The Pulpit Commentary — Matthew — Volume 2 — Section 521

press"). Jerus retired thither for privacy here of the mental 11,gony which he iR en- e.nd for prRyer in e.nlicipntion of what was during; he hid~s not from the faithful three coming. SL John explains, "Where WM a that whioll weighs upon his henrt, so ex- gardeu, int.o the which he entered, and his oessive R straiu that hurt11\n nnture must disciplc,s." This so-onllcd g1trden WM fail to endure it. We cannot gnuge the 6itunt,-d R short distance from the bridge anguish; we ml\y suggest some of the over tlie Kedron, at the foot of the Mount causes of this sorrow. It was not merely of Olives. It was e. plantRtion of olives; nnd the thought of bodily paJn, though that there are many of tb.cse trees, some of greR t would be long e.nd excessive; there 1rero age, still growing in the neighbourhood. other elementll whioh made his sorrow like The f1tuciful idea that some of these wit- to no other sorrow. He thoug-ht of 1111 the nessoo the agony of our Lord hRs nosupp01-t circumstances that led to his Passion ; 1111 whaternr. In the first place, olive trees do that would aocompo.ny it; all tlmt would not live two thousand years; and, secondly, succeed it-the malice 11,ud perversity of the it is certain that in the sieges of Jerusnlem Jews, the grievous wickedness that brought all surrounding trees were ruthlessly de- about hi.s death, the treachery of Judas, the stroyed; and lastly, the exact sit.e of this desertion of his friends, the denial of Peter, terrible scone is unknown, though tradition his UDjust condcmna.tion o.t the hands of the hllB fixed upon a certain spot now enclosed rulers of the chosen nation, the pusillani- with walls, and containing a building mity of Pilate, the guilt of the actors in known by the name of " The Chapel of the the tragedy, the wilful iniquity of those Sweat." The disciples. Eight of them- whom he came to redeem, the ruin which Judas having long ago departcd---and three they brought on themselves, their city and Jesus took with him deeper into the dim nation-such considerations formed one in- recesses of the wood. Sit ye here. Remain gredient in the bitter cup which he had to here, at the entrance io the olive-ynrd. drain. And then the thought of death. was These might not behold even the beginning unspeakably terrible to the all-holy Son of of hi.6 desolation. Their present faith and God. We men become accustomed to the love were not equal to the strain. Go and thought of death. It accompanies us through pray y<JD.der. One is reminded of Abraham all our life; it looms before us always. But at Mount Moriah, when he says to the man was cre11,ted immortal (Wisd. ii. 23), attendant.a, "Abide ye here, and I and the his nature shrinks· from the dissolution of lad will go yonder and worship, and come soul and body; and to the sinless, UDfallen again to you " (Gen. xxii. 5). When the Man this experience was wholly unknown Lord says" here" and" yonder," he points and awful. Here was the incarnate God, io the spots indicated. He always retired the God-Man, submitting himself to the to pray, even as he tells his followers to punishmeut of sin, tasting death for every enter into their closets when they put up man, bearing in his own Person the inex- their supplications to their Father in pressible bitterness of this penal humilia- heaven. tion. Added to all this was the incalcul- Ver. 37.-Peter and the two &oilll of able fact that " the Lord had laid on him Zebedee. These three had been privileged the iniquity of us all." The burden of the io behold hie transfiguration, and that sins of all mankind' he bore on his sacred glimpee of his glory strengthened them to sl.Jouldere. "Him who knew no sin God bear tl..te pe.rtie.l eight of their dear Lord's made t.o be sin on our behalf" (2 Cor. v. 21). 6Utferings. Did his hume.n heart crave for What this mysterious imputation; so to sympathy, e.nd did he desire not to be utterly speak, involved, we cannot tell; but to e. a.I.one at this e.wful crisi-d? We may well being perfectly pure and holy it must have suppose so, 11.11 he was true Man, with all been anguish unspeakable. Tarry ye here. man's feelings and sensibilities. Began to be As ver. 36, "Sit ye here." And watch with aorrowful and very heavy (a.li71µ011•w, to be me. In his du.rk hour his human soul eore dismayed). This word seelDB to be yearned for the comfort of a friendly pre• urncl of the dismay that comes with e.n un- sence; e-.en though these chosen three expected calamity. St. Mark tells us that might not witness the extremity of hill Cl.i:rist we.e " sore amazed" ( e1<8a.µ{3ii<T6a., ). egony, their proximity and sympathy and It is 11.11 though the prospect of what was prayel'l:l were a support. But he bade them coming suddenly opened to his vision and watch for their own sake also. Their great; overwhelmed him. He now set before him- trial was close at hand; tLey were about to self, i.e. Lis human consciousnes,, the suffer- be tempted t.o deny and forsake him ; they ings which he had to UDdergo, with e.11 that could resist only by prayer &Ild watchful- led to tLem, and all that would follow, and ness (ver. 41). the burden we.s crushing.' Ver. 39,-He went a little further. Deeper Ver. 88.-llly 1oul is exceeding sorrowful, into the wood, beneath the gloomy shadow even Wlto death (Jonah iv. 9). Christ l!p6&ks of the olive trees, yet so ae not to feel abso- on. xxvr. 1-75.] THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. MATTHEW. 527