The Celebration of the Passover

301 And Hezekiah sendeth unto all Israel and Judah, and also letters he hath written unto Ephraim and Manasseh, to come in to the house of Jehovah in Jerusalem, to make a passover to Jehovah, God of Israel. 2 And the king taketh counsel, and his heads, and all the assembly in Jerusalem, to make the passover in the second month, 3 for they have not been able to make it at that time, for the priests have not sanctified themselves sufficiently, and the people have not been gathered to Jerusalem. 4 And the thing is right in the eyes of the king, and in the eyes of all the assembly, 5 and they establish the thing, to cause to pass over an intimation into all Israel, from Beer-Sheba even unto Dan, to come in to make a passover to Jehovah, God of Israel, in Jerusalem, for not for a long time had they done as it is written. 6 And the runners go with letters from the hand of the king and his heads, into all Israel and Judah, even according to the command of the king, saying, 'O sons of Israel, turn back unto Jehovah, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, and He doth turn back unto the escaped part that is left of you from the hand of the kings of Asshur; 7 and do not be like your fathers, and like your brethren, who trespassed against Jehovah, God of their fathers, and He giveth them to desolation, as ye do see. 8 'Now, harden not your neck like your fathers, give a hand to Jehovah, and come in to His sanctuary, that He hath sanctified to the age, and serve Jehovah your God, and the fierceness of His anger doth turn back from you; 9 for in your turning back unto Jehovah, your brethren and your sons have mercies before their captors, even to return to this land, for gracious and merciful 'is' Jehovah your God, and He doth not turn aside the face from you, if ye turn back unto Him.' 10 And the runners are passing over from city to city, in the land of Ephraim and Manasseh, even unto Zebulun: and they are laughing at them, and mocking at them, 11 only, certain from Asher, and Manasseh, and from Zebulun, have been humbled, and come in to Jerusalem. 12 Also, in Judah hath the hand of God been to give to them one heart to do the command of the king and of the heads, in the matter of Jehovah;

13 and much people are gathered to Jerusalem, to make the feast of unleavened things in the second month—a mighty assembly for multitude. 14 And they arise and turn aside the altars that 'are' in Jerusalem, and all the perfume altars they have turned aside, and cast 'them' to the brook Kidron; 15 and they slaughter the passover-offering on the fourteenth of the second month, and the priests and the Levites have been ashamed, and sanctify themselves, and bring in burnt-offerings to the house of Jehovah. 16 And they stand on their station according to their ordinance; according to the law of Moses the man of God the priests are sprinkling the blood out of the hand of the Levites, 17 for many 'are' in the assembly who have not sanctified themselves, and the Levites 'are' over the slaughtering of the passover-offerings for every one not clean, to sanctify 'him' to Jehovah: 18 for a multitude of the people, many from Ephraim and Manasseh, Issachar, and Zebulun, have not been cleansed, but have eaten the passover otherwise than it is written; but Hezekiah prayed for them, saying, 'Jehovah, who 'is' good, doth receive atonement for every one 19 who hath prepared his heart to seek God—Jehovah, God of his fathers—yet not according to the cleansing of the sanctuary;' 20 and Jehovah hearkeneth unto Hezekiah, and healeth the people.

21 And the sons of Israel, those found in Jerusalem, make the feast of unleavened things seven days with great joy; and giving praise to Jehovah day by day are the Levites and the priests, with instruments of praise before Jehovah. 22 And Hezekiah speaketh unto the heart of all the Levites, those giving good understanding concerning Jehovah, and they eat the appointed thing seven days; sacrificing sacrifices of peace-offerings, and making confession to Jehovah, God of their fathers. 23 And all the assembly take counsel to keep other seven days, and they keep seven days 'with' joy; 24 for Hezekiah king of Judah hath presented to the assembly a thousand bullocks, and seven thousand sheep; and the heads have presented to the assembly bullocks a thousand, and sheep ten thousand; and priests sanctify themselves in abundance. 25 And all the assembly of Judah rejoice, and the priests, and the Levites, and all the assembly, those coming in from Israel, and the sojourners, those coming in from the land of Israel, and those dwelling in Judah, 26 and there is great joy in Jerusalem; for from the days of Solomon son of David king of Israel there is not like this in Jerusalem, 27 and the priests, the Levites, rise and bless the people, and their voice is heard, and their prayer cometh in to His holy habitation, to the heavens.

