Paraphrase of the Hard Texts of Scripture, Scripture 36 · Chapter 26
CAP. XXVI.
THe Sonne of man is already,3 And the Sonne of man is betrayed to be crucified. by Judas in his intended conspiracy with the high Priests and Elders, betrayed to death, and that to the death of the crosse.
Then assembled together both the high Priest of that yeare (for they were now growne annuall) and the chiefe fathers of all those priestly families, and the Scribes,3 Then assembled together the chiefe Priests, and the Scribes, and the Elders of the people unto the Palace of the high Priest. and the Elders of the people; all which, conjoyned together, made up a perfect Councell of the Jewes. &c.
In the house of Simon, who had beene a Leper,6 In the house of Simon the leper. but being cured, retained still the name of his fore-past disease.
Then came to him a woman,7 There came unto him a woman, having an alablaster box of very precious oyntment. noted for her zeale to Christ, even Mary Magdalene, having an alablaster box of very precious and sweet oyntment &c.
When Judas saw it, he grudged at it,8, 9. But when his disciples saw it, they had indignation, saying; To what purpose is this waste, for this oyntment might have beene sold for much, and given to the poore. and conceiving great indignation thereat, stirred up his fellow-disciples to murmure at this act of Mary, saying; What great pitty it is that an ointment of so great price should bee thus powred out in waste? There might have beene a great summe raysed upon it, which might have bin distributed to the poore, and have yeelded a long, and durable releefe unto them; whereas now it is spent to little purpose.
Yee doe willingly allow sweet balmes,12 For in that she hath powred this ointment on my body, shee did it for my buriall. and rich perfumes for the dead; behold, this woman hath herein reached beyond your conceit; she hath done this as her last office, towards my buriall. I am now sitting with you at supper, my thoughts are upon my grave; and this woman hath hereby made a bountifull and loving preparation for those my last exequies.
I, who know the motions and the thoughts of all men,18 And hee said, goe into the Citie to such a man, and say unto him, the master saith, my time is at hand. doe foretell you; that going into the City yee shall meet a man bearing a pitcher of water, follow yee that man, and say to him; Thus saith our master; My time is now at hand, wherein I shall both keepe the Passover, and be made an everlasting Passover for my Church; I have made choice of thy house to honour it with this my last feast, &c.
Even one of you my familiar and domestique attendants, who sitteth now with me,23 And hee answered and said, hee that dippeth his hand with mee in the dish, the same shall betray me. and dippeth his hand in the same dish with me and you; shall be so perfidious as to betray mee, and sell mee into the hands of my enemies.
25 Then Iudas which betraied him, answered & said; Master, Is it I: hee said unto him: thou hast said.Then Judas who was secretly guiltie of this wickednesse, thinking that his silence might be an accusation of himselfe, durst boldly aske, as hoping to out-face the matter; Master, is it I? Jesus said unto him; since thy guiltines hath taken the boldnesse to aske this question, doe not thinke that either thy secrecy, or impudence can carrie it away without notice: Thou art the man.
26 Take, eate, this is my body.Take, eate, this bread is sacramentally my very body; so as, if yee doe worthily receive this element, yee doe therewith partake of mee; whiles your hand and your mouth take and eate this bread, your soules doe truely and really receive me, who am represented and exhibited, and conveyed into you, by and with this outward signe.
28 For this is my bloud of the new Testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sinnes.This Wine is sacramentally my very bloud, whereby the new Testament is ratifyed, and sealed up to and with all my faithfull ones; which bloud of mine is now to bee shed for the redemption of mankinde, and for the remission of the sinnes of all penitents, and true beleevers.
29 But I say unto you, I will not drinke hence forth of this fruit of the vine, untill that day when I drinke it new with you in my Fathers kingdome.It is a fare-well cup that I now drinke with you; for I will no more, in this mortall state, drinke, from henceforth, of this fruit of the vine; but shall reserve my selfe for a more comfortable draught, sweeter than all the new wine which earth can afford; of glory and happinesse, which I shall enjoy in my Fathers kingdome; whereof ye shall be blessed partakers with me.
31 All ye shall be offended because of mee this night; for it is written: I will smite the shepheard, & the sheepe of the flocke shall be scattered abroad.All yee shall be scandalized, and drawne into offence with that, which shall bee done unto me this night; for your hearts will faile you, and yee shall weakely yeeld to forsake mee, when yee see mee laid hold of, and carried away violently by mine enemies; so as in you shall bee fulfilled that of the Prophet: I will smite the shepheard, and the sheepe shall be scattered abroad.
