Then Pilate therefore took Jesus, and scourged _him_. Ver. 1. _Took Jesus and scourged him_] So God scourgeth every son whom he receiveth, Hebrews 12:6. One Son he had that was _sine corruptione et flagitio, _ without corruption and shame, but none that was _sine corruptione et flagello, _ withouit... [ Continue Reading ]
And the soldiers platted a crown of thorns, and put _it_ on his head, and they put on him a purple robe, Ver. 2. _And the soldiers platted a crown of thorns_] Prickly and sharp as the point of a sword (so the word signifieth). Ακανθη _videtur ortum a voce_ ακη, _cuspis, acies, mucro._ (Pasor.) And... [ Continue Reading ]
And said, Hail, King of the Jews! and they smote him with their hands. Ver. 3. _And said, Hail, King of the Jews_] They scoff at him, as a ridiculous and stage player king, whom therefore they clothed with purple, which was a colour affected by the emperors and nobility of Rome; as Herod, for like... [ Continue Reading ]
Pilate therefore went forth again, and saith unto them, Behold, I bring him forth to you, that ye may know that I find no fault in him. Ver. 4. _That ye may know that I find no fault_] But why did he not then deliver him out of their hands? Pusillanimity (cowardliness) and popularity would not suff... [ Continue Reading ]
Then came Jesus forth, wearing the crown of thorns, and the purple robe. And _Pilate_ saith unto them, Behold the man! Ver. 5. _Pilate saith, Behold the man_] _q.d._ If ye be men, take pity upon a man so miserably misused; and if ye be good men, let him go who is innocent. But these monsters, like... [ Continue Reading ]
When the chief priests therefore and officers saw him, they cried out, saying, Crucify _him_, crucify _him_. Pilate saith unto them, Take ye him, and crucify _him_ : for I find no fault in him. Ver. 6. _Crucify him, crucify him_] So afterwards the primitive persecutors cried out, _Ad bestias, ad be... [ Continue Reading ]
The Jews answered him, We have a law, and by our law he ought to die, because he made himself the Son of God. Ver. 7. _The Jews answered him, &c._] When they saw that the treason they laid to his charge would not do the deed, they accused him of blasphemy another while, that by some means or other... [ Continue Reading ]
When Pilate therefore heard that saying, he was the more afraid; Ver. 8. _He was the more afraid_] Christ's innocence did before triumph in Pilate's conscience. But now, that he hears that he made himself the Son of God, he was in a mighty maze, "he was afraid," saith the text, of lifting up his ha... [ Continue Reading ]
And went again into the judgment hall, and saith unto Jesus, Whence art thou? But Jesus gave him no answer. Ver. 9. _Whence art thou?_] He questioneth not Christ of his country, but of his condition, _q.d._ Art thou a man or a God? Such a dunghill deity, he meant, as the heathens worshipped. And th... [ Continue Reading ]
Then saith Pilate unto him, Speakest thou not unto me? knowest thou not that I have power to crucify thee, and have power to release thee? Ver. 10. _Speakest thou not unto me_] No, and yet St Paul saith, he "witnessed a good confession before Pontius Pilate," 1 Timothy 6:13; because he had said suf... [ Continue Reading ]
Jesus answered, Thou couldest have no power _at all_ against me, except it were given thee from above: therefore he that delivered me unto thee hath the greater sin. Ver. 11. _Except it were given thee from above_] Therefore be good in thine office, lest thou give a dear account to him that is high... [ Continue Reading ]
And from thenceforth Pilate sought to release him: but the Jews cried out, saying, If thou let this man go, thou art not Caesar's friend: whosoever maketh himself a king speaketh against Caesar. Ver. 12. _But the Jews cried out, saying, &c._] They returned again to their former accusation, and enfo... [ Continue Reading ]
When Pilate therefore heard that saying, he brought Jesus forth, and sat down in the judgment seat in a place that is called the Pavement, but in the Hebrew, Gabbatha. Ver. 13. _When Pilate therefore heard that saying_] That saying, and the base fear of being shent by Caesar, makes him warp and go... [ Continue Reading ]
And it was the preparation of the passover, and about the sixth hour: and he saith unto the Jews, Behold your King! Ver. 14. _Behold your King_] _q.d._ A likely matter that this poor man should affect the kingdom; and not rather that he is like to lose his life, by forged cavillation. Christ himsel... [ Continue Reading ]
