaning of this declaration is to be sought in the words c ch. xiv. 15. Rev. xix. 9. f Ps. xli. 9. i thereof, until it be fulfilled in the kingdom of God. 17 And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, Take this, and divide it among yourselves: 18 for I say unto I will not drink of the fruit of the vine, until the kingdom of God shall come. 19 And he took bread, and you, e f 22 11 And gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, d1 Cor. xi. 24. This is my body which is given for you: this do 1in remembrance of me. 20 Likewise also the cup after e 1 Cor. x. 16. supper, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you. 21 But, behold, the hand of him that betrayeth me is with me on the table. truly the Son of man goeth as it was determined: but woe unto that man by whom he is betrayed! 23 And they began to enquire among themselves, which of them it was j read, it. k read, henceforth] drink. 11 read, Because. g Acts ii. 23: iv. 28. 1 the Vatican MS. has, as a remembrance. this passover. first cup in the Passover-meal, with which 19, 20.] INSTITUTION OF THE LORD'S SUPPER. Matt. xxvi. 26-29. Mark xiv. 22-24. 1 Cor. xi. 23–25. See notes on Matthew. 20.] Here follows, in Matthew ver. 29, Mark ver. 25, a second declaration, respecting not drinking any more of this fruit of the vine. 21-23.] ANNOUNCEMENT OF A BETRAYER. See notes on Matt. xxvi. 2025. I would not venture absolutely to maintain that this announcement is identical with that one; but I own the arguments of Stier and others to prove them distinct, fail to convince me. The expres sion But, behold, bears marks of verbal accuracy, and inclines us to believe that this announcement was made after the institution of the cup, as here related. 'Notwithstanding this My declaration of love, in giving My Body and Blood for you, there is one here present who shall betray Me.' on the table] viz. in dipping into the dish with the Lord. 22. goeth] A somewhat similar expression to this occurs ch. xiii. 33, "I must walk (the Greek word is the same) to day and to morrow;" but that is used of our Lord's ministerial progress; this of His progress through suffering to glory. ch. ix. 46. i xx. k Matt. xx. 26. 1 Pet. v. 3. 1 ch. ix. 48. that should do this thing. 24 h And there was also a strife h Mark ix. 34. among them, which of them should be accounted the i Mark x. 42. greatest. 25 And he said unto them, The kings of the Matt. 25. Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and they that exercise authority upon them are called benefactors. 26 K But shall not be so; but he that is greatest among ye you, let him be as the younger; and he that is chief, as he that doth n serve. 27 m For whether is greater, he that m ch. xii. 37. sitteth at meat, or he that serveth? is not he that sitteth at meat? but I am no among you as he that serveth. 28 Ye are they which have continued with me in temptations. 29 And PI appoint unto you a kingdom, as my Father hath appointed unto me; 30 that ye may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel. 31 [P And the Lord said,] Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath 4 desired to have S m literally, was about to do. 24-30.] DISPUTE FOR PRE-EMINENCE. OUR LORD'S REPLY. Without attempting to decide the question whether this incident is strictly narrated in order of time, or identical with one of those strifes on this point related Matt. xviii. 1, xx. 20, I will offer one or two remarks on it as it here stands. (1) Its having happened at this time is not altogether unaccountable. They had been just enquiring among themselves (ver. 23), who among them should do this thing. May it not reasonably be supposed, that some of them (Judas at least) would be anxiously employed in self-justification, and that this would lead, in some part of the table to a dispute of the kind here introduced? The natural effect of the Lord's rebuke would be to give rise to a different spirit among them, and the question, "Lord, is it I?" may have been the offspring of this better mind; but see note on Matthew vv. 2025. (2) It is surprising to find the very declaration of our Lord on the former strife related in this Gospel (ch. ix. 46–48), repeated as having been made at this Paschal meal,-by John, xiii. 20. May not this lead us to suppose that there has been a transposition of some of the circumstances regarding these various contentions among the Apostles, and that these words occurring in John may possibly point to a strife of this kind? (3) The "I am in the midst of you as he that ministereth" r Matt. xx. 28. my. iv. 15. John xiii. 13, 14. Phil. ii. Matt. xxiv. 47. ch. xii. 32. 2 Cor. i. 7. 2 Tim. i 12. q Matt. viii. 11. ch. xiv. 15, Rev. xix. 9. r Ps. xlix. 14. Matt. xix. 28. 1 Cor. vi. 2. s 1 Pet. v. 8. n literally, minister, and ministereth. authorities. a render, prevailed. is too clear an allusion to the washing of 28.] 31-34.] APPEAL TO PETER: HIS CONFIDENCE, AND OUR LORD'S REPLY. (See Matt. xxvi. 30-35: Mark xiv. 26-31: r t Amos ix. you, that he may sift you as wheat: u John xvii. 9, 11, 15. v Ps. li. 13. John xxi. 15, 16, 17. w Matt. x. 9. ch. ix. 3: x. 4. 