kiffed him. (The question put by Jefus, to Judas is not mentioned) And they laid their hands on him, and took him. And one of them that stood by, drew a fword, and fmote 6 a fervant of the high priest, and cut off his ear. 6 (The comment made by Jefus upon this action, is not mentioned, nor does he notice the infinuation that Jefus could, by asking, obtain the affiftance of twelve legions of angels) And Jefus anfwered and said unto them, are ye come < out as against a thief, with fwords and with 'ftaves to take me? I was daily with you in the temple, teaching, and ye took me not: but 'the fcriptures must be fulfilled. And they all forfook him and fled.' Luke's record faysAnd while he yet fpake, behold a multitude, and he that was called Judas, one of the twelve, went before them, and drew near unto Jefus to kifs him. But Jefus faid unto him, Judas, betrayeft thou the Son of Man with a kifs? (It doth not appear that a kiss was given. And "the question afked by Jefus, differs from that recorded by Matthew) When they which 6 were about him, faw what would follow, they faid unto him, Lord, fhall we fmite with the fword? (This question is not recorded by Matthew or Mark; nor does it here appear that they received any anfwer.) And one of them fmote the fervant of the high priest, and cut • off his right ear. And Jesus answered and said, 6 • Suffer Suffer ye thus far. And he touched his ear and healed him. Then faid Jefus unto the chief priefts, and captains of the temple, and the elders which were come to him. (Matthew fays-The multitude came from the chief priests and elders of the people. Mark fays-They came from the chief priests, and fcribes, and the elders. But by Luke's account, it feems the chief priests, ' and the elders were prefent, and made part of the multitude, with the captains of the temple.) Be ye come out as against a thief, with fwords and ftaves? When I was daily with you in the C temple, ye ftretched forth no hands against me. (How is this affertion to be reconciled with the record of John, ch. viii. v. 59.) hour, and the power of darkness.' power of darkness.' Thus we fee, the concluding fpeech likewife, is recorded differently by the three evangelifts. The fourth, St. John; differs ftill more in the particulars of this tranfaction. His record, ch. xviii. itands thus'When Jefus had spoken these words, he went 'forth with his disciples over the brook Cedron, 'where was a garden, into which he entered, But this is your and his difciples. And Judas alfo which be'trayed him knew the place: for Jefus oft⚫ times reforted thither with his difciples. Judas then having received a band of men and officers 'from the chief priests and Pharifees, cometh thither with lanterns and torches and weapons. Jefus therefore knowing all things that should come come upon him, went forth, and faid unto them, Whom feek ye? They answered him, Jefus of Nazareth. Jefus faith unto them, I am he. And Judas alfo which betrayed him, 6 stood with them. As foon then as he had faid unto them, I am he; they went backward and fell to the ground. Then asked he them again; • Whom seek ye? And they faid Jefus of Nazareth. Jefus anfwered, I have told you that I am he. If therefore ye feek me, let thefe go their way that the faying might be fulfilled which he fpake-Of them which thou gavest < me, have I loft none. Then Simon Peter having a fword, drew it and smote the high priest's 'fervant, and cut off his right ear; the fervant's name was Malchus. Then faid Jefus unto Peter -Put up thy fword into the fheath, the cup which my father hath given me, fhall I not drink it?' In this account John agrees with Matthew and Mark, though not with Luke, that the band of men and officers as he calls them, came from the chief priests, &c. We find this garden was a place of concealment, known, as fuch, to the difciples only; and who, having two fwords, meant, we may fuppofe, to defend themfelves in cafe they were attacked. We find by John that this attack was made in the nighttime; and he only, tells us that Peter was the man who used his fword upon that occafion. By John's account, it doth not appear that Judas Chapter Verfe kiffed Jefus; or pointed him out; or that any converfation paffed between them as recorded by the others. On the contrary, John fays-That Jefus advanced to meet the band of men and officers; and afked whom they fought. Being anfwered-Jefus of Nazareth, he faid I am he. (Here John remarks that Judas stood with them.) Upon this information, which appears to be the first, they went backward and fell to the ground. St. John is fingular in this account; and likewise in what follows: He fays-that upon their thus retreating and falling to the ground, Jefus again afked them whom they fought; and they again replied, Jefus of Nazareth: to which he rejoined, I have told you that I am he: if therefore ye feek me let thefe (the eleven difciples) go their way. It is added, I fuppofe by St. John; that the faying might be fulfilled which he fpake-Of 'them which thou gaveft me have I loft none.' This faying of Jefus's is recorded by John in the 12th verfe of the 17th chapter, with an exception, here omitted, the Son of Perdition Judas. I have already remarked, that neither Matthew, Mark, or Luke agree in the concluding fpeech; and here we fee that John differs from them all in that, and many other particulars of this interefting scene. We will now proceed with what followed the apprehenfion, when, according to Matthew and Mark, all his disciples forfook him xxvi. 57 and fled. Matthew fays- And they that had laid hold on Jefus, led him away to Caiaphas Chapter Verfe 'the high priest, where the scribes, and the elders " were affembled. But Peter followed him afarxxvi. 58 Now off, unto the high prieft's palace, and went in and fat with the fervants to fee the end. the chief priefts and elders and all the council, fought falfe witness against Jefus to put him to ' death, but found none: yea though many false ' witneffes came, yet found they none. (This which here is an abfurdity, is properly explained by St. Mark.) At the laft came two falfe ⚫ witneffes and faid; this fellow faid, I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to build. it in three days.' (This teftimony was not falfe, vide John, ch. ii. verfes 18, 19, and 20. He did not at that time explain his meaning to the Jews; nor doth it appear that the apostles themselves understood, 'till after his refurrection, that he meant the temple of his body.) And the high prieft arofe and faid unto him; 'Answerest thou nothing? What is it which thefe witness against thee? But Jefus held his peace. (As he had really fpoken those words; < why not explain their concealed import to the high priest? We find this bravado, as they thought it, repeated to him in mockery when upon the crofs.) And the high priest answered and faid unto him-I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us, whether thou be the Chrift 'the Son of God.' (What is the answer to this folemn 6 L 59 60 61 62 63 |