must search for Christ, the true treasure hid in that field: as the history of the New Testament expounds the prophecies of the Old, so the prophecies of the Old Testament illustrate the history of the New.

All Christ's disciples, hereupon, deserted him (ver. 50),―They all forsook him and fled. They were very confident that they should adhere to him; but even good men know not what they will do, till they are tried. If it was such a comfort to him as he had lately intimated, that they had hitherto continued with him in his lesser trials (Luke xxii. 28), we may well imagine what a grief it was to him, that they deserted him now in the greatest, when they might have done him some service-when he was abused, to protect him, and when accused, to witness for him. Let not those that suffer for Christ, think it strange if they be thus deserted, and if all the herd shun the wounded deer; they are not better than their Master, nor can expect to be better used either by their enemies or by their friends. When St Paul was in peril, none stood by him, but all men forsook him. 2 Tim. iv. 16.

The noise disturbed the neighbourhood, and some of the neighbours were brought into danger by the riot. Vers. 51, 52. This passage of story we have not in any other of the evangelists. Here is an account of a certain young man, who, as it should seem, was no disciple of Christ, nor, as some have imagined, a servant of the house wherein Christ had eaten the passover, who followed him, to see what would become of him (as the sons of the prophets, when they understood that Elijah was to be taken up, went to view afar off. 2 Kings ii. 7), but some young man that lived near the garden, perhaps in the house to which the garden belonged. Such a multitude, so. armed, and coming with so much fury, and in the dead of the night, and in a quiet village, could not but produce a great stir; this alarmed our young man, who, perhaps, thought there was some tumult or rising in the city, some uproar among the people, and had the curiosity to go and see what the matter was, and was in such haste to inform himself, that he could not stay to dress himself, but threw a sheet about him, and ran among the thickest of them with this question, What is to do here? Being told, he had a mind to see the issue, having, no doubt, heard much of the fame of this Jesus; and, therefore, when all his disciples had quitted him, he continued to follow him, desirous to hear what he would say, and see what he would do. Some think that his having no other garment than this linen cloth upon his naked body, intimates that he was one of those Jews who made a greater profession of piety than their neighbours, in token of which, among other instances of austerity and mortification of the body, they used no clothes but one linen garment. When he was in danger of being made a sharer in Christ's sufferings, he soon went away. own disciples had run away from him; but this young man, having no concern for him, thought he might securely attend him, especially being so far from being armed, that he was not so much as clothed; but the young men, the Roman soldiers, who were called to assist, laid hold of him. Perhaps they were now vexed at themselves, that they had suffered the disciples to run away, and they being got out of their reach, they resolved to seize the first they could lay their hands on; though this young man was perhaps one of the strictest sect of the Jewish Church, yet the Roman soldiers made no conscience of abusing him upon this occasion. Finding himself in danger, he left the linen cloth by which they had caught hold of him. This passage is recorded to show what a barbarous crew this was that was sent to seize Christ, and what a narrow escape the disciples had of falling into their hands, out of which nothing could have kept them but their Master's care of them"If ye seek me, let these go their way." John xviii. 8. It also intimates that there is no hold of those who are led by curiosity only, and not by faith and conscience, to follow Christ.

C

d

His

53 And they led Jesus away to the high priest: and with him were assembled all the chief priests and elders and the scribes. 54 And Peter followed him afar off, even into the palace of the high priest and he sat with the servants, and warmed himself at the fire. 55 And the chief priests and all the council sought for witness against Jesus to put him to death; and found none. 56 For many bear false witness against him, but their witness agreed not together. 57 And there arose certain, and bare false witness against him, saying, 58 We heard him say, I will destroy this temple that is made with hands, and within three days I will build another made without hands. 59 But neither so did their witness agree together. 60 And the high priest stood up in the midst,

c Matt. xxvi. 57; Luke xxii. 54; John xviii. 13. d Matt. xxvi. 59. e Chap. xv. 29; John ii. 19. Matt. xxvi. 62.

h

and asked Jesus, saying, Answerest thou nothing? what is it which these witness against thee? 61 But he held his peace, and answered nothing. Again the high priest asked him, and said unto him, Art thou the Christ, the Son of the Blessed? 62 And Jesus said, I am: 'and ye shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven. 63 Then the high priest rent his clothes, and saith, What need we any further witnesses? 64 Ye have heard the blasphemy: what think ye? And they all condemned him to be guilty of death. 65 And some began to spit on him, and to cover his face, and to buffet him, and to say unto him, Prophesy: and the servants did strike him with the palms of their hands.

g Isa. liii. 7. h Matt. xxvi. 63. i Matt. xxiv. 30, xxvi. 64; Luke xxii. 69.

