Warnings to Prepare for the Coming of Christ
Oirist Baffles the Pharisees. MARK XIII. Destruction of Jerusalem Prophesied.
are less definite. "As some spake," says Luke: "His disciples came to Him," says Matthew. Doubtless U waa the speech of one, the mouth-piece, likely, of others. Master— faith," almost Immediately after the day of Pentecost (Acts 6. 7), this upriglit lawyer was one. But for all liis nearness to the Kingdom of God, it may be he never entered it. Aud no man after that durst ask any question—all feeling that lliey were no match for Him, and that it was vain to enter tiie lists willi Him.
' Teacher'—sec what manner of stones and what buildings are here—wondering, probably, how so massive a pile could be overthrown, as seemed implied in our Lord's last words regarding it. Josephus, wlio gives a minute account of the wonderful structure, speaks of stones forty cubits long {Jewish War, v. 5. 1.), and says the pillars supporting the porches were twenty-five cubits high, all of one stone, and that the whitest marble (ib., v
Chrlil Baffles the Pharisees regarding David { v. 35-37). 35, Aitd Jesus answered and said, wliile He tau|;Iit lu the temple—and "while the Pharisees were gathered togettier" (Matthew 22. 41)—How say the scribes that Christ is the son of David J—How come they to give it Cut that Messiah is to be the sou of David? In Matthew, Jesus asks them, "What thinli ye of Clirist?" or of the promised and expected Messiah? "Wliose son is He (to be)? They say unto Him, The son of David." Tlie sense
5. 2). Six days' battering at tlie walls, during the siege, made no impression upon them (ib., vi. 4. 1). Some of the under-building, yet remaining, and other works, are probably as old as the first temple. 2. And Jesns answering said unto him, Seest thou these great buildings J—'Ye call my attention to these tilings? I liave seen them. Ye point to their massive and durable appearance : now listen to their fate.' there shall not be left—"left here" (Matthew 24. 2)—one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down—Titus ordered the whole city and temple to be demolished [Josephus, J. ir., vii. 1. 1.]; Eleazar wished they had all died before seeing that holy city destroyed by enemies' hands, and before the temple was so profanely dug up (ib., vli. 8. 7). 3. And as he sat upon the Mount of Olives, over against the temple—On their way from Jerusalem to Bethany they would cross Mount Olivet; on its summit He seats Himself, over against the temple, having the city all spread out under His eye. How graphically is this set before us by our Evangelist ! Peter and Jamea and John and Andrew asked him privately—The other Evangelists tell us merely that " the disciples" did so. But Mark not only says that It was four of them, but names them; and they were the first gttarternion of the Twelve, i. Tell us, when shall these things bel and what sliall be the sign when all these things shall be fultille<ll—"and wliat shall be the sign of thy coining, and of the end of the world?" They no doubt looked upon the date of all these things as one and the .same, and tlieir notions of the things themselves were as confusea as of the times of tlieiii. Our Lord takes His own way ot meeting tlieir questions.
is the same. "He saitli unto them. How then dotli David in spirit call Him Lord?" (Matthew 22. 42, f8.) 36. For David liimself said by the Holy Ghost (Psalm 110. 1), The Lord said to my Lord, Sit thou on my t'i{;ltt Iinitd, till I make tliine enemies thy footstool. 37. David therefore liimself callcth liim Lord ; and wlience is he then liis son 1—There is but one solution of this difficulty. Messiah is at once inferior to David as liis son according to the tlesh, and superior to hiin as tlie Lord of a kingdom of which David is himself a subject, not tlie sovereign. The human and Divine natures of Christ, and the spirituality of His kingdom—of which the highest eartlily sovereigns are honoured if they be counted worthy to be its subjects—furnish the only key to this puzzle. And the common people—or, 'the immense crowd'—heard him gladly—"And no man was able to answer Him a word; neither durst any man from tliat day forth ask Him any more questions" (Mattliew 22. 4(j).
The Scribes Denounced (v. ;^8-40). 38. And he said unto them In his doctrine—rather, 'in His teaching;' implying that this was but a specimen of an extended discourse, wliich Matthew gives in full (ch. 23). Luke says
(20.45) this was "in the audience of all the people said unto his disciples"—Beware of the scribes, wliich love —or 'like'—to go in long clothing—(see on Mattliew 23.
5)—and [love] salutations in the market-places, 39. And tlie clklef seats in tlie synagogues, and llie uppermost rooms—or positions—at feasts—See on tliis love of distinction, Luke 14. 7; and on Mattliew 6. 5. 40. Which devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayers : these shall receive greater damnation—Tbey took advantage of tlieir helpless condition and cou Hding character to obtain possession of tlieir property, while by their "long prayers
Prophecies of the Destruction of Jerusalem {v. 5-31). 5. XnA Jesus answering them began to say. Take Iieed lest any man deceive you : 6. For many shall come in my name, saying, I am [Christ]—(see Matthew 24. 5)—"and the time diaweth nigh" (IjUke 21.8); that is, the time of the kingdom in its full splendour—and shall deceive many—"Go ye not therefore after them" (Luke 21. 8). Tlie reference here seems not to be to pretended Messiahs, deceiving tliose wlio rejected the claims of Jesus, of whom indeed there were plenty—for our Lord is addressing His own genuine disciples—but to persons pretending to be Jesus Himself, returned in glory to take possession of His kingdom. This gives peculiar force to tlie words, " Go ye not therefore after them." 7. And when ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars, be ye not t roubled—see on
" they made them lielieve tliey were raised far above "filthy lucre." So much the "greater damnation" awaited them. (Cf. Matthew 2;i. 33.) A lifelike description this of the Romish clergy, the true successors of "the scribes."
41-44. The Widow's Two MiTes. (=Luke 21. 1-4.) See on Luke 21. 1-4.
CHAPTER XIII.
Ver. 1-37. Christ's Pkophecy of the Destruction of Jerusalem, and Warnings sugge.sted by it to Prepare FOR His Second Coming. (=Mattliew 24. 1-51 ; Luke
V. 13, and compare Isaiah 8. 11-14—for such things must needs be j but the end sliall not be yet—In Luke (21. 9), "the end is not by aud by," or 'immediately.' Worse must come before all is over. 8. These are the beginnings of sorrows—'of tra Vail-pangs,' to wliich heavy calamities are compared. (See Jeremiah 4. 31, The annals of Tacitus tell us how the Uoman world was convulsed, before the destruction of Jerusalem, by rival claimants of the imperial purple. 9. But take heed to yourselves: for—"belbre all these things" (Luke 21. 12); i.
