Matthew Poole and continuators on Matthew 26:25

25 Then Judas which betrayed him, answered, and said, Master is it I? He said unto hm. Thou hast said.

Mark hath the same, Ch. 14. [illegible: 1 letter]. 17, 18, 19, 20, 21. And in the Evening he cometh with the twelve. And as they sate and did Eat. Iesus saith, Verily I say unto you, one of you shall betray me which Eateth with me. And they began to be sorrowful, and to say unto him, one by one, is it I? And he answered and said, It is one of the twelve, that dippeth with me in the Dish. The Son of Man indeed goeth, as it is written of him, but Woe unto that Man, by whom the Son of Man is betrayed; good were it for that Man if he had never been Born. Luke saith, Ch. 22.14, 15, 16, &c. And when the Hour was come, he sate down, and the twelve Apostles with him. And he said unto them, with desire have I desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer, for I say unto you, I will not any more eat thereof until it be fulfilled in the Kingdom of God. And he took the Cup and gave thanks, and said, Take this, and divide it [illegible: 1 word] your selves. For I say unto you, I will not drink of the Fruit of the Vine, until the Kingdom of God shall come. Then Luke passeth to our Lords institution of the Supper: Luke mixeth the Discourse about the Person that should betray him, with the Relation about the Institution of the Supper, contrary to the Relation both of Matthew and Mark, and Iohn, so as we may reasonably think, that Luke mis-placeth it, giving us an Account of that passage, v. 21, 22, 23. within his Relation of the History of his receiving the Passover, and instituting of the Supper, which immediately followed each other, but not strictly in that Order, in which our Saviour spake them, which appeareth plainly by the other three Evangelists, to have been during the Eating of the Passover, and before the Institution of the Lords Supper. For the understanding of the History, we must understand something of the Iewish Order, in their Eating of the Passover; which was this, as we have it described, by the Learned Doctor Lightfoot. Their sitting at Meat was commonly upon Beds or Couches, made for that purpose, with the Table before them: Now at other meats, they either sate as we do, with their Bodies erect, or when they would inlarge themselves to more Freedom of Feasting, or refreshing, they sate upon the Beds, and leaned upon the Table on their left Elbow, and this, or the others posture, they used indifferently at other times, as they were disposed, but on the Passover night they thought they were obliged to use this leaning Composure, and you may take their Reason for it in some of their own Words. They used their leaning posture as Free-men do, in memorial of their Freedom. And Levi said, because it is the manner of Servants, to eat standing, therefore now they Eat sitting, and leaning, to shew that they were got out of Servitude into Freedom—Upon this Principle and Conceit of Freedom, they used this manner of discumbency, frequently, at other times, but indispensably this Night, so far different from the posture enjoyned and practised at the first Passover in Egypt, when they ate it with their Loyns girded, their shooes on their Feet, their Staves in their Hands, and in hast, Exod. 12.11. v. And as the thought of their Freedom disposed them to this leaning, reposed, secure Composure of their Elbow upon the Table, and their Head leaning on their Hand, so to Emblem out the Matter the more highly, they laid their Legs under them sitting on them, and laying out their Feet behind them. (Thus the Woman, Luke 7.38. could conveniently come at our Saviours Feet to wash, anoint and wipe them.) Thus removing, and acquitting their Legs and Feet, as far as possible, from the least shew of standing to attend, or readiness to go upon any ones imployment, which might carry with it the least Colour of servitude, or Contrariety to their Freedom. Now according to the manner of sitting, and leaning are the Texts to be understood, about the beloved Disciples leaning in the Bosom of Jesus, Ioh. 13.23. and on the Breast of Jesus, Ioh. 13.25. & 21.20. [non-Latin text not transcribed], or [non-Latin text not transcribed], which some Translators, not having observed, or at least not expressed, they have intricated the Reader, in such gross Conceptions about this matter, as that some have thought, and some have pictured Iohn reposing himself, or lolling on the Breast of Jesus, contrary to all Order and Decency: Whereas the manner of sitting together, was only thus, Jesus leaning upon the Table with his left Elbow, and so turning his Face and Breast away from the Table, on one side: Iohn sate in the same posture next before him, with his Back towards Jesus, his Breast or Bosom not so neer as that Iohns Back and Jesus his Breast did joyn together, and touch one another, but at such a distance, as that there was space for Jesus to use his right hand upon the Table, to reach his Meat at his Pleasure, and so for all the rest, as they sate in like manner. For it is but a [illegible: 1 letter]tange Fancy, with which some have satisfied themselves about this Matter, conceiving either, that they lay upon the Beds before the Table, one tumbling upon, or before the Breast of another, or if they sate leaning on the Table, that they sate so close, that the Back of one joyned to the Breast of another, they sate leaning but with such distance between each other, that the right Hand of every one of them had Liberty to come, and go, betwixt himself and his Fellow, to reach his Meat▪ as he had occasion.—Thus far that Learned Man in his Discourse of the Temple-Service, in the time of our Saviour, Ch. 13. By which Discourse we may learn. 