311 And at the completion of all this, gone out have all Israel who are found present to the cities of Judah, and break the standing-pillars, and cut down the shrines, and break down the high places and the altars, out of all Judah and Benjamin, and in Ephraim and Manasseh, even to completion, and all the sons of Israel turn back, each to his Possession, to their cities.

Hezekiah's Provision for the Priests and Levites

2 And Hezekiah appointeth the courses of the priests, and of the Levites, by their courses, each according to his service, of the priests and of the Levites, for burnt-offering, and for peace-offerings, to minister, and to give thanks, and to give praise in the gates of the camps of Jehovah. 3 And a portion of the king, from his substance, 'is' for burnt-offerings, for burnt-offerings of the morning, and of the evening, and the burnt-offerings of sabbaths, and of new moons, and of appointed seasons, as it is written in the law of Jehovah. 4 And he saith to the people, to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, to give the portion of the priests, and of the Levites, so that they are strengthened in the law of Jehovah; 5 and at the spreading forth of the thing have the sons of Israel multiplied the first-fruit of corn, new wine, and oil, and honey, and of all the increase of the field, and the tithe of the whole in abundance they have brought in. 6 And the sons of Israel and Judah, those dwelling in cities of Judah, they also a tithe of herd and flock, and a tithe of the holy things that are sanctified to Jehovah their God, have brought in, and they give—heaps, heaps; 7 in the third month they have begun to lay the foundation of the heaps, and in the seventh month they have finished. 8 And Hezekiah and the heads come in and see the heaps, and bless Jehovah and His people Israel, 9 and Hezekiah inquireth at the priests and the Levites concerning the heaps, 10 and Azariah the head priest, of the house of Zadok, speaketh unto him, and saith, 'From the beginning of the bringing of the heave-offering to the house of Jehovah, 'there is' to eat, and to be satisfied, and to leave abundantly, for Jehovah hath blessed His people, and that left 'is' this store.'

11 And Hezekiah saith to prepare chambers in the house of Jehovah, and they prepare, 12 and they bring in the heave-offering, and the tithe, and the holy things faithfully; and over them is a leader, Conaniah the Levite, and Shimei his brother 'is' second; 13 and Jehiel, and Azaziah, and Nahath, and Asahel, and Jerimoth, and Jozabad, and Eliel, and Ismachiah, and Mahath, and Benaiah, 'are' inspectors under the hand of Conaniah and Shimei his brother, by the appointment of Hezekiah the king, and Azariah leader of the house of God. 14 And Kore son of Imnah the Levite, the gatekeeper at the east, 'is' over the willing-offerings of God, to give the heave-offering of Jehovah, and the most holy things. 15 And by his hand 'are' Eden, and Miniamin, and Jeshua, and Shemaiah, Amariah, and Shechaniah, in cities of the priests, faithfully to give to their brethren in courses, as the great so the small, 16 apart from their genealogy, to males from a son of three years and upward, to every one who hath gone in to the house of Jehovah, by the matter of a day in its day, for their service in their charges, according to their courses; 17 and the genealogy of the priests by the house of their fathers, and of the Levites, from a son of twenty years and upward, in their charges, in their courses; 18 and to the genealogy among all their infants, their wives, and their sons, and their daughters to all the congregation, for in their faithfulness they sanctify themselves in holiness. 19 And to sons of Aaron, the priests, in the fields of the suburb of their cities, in every city and city, 'are' men who have been defined by name, to give portions to every male among the priests, and to every one who reckoned himself by genealogy among the Levites. 20 And Hezekiah doth thus in all Judah, and doth that which is good, and that which is right, and that which is true, before Jehovah his God; 21 and in every work that he hath begun for the service of the house of God, and for the law, and for the command, to seek to his God, with all his heart he hath wrought and prospered.