21. 5-36.) Jesus had uttered Jill His mind against tlie Jewish ecclesiastics, exposing their cliaracter with withering plainness, and denouncing, in language of awful severity, the judgments of God against them forlluit uiifaitlifulness to tlieir trust which was bringing ruin upon tlie nation. He liad closed this His last public disct)uise (Matthew 2;i.) by a passionate Lamentation over Jerusalem, and a solemn Farewell to tlie Temple. "And (says Matthew 24. 1) Jesus went out and departed from the temple" —never more to re-enter Its precincts, or open His mouth In public teaching. WUhlhltacl ended His piddic miiiistr//. As He withdrew, says Olshausen, the gracious presence e., l)etore these public calamities come—they shall deliver you up to councils! aud In the synagogues ye shall be beaten—Tliese reler to ecclesiastical picx'cedings against tiiem—and ye shall b<'. brought before rulers and kings—liefore cwil triliunals next—for my sake, foi a testimony against them—rather 'unto them'—to give you an opportunity of bearing testimony to Me belora them. In the Act of the Apostles we have the best eommcnlary on this announcement. (Cf. Matthew 10. 17, IS.)
Vf God left the sanctuary; and the temple, with all its nervlce, and the whole theocratic constitution, was given over to destructlim. What Immediately ft)Ilowed is, as usual, most minutely and graphically describeil by our
E'Vivngellst. 1. And cm he went out of the temple, one of bU dUclples ualth auto him—Tiie otiier Kvangeiists
10. And thr gospel must llrst be published auioiig all
Gitut Calamities to Happen. MARK XIII. The Signs of Christ's Coming.
nations—"for a witness, and then shall the end come" (Matthew 24. U). God never sends Judgment without previous warning; and there can be no doubt that the Jews, already dispersed over most known countries, had nearly all lieard the Gospel "as a witness," before the end was crowded into the period of the Jewish war ar amount and complication of suffering perhaps unparalleled; aa the narrative of Josephus, examined closely and arranged under different lieads, would show. 20. And except that tlie Lord had shortened those days, no flesh —i. e., no human life—should be saved : but for the elect's sake, wliom he hatit chosen, he hath shortened the days—But for this merciful "shortening," brought about by a remarkable concurrence of causes, the whole nation would have perished, in which there yet remained a remnant to be afterwards gatliered out. This portion of the prophecy closes, in Luke, with the following vivid and important glance at the subsequent fortunes of the chosen people : " And they shall fall by the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations : and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until, the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled" (Luke 21. 24). The language as weU as the idea of this remarkable statement is taken from Daniel 8. 10, 13. What, then, is its import here? It implies, first, that a time is coming when Jerusalem shall cease to bo " trodden down of the Gentiles;" whicli it was then by pagan, and since and till now is by Mohammedan unbelievers: and next, it implies that the period when this treading down of Jerusalem by the Gentiles is to cease will be when " the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled" or 'completed.' But what does this mean 7 We may gather the meaning of it from Romans 11., in which the Divine purposes and procedure towards the chosen people from first to last are treated in detail. In v. 25 of that chapter these words of our Lord are thus reproduced : " For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part 13 happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in." See the exposition of that verse, from which of the Jewisli state. The same principle was repeated and will repeat itself to "</teend." 11. But when they sliall lead yoti, and deliver yon up, take no thought beforehand— 'be not anxious beforehand' — what ye shall
Tlienk, neither do ye premeditate-' Be not filled with appieliensiou, in the prospect of such public appearances for Me, lest ye should bring discredit upon My name, nor think it necessary to prepare beforehand what ye are to say.' but whatsoever shall be given you In that hour, that speak ye : for It is not ye that speak, but the Holy Ghost—See on Matthew 10. 19, 20. 13. And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake—Matthew (24. 12) adds this important intimation: "And because iniquity sliiill abound, the love of many"'—
' of the many,' or ' of the most;' J. e., of the generality of professed disciples—"shall wax cold." Sad illustrations of the effect of abounding iniquity in cooling the love even of faithful disciples we have in the Epistle of Jamex, written about the period here referred to, and too frequently ever since, buthethat shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved—See on Matt liew 10. 21. 22; and cf. Hebrews 10. 38, 39, which is a manifest allusion to these words of Christ; also Revelation 2. 10. Luke adds these reassuring words: "But there shall not an hair of your heads perish" (21. 18). Our Lord had Just said (Luke 21. IG) that they should be put to death ; showing that this precious promise is far above immunity from mere bodily harm, and furnishing a key to the right interpretation of Psalm 91. and such like. 14. But when ye shall see—"Jerusalem compassed by armies"—
' \>y euoamped armies;' in other words, wlien ye shall see it be-
It will appear that—"till the fulness of the Gentiles be come in"—or, in our Lord's phraseology, " till tiie times of the Gentiles be fulfilled"—does not mean 'till the general conversion of the world to Christ,' but ' till the Gentiles have had their full time of that place in the Church which the Jews had before them.' After that period of Oentilism, as before of Judaism, "Jerusalem" and Israel, no longer "trodden down by the Gentiles," but "grafted into their own olive tree," shall constitute, with the believing Gentiles, one Church of God, and fill the whole earth. What a bright vista does this open up siegcd, and—the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel tite prophet, standing where It ought not — I. c, as explained in Mattliew (24. 15), "standing in the lioly place"—(let him that readetli—readetli that prophecy—understand.) That " the abomination of desolation" here alluded to was intended to point to the Roman ensigns, as the symbols of an idolatrous, and so unclean Pagan power, may be gathered by comparing what Luke says in the corresponding verse (21.20); and commentators are agreed on it. It is wortliy of notice, as confirming
21. And then, if any man shall say to yon, LiO, Itere is Christ ; or, lo [he is] there ; believe him not—So Luke this Interpretation, that in 1 Maccabees I. 51—which, though apocryphal <Smp?«re, is authentic /lisorj/—the expression of Daniel is applied to the idolatrous profanation of the Jewish altar by Autiochus Epiphanes. tlien
17. 23. No one can read JosEPHtJS' account of what took place before the destruction of Jerusalem without seeing how strikingly this was fulfilled, to seduce, if It were possible, even the elect—Implj'ing that this, though all but done, will prove impossible. What a precious assurance! (Cf. 2 Thessalonians 2. 9-12.) 23. But take ye heed { behold, I have foretold you all things—He had Just told yiem that the seduction of the elect would prove impossible; but since this would be all but accomplished, He bids them be on their guard, as the proper means of averting that catastrophe. In Matthew (24. 26-28) we have some additional particulars: "Wherefore, if they shall say unto you. Behold, He Is in the desert; go not forth: behold. He is in the secret chambers; believe it not. For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be." See on Luke 17. 23, 24. " For w jeresoever the carcass let Uicin that be in .Tudea flee to the mountains—The eoolesiastlcal historian, Eusebius, early in the fourth century, tells us that the Christians fled to Pella, at the northern extremity of Perea, being "prophetically directed"—perhaps by some prophetic intimation more explicit than this, which would be their chart—and that thus they escaped the predicted calamities by which the nation was overwhelmed. 15. And let him that is on the house-top not get do Avn into the liouse, neither enter therein, to take any thing out of his house t i.e., let him take the outside flight of steps from the roof to the ground; a graphic way of denoting the extreme urgency of the case, and the danger of being tempted, by the desire to save his property, to delay till escape should become impossible. IC. And let him that is in tike fleld not turn back again for to take up Iiis garment. 17. But woe to them—or, 'alas for them'—that are vrith child, and to tliem that give suck in those days—in consequence of the aggravated suffering which those conditions would involve. 18. And pray ye that your flight be not in the winter—making escape perilous, or tempting you to delay your flight. Matthew (24. 20) adds, "neither on the sabbath day," when, from fear of a breach of Its sacred rest, they might be induced to remain. 19, For In those days shall be afnictlon, such as was not from the beginning of the creation which Ood created nnto this time, neither shall be—.Such language is not unusual In the Old Testament with reference to tremendous calamities. But It is matter of literal fact that there is, thei-e will the eagles be gathered together." See on Luke 17. 37. 24. But in those days, after that trlbttlation—" Immediately after the tribulation of those days" (Matthew 24. 29)—the sun shall be darkened, and tho moon shall not give her light. 25. And the stars of heaven shall fall—"and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things whicli are coming on the earth" (Luke 21. 25, 26)—and the powers that are in heaven shall be shaken—Though the grandeur of this Ismguage carries the mind over the head of all periods but that of Christ's Second Coming, nearly every expression will be found used of the Lord's coming in terrible 87
The Signs of ChrisCs Coming. MARK XIII. Warnings to Freparefor it.