32 But after I am risen againe, I will goe before you into Galilee.But bee not dismayed with that, which shall befall mee; I must dye indeed, but I will rise againe; and when I am risen, will shew my selfe to you, my deare disciples: and that ye may know where to make account of my presence; remember that I now tell you, I will goe before you into Galilee.
39 And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this Cup passe from mee, neverthelesse not as I wil, but as thou wilt.O my Father, when I looke to the grievousnesse of these instant sufferings, and the infirmity of this humane nature, which I have assumed: I could bee well content to wish that (if it could bee) this bitter death, which now awaits for me; might by me bee avoyded, and by thee removed. But when I cast mine eye to thine holy decree, and the necessitie of mans redemption, I doe most willingly submit my selfe to thy will. Bee it not as humane nature could be content to wish, but as thy divine will hath everlastingly decreed.
If for my sake yee doe not finde cause enough to stirre up your selves, and to shake off your drowsinesse,41 Watch & pray that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weake. yet at least for your owne, bee advised so to doe; neither let your eyes onelyonly be open to watch, but your heart also to pray; for yee are now in great danger to bee overcome with tentations of feare, and distrust; I know your minde is good, ye are willing enough to performe these good duties: but the naturall infirmity of your flesh, is ready to strive against these good motions; so as yee had need of my seasonable and earnest excitations.
Since my so serious admonition could not keepe open your eyes; Goe to, now sleepe on,45 Sleepe on now, and take your rest; behold the houre is at hand, and the Sonne of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. take your rest if you can; behold, yee are now entring into a busie and perilous time: for now is the houre of my suffering at hand, and I the Sonne of man am betrayed by my wicked disciple, into the hands of the malicious Jewes.
Had an enemy done me this ill office,50 And Iesus said unto him; Friend, wherefore art thou come? it would have becomne him; but for thee, my friend and familiar, to sell thy service to my betraying, how hatefull a thing it is? I doe well know thy errand; thou art comne to betray thy master with a kisse.
And behold, one of them which were with Jesus,51 And behold, one of them which were with Iesus, stretched out his hand, and drew his sword, and stroke a servant of the high Priest, and smote off his eare. even Simon Peter, out of his zeale to his master, drew forth his sword, & stretched out his hand, & smote a servant of the high Priest, called Malchus, & cut off his eare.
Put up thy sword;52 Then Iesus said unto him; Put up againe thy sword into his place, for al they that take the sword shall perish with the sword. these are not the weapons that ye my disciples must fight withall: Peter thou doest not herein fight for mee, so much as against thy selfe; for whosoever in a private revenge, being not thereto called, and authorized, shall smite with the sword, that man pulls upon himselfe the just revenge of God, and his Law; and must expect the same measure which his crueltie and presumption hath meated to another.
It is a great weakenesse and ignorance in thee,53, 54. Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and hee shall presently give mee more than twelve legions of Angels: But how then shall the Scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be? if thou thinkest it is for want of helpe, that I am falne into these malicious hands; no, I would have thee know, that if I would pray unto my Father in heaven for rescue, I could easily obtaine a mighty host of glorious Angells to deliver me: But then what would become of mankinde? or how should that be fulfilled which the Scriptures have foretold concerning me, and that great worke of redemption, which must be wrought by me.
61 And said, This fellow said, I am able to destroy the Temple of God, and to build it in three dayes.Whereas Jesus had said, If you shall destroy this living Temple of my body, I will within three daies build it up againe; these false witnesses, perverting his words, and mis-alledging them, as spoken of the materiall Temple of Jerusalem, accuse him to have said; I am able to destroy this Temple of God, which you hold in so great honour and reverence, and can build it up again in three dayes.
64 Iesus saith unto him, Thou hast said: neverthelesse I say unto you, hereafter shall ye see the Sonne of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.Jesus saith unto him; I am indeed the Christ the Son of God; but it is not for you to judge of me by this now homely and contemptible appearance of mine; the time shall come when ye shall behold mee in another forme; ye who now looke upon me with scorne, and contempt, shall then see me sitting gloriously on the right hand of Majestie and power; and comming in the clouds of heaven to judge both the quick and the dead.
68 Saying, prophecie unto us, thou Christ, who is he that smote thee:They say thou art a great Prophet; now shew thy skill; out of thy deep knowledge now tell us (thus hoodwinkt) who it is that smites thee.