The Pulpit Commentary — John — Volume 2 — Section 213

EXPOSITION. meant that two swords were a match for the CHAPTER XIV. weapons of the high priests, or the power Ver. 1.-It is not necessary to follow of the Roman empire, but tho.t foe dis~;pio Oodex D and some of the versions, and had once a.gain misunderstooJ the figurative here introduce into the text ,cal ,l1r<v -rois teaching of Christ, o.nd, like a child (as he p.a871-rai, 11b-roii. It ie enough that the was), had, in the intensity of his present awful warning to Peter, which followed the feeling, lost e.11 a.ppereeption of the future. announcement of the troochery of Judas and True, the language of Luke xxii. 35-38 his depa'rture, the solemnity of the Lord, and suggests an answer to the question, " Why the clear e.nnouncement of his approaching cannot I follow thee now?" But these death, had fo.llen like a thunderbolt into words in eh. xiv. more certainly contem- their company. Jude.a held the bag, and plate that query, coupled with the other was their trea.911rer, their ,1rltrJCtnro• (see occasions that had arisen for bitter tribula- Batch's 'Ba.mpt. Leet.'), and a referee on tion. To the faithful ones, to Peter's own all practical subjects and details. He had nobler nature, and to them all alike in view turned age.inst the Lord; and now their of their unpara.lleled grief and dismay at spokesman, their rock of strength, their the immediate prospect of his departure, he most prominent and their boldest brother, says, Let not your heart be troubled-the the senior of the group, and with one ex- one heart of yon all ; for, after all, it is one ception the disciple most beloved and trusted heart, and for the moment it was in utter- by the Master, was actually warned a.go.inst most exacerbation and distress. He repeated the most deadly sin-nay, more, n course of the words at the close of the fir.,t part of conduct is predicted of him enough to the discourse (ver. 27), after he had uttered scatter them all to the four winds. Is it his words of consolation. The "trouble" possible to exaggerate the consternation from which that one heart of theirs is and distraction, the sh1ieks of fenr, the breaking ie not the mere sentimental son-ow bitter sobs of reckless grief, that convulsed of parting with a friend, but the perplexity the upper chamber? In the agony of a.rising from distracting cares and cnntlicting despair, and amid the awful pa.use that passions. The work of love and sacrifice followed the outburst of their confusion and means trouble that nothing but supernatural grief, words fell upon their enrs which aid and Divine strength ca.n touch. The Luther described as "the best and most heartache of those who a.re wakened up to consoling sermons that the Lord Obrist any due sense of the eternal is ono that delivered on earth," "a treasure and jewel nothing but the hand that moves all things not to be purohe.sed with the wodd's can soothe or remedy. Faith in the absolute r;oods.'' Hengstenberg has argued at length goodness of God can a.lone sustain the mind that the opening words of the chapter do in these deep places of fenr, and under the not point to this scene of deep dejection, shadow of death. But he gives a. reason but to the conversation recorded in Luke for their consolation. This fa, Believe in God, :xxii. 35-38, where our Lord warned his i.e. the eternal God in all his revelations disciples of the career of anxiety and of himself in the past-in God the Father, dependence and struggle through which Son, and Holy Spirit, who has most com- they would have to pass. They must be pletely been unveiled to you now in the ready even to po.rt with their garment to word and light nnd life that have been given prooure a sword, i.e. they must be prepared to you in me. Your faith in God will be to defend themselves against many enemies. equal to your emergencies, and, if you live up With his oharo.cteristio impetuosity Peter to such faith, you will bear all that befalls says, "Here 1ue two swords;" a.ud Jesus you (of. Mark xi. 22). But, he adds, rui I 11a.id, "It is enough." He could not have have been in the bosom 0f God and have 220 THE GOSPEL ACOORDING TO ST. JOHN. [011. xiv. 1-31.