Page:Lives of the apostles of Jesus Christ (1836).djvu/125

 damp the most fiery valor. He said to his zealous and fierce defender, "Put up thy sword again into its sheath, for they that take the sword shall perish by the sword. The cup which my Father hath given me, shall I not drink? Thinkest thou that if I should now pray to my Father, he would not instantly send me twelve legions of angels at a word? But how then shall the scriptures be fulfilled, which say that it must be thus?" Having thus stopped the ineffectual and dangerous opposition of his few followers, he quietly gave himself up to his captors, interceding however for his poor, friendless and unprotected disciples. "I am Jesus of Nazareth: if therefore you seek me, let these go their way." This he said as it were in reference to a literal and corporeal fulfilment of the words which he had used in his last prayer with his disciples,—"Of them whom thou gavest me I lost none." The disciples after receiving from Jesus such a special command to abstain from resistance, and perceiving how utterly desperate was the condition of affairs, without waiting the decision of the question, all forsaking him, fled; and favored by darkness and their familiar knowledge of the grounds, they all escaped in various directions.

Gethsemane.—This place has already been alluded to in the description of Mount Olivet. [Note on p. 96.] From the same source I extract a further brief notice of the present aspect of this most holy ground. "Proceeding along the valley of Kedron, at the foot of Mount Olivet, is the garden of Gethsemane: an even plat of ground, not above fifty-seven yards square, where are shown some old olive trees, supposed to identify the spot to which our Lord was wont to repair. John, xviii. 1, 2." [Mod. Trav. Palestine, p. 156.] It is also remarked by Dr. Richardson, [p. 78 of the same work,] that "the gardens of Gethsemane are still in the sort of a ruined cultivation; the fences are broken down, and the olive trees decaying, as if the hand that dressed and fed them was withdrawn."

The etymology and meaning of the name Gethsemane, is given by Lightfoot, (Centur. Chorog. in Matt., cap. 41.) The name is derived from the product of the tree which was so abundantly raised there, and which gave name also to the mountain. Gethsemane is compounded of, "a press," and , "olive oil,"—"an oil-press;" because the oil was pressed out and manufactured on the spot where the olive was raised.

Ten o'clock.—This I conclude to have been about the time, because (in Matt. xxvi. 20) it is said that it was evening already, (that is, about 6 o'clock,) when Jesus sat down to supper with his disciples, and allowing time on the one hand for the events at the supper-table and on the walk, as well as those in the garden,—and on the other hand for those which took place before midnight, (cock crowing,) we must fix the time as I have above.

The glare of torches.—John (xviii. 3.) is the only evangelist who brings in this highly picturesque circumstance of the equipment of the band with the means of searching the dark shades and bowers of the garden.

HIS THREE-FOLD DENIAL.

Peter, however, had not so soon forgot his zealous attachment to Jesus, as to leave him in such hands, without farther knowledge of his fate; but as soon as he was satisfied that the pursuit