that ancient people of His be rejected and cast off: bu that ancient Jewish Church being destroj'cd, a new Church shall be called out of the Gentiles.' But though something like this appears to be the primary sense of the verse, in relation to the destruction of Jerusalem, no one can national judgments: as of Babylon (Isaiah 13. 9-13); of Idumea (Isaiah 34. 1, 2, 4, S-IO); of Egypt (Ezekiel 32. 7, 8); coinpaie also Psalm 18.7-15; Isaiah 24.1. 17-19; Joel 2.10,
11, &c. We cannot therefore consider the mere strength of this language a, proof that it refers exclusively or primarily to the precursors of the final day, though of course In "thai day" it will have its most awful fultllment. 36. And then simll they sec the Son of lunu coming in tlie clouds with great power and glory—In JSIattliew 24. 30, this is given niost fully: "And then shall appear the sign of the yon of man in heaven; and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man," &c. That this language finds its highest interpretation in the Second Personal Coming of Christ, is most certain. But the question is, whether that he the primary sense of it as it stands here? Now if the reader will turn to Daniel 7. 13, 14, and connect with it the preceding verses, be will find, we think, the true key to our Lord's meaning here. There the powers that oppressed the Church—sj mbolized by rapacious wild beasts—are summoned to the bar of the Great God, who as the Ancient of days scats Himself, with His assessors, on-a burning Throne: thousand thousands ministering to Him, and ten thousand tlmesten thousand standing before Him. "The judgment fail to see that the language swells beyond any gathering of a human family into a Church upon earth, and forces, the thoughts onward to that gathering of the Church "at the last trump," to meet the Lord In the air, which is to wind up the present scene. Still, this is not, in our judgment, the direct subject of the prediction; for the next verse limits the whole prediction to the generation then existing. 38. Now learn a parable of the ftg tree—'Now from the fig tree learn the parable,' or the high lesson which this teaches. When lier branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves—'its leaves.' 39. So ye, in lihe manner, when ye shall ge« these things come to pass— rather, 'coming to pass' — know tliat it—"the kingdom of God" (Luke 21.31)—is nigh, even at the doors—that is, the full manifestation of it; for till then it admitted of no full development. In Luke (21.28) the following words precede these: "And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh"—their redemption. In the first Instance certainly, from Jewish oppression (1 Thess.alonians 2. 14-16; Luke 11.
is set, and the hooks are opened." Who that is guided by the mere ivords would doubt that this is a desci iplion of the Final Judgment? And yet nothing is clearer than that it is not, but a description of a vast temporal judgment, upon organized bodies of men, for their incurable hostility to the kingdom of God upon earth. Well, after the doom of these has been pronounced and executed, and room thus prepared for the unobstructed development of the kingdom of God over the earth, what follows? "I saw in the night visions, and behold, one like THE Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancientof days, and thej'(the angelic attendants) brought Him near before Him." For what purpose? To receive investiture in the kingdom, wliich, as Messiah, of right belonged to Him. Accordingly, It is addled, "And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, tliat all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him: His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which sliall not pass away, and His kingdom that which shall not be destroyed." Comparing this with our Lord's words, He seems to us, bj' " the Son of man (on which phrase, seeon John 1.51) coming in the clouds with great power and glory," to mean, that when judicial vengeance shall once have been executed upon Jei usaleiii, and the ground thus cleared for tlie unobstructt'<l estal)- lishment of His own kingdom. His true regal claims and rights would be visibly and gloriously asserted and manifested. See on Luke 9. 28 (with its parallels in Matthew and Mark), in which nearly the same language is employed, and where it can hardly be understood of aiiytliingelse than tlie full and free establishment of the kinfftlum of Christ oa the destruction of Jerusalem. But what is that "sign of the Son of man in heaven?" Interpreters are not agreed. But as before Christ came to destroy Jerusalem some appalling portents were seen in tlie air, so before His Personal appearing it is likely that something annlo'joiis will be witnessed, though of wliat nature it would be vain to conjecture. 37. And tiken shall l>e send his angels—" with a great sound of a trumpet" (Matthew
52): but in the highest sense of these words, redemption from all the oppressions and miseries of the present state at the second appearing of the Lord Jesus. 30. Verily I say unto yon, that tills generation shall not puss till all these things be done—or "fulfilled" (Matthew 24. 34; Luke 21. 32). Whether we take this to mean that the whole would be fulfilled within the limits of the generation then current, or, according to a usual way of speaking, that the generation then existing would not pass away without seeing a begun fulfilment of this prediction, the facts entirely correspond. For either the whole was fulfilled in the destruction accomplished by Titus, as many think; or, if we stretch Itout, according to others, till the thorough dispersion of the Jews a little later, under Adrian, every requirement of our Lord's
ords seems to be met. 31. Heaven and earth sliall pass awayj but my woi-ds shall not pass away — the strongest possible expression of the Divine authority by wliich He spake; not as Moses or Paul might have said of their own inspiration, for such language would be unsuitable in any merely human mouth.
