16 Then delivered he him therefore unto them to be crucified. And they took Jesus, and led him away.

17 And he, bearing his cross, went forth into a place called the place of a skull, which is called in the Hebrew, Golgotha:

18 Where they crucified him, and two other with him; on either side one, and Jesus in the midst.

19 And Pilate wrote a title, and put it on the cross. And the writing was, JESUS OF NAZARETH THE KING OF THE JEWS.

20 This title then read many of the Jews: for the place where Jesus was crucified was nigh to the city: and it

[to be crucified.

was written in Hebrew, and Greek, and Latin.

21 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.

22 Pilate answered, What I have written I have written.

23 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.

24 They said therefore among themselves, Let us not rend it, but cast lots for it, whose it shall be: that

the courage to follow the dictates of his conscieuce at the expense of his secular interest. We might have pitied this man's weakness more, had we not known that this was not the only instance in which he violated justice. In fact, though he was thus obsequious to the Jews in this instance, they procured from Rome his recal and banishment, for many acts of cruelty and oppression, but a very few years after this; and such was his mortification, that he soon after committed suicide.

We have now closed the trial of our Saviour, and shall conclude this section with two or three brief remarks upon it.

In examining the trial of any person of celebrity, we naturally look to the character of the judges and the witnesses. In this case, the great majority of the members of the Sanhedrim had shown themselves decidedly prejudiced against the prisoner, and they had held repeated meetings to concert his death; and the judge himself (Caiaphas) had openly avowed the necessity of it, as a measure of political

expediency. They had even bribed one of his disciples to betray him, and had effectually intimidated any others from speaking in his behalf; while, at the same time, they had suborned false witnesses respecting words uttered three years before, whose evidence they could not reconcile (Mark xiv. 57-59), or, if reconciled, it did not amount to any capital charge against him; so that the Roman governor, with the ut most disposition to oblige them, was fully satisfied of his innocence, and would have gladly dismissed the prisoner, but that they threatened to accuse him as an enemy to Cesar. Jesus was not only acquitted by his judge, and justified by the false disciple who betrayed him; but his subsequent resurrection and the triumphs of his gospel put the question out of doubt. Many of those who crucified him repented of their crime, and afterwards became his faithful disciples; and we look with anxious hope for the promised day when the great body of the Jewish nation shall do the same.

Ver. 17. Bearing his cross.-Whether the cross was put together, or in two separate pieces, it appears to us (on mature reflection), that they compelled Jesus to drag it to the gate of the city nearest Calvary; at which gate they met Simon of Cyrene, and finding Jesus unable to proceed with it, they compelled this countryman to carry it the rest of the way to Cavalry. Compare Note on Matt. xxvii. 32. -Golgotha.-See Note on Matt. xxvii. 33.

Ver. 19. Wrote a title, and put it on the cross."This was the usual custom of the Romans, when any were condemned to death, to affix to the instrument of their punishment, or to order to be carried before them, a writing, expressing the crime for

which they suffered: and this writing was called in Latin, Title.-Lard. Cred. vol. i. p. 334.

Ver. 20. In Hebrew, Greek, and Latin.-The three inscriptions recorded by Matthew, Luke, and John, all differing (though not substantially), Dr. Townson suggests that they might vary in the different languages; but all preserve the words "King of the Jews," which Pilate probably wrote to mortify them. So Bp. Watson, and Mr. Preb. Townsend.

Ver. 23. Without seam.-Josephus represents the tunic of Aaron as wove in this manner; nor is this unusual. See Orient. Lit. No. 1376.

Ver. 24. That the Scripture might be fulfilled.— Psalm xxii. 18.

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.

25 Now there stood by the cross of Jesus his mother, and his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene.

26 When Jesus therefore saw his mother and the disciple standing by whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son!

27 Then saith he to the disciple, Behold thy mother! And from that

[for his mother.

hour that disciple took her unto his own home.

28 After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the Scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst.

