breaking of Christ's body as a sacrifice for us, is therein brought to our remembrance by the breaking
of bread. Nothing can be more nourishing and satisfying to the soul, than the doctrine of Christ's
making atonement for sin, and the assurance of an interest in that atonement. Therefore we do this
in rememberance of what He did for us, when he died for us; and for a memorial of what we do,
in joining ourselves to him in an everlasting covenant. The shedding of Christ's blood, by which
the atonement was made, is represented by the wine in the cup.
Verses 21–38
How unbecoming is the worldly ambition of being the greatest, to the character of a follower
of Jesus, who took upon him the form of a servant, and humbled himself to the death of the cross!
In the way to eternal happiness, we must expect to be assaulted and sifted by Satan. If he cannot
destroy, he will try to disgrace or distress us. Nothing more certainly forebodes a fall, in a professed
follower of Christ, than self-confidence, with disregard to warnings, and contempt of danger. Unless
we watch and pray always, we may be drawn in the course of the day into those sins which we
were in the morning most resolved against. If believers were left to themselves, they would fall;
but they are kept by the power of God, and the prayer of Christ. Our Lord gave notice of a very
great change of circumstances now approaching. The disciples must not expect that their friends
would be kind to them as they had been. Therefore, he that has a purse, let him take it, for he may
need it. They must now expect that their enemies would be more fierce than they had been, and
they would need weapons. At the time the apostles understood Christ to mean real weapons, but
he spake only of the weapons of the spiritual warfare. The sword of the Spirit is the sword with
which the disciples of Christ must furnish themselves.
Verses 39–46
Every description which the evangelists give of the state of mind in which our Lord entered
upon this conflict, proves the tremendous nature of the assault, and the perfect foreknowledge of
its terrors possessed by the meek and lowly Jesus. Here are three things not in the other evangelists.
- When Christ was in his agony, there appeared to him an angel from heaven, strengthening him.
It was a part of his humiliation that he was thus strengthened by a ministering spirit. 2. Being in
agony, he prayed more earnestly. Prayer, though never out of season, is in a special manner
seasonable when we are in an agony. 3. In this agony his sweat was as it were great drops of blood
falling down. This showed the travail of his soul. We should pray also to be enabled to resist unto
the shedding of our blood, striving against sin, if ever called to it. When next you dwell in
imagination upon the delights of some favourite sin, think of its effects as you behold them here!
See its fearful effects in the garden of Gethsemane, and desire, by the help of God, deeply to hate
and to forsake that enemy, to ransom sinners from whom the Redeemer prayed, agonized, and bled.
Verses 47–53
Nothing can be a greater affront or grief to the Lord Jesus, than to be betrayed by those who
profess to be his followers, and say that they love him. Many instances there are, of Christ's being
betrayed by those who, under the form of godliness, fight against the power of it. Jesus here gave