HOMILETICS. Vere. 1-11.-Tlie appre11ensicm of Jesus. The crisis has come at l11Bt. I. Tm: B0ENE OF THE ARREAT. "He went forth with his disciples over the brook Kodron, where was II garden, into which ho entered, 11nd his disciples." 1. The garden WQ.8 on the slope of Mount Olivet, and therefore outside Jerusalem. 2. He did not resort lo it /or the purpose of hiding himself from his enemies; for Judas, the traitor, kne,1J the place. It was to be tbe scene of his prayers and his agonies. Its name was Geth- semane. 3. It bdonged, evidtntly, to some friend or disciple of Jesus ; for it was a frequent meeting-place for Jesus and the disciples. 4. The thought o/ the garden, as the beginning of the Lord's Passion, links itself b-lJ natural association with the garden of Eden, the scene of the Fall of man, which made the Passion necessary. II. TnE ARRIVAL OF THE BAND. "Judas then, having received the band, with officers from the chief priests and the Pharisees, cometh thither with lanterns and torches and arms." 1. Judas is the leading actor in this scene. 2. The combination of the Roman soldiers with the police of the Sanhedrin marks the share of Jew and Gentile in the transaction which culminated in the scene of Calvary. 3. The use of lights at a time when the full moon was in the sky suggested the fear that Jesw might try to escape arrest in the darl,, corners of the garden. III. THE MEETING OF JESUS WITH THE BAND. "Jesus therefore, knowing all that should happen to him, went forth, and said to them, Whom seek ye? n 1. There wa.~ a Divine nece~sity recognized in our Lord's action; for he foresaw all the events of the Passion as occurring, not through the mere malice of men, but by the foreordination of God. 2. He does not allow this foreknowledge to paralyze his action or disturb the quietude of his soul. 3. His question, "Whom seek ye 7" implies that it was not man's power, but his own permission, which brought his sufferings upon him. 4. 1'he effect of his statement,'' I am he" (Jesus the Nazarene), is astounding. (1) Whether it was due to natural or to supernatural causes, his presence had an overwhelming effect npon the band. "They went backward, and fell to the ground." (2) His word was not an angry word; but Judas may have led the band to suppose that Jesus might make a marvellous display of his power. (3) The scene suggests fear, awe, veneration, and not the display of force. ( 4) It suggested to the disciples that the band fulfilled its com- mission by Christ's own consent. 5. Jesus pleads/or his disciples. "I have told you that I am he: if therefore ye seek me, let these go their way." (1) It was necessary for the purposes of his kingdom that the apostles should be spared. (2) They were not yet in a condition spiritually to die with their Lord. They all deserted Christ at last. (3) It was needful that he should suffer alone. He was to " tread the winepress alone." ( 4) His care for the disciples was in fulfilment of prophecy. "That the saying might be fulfilled, which he spake, Of them which thou gavest me have I lost none." Their temporal preservation was to involve a. great and more blessed realization of spiritual deliverance. IV. PETER's A.TTEMPT AT DEFENCE. "Then Simon Peter having a sword drew it, and smote the high priest's servant, and cut off his right ear." 1. The action of the apostle, so characteristic of his impulsive nature, was the proof of love, zeal, f aitli, and sincerity. 2. Our Lord condemns his action. (1) He healed the ear of Malchus, an<l thus saved Peter from arrest. (2) He shows that there is no warrant for irregular actions or for rash zeal. (3) Peter's conduct threatened to compromise our Lord, who was in a few hours to assure Pilate, "If my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight." (4) Our Lord recognized in his coming Passion the bitter cup that his Father designed for him. "The cup which my Father hath given me, shall I not drink it?" He drank it willingly. Vera. 12-24.-Jems before .Annas and Caiaphas. The ecclesiastical trial comes first. Owing to the relation between Annas and Caiaphas, they probably dwelt in the same house, and there may have been an informal trial by Annas before the acting high priest, Caiaphas, investigated the case of Jesus. I. 'l'III!: mQUIRY OF CAIAPHAS. "The high priest then asked Jesus of his disciples, and of his doctrine." 1. The obJece was to extract from the lips of Jesm some answer THE GOSPEL ACOOtt))ING TO ST. JOHN. [en, xvm. 1--40.
thaf might ~ tht! grotl,fld of his coodem,uition. 2. The hig'h prmt t.00,8 a,iiriou, to a•ccrfain the number of Christ's duciples afld the principles of his teadiing, 11. THE ANB'll"'ER OF JEsus. "I spake openly to the world; I ever taught in open synagogue, and in the temple, whither all the Jews resort; nnd in secret have I said nothing." 1. He does not answer the inquiry concerning hi., disciples, whose safety M fears to comprom,:Se, 2. He p1·otests the entire puhUcity of his teaching. 8. There was ,inthing secret or esoteric in his doctri:ne. He taught publicly what he taught secretly. The disciples were charged t-0 proclaim on the housetops what they heard In the ear (l'lbtt. x. 27). 4. He demand~ a formal trial, and the summoning of witnessea. ""i·hy a~kest thou me? ask them which heard me, what I have said unto them." Ill. THE FIRST ACT OF VIOLENCE .U."D INSULT OFFERED TO THE SA VIOUB. " .And when he had thus spoken, one of the officers which stood by struck Jesus with ths palm of his hand, saying, .Answerest thou the high priest so?" 1. Jes'l/,/I l,ad done flothing l.o /1u;tify thi,s rude assault; for in his answer he was only using the liberty the Law allowed hi~. He was, asalways,aninnoccntSuff'erer. 2. Our Lord'sanswer was a gentle repro:f of public injustwe. "If I have spoken evil, bear witness of the evil: 1,ut if well, why smitcst thou me?" (1) He does not smite the officer dead by his power, but remonstrates against injury. (2) Though he does not avenge the insult, he will vi.ndicate his cwn conduct. We therefore infer (a) that it is not wrong to defend our innooence or good name; (b) that there is no inconsistency between our Lord's action in this case and his counsel in the sermon on the mount: "If they smite thee on one cheek, turn the other also." This condemns revenge, but does not silence us in the presence of wrong. Our Lord's own practice, therefore, explains his precept (Matt. v. 39).