29 Now there was set a vessel full of vinegar: and they filled a sponge with vinegar, and put it upon hyssop, and put it to his mouth.

30 When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost. (G)

31 ¶The Jews therefore, because it

(G) Ver. 16-30. The crucifixion and death of Christ.-No sooner had Pilate given the fatal word of consent, than the Priests were ready (notwithstanding it was Passover time) to hurry our Saviour to the dreadful death of crucifixion, which he had himself repeatedly predicted, and which was brought about by a remarkable traiu of providences. This was not a Jewish punishment, and would hardly have been adopted, had they not been under restraint, as to the power of life and death, which made it necessary to obtain his consent; but for the necessity of which, it is not likely that Pilate would have interfered. This, however, obliged the Jews themselves to confess that the sceptre was indeed departed from Judah, and that Shiloh was now come. (See Gen. xlix. 10.) Another remarkable circumstance is, the title which Pilate put upon the cross, proclaiming him King of the Jews, whom they now crucified. This, indeed, sorely displeased the Jews, who would fain have had it altered: but Pilate, who had sacrificed, as himself owned, an innocent man to please them, would not, from the same motive, alter a line or a letter of what he had himself written; and though the different inscriptions seem in some respects to have varied, they all agreed in this obnoxious sentence, "The King of the Jews," and proclaimed in the three chief tongues of the then known world,

that the Jews had crucified their king, for whom they had so long wished and prayed. In this event several remarkable prophecies were fulfilled, as we shall presently observe; in the mean time we must notice the affectionate language which Jesus uses towards his mother and his beloved apostle John. Though, upon his apprehension, his disciples generally were each scattered to his own home, an exception must be made for Peter and John: the former indeed, had better have fled with the rest, than have stopped to deny his Master; but the latter, who was the youngest of them, kept hovering about him during the trial, and, when that was over, secured a station as near as he could to the foot of the cross, with our Lord's mother and other pious women, whom neither danger nor disgrace could separate from him. Jesus, in the midst of his acute sufferings, could not contemplate with indifference the forlorn situation of his mother, now a widow, as is gene rally believed, and a sword having pierced through her own bowels, as had been predicted. (See Luke ii. 35.)

While, therefore, he calls her attention to his own sufferings, he calls also the attention of the young apostle to his mother; and he so well understood the Saviour's hint, that from that hour he took her to his own home: it is also believed, on the authority of an early tradition, that she lived and

Ver. 29. A vessel full of vinegar.-See Notes on Matt. xxvii. 34, 48. Hyssop stalks in that country grow large, and are sometimes two feet long, or more. But some think the herb itself was mixed with the vinegar upon the sponge, before being raised by a reed. Harris's Nat. Hist. p. 210.

Ver. 30. It is finished.-These do not appear to have been absolutely the last words of our Saviour,

for the three other Evangelists state," that he cried again with a loud voice, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit," and then gave up the ghost. See Matt. xxvii. 50.

Ver. 31. That the bodies should not remain.-See Deut. xxi. 22, 23.-An high day.-Not only a sabbath, but the second day of the feast of unleavened bread, on which they offered the sheaf of new corn.

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.

32 Then came the soldiers, and brake the legs of the first, and of the other which was crucified with him.

33 But when they came to Jesus, and saw that he was dead already, they brake not his legs:

34 But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came thereout blood and water.

35 And he that saw it bare record, and his record is true: and he knoweth that he saith true, that ye might believe.

36 For these things were done, that the Scripture should be fulfilled, bone of him shall not be broken.

A

37 And again another Scripture

[burial of Jesus.

saith, They shall look on him whom they pierced.

38 And after this Joseph of Arimathea, 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.

39 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.

40 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.

41 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.

42 There laid they Jesus therefore

died with him. Jesus now recollecting that there was one prophecy respecting him yet unfulfilled said, "I thirst;" and the soldiers themselves fulfilled the prediction of the patriarch David, by giving him vinegar to drink. He now said, "It is finished;" and, bowing down his head, gave up the ghost."