1. That the Jews at the eating of the Passover, used the very same posture as at other times they did Eat their Meat in. 2. That this was not lying along, but sitting upon their Legs, and sometimes leaning their Head upon their left Elbow, yet at such a distance one from another, as every one that sate might freely use their Right Hand to take their Meat, and reach it to their Mouths: Nor did they always sit at Meat so leaning▪ but at their pleasure Leaned, or not Leaned, only at the Paschal Supper they always Leaned, as an Emblem of their more perfect Liberty. By this we easily understand what is Meant by Christs Sitting down with the Twelve, after the manner of that Country in eating their Meat. And as they did Eat, he said unto them. For the understanding of this we must a little inquire into the Jewish manner of Eating that holy Supper, which I will take out of the afore-mentioned Learned Author in the same Book and Chapter, Paragraph third. They being thus set the first thing towards this Passover Supper, that they went about, was, that they every one Drank off a Cup of Wine. So do their own Directories and Rituals about this thing inform us.—Now the consideration of this is of mighty use to us to help us to understand the two Cups mentioned by Luke, Ch. 22. v. 17. and again v. 20. The latter was the Cup which our Saviour consecrated for the institution of his Supper, as is plain by the Consecration of the Bread mentioned immediately before it, v. 19. The Cup mentioned, v. 17. was their first Cup of Wine, which they Drank before the Passover Supper, mentioned by Luke only. Our Saviours giving thanks when he took it, was but his Blessing of the whole Paschal Supper. Luke before this mentions some Words of our Saviour, v. 15, 16. with desire have I desired to Eat this Passover with you before I suffer. For I say unto you, I will not Eat any more thereof, until it be fulfilled in the Kingdom of God. That is, I am now about to suffer, I know that I am betrayed, I have therefore earnestly desired to Eat this Passover with you before I dye, to put an end to this Legal Service, which hath now continued so many Years, and hath all this time been but a Type of me, and my Death, and Oblation for Sin, Iohn 1.29. 1 Cor. 5.7. For this is the last Passover I shall Eat with you, or that you shall Eat before you see those things fulfilled in Gospel Providences, which this Service doth but Typify. This indeed was but the Preface to the Paschal Supper, nor doth Luke mention more of it, only addeth v. 18. For I will not Drink of the Fruit of the Vine, until the Kingdom of God shall come. Of which Words I shall here say nothing, for they are doubtless by Luke put out of the true order, being both by Mark and Matthew mentioned, as spoken after that our Saviour had Blessed, and taken the Sacramental Cup. So as questionless the 21, 22. Verses in Luke, should have been before the eighteenth, according to the order in which Matthew and Mark patteth them, and v. 18, should be put after v. 20. and so also both Matthew and Mark do place them. Luke mentioneth no more of the Paschal Supper, let us therefore return to our Evangelist. [And as they did Eat] that is, the Paschal Supper, which (according to the Law) Exod. 12.8. was the Lamb, or Kid roasted, which they were to Eat with unleavened Bread, and bitter Herbs. The Jews had an hundred Traditional Rites, which they observed about the Paschal Supper But there seems to have none of them been of any Divine Institution. The Law required no more then the Eating of the Lamb, or Kid roasted, with unleavened Bread, and bitter Herbs ▪ As to their Drink it prescribed nothing, they were left to Liberty; for their Tradition of four Cups of Wine to be Drank. &c. I cannot find any of the Evangelists mentioning our Saviours usage of any such thing, but very probably, he Drank Wine at his Pleasure, as at other Meals. Keeping only to the Rule of the Law. Now saith Matthew and Mark. And as they did Eat▪ he said Verily, I say unto you, that one of you shall Betray me. He had before told them the Son of Man should be betrayed, Ch. 17.22. &. 20.18. where he had also told them he should be Scourged, Mocked, and Crucified; but he now cometh to discover the Traytor to them. One of you: And they were exceeding sorrowful, and began every one to say unto him, Lord! Is it I? they were sorrowful that he should be Betrayed by any, but more troubled, that one of themselves should be so Accursed an Instrument, every one mistrusts his own Heart, and saith, is it I? Christ replyeth, He that dippeth his Hand with me in the Dish, the same shall betray me. The Dish here could be no other, than the Dish at the Passover Supper, probably the Hand of Iudas was at that time with our Saviours in the Dish, for we Read of no more reply from any, but from Iudas. Our Saviour addeth, The Son of Man goeth as it is Written of him, but woe unto that Man, by whom the Son of Man is betrayed. It had been good for that Man, if he had not been Born. By these Words our Saviour doometh the Traytor, tho withal he tells them, That for his suffering he was determined by God, foretold by the Prophets, and so Eventually necessary, he was not dragged to it, the Son of Man goeth. But Gods Decree as to the thing, did neither take away the Liberty of Iudas his Will in Acting, nor yet excuse the Fact he did. Woe unto that Man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed. A Text worthy of their Study, who will not understand how God should Decree to permit Sin, and make a sinful Act as to the Event necessary, without being the Author of Sin. As to our Saviours Death, God had determined it, foretold it, it was necessary to be, but yet Satan put the Evil Motion into the Heart of Iudas, and Iudas acted freely in the doing what he did. Then Judas which betrayed him, answered, and said, Master is it I? and he said unto him, Thou hast said. This (as I said) maketh it very probable that the Hand of Iudas was in the Dish with our Saviours, dipping in the Sauce, when our Saviour spake these former Words. That Iudas as well as the other Disciples was with our Lord at this Action, is out of doubt. That he stayed any longer, may very well be questioned, not only because Iohn saith, Ch. 13.30. He then having received the Sop, went immediately out. But because one cannot in reason think that his Guilty Conscience, should suffer him to stay beyond that Word, or that our Saviour would have admitted of the Society of so Prodigious a Traytor at his last Supper, the Institution of which immediately followed-