32 but "I have and when thou 33 And he said sart converted, strengthen thy brethren. thrice deny that thou knowest me. them, When I sent you without purse, and scrip, and I see note: render perhaps, for perspicuity, you [all]. r * render, hast turned again. John xiii. 36-38.) The speech appears word, and the cognate substantive, thrice by St. Peter in his two epistles, 1 Pet. v. 10; 2 Pet. i. 12; iii. 17, and in the first passage in a connexion with the mention of Satan's temptations, is remarkable. : 33, 34.] Whether these words are in close connexion with the preceding, may I think be doubted. They may represent the same reply of our Lord as we have recorded in John xiii. 38. One thing seems clear, without any attempt at minutely harmonizing that two announcements were made by our Lord to Peter of his future denial, occasioned by two very different professions of his. One,-during the last meal, i. e. before going out, and occasioned by Peter's professed readiness to go to prison and to death (“to lay down his life") for and with the Lord:the other, on the way to the Mount of Olives, after the declaration that all should be offended, and occasioned by Peter's profession that though all should be offended, yet would not he. Nothing is more natural or common than the repetition, by the warm-hearted and ardent, of professions like these, in spite of warning; -and when De Wette calls such an interpretation a mere shift in difficulty,' all that we can say is, to disclaim any wish to clear up difficulties, except by going into their depths, and examining them honestly and diligently. If the above view be correct, I conceive that the account in John of this profession and our Lord's answer, being in strict coherence, and arising out of the subject of conversation, must be taken as the exact one: and St. Luke must be supposed to have inserted them here without being aware of the intermediate remarks which led to them. This is the only place in the Gospels where our Lord addresses Peter by the name Peter. And it is remarkable, as occurring in the very place where He forewarns him of his approaching denial of Himself. 35-38.] FOREWARNING OF PERILS AT HAND. Peculiar to Luke. The mean shoes, lacked ye any thing? And they said, Nothing. 36 Then said he unto them, But now, he that hath a purse, let him take it, and likewise this scrip: and he that hath no sword, let him sell his garment, and buy one. 37 For I say unto you, that this that is written must [uu yet] be accomplished in me, And he was reckoned among the trans- x Isa. liii. 12. gressors for the things concerning me have an end. 38 And they said, Lord, behold, here are two swords. And he said unto them, It is enough. t render, a. Mark xv. 28. ■ render (see note), he that hath none, let him sell his garment, and buy a sword. uu omit. ▾ most ancient authorities read, the matter concerning me hath. ing of our Lord in this much-controverted passage appears to be, to forewarn the Apostles of the outward dangers which will await them henceforward in their mission:-unlike the time when He sent them forth without earthly appliances, upheld by His special Providence, they must now make use of common resources for sustenance, yea, and even of the sword itself for defence. This they misunderstand, and point to the two swords which they have, for which they are rebuked (see below). 35.] See ch. ix. 3; x. 4; also Matt. x. 9. 36.] take was the very word used in the prohibition before. There is a question how this sentence, which is elliptical in the original, should be filled up. Very many authorities make a sword understood after "hath not" (as in A. V.);-but the simpler construction and better sense is to place hath not in contrast with hath, He that hath a purse, &c., and he that hath none, let him, &c. Thus the sense will be complete, for he who has a purse, can buy a sword, without selling his garment. The 'sword of the Spirit' (Olshausen and others) is wholly out of the question in interpreting this command. The saying is both a description to them of their altered situation with reference to the world without, and a declaration that self-defence and self-provision would henceforward be necessary. It forms a decisive testimony, from the mouth of the Lord Himself, against the views of the Quakers and some other sects on these points. But it does not warrant aggression by Christians, nor, as some R. Catholics, spreading the Gospel by the sword. 37.] The connexion is this: your situation among men will be one of neglect and even of danger;- for I the my self (see Matt. x. 24, 25) am about to be reckoned among transgressors.' By the very form of the expression it is evident, that the sword alluded to could have no reference to that night's danger, or the defending Him from it. matter concerning me hath an end] The prophecy cited closes the section of Isaiah, which eminently predicts the Lord's sufferings (ch. lii. 13—liii. 12). hath an end does not merely mean 'must be fulfilled,' which would be an assertion without any special reference here-but are coming to the completion of their accomplishment. So "it is finished," John xix. 30. 38.] Two of them were armed,either from excess of zeal to defend Him, excited by His announcement of His sufferings during this feast, or, perhaps because they had brought their weapons from Galilee as protection by the way. The road from Jericho to Jerusalem (see ch. x. 30) was much infested with robbers; -and it was the custom for the priests, and even for the quiet and ascetic Essenes, to carry weapons when travelling. Chrysostom gives a curious explanation of the two swords, that it was probable they had knives to cut up the Paschal lamb. This certainly agrees with the number of the disciples sent to get ready the Passover: but it has nothing else to recommend it. They exhibit their swords, misunderstanding His words, and supposing them to apply to that night. Our Lord breaks off the matter with It is enough,-not 'they are sufficient;'-but, It is well,—we are sufficiently provided-it was not to this that My words referred.' The rebuke is parallel with, though milder than, the one in Mark viii. 17,- -as the misunderstanding was somewhat similar. |