BOOK 6. THE DEATH.
CHAPTER 1.
6.1.6. Of Judas' treason, Christ's apprehension, binding and leading unto Annas.
Of Judas' treason, Christ's apprehension, binding and leading unto Annas.
By this time the traitor Judas was arrived at Gethsemane; and being near the garden door, Jesus goes to his disciples, and calls them from their sleep, by an irony (as some think) he bids them "sleep on now, and take their rest," meaning, if they could for danger, that now was near: but withal, he adds, "Behold the hour is at hand; and the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners: Rise, let us be going: behold he is at hand that doth betray me," Matt. xxvi. 45, 46. That it might appear he undertook his sufferings with choice and free election; he not only refused to fly, but he calls his apostles to rise, that they might meet his murderers. And now they come "with swords and staves," or, as John adds, "with lanterns and torches, and (Judas going before them, and drawing near unto Jesus to kiss him) they took him, and bound him, and led him away to Annas first," Matt. xxvi. 47. John xviii. 3, 12, 13.
In this period I shall observe, 1. Judas 1 treason. 2. Christ's apprehension. 3. Christ's binding. 4. Christ's leading to Annas, one of the chief priests, as to his first station.
1. Judas' treason, "and while he yet spake, behold a multitude, and he that was called Judas, one of the twelve, went before them, and drew near unto Jesus to kiss him," Luke xxii. 47. This traitor is not a disciple only, but an apostle; not one of the seventy, but one of the twelve. Augustine speaks of many offices of love, that Christ had done to Judas in especial manner; he had called him to be an apostle, made him his friend, his familiar, caused him to eat of his bread, sit at his table, and to dip his hand in the dish with him; yea, if his tradition be true, "Jesus (Aug. Serm. 28, ad frates.) had delivered Judas often from death, and for his sake healed his father of a palsy, and cured his mother of a leprosy, and next to Peter honoured him above all his other apostles." Of this we are sure, that he kissed him, and washed his feet, and made him his treasurer, and his almoner; and now that Judas should betray Christ; O how doth this add to the sufferings of Christ, and to the sin of Judas! "Behold a multitude," and Judas in the front: he went before them, tam pedibus quam moribus; in his presence, and in his malice. The evangelist gives the reason of this, that he might have the better opportunity to kiss him; that this was the sign, he gave the rout, "Whomsoever I shall kiss, that is he, lay hold on him;" he begins war with a kiss, and breaks the peace of his Lord by a symbol of kindness: Jesus takes this ill. What, Judas, "betrayest thou the Son of man with a kiss?" Luke xxii. 48. q.d. What, dost thou make the seal of love the sign of treachery? What, must a kiss of thy mouth be the key of treason? O what a friendly reproof is here! By way of use:
Use. "It (Utinam Judas solus sic peccasset Chrysos.) were well for the world (said Chrysostome,) especially for the children of God, that Judas, were alone in this transgression, that there were no more perfidious, treacherous persons in it besides himself." But Oh! How full is the world of such miscreants? There was never yet an Abel, but he had a Cain to murder him; never yet a Moses, but he had a Jannes and Jambres to resist him, never yet a Joseph, but he had unkind brothers to envy him; never yet a Samson but he had a Delilah to betray him; never yet a David, but he had an Ahitophel to hurt him; never yet a Paul, but there was an Alexander to do him much evil; nay, it is well if in every assembly we meet not with a Judas: in civil a Hairs how many are there that live and make gain by lying, swearing, cheating, cozening, selling away Christ and their own souls, for a lesser matter than thirty pieces of silver, and in religious affairs, how many secure and drowsy professors have we amongst us, that salute Christ, both by hearing the word, and receiving the seals, and yet in their lives and conversations, they deny Christ? "They honour God with their lips, but their hearts are far away from him," Matth. xv. 8.
2. For Christ's apprehension, "Then came they, and laid hands on Jesus, and took him:" they apprehended him whom the world cannot comprehend; and yet before they took him, he himself begins the enquiry, and leads them into their errand; he tells them, that he was "Jesus of Nazareth, whom they sought:" this was but a breath, a meek and gentle word, yet had it greater strength in it than the eastern wind, or the voice of thunder; for God was in that still small voice and it struck them down to the ground. O the power of Christ! They came to him with clubs, and staves, and swords, and he does no more, but let a word fly out of his mouth, and presently they stagger, run "backward and fall to the ground," John xviii. 6. Oh! If we cannot bear a soft answer of the merciful God, how dare we so provoke, as we do, the wrath of the Almighty Judge? And yet he suffered them to rise again, and they still persist in their enquiry after him; and he tells them once more, "I am he;" he offers himself, he is ready and desirous to be sacrificed, only he sets them their bounds; and therefore he secures his apostles to be witnesses of his sufferings: in this work of redemption, no man must have an active share besides himself, he alone was to tread the wine press; "If therefore ye seek me (saith Christ) let these go their way," John xviii. 8. Thus he permits himself to be taken, but not his disciples.
