00950
 \\What\\ (\\houts\\). The Greek adverb is not interrogation or
 exclamatory \\ti\\, but only "so" or "thus." There is a tone of sad
 disappointment at the discovery that they were asleep after the
 earnest plea that they keep awake (verse
 # 38
 "Did you not thus have strength enough to keep awake one hour?"
 Every word struck home.

00951
 \\Watch and pray\\ (\\grgoreite kai proseuchesthe\\). Jesus repeats the
 command of verse
 # 38
 with the addition of prayer and with the warning against the
 peril of temptation. He himself was feeling the worst of all
 temptations of his earthly life just then. He did not wish then
 to enter such temptation (\\peirasmon\\, here in this sense, not mere
 trial). Thus we are to understand the prayer in
 # Mt 6:13
 about leading (being led) into temptation. Their failure was due
 to weakness of the flesh as is often the case. \\Spirit\\ (\\pneuma\\)
 here is the moral life (\\intellect, will, emotions\\) as opposed to
 the flesh (cf.
 # Isa 31:3; Ro 7:25
 \\Except I drink it\\ (\\ean m auto pi\\). Condition of the third class
 undetermined, but with likelihood of determination, whereas \\if\\
 \\this cannot pass away\\ (\\ei ou dunatai touto parelthein\\) is
 first-class condition, determined as fulfilled, assumed to be
 true. This delicate distinction accurately presents the real
 attitude of Jesus towards this subtle temptation.

00952
00953
 \\For their eyes were heavy\\ (\\san gar autn hoi ophthalmoi\\
 \\bebarmenoi\\). Past perfect passive indicative periphrastic. Their
 eyes had been weighted down with sleep and still were as they had
 been on the Mount of Transfiguration
 # Lu 9:32

00954
00955
 \\Sleep on now and take your rest\\ (\\katheudete loipon kai\\
 \\anapauesthe\\). This makes it "mournful irony" (Plummer) or
 reproachful concession: "Ye may sleep and rest indefinitely so
 far as I am concerned; I need no longer your watchful interest"
 (Bruce). It may be a sad query as Goodspeed: "Are you still
 sleeping and taking your rest?" So Moffatt. This use of \\loipon\\
 for now or henceforth is common in the papyri. \\The hour is at\\
 \\hand\\ (\\ggiken h hra\\). Time for action has now come. They have
 missed their chance for sympathy with Jesus. He has now won the
 victory without their aid. "The Master's time of weakness is
 past; He is prepared to face the worst" (Bruce). \\Is betrayed\\
 (\\paradidotai\\). Futuristic present or inchoative present, the
 first act in the betrayal is at hand. Jesus had foreseen his
 "hour" for long and now he faces it bravely.

00956
 \\He is at hand\\ (\\ggiken\\). The same verb and tense used of the hour
 above, present perfect active of \\eggiz\\, to draw near, the very
 form used by John the Baptist of the coming of the kingdom of
 heaven
 # Mt 3:2
 Whether Jesus heard the approach of the betrayer with the crowd
 around him or saw the lights or just felt the proximity of the
 traitor before he was there (J. Weiss), we do not know and it
 matters little. The scene is pictured as it happened with
 lifelike power.

00957
 \\While he yet spake\\ (\\eti autou lalountos\\). It was an electric
 moment as Jesus faced Judas with his horde of helpers as if he
 turned to meet an army. \\Let us go\\ (\\agmen\\), Jesus had said. And
 here he is. The eight at the gate seemed to have given no notice.
 Judas is described here as "one of the twelve" (\\heis tn ddeka\\)
 in all three Synoptic Gospels
 # Mr 14:43; Mt 26:47; Lu 22:47
 The very horror of the thing is thus emphasized, that one of the
 chosen twelve apostles should do this dastardly deed. \\A great\\
 \\multitude\\ (\\ochlos polus\\). The chief priests and Pharisees had
 furnished Judas a band of soldiers from the garrison in Antonia
 # Joh 18:3
 and the temple police
 # Lu 22:52
 with swords (knives) and staves (clubs) with a hired rabble who
 had lanterns also
 # Joh 18:3
 in spite of the full moon. Judas was taking no chances of failure
 for he well knew the strange power of Jesus.

