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8 But when his disciples saw | trouble ye the woman? for she it, they had indignation, say- hath wrought a good work upon ing, To what purpose is this me. waste?

9 For this ointment might have been sold for much, and given to the poor.

10 When Jesus understood it, he said unto them, Why

at the head, leaving an open space at the foot for servants to bring in the food; in the space thus enclosed was what we should call the table. The guests reclined, at full length, on their left side, their heads being towards the table, and their feet extended. Thus, without disturbing the guests, the feet of a person might be anointed; so, too, could the head.

11 For ye have the poor always with you; but me ye have not always.

12 For, in that she hath poured this ointment on my body, she did it for my burial.

12. She did it for my burial. This is the application which the Saviour kindly and solemnly made of Mary's action; as if he had said, This anointing may be regarded as an anticipation of my body's being prepared for burial, as I am soon to suffer death. It was customary among the Jews, in preparing a corpse for burial, to wrap up the body in linen with spices and ointments. See John 19: 40. Since Jesus was soon to be put to death, he kindly put this construction upon the act, as if it might be so understood, and as an application which would most naturally occur to a person's mind after Je

8. His disciples. Mark says (14:4), that some of the disciples were displeased; and John (12: 4) says, more particularly, it was Judas Iscariot, who spoke unfavorably of the woman's attention. Judas was probably the only one that spoke; while none of the dis-sus had been buried. Mary, however, ciples vindicated Mary, and some, besides Judas, might have regarded the anointing as quite a needless act. Thus all the disciples might have silently acquiesced in the unkind remark of Judas. They had indignation; were greatly displeased.

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9. For much. Mark (14:5) says, more than three hundred pence,' and John (12: 5) mentions" three hundred pence as the value. They doubtless meant the statement as a conjectural calculation, without intending to be accurate. The term translated pence, is, in the singular number, a denarius, equivalent, some say, to fourteen cents of our money; others say nine or ten cents; so that the ointment was estimated as worth about thirty or forty dollars of our money. Given to the poor. This remark, making a show of piety, was a were pretence on the part of Judas,from whom it proceeded. See John 12: 6. 10. A good work; an act testifying her gratitude, affection and reverence towards me.

knew not that her Lord was to be crucified in a few days. John (12:7) gives a slightly different verbal account: he says, "against the day of my burying hath she kept this;" that is, she has had this ointment some time, preserving it, in order to show respect to me, and has now used it in such a manner, that it may be regarded as one of the preparatives for my burial.

OBSERVATIONS. 1. Acts of kindness and respect to the Saviour, and to his people, will not pass without a recompense. Compare Matt. 10: 42. 2. Expressions of affection and reverence, by methods which yet do not contribute to the relief of necessities, may be kindly regarded on the part of the Saviour. God has made many things, not so much for the relief of our pressing wants, as for our enjoy. ment and gratification.

3. The language of piety is sometimes a mere cloak to conceal the most foul purposes. vs. 8, 9, compared

13 Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached in the whole world, there shall also this, that this woman hath done, be told for a memorial of her.

14 Then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went unto the chief priests,

15 And said unto them, What will ye give me, and I will deliver him unto you? And they covenanted with him for thirty pieces of silver. with John 12: 6. Alas! how differently from frail, erring men, does the Searcher of hearts frequently judge respecting professions and actions!

16 And from that time he sought opportunity to betray him.

17 Now the first day of the feast of unleavened bread, the disciples came to Jesus, saying unto him, Where wilt thou that we prepare for thee to eat the passover ?

18 And he said, Go into the city, to such a man, and say unto him, The Master saith, My time is at hand; I will keep the passover at thy house, with my disciples.

whole sum amounted, then, to about fifteen dollars. A poor compensation for betraying the Lord of glory! How great is the power of avarice! and how true is the remark of the apostle

4. The piety which is disposed to be censorious, is either to be suspect-in 1 Tim. 6: 10. For parallel pased as to its genuineness, or to be regarded as very deficient in maturity. Compare 1 Cor. 13.

14. Then. The remarks of the Saviour excited the indignation of Judas. Instead of being commended as a zealous disciple and friend of the poor, he was in reality reproved, and he probably suspected that his Master knew more about him than had been expressed. The remarks of Jesus sunk more deeply in the mind of Judas than in the minds of the other disciples, because he was conscious of being a guilty hypocrite. || Iscariot. This was not properly a part of the name of Judas, but was a term expressing the place of his residence, at some time, and was added to his name in order to distinguish him from another of the same name. Compare Luke 6:16. The word was probably made up of two Hebrew words, signifying man of Kerioth. A town of this name is mentioned in Josh. 15: 25.

