John 19:1-3
_Inside the Praetorium_; the scourging and mockery by the soldiers.... [ Continue Reading ]
_Inside the Praetorium_; the scourging and mockery by the soldiers.... [ Continue Reading ]
_Then Pilate therefore_ Because the attempt to release Him in honour of the Feast had failed, Pilate now tries whether the severe and degrading punishment of scourging will not satisfy the Jews. In Pilate's hands the boasted justice of Roman Law ends in the policy "What evil did He do? I found no ca... [ Continue Reading ]
28 19:16. The Roman or Civil Trial As already stated, S. John omits both toe examination before Caiaphas and the Sanhedrin at an irregular time and place, at midnight and at -the Booths" (Matthew 26:57-68: Mark 14:53-65), and also the formal meeting of the Sanhedrin after daybreak in the proper pla... [ Continue Reading ]
_And the soldiers_ Herod and his troops (Luke 23:11) had set an example which the Roman soldiers were ready enough to follow. Pilate countenances the brutality as aiding his own plan of satisfying Jewish hatred with something less than death. The soldiers had inflicted the scourging; for Pilate, bei... [ Continue Reading ]
_And said_ The best authorities add a graphic touch not given by the Synoptists; _AND_ THEY KEPT COMING UNTO HIM AND SAYING. We see each soldier coming up in turn to offer his mock homage. _Hail, King of the Jews_ Like the Procurator, they mock the Jews as well as their Victim. _smote him with the... [ Continue Reading ]
_Pilate therefore_ The true text gives, AND _Pilate_. What follows is a continuance rather than a consequence of what has preceded. _I find no fault in him_ There is a slight change from John 19:38, the emphasis here being on -crime" instead of on -I"; GROUND OF ACCUSATION I FIND NONE IN HIM.... [ Continue Reading ]
_Outside the Praetorium_; Pilate's appeal, -Behold the _man_;" the Jews" rejoinder -He made Himself _Son of God_.... [ Continue Reading ]
_Then came Jesus_ Better, _Jesus_ THEREFORE _CAME_. The Evangelist repeats the details of John 19:2; they are details of a picture deeply imprinted on his memory. Whether or no he went into the Praetorium, he no doubt witnessed the _Ecce Homo_. _wearing_ Not simply -having" or -bearing" (_phorôn_no... [ Continue Reading ]
_and officers_ Better (as in John 18:18), _and_the _officers_. The leaders take the initiative, to prevent any expression of compassion on the part of the crowd. The sight of -the Man" maddens rather than softens them. _cried out_ The verb (_kraugazo_) expresses a _loud_cry, and (excepting Matthew 1... [ Continue Reading ]
_We have a law_ The Jews answer Pilate's taunt by a plea hitherto kept in the background. He may think lightly of the seditious conduct of Jesus, but as a Procurator he is bound by Roman precedent to pay respect to the law of subject nationalities. He has challenged them to take the law into their o... [ Continue Reading ]
_that saying_ Better, THIS WORD (_logos_), the charge of blasphemy. _he was the more afraid_ The message from his wife and the awe which Christ's presence was probably inspiring had already in some degree affected him. This mysterious claim still further excites his fears. Was it the offspring of a... [ Continue Reading ]
_Inside the Praetorium_; Christ's origin is asked and not told; the origin of authority is told unasked.... [ Continue Reading ]
_judgment-hall_ See on John 18:28. _Whence art thou?_ Pilate tries a vague question which might apply to Christ's dwelling-place, which he already knew (Luke 23:6), hoping for an answer as to His _origin_. Would the prisoner assert his mysterious claim to him, or explain it? _no answer_ Pilate cou... [ Continue Reading ]
_Then saith_, &c. Better, _Pilate_ THEREFORE _saith to Him, To_me _Speakest thou not?_Whatever He might do before His Jewish persecutors, it was folly to refuse an answer to the Roman governor. _power_ Or, AUTHORITY. See on John 1:12 and comp. John 5:27; John 10:18; John 17:2. In the best texts -to... [ Continue Reading ]
_Thou couldest_ Or, WOULDEST. This is Christ's last word to Pilate; a defence of the supremacy of God, and a protest against the claim of any human potentate to be irresponsible. _from above_ i.e. from God. This even Pilate could understand: had Jesus said -from My Father" he would have remained uni... [ Continue Reading ]
_And from thenceforth_ Or (as in John 6:66), HEREUPON. Result rather than time seems to be meant; but the Greek (here and John 6:66 only in N.T.) may mean either. Omit -and." _sought_ Imperfect tense, of continued efforts. Indirect means, such as the release in honour of the Feast, the appeal to co... [ Continue Reading ]
_Outside the Praetorium_; the power from above controlled from below pronounces public sentence against the Innocent.... [ Continue Reading ]