66

Thus closes the awful history of our Saviour's sufferings, in which grief rapidly follows grief, like as wave follows wave in the agitated ocean. Well, indeed, might the Saviour cry, "O, my God, my soul is cast down within me. All thy waves

and billows are gone over me." (Ps. xlii. 7.) Let us hastily recount his successive scenes of misery. He celebrated the Passover on the Thursday evening at Jerusalem-at midnight was arrested in the garden, and carried before the High Priest, and then the Sanhedrim-about six in the morning of Friday taken before Pilate, who, after

several vain attempts to pacify the Jews, surrendered him to their fury-nailed to the cross at nine-at noon came on the miraculous darkness, which continued till three, when he expired; and the same evening, about sunset, was entombed. Mr. Addison describes the closing scene in the following few, but striking lines:"See where they have nailed the Lord and giver of life! How his wounds blacken, his body writhes, and his heart heaves with pity and with agony! O, Almighty sufferer, look down, look down from thy triumphant infamy! Lo, he inclines his head to his sacred bosom ! - Hark, he groans!-See, he expires! - The earth trembles; the temple rends; the rocks burst ; the dead arise—which are the quick? - which are the dead?-Sure Nature, all Nature, is departing with her Creator!"

Ver. 34. Blood and water.-Blood from the heart itself, and water from the pericardium, or bag which contains the heart. See 1 John v. 8.

Ver. 36. A bone of him shall not be broken.--Sce Exod. xii. 25; also Psalmus xxxiv. 20.

Ver. 37. They shall look.-See Zech. xii. 10, and Note.

Ver. 39. An hundred pound weight.-This has

been thought incredible; but the Talmud says, 80lb. were used at the funeral of Rabbi Gamaliel the elder. At the funeral of Herod, Josephus says, 500 domesties followed, carrying spices.-Orient. Customs, No. 1308.

Ver. 40. As the manner of the Jews is to bury.Camp. "Which is the Jewish manner of embalming."

[from the dead.

Lord out of the sepulchre, and we know not where they have laid him.

3 Peter therefore went forth, and that other disciple, and came to the sepulchre.

4 So they ran both together: and the other disciple did outrun Peter, and came first to the sepulchre.

5 And he stooping down, and looking in, saw the linen clothes lying; yet went he not in.

6 Then cometh Simon Peter following him, and went into the sepulchre, and seeth the linen clothes lie,

:

(H) Ver. 31-42. Circumstances which followed the death of Christ, including his entombment. - We confine our remarks here to the circumstances related by St. John for those related by the other Evangelists, see our remarks on Matt. xxvii. and Luke xxiii. It was not only by a special Providence, for the fulfilment of prophecy, that the legs of Jesus were preserved unbroken, and his side pierced, but there seems also a mystical design, as our Evangelist afterwards explains it in his first epistle (ch. v. 6); "This is he that came by water and blood;" on which we shall only at present remark, that we conceive the fact had a figurative allusion to those two great doctrines of the Christian system-atonement by the blood of Christ, and the washing of regeneration and the renewal of our nature by the influences of the Holy Spirit. So good Dr. Watts explains it :

"Our Saviour's pierced side

Pour'd out a double flood.
By water we are purified,

And pardon'd by the blood."

We have already hinted at the many prophetic allusions accomplished in this great event. "To him give all the prophets witness" (Acts x. 43); and none more copiously than the patriarch David, who by the prophetic spirit clearly anticipated this day of sorrows, when he cried, "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" and when he speaks of himself as exposed to public scorn and ridicule-" I am a worm and no man; a reproach of men, and despised of the people. All they that see me laugh me to scorn: they shoot out the lip, they shake the head; saying,

....

He trusted on the Lord that he would deliver him: let him deliver him, seeing he delighteth in him' For dogs have compassed me: the assembly of the wicked have enclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet. They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture." (Ps. xxii. 1, 6, 7, 16—18.) "They gave me gall for my meat; and in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink."

