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cometh thither with lanterns, and torches, and weapons.

4 Jesus therefore, knowing all things that should come upon him, went forth, and said unto them, Whom seek ye?

5 They answered him, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus saith unto them, I am he. And Judas also, which betrayed him, stood with them.

6 As soon then as he had said unto them, I am he, they went backward, and fell to the ground.

7 Then asked he them again, Whom seek ye? And they said, Jesus of Nazareth.

8 Jesus answered, I have told you that I am he. If therefore ye seek me, let these go their way:

guarded during the nights by Levites. From these guards the chief priests procured the band who accompanied Judas. Officers. These were the attendants on the Sanhedrim, whose business it was to execute the orders of that body.

6. And fell to the ground. Many of this company were doubtless conscious of being engaged in an utterly wrong business; and the sight of their victim, with the calmness and dignity which he displayed in speaking to them, had the effect of disarming them. A sudden rush upon their consciences of a feeling of guilt, and an unexpected manner of being met by Jesus, might have the effect mentioned by the evangelist. Some of these men were, in all probability, the same as are mentioned in 7: 32, 45, 46. They could not forget the favorable impression made on their minds on the occasion related in that chapter. A guilty conscience has a palsying effect on its possessor.

9 That the saying might be fulfilled which he spake, Of them which thou gavest me, have I lost none.

10 Then Simon Peter, having a sword, drew it, and smote the high priest's servant, and cut off his right ear. The servant's name was Malchus.

11 Then said Jesus unto Peter, Put up thy sword into the sheath: the cup which my Father hath given me, shall I not drink it?

12 Then the band, and the captain, and officers of the Jews took Jesus, and bound him,

13 And led him away to Annas first, (for he was father-in-law to Caiaphas, which was the high priest that same year.)

in an inferior sense, applicable to the preservation which Jesus now sought for his disciples. In its full meaning, it doubtless related to their everlasting salvation. But as they were now protected against foes, the sentiment before expressed was happily applicable. It is probable that some of the assailants wished to apprehend the disciples.

10, 11. Compare Matt. 26: 51–54. Luke 22: 50, 51.

12. Then the band took Jesus. From the other evangelists we learn, that Judas pointed out Jesus by kissing him. See Matt. 26:48. Mark 14: 44, 45. Luke 22: 47. Though Jesus had spoken to the band, yet as it was night, and as there was much agitation, it would be necessary, in order to be sure of seizing the proper person, that he should be distinctly pointed out. || Bound him. It was common to bind those who were apprehended as criminals. See Acts 21:33.

9. That the saying, &c. See 17: 13. Annas. He had been high 12. The declaration referred to was, priest eleven years, and was probably

VOL. II.

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14 Now Caiaphas was he which gave counsel to the Jews, that it was expedient that one man should die for the people.

15 And Simon Peter followed Jesus, and so did another disciple. That disciple was known unto the high priest, and went in with Jesus, into the palace of the high priest.

16 But Peter stood at the door without. Then went out that other disciple which was known unto the high priest, and spake unto her that kept the door, and brought in Peter.

17 Then saith the damsel that kept the door unto Peter, Art not thou also one of this man's disciples? He saith, I

am not.

18 And the servants and officers stood there, who had made a fire of coals; (for it was cold;) and they warmed themselves: and Peter stood with them, and warmed himself.

19 The high priest then asked Jesus of his disciples, and of his doctrine.

20 Jesus answered him, I

at the time here spoken of assistant high priest. See on Luke 3: 2. This circumstance, together with his relationship to Caiaphas, the real high priest, made it important that he should be consulted in such a transaction as was now in progress. Compare Matt. 26:57

14. Which gave counsel. Compare 11: 49, 50.

15. Another disciple; doubtless John himself. || Palace of the high priest. The Jews, having first conducted Jesus to the house of Annas, led him thence to the house of Caiaphas, the high priest. This circumstance is

spake openly to the world; I ever taught in the synagogue, and in the temple, whither the Jews always resort; and in se cret have I said nothing.

21 Why askest thou me? ask them which heard me, what I have said unto them: behold, they know what I said.

22 And when he had thus spoken, one of the officers which stood by, struck Jesus with the palm of his hand, saying, Answerest thou the high priest so?

23 Jesus answered him, If I have spoken evil, bear witness of the evil: but if well, why smitest thou me?

24 (Now Annas had sent him bound unto Caiaphas the high priest.)

