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John Wesley’s own Explanatory Notes Upon the Old and New Testament on the day’s readings — his verse-by-verse commentary, not a summary of it. Read the full edition ↗

first Isaiah 50:4-9a

v.4Given me — This and the following passages may be in some sort understood of the prophet Isaiah, but they are far more evidently and eminently verified in Christ, and indeed seem to be meant directly of him. The tongue - All ability of speaking plainly, and convincingly, and persuasively. Weary - Burdened with the sense of his, deplorable condition. Wakeneth - Me, from time to time, and continually. To hear - He by his Divine power assists me to the practice of all his commands and my duties, with all attention and diligence.
v.6I gave — I patiently yielded up myself to those who smote me.
v.8Justifieth — God will clear up my righteousness, and shew by many and mighty signs and wonders, that I lived and died his faithful servant. Let him come - l am conscious of mine own innocency, and I know that God will give sentence for me.
v.9They — Mine accusers and enemies. The moth - Shall be cut off and consumed by a secret curse.

psalm Psalm 31:9-16

v.9Grief — With continual weeping.
v.10Iniquity — For the punishment of mine iniquity. Consumed - The juice and marrow of them bring almost dried up with grief.
v.11A fear — They were afraid to give me any countenance or assistance. Fled - To prevent their own danger and ruin.
v.12A broken vessel — Which is irreparable, and useless, and therefore despised by all.
v.13Fear — Just cause of fear.
v.15My times — All the affairs and events of my life, are wholly in thy power.

second Philippians 2:5-11

v.6Who being in the essential form — The incommunicable nature. Of God - From eternity, as he was afterward in the form of man; real God, as real man. Counted it no act of robbery - That is the precise meaning of the words, - no invasion of another's prerogative, but his own strict and unquestionable right. To be equal with God - the word here translated equal, occurs in the adjective form five or six times in the New Testament, Matt. xx, 12; Luke vi, 34; John v, 18; Acts xi, 17; Rev. xxi, 16. In all which places it expresses not a bare resemblance, but a real and proper equalitg. It here implies both the fulness and the supreme height of the Godhead; to which are opposed, he emptied and he humbled himself.
v.7Yet — He was so far from tenaciously insisting upon, that he willingly relinquished, his claim. He was content to forego the glories of the Creator, and to appear in the form of a creature; nay, to be made in the likeness of the fallen creatures; and not only to share the disgrace, but to suffer the punishment, due to the meanest and vilest among them all. He emptied himself - Of that divine fulness, which he received again at his exaltation. Though he remained full, John i, 14, yet he appeared as if he had been empty; for he veiled his fulness from the sight of men and angels. Yea, he not only veiled, but, in some sense, renounced, the glory which he had before the world began. Taking - And by that very act emptying himself. The form of a servant - The form, the likeness, the fashion, though not exactly the same, are yet nearly related to each other. The form expresses something absolute; the likeness refers to other things of the same kind; the fashion respects what appears to sight and sense. Being made in the likeness of men - A real man, like other men. Hereby he took the form of a servant.
v.8And being found in fashion as a man — A common man, without any peculiar excellence or comeliness. He humbled himself - To a still greater depth. Becoming obedient - To God, though equal with him. Even unto death - The greatest instance both of humiliation and obedience. Yea, the death of the cross - Inflicted on few but servants or slaves.
v.9Wherefore — Because of his voluntary humiliation and obedience. He humbled himself; but God hath exalted him - So recompensing his humiliation. And hath given him - So recompensing his emptying himself. A name which is above every name - Dignity and majesty superior to every creature.
v.10That every knee — That divine honour might be paid in every possible manner by every creature. Might bow - Either with love or trembling. Of those in heaven, earth, under the earth - That is, through the whole universe.
v.11And every tongue — Even of his enemies. Confess that Jesus Christ is Lord - Jehovah; not now "in the form of a servant," but enthroned in the glory of God the Father.

