Matthew Poole and continuators on Matthew 26:26

26 But all this was done, that the Scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled, Then all the disciples forsook him, and fled.

Mark hath the same, Ch. 14. v. 48, 49, 50. Luke, Ch. 22. 52, 53. hath it thus. Then Iesus said unto the Chief Priests, and the Captains of the Temple, and the Elders which were come to him, Be ye come out as against a Thief, with Swords, and Staves? when I was daily with you in the Temple, you stretched forth no Ha[illegible: 1 letter]ds against me. But this is your Hour, and the Power of darknest. What our Evangelist reports as spoken to the Rabble, Luke reports as spoken to the Chief Priests, and Captains of the Temple (that is, of the Souldiers, who at that time were the Guard of the Temple) some of which it should seem, came along with the Rabble, to whom our Saviour directeth his Speech. I sate daily with you Teaching in the Temple. I observed before that it was their usual manner, for those that Taught in the Temple to Sit while they Taught, to Testify their Authority, Christ when he came up to the Passover, was wont to Teach in the Temple, and you laid no hold on me. I did not hide my self, nor go about to raise a party to defend my self, but quietly taught in the Temple, if I had been guilty of any Crime you might easily have taken me, why are you now come out against me, as against a Thief, upon whom you had need to raise the Country? why come you against me with Swords, and Staves? as if you thought I would make some Resistance to defend my self? you never saw any such thing in me, as should give you a jealousie of such a thing? But all this was done that the Scriptures of the Prophets might be fulfilled. The many Scriptures, which spake concerning the sufferings of Christ. Luke addeth, But this is your Hour, and the Power of darkness, that is, this is that which God hath determined. Wicked Men and Persecutors of Christ, and his Gospel, have their Hour. There is a time which God in his wise Counsels hath set, and determined, when for the Tryal of his Peoples Faith, and Patience, he suffers the Devil by vile and wicked Men, who are his Instruments, to imprison and otherwise vex, and molest his People. That such a time is their Hour, and what they do is by the Permission and according to the Counsel of God, and but an Hour, a determined, and short time, are great Arguments for to persuade us to the Exercise of Faith, and Patience. And the Power of darkness. A time when the Prince of darkness is putting forth his Power: or the Power of darkness, that is, a time of exceeding great darkness, of Affliction to me, and my Disciples. Wicked Mens Hour is always to Christs Disciples the Power of Darkness. And all his Disciples forsook him and fled. Probably all of them fled at first, tho Peter and another came back again: Or, All here signifieth the most of them. We never know our Hearts upon the prospect of great Tryals, until we come to grapple with them, and to be ingaged in them. These Disciples had all said, They would not forsake him, when it comes to the push, not one of them stands by him. But altho they shrunk at first, not without the Providence of God permitting them thus to fail in their Duty, then Governing their failers to his own Glory: yet they again returned to their Duty, after Christs Resurrection, owned Christ, preached his Gospel, and at last drank off the Cup, which he Drank of first, and were Baptized with the Baptisme, wherewith he was Baptized. All must not not be Condemned for Flight in a time of Persecution. We must observe whether they Apostatize from their Profession, or whether they do not return again, before we pass a Judgment against them.

Marginal references: La[illegible: 1 letter]. 4 [illegible: 2 letters]