§ 135. Jesus points out the traitor. Judas withdraws. ᎷᎪᎡᏦ . § 136. Jesus foretells the fall of Peter, and the dispersion of the Twelve. CH. XIV. 27-31. 27 And Jesus saith unto them, All ye shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written, I will smite the Shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered. go 28 But after that I am risen, I will 29 But Peter said unto him, Although all shall be offended, yet will not I. 30 And Jesus saith unto him, Verily, I say unto thee, That this day, even in this night, before the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny me thrice. 31 But he spake the more vehemently, If I should die with thee, I will not deny thee in any wise. Likewise also said they all. * Zech. xiii. 7. Mark xiv. 30, Before the cock crow twice.] The other Evangelists simply say, Before the cock crow.-It is observed, that the cock crows about midnight: and about the fourth watch, or about three in the morning, when that watch began. When gallicinium (cockcrowing) stands alone, it means this latter time, which is referred to, Aristoph. Eccles. 390. Juv. Sat. ix. 107. The four Evangelists therefore denote the same time,-sc. galliciniis secundis, as Ammianus expresses it, 1. 22; and any part of the period thus marked out may be understood. See BoCHART de anim. pars, 2d. 119, and GROTIUS on Matth. xxvi. 34. NEWCOME. Luke xxii. 36, and he that hath no sword, let him sell his garment and buy one.] In the animated language of the prophets, their predictions are often announced under the form of commands. The prophet Isaiah, in the sublime prediction he has given (EVENING INTRODUCING THE SIXTH DAY OF THE WEEK.) Jerusalem. LUKE. JOHN. CH. XIII. 21-35. man glorified, and God is glorified in him 32 If God be glorified in him, God shall also glorify him in himself, and shall straightway glorify him. 33 Little children, yet a little while I am with you. Ye shall seek me; and, as I said unto the Jews, Whither go, ye cannot come, so now I say to you. I 34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. 35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another. (EVENING INTRODUCING THE SIXTH DAY OF THE WEEK.) Jerusalem. CH. XXII. 31-38. 31 And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: 32 But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren. 33 And he said unto him, Lord, I am ready to go with thee, both into prison, and to death. 34 And he said, I tell thee, Peter, the cock shall not crow this day, before that thou shalt thrice deny that thou knowest me. 35 And he said unto them, When I sent you without purse, and scrip, and 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 his scrip: and he that hath no sword, let him sell his garment, and buy one. CH. XIII. 36-38. 36 Simon Peter said unto him, Lord, whither goest thou? Jesus answered him, Whither I go, thou canst not follow me now; but thou shalt follow me afterward. 37 Peter said unto him, Lord, why cannot I follow thee now? I will lay down my life for thy sake. 38 Jesus answered him, Wilt thou lay down thy life for my sake? Verily, verily, I say unto thee, The cock shall not crow, till thou hast denied me thrice. : us of the fate of the king of Babylon, thus foretells the destruction of his family: Prepare slaughter for his children, &c. Isa. xiv. 21. The prophet Jeremiah in like manner foretells the approaching destruction of the children of Zion: Call for the mourning women, that they may come and send for cunning women; and let them make haste, and take up a wailing, &c. Jer. ix. 17, 18. There, matter of sorrow is predicted, by commanding the common attendants on mourning and lamentation to be gotten in readiness; here, warning is given of the most imminent dangers, by orders to make the customary preparation against violence, and to account a weapon more necessary than a garment. CAMPBELL, in loc. § 136. Jesus foretells the fall of Peter, and the dispersion of the Twelve. Matt. xxvi. 26-29, &c.] This account of the institution of the Lord's Supper is corroborated by that of Paul, in 1 Cor. xi. 23-25, which is usually inserted by Harmonists in this place as parallel testimony; but as the plan of this work leads me to deal with the four Gospels alone, the insertion of other parts of Scripture in the text, here and elsewhere, is omitted. Matt. xxvi. 26, as they were eating.] The Evangelists have determined, by some general expressions, the order of the following events between the sitting down to the paschal supper, and the going to Gethsemane. Before the eating of the paschal lamb, Jesus rises from supper to wash the disciples' feet. John xiii. 1, 4. While they are eating, a declaration is made of Judas's treachery, and the bread is instituted, Matt. xxvi. 21, 26. See also Mark. After, the cup is instituted, Luke xxii. 20; 1 Cor. xi. 25. But as to the particular and precise order of the facts and discourses during this period, Pilkington's words relating to one of them are applicable to all. "It is observable that St. Luke mentions the institution of the communion before the declaration of Judas's treachery; whereas the other Evangelists place these in a different order. But it is a liberty I think very allowable in any historian, to neglect taking notice of the exact order of all the facts, when he is only giving a general account of what was done at a certain time. And if so, whichsoever was the true successive order, there can be no just imputation upon any of the Evangelists for neglecting to observe it in the narration." Harm. p. 52. NEWCOME. Matt. xxvi. 28, my blood of the new testament.] The use of the word testament, (diatheke,) in a sense involving also the idea of a covenant, and in connexion with the circumstances of a compact, has greatly perplexed many English readers of the Bible. The difficulty occurs in Matt. 26. 