The Pulpit Commentary — Matthew — Volume 2 — Section 526

Ver, 54.-Bot how then (0~11, i.e. if I now docile disciples; be puts those to she.me in rOFrisl) shall the Boriptores be fulfilled, that their folly by proofs from Scripture, and thus it most be 1 There is no" but" in the strengthens these in their despondency by it11 original. In what wny, Christ asks, shall consolatory promises. He appeals to Scrip- God's determined counsel be accomplished, ture in bis vehement disputation with men, if you tum to the arm of the flesh, or if I use a.a he does in his solemn way of suffering to my Divine power to snve myself? The will die for them; he confronts 8atnn witb 'It ia of God, e.s deolnred in Scripture, was that written,' and prays to the Father-that the Je,~us should be betrayed, seized, should Scripture may be fulfilled." If Christ bad suffer nnd die. Christ's will was one with been taken prematurely in the temple, and -the Father's and one with the Spirit's who . put to death by a tumultuary stoning, pro- inspired the Scripture, and therefore he phecy would not have been fulfilled, and his must pe.ss through ea.oh stage, undergo each death would not have been the appointed detail, which the sacred volume specified. sacrifice of the Lamb of God. P'onook him, It was not merely that events were so e.nd fled. As he had foretold (ver. 31 ). They arranged· that they thus befell ; nor merely saw their Master bound and helpless; they that . prophets of old foretold them ; but recognized that he would not deliver him- there was some specie.I moral duty and self by heavenly a.id, and, fearing to share -obligation in fulfilling them, whieh Obrist, his fate, they looked to their own safety and ,as one with the Father and the Holy Ghost, basely abandoned him in his hour of danger. was minded to. carry out in all perfection. Now occurred the incident mentioned only Here was a ray of comfort for Peter and the by St. Mark (xiv. 51), which is explained -other apostles. .All was foreordained; its rightly by Edersheim (ii. 485, 5-H). Only announcement in God's boc,k proved it ea.me Peter and John followed the officerij to the fro.m God, was under his control and order- high priest's po.lace. ing. Patience, therefore, and silent acqui- escence were the duties now incumbent. Vers. 57-68.-Jr.•us b~fu1"e Caiaphas, in- "Be still, then, and know that I e.m God." formally condemned to death. (l\Iark xiv. Ver. 55.-The multitudes. St. Luke says 53-65; Luke u:ii. 54, 63-65; John x.viii that Christ addressed "the chief priests, 2!.) -and captains of the tempi!', and elders, which were come against him." He submitted to Ver. 57.-Led him awe.y to Caia.phu. The -indignities, but he felt them deeply; he synoptists omit all mention of the pre- -allowed himself to be· treated e,s a male- limine.ry inquiry before Annas (John xviii. fe.otor, but was nQt insensible to the shame 13, 19-24). His palace was nearest to tile -of being supposed to have been capable of place of capture, and the soldiers appear to aoting as such. A thief; a robbe,-. One at the have received orders to conduct the Prisoner -head ofa band of lawless ruffians, who \'fould thither, Annas having vast influeuce with Tesist you with arms in their hands-a the Romans, and being the principal mover ,aicarius, a cut-throat, who lurked in secret in the matter. What passed before him is 1-le:ces to murder the innocent. I sat daily not recorded, none of the disciples being ·wi:Lh yon (,rpbs 6µ.us, probably e.n interpola- present e.t the examination. The synoptists tion from Mark). All the past week, at take up the nocount when Jesus was sent any rate, Christ had taught quietly and bound to Caie.phas, who St. John (xviii. openly in the temple. He had none of the 14) notes was the one who for political habits of the robber ; he had not courted reasons had urged the judicial murder of secrecy; he had no cornpe.ny of e.rmed men Jesus. Where (i.e. in whose house) the to defend him; why did they not arrest him aoribes and the elders ware assembled. This then? According to St. Luke, Christ adds, seems to hRvc been e.n informal meeting of ·" But this is your hour, and the power of the lee.ding Se.nhedrists, he.st.ily conveneJ, darkness." not in their usuo.l pie.cc of meeting, but in a Ver. 56,-All this we.a done (hath come to chamber of Ce.ie.phe.s's pa.lace. Some years pail•), eto. This is most probably p!lrt of before this time the ri~ht of pronouncing .Christ's speech, not a reme.rk of the ev,m- capital sentences had been removed from _gelist. He repeats to the multitude who.t the oouncil; snJ hence the necessity of he had so.id to Peter (ver. 54, where see assembling in the hall Gazith (where only note), and what he had already intimated at suoh sentenoea could be delivered) existed the last Supper (vers. 2!, SI). To quote the no longer. words of Stier, "Again and age.in he de- Ver. 58.-Afar o1t Peter had fled at first clares that one thing which, nevertheless, with the others; but bis a:lf~ction drew him Christie.n theology perpetually refuses to back to see what befell his beloved Muster. learn from the supreme Tee.char and Doctor. Ho followed the crowd 1>I II safe disto.nci,, Hu holds firmly to the Scripture, whether u.n,l, joiued aflerwe.rW! by J oho, reached the .speaking to the exaspernted Jews or the pall\ce of Cabphas. Went ill. St. JohD  532 THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. MATTHEW [oa. xxvi.1-75'