Warnings to Prepare for the Coming of Christ /Suggested by the foregoing Prophecy (v. S2-37). It will be observed that, in the foregoing prophecy, as our Lord approaches the crisis of the dajof vengeance on Jerusalem and redemption for the Church—at which stage the analogy between tliat and the day of final vengeance and redemption waxes more striking—His language rises and swells beyond all temporal and partial vengeance, beyond all earthly deliverances and enlargements, and ushers us resistle.ssly into the so<mes of the final day. Accordingly, in these six concluding verses it Is manifest that preparation for "THAT DAY" is what our Lord designs to inculcate. 33. But of that Any and that hour i. e., the precise time Uuoweth no man—/i7., no one—no, not tl»e angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Katlter —This very remarkable statement regarding "the Son"
21. 31)—and shall gather together his elect, &e.—As the tribes ol Israel were anciently gathered together by sound of trumpet (Exodus 19. 13, la, lil; Leviticus 23.21; Psalm is peculiar to Mark. Whether It means that the S(>ii was not at that time in possession of the knowledge referred to, or simply that it was not among the things which He had received to communicate—has been matter of much controversy even amongst the firmest believers In the proper Divinity of Christ. In the latter sense It was taken by some of the most eminent of the ancient Fathers, and by
81. 3-.5), so any mighty gathering of God's people, by Divine command. Is represented as collected by sound of trumpet (Isaiah 27. 13 ; cf. Uevelation 11. 15); and the mln- ,stry of angels, etnployed in all the great operations of Prr)Viilenc*, is h(we held forth a« the agency by which the present assembling of the eh'ct is to be ai-eoniplished. LlGHiKooT thus explains It: 'When Jerusiilem sliall be reduced to ashes, and that wicked nation cut olf and rejected, then shall the Son of man send His ministers with the trumpet of the Gospel, and they shall giillier His elect of the several nations, from the lour coriii-rs of heaven: so that God shall not want, a Church, allhough
LiiTHEii, Mei.anctiion, and most of the elder Lutherans; and it is so taken by Ben.#ki., Lanqe, Wkhster and Wir.KtNSON. Ciiitvso.sTOM and others understood it to mean that as man our Lord was Ignorant of this. It Is taken literally by Calvin, Guotius, De Wette, Mkyek. KiUTZSCHE, SriEU, Al.FOKl), and Al.EXANnEK. 33. Talt«< ye lieed, watch and pray ; for ye know nut wlieii the lime is. 34. [For the Sou of man is] as a man talr.ii>|{
to Pal Jesus to Death. MARK XIV. The Anointing at Bethany.
a far journey, Ac—The idoa thus far is similar to that in
But the proposal of Judas being at once and eagerly gone Into, it is probable they were till then at some loss for a plan sufficiently quiet and yet effectual. So, just at the feast-time shall it be done; the uiiexpectea otter of Judas relieving tliem of their fears. Thus, as Beng.el remarKs, did the Divine counsel take effect.
llie ofH'iiing |»artofthe paral)lc of the talents (Matthew in. 1!. l>i. and c-oinmnnde<l tlie porter—or, 'the gatekeeper"—to wntch—polntins to the of Ticiiil duty of the ministers of religion to give warning of approacliing langer to the people. 35. Watcli ye therefore; for ye kitoiv not when the master of the ho«ise comefh, at ev<n, or at midnight, or at tlic cocU-crowliig, or in the morning—an allusion to the four Roman watches of the ni!.-lit. 3G. Lest, coming suddenly, he find you sleeping—fce on Lulte 12. a5-40, 42-16. 37. And what I Bay uttto you—this discourse, it will be remembered, was delivered in private— I say unto all, AVatcli—anticipating and requiring the diffusion of His teaching by them amongst a!) His disciples, and its perpetuation througii
TVie Supper and the Anointincj at Rcthimy Six Days before the Passover (v. *-9). The time of tills part of t!ie narrative is four days before what has Just been related. Had it been part of the regular train of events wiiicli our Evangelist designed to record, he would probalily have inserted it in its proper place, before the conspiracy of tiie Jewish authorities. But having come to Ihe treason of Judas, he seems to have gone haclc upon this scene as wliat probably gave immediate occasion to the awful deed. 3. And being In Bethany, In the Ikotise of Simon the leper, as he sat at meat, there came a woman— it was "Mary," as we learn from John 12. 3—having an alabaster box of ointment of spikenard—pure nard, a oeleljraled aromatic—(See Song of Solomon 1. 12)—very precious—" very costly"—(.lohn 12. 3)—and she brake the box, and poured
' CHAPTER XIV.
ail time.
Ver. 1-11. The Conspiracy of the Jewish Authorities TO PcT Jesus to Death—The Suppek and the Anointing at Bethany— Judas Agrees with the ("KIEF Prie.sts to Betkay HIS LOKD. (=Matthew 26, it on his head—" and anointed," adds John, " the feet of Jesus, and wiped His feet witti iier hair: and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment." The only use of this was to refresh and exhilarate—a grateful compliment in the East, amidst the closeness of a heated atmosphere, witli many guests at a feast. Such was the form in which Mary's love to Christ, at so mucii cost to herself, poured itself out. 4. And there were some that Iiad indignation within themselves and sa id—Miitthew says (26. 8), " But when His disciples saw it, they had indignation, saying." The spokesman, however, was none of the true-hearted Eleven—as we learn from John (12. 4): "Then saitli one of His disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, which should betray Him." Doubtless the thought stirred first In his breast, and issued from his base lips; and some of the rest, ignorant of his true cliaiaoter and feelings, and carried away by his plausible speech, might for the moment feel some chagrin at the apparent waste Why was this waste of flic ointment made J 5. For it might have Iieen sold for more than three hundred pence—between nine and ten pounds sterling—and have Iieen given to tlie poor. And they murmured ag<n.lngt her—"This he said," remarks John, and the remark is of exceeding importance, "not that he cared for the poor but because he was a thief, and had the bag"—the scrip or treasure-chest— "and bare what was put tiierein "—not
1-16; Luke 22. 1-6; John 12. 1-11.) The events of this section appeared to have occurred on the fourth day of the Rcdeemcn-'s Last Week—the Wednesday.
