_JESUS IS ACCUSED BEFORE PILATE, AND SENT TO HEROD; HEROD MOCKETH HIM.
HEROD AND PILATE ARE MADE FRIENDS. BARABBAS IS DESIRED OF THE PEOPLE,
AND IS LOOSED BY PILATE, AND JESUS IS GIVEN TO BE CRUCIFIED: HE
TELLETH OF THE DESTRUCTION OF JERUSALEM TO THE WOMEN THAT LAMENT HIM:
AND PRAYETH FOR HIS ENEMI... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE WHOLE MULTITUDE—AROSE, &C.— At break of day Christ was
brought before Pilate, and charged with three capital
crimes,—_perverting the nation,—forbidding to give tribute to
Caesar,_—and saying _that he himself was Christ, a king._They did
not chargehim with calling himself _the Son of God,_ kn... [ Continue Reading ]
HE SENT HIM TO HEROD,——Herod Antipas, the tetrarch of Galilee, who
had beheaded St. John the Baptist. Pilate probably sent Christ to
Herod, with a design to pay him a compliment, and as the means of
reconciliation, which it accordingly proved, Luke 23:12. Another
reason likewise for Pilate's doing t... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT HE ANSWERED HIM NOTHING.— Herein our Lord followed the rule
observed by him as God in the administration of his moral government.
He bestows on men means, opportunities, and assistances, particularly
his Holy Spirit, such as, if they improve them properly, will lead
them to knowledge and happine... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HEROD WITH HIS MEN OF WAR SET HIM AT NOUGHT,— Herod, finding
himself disappointed, Luke 23:9 ordered Christ to be clothed with an
old robe, in colour like those which kings used to wear, and permitted
his attendants to insult him, perhaps with an intention to provoke him
to work a miracle, thoug... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR BEFORE THEY WERE AT ENMITY— The cause of this enmity can only be
conjectured; perhaps it might be the slaughter which Pilate had made
of some of the Galileans, who had come up to sacrifice at Jerusalem.
See Ch. Luke 13:1. M. Saurin observes, "that considering on the one
hand the jealousy of the... [ Continue Reading ]
I, HAVING EXAMINED HIM, &C.— Had there been any the least appearance
of truth in theallegations of the Jews, that Jesus had perverted the
nation,—forbidden to pay tribute to Caesar,—or drawn the people
after him, as their king, Pilate would not so readily have pronounced
him innocent; therefore, fin... [ Continue Reading ]
NOTHING WORTHY OF DEATH, IS DONE UNTO HIM.— _By him._ Blackwall. _He
has not treated him as one that deserves a capital punishment._
Heylin.... [ Continue Reading ]
I WILL THEREFORE CHASTISE HIM— Pilate might imagine that Christ was
an enthusiast, though not a seditious person; and this punishment
might be designed as an admonition to him in future, not to use such
expressions as had given so much umbrage; being persuaded, that if he
was set at liberty, he neit... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR OF NECESSITY HE MUST RELEASE ONE— See on Matthew 27:15 and Mark
15:6.... [ Continue Reading ]
AWAY WITH THIS MAN,— _Put this man to death!_ Heylin. The word
αιρε properly signifies, _to take away;_ and so to _deprive of
life,_ to _lift up,_ or _crucify._... [ Continue Reading ]
PILATE THEREFORE, WILLING TO RELEASE JESUS,— Pilate finding, by this
monstrously base and unworthy demand, that their furious outcries
against Jesus proceeded from the most bitter malice and envy, was the
more desirous to set him at liberty; and expostulated with them again,
endeavouring to persuade... [ Continue Reading ]
WHY, WHAT EVIL HATH HE DONE?— _Why?—What evil hath he done? "Why_
will ye be so cruel as to insist upon it? _What evil hath he done,_ or
can you prove against him?... [ Continue Reading ]
WEEP NOT FOR ME, &C.— "Though my death affects you, and seems to
call for all your tears, yet it is rather a reason for joy than
sorrow, as it will be a means of reconciling the world to God: rather
reserve your tears for a real calamity which threatens you, and your
children, which will terminate i... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR IF THEY DO THOSE THINGS IN A GREEN TREE, &C.— _If these things
are done in green wood._ Heylin. "If the Romans are permitted by
heaven to inflict such heavy punishments upon me who am innocent, how
dreadful must the vengeance be which they shall inflict on the nation,
whose sins cry aloud to hea... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THERE WERE ALSO TWO OTHER MALEFACTORS,— This should either be
stopped in the following manner;—_And there were also two others,
malefactors, led with him,_ &c. or, translated, _And they led along
with him two other men, who were malefactors._ The distinction,
between Jesus and the malefactors is... [ Continue Reading ]
FATHER, FORGIVE THEM;— This is one of the most striking passages in
the world. While they were actually crucifying our Lord, he seems to
feel the injury which they did to their own souls, more than what they
did to him, and to forget his own anguish in a concern for their
salvation. Thus did the Lor... [ Continue Reading ]
IF THOU BE THE KING OF THE JEWS, SAVE THYSELF.— As this claim seemed
to the soldiers most derogatory to the Roman authority, it is no
wonder that they grounded their insults on this, rather than on his
professing himself _the Son of_... [ Continue Reading ]
AND A SUPERSCRIPTION ALSO— There is no transposition necessary here;
for St. Luke does not tell us _when_ the superscription was written,
so far was he from saying that it was written after Jesus was mocked.