But the most important words of Jesus in this part of the narrative, and nearly the last which he uttered, were, "It is finished"-meaning, not only that his prophetic and mediatorial work, but the whole series of types and prophecies respecting him, was accomplished. So Dr. Hugh Blair.

In this hour the long series of prophecies, visions, types, and figures, was accomplished; this was the centre in which they all met; this the point towards which they had tended and verged throughout the course of so many generations. You behold the law and the prophets standing, if we may speak so, at the foot of the cross, and doing homage. You behold Moses and Aaron bearing the ark of the covenant; David and Elijah presenting the oracle of testimony. You behold all the priests and sacrifices, all the rites and ordinances, all the types and symbols, assembled together to receive their consummation. Without the death of Christ, the worship and ceremonies of the law would have remained a pompous, but unmeaning institution. In the hour when he was crucified, 'the book with the seven seals' was opened. Every rite assumed its significancy, every prediction met its event, every symbol displayed its correspondence." (Blair's Sermons, vol. i. Ser. 5.)¡

7 And the napkin, that was about his head, not lying with the linen clothes, but wrapped together in a place by itself.

8 Then went in also that other disciple, which came first to the sepulchre, and he saw, and believed.

9 For as yet they knew not the Scripture, that he must rise again from the dead.

10 Then the disciples went away again unto their own home.

11 But Mary stood without at the sepulchre weeping; and as she wept, she stooped down, and looked into the sepulchre,

12 And seeth two angels in white sitting, the one at the head, and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain.

13 And they say unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? She saith unto them, Because they have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him.

[to Mary Magdalen, she turned herself back, and saw Jesus standing, and knew not that it was Jesus.

15 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? whom seekest thou? She, supposing him to be the gardener, saith unto him, Sir, if thou have borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him

away.

16 Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turned herself, and saith unto him, Rabboni; which is to say, Master.

17 Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God.

18 Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that he had spoken these things unto her. (I)

19 ¶ Then the same day at evening,

CHAP. XX.

(1) Ver. 1-18. Jesus appears to Mary Magdalene at the sepulchre.-Besides Mary Magdalene, Matthew mentions another Mary (meaning, most probably, Mary the wife of Cleopas, who stood with her at the foot of the cross, chap. xix. 25), and Mark mentions other women; so that it appears there were at least three: but John's nar rative concerns one only, though at the same time her language implies that there was at least another; for she says, verse 2, "We know not," &c. Notwithstanding all that Jesus had intimated about rising from the dead, it does not appear that any one of his disciples, male or female, anticipated such an event; and how they interpreted his language on such occasions, is to us incomprehensible. It should seem as if Providence had cast, as it were, a

mist over the eyes of their minds, that they might fall under no suspicion of acting a part to deceive others. Had they but suspected that he were risen, they would not have carried spices to embalm him, nor would they have been under any anxiety about rolling away the stone; much less would they have been alarmed when they found the stone removed, lest the body should have been stolen. Nor does even Mary Magdalene, with all her sanguine attachment to him, seem to have entertained an idea of his resurrection, till Jesus spoke to her; and then, though she did not recollect his person (perhaps not being dressed as usual), she in a moment recognized his voice, the well known sound of which vibrated with rapture on her ear, and perhaps she was eager to embrace him; but he desires her not to stop at present,

CHAP. XX. Ver. 8. Saw and believed-Were convinced that he must indeed be risen from the dead. Ver. 10. Unto their own home,-Doddr. and Camp. "To their companions."

Ver. 17. Touch me not.-Sherlock, "Hang not about me." Doddr." Embrace me not." Campbell

says, "The verb (haptesthai) in the use of the Ixx, denotes not only to touch, but to cleave to, as in Job xxxi. 7; Ezek. xli. 6, and other places.” The sense here plainly is. Do not detain me at present.... Luse not a moment in carrying the joy. ful tidings of my resurrection to my disciples.'