1 Now þe feast of vnleuened bread drew nigh, which is called the Passeouer.
2 And the chiefe Priests and Scribes sought how they might kill him; for they feared the people.
3 ¶ Then entred Satan into Iudas surnamed Iscariot, being of the number of the twelue.
4 And he went his way, and communed with the chiefe Priests and captaines, how he might betray him vnto them.
5 And they were glad, and couenanted to giue him money.
6 And he promised, and sought opportunitie to betray him vnto them in the absence of the multitude.
7 ¶ Then came the day of vnleauened bread, when the Passeouer must be killed.
8 And he sent Peter and Iohn, saying, Goe and prepare vs the Passeouer, that we may eate.
9 And they said vnto him, Where wilt thou that we prepare?
10 And he said vnto them, Behold, when ye are entred into the citie, there shall a man meet you, bearing a pitcher of water, follow him into the house where he entreth in.
11 And yee shall say vnto the goodman of the house, The Master saith vnto thee, Where is the ghest-chamber where I shall eate the Passeouer with my disciples?
12 And he shall shew you a large vpper roume furnished, there make ready.
13 And they went, and found as hee had said vnto them, and they made readie the Passeouer.
14 And when the houre was come, he sate downe, and the twelue Apostles with him.
15 And he said vnto them, With desire I haue desired to eate this Passeouer with you before I suffer.
16 For I say vnto you, I will not any more eate thereof, vntill it be fulfilled in the kingdome of God.
17 And hee tooke the cup, and gaue thanks, and said, Take this, and diuide it among your selues.
18 For I say vnto you, I will not drinke of the fruit of the Uine, vntill the kingdome of God shall come.
19 ¶ And hee tooke bread, and gaue thankes, and brake it, and gaue vnto them, saying, This is my body which is giuen for you, this doe in remembrance of me.
20 Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the New Testament in my blood, which is shed for you.
21 ¶ But beholde, the hand of him that betrayeth mee, is with mee on the table.
22 And truly the Sonne of man goeth as it was determined, but woe vnto that man by whom he is betraied.
23 And they began to enquire among themselues, which of them it was that should doe this thing.
24 ¶ And there was also a strife among them, which of them should bee accompted the greatest.
25 And hee saide vnto them, The Kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship ouer them, & they that exercise authoritie vpon them, are called benefactors.
26 But ye shall not be so; but he that is greatest among you, let him be as the yonger, and he that is chiefe, as he that doeth serue.
27 For whether is greater, hee that sitteth at meat, or hee that serueth? Is not he that sitteth at meat? But I am among you as he that serueth.
28 Ye are they which haue continued with me in my temptations.
29 And I appoint vnto you a kingdome, as my Father hath appointed vnto me,
30 That yee may eate and drinke at my table in my kingdome, and sit on thrones iudging the twelue Tribes of Israel.
31 ¶ And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, beholde, Satan hath desired to haue you, that he may sift you as wheat:
32 But I haue prayed for thee, that thy faith faile not; and when thou art conuerted, strengthen thy brethren.
33 And hee said vnto him, Lord, I am ready to goe with thee both into prison, and to death.
34 And hee said, I tell thee Peter, the cocke shall not crow this day, before that thou shalt thrise denie that thou knowest me.
35 And he said vnto them, When I sent you without purse, and scrip, and shooes, lacked ye any thing? And they said, Nothing.
36 Then saide hee vnto them, But now he that hath a purse, let him take it, and likewise his scrip: and hee that hath no sword, let him sel his garment, and buy one.
37 For I say vnto you, that this that is written, must yet be accomplished in me, And he was reckoned among the transgressors: For the things concerning me haue an end.
38 And they said, Lord, behold, here are two swords. And hee saide vnto them, It is ynough.
39 ¶ And he came out, and went, as hee was wont, to the mount of Oliues, and his disciples also followed him.
40 And when he was at the place, he said vnto them, Pray, that yee enter not into temptation.
41 And he was withdrawen from them about a stones cast, and kneeled downe, and prayed,
42 Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remooue this cup from me: neuerthelesse, not my will, but thine be done.
