Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
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John
Book: John
Chapter: 18
Overview:
Christ taken in the garden.
(1-12) Christ before
Annas and
Caiaphas.
(13-27) Christ before
Pilate.
(28-40)
1-12 Sin began in the garden of
Eden, there the
Curse was
pronounced, there the
Redeemer was promised; and in a garden
that promised Seed entered into conflict with the old
Serpent.
Christ was buried also in a garden. Let us, when we walk in our
Gardens, take occasion from thence to mediate
On Christ's
sufferings in a garden. Our
Lord Jesus, knowing all things that
should come upon him, went forth and asked, Whom seek ye? When
the people would have forced him to a
Crown, he withdrew, ch.
6:15, but when they came to force him to a
Cross, he offered
himself; for he came into this world to suffer, and went to the
other world to reign. He showed plainly what he could have done;
when he struck them down he could have struck them dead, but he
would not do
So. It must have been the effect of Divine power,
that the officers and soldiers let the disciples go away
quietly, after the resistance which had been offered.
Christ set
us an
Example of
Meekness in sufferings, and a pattern of
submission to
God's will in every thing that concerns us. It is
but a
Cup, a small matter. It is a
Cup that is given us;
sufferings are
Gifts. It is given us
By a
Father, who has a
Father's authority, and does us
No wrong; a
Father's
Affection,
and means us
No hurt. From the
Example of our
Saviour we should
learn how to receive our lighter
Afflictions, and to ask
ourselves whether we ought to oppose our
Father's will, or to
distrust his
Love. We were bound with the cords of our
iniquities, with the
Yoke of our transgressions.
Christ, being
made a
Sin-Offering for us, to free us from those bonds, himself
submitted to be bound for us. To his bonds we owe our liberty;
thus the Son makes us free.
13-27 Simon Peter denied his Master. The particulars have been
noticed in the remarks
On the other
Gospels. The beginning of
Sin is as the letting forth of water. The
Sin of lying is a
fruitful
Sin; one
Lie needs another to support it, and that
another. If a
Call to expose ourselves to danger be clear, we
may
Hope God will enable us to honour him; if it be not, we may
fear that
God will leave us to shame ourselves. They said
nothing concerning the miracles of
Jesus,
By which he had done
So much good, and which proved his doctrine. Thus the enemies of
Christ, whilst they quarrel with his
Truth, wilfully shut their
eyes against it. He appeals to those who heard him. The doctrine
of
Christ may safely
Appeal to all that know it, and those who
Judge in
Truth Bear Witness to it. Our resentment of injuries
must never be passionate. He reasoned with the
Man that did him
the injury, and
So may we.
28-32 It was unjust to
Put one to
Death who had done
So much
good, therefore the Jews were willing to save themselves from
reproach. Many fear the scandal of an ill thing, more than the
Sin of it.
Christ had said he should be delivered to the
Gentiles, and they should
Put him to
Death; hereby that saying
was fulfilled. He had said that he should be crucified, lifted
up. If the Jews had judged him
By their
Law, he had been stoned;
crucifying never was used among the Jews. It is determined
concerning us, though not discovered to us, what
Death we shall
die: this should free us from disquiet about that matter.
Lord,
what, when, and how, thou hast appointed.
33-40 Art thou the
King of the Jews? that
King of the Jews who
has been
So long expected?
Messiah the
Prince; art thou he? Dost
thou
Call thyself
So, and wouldest thou be thought
So?
Christ
answered this question with another; not for evasion, but that
Pilate might consider what he did. He never took upon him any
earthly power, never were any traitorous principles or practices
laid to him.
Christ gave an account of the nature of his
kingdom. Its nature is not worldly; it is a kingdom within men,
set up in their hearts and consciences; its riches spiritual,
its power spiritual, and its
Glory within. Its supports are not
worldly; its weapons are spiritual; it needed not, nor used,
force to maintain and advance it, nor opposed any kingdom but
that of
Sin and
Satan. Its object and design are not worldly.
When
Christ said, I am the
Truth, he said, in effect, I am a
King. He conquers
By the convincing evidence of
Truth; he rules
By the commanding power of
Truth. The subjects of this kingdom
are those that are of the
Truth.
Pilate Put a good question, he
said, What is
Truth? When we search the Scriptures, and attend
the ministry of the
Word, it must be with this inquiry, What is
Truth? and with this
Prayer, Lead me in thy
Truth; into all
Truth. But many
Put this question, who have not patience to
preserve in their search after
Truth; or not
Humility enough to
receive it.
By this solemn declaration of
Christ's innocence, it
appears, that though the
Lord Jesus was treated as the worst of
evil-doers, he never deserved such treatment. But it unfolds the
design of his
Death; that he died as a
Sacrifice for our sins.
Pilate was willing to please all sides; and was governed more
By
worldly
Wisdom than
By the rules of
Justice.
Sin is a robber,
yet is foolishly
Chosen By many rather than
Christ, who would
truly enrich us. Let us endeavour to make our accusers ashamed
as
Christ did; and let us beware of crucifying
Christ afresh.