(10) A man . . . bearing a pitcher of water.--The signal is one of the details common to St. Mark and St. Luke. (See Note on Mark 14:13.)Verse 10. - And he said unto them, Behold, when ye are entered into the city, there shall a man meet you. The name of the man who should meet them was omitted - purposely, think Theophylact and others, lest the place of meeting should be prematurely known to Judas. Bearing a pitcher of water. This would be an unusual sight in an Oriental city, where the water is drawn by women. It is probable that the "man" whom the Master foretold John and Peter would meet, was the master of the house, who, according to the Jewish custom on the 13th of Nisan, before the stars appeared in the heavens, had himself to go to the public fountain to draw the water with which the unleavened bread for the Passover Feast was kneaded. 22:7-18 Christ kept the ordinances of the law, particularly that of the passover, to teach us to observe his gospel institutions, and most of all that of the Lord's supper. Those who go upon Christ's word, need not fear disappointment. According to the orders given them, the disciples got all ready for the passover. Jesus bids this passover welcome. He desired it, though he knew his sufferings would follow, because it was in order to his Father's glory and man's redemption. He takes his leave of all passovers, signifying thereby his doing away all the ordinances of the ceremonial law, of which the passover was one of the earliest and chief. That type was laid aside, because now in the kingdom of God the substance was come.And he said unto them, behold,.... Giving them a sign, whereby they should know the very house, where he would keep the passover: when ye are entered into the city; that is, the city of Jerusalem; for Christ and his disciples were now at Bethany, from whence he sent Peter and John thither, where only the passover was to be killed and eaten: there shall a man meet you, bearing a pitcher of water; the Persic version adds, "upon his back"; for which he had been to some well, or fountain in the city, in order to mix with wine at the passover: follow him into the house where he entereth in; so that it seems they were to return, and go after him into the house, where he went with his pitcher of water; this was a trial of the faith and obedience of the disciples, and, as the sequel shows, a proof of the omniscience and deity of Christ. |