Matthew 27:1
PUT HIM TO DEATH; he had professed to be the Christ, and said that hereafter they should see him coming in the clouds of heaven. This they said was blasphemy, and for it they condemned him to die.... [ Continue Reading ]
PUT HIM TO DEATH; he had professed to be the Christ, and said that hereafter they should see him coming in the clouds of heaven. This they said was blasphemy, and for it they condemned him to die.... [ Continue Reading ]
PILATE; the Roman governor. As the Jews had no authority to put any one to death, it was needful, in order to accomplish their design, that the Roman governor should condemn him. They brought him to Pilate for this purpose; and Christ had foretold that the Gentiles, to whom Pilate belonged, would pu... [ Continue Reading ]
REPENTED HIMSELF; he knew that Jesus was innocent, and yet he had been instrumental in delivering him to his murderers. He was therefore tormented by a conviction of his guilt. The evil of committing known sin is greater than sinners imagine; while the pleasure which they derive from it is less, and... [ Continue Reading ]
WHAT IS THAT TO US? the language of men hardened in wickedness, and determined to execute their murderous purpose. Tempters to iniquity are hard-hearted and cruel; they will get men into trouble, but will not relieve them. They are of their father the devil, and like him they will tempt men to sin,... [ Continue Reading ]
There are two kinds of sorrow on account of sin. One is in view of its having been committed against God: this is godly sorrow, which worketh repentance unto salvation, and needeth not to be repented of. The other is sorrow on account of the evil to which sin exposes the sinner, and is wholly selfis... [ Continue Reading ]
TREASURY; the place where the offerings or contributions of the people were kept. Hypocrites and formalists are sometimes exceedingly scrupulous about little things, while they commit the greatest and most aggravated transgressions without hesitation, and without remorse. While practising the grosse... [ Continue Reading ]
POTTER'S FIELD; a place where earthen-ware had been made. STRANGERS; those who came from other countries, and died at Jerusalem.... [ Continue Reading ]
THIS DAY; the time when Matthew wrote his gospel, perhaps thirty years after the events here recorded.... [ Continue Reading ]
JEREMY; Jeremiah. The event here referred to is not mentioned in Jeremiah, but in Zechariah 11:12-13. The name Jeremiah in several ancient translations and manuscripts is not mentioned, and it reads, that which was spoken by the prophet.... [ Continue Reading ]
Slander and abuse, reviling and persecution may sometimes be best met by silence: and perfection of character requires such a control over one's own spirit as to be able not to speak, when it is manifest that no good will result from it.... [ Continue Reading ]
ENVY; the uneasiness they felt in witnessing his increasing influence among the people. The indulgence of envy is a great sin.... [ Continue Reading ]
NOTHING TO DO WITH THAT JUST MAN; do nothing against him, or towards condemning him.... [ Continue Reading ]
All efforts of unrighteous magistrates to screen themselves from guilt in knowingly condemning the innocent or acquitting the guilty, will be fruitless. They may deceive themselves and their fellow-men, but they cannot deceive God. He will hold them responsible; and the measures they take to hide th... [ Continue Reading ]
HIS BLOOD BE ON US; we will bear the blame of his crucifixion: if divine judgments come, let them come on us and our children.... [ Continue Reading ]
SCOURGED JESUS; according to the custom of scourging one condemned to die before his execution.... [ Continue Reading ]
SCARLET ROBE; in mockery of his claim to be the king of the Jews; for a purple or scarlet robe was the ensign of sovereignty.... [ Continue Reading ]
A REED; in mockery, as a sceptre.... [ Continue Reading ]
CYRENE; a city in the northern part of Africa. BEAR HIS CROSS; at first the cross had been laid on Jesus, according to the custom of compelling malefactors to carry their own cross to the place of execution.... [ Continue Reading ]