00958
 \\Gave them a sign\\ (\\edken autois smeion\\). Probably just before he
 reached the place, though Mark
 # Mr 14:44
 has "had given" (\\dedkei\\) which certainly means before arrival at
 Gethsemane. At any rate Judas had given the leaders to understand
 that he would kiss (\\phils\\) Jesus in order to identify him for
 certain. The kiss was a common mode of greeting and Judas chose
 that sign and actually "kissed him fervently" (\\katephilsen\\,
 verse
 # 49
 though the compound verb sometimes in the papyri has lost its
 intensive force. Bruce thinks that Judas was prompted by the
 inconsistent motives of smouldering love and cowardice. At any
 rate this revolting ostentatious kiss is "the most terrible
 instance of the \\hekousia philmata echthrou\\
 # Pr 27:6
 " the profuse kisses of an enemy (McNeile). This same compound
 verb occurs in
 # Lu 7:38
 of the sinful woman, in
 # Lu 15:20
 of the Father's embrace of the Prodigal Son, and in
 # Ac 20:37
 of the Ephesian elders and Paul.

00959
00960
 \\Do that for which thou art come\\ (\\eph' ho parei\\). Moffatt and
 Goodspeed take it: "Do your errand." There has been a deal of
 trouble over this phrase. Deissmann (_Light from the Ancient
 East_, pp. 125 to 131) has proven conclusively that it is a
 question, \\eph' ho\\ in late Greek having the interrogative sense of
 \\epi ti\\ (Robertson, _Grammar_, p. 725). The use of \\eph' ho\\ for
 "why here" occurs on a Syrian tablet of the first century A.D. 50
 that it "was current coin in the language of the people"
 (Deissmann). Most of the early translations (Old Latin, Old
 Syriac) took it as a question. So the Vulgate has _ad quid
 venisti_. In this instance the Authorized Version is correct
 against the Revised. Jesus exposes the pretence of Judas and
 shows that he does not believe in his paraded affection (Bruce).

00961
 \\One of them that were with Jesus\\ (\\heis tn meta Isou\\). Like the
 other Synoptics Matthew conceals the name of Peter, probably for
 prudential reasons as he was still living before A.D. 68. John
 writing at the end of the century mentions Peter's name
 # Joh 18:10
 The sword or knife was one of the two that the disciples had
 # Lu 22:38
 Bruce suggests that it was a large knife used in connexion with
 the paschal feast. Evidently Peter aimed to cut off the man's
 head, not his ear (\\tion\\ is diminutive in form, but not in sense,
 as often in the _Koin_). He may have been the leader of the
 band. His name, Malchus, is also given by John
 # Joh 18:10
 because Peter was then dead and in no danger.

00962
 \\Put up again thy sword\\ (\\apostrepson tn machairan sou\\). Turn back
 thy sword into its place. It was a stern rebuke for Peter who had
 misunderstood the teaching of Jesus in
 # Lu 22:38
 as well as in
 # Mt 5:39
 (cf.
 # Joh 18:36
 The reason given by Jesus has had innumerable illustrations in
 human history. The sword calls for the sword. Offensive war is
 here given flat condemnation. The Paris Pact of 1928 (the Kellogg
 Treaty) is certainly in harmony with the mind of Christ. The will
 to peace is the first step towards peace, the outlawing of war.
 Our American cities are often ruled by gangsters who kill each
 other off.

00963
 \\Even now\\ (\\arti\\). Just now, at this very moment. \\Legions\\
 (\\leginas\\). A Latin word. Roman soldiers in large numbers were in
 Palestine later in A.D. 66, but they were in Caesarea and in the
 tower of Antonia in Jerusalem. A full Roman legion had 6,100 foot
 and 726 horse in the time of Augustus. But Jesus sees more than
 twelve legions at his command (one for each apostle) and shows
 his undaunted courage in this crisis. One should recall the story
 of Elisha at Dothan
 # 2Ki 6:17

00964
 \\Must be\\ (\\dei\\). Jesus sees clearly his destiny now that he has won
 the victory in Gethsemane.