But they cried out, Away with _him_, away with _him_, crucify him. Pilate saith unto them, Shall I crucify your King? The chief priests answered, We have no king but Caesar. Ver. 15. _We have no king but Caesar_] Why but, Is there no king in Sion? is her counsellor perished? saith the prophet, Mica... [ Continue Reading ]
Then delivered he him therefore unto them to be crucified. And they took Jesus, and led _him_ away. Ver. 16. _Then delivered he him, &c._] Overcome by their importunity, and over awed by the fear of Caesar to condenm the innocent. It was Cato's complaint, that private men's thieves are laid by the... [ Continue Reading ]
And he bearing his cross went forth into a place called _the place_ of a skull, which is called in the Hebrew Golgotha: Ver. 17. _And he, bearing his cross, &c._] This was the Roman fashion (as Plutarch relates it), that every condemned person should bear that cross that anon should bear him. _a_ H... [ Continue Reading ]
Where they crucified him, and two other with him, on either side one, and Jesus in the midst. Ver. 18. _Where they crucified him_] An ignominious, accursed, and dolorous death; for he was nailed to the tree in the hands and feet, which are the most sensible parts, as fullest of sinews; and therefor... [ Continue Reading ]
And Pilate wrote a title, and put _it_ on the cross. And the writing was, JESUS OF NAZARETH THE KING OF THE JEWS. Ver. 19. _Jesus of Nazareth, &c._] To persuade the people to bow superstitiously at the name of Jesus, Papists commonly (but ridiculously) teach in their pulpits, that Christ himself on... [ Continue Reading ]
This title then read many of the Jews: for the place where Jesus was crucified was nigh to the city: and it was written in Hebrew, _and_ Greek, _and_ Latin. Ver. 20. _In Hebrew, Greek, and Latin_] In Hebrew, for the Jews who gloried in the law; in Greek, for the Grecians who gloried in wisdom; in L... [ Continue Reading ]
Then said the chief priests of the Jews to Pilate, Write not, The King of the Jews; but that he said, I am King of the Jews. Ver. 21. _Write not, The King of the Jews_] They would needs be mending _Magnificat, _ as they say; and this of pure spite, that the disgrace might rest only upon Christ, and... [ Continue Reading ]
Pilate answered, What I have written I have written. Ver. 22. _What I have written, I have written_] _i.e._ I am unchangeably resolved it shall stand. So God saith, I am that I am; that is, I am yesterday, and today, and the same for ever. Learn we may of Pilate to be constant to a good cause. _a_... [ Continue Reading ]
Then the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, took his garments, and made four parts, to every soldier a part; and also _his_ coat: now the coat was without seam, woven from the top throughout. Ver. 23. _Took his garments_] Christ, as Elias, being now to ascend into heaven, did willingly let go... [ Continue Reading ]
They said therefore among themselves, Let us not rend it, but cast lots for it, whose it shall be: that the scripture might be fulfilled, which saith, They parted my raiment among them, and for my vesture they did cast lots. These things therefore the soldiers did. Ver. 24. _That the Scripture migh... [ Continue Reading ]
Now there stood by the cross of Jesus his mother, and his mother's sister, Mary the _wife_ of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene. Ver. 25. _Now there stood by the cross, &c._] The men were fled, the women stood to it. Souls have no sexes. Manoah's wife was the more manly of the two. Priscilla is sometime... [ Continue Reading ]
When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son! Ver. 26. _When Jesus therefore saw his mother_] In the midst of his miseries he thinks of his mother, and takes care for her well-doing after his decease. Doctor Taylor... [ Continue Reading ]
Then saith he to the disciple, Behold thy mother! And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own _home_. Ver. 27. _The disciple took her, &c._] A precious _depositum; _ trust the house was the better she abode in; yet dare we not deify her, as the Papists; as neither will we vilify her, as... [ Continue Reading ]
After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst. Ver. 28. _That the Scripture might be fulfilled_] It is a high point of heavenly wisdom to do our ordinary business in obedience to God's command, and with an aim at his glory; t... [ Continue Reading ]
