and set up over his head his accusation written 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.

King of the Jews. See ch. Matthew 2:2.

The inscription is given with slight variations by the four Evangelists. "The King of the Jews" (Mark 15:26). "This is the King of the Jews" (Luke 23:38). "Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews" (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.

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