John 19:13

When Pilate therefore heard that saying, he brought Jesus forth, and sat down in the judgment seat in a place that is called the Pavement, but in the Hebrew, Gabbatha. WHEN PILATE HEARD THAT SAYING - or, according to the preferable reading, 'these sayings,' HE BROUGHT JESUS FORTH, AND SAT DOWN IN ('UPON,') THE JUDGMENT SEAT - that he might pronounce sentence against the Prisoner, on this charge, the more solemnly, IN A PLACE THAT IS CALLED THE PAVEMENT [ Lithostrooton (G3038 )], BUT IN THE HEBREW, GABBATHA, [Gabaataa'] - either from a word signifying to be 'high,' referring to the raised platform on which the judgment seat was placed; or from one signifying the 'back,' from its arched form. As the Greek word denotes, it was a tesselated pavement; much used by the Ro...

13._And sat down on the judgment-seat. _Hence we see what conflicting opinions passed through the mind of Pilate, as if he had been a stage-player who was acting two characters. He ascends _the judgment-seat, _in order to pronounce sentence of death on Christ solemnly, and in the customary form; (164) and yet he declares openly, that he does so reluctantly and against his conscience. When he calls Christ _king, _he speaks ironically, meaning that it was a trivial charge which the Jews brought against him; or rather, for the purpose of allaying their fury, he warns them, that it would bring disgrace on the whole nation, if a report were spread abroad, that a person of that nation had been condemned to die for aspiring to kingly power. _In the place which is called the Stone-pavement, but in the Hebrew, Gabbatha. _When the Evangelist says, that גבתא (Ga

1-18 Little did Pilate think with what holy regard these sufferings of Christ would, in after-ages, be thought upon and spoken of by the best and greatest of men. Our Lord Jesus came forth, willing to be exposed to their scorn. It is good for every one with faith, to behold Christ Jesus in his sufferings. Behold him, and love him; be still looking unto Jesus. Did their hatred sharpen their endeavours against him? and shall not our love for him quicken our endeavours for him and his kingdom? Pilate seems to have thought that Jesus might be some person above the common order. Even natural conscience makes men afraid of being found fighting against God. As our Lord suffered for the sins both of Jews and Gentiles, it was a special part of the counsel of Divine Wisdom, that the Jews should first purpose his death, and the Gentiles carry that purpose into effect. Had not Christ been thus reje...

Verse John 19:13. _THE PAVEMENT_] λιθοστρωτον, literally, _a stone_ _pavement_: probably it was that place in the open court where the chair of justice was set, for the prefects of provinces always held their courts of justice in the open air, and which was paved with stones of _various colours_, like that of Ahasuerus, Esther 1:6, of _red, blue, white_, and _black_ marble; what we still term _Mosaic_ work, or something in imitation of it; such as the _Roman_ pavements frequently dug up in this and other countries, where the Romans have had military stations. _GABBATHA._] That is, _an elevated place_; from גבה _gabah, high,_ _raised up_; and it is very likely that the judgment seat was considerably _elevated_ in the court, and t

JUDGMENT-SEAT - The tribunal or place of pronouncing sentence. He came here to deliver him, in due form of law, into the hands of the Jews. PAVEMENT - This was an area or room of the judgment hall whose floor was made of small square stones of various colors. This was common in palaces and houses of wealth and splendor. See the notes at Matthew 9:2. GABBATHA - This word is not elsewhere used. It comes from a word signifying to be elevated. The name given to the place by the Hebrews was conferred from its being the place of the tribunal, as an elevated place....

EXPOSITION JOHN 19:1 (d) [Within the Praetorium.] The unjust scourging, and the crown of thorns. JOHN 19:1 Then PILATE THEREFORE TOOK JESUS, AND SCOURGED HIM. The force of the "therefore" may be seen in the foregoing observations (see especially Luke 23:23). He obviously fancied that the sight of their victim's utter humiliation, his reduction to the lowest possible position, would sate their burning rage. Scourging was the ordinary preliminary of crucifixion, and it might be regarded as Pilate's verdict, or the conclusion of the whole matter. Roman and Greek historians confirm the custom (Josephus, 'Ant.,'...

WHEN PILATE THEREFORE HEARD THAT SAYING,.... Of the Jews, that a freeing of Jesus would show an unfriendliness to Caesar; and gave very broad hints that they would accuse him to Caesar of treachery and unfaithfulness, in letting go a man, that made pretensions to be a king in his territories; and knowing well the jealousies and suspicions of Tiberius, and fearing lest it would turn to his own disrepute and disadvantage, immediately HE BROUGHT JESUS FORTH out of the judgment hall, the place where he had been examined in; not to declare his innocence, nor to move their pity, nor to release him, but to pass sentence on him. AND HE SAT DOWN IN THE JUDGMENT SEAT: for that purpose. He had sat but little all this while, but was continually going in and out to examine Jesus, and converse with the Jews; but he now takes his place, and sits down as a judge, in order to give the finishing stroke...

John 19:1. _Then Pilate therefore took Jesus, and scourged him. And the soldiers platted a crown of thorns, and put it on his head, and they put on him a purple robe. And said, Hail, King of the Jews!_ Just as they were gathered to say, «Ave Imperator» «Hail emperor» so imitating that word which they applied to Caesar. and applying it to Jesus in mockery. «King of the Jews,» the utmost scorn was thrown into the last word, «of the Jews.» There had been a general tradition that there should arise among the Jews a king who would subdue the nations, and the Romans jested at the very thought that they should be conquered by the leader of such a despised race as the Jews, and so they said, «King of the Jews.» John 19:3. And they smote him with their hands. Pilate therefore went forth again, and s

CHAPTER 19 _ 1. Behold the Man! (John 19:1 .)_ 2. The Last Question of Pilate and Christ's Last Word. (John 19:8 .) 3. Delivered up and Crucified. (John 19:12 .) 4. The Title upon the Cross. (John 19:19 .) 5. The Parted Garments. (John 19:23 .) 6. Behold Thy Son! Behold Thy Mother! (John 19:25 .) 7. It is Finished! (John 19:28 .) 8. His Legs not B

PILATE GIVES WAY TO THE JEWS. Pilate's next attempt is to persuade the Jews to be content with a lighter penalty than crucifixion. The prisoner is not dangerous enough, even to the religious authorities of the nation, to make the extreme penalty necessary. Scourging will meet the case. It was the usual preliminary of the Roman punishment of crucifixion, and in the Synoptic account it is recorded only after the sentence has been pronounced. _Cf.,_ however, Luke 23:16; Luke 23:22, where Pilate suggests it as a sufficient punishment. The soldiers obey orders, and, visibly interpreting the governor's wishes, add mockery to the scourging, making sport of the claimant to a kingdom, and perhaps of Jewish sovereignty _in_ general. The other gospels record mockery, after the Jewish trial, of the prisoner as a disc