“Pharisæi ergo dixerunt ad semetipsos : Videtis quia nihil proficimus ? ecce mundus totus post eum abiit.”
“The Pharisees therefore said among themselves, Perceive ye how ye prevail nothing ? behold, the world is gone after him.”
“Then the Pharisees said to one another, “You can see that this is doing you no good. Look how the whole world has gone after Him!””
“The Pharisees therefore said among themselves, “See how you accomplish nothing. Behold, the world has gone after him.””
“The Pharisees therefore said among themselves, Behold how ye prevail nothing: lo, the world is gone after him.”
Do you see that we prevail nothing?[1] Thus said the Pharisees, being vexed that so many followed Christ, even after they had ordered, that whosoever owned him, should be turned out of their synagogues; and after they had employed men to apprehend him, but to no purpose. (Witham)
[2.] Being trusted with the bag, he was a thief, that is, he had a thievish disposition. The reigning love of money is heart-theft as much as anger and revenge are heart-murder. Or perhaps he had been really guilty of embezzling his Master's stores, and converting to his own use what was given to the public stock. And some conjecture that he was now contriving to fill his pockets, and then run away and leave his Master, having heard him speak so much of troubles approaching, to which he could by no means reconcile himself. Note, Those to whom the management and disposal of public money is committed have need to be governed by steady principles of justice and honesty, that no blot cleave to their hands; for though some make a jest of cheating the government, or the church, or the country, if cheating be thieving, and, communities being more considerable than particular persons, if robbing them be the greater sin, the guilt of theft and the portion of thieves will be found no jesting matter. Judas, who had betrayed his trust, soon after betrayed his Master.
Verses 12-19 Christ's riding in triumph to Jerusalem is recorded by all the evangelists. Many excellent things, both in the word and providence of God, disciples do not understand at their first acquaintance with the things of God. The right understanding of spiritual nature of Christ's kingdom, prevents our misapplying the Scriptures which speak of it.