The Pulpit Commentary — John — Volume 2 — Section 331

EXPOSITION. Gethsemane, where the glorification of the CHAPTER XVIL Son of man pe.esed into the e.dv11noed stage Ven. 1-26.-4. The high-prie.stly interoe.s- of hie willing and perfect surrender to the llion. Audible communion of the Son 111ith the Supreme Will. Hengetenberg finds explana- Falker. Tue prayer whioh now follows re- tion of John's silence touching that agony vet1.ls, in the loftiest o.nd sublimest form, the in the supplemental charncter of the Gos- Divine humanity of the Son of ma.u, and the pel, which docs not repeat a description fact that, in the consciousness of J es1l8 e.e the of B scene already famili11r to all renders veritable Christ of God, there was actually of the synoptio narrative. This may ac- blended the union of the Divine and human, count for the mere form of the reoord, but and a perfect exercise of the prerogatives of does it meet the perplexity that 111·ises ea to both. The illimitable task which writers whether the scene of Gethsemane could of the second century m1IBt have set them- possibly foHow John's narrative? Is not selves to accomplish, if they h&d by some such a conception i.acompatible altogether unknown process conceived such a stupen• with the cry, "If it be possible, let this cup doWI idea without any historical basis to pRSB from me " ? Our answer is a reference BUpport it, he.e actually been so e1feeted, to eh. xii 27, where there is the exact that a representation is given which ade- counterpart of the scene in the go.rdcn. Nor quately conveys snoh a synthesis. The is a mysterious troubling of the Redeemer's author of the Gospel does, however, draw soul elsewhere absent from the Johannine rather upon hiB memory of that night than narmti ve. At the grave of Lazarus, e.e well upon hiB philosophical imagination for a e.e when the Greeks wrung from his lips the pe.eeage which surpll.Blles all literature iD. its cry, "Father, save me from this hour," fol- eeiting fortil the identity of being and power lowed by "Father, glorify thy Name," we and lo'l'e in the twofold pereone.lity of the have the blending of an utterly i.adescrihable God-Man. We are brought by it to the affliction with a triumphant acceptance by mt:J'Cy-soot,, into the heaven of heaveDB, to him of the Divine purpose of his mission the very heart of God ; and we find there a and the will of hie Fe.thcr. Throughout present.a.lion of the m.lSt mysterious and these diecoursea he is meditating hiB de- incomprehensible love to the human race, parture with e.11 its accompanying grief and embodied in the Person, enshrined i.a the agony. He describes the w,iy he is about to words, of the only begotten Son. It need take as one which would be liko the trave.il- not perplex those who believe that we have pang of a new humanity; but in his capacity the wordB of J eewi, that this prayer of sublime of living in the light of the Father's will, victory 1111d glotiowi promise should be foJ. he treats the whole myatery of the croB1, lu11<.:d Ly !he u.guuJ &lld the Llootly tiWL-at of tl.ie gmve, the reBnrrection, the ascenllion. M CR, xvn.1-26.J TEIE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO AT. JOHN. 341