The Betrayal and Arrest of Jesus

181 These things having said, Jesus went forth with his disciples beyond the brook of Kedron, where was a garden, into which he entered, himself and his disciples, 2 and Judas also, who delivered him up, had known the place, because many times did Jesus assemble there with his disciples. 3 Judas, therefore, having taken the band and officers out of the chief priests and Pharisees, doth come thither with torches and lamps, and weapons; 4 Jesus, therefore, knowing all things that are coming upon him, having gone forth, said to them, 'Whom do ye seek?' 5 they answered him, 'Jesus the Nazarene;' Jesus saith to them, 'I am 'he';'—and Judas who delivered him up was standing with them;— 6 when, therefore, he said to them—'I am 'he',' they went away backward, and fell to the ground. 7 Again, therefore, he questioned them, 'Whom do ye seek?' and they said, 'Jesus the Nazarene;' 8 Jesus answered, 'I said to you that I am 'he'; if, then, me ye seek, suffer these to go away;' 9 that the word might be fulfilled that he said—'Those whom Thou hast given to me, I did not lose of them even one.' 10 Simon Peter, therefore, having a sword, drew it, and struck the chief priest's servant, and cut off his right ear—and the name of the servant was Malchus— 11 Jesus, therefore, said to Peter, 'Put the sword into the sheath; the cup that the Father hath given to me, may I not drink it?'

Jesus Brought before the High Priest

12 The band, therefore, and the captain, and the officers of the Jews, took hold on Jesus, and bound him,

13 and they led him away to Annas first, for he was father-in-law of Caiaphas, who was chief priest of that year, 14 and Caiaphas was he who gave counsel to the Jews, that it is good for one man to perish for the people.

Peter in the High Priest's Court

15 And following Jesus was Simon Peter, and the other disciple, and that disciple was known to the chief priest, and he entered with Jesus to the hall of the chief priest, 16 and Peter was standing at the door without, therefore went forth the other disciple who was known to the chief priest, and he spake to the female keeping the door, and he brought in Peter. 17 Then said the maid keeping the door to Peter, 'Art thou also of the disciples of this man?' he saith, 'I am not;' 18 and the servants and the officers were standing, having made a fire of coals, because it was cold, and they were warming themselves, and Peter was standing with them, and warming himself.

Matthew Henry's Commentary on John 18:1-18

Commentary on John 18:1-12

(Read John 18:1-12)

Sin began in the garden of Eden, there the curse was pronounced, there the Redeemer was promised; and in a garden that promised Seed entered into conflict with the old serpent. Christ was buried also in a garden. Let us, when we walk in our gardens, take occasion from thence to mediate on Christ's sufferings in a garden. Our Lord Jesus, knowing all things that should come upon him, went forth and asked, Whom seek ye? When the people would have forced him to a crown, he withdrew, 15, but when they came to force him to a cross, he offered himself; for he came into this world to suffer, and went to the other world to reign. He showed plainly what he could have done; when he struck them down he could have struck them dead, but he would not do so. It must have been the effect of Divine power, that the officers and soldiers let the disciples go away quietly, after the resistance which had been offered. Christ set us an example of meekness in sufferings, and a pattern of submission to God's will in every thing that concerns us. It is but a cup, a small matter. It is a cup that is given us; sufferings are gifts. It is given us by a Father, who has a father's authority, and does us no wrong; a father's affection, and means us no hurt. From the example of our Saviour we should learn how to receive our lighter afflictions, and to ask ourselves whether we ought to oppose our Father's will, or to distrust his love. We were bound with the cords of our iniquities, with the yoke of our transgressions. Christ, being made a sin-offering for us, to free us from those bonds, himself submitted to be bound for us. To his bonds we owe our liberty; thus the Son makes us free.

Commentary on John 18:13-27

(Read John 18:13-27)

Simon Peter denied his Master. The particulars have been noticed in the remarks on the other Gospels. The beginning of sin is as the letting forth of water. The sin of lying is a fruitful sin; one lie needs another to support it, and that another. If a call to expose ourselves to danger be clear, we may hope God will enable us to honour him; if it be not, we may fear that God will leave us to shame ourselves. They said nothing concerning the miracles of Jesus, by which he had done so much good, and which proved his doctrine. Thus the enemies of Christ, whilst they quarrel with his truth, wilfully shut their eyes against it. He appeals to those who heard him. The doctrine of Christ may safely appeal to all that know it, and those who judge in truth bear witness to it. Our resentment of injuries must never be passionate. He reasoned with the man that did him the injury, and so may we.