15. Covenanted; agreed. || Thirty pieces of silver. This was Jewish money; and the coin was equal to about fifty cents of our money. The

sages, relating the events thus far recorded in this chapter, see Mark 14: 1 -11. Luke 22: 1-6. John 12:2-7.

17. Unleavened bread; another name for the passover. See on v. 2.

To eat the passover. As the eating of the paschal lamb (Ex. 12:3) was a very distinguished part of the festival, the expression to eat the passover came to be equivalent to our expression keep the passover; and it included the other sacrifices, parts of which were eaten. The word passover signified also the victim, as well as the festival.

18. The city; Jerusalem, where the festival was, by rule, observed. | To such a man; a phrase employed when the speaker either did not know, or did not choose to mention, the name of the person. Mark (14 13) and Luke (22: 10) mention such círcumstances respecting the man, that the disciples would have no doubt whom to address. Jesus had perhaps made an agreement with a certain person to keep the passover at his house; and it was that person's servant whom the disciples would meet, and by following whom they would discover the proper house. Such multitudes flocked to

19 And the disciples did as Jesus had appointed them; and they made ready the passover.

20 Now when the even was come, he sat down with the twelve.

21 And as they did eat, he said, Verily I say unto you, that one of you shall betray

me.

22 And they were exceeding sorrowful, and began, every one

of them, to say unto him, Lord, is it I?

23 And he answered, and said, He that dippeth his hand with me in the dish, the same shall betray me.

24 The Son of man goeth, as it is written of him: but woe unto that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! It had been good for that man if he had not been born.

not specify any particular one of the company; but it was intended to impress the thought that one of his asso

the city at this annual festival, that some precaution of this kind might have been necessary, in order to secure such accommodations as the Sa-ciates would betray him; one so bound viour on this last occasion wished for. My time is at hand. The meaning of this expression is doubtful, as it may refer either to the time of his death, or to the time agreed on by him to repair to the house for celebrating the passover. In the Saviour's mind, the expression doubtless included all that remained for him on earth; while the friend to whom the message was sent might have understood it in a limited extent.

19. And the disciples did, &c. By comparing Luke 22: 8, it will be seen that Peter and John were particularly selected to go into the city and make preparation.

20. The even; the evening. According to Lev. 23: 5, and Num. 9: 3, the evening was the time appointed for eating the paschal lamb. It was at this supper, that the instructions recorded in Luke 22: 14-18, 24-30, were given, and the touching act and impressive exhortation, recorded in John 13: 1-20, took place.

to him by familiarity and profession of friendship, as to be eating with him at such a meal as the passover-supper. It has about the same meaning as the remark in Ps. 41: 9. Perhaps, however, as several dishes would be required for the whole company, Judas might have been eating out of the very dish from which his Master ate; so that the reply, though not marking out an individual, was somewhat particular. See John 13: 18. || Shall betray me. Our modern distinction between the words shall and will did not exist, when our translation of the Bible was made. The Saviour merely foretold that such a one would betray him.

24. Goeth; goeth to death. As it is written of him; that is, by the ancient prophets. See, particularly, Is. 53. After Jesus had assured the disciples that one of their number was about to betray him, it is related by John (13: 23-29), that Simon Peter gave a hint to John that he should make a more particular inquiry. Having done so in a very private manner, 23. He that dippeth his hand with while leaning upon the breast of Jeme in the dish. In the time of our Sa-sus, Jesus in a similar manner revealed viour, the guests, reclining at table, ate from a common dish. Knives and forks, and spoons, were not used, as among us; but the food was conveyed from the dish to the mouth by the right hand. This remark of Jesus, then, did

21. Shall betray me; will betray, is about to betray me.

to him in what way he might know the traitor. After the remark to John, and another remark to Judas, which the disciples did not understand, but which Judas doubtless understood in all its intent, Judas put the inqui

25 Then Judas, which betrayed him, answered, and said, Master, is it I? He said unto him, Thou hast said.

26 And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body.

27 And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it.

28 For this is my blood, of the new testament, which is shed for many, for the remission of

sins.

29 But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you, in my Father's kingdom.

30 And when they had sung a hymn, they went they went out into the mount of Olives.

ry which is mentioned in the next observance, appears from 1 Cor. 11 · 24-26.

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25. Thou hast said. This was a method of expressing assent; it was equivalent to our word yes. At this point of time, it appears by John 13: 30, that Judas retired from the company. See also on Luke 22: 21-23. 26. At this affecting time, Jesus appointed a memorial of himself to be observed by his disciples. Blessed it; gave thanks, or blessed God. || This is my body; this represents my body, is an emblem of my body. For such a use of the words is and are, see Gen. 41: 26, 27. Ezek. 37: 11. Matt. 13: 37, &c.