Now there was set a vessel full of vinegar: and they filled a spunge with vinegar, and put _it_ upon hyssop, and put _it_ to his mouth. Ver. 29. _Now there was set a vessel full of vinegar_] Cold comfort: they used to give others wine to comfort them, according to Proverbs 31:6, and mingled myrrh w... [ Continue Reading ]
When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost. Ver. 30. _It is finished_] Christ would not off the cross till all were done that was here to be done; that which remained being rather a play than a work to him. The consideration... [ Continue Reading ]
The Jews therefore, because it was the preparation, that the bodies should not remain upon the cross on the sabbath day, (for that sabbath day was an high day,) besought Pilate that their legs might be broken, and _that_ they might be taken away. Ver. 31. _Because it was the preparation_] Their pre... [ Continue Reading ]
Then came the soldiers, and brake the legs of the first, and of the other which was crucified with him. Ver. 32. _Brake the legs of the first_] The good thief also had his legs broken and his life taken away; though by his repentance he made his cross a Jacob's ladder, whereby angels descended to f... [ Continue Reading ]
But when they came to Jesus, and saw that he was dead already, they brake not his legs: Ver. 33. _And saw that he was dead already_] He took his own time to die; and therefore, John 19:30, it is said, "that he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost;" whereas other men bow not the head till they have... [ Continue Reading ]
But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water. Ver. 34. _But one of the soldiers with a spear_] What an odd conceit is that of the Papists, that from the Greek word λογχη, have made this soldier's name Longinus! _a_ and to make up the tale, they... [ Continue Reading ]
And he that saw _it_ bare record, and his record is true: and he knoweth that he saith true, that ye might believe. Ver. 35. _And he that saw it, &c._] Nothing so sure as sight. One eyewitness is more than ten ear-witnesses. _a_ It is probable that the apostles that were so conversant with our Savi... [ Continue Reading ]
For these things were done, that the scripture should be fulfilled, A bone of him shall not be broken. Ver. 36. _Not a bone of him was broken_] So he appeared to be the true Paschal Lamb, that was roasted whole in the fire of his Father's wrath, to deliver us from the wrath to come. The soldiers co... [ Continue Reading ]
And again another scripture saith, They shall look on him whom they pierced. Ver. 37. _They shall look upon him_] This is not a threat, but a promise, Zechariah 12:10, fulfilled,Acts 2:37, when Peter's hearers felt the nails, wherewith they had crucified Christ, sticking fast in their own hearts, a... [ Continue Reading ]
And after this Joseph of Arimathaea, being a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews, besought Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus: and Pilate gave _him_ leave. He came therefore, and took the body of Jesus. Ver. 38. _A disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear_] A disciple... [ Continue Reading ]
And there came also Nicodemus, which at the first came to Jesus by night, and brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about an hundred pound _weight_. Ver. 39. _And there came also Nicodemus_] Another night bird, a chieftain in the ecclesiastical state, as Joseph of Arimathea (or Ramath, Samuel's cou... [ Continue Reading ]
Then took they the body of Jesus, and wound it in linen clothes with the spices, as the manner of the Jews is to bury. Ver. 40. _With the spices, as the manner of the Jews_] To testify their hope of a resurrection. In an apish imitation of whom, the Gentiles also, though they had no such hope, kept... [ Continue Reading ]
Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden; and in the garden a new sepulchre, wherein was never man yet laid. Ver. 41. _A new sepulchre_] Fit for him that was the "first-born from the dead, the firstfruits of them that sleep." Besides else it might have been said, that some other h... [ Continue Reading ]
There laid they Jesus therefore because of the Jews' preparation _day_; for the sepulchre was nigh at hand. Ver. 4:2. _Because of the Jews_] That they might not do servile work on the sabbath, though it were to inter Christ's body. See Luke 23:56 .... [ Continue Reading ]