commemorate the wonderful deliverance of the Hebrew people from the slavery of Egypt. And it was fitting, as the Fathers remark, that with the last observance of this ceremony our Lord should associate the institution of the Eucharist, which was destined to commemorate, to the end of time, the redemption of mankind from the bondage of sin.

MATT. 29. I will not drink from henceforth of this fruit of the vine. These words are recorded, without any substantial difference, by Saint Matthew, Saint Mark, and Saint Luke: but in the narrative of Saint Luke, they come before the Institution of the Eucharist, whereas in that of Saint Matthew and St. Mark, they follow it. There is no good reason to suppose they were spoken twice: therefore we must transpose the passage, either in Saint Luke, or else in Saint Matthew and Saint Mark. The latter course seems preferable. For, when we look to the context in Saint Luke, we find that the same thing is said of eating the Pasch, in the sixteenth verse, that is said of drinking the chalice, in the eighteenth. Hence it is natural to refer the words, rather to the Paschal chalice, than to the Eucharistic chalice: and therefore, in a Harmony, we must connect them with the narrative of the Paschal meal, not with the Institution of the Eucharist. Add to this, that in Saint Luke's Gospel, they cannot possibly be referred to the Eucharistic chalice, of which no mention has yet been made. Therefore, if spoken but once, they must be understood of the Paschal chalice.

Some writers think that the text cannot possibly be applied to the chalice of the Eucharist; because what was contained in it, was not, in truth, the fruit of the vine, but the sacred blood of our Lord. This argument, however, is not decisive. When one thing is converted into another, the latter may be called, in a certain sense, the fruit or product of the former. Thus, no one has any difficulty in understanding how wine, which is produced from grapes, by a process of manufacture, may be called "the fruit of the vine." And there seems no reason why the same title may not still be used, in a somewhat wider sense, when the wine is further changed, by the operation of a miracle, into the blood of our Lord. Nevertheless, it appears more probable, on other grounds, that the text should be understood of the wine used at the Paschal meal, and not of the Eucharistic chalice. MATT. 29. Until that day, when I shall drink it with you new, in the kingdom of my Father. That is to say, wine of a new kind, a heavenly wine, the drink of everlasting joy and glory; the wine to which the Psalmist refers when he says, "They shall be inebriated with the plenty of thy house; and thou shalt make them drink of the torrent of thy pleasure."

1 Ps. XXXV. 9.

Our

Lord had spoken, a little before, in the same strain, of the Paschal food: "I say to you, that from this time I will not eat it, until it be fulfilled in the kingdom of God." The happiness of Heaven is frequently represented, in Scripture, by figures taken from the pleasures of earthly banquets. Besides the passage just quoted, from the Psalms, we may refer to the words of the Apocalypse, “Blessed are they that are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb." And even during the course of this very Supper, Jesus Christ said to his Apostles, "I appoint unto you a kingdom, as my Father hath appointed unto me; that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and sit upon thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel." 3 Now if we compare these texts with the passage before us, it seems plain enough that the "kingdom of God," in which the Pasch will be "fulfilled," is Heaven; and the fulfilment is to be found in the spiritual feast, "the marriage supper of the Lamb," which is there prepared for the elect. Our Lord wished to convey to his Apostles that the end of his career on earth was at hand, and that this was the last time He was to eat and drink with them in his mortal state. But to console them for his loss, He holds out the prospect of happier times, when they should meet Him again, in the kingdom of his Father, and become sharers with Him in a new and heavenly banquet.*

We have followed here the more common interpretation of the Fathers and Commentators. But the passage is somewhat obscure, and has given rise to much controversy. Saint Chrysostom and others, by "the kingdom of God," understand the Church; and think that our Lord means only to say, He will not eat and drink again with his Apostles, until after his Resurrection, when the Church shall have been established. Against this view it is argued: (1) that the phrase, "until that day," according to Scripture usage, points to

distant day, and cannot be understood of a day that was quite near at hand. (2) That we read in Saint Matthew, not "the kingdom of God," but "the kingdom of my Father"; a designation which is never applied to the Church, by our Lord, but always to Heaven. (3) That the advocates of this opinion have failed to explain, in any satisfactory way, how our Lord could be said to drink new wine, after his Resurrection, or to eat the Pasch again. Whatever may be thought of these arguments, it seems to us that the interpretation we have adopted above is strongly recommended by its simplicity and its fitness.