27. The cup. As wine was used at the passover-supper, a cup was at hand. Ye all; all ye, my disciples.

28. This is my blood; this represents my blood. Of the new testament; more properly, of the new covenant; meaning the new religious dispensation, in distinction from the old, the Mosaic dispensation. The blood of the new dispensation, means, the blood by which that dispensation is established. By the shedding of the Saviour's blood, the scheme of redemption, developed in the New Testament, was established. || Shed for many; immense multitudes. A literal translation of this verse is singularly expressive; "This is my blood, the blood of the new covenant, the blood poured forth for many with respect to the forgiveness of sins." That Jesus appointed_the__ partaking of bread and of wine for a perpetual

29. I will not drink, &c. The idea is, No more shall I feast with you, till I enjoy another and a far better feast with you in heaven. The Saviour meant to show, that this was the last time he should sup with them on earth, on an occasion like the present; but that he was expecting a joyous meeting with them in heaven. This latter idea he expressed in language drawn from the fact that he had just been taking the paschal supper with them, and, as was usual, had employed wine in the celebration. Of course, he did not mean to convey the notion that there would be wine in heaven, or any ordinance that pertains to the present life.

This fruit of the vine; that is, wine. New. This word, besides signifying not old, also signifies different, or in a different manner, and conveys the additional notion of superior excellence. During this part of his interview with the disciples, it is probable that Jesus spoke those cheering sentiments which are recorded by John, in chapters 14-16, which were followed by the affectionate prayer in the 17th chapter of John. The appropriateness of the consolations and of the prayer, every one must perceive, who has carefully followed the train of events.

30. And when they had sung a hymn. It was customary among the Jews to close, as well as to commence, the paschal supper, with singing. They employed Psalms 113,

31 Then saith Jesus unto | be offended because of thee, them, All ye shall be offended yet will I never be offended. because of me this night: for

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34 Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, that this night, before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice.

35 Peter said unto him, Though I should die with thee, yet will I not deny thee. Likewise also said all the disciples.

33 Peter answered and said 36 Then cometh Jesus with unto him, Though all men shall them unto a place called Geth114 at the commencement; and 115 says (14: 30), more particularly, be-118 at the closing part of the sup-fore the cock crow twice, that is, the per. The exercises in the house at Jerusalem, Jesus concluded in the same manner, but whether he employed the same psalms which were usually sung by the Jews at the close of the paschal supper, we have no means of determining.

31. Shall be offended because of me; will be led to commit offence; will be induced to do wrong against me, by deserting me. For it is written; Zech. 13: 7. The remark occurring in Zechariah would be applicable to the condition and conduct of the disciples; their leader was to be taken and condemned to death, and they would feel themselves without guide and protector, and would stray from the right path.

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32. I will go before you into Galilee. Jesus wished the disciples to understand that though he should be violently separated from them and put to death, he should yet rise again from the dead, and would again appear as their Master and Leader; and that they should meet with him in Galilee. Hence, after he had risen from the dead, it was to Galilee the disciples were directed to go, that they might enjoy the presence of their Master, and receive his last instructions.

33. Though all men. The word men is supplied by the translators. Peter doubtless meant, all his companions; though all these should forsake thee, &c. Be offended. See v. 31.

34. Before the cock crow. Mark

second time. The cock crows at midnight and at break of day. The night watch, called cock-crowing, commenced at the first of these times; but when the cock-crowing was mentioned, as a mark of time, without meaning particularly to designate the division into watches, it was the second time of crowing that was understood. The language of Matthew, then, presents no disagreement with that of Mark; and the meaning of the Saviour was, that between midnight and break of day, or before the morning, Peter would deny him three times.

While Jesus thus plainly foretold the sinful conduct of Peter, it is manifest from the whole account, that no necessity was imposed on Peter to be guilty of the crime. Nor did the foretelling of it, in the least degree, excuse Peter. On the contrary, he ought to have regarded it as a solemn warning, which should have led him to an increased watchfulness. The remark recorded by Luke (22: 31) was admirably fitted to put Peter on his guard.

For parallel passages, in respect to this prediction, see Mark 14: 27-31. Luke 22: 31-34. John 13: 36-38.

36. Then cometh, &c. Judas had already retired from the little company, and Jesus had been strengthening and consoling his disciples with instructions suited to their case. He had foretold the fall of Peter; and had just received from him the strongest

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