00965
 \\As against a robber\\ (\\hs epi listn\\). As a robber, not as a
 thief, but a robber hiding from justice. He will be crucified
 between two robbers and on the very cross planned for their
 leader, Barabbas. They have come with no warrant for any crime,
 but with an armed force to seize Jesus as if a highway robber.
 Jesus reminds them that he used to sit (imperfect, \\ekathezomn\\)
 in the temple and teach. But he sees God's purpose in it all for
 the prophets had foretold his "cup." The desertion of Jesus by
 the disciples followed this rebuke of the effort of Peter. Jesus
 had surrendered. So they fled.

00966
00967
00968
 \\To see the end\\ (\\idein to telos\\). Peter rallied from the panic and
 followed afar off (\\makrothen\\), "more courageous than the rest and
 yet not courageous enough" (Bruce). John the Beloved Disciple
 went on into the room where Jesus was. The rest remained outside,
 but Peter "sat with the officers" to see and hear and hoping to
 escape notice.

00969
 \\Sought false witness against Jesus\\ (\\eztoun pseudomarturian\\).
 Imperfect tense, kept on seeking. Judges have no right to be
 prosecutors and least of all to seek after false witness and even
 to offer bribes to get it.

00970
 \\They found it not\\ (\\kai ouch heuron\\). They found false witnesses
 in plenty, but not the false witness that would stand any sort of
 test.

00971
 \\I am able to destroy the temple of God\\ (\\dunamai katalusai ton\\
 \\naon tou theou\\). What he had said
 # Joh 2:19
 referred to the temple of his body which they were to destroy
 (and did) and which he would raise again in three days as he did.
 It was a pitiful perversion of what Jesus had said and even so
 the two witnesses disagreed in their misrepresentation
 # Mr 14:59

00972
00973
 \\Held his peace\\ (\\esipa\\). Kept silent, imperfect tense. Jesus
 refused to answer the bluster of Caiaphas. \\I adjure thee by the\\
 \\living God\\ (\\exorkiz se kata tou theou tou zntos\\). So Caiaphas
 put Jesus on oath in order to make him incriminate himself, a
 thing unlawful in Jewish jurisprudence. He had failed to secure
 any accusation against Jesus that would stand at all. But Jesus
 did not refuse to answer under solemn oath, clearly showing that
 he was not thinking of oaths in courts of justice when he
 prohibited profanity. The charge that Caiaphas makes is that
 Jesus claims to be the Messiah, the Son of God. To refuse to
 answer would be tantamount to a denial. So Jesus answered knowing
 full well the use that would be made of his confession and claim.

00974
 \\Thou hast said\\ (\\su eipas\\). This is a Greek affirmative reply.
 Mark
 # Mr 14:62
 has it plainly, "I am" (\\eimi\\). But this is not all that Jesus
 said to Caiaphas. He claims that the day will come when Jesus
 will be the Judge and Caiaphas the culprit using the prophetic
 language in
 # Da 7:13
 and
 # Ps 109:1
 It was all that Caiaphas wanted.

00975
 \\He hath spoken blasphemy\\ (\\eblasphmsen\\). There was no need of
 witnesses now, for Jesus had incriminated himself by claiming
 under oath to be the Messiah, the Son of God. Now it would not be
 blasphemy for the real Messiah to make such a claim, but it was
 intolerable to admit that Jesus could be the Messiah of Jewish
 hope. At the beginning of Christ's ministry he occasionally used
 the word Messiah of himself, but he soon ceased, for it was plain
 that it would create trouble. The people would take it in the
 sense of a political revolutionist who would throw off the Roman
 yoke. If he declined that role, the Pharisees would have none of
 him for that was the kind of a Messiah that they desired. But the
 hour has now come. At the Triumphal Entry Jesus let the Galilean
 crowds hail him as Messiah, knowing what the effect would be. Now
 the hour has struck. He has made his claim and has defied the
 High Priest.

00976
 \\He is worthy of death\\ (\\enochos thanatou estin\\). Held in the bonds
 of death (\\en, ech\\) as actually guilty with the genitive
 (\\thanatou\\). The dative expresses liability as in
 # Mt 5:21
 (\\ti krisei\\) and as \\eis\\ and the accusative
 # Mt 5:22
 They took the vote though it was at night and they no longer had
 the power of death since the Romans took it away from them. Death
 was the penalty of blasphemy
 # Le 24:15
 But they enjoyed taking it as their answer to his unanswerable
 speeches in the temple that dreadful Tuesday a few days before.
 It was unanimous save that Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus did
 not agree. They were probably absent and not even invited as
 being under suspicion for being secret disciples of Christ.