A PLACE CALLED GOLGOTHA; without the city. Hebrews 13:12. Golgotha means a skull; but why the place bore this name is not agreed.... [ Continue Reading ]
VINEGAR-MINGLED WITH GALL; Mark names "wine mingled with myrrh," an intensely bitter substance. Though it may have been intended as a stupefying draught, it still belonged to the process of a bloody, ignominious, and agonizing death. Thus was fulfilled the prophecy in Psalms 69:21. In persecuting th... [ Continue Reading ]
CASTING LOTS; to determine which soldier should have the garment. Psalms 22:18.... [ Continue Reading ]
WATCHED HIM; this was customary, to see that none should come and take down those who were crucified till it was ordered.... [ Continue Reading ]
TWO THIEVES; thus he was numbered with the transgressors, according to Isaiah 53:12.... [ Continue Reading ]
DESTROYED THE TEMPLE; their false accusation, Matthew 26:61; John 2:19-21.... [ Continue Reading ]
KING OF ISRAEL; the Messiah.... [ Continue Reading ]
CAST THE SAME IN HIS TEETH; they upbraided him in the same way.... [ Continue Reading ]
SIXTH HOUR; twelve o'clock noon. NINTH HOUR; three o'clock in the afternoon.... [ Continue Reading ]
ELI, ELI, LAMA SABACHTHANI; a phrase in the Chaldaic language, as then spoken in Judea, explained in the last part of the verse. Psalms 22:1.... [ Continue Reading ]
YIELDED UP THE GHOST; gave up his life. Jesus Christ retained his life and endured his agony till he had finished the work which God gave him to do. He suffered all that was needful in order to become the author of eternal salvation to all who believe on him. He then voluntarily gave up his life.... [ Continue Reading ]
VEIL OF THE TEMPLE; which separated the most holy place from the other parts of the temple. By this was signified that now the way into God's presence was opened by the blood of Christ. Hebrews 9:7-8; Hebrews 10:19-20. The rending veil of the temple, the quaking earth, the bursting rocks, the openin... [ Continue Reading ]
WHICH SLEPT; who were dead. AROSE; not now, but, as is added in the next verse, after his resurrection. These were the earnest of the general resurrection at the last day. The whole transaction was designed to show that through the resurrection of Christ his disciples shall also attain to a gloriou... [ Continue Reading ]
THE HOLY CITY; Jerusalem.... [ Continue Reading ]
CENTURION; the Roman officer in command on that occasion. THIS WAS THE SON OF GOD; as he had professed to be. The object of God in suffering the wickedness of men, is totally different from theirs in committing it. They mean it for evil, and it is evil, and they are evil in committing it; and withou... [ Continue Reading ]
THE EVEN; evening-some time after three o'clock. Sometimes there are friends of Christ among the rich, and in circumstances where we should least expect them. They may be associated with the wicked, and yet through grace be kept from being partakers of their sins. On the other hand there may be hypo... [ Continue Reading ]
HIS OWN NEW TOMB; thus Christ according to prophecy, was "with the rich in his death." Isaiah 53:9.... [ Continue Reading ]
DAY OF THE PREPARATION; for keeping the passover. Men cannot by any efforts thwart the purposes of God. A man's heart deviseth his way, but the Lord directeth his steps. Proverbs 16:9. There are many devices in a man's heart; nevertheless the counsel of the Lord, that shall stand. Proverbs 19:21.... [ Continue Reading ]
UNTIL THE THIRD DAY; this shows what was then meant by three days, or three days and three nights, which Jesus said he should be in the heart of the earth, or the grave. Matthew 12:40. THE LAST ERROR; that of taking him away, and then pretending that he was risen from the dead. This they said would... [ Continue Reading ]
A WATCH; soldiers to watch his grave.... [ Continue Reading ]
SEALING THE STONE; so that no one could open the sepulchre without breaking the seal. All the efforts of the Jews to show that Jesus Christ was guilty only tended more clearly to show, and more strikingly to illustrate, his innocence and their own guilt; and all their efforts after he was dead to pr... [ Continue Reading ]