m they could
not mend matters. Still, the kind of loyalty that stands by a falling
cause, and the kind of courage that risks all to show sympathy with a
friend or leader, are qualities so very common that one would have
expected to find them here. And no doubt had the matter been to be
decided in Peter's fashion, by the sword, they would have stood by Him.
But there was a certain mysteriousness about our Lord's purpose that
prevented His followers from being quite sure where they were being led
to. They were perplexed and staggered by the whole transaction. They had
expected things to go differently and scarcely knew what they were doing
when they fled.

There are times when we feel a slackening of devotion to Christ, times
when we are doubtful whether we have not been misled, times when the
bond between us and Him seems to be of the slenderest possible
description, times when we have as truly forsaken Him as these
disciples, and are running no risks for Him, doing nothing to advance
His interests, seeking only our own comfort and our own safety. These
times will frequently be found to be the result of disappointed
expectations. Things have not gone with us in the spiritual life as we
expected. We have found things altogether more difficult than we looked
for. We do not know what to make of our present state nor what to expect
in the future, and so we lose an active interest in Christ and fall away
from any hope that is living and influential.

Another point which John evidently desires to bring prominently before
us in this narrative is Christ's willingness to surrender Himself; the
voluntary character of all He afterwards suffered. It was at this point
of His career, at His apprehension, this could best be brought out.
Afterwards He might say He suffered willingly, but so far as appearances
went He had no option. Previous to His apprehension His professions of
willingness would not have been attended to. It was precisely now that
it could be seen whether He would flee, hide, resist, or calmly yield
Himself. And John is careful to bring out His willingness. He went to
the garden as usual, "knowing all things that should come upon Him." It
would have been easy to seek some safer quarters for the night, but He
would not. At the last moment escape from the garden could not have been
impossible. His followers could have covered His retreat. But He
advances to meet the party, avows Himself to be the man they sought,
will