When they which were about him
That is, the eleven disciples that were about Christ, and with
him in the garden: saw what would follow;
that their Lord and master was about to be betrayed by Judas, and
would be seized, and carried away by the multitude, that were
with him: they said unto him, Lord, shall we smite with the
sword?
or "swords", as the Syriac and Persic versions read; with the two
swords which they had along with them. This they said, not being
thoroughly acquainted with the mind of Christ in this matter,
whether they should use the temporal sword or not; and might
choose to show this forwardness to stand by him, and defend him,
remembering how lately they had said, that though they died with
him, they would not deny him: and might, no doubt, be thoroughly
exasperated and provoked to see Judas at the head of such a mob,
with swords and staves, and burned with true zeal for their Lord
and master; and might be the more spirited up to this, by
observing, that the men fell backwards to the ground, upon
Christ's saying that he was the person they sought; at least
their dependence was upon the exertion of his almighty power; for
they could never otherwise imagine that eleven men, with two
swords only, would be able to defend him, and rescue him out of
the hands of such a multitude.