I. THE UNIVERSAL DEFECTION OF THE DISCIPLES BEFORE CHRI8T’S DEATH WAB A SPIRITUAL NECESSITY. They could not understand or allow it. It seemed so unnatural and unlikely. But their Master felt, by gauging his own spirit, how much would be required to enable them to be steadfast, and how wanting they were in the higher principles of spiritual life. He accepted the situation, and sought beforehand to prepare his disciples for the revelation of their own weakness, that when it took place it might not destroy all hope or desire to return to their fidelity. It was, then, at once in expression of his own inward Messianic consciousness, and in order to their warning and instruction, that he quoted the prophecy. How was this desertion of their Master a necessary experience? Because the realization of absolute oneness with Christ in the spirit of self-denial, or rather of love, would only be possible after his own sacrifice, as its ground or condition. They were, meanwhile, still in a state of pupilave or infancy. They could not under.tand the reason of his strange path, so unlike what they had anticipated. Had they been able to stand by the Lord when he was delivered up, they might have been their own saviours, and his work wou'd not have been
reqnisive.
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266 THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. MARK. (ou. xxv. 1—72.
Tl, SeiF-coNFIDENCE IN ASSERTING ITS SUPERIORITY TO THIS LAW WOULD OLY THE MORE SIGNALLY ILLUSTRATE IT. Peter, the representative of theoretic faith, was strong in his contradiction to this statement. It was he who had said, “ Lord to whom can we go?” etc.,and who had heard the approving response, “ Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-Jona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed ¢¢ unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven” (Matt. xvi. 17); and who had been called the rock. He there- fore goes forward in the strength of his own convictions, and courts the disaster he sought to avoid, and that in an exaggerated form. (The seeming Seats ont between the evangelists as to the crowing and crowing twice is easily explained.) That very day, nay, that night, ere the dawning, he should deny his Lord thrice, t.c. absolutely and utterly; and, that he might test his Master’s faithfulness and his own failure, the sign was given—“ before the cock crow twice.” His bold self-confidence and resolute endeavour to be with Christ were shown in his penetrating the hall ef justice, and mingling in the very crowd amidst which the Saviour stood. But this only provoked the challenge before which all his manhood quailed. The others did net orally deny Christ, because they had fled beforehand.
IU. Bur wirH THE WARNING A WORD OF HOPE AND COMFORT WAS UTTERED. The Shepherd would reassemble his scattered flock, when he went before them into Galilee, But they could not receive the saying upon which that depended—“ after I am raised up.” It was to be lodged in their consciousness, nevertheless, to be recalled again when its fulfilment took place, and to be put on record as another evidence of the faith. Then they would no longer be told, “ Whither I go ye cannot come,” as he would give his Spirit to them.—M.
Vers. 32—42.— The agony in the garden. L. Irs sorrow. 1. The manner tn witch tt was experienced. There were premonitions. All through life there ran a thread of similar emotions, which were now gathering themselves into one overwhelming sense of grief, fear, and desolation: it was crescent and cumulative. He did not artificially create or stimulate the emotion, but entered into it naturally and gradually. Geth- semane was sought, not from a sense of sssthetic or dramatic fitness, but through charm of long association with his midnight prayer, or simply as his wonted place ot retirement in the days of his insecurity. Asa good Israelite observing the Passover, he may not leave the limits of the sacred city, yet will he choose the spot best adapted for security and retirement. 2. At first awakening conjiicting impulses. He craved at once for sympathy and for solitude. The general company of disciples were brought to the verge of the garden, and informed of his purpose; the three nearest te him in spiritual sympathies and susceptibilities were taken inte the recesses of the garden, into nearer proximity and communion. And yet ultimately he must needs be alone. All this is perfectly natural, and, considering the nature of his emotion, expli- cable upon deep human principles: “Sympathy and solitude ave both desirable iz severe trials” (Godwin). There was a sort of oscillation between these twe poles, 3. To be attributed to the injluence of supernatural insight upon his human sympathy and feeling. What it was he saw and felt cannot be adequately conceived by na, but that it was not emotion occasioned by ordinary earthly interests or attaehments we may assure ourselves, The exegesis which sees in “exceeding sorrowful to die” a reason for concluding that it was the idea of dying which so overwhelmed our Saviour, may be safely left to its own reflections, The “cup” he felt he had to drink to its dregs he had already alluded to (ch. x. 38). It had “ in it ingredients which were never mingled by the hand of his Father, such as the treachery of Judas, the desertion of his disciples, denial on the part of Peter, the trial in the Sanhedrim, the trial before Pilate, the scourging, the mockery of the soldiery, the crucifixion, etc.” (Mori- son). “He began t be sore amazed [dismayed, sorrowful|, and to be very heavy [oppreased, distressed |,” are terms which are left purposely vague. He saw the depths of iniquity, he felt the overwhelming burden of human sinfulness. 4. He betook Ameelp to prayer as the only relief for his surcharged feeling. The safest and highest way of recovering spiritual equilibrium. Well will it be for a man when his grief a him to God! There is no sorrow we cannot take to him, whether it be great or small.
IL. Tue sotrrupg, 1. Symbolized by his physical apartness from the three disciples,
om. xIv. 1—72.] THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. MARK. 267
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“Is there any sorrow like unto my sorrow?” We may not intrude. God only can rare _ depths and appreciate its purity and intensity. 2. Suggested by their failure
“ watch.”