And now they have his leave; Oh! With what fierce and cruel countenances, with what menacing and threatening looks, with what malicious and spiteful minds, do they invade and assault our Saviour? They compass him round: then they lay their wicked and violent hands upon him, in the original, (epethelon) signifies a violent taking. One speaks the manner of his apprehension in these words, "Some of them lay hold on his garments, others on the hair of his head: some pluck him by the beard, others struck him with their impious fists, and being enraged, that with a word he had thrown them backwards on the ground, they therefore threw him on his back, and basely tread him under their dirty feet.". (Quidam apprehendebant vestes ejus, alii mittebant manus in capillcs capitis, etc. Homil Johan. Carthag. Hispan.) Another author gives it thus, "As a roaring ramping lion draws along the earth his prey, and tears it, and pulls it, so they hauled Christ all along the earth, spitting, buffeting, pulling him by the hair" (Sicut leo rugiens et rapiens trahit praedam per terram et lacerat, et laniat, etc. Jacob. de Valenti in Psal. xxi.) Another, in like manner thus, "They all rush violently upon him, they fling him to the ground, they kick him, tear him, spurn him, pull off the hair, both of his head and beard." (Omnes impetum faciunt in eum, etc.) Of every of these passages, we find scriptures full, "Many bulls have compassed me, strong bulls of Bashan have beset me round, they gaped upon me with their mouths, as a ravening and roaring lion," Psalm xxii. 12, 13.
Use. We are apt to cry out on Judas and the Jews; and we think, Oh if we had been in their stead, we should never have done this: but lay aside a while those instruments, and look we at the principal cause; had not we an hand in all these actings? Did not we conspire his death, and apprehensions in reference to it? Oh, my sins, my sins! These were the band, the captain, and the officers; these were the multitude, a multitude indeed, if I should tell them, I might tell a thousand, and yet net tell one of a thousand, these were the soldiers that beset him round, the bulls that compassed him about, the roaring lions that gaped upon him with their mouths. O my heart, why shouldst thou rise up against the Jews, when thou findest the traitors, and the whole rout of officers in thyself? Oh that thou wouldst turn the edge of thy detestation into its right stream and channel! Oh that thou wouldst "remember thy own ways, and all thy doings, wherein thou hast been defiled," and that thou wouldst "loathe thyself in thy own sight, for all the evils that thou hast committed," Ezek. xx. 43.
3. For Christ's binding, the evangelist tells us, "That the band, and the captain, and the officers of the Jews took Jesus, and bound him," John xviii. 12. (edesan) they bound his hands with cords; a type of this was Samson, whom Delilah bound with ropes, or cords, foreshowing hereby, that he must die, they never using to bind any with ropes or cords, but those whom undoubtedly they purposed to crucify: some add the circumstances of this binding, that they bound him with three cords, and that with such violence, that they caused blood to start out of his tender hands; certainly they wanted no malice, and now they wanted no power, for the Lord had given himself into their hands. Binding argues baseness; it is storied of Alexander, that when some arrow that was shot into him was to be drawn out, his physicians advised to bind him, for that the least motion (as they said) would do him hurt; but he answered, "Kings were not fit to be bound, the power of a king was ever free and safe." (Non decet vinciri regem, cum libera sit regis et semper salva potestas. Bern. Serm. de pas.) And David in his lamentation over Abner, said, "Died Abner as a fool dieth? Thy hands were not bound, nor thy feet put into fetters," 2 Sam. ii. 33, 34. Fools and slaves were accustomed to be bound, and so were thieves; they that open their hands to receive other men's goods, it is fit their hands should be bound and tied up; but is our Saviour numbered amongst any of these? O yes, "In that same hour said Jesus to the multitude. Are ye come out as against a thief, with swords and staves?" Matth. xxvi. 55. "He made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant," Phil. ii. 7. O wonderful condescension of Christ! O admirable exinanition! He that was eminently just, is reputed a thief; he that was equal with God is become a servant; he that was stronger than Samson, and could have broken his cords from off his arms like a thread, he is bound with cords; and as a poor lamb, he, continues bound for the slaughter; and thus began our liberty, and redemption from slavery, and sin, and death, and cursings.
But besides these cords, the word (edesan) signifies a binding with chains, Mark v. 3, 4: and some are of opinion, that they shackled both his hands and feet, pedicis et catenis vinctus, Mark v. 4. and others say, "that they put about his neck a chain of iron;" (Quidam existimaverunt catena ferrea collum ejus alligasse, quod mihi certe incredibile non est. Hon. Joh. Carthag.) and it is not altogether improbable but they might be as cruel to the master as to the servants; I cannot think they were so enraged against Peter, as they were against Christ, and yet they laid on him "two chains," Acts xii. 6. Nor can I think they were so enraged against Paul, as they were against Jesus, and yet ff the chief captain took him, and commanded him to be bound with two chains" Acts xxi, 33. And that this might be their dealing with Christ, Judas by his counsel, seems to speak, "Hold him fast," Matt. xxvi. 48. "Take him and lead him away safely," Mark xiv. 44. q.d. Make him sure, that he escape not out of your hands, he hath deceived you often, and therefore chain him with an iron chain, that will be sure to hold. I cannot pass this without some word to ourselves.