He only observes in general that there was a title placed over him;
and by mentioning it tog... [ Continue Reading ]
AND ONE OF THE MALEFACTORS—RAILED ON HIM,— The word rendered
_malefactor,_ κακουργος, does not always denote a _thief,_ or
a _robber,_ but was likewise applied to the Jewish soldiers, who were
hurried by their zeal to commit some crime in opposition to the Roman
authority, See the note on Matth. xxv... [ Continue Reading ]
DOST NOT THOU FEAR GOD?— _Have you too no fear of God;_ that is to
say, no more than those others who were insulting Jesus? Heylin.... [ Continue Reading ]
AND WE INDEED JUSTLY;— The faith of the penitent thief has something
very remarkable in it; for he had conceived just sentiments both of
his own conduct, and of Christ's character. It is a strong proof of a
sincere repentance to acknowledge our crimes, and to resign ourselves
to the punishment of th... [ Continue Reading ]
LORD, REMEMBER ME— This man seems to have entertained a more
spiritual, rational, and exalted notion of the Messiah's kingdom, than
the disciples themselves at that time: they expected a _secular_
empire; he gave strong intimations of his having an idea of Christ's
_spiritual_ dominion; for at the v... [ Continue Reading ]
TO-DAY THOU SHALT BE WITH ME IN PARADISE.— Bos has shewn that this
expression, _thou shalt be with me,_ μετ εμου εση — was
the language used when inviting guests to an entertainment; and the
word _paradise_ originally signifies a _garden of pleasure,_ such as
those in which the Eastern monarchs made... [ Continue Reading ]
OVER ALL THE EARTH— _Over all the land._ See Matthew 27:45 and Mark
15:33.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE VEIL OF THE TEMPLE WAS RENT— This being so high a day, it was
very probable that Caiaphas himself might now be performing the solemn
act of burning incense just before the veil; which if he did, it is
inexpressibly astonishing that his obdurate heart should not be
impressed with so aweful and si... [ Continue Reading ]
I COMMEND MY SPIRIT:— Παραθησομαι,— _I place,_ as a
precious deposit. See on Psalms 31:5 and for the next clause, the note
on Matthew 27:50. Dr. Heylin has well and nervously described our
Lord's passion in the following manner: "The appointed soldiers dig
the hole in which the cross is to be erecte... [ Continue Reading ]
HE GLORIFIED GOD,— That is, by a free confession of his persuasion
of the innocence of Jesus: _Certainly this was a righteous man;_
δικαιος,— the character given of him before he was condemned,
Matthew 27:19. See Ch. Luke 5:26. Judges 7:19 and the note on Matthew
27:54 where, as well as Mark 15:39 t... [ Continue Reading ]
AND ALL THE PEOPLE—SMOTE THEIR BREASTS— The people who came to
behold this melancholy spectacle, were wonderfully affected when Jesus
gave up the ghost. They had been instant, with loud voices, to have
him crucified; but now that they saw the face of the creation darkened
with a sullen gloom during... [ Continue Reading ]
AND ALL HIS ACQUAINTANCE, AND THE WOMEN, &C.— Who these
_acquaintance_ were, we learn from Matthew 27:55; Matthew 27:66 and
Mark 15:40. The three evangelists agree in affirming that these
_women_ stood afar off; yet this is not inconsistent with John 19:25
where our Lord's mother, andher sister, Mar... [ Continue Reading ]
A GOOD MAN— Αγαθος. He united in his character the two great
principles of morality, justice and benevolence. See Romans 5:7.... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HOW HIS BODY WAS LAID.— The word ως, rendered _how,_ signifies
no more than _that;_—and the sentence may be rendered _they came to
the sepulchre, and saw that the body was placed_ or _buried there._
St. Mark has it, Mark 15:47 _beheld where he was laid._... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THEY—PREPARED SPICES AND OINTMENTS, AND RESTED, &C.— Some
commentators connect this verse with the first of the following
chapter, thus;—_ointments: and they rested,_ &c. _commandment; But
upon the first day,_ &c. As the women were not present when Joseph and
Nicodemus bound up the body with spi... [ Continue Reading ]