are the words quoted by our Lord? "I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad." To whom did those words refer? To our Lord and his Apostles. How do you know that they refer to our Lord and his Apostles? Because they are so applied by our Lord himself. Who then is meant by "the shepherd"? The Lord Jesus Christ. What is meant by the shepherd being smitten? That he would be scourged, and put to death. Who are meant by " the sheep of the flock"? His disciples. In what sense would they be "scattered abroad"? They would forsake him and flee. Why did our Lord foretel his disciples how cowardly and faithless they would prove? That they might not feel proud and selfsecure, because they were not deliberate traitors like Judas. 32. Were the disciples to be scattered finally and for ever? No; they were to meet again, and in the presence of their Master. Did our Lord assure them of this? Yes. What did he say? "But after I am risen again; I will go before you into Galilee." Why did our Lord give them this assurance? To comfort them, by leading their minds to the belief and expectation of his rising from the dead. 33. Which part of our Lord's announcement made the greatest impression on the minds of his disciples? What he said about them. What had he said about them? That they would be offended, and desert him. Did they believe it possible, that they should forsake their beloved Master ? No. Which of them was most forward to repel the idea? "Peter." What did he say? Though all men shall be offended because of thee, yet will I never be offended." What made Peter speak so confidently? The natural ardour of his disposition. 34. What did Jesus then say to him? "Verily I say unto thee, That this night, before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice." Did our Lord know beforehand, that Peter would deny him, and how often? Yes. What does such foreknowledge prove? The Divinity of him who possesses it. What is the time mentioned when Peter would deny him? "This night, before the cock crow." Does not the Evangelist Mark say, before the cock crow twice? How is this difference to be accounted for? There were two points of time called cock-crowing, and the second, which was the more special, is referred to in both instances. When was the first cock-crow? About midnight. was the second and more special cock-crow? first break of day. Yes.* When At the 35. When Peter was informed that he would deny his Lord, how did he feel? Still more vehement in his determination not to deny him. How was his determination expressed? "Though I should die with thee, yet will I not deny thee." Did any other of the disciples say the same? * Mark xiv. 30. "Likewise also said all the disciples." What did they all say? That they would rather die with their Lord than deny him. Was this resolution of the disciples commendable? The resolution was good in itself; but not so the spirit in which it was formed. What was the spirit in which they formed this determinaIt was inflated and self-confident. What do tion? you mean by inflated? Puffed up with an idea of their own goodness. And what do you mean by self-confident? Relying on their own strength. When are the disciples of Christ in a fit state of mind for meeting and overcoming temptation? When they have lowly thoughts of themselves, and put their entire trust in the Lord for grace and strength. 36. What did our Lord do, to fortify the minds of his disciples, and to prepare them for the temptation that was at hand? He delivered to them the important instructions recorded in the xv. chap. of John's Gospel. On what particular subjects? On union to Himself and to each other. Did he tell them his design in dwelling on those topics? Yes; he said, These things have I spoken should not be offended.* "offended"? See ver. 31. unto you, that ye What is meant by Was our Lord's dis course peculiarly suited to the state of mind of the disciples, and to the experience of believers in all ages? Yes; very much so. said, to lower their self-confidence. John xvi. 1. D D Mention what he Without me ye can do nothing.* And what did he say, to promote their stability? Abide in me. . . If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered.† When our Lord had given these instructions to his disciples, what did he do further? He prayed for them. Where is his prayer recorded? In the xvii. chapter of John's Gospel. What is that prayer usually called? Our Lord's intercessory prayer. What is intercession? The pleading of one on behalf of another. Did our Lord intercede for the eleven Apostles only? No; he said, Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word. ‡ To whom, then, does the benefit of these intercessions extend? To all believers, in every succeeding age. Does that include ourselves? Yes; if we believe on the Son of God. When our Lord had ended his prayer, whither did he go down? Towards the mount of Olives. || What did he and his disciples then cross? The brook Kedron.§ Where did the Kedron flow? Along a valley to the East of Jerusalem, at the base of mount Olivet. Was the Kedron a large river? No; it was often dry in summer, when no rains fell. Having crossed this brook, whither did they come ? "Then cometh Jesus with them unto a place called Gethsemane.”¶ To what particular spot did they repair? To a garden, whither Jesus oftimes resorted with his * John xv. 5. & John xviii. 1. John xv. 4 & 6. John xvii. 20. || See ver. 30. "Gethsemane" signifies the place of oil-presses. "Sit ye disciples.* When they had entered the garden, what did our Lord say to his disciples? here, while I go and pray yonder." What did he mean by "yonder"? The farther end of the garden. What is the present appearance of the spot, supposed to have been the garden of Gethsemane? It is a square plat of ground, planted with olive-trees of an old growth. Is it very extensive, as it now appears? No; not above fifty-seven yards square. Where did our Lord direct his disciples to sit? At the entrance, within the garden. 37. Did he leave them all there? No; "he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee." Who was Peter? See viii. 14. What were the names of the sons of Zebedee? See iv. 21. For what purpose did our Lord take with him Peter, James, and John? That they might be witnesses of the agony he was about to endure. Wherein did that agony consist? In deadly anguish of spirit. Whence did that deadly anguish of spirit arise? From the wrath of God and the malice of Satan. Why did the Almighty pour out his wrath upon his innocent and well-beloved Son? Because he stood in the place of the guilty, and bore the indignation due to our sins. Why did Satan assail him? Because he wished to ruin mankind, by crushing thei Deliverer. How is the beginning of this sore conflict described? "He began to be sorrowful and What prophecy do these words bring very heavy." John xviii. 1, 2. |