All the Evangelists state, that Jesus at the Passover supper said to the twelve, “One of you shall betray me”; and two of the Evangelists say that he designated the traitor, by the giving of the sop. (Matthew xxvi. 21 to 25; Mark xiv. 18 to 21; Luke xxii. 21 to 23; John xiii. 21 to 35.)
After giving him the sop, Jesus said to Judas, “That thou doest do quickly;” and he having received the sop, went out straightway to carry out that which he had before agreed; and it was night. (Luke xxii. 2 to 6; John xiii. 26 to 30.)
After Judas had gone out, Jesus said, “Now is the son of man glorified, and God is glorified in him; and to Peter he said, Whither I go thou canst not follow me now, but thou shalt follow afterwards.” (John xii. 36, 37.)
To the institution of the Lord’s Supper, there is the testimony of the three Synoptic Gospels, and that of Paul; four witnesses; and its constant observance from that time to the present. It was to commemorate his death to the end of the world,—“Take, eat, this is my body.... Drink ye all of it; for this is my blood of the covenant which is shed for many unto remission of sins.” (Matthew xvii. 26 to 28.) “Take ye; this is my body.” “This is my blood of the covenant which is shed for many.” (Mark xiv. 22 to 25.) “This is my body which is given for you; this do in remembrance of me.... This cup is the new covenant in my blood, even that which is poured out for you.” (Luke xxii. 18 to 22.) “This is my body, which is for you; this do in remembrance of me.... This cup is the new covenant in my blood; this do as oft as ye drink it in remembrance of me. For as often as ye eat this bread and drink the cup, ye proclaim the Lord’s death till he come.” (1 Corinthians xi. 23 to 28.)
To his saying that he would go before them into Galilee after his resurrection, there are two witnesses. It was after they had sung their hymn, and had gone out unto the Mount of Olives. “All ye shall be offended in 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 raised up I will go before you into Galilee.” So, Matthew. Mark’s account is: “And Jesus saith unto them, All ye shall be offended; for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered abroad. Howbeit after I am raised up I will go before you into Galilee.” (Matthew xxvi. 31, 32; Mark xiv. 27, 28.)
That Peter should thrice deny that he knew him, is proved by all the Evangelists. “Verily, verily, I say unto thee, that this night before the cock crow[4] thou shalt deny me thrice.” (Matthew xxvi. 34, 35.) “I tell thee, Peter, the cock shall not crow this day, until thou shalt thrice deny that thou knowest me.” (Luke xxii. 34.) “Verily, verily, I say unto thee, the cock shall not crow till thou hast denied me thrice.” (John xiii. 38.) Mark (probably from Peter himself) says that when Peter said, “Although all should be offended, yet will not I,” Jesus said to him, “Verily I say unto thee, that thou to-day, even this night, before the cock crow twice, shalt deny me thrice.” “But he spake exceeding vehemently, If I must die with thee, I will not deny thee. And in like manner said they all.” (Mark xiv. 26 to 31.)
Yet in the discourse which followed, Jesus again says, “Behold the hour cometh, yea, is come, that ye shall be scattered, every man to his own, and shall leave me alone; and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me.” (John x. 31, 32.)
“Yet a little while, and the world beholdeth me no more; but ye behold me; because I live ye shall live also.” (John xiv. 19, 20.)
“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give unto you; not as the world giveth I give unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be fearful.”
“Ye heard how I said to you, I go away, and I come unto you. If ye loved me ye would have rejoiced, because I go unto the Father, for the Father is greater than I. And now I have told you before it come to pass, that when it is come to pass ye may believe.” (John xiv. 27 to 31.)