We have here Christ's arraignment, trial, conviction, and condemnation, in the ecclesiastical court, before the great sanhedrim, of which the high priest was president, or judge of the court; the same Caiaphas that had lately adjudged it expedient that Christ should be put to death, guilty or not guilty (John xi. 50), and who, therefore, might justly be excepted as partial.

Christ is hurried away to his house, his palace it is called,—such state did he live in. And there, though in the dead of night, all the chief priests, and elders, and scribes, that were in the secret, were assembled, ready to receive the prey-so sure were they of it.

Peter followed at a distance, such a degree of cowardice was his late courage dwindled into. Ver. 54. But when he came to the high priest's palace, he sneakingly went, and sat with the servants, that he might not be suspected to belong to Christ. The high priest's fireside was no proper place, nor his servants proper company, for Peter, but it was his entrance into a temptation.

peace and

Great diligence was used to procure, for love or money, false witnesses against Christ. They had seized him as a malefactor, and now they had him they had no indictment to prefer against him, no crime to lay to his charge-but they sought for witnesses against him; perplexed some with ensnaring questions, offered bribes to others, if they would accuse him, and endeavoured to frighten others, if they would not. Vers. 55, 56. The chief priests and elders were by the law intrusted with the prosecuting and punishing of false witnesses (Deut. xix. 16, 17); yet those were now ringleaders in a crime that tends to the overthrow of all justice. It is time to cry, Help, Lord," when the physicians of a land are its troublers, and those that should be the conservators of equity, are the corrupters of both. He was at length charged with words spoken some years ago, which, as they were represented, seemed to threaten the temple, which they had made no better than an idol of (vers. 57, 58); but the witnesses to this matter did not agree (ver. 59), for one swore that he said, I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to build it in three days (so it is in Matthew); the other swore that he said, I will destroy this temple, that is made with hands, and within three days I will build, not it, but another made without hands; now these two differ much from each other; their testimony was not sufficient, nor equal to the charge of a capital crime; they did not accuse him of that upon which a sentence of death might be founded, no, not by the utmost stretch of their law.

Christ was urged to be his own accuser (ver. 60),—The high priest stood up in a heat, and said, Answerest thou nothing? This he said under pretence of justice and fair dealing, but really with a design to ensnare him, that they might accuse him. Luke xi. 53, 54; xx. 20. We may well imagine with what an air of haughtiness and disdain this proud high priest brought our Lord Jesus to this question,-Come you, the prisoner at the bar, you hear what is sworn against you; what have you now to say for yourself? Pleased to think that he seemed silent, who had so often silenced those that picked quarrels with him. Still Christ answered nothing, that he might set us an example,-1. Of patience under calumnies and false accusations; when we are reviled, let us not revile again. 1 Pet. ii. 23. And, 2. Of prudence, when a man shall be made an offender for a word (Isa. xxix. 31), and our defence made our offence; it is an evil time indeed when the prudent shall keep silence (lest they make bad worse), and commit their cause to Him that judgeth righteously. But,

When the high priest asked whether he was the Christ, he confessed, and denied not that he was. Vers. 61, 62. He asked, Art thou the Son of the Blessed? that is, the Son of God; for, as Dr Hammond observes, the Jews, when they named God, generally added, blessed for ever; and thence "The Blessed" is the title of God, a peculiar title, and applied to Christ. Rom. ix. 5. And for the proof of his being the Son of God, he binds them over to his second coming,-Ye shall see the

