The Pulpit Commentary — John — Volume 2 — Section 185

o.llied to tho Hebrew : "He that e11teth my minister now d&,s Mt annul tho commis~ion lrn,~es hath ma11;niflcd against me his sur- he has received. This dogma is eescntially reptitious despite, his tricky antagonism.'' hostile to the tenohing of the New Testament Great beau ly is given to the passage by the (Matt. vii. 17-21). (2) The roynl power of R.T, µou insteo.cl of µ.,-r' lµ.ou, for it snggesta the dying Christ; and (3) the bold idenrifi. the irlca that Christ wns the rcol Host of cation of hie own olaima with those of his the twelve, tho Jfo.ther and Provirler of hie Father. Few more wonderful sayings were fomily. Oh rist must be regarded ns the uttered by Jesus, if we pon,lcr the conrwdi•m Father nnd Host of the entire group of guests, in which they stand; hut let it be observed a11CI tho trencherous treatment of a hnst that we do not owe to th,· Fourth <;oancl the throughout the East is regarded as a sign matter of this eaying. It mu,t hav~ been of peculiar obdumcy. familiar to the rendcr3 of John fmm the Vor. 19.-1 tell you from hencerorth-&.,r' solemn recorde of the Goepel of ;lfatthcw. lpn of llfott. xxvi. 64 corresponds with Luke Vers. 21-30 correspond with the scene x.x.ii. 69, &.rro -rou vuv; the word also implies which Matthew describe• (xxvi. 21, etc.) as that our Lord would again recur to the occurring during the Pneehnl meal, and subject. This fa tho true meaning of &.ir&pn preceding the departure of Judas before the in the New Testament (eh. i 52; xiv. 7; Supper was instituted-" as they di,! eat." l\Iatt. xxiii. 3D-before it come to pass, tha.t ye 'fhe o icr8(wv µ.e-r' lµ.ov in Mark xiv. 18 corre- may believe when it is come to pass, that I am; sponds and finds its explanation in the i.e. I um what I hnvo snicl, none the less, but scene described by John, as also his quotation all the more, the Son of God (cf. Isa. x!iii. from Ps. xii. It does not follow, because the 11-13; eh. viii. 24, 28, 58). It is more eynoptios omit the "feet-washing," that thnn the words will bear to make the ~-ycf, they were ignorant of it; J ohn'e purpose • Iµ, the equivalent of a Divine claim to was to record that which they bad omitted . equalily with Jehovah; but "all that I On the other band, J obn does give some very have said of myself, nnd all you have significant indications of the same general admitted to be trne," It is not a promise current of inner life in the mind of Jesus of continual prevision of events, but a start- and of the twelve. Matthew (=vi. H-16) ling proof that in this case our Lord had shows that at this very moment Judas had completely fathomed the mind of Judas, and so far given way to bis avarice, impatience, was· communicath·e of what he saw there to disappointment, o.nd innate pride and selfish- the rest of the disciples, _so that when the ness, as to be simply seeking his oppor- trngedy should be consummated,_ this pecu- tunity to betray bis Ma;ter in the absence lial'ity, instead, of shaking their faith in him, of the multitude. He bad his price; he was will prove that he was taken by no sw:prise, meditating treachery. Granting the mixture and throughout his great career was what of motive which may have agitated him, we be said be was. condemn the pleading of numerons modem Ver. 20.-'l'be connection of the solemn writers, who almost extenuate bis malice and utterance that follows is not ensy to seize. represent him as victim of the violent vulgar Verily, verily, Isay unto you, He who receiveth passion of the multitude for a triumphant whomsoever I obull send receiveth me; and secular Messiah. Every touch or stroke in he tha.t receiveth me roceiveth him. that sent the evangelic narrative shows how ntterly me. In the earlier utterance of an analo- impervious to goodness the traitor really gous saying (Matt. x. 40), liexecr6a, is wed was; and John gives us a further hint, in instead of 1'.aµ/30.,,ew. The Uv -rlva 1f<JJ,i/,OJ e.ddition to tha& supplied by the synoptists, suggests that those who may receive his. as to the very commencement of the agony, commission need not, and will not, be con- the details of which they prolong in to the fined to the twelve apostles, although in- night. Jesns was troubled in the spirit (cf. cluding them. The words reveal e. claim notes on eh. xi. 33). This is one of the to issue such commhisions, and to confer strongest expressions useJ. of the sorrows of upon his apoatolio and other representatives Christ; the -ra.p&.x11 even was deeper down in something of his own dignity and glory, viz. bis nature than what is expressed by a.071µ.o• tho glory of sacrifice for others, the dignity vei'v,,._.,.,..,,,ea, of Matthew. The distress of service. He may have intended: (1) 'fo penetrated from" body" to" soul," and then comfort those who are bewildered by the to inmost "spirit." '.rb.e Lord was terribly thought of the treachery within their en- perturbed, not merely with approaching closurn, nnd to 11ssnre them th11t such conduct agony aggravated by treachery and deser- on the part of an 11postle must not be 111lowed tion, but by the contrast between bis love to lower their eetim11te of apostolio duty. and the issue, between an apostle and hia Certain ecclesiastical interpreters find here doom. And he testified, e.nd said, Verily, that the unwol'thiness even of Jude.a did verily, I aay unto you. A close specification not destroy the Divine character of bis testi- of coming events takes. the pla.ce of the more mony, and that the immor11l ohe.raote1· of the vague utterances of vers. 17-19. On11 of  192 THE GOSPET, ACCORDING TO BT. JOHN. [en. xm. 1-.18.