Conspiracy of the Jewish Authorities to Put Jesus to Death
(f. 1, 2). 1. After two days was the feast of the Passover, and of unleavened bread—The meaning is, that two (lays after wliat is about to be mentioned the Passover wouUl arrive ; in other words, what follows occurred two days he/ore the feast—and the cliief jjriests and the scribe!* songlit how they might take him by craft, and put hi in to death—From Matthew's fuller account (ch. 20.) we learn that our Lord announced this to tlie Twelve as follows, l)e!ng tlie first announcement to them of the precise time: '-And it came to pass, when Jesus iiiid finished nil these sayings"—referring to the contents of ch. 2-1., 2.5., which He delivered to His disciples ; His public ministry being now closed : from His prophetical He is now passing Into ilis pn>.?W2/ office, although all along Himself took our infirmities and bare our sicknesses—"He said unto His di.sciples, Ye know that after two days is [the feast ofj tiie Passover, and the Son of man is betraj-ed to be crucilied." The first and the last steps of his final sutf'erings are brouglit together in this brief announcement of all that was to take place. The Passover was the first and the chief of the three great annual festivals, commemorative
' bare it off' by theft, as some understand it. It is true that he did this; but the expression means simply that he had charge of it and its contents, or was treasurer to Jesus and the Twelve. What a remarkalile arrangement was tills, by which an avaricious and dishonest person was not only taken into the number of the Twelve, but entrusted with the custody of tiieir little property! The purposes v.-hich this served are oljvious enough ; but it is of tlie redemption of God's people from Egypt, througii the sprinkling of the blood of a lamb divinely appointed to be slain for that end ; the destroying angel, " when he saw the blood, passing over" the Israelilisli liouses, on which that Ijlood was seen, when became to destroy all the first-born in the land of Egypt (Kxodus 12.)—bright typical foreshadowing of the great Sacrifice, and the Redemption effected thereby. Accordinglj, " by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, Who is wonderful fiirther noticealde, that the remotest hint was never given
In couiiS(!l and excellent in working," it was so ordered lhat precisels' at the Passover season. "Clirist our Passover should be sacrificed for us." On tlie day following the Passover commenced " tlie feastof unleavened bread," so C!illed because for seven days only unleavened bread was to be eaten (Exodus 12. 18-20). See on 1 Corinthians to tlie Eleven of liis true character, nor did the disciples most favoured with the intimacy of Jesus ever suspect him, till a few ininutcs before he voluntarily separated himself from their company — for ever! 6. And Jesua said, Let tier alone; wliy trouble ye her? she Ikath wrought a good work on me—It was good in itself, and so was acceptable to Christ; it was eminently seasonable, and so more acceptable still ; and it was " what she could," and so most acceptaljle of .all. 7. For ye liave the poor with you always—referring to Deuteionomy 1.5. 11—and whensoever ye will ye may do them good : but me ye have not always—a gentle hint of His approaching departure, by One who knew the worth of His own presence.
5. 6-8. We are further told by Matthew (20. 3) that the consultation W!is held In the palace of Caiaphas the high priest, between the chief priests, [the scribes], and the elders of the people, how "they miglit take Jesus by subtlety and kill Him." 2. But they gahl, Not on the feast [day]—rather, 'not during the feast;' not until the seven days of unleavened bread should be over—lest there be an uproar of the people—In consequence of the vast influx of strangers, embracing all the male population of the land who had reached a certain age, there were within
8. SIke hath done what she could—a noble testimony, eml)odying a principle of immense importance, she la come aforeliand to anoint my body to the burying— or, as in Jolin (12. 7), "Against the day of my burying hath she kept this." Not that she, dear heart, thought of His burial, much less reserved any of her nard to anoint her dead Lord. But as the time was so near at hand wnen that office would have to be performed, and site was not to have lhat privilege even after the spices were brought for tif the walls of Jerusalem at this festival some two millions of people; and in their excited state, the dangerof tumult aud bloodshed among "the people," who for tlie most part took Jesus for a prophet, was extreme. (See JosePIIUS, Antiquities xx. 5. 3.) What plan. If anj', tlieseeccleilasltcs fixed upon for seizing our Lord, does not appear.
MARK XIV Peter Follows Him to Tried. Jesus be/ore the Sanhedrim.
purpose (ch. 16. 1), He lovingly regards it as done now. ' In the act of love done to Him,' says Olshausen beautifully, 'she has erected to herself an eternal monument, as lasting as. tlie Gospel, the eternal Word of God. From generation to generation this remarliable prophecy of the Lord has been fulfilled; and even we, in explaining this saying of tlie Redeemer, of necessity contribute to its accomplishment.' 'Who but Himself,' aslis Stier, 'had the power to ensure to any worlc of man, even if resounding in His own time tiirough the whole earth, an imperishable remembrance in the stream of history? Behold once more here the majesty of His royal judicial supremacy in the government of the world, in this "Verily I say unto you."' 10. And Judas Iscarlot, one of the twelve, went unto the chief priests, to betray him unto them— i. <?., to make his proposals, and to bargain with them, as appears from Matthew's fuller statement phas, but subsequently for four other sons, under the laut of whom James, the brother of our Lord, was put to death
(ib., XX. 9. 1). It is thus highly probable that, besides having the title of "high priest" merely as one who had filled the office, he to a great degree retained the powers he had formerly exercised, and came to be regarded practically as a kind of rightful high priest. 14. " Now Caiaphas was lie wliich gave counsel to the Jews, that it was expedient tliat one man should die for the people." See on John 11,
50. What passed between Annas and our Lord during this interval the beloved disciple reserves till he has related the beginning of Peter's fall. To this, then, as recorded by our own Evangelist, let us meanwhile listen.
Peter obtains Access within the Quadrangle of the High Priest's Residence, and Warms Himself cU the Fire (v. 53, 51). 53. And they led Jesus away to the high priest > and with him were assembled—or rather, ' there gathered together unto him'—all the chief priests and the elders and the scribes—It was then a full and formal meeting of the Sanhedrim. Now, as the first three Evangelists place all Peter's denials of his Lord after this, we should naturally conclude that they took place while our Lord stood before the Sanhedrim. But besides that the natural impression is tliat the scene around the fire took place overnight, the second crowing of the cock, if we are to credit ancient writers, would occur about the beginning of the fourth watch, or between three and four In the morning. By that time, however, the Council had probably convened, being warned, perhaps, that they were to prepare for being called at any hour of tlie morning, should the Prisoner be successfully secured. If this be correct, it is pretty certain that only the last of Peter'a three denials would take place while our Lord was under trial before the Sanhedrim. One thing more may require explanation. If our Lord had to be transferred from the residence of Annas to that of Caiaphas, one Is apt to wonder that there is no mention of His being marched from the one to the other. But the building, in all likelihood, was one and the same; In wlilcli ca.se He would nnerely have to be taken perhaps across the court, from one chamber to another. 5*. And Peter followed him afar
(ch. 26.), whicli says, he " went unto the chief priests, and said, What will ye give me, and I will deliver Him unto you ? And tliey covenanted with him for thirty pieces of silver" (v. lo). The thirty pieces of silver were thirty sliekels, the fine paid for man or maid-servant accidentally killed (Exodus 21. 32), and equal to between four and five pounds sterling—" a goodly price tliat I was prized at of them !" (Zechariali 11. 13). 11. And when they heard it, tliey were glad, and promised to give him money Matthew alone records tlie precise sum, because a remarkable and complicated prophecy, which he was afterwards to refer to, was fulfilled by it. And he sought how he might conveniently betray liim— or, as more fully given in Luke (22. 6), "And he promised, and sought opportunity to betray Him unto tliem in the absence of the multitude." That he should avoid an "uproar" or 'riot' among the people, wliicli probably was made an essential condition l)y tlie Jewish autliorities, was thus assented to by the traitor; into whom, says Luke (22. 3), "Satan entered," to put him upon this hellisii deed.
