temptation, the flesh oyercame the spirit. While Christ was sweating great drops of blood. His apostles slept !
Passages like these are very instructive. We ought to thank God that they have been written for our learning. They are meant to teach us humility. When aposties can behave in this way, the Christian who thinks he stands should take heed lest he fall. They are meant to reconcile believers to death, and make them long for that glorious body which they will have when Christ returns. Then, and not till then, we shall be able to wait upon God without bodily weariness, and to serve Him day and night in His temple.
XoTES. Luke XXII. 39—46.
•S9. — [ Wenty as he was wont.] Christ's habit of going in the even- ing to the mount of Olives has been abieady mentioned in a former passage. (Luke xxi. 37.) At the feast of the passover, it must be remembered, multitudes of Jews came to Jerusalem from all parts of the world. It was no doubt impossible to find lodgings for all of them within the walls of the city. Many of them probably passed the night in the villages round Jerusalem, or in the gardens lying near the city. This circumstance ex- plains what we read in this verse. There was one particular place on the mount of Olives, to which our Lord was in the habit of going, which was well-known to all the disciples, and to Judas Iscariot among the rest. Hence it was that Judas was able, though it was night, to lead our Lord's enemies to the very spot where his Master was. To take any one prisoner by night of course requires an intimate knowledge of his habits, and of the place where he is. If Judas therefore had not guided the paity which took Jesus, they might have spent the night in searching for Him in vain.
40. — \P ray.,, enter not into temptation.'] Let it be carefully noted, that to be assaulted by temptation is one thing, but to enter in- to it quite another. We cannot avoid the assault, but we are not obliged to give way to it. We cannot prevent temptation coming to us, but it is our own fault if we " enter into temptation." To be tempted is a painful thing, and a heavy trial ; but to " enter into temptation " is a sin. It is vain to expect that we shall not be tempted, so long as there is a devil, and so long as we are in the body. But it must be our prayer and endeavour not to