_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 ]