00977
00978
 \\Thou Christ\\ (\\Christe\\). With definite sneer at his claims under
 oath in
 # 26:63
 With uncontrolled glee and abandon like a lot of hoodlums these
 doctors of divinity insulted Jesus. They actually spat in his
 face, buffeted him on the neck (\\ekolaphisan\\, from \\kolaphos\\ the
 fist), and struck him in the face with the palms of their hands
 (\\erapisan\\, from \\rapis\\, a rod), all personal indignities after the
 legal injustice already done. They thus gave vent to their spite
 and hatred.

00979
 \\Thou also\\ (\\kai su\\). Peter had gone within (\\es\\) the palace
 # 26:58
 but was sitting \\without\\ (\\ex\\) the hall where the trial was going
 on in the open central court with the servants or officers
 (\\hupretn\\, under rowers, literally,
 # 26:58
 of the Sanhedrin. But he could possibly see through the open door
 above what was going on inside. It is not plain at what stage of
 the Jewish trial the denials of Peter took place nor the precise
 order in which they came as the Gospels give them variously. This
 maid (\\paidisk\\, slave girl) stepped up to Peter as he was sitting
 in the court and pointedly said: "Thou also wast with Jesus the
 Galilean." Peter was warming himself by the fire and the light
 shone in his face. She probably had noticed Peter come in with
 John the Beloved Disciple who went on up into the hall of trial.
 Or she may have seen Peter with Jesus on the streets of
 Jerusalem.

00980
 \\I know not what thou sayest\\ (\\ouk oida ti legeis\\). It was an
 affectation of extreme ignorance (Bruce) that deceived no one. It
 was an easy and ancient dodge and easy subterfuge. Dalman (_Words
 of Jesus_, 80f.) suggests that Peter used the Galilean Aramaean
 word for know instead of the Judean Aramaean word which betrayed
 at once his Galilean residence.

00981
 \\Into the porch\\ (\\eis ton pulna\\). But Peter was not safe out here,
 for another maid recognized him and spoke of him as "this fellow"
 (\\houtos\\) with a gesture to those out there.

00982
 \\With an oath\\ (\\meta horkou\\). This time Peter added an oath,
 probably a former habit so common to the Jews at that time, and
 denied acquaintance with Jesus. He even refers to Jesus as "the
 man" (\\ton anthrpon\\), an expression that could convey contempt,
 "the fellow."

00983
 \\They that stood by\\ (\\hoi hesttes\\). The talk about Peter
 continued. Luke
 # Lu 22:59
 states that the little while was about an hour. The bystanders
 came up to Peter and bluntly assert that he was "of a truth"
 (\\alths\\) one of the followers of Jesus for his speech betrayed
 him. Even the Revised Version retains "bewrayeth," quaint old
 English for "betrayeth." The Greek has it simply "makes thee
 evident" (\\dlon se poiei\\). His dialect (\\lalia\\) clearly revealed
 that he was a Galilean. The Galileans had difficulty with the
 gutterals and Peter's second denial had exposed him to the
 tormenting raillery of the loungers who continued to nag him.

00984
 \\Then began he to curse and to swear\\ (\\tote rxato katathematizein\\
 \\kai omnuein\\). He repeated his denial with the addition of
 profanity to prove that he was telling the truth instead of the
 lie that they all knew. His repeated denials gave him away still
 more, for he could not pronounce the Judean gutterals. He called
 down on himself (\\katathematizein\\) imprecations in his desperate
 irritation and loss of self-control at his exposure. \\The cock\\
 \\crew\\ (\\alektn ephnsen\\). No article in the Greek, just "a cock
 crew" at that juncture, "straightway" (\\euthus\\). But it startled
 Peter.