25 And Simon Peter stood and warmed himself. They said therefore unto him, Art not thou also one of his disciples? He denied it, and said, I am not.

26 One of the servants of the high priest (being his kinsman whose ear Peter cut off) saith, Did not I see thee in the garden with him?

not distinctly mentioned by John in its natural order, though it is implied in the mention of the high priest's palace. See v. 24. It was at the house of Caiaphas, that Peter denied his Master. See Matt. 26: 57, 69, &c.

17. Compare Matt. 26: 69, 70.

18. Coals; properly, live coals. It was cold. It was the month of April, and in the night. In Palestine, at that season, the nights are sufficiently cold to require a fire.

25-27. Compare Matt. 26: 71-75. 26. Being his kinsman, whose ear, &c. That is, being a relative of the

and immediately the cock crew. 28 Then led they Jesus from Caiaphas unto the hall of judgment and it was early; and they themselves went not into the judgment-hall, lest they should be defiled; but that they might eat the passover.

27 Peter then denied again: | them, Take ye him, and judge him according to your law. The Jews therefore said unto him, It is not lawful for us to put any man to death:

29 Pilate then went out unto them, and said, What accusation bring ye against this man?

32 That the saying of Jesus might be fulfilled, which he spake, signifying what death he should die.

33 Then Pilate entered into the judgment-hall again, and called Jesus, and said unto him, Art thou the King of the Jews? 34 Jesus answered him, Say

30 They answered and said unto him, If he were not a malefactor, we would not have deliv-est thou this thing of thyself,

ered him up unto thee.

or did others tell it thee of

31 Then said Pilate unto me?

man whose ear Peter had cut off. but would at once confirm the senCompare v. 10.

23. Unto the hall of judgment; more properly, the palace of the Roman governor. Compare Matt. 27: 2. Lest they should be defiled. They would carefully abstain from much intercourse with a Gentile, lest they should contract defilement, and be unfit to attend on the services of the passover festival. For a similar instance of conscientiousness, see Matt. 27: 6. || Eat the passover. This expression was applicable to the whole festival of seven days, as well as to the actual eating of the paschal lamb. It was equivalent to the phrase celebrate the passover. See on Matt. 26: 17. The paschal lamb had been eaten on the preceding evening; but the festival of unleavened bread, also called the passover, did not begin till the succeeding evening. See on 13: 1. 29. Pilate went out unto them; that is, into one of the open courts, or halls, of the palace.

30. If he were not a malefactor, &c. Instead of giving a direct reply to Pilate's question, they merely declared, in general terms, that Jesus had been found guilty by them. They probably hoped, that Pilate would not institute an examination,

tence which the Sanhedrim had passed. Compare Matt. 26: 66.

31. Take ye him and judge him, &c. Pilate thus referred them to their own law, on the presumption that a less severe punishment than it would be necessary for him to sanction, would be found sufficient. || It is not lawful, &c. See on Matt. 27: 2. Thus they informed Pilate that by the Jewish tribunal he had been condemned to death.

32. That the saying of Jesus might be fulfilled, &c. See 12: 32, 33. It was by Jesus' being delivered over to the Roman authority, that the remark of Jesus in the passage just named was to receive its accomplishment. The Jews could not lawfully put him to death without the sanction of the Roman power. Crucifixion, to which allusion is made in the passage referred to, was also a Roman punishment. The punishment which the Jewish law prescribed for blasphemy, of which crime the Sanhedrim pretended to find him guilty, was stoning. See Lev. 24: 11, 15, 16.

33. Judgment-hall. See on v. 28. Art thou the King of the Jews? The ground for this inquiry existed in the fact, that, according to Luke 23: 2, the

35 Pilate answered, Am I a Jew? Thine own nation, and the chief priests, have delivered thee unto me. What hast thou done?

ry one that is of the truth, heareth my voice.

38 Pilate saith unto him, What is truth? And when he had said this, he went out again 36 Jesus answered, My king- unto the Jews, and saith unto dom is not of this world: if my them, I find in him no fault at all. kingdom were of this world, then 39 But ye have a custom that would my servants fight, that II should release unto you one at should not be delivered to the the passover: will ye therefore, Jews but now is my kingdom that I release unto you the King not from hence. of the Jews?

37 Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Eve

40 Then cried they all again, saying, Not this man, but Barabbas. Now Barabbas was a robber.

CHAPTER XIX.
HEN Pilate therefore took
Jesus, and scourged him.