Son of man sitting at the right hand of power; that Son of man that now appears so mean and despicable, whom you see and trample upon (Isa. liii. 2, 3), you shall shortly see and tremble before. Now, one would think that such a word as this which our Lord Jesus seems to have spoken with a grandeur and majesty not agreeable to his present appearance (for, through the thickest cloud of humiliation, some rays of glory were still darted forth), should have startled the court, and, at least in the opinion of some of them, should have amounted to an arrest of judgment, and that they should have stayed process till they had considered farther of it; when Paul, at the bar, reasoned of the judgment to come, the judge trembled and adjourned the trial. Acts xxiv. 25. But these chief priests were so miserably blinded with malice and rage, that, like the horse rushing into the battle, they mocked at fear, and were not affrighted, neither believed they that it was the sound of the trumpet. Job xxxix. 22, 24. And see Job xv. 25, 26.

The high priest, upon this confession of his, convicted him as a blasphemer (ver. 63); He rent his clothes. Some think that the word signifies his pontifical vestments, which, for the greater state, he had put on, though in the night, upon this occasion. As before, in his enmity to Christ, he said he knew not what (John xi. 51, 52), so now he did he knew not what. If Saul's rending Samuel's mantle was made to signify the rending of the kingdom from him (1 Sam. xv. 27, 28), much more did Caiaphas's rending his own clothes signify the rending of the priesthood from him, as the rending of the veil, at Christ's death, signified the throwing of all open. Christ's clothes, even when he was crucified, were kept entire, and not rent; for when the Levitical priesthood was rent in pieces and done away, "This Man, because he continues ever, has an unchangeable priesthood."

They agreed that he was a blasphemer, and, as such, was guilty of a capital crime. Ver. 64. The question seemed to be put fairly, What think ye? But it was really prejudged, for the high priest had said, Ye have heard the blasphemy; he gave judgment first, who, as president of the court, ought to have voted last. So they all condemned him to be guilty of death; what friends he had in the great sanhedrim, did not appear; it is probable that they had not notice.

They set themselves to abuse him, and, as the Philistines with Samson, to make sport with him. Ver. 65. It should seem that some of the priests themselves that had condemned him, so far forgot the dignity, as well as duty, of their place, and the gravity which became them, that they helped their servants in playing the fool with a condemned prisoner. This they made their diversion, while they waited for the morning, to complete their villany. If they did not think it below them to abuse Christ, shall we think any thing below us, by which we may do him honour?

"In these outrages offered to our blessed Saviour, we have a clear proof of man's enmity to God, and of God's most free and unspeakable love to man. In the conduct and suffering of our Lord, we have the brightest pattern of meekness, fortitude, and compassion to sinners, that the earth ever witnessed. We perceive also the evil of sin, and the nature of our Christian calling, which is to follow the example of our blessed Saviour. Thus may we look forward with comfort to the time when we shall see the Son of man coming in his glory; and hope to be numbered with his glorified saints, when his persecutors and enemies are driven into everlasting destruction."

66

And as Peter was beneath in the palace, there cometh one of the maids of the high priest: 67 And when she saw Peter warming himself, she looked upon him, and said, And thou also wast with Jesus of Nazareth. 68 But he denied, saying, I know not, neither understand I what thou sayest. And he went out into the porch; and the cock crew. 69 'And a maid saw him again, and began to say to them that stood by, This is one of them. 70 And he denied it again. 70 And he denied it again. "And a little after, they that stood by said again to Peter, Surely thou art one of them: "for thou art a Galilean, and thy speech agreeth thereto. 71 But he began to curse and to swear, saying, I know not this man of whom ye speak. 72 And the second time the cock crew. And Peter called to mind the word that Jesus said unto him, Before the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny me thrice. And when he thought thereon, he wept.

k Matt. xxvi. 58, 59; Luke xxii. 55; John xviii. 16. / Matt. xxvi. 71; Luke xxii. 58; John xviii. 25. m Matt. xxvi. 73; Luke xxii. 59: John xviii. 26. n Acts ii. 7. o Matt. xxvi. 75. Or, he wept abundantly, or, he began to weep.