12-26. Preparation for, and Last Celebration of, THE Passover— Announcement OF the Traitor— Institution OF the Supper. (=Matthew 26. 17-30; Luke
22. 7-23, 39 ; John 13. 21-30.) See on Luke 22. 7-23, 39 ; and on John 13. 10, 11, IS, 19, -ll-m.
off, even int€»—or ' from afar, even to the Interior of—tlio palace of the high priest—'An Oriental house,' says Rob-
27-31. The Desertion of Jesus by His Disciples, and the Fali. ok Peter, Foretold. (=Matthew 26. 31-35; Luke 22. 31-38 ; John 13. 36-;iS.) See on Luke 22. 31-16.
inson, 'is usually built around a quadrangular interior court; into whicli there is a passage (sometimes arched) through the tVontpart of the house, closed next the street by a heavy folding gate, with a smaller wicket for single persons, kept by a porter. The Interior court, often paved or flagged, and open to the sky, Is the hall, which our translators have rendered "palace," where the attendants made a flre; and the pa.ssage beneath the front of the house, from the street to this court. Is the porch. The place where Jesus stood before the high priest may have been an open room, or place of audience on tlie groundfloor. In the rear or on one side of the court ; such rooms, open in front, being customary. It was close upon the court, for Jesus heard all that was going on around the
32-12. The Agony in the Garden. (=Matthew 28. 36-
4fi ; Luke 22. 39-16.) See on Luke 22. 39-16.
13-52. P.ETRAYAL AND APPREHENSION OF JESUS — Flight of His Disciples. (=Mattliew 26. 47-56; Luke 22. 47-53 ; John IS. 1-12.) Sec on John 18. 1-12.
53-72. Jesus Arraigned before the Sanhedrim, Condemned to Die, and Shamefully Entreated—The Fall of Peter. (=Matthew 26. 57-75; Luke 22. 51-71; John 18. 13-18, 21-27.) Had we only the first three Gospels, we should have concluded that our Lord was led immediately to Calaphas, and had before the Council. But as the Sanhedrim could hardly have been brouglit together at tlie dead hour of night—by whicli time our Lord was in the hands of the officers sent to take Him—and as it was only "as soon as It was day" that the Council met (Luke 22.
flre, and turned and looked upon Peter (Luke 22. 01). And lie sat with the servants, and warmed himself at the lire—The graphic details, here omitted, are supplied In the other Gospels. John 18. 18, "And the servants and officers stood there (that Is, in the hall, within the quadrangle, open to the sky), who had made a fire of coals," or
66), we should have had some difficulty in knowing what was done with Him during tliose Ititorvening hours. In the Fourth Gospel, however, all this is cleared up, and a very important addition to our information is made(Joliu
' charcoal' (in a brazier probably), " for It was cold." John alone of all the Evangelists mentions the mata-ial, and the coldness of the night, as Webster and Wilkinson remark. The elevated situation of Jerusalem, observes Tholuck, renders it so cold about Easter as to make a watch-flre at night indispensable. "And Peter stood with them and warmed himself." " He went In, says Matthew
18. 13, 14, 19-2I). Let us endeavour to trace tlie events In the true order of succession, and in tlie detail supplied by a comparison of all the four streams of text.
Jesus is brought privately before Annas, the Father-in-law of Caiaphas (John 18. 13, 14). 13. "And they led Him away to Annas first; for he was fatlier-in-law to Caiaphas, which was the higli priest that same year." This success-
(20. 58), and sat with the servants to see the end." These two minute statements throw an Interesting light on eacll other. His wishing to "see the end," or Issue of these proceedings, was what led him Into the palace, for he evidently feared the worst. But once In, the serpent-ooU is drawn closer; It Is a cold night, and why should not he take advantage of the flre as well as others? Besides, in the talK of the crowd about the all-engrossing topic na ful Annas, a-s Ellicott remarks, was appointed high priest by Quirlnus, a. d. 12, and after holding the office for several years, was deposed by Valerius Gratlus, Pilate's predecessor in the procuratorshlp of Jiidea [Josephus, Antiquities, xvlil. 2. 1, &c.]. He appears, however, to have possessed vast Influence, having obtained the high priesthood, not only for his son Eleazar, and his sou-lu-Iaw Cala-
Annas Sends Jesus to Caiajihas. MARK
XIV. Condemnation of Jesus by Ike Sanhedrim.
have done otherwise. As it stands, it Is not only quite out of its proper place, but comes in most perplexlngly, Whereas, if we take it as a simple statement of fact, that after Annas had finished his interview with Jesus, as recorded in V. 19-23, he transferred Him to Caiaphas to be formally tried, all is clear and natural. Third. The pluperfect sense "had sent" is in the translation only; the sense of the original word being simply 'sent.' And though theae are cases where the aorist here used has the sense of an English pluperfect, this sense is not to be put upon it unless it be obvious and indisputable. Here that may pick up something which he would lilce to hear. Poor Peter ! But now, let us leave him warming himself
At the Are, and listening to the hum of talk about this Ktrange case by which the subordinate officials, passing to and fro and crowding aroujid the fire in this open pmrt, would while away the time; and, following what appears the order of the Evangelical Narrative, let us turn to Peter's Lord.
