The foregoing chapter gave us an account of Judas's treason, in delivering our Saviour into the hands of the chief priests unto Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor, in order to his arraignment and condemnation. Whence observe, that it has been the old policy of corrupt church governors to abuse the... [ Continue Reading ]
Here we have. sad relation of Judas's desperate death, after an hypocritical life, as also of the horror of his mind and conscience before his death. Observe here, 1. The time when Judas repented; after it was too late. WHEN HE SAW THAT HE WAS CONDEMNED, HE REPENTED. Observe, 2. The repentance its... [ Continue Reading ]
Observe here, 1. The niceness and scrupulosity of these hypocrites; they made no scruple to give money to shed blood, but they scruple the putting that money into the treasury which was the price of blood. They are afraid to defile their treasury, but are not afraid to pollute their souls. Thus hypo... [ Continue Reading ]
Observe here, 1. That our Saviour readily anwsers Pilate, but refuses to answer the chief priests, and to all that they laid to his charge before Pilate. Pilate asks him, ART THOU THE KING OF THE JEWS? Jesus readily answers, THOU SAYEST; or, it is as thou sayest. But to all the accusations of the ch... [ Continue Reading ]
Now AT THE FEAST, that is, the feast of the passover, which by way of eminency is called THE FEAST, the governor used to release. prisoner (possibly by way of memorial of their deliverance out of Egypt); accordingly Pilate makes. motion to them, that Christ may be the prisoner set at liberty in hono... [ Continue Reading ]
There are several sorts or kinds of dreams, natural, moral, diabolical, and divine. The question is, what kind of dream this was? Not natural, all agree; some think it was diabolical, and that Satan hoped thereby to prevent the work of man's redemption by the death of Christ. But if so, why had not... [ Continue Reading ]
Observe here, 1. How exceedingly unwilling and averse Pilate was to be the instrument of our Saviour's death; one while he bids the Jews take him themselves, and judge him according to their law; another while he offers to save Christ in honour of their feast, when by custom he was to release. priso... [ Continue Reading ]
Two things are here observable in Pilate's washing of his hands. 1. By this action he pronounces our Saviour's innocency, and was willing thereby to testify his own, that he did not consent to our Saviuour's death; washing the hands being and usual ceremony, in prostestation of. person's innocency.... [ Continue Reading ]
That is, "Let the guilt and punishment of his blood rest upon us and our posterity.". most horrid and impious imprecation; the dreadful effects of it began to come upon them forty years after, in the destruction of Jerusalem, and has rested and remained upon their posterity to this day, near eightee... [ Continue Reading ]
As the death of the cross was. Roman punishment, so it was the manner of the Romans first to scourge and whip their malefactores, and then deliver them to be crucified. Now the manner of the Romans scourging is said to be thus; they stripped the condemned person, and bound him to. post; two strong m... [ Continue Reading ]
The next part of our Lord's sufferings consisted of cruel mockings. Our blessed Saviour had said, that he was the King of the Jews; not. temporal king, to reign over them with pomp and power, but. spiritual king, to rule in the hearts of his people; but the Jews, missing of their expectations of. te... [ Continue Reading ]
The sentence of death being passed by Pilate, who can with dry eyes behold the sad pomp of our Saviour's bloody execution? Forth comes the blessed Jesus out of Pilate's gates, bearing that cross which was soon after to bear him. With his cross on his shoulder, he marches towards Golgotha; and when t... [ Continue Reading ]
It was the manner of the Romans, when they crucified any man, to publish the cause of his death in capital letters, placed over the head of the person. Now see how the wisdom and providence of God powerfully over-ruled the heart and pen of Pilate to draw his title, which was truly honourable; and fi... [ Continue Reading ]
Here we have several aggravations of our Lord's sufferings upon the cross. 1. From the company he suffered with, TWO THIEVES. It had been disparagement enough to our blessed Saviour to have been sorted with the best of men; but to be numbered with the scum of mankind, is such an indignity as confoun... [ Continue Reading ]
Observe here, 1. How the rays of Christ's divinity,, and the glory of his godhead, break out and shine forth in the midst of that infirmity which his human nature laboured under. He shows himself to be the God of nature, by altering the course of nature. The sun is eclipsed and darkness overspreads... [ Continue Reading ]
Here we have an account of several extraordinary and wonderful things which occurred and fell out about the time that our Saviour died. Observe, 1. THE VAIL OF THE TEMPLE RENT ASUNDER, that is, the hanging which parted the holy from the most holy place, to hide the mysteries therein; namely, the ar... [ Continue Reading ]
Here we have an account given of our Lord's funeral and interment in the grave; such. funeral as never was since grave were first digged. Concerning which, we have these particulars observable: Observe, 1. The preparatives that were made for our Lord's funeral; namely, the begging and perfuming of... [ Continue Reading ]
This last paragraph of the chapter acquaints us with the endeavours that the murderers of Christ used to prevent his foretold resurrection: they ask and obtain of Pilate, that his sepulchre might be strongly guarded till the third day was past and over, when probably they intended to have exposed hi... [ Continue Reading ]