We have here the story of Peter's denying Christ.

It began in keeping at a distance from him. Peter had followed afar off (ver. 54), and now was

beneath in the palace, at the lower end of the hall. Those that are shy of Christ, are in a fair way to deny him, that are shy of attending on holy ordinances, shy of the communion of the faithful, and loath to be seen on the side of despised godliness.

It was occasioned by his associating with the high priest's servants, and sitting among them. They that think it dangerous to be in company with Christ's disciples, because thence they may be drawn in to suffer for him, will find it much more dangerous to be in company with his enemies, because there they may be drawn into sin against him.

The temptation was, his being charged as a disciple of Christ; Thou also wert with Jesus of Nazareth. Ver. 67. This is one of them (ver. 69), for thou art a Galilean, one may know that by thy speaking broad. Ver. 70. It doth not appear that he was challenged upon it, or in danger of being prosecuted as a criminal for it, but only bantered upon it, and in danger of being ridiculed as a fool for it. While the chief priests were abusing the Master, the servants were abusing the disciples. Sometimes the cause of Christ seems to fall so much on the losing side, that every body has a stone to throw at it. Yet, all things considered, the temptation could not be called formidable; it was only a maid that casually cast her eye upon him, and for aught that appears, without design of giving him any trouble said, Thou art one of them, to which he needed not to have made any reply, or might have said, And if I be, I hope that is no treason.

The sin was very great; he denied Christ before men, at a time when he ought to have confessed and owned him, and to have appeared in court a witness for him. Christ had often given notice to his disciples of his own sufferings; yet, when they came, they were to Peter as great a surprise and terror as if he had never heard of them before. He had often told them that they must suffer for him, must take up their cross, and follow him; and yet Peter is so terribly afraid of suffering, upon the very first alarm of it, that he will lie and swear, and do any thing to avoid it. When Christ was admired he could readily own him; but now that he is deserted, he is ashamed of him, and will own no relation to him.

His repentance was very speedy. He repeated his denial thrice, and the third was worst of all, for then he cursed and swore, to confirm his denial; and that third blow, which, one would think, should have stunned him, and knocked him down, startled him, and roused him up. Then the cock crew the second time, which put him in mind of his Master's words, the warning he had given him, with that particular circumstance of the cock crowing twice; by recollecting that, he was made sensible of his sin and the aggravations of it; and when he thought thereon he wept. Fixing his mind upon his sin, he wept. It is not a transient thought of that which is humbling, that will suffice, but we must dwell upon it. Or, what if this word should mean his laying a load upon himself, throwing confusion into his own face? he did as the publican that smote his breast, in sorrow for sin; and this amounts to his weeping bitterly.

Let him that thinketh he standeth, take heed lest he fall; and let him that hath fallen think of these things, and of his own offences, and return to the Lord with weeping and supplication, seeking forgiveness, trusting to be restored to the joy of salvation, and thenceforth established by the Holy Spirit.

CHAPTER XV.

1 Jesus brought bound, and accused before Pilate. 15 Upon the clamour of the common people, the murderer Barabbas is loosed, and Jesus delivered up to be crucified. 17 He is crowned with thorns, 19 spit on, and mocked: 21 fainteth in bearing his cross: 27 hangeth between two thieves: 29 suffereth the triumphing reproaches of the Jews: 39 but confessed by the centurion to be the Son of God: 43 and is honourably buried by Joseph.

a

AND straightway in the morning the chief priests held a consultation

with the elders and scribes and the whole council, and bound Jesus, and carried him away, and delivered him to Pilate. 2 And Pilate asked him, Art thou the King of the Jews? And he answering said unto him, Thou sayest it. 3 And the chief priests accused him of many things but he answered nothing. 4 And Pilate asked him again,

C

a Psal. ii. 2; Matt. xxvii. 1; Luke xxii. 66, xxiii. 1; John xviii. 28; Acts iii. 13; iv. 26. Matt. xxvn. 11. c Matt. xxvii. 13.

