great council seems to have been held; and 'they consulted how they might take Jesus by craft, and put him to death." But they effected nothing till Judas appeared before them, and proposed to lead them to him in his retirement; that is, as Luke expresses it, "in the absence of the multitude.' This was precisely what they desired; and they contracted with him to do it for thirty pieces of silver, probably shekels, and equal in value, therefore, to about fourteen dollars and seventy cents. For this paltry reward did the miserable man blacken himself with infamy and guilt. CHAPTER XVIII. - THE PASSOVER- THE LORD'S SUPPER INSTITUTED THE feast of the passover began on Thursday. On the morning of that day, the disciples inquired of Jesus, where they should prepare for the evening festival. As none of them were inhabitants of Jerusalem, they must depend on the hospitality of some of the citizens for accommodation; and as, at this season, the houses were freely thrown open to the visiters from the country, there could be no difficulty in finding a place. Jesus directed them to the house of a person whom he pointed out, probably one of his followers, who had a large upper room ready furnished; and directed Peter and John to go thither, and make ready for the evening. Their principal duty was to prepare the paschal lamb. This it was necessary for them to take to the Temple, and slay before the altar with their own hands. One of the priests received the blood in a vessel, and it was poured out at the bottom of the altar. The fat was consumed on the altar. The time prescribed in the law for doing this, was "at even, at the going down of the sun. "Jose Matthew xxvi. 17.Mark xiv. 12. Luke xxii. 7. phus says, that it was done between the ninth and eleventh hours; that is, between three and five o'clock in the afternoon. After that, the lamb was to be roasted whole, not even a bone being allowed to be broken, and to be entirely eaten before morning. The manner of conducting the supper appears to have been somewhat as follows. The lamb was placed upon the table, together with bitter herbs, unleavened bread, and a sauce called charoseth, in which the herbs and bread were dipped when eaten. This sauce was composed of dates, figs, and other fruits, beaten together, and is said to have been designed to represent the clay or mortar used by the Israelites in making bricks in Egypt. The party being assembled at table, not sitting, but reclining on couches, and leaning on the left arm, the master of the family poured out a cup of wine and water, gave thanks, and distributed it to all present. In the same way he afterward took a piece of the unleavened bread, pronounced a blessing, and distributed it. Toward the close of the meal a third cup of wine was drunk, called the cup of blessing. The ceremony was ended with a fourth, and by singing certain Psalms, namely, the cxvi, cxvII, CXVIII. We shall find traces of this order in the account of the last supper as observed by Jesus. When the hour arrived, Jesus and the Twelve sat down together. It was usual to assemble in family parties; but, in the present instance, there was a stronger bond than that of kindred to draw these friends together. It was possibly to this circumstance that Jesus alluded, when he said to his disciples, that he had exceedingly desired to keep this passover in their company; not with his mother and kinsmen, but with his own chosen few. It might remind them of his having formerly said, that he regarded those as most truly his relatives, who were most devoted to his Father's will. It was probably in taking their places at the table, that the contest for precedency, which is mentioned by Luke, arose among the disciples; "a strife which should be accounted greatest.' Jesus rebuked the unseasonable rivalry, reminded them, that place was no true indication of worth, that he himself had been with them as a servant, and that it should be enough for them, who had continued with him through his trials, to know that they should share the honors of his kingdom at last. Being placed at the table, he expressed to them his satisfaction at thus meeting them. He had greatly desired it, he said, because it would be the last opportunity. Then, taking the cup of wine, with which it was customary to begin the Luke xxii. 24. ceremony, he gave thanks and distributed it among them. He then rose from his couch, laid aside his upper robe, girded himself with a towel, and, taking a basin of water, proceeded to wash the disciples' feet. This service was usually performed by menials; and accordingly when he came to Peter, that ardent apostle, unwilling to allow such condescension in his Master, cried out, "Thou shalt never wash my feet." "If I wash thee not," replied Jesus, "thou hast no part with Peter immediately went to the other exLord, not my feet only, but my hands and my head." The answer of Jesus shows how strongly his mind was affected by the sad circumstance, that one of his own Twelve would betray him. He that has already bathed, he said, needs only to wash his feet, for he is clean; ye, therefore, are clean; "but not all," he added, as the thought of Judas came over him. me.' treme; " Resuming his place at the table, he explained to them, that he had thus been setting them an example of humility which they ought to follow. He probably had in mind what had passed before supper, and in this striking way endeavored to impress permanently on their hearts his lessons of humility and love. John xiii. 1. |