THE

accusers of Jesus had brought against 38. What is truth? The remarks him the political charge of setting of Jesus were not properly underup himself as a king. stood by Pilate; nor could he be ex36. My kingdom, &c. Jesus tacit-pected, an unenlightened heathen, to ly assented to the charge that he had claimed to be king of the Jews; but he informed Pilate, that he had not claimed to be a king, in the ordinary, or political, sense of that word; that he had claimed no secular power. Hence the Roman government had no reason to view him with suspicion. Not from hence; not a worldly dominion, but a spiritual, heavenly one.

enter into the spirit of the Saviour's declarations. He saw plainly, that Jesus made no pretensions to a secular dominion; and he doubtless believed him to be an innocent man, yet a deluded fanatic. That a man should speak of himself as a king, because he professed to vindicate the truth, appeared to him a singular pretension, and, under the influence of mingled pity and contempt for his 37. Thou sayest that I am a king. harmless enthusiasm, he proposed This reply may, by a proper punc- the inquiry, What is truth ́ He did tuation, be thus translated from the not wish to receive an answer; he original: "Thou sayest it; because was not seeking for information, else I am a king." Thus Jesus gave an af- he would not have gone out immedifirmative reply to the question (see ately. But having the impression on Matt. 27: 11), and then made a that Jesus was a weak-minded, though declaration, which was of the same doubtless well-meaning, religious enpurport. This declaration he imme-thusiast, he carelessly, and probably diately proceeded to explain, in ac- contemptuously, let fall the inquiry, cordance with his remark, that his What do you mean by truth? dominion was not an earthly one. 39, 40. Compare Matt. 27: 15, Bear witness to the truth; manifest 21-23. and vindicate divine truth, or true religion. Every one that is of the truth; every one that loves true religion.

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CHAPTER XIX.

1. Scourged him. See on Matt. 27:

2 And the soldiers platted a | therefore and officers saw him, crown of thorns, and put it on they cried out, saying, Crucify his head, and they put on him him, crucify him. Pilate saith a purple robe, unto them, Take ye him, and crucify him: for I find no fault in him.

3 And said, Hail, King of the Jews! and they smote him with their hands.

4 Pilate therefore went forth again, and saith unto them, Behold, I bring him forth to you, that ye may know that I find no fault in him.

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7 The Jews answered him, We have a law, and by our law he ought to die, because he made himself the Son of God.

8 When Pilate therefore heard that saying, he was the more

5 Then came Jesus forth, | afraid; wearing the crown of thorns, and 9 And went again into the the purple robe. And Pilate judgment-hall, and saith unto saith unto them, Behold the man! Jesus, Whence art thou? But 6 When the chief priests Jesus gave him no answer.

28.

2. A purple robe. See on Matt. 27:

6. Take ye him, and crucify him: for I, &c. Pilate did not wish to be understood, nor was he understood, as giving his official sanction, at this time, to the crucifixion of Jesus. On the contrary, he expressly declared his conviction that Jesus did not deserve such treatment, and that, if the Jews should crucify him, they would act unjustifiably. He therefore wished to have no connection with such an affair: if they would crucify him, they must do it without his having any share in the responsibility. Such a view of the case was not satisfactory to the Jews, as appears by the next verse, and they endeavored still further to bring over the governor to a more decided compliance with their request.

See Leviticus 24: 16. They wished Pilate to sanction his being put to death.

8. When Pilate heard that saying, he was the more afraid. Pilate had been much impressed by the conduct of Jesus during the trial (see Matt. 27: 14. Mark 15: 5), and could not but regard him as possessing some very uncommon qualities of character. Being a heathen, Pilate would very naturally connect with the expression Son of God some notions to which his education had accustomed him. He was familiar with the popular belief among the Romans that there were many gods, that some were the children of others, and that some distinguished men had traced their descent to some god. The thought probably occurred to Pilate, that possibly Jesus, whose appearance was so different from what might have been expected, was really related to some god, whose displeasure he might incur, if he should yield to the clamors of the Jews. This fear was also in accordance with the dream of which Pilate's wife had sent him information. See Matt. 27: 19.

7. By our law he ought to die. The chief priests, finding Pilate not moved so much as they expected he would be by the political accusation, then placed the matter on religious grounds. Jesus had claimed to have a divine commission, to be even the Messiah, the Son of God. They declared that he was an impostor 9. Whence art thou? Whence is and blasphemer, and as such was thy origin? from heaven, or from condemned by their law to death. | earth? || Jesus gave him no answer.

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