_that saying_ The better reading gives, THESE WORDS. Pilate's mind seems to be made up at once. _brought Jesus forth_ Sentence must be pronounced in public. Thus we find that Pilate, in giving judgment about the standards, which had been brought into Jerusalem, has his tribunal in the great circus... [ Continue Reading ]
_the preparation_ i.e. the day before the Passover, the -eve," See Appendix A. _and about the sixth hour_ The best MSS. have -it was" for -and;" it was _about the sixth hour_. In two abrupt sentences S. John calls special attention to the day and hour; _now it was the eve of the Passover: it was ab... [ Continue Reading ]
_But they_ The true text gives. THEY THEREFORE, with the pronoun of opposition (_ekeinoi_) in harmony with their cry. They will have nothing to do with such a king. _Shall I_ Or, must _I_. There is a strong emphasis on -King," which stands first in the original. Pilate begins (John 18:33) and ends... [ Continue Reading ]
_Then delivered he_, &c. Better, _Then_ THEREFORE _delivered he_, &c. In none of the Gospels does it appear that Pilate pronounced sentence on Jesus; he perhaps purposely avoided doing so. But in delivering Him over to the priests he does not allow them to act for themselves: -he delivered Him to th... [ Continue Reading ]
The Crucifixion and the Title on the Cross 17. _bearing his cross_ The better reading gives, _bearing_ THE CROSS FOR HIMSELF. S. John omits the help which Simon the Cyrenian was soon compelled to render, as also (what seems to be implied by Mark 15:22) that at last they were obliged to carry Jesus... [ Continue Reading ]
The Death and Burial For what is peculiar to S. John's narrative in this section see the introductory note to chap. 18. Besides this, the title on the cross, the Jews" criticism of it, and the conduct of the four soldiers, are given with more exactness by S. John than by the Synoptists. The sectio... [ Continue Reading ]
_two other_ Robbers or bandits (not -thieves"), as S. Matthew and S. Mark call them, probably guilty of the same crimes as Barabbas (see on John 18:40). Jesus is crucified with them as being condemned under a similar charge of sedition and treason. _Jesus in the midst_ Here also we seem to have a t... [ Continue Reading ]
_a title_ Better, _a title_ ALSO. It was common to put on the cross the name and crime of the person executed, after making him carry it round his neck to the place of execution. S. John alone tells us that Pilate wrote the title himself. The meaning of the -also" is not quite clear; perhaps it look... [ Continue Reading ]
_nigh to the city_ Pictures are often misleading in placing the city a mile or two in the background of the Crucifixion. S. John's exact topographical knowledge comes out again here. _in Hebrew, and Greek, and Latin_ The better texts give, _In Hebrew and_ IN LATIN _and_ IN GREEK. The national and th... [ Continue Reading ]
_Then said_ Better, _said_ THEREFORE. Now that they have wrung what they wanted out of Pilate they see that in granting it he has insulted them publicly before the thousands present at the Passover, and in a way not easy to resent. _the chief priests of the Jews_ The addition -of the Jews" is remar... [ Continue Reading ]
_Pilate answered_ His answer illustrates the mixture of obstinacy and relentlessness, which Philo says was characteristic of him. His own interests are not at stake, so he will have his way: where he had anything to fear or to gain he could be supple enough. A shrewd, practical man of the world, wit... [ Continue Reading ]
The four Enemies and the four Friends 23. _Then the soldiers_ Better, _The soldiers_ THEREFORE. The -therefore" looks back to John 19:18. _his garments_ The loose, outer garment, or toga, with the girdle and fastenings. This was large enough to be worth dividing, and in some cases was the only gar... [ Continue Reading ]
_that the scripture_ It was _in order that_the Divine purpose, already declared by the Psalmist, might be accomplished, that this twofold assignment of Christ's garments took place. S. John quotes the LXX. verbatim, although there the difference, which both he and the original Hebrew mark between th... [ Continue Reading ]
_Now there stood_ Or, But _there_ WERE STANDING. By two small particles (_men_in John 19:23 and _de_here), scarcely translatable in English, S. John indicates the contrast between the two groups. On the one hand, the four plundering soldiers with the centurion; on the other, the four ministering wom... [ Continue Reading ]
_whom he loved_ See on John 18:23. The expression here is not a mere periphrasis to avoid giving the name, still less a boastful insertion: it explains why Jesus committed the two to one another. (See Introduction, ii. iii. 3 _b_.) _Woman_ See on John 2:4. _behold thy son_.] If, as has just been ma... [ Continue Reading ]
