Jamieson, Fausset & Brown

Then Jesus asked them, “When I sent you out without purse or bag or sandals, did you lack anything?” “Nothing,” they answered.

“But now--that you are going forth not as before on a temporary mission, provided for without purse or scrip, but into scenes of continued and severe trial, your methods must be different; for purse and scrip will now be needed for support, and the usual…”

And in His anguish, He prayed more earnestly, and His sweat became like drops of blood falling to the ground.

“And now, He is "in an agony, and prays more earnestly"--even Christ's prayer, it seems, admitted of and now demanded such increase--"and His sweat was as it were great drops [literally, 'clots'] of blood falling down to the ground." What was this?”

And even Herod and his soldiers ridiculed and mocked Him. Dressing Him in a fine robe, they sent Him back to Pilate.

“"Thus he implicated himself with Pilate in all the guilt of His condemnation, and with him accordingly he is classed" (Ac 4:27) [BENGEL]. at enmity--perhaps about some point of disputed jurisdiction, which this exchange of the Prisoner might tend to heal.”

As the soldiers led Him away, they seized Simon of Cyrene on his way in from the country, and put the cross on him to carry behind Jesus.

“Cyrenian--of Cyrene, in Libya, on the north coast of Africa, where were many Jews who had a synagogue at Jerusalem (Ac 6:9, and see Ac 2:10). He was "the father of Alexander and Rufus" (Mr 15:21), probably better known afterwards than himself, as disciples.”

But the other one rebuked him, saying, “Do you not even fear God, since you are under the same judgment?

“Dost not thou--"thou" is emphatic: "Let others jeer, but dost thou?" fear God--Hast thou no fear of meeting Him so soon as thy righteous Judge? Thou art within an hour or two of eternity, and dost thou spend it in reckless disregard of coming judgment?”

Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when You come into Your kingdom!”

“(3) As such, he sees in Christ the absolute right to dispose of that kingdom to whom He pleased.”

And Jesus said to him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.”

“Learn (1) How "One is taken and another left"; (2) How easily divine teaching can raise the rudest and worst above the best instructed and most devoted servants of Christ; (3) How presumption and despair on a death hour are equally discountenanced here, the one…”

As the women bowed their faces to the ground in terror, the two men asked them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead?

“Why, &c.--Astonishing question! not "the risen," but "the Living One" (compare Re 1:18); and the surprise expressed in it implies an incongruity in His being there at all, as if, though He might submit to it, "it was impossible He should be holden of it"…”

‘The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and on the third day rise again.’”

“Saying, &c.--How remarkable it is to hear angels quoting a whole sentence of Christ's to the disciples, mentioning where it was uttered, and wondering it was not fresh in their memory, as doubtless it was in theirs! (1Ti 3:16, "seen of angels," and 1Pe 1:12).”

Was it not necessary for the Christ to suffer these things and then to enter His glory?”

“Ought not Christ--"the Christ," "the Messiah." to suffer . . . and enter--that is, through the gate of suffering (and suffering "these things," or such a death) to enter into His glory.”

They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us as He spoke with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?”

“They find the eleven, but ere they have time to tell their tale, their ears are saluted with the thrilling news, "The Lord is risen indeed, and hath appeared to Simon." Most touching and precious intelligence this.”

While they were describing these events, Jesus Himself stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.”

“Jesus . . . stood--(See on Joh 20:19). 37, 38. a spirit--the ghost of their dead Lord, but not Himself in the body (Ac 12:15; Mt 14:26). thoughts--rather, "reasonings"; that is, whether He were risen or no, and whether this was His very self.”

While He was blessing them, He left them and was carried up into heaven.

“The brightness of the Father's glory, enshrined in our nature, hath won it well; for He poured out His soul unto death, and led captivity captive, receiving gifts for men, yea for the rebellious, that the Lord God might dwell among them.”