00985
 \\Peter remembered\\ (\\emnsth ho Petros\\). A small thing, but _magna
 circumstantia_ (Bengel). In a flash of lightning rapidity he
 recalled the words of Jesus a few hours before
 # Mt 26:34
 which he had then scouted with the proud boast that "even if I
 must die with thee, yet will I not deny thee"
 # 26:35
 And now this triple denial was a fact. There is no extenuation
 for the base denials of Peter. He had incurred the dread penalty
 involved in the words of Jesus in
 # Mt 10:33
 of denial by Jesus before the Father in heaven. But Peter's
 revulsion of feeling was as sudden as his sin. \\He went out and\\
 \\wept bitterly\\ (\\exelthn ex eklausen pikrs\\). Luke adds that the
 Lord turned and looked upon Peter
 # Lu 22:61
 That look brought Peter back to his senses. He could not stay
 where he now was with the revilers of Jesus. He did not feel
 worthy or able to go openly into the hall where Jesus was. So
 outside he went with a broken heart. The constative aorist here
 does not emphasize as Mark's imperfect does
 # Mr 14:72
 \\eklaien\\) the continued weeping that was now Peter's only
 consolation. The tears were bitter, all the more so by reason of
 that look of understanding pity that Jesus gave him. One of the
 tragedies of the Cross is the bleeding heart of Peter. Judas was
 a total wreck and Peter was a near derelict. Satan had sifted
 them all as wheat, but Jesus had prayed specially for Peter
 # Lu 22:31
 Will Satan show Peter to be all chaff as Judas was?

00986
 \\Now when morning was come\\ (\\prias de genomens\\). Genitive
 absolute. After dawn came the Sanhedrin held a formal meeting to
 condemn Jesus and so ratify the illegal trial during the night
 # Mr 15:1; Lu 22:66-71
 Luke gives the details of this second ratification consultation.
 The phrase used, \\took counsel\\ (\\sumboulion elabon\\) is a Latin
 idiom (_consilium ceperunt_) for \\sunebouleusanto\\.

00987
 \\Delivered him up to Pilate the governor\\ (\\paredkan Peilati ti\\
 \\hgemoni\\). What they had done was all a form and a farce. Pilate
 had the power of death, but they had greatly enjoyed the
 condemnation and the buffeting of Jesus now in their power bound
 as a condemned criminal. He was no longer the master of
 assemblies in the temple, able to make the Sanhedrin cower before
 him. He had been bound in the garden and was bound before Annas
 # Joh 18:12,24
 but may have been unbound before Caiaphas.

00988
 \\Repented himself\\ (\\metameltheis\\). Probably Judas saw Jesus led
 away to Pilate and thus knew that the condemnation had taken
 place. This verb (first aorist passive participle of \\metamelomai\\)
 really means to be sorry afterwards like the English word
 _repent_ from the Latin _repoenitet_, to have pain again or
 afterwards. See the same verb \\metameltheis\\ in
 # Mt 21:30
 of the boy who became sorry and changed to obedience. The word
 does not have an evil sense in itself. Paul uses it of his sorrow
 for his sharp letter to the Corinthians, a sorrow that ceased
 when good came of the letter
 # 2Co 7:8
 But mere sorrow avails nothing unless it leads to change of mind
 and life (\\metanoia\\), the sorrow according to God
 # 2Co 7:9
 This sorrow Peter had when he wept bitterly. It led Peter back to
 Christ. But Judas had only remorse that led to suicide.

00989
 \\See thou to it\\ (\\su opsi\\). Judas made a belated confession of his
 sin in betraying innocent blood to the Sanhedrin, but not to God,
 nor to Jesus. The Sanhedrin ignore the innocent or righteous
 blood (\\haima athion\\ or \\dikaion\\) and tell Judas to look after his
 own guilt himself. They ignore also their own guilt in the
 matter. The use of \\su opsi\\ as a volitive future, an equivalent
 of the imperative, is commoner in Latin (_tu videris_) than in
 Greek, though the _Koin_ shows it also. The sentiment is that of
 Cain (Grotius, Bruce).

00990
 \\Hanged himself\\ (\\apgxato\\). Direct middle. His act was sudden
 after he hurled the money into the sanctuary (\\eis ton naon\\), the
 sacred enclosure where the priests were. The motives of Judas in
 the betrayal were mixed as is usually the case with criminals.
 The money cut a small figure with him save as an expression of
 contempt as the current price of a slave.