_from that hour_ Quite literally, as soon as all was over (John 19:30); or he may have led her away at once and then have returned (John 19:35). _unto his own home_ Although the commendation was double, each being given to the other, yet (as was natural) S. John assumes the care of Mary rather than... [ Continue Reading ]
The two words from the Cross, -I Thirst," -It is Finished" 28. _After this_ See on John 19:38. _knowing_ Comp. John 13:1. _were now accomplished_ Rather, ARE ALREADY FINISHED. The very same word is used here as in John 19:30, and this identity must be preserved in translation. _that the scripture... [ Continue Reading ]
_Now … vinegar_ Omit -now." S. John's precise knowledge appears once more: the other three do not mention the vessel, but he had stood close to it. The -vinegar" was probably the sour wine or _posca_in a large jar -set" by the soldiers for their own use while on guard. Criminals sometimes lived for... [ Continue Reading ]
_received_ He had refused the stupefying draught (Matthew 27:34; Mark 15:23), which would have clouded his faculties: He accepts what will revive them for the effort of a willing surrender of His life. _It is finished_ Just as the thirst was there before he expressed it, so the consciousness that Hi... [ Continue Reading ]
The petition of the Jews and the petition of Joseph 31. As in John 18:28, the Jews shew themselves to be among those -who strain out a gnat and swallow a camel." In the midst of deliberate judicial murder they are scrupulous about ceremonial observances. _The Jews therefore_ The -therefore," as in... [ Continue Reading ]
_Then came the soldiers_ The _soldiers_ THEREFORE _came_, in consequence of the fresh order from Pilate which the Jews would bring. Two probably went to each of the robbers.... [ Continue Reading ]
_pierced_ To make quite sure that He was dead. The Greek word is not the same as that used in John 19:37; this means either to -prick" or to -stab," that to -pierce deeply." _blood and water_ There has been very much discussion as to the _physical_cause of Christ's death? and those who investigate t... [ Continue Reading ]
_And he … is true_ Rather, _He that_ HATH SEEN HATH BORNE WITNESS _and his_ WITNESS _is true_(comp. John 1:19; John 1:32; John 1:34; John 8:13-14; John 12:17). Besides the change from -record" to WITNESS, for the sake of marking by uniform translation S. John's fondness for this verb and substantive... [ Continue Reading ]
_were done_ Better, CAME TO PASS. Note that S. John uses the aorist (ἐγένετο), where S. Matthew, writing nearer to the events, uses the perfect (γέγονεν). -Hath come to pass" implies that the event is not very remote: Matthew 1:22; Matthew 21:4; Matthew 26:56. The -for" depends upon -believe." Belie... [ Continue Reading ]
_They shall look_ All present, especially the Jews. The whole world was represented there. _pierced_ See on John 19:34. The word here used occurs nowhere else in N.T. excepting Revelation 1:7, and forms a connexion worth noting between the Gospel and the Apocalypse (see on John 11:44; John 15:20, an... [ Continue Reading ]
_And after this_ More literally, BUT _after_ THESE THINGS. The -but" marks a contrast between the hostile petition of the Jews and the friendly petition of Joseph. -These things" as distinct from -this" will shew that no one event is singled out with which what follows is connected: the sequence is... [ Continue Reading ]
_Nicodemus_ Another coincidence. Nicodemus also was a member of the Sanhedrin (iii. 1), and his acquaintance with Joseph is thus explained. And it is S. Mark who tells us that Joseph was one of the Sanhedrin, S. John who brings him in contact with Nicodemus. It would seem as if Joseph's unusual cour... [ Continue Reading ]
_Then took they They took_ THEREFORE. _wound it_, &c. Or, BOUND _it in linen_ CLOTHS. The -cloths" seem to refer to the bandages which kept the whole together rather than the large -linen sheet" mentioned by the other Evangelists, which Joseph had bought on purpose (Mark 15:46). The word here used... [ Continue Reading ]
_there was a garden_ Contrast John 18:1. S. John alone tells of the garden, which probably belonged to Joseph, for S. Matthew tells us that the sepulchre was his. _a new sepulcher_ S. Matthew also states that it was new, and S. Luke that no one had ever yet been laid in it. S. John states this fact... [ Continue Reading ]
_the Jews" preparation day_ Perhaps another slight indication that the Gospel was written outside Palestine. Or the addition -of the Jews" may point to the time when there was already a Christian -preparation-day." See notes on -the Passover _of the Jews_" (John 2:13; John 11:55). It would seem as... [ Continue Reading ]