Matthew 27:37

τὴν αἰτίαν κ.τ.λ. It was the Roman custom to place on the cross over the criminal’s head, a titulus, or placard, stating the crime for which he suffered. St John records Pilate’s refusal to alter the inscription, and mentions that the title was written in Hebrew and Greek and Latin.

ὁ βασιλεὺς τῶν Ἰουδαίων. See note ch. Matthew 2:2.

The inscription is given with slight variations by the four Evangelists. ὁ βασιλεὺς τῶν Ἰουδαίων (Mark 15:26). ὁ βασιλεὺς τῶν Ἰουδαίων οὗτος (Luke 23:38). Ἰησοῦς ὁ Ναζωραῖος ὁ βασιλεὺς τῶν Ιουδαίων (John 19:19). This variation points to the independence of the different Gospels, and also indicates that a real though not a verbal accuracy should be looked for in the records of the Evangelists.