28, and the parallel places, where our Lord employs the word testament, or last will, in connexion with the sacrificial shedding of his own blood; a ceremony which, by means of a suitable animal, usually was adopted among the ancients, upon the making of the most solemn engagements; and instead of which, the mutual partaking of the sacrament of the Lord's Supper, by the contracting parties, was substituted among Christians in later times. The same embarrassment occurs, perhaps in a greater degree, in the exposition of several passages in the eighth and ninth chapters of the Epistle to the Hebrews, (manifestly written by a profound lawyer, be he Paul or Apollos), where he uses language applicable indifferently both to a covenant inter (EVENING INTRODUCING THE SIXTH DAY OF THE WEEK.) Jerusalem. vivos and a last will. For with us, a testament is simply a declaration of the last will of the testator, in regard to the disposition of his property after his decease, irrespective of any consent, or even knowledge, at the time, on the part of him to whom the estate is given; while a covenant requires the mutual consent of both parties, as essential to its existence. The one is simply the ultima voluntas of an individual, the other is the aggregatio mentium of both or all. The solution of this difficulty belongs rather to theologians, whose province it is by no means intended here to invade; but perhaps a reference to the laws and usages in force in Judea in the times of our Saviour and his Apostles may furnish some aid, which a lawyer might contribute without transgressing the limit of his profession. It is first to be observed that the municipal laws of Greece and Rome were strikingly similar; those of Greece having been freely imported into the Roman jurisprudence. In like manner, the similarity of the Grecian laws and usages with those extant in Asia Minor, indicated a common origin; and thus, what Greece derived from Egypt and the states of Asia Minor, these states, after many ages, received again as the laws of their Roman masters. It should also be remembered that Palestine had been reduced to a Roman province some years before the time of our Saviour; long enough, indeed, to have become familiar with Roman laws and usages, even had they been previously unknown; and that Paul, to whom the Epistle to the Hebrews is generally attributed, was himself a thorough-bred lawyer, well versed in the customs of his country, whether ancient or modern. Among those nations, the civil magistrate often exercised the functions of the priesthood, these dignities being in some respects identical; and thus, whatever was transacted before the magistrate, might naturally seem to partake of the character of an act of religion. Covenants were always made with particular formalities, and to those of graver nature, religious solemnities were often superadded. They were frequently confirmed by an oath, the most solemn form of which was taken standing before the altar; and whosoever swore by the altar, swore by the sacrifice thereon, and was held as firmly bound as though he had passed between the dismembered parts of the victim. Of the latter kind was the oath, by which God confirmed his covenant with Abraham (Gen. xv.) when the visible light of his presence passed between the pieces which the patriarch had divided and laid "each piece one against another." § 137. The Lord's Supper. (EVENING INTRODUCING MATTHEW. CH. XXVI. 26-29. 29 But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom, MARK. CH. XIV. 22-25. 25 Verily, I say unto you, I will drink no more of the fruit of the vine, until that day that I drink it new in the kingdom of God. § 138. Jesus comforts his disciples. The Holy Spirit promised. With these things in view, we may now look at some of the modes of transferring property, practised by the nations alluded to. Among the methods of alienation or sale of property by the owner, in his lifetime, was that which in the Roman law was termed mancipatio; a mode by which the vendor conveyed property to the purchaser, each party being present, either in person or by his agent, representative, or factor. Five witnesses were requisite, one of whom was called libripens, or the balance-holder. This form had its origin in the sale of goods by weight, but was gradually extended to all sales; and the practice was for the buyer to strike the balance with a piece of money called a sestertius, which was immediately paid over to the vendor as part of the price; and hence the expression per æs et libram vendere. Wills or testaments were made with great solemnity. One method among the Romans, probably common, in its principal traits, to the other nations before mentioned, was termed the testament per æs et libram, it being effected in the form of a sale. This mode seems to have been resorted to whenever the estate was given to a stranger, (hæres extraneus,) to the exclusion of the hæres suus, or necessarius, or, as we should say, the heir at law; and it was founded on a purchase of the estate by the adopted heir, who succeeded to the pri vileges of the child. The forms of a sale by mancipatio were therefore scrupulously observed; the presence and agreement of the purchaser, either in person or by his representative or negotiator, being necessary to its validity. The reason for requiring this form was because it involved a covenant on the part of the adopted heir or legatee, by which he became bound to pay all the debts of the testator. Having entered into this covenant, he had the best possible title in law to the inheritance, namely, that of a purchaser for a valuable consideration. Among the Greeks, and probably among the Romans also, this was transacted in the presence of a magistrate, who sanctioned it by his sentence of |