Here is, I. Christ's
prediction of his own sufferings; this string he harped
much upon, though in the ears of his disciples it
sounded very harsh and unpleasing.
1. See here how bold
he was; when they were going up to Jerusalem, Jesus
went before them, as the captain of our
salvation, that was now to be made perfect
through sufferings, v. 32. Thus he showed himself
forward to go on with his undertaking, even when he came
to the hardest part of it. Now that the time was at
hand, he said, Lo, I come; so far was he from
drawing back, that now, more than ever, he
pressed forward. Jesus went before them, and they were
amazed. They began now to consider what imminent
danger they ran themselves into, when they went to
Jerusalem; how very malicious the Sanhedrim which sat
there was against their Master and them; and they were
ready to tremble at the thought of it. To hearten them,
therefore, Christ went before them. "Come," saith
he, "surely you will venture where your Master
ventures." Note, When we see ourselves entering upon
sufferings, it is encouraging to see our Master go
before us. Or, He went before them, and
therefore they were amazed; they admired to
see with what cheerfulness and alacrity he went on,
though he knew he was going to suffer and die. Note,
Christ's courage and constancy in going on with his
undertaking for our salvation, are, and will be, the
wonder of all his disciples.
2. See here how
timorous and faint-hearted his disciples were; As
they followed, they were afraid, afraid for
themselves, as being apprehensive of their own danger;
and justly might they be ashamed of their being
thus afraid. Their Master's courage should have
put spirit into them.
3. See here what
method he took to silence their fears. He did not go
about to make the matter better than it was, nor to feed
them with hopes that he might escape the storm, but told
them again what he had often told them before,
the things that should happen to him. He knew the
worst of it, and therefore went on thus boldly, and he
will let them know the worst of it. Come, be not
afraid; for, (1.) There is no remedy, the matter is
determined, and cannot be avoided. (2.) It is only the
Son of man that shall suffer; their time of
suffering was now at hand, he will now provide for their
security. (3.) He shall rise again; the issue of
his sufferings will be glorious to himself, and
advantageous to all that are his, v. 33, 34. The method
and particulars of Christ's sufferings are more largely
foretold here than in any other of the predictions—that
he shall first be delivered up by Judas to the chief
priests and the scribes; that they shall condemn him
to death, but, not having the power to put him to death,
shall deliver him to the Gentiles, to the Roman
powers, and they shall mock him, and scourge
him, and spit upon him, and kill him.
Christ had a perfect foresight, not only of his own
death, but of all the aggravating circumstances of it;
and yet he thus went forth to meet it.
II. The check he gave
to two of his disciples for their ambitious request.
This story is much the same here as we had it
Matt. xx. 20. Only there they are said to have made
their request by their mother, here they are said to
make it themselves; she introduced them, and presented
their petition, and then they seconded it, and assented
to it.
Note, 1. As, on the
one hand, there are some that do not use, so, on
the other hand, there are some that abuse, the
great encouragements Christ has given us in prayer. He
hath said, Ask, and it shall be given you; and it
is a commendable faith to ask for the great things he
has promised; but it was a culpable presumption in these
disciples to make such a boundless demand upon their
Master; We would that thou shouldest do for us
whatsoever we shall desire. We had much better leave
it to him to do for us what he sees fit, and he will do
more than we can desire, Eph. iii. 20.
2. We must be
cautious how we make general promises. Christ would not
engage to do for them whatever they desired, but would
know from them what it was they did desire; What
would ye that I should do for you? He would have
them go on with their suit, that they might be made
ashamed of it.
3. Many have been led
into a snare by false notions of Christ's kingdom, as if
it were of this world, and like the kingdoms of
the potentates of this world. James and John conclude,
If Christ rise again, he must be a king, and if
he be a king, his apostles must be peers, and one of
these would willingly be the Primus par regni—The
first peer of the realm, and the other next him,
like Joseph in Pharaoh's court, or Daniel in Darius's.
4. Worldly honour is
a glittering thing, with which the eyes of Christ's own
disciples have many a time been dazzled. Whereas to
be good should be more our care than to look
great, or to have the pre-eminence.
5. Our weakness and
short-sightedness appear as much in our prayers as in
any thing. We cannot order our speech, when we speak to
God, by reason of darkness, both concerning him and
concerning ourselves. It is folly to prescribe to
God, and wisdom to subscribe.
6. It is the will of
Christ that we should prepare for sufferings, and leave
it to him to recompense us for them. He needs not be put
in mind, as Ahasuerus did, of the services of his
people, nor can he forget their work of faith and
labour of love. Our care must be, that we may have
wisdom and grace to know how to suffer with him, and
then we may trust him to provide in the best manner how
we shall reign with him, and when, and where, and what,
the degrees of our glory shall be.