saying, Answerest thou nothing? behold how many things they witness against thee. 5 But Jesus yet answered nothing; so that Pilate marvelled. 6 Now at that feast he released unto them one prisoner, whomsoever they desired. 7 And there was one named Barabbas, which lay bound with them that had made insurrection with him, who had committed murder in the insurrection. 8 And the multitude crying aloud began to desire him to do as he had ever done unto them. 9 But Pilate answered them, saying, Will ye that I release unto you the King of the Jews? 10 For he knew that the chief priests had delivered him for envy. 11 But the chief priests moved the people, that he should rather release Barabbas unto them. 12 And Pilate answered and said again unto them, What will ye then that I shall do unto him whom ye call the King of the Jews? 13 And they cried out again, Crucify him. 14 Then Pilate said unto them, Why, what evil hath he done? And they cried out the more exceedingly, Crucify him.

d Isa. liii. 7; John xix. 9. e Matt. xxvii. 15; Luke xxii. 17; John xviii. 39. f Matt. xxvii. 20; Acts iii. 14.

Here we have a consultation held by the great sanhedrim for the effectual prosecution of our Lord Jesus. They met early in the morning about it, and went into a grand committee, to find out ways and means to get him put to death; they lost no time, but followed their blow in good earnest, lest there should be an uproar among the people. The unwearied industry of wicked people in doing that which is evil, would shame us for our backwardness and slothfulness in that which is good. They that war against Christ and thy soul, are up early; How long then wilt thou sleep, O sluggard ?

They deliver him up a prisoner to Pilate; they bound him. He was to be the great sacrifice, and sacrifices must be bound with cords. Psal. exviii. 27. Christ was bound, to make bonds easy to us, and enable us, as Paul and Silas, to sing in bonds. It is good for us often to remember the bonds of the Lord Jesus, as bound with him who was bound for us. They led him through the streets of Jerusalem, to expose him to contempt, who, while he taught in the temple, but a day or two before, was had in veneration; and we may well imagine how miserably he looked after such a night's usage as he had had; so buffeted, spit upon, and abused. Their delivering him to the Roman power was a type of the ruin of their Church, which hereby they merited, and brought upon themselves; it signified that the promise, the covenant, and the oracles of God, and the visible church state, which were the glory of Israel, and had been so long in their possession, should now be delivered up to the Gentiles. By delivering up the king, they do, in effect, deliver up the kingdom of God, which is therefore, as it were, by their own consent, taken from them, and given to another nation. If they had delivered up Christ, to gratify the desires of the Romans, or to satisfy any jealousies of theirs concerning him, it had been another matter; but they voluntarily betrayed him that was Israel's crown, to them that were Israel's yoke.

The examining of him by Pilate upon interrogatories (ver. 2): Art thou the King of the Jews? Dost thou pretend to be so, to be that Messiah whom the Jews expect as a temporal prince?—Yea, saith Christ, it is as thou sayest, I am that Messiah, but not such a one as they expect. He is the King that rules and protects his Israel according to the spirit, who are Jews inwardly, by the circumcision of the Spirit, and the King that will restrain and punish the carnal Jews, who continue in unbelief.

Next follow the articles of impeachment exhibited against him, and his silence under the charge and accusation. The chief priests forgot the dignity of their place, when they turned informers, and in person accuse Christ of many things (ver. 3), and witness against him. Ver. 4. Many of the Old Testament prophets charge the priests of their times with great wickedness, in which well did they prophesy of these priests. See Ezek. xxii. 26; Hos. v. 1, vi. 9; Mic. iii. 11; Zeph. iii. 4; Mal. i. 6, ii. 8. The destruction of Jerusalem by the Chaldeans is said to be for the iniquity of priests that shed the blood of the just. Lam. iv. 13. Wicked priests are generally the worst of The better any thing is, the worse it is when it is corrupted. Lay persecutors have been generally found more compassionate than ecclesiastics. These priests were very eager and noisy in their accusation; but Christ answered nothing. Ver. 3. When Pilate urged him to clear himself, and was desirous he should (ver. 4), yet still he stood mute (ver. 5), he answered nothing, which Pilate thought very strange. He gave Pilate a direct answer (ver. 2), but would not answer the

men.