Use. Christ undergoes this restraint, that all sort of persecution might be sanctified to us by his susception. Again, Christ was faster bound with his cords of love than with iron fetters, his love was strong as death, it overcame him who is invincible, and bound him who is omnipotent; the Jews cords were but the symbols and figures, but the dear love, the tender bowels of Jesus Christ were the morals and things signified: again, Christ was bound that we might be free; the cords of Christ were so full of virtue, that they loosed the chains of our sins, and tied the hands of God's justice, which were stretched out against us for our sins. Again, he was bound for us, that so he might bind us to himself. "I drew them with cords of a man, with bands of love, Hosea xi. 4. A strange thing it was, to see the king bound for the thieves offence; but such was Christ's love, that he might draw sinful mankind to the love of him again. Lastly, One good lesson we may learn from wicked Judas, "Take him and lead him away safely; -- hold him fast." Come, Christians! Here is good counsel from a Judas, like another Caiaphas, he prophesies, he knows not what; "Take him and lead away, and hold him fast." It is of necessity, that those who spiritually seek after Christ, should take him by faith, and hold him fast by love: "I will rise now, (saith the spouse) I will seek him whom my soul loveth:" -- and anon, "I found him whom my soul loveth, I held him, and would not let him go, until I had brought him into my mother's house, into the chambers of her that conceived me," Cant. iii. 2, 4. We must arise out of the bed of sin, we must seek Christ in the use of ordinances; and there if we find him, we must take him, lay hold on him by the hands of faith, and not let him go, but lead him safely until we have brought him into our mother's house, into the assemblies of his people: or, if you will, until we have brought him into our souls, where he may sup with us, and we with him.
4. For his leading to Annas, John records it, That "they led hint away to Annas first, for he was father-in-law to Caiaphas, who was the high priest that same year," John xviii. 13.
(a). They led him away, (apegagon) it refers to the place whence they led him; the garden was the terminus a quo, there they apprehended him, and bound him, and thence led him away; but the word (apago) is something more than merely abduco; sometimes it signifies abigo, to drive away, whether by force or fraud: sometimes rapio ad supplicium ad judicandum to snatch away either to punishment or judgment: it is said, "They (Ecce trahebatur passis Priamidia virgo crinibus. Virg. AEneid. 1.) drew him away by the hairs of the head, and that they led him in uncouth ways, and through the brook Cedron, in which the ruder soldiers plunged him, and passed upon him all the affronts and rudeness, which an insolent and cruel multitude could think of." So that now again was the fulfilling of the prophecy, "He shall drink of the brook in the way," Psalm cx. 7. I dare not deliver these things as certain truths, only this I affirm, that they led him, snatched him, hauled him from the garden back again to Jerusalem, over the brook and valley called Cedron.
(b). They led him first to Annas; why thither, is a question, the cognizance of the cause belonged not properly to Annas, but to Caiaphas; all that can be said for Annas, is, that he was the chief of the Sanhedrim, and father-in-law to Caiaphas, and to be high priest the next year following.
Use. Oh! when I think cf Jesus thus led away to Annas first, when I think of him partly going, and partly hauled forwards, and forced to hasten his grave pace; when I think of him thrown into, or plunged in the waters of the brook, and so forced to drink of the brook Cedron in the way; when I think of him presented by a deal of soldiers, and rude catch-poles to this mercenary Annas; and withal think that I had an hand as deep as any other in these acts, my heart must either break, or I must proclaim it an heart of flint, and not of flesh: come, Christians, let us lay our hands upon our hearts, and cry, "Oh, my pride! and Oh, my covetousness! and Oh, my malice and revenge! Oh, my unbelief! and Oh, my unthankfulness! and Oh, my uncharitableness to the needy members of Christ Jesus! why, these were the rout, these were they that led, and dragged, and drew Jesus (as it were) by the hair of his head; these were they that took hold of the chains, and pulled him forwards, and showed him in triumph to this bloody Annas; nay, these were the Judas, Jews, Annas, and all: Oh! that ever I should lodge within me such an heart, that should lodge in it such sins, such betrayers, such murderers of Jesus Christ."
But I must remember myself, "Watchmen what of the night? Watchmen what of the night?" Isa. xxi. 11, 12. "If ye will inquire, inquire, return, come," Matt. xiv. 25. We may now suppose it about the third hour, or the last watch: in the gospel it is called the fourth watch of the night, Exod. xiv. 24. Elsewhere it is called "the morning watch," Fsal. cxxx. 6. which continued till the morning. And of the acts done in this interval of time, we are next to treat.