The Pulpit Commentary — Luke — Volume 2 — Section 192

"·riltrn, ""l10sc sorrows are like unto my he was tcachiug them, the world-tcnohers of sorrows?" must make trial of this bitterness. the future, that in self-sacrifice consisted the Chrysostom thinks that the Master, in sec1·et of truo greatness. In the kingdom of some of thPse re['eatrd allusions during tho heaven this would bo found to he conspicu- •• 8upper," tried to win Judas over to a better ously the cnse. mind. Ver. 25.-Are ·called benefe.ctors (,J,p-y,- Ver. 22.-Woe Ullto that man by whom .-a,). 'l'hose who wero listening knew well he is betrayed! We seem to hear a wailing how u_U.erly false these high-sounding hu- in this woe, although the denunciation was man titles often were. Etl,p;,..- 77 , (Euer• so firmly pronounced. St. llfotthew, in his getes ), Benefactor, was the well-known title account, here adds some more words spoken appropriated by Ptolemy Euergetes e.ud by the Me.ster, " It had been good for that other hated royal tyrants well known to the man ifhe had not been born." Dean Plump- Jewish people. tre, on this saying of Christ, very sugges- Ver. 28.-Ye are they which have con- tivelv remarks, "Awful as the words were, tinued with ma in my temptations. But they"ba'\"e their bright as well as their dark after the gentle rebuke of their jealous am- JUde. According to the estimate which men bition, whioh rebuke was veiled in the great commonly form, the words are true of all instruction, their Master, with the ten- except those who depart this life in the derest grace, referred to their unswerving faith and fear of God. In his applying loyalty to him. • Their faithfulness stood out them to the case of the traitor in its excep- at that hour in strong contrast with the oon- tional enormity, there is suggested the dnct of Judas. It is always thus with tbeiJo thought that for others whose guilt was not Master and ours. Every good deed, every lil:e bis. es:istence even in the penal suffer- noble thought, each bit of generosity and ing which their sins have brought upon self-forgetfulness on our part, is at once them may be better than never to have recognized and rnwe.rded e. hundi·edfold now been at all." as then. Yer. 23.-And they began to inquire Ver. 29.-And I appoint UI1to you a king- among themselves, which of them it was dom, as my Father bath appointed unto me. that should do this thing. That all the dis- This promise refers to earth and this life. ciples, on hearing this statement of their They and theiJo successors in bis Oburch Master, should at once question their own would bear sway over men's hearts. His hearts with the" Is it I?" (of St. Matthew's kingdom would be administered by them. Gospel), shows with what cunning skill the With strangely literal e.ccure.cy has this arch-tra.itor must have concealed not merely promise been fu Ifilled. From the hour when bu; plans but his very sentiments. No sus- the despised Master, already doomed to e. picion on their parts ever seems to have shameful dee.tb, uttered this seemingly im- fallen on Judas, their companion for so long probable prediction, his kingdom over men's a time. The direct colloquy of the Lord bee.rte has been extending. Then at most with the traitor, reported at length in the the kingdom num bercd e. few hundreds ; now other Gospels on the occasion of dipping the it can only be reckoned by millions. For BOp into one of the Paschal dishes, was most centuries the story of the civilized world has probably carried on in e. whisper (see John been the story of this kingdom. ::tlii. 26-29, where mention is specie.lly made Ver. 30.-That ye may eat and drink at of the disciples' ignore.nee of the dread my table in my kingdom, and sit on thrones meaning oftbeir Master's words to Judas). judging the twelve tribes of Israel. While Vera. 24-30.-The jealotJ,B1J among the the words just considered (ver. 29) referred diBciplu. to e. success and a reward, the scene of Ver. 24.-And there was also a strife which was to be this world, the Master now among them, which of them should be ao• eontiuues his promises of reward to his oollllted the greatest. The Lord's words in chosen faithful followers-a reward which these verses are peculiar to St. Luke. The will be their blessed portion in eternal life, etrife e.mong the disciples which suggested which will follow this. Ffrat, the endless the Lord',- corrective sayings was evidently bliss to be shared with him is pictured no mere dispute as to precedence in their under the old favourite Jewish image of the places e.t the supper, but some question as heavenly banquet; and second, in that to their respective positions in the coming h1:a.ve11ly realm a special ple.ce of honour kingdom of which their Master had said so and o distinct work is promised to these much in the course of bis later instructions. his chosen faithful servants. , It is closely connected with the "feet-wash- Vera. 31-31!.-The Lord foretella Simon ing" related at leugtb by St. John (xiii. 4- Pete-i'• fall. He tell, the diaciplea of tl,e 17). This has been well described as a hard time, coming on them. parable in action, exhibited to illustrate Ver. 31.-And the Lord said, Simon, forcibly the uovel and sublime truth which Simon, behold, Be.tan hath desired to havu 011. xxu. 1-71.] TllE GOSPEL ACCOP.DIXG TO ST. LUKE.