John 18:1, 2 When Jesus had spoken these words, he went forth with his disciples over the brook Cedron, where was a garden… There are depths and unique things in this Gospel which make it easily to be accounted for that some should reckon it the choicest of the Gospels. It has what the others have not; but when we compare the others with it, to look for their peculiar excellences, then we find how the others have what this Gospel lacks. One would have thought beforehand that John would have enlarged on the mysteries and sorrows of Gethsemane, but, strangely enough, he passes them over without a word. Here is one of the illustrations of how real a thing inspiration is, these Gospels being not written after the fashion of human books, though they came through human minds. If John had been asked why he omitted to enlarge on the Passion, he could hardly have told. But though John says nothing of how Jesus began to be sorrowful and very heavy even unto death, though he says nothing of that sweat which was like great drops of blood falling to the ground, yet we are sure all these dreadful experiences must have been often in his grateful recollection. Gethsemane was the last place where Jesus and his disciples had free speech before his death, and it was well that they should have the recollection of it as a place where they had often been. Many things at many times Jesus must have told them there, and the remembrance of the place would bring up the remembrance of the words. We must not make too much of this mere locality, even if we were quite certain of it. Every Christian must have his own hallowed places. Every Christian must have places, the recollection of which is sweeter far to him than ever the mere sight of traditional spots in Palestine can be. We must have holy, memorable places in our own experience, and then perhaps we may get some good from considering the so-called holy places of the so-called Holy Land. - Y. Parallel Verses KJV: When Jesus had spoken these words, he went forth with his disciples over the brook Cedron, where was a garden, into the which he entered, and his disciples. |
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