43 And there appeared an Angel vnto him from heauen, strengthening him.
44 And being in an agonie, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling downe to the ground.
45 And when he rose vp from prayer, and was come to his disciples, hee found them sleeping for sorrow,
46 And said vnto them, Why sleepe yee? Rise, and pray, lest yee enter into temptation.
47 ¶ And while he yet spake, behold, a multitude, and hee that was called Iudas, one of the twelue, went before them, and drewe neere vnto Iesus, to kisse him.
48 But Iesus said vnto him, Iudas, betrayest thou the sonne of man with a kisse?
49 When they which were about him, saw what would follow, they said vnto him, Lord, shall wee smite with the sword?
50 ¶ And one of them smote the seruant of the high Priest, and cut off his right eare.
51 And Iesus answered, and said, Suffer ye thus farre. And he touched his eare, and healed him.
52 Then Iesus said vnto the chiefe Priests, and captaines of the Temple, and the Elders which were come to him, Be ye come out as against a thiefe, with swords and staues?
53 When I was daily with you in the Temple, yee stretched foorth no hands against mee: but this is your houre, and the power of darkenesse.
54 ¶ Then tooke they him, and led him, and brought him into the high Priests house, and Peter followed afarre off.
55 And when they had kindled a fire in the middes of the hall, and were set downe together, Peter sate downe among them.
56 But a certaine maide beheld him as he sate by the fire, and earnestly looked vpon him, and said, This man was also with him.
57 And he denied him, saying, Woman, I know him not.
58 And after a little while another saw him, & said, Thou art also of them. And Peter said, Man, I am not.
59 And about the space of one houre after, another confidently affirmed, saying, Of a trueth this fellow also was with him; for he is a Galilean.
60 And Peter said, Man, I know not what thou sayest. And immediately while he yet spake, the cocke crew.
61 And the Lord turned, and looked vpon Peter; and Peter remembred the word of the Lord, how he had said vnto him, Before the cocke crow, thou shalt deny me thrise.
62 And Peter went out, and wept bitterly.
63 ¶ And the men that helde Iesus, mocked him, and smote him.
64 And when they had blindfolded him, they stroke him on the face, and asked him, saying, Prophesie, who is it that smote thee?
65 And many other things blasphemously spake they against him.
66 ¶ And assoone as it was day, the Elders of the people, & the chiefe Priests and the Scribes came together, and led him into their Councell, saying,
67 Art thou the Christ? Tell vs. And hee said vnto them, If I tell you, you will not beleeue.
68 And if I also aske you, you will not answere me, nor let me goe.
69 Hereafter shal the sonne of man sit on the right hand of the power of God.
70 Then said they all, Art thou then the Sonne of God? And hee said vnto them, Ye say that I am.
71 And they said, What need we any further witnesse? For wee our selues haue heard of his owne mouth.
The treachery of Judas. (1-6) The passover. (7-18) The Lord's supper instituted. (19,20) Christ admonishes the disciples. (21-38) Christ's agony in the garden. (39-46) Christ betrayed. (47-53) The fall of Peter. (54-62) Christ confesses himself to be the Son of God. (63-71)1-6 Christ knew all men, and had wise and holy ends in taking Judas to be a disciple. How he who knew Christ so well, came to betray him, we are here told; Satan entered into Judas. It is hard to say whether more mischief is done to Christ's kingdom, by the power of its open enemies, or by the treachery of its pretended friends; but without the latter, its enemies could not do so much evil as they do.
7-18 Christ kept the ordinances of the law, particularly that of the passover, to teach us to observe his gospel institutions, and most of all that of the Lord's supper. Those who go upon Christ's word, need not fear disappointment. According to the orders given them, the disciples got all ready for the passover. Jesus bids this passover welcome. He desired it, though he knew his sufferings would follow, because it was in order to his Father's glory and man's redemption. He takes his leave of all passovers, signifying thereby his doing away all the ordinances of the ceremonial law, of which the passover was one of the earliest and chief. That type was laid aside, because now in the kingdom of God the substance was come.
19,20 The Lord's supper is a sign or memorial of Christ already come, who by dying delivered us; his death is in special manner set before us in that ordinance, by which we are reminded of it. The breaking of Christ's body as a sacrifice for us, is therein brought to our remembrance by the breaking of bread. Nothing can be more nourishing and satisfying to the soul, than the doctrine of Christ's making atonement for sin, and the assurance of an interest in that atonement. Therefore we do this in rememberance of what He did for us, when he died for us; and for a memorial of what we do, in joining ourselves to him in an everlasting covenant. The shedding of Christ's blood, by which the atonement was made, is represented by the wine in the cup.