3 Luke, xxii. 29, 30.

4 See Jans. Gand. Concord. cap. cxxxi. pp. 895, 896; A Lapide, in Matt. xxvi. 29; Maldonatus, ib.

§ 5.

THE WASHING OF THE FEET.

TEXT.

Vulgate Version.

John, xiii. 1-20.-Ante diem festum Paschæ, sciens Jesus quia venit hora ejus ut transeat ex hoc mundo ad Patrem, quum dilexisset suos qui erant in mundo, in finem dilexit eos. (2). Et cœna facta, quum diabolus jam misisset in cor ut traderet eum Judas Simonis Iscariotæ, (3). Sciens quia omnia dedit ei Pater in manus, et quia a Deo exivit. et ad Deum vadit; (4). Surgit a cœna. et ponit vestimenta sua; et quum accepisset linteum, præcinxit se. (5). Deinde mittit aquam in pelvim, et cœpit lavare pedes discipulorum, et extergere linteo quo erat præcinctus. (6). Venit ergo ad Simonem Petrum. Et dicit ei Petrus: Domine. tu mihi lavas pedes? (7). Respondit Jesus et dixit ei: Quod ego facio, tu nescis modo, scies autem postea. (8). Dicit ei Petrus: Non lavabis mihi pedes in æternum. Respondit ei Jesus: Si non lavero te, non habebis partem mecum. (9). Dicit ei Simon Petrus: Domine, non tantum pedes meos, sed et manus et caput. (10.) Dicit ei Jesus: Qui lotus est, non indiget nisi ut pedes lavet, sed est mundus totus. Et vos mundi estis, sed non omnes. (11). Sciebat enim quisnam esset qui traderet eum ; propterea dixit: Non estis mundi omnes. (12). Postquam ergo lavit pedes eorum, et accepit vestimenta sua, quum recubuisset iterum, dixit eis: Scitis quid fecerim vobis? (13). Vos vocatis me Magister, et Domine; et bene dicitis: sum etenim. (14). Si ergo ego lavi pedes vestros, Dominus et Magister; et vos debetis alter alterius lavare pedes. (15). Exemplum enim dedi vobis, ut quemadmodum ego feci vobis, ita et vos faciatis. (16). Amen, amen dico vobis ; non est servus major domino suo; neque apostolus major est eo qui misit illum. (17). Si hæc scitis, beati eritis si feceritis ea. (18). Non de omnibus vobis dico; ego scio quos elegerim; sed ut adimpleatur Scriptura: Qui manducat mecum panem. levabit contra me calcaneum suum. (19). Amodo dico vobis, priusquam fiat, ut quum factum fuerit, credatis quia ego sum. (20). Amen, amen dico vobis: qui accipit si quem misero, me accipit; qui autem me accipit, accipit eum qui me misit.

Rheims Version.

John, xiii. 1-20.-Before the festival day of the pasch, Jesus knowing that his hour was come, that he should pass out of this world to the Father having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them unto the end. (2). And when supper was done, (the devil having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon, to betray him). (3). Knowing that the Father had given him all things into his hands, and that he came from God, and goeth to God; (4). He riseth from supper, and layeth aside his garments, and having taken a towel, girded himself. (5). After that, he putteth water into a basin, and began to wash the feet of his disciples, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded. (6). He cometh therefore to Simon Peter. And Peter saith to him:

Lord, dost thou wash my feet? (7). Jesus answered, and
said to him: What I do, thou knowest not now; but thou
shalt know hereafter. (8). Peter saith to him: Thou shalt
never wash my feet. Jesus answered him: If I wash thee
not, thou shalt have no part with me. (9). Simon Peter saith
to him: Lord, not only my feet, but also my hands and my
head. (10). Jesus saith to him: He that is washed, needeth
not but to wash his feet, but is clean wholly. And you are
clean. but not all. (11). For he knew who he was that would
betray him; therefore he said: You are not all clean. (12).
Then after he had washed their feet, and taken his garments,
being sat down again, he said to them: Know you what I
have done to you? (13). You call me Master, and Lord;
and you say well; for so I am. (14). If then I, being your
Lord and Master, have washed your feet; you also ought to
wash one another's feet. (15). For I have given you an
example, that as I have done to you, so you do also. (16).
Amen, amen, I say to you: The servant is not greater than
his lord; neither is the apostle greater than he that sent him.
(17). If you know these things, you shall be blessed if you do
them. (18). I speak not of you all; I know whom I have chosen;
but that the scripture may be fulfilled: He that eateth bread
with me shall lift up his heal against me. (19). At present I tell
you, before it come to pass that when it shall come to pass,
you may believe that I am he. (20). Amen, amen, I say to
you, he that receiveth whomsoever I send, receiveth me;
he that receiveth me, receiveth him that sent me.

and

NOTES.

