Chapter III.—Of the Manner in Which It Can Be Shown that No Discrepancies Exist Between Them in the Accounts Which They Give of the Words Which Were Spoken by the Lord, on to the Time of His Leaving the House in Which They Had Supped.

9. At this point, therefore, we may now follow, as far as we can, the order of the narrative, as gathered from all the evangelists together. Thus, then, after the prediction in question had been made to Peter, according to John’s version, the same John proceeds with his statement, and introduces in this connection the Lord’s discourse, which was to the following effect: “Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many mansions;”763    John xiv. 1, 2.    Mark v. 21-vi. 30. and so forth. He narrates at length the sayings, so memorable and so pre-eminently sublime, of which He delivered Himself in the course of that address, until, in due connection, he comes to the passage where the Lord speaks as follows: “O righteous Father, the world hath not known Thee: but I have known Thee, and these have known that Thou hast sent me. And I have declared unto them Thy name, and will declare it; that the love wherewith Thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them.”764    John xvii. 25, 26.    Mark vi. 31-vii. 37. Again we find, according to the narrative given by Luke, that there arose “a strife among them which of them should be accounted the greatest. And He said unto them, The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and they that exercise authority upon them are called benefactors. But ye shall not be so: but he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger;765    Another reading is minor = as the less.    John ii. 24, 25. and he that is chief, as he that doth serve. For whether is greater, he that sitteth at meat, or he that serveth? is not he that sitteth at meat? but I am among you as he that serveth. And ye are they which have continued with me in my temptations: and I appoint unto you a kingdom, as my Father hath appointed unto me; that ye may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and sit on thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.” 766    Luke xxii. 24–30. [This incident may with more propriety be placed before the washing of the disciples’ feet.—R.]    The text gives simply: futuram Petro prænuntiavit, to which cogitationem has to be supplied. Some editions insert negationem = his future denial. The said Luke also immediately subjoins to these words the following passage: “And the Lord said to Simon: Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: but I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren. And he said unto Him: Lord, I am ready to go with Thee, both into prison, and to death. And He said, I tell thee, Peter, the cock shall not crow this day, before that thou shall thrice deny that thou knowest me. And He said unto them, When I sent you without purse, and scrip, and shoes, lacked ye anything? And they said, Nothing. Then said He unto them, But now, he that hath a purse, let him take it, and likewise his scrip: and he that hath no sword, let him sell his garment, and buy one. For I say unto you, this that is written must yet be accomplished in me, And He was reckoned among the transgressors: for the things concerning me have an end. And they said, Lord, behold, here are two swords. And He said unto them, It is enough.”767    Luke xxii. 31–38. [The conversation in regard to the swords (vers. 35–38) probably preceded the discourse reported by John (xiv.-xvii.).—R.]    Matt. xxvi. 33–35. Next comes the passage, given both by Matthew and by Mark: “And when they had sung an hymn, they went out into the Mount of Olives. Then saith Jesus unto them, All ye shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written, I will smite the Shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad. But after I am risen again, I will go before you into Galilee. Peter answered and said unto Him, Though all men shall be offended because of Thee, yet will I never be offended. Jesus saith unto him, Verily I say unto thee, That this night, before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. Peter saith unto Him, Though I should die with Thee, yet will I not deny Thee. Likewise also said all the disciples.”768    Matt. xxvi. 30–35. We have introduced the preceding section as it is presented by Matthew. But Mark also records it almost in so many and the same words, with the exception of the apparent discrepancy, which we have already cleared up above, on the subject of the crowing of the cock.

CAPUT III. De his quae dicta sunt a Domino donec exiret de domo ubi coenaverant, quemadmodum nihil discrepare monstrentur.

9. Nunc ergo quantum possumus, ipsum ex omnibus ordinem jam sequamur. Cum itaque secundum Joannem hoc Petro praedictum esset, sequitur idem Joannes, et conserit Domini sermonem, dicentis: Non turbetur cor vestrum. Creditis in Deum, et in me credite: in domo Patris mei mansiones multae sunt, etc. Sermonis ejus praeclara maximeque sublimia diu narrat, donec contextim veniat ad illum locum, ubi ait Dominus: Pater juste, et mundus te non cognovit; ego autem te cognovi: et ii cognoverunt quia tu me misisti; et notum eis feci nomen tuum, et notum faciam, ut dilectio qua dilexisti me, in ipsis sit, et ego in ipsis (Joan. XIV-XVII). Cum autem facta esset contentio inter eos, quis eorum videretur esse major, sicut Lucas commemorat, dixit eis: Reges gentium dominantur eorum, et qui potestatem habent super eos, benefici vocantur. Vos autem non sic: sed qui major est in vobis, fiat sicut junior ; et qui praecessor est, sicut ministrator. Nam quis major est, qui recumbit, an qui ministrat? nonne qui recumbit? Ego autem in medio vestrum sum sicut qui ministrat: vos autem estis qui permansistis mecum in tentationibus meis. Et ego dispono vobis, sicut disposuit mihi Pater meus regnum, ut edatis et bibatis super mensam meam in regno meo, et sedeatis super thronos, judicantes duodecim tribus Israel. Ait autem Dominus Simoni, sicut Lucas ipse subjungit, Simon, ecce satanas expetivit vos, ut cribraret sicut triticum: ego autem rogavi pro te, ut non deficiat fides tua; et tu aliquando conversus, confirma fratres tuos. Qui dixit ei: Domine, tecum paratus sum et in carcerem et in mortem ire. Et ille dixit: Dico tibi, Petre, non cantabit hodie gallus, donec ter abneges nosse me. Et dixit eis: Quando misi vos sine sacculo et pera et calceamentis, numquid aliquid defuit vobis? At illi dixerunt: Nihil. Dixit ergo eis: Sed nunc qui habet sacculum, tollat; similiter et peram: et qui non habet, vendat tunicam suam et emat gladium. Dico enim vobis, quoniam adhuc hoc quod scriptum est, oportet impleri in me, Et cum injustis deputatus est. Etenim ea quae sunt de me, finem habent. At illi dixerunt: Domine, ecce gladii duo hic. At ille dixit eis: Satis est (Luc. XXII, 24-38). Et hymno dicto, sicut Matthaeus Marcusque commemorant, exierunt in montem Oliveti. Tunc dicit illis Jesus: Omnes vos scandalum patiemini in me in ista nocte. Scriptum est enim, Percutiam pastorem, et dispergentur oves gregis. Postquam autem resurrexero, praecedam vos in Galilaeam. Respondens autem Petrus, ait illi: Etsi omnes scandalizati fuerint in te, ego nunquam 1164 scandalizabor. Ait illi Jesus: Amen dico tibi, quia in hac nocte, antequam gallus cantet, ter me negabis. Ait illi Petrus: Etiamsi oportuerit me mori tecum, non te negabo. Similiter et omnes discipuli dixerunt (Matth. XXVI, 30-35). Haec secundum Matthaeum inseruimus: sed et Marci pene ipsa et totidem verba sunt (Marc. XIV, 26-31), nisi quia distat illud quod de galli cantu jam supra enodavimus.