21-38 How unbecoming is the worldly ambition of being the greatest, to the character of a follower of Jesus, who took upon him the form of a servant, and humbled himself to the death of the cross! In the way to eternal happiness, we must expect to be assaulted and sifted by Satan. If he cannot destroy, he will try to disgrace or distress us. Nothing more certainly forebodes a fall, in a professed follower of Christ, than self-confidence, with disregard to warnings, and contempt of danger. Unless we watch and pray always, we may be drawn in the course of the day into those sins which we were in the morning most resolved against. If believers were left to themselves, they would fall; but they are kept by the power of God, and the prayer of Christ. Our Lord gave notice of a very great change of circumstances now approaching. The disciples must not expect that their friends would be kind to them as they had been. Therefore, he that has a purse, let him take it, for he may need it. They must now expect that their enemies would be more fierce than they had been, and they would need weapons. At the time the apostles understood Christ to mean real weapons, but he spake only of the weapons of the spiritual warfare. The sword of the Spirit is the sword with which the disciples of Christ must furnish themselves.
39-46 Every description which the evangelists give of the state of mind in which our Lord entered upon this conflict, proves the tremendous nature of the assault, and the perfect foreknowledge of its terrors possessed by the meek and lowly Jesus. Here are three things not in the other evangelists. 1. When Christ was in his agony, there appeared to him an angel from heaven, strengthening him. It was a part of his humiliation that he was thus strengthened by a ministering spirit. 2. Being in agony, he prayed more earnestly. Prayer, though never out of season, is in a special manner seasonable when we are in an agony. 3. In this agony his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down. This showed the travail of his soul. We should pray also to be enabled to resist unto the shedding of our blood, striving against sin, if ever called to it. When next you dwell in imagination upon the delights of some favourite sin, think of its effects as you behold them here! See its fearful effects in the garden of Gethsemane, and desire, by the help of God, deeply to hate and to forsake that enemy, to ransom sinners from whom the Redeemer prayed, agonized, and bled.
47-53 Nothing can be a greater affront or grief to the Lord Jesus, than to be betrayed by those who profess to be his followers, and say that they love him. Many instances there are, of Christ's being betrayed by those who, under the form of godliness, fight against the power of it. Jesus here gave an illustrious example of his own rule of doing good to those that hate us, as afterwards he did of praying for those that despitefully use us. Corrupt nature warps our conduct to extremes; we should seek for the Lord's direction before we act in difficult circumstances. Christ was willing to wait for his triumphs till his warfare was accomplished, and we must be so too. But the hour and the power of darkness were short, and such the triumphs of the wicked always will be.
54-62 Peter's fall was his denying that he knew Christ, and was his disciple; disowning him because of distress and danger. He that has once told a lie, is strongly tempted to persist: the beginning of that sin, like strife, is as the letting forth of water. The Lord turned and looked upon Peter. 1. It was a convincing look. Jesus turned and looked upon him, as if he should say, Dost thou not know me, Peter? 2. It was a chiding look. Let us think with what a rebuking countenance Christ may justly look upon us when we have sinned. 3. It was an expostulating look. Thou who wast the most forward to confess me to be the Son of God, and didst solemnly promise thou wouldest never disown me! 4. It was a compassionate look. Peter, how art thou fallen and undone if I do not help thee! 5. It was a directing look, to go and bethink himself. 6. It was a significant look; it signified the conveying of grace to Peter's heart, to enable him to repent. The grace of God works in and by the word of God, brings that to mind, and sets that home upon the conscience, and so gives the soul the happy turn. Christ looked upon the chief priests, and made no impression upon them as he did on Peter. It was not the mere look from Christ, but the Divine grace with it, that restored Peter.
63-71 Those that condemned Jesus for a blasphemer, were the vilest blasphemers. He referred them to his second coming, for the full proof of his being the Christ, to their confusion, since they would not admit the proof of it to their conviction. He owns himself to be the Son of God, though he knew he should suffer for it. Upon this they ground his condemnation. Their eyes being blinded, they rush on. Let us meditate on this amazing transaction, and consider Him who endured such contradiction of sinners against himself.
Commentary by Matthew Henry, 1710.