The Washing of the Feet took place at a supper which is described by Saint John, in the thirteenth chapter of his Gospel. This chapter does not belong to the history of the Passion, as read in Catholic Churches, during Holy Week. But our Harmony would be incomplete without it: for the supper of which it gives an account, is no other than the Last Supper of our Lord. This, at least, is the constant tradition of the Church, and may be made pretty clear from intrinsic evidence as well. (1) During the supper of Saint John's Gospel, our Lord disclosed to his Apostles that there was a traitor amongst them. The same disclosure, almost in the same words, was made at the Last Supper, as described by the other three Evangelists.1 (2) In both accounts, the result of the disclosure is the same: alarm and surprise on the part of the Apostles, and inquiry as to who the traitor could be.2 (3) At the close of the supper described by Saint John, Jesus revealed to him that Judas was the traitor. Now, if this meal were not the Last Supper, but took place on some previous evening, the other Apostles would have found out from Saint John what our Lord had said to him; and would not have been ignorant who the traitor was, on the evening of the Last Supper. But that they were ignorant, is plain from the

1 John, xiii. 21; Matt. xxvi. 21; Mark, xiv. 18. 2 John, xiii. 22, 24, 25 ; Matt. xxvi. 22; Mark, xiv. 19; Luke, xxii. 23. 3 John, xiii. 25, 26.

account of the Last Supper given in the first three Gospels. (4) On the occasion of the meal that Saint John describes, our Lord predicted the Fall of Peter. The same prediction is recorded, in very nearly the same words, on the occasion of the Last Supper.' (5) Lastly, there is a very cogent argument, in the words of this prediction, as given by Saint John: "The cock shall not crow till thou deny me thrice." That is to say, Thou shalt deny me before cockcrow,-before the break of day. Therefore the supper in Saint John's Gospel, took place on the same night as the Fall of Peter. But this was the night of the Passion; and therefore, the night of the Last Supper.2

But though it is pretty generally agreed that the Washing of the Feet belongs to the Last Supper, there is much difference of opinion as regards the period of the Supper to which it should be referred. To us its proper place seems to be, after the Keeping of the Pasch, and before the Institution of the Eucharist. The Supper began with the celebration of the Pasch: this appears from the sequence of the narrative in the first three Gospels. It ended with the Institution of the Eucharist for Saint Luke, speaking of the consecration of the chalice, says that it took place after supper,—perà tù deiπvîσai3— which means, at least, at the very end of supper. Now, the Washing of the Feet took place during the course of the meal. For Jesus rose up from supper, to perform this ceremony, and sat down again, when He had finished it. That the supper was resumed, after He sat down, may be shown from the fact that, at a later period He gave to Judas a morsel of bread dipped in sauce ;5 an incident which could hardly have occurred, if supper had been completely finished before the Washing of the Feet. It seems, then, pretty clear that the Last Supper began with the Pasch, that it ended with the Eucharist, and that between these events, came the Washing of the Feet, which divided the meal into two distinct parts.

6

1. Before the festival day of the Pasch. In the Greek text we read, pò dè Tŷs čορTŷs Tоû áoɣa, that is, "Now, before the feast of the Pasch." The time here referred to was the evening of the supper. And since this was the Paschal Supper, it took place, according to law, after sunset, on the fourteenth day of the month. Therefore, strictly speaking, the Feast had already begun: because the Jews counted their festival days from evening to evening. But in popular lan

1 John, xiii. 38; Luke, xxii. 34. See Langen, Die Letzten Lebenstage Jesu, pp. 100-106; Patrizzi, De Evang. Diss. 1. nn. 5-25; against Lightfoot, Bynäus, Wichelhaus, and others.