John Calvin Commentary Matthew 26:32

"But after I am raised up, I will go before you into Galilee." — Matthew 26:32 (ASV)

For it is written. By this prediction He encourages them to rise above the offense, because God does not cease to recognize as His sheep those who are driven out and scattered in every direction for a time. After having discussed the restoration of the Church, the prophet, to prevent the minds of the godly from being overwhelmed with despair by the extreme distresses which were already near, declares that when the government has been brought into a state of confusion, or even completely overturned, there will be a sad and miserable dispersion, but still the grace of God will be victorious.

And though almost all commentators limit the passage in Zechariah 13:7 to the person of Christ alone, I extend it further, as meaning that a government on which the salvation of the people depends will no longer exist, because the shepherds will be driven from among them. I have no doubt that the Lord intended to include that whole period during which, after the tyranny of Antiochus, the Church was deprived of good shepherds and reduced to a state of desolation. For at that time God permitted the sword to commit fearful devastation and, by slaying the shepherds, to throw the people into a state of wretched confusion. Yet this scattering did not prevent the Lord from eventually gathering His sheep by stretching out His hand towards them.

But though the prophet utters a general warning that the Church will be deprived of shepherds, still this is justly and properly applied to Christ. For since He was the Prince of all the shepherds, on whom alone the salvation of the Church depended, when He was dead, it might be thought that all hope was utterly gone. And, indeed, it was an extreme temptation when the Redeemer, who was the breath and life of His people, after having begun to collect the flock of God, was suddenly dragged to death. But all the more strikingly was the grace of God displayed, when out of dispersion and death the remaining flock was again assembled in a wonderful manner.

Thus we see that Christ quoted this passage appropriately, so that the disciples might not be too much alarmed by the future dispersion, and yet, aware of their own weakness, they might rely on their Shepherd. The meaning therefore is: “Not having yet felt your weakness, you imagine that you are sufficiently vigorous and powerful; but it will soon be apparent that the prediction of Zechariah is true, that when the shepherd is slain, the flock will be scattered. But still let the promise which is added exhilarate and support you, that God will stretch out His hand, to bring back to Him the scattered sheep.” We are here taught that there is no unity that brings salvation but that which keeps the sheep united under Christ’s crook.

But after I have risen. He now expresses more clearly — what I recently hinted — that the disciples, struck with dread, will resemble for a short time scattered and wandering sheep, but will eventually be brought back to the fold. For Christ does not simply say that He will rise again, but promises to be their leader, and takes them for His companions, as if they had never swerved from their allegiance to Him; and, to impart to them greater confidence, He mentions the place where they will again meet; as if He had said, “You, who are scattered at Jerusalem, will be again assembled by Me in Galilee.”