Jems is IrUerrogcUed by Annas—His Dignified Reply—Is treated with Indignity by one of the Officials—Hit Meek Rebuke (John 18. 19-23). We have seen that it is only the Fourth Evangelist who tells us that our Lord was sent to Annas first, over-night, until the Sanhedrim could be got together at earliest dawn. We have now, in the same Gospel, the deeply instructive scene that passed during is so far from being the case, that the pluperfect ' had sent' is rather an unwarrantable interpretation than a simple trdtnstation of the word ; Informing the reader that, according to the view of orwr translators, our Lord " had been" sent to Caiaphas before the interview just recorded by the Evangelist; whereas, if we translate the verse literally—'Annas sent Him bound unto Caiaphas the high this non-offlcial interview. 19. "The high priest [Annas] then asked Jesus of His disciples and of His doctrine" probably to entrap Him into some statements which might be used against Him at the trial. From our Lord's answer it would seem that "His disciples" were underpriest'—we get just the IrLformation we expect, that Annas, having merely "precognosced" the prisoner, hoping to draw something out of Him, "sent Him to CalaphaR" to be formally tried before the proper tribunal. This is the view of Chrysostom and Augustin among tho Fathers ; and of the moderns, of Olshausen, SchleierMACHER, NeANDER, EBBARD, WIESEI,ER, LaNGE, LUTHABDT. This brings us back to the text of our second Gospel, and in it to stood to be some secret party. 20. "Jesus answered him,
I spake openly to the world"—cf. ch. 7. i. He speaks of His public teaching as now a past thing—as now all over. " I ever taught in the synagogue and in the temple, whither the Jews always resort," courting publicity, though with sublime nolselessness, " and in secret have I said nothing"—rather, 'spake I nothing;' that is, nothing different from what He taught in public: all His private communications with the Twelve being but explanations and developments of His public teaching. (Cf. Isaiah 45.19;
The Judicial Trial and Condemnation of the Lord Jesus by the Sanhedrim {v. 55-64). But let the reader observe, that though this is introduced by the Evangelist before any of the denials of Peter are recorded, we have given reasons tor concluding that probably the first two denials took place while our Lord was with Annas, and the last only during the trial before the Sanhedrim. 55. And the chief priests and all the council soaght for witnrsa against Jesug to put him to death—Matthew (26. 59) says they " sought/aise witness." They knew they could find nothing valid; but having their Prisoner to bring befofe Pilate, they behooved to make a case—aJid found none none that would suit their purpose, or make a decent ground of charge before Pilate. 56. For many bear false -witness against him—From their debasing themselves to "seek" them, we are led to Infer that they wero bribed to bear false witness ; though there are never wanting sycophants enough, ready to sell themselves for naught, if they may but get a smile from those above them: see a similar scene in Acts 6. 11-14. How is one reminded here of that complaint, "False witnesses did) rise up; they laid to my charge things that I knew not" (Psalm 31. 11).'—but their witness agreed not together —If even two of them had been agreed, it would have been greedily enough laid hold of, as all that the law insisted upon even In capital cases (Deuteronomy 17. 6). But even in this they failed. One cannot but admire tho providence which secured this result; since, on the one hand, It seems astonishing that those unscrupulous prosecutors and their ready tools should so bungle a business in which they felt their whole Interests bound up, and, on the other hand, If they had succeeded In making even a plausible case, the eflect on the progress of the Gospel might for a time have been injurious. But at the very time when His enemies were saying, "God hath forsaken Him; perseente and take Him; for there
48. 16). 21. "Why askest thou Me? ask them which heard Me what I have said to them"—rather, ' what I said unto them :' " behold, they know what I said." From this mode of replying. It Is evident that our Lord saw the attempt to draw Him into self-crimination, and resented it by felling back upon the right of every accused party to have some charge laid against Him by competent witnesses. 22. "And when He had thus spoken, one of the officers which stood by struck Jesus with the palm of his band, saying, Answerest thou the high priest so?" (see Isaiah 50. 6). It would seem from Acts 23. 2 that this summary and undignified wayof punishing what was deemed Insolence in the accused had the sanction eyen of the high priests themselves. 23. "Jesus answered him. If I have spoken evil"—rather, 'If I spoke evil,' in reply to the high priest, "bear witness of the evil; but if well, why smitest thou Me?" He does not say, 'if not evil,' as if His reply had been merely unobjectionable; but "if
which seems to challenge something altogether fitting In the remonstrance He had addressed to the high priest. From our Lord's procedure here, by the way, it is evident enough that His own precept in the Sermon on the Mountthat when smitten on the one cheek we are to turn to the smlter the other also (Matthew 5. 39)—is not to be taken to 1)he letter.
Annas Sends Jesus to Caiaphas (v. 21). 21. " [Now] Annas had sent Him bound unto Caiaphas the high priest." On the meaning of this verse there is much diversity of opinion; and according as we understand it will be the conclusion we come to, whether there was but one hearing of our Lord before Annas and Caiaphas together, or whether, according to the view we have given above, there were two hearings—a preliminary and Informal one before Annas, and a formal and official one before Caiaphas and the Sanhedrim. If our translators have given the right sense of the verse, there was but one hearing before Caiaphas ; and then this 24th verse is to be read as a parentheis none to deliver Him" (Psalm 71. 11), He whose Witness He was and whose work He was doing was keeping Him' as the apple of His eye, and while He was making She wrath of man to praise Him, was restraining the remainder of,that wrath (Psalm 76. 10). 5T. And there, arose certain, and bare false witness against l\lm— Matthew (26. 60) is more precise here: "At the last came two false witnesses." As no two had before agreed in anything, they felt it necessary to secure a duplicate testimony to something, but they were long of succeeding. And what was It, when at length It wasbrought forward ? —saying, 58. We heard him say, I will destroy this temple that is made with hands, and within tltnee days I will build another madewithout hands—On this charge, observe, first, that eageras Hls enemies wera iti, merely supplementing what was said In v. 13. This is the view of Oalvin, Beza, Grotius, Bengei., De Wette, Mkter, Lucre, THOt,TJCK. But there are decided objections to this view. First. We cannot but think that the nt Uural sense of the whole passage, embracing v. 13, 14 and
19-24, is that of a preliminary non-offlcial hearing before "Annas first," the particulars of which are accordingly recorded ; and then of a transference of our Lord from Annas to Caiaphas. Second. On the other view, It Is not easy to see why the Evangelist should not have Inserted V a Immediately after v. 13; or rather, how he could well
Christ Questioned by (he High Priest, MARK XIV. and His AnsKers in Return,