00991
 \\Into the treasury\\ (\\eis ton korbann\\). Josephus (_War_ II. 9,4)
 uses this very word for the sacred treasury. _Korban_ is Aramaic
 for _gift_ (\\dron\\) as is plain in
 # Mr 7:11
 The price of blood (blood-money) was pollution to the treasury
 # De 23:18
 So they took the money out and used it for a secular purpose. The
 rabbis knew how to split hairs about _Korban_
 # Mr 7:1-23; Mt 15:1-20
 but they balk at this blood-money.

00992
 \\The potter's field\\ (\\tou agrou tou kerames\\). Grotius suggests
 that it was a small field where potter's clay was obtained, like
 a brickyard (Broadus). Otherwise we do not know why the name
 exists. In
 # Ac 1:18
 we have another account of the death of Judas by bursting open
 (possibly falling after hanging himself) after he obtained the
 field by the wages of iniquity. But it is possible that \\ektsato\\
 there refers to the rabbinical use of _Korban_, that the money
 was still that of Judas though he was dead and so he really
 "acquired" the field by his blood-money.

00993
 \\The field of blood\\ (\\agros haimatos\\). This name was attached to it
 because it was the price of blood and that is not inconsistent
 with
 # Ac 1:18
 Today potter's field carries the idea here started of burial
 place for strangers who have no where else to lie (\\eis taphn\\
 \\tois xenois\\), probably at first Jews from elsewhere dying in
 Jerusalem. In
 # Ac 1:19
 it is called \\Aceldama\\ or \\place of blood\\ (\\chrion haimatos\\) for
 the reason that Judas' blood was shed there, here because it was
 purchased by blood money. Both reasons could be true.

00994
 \\By Jeremiah the prophet\\ (\\dia Ieremiou\\). This quotation comes
 mainly from
 # Zec 11:13
 though not in exact language. In
 # Jer 18:18
 the prophet tells of a visit to a potter's house and in
 # Jer 32:6
 of the purchase of a field. It is in Zechariah that the thirty
 pieces of silver are mentioned. Many theories are offered for the
 combination of Zechariah and Jeremiah and attributing it all to
 Jeremiah as in
 # Mr 1:2
 the quotation from Isaiah and Malachi is referred wholly to
 Isaiah as the more prominent of the two. Broadus and McNeile give
 a full discussion of the various theories from a mere mechanical
 slip to the one just given above. Matthew has here
 # 27:10
 "the field of the potter" (\\eis ton agron tou kerames\\) for "the
 potter the house of the Lord" in
 # Zec 11:13
 That makes it more parallel with the language of
 # Mt 27:7

00995
00996
 \\Now Jesus stood before the governor\\ (\\ho de Isous estath\\
 \\emprosthen tou hgemonos\\). Here is one of the dramatic episodes
 of history. Jesus stood face to face with the Roman governor. The
 verb \\estath\\, not \\est\\ (second aorist active), is first aorist
 passive and can mean "was placed" there, but he stood, not sat.
 The term \\hgemn\\ (from \\hgeomai\\, to lead) was technically a
 _legatus Caesaris_, an officer of the Emperor, more exactly
 procurator, ruler under the Emperor of a less important province
 than propraetor (as over Syria). The senatorial provinces like
 Achaia were governed by proconsuls. Pilate represented Roman law.
 \\Art thou the King of the Jews?\\ (\\Su ei ho basileus tn Ioudain;\\).
 This is what really mattered. Matthew does not give the charges
 made by the Sanhedrin
 # Lu 23:2
 nor the private interview with Pilate
 # Joh 18:28-32
 He could not ignore the accusation that Jesus claimed to be King
 of the Jews. Else he could be himself accused to Caesar for
 disloyalty. Rivals and pretenders were common all over the
 empire. So here was one more. By his answer (\\thou sayest\\) Jesus
 confesses that he is. So Pilate has a problem on his hands. What
 sort of a king does this one claim to be? \\Thou\\ (\\su\\) the King of
 the Jews?

00997
00998
00999
 \\And he gave him no answer, not even to one word\\ (\\kai ouk\\
 \\apekrith auti pros oude hen rhma\\). Jesus refused to answer the
 charges of the Jews (verse
 # 12
 Now he continued silent under the direct question of Pilate. The
 Greek is very precise besides the double negative. "He did not
 reply to him up to not even one word." This silent dignity amazed
 Pilate and yet he was strangely impressed.
