To love him with all the heart - To love and serve him, with all the united powers of the soul in their utmost vigour; and to love his neighbour as himself - To maintain the same equitable and charitable temper and behaviour toward all men, as we, in like circumstances, would wish for from them toward ourselves, is a more necessary and important duty, than the offering the most noble and costly sacrifices.
Jesus said to him, Thou art not far from the kingdom of God - Reader, art not thou? then go on: be a real Christian: else it had been better for thee to have been afar off.
Mt 22:41; Lu 20:41.
Psa 110:1.
Beware of the scribes - There was an absolute necessity for these repeated cautions. For, considering their inveterate prejudices against Christ, it could never be supposed the common people would receive the Gospel till these incorrigible blasphemers of it were brought to just disgrace. Yet he delayed speaking in this manner till a little before his passion, as knowing what effect it would quickly produce. Nor is this any precedent for us: we are not invested with the same authority. Mt 23:5; Lu 20:46.
He beheld how people cast money into the treasury - This treasury received the voluntary contributions of the worshippers who came up to the feast; which were given to buy wood for the altar, and other necessaries not provided for in any other way. Lu 21:1.
I say to you, that this poor widow hath cast in more than they all - See what judgement is cast on the most specious, outward actions by the Judge of all! And how acceptable to him is the smallest, which springs from self - denying love!
Mt 24:1; Lu 21:5.
Two questions are here asked; the one concerning the destruction of Jerusalem: the other concerning the end of the world.
Lu 21:12.
Mt 24:14.
The Holy Ghost will help you. But do not depend upon any other help For all the nearest ties will be broken.
Where it ought not - That place being set apart for sacred use. Mt 24:15; Lu 21:20; Dan 9:27.
In those days shall be affliction, such as was not from the beginning of the creation - May it not be doubted, whether this be yet fully accomplished? Is not much of this affliction still to come?
The elect - The Christians: whom he hath chosen - That is, hath taken out of, or separated from, the world, through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth. He hath shortened - That is, will surely shorten.
Mt 24:23.
But in those days - Which immediately precede the end of the world: after that tribulation - Above described.
Mt 24:32; Lu 21:28.
He is nigh - The Son of man.
All these things - Relating to the temple and the city.
Of that day - The day of judgment is often in the Scriptures emphatically called that day. Neither the Son - Not as man: as man he was no more omniscient than omnipresent. But as God he knows all the circumstances of it.
Mt 24:42; Lu 21:34.
The Son of man is as a man taking a far journey - Being about to leave this world and go to the Father, he appoints the services that are to be performed by all his servants, in their several stations. This seems chiefly to respect ministers at the day of judgment: but it may be applied to all men, and to the time of death. Mt 25:14; Lu 19:12.
Mt 26:1; Lu 22:1.
Mt 26:6.
Some had indignation - Being incited thereto by Judas: and said - Probably to the women.
Judas went to the chief priests - Immediately after this reproof, having anger now added to his covetousness. Mt 26:14; Lu 22:3.
Mt 26:17; Lu 22:7.
Go into the city, and there shall meet you a man - It was highly seasonable for our Lord to give them this additional proof both of his knowing all things, and of his influence over the minds of men.
Furnished - The word properly means, spread with carpets.
Mt 26:20; Lu 22:14.
This is my blood of the New Testament - That is, this I appoint to be a perpetual sign and memorial of my blood, as shed for establishing the new covenant, that all who shall believe in me may receive all its gracious promises.
I will drink no more of the fruit of the vine, till I drink it new in the kingdom of God - That is, I shall drink no more before I die: the next wine I drink will not be earthly, but heavenly.
Mt 26:30; Lu 22:39; John 18:1.
This night - The Jews in reckoning their days began with the evening, according to the Mosaic computation, which called the evening and the morning the first day, Gen 1:5. And so that which after sunset is here called this night is, Mr 14:30, called to - day. The expression there is peculiarly significant. Verily I say to thee, that thou thyself, confident as thou art, to - day, even within four and twenty hours; yea, this night, or ever the sun be risen, nay, before the cock crow twice, before three in the morning, wilt deny me thrice. Our Lord doubtless spoke so determinately, as knowing a cock would crow once before the usual time of cock crowing. By Mark 13:35, it appears, that the third watch of the night, ending at three in the morning, was commonly styled the cock crowing. Zech 13:7.
Mt 26:36.
Sore amazed - The original word imports the most shocking amazement, mingled with grief: and that word in the next verse which we render sorrowful intimates, that he was surrounded with sorrow on every side, breaking in upon him with such violence, as was ready to separate his soul from his body.
Abba, Father - St. Mark seems to add the word Father, by way of explication.
Saith to Peter - The zealous, the confident Peter.
Mt 26:47; Lu 22:47; John 18:2.
Whomsoever I shall kiss - Probably our Lord, in great condescension, had used (according to the Jewish custom) to permit his disciples to do this, after they had been some time absent.
Mt 26:51; Lu 22:49; John 18:10.
A young man - It does not appear, that he was one of Christ's disciples. Probably hearing an unusual noise, he started up out of his bed, not far from the garden, and ran out with only the sheet about him, to see what was the matter. And the young men laid hold on him - Who was only suspected to be Christ's disciple: but could not touch them who really were so.
Mt 26:57; Lu 22:54; John 18:12.
All the council sought for witness and found none - What an amazing proof of the overruling providence of God, considering both their authority, and the rewards they could offer, that no two consistent witnesses could be procured, to charge him with any gross crime. Mt 26:59.