In this —particularly fine and solemn chapter, we may see the Lord in four connections, so to speak, —with the sorrow itself that was awaiting Him,—with His disciples,—with the Father,—with the Enemy. Verses 1-23. —As far as He is seen here, He is seen as looking directly, fully, and advisedly at the sorrow that was awaiting Him. He sits at the Paschal Table, the witness of His coming sufferings, and He tells of His body given, and of His blood shed; at the same time refusing for the present the paschal cup, the expression (as I judge) of Israel’s joy on the accomplishing of their redemption. Thus we see Him in full, advised anticipation of His sorrow, looking at it directly and without the least shrinking; refusing a single thought that could qualify or reduce it. Verses 24-38. In this part of this great chapter, we see Him with His disciples, but we must remember, carrying in His bosom the full sense of the sorrow He had just been foreseeing and counting on.
But it is, beloved, a great sight which these verses give us of Him. I mean in this character. When any trouble is upon us we judge right easily and without rebuke, that we may think of ourselves. But here, Jesus thinks of others. The condition of His disciples is the anxious, diligent object of His various affections and sympathy. He warns them where their souls are getting wrong. He lets them know that He was praying for them, and providing strength for a coming hour of need and weakness. He teaches what changes they must now reckon upon, and how they must get themselves ready—thus, carrying as His heart did, a grief which might well have commanded or absorbed, He could, as though all were quiet within, spend His various cares, His sympathies and attentions, on those who were around Him. If there be a moment in human history when selfishness is even vindicated by our moral sense, it is the moment of personal grief. We instinctively allow man to think of himself in such a moment. But at no other moment was the Lord Jesus even more thoughtful of others than in the hour of Luke 22. It was not the hour of Sychar’s well. It was not the two days spent amongst the Samaritans. It was not the season when Mary was sitting at His feet; or when the family of Bethany was at the table with Him. It was not such a moment as when the Centurion accosted Him in the language of a faith greater than what He had found in Israel; or as when the poor woman touched Him in the crowd; or as when the Syrophenician clung to Him in spite of apparent slight and indignity. Such occasions were moments of deep joy to the heart of Christ, and no wonder; to speak as a man, He was free to wait on the occasion, and serve them, and think of others in them and through them. But it is the Paschal Jesus we get here. It is the Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. It was natural for this Jesus of the house of Bethany to sit and teach, but this was the Jesus of the last Passover; and knowing, as one does, the absorbing selfishness of times of sorrow, this path of the mind of Christ through this part of this solemn chapter reflects something perfect and beautiful. Verse 39.46. Here we have the same Jesus in company with the Father,—the same Jesus. He had just been serving. His disciples in all the various conditions and need in which He found them; warning them, praying for them, teaching them, providing for their blessing in every way. And so now He is surrendered to the Father’s will, with the same self-sacrifice as He had been serving thorn. The moment is full in its terribleness, but the surrender of Himself to it is perfect. The mission of the angel to strengthen, tells that the cup was not to he taken out of His hand. He knew this, and felt it in the agony of that solemn hour. But nothing touched the spirit of self-sacrifice. The will of the Father was supreme with Him now, as the need and conditions of His poor disciples had just been, and He surrenders Himself to it all. Verses 46-71. In these closing verses, we find our Lord in His last condition in this chapter, as the prisoner of His enemies. We have already seen Him in the gaze and near sight of the sorrow itself. Then in company with His disciples, making their need and blessing all His thought, as though, He had no sorrow of His own. Thou in communion with the Father,—and now in the midst of His persecutors. There was nothing here for Him. Amid and rude rabble, set on wickedness, was making Him their sport and their captive; and then a wily and murderous, though in its way, refined Court of Elders (in its character more contrary to His spirit even than the others), purposing His death under guise of law and religion. But in Him it is a blessed path we trace. He had been in communion with the Father. He had met this hour there. He had surrendered Himself, as we saw, and in that surrender there is victory, in that communion there is strength. And now that He is in the battle-field itself, He is more than conqueror. He may be borne through files of the enemy. He may meet the occasion in different characters of it; but all is strength and calmness of spirit. He challenges Judas the leader. He restores the wounded ear of one of the servants. He addresses the heads of the multitude. He has His eye upon Peter for good, when Peter was giving Him to feel at that moment that His disciples would take their place amongst His enemies. He answers the Elders and Priests. And in the full triumph of His soul He anticipates His kingdom and glory. This was treading the field of battle like a Conqueror. All was perfect calmness of heart. There was no agony or sweat of blood here. No falling on the ground. O how deeply the soul judges that that could not have been His way among the people, though it was equally perfectly His way before the Father! He had indeed already met the occasion in communion, and now He is only above it.
Such was His journey through this chapter; we see the path of His soul through these distinct stages. Was ever anything like it? We have need to be set to right in the time trouble—at least if one may speak for another. The Psalmist bad such need in Psa. 73, and again also in Psa. 77. Poor Job was conquered. It touched him and he fainted, though he had often before strengthened others. The stoutest, as an old writer says, are “knocked off their legs.” Peter sleeps and Peter lies,—and our own poor hearts again and again have told us secrets of ourselves in such moments. But in sorrow, the like of which never was tasted, Jesus is borne through every change of circumstance and connection, and all is sure to be perfection. Gold it was indeed; and when cast into the furnace, it comes out the same mass as when cast in, for there was no dross.
What a sight! what faith! It is found unto admiration in our eyes, beloved; and unto what acceptance was it found with God!
I feel as though. I could not look at it, or speak of it longer. Having just traced this brilliant path of faith, tried in the furnace, to the end, I must leave it. My own heart is so unacquainted with it. May the good Lord strengthen with might by His Spirit! “lf thou faintest in the day of adversity thy strength is small.” —J. G. B.