1. Having finished His last discourses to the Apostles, and His prayer to
the Father, Jesus accompanied by the Apostles now proceeds towards Mount
Olivet (Matt xxvi. 36; Mark xiv. 32), crossing the brook of Cedron on His
way. As we stated already, we believe that the discourse (xv. 1‐xvi. 33)
and the prayer after the Last Supper were not spoken while Christ and the
Apostles passed along, but at some point of rest either outside the
Supper‐room or along the way. See above on xiv. 31. Nor are we to suppose
from the words of this verse, “He went forth,” that it was only now Christ
and the Apostles left the Supper‐room. As we remarked already, had Christ
and the Apostles not left the Supper‐room when He gave the word to do so
(xiv. 31), St. John would very probably have noted the fact, and added
some word of explanation. In the verse before us, then, there is not
question of going forth from the Supper‐room but of going forth from the
city. Comp. Matthew xxvi. 30, 36; Mark xiv. 26, 32.
*Over the brook Cedron.* Many authorities read “over the brook of the
cedars” (τῶν κέδρων). *Where there was a garden.* SS. Matthew and Mark say
that He came to “an enclosed piece of ground” (χωρίον), called Gethsemani.
“Gethsemani—גת, (gath) = a wine‐press, and שׂמן (shemen) = oil—was the
spot where the prediction of Isaias was fulfilled: ‘I have trodden the
wine press alone’ (Isaias lxviii. 3). A modern garden, enclosed by a wall,
in which are some old olive‐trees, said to date from the time of Christ,
is now pointed out as the Garden of Gethsemani. It is on the left bank of
the Kedron, about seven hundred and thirty feet from the east wall of the
city, and immediately south of the road, from St. Stephen’s Gate to the
summit of Olivet .... This garden is, there is little reason to doubt, the
spot alluded to by Eusebius, when he says (_O. S._, 2, pp. 248, 18) that
‘Gethsemane was at the foot of the Mount of Olives, and was then a place
of prayer for the faithful’ ” (Smith’s _B. D._, _sub voc_).
The Cedron is a small _winter‐flowing_ (χειμάῤῥον) stream, which passes
through the ravine below the eastern wall of Jerusalem, and separates the
Mount of Olives from the Temple mount. For mention of it in the Old
Testament see 3 Kings ii. 37; xv. 13; 4 Kings xxi. ii. 4; Jer. xxxi. 40.
St. John passes over the history of the prayer in the garden, of the
appearance of the angel to strengthen Christ, and of the sweat of blood,
because all this had been already recorded by the Synoptic Evangelists.
(Matt. xxvi. 38‐44; Mark xiv. 34‐40; Luke xxii. 40‐44.)
2. Sciebat autem et Iudas qui 2. And Judas also, who
tradebat eum, locum: quia betrayed him, knew the place:
frequenter Iesus convenerant because Jesus had often
illuc cum discipulis suis. resorted thither together with
his disciples.
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