gospel Luke 22:14-23:56

v.14Matt. xxvi, 20; Mark xiv, 17.
v.15With desire have I desired — That is, I have earnestly desired it. He desired it, both for the sake of his disciples, to whom he desired to manifest himself farther, at this solemn parting: and for the sake of his whole Church, that he might institute the grand memorial of his death.
v.16For I will not eat thereof any more — That is, it will be the last I shall eat with you before I die. The kingdom of God did not properly commence till his resurrection. Then was fulfilled what was typified by the passover.
v.17And he took the cup — That cup which used to be brought at the beginning of the paschal solemnity, and said, Take this and divide it among yourselves; for I will not drink - As if he had said, Do not expect me to drink of it: I will drink no more before I die.
v.19And he took bread — Namely, some time after, when supper was ended, wherein they had eaten the paschal lamb. This is my body - As he had just now celebrated the paschal supper, which was called the passover, so in like figurative language, he calls this bread his body. And this circumstance of itself was sufficient to prevent any mistake, as if this bread was his real body, any more than the paschal lamb was really the passover.
v.20This cup is the New Testament — Here is an undeniable figure, whereby the cup is put for the wine in the cup. And this is called, The New Testament in Christ's blood, which could not possibly mean, that it was the New Testament itself, but only the seal of it, and the sign of that blood which was shed to confirm it.
v.21The hand of him that betrayeth me is with me on the table — It is evident Christ spake these words before he instituted the Lord's Supper: for all the other evangelists mention the sop, immediately after receiving which he went out: John xiii, 30. Nor did he return any more, till he came into the garden to betray his Master. Now this could not be dipped or given, but while the meat was on the table. But this was all removed before that bread and cup were brought.
v.24There was also a contention among them — It is highly probable, this was the same dispute which is mentioned by St. Matthew and St. Mark: and consequently, though it is related here, it happened some time before.
v.25They that exercise the most arbitrary authority over them, have from their flatterers the vain title of benefactors.
v.26But ye are to be benefactors to mankind, not by governing, but by serving.
v.27For — This he proves by his own example. I am in the midst of you - Just now: see with your eyes. I take no state upon me, but sit in the midst, on a level with the lowest of you.
v.28Ye have continued with me in my temptations — And all his life was nothing else, particularly from his entering on his public ministry.
v.29And I — Will preserve you in all your temptations, till ye enter into the kingdom of glory: appoint to you - By these very words. Not a primacy to one, but a kingdom to every one: on the same terms: as my Father hath appointed to me - Who have fought and conquered.
v.30That ye may eat and drink at my table — That is, that ye may enjoy the highest happiness, as guests, not as servants. These expressions seem to be primarily applicable to the twelve apostles, and secondarily, to all Christ's servants and disciples, whose spiritual powers, honours, and delights, are here represented in figurative terms, with respect to their advancement both in the kingdom of grace and of glory.
v.31Satan hath desired to have you — My apostles, that he might sift you as wheat - Try you to the uttermost.
v.32But I have prayed for thee — Who wilt be in the greatest danger of all: that thy faith fail not - Altogether: and when thou art returned - From thy flight, strengthen thy brethren -- all that are weak in faith; perhaps scandalized at thy fall.
v.34It shall not be the time of cock crowing this day — The common time of cock crowing (which is usually about three in the morning) probably did not come till after the cock which Peter heard had crowed twice, if not oftener.
v.35When I sent you — lacked ye any thing - Were ye not born above all want and danger?
v.36But now — You will be quite in another situation. You will want every thing. He that hath no sword, let him sell his garment and buy one - It is plain, this is not to be taken literally. It only means, This will be a time of extreme danger.
v.37The things which are written concerning me have an end — Are now drawing to a period; are upon the point of being accomplished. Isaiah liii, 12.
v.38Here are two swords — Many of Galilee carried them when they travelled, to defend themselves against robbers and assassins, who much infested their roads. But did the apostles need to seek such defense? And he said; It is enough - I did not mean literally, that every one of you must have a sword.
v.39Matt. xxvi, 30.
v.40The place — The garden of Gethsemane.
v.43Strengthening him — Lest his body should sink and die before the time.
v.44And being in an agony — Probably just now grappling with the powers of darkness: feeling the weight of the wrath of God, and at the same time surrounded with a mighty host of devils, who exercised all their force and malice to persecute and distract his wounded spirit. He prayed more earnestly - Even with stronger cries and tars: and his sweat - As cold as the weather was, was as it were great drops of blood - Which, by the vehement distress of his soul, were forced out of the pores, in so great a quantity as afterward united in large, thick, grumous drops, and even fell to the ground.
v.48Betrayest thou the Son of man — He whom thou knowest to be the Son of man, the Christ?
v.49Seeing what would follow — That they were just going to seize him. Matt. xxvi, 51; Mark xiv, 47.
v.51Suffer me at least to have my hands at liberty thus far, while I do one more act of mercy.
v.52Jesus said to the chief priests, and captains, and the elders who were come — And all these came of their own accord: the soldiers and servants were sent.
v.53This is your hour — Before which ye could not take me: and the power of darkness - The time when Satan has power.
v.54Matt. xxvi, 57; Mark xiv, 53; John xviii, 12.