This seems to have been uttered before giving His direct answer, as a calm remonstrance and dignilled piotesl against the prejudgment of His case and the unfidruess of their mode of procedure. But now let us hear the rest of the answer, in which the conscious majesty of Jesus breaks forth from behind the dark cloud which over' ung Him as He stood before the Council—and (in tliat chr>.ra<'- to find cvlminal matter against our LorJ, they had to go back to the outset of His ministry, His tiiat visit to Jerusalem, more than three years before this. In all tliat He said and did after that, tiiougli ever increasing in \joldness, they could find notliing. Next, that even then, they fix only on cue speecli, of two or three words, whicli they dared to adduce against Him. Further, l liey most manifestly pervert the speech of our Lord. We say not this because in Mark's form of it it differs from the report of the words given by the Fourth Evangelist (John 2. 18-22)— the only one of the Evangelists who reports it all, or mentions even any visit paid by our Lord to Jerusalem before His last—but because the one report bears truth, and the other falsehood, on its face. Wlien ojt Lord said on that occasion, " Destroy this temple, and in three days ter) ye shall see the Son of man sitting on the i lgh( hand of )Miwer, and coiulng in tlie clouds of heaven In Matthew (20. 01) a sligli Lly diderent but Interesting turn is given to it by one word : "Thou hast said [it] ; nevertlieless"—We prefer this sense of the word to ' besides,' which some recent critics decide for—"I say unto you. Hereafter shall ye see the Son of manslt on the rlghthand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven." The word rendered "hereafter" means, not 'at some future time'
I will raise it up," tliey viight, for a moment, have underetood Him to refer to the temple out of whose courts He
(as now "hereafter" commonly does), but what the Enghad swept the buyers and sellers. But after they had expressed their astonishment at His words. In that .sense of them, and reasoned upon the time it had taken to rear the temple as it then stood, since no answer to this appeai-s to have been given by our Lord, it is hardly conceivable that they should continue in the persuasion that this was really His meaning. But finally, even if the more Ignorant among them had done so, it is next to certain that the ecclesiastics, who were the prosecutors in this case, did not believe that this was His meaning. For in less than three days after this they went to Pilate, saying, "Sir, we remember that that deceiver said, while he was yet alive, lish word originally signilied, 'after here,' 'after now,' or 'from this time.' Accordingly, in Luke 22. 09, the words used mean ' from now.' So tliat though the reference we liave given it to the day of His glorious Second Appearing is too obvious to admit of doubt. He would, by using the expression, 'From this time,' convey the important thought which He had before expressed, immediately after the traitor left the Supper-table to do his dark work, "Now is the Son of man glorified" (John 13. 31). At tliis moment, and by this speech, did He "witness the good confession" emphatically and properly, as the apostle says, 1 Timothy 0. 13. Our translators render the words there, " Wlio before Pontius Pilate witnessed;" referring it to the admission of His being a King, in the presence of Cfesar's own chief representative. But it should be rendered, as Lutheb renders it, and as the best interpreters now understand it, 'Who under Pontius Pilate witnessed,' <tc. In this view of it, the apostle is relerring not to what our Lord confessed before Pilate which, though noble, was not of such primary Importance—but to that sublime confession which, under Piafter three days I will rise again" (Mattliew 27. 63). Now what utterance of Christ known to His enemies, could this refer to, if not to this very saying about destroying and rearing up the temple? And if so, it puts it beyond a doubt that by this time, at least, they were perfectly aware that our Lord's words referred to His death by their hands and His resurrection by His own. But th'is is confirmed by the next verse. 59. But neltlier so «lld tltelr witness agree together—i. e., not even as to so brief a speech, consisting of but a few words, was there such a concurrence in their mode of reporting it as to make out a decent case. In such a charge everything depended on the very tcrrns alleged to have been used. For every one must see that a very slight turn, eitlier way, given to such words, would make them either something like indictable matter, or else a ridiculous ground for a crimiiial charge— would either give them acolourable pretextlor the charge of impiety which they were bent on making out, or else make the whole saying appear, on the worst view that could be taken of it, as merely some mystical or empty boast. 60. Answeregt thou notlilug } what Is it wlilch these witness against thee?—Clearly, they felt that their case had failed, and by this artful question the high priest hoped to get from his own mouth what they had in vain tried to obtain from their false and contradictory witnesses. But In this, too, they failed. 61. But he held hig peace, and answered nothing—This must have nonplussed them. But they were not to be easily baulked of their object. Again the high priest—arose (Matthew 20.
late's administration. He witnessed before the only competent tribunal on such occivsions, the Supreme Ecclesiastical Council of God's chosen nation, that He was thb Messiah, and the Son of the Blessed One; in the former word owning His Supreme Ojjicial, in the latter His Supreme Pei-sonal, Dignity. 63. Then the high priest rent Ills clotlies—On this expression of horror of blasphemy, see 2 Kings 18. 37—and salth, What need we any further witnesses 1 64. Ve have heard the blasphemy—(See John 10. 3;j.) In Luke (22. 71), "For we ourselves have heard of his own mouth''—an aflectation of religious horror, what think yel—'Say what the verdict is to be.' And they all condemned him to b« guilty of death—or of a capital crime, which blasphemp against God was according to the Jewish law (Leviticus
21. 10). Yet not absolutely all; for Joseph of Arimathea, "a good man and a Just," was one of that Council, and 'he was not a consenting parly to the counsel and deed of them,' for that is the strict sense of the words of Luke
2.'!. 50, 51. Probably he absented himself, and Nicod-emtts also, from this meeting of the Council, the temper of which they would know too well to expect their voice to be listened to; and In that case, the words of our Evan gelistare to be taken strictly, that, without one dissentient voice, "all (present) condemned him to be guilty of death."
62) , matters having now come to a crisis, and—asked hi in, and said unto him, Art thou the Christ, tlie Sou of the Blessed?-Why our Lord should have answered this question, when He was silent as to the former, we migl t not have quite seen, but for Matthew, who says (20.
63) that the high priest piU Him upon solemn oath, saying, "I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us whether thou be the Christ, the Son of God." Such an adjuration was understood to render an answer legally necessary (Leviticus 5. 1). 63. And Jesus said, I am—or, as in Matthew 20. &), "Thou hast said [It]." In Luktf, however (22.
The Blessed One is now Shamefully Entreated (v. 65). Every word here must be carefully observed, and the several accounts put together, that we may lose none of the awful indignities about to be described. 65. And some began to spit on htm—or, as In Matthew 26. 67, "to spit in [or 'into'] His face." Luke (22. 63) says in addition, "And the men that held Jesus mocked him"—or cast their Jeers at Him—and to cover his face—or ' to blindfold him' (as in Luke 22. 6t)—and to butfet him— Luke's word, which Is rendered "smote Him" ('22. 68), In a stronger one, conveying an idea for which we have an exact equivalent in English, but one too colloquial to bo inserted here—and began to say unto him, Propheay In Matthew 26. 68 this is given more fully: "Propbcs:'
70), the answer, "Ye say that I am," should be rendered as Dk Wette, Meyer, Ellicott, and the best critics tigree that the preposition requires—'Ye say [It], for I am
[so].' Some words, however, were spoken by our Lord before giving His answer to this solemn question. These are recorded by Luke alone (22. 67, 68): "Art thou the Christ (they asked)? tell us. And He said unto them, If
I tell you, ye will not believe: and If I also ask"—or
' InUirrogate'—" you, ye wl.l not answer me, nor let me go."