v.58Another man saw him and said — Observe here, in order to reconcile the four evangelists, that divers persons concurred in charging Peter with belonging to Christ. 1. The maid that led him in, afterward seeing him at the fire, first put the question to him, and then positively affirmed, that he was with Christ. 2. Another maid accused him to the standers by, and gave occasion to the man here mentioned, to renew the charge against him, which caused the second denial. 3. Others of the company took notice of his being a Galilean, and were seconded by the kinsman of Malchus, who affirmed he had seen him in the garden. And this drew on the third denial.
v.59And about one hour after — So he did not recollect himself in all that time.
v.63Matt. xxvi, 67; Mark xiv, 65.
v.64And having blindfolded him, they struck him on the face — This is placed by St. Matthew and Mark, after the council's condemning him. Probably he was abused in the same manner, both before and after his condemnation.
v.65Many other things blasphemously spake they against him — The expression is remarkable. They charged him with blasphemy, because he said he was the Son of God: but the evangelist fixes that charge on them, because he really was so.
v.66Matt. xxvi, 63; Mark xiv, 61.
v.70They all said, Art thou then the Son of God? — Both these, the Son of God, and the Son of man, were known titles of the Messiah; the one taken from his Divine, and the other from his human nature.
v.1Matt. xxvii, 1; Mark xv, 1; John xviii, 28.
v.4Then said Pilate — After having heard his defense-I find no fault in this man - I do not find that he either asserts or attempts any thing seditious or injurious to Caesar.
v.5He stirreth up the people, beginning from Galilee — Probably they mentioned Galilee to alarm Pilate, because the Galileans were notorious for sedition and rebellion.
v.7He sent him to Herod — As his proper judge.
v.8He had been long desirous to see him — Out of mere curiosity.
v.9He questioned him — Probably concerning the miracles which were reported to have been wrought by him.
v.11Herod set him at nought — Probably judging him to be a fool, because he answered nothing. In a splendid robe - In royal apparel; intimating that he feared nothing from this king.
v.15He hath done nothing worthy of death — According to the judgment of Herod also.
v.16I will therefore chastise him — Here Pilate began to give ground, which only encouraged them to press on. Matt. xxvii, 15; Mark xv, 6; John xviii, 39.
v.22He said to them the third time, Why, what evil hath he done? — As Peter, a disciple of Christ, dishonoured him by denying him thrice, so Pilate, a heathen, honoured Christ, by thrice owning him to be innocent.
v.26Matt. xxvii, 31; Mark xv, 21; John xix, 16.
v.30Hosea x, 8.
v.31If they do these things in the green tree, what shall be done in the dry? — Our Lord makes use of a proverbial expression, frequent among the Jews, who compare a good man to a green tree, and a bad man to a dead one: as if he had said, If an innocent person suffer thus, what will become of the wicked? Of those who are as ready for destruction as dry wood for the fire?
v.34Then said Jesus — Our Lord passed most of the time on the cross in silence: yet seven sentences which he spoke thereon are recorded by the four evangelists, though no one evangelist has recorded them all. Hence it appears that the four Gospels are, as it were, four parts, which, joined together, make one symphony. Sometimes one of these only, sometimes two or three, sometimes all sound together. Father - So he speaks both in the beginning and at the end of his sufferings on the cross: Forgive them - How striking is this passage! While they are actually nailing him to the cross, he seems to feel the injury they did to their own souls more than the wounds they gave him; and as it were to forget his own anguish out of a concern for their own salvation. And how eminently was his prayer heard! It procured forgiveness for all that were penitent, and a suspension of vengeance even for the impenitent.
v.35If thou be the Christ; ver. 37. If thou be the king — The priests deride the name of Messiah: the soldiers the name of king.
v.38Matt. xxvii, 37; Mark xv, 26; John xix, 19.
v.39And one of the malefactors reviled him — St. Matthew says, the robbers: St. Mark, they that were crucified with him, reviled him. Either therefore St. Matthew and Mark put the plural for the singular (as the best authors sometimes do) or both reviled him at the first, till one of them felt "the overwhelming power of saving grace."
v.40The other rebuked him — What a surprising degree was here of repentance, faith, and other graces! And what abundance of good works, in his public confession of his sin, reproof of his fellow criminal, his honourable testimony to Christ, and profession of faith in him, while he was in so disgraceful circumstances as were stumbling even to his disciples! This shows the power of Divine grace. But it encourages none to put off their repentance to the last hour; since, as far as appears, this was the first time this criminal had an opportunity of knowing any thing of Christ, and his conversion was designed to put a peculiar glory on our saviour in his lowest state, while his enemies derided him, and his own disciples either denied or forsook him.
v.42Remember me when thou comest — From heaven, in thy kingdom - He acknowledges him a king, and such a king, as after he is dead, can profit the dead. The apostles themselves had not then so clear conceptions of the kingdom of Christ.
v.43In paradise — The place where the souls of the righteous remain from death till the resurrection. As if he had said, I will not only remember thee then, but this very day.
v.44There was darkness over all the earth — The noon-tide darkness, covering the sun, obscured all the upper hemisphere. And the lower was equally darkened, the moon being in opposition to the sun, and so receiving no light from it. Matt. xxvii, 45.
v.45Mark xv, 38.
v.46Father, into thy hands — The Father receives the Spirit of Jesus: Jesus himself the spirits of the faithful.
v.47Certainly this was a righteous man — Which implies an approbation of all he had done and taught.
v.48All the people — Who had not been actors therein, returned smiting their breasts - In testimony of sorrow.
v.50Matt. xxvii, 57; Mark xv, 43; John xix, 38.